Autobot Bound

++ Free Clinic ++

Flat, dull gray inside and made of the same cobbled together materials as
the rest of the area, the Free Clinic is a haven of help for the
downtrodden that live in this area. Staffed by kind-sparked mechs and
femmes who volunteer their free time and materials to help, Empties can
find live-saving medical help here, as well as energon supplies when they
are desperately low. There aren't many circuit slabs here, and everything
from the equipment to the tools are donated, but they all function as
needed. Chairs for waiting rest against the wall near the door, while a
recovery ward in the back sees patients that need time to rest and reboot
from serious medical trauma.

Contents:
Orion Pax

Exits:
O [Dead End]

How quickly everything changes.

The panic that now sweeps over Cybertron is not something that Wheeljack is immune to. If anything, he has his own healthy injection of it on top of what has begun to happen. It has motivated a great many things in the past several hours, the most of which have been a great number of creative thoughts in his mind. Wheeljack is an inventor, an engineer and most of all, a problem-solver. Feint's visit to him and Torque prior to the Senate's slaughter provided a near insurmountable problem and all the solutions seem to continue to point to one bot; Orion Pax.

Wheeljack, stationed at the Kimia Facilty, \*had\* access to a great many things. He used those things to craft a device to triangulate a probably path that Orion Pax and his mysterious band of Outliers might of tracked and beamed down a message along all of it. Jackie went on to configure a number of arrays to seek out those OUtlier signals to send a message to each of those pinpointed spots too... and then promptly smashed every piece of equipment he used to do so. If he could then maybe someone else could as well? It will have to do, mostly because Jackie won't be going back to work at Kimia. He resigned.

So now Jack paces in Ratchet's clinic in Dead End, holed up there with Torque. He's lost every job he's every had, every lab he's ever been a part of, and all he has left - Torque foremost and a handful of trusted friends - he's scared to lose now. Yet all he can do... He looks up to Torque as he retraces his steps AGAIN. "All we can do now is wait."

After attempting - and failing - to find what was left of Megatron within the monster that has become the tyrant and would be dictator, Orion Pax is crestfallen. But there is still the mission. The goal. He has his group, and they are now in even more desperate straights. His reasoning for darkening the clinic's door is simple. If any of the Senate was evacuated, they may have been brought here for repair if they feared the Decagon fallen.

As he arrives, he is on guard. Pax is no fool. He knows that the corruption could have spread deep and wide. Noticing only the femme and mech, Orion visibly seems to relax at least. "Good day, Wheeljack. Torque. I had hoped to visit on more.. pleasant terms. But that seems to have passed."

Torque is stubborn, so unlike Wheeljack, who smartly resigned, she still holds her position at the Decagon. In her mind she still has a job to do, so she's not going to let any of this unfolding chaos stop her. But for now, after getting radio confirmation from Jack that the message was sent, she's stuck sitting in the clinic she still returns to now and then, only this time she isn't waiting on a patient.

"Do you think he got your message?" She speaks a moment after he does, looking unsuredly to him. But of course she speaks too soon as the mech they'd been waiting on appears in the entryway. Standing up straight, all her attention focuses on the large mech now. Usually she would be glad to see him, but she can only frown when speaking up and waving him in. "Pax.. I know, but.. we're still glad you could make it. We were told by... an aquaintence to speak to you. Here, come in."

That is not the entrance that he expected! The humbleness of it strikes Wheeljack, so much so that he does something he's rarely done. His faceplate is kind of a personal guard, a sign of his defensiveness and more commonly, his insecurities. So he doesn't retract it unless he's with someone he likes or trusts. Right now? It slips back to reveal a smile as he shares his hopeful excitement. Maybe things can work out?

"Yes, please," he urges, though he steps back to let Torque to do most of the 'hosting'. This is far more her space than his, despite his makeshift synthetic energon lab on the roof. Plus, Torque has met Pax before and this if jack's first time.

"Ain't gonna' get much better any time soon," he's afraid. And Wheeljack is, afraid, despite trying not to show it. "Torque's referring to a former student a'mine, real brief 'fore she got taken by Halogen to the Senate. She told us 'bout him, Halogen, plannin' to use her to change all their minds. And worst stuff too. What's gone down ain't all of it." 'It' being the 'bad stuff' happening right now.

Seeing the expression of the two Autobots causes Orion Pax to stiffen for a moment. With the massacre, Sentinel's ominous silence, and his debate with Megatron, he's the only voice left. The former police chief draws in an intake of air and bolsters up a better expression. "Yes. I was informed of Feint's capture by the Decepticons last night. I can only assume that their reasons are impure, or they would have already executed her out of hand. I want to apologize, my friends.." he is willing to refer to them as such, Torque he has met and spoke with before, and while Wheeljack is new - he has heard rumor and circumstance of the inventor's good works.

"...I realize that even if I had been present last cycle I would not have made much of a difference, but I have not been there as much as I should have been in this time of crisis. And I have let down others in my wake." His thoughts drift to Shiftlock for a moment and how she is now gone, but he shakes that off physically. "It is time however, for change to be made. I am not sure if you realize the reason for my abscene.. Feint was aware of it. She is one of the reasons why I left after all. The group of Autobots that came with me are all unique and have special talents that set them apart from anyone else. Those mechs and femmes were being hunted down to be destroyed or experimented on. I could not stand by willingly and allow that to happen. So I took them with me against Sentinel Prime's orders and departed. However, there are those that remained behind to assist me. Feint was one of them. With her capture, I realize that I will need to step up in the responsibility of recovering her. Therefore..." the large bot draws in a sigh.

"I have decided to try to ally myself further with Nyon and Hot Rod in the hopes that they will assist me with a raid on Kaon, not only to rescue Feint, but to evacuate anyone from there that does not wish to be part of Megatron's tyrannical rule. But I know I cannot do this alone. I will need support both on the field and off. I know you are both medics and I cannot ask you to come to the front with me. But when we return - can you be ready to help those that will need it the most?"

To anyone this would be grave news and a tough decision. Not everyone wants to be involved with this growing war, or even be slightly associated with it. But Torque? Torque can only smile warmly to the big bot before them. "You ask that like we'd say no." She smirks to Wheeljack before looking back to Pax. "We're in this for the long haul, Pax. We pretty much made our dues when we helped out Rung, so there's pretty much no going back. And I may not be a genius behind the scenes like Jack is, but if you need an extra hand on the front line, then you came to the right femme." Her smile grows as a fist punches softly into the palm of her other hand.

"And besides, I owe a debt to Kaon. Wasn't the best place, but it made me who I am, so I'm ready and willing to help out those there that can't help themselves." Torque then steps up to Orion, straight shouldered and sure of herself as she smiles warmly. "And don't go beatin' yourself up, alright? You can't be everywhere at once, but that's why you've got Bots like us on your side to help out when you can't be there. And with all of us working together, we'll make that difference. You're a great mech, Pax, so I trust you completely to lead us." And with that she holds out her hand to shake. "Consider me on board."

Wheeljack is so onboard with Torque answering for him because she does it so well. She knows his mind about this. He's only sorry that it's taken him this long to become aware of it himself. Plus, maybe a couple those bots in need at standing right here, in front of Pax, Jack thinks. Even if the Senate is dead or busy, if an inkling of what Feint warned is true then neither of them are safe no matter where they might hide. Fighting back seems like the wisest decision, especially when there are things worth fighting for.

He thumbs to her. "I ain't near the fighter she is, Pax but... even that. I'm in, if you need me. Truth is, I ain't exactly sure what all I \*can\* do... but I'm willin' to find out. Lots if gonna' get tore down and smashed, so if there's a hand to be lent i makin' sure it gets put back together right, then that's somethin' I'd be proud to be a part of." It's not just a matter of him following Torque wherever she wants to go - though he would - but Jack believes in this too. It feels \*right\*. He's unsure about a great many things in his life but he's always been happiest when he's chased after the things that felt best. Granted, some of that has blown up in his face and this might too... but it's a risk worth ttaking.

"Before everythin' else, I was a teacher. I kinda' specialize in the weird, being a weirdo myself," he chuckles. So maybe not frontline material like Torque but if those outliers need some help figuring things out...

"I was an academic before I became a peace officer, Wheeljack. I worked in the Hall of Records. This was my decision to make and while it may weigh a little heavier at the moment.." he gives Torque a chagrined smile. "It is one that I can handle." Straightening his frame, the mech just shakes his head.

"I fear this is just the beginning of something much much larger. It will cost you much, it will cost us all a lot. But if one stands aside and allows tyranny to take charge, then we are no better than what Megatron and his allies claim us to be." he admits with a glance between the two. He gives Torque's hand a polite pat as the mech nods. "At least it seems I have the chance to evacuate those from Kaon that do not wish to be there unmolested. But it may give me the opening to get into the Forge and rescue Feint in the process. At least that is my hope. I thank you both for the path that you have chosen to follow."

"We'd already lost a lot even before all this happened, Pax." Torque admits, looking to Wheeljack. "Even before Megatron and the Decepticons, the Senate kept us all down and it was a miracle that anyone could break away from their lot in life." Case in point, Wheeljack, to whom she smiles to. "So if this is our chance to fight against a growing tyrant and the government itself, then I have no issue with dedicating myself to this cause."

She then turns back to Orion Pax and nods sternly. "If you're going to the Forge, then please, take me with you. I know that area top to bottom, so I can help you find Feint quicker."

Wheeljack has lost... well, his classroom and every lab he's ever been a part of, even the one he's recently resigned from. He's never really wanted for anything thought, yet looking to Torque to meet her glance... there is definitely much to hold onto. Despite that desire to cling... Wheeljack is smart enough to know just how much is at risk for all of Cybertron. These Decepticons and the loss of the Senate is only one problem that plagues the planet ... but one issue at a time. So, as much as he would wish to see Torque safe, he does know exactly what kind of bot she is and what she needs to do. "She's been there, fought in it, even met Megatron a time or two." He tries to smile, manages it some. "She'd be great to have on hand too. Patch ya' up right quick when needed and has a mighty right hook too," he vouches. If they are going to do this, if \*he\* is going to do this then Wheeljack will approach it like he has anything else in his life; he's all in.

"It ain't 'bout what we could lose, Pax. It's 'bout what we can yet still make of it. What we can build it into." And Pax sounds like he's got some good tools to get that done.

"We are only at the beginning, Wheeljack, Torque. We have a long way to go. And it will most likely not get better from here." Pax finds himself admitting before he offers a wan smile to both of the Autobots. "However, we will make it happen." he finally says before his radio goes off and he lifts it to listen before he lets out a sigh. "Put out one fire and another begins. If you will both pardon me?" he asks as he starts to step back to depart.