Shadow of the Nemesis: Part 5

Undersea Base - Command Center
''The Command Centre consists of three levels. One, an upper, outer ring, composed of six roughly hexagonal workstations, and a large, central, lower hexagonal area. There is railing around the main area, and three separate staircases, equal distance apart, leading to the lower level. In the centre of the Command Centre, there is a large tactical desk display. The floors are aqua, the walls are blue, and there is fair amount of highlights in grey. ''

''Along the upper level, there are two lifts, one leading towards the Geothermal Core, and another to the Docking Bay. There are usually members from all divisions, manning posts, seeing to the operation of the Undersea Base. Some of the more important duties are security and the spacebridge terminal connecting Earth to Cybertron and Charr. Along the upper level, there is a staircase, equal distance from the lifts, leading up to the Base Commander's office, so that all must look up.''

The Nemesis is coming along nicely. It would hardly be recognisable as a space cruiser at this point. Most of it has been deconstructed, reconfigured, and is starting to look more like its new purpose, that of an Undersea Base. The work is going along so well in fact, that Snaptrap is standing in the doorframe of his office, looking down into the Command Centre. There doesn’t seem to be anyone on duty right now, since most of the consoles are not connected to anything on the other end, but this area is complete.

Slugfest seems to be toddling around in teh unfinished base. He nearly bumps into Snaptrap's leg. "Oh. What that doing here?"

Snaptrap looks down at the little stegosaurus, glaring, “I am admiring the Undersea Base, Slugfest.” Oh, it’s going to be one of those Slugfest days, is it now?

Sixshot comes up through the lift, then steps out, moving over to the railing, crossing his arms slowly, as if losing himself in thought. Lights flash across his eyes as a worker outside the viewport welds an unfinished bit of the base together. Sixshot leans slightly against the railing. "Hmm."

"Ah, Sixshot, come to admire our efforts?" He asks sarcastically, as he remembers how critical the sextuple changer was of the plans for this installation, when they were discussing it all those weeks ago.

"If it undersea, why no water is in it?" Slugfest asks.

“Slugfest,” Snaptrap says with derision, “this base is beneath the water. It is above us.” And to emphasise this, he points to a window, where one can see right out into the ocean. Although that is not mere glass, it is in fact a type of transparent metal.

"Ohhhh," Slugfest says. He toddles over to the window and peers out of it.

Glad, that Slugfest's attention has been redirected elsewhere, the Seacon Commander directs his gaze at the sextuple changer, "Bot got your vocaliser, Sixshot?"

Sixshot turns his head slightly. "Perhaps. It seems to have turned out better than I anticipated. Commendable." he says, matter-of-factly. He turns around as the work outside begins to bore him. "So, all of this." the six-changer says, waving his arm. "Its purpose. What are your 'grand plans' for it? It seems to me this place puts us far from any usable resources."

Seawing floats up and taps on the window from outside. Jeez where'd he come from? Seawing waves once, then floats down in the direction of the base entrance. A few minutes later he appears in the lift from the Docking Bay, still dripping wet.

"Of course you guys build an underwater base. Its the only place you guys are remotely useful." Says the ever-cheerful Powermaster as he comes in, apparently deciding to check out the operation and complain in person.

Snaptrap stamps his foot once, swiftly, and loudly. The floor is solid, thankfully. "What do you think is below us, Sixshot? Once online, the Geothermal Power Station will provide us with a limitless pool of energon." He gestures towards the now operational spacebridge terminal, "And through the spacebridge, we will be able to transport that energon to Cybertron, or Charr, as needed. We are beneath the Ocean, far from the prying eyes of the humans, who always seem to alert the Autobots to our presence. And, between this base's automated defences, and my Seacons, it would take intervention by Metroplex for the Autobots to remove us from our Undersea Base."

"OH! Has energies here?" Slugfest says, "Me want energons! Hungry!" He starts running around in circles.

"It all /sounds/ impressive. But I will reserve my judgement for when I see how it perform. Until then, it's merely a lavish expense of time and precious energon. Though I see you haven't skimped on the priorities. My compliments on the Deep End."

Sixshot says, shifting against the railing.

Seawing holds his hands out to the sides. Almost dry now. "I still say we should have left it flooded."

"Ah, yes, the Deep End." That wasn't planned, certainly not as it came out. "One of the early drilling attempts did not go well. It was a mistake to assign Windshear to tunnel them. I see that now. However, while it could not be utilised for its intended purpose, and that Insecticon Shot Hole, deserves most of the credit. He's already made it known to some . . . disreputable individuals." Turning to Seawing, he shakes his head, "Now, we can't be like that. These, land and air-based individuals, they are as much . . . Decepticons . . . as we are." He does not however, add 'for now', but he surely thinks it.

Slugfest is still running around in circles, clamoring for energons.

Snaptrap says, “If you stop running around in circles, you will conserve energon you would have otherwise spent. That is equivalent to some energon, Slugfest.”

"Been rubbing elbows with Shockwave, Snaptrap? Even you should know that Slugfest has little capacity for that sort of...processing." Sixshot shakes his head. "I hear he makes a decent hand-to hand weapon, though." Sixshot moves toward the other side of the command center, inspecting the area.

Seawing edges back into the background as Sixshot passes by, dimly glowing optics following the larger Decepticon's progress.

Seawing edges back into the background as Sixshot passes by, dimly glowing optics following the larger Decepticon's progress.

Snaptrap remarks, "As a matter of fact, yes." Connecting a spacebridge terminal is far beyond even Snaptrap's not inconsiderable talents. But then he notes Seawing, who seems intent on shadowing Sixshot. Good work, he thinks to himself. "Darkwing, since you're in such a helpful mood, why don't you go down to the Power Station and fetch us some energon?"

Snaptrap watches as the dreary Decepticon leaves, expects a return with energon, and then, after a suitable time has passed, “Seawing, forget Darkwing, but see if you can gather up some of that energon. Now I’m peckish.”

"Yay!" Slugfest says, wagging his stubby lil tail as he anticipates being fed.

Seawing emits a long-suffering sigh that would do Darkwing proud, and then heads off to complete his latest 'mission'.