The Duj’s shuttle touched down in a shadowy corner of the town, its engines humming softly as the crew disembarked. The air was thick with static electricity, and the narrow alleys seemed to close in around them.

Clorita peered around a corner, shotgun ready. “Alright, Captain Grump. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Before Zog could retort, the distant sound of clanking footsteps echoed through the streets. A squad of Xerats stalked into the plaza ahead, their chitinous armour gleaming under the neon glow of floating lanterns. Their elongated heads swivelled unnervingly, scanning the shadows with piercing red optics.

Zog tensed. “I hate when they do that.”

One Xerat let out a sharp, mechanical click. The others snapped to attention.

They’d been spotted.

“Time to move,” Clorita whispered.

They darted through the winding streets, boots pounding against the uneven cobblestones. Clorita fired over her shoulder, the energy blast hitting a stack of glowing crystal trinkets. The stall exploded in a shower of sparks, scattering debris into the path of their pursuers.

The Xerats didn’t slow down.

A sharp hiss cut through the air. Something sizzled past Zog’s head, hitting the wall beside him. The stone glowed red-hot before cooling, leaving a molten scar behind.

“They’re shooting plasma rounds?” Zog barked. “What happened to a good old-fashioned chase?”

Clorita grabbed his arm and yanked him toward a narrow alleyway. “Stop whining and run!”

A Xerat leapt from a rooftop, landing in front of them with inhuman speed. It lashed out with a crackling energy baton. Clorita ducked low, sweeping its legs out from under it, while Zog fired a pulse shot that sent it skidding across the ground.

Another Xerat dropped down behind them. Clorita turned, raising her shotgun—too late. The alien warrior swung its baton at her head.

Zog shoved her aside and took the hit instead. The impact rattled his cybernetics, sending a surge of static through his system. His knees buckled, but he managed to fire his weapon point-blank, blasting the Xerat backwards into a fruit stall.

“You okay?” Clorita asked, yanking him up.

“I’m fine,” Zog gritted out. His circuits buzzed angrily, but he forced himself forward.

The rooftops above erupted in sparks—more Xerats were taking sniper positions.

Clorita grabbed Zog’s wrist, sprinting toward a low wall. “Up and over!”

“I hate this plan!”

“No time to argue!”

She vaulted over first, landing in a crouch. Zog followed, barely avoiding another plasma round that sliced past his shoulder, searing his coat.

As they scrambled forward, the Xerats regrouped. One raised a clawed hand and let out a series of rapid, mechanical clicks.

The order was clear.

Exterminate them.

While chaos erupted above, HALAT moved silently through the underground tunnels. Her advanced sensors mapped the twisting pathways, guiding her toward the hidden entrance to the Sanctum. The hum of energy fields grew louder as she approached a small, unguarded door embedded in the stone.

She paused, scanning for hidden defences.

Satisfied, she slipped inside, disappearing into the darkness.

Back in the streets, Clorita and Zog’s luck had officially run out. The Xerats had them pinned in a narrow alley, their energy lances crackling with lethal intent. The glow from their optics reflected off the damp stone walls, trapping the two between unscalable heights and certain death.

“Any bright ideas, Captain?” Clorita asked, her voice tight, breath coming in shallow gulps.

“Working on it,” Zog muttered, frantically scanning for an escape route. Nothing. The alley was too narrow to double back, too exposed to fight their way out.

A Xerat at the front raised a pulse disruptor—and fired.

The shot hit Clorita square in the chest.

The impact sent her flying backwards, her body crashing hard against the alley wall before slumping to the ground. Sparks erupted from her torso as her power core flickered erratically.

“Clorita!” Zog was at her side instantly, genuine fear flickering through his circuits. He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. “Come on, don’t do this now!”

Her eyes flickered dimly, her voice weaker than he’d ever heard. “I’m fine… just need… a jump.”

Zog’s mind raced. A jumpstart? If her power core had taken too much damage, she might not survive another surge—but if it fully shut down, she’d be gone forever.

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His hands hovered over her chest briefly, hesitation flickering in his optics.

Then he pressed down.

Electricity crackled between them, Zog forcing every spare volt in his system into Clorita’s core. The force of it made her body seize violently, fingers curling into a clawed grip, optics flashing wildly—then, just as fast, stabilising into a steady glow.

Clorita let out a shuddering noise. “Thanks, Captain Frankenstein,” she muttered, pushing herself upright.

Zog hauled her up, his own systems lagging from the energy drain. “Don’t mention it.” A pause. “Ever.”

They staggered back toward the shuttle, Clorita leaning heavily against Zog for support. The Xerats weren’t done.

More of them poured into the streets, their insect-like forms darting between the shadows, their weapons charged and ready. The air pulsed with warning clicks, a chorus of alien commands as the pack closed in.

Clorita gritted her teeth, lifting her shotgun with a shaky grip. “We’re not gonna make it.”

“Not with that attitude,” Zog growled. He fired blindly, the blue streaks of his plasma rounds slicing through the darkness. Clorita aimed for anything that moved, her blasts sending up sparks and debris, slowing the enemy but never stopping them.

A shadow moved in from behind—too fast—Zog barely had time to turn when—

A silent figure materialised from the darkness.

HALAT.

She tore through the alleyway, moving too fast for the Xerats to react. With surgical precision, she disabled one, two, three enemies in quick succession, their optics flickering out as they collapsed.

Then, without a word, she grabbed Clorita’s arm, supporting her as they ran.

“The shuttle is prepped,” HALAT said, her voice as steady as ever despite the chaos. “We must leave immediately.”

Zog didn’t hesitate. He threw himself up the ramp as the roar of the engines ignited behind them.

He barely had time to slap the emergency close button before a plasma lance slammed into the hull, shattering the ship.

“Go, go, go!” Zog bellowed.

The shuttle rocketed into the sky, engines screaming as they broke free of Eryxion’s gravitational hold.

Below, the Xerats stood motionless, their glowing optics flickering in unison as they watched their prey escape.

Back aboard the Duj, Zog paced the bridge, his circuits still buzzing with adrenaline. “All that, and we come back empty-handed,” he grumbled. “What a waste.”

Clorita, sprawled in her chair, smirked. “Spark, tell him.”

HALAT stepped forward, opening a hidden compartment in her arm. The scroll slid out, pristine and intact. “The mission was a success.”

Zog stared in disbelief. “You had it the whole time? Spark, you absolute—”

“Legend,” Clorita finished, grinning. “She’s a legend, Zog.”

“Yeah, sure,” Zog muttered, collapsing into his chair. “Let’s just hope it was worth it.”

As the Duj drifted away from Nexora, the scroll sat on the console, its secrets waiting to be unravelled.

Zog and Clorita stared at the gleaming data disk in HALAT’s hand. Their exhaustion evaporated, replaced by a mix of disbelief and awe.

“How?” they said in unison.

HALAT tilted her head slightly, her tone steady as always. “The path was… unconventional.”

Zog dropped into his chair, his circuits buzzing faintly. “Unconventional? Spark, you were supposed to be sneaking into the Sanctum, not sightseeing!”

“I did not intend to deviate,” HALAT replied. “I discovered a hidden passage while following the energy readings beneath the town. However, the tunnel network was… complex.”

Clorita leaned forward, wincing as her damaged systems sparked faintly. “Complex how?”

“I became disoriented,” HALAT admitted. “Several branches of the tunnels lacked distinguishing features, and my internal mapping system encountered interference. Eventually, I located a staircase leading upward.”

“A staircase?” Zog echoed. “In the middle of a maze? What, was there a neon sign pointing to ‘Super Secret Stuff’?”

HALAT ignored his sarcasm. “The stairs led into an ancient structure. It appeared to be an archive, long abandoned but still functional. At its centre was a shrine-like cupboard containing an operational terminal.”

Clorita’s eyes narrowed. “And this terminal had the data we needed?”

HALAT nodded. “Correct. The terminal housed the database, though its security was rudimentary. Beside it, I found a stash of recordable disks.”

Zog blinked. “Wait, you mean this is just… a copy?”

“Yes,” HALAT said, her optics glowing faintly. “I transferred the data onto an empty disk and secured it within my compartment. The original files remain intact.”

“And no alarms went off? No killer bots burst out of the walls?” Clorita asked skeptically.

“None,” HALAT replied. “I returned via the same tunnels, avoiding further complications.”

Zog leaned back, rubbing his face. “You’re telling me we nearly got fried, blasted, and stabbed by Xerats while you just waltzed in and burned a copy like you were at a space library?”

HALAT’s tone didn’t waver. “The mission was completed with minimal disruption. Your distraction ensured my success.”

Clorita shook her head, a weak grin spreading across her face. “You’re something else, Spark. I’ll give you that.”

Zog threw up his hands. “Fine. Next time, Spark gets to be in charge.”

HALAT’s optics glimmered faintly, a near-imperceptible gesture that might have been amusement. “Acknowledged.”

As HALAT recounted her experience, she paused for a moment, her optics glowing faintly. “When I returned to the surface, I immediately heard the sound of energy discharges. It was clear that you were under attack.”

Zog leaned forward, his circuits buzzing faintly. “You saw us?”

“Yes,” HALAT replied, her tone steady. “I followed the sounds and arrived to find Clorita incapacitated, and you were attempting to stabilise her power systems. The Xerats were closing in.”

Clorita winced slightly, adjusting her position on the chair. “And you just… started shooting?”

“It was the most efficient course of action,” HALAT said simply. “I neutralised the immediate threats to ensure your survival.”

Zog shook his head, a faint smile breaking through his exhaustion. “Spark, you didn’t just ensure survival. You saved our hides.”

Clorita grinned weakly. “Yeah, what he said. Thanks for stepping in, Spark. I owe you.”

HALAT tilted her head slightly, her voice as calm as ever. “Your safety is integral to the mission, Mom. Gratitude is unnecessary.”

Zog chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Let us be grateful anyway, Spark. It’s the least we can do.”