While the others searched for an entrance around the wreckage, I moved away a bit and began to observe my surroundings. As thoughts swirled in my mind amidst the silence of the forest, Zarvok's voice suddenly echoed in the communication channel: "Damn! There's something here... Ahh!" Then came the sound of something hitting the ground. I quickly looked in that direction, and the sight before me left me almost speechless. There was an alien next to Zarvok; both had fallen from the wreckage and were trying to regain their composure. This alien, which I had never seen before, was about 1.80 meters tall and had a structure reminiscent of us. It had white skin, a slender yet average build, a round head shape without a tail, a furry head, and clothing. It was clear that it was an intelligent being, but it seemed weak compared to us.
For a brief moment, I didn't know what to do. It felt as if time had slowed down, and everything in the forest had paused. Just then, the alien sprang up from the ground and, with agile movement, began to run towards the forest. Zarvok instinctively activated the laser weapon in his armor and stood up, aiming at the target. Just as he was about to fire, Captain Kireal suddenly sprang into action. He grabbed Zarvok's weapon and pressed the barrel downward. The weapon fired, and the laser beam passed just beside the alien's head, creating a small but deep hole in a tree trunk.
Kireal turned to Zarvok, furious: "Have you lost your mind? That thing could be cargo!"
Zarvok stepped back in shock. The captain quickly turned to me and said in a stern, serious tone, "Lynx! Go after it immediately. Capture it alive, but be careful. We don't know what it is; it could be very dangerous. If it seems like you can't handle it, return. If you must, kill it."
I nodded in agreement and instantly sprang into action. I shook off my astonishment, and my mind sharpened once again. I began to move quickly deeper into the forest. Trying to take fast but silent steps, I tracked the being's trail. Every tree trunk and every bush could potentially be a hiding spot, and this being in front of me looked nothing like anything I had seen before. As I ventured deeper into the forest, my heart raced, and the wave of adrenaline kept all my muscles on alert. I could feel the hunter within me awakening, and I realized I was enjoying this situation.
The sounds it made grew closer and closer. I understood that I was quickly closing the gap. It couldn't escape. When I finally found it, it was leaning against a tree, exhausted and crouched down. Its rapid breathing indicated it was pushing its limits. Its eyes were watery, and it had spent its strength trying to flee. It was weak... or it could be dangerous, as Captain Kireal had said. I knew I had to remain cautious. For a moment, I quietly observed it from the shadows.
It seemed relaxed and somewhat recovered. It had let its guard down; it was a perfect opportunity to strike. I began to silently approach it. Just then, it stood up, but still appeared calm and relaxed. It hadn't noticed me. I had to knock it out as quickly as possible to prevent it from escaping.
As I silently crept up behind it, the rustling of the bushes gave me away. It suddenly turned around, but I quickly reacted and swung a punch with all my strength at its face. It could do nothing but close its eyes and stumbled back a few steps. It was dazed, but I hadn't completely knocked it out.
It quickly regained its composure, and its eyes locked onto me. I could clearly see the anger within it. Instead of fleeing, it chose to fight. Its fists were clenched, ready to challenge me. It harbored a desire to fight within itself, triggering the same urge within me. I felt a stir inside; a real fight. It was a chance to test how effective my training was against an unknown species. I took a deep breath and spoke to the system: "System, deactivate the armor, switch to passive mode," I said. My armor quickly transformed into a bracelet. I smiled at it and gestured for it to come. I clenched my fists and got into a fighting stance.
After a brief hesitation, it lunged at me, but its moves were clumsy and inexperienced. It was evident in every untrained move it made. I met its punch with my left hand and delivered a solid punch to its face. It was dazed, but I didn't stop there. I kicked swiftly at its abdomen, sending it crashing to the ground.
As it lay on the ground, it struggled to breathe. Suddenly, I realized I had pushed it too hard. I observed it from where it lay. I noticed its breathing was irregular. I shouldn't push it further, but it was trying to get back up.
The anger in its eyes was still alive, which surprised me. I didn't want to prolong this, and as it attempted to rise, I delivered another kick to its abdomen. It was no longer breathing, and its skin had turned bright red. Yet, it still hadn't passed out and was trying to get back on its feet. It was resisting at the cost of its life, and this resistance disturbed me. It bothered me that it was pushing itself so hard for a fight it was clearly going to lose. I took a step back, for I was facing such will for the first time. It was enough to make me uncomfortable to see it exert itself for a fight it couldn't win.
I needed to take it alive. As it was about to get up, I struck it hard on the back of its neck, and it finally collapsed to the ground. I watched it for a moment as its unconscious body lay there. Its initially bruised skin color quickly turned red and then returned to its normal hue. I realized I had unconsciously been holding my breath. I relaxed and exhaled deeply.
Its breathing became regular. I reactivated my armor and hoisted it onto my back. The weight felt lighter with the support of my armor, allowing me to quicken my steps. As I moved backward, I connected to Captain Kireal through my armor. "I have successfully secured the cargo. I'm returning," I said.
Captain Kireal's voice echoed immediately: "Well done, Lynx. We also found a Serynox (science officer) on the ship. First aid has been administered, and their body is being kept warm; they are still alive but in critical condition. The others are continuing to search the ship, but a few are transporting the injured to the camp for emergency intervention. Meet us there. A Rynor-class ship is waiting for us."
The instructions were clear. I quickened my steps, saying, "As you command," and started moving toward the camp.
