“I was a ten-ten-ten once,” Furcate said. “The only way to stay that way would be to not use my power. Same idea.”

“I don’t know exactly what ten-ten-ten means,” Sveta said. “I can sort of guess.”

“Ask Capricorn later,” Furcate said.

“You don’t mind?” Tristan asked, his voice too loud because he was speaking across the gathered group to the pair at the far end, and he wasn’t willing to walk closer for some reason.

“It’s who I am. It’s my power, me.”

“I just figured… maybe you’d get as close to ten-ten-ten as possible, then consider it done, leave the old, less perfect you behind, along with the stress and pain.”

“I’m not perfect when I’m ten-ten-ten, Capricorn,” Furcate said, smiling. “I wouldn’t ever leave the journey behind. It’s part of who I am.”

“I…” Tristan started speaking, stopped, and hesitated. “…don’t get it. I guess I like my personal demons slain and done with, as much as that’s not possible sometimes. I thought maybe it was possible for you, and you wouldn’t have that unhappiness… poisoning you, I guess?”

He looked at Moonsong as he said that last bit.

“For what it’s worth,” Sveta said. “I didn’t stop considering myself a Case Fifty-Three when I had a body the way I wanted it. I didn’t ditch the tattoo.”

Tristan nodded.

“Getting it a bit?” Furcate asked.

“A bit, yeah,” he said.

Moonsong pulled out her phone, checking the time. They’d told her three to five minutes. It had been nine.

She really hoped nothing had happened. The command center was vulnerable to threats like Skadi, and the latest reports were that the Titan Fortuna was getting more focused, after a spell of stillness. If she was anything like the Simurgh, then anyone or anything could become a guided missile, capable of striking right at the heart at the command center.

“What about you?” Riveting asked Scribe.

“Hm? Nothing about me,” Scribe said.

“Your prior affiliations? Identity?”

“Let’s not push,” Moonsong said.

“Shouldn’t we?” Riveting asked.

Scribe grabbed her staff and pointed it at Riveting. “She’s doing her brain thing again.”

“Brain thing?” Sveta asked.

“My power makes it hard to let go of ideas when they take hold,” Riveting said. “It’s not that.”

“Feels like it,” Scribe said. “Let it be.”

“Let it be,” Moonsong said.

Moonsong was aware of the stares from other members of the group. Furcate, Sveta, Capricorn… a very different set of eyes and expectations. Like she shouldn’t let it be.

“If you refuse to face it or own up to it, then people are going to fill in the blanks,” Riveting said.

“Riveting,” Moonsong said. She’d never felt less sure when taking charge like this. Defending someone who wouldn’t admit to being wrong, while Capricorn of all people looked on. “Stop.”