The Resonance Accord Gala took place on a sprawling neutral orbital platform, far from any single faction's territory.
Lights from a hundred ships dotted the viewports. League representatives, refugee governors in stiff formal wear, and a handful of Mirror observers moved through the wide halls.
Tables groaned under trays of engineered delicacies and bottles of synthesized spirits. Music thrummed low, layered with subtle resonance fields that made skin prickle.
Elizabeth stood near the central sphere with the Echo advisor, a tall figure whose form shifted between solid and projected lines. The advisor's voice stayed calm.
"The offering must be real. Not theater. Genuine release spreads the balance. Fake it and the hunger pushes back harder."
Elizabeth nodded once. She wore her usual dark uniform, hair pinned tight. "Sabrina volunteered. We'll monitor every signal."
