Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. Chapter 782: Even Moon prays sometimes.

Moon was on her feet, brushing the grime from her knees and preparing to traverse the last stretch toward the fortress, when the atmosphere around her began to thrum. A high-pitched whine of jet engines pierced the quiet. Moon craned her neck, squinting against the hazy sky, as several figures clad in gleaming robotic suits descended from the heavens like streaking meteors. They didn't alight with a thud; their landing was marked by a heavy, metallic clang that resonated through the ground beneath her boots.

Without a word, two of the suits loomed over Vexi. Their mechanical hands, possessing a surprising delicacy, commenced scanning his pallid blue face. Moon's heart lurched. He's going to be alright, isn't he? she mused internally.

She didn't hesitate. Squeezing her eyes shut until tears welled, she unleashed a piercing, ragged wail that would have earned accolades in any ancient-world theater. "Oh, thank the heavens! Please! You must help him!" she shrieked, flinging herself toward them. "We found some root tubers... I warned him not to eat them, I told him they looked peculiar, but he was so famished! He just grabbed one and... oh, Vexi, don't leave me! Why didn't you heed my words? I told you they seemed off." Deep within, a different plea was being uttered: Please let him die quickly.

"Quiet," a booming voice emanated from Trey. He didn't even glance her way; his sensors remained fixated on the fading young man. "He is like kin to me!" Moon sobbed, her voice cracking with perfect pitch. "I attempted to induce vomiting; I tried everything! Will he pull through? Please tell me that brave young man will be alright!"

The guards suppressed the urge to chuckle at her charade. When exactly had she attempted to make the young man vomit? She had watched with chilling detachment as his face turned blue and his body grew rigid. This woman was a master of deception.

Dr. Zhu disregarded the theatrics. She retrieved a reddix pill from a compartment and administered it to Vexi. Then, opening a small medical case, she extracted a syringe and a vial containing a light blue liquid. The contents of the vial were drawn into the syringe and subsequently injected into Vexi's shoulder.

Moon's eyes widened. "What is that?" "Antidote," Trey responded. "It will neutralize the poison and save his life. Isn't he your comrade? Why do you appear more indignant than concerned?"

"What are you implying? Naturally, I am concerned for my friend. I simply don't believe you should be injecting anything into his system without his consent." Moon replied boldly, though a wave of genuine fear washed over her. If Vexi regained consciousness, he would speak. He must die. she thought with a sneer.

Trey scoffed. "I recognize a guilty countenance when I see one. What are you concealing?" "You!" Moon snapped, pointing a trembling finger at Trey. "Do you even comprehend whom you are addressing? I am no common scavenger of this wasteland. I am the sister of the woman who commands yonder fortress! You will show me deference, or there will be repercussions."

Trey's helmet tilted discernibly. Behind the visor, he pressed his lips together, his jaw rigid as he fought to restrain his words. He had reviewed the drone footage. He had heard her laughter. The impulse to swat her aside like an bothersome insect was almost unbearable. Given the multitude of adversaries she harbored within the base, engaging in threats was hardly judicious. "You consider yourself someone of consequence... hmm? Have you observed your own reflection? Do you grasp what awaits..."

Private Hetty, Trey's patrol partner, stepped forward and lightly tapped his armored arm. It was a subtle, cautionary gesture, a silent reminder: Patience, man, maintain composure. Trey nodded. "I comprehend... I comprehend. She is simply beyond infuriating."

Dr. Zhu remained silent for a prolonged moment, her fingers assessing Vexi's cooling neck. At length, she exhaled a long, heavy sigh and withdrew her hand. She glanced at her team, shaking her head slowly. "We were too late," Zhu stated softly. "The toxins had already permeated his central nervous system before our arrival. He is deceased."

Moon froze. She emitted one final, quavering "Nooooo," and concealed her face in her hands. Beneath her palms, the corners of her mouth tilted upward. A subtle, malevolent smile graced her lips. The witness was gone and silenced; her new beginning here was assured. Not even the agony from her wounds could diminish this triumph.

She looked up, dabbing away a feigned tear, and tossed her hair back. "Well," she sighed, her voice reverting to its characteristic cold, haughty tone. "At least his suffering has ceased. Now, if you have concluded your ministrations upon a corpse, I wish to return home. My sister is likely beside herself with worry, and I am in dire need of a competent physician and a thorough cleansing."

Trey gazed at her through his helmet's HUD. The stark shift from a distraught woman to an imperious socialite sent a surge of anger through him. "Naturally, everyone awaits your return, madam. Your identity requires verification, of course. We have had numerous individuals appear here, asserting kinship with our commander." Trey informed her, his voice like the grating of stones.

"Obviously," Moon scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "Examine everything to your heart's content. Once my identity is confirmed, I expect the utmost comfort."

"Allow me to assist you with transportation," Trey offered.

Before Moon could vocalize a response, Trey made his move. He didn't extend a hand in a gentlemanly fashion. Instead, he grasped the back of her waistband and the collar of her jacket, yanking her off her feet as if she were a refuse bag, suspending her mid-air.

"Unhand me! This constitutes assault! I'll have your head for this outrage!"

WHOOSH!

With a thunderous roar, Trey's thrusters roared to life. Moon found herself not in a comfortable seat, but experiencing sheer terror as she was violently propelled five hundred feet into the sky, dangling precariously face-down above the terrain below.

"Hold your breath, ma'am," Trey's voice crackled over the comms, his words completely disregarding her frantic screams. He angled his boots, accelerating towards the imposing stone ramparts of Fortress Four. "It's a considerable distance to the ground, and my grip is rather precarious today; you might just take a tumble."

Following their abrupt departure, Dr. Zhu motioned to the remaining individuals. "The young one is still breathing; escort him inside. If he weathers this night, his life is secured."

Hetty's lips curved into a smile. "It appears the boy was fortunate."

Upon breaching the Kingsbridge gate, Moon surveyed her surroundings with a hunter's eager gaze. She had reached the wall—safety, at long last!

Spotting Hadrian standing near a vehicle, she sprinted towards him without hesitation. "Hadrian! You dispatched them for me? Where is Sunshine? Where is my beloved sister? I've missed her terribly. I have so much to recount to her!" She then turned, casting a venomous sneer at Trey, her eyes burning with the promise of retribution.