Springer sprinted down the halls of the Lost Light, not caring if he woke anyone up as he paved a way to Red Alert's office, expression one of disbelieving anger as he skidded to a halt in front of the door. He slams his servo down onto the number pad, using his temporary status to override the usual code inputs and storms into the room. One wall was covered in screens and one long console while the other side of the room held other various machinery that controlled certain parts of the large ship and the yellow and green triple changers' optics land on the vibrant red Cybertronian sitting in front of the monitors. "Red!"
Red Alert startles at the loud pissed voice of the current captain and he swivels the chair he was in to look at Springer. "Springer. What's the matter?" He asked worriedly, genuine in the emotion as he was confused about why Springer of all mechs would come storming into his space so late at night.
"Where is Skyfire?!" Springer asked loudly though he did reel in his anger at the security director. "I thought you knew?" Red Alert asked, optics blinking rapidly as Springer seemed to stand straighter. "Knew what? I wasn't told anything. Now, since you were the last one to have seen him answer me this, where is the Aerial Commander?" The temp captain's voice was low with warning as he repeated his question and he watched as Red Alert started to think about his last encounter with the shuttle-former. "He told me he had your permission to go out and look for the missing commanders and captain." The red colored Cybertronian replied after a moment and it was his turn to watch as various emotions washed over Springer's faceplates. Skyfire left without letting anyone, without letting ME, know. Springer thought to himself. "Which direction did he go in?"
"I don't think-"
"Red Alert, I am not asking as a crew, I am asking as acting captain."
Red Alert's lip plates thinned before he shakes his helm. "I would tell you if I could but he left before I could start tracking his location. Even if I could, our trackers and monitors have been acting up all day." The security director replied and watched as the current captain of the Lost Light slammed a fist into the wall near the door, leaving a slight dent. "I know you're worried, Primus knows I am too, but without a way to track him or them I can't give you their coordinates." Came the soft words from Red Alert. Springer's shoulders slumped as he lowered his helm with defeat and a scowl on his face. It didn't feel right to him to just leave them out there all night, to turn his back on his friends who he knew by now deep in his spark needed his help. Needed someone's help. Otherwise they will be eaten alive.
He refuses to believe they might have perished out there. Springer would not allow himself or the crew or anyone else to think for even a moment that Hot Rod, Drift and Ultra Magnus were all offlined. They were made of stronger stuff than that, they could handle their own. "Let me know immediately if you can get anything through, or if they come back to the Lost Light tonight." Springer stated with a look to Red Alert who nods. "I will."
---
Ultra Magnus carefully stretched his legs out in a near painfully slow movement. He had readjusted Hot Rod an hour ago so his back struts wouldn't lock up while he was unconscious. Drift had also sprawled out more while recharging, his helm now resting atop Ultra Magnus' thighs and an arm slung carefully over Hot Rod. If Ultra Magnus was anyone else he would have called the sight cute. As it was, he wasn't anyone else and he was rather indifferent to the sight as the commander rolled a shoulder to loosen some of his tense and stiff wiring. He checks his internal clock and frowns a bit.
3:33am
They still have three and a half hours before the sun would begin to rise. The primarily blue Cybertronian laid a servo lightly on Drift's shoulder as he heard the screeching cry of one of those things out there and if he raised his audial receptors' volume he could hear the sniffing and harsh panting and he felt his energon go cold. They're near. They sniffed out the energon. Ultra magnus thought as he gently shook the black and white shoulder, trying to get Drift to wake up without starling him and causing a racket. At that moment his comm burst into static, a first since he left the ship to go looking for the two trouble makers. ::-us? Dr....t. Thi....Skyf....:: The voice was broken and the static was giving the commander a processor ache but this was good. It meant that the jammer was destroyed or at least not working properly if he was able to receive a comm from Skyfire now.
::Skyfire, this is Ultra Magnus, copy.:: Ultra Magnus comm'd back, hoping that he can get Skyfire to their current location for a pickup. ::Skyfire, if you can hear me this is Ultra Magnus, do you copy?::
::Copy Comm...pick u...where?:: Came the garbled reply from the aerial commander and Ultra Magnus couldn't stop the relieved sigh from escaping as he glanced down at the two teens in his lap. Drift still hadn't woken up, still deep in his recharge and the commander couldn't help but frown at this. Anyone else would have woken up by now. How low on energy was he exactly? The only Cybertronian awake thought to himself before he comm'd Skyfire back, ::We're in the old oil refinery building. I repeat, in the old oil refinery building.:: His venting halts completely as he heard claws scraping against metal and behind him, on the other side of the wall, snarling could be heard. ::I need backup.::
::Copy tha....comman...On m...way:.:
At least the signal was getting stronger, so that was a relief. Maybe his message got through to Skyfire properly or at least enough for the shuttle-former to piece it together. Ultra magnus didn't stop trying to shake Drift awake but this time it was a little more urgently. He dared not to speak, knowing that that creature on the other side of the wall would be able to hear him, even at a bare whisper. Come on Drift, I need you to wake up. The Lost Light's third in command thought. If only he was a medic then he would be able to force the swordsmech out of recharge. But alas...he was not a medic.
---
::Copy that commander, I'm on my way.:: Skyfire comm'd back as he banked a sharp and hard left, going in the direction of the oil refinery building. He knew where that building was, having made stops there during Cybertron's golden age while he was working. And during the war it was one of the few spots left that still produced something that could be consumed aside from energon. It hadn't been nearly as good or as filling as energon, but in a pinch the oil that the refinery made was good enough. A shame we no longer have any refinery masters that we could use to make high grade energon on the Lost Light. Skyfire thought to himself, a small bit of longing in his thoughts but in honesty the stuff at the Hub was pretty fragging good. If only he would agree to be hired as a refiner on the Lost Light. These thoughts were amused as he scanned the ground below and he could see three of those big creatures roaming around at least and it forced Skyfire to slow down and quiet his engines to near silence.
Frag, those creatures will most likely follow me to their location if they haven't picked up any trails already. If he was in root mode he would have narrowed his optics as he watched them scurry and climb across the buildings and rubble. Something has clearly caught their attention and it isn't me. He was surprised by this observation. Skyfire knew they heard his engines as his alt mode isn't exactly quiet so something else must have caused them to go after an easier target.
It didn't take Skyfire but a minute to realize what they could have picked up on and panic seized his spark and he quickly tried to comm Ultra Magnus again, ::Ultra Magnus, come in. Come in commander, you have a pack heading to your location. I repeat, you have a pack coming after you.:: Static answered him and he swore under his breath and with a loud roar of his engines they flared to life with a bright flash and he shot forward much faster than his previous speed. It was like a crackling boom at the sudden change in speed.
---
Oh frag it to the Pits. The commander thought. he had gotten the comm from Skyfire about the pack coming towards him but he hadn't been able to reply. They picked up on the energon trail. He shook Drift's shoulder harder, trying to get the unconscious mech to wake the frag up. Taking a slow deep intake he exvents slowly before he mentally apologizes to Drift before he smacks him hard across the face, startling the white and red swordsmech who quickly scrambled away with a near shout as he grabbed his remaining sword in his servo and looked ready to fight. ::Easy Drift. I had no choice but to slap you awake. You wouldn't wake up otherwise.:: Ultra magnus comm'd and Drift opened his intake to speak out loud - possibly to ask why Ultra Magnus was using the comm instead of speaking normally - but the commander cut him off, ::We are in deep trouble Drift. Hot Rod is still unconscious and we have a pack of those things coming towards us and we have one outside sniffing around. it possibly had alerted the others to our location.::
Drift went quiet for a moment as he rubbed his thumb across the glowing gem, like he was silently communicating with it before he comm'd back, ::Okay, I'll distract them while you get Roddy out of here.:: The young Cybertronian looks up at the commander with determination in his optics and immediately Ultra magnus went into denial about this sudden - most likely half baked or even just not baked at all - plan that Drift came up with on the spot. ::Drift, as your commanding officer I refuse to allow you to do that. You're injured and only have one arm. I am still fit to fight and so you will be taking Hot Rod and making an escape.:: Drift's bright blue almost crystal colored optics narrow, his resolve already steeled. ::And that's precisely why I want you to take Hot Rod and go. You can protect him better than I can right now and you would be able to move faster. I can't carry him in my alt like you can.::
They have a stare down, neither one of them wanting to back down in their own decisions. Magnus couldn't deny that Drift had a point, he would be the better choice but he didn't like that this young mech would most likely offline trying to give him time to get Hot Rod to safety.
::I will let you know that I very much do not approve of this and I will be skinning you alive when we get back to the ship.:: Ultra Magnus barked over comm causing Drift to smile at this but they both knew...if Skyfire didn't come soon then the Lost Light would be down a T.I.C and Ultra Magnus didn't want that to happen. Drift opens his intake and mouths the word 'go' as scratching could be heard at the closed refinery door. They both shared a look and with a heavy feeling in his spark, Ultra Magnus carefully gathered Hot Rod's body and stood up. ::You better stay alive long enough for Skyfire to get here and get your aft back to the ship.::
::I could say the same thing, Commander.::