[Verse 1] Level One Fold One The war room filled again The council gathered Helena seated The reports arriving One after another One mission One crew One situation More complicated than expected This was becoming a theme
[Pre-Chorus] Carala counted reports Twice Then a third time Because one appeared While she was counting Again
[Chorus] Mission control Six teams across the folds Mission control Ten days before the storm The pieces moving The clock is moving And nobody’s slowing down Mission control Report
[Verse 2] Solara Team first Polaris responds Light returning Star recovering Forbidden Star mentioned Long silence Around the table
[Darala:] That connection is unfortunate.
[Helena:] Continue.
Polaris may know more The mission proceeds
[Pre-Chorus 2] Basala immediately stood
[Basala:] DANGER
[Ebala:] Where?
[Basala:] Somewhere.
[Basala sits down.]
[Verse 3] Chaos Team second Artifact location confirmed Cancer survived
[Farala:] Cost?
[Report:] One bowl of soup.
[Farala:] Impossible.
[Report:] Two if negotiations continue.
[Farala:] Acceptable.
[Chorus] Mission control Everything is somehow working Mission control Nobody understands how The plans advancing The crews advancing The reports become stranger still Mission control Report
[Verse 4] Void Team third Possible spy identified Location uncertain
[Carala:] How uncertain?
[Report:] Several billion rabbits.
Long silence.
[Carala:] I dislike this report.
[Darala:] The rabbits connect to three possible outcomes.
[Carala:] I dislike this report more.
[Verse 5] Madela Team fourth Defenses complete Towers complete Walls complete Wounded soldiers relocated Estimated enemy arrival Ten days
[Helena:] Good.
[Report continues:] Madela remains engaged In anti-ash operations
[Golo:] Still?
[Report:] Still.
[Golo:] Good.
[Pre-Chorus 3] Another report Another crew Another problem The council continued
[Verse 6] Fable Team fifth Old War archive located Keeper cooperative Memory duration Three minutes
[Carala:] Three?
[Report:] Approximately.
[Carala:] Excellent.
Nobody knew what that meant Including Asala
[Verse 7] Asala Team sixth Ancient weapon located Possibly
[Helena:] Possibly?
[Report:] The level contains many weapons.
[Helena:] How many?
[Report:] At least a billion.
Long silence.
[Aevum, through the report:] This again.
[Bridge] The table quieted Reports completed Levels marked Routes calculated Resources assigned The war map expanded Across the room Across the fold Across the systems Closer now Than before
[Spoken] [Darala:] The connections are accelerating.
[Carala:] The numbers agree.
[Basala:] DANGER.
[Farala:] Extremely expensive danger.
[Ebala:] I know where it is.
[Golo:] Can we stop it?
Long pause.
Everyone looked at Helena.
[Final Chorus — Key Lift] Mission control Ten days before the darkness Mission control Every crew still in motion The weapon waiting The spy waiting The answers waiting still Mission control Move faster
[Outro] The room remained quiet For a moment A rare thing In Level One Fold One
[Helena:] Can we make it?
No one answered. Not immediately.
Finally Asala spoke.
[Carala:] The better question Is whether they can.
The war map glowed. Far away Six crews moved.
Somewhere A rabbit. A jellyfish. A flower. A bowl of soup. An egg. A forgotten book. All getting closer To the same war.
[Helena:] Ten days.