October 10th, 2002 ~Omnisaber(U), Enfilade(D), Ghost(D), Whiplash(D), Blitzwing(D), Novastar(D), Darkstorm(D), Darkmount - Research Lab This facility, once known far and wide for its state-of-the-art technology, has been neglected in recent years due to a lack of resources. The equipment here is still functional, but crude and outdated by today's standards. As you look around, you notice hundreds of charts and schematic diagrams displayed on the walls. Long workbenches, some with unfinished projects lying on them, are mostly covered with a thin layer of dust... Omnisaber [Robot] [U] Trius's Office Obvious Exits: -N- North leads to Darkmount - Medical and Science Level -Omnisaber is focussing quite intently on the containment unit, not moving his optics from the turbo rat, "So, they unlocked the door huh? Well, sit down if you'd like." -Moonlight shrugs and walks over to sit across from Omnisaber. She peers at the containment unit. "So, is that the little critter that was causing all that trouble?" -Omnisaber shrugs softly, his faceplate firmly attached to his face, "Apparently. Considering how it was found, it's not really being taken for face value. And until command come back to check up on the progress, I'm stuck sitting here watching it." -Moonlight chuckles. "What? Rat sitting isn't one of your usual duties?" -Omnisaber shakes his head, "No...being mistrusted and confined to Darkmount, because there are a good number of people here who don't want to give me a chance to be a 'Con would be my usual duties. This is side work, which, I'm not being paid for. Not that I get paid for anything here mind you...but still." -Moonlight shrugs. "At least you're still in perfect health." -Omnisaber chuckles softly, "That's actually up for debate...but neither here nor there. Speaking of perfect health, how are you faring?" -Moonlight smiles wryly. "I'm talented at being ignored it seems. The warrior types usually get the healing before my type does. After all, I'm hardly on the 'important' list." -Omnisaber's optics brighten at Moonlight's words, "My dear Moonlight...to me, you're on the top of my 'important' list...and if I could properly heal you, I would in a heartbeat. -Moonlight waves a hand dismissively at Omnisaber. "You're just a natural flatterer aren't you?" -Omnisaber shakes his head, "I don't think so...merely express the truth of how I feel is all." -Moonlight shrugs. "Whatever. I just think you think too much of me. Don't give me so much credit." -Omnisaber chuckles, "And I think you don't think enough of yourself. But now's neither the time nor place to discuss something like that." -Moonlight taps her finger on the glass. "So, what is the plans for this little guy?" -Omnisaber shrugs, "I have no idea....to be honest." -Moonlight nods her head. "Well, hopefully you won't be stuck watching it for two long. It can't be good for your sanity to be cooped up with nothing but a rat for company." -Omnisaber chuckles softly, "It's alright. I had this turbo fox I found on an expedition once - had to watch the thing for a good dozen cycles, alone. Was blocked off from leaving the building we were in...long story. All the same, I've got enough on my mind to keep me busy." -Moonlight grins. "Excellent. Then next time I have to go away for a long period of time I can get you to watch my pet." -Omnisaber shakes his head and groans softly, "How about....no? Actually...ask me later." -Calenture sticks his head into the lab, visor gleaming as he takes a gander about.. -Enfilade arrives with Calenture. "So, where's our new mascot?" -Omnisaber points towards the containment unit he's currently watching intently. -Whiplash hasn't been much of a conversationalist all this time. She's been doing one of the things she does best - keeping watch. Not so much on the rat itself, but on the comings and goings of the curious. The rat is safely behind a containment field on one of the lab tables, and it shimmers softly while the little rodent scurries about contently in the set-up that was made for it. In and out of a hidebox.... -Moonlight waves to both Calenture and Enfilade as they enter, her optics widening just slightly at Enfilade. Then she turns back rat-watching. -Enfilade glances casually in at the rat. "Any signs of him bein' special, er was he like every other turbo rat I've ever met--an expert at weaselling his way in where he ain't wanted?" -Omnisaber chuckles softly to himself, muttering, "Hmm...wonder where Blitzwing ran off to..." -Whiplash says, "I haven't seen anything unusual. As for Blitzwing, I'd like a word with him myself. He was supposed to sit tight here." -Whiplash's optics flash a little brighter as the very person whom she was just discussing, walks right in. "Blitzwing," she growls. "Where did *you* run off to?" -Moonlight glances over at Whiplash. "Sit tight eh? Seems like he was more interested in fighting. But I guess most mechs don't have the patience to sit still for too long...they have /so/ many more /important/ things to do." -Calenture lingers near Enfilade, peering at the contained rat for a moment before he turns to watch Blitzwing wander on in. -Blitzwing leans on the wall, casually. "Paid a visit to a friend. Why?" -Whiplash says, "He's the one that wanted a pet. He oughtta be looking after it." -Omnisaber leans back in his seat...nothing to say, so merely going to continue watching the turbo rat. -Moonlight moves away and finds a nice wall to lean against, so that other people can get a closer look at the rat if they want to. She still looks rather tired. -The rat darts back out from its hidebox and sits up as Blitzwing comes in, delicately touching the shimmering containment field as though testing its boundary. It gives a squeek, the sound somewhat muted by the barrier. -Enfilade eyes Blitzwing. "Who did you arrange to watch the rat while you were gone?" she snaps. -Blitzwing points to Omnisaber "Thought he was appointed my second by you Fil?" -Calenture's visor glimmers a moment as he 'kaffs' soflty, sidestepping to peer at the vermin in the field, keeping out of the 'who's watch is it anyways' conversation. -Whiplash too has been here the whole while, though still her interest is more in the movement patterns of the others than in the rat itself, whom she gives only an occasional cursory glance to make sure the field is still intact and she can see it dart in and out of the hidebox now and again. -Those who happen to be looking at the rat's cage at this exact moment, might notice a very surprising thing. While the rat is out by the forcefield trying to catch Blitzwing's attention, there's a flurry of motion *inside* the hidebox. -Moonlight blinks as though to clear her optics. -Blitzwing walks over ready to open the containment unit. -Omnisaber continues staring at the area he's been watching, raising an optic ridge, "Okay...looks like we've got a new development...not sure what though. Anyone else see it? Something in the hidebox..." -Enfilade startles. "What the FRAGF was that?" -Whiplash's head snaps up from where it was resting on her forepaws and she moves forward to get a better look. -Enfilade says, "Don't tell me it's budded off a nest of spawn already." -In full sight of everyone, a *second* turbo-rat, identical to the first, hops out of the hidebox and looks around, whiskers twitching curiously. -Calenture's visor brightens, "Greaaaaa-t.." he drawls, "It's spawned." -Blitzwing umms. "Uhoh." -Moonlight smiles slightly at everyone's dismay. -Enfilade says, "I ain't never seen a rat that can spawn a /second mature adult/ in a day." She strokes her mask. "I think maybe that rat really did belong behind that field after all. What were they tryin' to do--spawn a whole Decepticon army outta one mech?" -Omnisaber begins to laugh...quietly at first, then up to a mere audible level, "Primus...this reminds me of a few things...none of them very good...SO, did anyone get a good energy reading on the energy field that it was originally in?" -While the second rat hops up to join the first, the first chitters to itself and pokes against the containment field, as though getting irritated by the barrier now. The ears twitch back and forth, the tail lashes. -Enfilade snorts. "All the scientists were "employed on more important matters" or so Shockwave told me." -Calenture shakes his head, "Think they'd get miffed if we gave'm a corpse to diseect.. or two?" -Omnisaber says, "Killing them, or attempting to, may create more of them." -Moonlight hmmmmms. "How long ago was this turbo-rat discovered?" -Enfilade looks at Moonlight. "Yesterday." -Enfilade frowns. "It might almost be worth it, Calenture. I hate to do it, but we can't have a few hundred of the thigns running around. We should save one, though...an' drop it off in Iacon." -The rat suddenly gives a high-pitched shriek and launches itself at the barrier, breaking through it as though it weren't even there, and sending the containment field flickering out to nothingness. It bounces once off the table and then launches itself with amazing speed upward to land on one of the overhead shelves. -Enfilade's optics grow wide. She reaches up, rips off her mask, and says with no expression at all... "Frag me, this ain't gonna be good." The next second her arm lasers snap on with a whine and she launches herself at the rat, trying to catch it! -Moonlight gives a rather startled exclaimation and dives towards where she saw the rat go, attempting to catch the thing before it skitters away. She's proably not the best one to do it, but it's rather instinctaul for it. -Enfilade says, "Shut the door and catch that rat, QUICK!" -Novastar walks into the research lab, wondering who's on rat duty, nodding to Omni and Blitz. Jumping when he hears Enfilade, he slams the door control, sliding it shut. -Calenture turns and with some amount of rational thought, starts to key in the command to secure the room, hopefully behind a field designed for containment. -Blitzwing dives, but is slow. "Fragger's quick." -Omnisaber moves back from where the rat leaped, moving quickly to the door to seal it off and lock it. -The rat leaps aside as Enfilade raises her lasers and launches itself for the door as Novastar comes through, bouncing off the door as it slides shut and actually leaving a *dent* in the metal. It lands on another shelf, chittering madly, its tail lashing from side to side. The green eyes gleam intently as it chitters down at the assembled Decepticons. -Omnisaber says, "Well, I think we can safely say that's not a normal sort of turbo rat." -Novastar checks to make sure he didn't break the door control in his hurry, and dives to the side when he sees the rat rushing towards him and leaving a dent in the door. "You know, for something with no power signs yesterday, he's an active fella." -Moonlight stands back up after failing to catch the rat. "Ummmmm, maybe we're going about this the wrong way...." -Whiplash is on her feet, fangs bared and tentacles coming forward and lighting up. "Want me to fry it?" she asks. -Enfilade says, "If you can be its friend, Moonlight, feel free to try. Lash, let Moonlight take a try..." -Calenture turnshis head to stare at the.. *dent* in the door. "Er... Boss.." he says softly then again, gesturing, "Boss? Milady?! It.. er... " he just gets quiet, turning to try and track the second rat since the first has everyonees attention already, "don't everyone go for the one thats moving, watch out for that other one!" -Meanwhile the second rat just peers up at its hosts and twitches its whiskers, then starts to clean itself contentedly. -Omnisaber says, "Yeah, considering that any energy it gets may be converted into replication. Considering Blitz gave it an energon cube or two, one could assume that was the case."" -Whiplash stands back for Moonlight, though blue electric bolts crackle around her in anticipation. -Novastar counts rats, "You weren't kidding about how fast they multiply, Commander," he comments, standing back before the door, and holds out his rifle, electricity crackling at its barrel, inviting the rat to try. -Omnisaber mutters to Novastar: "The ... ... ... ... ... the containment and there ... to ... ... one in ... ... ... ... ... only one." -Moonlight slowly walks towards where the rat is and cautiously crouches down. "Hello there little fella. Moonlight here doesn't mean you any harm." She pulls out an ener-goodie and waves it a little to see if she can get the rat's attention. Her tone is soft and soothing...it sounds like she's done this before. -Omnisaber shakes his head slowly, hoping beyond hope the rat doesn't get the ener-goodie...hoping even moreso that the energon isn't what's causing this... -Novastar's eyes suddenly go wide, but he doesn't stop focusing on the floor for skittering claws. "Did anyone move the data chips out of here? I left the chip remnants we found here last cycle... -Omnisaber mutters to Novastar: "... ... you ... them. Haven't been touched yet." -The rat's green optics gleam as it chitters, hesitating for a moment - and then launches itself suddenly right toward Moonlight's eyes. -Moonlight falls backwards from surprise, but as she does she attempts to lock her hands around the nasty little critter. "Ungracious, aren't you fella?" -Novastar aims the weapon, and then hesitates. He's got the thing set to electricity to deal with quick-moving targets, and he doesn't want to zap Moonlight. -Whiplash's tentacles light up further, but she doesn't fire since the rat has locked itself onto Moonlight's optic lens. -Omnisaber says, "Alright, fine and dandy that we're handling this one, but we need to re-erect the containment field around the other one, or at least stop it from trying anything." -Blitzwing likes the litter critter really...but it attacked Moonlight...oh well. Sorry little fella. SQUISHY! -Enfilade barks, "Get that thing off her and fry it extra crispy!" -The second rat, meanwhile, seems startled by the sudden commotion and has darted off the table to hide somewhere. -Enfilade tries to fit under the table to grab the second rat, but she's too darn big to fit. She stops, stuck between the table legs, while the rat skitters off into the shadows. -Novastar steps away from the door, and quickly scoops up the data chip remnants from the counter he left them on, and drops them in an arm compartment for safe keeping. "Which way did it go, Commander?" -Omnisaber sighs, having watched the second rat run off, wondering why he bothers making suggestions. "Is this room completely sealed, or does it have any adjoining rooms?" -Enfilade struggles to back up, manages to extricate herself, and then points to her left and downwards. "Somewhere back there." -Novastar nods in thanks, and adjusts his wings down somewhat as he clambers under, rifle pointed forward as he crawls down under the bench, wincing as his wing kibble catches for a moment on the edge and screeches. -The unbelievably quick rat skitters out of Moonlight's grasp and launches itself into the air, crashing into a piece of laboratory equipment in the process, which falls to the floor with a shattering of pieces. -Omnisaber turns to Enfilade, "So, do we want them alive, or are they okay dead?" -Whiplash fires off a blast of electric bolts as soon as the rat is in motion and no longer near Moonlight or the others. The sizzling electricity narrowly misses Calenture as he too tries to grasp the rat, and impacts in a series of scorchmarks on the laboratory wall. -Enfilade says, "I'll settle for dead." -Enfilade says, "Alive if you can, dead otherwise. We can't let 'em loose in Darkmount." -Whiplash growls, looking around to see if there's any other exit to this lab. There's none that she sees. Silently she hopes Novastar is after that second rat, while she leaps down from her perch and circles around to the shelf where the first rat landed. -Calenture makes a belated attempt to snatch the creature off of moonlights face but the nimble creature slips through his fingers. He emits a low rumble,backing up to the doorway as he pulls blades out, handling them for throwing, visor dimming as he watches for open movement. -Moonlight picks herself off the ground, one hand pressed to her injured optic. "Not very friendly...are they?" -Omnisaber shrugs, and pulls one of his small energy blades from subspace, taking aim at the 'visible rat' and throwing it at the rat. -The rat now goes ballistic as objects are thrown at it, darting from one corner of the room to the other and knocking delicate equipment off the shelves. In the process it races past the Decepticons and scratches at them with its sharp little claws. -Enfilade's head suddenly snaps up. "Slaggit, watch the vents!" She positions herself near one of the ceiling vents, her big cannon drawn. "If these things got into there, they'd have the run of the place!" -Calenture calls out, "See if the containment force fields will go up. This place should have some type of complete seal in file." -Omnisaber looks down at the rat who had just clawed him, and laughs..."Oh great...not only is it a quick one, but it's fighting back. Cute." once again Omni attempts to throw an energy blade at the little creature. -Novastar grimaces in the tiny space as he searches through the dark and rather dusty underbelly of the research lab. Novastar suddenly startles, hitting his head on the counter bottom with an audible thump. "OW! I think I see the little bugger. Someone call mainteance and ask them to shut power to the computers up here before it chews through the cabling!" -Moonlight doesn't feel up to fighting anything right now, even rats, so she busies herself with the technical part of the situation. She goes looking for whatever puts up the fields, hoping that it will work. -The rat lets out a decidedly un-ratlike screech as Blitzwing kicks it, and sends it sailing - but bounces back immediately and leaps for Blitzwing's throat. -The second rat, meanwhile, has withdrawn under the table into a dark corner, frightened by all the commotion. -Calenture waves his hands, "if you shut power we can't get any containment fields up." his grip on one blade shifts, visor dimming as the rat strikes again, attacking blitzwing outright. "Stay very still blitzwing." he quips, guaging the angle about to throw. -Enfilade hasn't got any weapons very well suited to this environment. Loosing grenades, rockets, or Vulcan cannon fire in an enclosed room isn't healthy for anyone else in the area. She hasn't even got her ceremonial sword, thanks to Phantom, so she rummages around in one of the drawers looking for a scalpel blade to use. Scooping it up in her hand, she advances on the first rat. -Novastar orders the rat, "Stay right there," before sending a transmission over the general frequency in the room, "Anyone have a disruptor or something they can pass down to me?" -Blitzwing watches the little bastard try and kill him. He attempts to incinerate it, angrily. -Turbo Rat 2 inches toward Novastar and sniffs at him trustingly. -Turbo Rat 1 gives another shriek as its slashed at, which sends it into the range of the concussion blast. For a moment it disappears in a mini-explosion of flame and smoke.... -Omnisaber watches the rat seemingly disintegrate, and moves his left hand to his right hip, hand firmly upon the hilt of his sheathed blade, "Something's wrong...I still think energy is what caused it to replicate so fast..." -...only to reappear a moment later, almost unscathed. It lunges for Calenture, and bounces right off him to crash headlong into the screen of the nearest computer terminal. -Enfilade slashes out at the rat. "Get offa Cal!" -Omnisaber sighs, and tosses another energy blade at the small rat, hoping to finally incapacitate it. -Enfilade is, unfortunately, far more of a "bludgeon its face in" type than a finesse warrior... -Turbo Rat 1 disappears into the depths of the computer console, in a series of sparks and minor explosions as it sawblades its way through the circuitry. -Blitzwing facepalms... "Its getting away!" -Novastar sighs. "No disruptors, then?" he calls loudly, wincing as the rat twiches. "Not you..." he says more softly. "Anyone got a box, or anything!" The lights suddenly flicker, "I see maintenace turned off the computer like I asked..." -Turbo Rat 2 comes toward Novastar and nuzzles his hand, chittering softly. -Omnisaber says, "It's looking for more energy...more power, so it can reproduce. We need to shut the power off to this area." -Calenture's head snaps around as the rat makes a dash for him. The seeker flintches as the creature bounces off of him then hits the computer, "Not on my watch!" he growls, diving at the console with fingers spread in an attempt to reach through the hole and dig at the rat inside. -Turbo Rat 1 chews its way out the back of the console with astonishing speed, and darts around to leap toward Calenture again. -Novastar pets the rat softly on the back with his free hand, slowly backing it out into the open.... -Moonlight pulls out her hat and hands it over to Novastar. "You could try putting it in this..." -Rat 2 is entirely content to be guided by Novastar, flinching a little at the noise its progenitor is making. -Blitzwing swings down hard with his sword trying to flatten the creature. "Stand still damn you!" -Whiplash leaps for the rat with her own claws, trying to pin it to the ground. -Novastar reaches out from under the counter, as he pushes up slightly to get movement, his wings scrape against the counter, causing some sparks and more noise. He pauses, patting the rat a bit frantically. "Moonlight... could you pass it here.. going backwards might not work.." -Calenture twists, arm still inthe console as rat1 leaps at him. the creature misses him in its wild flailing.. -Omnisaber moves backward a bit, attempting to figure out what's going on, and how to actually stop one of these...things. -Enfilade missed the rat, and Calenture, by a mile. SHe's just too big and slow. Now she watches Rat 1, trying to anticipate its next move so she can beat it to the punch and grab it. -Whiplash shifts direction just an instant before Blitzwing's sword would have come down on her forepaws. She snarls at him, baring her fangs, while the rat loses its tailtip to the slash, and turns immediately on its most recent attackers, bouncing off the one to get to the next. -Moonlight holds out the hat right in front of Rat2 so that Novastar can deposit it with ease and gentleness... -Rat 2 jumps down into the hat of its own accord and nestles inside. -Novastar picks the hat up, and slides it under so it's on its side, and reaching into a side compartment, he pulls out a small case of lubricant to place in the hat. Novastar goes to place the oil in the hat, hearing Omnisaber's worries about energy, and then pauses to see the rat inside. Shrugging, Novastar wiggles his way out, holding the hat proudly aloft. -Blitzwing arrghs. "SONOF A @#! BIT ME!" He tries to finish this creature. -Enfilade's hand forms a fist and waits for the rat to come in range... -Calenture pulls his arm out of the computer console, looking at it for a moment before he shakes his head, turning around to watch the wild rat chase -Moonlight smiles at Novastar. "Well, at least that's one down." -Omnisaber grabs one of his thrown energy blades, picking it up, and looking it over curiously, wondering if it'd be wise to hit it with an energy weapon...shrugging, scans about to find the first rat still running about, and absently tossing it in the general direction of the rat. Almost carelessly. -Novastar looks at the devatation caused while he was under the console, and doesn't react for a moment, before saying, "I guess so. We got a containment field for this guy, or should we try for the dissection table?" -Omnisaber mutters to Novastar: "Did ... ... any good reading ... the field ... ... containing ... ..." -Enfilade says, "I almost hate to do it, since that one's so nice...but maybe it'd give us a clue why this other one is nuts." -Rat 1 zigzags between its much larger attackers and bounces up like a rubber ball to crash into another overhanging shelf, sending its contents spilling down on the floor with a loud clatter of scattering tools and breaking glass. From there it holds on for a second, and lunges at Enfilade. -Moonlight shrugs. "I'm no scientist, so trying to dissect it won't help. I don't think the fields will work because it obviously didn't keep the first one in. Let's just find something solid to put over my hat to keep it secure for now." -Blitzwing watches the rat run around maiming things , and grumbles "This coming outta my pay?" -Calenture's visor flares a deep crimson as the rat goes for enfilade. With a slightly blurred movement, he tenses then springs towards the commander, hands reaching out to try and grab the frantic beastie. -Enfilade lets out a cry as the rat attacks her chest. She flails at it, finally driving it off, but when she looks down she realizes the rat made as fast work of her armour as it did of the control console. She's bleeding fuel freely. "Holy frag!" is followed by a loud string of horrified profanity. That thing caused real damage! -Novastar looks into the hat with the rat, and says, "We did get some readings on the field... but it was in the process of total collapse, and the generator was fused to a crisp. The technical crew might be able to get more out of it, but I included my sensor readings on the data I left with the chips," Novastar taps the arm compartment, "But that'll have to wait. It was in stasis until Blitzwing cracked the ball behind the field. -Darkstorm walks forward and says. "Enough!" and takes out a device and fires a bright flash. -Omnisaber picks up his energy blade again, this time kneeling down, and quickly attempting to slash at the rat with it. -Rat 1 skitters out of Calenture's grasp, swerving to avoid both Omnisaber's and Darkstorm's attacks, and then leaps for the next individual in its line of sight - Novastar! -Novastar looks at the door, and states grimly, "Unfortunately, we're locked in, so we can't simply get the sphere and hope to stick it back in there," Novastar gasps as the rat hits his arm, causing a minor groove in his armor, but causing him to drop the hat... -Darkstorm stumbles back and is unpleased. -Rat 2 takes the opportunity to run in terror, right toward the gaping hole in the computer console, where it scurries deep inside into a nice dark safe spot and cowers. -Omnisaber shakes his head, muttering softly, "Not my fraggin' day...can't even hit a rat..." with that attempting another slash at the fraggin' rat, hoping that this one finally hits its mark. -Enfilade coughs, "We don't dare open that door until we catch it. We can't let it loose in darkmount. Slag..." She tries to tie off some of the severed fuel cords in her chest. They're clamped, so the bleeding stops, but she sparks when she moves and there's a noticeable gash in her chest. -Whiplash bares her serrated fangs and fires another series of blue bolts at the skittering Rat 1. -Darkstorm take aim at the rat and tries again. -Blitzwing fires his blaster at the little fragger. "DIE! just die!" -Moonlight retrives her hat and sets herself to coaxing the second rat into it again, her tone soothing once more. -Calenture gives enfilade a glance, muttering, "You alright?" before his head snaps around catching the tial of the second creature entering the computer console.. "This is a nightmare.." -Enfilade grumbles, "I been better but I'll live." She snorts, "I give this another hour before I order you out, and just artillery-bomb the whole damn lab. -Rat 1 ping-pongs around the lab, knocking something over at each launching point, leaving clawmarks along the lab benches. -Darkstorm grabs his rifle from subspace and growling a bit. "Okay thats IT! Now Im mad!" then bends on his knee and takes aim. "Prepare to eat vapours Rat!!" -Omnisaber shakes his head slowly, before flipping the blade around to be held upside down, then lunges at the rat, hoping to stab it with the energy blade finally and be done with it... -Novastar groans and slaps his forehead when the rat runs into the hole. "Vector Sigma's guiding light..." he mutters, before jumping in the air to hover as a concussion blast shoots by him. "This is getting seriously dangerous.." Novastar lokos around, and groans, seeing the devastation, "And looking very familiar!" -Whiplash says, "Dammit! Can't anyone overload that thing's circuitry?" -Rat 2 doesn't respond to Moonlight's coaxing. It sits tight where it is, deep within the chewed-up computer console. -Whiplash leaps forward herself, trying to catch the thing in mid-air in her jaws. -Omnisaber mutters to Novastar: "Using the ... ... took ... the sphere ... ... think you could recreate ... ... ... ... Possibly?" -Whiplash's teeth snap together in mid-air over nothing, as the rat seems to twist in its leap and snaps its slightly-shortened tail at her. -Novastar grimaces, looking at the carnage being ensued by the Empire's finest. "We were just glad to cut out the static, and were going to come back later to get a full analysis of the containment sphere...." Novastar looks over to Moonlight, "Try your hat again, it likes that..." -Moonlight doesn't give up. "Come on little turbo rat. It's much safer inside my hat than it is in that console. There's a lot of big, angry people." -Darkstorm nods. "yeah DIE!" -Enfilade grins. "Good work Darkstorm!" She walks over to the rat and grabs it. "Help me tie this thing down before it wakes up." -Darkstorm stands up and mocks the rat. -In mid-attack, the rat drops out of the air and lands with a soft thump on the ground. Various liquids drip down slowly from the shattered shelves. -Whiplash says, "Good shot, Darkstorm!" -Omnisaber shakes his head, once again muttering softly to himself, "Bahh...need to get myself looked at if I missed a fraggin' rat that much...." -Darkstorm grins while shining his rifle. "Thanks :)" -Calenture walks over to Enfilade, offering her a knife, "Better make sure it can't wake up again." -Darkstorm walks towards Whiplash. "I'm a marksman!" -Darkstorm says, "and a strategist." -A soft chittering comes from deep within the destroyed computer console. -Blitzwing looks to Enfilade. "Thats not neccasary." He brings his sword down upon the prown creature. -Moonlight smiles. "That's right. Come on out. No sense in hiding now." -Novastar peers into the dark hole, though not too closely, considering the damage the other caused. "Come on out, little guy. We're just going to put you in a nice safe box with lots of energon..." Novastar looks at the smoldering rat, "It's your brother that's on the menu tonight..." -Rat 2 edges out of the hole in the back of the console, its whiskers twitching. -Darkstorm looks and sees the second rat. "Another one?" -Moonlight holds out her hat, hoping that everyone is quiet enough not to scare the rat again... -Whiplash leaps up onto a nearby table, scattering some broken glass onto the floor. The second rat darts hurriedly back into its safe spot. -Novastar has scratches on his wings from the table, and a gouge on his arm, though not deep enough to penetrate. He holds up a hand in warning, "Shhh..." and winces when glass crunches... -Enfilade takes the blade from Calenture's hand and skewers the rat to the table. She uses her other laser blade to slit open its belly--what will be inside? -Blitzwing trains his laser on the rat...waiting. -Whiplash glares toward the corner where Moonlight and Novstar are trying to lure the second rodent out. "Try Blitzwing," she suggests. "He seems to have a way with rats." Another glare is reserved for Blitzwing as she speaks his name. -Darkstorm bends to his knee and aims his rifle but waits for the rat to come out. "Next time he comes out he's dead!" -Novastar grimaces... "Darkstorm, this one's been friendly for now... and the other one," Novastar appraises quickly, "caused a couple of hundred thousand credits worth of damage. Let's be a bit delicate for now..." -Blitzwing grins to Whiplash "Yea thats right out this on me. What else is new?" -Rat 1's innards reveal microcircuitry so complex and closely packed that it cannot possibly be the internals of an ordinary turbo rat, even to those who aren't that familiar with Cybertron's wildlife. The filaments flicker softly with a greenish light before it fades out. -Moonlight shoots a reproachful look at Darkstorm. "Well, he's never coming out /now/." She turns back to the computer, reaching a hand in slowly. "It's okay. All the nasty people will be nice and quiet for you now.......won't you?" -Enfilade stares at the rat. "Holy slot...I ain't no scientist but this don't look right. I used to shoot these things in the dump an' they ain't never looked like this." -Rat 1 twitches a little. -Enfilade lets out a curseword, and decides to take the slottin' thing's head clean off....she moves her blade downward.... -Calenture watches Fil before his attention slides to Moonlight trying to coax the other.. vermin out.. He gets quiet, visor flickering as he glances back at Rat 1. "Err...." Master of the verbose.. "Acid.. acid... Someone have some acid.. met the little fragger.. They can run scans on.. errr" -Omnisaber just shakes his head, moving into a corner and muttering to himself. -Enfilade doesn't know for sure that this rat is dead and doesn't want to take any chances as she liberates the head from the body. -Rat 1's limbs jump frantically and the tail twitches back and forth as the head is severed, then finally still into motionlessness. More greenish light glows up briefly at the site of the cut, then fades. -Calenture blinks... staring at the rat1... "Errr.. Enfilade... I've never seen a rat glow *after* its head's been cut off." -Whiplash says, "So pull the second one out, and put it in a containment field it *can't* break out of. The drop it off as a little present for the 'Bots." -Enfilade says, "This thing ain't a rat. It's like some supercomputer rebuilt into a rat...what the frag?" -Calenture nods slowly, "I'm for getting some acid and melting it into goo..." -Novastar goes over to look at the rat, figuring Moonlight can handle things. "We used to get rats chewing on the power-lines in my old job." He peers down, "Though that looks more like the inside of an old Transformation cog than any rat I've ever seen..." -Omnisaber mutters to Omnisaber: "Fraggin' rats...I ... rats...HATE ... ... people hate ... ... ... ..." -Moonlight is still trying to coax rat 2 out of the computer. -Rat 2, whether it heard the threat of acid or just feels safe again in the relative silence of the lab, edges out toward Moonlight cautiously, then scurries over to her and nestles itself into her hand. -Moonlight pats the rat and gently deposits it into her hat, placing a hand over the opening so it can't get out. "There, see, that wasn't so bad, was it?" -Whiplash looks around at the trashed lab. "If we can convince the second one to act like this in Iacon, I don't think we should be throwing out a potential weapon so easily. What do you think, Fil?" -Novastar says, "Maybe we should figure out how the second was generated, Ma'am, before we end up, um, tossing rats at each other..." -Enfilade says, "If they overrun Iacon, is a Decepticon territory next? And for all we know, the quiet one is the original, and only its spawn are psycho." -Moonlight is busy peering through her fingers at the calm rat. She's making soft, almost cooing sounds at it and seems quite unaware of everyone around her. -Turbo Rat 2 chitters happily from inside Moonlight's hat. -Calenture glances off then back, "Wish we had a techster about.. Anyone think that a cryounit would keep the quiet one contained?" -Darkstorm nods while standing up. "I think that will suffice Cal!" -Whiplash says, "Better than the force field we were trying, certainly. Until we can figure out how it was sealed up in the first place, where we found it." -Enfilade says, "Let's put the quiet one in stasis and give this body to the tech types. IF they ever finish Shockwave's "Vital project." Sarcasm--from Fil? never. -Calenture nods once, "Stuffing things into cryo shouldn't be.." he gets real real real quiet, "hard... " -Novastar raises a hand, "Omnisaber brought up a good point. That thing was inactive inside that sphere inside the forcefield until the sphere was open.." -Enfilade's optics flicker once and she moves towards Calenture, then away again, in a swaying motion without actually lifting a foot. Some reactions are better not seen. -Whiplash says, "Yeah? And if we put it in cryo, that would keep it inactive until we can figure out what to do with it next?" -Moonlight finds someplace to sit down and continues peering at the little rat, trying to mimick the noises it's making. -Whiplash glances sharply toward Enfilade, and leaps across the mess onto a closer table. -Whiplash mutters to Enfilade: "... okay?" -Calenture's gaze drifts off as if staring through the walls to the cryounits... he just gets real quiet. -Novastar shrugs, "It's not like any rat I've ever seen. They're generally an annoyance, not able to bite through battle armor.. Who knows?" -Enfilade nods once, but the whole time her optics are on Calenture. -Calenture snaps out of whateer funk he slid into, visor brightening, voice back to the usual silken tenor tones, "Well.... Anyone think to bring the container it was in with them?" -Whiplash follows Enfilade's gaze and regards Calenture questioningly for a moment, but then drops down off the table and transforms, glass and delicate metal tools crunching under her footfalls. -Whiplash suggests, "We could stick it into one of the units next door in the med bay. Then send someone for the container." -Novastar winces as he hears the damage toll become ever higher, "We left it for the time being, we wanted to get the rat studied first... -Enfilade looks down at her shattered chest. "I dunno /how/ I'm gonna explain this to Med/Tech. Empire 2IC, beaten by a rat." -Moonlight glances up at Whiplash for a moment. "And you keep telling me /I/ can't be quiet..." -Whiplash smirks. "Blame it on your pet's brother." -Moonlight grins back. "Yeah, I guess so. This one seems rather content not to make a scratching post out of my optics now...which I appreciate." She bends her face back towards the rat, "Yes, I do, I appreciate it." -Calenture glances at the rat in the hat.. "Lets just get that thing into the cooler. A nice nap for it." -Rat 2 sniffs at Moonlight and chitters calmly. -Moonlight makes a face. "Do I have to?" -Calenture nods slowly. "Yes.. yes you do." -Whiplash says, "Better than having it chopped up, Moonlight." -Enfilade nods. "Do it." -Novastar blinks at Moonlight's protective attitude, and is suddenly glad he didn't touch the rat at all. -Moonlight sighs. "I suppose." She frowns. "I always seem to attach myself to the wrong things." Shaking her head she hands her hat rather reluctantly over to Calenture. -Calenture gingerly takes the rat-hat, peering at the creature. "Er..." he heaves a sigh, pitching his voice to be soft, "Tis alright little one.. " his visor dims slightly so as not to be such an alarming shade of crimson. "All's going to be just fine." -Rat 2 peeks up over the brim of the hat and looks for Moonlight, the whiskers twitching. -Calenture chuckles softly, despite himself. "She's right there.. NOt going to hurt her either." . o O(Why am i talking to this.. argh) -Moonlight smiles bravely. "You're going somewhere nice and safe now little rat." -Whiplash says, "Alright, I'll see about hauling in that containment sphere. Anyone want to come along? Be kinda awkward rolling that thing along in front of me between Polyhex and Darkmount." -Novastar raises a hand, "Be glad to. Frankly, I'd rather not spend too much time close to that thing..." -Moonlight shrugs. "I think I'll stay here for now." -Calenture shifts his grip on the hat, reaching a finger out to give the rat a strangly awkward but gentle touch, petting it. "Well..... eh..." -Whiplash nods to Novastar, and goes to unseal the lab door, stepping around a spreading puddle of unknown liquids mixing together from various broken bottles. -Rat 2 chitters and nuzzles against Calenture's touch, but still peers around toward Moonlight. -Novastar is frankly, also glad to get out of here before the science crew finds out what we did to the research center.... -Moonlight wriggles a finger at the rat in her hat...hmmmm, there could be a story in this. Maybe she should quit being a Decepticon and start writting stories for kidlets. -Calenture continues to gently pet the rat, "Hey Moonlight?" -Moonlight eyes Calenture. "Yes?" -Calenture nods to her, "Walk me and this to medical.. Don't want it to get all weirded out and make a jump for things.. you seem to be its focus." -Moonlight smiles. "Sure...why not." She moves to stand beside Cal, readying herself to move with the hat. -Whiplash steps out as the door slides back, looking back over her shoulder for a moment at Enfilade. "Get those bites looked at, Fil." -Enfilade nods. "Yeah, I will. Let me know how the Rat Cleanup goes." -Enfilade excuses herself and heads out to the medic's room. -Calenture glances at the wee beastie, huh-ing to himself for a moment before he starts to walk rather gingerly, a smooth movement so as not to jostle the hat like he was carting around the detonator for a proton bomb. -Moonlight follows along beside Calenture, making sure the rat can see her at all times. -Calenture walks gingerly still, occasionally making the oddest shushing/comforting-esque sounds at the rat. -Moonlight occassionally makes noises to the rat too. Perhaps it seems odd that she's attached to rats, but she can remember a time when they were her only friends. Okay, so she's a bit more on the soft side then maybe she'd like people to believe...but who isn't...except maybe Shockwave. Of course, the thought of a soft side to Shockwave amuses Moonlight and she smiles. -Calenture walks gingerly through medical, rat in hat in hand, murmiring nonsensically to it as he heads to Cryo. -Moonlight continues to follow, smiling the whole way. Darkmount - Cryochamber You feel the chill as you step into the Cryochamber and whether that's from the coolness of the room, or the darkness of its mission is hard to discern. On your left are rows upon rows of fallen warriors who have been put into cold-storage, trapped between life and death by the seriousness of their wounds or the lack of adequate resources to repair them. At the head of the storage unit stands an Advanced Troop, claiming the place and honor of standing watch over these fallen warriors, ensuring that, should it happen, they not die alone. To the left of the room is another row of smaller, less stately storage units, designed to hold the unruly Decepticon, valuable Autobot prisoner, or unaffliated unfortunate enough to cross the Empire. The units are actually functioning stasis fields rather than cryo-units, contributing to the distinctly unpleasant air of this place. The rest of the room is dedicated to cryo-technologies and research as is distinguishable by the numerous instruments arranged neatly around the room. Omnisaber [Robot] [U] Blitzwing [Robot] [D] Calenture [Robot] [D] Cryo-Sleeper Cell X-14 Cryo Coffin D-56 Honor Guard Obvious Exits: -E- East leads to Darkmount - Repair Bay -Calenture slows as he enters cryo, movements getting tense. He glances at the tubes for a moment before he heads towards a section, as if he knows where an empty one lies. "This won't hurt him. its like.. being asleep.. " -Moonlight gives Cal a wry look. "Do I look that desperate for reassurances?" -Calenture looks over as if he forgot that Moonlight was with him. "er...." another display of utter verbosity... He doesnt reply, just reaches for one tube, keying in the open command. -Moonlight chuckles softly and watches Calenture fiddle with the controls. -Calenture gets the pod open, gently setting the hat and the rat into it, scratching the beastie once before he hits a button to close the chamber, "night little one.. see you when you wake up." -Moonlight frowns. "It won't ruin my hat will it?" -Calenture shakes his head, "Nah.. " -Moonlight drops the frown. "Good. I happen to be very attached to my hat." -Calenture watches as the cryo unit begins the sequence to put the rat into sleepsville. his gaze seems to be more past the chamber, lost in his own thoughts. -Moonlight leans against a wall. "Whatcha thinking about?" -Calenture shakes his head, voice low, "old friends." he comments. -Moonlight just nods. Talk doesn't seem to be forthcoming at the moment. -The Unit beeps softy as its console goes green, signifying that the stasis is now complete. -Moonlight sighs and leans against the wall, her expression tired. -Calenture shakes his head, pulling out of that strange funk as he looks over at Moonlight, "You alright, ma'am?" -Calenture is standing in front of a cryounit thats registering green with its occupant. -Moonlight makes a face. "Just a bit sore I guess. Still not completely recovered from my last tangle with a 'Bot." -Blitzwing walks in. -Calenture glances at Moonlight, "Seen a medic?" he asks. -Moonlight shakes her head. "Not really. I've been in repair bay, but there's always some one more important to look after. It's no big deal really. It just makes me a bit more tired and cranky than usual." -Calenture ahhs, glancing at the doorway as someone enters before peering back at Moonlight, "Getting knocked around makes me cranky too." he comments,voice light. -Omnisaber staggers into the cryo-chamber, seeming a tad haggard, but not really visibly damaged. -Moonlight nods her head. "I don't think anyone /likes/ it." She thinks for a moment. "That might not be completely true on second thought." -Blitzwing walks in "Fragger looks cozzy in there...we should kill him." -Omnisaber says, "....the so called fragger is better off where he is...no point in TRYING to kill him..." -Moonlight nods slightly to Omnisaber and Blitzwing as she notices their prescence. "You really should control your violent tendancies Blitzwing...you seem to be a one answer mech." -Blitzwing facepalms. "They dont build war machines like me to play with kidlets in the park me lady." -Omnisaber mutters to Omnisaber: "Might as ... have built me for ... ..." -Moonlight turns her full gaze on Blitzwing. "Are you really so narrow minded to think you have to stick with the exact lines of what you were built for? Don't you believe in self-improvement?" -Blitzwing leans over and pats her on the head. "Im improved. I used to be much more violent." -Omnisaber mutters to Omnisaber: "And ... ... ... be ... ... ... apparently...frag." -Calenture shakes his head, "lets just not get riled up in here.. of all places." his voice is tense as he glances about... -Moonlight glances at Cal. "Who's riled up? I'm not. And you look like you could use some peace and quiet. You seem a bit tense." -Omnisaber nods to Calenture, "Agreed...besides, this is the last place I need to be at the moment..." -Calenture glances around again, visor dimming, "As I said, place reminds me of.. folks." -Omnisaber begins turning to leave the room, seeming quite jittery, staggering with his movements quite obviously. -Blitzwing looks around "Cold and reaking of death...Hmm. I know a few like that." -Calenture glances at Blitzwing, voice tight and terse, "No. I know some folks that came in here.. and never came out.. So can we just drop the subject?" -Moonlight strikes up a tune and hums as she exits the room. Her movements are slow and it's obvious she's uncomfortable, but she seems to have picked up in spirits rather quickly. -Blitzwing bows his head. "My appologies good sir." -Omnisaber turns back, his optics dim, his entire appearance looking weary, "If you all would please excuse me..." Darkmount - Repair Bay Much like the adjacent research lab, the equipment here is showing signs of age, but is kept in a serviceable condition. Two automated repair drones lie against the far wall, though each is obviously missing a few parts...apparently they've been salvaged for someone else's benefit. The once well-stocked parts closets now contain mostly empty shelves and bins. Several dozen repair tables of various sizes are arranged in rows in the middle of the room. Dartboard Medical Terminal Obvious Exits: -S- South leads to Darkmount - Regeneration Spa -E- East leads to Darkmount - Medical and Science Level -W- West leads to Darkmount - Cryochamber -Omnisaber stumbles into the room, almost falling over before catching his balance, and finding himself an empty repair table to hop onto. -Moonlight continues to hum as she helps herself to a table close to Omnisabers. "You don't look so well," she comments. -Omnisaber practically rips his faceplate off and tosses it half way across the repair bay, laying fully back on the table, "I'll be fine...just having some internal problems, or so I figure...rapid decline of some of my systems." -Moonlight just nods her head, but stops the humming. "Well, just take it easy then. You seemed okay before the little incident with the rat." -Omnisaber shakes his head, sighing, "Yeah well, that was BEFORE I noticed the decline in my systems...maybe I'm over-reacting. Figure I could use an overhaul on some of these, as they do feel like they're wearing...but maybe it's nothing." sitting up looking over at Moonlight, "All the same....how are you faring?" -Moonlight wriggles her hand back and forth. "So so. I could be much better, I know that much." -Omnisaber nods, "Well, if I could actually do effective repairs I'd help you..." -Moonlight holds up a hand. "Hey, it's no big deal. If I'm in crappy shape people expect less of me. I can handle that." -Calenture slides out of cryo, brushing his hands together as if they were soiled with something. -Omnisaber chuckles softly, shaking his head, "IT's funny, I'm in 'perfect' shape apparently, and I can't even function up to my previous expectations...it's sad. -Moonlight glances over at Cal as he enters the room again, then she turns back to Omnisaber. "Maybe you're just stressed." -Omnisaber raises a hand and waves it dismissingly..."I'll be fine...just fine...had my fair share of combat...maybe I've just had enough is all." -Moonlight lies back on the repair table. "That might be it. But I think I'm just going to rest for a few." She shuts down her optics with a sigh.