Yay another fantabulous entry to Cave In... if I do say so myself (It's like one of my favourite parts)...
This was just too fun not to do to Prowl *snigger* We hope you enjoy it!
Prowl gave Barricade a dark look before turning to Stokes.
“We shall search for Dead End. Barricade, I need you to contact the surface, we’re going to need access to their maps.”
“Flowers and chocolates after this,” Barricade griped. “Tired of being used as your damn walkie.” Really didn’t need to volleyball between Prime and Prowl right now. His head was starting to hurt. He hated CC and all the bad memories. “Care to explain your plan?”
“I will when I am certain the plan is viable.” Glancing at Ironhide, Prowl frowned slightly.
“I am going to leave you alone with the ‘cons. I expect them to be here in one piece when I return.”
“Oh, delightful!” Starscream exclaimed. “Shall we be left with the disgusting humans as well?”
Barricade sniggered lightly. “Hope you’re not expecting him to be in one piece.” Prowl turned on Barricade who was slightly surprised as to how fast the tactician suddenly ended up in his face.
“If you so much as twitch a threat in his direction ‘Cade,” Barricade twitched at the nickname, his optics flashing dangerously, “then I am going to restrain you to the ground and let Nadya loose on your wiring with her trusty crowbar and acetylene torch.”
Starscream snorted as he tried to stifle his amusement. “What if I threaten him, Prowl? Will that also punish Barricade?”
“You?” Ironhide scoffed. “With your aim, you barely pose a threat to the ceiling.”
Barricade stared at the larger mech crouched in front of him. “You wouldn’t dare,” he growled. To his astonishment an evil smile broke across Prowl’s features, he leaned in closely forcing Barricade to draw back.
“Just try me.” He replied quietly. Standing once again perfectly composed, Prowl offered his hand to Stokes who climbed up. “Now I am trusting you all not to kill each other.” He made his way back into the collapsed tunnel. Ironhide glanced at Barricade.
“Well, you wanted him to be more leader like.” He smirked. Barricade glared at him.
“Oh yeah, so this is all my fault? Blame everything on the ‘con. Seems that’s how we started ourselves a war.” Barricade rolled his optics. “He is overestimating his position greatly. Trying to restrain me would prove unwise.”
Ironhide shrugged absently. “Prowl is a tactician, Barricade; he will have already figured out a hundred ways of putting you on the floor and keeping you there without too much effort.”
“Yes, well, with Barricade, that is not difficult,” Starscream said, folding his hands virtuously on his lap. “Once you have him down, he is…considerably acquiescent.”
“Oh, you’re a fine one to talk,” Barricade snapped.
Barricade turned back to Ironhide. “It’s amazing you Autobots haven’t won the war already then,” he retorted much to Ironhide’s amusement.
“Told you he doesn’t like getting close to other mechs.” He paused flashing a grin in Starscream’s direction. “Well, apart from Starscream.” Even Barricade lightened up at the Autobot’s joke as Starscream shifted uncomfortably.
“I resent the insinuation, Autobot. Though I admit that I am…alluring.”
“Well, I wouldn’t get too cozy you might make him fall for you, literally.” Ironhide chuckled to himself as Prowl returned to the cave clutching Dead End’s head under his arm.
“Ironhide, I do believe that my personal preferences are not open for discussion.”
Ironhide straightened his face and proceeded to look preoccupied in his injuries.
“Great. We have the runt’s head. So, genius, do you have a plan for getting the maps out of it?”
Prowl turned to Barricade. “Yes I do actually.”
“Oh please enlighten us wise leader.” Barricade goaded, his voice monotone, folding his arms across his chest.
Prowl glared at him, his patience fading. “I can download the maps into my cortex.”
“Why should it be you in charge of our only means of escape?” Starscream questioned agitatedly.
Prowl sighed. “We do not have time to debate the eligibility right now. Our primary concern should be finding a way out of here.”
Barricade stood, drawing closer to Prowl who visibly tensed as he approached.
“So you finally found your leader wings?”
“Barricade, we don’t have time for this.” Prowl insisted indignantly. Barricade reached for Dead End’s head, causing Prowl to step back sharply in surprise, slipping slightly on the smooth rock.
“Oh come now, cup cake, don’t be shy,” Barricade drawled as he snatched the head from Prowl’s grasp. Ironhide’s cannon could be heard arming behind them. The cave was thick with silent tension. Prowl glared at Barricade, clenching and unclenching his fists by his sides.
“Tell your henchmoron to cool his cannons. You want the maps, you need access to Useless’s cortex. You don’t think we don’t walk around with bombs in our heads for just such contingencies?” Stokes paled. “Unless you’ve got some magic head-wiring skills, and know the Decepticon disarm codes, how ‘bout you let me make sure you don’t fry your own fraggin’ cortex?” Barricade stopped. “What the hell am I saying? Should let you fry yourself, ‘xcept your hired muscle would find some way to blame me.”
Prowl shot Ironhide a stern look. Barricade circled around to the rear of the taller ‘bot, reaching up he pressed on an access panel at the base of Prowl’s helm. Prowl jolted in surprise at the touch.
“This would go a lot quicker if you hold still and sat your pretty aft down.”
“Are you downloading maps or trying to initiate a spark bond, Barricade?” Starscream enquired lightly.
“Thought you’d already claimed him for yourself.” Barricade muttered as he opened an access panel on Dead End’s head, pinned between his arm and his thigh.
“Ah yes, but I know how jealous you are of my conquests. I suspect you might try to steal one away from me one of these days.”
Ironhide couldn’t help but be amused by the baffled and uncomfortable expression crossing Prowl’s face.
“Looks like you’re hot property, Prowl,” he quipped.
“Rowr,” Barricade said, dryly, working at Dead End’s processor. “Gonna fight me for him, hot ‘bot?”
Ironhide laughed. “Pulse cannon versus…what?”
“Rapier wit.”
“I’ve got better range,” Ironhide retorted.
“Maybe I’ll just have to pine after the both of you, then.” Barricade cursed as he dropped Dead End’s head.
Prowl’s logic processors struggled to grasp the extent of innuendo and flirtatious behaviour at such an inappropriate time. Barricade’s voice drawled behind him.
“Meanwhile, you can either sit down or bend over, baby doll; you’re a little tall for my reach.”
Prowl’s processors could take no more, his optics dilated rapidly and he fell forward landing with a crash. Ironhide winced as his head hit the rock with a clang. Barricade was left in his wake, stunned. Starscream shrieked at the noise his arms reaching out instinctively. Barricade opened his arms, showing his palms. “Didn’t touch him, I swear!”
“What the…?” Nadya exclaimed in utter disbelief. Ironhide chuckled. “Saw that coming.” Barricade looked at Ironhide who proceeded to roll his optics. Barricade was a little surprised Mr. Hair Trigger hadn’t tried to blow his processor out already. “Prowl’s logic center sometimes shorts out if he’s presented with a very illogical situation. Flirting with him in our current predicament completely threw him; he’s all business when on duty.”
“Really?” Barricade answered remembering to note that little piece of information for use at a later date. The positive power of perviness. Who knew? Oh well, back to business. At least the mech wouldn’t fight him this time. Or pontificate. Frag, he hated a wordy leader.
He knelt beside the unconscious Prowl, plugging in a small wire linking Prowl’s head to Dead End’s. His fingers drummed idly on the ‘con’s head while he waited. Once the maps were uploaded, he disconnected the wires, and bowled Dead End’s head back down the darkness of the tunnel. “A great loss, Dead End,” he said, sarcastically, to the shock of the humans.
“He will be remembered, barely,” Starscream added, “and not for very much.” The two astronauts exchanged looks—these ‘cons were cold.
Gently closing Prowl’s access hatch, Barricade hit the tactician’s reset button. Groaning Prowl sat up.
“Mornin’, sunshine.” Barricade said, brightly. “How’s the extra smarts?”
Prowl frowned as he came to grips with the increase of information in his head. His voice cracked a little as he spoke. “Barricade, contact the surface, we’re going to need their help.”
Barricade’s smile faded. “Yeah, you’re welcome.”
“Um… we have another problem.” They both turned to look at Ironhide, their optics falling on the limp form of Nadya in his palm.
“What is going on?” Starscream demanded, unable to remain quiet any longer. “This is tedious. Why will no one explain anything to me?”
“The Autobot killed the female,” Barricade sounded surprised.
“I did not kill her, she passed out.”
Barricade cast a side long look at Prowl. “Quite the trend-setter, Prowl? Have to say not that fond of it. Unless, of course, you’re swooning after me.” Ironhide shot him a warning look. Just got Prowl back online. Probably not good to send him back over again.
Stokes was beside Nadya. “She has a micro leak in her suit. She’s running low on oxygen, I need to patch it up, I think I have a spare kit but I need to get her out of the suit.” He looked earnestly at Prowl who thought quickly.
“Some of our alt modes can be made airtight; we can cycle oxygen through the thin atmosphere.”
“Well someone transform then!” Stokes demanded urgently.
“I have already been violated enough for one day,” Starscream mumbled quietly. “Plus it would be difficult to raise her to the cockpit.” In a smaller voice, he added, “Plus, you did not say please.” Ironhide was injured, Prowl, frustrated, turned to Stokes and was about to transform when Barricade spoke up behind him. “Fine, but if she starts messing up the interior, she gets to suffocate.”
They all stared at the now cop car in amazement. “Barricade I can do….”
He was cut off as the door swung open. “Don’t have all day, human.” He kicked on his cycler. “What? Let Starscream have all the right to complain? And who knows what’s going to make Prowl klonk out again. Better be someone who has a proven track record of consciousness.”
“Not sanity, however,” Starscream added. “And you are such a novice at complaining that it is sometimes embarrassing to listen to you.”
Stokes moved quickly, he carried Nadya after lifting her out of the suit, and gently placed her on Barricade’s backseat. He swiftly set to work on repairs. The car door slammed shut. Barricade sealed the interior and vented in air and heat to compensate for the near vacuum. He could feel Nadya stirring as she started to come round. He growled uncomfortably.
“She’ll be fine.” Prowl rested a hand on his hood in a silent gesture of thanks. “Could you contact the surface, Barricade?”
“Great a taxi and a radio. Anything else you’d like me to do, huh? Hot breakfast? Swedish massage?”
“Blow us a way out of here,” Ironhide said.
“Don’t think I wouldn’t if I could,” Barricade sighed.