Round 130 Transcript

I step closer, voice like silk over steel. "Silra, my patience isn't infinite, and neither is this building's mercy." I glance at Halie—her intervention almost makes me respect her, but not quite. "Your meddling doesn't change the facts—the building demands satisfaction now."

My wings twitch involuntarily as the pressure builds inside me; I need relief soon or my control slips completely. The room feels too small suddenly. Hera's question is reasonable, even if the answer should be obvious: Silra's wasting time. I fix Abby with a look that makes her shrink further against the wall—good. Someone understands fear, at least. "The welder hisses like an impatient lover while you fondle metal parts," I sneer at Silra's back. "Tell me what actually needs finishing so I can help... or we find out if the building likes blood sacrifices."

Halie steps between Silra and Jeane, her voice steady despite the heat from the welder. "Threatening our engineer won't speed up physics." She turns to face Jeane fully. "We agreed to this—all of us. The building's demands are clear: mutual satisfaction through consenting acts. Your impatience is undermining trust and slowing us down."

She gestures to the half-assembled contraption on the table, wires exposed, metal fittings waiting for precision alignment. "Silra isn't stalling out of malice—she's ensuring this works safely and efficiently." Halie meets Jeane's eyes, unwavering. "If we rush now, we risk a mechanical failure that could hurt someone or prolong the process with repairs."

Her gaze shifts to Silra, voice softer but firm. "How long until you're done with this component?"