THE STARDUST FORTUNE

Chapter 36: Breaking Bonds

The control room's emergency lights cast red shadows as Eleanor faced the central display. Global transformation readings climbed toward critical levels.

"You knew," Luna's voice cut through the chaos. "You knew what Project Genesis really was."

"Not at first." Eleanor's fingers traced emergency protocols. "Not until it was too late."

Alex stood between them. "Tell me the truth. All of it."

"The truth?" Eleanor laughed bitterly. "Which version? The one where I saved humanity? Or the one where I damned it?"

Luna pulled up archived files. "Project Genesis wasn't about evolution."

"It was always about evolution," Eleanor countered.

"No." Luna projected the original schematics. "Look, Alex. Really look."

The designs flickered in holographic detail.

"A quantum consciousness encoder," Alex studied the plans. "You weren't trying to transform bodies."

"I was trying to save minds." Eleanor's form shifted rapidly. "Before they came."

"Before who came?" Luna demanded.

"The ones who seeded us." E