The Past, Rewired

[Soban]

Livadia, Corinth Annex, Unknown

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The atmosphere shifted the moment they stepped into Corinth. Unlike a typical Zoner Freeport—always abuzz with traders and the bustle of daily comings and goings—Corinth felt eerily silent, its corridors populated by focused scientists working diligently behind each armored lab door, all cloaked in a haunting stillness.

After a few minutes spent in total silence, Donagan finally stopped at a stout door numbered “12.” A small sticky note was affixed to it, reading: Donagan, do not smoke in here, and do not use all the station’s power for yet another of your experiments. Thanks.

He was quick to snatch the note, roll it, and use it to relight his pipe.

“We’ll be workin’ in Lab Twelve. Since we might be at it a while, an’ to save us goin’ through more checks, I took the liberty o’ settin’ up a wee base camp inside.”

With a swift pass of his badge, the door unlocked, and the room’s cooling system shattered the eerie silence. Beyond the main airlock stood a colossal mainframe arranged in tight, concentric patterns—each of nearly forming a nearly complete circle leading to the core.

“Once we pass through this airlock, normal conversation won’t be possible in the calculator room.”

He retrieved a headset from a nearby storage compartment and placed it over his ears.

“Here—ye can grab one too, unless ye’ve got your own built in. We’ve two isolated rooms on each side, one for workin’ the mainframe an’ one for rest an’ meals.”