After a few minutes, Rex's minigun finally ran dry, and Carlos had thrown his last grenade. The two of them quickly fell back to the main room, unsure if any enemies had survived. Once at a safer distance, they grabbed their new heavy assault rifles and aimed them toward the entrance, ready for anything.
The room was filled with thick smoke from the explosions, and the dust from all the gunfire made it nearly impossible to see.
"Rex," Carlos asked, keeping his eyes on the entrance, "you think we got them all?"
"I hope so," Rex muttered, still catching his breath. "Let's wait a second. Cleo's using her recon drones to check for survivors."
Suddenly, a warning flashed on Rex's HUD: [Warning: High-energy target approaching.]. Evasive maneuvers are recommended.
Before Rex could react, a massive, black humanoid creature, like some kind of octopus, burst through the dust cloud, moving with incredible speed. It slammed into Rex with brutal force, sending him crashing into the cave wall, debris flying everywhere.
"REX!" Carlos shouted.
A deep, chilling laugh echoed through the cave. "Kukuku... I applaud you, humans. I didn't expect you to kill my men. That alone is worth some praise. But sadly, I can't let anyone live to tell the tale, especially not human slaves."
The creature extended a hand, and a vibroblade slid out from its wrist. Carlos, eyes wide, leveled his rifle and opened fire, the rapid shots echoing through the cavern. But the void assassin moved too fast, effortlessly dodging every bullet before appearing right in front of him.
In that brief moment, Carlos felt a sharp pain in his gut. He looked down to see the creature's blade buried in his abdomen.
"Kukuku... Human blood. Such a beautiful crimson," the assassin sneered. "Let's see how much more of it I can spill before you."
Before the creature could finish, something yanked hard on one of its tentacles, ripping it backward with immense force. The assassin was hurled across the cave, smashing into the rocky wall with a thunderous crash.
[Overdrive Activated.]
The moment Rex snapped back to his senses, he saw the void assassin's blade plunge into Carlos' abdomen. Rage surged through him. Cleo, knowing full well that Rex couldn't handle the void assassins on his own, quickly activated Overdrive, boosting every aspect of his bionic implants.
In Overdrive mode, Rex was ready. He could finally face the assassin head-on.
"Cough, cough... you... worthless human s—"
Before the void assassin could finish, Rex was already in his face, fists flying. He hammered the assassin's abdomen first, knocking the wind out of him, then aimed for the helmet. Cleo had warned him that the void assassin wore an atmospheric suit and couldn't survive in oxygen-rich environments. Breaking the helmet was key.
Even as the cave wall crumbled from the impact and the void assassin hit the ground, Rex didn't stop. He climbed on top and kept punching, over and over. The helmet shattered, and now Rex's blows landed directly on the creature's soft head. Black blood splattered everywhere, mixing with chunks of flesh.
"Rex, stop! It's dead. We have to focus on Carlos now."
Rex halted, breathing hard. Despite the Overdrive pushing his bionics to their limits, his body struggled to keep up. But right now, none of that mattered. His eyes were fixed on Carlos.
[Overdrive deactivated. Cooling sequence initiated.]
Hot air hissed from vents along Rex's ribs, kicking up dust as it hit the floor.
"Jeez, Carlos, you look like hell. Guess now you know how fish feel when you gut 'em," Rex said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.
Carlos grimaced, managing a weak chuckle. "Shut up. This wound's not going to kill me. Right?"
Rex kneet beside him. "Cleo says it's not lethal, but we've got to stop the bleeding. You'll bleed out otherwise."
"Don't worry," Cleo said. "I already sent for a cargo drone. I found some healing foam on a few of the bodies around here."
"Oh? So how do we use it?" Rex asked, glancing at the healing foam.
"It's simple," Caleo replied, wincing slightly. "You just pop the cap off where the foam comes out, press the button on top, and it'll fill the wound, sealing it up."
"Not a cure-all, but it'll keep your organs inside long enough for medical help to get here."
"Well, that sounds handy. Thanks, Cleo," Rex said, smiling. "Wouldn't expect anything less from my wife."
Cleo sighed. "One of these days, I swear, I'll punish you for a whole hour."
"Uh, I didn't say anything! You must be hearing things, hehe." Rex chuckled nervously. "Anyway, how long until that drone gets here?"
"Five more minutes. Just hang in there," Cleo responded, her tone softening.
As the communication cut off, Cleo leaned back in her chair, pulling her knees to her chest. A soft, almost serene smile crossed her face. It still felt surreal, after a thousand years of waiting, trapped in energy-saving mode. Being an AI, she didn't sleep, so she was acutely aware of every moment that passed during that long isolation.
It wasn't until Carlos found her and eventually brought her to Rex that she felt a sense of freedom. In the short time she'd known him, Rex had shown her something unexpected; he treated her like any other companion, with warmth and respect. It was something she had never experienced before.
Her race, made of living metal, had little need for physical closeness, even with their own kind. Communication was always done from a distance, and they lived mostly in solitude. But this warmth she felt now, this sense of belonging, was something new and something she was starting to cherish deeply.
After what felt like forever, the cargo drone finally arrived, hovering just inside the cave. There wasn't enough room for it to land, so it stayed in the air, buzzing softly. Rex walked over and grabbed the container it was carrying. Inside were several tubes of healing foam.
Rex made his way back to Carlos and knelt beside him. "Alright, here it is. Let me know if it hurts, and I'll give you a lollipop if you're a good boy."
Carlos groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh, screw you. Just hurry up—I feel like I'm dying here."
"Okay, okay," Rex chuckled. "Don't cry if it stings."
He carefully removed Carlos's armor and tore open his shirt, exposing the nasty wound. Holding the healing foam a few inches from the gash, Rex pressed the button. The foam hissed out, expanding quickly and filling the wound.
"That's enough on this side. Turn over so I can get the other side where the blade came through," Rex instructed.
Carlos grunted, shifting with effort. "Next time, do me a favor and get shot instead of stabbed, alright? Way less work for me."
"Yeah, sure," Carlos muttered sarcastically, flipping Rex off as he turned. "I'll keep that in mind."
Rex couldn't help but laugh. "You're lucky you're still funny."
With the foam applied and the bleeding under control, Rex helped Carlos to his feet.
"So, you good? Or do I need to get you a wheelchair?" Rex teased, grinning.
Carlos smirked, wincing as he stood. "How about you carry me on your back, buddy?"
"How about no? You're not exactly a damsel in distress," Rex shot back. "I've got standards."
Carlos chuckled weakly, shaking his head. "One of these days, Rex, you're going to die for a beauty."
"Maybe," Rex said with a grin, "but not today."
The two of them began making their way slowly back to the ship, with Rex supporting Carlos, his arm draped over Rex's shoulders. It took nearly an hour to reach the ship, where Cleo was waiting for them; the cargo bay was already open.
Around the ship, several cargo drones were busy collecting anything useful from the smuggler's camp, scavenging through the debris and the bodies of their fallen enemies.
"Welcome back, guys," Cleo greeted them as they stumbled in.
Rex grinned. "Oh? I could get used to a beauty saying that every time I come back."
Cleo's voice was calm. "Noted."
Rex blinked in surprise. "W-What? You're not going to shut me down like usual? You actually agreed?"
"Rex," Cleo said, ignoring his confusion, "please bring Carlos inside. The medical drone is almost ready, but for now, the floor will have to do. We don't have any spare rooms or beds."
Carlos groaned, his face twisted in pain. "I don't care if you two flirt; just help me! This really hurts."
"We're not flirting!" Cleo snapped, her voice flustered.
Rex smirked. "No, Carlos, you're right. We should stop flirting and focus on you. C'mon, let's get you inside."
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Cleo shouted, but Rex was already busy helping Carlos.
They got Carlos inside the ship and carefully laid him down on the floor. After a few tense moments, a newly-assembled medical drone rolled out of the factory room, its limbs precise and methodical. It quickly administered anesthesia to Carlos, dulling his pain before starting the delicate operation on his wound.
Rex winced, turning away. "Yeah, watching a robot dig around in my buddy's guts isn't really my thing. I'm going to check out the rest of the cargo."
He made his way to the car parked in the ship's cargo bay and opened the back. His eyes immediately landed on the strange egg they had picked up earlier. He'd been curious about it for a while, wondering what it would feel like to touch. Without thinking much of it, he reached out and gently patted the egg, feeling its smooth, cool surface.
But as his hand lingered, something strange happened. Blood from the wound on his palm, a scratch he hadn't even noticed, seemed to seep into the egg, as if the shell were absorbing it. Rex pulled his hand back quickly, staring at the egg in confusion.
"What the hell..." he muttered under his breath, feeling a chill run down his spine.