The screen behind him rose with a dramatic flourish, revealing the roaring audience. Their faces blurred into a sea of alien features, their cheers a chaotic symphony that pounded in her ears. Lights exploded across the arena in a dizzying array of colors, the sensory overload making her grip the edge of her podium for stability.
“Welcome back, dear viewers!” Luxor’s voice boomed as he stretched his arms wide, feeding off the crowd’s energy. “I trust you’ve all placed your bets because it’s time to begin Species Trivia! Let’s see which of our TechNavs will secure the best starting position as they enter this year’s Nexus Trials!”
The audience roared, a wave of sound that rattled through Zaria’s bones. Her heart hammered against her ribs as Luxor turned toward her, his grin sharp enough to cut. “First question, Dr. Zaria Jenkins!” he announced with theatrical flair, the spotlight swinging to her. She froze under its glare, the crowd’s anticipation bearing down on her like a tidal wave.
Luxor’s voice rang out, slicing through the din. “Which species hibernates for fourteen galactic cycles and awakens only to feed on the planetary moss found on Quar’anth IX?”
Her mind blanked, the question crashing into her like a freight train. Fourteen cycles? Quar’anth IX? She clawed through her mental archives, desperate for an answer. The words echoed in her head, mocking her as panic bubbled beneath the surface. Think, think, THINK!
She swallowed hard, forcing her voice to work. “Uh… the Dromarans?” she offered, wincing at how unsure she sounded.
Luxor tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with exaggerated disappointment. “Ooooh, sorry, Dr. Jenkins. The correct answer was the Velraxian! Better luck next time!”
The crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and jeers, the sound crashing over her like a wave. Zaria’s cheeks burned as her hands tightened into fists. She straightened, determined not to let the setback rattle her further. She would find her footing in this madness—she had to.
Zaria barely had time to gasp before the floor beneath her gave way. Gravity yanked her down with brutal force, her stomach lurching into her throat. The world above vanished as she plummeted into the void, her scream tearing from her lips and swallowed instantly by the rushing air. Wind howled past her, tugging at her clothes and battering her face, its chill biting against her skin like shards of glass. Her arms flailed instinctively, grasping at nothing, the sensation of falling utterly disorienting.
“This can’t be happening!” The words were a panicked whisper lost to the rushing roar, her voice barely audible over the thunder of her own heartbeat hammering in her ears. Logic grappled with terror as her mind raced, searching for explanations, calculations, anything that could make sense of this freefall. But nothing came—just the abyss, endless and unyielding.
Her descent ended abruptly with a bone-jarring impact. Pain exploded through her body, the force of the landing knocking the air from her lungs in a ragged gasp. Stars burst in her vision as she lay sprawled on the cold, unyielding surface, the world around her a chaotic blur of sound and sensation. For a moment, she couldn’t move, couldn’t think, her senses overwhelmed by the aftermath of the fall.
Gradually, the sharp rush of panic dulled, replaced by a dull, throbbing ache that radiated through her limbs. Her fingers curled weakly against the ground—a damp, gritty surface that clung to her palms. The muffled sound of water dripping in steady intervals broke the silence, and the faint scent of earth and minerals filled her nose. She opened her eyes, squinting against the dim light, her surroundings slowly coming into focus.
Bioluminescent fungi clung to the jagged walls of a vast cavern, casting an eerie greenish glow that illuminated the dripping stalactites overhead. Shadows danced and shifted in the uneven light, their shapes twisted and alien. The air was thick, humid, and carried the metallic tang of damp stone. Somewhere in the distance, water rushed faintly, a reminder of how far she must have fallen.
Zaria groaned, rolling onto her side and forcing herself onto shaky hands and knees. Pain flared in her ribs, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through it, her breaths shallow and uneven. Every muscle in her body protested as she dragged herself upright, leaning against the rough cavern wall for support. She pressed a hand to her temple, trying to quiet the pounding ache in her skull.
She stared into the gloom, determination flickering to life despite the weight of fear pressing against her chest. This wasn’t some simulation, nor an exercise she could reason her way out of. This was real—raw and unforgiving. Whatever the Nexus Trials were, whatever cruel design Luxor Vael had in store, she would endure it. She had to endure it.
“I should’ve asked for more of that blue drink,” she muttered, her voice hoarse and laced with dry humor. Her lips twisted into a faint grimace as she tested her weight on one leg, wincing at the sharp protest from her knee. Every part of her body felt battered, her usual analytical focus blunted by pain. “At this rate, I’m going to need a med bay just to finish this thing.”
She pressed forward, her steps faltering but steadying with each stride. The cavern stretched ahead, its jagged walls narrowing and widening in uneven intervals. Each step echoed faintly, swallowed by the oppressive silence of the underground labyrinth. Whatever this place was—whatever this trial demanded—she was determined to face it head-on.
“For Walter,” she whispered under her breath, clenching her fists against the ache in her limbs. “And for the Sol System.”
The Nexus Trials had only just begun, and already her body bore the cost. But she refused to yield. She wasn’t just a contestant. She was a survivor.