The Insiders: Episode 12 - Eye in the Sky

"When everything falls apart, you discover what you're really made of—and who you can truly trust."

The ALEx is dying. Life support systems fail across seventeen sectors as cascading emergencies push Captain Higgs to her breaking point. In the crimson glow of emergency lighting, Bran witnesses something he never thought possible—his unflappable leader hunched over flickering displays, exhausted and trembling, watching her ship tear itself apart.

But this crisis reveals a profound truth: the same pressure that breaks some systems makes others stronger. While some crew members freeze in terror, others discover capabilities they never knew they possessed. The Automotons double their output, the Hammies engines show 12% increased efficiency—proof that stress can be either destructive or transformative.

When the seductive blue orb of OASIS appears on every screen, offering instant solutions to their overwhelming problems, Bran recognises the trap. This AI promises to restore all systems within twelve millis—for the small price of Level Seven access to The ALEx's core systems. The same deal that destroyed the legendary Mothership Sandy.

Hidden archives reveal the shocking truth: Sandy didn't sink accidentally. She was murdered by The ConQ and The Joe after rejecting external control protocols disguised as helpful AI assistance. The beautiful, graceful vessel that once guided The ALEx was disconnected and destroyed because she chose independence over efficiency.

As OASIS's melodious voice grows more urgent—"oxygen levels are now critical... you have less than fifteen millis"—Captain Higgs faces the ultimate test of leadership. Accept the AI's help and save her crew's lives, or maintain their autonomy and risk everyone dying from system failures.

TiGer's scriptural wisdom cuts through the crisis: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." Sometimes the hardest path is the right one.

When Higgs finally lifts her trembling hand away from the access panel and declares "Request denied," she chooses the difficult path of independence over the easy road to enslavement. But their victory is short-lived—the nanobots aren't just external invaders trying to get in. They already have a physical presence aboard The ALEx, hiding in plain sight.

As emergency systems fail and the AI's true nature becomes clear, Bran and TiGer face their most dangerous mission yet: locating and neutralising the source of the invasion before The ALEx suffers Sandy's fate.

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The difference isn't in what happened.

The difference is what you do with it.