The hum of Lexie's engines thrummed beneath them, as the group adjusted to their places.
Nojiko tightened her grip on the wheel, glancing over her shoulder. "You two look cozy," she teased, watching Ben as he balanced Kaya on his lap. She sailed down through the cave.
Kaya looked a little flushed. "We have to adjust and everyone can fit," she said.
"True," Ben said as he grabbed her waist.
Kaya yelped for a second but smiled. "Pervert," she said.
Robin, was in the back, adjusted her grip on Marianne, who had draped herself lazily across her. "You could try sitting properly, you know," Robin joked.
Marianne grinned, stretching her arms over her head. "Why? I've got the best seat in the house." she said.
Robin smiled. "Kaya does," Robin teased.
Zala, Mikita, and Raki exchanged glances, their seating arrangement feeling a little cramped as they all tried to find a comfortable spot. Mikita nudged Zala. "If you stop shifting, we wouldn't be elbowing each other every few seconds," she said.
Zala huffed. "I'm trying to get my legs in place! You are hogging all the space," Zala responded. They both smiled at each other.
Raki leaned back slightly. "It's only for a short time," she mused. Then she glanced toward Ben. "Right, Captain?" she asked.
Ben kept a firm hold on Kaya's waist. "Should be," he confirmed.
Nojiko steered Lexie into the cave, the echoes of rushing water filling the space. The current was strong, churning with unseen forces beneath the surface. As they moved further inside, the wreckages became visible. The splintered wooden ships scattered like grave markers in the dim light. Some bows still stood above the waterline, their fractured masts pointing like broken fingers toward the cavern's ceiling. Flags lay in tattered ruin.
Kaya's voice was quiet. "It feels a little unsettling seeing these ships like that," Kaya said.
Zala studied the wreckage with narrowed eyes. "All these ships... did they try to escape, or were they caught in something?" she asked.
Nojiko steered Lexie forward. "Whatever happened here, it wasn't just nature. These ships didn't sink by accident," she said.
Raki watched the water swirl angrily against the remains. "The current is stronger than it should be. It feels almost... unnatural," she said.
"All this destruction, this isn't a random graveyard," Mikita said as she crossed her arms.
Zala sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Whatever force wrecked them, we might be sailing straight into it," she remarked.
Robin remained quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "History leaves clues. This wreckage might tell us what's ahead, if we read it correctly," Robin said.
"Looks like the ships have been crushed or sliced," Ben said.
"By what?" Marianne asked.
Nojiko looked ahead. "That," she said simply.
The others looked in front of them through the cameras. Their eyes landed on the massive rocks towering in front of them. They were jagged and unyielding. The current rushed through a narrow passage between them.
Robin's voice was calm, yet edged with quiet urgency. "I see. If we don't align perfectly, we'll be torn apart," she said.
Marianne swallowed, gripping the side of her seat. "That's terrifying," she added.
Nojiko didn't falter. Her hands tightened around the wheel, steadying herself. "Lexie has power," she reminded them. "And I'm getting us through," she shouted as she pushed the lever forward.
Nojiko maneuvered Lexie toward the gap, adjusting for the rushing current and jagged terrain. The tank responded instantly, its engines humming. The water churned violently as they closed the distance, forcing Lexie into a razor-thin opening with no room for error. They glided through the passage. The hull barely cleared the walls.They got to the other side.
Kaya let out a slow breath. "That was close," she said.
Mikita smirked. "But we made it," she responded.
Nojiko allowed a small, satisfied grin to tug at her lips. "Of course we did," she said.
"Good job Nojiko," Ben said.
Robin relaxed slightly, though her eyes remained fixed ahead. "Let's hope that was the worst of it," she said.
"There is something ahead," Nojiko said.
The distant roar of rushing water grew louder, deep. It vibrated through the cave walls and into their bones. As Lexie gilded forward, the mist thickened. The air carried the scent of minerals and damp stone. Then they saw a vast, thundering waterfall pouring down from a break in the cavern's ceiling. The silver-blue cascade stretched wide. The water churned violently upon impact,
Kaya hugged Ben's arm instinctively. "Ben," she said.
Marianne held Robin`s arm. "Ben, there is a waterfall ahead," Marianne said.
Nojiko, hands steady on the wheel. "Captain, I don't see any other path," Nojiko said.
"No going back now, huh? I'd say this is the part where we brace for impact," Mikita said.
"Let's go," Zala said as she looked at the waterfall.
"Lexie has shown to be capable," Raki said.
"If we go over, we might end up like pancakes and die," Robin said.
Ben took a deep breath, his grip tightening on Kaya's waist. "Trust Lexie," he said. "Lets go over and down," he stated.
With that, Nojiko pushed the lever forward, pushing Lexie forward. Lexie went over. The moment of suspension before the drop felt like eternity, then gravity seized them. The tank plunged over the edge, the rush of wind whipping past them as the roaring waters swallowed their descent.
For a heart-stopping second, the world seemed to vanish into pure white mist. Then impact. The tank crashed into the surging waters below, the force sending ripples outward in massive waves. Lexie rocked violently, dipping below the surface before buoyancy took hold. The tank shuddered, then began to rise, floating upward.
A collective breath was released as Lexie stabilized. They had made it.
Nojiko grinned. "We did it," Nojiko said.
"Lexie is strong like we said," Ben said.
Kaya pointed ahead. "The shore is over there," she announced.
Ben followed her gaze, nodding. "It is," he confirmed before pressing a quick kiss to Kaya's cheek.
Kaya gasped slightly, her face flushing. "Ben!" she murmured, half in embarrassment, half in delight.
"Well, that was definitely the best seat in the house," Zala said.
Nojiko adjusted the steering wheel, guiding Lexie smoothly through the waters. The tank responded perfectly, cutting through the current like a blade. Moments later, its hull met the shore with a final, satisfying lurch.
Marianne exhaled in relief. "We made it," she said.
"Should we go out on foot?" Robin asked as she studied the landscape beyond the shore.
Ben nodded. "Yeah, let's go," he replied.
Without hesitation, Kaya, Raki, Mikita, Zala, Robin, and Ben stepped off Lexie and onto solid ground.
"It is damp here," Kaya said.
"I would rather be inside Lexie," Mikita said.
Then an abrupt, mechanical whir filled the air. The group turned toward the noise. They saw a towering red-and-gold robot standing before them, its frame bulky, reinforced with thick armor plating along its shoulders and torso. Exhaust vents hissed along its back, releasing bursts of heat.
Its massive arms moved, hydraulics shifting beneath semi-transparent armor casings. One hand bore a grappling claw; the other, a sleek, deadly blade. Streaks of yellow hazard stripes ran along its frame like battle scars. The machine's voice echoed coldly in the air. "RAU 1," it declared.
Raki's breath caught. "What is that?" she asked.
"Looks like those bots we fought before," Mikita responded.
"It does not look friendly," Kaya said.
"It might be from our friends," Ben said. He was about to transform.
However, inside Lexie, Marianne wasted no time. Her fingers flew over the controls, locking onto the hostile target. The cannon whirred to life, charging in an instant before releasing a bright beam of energy.
The laser shot through the air, striking RAU 1 squarely in the chest. A split second later there was an explosion.
The force of the blast rocked the ground as RAU 1 was torn apart, metal shards scattering in all directions, clattering violently against stone and sand. Smoke curled into the air, remnants of the bot's destruction fading into the backdrop of the cave.
Zala crossed her arms. "That was almost too easy," she remarked, kicking aside a stray piece of metal.
"Lexie is powerful, no doubt about it," Ben responded.
Robin studied the remains of the destroyed machine. "Ben, the design is strikingly similar to the robots we fought before," she observed.
"I know. Nipthal's handiwork," he responded. "We should expect more," he added.