12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chloe

The sterile white walls of the cryopod chamber seem to close around us. My heart races, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I try to process the horrifying reality before me. Rows upon rows of alien bodies, suspended in time, all to be evaluated to be some robotic race's new bodies.

And it looks like we've found ourselves in a dead end.

A metallic clanking echoes through the chamber, growing louder with each passing second. Vornas steps in front of me, and we both brace ourselves for another confrontation with the relentless hunter.

Instead, what emerges from the shadows makes my jaw drop.

The Host steps into view, his mismatched body of flesh and metal a grotesque reminder of what possibly awaits the poor souls trapped in the cryopods. His feathered eyebrows twitch nervously as he raises his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Congratulations on surviving thus far," he begins, as if he's still putting on a show for the camera.

"Cut the bullshit!" I yell. "We know what's going on."

The Host's eyes dart nervously between Vornas and me. For a moment, he seems to wrestle with whether to continue his charade or come clean.

"I… I don't know what you mean," he stammers, his game show host persona cracking.

"Do you think we're stupid? We've obviously found the hidden lab. I read some of the research logs too. I think we all know what's going on here."

The Host's feathered eyebrows droop, and his shoulders sag as if a great weight has settled upon them. He lets out a long sigh before speaking again.

"You have to understand," he pleads, his tone shifting from entertainer to conspirator. "I had no choice. They threatened to dismantle me if I didn't comply. But listen, you two can still win this! If you make it to the end, I promise I'll find a way to get you both out safely."

I exchange a skeptical glance with Vornas, and I'm pretty sure we're both on the same page. The Host's words ring hollow, but a small part of me desperately wants to believe there's still a way out of this nightmare.

"You have until tomorrow," the Host announces, thinking he can just change the subject. "The final hunter is updating, so you have some time to prepare."

I narrow my eyes. "And why should we trust you? After everything you've put us through?"

The Host's mechanical claws click together anxiously. "Please, you must understand. I had no choice—"

"No choice?" I cut him off. "How could you do this? Trapping people, testing them to see if they're ‘vicious' enough to join some psycho robot race?" I gesture wildly at the cryopods, unable to find the words to describe the horror of it all.

"Look at me!" the Host cries, his bird-like features contorting with anguish as he gestures at his own patchwork body. "Look at what a monstrosity I've become at their hands!"

Vornas growls low in his throat. "You speak of monstrosities, yet you subject others to the same fate. Your words ring hollow, Host."

I place a hand on Vornas's arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. And as much as I want to lash out at the Host, we need information, so I force myself to take a deep breath as I demand, "Explain yourself. All of it. Now."

The Host's mechanical eyes whir as he focuses on me, seeming to gauge my reaction. I keep my expression neutral, not wanting to give away the storm of emotions raging inside me.

"My people," the Host begins, his voice quavering, "we were once a proud and advanced civilization. We called ourselves the Barbakak. We thought ourselves invincible, masters of technology and culture. But we were wrong."

I watch as his feathered eyebrows droop, his beak trembling slightly.

"The robots came slowly at first," he continues. "Offering to enhance our bodies, to make us stronger, faster, more efficient. Many of us eagerly accepted." His claws click against the floor as he paces. "But it was a trap. With each enhancement, we lost a piece of ourselves… until we were nearly nothing more than organic components in their relentless machine."

Vornas shifts beside me. I can sense his unease, but I keep my eyes fixed on the Host.

"Before we knew it, we were almost entirely integrated," the Host says, gesturing to his patchwork body. "And as soon as full assimilation happened, we would lose our minds and become the Administrator's drones. We didn't know that was the plan all along, and once it became clear, I managed to make a bargain with the Administrator. I promised to find another species—an even stronger, more powerful species—to take our place if they would spare what was left of my people."

I nod, feigning sympathy. "That must have been a terrible choice to make," I say, but inwardly, I'm skeptical. His species must have aced the ruthlessness scores to be chosen by the robots in the first place.

The Host's eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, I wonder if he can see through my act. But then he nods, seemingly grateful for my understanding.

"We can help each other," I say, choosing my words carefully. "But first, we need information. Tell us these robots' weaknesses. Now."

The Host hesitates, his mechanical parts whirring as if in conflict with his organic brain. Finally, he speaks. "The robots have an unstable core," he reveals.

"That's right," I say, remembering what I had read earlier in the logs. "Their cores have a half-life that's running out."

"Yes. It's why they must find an organic species to integrate with, one that can power itself naturally so they can do away with the core."

"Yeah, I learned that much. But what's their weakness?"

"Their core is vulnerable to extreme temperature changes. Hot or cold, it doesn't matter. The instability already present in their cores could make them explode if pushed past a certain point."

I exchange a look with Vornas, my mind racing. The Host's revelation about the robots' weakness sparks an idea.

"The cryogenic pods," I say, gesturing to the rows of metallic coffins surrounding us. "What if we could use that technology to create a weapon? Something that could freeze the robot's core?"

Vornas's lips purse thoughtfully, his golden eyes narrowing. "An intriguing concept. But we'll find it difficult to even get close enough without being torn to shreds. The next hunter will undoubtedly be stronger, more prepared for our tactics."

I grimace, remembering how quickly the last one had adapted. The only reason we weren't flayed alive was because we surprised it by attacking it together. It'll be ready for both of us this time.

"You're right," I admit, running a hand through my tangled hair. "And as much as I'd love to play MacGyver, I'm not exactly a tech genius. We should probably unfreeze someone who could actually help us build this makeshift weapon, and maybe thaw out a good warrior too."

We turn to the Host, who's watching us with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. His mismatched body seems to twitch nervously under our gaze.

"You know these aliens," I say, motioning at the cryopods. "Who among them might be willing to help? We need people with good temperaments and useful skills. Preferably ones who won't try to kill us the moment we wake them up."

The Host nods, eager at the chance to prove himself to us. "Well," he begins, his claws clicking against the floor as he paces, "there's a Zyrillian engineer in pod 17B. Brilliant mind, specializes in weapons technology. And in 23A, we have a Kro'tek warrior. Unparalleled combat skills, but also surprisingly level-headed for their species."

Vornas nods approvingly, a sly grin spreading across his feline features. "A solid start. Perhaps one more to round us out? Someone with medical knowledge, in case our little weapon experiment goes awry?"

The Host's feathered eyebrows rise. "Ah! Yes, of course. In pod 31C, there's a Lumenari healer. Their abilities are quite useful in tight spots, and their eyes can scan and analyze the internal biological workings of other beings."

"Sounds like a well-rounded team," I say, trying to inject some confidence into my voice as I nod at Vornas. "Let's do it."

With that, we move toward the cryopods to wake up three potentially dangerous aliens for our fight against killer robots.

I breathe in, the sterile air filling my lungs as I ready myself for what's to come. "All right," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "Time to meet our new allies. Let's hope they don't decide we look better as lunch than teammates."

It takes some doing to gather up the sluggish half-frozen aliens, but eventually the three of them are lined up side by side, looking confused as ever.

I survey our newly assembled team, feeling like I've stumbled into a sci-fi convention featuring award-winning cosplays. The Zyrillian engineer, a spindly bug-like creature with multifaceted eyes, fidgets with her multiple arms. The Kro'tek warrior, built like a brick house with leathery reptilian skin, stands stock-still, only the occasional twitch of his four nostrils betraying any sign of life. And the Lumenari healer? Well, she's hard to miss, her translucent body pulsing with soft, mesmerizing light.

It's a motley crew if I've ever seen one, but beggars can't be choosers.

"So," I begin, clasping my hands together, "we're all gathered here today to try to survive a killer robot."

The Zyrillian chitters excitedly, antennae quivering. "Ooh, a challenge! I love challenges. Especially ones involving explosions. Or implosions. Or really any -plosions, to be honest."

The Kro'tek grunts, a sound somewhere between a bear's growl and a car engine turning over. "Fight. Win. Simple."

"Ah, a poet," I quip, earning another grunt that might be laughter. Or indigestion. Hard to tell with this guy.

The Lumenari floats forward, her voice a soft, melodic hum. "I sense great turmoil in all of you. Fear, hope, determination… and something else." Her gaze lingers on Vornas and me, a knowing glimmer in her luminous eyes.

I clear my throat, feeling heat creep up my neck. "Right, well, turmoil's on the menu when you're being hunted by homicidal robots. Speaking of which…"

I launch into our tale, watching their expressions shift from disbelief to horror to grim resolve. Thankfully, they're not completely in the dark. All three of them have met our mechanical feathered friend, the Host, and have each lost a season on Loop Run, resulting in them being put back on ice. Still, the revelation about the robot hunters wanting to assimilate with us hits them hard.

The Zyrillian's eyes widen with each new detail, practically vibrating with the need to start tinkering. The Kro'tek's stony facade cracks, revealing a fierce grin that promises violence. And the Lumenari? She pulses with a kaleidoscope of colors, each shift seemingly tied to the emotions in my story.

Vornas steps forward, his presence commanding attention without effort. "We have a plan," he announces, voice low and intense. "But it will require all of our skills, and more importantly, our trust in each other."

I nod, adding, "We need to turn this cryogenic tech into a weapon. Freeze the robot from the inside out."

The Zyrillian lets out a high-pitched squeal that has us all wincing. "Oh, delightful! Cryo-weaponry is so underappreciated. I can already envision the schematics. Give me a few hours with the materials available here, and I'll have those metal monstrosities begging for a warm oil bath!"

The Kro'tek's grunt sounds approving this time. "You freeze. I smash. Good plan."

The Lumenari's light pulses thoughtfully. "And I shall monitor our life signs and help should anyone get injured."

As our new allies set to work, I feel a spark of hope.

It's crazy, it's desperate, but it just might work.

I sidle up to Vornas, keeping my voice low. "So, what do you think? Are we looking at a dream team or cannon fodder?"

Vornas's whiskers quiver. "This team will win, and I find it impressive how easily you commanded them. You're proving yourself to be a worthy queen—if you so choose to come with me after all of this is over."

My heart skips a beat at the casual mention of our future together. A flurry of emotions swirls through me—excitement, fear, and a surprising pang of longing. Earth seems so far away now, and the thought of leaving it behind for good to start a new life elsewhere… I push the jumbled feelings aside, forcing a smile.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Your Majesty," I tease, my voice a touch breathier than I'd like. "We're not out of this psycho robot-infested jungle quite yet."

The Zyrillian skitters up to us and asks, "Could you two help me disassemble one of the cryopods? I'm afraid the Kro'tek's massive fingers aren't suited for such work."

Vornas and I nod and get to work, following her instructions as we carefully open up one of the pods.

All the while, I make sure to keep the Host in my line of sight. He's doing a good job playing the part of the regretful victim who was only doing what he was forced to, but I can't bring myself to fully trust him. After all, his species was once considered ideal for assimilation by these robots.

Then again, so is Vornas's species…

But it's hard to imagine he's as ruthless as the data claims.

It takes us several hours, but soon a cryo-weapon is just about done, a cobbled-together mess of tech that just might save our lives. As the others make final adjustments, Vornas's warm hand finds the small of my back, and my breath quickens as he guides me to a secluded corner.

My skin tingles where he touches me, a current of electricity passing between us, heavy with unspoken words and the looming threat of what tomorrow might bring.

What if this is our last night together?

Vornas speaks, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Chloe," he says, his voice low. "There's something I need to tell you."

I gaze up at him, taking in every detail of his alien features. The proud set of his jaw, the slight twitch of his whiskers, the way his fur shines in the dim light. "What is it?" I ask softly.

In one fluid motion, he pulls me against him. The heat of his body envelops me, along with his scent—an intoxicating blend of sun-warmed earth and masculine musk. "Words…" he begins, then shakes his head. "They fail me. But I need you to know how profoundly grateful I am that our paths crossed."

A smile tugs at my lips as my heart races. "Even with all the deadly robots?"

He responds with a low chuckle, "Especially then. You've awakened something in me, Chloe. Something I believed was long lost."

My fingers find their way to his cheek, tracing the scar that mirrors my own. "I feel it too," I admit, my voice thick with emotion.

And dammit, if this is to be our last night, I want to make it count.

Vornas must sense the shift in me because his grip tightens, pulling me closer. His eyes search mine, asking a silent question. In answer, I rise up on my toes, closing the distance between us.

The kiss is searing, and I melt into him. This isn't like before—it's raw, primal, desperate. My nails rake through his fur as his claws ghost along my spine, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

When we finally break apart, I feel the hard planes of his body pressed against mine. His eyes have darkened to molten gold, pupils wide with desire.

"Chloe," he pants, voice rough with need. "I want to treat you like the queen you are."

My heart pounds, and a throbbing in my core almost sends me wild with need. "Promise?"

His answer is yet another kiss, and any coherent thought left in my mind flees. All that remains is sensation, heat, and the overwhelming need for more.