**03:17 AM, Dungeon Core Control Room**

Kate stared at the surveillance screen, her fingers sliding rapidly across the neural interface. Sweat trickled down her temple, leaving dark streaks on the silver collar of her uniform.

"Unusual signal coming from the East Airlock," she reported to the holographic Duran. "Units 11 and 103 have breached the blockade."

Duran's image was more unstable than usual, with red noise flickering around the edges. "Initiate tracking protocol, prioritizing the protection of the quantum transmitter tower."

"Security drones have been dispatched, but..." Kate paused, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the chip at the back of her neck. "Primarch 01 has implanted a jamming code in the system, and our scanners can't pinpoint it."

Duran's mouth twitched slightly, and the image suddenly sharpened, as if he were concentrating completely. "I should have destroyed that failed unit long ago."