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>>35592014
Arriving on the ship Novas' Promise, the two of you greeted its master Cogsworth. The foppish little bot was just as you remembered him, all silver and blue, rounded edges and a preening manner. While he had been happy that his business partner had returned safely, the amount of contriband, and a new passenger, had soured his attitude. He clearly didn't want you onboard.

By subtley mentioning that your illegal hardware could be hidden in the many secret compartments your sensors were picking up on you had got the diminuative merchant to, not shut up, but atleast stop groaning about the contriband.

Then came the real arguing. Kaamos was very out of the way, far into the outer spiral. Cogsworth claimed he had wasted enough time and resources flying Gyro around for her vendetta, and traveling across the galaxy to Quintesson space, for no profit, was out of the question. While you had been a part of the argument at first, once the twoo of them started talking about quotas and profit margins you had bowed out of the conversation. It seems Gyro and Cogsworth had started a small bussiness while you were out.

So after that the two of you had grumbled and rambled your way to Gyros' room and got tanked on cheap chemical intoxicants.

Now that you are awake and sober it is time to figure out how to convince Cogsworth to take you to Ultimecha, or decide on some other course of action.

>Go have a talk with Cogsworth.
>Wake Gyro up and discuss plans.
>Go meet with the rest of the crew, according to Gyro there are a couple who want to speak with you.
>Drink some more.
>Other (please specify)

>>35592055
>>Go have a talk with Cogsworth.

>>35592055
>>Go meet with the rest of the crew, according to Gyro there are a couple who want to speak with you.

Oh hey, caught this one on time

>>35592326
Grumbling to yourself about weird music you leave the beige room through its sliding mechanical door and make your way through the ship. You pass through well lit corridors lined with vidscreens and carved frescoes, your sensors detecting hidden spaces in the walls and floor. You also detect a small number of Cybertroian energy signatures around you. Four, if you had to guess.

Ignoring them you head to the bridge guided by engraved signs on the walls.

The bridge is a large two story affair. A lower level sits at the front with various controls and computers displaying schematics and statistics. The upper level is wide and empty, a single high backed chair bolted in the middle.

The chair swings around as you climb the three steps up to its platform.

"Ah, hello again." Cogsworth greets you. Small, with a thin body and a tacky amount of sapphires embedded into his hull and silver gears clicking and turning on his chestplate, the little merchant is probably only as tall as your knee. His slouching posture and indifferent tone shows how much he cares about you and your scowl.

>You and me need to talk some business.
>Nice ship. How have you managed to do so well for yourself with the fall and everything?
>Listen runt, your taking me where I want to go or where I can get other transport. (Intimidate)
>Other (please specify)

>>35593152
>Nice ship. How have you managed to do so well for yourself with the fall and everything?

Let's hold off on the intimidation for a bit later.

>>35593152
>>Nice ship. How have you managed to do so well for yourself with the fall and everything?

We do need more info on what's going on in the galaxy.

>>35593259
>>35593295

You nod to him then glance around the bridge."Nice ship. How have you managed to do so well for yourself with the fall and everything?"

"I have done the same thing I did before the fall. I supply goods to those in need. While my clientele has expanded a thousand fold due to the loss of our beloved Cybertron, supplies have become far more limited. And expensive."

"So you're putting the squeeze on the remnants of our people." You growl.

"Hardly! I sell cheaper then others. Thanks to our friend Gyro I have a steady supply of fuel for conversion. She has a real knack for geological surveying"

You nod again. She had mentioned making a lot of money doing that before the war.

"Who do you sell to?"

"Anyone who wont try taking it at gun point really. Which rules out most Decepticons and a few Autobots and Neutrals." He says with a shrug.

"You sell to Decepticons?" You ask with a skeptical look.

"Oh they're not all bad. With Straxus' new regime taking hold they are more content to consolidate and play war with the other races."

Wait, Straxus? "Lord High Governor Straxus? That relic?" You ask incredulously. He was old when you were first forged.

"Lord Admiral Straxus now. Of the True Decepticons." He says while waving his hands out grandiosely. "He claims leadership over the rest of them since he is the last true Decepticon from the uprising to get rid of the Quintessons. Many have flocked to his banner."

"No one challenged him?" Not that there were many you knew of who could.

"The few generals who remain from Megatrons' crusade have been... unproductive... so it seems. Isolating themselves and giving ground anytime Straxus throws his weight around."

You grunt at that.

Rising from his seat he says, "My main clientele are various neutral worlds hidden in the Beta and Delta sectors. " He waves a hand and a holographic screen appears. It shows the galaxy, covered in blobs of coloured light signifying occupied areas.
>(cont)

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>>35594090
"Along with those under the guidance of Tyrest here near the Galactic center. As you can see I stay well clear of most occupied space. The Vestial Imperium have apparently realized how weak our people are and attacks have been increasing in the Gamma sector but the Primal Vanguard are still holding them off, for the most part. Some of their drone swarms and servant races still get through and play pirate. Straxus has been using it as propaganda fuel to unite his forces against outsiders instead of ourselves."

Looking over the map you see that it will be hard to get where you want to go. Ultimecha is on the other side of the galaxy, through both Vestial and Quintesson space. It is nect to impossible to fly right through the galactic center and the long way around would take thousands of years.

"You know I tried to convince her not to do it." Cogsworth says suddenly.

"Hmm?"

He sighs."Go after that... thing... from the wharf. Suicide, I told her." He turns to you with an emphatic look on his face. "Our people have suffered to much for petty revenge."

>That's not for you to decide.
>Some things need closure, and something good did come from it.
>Change the subject.
>Other (please specify)

>>35594331
>Some things need closure, and something good did come from it.

It's not always petty.

>>35594364
With a growl you say, "Some things need closure, and something good did come from it."

"I suppose." He concedes. "Finding one of our own, still functioning, is good."

You walk over to his chair and slumps down.

"Honestly I was sure we'd lose Gyro on this little venture, but she surprises me with her good fortune once again."

A moment of silence passes as you examine the map. The only sounds are the gentle hum of the bridges computers and the persistent clicking of Cogsworths' decorative baubles.

"I notice there aren't any Autobot territories." You say at length.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Well I can't have that info out where anyone can see it. There are so few of them left, and the Decepticons still kill them on sight."

You cross your arms and turn back to him.

>You're very well informed. You know a way to get to Ultimecha, don't you?
>Listen. We need passage to Ultimecha, and I think you could profit from it.
>I'll talk to Gyro about what we should do.
>Thanks for your time. (go talk to other crew members)
>Other (please specify)

>>35595216
>>Listen. We need passage to Ultimecha, and I think you could profit from it.

They were moving some sort of new energon, right? We could bring back samples after we're done, maybe even plans on how to make it if we're lucky.

>>35595216
>Listen. We need passage to Ultimecha, and I think you could profit from it.

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>>35595299
>>35595341
"Listen. We need passage to Ultimecha, and I think you could profit from it."

He tilts his head, his brightly polished, winged helm gleaming. "Oh?"

"The 'Cons on Kaamos. Claimed they had a new energon. Some kind of new formula I guess. We get that or a sample from Swindle and you could make it big."

He sit there for a moment, his face betraying nothing. Leaning forward he taps his fingers together

"Did you see this energon?" He asks.

"No. But they had something. Something they almost died for."

He taps the chairs' armrests then says. "I'll consider it. But for now I have other matters to attend to."

With a grunt and a nod you walk out of the bridge, leaving the merchant to fiddle with a datapad he had pulled from somewhere.

Upon leaving you are greeted by one of the crew.

"Hey gruesome." She says and you narrow your optics. You recognize that voice.

Standing before you is a lithe transformer who is as tall as your chest. She is completely dark green, with a rounded helm with a pair of forked antennae and spiked shoulder. One of her arms is missing, a single wheel taking its place.

"...Dust?" You venture, trying to remember the injured Decepticons' name.

"Oh come on!" She says, slapping a datapad on her thigh. "You got it on the first go?"

"The voice and the arm gave it away." You say. Truthfully you had a nose for finding bot who underwent radical reconstruction. The more angular armour plating she had before was gone, her insignia as well.

"The slag you doing here?" You ask.

"I work here." She says while mimicking your incredulous tone. Then in her normal voice she say, "Name's Stiletto now."

>Question her.
>Greet her but move on, you have matters to discuss with Gyro.
>Go see the other crew member you were told about.
>Other (please specify)

>>35596413
>Question her.
Or just, you know, catch up.

>>35596413
>>Question her.

At least one thing we tried to accomplish didn't go down in flames, it seems.

>>35596413
Give her a hug and invite her to see the other person.

>>35596413
"Career change. I approve."

>>35596957
Sorry, forgot to drop the trip.

>>35596482
>>35596494

"Good to see your okay." You say. You mean it too, the wharf had been a spectacular mess from what you have heard.

"I should say that to you. Last I saw you were a purple explosion."

"I got better."

"So I see. And taller too."

You nod at that. The night before a drunken Gyro had spent what felt like hours lamenting that you were now taller than her.

"How 'bout you, whats with the new look." You ask while gesturing to her.

"Like it?" She says then spins. Her feet are constructed weirdly, the heels exaggerated in a way that reminds you of images of Vestial nobles. On her back are a pair of rounded, wing like shells that probably form a part of her alt mode.

"Needed a disguise to leave the Decepticons. Otherwise one day the DJD would show up and I'd be smelt for a warning sign."

"And now your working for Cogsworth?"

"It was... an expensive procedure. So now I get to be a secretary for the next few hundred years"

You nod at that. Full body reconstruction was intensely expensive since considering the intricate systems inherent to Cybertronians.

"I'm sure you make a fine administrator." You say knowing her criminal background.

"Pfft."

"So how about you?" She asks. "Whats with the fancy new chassis?"

"Rust me if I know." You grumble. "I just woke up like this a day ago. No explanations given."

"For free? Whaaat?"

You shrug.

"Stiletto!" Cogsworth calls.

"Coming boss!" She yells then hurries past you while rolling her optics.

>Go see the other bot.
>Go talk to Gyro.
>Other (please specify)

>>35597277
>>Go see the other bot.

>>35597277
>Go see the other bot.

We really do need to test out that quantum processor thing that's installed in us at some point.

Maybe have the ship drop us off on a dead planetoid and watch us from a safe distance?

>>35597277
>>Other (please specify)
Turn on our Quantum Processor.

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>>35597345
>>35597462
Standing outside the bridge you hear Cogsworth begin to rattle off question after question to the former 'Con, all of which she replies with either a 'yes sir' or 'no sir', the enthusiasm and chipperness in her voice clearly fake.

Shaking your head you begin traversing the corridor to where Gyro said you would meet a Cybertronian who she claimed was 'very eager to meet you'.

Along the way you pass numerous vidscreens depicting landscapes, images of space, and a few with news broadcasts from different races.

You pass one showing non-stop commercials for Quintesson products. Bio-mehcanical constructs meant for manual labour, combat and odd specialized tasks.

Along your way you enter a large and ornate room. Spanning two levels, it has a pair of sweeping chrome staircases that circle a massive crystal statue.

You know the figure the statue depicts, though you never met him personally. In all his winged glory, Nova prime stands immortalize, lights at the base of the statue light the work of art up like a star. You were old enough to have been there when the first Ark launched into he cold depths of space, only to be lost.

You grumble at history repeating itself.

Climbing the stairs you pass Cogsworths' bodyguard. The rotund Cybertronian has a pack of energon goodies in his hands and he nods his grey head to you as you pass.

You nod back and continue on your way.

After meandering through another set of corridors you finally arrive at your destination.

>Engineering.
>Medbay.
>The Armoury.
>The Lounge.
>Communications.

>>35598540
>>Engineering.

>>35598540
>Engineering

>>35598540
>The Lounge.

We've been dead for a while. We could use a drink.

>>35599008
But we were just doing that

>>35599150
>Stopping drinking
Are you feeling ok, anon? I think you need some hair of the dog.

>>35598540
>Engineering.

>>35598781
>>35598863

Passing under an embossed sign saying 'Engineering' you pass into a vast room full over active machinery. Pistons pump and hiss. Arcs of electricity dance along capacitors. Consoles covered in light and schematics blink and beep.

For a moment you find your sensors overwhelmed by the power surging around you but it slowly filters out the excess info and adjusts. The room is brightly lit and you don't see anyone around at first.

Edging your way around some machinery you duck under a burst of steam. There, ahead, you see a pair of legs sticking out of a large device.

They kick and wriggle as whoever it is turns in the machine.

Not wanting to disturb them and cause and accident you lean against the outer case of some device and wait.

The legs are thin, with blocky feet and knees. One of those knees comes up and strikes the machine and suddenly the whole device shuts down, its light go dark. You hear a muffle curse then another bang.

With a low whine it comes back to life, quieter than before.

Grunting the bot pushes themselves out of the device and back onto their feet.

Their body is slender, except for an oval chestplate that encloses their upper body, shoulders, and back . Their face is a solid, non-reflective mask. A single fin tops their helm, point angled forward. They are covered in grease and oil.

"How are ya." You say, loud enough to be heard over the noise.

Looking up from their hand, where you can see tiny tools sliding back into their fingers, they look at you, tilt their head. They raise a hand
by way of greeting.

"Name's Kracken. Heard you wanted to talk."

They stare at you for a moment. Slowly their face turns down and away, then jerks back up to yours.

You raise an optic brow.

Slowly the move towards you. A hand drifts out, and touches you lightly on the chestplate.

>"What the slag are you on?"
>"Okay... nice to meet you."
>"Hands off."
>"Say nothing.
>Other (please specify)

>>35599784
>>Other (please specify)
I NEED AN ADULT! I NEED AN ADULT!

>>35599784
>"Okay... nice to meet you."

>>35599784
>>"Okay... nice to meet you."
I think we have a fan.

>>35599784
It's the junkie, isn't it?

>>35600071
Turns out the junkie was a fembot, and is totally hot now and we have a three way waifu war for clang.

>>35599960
>>35600001

Still with one brow raised you say, "Okay... nice to meet you."

They snatch there hand back and shuffle back a few steps. Then, oddly, they bow.

"This one owes you a life debt." Their voice is hoarse and rough. Rising, you see the face mask part and retract. Inside is a thins, smooth face you somewhat recognize.

It takes you a moment as you sort through your memories. Raising a finger at them you say, "You're..."

"Yes." They interrupt nervously. "I'm... you saved me from myself, then from the fire as Uraya burned."

Oh. The junky. You were going to say Treble, that musician from Omnitron you saved that one time.

"Right." You say.

A moment passes with the bot nervously rubbing their hands and looking anywhere but you.

"And your name is?" You prompt.

"Oh!" They bow again. "Yes, this one is Glitch."

"Glitch?"

"Yes, that is what this one is." The say without meeting your gaze.

>"That's depressing, stop it."
>"You seem to be doing alright now, how have things been."
>"Mechanic eh?
>"You can quit being nervous, I'm not gonna bite ya."
>Other (please specify)

>>35600684
>"You seem to be doing alright now, how have things been."
>"Mechanic eh?

>>35600684
>>"You seem to be doing alright now, how have things been."
>>"Mechanic eh?

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>>35600777
>>35600780
"Well. You seem to be doing alright now. How have things been?"You point to their hands, the movement catching their nervous gaze. "Mechanic, eh?"

"Yes. This one needs to repay the kindness that has been shown by others, so this one does what work they can." Glitch bobs their head as they speak.

"Cogsworth had you fixed up? Must have cost a lot." You snarl slightly. The merchant seemed to have everyone in his debt.

"The master has been very generous."

"And you're alright?" You ask again while trying to get a good look at their optics. Simultronic use tended to cause variations in optic lights.

"Yes. This one is most comfortable." They say earnestly. But still their optics turn from yours uncomfortable.

>Press them about the nervousness.
>Congratulate them on having pulled through.
>Try and offer some words of wisdom.
>Warn them about cyberdrug use.
>Other (please specify)

>>35601329
>Press them about the nervousness.
>Congratulate them on having pulled through.

>>35601329
>>Press them about the nervousness.
>>Other (please specify)
Give them a totally hetero, no homo robobro hug. Let Glitch know we're a friend, for as much as that's worth. (Poor Copper. ;-;)

>>35601362
>>35601492

"Sure you're alright?" You ask. "You seem kinda on edge."

"No, it's..." They start. You cross your arms, the stern look on your face transfixing them. "You... bring bad memories. This ones' mind is..." They wave their hand next to their head, like they are turning a large screw. "A mess..." They finish so quietly you can barely hear them over the machines.

Your glare softens a bit.

"Before you was a fantasy, then you bought reality, pain, teeth and death." They shudder. "There is... little pleasantness in this debt owed to you."

A snarl twists your mouth then slowly recedes. Taking a step forward you place your hands on Glitchs' shoulders.

"You pulled through. That's what counts. Survival." the two of you lock gazes."And you don't owe me anything. You can consider me a friend who did you a favor."

You what until Glitch gives you a small nod.

Nodding in return you let go.

>Ask them about their past.
>Ask them about there skills.
>Say goodbye and go see if Gyro is awake. If not then wake her up.

>>35601941
>Ask them about their past.
>Ask them about there skills.

>>35602202

Glitch seems calmer. At least they're not fidgeting and glancing around everywhere. Their optics are now fixed on the ground, though a look of shame remains on their face.

You decide to press on.

"So." You say. " What did you do before the... fantasy."

Glitchs' gaze lifts but does not meet your. "This one would... rather not say."

"Alright. So what can you do?" You gesture around. "Obviously you know your way around starships."

They brighten at this. "This one is capable of providing any maintenance or technological knowledge of vehicles of any sort. Land, sea, air, and space. This one is also capable of operating any of the aforementioned vehicles."

You nod in approval. "Handy. Does that include altmodes?"

Once again their face seems to cloud. "No. This one would never presume to work on a Cybertronian."

Things are awkward for a moment before Glitch says, "This one has calibrations to perform. If you will excuse." Once more they bow and hurry off around some machinery.

Grumbling at the odd bots' behavior you make your way out of engineering.

Once more you nod to the rotund bodyguard, still on break apparently, and head through the ship.

Arriving at Gyros' room you find her shuffling through datapads, a holographic image of various numbers and graphs projected above her desk.

"Hey." You rumble and plop onto the couch.

"Hey yourself." She says with her attention on her work.

>Had a talk with Cogsworth. We might be able to work out a deal.
>So. Just met Glitch.
>What were your plans, after Kaamos, exactly?
>Other (please specify)

>>35602685
>So. Just met Glitch.
>Had a talk with Cogsworth. We might be able to work out a deal.

>>35602685
>>Had a talk with Cogsworth. We might be able to work out a deal.

>>35602734
>>35602984
Rummaging through the cans scattered about you search for any with a slight bit of engex or oil. Finding none you content yourself with eating the cans. Your sharp teeth shear right through the tin cans as you devour one then two.

You are just starting on the third when a half full bottle of engex comes flying at you.

"Thanks." You say as you catch it and down half of the remaining engex.

Gyro just waves at you from her desk.

"So I went and had a talk with Cogsworth."

"Yeah?"

"We might be able to work out a deal."

Gyro puts down the datapad and slumps back into her chair. "Tell me about this deal."

"You know that 'Con we interegated on Kaamos? The--" Seeing the dark look on her face you move on. "Yeah, well he said something about a new energon that Swindle was moving. I figure we could pay him with that when we get our hands on the slippery 'Con. He gets to get rich off new product, we get Swindle and possibly Carnage." You take another swig of the engex. It's good stuff.

"Be careful chief." She says.

You grunt while savoring the intoxicant.

"Seriously. Cogs already practically owns everyone on board this ship. You don't want to be in debt to him."

"Everyone?"

"Practically." She says. Looking at her you see she looks worn out, her chin resting on one of her palms. The Gyro you had known on Cybertron, full of spark and bravado, seems to have lost some of her energy.

"You don't want to be in debt to him." She says.

>"No worries. I can deal with crooked clerks."
>"Fine. I'll come up with something else."
>"I'm sure it'll work."
>"You're not in any trouble are you?"
>Change the subject. "So I met Glitch."
>Other (please specify)

>>35603355
>"You're not in any trouble are you?"

>>35603355
>"So, what'll it take to buy off that debt?"

>>35603355
>>"You're not in any trouble are you?"

How about we figure out what this quantum processor does, then maybe we can sell the tech to old cog for our friends debts.

>>35603393
>>35603442

You eye her suspiciously. "Your not in any trouble are you?"

"What? No." She says while fussing with her datapads. "Just... not making nearly as much as I should." She wags one at you. "But if bum deals are all you get you make do right?"

You stare at her for a long moment.

"Alright." You say while rising to your feet.

"Alright?"

"I'm gonna go take over the ship."

"What!" She shouts in alarm. Your are really good at deadpanning.

With a nod you say, "Gonna go toss him out an airlock, then were gonna take this thing and ram it right into the squids' afts."

"Hold it rust brain!" Rising from her chair with her face twisted in anger and panic she stops half way around the desk. The corner of your mouth twitches.

She glares at you.

"Funny." She huffs then sits on the desks' edge.

You shrug.

"So you don't want to enlist Cogsworths' help. What do you think we should do?" You ask.

"Well I just don't want his help coming with strings attached. If we had something to pay him with there would be no problem." She sighs.

>"Listen, we'll deal with Cogsworth once we get to Swindle. I'm sure he'll have something we can barter with."
>"Cogsworth will get his energon, and we'll get Carnage. I guarantee it."
>"Fine. We'll think of something else."
>Other (please specify)

>>35603673
>Other (please specify)
We could give >>35603497 a shot. Assuming we'd have some way of reverse engineering it.

>>35603673
>>"Listen, we'll deal with Cogsworth once we get to Swindle. I'm sure he'll have something we can barter with."
>>35603730
Well it might not cover it you know, we could try but there is a lot of ifs

>>35603757
Of course, it may not be that big a deal, or it may be to dangerous to give away at all. It's just a thing we should check first.

>>35603673
>"Listen, we'll deal with Cogsworth once we get to Swindle. I'm sure he'll have something we can barter with."

>>35603730
>>35603757
>>35603775
"Listen, we'll deal with Cogsworth once we get to Swindle. I'm sure he'll have something we can barter with."

Huffing again at your dismissal Gyro crosses her arms.

"Fiiiine." She says.

You enjoy the light moment then let out a sigh of your own.

"Listen." You say , "I have something I need to check out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Something that wacko on Kaamos put in me."

"What is it?" She asks.

"Quantum processor."

A beat passes.

"A what?"

You shrug again. "Don't know. That's why I need to check. Could be dangerous."

"Well you can't use it on the ship then."

You growl. "Then put me down somewhere."

You watch as the small shuttle flies away, its engines burning a hot blue. Your sensors expand out and you take stock of your surroundings. Novas' Promise hadn't been near any planets so you had been set down on a large asteroid drifting through the dark of space.

You sense nothing but the rocky surface and empty vacuum.

Taking a moment to clear your mind, you run through the Circuit-Su meditation techniques Scylla had taught you so long ago.

Feeling ready, you locate the program for the Quantum Processor and activate it.

>Energon Reserve-125/175

Vertigo claims your mind. It feels like gravity is pulling on you from every angle. You twist and turn, at least it feels like it, and roar, though you can not hear it.

You see the shuttle returning to you, but... it's backwards. You watch a worried Gyro leave the shuttle in reverse, wave luck, then climb back aboard like she was being rewound. The shuttle flies away in the wrong direction and you are left in darkness, long and terrible. Eons pass in stillness.

With a cry you jerk to the side and... you see yourself. On your knees and tearing at the ground. The shuttle returns and a panicked Gyro rushes out to you. Here reality branches and you feel as though your head tears itself apart trying to encompass it all.

>(continued)

>>35604007
It's a motherfucking flux capacitor.

>>35604007
In one branch you sob in her arms, only leaving when Cogsworths' bodyguard climbs out of the shuttle to pick you up.

In another you kill her, howling in rage. The shuttle tries to leave but it can not escape your winged altmode, serpentine and spitting lasers.

In another you leave as if nothing happened.

In still another you drive bladed fingers into your own spark chamber.

You roar again and try to force your head together. In doing so, the universe fades.

"I told you he would survive." A sibilant voice hisses through an endless void.

"It doesn't matter, will he be of use to us?" Another booms like an engine rumbling through brass horns.

Your vision swims, then slowly comes into focus.

You find yourself sitting at a table. What the table is made of you can't discern. On the table sit a tiny, glowing galaxy, spinning lazily in the center.

"Hello, friend." The first voice say whispers and weaves around you. You recognize that voice

Looking to your side you see a Cybertronian. His shoulders are great jutting edges the colour of darkest night, his yellow head squat and wedge shaped. A multitude of optics click and whir on either side of it. One clawed, golden hand props the reptilian head up while the other a long, sinuous limb ending in a golden crustaceans claw dances around him.

Astroclaw, you snarl without sound.

"Doesn't have a voice to speak with." The second voice says, vibrating you with its silky rumble. To you other side sits a large, lithe Cybertronian. Round, silver pauldrons cover his shoulders, red arms crossed over a re chestplate, each crisscrossed with inlaid silver. His face is also red and twisted in fury, with a small silver Autobot insignia on his forehead.

"He will find it in time. But oh! That first taste of infinity! How was it? Ha! Oh you tell us, eventually."

"Don't confuse him any more than he is."

"Hush! He hasn't even begun to dip into the deep end. Let me play while things are still safe."

>(continued)

>>35604122

"Nothing is safe." The red figure growls.

Then you feel it. Something incomprehensible, like a hole opening in the void below you.

You almost look when Astroclaws' voice seeps into your mind.

"Don't look dooooowwwnnnn. Hehe heh."

A bang rattles your senses. You focus on the noise and see the red figure had slammed his hand on the table.

"He's right. Never look down." He then waves his hand through the galaxy swirling on the table. "You seek answers, advancement, yes? Here."

"Oh you cheeky..." Astroclaw growls.

"A gift. To our new friend." The red Cybertronian nods his head to you. "Go back now. Don't let us down. You'll know what to do."

You vision swims again, and reality seems to split through you. You feel a force, like a clawed hand on your head, forcing your gaze down.

"Nnnevvverr evvvverrrrr."

Below you is a screaming void which hungers for the end of all that is or ever was.

You slam your fists into the rocky asteroid. Over and over. You howl and rage and tear at the physical universe.

Distantly, you hear someone calling your name.

>What do you do?

>>35604193
Curse about Astroclaw loudly and at length

>>35604193
>What do you do?
Complain about people that give cryptic advice. Loudly.

>>35604218
"ASTROCLAW YOU SLAG-SUCKING SLIMEBALL! I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR OPTICS AND THROTTLE YOU WITH YOUR OWN POWER COUPLINGS! I'LL RUN ACID THROUGH YOUR ENERGON RESERVE AND MAKE YOU EAT YOUR OWN SPARK!" You roar to the void above.

Once more you dig fanged hands into the rocky terrain, and manage to dig fairly deep before Gyros' voice reaches your receptors.

"Kracken you slaggin' psycho calm down!"

You tilt your head up and roar again, expelling enough exhaust to make Gyro flinch back. With a yell she kicks the edge of the hole and knocks a large chunk of dirt down on top of you.

Bellowing you scrabble up and growl at the business bot.

"Whoa! Whoa! Everyone calm down!" She says holding her hands up, one towards you, another towards Cogsworths' bodyguard who is standing some distance away with a large rifle held in his hands and trained on you.

"Easy! Alright easy chief. Tell me what happened. Just tell me and we'll fix it." The panic in her voice is on the verge of hysterics. It slowly draws you out of the violent haze you are in.

>"Nothing. Forget it
>Try your best to explain it.
>"Drop that gun before I take it from you."
>"Later. I need to be alone for now."
>Other (please specify)

>>35604424
>Other (please specify)
You remember when you said it's better to not have strings attached? I'm starting to agree with you.
>Try your best to explain it.

>>35604424
Tell her we ain't broke, we just got installed with fucking maddening trouble bullshit. We'll tell her the details later in private.

Also, check for new and updated programs.

>>35604439
>>35604448

"I ain't broke." You growl, waving off the rotund bodyguard. You offer a hand to Gyro to help her up. "But I think I get what you mean about strings."

You hoist your friend up and she asks, "What does that mean?"

"I'll tell you later. In private." You growl the last bit to the grey transformer who just shrugs and trundles back to the shuttle.

Once all three of you are inside Gyro dusts herself of then brushes some of the dirt off you.

On the journey back you run internal diagnostics and check you mind.

>Command Line Override- Thy Will Be Done: Fury Is Freedom (capable of breaking any outside mental influence or viral influence by entering a berserk state)

You huff at that. Like you don't already have anger issues.

You make the trip in silence and, on arriving on the ship, head straight for the lounge. Storming past Stiletto and a bulky black bot with a yellow racing stripe down his front and a blue visor you go behind the bar and begin drinking heavily, even going as far as eating the bottles.

>Energon Reserve-135/175

"Whoa." Stiletto says.

"Bet he crashes after four more bottles." The other bot not so quietly whispers to her.

"OUT." You bark at them.

The two scurry out the door just as Gyro pushes her way in.

"You alright chief?"

"One moment. Thinking." You say as you get ready to make someone lose a bet.

"Seriously what happened?" Gyro presses, anger creeping into her voice.

You lift another bottle to your mouth and down half before noticing the label.

Nightmare Fuel. Nice.

Instead of downing it, bottle and all, you take a large pull. You can almost feel your throat dissolving.

Placing the bottle on the counter with a thump you say, "It was... like," You wave your free arm around. Then take another pull.

>Energon Reserve-150/175

Your vision swims. You nod.

"Kinda like this." Then you find yourself sitting with your back against the wall, bottles crashing down around you.

>(continued)

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>>35604630
"Primus!" You hear Gyro say as she hops the bar.

Slowly you realize that the engex must have hit you all at once. Slowly you focus your energon and flush it through your circuits.

>Path of Steel
>Energon Reserve-145/175

Your vision clears and you see Gyro leaning over you.

"He put something in my head." You grumble.

"What?"

You tap the side of your silver helm. "A thing. Made me see this... they said it was infinity."

"...what?"

"Astrocalw was there. And someone else. Autobot. They said it was my first taste of infinity. I saw time. And space." You shake your head as it clears a bit more. "It all folded up on me. The past that was, the future that could be. Then they said there would be more. That I would know what to do."

She shakes her head in dismay as you ramble on. "Well do you? Know what to do?"

"I'm gonna tear Astroclaw apart."

She laughs at that, a worried laugh, but still a laugh.

"OK. Well once we get his location from Swindle we'll get right on that."

"Yeah." You say and slowly rise to your feet.

"So, once your feeling better we'll go interrogate the little chatterbox. He should be bored senseless all by himself in the hold."

"Wait what?" You ask as Gyro slings your arm around her shoulder to carry/lead you out of the lounge.

"Well he's been stuck in that crate for days now. And he seem to crave attention."

Snarling you ask again, "Wait, what? But he's on Ultimecha how..."

"Ultimecha? We trapped him in his own crate remember? Before he could get through the space bridge Carnage used to escape."

Your frown deepens.

"What?"
-------------------------------------------------------

Alright gonna end it here. Will probably run again later today.

Comments, concerns, questions and whatnot all welcome.

>>35604735
Fucking causality violations.

>>35604735
We're not going to be trapped in a time loop ala edge of tomorrow, are we?

Anyway, thanks for running.

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>>35604770
They are fun, aren't they?

>>35604791
If Kracken had tried something then yes probably, but red's an old hand at this quantum junk.

Thanks for joining me.