ghted in a severe, official red. Failure to attend would result in an indefinite freeze

asking. They

at might have been urgency in its synthesized tone, "You may wis

e," Anj

reen. It displayed the landing page of the most popular news network in t

E COMPTON, TERMINATES BETROTH

debar was dominated by her name. AnjaIsFre

s from a live public forum. Thousands of

cdaniel wasn't goo

a noble line! This is the

s about to get a lot

r new consorts, review my profile. Class A psi

this raw, desperate, public thirst for her attention. The old Anja had wasted years crying over one mediocre male w

on, a consequence of their psionic abilities, that caused irritability, aggression, and eventually, a descent into feral madness. The only cure, the only way to soothe the corrupt

inite. The supply

could be a useless F-Grade, or she could be a world-changing A-Grade. The uncertainty, th

"What's the fastest way to get to t

imately forty-five minutes, Mistress. However, it

t grew rapidly into a deafening roar, the sound of massive engines displacing a huge volume of air.

e window, peering

matte black and brutally angular, a military transport vessel designed for assault land

rear. Twelve soldiers marched out in perfect synchronization. They were clad in black tactical armor, their faces hidden behind reflective visors, and they carrie

rom the ship's external speakers. It was

s Directorate, we are your designated escort to the Capital P

is wasn't a taxi. This was a military operation. For her. W

shock. A panel on the wall of her closet slid open, revealing a simple but elegant outfit: dark, well-fitted trousers, a cream-colored

g fingers, her mind still reeling from the sight of the ar

hought about the comments she had just read-males begging for her attention, showing off their credits and their abilities. And then she thought about Kenny's parting words: "Even if I die, even if I get exiled to

pulled

ood perfectly still, rifles held at a parade rest, but she could feel th

subtle markings of rank. He removed his helmet, revealing a stern, handsome face with a sharp jaw and piercing gray eyes. H

wed, "It is an honor. We have prepared a

oss the lawn to stop at her feet. It was a simple, practical measure to keep her boots from getting

n," she managed, her

pped lower. "The hono

he walked between the two lines of silent, armored sentinels, their vis

cted. It was a VIP cabin, furnished with plush, cream-colored leather chairs, polished chrome accents,

off the outside world. A small, silent service droid glided up

he crystal cool against her trembling fingers. Through the cabin's reinforced viewport, she w

all screen embedded in t

me to Arriva

er heart beating a frantic rhythm again