09-13-2025, 02:30 PM
Riley stayed at attention as the words registered, the edge of tension in her shoulders easing when she heard her assignment.
“Understood, ma’am.” Her reply was steady, clipped in the way she’d practiced countless times before.
She gave a quick nod before turning on her heel. The sound of her boots on the polished floor seemed louder now, each step carrying her farther from the desk and closer to whatever waited in Holodeck Seven. The hum of voices in the auditorium faded into the background, replaced in her mind by the pulse of her own thoughts.
Her gaze stayed forward, her stride steady as she left the hall behind. The familiar knot of anticipation sat in her chest, but beneath it was something else too — resolve. Whatever test waited beyond those doors, she intended to meet it head-on.
“Understood, ma’am.” Her reply was steady, clipped in the way she’d practiced countless times before.
She gave a quick nod before turning on her heel. The sound of her boots on the polished floor seemed louder now, each step carrying her farther from the desk and closer to whatever waited in Holodeck Seven. The hum of voices in the auditorium faded into the background, replaced in her mind by the pulse of her own thoughts.
Her gaze stayed forward, her stride steady as she left the hall behind. The familiar knot of anticipation sat in her chest, but beneath it was something else too — resolve. Whatever test waited beyond those doors, she intended to meet it head-on.