The Black Star drifted in the wreck chamber, their breath mingling with the metallic pulsing sound. Kael felt the artifact in his hand reacting more and more strongly, sending out pulses that penetrated the ship's hull and their senses.
Zara clung to the helm. "I can't believe it's still alive." Her voice was tense, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Rex monitored the scanners' range, trying to make out the creature's shape. "It's not like anything we know. It's not a drone. It's something bigger."
Lira rolled her eyes, but didn't let go of the console. "Technically, it's still wreckage. But it's responding to the artifact. Everything we do affects its behavior."
Taro scrolled through the data. "The energy readings don't fit into any known range. It's both alive and artificial. If we make a mistake..."
Kael looked at the crew. "There's no room for error. The artifact is leading us to the heart of it all. That's where it must learn the truth."
Segments of the wreckage began to shift, creating a passageway straight to the center of the chamber. Lines of energy pulsed in time with the artifact, and light reflected off the metal walls. This created the illusion that everything around them was undulating and living with its own rhythm.
"Ready?" Kael asked.
Zara raised her weapon, but her smile remained. "As always."
Rex nodded. "Better keep your eyes open."
Lira pressed the button on the console. "The artifact is syncing with the wreck's system. It may show us the way—or something else."
The hull segments began to vibrate as energy from the artifact flowed through the metal strands. The Black Star moved smoothly, as if it were part of the organism itself.
Zara turned to Kael. "It's like a wild ride through a living maze."
Kael nodded. "And we have to trust that the artifact knows where it's going."
Suddenly, the artifact's light flashed even brighter, and the segments of the wreckage shook. From the depths of the chamber emerged a huge silhouette, made of metal and energy, with motionless eyes that seemed to be looking directly at them.
"That's the heart of the wreck," whispered Taro. "And it doesn't look friendly."
Zara smiled wryly. "Not friendly, but impressive."
Kael took a deep breath. "Hold your positions. We'll have to talk... or fight."
The artifact pulsed in his hand, as if signaling that the decision was theirs. And the heart of the shadow watched.
The Black Star drifted deeper into the center of the chamber. The metal around them pulsed and shifted like living tissue, reacting to every movement of the ship and the artifact. Kael felt the pulse of the artifact invade his mind, sending images and impulses that could not be understood in the traditional way.
Zara pressed herself against the bridge wall. "I can't believe it's still alive. But it looks like it's looking right at us."
Rex set the scanners to maximum. The lines of energy in the wreckage began to vibrate more strongly, creating irregular corridors that changed shape in real time. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen," he said quietly. "It's not a drone, not an automaton... It's something between a living thing and a machine."
Lira rolled her eyes. "Technically, it's still wreckage, but it's reacting like a living thing. Kael, the artifact, is syncing with its system. If we make a mistake..."
Kael turned to them. "There's no room for error. The artifact is leading us to the center. It's our only way out."
The segments of the wreck began to move faster, as if sensing their movements. Lines of energy pulsed in rhythm with the artifact, and light reflected off the walls, creating the illusion of undulating chaos.
Zara raised her weapon. "Ready for a ride through cosmic horror?"
Rex grunted. "Better than waiting for it to tear us apart."
The artifact pulsed more and more intensely. Energy spread throughout the chamber, creating swirls of light that penetrated the metal segments. The Black Star drifted between them, as if it had become part of the living wreck itself.
Lira pressed her fingers against the console button. "The artifact is synchronizing with the wreck's system. It can show us the way... or something worse."
The segments shook violently. From the depths of the chamber emerged a huge silhouette, composed of metal and energy, with motionless eyes that seemed to stare directly at them.
"It's the heart of the wreck," whispered Taro. "And it doesn't look friendly."
Zara smiled wryly. "Not friendly, but impressive."
Kael took a deep breath. "Hold your positions. We'll have to talk... or fight."
The artifact pulsed in his hand, as if signaling that the decision was theirs.
At that moment, the heart of the wreck sent out a wave of energy that bounced off the segments. The interior of the chamber turned into a kaleidoscope of light and sound. Kael felt the artifact transmitting images of ancient fleets, battles, lost civilizations, and powers that had passed away centuries ago.
Zara grabbed the railing. "What the... Fuck, it's like someone's pouring the history of the entire galaxy into your head!"
Rex looked at Kael. "We need to know what it wants from us. This isn't an attack... at least not yet."
Lira whispered, "There's no way we're leaving here without an answer. The artifact and the wreck have merged. It's the only point of contact."
The segments shifted, creating a wide passageway leading to the central chamber. The lines of energy pulsed in time with the artifact, as if synchronizing the wreck's heartbeat with their own rhythm.
Kael looked at the crew. "Let's go. Without hesitation. Every step could change everything."
The Black Star entered central space. The artifact glowed brightly, and the segments of the wreckage formed a swirling pattern. The energy sent images to Kael of mighty fleets, Guardians, battles, and mysteries he could never comprehend.
Zara sighed. "I can't believe I'm still alive."
Rex grunted. "Nothing has happened yet. But if something moves..."
At that moment, the artifact flashed so brightly that for a moment the entire chamber was lit up like daylight. The segments began to move in rhythm with the energy, forming a giant spiral.
Kael felt a wave of pressure in his head. The heart of the wreck had awakened completely.
And they knew one thing: there was no turning back.
The Black Star drifted deeper into the center of the chamber. Kael felt the artifact in his hand pulsing harder and harder. Its energy penetrated the metallic segments of the wreck, and light spread across the walls, creating swirling patterns. Their every movement caused a wave of energy that traveled throughout the interior.
Zara raised her weapon, jumping over a piece of shifting metal. "I can't believe it's still alive. It looks like it's staring right at us."
Rex set up the scanners. "It's unlike anything we know. It's not a drone, not an automaton. It's something between a living thing and a machine."
Lira looked at Kael. "The artifact is synchronizing with the wreckage. The lines of light show that our every movement changes the space. It's a maze that shapes itself."
Kael nodded. "We go together. No deviations. The artifact is guiding us, and we are to follow its instructions."
The segments began to vibrate more intensely. The artifact's energy bounced off the metal walls, creating swirls of light that marked the path. The Black Star drifted between them like a living part of the wreckage.
Zara snorted. "I don't think I'll survive this without going crazy."
Rex turned toward the spinning segments. "We can't fight whatever this is. But we can try to understand what it wants."
Taro slid his fingers across the terminal. "The artifact is sending data to the wreck's systems. This isn't just a map. If we misread the signals, we could walk into a trap."
Kael looked at the artifact. "We have no choice. We're going into the heart."
The segments began to form a spiral corridor leading to the central chamber. A dense energy hung in the air, sensing their every movement. Kael felt the artifact synchronizing with their rhythm, as if preparing them for something greater.
Zara turned to Kael. "Get ready, because this won't be a normal contact. It will be something more."
Rex nodded. "Ready or not, there's no turning back."
Lira moved the terminal closer. "Keep your eyes and minds open. This will be a contact that changes everything."
The artifact flashed with a bright light, and the segments of the wreck formed a vortex in which the Black Star drifted. A wave of energy rushed into their minds, showing fragments of the wreck's past and its consciousness.
Kael felt a wave of memories of fleet battles, ancient civilizations, lost worlds, and Guardians who had been gone for centuries. It all jumbled together in his head, but at the same time gave him a sense of direction.
Zara grabbed the railing. "What the... Fuck, it's like someone's pouring the history of the entire galaxy into your head."
Rex grunted. "We need to find out what it wants. It's not attacking, yet."
Lira whispered, "There's no way we're leaving here without an answer. The artifact and the wreckage have merged. It's the only way into its consciousness."
The segments shifted, creating a passage to the central chamber. Lines of energy pulsed in rhythm with the artifact. Kael felt that this was no longer just a guide, but a test of their courage and decisions.
Zara turned with a smile. "Time to see if we're ready."
Rex grabbed her arm. "Ready or not, there's no turning back."
The artifact pulsed more and more strongly. The segments spinning to the rhythm of the energy formed a giant spiral. The Black Star drifted straight into the heart of the shadow.
Kael felt that this was only the beginning of the real test. The heart of the wreck awaited their decision, and their every action could change everything.
The Black Star drifted in the spinning center of the chamber. Kael felt the artifact in his hand pulsing harder and harder, as if preparing them for something incomprehensible. Light reflected off the metal segments of the wreck, creating the illusion of a living spiral that surrounded them on all sides.
Zara moved her weapon closer to her body. "I don't know if it's watching or judging, but I feel like it knows who we are."
Rex pressed the scanner button. "We can't predict its movements. It's something between a machine and an organism. Any reaction could be fatal."
Lira looked at the terminal. "The artifact is synchronizing with its interior. The energy lines respond to our thoughts and movements. Kael, it's like reading consciousness."
Kael nodded. "We're going together. Every step must be synchronized with the artifact. It's the only way."
The segments began to spin, forming a central spiral leading straight to the heart of the wreck. The artifact's energy flowed through every part of their bodies, giving them the impression that they were one with the metal and light.
Zara muttered. "I don't believe I'll survive this without going mad."
Rex turned around. "There's no time for fear. We need to understand what it wants."
Taro slid his fingers across the terminal. "The artifact is transmitting information, but not in the traditional way. If we misread the signals, we could fall into a trap or worse."
Kael raised the artifact higher. "There's no turning back. This is the heart of the wreck; we can't turn back."
The segments formed a spiral platform, and the artifact's light formed a pattern like a living maze. Kael felt a wave of images—ancient fleets, battles, lost worlds, Guardians who had been gone for centuries. Everything mixed in his head, giving him a sense of direction and unease.
Zara grabbed the railing. "Fuck, it's like someone's pouring the history of the entire galaxy straight into my brain."
Rex grunted. "We need to find out what it wants. It's not attacking, at least not yet."
Lira whispered, "There's no turning back. The artifact and the wreckage have merged. This is the only way to reach its consciousness."
The segments shifted, forming a central vortex. Lines of energy pulsed in rhythm with the artifact, and the Black Star drifted straight into the heart of the shadow. Kael felt the artifact's energy synchronize with their own rhythm—it wasn't just conductivity, it was a test of their decision.
Zara turned with a smile. "Time to see if we're ready."
Rex grabbed her arm. "Ready or not, there's no turning back."
The artifact glowed at its brightest, and the segments spinning to the rhythm of the energy formed a spiral. The energy rushed into their minds, showing them the entire history of the wreck—ancient battles, lost civilizations, the Guardians, and a power beyond comprehension.
The Black Star entered the vortex. A wave of energy hit them all, and the artifact in Kael's hand trembled as if it had a life of its own.
Kael felt that the heart of the wreck was watching their every move. Every decision mattered.
Zara caught her breath. "This isn't a test. This is... the real thing."
Rex whispered. "We have to hold on. Otherwise, we won't get out of here alive."
Lira looked at the artifact. "Stay together. This will be the turning point."
The artifact pulsed, the light swirling in the segments of the wreckage enveloping their bodies in a halo of energy. The Black Star drifted into the heart of the shadow, and everything around them rippled with the rhythm of an energy they couldn't comprehend.
Kael felt that this was only the beginning. There was no turning back. Their decisions in the next few seconds could change not only their fate, but the entire system they found themselves in.
The Black Star entered the central aura. The heart of the wreck pulsed harder and harder. Kael knew one thing: everything that was to come would be irreversible.