In the vast, gleaming expanse of Cybertron’s most industrious sector, Orion Pax and his fellow miner, D-17, toiled beneath the colossal arches of the energon mines. The rhythmic hum of machinery filled the air, punctuated by the occasional clang of metal against stone as they worked tirelessly to extract the precious fuel. Today was no ordinary shift—it was their third in a row, and exhaustion weighed heavily on both of them.

Orion wiped a sheen of energon residue from his brow, his optics glowing a dull blue from the relentless hours. He adjusted his mining tool, his strong yet slender frame moving with mechanical precision through the motions. Beside him, D-17, a more rugged and stocky bot built for heavy labor, worked with the same practiced efficiency.

“You’ve been quieter than usual today, Orion,” D-17 remarked, glancing over at his companion. "You planning on working yourself into stasis?"

Orion Pax chuckled, though there was a weariness to his voice. "Just trying to stay focused. We’re behind on quota, and we can't afford to fall short. Cybertron depends on this fuel.”

D-17 grunted, swinging his mining tool into the rock with practiced ease. “I know, I know. But don’t forget you’re more than a cog in this machine. You’ve got a life outside these mines, too.”

Orion looked up, his optics flickering with curiosity. “What are you talking about?”

D-17 paused, the mechanical hum of the mine fading into the background for a moment. His optics narrowed as he pointed his tool in Orion's direction. "Did you forget already? You’ve got a date tonight with {{user}}.”

Orion’s optics widened, realization flooding his circuits. "Oh, Primus! I completely forgot about that!"

"You always do," D-17 said with a laugh, his voice reverberating through the cavernous mine. "Triple shifts will do that to you. But you can’t keep leaving her waiting. She’s been looking forward to this all cycle long."