The doors whispered shut behind Emi, sealing her inside a blindingly white chamber. She blinked rapidly, her eyes watering from the sterile brilliance.
Chrome medical equipment lined the walls, gleaming under the harsh light. The air carried a sharp chemical smell that tickled the back of her throat. Emi hugged herself against the cold, her breath forming small clouds in front of her face.
"Welcome, Support prospects," a voice purred through her comm unit. "The delicate hearts of the academy."
Emi recognized VEGA's voice, but unlike the sarcasm she'd heard in the assembly hall, this version was almost motherly.
"Your test is not to take a life, but to save one. A much messier and far less glamorous task, I assure you."
Emi bristled at the AI's tone but remained silent. Her fingers tightened around the small origami crane in her pocket—the lucky charm her father had folded for her this morning. The paper edges bit into her palm, centering her.
