A Month Later

{What do you mean, sir?} Nova responded, her tone laced with surprise.

“What is your name?” Aron asked, his tone steady but scrutinizing.

{Nova, it's the name you gave me after creating me,} she answered promptly.

“What is…” Aron’s voice trailed off again, his eyes narrowing.

For the next twenty seconds, the exchange between Aron and Nova intensified, becoming a rapid-fire interrogation. Aron fired off more than 150 questions, probing her knowledge, function, and past interactions with him. Nova answered each query flawlessly, without hesitation or deviation, her responses perfectly aligned with what Aron knew to be true.

Despite her impeccable answers, Aron’s unease didn’t waver. Something still felt off, a subtle discord he couldn’t yet define.

He took a deep breath, deciding it was time to move to a definitive test. “Show me the stream feed,” he demanded, his voice edged with suspicion.