The return from Glasswake Watch was quieter than the journey in.
Part of that was simple fatigue. The fleet had not been fighting nonstop, but the past several days had still worn on everyone.
Mournveil did not allow easy travel. Every route had to be checked, every storm pocket respected, and every sensor reading questioned before it could be trusted.
Even when nothing attacked them, the nebula made people work.
Aurelian noticed the difference in the shipgirls as they moved back through the known corridor.
Rhoswen was less restless than usual, though that might have been because she had spent half the night losing to the simulated near-Tier V beast and calling it unfair.
Solenne was reviewing drone recovery plans. Lysara quietly compared the new route data with old Vhaloric fragments.
Astra stood beside Aurelian as always, calm enough that the entire command deck felt steadier for it.
For a while, Aurelian simply watched the nebula pass outside the display.
