The day had been long, stretching on as Sergeant Lyla led Aria through the vast and intricate campus. They had walked through several divisions, seen soldiers training, analysts working, and operators preparing for missions. Every corner of Base Orestis seemed to hold a new layer of complexity, and while Aria was beginning to understand the structure, she still felt overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all.

By the time they reached the Main Hall, Aria felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. She had been walking, observing, and trying to absorb the information all day. The noise of the bustling hall, the hum of conversations, and the clatter of boots on the floor felt distant. She just needed a moment to breathe.

Sergeant Lyla, ever the professional, noticed the fatigue in Aria’s posture. "You look beaten. Would you like to take a break? We can sit down for a while."

Aria was grateful for the offer. "That would be great," she said, sinking into one of the chairs at the long table.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.. Sergeant Lyla, however, seemed lost in thought. After a few moments, she turned to Aria, her expression thoughtful but guarded.

"I’ve been thinking," Lyla began, "Considering your Xenon energy is activated... it has to be the work of the O.D.S. There’s no other explanation."

Aria looked at her, uncertain where the conversation was headed.

Lyla’s gaze turned distant, and her voice took on a more thoughtful, almost contemplative tone, "But if it wasn’t the O.D.S. who activated your Xenon energy... then I have to wonder if certain Ground-Level Strongholds have found a way to tap into this energy on their own, outside of our control. If that’s the case, it could be a real problem."

Aria was completely confused. She had no idea what strongholds were.

Lyla noticed the confusion on her face, "Ground-Level Strongholds," Lyla muttered to herself, then turned to Aria. "You see, they are these heavily fortified cities and outposts scattered across the Earth’s surface. Some of them are independent, making them difficult to monitor. If they found a way to activate Xenon energy, it would give them an enormous advantage. And we have no idea how they might be using it, or what they might be capable of."

Aria sat still, truly lost. “And… what about it?”

Lyla paused for a moment, “Oh well, the implications of external forces gaining control over Xenon energy are unsettling, to say the least… But it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. We don’t know anything for sure yet."

She turned back to Aria, who was trying to make sense of what kind of potential danger Lyla had just outlined. 

"Nothing comes to my mind," Aria finally said, her voice tinged with frustration at her own inability to recall anything.“I don’t remember much from before. Just fragments, and I can’t even make sense of them. But… I do feel something. Like this place is familiar, somehow, but just out of reach.”

"Well, that’s something," Lyla said with a small, reassuring smile. "Your familiarity with the place confirms the O.D.S must be involved. The rest… We’ll have to wait and see."

She gave Aria a gentle pat on the back, the gesture comforting in its simplicity.

The doors to the main hall opened with a sudden force. A group of Operators entered the room, their presence commanding immediate attention. The hall seemed to fall into a hush as all eyes turned toward them.

One of them stepped forward, a tall man with a serious expression, and made his way to the main desk. 

Sergeant Lyla stood up immediately, her demeanor shifting into something more authoritative. The easygoing kindness she had shown Aria earlier was gone, replaced by a strict professionalism.

"Wait here," Lyla commanded.

Aria nodded, watching as Lyla moved swiftly toward the man.

The man, spotting her, immediately saluted her, followed by the rest of his group, before he spoke.

"Sergeant, we need to talk to a superior. It’s about Wilst. Jayce Wilst,  A-08."

Aria didn’t recognize the name, but Lyla’s expression shifted slightly, her brow furrowing as she acknowledged the operator’s words.

"What’s the issue?" Lyla asked,

The man spoke with authority, but there was an underlying frustration in his voice. "Wilst has, yet again, almost jeopardized our mission because of his attitude. We can’t work with him any longer. His constant insubordination and inability to communicate with his team are endangering everyone. We need a transfer of analyst immediately."

Lyla’s expression remained neutral, but Aria could see the hint of a sigh that escaped from the sergeant's lips. She was used to this kind of commotion, it seemed.

"I see," Lyla said coolly. "Calm down. I will take care of the matter."

The operator seemed to relax slightly, but the tension in the room still lingered. "I want to make it clear," he continued, "We barely made it out of there alive. We won’t go on another mission under his monitoring."

Lyla simply nodded.

The operator saluted once more, his group following suit before they turned to leave. Aria, who had been listening closely, took in the situation with growing understanding. The analyst, Wilst, was clearly a problem. And the need for proper communication between team members and their superiors was paramount. 

She could see that already.

Sergeant Lyla returned to Aria’s side. "Don’t worry about it," Lyla said, offering a slight smile. "It’s part of the job. Some things we can control, others… we can’t."

Aria didn’t know how to respond. The day had already been filled with so much information, and now, this new issue added another layer to the complexities of life at Base Orestis.

As the day finally began to wind down, Lyla motioned toward the door. "Let’s get you some rest," she said softly. "We’ll sort out the rest tomorrow."

As Aria and Sergeant Lyla made their way out of the main hall, Aria couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Her eyes instinctively scanned the room and she met the gaze of an operator standing across the hall. His deep blue eyes locked onto hers, assessing her intently. She felt a sudden unease crawl up her spine, but before she could linger on it any longer, Lyla’s voice cut through the air.

"Aria," Lyla called, her tone firm but not unkind.

Breaking the stare, Aria quickly moved to Lyla’s side, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. The operator, Cove, let out a quiet sigh as he watched her. He’d been observing the entire scene, his curiosity piqued. “Sergeant is truly cruel,” he thought to himself, frustrated by the lack of clarity about Aria's situation. “Why leave me in the dark like this?” 

He couldn't help but wonder about Aria's strength in that fight earlier, how she’d taken on the Aberrant with such surprising ferocity. Something about her didn't add up, and it bothered him. But he brushed the thought aside, deciding it wasn’t a big deal. Maybe it was just a fluke.

As they exited the hall, Lyla gave her a nod, signaling that she was free to rest. “Take a break. You’ve had enough for today.”

Aria was thankful for the opportunity to finally rest. After the tour and the constant influx of information, she felt drained. The overwhelming newness of it all left her exhausted. "Thank you," Aria muttered under her breath as she made her way toward one of the rooms assigned to her.

As she lay on her bed, the silence around her felt suffocating. A strange unease continued to gnaw at her. Something about the place, the people, even the air itself felt vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. 

What am I forgetting? she thought, a sense of dread creeping up her spine.

She glanced at her hand, noticing that strange sensation again. The tickling feeling, growing more insistent until it felt almost like an itch. She rubbed at her palm, as if trying to soothe the strange sensation, but it only intensified. She wasn’t sure if it was tied to her Xenon energy or something else entirely, but it was maddening.

“I thought I was healing,” she thought bitterly. “But maybe I’m just fooling myself.” She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the stillness to settle around her. 

In the darkness behind her eyelids, the horrifying image of that Aberrant reappeared. She could still feel the cold, malevolent presence of it. “Right... I need to ask Lyla about those Aberrants.”

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to her room opened, and a voice spoke.

“Aria?” It was the analyst, the same one who had been monitoring her progress since her arrival. “Your energy levels are low. I came to check on you.”

Aria nodded, pushing herself up from the bed. “Yeah, sure,” she said, still feeling uneasy about being treated like some kind of experiment.

The analyst explained, “Your necklace’s energy tracker is showing a dip. We need to check if it’s malfunctioning or if there’s any lingering damage from the electrocution you suffered. The main analyst who’s been working with you, Mr. Wilst, has asked to see you. I’ll take you to him now. He wanted to check your condition earlier, but he was called away on a mission.”

Aria’s stomach tightened at the mention of Wilst’s name. “Wilst?” 

It wasn’t just his name that unsettled her, but the fact that he had been the one to take charge of her case. She remembered his reputation, the man known for his sharpness and his… difficult personality.

The analyst didn’t seem to notice Aria’s apprehension. “Yes, Mr. Wilst. Come on, let’s get moving.”