“I just need some scan data installed. It shouldn’t take long.”
Starchaser said.
“Hm? Tell… What was it like… Before Salvation?”
Broadwing asked. Genuinely curious.
Salvo eventually crawls behind the shoulders of the mech, noticing Darkside out of the corner of her eye. She looks up at the Decepticon.
“Oh, you,” she says. “Need something?”
“Excuse me, miss,” Facelift huffs. “Who’s the doctor here?”
“…Well, technically, Spectrum here’s the only one of us with a valid medical license, but… yeah, I thought I was going somewhere with that, but y’know… darnit.”
“Oh, quite exciting, sir,” Greasemonkey says. “In my younger millennia, I did quite a lot of interstellar travel. My work took me from one planet to another- I reckon I’d go centuries at a time away from Cybertron.”
1 Like
“So… Is that a no?”
She asked. Very confused.
“Fascinating.”
Broadwing said with a smile.
“Always wanted… To see stars… Locked in cage… I could see the sky… But only a little… Just a gimps. A taste… That’s why… In part… I joined Salvation.”
1 Like
“I do, but it’s not urgent. I was waiting for you to finish.”
Spectrum searches the ship for Brieg, carrying the hand with Facelift.
SideStep wait’s for ■■■■■■■■■■■■’s reply.
Epsilon just sits at the bar, tired and just wanting a drink.
Garand gives Brieg a look that asks him to elaborate.
“Yes!” Facelift says. “I-I mean no- I mean- Ugh.”
The Butcher of Tetrahex turns his head and shouts into a dark tunnel.
“Drone! Get out here and help the little lady carry this thing, will ya?”
A gurgling his comes as Drones reply, and the hulking insecticon brute lumbers into the light, his toothy maw hanging agape.
Drone helps Spectrum carry the large hand, letting Spectrum lead the way to the hangar where Fortress was.
Salvo looks at the head of her mech.
“Best you ask now,” she says. “This’ll take a few days.”
Halfrunner approaches Epsilon.
“You too, eh?” he says, noting his exhaustion. Most of the Sunrise’s patrons were in a similar state, talking quietly among themselves and occasionally sharing a laugh.
■■■■■■■■■■■■ and Topside confer.
“Shockwave’s finished the Patch,” the Decepticon captain says. “SideStep wants to use it to interrogate Lurch.”
“So what’s the problem?” Topside asks. He and ■■■■■■■■■■■■ had worked rather independently so far, and they’d both given SideStep and the rest a great deal of freedom, given how much they’d taken the lead on this voyage.
“I…” ■■■■■■■■■■■■ pauses, for a moment before continuing: “I thought it would be right to inform you first, before we began using it for interrogation. Lurch was already questioned several days ago, and while I can’t say he was cleared of all suspicion, the results weren’t exactly fruitful.”
Topside furrows his brow; this was most out of character for his cohort.
“We were gonna use this to put Broadwing and SideStep’s minds back together, weren’t we?” he recalls, to which ■■■■■■■■■■■■ nods.
“Though given the effect the cybermatter had had on the latter, and the former’s demise, it would be a waste not to find another application for it. I am… aware that Autobots are, as a principle, opposed to such invasive methods, but I don’t need to remind you what’s at stake.” The Decepticon’s tone was surprisingly sincere, devoid of the cold contempt that had characterized the co-captain these past two months.
“…Fine,” Topside says with a resigned sigh. “Give SideStep the go-ahead. But… be careful, you hear? Playing around with bots’s minds is… it’s a slippery slope we’re starting on, is what I’m saying.”
■■■■■■■■■■■■ nods. He raises a finger to his temple and contacts SideStep.
“I’ve discussed the matter with Topside,” he says. “He had agreed to let you proceed; I’ll have a security detail bring Lurch to the lab momentarily.”
Greasemonkey nods.
“Such a shame we’re on borrowed time,” he remarks. “Culture arks, proto-colonies, lost outposts… hopefully, when our mission is complete, they’ll allow us back out here for some more thorough exploration.”
Spectrum led the way to Fortress, humming a cheery song. [quote=“Chromeharpoon, post:8318, topic:49995”]
“I’ve discussed the matter with Topside,” he says. “He had agreed to let you proceed; I’ll have a security detail bring Lurch to the lab momentarily.”
[/quote]
“Great, thanks, captain.” SideStep replied.
1 Like
“I… I… I wanted to apologize.” He said, looking throughly shameful, “I was feeling scared, frustrated, and annoyed with myself, and I took that out on you.”
He sighed, and looked down.
“I understand if you no longer want to associate with me, but I needed to get this off my chest, and to ask for another chance. I botched things up because of my own fear, and I know that. So I hope we could try to get to know each other anyway. I mean, I thought we made a good team, but if you don’t think so that’s okay too.”
When he finished, he continued looking down.
“Oh, well that’s too bad, always next time right?!”
Drone and Spectrum arrive at the hangar after a short timeskip, carrying the hand behind them. A repair team sent by Salvo enters from the opposite side of the bay, ready to begin repairing Fortress’s gigantic body.
“Any time,” ■■■■■■■■■■■■ says, closing the transmission. At a nearby workstation, Shockwave studies the artifacts Epsilon had brought him.
“Apology accepted,” Salvo says. “I mean, scared or not, you saved my tailpipe out there, and I guess I owe it to ya.”
Spectrum continues helping carry the hand until they reached the repair team and Fortress. [quote=“Chromeharpoon, post:8321, topic:49995”]
“Any time,” ■■■■■■■■■■■■ says, closing the transmission. At a nearby workstation, Shockwave studies the artifacts Epsilon had brought him.
[/quote]
“Hey Shocky, we’re clear to use the Psychic patch on Lurch.” SideStep said to the scientist.
Darkside looked up quickly when she said ‘apology accepted’, a surprised look on his face. No one had ever accepted his apologies before. They generally just ran, socked him as soon as they saw him, or simply couldn’t be found.
When she finished, he spoke again.
“Th-tha-thank you!” He stuttered, still a little dumbstruck, “this… this ah, is the first time anyone’s been willing to keep talk to me past this… I’m… not sure what to do now…” he finished awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
“Sweet Primus what is that thing.”
Starchaser said. This house of horrors revealing more and more absurdities.
“If you… Explore again… Maybe I could… Join you?.. See the stars?”
Broadwing asked.
The giant looked down at the new hand. He then looked at his remaining one. A three fingered mitt may take some getting used to. Especially for his dominant hand. But it was far better than nothing.
“Acknowledged,” Shockwave says, continuing to study the artifacts.
“Most folks usually say ‘thank you’ and move along,” Salvo deadpans.
“Oh, that’s Drone,” Facelift says. “Friend of mine. Great guy.”
“Perhaps,” Greasemonkey says, nodding his head. He didn’t seem opposed to the idea.
“Of course he is.”
Starchaser muttered.
“Well if you’re busy, I guess I’ll go. I’ll be back later to get that scan data installed.”
Starchaser said as she left.
“Wonderful”
He said happily .
“Yeah, it’s been nuts and I need a break.” Epsilon said.
“Um, okay then… uh, how about I help you with your mech? Maybe speed things up a bit?” He suggested.
“Waitwait!” Facelift calls after her.
“I’ll see you now; that’s why I sent Drone to help Spectrum!”
Greasemonkey returns to Engineering.
“Now then, I suppose with the enemy in retreat and another Omega Key in our possession, we will be making to leave this planet in short order.”
Halfrunner serves Epsilon a glass of energon.
“You’ve certainly earned it,” he says.
“Thanks.” Epsilon says as he begins drinking the Energon.