Alien Instructor Tells Human Girl to Be Gentle INSTANTLY REGRETS IT

At the center stood a single human girl, cadet Lena Voss, no visible augmentations, no powered armor, just a standard training suit, and a calm expression across from her, a combat automaton, seven meters tall, reinforced alloy plating designed to simulate apex predators from high gravity war zones. Cadet instructor Threx said sharply, his mandibles clicking, this is a controlled test, Lena nodded once, your objective is simple, Threx continued, disabled the unit without excessive force, a pause, be gentle, laughed her echoed through the stands, a death-worlder, gentle, one observer scoffed, Lena didn't react she just stepped forward, begin, Threx commanded. The automaton moved first, fast, far faster than anything its size should allow, the ground shattered as it lunged, massive arms swinging, enough force to crush a transport hull, gasps erupted, but Lena didn't move until the eye, last possible moment, she shifted, barely an inch, the strike missed, the shock wave alone blasted debris across the arena. Someone shouted, the automaton recalibrated, attacked again, faster, more precise, Lena stepped in, not away, inside its reach, her hand snapped up, grabbing the machine's wrist, mid-swing, metal screamed, not from impact, from pressure, impossible. The automaton roared, systems overriding safety limits, power surging, it swung with, both arms, a killing strike, Lena didn't dodge, she caught it, both hands, stopping the blow mid-air.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/little-scifi-stories-on-the-go--7033804/support.