The northern passage narrowed as Aurelian, Astra, and Rhoswen moved deeper into Sanctuary Ardent.
The group that had escaped containment was still ahead of them, forcing open maintenance doors and ignoring every warning Eirenne sent through the local network.
They were moving quickly, but not in a proper formation. Their path was uneven, with some soldiers rushing ahead while others stopped to check side rooms or argue over which route to take.
That lack of discipline was the only reason Aurelian’s group had not fallen further behind.
"They have reached the first reactor checkpoint," Eirenne said. "The door is slowing them, but they brought cutting tools."
"How long before they get through?" Aurelian asked.
"Less than three minutes."
Astra checked the route on the wall display as they passed it.
"There is another way."
Aurelian looked toward her.
A narrow service line ran beneath the main corridor and connected to the reactor support section from the eastern side.
It had not been used by the Compact because the entrance was hidden behind an old Human access seal.
"Eirenne?"
"I can open it for you. The tunnel is smaller, but it will place you ahead of them."
Rhoswen looked at the narrow line.
"How small?"
Eirenne paused.
"Small enough that you will need to turn your shield sideways."
Rhoswen did not look pleased.
Aurelian changed direction at the next junction.
"That still sounds better than letting them reach the core."
The hidden entrance opened behind an old maintenance cabinet that had not moved in centuries.
Dust and dry insulation fell from the wall as the panel slid aside, revealing a steep metal stairway.
The air below was warmer than the rest of the sanctuary.
A low vibration moved through the steps beneath their feet, steady and deep. It was the sound of the sanctuary’s main power systems carrying energy through the mountain.
Rhoswen turned her shield and tried to fit through the entrance.
It caught against the frame.
She pulled it back, changed the angle, and tried again.
Astra waited behind her.
"You could leave it."
Rhoswen looked over her shoulder.
"No."
"It would be faster."
"It would also be less safe."
Aurelian stepped down first before the discussion became longer than the tunnel itself.
Rhoswen eventually found the right angle and followed, though the shield scraped both walls as she descended. Astra came last and closed the hidden panel behind them.
The service tunnel was barely wide enough for one person at a time. Old cables ran along the ceiling, while thick power lines passed beneath the floor grating. The heat grew stronger with every level they crossed.
Eirenne projected a route through Aurelian’s wrist display.
"The soldiers are still cutting through the main checkpoint. You should reach the eastern reactor entrance first."
"Can you seal them in the passage once we pass?" Aurelian asked.
"I can close the doors behind them, but the group has several manual breaching tools. It will only delay them."
They moved faster.
The tunnel ended at another sealed panel. When Eirenne opened it, they stepped into a control room overlooking the reactor support hall.
The scale of the chamber surprised even Aurelian.
Sanctuary Ardent’s main power core did not resemble the compact reactors used aboard modern ships.
It had been built into the mountain itself, with massive energy columns rising through several levels and disappearing into the darkness above.
Heavy conduits stretched across the walls, each one large enough for a transport vehicle to pass through.
The Compact had only occupied the upper control section.
Most of the deeper reactor systems remained untouched.
Astra studied the chamber.
"Could they destroy it with the weapons they have?"
"Not directly," Eirenne replied. "But they could shut down the coolant system or damage the distribution controls. Either action would disable large parts of the sanctuary."
"How long would the preservation halls keep running?" Aurelian asked.
"On emergency reserves, perhaps thirty minutes. Some halls would last longer, but the damaged ones would fail first."
That was not enough time to evacuate even a small part of the population.
A warning appeared on the display.
The Compact soldiers had finally forced open the first checkpoint.
"They are entering the reactor passage now," Eirenne said.
Aurelian looked around the control room.
There were only two main entrances. One connected to the eastern maintenance line they had used. The other opened onto the passage the soldiers were approaching through.
"Lock the coolant controls."
"I have already removed local access, but several emergency valves are mechanical."
"Mark them."
Six locations appeared across the reactor support hall.
Aurelian quickly divided the task.
"Astra, take the upper platform. Rhoswen, stay near the main entrance. I will hold the central controls."
Rhoswen looked toward the large door.
"You expect them to come through there?"
"They have nowhere else to go."
"Good."
Astra moved toward the upper walkway without another word.
Aurelian entered the central control station while Eirenne restored several of the older systems. The screens were simple and faded, but they still responded to his authority.
The first thing he saw was the state of the reactor.
It had been running far below full output for years. The Compact used only enough power to support the occupied sections, leaving most of the deeper sanctuary inactive.
Now that the preservation halls were waking, demand was climbing quickly.
Medical systems, transport lifts, environmental controls, and old support networks were all drawing power at once.
The reactor could handle it.
The problem was distribution.
Several sections had not carried a full load in centuries.
"Eirenne, can you keep the power stable while we fight?"
"Yes, but avoid damaging the western control bank."
Rhoswen looked toward the marked section.
"It is behind me."
"Then please do not get thrown into it."
Rhoswen gave the closed door a serious look.
"I do not plan to be thrown anywhere."
The soldiers reached the final approach.
Aurelian heard them before the sensors showed them. Boots struck the metal floor outside, mixed with the heavy sound of tools hitting the door.
One voice shouted from the other side.
"Open this door under the authority of Commander Yarric!"
Aurelian answered through the local speaker.