When the small party arrives back at the temple (after Auspex glances at the door and back at Skyfire, deciding that yes, he can indeed fit through, in some form or fashion), Auspex leads the way straight through the sanctuary (looking up once to frown at the largest mosaic, and the tingle of Chaos it bears at the moment), to the halls in the back.
These are the living quarters, the supply rooms and the like, and the rooms for refugees. She indicates one of the latter, a modestly furnished generic living space, stepping aside to let them bring Blackstar into the room.
By the time the short flight ends, Starscream is still cradling Blackstar in his arms in a manner that, to an outside observer, could look caring, though it's not affection that caused him to exercise such care, merely the thought that it would complicate matters to have to scoop up the battered ghost from the floor of Skyfire's hold.
Starscream follows Auspex's lead, carrying Blackstar into the room she pointed out, and sets him down on the berth he finds inside, making sure that the ghost is - not comfortable, as that word is entirely not applicable to Blackstar's current situation, but lying in a position that doesn't appear to twist his mangled limbs.
As Starscream had approached the doorway to the sanctuary, Blackstar had almost flinched, remembering the ward wall that the Autobot had placed upon the structure to bar him. Something has happened to the ward, however; he can no longer see nor feel it, and both he and Starscream are able to pass beyond the confines without difficulty
( ... )
Echoshift steps out of Skyfire's hold and follows the others into the sanctuary. The interior of the building is very different from its relatively unremarkable outward appearance. Unlike Blackstar, Echoshift hasn't been to Auspex's temple before. He now hesitates a little, just inside of the doorway, slowing the pace of his steps so that he can take a good look at the surroundings. Cream-white walls bordered by gold and crowned by a ceiling of the same color; in the middle of the large room, a table with its statuette centerpiece; the intricately constructed mosaics adorning the walls, now marred by the taint of Chaos but still managing to appear strangely beautiful
( ... )
Starscream pays no heed to the contents of the mosaics, though he does note the unnatural decay that is beginning to afflict them. He's more intent on what must be done.
He steps into the small room to stand beside his counterpart, at Blackstar's side. Optics narrow; what must be done is complex, and he must explain it at least partially to Auspex. Starscream has never done something quite like this before, and he's half-guessing what must be done. Any uncertainity he banishes from his mind; doubt is deadlier than ignorance in this arena.
Skyfire sits in the doorway, like he did at the CMO's office in Autobot City, and for much the same reason: the small room is too small for him and everyone else.
"Patience," Starscream tells the others, feeling rather virtuous in giving them that much consideration, "some of you need instructions first."
He opens a channel to Auspex, the other Starscream, and Skyfire. //Auspex, Blackstar has been badly used, and part of himself severed and contaminated by this Chaos-shaman of yours. He has to be
( ... )
*Auspex glances at Skyfire with an apologetic look. She would have had them leave Blackstar in the main sanctuary, but it seems disrespectful to the injured ghost to make him lie in this state in full view of anyone who entered. Not to mention dangerous, if the strange Unicron-and-not-quite-Unicron follower returned; it would be easier to fend him off in the main room without worrying about Blackstar's safety.*
*She watches this universe's Starscream carefully. She knows very much about sparks in general, but free-sparks are a slightly different matter, and information from one of them is valuable. She is pleasantly surprised at the amount of patience he is exhibiting, in taking the time to explain this.*
//However, we really don't want to make him whole with parts of that shaman's essence, understand?//
*Oh, that, she understands. This person purposefully put triggers here to corrupt Blackstar, and they are easily sprung. It makes her all the more angry, at the care with which this was done, a personal spite to her, knowing
( ... )
Starscream stops talking to look at Auspex. Skyfire is in the loop because he is always in the loop--and Starscream will almost certainly need his help later. The other Starscream is in the loop because he is himself--and also a spirit. Auspex, she is the one who absolutely must understand her part in this.
Her nod, and her expression suggest that she does indeed understand; Starscream does not miss the brief flash of anger at the corruption of part of Blackstar's essence.
//Auspex, as you understand, take these cannon and cleanse them. I'm adding Blackstar into the channel now--you understand that what was said before is not something one tells a Decepticon warrior to his face. Not unless you want to see energon spilled. // He holds out the spectral weapons to Auspex, not doubting that the power given to her will allow her to take them and do what must be done.
There's still that clipped, direct tone in Starscream's voice--all worries, all concerns overridden by the mission. Blackstar is added to the channel, but Starscream
( ... )
Having been watching everyone while Starscream paced and organized a plan, Blackstar had noted Shifter standing along the wall. When Starscream addresses him again, he glances back at the grey Eurofighter, noting the cold iron stake still clutched absently, all but forgotten, in his hand.
Echoshift's gaze drifts down to the stake in his hand.
"Oh yeah, this." He takes a step forward and holds the spike of meteoric iron out to Starscream -- the F-22. "Been meaning to get one of you mystic types to take a look at it when you have a spare nanoklik, since you'd probably know more about it than I do. It was pinning him to the ground when I found him." He nods to indicate Blackstar.
Starscream looks distinctly disturbed for a moment, but recovers his composure quickly.
"Tricursed ground-crawling rust-loving shell-scavenger! We already knew he was a shaman, but that's Earth lore! Human lore!" Starscream snarls. He glances quickly at Skyfire, almost uncertain.
Skyfire nods. "I've heard of it. Stake a ghost to the ground with an iron spike, nail--"
Starscream interrupts, "Or sword. Or sacred iron knife." He turns to glare at Auspex. "Who is this shaman? Do you know of him? He knows far too much human necromancy for any Transformer of Cybertron!"
*Auspex blinks at the iron spike, not really comprehending... until Starscream mentions human lore* A... human thing of power? Metal as a spiritual weakness? But... *she trails off, definitely not liking this news...*
*She hisses slightly, shaking her head at Starscream* I wish I knew. I only know of his name, and that he represented Unicron, to Void and his people. If he's this well-versed in organic spirituality... *She balks* This is very strange, and very wrong. I need to ask Jetstorm more about him.
Skyfire glances at Starscream, then at Auspex, and says quietly, "Iron is a both a ground, and atomically inert. Given the way it was applied to Blackstar, it's obviously not just a property of organic spirits."
Starscream's engines make an odd coughing noise, like he's just inhaled a bird down his jet intakes. "Spirits are spirits. They're neither organic nor mechanoid. What the living vessels were doesn't matter, except in the mind of the spirit concerned."
*Auspex blinks at Starscream* I was not debating the nature of spirits. I'm... only baffled that this Sideways, if it was indeed him, seems to know about lore that belongs to organics, humans. I don't know where he would have learned
( ... )
//Someone who'd sink so low as to learn from humans?// Starscream's comment is for the other Starscream and Skyfire alone - he wouldn't want to distract Auspex while she does her work, his own usual lack of devoutness nonewithstanding. Someone who knows her job is someone who knows her job, regardless of the deity she professes to follow.
While he did take note of his counterpart's reaction, his remark is one of disgust, not yet of a heightened sense of threat.
These are the living quarters, the supply rooms and the like, and the rooms for refugees. She indicates one of the latter, a modestly furnished generic living space, stepping aside to let them bring Blackstar into the room.
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Starscream follows Auspex's lead, carrying Blackstar into the room she pointed out, and sets him down on the berth he finds inside, making sure that the ghost is - not comfortable, as that word is entirely not applicable to Blackstar's current situation, but lying in a position that doesn't appear to twist his mangled limbs.
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He steps into the small room to stand beside his counterpart, at Blackstar's side. Optics narrow; what must be done is complex, and he must explain it at least partially to Auspex. Starscream has never done something quite like this before, and he's half-guessing what must be done. Any uncertainity he banishes from his mind; doubt is deadlier than ignorance in this arena.
Skyfire sits in the doorway, like he did at the CMO's office in Autobot City, and for much the same reason: the small room is too small for him and everyone else.
"Patience," Starscream tells the others, feeling rather virtuous in giving them that much consideration, "some of you need instructions first."
He opens a channel to Auspex, the other Starscream, and Skyfire. //Auspex, Blackstar has been badly used, and part of himself severed and contaminated by this Chaos-shaman of yours. He has to be ( ... )
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*She watches this universe's Starscream carefully. She knows very much about sparks in general, but free-sparks are a slightly different matter, and information from one of them is valuable. She is pleasantly surprised at the amount of patience he is exhibiting, in taking the time to explain this.*
//However, we really don't want to make him whole with parts of that shaman's essence, understand?//
*Oh, that, she understands. This person purposefully put triggers here to corrupt Blackstar, and they are easily sprung. It makes her all the more angry, at the care with which this was done, a personal spite to her, knowing ( ... )
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Her nod, and her expression suggest that she does indeed understand; Starscream does not miss the brief flash of anger at the corruption of part of Blackstar's essence.
//Auspex, as you understand, take these cannon and cleanse them. I'm adding Blackstar into the channel now--you understand that what was said before is not something one tells a Decepticon warrior to his face. Not unless you want to see energon spilled. // He holds out the spectral weapons to Auspex, not doubting that the power given to her will allow her to take them and do what must be done.
There's still that clipped, direct tone in Starscream's voice--all worries, all concerns overridden by the mission. Blackstar is added to the channel, but Starscream ( ... )
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"With that," Blackstar grinds out, pointing toward Shifter.
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"Oh yeah, this." He takes a step forward and holds the spike of meteoric iron out to Starscream -- the F-22. "Been meaning to get one of you mystic types to take a look at it when you have a spare nanoklik, since you'd probably know more about it than I do. It was pinning him to the ground when I found him." He nods to indicate Blackstar.
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"Tricursed ground-crawling rust-loving shell-scavenger! We already knew he was a shaman, but that's Earth lore! Human lore!" Starscream snarls. He glances quickly at Skyfire, almost uncertain.
Skyfire nods. "I've heard of it. Stake a ghost to the ground with an iron spike, nail--"
Starscream interrupts, "Or sword. Or sacred iron knife." He turns to glare at Auspex. "Who is this shaman? Do you know of him? He knows far too much human necromancy for any Transformer of Cybertron!"
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*She hisses slightly, shaking her head at Starscream* I wish I knew. I only know of his name, and that he represented Unicron, to Void and his people. If he's this well-versed in organic spirituality... *She balks* This is very strange, and very wrong. I need to ask Jetstorm more about him.
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Starscream's engines make an odd coughing noise, like he's just inhaled a bird down his jet intakes. "Spirits are spirits. They're neither organic nor mechanoid. What the living vessels were doesn't matter, except in the mind of the spirit concerned."
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While he did take note of his counterpart's reaction, his remark is one of disgust, not yet of a heightened sense of threat.
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