The drones barely had time to respond before an…animal…barreled its way into the room. Though Genesis labeled it as an "animal" in its logs, the designation felt uncertain as it processed the visuals streaming from the scout drone. For the most part, its shape was vaguely reminiscent of the wolves that had once roamed Earth: a quadrupedal form with long limbs, a sleek body, and a head sharpened to a point.
However, the similarities between wolves and whatever it was that now stood before its drones ended there. Much of the creature's body appeared to be composed of plant life. Thick vines wove tightly together to form its musculature, flexing and stretching with each powerful stride. Its "fur" was a dense coat of moss and leafy growths that shifted with its movements. The creature's eyes—if they could even be called that—glowed faintly, two points of pale green light set deep within its head.
Before any of the drones could react, the thing let loose a noise—a sound caught between a bark and a screech—that reverberated through the warehouse. The unsettling cry barely faded before a bolt of electricity surged from the hallway, striking the nearest SCRAP drone with pinpoint accuracy.
The drone convulsed violently, its frame jittering as arcs of energy danced across its surface. Its grinders whirred uncontrollably for a moment before sputtering to silence, the unit collapsing in a smoking heap. Genesis flagged the drone as non-operational just as the source of the electrical bolt revealed itself: three Specimen-Js drifting out of the hallway.
The jellyfish-like entities pulsed with energy, their translucent forms glowing faintly as sparks of electricity jumped from one tentacle to another. Genesis immediately recognized the threat, cataloging them as high-priority hostiles as they made a beeline toward the plant-wolf-like creature.
The “plant-wolf,” Genesis’s temporary designation for the creature, let loose another piercing cry, a guttural sound that reverberated through the warehouse. The vines along its back shifted violently, writhing like living serpents. From this mass, two particularly long vines extended outward, their surfaces bristling with hundreds of small, sharp barbs that glistened faintly in the dim light.
With a sudden, violent motion, the vines snapped through the air like whips, emitting a sharp crack that echoed across the room. The first vine struck the jellyfish-like entity with a wet, tearing sound, raking across its translucent body and leaving a jagged gash in its surface. Bioluminescent fluid spilled from the wound, dripping onto the floor as the Specimen-J recoiled with shriek.
The second vine followed immediately, slicing through the air and striking the wounded entity again. This time, the barbs bit deeper, tearing into its central mass with a wet crunch. The Specimen-J quivered violently, its once-coordinated movements now erratic as its internal glow dimmed. Despite its injuries, the jellyfish-like entity retaliated. Its remaining tentacles flared, releasing a concentrated burst of electricity that arced toward the plant-wolf. The bolt struck one of the extended vines, sending a surge of energy coursing through its length as the vine burned.
The plant-wolf let out a guttural snarl as the vine retracted back into its back and it staggered backwards. Upon seeing this, the other two entities began to let loose electrical shocks. Each electrical shock pushed it closer to one of the rusted racks lining the warehouse, its vines smoldering and sections of its moss-covered body blackened from the repeated bursts of energy. With their prey now cornered, the three entities converged upon it but before they could do so, a sudden blur of motion interrupted the standoff.
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One of the SCRAP drones, perched atop the rusted rack it had previously been breaking down, leapt from its position. The drone descended rapidly, its grinder spinning at maximum speed, emitting a high-pitched whir as it collided with the wounded Specimen-J.
The jellyfish-like entity quivered violently as the grinder tore into its semi-translucent head, bioluminescent fluid spraying across the floor in erratic spurts. The SCRAP drone dug deeper, its grinder shredding through the creature’s fragile outer membrane while sparks leapt and danced in the air around it.
The remaining two Specimen-Js reacted immediately, their tentacles flaring as surges of electricity arced across their forms. Bolts of energy crackled toward the attacking drone, but before they could fully discharge, the horde descended upon them.
The drones swarmed like ants, their grinders spinning relentlessly as they tore through the soft, fleshy bodies of the jellyfish-like entities. Tentacles whipped and flailed, discharging bursts of electricity that charred several drones, but the attackers showed no hesitation.
The B-09 waddled in slowly before gripping one of the Specimen-Js with both manipulators. Using as much strength as its motor would allow for, the droid slammed the creature to the ground, its servos groaning as it pinned the shrieking creature. SCRAP drones that were busy ripping the injured one apart surged forward, their grinders biting into the restrained entity’s central mass and reducing it to a twitching, deflated heap in a matter of moments.
Seeing the demise of both of its comrades, the final Specimen-J attempted to retreat, shrieking and tentacles flailing wildly as it tried to ascend toward the ceiling. Seeing this escape however, The B-09, now finally letting go of the pile that was once a jellyfish, reached up and seized the entity mid-flight by one of its tentacles.
The Specimen-J writhed violently in the B-09’s grip, releasing a high-pitched shriek that reverberated through the warehouse. Sparks of electricity surged down its tentacles, arcing toward the droid’s manipulators. The charge struck the B-09’s frame with a loud crack, scorching its outer plating and causing its servos to groan under the strain.
Despite the electrical assault however, the B-09 held firm. Its manipulators tightened their grip, pulling the struggling entity downward with an unyielding force. As it slammed the Specimen-J against the ground, the translucent body quivered, its glow dimming as bioluminescent fluid began to seep from its damaged membrane.
The creature even had time to react before the swarm bore down on it. With one final, faint shriek, the entity collapsed into a lifeless heap, its tentacles falling limp against the floor. The warehouse fell eerily silent as the drones powered down their grinders, their work complete. Bioluminescent fluid pooled around the remains of the Specimen-J, casting an eerie light on the surrounding debris.
Genesis, having watched through the camera feeds, recorded every last second of the battle from as many angles as physically possible. The encounter had provided invaluable data on both the Specimen-Js’ combat tactics and the effectiveness of coordinated drone responses. Despite the loss of numerous SCRAP drones, the outcome was a significant victory
As the swarm of drones received new orders and dispersed, the plant-wolf slowly began to move. The drones ignored the creature entirely as it crept toward the remains of one of the fallen Specimen-Js. Its movements were cautious, almost wary, as it approached the carcass. The glowing fluid still seeped from the jellyfish-like entity’s wounds, forming faint trails across the floor.
The plant-wolf sniffed at the body briefly before lowering its head, grasping the limp carcass in its powerful jaws. With a low, guttural growl, it began to drag the remains toward the edge of the warehouse, its charred and battered body heaving with the effort.
Though the drones were not reacting, that didn't mean they weren't watching. Genesis watched the plant-wolf as it dragged the carcass away. It opted not to intervene, issuing a directive to the drones to continue their tasks without engaging the plant-wolf. The carcass of the fallen Specimen-J was marked as non-essential, and its removal posed no immediate threat to operations. Besides, the plant-wolf deserved a reward for the valuable data it provided.
The plant-wolf glanced back briefly as it reached the edge of the warehouse, its glowing eyes meeting the faint light of the scout drone. For a moment, it seemed to hesitate, as if gauging the drones’ reaction. When none came, it turned and stalked into the shadows, dragging the carcass behind it.
The creature’s departure left a faint trail of glowing fluid in its wake, a dimly lit path that led into the unknown corridors beyond.