Stand Guard

Behold, as if scripted by the cosmic comedy writers themselves, the scene unfurled into an epic cosmic sitcom spectacle. Tessa and J found themselves in the company of an eccentric ensemble that could have easily doubled as a troupe of offbeat superheroes.

K emanated vibes that suggested an impending volcanic eruption, a tempest within her poised to erupt at any moment; T sported an air of Sherlock Holmes, his deduction mode fully engaged.

Z's stoic demeanor could rival the frosty reputation of the Copper 9 snow; while C exuded a state of blissful ignorance, akin to an uninvited guest strolling into the oddest of family reunions.

Conversely, on the opposite side of the icy chasm, Uzi and Y/N held court like a dynamic duo powered by nuclear energy, their presence commanding attention and respect.

And naturally, the duo was flanked by N and V, the very embodiment of chaotic personalities. One was a gentle slayer of silliness, and the other, the living embodiment of enigma and sadistic wit.

N's voice was laced with a dash of incredulity, his words stumbling over one another as he managed to utter, "T-Tessa...?" His tone was that of someone who had just stumbled upon a mythical creature believed to be long extinct.

Amidst the tangibly acrid scent that permeated the air, Tessa lunged forward, her eagerness to embrace N akin to a blazing supernova. "N! You remember–" Her sentence was cut short by a fit of coughing, provoked by the unearthly atmosphere. "Tall, handsome...air's toxic..."

However, Tessa's focus swiftly shifted to Uzi and Y/N, the enigmatic duo commanding the cosmic spotlight. Brimming with curiosity, she ventured forward cautiously. "Who are these little– Ah!"

Her tentative exploration was abruptly terminated by Uzi's exhibition of her dental expertise, as she unexpectedly sank her metallic teeth into Tessa's unsuspecting finger.

The pain that ensued could have rivaled the awakening of dormant volcanoes. In a sudden outburst, Tessa's voice reverberated with a scream as Uzi clamped down on her finger. And as could be expected, it hurt.

Tessa, the solitary representative of flesh and blood amidst this assembly of mechanical marvels, had never been one to bottle up her emotions. Thus, her startled yelp escaped her lips.

And seeing their sister was attacking someone, Y/N catapulted into action. Their arm underwent a metamorphosis, transforming into a fully-armed nuclear cannon, poised and ready for action.

"I'm Uzi, and this is my sibling Y/N! What brings a human here?" Uzi's inquiry pierced the air, her accusatory gesture flickering between herself and her weaponry-primed counterpart.

Politeness might have taken a back seat in the realm of introductions, particularly when the objective lay in the shadow of human annihilation.

However, Uzi's optical sensors locked onto the unmistakable figure of J. A sigh of exasperation, laden with more frustration than a cascade of solar flares, flowed from her metallic frame.

"Real tired of killing this one," Uzi quipped, alluding to the two occasions where she and Y/N had unceremoniously dispatched J into the realm of scrap metal oblivion.

With a bold attempt at an air of nonchalance, J shot back with a grin, "Effective drones were cloned more." A casual flick of her fingers swept her hair's pigtails back with a flourish that could easily challenge the drama of any hair commercial.

However, her facade of bravado dissolved into a neon yellow blush, like a color palette gone haywire, as her visor highlighted Y/N's presence. "H-hi, Y/N..."

Armed with this newfound knowledge of J's affections, Y/N decided to dabble in the cosmic game of flirtation. A playful wink became the chosen ammunition, triggering an explosion of yellow hues on J's visor that would put even the most vibrant neon signs to shame.

"Aw!" N chimed in, thoroughly entertained by this unfolding romantic comedy.

Meanwhile, V's reaction mirrored that of someone chomping on a sour lemon, her eloquent "Ew" encapsulating her sentiment.

Yet, with a deft narrative pivot, Tessa seized the reins of explanation. "Cyn disappeared on Earth, the boss ran away, we mutually disengaged," her words carried an air of laid-back seriousness, as though she were discussing weekend plans. "Her last known act was siccing you lot on the human exoplanets."

J, typically a talkative presence, momentarily drifted from the conversation's orbit as her gaze fixated with starry-eyed wonder upon Y/N.

"Why? And who're the rest?" N's inquiry sliced through the nebulous air, his gesture encompassing the eclectic assembly flanking both J and Tessa.

J's response was as sharp as a shooting star, "That's what we're trying to figure out, bozo." Her focus shifted back to business mode. "And those are the Elemental Drones, special units made by the company for special missions like these."

"I suppose formalities are in order then. I go by Serial Designation Z, and my expertise lies in ice-based attacks," Z's voice struck a balance between professionalism and chilly poise, his presence stepping into the forefront.

His arm gracefully ascended, revealing a device that resembled a futuristic ice blaster, primed to transform adversaries into icy confections. "And my sister is-"

However, K interjected, her temperament ablaze with ferocity. "Serial Designation K, engrave it in your minds, or I'll reduce you to ashes!" Her arm extended, unveiling a flamethrower attachment capable of reducing walls to mere whispers of smoke and ash.

Following her fiery display, T took center stage, his words charged with an electric fervor. "I'm Serial Designation T, a specialist in harnessing electrical power for combat." His gesture directed attention to his array of Tesla coils, electric energy crackling in a symphony of power.

"Yo, I'm Serial Designation C. I'm, uh... decent with drills, I guess. Oh, and I can throw boulders too," C offered with a shrug that radiated indifference, embodying an attitude of laid-back ease in the midst of introductions.

With the formalities neatly addressed, Tessa stood poised to steer the conversation forward. "There you have it. Now that we're acquainted, we could really use your help to-" Her sentence swung to a halt as Doll activated her AbsoluteSolver.

With a blink, she adroitly snatched a conspicuously positioned bug from its roost atop Tessa's head, then promptly dissolved into the frigid embrace of Copper 9's biting cold atmosphere.

"That's... kind of a big piece." Tessa muttered, a shared realization among the group that a bug-catching escapade was now underway.

"Race you there!" Y/N's exclamation hung in the air, instantaneously materializing a jetpack as they rocketed off, throwing down the gauntlet.

"Oh, you little... Bet!" Uzi shot back, a determined grin etched on her face as she conjured her own jetpack and surged forward in pursuit of her sibling and Doll.

With a casual shrug, the rest of the crew sprang into action, chasing after Doll in a mad dash to catch up to the nuclear-powered pair. Uzi and Y/N's velocities were a challenge to match.

In response to Uzi's authoritative command, both siblings unleashed a barrage of projectiles at Doll, their assault only abating when she hurled herself down a cavernous shaft. Tessa, J, N, V, Z, K, T, and C arrived seconds later, converging on the scene.

"J, relay hand, Cyn's orders." Tessa commanded, her directive compelling J to summon a digital screen.

"Step one: Clear drop zone of life and construct spire." J began to recite, her voice conveying a sense of practiced authority. "Step two–"

"Enter labs with this symbol." Tessa swiftly added, her action tearing down a large paper to unveil a concealed poster beneath. Pinned conspicuously near the bottom was the phrase "Cabin Fever." "Not too much to go off, but if Cyn wants these labs, we burn them down. That keybug's our way in."

Having addressed the immediate strategy, Tessa sauntered toward the edge of the scaffolded shaft. "J, mind my ship." She instructed, tossing the keys toward J. However, J's distraction by Y/N's presence caused her to fumble the catch.

Tessa's stride persisted, only to be interrupted as Uzi firmly positioned herself before Tessa, an effective blockade. "Why involve Doll? What's happening to... her?" Uzi's curiosity was palpable in her question.

"She reckons the humans did something to her folks down here. Gave them a sickness she inherited." Tessa responded, punctuating her words with a thoughtful pause.

"...And?" Uzi's raised eyebrow pressed Tessa to continue, an eager anticipation shimmering in her eyes.

"I think she's right..." Tessa's gaze then shifted toward N and V. "Coming or not? Z and K, you're with me too." She commanded, her attention directed towards the elemental robots of ice and fire.

"Understood, Miss Elliot." Z promptly affirmed, exhibiting no trace of insubordination.

"There better be a reason for me to burn something down!" K retorted with a hint of underlying aggression, though her compliance was evident in her stance.

N, V, Uzi, and Y/N formed a cohesive group as they moved towards the entrance of the shaft to follow Tessa, but Uzi halted Y/N's progress before they could step forward. "Hold up, Y/N... it's better if you stand guard out here. Just in case Doll tries to slip past us, you need to be ready to bring her back."

"Sure, but... I don't like us being split up, sis..." Y/N confessed, their hesitation palpable as they considered following their sister's directive.

Uzi released a sigh, her voice touched with a mix of understanding and determination. "Yeah, I'm with you on that, but I can handle myself. After all, you're the one who made me this strong," she said, her hand resting reassuringly on her sibling's shoulder. "Y/N, you've been the toughest drone I've known for so long. And you still are. Maybe second to me, but still."

"Though..." Uzi leaned in slightly, her voice hushed as she whispered into Y/N's auditory receptors. "...keep an extra eye on the others, especially J... If things get too rough, I'll send you a message, but I'll be back safe."

"Promise?" Y/N inquired once more, their concern for their sibling evident.

"Promise." Uzi affirmed, giving a nod accompanied by a comforting hug and smile. As Uzi caught up with the rest of the group, she ventured into the depths of the dark, damp cavern below the surface, her gaze sweeping the surroundings.

"Is the secret elevator... labeled?" N's skeptical voice chimed in, his finger pointing at the rather conspicuously labeled sign.

As Tessa continued her stride, an unexpected jolt ran through her foot as she inadvertently kicked a severed drone arm. It somersaulted across the ground, mirroring her gaze now drawn to the gruesome pile of drone corpses.

The group surveyed their grimy, blood-stained surroundings, each face reflecting a mixture of shock and disgust. N appeared on the brink of retching, while Uzi and V bore expressions that practically screamed 'unfazed'. K and Z seemed equally unperturbed.

"Riiiight... Might be some security, specifically against... you guys." Tessa remarked, her eyes scanning the vicinity for any signs of robotic defense mechanisms.

Uzi's attention shifted to her left, where something was scrawled on the wall: "DON'T LOOK THE LIGHT." Any other time, this might have elicited fear, but when you're an Atomizer Drone like Uzi, finding something even remotely unsettling was a challenge.

"Human-made security this human can control. Hehehehe!" Tessa's declaration echoed with a touch of confidence in her ability to navigate robot-resistant security. Alas, reality had different plans, as the display promptly flashed "ACCESS DENIED." "...Maybe."

"Anything to screw Cyn's plan." V chimed in, her determination palpable.

"And for Mom backstory." N supplemented, alluding to the potential revelation of Uzi's mother, Nori. "Right, dude?" He turned to her expectantly.

"...Yeah..." Uzi responded with a marked lack of enthusiasm.

The group continued their stride until a directory materialized before them. It plainly indicated that the secret elevator lay to the north of their current route.

N couldn't hold back his gleeful giggle at being proven right, seeking affirmation from his companions. V's eye twitched in response, while Uzi offered a nonchalant thumbs-up.

"Huh. Righty-ho. Sources say that way–" Tessa's sentence was abruptly cut short as she found herself yanked away by her foot. Despite being pulled away, she managed to shout in rapid succession, "-except I'm going this way, so save me if you can, THANKS!"

The gang immediately sprang into action, their primary concern locating the spot where Tessa had been abruptly spirited away. Amidst their search, a child's laughter wafted through the air, catching their attention. Following the source of the sound, they stumbled upon a peculiar discovery – a radio emitting the eerie giggles.

"So..." Uzi's voice trailed off as she transformed her arm into a uranium-laden minigun. "Shoot the baby immediately?"

"I vote we turn it to ashes!" K interjected, her flamethrower-equipped arm swiveling menacingly towards the innocent-looking device.

However, before anyone could execute their chosen method of baby annihilation, the infant sprouted legs and scurried away. The unexpected sight left Uzi and K empty-handed, their offensive maneuvers thwarted.

Suddenly, a long arm dramatically descended in front of them, seamlessly morphing into a detonator-like contraption. Reacting on pure instinct, the group swiftly pivoted, their gazes locking onto another drone.

This newcomer bore a distinctly female appearance, neon orange eyes gleaming on her visor, and dark reddish hair elegantly tied into a ponytail.

"Hey there, surface slickers..." The new drone's voice dripped with an ominous chuckle. Then, with a burst of energy, the detached arm's detonator triggered an EMP explosion, plunging everything into darkness.