The dormant node that had nearly collapsed still flickered on the projection wall.
Its light was thin, uneven, like a candle struggling against wind.
Sarya stood very still at the center platform. She could feel that node as clearly as if it were a pulse under her skin. The chaotic probe had left residue behind. It was not active corruption, but it had weakened the node's internal rhythm.
Elira adjusted the magnification on her console.
"It's stable for now," she said, her voice careful. "But its oscillation range is narrow. If another probe hits it at the same frequency, it might not recover."
Kael folded his arms tighter across his chest.
"So we can't wait for the next attack."
"No," Sarya said. "We don't wait."
