In the depths of the universe, black mist hung as thick as ink that could never be dissolved, tightly wrapping around the Black Altar and the core fragment. The piercing resonance of energy made eardrums ache, while its sinister chill clung like bone-boring maggots, corroding whatever it touched. Even the cold emptiness of space had been stiffened by that dead, icy aura. The tracking squad's fighter had long since been battered full of holes, weak energy light constantly leaking from the breaches as the black mist crazily forced its way inside. The temperature in the cabin swung wildly between hot and cold, red warning lights flashed until their eyes blurred, and the shrill alarms seemed capable of tearing through their eardrums.
"Captain! The energy core is about to explode! The interference device is ready, but once we activate it, the fighter won't last ten seconds before it's completely finished. We... won't have any chance to escape!" A squad member's voice trembled, though he forced himself to stay steady. Cold sweat streamed down his face as his fingertips pressed desperately against the console, turning white at the tips. Sweat from his palms smeared the garbled text on the screen. "The fragment is less than two thousand kilometers from the altar. That pull is getting stronger and stronger. If we wait any longer, it'll really be too late. We have to activate the interference now!"
The tracking squad captain closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the resolve in his gaze had overwhelmed all reluctance. He slowly raised a hand and patted the squad member's shoulder, neither too hard nor too lightly—both comforting and resolute. "I know. Activate it. Even if we can only buy Earth ten more seconds, as long as we don't let down