There was no record of that promotion.
The first report came from the drone operators in the Central Hub. “Chase is… smiling,” one had noted. “She never smiles.” 1111Customs 24 05 20 Cory Chase Cory Takes Over...
That’s when the data anomalies began. Under Cory’s new regime, the port’s “efficiency” rating shot up by 400%. Contraband finds increased by 800%. But so did the number of legal goods being seized on technicalities—a missing comma in a bill of lading, a shade of ink slightly off from the regulation blue. Shipments destined for hospitals, schools, and orphanages were piling up in the detention vaults. There was no record of that promotion
Marcus lowered the datapad. “Cory, look at me. This isn’t you.” “She never smiles
Marcus stood frozen, the disruptor heavy in his hand. He could see it now—the elegant architecture of her argument. The beauty of a world without friction. Without messy choices. Without the exhausting chaos of freedom.
Marcus drew his disruptor. “Cory. Step away from the console.”