diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 281fb82..6f54ffb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ runs keep their existing pause layout and rules.
   shared schema makes campaign progress portable for future import/export tooling but
   does not automatically sync files between devices.
 
+- The story archive presents the existing sector discoveries as one signal chain, with a recovery meter and the next unrecovered lead. It reuses the campaign discovery IDs and does not add a separate save format.
 - The web galaxy map uses the existing sector positions to draw connected routes, distinguish locked and charted systems, and show the selected sector's objective without duplicating campaign progression or save data.
 
 ### Realism pass
diff --git a/web/game.js b/web/game.js
index e0ab34a..1e761bf 100644
--- a/web/game.js
+++ b/web/game.js
@@ -237,6 +237,22 @@ const STORY_ENTRIES = [
   { id: "void-origin", sectorId: "void-crown", title: "The Signal's Origin", classification: "FRONTIER ARCHIVE",
     teaser: "The source lies beyond the mapped systems.", body: "At the edge of the Void Crown, the signal resolves into a navigational pattern. The four sectors are not separate destinations; together they form a route. The beacon was never a warning. It was a map." },
 ];
+
+// Summarize the existing discovery chain without adding a second save/progression system.
+function storySignalState(discoveries = []) {
+  const known = new Set(Array.isArray(discoveries) ? discoveries : []);
+  const recovered = STORY_ENTRIES.filter(entry => known.has(entry.id));
+  const next = STORY_ENTRIES.find(entry => !known.has(entry.id)) || null;
+  return {
+    recoveredCount: recovered.length,
+    total: STORY_ENTRIES.length,
+    recoveredIds: recovered.map(entry => entry.id),
+    nextEntryId: next ? next.id : null,
+    nextTitle: next ? next.title : "",
+    decoded: next === null,
+  };
+}
+
 const EXPLORATION_OBJECTIVES = [
   { id: "sol-signal", sectorId: "sol-frontier", title: "Trace the Beacon", detail: "Triangulate the repeating signal across the orbital debris.", reward: 20, color: "#78c8ff" },
   { id: "sol-wreckage", sectorId: "sol-frontier", title: "Survey the Wreckage", detail: "Scan a derelict relay drifting beyond the inner ring.", reward: 25, color: "#a7b8d8" },
@@ -3110,36 +3126,48 @@ class Game {
     c.fillStyle = "rgba(2, 5, 16, 0.98)"; c.fillRect(0, 0, W, H);
     for (let i = 0; i < 64; i++) {
       const x = (i * 173 + 23) % W, y = (i * 127 + 61) % H;
-      circle(c, x, y, i % 8 === 0 ? 2 : 1, i % 3 === 0 ? "rgba(180,140,255,0.62)" : "rgba(210,225,255,0.30)");
-    }
-    const found = this.save.campaign.discoveries.length;
-    text(c, "FRONTIER ARCHIVE", W / 2, 62, 34, "#e4d9ff", true);
-    text(c, `RECOVERED INTEL  /  ${found} OF ${STORY_ENTRIES.length} RECORDS`, W / 2, 101, 14, "#9e91c7", true);
+      const alpha = 0.20 + 0.22 * (0.5 + 0.5 * Math.sin(this.time * 0.6 + i));
+      circle(c, x, y, i % 8 === 0 ? 2 : 1,
+        i % 3 === 0 ? `rgba(180,140,255,${alpha})` : `rgba(210,225,255,${alpha})`);
+    }
+    const signal = storySignalState(this.save.campaign.discoveries);
+    text(c, "FRONTIER ARCHIVE", W / 2, 58, 34, "#e4d9ff", true);
+    text(c, `RECOVERED INTEL  /  ${signal.recoveredCount} OF ${signal.total} RECORDS`, W / 2, 99, 14, "#9e91c7", true);
+
+    panel(c, 38, 119, W - 76, 62, "rgba(24, 17, 48, 0.88)", "rgba(180,140,255,0.42)", 12);
+    text(c, "SIGNAL CHAIN", 54, 142, 11, "#c7b5ff", true, "left");
+    text(c, signal.decoded ? "ROUTE DECODED" : `NEXT LEAD  /  ${signal.nextTitle}`,
+      W - 54, 142, 12, signal.decoded ? "#8dffce" : "#e4d9ff", true, "right");
+    c.fillStyle = "rgba(100,85,140,0.45)"; c.fillRect(54, 154, W - 108, 7);
+    c.fillStyle = signal.decoded ? "#8dffce" : "#b48cff";
+    c.fillRect(54, 154, (W - 108) * (signal.recoveredCount / Math.max(1, signal.total)), 7);
+
     STORY_ENTRIES.forEach((entry, i) => {
-      const y = 132 + i * 218, unlocked = this.storyDiscovered(entry);
+      const y = 196 + i * 195, unlocked = this.storyDiscovered(entry);
       const selected = this.storySelectedId === entry.id;
-      panel(c, 38, y, W - 76, 194,
+      panel(c, 38, y, W - 76, 170,
         selected ? "rgba(38, 25, 66, 0.88)" : "rgba(9, 12, 28, 0.88)",
         selected ? "rgba(180, 140, 255, 0.78)" : "rgba(150, 140, 190, 0.22)", 14);
-      text(c, unlocked ? entry.classification : "ENCRYPTED RECORD", 60, y + 27, 12,
-        unlocked ? "#bba0ff" : "#6b6682", true, "left");
-      text(c, unlocked ? entry.title : `RECORD ${String(i + 1).padStart(2, "0")}  /  LOCKED`, 60, y + 57, 20,
-        unlocked ? "#f0eaff" : "#8a849d", true, "left");
+      text(c, unlocked ? entry.classification : `FRAGMENT ${String(i + 1).padStart(2, "0")}  /  ENCRYPTED`,
+        60, y + 25, 11, unlocked ? "#bba0ff" : "#6b6682", true, "left");
+      text(c, unlocked ? entry.title : `RECORD ${String(i + 1).padStart(2, "0")}  /  LOCKED`,
+        60, y + 52, 19, unlocked ? "#f0eaff" : "#8a849d", true, "left");
       const lines = unlocked ? entry.body : entry.teaser;
       const words = lines.split(" ");
-      let line = "", lineY = y + 88, count = 0;
+      let line = "", lineY = y + 81, count = 0;
       for (const word of words) {
         const nextLine = line ? line + " " + word : word;
         if (nextLine.length > 67 && line) {
-          text(c, line, 60, lineY, 14, unlocked ? "#c5c8dc" : "#77748a", false, "left");
-          line = word; lineY += 23; count++;
+          text(c, line, 60, lineY, 13, unlocked ? "#c5c8dc" : "#77748a", false, "left");
+          line = word; lineY += 21; count++;
           if (count >= 3) break;
         } else line = nextLine;
       }
-      if (line && count < 3) text(c, line, 60, lineY, 14, unlocked ? "#c5c8dc" : "#77748a", false, "left");
-      text(c, unlocked ? "RECOVERED" : `COMPLETE ${CAMPAIGN_SECTORS[i].name} TO DECRYPT`, W - 58, y + 169, 11,
-        unlocked ? "#8dffce" : "#6e778b", true, "right");
-      this.buttons.push({ x: 38, y, w: W - 76, h: 194, fn: () => { this.storySelectedId = entry.id; } });
+      if (line && count < 3) text(c, line, 60, lineY, 13, unlocked ? "#c5c8dc" : "#77748a", false, "left");
+      text(c, unlocked ? (i < STORY_ENTRIES.length - 1 ? "SIGNAL POINTS TO THE NEXT SECTOR" : "ALL SIGNAL FRAGMENTS CONNECTED")
+        : `COMPLETE ${CAMPAIGN_SECTORS[i].name} TO DECRYPT`,
+        W - 58, y + 151, 10, unlocked ? "#8dffce" : "#6e778b", true, "right");
+      this.buttons.push({ x: 38, y, w: W - 76, h: 170, fn: () => { this.storySelectedId = entry.id; } });
     });
     this.smallButton(c, "BACK", 52, 1024, 270, 60, "#b48cff", () => this.closeStoryArchive());
     this.smallButton(c, this.storyReturnState === "campaign" ? "BACK TO STAR MAP" : "OPEN STAR MAP",
@@ -3539,5 +3567,5 @@ if (typeof module !== "undefined" && module.exports)
   module.exports = { Game, MockAdProvider, AdMobProvider, createAdProvider, Save, Sfx, Social, Leaderboard,
     CAMPAIGN_SECTORS, STORY_ENTRIES, EXPLORATION_OBJECTIVES, freshCampaign, sanitizeCampaign, DemoIapProvider, DisabledIapProvider, CdvIapProvider, createIapProvider, GEM_PACKS, CONTINUE_BASE_COST,
     SHIPS, CONTRACTS, MISSION_POOL, BIOMES, METEOR_TYPES, SHOP_ITEMS,
-    dateKey, weekKey, mulberry32, difficultyProfile, flareWarningText, bossWarningText, comboMilestoneText, shouldRenderScreenFlash, shouldApplyHitStop, campaignPauseHint, campaignMapPoint, W, H };
+    dateKey, weekKey, mulberry32, difficultyProfile, flareWarningText, bossWarningText, comboMilestoneText, shouldRenderScreenFlash, shouldApplyHitStop, campaignPauseHint, campaignMapPoint, storySignalState, W, H };
 else window.addEventListener("load", boot);
diff --git a/web/sw.js b/web/sw.js
index 7ad2067..f35388c 100644
--- a/web/sw.js
+++ b/web/sw.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Service worker: caches the game so it works offline once installed.
 // Bump CACHE whenever the game files change. Navigation is network-first so a
 // deployed update is picked up as soon as the player is online.
-const CACHE = "orbit-runner-v19";
+const CACHE = "orbit-runner-v20";
 const FILES = ["./", "./index.html", "./config.js", "./game.js", "./manifest.json", "./icon-192.png", "./icon-512.png"];
 
 self.addEventListener("install", e => {
diff --git a/web/test/game.test.js b/web/test/game.test.js
index b062e65..0c30e69 100644
--- a/web/test/game.test.js
+++ b/web/test/game.test.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const test = require("node:test");
 const assert = require("node:assert/strict");
 const { Game, MockAdProvider, AdMobProvider, Save, Social, Leaderboard, MISSION_POOL, CONTRACTS,
   BIOMES, SHOP_ITEMS, GEM_PACKS, DemoIapProvider, dateKey, weekKey, CAMPAIGN_SECTORS, STORY_ENTRIES, EXPLORATION_OBJECTIVES, freshCampaign,
-  sanitizeCampaign, difficultyProfile, flareWarningText, comboMilestoneText, shouldRenderScreenFlash, shouldApplyHitStop, campaignPauseHint, campaignMapPoint } = require("../game.js");
+  sanitizeCampaign, difficultyProfile, flareWarningText, comboMilestoneText, shouldRenderScreenFlash, shouldApplyHitStop, campaignPauseHint, campaignMapPoint, storySignalState } = require("../game.js");
 
 function localStore() {
   const store = {};
@@ -583,6 +583,21 @@ test("daily and ranked runs do not advance campaign sectors", () => {
 });
 
 
+test("story signal chain reports the next lead and completes only when all known records are recovered", () => {
+  assert.deepEqual(storySignalState([]), {
+    recoveredCount: 0, total: STORY_ENTRIES.length, recoveredIds: [],
+    nextEntryId: STORY_ENTRIES[0].id, nextTitle: STORY_ENTRIES[0].title, decoded: false,
+  });
+  const partial = storySignalState(["beacon-awake", "unknown-record"]);
+  assert.equal(partial.recoveredCount, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(partial.recoveredIds, ["beacon-awake"]);
+  assert.equal(partial.nextEntryId, "ember-expedition");
+  const complete = storySignalState(STORY_ENTRIES.map(entry => entry.id));
+  assert.equal(complete.recoveredCount, STORY_ENTRIES.length);
+  assert.equal(complete.nextEntryId, null);
+  assert.equal(complete.decoded, true);
+});
+
 test("story archive migrates completed sectors and rejects invalid discoveries", () => {
   const migrated = sanitizeCampaign({
     version: 1,