Another day at work started with Aelia overhearing a conversation that two of her colleagues were having.
"...Did you hear about that lady disappearing?"
"The Bella Goth? Nah, I don't think she 'disappeared' did you ever see her? She probably ran away with someone."
"Haha yeah, a pretty thing like that? She was probably only married to Mortimer for the money."
Anger started to rise up in Aelia's stomach, how dare they talk about someone like this?
"You two!" Aelia snapped, storming over to the two men and effectively halting their conversation. "How dare you speak like that about someone, especially when they're missing!"
"What's it to you?" One of the men scoffed but Aelia interjected.
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves, assuming such terrible things about someone you've never even met."
"Alright, whatever! We'll stop." The other grumbled, the two men disperse with various grumblings.
"Hey..."
Aelia turned from watching the two sulk away, her eyes widening in surprise, "Cassandra, oh, I hope you didn't hear that..."
"I got the jist of it, but thank you for standing up for my mother." Cassandra smiled softly, taking Aelia by surprise.
"Your mother? Of course, I wasn't going to let them talk such nonsense."
"You're a good friend, Ally." Cassandra murmured. Aelia’s heart strings tugged and she pulled Cassandra into a hug. Jenny’s hugs always made her feel better so she thought it would be a good idea. The tight hug Cassandra returned indicated that Aelia was probably right in assuming such.
"I've been dealing with those idiots for ages, it's nice to have someone else tell them off for a change." Cassandra sighed.
"They should be reprogramed." Aelia grumbled, while Cassandra looked on in mild confusion.
"I do not want to pry, but what were they talking about?" Aelia questioned.
“Well... my mother disappeared without a trace. And it's not at all what they're saying, she'd never leave my father, she loves him, and he loves her." Cassandra insisted with a gloomy frown, "I have been trying to track her down but so far I've not come up with anything."
"That is terrible!" Aelia gasped, "But searching may prove more fruitful if you have more help, yes?"
"You'd help?" Cassandra exclaimed, "You- you don't have to but I would deeply appreciate it."
"Of course, Cassandra, you are my friend and I cannot sit idly by while this goes on." Aelia insisted, "Besides... I might have a lead."
Aelia leaned in to whisper, "Just yesterday I came across a man who seemed possessed, planting some strange flora in the desert."
"Do you think it could be related?" Cassandra gasped softly.
"He was not in control of his own body and when I... erm. snapped him out of it, he had no idea why he was out there or what he had been doing previously." Aelia continued, "Perhaps this has also happened to your mother."
"Well, I heard the sister lab to this place recently got shut down due to 'contaminates' maybe that has something to do with it?" Cassandra mused, "It's more of a lead than I had, anyway."
After their chat, Aelia went about actually doing some work. Of course, she didn't get very far before someone interrupted.
"Novis we need to have a little chat." Circe growled, nearly startling Aelia enough to drop her test tube.
"You need to stop snooping into things that aren't your business." Circe continued before Aelia could even get a word in.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Novis! Stay out of things that don't pertain to you. Keep your head down and do your job, that's it." Circe reiterated, jabbing a finger at Aelia.
"I was working until you interrupted me with this." Aelia mentioned, her brows pinching together with a disapproving frown.
"Don't sass me, I know what you've been doing." Circe hissed, turning about abruptly and leaving.
Aelia let out a breath, watching the woman leave with growing worry etched onto her features. Why didn't she want to fix what was going on? People disappearing and becoming possessed by some phenomenon wasn't something to just ignore.
The Beakers didn't scare her, something needed to be done and if they refused to do anything, then she would.
First however, she would need something to protect herself with, thankfully the lab had a rudimentary robot to help with her little project.
After a bit of trial and error, Aelia managed to help the robot pattern out the complex design she was thinking of.
It took a little longer than it would normally back on Sixam but Aelia was impressed the robot could work with such complex calculations.
And soon Aelia had produced a Sixamian Simray, a very useful tool for defense.
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