(( OOC: I was at the Philadelphia Zoo all day today, so I'm catching up. I was hanging out with Optimus and Rhinox and Cheetor.
I got some really nice photos of the gorilla and cheetahs (as well as many other animals), and I'll share them on the board as soon as I have them uploaded; hopefully tomorrow sometime.
))
"Hey, Optimus? If you need anyone to talk to, I'm here. I may not have been a commander but I have been put in charge of squads before..." "so if you ever..you know...need an ear, I will listen."
"Thank you, Whitegrazer," said Optimus to her before following Orcariner into the room. He might just take her up on that offer. Although a leader probably wasn't suppose to speak so personally of himself, it would be theraputic for him to talk to
someone about it. It was unhealthy to bottle up so much emotion. Just talking could simply relieve the stress, anxiety and pressure.
I'll hold up.. But my autopsy is showing some.. concerning information. That Decepticon appeared to use some sort of..Nano machine infestation on her.. there are trace nano machines left inside of her and I'm not sure what they're doing... I believe I'm going to call Icebreaker down here to keep this from escalating into a problem as they seem unstable at the moment integrating with our technology..
Her body had nano machines? What exactly were those? What could they do? Were they what helped the Decepticon become a Predacon? Optimus had a lot of questions which couldn't be answered just now, especially since Rhinox might be struggling to find a way to keep those things at bay. Interesting.
"Understood, Rhinox. Keep me posted," and he ended the link.
"Thanks,"
Primal nodded to Orcariner and followed him inside, the door sliding shut behind them. As the taller Maximal settled himself, Optimus walked over to the other side of the table, standing quietly, and patiently gave Orcariner his undivided attention. He wasn't in any rush for the debriefing, he felt he had all night to listen to him, but apparently the whale didn't feel the same way. Then again, when brought into confrontation, Orcariner always appeared to have an uneasiness about it. Optimus wasn't that intimidating, was he? He didn't think he ruled with an iron fist.
"I, um," "I mean, we, sir. We set out earlier today."
The leader nodded and allowed him to proceed without interrupting him.
"Icebreaker and I took the terrain path while Feralnight was on aerial scouting duties. We never really made any plans to meet up with Tigatron and Wintersong prior to reaching the crash site. We, um, I mean... it was I who made the assumption that we would all end up regrouping at the LZ and discuss any further action."
That was understandable. There was a snowstorm, after all, that probably interfered with communications. The tundra was a very dangerous and unforgiving place, so to just meet up at a mutual and specific point of interest with the others was quite acceptable.
"Once we reached the glacial regions, I chose to take the underwater approach while Icebreaker and Feralnight maintained the above sea level route. They were stalled by the rough weather and from what Tigatron and Wintersong informed me, those two had difficulty with the terrain, as well. As a result, I managed to proceed ahead of the others and I was aware that I was approaching the LZ alone. My radar picked up two Predacons who we know as Glowstick and Snowtrix. They confronted Tigatron and Wintersong before Icebreaker and Feralnight could reach their location. I chose to continue with the mission under the assumption that the latter two would arrive in time to provide the necessary back up for the felines. Approximately 2.34 cycles after I made this decision, I arrived at the LZ. I chose to extract the alien object from the surface and found that it was mostly buried within the ice sheet itself. I recognized it as Cybertronian design and after further inspection, I discovered a Decepticon ensignia branded on her body."
Optimus folded his arms across his damaged chest while the orca spoke. Not out of impatience, but out of the climaxing details that peaked his interest. However, he noticed that Orcariner was beginning to struggle with his speaking. Why was he growing so anxious? Did it have to do with Nightmist? The Decepticon? As the large Maximal moved over to his computer, Optimus stood aside and watched him insert a chip that brought up data and images that the killer whale had acquired of the 'Con. Primal sat down infront of the monitor and studied them closely. So, this what she had looked like before he, Rhinox, Dinobot and Saber-Fang found her. If Nightmist had been against her in this size, she really had no chance of escaping her grasp. Recalling her last words to him and the 'Con when she had left her comm. link open, he imagined Nightmist was in the Decepticon's hand and whatever caused it to lose control,
if that was what really happened, the anguish and lack of breath in Night's voice was probably an indication of her literally being squeezed to death. Primus. His optics darkened for a moment before he realized Orcariner had begun speaking again.
"I, uh," "Um, notes. I took notes of the body for you. While damaged, you can still see the remains of what appears to be wings on her laterals indicating that she's a flyer... possibly a Seeker. Lacerations show physical combat and burns show signs of sustained energy fire. The wounds, while present, are still old so I was unable to tell what era of weaponry she came from. The Decepticon did not have any signs of firearms on hand. She must have been disarmed, and given her state at the time, I would assumed she was defeated in combat before arriving to this planet."
Examining the images while Orcariner described them, Primal nodded while many more questions filled his mind. Where had she come from? What was her name? Why was she drifting through space? What battle was she in? When had that battle taken place? Who sent her away in what appeared to be stasis lock? And so forth. He agreed with everything Orcariner said.
"I was... unsure." "By unsure, I mean I didn't know what to do."
Optimus lifted his optics above the monitor to look at the tall Maximal when his voice cracked and cleared his throat. He knew what he was about to explain was a sensitive but essential part of "what went wrong" in their mission. Primal sat back in his chair, observing the Maximal who seemed to be desperately searching for something. Not with his eyes, but in his thoughts. It must have been a very tough subject for him, so Optimus gave him all the time he needed.
"I had... a Decepticon in front of me," "I knew she would remain in stasis if she was frozen. If I brought her back, there was no telling what would happen if she reacquired consciousness. She could ambush us during the trip home. She could wake up in the Axalon and then..." "...and then... maybe hurt one of the crew. I don't know, I was unsure of myself and maybe I was paranoid but I was actually... scared."
Ah, there it was. "And then maybe hurt one of the crew." Orcariner was blaming himself for Nightmist's death. Primal disagreed, of course. And he certainly didn't blame him for being scared. No one would have ever thought that a Decepticon would be crash-landing on this planet, of all places considering how long and far it must have traveled to get there. Optimus was beginning to think that this planet attracted things, and that the aliens had a big part in that. There was something they were missing about this world... Something significant.
"I also knew I couldn't just leave the body there for the Predacons. If Megatron had his hands on a Decepticon warrior, the Beast Wars would be tipped in his favor. I thought about killing her. I really did, blades to the neck and everything. I just... I guess... I wasn't strong enough to do it. I couldn't justify myself taking the life of someone who wasn't even in this war. I was under the assumption that it would have been murder. I didn't think things through... I... I didn't think. The Predacons somehow bypassed our resistance and were advancing on my location. Apparently, the Predacons held Wintersong hostage underwater and threatened to kill her unless if our crew backed off. I was running out of time and I panicked. I tried to bury the body in the arctic ocean's abyss but I didn't think to verify that the body actually made it all the way to the bottom. Glowstick and Snowtrix managed to retrieve the Decepticon before we even left the arctic. I'm sorry, Optimus. I didn't know that things would end up like this."
The Maximal leader frowned. So much pain and stress from his words. They had almost lost Wintersong as well?! By the Matrix. Optimus unconsciously crossed his arms over his chest again, and then lifted a hand to cover his mouth in minor anxiety, his gaze lowering from Orcariner who was refusing to maintain eye contact anymore. So the mission was doomed from the beginning. It wasn't Orcariner's fault and he needed to assure him of that. He felt what he did was right. What else could a Maximal do? It didn't sound like there were many options for them, especially when the Predacons had the advantage.
"I thought I was taking the right course of action, sir. Honest to Primus I did. I knew in the back of my mind that Megatron would eventually find her. I just couldn't imagine her being revived this fast. I couldn't even fathom that preserving one life would mean ending one of ours."
His last sentence was difficult to bear, but Primal lowered the hand over his mouth to refold it with his other arm over his damaged front side as he watched the large Maximal before him grow even more upset while he continued to speak. He couldn't have known what would happen. No one could have.
"Um," "We, um." "We knew the Predacons had their hands on the body. I informed the squad of my encounter as well as my actions. The Predacons loaded her onto the Leviathan transport and headed south... the same direction we were headed. They must have done something to thaw her, because before we knew it, the Decepticon broke through the ship's hull and took off. We sent Feralnight to warn you and the crew. I suppose it goes without saying that we were unsuccessful."
Optimus Primal stood up out of his chair, looked at the aquatic Maximal, and said,
"Orcariner, please, take a seat," motioning with his hand to one of the larger chairs. He would have offered it earlier but the Maximal dived in to his debriefing too quickly. At any rate, he hoped it would help Orcariner relax a little bit. He was by no means preparing to "bite his head off," it just seemed that maybe it would make the nervous 'bot more comfortable if he wasn't put so much in the spot light standing there explaining himself before his commanding officer. Not to mention all the guilt the poor fellow was experiencing. Optimus was very much a compassionate leader.
"Orcariner, I don't see that you or anyone else on your team did anything wrong," he said calmly.
"You made all of the decisions I would have had I been in that situation. Your team was simply unmatched by the Predacons and the terrain, and no one expected it to be a Decepticon that fell from the sky. You were right in not killing her," Primal assured him.
"I am grateful that Wintersong's life was spared. If we had lost her, too..." He paused momentarily, trying not to think about such a tragic scenario of losing
two Maximals in one day.
"I believe you, Feralnight, Wintersong, Tigatron and Icebreaker did everything you could have to prevent the Decepticon from falling into Predacon hands. Nightmist's death was not your fault, and I can not stress that enough. It could have been anyone who crossed paths with her. Me, Dinobot, Wintersong or Feralnight. Anyone. We couldn't have known that she would escape the Predacons and find her way toward the Axalon. Nightmist..." Optimus found it a little difficult to explain it, but moved on anyhow.
"Nightmist failed to inform anyone of her whereabouts before she disappeared. She didn't call for help until she was already in grave danger. I failed to reinforce my orders with consequences about Maximals leaving the base without notifying anyone else. And this was that result. Her death is no one's fault but my own," he told Orcariner firmly. He did not want him feeling guilty for something that no one could have foreseen. These Maximals were Primal's responsibility, not theirs. It would have been extemely un-Maximal-like if Orcariner had killed that Decepticon when he had the chance. Had he done so, Optimus would've been
very disappointed in him. What events unfolded after his merciful and wiser decision was out of his control. Somehow he doubted Orcariner would see it that way.
-----
"I'm fine."
Rattrap squinted a suspicious optic at Whitegrazer but let it go as she continued to speak.
"That goes for all of you, too. If you want to."
The rat wasn't really one to talk about stuff like that. Maybe to Rhinox as he sought some unjudgemental and confidence in the big guy, but not particularly to anyone else. He just wasn't that kind of Maximal to talk about his emotions and feelings, not that anyone should take offense if he didn't confide in them.
"All right. Let's find ya some quarters," he said as he lead her down the ship.
"So how do ya feel about everythin' so far? I mean, well, you know, everythin' besides losing Nightmist." Rattrap was just trying to make casual conversation and learn a little bit about how Whitegrazer thought about things. He didn't want to dwell on the death.
-----
"This is why I stick to the jungle or solid ground."
Tigatron looked at Wintersong after everyone began splitting up and carrying on with their duties. But before he could comment, Icebreaker spoke up.
Hey.. how are you holding up? If you want to use the CR chamber, you can go ahead. You don't need to be so shy.
"Just stings a bit but I'm fine. Though not more of really being shy just not use to a crew I was never around before." "I wonder if my instructor blew a circuit yet."
The tiger wondered what she meant by that. He'd have to ask her sometime and get to know her a little more. Icebreaker seemed like a good friend, a caring Maximal. His kindness was good for Wintersong since she did appear to be a little stand-offish with the rest of the group. He didn't quite understand why but maybe she just needed more time to adjust to the crew. Whether she wanted to be there or not didn't matter anymore. The fact was that she was there and she might as well lend a hand or get to know some of them. Who knows, maybe she'd really connect with one or a few and form some strong bonds. As for Tigatron, he very much liked this crew of Maximals. He felt that he got along with just about everyone, even Rattrap, but he did enjoy the outdoors and his time with Snowstalker. However, tonight he would spend his evening in the
Axalon since he felt he should be surrounded by friends during this darkened time. He took a seat at one of the consoles and simply watched everyone else, familiarizing himself with their behaviors and how things were handled in the main control room. After all, he was sure he'd have to deal with these mechnical obstacles eventually.
She is different between the time on Cybertron and prehistoric earth huh.)