Fireblade: Protecting Interests

[Victoria Raines]

It takes perhaps a bit longer than he would like to reach the sewer Hellbender had slithered into. He has been avoiding not only their own enemy Autobots, but their "allies" as well.

Once in the sewer, though, Shockwave makes no attempt to conceal his approach. "Hellbender? I am here."

Not ideal working conditions, but Shockwave has made do with worse. He can at least check Hellbender's status and prep him for transport to wherever triage is being located.

[Hellbender]

"Lord... Shockwave," the mining worm replied, his voice echoing down the tunnels. Hellbender had wormed his way to a sewer junction, such that Shockwave could actually get around the mining robot, who normally fitted quite snugly into the tunnels.

From in front, the damages were deceptively minor: blunted cutters, gouges and dents on top and sides of Hellbender's "head". His body trailed off into shadow...

Until something shorted and sparked, and in the blue-white flash of the arc, the gaping emptiness of the sewer tunnel behind Hellbender stood out, an emptiness that should have been filled with the immense blue-black length of Hellbender's body and tail. Instead, there was a trailing latticework of warped and twisted armor frames ending in snapped metal, sheared cables, severed piping.

Omega Supreme had literally torn Hellbender in half.

[Victoria Raines]

Upon sighting Hellbender, Shockwave moves more quickly, though that arcing gives him pause. He moves those last few steps to the mining worm once the sparking stops. Carefully he edges around the worm to the broken, torn ruin that was what was left of Hellbender's body, occasionally reaching out to try and gingerly examine any particularly nasty wounds on the worm's outer plating.

Once around, Shockwave takes quick stock of the damages, planning what can be done now, and what will need to be done. This...will be a loss, for Shockwave in particular. Hellbender's imposing form and strength was an asset Shockwave counted on heavily when considering certain scenarios. Now however...he and Hook may have to step up their plans for upgrading the worm, it seems. Simply reattaching and repairing might not be feasible.

Cursory examination done, Shockwave moves to rest his hand lightly on Hellbender's side, then says, "I will turn down the sensitivity of your tactile sensors as much as I can and still allow you awareness. Then I will see to rerouting power to best effect and do all that I can for you at the moment. Once we are able to move you, I will deal with your other lacks." That Shockwave takes the time to inform Hellbender at all of his intention is testament to the worm's value to Shockwave. True, Shockwave did not build this creature, but Hellbender is loyal, is his. And Shockwave takes care of his tools.

"You did well," Shockwave says, before kneeling down to begin his work, "And you have proven your value beyond measure."

[Hellbender]

Shockwave's touch was balm to Hellbender; his creator, his lord and master was here, all would be well. His words were even better.

"Yes, sir. How'd the battle go, sir? Ah've been kinda too busy to check."

You did well, and you have proven your value beyond measure.

Shockwave's words resonated in Midnight's CPU. They could not erase the shameful memory of his cowardice in the face of Unicron, but, just maybe they took some of the sting out. Hellbender was not useless; he had fought the mightiest enemy of the Decepticons to a standstill. He had led the attack, making the breach in the defenses and guided the rest of the 'Cons in.

Midnight still lived.

[Victoria Raines]

Shockwave uses various access points to shut down or deaden key sensor relays and stop power from flowing into the torn power conduits. Once he is satisfied that he can work on Hellbender more or less safely and without causing undue pain, Shockwave starts working on rerouting lines to conserve what fuel Hellbender has left. He talks as he works.

"Well, enough, I suppose. The aerial assault succeeded in bringing down the Autobot's base, though I have not heard if Thundercracker was retrieved before that occurred. Hook and the Stunticons apparently also succeeded in destroying the power receiving station. I believe Barricade is the only one we may have lost, though Eye-Fire was also grievously wounded."

Shockwave's grows flat, devoid of inflection or accent, and his movements are more deliberate. "The alternate Prime has claimed sole responsibility for bringing down seven of the Autobots, including Grimlock and Slag. However, I would assume he failed in bringing down his counterpart, as we have not been gifted with another round of his boasting."

"There will be some power fluctuations as I work. Do not worry."

[Hellbender]

Hellbender noticed the care Shockwave was taking; he was pleased with his warrior and might have some improvements in mind. He fervently hoped a robot mode was one of them.

"Damn. Thundercracker has been one hard-luck jet since he got here, hasn't he? Seriously, the way Ah hear it, he can't go spread his wings a mile out of base without getting holes shot in him or set on fire or something."

Hellbender also noted the shift in Shockwave's tone as he talked about the evil Prime. Shockwave was not happy about that situation, though the Lord of Logic would never openly show anger, in Hellbender's experience. He considered such emotional displays as illogical and weak.

Midnight had had an independent enough mind to think that maybe Shockwave's strength was his massive armor, powerful gun and ruthless, brilliant mind, not his lack of emotional display. He'd also had enough intelligence not to tell his boss that to his optic.

Hellbender also knew Shockwave well enough to know that he did have emotions--he just chose not to show them. That flat tone of voice... he was annoyed.

"That Prime is a dangerous one, isn't he?" Hellbender rumbled quietly.

[Victoria Raines]

"That he is."

An answer that suits both questions asked, that, and Shockwave works in silence for the next little while. Yes, the alternate Prime disturbs him, and even more so now. The Decepticons have made a devil's bargain indeed, and now they must find a loophole in the contract.

Or make one.

When Shockwave speaks again his voice is back to default, as if the earlier annoyance had never been, "I've rerouted what I can. You should be fine here until things have settled above." Shockwave checks Hellbender's diagnostics again, "I would prefer not to get too heavily into a true repair attempt at the moment; however, I would like to trim up some of the torn framing and such, so as to make moving you easier, if you have no objections."

Shockwave pauses a moment as a thought strikes him, and he idly runs his hand back and forth on the worm's side, a possessive gesture that might be mistaken for a comforting one. "Were your cutters strong enough to damage the Guardian, or no?"

[Hellbender]

Hellbender is a Decepticon; to be the valued possession of such a powerful lord as Shockwave, under his protection and care, was comforting in itself. Some might call Hellbender servile; he considers himself loyal.

Loyalty is strongest when reciprocal and earned. Midnight, later Hellbender, made himself valuable to his creator; Shockwave in turn valued him. Valued him highly indeed if he was asking permission to work on Hellbender's body.

"You know what's best, sir. Do whatever you judge best," the wounded mining worm replied.

"Well, Ah sliced up his claws and other fripperies pretty handily whenever he made the mistake of puttin' them in reach. His main armor were a bit tougher, sir. Ah did damage it, and Ah could have drilled through it with time, but it blunted my teeth pretty badly."

[Victoria Raines]

For all that there are few who would challenge this Shockwave, here or in his own reality, there are few whose true loyalty he can claim. Loyalty is a thing to be valued, to be carefully and studiously cultivated and protected. Yes, Shockwave values Hellbender, values that loyalty- and Shockwave knows how to manipulate that loyalty to make it even stronger.

Shockwave murmurs, "Good, that is an excellent bit of information. After all, the Guardian's armour is much stronger than, say, a Prime's for example. Unless this Omega is not comparable to my own."

A final pat, and Shockwave moves to clean up the ruined mess that is Hellbender's back end. If the worm does have to move for some reason, not having to worry about jagged framework catching and digging at an inopportune moment would be helpful. Especially since Hellbender's tactile sensors are dialed so far down; he might further damage something vital and not realize it. Some parts are simply straightened or rolled in, some trimmed away. Torn and now inactive lines are clamped off, rolled up and tucked away inside the worm's body. It does not take overlong; Shockwave is quick and efficient. All removed parts are set aside in neat piles to be collected along with Hellbender once it is feasible to do so.

Once done, Shockwave moves back around to Hellbender's front. He take a moment to very carefully examine the blunted cutters, checking to see what, if any, actual damages had been done to the worm's weapons. "I need to talk with Hook, once things have settled. We have plans for you, Hellbender."

"I have plans."

---

OOC: Looks like we've reached a good fade out point, if you're agreeable?

[Hellbender]

"Yes, sir," Hellbender answered, filing away Shockwave's comment for future consideration. His own Shockwave never made idle chit-chat with his creation; if he told Midnight something, it was important, though not always immediately or directly. Midnight had learned that early on. This Shockwave seemed much like him.

"Ah, with all the other damage, Ah forgot to mention that my upper right quadrant sensors got knocked out in the fight, and might maybe have loosened some other connectors when Ah was ramming Omega. Ah figure it'll hold until y'all get to my full repairs," Hellbender commented.

His cutters are severely worn down, almost to their mounts, and the mountings show signs of having loosened and deformed under stress. There's a whiff of scorched lubricant in the air, as well, of machinery that has run too long and too hard.

"Yes sir. Ah'll be interested to find out what they are, sir," Hellbender replied.

---
Agreeable.