Outside our flats—Units 57–59—Fiona's waiting, her braid catching the fake sunlight. Dmitri looms, "Morning, lovebirds," Dmitri grunts, smirking. "Ready to sweat?"
"Always, mate," I say, winking at Fiona. She smirks, cheeks pink. "Let's nab a mission before we melt." We tap our bracelets—elder's chips humming discreetly—and teleport to the Guild dome, The receptionist, a spiky Vordex with holo-eyes, slides us a mission: escort a scientist in a new volcanic habitat, designed for heat-resistant aliens from a freshly scouted planet. "You'll guard him while he releases native lifeforms," she hums. "Lava rivers, burning rocks—your suits will handle it. 800 credits each."
"Volcano vibe? I'm in!" I say, fist-bumping Fiona. "Hot stuff, right?"
She rolls her eyes, grinning. "Keep it cool, Coach Bounce."
"Hot mission, hot team," Dmitri smirks, spear glinting. My bracelet pings: Mission: Escort scientist. Query: Lava-proof badge? "Cheeky," I mutter, accepting the mission.
We teleport to the volcanic habitat, a hellscape of glowing rocks and rivers of molten lava, air shimmering like a gym after a HIIT session. Our suits hum, cooling us, but sweat beads anyway. The scientist, a bulky metal alien with joints like rusted gears, clanks forward, followed by caged lifeforms. "This habitat mimics the first planet in its system," he rumbles via translator, his arm jerking oddly. "Lifeforms thrive in extreme heat. Stay alert." His head twitches, like a bot with a bad circuit.
"Mate, you okay?" I ask, dodging a lava splash. "You're moving like my old gym's treadmill."
"Functional," he grunts, twitching again. "Heat interference, perhaps." Fiona raises an eyebrow, staff pulsing. "He's glitchy," she whispers.
"Metal guy in a volcano? Probably just overheating," Dmitri says, shield ready. "Let's keep up."
We follow the scientist, his steps jerky as he releases wriggling lifeforms—scaly, glowing. Animals. into the habitat. "These adapt to lava," he says, arm spasming as he opens a crate. "The aliens come next."
"Hope they're less twitchy," I mutter, scanning the lava rivers. My bracelet pings: Environment: Hazardous. Query: Sauna workout logged? "Not now!" I hiss.
Out of nowhere, an insect-like lifeform—six legs, spiky arms, glowing red—bursts from a lava river, hissing like a kettle. "Blimey!" I yell, as it spins its arms, blasting Dmitri into a rock pile with a whump. "Dmitri!" Fiona shouts, her staff shifting to bow mode, firing flux arrows. The insect screeches, dodging, its arms whirling like a demonic windmill.
I fire my pistol, plasma bolts sizzling, but they barely dent its hide. "This bug's got armor!" I shout, diving. Fiona's arrows zip, drawing its glowing eyes. "Keep it busy!" she calls, flux sparking.
"Busy? It's a lava ninja!" I yell, power fist glowing. The insect spins its tail, a glowing whip, and slams it toward the scientist. He freezes, joints locking, and crack—the tail sends him flying into the lava river. "No!" I shout, lunging with my binding rope. The scientist sinks, molten lava bubbling around his metal frame.
"Dmitri, cover me!" I yell, tossing the rope. It loops his arm, and I pull, muscles straining like a max deadlift. Dmitri, back on his feet, slams his shield, fire bursting, blocking the insect's next spin. "Stay down, bug!" he roars, spear slashing. Fiona's flux arrows pin its legs, and it hisses, slithering back into the lava, defeated.
I haul the scientist out, his upper half intact, lower half a melted mess, like a gym machine left in a furnace. "Mate, hang on!" I say, checking for movement. Nothing. His optics are dark. "He's… gone," I whisper, heart sinking. Fiona kneels, staff dimming. "Damn it," she mutters, voice tight.
Dmitri's shield cools, his face grim. "Bug was too fast. Scientist was too slow."
My bracelet pings: Emergency signal sent. Query: Heroic rope-pull badge? I tap it, sending a Guild distress call. "This wasn't in the mission brief," I say, voice shaking. "Lava bugs and dead scientists? What's next?"
Fiona grips my shoulder, her touch steadying. "We did what we could, Alex."
"Still feels like a loss," I mutter, staring at the scientist's melted frame. Dmitri nods. We stand, shaken, in the glowing heat, waiting for the Guild's response, my bracelet humming with the weight of a mission gone sideways.