The sky of the Death World was forever frozen in a lifeless grayish-yellow hue; the thin atmosphere made the star's light exceptionally piercing, yet it failed to provide sufficient warmth.
Whenever night fell, the chill would seep into every corner of the base, and even within the temperature-controlled interiors, one could feel that icy hostility emanating from the planet itself.
The never-ending wind kicked up fine metallic slag, constantly battering the base's outer composite armor with a dull and distracting rustling sound.
Dressed in a well-fitting standard base protective suit, Asuka walked alone through the sealed corridor connecting the Hangar and the residential area.
Through the high-strength observation windows, the view outside was monotonous and unchanging.
The dark, rocky ground, the scattered and jagged stone hills, and in the distance, the genesis particle experimental zone that was slowly but surely losing its last few traces of green, returning to desolation.
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Since Osiris relocated the core research of the genesis particles, this land that had briefly flourished with life was inevitably returning to dead silence.
Inside the base's living quarters, the life support was impeccable, with temperature, humidity, and air quality all maintained at optimal levels.
However, the omnipresent, cold sense of order belonging to the Adeptus Mechanicus's principles of peak efficiency often made her feel a sense of out-of-place alienation.
Everywhere she looked were undecorated metal panels, screens flickering with never-ending data streams, and the Tech-Priests and lumbering Servitors, most of whom had undergone extensive physical augmentation and silently executed their commands.
This place lacked color, lacked unexpected sounds, and lacked anything she remembered that could be called 'the breath of life.'
"Sigh—it's truly so monotonous that I can't get motivated," Asuka sighed, her forehead gently resting against the cool observation window.
The communication channel built into her protective suit was terrifyingly quiet during non-mission hours.
If it weren't for the daily, unwavering simulated combat training, the study of eva-titan maintenance knowledge, and those actual machine startup tests that allowed her to truly feel her own value, she suspected she might be driven mad by this extreme, stimulus-deprived environment.
The Hangar, where that massive and silent dark-gray giant god belonging to her resided, had almost become the only corner in this desolate world where she could feel at ease; it was the last remaining physical bond between her and the past, and the very reason for her presence here.
However, every time she finished 'communicating' with the eva-titan and returned to that standardized cabin—which, though fully equipped, bore no personal traces—an unspeakable sense of emptiness would always quietly emerge.
She knew very well that even if given a hundred more chances to choose, she would still follow Osiris away from that old world full of pain and despair without hesitation.
It was just that she hadn't anticipated this 'new world' would be so silent and devoid of change.
In this monotonous daily life, the sporadic interactions with Osiris became a rare diversion.
In the base's efficient and cold cafeteria, food was precisely synthesized by the Matter Replication System, nutritionally balanced but standard in taste.
Asuka usually sat alone in a corner to eat quickly.
Sometimes, Osiris would appear across from her.
He still wore that heavy Power Armor, but he would usually unlatch his helmet, revealing a face identical to his Main Body but with more warmth.
"I've looked over the training data; your reaction time has improved, but your tactical choices could be even more aggressive," he would comment in a calm tone while browsing a data pad.
"So naggy! Being conservative in that situation was the right move, wasn't it?" Asuka would immediately retort, though there was no real anger in her eyes.
Osiris wouldn't argue with her; he would simply highlight a certain parameter in red on the data pad and push it toward her.
"Try this path; it might suit your style better." Then, he would silently accompany her until she finished her meal, even though he usually only consumed specialized Nutrient Paste himself.
This silent companionship, in a way, broke the monotony of the cafeteria where only the sounds of operating Servitors could be heard.
On the training grounds, besides the eva-titan simulator training, physical and combat training were also mandatory courses.
When Asuka was sweating profusely while fighting complex-programmed training Servitors, Osiris would sometimes personally step in to provide guidance.
Even without wearing Power Armor, he was still an invincible powerhouse to Asuka; however, most of the time, Osiris only defended passively and did not actively attack.
"Your center of gravity is too low! Your advantages are agility and explosiveness, not head-on clashes!" He pointed out Asuka's shortcomings while easily parrying one of her full-force side kicks.
"Stop bossing me around!" Asuka refused to submit verbally, but she would subconsciously adjust her power delivery in the next attack.
She could feel that Osiris's guidance wasn't just following a textbook; he was truly observing her characteristics and making targeted adjustments.
After training, he would sometimes hand her a bottle of Energy Supplement; the simple gesture made her feel that in this cold, metallic world, there still existed a trace of 'human' concern.
One evening, after finishing training, Asuka encountered Osiris again, standing by the window in the corridor.
He wasn't wearing Power Armor, just a simple combat uniform, his gaze cast toward the wasteland outside that was being gradually swallowed by the night.
"Still think it's boring here?" He didn't turn around, his voice calm.
Asuka walked to his side and, following his example, leaned her hands on the railing.
"At least it's better than the old world," she paused, "it's just... sometimes I feel like I've been forgotten in some corner."
Osiris turned his head and glanced at her.
The base's lighting cast faint shadows across his face.
"This world is very big; there's more to it than just this one planet." His words were brief, but they made Asuka's heart stir slightly.
These scattered interactions were like occasional faint bright spots on a gray canvas; though they couldn't completely dispel the sense of monotony surrounding her, they at least made her feel that she wasn't entirely floating alone in this ocean of metal and rock.
After watching Asuka leave the corridor, Osiris turned and walked toward the observation tower.
Standing at the high point, his gaze unconsciously followed that petite figure again, watching her walk alone down the passage leading to the residential area, looking exceptionally lonely.
In his mind, he recalled the scene when he took Asuka away from the EVA World—the young girl curled up in a corner crying overlapped with the lonely figure receding now.
A sense of responsibility, born of his own emotions rather than logical calculation, arose spontaneously.
He had taken her out of hell, but that didn't mean throwing her into a cold cage was the right thing to do.
Almost at the same moment, a conscious link was established with his Main Body far away on Necromunda.
"Asuka's mood continues to be low; the environment of the Death World has a significant negative impact on her," the Second Clone transmitted his intuitive feelings and observations.