I didn’t miss the slight movements of muscles at the corner of her jaw, the way she looked down and away, back up, clearly fighting her emotions. Those emotions weren’t her being upset.

“The process isn’t perfect,” Valkyrie warned.

“Victoria forewarned us,” my mother said.

“It’s… the parts and memories of the person the powers were most interested in?” I ventured. “And then whatever that person has been able to scrounge up, rebuild, connect back to?”

Sarah looked like she was going to say something, looked off to the side, where whiteboards were marked with rows and columns of rectangles, some filled in with color. The notes suggested it was about refugee allocation within this base. The silence seemed to draw out a tension in Crystal, like she couldn’t move or breathe.

Sarah nodded. “Yes.”

Crystal visibly reacted to the voice. Tension broken, a relief at hearing the voice, a bit of emotional pain at the confirmation.

Valkyrie added, “You’re appraised. Good. Some have felt the need to castigate me, ask questions of me, say things. If you need me for any of that…”

She left the invitation hanging.

“Crystal?” my mom asked.

Crystal shook her head, blinking rapidly.

Sarah put her arms out. No…

Aunt Sarah put her arms out. Crystal flew to her, in a hug quick and fierce enough it would have bowled her over, if Sarah hadn’t also been able to fly.

“You must have other things you want or need to be doing,” my mom said, a bit of emotion breaking into the otherwise professional, concise words. “Don’t let us keep you.”

Crystal was so still, hugging Aunt Sarah, like she thought anything would break the spell. Aunt Sarah stared out, and I could see the shimmer of moisture in her eyes. She reached out with a hand, toward my mom. Her sister.

My mother put one hand on the table to steady herself as she made her way over, clasping that one hand in both of hers.

Aunt Sarah’s other hand pulled away from Crystal to give me a little wave, and the break in that bit of contact broke the spell in Crystal, who moved her head slightly. She went still again as the hand went back to where it was, hugging her.

I could have gone over, but Aunt Sarah was my aunt. I’d already reached out, had my reunion of sorts. My mother and cousin were the ones who this reunion was for.

Valkyrie walked down the length of the room, on the other side of the table. She stopped next to me.

“Thank you,” I said.

“I should thank you. Your team went to great lengths, and your teammate Swansong gave her life to save me and other members of my flock. It’s thanks to her that some of them were able to have their reunions today.”

I nodded. “Did you…?”

“She didn’t want me to.”

I nodded.