The Arbiter's cracked mask and weary tone did nothing to soften Julian's vigilance. He stood amidst his team, the grey dust of the dead anomaly settling on his shoulders like morbid snow. His eyes, cold and analytical, remained fixed on the damaged Arbiter, ignoring the pronouncement of victory and reward for a moment.
"Fulfilled by default?" Julian's voice cut through the silence, flat and unimpressed. "A convenient conclusion. One that papers over the central failure of your arbitration."
The Arbiter's functioning lens glowed dimly. "Failure? The anomalous threat is neutralized. The sector is stabilized."
