Adrenaline, or whatever passed for it in his new mechanical body, surged through Xen’s circuits. He remained pressed against the cold metal wall at the back of the crevice, [Audio Dampener] running, his optical sensors straining to pierce the gloom outside the narrow entrance. The screech and clang had been loud, close.
He watched, motionless, for several long moments. Dust motes, disturbed by the impact outside, drifted lazily in the faint light filtering into the crevice mouth. No hulking shadow filled the entrance.
No menacing footsteps followed the initial cacophony. The only sounds were the distant, mournful sigh of the wind and the nearly imperceptible hum of his own systems, further quieted by the dampener.
Okay… okay, breathe. He mentally commanded the dampener off to conserve energy. The silence it left behind felt heavy, making the ambient noises of the scrap heap seem louder.
<[Audio Dampener] Deactivated.>
Was it just falling scrap? Entirely possible, even likely, in a place like this. His own scan had flagged unstable piles. Still, the timing felt unnerving. He stayed put for another minute, listening intently, his audio receptors picking up the faintest creaks and groans of the metal graveyard settling around him. Nothing seemed immediately directed towards his hiding spot.
The immediate external threat seemed to have passed, or at least wasn't revealing itself. Staying frozen here wouldn't help his dwindling energy reserves or his damaged state.
His attention shifted back to the object his last scan had detected deeper within the crevice. [Small Metallic Object - Composition Unknown - Faint Dormant Energy Signature Detected]. Curiosity warred with caution, but it was inside his shelter, seemingly inert. Investigating it felt safer than immediately poking his head back out into the unknown.
He turned, his quieted footsteps making small taps on the dusty floor as he moved towards the back of the narrow space. It was darker here, the light from the entrance barely reaching. The object lay nestled amongst some smaller debris – broken bits of plastic, unrecognizable metal shards, and what looked like fossilized rags.
As he got closer, his optical sensors adjusted. The object was roughly cylindrical, about the length of his forearm and as thick around as his wrist. It was made of a smooth, dark grey metal that didn't seem to have any rust, unlike everything else around here. Faint lines, almost like seams or circuitry traces that didn't quite connect, spiraled around its surface.
It looked strangely… self-contained. Intact, despite the surrounding decay.
He reached out slowly, activating his [Micro-Manipulation] passive focus. His slender metal fingers, designed for precision, hovered over the object. He gently prodded its surface. It felt cool and smooth to his tactile sensors, dense and solid. It didn't react. The dormant energy signature his scan had detected gave off no discernible warmth or vibration.
Stolen novel; please report.
Time for a closer look via the System. Scan target: Metallic cylinder.
The blue pulse shimmered, tightly focused this time on the object directly in front of him.
New labels and data scrolled into his HUD, replacing the previous scan results.
[Object Type: Unknown Cybertronian Artifact Fragment] [Composition: Unidentified Self-Repairing Alloy Blend - Minor Surface Damage Present (Repaired)] [Energy Signature: Dormant - Trace Resonance Matches Standard Mini-Con Power Frequencies] [Functionality: Offline - Requires External Power Source or Direct System Interface] [Analysis: Data Port Detected (Compatibility Unknown)]
Self-repairing alloy? That explained why it looked pristine compared to the junk around it. Cybertronian Artifact Fragment. Trace resonance matching Mini-Con power frequencies. Was this a piece of another Mini-Con? Or tech for Mini-Cons?
And a data port. The scan highlighted a small, almost invisible seam near one end of the cylinder, identifying it as a potential interface point.
Suddenly, a new System prompt appeared, layered over the scan results.
1. Attempt Direct Energon Induction (Transfer EN to Artifact): Requires [Energon Weaving] Skill Tier 1 or Specialized Equipment. 2. Attempt Data Interface: Requires CPU 15 & [Data Port Interface] Skill. 3. Attempt Salvage: Requires STR 10 & [Basic Tool Kit]. Yields: [Self-Repairing Alloy Shards (Small Quantity)], [Damaged Power Modulator Component], Risk of destroying artifact.
Xen processed the options. He didn't have the [Energon Weaving] skill (wherever that came from) or equipment. His CPU was only 10, below the required 15, and he lacked the required [Data Port Interface] skill. Sounded like something for hacking or direct machine connections; another capability he'd need to acquire somehow. Salvaging it seemed wasteful, required tools he didn't have, and needed more Strength than his current puny 5 STR.
So, for now, this artifact – this [Mini-Con Power Regulator Fragment] – was unusable. But it was something. Proof that other Cybertronian technology, maybe even Mini-Con specific tech, existed here. He carefully pushed it slightly further back into the debris, marking its location mentally. A potential resource for later.
His Energon was now down to 33.8. His HP had likely crept up to maybe 80.6 by now, but the slow pace was agonizing. The need for Energon was becoming paramount again. Hiding was safe, but slow starvation wasn't a viable strategy.
He needed to risk looking outside again. Maybe whatever made the noise had moved on. He crept back towards the entrance of the crevice, moving low and slow, every sensor on high alert. The faint light from the scrap heap outside seemed harsh after the gloom within his shelter. He paused just inside the threshold, listening.
The wind still sighed, metal still groaned under its own immense weight, but the immediate, close-by noises seemed to have ceased.
Taking a calculated risk, he focused his optical sensors, utilizing their zoom function to carefully scan the area visible from the entrance without physically exposing himself.