Once settled, they all moved into the second dome, a cozier space where everyone would sleep. Varnathi and crew together.

Great, Luca thought, eyeing the sleeping arrangements. Just what I always wanted. A slumber party with a bunch of aliens.

At least the dome was warm. The Varnathi scientists moved quietly, their fur rippling in the filtered light as they prepared for rest. Up close, without the chaos of combat, they looked almost... cuddly.

I can work with that, he decided.

Joey immediately took up his med-kit, checking on the injured team members. Emily sat on a supply crate, her face pale but calm as Joey carefully examined her ribs.

Luca hovered nearby, trying not to look too worried. "You okay, Em?"

"Bruised, not broken," Joey said, applying healing gel to her side. "It'll hurt for a while, though."

"Wouldn't be a mission without a few bruises," Emily muttered, wincing as she moved. She cast a sympathetic look at Danny, who was holding his shoulder with a grimace.

Wish I could have taken that hit for her, Luca thought, watching Joey's clinical examination. Not that I'm eager to get clawed by a giant lizard, but still.

"You alright, Danny?" Luca asked, moving closer.

Danny gave a tired grin as Joey moved over to inspect his shoulder wound. "Guess it's my turn with the doc."

"You're lucky you didn't tear anything major," Joey said, his voice softer now, gentler. He applied another dose of gel as Danny winced. "Try not to test the shoulder too much tomorrow."

"Easy for you to say," Danny grumbled. "You weren't the one who got a Sporefang surprise." But there was trust in the way he leaned into Joey's touch. The brothers had their own dynamic when it came to medical care.

"I'm serious, Danny," Joey said, his brow furrowed with concern. "This could get infected if you're not careful. Promise me you'll take it easy."

Danny sighed but nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I promise. Just patch me up, doc."

Meanwhile, Ryan was carefully settling the paralyzed Varnathi scientist onto a cot. She blinked up at him with large, expressive eyes, still tense from the day's events.

"You comfortable?" he asked, his voice soft.

She nodded faintly, her ears twitching as she replied in a soft trill, "Your assistance is appreciated."

Ryan gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, just looking out for everyone." He glanced at Luca with a smirk. "Guess that makes me the MVP tonight, huh?"

Luca shook his head, forcing a grin. "Just don't let it go to your head."

The second dome was already prepared for sleep, with blankets spread across the floor. Danny, watching the exchange, rolled his eyes. "You're just thrilled to be sleeping next to her," he teased.

Zoe raised an eyebrow, arms crossed as she leaned against the dome wall. "Isn't this getting a little cozy? Two domes, all of us packed in, plus a group of snuggling Varnathi?"

Emily smirked, nudging Joey. "I think Danny and Ryan are suddenly fascinated by Varnathi culture."

Ryan shrugged, unbothered by the teasing. "Hey, if they're comfortable, who am I to judge? It's efficient. Warmth and all."

Danny's gaze lingered on the Varnathi as they nestled closer, his expression caught somewhere between fascination and amusement. "Well, they look happy enough. Can't say I expected this, though."

"Just try not to look too interested, boys," Zoe said with a roll of her eyes.

"Just appreciating the culture," Danny replied, though his smirk hinted at more curiosity.

Yeah, right, Luca thought. And I'm just here for the scenery.

Chris, being Chris, gave an easy shrug and promptly stretched out on one of the blankets. He looked surprisingly at ease, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Well," he sighed, folding his arms behind his head, "might as well make myself comfortable."

Leave it to Chris to break the ice. Soon the crew followed suit, each finding a spot on the floor. The blankets were surprisingly warm and carried a faint, clean scent that was almost calming after the day's battles.

"We need to set a watch rotation," Luca announced. "This place might be secure, but I'm not taking chances."

"Zoe and I can take first watch," Danny volunteered, adjusting his injured shoulder carefully. "Chris and Ryan can spell us in a few hours."

"I'll stay up working on everyone anyway," Joey added, organizing his medical supplies. "Might as well keep an eye on things."

Luca settled down near Emily, positioning himself where he could watch the rest of the team.

One by one, the Varnathi joined them on the blankets. They moved quietly, each slipping onto the sleeping area in a ripple of soft fur and subtle movements. Within moments, several of the smaller researchers curled around Chris, who looked content with the arrangement.

Ryan found himself sharing space with one of the female researchers, the clean scent of her fur filling the air as she settled beside him. Luca could see him trying to appear nonchalant, but the tension in his shoulders was obvious.

Kid's blushing, Luca noted with amusement. So obvious sometimes.

Zoe, taking her watch position near the entrance, found herself sharing space with one of the male guards who curled up nearby with practiced ease.

"Didn't think sharing a blanket with aliens would be on our to-do list," Zoe whispered to Luca.

"Another surprise," he replied quietly.

Soon, the dome grew quiet. The soft sounds of breathing and gentle purrs blended with the team's own settling noises. The warmth radiating from the collective group had a surprising comfort.

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This is... nice, Luca thought, feeling his body sink into the blankets. Different, but nice.

He positioned himself protectively near Emily, one arm within easy reach of his weapons. Joey continued his quiet work, checking on patients and organizing supplies.

The Varnathi settled into what was clearly their natural sleeping pattern, grouping together for warmth and security. One of the researchers beside Chris twitched in her sleep, lips pulling back to reveal sharp canine teeth before settling again.

Right, Luca reminded himself. Cuddly predators. Still predators.

Outside, something low, reverberated through the toxic air. The dome's walls shook faintly, as if responding. Zoe's head snapped toward the entrance, alert.

"Just the wind?" she asked quietly.

"Probably," Luca replied, though his hand drifted toward his blaster. Tomorrow's going to be a real test. Whatever's out there, it's bigger than anything we've faced.

The Varnathi purrs created a soothing background noise that reminded Luca of the Centurion's engine hum, but underneath it, the planet's toxic atmosphere continued its assault on their shelter.

Most bizarre mission I've ever been on, he thought, watching Emily sleep peacefully beside him. Toxic planet, killer plants, lizard creatures, sleeping with aliens. And we're probably about to face something way above our level tomorrow.

By midday, they were trekking up a steep ridge, the research station still hours away according to Dr. Pol's estimates. The toxic fog had thinned slightly, revealing more of the alien landscape's hostility. Grimveil plants dotted the hillside like purple tumors, their bulbous stems swaying in the chemical breeze.

Joey hauled the collapsed dome pack on his back, the equipment having folded into itself overnight. Even though the pack was the size of a refrigerator, his heavy powered armor handled the weight without strain. The mechanical whir of his suit's servos provided a steady backdrop to their march.

The terrain grew treacherous as they climbed. Loose shale shifted underfoot, threatening to send anyone in lighter armor tumbling down the slope. Pockets of concentrated spores drifted between the rocks like toxic clouds, forcing them to detour around areas where their suit filters couldn't handle the chemical density.

"Formation change," Luca called out as they approached a narrow defile between two rock outcroppings. "Single file through the gap. Heavy armor first, then scientists, scouts bring up the rear."

The Varnathi researchers moved nervously, their ears twitching at every sound. Dr. Pol kept looking over her shoulder, counting and recounting her remaining people.

"Fourteen researchers, four guards," she murmured to herself, her voice a worried trill. "We started with twenty. Six lost already."

We're not even halfway there. Luca realized.

As they navigated through the defile, Zoe's voice crackled over the comms. "Movement at two o'clock. Shadow behind that rock cluster."

Everyone froze. Weapons came up, targeting the indicated position.

Nothing.

"False alarm," Zoe reported after a tense thirty seconds. "Must have been spore drift."

They resumed their climb, but the nerves were showing. Every shifting shadow, every wind-blown plant made someone tense up. The Varnathi were huddling closer together, their natural prey instincts firing constantly.

The ridge twisted upward through a series of switchbacks, each turn revealing new hazards. Acidic runoff from higher elevations had carved channels through the rock, creating natural barriers they had to navigate around. The chemical streams glowed faintly green, eating away at anything they touched.

"How much further?" Emily asked, checking her power cell reserves. The climb was eating into their suit batteries faster than expected.

"Eight kilometers to the plateau," Dr. Pol trilled in response. "The research station overlooks the primary spore fields from there."

Eight more kilometers through this hellscape, Luca thought, scanning the ridge ahead through his scope. At least the visibility's better up here.

The remaining Varnathi scientists moved in a tight cluster, their earlier confidence shaken by yesterday's losses. Forteen researchers and four guards now, down from their original twenty from the beginning of the delve. The missing ones had been dragged away by Sporefangs, their fates unknown but probably unpleasant.

"Movement," Zoe reported from point position. "Multiple heat signatures in the rocks ahead."

Luca activated [Heightened Awareness], his enhanced senses immediately picking up the danger patterns. Too many signatures.

"Ambush positions," he barked over the comms. "Defensive circle, now!"

The attack came from three directions at once. Sporefangs erupted from concealed positions in the rocky terrain, their scaled bodies blending perfectly with the toxic stone until they moved. Eight of the creatures, larger than the ones they'd fought before.

Fuck, they're hunting in bigger packs now.

"Contact front!" Chris shouted, his plasma rifle chattering as he laid down suppressing fire. The plasma bolts seared through the toxic air, but the Sporefangs were already moving, using the uneven terrain to their advantage.

One of the Varnathi guards screamed as a Sporefang's jaws clamped down on his leg. The creature's whip-like tail lashed out, striking two researchers before dragging all three victims into a crevice between the rocks.

"Lost three researchers and Jorik!" Dr. Pol cried out, her voice a high-pitched trill of distress.

Emily's plasma blasters spat controlled volleys, forcing two Sporefangs to break their attack runs. But more were coming from the flanks, trying to circle their position.

Ryan positioned himself protectively in front of the paralyzed scientist he'd been helping. His scattergun roared, wide bursts of plasma energy creating a defensive barrier. A Sporefang lunged at him from the side, its claws raking across his medium armor. The creature's talons found a weak joint, puncturing through to draw blood.

"Shit!" Ryan stumbled, his left arm now useless as dark fluid spread across his suit's surface.

"Ryan's hit!" Joey called out, but he was pinned down by his own Sporefang, the creature circling his heavy armor looking for weak points.

Danny saw a Sporefang closing on Zoe from her blind spot. Without thinking, he dropped his plasma warhammer and charged. The weapon hit the ground with a heavy thud as he tackled the three-meter lizard, his heavy armor giving him the mass advantage he needed.

Stupid move, Luca thought, stupid, watching Danny grapple with the creature. The Sporefang's claws scrabbled against Danny's powered armor, looking for something to grab while its tail whipped around trying to find exposed flesh.

"Hold on, Danny!" Luca drew his plasma tomahawk and activated [Trajectory Focus]. The enhanced targeting system painted the perfect throwing arc as he hurled the weapon with lethal precision.

The tomahawk's plasma blade sliced clean through the Sporefang's neck, severing its head in a spray of acidic blood that sizzled against the rocky ground. Danny rolled away from the thrashing corpse, his armor smoking where the creature's fluids had splashed.

"Thanks for the save!" Danny panted, retrieving his warhammer.

But the fight wasn't over. The remaining Sporefangs had regrouped, using the rocky terrain to launch themselves. Luca's rifle cracked repeatedly, each shot guided by [Target Lock Assist] to find its mark through the chaos.

Zoe's sniper rifle spoke from her elevated position, dropping a Sporefang that was trying to flank Joey. Chris and Emily laid down intersecting fields of fire, their plasma weapons painting the toxic air with deadly energy.

The last two Sporefangs tried to retreat, but there was no mercy in this fight. The team's coordinated fire cut them down before they could reach cover.

[+192,857 XP] [+84,321 credits]

"Clear!" Luca called out, scanning the rocks for any remaining threats. "Sound off, everyone!"

"Ryan's bleeding," Joey reported, moving to assess the wounded engineer. "Puncture wound through the armor joint. Could be infected."

Ryan sat heavily on a boulder, cradling his injured arm. "Feels like the bastard hit bone," he muttered, his face pale behind his visor.

Joey applied medical gel and a pressure patch, but the worry lines around his eyes were visible even through his helmet. "This is beyond field medicine. We need to get you to proper medical facilities."

That's two serious injuries now, Luca realized, watching Joey work. Danny's shoulder, Ryan's arm. We're being picked apart piece by piece.

Dr. Pol approached with the remaining researchers clustered behind her, their ears flat with grief and fear. "We have lost too many," she trilled sadly. "Perhaps we should turn back."

"No," Luca said firmly. "We get to that research station, we complete the mission, and then we get everyone home. All of us."

"Emily," Luca whispered over comms as he watched over the remaining Varnathi. "Do a headcount, please."

"We're at fourteen, eleven researchers and three guards," she confirmed over our internal comms. "We lost six since yesterday."

"Shit."

The ridge stretched ahead of them, eight more kilometers of hostile terrain between them and their destination.

"Move out," he ordered. "Stay tight, watch the flanks, and let's finish this thing."

[Item acquired: Power cell x3] [Item acquired: Centauri PSH-64 "Solar Bastion" Plasma Shield]

Behind them, the acidic blood of the dead Sporefangs continued to eat into the rocky ground, leaving smoking craters as monuments to their small victory.

Just another day in paradise, Luca thought grimly, leading his wounded team higher into the toxic wilderness.

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