Mara looked back at the screen. The point of light in the 3D model had grown brighter. And now she noticed something new: a single line of text at the bottom of the viewer, updating in real time. “Horizon speaking. Do you accept the Order?” Below it, two buttons: [PROPAGATE] and [DELETE].

Mara reached out, her finger hovering over the DELETE button. Then she saw the tiny counter beneath it, almost invisible: 6 deletions. 0 propagations.

Isak’s voice crackled through the intercom: “Mara. Step away from the terminal. Now.”