| abstract
| - IHQ Med Bay The new Med Bay is large enough to house all the wounded that could result from battles against the Autobots. Near the entrance, there are a series of benches for patients awaiting treatment. Advanced medtables line the sides of the room in symetrical rows while surgery is located within the central area. In the ceiling are several crane mechanisms to assist medics in moving larger Decepticons, each one highly articulated and built to withstand the strain of lifting even Devastator. The room's floor, walls, and ceiling are fitted with forceshield generators to contain those that are too injured to return to duty, possible contaminants, and also are set to automatically engage to protect the room from combat damage. The room is immaculately clean, carries a glossy shine, and always smells of disinfectants, giving off the air of a proper medical bay. To the rear are the airlock doors that lead to the Laboratory. Contents: Buzzsaw Soundwave Dead End Hinder Gumby Medic Medical Rules Obvious exits: East leads to IHQ Laboratory. West leads to IHQ Central Chamber. The door slides open and Soundwave wastes no time in heading toward his favorite medical station. And by that, we mean The Main Computer. He fires it up and then turns to scan the room. On screen, a little loading bar with a spinny Decepticon logo scrolls left to right. Dead End looks up at the Decepticon communications officer. The Stunticon has a patch over his shoulder, and is setting down a welding torch (presumably what he was using to patch up the damage). He gives Soundwave a bare nod. He remembered Soundwave very well. The Decepticon was older than he was, and had a cold, emotionless logic that Dead End somehow found quite a bit more personable than many other decepticons. Maybe it was Soundwave's...acceptance...of things. Maybe it was Soundwave's intellect. Who knows. "Sir." The Stunticon says. Buzzsaw flies in behind Soundwave and pretty much perches near him. Yup...this means the little birdy is perched up high so he's looking down at everyone. Hinder is currently not anywhere to be seen, as she's rummaging around in the top drawer of one of the counters in the room. The only indication of her presence is the line of drawers being opened slightly and the occasional skittering-scrabbling noises from the contents of the drawer. Catechism is actually assigned to Cybertron! She's supposed to be here. The Seeker doesn't look happy at all, her expression somewhere between wanting to drown her sorrows and wanting to punch something in the face. Having a bomb go off in close proximity? That hurts a lot, to be sure. Realising that one of her troops, someone she has served with since she awoke from the long sleep, is in a fact a traitor who she must brutally kill as soon as possible? That hurts more than she thought it ever could. Still, she needs to check up on a small matter. Sighting Soundwave, she salutes mechanically and just shoots a dull look over at Dead End. Soundwave's gaze settles on Dead End, whom he swiftly ignores. No, he's still staring at Dead End, but he's not talking to him. "Buzzsaw, Hinder.." he drones. "Attend." Buzzsaw squacks an answer, but doesn't really move at the moment. he was already attending Soundwave when he called. Those wondering why he's not answering in regular words.....he's a bird. Dead End doesn't appear to care that he's being ignored - after all, everything becomes slag eventually, right? He stands up and heads over to find the red paint himself, now that Hinder is being called away to her master, rummaging through the bins for the shiny stuff without a word. Really, being ignored is probably a better thing for a Stunticon than being focused on; after all, if one was getting looked at closely, one might be spoken of to Motormaster, and, well, Everybody Hates Motormaster. Even Dead End. The red paint located, he begins applying it to the patch calmly, until the paintjob has been completed and the metal shines with the same finish as the rest of his meticulously-cared-for body. Excellent. Catechism goes to an auxillary medical computer, not nearly as nice as the one that Soundwave is monopolising, to check on the status of the experimental Shrike that they captured... and to file a request. It will burn much of her savings, this request, and indeed, it's going to make her rather harder to repair, but her face sets firmly as she fills out the forms and waivers in triplicate before turning around to look at the rest of the Decepticons in the medical ward. Dead End turns to face Catechism, now that he's finished painting himself down with a ridiculous level of detail for a nihilist. Sure, he has a reputation for trying to look good despite nihilism, but painting over a shoulderpatch? That's just going a bit far. He gives a vague salute to Catechism. "Evening," the Stunticon says slowly, "Did the energon recovered from Sunder's hunt come in handy?" Soundwave goes from ignoring Dead End by staring at him to ignoring Catechism by staring at her. Then the computer beeps and he turns abruptly to address it. "Access files, range: gamma seven epsilon two, gamma seven iota nine. Display." A variety of little thumbnail icons pop up on the screen for Soundwave to examine. Hinder emerges from the drawer she's been rummaging in with a small bottle of the paint that the Sweeps use to keep their claws shiny and sharp. But, Dead End's already taken care of his shoulder and Soundwave is summoning her. So she scrambles up onto the countertop, drops the paint bottle back into the drawer, then arched-back bounds along the counter toward her 'boss'. Catechism is rather creeped out by Soundwave staring at her. She's relieved when his gaze moves away. Catechism sighs when Dead End asks. She has to report, "It did - Trypticon got his hypno-beam up and running. Unfortunately, we were undone by the treachery of Fleet and Scrapper. Lord Cyclonus couldn't get inside Iahex, an Fleet detonated my bomb earlier." She sounds especially bitter. She squints over at Hinder, who did nothing useful in that fight. Dead End nods, his red optics locking on Catechism. "Unfortunate." He notes. "Where was Motormaster? I do not remember being given the order to scramble, and perhaps Menasor would have made a difference in that battle." It was a subtle hint. 'Hey, did Motormaster do anything useful? If not, maybe you should punish him.' Everybody really, really hates Motormaster... Buzzsaw sqwaks in question to Catechism as he stares at her too. Seems Soundwave rubs off in more ways than one. Ironically....Buzzsaw's camera pops out of his head and shows an image of a.....pixelated Galvatron (8-bit version) aiming and blowing up something resembling a seeker....and the lime green COnstructicon. Buzzsaw notes there's a question mark after this particular animation. Catechism is actually kind of okay with Motormaster. He was... relatively gracious in beating her in a demolition derby. He offered he a hand up. He must have been having an odd day. She thinks over the reports and relays, "Motormaster was with Trypticon, helping to savage the Iahex spaceport." To Buzzsaw, she shakes her head and growls, "They escaped and ran off, but they will be hunted, to the ends to the galaxy." When that request she submitted is completed, she'll be able to check said ends of the galaxy personally. Dead End frowns. "I don't remember him giving the order." Damn. "Oh well. It isn't as though it will matter in the end." The Stunticon gives a bit of a sigh and nudges the medic finally coming away from more brutally-injured (NPC) seekers and sweeps to examine his arm. "About time." Soundwave offers his two energon chits: "Aberrant behavior, multiple instances. Factional allegiances irrelevant. Observe." He taps a button and on the main screen appear the images of The Fallen and Nemesis Prime. "Unknown external influences affecting Autobots, Decepticons." Buzzsaw changes images in front of Catechism. One of an 8bit animation of a seeker-type with Catechism's colors, using....what looks to be a dagger...as a stabbing weapon to stab a Lime green colored pic over and over and over and over. the most amusing part of this is the Lime green pic, every time Cate stabs it....gets the x.x eyes. Hinder Hinder finally makes it over to where Soundwave is and flops down on the panel in front of him as if waiting for what she's to do next. Frenzy has arrived. Licensed to Ill ejects from Soundwave and lands on a counter. The tape explodes violently into a nasty little Decepticon thug. "So what's the deal, Motormaster turned evil too? I mean, turned good? Whatever?" asks Frenzy as he pops out into his normal size. Dead End gives a dull snerk. "We can only hope." It wasn't like it was a -secret- how much the other Stunticons hated him... Catechism shrugs to Dead End. It's Motormaster's job to deal with the Stunticons, not hers. She looks over at the images that Soundwave shows, her expression twisting into a scowl. She protests, "He's on fire! How does that even work?" Leave it to Catechism to get hung up on an irrelevant detail. "The other one looks like Optimus Prime finally got a tasteful repaint." She smiles slightly to Buzzsaw and then pulls out her whip, explaining, "Lord Cyclonus told me I am to flay Scrapper." To Frenzy, she just facepalms. Hinder Smaller even than the average Cassette-icon, Hinder's long, weaselly body, short legs, and sturdy tail are all creamy yellow-white. Light vermillion-red beady optics watch everything around her alertly, resembling maraschino cherries glowing from within. Once she realizes that someone is looking at her, she hisses a huff of air through cooling vents in her mouth and turns to dash off to hide. Her back arches as she runs with an odd bounding gait. Dead End says, "If he has, you know we'll put him offline as fast as we can." Oh yes, Soundwave reaches up to touch his eject button. "Frenzy, eject." Operation: piss off everyone in the room. This oughta keep 'em on their toes. "Morality irrelevant. Behavior contradictory. Source: unknown." "You guys better make real friendly with Onslaught, maybe he'll let you join Bruticus," Frenzy tells Dead End. Dead End gives another dull snerk. "Perhaps." Dead End says, "Though they'd clash with my paint job." Frenzy adds, looking at Soundwave's replay, "That guy on fire is totally metal." Frenzy throws up the horns by way of indicating that he means figuratively totally metal, not just the usual totally metal that everybody is. Buzzsaw sqwaks at Frenzy before adjusting his 'animation' a bit. the 'Catechism' pic is changed a bit.....from holding a dagger to holding a whip........ Frenzy laughs. "Oh, did you see her using her whip? She's totally got one." Catechism asks Buzzsaw, "So, does Soundwave have you do the animations for Decepticonz?" That TV show that the Decepticons sometimes do. Catechism is actually holding her whip as a demonstration aid. She puts it away before she hurts herself with it. She rubs her chin. "So there are new players in this age old game. That probably bodes ill." Hinder says the simplest statement possible that so completely encapsulates her role in this scene. "I'm confused." Dead End sighs gloomily. "Of course it bodes ill. It hasn't needed to go on this long anyway...it's just going to end in rust." Dead End says, "If only the Autobots would just roll over and go offline." "You gotta give 'em a push!" says Frenzy. "Like down a hill. Or off a cliff. Into a vat of liquid steel." Soundwave resonates in response to Catechism: "Affirmative." He doesn't qualify it. Frenzy asides to Soundwave, "We should make another one of those things." He turns back to Dead End. "We used to have a giant vat of liquid steel here on Cybertron, it was before your time. Straxus used to chuck guys into it if they were Autobots or traitors or criminally dumb or had a special arm or whatever." Dead End seems amused by the thought of it. "Interesting." Catechism pauses and considers, noting, "There was a rumour about Optimus Prime being sighed. Maybe they saw this Nemesis Prime instead? If it was dark, maybe..." To Hinder, she explains, "There's a flaming guy and a black Prime causing trouble for the Autobots, and several Decepticons are traitors." Grr. Buzzsaw listens to Frenzy....then shows a....more detailed image of Frenzy....with a really huge screw on the side of his head. Then the screw starts wiggling. Maybe Buzzsaw's saying Frenzy has a screw loose? "So what's your deal?" Frenzy asks Hinder, peering at the new tape. "What're you good for?" Hinder ohs faintly. "Is that why Scourge said to stop Green-Scrapper?" Dead End listens carefully, watching the interplay between the tapes and the various conversations. He was a reserve soldier - this stuff was out of his league, and really, it didn't matter to him, in the end. The Decepticons would eventually come out on top with persistence, but rust would claim everyone anyway. He sits down on one of the medtables, allowing the medical officer to remove the place and start proper repair on his arm. Red optics narrow as he focuses on Buzzsaw's screen. New players...even if he didn't -really- care, it was still...interesting....information. Catechism nods to Hinder. "That's exactly why. Scrapper's turned traitor." Eh, Scrapper used to be an Autobot, didn't he? It doesn't shock her. "Has anyone checked the rest of the Constructicons?" Hinder says, "But he said "Fleet" too." Hinder shifts, turning her little red optics up to Soundwave even though he already knows this information. "And I saw Fleet shoot at not-others." "What's it mean by that, 'not-others?'" Frenzy asks Soundwave. Catechism doesn't know what Hinder means by 'not-others', but her hands clench into fists at the mention of Fleet, and she has to get a grip on herself to keep from punching something. "Fleet must also be hunted down and killed for his treachery." "Oh yeah, I read about that in that report with the dull pictures," says Frenzy. "Fleet blew you up, right?" "Shoulda been a picture of THAT instead of stupid charts," adds Frenzy. Frenzy concludes, "Ka-friggin-boom!" Soundwave just glares back at Frenzy. His attention is once again drawn by the figures on the screen. Catechism states the obvious, "I got better." Dead End continues his observations idly. Now he was regretting not being part of the battle...if the other Stunticons had been there.... Oh well. Hinder says, "I brought..." She hesitates, then regurgitates words she's heard. "...physical evidence." "Oh, so that's what you do?" asks Frenzy. "Evidence collection?" Hinder lifts her head to look at Frenzy. "I do what I'm told." It almost sounds like she should follow those words with, 'I'm a good girl'... but of course she doesn't REALLY say that. Buzzsaw tilts his head to Hinder and holos a big red question mark over Soundwave's head.....of course...stating the obvious. "I'm just wondering cuz I don't see any guns on you so it's like, are you for spying on stuff like Laserbeak or beating up stuff like me and Rumble, or assassinating guys like Ravage," explains Frenzy, peering at Hinder. Hinder opens her mouth to answer, then hesitates and looks up at Soundwave again. Soundwave seems to only half pay attention to what the tapes are discussing. But he's probably listening closely. "Nondeterministic," he replies. Catechism steeples her fingers and inquires of Soundwave, "Has the experimental Shrike been analysed and parted out yet, do you know?" Soundwave is smart at engineering. And pretty much everything else. Soundwave extends a datapad toward Catechism somewhere between 'experimental' and 'Shrike.' "Analysis partially complete. Define interest." Buzzsaw holos an image of Catechism's face....with drool dripping out of her mouth....while staring at said shrike. He then holos a question mark over that holo. Frenzy stands on tiptoe to look at the datapad, not that he would understand it anyhow. Dead End watches the Holo and gives a bit of a smirk at the drool. "I doubt it," he comments in Buzzsaw's direction as the decepticon car shifts into his porsche mode, revving his engine to stretch. Falling flat onto the ground, the Stunticon's arms and legs fold inwards; the red porsche gleams, Dead End well-polished and well-painted, skidding to a halt. Catechism explains, "I requested to keep the parts once the analysis was complete." That doesn't really explain why she wants the parts, though, just that she wants them. The forms she filed in triplicate do, however, explain exactly why she wants it. She looks over at Buzzsaw, looking a little disturbed, and she shouts, "No! I'm not a Sweep! I don't eat things. I drink energon, like any normal Decepticon." "Thank Primus," mutters Frenzy. Soundwave doesn't let go of the datapad, instead snatching it back to prevent Catechism from looking at it. He repeats, in exactly the same monotone, "Define interest." Buzzsaw sqwaks at Catechism....but then does a different picture....a sweephead eating the shrike with a big red X over it. Then corrects his former picture with hearts over Catechism's optics. Hinder just watches everyone and everything silently from where she's lounging. Frenzy looks puzzled at the hologram. Frenzy is not good at rebuses either. Catechism is forced to clarify, tilting her chin up, "I wish to be rebuilt as space-capable." To touch the stars is not an easy thing for a Seeker. The basic Seeker frame cannot produce the power output or withstand the required G-forces to facilitate timely stellar travel. However, space is the place. It's just too slagging important in the eternal struggle of purple and red. "Those parts would go a ways toward that rebuild." She just glares at Buzzsaw. No, she does not love the Shrike. She wants to see it dismembered so that she may clutch stardust in her fist. Dead End spins, headlights focusing on Catechism. "Flying...it doesn't compare to the feel of the ground under your wheels at two hundred miles an hour. Burning rubber along the side of a cliff or stunt driving a flip over an autobot to transform and shoot him in the back..." Soundwave extends the datapad once again, as if offering a treat to a puppy that's done a trick on command. "Components located in storage." "I just got feet," says Frenzy, dangling his feet off the edge of the counter. Buzzsaw seems to understand the explanation..... Catechism notes cooly, "You were built for tunnels, Dead End. All Seekers were built to fly." Some choose to fly higher than others. Her optics narrow with irritation as Soundwave finally lets her know where the parts are. Gee thanks, Soundwave. She looks over the location of the components, making a mental note to secure them as soon as possible. Dead End makes a bit of a honk with his horn. "I was built for stunt-driving," he replies coolly, "I fly off ramps. I fly in my own way." Buzzsaw keeps quiet for the time being.....but watches what Soundwave is doing. Soundwave's optic glows, and he turns back toward his terminal. Maybe that's his way of laughing at Catechism's response. And by laughing, I mean mocking. "I was made to rock the mic," contributes Frenzy. Dead End thanks Skydive with a friendly knife to the back. Dead End revs his engine. "I'm going to go back on duty," he decides, "My shoulder's healed...back to patrol." The Decepticon car launches off the medtable and skids out of the medbay, leaving dust in his wake and the smell of burning rubber behind him. Dead End vanishes out of reality. Dead End has left. Frenzy compresses into a tiny fraction of his normal size, becoming Licensed to Ill. Frenzy goes home. Frenzy has left. Catechism vanishes off into the stockroom to retrieve said parts.
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