There was a break in the weather so both, armed and cautious, left the shuttle trying to cover the distance to the alien ship quickly and unobtrusively. To their advantage, the terrain in this region of AT2 was more irregular and hilly, affording them more cover.
Carefully scanning and recording details of the area as he went, Hound realised that whatever the cover here was, it wasn't irregular. It seemed it at first but once he started gaining more information he began to see a pattern emerging. They kept a good distance between them and the alien ship, making their way towards the second structure. Sideswipe came alongside Hound. "You thinking the same as me?."
"If you're thinking that group of hills look too unnatural, then yes."
"Not quite what I was thinking, but it'll do." Sideswipe slowed and transformed, dropping to a crouched position, gun ready.
Hound followed his lead without hesitation. They crouched behind a ragged mound of earth shielding them from sight. "What is it? I'm not picking anything up," Hound whispered.
"There's something there, I can feel it in my struts"
They crouched in silence, optics scanning the area, reluctant to use anything more than visuals in case it brought attention to their energy readings. "The air's changing , we need to get moving," Hound said as he noticed Sideswipe relax a little.
A large stone slid from it's perch falling to the ground with a dull thud. Both mechs tensed. They crouched even lower when they heard a whirring sound. Keeping still they watched the air shimmer where the stone fell. There hovered a small mechanoid, it was oval in shape and no taller than a human. It's exo-shell was smooth and completely featureless. Despite its lack of features, it gave the distinct impression it was looking for something. An unnameable feeling stole over the two 'bots watching it making them distinctly uncomfortable. It hovered perfectly still for an astrosecond, then the stone exploded, the debris hitting an unseen forcefield and falling harmlessly to the floor. The mechanoid turned with what seemed like an air of satisfaction and shimmered out of view again.
Hound and Sideswipe froze, all systems poised for action, yet keeping as low as possible to avoid detection. Neither dared move a servo for half a breem until Sideswipe shifted his weight slightly. He turned to Hound. "I think it's moved on. But did you feel the energy that came from that thing?" He sounded happier than he had since they'd left Cybertron.
Hound nodded, optics narrowing a touch. "I managed to get a recording of it. I'll give it Perceptor for a full analysis when we get back to the ship.
"For now, we need to get over to those 'hills', and hope we don't run into another one of those things. I'm not sure we'd survive it."
"Speak for yourself," Sideswipe quipped. He raised a hand slightly into the now growing wind speed. "Have you noticed there's no dust here?"
"I have. It's also warm, much warmer." They were about to make a move for the hills when a vibration set off through the ground.
"Oh what now! A slagging earthquake?" hissed Sideswipe in annoyance.
Hound paused. "No. Look" He indicated to the shimmering in the distance as more mechanoids came into view and started moving toward the alien ship. "It's a warning system, we need to get out of here now!"
With no option for caution anymore, and hoping the warning system was enough to keep anyone off their tails, Hound transformed, heading full speed toward the hills.
Sideswipe came up fast but moderating his speed to not overtake Hound too much. "Where in the Pit are we headed?" he called out.
"I've no idea, just find some cover, and fast." Spotting an opening in a rocky projection, Hound turned , transformed and dived into it headfirst. Sideswipe spun, wheels throwing up dust behind him and followed just as a blast of warm air nearly sent him into the rock. Hound allowed himself an astrosecond to admire Sideswipe's manoeuvrability as he helped the other 'bot in next to him, leaving them both cramped up in the small alcove.
Sideswipe looked out. "How fast d'ya reckon that wind is?"
"I don't know exactly but it's certainly comparable to some of the more powerful hurricanes on Earth. It's not something I want to be caught in" he shifted uncomfortably. "It's at times like this I wish I knew mass displacement." Hound tried, unsuccessfully to give himself a little more space.
"At times like this I wish you knew mass displacement. Or at least how to displace that rocket launcher of yours, its sticking in my audio receptor, and that's not easy to get at."
"I'm not surprised, that cranial casing's so thick…" Hound let the line trail off at Sideswipe's expression.
"Who made you today's designated comedian?"
Sideswipe's expression reminded Hound of how humans did what they called 'rolling their eyes'. The thought made him realise how much he missed Earth. He just gave Sideswipe a weak smile.
"What's rusting your processor?" Hound's sudden wistful gaze looking out as he listened to the roar of the wind outside was hard to miss and Sideswipe didn't class himself as the most sensitive of 'bots.
"Not much," Hound lied. "Just listening for any sign of slow down."
"Doesn't look like it's letting up much. I reckon we've got maybe a few breems until it starts slowing down enough." Sideswipe pretended to buy Hound's answer. "Now I know there is one, the pattern in the weather is quite predictable."
"I noticed that too. I've got a few ideas but nothing concrete yet. I almost wish we could have brought Hoist and Perceptor with us."
"Nothing against those 'bots, but judging by what we've seen so far, we're better off with them where they are. I'm not saying they're not handy in a fight, but judging by the power of those…whatever they are here, they'd be more of a liability. They're not fighters." Sideswipe knew it wasn't tactful, but the middle of a potentially hostile situation wasn't the place for tact.
"That's why I said almost. But then, neither am I." Hound replied, if they were going for honesty here, might as well go the whole road.
"Hey, you hold your own pretty well in a fight. Seen you pull some good moves."
Hound nodded acknowledgement of the compliment. "Talking about moves, it looks like we should be able to make ours now."
It was still strong, but without the dust and metal it didn't represent the threat it had before, it would just slow them down. Having no idea when the mechanical 'sentries', as they had dubbed them, would come back out, they made the decision to make for the hills in the hope of getting there beforehand
They made use of the cover available to hide their movements and give them some shielding from the wind which was dying down quickly, in the attempt to close the distance quickly. They saw no sign of more sentries as they finally reached the hills, or what, from further back had looked like hills.
On closer inspection, they were steeper than originally thought and a strong warm breeze came from them. Hound ran a hand over the rough surface, following an unseen pattern. As he brought his hand away he rubbed the dirt between his fingers. "Holograms, well, holomatter."
Sideswipe looked closer at the hillside. "Looks like dirt to me."
"The dirt's real," Hound explained. It's a cover, but if I put my hand here." He placed his hand on the hill directly in front of Sideswipe then took it away. He held it out, palm side up to show there was nothing on it.
"Well, it's not like the air coming out from it didn't tell me something was dodgy about it." He poked at it. "Still feels pretty real for a hologram, even for holomatter."
"It's beyond our technology, but definitely holomatter. Ours is convincing enough to the untrained eye, but this is better than our best." Hound looked it over appreciatively. "Everything about it would tell you it's real, even the readings it gives off."
Sideswipe checked cautiously around. "We're probably going to get company soon. So where next?"
"I would think these hills hide fans, or turbines. But why and for what purpose? We're still no closer to finding out where our 'bots might be." Hound looked thoughtful. "I think that alcove we were in could be a way in to whatever is under here."
"Like an underground bunker?"
"It could be. Either way, we need to find out. I just wish we had any idea whether whoever the occupants are, are hostile or not."
"I think we can take it from that sentry that they're probably hostile."
"Agreed. We'll see if I'm right about the alcove."
Perceptor had been working tirelessly with Hoist to try and get communications with Cybertron open, but had not had any breakthrough. During any spare moment he had, he was studying the metals found in the sample. Frustration at having no answers was eating away at his natural excitement to study something new.
Hoist on the other hand, was still positive they would get a breakthrough soon. "If you're that concerned, Perceptor, then why not just take the Secutor up?"
"And possibly leave Hound and Sideswipe with no back up? No, Hoist. We keep trying from here."
Hoist continued soldering. After a little while, he tried again. "They've been gone for cycles. I'm not saying we potentially desert them, I'm just saying that if we can communicate with Cybertron then we will have better back up resources for them."
"I see the logic of your argument, but without further evidence than just another couple of 'bots missing, there's no guarantee that any back up will be sent."
"Optimus would never allow it to remain un-investigated.." Hoist sounded mortified at what Perceptor was suggesting.
"If he's over-ruled by the Senate, it may not be a choice. Without Optimus pushing for it, they weren't going to clear as much resources and 'botpower that we were allocated. Hound and yourself are here as a favour for Optimus, without which, it would just be Sideswipe and myself."
"I didn't know the Senate was so disinterested."
"It's not that they're disinterested as such." The tone wasn't bitter, but there was an edge uncharacteristic of his usual tone. " The universe is ultimately unchanging. We endure a devastating war to bring change and everything goes back to the way it was before. Political gain, social standing and power is of more concern than a few 'bots lost out in an unimportant system. If we contact them with nothing more concrete than solar flares, adverse weather, one severed wire and a less than conclusive data recorder, we'll be recalled and Hound and Sideswipe, along with Jetfire and Skids, will be written off as losses due to adverse planetary conditions. Jetfire and Skids will be a sad loss to the scientific community to them, but no more important."
Hoist nodded sadly in agreement. "It makes you wonder what everyone fought for, really."
Perceptor's frame slumped very slightly. "Indeed it does."