Chapter 5

Metal.

The third region. Glitch already dreaded it. The unstable jerking from the plane they were on was enough to make him hate flying altogether. He could barely hear himself think over the roar of the old engine. It was a small, rickety plane that surely saw years' worth of flights in its time. So did the pilot himself. And right now, he couldn't stop talking. Glitch and Dr. Axon had the pleasure of sitting directly behind him in the plane, where they were forced to hear every conversation he held with them in the last several hours. Most of them, at least. The loud engine drowned out a chunk of the Droid pilot's words.

"…gonna love it out…ere…brah!" he yelled to them over his shoulder.

"What was that, Helix?" Dr. Axon leaned forward with a hand cupped around his auditory sensor to hear him better.

"I said, you're totally gonna love it out there, brah!" Helix repeated. "The tropics, I mean. There's a lot to do out there, man. The waves are rad!"

"Ah, yes, waves!" Dr. Axon responded. "Monsoon season is on its way."

"Yep, sure is!" said Helix. "But I still think it beats the tundra. I'd rather deal with some heavy rain here and there than a blizzard. No, sir, Helix Steele does not handle the cold well!"

Helix was the same pilot who flew the group to the polar regions. He was an older, peace-loving Droid who, in his younger years, partook in anti-war protests. Before he settled in Ridgebolt, Helix toured the skies of Iron Star. He spent his free time as a surfer before he got too old. Glitch wanted to know how that even worked—a robot surfing. Then again, Feeble used to spend his days on water, as well. Glitch figured that maybe not every Droid feared the water, even with its risks.

Helix's long conversations on their trip to the tundra consisted of how much he disliked the freezing climate. Glitch didn't feel like listening to it all over again. He wasn't a fan of having to ride on Helix's plane a second time, either.

His thoughts were conveniently cut short by another episode of jerking from the aircraft. Its engine sputtered. Glitch and Dr. Axon steadied themselves as best they could. There were seatbelts, but they were broken. The jerking stopped after a couple of seconds.

"Sorry about that!" Helix yelled back to them. "You'll have to excuse ol' Ava here! She hasn't been feeling the best lately. I took her on a few test flights last week. You should've seen her then. She was, like, totally not having it! She's doing a lot better now, though. I had the young lady's old man give her a look before I flew you guys out."

Helix pointed a thumb toward Rev farther back as he spoke. Glitch tossed her a glance. She was sitting in the seat behind his with Feeble, Dipper, and a shaken up Melvin. Rev didn't notice Glitch looking at her with how busily she stitched Feeble's robe. She was giving him a new sleeve. A moment later, she lifted her optics and saw Glitch watching her.

"Wow, you sew, too?" He was genuinely impressed.

"I'm a Jack of all trades!" Rev confidently stated. "I wear a lotta hats!" Her gaze returned to Feeble's sleeve. "An older she-Droid taught me," she recalled. "She passed away not long before you arrived at Ridgebolt."

"I'm glad you have something to remember her by," Glitch thoughtfully commented. "And you're puttin' it to pretty good use there."

"I'd be done by now if Feeble took the robe off," Rev mildly replied. "I've been having to stitch around his arm!"

"This robe stays with its wearer," Feeble asserted. "It goes where its captain goes!"

"Well, can you tell it to hold still for me?" Rev asked, half-joking. "I just need to add a couple more stitches."

"Fine, fine." Feeble got the message and kept his arm in place.

Rev finished her last stitch before tying off the red thread. She went through her bag to get something. After a few moments of sifting, she stopped and sucked her lip. "Crud, I forgot to pack scissors. I meant to bring them with the needle and thread."

"Here ye go!" Feeble took his dagger and cut the excess thread for her.

Rev's face lit up. "Aww, thanks, Feeble!" she exclaimed. "That was sweet of you!"

Feeble moved his arm around in the sleeve to test it.

"How's it feel?" Rev asked him.

"It be feelin' good as new, lass!" Feeble told her, grinning.

Glitch watched their interaction with a bittersweet feeling. Rev seemed to be handling the trip well so far. He knew she was still sad about having to leave Ridgebolt again so soon. She was probably disappointed that they didn't have time for the dinner Glitch promised, too. If she was, she did her best not to show it, at least not in front of anyone else. Mister Fixit wasn't too thrilled about her leaving, either, nor was Drill-Bit. Glitch got to see her one more time the day before. Rev told her they would be going away again before he reached the house. Drill-Bit was crying when he got there. He played Space Pirates with her and Marigold to cheer her up. Afterwards, he promised he would spend as much time with her as she wanted when they got back.

But Rev's wellbeing wasn't the only thing on his mind. They wouldn't be alone on the island they were flying to. The Droid Rebellion would be meeting them. Glitch still didn't know how he felt about it. Colonel Alloy contacted Dr. Axon the night before to make arrangements. He wasn't unhappy about the slight change in plans. In fact, he was grateful that the Rebellion would help. He simply wished it wasn't on such short notice. Glitch was glad the Colonel would be helping, too. What bothered him was the likelihood of both teams getting in the way of the other. He was curious as to how exactly the Rebellion would assist them; the briefing only entailed so much. The group already had Feeble's exploration skills and Axon's ingenuity. Glitch tried not to worry too much. For all he knew, he could've been making a mountain out of a molehill. After all, if anything, the Rebellion's extra firepower could come in handy.

Glitch was prodded out of his thoughts again by another bout of jerking from the plane. He faced forward in his seat and braced himself. Helix banged the controls on the dashboard. "C'mon, Ava," he groaned. "Chill out, willya?"

Ava wasn't listening. Helix frustratedly banged on the control panel some more, as if that made for an easy fix. Ava shook and sputtered a few more times before she decided to stabilize again.

Helix rolled his eyes. "She's so sometimey," he sighed. "Just like all my exes."

Glitch resettled in his seat alongside Dr. Axon. Hopefully, Ava wasn't about to crash.

Luckily, it didn't take much longer for them to reach their destination. The island slowly came into view. Glitch watched it draw closer. It was a large mass of land in the middle of an even larger mass of water. Rev and the others were taking it in from their seats, as well. Glitch could hear an audible sound of amazement escape Rev's mouth close behind him.

Helix tossed an anticipant smile at his passengers. "We're almost there, brahs!" he announced. "'Bout time, too. I can finally try to see what that funky smell is. Probably the cupronickel sandwich I dropped somewhere on here. I'm, like, gonna have to find it soon."

Glitch cringed inside. He was pretty sure the odor Helix picked up would leave with a certain nomad explorer.

"Alright, gang!" Helix exclaimed. "Hold on tight!"

He began lowering Ava. Glitch and the others sat back and held on like Helix advised. The landing wasn't very smooth. Ava shook a great deal during her descent out of the sky. Helix brought her in on the island's shore, using it as a runway. They all felt the tires hit the sand. Helix started the journey to bring Ava to a stop. Glitch didn't think she would. Just when it seemed like they were about to run out of space, she dragged to a halt. It was just shy of the shoreline, right before the water met the land.

Helix gave a nervous laugh. "My bad, brahs. She's sometimey, like I said!"

"That is…quite all right, Helix." Dr. Axon readjusted his safari hat.

Glitch wasn't as forgiving. Right about now, he questioned Helix's sobriety. He liked to puff carbon monoxide in his spare time. Glitch wouldn't have been surprised if he had a drag or two before the flight.

Helix switched Ava off. The group grabbed their things and stepped out of the plane. Glitch stopped to feel the sand under his feet. It was different from the dirt in Droid Town, and even Ridgebolt. The sand greeted his soles with a softness he never experienced before. It blanketed the island in white. The sound of wheels made Glitch lift his head. Rev came up beside him. Her eyes were filled with curiosity as she studied the sand. She knelt down and took some of it into her hand. It fell between her fingers when she picked it up. She laughed and smiled up at Glitch. He smiled back at her. She stood and wiped the sand from her hands when she was done playing with it.

"Righto!" Dr. Axon sat down his bags. "Why don't we set up camp?" he suggested. "Then, we can prepare to head inland when the time is right."

"Aye." Feeble nodded, agreeing. "But, be warned, landlubbers. Gettin' to the gateways here won't be easy. It be the most difficult one yet. Ye will all have to be careful and follow me lead to a T."

"You've been out here before, Gramps?" Helix asked.

His question feigned amusement. Feeble didn't take kindly to it. The elder Droid flashed him an icy glare with his half-blind left optic. He marched up to Helix, drew his dagger, and pointed it at his throat.

"Ye dare be entertained by me warnings? I'lls make ye swallow yer foolish words with a swipe from the old iron!"

Helix nervously withdrew from him. He was the closest a robot ever came to sweating bullets. Feeble put his dagger away and walked off, grumbling under his breath. Glitch and Rev blinked at each other. They never thought they would see a clash between a pirate and a hippie.

Glitch helped Dr. Axon and Melvin set up the tent. Rev kept Dipper and stayed near the plane with Feeble and Helix. He kept his distance from the old Droid. Rev awkwardly stood between them. Feeble grimaced at Helix from one side of her while the ex-surfer warily stood on the other.

Hopefully, Sharpshooter can keep the peace, Glitch thought.

They stood back once they finished putting the tent together. Glitch could already feel the sear of the tropical heat on his metal. He wiped grease off his forehead.

"The Colonel's team is on their way," Dr. Axon spoke up. "We should wait for them."

"But they're still a few hours out from us," Glitch objected.

"Yes, of course." Dr. Axon understandingly dipped his head. "But Feeble said the trek would have many perils," he pointed out. "We will probably need the Rebellion's helping hand."

Glitch hesitated. He wanted to keep moving, but he knew Axon was right. He gave a nod. "Ok," he said. "We can give it time."

It was hard to be patient. With Droid Town seized by Exavolt's forces, they were fighting the clock more than ever. Glitch couldn't help but feel restless. Dr. Axon must have sensed his concern. He gave him a look of compassion.

"I'll be all right, Doc," Glitch assured him.

"Ok." Axon chuckled. "I believe you."

Glitch's gaze fell on Rev near the plane. She was still intrigued by the sand. Feeble was telling her an anecdote about his travels across the seas, as well as the beaches he came across much like this one.

"How was she doing while I was gone?" Glitch asked Dr. Axon.

"I believe she was more worried than anyone else," Axon told him. "But she held out hope like the rest of us."

Glitch looked down at the sand. "She's sad. She ain't showin' it, though. I think she was patching up Feeble's robe to keep her mind off things." He sighed. "We were only on our second date before I had to leave in the middle of it."

"Oh, Glitch…," Dr. Axon sympathized.

"I wanna be there for her," Glitch said. "I want it to work. We both do."

Dr. Axon placed a hand on his arm. His kind gesture warmed Glitch. The support felt nice.

"Well," Axon said, smiling, "I suppose this is as good of a time as any!"

He stepped aside to let Glitch approach her. Glitch realized how right Dr. Axon was. If he wanted to spend more time with Rev, what in the world was he doing just standing around?

He thanked Axon for the encouragement before moving forward. He hadn't taken more than one step, however, when Rev began coming toward him, instead. Glitch waited for her to make her way over. He pleasantly watched her move over the sand on her tires to reach him. Once Rev got closer and passed Dipper to Melvin, Glitch took her hands.

"Long time, no see, partner!" she playfully greeted.

Glitch swept her up in his arms. It took Rev by surprise at first, but then she melted into his embrace. Glitch loved every second. He put her down and quietly admired her.

"What?" she giggled.

"You're a sight for sore optics, hot stuff, that's what!" Glitch told her.

His words delighted Rev; she lowered her head, beaming. Glitch moved in to kiss her. His lip wasn't too far from hers when he heard a faint beating sound in the air. He, Rev, Dr. Axon, and Melvin looked up to see helicopters closing in on the island. Glitch saw their familiar red and white insignia. He glanced at Rev, then looked down with mild disappointment at the interruption.

"Ah, would you look at that!" said Melvin. "They're already here!"

"Yes, they are!" Dr. Axon agreed. "What a surprise!"

Feeble and Helix joined them as the helicopters came in for landing. The group stayed back to avoid the strong winds from the propellers. The helicopters were tailed by more aircraft, mainly carriers and smaller transport planes. Teams of Droid soldiers filed out of them a minute later. Glitch and the others went up to meet them. Colonel Alloy emerged from one of the helicopters with fellow officers. He exchanged a few words with a soldier, who saluted him before marching off again. Alloy saw Glitch and his party as soon as he lifted his eyes. Glitch waited for him to roll up on his tire.

"You made it. Early."

If the Colonel heard the curtness in his tone, he didn't mention it. Instead, he nodded in response to Glitch's statement. "Yep!" he replied. "We wanted to get the show on the road!"

He fell silent as he noticed something. Glitch quickly gathered what it could've been. Alloy saw Rev at his side. He still had his arm around her. Rev moved slightly in Glitch's embrace. She must have picked up on the atmosphere between them, as she made an attempt to greet Alloy properly. "Hi, Colonel!" she exclaimed. "It's great seeing you again!"

"Uh, yes!" Colonel Alloy cleared his throat. "Same to you, dear!"

"Ah! Colonel!" Dr. Axon came closer. "Hello again!"

"Doctor!" Alloy dipped his head. "As usual, it's a distinct pleasure."

"The pleasure is mine, as always!" Axon insisted.

The two of them shook hands. They spent some time talking. Glitch took the opportunity to pull Rev to the side. They stopped behind one of the carriers that had just been turned off.

"Well that was awkward!" Rev declared.

"You're tellin' me," Glitch muttered.

Rev took a moment to read his body language. Her eyes softened.

"What?"

"It's okay if he knows we're together, Glitch," she told him. "I don't think he'll give you the boot for having a girlfriend!"

Glitch shook his head. "It ain't that, it's just…" He decided to drop it. "Never mind!" he said. "Where were we?"

"You were gonna kiss me, Corporal," Rev sweetly reminded him.

"Permission to try again?" Glitch requested.

Rev put her arms around his shoulders. "Permission granted."

Glitch treated her to an attentive kiss. When he pulled away, Rev surprised him by going in for more. She eagerly smooched him back. Glitch didn't mind at all, immediately going along. He held her against the side of the carrier while planting generous kisses on her carbon fiber. They stopped and gazed at one another.

"So much for that dinner I promised you." Glitch bittersweetly smirked at her.

Rev shrugged. "This is good enough for me," she said. "We're on a tropical island! Can't get any more romantic than that!"

They were about to continue when Glitch heard a familiar voice—a grouchy one. The F-bombs coupled with "screw-boy" told him exactly who it was. Glitch exchanged a lightly disheartened glance with Rev as he gently parted from her.

"Krunk," he mumbled.

"Ah!" Rev gave a nod at the revelation. "So that's what he sounds like!"

"I'd better go," Glitch sighed.

"I can come with you!" Rev offered.

"Oh, I dunno." Glitch scratched his head.

Rev studied his hesitation. After a while, she realized why Glitch was uncertain. "Oh, right." She understandingly waved him to carry on by himself. "You can go ahead, then. Duty calls for my soldier!"

Glitch affectionately pinched her cheek before walking around to see Krunk. He didn't at all expect him to be there. Judging from his ranting, it didn't seem like he even wanted to be. Then again, that was how Krunk always acted. When Glitch found him, he was surprised to see he was no longer wheelchair-bound. He did, however, still have his bandages. Glitch took a deep breath and got the interaction over with. Shooter and Tank were trying to help Krunk around, but he didn't want it. He snatched his good arms away from them. "I can walk by my damn self!" he barked.

Shooter and Tank noticed Glitch and smiled. Glitch gave them a wave as he approached. The three of them looked at the agitated Krunk standing between them. Shooter and Tank made themselves scarce to allow Glitch a minute with him. He moved closer once they'd gone.

"Er, Krunk!" He barely knew how to begin. "It's a, uh, surprise to see you here."

"Oh, I bet it is," Krunk said. "From what I heard, you've been busy in more ways than one!"

"Huh?"

Krunk's un-bandaged optic flickered right past Glitch. At first, Glitch wasn't quite sure what, or who, he was looking at. But then he remembered a certain someone and peered over his shoulder. Rev was still standing further behind. She'd emerged from the spot they were just in. The green glow from her optics was wary. Glitch let out an exasperated sigh. Krunk was the last bot he wanted Rev to meet for obvious reasons.

"Krunk…," he began.

"What, do you think I'm an idiot?" Krunk demanded. "I already know who that is! Commando Man told me ya had a potential lady friend. That's what's kept ya out there in the sticks, isn't it?"

"Ok, just, be nice to her," Glitch implored. "Please?"

"Hmph." Krunk turned up his nose.

Glitch hung his head. He was not planning to do that, clearly. Glitch didn't even know why he expected him to. Krunk was hardly kind to him, let alone anyone new he brought around.

"Mr. Krunk?"

Both Glitch and Krunk looked over from the voice. Rev kindly approached them. Glitch tensed. He wished she would've stayed put. Krunk didn't seem to want her over, either. But before either of them knew it, Rev did something unexpected. She gave Krunk a tender hug.

"What the…" He froze.

"It's so good to meet you!" Rev gushed. "Glitch has told me so much about you!"

Krunk remained stiffer than a board. He could barely react. At least, not initially. With a dropped jaw, Glitch watched the change in Krunk's mood unfold. His optic softened, and a smile stretched across his face.

Rev pulled away from him. He was still speechless, and his smile was still there. He must have realized it at some point, though, and got rid of it. "Whatever!" he scoffed.

Glitch and Rev watched him hobble away. Rev beamed at Glitch, happy with what she'd done.

"Wow." Glitch blinked at her. "You…got 'em to smile. And he actually let you hug him."

Rev shrugged. "Maybe he's not so bad under all that temper!"

Glitch grinned and took her by the hand. They went to join the others together.

...

"Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! There's rust 'round the rim, but still good as they come!"

Feeble's pirate songs rang out from the front of the group as the Droids made their way inland. Glitch's team was accompanied by Colonel Alloy's. Their journey through the island's jungle was fairly straightforward so far. Twisting beams of steel surrounded them at every angle, reaching high into the air.

Aside from Feeble's melodies and the buzzing of insects, there was silence under the artificial canopy. Some areas were dense enough to block out sunlight. Even then, Glitch could feel every bit of the heat that Iron Star's equator had to offer. It almost made him miss the desert. At least there, the nights were cool. The island was a few hours away from sundown and was still baking, it seemed. The desert might have been hot, but the air was drier. Here, it felt humid and heavy, like sitting in a boiler. Glitch knew he wasn't the only one who hated it. He could hear disgruntled swears from a few soldiers following close behind.

His party stayed at the head, while the Rebellion members kept to their rear. A few minutes of trudging went by before Glitch felt someone come up to his side. He glanced over at the Colonel. There was minimal concern in his eyes. He leaned in closer to whisper something.

"You sure this old-timer knows where he's taking us?" he asked.

Glitch peered forward at Feeble. He was still randomly singing. But that wasn't all. When a beetle flew in front of him, Feeble caught it out of the air and popped it in his mouth like a snack. He ground the bug up in his jaws. It got him several crazy looks, but he didn't care. "Argh, don't gawk at me like that, ye modern metalheads!" he argued. "That there was a button beetle. They're a good power source."

Glitch looked back over at the Colonel. "Don't worry!" he hissed to him. "You get used to it."

"I, uh, hope so." Alloy wasn't very convinced.

"I'm with you, brother." Helix quietly piped up from Glitch's opposite side. "I respect my elders, but boy oh boy, does that little guy have a couple screws loose!"

Colonel Alloy threw Helix a funny look. His reaction was justified; it was like the oil calling the gunpowder black. Helix's desire to join the expedition was unexpected. Glitch thought he would've preferred to stay with Ava. He asked Helix if he thought it would be better for him to stay behind and watch his plane. His response had something to do with Ava being an "independent soul." Glitch should've seen that one coming.

The Colonel focused straight ahead, as if to disregard the Droid hippie he had to share the space with. Helix began rolling up something.

"What's that?" Glitch had a feeling he would regret asking.

Helix finished rolling the substance and lighting it. "Deposits!"

"Er…deposits?"

"Yep!" Helix took a puff. "My own!"

Glitch silently stared at him. He wasn't even sure how to respond. Alloy was the same way beside him.

"It's goood, man!" Helix happily expressed. "It mellows you out! Wanna try?"

Glitch transitioned to another subject. "So what made you wanna tag along?"

"Just curious, really," Helix answered after another drag. "I, like, really wanna know what this whole Morbot thing's about. That's some, like, totally spiritual stuff! Like, metaphysical, y'know?" He leaned in and lowered his voice. "I'm a tad bit iffy about our tour guide, though," he whispered.

Glitch expected that. Feeble wasn't exactly what came to mind when picturing a well-versed guide. But he'd proven his exploration skills more than once, and he knew more about the Morbots than any other Droid Glitch had met. The new members would hopefully adjust to his quirks.

A little farther up front, Rev was tinkering with one of Dr. Axon's handheld devices. He showed her how it worked. Glitch amusedly shook his head. She must have been curious about it. He saw Colonel Alloy watching her, too, out the corner of his eye. He directed his gaze to Glitch eventually.

"So she finally gave you a chance, I see," he spoke up with a smile.

Glitch found himself smiling a little, as well. He briefly looked down at his feet. "I'm surprised, honestly," he admitted.

"Why's that?" Alloy asked.

Glitch shrugged. "Aw, I dunno. I'm always behind a gun, for one. I thought that'd scare 'er off. What's a sweet girl like her want with a guy like me?"

"Because you're not a bad guy," said the Colonel. "I think she likes that about ya most of all."

Glitch peered up at him.

"You're her type!" Colonel Alloy persisted. "You were built for each other, I can tell."

Glitch thought about what the Colonel was saying. He wasn't wrong. Rev loved adventure. She was always up for a challenge. She even liked weapons. And she was a bit of a rebel herself. She was just like him in every way, beyond their Morbot background.

Glitch's eyes lit up at the realizations. She's definitely my type, too, he fondly thought.

Alloy placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. "If you ask me, you hit the jackpot!"

"You're right, Colonel!" Glitch agreed. "Thanks."

They quietly pressed on for a while. Glitch grew aware of the occasional glow from Colonel Alloy's optics shifting toward him. There was something on his mind, apparently. It wasn't much longer before he broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said. "Back in the bunker."

There was genuine guilt in the Colonel's voice. Glitch could tell how much he meant it. But before he could accept the apology, he was cut off by a terrified scream. The entire group came to a standstill. Alloy's men drew their guns in case there was a threat. Though, there didn't appear to be. Everyone looked around, confused.

Glitch finally spotted Melvin. He'd stumbled into a spiderweb. Dr. Axon and Rev worked together to get it off him and Dipper.

Colonel Alloy tiredly rubbed his face. "Hold your fire," he sighed. "False alarm."

The soldiers put away their firearms.

Melvin saw the stares planted on him and adjusted himself. "S-sorry!" he stammered. "W-won't happen again!"

Feeble rolled his eyes. "Metalhead," he irritably mumbled.

Glitch held back his chuckle while he moved forward. He studied the web's remains on the ground as he walked past them. When he happened to lift his head to the canopy, however, his laughter stopped. He saw another spiderweb like the one Melvin ran into. It was enormous. Glitch tried to brush off the subtle unease that sent a slight chill through him. With a spiderweb that big, he hoped they wouldn't run into its eight-legged creator.

...

The group continued their trek for some time. Even as they approached dusk, Feeble hadn't stopped leading them forward. Glitch didn't show it, but he became uncertain. It would be getting dark soon. The little bit of light that made it through the canopy was fading fast. Glitch caught sight of Dr. Axon's face close by. He was likely thinking the same thing. He kept his half-wary blue optics on his navigator. Glitch wondered if the readings were matching up with where Feeble was taking them.

Colonel Alloy didn't look too happy himself. A soft, slightly irritated huff passed from his lips. He was losing his patience like everyone else.

"Any day now…," he muttered.

"I know, Colonel," Glitch said. "But we need to trust him. He knows what he's doing."

Feeble suddenly drew to a halt. It forced everyone else to stop, as well. They all looked at each other, slightly puzzled. Glitch glanced at Dr. Axon. He blinked back at him with a shrug. Nothing had turned up on his navigator. They studied Feeble's demeanor. He stayed in a cautious stance, still as a statue.

"What is it, Feeble?" Dr. Axon inquired.

Feeble didn't answer, or even look his way. He kept his half-blind eye to the canopy overhead, scanning what little he saw. Glitch tried following along to figure out what he was searching for, but he didn't see anything.

"Whatever ye do," Feeble uttered, "don't none of ye move a servo."

"Why's that, Gramps?" Helix called up to him.

"And keep yer trap shut, idiot!" Feeble hissed at him. "They're attracted to noise, too!"

"What are?" Alloy quietly questioned.

"No idea," Glitch softly answered back.

Feeble finally turned his head to face everyone. He'd never looked more serious.

"Move exactly as I do," he gently instructed. "And make as little sound as possible."

The group followed his lead. They crouched low and slowly pressed forward. Glitch was still wondering what they were trying to avoid. He decided to trust Feeble's judgement as he guided them.

They came upon a particularly tall patch of undergrowth a few paces later. Feeble encouraged them to stay close to one another. It turned out to be easier said than done. The patch became incredibly dense. The metal reeds poked and grazed Glitch's body. He couldn't see the Colonel anymore, but he felt the occasional brush from his exterior. They were going to need new paint jobs after this.

Rev crossed Glitch's mind at some point. He knew it would be in vain, but he tried making her out through the growth anyway. She wasn't even a tad visible, nor was Dr. Axon, Melvin, Dipper, or Feeble himself.

Helix still had his homemade doobie. He tried keeping the rest of his body as still as possible while bringing it up to his lips. He dropped it halfway. It fell out of his fingers and rolled along the ground a few feet away. He left the underbrush to go after it. Feeble saw him.

"No, you ignoramus!" he snapped.

A long, sharp object shot out from the shrubbery. The dart-like projectile went straight for Helix's head while he was crouched down. Glitch tackled him out of its path. The object plunged into the torso of a Rebellion soldier. He crumpled to the ground with a weak scream. Everyone poked their heads up just slightly to see what was happening. The pain made the soldier writhe, but only before his body went stiff. He choked on his own fluids for the next couple of seconds. Then, he lay still.

"He was poisoned!" Dr. Axon exclaimed.

Feeble hurled himself at Helix. He pressed him down into the dirt with his steel rod to his neck. Helix gagged and sputtered against the pressure.

"Now ye've done it!" Feeble chastised. "Ye've disturbed them! Now they'll come after us all!"

Helix struggled for air.

"Feeble, stop!" Glitch yanked him off.

Violent rustling made them jerk their heads up. The movement came from somewhere nearby. It wasn't long before it seemed to come from all around. The group scanned their surroundings. It was as if the entire jungle had sprung to life, like a wire that had been tripped.

The threat made itself known. It lunged toward the Droids from the rear. The thing dragged the dead soldier into the brush and ate his body. More quickly took its place. The group stood back to back in the middle of the reed patch with guns drawn. They were completely surrounded by Zombiebots.