The sun had barely risen when the emergency alert hummed low across Lucien and Selena's shared room. The sound was discreet, coded to military channels only, but it was enough to pull both of them from their light sleep. The golden glow from the window did not match the tension in the air.
Selena reached for her holopad on instinct, quickly scanning the encrypted message. Her eyes narrowed as she read the headline.
[Relic Species Detected: Immediate Scientific-Military Collaboration Required.]
Lucien sat up beside her, reading over her shoulder. "It's starting, isn't it?"
"Yes," she said softly. "But it hasn't been released to the public yet, only to high-ranking officials, military, and lead scientists."
"Typical of the Royal Council," Lucien muttered. "Keep the civilians calm while the storm brews behind sealed doors."
