Location: Outlying Tower

[blackwingdove]

Jetstorm turned abruptly when he was out of sight of the Medical Ward and took off at a fast 'skate towards one of the side-doors of Metroplex. He didn't want to face all five Stunticons at once, not like this

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[primus_seeress]

Auspex concentrates on Primus, on his solace, when she receives no reply for several minutes. When she does... she almost wishes she hadn't.

//Hey, Auspex. Jets ain't home right now, and we're in the middle of some slag. So, uh, call back later.//

'In the middle of...'? That sounds distinctly Bad. From one of his brothers, rather than himself, and 'not home' -- somehow, she thinks that's almost literal. She hisses slightly as she remembers that Motormaster would probably still be in the vicinity. If they should meet, with Jetstorm in that condition... she doesn't know who to worry about more: him, or Motormaster!

Her optics quickly flicker online. She looks around the room; Strata is the only one present. Auspex speaks, without preamble, voice strained and tightly controlled, looking as though she's making an effort to stay put and stay still*

I just attempted to comm Jetstorm... It sounds as though he's in danger. He may be having a relapse to Chaos... *she blinks, realizing Strata probably hasn't been told about the whole ordeal with Void* ...Er, it's a long story, but it causes him moments of insanity. *She hopes fervently that this is just a moment, and only insanity, not Chaos and not permanent*

He may also be under attack, and if so... *her voice wavers slightly* I won't be able to get to him to help him, and I fear the damage to his mind if I don't... *she visibly shivers. The one thing that terrifies her, more than anything, is failing someone she's promised to help, and losing someone to a horror like this could be life-shattering..*

[strataseeker]

Strata looks up sharply as Auspex begins to speak, as if she'd been so deep in her own thoughts that she'd forgotten the Priestess was there. She listens to Auspex's concerns with a thoughtful frown.

Jetstorm had left right before Motormaster, who had clearly wanted some "one on one" time with the dark jetformer. Slag. She sets her tools down and cuts Steadfast out of the comm conversation they'd been in the middle of, bouncing a signal to Photon alone for a moment.

// Auspex says Jetstorm's in trouble. I'm going out to find him. // She baruptly cuts herself out of that transmission and heads for the console, inputting the commands Ratchet had databursted her when he'd reset the lockdown to cycle herself out through the airlock.

"I'm going. I'll find him. Stay here while I go out. I don't need to worry about you getting in the middle of something out there. You're no warrior and you can't fly up out of trouble. I'll bring him back." Or at least whatever was left.

[primus_seeress]

*That was Auspex's point, exactly. She nods gratefully* Thank you, Strata.

It is as the young flier is preparing the exit cycle that Auspex receives a comm from Skyfire: // Auspex, this is Skyfire. Jetstorm is in a bad way mentally--hallucinating and getting withdrawn. I'm bringing him back to the Medbay--is there something I should do? //

*Auspex's optics brighten in surprise, and profound relief* Never mind, Strata... Skyfire found him, he's bringing him back. But... thank you for being willing to go -- I hate having to ask someone to put themselves in danger because I'm not built for it. *she casts her a look that's deeply apologetic, and yet deeply grateful*

Meanwhile, she is comming Skyfire. //I know, Primus showed me... Thank you for finding him, I couldn't get to him...//

//*she sighs shakily* Just... keep him calm if you can, remind him what reality is, and be cautious of his perception of you, that he won't see you as an enemy. He... may be having a relapse into Chaos-sense.// *her voice darkens noticeably* //He once belonged to Unicron. It was he who reformatted him from Silverbolt to Jetstorm, and he served him.//

*She hurries to Skyfire's side as he strides in, Jetstorm in his arms. Immediately, her attention is on Jetstorm and his brothers. She touches his hand tentatively* Jetstorm? What do you see? Are you here, or are you dreaming? *She doesn't really expect a coherent answer, but any answer is a place to start. She looks down at his brothers, appreciating any insight they might have*

[blackwingdove]

Jetstorm rouses from the numb, comforting haze of being in the white shuttle's arms, listening to his voice and the hum of his systems, feeling star-hot life brush against him. "Hullo, lightshine."

He speaks lowly, with a wandering vagueness that hasn't been present in his voice before. His optics are dim in his pale face, and his expression is that of a mech fatigued.

[doc_ratchet]

From the other side of the bay, the airlock cycles a few moments later, the door opening to reveal Ratchet. As soon as he catches sight of Jetstorm in Skyfire's arms, he frowns for a moment until he notes the lack of physical damage. No run in with Motormaster; that's good.

A quick databurst of commands secures the bay again. No need to tempt fate.

// What do you need from us Auspex. This is your area of expertise, // Ratchet comms the Priestess securely, not wanting to break the fragile thread of Jetstorm's attention on her by asking audibly.

[primus_seeress]

*Auspex raises a brow. Well, at least Jetstorm's vaguely aware that there are people around him. She carefully curls her fingers around his hand, voice still wavering slightly, betraying her worry* Jetstorm, you hear me; do you know me? Do you know the mech who is carrying you? Where were you a moment ago, do you remember?

*She returns a comm to Ratchet, and sends to Skyfire and Strata as well* //He probably could use rest, but I need to stay with him and see if I can talk him out of this first. The isolation cell is fine if you want him there, but I'd like to have someone else with me, if possible; there's no good way to know what sort of reactions he might have to what he's seeing.// *She doesn't dare reflect on what might happen if he suddenly decides he's Void's second again*

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire still cradles Jetstorm in his arms; Jetstorm has one arm draped around Skyfire's shoulder.

"I'm staying with Jetstorm for now," he says, carrying Jetstorm to his IsoWard room. "Let's get you some power, Jetstorm--you've drained yourself," Skyfire tells him, sitting down on the berth with him. He keeps Jetstorm close to himself, letting the dark jet feel the slow, strong beat of his energy fields, cradling him with one powerful arm as he gently strokes Jetstorm's helm with the other hand.

// Auspex, Ratchet, can one of you plug him in to recharge? I also want to see if he can drink some of my Libyan VHG. //

"Stick with me Jetstorm. Auspex is here; she's real, I'm real, Ratchet's real, your brothers are real." Again, that gentle kiss on his horns.

[doc_ratchet]

// Got it, Skyfire, // Ratchet replies, following Skyfire in to get Jetstorm hooked up. // I've got a few drums, too, if you need any more. //

He's not that surprised at the almost proprietory affection Skyfire is showing Jetstorm. It could just be his own weariness that he's desperately trying to hide blunting his reactions, but he doubts it. Skyfire has always had a caring spark, particularly for those in need.

And Jetstorm is obviously in need of some TLC right now.

Kneeling, Ratchet finally locates a recharge port and carefully gets the dark chaos jetformer connected to the recharge power system.

[blackwingdove]

"I know you, lightshine, and I know Skyfire. And that is Ratchet, not yet dead, though it was never by my hand at all."

His brothers are silent, their optics also dim, though not as dim as Jetstorm's. They draw power from the same place he does, and they are a drain on his systems. When he runs low, they too must power down.

"Where was I? On the tower, watching the moon set." That tonight is a new moon does not seem to bother him.

Faded thoughts jolt to live as Ratchet plugs him into Metroplex's power-grid, and the Aerialcrons' optics all brighten. Jetstorm's, however, do not brighten to normal operating levels.

[strataseeker]

Strata is waiting off to one side, staying out of the way while they get everyone settled. Fortunately, Ratchet has been bouncing all the comm transmissions to her as well, so she isn't totally clueless as to what's going on.

Watching Jetstorm, however, is making something deep withing her... flutter uncomfortably. Something deeper than her spark. It whispers to her spark as she watches Ratchet get Jetstorm plugged in to recharge.

She stands to one side, ready in case anything should happen, the blackfire whispering that, if she needs it, it will come.

[primus_seeress]

*He's lucid enough to remember people ('lightshine'? She'd smile if the situation wasn't so potentially dire), and places... but this 'never by my hand' is not a good sign; he's thinking on his past, and what he had been, what he was made for*

*Auspex lets go of Jetstorm's hand long enough for Skyfire and Ratchet to get him in the room and situated, before taking it up again. She sits near him, on the other side, while she talks to him, patting his hand softly*

Jetstorm... you saw things. Dark things with wings, and decay; Primus showed me some of what you saw. Was there anything else that you saw, any people you saw? What happened as you were watching the moon? *she doesn't know enough about the planet to realize the moon should not have been visible, or that too would worry her..*

*she looks down at his brothers, indicating that she's addressing them, too; they may have some insight*

[attair_al_fada]

"I know," murmurs Skyfire. "I know by whose hand he fell."

Skyfire pulls a drum of Very High Grade out of his cockpit. "It's okay, Jetstorm, you're among friends," he says soothingly. "You're still nearly exhausted; think you can manage a drink?" Skyfire holds Jetstorm's head up and offers him a sip.

// Auspex, he saw me, torn open to the core and fading, among other people. He saw someone else in Motormaster--someone he called 'Commander'. //

[blackwingdove]

Jetstorm sucks down a few swallows of the high-grade, slowly becoming as limp as a robotic jet'former might. "They went away."

[primus_seeress]

*Her gaze wanders up to Skyfire's for a moment, optics wide and very bright. They dart back over to Jetstorm's, filled with worry. Her voice is barely above a whisper* You saw... Void? *Her grip on his hand tightens slightly, as though it will anchor him more firmly to reality* You spoke to him? ...Did you see Motormaster anywhere?

Auspex quickly comms the others with the basics of Jetstorm's story -- of Rodimus Void and his path of destruction in his universe, how he'd killed many, including Galvatron; Jetstorm's role as his second, and what she had done to purge the Chaos from his spark.

//This is probably related to that chaos-wind; there's always been a chance that if Jetstorm comes into contact with Unicronian energy, he may revert back to what he was... the contact with the creature may have awakened his Chaos-sense, though imperfectly, as it is not Unicronian. I'm only hoping it's not permanent.//

[blackwingdove]

"Yes. He came." Jetstorm frowns. "He wanted my sword. He knows he cannot have my sword, but he wanted it anyway. Simply because the other owner is dead does not mean he can have it."

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire looks Jetstorm over; he seems to be drawing power and recharging, as are the other four Aerialcrons.

"Fireflight, Air Raid, Skydive, Slingshot... are you well? I am surprised Jetstorm ran himself into exhaustion without noticing. Does this happen often?" Skyfire looks at each of the Aerialcrons as he names them.