Decades passed. Maybe centuries.
Then—a tremor.
A pulse of energy surged through the ship, causing the stasis pods to flicker. The mechanical guardians, inactive for so long, turned their heads in unison.
A deep, guttural rumble echoed through the vessel.
And in the heart of the ship, beneath layers of metal and energy seals, a single eye opened.
It was not fully healed. But it was awake.
And it remembered.
