(Untitled)

[strayedaways]

Sellout is generally quite wary about the Nexus, but by the time he trudges back out of it, he’s too weary and confused to worry much about what’s behind him.

To make a long story short, Scanbar had got loose in the place recently, and when he came back the pathologist-cum-layabout was far too enthusiastic for anyone’s liking. He babbled at everyone

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[obstructjustice]

This nightmare is a deadly shade of black, stalking Sellout into his ship with barely a sound. It's always so comforting, that sense of being on enemy ground without them knowing.

If only Frenzy was here... Oh well. He starts hunting for a nearby terminal, or computer of any sort.

[random_xtras]

And there are eyes watching him from behind a hastily erected stealth shield. They're golden eyes, set in the face of a small blue saber tooth tiger, and they hold far more wary intelligence than a being of her type has a right to. Her nostrils are quivering, and her stubby tail is twitching as she tracks the Decepticon's progress and wonders if he's supposed to be here.

[strayedaways]

Sellout remains oblivious to the danger behind him. He's on his way up to the bridge, fins lowered at a weary angle.

There are terminals, in some of the rooms leading off the hall. Most of them are overlaid with a film of dust, but half of them are quite functional.

The rest are missing various bits of their insides. Parts shortage, you know.

[obstructjustice]

There's only one thing to do, then. Try every terminal until he finds one that works. Then it's just a matter of exactly how much he can find out.

A cautious sweep for energy signatures before seeing where he is and finding all the details he can.

Saber tooth tigers just aren't what he's looking out for right now.

[random_xtras]

Uzulee is invisible to his sensors as she sends her acknowledgment to Redecho.

The little yellow femme just stopping in the doorway to look at him, on the other hand, is very visible.

"Barricade!" Her gun arm goes up, but then drops as quickly as she remembers that it's disabled. Faster than thought, she's stepped forward and lifted the heavy cane she'd been leaning on, aiming for his head.

"Bumblebee! No!" cries Uzulee, shifting to her furry simian middle form even as she drops her shield and springs forward, though what she'd be able to do is anyone's guess.

And over in another part of the base a certain artifact in a certain mech's chest starts to glow and emit power.

[strayedaways]

Songstop had been doing some rummaging in one of the disused storerooms, sensors at their most sensitive to help him search in the poor light. When something in his chest flares with enough power to temporarily overload his dialled-up sensors, he drops a box of used powerpacks on his foot.

Cursing at that and the source of the glow (knowing what the mini-lightshow in his chest is is in no way comforting), he triggers the panels on his chest to open so he can glare at the Matrix. (But warily.) "Oh no. Can't a guy scrounge components in peace?"

//Sellout,// Redecho says calmly, //do we have a colour alert for 'Old Guard Decepticon in the base'?//

//What?//

[obstructjustice]

Barricade narrows his optics at the familiar 'bot.

He turns to Bumblebee, ignoring the Uzulee and readies his spinning spikes. But he's not going to stand and wait for his attacker to get him, so he attempts to duck, stand and swipe.

[random_xtras]

She attempts to catch herself, but her bad leg gives out and she winds up on the floor, grimly silent as she flashes back to times when she couldn't speak. At least one of the multitude of scars and welds that mark her person have popped, and something is definitely leaking, but the little femme ignores all that in favor of trying to keep the spikes away and to get in a blow of her own.

Uzulee, for her part, yelps and teleports, winding up on Barricade's shoulders. She isn't silent. She's shouting for help at the top of her small human voice.

[random_xtras]

"Where is your Megatron?" asks Uzulee abruptly, scowling. "Does he know you're here? Or are you kissing Starscream's skidplate?"

Bumblebee is now going 0_0

[strayedaways]

Sellout pauses for a second, surprised by Uzulee's question and wondering how Barricade will answer. He seems oblivious to the opportunity he's leaving open... though he's thinkng to himself that Ruindream is probably blocking the way to the bridge, and hoping that's enough.

[obstructjustice]

Barricade narrows his optics at the organic. "I don't answer to you, that much is certain."

[random_xtras]

"I belong on this ship. You don't," retorts the tiny human. "And you have no right being here."

As she talks she's moving very slowly away from where Bumblebee lays helpless on the deck.

The Matrix's light fades the closer Songstop comes to where the others are, though the feeling of urgency remains at the back of the com officer's mind.

[random_xtras]

It's Uzulee who springs forward with superhuman agility, the tazer in her hand aiming toward circuits in Barricade's foot. Her gentle face is grim with concentration as she focuses on speed and trajectory and angle of counter attack.

That ghostly figure steps past Songstop, seeming to become more solid though no one of the crew or their allies see it yet. He seems to be reaching for Barricade.

And Bumblebee, forgotten on the floor, is struggling for focus as the here and now become superimposed with the then and gone.

[strayedaways]

"Slag it!" Songstop turns fast to keep his sights on Barricade and opens fire again, though his aim is lagging behind the charging Decepticon.

Sellout is used to fighting up close. He's certainly not used to being assaulted by a Decepticon half his size who actually wants to kill him. For an instant the jet-former hesitates, halfway through taking aim again. Then he moves, attempting to block the initial swipe with his arm and knowing it's going to hurt even if it works. At least if he's focused on me, I can take it... for a cycle or two.

[obstructjustice]

Barricade's foot jerked back from the tazer, then swung forward as he stepped up to swing at Sellout. Though if that extra figure gets any closer it might get swiped at as well.

All in all, Barricade was feeling that little bit surrounded.

[random_xtras]

The extra figure does indeed get closer, uncomfortably so. It's accompanied by the static to the circuits that is the surest sign of an angry ghost. Optimus Prime has crossed the veil, but he hasn't given up the fight.

Uzulee leaps away from Barricade's foot, snarling as she shifts to saber tooth in mid jump. She crouches as she lands, her stubby tail jerking, then springs forward again and drives razor sharp fangs through a chink in the Decepticon's leg armor, hoping to hit tubing that can be severed.

And then there's a low shout from Bumblebee as she tries to pull herself up from the floor and rejoin the fray.

[random_xtras]

Optimus fights with the only weapon currently at his disposal as Barricade's passage puts him in contact with the living Transformer's circuits and spark. Offtimes one touching a ghost will experience something of what that ghost is feeling or thinking.

Optimus feels pain.

The crushing pain of failure; of letting his world and his people down.

The pain of loved ones deactivated before their time.

The remembered pain of slowly being blown apart before a firing squad.

[strayedaways]

There's no time for the other Autobots to respond, but Songstop stumbles in surprise at the horrified sound in Barricade's cry. What just happened? Maybe Barricade's more damaged than they thought...

With one lagging behind and the other's view blocked by Barricade, neither Ruindream nnor Songstop can properly see Sellout. Both more-or-less assume that he's done something to the Decepticon.

[obstructjustice]

This pain, the experience is overwhelming. Feelings he's never had to experience come together in an unexplained, painful way.

It's not right. These bizarre feelings. And if he could concentrate on his foes he would, but right this minute he's consumed by the experience.

[random_xtras]

And then the ultimate pain: that of floating free of one's battered shell and feeling just how big and empty the world really is when one is naked before it. Loss of sensors, and a far-off, haunting song that one cannot respond to because there is too much yet to do.

His momentum will carry him through then, and Optimus stands blinking his single optic and shuddering before vanishing quickly to avoid Sellout.