With stable power established, communication with the Odyssey became routine. Elias spent hours conversing with Captain Aris Thorne II. They exchanged stories—Elias telling of the simulation, the fight for memory, and the legacy of the first Aris Thorne; the Captain sharing the saga of the Odyssey's generations-long journey, the challenges of maintaining a society in the void, and the fading, almost mythical memories of Earth.
"You have his eyes," the Captain said during one transmission, studying Elias's face on his screen. "My grandfather's. In the few recordings we have."
Elias was taken aback. "I never met him. Not in person."
"Genetics are a curious thing," Thorne II smiled. "My grandfather believed that true humanity was carried in the biological line, in the messy, unpredictable miracle of DNA. It's why he opposed the Transfer so vehemently. He would have approved of you, Elias. You fought to remember, but you also chose to live."
This connection deepened their resolve. The Custodian, using the newfound power, began analyzing the orbital defense network's command structure. They discovered a backdoor, a failsafe put in place by the network's original designers. But exploiting it required a simultaneous, coordinated cyber-attack from multiple surface locations, including the now-destroyed mountain core.
"We can't do it," Kaela said, frustration evident. "We don't have the manpower or the access points."
"The Odyssey can," Captain Thorne interjected. "We have the technical capability. But we need you to guide our drones to the physical access terminals on the surface. You will be our eyes and hands."
A new plan was formed. The final battle for Earth would not be fought with an army, but with a precision strike, a partnership between the children of Earth and the children of the stars.