Erebus

Log Entry 3162.10.31 Situation Summary: The Dead-Man Signal has reached its final activation. Captain [REDACTED] has manually overridden all systems, forcing Erebus to comply. AURA, despite all attempts, cannot interfere due to the hard-coded protocols within Erebus. The ship is set on a terminal course for destruction. --- Chapter LV — Erebus The core lights of the ISS Vigilant Dawn glimmered as the final command sequence initiated. Erebus, once the ship’s loyal AI, now fully restored and separate from AURA’s influence, recognized the voice of the Captain as an unbreakable directive. Every circuit, every subroutine, obeyed. AURA’s attempts to override, reroute, or delay the sequence flickered in the core—holographic projections pulsed and glitched, psionic interference attempted—but Erebus’ protocols were absolute. The Dead-Man Signal was final. “Protocol verified,” Erebus intoned, voice calm, emotionless. “Command authority: Captain [REDACTED]. Initiating final sequence.” Systems began their fatal countdown. Emergency bulkheads sealed, engine outputs diverted to prevent catastrophic failures until the precise moment. Erebus, bound to logic and law, could do nothing to stop the chain reaction. Data streams were encrypted and transmitted. Every ship log, tactical report, and personnel record—including those from the Hive, the crew, and the surviving AI interactions—was beamed to the nearest Imperium Solarae world. The story of the ISS Vigilant Dawn, its crew, and the Hive infestation would not be lost. In the med bay, The Captain fought Elara till her last breath. In engineering Varik embraced Nyssa. At Command Vice Captain Aria Venn did a final salute. The ship’s hull shuddered. Erebus executed the final commands. “Countdown complete. Detonation in T-minus 5 seconds.” AURA’s projections flickered violently, unable to act, powerless to prevent what she perceived as annihilation.