It's cold out

[Dreadwing]

OOC: Day 1, Week 2, Month 2, Ship, outer hull, Open

Visible spectrum? Nope, between the stars, there isn’t enough light to illuminate Ship let alone something on its hull.

Radar? Still pinging negative, although we can see Ship this time.

Infra Red? Bingo! There we go, some stupid aft stealth bomber has tethered itself to the ship hull with a magnet line. Probably enjoying the quiet. What with tankformers and roflcopters and angry jets aplenty, it wasn’t a bad idea. It would be a pity if someone spoiled it or maybe got hit in the cockpit with a micro meteorite, or Borg…

[Turmoil]

Spoiling it was what Turmoil had every intention of doing. Learning of Dreadwing's location wasn't too hard once one took the time to understand him. Pulling up surveillance videos of the stealth bomber's progress through the ship helped. It was yet another benefit of the compulsions of power (through blackmail) and paranoia that guided his brethren.

He simply wanted a private conversation with his former subordinate and he simply waited for the perfect opportunity to do so. It was merely unfortunate that it had taken him so long to find one. As such he exited Ship, with mag clamps attached to his feet, and walked to where Dreadwing remained tethered. There he'd wait quietly until Dreadwing took note of him.

[Dreadwing]

With sensitive radar systems, Dreadwing had already noted the presence of his old commander the moment he had exited the airlock, he recognised that particular radar profile like someone might recognise themselves in a mirror. That mere fact that he could was not something he advertised, it wasn’t like he gave people a reason to sneak up on him from behind either. It actually had the small advantage of making his bulk less clumsy.

Turmoil might be waiting awhile for Dreadwing to make any motion or response however, the bomber had always been the big background soldier, they didn’t wait for him, they ordered him. No, Dreadwing had a new commander, for now anyway, Turmoil with his experience may yet be put back in charge but until then, he was simply a little curious to see where the new line would be drawn.

[Turmoil]

While technically Turmoil could have waited until he exhausted his supply of energon, he was not here to play games. He had no real authority over Dreadwing. He couldn't just order the jet-former down. But he was certain that his next few words would pique Dreadwing's interest.

"I found Deadlock."

[Dreadwing]

“Ya found What! Deadlock!...Personally?” Dreadwing transformed and gave a curt nod to Turmoil, he had no love of the once field commander, the guy was much too fond of violence to solve problems. Dreadwing on the other hand merely threatened violence to solve the problems of others. But of course Turmoil knew all this.

[Turmoil]

"No, not personally."

Dreadwing was right about the violence. The first thing Turmoil would have done was try to take the traitor's head off. But if that was the case he wouldn't have come out here to have a private chat.

"I've been reviewing the database aboard ship," although it was really more like obsessively reading and rereading every scrap of information he could find, "Until I found this."

Turmoil opens an audio data stream and immediately the sounds of battle could be heard, in particular the snarling that could only belong to Barricade. Then, out of nowhere came a very familiar voice that asked the question, "You a zombie?" Turmoil cut the transmission soon after, the glow from his visor intensifying as he stared at Dreadwing.

"This was part of a data dump concerning the assault on the Autobot ship. I need you to confirm that this is Deadlock before I submit a report to Shockwave."

[Dreadwing]

He had to hand it to Turmoil, the commander was very thorough, it was a good quality to have. To say Dreadwing was fond of his old commander was an exaggeration, he was a pacifist in a Decepticon army after all but he appreciated serving under this commander and not another for that sort of reason.

“Yeah, I’d say dat was him all right”. There was a pause, a long one “Is he working for da otha side now?” Deadlock, too violent by half but effective, if he was hunting Decepticons then it didn’t bode well for being a Decepticon. Until someone collected on the traitor’s head.

[Turmoil]

Turmoil quickly filed away the recording and made a note of Dreadwing's affirmation. Soon he'd question both Barricade and Frenzy about the encounter and hopefully gain a visual confirmation of the traitor. The fact that there was no weapon fire in the fight suggested that Deadlock was as reckless as ever and either still under the effects of stasis lock, or, a more troubling possibility, Deadlock had made major modifications to himself... Lost in those thoughts, Turmoil almost missed Dreadwing's question.

"I'd assume so. Or he might be trying to earn asylum. In either case we will be prepared for him."

[Dreadwing]

Hand raised to head as Dreadwing scratched at his dome for a moment, and then suddenly from out of nowhere, a light bulb appeared above Dreadwing. It took several more moments before any light glowed from the bulb and then it wasn’t very bright though it held steady. “What if we got one of dem older ‘cons to hail Deadlock on the broadband, ‘cos you know, dem bots don’t know me an you is here? See what happens like.”

[Turmoil]

Turmoil had to admit, the idea had merit. Sowing distrust in the Autobots for Deadlock would be easy enough. There should be those among the Event Horizon's crew that would remember just how much the former Decepticon loved to slaughter them. But there were problems with that logic as well.

"If we alert the Autobots to his true nature, then he might catch on that some of his former comrades have arrived in this dimension. That would give him time to prepare. He's reckless and impulsive. He'll make an error when he learns of us, and we can use that moment to sow discontent towards him."

[Dreadwing]

Dreadwing shrugged, he left the big thinking for other more capable minds but he still had imagination, even if a little simple, but it was struggling right now “How would he prepare against all ov us as opposed to against all da ‘Cons here minus us? Or are ya mebe thinking like spring it on da ‘Bots during a battle or something?”

[Turmoil]

Turmoil's expression remains it's usual schooled scowl, but, to be honest, he was none the less impressed with Dreadwing. Despite being considered a little slow at times, the 'con's grasp of the situation was accurate. It also exposed a flaw of Turmoil's.

"You're right. He still has to prepare against our comrades as well. But 'springing it' on the Autobots was exactly what I had in mind. It might even motivate them to shoot him in the back."

Turmoil could have smiled at the thought.

[Dreadwing]

“One way or anotha, he will need to be taken care of I reckon” he glanced at the missile launcher on his shoulder, “Even if from safe distance”. Somewhere inside his chassis, a temperature sensor went ping alerting Dreadwing to a set safety margin of the slowly encroaching cold. He had another ten minutes of space but somehow he didn’t think he would get any peace. “Wanna head back inside…Chief?” was that friendship in Dreadwing's tone?

[Turmoil]

Turmoil had noticed the cold as well. It was offset by the heat at which his systems usually ran, but it was starting grasp at the servos in his extremities.

"Lead on Dreadwing."

Although Turmoil would have never admitted the need for companionship to anyone, it was still there and he did catch Dreadwing's change in tone. So he made a concession and ceded a small bit of control to him. He'd let the bomber lead the way back into the ship.