Querencia(n.): a place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self

It had started with yet another explosion that day. Rafael Salazar sighed as he found his chair rolling backward. The wheels wobbled before he grabbed the edge of the table in front of him and pulled himself back. The tremors were minor, just only momentary, and caused little-to-no damage to his surroundings with the only evidence being the distant crash and boom; it was the cause of the explosion that disgruntled him more than anything.

He was not alone in his thinking as he heard a frustrated noise from the other side of the laboratory. Rafael didn't bother to turn around to face Peter Meechum as the other man turned from his monitor and complained. Peter had been growling and muttering angrily since the first tremor when he arrived earlier that morning to take a look at the lab's operating systems, "That has to be at least the 7th time today, and it's barely noon! Doesn't he know that other people are trying to work here?"

During his time knowing Peter Meechum, Rafael described the man as quickly irritated but well-intentioned; anyone could easily miss the latter because of his serious nature and low tolerance for annoyances. Though, Meechum could be a pleasant and cooperative enough of a man when not tested. In a different set of words, his wife Violeta said to him, after only an hour of knowing Meechum, "He's a very negative man, that Peter Meechum."

"Now, what makes you think that's him this time?" Rafael maintained a smooth tone as he resumed his typing, "Maybe it could be Wilson? I did hear he had some ideas concerning some rather incautious-"

"Don't even pretend you don't know who's responsible for all these damn mini-earthquakes! The inconsideration- Did you happen to notice that because of one of these things, I spilled scorching hot coffee all over myself, or did you somehow miss the part where I was in agony just earlier?" Peter's grimace only deepened as he irritably gestured to his torso which revealed a dark splash of brown that contrasted with the previously white dress shirt.

"Oh, believe me, I could hear how much pain you were in," the less annoyed man kept his back turned as an amused smirk grew on his face when he recalled the incident that occurred only this morning, "It was hard to ignore with all those painful words you used."

"Well, I'm glad that managed to brighten your morning, but you know what," seeing right through Rafael's weak facade of professionalism, Peter heatedly stood up and strode a few steps towards him to gain the other's attention better. Not as an initiation of violence, but the hostility nonetheless emphasized the ire he was trying to express without completely blowing up.

"You better do something about this, or else those assistants he keeps going through won't be the only ones forced to leave, and don't think I'm just referring to myself. It's starting to become an occupational hazard around here!"

Raf resisted shaking his head to continue to appear disinterested. That way, they could drop this conversation, sooner, "We're looking to create a cure for cancer here. It should go without saying that occupational hazards are a given. If people can't handle a few quakes along the way, then this may not be the job for them."

It was true. The Nanite Project was a somewhat strange and demanding mission, but to Rafael and his already exceptional experience with the strange and demanding, this project was just another fascinating challenge for him to explore.

There were those who were motivated to accept this job because of its remarkably high salary and benefits, or they saw it as their duty as a good Samaritan to make the world a better place, or some combination of those. Rafael agreed when he said those were significant motivators for him in contributing to this project, but the main reason had to be just pure curiosity. To Raf, investigating and studying the lengths and limits a living being can endure and conquer was a captivating enough endeavor with the right inspirations but add the factor of nanites which are supposed to enhance and even mutate that same living being's current abilities, and it becomes enthralling. Science was his passion, and the more he discovered, the more he could feel his blood rush and adrenaline rise. This project was a big one that only the more dedicated and committed should be permitted to participate in. He could admit that he may have a bit of a resentment with some of his co-workers when he felt they didn't live up to the same level of passion he had, but what can he say? He respects the field too much.

Peter growled in frustration at the scientist's calculating attitude and started to make his way to the exit for a break, "Look, it's not just the explosiveness that is the problem. He doesn't work well with others, he goes off on his mini projects with our funds that often cause more trouble than anything, and he's been getting away with it for far too long to the point that he holds almost no responsibility for the anxiety he has been causing!"

"Could it be that you're letting your vendetta with him fuel your anger at this? Besides, he's an adult," Rafael felt just the smallest twinge of exasperation begin to reveal itself, "He is capable of making his own decisions. What do expect me to do?"

"Yeah, but he's also your son!" and with the sliding shut of the lab's doors, Rafael was left alone with only Meechum's words left hanging like an echo in the room.

Raf ceased his typing for the moment to rub his face from weariness. Perhaps, he had been just a bit stubborn with Peter; the man did have a point. Rafael could only blame it on his wife's influence on him that he was being this defensive of Caesar's flaws instead of admitting his mistakes.

By the time Rafael had arrived at the source of the random eruptions in the building, he could already faintly hear the loud arguing going on behind the door. As the sliding panel entrance opened, the volume of yelling increased and became more evident, and a wave of smoke from a dying fire hit him in the face. He coughed as he attempted to wave away the offensive smog but maintained his professionalism, "¿Qué pasó?"

As the air cleared, three things came into view: his eldest son Caesar calmly using a fire extinguisher on a collection of charred metal, a similarly charred man spitting curses and attempting to lunge at Caesar, and his wife Violeta doing her best to hold back the soot-covered man and talk him down.

"Look, I realize you are upset," Violeta struggled but continued speaking as if she was reciting a script, "but honestly, this is nothing to lose your temper over-"

"Are you kidding me?!" The scorched man shouted with the whites of his eyes and teeth being the only indicator of the person underneath the soot, "He tried to kill me! I could have died! I will get upset at this cheeky sociopath; I will get FURIOUS!"

Meanwhile, Caesar had just finished putting out the remainder of the flames and turned back with a look of bewilderment, "Well, you should have known that the machine's' central core was about to become overcharged from the visible signs of instability that I didn't think I needed to tell you about. Aren't you supposed to be certified in computer engineering and industrial technology and management?"

"So, you sent me into the center of the explosion with no protection or warning because you just assumed that I would just know what to do?"

Rafael sighed, again, and made an effort to help simmer down the potential lawsuit and came to his wife's side who looked determined upfront, but he could sense her growing negativity. She took a breath and smiled wearily, "I completely understand your frustration here, and I'll make sure to talk to him about his behavior later, but try to look on the bright side!"

"What bright side?"

"You're still alive." Rafael answered before regretting as the scorch of a man yelled in frustration and stomped off with a throw of his lab coat, "I QUIT!"

The three remained silent, even as the removal of the coat revealed a shocking contrast of unblackened clothes underneath where the burnt coat was previously, and it left a comedic split of singed versus untouched quality to his outfit.

A few seconds passed before Violeta snapped her attention to her son and smacked his arm and scolded, "That was, what, your 5th assistant to leave since you've started working here?"

"Has it been five already?" Caesar looked mildly surprised as he paused to think back to his previous employees until his mother made a motion to hit him again that he quickly flinched away from.

"First, there was the one you sent rocketing throughout the building, and we had to actually get security to stop him from bisecting you with a chainsaw," the increasingly annoyed mother counted off on her fingers, "Then, there was the one you accidentally released your man-eating mutant plant on that almost ate her alive. She ran away screaming her resignation with the thing still snapping at her legs."

"There was also the one you just had fired because their work ethic was dissatisfying, which included wanting to get enough sleep that most human beings required unless they lived off coffee and energy drinks like you," his father added from his wife's side.

"And tell me, mijo, what exactly happened to your last assistant from barely three weeks ago?" while her face remained irritated and expectant, her tone spoke with innocent curiosity, like she was making small talk.

Cringing when he finally realized his mother was angry with him as she spoke, he reluctantly answered, "...Hospitalized from excessive electrocution."

"I'm still shocked from that incident. No pun intended." Rafael commented with a small grin before quickly reverting to his stern expression when his wife shot him a look.

"And now, your newest one has quit from you sending him to a bomb's core without telling him!" Violeta paused a moment to take a breath as she relaxed and adopted a different, more soothing tone, "Caesar, I understand that you're passionate about this project just as the rest of us, but we've been through this a thousand times before: you have got to start thinking about others here. We're divided enough as it is, so we have to work together as best as we can when we can. That means, we have to make sure our coworkers don't get hurt when it can be avoided, including with your assistants."

"Your mother's right, mijo," Rafael added with similar care, "and it's not just that, but if this reckless behavior and disregard for others continue, you may get into more trouble than you already are."

"We have to be cautious with others' safety here, now. Unlike your inventions, they can't be rebuilt as easily when they're blown up, or dented, or electrocuted. They're humans, not machines, Caesar. Be careful."

Remaining silent the whole time, the younger Salazar looked to his parents with guilt before sincerity and nodded in acceptance, "Okay."

Giving their son similar expressions of approval and pride, Violeta gave him an affectionate hug and kiss while Rafael preferred to stick with a reassuring shoulder squeeze, "Keep up the good work, mijo."

As his parents left him to clean up on his own, Caesar had begun to collect all the charred scrap metal and place them in a pile, but his mind was elsewhere as he was used to this routine after going through it when losing his previous assistants. He soon became lost in thought as an idea brought an eager grin to his face and shine in his eyes, "Humans can't be rebuilt, but machines can, so why don't I just build an assistant?"

Notes: It's about dang time I finally write something for this fandom and publish it and just- ugh, I should've done this a long time ago. Well hopefully with Thanksgiving Break on the way, I can make something worth reading because I love Generator Rex and so much about it, and I want to support it, you know? I'm pretty rusty on writing fanfiction, but I hope you enjoy what I have in store...

Thanks for skimming!