Aurelian opened a long-range command link.

The connection formed quickly since the people he needed were not far away, but it still came with the usual pressure behind his eyes.

He felt it build as the link stabilized, a dull strain that reminded him his strength was still not at the level where this kind of communication was effortless.

Even after reaching Tier II, holding a link across that distance was not something he was able to do with ease or something he enjoyed doing too often, but it worked, and that was all that mattered. It was never comfortable.

The first image to appear was Astercourt.

She looked exactly as expected. Calm, composed, and already working. She sat behind a stack of reports and data layers that had clearly been building up for a while. Even through the projection, it was obvious she had not been idle.

Her expression did not change much when the connection locked in, but her attention sharpened right away as she put away all the other work matters aside.

It always did when Aurelian reached out directly instead of sending instructions through someone else.

He did not waste time.

"I need support transferred to my side."

Astercourt looked at him steadily for a moment.

"Administrative, logistical, or both?"

"Both," Aurelian said. "The awakened population in the bastion has split the way we expected. Some want to stay and work under the structure I am building. Others want to come to Larkspur Haven instead. That means I need transport coordination, labor sorting, intake management, and proper oversight before it turns into unnecessary disorder."

Lysara, standing nearby with her arms folded, but also connected through the network, added in a dry tone, "He also needs someone to stop the reports from stacking up around him until he runs out of space to stand."

Astercourt’s eyes shifted briefly toward her, then back to Aurelian.

"That part sounds overdue."

Aurelian ignored that and continued.

"I also need the bastion kept active while transfers are being prepared. Seris and Meren can manage the awakened population there, but they still need structure, clear priorities, and a functioning chain of command for useful labor. I do not need anything complicated right now. I need things moving in the right order."

Astercourt listened without interrupting.

Aurelian explained the situation step by step. He went through how the awakened units had split, the plan to move part of them to Larkspur Haven in stages, the need to restart limited bastion production, and the growing amount of coordination that was pulling him away from more important work.

He did not rush it, but he also did not repeat himself.

When he finished, Astercourt answered right away.

"Then I should come to your side."

That was what he had already been thinking.

Astercourt was not meant for combat, nor built for sudden battlefield shifts, but that was not what he needed right now.

She was organized, steady, and able to handle work that did not need to pass through him directly.

If she came over, a large part of the scheduling, intake, and coordination work would move off his shoulders.

He had been handling too much of it simply because there had been no one else close enough to take over.

"And the bastion?" he asked.

"Seris and Meren stay where they are," Astercourt said. "They already have the trust of their people. There is no reason to interrupt that before things settle. Bringing in too many outside hands too early will slow things down instead of helping."

Lysara nodded slightly. "That makes sense."

Astercourt continued.

"They do not need another presence in the middle of their work. They need a clear structure, defined roles, and a steady flow of tasks. I can help build that from your side while they manage their people directly."

Aurelian thought for a moment, then nodded once.

"Yes."

There was a short pause before Astercourt added, "You will also want Elowen involved later."

Aurelian looked at her. "Explain."

"If awakened units begin relocating to Larkspur Haven, then eventually the pressure shifts to the surface. When that happens, Elowen becomes useful for more than ecological recovery. She can help shape stable living zones and controlled growth areas. Places people can actually settle in instead of temporary shelters."

That matched what he had already been thinking.

"She comes later," he said. "Not in the first stage. I want transfers handled first before adding another layer to the process."

Astercourt nodded. "Understood."

The discussion continued after that, but the topic kept on changing as they talked.

They broke things down into smaller parts. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The awakened units staying in Helion Bastion Twelve would remain under Seris and Meren.

Their work would cover maintenance, system recovery, archive sorting, drone supervision, and controlled reactivation of useful sections.

The group moving to Larkspur Haven would wait until transport, intake, housing, and job placement were properly prepared.

Aurelian had no intention of bringing them over just to leave them standing around while people figured things out.

Everything needed to be ready before the movement started.

By the time they finished, the plan was much cleaner than before.

Astercourt would move to his side and take over much of the administrative and logistical work.

Seris and Meren would stay in the bastion and guide their people. Elowen would be brought in later, when the surface actually needed her.

Each part had a place.

Each place had someone responsible for it.

That was enough.

When the command link ended, Aurelian pressed one hand briefly against his temple, letting the strain fade.

Astra noticed right away.

"You still don’t like long-range links."

"No."

"That obvious?"

He lowered his hand and did not answer.

She watched him for a second, then gave a small, knowing look and let it go. She had a habit of understanding things without needing them explained, and by now, he was used to it.

The pressure behind his eyes faded slowly, leaving him clear-headed again.

There was still more to do.

But at least now, he would not have to do all of it alone.