Null Protocol || Ramattra x Reader

☙Chapter Twenty-Eight❧

(Y/n) tilted her head at the Nulltrooper as it stared back blankly, not a single firing circuit behind its one lone optic, and she studied her modifications critically before sitting back on her heels. "What do you reckon, McCree?" She glanced back at her cowboy bot, who gave a nod with a tip of its hat. "You always say that." It tipped its hat again almost cheekily, and she let out a soft laugh as she shook her head. "Alrighty, give your voicebox a break, I don't want it breaking on ya." McCree rested its hands on its belt buckle again, its head lolling back like it was silently laughing at what she said, and she sent it a smile before practically hugging the Nulltrooper to find the power on its back with her fingers.

"Alrighty, let's see if she works..." With a start, the Nulltrooper sprang to life, powering up and smashing its two hands together. She'd fashioned what remained of its legs beneath the table into a makeshift shield and affixed them to its arms so when both hands were put together, it made a barrier to block incoming fire. Ramattra built the Nulltroopers to be strong, so even if they took damage, they would continue fighting. With enough reinforcement in the trooper's arms, it could take heavy firepower before breaking – and even then, its body could still be used to block bullets for a little bit longer before it collapsed. He built them hardy, and that was exactly what (Y/n) needed to repurpose them as defensive warbots.

"McCree?" The bot perked up at her call, and she gestured to the Nulltrooper with a grin. "Light 'em up." McCree spun its gun out of its holster, and at perceiving the threat, the trooper faced it and slammed its hands together, creating a blockade in front of its eye – the weak point that would decommission it immediately. McCree unloaded all 6 bullets of the revolver into the scraps of metal and (Y/n)'s eyebrows furrowed as she watched, but her welding held strong. A bullet shot through its arm and it nearly severed, but despite the sparks shooting into the air, it refused to collapse.

McCree snatched some more bullets from its belt, loading them in after dumping the spent ones to the floor as she inspected the damage. The trooper used a shielded hand to drag itself across the table so it sat partially in front of her, attempting to block her with its fashioned-on shields, and she grinned at it. "She's a peach."

"What is going on?" Her head snapped up to see Ramattra in the doorway to the mechanic bay, his gaze sweeping the room quickly in search of the threat that fired off 6 shots, and she waved him over excitedly.

"How do you like your new bot?"

He inspected it as he walked over, optics appraising before he tch'd. "It will suffice." She deflated as McCree finished reloading and slipped its revolver back into its holster. "What did you use to craft this?" He grabbed the makeshift shield with one hand, the metal creaking and bending under his strong grip, and she gestured to the remainder of the scrap on the floor.

"Its legs."

"Well, it seems your talents do not lie in design." It was a comment she scarcely heard but she flushed all the same, shrinking at the intensity of his disappointed gaze.

"It held together mighty well," she mumbled, pointing to the bullet lodged in the shield - it never exited. "Your bots can take a beating."

"Indeed."

"I figure they could carry shields instead of them arm cannons – you know, so it's obvious they're made for peace." After explaining her quick design plan – which essentially consisted of turning their arms into shields which could take the fire away from the omnics they were designed to protect – she turned to him properly, hope alight in her (e/c) eyes. "So do you figure you could do something with that?"

Ramattra gave it a moment of thought before nodding. "I am certain I could come up with...something."

She beamed up at him. "Ain't that a peach." He chuckled, the sound almost natural despite how strange it would've sounded not that long ago coming from him. She found she missed it – she hadn't heard from him much, as he was busy attending to the Darius and Talon situation. Speaking of... "So, what'd you learn about Darius? Is he gonna be okay?" She reached around back to sever the power to the Nulltrooper, sending the omnic a worried look as the mirth in the air died.