It took Asef only a few subtle, calculated manipulations to secure a spot in the 56th company.
He pulled the right strings, whispered the right lies, planted the right rumors.
By the time the reassignment came, no one questioned it.
No one ever did.
He met his new "comrades" with the same mask he had worn for decades. A measured smile, a respectful nod, just enough camaraderie to fit in without inviting attention.
Another performance in a long line of them.
And so, his fake training began.
He played his role like a professional. Learned the routines. Blended in.
But it didn't take long before their orders arrived.
A galactic mission.
They were being sent beyond the known charts—to a different solar system entirely, one that hadn't been charted or touched.
An exploratory deployment.
Exactly as the seer had predicted.
Asef was quiet when he heard the announcement.
No one noticed the way his fingers curled slightly.
The way his breath caught, just for a second.
