Game Over

Chapter 1 - The Signal

-o-o-o-o-o-

On the bridge of the Lost Light, Siren went over the signal several times before bringing it to Rodimus' attention. "There seems to be some strange call being broadcast from the planet below," he announced, loudly of course. He'd never been able to shake that defining characteristic of mechs that had spent their formative years in the Sonic Canyons.

"A strange call?" the captain asked.

"It's not really a distress call, but it's not... well, it's not sort of a distress call. It's being broadcast like one, but the intent seems rather vague."

"Is it coming from the mines?" Rodimus asked, narrowing his optics.

Hound and Mainframe moved toward the communications station in curiosity, looking over Siren's shoulders.

"It appears to be coming from the ore processing plant above the mines," answered the loud mech.

Rodimus looked thoughtfully at the viewscreen where the small, uninteresting planet was displayed. They had come to Thanatos Six in hopes of obtaining some of the rarer metals that Perceptor and the Pyrobots were saying were required for repairs to the Lost Light. Ultra Magnus noted old business contacts associated with this particular facility. "Can you play it?" Rodimus asked.

Siren brought up the signal. "It's just a short clip, but it keeps repeating."

The viewscreen switched to a mech in an ore-processing facility, easily identified by the Staffix Mining Conglomerate logos on the equipment behind him. "This is the Staffix Mining facility at Upper Iron Bend. If anyone is receiving this..." The mech, some sort of mid-level manager as told by the data-jacket over one shoulder, looked about nervously. "...there is something going on here. Something's not right, but then maybe it is. Work conditions have been... Well... The mines are producing at an all time high. We just tapped a new vein of chromium, and our ununtrium vein has been the most profitable we've ever encountered. But we..." The mech's whole posture shifted. "No one's happy. We've had trouble with the workers... With keeping the work going."

From off-camera there came a loud noise followed by several cries of anguish. The mech looked away at the disturbance. Behind him, two mining-builds ran toward it. There were shouts, and then someone was talking privately to the mech at the camera. The conversation was muffled and the words indistinct, until the mid-level manager gasped. "A suicide? Another one?" he asked, seeking confirmation. And then he turned back toward the camera. "If you are receiving this, please. We aren't sure what's going on down here."

Static suddenly filled the screen, and then the same video clip began to play again.

"How old is the message?" Rodimus asked.

"I tried to find a date stamp but there isn't one. There isn't an initialization stamp either. Which means they're probably using older communications equipment," Siren explained, just below a shout.

"And have you been able to make any real-time contact with the facility?"