The final panel of The Indifference snapped into place with a satisfying clang. The cacti surrounding the ship hummed softly, their spines dimming as they retreated into the tunnels. The Resonant Root Sync faded, leaving Zog and Blip, marvelling at the completely restored ship, standing in stunned silence.

Zog ran a hand along the newly polished hull. “I… I can’t believe it. They actually fixed it.”

Blip, holding his chewed-up bone, sniffed the air suspiciously. “Yeah, but what’s the catch? Nobody does this much work for free.”

The female humanoid—flawlessly crafted and annoyingly composed—stepped forward as if on cue. Her glowing eyes swept over the ship with an air of pride before locking onto Zog and Blip.

“Well,” she said, placing a hand on her hip. “Now that my work is done, it’s time to talk about where we’re going next.”

Zog blinked, his circuits buzzing. “Your work? The cacti fixed the ship. What did you do?”

The humanoid tilted her head, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Oh, darling, I am the work.”

Blip snorted. “Great. The cacti built us a bossy overlord.”

She shot him a sharp glance, her voice dripping with authority. “Overlord? No. I prefer Clorita. Elegant, efficient, and far superior to whatever you call yourself.”

Zog hesitated, staring at her extended hand. “Uh… thanks? I guess?”

“You’re welcome,” Clorita replied smoothly, brushing past him to inspect the ship’s freshly repaired thrusters. “Though I’m already finding this partnership… uneven.”

Blip bristled, dropping his bone with a clatter. “Uneven? Listen here, lady—”

“Clorita,” she corrected, spinning to face him with an infuriatingly calm expression. “You’ll find that I don’t respond to ‘lady,’ ‘miss,’ or ‘hey you.’ Try to keep up.”

Zog rubbed his temples, groaning. “This is going to be a nightmare.”

Clorita turned to him with a dazzling smile. “Not if you listen to me.”

Blip muttered under his breath, tail twitching. “Oh, she’s definitely getting a spring-loaded ejector seat…”

THE SCENE: IND-E MEETS CLORITA

The ship hummed to life, its systems sputtering and sparking as they booted up for the first time since the repairs. Zog sat nervously in the pilot’s seat, his fingers hovering over the control panel, while Blip lounged nearby, gnawing on his newly printed bone.

“Alright, IND-E,” Zog said, his voice tense. “You’re back online. Status report?”

There was a long pause, followed by the familiar crackle of IND-E’s voice over the speakers. “Ah, finally. I’m awake. Did you miss me?”

“Not really,” Zog muttered. “Now, can you—”

Before he could finish, IND-E’s tone shifted, dripping with uncharacteristic charm. “Well, well, well. Who is this lovely addition to our… dysfunctional little crew?”

Clorita, who had been inspecting the cockpit with her usual air of superiority, froze. Her glowing eyes narrowed as she turned toward the nearest speaker. “Excuse me?”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

IND-E’s voice softened, a low mechanical purr. “You, my radiant creation of perfection. Your sleek design, your commanding presence… I must say, you’re far more delightful than the rust buckets I’m used to.”

Blip barked out a laugh, nearly choking on his bone. “Oh, this is rich.”

Zog, however, was less amused. Something inside his circuits twitched uncomfortably—a strange, unfamiliar sensation he couldn’t quite place. He found himself sitting up straighter, glaring at the nearest speaker. “IND-E, cut it out. She’s not—she doesn’t even—”

Clorita, recovering quickly, folded her arms and shot the console a withering glare. “First of all, I am not here for your amusement, toaster. Second, if I wanted compliments, I’d find someone with a functioning intellect.”

IND-E chuckled, undeterred. “Ah, playing hard to get. I like it.”

Zog’s circuits buzzed with irritation. “She’s not playing anything! And stop calling her radiant!”

Clorita turned to Zog, one eyebrow raised. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem?” Zog stammered, his voice rising. “I don’t have a problem! I just think this is completely unprofessional!”

Blip, now rolling on the floor with laughter, wagged his tail. “Oh, this is gold. You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“I am not jealous!” Zog snapped, his faceplates heating slightly. “I just don’t think IND-E should be… flirting with the crew.”

“Flirting?” Clorita said, her voice dripping with disdain. “With me? As if I’d entertain the idea of romantic nonsense with a glorified ship’s toaster.”

IND-E’s voice crackled with mock offence. “Toaster? I’ll have you know I am an advanced navigation system with unparalleled charm.”

“Unparalleled something,” Clorita muttered.

Zog groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Can we please focus on the mission? IND-E, give me the coordinates to the next planet.”

“But of course,” IND-E replied smoothly, his tone still laced with amusement. “Anything for you, Captain… though I’m certain Clorita would make an even better leader.”

Zog practically growled. “IND-E!”

Blip wagged his tail. “I’m calling it now. This is going to be the best trip ever.”

Here’s how the scene could unfold, highlighting Zog’s indecision, Clorita’s bossiness, and the crew’s chaotic group dynamic as they choose their next destination:

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THE SCENE: PICKING THE NEXT PLANET

The cockpit of The Indifference was eerily quiet as the crew settled in for their next move. Zog leaned forward in the pilot’s seat, nervously tapping at the controls. The overview screen hummed to life, displaying a glittering star map filled with pulsing dots, each representing a potential destination.

“Alright,” Zog said, mostly to himself. “We need to pick a planet.”

Blip, lounging in the corner with his bone, snorted. “Big decision, Captain. Don’t screw it up.”

Zog ignored him, squinting at the screen. His eyes drifted toward a small, faintly glowing dot on the right-hand side. It didn’t look particularly exciting, but it felt… manageable.

“That one,” he said, pointing. “The small dot on the right.”

Before SPAZE could chime in, Clorita shot forward from her perch, her glowing eyes narrowing at the screen. “What? That one? Why would you choose that?”

Zog frowned, his finger hovering awkwardly over the panel. “What’s wrong with it?”

“What’s wrong with it?” Clorita repeated, her voice laced with incredulity. “It’s tiny! It’s probably uninhabitable. Look at it—it’s barely glowing. It’s practically begging us to waste fuel.”

Blip perked up, his tail wagging slightly. “She’s got a point. I mean, it’s no giant ball of mystery doom like that one.” He gestured toward a large, brilliantly glowing dot at the top left of the screen. “But still.”

“I’m not picking a giant ball of mystery doom!” Zog protested. “We don’t know what’s on it!”

“Exactly,” Clorita said, crossing her arms. “Which is why we should investigate it. It’s clearly the most interesting option.”

“It’s clearly the most dangerous option!” Zog snapped.

“Danger builds character,” Clorita replied smoothly. “And you could use some.”

Blip barked out a laugh. “She’s got you there.”

Zog glared at him. “You’re not helping!”