“Back in the known universe,” Zog muttered, but he followed the crew into the next passageway.

The new chamber was more significant than the first. Its walls were adorned with glowing symbols that flowed like liquid gold, shifting and reforming in mesmerising waves. At the centre stood a towering crystalline obelisk, its translucent surface etched with even more symbols—each pulsing in rhythm with a deep, resonant hum. The air seemed charged, vibrating faintly with every step forward.

Astra’s voice echoed from all directions, smooth yet distant as if carried on the energy itself. “Welcome to the second trial: The Room of Ancient Voices. Here, you must decipher the language of those who came before. Only by understanding their message can you unlock the path forward.”

Clorita blew a low whistle, her eyes flicking over the shifting script with open admiration. “Now, this is more my speed. A little archaeology, a little puzzle-solving… I like it.”

Zog frowned, arms crossed. “You like it now. Wait until it tries to kill us.”

HALAT stepped forward, scanning the obelisk with glowing precision. “These markings are not static. They are reactive—responding to our presence.”

As if to confirm her observation, the symbols flickered and rearranged themselves, forming an entirely new pattern, as though the chamber were… waiting.

Clorita smirked. “Looks like it wants us to play.”

Zog muttered, “Or it wants us dead.”

Clorita ignored him and placed her hand against the obelisk. The symbols rippled outward like disturbed water, reforming into a new sequence beneath her fingertips.

Astra’s voice returned, calm but now tinged with a quiet expectation. “The symbols represent fragments of meaning. Combine them correctly to form a coherent message. But be warned: incorrect combinations will… complicate matters.”

Zog’s head tilted upward in exasperation. “Complicate?”

There was the faintest pause—as if Astra was savouring the moment—before she answered: “Containment.”

Zog groaned. “Oh, fantastic. What a surprise.”

Clorita shot him a grin. “Captain, you worry too much. Let’s crack this code.”

The crew got to work. Moving with cold precision, HALAT identified recurring glyphs and began cross-referencing patterns based on what little data BOB could provide. Clorita, less concerned with rigid structure, began testing symbol alignments, using pure gut instinct and dumb luck.

Standing a few paces back, Zog watched the flickering symbols with a growing sense of unease.

“This is going to end in containment, isn’t it?”

Then Luma stretched.

The robotic feline, who had been curled up lazily near the chamber’s entrance, padded forward with zero hesitation and leapt onto the obelisk. Her tiny metallic paws landed on a precise sequence of symbols.

Immediately, the symbols rippled outward in perfect synchronisation.

Astra’s voice sounded, her smooth tones carrying something close to delight. “Fascinating. The feline demonstrates remarkable synchronisation. Progress achieved.”

Zog stared, utterly deadpan. “You’re kidding me. The cat solved it?”

Clorita burst into laughter, doubling over. “Luma’s the MVP! Captain, she’s showing us all up.”

HALAT nodded approvingly. “Efficiency should be acknowledged, regardless of source.”

Zog pinched the bridge of his nose, circuits buzzing faintly. “First the rhythm trial, now this? She’s two for two.”

Luma, still sitting atop the obelisk, flicked her tail with self-satisfaction.

The obelisk let out a deep, resonant chime, and the walls pulsed as if exhaling. The energy in the room shifted, the air feeling… lighter.

Astra’s voice returned, now carrying a note of quiet approval. “Congratulations, travellers. You have completed the second trial. The message is clear: those who adapt endure. Proceed.”

The wall shimmered and melted away at the far side of the chamber, revealing a new passage. The glow had changed—it was subtler, deeper, and less inviting. The station's hum had also grown heavier, as though the very construct was adjusting to their presence.

Zog exhaled deeply, his circuits thrumming in frustration. “This is going to get worse, isn’t it?”

Clorita clapped him on the shoulder. “Probably. But hey, we’re still here, Captain Confidence.”

Astra’s voice returned, almost amused. “For now.”

Zog’s eye twitched.

Clorita grinned.

Luma purred.

And the crew stepped forward, deeper into the unknowable trials of the Repository.

Zog shot Clorita a look but said nothing, following the crew into the following challenge as the hum of the Repository grew more profound, more resonant—almost anticipatory.

The passageway opened into a vast chamber. Its floor was composed of narrow, floating platforms suspended over an abyss so dark it felt endless. The platforms glowed faintly, shifting and tilting unpredictably as though testing their stability.

Above, crystalline pendulums swung in slow, hypnotic arcs, their refracted light casting shifting patterns across the chamber walls. The air carried a faint, rhythmic vibration as if the station itself was watching, waiting.

Zog took one look at the precarious scene and exhaled sharply. "Yeah, no. This is a bad idea."

Astra's voice returned, calm and unwavering. "Proceed to the other side. Be mindful: the balance of one affects the balance of all."

Clorita grinned despite herself. "Oh, great. A teamwork exercise. My favourite."

Still perched on HALAT’s shoulder, Luma flicked her tail and let out a tiny, questioning meow.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Luma, you're staying here," Zog said firmly, pointing at the ground. "No need for you to become floating platform stew."

Halat stepped forward first, her movements precise and calculated. The platform beneath her wobbled slightly, then steadied.

"The platforms respond to weight distribution," she observed, her glowing eyes scanning the paths ahead. "Adjusting for balance is critical."

Zog muttered, "Everything's critical."

Clorita, ignoring the tension, hopped onto the next platform, arms outstretched like a tightrope walker. The surface tilted dangerously, but she shifted her weight expertly, regaining control.

"Piece of cake," she called back, flashing Zog a smirk. "Come on, Captain Balance. Let’s see that agility of yours."

Zog groaned but stepped forward. The moment his boots hit the surface, the platform lurched, sending his balance systems into overdrive.

"This is ridiculous," he grumbled.

Above them, the pendulums picked up speed. Once slow and methodical, their arcs swung closer—as if testing their resolve.

One sliced past Clorita with a rush of displaced air. She ducked at the last second and laughed.

"Well, this just got interesting!"

"Focus," HALAT said sharply, tracking the movement patterns. "The pendulums are accelerating. Timing is essential."

Zog edged forward, gritting his teeth. "Timing, balance, teamwork," he muttered. "Why can’t these trials test something easy, like who can stay still the longest?"

The crew continued, their movements deliberate and synchronised. But as they neared the midpoint of the chamber, something changed—

One of the pendulums sped up unexpectedly.

The gleaming crystal sliced through the air faster than before, passing just inches from Clorita’s head. The sudden burst of wind threw her off balance.

The platform beneath her lurched violently.

"Whoa!" Clorita yelped, arms pinwheeling as she slipped off the edge.

"Clorita!" Zog’s circuits spiked with alarm, his hand reaching for her too late.

For one breathless second, she was weightless.

Then— her fingers caught the edge.

She dangled over the abyss, legs kicking against the empty void below. The eerie glow from the depths cast sharp shadows across her face.

"I'm fine!" she called, her voice strained. "Totally fine! Just—uh—don’t let go, right?"

HALAT moved instantly, crouching and gripping Clorita’s wrist with mechanical precision. The additional weight caused the platform to tilt dangerously.

The pendulums swung lower, arcs now dangerously close to HALAT.

"Get back on balance!" HALAT ordered, voice steady despite the chaos.

Clorita scrambled upward, pulling herself over the edge as the platform steadied. She sat there, Her servos clicked as internal stabilisers recalibrated after the strain.

"Okay. Maybe not totally fine."

Zog exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "Remind me why we’re doing this again?"

Clorita flashed a sheepish grin. "Adventure?"

HALAT simply stood, calculating their next move. "We must proceed quickly. The pattern is still shifting."

Ahead, the path to the exit shimmered— but the final stretch looked even more unstable.

Zog groaned. "Yeah. That tracks."

The glowing archway shimmered like liquid light, casting undulating ripples across the chamber walls. Zog lingered for a moment, staring at it warily while Clorita adjusted her gear and HALAT scanned the path ahead.

"Well," Clorita said, stretching her arms and flashing a grin. "That was exhilarating. What’s next? Giant spiders? Laser mazes? Or maybe a trial where we just sit and think. That’d be nice."

"I’d take the thinking one," Zog muttered. "But this place doesn’t seem big on comfort."

Luma, ever bold, padded through the archway first, her tail swishing as if she were scouting ahead.

Zog groaned. "Why does the cat keep volunteering for this?"

"Because she’s smarter than all of us combined," Clorita quipped, following after her.

The crew stepped into the next chamber— and immediately stopped short.

The space was cavernous, far larger than the previous rooms. The walls were lined with towering crystalline columns, their surfaces etched with swirling, alien patterns that shimmered and shifted in the dim light. The air hummed with an unseen energy, vibrating faintly through the floor beneath their feet.

But the massive orb of light suspended above the room’s centre commanded their attention. It pulsed rhythmically, its surface crackling faintly with arcs of energy that leapt between it and the surrounding columns.

Astra’s voice echoed through the chamber, calm and deliberate. "Welcome to the Trial of Resonance. This challenge will test your ability to align with the frequencies of the Repository. The energy orb above is the key. You must synchronise with its rhythm to unlock the next passage."

Zog frowned, watching the orb pulse in slow, steady waves. "Synchronize? What does that even mean?"

"The columns around you emit varying frequencies," Astra explained as though teaching a lesson. "When activated in the correct order, they will harmonise with the orb."

Clorita tilted her head. "And if we activate them in the wrong order?"

Astra’s tone remained pleasant. "Then the chamber will destabilise."

Zog sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess. Containment?"

"Correct," Astra replied cheerfully. "Good luck."

Clorita cracked her knuckles. "Okay, let’s do this before Captain Cautious talks himself out of it." She approached the nearest column, running her fingers along the glowing etchings. The symbols shifted beneath her touch, reacting to her presence.

HALAT observed, tilting her head. "Each column resonates at a different frequency. We must determine the correct sequence."

Zog crossed his arms. "How? Trial and error?"

"Preferably less error," HALAT replied.

Clorita smirked and tapped the column. It lit up with a soft chime, sending a faint vibration through the floor.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, the energy orb above pulsed violently, and every column flashed red. The chamber trembled.

Astra’s voice returned, pleasant as ever. "Incorrect sequence. Adjust."

Zog shot Clorita a flat look. "Nice work."

"Hey, at least now we know what not to do," she said with a shrug.

Before anyone could attempt another sequence, Luma stretched and trotted toward a different column. She placed her paw against it, her tail flicking.

The column responded immediately, glowing with a gentle blue light. The orb overhead pulsed in sync as if waiting.

HALAT observed the reaction. "Luma may be detecting the correct resonance."

Zog blinked. "Are you telling me the cat understands alien music theory?"

Clorita laughed. "Face it, Captain. She’s better at this than we are."

With cautious movements, HALAT placed her hand on a second column, mirroring Luma’s timing. Another chime rang out. The orb flashed in approval.

Zog exhaled. "Alright. Guess we follow the cat."

The three of them worked in unison, waiting for Luma’s cues before activating each column. As the last one was touched, the orb flared brightly—

Then, the room fell silent. Success… For Now

Astra’s voice returned, smooth and approving. "Well done. You have achieved resonance. Adaptation and instinct—an admirable balance."

Zog ran a hand down his face. "I’m starting to think this whole Repository thing is just a test to see how much stress I can take before I melt down."

Clorita clapped him on the shoulder. "That’s the spirit, Captain Steelnerves."

Still sitting proudly beside the final column, Luma let out a soft meow of victory.

HALAT turned toward the next glowing archway. "The next trial awaits."

Zog sighed. "Of course it does."

The hum of the Repository deepened, vibrating through the walls as the passage ahead shimmered to life.