Hook folded his arms, his optics narrowing. "We don't have time for this. If Megatron catches wind of us running around the base, he'll start asking questions we aren't ready to answer."
Mixmaster, still slightly jittery from his own recent upgrade, piped up with an unhelpful observation. "Scavenger... he's probably digging through scrap, you know? He loves that stuff. Junk and bits and pieces! Always digging, always searching."
Scrapper shot him a look but couldn't deny the logic. "Fine. Let's check the usual places, but keep it quiet. We don't need anyone asking why we're wandering around."
The group split up, moving methodically through the base. Scrapper took the hangar bays, Hook checked the maintenance corridors, and Mixmaster poked his head into the storage rooms. The goal was to find Scavenger quickly, without attracting unwanted attention or questions from other Decepticons who might get curious about their sudden need to track him down.
Scavenger wasn't in the first few places they checked, nor the next few. Tension began to build. They couldn't afford to waste time, but it was vital that they avoided looking suspicious. Finally, Scrapper spotted a trail of discarded components—a bent strut here, a piece of wiring there—that led him toward one of the lesser-used maintenance corridor on the edge of the base.
Sure enough, there was Scavenger, knee-deep in a pile of scrap, humming to himself as he sifted through the wreckage. His claw-like hands moved methodically, plucking out bits and pieces that only he could find value in.
"Scavenger!" Scrapper called, keeping his voice low but firm as he approached.
The smaller Constructicon perked up immediately, turning to face him with wide optics. "Oh, hey! Look what I found! This pile's got some real gems, Scrapper. I think I can use this for—"
"Forget the scrap," Scrapper interrupted, trying to keep his patience. "We need you back in the workshop. Now."
Scavenger tilted his head, confused. "Why? What's the rush?"
Hook arrived then, his expression a mask of thinly veiled irritation. "The rush, Scavenger, is that we're in the middle of an important project, and you're the last piece. We can't finish without you."
"Finish what?" Scavenger asked, his tone more curious than alarmed.
Mixmaster sidled up, grinning a bit too widely. "The big project, the big, big one. Devastator—our big guy! We're making him... better, stronger, faster! And you're the last one we need!"
Scavenger blinked, then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't know it was my turn. I just thought—"
Scrapper cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Doesn't matter. Just get back to the workshop, and we'll explain everything once we're done."
Scavenger nodded, finally looking serious. "Alright, alright. I'm coming."
The group moved quickly and quietly back to the workshop, avoiding the busier areas of the base. Every step felt like a gamble, but they managed to return without incident.
Once inside, Scrapper gestured for Scavenger to take his place on the table. "Alright, Scavenger, this won't take long. Just hold still and let us do our work."
Scavenger lay back, his frame tense but cooperative. "Okay, but this better not hurt."
Scrapper smirked behind his battle mask. "It won't. Now let's finish this."
As Scavenger settled onto the workbench, Scrapper activated his tools and reached for the access panel on the smaller Constructicon's chest. The moment he opened it, he froze, his optics widening slightly.
Inside was chaos—wires tangled haphazardly, grime caked into every crevice, and the unmistakable sheen of grease and oil pooling in places it absolutely shouldn't have been. Scrapper muttered under his breath, "Primus, Scavenger... what in the pit have you been doing in there?"
Hook, who had been preparing the calibration equipment, stepped closer for a look. The moment he saw the mess, he recoiled slightly, his expression twisting into one of pure disgust. "That's... abhorrent. I wouldn't subject the worst Autobot to such neglect!"
Scavenger looked up at them sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I, uh... I guess I don't clean as much as I should. But hey, it still works, right?"
"Barely," Hook snapped, already pulling out a cleaning kit. "How this hasn't shorted out your entire frame is a miracle. I won't work in these conditions. This filth is unacceptable."
Scrapper sighed, his annoyance barely restrained. "Hook, just clean it up so we can get started. We're running out of time."
With a sharp huff, Hook began the laborious process of cleaning the interior. His movements were precise but edged with irritation as he meticulously wiped away layers of grime, removed clumps of dirt, and degreased the components.
"This isn't just filth," Hook muttered, glaring at Scavenger while working. "It's negligence. How do you even function with so much contamination in your systems?"
Scavenger winced, looking genuinely apologetic. "I don't know... I guess I get distracted. There's always so much scrap to dig through, and sometimes I forget to, uh, check myself."
Scrapper, now inspecting the freshly cleaned areas Hook revealed, shook his head. "You're lucky we didn't need you for anything critical before this. If Devastator had tried to combine with your systems in this condition, it could've destabilized the entire process."
Hook grumbled as he finished wiping down a particularly stubborn patch of grease. "There. At least now we can see what we're doing."
Scrapper gave a small nod of approval. "Good. Let's get back to it."
As they began the actual upgrade, Scrapper couldn't resist one last remark. "Scavenger, after this, you're going to keep your systems clean. No excuses."
Scavenger nodded fervently, clearly embarrassed. "Got it. I promise!"
Hook snorted. "We'll see how long that lasts."
Despite the rough start, the process went smoothly once the workspace was cleared. Scavenger's systems, though messy, responded well to the upgrade. As they worked, the team felt a renewed sense of determination. With Scavenger's part nearly complete, they were finally ready to bring their vision of Devastator to life.