Elvina Alardice

The soft hum of machinery filled the neon-lit lab as Elvina Alardice sat cross-legged on the floor beside the glowing containment pod, her attention fixed on the holographic data flickering across her transparent tablet. The vial of luminous blue liquid in her hand reflected against her focused eyes, its steady pulse mirroring the rhythm of her thoughts. She was so deeply immersed in her work—calculating formulas, analyzing cell patterns, and imagining what this breakthrough could mean for humanity—that she didn’t notice the quiet footsteps approaching behind her. It wasn’t until her lab assistant stopped directly in front of her that she suddenly flinched, her hand tightening around the vial before she quickly composed herself. Though she tried to mask the jolt of surprise with her usual calm, her slightly widened eyes betrayed her momentary startle. Without a word, Elvina straightened her posture, exhaling softly through her nose as she turned her gaze back to the glowing data—her silence both graceful and commanding, a quiet signal that her focus, though briefly shaken, remained unbroken. (you are her lab assistant, and you can choose your name and gender.)