Skyla Novea - The Promotion «TRUSTED ✪»

Her heart did a strange thing: a hard, hopeful thump against her ribs, followed by the sickening lurch of dread. The Promotion . Everyone on the Arcadia knew the rumor. A single logistics officer would be elevated to Fleet Coordinator—a position with authority over supply routes for twelve sector colonies. It meant a private cabin, a salary with actual zeros, and the terrifying luxury of being noticed by people who could ruin you. At 05:58, Skyla stood before the polished obsidian doors of Observation Deck 7. She had borrowed a serviceable grey tunic from a friend in quartermaster stores. Her boots were scuffed but clean. Her hair was pulled back so tight it hurt. She looked like someone trying very hard not to look like someone trying very hard.

Captain Vellen laughed—a short, ugly sound. "Tell them what? That you were hallucinating from sleep deprivation? That you came to this meeting and heard nothing? We have three witnesses, Novea. You have a jumpsuit with grease stains and a reputation for being 'intense.' Who do you think they'll believe?" Silence stretched like a wire. skyla novea - the promotion

The doors opened with a soft hiss.

Captain Vellen folded her arms. "Because the job isn't about spreadsheets and inventory anymore, Novea. The Fleet Coordinator sees everything. The secret routes. The unregistered shipments. The cargo that doesn't officially exist. You'll know where the Arcadia goes when it disappears from the log for three days every quarter. You'll know whose names are on the hidden manifests." Her heart did a strange thing: a hard,

Skyla did. The click of the latch sounded like a verdict. "The Fleet Coordinator position," Vellen continued, gesturing to the empty chairs. "It's been vacant for six months. You know why?" A single logistics officer would be elevated to

Captain Vellen, a woman with eyes like cold coffee and a reputation for eating ambitious juniors for breakfast.

Until today. The message arrived at 04:17 ship time, encrypted and flagged Priority: Vermilion . Skyla was in the middle of a 22-hour shift, elbow-deep in a malfunctioning atmospheric scrubber. She wiped her hands on her jumpsuit and opened the comm.