Road Trip Minus Road?

[sword_redemption]

Who: Drift, Barricade, Vandal, Wing and First Aid (anyone else want in on this poke me via PM?)
What: Exploring
When: Day or so after the dance (so there may be hangovers to start?)
Where: Wildernessy waste places.
Warnings: added as needed

((OOC: I'm going to create three placeholder sub-comments below--first night's camp, random encounters, and the ruined village. Feel free to start your own threads under each or add your own categories, and tag around--I think that'd be easier than doing a long rotation.))

Drift certainly hasn't felt like he's been doing his part. It felt good to fight again, good to do something to help defend. But the battle was over and he was feeling that old emptiness gnawing at him--in a world at peace, what good was a warrior?

A warrior could still explore. A warrior could protect himself, move without fear. And, maybe, notice things that could be useful.

He rolls the tension out of his shoulders as the little party all shows up. "Ready?"

Comments

[winged_knight]

"Well we're certainly not here by their choice. I do worry that we're taking up their resources." He huffs through his vents; he doesn't like the idea of being a burden.

A sound of agreement as he stands, cycling his optics until they adjust to the dim light. The lantern they had didn't shed much light, good for watching where they stepped but not a great deal beyond that. He scans the cavern, making out large blocky shapes too regular to be natural.

"It looks like a settlement of some kind..? They must of had power of right?"

[sword_redemption]

"There are always things falling through the Lambda," Drift says, idly. "Resources that others--the humans--really need." But Drift would agree that they should give more than they take here.

"I think so. I think another question is why they lived in caves. You know. Instead of buildings?"

He moves further in, yelping as he trips on what seems to be a small storage crate.

[winged_knight]

"It's a blessing in disguise, that." Because yes, how would the humans survive, otherwise? He doesn't like to think about it. "I think the more we can manage ourselves and burden the First Forged less, the better."

Wing considers a moment. "A good question. If they tunnel is any indication, the occupants were decent size. Cybertronian, possibly?"

He starts at Drift's yelp, wings flicking slightly as he reaches out instinctively. His optics dart to the object Drift tripped over, moving to inspect it. "What's that...?"

Yeah, it's obvious he's more curious than cautious.

[sword_redemption]

"Blessing, or just luck." He hadn't seen the First Forged rush out to offer any help to the humans, honestly. He wants to believe in them, he really does, with Wing's ardent faith, but every turn he gets they seem to turn away.

And right now he's wondering why no one's mentioned these settlements before. Think that would be important to note, right? Saved them some time, at any rate, building the Haven.

"It's just a box, I think." Just...a box right in the middle of a path. He bends down, sheathing one blade. "Bring the light over?"

[winged_knight]

"We'll have to hope it keeps up then." If it's chaos, there was always a chance it might come out on the beneficial side, right?

He steps closer, swinging his arm so the lantern can shed its light on box, tipping his helm as he considers it. "Odd place for a box..." he ponders, glancing around the path and then back to the box.

[sword_redemption]

"I think that's why they started that farm, or something. And Jetfire's brought back some weird space melon things." Which...Drift's kind of with Whirl on that--untested spacefruit just seems dangerous.

Drift looks around the room as the light plays over it. Something's messing with lantern's power source, and the light begins flickering, almost like a candle. There's still light, but it's unsteady, and the shadows it casts dance across the room.

"Odd place for everything," Drift murmurs. "Looks like there was some kind of struggle or something." He runs his thumbs around the edge of the box, trying to find hinges or the opening.

[winged_knight]

"I'm glad they have a source other than the junk pile. I worry." The fact that organic food can also be deadly and poisonous just perplexes Wing. As much as he envies the variety, he's happy for the safe simplicity of energon.

"What's that about?" He crouches down to check the lantern's power source, though his fiddling does little to help with the flicker.

"You've a point there." This whole place just felt...strange. And the unfamiliar kind of strange. He tilts his helm, trying to get a look at the box and any glyphs or other markings it might have. "It's like this stuff just got left here."

[sword_redemption]

"I would worry. Some of the First Forged certainly don't seem to."

Maybe they could find something here, if organics had lived here. Then again, with the disarray on the floor...maybe not such a hot idea.

"Most of it's just...stuff. Like they moved out in a hurry and left what wasn't important. Which...why would they need to leave so fast?" A sound as he thinks he finds the release on the crate. It lifts, but something tumbles off the top, landing nearly on Wing's feet.

[winged_knight]

"I'd noticed that," he mutters. "Or care in the wrong ways." He seriously wonders about Liege.

Wing will take any clues at this point, it's all seeming pretty strange and mysterious at this point.

"Sounds ominous." Thankfully Wing's reactions are pretty good so when the object falls towards him he makes a grab for it just before it hits the ground. The sudden motion does send the lantern in his other hand swinging madly though, making the shadows jump wildly about. He lifts the object in his hand, trying to still the lantern at the same time with only moderate success.

[sword_redemption]

"It's only 'wrong' if we view it from our perspective. They have a mission to do and we're...not the main part of it." That's about as gracious as Drift can get about the situation--the First Forged may care, but they have other things they need to care about more.

Drift freezes, hearing the object clatter off, relaxing as Wing catches it.

"What is it?"

[winged_knight]

"That is sadly true." He often feels like they're just, in the way. It makes him want to contribute, or at least get the refugees self-sufficient, even more.

Wing turns the object over in his hand. "Looks like a datapad? Pretty beat up... What do you think?" He passes it over, holding the lantern up to shed good light.