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| - 11/1/2012 05:12 PM The Autobots have started a second endeavour into Cybertrons' underlayers to try and find the last few parts needed to begin repairs on Iacons' Dome. The dome is damaged, remember - limiting the Autobots ' passage into and out of the city and endangering others as well. With Iahex under siege, this was a double-bad thing for the Autobots. Ratchet leads the way, with Shark along, and two volunteers - Mouse and Sixshot, both on the Autobots' tab for being resourceful and willing to assist. Now they were back in the pipe and pump room, where Shark had been attacked by something underwater. This part of the complex was knee-deep in surprisingly fresh water, with the first part of the hopeful parts up ahead. Shark is not afraid of the water, even after that attack. He trudges through it as he makes his way to where he figures they'll find the parts they'll be needing. "Don't be surprised if you feel something move against you with the water this high." he notes, "All sorts of critters live in the water down here. Like cybereels for example." Ratchet trudges on after Shark, keeping a good eye out for Big Cogs and other useful equipment he's not going to pass up as well as anything rising from the water. "Sludge'd love this." Road Runner moves along, looking around as she does...a look of ewww on her face at all the water. She shivers a bit, wondering where all this liquid came from. Shark chuckles at that comment from the Doc, "Yeah he would. Could have used him. But Prime needed him for something else." Sixshot sloshes through the tunnel, hunched over as a result of the low ceiling, and arms slightly crossed to keep his weapons from scraping the walls. Otherwise he doesn't seem terribly fazed by this place. He can deal with the damp and dark for an easy lump of credits...or so he hopes. It was quiet here, except for the mad rush of water in the distance. It filled ones' senses entirely, although it was not loud enough to need to shout over. There's the odd clank here too, and what MAY be whispers... but it may also be gurgles and tricklings of water out of old rusted machinery. A giant fan at the end of the passageway seems a promising place to look at, the huge blades covered in.. ick, and immobile. Road Runner frowns shaking her head. Walking in who knows what, looking for parts that have to be ruined by all the moisture. What are the odds anything usefull actually will be usefull. She shrugs to herself, a raft..thats what they need. Shark spots the location they'll be looking around in, "Okay let's spread out. May have to check beneath the water too, but hopefully we'll find stuff in the storage bins and such where they are dry." He moves toward the large fan to hunt around it. Ratchet points at the huge blades, unfazed by the ick. If you've had your hands in people's energon lines, ick is negotiable. "There, lets take a look". Ratchet trudges towards it, intent on finding what we need. Sixshot holds his position, confident nothing will get past him. He keeps an eye toward the darkness behind the group, making sure at least one cannon is free for a good shot in either direction, but still looks at Ratchet out of the corner of the other. Suddenly, everyone feels the ground shifting under their feet... hiddenin the water, it was hard to tell why, but suddenly the entire floor drops from under the adventurers' feet, sending them plummeting downwards in a rush of water! They do not fall very far, instead landing in another pool that cushions their fall - the water also fresh-ish, although this seemed more like a pit, with no lights, and much quieter now, with glowing pairs of lights ringing the top. Road Runner hmmms, and eeps as the bottom falls out. Splashy goes the bot....she never studied law..how did gravity get a hold of her. Yes, yes..this was a dandy idea....a pump..yes a pump to get rid of this liquid..that would have been a good idea. Shark falls down when the floor drops out from under him. Luckily he's built to deal with water. He flicks his headlights on and peers around to see if there is a way out - like a ladder, a tunnel... something. "I do not like this." he mutters. Ratchet falls with an almighty splash, not having been able to grab on to anything and not being an elegant faller or swimmer before coming up sputtering "Great! Just great!" Ratchet mutters before lookign around to see if the others are alright. Sixshot was looking everywhere but down, so this catches him completely off guard. With both hands holding weapons, he has time only to subspace one and steady himself as he goes down into the drink, coming up a moment later gun-first. "W-what was that?" There's a chuckle from up top. It seems those pairs of eyes were actually robots! They remained mostly in the dark, And one calls down "Nice going, Autobots! We were hoping for Decepticons, but we'll take you instead!" it wasnt a pleasant voice to hear. There's more movement, people running about. Maybe a dozen mechs total. But then a rumbling voice returns "Stand down, Rustbucket. We dont harm Autobots and you know it." OUtrider rumbles as he steps into the faint light caused by Shark, glaring across the water-pit where the Autobots were held. Road Runner shrugs her shoulders at Sixshots question, as she turns the voice. She looks at the source, then at the water. She scratches her head a moment, as she ponders the ongoing conversation. Trying to catch Decepticons in a pit of liquid...but they fly. How would they fall in a pit....she looks as if she is about to point out the flaw in their logic...then stops herself...best not to antagonize them/ Ratchet looks up at they eyes looking down "Well if you don't harm Autobots, how about giving us a hand up?" Sixshot briefly considers replying that he isn't an Autobot, but then thinks better of it when he hears about who they don't harm. His optics narrow, and he scopes out the area. "Eleven. Fifteen tops." he mumbles to the closest in his group. He flicks his head to one side for a moment, then tilts one of his cannons to look at the charge level. Even 20 shouldn't be a problem, long as they go down with one shot, he thinks to himself. Shark looks toward the interloper as he steps into the light, giving him a glance over as his hands plant upon his hips. "So what gives with the trap?" he asks, "And why would in the name of Primus do you think the Cons would come down here?" "We need the energon, Outrider! We can't be picky or choosy about where our energon comes from." snarled the first one. Outrider merely shook his head, and turned away from the other one. Apparently he was the mech in charge here as he knelt at the pits' edge. There's a gurgling noise, and water starts to be pumped out "You're not THAT far from Polyhex you know." he rumbles "We often get them to chase one of us down here into the trap. They can't fly out once they're down there. However, we still have a problem - I cannot let you go free." he explains as he stood once more. "We wasted good energon setting this trap up, and we cannot afford to waste any. If you want out, you'll have to pay." Ratchet answers mildly "that's extortion. Are you just after energon or do you take other trades as well?" Ratchet says, "As if you take others, I can patch up any of your injured."" Shark snorts softly at that one, "Fine." he waves a hand in a 'whatever' sort of way. A glance at the doc, "Hmm yeah, would you consider a trade? Not like we are carrying energon on us." Road Runner raises an eyebrow....trade. Right.....there looking for part, like they have something with them. Unless they give them Sixshot...she turns and eyes him a moment, a friendly smile on her face. Trying to look paranoid, Sixshot backs up gently into Ratchet. "I could bring him down here with us. That would make our bargaining position a whole lot easier...if you get my meaning" he mumbles while pretending to regain his footing. The first mech chuckles a little bit. He sits on the edge of the pit, dangling his feet down. Outrider considers the option, then states "We need no repairs at this time. But we will trade for parts and other things. Once upon a time I would even take a promise, but these days are tighter than ever, and without collateral I couldnt risk it. What do you seek inside Cybertrons' underlayers that brings you so far from home? " The ground around them was now dry, but the gate - it had been underwater - was still locked. Sixshot eyes the mech with disdain. "Ratchet? What about it?" he mumbles with urgency in his voice. Ratchet steadies Sixshot for a moment and looks up "We're looking for big cogs to fix Iacon. And we're not leaving any of us behind as collateral. That's not acceptable. You can come back with is to Iahex if you want to pick up ...whatever we agree on. " Ratchet says quietly to Sixshot, outsie of others audial range "No shooting until we absolutely have to." Road Runner crosses her arms in front of her, then starts to pace around a bit. Only half listening to the batering going on. Shark glances over at Sixshot, considering that option. "No." his tone firm. Then toward the mech above them, "Looking for stuff we need. So I tell you what, how about you release one of us to get you some energon." A glance at the doc now, who outranks him. "But then the medic here has the say at the moment so guess I should take that back." He rolls his shoulders, "So guess you got yourselves prisoners til our backup shows up, and trust me they /will/ show up. Then you can deal with a really peeved Prime." Ratchet nods "That'd be acceptable. But we aren't leaving any single or two people behind. " Shark nods to the doc, "All right then. I offer myself as the one to get the energon." he states. "I dont know if i like the sound of backup " rumbles Outrider as he crouches to peer down at them "I'd rather have a hands on dealing with those in front of me - It saves time, and it shows you yourself can lead without needing Optimus all the time. Shows you have independence, right? " he rumbles, amusedly "But if you really want to wait, I'm good with that too. And Cogs? " he considers, his optics dimming "What are they worth to you? Fix Iacon, you mean the defense dome?" Ratchet says, "yeah we want to fix the defense dome. Unless you want decepticons coming at you from both sides, and that is going to happen." He looks up looks up "Name your price and we'll decide if its reasonable. If it is, Shark and one other go and get the energon or items. If its not, you deal with Prime. Deal?"" Sixshot rolls his shoulders, and shifts his weight, looking at Shark. He says nothing but the impatience is clear in his optics. Looking up at the mech above, his fingers twitch with anticipation. Road Runner gets near the edge, and leans against it. Watching up towards the top of the pit. Pondering where this is all going.....as she eyes gate and how it's attached. Idly listening to the world class negotiations going on. Unknown to all of them, the scavenging Autobots have an ace up their sleeve. Unfortunately their ace is one of the most foul tempered... and rebellious. But it was better than nothing as Sunsteaker comes around the corner, looking at the neutrals and seeing the Autobots trapped underground. He considered just shooting at them, but he got a better idea. Picking up something, he throws it on one of the puddles forming from one of the leaking pipelines, creating a distraction. The sound Echoes around the room. Outrider narrows his eyes and guestures, one of the others joining up with two more to go and investigate. "WE need energon, but will take good quality spare parts as well. What do you have on you? " he asks "We could use tires especially, and fan belts I believe. Anything at all you are willing to offer." Shark shakes his head a bit at the mech above him as he hears something above clink against a puddle above them. "I said that we aren't carrying any energon on us. Things are not exactly wonderful for us Autobots either you know." Sixshot tilts his head down slightly, at Outrider's dangling limbs. "I could take his legs off. We can sell 'em back to him." Sixshot growls quietly into Ratchet's audial. "Real nice-like, easy to put back on." He turns slightly, getting a solid gap between Ratchet and one of his weapon arms, just in case. "I'll give 'em spare parts..." he mumbles to himself. Ratchet glances over at Sixshot "stand down Sixshot. I can get spare tires. " he says softly, grimly "after all, we have enough." He doesn't mention that some of the parts were scavenged from fallen friends. "And its pretty clear they're hurting worse than us." he looks up "We dont' have energon on us. But we can do tires." Ratchet says, "And if you can do us big cogs, we can probably find some more spare parts."" Road Runner hmmms as all this seems quite interesting. Though finding gears is a temporary fix in her mind. Finding a foundry that could make things like gears, now that would be usefull. Outrider shifts a little bit. He glances across the way to the other mech, who was currently playing with a knife, and then back down once more "Tires will do then. Do you have spares on you or will we have to extend this 'transaction'? I can send a few runners out to find large Cogs for you as well, though no guarantees on that front." A sneer from the other mech as he stood, on the edge right over sixshot. "Why are you wasting our time?? They have energon and you know it! These are desperate times and we cant' afford to play all nicey nicey!" Sixshot tilts his head down again, and rolls his shoulders, but still looking above at the whiny mech. "You had better be right about this, Ratchet." he growls, then returns eye contact. "If not, I know who I'm starting with..." he says out of the corner of his mask. Ratchet slightly inclines his head to Sixshot, acnowledging and accepting the comment. He turns to the mech who spoke "Desperate times call for cooperation and trade of resources, not for taking what you can get once. Desperate times call for allies not enemies, we all have too many of those to afford more. Enemies who will happily take not just our energon but our lives as well as yours. " he turns to Outrider "All we have with us is what you see on us. But if you find us those large cogs we'll have to have someone return to Iahex anyway, so we can combine that and trade with you for those at the same time. Shark glances over at the doc, "Want me to come with you or stay here? Up to you doc." he notes. A slight frown at Sixshot's continued comments. "We'll be ending up as parts ourselves if you keep that up." he snaps. Ratchet shakes his head "Shark, y ou and sixshot will be going back" The mech sneers at Sixshot "Big man for a mech stuck in a pit." he growls, pointing his knife at Sixshot form where he stood. A rope ladder is flipped down to help two Autobots up to go get the part. Outrider watches with a rumble "You are under my protection here. Just ignore Rustbucket. Everyone does." he states, not at all worried that he insulted the mech who snarled once more. Road Runner hmmms, right....ok. This should be interesting....she pictures them getting to the top, and just killing everyone...well that would work too. So many options when they actually get out of the pit. The mech sneers at Sixshot "Big man for a mech stuck in a pit." he growls, pointing his knife at Sixshot form where he stood. A rope ladder is flipped down to help two Autobots up to go get the part. Outrider watches with a rumble "You are under my protection here. Just ignore Rustbucket. Everyone does." he states, not at all worried that he insulted the mech who snarled once more. And sadly, they only let the two leaving out of the pit. Shark heads up first, not exactly trusting Sixshot not to keep his guns offline. "We'll head to Iacon and back." he notes to Outrider, "Shouldn't take us too long." a glance at Sixshot, "You wanna carry energon or tires on the way back?" he asks, ready to head out in a hurry. Sixshot climbs the ladder, his eye on anything but. Getting up and out, "I don't care either way." he says, and finally subspaces his weapons, looking toward the exit.
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