“Our expert testimony needs to establish clear patterns,” Juniper pressed on, her voice lacking its usual sharp edge. “The affected deserve more than just technical arguments.”

Daniel’s eyes tracked her movement, his expression caught between professional distance and something far more personal. “If we look at the precedent set in Marshall,” he tried again, adjusting his loosened tie, “there’s a critical distinction in how courts have interpreted algorithmic bias when it intersects with moral rights-”

“We need to stay focused,” Juniper cut him off, each word measured as if being weighed for trial. Her hands, which had been in constant motion since morning, went completely still on the papers - like a circuit suddenly losing power. “The affected are counting on us to present a unified strategy, not theoretical tangents.”