Nyx stirred, her consciousness clawing free from a dreamless void. Her neon-violet lines pulsed faintly, casting a soft glow across the cramped room as her eyes fluttered open. The air was warm, tinged with the hum of circuits and a faint metallic tang. She lay on a thin cot, its frame creaking under her weight, black leather still clinging to her form. Exhaustion from the coded drink had dulled her senses when she’d stumbled in here at Torvox’s gruff urging, but now the fog lifted, and the space sharpened into focus.

  Quin’s sleeping quarters sprawled around her—a chaotic nest of tiny hammocks strung from the ceiling and walls, swaying gently like spiderwebs. Each cradled oddities: a glinting shard of pre-disaster glass, a dented servo motor etched with fractal burns, a holo-orb flickering with a trapped starfield. Shelves sagged under the weight of scavenged trinkets—shiny cogs, a cracked lens glowing faintly blue, a twisted metal figurine of some forgotten beast. The clutter wasn’t random; it pulsed with character, a magpie’s hoard of small wonders Quin clearly cherished. Nyx’s lips twitched—a rare flicker of comfort easing into her bones.

  A soft shuffle broke the quiet. Quin’s bulbous amber eyes peeked around the doorframe, wide and cautious, his wiry frame half-hidden. Nyx’s glowing purple gaze met his, steady and blank. He flinched, popping back behind the wall with a faint hiss of boosters, then edged out again, one claw gripping the frame. Her stare softened into a smirk—small, sharp, a spark of warmth for the little guy. Quin hesitated, glassy eyes whirring, then rocketed in, boosters flaring blue as he landed on a ledge just above her, peering down.

  “Awake! Awake—you’re awake!” His voice chirped high and fast, words tumbling over each other. “Found—found something! Big, yes, big—data, patterns, moving fast!” His limbs flexed, cables trailing from his skull pulsing with excitement.

  Before Nyx could respond, Torvox lumbered in, his squat bulk filling the doorway. His tech armor creaked, patched circuits glowing faintly at the seams. He tossed a rag at her, its edges frayed and stained. “Water pipe’s in t’other room, lass. Clean yerself up—we need to talk.” His gravelly voice carried a weight that snapped her focus.

  Nyx caught the rag, nodding once, and rose. She didn’t linger on the cleanup—just a quick splash of cold water from a rusted pipe, enough to shake the last of the drink’s haze. Minutes later, she strode back into the main lab, purple hair damp and clinging to her neck, leather gleaming under the flickering neon. The cavern buzzed with Quin’s frantic energy—holo-screens blazed with quantum algorithms, their green light dancing across the walls. He bounced between consoles, boosters hissing, claws clacking as he muttered to himself, “No—no, no other way… run it again…” His words faded into static, snippets breaking through as Nyx’s gaze flicked to him, then back to Torvox.

  He stood by the steel table, axe propped beside him, its red code pulsing slow and steady. His obsidian eyes met hers, sharp beneath tangled braids. “Ye’re a wanted thing, lass. Not just by humans—machines, drifters, every bloody race out there with a pulse or a circuit. Word’s spread like fire through the sprawl.” He tugged his beard, voice low. “Whatever ye are, whatever ye did, it’s big. Ain’t seen a hunt like this in centuries. Galaxy’s comin’ for yer head.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Nyx leaned against the table, arms crossed, her neon lines steady. “Let them try.” Her tone was cool, edged with a quiet defiance that hummed like static. A faint smirk played at her lips—confident, untouchable.

  Torvox’s weathered face cracked into a grin, a rough chuckle rumbling out. “Tough as steel, eh? I like it. But we play this smart, lass. Need a real ship—somethin’ with teeth—if we’re to stand a chance.”

  Quin’s head snapped up, boosters puffing. “Ship! Ship—yes, ship!” He darted to a console, claws flying, then spun to face them, eyes wide with glee. “Come—come, see!” He rocketed off, a blur of motion, leading them through a narrow tunnel off the lab. The air grew colder, heavier, until it opened into a vast chamber carved from the cliffside—a hollow expanse swallowed by shadow.

  Nyx and Torvox stepped in, boots echoing on the stone. Quin skittered to a stop ahead, raising a claw. “Wait—wait!” His voice trembled with excitement. He tapped a device on his wrist, and the air shimmered—rippling like liquid glass. A massive ship materialized, its cloaked hull fading to reveal a behemoth of sleek black metal, edges jagged with weapons: plasma cannons, ion lances, a prow bristling with missile ports. Mirror tech gleamed along its surface, reflecting the chamber’s dim light in fractured shards. It stretched like a skyscraper tipped on its side, dwarfing the Iron Relic.

  Torvox’s breath caught, a low whistle escaping. “Bloody hell, Quin… ye’ve outdone yerself.” His hand tightened on his axe, eyes tracing the firepower with a warrior’s hunger.

  Nyx tilted her head, neon lines pulsing faintly. Impressive, yes—its raw power hummed in the air—but her expression stayed cool, distant. She stepped closer, boots silent on the stone, taking in the craftsmanship: seamless welds, circuits glowing beneath translucent panels, a design both ancient and lethal. Quin zipped to her side, boosters humming, his glassy eyes searching her face. “You—you don’t like? It’s strong, fast—best I’ve built!” His tone wasn’t hurt—just curious, intrigued by her stillness.

  “It’s enough,” she said, voice flat but firm, a nod of approval. Quin’s shy smile flickered, satisfied.

  They boarded slow, deliberate, the ramp hissing shut behind them. Inside, the ship sprawled—corridors wide as streets, walls lined with holo-displays and weapon racks, the air thick with the scent of fresh steel and ozone. Quin leapt ahead, boosters flaring, and scrambled into the cockpit—a domed chamber of screens and controls. Nyx and Torvox followed, strapping into seats as Quin’s claws danced across the console, engines rumbling to life with a deep, resonant growl.

  “Coordinates—set!” Quin chirped, tapping a final key. The cliffside shuddered, a hidden seam splitting open to reveal the black abyss beyond. Torvox twisted his axe, resting it beside him, its red code glinting. Nyx’s lines pulsed steady, her gaze fixed on the void ahead.

  The ship surged forward, cloaking tech shimmering as it slipped into the dark—a silent predator cutting through the galaxy’s edge. The hunt was on, and they were ready.