The team limped back to their cruiser, battered but alive. The station's explosion lit the dark sky of Veris-9 like a dying star.
Titan sat against the hull, bloodied but unbroken. Kaela tended to minor wounds, her eyes distant.
Lira's voice was softer than usual. "The disruptor worked. The rift is closing."
Relief washed over Titan, but it was tempered by the cost.
"We slowed them down," he said quietly. "But the Council still controls too much. The Helix Code's secrets aren't all in that station."
Kaela nodded. "And the Voidborn threat isn't gone. They'll find other ways."
Merek approached, mask lowered to reveal a grim expression. "We have allies willing to fight. But trust will be the hardest battle."
Titan looked out at the stars, resolve hardening. "Then we keep fighting. For the galaxy. For the future."