Ksenya turns on a lamp at 2 a.m., not to read but to watch how light paints the curtains. The moment is simple and fiercely private.
Katya finally looked up, her goggles pushed onto her forehead. "It’s not just talk, Ksenya. I intercepted a burst transmission from the surface teams. They found the entrance to the first vault. They’re calling it 'Vault Zero.' And they’re looking for technicians with deep-system clearance."
Katya looked at Ksenya, a flash of genuine fear crossing her face, quickly replaced by a defiant grin. "Well, Y056," she said, snapping her soldering kit shut. "I guess we’re finally going to see if those ghost stories are true."