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Thrust stepped back and sniggered,

"OK Dirge, I'll keep the cuffs on. Just say the word............."

Blaster was caught offguard by the silly cliched laugh, and just readjusted his stance, moving his weapon lock to the head of the now injured Roadrocket

"Man, you're crazy."

~~~~

Brawn struggled to the damaged medbay, laying Steeljaw down on one of the med-tables and then moved out of the way as the medics moved in.

Medical Wing

"I'm good to go," Afterburner announced, but, when he drew himself to full height, reeled against the nearest wall for support. "Whoa! Not so good..."

Still, he had something to see done...

Moving one hand along the wall to prevent himself falling, he limped towards the group and grinned at Ironfist and the others. "You all going to stand there when there may be a survivor in the Secure Medical Wing?"

Medical Wing

Thrust previous swagger drained quickly away,

"Secure medical wing, you mean theres some wacked out crazy Autobots in there?" he paused for a second,

"Can't we just check the corridors or something? Dirge, Ironfist you agree with me right?".

Thrust was trying to back out.

Catilla quickly outpaced Pipes as he tried to keep up with the feline transformer.

"Hey! Wait up!" Pipes called out.

Pipes transformed and drove after Catilla.

Medical Wing

Dirge spared Thrust a sidelong glance at his new behavior, then gave a brief sigh as he looked back towards Afterburner and the others.

"We'll go with you, but I'll stay in the corridors with this fine example of upstanding courage," Dirge answered. "Cowardace aside, we do need to watch the area, in case something else shows up. Last thing we need to do is let our guard down for someone else to sneak past."

Ironfist chuckled a little at Thrust, and decided to play with his insecurity a little. "Worried are we? You should be." Ironfist turned to Afterburner. "Lead the way. See if anyone survived."

Entrance to Secure Medical Wing

He moved to the front again and led the way more carefully than before; there might be other unintentional traps for the unwary among the debris and, sadly, defunct units caught beneath it. No survivors here...

Afterburner paused after every few steps, listening. It also gave him the opportunity to steady himself. His self-diagnostics indicated, in addition to his dented and pierced exo-plating, some blockages in fuel-lines which, if they moved, could lodge in more susceptible components with potentially devastating results. Yet, he was sure he had heard another mech calling out for help and that took precedence over his own problems, which might turn out to be minor in comparison.

"Keep your audials tuned," he said softly to the others. "Ironfist, I'm pretty sure our survivor can't be far away - providing we get to him while he is still a survivor."

Ironfist followed Afterburner, pausing to listen when he stopped. "Hear something/someone? If so, let's head that way. Be wary of traps though."

Entrance to Secure Medical Wing

Thrust regained some composure,

“Worried? BLAH! Why would the most powerful Decepticon in the galaxy be worried?”

“I’ll show you how a real mech handles these things!” it would have been the appropriate moment for Thrust to charge ahead of the Autobots proving his courage. Except this was Thrust so he decided to stay put.

“But Dirge will not allow me out of his sight soooooo your going first yeah Ironfist? Seeing as you seem to know the most”.

Thrust gave Ironfist a gentle shove forward.

Secure Medical Wing, Entrance

Dirge shook his head a bit, at the antics of all of the mechs' antics, and almost a bit at himself. He waited on Afterburner and Ironfist to decide about going inside, he briefly mused over his own behavior. In the past a situation such as this would've probably left him terrified, and though he felt a bit of fear from the anxiety of the others and was was potentially lurking inside in the unknown, he didn't at all feel the gripping fear that would have crippled him in the past.

It's been a long time since I've felt that way... Dirge realized. Being around these guys have had more of an effect on me than I think I ever realized. Almost nothing feels out of my control, it's like being around them is empowering, always being around friend...

And then his focus was distracted again by Thrust and an involuntary chuckle escaped himself. Was that how he used to be? No, he was much worse before. And yet, he jsut couldn't resist the opportunity to add to it. Just a little...

"Don't worry Thrust, I'm sure whatever's in there isn't that hungry anymore. Probably just nibble on you a little bit. You can still operate with one arm. Or leg..."

Secure Medical Wing, Entrance

The Autobots jests were beginning to crack Thrusts already frayed nerves.

"Pah, there’s no way I’m gonna get nibbled on by some sort of freaky malformed Autobot. Maybe that’s your plan, throw me in the room with thing and watch it devour me for your amusement. It’s not like it would be the first time".

Thrust looked at Dirge his optics reflecting years of war, cruelty, pain but mostly genuine fear like most Decepticons it was al he knew. He still didn’t believe the Autobots wouldn’t deactivate him.

“You aint gonna take me out like that are you?” glancing at Afterburner, Ironfist and then his old comrade seeking reassurance.

Secure Medical Wing, Entrance

"It's an option," Afterburner murmured to Ironfist with the trace of a smile at Thrust's pathetic fears. Louder, he said, "Dirge, just remind your pal he's with Autobots."

He led the party a short way before stopping again, shaking his head sadly. "Too late to get a roster for this area... far too late..."

In the corridor ahead, the remains of a jet-Transformer lay tangled with those of a ground vehicle.

"Let's get this done. Scan for active Spark signatures, yes?"

Secure Medical Wing, Entrance

"Settle down, Thrust. Your panic is inviting it," Dirge spoke, his tone returning to serious as he began doing as he said earlier, keeping watch on the surrounding area. "So long as you're in my charge, no Autobot is going to off you just because the mood strikes them."

He then turned his attention back to Ironfist and Afterburner. "Come on, lay off him. We have more imporant things to focus on. The creaking foundation comes to mind..."

'If we wanted you deactivated," Ironfist said, turning to Thrust, "I could have already. Remember the incident with my gun in your face?"

Turning back to Afterburner, "Hopefully we'll find some signals, but don't hold out hope."

Secure Medical Wing, Entrance

"I... er... dunno..." Afterburner favoured Ironfist a somewhat apologetic shrug. "I took a bit of a ding back there, but I didn't think I was so beat up..."

There was something, not quite a Spark signature, nagging at the edge of his widely-flung perceptions. It was like trying to focus on a dim star in the vault of the night; when he focussed to examine the reading, it faded, but when he closed the reference it ghosted back, tauntingly.

"You picking up anything?"

Secure Medical Wing

Searchlight strained his sensorss

what was that a noise, or just a vibration

"Help. help me help me can anyone hear me."

Secure Medical Wing

Thrusts bizarre temperament was in full swing, after completely failing to show any honor, decency or courage he couldn’t help him self but mutter under his breathe at Ironfist.

“I’d like to see you try and slag me Autobot,”, if he was lucky this remark would go unnoticed.

Thrust was also picking up the energy signature, he homed in on the signal. It wasn’t hard to find.

“The signal is coming from over there Autobot” he pointed in the direction with both hands still bound in the energon cuffs.

“They don’t call us seekers for nothing you know”, he turned to Ironfist and Afterburner with a smug grin.

Ironfist bristled inside at the remark by Thrust, just managing to keep his cool. The Seeker was annoying, but had his uses. He could be dealt with later, if need be. He listened as Thrust pointed out the direction to go, and started walking that way. "Hello? Anyone functional?" He yelled, hoping someone would hear him and respond.

Secure Medical Wing

Afterburner drew his semi-automatic sonic blaster; no sense in neglecting precautions. He was glad he had been right, but they could not be sure who they would find, the state he would be in and, importantly, whether he was friend or foe.

He dropped back just behind Ironfist to provide cover fire if needed.