Rex Aurelian visited, bringing a carafe of infused Vitae—a staggering luxury. His optimism was a pressure suit in the deep, grim reality of the lab.
"Just look at this place!" he beamed, gesturing to the humming machinery. "The cutting edge! You two are helping to write the next chapter of human resilience! Any… past misunderstandings… are just fuel for this brighter future!"
"The resonance data from Sector Theta is showing chaotic harmonics, Chief," Valentine said, presenting a chart with brutal honesty. "It's not noise. It's a coherent pattern of distress."
Rex's smile didn't falter, but it tightened at the corners. "Distress is a point of view! It's energy seeking a new equilibrium. Our job is to guide that energy toward productive outcomes. Perhaps a new form of filtration! Or a more efficient energy tap!" He patted Sage's shoulder. "Look for the opportunity in the chaos, son. That's where progress lives."
After he left, Sage stared at the carafe. "He's not ignorant. He's a translator. He takes the terrifying truth and translates it into a hopeful mission statement. He makes the scream sound like a call to innovation."
"He's a vital component," Valentine agreed, analyzing the infused Vitae with a scanner. "He maintains morale in the machine room while the engineers tighten the screws on the torture rack."
Their new routine was a perverse inversion of the old. Unlimited data. Unlimited access. Unlimited scrutiny. They were drowning in the very truth they'd sought, and it was colder and more horrifying than they'd imagined.