The forty-five minutes passed in a blur of equipment checks and hurried preparations. Team Seven gathered their gear with the efficiency born of intensive training, but Noah could feel the nervous energy crackling between them. This wasn't simulation anymore.
Bay 7 hummed with activity as they arrived, their combat suits sealed and weapons charged. Other teams moved with similar urgency, but Team Seven had been singled out for a private briefing room adjacent to the main bay.
Lieutenant Beaumont stood at the head of a tactical display table, her expression more serious than they'd ever seen it. Behind her, holographic displays showed star charts and planetary data.
"Sit down," she said without preamble. "What I'm about to tell you is classified Yellow clearance, which means it doesn't leave this room."
The team took their seats, the weight of real military operations settling over them like a heavy cloak.
