Rover placed his hand on the sofa armrest and was silent for a few seconds.
Then he said: "I'll take it."
The entire room immediately went quiet.
Nanoe stood behind him, one hand still resting on his shoulder. She didn't ask again, didn't advise him to think it over more. She only tightened her fingers slightly, as if telling him that no matter what he chose, she would stand right here.
Morie was the first to react.
"If you accept, the trial will begin immediately. We won't have time to reposition the towers."
"I know." Rover said.
"And you're still accepting?"
"Yeah."
Morie looked at him for a moment, then nodded. She didn't argue. She only turned and walked toward the defense tower control panel, her fingertips beginning to move quickly across the screen.
Because she understood, once Rover had decided, her job wasn't to stop him, but to make that decision a little less dangerous.
The System's light suddenly surged.
Not the familiar yellow.
