Sustained Fracture Mode

Sustained fracture mode is a state that is somewhere between a crystal’s normal behavior and Terrigen Extension. Unlike an extension, sustained fracture mode can last far longer than 2.5 seconds, which is the maximum recorded length for an extension. It is difficult to tell whether a lunablade has entered fracture mode seconds after the transition, however, a viewer may observe the blade flickering or dimming. This effect is caused by a decrease in light energy in response to the increase of kinetic or thermal energy. However, if the lunablade stays in fracture mode, the changes become more apparent. The lunablade may become significantly more exothermic as the increased thermal output transfers heat to the air around the blade. In severe cases, this will be enough to burn the user’s hand and set fire to their garments. The thermal energy may also soften the metal of the conductor blade as the kinetic energy pushes it outwards. This combination will inevitably change the shape of the blade, elongating it and compressing it vertically, which has been observed in both second-generation and third-generation blades. This will often be accompanied by the sound of creaking metal. If the amount of kinetic energy is high enough, the blade will start to shed bits of metal or nanites. After a prolonged period of sustained fracture mode, the conductor blade will have to be replaced. Like an extension, sustained fracture mode (SFM) will also cause microscopic cracks to form around the portal region of the crystal. The speed of the cracking varies from crystal to crystal. However, the longer the crystal remains in SFM the faster the cracks will grow in size. If the cracks are small, then the crystal can “heal” to a certain degree when the portal is not open. Larger cracks are near-impossible to heal. An Aster may choose to put their lunablade into sustained fracture mode when they need to cut through metals such as vibranium and adamantium, which are usually lunablade-resistant. However, as the conductor blade is usually made of one of these two metals, damaging it is inevitable. There is also a possibility that a lunablade can enter sustained fracture mode inadvertently as well, if the crystal reacts to a strong emotion that the user is feeling. This phenomenon is extremely rare, but has a positive correlation with Z-chromosome cell percentage.

The limit on how long a Terrigen crystal can hold a state of fracture mode varies from crystal to crystal. The longest recorded amount of time is close to 24 minutes; this record was set by Thanos of Titan but it should be noted that he frequently replaced his Terrigen crystal. Thane is also very stupid and cannot hold fracture mode for his life, despite being Thanos’s grandson. The record of the current Asterprime, Cyan, is 5 minutes. However, Thanos and Cyan’s values represent outliers, the average sustained fracture mode duration is much closer to 1 minute to thirty seconds. Tempered lunablades can hold fracture mode for longer periods in general because of their increased crack-resistance. Note that not every crystal is capable of sustained fracture mode or even extensions. An example would be the conjoined-triplet setup of the Sunrise Crisis crystal, owned by Thane of Titan. Because the three crystals have their own portals but cannot work independently of each other, any attempt to put them into fracture mode will deteriorate the crystal three times faster than ordinary. Of course, Thane’s shitty-ass crystal, widely known as one of the worst setups in human history, is the exception and not the norm, so most Terrigen crystals have the capacity to enter fracture mode.