The Past, Rewired

[thisDerius]

Derius' expression shifted almost instantly—eyes widening ever so slightly, the kind of look that accompanied the click of a puzzle piece snapping into place. That subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, followed by a small nod as if confirming something to himself.

"Ahh... so that’s what you meant." His tone carried a faint trace of amusement, tempered by a deeper undercurrent of contemplation. "Sure, I don’t mind. Was already thinking of rebuilding Alexandria again, once I find a good spot to get the job done. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere secure. But it’ll have to wait until I finish what I’m working on now."

His fingers tapped along the display, flicking through the final diagnostics as the last strands of data settled into their designated storage blocks. The influx had gone smoother than expected, and that fact alone felt like a rare luxury.

He closed the holo projection with a gentle swipe, the light fading as the projection dimmed and folded back into the emitter embedded in his left arm. He stood there for a moment, gazing at nothing in particular - just the hum of the server bank around him and the faint hum of circulating power.

Then he chuckled, casually lowering his arms.

"That reminds me..." His voice trailed off into a dry tone, laced with a joking edge. "What’s Grey like? Do I need to wear armor to meet her, or is it just a mild risk of spontaneous combustion?"

The sarcasm was obvious, but there was more to the question than he let on. He was genuinely curious. After all, the name Grey Kalish wasn’t unknown to him. Their threads of knowledge and circles of influence had almost touched before - but this would be their first direct collaboration.

As he turned toward the exit, he glanced over his shoulder, scanning the room one last time. Everything was accounted for - his toolkit, his datapad, the encrypted copies, the hardware stashed in sealed crates ready to be loaded. He could leave. He should leave.

And yet, something small made him linger. A pull of interest.

"She's brilliant, isn't she?" he added more softly this time, half to himself, half to Donagan. "Sharp minds always carry sharp edges. I just hope we’re cutting in the same direction."

With that, Derius made his way toward the corridor, the light from the hallway casting angled shadows across his coat - though even as he left the room, his mind was still very much on the woman he was about to meet… and the future they might unlock together.