The Republic Assigned Me to Her

Chapter 1 The Day the Twin Suns Divided

On the morning of their graduation, Rhea Calder promised Selene Voss that she would never allow a machine to decide the shape of her life.

They were standing on the forbidden eastern observatory of Meridian Academy, seven hundred floors above the silver capital of Caelus.

Below them, towers of white alloy pierced an artificial dawn. Transport vessels moved between the buildings like threads passing through a loom, silent and perfectly spaced. Nothing collided. Nothing arrived late. Nothing moved without authorization.

At the center of the capital stood the Heartspire.

It was taller than every government building surrounding it, its black surface reflecting neither sunlight nor city lights. Deep beneath its foundations rested the servers of the Measure—the intelligence that had governed the Republic for nearly a century.

The Measure selected the occupations citizens were best suited for.

It determined which district they should inhabit.

It calculated how many children they should have, which medical treatments were worth the expense, and when an elderly person's continued care was no longer considered beneficial to the Republic.

It also decided whom they should marry.

The government insisted that no citizen was technically forced to follow its recommendations.

Anyone could refuse.

They only had to pay the corresponding Divergence Debt.

For a minor career reassignment, the debt might require several years of salary. Refusing a residential transfer could cost an entire family its accumulated social credits.

Rejecting a marriage assignment was considerably more expensive.

Only the extremely wealthy could afford freedom.

Rhea rested her forearms against the transparent barrier surrounding the observatory. The wind lifted the short strands of her dark hair away from her forehead.

"Say it again," she demanded.

Selene stood beside her in Meridian Academy's formal black uniform. Every clasp was fastened. Every line of silver embroidery remained perfectly straight despite the wind.

Unlike Rhea, Selene had allowed her hair to grow past her shoulders. It was black beneath the morning shadows, though sunlight revealed a faint blue sheen in it.

She looked composed.

She always looked composed.

Only Rhea knew how tightly Selene held her hands behind her back whenever she was frightened.

"I am not repeating it."

"You promised."

"I agreed to accompany you to Vesper Reach."

"That sounds suspiciously like a promise."

"It was a provisional statement based on the information available at the time."

Rhea turned to stare at her.

Selene's expression did not change.

For three seconds, Rhea remained silent.

Then she laughed.

It escaped too loudly and echoed across the abandoned observatory. Selene glanced toward the locked access door, as though expecting an academy security drone to burst through it.