The handle at the datacard’s top had been extended in the struggle, and the machine’s blue lights glow dimly. It did not seem to have suffered any significant damage.
“We have more immediate concerns,” Shockwave says. “The theft of the Omega Map, and the simultaneous assaults of these ‘heretics’, and the terrorcons infesting the derelict.”
Actaeon makes it through right before the bulkhead lowers, trapping the terrorcons in a short stretch of hallway.
Actaeon immediately transforms and checks behind him, to see if there were any stragglers who made it through.
The only “straggler” was a rusted forearm, severed from a terrorcon when the bulkhead shut. However, the limb displayed a life of its own, using its fingers to scurry toward Actaeon.
Epsilon thunders into the lab and gives Sprocket the Omega Map. “Don’t lose this again.” He said as his optic flickered back to blue and slumped on the ground exhausted.
“Let’s just destroy the derelict.” Zepar said, figuring that destroying the ship would mean no new Terrorcons could come from there.
Actaeon shot at it with his two chest-mounted subsonic repeaters.
Sprocket takes the map in his left hand.
“Yeah. I’ll try not to,” he says.
Shockwave nods.
“A logical course of action,” the cyclops agrees. “The cruiser is currently holding us in place with anchor cables and a tractor beam.”
“Tractor beams again?” Grommet grumbles.
“Destroying the derelict would free Salvation and allow us to escape to transwarp,” Shockwave continues.
The limb comes apart in a storm of Dark Energon and flying scraps of metal.
“Primus…” one of the squadmates swears.
Actaeon sighs,
“That should hold them for now, unless you have better ideas. I would suggest getting as far from that bulkhead as possible.”
“Now I can see again! Where are we now?”
“Uhm…” Alterion asked confused.
“A tactical genius, you are,” the heretic squad leader quips with a hint of sarcasm. “A’right, we got this deck’s zombie problem under control an’ a few more moments to live, at least. Whaddya say we do next?”
“Ahem, um… yeah,” an embarrassed Sprocket sputters. “Like I said, I’m kinda unavailable right now, but maybe I can send someone over.”
“Well if we know our enemy, then I would predict they would find a way around the bulkhead, such as a ducts and vents. If that is the case, this group of frak, would end up regrouping above or below us, maybe regrouping at another deck with others of their kind. Our best bet, is to find a way to eliminate them while staying on the outside of this bulkhead. If we can’t we should run and regroup to help another deck.”
“Do it now till it isn’t too late!”
The squadmates look to each other. None of them knew much about Salvation beyond her basic layout.
“If there’s a way to scrap the terrorcons without opening that door, we don’t got it,” one of them says with a shrug.
“Yeah, yeah, our lives and the fate of our race is on the line, I know,” Sprocket hurriedly responds. "Fourth time this trip.
Arion closed the comms and continued studying the bridge.
The rest of the bridge’s machinery was inert- likely damaged beyond functionality from the initial terrorcon outbreak millions of years ago and the passage of time. Only the pilot’s station and the communications console were active, and then only barely so. There was only one body within the room- the bisected corpse of the terrorcon Knight that had attacked SideStep earlier. The rest had likely re-animated and joined the rest of the horde outside.
Actaeon nods. He remembers that this was Deck 1 and looks for a access panel to contact the bridge, to relay the current situation with the terrorcons. He felt as if he had no need to mention the heretics, so he wouldn’t mention them. Best to keep on their good side for now.
There was a terminal nearby from which Actaeon could contact the bridge.
Actaeon goes to the terminal and contacts the bridge.
The console’s communicator chirps.
“Yo,” Broadband greets Actaeon. “What’s up?”
The heretic squadron, Requiem-IX, stands awkwardly behind Actaeon.
“We have a horde of terrorcons behind this bulkhead door, and we need a way to kill them without opening it.”
“You and four other squads,” Broadband says. “Sorry, but if we could do that, we would’ve already. The current plan is to keep the living dead trapped near the breach points until we can jump to transwarp. Unfortunately, that’s proving easier said than done.”