Progression in Interdimensional Travel (49)

The smart window in her room, which had once displayed the view of the alien landscape in brilliant hues of violet and orange, now dimmed to a soft, starry projection. The base's adaptive lighting system had detected the ideal time to transition the environment from a work-focused, functional atmosphere to a relaxing, tranquil one. As she stared out at the soft twinkle of distant stars, the view transitioned from a bright and active one to a more calming, dreamlike projection of the alien world.

The neural sync interface embedded in her pillow sent out a series of gentle, comforting waves that synced with her brain's natural rhythms. The system softly triggered the brain's deep rest zones, encouraging her to drift off into a state of theta waves, which were essential for deep sleep. Ethel felt herself getting heavier with each breath, as though her entire body were being held in a cocoon of comfort and serenity.