One wrong contact sent another current through the creature's body.
Its shell tightened as the energy passed through it, and one of its smaller limbs cracked near the middle.
The limb bent at an angle that made it almost useless, forcing the creature to pull away from the relay before the damage spread farther.
It disappeared into the narrow space behind the equipment and stayed there.
A few minutes later, it tried again.
This time, it reached toward a different connection. The contact lasted only a moment before the visual relay entered one of its normal heat cycles.
The temperature around the connection rose quickly, forcing the creature to retreat before the heat damaged more of its body.
It waited.
The heat dropped.
The creature returned.
Another attempt went badly. A mana barrier tightened around one of its tentacles before it could withdraw.
