Ep 1.5. The Day Care Center (Closed)

[Deleted]

(Set ep 1.5, week 1, day 5)


Skywarp was bored.

He didn't like being bored. But having familiarised himself with most of the ship, there really wasn't much to occupy his attention. He hadn't been assigned a patrol yet (probably because no one trusted Skywarp to fly a patrol. He'd get bored (of course) or distracted and probably break cover investigating some human oddity. The Vehicons wouldn't be enough to keep him in line, somebody important would have to be along to supervise him and they always had better things to be doing than grunt work. So, generally, it was easier for everyone if they just brought Skywarp out when they needed something dead).

However, a bored Skywarp was also tended to cause trouble for everyone. The problem was assigning him a task on the Nemesis that didn't, you know, require a lot of thinking but also didn't need a delicate touch. Unfortunately, there was only so much heavy lifting Skywarp could do until there was no more heavy lifting to be done. The Vehicons overseeing his shift had been all to glad to send him on his way before Skywarp started pushing over containers and restacking them to his own amusement.

So now roaming the Nemesis' corridors it was, looking for something else to do. Skywarp had just stalked past one closed door, the map he'd downloaded of the Nemesis had it assigned to Flatline. Buuuuut apparently, the room was some sort of workshop.

Skywarp paused.

Workshop.

That sounded interesting.

The Seeker made a sharp turn and treaded back to the door. He pressed the door controls with his large fingers and waited for the door to open.

It didn't.

What.

He pressed it repeatedly but the door stubbornly remained shut. After several long moments of this behaviour, it occurred to Skywarp that hey, something might be up. The Seeker lowered his head slightly, peering down at the controls.

Locked.

Oh. Yeah, that would explain it. Fortunately, Skywarp had a convenient, inbuilt workaround for obstacles. Nor did he bother thinking about whether locked things were shut for a reason. He simply kicked his warp drive into gear and moved himself to the other side of the door with a quick flash of light. By setting himself right next to the door, he avoided banging into any equipment or benches on the other side.

The room that he found himself in...wasn't what he was expecting to see at all. Skywarp had been hoping for awesome science projects out on displays, tools and material scattered around that he was hoping to mess around with. Instead, it was insanely clean, everything freakishly organized. Nothing had been left out. The surfaces were all shiny, like someone had come by recently and given them a good polish. In fact, Skywarp's ninety nice percent certain that all dust has been removed from this room because he'd just done a scan and the sub-particle distribution was all outta whack.

That's kinda creepy actually.

Never one to be deterred from an adventure, Skywarp idly ran one talon on a nearby bench as he moved further into the room, leaving deep claw marks in the metal surface behind him. The workshop currently was empty but there was a room out the back, perhaps there was somebody in there.

"Heeey," he called out. "Anybody in here? I'm bored. Where's all the cool science?"

[Flatline]

Scanner... scanner... AHAH!

Flatline snatched the sought after object out from a storage bin, the mangled device clutched between spindly fingers as if it held far more value than it truly did. The Decepticon was grasping onto the side of one of the massive shelving units that lined the interior of the storage area. Each bin had all sorts of spare parts, some functional, some not so much any longer, but even the broken tools? The broken devices? Had viable components within them to fill the gaps for projects. Nothing was simply thrown to the incinerators unless it would be easier to construct the component from scratch than to salvage.

With a click, he disengaged the hooking 'toes' of his peds, and let go with his free hand, dropping back to the ground. A light 'thunk' was all that rang out to mark his impact. The landing caused Flatline to bow some, spine hunched forward and free hand that had previously grasped the posts, splayed out on the ground as an extra shock absorber so that he didn't make too much noise or damage himself. It was after this? He got up and strolled forward as if he didn’t just forgo the moving ladder system to climb straight up unaided.

Spindly legs slipped forward with an eerie grace that such a disjointed beast should not be capable of. Each footfall, each step, taking him back towards his lab where he had projects waiting for him. While they were tucked away to keep them clean? And as such were not visible on first glance? He did have a lot of things going on. From rebuilding his own arm, which was nearly completed, to constructing the new feet for Fairwinds, to his tasks with the Eradicons. The partly dismantled scanner in his grip was for one of said Eradicons.

Flatline made it back to his lab in a decent amount of time, taking the seldom used passageways to avoid contact with others. He... was not fond of small talk, and he didn't want to get cornered by anyone chatty. He would probably get huffy and just try to keep walking anyway. It is while he strolled, he considered if he should work on his arm again, or wait to finish it later this night. While lost in these inner thoughts? He plunked his key code into the lock, and stepped inside.

At first he didn’t see Skywarp, his attention drawn down to the device in his hand, but an idle glance up, notified him to a very large presence, and the alarm caused him to lurch back and slam his back into the side wall startled. He had not anticipated someone being in his lab... it had been locked! HOW did they get within there!? It wasn't like Fairwinds, he couldn't bank against them somehow weaseling through the ceiling panels, or just using an override code or other nonsense, no... this wasn't one of the commanders, who?... what?...

"Can I help you?"

Flatline was still pressed up against the wall, though was relaxing some as the initial alarm started to ebb out of his system. His voice? Was stiff, and displeased, mixed between trying to hold pleasantries in case it was a higher commander, but still displaying how unhappy he was they were there. This was HIS area.

[Deleted]

Apparently the workshop really was as empty as it appeared. Skywarp first became aware of this as the astroseconds had crawled by without a response. Then the door had opened up behind him, the Seeker had pivoted round to look at who was coming in. His large wings smacked into a shelve behind him, rattling its contents, though Skywarp ignored this. His attention was far, far too preoccupied with just who had strolled in.

What a crazy looking mech. Skywarp was fascinated by that extra stubbly little arm by his side. Idly, the Seeker was contemplating just reaching out and ripping it off to get a better look at it, right there and then. This desire was in no way helped that Flatline had flattened himself against the wall in alarm. Even as though the mech recovered pretty quickly from it, it had been there, a moment of weakness that Skywarp just wanted to prod and push.

So he straightened to his full height and loomed above the mech.

At the question, Skywarp answered with the first thing that came to mind.

"Your arms! Why do you have an extra one? Can I rip it off? It doesn't look like it's supposed to be there."

[Flatline]

Flatline definitely did notice the shelf get bumped, but he tried not to draw attention to it, still stuck in the limbo between 'Is he higher ranking than me?' or 'Can I shriek at him?'. But just because he didn’t visually respond with anymore more than a flinch at the impact? Internally? He was reeling and spatting in anger, biting back a desire to-

That desire to hold back his words? Was made that much more difficult by what the jet had said in reply. Instead of commenting on why he was there, or what he needed, or even on the shelf he almost knocked loose? He had the audacity to inquire about his remaining secondary and ask if he could rip it off!?

Flatline looked absolutely disgusted for a moment, his secondary limb tucking up and back against his chest. The tiny struts, attempted to fold underneath the flare of his pectoral plating, which protected them a bit. Despite the effort, they would still be partly visible, the small fingertips curling into a fist. But while his arm hid away, Flatline had had plenty enough, and decided to speak his mind.

"You need to watch where you swing those wings!"

Instantly Flatline's stance shifted forward. While Skywarp was much bigger than him? He started towards him with a commanding posture that screamed he wasn't going to be taking any of this crap. He was taking a gamble on this guy not being of higher command, as anyone of true stature in the ranks would have had a far more... intellectual first impression...

"No you may NOT rip off my arm, and you will state your reasoning for being here immediately!"

He spat this out, planting his tiny peds down in a broad stance before the other, his head held high and shoulders pulled back in a sort of confidence one shouldn’t have with a mech as large as Skywarp looking down at him. He doubted he'd be killed for stepping out of line, so he continued being bold, his right hand lifting. The middle finger over, had remained curled about the device he was holding onto, however? The pointer? Was extended, jabbing in Skywarp's direction in an accusatory motion.

"How did you even get in here!? I had my lab locked off in preparation for delicate work!"

While he spoke, his lip plates had peeled back and away, exposing the gnarled border of the metal that created his teeth, the edge zigzagging in an uneven pattern that made them jagged and sharp. His optics? Were focused in on the jet, lens plate contracted into a thin pinprick amongst the rings of black and red. The other Decepticon was just lucky he wasn't in preparation for a surgery or other such things, less Flatline be on a completely other side of agitated. The side that consisted of rage at having to re-clean everywhere the other may have touched.

[Deleted]

Scolding Skywarp to be more careful generally tended to be pretty useless advice. The big Seeker was naturally destructive, even when he wasn't trying to so pointing something out to him just put it squarely his attention. In this case, when he turned back to look at them, his wings smacked the shelves once more.

There was the sound of breaking glass as something smashed.

Whoops. Maybe that hadn't been something important. Because it was pretty broken now.

"Oops?" Skywarp did not sound sorry the slightest. Probably because he wasn't.

The Seeker watched the whole show and display Flatline was putting on with bubbling amusement. The mech would have to travel back in time many, many millenia ago to try and successfully intimidate Skywarp solely by physical presence. Probably long before Flatline's activation date in fact. Skywarp had seen it all before and because he generally was bigger and tougher, there were seldom few mecha who could give him the slightest pause.

Flatline, unfortunately, was not one of them.

It did not help that he was currently missing an arm. That merely was a sign of weakness in Skywarp's optics, an example that the mech was not strong enough to protect himself and had been damaged.

However, while Skywarp was not bothered the slightest by Flatline's imposing stance, the Seeker's attitude had shifted. Slightly. Flatline had been re-categorized from "Frightened scaredy thing I can flatten,' to "Scaredy thing I can still flatten trying to look tough." It was a minute difference but still an important distinction. Skywarp would most definitely try to flatten the former whereas he gave the later points for effort and reserved the flattening to when he thought Flatline had gone too far in trying to assert his authority. For now, he was content to let the spindly mech exist in his current non-flattened state.

In answer to Flatline's question (demand), Skywarp quirked an optic ridge and glanced towards the rest of the lab. "I'm bored," he whined. "Came here to see if there was some awesome science going on."

As for how he got there.

Well, that was a question Skywarp didn't particularly feel like answering. Science-types tended to get a little too interested in his warp core and the big Seeker tended to fundamentally disagree with that interest.

[Flatline]

Flatline watched with muted horror as the glass fell and shattered on the ground. It wasn't something dire, just a container awaiting contents, but he had ideas for what he would use it for, and now it was gone. The glass shards were now glittering across the floor, tiny specks of matter that now had to be cleaned up and disposed of. To add insult upon injury? The giant jet had said the most sarcastic 'oops' Flatline has heard in thousands of years.

He was half tempted to start screeching, but the way Skywarp replied? Seemed to tell him much in the other mech. Yelling would get him nowhere, and he physically had no means to remove them from his laboratory. What he needed was to play things a bit tactically. He had to try to learn about this individual, to figure out what forms of manipulation would be viable. But while he knew physical intimidation would do little? He didn’t back down.

The Medic had to show he did not FEAR this brute. That they couldn't use their considerably larger size to put him down and make him cower. Even though Flatline was put at unease at this? While internally he knew he could be backhanded aside? Externally he showed nothing but defiant opposition as if Skywarp were but a small two wheeler.

"Bored?! Why do you not go harass the workers in the rec-room?"

He spat this out with a flick of his hand, rolling his weight back gradually. It was comparable to someone pushing their weight back onto their heel, but instead he didn't really have a heel to do so. With Digitigrade legs, some motions were more by body movement than any sort of leg placement. Nonetheless, his stance became more casual, flipping his left hand dismissively towards the exit.

"They are on break, they have free time to entertain you."

Something in the way Skywarp declared his boredom, really hit a nerve though. It had that same inflection and whiny edge to it that reminded the medic of days long ago, back when he was a hatchling manufacture for the Towerlings. The small under formed creatures he created that someday would upgrade and be reformatted into adult forms? Had used that same tone, displaying a childish greed that their entertainment was paramount to all else.

Long blades of fingertips ground against one another, while he decided to try something, playing off of this.

"However, if you do not break anything more, and mind the expanse of your wings, I will show you what I am making for Fairwinds, and in extension? Our Lord."

He said this offhandedly. If Skywarp was dismissive again, and brushed it off? He'd ignore it and not show him anything. If he seemed to latch down onto the idea of seeing something possibly 'top secret'? Than it would further add to his growing concepts of the brute. If he was reckless and BROKE what he was working on for Fairwinds?... well... he'd snitch on the mech so fast it wouldn't even be funny. Heck... if Skywarp angered him enough he would break one himself by slamming a heavy tool atop it like a great fist, and present it to Fairwinds paired with a distressed plea to find means to keep the beast from his labs.

Get him BANNED.

[Deleted]

"Bored?! Why do you not go harass the workers in the rec-room?"

"I did," Skywarp replied simply. "Starscream banned me," he complained. Which was why he was here and not there. It was clear by his tone that he thought it was a great injustice that had been dealt to him. Anyway, who'd pass up a chance to watch some science happening? Skywarp hoped there would be some explosions or fire involved. That was the best science. The Seeker didn't even consider that Flatline would deny him this. Because if he did refuse, well. Maybe that would be when Skywarp removed his extra arm.

At Flatline's next words however, the Seeker's optics widened. Oh sweet, he didn't even have to threaten to break anything, Flatline was offering it up straight. And, oh cool, it was for Fairwinds and Megatron? Skywarp was sold.

"Really?" he brightened. He flattened his wings against his back so they wouldn't stick out and knock anything behind him. "I'll be good! Show me!"

He wasn't going to break anything more, no siree. Not something that was the Decepticon commander and his cassette. Skywarp wouldn't even think of touching it.

[Flatline]

What came next painted the picture a lot more for the medic. There was just that inkling of childish ways with the way Skywarp spoke and reacted, that was excessively familiar. He was not sold a hundred percent on his theories yet. No... He had only been given a couple examples. However, it did staple a note to this brute's folder in his mind, now looking out for it actively. It is with this, he started to walk to the side of the lab.

"What got you banned is not something that will be issue here?"

Coldly asked, Flatline carefully stepped over the larger chunks of the reinforced Cybertronian glass. They would not hurt him, the glass wouldn't spear into his tiny prongs that consisted of his peds, but it would have been uncomfortable and just make an uneven surface for him to walk across. He traversed it with an odd grace his digitigrade limbs provided, carrying him to a storage area where he set the machine in his hand down on the counter.

He had asked the question he had, in order to check for honesty, as well as if there was an actual danger in play here for himself. He would try to follow up on why this brute could not go to such public areas, so for now he may be in the dark, but he would look into it. Either way? He pulled open two doors, revealing a large medical tray with something of reasonable size on it. The contents were covered by a draped tarp like material, concealing what was beneath to keep dust and debris from it. Not that there would be much dust... the lab was rather well cleaned.

Walking over, Flatline placed the tray onto the large medical slab, red optics flicking over to keep a somewhat wary optic on the brute. Making sure he wasn't about to smash anything, or reach for the tarp himself. Once checking, Flatline carefully peeled the opaque plastic back, exposing what lay beneath.

It was... somewhat creepy to see all on its own. There were crudely welted together support beams that cradled a pair of sleek limbs upright. The limbs were short, holding from the 'hawk' down of an avian framework, its struts fully armored, save for one panel down its front that was removed and set gingerly to the side. This removed panel exposed a myriad of tiny wires and protoform like 'flesh' that webbed and strung between the open area. The veins of wires and Energon lines, fed up in an elegant flow to the wrist, where the lines split apart into the individualized toes.

Tiny hydraulics settled in the upper limb, each controlling the toes that at this point and time, were carefully curled in a loose fist of sorts. Each one was a sharp blade like edge, yet was not exceptionally thin. The tempered material would be thick enough to sheer into other non reinforced metals if needed, able to clutch and climb. The extra amount of toes, would also give good dexterity, one of the fore-toes rooted on a pivoting hinge to be able to fold backwards like an owl, or forward like most traditional birds of this world.

Feeding out the severed joint point of the limbs, the excess cabling and lines draped over to a sort of tiny pump that was fueling Energon and other necessary fluids to facilitate growth in the components. For all point and case? The limbs were somewhat already alive. No spark or processor to fuel it, but they were already formatted to accept 'blood flow'.

"Fairwinds has commissioned me to create new limbs for her. Tiny, but valuable."

Flatline lifted a forefinger, and looped it underneath some of the toes. The foot twitched momentarily, before gradually clutching down out of some ingrained instinct to do so. The 'intelligence' to do this was being fed by a tiny computer on the same tray beside the pump, enough to give subtle reactions to stimuli to test receptors and functionality. After gripping a moment, the toes flared out some, the joints fluttering and holding a couple lurches from simply being so new and not being fed real information from a processor.

"I just have a few more calibrations, and then I can present them."

Flatline sounded so proud of his work.

[Deleted]

Skywarp frowned at Flatline's question. "I don't think so," he answered slowly. "I mean, I didn't do much. I just stood there but it made the Vehicons upset."

That he'd bowled into a Vehicon, knocked it to the ground then stood on it probably had been a contributing factor. But Skywarp forgot to mention this, just as he'd completely forgot that he'd been standing on a Vehicon during the actual moment itself.

The big Seeker trundled through the glass after Flatline without a second thought. His large pedes crushed the glass underfoot with his heavy weight. His pedes were not the traditional Seeker configuration, with only a small part of it touching the ground. Skywarp's had a much larger surface area that went flat against the ground, for better balance due to his increased mass. Skywarp didn't follow Flatline into the storage area, though he moved across the room to keep watch on the mech's actions. His gaze curiously followed the covered tray Flatline brought out and placed on the medical berth. Skywarp shifted his weight, then moved slightly to the side so he could see around Flatline.

The mech pulled off the covers, revealing...a pair of legs? Wait, that was it? Skywarp's sharp vision took in the many delicate details but the Seeker couldn't care less or even recognise the amount of work that had gone into creating such small limbs.

"Is that all?" He asked, dismayed. "What, no rocket launchers? A flamethrower? Just that?"

It was Skywarp's humble opinion that anything that didn't involve explosions and/or fire didn't qualify as science.

[Flatline]

Oh.

Flatline's expression had been so gleeful over his work, rather, amazed at what had been created so far. The small mechanisms were able to move and function as well as clutch so tightly they can hold small objects, but not be weakened by such a range of motion at the joints. There was almost a dance that had to be done, to walk the line between functionalities, while also looking aesthetically pleasing. But this brute... no... this brute was belittling it because he was too stupid to see the skill involved. No... not even just that... it wasn't FLASHY enough to catch the attention of his idiotic processor.

The medic's expression flattened out into a displeased look, lip plates pressed into a straight line while he tried to chew over just what this monster of a mech was saying. His hand which had been reached about to maneuver the thumb spur of a claw now pulled back and settled upon the edge of the medical slab. The long blades of his spindly fingers, clicked down idly upon its surface, trying to mull over an appropriate response.

"My service to our Lord is upgrades and frame modifications."

Spiked helm turned towards Skywarp just enough that the jet could be seen from the corner of Flatline's optics. There was a bit of a glare, but it was suppressed down to manageable levels. On the table before him, the tiny pump continued to circulate the Energon through the limbs, which were mostly stationary now.

"As of yet my work has been focused down upon installing scanners, and tools into the awakened drones, and making these replacement limbs for Fairwinds, as well as re-making my own that was tragically lost."

The nub of a post that remained of his broken off secondary, tucked back against his frame, twitching as if it truly wanted to maneuver a limb that was not there. There was a sort of ghost pain with it to Flatline. He could almost feel its presence, feel where it had once been, and almost expected to feel it touch objects when he tried to reach it out to grab things, but of course, it failed.

"If I am commissioned to install a rocket launcher or other devastating weapon under an officer's command? I will do so without question."

He made sure to throw in the 'under an officer's command' so that the brute didn't think he could just start requesting upgrades or modifications. He didn't want to get in trouble by retrieving a weapon from storage and integrating it into a sociopath's arm. If this jet was trouble enough he got banned from the common area? Than stapling a highly dangerous piece of weaponry on their frame would go over about as well as to be expected.

"It seems we are both trapped within less than exciting situations."

Manipulation...

[Deleted]

Blah, blah, blah. Skywarp tuned out while the not-scientist tried to justify his boring job. Yeah, whatever. Sure, the Seeker understood that upgrades and modifications were important to the cause overall but Skywarp tended to measure worth by combat prowess. Kill counts impressed him. Installing tools and scanners into drones didn't. Not interested.

Bored, he scuffed one large pede behind him and ground some broken glass into much smaller pieces as Flatline went on. Skywarp ducked his head and glanced back over his shoulder, peering under a wing to watch the glass get turned into dust. Then Flatline mentioned remaking his arm and Skywarp's helm jerked up, optics drawn to the missing limb. Yeaaah, how did that happen? A frown marred the Seeker's features as he stared at the nub. Had there been some sort of skirmish the mech had been called out upon? One that Skywarp had missed? No fair! Why would this spindly mech go and not Skywarp? It wasn't even his job...

"Hey, how'd you lose your other arm anyway?" Skywarp asked curiously, folding his arms across his chassis. "If I'm not allowed to pull your limbs off, then other Cons probably aren't allowed to pull 'em either. Was it an Autobot? How'd you find an Autobot if all you do is put scanners on drones? Or did a drone do it? Were you so bad at modifying drones that one went crazy and hacked off your limb?"

That would be an awesome story. Awesome and funny. Skywarp hoped it was true.

Flatline brought up installing weaponry and the Seeker quirked an optic at the medic. Now that did sound interesting. Interesting but not something Skywarp needed right now, so it was dismissed almost immediately from his mind. The assault cannons built into his frame worked just fine and did their job of exterminating Autobots quite well.

"It seems we are both trapped within less than exciting situations."

Skywarp frowned to himself. Yeah, things had been quiet and boring on his end. "Starscream said I could kill Autobots," he muttered sullenly, more to himself than to Flatline. "But so far, no one's bothered to show me where they are." Never mind it had been a few planetary cycles since he'd arrived here.

The Seeker levelled a deadpan stare at Flatline. "Well, if you know of something less boring than drone repair, I might be interested. I mean, it was fun moving boxes for the first few astroseconds but it got old real quick."

Especially since no one would allow him to stack them the way he wanted to.

[Flatline]

If Flatline wanted to argue, he could point out upgrades lead to kill counts that were by his own hand by proxy, but he would doubt Skywarp would be intelligent enough to grasp such a concept. There was also the fact he was not aware of this judgment against him. But alas...

The medic's gaze remained settled upon Skywarp while the jet jabbered on about what had happened to his missing limb. Red optics never faltered, and locked down almost as if they were trying to visually bore a hole right through the brute's helm. But as irritable as his words had made him, Flatline knew he could not let them truly get to him, and had to take on a stance of indifference to try to manipulate the beast. It was this indifference that turned an otherwise snappy response to defend his skills, into a casual reaction.

"A fight with an Autobot."

Flatline stated this in an eerily calm tone as he recollected the incident, rolling his shoulder armor in a sort of shrug, before he turned back down to peer at Fairwind's replacement limbs that were nearly complete. He figured he may as well work a little while he spoke, get the limbs ready for storage again while entertaining this mech who seemed intent to make further mess with his ped to the floor.

"While obtaining my Alt-Mode, I ran across one of the natives, and an Autobot seemed to materialize for their defense..."

Slender fingers lifted up, and gingerly curled the bird's feet into a 'fist' as tight as it would go, the blades of fingertips weaving together well with light clicks. Once the fist was made, Flatline's free hand reached up and pressed a couple of spots within the open part of the forearm to set the position.

"But for all the hassle it caused of me losing my arm, and toes, as well as receiving internal damage, I left the red and white mech in far worse shape."

Flatline growled this, having wished desperately he could have taken Red Alert to the Nemesis, or just downright killed him. He would have reveled in the fact he got to deliver an Autobot to their Lord, but... such things simply were not meant to be, and he was lucky he himself didn't get killed. He had to wonder if their medic actually saved the Autobot, or if he was indeed dead.

"Let us just say that if he is still alive, I will be impressed with their medic's capabilities."

A twisted grin pulled back across his features, exposing a ragged edge of the teeth plates that created almost a demented look. It was an earnest grin too, cast over at Skywarp with a knowing sort of acknowledgment that he truly didn’t think the bot was functioning, at least not WELL any longer.

This train of thought started to ease Flatline in to a better mood, as he quickly set the other limb into a fist as well. With the thin fingers both curled, he reached forth and pulled up the cloth, draping and tucking it over the tray so that it could be delivered back to the cabinet. While he maneuvered it, he addressed Skywarp's latest words.

"That is because we do not know where they are. If we did I am certain our Lord would have obliterated them off of this dirt ball of a planet by now."

Using his secondary arm to open the cabinet door, Flatline slid the tray within on its shelf, closing the doors behind it once everything was secure and stable. He turned about face then, looking down at the mess, but didn't fret over it needlessly as he looked back at Skywarp.

"Have you requested doing scouting trips? It is not the most entertaining of tasks, but for all you know you could stumble across one of them as I did, or if profoundly lucky, locate their base? Or... what is it you DO wish to do?"

[Deleted]

The spindly mech had gotten into a fight with an Autobot! Skywarp raised an optic ridge in interest, rocking back on his heels as he re-evaluated Flatline. Combat prowess was the one measure of respect Skywarp had and Flatline had just raised Skywarp's opinion of him. Slightly.

He was now categorized as 'Scared thing I can still flatten trying to look tough but fights Autobots." However, as Flatline continued talking, explaining what had happened during his encounter, Skywarp's previously soaring opinion dropped down to 'Scared thing I can still flatten trying to look tough and fights Autobots but fails to kill Autobots." Hmph! Sounded like a pathetic fight. The mark of a good battle typically didn't involve taking grievous injuries and hoping that you'd dealt enough damage to finish off your opponent. No, a good fighter destroyed his enemy, didn't leave any room for chance that the other mech could get back up. Almost killing did not equal killing. Almost killing left room for error and repair and recovery. An enemy not dead directly by one's hand is not a kill worth boasting about.

(Having functioned for all of his life as a soldier, Skywarp had turned killing into an art form. He had very exacting standards about it (more is always better!) and strong feelings about those who'd attempt his craft and fail at it (ugh, go away, you suck)).

Still, Skywarp could appreciate the idea of an Autobot maimed, damaged and in pain, so he answered Flatline's twisted grin with an indulgent, yet pitying smile of his own (yes, you tried, give the mech an energon treat for effort). It was akin to the look Skywarp often received from other mecha when he attempted anything involving a great deal of hard thinking.

"That is because we do not know where they are. If we did I am certain our Lord would have obliterated them off of this dirt ball of a planet by now."

Skywarp lowered his optics, exasperated. No, duh, the Decepticons didn't know where the Autobots were. The Seeker knew that. Otherwise, that's where he'd be. Skywarp had just been complaining about it. The spindly mech didn't have to talk to him like he was some sort of idiot. Skywarp actually understood a lot more than most mecha gave him credit for. He just didn't make anything of it because it was easier. Or, if the mech was some hapless Vehicon or something and he could get away with it, Skywarp gave them the thrashing of their life.

"Have you requested doing scouting trips? It is not the most entertaining of tasks, but for all you know you could stumble across one of them as I did, or if profoundly lucky, locate their base?

"Course I requested patrol," he muttered sullenly. "Haven't been assigned one yet. Apparently, there have been...difficulties finding one suitable for me."

Skywarp, if it was possible to keep him focused, was actually one of the best mecha equipped for scouting trips. He'd been built as an explorer class Seeker after all and he had a rich sensor suite meant for taking all sorts of planetary readings. However, those valuable readings were just likely to distract Skywarp and divert him from his flight patrol. Often, his commanding officers found that the trade-off wasn't worth it.

Or... what is it you DO wish to do?"

The Seeker gave the spindly mech a flat look. "Killing Autobots." Skywarp's dry tone clearly indicated how obvious he thought the answer was and that Flatline was a moron for even asking the question.

[Flatline]

As far as Flatline was concerned, the mere fact that he survived the encounter was enough to brag about. He was a medic, and before that a manufacture of Hatchlings for the richest of rich. The most danger he faced at his current and previous jobs, and been angry Towerlings, and the flailing frame of a Cybertronian thrashing in agony. Fighting? Legitimate fighting? Was not normal for him. He didn't know how to brawl and just played off of instinct and trickery to get ahead.

He would be proud no matter what Skywarp said.

Flattening down his nerves as much as he could, the medic pushed his attention on to the larger mech before him, trying once more to read his body language and actions. He carefully sifted through Skywarp's responses with a fine toothed comb so to speak, and could only manage to give off a huff of a noise. The brute's last words (a wish to kill Autobots) was not really what the medic was hunting for.

"I meant more in the realm of reality to obtain at this moment."

He scoffed this out, while taking a few strides forward. He would begin a very casual stride around the massive Cybertronian, while keeping a reasonable distance. He would be out of range for an initial arm swing, though a stride and smack would likely have sent him flying. Alas, that didn't concern him while he calculated a growing thought.

"So you are being ignored. Your mind isn't being challenged or entertained in any way..."

It was more of a statement than a question, as slender bladed fingertips raised to run along his own jaw a moment in thought. His idea fully formed by the time he looped back in front of Skywarp once more. It was... somewhat nonsensical, and it was going to be foolish, but perhaps the brute would find some amusement, and he could earn some points that could be cashed in for more valuable requests.

"I have an idea of something that could fix that temporarily, but I will need you to fetch something for me first. I know that isn't particularly fun, but you got to spend some to make some."

Turning about face so his back was to Skywarp, Flatline started to walk to a separate set of panels that would open up for storage. His hand cast into the air carelessly at the end of his words as if he was annoyed at the fact, before swiping forward to grasp onto the edge of the storage area. A light push and the panels slipped up and out of the way, revealing random mechanical components that have been taken off of Vehicons when new ones were installed.

It was a mini scrap yard of sorts, comprised of older more obsolete technology. It was all lined up in an organized mess of parts that wove and tangled together with gutted and exposed cables. Flatline reached forward, and plucked from it what looked to be an old arm mounted device of some kind. It had a screen on it that was cracked, but it had its full keyboard still attached. The entire surface seemed worn down and dust covered, possibly from a miner class drone.

"I need you to go to the larger storage area just towards the bow, and fetch me an 84B scouting drone. It will be the one with the two thrusters on either side, should be..."

He turned to peer at Skywarp some.

"No longer than your forearm, maybe three fourths the length."

Peering back to the arm mounted device, he picked at some of the exposed wires with his claws, turning his frame to approach the medical slab. The drone he asked for was an older model, something that really would just be used for parts at this point since it could not do its jobs as effectively any longer.

[Deleted]

Skywarp wasn't expecting Flatline's offer. True, he'd come here in boredom and searching for entertainment but he'd kinda forgotten about that in favour of complaining abut it. Look, sometimes it was difficult for Skywarp to maintain the general thread of his thoughts. Sometimes it was difficult to maintain two thoughts at the same time. Even if they were reallly similar. Look. Thinking was haaaard.

He regarded Flatline suspiciously as the medic circled him. Decepticons usually did not waste their time to indulge him unless there was something in it for themselves. Skywarp didn’t think the spindly mech would attempt anything but the longer Flatline talked and drew it out, the less patience the big mech had for him. Optics narrowed, his jaw piece set in a stubborn scowl, Skywarp listened to what the spindly mech had to say.

"I need you to go to the larger storage area just towards the bow, and fetch me an 84B scouting drone. It will be the one with the two thrusters on either side, should be...no longer than your forearm, maybe three fourths the length."

Skywarp rocked back on his feet, cocking his head to examine the spindly mech as he muled over Flatline's directives. The mech had turned his back on the Seeker (bad move, some buried part couldn't help to reflect) and was rummaging around a small scrapheap. Honestly, it wasn't much that the mech was asking for, just to fetch some junk from the storage area. Pits, the big Seeker could 'port there and get it done in a matter of moments, if he really wanted. But it just wasn't in Skywarp's nature to be helpful, rather he erred on the side of contrariness and laziness. He was far more likely to do the opposite of what he was told just because he could.

"Fiiine," he whined reluctantly, deciding that he'd go along with this just once and see what Flatline would do with his corporation. Skywarp turned on his heel and headed for the door. Just as he reached the threshold, he paused and levelled one last suspicious glance over his shoulder.

"This door better not be locked when I get back," Skywarp warned, jabbing a stern finger at the control panel.

And with that, he was gone, down the hallway and off towards the bow, on the hunt for a scouting drone.