hsv, Autobot Base, News of a new threat
Optimus: *standing gravely before an assembly of bots, telling them about what Galvatron has just told him about the Fallen*
Desinex: *near the back of the group, cradling Ridgeback and growling at near-subsonic levels. Unhappy ex-Decepticon is unhappy*
Hound: *arm around his mate as he frowns and listens*
Starscream: *leaning on the door frame with a protective hand on a confused Fireflight's shoulder as he asks how Earth is supposed to work with no sun*
Denver: *brow ridge is twitching, and she's clenching and unclenching her fists, in lieu of spinning her cannons*
Optimus: *finishes and looks at his people* Any questions?
Denver: *raises her hand* Ah got one, Prime.
Optimus: Yes, Denver?
Denver: *Serious femme is serious* Who all's gonna be on th' team th't tracks down th' stahr-d'stroyah?
Optimus: *gently* I'm afraid you're not ready for a mission like this yet. *starts naming other team members, none of whom are the biggest of the team, but rather the fastest and the best at striking and running* And I will accompany this team too.
Denver: *Scowl* Th's is MAH home planet too, Prime.
Optimus: *also hears Ironhide grumbling* And I need you to go on the other mission, which will be attending to the other matter that I was informed about today.
Ironhide: Other mission?
Denver: *Raised brow ridge*
Optimus: *nods* Shifting ice in Antarctica has recently uncovered what can only be a large Transformer of a construction unfamiliar to me.
Denver: ... 'o all's on th' team?
Optimus: Inferno, Ironhide, Magnus, Chromia, you... *names a couple other big bots, and then the young femme Starscream's team of three. The other Aerialbots are going with him*
Magnus: ...From that list...The unknown Transformer is bigger than either one of us, Optimus...
Optimus: From the satellite imagery it appears that he's larger than Megatron.
Lumen: *low whistle*
Denver: ...*mutters something about snow tires*
Ironhide: Snow tires nothing. I'm going to wear my spiked chains.
Chromia: *cradling a sleeping Carina and frowning* Prime...some'a us 'ave sparklets...
Optimus: If any of the people chosen for either team would rather not go that is entirely up to their own discretion.
Eclipse: *raises hand, and has to jump up and down to be seen*
Optimus: Yes, Eclipse? Wheeljack, please don't give your creation donkey ears.
Wheeljack: *innocent*
WJ: *Softly razzes Wheeljack*
Eclipse: *ignoring Dad, kthx* Wake and I could keep an eye on a couple of the sparklets...
Bluestreak: *doorwings all but buzzing as he tries to keep from laughing at his daughter and mate*
Optimus: *nods to Eclipse* If the creators of the young bots are agreeable I have no objection to your plan.
Chromia: *nudges Ironhide, as Denver gently clicks to Dion before bringing the little mech over to Eclipse*
Ironhide: *quizzical look for his mate, then facepalms* Ratchet will notice I'm gone.
Chromia: ...*bites back the curse that nearly slips out*
Ironhide: *hand on her shoulder as he frowns*
Chromia: *headshake* Carina'll pitch a fit 'f botha us ain't 'round...
Ironhide: *weighing pros and cons and then sighs* Do you want to wear my chains?
Chromia: *headshake, and then her attention is on Carina, who is now peeking at her parents behind half-shuttered optics*
Ironhide: *gruff as he puts his arms around his lady and their little one* I want you to be safe.
Chromia: No need t' be worrin' 'bout th't, Ahrnhide...Ah'm stayin' 'ere. No arguin' 'bout it.
Ironhide: *blinks* But....
Carina: *quiet click*
Chromia: *Gives Ironhide a Look*
Ironhide: *just hugs her and rubs her back*
Chromia: Prime, Ah'm stayin' 'ere.
Optimus: Very well, Chromia.
Carina: *Happy wiggle, clicks quietly*
Ironhide: *kisses the little one, and then slips away to go get ready*
Starscream: Optimus, sir. I think that I should stay behind, and Fireflight as well.
Optimus: *blinks with surprise at that* Alright. *looks at the other Aerialbots and flyers to see what they want*
Powerglide: I'm in.
Desinex: *searching the crowd without appearing to*
Meanwhile
Ironhide: *heading for Ratchet's room, where he knocks before unlocking the door*
Ratchet: *looks up from his datapad* Is something wrong, Ironhide?
Ironhide: I've got a mission. Some big mech frozen in the ice up south.
Ratchet: *Frown* How big?
Ironhide: *tells him what Optimus said* Optimus doesn't seem to think he's any threat... but I keep remembering the last time we found a big bot frozen in ice.
Ratchet: *sympathetic wince, nods* Keep me updated?
Ironhide: You'll be alright with that? *glances at the femme that's curled sleeping next to his brother, her hand protectively over the wire plugged into her wrist*
Ratchet: *nods* I need to know what kind of damages you'll have done to yourself in the course of trying to pull the mech out yourself even with Ultra Magnus and the others there to help. *teasing glint in his optics*
Ironhide: *grumbles and snorts* I'm wearing my new chains.
Ratchet: The ones you had Lennox pick up?
Ironhide: I ordered these on the internet.
Ratchet: *soft snerk*
Ironhide: They've got studs in them for extra traction. *slight glint in his optics* I won't be sliding.
Ratchet: *another snerk* Well, good luck.
Ironhide: You better not do anything stupid while I'm gone. *scowly glare*
Ratchet: No, that's your department.
Ironhide: Just stay put. *getting up from the chair*
Ratchet: I intend to, unless Cragbuster has other ideas.
Ironhide: *concern* It's not time.
Ratchet: I know...but you and I also know that there is a slight risk that he could prematurely separate. It's a slight risk, and I don't think it will happen, but I'm glad Perceptor's just about finished building the protoform...
Ironhide: *just growls and gruffs and tries to hide his worry as he turns to go*
Ratchet: Remember, if you start to skid, turn in the direction you're skidding.
Ironhide: Teach your creator's femme creator to suck eggs. *out and heading for his quarters to get the chains*
Ratchet: *Soft snerk as he powers down his datapad and settles for a nap*
Back in the hallway outside the assembly room
Galvatron: *comes out and heads toward his quarters, arguing with Cho over the comm and not paying attention to anyone who might be in the hall with him*
Desinex: *Low growl, one that's low enough in pitch to be felt...then she's ducking into a hiding spot and waiting*
Galvatron: *sighs as Cho just stops saying anything more than 'yes, sir' on the matter of him going with Optimus' team*
Desinex: *throwing up her signal jammers, and moving with near-silence. Ex-Decepticon on the prowl...*
Galvatron: *stops and rubs his face* Primus... am I wrong? Will Optimus be alright without me?
Desinex: *Moves to tackle the smaller mech, optics blazing with anger* You. KNEW.
Galvatron: ACK! *flail* What???
Desinex: *optics narrowed, growling subsonically as she lifts Galvatron up by his feet and holds him upside down* You. KNEW. about. the. Fallen.
Galvatron: *calms* Megatron knew. I didn't until I dreamed about him last night.
Desinex: ...*scowl, lets go of Galvatron*
Galvatron: *lands on head* Ouch....
Desinex: *looking very much like the 'con she once was, aside from her optics, scowls at Galvatron again* If that...slag-sucking...&$#^&^%# so much as LOOKS at Ridgeback...After I'm done kicking his &*#^$#*^$#@*&^ skidplate...you're next. *Abrupt turn, and then she's heading back into the assembly room to check on Hound and Ridgeback**
Galvatron: Desinex.
Desinex: *Stops and looks over her shoulder* What.
Galvatron: *very sad* You heard Optimus. He's not interested in our sparklets. He wants the sun.
Desinex: *Soft huff* Well, that #&$#*^W@%$&*($*&% isn't going to get what he wants.
Galvatron: No... he isn't. Because Optimus is going to stop him.
Desinex: You better hope he does. *vanishes into assembly room*
((co-written with random_xtras))