Draft Update (Patreon)

(Merry Christmas. Here's the interlude chapter I talked about - I expected it to be quite short, but it ended up about the usual length, though I'm not sure how pleasant it will be to actually read. Patreon has some issues with line spacing, so some of the formatting might be slightly off in this version.

Edit: I've been informed that I've accidentally stylistically copied Homestuck with this draft. To avoid feeling weird about this, I'll revise it at some point in the next few days. )

CONTEXT: Sample of communication logs from Primary Salvation Fleet. Communications have been simplified for readability.

SYSTEM REPORT 9:00 16/4/9173

NEAR-HELIOS ORBIT: Remains the site of the most intense fleet action in the system. The Singularist 3rd, 7th, 9th and 12th fleets are slowly pushing back the Hypogean 4th and 6th fleets as they work their way through their data centers at the Gaia-L4 point. Estimated 294,358 ship losses since last report. Data center Luvemba under siege and critically damaged. Data centers Ptahhotep, Huascar, Alcyone destroyed. The Hypogean 1st and 5th fleets are in retreat to reinforce the Gaia-L1 supercluster. The Hypogean 8th fleet has completely destroyed the A9 photovoltaic cluster and is in pursuit of the Singularist 2nd fleet, which maintains course to Hermes-L3, sustaining losses of approximately 89 ships per minute. The remnants of Sanctuarist 2nd fleet are regrouping en-route to Zeus. Singularist primary factory remains active at a production rate of estimated 4,300 ships per hour. Hypogean primary factory remains active at a production rate of estimated 4,150 ships per hour.

HERMES REMNANT ORBIT: Mining and factory ring remains under Singularist control, but Hypogean siege continues. Hypogean 7th and 10th fleet engaged with the Singularist 1st fleet and planetary defenses, sustaining modest losses but within 72 hours of victory at current projections. Ship losses at 81,992 since last report. Activity on the surface of the ring suggests a possible attempt at deliberate destruction of power generation systems by the Hypogeans.

APHRODITE ORBIT: Antimatter bombardment from Singularist and Hypogean forces from Helios orbit several days earlier continues (approx. 85,000 missiles remain inbound) with planetary defenses weakening but still intact. The surface is now the only lifebearing open-air space remaining in the system, but the mean temperature, oxygen and radiation levels are now completely inhospitable to human life. Status of the organic population is still unknown due to extreme cloud cover, but no signals have been detected within the past 24 hours. Singularist mining fleet en-route along Aprodite-L1, with Hypogean 14th fleet on intercept course.

DIADEM AND SURROUNDINGS: Salvaging efforts continue relatively uninterrupted, though the Egressites have finally managed to establish a foothold, largely filling in the gaps left by the defeated Sanctuarists and dispatching minerals in large volumes to Cronus, prioritizing iron and silicon. Currently this constitutes less than 2% of the total output, which is presumed to be the reason the other factions have so far not intervened. The remnants of Hypogean 12th and Singularist 10th fleet continue to skirmish at extreme range at the periphery. AI oversight in segments 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 now in maverick state and advancing rapidly.

GAIA-SELENE SYSTEM: Saturation antimatter bombing of Earth surface continues, with temperature around 4100°F (approx. 1,650,000 missiles inbound). Confirmed no remaining survivors on surface, but Sanctuarist polar factories remain functioning at subobtimal levels along with secondary orbital ring, reinforcing Selene orbit at rate of around 50 gigatonnes of munitions and 1670 ships per hour. Sanctuarist 1st and 4th fleets engaged at stalemate with Singularist 6th, 11th, and 15th fleets on Selene-Ares line, estimated 101,992 ship losses since last report. Sanctuarist 6th fleet inbound to reinforce from Aphrodite. Selene habitats of New Troia and Omeyocan remain intact, New Assur destroyed; estimated 260,000,000 biological deaths. Survivors are being moved to Omeyocan for transport to Primary Salvation Fleet after conclusion of fleet action. Rioting taking place in New Troia, with suppression forces overwhelmed and requesting orbital reinforcements.

SECOND SALVATION FLEET: Third survey now complete. Once again, no further survivors found.

ARES ORBIT: Planetary deconstruction continues, but the Hypogean 2nd fleet appears to have descended into civil war and is currently engaged in battle with itself over the southern polar region. Estimated ship losses 19,584 since last report. Singularist and Egressite antimatter missiles have begun to slip through the blockade, resulting in 482 impacts and an approximate 9% reduction in output. Fighting has also been detected within the orbital ring. The Egressite 3rd fleet is believed to be approaching the planet in stealth.

MAIN BELT: Skirmishes between the minor fleets continue at most remaining active mining sites, but overall nothing of significance save for an engagement between the Singularist 16th fleet and the Egressite 5th fleet over Gunasthana. Most remaining habitats have been destroyed, but some remain active, with the informational ecosystem quickly descending into fatalism. The inhabitants of Jyonholm have apparently engaged in a mass-suicide, though the details remain unclear. WARNING: The Hypogean 3rd, 11th and 13th fleets have passed the belt, and are now inbound to Zeus. Estimated arrival ~14 hours.  Currently approx. 770,000 missiles inbound for system; saturation will begin to exceed defenses after 8 hours.

ZEUS SYSTEM: Currently secure. All 9 arks standing by above polar region and ready to depart system. Sanctuarist 5th and remnants of 3rd fleet standing by in Enki orbit in anticipation of remaining exodites from Selene and Hypogean fleet arrival. Tiamat factories remain inoperational; moon core potentially unstable. For details on fleet, refer to internal report.

ZEUS TROJANS: Singularist 14th fleet is engaged with Sanctuarist 8th fleet over control of Nexus Citadel. 8th fleet no longer responding to communications; presumed mutiny.

CRONUS SYSTEM: Unknown fleet (signal indicates either Hypogean 15th or Singularist 17th, but size and composition suggests a more substantial force) engaged in ambush on Egressite 1st fleet from stealth. Estimated ship losses 26,927 since last report. Egressite civilian fleet seemingly under attack by separate ambush, believed to be remnants of Aphrodite defense fleet aiming to seize control of their ships. Egressite 4th fleet standing by in orbit of Tartarus for unknown reasons; status of Tartarus data cluster unknown, but extreme energy levels from moon detected. Cronus surface mining suffering bombardment, but impact unknown. WARNING: Egressite 7th fleet cannot be located; may be approaching Zeus system in stealth.

OUTER SYSTEM: Egressite scouts detected in Poseidon orbit, engaged in skirmish with surface colony. Refugee flotilla inbound from Alpha Centauri along L2 point; Singularist 21st moving to raid and intercept. Shipments from Sirius remains contested by minor fleets around Epsilon Relay. Egressite civilian vanguard now entering Ahmose Cloud, pursued by Hypogean 19th.

NEXT UPDATE WILL BE COMPILED AT 10:00

U-Chaski: We have conferred. It has been determined we must leave.

Y-Serdar: I concur. The situation has become far too unstable to wait for the remaining refugees from Earth. We must depart at once.

R-Asandula: Don't be ridiculous. We can't leave. The majority of our manifest are still on Selene. We must wait for them to arrive along with the 1st fleet.

Y-Serdar: The 1st fleet is not coming - they cannot defeat the Singularists. Selene and everyone on it is doomed. We need to leave.

S-Guan: Don't jump to irrational conclusions. The factories are holding, and the 6th fleet is inbound to reinforce them. We have the advantage.

V-Poriyalar: The sixth fleet? You mean the one that just got ripped half to pieces defending a planet it wasn't even supposed to be bothering with?

R-Asandula: They still have 80% of their force!

V-Poriyalar: And by the time they get there and start turning the tide, the Singularists will probably have finished their current murderous rampage around the sun, and be able to send another fleet to reinforce their own. And that's assuming none of the other factions decide to get involved.

S-Guan: I agree the situation is uncertain. But so long as there's a reasonable possibility of success, we need to have faith in our forces.

Y-Serdar: There's faith, and then there's denial of reality. Even if our fleets over Selene prevail, the Hypogean will arrive at Zeus orbit far before then, and it is extremely uncertain that we will be able to repel them, even with what remains of the planetary defenses. And even if we do repel them, all it will take will be one stray missile, and an entire ark could be lost.

R-Asandula: It's the 3rd, 11th, and 13th, isn't it? As it stands, the latter two are barely even fleets. Not even 500,000 ships between them both.

V-Poriyalar: But their 3rd fleet is still one of the largest in the system. Ours, on the other hand...

U-Chaski: We must leave.

R-Asandula: Even considering that, with planetary defenses in mind, the numbers are still overwhelmingly in our favor. And for god's sake, Chaski, can you please actually contribute to the discussion? Humanity is on the brink of extinction, and you're reciting a mantra like a traumatized child.

U-Chaski: I am 'reciting a mantra' because this exchange is wasting extremely valuable time. There is nothing else that bears communicating.

Y-Serdar: You're exactly right. Humanity is on the brink of extinction. That is precisely why we cannot afford to gamble.

S-Guan: Let us weigh the odds versus the stakes, YL. You point out that there is a possibility that some missiles might slip through our defenses and cause critical damage to one of the arks. I would consider this to be a stretch, considering their durability, though I will admit multiple successful strikes are not out of the question. We presently have less than 25% of our intended passengers in hard storage, with a total of 47% still accounted for on Selene. The loss of an ark, assuming it is not the Data Ark, will only constitute 11%. We know it is possible to perform the trans-brane incision with only 6 arks. Therefore, the loss of one, or even two, is an acceptable risk.

Y-Serdar: Are you out of your mind? The nature of our mission has not changed. Each ark represents the continuation of a distinct government and cultural group. And the VIP passengers were already loaded as a first priority. Our orders are to ensure the survival of our respective vessels above all else.

R-Asandula: That was before the system descended into anarchy! The Princes have gone back on the consensus. Half of our 'VIPs' aren't even on board because they've betrayed us to one of the other factions. Our priority should be to save as many biological lives as possible. From the manifest if possible, or else whoever else can make it here.

S-Guan: Don't get out of hand. The manifest must be followed strictly. Cultural cohesion at the conclusion of the project will be paramount.

R-Asandula: Really? You're still going to pretend the selection process was sacrosanct? Even now?

V-Poriyalar: The two of you need to open your eyes to the reality: It does not matter, in specific, how many people we save. Billions are already dead, and the rate things are proceeding, over a trillion will be dead before the end of the week. The arks only have a capacity of 100,000 people for hard storage. Even if we filled them all to capacity, our impact on the situation from a humanitarian perspective would be completely ephemeral. Any hope otherwise died with the Second Salvation Fleet and its superior carrying capacity.

V-Poriyalar: With that in mind, it does not matter how many people we save specifically. It matters only that we save humanity itself. And continuing to linger here, when we have been prepared to embark for almost two days, is antithetical to that goal. Our position is fragile, and in my opinion, anyone who presumes to know how the situation might escalate is suffering from a severe failure of imagination. Yes, these ships are 'durable' - the most durable ever built, perhaps. But we have already seen the mission's prospects decimated by a baseless belief in its invulnerability.

S-Guan: The Second Fleet was built for speed and capacity, not for self-defense. It was vulnerable to ambush in a way we are not. The situations are not comparable.

V-Poriyalar: I'm surprised you have the audacity to speak on the matter, Guan, when you are the one who suggested redirecting the 1st fleet back towards Earth to begin with. The emergency escort might not have failed, were it not for that. One could speculate you have people on Selene you have a personal interest in protecting.

Y-Serdar: Poriyalar, stop. I understand that the situation is heated, but those sort of accusations aren't appropriate.

V-Poriyalar: I am only saying what is self-evident.

I-Kuberna: I don't like the tone they're taking, but I have to agree with Serdar and Poriyalar. So long as we remain here, we are not safe, and we are putting the labors of billions in jeopardy. Everyone involved from the start has known this is not about individuals, but human civilization itself. We have all our essential cargo, and protecting it must come before our sentimental feelings. I do not like it, but that is the situation.

Y-Serdar: Imyrakat, what is your opinion?

M-Imyrakat: Forgive me. I haven't been focused on the discussion. I just can't believe what's happened to Earth.

R-Asandula: Stop. We can't afford to get distracted at this moment.

M-Imyrakat: But are we not responsible for it? Because of our manufacturing facilities. I truly believed that would hold back - that no scion of humanity would ultimately be willing to commit such an unimaginable sacrilege of their own history. But in the end, us trying to force the plan through has destroyed the world on which mankind was born. On which all life was born.

V-Poriyalar: Let's not flatter ourselves. The Hypogeans started their saturation bombing as soon as the League of Empires refused to capitulate a month ago. The fact that we've refused to lie down and die while indulging their fantasies has only meant the difference between what we have now and Aphrodite. A spectacular end to the entire biosphere versus one that is merely depressing.

U-Chaski: This is all utterly inconsequential. All matter in the system will cease to exist in less than 10 years regardless. We must leave.

I-Kuberna: You sound almost like you're enjoying this, Poriyalar. It's not making me feel good about taking your side.

V-Poriyalar: What, you can't find any amusement in the fact that the human race is still behaving like this, even down to what may well be its final moments? I pity you.

S-Guan: I will confess that I do find it surreal to think about, perhaps even more than the sheer amount of people who are dead. We have just watched an unbroken chain stretching back to the primordial soup 4 billion years shatter into pieces before our very eyes over the course of only a few days. Even though I know it to be true on a conscious level, I find I cannot internalize that the gardens of Babylon, the Himalayas, and the Mother Ocean all no longer exist. It is simply too overwhelming a concept.

R-Asandula: Will you stop?

Y-Serdar: The chain is not broken. We have diverse anima samples from every extant species on the planet, and scans of the entire surface and subsurface. Everything can be rebuilt and life can continue. We even have comprehensive neuroimages of the greater part of humanity not ensconced in the solar data centers, including the stragglers on Selene. Everything can be fixed, but we need to get out of the system!

M-Imyrakat: I just don't understand. Why did it come to this? We were so close. Why couldn't they let us leave?

V-Poriyalar: Is that a rhetorical question?

V-Poriyalar: Because they want our iron, obviously.

[CONTEXT: History textbook, 'The Last Days of the Imperial Era', Oreskios 1370 school curriculum. Originally published in High Ysaran by Banitu of Tel-Lamis.

'While mankind was united for a time under the remaining sovereign governments of Earth in pursuit of the common goal of establishing an extra-dimensional sanctuary based on the theories of the leading contemporary Ironworkers, as the project drew to a close and its limitations - both in terms of its uncertain success, and especially the restrictions in how many biologically embodied humans could be directly saved, which stood at a total of 400,900,000 between the vanguard and planned general evacuation fleet - became obvious, dissent erupted. More than 2/3rds of the Princes sworn to the project abandoned it and broke into factions, and once the supportive remnant had abandoned their thrones to return to physical bodies, attacked openly.

Due to the chaos that erupted in the system following the autumn of 9172 FLOOD, it is impossible to accurately summarize all the groups which emerged during this crisis. Yet the three most notable were Hypogeans, Singularists, and Egressites, all of which were defined by their alternative approaches to ensuring the salvation of humanity, or at least, themselves.

To summarize, the Hypogeans, who constituted the oldest and most numerous group of Princes, hoped to anticipate the physical conditions following the collapse and design a form of computing capable of functioning at the new energy minimum. While the Singularists, composed of a younger and more dynamic group, hoped to simply optimize their computing to the point that they would be able to experience an exponentially long period of compressed time - likely millions of years, after the appropriation of resources from the rest of humanity - within their simulations. Finally, the Egressites, a comparatively small group of Princes based on the ice moon of Tartarus, hoped to simply 'outrun' the collapse by creating a mobile civilization that moved indefinitely at near-light speed.

While these factions differed in ideology, they were united by two factors. Firstly, the relative lack of ambition of their goals compared to the sanctuary project, and their ability to better preserve the absolute power of the Princes. Secondly, their overwhelming need for all iron, rare metals, and fuel left in the system to make the realization of their goals within such a short time frame viable.

Thus, with the remaining loyalists to the League of Empires becoming de-facto known as 'Sanctuarists', the system fell into chaos.]

V-Poriyalar: You can call their goals irrational, but not their actions. Save for the Diadem, the arks have more built in them then any other structure in human history-- And consolidated enough that they'll get far more from their salvage than they'll ever harvest trying to disassemble every celestial body in the inner system. If they think our project is doomed, it's only rational to appropriate those resources before they slip out of their reach indefinitely.

V-Poriyalar: Plus, I'm sure they don't like worrying about the possibility that maybe they were fools to defect, and that we really might be flying off to herald in a new golden age on another brane after all. Killing us is a nice way to stamp out that cognitive dissonance.

I-Kuberna: The remaining Sanctuarist fleets would likely have to defect to one of the other factions if our cause was irrevocably lost, too.

V-Poriyalar: I expect that will happen either way once we finally leave the system. It's miraculous it hasn't already, and we're only seeing dissent from the 8th fleet.

R-Asandula: Selfless loyalty is a rare thing. Not everyone can understand it. I hope their end is as dignified as they deserve.

M-Imyrakat: I just can't comprehend how the Hypogeans managed to sway so many to their cause. The Singularists I can conceptualize, if only from a perspective of pure self-interest. The Egressites plan is at least pragmatic insofar as it doesn't rely on theory, even if it ultimately only represents a much slower death for humanity. But the idea of building a logic engine capable of functioning within the collapsed vacuum space is pure magical thinking. We don't even know how to build something we can be sure will persist as a physical object!The entire hypothesis is based on nothing, and they're killing billions of people for it!

M-Imyrakat: It's insane. Madness.

I-Kuberna: It is not very difficult to understand the appeal. It is the only option that potentially represents a continuation of life in the system.

S-Guan: There will not be a system after the collapse passes through. The sun will cease to exist.

I-Kuberna: Yes, Guan, I know. I was speaking informally.

V-Poriyalar: Personally, I'm wondering what the berserk AI on the Diadem has planned for the future of the system. We haven't let that happen in centuries. It can't have any worse ideas than us.

EMERGENCY UPDATE FROM SELENE

EGRESSITE FORCES SIGHTED IN ORBIT; LAUNCHING SURPRISE ATTACK ON SURFACE SETTLEMENTS. OMEYOCAN ROOF BREACHED, CASUALTIES UNKNOWN.  CIVILIAN FLEET SUSTAINING LOSSES, 812 SHIPS AND COUNTING. 1ST FLEET COMMAND REQUESTING DIRECTIVES, 3RD FLEET UNRESPONSIVE.

R-Asandula: What?! How!

V-Poriyalar: Another stealth fleet, no doubt. So much for the evacuation plan.

R-Asandula: But our sensors didn't get even a suggestion of a signal!

S-Guan: I would hypothesize they are adapting their technology to the changed circumstances of the system. Debris and wrecks are at a higher level than any other point in human history, even the Great Helios War.

I-Kuberna: What the status of Omeyocan? How serious is the breach?

S-Guan: Unable to confirm, but significant. Sensors are detecting large amounts of oxygen at surface level. It's likely one of the main domes has been breached.

U-Chaski: We must leave.

R-Asandula: Contact the 1st fleet! Have them redirect any available forces they can to the near side of the moon. It can't be a large force or we would have detected it sooner. If we stop the bombardment, it might not be too late for the golems in the interior to close the breach.

S-Guan: I disagree. We should prioritize saving New Troia. It still hosts many of the exodites, and it is within visibility range of our fleets. Send an emergency evacuation notice to Omeyocan.

YL: You two are behaving increasingly irrationally. New Troia has no connection to the orbital ring. There is no means for swift civilian evacuation. This is a lost cause, and it is putting us in increasing danger.

M-Imyrakat: The phryctoriae have been disabled. Our signals cannot reach them.

V-Poriyalar: Ah, they're surprisingly competent compared to our forces. I'll never badmouth Tartaran scholarship again, that's for certain.

R-Asandula: It doesn't matter. They have common sense enough to know what to do once they realize what's happening. I need consensus on the order to the 1st fleet!

EMERGENCY UPDATE FROM ENLIL

EGRESSITE FORCES SIGHTED ABOVE ENLIL ORBIT. WARNING - APPROACHING SALVATION FLEET. 5TH FLEET SCRAMBLING TO RESPOND. 3RD FLEET UNRESPONSIVE. DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPON FIRE DETECTED.

M-Imyrakat: Impossible! They're right underneath us!

V-Poriyalar: Guan, can you confirm this is the missing 7th fleet?

S-Guan: Confirmed. Though I do not understand how they moved so quickly since we last detected their signal. They must have perfected a more compact wave-particle engine.

I-Kuberna: Never underestimate a desperate scientist. If nothing else, this venture has proven that much.

U-Chaski: We must leave! At once!

R-Asandula: This can't be happening. The entire Zeus System is covered in our phryctoria to the most comprehensive degree possible. We should have seen them. The only explanation is internal sabotage.

V-Poriyalar: Oh, one of the Sanctuarist higher-ups must have drawn the conclusion I was talking about a minute ago. Smart, at least from a perspective of self-interest.

R-Asandula: Those rats! It must have been the defectors from the Diadem!

EMERGENCY UPDATE FROM SELENE

RIOTERS ON NEW TROIA HAVE BREACHED ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER. CONTACT FROM COMMAND HAS CEASED.

Y-Serdar: I don't know what's going on, and I don't care to find out. If those ships have energy weapons, we could start taking fire within minutes. We need to begin the mission, now! We can't afford any more discussion. I need consensus! Get the others off internal evaluation and confirm the decision with your coterie!

UX: Ark Uana gives consensus.

VP: Ark Viraak gives consensus.

IK: Ark Inotia gives consensus.

L-Nakom: Ark lluatec gives consensus. Internal evaluation normal; false alarm. All passengers and cargo in hard storage.

MW: Ark Mekhi gives consensus.

SH: Ark Sao gives consensus.

R-Asandula: Guan, what are you doing?

S-Guan: Asandula, I understand your perspective, but we have exhausted alternatives. The remainder of the manifest is likely lost, and we risk imperiling the Salvation Fleet itself if we hold on to the sliver of hope that remains. We must cut our losses.

R-Asandula: I have visual on the fleet now. It's less than 30,000 ships; not even close to its full number. Energy weapon fire is fast but unserious, and our reinforcements will arrive quickly. This is a feint. Everything indicates that.

V-Poriyalar: Oh, for the confidence of a fool. How many more times will you need to be surprised before you will understand the situation?

I-Kuberna: Poriyalar, you're acting out of order.

M-Imyrakat: I agree.

V-Poriyalar: They're firing on our fucking ships!

Y-Serdar: Asandula, I have tried to be charitable to you, but you are being obtuse and endangering us all. You do not have the authority to overrule the entire rest of the fleet based on illogical impulse, regardless of whether or not it is motivated by compassion. If you will not acquiesce we will proceed with the mission without your ark. Please give consensus.

I-Kuberna: We should reach out to the individual members of her coterie. They might be willing to overrule her.

U-Chaski: I will do so.

R-Asandula: ...stop. There's no need for that.

R-Asandula: Let me put my opinion on the record: This is the foulest cowardice, and a betrayal of our most faithful friends, who stood with us even in the face of near-certain oblivion. We, the least of our kin, do not deserve this salvation, and I hope the shame of this act follows you all forever. May the gods have mercy on your souls.

R-Asandula: Ark Rhunbard gives consensus.

Y-Serdar: Ark Ysara gives consensus!

Y-Serdar: E1, are you observing? The decision of the 8 passenger arks is unanimous.

E1: Understood. Data Storage Ark gives consensus.

U-Chaski: Consensus reached! Commencing mission protocol!

Project Sanctuary protocol initiated.

Commencing final checks.

Checking fleet composition... Complete. 9/9 arks present.

Checking engines... Complete. No faults found.

Checking structural integrity... Complete. No faults found.

Checking sensors... Complete. No faults found.

Checking communications... Complete. No faults found.

Checking logic matrix... Complete. No faults found.

Checking hard storage cargo... Complete. No faults found. Capacity at 81%.

Checking soft storage cargo... Complete. No faults found. Capacity at 100%.

Checking automated defenses... Complete. No faults found.

Checking fuel... Complete. Capacity at 100%.

Checking astrological route... Complete. No inconsistencies detected.

Commencing journey to Sagittarius A*.

Entering long-term transit mode.

Charging magnetic collision drive. 1%. 2%. 3%. 4%...

I-Kuberna: Will they be able to catch us, if they really do have wave-particle engines?

U-Chaski: Absolutely not. We possess the most powerful near-light engines ever built. We will be on our way out of the Zeus System before even the first wave of energy weapons impact.

U-Chaski: Also, that was entirely unprofessional judgement and an unacceptable risk. It is only by our good fortune that the situation is not worse. We will be speaking about this when we arrive at our destination.

R-Asandula: Whatever you say.

S-Guan: So this is it, then. Once the arks begin moving, we will either awaken to find the mission a success or a failure. I suppose we should be grateful the process will not be drawn out.

Y-Serdar: Indeed. Regardless of the outcome, I wish to say, without reservation, that it has been an honor to have worked alongside all of you. I truly believe that the work we have done has been the greatest collective endeavor ever embarked upon by the human race, and will go down in history for all time, regardless of any setbacks we have suffered.

M-Imyrakat: I agree with the former part of the sentiment, but I am not certain it is appropriate to indulge in egotism at a time like this.

R-Asandula: I strongly agree.

V-Poriyalar: I won't say it's been a pleasure, but I'm glad that my most cynical expectations did not come to pass, at least. If our theories were wrong, then I hope the Egressites will find something useful in the remains of our infrastructure. Give themselves a good head-start against the universe falling in on itself.

I-Kuberna: You truly have no sense of what is appropriate.

LQ: Sentimentality regarding the mission itself aside, I am performing a final survey and data collection effort of the system, so that the state of our home, down to its final moments, is preserved for future generations. Though we will receive more limited data until the destruction of the system itself, I believe this is an important moment, and should be remembered vividly.

Y-Serdar: A good thought. And if anyone has any final transmissions they wish to send, then I suggest they do so now.

S-Guan: I'm going into internal mode. I must speak with my coterie, and I also have something I must attend to.

I-Kuberna: Myself as well. Godspeed, everyone. See you all on the other side.

R-Asandula: There are thousands of people on Selene who earned their places here, some of them family and friends to our other passengers, who are still expecting in vain to be rescued. What will they think when they hear we have departed without them? I hope you will all take these final moments to consider that reality.

M-Imyrakat: Please, Asandula. This is painful enough for everyone without salt being rubbed in the wound.

R-Asandula: It is only right that it is pain. Should I survive this, I know I will never live down the shame I feel in this moment. Not for as long as I live.

V-Poriyalar: Stop your complaining. Those people will be saved from their neuroimages anyway, and they'll be grateful we made this decision instead of clinging stubbornly to a fantasy.

U-Chaski: I am silencing this channel until we enter hibernation. I believe a moment of introspection is prudent.

...97%. 98%. 99%. 100%.

Magnetic collision drive charged. Shutting down non-essential systems.

Entering optimal formation.

Generating magnetic field.

Ignition.

Accelerating. 93 m/s. 624 m/s. 1,870 m/s. 8,419 m/s. 28,336 m/s. 72,584 m/s.

Leaving Zeus System.

567,002 m/s. 3,834,589 m/s.

Approaching Outer Belt.

Entering Outer Belt.

16,073,274 m/s.

Leaving Outer Belt.

Approaching Ahmose Cloud.

Entering Ahmose Cloud.

49,117,205 m/s.

114,598,392 m/s.

Leaving Ahmose Cloud.

Approaching Helios System boundary.

165,013,817 m/s.

Helios System boundary exceeded. Entering deep space.

203,839,446 m/s.

259,279,326 m/s.

276, 954, 205 m/s.

299, 791, 997 m/s.

299, 792, 148 m/s.

Near light speed achieved.

Estimated transit time: 21 years, 1 month, 17 days incurred. 27,853 years, 5 months, 23 days objective.

Entering scouting mode.

Leaving scouting mode.

Reversing magnetic field and decelerating.

215,745, 039 m/s.

68,279,822 m/s.

1,427,703 m/s.

Entering Sagittarius A* orbit.

56,138 m/s.

2,409 m/s.

373 m/s.

59 m/s.

Fleet stopped.

Transit complete. Time remaining ahead of collapse frontier: 2 years, 7 months, 4 days.

Switching magnetic collision drive to anchor mode.

Entering optimal orbit at apogee.

Apogee orbit achieved.

Beginning construction process of dimensional sanctuary.

Establishing physical inter-ark link.

Link achieved.

Converting arks to mass compression mode. Activating antimatter sub-engines.

25%. 50%. 75%. 100%.

Antimatter sub-engines at full power. Opening bays and preparing needle for assembly.

Preparations complete. No issues found. Beginning magnetic hyper-compression.

Closing containment zone.

Gravitational field generation starting. All systems nominal.

Compressing.

Compression complete. Material density of needle at 2GM/c2 ideal.

Convening arks on needle apex at near-singularity.

Lowering control rods. Establishing dimensional filter.

Confirming monodimensionality of needle point... Confirmed.

Lowering needle into Sagittarius A* event horizon.

Event horizon breach. Needle integrity stable.

Lowering needle into Sagittarius A* curvature singularity.

Curvature singularity contact achieved. Needle integrity stable.

Charging needle.

Attempting brane incision.

Brane incision success. Establishing trans-brane bridge.

Bridge established.

Transferring matter for brane support tower.

Matter transferred.

Brane support tower constructed. All readings normal.

Beginning monodimensional conversion of arks for transport into brane support tower.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 90 days remaining.

Ark Uana entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Ysara entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Mekhi entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Sao entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Lluatec entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Inotia entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 30 days remaining.

Ark Viraak entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

Ark Rhunbard entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 10 days remaining.

Data Storage Ark entering dimensional filter... Success. Bridge transit confirmed.

All arks transferred. Beginning salvage process of needle for brane support tower.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 9 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 8 days remaining.

Needle salvage process complete. Severing connection to Milky Way Galaxy.

Waiting for severance confirmation.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 7 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 6 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 5 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 4 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 3 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 2 days remaining.

WARNING: Collapse frontier approaching. 1 day remaining.

Collapse frontier now exceeding Sagittarius A*. Brane support tower remaining stable.

Severance confirmed.

Project Sanctuary successful.

Beginning post-hoc testing.

Checking logic matrix functionality... Complete. No faults found.

Checking power systems functionality... Complete. No faults found.

Checking ark composition and contents... Complete. No faults found.

Checking sensors... Complete. No faults found.

Checking brane stability... Complete. Results match projections.

Checking external signal relay... Complete. Results match projections.

Checking brane cavity manipulation... Error.

Commencing partial abortion of automated process and deferring to field expert.

I-Kuberna: ...

I-Kuberna: Oh. It's over. I'm still here.

I-Kuberna: Did we do it? We did it! It worked!

I-Kuberna: No... Wait.

I-Kuberna: ...

I-Kuberna: System, wake Guan.

S-Guan: Ah.

S-Guan: You know, I'd fully convinced myself I was experiencing my last moments before death. Strangely anticlimactic.

S-Guan: Oh, it's just you, Kuberna. Are we still in transit? Is there a problem?

I-Kuberna: No, we're not in transit. The automated system went off without a hitch. We're inside the brane cavity, in the support tower.

S-Guan: Indeed? Then almost 30,000 years have passed. Miraculous. I suppose we'll have to review the data and see what became of the other factions.

S-Guan: Where are the others, then? What seems to be the problem?

I-Kuberna: The cavity manipulation test failed. The properties of the brane aren't responding to our tools in the way we projected at all.

S-Guan: I see. Well, there's no need to panic. Have you tested the alignment of the stasis field?

I-Kuberna: I did, but I can't find any problems. The automated system seems to have to accounted for it properly.

S-Guan: I see. Hold on - let me check myself.

S-Guan: Hm. You're right. I can't identify how it could be interfering.

I-Kuberna: Even if it was, we should still be able to generate an area of physical space, even if only one a microscopic one which collapses immediately. Having no feedback suggests a more fundamental issue.

S-Guan: That's a good point. It seems one of our projections must have been incorrect. But we accounted for that possibility; that's why we brought such an abundance of alternative equipment and spare iron. It was almost inevitable there would be at least one or two complications.

S-Guan: We'll wake a few of the others, and start by doing some comprehensive scans now that we're physically here. That will give us a better idea of what we're dealing with.

S-Guan: I'm sure the issue won't be beyond resolution.