Iris rode a westbound train across six hundred kilometers of fields, forests, and mountains, feeling suspended in time as she left Oath behind. She reread letters from her anonymous correspondent, conflicted over having left his last letter on the floor, and wondered whether she would ever write to him again.

The train abruptly slowed and stopped in a Central Borough field with no buildings in sight. After a brief inquiry down the corridor, Iris learned from overheard staff comments that the stop was intentional and that the train would resume at night.

A young woman wearing an Inkridden Tribune press badge entered Iris’s compartment, introduced herself as Thea Attwood—called Attie—and made herself comfortable. Attie complained about the poor tea and opened the window to dump it out.

Attie explained that the crew seemed hesitant to speak but implied bombs were the reason for stopping; they were at the boundary of Western Borough, where war effects were active, and night travel was safer. Iris confirmed she had just been hired by the Inkridden Tribune after Attie departed the office.

They exchanged reasons for taking the assignment. Iris gave a guarded answer that there was nothing for her in Oath and she needed a change. Attie shared that a former professor claimed her writing lacked originality and conviction, so she set out to prove him wrong by publishing superb war reports and even subscribed him to the Tribune to witness her success.

Iris cautioned that Attie did not need a war to prove herself, but Attie insisted on seeking adventure and avoiding a monotonous life. Attie declared she did not want to reach old age and realize she had not lived, a sentiment that resonated with Iris and marked the start of their friendship as they waited for nightfall to continue into the active zone.