Jade held the cube delicately between her fingers and admitted the truth. "The director wanted me to eat it. I tried, and my body rejected the idea before my brain could pretend it was fine.
I threw it up."
Gojaro, visibly taken aback by her admission, responded with a hint of surprise, "You refused to do what the Director told you?"
Jade paused before clarifying, "Well, no, I tried but failed. However, I was able to secure lab space to test on it. I wonder if its DNA is the same... if it even has DNA.
But I will run some tests to see if I can learn more about the cube and these creatures."
Gojaro’s expression softened, understanding the predicament. "Sure, you’re kinda on your own here to work out and do what you need to do before you are summoned for your next mission.
By the way, just don’t go anywhere proclaiming who you are, as they went through a lot of trouble to stage your death."
Jade nodded. "Of course, I will be sticking close around here anyways, and if I do go out, I’ll just wear a mask or a nice hood." Understanding the need for discretion, she readily agreed to the precautionary measures.
The thought of walking through normal streets again felt strange now.
She had been declared dead, stabbed awake, and sent through a monster’s doorway in what felt like a single week.
Gojaro, acknowledging her understanding, added his own perspective on the situation. "Well, I have my own training to see to. Though I hope to hear good things from you.
I’m sure things will only get crazier from here," he said with a hint of resignation, understanding the unpredictable nature of their circumstances.
With that, Gojaro departed, leaving Jade alone with her thoughts and the cube in her hand. She mused over the limited time she had to study the mysterious object. "The King of Nothing did mention a certain amount of time, but time also moves differently there.
I’m pretty sure because you’ve shown no signs of degrading yet," she thought, considering the peculiar nature of the cube and the realm it came from.
The cube’s single eye stared back at her, emotionless and unyielding. Jade, somewhat amused and frustrated by the interaction, sighed, "Why do I even try to talk to such a disgusting creature?" before slipping it back into her pocket.
Considering her next steps, Jade thought about checking in with Rosa to see how her training was going. She also pondered the change in Gojaro’s stance, from insisting on lockdown to allowing her more freedom.
"I suppose I can go meet up with Rosa and see how her training’s going, though I do wonder why Master Gojaro went from I need to be on lockdown to now I can roam freely."
Oh well, I can try to ask him another time," Jade murmured to herself, pivoting on her heel to leave the room. As she crossed the threshold, Victoria materialized from the shadows of the corridor, almost as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.
"I wanted to catch you before you went off doing whatever it is you’re doing," Victoria began, her voice carrying an authoritative yet not unkind tone. "I will have a key card for you tonight for the lab you will be taking over.
Please ensure you grab it and do an inspection of the lab you are given. Let me know if you need anything else."
Jade offered a slight smile, a gesture of gratitude and respect mingled into one. "Of course, thank you, Victoria," she replied, inclining her head in a slight bow that spoke volumes of her upbringing and the protocols she adhered to.
With a nod from Victoria, Jade turned and resumed her journey, her steps echoing softly against the stark, utilitarian walls of the corridor.
The walk to the training area took a solid ten minutes, reminding Jade again how huge the facility really was.
The corridors were a maze of turns and junctions, each leading to different sectors dedicated to the myriad of activities and research carried out within the complex.
Jade navigated these with a sense of purpose, her mind already turning over the details of her new assignment and the lab she would soon oversee.
When Jade reached the training area, she spotted Rosa right away.
Sweat soaked through Rosa’s clothes, but she kept moving like stopping would annoy her.
She was taking a moment to herself, sipping from a bottle of tea water that Jade recognized as Gojaro’s gift after a particularly grueling training cycle.
As Jade approached, Rosa’s eyes lit up and she called across the training area. "Hey!! How did the review go with the Director?!" Genuine concern rode under the bright greeting.
Jade, unable to suppress her smile at Rosa’s enthusiastic greeting, responded with a casual, "It went okay, I guess." However, the simplicity of her initial reply belied the depth of her experience, and she quickly delved into a detailed account of her encounter with the Director and her unprecedented journey to the other side of the portal.
Her narrative was rich with descriptions of the alien landscapes, the challenges she faced, and the profound implications of her visit.
Rosa, visibly moved and shocked by Jade’s revelations, responded with a warmth only true friendship can foster. She embraced Jade tightly, a gesture of support and admiration. "I don’t know what I would have done if that was me.
I don’t think anyone has ever survived going to the other side besides the director." Her words underscored the gravity of Jade’s experience and the uniqueness of her survival.
Jade, always one to look for solutions, pondered aloud with a thoughtful finger under her chin, "Well, why do so few people try more?
You know, take the fight to them?" The question came from frustration as much as strategy. Waiting for portals to open felt wrong after everything she had seen.
Rosa answered with tired realism. "That works poorly when they have the advantage over us in more ways than one." She spoke like someone repeating a lesson paid for in scars.