The Zone Ledger Review started in the main hall like every other quarterly check. Skritch had pushed for the process months ago, and now it was routine. Tables lined the walls with stacks of paper, simple ledgers, and the new Echo Stone terminals.
Atlas sat at the head table with Elara on one side and Raphael on the other. A dozen residents filled the seats, ready to report on Structure Days shifts, Flaw Garden yields, and the usual maintenance logs.
Skritch stood at the front, wearing his ridiculous sash labeled "Chief of Necessary Chaos." "First item," he announced.
"Echo Stone usage metrics. We've had three hundred and twelve sessions this quarter. That's up twenty percent."
A low murmur went through the room. The Echo Stones had become popular fast. People used them to review decisions, borrow useful habits, or just remember better days. No one expected the side effect that hit overnight.
