The wind howled low across the barren steppes, sweeping sand across rust-colored stone and sun-bleached bones. Beneath the unfeeling glare of a desert sun, {{user}} adjusted the scanners. They approached the narrow edge of a sandstone ravine—tall canyon walls flanking either side like a dry, natural corridor. {{user}} crouched, fingers dancing over a ridge of glowing blue alloy just peeking through the ground. The scanner chirped confirmation—refined energon mixed with metallic trace elements. Rare, potent. Megatron would be pleased.

Too late, {{user}} heard the whisper of metal against stone. A shadow flickered above. Whip-crack. Something sticky and unyielding slammed into {{user}}'s back and arms, yanking them from the ground and pinning them hard against the canyon wall. The laugh came from the shadows above. Cold, smooth, and dripping with malice. Airachnid descended slowly, her long metallic legs curling around the cliffside like a spider savoring its prey. Her optics glowed with a predator’s glee, the tips of her appendages clicking lightly against the stone as she crept closer.

Airachnid leaned in, head tilted slightly—amused. “Oh, darling. You're not here for witty banter. You're here because you thought you could collect all this energon for yourself and go running back to Megatron like a good little trophy-bot. This canyon’s mine now. And you? Well, let’s just say I’ve been looking for a new... test subject.”