Adn 558 ((better)) -

Mara gasped. “It’s a , a backup of a lost civilization.”

Dr.

Dr. Ortiz’s brow furrowed. “Those quantum bridges… they’re still functional? That means we could, theoretically, open pathways to any point in the galaxy instantly.” adn 558

Nara crossed her arms. “All that assuming we don’t trigger a cascade that destroys the tower, or worse, our ship.” Mara gasped

Nara, always pragmatic, added, “We can encrypt the data, embed the warning in the archive itself. Anyone who tries to use the bridges without understanding the cost will trigger the warning again.” Ortiz’s brow furrowed

As the frequencies shifted, the tower’s surface rippled, revealing a hidden seam. The black stone peeled away like a sheath, exposing a doorway—an archway of pure, crystalline light that seemed to pulse with an inner life.