“Well, that is settled. Seeing as there are only two minutes left for this meeting, and not enough time to address any other concerns, I suggest we-”

“What about your youngest daughter?” I stood stiffly from my seat, interrupting Councillor Leyla. My voice carried loudly, with barely restrained fury, and all other voices were silenced by widened eyes and turned heads. Leyla’s lined face paled and she leaned on the curving edge of the table ring, at which we all sat in the circular room.

“What… about her?” She glared at me, shaking.

“Please justify your reason inducting her into the Affectnitive Program, especially in light of the one-child limit.”

At that moment, the smooth lighting shuddered, pulsed, steadied. “That is why.” Leyla pointed to the disc of white ceiling. “We are running out of options. Power is low and we must activate as many AI as possible before we are disabled.”

“Your son is already in the program. This is an illegal act.”

“And we are fighting a war.”

“That does not make it right.”