[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]

[namesnotprowl]

Doubt he'd choose the Badlands as a vacation spot, yeah.

Just anything he's used recently or that he used frequently, I just need t'get his scent off of it. Depending on how long he's been absent it might not do any good, but. [Might as well try, right?]

[He only thought to mention Ironhide because of Mirage's transmission earlier. Even if he did get kidnapped somehow, Barricade would rather know where the mech is.]

[video]

[sword_redemption]

Maybe something's roaming the Junk Pile, and we haven't seen it yet. But wherever they end up, they can't answer comm. [Which in his mind rules out the Junk Pile. Even when Prism had done his worst to Drift, Drift had managed to comm.]

It's worth a shot at any rate. [Drift picks up a datapad, and a few tools.]

[video]

[namesnotprowl]

They could just be out of comm range somewhere; I know this Link gets spotty the farther from the Haven it gets. From the message archives, anyway. [He's hesitant to think it's something in the Junk Pile too. It's a big area but it's still in comm range.]

Exactly. No reason not to try. Where should I meet you?

[video]

[sword_redemption]

True. There could just be deadzones for comm in the Junk Pile or other places. Something we should look out for, too.

[Drift puts the tools gently in his storage.] I can meet you outside of Vector Prime's place? I need to take, uh, care of some things before we go.

[Like...maybe say something to Wing. If he can work up the nerve. ]

[video]

[namesnotprowl]

All right. I'll be there.

[Barricade would probably have a lot of encouragement along the lines of 'GO FOR IT YOU CRAZY KIDS', but! That's neither here nor there.]