[ti]Ep 2.5[/ti]I Think It's Just A Little Broken (closed)

[Zercon]

The room, as with many portions of the ship, was ill equipped for being turned upside down. It could handle no gravity with ease; it could handle bumps and jarring turns when the ship had to make evasive maneuvers, but this? This was an entirely other game, and it left many things dislodged and thrown around half-hazardly. Thankfully the slight tilt to the room, aiming down towards the abyss of the sea, helped to collect numerous things on one end and thus out of the way. Tabletop tools and devices, the centrifuge, the dolly that had held the supplies Knock Out had prepared to work on Flatline, all tucked to one end knocked over and crumpled. All of this was to be expected. What was out of line, were the... other things...

Gunshots, scoring marks, there were blazoned patches of ash and char that ripped into some of the lab. A hole punched in a cabinet, a scuffled scrape along the floor. The marks highlighted in smears or splatters of blue, a long streak slipping on one of the walls to drag down to the floor ((ceiling?)), and then back to the deep end of the room. The trails all pointed down to the same spot, a lone Vehicon that was lying in the collection point.

It was curled on his side, back facing the duo, motionless, with one arm hooked up over its upper arm, Energon coating its three fingers. More of the vibrant blue substance was smeared and spackled around its midsection to web and string down to the floor below, meddling with broken chemical jars and other medical waste that had collected there, and in fact, a good portion of its frame was partly submerged in this compound, a great deal of it dripping out from the wall disposal hatch that originally would have lead down to be processed.

Rancid stenches of rot and decay, crusted oil and rust, lubricants, used mesh patches and sullied wiring and chemical spill, it leaked out and dripped down to create a sick slurry on half of the floor, filled with chunks and small pieces of sawed off and mangled Vehicon parts that were not salvageable after an Autobot attack or accident. This rust tinted slime was also mingled and added to from mechanical wastes and other sectors of the ship, opaque streaks of black curling and weaving with a metallic sheen.

Skywarp's frame slammed down with a loud banging crash at the center of the lab, the sound jarring in an otherwise silent environment. It weirdly echoed in a way, the normal thrum and life to the medical bay gone. Soft beeps, quiet churning of calculations, all of those background programs and jobs being done, now halted to draw forth that quiet embrace of solitude that seemed so surreal in the area. The silence didn't last forever though, for when he slammed down onto the ground, the vibrations caused some things to rattle. The ceiling panels wobbled a bit in protest, a glass jar that was snagged on a cable clinked, while a loud clunking bang then came from the disposal hatch. That bit of a push, that bit of a kick... that was all that was needed to dislodge something.

A slipping sound, a scraping noise, an old hydraulic casing that had blown out now slid through the shaft next to clunk down into the foot deep horror pool, it uncorking the pipe to allow more nightmare fuel to hemorrhage out with a chunky splash. The black and rust compound splattered up towards Starscream's peds, threatening to coat them and Skywarp's underside. With the cork of mesh patches and metal cleared, green fluid then dribbled forth, a sizzling noise bubbling as it snaked down the wall and started to eat at the metal.

[Starscream]

Starscream would never actually admit what he was doing in the moments leading up to the Nemesis crashing. If anyone found out that he'd actually been in recharge in the moments prior? He'd never hear the end of it. Not that he had to explain himself to anyone, but still. The speakers that were up by the personal quarters to those of rank had been strangely muted when the panicked voices of Vehicons first began to sound – a ploy no doubt put into place by Soundwave as to not draw the attention of those who were of higher rank than him. That, plus the sedative given to him by Knock Out meant that he'd slept through most of the panic until the very last moments when the ship had violently tilted, and the Vehicons that kept guard outside his door had begun yelling for their lives.

Things had worked out alright in the end, though. He'd managed to get himself safely off the ship in one piece – being stranded at the bottom of the ocean aside – which meant he could now go back on to the ship and be of some use. Redemption in a way for not being there at the onset of the chaos, not that he could've done much by the sounds of things – and it remained to be seen if he could still be of any use if they did find who they were looking for. The silence from Megatron spoke volumes, and he wasn't sure if they'd even find their beloved leader.

Part of him was hoping that Skywarp would say no. That flying out here to the beach, the Energon loss he'd sustained from his servo, and the fact he was badly hurt, had rendered him unable to make one last jump – especially with another body in tow. So when Starscream heard the affirmation that Skywarp would do it? He couldn't help but sigh.

At least he'd have a witness to his heroic deed of trying to find their Warlord...

He'd take a step or two back and away from the other seeker as he slowly got to his feet. He wanted to give him room, and to let him find his own footing. Again, he hoped that once Skywarp realized how woozy he was and had worked out that he probably shouldn't be moving? He'd give up.

It seemed, regrettably, that the other Seeker was a trooper, and he watched quietly as Skywarp broke into an awkward run, shifted into his alt mode, and headed back the way they came. Once he was certain that Skywarp wasn't about to fall out of the sky and need to be rescued would he seamlessly, and with a lot less effort than the other mech, shift into his altmode and swiftly catch up – leaving the harpoon on the beach behind him.

As Skywarp slowed, so did Starscream. He didn't shift forms like the other mech, figuring Skywarp needed time to work out the coordinates needed to do this. Or maybe he'd give up now, finally...

...Sadly, it was not to be, and the nose of his altmode would stare Skywarp down as he was spoken to. He didn't really have time to react to much of anything, let alone shift forms to get ready for the teleport - as Skywarp had moved over to him.

“Wait!” He managed to squawk out in frantic protest, but it was far too late. The moment Skywarp's servo touched his wing – and he barely even felt that touch – they vanished from the sky.

-

They appeared a split second later – and Starscream immediately switched forms. He didn't land with quite the loud crash that the other seeker did, but he did have the added benefit of being conscious. He'd shift into a crouch as he fell, landing with grace and a much gentler noise.

As he slowly rose to his pedes, he took note of his surroundings. This was definitely the Medical Bay, although it took him a moment to orientate himself, due to everything being upside down and at an angle. There was a rancid, bitter smell that permeated the air, but it was one that Starscream was surprisingly used to – given his frequent escapes through the disposal hatch in the room. That wasn't to say that it didn't smell awful, but he didn't react to it outwardly.

What'd even happened in here..? There were gunshots, and scored marks across parts of the lab. There looked to be ash, as well as a hole punched into one of the cabinets. The blue spilled Energon was unmistakable and more than enough proof that something terrible had happened.. Was this Flatline's doing? Skywarp had said he'd attacked Knock Out, but part of him hadn't really believed him until he saw the supposed evidence right in front of him now.

His gaze panned downward, and it was then he saw the Vehicon that lay among the mess. He didn't have much time to react, as there was movement, paired with a scraping noise, which immediately took his attention away. This was unfortunately more dire than some poor unfortunate Vehicon, and his optics widened as the green fluid began sizzling and eating through the metal of the wall. Ah. Not good.

He waited a few seconds for Skywarp to stir so they could get on with things.

Then, he waited some more – long, taloned digits tapped his forearm impatiently for a second more, before he gave up.

“Alright Skywarp, you can get up now, you know.” He frowned, turning finally to look down at the other Seeker who hadn't moved at all since they'd arrived. There was no response, and Starscream would growl in frustration as a reply to the silence. “Get up, you fool! Time is of the essence here!” He'd sidestep back and away from the disgusting black and rust compound that'd splattered nearby, and in the process would give Skywarp a swift, light kick to the side of his helm.

He still wasn't moving. He didn't even flinch.

“Oh for Primus sake...!”

He couldn't just leave him laying here like this, not with that stuff eating its way through the wall. He didn't want to leave and come back to find a half dissolved Seeker waiting for him. He needed him! Skywarp was his ticket out of here, as well as a witness to his heroic deed of finding Megatron!

...Except if he did not rouse, Starscream technically didn't have to look for their Warlord at all. By now, most everyone would be off the ship, and so Starscream could instead look for things that could actually be of use while he had time and the means to do so, before seawater no doubt breached the rest of the ship. Medical supplies would be needed, as well as Energon supplies from the stores. Of course, he'd tend to Skywarp's Energon loss properly once he got back, but for now, he was alright leaving him unconscious and patching the wound like he said he would. He just had to move the big Seeker to safety.

Which may be an issue, given Skywarp was now basically dead weight.

Spurred on by the sizzling bubbling as the green fluid continued to eat into the wall, Starscream would move over to stand behind Skywarp, servos hooking under the armor plating of his shoulders. He'd stay in this squatted position as he began to pull back with everything he had. It was rather undignified, and the groans, angry expletives, and few times he fell back onto his aft due to him losing his grip made him thankful that nobody else was around to witness this.

But he got it done. It took more time than he'd of liked, but he was confident that Skywarp had been moved to a position where he was safe from whatever nasties that continued to spew from the broken pipes.

Once he was certain that Skywarp wasn't about to slide into danger, Starscream would ease his way over to one of the cabinets that hadn't been beaten up by whatever that was that'd ruined the other. His movements slow, with awkward sidesteps as his servos clung to whatever he could to keep himself from slipping. Once infront of the cabinet, he'd pull it open to retrieve a simple mesh patch – one that he figured would be big enough to cover the open wound on Skywarp's servo.

Then, came the task of making his way back. It was slow going, what with the annoying angle of the room, but with careful, shuffled movements, he found himself once more by Skywarps side. He still hadn't woken up, or moved at all.

“I'm patching you up - if you're even listening, anyway...” He murmured to cut through some of the quiet, sighing as he moved to a crouch once more. With the mesh he'd retrieved, he would wrap it around Skywarp's servo – binding it as tightly as he could. He had no real medical knowledge other than basic first aid while being out on the field, so this would have to do – at least it would hopefully stop him from bleeding out while Starscream made his way around the ship to find Energon and supplies.

After a quick check over to make sure it was all wrapped up and fastened securely, he'd shift to a stand. He hesitated before moving, not really wanting to venture out alone – but it wasn't like he had a choice.

Ignoring the Vehicon, who he presumed had been murdered by Flatline, he would begin to tiptoe his way through the upside-down Medical Bay and toward the door – one arm held out at the ready, just incase he needed to use his missiles. From here, he would slowly begin to traverse the upside down corridors of the Nemesis as he made his way to the supply rooms. The silence so far was unnerving, and every tiny noise of metal shifting and settling made him flinch and swivel around in a panic.

[Zercon]

The acidic compound dribbled and collected into the larger pool for a moment, snaking and bubbling on the upper filmy layer to create a painting of swirls among the sheen. It started to eat into metal bits that jutted out from the slop, chewing at a languid pace to try to dissolve whatever spare parts sloshed around. A slump there, a shift to make a few ripples, luckily, there was not much of the substance, and it seemed to abate as Starscream pulled and tugged the large Cybertronian back to safety.

It did however reach the motionless Vehicon, some of its purple paint blistering and flaking off to pepper the surface of the miasma.

A scrape of metal, some scuffs left on the smooth panels, the plates used to clad the ceiling weren't really the same levels of durability that was applied to the floor. This was plainly visible in the amount of small grooves that were left behind as the large seeker was tugged away from the danger. Everywhere there was a sharp spike of metal, or a hard edge of armor... it left tiny black and purple marks, though such things were hardly visible against the dark metal to begin with. It only became a real issue when Skywarp snagged on the recessed lighting, creating an added obstacle Starscream would need to lift and maneuver to get around.

It would be one heck of a chore to finally get the large Cybertronian moved, for every time one limb would pull free, another portion seemed to get snared in the process.

Once Skywarp was tended to and secure, and Starscream moved to exit the lab, some new things would greet him.

The first thing to hit him when he left the Medical Bay would be the scent of salt that came from the lower point of the ship. The ocean water evidently was making progress, and it was a sharp contrast to the typically filtered interior of the warship. None was actually visible however, and there were no sounds of water at the moment, instead, there just being some small speckles of blue that clutched on the new 'ceiling' above.

The spots of blue looked like crystals, not unlike raw Energon before it could be harvested. It shined from both its own natural glow, and the faint lighting that flickered down the warships dark halls. The hallway itself, as with the medical bay, hooked down at a sharp angle in the direction of the ships front to make a gradual slope into the abyss. Starscream could go either way and likely find a supply room, the storage areas peppered about for convenience sake, but that meant he would face very different things that could be stored within them.

He could go up towards the higher portions of the ship, where general supplies lay and Energon was stored, or he could go down the slope into the darkness to the storage room nearest the Medical Bay and Data Banks, where he would find more medicine and technological supplies.

[Starscream]

Starscream wasn't making much progress in his search for Megatron.

With creeping, hesitant steps, he'd slowly inch his way over the ceiling turned floor. He'd walked these corridors so many times he'd lost count, strutted through them with confidence and flair... But now? He was meek and overly wary. His left arm still held out primed and ready to attack anything that lurked down here, while his right arm was out at his side for balance as he navigated over the uneven flooring. His wings hung low, as flush against his back as he could manage, and his frame was overly tense.

He'd barely stepped out of the Medical Bay and yet... He didn't really want to be here anymore, not with so many other important things he could be tending to. He could be taking up the mantle he so rightly deserved, he could be tracking down those that'd made it out and starting a new era for the Decepticons! Still, some good could come from this – the chance that he'd get to witness, or play a part in, Megatron's demise down here on his precious flagship.

That alone would be worth it.

The smell of salt was what caught him off guard first. It gave a grim reminder as to just where he was – as if the upside down, darkened corridors of their ruined ship weren't enough. The seemingly unbreakable fortress had indeed broken, and yet was sturdy enough – for now – to keep the ocean at bay. At least on this level. He was sure parts of the ship were no doubt breached, which meant that time was probably of the essence here before these hallways were also filled with water.

This realization seemed to spur him on at least, and he'd try to quicken his pace as best he could. He took a few more steps, keeping an eye on his pedes and where he was stepping due to the angle of his path, with the occasional wary glance ahead just to keep an eye out for, well... Whatever, or whoever, else could be down here. There were bound to be other Vehicons stranded down here, as not everyone would've made it off the ship; maybe Knock Out would still be down here somewhere– as he'd been in the collapsing Control Room moments before the initial crash.

A blue glow caught his eye, and his gaze immediately shifted upwards. That was... That was Energon, wasn't it? The blue color was unmistakable, and he'd take a few cautious steps underneath the small mass of crystals, leaning on the tips of his toes and craning his neck to get a better look. It was splattered in such a way that it looked to have come from someone with an open wound, but the crystallization of it was so very unnatural.

Everything was so eerily quiet, and if it weren't for the Vehicon that lay in the Medical Bay, Starscream could be forgiven for assuming he was alone down here. It was so strange walking the corridors without the usual hum of the engines working, or the murmured chatter of patrolling Vehicons. He'd turn his gaze away from the crystallized Energon, and would opt to turn and start heading toward the higher portions of the ship. He had no real need for medical supplies, having, ah... Amassed a nice surplus of his own and stored safely off the Nemesis, but the extra Energon would be helpful in securing – and holding - his position as leader. If he could get it off the ship, anyway. If not? At least he could get it back to Skywarp, it really was the least he could do for the other mech – and he did need the other Seeker to get off the ship.

Some 'attempt' at finding Megatron would still be made, but he'd had no real intention of looking for him to begin with.

“Meeeegatron? Come out come out, wherever you are...” He spoke calmly and quietly, not raising his voice any, just on the off-chance that someone did hear him. He didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to himself. He was merely speaking to cut through the silence, which was starting to become unsettling. “If you're even here.. Excellent show of leadership, by the way... Keeping silent despite all that has happened,”

He'd gently hop over a small support beam. The silence from Megatron was a good lesson in not what to do as a leader; then again, Starscream couldn't really judge – he'd made no attempt at reaching out to the others who'd managed to escape – then again he was being the hero here in looking for their beloved leader, and so had good reason! “Unless of course, you've perished down here on your precious ship,” He'd hum in thought. That might explain the silence. “Which would be most unfortunate – except, not really.”

He'd never say anything of the sort to Megatron's face or if he knew others were around – but he found that while he was down here alone, his words gave him the confidence to keep going deeper into the ship.

[Zercon]

Starscream's voice echoed within the silent halls, bounding over the surrounding area with a hollow sort of edge to it that was borderline unnatural. It was eerie in a way, the typical thrum and hum of the warship no longer rumbling around with comforting familiarity. What had once upon a time seemed like wonderfully quiet passageways could seem noisy compared to what now consumed the area. But despite the choking aura that compressed around the Second in Command, there were some sounds flicked here or there.

Soft creaks, distant rumbles, the noises that were heard in the distance were unable to be deciphered exactly as being one thing over another. It could have been something on the ship breaking further, or perhaps someone doing something to try to gain purchase or progress in the topsy-turvy hallways. Whatever it was, it was a mere shadow of the original noise, adding to the unpleasant ambiance that the seeker's voice tried to cut through.

An empty hall, a void path, it seemed that nothing but the natural architecture of the hallway separated Starscream from his goals. Every few segments of hall, a ridge broke through the new flooring and arched up to the ceiling, large ribs that supported its structure and kept it from collapsing down. It made a hurdle to step over, but long legs and a gentle hop would be all that was needed to traverse it with ease.

Eventually, Starscream reached an option.

Directly in front of him was one of the great lifts that carried supplies and larger components down to different levels of the ship. The door was slightly ajar, pulled apart at its bottom edge where one of the panels hung at an awkward angle. Sparks flicked out from the side of the doorway, raining tiny lights along the ground that rolled and skittered before burning out entirely. Beyond the opening, large cables hung slack in the shadows, their vague shapes rocking to and fro slightly.

This would lead him directly down to storage and maintenance.

The stairwell was another option to use, but was further up the path.

[Starscream]

As far as ideas went? Starscream had had better.

Then again, this was technically Skywarp's idea – so Starscream wasn't really at fault. Except - he kinda was, because he'd been foolish enough to give Skywarp a choice in the matter of what to do next. Sigh. Why did he do that again? Ugh. He just hoped Skywarp appreciated the random act of 'kindness' and would remember it in future.

Starscream frowned as he came to yet another ridge of the ceiling supports. The further he went, the more he wanted to give up and turn back. But something kept him going. Things were about to change for the Decepticons. Well no, they already had. It was more... A change for the better – and he would be the one at the forefront with his rightful place as leader.

...Well, that depended on the outcome of this little mission, anyway. If Megatron was down here? He was obviously in a weakened state – given his silence – and would be easy to dispose of. He'd do it right this time. And if he wasn't down here? Well, given the circumstances of what'd happened to the Nemesis – and just who had been the one to down the ship? It wouldn't take much to rise up against Megatron and his little lap dog. A mutiny of sorts. The thought made Starscream smile, if only for a moment. Lead this change he would, and either outcome would do. The latter would be wonderful – to watch the others turn against their beloved Warlord and the Spymaster... But the former? To end Megatron by his own hand? And to do it right this time? Now that would be a satisfying reward for everything that Starscream had done...

Onwards he would continue, the thought of finding Megatron and ending him had made him giddy; spurring him on as he hopped gently over the ridge that was the ceiling support, and he would continue on down the corridor.

The silence was so unnerving, in a way. He'd walked these corridors many a time, but there'd always been some kind of background noise. The ambient rumble of the ships engines, the distant chatter of Vehicons. At times he'd wished it had been even quieter, so he could focus and concentrate. But this silence? This nothingness? It was enough to drive someone crazy. It just showed you had to be careful what you wished for.

His optics would narrow as he... Swore he heard something. He stood still a moment, listening. Up until now it'd just been the soft taps of his pedes across the metal ceiling-turned-floor, and his voice. But now that he'd hushed himself and could listen? There was a distinctive rumble – which if it wasn't for the almost deafening silence? Probably would've gone unheard due to how quiet it was. There was the occasional creak sound, too.

Mm. It could've just been the ship settling. It would do that, right? It'd crashed and parts of it were filling up with water. Of course there would be weird noises. Right?

Right.

Putting that to the back of his mind as best he could, and totally not thinking it was Knock Out or some other poor soul left behind scrambling around somewhere, he would continue on.

Another ridge. Another drawn out, heavy vent of a sigh escaped him as he hopped over it and progressed further down the corridor – reaching the lift a short moment later.

Mm. This certainly would make getting to the storage room where he knew for sure there was a surplus of Energon stored faster, but... Who in their right mind would use an lift on a wreck? Something about this scenario unnerved him – the sparks that flickered and danced from the doorway, maybe? Or the cables that swayed gently inside. He could always move into the elevator and climb up through the hatch, shifting into his alt-mode to fly upwards faster but...

Mm, no. Stairs. He would take the stairs. While traversing the upside down stairwell would be a bit of a hassle, he would feel better about it in the long run. He seemed to hesitate on this decision for a second, before he'd continue on down the path toward the entrance to the stairs.

[Zercon]

Reaching the stairwell, Starscream could see that the doors had seen many better days.

When the ship was upright, two thick slabs of metal would pull out of the way to allow entry to the channel that lead to the uppermost points, and the bottom bowels of the ship. The doors were powerful, strong, and able to seal air tight to keep a controlled environment, even if there was a breach of some kind in another sector. Upside down, it appeared gravity had pulled them off their tracks, never meant to be wrenched in such directions, but what was worse, was the fact they seemed to be bent away and torn open even more so beyond the crash damage.

Metal rippled and curved, forcing the doors apart from one another with enough clearance that the seeker would not need to dip or maneuver at all. In fact, he may not even have to fold his wings, the gap created large enough to accommodate as it split and tore the opening apart all the way to the ceiling seam to expose some connectors there. On the left hand side at chest height, the edge of the slab was pinched in and crushed, while the opposite was curved and rounded over instead. Whatever had been through here had made a clean entrance or exit to the stairwell.

The stairwell itself looked mostly the same as odd as it was. The only real difference was the fact that on the landings, there was recessed lighting that was currently off, while the stairs itself that had held a large and small steps to accommodate differing frame sizes, now were rather severe and abrupt slopes. Of course, the guard railings hung above, useless to assist at their current height, even if Starscream were to reach up and try to grasp at the black bars, but really, the path was clear and open with no additional obstacles.

Looking down, the once smooth ceiling panels told a story of things that happened the last few hours. Clambering marks and scraps gored at the once smooth surface, a myriad of small scuffs and scrapes from fingertips and smaller peds trying to gain purchase on the steep incline. Among these, were heavier scored marks that stood out. These grooves tore into the upper layers of the panels a bit, creating gores and some thin shavings that peeled off. In addition, on each of the landings were large impact marks of peds, a three pronged foot that left an imprint from each leap down from landing to landing.

It would be a tricky climb up, but not impossible for the light mech, his progress likely leaving its own marks upon the ground pane if he so chose to climb like everyone else had done it seemed. However, as simple a hurdle that was, all the other doors to exit the stairwell appeared to be sealed up, save for one that was mangled and pulled aside into another sharp 'V' upon the science wing of the ship. If he wanted to exit anywhere else, he would need to do some squeezing and pulling through the thin gaps between the damaged doors.

[Starscream]

It didn't take Starscream long to reach the stairwell. Then again he would be stupid to take his time down here, given that time really was of the essence - and for more than one reason. He wasn't sure who was still down here, and given what Skywarp had told him? He didn't want to run into those that possibly remained. There was also the fact that as sturdy as the ship was? It couldn't hold back the outside water forever, and he really, really did not want to be here when it inevitably flooded.

Hell, he didn't want to be here right now and it wasn't flooding.

The state of the door to the stairwell made Starscream's wings droop some in dismay. An easier option this may have been, but... At what price. The heavy doors shifting out of their tracks was to be expected, but it was the extra damage to them that made Starscream pause. Okay, so something had done that. Something had bent the doors and torn them open further – only he couldn't tell whether the person that'd done so? Had been coming or going. Nor could he tell at a glance just who had done this.

Part of him, well, no, most of him, wanted to turn back. To go back to Skywarp and give him another delightful and much deserved swift kick to the helm in some futile attempt to rouse him so they could both get out of here. It was Skywarp's fault that he was stuck down here, and it was Skywarp's fault he was alone. The only thing that stopped him from retreating was the fact that deep down he knew just how bad a shape Skywarp actually was, and the chances of him waking up any time soon were slim. If he did by some miracle stir, he would no doubt call for Starscream over the comm.

Or maybe he'd just wake up and teleport himself out of there.

Maybe Starscream should've left a note.

Could Skywarp even read?

He wasn't sure.

Not that this was the time to be thinking about that! He'd wasted enough time standing around, and so would push himself through the gap in the doors after a moment of gathering up some much needed courage. The fact he hadn't needed to squeeze his way through the gap or do any real maneuvering was lost on him, which was probably for the best because he was on edge enough as is.

His gaze shifted downwards to the ceiling turned floor, and he'd immediately frown. What'd even happened in here? Had whatever it was, happened before, or after, the ship had crashed? If it was before, again he wondered just how had he managed to sleep through all of this? Then again he'd slept through the ship angling down at a steep incline and most of the frantic screaming from outside his quarters. That sedative that Knock Out had given him had really done a number on him – and he wasn't sure if it was a bad or good thing.

It seemed many had clambered through here, given the amount of scuff marks and scratches there were. There were indications of a heavier mech – the three pronged footprint the most telltale sign.

Except Starscream couldn't think who could've left them.

Who had three toes? His mind wandered back to who Skywarp had spoke of on the beach. Soundwave? He... Damnit! Now that he actually tried to recall, he couldn't remember what the Spymaster's pedes looked like! Flatline? If he couldn't remember what Soundwave's pedes looked like, then Flatline had no chance. The impact marks should've been clue enough, but even the daintiest and most nimble of mechs would've left some kind of imprint when leaping down from a height.

Ugh whatever. Whoever it was had to be long gone by now, right? With that thought in mind, and quite possibly repeated like a mantra, Starscream would begin to climb. His movements were slow, and he'd watch where he was putting his pedes – each movement calculated and thought out, while being quick enough that one would never guess he was being overly cautious if they happened to see.

The open door caught his attention, and he took a second to gather his bearings and work out where it actually--

Shockwave.

That door definitely led to the science wing of the ship, and Shockwave was almost definitely big enough to pry the doors open like that. Did he have three toes? Starscream couldn't recall that, either, and he quickly made a mental note to pay more attention to otherwise pointless things like that in future.

Did that mean that Shockwave was still down here on the ship somewhere? Or were the impact marks and pried open doors the remnants of him in the moments prior to escaping the ship with the others? Oh how he hoped it was the latter. The thought that the madman scientist was down here as well did not bode well with the Second in Command, and as such he would avoid that doorway – opting to climb to the next level instead and take a door on the opposite side. Storage and maintenance had been his original goal here, and as such he would stick to it – even if taking the science wing corridor meant he could probably get to a supply room faster, it also ran the risk of running into those that he... Really, really did not want to run into.

The rest of the doors had sealed closed, a safety mechanism that'd no doubt triggered when the ship was about to crash. Luckily the impact had jarred a few from their tracks, so it wouldn't be an impossible feat to pry one open. Still, for the slim Seeker it wasn't going to be exactly easy.

Not that it'd stop him. He'd hook his clawed talons on each servo between the small gap in the middle of the door, and would pull with all his might.

Okay wow this wasn't going to be easy at all. He was not built for things like this!

A frustrated growl left him as he once again gave it his all. He wasn't sure if his previous attempts had loosened the door some, or if the growl gave him the extra 'encouragement' he needed, but the door had moved just enough for someone of Starscream's size to slide on through without issue. Not that it'd stop a much bigger mech from just smashing down the door, but that was a risk he'd have to take.

He'd tuck his wings in close and sidle through the door – a tight fit, even for him, but he managed it. Luckily there were storage and supply rooms on almost every level of the ship, so hopefully it wouldn't take him too long to find one...

[Zercon]

As Starscream pulled and hefted at the panels of metal, the doorway did not seem willing to comply. Soft groans croaked out from the damaged tracks, and the slabs only managed to shift and settle even further down in place. It was only when the Second in Command put his all behind it, that they managed to rumble and dislodge from what was holding them back, slumping down to the side a bit to give a modest gap to traverse through. It was still a squeeze, but it was a possible entrance now.

To an outsider looking in, the hallway that Starscream entered did not vary any from those of the upper floors. Dark metal, band like ribs that clapped over the expansive archway in order to offer structural support, all the way to recessed lighting that ran in channels along the new flooring, the only difference was the fact that down here, said hallways were a bit broader, and the floors that hung above were a lot more worn down and used. Heavy tracks left their marks along with thousands of footfalls, scuffs of rubber, wheels from dollies and machines being relocated or needed to field repairs. It was a well used path that even held marks and chips along the outer wall from a Vehicon cutting a corner a bit too close. All notable things, but it paled compared to the more... apparent oddities.

Namely the fact Starscream exited to be face to face with a Vehicon.

The low level trooper was directly to his right as Starscream exited into the hallway, its silver faceplate a mere breath away from the silver mech's. The individual was standing up pushed up against the wall, but he was not doing so out of his own power, instead, a few massive IBS containers were pushed up against his frame. The containers were immense, reinforced by bands of metal on the corners in order to transport large quantities of liquids or granular products to different parts of the ship. Evidently, when the Nemesis had begun more... acrobatic maneuvers... the tanks were thrown on a bit of a ride, and two... maybe three... Vehicons got caught up in the mess. It was hard to tell, as beyond the upper torso of the one that was lined up with Starscream, the rest was a blended mess and smear that drug across the wall and new floor with vibrant streaks of blue and green, broken up by... chunks.

Three of the five containers appeared to remain intact, acting as battering rams to demolish those that had gotten in its path, the other two? Had been breached in the process. Industrial coolant seeped out of large fissures on their sides, the viscous compound sliding out into large gelatinous puddles. The puddles seeped out almost akin to slime, trying to pool and flow, but limited in the speed in which it could, creating thicker obstacles of vibrant green. The dolly that had once held the now thrown tanks, was on its side tucked against the left edge, its handle twisted and bent backwards.

This was more of a visual obstacle than a tangible one however, and Starscream would be left with two options.

To the right he would continue past the Vehicon((s?)) and head towards the engine of the ship and utilities, while to the left he could go towards the recycling and hanger portion where defunct parts and shuttles were dismantled and scrapped. Both had promises of the supplies he needed, but each could have their own obstacles.

[Starscream]

Starscream pushed himself through the small gap he'd made for himself, stumbling a half-step as he was finally free and into the corridor – stretching his wings some as he had room to move again, before brushing himself down with a hasty flick of one servo. So far so good on this little 'mission' of his. He'd gotten his bearings and so knew exactly where he was, and so far? He hadn't run into those that he knew still lurked somewhere on the downed ship. Now all he had to do was get to one of the many storage rooms, and then head back to the Medical Bay. Skywarp didn't have to know that he hadn't looked for Megatron, and nor did anyone else for that matter. The silence from their Warlord in all this meant, as far as Starscream was concerned, that he was otherwise indisposed in a time of crisis – and therefore not fit to lead. Then again, Starscream knew that last part already...

He'd turn to his right, with the intention of going to utilities.

...And would immediately shriek, stopping in his tracks.

“Primus! What are you doing!?” He barked at the Vehicon who was RIGHT. THERE. Hadn't these guys ever heard of personal space?! What was he doing lurking like this in the corridor-

Oh.

Oh.

Once the initial shock wore off, which took no time at all given the Vehicon didn't react, or even flinch at the dramatics of the Second in Command? His took the entire scene in, rather than focusing solely on what was directly in front of his optics. Ah. Well then.

He'd take an awkward step back, clearing his throat quietly – hoping that nobody that was still living had heard his terrified shriek. While his earlier thoughts had been musings of how had he slept through all of this? Now he was thankful that he'd been in the safety of his quarters at the time. He couldn't even tell how many Vehicons were in front of him – or, even sadder? Who they were. He was just thankful it wasn't him.

His gaze would shift downwards to the ceiling turned floor, and he'd vent out in dismay at the puddles that he would have to walk through to get to where he wanted. He knew he could turn around and go the clearer path down to recycling, but he wasn't sure if there would be Energon stored that way. That, and who even knew just who was down there – not that he was opposed to or would shy away from putting anyone out of their misery if they had the unfortunate luck of ending up like these Vehicons here, but he'd really not rather run into anyone at all.

Opting to keep going this way, he'd daintily tiptoe his way through the puddles of slimy coolant – and he was thankful that it wasn't something corrosive. Once through the puddles, he'd kick at the air and try to flick the fluid from his pedes, before he would continue on.

[Zercon]

A few other obstacles stood on Starscream's path to his goal along the hallway, but none of them were as large and gruesome as the first one had been. There were dropped containers meant to go to one place or another, small pieces of machinery that were slumped now to the side, a few datapads that were thrown around in the chaos as well as a couple empty dollies being returned that were now abandoned. Most of the debris and objects however were nestled up to one side at the lowest point, making a relatively clear path for Starscream to traverse the high ground. It was made even easier if he kept mostly to the ridges on the floors, though it would be a slimmer walkway.

Some small cleaner drones flinched and lurched in confusion on his way, modest sized mechanized devices that typically roamed the lower halls to clean up dirt and minor spills that may happen during transport. They were low profiled, almost insect like, and didn't really understand or know what was happening; some scuttling between their new cages formed from the ceilings ribs, while others laid on their backs trying to right themselves.

Eventually, he would find himself before the door to a storage room, but a glaring dilemma now made itself known. The door was sealed shut, and had no intention to move at its current state. The mechanics to have it open automatically seemed to not be powered currently, and there were very little seams on its exterior in order to try to find a handhold. What the Second in Command desired, was just beyond, but the question was, how would he get there?

[Starscream]

Once Starscream had gotten most of the coolant from his pedes, he would continue onward. His movements were cautious – walking carefully as he paid attention to each step, trying to be as quiet as possible despite his earlier bark of surprise that'd echoed through the abandoned corridor and bowels of the ship.

Would he find others like the ones he'd just passed? Not that the gory sight had truly phased him any – he'd seen much worse over his lifetime, but it made him wonder just how many had met their unfortunate end down here, unable to escape. With any luck, their Warlord would be among their numbers. Not that he had any reason to be this far down, but the hazards and risk of being crushed to death weren't exclusive to this area alone.

He'd stick to walking on the ridges – as awkward and as narrow as they were, it meant he wouldn't have to step around debris and scattered objects – thus slowing him down. This way he was slightly higher up, too, so could get a better vantage point of what was ahead.

Movement against the otherwise dead corridor caught his attention, and he'd cast his gaze down onto the cleaner drones that were trapped between the framework of the ceiling. He'd never given these things a second glance before, nobody really did – they blended in seamlessly to the hustle and bustle of the ship when it was active and full of life, they quietly did their job – their rather thankless job.

The ones that were stuck upside down held his attention moreso than the others. It was bad enough that they were practically trapped down here to be forgotten – where they would eventually offline due to being unable to reach their docking stations, but to be trapped upside down and helpless? Something about that resonated within the Second in Command, and as such he'd divert his path – hopping down from the safety of the central ridge and down into the lower 'compartments' of the ceiling turned floor, and would crouch to pick up each and every drone that'd fallen onto their back, righting them so they were the correct way up.

It really was the least he could do.

He wasn't even sure why – there was nothing stopping them from scrambling up the sloped walls of their newfound cages and falling onto their backs again once he was long gone. The kinder thing to do would probably be to put them out of their misery, but...

He was wasting time.

He'd stand up straight once more, his wings flicking some behind him as he scrambled the short way up and onto the central ridge. With one last glance at the drones, he'd continue onwards down the path and toward his original goal.

He came to the door of one of the many storage rooms, and would stand in front of it expectedly.

Normally the doors opened automatically. Another thing that one didn't really appreciate until it no longer worked. Which this one did not. A low growl of frustration escaped him, and he'd lean forwards to try and pry the door open by hand. He wasn't a bulky mech, not by a long shot, and so his attempts sadly did not work – barely even moving the doors at all. The door was sealed shut, and no amount of yanking or prying was going to change that – even with the added rumbles of frustration, the door wouldn't budge.

No matter, there were other ways to open doors that didn't involve ripping them apart with brute force, and so Starscream would take a few paces back and away – lifting his left arm and aiming it toward the door. Once he was as far back as he could go, pressed up against the opposite wall, he would fire a single missile toward the door. It would make noise, but that was unavoidable at this point – he'd walked around for too long and had been gone from Skywarp for far longer than was necessary.

[Zercon]

The drones didn't really respond to the kindness that was given, for they lacked any ability to contemplate such complex thoughts. Instead, their small legs scrabbled a moment, and they clutched down to the safety of the floor once again, before toddling off to try to accomplish their goals. This ambition of course was halted, bumping into the ridges that acted like cages in the upside down corridors. They didn't really understand where the new wall had come from, as it wasn’t in their schematics, turning, and scuttling over to a new side to meet similar confusion. It was an endless cycle, one that was left behind as Starscream continued down the path.



The door did not budge, it did not move, and most definitely was not going to open to the slender mech's weaker attempts to make it pry.

But a missile was a very good motivator.

The resounding boom was immense, tearing through the silence like a flaming blade through tissue paper. It rumbled in the enclosed area, and created a shockwave that pulsed out to shove and jostle Starscream in the process. The sound of rending metal could be heard amidst the explosion, sending small chunks of the door and the missiles casing to bounce and ricochet off of the surrounding walls with a rain of shrapnel. Once the blast was done, there was a thick haze in the air in its wake, clouding the darkened area even more so than it already had been. However, despite this, the seeker would be able to see the results of his efforts.

The Nemesis' doors were immense, they were thick, and they were built to withstand a lot of different things. It is because of this that they were not torn completely free from their track, but... it didn't truly matter, for there was an opening that would suffice just fine as long as the seeker canted his wings back down a bit while he dipped through.

Beyond the door would reveal the storeroom... and... it was in bad shape.

Everything Starscream could want was located here, ample supplies of fuel, some medical kits to help those that got injured in this side of the ship, some basic raw parts that had been meticulously organized... There were large storage containers of industrial liquids and powders, and a plethora of tools to be borrowed to use in varied portions of the ships engine. Really, there was a bit of everything here, but a lot of it was aimed in the bulk storage sort of way, and not so much individual use. This would be an issue, but there was a bigger issue that was much more prevalent.

The fact the entire storeroom had been inversed.

Everything was grounded, and smeared to the far wall, creating a horrific mound of leaking containers and sparking components. The mechanical arm that had nestled in the ceiling to transport heavy objects, was mangled and twitched from everything that had rammed into it at high force. It twitched and moved, trying to work on auto pilot, but was incapable of performing the last task it was told before things went south.

In addition, jutting out from the mounds of supplies, were the skeletal remains of the shelves that clutched on to the ceiling where they were mounted, creating barriers that would need to be traversed. They were webbed with wires and connectors that strung between them all like an obstacle course. Liquid cleanup powder was scattered all over the floor in large swaths from a series of broken jugs, gelling up into a squishy mess from the Energon and other fluids that settled on the walls deepest point.

Secured storage units were held on the far side of the room, under lock and key. Their strong foundation and welded placement meant that what was inside, would not be as cast around as the rest of the area, though would pose their own obstacles of their own since they hung up into the air away from the silver and red mech.

What was needed was here in this room, within mess and otherwise, but it would take time to get through it all.

[Starscream]

The moment the missile was fired, Starscream kept himself flush and back against the wall of the corridor as best he could. The boom as it hit the door was louder than he'd anticipated it to be – then again, you didn't notice just how eerily quiet and still things were until something or someone suddenly, and oh so very rudely, disrupted that calm. The shockwave from the blast made him recoil, flinching back and cowering – lifting both arms to protect his face. It didn't help that there wasn't much room between himself and the door.

But at least it'd worked. Or, had appeared to - given the sound of the noise.

As the dust began to settle, he'd slowly lower his arms and stand up straight once more. A quick, frantic pat down revealed that none of the shrapnel had hit him, and so he would tip-toe cautiously toward the door to see the damage that'd been inflicted, and gauge whether or not he'd been successful.

Okay, it had worked. While the gap wasn't as big or broad as those that he'd encountered earlier from someone prying open the doors – this one was big enough at least for him to squeeze through. A small blessing, all things considered – for if there was someone much larger still lingering around? They may not think to come in here if someone had already looted the place – which was what he intended to do.

With a grunt and a groan, he'd quickly ease himself through the gap, angling himself and his wings so he could squeeze through with ease. Once on the other side, he gave another loud groan of dismay – slowly clawing one servo down his face in a tired smear. This just got better and better...

He vented out a long, drawn out sigh as he looked around at the state of the room.

Everything he could possibly need or want was in here, just as he had expected it to be. Except at first glance, none of it was in any state to actually be carried out of here. Even if the majority of the contents of most of the containers in here hadn't spilled in the crashing of the ship? The containers were... Rather large. There was no way he could pry the door open, even with the hole he'd blown through it to get any of them out of here. Even if he could? He'd still have to drag it along the corridor, and back down the flight of stairs. The only other option would be to go back to the Medical Bay to get Skywarp and drag him – but there was no way in hell he would do that, even if he could.

The larger containers would be no issue, if he could find a smaller vessel to carry some of the contents back with him. All he really needed was Energon for Skywarp so they could leave. There was nothing stopping him coming back here once Skywarp was functional, to relocate the rest. Well, the stuff that wasn't all broken anyway.

A quick glance up revealed the secured storage units. They piqued his interest, but he would make no motions of trying to get to them just yet and would move forward toward the mounds of supplies. He was cautious with his footing, because not only did he not want to step in anything and slip? This was beyond dangerous – the mix of chemicals was probably toxic to begin with, not to mention it'd become somewhat of an obstacle course of wires and toppled shelves.

He wouldn't turn back, though. He'd gone through far too much effort to get to this point, and he wasn't about to give up now. Every other storage room was probably in a similar condition, so there was really no point in even trying...

Maybe he would find his luck in the middle of one of the mounds of containers. The ones on the outside had hit the walls first, crumpling and spilling out their contents due to the harsh impact... But the inner containers may have fared a little better, having that buffer to crash against rather than a solid steel wall. It was worth a try, even if this work was so below him that he couldn't believe he was actually doing this.

Carefully stepping over a wire, and ducking down under one of the shelf connectors, he'd make his way up and onto the pile. A wire skimmed along his wing as he moved, which made him shudder and squawk out in surprise, tensing up his frame, his wings hiking up sharply behind him in alarm. He stood still, frozen a moment, before casting a cautionary glance over his shoulder before he sighed out in relief that it was nothing.

At this point he would take anything. Even the smallest amount of Energon would probably help rouse the other Seeker, and as such? That would be what he would look for. Well, that and a smaller container which he... Hoped would be in this mess.

With another heavy sigh of defeat, he'd crouch to start picking through what he could - making a point to stay far from the mechanical arm that was twitching nearby. Something about it unnerved him, and unlike the drones he'd run into earlier? He had no real urge to assist it.

[Zercon]

The mechanical arm did not seem to notice Starscream's presence, and instead continued to twitch and act on a pre-recorded action that it was trying to fulfill. It whirred and clicked, pulling its limb back to try to go flush with the 'ceiling', only to bump into a container that blocked its ability to do so, flinch back up in confusion, before trying from a new angle. Occasionally it reset itself, reaching up towards the floor above to try to pick up something that was no longer there, its powerful claws closing carefully to try to grapple, but it was futile and eventually fell back down to twitch and lurch.

As Starscream snooped around, he would find many things at his disposal. Smaller jugs and refillable bottles littered the floor in droves, many of which filled with non volatile components that were used for smaller maintenance procedures. They were normally topped off from the massive cargo containers, and taken to their intended goal. Some were empty, but the inside reeked of past contents, not being cleaned out as completely as they likely needed to be.

This was merely one option though, as among the chaos if the silver mech dug around, he could come across classic Energon Cubes that had once been stacked nicely to the side. The cubes were cracked, weaving lines of white reflecting light in a weird display, it causing the luminous blue substance to seep out and drain down to the miasma below. Some cubes retained some of their contents though, the cracks higher up on the vessel, allowing what remained to sit in the small safe zone below.

A distant rumble echoed through the ship, a groaning tremble of heavy beams being put under tension.