Silence was never neutral.

That was the lie Varenth had begun to believe—or perhaps the lie it had been taught to accept. The absence of protest meant agreement. The lack of disruption meant health. That harmony could be measured by smooth curves and uninterrupted flow.

The ledger thrived in that misunderstanding.

It measured motion, response time, and compliance curves. It tracked where people went, how quickly they responded, and how closely their actions aligned with projected outcomes. ...