Time Is But A Window
Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2018 3:21 pm
(( OOC: I'm not sure how long everyone would prefer this episode take place after the last one, but how about at least a day or two so just about everyone is repaired and rested and Zodiac is settled in his cell? We can adjust it if you prefer it to be later.
Winter, Rhinox is going to mention something unusual with Wintersong to Optimus but it'll be vague so that you can dive into the details more if you'd like. I hope that's okay.
Wildfire, feel free to put Onyx anywhere you see fit, and to bring in Quickfix's pod activation whenever you'd like if you plan to have him join in this episode. ))
At the Axalon, the Maximal leader was joined with his oldest friend among his crew, Rhinox, as they strolled down the corridor side-by-side toward Primal's quarters. The engineer held a data pad in his hand that he gave to his commanding officer as they walked.
"During Wintersong's repairs in the CR, I found some abnormalities that don't match with her prior scans and original TransMetal schematics," Rhinox explained.
Taking the data pad, Optimus looked it over while he limped in his robot mode and read the information in question. "Is it influenced by the Vok?" he inquired.
"Most likely, but I ran the data that I've managed to decipher from the alien disk, and it doesn't entirely coincide. Well, not enough with the limited understanding I have with their language." He sounded a little frustrated with himself not being able to comprehend and break through their secrets or bypass their encryption.
Primal grew thoughtful over the rhinoceros's findings but also a little sorrowful for what she must have endured all alone with the aliens. He hadn't been able to question her about it yet since she had required extensive repairs along with Whitegrazer, so hopefully he'd have the opportunity soon to discuss this matter with them. He nodded to his friend and said, "It must be. I felt them through her. I just want confirmation or proof before I pass any judgments. Poor Wintersong..." He shook his head with resentment for allowing another one of his Maximals to fall victim to the Vok and their constant torment to those they had personally invaded so far. But for what purpose? "We shouldn't have left her there," he blamed himself most of all as he handed the data pad back to the Maximals' chief medical officer.
"There's no point on dwelling what we can't change. All we can do now is keep our observations on her just as a precaution. There's always the possibility that it may not have any affect on her," he tried assuring Optimus as he took back the pad. "On the bright side, she and Whitegrazer have pulled through their surgeries and have been well on the mend. And I've restored Aurora's identification chip."
Unfortunately, from personal experience, it was never that easy with the Vok. Optimus still suffered from nightmares, flashes of mental images, voices that whispered in the back of his mind and the psychological impact of past encounters. It wasn't pleasant. "I'm glad to hear that," his scarred mouth stretched into a light smile, ever grateful for Rhinox's expertise and knowledge in the medical field. Even though they had lost some friends, they had also saved several more. He truly was one of a kind, and he was proud to have him on his crew. "What's the status on Zodiac?"
"He's under strict surveillance by Sentinel and our own eyes, but he's been quiet, probably because he's still weak and hasn't had anything to replenish his energy."
"No one speaks to him alone in the brig, and no one speaks to him without my consent," Optimus told him so that he could reiterate it to the others if anyone asked for visitation with the shape shifter, especially Whitegrazer. Primal wasn't going to risk any mistakes or accidents this time even with the newly improved cell that Aurora and Whitegrazer modified against his nanotech. Zodiac was far too dangerous to be lenient with.
Rhinox merely nodded before he changed the subject. "Have you looked at Nexus's journal yet?" Judging by Optimus's current emotional state, he guessed that he hadn't.
Primal stopped in the corridor just outside of his room and bowed his head thoughtfully for a second before looking at Rhinox. "No. I'm... I'm not sure I can bring myself to view it... to hear his voice again after everything..." The glimpse Zodiac had given him in the Viper had flooded his spark with so much emotion that he could barely contain it. And it wasn't the shape shifter's "warnings" that made Optimus reluctant to sit down and take the time to listen to his entries. It was a combination of everything that had transpired and came to light ever since Zodiac had arrived on Earth.
His friend placed his free hand on his shoulder and looked at him. "You may not be ready yet, and that's okay, Optimus. If you need someone there with you when you do decide to look, I'm more than willing to be by your side, and I'm sure Whitegrazer would be too."
"I know. Thank you, Rhinox," Optimus said with a small smile. "How is Tigerhawk adjusting?"
Rhinox took his hand off of his shoulder and answered, "Well, I think. I gave him his own quarters, and he has been fully repaired. We were fortunate he arrived when he did."
"Very. Let's hope he sticks around a little longer this time," Optimus said in his more confident and firm voice. They could use the Fuzor's help, especially after proving how valuable he could be.
The engineer nodded. "I'll return to my duties for the day." And with that, he turned around and headed back to the bridge.
"Aurora, please report to my quarters," Optimus hailed for her over his comm. link as he walked into his room and left the door open. He paused for a moment as his orange optics scanned over the etchings and carved drawings of the Vok symbols and sites that still decorated his walls, the floor and even his desk. He had recently added some new ones, particularly a small, strange orb that he had kept seeing the day Aurora had almost been killed, and the cocoon that Wintersong had been encased in for a long time while the rest of the Maximals had dealt with the Metal Hunter, Rampage's activation and Zodiac stealing the Viper, which clearly showed that he was still being probed and prodded mentally by the mysterious alien species. For his crew's sake, he usually did his best to disguise or hide the continued invasion on his already troubled mind.
Primal then went to his desk and sat down behind it. As he waited for Aurora, he unlocked and opened a secured draw where Nexus's journal had been stowed. And he stared at it as he fell victim to his own mixed emotions and overthinking. How could he be so confused or even a little frightened to see what Nexus had to say? His mentor, his father figure, who had been murdered by Zodiac disguised as Optimus... He picked up the journal so he could feel it in his hands again as his thumbs gently traced the edges of it.
"I think we should just put Zodiac's feet in cement blocks and dump 'im in the deepest ocean trench so he can drown and rust away," Rattrap said to Rhinox who had returned to the command center. The rodent was leaning back in his chair with his fingers laced behind his head and his ankles crossed on the console underneath the monitor that was playing real-time video feed of the pretender in his cell.
"That's a little sadistic even for you, Rattrap," Rhinox commented as he walked by and glanced at the monitor to make sure Zodiac was behaving while the rat complained.
"I'm just sayin', what's de point of keepin' him around? It makes us a bigger target for Megajerk because he already hates us AND he hates Zodiac."
"This is the best we can do with what we have. Besides, it gives Whitegrazer the opportunity to reach out to him."
"And do what?!" the rat argued. "Miraculously change his mind and make 'im our new best friend? I knew bots like him, and it ain't gonna work."
"But you've never known one like Whitegrazer," Rhinox objected with certainty. None of them had. She was a unique member of their team. "The least we can do is give her a chance."
"A chance fer him ta take advantage of her mercy and escape some how," he muttered with disappointment.
Rhinox sighed as he sat down at his research console and started reviewing Wintersong's data again with the information they had on the Vok.
-----
Megatron, who had been fully repaired now, was beginning to plan out his day while he studied his golden disk. All he required was proof of the power he held in his hands that no one else was even aware of. And if his calculations were correct, it could turn the tide in this war and the future, or rather the present. Despite his eagerness to find out, he remained calm and secretive about it in his quarters.
Then he couldn't help but glance down at the two scars on his chest. The one Primal had given him seemed insignificant compared to the one Zodiac had left behind when he had disguised himself as Rampage and impaled him with his sword nearly killing him and forever ruining his glorious armor. That blasted, cocky shape shifter... Now he was protected by the Maximals. Megatron slammed his fist on the arm of his chair in hatred and anger. Would he risk a full-scale assault on the Maximal base just to try and retrieve Zodiac, or somehow infiltrate it to get inside and kill him? Was it worth the resources and ammunition? Not exactly, but he wanted him out of the picture for good before he might possibly interfere with his grand scheme.
He stood up, stowed Rampage's spark in his subspace, along with the golden disk and the alien orb, and stepped out of his room as it secured to the fullest when the door slid shut. Megatron walked down the dimly lit corridor as he headed to what was left of the Darksyde's command center that was extremely hot and mostly illuminated by the lava that had consumed the flooring a long time ago to find out where and what his little band of misfits were up to.
"Spineback, has everyone completed their repairs?" the Predacon leader inquired over his comm. link to her.
Inferno was outside patrolling the perimeter of the Colony, ever alert and at attention with his large weapon leaning against his shoulder as he cradled it vertically in his arm and marched on the ground where he could avoid any liquid magma.
(( OOC: Hopefully this works well enough for everyone to join in. ))
Winter, Rhinox is going to mention something unusual with Wintersong to Optimus but it'll be vague so that you can dive into the details more if you'd like. I hope that's okay.
Wildfire, feel free to put Onyx anywhere you see fit, and to bring in Quickfix's pod activation whenever you'd like if you plan to have him join in this episode. ))
At the Axalon, the Maximal leader was joined with his oldest friend among his crew, Rhinox, as they strolled down the corridor side-by-side toward Primal's quarters. The engineer held a data pad in his hand that he gave to his commanding officer as they walked.
"During Wintersong's repairs in the CR, I found some abnormalities that don't match with her prior scans and original TransMetal schematics," Rhinox explained.
Taking the data pad, Optimus looked it over while he limped in his robot mode and read the information in question. "Is it influenced by the Vok?" he inquired.
"Most likely, but I ran the data that I've managed to decipher from the alien disk, and it doesn't entirely coincide. Well, not enough with the limited understanding I have with their language." He sounded a little frustrated with himself not being able to comprehend and break through their secrets or bypass their encryption.
Primal grew thoughtful over the rhinoceros's findings but also a little sorrowful for what she must have endured all alone with the aliens. He hadn't been able to question her about it yet since she had required extensive repairs along with Whitegrazer, so hopefully he'd have the opportunity soon to discuss this matter with them. He nodded to his friend and said, "It must be. I felt them through her. I just want confirmation or proof before I pass any judgments. Poor Wintersong..." He shook his head with resentment for allowing another one of his Maximals to fall victim to the Vok and their constant torment to those they had personally invaded so far. But for what purpose? "We shouldn't have left her there," he blamed himself most of all as he handed the data pad back to the Maximals' chief medical officer.
"There's no point on dwelling what we can't change. All we can do now is keep our observations on her just as a precaution. There's always the possibility that it may not have any affect on her," he tried assuring Optimus as he took back the pad. "On the bright side, she and Whitegrazer have pulled through their surgeries and have been well on the mend. And I've restored Aurora's identification chip."
Unfortunately, from personal experience, it was never that easy with the Vok. Optimus still suffered from nightmares, flashes of mental images, voices that whispered in the back of his mind and the psychological impact of past encounters. It wasn't pleasant. "I'm glad to hear that," his scarred mouth stretched into a light smile, ever grateful for Rhinox's expertise and knowledge in the medical field. Even though they had lost some friends, they had also saved several more. He truly was one of a kind, and he was proud to have him on his crew. "What's the status on Zodiac?"
"He's under strict surveillance by Sentinel and our own eyes, but he's been quiet, probably because he's still weak and hasn't had anything to replenish his energy."
"No one speaks to him alone in the brig, and no one speaks to him without my consent," Optimus told him so that he could reiterate it to the others if anyone asked for visitation with the shape shifter, especially Whitegrazer. Primal wasn't going to risk any mistakes or accidents this time even with the newly improved cell that Aurora and Whitegrazer modified against his nanotech. Zodiac was far too dangerous to be lenient with.
Rhinox merely nodded before he changed the subject. "Have you looked at Nexus's journal yet?" Judging by Optimus's current emotional state, he guessed that he hadn't.
Primal stopped in the corridor just outside of his room and bowed his head thoughtfully for a second before looking at Rhinox. "No. I'm... I'm not sure I can bring myself to view it... to hear his voice again after everything..." The glimpse Zodiac had given him in the Viper had flooded his spark with so much emotion that he could barely contain it. And it wasn't the shape shifter's "warnings" that made Optimus reluctant to sit down and take the time to listen to his entries. It was a combination of everything that had transpired and came to light ever since Zodiac had arrived on Earth.
His friend placed his free hand on his shoulder and looked at him. "You may not be ready yet, and that's okay, Optimus. If you need someone there with you when you do decide to look, I'm more than willing to be by your side, and I'm sure Whitegrazer would be too."
"I know. Thank you, Rhinox," Optimus said with a small smile. "How is Tigerhawk adjusting?"
Rhinox took his hand off of his shoulder and answered, "Well, I think. I gave him his own quarters, and he has been fully repaired. We were fortunate he arrived when he did."
"Very. Let's hope he sticks around a little longer this time," Optimus said in his more confident and firm voice. They could use the Fuzor's help, especially after proving how valuable he could be.
The engineer nodded. "I'll return to my duties for the day." And with that, he turned around and headed back to the bridge.
"Aurora, please report to my quarters," Optimus hailed for her over his comm. link as he walked into his room and left the door open. He paused for a moment as his orange optics scanned over the etchings and carved drawings of the Vok symbols and sites that still decorated his walls, the floor and even his desk. He had recently added some new ones, particularly a small, strange orb that he had kept seeing the day Aurora had almost been killed, and the cocoon that Wintersong had been encased in for a long time while the rest of the Maximals had dealt with the Metal Hunter, Rampage's activation and Zodiac stealing the Viper, which clearly showed that he was still being probed and prodded mentally by the mysterious alien species. For his crew's sake, he usually did his best to disguise or hide the continued invasion on his already troubled mind.
Primal then went to his desk and sat down behind it. As he waited for Aurora, he unlocked and opened a secured draw where Nexus's journal had been stowed. And he stared at it as he fell victim to his own mixed emotions and overthinking. How could he be so confused or even a little frightened to see what Nexus had to say? His mentor, his father figure, who had been murdered by Zodiac disguised as Optimus... He picked up the journal so he could feel it in his hands again as his thumbs gently traced the edges of it.
"I think we should just put Zodiac's feet in cement blocks and dump 'im in the deepest ocean trench so he can drown and rust away," Rattrap said to Rhinox who had returned to the command center. The rodent was leaning back in his chair with his fingers laced behind his head and his ankles crossed on the console underneath the monitor that was playing real-time video feed of the pretender in his cell.
"That's a little sadistic even for you, Rattrap," Rhinox commented as he walked by and glanced at the monitor to make sure Zodiac was behaving while the rat complained.
"I'm just sayin', what's de point of keepin' him around? It makes us a bigger target for Megajerk because he already hates us AND he hates Zodiac."
"This is the best we can do with what we have. Besides, it gives Whitegrazer the opportunity to reach out to him."
"And do what?!" the rat argued. "Miraculously change his mind and make 'im our new best friend? I knew bots like him, and it ain't gonna work."
"But you've never known one like Whitegrazer," Rhinox objected with certainty. None of them had. She was a unique member of their team. "The least we can do is give her a chance."
"A chance fer him ta take advantage of her mercy and escape some how," he muttered with disappointment.
Rhinox sighed as he sat down at his research console and started reviewing Wintersong's data again with the information they had on the Vok.
-----
Megatron, who had been fully repaired now, was beginning to plan out his day while he studied his golden disk. All he required was proof of the power he held in his hands that no one else was even aware of. And if his calculations were correct, it could turn the tide in this war and the future, or rather the present. Despite his eagerness to find out, he remained calm and secretive about it in his quarters.
Then he couldn't help but glance down at the two scars on his chest. The one Primal had given him seemed insignificant compared to the one Zodiac had left behind when he had disguised himself as Rampage and impaled him with his sword nearly killing him and forever ruining his glorious armor. That blasted, cocky shape shifter... Now he was protected by the Maximals. Megatron slammed his fist on the arm of his chair in hatred and anger. Would he risk a full-scale assault on the Maximal base just to try and retrieve Zodiac, or somehow infiltrate it to get inside and kill him? Was it worth the resources and ammunition? Not exactly, but he wanted him out of the picture for good before he might possibly interfere with his grand scheme.
He stood up, stowed Rampage's spark in his subspace, along with the golden disk and the alien orb, and stepped out of his room as it secured to the fullest when the door slid shut. Megatron walked down the dimly lit corridor as he headed to what was left of the Darksyde's command center that was extremely hot and mostly illuminated by the lava that had consumed the flooring a long time ago to find out where and what his little band of misfits were up to.
"Spineback, has everyone completed their repairs?" the Predacon leader inquired over his comm. link to her.
Inferno was outside patrolling the perimeter of the Colony, ever alert and at attention with his large weapon leaning against his shoulder as he cradled it vertically in his arm and marched on the ground where he could avoid any liquid magma.
(( OOC: Hopefully this works well enough for everyone to join in. ))