This story is set during the mid to late Golden Age some time after the Collective captured a live Vex and began investigating the Vex network. I'm exercising some creative license with these oneshots as they're all set before the canonical events of Destiny.

"Every addition to true knowledge is an addition to human power."

The silence was stifling. Normally, silence was something that Jade sought after. She did her best thinking when there were no distractions. But this time the silence was oppressive, as though someone had wrapped her head in wool. Every small noise was amplified. The sound of feet against the carpeted floor. The tapping of fingers on touchscreens. The clicking of keyboards.

Jade raised her eyes from her Holopad to glance around the room for what must have been the hundredth time. She saw the hunched shoulders of the other students as they leaned over their work, and the black-suited examiner pacing across the front, on the watch for any suspicious behavior. The atmosphere in the room was nigh on unbearable.

Jade didn't usually have a problem with testing. However, this time was different. This time, the stakes were higher. Doing poorly on this test would mean saying goodbye to her dream of interning at Ishtar Academy, one of the most sought-after learning institutions in the system. Thirty students were testing, each one vying for one of the two openings.

Her jaw set as she refocused on the screen in front of her. One of those spots will be mine. She knew she could do it. Her years at Faraday University were spent studying everything from theoretical mathematics and quantum physics to biochem and programming. Lack of knowledge was not her problem. Her problem was that twenty-nine other students would be competing with her. She glanced at the time. They had twelve minutes until the last section of the exam would finish and she still had three problems involving the theory behind matter-encryption. She took a deep breath and resumed typing. By the end of the twelve minutes, she was satisfied with her answers, though she still wished she'd had more time to work on them.

"The test is over," announced the examiner, "Please submit your responses now. Any incomplete questions must be left as they are."

Jade clicked through the submission process, then sat back in her chair. The examiner looked around the room, verifying that everyone had finished submitting their tests.

"Very well. You will receive your results in two days' time. Please do not attempt to contact anyone at Ishtar regarding the admission process. If you do not get the position, please also refrain from pestering the admission counselors with questions about why. If for some reason you find yourself unable to take the position, the offer will be extended to the next worthy candidate. All admission decisions are final… Now, you are all dismissed. Thank you for your interest in Ishtar Academy."

With that, the examiner opened both classroom doors to allow the stream of already risen students to leave. Jade got up, listening to her joints crack as she stretched. Four hours was a long time to remain seated. With a sigh, she grabbed her water bottle off the desk and left for her apartment, preparing for the two-day wait that lay ahead.

With bated breath, Jade selected the message that was simply titled: admission results. It was finally time to find out if all her work had paid off. The electronic letter was headed with the Academy's crest, a symbol that looked something akin to an old-fashioned ship's wheel. The message read:

Dear Jaedryth,

Our admissions committee reviewed each applicant in the following areas of placement exams, standardized test scores, college transcripts, behavior, evaluations, as well as an interview conducted at the participating schools. Based on the criteria of the admissions process, we are pleased to offer you admission to the Academy's internship program.

Through this program, you will have access to all Ishtar has to offer, including housing, equipment, and mentors. The program offers room for advancement, with some prior candidates moving up as far as Department Head.

The next step of our process is for you to complete your registration through the links provided below, as well as appearing in person on-site within three days of receiving this notice. Your visit will allow us to introduce you to the facility through a tour of both the main campus and the housing units.

Congratulations on your achievement. We look forward to a great relationship with you in the future and we are firmly committed to doing everything we can to help our students develop into some of the brightest minds our galaxy has to offer.

Sincerely,

Dina Castro

Director of Admissions

Jade read the message twice more to convince herself that she wasn't imagining things. This was it! An internship at Ishtar Academy was exactly the cornerstone she needed to build the future she'd always dreamed of. She eagerly scrolled down to the links that had been provided to finish registering. Her patience had paid off.

She stepped out of the transport on shaky legs and looked around, wide-eyed. Venus was more beautiful than she ever imagined. None of the posters or brochures did it justice. The mustard yellow sky stretched endlessly on, broken only by towering craggy peaks oozing liquid fire. Along the coast of the burnt orange sea was a glittering metropolis shining in the sunlight, integrated seamlessly with the local flora.

"Jaedryth Wrythal?"

Jade blinked and looked around. Standing some feet away was a well-dressed woman. She carried herself with such confidence and poise that Jade instantly felt like an ugly duckling as she approached. "Um, that's me."

The woman gave her a welcoming smile and stuck out a hand. "I'm Ashley Marinex. I'll be showing you around today."

Jade shook her hand. "Nice to meet you. I, um, go by Jade."

"Excellent. Follow me." Ashley lead her a short way down the coast, keeping up cheerful small-talk all the while. Finally, they approached what was easily the most impressive building Jade had seen so far. In front of the entrance was a winged statue. In one hand, she held aloft a wreath of laurels while clutching an olive branch in the other. Ashley noticed Jade looking. "That's Nike," she said, "She's the Ancient Greek goddess of-"

"Victory…" said Jade, "I know."

Ashley beamed. "You know your stuff, that's for sure. Not many people bother with Old Earth history."

They entered the Academy and Jade found herself thrown into a researcher's paradise. Libraries, laboratories, and equipment so advanced it put most of the stuff on Earth to shame. They were headed to the café for some lunch when Ashley put a hand to her ear, seemingly listening to something. Then she turned to Jade, an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be eating with you. They just called a meeting in R&D."

"It's ok," said Jade.

"Can you find your way back by yourself?"

"I think so."

"Great. Just get some food and wait for me there." With that, Ashley strode off, heels clicking against the floor.

Jade turned and continued walking in the direction of the café. She did have a general idea of where it was, but it soon became apparent that she'd taken a wrong turn somewhere because she found herself entering a new section of the research wing. Balconies lined the sides, allowing users easier access to the various shelves. Another Nike statue was present here too. Jade looked around a bit before turning around to leave the way she'd come. She'd barely taken one step when the ground began to tremble. Alarms began to sound and a voice came over the intercom.

"Attention all Ishtar Academy employees. One of the Sink's volcanoes is currently erupting, causing us to experience a quake. Please make your way to the nearest safe room to await further instructions and don't panic in the event of any ground instability."

Jade's heart thudded in her chest as she tried to control her breathing. It's fine, she told herself, It's just a quake. We used to get them all the time back home. Just get to the exit and find one of the safe rooms.

She moved for the exit, but right as she was passing the Nike statue, she felt the ground give a tremendous lurch before it gave way under her feet. She screamed as she dropped down into the growing pit, rolling her ankle upon landing. Clouds of dust filled the air and she coughed, trying to clear her lungs. She frantically scanned her surroundings and saw that she'd fallen into a hole that was over ten feet deep. The hole was still expanding as pieces of the edge fell away. Jade looked up and saw the statue of Nike teetering precariously on the edge as the ground under it weakened.

She scrambled backward, trying to get clear. A grating sound echoed in her ears as the statue finally toppled forward, rushing down toward her. Jade closed her eyes and brought her arms up to shield her face and the last thought she had was: I should have just asked for directions.

Jaedryth Wrythal's body was never recovered. By the time construction crews rolled through to fix the damaged caused by the quake, she had been buried several feet under dirt and stone. No one was supposed to be in the research center at the time of the quake, so no search was conducted. The crews filled in the sinkhole, brought in a new statue, and everything else was replaced or cleaned up.

Ashley Marinex was the only person who knew she had ever been there and she was preoccupied with helping out her sister, whose injuries had landed her in the hospital. Jade hadn't told anyone the date of the tour and the officials at the Academy assumed that she was just another student who'd gotten cold feet. It had happened before and it would happen again.

Back on Earth, a search was eventually conducted, but it never lead anywhere. Jade's story may have started on Earth, but it ended on Venus, buried under several tons of cement.

A/N: That's the second oneshot down! I realize these are fairly short but luckily there's no quota I have to fill. I'm going to try to work on these more. They should be my top priority but instead, I've been dedicating a lot of time to story 3 and Bloodbound, the story that follows it.

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Let me know what you thought! (Also s/o to ConnorPerson and Cf96 for the reviews on the first oneshot. Thx guys)

- TheWolfParadox