In the far reaches of Scotland’s northern archipelagos, where geography has always dictated the terms of daily life, a modern dependency has been abruptly exposed. Since mid-March, the North Isles of Orkney—among them Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, and North Ronaldsay—have found themselves thrust into an uncomfortable reminder: in the 21st century, isolation is no longer measured merely in miles, but in megabits. A subsea cable, damaged between Evie and Westray, has severed the digital artery upon