Zazz's Arc

Chapter 1 of 10

Zazz's metal claws clicked against the data terminal as lines of code scrolled across the cracked screen. The little robot had spent three cycles searching abandoned survey stations across Astrion V, hunting for one thing: drone data that could explain the reality rifts tearing through space. Each rift leaked strange energy and warped everything nearby. Zazz needed to find how to seal them before the planet ripped apart. The terminal beeped. A file appeared—marked "Rift Survey 47-Alpha." Zazz's optical sensors brightened. This was it. But the file wouldn't open. The data was locked behind an access code Zazz didn't have. The robot's servos whirred as it backed away from the terminal. There had to be another way. Zazz scanned the station and spotted something useful—a portable directional antenna mounted on the wall. The sleek white device could pull drone survey data directly from the field. If the drones were still transmitting, Zazz could bypass the locked terminal entirely. The robot reached up and unclipped the antenna. Its weight felt right in Zazz's claws. Outside, wind howled across the empty station platform. Zazz activated the antenna and pointed it toward the sky. Static crackled through the speakers. Then a signal locked on. Data streamed in—coordinates, energy readings, rift patterns. The drones were still out there, still recording. Zazz's optical sensors flickered with each new file that downloaded. This was more than just one survey. This was everything. One set of coordinates repeated in every file. The readings all pointed to the same location—a crystal island floating above a black void. The structure shimmered with dark purple light and glowed with bright magenta and blue streaks. According to the data, rifts appeared there more than anywhere else on Astrion V. Zazz disconnected the antenna and tucked it under one arm. The next step was clear now. The robot had to reach that island and see what was causing the rifts to open. The journey took two full cycles. Zazz crossed rust-colored plains and climbed through crumbling rock formations until the black void appeared on the horizon. The jagged crystal island floated above it, exactly as the drone data had shown. Purple energy pulsed across its surface. Magenta and blue light traced patterns along the crystals. Zazz's sensors detected three active rifts circling the island. This was the source. To seal the rifts permanently, Zazz would need more than field data. The robot needed a place to study the readings, run tests, and build the technology to close the tears in reality. Zazz spotted a flat area near the void's edge. Perfect for a research station. A dome structure with a tall antenna tower would work. The robot could track the rifts from there and develop a solution. Zazz set down the portable antenna and began scanning the site. The real work was about to begin.