Ch. 110
Ratchet was somewhat excited by the prospect of the science he, Knockout and Soundwave were collaborating on. A semi-physical hologram that they could remotely patch into the Nemesis? A small part of him thought they should save the trap for a later date. The Star Saber was important, but what if something more pressing, more dire, came along? They could only use this plan once. After that, the Decepticons would undoubtedly debug and isolate the breaches that they were using to patch in and they wouldn't be able to use this plan ever again. The medic sighed. Well, he would enjoy the project while they had it.
Soundwave buzzed gently from the Harbinger's main console, "Ratchet: systems online. Awaiting Starscream upload."
Ratchet was pulled from his thoughts abruptly but he quickly nodded, "Ah, yes, let me go check on them..." he poked his helm out of the room and called loudly, "Knockout! Breakdown, Starscream! Are you ready?"
Knockout's excited chuckles echoed back to him, "Oh, almost~! Stop squirming, Scream, you're making this less fun~"
Starscream's hiss followed, "Stop readjusting, it fits fine!"
Ratchet rolled his optics, turning back to Soundwave, "Is there anything else you need from me?"
"Wire uplink: set. Signaling: rerouted. Tracking systems: disabled. Aid: not needed. Soundwave: thankful regardless."
The medic nodded, "Alright. And when Starscream comes in, we'll be able to plug him in?"
"Ratchet's assumptions: correct."
"Good," Ratchet said simply, sitting back at his console.
The tech he was working with was something he wasn't terribly familiar with, but Soundwave had been beyond helpful in showing him what he needed to look for. Within a few minutes, Starscream finally emerged followed by Knockout and Breakdown, the seeker fitted with a special layering of armor on his arms, legs, chestplate and helm.
"I feel ridiculous," the silver mech scowled.
Knockout purred, "Really? I think you look styling. Though, a fresh coat of paint would make it sparkle far more."
Breakdown patted the red mech's shoulder plating as he passed him, standing beside Ratchet, "Are we ready to go?"
Ratchet nodded, "All we need is for Starscream to plug in. Once he's inside, Soundwave and I will reconfigure his visuals so he'll be able to navigate on his own without the aid of the Nemesis maps. It'll make it look far more realistic if he can move around based on what he sees and what will undoubtedly come at him."
Starscream growled and laid himself down on a berth, settling in, "Yes, let them come at me..."
"Hey, this was your idea," Knockout frowned, plugging his arms and legs into some cabling, "Besides, it won't take long to configure. Soundwave just needs to finesse the details. Right, 'Wave?"
The blue mech stared at him wordlessly then went back to typing away into another console.
Knockout pouted at him, "So rude... Anyway, once he's finished, we'll have this all sorted. Then you can really feel like you're back on the ship."
Starscream scoffed, "Forgive my distaste for our old base of operations, but I never want to be aboard that ship again. This will be the only exception as they will not be able to harm or capture me."
"True," Knockout shrugged, "Well, that aside, are you ready? Once I plug your helmet in, you'll be 'matrix-i-fied'."
The seeker sat up slowly to glare at the red mech, "If you dare elaborate, I will harm you. And yes, I'm ready," he laid himself back down, "if anything, to escape from you and your movie references."
Ratchet looked over his console as the computer program booted up, glancing back at Knockout with a nod. The red mech nodded back and crouched down carefully as he plugged Starscream's helmet in. The seeker tensed greatly as all of his systems began to link up with the program. It felt as though he was lightly peeling out of his frame, not terribly unlike the first time he had ever ground bridged, and as his optics rebooted and adjusted he frowned, glaring at a purple and poorly fabricated pixelation of the Nemesis's energon store room.
"This... is awful."
"We know," he heard Ratchet comment, the medic sounding as though he was miles away instead of sitting beside him, "Soundwave is calibrating now. Your hologram will be visible to any mech or drone that spots you, so try to hide somewhere if you can."
"Calibration: 12%. Calibration: 32%. Calibration: 47%. Calibration:-"
"Ok, 'Wave, we don't need an update on every single point," Knockout pouted, "Just let us know when he can actually see."
Starscream scowled and did as he was told regardless. He could still see the horribly pixelated energon cubes and hid beside them. Movement was noted, but not yet perfect, and from the way his vision was functioning, it was clear he wouldn't actually be able to 'see' until Soundwave was done. And it wouldn't be a transitional moment, either.
The seeker wanted to hiss lightly at Ratchet or Breakdown or someone as he tried to watch the area around him to the best of his ability. This whole mess was making him more nervous than he should have been. They couldn't hurt him. He was just mounting the distraction. With Megatron and the Decepticons believing him to be aboard the Nemesis, the warlord would ignore Optimus and the team's move on the Star Saber. It was a good plan. But now he was impatient.
"ETA on that one hundred percent?" Starscream growled quietly.
Breakdown's voice answered, but it was getting harder to hear, "Just a sec, Scream. Soundwave's nearly done. Just be ready."
Starscream sighed gently, "I am ready..."
Knockout's laugh echoed lightly, "Well the wait is over!"
With a sudden blast of color and light to his optics, the seeker snarled and covered his faceplate, the patch in to the Nemesis fully complete. Starscream winced as he blinked his optics and blearily looked around. Bright, blue energon cubes. Dark, forboding ship walls. The cubes jumped lightly when the ship hit a stream of turbulence but otherwise, the seeker was completely alone. And it felt like he was in the ship.
Starscream slowly stood from his crouch behind a tower of energon cubes and cautiously walked around the room, "Does anyone know the range of control I'll have?"
"Enough," Knockout commented quickly, "The computers should treat you like any other mech on the ship. You can operate the doors and the lifts. Maybe even the computers if you can get the angles right."
"The angles?" the seeker looked down at his servos, frowning, "What do you mean 'angles'?"
Ratchet answered, "It's something I've wanted to test," he admitted, "hologram forms that have a more physical range than your average distraction. I had heard a few centuries back that Cybertronians on other planets would use more interactive holograms to communicate with local planetary inhabitants. But, since I don't possess the materials to make such a thing..."
Breakdown laughed, "No worries! You got us helping you rig this up now!"
"Come to think of it," Knockout purred, "it might be fun to make a hologram army of me. Just me. No one else. Oooh, the possibilities."
"Knockout: cease speaking. Duration: eternity."
Knockout growled but Ratchet hushed him loudly, "Quiet, both of you! Starscream, can you test your limits now?"
The seeker nodded, knowing the action couldn't be seen, and frowned at a small tower of cubes. He reached out in hesitation and set his servo against it but in shock he flinched back. He could feel it. The energon cube was there. A shiver ran through him and Starscream swung his arm hard, toppling the tower and sending the cubes everywhere.
The seeker cackled excitedly and went to the storeroom door, activating it to open, "I'm out and proceeding down the corridor. Lower level of the Nemesis. Just passed the lower communications deck."
"We have you pinged on the map," Breakdown informed him.
"Alright, Starscream," Ratchet said, intaking heavily, "they're going to know you're there pretty quick. So when you start to move, you really have to move. We have to make this count."
Starscream smirked then sneered, chuckling, "Oh, I'm going to make them work for it. Someone COMM Optimus. Operation: Bait is on the move."