Silent Repairs

Voska's Lab – The Depths of the SlumsThe faint hum of makeshift machinery filled the air as Sol sat cross-legged on the floor of the dimly lit lab. The space was cluttered with tools, wires, and half-finished gadgets strewn across every surface, the faint smell of burnt circuits and oil lingering in the air. Scorch marks from past experiments marred the workbench, and a thin haze of metallic dust shimmered in the dim light. Holographic schematics hovered above the workbench, their faint blue light casting long shadows on the metal walls. A generator in the corner emitted a low, rhythmic thrum, barely audible over the soft crackle of a soldering iron in Sol's hand.He winced as the motion pulled at the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. The wounds from the heist—a mixture of burns and lacerations—had mostly clotted, but the ache was a constant reminder of just how close he'd come to death. Despite the pain, he worked methodically, his sharp green eyes darting between the tools and the components in front of him.His current project was a compact EMP device, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand. The casing, a hollowed-out energy cell, lay open before him, its interior carefully packed with circuits and a tiny power core. Sol's fingers moved deftly, connecting wires and securing components with a precision born of years of practice. The EMP would be his ace—a last-ditch tool to disable pursuers or escape a cornered situation.Nearby, a crude med-drone—one of Sol's earlier creations—buzzed to life, its spindly arms equipped with syringes and diagnostic tools. It hovered over him briefly, scanning his injuries before dispensing a small vial of painkillers. Sol grabbed the vial with a muttered thanks and downed it in one gulp, grimacing at the bitter taste.The lab itself belonged to Voska, hidden deep beneath an abandoned structure in the slums. Sol's own hideout had been compromised—the Vultures knew about it, and staying there was a death sentence. Voska's lab, however, remained a well-kept secret. The walls were reinforced with scrap metal, and the only entrance was concealed behind a false panel in the floor above. Here, he was safe—at least for now. But even in his solitude, Sol could hear faint disturbances above—muffled footsteps, the occasional mechanical whirr of a scout drone passing by. They were looking for him. A brief power fluctuation made the lights flicker erratically, sending jagged shadows dancing across the walls. He tensed, but the power stabilized. Just a minor glitch… or a warning?Scattered across the lab were various other projects Sol had painstakingly worked on in his stolen moments of safety. A set of flash grenades sat neatly in a row, their smooth metallic casings designed for maximum efficiency. When triggered, they would emit a blinding flash and a disorienting concussive pulse, capable of incapacitating multiple pursuers at once. Each grenade had etched grips for precision handling, ensuring Sol could deploy them even under duress.On another table rested a cloaking device prototype. Using refractive tech scavenged from old camo drones, Sol was constructing a wearable unit capable of bending light around the user. Though it drained power too quickly for prolonged use, the prototype was nearing completion. It was his trump card, an ace for infiltrations or disappearances in a pinch.A series of small recon drones hovered silently in their charging docks. Each was no larger than a clenched fist, outfitted with micro-cameras and audio receivers for silent reconnaissance. One drone, affectionately nicknamed "Vix," had been upgraded with an infrared scanner, capable of detecting heat signatures through walls. The drones were tethered to Sol's wrist-mounted interface, ready to scout the slums above or monitor approaching threats.On the floor near the entrance lay several spider-like remote-controlled bots. Each had a specialized purpose: one carried an EMP charge to disable electronics, another was equipped with adhesive pads for scaling walls, and a third carried a dart launcher loaded with tranquilizers. Controlled via his wrist interface, they were extensions of Sol's tactical mind, tools for every situation he could anticipate.Hidden beneath the floor panels were pressure-sensitive traps rigged with shock emitters. Sol had meticulously crafted these defensive measures to stun any intruders who managed to breach the sanctuary. Deployable spike strips, crafted from scavenged scrap metal, were tucked away nearby, ready to puncture the wheels of any pursuing vehicles.From the corner of the room, a gruff voice broke the silence. "You're pushing yourself too hard."Sol glanced up to see Voska standing by the makeshift lab station, his imposing Vortigoth frame bent slightly as he examined a circuit board. The exiled researcher's crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, his expression a mixture of concern and irritation. The old scientist's four arms were busy—two tinkering with the ACE System prototype, and two more holding a datapad displaying streams of alien text. But Sol noticed something else—Voska kept glancing at the entrance, as if expecting something, his mandibles twitching in suppressed tension."If I don't push, we'll both be dead in a week," Sol replied, his voice hoarse but determined. "They'll find us eventually. And when they do, I need to be ready."Voska's mandibles clicked in irritation. "Preparation is useless if you collapse from exhaustion first. Rest is as vital a component as the tools you wield."Sol didn't respond immediately. Instead, he set down the soldering iron and leaned back, letting his head rest against the cool metal wall. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of the last few days pressing down on him. The heist, the betrayal, the escape… and now the knowledge that every major faction in the slums was hunting him. The pressure was suffocating, but he couldn't afford to stop."How's the ACE System coming along?" he asked, breaking the silence.Voska's expression softened slightly, his upper arms gesturing toward the glowing device on the lab table. The ACE System—a sleek, crystalline core housed in a reinforced casing—emitted a soft, pulsating light that seemed almost alive, flickering rhythmically like a heartbeat. The light danced across the room's metallic surfaces, casting shifting patterns of alien runes that shimmered faintly along the core's edges, as if responding to an unseen pulse of energy. At times, the flickering would change tempo, almost as if sensing their presence."It's… promising," Voska admitted, his voice tinged with cautious optimism. "The stolen component was exactly what I needed to stabilize the core. With this, the system's neural interface will function at peak efficiency. But integrating it into a living host will be… delicate."Sol frowned. "Delicate how?"Voska's mandibles clicked again, a sign of hesitation. "The ACE System is designed to amplify both cognitive and physical capabilities, but it's untested. The neural pathways… there's a risk of overload. Your body may reject it entirely."Sol's gaze shifted to the device, its light reflecting in his dark green eyes. "So, it's a gamble."Voska nodded. "A gamble that could either save your life or end it prematurely."The room fell silent again, the only sounds the hum of machinery and the faint crackle of solder."Let them come," Sol muttered under his breath. "I'll be ready."