The underground base laboratory.
In Bori's office, the atmosphere was tense. The transparent glass display cases were filled with meticulously arranged files, and the desk, though tidy, still had stacks of neatly organized documents.
Bori sat behind his desk, wearing a pair of round glasses perched on his nose. Deep wrinkles lined his forehead as he studied the room with a calm yet thoughtful expression. The blinds were partially drawn, casting a diffused light across the space, lending it a quiet stillness, like the calm before a storm.
And then the storm arrived.
Bang!
Jenny's palm slammed against the desk with a force that sent the neat stacks of documents trembling. Her face was flushed with fury, her usually cool and composed demeanor replaced by a blazing intensity.
"Enough! Slade, you have no right to block my actions!" she snapped, her voice echoing through the room like a whip.
She was livid. She had just proposed her plan to implant a magnetic field pulse device at the back of Bardi's neck. This device would temporarily block his spinal nerve signals, rendering his limbs immobile. It was a compromise that ensured both safety and humanity, it would allow Bardi to live without being mutilated while removing any immediate threat he posed.
But Slade, the base's defense director, had flatly refused. He insisted on a more barbaric method: severing Bardi's tendons and hamstrings to ensure his complete incapacitation.
Slade, sitting in a chair with his spine straight as a rod, didn't flinch at her anger. His face was a mask of stern professionalism, his tone steady as he replied, "I am the defense director here, and I have full authority to ensure the security of this base. My decision stands."
Jenny glared at him, her anger simmering beneath the surface.
Slade remained unmoved. To him, Bardi wasn't just an alien, he was a predator. Even imprisoned, he exuded a quiet menace that Slade couldn't ignore.
Every time Slade observed Bardi, whether the alien was asleep or awake, he felt the same gut-wrenching tension. It was as if he were staring at a caged beast, one that radiated power and defiance even in its stillness.
Bardi didn't have to roar or struggle to make his presence known. The way he held himself, the faint traces of scars that marked his body, the deep, unreadable look in his eyes, it all spoke of someone who would not submit, no matter how dire the circumstances.
To Slade, Bardi was a threat unlike any other.
"I've seen men like him before," Slade said coldly. "They pretend to cooperate, but the moment you let your guard down, they'll destroy everything."
His voice dropped, each word deliberate and sharp. "I won't let that happen."
Bori, who had been quietly observing the argument, finally spoke up. Adjusting his glasses, he addressed Slade with measured calm. "Dr. Jenny isn't proposing this lightly, Colonel. Her intention is to bridge the gap between us and the alien. By treating him humanely, we can gain his trust and with it, his knowledge. Cutting his tendons will only breed resentment and resistance."
Bori's tone softened as he glanced at Jenny. "She's advocating for a future where Bardi can coexist with us. Where he might even become part of our society."
Jenny's clenched fists relaxed slightly at Bori's words. His calm demeanor and support helped temper her fury, but her face remained resolute.
Slade, however, was unimpressed. He let out a derisive snort, his lips curling into a sneer.
"Let me get this straight," Slade said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're in love with this alien, and now you want to play house with him? You think he's going to live peacefully among us?"
Jenny's eyes flared with anger.
Slade leaned forward, his tone turning harsh. "He's not human, Dr. Jenny. He's a monster. A dangerous, unpredictable monster. And you're so blinded by whatever fantasy you've built in your head that you can't even see it."
Jenny's hand shot out, grabbing a file from Bori's desk. Without hesitation, she slammed the folder against Slade's chest.
"General Vic has already approved my plan!" she snapped. "The magnetic pulse device will be implanted, and Bardi will remain under control without being mutilated."
Her voice cracked slightly as she continued, her anger and sorrow intertwining. "He doesn't deserve this. He just wants to live. He's willing to help us, to share knowledge that could change the world. And you—" She pointed a trembling finger at Slade. "You want to destroy him for no reason other than your own paranoia."
Slade didn't respond immediately, his cold, calculating gaze fixed on her.
Jenny's voice rose, trembling with passion. "Bardi can advance our technology by centuries! He can help us understand the universe, unlock secrets we've never dreamed of. He's a treasure, and you would rather cripple him, destroy him, because you're too small-minded to see the bigger picture!"
She stepped closer, her face inches from his, and spat her final words like venom. "Compared to him, you're nothing, Slade. You're just a parasite clinging to your outdated ideals, trying to stifle progress out of fear."
Slade's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Jenny straightened, her chest heaving with emotion. "I've reported everything to General Vic, and he agrees with me. The operation will proceed as planned. You don't have the authority to override this."
"You. Will. Comply."
Her words were like a final blow, silencing the room.
Slade's expression remained stoic, but his jaw tightened as he picked up the document that had fallen onto his lap. His eyes scanned the contents quickly, his fingers gripping the paper tightly. He read for a few moments before his knuckles turned white, the paper crumpling slightly under the pressure of his grip.
There was no denying it. The operation was approved. He had no choice but to comply.
Jenny shot him one last glare before turning on her heel and leaving the office. The sound of her high heels echoed down the hallway as she made her way to the white room where Bardi was held. She wanted to tell him the news herself.
As the door closed behind her, Slade's grip on the document finally loosened. He set the paper down on the desk, his face returning to its usual stoic mask.
Straightening his posture, he glanced at Bori. "I'll leave the rest to you, Dean," he said quietly, his tone unreadable.