[ti]Ep 3.5[/ti]Don't you hold your breath... [ Flux, Open With Permission ]

[Breakdown]

Cause I'm not coming down.
These battlefields have left me only scars.

Timeline: Week 1 | Day 4

---

Breakdown had heard the news handed down to him by orders of their Lord Megatron, and such had broken down the long-winded version into two very key points:

- Patrol duty until Knock Out's whereabouts were uncovered, and
- No rations until Knock Out's whereabouts were uncovered.

Breakdown had been planning to seek out the medic even before he had been told he was otherwise required to do so, so the marching orders seemed almost laughable if not for the implications that the rest of it entailed. Ground patrol without rations meant that failing to find their CMO would result in starvation and eventual offlining- death by his own failure. He could only assume that Megatron was trying to reign in his command through his usual fear tactics to ensure everyone fell back into line accordingly. 

Order through tyranny. 

Somehow, the conversation before he'd had with Knock Out on their last outing together came to the forefront. Now was not the time to think about that- he had something cherished to find, Megatron's orders and cynical punishments be damned. He knew that no matter the outcome of this scavanger hunt he was in for a long, hard road for his failure to show up to the little pep talk when Megatron had returned, but he'd take it as it came. Showing up would have meant that Knock Out would have been the one at the firing line had he only been out for his little excursion rather than actually having gone missing, which Breakdown would have never allowed to happen.

No one would ever know his reasoning for not showing. As far as they would know should flatline spill would only be what that other mech had been told. Not that it mattered, nor did he really care.He'd already made sure the Vehicons were aware that he'd be gone for an extended period of time so they'd be set in his absence, though were not made aware of the situation as that was not their cross to bear. He wouldn't risk them, or anyone else, caught in the crossfire of his actions and he'd take what was handed to him. 

Like his current patrol route. 

He wondered if he could cut this expedition short by reaching out to the other side, just to make sure that Knock Out wasn't actually with MECH, but how could he? If he made a commotion and drew the attention of a different Bot that could be a tricky situation, not to mention that if his moves were being monitored for whatever reason that would be like opening a cage of scraplets into a Cybertronian Parade. 

Caution was key. 

Breakdown finally arrived at the Control Room, a spared glance given just to make sure their Lord wasn't here to see him off or give him a reminder. Seemed clear, but he was down an optic, and there were many dark corners where anyone could be hiding in. So he advanced forward, hoping to just have a simple departure in the bridge to his patrol location and have it be as silent and uneventful as possible. 

[Flux]

The Control Room looked strangely empty, should one not be paying too much attention to the room itself.

One of those rare moments that even Soundwave wasn’t seen manning the console. With Megatron’s return everyone had been working non-stop, it felt like - even the Spymaster. Scouting for pieces of a weapon, others tasked with the usual Energon mining and all that came with it. More recently, there had been small patrols - fliers, mostly - sent out by Starscream to look for their missing CMO.

Then there were those that didn’t really fit in with any of that. Flux had made himself useful upon his arrival to the planet - using his strength and mass to help with whatever was needed around Blackridge Hold to accommodate their numbers, and even helping Megatron himself just yesterday out on the field. But when he wasn’t doing anything, he found himself almost lost, and sometimes in more ways than one.

Things were quiet here - too quiet, at times, and in these moments when he had nothing to do, it was uncomfortable.

At the far side of the Control Room in front of the corridor that led toward the storage areas of the base, he stood, peering down at his arm and the word ‘Earth’ that’d been etched into it with scrawled Cybertronian handwriting. While he knew and understood where they were planet-wise, this base was still utterly confusing at times. He’d gotten a knack for finding his way to essential rooms like the quarters he shared with Cintra, or the Mess Hall - and knew the Control Room was almost like the ‘heart’ of the base itself.

His intention had been to divert from his normal path, picking a different corridor to pace in an attempt to cement more of the layout into his processor in this moment of quiet, when the sound of heavy footfalls had caught him off guard. At first, he’d assumed it was Megatron and had been quick to stand up straight and at attention, turning to see just who it was.

It was… Someone he hadn’t met before. Or, he probably had, as was the case for more Decepticons than he realized, but he couldn’t remember them.

Relaxing his posture just slightly, he would offer the other mech a nod.

“Hey. I’m doing stuff, honest - uh, I know it prob’ly looks like I’m just standing here, but I’m just getting my bearings real quick.”

He wasn’t sure if this mech was higher up on the food-chain than him. He wasn’t Megatron, Starscream, or Soundwave, but there were no doubt countless higher-ranking generals and higher-ups - hence the need to quickly address the fact he was seemingly doing nothing.

[Breakdown]

Breakdown had heard the shuffling as he entered the room and took a step back, half expecting that it would have been Starscream ( the little weasel ) or Soundwave, but instead it was a face he didn't quite recognize. He may have seen it passing through the medical bay once for a check up upon arrival, or passing in the hall when they were doing things here and there. He tried to place that face but he just...

Couldn't.

Didn't help that his processor was working on overdrive, while trying to remind himself that he had to be careful about just how much actual searching he did. It would take less energy to go in root mode, but he couldn't risk MECH spotting him again- as if they didn't have his alt mode recorded down as well.

"Uh... that's... good?" Breakdown raised the optic ridge of his only optic. Was this guy here to go out with him on the search? He was just standing around apparently, so probably not. "Continue with your... doing stuff? I'm not going to rat you out to the ranked mechs if that's what you're worried about. Not my business. Got my own trouble to deal with." He made his way to the panel for the space bridge and typed in a few coordinates that he'd known Knock Out to go to before. Had there been races there?

He couldn't look on his own, not with the limited rations in effect. Breakdown sighed and looked back at Flux again.

"I'm headin' out to find our missing medic, so if you're bored, it would cover more ground if there were two of us."

[Flux]

The slight confusion from Breakdown wasn’t lost on him, and one servo would move to awkwardly rub at the back of his neck in response. At least he wasn’t someone from high command, and so the only reaction had been almost bafflement instead of something more important, like anger.

Lowering his arm, he shook his helm.

“Oh, no- no, didn’t think you would be rattin’ me out. Uh, thanks, though.”

Why had the other mech jumped to that conclusion? Perhaps that was simply the Decepticon way. Everyone did have to pull their weight after all, and him just standing here wasn’t exactly the most productive of things he could be doing.

Maybe Breakdown himself had been ratted out for such things in the past and was simply looking out for him.

One optic ridge of his own raised at the mention of trouble, though he knew better than to pry into another's business by asking any sort of questions. What he’d seen of the other mech it seemed like he was about to leave Blackridge and go somewhere - which may or may not have been related to whatever issue he had.

Leaving Breakdown to it, he turned his attention back down the corridor - brow furrowing. Even this momentary distraction of conversation had completely thrown off what he was doing, and a glance to his arm was given - out of habit more than anything else - to see if Cintra had left some sort of instructions for him.

She hadn’t, and it was then that the other mech spoke again - after a tired sigh.

Missing medic?

They had a missing medic? He… could vaguely remember being told that, though could only assume that he - or she? - had been found by now. It seemed like it should be kind of a big deal, then again that was probably why this other mech was going to go look for them.

“Missing medic? Oh uh, yeah sure I’ll help you look for ‘em. Just for my own reference-” a servo would raise again, one clunky digit gently tapping at his helm, hopefully indicating that there was some sort of issue there “-what do they look like? So I know who I’m looking for, y’know?”

[Breakdown]

Breakdown was a little surprised to realize that the other mech wasn't here to monitor anything in this room or to make sure he was doing what he was supposed to be in that whole 'find knock out or die' thing, but he was still a bit suspicious. That only heightened when he heard him question Knock out being missing.

Had Megatron not announce it? Or was this another one of those situations that fell to the wayside like his did, with their CMO being a good riddance and on his own for being captured? That was enough to make his anger rise somewhere deeper within and his optic narrowed. Breakdown almost didn't catch the rumble in his throat from the growl that echoed deep in his chassis, having to shift slightly to make it seem he was just grinding his gears.

He had to focus. His anger could wait. Thereafter?
There were always other things he could do afterwards.

"Red, about so high," Breakdown paused to gesture with one servo to midway up his chassis. "You'd probably be able to find him in a crowd easier going by his personality than anything else. Vain and kinda prickily like his helm who thinks quite highly of himself..."

With a spark of gold that made his own ache with the prospect of something having happened to him.

"I've go a roundabout location where I got his last communication from, so that's going to be my first stop to see if I can find clues. If MECH was involved, they had to have left something behind. I have a list of other places to go after that if it turns out to be useless. With two of us doing this, we should be able to cover more ground."

It would be dangerous to go in root mode like this, but his alt just... burned through too much energon, and he needed to be careful. MECH was always a risk, but they knew his alt mode as well so there was no point hiding. As much as having someone tagging along helped with the search portion of everything, the problem rested with if they ran into the Autobots. Bee was the only one he had a semi decent strained relationship with, but would they help?

There was also making a risk of an encounter look real enough that the other mech wouldn't suspect anything.

Once the bridge was activated, Breakdown looked at his companion and gestured to follow as he started on his own way towards the swirling portal.

"If you're gonna tag along, lets go. The longer we wait, the more energon I burn through."

[Flux]

“Red, short… Vain.”

He frowned, thinking as hard as he could. While he knew damn well he had to have met the mech in question given his occupation - and he most certainly had upon his arrival to Blackridge Hold - he couldn’t put a face to the description given.

“Doesn’t ring a bell, sorry.” he admitted, shaking his helm. “Though that’s on me, not him - I ain’t real good at remembering stuff. My other half would prob’ly know, though. But she ain’t around.”

As if to show that he was telling the truth about his memory issues, his right arm would stretch out - as he absentmindedly scratched it with his left servo. Etched into his inner arm was the word ‘EARTH’ in Cybertronian text, along with some rough coordinates - a constant reminder of where they were, no doubt written in a rush during a moment of panic. Normally he would’ve been littered with colorful paper along with further notes and instructions - including badly drawn maps of Blackridge Hold - though it seemed he had no tasks from the tiny femme today.

“MECH? Now that I do remember. Bad guys, right? Natives.” he frowned.

Cintra had been sure to drill that into his head upon learning of them. Not that he wanted to make a point of getting near any of the humans on this planet anyway, but it was still good to remember just who was out there. Still, though, if they had taken a medic? It was all the more reason to get out there and start looking for him.

Orange optics darted to the bridge as it opened. While he was fairly certain he wasn’t supposed to be doing anything else, he found himself mulling over the thought that he was. Still, even if he had been assigned another task? Locating a missing medic was probably far more of a priority than whatever it was, and so he would begin to move as well - following Breakdown.

“We doin’ this on foot, I assume?”

The comment about burning Energon was noted, though he wasn’t sure of the meaning behind the words - was this a time-sensitive thing for Breakdown, too?

[Breakdown]

His other half? The phrasing made Breakdown flinch a bit, a gesture in his single good optic that could have been written off as merely a shift in the gears behind the lens to correct his focus. He didn't say anything on it, but it did make him think of the purpose of this little exploration mission.

Knock Out.

There were so many things that could have happened to him, things that Breakdown had warned him about many times in the past, also considering the situation with MECH. If they had him he didn't count on being able to find him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't scower the ends of the earth to try.

Even if it killed him, which was another pressing matter.

"Unfortunately, yeah. Means we're gonna be easier to spot if we cross into spaces that are populated, so keep your wits about ya and keep an extra eye on your back. As for MECH?-" Breakdown paused as he stepped through the portal, not bothering to wait on the other to see if he'd follow. He was in route to do that beforehand, so he could only assume that the other mech was going to continue.

He last place that he'd gotten the broken communication from Knock Out- that was his first check. It happened somewhere in the area, now he just needed to look for the signs of trouble.

[Flux]

The flinch from the other mech went unnoticed - Flux wasn’t really the detail-taking-in type - though even if it was seen, it probably wouldn’t have mattered, nor would he have connected any sort of dots that the word had hit home. He didn’t know who Knock Out was to this mech before him, and didn’t realize just how important this rescue mission was.

“Hey, suits me just fine. Ain’t real keen on my altmodes, anyway.” his rotors would shift just slightly at this, as if he was suddenly remembering that they were a thing.

“As for keepin’ my wits? Consider it done.”

He was so used to having Cintra on his back when out and about that when she wasn’t, he became acutely aware of her absence and everything that came with it. She was the one who would point out incoming threats, oftentimes seeing them before he’d even realized they were there, and knew that when he was by himself he had to be extra careful.

She’d probably track him down and kill him again should something ever happen to him, simply for being so stupid as to get himself hurt.

Following Breakdown through the swirling vortex, his first thought - and instinct - was to shift into one of his altmodes. It was simply habit when moving through the ground bridge, and one thing that often went unchanged in his day to day. Fortunately, he had kept his attention on the other mech, and seeing that he hadn’t changed forms meant that the triplechanger would refrain from doing so, as well.

“As for MECH?” he asked, speaking once they were free of the noise of the bridge itself, glancing around the surrounding area - an area that didn’t really look like much of anything at all.

This was probably going to be a really long day, he realized.

[Breakdown]

Breakdown briefly forgot what he was talking about once he stepped through the portal, with all gears switching to finding Knock Out. He didn't know what to expect exactly, but he certainly didn't think that any hints to anything would just jump right at him like one of those gaudy neon light signs that some of the fleshlings liked to throw around town.

If he weren't already so used to the varying sound levels between the base and the organic surface it would have thrown him off. Then again- Knock Out. Heck, he just about forgot that he'd even had someone tagging along for a moment, having originally had something of a plan in his processor. He had wanted to try to reach out to the little bug scout of the Autobots to see if he knew anything about the missing Decepticon CMO, since any of them taken by MECH was a bad thing for both sides ( though it seemed that it was far more of a pressing issue to the Bots, which would have made reaching out to them perfect if he used the right words ).

Good thing he heard Flux's steps behind him, which immediately brought all those plans to a literal screeching halt.

Mech? MECH! Right, oops.

"As for MECH- they're definitely the bad guys." Which was amusing to think about, since Decepticons were considered that way to the Autobots and here they wee using that description with another group. "Not in the 'capture and negotiate or interrogate for information' type, either. They literally rip you apart piece by piece and take what they want. They want information, but they're a very... hands-on... type, with no regard for personal space." Momentarily Breakdown turned to look at the other and reached up to tap at his patch where his optic once was. "Knock Out patched me up, but this is my personal reminder of what they're capable of- and what they did to me was minor."

Then he went back to what he was doing, the story of his own issues in the past. They wouldn't help anything now.

"Hopefully that gives you a bit of an idea why it's so important to find him. Two of us searching is far better than one with a single optic."

[Flux]

Briefly turning to look over his shoulder as he made his way through the bridge, Flux would turn his attention back to Breakdown as the swirling vortex closed behind them and the other mech began speaking.

MECH. Bad guys. Right - Cintra had drilled that into his processor at least, but man, hearing that Breakdown had had a firsthand experience with them? It sort of made it all the more real. So that was the reason for the patch over his optic? He’d noticed it, though knew better than to bring it up and ask what’d happened.

The fact he referred to it as ‘minor’ was sort of odd. Losing an optic wasn’t exactly a small thing - and to have it taken out by the hands of an enemy? Well, it was barbaric…

“I was wonderin’ why you had the patch. I wouldn’t exactly classify it as minor, though.” he frowned. “Though from what I hear, they prob’ly could’ve done much worse…”

Knowing that MECH could’ve taken their Medic - whose name he’d already forgotten even though it’d just been mentioned - was a scary thought. While the general soldier like himself or Breakdown could reveal things like the location of their base or the chain of command, medics had intricate knowledge of how they functioned.

Though, he was sure it wouldn’t take much to reverse engineer their frames should MECH get ahold of them, but having that knowledge from someone who knew what they were talking about would surely make things a lot easier.

It was a sobering thought, and he’d vent out a gentle sigh before speaking.

“Yeah, for sure. I’m surprised there aren’t more out looking for him. Seems pretty important to bring him home.”

If Cintra had been taken, he wouldn’t rest until she was found, and while he didn’t know the specifics of Breakdown’s relationship with the missing Decepticon, the fact he was out here - and willing to do so alone - looking spoke volumes.

“Where do we start?”

[Breakdown]

"Compared to the other things they did, to me, to others? Yeah, the optic was minor."

The fact the other was so naive to the workings of the Decepticon Lord was comical, and Breakdown let out a heavy disapproving vent before he managed to catch himself which he quickly covered by continuing it to mask it with another sound like he was trying to clear something out of the back of his throat as he continued forward.

"Sorry, how long have you been serving under Lord Megatron? That is not how he operates, not on Cybertron, not on Earth with far fewer resources. We have another medic, Knock Out has already been replaced in his mind. If he's not found it's no real loss to him- nor of any care." Oh, but if the pede was on the other foot, Megatron would expect his soldiers to rank and file to come find him. Breakdown hadn't forgotten the entire fiasco from before when the Warlord had been lost the first time and Starscream had been in charge.

"If I have to look for him myself, then I'd gladly do it, even without Lord Megatron's order."

Especially without Megatron's order. And if he had it his way, he wouldn't even bother to return Knock Out to the Decepticons in fear of what Megatron may do or claim the moment the cherry red mech returned. Breakdown had missed the meeting to cover for him, not that the excursions had been unknown, but the fact that he'd snuck out to go and other events had unfolded from it? Breakdown knew this was not the end of the punishment- whatever Knock Out was going through, he feared there'd be far more reprocussions if he had to face Megatron.

"I didn't get a clear pinpoint on Knock Out's last transmission, but it was this general area. Could be just beyond the clearing, could be 20 miles either direction. It's a wide area to cover, so I appreciate you taking the time to provide aid. You take the northern quadrant, I'll take the sound and just look for any signs of disruption. Best we got. Comm me if you find anything suspicious."

Breakdown didn't wait. His time was on a counter, his Energon was already down three quarters of the way since he hadn't had a chance to resupply before Megatron's order had been passed down since he usually only consumed his ration right before needing to go out on a mission as not to waste supplies. The only reason he didn't feel the effects from such a low supply tied into the adrenaline of needing to find his sparkmate, but that would only last but so long as well. He had to monitor it and be extra careful. So, hoofing it he was.

That wasn't the only reason he needed to give himself some distance from the other Decepticon. Way back on their first meeting he'd needed to exchange a comm link so their contact was maintained. He'd gotten rid of it after that, but the second time, when they were junkyard diving, he'd held onto it, just in case. This was definitely one of those 'just in cases' that he'd hoped he'd never need to use.

:: Bugbot, it's Breakdown. There's a situation, an emergency one. If ya still use this line, come in. Please and... thanks? ::

Now he just... had to wait, all while searching. Just in case there was no response his reason for this outing still didn't stop.

[Flux]

Other things?

The phrase was met with a quirk of a brow. While he himself had killed many an Autobot - and rather mercilessly at that - he’d never tortured anyone for the sake of being cruel. He simply didn’t have it in him to do such a thing. MECH on the other hand seemed to relish in it, and he was sure there were those among both factions that had no qualms in barbaric methods.

Removing an optic was vicious enough, but to hear they’d done more? He could only frown. The fact Breakdown was still pretty much in one piece after such an encounter was interesting, though he was sure the mech before him was in the minority. From what he knew of MECH, not many managed to walk away.

The noise the other mech made wasn’t lost on him, though even despite the fact it initially sounded like a vent of disapproval, he wouldn’t comment. The words that followed, though, were met with a gentle hum of his own - especially the part about an order.

Right, right… Breakdown had asked a question.

“Uh. I… for a long time, I guess. Not been here on Earth long though, so I’m sure things have changed a bit since Cybertron.” he couldn’t remember specifics anymore, but he’d been a part of many of the early rallies and protests, watching Megatronus rise into power. His own job back on Cybertron had been hard, oppressive - and thankless indeed, and the mech back then had been a voice to those who had none, which as it turned out, happened to be enough to enact some sort of change.

Of course, things had kept going - spiraling almost until the war had taken over almost everything else, a war that still continued to this very day.

“Replaced already? Knock Out- I mean. I thought he had some sort of rank. That what you mean by order? How we have to find him ‘cos he’s important or whatever?”

If this mech had been ordered to find the CMO, it made sense. Sort of. Having more of their troops searching for him instead of just one guy was probably the way to go, though Flux wasn’t exactly privy to the schedules or a lot of what went on.

Shifting his weight some as Breakdown spoke and gave some sort of direction on what they were doing, he would nod.

“A'ight. Hopefully between the two of us we’ll find something.”

He had no idea what he was even looking for. He didn’t even know who Knock Out was. Signs of some sort of scuffle would hopefully be obvious enough, though if he’d been snagged by MECH he doubted - at least going on what little he knew - there would be much sign of anything.

“I’ll keep my comms open, just in case ya need me.”

This whole thing could be a trap. If MECH had taken the missing Medic, would they be laying in wait - watching for others trying to retrace steps, in order to take them too?

Cintra would never forgive him if something happened, and would probably kill him herself if he was stupid enough to get taken by MECH.

Ah well.

Turning then, he would begin to walk in the opposite direction of Breakdown, optics down - looking at the dusty ground below. Reciting quietly to himself what he was looking for - signs of disruption, things that are out of place.

A feat made harder, given he wasn’t entirely sure what those signs even were.

[Bumblebee]

Staring up at the ceiling of his quarters, Bumblebee vented out a quiet sigh as he mulled over his plans for the day - which amounted to about… absolutely nothing. There wasn’t really a whole lot going on as of late - everything seemed pretty quiet to the point he wanted something to do.

Yesterday, he’d been unable to sleep - thinking back on Optimus’ words during the meeting, and how in disarray everything and everyone seemed to be. They weren’t a collective team, anymore - which was dangerous indeed, given the threats here on this planet. He himself had been ordered to patrol with Petra and a couple of humans, and had already made steps in reaching out to Nathan, in particular, to try and teach him some of the basic language, if only so they were prepared.

But now it was a waiting game, waiting on orders, or for something to happen that’d spur them all into action to the point they could work as a team again - something he found himself missing, especially in recent days.

What he wasn’t expecting was an old comm line to click to life out of nowhere, disrupting the sense of calm and quiet that’d been the norm as of late.

Breakdown? What…

Easing himself up into a sit, one servo would move to the side of his helm as he swung his legs around, pedes settling gently on the concrete floor. Though, he hesitated a moment before replying. An emergency? Could this have something to do with Knock Out? Or had something else happened?

Glancing to the door, almost as if expecting Optimus, Red Alert, or Prowl to burst in - somehow knowing he was talking to a Decepticon - he would vent out a sigh before finally responding.

::--What situation?--::

If it truly was an emergency, maybe he should listen in case something needed to be passed on to those that could do something about it. Though surely if something awful had happened to the point both sides needed to know, they’d be reaching out to someone more important.

[Breakdown]

Breakdown never wanted anyone to sufferr the same fate as he had, but many had endured worse, while others lost their sparks to MECH. He couldn't call himself one of the lucky ones, never would out of respect of those who had been lost to the savages, though he had gotten out with the minimum damage done. Knock Out may have a different opinion regarding the entire matter. The cherry red mech never brought it up, nor mentioned the aftercare or what else had been there to greet him when he'd checked him over once he had returned to the Nemesis.

Breakdown knew. His curisity had gotten the better of him so he's checked the report- the one that Knock Out never turned in, hidden away under the veil of their other secrets. Brekadown understood why Knock Out had never said anything, but still...

"Yeah. Check in every couple of kliks or so just to make sure we have a check in established. If I don't hear from ya, I'll track ya down. Just... be safe. Watch your back. I'll keep time."

Breakdown watched the other mech trudge off, curious about how he just walked around like his head was in the clouds. He didn't have anything bad to say about him. The other hadn't done or said anything that would have Breakdown even feel any sort of way about him. Though there was some... odd part of him that wanted to make sure he stayed safe. Maybe it was the lack of Knock Out being around, or the risk of failing the one thing that was everything to him...

He heard an answer to his comm, which shook him from his daze and his optic flickered slightly. Breakdown glanced around, just ensuring he actually had some privacy, before he returned the answer.

:: Surprised to hear you answer, Bugbot.:: Honestly, Breakdown figured it was no longer an operational line or that the yellow bot would just ignore him. The fact that he answered? That...

Breakdown couldn't find the words. But he also had something else to figure out which was far more important.

:: It may be a stretch, but...:: Breakdown dropped the little sarcastic tone he'd had, turning serious. :: Have ya heard of any activty from MECH on your end? Our side isn't all that interested in tracking that group.:: Breakdown looked down towards the ground just down and ahead slightly since looking straight down past his protruding chassis was virtually impossible. :: Knock Out's missing and I gotta find him or die trying. I'm just kinda going into this blind so I was hoping you'd have some direction I could at least look.::

[Flux]

Swiveling some so he could reply to Breakdown, Flux could only nod at the other mech’s words. He couldn’t look over his shoulder properly due to the size of his frame and build, hence the turn - carefully walking backward momentarily as he spoke.

“Yup! You do the same, yeah? Checking in, I mean. Especially since we ain’t in our altmodes, if one of the natives spots us we’ll prob’ly have to do some sort of damage control - and fast.”

He wasn’t sure what the protocol even was for stuff like that. Obviously MECH were probably to be killed on sight - or maybe taken somewhere for holding and interrogation? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that they were dangerous, and not much more. Hopefully nothing would happen, though he couldn’t help but mull it over regardless.

With that said, he would lazily turn to walk in the correct direction again. They were out here looking for signs of the missing medic - the name of which still eluded him - though he wasn’t quite sure just what signs there would even be.

Marks in the dirt, maybe? Or a scrawled message… hm, probably not. If he had been taken, there probably wasn’t going to be much of anything, and it wasn’t as if he was trained in looking for specific clues like that, even if there was some telltale detail to reveal what happened.

At first glance, everything seemed… well, normal. The ground beneath his pedes was dry, and there were no obvious glaring signs that revealed anything to be amiss. Was this even the correct area? Breakdown surely knew what he was doing, given he was the one ‘leading’ the search, and if this was where they were supposed to look? He wouldn’t question.

But now they were here, and now he realized there didn’t seem to be any obvious signs? He wasn’t sure what they were supposed to do.

He would keep looking, though.