Safelight's Dillemma

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---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 07:46PM CST >----------------------
Out here on the Sonic Canyons, things are somewhat...isolated, desolate. There's a bit more civilization as one heads closer to Helex or northward toward Harmonex, but the Canyons is relatively removed from those areas.
There's a mech out here, a small mini...an Autobot who might be familiar in certain circles, as the Decepticons allowed Arcee to retrieve his injured form not long ago. His name is Safelight, and he's been rather down on what he's heard. Rumors are circulating that Safelight might be secretly working with Decepticons.
Arcee's noticed that Safelight's taken a detour from his usual patrol activity and he's apparently out in the Sonic Canyons, so she decides to head out and try to determine what's going on with him. Maybe he's out there brooding. Or...or maybe, he's waiting to give a briefing to a Decepticon! She just doesn't know. That's why she's headed to find out.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 07:59PM CST >--------------------
Zooming along, the sleek and ever-fun form of Nightlash can be seen above the canyons, her engines leaving contrails in her wake as she cruises along. There's nothing on her mind, or radar for that matter, beyond just...doing...things. However, then something finds itself on her radar. Oh...hey, is that something that resembles life? She banks sharply to circle back around, her scanners quick to zero in on Safelight as she tries to broaden her scan to see who else might be out and about.
-------------------< Starscream Posed on Jan 31 08:02PM CST >-------------------
Starscream is on patrol, well if you can call it that. He's looking to stir something up as he's riding the jetstream. His radar is on and he picks up the Seeker above; Nightlash. He tracks her a bit and his scanners might ping her if shes paying attention. Then his radar pings something else, something below and now behind him. The Seeker wingovers and heads back toward what he picked up on the ground.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 08:03PM CST >---------------------
Swindle is rolling along, cruising the canyons in search of things to salvage. Every now and then, some odd trash or scrap would be found in the desolate region, which Swindle would gather and either repair and sell, or sell as-is.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 08:06PM CST >----------------------
Arcee is still in vehicular mode, approaching from the direction of Harmonex so it will take her a while to actually get out here and see what Safelight is up to.
However, those with wings, or those already in the remote Canyons region have the distinct advantage of being closer to the beleaguered Mini...
Safelight is in root mode, all by himself and mostly brooding. He's been having second thoughts about supporting the Autobots /because/ of all the talk, if anything. He startles a little bit as he notices a flyer approaching...a dark-colored flyer. He hasn't yet noticed Starscream. Nightlash has his attention, because it seems to him as if she's headed right for him.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 08:11PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash pulls up before actually crashing into the ground, putting on the air brakes and transforming, giving him a curious look. "You lost? I don't usually find someone out here alone unless it's me, or they're lost, or...stuff. I don't know. Kind of lost that train of thought a bit there..." She shrugs. "You've got Decepticons coming in, by the way." There's a smirk on her part as she points in Starscream's general direction.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 08:15PM CST >----------------------
Swindle will find more than just salvage in the canyons today, actually. The sound of a massive engine (or several) can be heard behind him, and if he turns around he will see a large ground transport with wheels the size of small buildings. It bears no markings, and is headed west, toward the Mithril Sea.
Oddly enough though, this hardly seem like the well-traveled path a vehicle of tha size would typically select. More likely to see them on the Expressway or at least on one of the roads that meander through this place. It seems to be designed to tackle any terrain, however, with the size of those treads. Bright lights radiate from the front, glaring across the terrain like a pair of searchlights. No one's missing this one, that's for sure. And, whoever it belongs to went to great lengths to make sure his cargo was as far away fro prying optics as possible by avoiding the main roads.
-------------------< Starscream Posed on Jan 31 08:17PM CST >-------------------
Starscream huffs to himself that Nightlash got there first. He closes in, pulls up and transforms. Landing deftly on the ground he looks from one to the other then back at Safelight. "Aren't you the one I allowed that pink Autobot femme to rescue that night? What are you doing out here?"
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 08:23PM CST >---------------------
Swindle whoas as he scans the behemoth to the rear. He scoots to the side, slowing down, to allow the monstrosity to pass. He's curious as to where such a massive unmarked craft is headed!
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 08:24PM CST >----------------------
"Wh...what?? Who are you?" Safelight shies away from Nightlash slightly. "I...I have nothing to do with Decepticons. I only came out here to get away from the scrutiny for a while. That's all. I'm being honest!"
It's...probably a good thing that Safelight hasn't yet noticed the large vehicle travelling through the canyons, it would likely unnerve him entirely.
The sight of Starscream's arrival nearly sends Safelight into a retreat. "Wh...!! /Starscream/??" Safelight backs off. "Listen, I don't want anything from you. I want nothing to do with you. I joined up because my friends got into crime and I didn't like how they ended up, okay? I'm...that's why I did it. I'm tired of...of being second-guessed. Of being questioned. I'm not a traitor."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 08:29PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash pffts. "What, do I look like one of those uh... 'cons'? Naw, not my speed. They're a bit overly...zealous about things." She shrugs again and then looks at the others. Or, rather, Starscream. "And speaking of... Told you he's here." She turns her attention down at the sound of something rolling through the area, her gaze fixating on it for a moment. "Ooooh, I'll bet that thing's useful. That what everyone's here for?"
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 08:31PM CST >----------------------
The transport appears to be headed toward the Mithril Sea, but what could it possibly be doing out there? Perhaps one of the coastal towns? A few maintenance drones can be seen exiting a shaft that opens on the side and moving to work on sealing off some exposed circuitry nearby where the transport had perhaps scraped up against some rocks.
-------------------< Starscream Posed on Jan 31 08:32PM CST >-------------------
Starscream stares at Safelight as he rambles. "For someone who has nothing to do with Decepticons, your rescue and following repair was thanks to a Decepticon -- me." he glances at Nightlash and opens his mouth to reply when he notices the huge vehicle heading into the area.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 08:40PM CST >----------------------
Safelight finds the 'maintenance' vehicle a little bit strange, as well. Perhaps it wouldn't be as weird in a more urban setting, but...out here? Maintenance workers? Who cared enough to do maintenance out here?
With the heat off of him, Safelight shakes his head. "Look, I'm not saying I'm not grateful, I'm just saying I'm...not trying to defect or anything like that. Just sick of hearing all the talk. That's why I'm out here. I just got tired of...everything I do ending up 'suspicious'."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 08:45PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash shuffles a bit closer to Safelight. The Decepticons might have their sights on the big movey thingy, but she's found something far more fun. "Ooooh, so they think you're one of them, hmm? How interesting." She grins. "And why might that be, hmm?" She lowers her voice and offers a bit of a conspiratory tone. "And what's in that big thing down there? Anything useful? You can tell me. I mean... I'm not Bot or Con. Just one of those horribly named 'Nails' that everyone seems to think aren't worth the time of day. And, let's be honest here. With the Cons and Bots, and that Convocation oversight, everything anyone does is suspicious." She waves the remark aside.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 08:47PM CST >---------------------
Swindle is extra intrigued by the drones appearing and apparently repairing something outside the ginormous multi-wheel-drive machine. There's got to be something interesting in there! So, the SUV takes off after the monstrosity, intent on following it to its destination, determining who's in there and what they're carrying, and either bartering or making off with whatever cargo is within.
-------------------< Starscream Posed on Jan 31 08:50PM CST >-------------------
Starscream gives Nightlash a look and keeps looking toward this huge vehicle comeplete with maintanance drones working on it while its moving. He frowns just a bit. "Either of you know what that is -- whos it is?" he asks Safelight and Nightlash.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 08:54PM CST >----------------------
"They think I'm a sympathizer because...because of what happened in Petrex," Safelight explains to Nightlash, still remaining on the side furthest away from Starscream. When Starscream asks him about the vehicle, he shakes his head. "...I don't know what that is," he insists. "Highway maintenance? I don't know."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 08:59PM CST >--------------------
"Oh, well, I wouldn't know. I wasn't there. Still, you know? Can't blame you. I've helped them before. Sort of. The bots too. I don't know...whatever happens to be easiest, or most useful at the time." She shuffles and looks at the crawler below. "Bet one of those drones would be very...very useful." She grins. "And...highway? Out here in the canyons? Pffft. Can't say I've ever seen one out this far before.... Maybe it's hiding something special. I should crack it open and see."
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 09:00PM CST >----------------------
Certainly doesn't look like highway maintenance, this isn't even a road, really. Some kind of giant all-terrain ground transport vehicle, it seems. The drones are still working on sealing up that crack, as it passes the group on by. It doesn't -appear- to have any security detail with it. But who knows.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 09:11PM CST >----------------------
"C-crack it open?" Safelight stares wide-eyed at Nightlash. "Do you think that's...uh...I don't know, that might be illegal, maybe you shouldn't do that," he says nervously.
-------------------< Starscream Posed on Jan 31 09:12PM CST >-------------------
Starscream watches the vehicle go by and looks at Nightlash, "Sure, why don't the two of you go for it. I will watch from above." with that he transforms and takes to the air to shadow the huge vehicle and see just what the two of them are going to do.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 09:16PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash rolls her optics. "Eh...yeah. Right. I'll just dive right in and break it open to see the goodies inside because Starscream recommended it..." She snorts. "Naw, I'll do it for fun." She looks at Safelight. "Look at it this way! I've got...you know, the best interests of the neutrals in mind here! The Autobots would love it if we got something useful, right? Help defend ourselves from the Cons... Maybe it's got something inside that's Decepticon in nature, and that's why it's not where it should be."
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 09:18PM CST >---------------------
Swindle continues to follow the giant vehicle, taking quick note of who he's passing by. "Oh hey, nothing to see here, just passing by, nothing more," he stammers at the Autobots and Nightlash. Starscream has just taken off.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 09:20PM CST >----------------------
The transport has moved a short distance down the path by now, with Swindle behind it. The maintenance drones are heading back toward the shaft they came from. A door slides open to allow them inside. If anyone is going to make a move, they'd better do it soon!
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 09:24PM CST >----------------------
Safelight gives Swindle an odd look...perhaps the mini's never seen him before, isn't entirely sure who he is. He suspects the mech might be one of Nightlash's 'friends'. But who is Nightlash?
"I have nothing to do with, uh, with what's about to happen. Which I think might end up being a highway burglary," Safelight tells Swindle, as he watches Nightlash descend on the drone transport.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 09:28PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash hits the afterburners to dive through that opening. Because, you know, it's an opening, and such things just demand entrance into the unknown. Safelight's pleas are either unheard or unheeded, and Swindle just gets a simple broadcasted text 'Neener-neener-neener, I'm gonna get it first!' 
 
Because...yeah. Of course she'd say something like that.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 09:52PM CST >----------------------
Nightlash manages to get inside the transport via the drone shaft, finding herself in a room full of them. Most of them are docked against the wall, inactive, though some of them are heading for various tunnels connected to this hub of sorts. As for Safelight and Swindle, there are plenty of handles or ledges one could grab onto, if one jumped with a moderate amount of effort.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 09:58PM CST >----------------------
Curiosity gets the better of Safelight, and it isn't long before he ventures closer to the strange transport and climbs up inside. "...Wow. Look at all these things," Safelight exclaims. "I've never seen something like this...are there any emblems?" he asks Nightlash.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 10:15PM CST >---------------------
Swindle quickly transforms when he sees the maintenance bots go back in, and flies up to try to get into the hatch before it closes!
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 10:17PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash glances at the others. Mainly Safelight. "Yeah? Kinda neat, isn't it. Wonder if I can take it over and turn it into a mobile base or something." She starts to forge on ahead, pulling a light out to help illuminate the way. "Kinda...sounds like a really neat idea."
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 10:22PM CST >----------------------
"Huh?? -- Now wait a minute! Miss? You can't do that, miss! You really can't, uh..." Safelight glances over toward the hatch as Swindle enters. "Do you mechs know each other? I think this is called...hijacking! Yes. I think something is being stolen here." He looks jittery.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 10:26PM CST >----------------------
Swindle manages to get inside, though it's a tight squeeze for an average sized mech like him. Now the three of them find themselves inside the drone hub. The tunnel Nightlash starts down is about the same size, it will fit him though it might be uncomfortable. It seems to go on for a while, but eventually she will come upon a barricaded opening into what looks like a large vault room with a number of large crates piled up and covering up most of the floor space. On the far side of the room is a heavy door that looks like it's reinforced several times and has a lot of security on the other side.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 10:28PM CST >---------------------
"Hijacking? Oh, no, no, you got this all wrong," Swindle says, talking as smooth as he can, "I just wanna find the owner or driver of this thing so I can make a deal. You know, deals? For shanix? Lots and lots of shanix? Trading? Trading is what I do. The name's Swindle. Whoever's running this show has to have heard of me."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 10:31PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash hmph. "I'm not hijacking, I'm acquiring." She squeezes her way through the tunnels as though she's quite accustomed to fitting into spaces like this. It's pretty...calming? No, bad word. It's more a matter of familiarity. "And no! I don't know him. He only sold me explosives for free once!" She shouts that back to Safelight, and then pauses. "Actually...." She pulls out her small holdout blaster. "I dunno if I want to share."
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 10:38PM CST >----------------------
Safelight nods to Swindle. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Safelight. Swindle, now that's not a name you hear every day!" As Nightlash suddenly decides that this heist might be worth the effort after all, Safelight ERKS and holds his hands up. "This is illegal, isn't it?! Oh, Primus help me! Miss, I don't want anything on this transport! I don't want any trouble! I was just looking, I swear!"
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 10:53PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash laughs. "Not you, silly. The Decepticon!" She glances at Swindle, then gives a smirk and turns to keep walking down the hallway before throwing her shoulder into the room. "Let's open up the prize, shall we?" She rather casually slaps a small device just over the door, pushing a button... 
 
It starts beeping softly while a red light flashes on its surface.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 10:58PM CST >---------------------
Swindle uhohs and takes cover. Because beeping flashing red lights usually only mean one thing...
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 11:08PM CST >----------------------
Safelight's optics widen. "Wait, are you blowing that up??" he asks Nightlash. He's...a little bit slow to catch on, perhaps. When he sees Swindle take cover, a little light comes on inside his processor. "Oh no!!" He exclaims, and he hustles over to where Swindle has taken cover, assuming the same position of taking cover.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 11:09PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash laughs and reaches out to nab Safelight. "Nope! You're coming with me." She pulls him through the doorway, slamming it shut as the beeping gets faster, that light flickering, then going steady as a tone sounds.... 
 
And then it bursts into confetti, complete with that wonderful celebratory sound as the streamers drift down...and, did it just say 'Surprise'? 
 
Nightlash looks at Safelight and gives a friendly shrug. "I decided I don't like Decepticons today. Conflicting interests."
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 11:21PM CST >----------------------
Safelight braces for the WORST...as best he can, but Nightlash grabs him and he can't really brace so much as wince hard --
And then, nothing happens! It's...SURPRISE! ...Not an explosion. "Oh. Okay. Heh...so you kind of agree, then, that...maybe we shouldn't be in here?" he asks, looking up at Nightlash.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 11:28PM CST >----------------------
Unfortunately, the bars that form the barrier across the opening leading into the room are too strong for someone of Nightlash's stature to simply push inside. There's locks on the grills. Perhaps that's because whoever owns this knows the hatches on the outside aren't guarded and could allow someone inside without much resistance.
Also, the...sound from the 'surprise' has caught someone's attention. A sound can be heard as a trio of drones head their way, but this time they aren't maintenance but security, armed with dual turrets. They announce their arrival with demands of identification. "HALT INTRUDERS. IDENTIFY YOURSELVES." They recite monotonously.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Jan 31 11:40PM CST >----------------------
The appearance of the security drones puts poor Safelight into a tizzy. "Wait! It's all a big mistake! I'm not an intruder! I'm Safelight, I'm an Autobot!" he exclaims. "Please don't shoot me!"
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 11:43PM CST >---------------------
"It's me, Swindle. I wanna do business. So whaddayasay, pal? Can we Make A Deal?" the Combaticon says, "I'm sure a craft of this size has a gigantic cargo hold that can hold gigatons of valuables."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Jan 31 11:44PM CST >--------------------
Nightlash frowns as the bars don't move. "Aww, and that was my good distaction bomb, too." She mutters and places Safelight between herself and the sentries as she goes to work. "Don't worry! I'm working on it...uh, um..." She looks at the drones. "OH! LOOK! A Decepticon is over there! We're hiding for our own safety and lives!" She points at Swindle frantically to try and divert the drones' attention. "Save us! Save us please!" She grumbles. "...I need a bigger bomb... And...ugh! Could you please be more menacing, Swindle? You're terrible at being the bad mech here!"
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Jan 31 11:53PM CST >----------------------
Drones are drones, though, they can't really be reasoned with. They don't respond to any of Nightlash's pleas. They do, however, respond to Swindle's and Safelight's designations. "Autobot Safelight identified. Status: Ally. Clearance level: 0. Decepticon Swindle identified. Status: Criminal. Unidentified citizen's refusal to cooperate will result in detainment. Priority: Decepticon. Action: Arrest insurrectionist." 
Well at least Swindle is a good distraction, right? The drones immediately move to arrest Swindle, firing stun weapons at him. Safelight and Nightlash are ignored...for now.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Jan 31 11:55PM CST >---------------------
"Whoa whoa, WHOA. Criminal? Mech, who ARE you?" Swindle exclaims, "I'm just a humble, honest businessmech! Cross my spark and hope to terminate!"
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 12:00AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash continues to mess with the door until...a thought strikes. She pulls out a few more explosive devices. "I have evidence of his criminal activity! Magnetic remote explosives!" She pushes a few buttons on the faces of each and runs up to slap them on the drones. Look! She has one for each. Wonderful, no? 
 
She then looks back at Safelight. "Wait...that's probably not the best thing to do, right? Blow up the good-guys? Ahwell, they'd just be a pain anyway." She shrugs. "Eventually." There's a cough. "Anway, Decepticon explosives! That...Swindle probably got from something not a Decepticon." She pulls out the remote detonator and offers it to Safelight. "Wanna push it? It's shiny and red, and a button."
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 12:04AM CST >----------------------
"Wait, what??" Safelight looks completely boggled as the drones begin heading after Swindle, and Nightlash begins to mess with them by putting explosives on them. "What are you doing?? WHY?? We can't blow up the drones. That's...that's WRONG! Do you get that? Miss, we can't go around blowing up drones! It's just --wrong--!!"
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Feb 01 12:12AM CST >----------------------
Swindle's efforts to talk his way out of this one are far from fruitful. Had they been people, it would have been different, but they aren't. "If you cooperate, you will not be harmed." A pair of stasis cuffs is brought out of a compartment on one of them as they continue to attempt to knock him out with stun weapons.
They don't appear to notice the explosives Nightlash is placing, but when she gets close to them, one of them turns and trains its weapons on her. "Identify yourself, or you will be detained until compliance is detected."
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Feb 01 12:13AM CST >---------------------
"OK, these are just dummies, let's knock 'em out," Swindle says, pulling out a weapon and shooting at the drones. "Ain't nobody putting stasis cuffs on me!"
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 12:14AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash awwws. "You mean like...wrong-wrong?" She frowns, looking conflicted. "Well, when you put it that way... I mean, yeah, I get it. They're kinda brainless, operating on a basic set of programmed logic and commands, probably can't tell good from bad...but, you know what? I guess in the end, you just can't hate them for doing their job." She reaches out, resting a hand on Safelight's shoulder. "Thank you for clarifying that. You've given me a lot to think about. But, you know...they might get Swindle in the blast, too." She shrugs and just presses the button.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 12:19AM CST >----------------------
Safelight nods as he looks up at Nightlash -- then he flips out when she presses the 'blow up the drones' button. "Aieee!!!" With nowhere in the narrow area to hide or escape, the mini just gloms onto Nightlash's leg and braces for the explosion.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Feb 01 12:30AM CST >----------------------
The bombs go off, blowing up the drones. Given this is a fairly tight space, the shrapnel from the destroyed machines goes flying into everything and -everyone-. The shaft they are in groans and collapses, crashing through the ceiling of the room below and sending everyone tumbling downward into said room. It's completely dark in here, but from what can be seen it appears to be another storage vault like the other one they saw, but larger. Wait is that something red and glowing in the center?
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 12:35AM CST >----------------------
"Aaah! We're falling! Ow, I got sharp things in me! Help!!" Safelight wails as the bombs go off and they collapse into another chamber. "...What happened?? Where are we? Can we get out of here?? ...Wait, what's THAT??" He's nearly frantic, now, as the red glowing object illuminates things dimly.
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 12:36AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash groans as she falls. The shrapnel is a pretty nasty thing, too. "Well...that worked about as poorly as I expected it to. I mean...you know, thinking back on it after it happened and revising my expectations...." She grumbles. "Think this might have been a bad idea. You alive?" She eyes the red thing. "Ooooh...I like that. I think. For now."
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Feb 01 12:37AM CST >---------------------
Swindle acks as he falls, landing with a thud. He rubs his optics and stares at the glowing redness. "Uh, guys, I don't think we're alone in here."
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Feb 01 12:48AM CST >----------------------
If any of them move to examine the object more closely, they'll find that it looks to be a spherical containment field with something inside of it. Something vaguely familiar. Perhaps someone will recognize it...but it looks like the vamparc weapon Zeta Prime used in Nyon, and the one Megatron created for himself to use against Optimus. The field is floating about a circular console that displays a number of readouts. Without much technical knowledge, they might not understand what all of them mean but one thing is clear--this sure isn't headed for the waste compactor...
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 12:52AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash just watches, and then her optics widen with absolute glee. "Oh...this one is absolutely mine." She looks back at Swindle and tosses something his way. "Here! Catch." Just...ignore the flashy-light as she darts to close the distance between the 'unknown device' and herself to make a grab at it. "Because...I need the room to store this thing."
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 12:53AM CST >----------------------
"...Definitely a weapon of some kind," Safelight murmurs. "...But why is it out here, with a bunch of drones? I don't even know the answer to that." He balks as Nightlash decides to swipe it. "Wait, you're not going to --- ohhh, never mind," he groans. "I'm in so much trouble. Sooo much trouble. All I wanted to do was to get away from the talk for a while! Why did I get out of my recharge berth today? Whyyyy?"
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Feb 01 01:09AM CST >---------------------
"Ooooh lookit this will ya," Swindle says, "There ARE goodies in here!" He investigates the glowy object with glee. "How much for this thing?" he asks out loud, hoping someone who is in the position of selling can hear him.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Feb 01 01:13AM CST >----------------------
If any of them have watched footage of the battles at Iacon (or were there personally), upon closer examination the weapon is definitely some version of Megatron's vamparc annihilator or Zeta's vamparc 'ribbon'. Unfortunately Nightlash won't be able to just grab it, it's enclosed within a sperical containment field, the generator is probably somewhere in the room.
But then, the doors to the room slide open suddenly to reveal several security personnel. Not just drones, but people this time. Most of them are fairly bulky mechs, and they're armed to the teeth. Also they don't look happy. One of them points at the group. "Get them!" he calls out, and they charge forward with glowing energy lances. There's probably a reason they aren't using firearms in here.
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 01:15AM CST >----------------------
"I SURRENDER!!" Safelight wails when he sees the security personnel. "I didn't do anything! I don't even know what happened! I didn't blow anything up! I'm not a sympathizer, I SWEAR!"
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Feb 01 01:18AM CST >---------------------
"Oh slag. Ohslagohslagohslag," Swindle mutters. "What do you guys have against an honest mech trying to earn an honest orn's living?" he says to the security personnel. "Can we make a deal? You let me go, and I pay 100,000 shanix for the device there."
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 01:20AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash blinks. An energy field? Seriously? And...Swindle's talking about selling things? She sighs and just looks at her own dwindling arsenal before grabbing Safelight. "Slag to this. No surrenders! Hey security! Shoot the Decepticon!" She kicks her engines into gear and takes one last little device out, dropping it and kicking it into gear to drag the mini-bot out. "Cover your optics!" She laughs loudly and presses the button. No explosions, just a big, bright flash of light.
---------------------< Prowl Posed on Feb 01 01:27AM CST >----------------------
"No deal. We're bought out already." The leader of the squadron says roughly in response to Swindle. They're not in the mood for bargaining. They were almost on top of the group when the flash grenade goes off, stunning them momentarily and giving the motley crew a chance to dash out into the hallway and rush out the exit at the end of it. 
Once outside, they'll find themselves on the shores of the Mithtril Sea--and the transport is heading -into- it. Purposefully, it would seem. Armor shifts and panels rotate as it appears to convert into some kind of submersible vehicle. But they probably shouldn't stand and watch it go under, it won't be long before those mechs regain their composure and come after them!
---------------------< Arcee Posed on Feb 01 01:30AM CST >----------------------
Safelight gets hoisted straight out of that transport, and is now Nightlash's companion. He stares down as they fly upward, and...for once, he isn't complaining. Either he's terrified into silence, or perhaps he feels like this rogue femme has done him a favor of sorts, and he needs to just go with it. Whatever 'it' may be.
--------------------< Swindle Posed on Feb 01 01:31AM CST >---------------------
Swindle acks and scrambles up where Nightlash went, hastening his retreat!
-------------------< Nightlash Posed on Feb 01 01:32AM CST >--------------------
Nightlash is probably a bit rougher with her handling than most and tosses Safelight up, transforming beneath the mech before catching him on her back and rocketing off, her drone popping free to circle around for a quick snapshot of the 'ship' itself before the speed is applied to get well out of the way of retaliation. She'll drop him somewhere. Probably Iacon. Maybe Vos. But most likely Iacon...
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