Paul trailed behind his mother, frustration simmering. Another day of relentless training, another drill until his muscles ached. “Mother, this can’t be necessary,” he said, feeling the weight of his exhaustion.

Lady Jessica glanced back, her expression unreadable. “Come with me.”

They arrived on a distant, harsh planet, the chill biting at his skin. Inside a vast, sterile facility, Paul’s eyes widened. Rows of young people, barely older than children, moved in complete sync, their faces blank, eyes hollow. They performed combat routines with cold, ruthless precision, each step drilled into them with brutal exactness.

“They’ve trained since they could walk,” Lady Jessica said softly, yet there was a hard edge to her voice. “Forced through unimaginable conditioning. They’ve had choice beaten out of them.”

Paul’s stomach turned as he watched a boy stumble, his face pale and bruised. A guard’s hand came down sharply, and the boy flinched, quickly resuming his motions. The others barely blinked, moving as one, their faces drained of life.

“These aren’t soldiers,” Paul murmured, horrified. “They’re prisoners.”

Jessica’s gaze softened. “You think I push you too hard, Paul. But your training is for strength and choice. These people have no freedom left.” She paused, her voice unwavering. “Remember that.”