VIDEO

[experimentality]

[ The feed fills with Prism's single glowing optic, the Monitor floating close to the camera as he starts off in his eternally cheerful, perky tone. ]

My my my, for a sentient species you are all rather slow, aren't you? You still haven't found the missing human, after all, and it's not like the inhabitable area of this planet is particularly large.

[ He hums thoughtfully. ]

It's rather unfortunate to watch, really, so I will make this easier on you all.

[ He floats back away from the camera, revealing a long metal slab of a table behind him. On it is Vandal.

She's not in good shape. She's covered in evidence of torture and invasive surgery, her right missing and... it gets worse. The skin and muscle of her thoracic cavity is neatly pulled open, revealing her innards. At first it seems like she might be dead, but the plethora of strange devices hooked up to her beep and hum regularly, and as Prism draws near her head lolls aside with a pitiful groan. ]

I am nearly done with her. Perhaps you will find her before she dies, if you are quick!

[ The feed ends. ]

Comments

[video] i guess those going after prism himself could threadjack to help make the team come together

[sword_redemption]

[Drift would say something like 'you monster!' but it's probably cliche and Prism doubtless knows that already anyway. The thought's there, at any rate, though it's been a bit battened by all those long days of searching and finding...nothing. The taunt really strikes home.]

Don't think you're going to get away with this.

[All right, that's also cliche, but he has swords to back this one up.]

[Video | Locked from Prism]

[winged_knight]

Drift!

[There's so many things in that one little word that comes so big from Wing's vocalizer. But mostly, that he's glad to see you back.]

[And he's also not sure he wants to field this problem alone.]

This is our chance, right!?

[Video | Locked from Prism]

[sword_redemption]

[Drift remembers too well how their last conversation ended. His mouth works, halfway nervous.]

Told you I'd be fine.

[He's not 'fine'. Not as long as there's that tension between them.]

Wing. If the First Forged come after us for this, it was my idea.

[Video | Locked from Prism]

[winged_knight]

[Wing does as well, and he's been hoping for an opportunity. ]

You are and I'm grateful. I--there's not much time but, about earlier--I got frustrated. We can talk about that later, but it was a petty thing when you're grieving.

You needed me and I failed you. I'm sorry.

[He looks pained, the sensitive spots still sore, but some of that is also felt for Drift and what the other mech's going through.]

[He shakes his head.] As much as I appreciate it, you know I won't shirk responsibility. But I don't care about that right now. Whatever needs to be done to make Vandal safe, we will.

[video] prisim fighters come togetherrrr

[thxforthememories]

[There is nothing he can say to this thing. There aren't even words for what he's seeing. Just this overwhelming feeling of anger. It's enough to choke him into silence.]

[But he forces one thing out, the words ground from between his teeth.]

I'm going with you.

[Fear be damned, he's going to do something he should have done months ago.]

[video] *brofist*

[sword_redemption]

[Drift had felt obliged to say something and it hadn't really sounded quite as heroic or threatening as he'd intended, despite the fact that he meant every syllable.]

[He nods at Kagerou.] Yes. This time, we'll go in together. With a plan.

[video] SWORD BROS REPRESENT

[wheeljackofalltrades]

What's the plan, chief?

[Can you see Wheeljack? He's gearin' to go. Hell, he won't even give Prism the benefit of a response. He just wants to get in, tear the thing to pieces, get out, and get Vandal to help.

A medic...anything.]

I know I only carry one grenade at a time, but I think I can make an exception this once.

[video/locked] swordfist?

[sword_redemption]

Simple. Find him. Find Vandal. Kill him, get Vandal to Medbay.

[A grin, that fades after a klik.] Might want to be careful with the grenades until we know we're not going to hit Vandal by mistake.

[video] why not?

[whirlybird_of_prey]

[S l o w clap]

You villain types really gotta learn not to stop and gloat until you've done the whole world domination thing.

...fraggin' tacky.

[audio | locked from Prism] Prism deserves all the trolling. Also threadjack

[winged_knight]

Whirl.

We're getting some people together to take care of this.

[audio | locked from Prism]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Count me in. [Still staring at the other transmission. Because yeah Whirl's going to intimidate a closed feed. He's just awesome like that.]

[Video]

[tearsofsteel]

[004 twitches with barely-contained rage. Sure, he and Vandal weren't close. But the senseless taking of life? From a machine like Prism? That hits too close to home.]

Bad move, Prism. Even for an unfeeling machine like you.

[Video --> Audio] All threadjacks welcome, Gatherer folks especially!

[winged_knight]

Vandal NO--!!

[There's the rattle of angry flight panels, like the sound of thunder as it echoes through the room.]

What have you done!

[Wing is about to hang up when he realizes someone is going to have to track the signal. With an angry hiss he shuts off the video, sparing him the sight of Vandal's tortured body. He'll keep the feed open as long as he can, but you can believe he's preparing. The sounds in the background prove that, there's really no use in hiding it. If you wanted to bait them Prism? You were successful all right.]

Why!? Why do something like this!? Why her?

[Oh, you better believe he'll be coming. And we won't come alone. He'll call in a few friends. And talk to anyone he sees on the way. Because he knows, oh he knows, there are those who want a piece of you, Prism. And though part of him still doesn't understand why Primus granted you a mark and not others like Rodimus, it's not something he's concerned with right now. Because this? This is so many kinds of irrefutably NOT right he doesn't even have time to count them.]

( audio ) ((gatherer folk present!))

[pendragon]

[ There's no way Saber can see such an announcement and do nothing. Hearing Wing's feed, she quickly connects to him as he goes silent. ]

Saber present. I'm assuming you have just about as much patience with this as I do.

[ And the amount of that patience is none.

Wing is also another law enforcement member, so two working together would be better than one. Unfortunately, Saber has no real talents with technology or anything like tracing. ]

I am going to keep this feed open. When enough information is gathered, I will head out to save Vandal with whoever else wishes to do so.

( audio )

[winged_knight]

Saber, it's good to hear from you. And you'd be correct. As soon as we have a direction, we'll be moving.

[He really wants that to be NOW, because he's just as impatient, but he also doesn't want any false starts to delay them.]

Prism is extremely dangerous, we'll need to approach as a group.

[audio]

[showboater]

[ Under normal circumstances, Marvelous would keep out of things like this. But he's been around long enough to know Vandal had a crew, and he knew how it felt to rescue your crew.

Also, this Prism guy was a real ass. The robots were welcome to murder each other in his book, but he was a little less forgiving about humans. ]

Yo, this is the local heavy ordinance callin'. You need a hand, the Galleon and I're there.

[audio]

[winged_knight]

Wing is happy to see anyone will to rise to this occasion.]

Any help would be a boon, Prism threatens us all, something must be done.

The Galleon? Could you be more specific?

[Video/Locked] Gatherer! 8D

[notyourblueangel]

This is that "Prism" I've heard about?

[It's been quite some time, pretty much not since his arrival or shortly after...but he remembers the name. And the raw ANGER with which people always said it.]

I assume there'll be a rescue party?

...count me in.

[Video/Locked] Woot!! >D

[winged_knight]

It is.

Real piece of work too.

[Given Wing's usual respect for life...his flippancy here is pretty telling.]

You better believe it. And I'd love to have you. [More the merrier.] Once we have a location locked, it'll happen fast.

VIDEO;

[inferiordude]

V-Vandal--

[He tries to stifle a gasp, trying to not let his horror show. Oh no no no...]

You-- you're gonna regret this!

[Excuse him while he gets to work on tracing your signal.]

AUDIO; Locked From Prism

[winged_knight]

'Wave, can you do anything about tracking this signal?

AUDIO; Locked From Prism

[inferiordude]

M'on it. Believe me.

Prism's good, but I'm better. I can find him.

video

[percept]

Vandal--!

[ Perceptor can't help but feel sick, a rush of panic and dread rushing through him. That's Vandal there, splayed open, vivisected. When he finally finds his words again, his voice is low and dark. ]

You will pay for this.

[Video]

[notyourblueangel]

[Thundercracker has gotten soft in the short time he's been here. At least, that's what others would no doubt say of him. Regardless, he can't ignore the sight of the flesh creature - the human - laid open and kept cruelly ALIVE in such a state. He stuffs down the rage he feels at the sight - the strength of which, frankly, surprises him - keeping his tone level.]

I assume you have a reason for torturing someone and then flaunting it on the network. You have to know this won't go unanswered.

[He's not implying that HE'LL be one of those to answer even though he TOTALLY will!, just that there will be those who do.]

[Video: Locked to Prism]

[treacherous_widow]

So that's where the little ape everyone's been worrying about went to.

[The widow was observing the specimen on the table more than the bot talking and that was obvious. As long as Blackarachnia didn't know the ape, she could care less what happened to it.]

You know, some people will want to come collect that thing.