The V010 shuddered. A sound came from it—not a hiss, not a purr, but a low, harmonic thrum, like a tuning fork struck underwater. The drooping tentacle straightened. It rose, coiling gracefully, and for the first time, the suction cups on its underside flared open, revealing tiny, iridescent cilia that glowed with a soft, internal blue light.
“One hour,” Elara said.