by USDA Prime » Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:01 pm
- Motto: "Delicious steaks are the right of all sentient beings."
- Weapon: Double Barrelled Shell Launcher
Senior Guard's Barracks
Steelhand still lay on the berth where Downfall had left him, still deep in his recharge cycle. While his body was still at rest, his processors continued to run, accessing files almost at random from his databanks. These files combined with Steelhand's own deep thoughts and emotions, causing the guard to dream as his body worked to repair and restore his various systems.
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Fortress Maximus looked at the datapad in his hand, then down at Steelhand, towering over in his office. The warden set the datapad down on his desk, then gave the senior guard a smile.
"You've served me well, Steelhand.", Fort Max said in a warm tone, "But it's time for you to go back where you came. Enjoy the mines!"
A grateful smile came over Steelhand's face- he was finally done being a guard! Done having to watch over killers and psychopaths! He would get to return to what he was built to do.
"Thank you, sir.", Steelhand saluted with gratitude, "I've been waiting a long time for this."
"You've earned it.", Fort Max replied, "The mines are that way, enjoy."
The large warden extended his hand to the right toward something unusual for a warden's office; a large mining tunnel of rock, right in the middle of an otherwise metallic wall. Steelhand didn't question it, though. He was just happy to see it.
"I know I will.", Steelhand said as he turned and walked into the mine, grabbing the pick axe from his back.
The mine was well lit, despite the fact there didn't seem to be any light source. Further and further down Steelhand walked with a spring in his step, going deeper and deeper through the tunnel.
After many breems of content walking, Steelhand was stopped by the bar from the Greasepit, which was oddly placed in the middle of the mine. Goldrush was standing behind the counter, wiping empty mugs clean.
"Can I get you a drink, Steelhand?", the Greasepit owner asked casually as he picked up another dirty mug.
"No thanks, Goldrush, not on the job.", Steelhand happily replied, "I'd like to get to work right now, can you move out of the way?"
A disappointed look came across Goldrush's face as he set down the glass and the cleaning rag. He shook his head.
"Sorry Steelhand, but you're not working for me.", the bartender answered, "Only miners can work in my mines."
Steelhand's optics went wide open in shock.
"What are you taking about?", the guard asked confused, "I am a miner, I've always been a miner. It's what I was built for!"
Goldrush shook his head again, "That's not what they told me.", he pointed behind Steelhand.
Steelhand turned around- from seemingly out of nowhere were a dozen or so of his old mining friends, all of whom he hadn't seen in countless vorns. One of them, a small gray mech walked up to his face.
"You're no miner!", he accused, "You quit on us! We fought to get our jobs back! We got our afts beaten by Autobot security, and look at you now!"
The small miner put his hand on the Autobot symbot on Steelhand's chest. He pressed his fingers into the insignia harder, and harder, until they were dug deep into Steelhadn's armor. Shocked at what was happening, but not feeling any pain, Steelhand looked down and watched as his old mining friend ripped the red symbol off of his chest, then rubbed it right into Steelhand's faceplate.
"You wear THIS, you have no right to say you're one of us!", the miner said in disgust before tossing Steelhand's ripped insignia on the ground, "You piece of slag!"
"I- I did what I thought was the right thing to do!", Steelhand protested, as he still stared at the hunk of armor lying on the ground, "I didn't want to hurt anyone! I didn't want to cause any trouble!"
"LIAR!", came a gurgling, static voice from behind Steelhand, "YOU KILLED US!"
A hand suddenly grabbed Steelhand by the shoulder and forced him around. To Steelhand's horror was a mech with his faceplate smashed in, and a deep hole in the side of his head. Looking around were many other mechs behind him, different sizes and colors, with varying types of damage to their body. But they all had smashed faceplates and holes in the sides of their head. Steelhand knew all too well, it was how his opponents usually looked when he had won in the arena. Out of guilt Steelhand dropped his pickaxe.
"No I didn't!", Steelhand pleaded as he couldn't look away from his victims, "You were still alive when I left the arena! I didn't know- I never knew they would-"
"Cut the slag!" the mech in front of him shouted from the wires and components that used to be his mouth, "You're a killer! You hurt us and you left us to die!"
"Sorry, Steelhand.", Goldrush apologized, still standing behind his counter, "Gotta listen to my customers. Can't let a killer work in my mines, especially when they're not a miner."
"No, no please!" Steelhand begged, "Let me work the mines! It's all I want! Just let me be a miner again, please!"
Steelhand was on his knees, begging for a chance. But no one would listen, as the voices of those he wronged filled the cave.
"Killer!", "Autobot Scum!", "Why did you smash my face?", "You quit on us!", "You let me die!", "You're no miner."
"Please just stop it, please!", Steelhand shouted, trying to make the voices go away, "I didn't want any of this! I didn't want to quit! I didn't want to be a gladiator! I didn't want to be a guard! I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE MINES! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!"
<<RECHARGE CYCLE COMPLETE>>
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Steelhand gasped as his optics came back online. He took in several quick intakes as he looked around, and realized he was in the barracks. He took a deep breath to try to calm himself down.
"It wasn't real.", the guard reassured himself.
Still feeling groggy from last night, Steelhand was slow to get off the birth, taking his time to regain his balance to stand up. He stopped for a moment to check his back- his pickaxe was still held in place, right where it alwasy was when it wasn't in his hands. He chekced the time- he still had some time before his next shift started.
And after that, I WILL be going to the mines. It was all just a dream, Goldrush won't turn me down for this job. Everything will get better, I'm sure of it.
Slowly walking around to get his systems fully online, Steelhand tried to remember as best he could about the night before. He felt bad about Streamlight running off after he had invited the young guard. Steelhand opened his comm system.
>>Streamlight? This is Steelhand. Sorry about what happened last night, are you doing okay?<<