NOT looking for trouble this time...honest!

[wolfinbotsarmor]

((From here...Klank PINpoints into a secluded area of the nexus hub he and others have simply come to know as "the dressing room." Not much activity on this end, but this was the usual place he and his comrades would use to enter and exit without being noticed by the majority of the hub populace. The surrounding walls are a lined with very large

Comments

[shellshockers]

Hardly ten seconds after Klank finishes speaking, a mid-sized Cybertronian meanders out from between two rows of lockers, obviously looking for something amidst some of the piles of tarp and clothing littering the floor. He's got a big grizzly bear wearing armor with him and neither seem to notice the presence of newcomers immediately...

"Sniff over there," says the mech, pointing off to one side. "He said he dropped it over here yesterday."

As the Pretender bear shell moves to do as asked, however, it notices they are not alone and bares its fangs, growling. The mech turns and looks up, jaw dropping open and optics widening.

"Klank... You're...you're...! And you -- the rust! Oh, Primus!" He points with one shaking finger, then turns and hightails it back into the jungle of lockers, howling at the top of his vocalizer. "RAAAAATCHET! IT'S KLANK! COSMIC RUST! ZOMBIE KLANK WITH COSMIC RUST!Its owner and other half having lost his nerve, the bear shell's courage vanishes in an instant, the furry beastie running after the

[wolfinbotsarmor]

Klank stares after the pair with an expression of dismay. "Well... Eh, I'd say that could have gone a lot better. If I hadn't seen him fight prior to my death, I would have no idea how that one ever earned a place as a bodyguard at all."

[primus_seeress]

*Auspex only has a moment to glance around - what an odd place for a Nexus - before two of whom are apparently of Ratchet's entourage appear. Almost as quickly, they're gone again.*

*She watches the mech and the creature go, blinkblinking with large optics* Er... I suppose fear of the dead returned is a much different sort of thing, than fear of pain or death. Will the others... react like that?

((Ah, good luck with that. Nosy artist here wonders what you're working on. ;} ))

[guardianseeker]

“That reaction isn’t too uncommon, Auspex, ma’am.” Jet said, fading in to view and after studying their surroundings, took a protective position that allowed him to defend them both from as many angles of attack as possible. Unlike the living here, Jet had no scent and registered to no scanner. As if he were non-existent. “We Dead have, uh, earned it.”

Err… had they ever, Primus. Jet knew (vaguely in some cases through the Allspark) of what happened on Charr, in the Crypt, on the Nemesis, on Tau Ceti III, the far, frozen North… the Bar. And that was only recently. When the Dead (often The Vengeful Dead) got involved… things happened, yes ma’am, Jet could testify to that

[primus_seeress]

*Auspex smiles faintly* Considering the number of the dead I've met since I came to the Nexus... the 'novelty' has worn off. But I know of the fear of the metaphysical; I come across it relatively often, myself. *she continues to peer in that direction, still blinking a bit* Just not usually... with that much panic involved.

[wolfinbotsarmor]

"If my sources were correct, Chainclaw is a hypochondriac. The best would have stood their ground no matter what, but seeing as how he thinks I have cosmic rust, retreat was obviously the option he felt driven to take," Klank responds with a frown as he glances from Auspex to Jet, then back down the line of lockers. "Likely we will not even need to search, now. They will probably come to us... Though now I wonder how well this will go, what with Chainclaw screeching and panicking like a fool."

[shellshockers]

The words are practically prophetic. Chainclaw is well off in the distance, now, somewhere out of regular visual range and lost in the sea of lockers and other miscellany scattered throughout, but his over the top retreat doesn't take long to earn a reaction. Another mech is pounding back towards them like a speeding freight train.

Only this one doesn't read quite the same for those who can sense it. No... This one is just as dead as Klank. But as he leaps out into view and lands on all fours, massive silver claws digging into the floor, it's obvious that he's in far better shape, his spark well settled into a shell that is partially covered in deep brown fur. Crouching only a good leap away from the trio, he regards them through burning red optics. He twitches as if to leap in Klank's direction, body coiled for the strike, but the sight of Jet is stopping him.

"What the frag does it take to kill you, creep?" he snarls at Klank. "Tell your buddies to step back. This won't be as pretty as the last time you went out,

[guardianseeker]

Er… okay…

This made things a bit more… um… aw… Jet didn’t think there was a word that properly described what this made the situation. Dead guy was dead. Okay. Possessing a shell - lugnuts, that was a weird alt. Dead guy was possessing a shell and looking pretty settled in, maybe a little too settled in (no way to tell if this was a case of possession like The Commander’s or something that bound him to the shell a little tighter, approximated life just a little more… not without doing something that he might notice and go off on) given the differing degrees of dead there could be.

Interesting. Weird. Complicated. Words that were close enough, probably. Made things both harder and easier if he had to fight this guy. Some of his spectral tricks probably wouldn’t work on this guy. Some things that wouldn’t work on the living… however… probably would on him. Give and take.

Different. Hey, that was it. Different. That’s the word.

//Priestess, ma’am… what are you sensing off this one? I wasn’t expecting another one of Us, and this

[primus_seeress]

*Her optics widen, as she senses the timbre of the newcomer's spark; he, also, is dead. She'd be interested in asking about it - in a less precarious situation; this mech radiates ire like a beacon. Auspex pauses to answer Jet: //I can sense that he is dead, but no more than that. What is it that concerns you? Is something wrong?//

*she slides forward with a slow, wary, decidedly non-threatening step (come now, does she look like she could hurt anything?)* Please... do not threaten him. He is here for a purpose, and not for a battle; I urge you to withold your opinion of him, at least long enough to hear him out. *she is studiously placid, but there is a hint of nervous entreaty in her tone. Don't make this difficult...*

[guardianseeker]

//How this one is possessing his shell. He’s very settled in… maybe too settled in and bound to his shell for a ghost. It’s… uh… I’m not sure if this even is ghostly possession. This one might be a zombie or some sort of lich. It’s… er hard to tell, ma’am… depends on how’s he bound and what’s keeping him there. I’d have to scan him more than I have and he’ll notice. Doesn’t feel all too great to us Dead. He could go off. Bad.

I could be wrong. Dead wrong. Er… not punning, ma’am, honest, but, things could get, uh, dicier than we thought if there’s a scrap.//

[shellshockers]

Moledive regards Jet with a snarl, baring the fangs in his mouth in warning. He can sense that barely perceivable ripple of power...and it unnerves him. It's been a long time since he felt anything like it. The last time he did, well, it was the force that pulled him back into the land of the living. Hackles literally rising, he then turns his attention to Auspex. "Get. Out. Of the way! Everything and anything that falls out of that slag heap's mouth is garbage! Total lies! He charms and smiles to your faceplate so he can stab you in the back

[wolfinbotsarmor]

Oh, this is going poorly. Klank takes one step back, not interested in having what's left of his internals ripped out by an angry Moledive. Thank Primus for both Jet and Auspex in the most literal sense possible. Both his hands raised before him, he shakes his head at the accusations. "No, you do not understand! I was brought back to life on accident in the other nexus hub and I have no intention of attacking anyone here. I realize that half my life was spent lying and committing horrible acts of cruelty against Cybertronian kind, but death...it was not what I thought it would be. I just ask a few minutes to speak with Ratchet! If he sees fit to send me back to darkness, I will accept it."

The mention of Chainclaw keeping Steiner away does prompt a frustrated huff and slight baring of fans on Klank's part, however. "And please... I must see Steiner, even if just for a moment. I am falling to pieces where I stand! Steiner is the only one left among the living who was still loyal to me in the end."

[primus_seeress]

*Auspex shakes her head, ready to refute Moledive's objections. Her attention is diverted for a moment, however, and her optics flicker in startlement, as she sees the transformation of a Pretender, for the first time. What odd technology is this..? Pseudo-organic outer shells, capable of autonomy? Such strange things in the multiverse... but as fascinating as that may be, she must concentrate on her purpose here. At least someone here is willing to listen, even with weapon in hand. She nods solemnly, pulling Primus' presence around her mind like a shroud, to maintain her calm patience as steadily as possible.*

I am Auspex, a servant of Primus. I do know who I am defending, and what sort of person he was. I understand why you have little to no reason to trust him, or even let him live. But I do have reasons to trust him, and I promise you that he is not the same as before. I am an empath, via information from Primus himself; Klank has told me of his wish to redeem himself, and I can feel his sincerity

[guardianseeker]

This kept rising on the scale of one to weird. Jet had never seen a Pretender before, either, and he mentally boggled a bit at Catilla’s entrance. These mechs really had strange transformations; Jet had never encountered so many organic creature alts ever.

… he had no clue what these creatures were supposed to be either.

“I’m Jet, one of the Guardians of the Allspark,” he said, treating this new arrival with the same steady, calm look he’d been giving Dead Guy, now identified as Moledive. “I assure you that none of us have come to harm any of you. As the Priestess said, all he wishes to do is see his friend… and perhaps talk with your Ratchet if he’ll allow it. There’s no need for violence - regardless of any… uh, ‘help’, Klank will be gone soon enough.”

“And, yes, I do know. The Allspark knows. What he’s done shows plainly on his hands and on his Spark. I See it.” And what Catilla and Moledive had done showed plainly on theirs. Jet did not bother to point that out, however. Bad Timing was the word. “I also See that desire for

[shellshockers]

Moledive and Catilla regard Auspex and Jet for a few silent seconds, still sizing them up and deciding whether or not they are to be believed. The fact that Jet is not reading on their scanners doesn't do much to impress them; they've been in the nexus hubs too long and have already seen their share of ghosts and other bizarre anomalies. Finally, Catilla subspaces his weapon

[wolfinbotsarmor]

"Oh, for Primus' sake, I'm standing right here!" Obviously annoyed with the two Pretenders carrying their conversation within ear shot as they are, Klank huffs and shakes his head. "You lot haven't done a thing since I died, have you? Suddenly, I feel a renewed sense of purpose! Minus our reality, what else did we have to do other than needle each other endlessly?

"Sarcasm aside, I am actually NOT interested in seeing a throw down at the moment. Auspex and Jet are correct; I am no longer interested in leading what remains of my life as a killer...not that I have much life left to live at this point. But if you honestly feel the need to tear me shreds here and now, at least leave Auspex out of this. I fear not for Jet due to what he is, but I will not allow anyone to die for my sake. That is not something I deserve."