They try going up the chute by Steeljaw, though if it has been sealed up by that time, Overclock gives some swift complaint. And then has RAM blow a hole through with some missiles.
When Nebula comes next to him, Railgun twitches. He gives a small groan and slowly starts to get back up. Though if Nebula still runs off, by now they might be found again at Railfire’s office to check up on Ramjet’s situation.
“Believe me I’ve had that same thought many times. He’s young, and has a lot of learning to do. I just hope that I can help him with that learning.”
Soon after her meeting with Atlas, Titania confronted her mother in the throne room.
“Mother. Tell me again why we do all this harm.”
The princess asked assertively.
Ares sighed and stood up from her throne.
“My dear, for the last time we are doing this for the greater good. These races have done us wrong and they are getting what they deserve.”
“Atlas says otherwise.”
Titania shot back.
“Atlas says that all the other races don’t matter. That they’re nothing. Is this true mother? Do you believe this?”
Ares clenched her fists. She was clearly angered by her daughter’s sudden aggression.
“Fine. You want to know the truth? Then I shall tell you. They don’t matter. Through their eradication I have been able to build an empire! For us, for our people. The Vex are better now than they ever have been.”
“But at what cost!”
“No cost is too great for our people! You clearly know nothing of what it takes to lead!”
“No mother! You know nothing! All this death and bloodshed cannot be justified!”
In her anger bright purple glyphs formed on each of her hands. She thrusted her arms forward and sent out a powerful blast. It hit Ares right in her chest, and blasted straight through her.
Ares fell to the ground and clutched her chest, as gas quickly escaped from the cavity.
“How… How could you?”
She choked out as the light in her face flickered.
Titania walked up to her mother and looked down at her. It was hard to tell due to the lack of facial features, but she almost seemed regretful.
“I did what I had to do.”
With the old queen dead, and Titania now in power, her first act was to put a full stop on the war effort. Atlas and Hephaestus were both exiled, the war machine army was scrapped, the armada decommissioned, and the palace was returned to Kalliope. The play ends with Titania standing proudly in her throne room, looking out over a shining planet.
As the curtains close the audience stand and cheer. Thunderous applauds fill the theater.
With the hatch blown wide open, the three were free to return and do as they please.
If Railgun was able to stand, she waits to leave. She helps him to his feet and frantically belts him with questions.
“What happened? Are you okay? What was that?!”
OOC: @Chromeharpoon @ProfSrlojohn @ajtazt
I am SO sorry for taking this long. I’ve been meaning to take care of this all day. To be truthful the Vex play really took a lot out of me. I promise I’ll try to not let this happen again.
Once back in, they try to stealthily make their way back to their master.
He slowly gets up with her help, but he’s able to stand. His breathing is heavy, but start to return to normal as his strength returns.
“That…is…Rectifier’s…curse…He found…a way…to Powerlinx us all. The further away we get, the weaker his control. But, sometimes we can be triggered back into it…Like in a life or death moment. Taking hits…come at a cost.”
“I hope so. I’ve experienced firsthand cough what happens when you get too cough determined”
Bulks were wondering through the halls. It wouldn’t be impossible, but they would have to be careful to avoid attention.
“How the hell does that even work? I thought you needed to have a physical link to do that sort of stuff! Maybe the doc bot can get get this taken care of.”
“I take it you’re referring to Wideload correct?”
Railfire asked.
Oddball claps respectfully. Though there was little strategic information to be gained from the play, the insight into Vex history was admittedly fascinating, and a little enjoyable.
Of course, now it was time to return to the arena, unfortunately. Oddball looks over at Zed.
The board looked down at Oddball. He seemed far more excited than usual.
“Oh right. We better get going. Alright, follow me.”
He stood up and lead Oddball out to the main lobby. It was far more crowded now that several shows had finished, and their audiences were leaving.
To that end, RAM and Busdrive become their disk forms and Overclock carries them. Though if the area is near by, he might try and spy for his lost weapon first.
“Not to subjugate minds. He figured out how to manipulate it just enough to activate the servility and supplant his will inside. The scraphead was clever,” Railgun replied, his breathing normalizing.
“Oh yes, more than you know.” Echoed the creeping voice, with hints of laughter.
The simulation console shakes and moves, swiftly changing form. As it stands up, its color and entire appearance change. Changing to that of a much more recognizable form to Railgun, though only passing for Nebula. It reaches out and grabs Railgun, attempting to rip him away from Nebula. Notably it grabs Railgun in such a way that all his limbs are squeezed and locked within the hand, the cannon poking out through a gap in the fingers, pointing away at a wall. It would seem he’s done this often and knows how to handle Minicons quite well.
The Rectifier lookalike continues with his artificial smile, “No silly pretend doctor can fix it.”
It unfortunately was not. Best to return to the training arena and get back to their master before they’re discovered.
Nebula was forced off, but she quickly got back up and readied her cannon.
“You drop him now.”
She demanded.
Overclock frets about this one the way back. Not aloud, but he both wants his weapon back and also worries what will happen when he returns without it. Though once near and seeing what’s going on, he hangs back for now. If a signal came, then they would go on stage.
He looks down at her with a cute smile, the kind of mocking expression one gives to a child during their attempts to sound tough. Nebula can feel a cannon being pressed into her back as another simulation materializes. A simulation of herself.
Railgun grunts in pain as Rectifier starts crushing him.
“No.” He replies coolly. “You will do as I control.”
Oddball follows, once more weighing the option of giving Zed the slip, and once more finding it futile. It’d be easy to reform his arm to slide out of the cuffs and disappear into the crowd, but he wouldn’t last a day alone in this city.
Nebula slowly lowers her gun. She knows to recognize when she’s cornered.
“Fine. What do you want?”
She asked.
As the two walk out of the theater, Zed looked down at Oddball.
“So, what did you think?”
Oddball gives Zed a thumbs-up and an affirmative bleep. Truly, he enjoyed the play.
"Simple, I want out. The fun in this place is limited and you two are keys of this escape plan that everyone has been dreaming up. When the time comes, you will help me escape and leave everyone else to the Vex.
Oh, and no-one can know about me. Tell a single spark that I’m here, even your boys, and…" He squeezes a bit harder on Railgun. “…well, you’ll find this old tool isn’t the only one seeing the doc today.”
“Great. I’m glad you did.”
Zed replied. It seemed watching that play really turned his mood around.
“You know, maybe you cybertronians aren’t so bad after all.”
“Fine. Fine. Just put him down… Please.”
Nebula replied sternly.
His hand turns towards himself before flicking his wrist downward, opening his hand as he does so. A motion similar to one doing a theatrical downward snap, though with less forearm movement. As a result, while technically not thrown down, Railgun is not put down nicely either. The thudding clash of him smashing into the floor effectively completing the snapping gesture with the missing music.
With Railgun shortly incapacitated, the figure takes a step or two back and swift reverts into the simulation console. As the transformation finishes, the Nebula sim vanishes and the room quietly echoes a reminder.
“Tell not a single spark.”
Nebula quickly ran to Railgun and looked him over, trying to see if he was okay.
Railgun was okay in the sense that he was alive and nothing in particular was physically broken. His armor and frame was dented and crushed inward, eyes not entirely active. The optics brighten back up, but are more hollow than before, a mix of terror, confusion, and lost in thought all swirl around his face. Though as he tries to get up, that quickly vanishes from pain. Real pain, none of that simulated fun stuff.
In his rugged stubbornness, he fights against it. Gritting as he tries to stand back up, trying not to collapse. For a moment, he even tries to bring up his cannon to shoot at the console, but can barely get it up without losing balance.
Nebula props him up, keeping him on his feet.
“Hey, easy. Take it easy.”
She said.
“I can’t…He can’t be…I can’t…” Railgun mumbles incoherently.
He takes a step forward and only by Nebula’s aid does he not immediately stumble. Railgun tries to look back on the console, but stops. He failed. He already failed. There’s nothing he can do about it right now in this state. Everything burns inside him, longing to take that shot.
“Need…repair.”