My pupils, now widened with dread, shifted around the room with angst.

I can’t sense any other presence here… But they’re probably being hidden by some sort of magnetic field or cloaking device.

“There's no one else here, Miya.” Emelia reassures while taking a step forward.

I take a step back as my hand moves down to my holster. A metal clink followed by a puff of steam and a loud whir resonates through the room as my weapon recognizes my intent to kill.

“What if I told you that was all fabricated to test your loyalty to the Federation? What if that was the final psychological test for you to become a Space Patroller for this sector? And that… You failed, miserably.”

Within a blink, I grab the handgun at my side with it, releasing another puff of smoke as I aim it at Emelia’s head. The pistol was built like an Archon Type-B. However, its distinguishing features were that it had no clip, and the flashing blue and white lights raced across the metal edges.

A white holographic sight flicks up at the top, the black swirling ball aimed in the middle of Emelia’s noggin. My teeth clench together while my arm holding my gun starts to show its red veins beneath my uniform and grow onto my hands.

“Then I’d say that there’s only one way that you’re getting out of this situation without a cosmic-sized hole in your head,” I growl, my pistol whirring as if it’s also giving her a taunt.

Emelia chuckles and looks behind her. “That’s the new model of MAL-XMS-14, a powerful pistol that would indeed pop my melon but… If you noticed we're in the middle of space, the only thing separating us is a glass pane from the outer vortex. What if it breaks?”

“Guess if I miss, then we both die. But don’t worry, I rarely do; So you won’t suffer from embolism or shock from the loss of air as you float away cold and lifeless. However, if I do puncture a hole, that’s foretonium-coated panes. It won’t shatter like normal glass and will only be left with the sharp hole from my gun. The suction of air will be stopped as your body glides toward it and pins itself there.”

Emelia’s eyes widen, and her lips curl into a smile. She then starts to tread forward, looking me directly in the eye.

I take a step forward. My pistol gives off a loud puff of steam as it elongates its body, becoming bulkier yet narrow, similar to a P90 submachine gun; Its silver coating changes into a full black square texture. Several black lights power on the edges as I turn it at a side angle.

“I never said you could move. You’re seriously testing me right now lady. Matter of fact, hands where I can see them.”

Emelia raises her hands in the air. A smile still spread across her face.

The top of my nose and between my eyes scrunch down as I walk in front of her. My crimson pupils trail down the insides of her white-linen dress uniform, searching for any sharp weaponry or other forms of firearms. I then get behind her and place the gun at the back of her scalp as my petite fingers caress her stomach, under her arms, then reach under her bust.

My arm slides underneath her bosom as I reach for an XCOL-14 federation-issued pistol in a concealed holster beneath her cloak and turn it upside down in front of her. With a click, I release the clip and allow the gun to fall to the ground, with the magazine consisting of a set of blue-glowing square magnums in a holographic box lingering in my hand.

“Does anyone else know about this meeting besides Einum?” I inquire.

Emelia nods her head, she attempts to turn her head back, but I push the nozzle of the machine gun into her head, causing her to straighten her neck.

“No one else, but Einum.”

I start to unclip the proton magnums from the magazine one by one using my index finger. Each performs a soft tap as they fall to the floor. After my hand feels the empty ammo capacity, I drop it to the ground and walk back in front of her.

“Why would a Coordinant go through all the trouble of getting some dirt on a mere ensign? I’m Yak’sha… You could’ve easily just said you were ‘provoked’ and got me killed beforehand. Why did you actually call me here?”

“As Einum suggested, we only need individuals with peak psyche to proceed in the process. And, I don’t think you’re ready to take on such a task in your current state.”

I perform a low growl as my eyes give off a soft red glow. I push my nozzle into her forehead and look into her silver pupils with a smirk.

“You don’t think I got what it takes? My current state, huh? Well, let’s see how ‘peak’ my psyche is once your leaking fluids stain the floor. You probably don’t bleed red or blue, hm? What stain then? … Orange, Pink, Black? Or maybe we can find out right now.”

The black lights on my machine gun start to flash in an array, then turn to white as my eyes give off a brighter glow. “I’m so fucking tired of taking this crap from all those idiots down at Terminal-1. And I’m definitely not going to be looked down upon by some stuck-up high-official who hasn’t been in the field telling me how capable I am from a glance. So tell me—Why. Did you. Bring. Me here.”

The flashing white lights reflect within Emelia’s pupils and illuminate the entirety of her face. She then leans her head down and shutters with a hand covering her mouth.

“You should’ve thought of crying when you decided to pull some… Some…”

A faint chuckle catches me off-guard as I lean my head down and look at her, now giggling between her fingers. The bones in my fingers and arm start to define as my index finger presses down on the trigger.

… Guess this bitch felt suicidal today.