The Energon Pub

Garrus 9 Central – Corridors

"Scout. Yeah. Scouting's probably a good idea," Stormwrecker agreed. "That Autobot back there didn't seem very....I dunno.....'Autobot-y'. I thought they all liked to charge headfirst into danger, sacrificing themselves fer others and all that, heh. Guess not."

“Well, we’re Decepticons,” Umbra muttered, “Does it seem like he’d help us willing…ly…” Umbra trailed off as something struck her.

As she thought about their plan of attack, Stormwrecker took a look for himself. Kind of seemed like he was having doubts of his own. Okay, new plan. Umbra pulled back more than a few steps. “So. Even if my connection with one of them works out, there’s still the other one. I’d be way more comfortable if we had more numbers. So…what if we went back to the medical bay and forced that Autobot and those Cons to help us? Dragging them…at gunpoint if we have to I guess.”

Umbra thought about it. “Can we threaten them with something? Oh, what about if we say we’ll tell Lord Scorponok about their laziness? Or maybe throw in something about the DJD…?”

Garrus 9 – Central – Med Bay

It was not a long trek back to the medical bay. When she got there, she had her weapon out and walked into the med bay. She pointed it at Skyhammer first. “You. You’re coming with us whether you like it or not. I’ll drag you myself if I have to but you’re coming.”

She turned her weapon on Slugslinger, Triggerhappy, and Skymauler. “As for you three. What the frag?! Get your afts out here. What would Lord Scorponok have to say if he saw you lazing about while the Decepticons were in jeopardy? To know that you just sat around and let that scientist get away with it?! Really?! No. You’re coming. No deals anymore. You’ll come.”

Umbra looked to Stormwrecker who had followed her back for some back-up in this matter. She wasn’t one to back down from her threats but she didn’t have the most intimidating presence in the world. Perhaps Stormwrecker could make up for that.

Garrus-9 Central - Med Bay:

"I think this situation is fragged. What do you think? You've seen more crazy slag than I have," said Skymauler.

"Yes, my thoughts exactly," said Slugslinger, "In fact, I believe if they are not morons, that they'll be coming back soon out of fright or something of the such-"

Then the Ahab and Jezebel showed up once again as predicted. Of course, like Umbra is assumed to act, when she's in a panic or dire situation, she seems to get... edgy.

“As for you three. What the frag?! Get your afts out here. What would Lord Scorponok have to say if he saw you lazing about while the Decepticons were in jeopardy? To know that you just sat around and let that scientist get away with it?! Really?! No. You’re coming. No deals anymore. You’ll come.”

"Exactly. What she said,"

Slugslinger smirked. Ha. What "she said". I love it.

Three, two, one. As soon as the weapon in Umbra's hand turned towards Triggerhappy, the psycho maniac's eyes widened with rage. In a flash Triggerhappy's gun was in his and, trigger pulled, in Umbra's direction. Just like that. No words. Just a flash of light, and Slugslinger's panicked belated attempt to stop him. Slugslinger tackled him, and fought with the crazy as Triggerhappy started to yell random indiscernible words with the occasional "I KILLYOU!" mixed therein.

"TRIGG! It's okay! You're fine! Don't shoot! Stop! Please!" Slugslinger was desperately trying to get through to Triggerhappy. The maniac's mind just seemed to... fully snap. As if someone he thought might's been his "friend" had just attempted to kill him. Every facial expression of hate, insanity, and anguish were appearing on his face.

Slugslinger then shouted over in the direction that Triggerhappy fired not knowing what sort of carnage had been caused, "DON'T YOU KNOW??? YOU DON'T POINT A WEAPON AT TRIGGERHAPPY! NO-ONE DOES!"

Slugslinger had no other choice than to pull out a tranquilizer and sedate Triggerhappy with it. Finally the shouting subsided.

"I- I'm so sorry he..." Slugslinger was now speechless.

Bittersweet peace at last. Though it might not be long. Hopefully the shouting didn't cause some... challenges in the area of attempting to go unnoticed by certain foes. The more serious question however was if anyone had gotten injured. Slugslinger turned to look-

Garrus-9 Central--Med Bay:

"Guess what, sunshines? You either get our weapons pointed at you...or it'll be Lord Scorponok's later. Yer of a diminished but still usable use to us. Now get up and move."

"Triggerhappy is unstable. He cannot go into combat. Especially since he is currently not conscious!" said Slugslinger simply.

Slugslinger then stood up and looked down at Triggerhappy's mangled body. Why do I do this to myself? Why? Sometimes I wonder if Autobots would be better help than Decepticons.

"Well?! We can't just leave him a mess on the floor to suddenly wake up later and start rampag..." Slugslinger stopped. Even as a Decepticon, he knew that Decepticons would kill Triggerhappy if they saw him a burden or useless.

"No, you know what? I'm not leaving him here. I'm going to try and wake him back up, and if he shoots me in the face then so be it. He's the only one I really care about here, so I'm not going to risk you idiots killing him for getting in the way. We were just bystanders! Nothing more!"

Slugslinger desperately started to shake Triggerhappy in attempts to wake him up.

"Come on, Triggs! Wake up!"

The situation was getting to Slugslinger. Energon tears started to show on his face. At this point he was becoming depressed. "Why do I even stick around? Why do I do this? Why?"

Slugslinger then stood up and threw the tranquilizer syringe across the room at the wall facing away from everyone else. He knew he was being threatened. At this point threats didn't matter to him anymore. However, Triggerhappy still did, and he was going to die at the hands of the others if Slugslinger didn't comply. He then pulled out his gun and proceeded towards the exit of the Medical Bay without saying a word. At this point dying a quick and painless death at the hands of these monsters sounded good. And at this point the faction didn't even matter anymore to Slugslinger. He just wanted it to stop.

Med Bay

“You. You’re coming with us whether you like it or not. I’ll drag you myself if I have to but you’re coming.”

This fembot was crazy. After all he had said to her, she was not giving up on him. Sigh. Pointblank had said she was one of them. Them being what was left of the Autobot resistance in Garrus-9 but this whole setup was ridiculous. So. She was undercover. An Autobot playing a Decepticon. Why would she endanger her cover by waking up an Autobot prisoner and insisting making him to help a bunch of ’cons against a threat that was more or less a Decepticon problem. Frag, having those combiners cause trouble to ’cons was exactly what the Autobot resistance needed. What exactly she was hoping to gain by helping the damn ’cons? Or by conscripting these two idiots? And why was the big ’con following her around like a puppycon? None of this made any sense to Skyhammer.

"'I'll think about it'....yeah? You're done thinking. Megatron doesn't pay you slagheaps t'think. You get your afts in gear and help us make this work or you're dead mechs. If Scorponok somehow makes it out of this alive and hears about you standing around when you had a chance to save him? Dead. Dead dead dead. Now move. This way...you have a chance to be saviors of the Second Fleet."

Eh, at least the puppycon was making a point. Though that point became moot quickly as Triggerhappy acted true to his name and opened fire towards Umbra. The next nanokliks had the puppycon to move protect the fembot and Slugslinger tackling down his unstable accomplice. And apparently found a way to suffer a mental breakdown of his own before walking out of the med bay with gun in his hands.

”I’ll give it to you. You two are persistent.” Skyhammer finally sneered. ”Care to give me a gun or am I to be thrown to the wolves as distraction?”

Garrus 9 - Corridor Network

A solemn expression fell over Deadlock's visage as Apeface displayed the results of Jhiaxus' attack on the amphitheater. His crimson optics shifted over to the hopeless Autobot currently under Snapdragon's clawed foot, the helpless mech continued to plea for its life while the Horrorcon sunk its claws into his chassis. This situation, this entire ordeal...

The doctor's words only echoed mindlessly in the back of the black and white Decepticon's processor as he continued to watch the events in the amphitheater transpire.

"“Now, Snapdragon, how could you? I’m putting you down for several cycles worth of sessions. They could have converted to the cause! But did you give him that chance?”

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." The reptilian Horrorcon replied with a chuckle, "Besides, he ain't dead. Not yet that is, heh. Actually doc', this one is gonna join our cause. He's gonna convert into a nice pool for me to splash about in." Snapdragon slowly lifted the weight of his foot off the dying Autobot's chest, examining the energon leaking out all around the chassis. "Mmm, perhaps pool was too optimistic. He's looking like I'll only get a puddle's worth out. Guess I'll just have to make do. Heheh."

“We must go to them at once! I apologize Deadlock, but it seems that your appointment must wait a little longer. Please bear with me.”

"It's fine Synapse." The warrior responded with little haste before shifting to a more matter-of-factly tone, "You're right, they need help. Let's go."

Garrus 9 - Mines

"They're moving!" Brainstorm announced to the gathered Autobots, "Looks like any chance to bargain is off the table now."

"Ha! Told ya!" Whirl quickly chimed in, raising his stolen seeker laser high in a celebratory manner.

"But they're going off to stop this thing. All of them. Skyhammer, the Decepticons, Umbra..."

"Wait, did she sell us out?!"

"Haven't you been listening to their conversation?!" The teal and white engineer prodded back, shaking his head of the strange sensation his neural link was giving him. "Look, we either sit down here and rust away, or we go up there and find our way off this rock. Like you said before, while half of Scorponok's forces are preoccupied, we utilize this time to make our escape."

"Bout time we started listening to my ideas for a change!" Whirl said as he pulled the action back on his seeker laser, the gentle hum it's energy pack charging up. "Alright you yellow-plated crankshafts, get behind the mechs who got a gun and try not to get shot out there because I don't do bits and pieces!"

"They're still in the central med bay, but it's looking like they're packing up shop. Start heading that way and I'll try working on getting these inhibitor claws off."

>>"Umbra; it's the Force of Nature again. Head's up, we're heading your way. Sit tight we'll be there soon."<<

Whirl then turned his view back towards the assembled Autobots, his lone optic taking notice of Pyro's visage standing tall above the rest of the team. "Hey wannabe! Now is as any a good time to shout off that famous 'Roll Out' catchphrase you worship so damn much!"

Without wasting another second, Whirl and Brainstorm started marching up the mine shaft towards the service elevator that once brought them all down here.

Garrus-9 Central – Medical Bay

Umbra could scarcely believe what had happened. The slaggin’ glitch had shot at them! Oh, she did not need this scrap. Umbra tensed as she saw the blast head their way, but Stormwrecker intercepted it. She shot him a grateful look. Slugslinger than devolved into a bout of melodrama that made Umbra feel a little self-conscious. What in the pit…?

Despite that, Slugslinger still seemed willing to go along with them, so that was all that really mattered in the end. It was then that Skyhammer spoke up. And he was surprisingly cooperative. Well. Cooperative compared to his earlier complete refusal.

”I’ll give it to you. You two are persistent.” Skyhammer finally sneered. ”Care to give me a gun or am I to be thrown to the wolves as distraction?”

“Ah…hrr…” Umbra stopped. She hadn’t really thought about that. She hadn’t really thought about more than just needing more bodies to raise their survival rate off the ground zero. Stormwrecker commented on her persistence. Was it really though? She was just trying to save her friend. Friends? She didn’t know.

“You don’t have to, Stormwrecker,” Umbra said in response to the idea of giving the Autobot his gun. Made sense. Storms was a Con in the end. She knew the Decepticon thing to do would be to just let Skyhammer be fodder. But she had a better idea in mind. She marched up to him and thrust her gun out at him.

“Here, you can have mine. I don’t need it to deal with Monstructor,” she said. She wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t need it. But, she didn’t want to use it. She wouldn’t use it. Not when Icepick was still part of that monster.

>>"Umbra; it's the Force of Nature again. Head's up, we're heading your way. Sit tight we'll be there soon."<<

The familiar voice of the one eyed maniac came over the comm unit that Skyhammer had quietly. She took it from him as she dropped the gun into his hands whether he had taken hold of it or not. >>”Can’t really wait, Whirl,”<< she hissed softly, pretending to threaten Skyhammer, >>”My friend’s in trouble. Either you’re here or you’re not. I’d rather have ya around…so I’ll try and stall as best I can.”<<

Moving away from Skyhammer, Umbra marched back over to Stormwrecker as they continued to follow Slugslinger out. “Remember! If I see that thing pointed at us, I’ll be sure to let you see just how I can handle myself,” she barked back at Skyhammer. Heaving a soft sigh, she looked to Stormwrecker.

“So hard to find good help these days, huh?”

Garrus-9 Central – Medical Bay:

“So hard to find good help these days, huh?”

"*sigh*, I say, but more for different reasons," said Slugslinger.

Then the teal thief glanced back at Umbra and noticed her gun was gone, "Uh, you have a weapon? I have plenty if you want one that kicks aft. Least I could do after my friend tried to shoot you."

Garrus-9 – Corridor Network

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." The reptilian Horrorcon replied with a chuckle, "Besides, he ain't dead. Not yet that is, heh. Actually doc', this one is gonna join our cause. He's gonna convert into a nice pool for me to splash about in." Snapdragon slowly lifted the weight of his foot off the dying Autobot's chest, examining the energon leaking out all around the chassis. "Mmm, perhaps pool was too optimistic. He's looking like I'll only get a puddle's worth out. Guess I'll just have to make do. Heheh."

Scowling in that way he did when he was particularly perturbed, Synapse crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot testily. He was quite upset with Snapdragon. Whenever he felt this upset, there was a tightness in his chest. Something that burned there as a reminder. Of who he was. Of who he had been.

“I shall add an orn’s worth on top of what I have already assigned,” Synapse almost growled.

It was Deadlock who broke through Synapse’s perturbation. The psychiatrist looked to his patient, his expression softening. He nodded, offering Deadlock an apologetic smile. “Yes, let’s be off, shall we?”

Synapse looked to Apeface, gesturing for him to proceed. “Do lead the way, Apeface. I’m afraid I haven’t the foggiest as to the layout of this facility.”

Med Bay

Skyhammer watched with mild amusement as Umbra and Stormwrecker came to realize what they were asking of him and what kind of decision it required from them to make. The big ’con was clearly willing to throw him to wolves. Skyhammer couldn’t blame him. Were the situation reversed, he would have been willing to do the same. Using an enemy as a distraction could easily prove to be a matter of life and death with the monsters they were about to face.

Umbra on the other hand had hesitated. Despite of her connection with the Autobot resistance, she genuinely seemed conflicted over where she stood in this situation. Allegiance seemed to matter to her less than the people she knew. The problem was that the war would enforce itself on her sooner or later and she would have to choose. And that choice would have consequences, perhaps even fatal ones.

“Here, you can have mine. I don’t need it to deal with Monstructor,”

This was the part that genuinely surprised Skyhammer. Not only had she endangered her cover story but she was giving an impression of being mentally unstable.

You don’t need it? Skyhammer’s facial expression asked with dumbfounded suspicion as he accepted Umbra’s offer, though he never said a word. The weapon didn’t look like much but he still felt much better with his hand wrapped around a handle of a gun. Besides, Umbra was acting like she was threatening him anyway despite of actually talking to Whirl of all possible people through the comm-unit still attached to Skyhammer. That meant trouble. Anything involving that psycho involved trouble. Whirl was as likely to get them all killed as the Decepticons occupying Garrus-9. Not that Skyhammer had much choice in the matter.

“Remember! If I see that thing pointed at us, I’ll be sure to let you see just how I can handle myself,” she barked back at Skyhammer. Heaving a soft sigh, she looked to Stormwrecker.

“So hard to find good help these days, huh?”

”Loud and clear miss.” Skyhammer sneered. His head was still a mess and the overall situation confusing. He would tag along and learn out more before he was going to do anything. For now anyway.

Corridors

”Oh finally,” Apeface smirked, continuing, ”I thought you were going to initiate an impromptu group therapy session right here and now.”

”Oh Snapdragon, you big meanie! You are so murderously horrible! How can you live with yourself?!” Apeface acted out, mimicking the small Decepticon, tapping the floor with his foot in apparent anger, ”And you Deadlock! You poor thing! If your lack of direction in your life won’t get us all killed in a suicidal bout of showmanship your circuit booster addiction will turn you into an itty-bitty bundle of convulsing and useless mess on the floor if we don’t move out now!” Apeface exasperated theatrically waving his arms around for more dramatic effect.

”Ah, that felt good.” The large Horrorcon added, cocking the barrel of his rifle towards the general direction of the Amphitheater. ”Now that we have cleared the air and aren’t actually lost yet – that’s the way to go.”

”Can’t promise we’ll find any syk but a junkie can always hope, no?” He added, giving Deadlock and friendly pat on the back as he walked past the smaller Decepticon and towards sounds of pretty audible bickering his keen audio sensors had picked up from the distance.

”Hey, doc!” Apeface cheerfully shouted out as he made his way further down the corridor, ”I think I may have spotted you some more patients along the way! The more the merrier, am I right?”

Garrus-9 – Corridors

Synapse’s expression fell very flat as Apeface performed his very best impression of the doctor. He didn’t tap his foot like that. Did he? No, he didn’t. His optics narrowed as Apeface mocked Deadlock as well. Now, that was uncalled for. Without realizing it, Synapse’s foot began to tap again before he shook his head and heaved an inward sigh.

Synapse knew Apeface did that in good fun and to tease him, but still, going after Deadlock like that had been inexcusable. Whipping out a datapad, he marked Apeface down for some sessions as well. Snapdragon would have more, but nonetheless, he’d see both Horrorcons before the orn was out.

Rubbing his temples, Synapse plodded along in Apeface’s wake.

”Hey, doc!” Apeface cheerfully shouted out as he made his way further down the corridor, ”I think I may have spotted you some more patients along the way! The more the merrier, am I right?”

“What am I going to do with him…?” Synapse sighed. Despite his chagrin, he hurried along, jogging quickly enough so that his transformed wings bounced and bobbed a bit comically, “Where are they, Apeface?”

Garrus-9 – Corridors

“So how much you wanna bet Seawing hates that he doesn’t get the chance to boss us around? A little? A lot?” Skalor asked, “A lot.”

“We’re not taking bets when the commander is AWOL,” Overbite growled.

“Alright, alright,” Skalor said, waving Overbite off. A moment passed. “But really-“

“Skalor!” Overbite snapped, whirling on his comrade. “Not the time.”

Skalor gave Overbite a look. “Do you really think the boss is in trouble? The boss. Think about it. He’d crack you five ways to next cycle.”

“It’s not like him to keep comm silence without warning and the bug said something was up,” Overbite sighed, continuing on, “You really wanna be the one that left the boss up a creek?”

“Well, maybe you got a point…” Skalor conceded as he plodded along behind Tentakil and Overbite. When Overbite stopped suddenly, Skalor crashed into him from behind, “Slag! What in Pi-“

“Shh,” Overbite snapped, “Someone’s coming.”

The three Seacons stood weapons ready, just in case.

Corridors

“What am I going to do with him…?”

Hah. Too easy. He had gotten under the cranium of the little psychologist again. Like pretty much on their every appointment ever. Which actually was probably one tenth of all the appointments Synapse had scheduled for him during his time as Scorponok’s pet project for welfare of his soldiers. Now, which one of them was the professional again? Not that Apeface was going to ask that question aloud. Like ever. Some things were better left unsaid. Like being an agent of the Conclave, working deep undercover as Scorponok’s enforcer. But hey, not everyone could play on the level playing field.

“Where are they, Apeface?”

”Oh please. Can’t you smell them? Just around the corner.” Apeface smirked, ”It literally stinks of fish and industrial waste here.”

Without a warning, Apeface took hold of Synapse’s backplate and lifted him off the floor with one arm, dragging the smaller ’con up to the open alongside him.
”See?”

”Ease up Fishycons! It is just us. The doc and the Monkey.” Apeface chuckled, prodding Synapse towards the Seacons and lifting his own hands up. ”Careful with those trigger fingers of yours, eh? Snapdragon and Deadlock might get triggerhappy too, heh. Get it? Triggerhappy?”

”Anyone?” Apeface shrugged his shoulders over his joke.

"That bad?"

Mines:

"I certainly am ecstatic that we now have no reason to bargain with those thieves," said Highbrow in response to Brainstorm and Whirl, "This unexpected outburst of insanity up there with those two can certainly prove to be an advantage for us to keep those two out of the way.

Then Highbrow's optics widened, "Wait, hold on one astrosecond, they are leaving that psycho-maniac... unwatched?! Morons!"

Highbrow rubbed his chin, "This could press... issues. If we see that boiling cauldron of insanity, we must shoot on sight- NO, that will not do. Then we will be not only noticed, but we would also be considered murderers and even higher on their lists of priorities. This is complicated. Very much so."

Pacing back and forth, the mastermind lost himself in his thoughts, until-

"Hey wannabe! Now is as any a good time to shout off that famous 'Roll Out' catchphrase you worship so damn much!"

Highbrow narrowed his optics as he looked from Whirl to Pyro, and then back to Whirl. "Undoubtedly, you are an imbecile."

After that awkward moment, Pointblank started to make his way up a shaft. Highbrow rolled his optics. He wasn't planning to start climbing that far. Not with his delicately precise arms only fit for intelligent work. No, he needed his alt mode. But... how? That's a good question.

"Brainstorm, do you have a brilliant method of removing our inhibitor claws down here, or is it a necessity to climb above for such a desire?"

Med Bay:

Optics flickered back on. Triggerhappy was lying on the floor. Something was... odd. Everyone but him was just gone. That was not the weirdest thing however.

"What happened to me? Who am I?" he asked missing his normal buffonish voice. He felt... different. At least for a time. Then his head shook and twitched and optics flashed from blue to yellow once again.

"UHH! Mayn! Gosh darn evrybody's gone! Gess Ihhl tri to finnnnnnnddd Slugs!" Triggerhappy's voice was growing increasingly more wonky over time of speech.

He stood up abnormally quickly for just waking up from a sedative shot.

The glitch in his brain was getting worse, yet connections previously broken were fluctuating on and off. Triggerhappy's fingers and limbs shaking and twitching, he walked out of the Med Bay as stiff as a board.

Garrus 9- Mines

This plan is doomed Nightbeat thought This plan is doomed to failure . The blue and yellow 'bot was sure of it. If things continue to go the way they are going we are bound to be caught

Not that the detective cared if they succeeded. By this point he had decided any opportunity to get out of these mines was a welcome one, regardless of the risk. This mining work for his captors was driving him to breaking point. If the plan got him back to his usual work than he was happy.

Nightbeat stood, his arms crossed and, stared at his fellow Autobots. He saw Pointblank attempting to climb up the above shaft with a pickaxe interesting idea thought Nightbeat. Highbrow of course refused to follow suit. Naturally thought the detective as he quietly chuckled at his allie's ego. While this all occurred around him Nightbeat lost focus on the task at hand and began to mentally review several unsolved cases.

"Brainstorm, do you have a brilliant method of removing our inhibitor claws down here, or is it a necessity to climb above for such a desire?"

When Nightbeat heard that he regained his focus and began to consider if that was even possible. Realistically he thought that should fail horrendously were it to be tried. Eventually the detective spoke.

"We NEED a more solid plan here. We can't just stand around debating what to do. If Brainstorm has a method of removing the claws down here than that's great, but if not we need to be prepared . I recommend we begin to prepare for said scenario."

Nightbeat sighed, Hearing their response to that should be fun he thought.