“I’m the fastest one among us.” Stated Laslow form behind him, “I could take a loo around.”
“Those of us who can fly should probably head up to see what we can find.” Gatecrasher added.
Epsilon was definitely considering those ideas as he looked around for any nearby clues as to where Facelift may be.
Gatecrasher turned back to the ocean.
@Jcton
A gold cybertronian jet swoops down toward the bridge, assuming robot mode and dropping down onto the metal before Corona. The bot whispers quietly into the prophet’s ear, and she listens carefully.
The AI solemnly shakes their head.
“Yours is a fine ship,” they say, “but it could not sustain me as I am, even with all these upgrades. But my core’s components could be broken down, reverse engineered to enhance the Salvation’s automated systems, defenses, computer networks…”
“…And perhaps give Motherboard something of a personality,” the construct quips with a sad chuckle.
Thrift steps forward.
“On it, boss man!” the junkion accepts. The trader transforms into a human-made aircraft with two great turbines hanging off its sides, and begins to climb into the sky.
Behind the ground bridge ring was a wall of techno-organic trees- the entrance to a thick jungle. Shafts of varicolored light could be seen shooting up into the sky from beneath the canopy far ahead. But of Facelift, there was no sign.
Far into the horizon, Gatecrasher could see the twin cliffs between which Salvation had landed. The silhouette of the dismantled Fleetcarrier herself may even have been somewhat visible, too. The ground bridge had taken them to the mysterious continent in the south.
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“What if you had the ship upgraded so it could sustain you?” Zepar said after chuckling at the comment about Motherboard.
Epsilon looks for tracks that weren’t able to be attributed to the local fauna, perhaps such a find could lead them to Facelift?
“That could take weeks,” the AI says. “Time you do not have, I am afraid.”
“…This… is my choice, Zepar. The Salvation needs ship-wide energy shielding and self-regenerating molecular hull plating more than some ancient, dilapidated science vessel does. My databases- what is left of them- and sensory suites would be better suited in your hands now, than mine…”
The AI’s avatar shifts its somber gaze toward the floor, its golden eyes dimmed as it clasps its hands together.
Epsilon would find tracks that had most certainly been made by a vehicle with heavy treads. They looked old, though, but surely they could still be of use somehow, right?
“At least leave a copy of your backup program so that, if such a time does come, we can bring you back.” Zepar said, hoping for a solution that allowed the AI to do what they felt was right but not necessarily be gone forever.
Shadowraker suddenly deployed from Zepar and roosted in a spot near the ceiling of the room.
“I found something!” Epsilon called out to the group.
The AI follows Shadowraker’s flight, before turning their gaze back to Zepar.
“Part of me will live on,” they say. “Or, parts. Bits and pieces, as they say. Nothing that could be called true consciousness, but-”
The construct stops speaking. This was a difficult subject to discuss.
Deus trudges over to inspect the tracks. Of course, they were unfamiliar to him.
“000ooooo0000oo…” Spectrum said as she gazed around the room. She bounded in and looked at the spheres and the empty rings.
Shadowraker seemed content where she perched and looked around from her spot.
Zepar kept silent letting the AI take their time.
“They’re old but definitely vehicular.” Epsilon said as his gaze followed the trail as far as he could.
The eleven featureless spheres were a mystery. The rest were clearly meant to represent Cybertron and the colonies, but these had no features apart from the crests of the Thirteen.
The AI takes a step toward the miniature Salvation, tapping a finger on the tiny replica of the Inquisitive Savant within its pieces. A golden aura surrounds the tiny research ship as more holographic controls materialize around it. Cupping the projection in their hand, the AI takes it and walks toward the window.
Looking at Zepar, they take the opportunity to say some last words.
“I-… I have lived a long life,” they manage to choke out. “Longer than any other construct I am aware of. And while I cannot say I do not have any regrets, I-”
The construct stops itself, catching its ramblings and taking another second to reorganize their thoughts.
“I am… happy to have met you, Zepar,” they say, said happiness reflected in their golden eyes. “You, and the rest. I cannot remember if I was particularly useful to my old crew, but if my parts can be of aid in this… momentous voyage… well, that is not a terrible way to go, I suppose, now is it?”
The AI taps a series of buttons on the holo-panel in their hand, and a wave of golden energy ripples over the real Inquisitive Savant, floating amidst the debris of Salvation’s hangars. The surface of the ancient ship appears to froth like water as it begins to come apart, ribbons of its ornate frame spreading out and blending with Salvation."
“Farewell, Zepar,” the AI says. “And do give Gatecrasher my regards, as well, please. He seems to have taken a strange liking to me. Or to the Savant… or perhaps both? Such a strange attitude toward starships you modern cybertronians have…”
The AI’s avatar flashes blue as it, too, begins to fade, separating into a thousand ribbons of cyan light that flare brightly before fading away…
The trail led into the jungle.
Spectrum creeped closer and poked one of the spheres.
The sphere does not react. Unlike most ancient cybertronian artifacts, this orb seemed to be nothing more than a simple decoration.
“Shall I lead? I’m fairly well equipped for plowing through the jungle.” Gatecrasher proposed.
Spectrum tried to pick up the sphere.
Actaeon stands for a few seconds before turning to walk off,
“Sorry to leave you like this, but I think letting that bod go like that is the wrong decision.”
He runs after Driftburn.
Daria mainly stays slightly behind group observing their surroundings.
Driftburn makes his way to Scrapshot, or where he left Scrapshot. Scrapshot wasn’t there anymore, which made Driftburn very mad.
Zepar looks at the spot the construct stood for a moment, paying silent respect before looking at the projection to watch the upgrades.
Epsilon tries to follow the trail as best he could.
“When did this new faction formed?”
“Sorry. Well, the first time I met them were in this country called the Maldives. It was made out of islands with had huge blocks of stone to block thr water from covering it. Global warming I guess. They wanted to blow the walls up to kill all the leaders that came to a meeting.”
The sphere was much larger than Spectrum, and heavier, too. She could not lift it.
Deus shrugs. It didn’t matter to him.
OOC: @Jcton @ProfSrlojohn either I’m y’all wanna take Deus now?
IC:
The Inquisitive Savant was gone now, but the ancient technologies within the science vessel were being adapted to fit Salvation, among them regenerative hull plating and energy shields.
Corona, it seemed, had her own errands to attend to, as well. She and the guard assume vehicle mode and leave in the other direction.
None of the Decepticons could answer that; they had only joined the movement a few months ago, though it seemed as though Bludgeon had been putting the pieces of his revolution together for a long time.
A rumbling hum sounds as a flash of golden light flares within Salvation. Salvo turns her attention toward the Fleetcarrier, watching as the Inquisitive Savant dissolves into a tangle of metal ribbons, which uncoil themselves and spread out into the rest of the Fleetcarrier.
“Whoa,” Salvo reacts, almost in a deadpan.
She sighed.
“Where is he now?”
“What it supposed to do that?”