UGT: 31th Ascent 280 a.G.A. / 05:36 p.m.

  Location: shuttle station 29 kilometres away from the Aurolin Ruins, Au'Shalis Prime, Clinton's Beak system (red dwarf), Republic of Nox, Second Human Federation, Milky Way

  The shuttle station was a madhouse. Crowds of people pushed and jostled, their voices rising in a chaotic blend of fear and urgency. Parents clutched children close, vendors hastily packed up stalls and armed guards patrolled the perimeter, their hands never far from their weapons. The air buzzed with tension, thick and stifling, as if the whole place teetered on the edge of collapse. Overhead, the PA system crackled with fragmented announcements.

  “...all civilian shuttle departures delayed until further notice. Priority given to SHF personnel and critical evacuees...citizens are reminded to remain calm. Order will be maintained…”

  [ No shuttles for civilians. You’re going to need a miracle or a very good story. ]

  “Maybe both,” I muttered, stepping around a family huddled on the floor and made my way to the ticket counter. My battered appearance drew a few suspicious glances, but I ignored them. I was just one more desperate soul trying to get out. The line at the ticket counter crawled forward, tension radiating from every person waiting. When my turn finally came, I slid a few Solar across the counter, keeping my voice steady. “One ticket to New Hamton, please.”

  The clerk, a stern-faced man with a badge marking him as an SHF affiliate, barely glanced at the money before his sharp eyes locked on me. “ID?” he asked. I obviously didn't look normal enough for him to let me go without identification.

  I faked to hesitate, then shook my head. “I lost it back at the Aurolin Zone,” I said, faking shock. Maybe I could spin a story around the chaos that probalby ensued after I got away?

  “You’re coming from the ruins?” the clerk asked, his expression instantly hardening. The drastic change took me offguard, as I did not expect anyone already being that suspicios based on just that.

  [ Careful, May. They’re not playing around and seem to take you more serious than we thought. ]

  I nodded slowly, trying to buy time to think. “Yeah. I was working on a civilian survey team. We were assessing the area for redevelopment when everything went wrong,” I said.

  “You mean the Aetherians?” the clerk asked, his brows furrowing.

  I blinked, genuinely confused. “Why the Aetherians? Did I miss something bigger?” I asked him. The clerk’s jaw tightened.

  “Don’t play dumb. The whole station’s on high alert because the ancient Aetherian site activated. It's the first time in hundreds of years. Aetherian drones attacked SHF forces and started wiping out everything in the area. The SHF's own technology seemingly got hacked and turned against them as well. You didn’t see any of that?” he questioned, clearly even more suspicious of me now. My stomach twisted, hearing that. There was only one possible reason for that. It was my intrusion that reactivated the Aetherian site. Either they were after me, or I just helped the system meet the necessary condition for reactivation. I shook my head, letting the shock show on my face.

  “I- I didn’t know! When the SHF drones turned on us, I thought it was just a malfunction! Our team leader told us to scatter. I ran and didn’t look back,” I said, slightly quivering. I didn't even have to fake it. If all Aetherian sites in the Clinton's Beak system or even just on Au'Shalis Prime had activated, I might get in trouble with the Admiral. A single site I could talk myself out of. The entire planet? Less so.

  “Convenient that you made it out alive. And now you’re trying to board a shuttle without ID?” the clerk asked, his ganze boring into me. And well, yes. My story wasn't the most believable.

  “I know how it looks,” I said quickly, lowering my voice as though I feared being overheard. “But you have to understand. I didn’t stick around to ask questions. I barely made it out of the civilian zone. If the Aetherian drones are going after the SHF specifically, doesn’t that mean they’re probably targeting anyone who was near the site?”

  The clerk’s lips thinned, and he tapped something on his console. “Wait here," he said and turned to confer with a uniformed officer standing nearby. The officer glanced at me, then back at the clerk, their conversation too low for me to hear. Instantly. panick bubbled up inside me.

  [ They’re checking your story. You need a way out of this and fast! ]

  I knew that myself! But I had no idea how! When the officer approached, her gaze was cold and assessing. “What’s your name?”

  “May,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

  “And you claim you were part of a civilian team at the Aurolin Ruins?” the officer continued asking, motioning for the clerk to write the conversation down.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Yes. I was contracted by Lannis & Howe. We were conducting surveys for redevelopment. When the SHF drones started firing, we scattered. I didn’t know about the Aetherian drones until just now," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Lannis & Howe? Some company I'd walked past while being in the civilian area of the Aurolin ruins. I had absolutely no ider who they were, just that it looked they tried to rebuild parts of the ruins.

  The officer studied me for a long moment. “Wait here,” she said, retreating for a moment. Meanwhile, I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears.

  [ This is bad. They’re stalling for time, probably to make deeper background checks. That you actually named an ongoing operation stalled you time. But if they notice there was no May on the team, you're done. ]

  I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think. What’s the quickest way to make them move on, instead of focusing even more on me?

  [ Play into the chaos. They’ve got bigger problems than you right now. If you get them to just wave you through, it's likely for them to be occupied by another problem, instead of checking your backstory. Tey'd probaply only come back to that days later once everything calmed down. And by then, we're hopefully out of the system. ]

  As desperate as it was, it seemed to be my only path forward right now. When the officer returned, I leaned forward, pitching my voice low. “Look, I get it. I look suspicious. But if you’re worried about me, what about everyone else here? If those drones really attacked SHF forces, what’s stopping them from coming this way?”

  The officer only frowned. “The SHF has it under control,” she said, trying to dismiss me.

  “Do they? Because from where I’m standing, this place looks like a target. You’ve got hundreds of people here, all trying to leave. If I were one of those drones, this would be the first place I’d hit," I pressed on, trying to instill some sense of panic and urgency. The officers jaw tightened, and I could see the gears turning in her head. The station was already stretched thin, and my words only added to the pressure.

  "I'm probably a target. Unlike everyone else here, I'm from the site directly. WIth me here, the risk of the drones coming here only rises. You need to get me away from here, for the security of everyone. I'm more than willing to answer any and all questions of the SHF once I'm back in New Hamton. It shouldn't be hard for them to find me, I'm a registered citizen after all," I continued, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Finally, the officer sighed.

  “We’ve got an emergency transport departing for New Hamton. It’s supposed to be SHF-only, but they’re understaffed as it is and are already taking some refugees back with them. You’re lucky we’re short on manpower,” sha said, than glancing at the clerk. “Log her as a contractor evacuee and make a note for the administration to come back to her once they have time.”

  The clerk grumbled but typed something into his console. “Gate 4. Shuttle leaves in ten minutes,” he said, obvoiusly still not liking the entire situation.

  “Thank you,” I said, grabbing the ticket the clerk handed me and walking off, before someone could change their mind. Eight minutes later I stood inside the shuttle that was supposed to bring me back to New Hamton. The shuttle was packed, the tension inside palpable. Soldiers sat in tense silence, their weapons cradled in their laps, while a handful of civilians clung to the edges of the transport. The air reeked of sweat and fear. As the engines finally roared to life and the station receded into the distance, I let out a shaky breath. Somehow, I'd managed to get away.

  [ Nice work. But don’t get to comfortable. You’re not out of the woods yet. ]

  “I know,” I murmured, staring out at the dark horizon. New Hamton was still a long way off and the weight of everything I’d left behind pressed heavy on my shoulders. The shuttle shuddered slightly, adjusting course. Across from me, a soldier shifted in his seat, his eyes flickering toward me for a moment before he looked away.Probably just because of tension and shared unease, but either way, I avoided his gaze. Fen’s voice returned, softer this time.

  [ They bought your story, for now. But the station’s announcement wasn’t just for show. The local forces of the SHF and the Republic of Nox are rattled and that means more scrutiny for everyone. ]

  “I noticed. They won't let anyone off without serious screening, right?” I whispered, my fingers tightening around the edge of my seat.

  [ Correct. They’re not going to let you stroll into New Hamton without checking your story again. ]

  The low hum of conversation in the shuttle quieted as an officer stepped into the aisle. His sharp, assessing gaze swept over the passengers and when he spoke, his voice carried the tone of no-nonsense authority. “Attention, passengers! We are en route to New Hamton, but due to the situation at the Aurolin Ruins, all passengers will be subject to screening upon arrival. Anyone found withholding information or presenting false identification will face severe consequences. Cooperate, and this process will go smoothly:" he stated for everyone to hear. His words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder just how seriously the SHF took the situation. Around me, people shifted uneasily, some murmuring to each other in low voices.

  [ Well, that confirms it. You’re not passing that screening, May. ]

  “Thanks, Fen. I figured that out myself already,” I muttered under my breath, my mind racing. The officer stepped away, leaving the cabin in a tense silence.

  [ Relax. We’ll figure something out. Worst case, you’ll have to slip out before they start checking everyone. ]

  I glanced toward the rear of the cabin, where two soldiers stood near the emergency exit, their rifles slung casually but ready. My stomach twisted. “Slip out? On a military-escorted shuttle? That’s not exactly low-profile, Fen.”

  [ It’s not about low profile, it’s all about timing. They’re stretched thin and chaos works to your advantage. If we can find a weak spot in their process, we’ll exploit it. Getting chased through New Hamton though is definitly not an option. For now, keep calm and pay attention. ]

  I leaned back, forcing myself to breathe deeply and quietly. The soldiers’ murmured conversations drifted in and out of earshot, their voices blending with the low hum of the shuttle’s engines. New Hamton wasn’t far now, and neither was my next hurdle. Whatever awaited me at the screening, one thing was clear. I wasn’t quite out of the fight yet. The very last stretch still lay before me.