Routine check

Lucian adjusted the cuffs of his black, high-collared coat as he stepped through the towering glass doors of the Galactic Corporation's headquarters.

The vast lobby was pristine, with holographic displays showcasing the corporation's achievements in several departments; interstellar trade, artificial intelligence, and automobiles.

A soft hum filled the air from the floating drones that monitored activity, scanning every entrant with an efficiency bordering on paranoia.

He had assumed the identity of Rishan Kael, a low-tier noble investigator assigned by an external regulatory agency. His fabricated credentials were flawless, backed by an encrypted data trail that even the Corporation's AI would find difficult to dispute.