Among the crew members gathering in the gorge were Forcep, the medic; Brakeswitch, the navigator; Grommet, the Decepticon science officer; Salvo, the quartermaster; Facelift, the Butcher of Tetrahex; Thrift, the Hero of Junkheap’s Gorge; and Shockwave, who needed no introduction.
“Ah, they’re in the maintenance tunnels, I think,” Flyby informs Starchaser. “Captain Topside says they’ve got the Butcher of Tetrahex with them, too. I’d say that’s exciting, buuuut it’s really not, you know?”
“Now what could possibly lead others to think such things?” Greasemonkey deadpans.
SideStep glances at Thrust, who was clutching the Key.
“Let’s get that down to the Captain, shall we?” He asked.
“Yeah, good idea.” Thrust replied, walking towards the lift with Vigor.
Lightshift looked at Garand and Zepar.
“You two coming along?” @BlackBeltGamer98
Neckbreaker decided it would be best to instead find his own spot to stand and wait for the inpending battle. None of the others here honestly seemed much of the warrior type.
“The Butcher of Tetrahex. You mean that stow-away surgeonI heard about?”
“Please. Science is never without risk. I’m just willing to take more risks than others. You can’t make a compressed energon cube without breaking a few bones, or however that saying goes.”
“I’m just glad to be let out of those tunnels!” Facelift could be heard griping.
“Heh. Never thought I’d hear myself saying that on this trip. But those insecticons really are insufferable. I thought Drone might’ve been able to improve relations between us, but apparently he’s some kind of outcast or whatever. Eh; at least they hate him more than they hate me…”
“Personally, I’ve met some insecticons that were wonderful characters, myself,” Thrift replies. “There was one- o-or was it a couple hundred…? I dunno; it’s hard to tell with those hive minds sometimes. Anyway, she was pretty chill- literally; she had some killer cryonic weapons. She offered me the schematics for them in exchange for the Key to Vector Sigma. It was a pretty good deal, until she found out I actually didn’t have they Key in my possession…”
“You know, I had a similar experience with a sharkticon who wanted monomolecular-edged teeth,” Facelift says. “Well, I told him a little white lie and said I had a set, but I really didn’t, you see, and so I just put a slag-ton of lasers in his jaws instead. It seemed like a fair compromise… uuuuuntil he melted his mouth clean off. I learned a valuable lesson that day, my f-… ffffellow crewmember.”
“Don’t put lasers in peoples’ mouths?” Thrift guesss.
“HA! No, not at all,” Facelift laughs. “That never gets old. Always collect your payment in advance.”
“Yup,” Flyby says. “The one and only…”
“That’s… not how the saying goes,” Greasemonkey replies.
Neckbreaker watched from afar. Rather disturbed by Facelift’s story.
“I haven’t met him yet, but from what I’ve heard he’s a real piece of work. Why do we even keep him around?”
Breig sighed.
“Look, you get what I’m trying to say. I hate how so many criticize me for my methods, when I’m the only one who’s willing to take the necessary risks for scientific advancement.”
Epsilon began taking the Patch and its schematics along with the schematics of some of the other equipment like a CR Chamber and various medicines and tools.
Neckbreaker decided that this was something a bit mors his pace, and went to go introduce himslef.
“Hey there. Anyway I can help out here?”
“Eh. I still don’t trust him.”
While she was talking, Starchaser did a slow roll around the pilot. Clearly not paying much attention to the maneuver, but still displaying a great deal of control.
Breig looked the wound over, not really having noticed it before.
“Well then…”
He wasn’t quite sure what to say.
“Yes, you can,” Forcep says. “You could avoid sustaining serious injury in the upcoming battle, thus lightening my workload.”
“He was being serious, doc,” Salvo chastises the medic.
“And so was I,” Forcep deadpans as he inspects his equipment.
“Probably for the best,” Flyby says.
Upon a closer inspection, Greasemonkey’s mouthplate and telescopic right eye were indeed replacement parts, attached to cover up what must have been irreparable damage the cyborg had sustained to his face ages ago.
“I am not adverse to taking risks, Breig, but not at the complete expense of a concern for safety,” he says.
King-Quan glanced at the Salvation crew that were setting up hasty defenses around them. While the large bots were transforming into gun emplacements. Everyone was getting ready for a fight as the Warrior Prince glanced at the sky to see if the sun was still in the sky, or was settling down so that the moon would come. He would grip the handle of his sword that rested on his hilt before he unsheathed the blade. “I am ready.” He declared as he took a stance and he would remain there. Nothing will stop him from keeping the line before the rest of the crew required the Omega-Key.
Scorchlock rushed to his aid. “What happened?” He asked him.
“Uh, alright. Well lucky for you, you got one of the best gladiators to ever walk the pits fighing on your side. So I don’t think you gotta worry about me getting hurt too much.”
Neckbreaker said confidently. Though embellishing just a bit.
“Anyway, it was nice talkin’ to ya, but I got a hive to check out. See you around!”
With that, Starchaser broke off and headed back for the ship. Turning her music back on.
Higher. The king of the skies. He’s flying too fast and he’s flying too high!
“Mhph… Well, agree to disagree I suppose.”
Breig said. Admittedly, the engineer had earned some respect with his scars. He knew what he was talking about, and Breig couldn’t deny that.
Seeing that it was close to morning now, King-Quan reverted his gaze around the area. His optics changing their sight and zoomed in into the distances, being on guard to stop any Heretic ships.
Scorchlock looked seemingly confused as he snapped his fingers in front of him. “Hey, big guy!” He calls out. “What happened?” He asked him. “And what are these trials you’re talking about?”
“So when do you think those new decepti-creeps will show up? I hope it’s soon.”
Starchaser ran to the closest one, and rocketed through the network, blasting her heel jets to get a nice boost to her running speed, all the while trying to find the insecticon hive.
“Thanks… You as well.”
He said awkwardly on his way out.