The medical bay door slams shut behind us with that satisfying bang that says "private conversation incoming." I'm still holding Natalia against my chest, feeling her heartbeat against my ribs, when Professor Hanae clears her throat like she's announcing the apocalypse.
"We have a problem."
I turn my head just enough to see her standing there with that clipboard that never leaves her hand, looking like she'd rather be grading papers than dealing with whatever bureaucratic nightmare the tournament organizers just dumped in her lap.
"Let me guess," I say, not releasing Natalia from my death grip. "The VHC didn't plan for a three-way tie in the semifinals."
"Correct. The bracket system assumes clean eliminations. We now have three teams advancing to finals when the format only accommodates two."
Skylar snorts from her corner. "Shocking that the people who charge fifty thousand credits for admission didn't think this through."
