Dr. Aris Thorne stared at the final number on his console: .
The meter ticked past for the 713th second. 2.1 gdps
It wasn't a code. It wasn't a glitch. It was the invoice. 2.1 gdps
Outside the viewport, Earth hung like a blue teardrop. On its surface, stock markets were already in freefall. The Secretary-General had sent three emergency messages: Cut the link. Save the economy. 2.1 gdps