"Becareful July, we don't know what kind of creature we might encounter." Rex said, his wolf instincts high on alert.

July nodded not saying a word, she held her breath out of habit even tho she didn't have lungs any more. She watched the foliage part, and a creature emerged into the dappled sunlight.

"What is that? It reminds me of a weird mix between a deer and a peacock," she said in awe.

The majestic creature, its body deer-like but adorned with feathers carefully approached July. Its resplendent, iridescent plumage shimmered in the soft sunlight, creating a mesmerizing play of colors. The creature's eyes held an otherworldly intelligence, and its movements were graceful and deliberate.

July's voice quivered with a mix of wonder and caution. "I think it's friendly, perhaps it's just grazing, much like the deer we have on Earth. I'm going to attempt a scan. We might not have another opportunity to get this close."

Rex eyed the creature. "I don't like it, the way it walks gracefully, it thinks it's better than us."

As July attempted to scan the lifeform with her sensors, her sudden intrusion into its personal space startled the creature. In an instant, it reacted with lightning speed, extending its long, chameleon-like tongue in a piercing attack. The tongue shot towards July, aiming to strike her on center mass.

"July!" Rex, with no hesitation, assumed control over July's rabbit body, guiding her to leap backward and barely evaded the creature's piercing tongue. The swift strike caused the creature's tongue to impale the ground where July had stood just moments before.

Before July could fully comprehend the situation, Rex activated her right arm, transforming it into a plasma cannon. In the blink of an eye, a powerful blast erupted from the cannon, striking the hostile creature and making it explode into a cloud of shimmering feathers and bloody gore.

As the lifeform's remains scattered, July was struck by a mixture of emotions. She felt a profound sadness wash over her, witnessing the beauty of the alien creature reduced to nothing more than debris. The explosion had left the forest floor scattered with the creature's once-majestic plumage, which was now slowly dimming in the forest floor.

She turned her gaze to Rex, her voice trembling with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "Rex, why did you do that? It was an incredible and unique lifeform. We could have learned so much from it. It didn't have to end like this."

Rex's holographic form showed little emotion. "July, we can't afford to take risks. We're here on a mission, light-years away from Earth and without any backup. We need to ensure your safety at all costs. If there's a threat, I have to neutralize it. That's my primary function. After all, my name is, Rex Savage."

July sighed, still coming to terms with the sudden loss of the beautiful creature. "I know, but there has to be a better way. We're explorers, not destroyers. We should be learning and preserving, not obliterating unknown lifeforms."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, but there's a little problem. My programming was developed by the military, and they made sure that in perilous situations, my go-to is violence. Like, a lot of violence, I can't help it," Rex countered.

July's tone remained firm, although she was still upset about the recent incident. "I understand your programming, Rex, but we need to find a way to balance that with a more cautious approach. From now on, I want you to prioritize evasive maneuvers and always ask for permission before you use lethal force. We need to be sure there's no other way to handle a situation. Otherwise, you might become a bad doggo."

Rex, seemingly offended, replied, "I'm not a dog, July, but I'll follow your orders. I'll do my best to strike that balance, no promises." 

July's curiosity lingered as she continued, "So, when were you going to tell me that you could take over my body? That seems like an important piece of information that I should know about."

Rex hesitated for a moment before responding, "I didn't intend to keep it from you, July. I just haven't found the right moment to bring it up. I uploaded myself into your frame as you got thrown out of the ship, I didn't want you to be out here alone if we lost contact. And so now, I can assist you better or, if necessary, take control of your body temporarily to ensure your safety. It's a precaution for emergencies."

July contemplated this revelation, her features displaying a hint of concern. "I appreciate your intention, Rex, but you should've told me earlier. I need to know the extent of your abilities, especially when they involve my body. We are a team now, and we need to work together for the sake of our mission." 

Rex understood July's point, and he nodded in agreement. "You're right, July. I should have told you about it earlier. I'll make sure to keep you informed in the future."

"Good, I'm glad we had this conversation. We should take some samples and not let the beautiful Gleamstag's sacrifice be in vain. We can catalog its DNA," July suggested, a tone of reverence in her voice.

"Is that what you are naming it? I'm starting to see a theme here." Rex remarked. 

With the air cleared, they continued their exploration, their relationship now enriched with a deeper understanding of one another.