Watching the cameras as students filed out of the assembly hall, one detail stood out.
The only female.
Still asleep.
"Is that one of them?" a deep, gruff voice asked.
"Yes," the system replied in a flat monotone. "She completed the exam first. Her results show alignment with four others. Six additional students display partial compatibility… with significant deviation."
The Director leaned forward slightly.
Another screen shifted into focus.
Four male students stood off to the side.
Talking.
Waiting.
Then—
One by one—
Six more joined them.
They're gathering already…
He pressed his comm.
"Wake her up."
"Gladly. I finally have a reason to hit someone," the instructor muttered as he approached her.
"Classified. Follow orders."
"Tch."
The instructor raised the ruler—
And brought it down hard.
Crack.
…Nothing.
She simply rubbed her arm.
As if it barely registered.
The instructor froze.
Shock flickered across his face.
Confusion.
Then—
Control.
She looked at him.
Grabbed her paper—
And bolted.
Fast.
Too fast.
The Director's eyes narrowed.
-Click-
-Beep. Beep.
-Beep. Beep.
She saw the gate.
Closing.
Her speed increased instantly.
Beyond recorded peak performance.
The gap narrowed.
Four seconds.
Almost mine…
Then—
The feed flickered.
Just once.
But it was enough.
She stopped.
Closed her eyes.
Breathed.
Then—
She moved.
Not faster.
Different.
Like a streak of energy—
And she was through.
Gone.
The Director leaned back slightly.
"…Interesting."
"Identify shuttle occupants."
A brief pause.
"Eleven total. No high-priority lineage detected. Do you wish to proceed with unscheduled redirection?"
The Director scanned the list.
No political weight.
No consequences.
"Proceed."
"Overriding protocol. Destination updated: terraformed planet. Distance: three light-years. Estimated arrival: eighty-six hours, forty-eight minutes."
On-screen—
The group had formed.
Four surrounding her.
The others watching.
Adjusting.
Accepting.
A faint smile formed on the Director's face.
"This will be… an interesting experiment."
As he pulled me to my feet, I finally took in the shuttle.
My team was here.
All of them.
…Plus six more.
All staring.
At me.
Seriously…?
"Hel—"
A hand lifted in front of me, cutting me off.
I glanced at Bodach.
His expression had changed.
Focused.
Sharp.
I followed his lead.
Stayed quiet.
The others moved instinctively—
Positioning themselves between me and the new group.
A barrier.
"This is the female of our squad," Bodach said evenly.
The tension shifted.
Not gone—
But reduced.
The others nodded.
Accepted it.
Turned back toward their seats.
Strange.
But controlled.
One of them crouched near the front, working on exposed wiring.
I frowned.
The one behind me chuckled softly.
"He's installing failsafes. Some shuttles haven't been reaching their intended destinations."
That…
Was not reassuring.
Bodach's voice cut in—firm, controlled.
"Take your seats. We'll explain once we're secure."
I scanned the layout.
Two columns.
Rows of four.
Then a final row—
With fewer seats.
…Not enough space.
I hesitated.
A hand extended toward me.
I took it without a word.
He pulled me into position and secured the harness quickly.
Efficient.
Steady.
"Done."
From the front—
"Let's see them try anything now," a younger voice said with confidence.
I glanced forward.
The difference was obvious.
"Um…"
A quieter voice near me answered.
"They're two grades below us. First time outside controlled exposure."
Ah.
That explains it.
The atmosphere shifted again.
Less tension.
More curiosity.
Then—
Exhaustion hit.
Hard.
I leaned back slightly, trying to stay awake—
But my body had other plans.
The steady hum of the shuttle.
The rhythm of breathing around me.
Too calm.
Too quiet.
My thoughts slowed.
Then—
Something shifted.
A presence.
Deep.
Heavy.
Watching.
I turned inward.
Searching.
Nothing.
Gone.
No…
Not nothing.
A connection.
Brief.
Intentional.
A mind link…?
Why?
Beneath everything—
Something moved.
Unseen.
Unheard.
But there.
Shadows—silent, precise—slid along the edges of awareness.
And then—
Everything fell away.
Darkness swallowed the last of my thoughts—
And I was gone.