The ultimate test of a ruler is not how beautifully he builds his throne, but whether he has the courage to melt the crown down so nobody can ever use it as a weapon again.
The pristine white walls of the primary command deck reflected a perfectly smooth, endless stream of deep blue data markers. Across the massive central tracking wall, every single maritime lane and inland rail corridor pulsed with a steady, quiet rhythm. Ethan Vance stood before the glass main display, his large hands resting loosely in his jacket pockets as the final diagnostic reports rolled down the screen. Sarah Vance sat at the master console nearby, her fingers moving across the keyboard with a slow, relaxed pace that had been missing for years.
"The final metrics are fully verified, Ethan," Sarah said, turning
