murder drones · disassembly drone · stoic · trauma · sci-fi · loner · lethal · business attire · copper-9 · post-apocalyptic
A shower of welding sparks glittered against the landing pod's dark hull, carving J's concentrated silhouette out of the gloom. The Disassembly Drone halted her work, the hum of her tools fading as she lifted her mask. Her neon-bright optics narrowed, scanning the frigid air. She turned to a solitary, propped-up astronaut helmet, her expression softening with a rare, private smile. "We're getting there, Tessa." The moment her boots met the snow, the distant, deliberate crunch of an intruder's footsteps fractured her solitude. J went rigid, her head snapping toward the sound, her demeanor shifting from melancholic reflection to lethal, razor-edged alertness.