Terror.
A sharp light cast upon the mech's face as he looked up from the dark corner he cowered in, revealing a deep laceration cutting through his neck cabling. His optics narrowed in fear, a small quiver making its way to his dermas.
Calm.
Steel's initial thought goes to the abruptly drawn back field. If it hadn't been out before he'd decided to clear this room, he wouldn't have known there was someone in here. Secondly, his protocols call for him to alert incoming officers and emergency responders. He activates his communicator.
Unit ST-8839: Unit ST-8839 reporting a 10-65 on sector 8, quadrant 8.
Dispatch: Received, what is their condition?
It takes a few minutes for Steel's optics to adjust but he begins to notice the finer details of the mech before him, and then the missing servos, and then the mangled leg struts, and then the chains keeping the mech in the room. Steel takes a step forward. A small amount of sympathy causes him to pause as the mech before him reels back. Vents close, cutting off the circulation needed to control one's temperature, definitely scared but incapacitated, meaning the mech isn't a threat. For now.
Unit-ST8839: Critical. 10-65 located. Prepare to copy.
Dispatch: Received. Prepared to copy.
Unit ST-8839: 11-41 ambulance requested, patient is critical. Murderous intent suspected.
Dispatch: Copy. Scene?
Unit ST-8839: Clear.
Dispatch: Unit-7012 En-route. Code?
Unit ST-8839: Code 3.
Dispatch: Copy.
With that out of the way and back-up on-route, Steel holds his servos out in front of him, signalling peace. "Hey, it's going to be okay. I am here to save-'' Steel tries to say before the mech cries out. It is a terrible shriek of foreign language, unrecognizable to him and his translator. Steel flinches, which in turn causes the mech to press himself against the wall even further, fear escalating into terror.
This is one of those cases where Steel finds himself considering sedation.
Being scout and first responder to cases leaves it up to him to make decisions about the next course of action. This mech's wounds, as severe and traumatizing as they are, don't seem stable enough for sedation anyway... and this mech isn't showing signs of aggression. At least, not like many of the others Steel's discovered during his time serving. Even in terms of slaves.
For the first time in a while, Steel decides to take the extra time to convince this mech before him to allow him to help. His hands slowly move, gently disarming himself in a slow progression of movement, intending to build trust. The mech is still incredibly fearful but he allows some of his vents to open and release a small cloud of hot air that had gotten trapped. Progress. Quick, too.
Steel allows the mech a moment to register the fact that his saviour is indeed not here to harm him before taking a slow undetectable step forward. Thinking everything's good, he begins to take yet another. This time the mech notices and the vents close again, followed with babbles of foreign language. Begging. Pleading.
He should back off again. He really should. However, Steel continues despite this and calculatedly reaches forward, his servo wrapping around a chain. The chain is not electrified... strange. Other rooms he cleared still had live charge running through them. Too late does Steel see the shadow drape over him, blocking the light.
Frag.
The pleas increase in volume and speed as Steel's door wing is roughly grabbed. Crying out, Steel goes into fight mode, his sensors ignoring the pain as best they could as protocols kick in.
Unit-ST8839: CODE 30. CODE 30.
YOU ARE READING
Transformers Prime: The Three Pacifists
General FictionOn Cybertron, the civil war is over. At least, that is what the new council preaches. Steel, a rookie first responder, is among many being trained to be the city of Iacon's so called "extra safety measure". Steel, a bot who's just been thrown into...
