Enrollment

Emma felt a chill run through her. It was the first time anyone at the Ministry had acknowledged knowing specific details about Lily's assignment. It wasn't the answer to all her questions, but after six months, it was something.

"What's the Defense Special Division?" Emma said, now hopeful that maybe the Captain could give her some information. Lily had never mentioned anything about being a part of any special team, why had she not mentioned that? After all these months of hitting dead ends, she realized at least now she was in a ministry office, sitting across from a Captain. Someone who had access to some real information about her sister.

Reed didn't respond and continued looking at the screen.

"Where was their last mission deployed too?" Emma asked.

"Classified." Reed's voice was carefully neutral now.

Emma rolled her eyes, exacerbated again. She felt this was leading back to the endless non-answers she had previously received.

"Is she alive?" Emma asked, "Can you at least confirm that?"

Reed didn't answer, instead pressing a button on her desk. "Send in Specialist Stillon."

Emma's frustration mounted. "Captain Reed, please-"

"MIA," Reed cut her off. "Just like it says here," she said, gesturing to the computer screen.

Emma hung her head defeated. She new Reed was lying, and that for whatever reason she couldn't or wouldn't tell her anything about her sister. Frustrated, Emma abruptly stood up.

"Thank you, I'll take my leave now," and headed towards the door.

Just then the door opened and a man wearing a Defense uniform, lower rank then the Captain with a tag that read "Stillon" walked in.

"Ms. Wylde," Reed said, leaning forward, "I am not sure you understand the seriousness of this situation." She started, leaning slightly more forward and clasping her hands together on her desk.

"Unfortunately, there will be no going home tonight. As observed today you've demonstrated remarkable ability for someone who claims to awakened just a month ago. That business with the rampager..." She paused. "Unusual."

Emma felt her stomach drop. "Nothing happened," she lied. The gravity of her situation dawning on her.

"That was what was observed and reported." Reed's eyes narrowed. "There were several high classed mages and conduits there who corroborated this observation."

Emma opened her mouth to protest but before she got a word in Reed continued. "What exactly were you trying to do with him?" She asked.

"Nothing," Emma said firmly. "I wasn't trying to do anything, because nothing happened."

The truth was, she didn't know exactly. It was instinctual. She felt his energy and the energy felt wrong, corrupted. She felt at the time that perhaps she could fix it, but she still didn't fully understand what that meant.

"Nothing," Reed repeated, skepticism clear in her voice.

Reed raised her eyebrow. "So nothing unusual?"

Emma briefly remembered, that in addition to all of the oddities of that day, she suddenly recalled that voice she had heard, had that been a mage somehow? She didn't feel comfortable asking the Captain.

"Nothing." Emma replied. 

Reed corrected her posture in her chair. Emma felt that her eyes were piercing her deeper, trying to read her. 

"Regardless," Reed started.

"As of today, you will be enrolled and processed for assessment." Reed stated matter-of-factually. Gesturing to Specialist Stillon who was still standing at the door, observing in silence.

"Stillon will take you to the enrollment center."

"Wait, just hold on-" Emma started but Reed interrupted her.

"Ms. Wylde, regardless of what happened today at the plaza. You are still an awakened conduit and assessment is mandatory." The Captain was now occupied with arranging papers on her desk, casually organizing as if she were not saying words that would change Emma's life.

"And if your profile is deemed appropriate," Reed continued. "You may be drafted." Reed said without looking at Emma, her eyes now back at the computer as she began to type away aimlessly.

"You know this already, please don't act surprised. And don't make a fool of yourself," She turned to Stillon and gestured to the door.

Emma had no words. Reed was right, as an awakened conduit she had to enroll at the Ministry of Defense, go through assessment and then determine her fate. Did Reed understand the implication of what she was explaining to Emma? How could she so casually type at her computer without an acknowledgement of how Emma's life could be so drastically changing? Unlike Lily, who immediately enlisted ahead of assessment, Emma did not want to enlist. But the chances of conduits not enlisting were basically slim to none. Occasionally, people awakened sporadically, having flashes of power only to lose them again, and of course there were those who lied just to try to enlist. Assessment usually weeded them out.

She racked her brain on how she could get out of this but came up with nothing. Specialist Stillon with slightly sympathetic eyes motioned to the door.

"Lets go Ms. Wylde," he stated.

"And if I don't?" Emma asked, desperate.

Reed looked up, her eyes hard as steel. "Then I'll have you arrested for violation of colony Codes. Your choice, Ms Wylde. But either way, you're coming in."

Emma hesitated, wanting to continue to protest but the finality in Reed's tone made it clear the conversation was over. With a last frustrated look at the Captain, who had already returned her attention to her computer, Emma followed Stillon out of the office.