Chapter 7: Watchful Eyes
April 22nd, 2145 – Barracks, Sector 4
It was a slow morning in the Spearhead hangar. Maintenance crews had barely started their rounds, and most of the squad lounged in the commons area, half-awake.
Anju Emma sat near the window, a quiet cup of instant coffee in her hand, eyes scanning the horizon.
Kurena was complaining, again.
"She's not even trying to take command," Kurena muttered under her breath, seated nearby with Theo. "Just watches and gives corrections like she's some tactician."
"She's not wrong though," Theo replied with a shrug. "Shin listens to her."
"She doesn't deserve that yet."
Anju took a sip and said nothing. But her gaze lingered on Kurena a second too long.
Raiden entered, towel around his neck, fresh from drills. "She hasn't made a single emotional appeal. That's rare. Especially for a Republic officer."
Kurena's frown deepened. "Maybe she's waiting to manipulate us after we let our guard down."
Raiden met Anju's eyes across the room. "What do you think?"
Anju considered.
"She's… quiet," she finally said. "Too quiet for a Republic girl. But not fake. Not yet."
---
Same Day – Lena's Private Terminal
The room was dim. Lena's eyes darted across the latest scans. Spearhead's next operation was scheduled—an interception mission along the eastern border. High risk.
She adjusted the simulation manually, overlaying historical movement data and known blind spots. Quiet fingers over keys. She didn't speak aloud anymore—not even to herself.
> No orders.
No early warnings.
Just precision.
A flicker on her screen. One Reginleif. Shin's.
She zoomed in.
A microsecond hesitation—he'd paused. Looked at the sky. Nothing visible, nothing relevant. Still… he was processing something. Something beyond the mission.
She marked it down but didn't dwell.
---
April 23rd – Simulation Room
The squad sat through a mandatory tactics review. A rare moment when Handler and Processors shared the same space—even if only virtually.
Lena's voice echoed through the speakers, steady and stripped of emotion.
> "During the last encounter, Spearhead successfully broke encirclement in under 4 minutes. However, Reginleif Unit 04 briefly delayed evac by repositioning to cover the rear, exceeding order parameters."
Theo flinched. "That was me, wasn't it?"
Raiden smirked.
> "That instinct was commendable," Lena continued. "But next time, communicate intent. Chain response lagged as a result."
Silence.
Then:
> "Understood," Anju said.
Everyone turned.
Kurena raised a brow. "What?"
Anju didn't repeat herself. Just kept listening.
---
That Night – Roof of the Barracks
The wind blew strong over the compound. Anju stood on the rooftop alone, eyes lifted to the stars.
Shin appeared a few minutes later. He didn't speak. Just leaned against the rail beside her.
"She's different," Anju said quietly.
Shin didn't look at her. "So?"
"She's not like the others. She's watching—but not waiting to judge us. Not yet."
He stayed quiet.
"I wonder how long she'll last," she added. "Or how far she's willing to go."
At last, Shin spoke. "It doesn't matter."
Anju smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"It might."
---
Meanwhile – Republic Academy Dorms
Lena added the latest logs to her archive. Her movements were careful now, her tone clinical. She couldn't afford sentimentality—not yet.
> Handler's Log – Entry #07
Spearhead continues to operate with unmatched efficiency.
Shin remains cold. Detached.
Raiden is calculating.
Theo masks curiosity with humor.
Kurena distrusts me openly.
Anju Emma is the quiet one. The one who sees.
She'll be the first to notice change.
Note to self: do not approach. Let understanding come to them.
–L.M.
She saved the log and looked out her dorm window, the lights of the Academy fading beneath the night sky.
---
End of Chapter 7