Transformers: Steel Reign

[General Havoc]

Wheeljack listened with equanimity, keeping his own thoughts to himself, as Crimson ran through a brief version of what had happened out there. At the "pouring vodka and producing little protoforms" comment, Wheeljack had to stifle a laugh, both at the comment, and at Hornet's confused reaction to it. Wheeljack understood what Gridlock had meant. He doubted Hornet did.

"Gridlock has been hanging out with the wrong sort of humans for too long," said Wheeljack, "and you've every right to smack him for that comment, but that doesn't make him a traitor. The charges could easily have malfunctioned, or one of Soundwave's cassettes could have gotten to them before they were set off. I'll admit he's an arrogant bastard, but his work is usually second to none. What makes you think he sabotaged anything?"

Hornet remained tensely quiet, clearly trying to make sense of what was going on.

[Cynical Cat]

"No, it won't," said Deathstrike. "He could simply claim to have already set the explosives and merely to be checking on them. And it leaves Wideload free and running around when he is just as likely to be guilty as Gridlock."

[LadyTevar]

"Gridlock has been hanging out with the wrong sort of humans for too long," said Wheeljack, "and you've every right to smack him for that comment, but that doesn't make him a traitor. The charges could easily have malfunctioned, or one of Soundwave's cassettes could have gotten to them before they were set off. I'll admit he's an arrogant bastard, but his work is usually second to none. What makes you think he sabotaged anything?"

"There was no time for him to set it to blow," was the simple answer. "Taking the Imposter to the CR Chamber, setting him inside, then crossing to the oil rig and setting it up to go on command, and then meeting me on my way?" Crimson shook her head negatively. "The timing is all wrong."

Her shoulders drooped. "Unless I'm the one glitching. I should have insisted on checking the oil rig, not letting him talk me out of it. Then we'd not have a Decepticon fort on our shores."

[General Havoc]

This one gave Wheeljack pause, and as he hesitated he was conscious of Hornet's optics staring at him, watching for a sign of some sort. Wheeljack always tried to keep in mind Hornet's impressionable nature, as it would not do to set bad examples for the little bot. Still in this case, he couldn't just dismiss Crimson's suspicions. There was something to what she was saying.

"Now look," he said, "the base was lost because Megatron sent an army of Decepticon war machines after it, not because of anything you did or forgot to do. I admit that it looks like Gridlock had too much on his plate. Perhaps he cut corners he shouldn't have or..."

Wheeljack hesitated. Hadn't there been concerns about how Swiftshot had gotten out of the stasis chamber. He wished he had been paying more attention at the most recent staff meeting instead of reviewing his latest lab results...

"I... suppose it can't do any harm to bring this up with Ironhide though," said Wheeljack rather absent-mindedly, as he began turning over the circumstances in his mind. What had Gridlock been up to? It was an awful co-incidence that both of the unexplained disasters in that battle led up to him.

"Do you have any other reason to imagine Gridlock did this on purpose? He could after all have only had time to do a sloppy job and then wished to hide it from everyone. He's hardly the only bot with an ego..."

[LadyTevar]

"Do you have any other reason to imagine Gridlock did this on purpose? He could after all have only had time to do a sloppy job and then wished to hide it from everyone. He's hardly the only bot with an ego..."

That WheelJack was listening to her, and not suggesting Crimson have her CPU examined took a weight off her she didn't realize she'd been carrying. She straightened slightly, answering his question with a frown. "No, I don't, but DeathStrike and BreakOut have convinced ShellShock and OverLoad there's more to it. They mentioned how the Impostor got out so easily and how the base defenses all turned off at once."

She shook her head, unwilling to make the same leaps of logic.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke walked down the hallway, wondering where Crimson was. He opened a private channel with her again. "Weren't you coming to find me? Where are you now, Crim?" He asked over the comm.

[LadyTevar]

"Pardon me, WheelJack...," Crimson said, turning away slightly but talking aloud so the other two could hear her side of the conversation. "I'm with Hornet and WheelJack in his lab, Stryke. We're ... discussing the situation."

[General Havoc]

Wheeljack narrowed his optics as Crimson responded. Hornet meanwhile was glancing back and forth between them with increasing desperation. Finally he couldn't stop himself anymore. "We're not just gonna let them shoot Gridlock though, are we?!" he blurted out, upset to the point of the tears starting to form in his optics.

Wheeljack shook his head. "Nobody is shooting anyone, not until we can sort out all the particulars. I think it might be a good idea to tell Ironhide about all this."

WHeeljack stood up and activated one of the eighteen radios in his workshop. "Ironhide, this is Wheeljack, we seem to have a problem. You might want to have a talk with Shellshock and Deathstrike before something crazy happens."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke headed through the base, quickly reaching the lab. He walked in and moved over to Crimson. "Hey, are you ok?" Stryke asked her. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with the Convoy to back you up." He said.

[LadyTevar]

"It's not your fault," Crimson answered, giving Stryke a small smile. "I needed the time alone, then I ran into Hornet ... and it just went to the junkyard from there." She glanced to Wheeljack as he made his call.

"Hopefully IronHide can get them calmed down and thinking straight," Crimson sighed. "Watching them line up what had gone wrong, then latching onto my conversation with Gridlock ... it was like a virus spreading. I just ... ... can't believe ... I mean, he did stop me from checking the oil rig, but that doesn't mean he's a traitor!"

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke gave her a hug. "Can I be honest? I'm glad he sent you to help with the defense line. I don't think I'd have been this close to you if he didn't." Stryke said with a small laugh. "And your right, just cause he stopped you doesn't mean he is a traitor. Personally, I get the feeling it was a few of those casseticons. You know how sneaky they are."

[Marcao]

Sky Shadow moved aimlessly through the Ark. He had devoted twenty five percent of his processing abilities to running simulations. Even now, these simulations occurred each at the very edge of his perception. The fall of Fort Maximal had been a surprise to him and his recall to the Ark had brought with it the promise of the utilizations of his talents. The fort could simply not be allowed to remain in decepticons hands for long. The last thing they needed was a decepticon stronghold in the North American continent. Worse still, they had a clear deadline. They could not allow for the facilities for a space bridge to be built for doing so would allow the decepticons near instant reinforcements.

His optics flickered over his surroundings a host of autobots noticed as he moved through various corridors and facilities. He recognized some autobots while others he had never met directly. He fully expected that the more experienced autobots were working on something, but so far he had not been directly informed of anything specific. As such, he focused on preparing as best he could. Existing terrain data of the area surrounding Fort Maximal was analyzed and contrasted with a host of other variables. The desired end result being at least a dozen mission profiles that would allow for the maximum impact of his abilities on a battlefield. He knew his own capabilities quite well, the rest was simply plugging in existing decepticon data and seeing what turned out.

He was informed when the eight thousandth four hundred and thirty second simulation ended. The particular thread brought up to the forefront of his running processes as he scrutinized the results. This one had taken twenty seven minutes to perform and the results were less than encouraging. He changed his desired load out and adjusted three variables before running another simulation the thread disappearing into the background once more.

[LadyTevar]

Stryke gave her a hug. "Can I be honest? I'm glad he sent you to help with the defense line. I don't think I'd have been this close to you if he didn't." Stryke said with a small laugh. "And your right, just cause he stopped you doesn't mean he is a traitor. Personally, I get the feeling it was a few of those casseticons. You know how sneaky they are."

"I'd have worn you down eventually," Crimson answered, slightly embarrassed. "Please tell me you found OverLoad before he found Gridlock?"

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke shook his head. "I couldn't find him. Plus, there isn't much I can do to stop him without shooting him." The warbot said.

[LadyTevar]

Stryke shook his head. "I couldn't find him. Plus, there isn't much I can do to stop him without shooting him." The warbot said.

Crimson looked down, nodding in understanding. "Right now... I doubt anyone short of IronHide or Prime can stop them.... Slag... what a mess."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke nodded, giving her a light squeeze. "Don't worry, Crim, you did your best. Hopefully Wheeljack will get through to IronHide and we can get this whole thing sorted."

[LadyTevar]

"So do we wait for IronHide," she asked, looking over at Hornet and WheelJack, then back up at Stryke. "Or do we go try to find and talk to them ourselves?"

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke shrugged. "I'm not sure. Whatever you decide, I'll go with it." He said.

[Charon]

Shellshock shook his head. "Considering that the other options are shoot a possibly innocent 'bot without any proof, and raid an amazingly well defended Decepticon base to look for data that is very likely not even there anymore. That's about the best option I can think of. Short of just watching them and waiting for more proof."

[Dark Silver]

Ironhide listened to Wheeljack's explination of things going on - the report from Crimson. Of the talk going on, of the plot to attack Gridlock and pry out the memorybanks....

"Over mah deactivated chassis..." he said in his southern drawl. The ancient Autobot knew they shouldn't have trusted the Decepticon turncoat - he was turning the team against Gridlock. Admittedly, Gridlock may not be the most model Autobot, but he served with Ironhide for years. He was the one who suggested to Prime that Gridlock and Wideload be given command of Fort Maximal and it's construction.

"Ironhide to Deathstrahike, Overload, Shellshock, Crimson and Strahike. Get your tin platted skidplates to me immediately."

[SirNitram]

Overload internalized a groan as he heard Ironhide's command. Wonderful. That was just perfect. Not five of his long strides to Gridlock's quarters, and he had to turn around and head to meet the high ups. Now everyone got in trouble, instead of just him.

For a few nanocycles, the hauler considered faking radio failure, then stalked back towards Ironhide's location.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike's long strides ate up the distance to Ironside's locations.

[Charon]

Shellshock had just finished speaking when the call came over his radio.

"And now we get in trouble. Word of advice Deathstrike, put on your best "I love the Autobots" face. Ironhide didn't like me when we first met and I'd been with the Autobot's for a hell of a lot longer than you have."

Shellshock easily kept pace with Deathstrike as he moved towards Ironhide's office.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson didn't have to answer, as IronHide summoned the two of them along with Overload, Shellshock, and Deathstrike. "I think the problem's going to be taken care of..."

She looked to WheelJack. "Thank you, WheelJack. I honestly had no idea what to do. You coming with us, Hornet?"

[General Havoc]

"I... sure!" chirped Hornet, relieved beyond words that everyone seemed to be no longer in the process of shooting each other. "Let's go!"