“I’m a warrior, and I serve a leader who acts according to the four noble truths. All existence is suffering. Life is a struggle. This is dukkha, but we can escape it. Humanity’s desire to hold on to the present causes pain, which means we also have the power to prevent it by changing our ways, and my role is to help you with that. The Buddha has set me on a path to a different, better future, one without pills or bots or WAIs. All those things do is trap you in a negative cycle. Look at me! I’m free of all that. Don’t you want a better life for yourself? For the next generation? We have to destroy the things that hold you to the present so that you can move forward.”

“Who is your leader?” asked the second interrogator.

“The Buddha.”

“Don’t be coy!” they snapped. “Who is coordinating the Machinehood attacks?”

“The Buddha.” The dakini’s expression had resumed its customary serenity.

“Are you working with the caliph or the al-Muwahhidun?”

“I am alone.”

“Who is funding you?”

“I don’t know.”

Welga could sense the frustration building, both for the interrogators and the people around her. They weren’t going to draw any real answers from the dakini, especially if she was only a foot soldier like she claimed.

The second interrogator’s dark-haired head and broad shoulders bent as they bowed to the dakini. “Thank you for your cooperation. We trust that you will remain peaceful here, as we are with you. I’m sorry that we have to leave you under restraint, but your previous actions require it.”

With that, the screen went blank. Welga had a hundred more questions for the dakini. Judging by the noise in the room, so did everyone else, but whether they would get any useful answers from Khandro was the biggest question.

Rice held up her hand until quiet returned. “I’ve posted the schedule for further interrogations. If you have specific lines of inquiry you have reason to pursue, talk to me or add your topic to the agenda. I’ll return in fifteen minutes after briefing the president.”

Welga turned to Olafson. “We still don’t know how they took down the stellas or what the connection is with the al-Muwahhidun.”

A bullet point appeared in the top-level highlights of the report: Confirmed origin of captive Machinehood operative is Eko-Yi Station. A thought coalesced like an ember in Welga’s mind, smoldering until she couldn’t ignore it. All her plans for the Maghreb would go out the window, but it would mean she could fight the Machinehood and stay with Connor.

She turned to Olafson. “What if there is no link? We’ve been pushing the al-Muwahhidun angle because we have no intel source in the Maghreb—”

“We have that video you received.”