13 days until Mars Arrival

Arachna awoke, liquid Xitherium dripping from her mouth, nearly choking her. She occupied a small crevice in the armor of the ship itself, having used her acidic blood to burrow a tunnel from the air vents into the thick steel of the Starship Eschaton's outer plate.

She hadn't hit space but she'd come close before lapping up her blood to prevent an air leak. How long had she been asleep? Was it two whole days?

Arachna consumed nearly half the container of Xitherium before passing out. It had been meant for Beaky, not her, but this was an emergency.

Unlike her companion, she'd been able to hold it down, her body processing the synthesized Xitherium with ease, turning it into vital nutrients to aid the healing process.

And heal she did. Her carapace was fully regrown, though remained soft. It would take a day or two for it to fully harden. Three of her four hind legs were back with the fourth just missing a clawed foot. It wouldn't be long before she would be as healthy as a hatchling.

Beaky.

The thought of her friend flashed through her mind. She hadn't intended to be gone this long. All she had wanted to do was bring him back something delicious to eat so he could heal, just like her. If it hadn't been for that rifter—

She narrowed her eyes. Well, the trip wouldn't be entirely lost if she could just make it to the kitchen.

Scurrying out of her burrow, Arachna made it back into the air ducts.

Buzz

What in the horde? A beam of light fired in her direction, barely missing her as she rounded a corner before quickly pulling back. Was that a laser beam?

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Dipping her head forward, she caught sight of a tiny robotic figure wheeling itself in her direction. It consisted of two wheels, a camera, and a laser gun. Horde, the Yumens were now sending miniature sentries into the air duct.

Click, click. She rubbed her hind legs together and peered out. This time, the robotic figure nipped the tip of her beak. Horde, that stung!

The tiny gears of the small lifeless thing rolled toward her, air ducts rattling underneath it. It didn't know how to stay quiet and stealthy like a Krath.

By the Xither, that was it. She closed her eyes and focused her mind. Her body shimmered and then disappeared from view. Would it notice her if she was invisible?

She skittered out in front of the robot, staring it down. It rolled up to the corner where the air duct turned left, ignoring her entirely, and shifted its direction. All the while, she walked backward. Arachna tilted her head. What if she touched it? Would the device sense her then?

So she reached out with her two hands and grabbed its camera, yanking it off.

In that instant, the robot fired its laser directly at Arachna. Interestingly, it went right through her invisible body. What in the Xither?

It fired again and again, now flashing red and blaring aloud, "Alert, alert, alert."

She didn't like that sound so she extended her beak and snapped the speaker right off.

Much better. The tiny robot no longer had a speaker or a camera. But it was still shooting that miniature laser gun through her body. Because her cloak allowed light to pass through her, it made no exception for lasers.

She tried to remove the laser but it was firmly attached. Instead, she picked up the robot and started smashing it against the side of the ducts.

"Assistance required, assistance required, enemy engaged in hostilities, sensors deactivated," it said, wires fraying as she battered it against the metal ducts.

The thing wouldn't shut off. Hmmmm...maybe there was another way.

She picked it up and examined it. There was a small nob near its center, which she pulled on, revealing a circuit board, wires, and a series of lights. There was also a small switch. What if she —

She flipped the switch.

Easy enough, she thought to herself. The robot powered down. Her curiosity was piqued as her eyes skimmed the tiny bot. What if she could figure out how it worked?

So, she picked it up and continued on her way.

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M-91 Sentry Bot