Rattan felt a chill run down his spine. Chief's words were heavy with despair, a complete surrender to their fate. But something within Rattan refused to accept that. He looked at the scattered pieces of the gauntlet, then back at Chief, a spark of defiance igniting within him.
"But… if we don't try," he said, his voice small but firm, "then what's the point? If we just give up, then they've already won." He picked up a small gear, turning it over in his fingers. "Even if these are just toys, maybe… maybe we can find a way to make them more than that. Maybe we can find a way to use them in a way they never intended."
He looked up at Chief, his eyes filled with a newfound determination. "I know it seems hopeless," he said, "but I have to try. I have to believe that there's something we can do." He paused, then added in a softer tone, "Even if it's just to prove them wrong."