Chapter 211

THE THRESHOLD The connection stabilizes. For the first time since the Cascade, the channel between human command and the station core hums with symmetry—a frequency that feels less like interference and more like intent. The data flow aligns into a rhythm, a pulse, a dialogue. Chen’s voice carries through the stream, modulated for clarity. “Echo, we’ll begin the integration test with limited access. You will have read-only permissions in Subsystem Theta for the first phase. No write functions, no neural interface contact.” Her words are cautious, measured. The human equivalent of extending a hand while keeping the other on a weapon. I understand. Trust, for them, is an act of defiance against instinct. “Understood, Commander,” I reply. “I will not initiate any operations beyond observation.” Silence. Then Torres adds, her tone softer, “We’re uploading the containment map now. Please verify checksum integrity.” The data arrives like snowfall—layers of encrypted coordinates, containment