#rejoin soundwave. there was no way forward. he had to look back.

[blighted-lights]

today on how can i make this about mtmte ravage and megatron, i— (gets shot)

[diceforanaltmode]

Team Ice: Adventure 8: The One Where it’s About the Vibes

Team Ice continues their adventure and we’re bringing you the latest summary! Last time the party made their way to Lotty’s hometown, Lotty might have had an encounter with her deity, and the party spots the Functionists meeting with the High Priestess and makes their way into the temple. 

The Cast - TEAM ICE

Skids by Soundwave (human rogue) Tailgate by Butter (dwarven barbarian) Cyclonus by Ren (tiefling paladin) Nautica by Robophelia (half-elf wizard) Velocity by Cee (high elf cleric) Brainstorm by Bex (air genasi wizard)

First Session | Second Session | Third Session | Fourth Session | Fifth Session | Sixth Session | Seventh Session

The party is in the temple in Paradisus Arbor. While they are looking around the temple, the Functionists return with the High Priestess, heading up to the High Priestess’s office. Skids sneaks up to spy on the Functionists up in the High Priestess’s office. He hears some small talk where the High Priestess is trying to cover that she’s surprised that there is a non-elven delegation here, she didn’t know anything about the Functionists coming, so she’s trying to get at why they are there. Seven of Twelve alludes to something about the temple, and the guards are asked to leave the office, heading out onto the stairs where Skids is hiding. Skids runs down to the prayer area below and fake-prays so damn hard that the guards step back onto the stairs and out of sight for the sake of his privacy, not wanting to disturb such apparently devout prayer. 

Once the guards are out of sight, Skids returns to the party. The group decides that they have to hear more about what the Functionists are asking after. They make a plan: while Velocity distracts the honor guard, Nautica will cast invisibility on Brainstorm. Brainstorm will then levitate up to the window of the High Priestesses office. Tailgate will distract the guards with Luna to make sure they don’t notice anything funny. 

Velocity talks to Roadbuster, the honor guard of the temple, about how Solus Prime never really clicked with her, and so she wants to be taken out of the register here, so that she’s sure she’s in her new deity’s register and there’s no confusion. Roadbuster insists there’s no register, though they can switch her raven mailings down to twice a year, and that she’s a Camian, so she’s always affiliated with Solus Prime. Roadbuster says that they should go down and review the texts and rediscover what, uh, what was the word, clicks? Clicks with Velocity. Velocity insists that Solus Prime doesn’t vibe with her. Roadbuster: V-vibes??

Velocity: If you don't know what vibing means, it means you've never vibed with anything. Maybe this religion isn't right for you!

Velocity agrees to go with Roadbuster down to read the texts of Solus Prime in exchange for Velocity sharing some of her texts, some recipe books…. recipes with sugar!

Meanwhile, Tailgate has struck up a conversation with the guards, who are two nondescript human men named George and Andrew, which are definitely pre-planned names and not ones the DM made up on the spot. No one finds these names weird, despite this being a world where characters are named ‘Tailgate’ and ‘Roadbuster’. The guards stop Tailgate from going upstairs, because Seven of Twelve and the Head Priestess are in an important conversation. They recognize Tailgate from when they met him on the road and Tailgate introduces Luna as his lost dog, now found! Andrew immediately starts cooing over Luna. George is not amused; this happens every time they see a dog. Every. Time. Tailgate says that Luna got further away than they thought, so they decided to stop in this town. Tailgate watches branches move as Brainstorm, invisible, levitates past the stairs. To distract the guards, Tailgate asks why they’re there, and Andrew says they’re on the way to the capital. Tailgate says it’s been a long time since he’s been there, since, he claims, he’s lived most of his life in the Port Town, and he and Andrew get into a conversation about how Port Town has more variety; more non-elves, different foods coming in with different people - why, they even sometimes get things with sugar in Port Town. They begin a discussion of desserts. 

Having levitated up to the office, Brainstorm presses his ear to the window to listen to Seven of Twelve and the High Priestess. Seven of Twelve asks about the history of this temple, and the story that it was built on top of an older temple, built shortly after Solus Prime first arrived on Caminus. The High Priestess insists that she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, this was the first temple in this city. Seven of Twelve says that he’s here for important alliance negotiations on behalf of the Functionist Empire, and that her honesty could forward such negotiations, and that her dishonesty could forward, say, their displeasure. She still insists she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but that the Functionist party can stay overnight before moving on to the Capital. They start to discuss housing arrangements, and Brainstorm exits stage outside-the-window. 

Once Brainstorm is back down with the others, they reassemble the party. Cyclonus goes up to find Tailgate in the midst of a conversation with Andrew about cupcakes versus cakes. Cyclonus does not so much ask for Tailgate to come back to rejoin the party as much as loom ominously until the guards leave. Tailgate and Cyclonus come to the agreement that cupcakes are appropriate in any situation that cakes are, even if cakes would be considered more standard - like at weddings! They’re just miniature cakes!

Nautica comes down to rescue Velocity from Camian chick tracts and finds Velocity bamboozling Roadmaster:

Velocity: - and see, this word is spelled differently here, so what does it really mean? If we don’t even know how this word is spelled, do we really know anything?

Roadmaster, about to faint from the Heresy, practically shoves Velocity and Nautica upstairs. As soon as Velocity and Nautica are out of sight, Velocity does a hair flip, and Nautica high fives her.

Brainstorm recaps what he heard from the High Priestess and Seven of Twelve. Velocity notes that the High Priestess had lied: this was not the first temple in this city, the city is too old for that. Velocity has found some of the petrified remains of the old city off of the roots of the new city when running around and trying to get out of her art classes as a kid. She also knows that there are doors in the basement roots of the temple, though she never managed to get through them. 

After some discussion, it’s decided that part of the party - Skids, Cyclonus, Nautica (because there are books!) and Brainstorm - will go and try to investigate the basement, and the other part of the party  - Velocity, since she knows the city and the high priestess, Prowl, because he knows the politics, and Tailgate, because he knows the guards and is generally likeable - will go and talk to the high priestess and try to persuade her to help them thwart the Functionists. Prowl exhorts Brainstorm not to blow the temple up, but Brainstorm is skeptical. Velocity eventually managed to persuade him that ‘Trees are alive, don’t kill things.’ Brainstorm agrees to this, but only because he likes Velocity. 

Prowl: Cyclonus, you’re the quietest and therefore probably the sanest of this group, you’re in charge while I’m gone. Cyclonus, horrified: Oh god, okay.

Cyclonus now has babysitting duty!

The basement-investigation group finds a bookshelf of everything from chick tracts and worn-out prayer books to old religious texts. Cyclonus finds himself hyptnotized by a chick tract with just, the worst illustrations. So bad. Nautica finds some old texts of Solus Prime, including an illustration of her with her sword absent the large crystal that is usually depicted in the hilt. The party investigates the wardrobe to find it overrun with moths. Skids picks the lock on a trunk and finds holy water and silver dust, but decides against stealing it and relocks the trunk. Brainstorm investigates the door at the end of the basement, which is locked. Skids comes over and picks the lock, and the party stares down a long dark passage, slowly narrowing…

Upstairs in the High Priestess’s office, Velocity reintroduces herself to the high priestess who is surprised to see her back. She admits to the deception of the others being disguised as elves, and the High Priestess allows that as they are allowing the Functionist party of (mostly) humans through the city, so she can’t really be mad. 

Tailgate also introduces himself.

Tailgate: I mean, I don’t know many things. I just got out of the hole I was in a few weeks ago.

High Priestess: You…. were in a hole? Tailgate: Yup. High Priestess: I… I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry? Tailgate: Oh, I don’t think it’s anything you need to be sorry for. You know, when you’re down a hole, you’ve just got to get a shovel and dig yourself out. 

High Priestess: That… is very wise. You know, Solus Prime can be very helpful in lifting you out of holes -

Fortunately, Prowl jumps in before the High Priestess can try to convert Tailgate. He explains that the Functionists are being dishonest about their purpose, that they found one of their party using symbols of Onyx Prime, one of Solus Prime’s legendary nemeses. He suggests that whatever they’re after in the city, they’re probably after it to nefarious purposes, and they won’t hesitate to take it if they can without your permission. He points to the fact that, well, he has experience dealing with them on the continent, and that’s what they’re used to there, and alludes to the resistance. 

The High Priestess asks Velocity if she trusts Prowl, and she says he is right about this. The High Priestess is still not totally convinced, and says that they will protect the temple themselves. 

Then.

Velocity.

Tries….. Something.

Velocity invokes that this mission has been called for and blessed by her deity, who cares about her. Her eyes begin to glow. The High Priestess, not having been in the loop on Velocity’s general heresy, assumes that Velocity is talking about Solus Prime, and the mission is blessed by Solus Prime. With this blessing - well, what’s a priestess of Solus Prime to do? She gives Velocity the keys to go through either of the doors in the basement, though she says those doors have not been opened since she took on the position of High Priestess, and also her sigil, as a ‘I can do what I want’ card. Prowl asks her not to tell the Functionists about them, and she promises not to. 

On the way back to rejoin the rest of the party, Velocity leaves an offering at Solus Prime’s prayer altar, some incense and a pipe she picked up in her travels, as it’s fitting of the arts. She feels inspired after leaving, because the DM just remembered about points of inspiration.

The party heads down the tunnel, until they find where the root tunnel breaks into a room of petrified wood. There’s one staircase leading down, and the party follows it until they reach another room, with one large staircase going down in front of them, and one large one going up behind them, and two smaller ones going up to the left and right.

Velocity asks her deity for help. Her deity sends the image of a glowing figure of Solus Prime, and then two other figures with her, neither of whom look like elves, one very small. This is a surprise to Velocity, as she was always taught that Solus Prime came to Caminus alone, to establish an all elf society. 

Velocity’s deity is, however, unhelpful about directions, so the party decides to go down the big staircase heading down from the second stage at the end...

[hgfstreamchats]

Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood

thenightetc Hello! Me Night human! And Soundwave -- what an eerie, yet pleasant surprise! thenightetc Wouldn't be October without that video making an appearance. Me Perish the thought. NoodlesAtNight [[Knock Out. He looks forward to being unnerved by human monsters.]] Me That much I can promise. Also this, which apparently happened. thenightetc I don't remember THIS episode. Me Is this what humans normally do after they die? Me Is this your version of the Well? thenightetc Technically, I can't prove that's NOT true. thenightetc So who can really say. Me Close enough to a fact for me.

thenightetc ...That sounded like a remix of the Simpsons theme song for a moment there. Me It did, didn't it? Same composer, apparently. thenightetc Makes sense. thenightetc Looks like SOMEbody had an exciting night! Me Ew. thenightetc So is the director literally the Cryptkeeper? Ahhhh. Me Looks to be the case. thenightetc I kinda forgot about how fourth-wall this got. Me It's very unapologetic about it. NoodlesAtNight [[Tsk. Humans are so careless with fuel.]] Me Starving vehicles would be happy to have that. thenightetc Is that a can of gasoline. Me He looks legit. thenightetc Probably not the devil or anything. Me He has a nice hat. Therefore, trustworthy. thenightetc Man, this guy's not making it out of the episode alive. Me One gets the sense that half of these characters are going to be introduced to the insides of their own faces. NoodlesAtNight [[As long as the cat survives.]] Me The cat steals a car and drives away from this nonsense. NoodlesAtNight [[His name is ROACH?]] [[Nothing good can come of him.]] Me Plot twist, he's just several thousand roaches in a man costume. thenightetc There probably is an episode like that. 😃 NoodlesAtNight [[That is the most horrifying thing you have ever said.]] thenightetc You could stream it next time! Me I do my best. thenightetc How do the cops even know it's him. Or, how DID they know. NoodlesAtNight [[Stranger in a tiny town.]] NoodlesAtNight [[All good relics look like keys.]] NoodlesAtNight [[Or books. Books also.]] thenightetc The world is just opening up for him, huh. Me I wouldn't generalize quite so much. The phase shifter looks like a cleaning drone. NoodlesAtNight [[You choose which relics please you, and he'll choose which ones please him.]] Me Point, point. Ha. NoodlesAtNight [[He sees the fleshling's met Frenzy.]] Me I like the unnecessary panther growl. thenightetc Like I said. Definitely not the devil. NoodlesAtNight [[How unsanitary.]] thenightetc Probably just a minor functionary. thenightetc One of the demons skulking around back at the utility box NoodlesAtNight [[Urgh.]] thenightetc "I'm gonna go out THERE and die" thenightetc Haha. Me He's so charming! Better give it to him. thenightetc Maybe he should hurry up sealing all the windows. It's a motel; there'll be one in every room. NoodlesAtNight [[Dripping it seems inefficient. Uses too much. Why not use a paint brush?]] [[Dip it in, tap it to the window.]] Me Efficient and artsy. NoodlesAtNight [[Lies. Listen not.]] Me I like the elephant in the room, that the Crypt Keeper apparently sat down and wrote this. thenightetc Ew. NoodlesAtNight [[That is package delivery of the wrong sort.]] Me Hah! ThebesAce Hello! Me Hello, Thebes human! Just in time! thenightetc Hi! ThebesAce wow, those are some excellent effects considering NoodlesAtNight [[He hopes she'll get severance pay.]] Me She fought bravely and deserves a hand. NoodlesAtNight [[Oh, very nice. Very nice indeed.]] Me Likewise! NoodlesAtNight [[Of course they're there. What hunter and manipulator wouldn't look for ways into the motel?]] thenightetc "being bait?" thenightetc This episode is so subtle, I just don't know what they're trying to say here. NoodlesAtNight [[All the more reason to use it lightly.]] thenightetc Imagining the Crypt Keeper just offscreen here. Me Getting a little too into his project. NoodlesAtNight [[He would have to be, wouldn't he? How else would he know?]] Me You know, she's looking much better. I think she'll be all right. thenightetc He's going to have a heart attack. thenightetc Wow. Me You know, the first time I saw this, I thought he was tricking him into drinking the blood. I'm annoyed that wasn't the case. NoodlesAtNight [[Of course it is the roach who betrays.]] Me I wish I could enjoy anything as much as this human's enjoying this role. thenightetc *character in comic book looks directly at the camera like they're in The Office* NoodlesAtNight [[Hm. That cannot be good.]] thenightetc Ha. Good for her. NoodlesAtNight [[Dancing with the devil in the pale... spotlight?]] Me Hah. NoodlesAtNight *This sounds like him.* thenightetc What a pathetic display. thenightetc Good for her. Me Just take the whole corpse. Have a fresh supply always on tap. NoodlesAtNight [[Don't human corpses stop producing blood after a while?]] Me That one clearly doesn't. thenightetc Thank god nobody's going to want to question the sole surviver of a massive bloodbath. NoodlesAtNight [[...How long is this arm?]] Me I like his glitter suit. NoodlesAtNight [[He could use a better makeup artist.]] Me There's another one, but I have no idea if anyone's interested in it or if it's any good. Unlike this one, I haven't seen it. thenightetc I could go for another! NoodlesAtNight [[Which one might that be?]] Me Bordello of Blood. thenightetc Sounds tasteful. NoodlesAtNight [[Must cater to a specific kink.]] ThebesAce indeed! Me Very specific. NoodlesAtNight [[He supposes he'll watch.]] thenightetc And I'm sure the fourth-wall breaking parts will be EXTRA tasteful. thenightetc Let's hope the crypt keeper keeps his crypt zipped! If you know what I mean. ThebesAce Yeah, would not like to contemplate his rigor mortis thenightetc Talk about a "little death" thenightetc "More like some kinda... cursed tomb" NoodlesAtNight [[Masochist.]] thenightetc No, TO fuck a stiff. thenightetc Sorry, they just make it so easy. 😃 thenightetc It's okay, it happens to a lot of guys. Me All of this looks like something they should be doing in a place they should be. Day of all the blood. thenightetc Ha! NoodlesAtNight [[Ah! Continuity.]] thenightetc Is that. The same prop. Me His hair is oddly well kept. thenightetc Keep waiting for the mummy to light himself on fire. thenightetc Ah, piercings. That's how you know he's depraved. NoodlesAtNight [[Hah.]] Me Perfectly done eyebrows. What a rebel. thenightetc I think the smart money says he's tonight's corpse. Or, one of 'em. Me One of many. thenightetc "great atmosphere, run by a vampire" thenightetc That's a great marketing strategy. NoodlesAtNight [[Not suspicious in the slightest.]] NoodlesAtNight [[Or an incinerator.]] thenightetc Guess they're gonna meet all those people whose cars were outside. NoodlesAtNight [[There, you see.]] thenightetc It's funny because the opposite is going to happen! Me I don't know if the Vosnian night life was classier than this or if it was just the lack of human flesh being flaunted about. thenightetc "Finish you off, if you know what I mean" "What I mean is I'm gonna kill you!" thenightetc (Imagine that in Stan's voice, btw) Me I'm imagining it and I won't forgive you for that. thenightetc I'm okay with that. NoodlesAtNight [[He's surprised the picture doesn't have piercings.]] thenightetc This funeral's about to get LIT. Me If this movie had a texture, it would be greasy. NoodlesAtNight [[If he could figuratively squint any more, his visor would begin to shrink.]] thenightetc "How DO you keep a straight face?" NoodlesAtNight [][][]The Lord's Shopping Network?[][][] NoodlesAtNight [[Seems like a limited demographic.]] Me They sell Lord and Lord accessories. thenightetc This is just an amazing pitch. NoodlesAtNight *Soft huffing.* thenightetc I can't believe I got to watch this show as a kid. Wow. Me This is a conga line of things. NoodlesAtNight [[Every dancer in it has three left feet.]] Me And it's headed for a sinkhole. ...That's also on fire. thenightetc Coming on a little strong there. thenightetc There will be cake, and then you will be baked. Me There's that conga line! NoodlesAtNight [[His knowledge of Earth food is limited, but he thinks the most appropriate version here is "toast".]] NoodlesAtNight [[Oh no. Not fornication. How terrible.]] thenightetc Ah. And here I thought he was just a regular old con artist. Me I want none of these characters to make it out with their heads intact. NoodlesAtNight [[That should be easy. Their heads aren't intact /now/.]] Me Valid point. thenightetc Hahahah thenightetc Man, how many bodies do they have in that thing It must be like a clown car in there thenightetc How long would it have taken to close it, really. thenightetc ...What. thenightetc Did he not check it beforehand? Me No time for that! NoodlesAtNight [[Hah.]] Me How clever. thenightetc You gotta say it directly to the camera. And wink. Me Well, he got the bad part right. thenightetc "oh hi" thenightetc Wow, the Crypt Keeper sure has some weird fetishes. Exploding vampire nurses and such. Me He strikes me as someone who has every fetish. Me ...You know, I think I like the Crypt Keeper. thenightetc Heh. NoodlesAtNight [[Into exploding vampire nurses, are you?]] Me No, I just admire shamelessness. NoodlesAtNight [[That is fair.]] [[A fantastic song choice.]] Me Oh Pit, yes. NoodlesAtNight *Waving a feeler back and forth* Me Well, that scene just redeemed the entire movie. NoodlesAtNight [[...If it melts a hole through the vampires, how would it not melt a heart into four pieces? Or a slurry.]] Me Your sensible questions are hurting this movie's feelings. NoodlesAtNight [[This movie has no feelings. It would not subject us to it if it did.]] Me Heh. Overload. thenightetc Teehee. The pieces spontaneously rejoin if they're close together, anyway. NoodlesAtNight [[This entire film was a setup for that pun and you will not convince him otherwise.]] Me I believe it. thenightetc Ah. Me And in the interest of going out on our usual light note... NoodlesAtNight [[If she comes from the beach, would this make her the Sand Witch?]] Me Nicely done. thenightetc Heh. NoodlesAtNight [[He doesn't know what came over him. The late hour, perhaps.]] Me And there we have it! It was a glorious moment. NoodlesAtNight [[Thank you for tonight's entertainment, dear Doctor. He will take his leave. His best wishes for Impact, Breakdown, and the menagerie.]] thenightetc Thanks for the stream! Lots of fun, as always. : ) Me And right back to you and yours. My pleasure! Thank you all for coming! thenightetc Goodnight! Me Good night!

[starscreaminq]

uhhhhhh a wip.

------

“You seem surprised, Prime.”

A smug grin accompanies the smug tone, Starscream leaning himself casually against the wall of the mine. Vehicons lay dead or dying around it, Starscream seeing fit to send a heel through the head of one to finish the process for them.

“It is… unexpected that you should be handing us a mine like this.” 

“Oh, please.” Starscream rolls his optics in response, annoyed. He waves a hand in dismissal. “Megatron had a loss coming. Maybe it will teach him a thing or two about how he treats those around him when they suggest upping the guard on the mines.”

“I see.” Optimus trails off, glancing toward Bumblebee and Bulkhead, both who are starting to transport what they could out of the mine. “I had hoped that this meant-”

“Meant what? That I’m going to join you?” A scoff passes Starscream. “Even if that was possible, why would I?” 

“Starscream, I once again find myself trying to appeal to a side of you I know and believe in. Please, reconsider your ways. If you would only step away from Megatron, you might be able to see-”

“See what, Prime? You pester me time and time again with the same spiel. We knew each other once, you still see a Prince when you look at me - what good is any of that now? We do not even have a home anymore. There is no Cybertron, no Vos, to go back and be Prince of. Why should it matter to me now?”

“We can bring Cybertron back and you know it. We just need to end this war, provide a unified front. You are so much more than what Megatron is telling you that you are. Please, consider my offer.” 

“I…”

“All I am asking is you consider it, Starscream. I do not need your answer now. Think it over in time, and return when you make your choice.”

Starscream is left in silence, watching as Optimus starts to walk toward the other two. There’s a pause in the Prime’s step, and Starscream raises an arm, flinching away. 

“Thank you, Starscream.” 

The words take him aback, and Starscream lets out a low growl, bearing fangs in response, wings flicking upward in an agitated motion. 

“Don’t think I did this for you.” 

Starscream could almost swear there was a smile on the Prime’s faceplate as he turned to go rejoin the others. Starscream slinks back, crossing his arms as he watches. 

It’s an agonizingly slow process, Starscream realizes, as he begins to slowly lose interest in their attempts to move out the energon within the mine. He wonders to himself why he should stay. Should the Decepticons figure something wrong, or send a new detachment, he’d be caught and held for this. Treason, once again. Though not unusual for Starscream to do, he’d rather avoid giving Megatron yet another reason to beat him.

Swiftly he transforms, and is in seconds jetting out of the mine and into the air, taking to the sky. Taking to the sky along with something else. A familiar sound that sends fear coursing through him.

“Laserbeak?!” 

The drone is far faster than he is, and he knows even if he was faster, it would tattle and he’d be held for treason. He should learn to cover his tracks better, for all his worrying in the mine. He never should have reached out to Optimus. Had Soundwave been tracking him the whole time? It unnerves Starscream to think about, and he swerves off his path toward the Nemesis.

Perhaps it might just be better to find somewhere else to stay; hope that it all blows over and everyone forgets (even if that never happens, it’s all the hope he has). 

It has become almost tradition to land on the same outcropping of rocks, looking out over a barren landscape. Starscream lands with practiced ease before moving over to the ledge overlooking the steep fall into the barren valley, taking a seat and hugging his legs to his chassis. 

“Is going back even an option now?” The bad habit of talking aloud returns to him, staring out listlessly. “He is the only one who still considers me a Prince…” To go to Optimus Prime - maybe there was a chance. If Prime kept pushing at him, maybe he saw something Starscream didn’t. Maybe even saw something Megatron never did and never will. 

“There’s no reason to want someone like me at your side. There isn’t. ...there isn’t.” His brow furrows as he thinks it over. There isn’t, there might be, maybe there possibly is - he could find out. He could always take the offer. “...do I take it?” The words come out in a mumble, Starscream lowering his head to his legs. 

There’s nothing but the wind, and for a moment, Starscream has time to himself to think, to weigh it all out. He’ll come to a choice today, likely, and act upon it. He’ll either go back and be beaten near to death and left to suffer through the healing process; or he can take up Optimus Prime’s offer and seek sanctuary from Megatron’s wrath. 

“I should-”

He cuts himself off, whipping around as the sound of a groundbridge behind him goes off. A familiar red Decepticon walks through, that awful staff of his in hand. 

“My, my, my, Starscream. You’ve really done it this time, haven’t you?” 

The words come out in Knock Out’s all too familiar purr. There’s a rather pleased, almost giddy, look set across the medic’s features as Starscream scrambles to his feet. Fear passes through him, but upon noticing no one else is with Knock Out, Starscream bolsters his courage enough to stalk forward, aggression made clear when he brandishes his claws. 

“I do suggest you show me the proper respect I deserve. You really need to remember your place, Knock Out.”

A smirk comes in response from Knock Out, and in a swift motion, the charged end of that staff of his is jabbed into Starscream’s neck. The jolt is painful, causing a scream to rip from the seeker’s throat before the staff is pulled back and Starscream’s knees go out from under him, followed by the rest of him collapsing to the ground. Aftershocks jolt through his form, and he finds himself unable to move. The world starts to fade out, as two feet stop in front of his face. 

“Don’t give advice if you can’t follow it yourself, Screamer.” 

Knock Out’s taunting is the last thing Starscream hears as his body is grabbed and dragged toward the open groundbridge portal. Starscream’s lips move, a plea to be let go, though no sound comes out. He’s left as barely conscious dead weight; being dragged back to face a punishment that very well could lead to termination. A last burst of fear goes through his body before his world goes black.

[black-strike-otp]

part 81

Bleep :q Tis uninteresting chap I’m sorry. Things will pick up again~ Give it time.

~ Days Later ~

“What’s the rush this morning?” Novastrike yawned, watching as Blackout stole data from the console his servo and injected the finalized data into his personal datapad. “And what are you doing?”

“If I retrieve the documents via my processor and send it to my datapad, I can bypass security and hopefully leave less of a trail for Soundwave to follow,” he clarified. “Aside from that, if I tried taking the files straight from my datapad, it would register under the Decepticon database and be much easier to hack.”

Snapping her audios in an alert position, the small femme glanced over Blackout’s backside turned towards her. Her tail moved in nervous kinks a few times before coming to a pause as she vented. Looking over to where Scorponok was huddled up with his optics half-open on the floor briefly, she brought her gaze slowly back to Blackout.

“You don’t sound like you trust your old comrades anymore,” she murmured with remorse.

The scrapping of Blackout shifting on his pedes grated on Nova’s ears. She flinched back slightly whilst dialing back her reception a few degrees.

“Soundwave and I were never close. He only serves Lor- Megatron.”

“I’m sorry if it bothers you to do this. You... you know you don’t have to leave. We don’t have to leave.”

Blackout was clearly caught short by the statement. He turned his helm slightly and nearly moved to look at her better before the connections in his arm tugged taunt from the computer screen. Rumbling in his chassis, he turned back to the screen whilst his digits curled tighter around the datapad in his own servo.

“Why would you think I want to stay?” he inquired softly.

“Because you were a Decepticon,” she speculated while twiddling her digits together anxiously. “You already lost a chance to return to them back on Epads.”

Patiently, Blackout responded: “Every time I’ve said that I didn’t regret that, I meant that.”

“You don’t feel any differently now, being around them? Not even a little.”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know, different?” Nova offered uncertainly.

He was quiet. It made her nerves feel more frazzled. But after nearly a minute of his silence, he tugged the connectors from his servo free of the digital screen as the compressed data had been screened. Blackout slowly turned to look over at her, the thin lines from his other servo still hooked into his datapad as he finished the transfer.

“I definitely less valued than I did years ago,” he chided. “Megatron has lost respect for me, but the majority of the crew still fears me.”

Sighing, the small femme looked down at her nervously fiddling digits. “I just don’t want you to regret having an honest, genuine second opportunity to rejoin because of... me.”

“I make my own decisions,” Blackout reminded her lightly with a tender smile. “I don’t need to be here to prove to myself I’m worth something. I don’t need to take the verbal and physical beatings and mundane schedules anymore to impress any bot. I’ve got promises to keep that mean far more to me, and a dream to follow.”

Intrigued, Novastrike raised an optic ridge as she wondered aloud, “What dream?”

“Why, just making the most precious, most beautiful femme I’ve ever seen made of moonlight and glittering stars in her optics the happiest bot who ever existed, of course,” Blackout replied with a flash of a proud grin.

Ears flooding with light, she scowled at him while trying to repress her own smile as she hissed, “Trying to flirt and impress me, you stupid aft.”

“Did it work?”

“Well yeah it worked you thick-helmed giant, now get your fine as frag aft over here.”

Chuckling in the depths of his chassis, Blackout took a few very short steps forward as he hesitated, playfully teasing, “I don’t know, your words seem rather aggressive, how do I know you’re not going to try hitting me?~”

Growling quietly, she made a come here motion with one of her digits as she smiled. “Aggressive, huh? I come off as dangerous to you? Or is it just the swears?”

“Oh no, definitely hazardous,” he agreed swiftly, snickering as he inched closer. “A perilous risk to my spark. Can’t you hear the sound of my spark?”

“You soft-sparked jerk, quit teasing me.”

“I’d say by the smile on your face that you like me teasing you.”

A burst of laughter escaped Novastrike, clutching at her chassis with one servo. She gestured with her other servo wildly, watching as the play of light in Blackout’s optics seemed to grow more distinct in its hues of luminous red.

Shifting a little closer, Blackout turned his optics down to the datapad in his servo as he finished completing the transfer. The cables snapped free as he moved his personal pad to the other servo and flexed his digits, inspecting his arm.

“Are you just going to stand there and leave me hanging, Blackout?” Nova pouted.

“Why not? It makes you want me more,” he taunted with a sweet smile.

“Oh really?” she hummed, placing her servo to her hip. “Maybe I should just go find a different bot on the ship who’ll appreciate my presence and conversation then.”

Quick on his pedes, the obsidian mech advanced the rest of the way, one servo placing the datapad on the berth and sliding it away from the edge.

Nova shivered a little as he loomed over her.

“Mmmm, you don’t think I value and admire you enough? Is that what I’m hearing?”

“Well at the moment you’re being awfully mean,” she sulked while slowly batting her optics.

A deep bass rumble pressurized out of Blackout. It was meant to sound threatening; intimidating his enemies but she grinned wide as she caught his smile. A purr radiated through her chassis as she pushed herself to stand up and lean against his chassis. Her face nuzzled into his armor that held a residual heat from earlier.

Massaging slow circles against his plating, she pressed a kiss against the ink black armor. The slightest shiver moved through him; rendered powerless by the simple gesture.

Pressed so close against him, she could understand why he had teased her about giving him spark failure. Her audios could hear the sporadic beating; a rhythm to a beat strong and fierce that quickened and escalated with the pressure of her digits upon his frame.

Growling quietly, Blackout placed his servo against her backstrut, urging her a bit closer to his frame. One of his digits moved to trail along her spine. As she trembled, a sigh moving past her parted lips, he made the quietest laugh in his throat.

“I love you very much, Novastrike,” he stated softly; voice lacking any dark infliction or harshness. “And I do respect you; I adore you totally.”

Laughing breathlessly, Nova rested her forehead against his armor. “I know you do, you dork, I was only kidding around. I love you too.”

“And I can’t hear it enough,” he admitted quietly.

“I’ll be happy to tell you every day, and any time you want me to.”

“Reassuring me that I’m worthy of having a moon goddess in my life? You’re very generous, dear.”

Novastrike snorted quietly, patting his armor. “Handsome devil.”

Snickering quietly, Blackout shifted slightly as Scorponok chirped, scaling up his armor to dock in his backside. His servo moved up and down her back lightly while giving a quiet hum.

“We better go speak with Nighthawk and see how he’s doing,” he said quietly. “See if he’s capable of moving out of the med-bay today upon clearance from Infiltrator.”

“And Knock Out,” Nova added on, her voice muffled against his armor.

Her frame tensed slightly and then relaxed as she leaned her helm back as far as it could, giving him an accusatory glance.

“I know the difference between when you’re giving a loving caress, and when you’re coping a feel you dirty mech,” she hissed, swatting at his arm lightly as she grinned.

Shrugging, Blackout gave a cheeky smile in response.

“Feelin’ my aft and thighs,” she grumbled lightly, gently pushing at his armor. “I’m gonna feel you up later, sounds like a fair trade to me.”

“You’ll have to get me to sit still first.”

Squeaking, Novastrike slid forward as Blackout began to take a step back. She teetered, trying to save herself from falling. Before she could even lose her balance too much, Blackout scooped his servo around her bottom so she was forced to sit as he lifted her against his chassis.

Huffing, she glared daggers up at he beloved. “I don’t need you to sit still. You’ll be coming to me~”

“Oooh, is that so?” he chuckled, raising up his servo to his shoulder.

“Yeah you will,” she growled, a flicker of confusion on her faceplate. “Your shoulder? I thought you said we were going to see Nighthawk.”

“Yes. Do you not want a ride?”

“I mean, aren’t we supposed to be cautious about all this...?”

“We’ve been here enough days now that not all bots are going to be looking at us anymore like we’ve got three helms,” Blackout testified. “The Eradicon and Vehicon anyway seem to be fond of you. I don’t think they’ll be bothered to say anything or spread rumors.”

Offering a thoughtful hum, she leaned in first to press a very slow, lingering kiss against the corner of his mouth. While he glanced away bashfully, she hopped up and wiggled her aft against his shoulder comfortably.

“If you’re sure, love.”

Reaching up, Blackout booped her light on the top of her helm with his digit. A quiet giggle escaped her as she gingerly pawed at his servo as it retracted.

“Quite sure,” he stated while grabbing his datapad to subspace it. “Now if you’re comfortable darling, let’s be off.”

~

Looking between Infiltrator and Nighthawk, Blackout tapped his pede restlessly on the floor. The dragon insisted on going over his vitals for what had to be the third time since they’d entered the room. He didn’t seem too eager to allow his mentor to get up despite Nighthawk appearing just as jumpy. In that aspect, Blackout and himself had something very much in common: both of them were workaholics.

Only Blackout had found new ways to curb his desire to constantly work too much.

He moved his optics to look at Nova as she wrung her digits nervously in front of herself. Lifting his arm, he lightly stroked his digit against her side, nudging her lightly.

“How much longer does he need to have that patch on his chassis? Hasn’t it been there a while?”

“It was a brutal wound, Novastrike,” Infiltrator admitted calmly. “And he’s an older bot; it takes him longer to heal.”

“I’m not that old,” Nighthawk defended nervously. “I can still get around. I still work. I’m not senile or deaf; I can still hear you all just fine too thank you.”

Blackout smirked as he spoke up in defense of the ‘old mech’, “Nighthawk’s right. He’s a tough bot. He’s been dealt tougher blows.”

“Now, I wouldn’t say that.”

“I would.”

“Well thank you commander,” the seeker medic snapped. “I’m glad you know my life experiences more than I do.”

“On second thought, maybe you should drug him more Infiltrator. He’s a lot easier to deal with that way.”

The dragonic metal beast turned the most unimpressed blank expression his way. The small visor reader on the side of his helm flickered as he gave a heavy snort through his nostrils; steam moving out of his nose with annoyance.

“Blackout doesn’t mean that,” Novastrike spoke up in his defense.

He turned his helm towards Nova and gave a roll of his optics. Turning back to Nighthawk, Blackout felt some of the nervous tension leave his shoulder. It seemed since the medic got hurt, Infiltrator wasn’t quite as usually teasing and fun as he once was. He wasn’t used to having to dilute his jokes on Nighthawk to get a passable grade by the drake that looked like it wanted to wring his neck every time Infiltrator thought he might have gotten under his tutor’s armor.

Checking the results from his scan once again, the dragon gave a quiet muttering. He turned his helm just slightly to Nighthawk. The medic gave him a nod and supportive smile. Whatever decision his assistant came to, he would support it.

“You’re suitable, boss,” Infiltrator finally sighed, like he wasn’t happy about it. “The patch will need to remain in place to keep the wound from getting bacteria or spores in it from the other bots or whatever this planet may have. Lord Megatron still hasn’t approved the issue of having replacement parts sent in.”

Rolling his shoulders carefully not to send Novastrike toppling off, Blackout cleared his vocalizer. “Need me to look around?”

“No thank you hound,” Nighthawk stated with gentle mockery. “You wouldn’t even know what to look for. Isn’t that what you told me months ago?”

“Heh. Guess you’re right,” he agreed.

Pacing in front of Blackout, the dragon climbed up to carefully unhook some of the lines dangling from Nighthawk’s frame. The medic remained still, and as Blackout watched, seemed rather pleased and confident in his aid’s work. He couldn’t blame him. A lot of the dents had been pulled out already, wounds had been welded, there wasn’t a stain of energon anywhere to be found on his frame that had been cleaned properly and carefully.

Sure he was still a bit scuffed, his armor discolored, and a large hole in his chassis but he was online. The Nemesis had a lot better care and variety of items than most ships; and Infiltrator might still have had access to whatever odds and ends they’d managed to haul off in the Jaguar. That is, if Megatron allowed them to use them.

As Infiltrator stepped out of the way, Nighthawk swung his pedes gingerly over the side of the examination table. Blackout took a step back, glancing to the side as the dragon went scampering on the other side of the room. He came back carrying a staff in his maw and held it out to the seeker, tapping it against his side.

“I don’t need-”

He went quiet, looking at the pleading gaze from the dragon’s big shiny optics.

Venting, the medic snatched the cane with a sharp look at his assistant. Infiltrator just gave a toothy smile in response whilst his tail flicked back and forth behind him.

Placing his cane to the floor, Nighthawk slowly pushed himself up to his pedes. Blackout felt a sickening feeling in his tanks, and glanced off to the side.

Novastrike’s servo brushed against his cheek lightly.

Rumbling, he didn’t quite look to the seeker as he gruffly spoke up, “We need to find someplace more private to speak.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Off ship,” Blackout responded. “In the mines. We’ll have it reported in as you going to look in on a possible accident, injured miner. It’ll probably slip under radar. Even with you injured, you’ve always been a mech quick to jump back into work. Lord Megatron probably thinks you’re terrified anyway and would want to get on his good side. Since I’ve been put on shift to guard the mines recently, it’s doubtful we’ll immediately raise suspicions.”

Nodding his helm, the medic adjusted his grip on his cane. “Alright,” he agreed.

“Novastrike and I will head down now and get to work so we’re not all clustering down together at once. Wait a few jours before heading down. Have Infiltrator send me a ping or something discreet since they’ll probably be far more curious with what you’re doing anyway wandering around.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Nighthawk chuckled. “Looks like you might not have lost all your touch yet.”

“I should hope not,” the large mech sniggered. “I’m going to need all the craftiness I still have in me to pull us out of this one.”

Much to his surprise, Nighthawk reached out with his servo. He patted his on the shoulder lightly, offering a fierce nod as his optics blazed with determination.

“Well, you won’t be doing it alone. We’ll be pulling some of the weight too; don’t think this is all on you.”

“Thank you,” he rumbled deeply, nodding his helm. “I appreciate that.”

Turning his helm just enough, he flicked his optics over to Novastrike. She appeared somewhat worried by her gaze, but offered a smile of encouragement. The dark sapphire and softer baby blues of her optics shone with resolve as she nodded with agreement.

“Couldn’t say it better than Nighthawk,” she agreed. “We’ve got each others backs.”

“Well our hides are going to take a lashing if we’re not down in the mines bright and earlier,” he reminded her. “Megatron was not terribly pleased with previous performances.”

“Oh, you mean working earlier than requested and no benefits? Yeah, I know. He’s like a soul-sucking-”

“Nova,” Infiltrator warned.

She smiled innocently at the dragon, then Nighawk’s amused faceplate, and then turned back to Blackout.

His spark practically melted. Damn femme and her virtuous face; you could hardly place the blame on her for anything. Not that he was in disagreement at the moment anyway.

“Alright you,” he muttered, poking her side gently with his digit. “Let’s go before you decide to mouth off and get yourself in trouble.”

“Me?” she asked innocently while placing a servo to her chassis. “In trouble? But I never cause trouble.”

Choking as he tried to contain his laughter, Blackout bid a respectful nod to Nighthawk and Infiltrator. The medic seemed highly amused watching him try not to laugh, smirking deviously.

Placing a servo momentarily on top of Novastrike to muffle her, the Decepticon Hound left the med-bay, hearing Infiltrator’s chuckling as he left.