The hum of ventilation systems filled the corridor as Elias made his way back to his quarters. His nerves still buzzed from the confrontation with Commander Holt. Every word replayed in his head like an echo chamber—"If you're lying, I'll end you myself."
He'd faced worse threats in the Rift War, monsters with claws like scythes and eyes burning with alien malice. But somehow, Holt's words had unsettled him more than those beasts ever had.
Humans, Elias reminded himself, were always the most dangerous. Especially the ones who didn't believe.
The door to his assigned quarters slid open with a pneumatic hiss. He stepped inside the spartan room—metal bunk, narrow desk, storage locker. No windows. No warmth. Just containment.
He sat heavily on the bunk, pressing his palms into his eyes. The Core's pulse throbbed faintly in his chest, a reminder that he couldn't stop now. Time wasn't on his side.
They still don't believe me. Holt doesn't trust me. The scientists think I'm unstable. How do I make them listen before it's too late?
The door chimed.
Elias looked up, startled. Visitors weren't common.
"Come in," he said cautiously.
The door slid open, and Dr. Lyra Veyna stepped inside.
She wasn't dressed in her usual pristine lab coat. Instead, she wore a simple gray jumpsuit, her long dark hair tied back in a functional braid. A datapad rested under her arm, but her eyes—sharp, calculating—were what struck Elias most.
"Engineer Kael," she said. Her voice was steady, but there was an edge of hesitation.
"Doctor Veyna," Elias replied, standing. He tried not to sound too surprised. "To what do I owe the visit? More lectures about protocol?"
Lyra arched an eyebrow. "You don't waste time with pleasantries, do you?"
"Time is short," Elias muttered before he could stop himself.
She studied him for a beat, then stepped inside, letting the door close behind her. The quiet of the room suddenly felt heavier.
"I wanted to ask you something," Lyra said, moving closer to the desk. "Something… off the record."
Elias stiffened. "Off the record? That's dangerous talk around here."
"I know," she said softly. She set her datapad on the desk, but didn't activate it. Instead, she looked directly at him. "What you did in the reactor chamber—how did you really know?"
The question hung in the air like a suspended blade.
Elias's pulse quickened. This is it. The first crack in their wall of disbelief.
He forced himself to keep his tone even. "I told you. I read the data. The patterns didn't add up."
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "That's the official explanation. But I've been studying systems diagnostics for years. I looked at the raw telemetry myself, after the shutdown. The irregularities were subtle, yes—but not obvious enough to predict the exact fault point. Not in seconds. Not unless…"
She trailed off, searching his face.
"Unless you already knew where to look."
Elias's breath caught. She was too sharp. Too close to the truth.
He turned away, pacing to buy time. "What are you suggesting? That I staged a fault in one of the most secure systems on Earth? Or that I'm some kind of prophet?"
Her voice hardened. "Don't play games with me. You may have convinced the engineers it was intuition, and Holt may tolerate you for now, but I know there's more to it."
Elias turned back to her. Lyra stood with arms crossed, chin lifted, fire in her eyes. Not angry—determined.
In another life, in the future that had been erased, Elias remembered Lyra differently. Exhausted, hardened by years of war, her once-pristine lab coat stained by smoke and blood. She'd been one of the last scientists alive, clinging to hope while humanity's cities burned.
And now… here she was, alive and whole. Suspicious, but willing to confront him.
Something in Elias softened.
"You're right," he admitted quietly.
Lyra blinked, her arms lowering slightly. "I am?"
"I didn't guess," Elias said, voice low. "I knew. Not because of sabotage. Not because I'm clairvoyant. But because…" He stopped. The words caught in his throat. If I tell her everything, will she believe me? Or will she think I'm delusional, just like before?
Lyra waited, silent, her gaze steady.
Elias clenched his fists. He couldn't tell her everything. Not yet. But maybe—just enough.
"Because I've seen what happens when people ignore the signs," he said finally. "I've seen systems fail. Cities burn. People die. And I won't let it happen again."
Her brow furrowed. "Again?"
Elias froze. Too much. That was too much.
But Lyra didn't press immediately. She studied him, weighing his words like data points.
"You sound like a man carrying ghosts," she said softly.
He swallowed hard. "Maybe I am."
Silence stretched between them. Not hostile. Not yet. Just heavy with things unsaid.
Finally, Lyra sighed, picking up her datapad. "I don't know what you're hiding, Elias Kael. But I believe this much: you're not lying about wanting to prevent disaster. And that means…" She glanced at the door, lowering her voice. "…that means we're on the same side. For now."
Hope flickered in Elias's chest, small but real.
As she reached the door, she paused, looking back at him.
"One more thing," she said. "Be careful with Holt. He doesn't trust anomalies, and you're the biggest anomaly he's seen in years. If you want to survive here, make sure you give him results. Tangible ones."
The door slid open. Lyra stepped out, leaving Elias alone again.
The Core pulsed inside him, stronger now, like it had sensed the shift.
For the first time since waking in this rewritten timeline, Elias didn't feel completely alone. Someone was watching. Questioning. Maybe even believing, just a little.
And that was dangerous.
Because the more people got close, the more he risked dragging them into the storm that was coming.
But still… a spark of hope remained.
Lyra Veyna wasn't just curious. She was smart enough to see through lies. And if he could convince her, maybe—just maybe—humanity's future had a chance.
Elias gains his first cautious ally. Lyra doesn't fully trust him yet, but her curiosity opens the door for a partnership that will grow across the volumes.