Chapter Four: The Descent Laizer stepped into the lift on Deck 1, her hand hovering over the interface. Beside her, Claudia leaned against the back wall, her arms crossed. "Going down?" Claudia asked, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips. Laizer didn't answer. She pressed the icon for Deck 9. The elevator chimed—a clean, digital "ping"—and the doors slid shut with the whisper of a surgical seal. For the first three decks, the ride was weightless. The white walls of the car were so bright they seemed to vibrate. Then, as they passed the threshold of Deck 4, the light flickered. "The power grid is fluctuating," Laizer said, her professional mask tightening. "It’s not the power, Commander," Claudia replied. "It’s the year. We just left 2325." The seamless white polymer of the elevator walls began to "peel." It wasn't physical peeling; it was a visual de-resolution. Beneath the white facade, gray, brushed steel beg...