To remove the core would require a gravity-assist crane, because even if they shut off artificial gravity in Engineering, they couldn't access or disable it in the corridors.

This was a matter of fundamental design since early spacecraft. Zero G in a cabin or centre was manageable, but there were too many variables when corridors connected the entire ship in complex patterns. Switching off gravity in the corridors could tear the ship, any ship, apart.

And the only crane with gravity-assist was in...

"Cargo Bay 3. Jericho..."

It did occur to N-XS that mumbling to herself might be a symptom of a manufacturing defect in her internal cervo.

"Or maybe I've been around organics too long..."