Protihex-City state

[Laser]

Laser didn't seem to get Towreck's joke. It wasn't his fault, though.

What he DID gather was that Towreck was a weapon specialist. This was great, because if there was anything Laser appreciated...

"Towreck, I seem to have completely forgotten your specialty in munitions. We will have to talk weapons some time...some time soon."

Turning his attention towards Watertight, Laser explained. "We are in the midst of trying to recover an artifact....we are currently in debate about how to begin our expedition--a debate that has gone on long enough. Come along. Everyone. We're settling this." Laser stalked to the medical center. "Where's Aegis? Where's Beam? Spironok? Report to the medical center."

[FrostWhisper]

"Hello Captain Cutlass, Tecton," Silentsong returned both of their greetings at the same time, then she turned to Tecton. "It's alright," she replied to his comment about Cutlass. "You are correct, my name is Silentsong. As an Autobot I thank you for the use of your ship and for your willingness to help," Silentsong said as she turned towards Cutlass. "I would like a tour of the Bloodrust, thank you, and if you don't mind my asking, I'd like to know, about how many bots should be able to fit in the ship?" Silentsong tried to figure out as much as she could about these rogue bots as she spoke. She wasn't sure if she trusted them yet, though Tecton seemed nice enough, she thought that the way Captain Cutlass acted was suspicious, he seemed a bit too friendly...

[concentratedrandom]

Starport was glad to see a new face and hear a new voice. Both Aegis and Silentsong were signs that the Autobots were nowhere near finished. They had lost a battle, and many had lost their lives, but Cybertron still had countless numbers of bots on both sides spread out across it. They may have lost some old friends, but many more were still to be made. Laughing at how everyone acts differently due to new faces, he found it comforting to see everyone being how they would be normally. The world was changing, but it wasn’t a bad change. He didn’t want to speak up at the time though, he didn’t think anyone would want to hear an old bot droning on about who knows what. Better to let them enjoy this time while they could, Starport had been around for a long time, and though he didn’t like it, he knew this shouldn’t last.

[Towreck]

"Talk of weapons you say? Now that...I am looking forward too." Towreck said. Speaking of weapons, he was really itching to get back to that Armory. There were a few guns with his name on them, and he wanted to get there soon, His Neutron AR was in need of some new upgrades, and he figured he could toggle with his Energon Cannon as well, and then finally take a look at that H-12 Scrapmaker he got ahold of back in the Citadel. Basically...he was itching for an overhaul.

[Laser]

The day came for my execution. I can't say I was nervous or afraid. My illness had been dragging me down, and I was ready to be put out of my misery. However, I kept my weary smile...laughing at others and good timing as usual.

3 Joors before my execution....

"Aeron Clink? You have a visitor." The security lady was at my cell, bothering me as usual.

"Great. I'd love to talk to anotha CIB Agent trying to get me to spill my beans."

"No. This is Sharp, Guardian of Accuracy."

I immediately straightened myself up and headed down the access hall for my visitors section. The sectors opened and closed as I went through them, sealing off for high security. Finally, I was in a little white room, with none other than Sharp, in his tall, frightening glory. He also had a large black case on the table.

"To what do I owe this honah?"

"The question is not to who, but to whom, and that person would be me." Sharp spoke in his usual business tone. "Let's skip the pleasantries, shall we? I have much to do."

I sat. "Whaddya here to talk about?"

"I'm here to talk about your future Aeron."

This was funny talk, because I'd be dead in a few joors, and I knew it. But I realized Sharp was going to be talking metaphorically from here on out to avoid suspicion from those listening in, so I went along with it. "So talk."

"Before I do, let me tell you a story." He opened up his case, revealing a diagram. "What do you know about the Quintessons, Aeron?"

"Well...they created us, we fought for independence--"

"--yes, yes, but I'm talking about their interests. Their culture. I happen to be an archaeologist--part time, of course. During my travels, I've discovered that Quintessons believed in a sort of life after death...an underworld, if you will. Those sent to the underworld lived their lives in eternal slavery in a land of desolate waste."

"That...sounds terrible."

"Quite. But do you know what happened to the valiant? The good? The brave?"

"They went to...the upperworld?"

"No. They went to this underworld as well."

"Oh no..."

"Oh yes! But there is a difference for them. The pious and righteous, though they spent time in the underworld, were promised a way to return to the living! They were practically on standby for when the day they could walk amongst those who are alive."

"How long did they have to stay?" I was really curious now.

"It depends on the deeds they've done, the degree of sin or weight of good. But they WOULD leave."

"I'd hate to have been one of them."

"It wouldn't have been so bad, Aeron. Some may argue that you, although committing a lot of crimes, have a certain degree of valiance that cannot be ignored. I suppose as a Quintesson, you'd always have to compensate for that by being an eternal slave. But you would be promised a way to return..." Sharp leaned forward. "...hypothetically."

I was astounded. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If I had decoded all of his allegory correctly...

I was to be...undead.

[DarkXenith]

Protihex Intraurban Zone:

"Aegis reporting. Glad to be of assistance in whatever manner I may,"[/color] Aegis inclined her head in a slow nod, stepping more plainly into view as Laser gave the order to move on. Noting the guardian's determined stride and the manner of his speech regarding the situation in hand, the femme determined that observation was the watchword until she had a better grasp of things.

Whatever the problem was, she wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of Laser's solution regardless.

---

Medical Centre:

Jumpstart arched an optic ridge as Cutlass just about rode rough-shod over him to put himself squarely in the proverbial firing line with Silentsong. Some mechs were insatiable around femmes. For his part the medic would admit he had an optic for a nicely built lady but that was as far as it went. For all the rough edges, he was a 'gent'. Sure, he'd tease at the edge of the proverbial line but he'd never cross it without an invitation.

Shaking his head, the medic returned his attention to his work. His time was better spent that way anyway. As out-dated as the equipment was, it still needed to be functional and the sooner it was, the better.

[Rexacon]

Vibro watched as everyone was introducing themselves to Silentstrong. It was nice to have new autobots join them in this dark time. Now they would have to be organized and prepare. The cons won't know what hit them, all they need to do is wait for everyone to get here.

"We just need the others and then..........urg!"

Vibro began to see another vision, showing the events that have transpired. With the entrance to the temple of Iota opening and something else unleashed. It wasn't the same bot that was in the other vision, but it looked more beastly. Coming back to reality, Vibro dropped to one knee then got back up as he shook his head.

"We may have to speed up."

[Laser]

Laser noticed Aegis and nodded a quick greeting as he trudged to the hospital. He gave a highly secure transmission to a very special friend. One that would be coded.

Bloron, prepare a minor presentation for me. I'm going to open a few memory banks and induce a trance.

The transmission from the receiving end came back, broken and foreign, as if it didn't exist.

Rog-og-og-oger that. Assemb-emb-emb.......setting up now.

Laser stepped into the hospital and came up behind Vibro as he wobbled back onto his feet. He noted his remark about 'speeding up'. "I agree."

And without warning, he snatched Vibro up like a doll, turned his eyes to meet his, and shone a deep black light through his optics and into Vibro's with the utmost concentration and power. "Open your mind. Refrain from blinking...your eyelids will detach. Everything you see is either a fabrication, past events, or things that are not real. Yet. Let not fear overcome you, but an epiphany instead. Wrap your mind around these concepts...and create your own reality..."

And what exactly did Vibro see?

Horrendous visions of Laser's past...melting of soldiers both friendly and hostile in the heat of battle. The screaming of dying men as molten strings of metal dribbled from their mouths. He projected the monstrosities of foreign planets and their guerilla wars with invading cybertronian pirates. The heat and abrasion of explosions of ancient warfare, as well as the horrendous scientific effects of experiments authorized by past rebel dictators. Scenes from the Painted Bomber. The execution of 4 surviving members of The Covenant--by firing squad. Laser even showed a picture of himself bound in chains and being tortured as he was so many cycles ago. But he refrained from incorporating too many of the visions HE had experienced, lest he hurt Vibro for life.

He would see planets exploding, genocide, Unicron Intelligence, and the greatest chemical fire known to Cybertronian history. Old battles between the Guardians and Thetacons...the destruction and waste was endless. The audio could be heard softly as it traveled from Vibro's head...but he would be able to see, taste, smell, feel and hear everything going on in his mind.

Then there were clips of the Void.

They were fuzzy and modified to make them hard to understand, even though Vibro would know nothing of the Void. Laser showed him the births of Arachnoid, bursting from the bellies from both the dead and the living--pumping vile mucous through the exit wound of their host's bowels and squealing like monstrous banshees. He displayed the masses of cybertronians...zooming in on one particular native with eyes as cold and black as a lifeless carcass...

And then those eyes shifted to meet Vibro's....

[Rexacon]

Vibro held in his fear as he looked Laser dead into his eyes. Visions starting to pop up of everything that Laser had done & seen. He couldn't believe his eyes, what was this....this..curse! Screaming out loud, he wanted to make it stop. The killing, the destruction, it was all new to him as he was just a communication officer.

"AHHHHHH!! MAKE IT STOP!! AHHH!!!!"

Vibro began struggling as his mind was somewhere else. Looking into the eyes, Vibro was scared shitless. Clenching his fist, he didn't really had a choice in the matter. Volunteering to do this trance, he stood strong and pointed towards the eyes.

"What do you want? Huh?"

The eyes glowed as it engulfed him into a massive ball of light. Within the light, stood before him Alpha Trion. His presence began to smooth Vibro mind as he looked in awe again.

"Child, the temple has opened. The universe is at risk as of this moment."

"I know, we can't let the vault be opened by the decepticons. I ask you to give us a way to open the vault so that we can take it before the decepticons do."

Alpha Trion looked at Vibro with a calm yet intimidating gesture. Opening his hand, he reveals a key; however, this key was also a map.

"The temple isn't the only thing that holds the cube. It holds something of lesser importance, but leads to the future I showed you. The decepticons are not in the temple as of yet, but two bots."

Vibro was confused, he didn't understand on what Alpha Trion meant. He had seen almost everything through Laser. The events that transpired, all through Laser and the original thirteen life time. He wondered what was worse than that.

"I do not follow Alpha Trion, what do you mean?"

"The temple may contain the vault which holds the cube and other artifacts, but it is in fact a prison too. The original Thetacons."

"The Thetacons? They are a cult who hides behind every bogus vault."

"Yes, but the original ones were imprisoned along with their creator. The Thetacons who they call themselves are nothing more than religious groups worshipping their God. The reason they hide behind almost every vault imaginable is because they want to free their God."

Showing Vibro the creator of the original Thetacons was a four legged beast with two heads. It had razor sharp spikes that were actually blades coming out of its back like fins. From the sides were two long tentacles with dark ancient markings all over its body.

"Its name is the Diagon. It is a corrupted predacon that has undergo a mutation. A mutation that can infect living or dead cybertronians. These mutations have a tongue that once it pierces, the person is infected."

The image disappears as Alpha Trion hands the vector sigma key to Vibro.

"I'm telling you this so you can prepare for the traps. They are, but many of the traps we have put in the vault. We fear that the temple would never be open, but it has. With the guardian at your side, it was only logically to reach you and tell you this. Your group is the only one that can stop this. There is a lot of things you must do to prevent, but the prize would be the vault. I am confident that I can put fate in you and your friends."

Vibro looked at Alpha Trion carefully as he nodded. Holding the key tight, he stood up strong as if confidence was growing.

"You can count on me and the group. Won't let you down, thank you for choosing us."

Alpha Trion nodded as the light engulfed Vibro and the surrounding area. Vibro was blinded by its light as the only he saw now was staring into the eyes of Laser. Vibro looked around to see that he had returned to reality. Looking down, his hand glowed as the light began to fade revealing the key.

"We should move, got a lot of things to share with you guys."

[Towreck]

Towreck had followed along with Laser to the medical center, and witnessed at Laser performed his vision-thingy on vibro, whatever it was called. Then after all the screaming and what seemed to be horror, it stopped, as the bots waited in the tense air for Vibro to return, then finally, he returned with some sort of key in his hand, then he listened to Vibro's words.

Towreck frowned. "Go? Slag....I need to hurry then. This may be the only chance I get. I gotta head down to the Armory...if we are going to the vault, I mean when we go to the vault, there will be Decepticons, and I am pretty certain a few of us are underpowered when it comes to Weaponry. If you don't mind, I'll get filled in along the way, but I need to get to that armory to not only fulfill my needs, but anyone else's needs for weapons." Towreck briefly explained to his teammates.