((And now for the "official" version to commence...))

[prankster_femme]

((This takes place as roughly the same time as this arc*Wingblade fumbles as she inputs the access code Steadfast gave her. She's shaking and the air is hitching in her cycling systems, though she's physically undamaged. Once the door slides open she throws herself in and onto the berth, then opens a comm to Steadfast, her voice breaking

Comments

[0ut_of_sight]

((Continued from the above sub-thread.))

Elsewhere, the elevator reaches the floor level and Echoshift steps off the platform. He makes his way towards Steadfast's quarters, taking a route that allows him to stop by his own quarters along the way. As agreed, he fishes out a couple of energon cubes from a stash stored in a unit at the far side of the room, pocketing them into subspace. He's about to close the storage unit, but changes his mind and helps himself to a few more as spares while he's at it before leaving the room. The door hisses shut behind him and locks.

A short while later he's standing outside the door to Steadfast's quarters. He taps a few times on the door.

"Hey, it's me," he announces without preamble, keeping that same tone he'd used earlier and wondering what he'll see on the the other side when the door slides out of the way. "Can I come in?"

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade wraps an arm around both Strata and Steadfast, leaning her helm against Strata's shoulder* Do you think it'll let me hold it after Echoshift's done with whatever?

[0ut_of_sight]

Echoshift glances back as Photon approaches the console, flicking through a mental list of possibilities for where there may be a lab-type room in the base that they could get to so she could do her science thing. He leans over slightly to catch another look at the weird rodent, deciding that her earlier comment about its being mutated probably figured; whatever it was, it didn't even look alien. It just looked plain unnatural.

He turns his attention back to the skitterfluff and looks down at the display.

[skitterfluff]

Squirmy looks intently at Echoshift with his ears flattened. There's a distinct 'thip-thip' as he slaps the dark, empty display rather harder than before.

[0ut_of_sight]

"Ah. Switch it on. Right."

He reaches over, finds the button, and does so. The display lights up.

[strataseeker]

"Hmm..." Photon murmurs, cocking her head in an appraising look at the yellow creature.

"You did ask where the genetic anomoly had been retrieved from," she observes, reaching forward with her free hand to key in a rapid sequence. A moment later, a large scematic style map of Terradessa-1's structure pops up.

Photon tilts her head and watches the yellow creature for more cues.

[skitterfluff]

The skitterfluff looks at the screen from above and blinks owlishly. Muscles in his back hips tense as he lowers his front half down the side of the screen and pats part of the schematic with one paw.

It's the lower section of Terradessa-1's main building, the starship that never quite left.

[lavender_wings]

"Maybe," Steadfast quietly says to Wingblade. "Watch..."

[0ut_of_sight]

Echoshift nods at Photon. "Good point."

He peers at the screen. "Hm... probably something down there is busted and leaking some stuff that's mutated the rat. That's where the power plant is." He looks at Photon. "What d'you reckon?"

[strataseeker]

Photon turns her attention down to the rat again for a moment, peering at it consideringly before glancing back at the screen.

"I'm unfamiliar with the specifications of the base's power plant, however, I would theorize that to be a correct summation. Perhaps Strata should examine the power plant? Wingblade and I could assist. Unless you have another repair technician available that you would prefer?"

[0ut_of_sight]

"Nah, I don't have another. Strata and I could probably work the problem out between us though."

He looks thoughtfully at the rat again.

"You'll be needing a lab for that, won't you?"

[lavender_wings]

"Would you wish my assistance?" Steadfast asks.

[strataseeker]

Photon glances back to the rat. "Yes, a laboratory would be appreciated if I am to study the full effects of whatever mutagenic property has changed this organism," she agrees.

At Steadfast's offer, Photon pauses. "Perhaps Wingblade would like to assist me?" she asks, a slow smile crossing her features. "You have had the opportunity to see Strata perform one of her functions when you sparred. Would you care to observe the performance of my function? I would appreciate the company. Steadfast, you are quite welcome to assist as well, if you would like?"

Strata draws Wingblade with her as she wanders over to peer over Echoshift's intakes at the schematic.

"Yeah, we can have a look at that. Hmm... Is that... Was this base originally a starship like the Ark was? Those look like engines," she observes, pointing at a particular bit on the schematic.

[lavender_wings]

"Yes, yes, it was," Steadfast confirms. "And yes, I would like to assist." More like, 'I wouldn't like to leave Wingblade's side even for a moment,' but she isn't going to say that that openly.

[skitterfluff]

When Strata points at the engines in the schematic, Squirmy pulls himself back to the top of the display and tilts both ears toward her.

"NEEK!"

[0ut_of_sight]

Echoshift nods at Strata. "Yeah, it was. Never quite made it in the end though, heh..."

"I'll see what I can do about finding that lab for you, Photon. There's gotta be one round here that isn't locked like Starscream's is."

He watches Squirmy's next move with interest, looking to Strata for a reaction and keeping silent for the moment.