Chapter 37: Every Planet We Reach is Dead

When the Professor offered his hand and led Etzli away from the banquet table, she felt grateful. She'd been laid bare in front of a room full of strangers. It felt cathartic in the moment, but now the feeling faded. She wanted to hide under the table.

The Professor guided Etzli toward a door at the far end of the banquet hall, a perfect recreation of the same door she'd failed to enter during her Criterion.

Crossing through felt like… well, she’d never seen the room on the other side, but stepping through that door felt like acing a test.

They entered a massive observation deck. The far wall was a curved floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the entire flotilla.

An endless stream of starships glittered in the darkness.

"Impressive, isn't it?" said the Professor.

Wiping a tear from her cheek, Etzli said, "Wow."