"It feeds half the civilian districts Felix and George were ignoring," Liam said, because attack was better than defense and data was always a respectable weapon. "The eastern blocks, the south canal tenements, the outer heating grid, the old medical quarter, and seventeen municipal water pressure relays that were operating on ration cycles because the official budget kept pretending poor people only needed infrastructure on alternating days."
Rex's expression flickered.
Liam folded his arms. "You signed the permission to route overflow through emergency civilian channels."
"I signed permission for a conversion station."
"This converts."
"I thought it was in the abandoned service level under the municipal grid."
"It is under the municipal grid."
"It is under a chasm."
"The chasm is also under the municipal grid."
Rex closed his eyes.
Liam waited.
Rex remained silent for a long, heavy minute, the only sound being his breathing and the low-frequency thrum of the Vanguard.
