Lt. Solari Rath's Arc

Chapter 5 of 12

Solari held the energy sphere between her palms for six seconds before the heat forced her to release it. Six seconds was two seconds longer than yesterday, two seconds closer to control. The sphere pulsed once and settled back into its containment field above her workbench. She flexed her fingers and smiled. The burn on her gloves had faded to a dull orange instead of the bright red that used to appear after three seconds. Her wrist display chimed. Commander Vex wanted a demonstration at the settlement plaza. Three visiting officials needed to see proof that Astrion V's energy could be controlled, not just studied. Solari grabbed her black glove, the one she'd modified with focusing strips along the fingers. She'd been testing it for two weeks, learning how to channel small bursts through the conductive threads. Blue lightning danced across the surface as she pulled it on. The plaza would give her space to show what she'd mastered. She sealed her lab and headed for the main compound. The demonstration platform sat in the center of the settlement, surrounded by observation posts and safety barriers. Solari stepped up and raised her gloved hand. The officials watched from behind reinforced glass. She pulled energy from the nearest conduit and guided it through the focusing strips. Blue lightning arced between her fingers in tight, controlled patterns. No wild surges. No containment breaches. Just steady power flowing exactly where she directed it. The officials leaned forward. Commander Vex nodded once. She held the charge for ten seconds, then released it back into the ground. Her hand didn't shake. Her glove showed only minor heat marks. Back at her lab, Solari uploaded the demonstration footage to the interstellar transmission array. The device would broadcast her results to the research stations monitoring her progress. Six months ago, she could barely hold a spark for one second. Now she could channel sustained bursts in front of witnesses. The data showed measurable improvements in containment duration, heat resistance, and energy transfer accuracy. She activated the broadcast and watched the signal pulse outward into space. Outside her window, the new fountain glowed near the plaza steps. Its blue spires channeled energy upward in thin arcs, built to mark her first successful public demonstration. The lightning climbed and fell in steady loops, proof that Astrion V's power could be shaped, held, and released safely. She turned back to her workbench. Tomorrow she'd try for eight seconds.