[ Ephemera breathes out slowly. Flexes his hands, watching the shift of ink and scars across his skin. ]

We talked about the war. The Insurrection. It's...complicated. But there were still sides, even when the Covenant came and everyone was talking about it being humanity's last stand and all that.

[ Command always talked like that made it simple, but it wasn't. It never could be. ]

Carolina asked me why they fought. The Insurrectionists. What they wanted. And she....listened to me.