The message came at first light.
Directive 72C - Civilian Influence Review. Group categories: Education, Art, Culture. Flag unusual behavioral trends for system alignment recalibration.
Sawl stood over the console in the auxiliary wing, data stream pouring across the screen like rain on glass. The command was veiled in neutrality, but the intention was clear: eliminate risk before it inspired thought.
His fingers moved with precision through the interface, filtering regions and categories, sifting names and histories. Most flagged entries were minor, noise in the system.
Then one face appeared.
Match: Facial recognition- Subject previously encountered.
System Tag: Ellai Voss.
Age: 67. Former muralist. Retired educator. Current location: Southern District Community Hub 9.
He paused.
It was her.
The woman from the courtyard. The one who had hummed the melody that echoed his dream. The system had captured her image, processed it, labeled her.
Influence Rating: Moderate. Non-compliant tonal practices recorded. Emotional upliftment observed. Recommendation: Reassessment.
Sawl stared at the words. Non-compliant tonal practices.
He opened the visual log. A static clip of her humming. The child swaying beside her. The warmth of that moment now reduced to threat code.
He exhaled slowly.
Then he scrolled to the system control panel and began to type.
Adjustment: Status downgraded. Cultural influence: dormant. Emotional resonance: within parameters.
He saved it.
The log blinked once. Then closed.
Ten minutes later, the door opened.
"Commander."
Sawl turned.
Officer Ryel.
Perfect as ever. Her steps silent, her posture sharp. She walked in without urgency, but her presence pressed against the room.
"I was nearby and thought I'd observe your compliance review," she said, voice even.
Sawl gestured to the console. "Just a routine scan."
She approached slowly, her eyes flicking across the terminal. "You've always been one of our most efficient."
He nodded. "Efficiency keeps the system clean."
"And yet…" She touched the edge of the console, fingers trailing lightly. "There's something in the air lately, isn't there? A shift."
Sawl's jaw tensed. "Earth is full of variables."
Ryel studied him. "True. But so was Novaheim… before we filtered them out."
She let the words hang before turning toward the door. "Keep up the good work, Commander. We trust you."
She exited.
The room felt colder.
He sat back down. His hand hovered over the console.
A soft chime sounded.
System Alert:
Log Entry 8142—Adjusted Status Flagged for Secondary Review.
No action required at this time.
His heart beat faster.
They'd noticed.
Not enough to call him out.
But enough to mark him.
He closed the terminal and stared at his reflection in the black screen.
He wasn't behind.
He was being positioned.
The silence had changed. It wasn't watching.
It was waiting.