[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[It's just a short video feed, from what was--briefly, one of the Perceptor's labs.  A half-built space bridge is in the background.]

Perceptor's gone.

And now Ratchet.

Either someone's kidnapping them, [Looking at you, First Forged. Or Prism.] or they're wandering someplace dangerous and getting killed. Because neither of them are good fighters.

Or....something else.

[He's not sure he's covered all the angles. He's a swordsmech, not Nightbeat or Prowl. But those are conclusions he can draw.]

I'm heading to the Badlands to at least settle that angle.  And I have...business out there, anyway. [And he's not quite dumb enough to go against Prism on his own. But the Badlands, he can handle.]

Anyone else missing? Anyone have another solution?

Comments

[audio]

[namesnotprowl]

Most likely they headed into the Badlands and didn't come back, but it you've got something of Perceptor's I c'n try to help you track where he went. Honestly, I should probably poke around for Ratchet too. And my Ironhide; he ain't the sort that's easily taken down so I doubt anyone here would've kidnapped him.

If you don't mind me taggin' along for a while.

[video]

[sword_redemption]

I know Ratchet said he wanted to get away for a while. But. [But the Badlands weren't exactly a Zen meditation retreat.]

What do you need to track someone? [He looks around the lab trying to spot something useful.]

[Well, Ironhide. That blew a large, Ironhide-shaped hole in that 'going after the weak' theory. Drift is not a detective, clearly.]

[Video]

[kingofthetvworld]

You can't go into some badlands!! They're bad!

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

So am I, Teddie.

[Wow, he so rarely gets to whip out badaft lines like that.]

I'll be fine, don't worry.

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[Wheeljack is...for once, serious. No jokes, nothing.]

What other angles ya have in mind? I'll take care of 'em.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[None yet, from Drift, either. Give him an opponent, and he's fine. But mystery, and losing friends? Not so fine.]

There might be something in the Junk Pile we haven't seen yet. Some predator. Because Barricade agreed Ratchet wouldn't just wander into the Badlands himself. He was upset. Not suicidal.

[winged_knight]

[Wing looks more than a little distressed at this point.]

Wait, there's a third? Which Perceptor?

[He's not going to play mother hen--as much as he wants to--but all this disappearance business has him more than a little fretful and clingy.]

Let me go with you please?

[video]

[sword_redemption]

The one who had wandered into the Badlands and got attacked by the spider thing. He knew me--or someone like me--from before.

[Drift frowns. Part of wanting to go to the Badlands was he needed to clear his head. Fighting had always done that before, stripping away everything else except power and movement. So when Liege Maximo had given him the mission, he'd taken it as a blessing.]

[But it was Wing and he had the hardest time saying 'no' to Wing.]

Perhaps you could check on Vandal and the others. Make sure no one else gets 'lost'.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[...Drift are you seriously accusing them of-okay. have a somewhat stern Vector.]

We can only protect you from so much.

[that's addressed at more than one part. but the next...]

If you recklessly put yourself in danger, then you take your own responsibility for it.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[Yes because creeping on the network isn't suspicious at all. :| ]

And what aren't you protecting us from? If you have an idea, now might be a good time to share it.

[Wow Drift, great diplomacy there.]

I always have.

[Video]

[idle_time]

[Wreck-Gar scowls as he watches and listens to the transmission. This is different than before. This was someone he knows, someone he considered to be a friend.]

They took Mister Wizard off the programming schedule?

[A shake of his head.]

I'm liking this station less and less.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

It looks like it, yes. Unless you've seen something? I just can't imagine him leaving this place open like this.

[Not that Drift knew him that well.]

Me neither. Something's going on here.

voice;

[thxforthememories]

... But I just ... spoke to them.

[Since he assumes there's only one Perceptor. He hasn't really been introduced to "Alternate Selves" yet.]

Don't go alone. We tried when... when one of ours vanished. It isn't safe out there alone.

video

[sword_redemption]

You did? Do you know where they went? Are they somewhere together?

[Calm down, Drift. Too many questions.]

I won't go too far. Just enough to do what I need to. I was out there before with Ashitaka. I won't be taken by surprise.


But thank you. I'll be careful.

video;

[sciencetank]

[Considering he's out and about at the edge of the Link's range... the feed is considerably fuzzy, but still visible, for now.]

What--? I've done what now?

Did you need something?

video;

[sword_redemption]

[Blink.]

You've done....Perceptor? [He squints at the fuzzy feed, colors and rough shapes.]

I, uh, where are you?

AUDIO;

[engrishdetective]

You won't find them.

Deckerd's a fighter. We couldn't find them.

video;

[sword_redemption]

[Aren't you the voice of optimism.]

Gunmax. I have to at least try.

[Video]

[vandalization]

Shit...

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

Vandal. [He could tell by her unique style even if it wasn't video.]

I'm trying to find them. We need ideas. [Which is his way of saying: you're smarter than me, we could use your ideas.]

[percept]

More disappearances...

May I ask what business you have in the Badlands? [ Because Perceptor doesn't like the idea of him going out there. ]

[sword_redemption]

Yes. A scientist, a medic, and Luxord this time. Deckerd earlier. And Vector's mentioned we have an enemy who may be behind it.

[Good to know, right?]

It's a debt I owe Liege Maximo.

[Video]

[dontasktrix]

Friends gone? That's too bad.

Did anyone bother to look for the Starscreams when they disappeared? [She doesn't actually know if anyone did or not.] They've been gone longer than these other ones.

[Not that she bothered, either.]

You probably looked for that little girl, though.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

Starscream came back. But we wouldn't have found him if we hadn't been near the Badlands.

Every mech's disappearance matters. Which is why we need to solve this.

[He frowns.] Do you have a problem with us looking for those who are lost?

[Video]

[neverputincharge]

It's not like Ratchet to go off to some place dangerous. At least not without back up.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

No, it's not. At least what I know of him. Nor does he seem the type to do something...rash.

But he hasn't told anyone where he was going.

[It looks bad.]

Any idea where he might have gone?

[Video] Pretend this ISN'T hella late... OTL

[notyourblueangel]

I'll fly recon if you think it'd help.

[Video] it's not late. :D

[sword_redemption]

[He hesitates, but then there's Slipstream chewing him out for making this a faction thing.]

We don't want anyone going anywhere alone. Can you check the area near his workshop...with someone?

[justthedoctor]

Perceptor gone? [He doesn't recognize the other name, except maybe from memories of that old kid's show way back when. Yeah. The Doctor watches cartoons. Especially sciencey-spacey-scifi ones. And he's only spoken with Perceptor once, but that still makes his attention pique at this.]

What sort've evidence have we got at this point?

[sword_redemption]

Yes. He was here and now...[Drift looks around the empty lab.] I can't imagine where else he'd be. Except the badlands.

[He frowns.] Not much. This has happened before--and Vector says that some Unicron calls us out to the Badlands to die.

[Cute, right?]

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

I'm not going to suggest you avoid the Badlands, but... At least be careful. [SIGHS KIDS THESE DAYS] And... If you do find them... Well. Hope everything turns out all right.

[video]

[sword_redemption]

I have to. I owe Liege Maximo.

[He nods.]

I hope we do find them. Or at least some way to prevent this from happening again. If Vector's telling us the truth this time.