| abstract | - Janitorial Way These series of tunnels give back access to many of the storm rooms and were probably used to perform janitorial duties in a discreet fashion. Right now, the tunnels look like they could use a janitor! Cleaning tools are strewn about, mops tilting at crazy angles. Grease is streaked on the floor, walls, and even ceiling, and a thin coating of dust covers everything, even the grease. Backfire descends from the above room, down the winding staircase and into what seems like the messiest broom closet he's ever seen. Materials strewn about in every which way, some sort of haphazard fashion the cleaning drones must prefer. Speaking of cleaning drones, where are they? Ramjet must have forgotten to keep this area patrolled and cleaned regularly, if at all. The Seeker simpleton paces into the Janitorail foyer, tapping at his chin with precision timing. "Now where are those two Automorons?? Just like them, to be lazing on the job." he muses to himself, almost falling to his aft after stepping in a grease spot. Well, what did they expect? A super tiny architect wasn't going to be very good at cleaning. In fact, Grapple was under the impression he was there as an overseer of sort; just to make sure the structural integrity of whatever they were cleaning was good enough and wouldn't collapse on them. As it is, he's forced to ride atop Foxfire just to reach anything above what had once been knee-high! Foxfire emerges from one of the tunnels with a mini-Grapple on his back. He stops momentarily, sniffing the air. Backfire's scent reaches him before he even sees him, and he flicks his ears. "There you are," he calls to the Decepticon, not a single hint of distaste in his tone. It seems he enjoys such cooperation; typical Foxfire. "I thought we'd lost you." "Lost me? Haha, foolish fox. If I wanted to stay hidden from the likes of you, it'd take more than that feral snout of yours to find me!" Backfire proclaims, exaggerating stance all like Captain Ginyu. Sauntering back over towards them, the Seeker looks down in disgust. "This is what they send me, GLORY OF THE EMPIRE?? A fox and mini-mini bot? This is an outrage!" Grapple simply gives the Decepticon an annoyed stare. "I refuse to repeat what you just designated me as, but, I assure you, I am not it. I am also fairly certain that I am here almost entirely to make certain nothing collapses, explodes or implodes. So, it appears you will be doing all of the.." Is that a smirk? Maybe a liiittle one. "..Dirty work." Foxfire waves a dismissive forepaw. "Don't get all bent out of shape," he chides Backfire in a friendly tone. "You shouldn't have expected much, anyway; most Autobots don't enjoy working with Decepticons." Bending down low, to be eye level with them both; Backfire starts a long howling laughter while holding onto his sides. "Muhahawawaha! Such routine maintenence is beneath me Autoscrap. If you were up on your information, you'd obviously know our intention in these tunnels is not to cleanse the filth ... but to explore!" he shouts, pointing a finger up in the air for no real reason. In fact, it kinda looks goofy ... strike that, it looks a lot goofy. Grapple keeps on smirking. He's actually one of those that really does not like working with Decepticons, but orders are orders. But while he was here.. "Then explore. But keep in mind that, due to our height, you will likely end up lifting anything that may be in our way of such exploration or to reach anything we can not." "I like to explore," Foxfire remarks. "So...let's explore!" Backfire nods, walking off towards a doorway with a simple keypad on it. "Oh of course, I would never expect you Autobots to do anything of -real- purpose!" he laments, hitting the release button. The door opens as usual, then slams shut ... only to open a portion of the way again, and slam shut. "What magic is this?" Backfire questions, glaring at the keypad. "Great, the power is shorted to this one ... it won't stay open!" Grapple rolls his optics. "Is there a control panel of some sort or a regulation system wired to this door, or is it part of a larger system remotely controlled only by that keypad?" Architect, yay! Backfire gives him a look like 'How the hell should I know?'. "Figures, you Autobots always want to make it hard on yourselves. The solution is easy..." he trails, backing away from the door as it open and shuts in rhythm. "One of us, obviously me since I'm the -only- one among this motley crew who possesses the raw talent, will have to make it through the opening and fix the glitch from the other side." he comments, getting into a 'block' stance that sprinters do before the start of a race. "Don't blink!" he laughs, lunging with all the strength and speed he can muster towards the door's opening. Does he make it??? Jefferies Tube The Jefferies tube doesn't have a lot of room, but it does allow easy maintenance access to many different storerooms. Most of the storerooms are empty. A few are full of junk. One, however, is locked. There is a keypad, if anyone cares to try it. Although rather close, Backfire managed to make it through the slim opening and into the otherside of the door. Once inside, the Seeker simpleton first notices that the size of this room is rather ... narrow. "Bah, nevermind that." he grumbles to himself, now working on the door's controls to get it to stay open ... if only for a brief moment. Successful, Backfire motions for the other two to hurry across the threshold as fast as they can. "Quick now, like a bunny! This won't hold for too long, and as much as I'd like to see you -both- smushed ... I might require your assistance." he trails off. What follows is a brief moment of silence as Grapple -- still riding Foxfire -- is runt hrough. Then, "..You realize that the doors could have crushed you if you had timed that incorrectly, yes?" The architect doesn't sound too troubled by this; in fact, he sounds amused. "..And 'quick like a bunny'?" Foxfire bounds across the threshold, a small grin on his muzzle. "Or quick like a fox. Either or." "Yes, yes." Backfire moans, turning his attention to the rest of the slim hallway. As he walks down the corridor, the Decepticon peeks into the storerooms ... each and everyone being as empty as the last. One holds a pile of junk, most likely spare parts of other transformers. Casually pacing up to the last however, Backfire notices that it's locked ... by way of keypad. "Hrm, either of you two make sense of this??" he asks, a quizical expression growing across his visage. Keypad Someone has foolishly left the passcode mostly entered! The screen reads: 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 ... +key answer to fill in what comes after 8. Grapple glances up at the keypad. Up and up and.. Sigh. He's hesitant to ask and has to grit his teeth against his own pride. "..I can't reach the keypad. I would like to get a closer look, however." In other words: Someone's gonna have to pick the tiny architect up. Backfire hefts Grapple up, clearly just as undignified as Grapple is at having help. "Ugh, such bot sitting is beneath me!" he laments, getting the Autobot closer up to the keypad. Foxfire rears up onto his hind legs to get a better look. Grapple grumbles under his breath at having to rely on a Decepticon just to reach a keypad..! With a sigh, he actually looks at the keypad in question. After a moment, he raises a brow. "..Who -designed- this? Who designs a security grid in to a fibonacci spiral?" "Fibo-what's-it? Listen, spare us the tech talk mini-mini bot. Can you solve the algorythm or not?" Backfire shouts down at his 'charge', still hefting him up to the keypad. Grapple sighs. "..Please stop calling me that." It's really rather degrading, actually. He knows he's short; no need to rub it in. "Yes, yes, it's really rather simple once you know what it is. Likely someone with a penchant for math humor constructed this. It either starts with a one or a zero. Zero, one, one, two, three, five, eight, thirteen. Or one three." Foxfire wags his tail, still standing on his hind legs. "It's rather blah-blah-blah BORING, that's what it is!" Backfire gruffs, setting Grapple back on top of Foxfire and looking to the keypad once more. "One ... Three ... enter." he muses to himself, hitting the keys and nothing. No door hiss, no activation alert sound, nothing happened. "Of all the busted glitches in the empire, are you sure? Should have known to bring along a Decepticon scientist, instead of relying on this half-a-bot." Like clockwork, right after the Seeker is done lambasting Grapple; the door pops open with a hiss ... slowly sliding backwards to allow access to the room. "Ha, about time!" Backfire chides, striding into the next room. Sapphire Storeroom This storeroom is done in deep, rich blues, giving it a sapphire-look. There is even some trick of the paint that makes it look as if stars are playing across it, from the right angle. The goods boxed here seem to be a higher quality than most, and many of them are tightly boxed and firmly fastened down, to prevent would-be treasure hunters from plundering the storeroom. Backfire walks through the doorway, immediately realizing just what this room has in store for them. Setting himself upon the nearest box, the Seeker strains to pull it up from it's fastened position. "What luck, all this stuff is bolted down!?!" Grapple sighs. "Likely for good reason. Whoever it is did not want any of this to leave the room. Usually, that would imply not to take any of it." Not that he thinks hte Decepticon would listen, anyway. "I'm not touching it, at any rate." "Suit yourself, you lack the stature to pry any of this loose anyways!" Backfire shouts back, latching himself onto a couple more to the same result. "This is ludicruous, rediculous, and inane!! Why would anyone build a storeroom for all this expensive merch if you couldn't move it??" he laments, stutter stepping over to a lone box in the corner and slamming his aft on it. And just like that, the box moves! "Eureka, I knew if I applied the right force to this box ... that'd it'd shift and allow for access!" he calls out from the ground, trying to save face in front of the Autobots. Grapple snorts. "Right. If you say so." He shakes his head. a little. "What's in the box, anyway?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" Backfire laughs, getting to his feet and hefting the box waist high. "As I don't trust either of you, the box's contents shall remain secret until Omega Supreme see's fit to explore it's contents!" Making his way back out of the narrow room, the Seeker motions for the other two to follow. "Hell, stay down here if you like. I'm getting my aft topside." And with that, Backfire saunters out with the MYSTERIOUS BOX at his side. Grapple sighs deeply; he truly did not trust the Decepticon with a box of previously locked up mystery goods. Probably was a very bad idea, in fact, to let Backfire go with that. However.. They were both tiny and were under orders of cooperation. So.. "..I'm not even going to bother."
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