High above the outer rim of the Antarctic Circle, Shatterstar drifted through the upper atmosphere with its stealth systems fully engaged, its dark alloy frame almost indistinguishable from the void around it. Inside the cockpit, the space felt tighter than it ever had before. Nearly everyone Ethan cared about was crammed into the cabin, shoulders brushing, and boots planted against bulkheads.
Uncle Jed clasped Ethan's forearm for a long moment before finally letting go, his weathered face unable to hide the relief in his eyes. The others were no different. In just over a year, the world had shifted in ways that most ordinary people could not even begin to grasp. To civilians, life had simply grown a little stranger, a little more dangerous. But to Energy Users, the transformation had been nothing short of seismic.
