Miya came to a halt. The door looked innocent, perfectly normal, but it represented so much: her hopes, her aims, even her submission to the will of the Prophets. Although she looked calm, her heart was pounding.

One day ......

She took a deep breath, exhaled fully, then repeated the exercise to gain clarity and control. It was important to make a good first impression. Only when she was calm would she enter.

One day, I’ll be the one inside, doing these check-ins. One day!

The door to the counsellor’s office slid open and Miya stepped inside. “Cadet Ven Miya, reporting for my evaluation, sir.” She saluted smartly, then remained at attention.

[Cadet Ven Miya]