The Collapse

The Vigilant groaned as its systems continued to fail. The hum of the signal reverberated through the ship, vibrating every surface. It wasn't just inside them now—it was everywhere. Kaelen could feel it thrumming in his bones, seeping into his very soul. The pull of it was undeniable, like a force drawing him toward a dark abyss.

"We need to sever the connection," Mira said, her voice sharp. "Now."

Kaelen nodded, though he wasn't sure how. The ship's core was already too deeply entwined with the signal. It would take more than a simple shutdown to break free from its influence.

R0NIN's voice came through the comms again, the AI's normally calm tone now tinged with urgency. "Warning: power failure imminent. Life support systems are beginning to malfunction. Recommend immediate evacuation."

Laz shook his head. "Evacuate? Where would we go? We're already caught in the gravitational pull of the signal."

Kaelen clenched his fists. They were running out of time. And yet, the more he resisted, the stronger the signal seemed to become. It was alive, and it was aware. Every passing moment felt like the walls of the ship were closing in on them.

"We need to isolate the core," Kaelen said. "If we can cut the connection from the inside, maybe we can stop it."

But deep down, Kaelen knew they might already be too late.