Sera's POV
The genetic testing takes four minutes to destroy my last hope.
The Aelarian soldier doesn't even look at me as he presses the scanner to my wrist at 7:00 AM. Just another inferior human in a long line of inferior humans. The device beeps. His purple eyes widen slightly.
"Wait here," he says, and disappears into a back room.
I'm too numb to care. In two hours, I face the academic board. That's what matters. I need to figure out how to prove the research was mine when Marcus deleted all my evidence.
The soldier returns with others. They're all staring at their tablets, then at me.
"Sera Vance?" A female Aelarian with silver hair steps forward. "Your test results are... unusual. You'll need to come back tomorrow for additional screening."
"I can't tomorrow. I have—"
"It's not optional." She hands me a card with an address. "Report to this location at 0800 hours. Do not be late."
They usher me out before I can ask questions. Whatever. I have bigger problems.
I make it to the university with ten minutes to spare.
The hearing room is smaller than I expected. Five board members sit behind a long table. My research advisor, Dr. Patterson, won't meet my eyes. Marcus sits on the left side with his lawyer, looking calm and professional in an expensive suit.
And Diana sits in the witness chair, already crying.
My parents are in the front row behind her. Mom sees me and her face hardens. Dad just looks disappointed.
I want to scream. Want to flip the table. Want to make them all see the truth.
Instead, I sit down in the chair facing the board. Alone. No lawyer. No witnesses. Nothing.
"This tribunal will now begin," Dr. Patterson says quietly. "Dr. Chen, please present your evidence."
Marcus's lawyer stands. She's sharp and professional, and she tears me apart with a smile.
"Members of the board, the evidence is clear. Mr. Chen submitted his groundbreaking AI research to the Journal of Advanced Computing six months ago. The paper was peer-reviewed and published three weeks ago to widespread acclaim. Now, Ms. Vance claims this work is hers, despite having no documentation, no drafts, no evidence whatsoever to support her claim."
"That's because he deleted it!" I burst out. "He had access to my computer. He—"
"Ms. Vance, you'll have your chance to speak," Dr. Patterson cuts me off. His voice is gentle but firm. He was my mentor once. Now he looks at me like I'm a stranger.
The lawyer continues. "Furthermore, we have testimony from Ms. Vance's own sister regarding her recent mental state and troubling behavior."
Diana takes the stand again. She's wearing a modest dress. Her makeup is light, making her look young and innocent. She dabs at her eyes with a tissue.
"This is so hard," Diana's voice shakes perfectly. "Sera is my big sister. I love her so much. But lately, she's been... different."
"Different how?" the lawyer asks gently.
"Paranoid. Jealous." Diana's lower lip trembles. "When Marcus and I started dating—after he ended things with Sera—she became obsessed with the idea that we were conspiring against her. She accused him of stealing research that didn't exist. She—" Diana's voice breaks. "She threatened me. Said she'd make me pay for taking her life."
"That's a lie!" I'm on my feet. "You were sleeping with him while we were engaged! You both—"
"Ms. Vance, sit down!" Dr. Patterson's voice is sharp now.
"She's lying! She's—"
"One more outburst and we'll hold you in contempt." Another board member glares at me. "Sit. Down."
I sink back into my chair. My whole body shakes with rage and helplessness.
Diana continues, tears streaming now. "I'm worried about her. Really worried. She's always been competitive with me, but this is different. She genuinely believes her own story. I think she needs help, not punishment."
She sounds so sincere. So concerned. If I didn't know the truth, even I would believe her.
My mother nods from the audience, crying too. Dad puts his arm around her.
They believe Diana. My own parents.
"I'd like to add something," a familiar voice says.
Marcus stands. He looks directly at me, and there's something cruel in his eyes that only I can see.
"Sera and I dated for two years. I cared about her deeply. But over the past year, she became increasingly unstable. She was convinced that everyone was out to get her. That people were stealing her ideas." He pauses, shaking his head sadly. "I tried to help her. Suggested therapy. But she refused. When I finally ended our relationship—it had become toxic—she spiraled. This plagiarism accusation is just the latest in a pattern of delusional behavior."
"You're a liar," I whisper. "You're a liar and a thief and—"
"Ms. Vance." Dr. Patterson's voice is exhausted. "Do you have any evidence to support your claim? Any documentation? Witnesses? Drafts with timestamps?"
"He deleted it all. I told you—"
"Do you have proof he deleted anything?"
I open my mouth. Close it. I have nothing. Marcus made sure of that.
"I see." Dr. Patterson looks down at his papers. "Does anyone else wish to speak?"
Silence.
"Then we'll deliberate and—"
"Wait!" I stand again. My voice cracks. "Please. Just look at the research. Look at the code. The writing style. The approach to the problem. Anyone who knows my work will see it's mine. Dr. Patterson, you've supervised me for three years. You KNOW how I think. How I solve problems. Please. Just look."
Dr. Patterson finally meets my eyes. For a moment, I see something there. Doubt, maybe. Uncertainty.
Then he looks at Marcus's published paper. At Diana's tear-stained face. At my parents' disappointed expressions.
"Ms. Vance," he says quietly. "I want to believe you. But without evidence..."
"The code is the evidence! My approach to neural network optimization, the specific algorithms, the—"
"Could have been taught to you by Mr. Chen," the lawyer interrupts smoothly. "He mentioned he often helped you with your projects. Perhaps you learned his methods and now can't distinguish between your work and his."
It's brilliant. Evil and brilliant. They've turned everything upside down.
The board deliberates for seven minutes.
Seven minutes to destroy my entire life.
"We find no evidence to support Ms. Vance's claims," Dr. Patterson announces. "Furthermore, given the serious nature of these false accusations and concerning testimony regarding her mental state, we are revoking her research position, stripping her academic credentials, and recommending psychiatric evaluation."
The room tilts.
"Additionally, we are banning her from this institution. Effective immediately."
I can't breathe. Can't think. This isn't real.
Marcus catches my eye as I stumble toward the door. He smiles. Actually smiles.
In the hallway, my mother grabs my arm. "How could you do this to your sister? To this family?"
"Mom, please. You have to believe me—"
"I believe what I saw in there. Diana was right. You need help, Sera." Her eyes are cold. "Don't contact us until you're ready to apologize and get the treatment you need."
She walks away. Dad follows without a word.
I stand alone in the empty hallway. No job. No credentials. No family. No future.
My phone buzzes. Text from Diana: Told you I'd win. Enjoy your ruined life, big sister.
Another buzz. Marcus: Thanks for the research. It's really going to take my career far. Oh, and we're getting married next month. You're not invited.
I slide down the wall, finally letting the tears come. Everything I worked for. Everything I was. Gone.
A shadow falls over me.
I look up through blurry eyes. It's the silver-haired Aelarian woman from this morning.
"Sera Vance," she says. "I'm Dr. Nyx Asheron. I need you to come with me immediately."
"I can't. I need to—" I gesture helplessly at nothing. At everything.
"Your genetic test results came back." Her purple eyes are intense. "You have a 97% compatibility rating for Techno-Knight enhancement. That's the highest score we've ever recorded in a human."
I stare at her. "What does that mean?"
"It means you're incredibly rare. Valuable. It means everything in your life is about to change." She extends her hand. "The question is: do you want it to?"
Behind her, through the university windows, I see Marcus and Diana leaving together, laughing. Happy. Winning.
They took everything from me.
Dr. Nyx's hand is still extended, waiting.
"What happens if I say yes?" I ask.
"We take you to the Orbital Academy. We enhance you—make you stronger, faster, deadlier than any human has ever been. But I won't lie to you, Sera. Most humans die during the enhancement process. The pain is unimaginable. The survival rate is less than 30%."
"And if I survive?"
"You become something new. Something powerful. You become a Techno-Knight." She tilts her head. "Though I should warn you—the training is brutal. The commander overseeing the human program is particularly harsh. Commander Kael Zenthar doesn't believe humans can succeed. He'll push you until you break."
I look at her hand. Then back at Marcus and Diana disappearing down the street.
They think they destroyed me. Think I'll disappear quietly into nothing.
They're wrong.
"When do we leave?" I ask, taking her hand.
Dr. Nyx smiles. "Right now. We have a shuttle waiting."
As she leads me toward the exit, my phone buzzes one last time.
Unknown number: Your enhancement appointment is scheduled for tonight, 2100 hours. Prepare yourself. What comes next will either kill you or remake you. There is no middle ground. - Commander K. Zenthar
My hands shake as I read it.
Tonight. In just a few hours, I'll either die or become something those who betrayed me can't imagine.
Either option is better than staying this broken girl.
"Let's go," I tell Dr. Nyx. "I have nothing left to lose."
"That's exactly why you might survive," she says quietly. "The ones with nothing left to lose are the most dangerous."
We step outside where a sleek aircraft waits, humming with alien technology.
Behind me, my old life crumbles.
Ahead of me, something terrifying and unknown.
I climb into the aircraft and don't look back.