The base's tunnels were a twisting maze of dark corridors and broken technology. With her parents freed, Zara led the group through the labyrinth, clutching her wrist communicator and the vial of the core crystal.
Robotic drones buzzed ahead, scanning for intruders.
"Be quiet," Kian whispered. "They have motion sensors."
Zara held her breath as they slipped past flickering lights and shattered control panels. Every shadow seemed to move, every hum was a potential threat.
At one point, a drone swooped low, its red sensor eye scanning the hall. Kian quickly tossed a small gadget — a noise emitter — which distracted the drone long enough for them to slip away.
"Good thinking," Zara whispered with a relieved smile.
The tunnels led them closer to the control room, but the air grew heavy with tension. The robots were guarding the energy crystals fiercely.
"Almost there," Zara said, wiping sweat from her brow inside the heavy suit.
They crouched behind a large conduit as patrolling sentries clanked past, their eyepatches glowing faintly in the dim light.
Zara exchanged a determined glance with Kian. "We've come too far to turn back now."