beneath them. Sparks occasionally leapt from exposed lines on the walls. The track curved sharply, and Lawrence, sitting across from her, had to grab the bench to avoid tumbling.

m: Sector V's core chamber. Celia's breath caught. The chamber was vast, cathedral-like in size, with translucent panels revealing the planetary grid stretching like veins beneath the surface. And in the center-suspended by electromagnetic fields-was the real prototype. It shimmered like a star in a cage, held in place by rotating rings of plasma and crystal. The room was empty save for a single patrolling drone and two guards far below, checking readings on their screens. Celia turned to Lawrence. "You said you knew the protocols." He nodded. "Guards swap in four minutes. Drone resets every ninety seconds. We drop in between the two." She smirked. "Guess you were paying attention after all." He raised a brow. "Didn't have a choice. My father drilled the Everen protocols into me before I learned how to tie my boots." Celia pulled the chip from her pouch and held it up. "You ready?" Lawrence hesitated, then nodded. She dropped first, landing silently on the curved walkway that circled the core. Lawrence followed, only stumbling a little. They stayed low, moved quickly. Celia reached the primary control panel and opened a side compartment. A tangle