-This flies over my head, Cassiel.

  -One gram of it can produce enough energy to utterly annihilate the largest landship on Terra.

  Her eyes widened at this revelation.

  -Is this a death ship?!

  -No. It is its primary power generation.

  -Speaking of that. Does it have the power to get us out of here?

  -I'm searching.

  In tandem with my thoughts the screens lit, and holograms appeared in front of us. Displaying a large amount of information in regard to what I was seeking.

  -This is strange.

  -''What is?'' Provence inquired.

  -This place was sealed against the rest of the capsule.

  -Why would it do such a thing? Aren't they one and the same for the time being?

  -The Cygnus viewed the main system as compromised. The two main power sources of this place failed in mysterious circumstances just after the reality anchors gave up the ghost.

  -It only allowed diverting energy from its core to help power the rest of the capsule's systems, but that is coming to a close. And it also complicates our situation.

  -I really don't like hearing that a ''reality anchor'' failed, and more than one at that. Tell me there's at least a way out.

  I sighed.

  -There is, above us. But it was meant to be used after it was dug up.

  I was sweeping over rivers on information. Gathering bit by useful bit all that could possibly help us.

  -The propulsion system is based on gravity... and the hull's made of a metamaterial than can withstand crushing pressure and extreme heat.

  -Can it push us through the lava until we bust through to the surface?

  -It could have... if circumstances were in our favour.

  -Cazzo! Don't tell me we came all this way here just to prolong the inevitable!

  -''I have not given up yet, and I plan to live to tell about it!'' I said, determined.

  Anticipating the normal flow of thought to the next query I continued.

  -Three systems are red-lit against usage: power generation, force-polarization, and the forcefield shielding.

  -''So we have a full three body problem.'' Provence had said.

  -While the power generation should be more easily solvable from what I'm seeing, the other two are not.

  -The silo... is one giant accelerator. It was designed to boost the ship's departure into the atmosphere before being dismantled for other uses.

  -Will it be enough?

  -No, we need something more. As tough as this ship is I'd rest easier if I could lower the chance of brute forcing it.

  -Cassiel... can I access the system?

  -Be my guest. You don't need to unglove your hands.

  She followed my example. Before long I felt a new entity appearing besides my own in the system. I went towards it, grasping the still appearing form of Provence with the will of my thought. At the same time that I grasped one of her hands, another, green and hazy appendage clasped her other.

  -''Cassiel.'' She spoke visibly relieved to see me in this reality of the mind before turning her gaze unsurely to the entity besides us.

  -''It's the Cygnus.'' I introduced it.

  -''Hello there.'' She greeted it simply but honestly. And I could feel a sense of... approval, coming from the ship's intelligence.

  -Now that you're here, let's all put our heads together and come with a solution to our predicament.

  I received nothing but eager agreements on that. Provence took smaller steps, getting used to the way things worked now that she was interfacing directly with her mind. Soon she began perusing on the integrity of the capsule, as well as identifying our location at large. The Cygnus continued to guide and provide our searches to better reach our results. But the options were grim, near suicidal.

  -''We are rolling around with no stable direction between the two fault lines. The power to the reinforcing polarization won't last much longer.'' Provence noted.

  -''The main weapon can very well punch a hole through to the surface. But it will be too narrow, and prone to being instantly engulfed with magma and debris.'' I added.

  All this incredible power held inside, and even with this Clarketech of a ship I somehow couldn't find a damn feasible option of getting out! All I had was risking our skins with simple brute force... huh. At that moment I was reminded of an old saying.

  ''If brute force doesn't work, you aren't using enough.'' I thought as I remembered the quote in question. Conclusion thus hit me as it was intended. And I visualised how I could have recklessly used anti-matter to blow ourselves out of here.

  -''Cassiel! What are you thinking?!'' She asked distressed as she clearly saw my thoughts.

  -''Alright, I need to refine the process a bit.'' I replied placatingly.

  -Refine the process?! You used an imagined quarter of nail size of that matter-

  -''Antimatter.'' I corrected her.

  -And you blow the fault lines apart and more!?

  -It tends to have that effect...

  -Oh Holy Kjera!

  -''My first reaction indeed!'' I said, somewhat grimly amused.

  Despite the peril of dabbling with such incredible world ending power the idea was solid. Solid to get us killed, but still. Enough ideas were flowing inside my head. Or rather around us now, that I instinctively knew I was close to finding an achievable solution to our dire situation.

  ''Shield capability'' I thought as an order, and the details came flowing before me. It was as impressively strong as I expected it to be. But more importantly it was a highly multicore shielding, capable of a wide array of adjustments. Including shifting from a power based one to an electro-gravitic or magnetic-repulsive one. If dialled up to eleven it could literally melt and disintegrate all matter.

  -I would advise against it, descendant Avenarius.

  -What is the problem? I can see from Cassiel a film on how your systems should normally work. But I can't really digest all this technical data to figure it quickly why it can't.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  -These systems are under suspicion of a compromised state variable.

  -''How come?'' Provence pushed on.

  -''When the capsule's reality anchor failure incident that descendant Avenarius mentioned had happened my main system came online to detect an abnormal informational wave rushing throughout the capsule.'' Cygnus related as it continued.

  -My own reality anchors came online in response, but not before the foreign informational wave entered both my hardware and software. It brushed firstly onto the force-polarization system and second onto the forcefield shielding system before being completely halted and wiped out.

  -I have detected no changes or abnormalities to either the physical or the informational well-being of those systems. Despite these analyses and the post reconsecration of reality I have still placed those two particular systems under a red level state of usage prohibition until I may be able to fully test and confirm their status under safe conditions.

  A heavy silence stretched one before she spoke again.

  -Reconsecration... of reality?

  -Affirmative.

  -How can one consecrate... or even reconsecrate reality?

  -''By usage of the available reality anchors.'' Cygnus responded as if the most obvious answer in the universe but in a calm, unrushed manner.

  -As if you can just mend reality back as if sewing shut after being ripped?

  -''That is a correct analogy miss Provence.'' Cygnus answered to the point, helpful and almost unhelpful in making her understand at the same time. And she looked at me then.

  -Reality can be manipulated, and used in our advantage. But I barely know more than you.

  -But your people...

  -My people were colonists who started to evolve technologically from a basic level. We never really possessed this kind of power. We barely knew of it as rumours. Only the men in the ''high castle'' of Humanity's elevated caste had access. And I barely found out that is simply existed instead of knowing it as suspicious story by the end of my time.

  She remained speechless, but I could see, and sense that she grasped a strand of understanding.

  -''Those two systems would have been our key to a clear way out of here.'' Provence noted.

  It was true. Both systems needed to work perfectly in tandem for our escape to proceed. And as it turned out both were deemed unreliable for the ship's first maiden flight.

  -Cygnus is showing me visuals now. The shield would have modulated into an intense radiating aura that would have superheated everything into a particle slush that it would have actively pushed away. And the polarization... would have made the ship the most indestructible thing in existence. Incredible!

  And as beautiful those visuals were we veered into the reality of finding another, and probably bruter, more complicated solution to get back to the surface.

  -''Are you thinking what I'm thinking?'' I asked Provence.

  -I can literally see and read your thoughts in here, so yes.

  The gravitic tunnel of the silo would have about a kilometre in effect beyond the exit. Making some changes to it, we could double that. The ship can raise its shields even if not at full power and ride the gravitic shot along with its own engine. Still, there is too much distance and too much sheer rock in our way. We needed more boost to make sure we would punch through. Or something with a high degree of melting power to turn everything before and around us into a navigable slush.

  -''You're going to use it, aren't you?'' She asked as if discovering for the first time my guilty passion for explosions besides guns.

  -''A little less than a quarter of a gram should do it.'' I replied perfectly composed. Though in truth I was chuckling morbidly inside for considering and knowing that I would be forced to use such a reckless and near suicidal method. And then realising they may well be able to read or feel my real reaction to it, even if silent in thought.

  Either way it would be the equivalent detonation of a ten kiloton atomic warhead. Give or take a kiloton.

  -''You would trap all that force within a field with us alongside it!?'' Provence asked near exasperatedly.

  -''It would produce the heat and power necessary to blast the way through for us along with it.'' I replied eloquently.

  -I... I have no better idea. At least this seems like a swifter death than waiting here to be crushed and bathed in lava.

  -''All that, aaand, a chance that it might get us out!'' I said cheerily.

  -''Hahah! I can't believe we're doing this!'' Provence laughed out, dispersing the tension in her.

  -What do you think of it Cygnus?

  -I can improve upon the chances of success by ensuring the mathematical details are towards the most optimal solution.

  -''We'll leave that into your capable hands.'' I said.

  -''Is that a joke?'' The smooth robotic voice asked, almost with a seeming sense of true curiosity.

  -Halfway yes, but it is true that we are counting on you.

  -''We'll have to time it right. We keep bouncing and rolling around, even if at a slower rate now. And we keep rolling along the fault lines. If we get stuck in the wrong angle...'' Added Provence.

  -Then we better hurry with a firing solution. Cygnus, can we isolate a fifth of a gram of antimatter and detonate it in a safe-

  -''Pfffhah!'' Provence burst out laughing before I continued my thoughts towards Cygnus.

  -Ehem, I meant in a controlled manner, at the base of the silo shaft?

  -Affirmative. A remote construct can transport it, as we have dedicated containers for such secure transportation needs.

  -Cassiel, those power levels are dropping. I had the impression that we were supposed to be swimming in it.

  -''Current antimatter-catalyzed fusion drive is running on the last amount of antimatter present in the usage core. Once it is spent the process has to be reinitialized with a new intake of antimatter.'' Spoke the Cygnus.

  -''Can't we just add some more now to extend it?'' Inquired Provence.

  -''Not at the current stage of the process and of time. It has been over thirteen standard millennia since certain functions and hardware have been online. I must follow vital precautions to ensure the systems are still reliable and functional. Otherwise, there would have been no delays at all.'' Cygnus revealed.

  I knew where she was hitting with this. The entire capsule would lose power and so will we. It would be left to the shell of the capsule to hold out until we restarted the entire cycle.

  -''Not exactly.'' Cygnus added, having read my thoughts. ''The last remaining power production can be sped towards its finalization, and concentrated for ship and silo use. It will be enough to power both the silo's polarization, and it's gravitic launcher. But no more than one minute.''

  -With the plan we have in mind I don't think we will need more than that. How long until the antimatter drive will be back on?

  -No more than ten seconds at most.

  -''Great.'' I replied with the best sense of optimism since I entered the underground today.

  -''I don't like the thought of being powerless in such an environment with the plan we're trying to pull.'' Expressed Provence.

  -My apologies miss Provence. The directive when the capsule was sealed was to preserve the main volume of anti-matter in secure stasis in my core and disconnected from my drive. With only a small amount for emergencies connected to my system at all times in one of the five usage cores.

  -''And after you tap into your main core?'' Provence inquired.

  -Then the main core shall be connected to my drive at all times. As well as establishing a constant connection with all five usage cores that are designed in principle as emergency and backup storage.

  The plan was thus decided, and we set to making it happen. At the end of our preparations all that we were waiting for was the foresight to engage the plan the moment when the capsule would point us to the surface.

  We were waiting. This time gazing with our own eyes at the hologram as we disconnected our minds from the system. Everything was in place. Only Shana resting with a semblance of peace through this life-or-death venture.

  -''Forty seconds to the converging mark.'' Spoke the calculated voice with a surety that couldn't betray a hint if it ever feared its own destruction.

  As the moment neared we saw through the screens before us the capsule's interior beyond the silo engulfed in complete blackness. Where the polarization of its hull used to give off a slight warm and green ambient light to the interior, now it seemed of an unnatural darkness. Soon after that the video feed went offline. Only a few dedicated sensors still active within the capsule's hull to measure its integrity.

  I heard through those feeds the now greater intensity of noise from the immense pressures forced against the shell. It didn't feel comforting at all, and I thought I heard actual damage being done on the hull.

  I dived back into the system as the time was approaching, Provence following my lead. We were one with the ship. And whatever fate it would meet today it would be ours as well.

  -''Silo polarization achieved. Beginning antimatter-core transfer. Reinitializing antimatter-catalyzed fusion drive.'' The voice of Cygnus spoke impassively, keeping us updated.

  -Thirty degrees angle to optimal firing solution. Gravity tunnel online... outer capsule hull failing, breaches acquired and extending.

  As it related the news I noticed uncomfortably how our current angle of rotation within the magma was slowing. And the overall capsule was beginning to change course.

  -''I don't need to point out that the millisecond we start deviating from our intended angle we should engage. Even with a good second before to maintain our approach at large.'' Provence noted.

  -''Correct.'' Answered the imperturbable voice, with a pause before continuing. As if it realised humans might need reassurance. ''I had well taken into consideration all preparatory possibilities.''

  -''I never doubted your know-how.'' I replied in thought as I was focusing my mind with that of Cygnus.

  The rest of the capsule was being crushed like a tin can along with all the gifts left by our greater ancestors. An extraordinary wealth of knowledge, culture and resources would be lost forever in mere minutes. But more importantly for the time at matter, it was starting to pull us off course by its new shape.

  -''FIRE!'' I instantly thought as both my mind and that of the ship reacted as one!

  The upper end of the silo seal was torn open outwards with a great gravitic force, as we were slingshotting away with it! A mere second behind us a small, pen like container released a little less of a quarter of a gram of real matter. Making contact with an equal amount of its antimatter, detonating an immense explosion! The thrust and the force produced bounced off the gravitic wall of the silo and pressed against the active shield behind the Cygnus!

  It passed besides and around the ship's gradually powering shields further ahead! Blasting, burning, melting and propelling all the mass before us outward of our direction! It was actually working! However, we still had a few good ways to traverse. And as quick as we were going it felt like a lifetime with the immense forces arrayed against us. And the threat of instantaneous death at our behalf.

  We had long left the super concentrated gravitic cone of the thrust. And the power unleashed by the incredible release of the antimatter blast was now spreading unevenly around us. Even if it was in the same general direction as intended, our progress was slowing significantly. As powerful as the ship's engines were, the vessel was starting to plough through a lot of mass. To the point that our chances seemed to diminish gravely. I instantly relayed my worries and my quick thinking with the Cygnus. Deeming my new plan somehow viable it deployed its main guns.

  Two simultaneous concentrated blasts of superheated and supercharged alloys of uranium, iron and tungsten, held together by an electromagnetic field sped at a rather large fraction of the speed of light in front of us. Vaporizing everything into an ultra hot and malleable mass that was inexorably pushed towards the surface!

  The ship burst through the earth's mantle, and saw the light of Terra once more after millennia.

  It continued to speed towards the sky at an unbelievable rate. A rush of relief washed upon Provence and I. And we felt the taste and hunger for life that one feels when he knows he overcame nearly insurmountable odds that promised death!

  The crust behind us broke along many leagues as furious magma erupted after our trail. Our chests were relieved of the intense pressure of our worries. Which paradoxically was made worse by the fact that we felt absolutely nothing during the whole daring escapade. Not even the slightest shudder. The gravity technology having functioned as intended on the vessel. Even if while connected with the Cygnus we beheld the tectonic cataclysm happening all around us!

  -''Stealth drive activated.'' The Cygnus informed us.

  -''We made it! We should turn around.'' Provence expressed euphorically.

  -We're not turning around now. We're going all the way!