As the ship lands, gravity returns to the group in the brig. Daru enters after a moment, reactivating the force-field control. "All right, come on and follow me. Be quick about it
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Perceptor is surprised at the look and... consideration from their new captor. He'd been afraid that their relationship would have been used against them, not obliquely assisted. He watches daru herd Wheelie and Cureall off together, filled with concern and none too little dread for Cureall's safety, with only Wheelie there to back her up. Wheelie, who had already shown a marked dislike for Cureall in particular, and a lack of interest in teamwork to assist the others.
There is a quick, sharp jolt from his collar as he realizes that they are all being herded off towards their own new positions as well. He watches as Rodimus and Wheeljack are sent off with another Skuxxoid towards what looks like the loading docks, while he, himself, is prodded along busy corridors between the machinery.
"Here," his "guide" instructs with a sinister little giggle, shoving him into a spot between a couple of other humanoid workers who barely spare him an apathetic glance. "Learn quick, human creature," the Skuxxoid continues, still giggling faintly. "No work, no food." He fingers a button on a remote he carries, and the message is quite clear to the scientist. No work is more likely to result in intense pain, rather than no food.
Although, the threat of no food is a powerful one, at the moment, his stomach reminds him with a painful gurgle.
The skuxxoid stands back, arms crossed over his chest as he watches Perceptor for a moment. Blinking, Perceptor turns and watches the other workers on either side of him. They appear to be assembling some sort of complicated circuitry. It looks like it might be from the guidance system of some sort of weaponry, but there isn't quite enough complete at this point in their line for him to be certain. He is just figuring out how he can insert himself into this process when he feels the sharp pain of a shock from his collar.
With a gasp and a soft cry, he instinctively reaches up for it. "Not fast enough, human-creature. Better get snappy!"
Coughing, Perceptor reaches for the parts and starts working, hoping that Wheeljack and the others are safer. He's also thankful that the machines they are surrounded by seem to put out some heat, since he is still dressed in nothing more than the thin shorts and shirt that he awoke in at Drath's compound. Hopefully, there will also be warmer clothing made available soon. Otherwise, he is not certain how long these human bodies can remain healthy with no way to regulate temperature.
Apparently satisfied with his intitial work, the Skuzzoid wanders off, but not too far. He stays close enough to keep an eye on the newest member of the assembly line for a long time. Perceptor stifles a yawn, still tired from everything so far, and prays that he can last until their alloted rest cycle.
The Skuxxoid frowns to himself. This new human is a little too good at its job already, taking to the circuit assembly like a being that knows its way around electronics. He doesn't like it. He sits back and watches for a while, not bothering to hide his suspicion and displeasure.
"Slow down. You're making the lizard guy nervous. You'll get us all in trouble. They don't like it when we're too good at this part," the slave to Perceptor's left hisses under his breath. He glances over at Perceptor, a bleak look in his eyes that speaks of many horrors witnessed, and hope that was slain long ago. "If you don't wanna end up further down the line in the heavy labor, you'd better start screwing up now and then." With a nearly imperceptible jerk of his head, he indicates the warily watching Skyxxoid not far from them.
Not that he cared if Perceptor was moved out down the line... except that he was taking some of the workload off of him. It's just that any disruptions in the assembly line would get them all punished, and quite frankly, he can't stand the pain any more.
Perceptor blinks, and risks a glance to the side indicated by the other man. The Skuxxoid is staring at him intently, a decidedly not friendly look plastered across it's ratty little face. Perceptor had never been fond of Skuxxoids, and he's even less so now that he's effectively at their mercy.
"Thank you," he murmurs back, slowing his pace, and adding in a fumble now and then. Hopefully not enough to warrant punishment, but enough to deflect suspicion. He needs to get that Skuxxoid to move on to some other task. Perceptor isn't sure what kind of security features this facility may have, in regards to the slaves absconding with tools or materials from the assembly line, but this may be his one good shot at secreting something back to the others for Wheeljack to attempt to do something about these blasted collars.
But only if that Skuxxoid gives up his surveilance and moves on. Perceptor sighs and stifles another yawn. Soon, he won't have to imitate fumbling with this simple task. He shivers a little, despite the warmth given off by the surrounding machinery; it's just not quite enough.
He still doesn't like it. There's something just... not quite right about this new human. But its not as good at this stuff as he initially thought. Must have been beginner's luck. He makes a mental note to check back on this one often. For now, though, he's got too much other work to supervise to waste watching one stupid new human.
With a grumbling huff, he stomps off to annoy someone else.
Perceptor heaves a small sigh of relief as the Skuxxoid moved on. He watches out of the corner of his eyes to make sure it is gone, and not just lurking somewhere out of his line of sight. Once he is certain their overseer is gone, he turns his attention back to the man to his left.
"Thank you, again. I... am not used to this," he says quietly. "Can you tell me anything about this place? What the work/rest cycles are like? Or if anyone has ever escaped?"
The slave doesn't pause, but he does shoot Perceptor an incredulous look before snorting out a bitter little laugh. "Oh, you're one of those. You still have hope. Don't worry. They'll crush that soon enough." He shakes his head and concentrates on his work.
"There's been a few that tried. The lizards usually bring back what the critters outside don't eat. It's not much. If anyone ever made it, they left behind some awful important parts in the try," he shakes his head, tossing Perceptor a rather fatalistic look. "You can try if you want. No one will rat you out... It's your skin, after all. But you won't get far. Even if you make it past the shields, the critters will get you. I'd give up, if I were you. It'll hurt a lot otherwise."
After that, he promptly shuts up, refusing to speak another word, no matter how hard Perceptor tries to get any more answers from him.
The slave to Perceptor's right is even less informative, not even acknowledging his questions at all.
Perceptor shudders. Somehow, they have to escape this place, get their bodies back, and then return to liberate all these beings. Hopefully before the five of them die inside as much as all the other beings here have. The shiver that wracks him now is less one of cold than of revulsion.
There is a quick, sharp jolt from his collar as he realizes that they are all being herded off towards their own new positions as well. He watches as Rodimus and Wheeljack are sent off with another Skuxxoid towards what looks like the loading docks, while he, himself, is prodded along busy corridors between the machinery.
"Here," his "guide" instructs with a sinister little giggle, shoving him into a spot between a couple of other humanoid workers who barely spare him an apathetic glance. "Learn quick, human creature," the Skuxxoid continues, still giggling faintly. "No work, no food." He fingers a button on a remote he carries, and the message is quite clear to the scientist. No work is more likely to result in intense pain, rather than no food.
Although, the threat of no food is a powerful one, at the moment, his stomach reminds him with a painful gurgle.
The skuxxoid stands back, arms crossed over his chest as he watches Perceptor for a moment. Blinking, Perceptor turns and watches the other workers on either side of him. They appear to be assembling some sort of complicated circuitry. It looks like it might be from the guidance system of some sort of weaponry, but there isn't quite enough complete at this point in their line for him to be certain. He is just figuring out how he can insert himself into this process when he feels the sharp pain of a shock from his collar.
With a gasp and a soft cry, he instinctively reaches up for it. "Not fast enough, human-creature. Better get snappy!"
Coughing, Perceptor reaches for the parts and starts working, hoping that Wheeljack and the others are safer. He's also thankful that the machines they are surrounded by seem to put out some heat, since he is still dressed in nothing more than the thin shorts and shirt that he awoke in at Drath's compound. Hopefully, there will also be warmer clothing made available soon. Otherwise, he is not certain how long these human bodies can remain healthy with no way to regulate temperature.
Apparently satisfied with his intitial work, the Skuzzoid wanders off, but not too far. He stays close enough to keep an eye on the newest member of the assembly line for a long time. Perceptor stifles a yawn, still tired from everything so far, and prays that he can last until their alloted rest cycle.
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Not that he cared if Perceptor was moved out down the line... except that he was taking some of the workload off of him. It's just that any disruptions in the assembly line would get them all punished, and quite frankly, he can't stand the pain any more.
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"Thank you," he murmurs back, slowing his pace, and adding in a fumble now and then. Hopefully not enough to warrant punishment, but enough to deflect suspicion. He needs to get that Skuxxoid to move on to some other task. Perceptor isn't sure what kind of security features this facility may have, in regards to the slaves absconding with tools or materials from the assembly line, but this may be his one good shot at secreting something back to the others for Wheeljack to attempt to do something about these blasted collars.
But only if that Skuxxoid gives up his surveilance and moves on. Perceptor sighs and stifles another yawn. Soon, he won't have to imitate fumbling with this simple task. He shivers a little, despite the warmth given off by the surrounding machinery; it's just not quite enough.
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With a grumbling huff, he stomps off to annoy someone else.
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"Thank you, again. I... am not used to this," he says quietly. "Can you tell me anything about this place? What the work/rest cycles are like? Or if anyone has ever escaped?"
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"There's been a few that tried. The lizards usually bring back what the critters outside don't eat. It's not much. If anyone ever made it, they left behind some awful important parts in the try," he shakes his head, tossing Perceptor a rather fatalistic look. "You can try if you want. No one will rat you out... It's your skin, after all. But you won't get far. Even if you make it past the shields, the critters will get you. I'd give up, if I were you. It'll hurt a lot otherwise."
After that, he promptly shuts up, refusing to speak another word, no matter how hard Perceptor tries to get any more answers from him.
The slave to Perceptor's right is even less informative, not even acknowledging his questions at all.
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