Doc woke to the gentle pulsing of the camp's morning activity. He stretched, feeling the satisfying pop of his back.

  "Good morning," Lux's voice filtered through his neural link. "Tanna is waiting outside your tent. She's been there for approximately seventeen minutes but hasn't announced herself."

  Doc glanced down at Fish, who was already awake and watching him with intelligent amber eyes. "Ready for your power-up today?" he asked.

  Fish's tail thumped against the ground enthusiastically, her violet-traced fur brightening slightly.

  "I'll assume that's a yes," Doc smiled, reaching for his pack.

  "Based on Fish's vitals, it is," Lux confirmed. "Her core has fully stabilized from previous integrations. Biometric readings indicate optimal conditions for additional absorption."

  Doc rummaged through his bag, fingers brushing against the multiple cores he'd collected since crash-landing. The wolf cores from his first night on this planet and the massive core from the Ravageboar, all still faintly warm to the touch. He really should ask the others what to do with all of them.

  "Let's not keep Tanna waiting," Doc said, pulling on his boots and stepping outside.

  He blinked in surprise at the small crowd gathered near his tent. Not just Tanna, but Kesh, Mazoga, Carl, and—unexpectedly—Calen stood in a loose semicircle, all watching expectantly.

  "Morning," Doc said, eyebrows raised. "Didn't realize I'd called a committee meeting."

  Mazoga stepped forward, arms crossed over her boar-hide armor. "Since Calen's the only bandit left, we figured he should just walk free." She shrugged. "No point keeping him locked up when we need every hand."

  Doc nodded at Calen, who looked simultaneously relieved and uncomfortable with his newfound freedom. "Good call," he said, then gestured to the assembled group. "But why is everyone else here?"

  "We heard you're planning to give Fish another core," Kesh said, his feline eyes gleaming with interest. "One of the panther cores, right?"

  Carl bounced slightly on his heels, barely containing his excitement. "I've never actually seen a monster absorb a core before! I mean, I've read about it, but seeing it happen—especially with something as powerful as a Gloomclaw Panther—that's just—" he made an explosive gesture with his hands.

  "Most of us have witnessed monster evolution before," Tanna explained, her canine ears perked forward attentively, "but never with something as potent as the Gloomclaw panther cores. We're curious how it might manifest."

  Doc looked down at Fish, who seemed entirely unbothered by the audience. "Well, I suppose there's no harm in it. Fish doesn't seem to mind the spectators."

  He knelt down, reaching into his pack to retrieve the panther core. It pulsed with a deep purple energy, almost like a heartbeat. The crystalline structure caught the morning light, sending prismatic reflections dancing across the ground.

  "Should we move somewhere with more space?" Doc asked, glancing at Tanna.

  She nodded. "The clearing just beyond the supply tent would be ideal. Enough room if there are any... unexpected effects."

  Doc stood, core in hand. "Lead the way."

  Doc and Fish followed the group to the clearing beyond the supply tent. The morning sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled light across the open space. Several logs had been arranged in a rough circle, likely from previous gatherings.

  Doc looked around at the expectant faces, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He turned to Tanna, who watched with professional interest.

  "So, are there any rituals or preparations I should be doing? Special words or gestures?" he asked.

  Tanna's ears twitched in surprise. "Rituals? Just do whatever you did before." Her head tilted curiously. "You've clearly done this successfully multiple times."

  Doc grimaced slightly. "Actually, I've only given Fish cores because she was injured. The cores healed her."

  A stunned silence fell over the group. Carl's mouth dropped open. Mazoga's eyes narrowed in disbelief. Calen took an unconscious step backward.

  Then Kesh broke into loud, rumbling laughter. "Healing with cores! That's—" he doubled over, shoulders shaking.

  Doc didn't understand what was so funny, but he chuckled along awkwardly. The tension broke as the others joined in with uncertain laughter, clearly thinking Doc had made some kind of joke.

  "They don't believe you," Lux observed through their neural link. "Monster cores are exclusively for evolution and power enhancement in their understanding. The healing effect you witnessed was likely a secondary function of the evolutionary process."

  "Right," Doc muttered under his breath. "Cultural misunderstanding."

  He decided to stop trying to explain and just proceed as before. Doc knelt down on one knee, bringing himself closer to Fish's level. He retrieved the panther core from his pack, its crystalline structure pulsing with deep purple energy.

  "Ready, girl?" he asked softly.

  Fish's amber eyes locked onto the core. She approached with deliberate steps, her midnight-black fur rippling with faint violet traces from previous absorptions.

  The crowd around them grew silent, all eyes fixed on the interaction.

  Doc held out the core on his open palm. Fish sniffed it once, then gently took it between her teeth. Unlike previous times, she didn't immediately absorb it. Instead, she placed it carefully on the ground between her front paws.

  "What's she doing?" Carl whispered.

  "Shh," Tanna hushed him. "Watch."

  Fish lowered her head until her nose touched the core. The moment contact was made, the core's pulsing quickened. Violet energy began to leak from its surface, tendrils of light wrapping around Fish's paws and climbing up her legs.

  Doc instinctively reached toward her, but Tanna placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

  "Let it happen," she said. "She knows what she's doing."

  The core's structure began to dissolve, turning from solid crystal to luminous liquid that pooled beneath Fish before being absorbed into her body. As it disappeared, Fish's form began to shimmer and blur at the edges.

  A low hum filled the clearing as Fish's body started to grow. Her shoulders broadened, legs lengthened, and her already sleek form filled out with dense muscle. The violet energy traces in her fur intensified, creating intricate patterns that resembled the markings of the panther they'd killed.

  Fish's eyes closed in concentration, her entire body now enveloped in a cocoon of shifting shadows and purple light. For several breathless moments, her outline became indistinct—almost as if she were partially phasing between realities.

  Then, with a soft pulse of energy that rustled the leaves around them, the transformation completed. Where Fish had stood as a pup now stood a full-grown wolf, shoulder-height to Doc's ribs. Her midnight-black fur now bore subtle, shifting patterns reminiscent of the panther's markings. Her amber eyes opened, now rimmed with a faint glow.

  "Magnificent," Tanna breathed. "A perfect integration."

  Doc stared in amazement as Fish completed her transformation. The wolf pup he'd rescued just days ago now stood before him as a full-grown adult, her shoulders reaching his ribcage.

  "Incredible," he whispered.

  "Scanning complete," Lux reported through their neural link. "Fish's physical mass has increased by approximately 217%. Neural complexity has expanded by an even greater factor—approaching the sophistication of engineered companion AIs. Her core has not only grown but shows signs of internal restructuring."

  Doc circled Fish slowly, taking in her new form. "No light show this time. Last transformation, she glowed for hours."

  "Based on observed patterns in this world's evolution mechanics, I believe Fish has not yet reached a threshold for complete metamorphosis. This appears to be an intermediate growth stage rather than a full evolution."

  "So she's a teenager now, not an adult?" Doc mused.

  "An imperfect analogy, but essentially correct. The absorption of the Gloomclaw core has accelerated her natural development cycle, but not triggered a species-level transformation."

  Doc glanced around at the gathered onlookers. Their expressions ranged from awe to wariness, with Calen taking another unconscious step backward. Even Kesh's usual confidence seemed tempered by caution.

  "Why are they afraid?" Doc muttered under his breath.

  "Their body language suggests they're experiencing a mixture of reverence and instinctive caution. Phase wolves are likely apex predators in this ecosystem."

  Doc approached Fish without hesitation, reaching out to scratch behind her ears. Her fur felt silkier than before, with an almost imperceptible vibration beneath his fingertips.

  "Look at you, beautiful girl," he said warmly. "All grown up and magnificent."

  Fish leaned into his touch, her amber eyes half-closing in contentment. Despite her now-imposing size, her demeanor toward Doc remained unchanged—affectionate and loyal.

  "I'm going to need to hunt a lot more to keep you fed," Doc said, patting her muscular shoulder.

  Tanna stepped forward, her initial caution replaced by professional interest. "Actually, once creatures reach certain evolutionary thresholds, they begin to subsist partially on ambient mana. She'll still hunt—it's in her nature—but she won't need nearly as much food as her size would suggest."

  Doc frowned. "Mana?"

  "I believe she's referring to the energy signatures I've been detecting since our arrival," Lux explained. "The ambient field readings that permeate all biological entities here. It appears to be this world's fundamental energy source—possibly analogous to how our civilization utilizes quantum field manipulation, but naturally occurring."

  Doc sighed internally. Another piece of this world's bizarre puzzle that defied his understanding. He made a mental note: First priority when we reach civilization—find a library or information repository. Need to understand the basic principles operating here.

  "Come on over," Doc called to the others, gesturing them forward. "She's still Fish. Just... more of her to love."

  Carl was the first to approach, his initial hesitation quickly giving way to fascination. "The patterns in her fur—they're just like the panther's, but they're moving!" He reached out cautiously.

  Fish lowered her head, allowing the small engineer to touch her.

  "Oh! It feels like there's a current running through her coat!" Carl exclaimed, his face lighting up with delight.

  Kesh approached next, offering his hand palm-down in a gesture of respect. "I've tracked wolves before, but never seen one this close without it trying to tear my throat out." When Fish sniffed his hand and gave it a gentle nudge, Kesh broke into a wide grin. "She's magnificent."

  Mazoga circled Fish with appreciative eyes. "Strong enough to carry supplies now, I'd wager. Maybe even a rider in a pinch."

  "She's not a pack animal," Doc said firmly.

  "Course not," Mazoga agreed quickly. "Just admiring the build. Good muscle-to-bone ratio. Survivor's physique."

  Even Calen eventually edged closer, though he maintained a respectful distance. "Will she remember me?" he asked quietly. "From yesterday, I mean."

  "Why don't you find out?" Doc suggested.

  Calen hesitantly extended his hand. Fish studied him for a moment, then padded forward and gently bumped his palm with her nose.

  "She remembers," Doc confirmed, watching Calen's tense expression melt into relief.

  With Fish's evolution taken care of, Doc turned toward Mazoga. "So, what's on the agenda today? I remember you mentioned something about camp defenses needing repairs."

  Mazoga nodded, crossing her arms over her boar-hide chest piece. "The wall's been our priority."

  Carl piped up, adjusting his oversized glasses. "Dulric and I have been working on it, but we ran out of wood for the bigger repairs. The small stuff we've patched with scrap metal and leftover timber, but the main support beams need proper logs."

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Doc frowned. "What kind of big repairs are we talking about that need more wood?"

  Mazoga sighed, running a hand through her dark braids. "The fort's outer wall had three major breaches even before we got here. We've fixed one completely, patched another well enough, but the third..." She gestured toward the northern perimeter. "It's a ten-foot gap with damaged foundation stones. Needs proper support beams, not just patches."

  "The watchtower's worse," she continued, pointing to a half-collapsed structure in the northeast corner. "Bandits used it as their main lookout, but half the floor rotted through years ago. They just threw planks over the holes. Three of our people nearly fell through yesterday while keeping watch."

  She kicked at the dirt. "This place was abandoned for a reason. Military outpost from some failed campaign decades back. Good stone foundation, but everything wooden's been eaten by time or monsters."

  "We've been salvaging what we can," Carl added. "But we need fresh timber for the load-bearing structures. Dulric says the old beams won't hold against anything bigger than a stiff breeze."

  Doc glanced at Fish, who was attentively following the conversation. "Sounds like we need a logging expedition."

  Mazoga's expression darkened as she gestured toward the dense forest surrounding their camp. "There's one problem with your logging plan. This is the Hollow Vale. Even cutting trees might be dangerous."

  "Dangerous how?" Doc asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Some trees bleed. Others scream." Mazoga's voice dropped lower. "And a few fight back. That's the reason we haven't done anything yet."

  "She's not exaggerating," Lux commented through their neural link. "I've detected unusual biometric signatures from several of the larger specimens. Some appear to have rudimentary neural networks extending through their root systems."

  Doc nodded slowly, processing this information. "So we need someone who knows which trees are safe to cut."

  "Exactly," Mazoga confirmed. "You should probably speak with Tor and Brenn when it comes to woodworking. Tor especially—his class specializes in wood cutting."

  "The brothers?" Doc recalled the two men he'd seen guarding the bandits.

  "They were lumberjacks in the village before the bandits took us," Mazoga explained. "If anyone knows how to safely harvest timber from this cursed forest, it's them."

  "Where can I find them?"

  Mazoga glanced around, then spotted Carl hovering nearby, still admiring Fish's new form. "Carl will take you to the brothers. They can discuss it with you." She turned to the small engineer. "Carl, show Doc where Tor and Brenn are working, would you?"

  Carl perked up immediately. "Of course! They're reinforcing the east wall this morning." He adjusted his oversized glasses and gestured for Doc to follow. "This way!"

  Doc and Fish followed Carl through the camp, weaving between makeshift tents and small cooking fires. The engineer chattered excitedly about the mechanical principles behind proper woodcutting as they walked.

  They found the brothers near the eastern perimeter, where a section of wall had been partially reinforced with mismatched boards. Tor, the broader of the two, was hammering a support beam into place while Brenn carefully measured and marked another length of salvaged wood.

  "Tor! Brenn!" Carl called out. "Doc wants to talk about cutting trees!"

  Tor looked up from his work, wiping sweat from his brow with a forearm. His beard was flecked with sawdust, and his massive shoulders spoke of years spent swinging an axe. Brenn, leaner and more methodical, set down his measuring tools and approached with a thoughtful expression.

  "We need timber for the north wall and watchtower," Doc explained after introductions. "Mazoga said you'd be the ones to talk to about safely harvesting from the forest."

  Tor snorted. "Safely? Nothing's safe in the Vale." He shook his head. "But aye, we know which trees might kill you quick and which ones will let you live long enough to fell them."

  "The problem isn't just knowing which trees to cut," Brenn added more diplomatically. "Even if we wanted to, we don't have the proper tools."

  Tor gestured toward a pile of rusted implements leaning against the wall. "What the bandits left behind can barely be called good tools." He picked up what might have once been an axe, its edge chipped and blade spotted with rust. "This wouldn't cut butter, let alone heartwood."

  Doc examined the tools Tor showed him. Besides the ruined axe, there were several broken saw blades, a maul with a cracked handle, and various other implements in equally poor condition.

  "No wonder you haven't attempted logging," Doc murmured, turning one of the rusted saw blades over in his hands.

  "Lux, what do you think? Can the omni-tool handle repairs on these?" Doc asked through their neural link.

  "Analyzing," Lux replied. "The MANTIS utility gauntlet's micro-fabrication function could potentially restore the cutting edges and remove corrosion. The metal composition is primitive but compatible with our repair protocols. However, complete restoration of all tools would drain approximately 43% of our current power reserves."

  "Worth it if it means strengthening our defenses," Doc decided. "Let's start with the axe and see how it goes."

  Doc glanced around to ensure they had privacy. Tor and Brenn were engrossed in sorting through the pile of rusted tools, while Carl hovered nearby, eyes wide with curiosity.

  "I'm going to try something," Doc announced, picking up the rusted axe. "Give me a few minutes with this."

  He moved to a relatively secluded corner, positioning his body to shield his left arm from view. Fish instinctively followed, standing guard to block any potential onlookers. Carl edged closer, trying to appear casual while clearly eager to watch.

  Doc activated the MANTIS utility gauntlet on his left forearm. The sleek device hummed to life, its matte-black surface extending a series of micro-tools from concealed compartments.

  "Scanning composition," he muttered, holding the axe head under the gauntlet's sensor array.

  "Iron content approximately 97.3%," Lux reported through their neural link. "Significant oxidation throughout. The edge has completely degraded, and there are stress fractures near the eye."

  Doc nodded, positioning the axe carefully. "Beginning restoration."

  The gauntlet's micro-fabrication tool extended, emitting a soft blue glow as it began to work. Microscopic plasma filaments swept across the metal surface, vaporizing rust and reshaping the degraded edge. The process was meticulous—first stripping away corrosion, then reinforcing the molecular structure of the metal itself.

  Carl crept closer, his glasses reflecting the blue light. "That's not magic," he whispered, barely audible. "It's... something else."

  Doc glanced at him with a warning look, but Carl mimed zipping his lips. The small engineer's eyes never left the process, his expression shifting from wonder to analytical focus.

  After several minutes, the axe head gleamed like new—its edge restored to a perfect cutting angle, the eye reinforced, and the metal polished to a silvery sheen.

  "The handle's next," Doc said, turning his attention to the cracked wood.

  As the gauntlet worked on repairing the wooden handle, Carl suddenly perked up. He reached into his pocket dimension and pulled out a small vial of amber liquid.

  "Wait," he whispered, moving closer to Doc. "I think this might help."

  "What is it?" Doc asked, pausing the repair.

  "Treant sap," Carl explained quietly. "I've been experimenting with it since yesterday. It has incredible binding properties—especially with wood. It might help reinforce the handle and save your... um, energy reserves."

  Doc raised an eyebrow. "How did you know about—"

  "New skill," Carl replied with a knowing smile. "I notice power fluctuations. Your device is draining something to work, right?"

  Doc nodded slightly, impressed by Carl's perception. "Let's try it."

  Carl carefully applied a few drops of the amber sap to the handle's crack. Doc resumed the repair process, and the gauntlet's micro-tools seamlessly incorporated the sap into the restoration. The wood seemed to drink in the substance, the fibers knitting together with surprising strength.

  "It's working," Doc murmured, surprised. "The molecular bonding is improving by 34%."

  Carl beamed. "I knew it! The sap has natural enhancement properties. Save your power—I have enough for all the wooden handles."

  Working together, they quickly repaired the axe to pristine condition. The blade gleamed with a perfect edge, and the handle felt solid and balanced.

  "Let's see what they think," Doc said, carrying the restored axe back to the brothers.

  Tor's eyes widened as Doc handed him the axe. "By the Worldtree, what did you do to it?"

  The burly lumberjack took the tool, testing its weight and balance with practiced hands. He gave it a few experimental swings, the blade cutting through the air with a satisfying whoosh.

  "This is... this is better than new," Tor admitted, running a thumb along the edge. "I've never seen metalwork like this."

  Brenn had picked up the other tools, examining them with a craftsman's eye. "Could you do the same for these?"

  "I believe so," Doc replied. "It'll take time, but we can restore them all."

  While the brothers marveled at the axe, Doc spoke quietly to Lux through their neural link.

  "How long will it take for the omni-tool to recharge to full capacity?" he asked. "I have a feeling we'll be using it a lot during these repairs."

  "Based on current power consumption rates and ambient energy collection, a full recharge would require approximately 72 hours of minimal use," Lux replied. "However, Carl's organic binding agent reduced power consumption by 27% for the wooden components. If we continue to integrate local materials strategically, we could extend operational capacity significantly."

  "Good to know," Doc thought. "Let's keep working with Carl on this. His class skills might be more compatible with our tech than I initially assumed."

  As Doc and Carl continued restoring the tools, Doc kept a careful eye on the young engineer's methods. Carl worked with surprising precision, applying his amber sap to each wooden handle before Doc used the MANTIS gauntlet to complete the repairs.

  "Lux, are you observing how his abilities interact with our tech?" Doc asked through their neural link.

  "Fascinating results," Lux replied. "When Carl applies his materials, there's a measurable energy pattern that interfaces with our fabrication process. It's not simply chemical—there's a field effect that appears to bridge conventional physics and this world's 'magical' principles. His new Arcanite Engineer class seems specifically adapted to interface between technological and magic systems."

  "So he's literally bridging tech and magic?" Doc asked, watching Carl confidently adjust the position of a saw handle.

  "Precisely. His neural patterns show unusual synchronization when handling both our technology and local magical components. He's intuitively translating between paradigms that should be incompatible."

  Doc observed with growing interest as Carl confidently moved between tools. The young engineer hadn't received any formal instruction on the MANTIS gauntlet's operation, yet he anticipated each step of the process, positioning materials at exactly the right moment.

  "Hand me that saw blade," Carl said, not looking up from his work. "Your device works better if we align the metal grain first."

  Doc passed him the rusted blade. "How do you know that?"

  Carl adjusted his glasses, a faint blue glow reflecting in the lenses. "I just... see it. Like patterns of light showing me how things want to fit together." He shrugged. "My new class lets me understand things I couldn't before."

  By midday, they had restored all the tools to pristine condition. The axes gleamed with perfect edges, saws cut with remarkable precision, and even the maul had been reinforced beyond its original strength.

  Doc gathered the tools and approached Brenn, who had been watching their progress with growing amazement.

  "What do you think?" Doc asked, presenting the restored woodworking implements.

  Brenn ran his fingers along a saw blade, his craftsman's eyes scrutinizing every detail. His expression shifted from skepticism to wonder.

  "These aren't just repaired," he said quietly. "They're... perfected." He tested the weight of an axe, giving it a careful swing. "The balance is better than anything I've ever used. The edge holds a keenness that shouldn't be possible with iron."

  He looked up at Doc, then at Carl. "With these, we could harvest from the outer groves safely. Even the Hollow Vale's guardian trees would yield to blades this sharp." He nodded decisively. "We can begin tomorrow at first light."

  Doc smiled at Brenn's announcement, glancing up at the sky. The sun had already begun its descent toward the western horizon—repairing the tools had consumed most of the day. His original plan had been to start working on the actual repairs immediately, but he hadn't anticipated needing to restore the tools first.

  "So you think you can identify which trees are safe to cut?" Doc asked, turning back to the brothers.

  Tor nodded confidently, resting the newly restored axe on his shoulder. "My class gives me a sense for it. Been that way since I was a boy—I can feel which ones are just trees and which ones might take offense to an axe." He tapped his temple. "Like a tingling at the back of my skull when I approach something that's more than wood."

  "What about the other forest dangers?" Doc asked.

  "Oh, we'll still have monsters to deal with," Brenn interjected, carefully organizing the repaired tools. "But that would be true regardless of what we're doing out there. The Vale doesn't much care why you're trespassing—just that you are."

  Tor grunted in agreement. "I'll work out a proper plan tonight. Figure which groves are closest and safest, how many people we need." He gave the axe another appreciative swing. "Meet back here at first light?"

  "Sounds good," Doc replied. "We'll be ready."

  As Doc and Carl walked away from the brothers, the setting sun cast long shadows across the camp. The smell of cooking fires and the day's meager meal filled the air.

  "Your new class is quite useful," Doc remarked to Carl. "The way you understood how to integrate your materials with the repairs was impressive."

  Carl's cheeks flushed red beneath his oversized glasses. "Thank you," he mumbled, adjusting his collar nervously. "I'm still figuring it out, honestly. Everything just... makes more sense now. Like I can see how different things want to fit together."

  "Well, without your help, I don't believe I would have had enough power to finish all the repairs," Doc admitted. "Your tree sap solution was ingenious."

  Fish trotted alongside them, occasionally disappearing and reappearing a few paces ahead, practicing her phase-shifting abilities. Each time she vanished, a slight shimmer marked her passage before she materialized again.

  They approached the central cooking area where several former captives huddled around fires, sharing the day's modest rations. Mazoga stood near the largest fire, deep in conversation with Kesh and Tanna.

  "Evening," Doc greeted as they approached. "Had to repair some tools the bandit left behind before we could get to doing any major repairs to the camp, it took me all day but they are sorted and taken care of"

  Mazoga looked up, her tusked face illuminated by the firelight. "Already? Tor said those tools were beyond saving."

  "They were in rough shape," Doc acknowledged, accepting a bowl of stew from one of the cooks. "But Carl and I managed to restore them. We'll be heading out tomorrow to gather timber for the north wall and watchtower."

  Mazoga's eyes narrowed slightly. "You fixed rusted, broken tools in a single afternoon?"

  "Carl's new class came in handy," Doc replied smoothly, nodding toward the small engineer.

  Mazoga studied them both for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, I won't question results. If you've got working tools and a plan to strengthen our defenses, that's what matters." She gestured toward the food. "Eat up. Tomorrow sounds like it'll be a long day."

  As they settled down with their meals, Doc caught Tanna watching Fish with fascination as she phased in and out of visibility near the edge of the firelight.

  "She's adapting well to her new abilities," Doc commented quietly.

  Tanna nodded, staring at Fish in awe "The core integration is remarkable. I've never seen anything absorb and manifest abilities so... completely."

  Doc's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What do you mean by that? Isn't this normal?"

  Tanna shook her head, her canine ears twitching forward with interest. "Not at all. Most creatures take days, sometimes weeks to fully integrate a core's abilities." She gestured toward Fish, who blinked in and out of visibility with casual ease. "They struggle with the new power, fight against it. The integration process is usually painful and disorienting."

  "But Fish..." Tanna continued, watching as the wolf materialized beside Doc, pressing against his leg affectionately, "she's using the Gloomclaw's stealth abilities as if she was born with them. No adjustment period, no struggle. It's like she's speaking a language she already knew."

  Doc scratched behind Fish's ears, feeling the subtle vibration beneath her fur. "Maybe she's just exceptionally talented."

  "Or exceptionally bonded," Tanna said meaningfully, her eyes shifting between Doc and Fish. "There's something unique about your connection. I've never seen anything like it."

  Doc nodded noncommittally, but internally, his mind raced. Could his presence—his alien nature in this world—somehow be affecting Fish's development? Lux had mentioned unusual energy patterns surrounding both of them since their arrival. Perhaps his own immunity to the class system was somehow transferring to Fish, allowing her to adapt without the usual constraints.

  "It's a plausible hypothesis," Lux commented through their neural link, clearly following Doc's train of thought. "Your unique neural-adaptive integration might be creating a resonance field that accelerates Fish's evolutionary processes."

  Doc decided not to pursue the question further—at least not aloud. The less these people knew about his true nature, the better. For now, he was content to let them wonder.

  As the fire burned lower and conversations quieted, Doc found himself reflecting on the absurdity of his situation. Just over a week ago, he'd been a planetary researcher with cutting-edge technology and the backing of an interstellar civilization. Now he was sitting by a campfire in a broken-down fort, planning a logging expedition with lumberjacks who could sense sentient trees, while his pet wolf practiced teleporting.

  And somehow, impossibly, it felt right.

  Fish rested her head on his knee, her amber eyes reflecting the dying embers. Doc smiled, running his fingers through her midnight fur.

  "Look at us," he whispered. "A scientist, an AI, and a teleporting wolf. Some research team we turned out to be."

  Fish's tail thumped against the ground, as if agreeing with the sentiment.

  Perhaps this wasn't the mission he'd signed up for, but as missions went, Doc decided, it wasn't half bad.

  Thanks for reading Chapter 16!