Arya exited the simulation center, her graduation certificate clutched tightly in one hand, Commander System's interface glowing faintly in her mind. The interstellar auditorium buzzed, cadets whispering as ceremony preparations began—an unusual second awarding held for only the most exceptional graduates.
Emma walked beside Arya, voice gentle amid the crowd's excitement.
"Are you leaving for Mars base today?" she asked.
Arya nodded, eyes on the floor. "By direct order. The commander wants swift deployment—things on the front line are… worse than most think."
Emma hesitated, concern etched across her face. "I overheard my family discussing stars and troop movements. The Federation seems peaceful, but…"
Arya's hand rested reassuringly on Emma's arm. "Appearances and reality seldom align in wartime."
She recalled fragments piped in from the Commander System's archives: the true story of humanity's rise—a Federation born from hope, then hammered by thirty years of endless war against the technologically superior Ochs Empire. Worlds like Proxima, Barnard, Tianyuan—lost in the firestorm, their fleets decimated, their civilians vanished.
Arya pushed aside the images with practiced resolve. She had to stay focused—war demanded unflinching strength.
"Don't worry," Arya said with a wry smile. "Perhaps you'll join me, next year. It's a different sky out there."
Emma's cheeks reddened. "I'll catch up—I plan to be at Mars base soon. But, Arya… not all legends are forged overnight."
Arya caught the note of rivalry, friendship, and something more bittersweet—a reminder of what she'd gained and lost.
***
On her way to pack for deployment, Arya paused, activating her communicator. The call connected—a transmission to her father, Admiral Vex, a stoic voice seasoned by decades of command.
"I heard you passed the assessment," he barked, formality masking pride.
Arya replied, "Heading to Mars base. The new assignment is classified; I wish I could stay longer."
Her father hummed, avoiding sentiment, but Arya sensed his concern. Their conversations had always been sparse, tough, and full of hidden care. Both understood the burdens of leadership—the pain of sending loved ones into battle.
"Be careful," he said gruffly. "No one wants to attend a child's funeral, least of all me."
Arya smiled softly, feeling the old ache of Divya's lost crew echo in her chest. "Take care of yourself too, Father."
The line closed, but the warmth lingered. Commander System pulsed, recording psychological stability and emotional metrics—data for a leader's soul.
***
Alone in her quarters, Arya reviewed war reports fed by the System. The Ochs Empire, once held at bay, now massed a force nearly ten times larger than humanity's last defense. Only the Fourth Fleet and Guard units remained; Mars base was the final bulwark.
Commander Liang Xingchen, newly promoted and already famous for tactical brilliance in the asteroid belt, was waiting. His last ambush destroyed eighty thousand enemy warships—but the empire still fielded over a hundred thousand on Jupiter's edge. The public was told victory; the truth was survival and stalemate[1].
Arya stared at the star map, feeling the weight. "This will be my real trial. Commander System, synchronize tactical models."
> **Synchronization Complete.
> Combat readiness: 87%
> Emotional stability: 96%
> Fleet preservation priority: High**
> **Status: Awaiting deployment.**
She packed quickly, the process mechanical, mind half-awake—then deliberately lay down to "sleep," but for Arya and her inherited soul, sleep meant intensive neural simulation.
She drifted, training under the System—a virtual flurry of battles, strategies, memories both hers and Divya's, melding and forming new instincts.
***
At three o'clock, the Mars auditorium was filled with instructors, officers, and students summoned on short notice. Many were confused. Arya sensed whispers:
"Who's being awarded now?"
"Graduation was last month…"
She ignored them, and stepped onto the stage.
Dean Fulai's words echoed: "Today, Arya Vex, after excelling in the most brutal simulation and surviving the trials no other cadet had faced, is promoted to Field Commander. She will leave with Admiral Liang Xingchen directly for Mars base at the ceremony's end."
Liang Xingchen stood by, his presence commanding respect. As Arya accepted her badge and saluted, he spoke: "The front lines demand leaders who see beyond textbooks—those with scars and vision. Arya, are you ready to face the real stars?"
Arya met his eyes, voice unwavering. "More than ever, Commander. For all I was—and all I've become."
The crowd applauded, their awe mingled with anxiety. The system's neural interface pulsed:
> **Mission log updated.
> Project Phoenix access granted.
> Next: Mars base, front line command.**
***
Emma found Arya after the ceremony. "Promise me," she said, voice trembling, "you'll return alive. You're more than a legend to me."
Arya hugged her gently, emotions threading the present and past. "That is my only vow."
Nearby, her father lingered, gaze soft—touched by pride and fear both.
***
The transfer shuttle departed at sunset. Arya, now Commander, settled at the helm surrounded by her new fleet—pilots, tacticians, engineers, all nervous but hopeful.
As the stars flickered by, Arya whispered to herself, "This is for you, Divya. This is for every crew lost in gravity's well. We will not fall again."
The Commander System's final prompt:
> **Phoenix Cycle, Stage 1: Initiate.**
Mars base awaited, alongside the true test of legend and destiny.