It wasn't just him; everyone was on edge.
The scientific team's anxiety stemmed from their burning curiosity to explore the unknown. When the seawater specimen studies failed to yield results, they realized that the Gaia entity's biological complexity might far exceed their expectations.
Jason, however, felt a completely different kind of anxiety. An overwhelming, suffocating sense of dread was urging him to get the fleet away from this planet as soon as possible!
This feeling was growing stronger by the day, whispering of an impending, extinction-level crisis. Unable to pinpoint the actual source of the threat, he could only heighten his internal vigilance. Perhaps this Gaia entity was far more dangerous than the Federation's initial threat models suggested. Perhaps the planet held undiscovered, lethal secrets. Or perhaps... they weren't dealing with a biological Gaia at all, but a highly advanced artificial intelligence?
