As the weeks passed, the debris cluttering the hallway was slowly but surely eaten away by the ever-increasing number of scrap drones. Whenever one filled its storage to capacity, it would scuttle over to one of the four haulers stationed nearby, depositing its load into the larger unit’s storage compartment before returning to grinding. The haulers, meanwhile, remained idle nearby until their compartments were full. Once one’s storage was filled to peak capacity, it would make the trip back to the fabricator, delivering the steady stream of resources that fueled Genesis’s expansion efforts.
The operation ran like a well-tuned machine. At any given moment, drones could be seen grinding or hauling, each performing its designated role with utmost efficiency. Genesis observed through the networked sensor feeds, monitoring the fleet’s progress and logging every detail.
By the time the 5th week arrived, 95% of the hallway had been cleared and the drone fleet had increased from a measly five drones to over thirty with even more being created by the fabricator. While the scrap drones had cleared out most of the debris however, the biggest asset thus far was the B-09.
The B-09 “Halcyon” was a very primitive droid, all things considered. It had been one of the first mass-produced humanoid droids created in the early 2030s, a pioneering design in robotics at the time. , Its simplicity and reliability made it popular in industries ranging from logistics to hazardous environment work.
For a while, the B-09 was everywhere—on assembly lines, construction sites, and even in space stations. Its modular design allowed for variability, and its relatively low production cost made it accessible to companies and governments alike. However, by the mid-2040s, advancements in AI and robotics rendered the B-09 obsolete. Faster, smarter, and more efficient models replaced it, pushing the Halcyon into obscurity.
A brief resurgence in the late 2050s gave the B-09 a fleeting moment of renewed popularity, driven by companies seeking affordable solutions during economic downturns. Yet, as quickly as it reappeared, it vanished again, replaced once more by more advanced models.
It had taken over two days for the small droid to be fully assembled, and at several points during the process, Genesis wasn’t certain if it had enough resources to complete the job. The fabricator’s stores, though vast, were steadily dwindling as the fleet expanded, and the B-09’s demands pushed the limits of efficiency.
Every adjustment was logged, and every ounce of material was accounted for. By the time the final components were welded into place, the fabricator’s storage was perilously low, but the task was finished.
Standing in front of the fabricator at just 3.5 ft and weighing only 50 pounds, the droid was small though it was the largest machine it had made thus far. Its frame was made of varying layers of steel with some layers of alloys welded inside and was square in shape. Its legs, though tiny when compared to the rest of its body, were wide and thick enough to allow the droid to carry almost 3 times its weight.
The droid’s arms extended outward from its boxy frame, each fitted with manipulators designed for variability. One arm housed a basic claw for gripping and lifting, while the other featured a mounting system for tools, such as cutting or welding attachments. Its head was a compact, rectangular module that barely rose above its chest frame, containing a simple optical sensor capable of basic environmental scans and object recognition.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Powering the droid was a small but efficient battery unit, designed to provide extended operational time while maintaining a lightweight design. The electrical motor was connected to a network of actuators that controlled the droid’s limbs, ensuring smooth and deliberate movements. Cooling systems were integrated into the internal structure, with heat dissipated through vents along the sides of the frame to keep the electronics stable during prolonged tasks.
Whenever a scrap drone team came across a piece of debris that was too large, wedged in place, or otherwise inaccessible, the B-09 would be called into action. The droid would waddle over from where it was positioned and, with a low hum from its motor, pull the material free.
Once the debris was removed, the droid would carefully lay it down in an open space, ensuring the smaller drones had easy access. The SCRAP drones would then swarm the piece, their grinders whirring as they broke it down into manageable fragments. The B-09, meanwhile, returned to its standby position, ready to assist again at a moment’s notice. Due to the B-09’s contributions, work time had been cut by a steady 10%, shaving days off the effort to clear the hallway.
With the hallway now cleared of debris and the ever-growing swarm of drones working efficiently to process scrap from distant piles, Genesis prepared to enact the next phase of its plan. The fleet’s size had grown exponentially, and the current operational hub had become increasingly cramped, unable to accommodate the myriad of drones or the newly activated B-09 droid. It was time to expand, and there was no better candidate for reclamation than the warehouse where the fabricator had first been found.
The warehouse had proven its importance before, sheltering the fabricator that served as the heart of Genesis’s operations. Now, Genesis intended to transform it into a fully operational base, one capable of supporting the fleet’s growing needs. A steady stream of commands flowed through the network as Genesis dispatched teams of drones and the B-09 to secure the space. Meanwhile, MARS received its orders: relocate the fabricator to the warehouse and oversee its integration into the new hub.
The drones reached the warehouse quickly, their smaller frames darting between the towering, rusted racks that lined the space as they awaited the arrival of the haulers, which were being transported by the B-09. Just as it had been when MARS first entered the room a month prior, the environment posed significant challenges. Water still poured steadily through breaches in the hull, carving a pseudo river that flowed out of sight into the ship’s unseen depths. Moss and vines clung to the walls and shelves, their dense greenery making parts of the structure difficult to assess.
Once the B-09 arrived, hauling the four heavy haulers behind it, and MARS positioned the fabricator at the entrance, the drones wasted no time getting to work. The SCRAP drones swarmed the moss-covered racks, their grinders buzzing as they stripped away the dense greenery that had overtaken the space. Fragments of vines and moss rained down in clumps, exposing the rusted metal beneath.
The scout drone meanwhile, zipped and zoomed around the room, its sensors sweeping the room to identify weak points and obstructions. One by one, it flagged areas for reinforcement or clearing, marking damaged shelving, unstable floor sections, and regions where the water had pooled too deeply. The pseudo river, flowing steadily through the room, presented a particular challenge. Its constant movement had eroded parts of the flooring, leaving cracks and uneven patches that the drones carefully avoided.
As the drone flew around the room, the B-09 moved methodically, pulling down collapsed shelves or shelves so rusted that they would be unable to be used and laying them out for the SCRAP drones to process. With its manipulators gripping a rusted beam, the droid strained briefly before the metal gave way, producing a loud groan as it toppled to the floor. Near the fabricator, the haulers positioned themselves to receive processed materials from the drones.
Overall, the operation was proceeding seamlessly. Resources flowed steadily into the fabricator as it worked overtime to produce the materials needed by the drones. Genesis monitored the progress closely, running calculations and simulations to ensure every task was completed efficiently. According to its projections, the warehouse would be fully operable within the next day or two—a significant milestone in its efforts to reclaim the ship.
Satisfied with the progress, Genesis began to consider the next steps. The pseudo river required further analysis on sealing it as well as draining excess water. For now, however, it planned to allow its systems a brief moment of recalibration. Just as it was about to give MARS the order to return to the room and recharge, a high-priority alert flashed across its network.
The alert came from one of the scout drones patrolling the hallway leading to the warehouse. Its sensors had detected movement and already the drone was scrambling back to the warehouse.
Something was coming and it was coming in fast.