Vesha, looking at the aquarium, recognized most of them. They were species Humans had collected from the Beyond over the past few days—creatures she had seen in rivers, hidden lakes, or deep underground caverns.
Mixed among them, however, were several unfamiliar fish with strange shapes and colors, clearly the ones brought from Earth. They moved differently, their patterns standing out against the familiar bodies around them.
To one side of the hall, an entire section was dedicated to greenery.
It had been arranged like a small, carefully managed forest, with soft soil, layered plants, and small trees growing beneath the ceiling lights. Familiar leaves and flowers from the Beyond shared the space with Earth plants, their colors and shapes blending together.
She could smell the damp, faint smell of soil and leaves, like the smell of a forest right after it rains, but it was more controlled and clean.
