The library became Juli's prison.
Hours stretched into days. Days blurred together. Pamela sat across from him. Data pad in hand. Eyes sharp. Focused. Relentless.
"Again." Her voice was patient. Tired but patient.
Juli stared at the holographic text. The words swam. Merged. Became soup. "I don't get it."
"You will. Read it again."
He read. She explained. He forgot. She repeated. The cycle continued. Endless. Brutal.
Kade watched sometimes. Offered moral support. Mostly stayed out of it. This was Pamela's domain. Her battlefield. Her war.
Juli's head hit the table. Gentle thud. "My brain hurts."
"Your brain needs exercise." Pamela didn't look up. "Keep going."
Nights were worse. Flash cards. Practice questions. Mock exams. Juli's room became an extension of the library. Sleep became optional. Food became fuel. Everything was studying.
But something changed. Slowly. Gradually. The words made sense. Concepts clicked. Patterns emerged.
Juli still struggled. Still needed help. But progress happened. Real progress.
Pamela allowed herself small smiles. Rare. Brief. Victory smiles.
Then the day came.
Examination day. Phase Two. The real test.
Team PKJ walked through the rural town. The small settlement that housed their academy. Buildings were simple. Functional. Not much to see. Not much to do. Just a quiet place for training. For learning. For growing.
Other teams walked the same path. Toward the space bus port. Nervous energy filled the air. Some cadets talked. Others stayed silent. Everyone felt it. The weight. The pressure. The importance.
"How confident are you?" Kade looked at Juli. Genuine curiosity.
Juli grinned. His thumb shot up. Classic gesture. "I got this."
He turned to Pamela. His expression softened. Warmth flooded his features. "Thanks, PamPam. For everything."
He bumped her shoulder. Playful. Gentle. Just a friendly gesture. Nothing more.
Pamela's face went nuclear. Red exploded across her pale skin. Her breath caught. Her body tensed.
"Juli!" The word escaped. Part moan. Part gasp. Part sound that shouldn't happen in public.
Her hand slammed over her mouth. Eyes wide. Horror. Pure horror. Did that just happen? Did she just make that sound?
Kade lost it. Laughter erupted. Loud. Uncontrollable. He doubled over. Tears formed. "The ladies man does it again! Hahaha!"
Juli looked between them. Confused. Complete confusion. "What? I just. I touched her shoulder?"
"Exactly!" Kade wheezed. Couldn't breathe. This was gold. Pure gold.
"I don't understand." Juli's eyebrows furrowed. Genuine bewilderment.
Pamela stayed red. Stayed silent. Kept her hand over her mouth. She couldn't look at him. Couldn't speak. Just walked faster. Away from the situation. Away from the embarrassment.
The town came alive as they passed. Locals emerged from buildings. Homes. Shops. Not many. Maybe a few dozen. Simple people. Good people.
They cheered. Clapped. Shouted encouragement.
"Good luck, cadets!"
"Make us proud!"
"Show them what you're made of!"
The support was genuine. Heartfelt. This was their academy. Their town. Their future warriors.
Juli waved back. Smiled wide. Kade nodded. Acknowledged. Pamela tried to compose herself. Failed mostly.
Rikan's team walked ahead. Louder than everyone else. Confidence radiating. Arrogance, really.
"We're the favorites!" Rikan announced. To everyone. To no one. Just declaring it. "No doubt. No question. This exam is ours."
His cronies echoed. "Yeah! We're unstoppable!"
"Top marks guaranteed!"
"Other teams should just quit now!"
Kade rolled his eyes. "They're embarrassing."
"Let them talk." Pamela's voice was steadier now. Professional mode restored. Mostly. "Results speak louder."
The space bus port appeared ahead. Open area. Massive. Flat surface designed for large vessels. Landing pads marked in glowing lines. Control tower in the distance. Small. Functional.
Teams gathered. Formed loose groups. Waited. Looked up. Scanned the sky.
Then it appeared.
A shadow. High above. Growing. Descending.
The space bus broke through the clouds. Massive. Colossal. The word big didn't do it justice. This thing was a flying fortress.
The hull was sleek. Polished metal. Reflective surfaces caught the sunlight. Made it shine. Made it glow. Engineering perfection. Design mastery.
It could house thousands. Over a thousand easily. Maybe more. Multiple decks visible through viewport windows. Rows and rows of them. Living quarters. Common areas. Everything needed for long journeys.
The propulsion systems hummed. Deep. Powerful. Felt more than heard. The ground vibrated. The air thrummed with energy.
Juli's mouth fell open. Awe washed over him. Pure awe.
He'd seen space buses before. In the Outer Rim. His home. But nothing like this. Those were transport vessels. Functional. Basic. This was luxury. This was power. This was statement.
The insignia dominated the hull. Front and center. Impossible to miss.
A bull's skull. Stylized. Fierce. Eyes glowed molten orange. Like fire trapped in metal. Like fury given form. The horns curved out. Sharp. Threatening. Beautiful in a dangerous way.
"That's the Taurus Squad insignia." A cadet nearby spoke. Reverent. Impressed. "Must be their property."
The words hit different. The Taurus Squad. One of the twelve Constellation Squads. Elite. Legendary. They owned this. They sent this. For them.
Juli's grin returned. Different this time. Excited. Eager. This was real. This was happening. This was the big leagues.
The space bus descended lower. Closer. Details became clearer. Landing gear extended. Massive hydraulics. Support struts thick as trees.
The size became oppressive. Beautiful but overwhelming. It blocked the sky. Cast shadows across the entire port. Made everyone feel small. Insignificant. Ants before a giant.
Engines adjusted. Final approach. Precision landing protocols engaged.
The vessel settled. Gentle. Smooth. Professional piloting. No shake. No rough landing. Just perfect execution.
Steam hissed from cooling vents. Hydraulics groaned. The landing ramp began extending. Slowly. Dramatically. Like the mouth of a mechanical beast opening.
Light spilled from inside. Bright. Clean. Inviting.
A voice boomed from external speakers. Deep. Authoritative. "Welcome, cadets. Welcome to Phase Two. Board in an orderly fashion. Your future awaits."
Teams moved forward. Eager. Nervous. Ready.
Juli looked at his teammates. Kade grinned back. Fangs showing. Excitement clear.
Pamela nodded. Composed. Professional. Still slightly red but functional.
Team PKJ stepped forward. Together. As one.
The bull's glowing eyes seemed to watch them. Judge them. Challenge them.
Juli smiled at it. Thumbs up to the ship.
Because why not?