SESSION 2 [7/20/2023]
NARRATOR: Where we left off, Brawl's grip on Swindle had just failed and the glitching mech stands up.
KNOCKOUT: What are you doing!? Grab him before he runs off!
NARRATOR: But Swindle just kinda stands there. It's like he can't move, like it's taking everything in him to even stay balanced on his own two stabilizing servos. Once again, he makes that weird clicking throat sound before Blastoff launches some quick thinking and elbows him in the back of the helm, causing something to finally fly out of his intake. It looks like a nondescript lump of cybernetic material, but as soon as it hits the floor, it transforms into a creature you've never seen before. It has six spindly, needle-like legs, huge optics, and seemingly no real face. It hisses at you and skitters away towards the wall, and Swindle is unresponsive.
SHIFT: Eugh.
HOVER: Eww...
JETRUSH: [gagging] Oh my Primus...
NARRATOR: Swindle has fallen to the ground unconscious. As Onslaught picks him up and puts him back where he lay, his offline optics seem a bit emptier now, like to a haunting degree. He's obviously not dead because he hasn't lost his saturation yet, but y'know that feeling you get when you look down at someone in a casket? That dry dread that tingles just under your subconscious? It's like that.
STRANGER: Like a tiny bit colder than they should be?
ROSS: Yeah, kinda like that!
KNOCKOUT: Well, now that that's taken care of--
NARRATOR: Before Knockout can finish his thought, it's actually Brawl who speaks up.
BRAWL: Wait, I remember now. Someone else was in the hallway with us when it happened. I think he was trailing behind Swindle. He must have seen it, there's now way he didn't. Maybe he has some idea of what that was.
HOVER: Did you see who that was? Can we ask them? I wanna know!
BRAWL: It was Blitzwing.
NARRATOR: You look around to see if he's in the room with you, and you catch him looking at you from a few yards away. He must have heard someone say his name and perked up, but when you make optic contact with him, he quickly looks away.
FRIED: [Hover runs over to ask about the thing.]
BLITZWING: W-Was? I, err... I do not know what you are talking about. I do not remember seeing such a thing.
HOVER: You were there! You should know.
BLITZWING: I- I do not think I was... Ah, wait! Ein moment! I think… I think I know who saw it.
HOVER: Can I know who that is?
VORTEX: What do you mean? Brawl saw that it was you, and you were the only other person there that could have seen it.
BLITZWING: Nein, that is not what I meant. I mean, I can try and force him out, but...
KNOCKOUT: Ohh, here we go...
NARRATOR: Blitzwing scrunches up his faceplates in concentration, then goes slack and zones out for all but a second before suddenly springing back to life. Now, instead of being skittish and icy, he gives off an air of loud-mouthed hot-headed standoffishness.
BLITZWING: Was? Was ist los? Oh, great, the Dummkopf squad has paid me a visit in our time of need. Was willst du? I do not have all cycle to be out!
HOVER: Did you see the thingy that happened with Swindle?
BLITZWING: Swindle? Ja, I saw what happened. What is in it for me to tell you, hmm?
HOVER: Please? Please please please please pleeeaaase tell us please?
SHIFT: You don't have much going for you, mate.
ROSS: No, I'm so sorry, it's just so cute, this visual of her with these big old puppydog eyes just like "Pwease? Peas?"
NARRATOR: Before Blitzwing can respond, the door slams open. The air becomes tense, everyone thinking that the guards had found the secret clinic, but instead, out pops Slipstream. It would be more apt to say that she falls into the room as if someone had pushed her. Hey, Hover? You're the medic. Make me a perception check plus your science modifier.
HOVER: [5 + 3 = 8]
NARRATOR: You know that incision mark, that specific way that her plates and kibble creak when they move. While all of your t-cogs have been dislocated, it is apparent that hers has been fully extracted, effectively stripping her of her role as Seeker and, in other words, permanently grounding her. She barely makes an attempt to sit up, let alone stand. It's as if the act of moving itself is causing her great pain, typical for those who have undergone such a drastic procedure. She groans and hisses at the figure in the doorway behind her, the one who pushed her in. The sight of him straightens everyone to a firm attention. It isn't Megatron, but his position commands a comparable level of reverence. The energon in your veins runs cold, specifically you, Jetrush, at the sight of your trine leader, but not only is he your trine leader, he's Megatron's direct second in command.
NARRATOR: Even to say that Starscream looks disappointed is a bit of an understatement. "Disgusted" would be perhaps a bit more applicable term, but even that is treading a little lightly. He scans the room before he begins talking.
STARSCREAM: What we have here is failure to communicate. I trust that you all understand the gravity of the situation, so we will skip the part where I explain to you why what happened was wrong. Not only will this serve as a valuable lesson for her and all of you, but this is also a valuable lesson for myself and the rest of high command. From now on, information about the exodus plan will be distributed only from myself and the rest of high command. You will listen to no one else amongst yourselves regarding this matter. Not even my Elite Trine will have access to this information. Do I make myself clear?
SHIFT: Yes, sir.
JETRUSH: Err, yes- yes, sir.
HOVER: Okey-he-dokey!
NARRATOR: His captive audience salutes in agreement, and then he turns to address Slipstream.
STARSCREAM: And we especially will not be sabotaging other rooms with baseless rumors that could compromise the entire plan just because our room happens to be falling behind. Do I make myself clear?
NARRATOR: Slipstream's optics are narrow and her dentas are gritted. She can only muster a scoff as a response before heaving herself into a standing position and limping away. The pain in her struts echoes off the walls of the otherwise silent room with each heavy step she takes.
STRANGER: We love a problematic queen.
ROSS: She's such a failgirl.
MIN: We stand for women's rights AND wrongs!
STARSCREAM: Now then, we have decided that this is as good a time as any to actually brief you all on what the plan is, as we have just finalized the details as of first rotation. It is imperative that we are all on the same page, so listen well, every single one of you. Effective immediately, t-cog relocation is a top priority. We want everyone, or at least as many as possible, in peak condition for this operation. We in high command have been and will be working behind the scenes to make sure this all falls into place, but the most important thing you need to know is that we will play something over the loudspeaker if and when everything goes as it should. Do not– I repeat, do not– act until you hear the siren of the Seekers. That and only that will be your signal. Upon hearing it, you will all abandon your work stations and make your way out of the doors. Provided everything goes as intended, you should be able to just walk right out thanks to Lord Megatron's failsafes. In the event that something fails and/or force is required, stay together and show no mercy. Stick with your combiner teams if you're a part of one. They stand no chance against all of us at once. Once out, we will make our way through the streets of Uraya to the Church headquarters in Kaon. Do not go through the badlands. They're called that for a reason. There, Lord Megatron will directly inform you on what to do next. We are not answering questions at this time, so this is the only time you'll be receiving this message.
NARRATOR: Instead of triumph or confidence on the head seeker's face, there is only uncertainty and exhaustion. Worse yet, he heaves a resigned sigh as he leaves the room, as if he really didn't want to have it be this way.
KNOCKOUT: Ugh! And to think I could finally catch a thought of a break in this rotation! [walks off to go help someone else]
BLITZWING: That is it? We just hear some fanfare over the loudspeaker and walk out like it is nothing?
SHIFT: I guess.
JETRUSH: Yeah.
HOVER: It's better than what we did last time.
VORTEX: It just can't be that simple. Do they think the four of them can just take down the entire guard staff without us? Ugh, c'mon Onslaught, let's- Onslaught?”
ROSS: Perception check.
SHIFT: [15]
JETRUSH: [6]
HOVER: [16]
NARRATOR: Two successes is sufficient. You notice Onslaught has been just kinda staring off in one direction for a while. Not blankly like he's in a trance, but as if he's an old man peering at children playing outside. He points ahead towards a rare sight: An individual you've never seen before. She's a minicon, and she's just kind of wandering around aimlessly like she's lost. She has the Decepticon insignia though, so the most logical theory is that she is from another floor and just got misplaced. It's not really an uncommon occurrence for people to get lost in the complex, and it's even less surprising to see someone as small as her be able to slip by the guards and land herself on a different floor. For reference, she's about 5'2", which is if memory serves 158 cm.
ALL PLAYERS: MIKU!?
NARRATOR: He's pointing ahead to direct attention towards her and says...
ONSLAUGHT: Who is that?
SHIFT: A... minicon? I dunno. Probably from another floor.
NARRATOR: She's looking around nervously, like, uh... You ever gotten lost in a Walmart? She's obviously very, like, frantic and nervous about it, and she looks up at you three, but doesnt start speaking. Instead, she starts signing at you in CSL-- Cybertronian Sign Language. I'm not gonna have you gamble on whether or not you know it because it's just kinda programmed into you to know it, so don't even worry about it. She nervously signs "I lost my paterna. I think hes on another floor."
SHIFT: [He beckons her to come forward.]
NARRATOR: She shuffles towards you.
STRANGER: Question-- is she deaf or can she just not speak?
ROSS: She can't speak.
SHIFT: Can you tell us what floor you were on before you got here?
NARRATOR: She tries to sign something, but it's obvious that she's having trouble remembering what number the floor was exactly.
SHIFT: Do you remember any of the other bots that were on that floor with you?
NARRATOR: She signs, "My paterna is S-O-U-N-D-W-A-V-E."
STRANGER: Shut up, you did not give Soundwave a new Cassetticon.
ROSS: Hehehehe!
STRANGER: You're living in your own little kiddie fantasy right now, aren't you?
ROSS: Yes, I am! It's hot as hell in here, hold on...
STRANGER: It is hot as hell in this fucky ass hot ass room I'm in.
ALL: IS THAT HATSUNE MIKU!?
SHIFT: Oh, bloody hell, Soundwave's lost his own- ugh!
JETRUSH: [He's kinda just standing there, mouth agape at this information.]
VORTEX: Wait, Soundwave? Soundwave in high command? Ohh no, this is bad...
BLASTOFF: His Cassetticons are never to stray far from him. He'll be so mad if he finds out you were all the way down here! What if he comes looking for you and thinks we took you from him?
STRANGER: Oh, the poor thing. Reminds me of when I go shopping with my mum and I look away for one second and she's just disappeared.
SHIFT: Do you remember the last time you saw Soundwave?
NARRATOR: She's trying her hardest to remember, but nothing's coming.
SHIFT: Alright, the best we can do- What's your name?
NARRATOR: She signs, "D-Y-N-A-M-I-X. The other Cassetticons like to pick on me, so I ran away. There were voices coming from this room, so I thought my paterna was in here."
SHIFT: So you're saying that the other cassettes are away from Soundwave too at the moment?
NARRATOR: She shakes her helm.
ROSS: What do you do with her?
STRANGER: What do we do with her!?
JETRUSH: Either we somehow find Soundwave, or just let her tag along with us. I can't think of anything else.
SHIFT: If we let Dynamix stay with us for too long, I have the feeling that Soundwave--especially with what happened--will kill us, so something we can do is try to get a message to high command or someone in the same room or floor at least that Dynamix is missing and looking for Soundwave.
VORTEX: Heh, good luck with that. Getting a hold of high command is like pulling denta.
SHIFT: Well, if Soundwave knows that one of his cassettes is missing, he's bound to start looking now, and he's probably gonna look everywhere. Lemme think, lemme think... Dynamix, do you know any locations that Soundwave frequents that isn't your workroom? Somewhere where we can send a message to him?
NARRATOR: She shakes her helm and signs, "I'm usually in the compartment."
JETRUSH: Oh wow, we are in so much trouble if Soundwave finds us, guys. Well, no time to waste, I guess.
SHIFT: What if we just- wait, let's think.
JETRUSH: I mean, we can't just leave her, right?
SHIFT: No, we're not leaving the kid! Let's just check over first, Dynamix, are you injured in any way, shape or form?
NARRATOR: She shakes her helm.
SHIFT: Alright, good, good start. I'm assuming you don't recognize a single mech in this room right now?
NARRATOR: She shakes her helm.
SHIFT: Okayyy, that's wonderful. Really wonderful. Ugh, okay... Does anyone in the room have a way to- or knows someone who knows someone who knows someone that we could talk to to get the inches of a message to someone?
NARRATOR: She signs, "The only person I could think of just left."
SHIFT: Oh great. If by some miracle Starscream comes back to say something else-
HOVER: I could do mneumosurgery on her to backtrack where she lost him.
SHIFT: We are not doing mneumosurgery on the kid, especially after what I just saw come out of your mouth! Absolutely not!
JETRUSH: Hover! We are not doing that to a kid.
HOVER:
SHIFT: Don't look at me with those eyes! No!
JETRUSH: No! Just- no!!
SHIFT: Unless you have some other way that doesn't involve needles coming out of your mouth, then we are not doing it to the kid. Absolutely not.
JETRUSH: Yeah, I'm with Shift on this one. No.
NARRATOR: In the middle of your formulation of some sort of plan, the horn that ends the second rotation sounds, signaling for everyone to go back to their cells.
STRANGER: Oh god, are we gonna have to look after this kid? Oh no! I don't know how to look after a kid!
MIN: Oh yeah, I just realized.
STRANGER: We have to take the kid with us! We're not smuggling babies!
ROSS: Smuggling babies!?
NARRATOR: Brawl picks up Swindle over his shoulder to drag him back to the Combaticon gestalt cell, wordlessly glancing at Hover as he goes. Dynamix looks around frantically, not really knowing where she should go. She signs that she doesn't know where her cell is because she's usually in the compartment.
SHIFT: Oh, bloody hell, alright. I think the best plan is that one of us takes Dynamix with us because I don't think anyone else would want to take her lest they risk the chance of Soundwave figuring out they have her with them.
NARRATOR: She signs, "Rumble and Frenzy sneak out all the time."
SHIFT: Alright, we could try and find those two- well, if they would ever willingly want to help, the bloody brats...
JETRUSH: We could risk getting beaten up by the guards at night or getting beaten up by Soundwave. Which one do you want, guys?
NARRATOR: She signs, "What I mean by that is that I should be okay being away for one night."
SHIFT: Ohh, no. We're not leaving a little one like you around. Listen, there's things in the walls here. You could either be found by a guard, which I don't even wanna know what happens if you were to get found by a guard, or-- just, I-- We're not risking it. You're too little, and I don't think Soundwave would be happy with you coming back injured.
NARRATOR: She nods solemnly.
MIN: Alright, now what's the deal?
ROSS: Oh yeah, all three of you roll real quick to see who she bunks with, lowest gets it.
SHIFT: [13]
JETRUSH: [10]
HOVER: [7]
FRIED: Uh oh!
STRANGER: Oh no, Hover's gonna do a mneumosurgery in the middle of the night!
NARRATOR: As the cycle trudges to a close, you all nestle in for recharge stasis. Thankfully you aren't those poor saps in solitary confinement, so all three of you share a cell. Your recharge blocks pull out like drawers out of the wall. It's not really gonna make much of a difference given how small you both are, so it's not a cramped fit when she bunks with you, Hover. Ahead of you is presumably the day that the real exodus happens. You will all need your rest, for the storm brews just over the horizon. And that is where we will close the session.

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