"The gauges have stabilized, and the buffer cabin's fill rate is decreasing... We survived... We made it!"
Cavendish suppressed his overwhelming excitement with the last of his fear. After repeatedly confirming all indicators had returned to normal, he reactivated the transparent canopy with trembling hands.
The star-filled sky that met his gaze was no longer warped and dazzling.
It even seemed somewhat empty and desolate.
Next, they proceeded with operations exactly as rehearsed. They carefully reduced speed again, allowing the Starship to graze the Transformation Dust Layer Flow. This was to draw in and refuel the engines, providing the energy needed to maintain the vessel's complex systems.
Once the skimming maneuver was complete, the storage tanks were at 80% of their designed capacity, and the Starship resumed a stable orbit.
