Theron practically sprinted to his room, cradling the precious vial of Kael's blood like it was the key to a Nobel Prize. Once inside,
Theron slammed the door to his room shut with his foot, hands full of components and Kael's blood sample, his face alight with determination. The sleek walls of his workspace gleamed under the soft glow of embedded LED panels, casting an almost clinical aura over the chaos that was about to unfold. He set the sample down with reverence and activated Rex.
"Rex," Theron announced, dumping his haul onto the workbench, "we're building history today."
Rex unfolded from his compact watch form. "Adjusting security measures accordingly."
"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Theron muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Clarification: sarcasm detected. Probability of success remains low."
After hours of assembling, soldering, and arguing with Rex, the device was ready. It looked... questionable.
"Behold!" Theron said, presenting the Mate Detection Device 1.0. It was a lumpy contraption of wires and blinking lights, with the salvaged antenna sticking out at an odd angle.
"Observation: it resembles a toaster," Rex commented.
Theron ignored him. "Alright, Rex, initiate the test sequence. Let's find Kael's mate!"
Rex scanned the device. "Initiating test in 3... 2... 1..."
The machine buzzed to life, lights blinking erratically. Theron leaned in, holding his breath.
Then, with a loud POP, the antenna shot off like a rocket, embedding itself in the ceiling. Sparks flew, and the room filled with smoke.
Theron coughed, waving his hand to clear the air. "Okay, that could've gone better."
"Statement: catastrophic failure achieved," Rex said helpfully
Theron ignored him, pulling up schematics on his holographic display. "Alright, let's analyze this again. The calibration's off, the alignment is skewed, and the power output needs rebalancing. We'll optimize the core circuits and tweak the input parameters. This time, it's going to work."
Rex paused. "This is inadvisable. Emotional consequences likely. Probability of unintended results: high."
Theron sighed. "Rex, less commentary, more cooperation. Now, let's get started."
Theron continued with a design that was almost absurdly sophisticated. He envisioned a small, wrist-worn device—sleek and minimalist, with a holographic interface that could analyze Kael's biometrics and cross-reference them against universal mate-bond energy frequencies.
"Pass me the micro-particle resonator," Theron said, holding out a hand.
Rex extended a precise limb and handed him the tool. "Reminder: resonator calibration is delicate. Past errors include an explosion."
"That was one time," Theron grumbled.
After hours of meticulous work, the device was ready. It gleamed on the workbench, a masterpiece of Theron's engineering prowess.
"Initializing," Theron announced, his voice tinged with pride.
The device lit up, emitting a soft hum. A holographic display flickered to life, showing an elegant UI.
"Rex, scan Kael's blood sample," Theron instructed.
"Commencing scan," Rex said, inserting the sample into the device.
The machine whirred, lights pulsing in rhythmic precision. Theron leaned in, holding his breath.
Then, with an alarming snap, the device emitted a high-pitched whine.
"Uh-oh," Theron said.
The hum turned into a screech, and the device began to vibrate violently before exploding into a shower of sparks.
Theron yelped, diving for cover. When the smoke cleared, he peeked over the workbench to find the once-sleek device reduced to molten scrap.
"Catastrophic failure achieved once again." Rex said.
"Thanks, Rex. I noticed."
Theron adjusted his approach, opting for a more streamlined design. "Alright, maybe we don't need a holographic display," he muttered, sketching out new schematics.
This time, the device resembled a sleek metal band with a single glowing node.
"Let's focus on functionality," Theron said, soldering components with renewed determination.
"Observation: reducing complexity increases the probability of success," Rex commented.
"See? You can be encouraging when you try," Theron replied, adjusting a circuit.
When it was complete, it looked elegant—almost like a designer accessory. Theron slid the blood sample into a concealed slot and activated the device.
"Scanning for mate-bond resonance," Rex announced.
The device began to hum, its glow intensifying. Theron grinned. "It's working!"
Then the hum turned into a deep rumble.
"Warning: destabilization detected," Rex said.
Before Theron could react, the device emitted a blinding flash of light and promptly disintegrated into a pile of glittering dust.
"Well, that's new," Theron said, coughing.
"Glitter explosion not documented in previous failures. Adding to archive."
Theron glared at Rex. "This is why I don't program you with empathy."
Theron sat at his workbench, head in his hands. "Okay, Rex. I have a good feeling about this time."
"Correction: probability of success remains below 20%."
Theron groaned but began sketching a new design. This one was stripped down to the essentials—no holograms, no flashy aesthetics. Just a compact, cylindrical device designed for efficiency.
"Function over form," Theron muttered, assembling the components with a single-minded focus.
Hours later, another prototype sat on the workbench. It was small, sleek, and utterly unassuming.
"Ready?" Theron asked, holding the blood sample.
"Ready, security procedures activated to the maximum." Rex replied.
Theron activated the device, and it purred to life, glowing softly. For a moment, everything seemed perfect.
"Scanning..." Rex announced.
The device emitted a rhythmic pulse, its glow intensifying. Theron leaned in, his heart pounding.
Suddenly, the pulse grew erratic.
"Warning: system overload," Rex said.
The device let out a mournful beep before shooting a stream of blue liquid directly into Theron's face.
He sputtered, wiping his eyes. "What is this?!"
"Analysis: cooling fluid. Non-toxic. Mostly."
Theron groaned, slumping back in his chair. "Rex, remind me why I thought this was a good idea."
"Unclear. Likely influenced by your overconfidence and Kael's persuasive charm."
Theron sighed, staring at the ruined device. "We'll get it right. Eventually."
"Optimism detected. Probability of success: slightly improved," Rex said.
Theron couldn't help but laugh, wiping the last of the fluid off his face. "Alright, Rex. Let's clean up and start again."
"Agreed. Also, suggestion: wear goggles next time."
Theron chuckled, shaking his head.
The hours ticked by, and Theron's determination only grew. Each failure fueled his resolve, and the lab echoed with his muttered plans and Rex's sarcastic commentary.
Finally, as dawn broke, Theron sat surrounded by the remnants of failed prototypes.