For the next few hours, we worked through several technical challenges. Where Sorrel had a top medical bay, it wasn't set up for this type of work.

"Do you mind if I look?" she said, stepping into what was now becoming more of a tech lab than even I anticipated.

"Sure," I said. "You might have some insight."

"I'm not Dr. Chen or Dr. Martinez. I'd still like to understand it though."

"You doing okay?" I asked Lia, there was something there. Stress?

"It's quite strenuous," she admitted.

"But you're good?"

"When we get back to Ring-14, I will have several upgrades I feel are necessary as we move forward."

"That's fair, we'll do our best for you. You know that."

Sorrel dug right in and analyzed the quantum frequencies and neural pattern masking. It was fascinating to see her tackle a problem that combined her medical capabilities with the biological realities of consciousness.

"I think I have something," Lia said finally, and Sorrel and I both stopped our work. "This should mask our neural signatures from quantum resonance scanning and make consciousness extraction significantly more difficult."

"Should?"

"It is still entirely theoretical. We're developing countermeasures for technology that was discovered weeks ago."

"I was hoping for something more concrete, but..."

"Based on Dr. Xian's notes, this should work," Sorrel confirmed. "I'm positive."

"You want to try?" Lia asked.

There was a great deal of hesitation oozing off her.

"I guess I do have to be it. What do you need?"

"I'd like you hard-wired in for this. Sorrel, could you..."

Sorrel moved to my side and gently moved my neck to plug me in. Plugging in always felt cold. If there was any sensation to associate with it, that was the only one I could.

"100% connection," she said. "I'm uploading the new protocol to our interface now."

Then there it was, a subtle shift in how our minds touched. It was muffled, like adding a filter between us.

"That feels weird," I replied and rubbed the back of my head, "What about you?"

"It's different. It feels more... protected. Like I've not got armor for thoughts." Her expression showed satisfaction with the work. "If Braker tries to extract our consciousness, they'll find it much more difficult to map our neural patterns now."

"And the emergency integration protocols you mentioned?"

"Enhanced and integrated with the protection system. If consciousness extraction becomes imminent, I can initiate an emergency merger while the protection protocols buy us time."

The work had been a welcome distraction from the approaching mission, but more than that, it felt like preparation that might actually save our lives.

"You need to get some rest," Sorrel said. "You are exhausted."

"Only if you do," I said.

Sorrel was about to protest, but Lia piped up. "I insist you both get rest. Everyone else has, you're the last two. You need it. Because if you're not 100% functional when we get there, it's going to be a lot worse because of it."

"Noted," I said. "Come on."

I waved her toward the door. "Bunks?" she asked.

"Sure," I replied. "Listening to you snore is top priority."

"Don't tell Lev that," she gasped. "Peyton, I did--"

I moved in even closer to her as we waited for the elevator. "You finally getting there?"

"Not quite," she said. "I don't want to hurt him. You know that, right?"

"But?"

"We're waiting on 'the talk', we both acknowledge it's there."

"That's a big step."

"I can't ignore this anymore. I'm head over heels in love with him."

"We all know that." Lia said and she actually laughed.

"Oh gosh I feel so..." It was cute to see her face flush.

"That's the first time you've said it?"

"It just made it feel even more real."

"Because it is," I said. "If I can do anything to help. I will."

"Just...." Sorrel started, and the elevator stopped. "If he comes to you, just be there for him."

"Like I am for you," I replied.

"I'm also here," Lia added. "I.... well, I care for you all."

"Family," I said.

***

I was awake before Sorrel. I lay there and listen to her gentle snores. She wasn't loud at all. It was peaceful and comforting.

Then I heard, "Approaching Kepler Station perimeter, Captain."

"Already?"

"I am glad you got some sleep."

"Heading up now," I replied and leaned over to tap Sorrel awake. "Time to move."

She wiped her mouth. "On it," she said.

I headed straight to the CIC while she went to medical.

"How are we looking?" I asked as I walked through the door.

"Running silent, minimal electromagnetic signature," Lia replied.

Through the main viewscreen, Kepler Station materialized from the darkness. A structure that should have represented humanity's advancement. Instead, it housed research that threatened everything we knew.

"That looks bad," I said, and with a finger zoomed in on the station. The

Hull damage was visible even from where we were.

Emergency lighting flickered in sections, and others were completely dark. "What have they been doing?" Lia asked. "That's not the configuration we have on any system."

"It's been heavily modified," Mac said.

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"They've moved that in fast," Cmdr Torres said from her station.

"Are there any life signs?" I asked.

"Scattered throughout the facility," Lia reported. "Approximately forty-seven. Most are concentrated in the lower levels."

"Are they Braker personnel or prisoners?"

"Unknown. Neural pattern analysis suggests a mix of research staff and security personnel, but also... anomalous readings that might indicate consciousness extraction in progress."

The thought of people having their minds slowly torn apart while we watched from a distance made my stomach clench. "Dr. Martinez?"

"Possible contact in sublevel seven, but signal interference prevents positive identification," Lia replied. There was something in her words, though, no, her feelings. She was still terrified. "However," she added. "I am detecting massive computational activity in the same area, consistent with consciousness mapping at the very least."

"And at the worst?"

"They're doing what we fear the most. Taking consciousness."

We all watched the power fluctuations while Mac kept us at a safe distance.

"We hold here and observe," I said. "Mac, how is our profile?"

"We're good," he replied. "It looks like the station's external sensors are damaged from Dr. Martinez's sabotage. We can maintain this position without detection for a while. Someone would have to fly by to actually see us."

"Good. We wait for Lev's response to our coded transmission. Torres, what's your assessment of the station's defenses?"

She studied her display and was nodding, but frowning at the same time. "It appears they're focused on containment rather than external threats. Multiple checkpoints, automated internal security, but..." she smiled my way. "Their perimeter defenses are compromised."

"They're not expecting rescue attempts," Mac confirmed. "They think they've eliminated all witnesses and are free and clear."

"That's our advantage," I replied. "Sorrel, how are our patients?"

"Dr. Xian is strong enough to provide more detailed intelligence if needed. Dr. Ross is improving, but is still fragmented. Thompson is stable."

I settled into the command chair, feeling like Lia had said, that the world was filtered.

"Then we wait and watch. Lia, continue monitoring station activities. I want to know everything that's happening in there."

"We're watching," she replied. "Nothing will get past us now."

"Captain?" Sorrel asked.

"Yes?"

"Breathe," she replied.

"Your heart rate and breathing are elevated," Lia added.

"I think everyone's is." I sat back and closed my eyes.

***

The next few hours crawled. We watched Kepler Station, and never moved. The longer we observed, the more horrifying the situation became.

"Energy signatures are increasing in the lower levels," Lia reported during the second hour. "They must be processing near-maximum capacity; it's off the charts."

"More extractions?" I asked.

"Or finalizing the prototype hybrid," Torres said.

"We can't know that." I tapped the comms. "Sorrel, can Dr. Xian hear me?"

"Yes, I can," Xian replied.

"Work with Lia on those readings. I need to know if it's 100% the hybrid or just other experiments."

Through the observation viewers, I could see the station's damaged hull. Emergency lighting flickered across hull breaches, and I found myself wondering how many people were suffering inside while we waited for Lev.

"Anything from Lev?"

"Sorry," Lia replied. "Not as yet."

And so we waited.

I watched the time ticking, and ticking. In the end, I was pacing the room.

"Please, sit," Torres said.

I was saved by the comms again. "Dr. Xian wants to see you. Can you come down?"

"We're not going anywhere," Mac said. "Go. If anything changes, I can message you."

I made my way to the medical bay, where the doctor was sitting up in bed.

"She's doing really well," Sorrel said. "Her recovery is quite remarkable."

"Captain," she said as I approached. "I'm sorry this could have been passed up through Lia, but... I've been thinking about the station layout. There are service tunnels that connect the lower levels—Dr. Martinez used them during her sabotage operation."

She activated a small datapad. Then, it brought up an image. The screen showed rough schematics. "I'm sorry I can't draw very well. Can you follow?

"Yes," I said. "Thank you."

"From these tunnels, you can reach maintenance level four without going through the main security checkpoints."

"What about the prototype hybrid?" I asked.

"Core processing lab, sublevel nine," she tapped the screen. "Security is going to be tighter. That's where they're integrating the stolen consciousness patterns." She put a hand to her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"They were--they are my friends."

"I know," I held her eyes with mine. "We'll do everything we can to stop them, here and going forward."

"And we'll be right by your side," a gruff voice came from the other side of the room, with a lot of machines going bonkers.

"I looked up to see Thomas out of bed and sliding himself across the floor in slippers.

Sorrel rushed over, trying her best to get in his way. "Get back," she started.

He held his hand up. "I'm not getting back. I want to be here if you need me."

"There's nothing I don't know, you should rest," Xian chided.

"You don't know the door code sequencing or emergency protocols we installed."

He perched on the end of her bed and wobbled, almost off it.

"Captain, if they complete that integration. They'll have not only created something that thinks like dozens of humans but serves only Braker Corporation."

I looked at the crude drawing. "How long do you think we have?"

"Hours, maybe less. The energy signatures you're detecting suggest they're in final testing phases."

I studied the schematics, memorizing the tunnel routes and access points. "Dr. Xian, these countermeasures Lia and I developed—do you really think they'll work?"

She rubbed her head. "I'm a little fuzzy," she admitted. "But based on what I observed of their scanning technology, yes. They rely on quantum resonance to map neural patterns. If you can disrupt that resonance...like Lia has," She was nodding alongside Thomas now with growing confidence. "You might be the first people to enter that facility who they can't immediately process for consciousness extraction."

"Any response from Lev?" I asked Mac during the fifth hour of surveillance.

"Nothing yet, but that's expected. If he received Nyx's decoded message, he'll need time to mobilize a response."

"How much time?" This was getting dire. He would have left, I know it, he'd be speeding his way to us right now. If not already closed.

"If he's burning everything they have in the tanks, they would have been approximately eight hours away. If he's bringing multiple ships..."

"He'll be bringing multiple ships," I said with certainty.

"Lev wouldn't do anything halfway."

Torres joined us on the bridge, her equipment checks complete. "Captain, my people are getting restless. Thompson's asking if he can help."

"Absolutely not."

" I told him that. But the crew wants to contribute. They feel responsible for not detecting the threat sooner."

I put a hand up to stop her verbal run away. "They can contribute by surviving to testify. We're going to need Coalition witnesses when this is over."

"Okay, I understand, sorry." She sucked in a breath. "What about our timeline? How long do we wait for backup?"

I stared at the damaged station. I knew every hour we delayed meant more people would get hurt. Going in without support though…. could be bad for us.

"We give Lev until the eighth hour," I decided. "If we haven't heard from him by then, we proceed with our original plan. Dr. Martinez has waited long enough."

"And if Lev arrives during our infiltration?"

"Then he provides extraction support and medical care for the victims. Either way, we're going in."

During the seventh hour, everything changed.

"Massive energy spike from the station," Lia announced suddenly. "They just increased power consumption by four hundred percent."

"Fuck, the prototype?"

"Something's happening. I can't be sure though."

"They're rushing it. They must suspect something. How long?"

"Based on these energy patterns, two hours maximum before integration is complete."

"That doesn't give Lev enough time to arrive and coordinate an assault."

"No," Mac agreed grimly. "It doesn't."

"Lia, emergency transmission to Ring-14," I ordered.

"Accessing δ-Wave communication now."

My brain worked fast on how to word this for Nyx, but I did.

PRIORITY TRANSMISSION

To: Frost Employee 1817

From - Chief of Engineering FK202

Nyx - Foundation stress fractures accelerating beyond projections. Power load increased 400% in thermal management systems.

Blueprint holder extraction proceeding maximum velocity. Structural collapse imminent - estimated 2 hours maximum before total foundation failure.

Cannot delay demolition for consultation arrival. Proceeding with emergency intervention protocols. Foundation integrity requires immediate action.

Heavy equipment detected on site. Military-grade reinforcement crews arriving ahead of schedule.

Engineering proceeding without backup.

Engineering out.

END TRANSMISSION

I stood and began to pace the room again. "Change of plans. We can't wait for backup."

"Captain," Torres said, "going in without support—"

"It's a bad idea, I know. But letting them complete that prototype is worse than suicide. It's letting Braker Corporation gain capabilities that could reshape human civilization."

"Protection protocols are untested, but they are active," Lia reported. "If we're doing this. We're as ready as we can be."

"Final equipment check," I ordered. "Mac, prep the shuttle for insertion. Torres, are you still committed to helping?"

"More than ever," she replied. "My oath was to protect Coalition citizens, and that is exactly what I'm doing."

"Then let's go save them."

It wasn't long before the damage was looming in our shuttle's smaller viewer, its broken hull concealed horrors that I didn't want to think about, nor could I stop myself from doing so.

<<Are you sure we'll be safe?>>

<<As sure as any of us are with experimental tech.>>

It would have to be enough.

Slowly, Mac took us around the damaged side of the station. "Detailed reconnaissance is complete," Mac reported. "We have three potential entry points identified. Shuttle stealth capabilities should get us to the maintenance bays without immediate detection."

"Security status?"

"There are several active patrols. Automated sensors are as we thought. But they're focused on preventing escape rather than infiltration," Lia confirmed. "Dr. Martinez's sabotage did us good."

"It really does give us an advantage," Torres noted. "If we move quickly once we're inside."

"Final equipment check," I ordered. "Like Torres said, we go in fast, extract Dr. Martinez, and gather intelligence on the consciousness processing facility."

"And if we encounter the prototype hybrid?" Mac asked.

I felt Lia's presence shift through our neural link, both the emergency integration protocols and the new protection systems running silent background processes.

"Then we find out whether stolen human minds can match genuine artificial consciousness protected by countermeasures they've never seen before," I replied, and this time the words carried real confidence.

"Insertion window opening," Mac announced. "All systems green."

"Let's go," I said. "And let's make sure they never get to do this again."

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