Chapter 162: A Doomed Legacy's Redemption

The Wanderer docked at a bustling spaceport, a kaleidoscope of alien species bustling through the market stalls. Amelia and Anya, their faces etched with a mix of excitement and apprehension, blended seamlessly into the crowd. Their mission: infiltrate the Archives of Xenon, a legendary repository of knowledge rumored to hold forbidden texts and forgotten scientific advancements. The Archives, housed within a colossal obsidian tower that pierced the smog-filled sky, were said to be guarded by a network of sentient AI guardians with a ruthless intolerance for unauthorized access. Anya, however, had spent weeks scouring data streams and whispers on forgotten forums, piecing together a potential backdoor into the Archives' labyrinthine network. Following Anya's instructions, Amelia disguised herself as a visiting scholar from a minor planet, her skin tinted a shade of pale blue and her voice augmented with a subtle hiss. Anya, her auburn hair concealed beneath a hooded cloak, do