The response arrived three hours after I sent the file. It was not a call. It was a text message from Thorne. Council session convened. Emergency docket. Stay available.
I read the message in the office. The door was closed. The observers were in the control room, monitoring the grid traffic. They would see the incoming message. They would not see the content. The encryption held.
I replied. Available.
I put the phone down. I looked at the stone in the drawer. It was dark. It had not glowed since the boat ride. It was waiting for the next move.
Ezra came in. He had returned from the Court an hour ago. He looked weary. The political maneuvering was taking a toll on him. He sat on the edge of the desk.
"Thorne called me too," he said. "The Admiral is lobbying hard. He claims the sanctua
