[It's Ironhide, in his training center, as he has been so often lately. But this time, he looks pretty sombre. And he starts-then-stops a few times before he speaks, looking off to one side.]

I am staying.

[He's seen the network. He knows what's going on. And he's made his choice. This is right.]

Be in the center, if anyone needs to talk.

( Read more... )

[It's taken Ironhide some time to come to this decision. There was a while when he wondered if it was even worth it to try. But... now... Now it's important. They need to take control. And he just might have a way to do it ( Read more... )

[It's been a while. Someone probably should report in. Let people know he's still functioning. Take care of obligations...]

Canceled classes.

Pick them up again later. Maybe. Need to repair things.

Apologize.

... that is all.

[And yes. That is, in fact, all there is to the message. He debates adding more, but can't think of anything ( Read more... )

Did everyone get one of these... invitation... things?

No idea what this is for, but I have no intention of going. Transtechs can shove their celebration up their exhaust ports where it belongs.

What have they ever given any of us to celebrate? Hmn?

[And with that cranky proclamation, he hangs up. Suspicions and general bitterness regarding ( Read more... )

Now that some things are settled... We have another problem.

Hn. So what else is new?

[With that cryptic message, he calls up a certain network post.]

This thing. It comes from my home universe. Called a "Driller". Some kind of big worm thing they used for mining...

... That one? Is different. Keep away from it, no antagonizing it -- ( Read more... )

... Think this may be late. Lost track of the days, at... some point.

[Metal shifts, like Ironhide is drawing himself up taller. Or shrugging. Who knows?]

Around two years ago, I was dragged to this place. There were... many of us, at first. Now, only a couple are still around.

[Another pause. He's trying to be inspirational, or, at the ( Read more... )

[There's a deep, rumbling BOOM out of nowhere, which ends up jarring the camera into working. A plume of smoke issues out of a familiar wall -- the wall of Ironhide's training center, to be precise ( Read more... )

[Ironhide sounds a little bit unnerved. This is clearly a monumental issue.]

I think I was wrong... about not being tampered with. Something... was altered.

( [Action - Private] )

[The video feed first clicks on to show the camera falling off of something. A table, maybe. The image is distorted by a rolling motion, as the device skitters along the floor ( Read more... )