The corridor outside Elias's cabin hummed with activity. Crew members in uniforms similar to his own moved with purpose between stations, their conversations focused on technical matters he only partially understood. He stepped into this flow carefully, adopting the purposeful stride of someone who belonged while observing everything around him.
The Heraclea was larger than he'd anticipated. The corridor extended in both directions with numbered doors marking other quarters. Directional signs indicated various ship sections—research laboratories forward, common areas amidships, engineering aft. Everything was designed for efficiency rather than comfort, the metal walls unadorned except for essential information and safety notices.
Elias followed the signs toward Lab Three, where the briefing would take place. Each step took him deeper into the historical scenario, into humanity's first encounter with what would eventually be recognized as corruption. The knowledge felt heavy—he alone understood the catastrophe that awaited this vessel and its crew.
As he rounded a corner, he almost ran into a tall, stern-looking man in a security uniform. The man steadied him with a firm grip, his posture and bearing unmistakable despite the different clothing and context.
Keldric. The former Sentinel captain who had captured him in Valtaros, now integrated into this historical setting like Elias himself.
Their eyes met briefly, mutual recognition flashing before both carefully reassumed their assigned roles.
"Watch yourself, researcher," Keldric said formally, his tone neither friendly nor hostile. "The captain expects punctuality at the briefing."
"Of course, Officer," Elias replied with appropriate deference. "Lab Three, correct?"
Keldric nodded once, his gaze sweeping the corridor before returning to Elias. "Strange readings from the deep samples. Everyone's on edge." He lowered his voice slightly. "Find the others. Maintain cover."
Before Elias could respond, another security officer approached, and Keldric moved on with a professional nod. The brief exchange confirmed what Elias had hoped—other chosen ones were indeed aboard, and at least Keldric had maintained awareness of their true situation.
He continued toward the briefing, passing through increasingly busy sections of the ship. Researchers huddled around monitoring stations, their expressions animated as they discussed findings in specialized terminology. Technical staff performed maintenance on equipment Elias couldn't identify. The normalcy of the scene made it difficult to remember that none of these people were real—or at least, not real in the way he understood reality.
The ship's design impressed him despite his attempts to remain detached. The technology was seamlessly integrated—communication systems built into walls, environmental controls that adjusted automatically to occupancy levels, lighting that mimicked natural daylight despite being deep within the vessel's interior. All of it slightly beyond Valtaros's current capabilities, representing the peak of human achievement before the Fall.
As Elias approached a junction where multiple corridors met, the ship's intercom system activated.
"All research personnel report to Laboratory Three immediately. Repeat: all research personnel to Lab Three for priority briefing."
The announcement increased activity around him, with more researchers emerging from various rooms and converging toward the same destination. Elias fell in with this flow, studying those around him for any sign of recognition—a flicker of awareness in the eyes, a momentary hesitation that might betray another chosen one similarly disoriented.
Most showed only the focused professionalism of people dedicated to their work, unaware they were actors in a drama created for the education of twelve interlopers from another time. But as the crowd navigated a particularly narrow section, Elias noticed a woman whose movements seemed too deliberate, her observation of others too methodical to be casual interest.
Their eyes met momentarily across the heads of those between them. Something in her gaze—a measured assessment rather than the distracted focus of the researchers—suggested she might be another chosen one. Before he could maneuver closer, the crowd shifted, carrying them in different directions as they approached Lab Three.
The laboratory itself occupied a significant portion of the forward deck—a large space filled with equipment that represented the cutting edge of oceanic research. Workstations lined the walls, each dedicated to different analytical processes. The center area had been arranged with chairs facing a large display screen, creating an impromptu briefing area.
Elias found a seat near the back, giving himself clear sightlines to both the presentation area and the assembled personnel. The researchers filled most available seats, their hushed conversations creating a buzz of anticipation. He scanned the group carefully, looking for the woman he'd noticed earlier or any other faces that might show the subtle signs of awareness he'd recognized in Keldric.
The man beside him leaned closer, speaking as though continuing a previous conversation. "Have you reviewed the preliminary data? Molecular structure unlike anything in our database."
"Not yet," Elias replied, keeping his response noncommittal while encouraging further information.
"Levinson is already talking about potential biological applications," the man continued, indicating a tall, thin researcher near the front who appeared to be holding forth to a small group of attentive colleagues. "But something about the crystalline configuration gives me the creeps. The systematic asymmetry shouldn't be stable, yet it maintains perfect structural integrity under conditions that would collapse any known molecular arrangement."
Valuable information—the researchers had discovered something with unusual properties that defied conventional physics. If this was indeed humanity's first encounter with corruption, what they had found was likely its earliest manifestation.
"When were the samples collected?" Elias asked casually.
"Yesterday's deep dive. The submersible team found them near the thermal vent system we've been monitoring. The captain restricted access to the primary samples until proper containment protocols could be established." The man shook his head slightly. "Probably for the best, given how Levinson's been acting. He's been practically obsessed since the initial analysis results came in."
A hush fell over the laboratory as the doors opened to admit a group of senior officers. Their uniforms were more elaborate than the standard crew attire, with insignia indicating various specializations and ranks. At their center walked a woman whose presence commanded immediate attention—tall and solidly built, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that seemed to notice everything at once.
Captain Elena Markov. The first human leader to implement corruption containment protocols, according to historical records. Her decisions in the coming days would establish precedents for handling corruption that would influence humanity's response for centuries.
The significance of this moment wasn't lost on Elias. He was witnessing the beginning of humanity's longest war—the initial encounter with the force that would eventually consume entire cities and drive civilization to the brink of extinction. And none of these brilliant minds, these dedicated scientists and capable officers, recognized the existential threat crystallizing in their laboratories.
As the assembled researchers straightened in their seats and conversations died away, Elias noticed the woman from earlier had found a position on the opposite side of the room. She appeared to be observing not just the captain but the entire gathering with professional assessment, her attention moving methodically from person to person.
When her gaze reached him, the slight narrowing of her eyes confirmed his suspicion. She was another chosen one, as aware of the historical scenario as he was. Before he could decide whether to acknowledge her, Captain Markov stepped forward to address the gathered personnel.
The briefing was about to begin, and with it, Elias's deeper immersion into the historical crucible the Maw had selected for his education—and judgment.