Time passed quietly after that, filled with work.
There was no sudden shift, no break, just a steady continuation of what had already been happening.
Systems updated, reports came in, small decisions stacked on top of each other without pause. It was the kind of rhythm that didn't feel fast in the moment but added up quickly.
At some point, Aurelian leaned back slightly, closing one of the larger data layers, letting the display thin out.
"This is basically where we stand," he said. "Current strength, current limits."
Lysara tilted her head slightly, her eyes still tracking the remaining data.
"Feels like we're stretched thin and that is saying a lot with the only territory being the planet."
"We are," he said. "This is because it is our first time, and we have not built up the rest of the fleet. This includes the AI helper that has not been issued by my family yet, which can change things around."
