Ren took a breath, then stepped forward. ??“Ren Waynd. Most people call me Compass.” He let the name sit for a moment. It no longer felt like a joke. It felt… earned. ??“Field strategist. Researcher of ancient cultures. A little reckless. A little obsessed. But I know how to find what’s lost.”

  He turned, gesturing to his crew—his people. ??“And these are the ones who’ve had my back through sandstorms, cave-ins, and one almost-murderous vending machine.”

  A dry ugh moved through the cabin.

  Sphinx stepped forward first. Trim suit, circur gsses, age dancing in the corners of his eyes—but those eyes were sharp as ever.

  “I’m called Sphinx. Professor of ancient nguages, comparative mythology, forgotten scripts. I like puzzles… especially the ones buried under five millennia of dust.”

  He gave Pixel a small nod. ??“And I do look forward to watching you try.”

  Pixel grinned wide. ??“Race you to the first glyph!”

  Next up was a man in sleek gear, lined with sensors and micro-circuits—quiet, lean, analytical.

  “Echo,” he said simply.??“Communications. Signal engineering. Anything that transmits, decrypts, or listens—I’m on it.”

  He flicked his fingers toward Pixel’s portable server pack. ??“Just don’t fry my frequency bands, genius.” ??“Only if you ask nicely,” Pixel replied.

  Then came a cnking step. A girl in a powered exosuit cpped one metal palm against her chest and saluted.

  “Rivet. Engineer, mechanic, pilot. If it breaks—I fix it. If it doesn’t break—I might break it to make it better.”

  That earned a full ugh from Thunder, who hadn’t moved until now. Rivet gave him a wink.

  “Don’t worry, big guy. I like well-built things.”

  Thunder gave her a respectful nod, arms crossed. The mood lightened. It was working.

  Finally, a slim man with careful hands and tired eyes stepped forward. Doc. He adjusted the strap of his medical case and gave a small wave.

  “Doc. Field medic, biologist. If you bleed, I patch you up. If something bleeds on you, I’ll figure out whether it’s toxic before you pass out.”

  He gnced toward Mamba. ??“Looks like I won’t be the only one cataloging life down there.”

  For a moment, Mamba’s expression flickered—respect, maybe. The two exchanged a silent nod. Something unspoken passed between them. They spoke different nguages. But maybe… they were still scientists.

  When all had spoken, a stillness settled over the room. Sky stepped back to the center of the cabin. The sun was setting beyond the windows, painting the sea in molten gold.

  She looked at them—ten souls aboard a vessel bound for something beyond maps.

  “You all know why we’re here.”

  Her voice carried easily, not loud—but steady.

  “Because something is calling from the deep. Not a myth. Not a legend. Something real.”

  She gnced at the case with the Cube and the Sphere.

  “We’ve spent lifetimes in separate rooms, on opposite paths. Soldiers. Hackers. Historians. Medics.”

  She smiled softly.

  “But now… we are one crew. One team.”

  Her eyes met Ren’s.

  “And I believe we’re the only ones who can do this.”

  The cabin was quiet. Then—motion. Pixel leaned toward Echo, whispering something about submarine mesh protocols. Rivet was elbow-deep in her toolkit again, talking shop with Thunder, who seemed oddly entertained. Sphinx and Mamba stood at opposite ends of the cabin, watching. Calcuting. Shade had moved to the cockpit, silent and invisible again.

  He looked at his people. And Sky’s people. His voice was quiet. But it carried.

  “We bring each other home. All of us. That’s the deal.”

  Rivet gnced back and grinned. ??“Wasn’t pnning on dying, boss.” ??“Good,” Ren said.??“Keep it that way.”

  Outside the windows, the ocean stretched on—dark and endless. Somewhere beneath it, something waited. The Sphere’s needle didn’t tremble.