First Contact - Part 1

Before tonight, my Flux reading had moved exactly once in four years. At the worst possible moment. In front of people. I had spent every day since deciding whether that counted as evidence or a warning.

Opening my overlay was a nervous habit. It wasn't like it changed. It probably had that one time, but I'd not been watching it then.

[Flux: 12. Flagged. Reassess upon measurable engagement.]

Everything else was mediocre; average according to the experts.

Below average, according to the pretty people.

That isn't really fair. They didn't think they were pretty, just better. The jocks and brains of the school who walked around flashing their stats to anyone who asked.

Frame and Drive were what they cared about. Lattice was a good fallback if you weren't athletic. What good is Echo or Flux in school?

I closed the overlay.

Measurable engagement.

That line stuck with me.