The conference room felt different this time. More familiar, but also heavier somehow. Jessica took her usual seat, noticing that no one sat where Trent used to. The empty chair stood as a quiet reminder of consequences.

  Khamm arrived with her characteristic brightness, though Jessica was learning to see the calculations behind it. Vorrin followed, his expression even more serious than usual. The display screen was already active, showing the mission board with its constellation of dying species.

  "Good morning," Khamm said, her enthusiasm slightly forced. "I hope everyone rested well. Today we select our second mission, and I want to be clear, this won't be like the floofs. We got lucky with them. Clean retrieval, safe environment, docile targets. Not every mission will be that straightforward."

  "Which is why," Vorrin added, his tone brooking no argument, "we're going to be more selective this time. More cautious. The floof mission taught us that even simple retrievals can have complications." His eyes found each of them in turn. "You're learning. But you're still learning. That means we don't take unnecessary risks."

  Deke shifted in his seat, and Jessica could see the objection forming before he spoke.

  "Let's look at the candidates," Khamm said quickly, touching the display. The first image appeared, something that looked like a jellyfish made of crystal, floating in what might have been water or might have been air. "Shimmerlings from Aqueous IV. Semi-aquatic, bioluminescent, incredibly beautiful. Extinction caused by atmospheric changes that,"

  "Next," Deke said.

  Khamm blinked. "You haven't even heard the full briefing."

  "It's a jellyfish," Deke said. "We going to float around underwater catching jellyfish? Pass."

  "They're actually quite complex organisms," Khamm started, but Vorrin was already cycling to the next option.

  A small mammalian creature appeared, covered in what looked like moss. "Greenbacks from Verdant Station. Symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic flora, herbivorous, social structure similar to Earth meerkats. Extinction event was,"

  "Next," Deke said again.

  "Deke," Maddie said gently. "Maybe we should at least listen?"

  "I'm listening. I just know what I'm looking for." He leaned forward. "Show me something with teeth."

  Vorrin's expression hardened. "This isn't about what you want. It's about which species we can save with minimal risk and maximum success rate."

  "The floofs were minimal risk," Deke countered. "And yeah, we saved them. But come on, we're traveling through time, we have advanced technology, and we're using it to rescue space hamsters. Don't we have bigger objectives?"

  "Every species matters," Khamm said, her voice taking on an edge. "Size and danger level don't determine worth."

  "I'm not saying they don't matter. I'm saying we're capable of more. You brought us on this crew for a reason, right? To help with missions. So let us help with something that actually needs our help. Something challenging."

  Jessica watched Vorrin's jaw tighten. She could see the calculation happening, was Deke questioning the mission like Trent had, or was this something different?

  "Show him the Snarrics," Vorrin said finally.

  Khamm hesitated. "Vorrin, I don't think,"

  "Show him. Let him see what 'challenging' actually means."

  The display changed, and Jessica felt her breath catch. The creature on screen was pure predator. About the size of a large dog, it had the low-slung, powerful build of an alligator combined with something distinctly canine. Its skin was dark, almost black, with textures that looked like charred scales. The eyes were intelligent and cruel, and when it opened its mouth in the footage, rows of serrated teeth gleamed.

  "Snarrics," Khamm said quietly. "Apex predators from Pyros Tertius, a volcanic world in the Outer Reaches. They're aggressive, territorial, and have been known to hunt prey three times their size. Their extinction event is a planetary core destabilization that will cause catastrophic eruptions across eighty percent of the surface."

  "When?" Maddie asked, looking slightly ill.

  "Four months from now, local time. We'd be going in during the early stages of instability, increased volcanic activity, but not yet catastrophic." Khamm pulled up more data. "We've identified a breeding pair, still young, that got separated during a territorial dispute. They're currently in different regions of the same continent, both alone."

  "Perfect," Deke said, and Jessica could hear the eagerness in his voice. "That's what I'm talking about. A real challenge."

  "It's suicide," Vorrin said flatly. "For inexperienced crew members to attempt a predator retrieval on a volcanic world with active geological threats. Absolutely not."

  "We handled the floofs just fine."

  "The floofs were harmless!" Vorrin's voice rose slightly, the most emotion Jessica had heard from him. "These creatures could kill you in seconds. The environment alone is lethal, sulfuric gases, unstable ground, extreme heat. And you want to add aggressive apex predators to that equation?"

  "I've handled dangerous situations before," Deke said, his posture going rigid. "I'm not some kid who needs to be protected."

  "No, you're an untrained civilian with delusions of competence," Vorrin shot back. "There's a difference between confidence and capability, and right now, you're demonstrating only the former."

  "Vorrin," Khamm said sharply. "That's enough." She looked at Deke. "He's not wrong about the risks. But he's also being harsher than necessary." She pulled up more data on the Snarrics. "The truth is, we do need to rescue them soon. Their genetic line is important, they're one of the few species that evolved to thrive in extreme volcanic environments. If we lose them, we lose potentially valuable adaptive traits."

  "So we do it," Deke said. "With precautions. Extra equipment, better planning, whatever it takes. But we do it."

  Vorrin looked at his sister. "Khamm, this is a bad idea."

  "Maybe," she admitted. "But he has a point. We can't keep them on easy missions forever. They need to learn to handle more complex situations." She looked at Deke. "But if we do this, we do it my way. Agreed?"

  "Agreed," Deke said immediately.

  "I mean it. Full environmental suits at all times. Orbital reconnaissance before we even land. Primary and backup retrieval windows. If anything goes wrong, we abort immediately. And you follow orders without question. Any hesitation, any cowboy behavior, and I pull the plug. Clear?"

  "Crystal."

  Vorrin stood abruptly. "Fine. But when this goes wrong, and it will, remember that you were warned." He stalked toward the door, then paused. "I'll begin preparations. We'll need specialized equipment." The door closed behind him with more force than necessary.

  Khamm sighed. "He's not wrong to be concerned. These retrievals are dangerous even for experienced teams."

  "We'll be careful," Maddie offered, though she looked uncertain.

  "You'd better be." Khamm pulled up detailed scans of Pyros Tertius. "Let me show you what we're walking into."

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The planet that appeared on screen looked like something from a nightmare. The surface was a patchwork of black volcanic rock, rivers of glowing lava, and clouds of dark ash. Active volcanoes dotted the landscape, spewing fire and smoke into a sky that shifted between orange and deep red.

  "Pyros Tertius," Khamm said. "Mean surface temperature is one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit in the cooler regions. Atmospheric composition is breathable but contaminated with sulfur compounds and volcanic particulates. The suits will handle filtration, but visibility will be poor due to ash fall."

  She zoomed in on a region that looked slightly less hellish than the rest. "This is where we'll find the male Snarric. He's established territory in what used to be a lava tube system before the recent activity collapsed part of it. The female is here," she indicated a location about fifty kilometers away, ",in a series of caves near an active caldera."

  "We're going near an active volcano?" Maddie asked faintly.

  "The Snarrics evolved in this environment," Khamm explained. "They're drawn to geothermal heat. The female has chosen her territory specifically because of the volcanic activity. It's dangerous for us, but it's home to her."

  Jessica studied the terrain data. "How do we capture them without getting killed?"

  "Very carefully," Khamm said. "The capture cubes will work the same way they did on the floofs, but Snarrics are faster and more aggressive. We'll need to approach from downwind, use the terrain for cover, and time our activation perfectly. Miss… and they'll either flee or attack."

  "What's the backup plan?" Jessica asked.

  "We have a second retrieval window forty-eight hours after the first. If something goes wrong during the primary attempt, we retreat, reassess, and try again. The planetary instability gives us about a week before conditions deteriorate too badly for safe operation."

  Deke was studying the Snarric data with intense focus. "What are their weaknesses? Blind spots, sensory limitations, anything we can exploit?"

  "They're ambush predators," Khamm said, bringing up behavioral analysis. "Excellent sense of smell, good vision, hearing adapted to filter out volcanic noise. Their hunting strategy relies on terrain knowledge and patience. They're intelligent, probably on par with Earth's corvids or octopi. They can problem-solve and adapt."

  "Great," Maddie muttered. "Smart murder lizards."

  "The key is not to engage them," Khamm stressed. "We're not hunters. We're not warriors. We're conservationists. We locate, we capture, we extract. No heroics, no risks. Understood?"

  They all nodded, though Deke's agreement seemed more automatic than genuine.

  "Good. I'll work with Vorrin on equipment and approach strategy. You three should rest and prepare mentally. We leave in six hours." Khamm paused at the door. "And Deke? I appreciate your enthusiasm. But Vorrin's concern comes from experience. He's seen missions go wrong. People get hurt when they underestimate the dangers. Don't be that person."

  After she left, the three of them sat in silence, staring at the image of Pyros Tertius on the screen.

  "You sure about this?" Jessica asked Deke.

  "Absolutely." But there was something in his voice,not quite doubt, but awareness. The bravado was still there, but tempered now with the reality of what they were facing.

  "I'm scared," Maddie admitted. "Those things look like they could tear us apart."

  "They won't get the chance," Deke said with confidence he might or might not have felt. "We've got the tech, we've got the plan. We'll be fine."

  Jessica hoped he was right.

  *  *  *

  The habitat level was a hive of activity when Jessica arrived several hours later. Orryx was directing the ship's systems in constructing a new enclosure, and the transformation was remarkable.

  Where there had been empty space, there was now a chamber that looked like it had been carved from the heart of a volcano. The walls were dark basalt, rough and porous. Heat shimmers distorted the air inside, and through reinforced transparent barriers, Jessica could see what looked like actual flowing lava in channels cut through the rock.

  "It's not real lava," Orryx explained, noticing her staring. "Synthesized material that mimics the temperature and flow characteristics. The Snarrics need extreme heat to regulate their metabolism. Anything below one hundred degrees and they become sluggish."

  "And the barriers?" Jessica asked, noting the thickness of the transparent walls.

  "Reinforced to withstand sustained impact from a creature with significant bite force and problem-solving intelligence." Orryx's prosthetic arm was adjusting atmospheric controls. "I'm elevating sulfur content and reducing oxygen slightly to match their native environment. The system will maintain a constant ash-fall simulation and geological rumble to make them feel at home."

  "You've done this before," Jessica observed. "Built habitats for dangerous species."

  "Several times." Orryx's expression was hard to read. "Not all of them successfully. There was a species we rescued from a methane world, crystalline pack hunters that could phase through solid matter at certain frequencies. We thought we'd accounted for everything, but they found a resonance in the barrier material that we hadn't anticipated."

  "What happened?"

  "They escaped into the ship's ventilation system. We spent three days tracking them down. Lost two Aelith team members before we managed to recapture them." He looked at the Snarric habitat. "That's when I learned that containing apex predators requires respecting what they're capable of. These barriers are overengineered specifically because I've seen what happens when they're not."

  Jessica watched as the ship created a miniature volcanic ecosystem, complete with rocky outcroppings for the Snarrics to establish territory and hidden caves for shelter. It was beautiful in a harsh, alien way.

  "You think this mission is a bad idea," she said.

  "I think every mission has risks. This one more than most." Orryx tested the barrier integrity, his scanner reading data Jessica couldn't interpret. "But Deke's not entirely wrong. You can't learn without challenge. The question is whether the challenge is appropriate for your current skill level."

  "And is it?"

  "Ask me again when you return." He sealed the habitat controls. "Everything is ready on my end. When you bring them back, we'll be able to transfer them immediately. Just make sure you actually do bring them back."

  "No pressure," Jessica said wryly.

  "Quite a bit of pressure, actually." But there was warmth in Orryx's tone. "The floofs were important, but they were also... simple. Innocent. These Snarrics are complex, dangerous, and arguably less sympathetic. Saving them matters just as much, but it's harder to care about a creature that would happily eat you given the chance."

  "Is that the real test?" Jessica asked. "Learning to value all life, even when it's not cute and fuzzy?"

  "Perhaps." Orryx turned to face her fully. "Or perhaps the test is learning when to push forward and when to retreat. Knowing the difference between bravery and foolishness. That's a lesson some never master."

  Jessica thought about Trent, left behind on Verdara. About Deke's eagerness to prove himself. About the fine line between confidence and arrogance.

  "I should get ready," she said.

  "Be careful down there," Orryx said. "Pyros Tertius doesn't care about your good intentions. The Snarrics don't care about your mission. All that matters in the moment is whether you survive."

  *  *  *

  The deployment bay was organized chaos. Vorrin was checking equipment with methodical precision while Khamm reviewed planetary data one more time. The ATV had been modified with additional heat shielding and reinforced tires. Environmental suits hung ready, these ones bulkier than what they'd worn on Verdara.

  "Suit up," Vorrin commanded as they arrived. "These are rated for extreme heat and toxic atmospheres. You'll have six hours of operation before the filtration systems need replacement. I've loaded spares in the ATV, but the goal is to be in and out within three hours."

  Jessica pulled on her suit. It was heavier, more restrictive, but when the helmet sealed and the systems activated, she felt a wave of cold air and realized the suit was actively cooling her. The heads-up display showed more information than before, temperature readouts, atmospheric analysis, even a hazard warning system.

  "The planet will try to kill you," Vorrin said bluntly. "Unstable ground can collapse into lava tubes with no warning. Gas pockets can ignite spontaneously. The Snarrics are just one of many threats. Stay alert, stay together, and if I say retreat, you retreat. No discussion."

  They loaded into the ATV. The deployment door opened, and Jessica's breath caught despite herself.

  Pyros Tertius filled the viewport,a roiling sphere of orange and red, clouds of ash swirling across its tortured surface. Lightning flickered in the volcanic clouds, and even from orbit, she could see the angry glow of lava flows.

  "Welcome to hell," Deke muttered, but Jessica could hear the uncertainty creeping into his voice now.

  The ship descended through the ash-choked atmosphere. Turbulence rattled them, and the temperature readouts climbed steadily. When they finally broke through the cloud layer, the landscape below looked like the surface of an alien nightmare.

  Rivers of molten rock carved glowing paths through fields of black stone. Volcanoes spewed fire into the blood-red sky. The ground itself seemed to breathe with geological violence, venting steam and smoke from countless fissures.

  And somewhere in that hellscape, two Snarrics waited, the last of their kind, unaware that their world was dying and that strangers were coming to save them.

  Whether they wanted to be saved or not.

  The ATV touched down on solid rock with a heavy thud. Through the reinforced windows, Jessica could see the volcanic landscape stretching in all directions, hostile, beautiful, and utterly alien.

  "Primary target is fifteen kilometers northeast," Khamm said, studying her scanner. "We'll establish a base camp here and scout on foot. The terrain is too unstable for the ATV beyond this point."

  Vorrin was already running final equipment checks. "We have three hours before the next predicted seismic event. That gives us time to locate the male, assess the situation, and plan our approach. No one does anything without my explicit approval. Are we clear?"

  They were clear.

  The rear door of the ATV opened, and the heat hit them like a physical wall despite the suits' cooling systems. The air shimmered with thermal distortion, and the ground beneath their feet radiated warmth that Jessica could feel through her boots.

  “All right…” She whispered to herself. “Round two.”