Clearing the Cobwebs

Security Walkway

This security walkway doesn't seem like it gets much, if any, use. The lights are low, poorly spaced, and sometimes even flicker, but only erratically and not all the time. There is almost a strobe effect, but it isn't that reliable. When enough of it is illuminated that the walkway can be properly seen, it is just a narrow passage, perhaps behind other rooms, that a guard could use to check on the underground complex. There are a few doorways here, but opening them is another story entirely.

Impactor creeps back through the Basement Level, intensifying his flood lights on his chest to accomodate for the room's dim illumination. Stepping out onto the narrow passage, the Wrecker Leader turns around to regard his companion ... the quiet and intimidating Keeper. Well, intimidating to others ... not this Wrecker. "Keep formation tight Keeper, don't know what's down here." he laments, wiping a hand across the wall. "Mostly dust." he adds, flicking the excess filth from his fingertips.

Keeper gives a silent grunt and short nod in the affirmative. Aware of his surroundings as well as himself, trained to be 'on edge' so it is his nature to be cautious and thorough. "Let's hope the dust is the most obtrusive thing we find." His yellow optic lights sweep smoothly and steadily.

"Likewise." Impactor gruffs, checking some of the doors for access. Denied entrance to two out of three, the Wrecker saunters up to door number three and clears some of the cobwebs from the frame. Eyeing a keycode in the middle of the frame, the Autobot clears away any lingering dust and starts to fiddle with it. "Crap, key restricted." he grumbles, breaking out his datapad and attaching a wire. "Let's hope this keycode breaker that Springer whipped up fer me works."

Keeper spares the device a glance and then steps past Impactor, taking up a watchful stance further along the hall. The irregular flicker of the lights makes for more difficulty in potential movement tracking.

As the device cycles through a random assortment of numbers, Impactor relaxes back and cautions a glance towards Keeper. Such an enigma amongst them, not quite a Dinobot ... not quite Autobot. It's no wonder the lesser willed members of their faction are more than a bit weary around this one. The datapad makes a tiny beep as the door pops open, creaking the whole way to be left ajar. "Well, there's that. You ready?"

Keeper turns to the opening of the door and detaches a 'bell' from over his shoulder. He steps over to the side of the door, motioning Impactor to hold position, and then he crouches briefly to roll the 'bell' through the opening. Keeper looks away from the door and then remote triggers a signal to it when it stops. There is a flash of light inside and Keeper listens for possible inhabitant sounds of surprise. Paranoia much? Nope, he just /really/ follows proceedures to the letter. :p

"Well then, looks clear." Impactor chuckles, tossing the door open and stepping through the entrance. "Stay on point though."

Lofted Perch

This area is even narrower but raised perhaps half a story from the security walkway, up a steep set of stairs. Several storehouses can be seen from here, making it an excellent spot to oversee the underground storage areas. There is a raised metal barrier and something like clear protective crystal to prevent walkers from falling down into the store rooms, but perhaps someone perspective could find a way down to one of the rooms.

Impactor immediately arrives into the 'forray', a steep staircase his first greeting into the new hallway. Ascending rather quickly, the Wrecker pants as he makes his way to the top and takes a moment to collect himself ... and also to allow his ally to catch up. Peering through one of the plexiglass barriers, Impactor flicks his flood lights off. "Long way down, let's hope this rust bucket keeps 'er together."

Keeper sweeps his hard searching gaze from left to right and back as he passes through and then climbs the stairway. Not holding a fire arm while still being on alert may look a little odd but apparently the guard has yet to feel an urge to draw weapon. His hands free and arms at his sides, he peers down at the open expanses below through the ledge window. He then gives the barrier a push to test it's integrity along with a few mild stomps of his foot to test the floor.

"Looks good fer now, but let's not tarry." Impactor adds, moving down the hallway and looking from side to side. This would be a perfect opportunity to take stock of what else is down here, if it wasn't for the massive amount of grime and dust built up on the 'clear' walls. Hunkering down at the end of the tunnel, Impactor finds an access hatch devoid of any clear marking. "Looks like we go down."

Keeper picks up his 'bell' now that the immediate area has been checked and moves to the hatch. Once more he pauses and lets the bell drop down this time. It flashes before hitting the floor below.

"Nervous much?" Impactor chuckles, before throwing the rest of the hatch's door up. Crouching down and lumbering into the opening, the Wrecker leader descends quickly down the ladder into the recess of the next room.

Silica Storeroom

The walls of this storeroom are all made of a clear, hard, tough crystal that fades into darkness as the walls get thicker, like some odd kind of mirror. Lit from within by fiber-optic cable, the room has a diffuse, soft glow to it. At first, there appears to be nothing at all inside the room, but once one gets adjusted to the light, there are actually stacks upon stacks of nearly-transparent boxes. Are they all empty, or might some still have contents?

Keeper is unphased by the mild scoffing of his thoroughness. He's used to it. He descends the latter after Impactor by sliding down, bracing and gripping with his hands and feet only along the side brace bars and not using the rungs. He scopes the new immediate surroundings before scooping up his bell and reattaching it over his shoulder. "Guideline 7 of the exploration procedural rules. In short, I look before you leap, sir. It's good this expidition has been uneventful." He looks at all the apparently empty boxes. "But is it worth the effort I wonder?"

"Worth the effort?" Impactor asks, pacing the room and looking from box to box. "Hardly. Rodimus is clingin' onta this ideal that Omega will suddenly rediscover our beliefs and take up tha good fight. But the sad part is ..." he trails, finding one box that's a little less empty than the others. "This war has past him by." Motioning for Keeper, the Wrecker bends down to peer into the box ... still hazy despite it's translucentness.

Keeper fights the urge to be 'over protective' by cautioning about the statistics of 'deadly face spikes' trap injuries occuring when people stick their faces into unknown places. Instead he just stands by ready to do some emergency prying in the event of facial impalement. "To each their own, sir." It wasn't long ago the *masters were reintroduced to the Autobot fold.

Picking the crate up, Impactor uncomfortably hefts it over one shoulder and moves back towards the exit. "We're not gonna figure this out down here in this enviroment, let's get this topside." he grumbles, approaching the steps. "To each their own is all fine and well, until it starts costin' us valuable time and effert fightin' a losin' fight."

Keeper gives the dark area one last look before moving to follow the Wrecker out back the way they came. "Not all is lost yet."

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===================== Autobot =================================== Message: 3/178                    Posted        Author Sublevel Exploration              Wed Apr 28    Impactor --
 * TEXT ONLY REPORT**

From the desk of Military XO Impactor, Commando and Wrecker Leader.

Re-entered the sublevels of Crystal City as ordered by Rodimus Prime. Took some backup to keep me company and watch my back, Keeper. The shaft from the Basement Level led us to a new foyer, not sure if this is a one time problem or going to be an ongoing dilemmia. Denied access to a couple of rooms, but made way into some sort of storage facility through hallways and hatches. Translucent box in possession, in need of team to study and crack it open. Plan on re-entering the catacombs at a later date, all able bodied Autobots with spelunking experience are to get ahold of me ASAP. That is all.


 * END**

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