Jazz entered the lunchroom at 7 on the dot, feeling like shit. Yesterday was the most psychologically stressful day of his time here. Being betrayed by both Dead End and Smokescreen stung, particularly the latter considering he was an Autobot and they working relationship they had all throughout the war. He knew some of the Autobots could be a bit deranged and Smokescreen strike him as slightly odd, but he never took him for a complete psychopath. The way he coldly explained his points was a terrifying thing to behold. That isn't to say Dead End's betrayal didn't hurt either, but he had a feeling that his were a lot more because of a mental disorder and a result of Smokescreen's own actions. So in a way, he could blame Smokescreen for everything, which was great, as he was now officially on the top of his (as well as pretty much everyone else's) shitlist. Add on to the fact that he scared Rewind with that datapad, and the fact that Ratchet, one of the most trustworthy and reliable people around, had to be brutally executed for Smokescreen and Dead End's betrayal, and you have one very stressful day.
He took a seat and drink some of his energon as Bludgeon and Skywarp both entered looking excited, the latter holding Laserbeak in his hands. "That was fun, Bludgeon!" Skywarp cheered as the two took some energon and sat near Jazz.
"What did you guys do together?" Jazz asked, confused. He never took those two for a pair.
"We were in the new area, which has five new sections, and were trying out the combat room, specifically using the combat simulation," Bludgeon answered.
"Combat simulation? You mean like virtual reality," he asked.
"Bingo!" Skywarp said. "Just plug in and start shooting, or sneak around in your case," he sniped.
"Huh, you say there were five sections? What about the others?" he asked them.
"A laboratory, a cleaning room, a music room, and a foundry," Bludgeon told the spy.
"That's an odd assortment," Jazz remarked.
"No kidding. They're all pretty big too. We took a look at them before coming here," the teleporter said.
"Huh, could be dangerous, especially the laboratory and foundry," he warned them.
"It might be, but that's the price we pay for surviving this long," Bludgeon reminded him.
"Yeah, I know. So many people have died here," he said. At that, the two Decepticons looked at each other and silently agreed to talk to Jazz about the ritual they had plan, since him and Onslaught was the closest they had to a leader here and the latter was probably still in turmoil over Blast Off's death.
"Hey, Jazz, we have a question for you," Skywarp told him.
"You do? What about?" he asked them.
"As you probably know, morale here is reaching an all-time low," he said. "We need something to bring everyone together."
"Well… I don't argue against that. You guys got any idea?" Jazz asked them.
"Simple. We go to the foundry and create effigies for the ones that have fallen during out time here," Bludgeon said. "After making them, tomorrow, we'll burn it in a celebration as a sign of respect and in memoriam."
"That… actually doesn't sound that bad," Jazz agreed, surprised. "What made you come up with that idea?"
"I burn an effigy of Jhiaxus every year at the day of his death. Tomorrow is that day, at least as far as I know. Our memory is a fickle thing," he told him.
"Ah, yes, Jhiaxus. I remember that."
"You should. I remember that you were the one who led the assault there," he reminded him.
"I was hoping you wouldn't remember that part," he said nervously.
"Ease yourself. You didn't directly kill him, so you are safe from my wrath. If you did killed him, I would be obligated to kill you myself to atone for my failures," he told him.
"You know how to make a mech feel better, you know that Bludgeon?" Jazz asked him sarcastically.
"Hey, back on topic," Skywarp interrupted them, wanting to prevent conflict. "We think this would be a good thing to have. Sure some of the people here weren't exactly well-liked, particularly Shockwave and Vortex, but they all died because of one person and that is the mastermind who put us this game. They were all victims of this lunatic, so we need to get people together to trust one another and kill this jackass," he finished making his case.
"That… is a good plan," Jazz agreed. "I'll see if I can get people on board."
"On board what?" they heard someone asked and turned to see Knock Out entered the room with a scowl. A fresh set of bandages were wrapped around his body, but his face didn't have any, allowing him to sport the deep scar going from above his right optic down to below the left side of his jaw. Over his right eye was his red eyepatch, hiding his shattered optic. He definitely didn't look the best. Even his frame wasn't looking as lustrous as it usually did.
"We were planning a celebration. A day for the dead, if you will," Jazz told him.
"A day for the dead?" Knock Out questioned as he grabbed some energon and took a seat with them.
"Yeah. A third of us are dead, you know," Skywarp reminded him. "We need something to ban together under."
"And what would this celebration have?" the only doctor left asked.
"A burning of effigies that represent the dead," Bludgeon told him.
"And you plan on getting everyone involve with for everyone that died, including Shockwave, Vortex, and their murderers? You really think everyone's going to want to do that?" he questioned them skeptically.
"We don't know, but we can sure try," Jazz told him. "We've been fractured this whole time. It's time we get together and do something as a unified force that doesn't end up with one of us executed," he explained to him.
"I never said I was against it. Ratchet is certainly someone who deserves a memorial for his heroics. All I'm saying is that, do you really want to do this for people like Shockwave and Vortex? They weren't exactly saints that didn't deserve their fate, you know," Knock Out reminded them.
"We realize this, but ultimately, they were nothing more than victims in this game created by the mastermind. None of them deserved to die in this cruel game of life or death. We can at least honor their sacrifices," Bludgeon told him.
"Hmm, you guys talk a good talk. You might be able to get it going, although you're really going to have to work it for some of the others, like Beachcomber. As we all know, he despises Shockwave with a fury of a thousand suns. Getting him on board will be difficult," he told them.
"That is true. What Shockwave did to him is unforgiveable, but we have to encourage unity. I'll see if I can get him on board. Me and him have something of a friendship going on. I'm sure I can get him to understand. Besides, Punch will be honored as well in the celebration and I know he'll want him to be remembered."
"That would be a good way of tackling him," Skywarp agreed.
After that, more people slowly leaked and at about 8 o'clock, everyone, barring Hound, Nautilator and Drift in the Med-Bay had arrived. Most looked okay, like Blurr, Mixmaster, and especially Smokescreen, who just sat quietly and observed everyone as they talked, while others like Rewind, looked nervous and wasn't paying attention. Dead End looked annoyed at having Sparky on top of his head as Wildrider forced him to hold on to it so that he can have something to cuddle him as part of his therapy. After a little while, Jazz had everyone quiet down and explained to them Skywarp and Bludgeons plan.
"So you want us to celebrate a bunch of dead people?" Smokescreen asked, disinterested.
"You can eject yourself from the conversation whenever you want," Jazz told him and he merely shrugged before tapping his finger on the table.
"I don't know. I don't feel comfortable at all giving someone like Shockwave a memorial," Beachcomber told him.
"But we'll being remember Punch as well," Skywarp told him. "Him and Counterpunch, since they're basically two different people."
"Still seems like a waste of time," Dead end told him. "People die. It's the way life goes. I don't see how this helps."
"Deady," Wildrider interrupted, "Don't cause any more rifts than you already have. Just cuddle Sparky." The cynic glared at him before relenting, taking the plushy off his head and hugginh him. "There, you'll feel all better soon enough."
"I don't mind. Chromedome deserves to be remember. I mean, he gave his life to protect me," he said uncertainly. Obviously, the info on the datapad that Jazz was still affecting him.
"They all have to be remembered. Remember, they all die because the bastard that put us here forced us to kill each other," Bumblebee told them.
"I guess they do deserve remembrance," Hoist acknowledged. "We have to ban together under something."
"And remember the people we cared about," Onslaught said, the death of his three gestaltmates and Swindle's waning sanity weighing heavy on him.
"Yeah," Mixmaster said as he rest a hand on Scavenger's shoulders. "We all have people to care about. Better make sure they get out."
"Except for the psychopath," Blurr said, glaring at Smokescreen, who just ignored him.
"Is there any objections to the ceremony?" Jazz asked everyone. Everyone sat quietly, thinking through, before one-by-one, they all agreed. "So, everyone wants to do it?"
"We have to have a banner to fight under, so yes," Knock Out agreed, "baring we can keep the Smokescreen out." At that, Smokescreen decided to finally respond to everyone's hatred for him.
"Look, everyone, you all know what I'm really like now, so I am at your mercy," he told them earnestly. "I can't murder anyone, because you would all immediately suspect me. It's in my best interest to work with all of you, instead of working for myself," he told them.
"You expect us to trust you after all the shit you pulled?" Hoist questioned him.
"No, of course not. Trusting me in the first place was one of your biggest mistakes," he told them. "However, that said, I am here because of luck and Ratchet's sacrifice. Believe it or not, I do want to offer Ratchet my gratitude. Without him, I wouldn't be alive."
"I sure prefer him over you," Knock Out muttered.
"Plus, what do you have to gain from keeping me isolated by myself?" he asked them.
"He's got a point. I feel more comfortable knowing his actions," Bumblebee said.
"Or we can just tie him up and leave him bound in his room," Blurr said.
"And leave me vulnerable to be murdered?" he questioned them. "Now, you and I both know that's a bad idea. I may be an unrepentant scumbag, but you don't have to be homicidal to commit murder. We should all know that just from looking at the previous trials."
"He makes another good point. As much as I want to just tie him up and leave him bound, anyone could take advantage of that to murder him. I rather not give anyone the perfect opportunity," Jazz told them.
"Thanks for coming to my defense, Jazz," he acknowledged.
"It's not because I like you. When we get out, I expect you to be arrested and put on trial for your actions," Jazz told him.
"Better than being dead," he agreed with a shrug. "Of course, you can only do that if the outside world is okay."
"We'll worry about that when the time comes. Just remember that we're all watching you," the spy told him.
"I know. I am at your mercy," he repeated to everyone. "I promise, that evil thought of leaving all of you to die is gone. It's useless to me now."
"I only buy that because you planning a murder is useless to you now," Swindle agreed as he glared at his former friend.
"Exactly. You can trust me to not murder anyone anymore. Aside from that, you really can't trust me with anything else," he said with a grin.
"Dude, seriously, me and you? Serial killer alliance," Wildrider said with a grin.
"I think it's in my best interest not to associate with a fellow serial killer," he told him. "Apologies."
"Well then, if that's all, let's prepare for this celebration tomorrow," Jazz ordered everyone.