Power is the loudest voice in the galaxy. But secrets… secrets are the ones that never need to speak."—Sovereign Codex, Black Edition
The Message in the Coin
A week had passed since the Obsidian Auction.
The Unyielding Trust drifted near a blue dwarf star, its crew running logistics and reviewing trade routes—but Kairos hadn't left his quarters once.
Not since it appeared.
A single faceless coin had been placed on his ledger the morning after the auction. No entry. No ping. Just… there.
On one side: nothing.On the other: a whisper.
Not a sound. But a feeling.
A pressure behind the eyes, a taste of copper, and a message only Kairos could hear.
"Come alone. Trade a secret. Learn one."
The signature below it wasn't digital.
It was psionic.
Kessie scanned it seven times, then shook her head. "There's no trail. No hack. No send pattern. Either it's a Sovereign-grade encryption key... or it's something far worse."
Kairos pocketed the coin. "Then it's worth checking."
