The Energon Pub

Garrus-9 - The Chamber

Skullgrin walked towards Bomb-burst. He made no sound, trying to test his fellow Pretender's awareness.

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

"Skullgrin..." Bomb Burst called out not even bothering to look away from the door frame he was busy drawing symbols on to the direction of oncoming warrior, who, to his credit, was being as silent as any of of Skullgrin's kind could be. "You need to work on your stealthiness."

An evil smirk appeared on his lips for the briefest moment then he turned to look as Skullgrin approached. "Did you finally finish with the dull busy work they gave to you?" He asked. "Shame on them for wasting such talent for destruction on paperwork."

The lithe, dark blue Vampire again flashed a bit of smile, just enough to make one not so certain if he was engaging in subtle sarcasm, had an ulterior motive, or was actually just smiling (which the prevailing theory was he just did not smile out of happiness), and exposing the silver fangs in his mouth.
"I seem to have run out of 'paint', mind loaning me some of your energon?" He asked as he raised up a clawed actuator, no longer dripping with the energon from his victims that were scattered along the route to The Aequitas Chamber's door, and awfully dry on energon. "That was a joke." He tacked on remembering that everyone got so serious around him. "You never responded to my message earlier, Skully, but I can assume that you got it since you are here and I'm sure that's not because you came seeking my charming company." He pointed into the Aequitas Chamber. "Bludgeon is in there. And has not invited the Vampire back in yet.. so hence I'm out here waiting. But I'm sure no one will mind you going in.. or you could stay out here and see if I do actually have a charming personality buried deep down inside... either way, it's good to see you away from busy work."

Garrus-9 - The Chamber

Skullgrin stopped in front of Bomb-burst. He looked at the other Pretender, then at the door, then back at the Decepticon. His expression remaining stoic, Skullgrin walked past Bomb-burst to the other side of the doorway, and leaned against the wall with his back.

"I'm not interested in your personality or your failed attempt at witty banter." he said in a monotone voice. "And you can scrounge up energon somewhere else. We don't have any surplus to waste on your hobbies."

Outside the Aequitas Chamber


"Heh... I said I was joking." Bomb Burst growled. "It seems your mood has improved, though. However hardly failed attempts at banter, you're just humorless. And I won’t apologize for myself being in a good mood, for once, thanks to my snacks." He looked back at his work on the doorframe and took a moment to stab a clawed actuator into his own wrist without even a flinch, and drew energon.

"It's hardly a hobby." The Predator said addressing the comment on his drawing, studying what he had done and finishing up the sigil he was working on when Skullgrin had arrived. His voice went to a more serious tone. "This place is flooded with... something, some kind of presence. I can't quite place it, but something sinister is lurking here thanks to the Autobots... and the Aequitas Chamber is piled with dead legislators. If ever there was a more perfect situation for 'it' to cross the threshold in our world, this is it. Sigil of protection..." He dabbed his actuator in more energon from his wrist as he took his gaze from the frame, looked at Skullgrin, and resisted drawing a sigil of protection on the warrior's forehead, the Vampire was not willing to risk Skullgrin's wrath even if it meant resisting the (odd) urge to protect certain team mates. "I'm at least going to try to stop it. Easier than trying to send it back."

His deeply superstitious side was showing, and it wouldn't be too much longer for his ritualistic side to completely show itself as well. Something had been nagging at him for a time, but especially since he had arrived at the Chamber. Maybe that was part of the reason for his restlessness.

Barely anyone truly understood the enigmatic creature. He did not adhere to conventional Cybertronian religious practices. The word Primus was no where in his vocabulary. He walked a dark path, controlled by entities many thought were of his own imagination.
Of course the preference to practice his beliefs away from any eyes, bizarre rituals, strange habits, and rarely explaining what he was doing to anyone, gave his beliefs a well deserved sinister aire.

The Vampire looked away from the door frame again and surveyed the rest of the area before setting optics once again on Skullgrin. He quite honestly didn't care one bit if the Warrior believed him or not. He was used to be viewed as crazy fanatic and quite comfortable in his "little rituals and beliefs" (as they tended to be punctuated as).

He mulled over Skullgrin's comment on the energon supplies for a moment. "Your energon shortages really doesn't concern me." He said, his voice a different sort of serious now. "That's your problem to fix, not mine. I don't rely on your supplies, that's to feed your disgusting habits. Unless you want to make it my problem, but Bludgeon doesn't like me feeding off Decepticons, especially team mates." A wicked little smile graced his faceplate as he stared at Skullgrin. "Oh I could certainly be very hungry again if I wanted..."

Garrus-9 - The Chamber

Skullgrin stood up straight and turned to Bomb-burst. He stepped in front of his fellow Pretender, inches from his face.

"Are you overloaded on something?" he asked, his tone dead serious. "I mean it. Talking about otherworldly...whatever it is you want to keep out of here?"

Skullgrin looked at the symbols Bomb-burst had been carving.

"And what in Unicron's bowels do those mean?" he asked with a slight mocking grin. "Are you trying to ward off spooky spirits or something?"

He put a finger to Bomb-burst's temple.

"Are you going nine miles from nowhere on me, Vampire?" he asked with a grin that was now fully spread. "Again?"

Skullgrin shook his head and the smile disappeared. He lowered his hand from Bomb-burst's head.

"Don't flip out on me now." he said, serious again. "We need to get our business handled."

Skullgrin took a step back, and turned toward the door. He looked in the chamber, then back at Bomb-burst.

"Oh, and one more thing." he said, pointing with his right index finger while raising his left hand and balling it into a fist. "If you ever get...how did you say, hungry, and you're stupid enough to think I might make a delicious feast, I have plenty of nickel-plated knuckle sandwiches you can snack on!"

He took another look at Bomb-burst's symbols.

"Now you're welcome to get back to your finger painting. I'll just hang around until Bludgeon does something. Anything."

With that, he stepped back to where he started and put his back against the wall, his arms folded across his chest.

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

Bomb Burst raised his head a little further up as Skullgrin came face to face with him. He showed no fear because he felt none.

Resisting the urge to tear apart Skullgrin as he mocked the Vampire's beliefs, he barely allowed Skullgrin's finger to be pressed against his head. "What do you mean, 'again'?" He growled.

He waited for Skullgrin to finish before he spoke again .
"Are you finished? Good." He growled not waiting for an answer. "This is nothing new about me. I just usually keep it to myself. My abilities to maintain a level head should never be called in question. At least I can control myself... more than you can..." His optics followed Skullgrin's path back to the wall.

He started laughing. Which really did sound kind of foreign and evil when he did it. Not that anyone who knew him was frightened of that laugh, it was like a wolf with him, always worry when he's quiet. "Skullgrin, you would make a very tasty meal." The Predator said as he tapered off his laughter. "Very, but I sincerely doubt you would see me coming until it was far too late." He took a few measured steps towards Skullgrin, but kept his distance all in all. His voice slipped back to a low growl. "You see, it works so much better when the victim doesn't know he's prey until he already is. There is always a hunger, but the thing that keeps you alive is Bludgeon told me you were not to be fed upon." He paused a moment. "No Decepticons, no team mates. I make no distinction, fortunately. .. for you... Bludgeon does."

Another brief pause. "Oh don't think that doesn’t mean I don’t respect your abilities. I do." The Predator continued. "I certainly would want to be prepared before facing you head to head... but I believe you underestimate me..."

"You've ruined my good mood, Skully...."

Skullgrin regarded Bomb-burst with a condescending look.

"Yeah." he said gruffly and oozing with sarcasm. "I need Bludgeon to protect me from you."

He stood up straight once again, but didn't move from the wall.

"I have no doubt about or problem with your abilities." he said. "It's your attitude I don't care for. This notion that you think you are a superior hunter and fighter to the rest of us, especially me. That I have a problem with. So maybe, just maybe, when we get some free time, we'll just have to find out who the better bot is. But until then..."

Skullgrin looked at the chamber door.

"Then again...I doubt he'll be getting up anytime soon."

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

"Yeah." Skullgrin said gruffly and oozing with sarcasm. "I need Bludgeon to protect me from you."

"Oh you have no idea...." Bomb Burst growled softly.

But he interrupted no further as his team mate aired his disgruntled opinions.

"I don't think I'm a better hunter, I know it." He said once Skullgrin had concluded. "As for fighter... I won't claim to be better... Though I'm all for proving it. Just let me know when."
He locked his optics on to his team mate. "I was built to hunt, designed to." He growled. "By my very nature , I am the apex predator and you are all food. I will concede that you certainly are skilled, but I have an edge over you... it's survival for me... a job for you... if I wasn't the best I'd have been dead a long time ago."

He finally followed Skullgrin's gaze into the Aequitas Chamber and lost himself in thought a moment. "Now..." He said in a more analytical tone. "If we're talking straight up tracking, then, yes, by far you are better at tracking than I am. Though I would guess my hearing is better than yours, hunting in a city is a whole different beast I have a lot to hear through in my prefered hunting grounds. But I am all around faster and quieter by far than you.You will never see me until it too late."

He looked at Skullgrin out of the corner of his optic. Mentally listing both of their strengths and weaknesses, coming to the conclusion that what he lacked, Skullgrin excelled in and vise versa. "Though of we worked together, frag it all we'd be unstoppable."

An evil grin did slip on his face. He gave Skullgrin a 'come on' motion with his hand. "But I'm always ready to test who is the better fighter, bring it on... when you feel 'up to it.' "

Skullgrin stared at the wall as he listened to Bomb-burst's prattling. What a blowhard. Skullgrin thought to himself.

He finally faced the Vampire again.

"You think you can take me?" he asked with a please-say-yes-so-I-can-smack-the-sh*t-out-of-you smirk. "Here? Now?"

Skullgrin was well aware of Bomb-burst's skills. He was good at sneak attacks and knew some rare and serious hand-to-hand combat moves. His freaky way of thinking and disturbing "spirituality" added to the mix make for volatile combination. But Skullgrin had 2 things going for him: he was physically stronger than the Vampire so if it came to actual push and shove, he would almost certainly win, unless he made a stupid move, and he thrived on the element of inherent danger. The danger of the battle's outcome being uncertain, which made him fight that much more harder, more intensely, and most importantly, smarter. He knew Bomb-burst was right about 1 thing: they did complement each other well, Skullgrin's weaknesses being the Vampire's strengths. This Skullgrin would have to watch out for.

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

"You think you can take me?" he asked with a please-say-yes-so-I-can-smack-the-sh*t-out-of-you smirk. "Here? Now?"

Bomb Burst simply looked, almost to the point of staring, at Skullgrin. A touch of 'you really do underestimate me...' in his expression.

"If here and now is what you desire." He said his voice devoid of any hint to his state of mind. "I've nothing else to do but wait right now, and you obviously are in a fighting mood."

His visor slid down over his eyes, though his words may not have given a definite answer, he was preparing for an attack, just not making the first move.

Movement caught the corner of his eye as Cyclonus, Bludgeon, and company had been moving to the command center, at least he assumed from Skorponok's orders before the giant Decepticon’s departure.

"Better make it quick if it's what you intend to do..." He nodded in the direction of their leaders.

On Bomb-burst's taunt, Skullgrin squared his shoulders, raised both arms, the right in a fist preparing to swing, the left with an open palm ready to deflect a shot, and snarled at Bomb-burst, optics glowing bright red. He took a step toward his fellow Pretender, his right arm cocked with his fist up by his head. Just as he started swinging forward with his right arm, instead of smashing his fist right through Bomb-burst's faceplate, he brought his left hand in front of him as well, and slammed his fist into it. The snarl quickly vanished from his face, replaced by a jovial, if not downright goofy grin.

"For Primus's sake!" he said, shaking his head a little. "You're so easy! You need to lighten up a bit and not take this spiritual stuff so seriously."

Skullgrin then took the step back, and locked optics with Bomb-burst, the smile fading just a little.

"This total obsession you have with spirits and the dead and whatever else will be the death of you one day."

He then looked past his fellow Pretender to see the others.

"But I guess today is not that day."

Skullgrin then stepped into the chamber through the doorway, but leaned back out so that only the top of his head and his optics were visible.

"Soon." he said, and his head disappeared.

Was he serious, or was he still teasing Bomb-burst? His face wasn't visible, so only he knows.

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

Bomb Burst readied himself for a last minute dodge of Skullgrin's punch, but the opportunity never presented itself. The Vampire simply stared with a slightly confused look on his face as Skullgrin slammed his fist into his own hand, then proceeded to grin at him.

"For Primus's sake!" he said, shaking his head a little. "You're so easy! You need to lighten up a bit and not take this spiritual stuff so seriously."

"Lighten up...." He muttered softly at Skullgrin's words, still looking confused.


"This total obsession you have with spirits and the dead and whatever else will be the death of you one day."

"But I guess today is not that day."


'Obession? Lighten up?' He thought to himself completely lost.

Though his team mate's enigmatic departure caused a frown to the Predator's faceplate. A whole series of confusion. Was he losing his uncanny ability to bring everyone to the brink of unbridled rage? It certainly looked that way. He watched with obscured optics as Skullgrin popped just half his head back in to deliver his ominous warning of 'soon'.

"You don’t think you can ruin my good mood and then do this?" He muttered irritated. "Without suffering fallout..." He finished much more softly then sighed.

Garrus 9 – Southern Wing – Locker of Confiscated Gear

"Well aware of our little problem there, old friend." Octopunch replied with a brush of his hand as he continued down the elongated corridor. "I've got a plan for that too, but we gotta get some firepower on our side first."

“Oh, well. As long as you're aware, oh tentacled one,” Stranglehold said with mock reverence as he glanced around with an expression of extreme boredom plastered on his faceplate. He didn't even bother to feign interest as Octopunch yammered on about some story or other that the orange-plated enforcer had undoubtedly heard at least one hundred times. Being in prison didn't exactly leave you much to do but chatter on for hours about the same things. And anytime anything new happened, it was old news within a breem.

This particular story about Snarler he had actually been present for. So the boredom doubled. Strangehold scowled when Octopunch told him to hush. He hadn't exactly been speaking. Walking maybe. Looking for someone to gore. You know. Simple things. Stranglehold did perk up when Octopunch mentioned footsteps from beyond the door he was listening to.

Stranglehold grinned wickedly and rolled his head around on his shoulders, loosening up stiffened servos with soft popping sounds. "I'll pry the door, with one of my spears, you rush in and do your thing. And be sure to leave me some Autobots this time."

“Sure, sure, leave you some Autobots,” Stranglehold said as he waved dismissively at Octopunch, every circuit in his being coming alive like liquid fire. Octopunch opened the door, and Stranglehold was inside. Almost instantaneously a spurt of energon splashed out of the door.

“Aaaaall of yoooou! Cower before...Haaaaa...ah, slag,” Stranglehold grumbled as he found himself looking at the crushed head of what most certainly used to be a sweep. Other sweeps in the room fired on him almost immediately, but their weapons barely even registered through Stranglehold's thick armor plating. He sighed and dropped his makeshift mace, raising his hands up and pointing to the Decepticon sigil on his armor.

“Friendly,” Stranglehold said both to the sweeps and to Octopunch. Once the sweeps lowered their weapons slightly, he glanced down to consider the still twitching sweep. “Oh, I'm sorry. I think that'll be fine.” The sweep only twitched in reply. “Yeah. Just fine.”

Outside the Aequitas Chamber

Bomb Burst didn't even have a moment more to mull over Skullgrin's warning before there was buzzing in his ear over the comm for his command. He sighed again. About three different assassins were 'yelling' something at him. >>"What and what now?"<< He growled irritated into his comm but continued looking at Skullgrin. His underlings were all trying desperately hard to be the first to get him information on what they heard/were seeing, as they were all terrified at being the one not to report something. Slagging scouts were all fighting each other to be the first to tell him half complete information. They'd been warned about that. >>"Information, now."<< He gruffly ordered.

Once they settled down, The Predator started piecing together what the scouts were trying to tell him. Several of them had been tracking down loud pounding and crashing around the Steelhaven wreckage, all of them converging onto culprits near the weapons locker. Which somehow some Sweeps were hiding in there? That didn't seem right. Sweeps hiding in fear? Sweeps lacked emotion, lacked fear. They were even colder than he and Skullgrin were.

>>"Insignias....?"<< He growled even more irritated. A pair of Decepticons were reported as the culprits.

>>"And then the most important question would be... why should I give a slag about the Sweeps? They're Scourge's problem. Or care about some slagging random Cons?"<< He was silent while an answer came. His actuators went to the bridge of his nose, pushing his visor back out of sight, and even more irritation crept onto his face. >>"Right."<< He said. >>"Octopunch and Stranglehold... I should have known, now my problem. Wait...."

He paused as an idea popped in his processor. Then alternate idea as well. Some brave spark of an assassin asked if they should kill the pair of noisy Decepticons, having picked up on his leader's irritation of the two. The Predator remained silent as a myriad of 'Sir?' came through his comm, followed by 'Should we kill them?'.

>>"I'm considering it...."<< The Predator finally said. That had been the first idea he had. >>"No... no. I think there's a way to make better use of them. Their inhibitor claws still on?" The answer came back affirmative. >>"Not surprised. They would have contacted Bludgeon right away if they had been free of those. Make contact with them."<<

He started chewing on his lower lip, thinking over this turn of event. Surely Octopunch and Stranglehold had intentions of rendezvousing with Bludgeon. And the weapons locker was a very good place for them to be.

Skullgrin walked back out into the hallway.

"Were you saying something?" he asked Bomb-burst, not a trace of humor in his voice.

Skullgrin was getting tired of the prattling and the waiting around. He wanted to go, make himself useful.

"As far as our little exchange earlier, we can settle it whenever we get time." he said to Bomb-burst. "Now we have get this business with Bludgeon straightened out. Have you heard from the others? I understand that Stranglehold and Octopunch aren't exactly cerebral champions, but it's still better to have them around than not. If for nothing else other than cannon fodder."

Outside the Aequitas Chamber
Bomb Burst sighed as Skullgrin began asking questions. But the sigh wasn't because of Skullgin. It was the circumstances. "The unit I command has visual on Octopunch and Stanglehold." He said. "The two have no communications at the moment it seems. They're at the prisoner weapons locker. I assume to get their weapons, they're smart enough to get those."

>>"Only need a couple of you, don't wait for back up."<< He told the assassins, then directed his comments to Skullgrin again. "My thoughts at the moment are to have the two retrieve Bludgeon and Snarler's weapons and then be escorted up to us. I don't trust them not to get distracted and wander off with our commander's weapons. Snarler wouldn't be too happy with it either. They were apparently shooting at Sweeps.. or at least one of them was, which it seems the Sweeps were uncharacteristically hiding in the locker." Again the Hunter sighed. "It seems nothing is as it should be anymore... "

Skullgrin pondered Bomb-burst's answers for a moment.

"Let me ask you something." he said, keeping his voice low. "Whom in our special unit do you consider trustworthy?"

Outside the Aequitas Chamber


Bomb Burst looked at Skullgrin a little surprised. "Trust is not generally a word in my vocabulary." He stated. "Trust takes one down a dangerous path. That being said, Iguanus is the one comes closest, why?"

Garrus-9--Approaching the Command Center

Slowly, the Autobots' prison was beginning to look more and more like a Decepticon installation and not the battle-battered warzone it was not long ago. Seekers, a few stray Sweeps that Scourge was clearly punishing and other grunts were still in the early goings of cleaning away the mess that had been made. Though cleaning was a generous term. Scavenging was more apropos. They needed to ensure no resource that might be valuable in the campaign to come would be wasted. it had long been one of Cyclonus' modus operandi. Why deplete their own stockpiles when they could so readily claim resources from the ashes of another Decepticon victory?

Closing in on the destroyed region of the central prison that had been hardest hit during the early fighting for control of Garrus, Cyclonus paid no immediate attention to the snarkings of Bludgeon towards Cipher. The Vice Commander was pleased that Scorponok had assigned both of them to his immediate service. The cryptologist, in particular, could be beyond useful in discovering what exactly had caused the interference during their titanic battle with the Omega Guardian.

"Determine if any of the communication relays or other monitoring systems were spared during the conflict. However unlikely, this was the epicenter of much of the fighting. If not here...then....the medical bay may hold our answers. It would be the only other area in the prison we did not intentionally strike that the Autobots would desire to keep continuously powered."
___

Mindwipe had flown for what seemed like forever. The very idea of getting anywhere near the blast radius of Omega Supreme's awesome weaponry-well-it just gave him the surges like nothing he had ever felt before. Standing in front of the Terrorcons...being consumed...he was terrified by the idea. But to stand completely functional and then be obliterated into absolutely nothing in the next astrosecond....bleh. He couldn't explain it. It would probably be almost a painless way to go, and yet the idea of it made him practically freeze in panic.

But that was gone now. The Guardian was gone. And...they'd won! By Primus, they'd won. The prison was theirs. Now he just needed to reconvene with Lord Scorponok and...

...wait. Footsteps?

Mindwipe sidled up alongside the nearest wall. Yes. Definitely footsteps. And they were coming closer. It couldn't be Autobots. No, he would feel a different mental aura. It had to be...

Cyclonus and some other Decepticons passed by the corridor. He saw the horned warrior give a glance in his direction as he walked past but paid him no other regard. But right behind him was...Cipher! Yes! Primus be praised, he had come out of the whole ordeal functional also. Mindwipe could not help but chuckle happily as he slid away from the wall and moved to catch up with the other Decepticons, Cipher in particular.

"You look well," the Decepticon hypnotist said with a grin on his face.

Garrus-9 Central--Amphitheater

He could tell that the gladiator was weighing the validity and sincerity of his words. Jhiaxus would have it no other way, apart from blind obedience. Since that was not a realistic goal, however, the gladiator's trust that he was serving their greater ends would suffice.

“Great progress has never been reached without the great minds and artists keeping their benefactors content."

Jhiaxus' green optics narrowed almost imperceptibly. The words were spoken by this gladiator, borne of the harsh trenches of the Cybertronian underground no doubt and forced to fight furiously for every scrap of validation he had ever received, but the words he had spoken could have just as easily come from the mouth of Nova Prime himself. How similar their sentiments, at least in this one instance. The great scientist took notice. To do otherwise would be folly most severe.

"I bring far more than contentment. With my guiding hand, I will deliver unto you an army capable of transforming our entire species and our way of life. The endless cycles of war will end. Transformation from this...from what your collective war has wrought? Tell me that you will not be contented. I know otherwise, or you would not have set me to this task."

“And these Technobots? Putting aside the obvious camaraderie suggested by the mere name of their team, what have you found? What makes them special? What separates them from the others?"

Jhiaxus' sneer spread.

"So much lies within. So much that is untapped," Jhiaxus hissed, taking a couple of small steps towards an adjoining computer bank and bringing up a new set of holoscreens. He pulled one of the screens closer and then enlarged it, showing the multi-scan blueprint of Afterburner's prone body, both inside and out.

"This unit displays the same characteristic tendencies that I first discovered in Slog, long ago. Evolution, gladiator, does not occur all at once. You know this. The planet has forged the foundations of gestaltism. Perhaps from our earliest days. The most natural of selections. Cybertron itself embedded the Monstructor Six with these characteristics, just as with these 'Technobots'. I believe there are more, many more, and once they are all unlocked the true nature of our collective destinies will reveal itself. 'Til all are one. Heh. Heheh. It is so clear. So perfectly clear."
___

Icepick writhed atop the slab he had been placed upon, lapsing in and out of consciousness as Jhiaxus' machinery carved through his innermost workings. Occasionally a cry of pain or torment would escape from his vocalizer, but he did his best to hold it in. He was not suffering the tortuous prodding that Slog had undergone. This was more measured, controlled, and carried out by machines under Jhiaxus' programming rather than by the hand of Jhiaxus himself. He had a feeling that was better, if only by degrees.

Outside The Aequitas Chamber


And suddenly, a flurry of activity as Cyclonus and his entourage exited the room in the manner best fit to those Cybertronians present. Commanding. The Decepticons were on the move.

Bomb Burst watched with uninterested optics as they passed by, though bowing his head respectfully as Bludgeon passed. His gaze then drifted to Skullgrin. "Well... there we go." He muttered to his team mate who was impatient for action... about as impatient as the Predator was himself. But rather than falling in line he waited until they had well passed. He was about to start into motion when he caught Midwipe's appearance and Cyclonus' entourage grew by one. He remained where he was.

Well known fact: the Vampire was not fond of being around others. Knowing there was a huge possibility that Octopunch and Stranglehold would be joining them, the already amassed group and Skullgrin, Iguanus likely to show up soon, now Mindwipe's appearence, the group was getting back to the overcrowded level that he had escaped from in the Aequitas Chamber.

Speaking of Iguanus, where was that lizard loving fool? >>"Iguanus...."<<< He said opening a private channel to his last wayward team mate. >>"If you could tear yourself away from whatever refelective surface you're narcissisticly staring at yourself in, we are proceeding to the command center."<<<

And as if some cosmic entity had taken upon itself to play a cruel joke on him, the assassins started buzzing again. They had 'elected', in that manner that less than honorable beings that usually took up this profession did, someone to make contact with Octopunch and Stranglehold. They also decided they wanted their commanding officer to know this. Though the Predator only mentally grumbled on this one. He'd have probably gotten angry if they hadn't told him.

>>"Proceed."<< He simply said to his unit.

He then went to silent communications with Skullgrin, not wanting anyone but his team mate to hear him. >>"Talk to me privately."<< He ordered. He had an irritating habit of ordering everyone around, even if it wasn't meant to sound as one, it usually did. Those familiar with him either tolerated the habit... or hated him for it.



Prisoner Weapon's Locker

The poor spark elected to make contact with the pair of ex prisoners decided that the two looked awfully jumpy, so warning them before showing himself would be the wisest course of action. He put away his weapons... at least the most visible ones, after all, no better way to get yourself attacked than to look like you're about to attack.

"Decepticons... Octopunch, Stranglehold..." He called out in as neutral of a tone as possible then made his way out of the shadows so he, and his Decepticon sygil, could be seen. "I'm here to make contact with you on behalf of my commander, Bomb Burst."
>>"Contact made, sir. Now what? "<< He silently transmitted to the Predator.

Garrus-9 – Amphitheater

"I bring far more than contentment. With my guiding hand, I will deliver unto you an army capable of transforming our entire species and our way of life. The endless cycles of war will end. Transformation from this...from what your collective war has wrought? Tell me that you will not be contented. I know otherwise, or you would not have set me to this task."

“That remains to be seen.” Scorponok stated stoically, clearly having not bought on Jhiaxus' sales speech. The history of their species was a history of war. Jhiaxus' own era had been no different. In fact, it had been born of a civil war of such an enormous magnitude that Cybertron had still been recovering from the damage the war had wrought when Megatron took up arms and led his supporters into open rebellion against the Senate and the Functionalist Council. And while Scorponok sincerely hoped that Megatron's cause would bring them a lasting peace and a society without oppression - he had little faith in Jhiaxus' hyperbole leading to anything truly constructive. The scientist was undoubtedly brilliant and could very well provide the Decepticons means to end the war against the Autobots. But the war would not end there.

"So much lies within. So much that is untapped. This unit displays the same characteristic tendencies that I first discovered in Slog, long ago. Evolution, gladiator, does not occur all at once. You know this. The planet has forged the foundations of gestaltism. Perhaps from our earliest days. The most natural of selections. Cybertron itself embedded the Monstructor Six with these characteristics, just as with these 'Technobots'. I believe there are more, many more, and once they are all unlocked the true nature of our collective destinies will reveal itself. 'Til all are one. Heh. Heheh. It is so clear. So perfectly clear."

Jhiaxus had lost it. He was insane, Scorponok had little doubt about that. The idea of unity through form was madness. There would be no peace in the galaxy until it had fallen under the protection of the new Cybertronian Empire. The cycle though? It would not end until the universe was no more. Jhiaxus was blind to not see this and it was becoming more and more evident that the inventor's mind had become unhinged long before they had found him.

Ignoring that, Jhiaxus was clearly unto something. The data he had presented to Scorponok was promising. This lone Technobot clearly did share certain characteristics with the Monstructor Six.

“So what you are saying that your initial scan of Technobots was enough to identify these... embedded character traits? And this closer examination validated your initial assumption? If so, I will have the rest of the Technobots delivered here with haste,” Scorponok spoke up, his optics never leaving the holoscreens before him. He had to learn it all. He would exploit Jhiaxus until the scientist became a liability. And a liability he would inevitably become sooner or later.

It was time to deal with two dynametal ducks in one fell swoop. It was time to relieve Hun-Gurrr from his guard duty and have the Rig secured for future use now that the DSS had finally presented him the list of spark extracted prisoners held within. Many familiar and eventually very useful names. But they could wait for a better time. He couldn't divert his attention to them yet.

“The Technobots aside, have you found others who carry these markers?” Scorponok continued, “I see you have brought one of my Seacons here.”

Garrus-9 – The Rig

>>”Hun-Grrr. You and your team are relieved of your guard duty. I have sent word to my specialists to secure the Rig. Take your men and go into the mines. I want the Technobots brought to me. Alive.”<<

Finally. It had taken far too long. Not that he really could complain. The duty Scorponok had assigned to the leader of the Terrorcons had forced him to stay put in the Rig, guarding some pathetic bodyless prisoners so no one else got to exploit the potential they held. Uneventful and tiresome task for certain were it not for the Autobots whom had occupaid the Last Resort. It had provided him both a grand feast and a chance cause mindless destruction on a major scale.

>>”Acknowledged Commanderrr.”<<

But this? This was even better. Escorting prisoners itself was a task normally beneath him. He wouldn't bother with such duty unless the command had been given by Scorponok himself. Or Megatron for that matter. But here today, he had been assigned to escort a particular bunch of Autobots to Scorponok. And for experimentation no doubt.

A particular bunch of Autobots he hated. Whose misery he reveled on. A bunch of Autobots whom had caused him far too much trouble despite of having never been able to match him or his Terrorcons physically.

Oh, he would enjoy this.

“Come my Terrorrrrcons,” The two-headed razorbeast growled out an order while its other head was still busy munching on the remains of a legislator, “We will go to the mines. We will find the Technobots. And we will take them to High Commanderrr Scorponok while making theirrr lives a living hell.”

“This. This is a good day.”

Garrus-9 -- The Rig

Rippersnapper landed on top of the damaged elevator car at the bottom of the shaft before jumping down to the ground below. The one dead legislator the former actor had procured for Hun-grrr was lying there inert, no more than a pile of wreckage now. Still, he hoped it would help satisfy the Terrorcon Commander’s appetite regardless of the amount of golden drones Blot had already delivered.

Suck up, Rippersnapper thought to himself as he grabbed a hold of the legislator’s leg and drug it out of the elevator shaft, making his way towards the Rig. As he moved down the corridor, the terrorist quickly caught sight of Blot and his big pile of food for their master. Of course, the two-headed razorbeast was there, as well, still guarding the disembodied sparks that lay within the Rig, itself. Hun-grrr didn’t look very happy with the assignment, but his demeanor changed abruptly as the former actor approached and offered up yet another drone for his mighty feast.

“I bring you another helping of legislator goodness, Commander Hun-grrr,” Rippersnapper said before glancing over at Blot and his large mound of legislators. The terrorist smirked slightly and leaned in closer to the dimwitted Terrorcon. “So, I see the master hasn’t eaten much of your offerings, Blot. Just the one so far?” The shark-former inquired in a whispered tone to his brown-nosing teammate. “Was there something wrong with what you brought him? Perhaps they were too stale, hmmm?”

The terrorist let out a low snicker before returning his full attention to Hun-grrr as the two-headed razorbeast handed out new orders to his unit. The reason for the Terrorcon Commander’s change in demeanor had now become apparent. It was not because of the shark-former's additional offering of food. No. They were to head for the mines beneath the prison and find their rivals, the Technobots, and escort them to Lord Scorponok for whatever nefarious purposes the High Commander had planned for them. Naturally, the Terrorcons would make the lives of Scattershot's team a virtual hell in the process. The very thought brought a wide smile to Rippersnapper’s faceplate.

“As you command, my liege,” the former actor bowed his cranium before turning around and heading back towards the elevator shaft. Ripper walked to one side of the corridor, fully expecting Hun-grrr to move past him and take the lead as they made their way out of the Rig and eventually down into the mines where their quarry would be waiting.

A good day, indeed.

Garrus-9--Mines

Goldrush had attended dutifully to listening to Snaptrap's every word and committing it to memory. This was certainly no Decepticon to either trifle with or to misunderstand, however unintentionally. He did not suspect Snaptrap's mood or his blade would be swayed by Goldrush's intent. More important than the Seacon's spoken words, however, were those that he had chosen to transmit silently via communique. Goldrush bristled with excitement.

>>”Disregard these spoken orders. You are to spy on the sentient Insecticons under the guise of overseeing the prisoners. Inform me of anything interesting that you discover."<<

So soon back within the Decepticon ranks and he was being tasked with objectives worthy of his station. Most excellent indeed. With Snaptrap's dismissal, Goldrush had offered the brutish Seacon nothing more than a bow of understanding and respect. Nothing more need be communicated at this stage.

The Insecticons, eh? Filth, the lot of them. But if they would prove to be a suitable stepping stone to his securing a place of real power within the new empire, he report on each and every one of the nasty evolutionary throwbacks.

Smirking beneath his faceplate, Goldrush wound his way into the groupings of miners and kept an optic open for the core Insecticons. There were a few of them, though telling them apart from their drones could prove to be something of a challenge.

No matter. He'd faced worse.