When the rows of faces appeared back on the screen once the clip had finished, many of them wore truly shocked expressions. About two thirds had been instantly ejected from the meeting by the video’s clearance level, leaving only nine top officials in the conference.

Freyr knew immediately upon surveying the faces of her superiors that the Director-General had gotten his way. He’d wielded top secret footage from her morning briefing and hyperbole like a club to hammer any sense of caution or due process from his audience. She watched, exasperated, as Outremer’s high command discreetly messaged each other while the Speaker made her closing remarks. 

Freyr quickly surveyed her colleagues' faces; they looked horrified with the pantomime unfolding before their eyes. She then caught 595’s eye - the agent was grim and pale, still not fully recovered from her re-entry. She gave Freyr an incomprehensible look - what was that? Pain? Fear? Sleep starved elation?

Freyr turned back and hurriedly leaned forward in her seat before the officials gave their answer. “As head of Cradle Research and Development, I would like to formally object to reuniting the artefact, codenamed Rothia 1, with the Cradle. Under Diaspora Colonial Secrets statute 43, article…61, the expedition lead can request thirty Earth days of direct study in-situ before presenting official recommendations to the-”

“Dr Lang I’m terribly sorry, but your conflict of interest with the Cradle’s operation precludes you from using DCS in this way. Especially in Rothian space.” Smith replied coolly, having obviously prepared responses to the primary arcane procedure that Freyr was privy to.

“Dr Lang... As someone who has lost a child too, I know the pain you must be feeling.” President DeWinter soothed; all of the faces had stopped talking to each other and were now watching her closely. “I would give anything to see my babies again. But we must do this, or we risk every future generation of Outreman children. For that reason, I'm authorising the repatriation of this object to the Cradle. I hope you will help us, Freyr.” Dr Lang massaged her eye sockets, resigning herself once again. She nodded slowly. "Of course, Madame President."