The unstable layer did not remain beyond Velmora’s reach for long. At first, it felt distant, the pressure above them muted by the chaotic flow of energy that fractured this lower region, but that illusion did not last. The system adapted again, slower than before, but no less precise, probing the layer they had fallen into, searching for a path that would reconnect control to chaos. Ronan Crowne felt the shift before it became visible. “They’re finding a way in,” Lucas Crowne said quietly, his gaze narrowing slightly as he sensed the same change. Ronan did not stop moving. The unstable ground beneath them pulsed irregularly, forcing constant adjustment as fragmented platforms formed and dissolved in uneven intervals. Energy currents surged unpredictably through the space, brushing past them in waves that carried enough force to tear apart anything unprepared.This was not a place meant for survival, yet it remained the only part of Velmora that had not fallen completely under its

The structure became clearer the closer they approached.At first, it had seemed little more than another fragment buried beneath the endless debris scattered across the wasteland, but as Ronan Crowne and Lucas Crowne drew nearer, its scale slowly revealed itself.It was enormous.It resembled the remains of an old transport station fused directly into the fractured terrain, its outer framework partially collapsed beneath layers of stone and metallic wreckage that had clearly remained untouched for a very long time. Entire sections were broken open, exposing corridors and internal structures twisted by age and damage, yet despite its condition, faint traces of energy still pulsed somewhere within.Weak.Unstable.But still faintly active.Ronan stopped several meters from the entrance, his gaze narrowing slightly as he observed the dark opening ahead.“No recent movement,” he said quietly.Lucas nodded faintly beside him.“This place has been abandoned for years.”His voice remained s

Beside him, Lucas Crowne gave a small nod.Neither of them touched the directive again, not yet.Because right now, hidden truths and Arthur’s secrets meant nothing compared to the situation waiting for them back in Arken.They needed to return immediately.Without wasting more time, Ronan moved toward the primary control systems while Lucas began checking the vessel’s remaining operational status. The situation was bad.Worse than either of them initially expected.Several systems were completely dead.The outer navigation array had partially collapsed.Long-range communication remained inactive.Even the jump stabilization modules showed severe degradation after decades of abandonment.Yet despite all of that, the ship itself was still alive.Faint pulses moved beneath the floor as ancient conduits slowly awakened one after another, responding to the Crowne bloodline authorization flowing through the vessel.Lucas’ gaze narrowed slightly while studying one of the fragmented displays

The ancient vessel shook violently as it tore through the darkness of space.Warning signals continued flashing across nearly every display inside the control chamber while unstable vibrations echoed throughout the ship’s aging structure. Even after escaping the ruined planet, the damage caused by the forced launch had not settled.If anything— it was getting worse.Lucas Crowne stood near the primary navigation console, his expression dark as fragmented system warnings continued appearing one after another.“Engine synchronization is unstable.”Another warning flashed.“Internal conduits overheating.”Then another.“Spatial balance fluctuating.”Lucas exhaled slowly.“The ship barely survived that launch.”Across the chamber, Ronan Crowne remained silent, his gaze fixed on the star map projected before them.Several hostile signatures continued following their trajectory.Velmora pursuit units.They had not given up.And worse, the distance between them was slowly shrinking.Lucas gl

The moment Arthur’s vessel entered the outer defense range of Arken, every warning system inside the control chamber activated simultaneously.Hostile lock detected.Multiple military signatures approaching. Communication interception initiated.Ronan Crowne stared at the surrounding radar projections quietly as more fleet signatures emerged across the outer perimeter of the Arken system.Defense fleets. Fully armed.And all of them had already locked onto Arthur’s ship.Beside him, Lucas Crowne narrowed his eyes slightly while studying the tactical formations moving around them.“They reacted quickly,” he said.Ronan remained silent.Of course they did.Arthur’s vessel carried no modern military identification. Its systems were ancient, partially damaged, and had just emerged from a distorted route near Velmora territory.From Arken’s perspective, they looked more suspicious than friendly.A sharp transmission signal suddenly echoed throughout the chamber.Then a cold military voice