Geras finished the page before acknowledging them.
The office had not changed, except for the missing chair. Plain walls. Matte floor. No display active behind the desk. No rank pieces on Geras's vest, no ceremony, nothing that let the room pretend this was normal command work.
Elias took the first seat because waiting felt worse. Kikaru sat beside him. Paul remained standing until Geras lifted two fingers toward the last chair.
The door sealed behind them.
Geras closed the file and set both hands on top of it.
"You three watched Vincent's match through the System space, so tell me what happened in terms I can use outside that room."
Elias kept his eyes on the file. "Randalp died in the match, and his body in the pod burned after the arena confirmed the result."
Geras's face did not move. "Continue with Vincent and tell me what changed."
