The Endurance shuddered as the engines pushed past their red lines.
Elias stood on the bridge, one hand braced on the console, the other gripping the railing as the ship carved through the night sea. The horizon was a smear of green light—not the soft glow of the fragments, but something harsher, more urgent. The black ship was out there, and it was already moving toward the final key.
"Admiral, how long?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the water.
"Six hours to the coordinates," Chen said, her voice tight. "But we're burning fuel faster than we can spare. If we push too hard, we'll be dead in the water before we arrive."
"Then we push anyway." Elias turned. "The black ship has a head start. We can't let it get that last piece."
Voss stepped forward, her tablet clutched to her chest
