The Hacker stayed silent when Caleb came through the workshop door.
Her chair faced the bench. Her back faced him. The green strand was tucked behind her ear in the way it always was when she was being precise. Three of her monitors were lit and the fourth carried an unlabeled feed.
"Soma," she said without turning around yet. "You know him."
"I know him."
"Then we need to talk."
"We need to talk after I finish telling you what I should have told you eleven months ago."
Caleb pulled the spare stool over and sat down.
Her chair stayed facing the bench.
"Soma is one of seven. The Defense Force keeps their ranks off files because the rank itself is classified. He has been the consult on Sector Nine for six years. He has been the consult on three other corruption zones I'm not cleared to name. He works near the Defense Force, not for it. He lets them enjoy the illusion because the arrangement is useful, and because he hasn't yet been bored enough to change it."
