The Energon Pub

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

With a new flash of white light, another mechanoid appeared within the amphitheater's walls, only this one was much more nondescript and certainly far less notable than the one who had come before. As the third component of the Reflector trio adjusted his sensors to his new surroundings, the Decepticons in the room who bothered to notice his arrival barely let their gaze linger on his presence for a microsecond before returning to whatever else it was they were doing. And for most of them, Reflector noticed, what they were doing was leaving.

Reflector stepped forward, his optics searching out and quickly finding the Cybertronian he had been sent here to relieve--the one who had accompanied the Cybertronian scientist to begin with. Said scientist had clearly got right to work, as his attentions were currently focused on the prone form of the Monstercon leader. Her attentions seemed to be focused on rendering what assistance she could, though it was clearly evident that this was not a favored task just as it was equally evident that the scientist in question was paying her not the slightest bit of regard: the Decepticon war machine alive and well, in all of its various facets.

"I was sent to relieve you," Reflector said matter-of-factly as he approached Firewire.
___

Garrus-9--The Rig

"Figures."

Hungrr's reponse was short and to the point, but it also seemed to at least be somewhat satisfactory. Skullgrin would take it. He had no desire to provoke the monster's ire with a series of undesired responses.

"Keep looking. There must be data sheets somewhere regarding the prisoners. Not just names. Considering how many data clerks joined the Autobots during the Uprising it would be a small miracle if they didn't store every significant piece of information about their prisoners."

Primus help him. Now not only would he have to try and crosscheck names, but he was going to have to read files. Skullgrin could scarcely imagine a task more tedious. He wondered where Reflector was. Maybe their Lord Commander could spare a piece of him to conduct the remainder of this awful task.

"And Skullgrin... Stop groveling. You were a warrior. It doesn't suit you."

That last statement had pulled Skullgrin's attention away from the datapad he was currently inspecting. His vocalizer opened to respond, but no words came out. He had avoided being consumed by the massive Terrorcon thus far. There was no reason to say something unprovoked and risk a worse fate. Instead he simply offered the Terrorcon a nod which was likely not even acknowledged as the beast of a Decepticon transformed and lumbered over to a pile of bodies that he and his team had been responsible for creating. Silently--but still alive and in one piece thankfully--Skullgrin returned to his work. His tedious work.

Garrus 9 – Amphitheater

>>"I see. As eccentric he is, we will have to endure it for now. I did not come this far for nothing. In the end, he is nothing but fodder."<<

Firewire sighed inwardly at Scorponok's response, though she had not expected any different really. The last statement that the warlord had made did serve to reassure her some however. She contented herself by listening idly to Scorponok while transmitting a live feed back to him. Fortunately, Jhiaxus didn't seem to require her just yet.

>>"A weak spot then. Perhaps a connective junction left without proper protection. I cannot have such in my new combiners."<<

Firewire very nearly nodded in agreement with Scorponok, but she managed to internalize that reaction as well. A very useful skill in the Decepticons. Not to wear your spark on your sleeve. Though typically, Firewire generally spoke her mind. When she decided to keep her own counsil on matters, it could sometimes surprise those familiar with her.

>>"I will have Reflector take your place for time being. Leave as soon as he arrives."<<

>>”Aye, aye, my lord!”<< Firewire replied with marginally more cheer. She clapped her hands together and rubbed them, suddenly itching for Reflector to arrive. A little break from the ego-maniacal scientist was just what she needed! Helping some poor shlub in the medical bay wasn't her idea of a good time, but it was better than being stuck with the ancient elitist.

Soon enough, a flash of white light illuminated the amphitheater, revealing the arrival of one of Reflector's components. Wasn't that convenient to be in three places at once. Firewire wondered what the maximum range of their shared mind was briefly.

"I was sent to relieve you," Reflector said matter-of-factly as he approached Firewire.

“Yes!” Firewire said with a grin as she pointed to Reflector. “You were! Thanks a million, Reflector. Wish I could be in three places at once like you. I'll be back as soon as I can. Promise. Thanks again.”

With that, Firewire cut her video feed to Scorponok and made her way toward the exit, until Kronos caught her eye. The little bugger thought hiding in the shadows could make her forgot her? Ha! Wait. Hm...She pointed at him with narrowed optics and gestured with a finger for him to come to her.

>>”You're comin' with me, buster!”<< she transmitted to Kronos.

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

As soon as the cybersheep began their shuffle towards the mines under their Decepticon guards, Jhiaxus' optics lost their previous spark and disinterest quickly washed over them. They were doing what needed to be done for the sake of their betters, just as it had been in the old days, just as it would be again.

To an outward observer, familiar with Jhiaxus' past, it would be tempting to think his goals were limited to restoring the Golden Age that had been established by Nova Prime. But no, his vision went much beyond that now, particularly without the restraining hand of Galvatron to rein in his work. He and Nova, like the majority of the Ark's crew, were gone now. Their lives relegated to the archives. Only Cyclonus and Scourge had seemed to avoid a similar fate, and Jhiaxus was confidant that neither of them would show the same interest in his work that Nova Major or Galvatron had.

Thus...freedom.

“I...am glad this pleases you. Perhaps you'd like to hurry up and repair us all and then allow yourself the honor of having your cranium crushed under our...his collective foot."

Jhiaxus' jade gaze returned to the Monsercon Commander. His tone was not especially angry, but his choice of words belied a certain dissatisfaction. Jhiaxus could not begin to fathom why. But he most certainly was not pleased with the implication that he share the same abysmal fate as other lowlies that had unwittingly crossed the path of mighty Monstructor.

"Now now...what tone is that to take with the one who was bequeathed unto you the gift of being the first to transcend your current existence?" Jhiaxus asked, his expression remaining neutral. "Yours is a destiny that requires true transformation, just as mine does. These things cannot be undertaken in haste."

“Haha...hahaha...This war has not stained you Jhiaxus? Mm-mm...You're dripping with it...your...ways...your caste system....No perhaps you're right...It isn't you is stained by the war...You stained Cybertron with this war. And...our home finally paid the price..."

Jhiaxus said nothing for the moment, allowing Slog to piece together more of what the praetor had said and link together some of the subtleties at play. Not all. But some. And some was sufficient.

“Collective...future? Til all are......one being...But...where does its grand architect...fit?"

Jhiaxus' optics flashed with rage, reaching out and striking Slog across his cranial unit with one hand.

"You dare to lay this war at my feet!? This society has been corrupted by Primes since its earliest days! I served the one who helped restore peace. Sanity. Order. Only the fallibility of the ones to follow invited this war. Lay the stains this war has brought to Cybertron at their feet. Not mine."

Jhiaxus stalked away, fuming internally. If any should understand the work he was trying to accomplish, and the obstacles he had faced in achieving, it should be they--his precious Monstructor Six. But no, even they--it seemed--had been deluded by the ravages of time. He would see that decay undone. In time, they would understand their role. And his.

"Where do I fit? Hah. Hahahaha...ahhh. You know your legends, precious one. You know your histories. The Guiding Hand are said to have formed the earliest foundations of what we all came to know as Cybertron. We exist because they existed."

Jhiaxus looked away, his attention shifting between new scans of the Monstructor Six as well as the battle footage collected within the prison.

"Their ability to render influence on the population was clearly finite in nature. Cybertron is lost. Our people are lost. I will be our planet's new Guiding Hand. And I will usher in an age of transformation unlike any that have come before," Jhiaxus said, and as he spoke, the expression of neutrality from before gradually gave way to an expression of pure, malicious satisfaction. "You will be the first.......but oh so very, very far from the last."

Garrus 9 – En Route to the Mines

"He exists. That's all it takes. That...and that little red badge on his chest. Not that it really matters that much. They treat their own just as bad. It's why they gotta go.”

“Oh is that all...” Umbra muttered under her breath, having decidedly chosen the wrong mech to talk to. She nearly bumped into Pointblank as the line suddenly stopped, turning her attention to the wailing Brainstorm. She shrank away from Snaptrap as he passed her, but the butcher paid her no mind. Instead, he blasted off not one but two of Brainstorm's legs. Umbra had to shut her slack jaw.

The Seacon commander had very little patience for any antics. She waited for him to pass by again before turning to Pointblank. She might as well stick to her guns on this one. ”I'm Umbra, by the way,” she whispered softly when they were moving again and it seemed like no one would overhear them. Well. No decepticons anyway. ”Is there...are we...can we do something about...our situation? We're...The odds don't seem to be in our favor...”


Bludgeon followed along at a distance from the prisoner escort, his hands knitted together behind his back as he followed at the extreme rear of the formation. He watched with interest as one of the Autobots – namely the one carrying the injured Autobot – suddenly cried out in pain. The Seacon commander paused the escort, and dealt with it in a way that...well, suited his personality.

He assigned two of his men to the injured and carried on. Bludgeon carried on behind them, giving Overbite and Nautilator a passing glance as they continued onward. Eventually, they arrived at an elevator whose doors had been forced open. Inside the shaft in the shadows, one could just make out the vague impressions of many moving shapes.

At the front of the line, Snaptrap could clearly discern what the shapes were: Insecticon diaclones. The butcher's already foul disposition worsened. The bugs would invariably seek to gain some sort of retribution for his handling of them and the Pestilence while they presided in the mines. Treacherous insects. The walls of the elevator shaft were coated in the insecticon's customary slime. Though he suspected it pointless, he pressed the button to summon the lift. Nothing happened.

The cables for the lift did still dangle down from the top of the shaft. The prisoners could repel down. Or fall. It mattered little to the butcher. He turned slightly to address the prisoners and the escort. “We climb down,” he said before stepping off into the darkness. He fell a few meters before doing what every decepticon could in robot mode: fly. He descended into the shaft slowly, optics on those above.

Nightbeat was for his part, the unfortunate one to be shoved into the shaft first. He leaped and caught onto one of the cables, grumbling to himself in his head. Stupid fraggin' Cons. This is ridiculous. We actually have to climb down because some of their own...oh ew! What was that?! What touched me?! Nightbeat shivered as he loosened his grip on the cable and began sliding down...down...deeper into the mines.

Highbrow had been standing behind Nightbeat, but once he saw the Insecticons lining the walls, he instantly recoiled. He looked at the nearest Sweep incredulously. “Surely you jest! Haha...you can't mean for me to..” Highbrow gulped, “Traverse this appallingly repulsive pit of horrors....”

The sweep sighed, rolling his optics before shoving Highbrow into the breach. “Just move, prisoner.”

“Eeeeyaaah!” Highbrow yelped as he tumbled down into the shaft before catching himself on one of the dangling cables. “You callous ruffian!” he shouted up at the sweep, which set off a bunch of insecticon diaclones chittering. Highbrow promptly clammed up as his optics swept over the incalculable numbers of diaclones merely lining the elevator shaft. “Down we go then...”

Garrus-9--Aequitas Chamber

How had he gotten here? Balancing on the shoulders of one of the Legislators in his grotesque simian mode like some deranged acrobat. Oh right, it was just a reflex. Tens of thousands of vorns of war tend to do that to a bot. Make you react. Act without thinking. Kill. Maim. And destroy.

And so he did just that. He pulled.

*RRRRRrrrrriiiiiiiiip*

The neck struts, polymer sinews and cydraulic cables connecting the Legislator's head to its torso surrendered under the tremendous amount of stress it was never designed to withstand. A moment later the now loose head of the Legislator zoomed across the air past Snapdragon, only to smash into the face of another Legislator, that had been approaching the other Horrorcon from behind, with a sickening crunch.

"Striiiike! Watch your back lizard breath!" Apeface found himself taunting his long time partner in crime before somersaulting over several legislators and finally landing behind Snapdragon to cover his six.

"We are getting nowhere Snaps!" Apeface growled, firing the gun he had confiscated from Treadshot earlier at the incoming automatons. "Too many of these! We need more firepower to clear this damn level!"

From the corner of his optic Apeface caught a glimpse of Rung and Cipher across the large hall. What the slag they were doing? Chatting like some old friends? No. Cipher was. Rung wasn't. His body language was too nervous, he was up to something. Something that would not end up well for the Decepticons if these Legislators were just taste of things to come.

"Damn you Cipher... you blind gullible buffoon..."

Making a break for it, Apeface dashed past several Legislators with a speed and agility only few Cybertronians ever could replicate. But in the end, all that speed and agility just wasn't enough to dodge fire from over a dozen heavily armed automations with limited room to maneuver.

"Sheeaaaargh!" For all of his reputation and attitude aside, Apeface was not immune to pain. Even a Horrorcon could not avoid screaming in pain when a series of plasma strikes slammed into his back. It just wasn't enough to stop him. But neither he was going to get past the ever growing number of Legislators fast enough to do anything to stop Rung.

"Cipher! Mindwipe! Stop him! Before-"

*RRRrrumble*

The whole chamber seemed to begin to tremble slighty as if something enormous had began moving on the other side of the massive dual doors that were separating the Decepticon raiding party led by Cipher from their price - the supercomputer Aequitas.

"Aww, slag." Apeface found himself blurting out as the doors began to slide open, revealing a sight that no Decepticon was keen on witnessing - especially from this range. A veritable titan of a Cybertronian stood before them. A mechanoid no Decepticon had seen in over a hundred vorns. Ancient. Unconquerable. Unquestionable powerful. The mightiest and perhaps the last of the Omega Sentinels.

Omega Supreme.

"OMEGA PROTOCOL ACTIVATED."

The giant boomed, taking a step that sent tremors vibrate through the floor of the hall, towards the Decepticons engaged in battle with the Legislator horde. A scanning beam flashed over them all, illuminating the barely lid hall for an astrosecond or two.

"ASSESSING SITUATION."

Another statement followed. One that Apeface did not want to hear.

"IMMEDIATE DECEPTICON PRESENCE DETECTED."

Well, to be honest, the next one the simian Horrorcon wanted to hear even less.

"ACTIVATING COUNTERMEASURES."

The enormous arm cannon of the Autobot giant began to lid up, building a charge that none of the Decepticons present had no chance of surviving from were it to cross their paths. And in such a closed space it obviously would. Sooner or later.

"Take cover!" Apeface howled, obviously shaken but not immobilized on his tracks by fear. Just that there was really no cover to be found. None that would not be obliterated by one of the Omega Sentinel's plasma blasts. "Or to come to think of it..."

"Decepticons retreat!" The Horrorcon triplechanger added as he bounced into the air, switched into his jet mode and hit his afterburners on faster than he could ever recall doing anything. And he was fast. So fast. And hopefully fast enough to at least buy some time for the others to retreat by distracting the Guardian before it would hit get him. And slag no he was going to do that for long, for whatever characteristics defined Apeface - having a death wish was not one of them.

The first plasma blast hit the area where Apeface had just been standing, turning several Legislators that had been still been trying to catch Apeface into a pool of molten metal. And that hadn't clearly even been a full powered blast. Obviously enough Omega Supreme had not been programmed with compassion towards enforcer drones.

>>"Seriously you idiots! Run!"<< Apeface tried to reach the others through short range radio-link while circling the giant with whatever room he had to maneuver into the fairly large hall, occasionally firing a laser blast or four at the giant with absolutely no visible effect.

Clearly enough Omega Supreme was not paying much attention to the Horrorcon's efforts either for he chose to attempt making contact with Fortress Maximus and his lot. "REQUESTING INFO-LINK WITH GARRUS-9 COMMAND."

The grim look on Omega's visor protected face reflected the lack of reply the giant had gotten from his fellow Autobots.

"AEQUITAS COMPROMISED. FACILITY OVERRUN BY ENEMY." Oh, so the mighty Omega Supreme could draw conclusions after all. Though was this a mere assumption by the Guardian or did he possess scanners powerful enough to actually draw that conclusion was something Apeface possessed no knowledge of.

"ENEMY PRESENCE OVERWHELMING."

Hmm, given how Omega Supreme was now staring at the ceiling, as if looking through the solid matter into the skies above kinda suggested the Autobot actually did have access to scanning systems that sophisticated.

"SITUATION DIRE. IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL FROM COMBAT THEATER REQUIRED."

The giant aimed his cannon upwards, but not did nothing to actively seek out Apeface in his sights. An earth shattering blast from Omega Supreme's plasma cannon surged towards the ceiling, punching through several stories worth of Garrus-9's structure and opened up an escape route out of the chamber.

Well, I am not the one to look a gift Kremzeek into mouth... Apeface thought as the giant turned on its heels and moved back towards Aequitas. Obviously enough to retrieve the super computer and then making a break for it.

Not wasting anymore time, Apeface steered his nosecone into the new opening in the ceiling and rocketed upwards to get the hell out of Omega Supreme's presence.

>>"Apeface to all Decepticons! We have a big problem in the Aequitas chamber! Omega Supreme sized one!"<<

Garrus-9-–En Route to the Mines

“Oh is that all..." the femme mumbled. Pointblank said nothing further for the moment. Yeah, that was all. And that was enough. More than enough to prove what sparkless slagheads the Decepticons were.

Another mech caught her attention, and quickly caught his also--Snaptrap. He was a Decepticon who perfectly represented everything he hated about their faction: he found Megatron's rebellion to be the perfect outlet for his own cruel desires. Just like most of the rest of them. And those who weren't? Guilty by association. Nothing more complicated than that.

”I'm Umbra, by the way. Is there...are we...can we do something about...our situation? We're...The odds don't seem to be in our favor..."

They were approaching a large, freight elevator system with a few Sweeps and Seekers milling around as they oversaw the descent of various mechanoids down into the mine shaft.

"Pointblank," the Autobot replied, lowering his voice also as he looked around warily. "We can always do something. I....I don't know what yet. But...we're not gonna die like this. We go down. We go down fighting."

"You! You're next!" a Sweep barked out in Pointblank's direction. Pointblank froze for a second, afraid that he had been overheard, but instead the Sweep was just indicating one of the cables leading down the shaft. "Down the line. Make it fast!"

Pointblank looked at Umbra for a second then lowered his head, moving to do as the Sweep commanded.

For now.

Garrus-9--Aequitas Chamber

Mindwipe was pleased that he could be of some additional assistance. Cipher was clearly in the thick of what he did, his true function, but the situation was becoming increasingly untenable: the Legislators were going to overwhelm them, it was only a question of when. Tyrest had clearly put much effort into securing his guilt machine. Scorponok could overcome this, but it would take more than a glorified raiding party.

Cipher and Rung barked exclamations at each other, but Mindwipe could not really tell what. Their conversation got deeper and Mindwipe's need to survive this whole ordeal took much greater precedence as Legislators threatened to overwhelm his position despite the valiant effort of the Horrorcons. Mindwipe smashed one, and then another, before a third smashed against him. Then another blow. And another.

Mindwipe aggressively and fiercely fought his way back to a standing position, old Decepticon training kicking in and overwhelming pretty much everything else. It was fight or flight, and right now flight wasn't an option.

"Cipher! Mindwipe! Stop him! Before-"

Before who? Wha? Huh?

And then the rumbling.

Ohhhh....that can't be good...

As a massive set of doors began to slide out of the way, Mindwipe could only stand--momentarily--in dumbfounded amazement.

"OMEGA PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. ASSESSING SITUATION. IMMEDIATE DECEPTICON PRESENCE DETECTED. ACTIVATING COUNTERMEASURES."

It was now that Mindwipe's thoughts couldn't help but spill from his head out of his vocalizer.

"Oh my god we're gonna die, oh my god we're gonna die, ohmygodwe'regonnadie..."

He heard the word retreat, but everything about the Decepticon hypnotist's world had frozen in that moment. This was the end. What had they done? He was not going to be Terrorcon food. He was going to be turned into a pile of fiery scrap by Omega Supreme!

>>"Seriously you idiots! Run!"<<

For whatever reason, those words had snapped Mindwipe out of his suicidal freeze. Even as more Legislators closed in on him, he fought free of their grasp with shades of his earlier ferocity before leaping into the air and transforming into his modified shrike bat alt mode, putting distance between himself and the grasping attacks of the Legislators.

"REQUESTING INFO-LINK WITH GARRUS-9 COMMAND. AEQUITAS COMPROMISED. FACILITY OVERRUN BY ENEMY. ENEMY PRESENCE OVERWHELMING. SITUATION DIRE. IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL FROM COMBAT THEATER REQUIRED."

Mindwipe flapped his wings fiercely, maneuvering every which way he could while keeping both optics on that Primus-forsaken cannon that every Omega Sentinel possessed. With a blast that shattered Mindwipe's audio receptors and left him hearing nothing but fuzz and white noise and sent the bat reeling backward, the mightiest of the Sentinels had blasted his own egress point in the chamber. Apeface quickly made use of it. And despite his loyalty and affinity for Cipher, if the Horrorcons were retreating, Mindwipe knew it was insane to not do the same and went shrieking and flapping up the charred crater that had been blown through the ceiling of the chamber.

Garrus-9 Central – Amphitheater

KRAK!

A harsh blow delivered to Slog's cranium that made his optics go fuzzy.

"You dare to lay this war at my feet!? This society has been corrupted by Primes since its earliest days! I served the one who helped restore peace. Sanity. Order. Only the fallibility of the ones to follow invited this war. Lay the stains this war has brought to Cybertron at their feet. Not mine."

”Uhhhhnnn...” was all Slog could muster up in reply. Jhiaxus stalked away, no doubt still seething. It gave the artist a bit of gratification to know that he had in some small way aggravated the one who had bestowed this cursed fate upon him. Being one of the few left from the scientist's time period as well as being the leader of his 'precious six'...Slog was the one who should most understand Jhiaxus's point of view, and perhaps...he once had.

“I was....naive...” Slog managed, thinking aloud more than speaking to Jhiaxus, his optics focusing and unfocusing on the ceiling of the amphitheater. “We all were...blinded by...the p-promise of progress...and we made him...A horror worse than...anything I could've imagined...a...monster...”

"Where do I fit? Hah. Hahahaha...ahhh. You know your legends, precious one. You know your histories. The Guiding Hand are said to have formed the earliest foundations of what we all came to know as Cybertron. We exist because they existed."

“You...can't mean...”

"Their ability to render influence on the population was clearly finite in nature. Cybertron is lost. Our people are lost. I will be our planet's new Guiding Hand. And I will usher in an age of transformation unlike any that have come before," Jhiaxus said, and as he spoke, the expression of neutrality from before gradually gave way to an expression of pure, malicious satisfaction. "You will be the first.......but oh so very, very far from the last."

“We will lose the very thing that makes our race better than animals! Do you all wish that we...lose our sense of self...? Our identities...? Jhiaxus...please....this is madness...Think of all the...art...culture...innovation...we would lose...I beseech you...”

Slog lifted his arms slightly to try to reach out to the scientist pleadingly, but they caught against the restraints, so he let them fall uselessly by his sides once more. Couldn't Jhiaxus see that more like Monstructor would just lead to senseless chaos and killing? Monstructor knew no master...no loyalty. He was born out of something dark. Foul. He only sought...destruction...

Garrus 9 - Mines

Roadbuster had been keeping a lid on his antics thou the arrival of Whirl into the proceedings had caused quite a stir. Especially after the butcher of the bogs displayed his authority by blowing the legs off Lightspeed and Brainstorm. The hulking wrecker glowered as he clambered down the remaining cable following behind Pointblank and unintentionally nudging Umbra aside.

As he slid down he muttered "just wait until the cuffs are off, I'll use that sword to re-bore your exhaust port with it" he looked down at Pointblank sliding into the gloom below. "Hey! if we're to go down fighting we'll need a plan and a half to get out of these restraints..." any further attempt at discussion was cut off as an enormous roar was heard like a herd of Dinobots on the stampede. Shaking and rubble started to occur Roadbuster gripped the cable with his huge hands with his considerable strength.

"Well that's the second time today that the cons have underestimated this facility something just went boom let's hope it wasn't the main energon storage tanks"

He continued his descent into the gloom below and the skittering bugs that where milling around down there.

Garrus 9 - Mines

Nosecone was his usual quiet self along the way to the mines. He couldn't help but smirk as his memory bank loaded up what they had on the shafts. Calculating in the length of time the Cons probably been here, there was a 95% chance the shafts were like they were and the remaining 5% probably got expanded.

"Nothing better than being back home or in this case being reminded of home on Cybertron. There were many a tunnel I had the pleasure of drilling through. As for the boom, could have been a main line they somehow ruptured. Whoever was in the blast zone better hope a medic is close by."

Nosecone opened up the private instant communication to Scattershot and the rest of the Technos.

>>It begs to wonder if the Cons went hunting for a certain computer and ran into some major difficulty. I don't feel sorry for them at all if they tripped all of the wrong buttons.<<

"I do wonder if Jhiaxus is setting himself up as the next Megatron. Old Scorpy might want to be careful."

Garrus -9 Mines

Bludgeon didn't even spare a glance towards his student who he had placed in the midst of the enemy to gather intelligence. His thoughts where directed to Icepick who he'd left with that ancient mad scientist Jhiaxus. He hoped that the Monstercon was in one piece as he'd proven useful in the protection of Umbra plus any influence he had would possibly be returned by the monster Monstructor.

The Martial Arts master was about to descend into the elevator shaft when an urgent message came through.

>>"Apeface to all Decepticons! We have a big problem in the Aequitas chamber! Omega Supreme sized one!"<<

Bludgeon didn't even quirk an optic ridge at the news that the autobots had left someone as powerful as Omega Supreme as a last resort. Wasn't that his function basically he was the last line of defence once everything else had failed. The message was accompanied by a tremendous explosion and shaking of the very foundations.

His thoughts drifted back to the gargantuan creature Monstructor with him active they might stand a chance against the Ancient Giant. But the Monstercons where incapacitated in the dubious care of Jhiaxus being improved.

Bludgeon decided to ask Cyclonus the obvious question

>>So Cyclonus who is going to be on the suicide squad to slow that behemoth down shame Monstructor is down for all his faults could of been very useful this situation<<

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

With all of the information that Jhiaxus had collected thus far regarding the holofeeds of Monstructor engaging the Decepticons as well as his initial cursory examinations of their present body scans, one thing was becoming increasingly clear: the origin point of this apparent weak point within Monstructor's body existed somewhere as a flaw on Slog's form. Whether it was a physical anomaly that was responsible for the weak point's existence or a psychological one, Jhiaxus did not yet know but he would most definitely find out. Even if it meant ripping Slog to shreds and reassembling him as little more than a shadow of his former self. Such were the sacrifices that were necessary for the advancement of their race.

“I was....naive...we all were...blinded by...the p-promise of progress...and we made him...A horror worse than...anything I could've imagined...a...monster..."

Jhiaxus grinned slightly but said nothing, his attention now completely absorbed by the screens in front of him, particularly a series of scans regarding the mechanoid to whom he was now speaking...the Monstercon Commander and apparent glitch in his beautiful creation.

“You...can't mean...we will lose the very thing that makes our race better than animals! Do you all wish that we...lose our sense of self...? Our identities...? Jhiaxus...please....this is madness...Think of all the...art...culture...innovation...we would lose...I beseech you..."

Jhiaxus held up a hand to silence the Monstercon Commander, turning slightly to face the other mechanoid as he did so.

"Spare me your pleas. They are echoes of what I once heard from Galvatron. I was not at liberty overrule such objections then."

Jhiaxus' optics narrowed slightly.

"I am now."

Jhiaxus returned to his work, stepping away from the holoscreens and limping gingerly to the slabs past Bristleback and Birdbrain's prone, unconscious forms, winding past the other Monsterocns until he arrived at Slog once more. With a laser in hand, he began to slice through Slog's outer coverings. He then jerked his head up suddenly, turning back to look the Monstercon in the face, perfectly aware that the other mech was still conscious while this process was underway.

"Of what value is...'self'...in the face of true transcendence? Hm? You speak of madness, but you simply do not see. Yet. You will. All are one. Heheheh. All are one. As we were meant to be from the beginning. We-"

Then a tremor quaked its way through the entire facility, shaking everything and everyone within the halls of the amphitheater. Jhiaxus looked up and then around, trying to pinpoint the source of the tremor with no immediate luck. He then turned to the little drone that Scorponok had sent to accompany him, only to find the femme was gone and had been replaced by another drone. So be it.

"What...was that?" Jhiaxus hissed.

"The Aequitas Chamber has been compromised. Omega Supreme has been reactivated," Reflector reported, almost statically. Cyclonus and Scourge had clearly received the same transmission as they were already in conversation amongst themselves. Jhiaxus, for his part, staggered backward slightly at the drone's revelation. Omega Supreme? Here?! The notion itself was inconceivable and yet the reality stared him in the face. Jhiaxus quickly limped back to the bank of holoscreens that held his attention before, bringing up previously retrieved schematics of the penitentiary itself.

Mighty one, how you came to be locked within these walls as I was, I do not know, Jhiaxus thought, his optics gleaming as he bypassed one screen, and then another. But that error has now been rectified. And if you intend to teach these vermin a lesson, I am beholden to assist.

Jhiaxus' sneer grew slightly more pronounced as he activated a fresh set of encrypted commands, covering each track as he put it in motion. He may well be from another age, but this gladiator did not yet fully appreciate what he had awoken. He would.

All in due time.

Garrus-9--The Mines

In what had seemed an instant, there was an excited chittering amongst the horde of diaclones that skittered their way to and fro through the mines. Many of them stopped, even if only momentarily, to examine the newest arrivals--Autobot prisoners. More Autobot prisoners.

Delicious, was the simple thought that echoed its way through much of their limited, shared consciousness. Atop one of the mine plateaus, the core Insecticons had taken notice of the new arrivals as well.

"Lord Scorponok sends us more more," Shrapnel hissed at Bombshell's side as the other very conspicuously, and very gleefully, rubbed his actuators together as he took in the sight.

"Ehhh, more slaves for the mines. There is no such thing as too many," Bombshell rasped.

"But they're not alone. Look," Kickback added, pointing. Bombshell did look. A few seekers. A couple of Sweeps. A standard prisoner escort and-

"Ghhhhhhnnn," Bombshell rumbled in dissatisfaction. Seacons. All of them. "Well...it would be rude of us to not greet our new guests, wouldn't you say, Shrapnel?"

"Very rude rude."

Bombshell transformed and began to clamber down the side of the steep rock face, the other Insecticons quickly doing the same. Let it never be said that the Insecticons did not make their consumables feel welcome before they were, well, consumed.

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

With the rabble having been gradually filtered out of the amphitheater, it was allowing Cyclonus some quiet time in his mind to consider the various paths that lay before them and how best to accomplish what yet needed accomplishing. Though he did not fully trust Jhiaxus' motives, he would not deny that having the vast majority of their functioning prisoners in one central area where they were contained but not caged would likely be beneficial. With this route, they could hopefully stave off the Autobots foolish attempt to rebel and free themselves for a while longer than had they simply been put into the cells that had housed so many Decepticon prisoners for many a vorn.

With Jhiaxus now engrossed in his work, Cyclonus knew that it would only be a matter of time before the ancient Cybertronian scientist would acquire the answers that Scorponok sought regarding the combiner process. From there they would be one, if not several, steps closer to ending this war once and for all.

>>"Apeface to all Decepticons! We have a big problem in the Aequitas chamber! Omega Supreme sized one!"<<

Cyclonus and Scourge both froze in their tracks, their posture visibly stiffening at the words of the Horrorcon. They, perhaps better than any other Decepticon, knew the severity of what had just been transmitted.

The lithe purple warrior cursed silently. How had they received no intelligence on this? No word had been heard of the whereabouts of Omega Supreme in ages! Literal ages. And now, much to their collective chagrin, they are suddenly faced with the devastating reality that the gargantuan Autobot guardian had isolated himself here. Now....now...when they had not even a chance to recover from the onslaught on Fortress maximus, they had to contend with Omega Supreme?!

Contend they would, then.

Cyclonus opened a series of channels to all Decepticons that were not currently relegated to the mines. He needed the Seacons and the insects right were they were.

>>So Cyclonus who is going to be on the suicide squad to slow that behemoth down shame Monstructor is down for all his faults could of been very useful this situation<< came a transmission from Bludgeon. His response would be clear. They could take no chances at this stage.

>>"All Decepticons rally on my position!"<< he transmitted as he started to move towards the amphitheater doors, his pace quickening with every step. "This may be where it ends," he added to Scourge.

"What of them?" Scourge said, indicating the Sweeps that were now occupying various points of entry to the amphitheater.

"They remain. Along with Deadlock and Demolishor. We've come this far. We must give the praetor every opportunity to finish his labors for the good of our cause."

Scourge, for his part, merely nodded and kept pace with Cyclonus, additional Sweeps and Seekers adding to their number as they traversed the corridors.

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

Oddly enough, Icepick actually felt better. After all the chaos that had happened and the pain he had gone through and...and...Monstructor...here he was now in a laboratory setting again. Just as he had been oh so many vorns ago. It was not exactly what he had signed up for when he had become enthralled with the Decepticon cause, but he knew that this kind of thing was part and parcel of the process. Sometimes it was necessary to sacrifice yourself, or some part of yourself, to further Megatron's vision. Or Nova Prime's vision. Pick your visionary. Nonetheless, he was here and arguably one of the few mechanoids he had ever encountered who elicited some kind of truly caring response from him was safe under the patronage of Bludgeon.

No, the circumstances were not ideal, but they were decidedly better.

Granted, overhearing bits and pieces of Slog's conversation with Jhiaxus while he ruminated in his own thoughts, he had to admit that he did not envy the position that the Monstercon Commander had found himself in right now. His motives were certainly noble and Icepick was not one to take up sides against his very supportive and not-especially-tyrannical commander, but nor was he going to voice any displeasure within audio-shot of Jhiaxus either. Whatever had happened during the Cybertronian praetor's imprisonment here, it was clear that the mech who had emerged from spark extraction was not entirely the same mech that had undergone that very process long ago. Icepick could not put his finger on exactly what or why, but there was no denying that he was different. Somehow.

Icepick's optics widened as the room shook. It felt like, well, it felt like it could have been anything. Collapse. Explosion. Primus only knew. Watching Cyclonus and Scourge's abrupt departure, however, he knew that it had probably not been a good thing. Reflector's words to Jhiaxus only confirmed it.

"The Aequitas Chamber has been compromised. Omega Supreme has been reactivated."

Icepick's head strained upward slightly on the slab against his restraints before resting back down again. He couldn't restrain the small chuckle that escaped his vocalizer.

"Omega Supreme was here all along? And the Decepticons revived him? That...is rich."

Garrus 9 – Mines

Umbra was caught by surprise as Roadbuster nudged his way past her. Well, more of a nudge for him, a lot of a shove for her. Umbra staggered back at the Wrecker clambered down the cable, heaving a little sigh as he muttered to himself angrily. Still this Pointblank...seemed to be intent on assuring her that if they were going down, they were going to do down fighting. That couldn't mean anything good for the Decepticons. Or Icepick...the one mech that she really even cared anything for.

“Hey! Femme! Move it, you're next!” the Sweep called, pointing down the shaft. Umbra hastily leaped onto the darkness, not wanting to get shoved into it like Highbrow. Insecticons scuttled all around the walls of the elevator shaft as she descended. ”Oh Primus spare me...” she muttered softly. Not too long ago these insects had been wanting to eat her. She figured that hadn't changed. And now that she was under the care of the butcher of the bogs...The future seemed uncertain.

Reaching the bottom of the shaft, Umbra swung into the mines, looking around at the dimly lit area. Bugs. Bugs everywhere. Some even stopped and looked at them. Oh Primus. She prayed to the guiding hand that they would not recognized her. If they did...well. She shuddered at the thought. She caught up to Pointblank and lingered closely at his side. Maybe if she hid with a group, they'd be less likely to pick her out.

Meanwhile, at the head of the line, Snaptrap supervised the arrival of the Autobots with his usual stoic expression. His optics spared a glance from time to time at the excited horde of Insecticons eagerly examining his prisoners. Despite the Insecticons' inefficiency, they did provide innumerable sets of optics. They might aid in the careful observation of the prisoners.

Once the majority of the prisoners arrived, Snaptrap looked to Seawing, Tentakil and Skalor. “Spread out throughout the mines. Keep a watchful optic on the prisoners.” Snaptrap then turned his attention to the Autobot prisoners. “Grab a tool and get to work.” A sudden rumbling throughout the facility caused Snaptrap to glance about apprehensively until the communication from Apeface enlightened him as to its source. Omega Supreme.

He gave his Seacons a look that communicated to act normally and carry out his standing orders. Cyclonus would summon them if they were required. He would leave it in the purple commander's capable actuators. In the meantime, he had his own assignments to tend to. As the Autobots began to disperse, Snaptrap turned and noted the approach of the original Insecticons headed his way. His amber optics narrowed to slits.

Patience was a virtue that the Autobots had all but expended entirely. He had little time for the insects' games. But as it was, he watched their approach expectantly and waited for them to speak to him, while keeping an optic on the Autobot prisoners.


Garrus-9 – Amphitheater

"Spare me your pleas. They are echoes of what I once heard from Galvatron. I was not at liberty overrule such objections then."

Jhiaxus' optics narrowed slightly.

"I am now."

Slog considered Jhiaxus with some traces of sorrow in his optics. The scientist had not been entirely unwilling to listen to him in the past, but now...it was as if his words could not even begin to reach the ancient praetor. The monstercon commander perked up slightly as he noted that Jhiaxus was moving back toward him. His optics widened as Jhiaxus took a laser in his hand and began to slice through his outer coverings. Slog's fists balled up as he hissed in pain softly.

Slog started when he looked back up to see Jhiaxus staring at him, clearly aware of exactly what he was doing. The artist gave him a wordless confused and rather sorrowful look. He simply did not understand. There was something...different about the praetor. Something he couldn't quite quantify. For many years, the praetor's face had been a welcome one in Slog's life. A familiar one at least.

Of what value is...'self'...in the face of true transcendence? Hm? You speak of madness, but you simply do not see. Yet. You will. All are one. Heheheh. All are one. As we were meant to be from the beginning. We-"

“Maybe-”

A tremor quaked throughout the penitentiary, shaking Slog's already fragile frame. The artist glanced around wondering whatever that could've been. Apparently his thoughts were echoed by Jhiaxus. Fortunately, Reflector soon supplied the answer. Slog chuckled even though it pained him. “Haha...”

Surprisingly enough to Slog, he heard another's laugh. He turned his head slightly to see Icepick laying on a slab not too far from him. It was reassuring to know that at least one of his team was still conscious.

"Omega Supreme was here all along? And the Decepticons revived him? That...is rich."

“It's just one thing after another for the Decepticons today, isn't it?” Slog thought aloud, thinking of Monstructor and the discovery of Jhiaxus. “Are you alright, Icepick?” he asked, concerned for his teammate's wellbeing. From what Slog could see, Icepick was in better shape than he, which was a blessing in its way. Slog would rather it be him that took the brunt of Jhiaxus's strange new cruelty. Jhiaxus...

“What...happened to you, Jhiaxus...?” Slog muttered sadly, not really expecting an answer.

Garrus 9 - Medical Bay

"Hey Flatline! Got some new patients for ya!" Nautilator exclaimed as he burst through the doorway to the medical center and tossed Brainstorm up on to an empty slab. The two sweeps that had be following the two Seacons walked up beside the slab and laid the Biomechanical engineer's severed legs at the foot of the slab. "C'mon 'Bites, don't wanna keep the boss waiting. Primus only knows what he'll do when he's this pissed off..."

Brainstorm's optics flickered back to a more functional status only to be met by intense white light. His optical covers squeezed to tight slits as his primary systems attempted a reboot. He looked around only to see non-warrior based vehicons beginning to hook him up to life support systems. Brainstorm was about ready to show them away, proclaiming he was above the need for it or how he could handle it himself, but he had to face the facts that he was in no condition to do such a thing.

"Me and my big vocalizer..." Brainstorm muttered to himself as he offlined his optics once more and rolled his head over to the side while the Decepticon medical drones began to stabilize him. The engineer's optics flickered online once again only to be struck with immense awe and disbelief as his optics widened in shock. A couple of slabs over from where he lay, the massive bulk of another patient was one all too recognizable to the teal and white Autobot.

"It can't be...Is that, Fortress Maximus?"

Aequitas Chamber

"OMEGA PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. ASSESSING SITUATION. IMMEDIATE DECEPTICON PRESENCE DETECTED. ACTIVATING COUNTERMEASURES."

Snapdragon halted in place, his fist still buried in the chest cavity of a Legislator as the last of the Omega Sentinels reactivated before their very optics. There wasn't much in the universe that could strike fear into the Horrorcons, but Omega Supreme certainly takes the Nucleon cake.

The sentinel's massive step practically shook the entire chamber, causing Snapdragon to wobble in place as he struggled to hold his ground with the tremor-causing Omega Supreme. Before he could react to the gargantuan Autobot guardian, Apeface was already spouting orders to pack up shop and get the hell out of there.

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Snapdragon exclaimed as he followed in his fellow Horrorcon's actions and shifted to his jet mode and rocketed up and out through opening the Autobot Guardian had just created.

Garrus 9 - Mines

"Alright you heard 'em, down the elevator shaft." A seeker barked as he prodded Whirl in the back with his electro-rod.

"Oh yeah, great, real good idea there buddy," Whirl replied with a think layer of sarcasm, "Let me just scale down the wire with my clawed appendages. Oh! But wait, what's this? My claws! Oh how they're tied behind my back. Sorry mate, looks like you're going to have to carry me down unless you wanna take those cuffs off me."

"I have a better idea..." The seeker replied with a devilish grin as he approached the blue helicopter bot with his electro-rod fizzing and cackling with lithe-purple energy. "How about we see how super-invinsible you really are?"

KZZZZCCCKKKKK

Whirl staggered forward and stood directly infront of the elevator shaft as he held back the urge to let loose so much as a single grunt of pain. Physical punishment is one thing, one thing the ex-wrecker was used to by now, but even the mightiest of warriors can hardly bear the punishment of electrical energy surging through every one of their systems.

"Heh, have a nice trip, Autobot." The seeker taunted as he prodded Whirl once more, sending the restrained helicopter-bot on a downward fall towards the bottom of the dysfunctional elevator shaft.

-

THUD

Having landed on his back, Whirl lied on the soil of the Elba mines as his systems alerted him to what the impact had done to his spinal strut. Nothing too major, but he sure was gonna feel it after a recharge cycle.

"Mmm, when I get these damned cuffs off..." Whirl cursed under his breath as he rolled over and attempted to rise to his feet. The process was awkward with the use of his arms being incapacitated for the time being and his chicken-like legs unable to get a good footing on the uneven and rocky terrain. Rising to his full height, the ex-wrecker looked back up the elevator shaft he had been dropped from and squinted his singular optic towards the seeker responsible for his fall.

"HEY BUDDY! GUESS WHO SURVIVED THAT?! THAT'S RIGHT, I'M STILL AS INVINCIBLE AS EVER AND WHEN I'M THROUGH DOWN HERE, I'M COMING AFTER YOU PERSONALLY!" Letting out a final huff of heated air, Whirl turned to find several sweeps escorting him down further into the mines where the other Autobots were being lead into.

"Pheeewwwwww, Goldmine has really let this place go to scrap." Whirl commented as he noticed several Insecticon diaclones skitter across the roof of the mines and a few more scaling alongside the walls. "The bug problem is here is atrocious. Hey Roadbuster, think they called us in as the exterminators? Hehehe."

Garrus 9 - Mines

The rest of the journey down to the mines was uneventful after the huge explosion and all the shaking Roadbuster was glad to get back on the ground. The huge Wrecker took in his surroundings when he came out into the open, it was starting to take on the ominous form of something he and his fellow wreckers had taken down on many other planets a Hive.

"This is beginning to look like the bugs are making themselves comfortable"

Snaptrap then gave his orders to grab a tool and get digging

"Can I borrow Nautilator he's a considerable tool bet he's good at digging with them pinchers Or Overbite with a mouth that big he'll chew up the mine"

He turned from the Seacon's as a loud thud and what followed was an amusing rant as Whirl got back to his feet after an impromptu arrival. Thou he arrived with a few sweeps Whirl was still his usual carefree self.

"The bug problem is here is atrocious. Hey Roadbuster, think they called us in as the exterminators? Hehehe."

Roadbuster looked at his former team mate

"Oh you know the saying Whirl only good bug is a dead bug"

Garrus-9--Medical Bay

To be honest, Lightspeed was somewhat surprised that they had made it from the amphitheater to the medical bay in one piece. His mind imagined at least eleven different scenarios whereby they might have taken an unexpected detour and wound up facing their ultimate fate.

But nope, here they were. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like they were actually going to make sure he and Brainstorm were functioning properly. To what end? He could only guess.

"Me and my big vocalizer..."

"Don't....sweat it," Lightspeed moaned, still in pain but doing his best to keep a positive tenor in his tone."We could have behaved perfectly....and this still could have happened to us....or someone else. Cons are...cons."

"It can't be...Is that, Fortress Maximus?"

Lightspeed looked over at the oversized operating slab that had caught Brainstorm's attention and, sure enough, it was the big guy. Fortress Maximus himself. Scorponok hadn't killed him. Lightspeed had to stifle a yelp of excitement. He had to keep it in his head. Play it cool. But man, what a break. He looked like slag, and they sure as Primus couldn't rely on him to get them out of their current predicament...but...just the fact that he wasn't one with the Allspark already was a boon in their favor. They could use it. Somehow.

"Frag me," Lightspeed muttered. "It is."
___

Garrus-9--Mines

The trek down into the mines had been as uneventful as Pointblank had hoped. He kept his head down and would do his best to not draw any attention to himself. At least until it was time to do otherwise.

"Hey! if we're to go down fighting we'll need a plan and a half to get out of these restraints..."Roadbuster said and Pointblank nodded.

"We'll figure something out. Not dying down here unless it's in the middle of a break," Pointblank said. Before he could move much further, a tremor that seemed to shake the foundations of the mines themselves rattled its way through the moonscape.

"Well that's the second time today that the cons have underestimated this facility something just went boom let's hope it wasn't the main energon storage tanks," Roadbuster added.

"Yeah..." Pointblank said, his voice trailing off as he looked around. "That was something big. Very big. Whatever it was."

“Grab a tool and get to work," their new overlord chimed in. Pointblank looked up at the Seacon Commander briefly before grabbing for one of the tools and heading off with some of the others towards one of the mine shafts.
___

Mmm. Mines. Mineral wealth. Seawing didn't mind this. He didn't mind it at all. Who knows what they might discover down here that the Autobots had not yet excavated? Such potential!

“Spread out throughout the mines. Keep a watchful optic on the prisoners."

A malicious smile appeared on Seawing's face. Just the sort of command he was looking for! He quickly moved over to a group of shuffling Autobots.

"Move! Lots of digging to do! Move! Or you face my wrath!"
___

Several Insecticons skittered their way through the groups, coming to a stop several meters away from Snaptrap and his associates. They seemed to scan the immediate area for a moment before transforming, first Bombshell, then Shrapnel and Kickback, and then Ransack, Barrage and Chop Shop. All the while, diaclone copies of them continued to scurry to and fro around the mines surface. For the core Insecticons, however, each of their beady optics were squared precisely on Snaptrap.

"Lord Scorpnok has graced us with more slaves, has he? Excellent. Our thanks for the delivery," Bombshell said, before turning away, a clear sign of dismissal for the Seacons. They were not welcome here.

Garrus 9 - Mines

Solarstrike thundered down the mineshaft in Tetrajet mode, ducking and weaving under and around jutting rock and minerals. He was on orders to check in on the progress of the extraction of newly discovered Energon...

But there was a problem.

Solarstrike was hopelessly lost. He refused to believe this, thinking about other things to keep his mind off of the claustrophobia. Primus, he hated small spaces. He might get stuck and never come out again. Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't--

"AAAAAUGH!" The Seeker landed in one of the natural caves in the vertical shaft, nauseated.
He'd thought about it. Cursing, he sat down on the ground. He opened a comms channel.

"Solarstrike to anyone hearing this, I'm stuck in Shaft 27. Repeat, Shaft 27."
Exasperated, he shut off the comm after repeating this 3 times. The Seeker had, in his panic, forgotten to make sure that nothing ELSE could hear the comms channel. He kicked around a rock, punting it into the depths of the cave. "Stupid fragging caves. Why do they have to be so dark and small?" He heard the rock hit something, a hiss, and 6 yellow circles flashed to life in the darkness.

"Aw, scrap. Solarstrike to command, looks like we aren't the only ones in these mines...Hello? HELLO? Come in, command! We have a potential Insecticon hive! I repeat, potenti--"

The insect lurched forwards, streaking into the little light in the cave. What little could be seen in the blur of movement wasn't pleasant. It was an arachnid, with six glowing eyes and loads of spikes. Each of the legs resembled those more of a crustacean, with cables and rocks embedded in. Drooling energon, the mouth resembled a garbage compactor, spinning rapidly. Solarstrike opened fire, aiming for the joints of this abomination. When that proved ineffective, he decided on another tactic.

He started producing radio waves tuned in to whatever scared Insecticons most, radiating towards the beast. That was a terrible idea, though. It simply enraged the Insecticon, which proceeded to pounce on him and crush the left side of this torso, along with his arm. Still shooting, Solarstrike called again. "SOLARSTRIKE TO COMMAND, I NEED BACKU-" The bug crushed his voicebox and bit off the null ray on the Decepticon's arm.

Garrus-9 – Mines

"Can I borrow Nautilator? He's a considerable tool. Bet he's good at digging with them pinchers. Or Overbite with a mouth that big he'll chew up the mine."

Snaptrap issued a silent sigh, but ultimately paid the Autobot no mind. The arrival of one of the more rambunctious wreckers set the Seacon Commander on edge. Whirl was renowned for his unpredictability and all around abrasive attitude. At the very least, Seawing took on his duties with enthusiasm. Perhaps he thought this small command meant something. Perhaps not. An enthusiastic subordinate was usually more efficient, so Snaptrap made no comment.

Finally, the Insecticon six arrived. They stopped a few meters away from the Seacon Commander, scanning the area before transforming one by one. They had brought along their entirety....fascinating. Was it a show of respect or one of attempted intimidation? Well. With the exception of Venom, but Snaptrap hadn't seen that particular insect even when he had been on their ship. Perhaps they had done away with him.

Snaptrap felt their optics on him. He turned his head slightly to return their stares, completely unreadable. "Lord Scorpnok has graced us with more slaves, has he? Excellent. Our thanks for the delivery," Bombshell said, before turning away, a clear sign of dismissal for the Seacons. Not respect then. The Seacons were not wanted here.

“They are not your slaves, Bombshell,” Snaptrap said turning his head to look back at the prisoners, “They are under my charge. I am to oversee them with my team.” He angled his head toward Bombshell, his amber optics glinting in the darkness. “We are not leaving nor could you dismiss us in any case,” Snaptrap's tone went decidedly cold with those last few words, betraying a hint of the butcher's inner fury at being so slighted.

Garrus-9--Mines

"They are not your slaves, Bombshell," the Seacon Commander said. The words were like ice against his spark. Bombshell stood frozen in his space for a moment before adjusting his neck servos and turning to face the Butcher of the Bogs.

“They are under my charge. I am to oversee them with my team. We are not leaving nor could you dismiss us in any case."

Not slaves? Bombshell did not understand. What other purpose could Autobot prisoners possible serve? Well, apart from food. Clearly Scorponok, yet again, had other intentions.

"Ehhh, of course not, mighty Butcher. We would not presume to suggest where you or your team may go. You are welcome to use these mines as you see fit. We will accommodate your team and our new 'guests' in every foreseeable way."

Bombshell offered Snaptrap an obsequious bow that would hopefully be interpreted as due deference and move on with whatever Primus-forsaken purpose Scorponok sent him down here to accomplish in the first place.

"Laying it on a little thick, weren't you Bombshell?" Kickback asked.

"Perhaps. But it's only-" Bombshell said, stopping both in mid-sentence as well as mid-step. He and the other core Insecticons were looking around as a strange new series of signals were coming through their systems. Some Seeker, it seemed, had managed to find himself on the wrong end of some diaclone jaws.

"Shrapnel. Deal with it," Bombshell said. Shrapnel simply grinned, transforming once again and skittering off.

"Eeehehehehehehe!"
___

When Shrapnel arrived within the corridors of the mine tunnel where Solarstrike found himself beset upon by an assortment of diaclones, the ones that were already present backed away as Shrapnel closed in closer, electricity bouncing to and fro from his antennae.

"What is this is this? Why are you here, Seeker Seeker?"

Garrus 9 - Mines

As Shrapnel approached, the injured Seeker glared up from his position.
"What I was DOING, before these PESTS started attacking me, was trying to find a recent Energon deposit." Despite his angry bravado, Solarstrike was inwardly terrified of the Insecticon, if not only due to what his kind could do to him. Struggling to his feet, he sighed.

"Mind helping me out? I can't really use my arms." The Seeker leaned on a wall of the cavern. "Why did this thing attack me?"

Garrus-9--Mines

Another bolt of electricity crackled its way down Shrapnel's prominent antennae.

"Pests? You dare to refer to our evolved form of life as pests pests?! Besides....there is no energon here here. At least until we can, perhaps, refine some from the crude elements we've discovered discovered," Shrapnel said, his voice becoming more shrill and agitated with each word. It was clear that he was on the verge of electrocuting the Seeker where he lay. The other Insecticons quickly picked up on his intent as well. No sooner had the metallic stag beetle taken another couple of steps towards the prone and helpless Seeker than a new series of signals awashed themselves over Shrapnel's mind, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

Shrapnel's metallic jaws clicked a few times as he processed this new information. The message was clear: now was not the time to be obliterating Seekers. Or other Decepticons of any form or fashion, for that matter.

As the Seeker struggled to get back to his feet, Shrapnel backed up another couple of steps. The other diaclones in the area were quickly returning to their previous directives.

"You clearly must have provoked them provoked them. Why else would they attack you attack you? Fear not, Seeker, you are safe now safe now. I will escort you back to the surface, where you can receive medical attention attention."

Garrus-9--Mines

"Gah!" Solarstrike tried to scramble away, but with him barely being able to keep his balance, assuming he could even get up, he didn't get far. "Provoke them? What the SCRAP WOULD I HAVE Done...to...oh." The Seeker's mind drifted back to the rock he had kicked. Stupid, stupid. He grunted, and activated his foot rockets, lifting himself up and landing on his feet. Struggling to stand, he looked at Shrapnel.

"Ah...Thanks for the save, Shrapnel. I did indeed provoke the Insecticon, so my apologies." It may have sounded sincere, and part of it was! But it was mostly just Solarshot trying to distance himself away from this...bug, as fast as possible. There were three things that scared him the most. Closed spaces, anything larger than Monstructor, and...*shudder*...bugs. Ironically, he inflicted these fears upon himself. The Seeker started running towards the entrance of the cave, jumped out, and transformed. With that, he started blasting towards the surface again, though hardly able to fly straight.

You know Solarstrike, it PROBABLY didn't help that you freaking SHOT THE INSECTICON ON TOP OF HITTING IT WITH A ROCK AND TRYING TO SCARE IT. Genius.