Post by legios on Aug 2, 2010 21:04:49 GMT
Shoal Survivors
by Karl Thurgood
Seawing wanted to skulk down the corridor He really wanted to skulk down the corridor It wasn't something he planned to do, or thought about. It was just something that came naturally when he wasn't concentrating on not skulking. That was the worst thing about this base that Shockwave had called them to Earth to build and to defend, the architecture Clean, precise corridors the met at neat angles and had plenty of clear space to allow easy passage.. How was a Seacon supposed to skulk in a corridor like this? Not to mention the lights. Bright, sharp and clear they didn't seem to leave a single dark corner in the entire place. And just to top it all off they were starting to give him serious optic strain.This base was right at the heart of Seawing's current bad temper. Let Skalor and Overbite think it was because Galvatron had managed to get the drop on him. After all, it wasn't as if his clod-hopping so-called equals had done any better. No, it was definitely this slagging base that was the problem.
All things considered there was only one thing that Seawing could be said to like about this base – being underwater meant that he wasn't far from a more conducive environment. Perimeter patrol in the depths of the sea, out on his own in an environment he was well and truly suited for. That was what made all this bearable. Out there in the filtered and scattered light he felt like he could really get the chance to think properly. It was the perfect environment to do some proper thinking. Following the currents and the thermal layers so that the teeming local creatures didn't even sense his presence until he occluded the dappled light from above them was therapeutic It helped him to focus on the thing he did better than any of the others – long-term thinking. Let them think that stealth was his weapon, and his ability to search out his enemies secrets his greatest ally. No, patience was his best ally. The patience that it took to glide unnoticed through the open depths, to pick out a single native aquatic life-form and follow it unseen for miles. That patience would serve him in good stead. He would wait and in time the opportunity to stand forward would present itself and then who knew? A command of his own? A base to command and resources to exploit. Perhaps even the opportunity to turn the fritzing lights down!
“Hey, Seawing! Wait for me.†Jawbreaker's voice rasped into Seawing's thoughts. His spirits sank. For a moment he rallied, perhaps it was still going according to plan. “What, you were planning on heading out without me or something?†Jawbreaker's tone was probably supposed to contain some form of hidden menace. All that Seawing could think was that it was such a shame that such an elegant, simple idea had been for naught.
“I wondered what was keeping you,†Seawing nodded to Jawbreaker as the latter fell into thudding step alongside him, “didn't Skalor tell you about the roster change.â€
“He thought you had,†Jawbreaker replied, casting a suspicious look at Seawing.
“Oh,†Seawing replied, “sorry about that.†Seawing slapped the button by the large doors to the moonpool's airlock. On the other side of the airlock was the Seacon's primary exit from the base, a protruding section of the base with a opening in the floor that allowed them to dive straight out into the surrounding water. The two Seacon's stepped into the airlock and Seawing started to cycle the doors.
“Yeah, it is just as well that he mentioned it. Otherwise I would never have known. I doubt that Snap Trap would have been too happy about that.†They were both silent for a minute considering that prospect. If not for entirely the same reasons. “Anyway, I am here now,†Jawbreaker observed, “lets get on with this. The airlock doors cycled and they stepped out into the moonpool chamber.
“You do know that this is strictly a patrol mission?†Seawing observed, “perimeter defense and observation...â€
“Every day is hunting day,†Jawbreaker interrupted, “I just hope that we can actually find something a bit more interesting.â€
“I thought you'd been enjoying the last few excursions?†Seawing asked dryly.
“Oh sure, it is always entertaining to snap the leg off of one of those drilling platforms and watch the fleshlings thrash about a bit,†Jawbreaker acknowledged, “but I could do with a bit of variety. Maybe we can find ourselves one of those cephalo-whatsits.â€
“I think the human transmissions saw that they are endangered.â€
“Yeah,†Jawbreaker agreed, patting his cannon lovingly, “like everything else down here.†Seawing made a noise that Jawbreaker took for agreement but which probably emanated more from disinterest. “Say. Maybe we will be really lucky and run into some Autobots this time. I'm getting kind of tired with all this skulking about. We should let them find us and come down here for a proper fight.â€
“Perhaps if you hope hard enough you'll get what you want,†Seawing suggested.
“Yeah,†savage expectation crossed Jawbreaker's face as he leapt into the moonpool, transforming into his shark form and making a dramatic entrance to the water. Seawing watched him disappear into the depths before himself transforming and knifing into the water to glide down and away from the Decepticon base. He wondered how long it would take for it to occur to Jawbreaker, or any of his fellow Decepticons, that the Autobots were lucky if they had more than one underwater-rated combatant on this entire planet......
