“That’s not how this system has ever worked,” he says.
“No,” I agree. “It’s how it works now.”
Silence stretches between us.
Then—
“We’ll need time to adjust,” he says.
“Take it,” I reply.
The channel closes.
Another opens almost immediately.
Then another.
Then another.
“They’re lining up,” Vihl says, his voice carrying something between disbelief and recognition.
“Yes,” I reply.
“Not to fight,” he adds.
“No.”
“To understand.”
“Yes.”
I shift through the channels, not answering all of them, not engaging every request, just enough to establish pattern, to reinforce direction, to make it clear this isn’t temporary, this isn’t negotiable, this isn’t something that shifts under pressure.
“This is going to change how everything interacts with you,” Vihl says.
“It already has,” I reply.
“And you’re good with that,” he presses.
I glance at him.
“Yes.”
He studies me for a moment.
“You’re not looking for control anymore,” he says.
“I am,” I reply.
“That doesn’t look like control,” he counters.
“It is,” I say. “It just doesn’t rely on force.”
He exhales slowly.
“…That’s going to take some getting used to,” he mutters.
“Yes,” I agree.
