She was attempting to isolate a specific resonance frequency within the third harmonic decay, a pattern hinted at in the Kepler data, needing absolute focus, when she inhaled sharply, her head snapping up. Faint, but utterly, achingly familiar. Sandalwood and bergamot, underscored by the faintest hint of pipe tobacco Daniel had only indulged in during their earliest days together. His scent. Not a memory triggered by thought, but a distinct olfactory presence hanging impossibly in the sterile, sealed environment of the hub.
“No,” Aris whispered, her voice tight, scanning the room frantically, eyes darting towards the ventilation outlets, the sealed joins in the wall panels. “Impossible. Air filtration levels are optimal. No external contaminants detected.” She swallowed hard, the phantom
