Discoveries

Rafael was the first to wake up, removing all the dust stuck to his clothes. Taking advantage of the fact that his little friend, and Oliver were still sound asleep, he decided to take care of something he had been putting off for a while. Clean the dirt that had accumulated on his body after days of running, hiding and fighting.

He took off the torn and stained uniform he was wearing, noticing how it was beginning to emit an unpleasant odor. Heading to the small pool of crystal clear water that, upon contact with the water, a shiver ran through his skin.

He submerged up to his shoulders, closing his eyes as he let the cold awaken every fiber of his being. He began to carve her skin, removing the dirt stains that had adhered like a second layer. Burning was inevitable, especially in the superficial wounds that had formed during their journey, but Rafael endured it.

A few inches away, Oliver stirred, muttering something unintelligible. Rafael looked out of the corner of his eye, making sure his partner was still sleeping. Oliver fidgeted for a while before standing still.

Raphael focused on himself again, letting the subtle, sweet, vanilla fragrance fill his lungs. For a moment, he could almost forget the tensions between him and Oliver, as well as the constant danger that surrounded them.

When he finished cleaning himself, he got out of the water and shook off the excess moisture as much as he could. She covered her body with her clothes again, but the feeling of the damp, worn fabric clinging to her skin was uncomfortable. He sighed, accepting the discomfort as just one more of many to deal with.

Hunger began to make its presence felt. Rafael approached the large leaves he had used as a makeshift backpack. There he kept the crystal fruits, and slipped one of the fruits out. He picked up one of the loose crystals and a stone that would serve as a hammer. With an accurate blow, the fruit split, revealing its translucent contents.

He leaned over to the gecko, who awoke with a soft squeak. Rafael took some of the gelatinous substance and offered it to the small reptile, which began to devour it with enthusiasm. Then Rafael took a bite for himself, savoring the sweetness of the fruit.

As he ate, his eyes fell on Oliver, who was beginning to wake up, even though he was half asleep, and was moving as best he could towards one of the open fruits that Rafael had left behind.

"What are you planning now?"

Oliver yawned exaggeratedly before speaking. "Eating, obviously." They licked their lips.

"No, first wash your face, it's dirty." Rafael did not allow him to grab the fruit away from his reach.

Oliver snorted, crossing his arms. "Really? What difference does it make? Everything is dirty here."

"It's either that or you don't eat." Rafael calmly took another piece of the fruit into his mouth.

Oliver clicked his tongue, but reluctantly got up. "Always so bossy, officer." He said sarcastically as he approached the pool.

He approached the pool, cursing through his teeth as he endured the water. He reluctantly washed his face, scrubbing hard until his skin was red. "Happy now?" He blurted out, turning to Rafael.

"For now." Rafael replied with a faint smile that barely lifted the corners of his lips. He held out a piece of fruit, but his gaze made it clear to Oliver that he was in control.

Oliver took the fruit roughly, almost as if he wanted to challenge Raphael's tacit dominance, though he did not hesitate to take a generous bite. While he savored the bite with deliberate slowness, Rafael had already finished and stood up with renewed energy.

"Grab everything. We are leaving." He ordered firmly.

Oliver frowned, still enjoying the fruit. "Where?"

"We need to move. Find our way out."

"Can't we stay here? It's comfortable. I wouldn't mind another day in this paradise." Oliver put down the fruit, spread his arms out theatrically, as if he were presenting a luxury suite instead of a dank cave on a hellish planet.

"Too comfortable." Rafael replied, his serious eyes piercing Oliver's carefree facade. "That makes it dangerous. If we find this shelter, something else might as well."

Oliver snorted, but the tension in his jaw made it clear he understood the message. With an exaggerated sigh, he gathered his gear and followed Raphael out of the cave.

The landscape outside was as hostile as ever: endless hills of black rock stretched towards the horizon, occasionally interrupted by plumes of toxic vapor that rose from the ground with a menacing hiss. The air had a bitter tinge that burned the throat slightly when inhaled, and the sky, tinged with a vibrant red, seemed to pulse with an oppressive energy.

Rafael walked in front, his movements methodical and calculated, each step a statement of discipline and purpose. His eyes constantly scanned the environment, alert for any hidden threats. Behind him, Oliver paced less enthusiastically, checking his holographic bracelet to distract himself from the awkward silence. Incomplete maps, thermal fluctuations and unknown life readings flickered on the screen, but the thief seemed more interested in the possibilities of an easy escape than any real threat.

He was so engrossed in his reading that he didn't notice that Rafael had stopped suddenly. He bumped into his back with a grunt of frustration.

"Why did you stop?" Oliver said, rubbing his shoulder.

"I hear a river."

Oliver cocked his head, trying to catch the sound, but all he heard was the steady hum of the wind. "Are you sure? I don't hear anything and my drones don't detect any rivers."

"It's up ahead. Let's go." Rafael answered confidently, resuming his march.

As they advanced, the sound of the water became clearer, a murmur that contrasted with the oppressive silence of the alien desert. When they finally arrived, they found a river of crystal clear water meandering through the rocks. The stream was dotted with strange looking fish, with scales reflecting the colors of the reddish sky. Floating on the surface were exotic fruits, bright flowers and branches that looked as if they had been dragged from some nearby forest.

Rafael approached a low tree by the river and, without hesitation, tore off a thick branch. Splinters dug into his hands, but he ignored them completely. With his knife, he cleared the branch of leaves and sharpened it with precision, shaping it into a makeshift spear.

"You're a hunter now?"

"No, i'm going fishing. Today we will eat fish."

"Right, because what I really need right now is a balanced diet." Oliver muttered sarcastically as he plopped down on a nearby rock. "What if those fish have acid in them instead of blood? Or explode when you touch them? Or are they hiding some other alien madness we haven't discovered yet?"

Rafael looked at him with the patience of someone accustomed to dealing with unruly children. "That's why I try first. And you, in the meantime, do something useful. Look for more fruits or branches for the fire."

Oliver, visibly irritated, picked up a handful of dry branches and pieces of wood along with some normal fruit. I didn't completely trust the crystal trees, with shiny moss, with scales, with rare flowers and more. When he returned to his companion, he dropped his burden to the ground and knelt with a determined expression.

He struggled to ignite the branches, frowning each time the sparks went out before taking shape. Finally, a small fire began to burn. Oliver allowed himself a sigh of relief as he impaled the fruits on a makeshift stick and buried the tip near the flames.

A few meters away, Rafael had left the gecko on a flat rock next to the river. He focused his attention on the swimming fish. With a precise movement, he threw his spear, which pierced five fish at once. The remaining fish fled in panic, but Raphael had already achieved his reward.

He pulled the spear out of the water, pulled one of the fish out of the passage and began to clean it. His knife slid over the body, removing the scales, head, tail and guts; he did the same process with the other fish. On one side he was leaving fish guts on the rock, and the gecko was devouring them eagerly.

Rafael watched him out of the corner of his eye, his hardened expression softening for a moment. A slight smile curved his lips. "Enjoy it while it lasts, my little friend." He muttered to himself, in a low, calm voice, before turning his attention back to his task.

Oliver sat, looking disdainfully at the fruits beginning to brown over the flames, holding a twig, occasionally pushing the fire. "This is a waste of time. You know what would make this go a lot faster?" He commented, twirling the stick with slightly more force than necessary to push away a fish that was threatening to burn. "A drone with a built-in knife. Or better yet, an adjustable heat field to cook everything at once and get it perfect."

Rafael, without losing his cool, looked up slightly from the fish in his hands. "Maybe. But I doubt your toys know the difference between a decent meal."

Oliver snorted, clearly offended. "My 'toys' are the reason we're still alive until now, do you realize that? I just need a damn network to connect and activate the rest. In the meantime, here I am, doing the work of a caveman."

"You'll have to get used to it." Rafael replied, without raising his voice or altering his calm. He finished cleaning another fish, before looking at Oliver again. "You won't always have your toys. Someday you will have to learn to survive without them."

Logan clicked his tongue, unable to hide his annoyance, and jumped to his feet, dusting his hands. "I'm going for a little walk."

"Good." Raphael had impaled the cleaned fish to place on the fire, removing the cooked fruit. "Come back before nightfall."

Oliver did not respond and went into the trees, his figure disappearing into the vegetation, being followed by his drones. Meanwhile, Rafael had eaten his share of the cooked fruits, which he did not deny tasted delicious, while wrapping in large leaves of a frosted pink tone that gave off a salty and fresh aroma, the fruits and some fish that was cooked. Hopefully, those leaves would keep them fresh.

To kill time, he set about cleaning his knife and his slimy hands, trying to get the slimy, fishy smell off his hands.

Oliver's sudden scream broke the calm, alerting him instantly. Rafael stopped what he was doing and stood up quickly, his body tensing as he followed the sound.

Arriving on the scene, Raphael found Oliver crouched among some leafy bushes, his eyes wide open and both hands frantically pointing to the sky. His expression, usually hardened by arrogance or impatience, was now transformed by an almost childlike excitement.

"There it is! I knew it!" Oliver exclaimed, his voice charged with excitement.

Rafael frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Oliver did not respond. Instead, he grabbed him forcefully by the shoulders and turned him sharply in the direction he pointed. Rafael resisted for a moment, annoyed by the abruptness, but when he finally looked up, his protest died in his throat.

In the distance, a metallic silhouette emerged over the horizon. It glided with impossible elegance, streaking across the sky like a stealthy predator. Its streamlined structure shimmered with golden reflections in the sunlight, a flash of technology far above anything they had seen before.

"It's... a ship."

"And not just any ship!" Oliver smiled, and for the first time, his voice was completely devoid of sarcasm. There was more than emotion in his gaze: pure, raw hope. "That ship could be our way out."

Raphael kept his eyes fixed on the ship, his jaw tense. "We don't know what's in there. It could be a trap. Or something much worse."

"What if it isn't?" Oliver replied with unusual fervor. His normally nonchalant voice carried a tinge of pleading. "What if it's our only chance?"

Raphael swallowed saliva. Inside him, a primal instinct was screaming at him to stay away, not to trust the unknown. But another voice, a fainter, more dangerous one, whispered something different: What if it really is our salvation?

The memory of his fiancée crossed his mind like a flash of lightning. Her laughter, her warmth, the promise she made to him before he was swept away to another world. He could not fail her. He was not going to fail her.

He took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly.

"All right." Her words were a determined whisper. "We'll get closer. But carefully. If anything goes wrong, I want you to be ready to run as soon as I tell you. got it?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say..." Oliver could barely contain his impatience. "Now come on."