Shell Shock

Writers: Denny and Leila
Rating: PG-RG
Warnings: Ratchet/Azimuth. Violence.
Disclaimer: We value our lives too much to even dare think about claiming Ratchet and Alister as our own. We borrow them for an RP, so don't worry. [Put the Wargroks back into your cage!]
Summary: Everyone's nightmare is to wake up in a cold, dark place without a clue where one is. Sadly, that's what's happened to us. What's even better, we have monsters and weird encounters to endure as well. And then there's them…
Lucky, right? If I ever get out of here, I will need some therapy sessions.

Chapter 15

"It seems like we're moving in safe terrain. At least the corridor is... Well. At least it isn't red." Azimuth pushed Bar on relentlessly as he concentrated on the map. "It isn't marked on the map at least. Maybe it's a safe passage?" He increased the visor's transcendence and looked around him. The walls shimmered with blue sparks. "It seems to be within the energy field's range, at least."

"Bar, do you know of any instances the guards hid themselves from scanners, no matter how advanced?" Maybe they should do a whole interrogation session, like they should have done in the beginning. It would have saved Alister and him a lot of trouble. Then, by that point they hadn't known about the danger the guards represented.

"Huh? What?" Bar blinked before he realized what Ratchet was asking. A wince went through the robot's body. "Why do you have to ask that?" He cringed and became even harder to push forward. "I don't want to talk about them. I really don't."

Unwanted, but not unexpected frustration welled up at Bar's reluctance. "Well, we really don't want to talk about them either. But as it is, they find exactly us interesting and I'm getting angry that you don't share any knowledge with us that could help us survive."

"No!" His processors cracked slightly. Bar clawed his fingers into his mask. "I've told you enough. I've told you more than enough. I hate them. I don't want to talk about them more than I already did!"

"Fine. FINE. Just shut up." Ratchet gritted out, shoving the robot hard that he stumbled a bit. "I swear, you're so getting on my nerves now," he emphasized by stabbing a finger into Bar's chest for every word, "I could bomb you with my Constructo Bomb - custom-made. With plasma that would even burn through your suit." A pause as the gritting turned into growling. "And if you don't watch it, it'll burn through your helmet too."

"W-what? No! Please, just- just don't-!" Bar tried to stand up again, but scrambled during the Lombax's tirade that he sagged and the gloved finger touched helmet's visor instead of his chest.

A static wail tore through the corridor in both directions. Bar threw himself back, covering the visor with both hands clutched over it, hitting the wall with his back where he fell down, writhing as if in agony. The elder raised an eyebrow at that. What was up with the robot?

"No! Don't touch my helmet!" He cried, his voice piercing as any blade could have been. When Azimuth tried to approach him, his body tensed up. "DON'T GET ANY CLOSER, YOU FILTHY GUARD!"

Alister stopped moving. Guard?

"Go away! Go away!" The robot screamed, pushing himself even further against the wall. Then, shaken by deep and shaky breaths, his voice suddenly grew faint and weak. "Don't… Don't get close to my helmet again… Don't touch me there again… No…" Bar curled, burying his head behind his legs and sobbing to himself. "Please… Not again… I don't want to be changed…" He turned away, shoulders shaking still.
"Leave me alone… You've done enough to me already. Haven't you guards had enough fun with me already…?"

Startled, the elder stared at the robot before him. He had seen Bar switching into a state of melancholy or confusion before, but this-
The weeping and sobbing as if he had been hit made Azimuth realize that there might be more behind it than they thought.

Ratchet bit his lip. Okay, maybe he had been too harsh on the robot - if he reacted like this, the attack on Bar must have been more terrifying for the robot than for Ratchet. At least he didn't have panic attacks when someone touched him, proven before during his... activities with Alister.

Metaphorically, Ratchet shook his head to clear it from the image.

Slowly he stepped to the robot, causing whimpers and more tensing. Thinking for a moment, Ratchet made himself as small as possible as he picked up his approach while he murmured nonsense that hopefully would calm the terrified Bar.

"Go away, go away…" Whining, the robot moved away from Ratchet. "Don't touch me… Don't touch me please…"

"Bar." Coming to sit shortly away from him but still far enough that Bar should feel safe, he addressed him as calm as possible. "Bar. I've wondered the whole time how you got it. A silly story behind it?" He grinned, the smile half reaching his eyes.

The robot did not react at first. He still trembled, even though not as strongly as before. His metal fingers still clutched into the matter of his helmet, flexing as they fought against the urge to protect himself. There was no reason to, after all, wasn't there? These Lombaxes wouldn't harm him. They weren't guards.

They were friends.

"Bar?" Azimuth kneeled down beside Ratchet, his head slightly tilted. Although he did not dare to put his hand on the mechanic's shoulder, he still reached out a bit. "Are you all right-"

"I have something similar to a bar code on the side of my throat," the robot blurted out. "It's a mark they left on me."

Silence. Then, the younger's voice hesitantly broke through it. "They left a barcode on you?" The question was breathless. There was no sense Ratchet could see in the guards' actions, if they were the people Bar were talking about. Then, as he had said 'they' and how he feared even uttering their name, it was likely. "You mean the guards? Why did they do this?"

"To know that they examined me already and that I was interesting to a certain degree." Bar wrapped his arms around his legs. "I wasn't the only one who was marked like that. The others just didn't care as much since they weren't marked right beside the head. They didn't have to feel this... this weird feeling, as if they made you succumb to their will." He paused. "I don't know if it can be compared to this, but it felt like... dying. Like I was losing my conscience, my AI." The robot looked aside. "I was afraid of losing my existence. I am still. And the worst thing is... I heard their thoughts for a moment, and they whispered into my mind that they would look for me when I'm needed. They would just have to track the bar code down."
One of his fingers trailed to the rim of his mask. "Hence this thing on my head. For one, I think, no, I hope that it is made of a material that blocks their senses. For another it makes it impossible for me to look at this bar code again. I can't see it on accident. Can't be accidently reminded from it and the guards."
A pause. "Some of my friends realized how much this... thing on my neck bugged me. So they decided to make a joke out of it and called me Bar. Like the Chocolate Barry Bar." Unlike the first time the robot had said it, there was no cheerfulness behind his words. "It worked, still does. Just only until anyone gets close to my helmet with their hands. Then I snap."

"You say they do this to everyone?" The younger's gaze flicked towards Alister who stood as uncomfortable as he felt, shifting on his feet in apprehension.

The problem was they couldn't search their bodies so easily for the code because both of their furs. Ratchet rubbed over his fur coat.

"Not to everyone. Only those who they find interesting, but don't want to... How did the voice put it. 'Consume' yet." Bar made a noise similar to a gulp before he raised his head a little. "Why? Did they take up some particular interest in you?"

"You could say it like this." Ratchet didn't elaborate further, he now the one who clammed up.

"I... see." His optics gleamed faintly through the mask as he scanned their bodies without them noticing. "I guess they're harder on organics. It would explain the blood on Azimuth's leg." Bar let his gaze rest on the elder. "So I guess they didn't mark you? That means you were either not interesting enough or not interesting at all."

A shrug by both Lombaxes. "We didn't know about this until you told us. It's not like we could spot it either, with it probably being under the fur if we really have it."

"Did you ever feel something painful when they touched you? I mean, when they did that to me, it was the first time my AI registered it as 'immense pain.'"

"... I don't think so. They didn't do that to us." Azimuth frowned. "They just immobilized us completely."

"... And you are still alive?" Bar's voice was dominated by utter surprise.

"What is so surprising that we are alive?" Oh gosh, why couldn't get the robot anything out without prompting?

"When they completely immobilize you, they intend to eat you. Literally eat you." Bar shuddered on the word. "They want their victims to struggle in panic to release energy which they can taste. But it has also pragmatic sense to them. If their victims are able to struggle physically, the guards could damage their structure while devouring them. When they immobilize them, however, they can savor this energy while keeping them on a leash. It's an efficient and... smart tactic of them." Bar paused. "Aside from this they also use this for torture, but mostly prefer it when they want to enjoy something or somebody as long as possible."

"... Fuck." Ratchet muttered under his breath, his skin crawling as if a guard was examining him again. He locked gazes with Alister whose face was stony, but the way his ears and vibrated with tension and he held his wrench that it looked like he would snap it in half revealed his unsettlement.

How… Lucky we were to survive that. Oh by Orvus, if I had known that, what would have happened? Azimuth's eyebrows knitted together. What would have happened to him? Would I have been still able to save him? His grip tightened as he still looked at Ratchet. Would you still have been all right?
A quick shake of his head. No. This was no time for contemplation. It was in the past already, after all. And still... This feeling in his gut certainly didn't contribute to his mood.

Bar had retreated once more, his frame fallen into itself. "So yeah... I guess you understand how it was for me. I'm so scared of them... I mean, what if they search me out again? They will kill me for sure this time." His fingers clutched into his helmet. "I don't want to think about it, I don't..."

"Please no panic again, yeah?" Deeming the other now stable - enough - again, Ratchet lightly laid a hand on his shoulder. His previous anger was all but gone up in smoke in empathy for the other. "Try to take deep intakes or do whatever works best to calm yourself."

"... You know. I think I might just do that. HUGGLE TIME!" And before Ratchet knew, he was buried beneath Bar, held tightly in a hearty embrace. A distant chuckle reached the younger's ears, stifled by a hand loosely placed over the elder's mouth.

"That, my dear fellow, is the advantage of not being so cuddly." Azimuth let himself sit down beside them, smirking while watching closely that the robot didn't overdo it.

Whatever Ratchet wanted to say was doomed to be never known, muffled and lost to any ears. Though he had to say much apparently, given how long and loud the muffles went.

"Oh my. Do you have to say something?" Azimuth leant forward and pushed his ear a little towards Ratchet. The chuckle grew louder as the smirk turned into a grin.

It was then Bar turned around and rolled on his back, giving Ratchet at least the chance to breathe.

With dexterity and what you could only call second sight, a finger rose strangely accurately in front of Alister's nose and flicked it.

"AH!" Azimuth shouted with a theatrical note to it, still grinning however. "What was that for?"

A very rude gesture answered him, again directed into his face though Ratchet couldn't see where it was exactly.

"Oh, why..." The elder narrowed his eyes and pouted. "Now don't get too cocky or I'll - actually..." A mischievous grin hushed over his lips as he approached the robot. Putting his wrench aside, he loosened the grip around Ratchet swiftly and pulled the Lombax against him, arms around him in an almost possessive way. It wasn't too tight, though - or rather, looser than Bar's embrace.

"HEY!" The mechanic shouted, sitting up. "I was in the middle of cuddling him!"

"My apologies." One hand on Ratchet's back of his head, the other around his waist, he turned away protectively. "I fear that I would like to have him back for moment."

"H-h-hey! Azimuth! What are you doing?" Flustered and startled by the situation, Ratchet did not even think of freeing himself. Instead he found himself pressing against the elder's chest for a reason unknown to him. Well. At least it was better than being in Bar's death grip…

Or so he thought.

"I wasn't finished! Come on, please!" Bar moved to a grabbing motion after the elder, but only closed his hand once. "Please, let me cuddle more with Ratchet!"

"Sorry, this is a no go." One eye closed, the other heavy lidded, he tilted his head a little while pressing Ratchet's a little more against his torso. Then he briefly placed his lips at the base of Ratchet's ear, smirking faintly at the robot. "I need my share of cuddling too."

"... I thought you weren't a couple?" Bar sounded flummoxed. "The only other reason my data bases provide me with which would be the reason for what are you doing, um- He isn't your child, right?"

"No. He isn't. He certainly is not." Azimuth's fingers slowly stroked over Ratchet's head, even if only over the surface of his helmet. "Couple doesn't quite cut it either, I'm afraid."

Ratchet twisted in the hold at the words, Alister counteracting every move by shifting his arms or tightening them. The younger's cheeks burnt in embarrassment and confusion, spiced with frustration at Alister's action jumping to and fro in meaning.

What the hell?

A second later. Not a couple either - I'm afraid?

"But I'd like to be on my own feet again, thank you very much. Why does everyone pull me into hugs without asking first if I even want to, anyway?" He huffed, kicking Alister in the shin.

Now, one would have imagined that this would lead to an advantage for Ratchet - sadly, it was quite the opposite case. Azimuth became only even more incited to hold onto the young Lombax, and even more determined to teach him a small lesson. "I am terribly sorry. I'll remember that next time. How about I make up for this?" And so he slowly, only slowly, dug his fingers into the skin at the base of Ratchet's ear, moving them back and forth in a soothing motion.

Damn, the Lombax was just too good at massaging just the right spots. Ratchet went limp in the embrace, his growl so without heat that it was more like a purr.

A low chuckle vibrated against Ratchet's ear. "Should I ever hug you without asking you again, I shall compensate like this," he whispered, a smirk on his lips as he buried his face faintly in the other's fur.

Bar blinked as he watched the two, but remained silent. Actually he had sat down quietly and watched them with a curious sense of quiet interest.

Well, if he put it like this... A grin stole on Ratchet's mouth as he got an idea. Wriggling closer to Alister's chest he discreetly distracted Alister's attention to the motion while he freed his arms; he snuck them carefully around the broad chest under loud purring which made the elder chuckle. The petting turned into longer strokes by the pleased General.

His chuckle was cut off as wicked hands massaged the spot just right above his tail.

A stifled yelp tried to escape him, but remained unheard. He winced only a little, heat rising to his cheeks as well. "W... What are you doing?" He hissed with such a low voice that only Ratchet could hear it. And even so, most that the younger felt was a hushed, warm breath rustling his fur, accompanied by an unintentionally and slightly intensified massage.

"I thought you weren't a couple?" Bar was rightfully confused at the display. Scratching at his helmet, his head tilted before jostling softly as if an epiphany had hit him. "Oh I know! You aren't YET. And Ratchet's instigating a flirt because he's interested in you."

Azimuth's ears perked. Oh this was the worst case. The worst case. Did Bar just- Oh by Orvus. It was over. His pride, his values - poof, gone! Worthless. He had nothing to lose anymore. That was the bottom. He could just as well go and hide in a hole now—

Then again... Because of this, because of this peculiar situation, it was already too late to save anything, right? It was already unimportant what he did now as all was lost by now, right?

Then why not have a little devious fun?

And so, despite the embarrassment, despite the indignity he had to suffer from right now, there was only one thought dominating his mind.

Revenge.

"One could believe so, yes." The elder's voice seemed to be a little more melodious than normally, and quite more pleased than one would expect. "But sadly he is not doing it right. At least in Lombax Tradition, if a specific level of... intimacy has been reached, that action alone would not suffice." Slowly his hand on Ratchet's head snuck forward and opened the collar connection for connection; so far that he had comfortable access to the neck. "To show that you are interested in more than just a flirt, you would have to do something similar to this." Leaning forward, he trailed Ratchet's jaw line with small, brief kisses, ending it with one short peck on the lips before he gently pushed Ratchet against his torso again. With a glance of indifference he looked at the robot, who, optics widely open behind the mask, was speechless. "That of course was a very coy approach. In younger generations even more intimate hints are common."

Ratchet was startled at the sudden kisses, eyes widened. Flustered, he was not capable of saying anything at the moment. Meanwhile, Bar tapped his fingertips against each other.

"Um... does that mean, like, I need to, um... avert my gaze? To be polite?"

"No. Not yet." Azimuth slowly stroked over the fur on Ratchet's neck, faintly, teasingly that it was unbearably tickly. "You would have to turn away if I prolonged my display of interest, like now."

"W-Wait a sec, Alister! What are you-"

"Hush."

For a moment the elder distanced himself from Ratchet.
For a moment the mischievous glint in his eyes was more than evidently to see.
Not that it mattered - the moment after certainly erased any thoughts upon that one when Alister picked up a gesture of intimacy that was especially common between their feline ancestors when they cleaned each other's fur.

Of course, there was no dirty fur to clean right now.

Bar's jaw fell down. Okay, he had read and heard a lot about organic habits of intimacy and showing this intimacy. He had seen some behaviors by specific races even between his colleagues, though most of them reacted rather vicious when a third party was present to watch them.

Maybe Lombaxes were exhibitionists?

One eye closed, one eye half open, Azimuth raised one eyebrow at the robot. For a short moment he halted in his action to address the mechanic. "This would be the moment to avert your eyes. At least in Lombax standards."
And on it went.

Okay, not fully exhibitionists. Still, pretty cool about a third not-involved party in the same room.

Ratchet's mind was pretty much gone on vacation in the cloud of bliss the touches elicited. He gasped as a hot tongue laved over his neck, making him shudder from the sensations that tingled into the rest of his body. He let his head drop back to offer more skin - Alister gladly took the offer and the younger arched his back. At the same time he dragged unconsciously his hands up and down the broad back, instinct guiding the fingers to press along the spine.

A low purr mixed itself into the faint breath that brushed over Ratchet's fur. Azimuth certainly enjoyed the situation, as peculiar as it was, and certainly planned to get the most out of it. How a little bit of deviation from the norm could delight.
Slowly he travelled up, his tongue getting replaced by a few, but well placed kisses. One on the base of the younger's ear, one at the jaw line, and another at the corner of the other's mouth. Then, after turning off both of their helmets, he leant his forehead against Ratchet's, a low purr leaving him as he remained in the position. Eyes closed, a smirk on his lips, he temporarily forgot the situation they were in. For a brief moment he left the general behind, the pretenses and restrictions his mind had imposed. He forgot about Bar, the Shapeshifters, the Great Clock, everything. It all seemed so distant, almost like a faint dream. Nothing mattered at the moment; all that he wanted was to succumb to the short moment of peace he could enjoy with Ratchet.

Yes, he had changed. But he would not speak it out. He would not allow himself to realize it completely.

There was one part in Ratchet's mind that still possessed some kind of working order, this part voicing with glee that, given his own reaction to having his ears petted, Alister's ears were bound to be just as sensitive because he was a Lombax.
So he redirected his efforts, as much as he could even do under the bliss, to those appealing appendages. Instead of rubbing of the junction between ears and head, though, he smoothed his hands over the ears.

The faint purr that vibrated in Azimuth's throat slowly grew stronger, but remained still low enough that only Ratchet could hear it. Slightly nuzzling his forehead against the younger's, he relaxed a bit against the wall behind him, one arm pulling the Lombax close, the hand of the other faintly stroking over Ratchet's neck.

A low hum escaped the Lombax as he felt the elder so close. His fingers stroked slowly, almost idly over the white fur, playing with the tips a little. A faint smile stole itself onto his lips as he lowered the other arm and let it rest against Azimuth's torso. Somehow the calm attitude of the elder had taken over his mood as well. Mischievous thoughts seemed passé, just as much as he found himself lost in the moment of tranquility. Closing his eyes, he purred as well, tail hesitatingly searching out the elder's. When he found the bush, it was to his surprise that the elder did not mind; instead he returned the gesture, letting their tails swing back and forth in a steady, slow rhythm.

A smile was on Azimuth's lips. It was pleasant, so very pleasant not to be restrained by his values. To be the person he was, to leave it all behind. He hadn't expected this to be so calming at all, nor that he could forget everything for a moment.

But a moment was only a moment, and he knew that they were bound to return to reality eventually. Back to how things were. Back to the setting they were supposed to be in. He, Azimuth, the General, the Praetorian Guard; and him, Ratchet, the young hero who happened to be his best friend's son. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing above this. Nothing that was not justified by a reason.
Nothing that went further than friendship.

Azimuth frowned, even if only faintly. He did not want to let go. He did not want to return to reality – for once, he was truly and completely calm, steady in mind and soul. As odd as it was even in his now unrestrained point of view, he liked the intimacy they shared. He did not want to keep losing his temper when he subconsciously showed what he did not even know himself; but this was impossible. And he knew it. Reality was like this, and reality would remain as such.

Then again... What if he just forgot about it all?
What if he changed reality?
Was that possible, even? Could he leave these values behind like this?

He did not know. It would be a step into an unknown direction. Perhaps even into one that was more selfish than anything else. What if he imposed himself on the younger with his actions? What if he was alone with his thoughts? Not that he knew what was actually happening in his mind. He just had... a hunch. A mere feeling of what could become the case; and one that he could not admit, even now.

A moment of contemplation followed. The risk stood; but the possibility for a change to the better remained as well. Should he hint that he liked their current situation? Or should he remain silent and hide behind excuses?

The latter seemed so alluring. Azimuth did not know if he could bear it, if his restrained mind was able to deal with such frankness. It was probably the only compromise he could make with his conscience, to make up excuses and search for almost unrelated reasons for his actions. A safe game, given Ratchet did not mind their intimacy and if everything else on his side failed.

If.

Azimuth did not know why, but he felt like he should try. His current mindset told him that this might be the best moment for long time, if not the only one. And that it would be foolish not to at least try.
And so he did. Inhaling slowly, but deeply, he moved a little closer to Ratchet. He tilted his head so that he almost touched the younger's ear with his lips; then he whispered with a voice so melodious, but also so low that only the other could hear him.

"Ratchet?"

A shiver. Hot breaths puffed over the ear, moving the fur and thus tickling the skin hidden beneath it. Ratchet felt like he would fall even though he was sitting, so dizzy he was. He had never been so intimate with somebody in this manner ever before, the feelings as much as the idea intoxicating. It felt strangely irrelevant that the person he was sharing this with and feeling because of was a male and almost twice as old as him. It only mattered how safe he felt - protected and safe. And connected. Not the way he was connected to Clank who was like a brother to him.

When Alister whispered his name, he shivered. Alister's mouth was really that close to his ear, lips nearly touching it. He tried to respond but nothing came from his throat; he took a few deep breaths, trying to find his voice before he found a whisper back for the other Lombax.

"Wh-what is it, Alister? What do you want?"

"I..." The elder paused. The words were so simple, yet they refused to leave him. "I just..." Why was his heart beating so fast? These were just mere words. Not even the three often-so-anticipated ones. He simply wanted to remark that he liked their current situation, nothing more. But why was it so hard?

His lips were so dry. Slowly, Ratchet licked over them, looking up to Alister's face. He felt as if he had suddenly two hearts, so close was the elder that his heartbeat resonated in his own ribcage. "Yes?" He had no idea what to expect. It still made him excited and he wanted to know what the elder had to say. Ratchet had to stretch a bit that he still could stroke the white ears. He was rewarded by a shudder in the larger body.

Come on Azimuth, this isn't this hard. You can do it. "It's just that..." His voice so low, Azimuth only wanted Ratchet to hear him. Nobody else. This was between them, only them. Were they alone now? He couldn't remember; but he wanted to keep everything between them, just as this precious moment.
And what if they weren't? He closed his eyes, gulping faintly. Oh by Orvus, please let nobody interrupt him now. If anyone suddenly said anything at this very moment, he would lose his resolve immediately. How high were the chances that they would ever be so close again? The faint strokes over his ears reassured him as well; perhaps, yes perhaps he just had to say it. Simply say it. "I... I just wanted to tell you that-"

"Ahem." Clearing his throat in an embarrassed way, Bar tried to get their attention. "Sorry to interrupt you, but... Um..." He scratched his head. "Is that still part of the flirt instigation? I mean you haven't said a thing since some time now and..."

Bar's voice whipped through the atmosphere to cut it in half and like a torn holo-screen, the illusion faded due to the damage done to it. Ratchet jerked inside the embrace, blinking rapidly as his mind was still foggy. He stared up to Alister who himself looked frozen, face open in shock and in denial of the situation, Ratchet might say, seeing the lowly drooping white ears.

"Um... Guys?" Bar pulled his shoulders up and pushed his fingers against each other. "I'm just confused since... Well, you started it to show me how Lombaxes flirt, so... I'm just wondering. Was this how you do it?"

A moment of silence followed. Azimuth, who had slightly, not completely turned away from Ratchet, moved his eyes left and right. His ears drooped, and his tail, first holding onto the other's tail so firmly, was barely brushing over the bush anymore. "... Yes. This is how Lombaxes flirt," he whispered, the voice but a faint hush and accompanied by listlessness.

Before the younger could utter one word, two big hands gently, but with finality lifted him from the elder's lap and set him on his knees. Alister stood up as if while doing so, heavy, invisible weights were hanging from his shoulders. Disappointment quelled the last bits of bliss that had lied on Ratchet like a warm blanket. Now he shivered for a wholly different reason as the elder refused to meet his gaze.

"I hope you won't assume anything inappropriate again, Bar." Azimuth trudged past the robot. "It might appear offensive to other people."

"I... Um... I will remember that." Bar blinked, now even more confused than before. In need for help, he turned to the younger. "Did I say something wrong or..."

"But Alister..." A hand reached after the other Lombax. To really touch him Ratchet would have needed to stand up but he found suddenly to have no strength left for that task. The words struck and hurt, like when Alister had pushed him away when Ratchet had comforted him in the purple hallway; only this time, it hurt much, much more. But just as Alister stopped at Ratchet's pleading tone - damn, he didn't care if he sounded pathetic - that god-cursed, terrifying noise was there again.

Giggling.

Everyone froze as the giggling seemed to pour out of the walls.
Rising from the ground up.
Falling from the ceiling.

The robot tensed up, standing and shivering as he looked around himself frantically. Where were the guards? Were they watching them? Were they safe still?

Azimuth's ears perked immediately. This wasn't good, no good at all. If the guards were- God he had no time for drowning in his own thoughts! He had to get them out of there.
But where to when he did not know where those Shapeshifters were?

That question was answered as he saw eyes appearing all around them, in the shadows, in the slits of the air ducts, in every spot that was connected to a part outside of the quarters.

Suddenly the blue energy force field wasn't safe enough even for Azimuth.

"We have to get out of here!" Bar screamed, looking back and forth between the two Lombaxes. "Come on, we can't lose time, oh CIRCUITS RATCHET COME ON ALREADY!" The mechanic did not understand. Why was the younger not moving?

Alister turned around and ran to Ratchet. Even though he could not look at him at the moment, even though he did not actually know how to approach the other Lombax, he saw the necessity of getting them out of the corridor now. And so, he kneeled down beside Ratchet, one hand on his shoulder, the other activating the other's helmet. While doing so, he spoke hurriedly to the younger Lombax.

"We will have time to talk as soon as we are safe. We need to talk. But for now, we have to get out of here." When both their helmets were engaged, Azimuth stood up and reached out a hand to Ratchet. "Let's go."

Ratchet wordlessly took the offered hand, finally standing up though with help. Bar was waving at them to hurry, then flipped around and dashed ahead along the corridor.
Azimuth bit his lip as he saw Ratchet staggering while getting up. "Can you run?"

"Think so." He breathed in reply. At least it was only anxiety yet that pushed his heart into beating in overdrive. The only way to keep it that level was to push forward that his brain had no time to think about the danger they were in again. Or about the guards. Ratchet sped up, forcing his legs to stomp as he pushed them down as fast and hard as possible.

Azimuth took a moment to himself as he watched Ratchet run ahead. His fingers curled as the other's hand had left his, and it was only this moment where he let himself regret his own hesitance. Had he not waited, he would have been able to let the other know. But now Ratchet was most probably feeling anxious because of him, just as much as he could have damned himself for being so constricted in every aspect – but what was the worst of it all was his knowledge that he would probably never be in a state of such frankness again. He lost his chance, and he knew it.

But this was no time for contemplating. All that mattered right now was that they got out of there, and so he followed the other two, rushing after them.

The eyes squinted in delight. They had had no intention of following them, only to scare them a little and to watch them run. What they had seen, however, was even better than what they had expected, and so they retreated, enlightened by their discovery.

A report to the superior was due.