Evening dragged itself into the quiet part of A Block.
Training continued in smaller pockets. Faye worked with her Ikona near the far wall, building sound into objects that held their shape for three seconds, then four. Tidwell sat on the floor with his cloud wrapped around his shoulders, eyes closed, practicing control without pretending it was meditation. Kikaru stayed at the board, changing the order of names and abilities until the map looked less like a list and more like a unit. Elias showered until the heat stopped helping.
By the time he returned to his pod, Dots had stirred inside the shard but stayed half asleep, carrying little impressions of wires and stored energy through their connection.
He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling.
"You ever feel like no matter how much we push forward, we keep waking up at the start?" Dots yawned through the bond.
"That is a terrible thought before sleep, so enjoy the part where nothing is attacking us right now."
