But the strain was enormous, crushing. Back on Earth, I knew hybrids worldwide were paying the price. They experienced phantom pain, sudden confusion, their own identities flickering as I drew on their stability to preserve ours.

"I'm sorry," I whispered across the network to all of them. "Please hold on. Just hold on a little longer."

Their response was immediate, fierce, determined. They would endure. They would burn themselves to ash if necessary to bring us home safely.

Nakamura/Warden navigated through geometries that couldn't exist, following paths that weren't paths through space that wasn't space.

As we traveled, The Warden shared memories that leaked from Nakamura's compromised consciousness barrier. I...