David speaks to me about our return trip home as we wait for the meeting to begin. We sit in the same seats as we have the past two days: bottom row, nearly center, important-feeling. He rambles to distract me and calm my leg as it relentlessly bobs, but no matter how hard I try to pay attention to him, his details of our travels do not compete with the looming results of my last-minute plan.

Alpha Leloup-Nicodra's replacement-takes center stage at the podium. He nods to the crowd before beginning. "First, I will announce the surveyed results of the first issue: Luna Amin's and Luna Godoy's call for females...