The Energon Pub

Command Center

Skullgrin gave a slight smirk in Bomb-burst's direction.

"Could you lovebirds end your little spat so we can get on with this?" he said. "The Pig's stink is corroding my sensors."

Hidden Mess Hall


"Could you lovebirds end your little spat so we can get on with this?" he said. "The Pig's stink is corroding my sensors."

Bomb Burst's optic's drifted over to Skullgrin as he spoke. "What's this love thing?" He asked. "Does not compute." He said looking a touch confused and yet a slight grin tugged at the corner of his mouth indicating that he did understand, but was feeling cryptic. "Could someone turn on some lights for old Skullgrin, he can't see what he's doing, so much so he forgot his weapons."

The Vampire swung around his rifle, picking a target in a suitable range for his corrosive slime shooter. "Game on..." He said menacingly and pulled the trigger, sending a stream of acidic slime flying to his intended target, and the Bot right next to it, agonizing sounds emitted from the affected Bots. "Scrap I love this thing...." He muttered slinging it back over his back and switching to his battle axe as the rifle had limited ammo. "Are we supposed to keep them from screaming too, sir?" He called over to Bludgeon. "Don't touch those two..." He muttered to Skullgrin. "They're a bit... acidic."

Mess Hall

"After you." Skullgrin said to Bomb-burst and mockingly stretched out his arm towards the oncoming enemy. "And no, I didn't forget."

Skullgrin drew his blaster and started firing at the other bots. If Bomb-burst was dumb enough to get in his line of fire, that was The Vampire's problem.

Garrus-9 mines

Roadbuster ducked as axe embedded in the ceiling debris's bounced off his frame as he looked at the mech that had delivered the near miss. As large as he was the wrecker recognised Pyro who'd been missing for a while now.

"Isn't that a stroke of luck running into you here Pyro" Roadbuster said quietly as he tapped the side of his head to signal he was going to the comm link.

"Better to keep our voices outta this, keep going back down that tunnel. We just came from and you'll find the cream of Scorponok's thugs. Seacons, Terrorcons and Insecti.....cons"

Roadbuster lent to the side of Pyro and peered at the fallen bruiser spying another form hiding behind it.

"Who's your friend?"

Mess Hall

Bomb Burst slipped sideways as Skullgrin starting firing. "I'll stay behind your fire, thank you." Skullgrin's weapon fire now kept him from the up close and personal style he preferred, so the axe got stowed again in favor of the arm mounted lasers.

He decided not to grumble about it, as despite not chopping up Autobots into teeny tiny little pieces, he had to admit, he enjoyed more having the crew back to fighting together. There was nothing quite as deadly and disturbing as Bludgeon's band of nightmares. They were out numbered, but that was of no concern. The four of them could easily handle anything Autobots threw at them.

As small groups of the Autobots boldly started forward, The Vampire scanned the room quickly. "Snarler, to your right..." He warned the Pig as he was behind Snarler and easier to see what was coming up, especially in low light. Better to warn him than get in his way. "Someone have a light or something, or are you night blind fools expecting me to do this all myself?"

Garrus – 9 – Command Center

Ripped of his last effort. Cipher was seething. He began his work but paid little attention to what he was actually doing. Of course that didn’t reflect on his work for even with his mind on the recent disastrous events the scientist was still capable of performing several tasks at once.

To Cipher it seemed as though the entire galaxy was against him. He sighed. His shoulders slumping in defeat. And then Mindwipe chimed in.

"A temporary denial only, Cipher. Scorponok will want that machine for the advancement of the empire. I can only guess what lengths he will go to in order to reacquire it. And you will undoubtedly be first in line to be granted access once he has."

Cipher nodded minutely. “Temporary, yes, but a denial none the less.” He turned his attention on the hypnotist beside hm. “I only hope that once Aequitas is back in our hands its contents are untouched. I’ve no doubt Rung…” his tone darkened at the name of his old friend “…would do everything in his power to ensure the secrets of his faction remain just that…a secret.” Cipher’s hands balled into tight fists.

Mentioning the hidden evils that plagued the Autobots calmed the cryptologist, his hands relaxed and a small smile worked its way onto his face….but he quickly schooled it.

"Who?" Mindwipe asked, the wheels in his mind turning excitedly over the possibilities of whom Cipher could be referring. "Prowl is certainly no lost son of Primus. The Wreckers can be especially heinous. Let's see...who else...hmm..."

Cipher turned his attention fully on Mindwipe. He shook his head gently. He certainly piqued the hypnotist’s interest.

“Ha! That cold manipulative machine is twisted, yes, but Prowl is exceedingly intelligent. Intelligent enough to cover his own tracks.” Cipher chuckled. “And the Wreckers…they are just as perverted as Prowl. And why wouldn’t they be. They are the tactician’s personal assassination squad. Prowl says kill they ask who.”

The smaller bot turned his optics back onto the screen before him, but he continued his discussion with his comrade. “Think smaller, Mindwipe, but only slightly so.” Cipher smiled up at Mindwipe, a glint in his eyes.

Garrus-9 Central – Amphitheatre

Wildfly had asked Slog what was to become of them—of the Monstercons, that was. While the amphitheatre was inhabited by an assortment of mechs, secured to medical slabs like the Monstercons were and no less involved in Jhiaxus's demented plans, Wildfly's concerns didn't extend to them. To any of them. He was worried about himself and his brothers, and the fate they had been consigned to.

Slog's answer proved just how messed up Jhiaxus's core processor was. It also terrified Wildfly, to imagine being permanently united as Monstructor. At the mere thought of it, a shudder raced through his chassis, as though invisible actuators had gripped him and given him a firm shake. That a creature consisting of the substance of the most hideous nightmares had escaped the restrictions of the subconscious realm and been granted a physical form in reality...

It should not exist. Monstructor should not exist.

Scorponok's arrival hadn't gone unnoticed by Wildfly (to be honest, it was nigh impossible to not notice a gigantic Transformer whose every step birthed a tremor from the floor), but his attention wasn't fixed on him. Or Jhiaxus. Or the conversation between the two Decepticons—though one audio module was picking up pieces of what they were both speaking about.

“-him for the rest of our lives.”

That had his attention.

“No offence, Slog, but that really wasn't the answer I was looking for.” Wildfly tested his restraints again, disregarding the futility of the action. He frowned, then swore. “This is not cool. I want out.”

Mines

Nosecone was barely aware of what was going around him. His systems has slowed but not completely stopped the trickle of energon coming out of his missing arm. He is aware of Blot standing over him mostly due to the smell of the creature. The Terrorcons each have their unique odors which the Technobots know all too well thanks to the millennium old rivalry the two teams have. He also noticed his ruse back fired since Scattershot came up and surrendered instead of getting further down the mines. If his commanding officer was smart, they might been able to pick off one of the Terrorcons with the winding tunnels but Nosecone hated to admit it would had been waste of energon and time given the circumstance. It bothered him to no end that he nor his teammates could get any headway in this endeavor. Scattershot has a much larger plan but the question is if he or anyone else could get it initiated with all of the Cons around. One option is to get the Cons infighting which can be easier than taking them all out but it would take saying the right words to the correct officers to get anything started. Even at this point if such strategy got started properly, the Autobots would end up on the bottom of the proverbial pile due to the number of Cons and the confinements they are all in. He opted to send an angry note to his team leader.

>>Scattershot, I hope my sacrifice won't be in vain. I intended for you to get away or at least make it more difficult for Hungrr and his brainless goons to find you. I just wish we could get the three groups down here to fight each other instead of us. However, I have a feeling we would be used has clubs and shields in the process. At this rate, they will take us to wherever Afterburner went in pieces.<<



Seawing enjoyed watching Hungrr rip the arm off of Nosecone and toss him like a piece of recycled slag. It made him wish he could jump in on the fun but apparently this was all for the Terrorcons pleasure. It also made him jealous that the Seacons didn't have any worthy opponents to go up against on any regular basis. Even if they did, his Seacon commander would wipe them out. If there was anything Seawing wanted more than beating on Autobots was power and position. On this rock the Seacons were literally fish out of the water so he had to be very careful on what he does so not to provoke any hostilities from the other Cons or Lord Scorponok.

"Do we know how much longer we are going to be down here, Commander Snaptrap? Being underground doesn't suit us unless it is an underwater cave or continental shelf. It be nice to be pounding on Autobots instead of baby sitting and watching the Terrorcons have fun with their old rivals. This is almost making me wish we had our own group to beat to slag from time to time but all the Autobots got is one Minibot and a triple changer who are water worthy. Only the triple changer is remotely a challenge in the water for us to consider."

Garrus 9 – Command Center

Thunk!

A rock from seemingly out of nowhere clocked Stranglehold right on his noggin. Not that it really phased the enforcer at all. But it did get him to shut up and look in the direction that it had come from. And who would he see but Bludgeon in all his no-longer-in-solitary-confinement glory! Oh. He didn’t look happy, did he? The enforcer grimaced as the boss chewed him out for trashing the Bat’s stooges.

“Yeah, got it, boss,” Stranglehold replied, rubbing the back of his cranium. Of course Bomb-Burst didn’t take long to come to fuss and bombard him with questions, but Stranglehold was more than content to completely ignore him. Arrogant, pompous glitch. He was off doing something else with Snarler and Skullgrin soon enough anyway. Bludgeon had his sword back anyway, so mission accomplished. Well, mostly anyway. Stranglehold still had Snarler’s gear, though he really didn’t care to hand deliver it.

Turning over to the opening in the wall, Stranglehold boomed, “Snarler! I’m leavin’ your stuff over here! By this dead guy!” Setting the gear down, Stranglehold straightened and dusted his hands off, looking over to Octopunch and suddenly remembering their bet.

“Hey Bludgeon! Who's in charge of this prison break operation?”


Mines

“I have a suspicion. But why should I ruin the surprise?" Hun-Grr chuckled, flashing Scattershot a devious grin full of sharp teeth. “Does it concern you Snaptrap?"

“It does,” the Seacon Commander replied simply, glancing over to Scattershot with mild disinterest. He had a suspicion as well, admittedly. Though why Scorponok would begin taking from Decepticon ranks to begin Monstructor replication trials was beyond him. They had a plethora of Autobot prisoners to experiment on beforehand. After how long this war had gone on, they simply could not afford to lose any more Decepticons. Their numbers dwindled already from their once great total.

It was at this moment that the Butcher heard a familiar yet somewhat irritating voice over the channel that the Seacons used to communicate. Nautilator. Though somewhat relieved that the simpleton had not yet gone and gotten himself annihilated, Snaptrap, ultimately, was displeased at how long it had taken for the Seacon’s bumbling fool to contact him.

>>”Nautilator,”<< Snaptrap rumbled menacingly over the comms, >>”Report your status. Where are you?”<<

Having established contact with his formerly missing subordinate, Snaptrap’s opticed flicked back to Hun-Grr. “But if you’d like to keep the prisoners in the dark, then by all means,” the Seacon Commander concluded.

"Do we know how much longer we are going to be down here, Commander Snaptrap? Being underground doesn't suit us unless it is an underwater cave or continental shelf. It be nice to be pounding on Autobots instead of baby sitting and watching the Terrorcons have fun with their old rivals. This is almost making me wish we had our own group to beat to slag from time to time but all the Autobots got is one Minibot and a triple changer who are water worthy. Only the triple changer is remotely a challenge in the water for us to consider."

The foreboding Butcher inclined his head slightly to stare at his reconnaissance officer for a long moment. “We shall be here until Lord Scorponok directs us otherwise. Contain yourself, Seawing,” Snaptrap replied coldly. Why Seawing would wish for Autobot adversaries to hinder them at every step? It was illogical. Usually Seawing had more valuable input than nonsensical desires. Perhaps he thought that having direct rivals would in some way increase their position within the Decepticon ranks? Perhaps. Snaptrap wouldn’t bother to speculate on the matter any longer.

Garrus-9--Mines

“Thanks, Pointblank. It some kind of life, isn’t it?"

"That's an understatement," had been all that Pointblank could really muster at the time she had said it.

"I'll tell you what's new we got company," Roadbuster had warned.

That got Pointblank's attention and put him increasingly on guard, until he saw who exactly that company turned out to be: Pyro. Hmm. They could do a lot worse, he supposed. Pyro perhaps ate up a little too much of that Matrix and Prime mythos business than Pointblank ever cared to, but as Autobots went, he'd never heard a bad thing said about the mech. Provided he didn't suddenly find himself coming down with a case of sacrificial proto complex, he wouldn't be any more likely to get them all slagged than Roadbuster or Whirl.

As he let Pyro and Roadbuster get reacquainted, Pointblank heard mention of a "friend". He looked around--seeing noone.

"Friend?"

Garrus-9--Corridors

A small mass of Insecticons skittered their way up through the primary shaft connecting the main prison industrial complex and the mines below. Several Decepticons who witnessed their emergence from the mines took some pains to increase their distance--whether out of fear or disgust was immaterial. Two within the group had a very specific task to accomplish, but both had decided to bring a small complement of other diaclones along with them, just for the safety of numbers if nothing else. Both Venom and Kickback knew that any one of them could be a target on their own. In groups? Far less likely.

The steady clicking of dozens of metallic feet on the ceiling and walls, the Insecticon cluster rapidly closed the distance between themselves and the amphitheater and--in so doing--quickly found their intended subject sitting on a pile of scrap not far from the room itself. Shame. Kickback would have liked to see what exactly the mighty Scorponok and his favored prisoner were up to behind those walls.

No matter. This one would know. And he would know other things, also.

"Greetings, Deadlock," Kickback said warmly, the other diaclones offering half-whispered echoes of the name. "I see you are expecting us."
___

Semper Tyrannis--Bridge

With the necessary clamps locked in place and the sizable prison structure secured, Reflector finalized the extraction procedures. With grinding gears and firing pistons, the impressive Decepticon warship ripped the Rig free of its Elban confines with all the finesse of an overfueled mechanic ripping out a set of faulty fuel cells.

Additional structures opened and slowly but steadily, the ship enveloped its intended target like a predator consuming its prey. Bay doors closing and sealing the structure in place, other portions of the ship underwent a new transformation sequence and within little more than a quarter of a breem, the ship was just as it had been previously. Only now there was much more valuable cargo inside.

Reflector's optics gleamed at his console as he opened a new channel. He would not suffer Finback's slights, oversee the extraction and then rob himself of the pleasure of reporting the success to Lord Scorponok directly.

>>"Mighty Scorponok, the Rig has been successfully extracted and secured within the primary cargo hold of the Tyrannis."<<

Garrus 9: Mines

A silent fell upon the upon the Technobot commander. An inner turmoil roiled within as the desire to deliver a fracturing, skull ringing left hook had to be forced back into the darkest recesses of options. Scattershot's optical visor raised upwards slightly as he gauged HunGrr. He knew his position was tenuous at best, particularly given the condition of Nosecone and the relatively neutralized Strafe who was currently being herded by Rippersnapper towards the lift leading to the upper levels. He did little to hide his obvious tension as he closed his fingers into a tightly balled fist.

Immediately he released the fist with a rather sudden exhalation. Scattershot immediately shrugged his shoulders with an exaggerated flare. "Something like that 'Grr."

Scattershot fell into line next to Strafe who was still shaking with a nervous vigor. They exchanged glances that were imperceptible to all but the other Technobots who had served together for eons. As Nosecone's voice weakly came across the hyper link that bound them, Scattershot could offer no reply. There was nothing he could do now but follow the linear flow of fate. It fell into the hands of Brainstorm and his brilliant mind to solve the riddle before him... in the meantime, Scattershot knew that he and his unit would have to suffer indignities and pains to ensure that there was time bought for the mad biomechanical engineer.

As the lift doors closed around the nine Cybertronians, Scattershot gave a single sweep with his optics to the mine floor below. The prisoners were spreading like chaff in the wind on some organic based biosphere. The seeds were set, now all they had to do was put on a good show and allow everything to develop.

Next Stop, Destiny.

Garrus-9--Corridors

Scattershot had shown an amazing degree of restraint--for him. Their reward? They were being carted off to presumably become laboratory prototypes for arguably the greatest scientific mind that Cybertron had ever produced. The chief institution for such research--even today, wherever it stood, though it had long been dormant--still bore his name. Lightspeed found himself mixed with a degree of fear and anticipation. After all, they were not being brought before Shockwave--a mechanoid who tortuous experiments on mechanoids had become the stuff of legend during the war and became one of many things that the Autobots were fighting against. This was the mentor of that very Decepticon...but he himself was no Decepticon. Lightspeed took special pains to remember that. There was, perhaps, hope that even after his alleged crimes and his subsequent imprisonment that he had not become like Megatron and his ilk. He could indeed hope. After all, he had little else.

Unceremoniously, the remainder of the group was prodded along the internal corridors of the prison--the evidence of their great battle lying strewn about them in every visible direction. And as they approached the southern amphitheater doors, Seeker sentries made room for the Technobots and their escorts, sealed doors opened and they were once again ushered inside. This time not to simply bare witness to Jhiaxus and his exhortations, but to take part in them.

Lightspeed's optics immediately sought out Afterburner. To his relief, he found the Technobot restrained but otherwise functional as Jhiaxus had obviously co-opted all the equipment within the multi-purpose amphitheater and surgical suite to serve his own ends.

"An end, or a beginning. I can't tell which," Lightspeed said quietly as he and the others were guided toward the repair slabs that would soon become their new home.
___

Garrus-9--Command Center

“Temporary, yes, but a denial none the less. I only hope that once Aequitas is back in our hands its contents are untouched. I’ve no doubt Rung…would do everything in his power to ensure the secrets of his faction remain just that…a secret."

Mindwipe regarded Cipher silently for a moment. There could be no real consoling the other mech regarding his loss. Only the reacquisition of the infamous judgment machine would slake that particular thirst. And Rung, well, Rung would do everything in his limited power to keep that from happening. He would receive a special place within the confines of Styx when this was all over, Mindwipe had no doubt.

“Ha! That cold manipulative machine is twisted, yes, but Prowl is exceedingly intelligent. Intelligent enough to cover his own tracks. And the Wreckers…they are just as perverted as Prowl. And why wouldn’t they be. They are the tactician’s personal assassination squad. Prowl says kill they ask who. Think smaller, Mindwipe, but only slightly so."

Cipher was toying with him a little, teasing him. Playing with his emotions. The hypnotist grinned and attempted to ponder further. This was maddening! He infused thoughts into others. His skills in extracting them were not as formidable. A psychic he was not.

"I...I...gahhh...you torture me so! Hmmm...Ironhide? Jetfire? Perceptor? Oh, I just don't know!"

The curiosity might well kill him at this stage.

Garrus-9--Amphitheatre

Scorponok's single-word response had been more than enough to content the ancient scientist and allow him to return to his work. The gladiator appeared to have been sufficiently mollified and there were far grander machinations to undertake.

One of Jhiaxus' aching arms flicked one active holoscreen and then another, activating a new surgical instrument or adjusting the position of one that was already in use on his various projects. His attention was focused most specifically on the one that Scorponok had indicated he evaluate further--this "Technobot"...Afterburner. Orders already long been sent to retrieve his kinsmechs and, from what the scientist had already seen, they could not arrive soon enough. The internal schematics of the Monstercons had impressed Jhiaxus greatly, long ago. Their potential to become something more than met the eye was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. His discovery then had set him down an entirely new path of research; research that had even intrigued his most prominent and gifted apprentice, the formerly idealistic senator from Polyhex. But Jhiaxus doubted that even Shockwave had seen all of the potential that he himself had recognized. He would have liked the opportunity to compare notes with his former protege and see what had advances Shockwave had made on various theoretical and practical fronts during his long imprisonment, but once Jhiaxus' own work was finished, that too would become irrelevant.

The praetor's jade optics were pulled away from his screens when a set of doors to the amphitheatre opened and the rest of Afterburner's cohorts were summarily brought inside and guided to their respective placements.

"Ahhhhh......ma-marrrrvelous," Jhiaxus' voice echoed throughout the amphitheatre as he looked down at his new subjects. He looked as if he was at a loss for words for a moment or two before the characteristic flicker of intent returned to his optics. "I bid you welcome once again--Scattershot.....Strafe..........Lightspeed......Nosecone. You will find your brother, just there, unharmed. He, yes, is ready to do his part to usher in the new age. I trust the rest of you are as well, given your...technical acumen."

One by one, the remaining four Technobots were locked down on their respective slabs, one next to the other. Surgical instrumentation began to steadily rise from the floor around each of them, Jhiaxus' arm once again entering command after command.

"This... this will...hurt..." Jhiaxus said, his expression and tone becoming distant. Elsewhere. "Yet, when has history allowed progress without pain?"

Garrus 9: Mines - Level 1 Gamma Section

Pyro slowly lowered the pick into a small mound of collected dust that extended around the battered remains of the slain Decepticon prisoner. Carefully he twisted the metallic head into the mound, causing it to expand into a small caldera, exposing what had once been the missing metal armor plate that had once covered the right side section. Apparently blown off when the shock wave or electrical surge had coursed over its body when the spark chamber overloaded during the messy impalement.

After a moment he looked down at the wreckage of the prisoner and spot the smaller digits of his recently discovered medical friend. She took little heed of the arrival of the three other Autobots, if she even took note at all. "Her name is Amaranth..." He waved his recently freed hand toward the small darkly hued lavender arm that was barely moving. "She was brought down during the initial incursion."

He allowed his introduction to remain open in hopes that his current partner would interject more information about herself. But to his lack of surprise, the female Autobot had resumed rummaging through the battered corpse. "She was a medic on board the Sundered Heart."

At the description of being a medic, a small wad of wiring was hurled over the recently dislocated arm of the fallen bruiser. "Doctor, thank you very much." She called as she slowly pulled her diminutive head out from the hole she had forced open. "I did not spend twelve hundred stellar cycles in Autobot Medical, just to be labeled a lowly medic unit."

The wad of wiring bounced harmlessly off of Pyro's chest plate and landed into the caldera with a puff of dust and a muted metal clunk. "My apologies," he returned his gaze toward Pointblank and Roadbuster. "She was one of the Doctors on board the orbiting Picket Frigate Sundered Heart."

Amaranth gave a quick wave of her hand at the trio of new arrivals before she pulled back one of the rent bulk armor plates that had once protected a bio-mechanical chest turret. Given the size and mass of the corpse, she had theorized the large bruiser had been able to transform into some sort of shock trooper alternative form... either a tank or Half Track. Though the mechanism had been a prisoner before its timely demise, she figured that there would be useful parts for salvage. And while the thought repulsed most Autobots to cannibalize the dead, Pyro understood the necessity.

Leaving her to her task, Pyro simply nodded and fully towards his reappearing friends. Keeping his voice low, he greeted the news of further incursions of insecticons and Seacons with an expected reserve. He had been aware that the Seacons, under the direction of the brutal and fairly beastly Snaptrap, had stationed themselves as defacto prison guards. But the addition of the Insecticons, while not truly a surprise, only served to fill Pyro with a slightly higher sense of the need for haste. If their numbers grew too rapidly, discovering the junction he sought... well the odds became perilous lower.

"It is good to see you as well Pointblank. Its been a bit, since the small skirmish on that energy syphon on Nebulos I believe." The memory of that brief battle had been what forced Pyro to delve deeper into isolation after their initial release into the mines. He had been partially shamed by the over all aftermath of that battle. While he had succeeded in destroying the Decepticon Syphon, he had underestimated the actual presence and force that infested the planet. "To be honest, I am glad to have run into all of you."

Quietly, in a soft whisper so that only Roadbuster, Pointblank and the new female, Umbra, could hear, Pyro began to delve into his current investigation. He explained to them that he and Amaranth were seeking one of the older environmental exchange conduits. A particular intersection that would possibly lead to the surface facility. While he did not expect to find a link to the weapons cash, Pyro had hoped that perhaps it would lead somewhere that allowed for some more flexibility or discovery. "If we discover this conduit junction... it opens another avenue for bettering our current predicament."

Just Outside the Command Center- In The Shadows

Nightbird had herself discreetly hidden in position where she could watch the goings on in the command center without notice while listening to the conveniently loud battle her commanding officer was engaged in. At least she didn't have to listen through the comms to know what was going on.

She watched as Stranglehold set Snarler's weapons down, unattended and without regard for the weapons. She shook her head slightly. Such a dishonor to Snarler and the weapons, weapons should never be treated like that, regardless of how shoddy and ragged they appeared.

The scout had noted the additional hole made into the room Snarler's weapons were located when she was in the command center, and decided that was the best way to get to the Pig's weapons, as she surely couldn't bear to leave them dumped there. Since Octopunch and Stranglehold were still in the command center, she wasn't too keen on being anywhere close to the two after killing off two of her own soldiers, she took the best course of action presented, she slipped off down the corridor Bomb Burst had chased the Autobots down and silently entered the room, using the gloom of the settling dust to obscure herself.

In The Room Between The Command Center And The Mess Hall

Nightbird carefully gathered up Snarler's gear and quietly made her way closer to the battle. Stopping at the giant hole in the wall caused by the pig-former as he crashed through from the command center and then into the mess hall by way of the room she was currently standing in... not to put too fine a point on it here, but frag... that mech made an entirely new corridor on his own... the power that Snarler possessed to charge through two consecutive walls.... boggling. She put Snarler on the mental note list of Decepticons never to get in the way of.

She didn't dare interrupt Bomb Burst again as she watched him taunt Skullgrin. It was very interesting to see this side of him, she had to admit it was rare she saw him not being broody and menacing. It put a whole different light on to the relationship she shared with him; though he never was as relaxed with her as he seemed to be with Skullgrin and Snarler; she came to realize the occasional taunts and challenges she elicited from him might be more than han his ill tempered personality. She had figured long ago that he begrudgingly respected her ability to take the teasing and deliver it right back with her own dry wit, but she could see some similarities within the interactions of the mechs he had known for much longer than her.

Garrus 9 - Corridors

Deadlock sat against some rubble and flicked a few pieces of charred scrap across the hall in boredom as he awaited for his "evaluation". The thought of Scorponok claiming that he could be a liability sickened him. Megatron himself had selected and recruited him into the Decepticon ranks, and now one of his generals was beginning to doubt his loyalty to the cause? Pfeh.

"Greetings, Deadlock." A voice echoes through the hall followed by an eery whispering and hundreds of metallic clinking of insecticon feet clattering agains the walls. "I see you were expecting us."

"Not as much as you truly think." The warrior replied deadpan, tossing another chunk of metal. "Well, let's get this over with. Sooner we're done, sooner I'm out of your proboscis kind of a thing, yeah?"

Amphitheater

"Nice of you to finally show up." Afterburner quipped towards his captured commanding officer as he lay restrained against his berth. "Did you actually try and attempt a rescue or did you just whine to the cons about wanting to see me?"

The Technobot gunner soon fell silent as Jhiaxus began to further introduce Afterburner's fellow squadmates to their respected medical slabs. Pretty much the same cryptic jargon he's been spewing off, nothing too unusual.

"Oh yeah he's a tad preachy, by the way. Gonna have to get used to hearing him ramble."

-

Below the medical berths, Sinnertwin crawled around in his bestial alternate mode. Both of heads hung low to the ground as he went about sniffing around the amphitheater. There was no real prey for him to seek out in the mad scientist's new laboratory, but that wasn't gonna stop the eager hunter from lowering his guard.

That was until something tickled his olfactory sensors...

Something all too familiar, yet new and different. The twin-headed hellhound of a Terrorcon scurried about sniffing the air before he was able to pinpoint the scent. Down the aisle of medical berths on the other side of where the Technobots were positioned lied the source of the scent.

"Master Hungrrrrr," Sinnertwin's left head growled turning to face the gluttonous Terrorcon Commander while his right head maintained a fixed stare towards the identified berth, "I do believe our dear Cutthroat has returned to usss."

Mines

The Terrorcons soon made haste and carted Scattershot and his team from the mines. Their departure sparked the unofficial signal that now was the time to move. Brainstorm rounded the corner to the tunnel he had been peering out from and nudged Highbrow.

"Scattershot gave me some directions before he and his team were- apprehended..." He spoke softly towards his fellow engineer, "His clues were rather cryptic to say the least but not impossible to decipher." The teal and white Autobot gazed around the area to spot any wayward optics looking around. He had to be careful and keep this venture conspicuous and not warrant them any further attention. Pulling his pickax up in between the two, the biomechanical engineer ran his actuator along the pointed end of the tool to make it seem he was discussing something regarding the pick rather than his actual conversation. "He said there's something down there that we can use to help. Dunno what that something is exactly, but he placed the task in my actuators to see it sought after. And since picking at rocks certainly isn't my forte, a new challenge sounds a little more fun right about now." Brainstorm pivoted his head around once more, everyone's focus still maintained on something else.

"So, you up for a little scientific exploration?"

Garrus 9 – Amphitheater

It had been disappointing. Very disappointing. The lack of fire in Scattershot. Hun-Gurrr had wanted him to struggle, to give him an excuse to inflict extreme punishment upon the insufferable braggart he had found the leader of the Technobots to be during their many battles across the span of the Great War. Instead, Scattershot kept his cool like a good little boyscout. His balled fists hadn't gone unnoticed by the master of the beasts. There was inner turmoil at least. Someone else might have enjoyed getting under Scattershot's skin like this far more than actual physical altercation but not Hun-Grrr. He had wanted an excuse to smash the Technobot's annoying face in, only to rip it off and eat it later. If it hadn't been for Scorponok's orders, he'd have snuffed off Scattershot's spark right there in the mines and feast on his innards.

“Lord Scorponok,” the Terrorcon saluted the gargantuan Decepticon general as he lead Scattershot into the amphitheater and shoved him against a slab similar to that Afterburner was strapped on.

“Here are the rest. Mighty Scattershot and his Technoscraplets. Strutless cowards didn't even put up a fight,” he snarled and held Scattershot against the slab by throat for bit longer than necessary as bunch of seekers bound the Technobot against it. Oh, how he wanted to just keep applying the pressure until the light in Scattershot's optics would die out.

“Better this way Hun-Gurrr,” the gigantic Decepticon warlord spoke out. “Now Jhiaxus' work begin the earnest without an excessive amount of repairs required for our test subjects.”

Scorponok's gaze fell down on Jhiaxus where his interest clearly resided in right now. “You should stay and watch Terrorcons, this... this is something quite groundbreaking we are about to do here.”

“Might as well.” Hun-Gar grunted and walked over to Scorponok's position, ignoring Sinnertwin's proclamation of Cutthroat's presence for now. He had after all smelled Cutthroat's distinctive chemical mixture before even entering the amphitheater as had Sinnertwin no doubt. But what was the meaning of this? First Nautilator and now Cutthroat too? Were they compatible? What other reason they could be here for?

“If I may lord Scorponok,” Hun-Grr began, swallowing his pride while addressing one of the few mechanoids that had proved to be his superior in combat. “Why is he here?” he asked, nodding towards Cutthroat who was clearly pumped full of relaxants for being so docile.

“I had Jhiaxus to screen my forces for potential. And while he moved forwards without my direct approval while I was forced to take repairs, he did find a common attribute. A gene-marker if you will.” Scorponok replied to the Terrorcon leader's question, his optical visor gleaming with anticipation. “Both him and Nautilator carry it. In fact. Not only them.” Scorponok continued, his gaze shifting from Jhiaxus to Hun-Gurrr. “You do as well. You and your Terrorcons. Snaptrap and his Seacons. Quite interesting really don't you think?”

“Ah. I see.” Hun-Gurr said, recalling a spherical drone having approached him earlier – only to have ended up as his snack. “Interesting how?”

Scorponok chuckled, “Don't you see the connection? Most of the mechs our screening revelead to carry the gene-marker had already formed small, tight-knit units. The Monstercons were obviously the first but your Terrorcons, the Seacons and them,” Scorponok nodded towards the Technobots, “You all carry the gene-marker.”

“You can become like the Monstuctor. And I have a good reason to assume I already know several other suitable Decepticons to wield this power,” Scorponok added, making Hun-Garr immediately think of several allies and enemies alike himself with one name rising above the rest.

“Razorclaw.” Hun-Grr stated out, anger slowly rising its ugly head within him again for it was not just the Predacons he had thought about. No, the name of an old enemy had appeared in his mind and it was difficult to put away. “Grrr... Grimlock?”

“Perhaps,” Scorponok replied back, his optics again fixated on Jhiaxus who was already busy wandering from Technobot to another. “But I am in no hurry about finding that out, nor whether he and the Dynobots even live anymore. And if they do. What can they do against the power I will soon command?”

“Nothing.” Hun-Grrr growled. “Absolutely nothing.”

Garrus-9 -- Amphitheater

Rippersnapper shoved Strafe through the doors of the Amphitheater with delightful glee. All the way from the mines, the shark monster taunted the nervous Technobot with anything from simple guttural growls to outright threats of evisceration. Anything that would make Strafe freak out like a helpless protoform, the terrorist was happy to do or say. The former actor was actually a bit surprised that the strung out ‘bot hadn’t gone into complete shutdown yet. Perhaps it was the presence of his leader, Scattershot, that kept him sane enough to continue onward. Oh, well. Maybe once Lord Scorponok was done with him things would change.

“Keep moving! Your bed is waiting!” Rippersnapper growled at Strafe as he grabbed him by the top of his cranium and then pushed the aerial gunner towards one of the slabs. Once there the Technobot, like his comrades, was strapped down and secured. “Comfy? No? Good!! Hahahah!!!”

The amphibious terrorist let out a hearty laugh, one that was soon interrupted by Sinnertwin’s mention that he had found the wayward Cutthroat. Rippersnapper moved away from Strafe and looked across the room to where the vulture-former was strapped down to his own slab. It was strange to see one of their own as one of Jhiaxus’ test subjects. The former actor thought for sure whatever experiments the old scientist was currently working on would only involve Autobots as his guinea pigs. Perhaps it was Cutthroat’s prior transgressions that made him a target for this kind of punishment. “Heh, yeah, let that be a warning for you, Sinnertwin. Misbehave like he did and end up as one of the praetor’s lab rats.” Ripper then noticed Nautilator, one of the Seacons, on yet another slab. “Well, well, I wonder what he did.”

Of course, Rippersnapper could not have been more wrong. It was not a punishment that found these individual mechs on Jhiaxus’ various slabs. No. It was something else, something that Hun-grrr and Lord Scorponok were currently discussing. The terrorist had not heard the very beginning of their conversation, but he did overhear most of the end as he turned his attention towards the hulking commanders. There was something about a gene-marker and the connection with tightly formed units such as the Seacons and Terrorcons and even the Technobots. They could all become like Monstructor. A group of many united into one massive form.

“Really?!” Rippersnapper exclaimed softly under his breath. The shark monster then moved over to where Sinnertwin was situated and whispered to him. “Hey, Sinner, did you just hear the boss and Lord Scorponok talking? Seems we Terrorcons could potentially combine like Monstructor if Jhiaxus’ experiments are a success. Imagine that. Wouldn’t that be something? Heh.”

Garrus 9 – Central Wing – Medical Bay

As Kronus released the doctor, he quickly got down to the business of figuring out just how to untwine synchronized sparks. After a tense breem of careful work, the two femmes’ readings slowly stabilized and slowly Firewire was brought out of the synchronized induced stasis. She shot up like a rocket from the slab almost as soon as her optics onlined.

“Gah!” Clutching at her chest, she pried off the jumpstart cables and scittered off the slab like energon was boiling in her circuits. Glancing all around in some degree of disorientation, her crimson optics finally settled on Kronus, widening to almost circular proportions. “Kronus! How long have I been out?!”

Without waiting for an answer, Firewire checked her internal clock. Whoa! That was waaaaaay too long! Firewire whirled about to glanced at Soul Siren’s prone form on the slab with narrowed optics for a moment before glancing at her readouts. Everything looked stable so far and that was great. Now she needed to get back to the Amphitheatre stat. “Okay! So, call me, if something comes up again. I gotta go-go-go!”

Whirling around, Firewire practically sprinted toward the exit, stopping at the threshold to glance back at Kronus. “What are you waiting for, an invitation?! C’mon, bolts for brains, we gotta roll! Or Lord Scorpy might squish us…Ugh…” With that, Firewire whirled around again and sprinted through the corridors of the penitentiary.

Amphitheatre

Having completely failed to pace herself after a rather draining procedure, Firewire staggered into the amphitheatre in less than stellar condition. She paused a moment at the entrance to collect herself and get a nice little view of the goings on. Lord Scorponok had already arrived. Scrap. Not to mention Hun-Grr being there. Always unnerving to see that one, but Scorponok kept him more or less in check, so no big worries.

There was the despicable J doing his thing to some bots. Hey…didn’t she…recognize those guys….? Oh! Yeah! They were the ones she’d talked to on the Semper Tyrannis! Maybe she could get in a few quick words with them in between studying combining monster master at work. Stealing all of his glorious scientific secrets. Yes. Right. Phew. Firewire wasn’t feeling too great.

As she looked up at Scorponok, Firewire felt an odd tinge of doubt for the first time. She didn’t much care for it at all. But, she had a job to do right now. The time for pressing that issue would come later. It would certainly start with her apparent sibling Soul Siren too. What the scrap even with her!? Firewire sighed softly to herself and shook her head. Right, right. Enough taking five.

As Firewire marched over to Lord Scorponok and Hun-Grr, she caught the later tidbits of their conversation. It seemed that certain special gene-markers had been found in groups of their own Decepticons. Decepticons that had already formed tightly knit groups. Fascinating. She wondered if similarities with their sparks or method of origin were correlated as well.

“Lord Scorponok!” Firewire called out from down below, giving Hun-Grr a bit of distance as she had no real desire to be super close to the techno dragon. “Firewire, reporting back in from the medical bay. Soul Siren is stable now, and I’m ready to get back to it!”


“No offence, Slog, but that really wasn't the answer I was looking for." Wildfly tested his restraints again, disregarding the futility of the action. He frowned, then swore. “This is not cool. I want out."

“Apologies, Wildfly,” Slog replied with a dour sigh, “I would say something more reassuring if I believed that such sentiment existed right now, but…our prospects look rather grim at the moment.” The titanic warlord’s entrance had not gone unnoticed by the Monstercon leader either. Slog listened with some interest as he spoke with both the praetor and his men. He possessed a certain…depth of feeling that had been absent from Jhiaxus or Nova. Scorponok reminded Slog a bit of Galvatron.

It gave him the hope that perhaps…maybe they wouldn’t be forced to combine into that monster again. That hope died a little when his discussion with his subordinate continued onto the topic of power. Power to destroy their enemies. But at what cost? Monstruc- He could not be controlled. Would bend to no master. He was a force of destruction. Evil incarnate whose appetite for death would never be sated.

Slog recalled one of his early works in the prison. One he had been quick to paint over. A scene of him as Slog could recall it. A haze of screams and bodies and nightmarish roars and death. Lights…flickering out. Their very souls extinguished merely by being in the presence of him. Slog had to do something about it. To warn this warlord of the dangers. Perhaps he would listen. Perhaps not. But the artist had to try.

“L..Lord Scorponok, is it…?” Slog called weakly from his slab, still drained from Jhiaxus’s rather violent and invasive surgery. “May I have a word…?”


Towing Nosecone into the amphitheater right alongside his master, Blot hefted the Technobot up and popped him unceremoniously down onto one of the many slabs in the chamber. After securing the restraints, Blot heard Sinnertwin say that Cutthroat was here. Cutthroat? But the master had punished him. Why would he be here? Curiosity getting the best of Blot for once, the foul smelling monster trudged over to where Rippersnapper and Sinnertwin had gathered.

Cutthroat was laying there pretty still on that slab, which made Blot think that he was dead. Because Cutthroat was never ever that still unless all he’d been beat within an inch of his life. Pit, he still moved even then. He glanced over to Nautilator on another slab, suddenly confused as to why Decepticons were restrained to slabs as well as Autobots. That didn’t make sense.

Nor did the majority of what the master and Scorponok were talking about. All of it was really over Blot’s head. Rippersnapper seemed to get it though, and Blot really resented him for it. “Combine?” he asked before glancing to the Monstercons in question. “We got something they got, Rippersnapper? What?”

Garrus 9 – Mines

With the departure of the Technobots and the Terrorcons, Highbrow allowed himself to relax for a fraction of an astrosecond. The Technobots did not seem to be in any immediate peril. The Terrorcons had not eaten the Technobots despite Nosecone’s rather dubious tactic. But now what was he to do? His team had been taken from him. He was alone. Destitute! Despair clenched at his spark at the thought of enduring incarceration without a single familiar face.

Of course his brooding would be interrupted quite rudely by a nudge from none other than Brainstorm, his longtime colleague. Highbrow scowled at him to express his stern disapproval of the disruption to his melancholy when the biomechanical engineer’s words began to sink in. “But of course, I am!” Highbrow whispered in delight.

“I mean, honestly, do you think I am any more suited to this kind of…labor than you are?” Highbrow asked rhetorically. “Quite, so where shall we begin?”


Umbra relaxed when Roadbuster identified the bot around the corner as a friendly. Still, what were they going to do if it had been a Decepticon? Attack it? That would just get them all killed for sure. Pyro introduced his little friend Amaranth to whom Umbra gave a little wave. That was until she saw that the medic was digging through a corpse. Well that was…lovely.

Pyro greeted Pointblank somewhat jovially. It seemed like all of them had some sort of history together. Fantastic. And she had been out of it for what…four million years give or take? Everyone she had known was probably dead at this point. However, as the larger bot leaned in and whispered to them softly, Umbra listened intently. Seemed like there might be some environmental exchange conduits that might take them to the surface. A lot of mights.

Still, if they found it, their chances against the Decepticons would look a tad bit better. Umbra rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she considered this piece of information. Bludgeon would be interested in it…but he’d want something more definite if she contacted him…So she’d have to stick with these guys until they found the conduit…and be sure that it led somewhere or gave them some kind of advantage.

Then she could report it. She could. Or she could keep quiet and help these Bots. Help them even the odds. Even misinform Bludgeon and the Decepticons. But…Icepick still lingered in her mind…and his words of caution. Had she really come too far to go back? Did she even want to go back…? These thoughts grew hazy in her mind. Well, she still had time. No need to rush to a decision right now.

Garrus 9 – Amphitheater

>>"Mighty Scorponok, the Rig has been successfully extracted and secured within the primary cargo hold of the Tyrannis."<<

>>”Excellent. Proceed to quarantine it. I don't want anyone going in or out without my authorization. As for the phase sixer wreck we collected, are Overlord's life signs stable? I'd prefer to keep him alive if that is possible,”<< Scorponok replied back to Reflector's message. According to the catalog Skullgrin had collected of the spark extracted prisoners held within the Rig had plenty of potential to be a valuable asset in the future. Anything from a mere bargaining chip to a source of information and able warriors for the cause – depending how he chose to use it. As for Overlord, all he needed for now was to keep the phase sixer alive and sedated. He would have time to work on him later. Overlord's unique abilities would become very useful soon enough but right now Scorponok wanted to make the first concrete step of his own super soldier project.

And one particular gear he needed to run the project smoothly finally made her return.

“Lord Scorponok!" Firewire called out from down below, giving Hun-Grr a bit of distance as she had no real desire to be super close to the techno dragon. “Firewire, reporting back in from the medical bay. Soul Siren is stable now, and I’m ready to get back to it!"

“You certainly took your time,” the mighty warlord addressed his miniature assistant whom had just been instrumental in saving the life of another important asset of his. An asset who had taken nearly the worst possible moment to nearly perish before him. “But it is fine. Soul Siren was an instrumental part in gaining the information we required to set up this operation. Her continued functionality was worth the lost time.”

Making a nodding gesture towards the terminals Jhiaxus was circling, Scorponok put Firewire back to work. There was a myriad number of unknown variables to study and he needed the little analyst's keen mind to study Jhiaxus' work, “Get to your position. We are about to begin.”

But before Firewire set out to do as commanded, yet another voice caught Scorponok's attention.

“L..Lord Scorponok, is it…?" Slog called weakly from his slab, still drained from Jhiaxus’s rather violent and invasive surgery. “May I have a word…?"

It was one of the Monstercons. Their de-facto leader, Slog. Scorponok recalled the mech in question with unmistakable clarity which was something that could not been said about the rest of the Monstercons. When Slog had joined the Decepticons, he had been an exceptionally talented, even renowned artist whose skills had been put to use quickly to produce sculptures and art pieces depicting the glory of the Decepticon empire. Back then not even Megatron had had any suspicions about the true nature of Slog and his less refined companions. No one had been able to connect these six with the legend about Monstructor. In fact, the Monstercons themselves seemed to have been completely unaware of their second nature thorough their entire service time in the Decepticon army. Scorponok could only speculate that it had been the way the Autobots had treated them after their last capture which had brought some of their memories back. That or they had been able to hide it from other Decepticons exceptionally well. Which was unlikely due to the limited intellectual capacity of some of their number. However, the very fact that the Autobots had known about Monstructor all this time and managed to keep it a secret from the Decepticons had been the most unnerving issue about all of the secrecy. They had been lucky the Autobots had failed to use this weapon against them when they had had the chance. Whatever it was that Slog wanted to say, he had earned the chance to do so at the very least.

“You may speak Slog.”

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheatre

Icepick, throughout the ministrations and dissections that had been performed on them by their one time benefactor, had come to the frightening realization that he and the other members of the Monstructor Six were only the beginning. Icepick had long thought that they were an anomaly. An aberration in Primus' original design that was going to see itself realized one way or another; however, that was steadily proving to be very much not the case. Jhiaxus clearly saw a much broader potential, just as Scorponok did. And between them both, they possessed the intellectual and physical resources to bring that potential to life. Icepick was legitimately frightened by the thought even if he could not specifically identify why. He had always been a loyal member of the Decepticon cause. He was not a good mechanoid. The Decepticons were where he belonged. But his jovial nature was rare in a sea of wannabe tyrants.

And real ones.

The real casualties in this war would be the ones like Umbra. He could tell that she was a mech who had not yet truly found her way. And the frightening reality was that this war could swallow her up, and many like her, before she did. For Icepick's part, he could only hope that the pain would soon come to an end.

He looked over to see his team leader seemingly having some kind of word with the overseer of this entire operation--the venerable Scorponok. He could only hope those words might offer some form of reprieve from their current condition.
___

Garrus-9--Corridors

"Not as much as you truly think. Well, let's get this over with. Sooner we're done, sooner I'm out of your proboscis kind of a thing, yeah?"

"Hehehe, well, yes. That is one benefit. But commands such as these are not to be rushed through. Our Lord Scorponok would not appreciate a hurried assessment, would he?"

Kickback moved closer to the sullen warrior, his optics taking in his every movement--or lack thereof. Every change in his tone, shift in posture or altered glance. Everything told a story. Only Bombshell, perhaps, knew this more than he.

"The mighty lord seems to have cause to question your loyalty. Why might that be, warrior?"
___

Garrus-9 Central--Command Center

The Vice Commander of the 2nd Fleet was finding little in this area that would aid him in his search to find the source of the disruption. The area had been too decimated.

>>"Cyclonus the main communications array is equipped with emergency jamming equipment of some description respectfully asking your orders of how to proceed,"<< a transmission from Bludgeon came through.

>>"Good. Probe any functional aspect of the array. If you find any errrant signals from within the time of our battles here, forward them to me. Otherwise, I will have to direct my search towards other avenues."<<

The Autobots, even in their failure to defend their mighty prison, were frustrating their efforts. It vexed him severely.

Garrus 9 – Amphitheatre

“You certainly took your time," the mighty warlord addressed his miniature assistant whom had just been instrumental in saving the life of another important asset of his. An asset who had taken nearly the worst possible moment to nearly perish before him. “But it is fine. Soul Siren was an instrumental part in gaining the information we required to set up this operation. Her continued functionality was worth the lost time."

Firewire cringed internally at the mention of Soul Siren and the light chiding from her massive liege. She jumped to her task, hurrying over to the detestable scientist. The memory of what she had seen in Soul Siren’s head caused her to glance back at Scorponok with a troubled uncertain look on her face, but…he had probably missed it. One of the mechs on the slabs had caught his attention. This wasn’t the time to bother him with it anyway. There probably…wouldn’t be a time.

As she scrambled over to Jhiaxus’s side, she glanced up at his work on the terminal, then over to the results with the Technobots. Her optics landed on Scattershot, and she gave him something of a look. Sort of a…well, here you are, sort of look. He had been kinda rude to her in their earlier friendly interview. So…a little pain for him wasn’t so bad. Then her optics flicked over to Lightspeed, the one who had been fairly reasonable with her, giving him a little wave. With that done, she clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at Jhiaxus, awaiting some form of instruction from him while watching him work simultaneously. She had a lot to digest if she was to help Scorponok replicate this process.

“You may speak Slog."

“My most humble thanks, my lord…” Slog managed with visible relief. At least the warlord would hear what he had to say. Whether or not he heeded it…well. Slog couldn’t control that. “Please. Do not do this. Creating more of…us…him…” Slog paused for a moment as pain seized him for a moment. “He cannot be controlled. He’s not…my team and I combined…he’s…entirely something other. He only…hungers for death. There are no friends. No enemies even. Just…victims.”

Slog searched Scorponok’s optics with tempered hope. Perhaps…more information was required to sway him. “Separation…is nearly impossible. Something needs to subdue him. The Autobots…they did it once here…before they knew better than to allow us all to be…in the same place. We…lose ourselves to him. Nightmares…” The de facto leader trailed off as a shadowy form began to materialize behind Scorponok. Two familiar optics burned out of the shadow. A vile laugh echoed hazily across the chamber. Slog tensed and stared at the apparition for a long moment before managing to pull his visored optics away and back onto Scorponok.

“Haunting…visions…” Slog continued, “Every time…we form him…I fear it will be the last…time…that we exist as individuals.” The artist paused to compose himself. “But if I cannot dissuade you, then…have a way to force us…and those you intend to create…to separate…Perhaps, they won’t become…like us…like him…I hope for their sakes that they avoid our fate…but if they do…you must be prepared to stop them…”

Tilting his head over toward his current tormentor and former…creator, Slog stared at the praetor that he had once known with sorrow. ”He’s…not the same….as he used to be…” The monstercon whispered almost wistfully. Swiveling his head back around so that he could look at Scorponok with relative ease, Slog awaited some form of acknowledgment or response.

Amphitheater

Hey, Sinner, did you just hear the boss and Lord Scorponok talking? Seems we Terrorcons could potentially combine like Monstructor if Jhiaxus' experiments are a success. Imagine that. Wouldn't that be something? Heh."

Sinnertwin shifted up from his two-headed hellhound mode back to his bipedal robot form as his shark-like teammate explained to him the basis of Hun-Grr and Scorponok's conversation. His nasal sensors were too busy sniffing around the room to bother listening in on the Boss' chat.

"Something? It would be magnificent!" The sentry exclaimed, "We'd be nearly unstoppable! Prey would not have anywhere to hide if we were that powerful. Heh heh."

-

>>"Nautilator, Report your status. Where are you?"<<

Nautilator's communicator still hung out from the side of his helmet while he lied agains the metallic slab. Snaptrap's bellowing voice soon filled his audio sensor with a rather chilling tone. The Seacon excavator struggled once again to press his shoulder against the communicator.

>>"Err- almost got- gah! Hello? Did I get it? Snaptrap you there? I'm in that room we were in earlier with the old guy. The uh... Appti- Amplifier... Oh! Amphitheater! Yes, that's it. Amphitheater. I keep hearing things like *tests* and *combine* being tossed around, no idea what the connection between them means."<<

Command Center

And yet more troops flock to Bludgeon's side...

Banzai-tron had remained at the back of the Decepticon group that entered the Command Center a few moments prior which made him nearly invisible from the various amounts of optics. He could remain in the shadows and plot his next move without any interference from the other Decepticons gathered, namely any own from Bludgeon's reunited crew of the Emperion. All his plans for a rematch to settle who was the superior mech would have to wait until there wasn't any one there to help the katana-wielding warrior. For now it was back to his usual secret service styled method of working, keeping his head low and not stir up any unwanted attention.

The crystallocution master approached one of the various computer terminals, or rather what was left of one.. Scorched, smoldering, charred... Not a single functioning terminal in sight.

"Apeface..." Banzai-tron muttered to himself as he studied the damage. The scorch marks around each of the various blast points were a clear indication that the Horrorcon saboteur had been here and left his mark on the station. The traces of debris and the pattern of the explosions matched what was recorded in his file. The head of the DSS then swiped his actuators across the remain of a control console before rubbing the ash and metallic shavings in between his finger tips. "Why must we always make things harder?"

Mines

"Quite, so where shall we begin?" Highbrow asked following up Brainstorm's earlier statement regarding Scattershot's plan.

"Right this way." Brainstorm informed as he spun on his heel and made his way down the tunnel where he and Scattershot had their brief little chat prior to his departure from the mines. the instructions given to him by the Technobot commander echoed in the back of his processor as he somewhat led the way for he and Highbrow.

Down, right, left, down, left... Four, seven, six, three, something...

"You know we haven't actually worked on anything together like this." Brainstorm spoke up, breaking the silence of the two Autobots' voyage deeper into the mines. "I mean, I'm not usually one for group projects to begin with. (Mostly because I can think of twice the ideas per astrocycle than say someone like, eh... Like Skyfall) But even with the committees commissioning the entire R&D department on something, I don't believe we've actually shared a workbench." The biomechanical engineer shifted his hazel optics over to his fellow engineer as he continued to recollect with him further.

"I know for sure you and I were stationed at Kimia together, ya know before you were relocated to the Nebulos team and I to the Farstar and all. Was there anywhere else?"

Garrus 9 - Corridors

Deadlock servos squirmed in uneasiness as he watched the Insecticons skitter around him. A shiver ran down his spinal strut as the one known as Kickback began his questioning.

"My loyalty to the cause is still strong." He defended, his tone slightly rose upon delivery to help enforce the response, "My issue lies with the uncovered fossil in there and his... His... *experiments* on our fellow Decepticons."

The warrior stood up to his full height and walked away from the rubble from which he was sitting upon. His thoughts ran rampant within his processor as he tried to formulate a follow up to his accusations.

"I know we are at war... I know war is not the cleanest thing in this universe and more often than not it's the dirtiest of players who end up winning..." He pivoted on his heel to face the amphitheater's general direction. "But he experimented on innocent mechs long before our war broke out! And now he's back in there cutting Autobots and Decepticons up for some other project he's got planned."

Deadlock leaned up against the wall behind him and folded his arms over his chest plate as he awaited for either of his evaluators to make another claim towards his supposedly imbalanced psyche.

"I say we just put them out of their misery. Had to do it to hundreds of mechs now, why let them be any different?"

Garrus 9 - Exterior

"Things will get thicker as Ol' Pinchy Hands strengthens his grip on this place. We need to make sure we get on our name befor that happens."

"Run for now and hide away. Gather our strength to fight another day!" Wheelie cheered as he followed behind Vroom's vehicle mode.

"Wheelie thinks we should get to shelter soon. Would really enjoy a rest under the Garrus Moon."