[ti]Ep 3[/ti]Sifting the Rubble [Nathan]

[Optimus Prime]

Episode 3 | Week 4 | Day 2



Things were only getting worse.

MECH's creations were evolving at an alarming rate. Traditional militaristic weaponry transitioned to spliced Cybertronian artillery, said artillery then mounted onto adaptive vehicles, only to now be attached to a mobile functional frame that could likely be replicated once the prototype was done. If that even was a prototype to begin with. There could already be numerous monstrosities already in production that they have yet to know of, or it could simply have been a stepping stone along their violent progression. Their sickening end goal to make their kind as needed as carriers for their own wars.

Then again, they didn't even need to fabricate a Cybertronian from scratch it seemed.

Able to take control... able to butcher a processor enough that responding to directives was simply a law rather than an agreed-upon goal. That incident would continue to bother Optimus for the foreseeable future, simply because of the nature of it and how he failed to address it properly. It was one thing for a hostage situation to do something for their own self-preservation, jumping to the commands of their captors... and then there was the idea of said captive not even having an illusion of choice where they could say no even at the cost of their own lives.

There was too much to consider in one go. Too much to try to digest when there were so many questions that were left unanswered. The first steps forward to learning were oftentimes the first literal steps, and it was with this in mind that Optimus stood within the Control Room of Omega One, calmly thinking through Bumblebee and Neon's recount of events and what exactly they had seen and dealt with. From the beast itself, to the disturbing way in which a physical lure was utilized instead of a signal beacon, and even the fact that it had appeared to be a small satellite post and not something major to their operations.

The details of what may have been left behind would be valuable, even if the vast majority were eviscerated from the scene. Points where something may have been bolted down, certain track marks and modifications made to the buildings... the largest elements, to the most subtle clues could mean everything, trailing all the way down to the serial number on any of the surveillance cameras that may be left behind.

Optimus could certainly walk the area on his own, but it was never beneficial for only one to tackle such a task, especially with the threat of MECH potentially lingering behind in some form or another. A second pair of eyes were priceless, and said individual being a native with a completely different upbringing and set of training? It needn’t be said how valuable it could be. Able to pick up on things that Optimus may lump into the category of 'normal' while a human could easily see that it was wrong in some form or another.

Silence claimed the room as Optimus simply waited, standing beside the hatch switch that controlled the Ground Bridge while he quietly thought through things. He expected that Sargent Nathan Walker would be arriving shortly so that they could begin their transit to the site of the incident, and from there the path of their exploration would depend entirely upon what may, or may not, be witnessed at the scene.

Cyan optics flicked over to watch the entryways to the room.

[Nathan Walker]

It was weird seeing someone you thought was immortal suddenly made mortal.

It wasn’t a new experience for Nathan. First his grandfather Marcus Crane, then Bob Miller. Two men who he thought could walk on water brought low by age and other ailments. But there was something different about this time. Two of the Autobots, Bumblebee and Neon, had been nearly killed by MECH. Two mechanical beings who could do things Nathan could only dream of, survive in environments that would kill Nathan, had been brought down by the equivalent of ants or mosquitoes. It was a sobering thought to say the least..

...though what was even more sobering was what was happening next.

Apparently Optimus Prime wanted him to accompany him on a recon mission of the area that Bumblebee and Neon were in when they were attacked. Why he wanted him and not an army of Autobots, the Prime kept to himself for now, though if Nathan were to venture a guess Optimus wanted to observe him up close and have someone who could crawl into all the small spaces. Either way, Nathan was determined to put his best foot forward in this case. He had been selected to directly interact with the Autobots, and he was going to show that faith was not misplaced.

The Prime had mentioned that it should only be a few hours in the middle of the day, but Nathan wasn’t going to take any chances. Besides the guns, blades, camo, and ammo, he had packed a small backpack containing water and beef jerky, as well as some additional items like fire starting equipment, a flashlight, night vision goggles, thermal binoculars, and a few other essentials should the Autobot groundbridge fail for whatever reason and they were stuck out there past nightfall. Some might call him paranoid, but Nathan always liked to be prepared for any potential possibility should it happen so that he wouldn’t be caught high and dry should shit hit the fan.

A quick final check of his equipment satisfied him that everything was in working order and that he hadn’t forgotten anything. With that he finished gearing up, placing his boonie hat on his head and grabbing his rifle before locking up his locker and pocketing the key before he left the office and stepped out into the control room. The Prime was waiting for him over by the controls for the ground bridge, and Nathan suddenly felt a bit self conscious at having been the last one to arrive. As he walked over, he suddenly wondered how to exactly address someone like Optimus Prime. Best to play it safe.

“Sir, I’m sorry if I had you waiting long.”

[Optimus Prime]

As Nathan stepped into the area, Optimus' attention turned in his direction, breaking past his own internal thoughts to focus on the now.

"Not long at all."

The Prime was not an aggressively strict individual, not often finding great fault where others may find issue. Things could kindle ire, certainly, there have been a handful of times on Earth alone... though he was rather calm and at ease when a situation was not pressing or dangerous. While Nathan had been on time, if he had gotten held up a couple of minutes it would not have been something to chastise or look down upon. Granted, if that progressed too far such generosity would wane... though that was irrelevant right here in the now. The point was, the soldier he had called upon had reported and appeared to be ready with plenty of supplies to take on the way. Optimus did not know what was within the small backpack, though he could see that weaponry was being brought, which was wise given the uncertainty of where they were going.

A confrontation that would require both of them to draw their weapons did not seem to be on the horizon, however, it was better safe than sorry when MECH was involved. That very gun that was being brought could even mark his survival if whatever had taken Ratchet down was turned against him. This was one more strength in regards to choosing to take a human soldier, for what works on one of them may not the other.

Whatever the case, Optimus leaned back some, starting to speak further, his voice continuing in the recognizable even pace it always held. Not in a rush, though direct, stepping past social elements that others may use in a more casual setting.

"I do not foresee conflict, however, caution must be taken given how little we know about MECH overall."

They knew a good amount, while also knowing so very little when it came to the fabrication side of things. This mechanized beast seemingly came from nowhere, which was a sobering thought overall. It forced them set the bar higher, and then a few additional notches to prep for whatever may be thrown their way next. Either way, cyan optics flicked over Nathan's expressions while he continued.

"Given the range, we will be utilizing the Ground Bridge within proximity, and drive the remaining distance."

A passing glance was offered towards the large gateway of metal rings, considering the power draw and fuel uptake that would be required. The bridge had its cost, though flicking moments of being on before turning off abruptly would obviously not draw as much as a steady presence. They would pass through and be on their way with only a momentary heave of the systems. This method could save them a decent drive, allowing them to spend more time searching over transportation.

"As listed, our goal is to investigate what remains and how it may influence future progress."

Such a simple declaration that held minimal information behind it. Truly, this outing was so profoundly open-ended, that whatever could be found would likely dictate the following steps. The choice of there not being some sort of checklist would also let them think more organically in the moment, to adapt to whatever small thing caught their eye. Of course, Optimus knew some things he would look for... namely an element from the old facility that was destroyed... though he was curious to know what Nathan would choose to do first.

"Do you have any questions before we depart?"

It was then Optimus' voice held a modicum of inflection to it, a more honest question breaking away from the rigid formatting from before.

[Nathan Walker]

Well that was a relief.

As Optimus began to launch into his mission brief, Nathan locked eyes the best he could with the Prime despite their massive height difference in order to show that he was paying attention. While no contact was expected with the enemy, it was always better to err on the side of caution. Speak softly and carry a big stick, so to speak. Infiltration will be accomplished by the ground bridge, after which a short drive to close the distance. Investigate and gather possible intelligence to help prepare for the next move.

Questions?

“A couple, sir.”

Nathan was silent for a moment before he spoke.

“When we’re in the field, do you have a particular call sign that I should address you as?”

Coming from his time in the military, particularly in special operations, Nathan never addressed anyone by their actual name or was addressed by his name over the radio. It was always standard procedure to use a call sign, either an assigned one for the mission or a given one when the team was talking amongst themselves. It was a security measure should their communications be intercepted, plus it helped build camaraderie.

“And do we have an alternate rally point if you and I get separated in the field?”

Another security measure. Back when he was with Special Forces, they would always have an alternative rally point where they would all meet up if the shit hit the fan and they lost radio contact. Anyone who didn’t make the rally point within the designated time frame would be presumed dead unless evidence was provided to the contrary. It was an uncomfortable but necessary element.

Proper planning prevents poor performance.

[Optimus Prime]

"My name suffices."

Optimus did not feel it particularly mattered should their transmissions be intercepted when it came to his involvement. He knew that his voice was rather recognizable to a point that it would have been an act of futility either way no matter what alias he may try to plaster on. Back on Cybertron when he needed to send out more coded transmissions, he often put the task on others to relay his commands, or used text-based means that did not have a voice attached to it. It is part of why his call to arms to Earth held as much power as it did, offering a hand of welcome to his Autobots, as well as a dire threat to Decepticons who would hear it, making it clear as day who made the summons.

While MECH had not interacted with him as much as those in days past who heard his rallies and guidelines, they had been able to observe and hear him speak more than a couple times, both out on the field, as well as around their facility before it was decimated. Nathan however, had never had much direct involvement as far as he was aware, so if he felt more comfortable with one to mask future incidents? Optimus would certainly oblige without question.

"What do you wish to be called?"

After this question, Optimus thought over what was said next.

"Whichever direction best suits avoidance of the threat that compelled such a retreat."

Rather open ended, however, seeking a place of safety was paramount rather than taking possible risk to lead to a specific location due to a formality.

"Prioritize contact with Omega One, and if unable to do so, travel north."

A Ground Bridge was the quickest way to evacuate anyone to safety, rather than trying to contend with a true tactical retreat across a longer distance. Should the mechanized threat be present, then trying to contact them may truly be ideal not only for self-preservation, but perhaps for backup itself to facilitate a rarely found win for their team. If all communications dropped however, north was where the nearest city was, which would supply means for either of them to use public lines to make contact with Fowler under a ruse of a civilian.

"I do not believe MECH would risk their construct in such an environment."

Their more subdued vehicles such as the one that transported Ratchet? Yes. Their monstrosity? Not so much in his opinion.

[Nathan Walker]

Well when you’re a giant robot that has a radio built into your head...

“Diamondback will be fine. It was my callsign before I joined NEST.” Nathan replied, his shoulders twitching slightly as he thought about the Arizona Diamondbacks logo that was tattooed across his upper back. He had been advised by his grandfather to have some sort of distinguishing mark tattooed on him when he enlisted, and so he had decided on the Arizona Diamondback logo since they were his favorite baseball team. The idea was that if he suffered particularly devastating injuries to his face that would interfere with normal identification measures there was something they could go on until they got DNA testing completed. That and a baseball cap was why they called him that on the team, mainly because Books sounded too much like Brooks, who was one of their communication experts.

While he would have preferred an actual point on the map, Nathan remembered from his preparation work that there was a small town to the north of the facility they would be investigating. His gut instinct told him that it was foolish to get into a cityscape, but his brain told him it was the most logical step to take. They weren’t in the sandbox anymore, this was the United States. Home field advantage, his backyard.

That realization pissed him off. The fact that he had been overseas, seeing all sorts of twisted and demented shit just to come home and find his own people committing these atrocities just because they didn’t recognize their victims as lifeforms, merely machines.

“Understood sir. I assume you want to prioritize stealth over engaging the enemy?”

That was a logical assumption to Nathan. Two individuals, even somebody like Optimus, versus an unknown number of hostiles was not a fight Nathan put great odds on him and Prime surviving. Best to use stealth as their security measure. He’d fight and kill if it came to it, even if it was to make sure that he remained unnoticed, but he wouldn’t go looking for a fight.

[Optimus Prime]

A low noise of thought slipped out from Optimus at the latest question, not exactly certain how Nathan concluded that stealth would at all be viable with a Cybertronian such as himself. If the soldier before him wished to lay low and slip between structures, of course, Optimus would not protest and would be accepting of such a choice to keep him an unknown variable, yet, when it came to his own ability, it simply wasn’t an option even if he wished for it to be so.

Profoundly tall with broad shoulders, he could tower over others around the Omega Outpost with a presence that could be quite intimidating should he feel compelled to take a more aggressive standing. Walking between smaller buildings would not facilitate any cover, and even if it did, he was still a flash of red, cobalt, and chrome that would clash violently with the dusted desert environment. No... he could not even attempt stealth with his frame, and if such things were a consideration, a far smaller individual would be in play. Once more, however, he would not deny such ambitions and clip them down.

"You are free to act as you see fit."

No confirmation on whether it was or wasn't, though he added further information.

"From Bumblebee and Neon's recount, many buildings were untouched. There are only two confirmed thus far."

All being untouched except two was a possibility, though it wasn't something to be relied upon. The only thing that Optimus knew was the fact that it wasn't a larger facility that could have housed captured souls, nor offered space to manufacture their kind or applicable weaponry inspired by them. The only way this concept could be challenged is if his one variable from the other facility became a reality, in which point the entire mission would be swung off its original course and others would be brought in to assist.

"From what we are led to believe, the site is already abandoned."

Seeing was better than simply being told, and it appeared as though Nathan would need to observe the environment they were going to gain a better standing on what tactics he would prefer to do. As such, Optimus decided to simply move forward, knowing that if there were other concerns they could be addressed on the way there. Due to this, his frame shifted away from where Nathan was, taking a step back while angling his chest aside.

Every Cybertronian's transformation seemed to create similar sounds that could be expected as they transitioned from one form to another. Varied elements influenced it, their mass, armor density, overall configuration, or the number of moving parts... However, while they were all spoken in different tones, they all made the same patterns, an all too recognizable series that was a staple to their kind. It was a set of these that were made then, Optimus' frame almost seeming to rip apart with a heave of mechanics surging away from his center mass.

It was quick, fluid, though still so incredibly alien as Optimus' left shin slammed into the ground first, the wheels on its side already pulled forward to take the brunt of the strike before the rest of his frame followed just as quickly after. It only took a couple of beats, before a semi-truck took his place, a few last panels twisting around before snapping down into their proper places, erasing any notable semblance of what had been an alien lifeform mere seconds ago.

To any that may walk past the vehicle, there wasn't anything out of line or off about it. Just another truck that had chosen a brighter color to contrast against the standard white or gray. The only things that could seem amiss on the outside to those who knew what to look out for, were the series of rasped scrapes across the clearcoat, some chipped paint on major seam edges, and then the Autobot emblem that was positioned on the front grill. The internals deviated, however, looking far more advanced for what he was imitating, appearing high-tech and refined with some cyan etches on some of the components. This anomaly was irrelevant given so few could even see it at all with their perspectives out on the road, a height advantage blotting it all out.

[Nathan Walker]

Carte blanche...

Nathan wasn’t sure if he was supposed to feel honored by such a blanket statement of trust or to be wary, like he was being evaluated by the leader of the Autobots. Regardless, his personal feelings did not matter on this assignment. Judging by the report the area was probably deserted, meaning that Nathan could have rolled in with the entire 101st Airborne Division and no one would have noticed. But there was always the likelihood that it could be under surveillance or booby trapped...

“Understood sir.”

Watching Cybertronians change their form from humanoid to vehicle was not a new experience for Nathan, having seen Petrichor already do it once before. But it was still a breathtaking sight to see it up close and in action. The fact that they could do this, and to anyone observing appear to be nothing more than a car, truck, or plane, was a marvelous wonder to one such as Nathan. Despite the things that he had seen, watching a Cybertronian transform was sure to top his list of amazing things he witnessed for the rest of his life.

Robots in Disguise...

Seeing the door open for him, Nathan checked that his rifle was on safe then slung it over his shoulder and went over to the ladder connecting the walkway he was on and the floor of Omega one. Another check to make sure it was safe and he climbed down the ladder, taking his time to avoid flagging himself knowing that he had a round chambered. Once he was down on the floor he turned and climbed into the open passenger side door, sitting down in the passenger seat. He almost moved to close the door behind him, but realizing that might be rude he stopped himself. He set the rifle down butt first on the floor board, then after checking he reached for the seatbelt then paused himself again.

“I’m...is it alright if I buckle up? Not that I don’t trust you...but...ya...know...”

If only they covered interspecies communication in boot camp...

[Optimus Prime]

An unseen gaze shifted over to watch as Nathan climbed up and then started to reach out towards the door, only to hesitate, followed by a sort of awkward half attempt for a seatbelt that was just as quickly stopped in order to ask instead.

It was always an odd topic on how individuals approached the concept of a passenger within their altmodes. Some likely found it appalling and would tell whoever asked for a ride to simply take a hike, while others took it on as if it were no issue in the world and it was a joy to help. Optimus felt as though he was in the light gray area on such levels, favoring a willingness to assist, though it was uncomfortable at points such as when Fowler decided it was somehow necessary to slam his horn at a civilian. Besides this, he had picked up the children from school, Miko from detention, or Jack from his work on rare occasions when the others were unable to do so, though it simply was a task rather than joy.

No matter what way it was looked at, it was a surreal concept all on its own.

"Of course."

At this, the side door would close so that Nathan wouldn't need to do so, leaving the seat belt to him as Optimus' attention then slid ahead, watching as the Ground Bridge began to activate. It would only take a couple of moments for the portal to take shape, however, those fleeting seconds in-between were filled with the large metal bands flicking light, and a growl of concealed engines heaving active, pulling off Energon and electrical reserves all at once. Its rumbled sounds were swiftly blotted out with the hissing coils of the vortex, one that consumed the end of the abruptly short hallway to then extend out to their intended goal, casting out white particles and colored illumination.

Only once this fully stabilized and Nathan was secured, Optimus would begin to move forward, driving through the Ground Bridge without a bead of hesitation given how many times he had passed through it, and others, in his lifetime. It would quickly deposit them out into the desert a moderate distance away from their goal, the gate closing behind them as quickly as it had formed.

Artificial light sharply transitioned to natural illumination, while the spectral pathway from the Bridge changed into a sun-bleached road that was littered with cracks from countless years of neglect. A few streaked black lines seemed to spread the gap between the largest of fissures, though overall it needed to be paved desperately... not that there was any desire to do so. Everything around them was vacant, empty, and about typical for the thin roads that branched between seldom-used utility points of interest. Some of these were visible scattered around the mostly flat environment, the nearest being a series of structures that must have been their intended goal, looking like a processing facility for cargo and shipment carriers to transition goods.

Far to their left the land took on a rockier formation, sagebrush, cacti, and grasses speckling around ragged stones that started to jut up, while to its right in the far distance seemed to be a smear of grays and glints of glass from a city where individuals went on their day to day lives, ignorant of what lay so close. On the other direction of the road they were traveling, a larger cluster was visible, the all too recognizable shapes of an oil terminal breaking up the skyline with silvers and white. Undoubtedly the roads in that direction would be bloated out with workers and road tankers, though thankfully they did not utilize the area that Nathan and himself were working with in the now, and civilian interference would be unlikely to come from the north.

Optimus didn't say anything as they traveled, nor did he produce a Holoform given just how isolated everything seemed.

[Nathan Walker]

“Thank you.”

Well...that sure felt awkward.

Nathan made sure his rifle wouldn’t fall over before he gently took the seat belt from its spot behind him and carried it over his body and snapped it in place. Part of him knew that it would probably be alright if he didn’t buckle up since he was sitting in a massive sentient being that happened to turn into a semi-truck, but old habits die hard. He then grabbed his rifle so that he was keeping a constant hold on it to maintain muzzle discipline, even though if it went off it would probably still hurt Optimus to some extent. Or would it?

Well he didn’t want to find out.

“Ready sir.”

As soon as he said it, Optimus began to move towards the groundbridge which had just powered to life. Nathan took a deep breath like he was jumping into the deep end of a swimming pool as the Prime drove right through the swirling vortex, still not quite used to the sensation of teleporting across time and space in an alien invention just yet. When they made it to the other side he let out the breath that he had been holding, and went through the gear on his body to make sure that everything was still working. Radio...cellphone...all seemed to be fine. It’s not that he didn’t trust the reassurances, but they were in uncharted territory. So he would trust but verify for the moment.

When he looked up, Nathan had to blink slightly as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight outside, though it wasn’t as bad as usual since he had just traveled through a bright green vortex to get here. He reached into his vest pocket and extracted a pair of Oakley sunglasses and placed them over his eyes as he surveyed their surroundings from his elevated position in Optimus’ cab.

The scene that stretched out before him was a familiar one. Despite happening thousands of miles away and many years ago, the landscape seemed to remind him of his time overseas when he was with the airborne and they had deployed to the Middle East. Despite a lot of things happening in the cities over there, there were still plenty of highways and open empty spaces that men and supplies had to pass through, and sometimes he and his unit were called upon to escort those men and supplies through the hot zone. But that was there, and here everything seemed quiet...

He did nothing to disturb the quiet, merely keeping his head on a swivel and watching the rear view mirrors for any trouble that could approach.

[Optimus Prime]

The start of the drive had been awkward enough on its own simply due to the concept of someone climbing inside a sentient vehicle, though it continued to remain so given the fact Optimus did not initiate conversation of any sort from that point on. He wasn't one to chat even on the best of days, and such a fact wasn't going to change anytime soon when other issues were of far more concern. This left a sort of silence in its wake, the snarl of the Ground Bridge fading away to nothing but the idle sound of the road passing beneath them. Thankfully, it was not a long distance that they would need to travel, and their intended goal would draw closer with every passing beat.

The entire area was a mix of different building types scattered in makeshift clusters around the broad swath of paved land, the largest of which being a rectangular warehouse that had a slew of loading docks lined up on its front face. Most of the doors were pulled down, their paint chipped and rust streaked, while some had completely snapped off their tracts into a crumple of slats down onto the ground. There were no windows on this primary structure, though the smaller building attached to it did, their survivability being just as spotty as the cargo doors as most were broken from vandalism.

There was another loading dock area a staggered step back, and then a slew of smaller off-buildings from the primary mass of goods that didn't see as much active movement and use when everything was functional. There was almost a feeling of a company that was constantly trying to add on, things just not quite blending together right from one point to another as uniformity was broken long ago. While each of the structures seemed to deviate in some form or another, what they all had was a ragged state of disrepair, some electrical lines hanging loose and tangled together, leading to long blackened flood lights that once upon a time illuminated the large expanse.

As the threshold between sun-bleached road and asphalt transitioned to the patchwork paving, Optimus' progression would slow down to a moderately more cautious approach. Not scared, not shying away, though more mindful of everything given the closer proximity to the buildings and the fact they were now notable visual blocks. It was during this that the side windows on the cab would drop open slightly, just enough to permit sounds to pass through rather than being stifled in the contained environment in order to let Nathan make his own judgments on what could be heard.

Which amounted to next to nothing.

A crackle of grit beneath wheels... the lower idle of an engine... joined in by a creaking of rusted metal as a couple of the decaying loading dock doors shifted in the wind...

As they moved, some more notable damage would be visible that wasn't associated with natural wear and tear, a sort of dotted line made that tore up chunks of pavement right down to the dirt below each point. It was a sharp burst of lines, then nothing, then another... and so on, the source marks vanishing around one of the containers. It was the nearest point that Optimus moved beside, being sure that his frame would be between the marks and the main buildings so that Nathan wouldn’t be in line of sight if they were being observed.

Once stopping, Optimus made the latch mechanism in the side door clunk in a sound to indicate it 'unlocking' even though it hadn't been locked to begin with. It was a sort of auditory cue to let Nathan know he could open the door to get out unless he had some other idea in mind, without flinging it open and simply saying to do so.

"I assume that is from the construct."

An unseen gaze would drift over to see what little he could from his current perspective.

Whatever caliber was utilized in a burst was more than powerful enough to treat concrete as though it were tissue paper, clean holes punched through to expose fresh concrete that had never seen weathering, and the dense clay-packed earth beneath it.

[Nathan Walker]

The silence wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Optimus seemed to be a man...or rather a bot...of few words, which was perfectly fine with Nathan who was used to silence. It was refreshing to just be alone with your thoughts at times, because it was when he felt the most at peace. It wasn’t that he didn’t like talking to people, but the stillness was spiritual to him at times. As Optimus slowed down to navigate the rough patch of road, Nathan couldn’t help but smile at the similarities. It was just like when he would approach an area of rough terrain. They’d take things slow, carefully to avoid the type of injuries that usually came with moving faster than advised.

As they pulled into the facility Nathan was taking everything in, marking down details in his mind. Optimus was right, looked like this place had been deserted for at least a decade judging by the rust patterns on the metal. And given how far away it was from a major population center, urban renewal wouldn’t be here for another decade. Perfect spot for an organization to hide away from prying eyes. His attention was suddenly drawn to the line in the parking lot, a sense of deja vu passing through him. So...this is the only obvious clue that something happened here. It would have been pretty hard to cover up effectively in a short amount of time, so MECH must have figured no harm in leaving the signs of battle intact.

Once Optimus came to a stop and unlocked the door, Nathan gingerly unbuckled his seat belt and tucked it back into place, then grabbing his rifle he gingerly opened the door and stepped out of the truck, noticing that Optimus had parked in an area that shielded his exit. Once he was out he’d gently close the truck door behind him, then climb down to the concrete surface. With practiced grace his rifle would come up to his shoulder and his thumb would move the selector switch one position to semi-automatic fire as he carefully did a complete sweep of every area that wasn’t covered by Optimus. Satisfied that they were apparently alone, the muzzle would drop.

“Clear.”

The Prime’s voice startled him slightly, before he looked over at the pockmarks in the ground and nodded, stepping closer and dropping down to one knee to examine them closer.

“Looks like 20mm at least. I’ve seen stuff similar to this before. Generally they only mount those on vehicles or aircraft.” Nathan replied, thinking back to the numerous times in his past where he’d been saved by weapons like this. It had been comforting back then, but now...seeing it turned against him and his allies like this...he understood the terror that his enemies probably felt hearing it coming their way.

“Did the medics recover any projectiles from Bumblebee and Neon when they treated their injuries?” He asked.

[Optimus Prime]

Optimus was both watching Nathan, as well as keeping a general bead on their immediate area. He did not foresee the abomination to still be present, however, that did not mean all threats from MECH were evacuated from the area in full. Some sort of bomb could still be an element in play, much like the Wasatch facility, though given that it didn't appear to be a major point of operations this chance was rather diminished in his opinion. It still left a tension though, proper caution being offered that would likely ease the further they explored to an extent.

Beyond these far more lethal threats, there was the quite unlikely possibility that there were civilians that made their way out to mess around with graffiti or other acts of vandalism in a form of entertainment. While it would be rather rare due to the distance of travel, the presence of such things in a couple of points from what they could see thus far made it clear that it wasn't a complete non-issue, some streaked lines of spray paint adorning one wall. Whatever the case, Optimus listened to what Nathan said with care, letting out a softer sound of thought before he spoke.

"Two types were recovered."

At the point they currently were, it only seemed to show one type in the ground, though undoubtedly there would be signs of the second variant elsewhere.

"Only one was retrieved of the larger artillery, unable to be identified by remaining fragmented pieces."

It was more than apparent what had been pried out of the scientist, as well as what had cored into the concrete beside them, was not small in caliber and had some real heft behind it beyond what would be used against human soldiers. To be able to cause such damage was not an easy feat, and the beast was most likely armed with the intention of confronting their kind as test subjects, a clash that happened to hold the additional boon of acquiring more pieces to salvage and reverse engineer. It was a sobering thought that would hit home, looking upon the cluster of impacts.

"Its counterpart was notably smaller. Numerous extracted."

This weapon did not concern him as much as the prior one. While it did cause damage and should not be brushed aside as irrelevant, the autocannon was a true danger that had the potential to saw through most everyone if the cluster of fire was small enough. Yet even then, this larger threat was dwarfed by one of even more power that evidently only took one shot at the two Autobots with impressively destructive force.

"A Cybertronian weapon was used in addition, though information is limited. We are only aware that it was a continuous beam with enough power to rip a building in half."

No sign of this was seen from their current viewpoint, though there was another cluster of ripped-up concrete a short distance off, paired with the faint splattered remains of blue that had long lost its luminous glow.

"This knowledge troubles me."

It was disturbing trying to consider who it was that may have been slain to permit such a thing to fall into their hands. He could already think of more than a few names that held weaponry that could be described so vaguely, both Autobot and Decepticon.

He did not wish such a fate on any of them.

[Nathan Walker]

Two types of ammunition...

If they could afford to load two types of ammunition into their weapon, that meant MECH probably wasn’t hurting when it came to munitions supply. As Nathan listened to Optimus’ explanation of what was pulled from the two Autobots, his face became darker with concern.

“You should have that surviving fragment tested. If we can figure out what metal it is, it might give us a lead as to how MECH is getting its munitions and supplies.”

He hoped to God that it wasn’t depleted uranium. Uncle Sam tended to guard that stuff very closely in order to use it in armor piercing ammunition, either for the A-10 Warthog or the M1A1 Abrams tank, as it was a very dense metal. Sure there were other ways to acquire the material, but they weren’t exactly cheap. The fact that MECH seemed to have anti-material armor piercing weapons and was content to use it in such an environment was very disconcerting to Nathan.

That concern turned to a cold spike of fear when Optimus revealed that a Cybertronian weapon had been mounted to the construct.

“I can imagine so...”

That had to mean one of two things. Either MECH had found a cache of Cybertronian weapons someone had foolishly left lying around unguarded...or they had scavenged it from a Cybertronian. Neither of those prospects were exactly appealing to Nathan.

“How did Neon and Bumblebee manage to escape?”

[Optimus Prime]

"You should have that surviving fragment tested.-"

"Consider it addressed."

Optimus agreed, feeling safe assuming that such a thing was in progress, if not already done at this point, though he would make certain it didn't fall between the cracks as an oversight beneath other concerns. It seemed to be a common trend lately that the smallest of details that could give so much were sat aside and forgotten beneath the call of louder voices in recent days, and he did not intend to let it continue if he had any say in the matter. If the type of metals salvaged from Neon, or even from the ground at their side, could be identified as a rare source? Then it could narrow their search noticeably and was understandably priceless. They needed every win they could get, no matter how small, his focus then shifting to the topic of escape.

"They were able to retreat on wheel through the Ground Bridge."

Always risky opening a bridge in the midst of a chase, given bullets could be fired that could pass through the vortex into the Control Room, though he trusted enough of a buffer was in play that the threat was minimal. Even if the gap wasn't as large as ideal, however, it sounded as though MECH's creation posed a real danger, and the hazards involved in passthrough shots would be far less than the cost that may have been paid if there was no real opportunity to escape. They were lucky that things simply worked out as well as they had.

"Outrunning on foot was not a viable option given reported speeds."

Which really just amounted to 'fast', as they did not know what its actual capabilities were.

"According to Bumblebee, it was atypical proportions unfitting of a controlled figure."

This was a blessing in its own way. While it no doubt had parts of their kind woven inside of whatever it was, if it wasn’t a fully recognizable Cybertronian body then there was minimal to no chance of someone being trapped within unable to...

Don't go there.

"Bipedal. Its central pod akin to a helicopter where armaments were mounted."

If only Nathan or any other one of Fowler's men were present to see it, they may have been able to pinpoint just what they were looking at. While Bumblebee or Neon could certainly try to describe what they saw, to know for a fact if it was the frame of a certain machine or if one of the weapons were recognizable would have been ideal to help give them leads. At this moment it simply was an amorphic concept to him, shackled behind the limitations of words and what a scratchy drawing could convey. It left his explanation even vaguer, which wasn't a great place to be, but that was where they currently sat.

At this thought, a sort of hissed exhale was made from hydraulics, a momentary warning of sorts as the rig of the truck seemed to clunk down as though the suspension had been suddenly cut. This slower start to a transformation was taken only at the first two steps, to give Nathan a heads up in a way, before everything hooked upright hard and ruptured apart with the all too recognizable sound of transformation. Heavy exterior plates of metal ratcheted around numerous pivot points, large swaths of dark gray cutting forward as the tires nearest ripped off the ground to sink into the outer side of a newly forming limb. As with before the transformation itself was rather fast all things considered, though there were an abundance of moving parts, a mostly recognizable frame heaving upright into a full stand as the last pieces started to find their final placement.

Rolling his weight to one side, Optimus was already looking back at the buildings while his frame settled instead of regarding Nathan, red and cobalt bands of armor sinking down and locking within one another to seal away the underlying gray as he scanned with his new vantage point. It was a cursory look, not seeing anything of note as his now visible gaze then returned down to continue his words.

"Bait was used to draw them in."