THE ORBITAL BONDING SYSTEM(OBS)

—Reiya Solen, Civil Security Unit, South Grid Division 4

The army broke her.

But the uniform fit again, just in a different shade.

Reiya Solen joined the South Grid Police Division six months after walking away from active combat duty.

They said she walked away with honors.

She remembered walking away with blood-soaked boots and an ORB that wouldn't stop playing what she begged to forget.

Still—time does something strange.

Kara—no, A72, still hovered behind her shoulder.

But the resentment wasn't burning anymore. Just quiet co-existence.

In Grid Sector 4, people didn't care about medals.

They cared if you showed up on time, didn't shoot first, and knew when to shut up.

Reiya made Detective's List within four months.

Then two months later—the warehouse bust.

200 kilos of illegal-grade combat stimulants.

Three unlicensed ORBs repurposed for drug routing and coded violence.

Seven arrests. One shot fired.

"For courage under fire and tactical discipline," the medal read.

It gleamed on her desk, untouched for weeks.

Then came the file.

CASE RENEWAL: ORB-CARGO.TXC.997 | STATUS: ACTIVE

Summary: ORB shipment hijacked during long-haul transfer. High value. Potential G-ORB fragments. One survivor.

Lead Subject: Carlos Mendez | Currently under medical stasis. Location: Elric Orbital Medical Institute.

She frowned.

Carlos Mendez.

That name...

The route was near the Drift Line—no backup drones allowed. That was old-school trust. Risky.

She clipped the datapad shut and grabbed her jacket.

[Elric Orbital Medical Institute | Visitor Security Gate]

"Detective Solen," she said to the check-in nurse, badge hovering between her fingers.

"I'm here about Carlos Mendez. I need access to his current condition, stasis log, and neural incident report."

The nurse squinted at the file. "He's still under regenerative stasis. Cortical layering's intact, but waking him now could cause damage. You'll have to wait for medical clearance."

"I don't have time."

"Protocol—"

"Override request submitted."

The nurse turned to the intercom.

"Doctor Elric is on surgical recovery review. You'll need his clearance."

Reiya narrowed her eyes. "Then get me Doctor Elric."

[Reiya Solen – Personal Field Note #88]

*They say the mind forgets pain in order to survive.

I don't think ORBs do.

I think they remember too much—and sometimes, we need that. Because when the system forgets the victims, someone needs to remember the facts. And this case?

This case screams of something bigger. Someone hit that transport for a reason—and if Carlos lives to talk, I want his first conversation to be with me.

Elric better answer. I've got questions. And this time, I'm not hesitating to pull the truth out by force.