The silence in the corridor back to the quarters felt heavier. The group walked together, but each of them was lost in their own world of frustration and doubt. Victor, who would normally fill any silence with his voice, kept his jaw clenched, his wounded pride visible in every step. Melissa walked with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the floor, as if recalculating all her certainties.
They entered the common room, and the energy of the place collapsed.
"Skill? Nothing that impresses me…" Victor muttered to no one, repeating Grux's words with a venom he couldn't hide. "That walking boulder… who does he think he is?"
"He's the one who decides whether we stay here or not," Ling replied, sitting down on one of the sofas with a tired sigh. "And he made it very clear what he thinks of us."
"He's an idiot," Melissa snapped, throwing herself into another chair. "He humiliated everyone on purpose. Especially you, Zugiy." She looked in his direction. "What he said about you was ridiculous."
Zugiy, who was standing near the panoramic window, didn't turn around. His eyes were fixed on the stars, but his mind was back in the arena.
Would it have been too much if I'd flipped him upside down? Zugiy thought.
The words echoed. He replayed his demonstration in his mind. The control had been perfect. The execution, flawless. He had lifted the block of metal with surgical precision. What had he done wrong? He had shown power, but with restraint. Was that it? Did Grux expect a display of brute force? A burst of gravitational power that cracked the ground? Zugiy had always seen his ability as something for everyday use, since he wasn't used to fighting. For the first time in a long while, he felt genuinely confused. He wasn't used to being misunderstood—especially because he rarely bothered to be understood.
"Maybe he wanted a show," Ling said, as if reading part of Zugiy's thoughts. "He seems like the type who values visible aggression."
"Well, aggression is what he's getting tomorrow," Victor growled. "I'll show him what real skill looks like."
As the discussion started to heat up again, a simultaneous beep sounded from all of their wrist communicators. A short message flashed on the screen:
> KIRA: Delta-7 Briefing Room. Now. Urgent.
Victor was the first to stand up, a spark of excitement replacing the anger in his eyes. "Finally! Action! Maybe it's an apology for that troglodyte instructor."
"Don't count on it," Melissa said, getting up with less enthusiasm. "It's probably another lecture."
"Whatever it is, we should go," Ling concluded, already heading for the door.
Zugiy followed them in silence, his mind still chewing on the question: what did he expect me to do?
---
Delta-7 was a small hangar. At the center, under bright lighting, stood a ship. It was small, compact, with angular lines and a design that screamed speed and autonomy. It bore no Special Forces insignia. Instructor Kira stood beside it, arms crossed, her expression neutral.
"What is this?" Victor asked, his eyes shining with admiration for the ship.
"This," Kira said calmly, "is your first mission."
The group was completely taken aback. Even Zugiy raised an eyebrow. Missions weren't given to recruits on their first day—especially not missions that required an autonomous ship.
"A mission?" Ling stepped forward, suspicion clear in his voice. "With all due respect, instructor, we barely made it through the introduction. What kind of mission is this?"
"A rescue mission," Kira replied directly. "A girl was kidnapped near the planet Kheris. And since her mother asked for help, I decided to take it. It's very likely a kidnapping by local mercenaries."
Melissa shook her head, resentment evident. "And you want to send us? The group that just got called a 'pathetically low starting point'? Is this some kind of suicide test?"
Kira looked at her, and for the first time, her expression softened slightly. "This is my mission. Not Grux's. I need to see how you operate under real pressure, not in a controlled arena. I need to test your character, not…" She paused. "And for the record, I don't agree with his methods. He may be in charge of combat training, but I'm in charge of evaluating you as a team."
She turned toward the ship. "I will follow you, but from a distance, in another ship. I won't interfere unless it becomes catastrophic. Your ship is autonomous, but the decisions will be yours. Success or failure is in your hands," she said calmly.
Victor punched the air, a wide grin on his face. "Yes! This is what I'm talking about! A real chance to prove our worth!"
Ling still looked skeptical, but Kira's logic made sense. It was a test—but a real one. Melissa still seemed resentful, but the opportunity to act was stronger than her wounded pride.
Zugiy looked at the small, agile ship. A real mission. A problem with a clear objective. It was infinitely better than trying to impress a talking stone mountain.
"We accept," Ling said, looking at the others and receiving nods of agreement, even from Melissa.
"Good," Kira said with a slight smile. "The ship is ready. All mission data will be uploaded once you're on board. It departs in five minutes."
One by one, they climbed the ship's ramp. The interior was tight, functional, designed for a small and efficient team.
"I'll depart shortly after you," Kira said from the base of the ramp. "Good luck, recruits."
The ramp closed, sealing them inside the ship. The panel lights came to life and, with a soft hum, the ship lifted off the hangar floor. Through the windows, they watched the lights of Helios Station shrink as the small vessel accelerated into the darkness of space, heading toward the planet Kheris.
Their first mission had begun.