Kull Tan Post appeared on the scanning monitors first, and in visual range somewhat after. Though a bright green spot on the Maximal radar, the station was not a bright spot against the starlit background. Rather, the flat metal disk blocked the view of stars beyond, sending out dull reflections on its tarnished metal surfaces. The disk had several stories of floorspace, and was wider on one side. On the wider half, a wedge was cut out of the frame, and here, ships docked at the station from above and below. The station moved at a slight rotation, helping to maintain its artificial gravity field. A closer examination of the surface revealed the occasional dented panel, and the graffiti galleries of a few very ambitious vandals. Autoguns and power cells were stapled to the station’s hull in a seemingly random fashion. In addition to the four battle-class ships docked at the station, several smaller personal ships were moving in and out of the landing bay.
It would have been a day like any other on board the Post, if not for the approach of the Maximal ship.
Velocity had finally thought up a subject of conversation. He'd ask Digit what she did on the ship. With all the fuss about his own job, he'd forgotten. "So, what...?" he began, before checking out the main window on the bridge as the looming station caught his eye.
Immediately, the bridge console lit up like a bonfire, and a rude voice began transmitting on the hailing frequency. "Maximal ship. You're in Predacon space. State your business, or say your prayers."
"...The Pit?" Velocity finished, the air whooshing out of him and his optics bulging at the sight of the Predacon installation. The oh-so-polite hailing message didn't help matters. "...Think I need tah get Silverquick?" Velocity asked of Digit, his voice squeaking and he slipped out of his chair, which was a considerable feat considering his shaking knees.
Just as Velocity mentioned him, Silverquick's voice burst over the intercom. "Krunch, I need to see you in my ready room immediately, please." Before Krunch could respond, Silverquick addressed Digit as well. "Digit, stop the ship. Maintain position until notified otherwise. And secure the bridge, but quietly."
"Copy that, commander!" Digit replied over the commlink. She ran to her pilot seat, activated the controls quickly and switched of the main engines. Then she engaged the thruster brakes, and within moments, the Renegade had come to a full halt.
"Computer," Silverquick said anxiously, from back in his ready room, "locate Kitfox."
"Kitfox is located on the observation deck," said the flat male voice of the Maximal computer.
Back on the bridge, the communication from the Trading Post continued. "I see STOPPING," said the rude Predacon, "...that's a good thing...but I don't hear EXPLAINING, Maxies..."
Krunch wanted to return the hail with something fitting, but he wasn't in command, nor would the Renegade's meager firepower be able to back up his comment. Stupid 'Cons! We'll be slagged before we even dock! he inwardly sighed. Rising to his feet, Krunch lumbered into the Ready-Room and reported to Silverquick.
"You wanted to see me, sir? Just thought you should know, the 'Con Outpost needs an answer or they're going to open fire on us!" he stated.
"I'll deal with them in a nanoclick," said Silverquick. "I need you to take Kitfox into custody. Disarm him and place him in the brig; peacefully if possible. If not, you are authorized to use APPROPRIATE," Silverquick put emphasis on the word 'appropriate', "force. Take Snarler with you. Dismissed!"
Krunch smiled gratefully at Silverquick.
"With pleasure, sir, and thanks!" he said, as he left the Ready-Room. He went to his station and tapped into the computer.
Just then, Jynx came on board the bridge, looking really sleepy. He scratched himself, and said: "So, anything happen?"
Every Maximal on the bridge turned at once. "YES!"
Silverquick opened a channel to the outpost. "Predacon outpost, this is Lieutenant Commander Silverquick, of the Maximal ship 'Renegade.' We've had some difficulty with several systems, including navigation, and regret our intrusion into outpost airspace. We are working to correct the problem, please stand by."
"Hey...no problem," came the response. "I'm sure you're in violation of SOME treaty or another, though, so maybe you won't mind if you take down those shields and prepare for a little INSPECTION?"
The one-man open fighters now leaving the outpost indicated that the Predacons meant an "inspection," pirate-style.
Silverquick left his ready room and made his way to the bridge, his optics flashing angrily. Once they had Kitfox locked up, he'd see about getting the Ax-2 back online, and getting back on course to Cerebros Station.
—AF, LA, LB, DN, JA
Paradox looked at the screen, then looked at it again. "Commander! The Maximal ship is halted, and it seems that fighters from the station are coming in to intercept intercept intercept it!" Paradox looked back at his many days of pilot training, "Sir, I believe the Maximals know that they are detectable. If I may may may, if those fighters bring it down, this mission is over."
What was this now? Nightfall looked again at the scanning console. Certainly THIS wasn't part of the illustrious traitor's overall plan...
"Commander Stormclaw.... It would appear the station IS attacking the Maximal ship. Several small craft have attacked the vessel. It seems they are preparing to board." She indicated the displays.
Aspis looked at the displays. "Woo hoo! Look, ship fight!" He looked around for a second, then turned back. "Anybody got some popcorn?"
Stormclaw had shaken off all effects of his strange vision.
"Don't be a fool, Paradox. The Maximal ship has come to a full stop; the Predacons operating the Trading Post would never be as ignorant as to blow up the vessel without reason. In all likelihood, the Maximals shall try to talk their way out of their miserable position."
The commander looked at the main viewport, finally decerning the space station ahead of them. It would take them a few more megacycles at present speed before they reached it.
"We shall maintain our course, and proceed as planned. Charmacon, see if you can tap into any conversations going on between the Post and the Maximal ship, but make sure you are not detected."
"'That will be quite impos-s-s-sible from here, Lord S-s-stormclaw. I'm gues-s-s-sing by now, the Maximals-s-s will have noticed an unauthorized mes-s-s-sage from their s-s-ship. If I attempt to enter their logs-s-s, chances-s-s are they will find out my attempt, and they will have full evicence of us-s-s trailing them. The ris-s-sk is-s-s too great. If we attempt to lis-s-sten in via the Predacon Trading Pos-s-st, chances-s-s are they will find out, and it will cos-s-st us-s-s a lot of explaining and thus-s-s time. We could los-s-se the Maximals-s-s!" the chameleon explained. "I could lis-s-sten in undetected, but I would have to plug mys-s-self in on board the Trading Pos-s-st."
The red and black Transmetal briefly considered his subcommander's word. He had to abide to Charmacon's superior knowlegde concerning communication and technology.
"Very well, your argument is sound. We shall have to adjust our tactics now that the Maximal traitor has not only revealed himself but also our ship. It is to be expected the Predacons on the Station will not let the Maximals off so easily. While they are interrogated on the Post, we shall dock as well, and take our chance: our prey will hopefully be all too glad to escape from the Station, not paying attention to any would-be followers. Moreover, the other Predacon ships might confuse our enemy. When the Maximals are well on their way again, we shall continue our pursuit."
Stormclaw had sat down in his command chair again, a sign that he felt the situation was under control again.
"Paradox, increase our speed. I want to dock to the Post in three megacycles. The Predacons there will be suspicious, but I'll handle them as soon as we arrive. Charmacon, contact them in thirty cycles to tell them of our visit. By then, the Maximals should have made their way into the Station."
"Excellent, Lord S-s-stormclaw."
—BB, CB, DN, MdJ
"Krunch to Snarler, meet me on the Observation Deck! Commander's orders!" Krunch demanded.
Snarler had just left the commander's room when he got the message from Krunch. "On my way," he replied.
He headed towards the Observation deck and met Krunch just outside. "Do you think we can do this with as little violence as possible?" he asked, looking at the excited look on Krunch's face. "Remember, we can't question him if he ain't functioning."
Kitfox's ears perked up. It would have been impossible not to hear the two dinosaurs approach, even if he couldn't quite tell what they were up to. He knew he'd been left alone too long already. It was time to be baby-sat again...
Or...was it?
Out the tall window, he saw two Predacon fighters in approach. Their pilots, air no nessecity, straddled the ships like star-bound motorcycles; a force-field protected them from the cold and any stray laser fire. Cheap equipment: pirates. They were going to board, no doubt.
Kitfox turned from the window, waiting for the deck's double-doors to open.
Krunch spun around and got in Snarler's face. He was furious that his fellow dino-bot would even think about going easy on Kitfox.
"Listen, skid-plate, and listen good!! We've got a traitor that gave away our position in there and I've got orders to detain him, anyway I see fit!! As far as I'm concerned, he's slag already! So don't get in my way, or they'll be sortin' your pieces out from his!!!" he said in a threatening tone.
Krunch then entered the Observation Deck and approached Kitfox. As the sergeant neared the small bot, he grabbed Kitfox by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"Kitfox, you bad, bad skid-plate!!! You've been a very naughty 'bot!! Now Uncle Krunch is gonna have to teach you a lesson!!!" he accented his words by squeezing Kitfox's throat as he spoke. He hoped Snarler could hear the sound of the crushing metal.
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow... Kitfox struggled in the large Maximal's grasp, straining and kicking his legs. Ow owowowowowow...
Snap.
The blockage in Kitfox's neck shattered, and he made a faint gurgling noise in his wrecked throat. "Put me down at ONCE, you GREAT, incompetant OAF!"
Krunch just continued to smile.
"I knew it was just an act, skid-plate!!! And I'm not putting you down until you're safely locked up in the brig!!" he said just as the alarms sounded.
Snarler stormed in, and pushed Krunch away from Kitfox. Krunch wasn't surprised to hear Kitfox speak, but he was shocked that Snarler was taking violent action, and he dropped Kitfox immediately. "We need to question him!" Snarler exclaimed.
Turning to the fox on the floor he pulled out his fusion cannon, and pointed it at his head. Kitfox looked up into the barrel. "Just 'cause I havn't slagged you yet doesn't mean that I won't. Now my friends are out there fighting Primus knows how many Predacons, and I want to know why! And for some strange reason I think you know the answer; now speak and I want the truth!" Snarler said, with a hint of rare anger in his voice.
Kitfox choked a moment, then reached to his throat, and tore the broken portion away. He gasped in pain, and drove his left fist into the cavity in his neck.
"SPEAK, should I? Very well. It's been a rare occurance lately."
Still staring down the barrel of the gun, Starscream rose to his feet.
"The pirates have a peculiar ettiquette. They won't STEAL if you're willing to TRADE; they won't ATTACK unless attacked first."
Just then, two of the cycle-ships made a strafing run on the side near the observation deck. Lasershots hailed against the ship's shielding, and it buckled.
Starscream laughed, and pulled a handful of wires from the back of his throat, tossing them onto the ground. Rather than hurting his ability to continue to speak, he seemed to increase in volume, especially as he gave a sharp shout from the pain of the motion.
He saw that Snarler was staring blankly. "Perhaps you'd better let ME do the talking...?"
The ships turned for a second pass...
Krunch drew his Plasma Cannon and trained it on Kitfox. Snarler happened to be in his sights, too, but he owed the slaggin' peace-pipe.
"This whole thing smells worse than yesterday's exhaust waste!" he said, as he felt the ship coming apart around him. He felt like he had no choice.
"All right, I say we let the skid-plate do the talkin'! But if he says the wrong thing, they're gonna have to pick him up with a stick and a spoon, if there's anything left to pick up!!"
As the ships returned for their second strafe, the lasers penetrated the shields, and cracked into the tall observatory windows. Unabated, now, the ships did not turn away...
They kept coming.
Two fighters blazed directly through the windows, crashing through onto the ship's deck and sticking harsh landings on the observation deck floor. The Maximals held tight to their positions as the cabin depressurized, whipping wind around and sucking glass into the vacuum.
Still holding his throat, Starscream laughed above the whipping wind.
As another half-dozen fighters burst into the brand new entrance, one of the larger Predacons, a robot with red-hued scales, raced for a button near the exit door, flipped open a catch, and punched it. Large security panels locked over the broken windows, and the wind ceased.
"Bra-VO!" Starscream shouted. "Now THAT is what I call a Decepticon entrance!"
"Pit are YOU to know?" grumbled the head Predacon.
"I'll have you KNOW, that I am none other than the Decepticon Air Commander STARSCREAM! And as your SUPERIOR, I ORDER you to commendeer this ship, and take the MAXIMALS PRISONER!"
The Predacons all blinked a moment...then erupted in laughter.
"Sure, pal, and I'm Alpha Trion!" snickered one.
"I'm NOT KIDDING!"
Another Predacon shook out his head. "Well, he's PITCHED like Starscream. Pit!"
"Fan out! Sack 'em!" said the leader, revealing a mouth lined with sharp teeth. "Oh, and..." he laughed again... "Take GOOD CARE of the Air Queen, won't you?"
"That's IT!" Starscream stepped foward, gesturing broadly with his hands. "You're going to pay for that insult, you... ggggaaaahhhhkkkkk..." He realized too late that he'd let go; he was forgetting to hold his neck open, and the shattered device was regenerating.
The Predacons gasped in astonishment as they watched the cut seal. Starscream scowled, and drew out his sword.
"We'll sort it out later!" The leader pulled out a plasma cannon, of equal size and weight to the one Krunch was already holding. He gestured for his subordinates to enter the halls, then trained the gun on the three Maximals still in the room.
—JA, DT, AF
Digit was shaking. She had made the ship come to a halt, and now sat in her chair behind the navigational controls, her mind racing. She closed her eyes, being very glad she was not alone on this ship. Fear had made her its captive, and it seemed it would not let go of her anytime soon.
From her immobile position her eyes scanned the controls. Her console was mostly for navigation, although she could easily redirect other stations to it, including communication and... weapons?
She was shaken free from her paralysis by an even stronger fear—she realized she had just considered standing up against the threat by means of violence. Slowly, she rose from her seat, lost in thought. Very quickly, her mind seemed to race past all she had experienced in her short life... being born in a laboratory and in effect never really leaving it, being educated by kind scientists, then trained as a skilled engineer...
Orb!
Now she was running, leaving the bridge behind her, finding her way to the barracks where she had left her small companion in the recharging unit. An emotion different from personal fear had now entered her—fear for the life of another.
Although the droid, Orb, was not a very advanced mechanism compared to the other Maximals, Digit loved him more than anything else. She had put so much time into crafting him, but the thing was, after she had first engaged his powercore, the artifical intelligence had been awaked. Orb's life had started.
Digit had reached her room, and quickly pressed a console to open the door. Inside her chamber, all was silent. Then she spotted the small robot, sitting still in the recharge unit.
"Orb!" she whispered as she approached him. She disengaged the unit, and instantly, the droid sprang to life, lifting up in the air, checking out his surroundings, chirping happily. Yet when he noticed Digit's panic-struck face he stopped, and waited patiently for an explanation.
Before the femmebot could answer, however, they were startled by a sound further down the hall, close to the airlocks.
"They are here!" Digit realized.
—DN
Silverquick strode onto the bridge, seeing a confused Velocity and sleepy Jynx, but no Digit. He glanced at the master systems board; the shields were already punctured! By the hand of Primus, he thought. We're not ready for this.
He grabbed Jynx and sat him in front of the tactical station. "This readout is shield strength, and this button fires the autoguns," Silverquick snapped. He placed Jynx hand over the firing toggle. "Watch the shield strength. If it goes below 60 percent, start hitting this button as fast as you can. Do you understand?"
"Sure thing, Mr. Fish, just hammerin' the button when this here bar gets beneath 60. I can handle that!"
Silverquick then picked up Velocity and put him at the helm. He punched in a vector leading away from the outpost, and said, "When I give the order, push this button," indicating a flashing green one, "and hang on."
Velocity nodded up and down rapidly, trying to stammer out a "yes sir!" when all he managed to produce were high-pitched squeaks and very canine whimpers. He was unsure with his shaking hands and legs exactly how useful he'd be when the time came. For the time being, he just leaned on the console, wishing that he had believed enough in a god called Primus to pray to him...
Sitting roughly in his own chair, Silverquick tapped the intercom. "Digit, where are you?"
Suddenly, alarms started wailing, and several monitors lit up. Intruders! Silverquick sat frozen for a moment, not sure of what to do. He'd hoped to blast away before the fighters got too close, but somehow they'd gotten through the shields and on board. He hit the intercom, for ship-wide: "All hands repel boarders!!"
—LB, MdJ, LA
Viracide perked up at the message as it blared over the com. "Intruders huh?" Viracide popped out his swords and headed for the door. "Hey Goldstreak, now's the time to show everyone those powers." Viracide ran down the hallway, not waiting for Goldstreak to follow.
Currently, Digit was in an uncomfortable situation, as a Predacon brute, lizard-scaled and drooling, was blocking the exit to her quarters.
"Maxies keep a feeemale..." he taunted. "Good thing the boss said to bring you in on-line..."
The slender Maximal forced herself to be brave, but was still shaking.
"We... we are here to get some spare parts," she tried. "My commander is on the bridge; he will answer any questions you might have... " That is, if you are going to listen to us at all... Digit added mentally. She considered firing at the Predacon with the laserguns mounted on her hips, but decided against it. Not only was she reluctant to risk killing anyone, she also thought that would make matters only worse.
She stared at the drooling intruder, then said, "I... presume you'll be taking us to the Station?" her voice still wavering. She felt extremely uncomfortable, but suddenly she heard commotion from one of the other barracks... from Kitfox's room to be precise!
"Hold it Predacon! You harm one wire on Digit and you'll be slag!" Viracide said, bursting into the hall and pointing the two tips of his sword at the body of the drooling Predacon.
"Oh, look!" said the lizard. "She's got a boyfriend, too!" He turned to Digit. "Sure, I'll be GLAD to take you to the station. You don't actually think I'd HURT you, do ya? You'd be damaged goods." The Predacon gave Viracide a sideways look, and sucked some of his own slobber back into his mouth.
"Looking for parts, right? We can trade. What are you asking for for the girl?"
—BB, DN, AF
Silverquick jumped out of his chair, turning to leave the bridge, and nearly ran into a Predacon in the doorway.
"Repel boarders? But what about the button?!" the dogbot wailed miserably, having finally found his voice. He could barely stand—'repelling' someone was out of the question in his present state.
Gotta be brave...and there's one thing that can help, Velocity realized. Jerking his hand into subspace, he pulled out his last flask of High-O. He sagged against the console even more, willing his hands to be still enough so that he could at least open it and swallow its contents.
Before he got to do any of that, however, a noise alerted his sharp hearing. Spinning around, Velocity saw Silverquick...and a Predacon blocking the doorway. He stood, High-O flask in hand, and did the only thing he could think of: scream his miserable head off.
Jynx leaped up from his station, transformed into Beast mode and hit the Predacon with a few swipes, which knocked the Pred back.
"Well now, Maxie, you like to rumble?" The Predacon took a slow swipe at Jynx, which he managed to evade easily. Jynx transformed into his robot mode, aimed his body-mounted guns at the Predacon and fired a short burst, which didn't quite make an impression on the Predacon's shield.
"Puny guns don't hurt me, Maxie!" The Predacon followed up his taunt with a laser blast, which Jynx evaded, but hit a scanning console behind him. Jynx aimed a blast from his laser, and missed the Pred by a long shot!
The Predacon laughed. "Your aim is as bad as your breath!"
"Oh yeah?" Jynx replied. "Well, I wasn't aiming for you; I nuked your friend behind ya!"
"Wha....? The Predacon pirate turned around to see if Jynx was telling the truth. Of course there was no other Predacon, but this diversion gave Jynx the oppurtunity to land a powerful kick to the head of the pirate, knocking him unconscious.
"Heh, stupid 'Con fell for the oldest trick in the book," Jynx said, as he reverted back to Beast mode.
"Velocity!" He turned toward the dogbot, "Shut the Pit up and seal this here door after me, then get us the slag out of here! We gotta keep these Preds from the ship!"
Velocity did shut up. He was thrown into confusion as he was ordered to do two things by two different people. Silverquick hadn't given the order to push the button, but Jynx's reasoning did make sense. His little mind churned.
If they escaped now and were soon safe due to him pushing the button, it was all the sooner that he could be punished for a disobedient action. If the threat of invading Preds were neutralized then there would be no punishment for him for disobeying orders. If the Preds kept coming at them, however, he'd be killed or tortured.
But Preds couldn't torture what they couldn't catch. Determined, Velocity gulped down his last flask of High-O, and activated his internal scanners.
"Sorry pal!" he said to Jynx as he stepped away from the console. "But I got my orders." He did feel a bit bad about disobeying his friend, but loyalty to a Higher Authority was more important. Besides, his systems sang with the need to MOVE, and pushing a button wouldn't fulfill that need. To Silverquick, he called. "When you want us to leave I'll jet back like a flash!" Or, if the Commander really wanted the button pushed, he could do it himself.
"Vehicle mode!" he called out, shifting into his faster form. With that, he was jetting off down a hallway, relying on his tracking abilities and natural ones to find out where any Predacons were and repel their sorry skidplates.
"Wow there little buddy! Looks like you have some fire up your exhaust pipe!" Of course Jynx knew it wasn't exactly fire that got the little dogbot all wound up.
"Wait for me!" Jynx shouted, as he sped after him. "Sorry SQ, you're gonna hafta push the button yerself!"
The dogbot slowed down somewhat, pleased that his friend wasn't mad at him.
"All right! I'll go ahead an' call back for you when I find someone!" said the dog, who was soon cruising along at his normal speed, trying not to slam into any walls in the process.
"Heh..I'm sure you'll be able t'hear me, compadre!" he called back, laughing at his own joke. Velocity turned back, and it was just then that he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye and pulled to a stop.
"I certainly can!" snarled a Predacon. Quickly, Velocity's mind processed the data—it was some sort of dinobot, small and lithe, but with wicked looking claws. And a wicked looking gun aimed right at him, too. "I'm not here to HURT you, puppy..." taunted the Predacon, clicking a clawed hand against the trigger. "My boss and your boss need to have a simple chat about goods and arms." He laughed. "Comprende, estupido?"
Velocity growled, his ears slicking back and his needle-sharp teeth bared.
"Shaddup, y'skidplate licking exhaust sniffer!" he snapped out in the conversation staples of Cybertronian street trash. The Pred didn't look too concerned, going out of his way to snigger. However, both the chihuahua and the dinobot's attention was soon taken up with something else, as Jynx burst onto the scene.
"Well now, Preddy, back off from my friend, or you might jus' be the one hurtin... Jynx, Maximize!"
Jynx transformed from his beast mode back into his robot mode, pulled out his gun from his hip compartment, and aimed his body mounted guns at the Predacon as well. "Tell me, Dino-brain, do you LIKE pain? Tell yer boss to back off, then we'll negotiate." Jynx gave a menacing grin, hoping for the Pred to make a move. He had been sitting on his behind for far too long, a bit of target practice might not be so bad. The battle on the bridge felt good...
Velocity transformed into robot mode with a quiet "Maximize!" of his own, not wanting to disturb his friend's concentration. Now that the dinobot was busy with Jynx, the two might have a chance of taking him out.
As Velocity transformed his hands slipped to his gun-holsters, but he made no other threatening action yet and even backed up a bit, willing to let Jynx get the first few shots in. The catbot did have a bigger gun than him, after all.
Hmmm...a showdown. The Predacon clicked against the trigger again, and paced around Jynx in the narrow hall. Jynx didn't take his eyes off of the Predacon as they circled around each other. When the Pred had circled around so his back was to the bridge entrance... he fired.
Jynx barely managed to dodge the shot, which grazed his left shoulder, and fired two rounds himself, the first knocking the gun out of the Predacon's claw, the second hitting him in the chest. The wounded Predacon fell back, assesed the situation and fled.
Jynx looked at his shoulder. "Aw shizz, I'm leaking again!"
"Slaggit!" Velocity swore underneath his breath. Using his loudest, most angry voice he called out: "Hey! Coward! Get yer sorry aft back here and fight like a real bot!"
This didn't incite the Predacon to come back, and Velocity was left fuming, his foot tapping on the ground, his hands twirling his machine guns (which had appeared in his hands as soon as the shots were fired). He had intended to fight the Predacon as well as Jynx. When he was high on Enercrack, he could fight too, and he had wanted to prove it! The fact that that particular Pred hadn't looked strong was a mere bonus. He then glanced at Jynx.
"Eh, think we need t'get you to a CR chamber?" he asked, not pausing to breath as he launched into his next speech. "I think I remember seein' them in..some room. The bridge! I'll lead the way! After that I'll keep scoutin' fer Preds, an' take 'em out. So, c'mon!"
With that, Velocity dashed down the opposite way they had come. They might meet new Predacons, or find that fleeing one!
"I'll catch up with ya, little buddy!" Jynx shouted at the dogbot. He was obviously tense from the High-O, so there would be no point in trying to stop him, or even catch up in his current state. CR chamber, hah! Like they had those in the Zone! Jynx preferred it the old fashioned way. He welded his wound to stop the plasma from leaking, and patched it up with some bandage. He transformed to beast mode, which hurt like a Chaarian Plasmasucker on his reflex module, and attempted to walk. It was managable, so he attempted to follow Velocity, albeit not quite as fast.
The dogbot cocked his ears as he heard Jynx call after him. Glancing backwards but not slowing down, Velocity used his Zoom Vision to see Jynx patch himself up. Velocity nodded to himself as the catbot followed. Maybe he could learn something from Jynx; that seemed to be a pretty handy skill.
Skidding to a halt at an intersection, he saw to his confusion closed doors where there shouldn't have been. The bridge was sealed off and—after taking a quick look off down another hallway, so was a prominent corridor. And no sign of the Pred.
Shrugging, Velocity decided to head to the quarters area, since at least he knew that part of the ship. Maybe the Predacon was hiding in his room, right now, going through his stuff!
—LB, MdJ, LA, AF