Nao Upseedage — 13 -

Nao woke to the hum of the station like a distant tide. The ceiling lights above berth C flickered through the translucent curtain of her bunk, painting faint blue stripes across her closed eyes. She sat up, knees cold against the polymer mat, and reached for the band on her wrist — a thin strip of brushed glass that pulsed a soft teal when it read her vitals. Routine, it said. Oxygen stable. Heart rate nominal. Sleep debt: three hours and forty-two minutes.

“Will it change anything?” Miri asked. Her voice sounded like someone asking whether a soft rain could uproot a machine. Nao Upseedage 13 -

For example, are you referring to a specific software version, a classroom level, or a technical error message? Nao woke to the hum of the station like a distant tide

“I have finished the seeding. Version 13 is the final harvest. Do not follow.” Routine, it said