At the Selection area,
They were not released.
They were processed.
That was the difference.
The corridors beyond the Crucible were wide, sterile, and bright enough to make exhaustion visible on every face. Medical drones hovered low, scanning vitals. CDC officers spoke in short, efficient phrases. Names were called. Bands were issued. Data was logged.
No one said congratulations.
But no one said candidate anymore either.
Tojo stood in line, shoulders loose, eyes distant. A thin metallic band slid around his wrist, locking with a quiet click.
CDC Cadet Identification — Active
He stared at it for a second longer than necessary.
It didn't feel real.
Around him, the survivors of the Crucible moved in slow clusters. Some laughed too loudly. Some said nothing at all. A Vexari cadet leaned against the wall, laughing weakly while a medic patched his side. Two humans argued over whether the food dispensers were worse than the simulated rations.
Lira Vance shouted at a drone.
"It shocked me again!"
The drone beeped neutrally.
Dharel, the Vexari systems cadet, sat on the floor with his back to the wall, staring at his hands like they belonged to someone else.
Mara Ishikawa stood perfectly still while an officer read her reassignment path.
Ryu Kurogane was already gone. No one knew where.
Blaze Onyx's name appeared on a screen once — reassigned to non-combat evaluation — then disappeared again.
Stryke Vahr walked alone.
Always alone.
Tojo exhaled slowly and stepped aside as his unit dispersed.
Ozaru was already leaning against a column nearby, arms folded, eyes half-lidded.
"You alive?" Tojo asked.
Ozaru opened one eye. "Annoyingly."
Tojo nodded. "Good."
They stood there in silence, letting the noise move around them.
Then someone spoke beside them.
"You two look like you just crawled out of a gravity well."
They turned.
A tall human with dark skin and faint silver scars along his arms stood there, holding two ration packs like stolen treasure.
"I'm Kaien," he said. "Spatial-thread Genesis. Mostly useless unless things are falling apart."
Tojo blinked. "That seems… useful."
Kaien shrugged. "People only notice that after the floor disappears."
Another figure approached from behind him — shorter, pale-haired, eyes constantly moving.
"Nysa," she said softly. "Perception amplification."
She glanced at Ozaru for half a second longer than necessary.
"You're holding your breathing pattern too tightly."
Ozaru stiffened. "I—"
"Not criticism," she added quickly. "Just… habit."
Kaien smirked. "She does that."
Tojo studied them for a moment.
Then nodded. "Tojo."
"Ozaru," Ozaru added.
Just names.
It felt strange how heavy that was.
---
They ate in the cadet commons later.
Not together at first. No one knew where to sit yet.
Eventually, gravity did the work.
Kaien flopped down beside Tojo with his tray.
Nysa sat near Ozaru.
Dharel drifted over. Lira appeared halfway through complaining about food texture. A Kyrr cadet joined silently.
Something formed.
Not a squad.
A shape.
Lira poked Tojo's arm. "You're the destruction guy, right?"
He sighed. "Unfortunately."
"Cool," she said. "Try not to erase the building."
"I'll make an effort."
Ozaru watched steam rise from his food.
"This is better than Earth cafeteria," he muttered.
Kaien snorted. "Low bar."
Laughter happened.
Not loud.
But real.
Across the room, Elara Vey approached Ozaru quietly.
She held out a cadet band.
"You forgot yours."
Ozaru took it. Their fingers brushed for half a second.
"Thanks."
She hesitated.
"You chose well," she said.
He met her eyes. "I chose least-worst."
She nodded once. Then walked away.
Tojo raised an eyebrow. "She scares me."
"She should," Ozaru replied.
---
High above, in a glass corridor overlooking the residential sector, Nina leaned against the railing, armor scratched, shoulder bandaged.
Ken stood beside her, hands behind his back.
"They stabilized faster than projected," Nina said.
"They adapted," Ken corrected.
She watched Tojo nearly choke on his drink after Lira stole it.
"And you?" she asked.
Ken didn't answer immediately.
"They're dangerous," he said eventually. "Not because of power."
Nina smiled faintly. "Because they care."
"Yes."
---
Far away.
Cold.
Silent.
The transport slid between dead stars like a blade through black glass.
Alkhaz stood with one boot resting against the viewport frame, coat open, hands in his pockets.
Vaelor stood beside him.
"White-spectrum disturbance confirmed," Vaelor said. "Rare classification."
Alkhaz closed his eyes briefly.
Equilibrium shifted under his skin.
"I felt it."
"You think it's Nexarius?"
"No," Alkhaz replied. "But it will lead to him."
Vaelor tilted his head. "Or to us."
Alkhaz smiled.
"That's fine."
The stars changed direction.
---
Night settled over Eclipsera in artificial gradients.
The CDC allowed one thing.
A celebration.
Music without rhythm standards. Light gravity distortions. Food that didn't pretend to be nutritional.
Cadets gathered on open platforms.
Someone danced badly.
Someone else cried in relief.
Lira challenged a Kyrr to arm wrestling and lost immediately.
Kaien was thrown backward by accident and floated for five seconds before screaming.
Tojo didn't drink much.
Ozaru watched the sky.
Creation stirred uneasily.
"Feels wrong," Ozaru said.
Tojo followed his gaze.
A white streak crossed the sky.
Silent.
Clean.
Cold.
Not fire.
Not destruction.
Something else.
Ken noticed it immediately.
So did Nina.
So did Alkhaz.
"So," Alkhaz murmured in the void, eyes opening.
"You woke up."
Vaelor activated cloaking.
---
Back on Eclipsera, cadets cheered.
They thought it was beautiful.
They thought it was rare.
They thought it meant nothing.
Tojo felt Destruction go quiet.
Ozaru felt Creation tighten.
Ken placed a hand on the railing.
Nina reached for her blade.
And the universe did not explain itself.