Jupiter Habitat Ring 3
Book 1 of The Allocation Protocol
Patterns. Lines. Details that don't change.
On Jupiter Habitat Ring Three, that kind of attention is a strength-especially with Allocation approaching. In just weeks, Mara and her classmates will be assigned their permanent roles, determining how they will contribute to the survival of the station.
But during a routine lesson, Mara notices something she can't ignore.
The stars haven't moved.
At first, it seems like a simple mistake. A repeated projection. A harmless glitch in a system too large to be perfect.
Then the inconsistencies begin to grow.
A corridor that should lead somewhere... doesn't.
Station records that should explain the past... contradict themselves.
A storm on Jupiter forms the exact same way twice.
When Mara shares what she's found, she isn't alone for long. Jalen Ortiz, with his access to maintenance corridors, begins uncovering structural flaws that shouldn't exist. Keiko Tan, working in the archives, discovers gaps in the station's history that no one can explain.
Individually, each detail can be dismissed.
Together, they form a pattern.
And patterns are harder to ignore.
As Allocation draws closer, the pressure to conform increases. Questions are discouraged. Curiosity is redirected. The system insists everything is functioning exactly as it should.
But the more Mara and her friends look, the clearer it becomes:
Something about Jupiter Station doesn't add up.
And if the system is built on perfect stability...
Why does it feel like it's starting to crack?