Lorna stepped in front of the cowering cadets.
"Enough," she said, and her voice was low and steady enough that the cadets nearest to her fell silent almost at once. "Look at me, all of you."
They looked at her.
"This outpost was built for exactly this," Lorna said. "Everyone in this room has trained for this moment. They know what they're doing, and they will make the right decision. Your job right now is to stay calm, stay quiet, and stay out of their way. Panicking will not help anyone, and it will certainly not help you."
She held their gaze for a moment longer, looking from one face to the next, and slowly, the worst of the panic began to ease. The girl at the front was still pale, but her breathing had steadied, and the boy who had been muttering had gone quiet.
Ning stood among them and watched.
