red_diode_district | Everybody learns from *somebody*

Everybody learns from somebody

Passing the doors into the library, Megatron was pleased he had gotten the schedule correct as he saw who was sitting at the desk. If it had been completely necessary due to his own schedule, he'd have come here when he could. But since he didn't have to...

Ignoring the faint itch interfacing hadn't properly gotten rid off, Megatron approached the librarian at a lazy, casual walk. It was a pity he hadn't seen any signs at all that the surprisingly fine-lined truck-alted mech had the inclination he was looking for. Things would have been a lot easier (and, really, pleasing) if he had.

As it was, since there was no one left in the current arena circuit that he trusted with what he had to hand over, perhaps he would have to avail himself of one of the clubs. It made an irritable twitch slither down the treads on his shoulders, the thought that he'd have to do that.

It was ages since he'd had to go to an open venue like that to simply get his needs properly taken care of.

And he really would have preferred the librarian. Orion Pax - it hadn't taken anything to find out the designation when to found the schedule - was witty, somehow diplomatically argumentative and didn't give in if he knew he was right or wanted to stand for his opinion, actually had some smarts to go with said use of words and Megatron wanted to know more.

More, and more personally (most of the earlier he'd simply learned over the few times he'd been in the library when the mech was, but hadn't actually approached him). So this time, he decided to actually use the librarian's assistance in what he was looking for... and perhaps get something more out of it.

"Excuse me?"

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"Here? Yes. Usually the only ones that're patrolled underground is when they're closer to a settlement or inside one, not outside like this," Megatron said as they climbed, apparently unconcerned about what might be below them.

"Usually the precautions are, after all, good enough to catch anyone accidentally straying within the perimeter. You need to be more determined to get properly past the security, and while I'm sure I'm not the only one, we're probably few enough a greater security force or measures would only draw more attention than the government want to be directed at their 'forbidden zones'," Megatron sneered on the last two words, letting out a contemptuous engine rev.

Security measures for unstable underground levels, his aft. What was far more annoying was that, mostly, these forbidden zones went unmarked or unprotested; possible historic value aside, most weren't actually curious what was under their feet beyond raw materials, assuming it was nothing.

"In around a minute we'll be getting down to the first level, so watch your step."

"I suppose that makes sense," Orion agreed, though he couldn't shake the worry that came automatically with their illegal escapade. Bad luck or timing was all that could be needed to cause them trouble.

But thankfully, for once budget cuts and lazy bureaucracy was on their side. And he trusted Megatron's word and experience, so-

"Even if the reasoning for locking this all away escapes me." And irritated him. Knowledge and history was meant to be shared and learned, not hidden away!

The bottom came earlier than he would have expected from his earlier glance down, but he only made a small sound of surpise. Stepping back, he angled his headlights to give Megatron a better view.

"Hmm. The same reason censorship exists, or those who win a war write the history of it as they see fit," Megatron said slowly, hearing Orion thump down on the ground and while he didn't need the extra light, Orion offering it was what he actually wanted.

Because it was so very much Orion.

"And everybody else has to dig to find and and decide what to do with the information." Grinning as he let go of the ladder and fell the last few meters, Megatron turned around, dusted his hands off, and squeezed Orion's shoulder.

"Now comes the real bit of climbing, Orion. Let's see if your altmode's specs can help you here like they probably don't in the library," Megatron said, not at all concerned over having more or less insulted his lover, and walked over to the edge of the cliff they stood on.

The darkness was, of course, absolute beyond Orion's headlights, but Megatron cracked a lightrod and, with a quirked optic ridge, tossed it out into the space. The flickering light of the falling rod lit up what seemed to be a half-collapsed chamber, parts of floors sticking out into the empty central cavity.

The style of this part was probably no older than early Golden Age, so this wasn't actually what they were here to look at.

Then the lightrod fell down into the abyss below.

"That I know all too well, from just my readings alone," Orion said sourly. The mention of said censorship irked him more than any slight to his frame specs and their lack of use - he was rather self aware about his lack of physical activity. Putting his alt mode under any heavy strain was a rare occurrence in his line of work.

"I should hope so-"

Watching the lightrod drop away into the void drew him up short. He leaned and stared as it fell away, only for vertigo to curl up in his tanks when it kept on falling; he abruptly stepped back, bumping right into Megatron's chest with wide optics and a muted clang.

"We're going down," Megatron said, perhaps unnecessarily, but the hand he put on Orion's shoulder when the mech bumped into him was gentle. Firm, to make sure he hadn't lost his footing, but gentle.

"Which is why it's a good think we're properly fuelled and have the frames for this."

Of course, frames built lighter could climb for a long time, that wasn't really the issue. The sort of strain they'd be putting on their frames, climbing first down and then back up again, however, would make it hard for mechs built lighter to keep up.

"I'll go first. That way, you'll have a warning and can go back up should we hit a bad spot."

It was improbable - he knew a reasonably safe way down pretty well, but this place was old and the planet did shift around.

"OH yes, because you plummeting down into the void after the lightstick is a perfectly reasonable way for me to get that warning," Orion huffed, field automatically ruffling with shock and concern at the very idea.

"I admit, you know the path and probably should go first, but framing it like that is not reassuring."

AS he spoke, he reached into his subspace, pulling out a thick tow cable and tow carabiners, tossing one to Megatron pointedly.

"Especially since neither one of us are going to be unsupported in this."

"I wouldn't be plummeting," Megatron said, clearly amused even as he caught the cable and hooked it in place, though with the clear air humouring Orion, "more like slipping, which I have done a few times."

Which probably wasn't reassuring in the least, but this wasn't, actually safe. It wasn't not safe for the reasons the government liked to use, but it wasn't safe any less.

"If you insist, however. You came prepared." Smiling, Megatron waited until Orion had connected the cable to himself and then used it to haul Orion close and kissed him, not-so-gently nibbling on his lower lip.

"Even less reassuri-" Orion started, only to honk in outrage when he was yanked over and kissed. Engine growling at the treatment - unsure if to be aroused or irritated at Megatron's presumption - Orion settled for biting back into the kiss.

He didn't dare give Megatron a shove, but he did tug at the cable right back, clanging them together again away from the ledge.

"Hnm. I do try to be prepared," he grumped into Megatron's chest plate when they finally parted.

At the honk, Megatron outright burst out laughing into the kiss, and his engine dropped down into a deeper, nearly rumbling purr when Orion bit back, feeling absolutely no remorse for his actions.

"An admirable trait," Megatron said, practically humming as he leaned in again, brushing his lips against Orion's crest and reaching up to rub his thumb along one audial finial.

"But, prepared or not, we should get going. It's a bit of a climb to where we want to go."

And that said, he stepped away and back to the edge, hauling himself over it and finding footholds before he paused to flash a grin at Orion and then started to climb down the cliff.

Despite the pleasant shudder working it's way down Orion's spine from the audial fondling, he still gave Megatron a retaliating pinch for that laugh.

"Flattery won't help you," he grumbled.

Glaring with a gimlet optic, Orion waited until Megatron had progressed enough down the incline for him to follow, keeping the cable carefully just shy of taunt between them. He was lighter than Megatron, but with less reach, so getting the same grips was slightly more difficult - but just over the edge, it seemed to be going well enough.

As if the pinch would be noticed much; all Orion got was a wider grin before he disappeared down, mindful of the cable to pause at the right distance so Orion didn't just have space to climb down, but wouldn't be pulled down thanks to the cable.

It'd make things a bit trickier than usual, but if Orion wanted that security - and maybe he did as well, though more for Orion's sake than his - he would let him.

At least there was more than just only a few handholds, so Orion shouldn't find the climb too difficult. The angle of the cliff was probably harder, as it wasn't a completely straight one. It angled both out towards them and in away from them, and while Megatron hadn't just climbed this way before, but was also more used to this sort of thing didn't find it particularly difficult, he made sure to keep his attention aimed upwards, at Orion.

Huffing at Megatron's amusement, Orion stubbornly made his way down.

It was honestly easy enough, even if he was tensed simply because it was a new, unusual thing for him to be doing in the first place. It was pleasant to stretch his joints, so to speak, feeling strain in rarely-used struts and cables.

::So how far down do we have to go?:: Orion commed, not sure if his voice would carry down the awkward angle easily.

::We're going to be climbing for over another breem, at least,:: Megatron paused, considered the speed they were going at and that they needed to take the cable that linked them together into account, and then continued, ::more or less. It's harder to judge when I'm not doing this by myself. The first time I took a cycle.::

But that, of course, was because he'd had no idea how far it was or a good, relatively safe route down.

::Technically we could go deeper, but that would mean walking through corridors and down less obvious paths than simply climbing straight down.::

Which well. He had done that, but not here. He'd had the time and inclination and was sure he'd be able to find his way back. He'd still been lost for nearly two days that time.

::Quite a ways, then.::

Orion tried not to allow his apprehension to get the best of him. He was still enjoying this, after all; the climb was rather exilarating. But it was his nature to worry.

...Even if forgotten corridors sounded exciting.

::It depends on what is in those corridors,:: Orion laughed. ::Anything I might want to see?::

Megatron smiled at the laugh and shook his head even if Orion couldn't see it, pausing when the cable went taut between them as he'd unconsciously sped up a little.

::Very probably, but it's also very easy to get lost, and given what time we have we don't have days to be lost, unless you'd want to field questions about your whereabouts.::

Megatron too, of course. And while he might very well be willing to indulge Orion for both of their curiosities' sake, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be bothered by the hassle of having to field all the questions and whatelse when coming back too late.

Orion paused for a moment, making a yearning sound as he glanced into the darkness below. Visions of forgotten knowledge and ancient relics worthy of the archives shot through his head- even if he quickly had to resume climbing down, the line going taunt between them once more.

::...Maybe on the way back up? I'm sure we could find our way around in some tunnels if we were careful.::

::Maybe. We could at least check a short distance into a few tunnels, but I'm not sure how much you'd find like that. The tunnels are usually just tunnels.::

Maybe that was because he wasn't exactly formally educated - all he knew to look for in places like this came from common sense, his own burning curiosity and annoyance, and an attentive optic to his surroundings.

Orion, though, might see more than he would, and that was partly, beyond sharing something he knew the mech would find interesting, why he'd brought him here. If he could squeeze out something, anything, more, Megatron would definitely take it.

::I'm not joking about the days, by the way,:: Megatron said with a dry chuckle through the comm, ::I did get lost for a few days once, though that was while I was exploring down in Kaon.::

::I'll be the judge of that once I see them,:: Orion grinned, all but sending his pleased, faux-smugness across the commline. He had to settle from projecting it in his field at an awkward angle down the cliffside. But he also picked up the pace, and the line between them grew slack once more.

::We'll be very careful. And leave a clear path if we go any distance in at all. How does that sound?::

Megatron just rolled his optics at the smugness that was projected at him, but let Orion keep it uncontested - the mech was rather cute that way, and it didn't really hurt Megatron. Whatever he might find might even help him.

::Considering you're the one who brought cables to tie us together, I think whatever precautions you want to take would be far greater than I'd bother with, so it should be fine,:: Megatron said with a chuckle, and then paused as his next step ended with his foot dangling in this air.

Ah.

::Orion, there's a whole about where I am, I'm going to start climbing to the left to go around it.::

He'd forgotten about it and while there was no issue moving around it, it'd have been easier to climb at an angle earlier than having to maneuver around it now. But done was done.

Orion chuckled back, field going steady with approval. ::I do have a few ideas, after all.::

The fact that Megatron had climbed all this way before alone and without a support line and had managed to get lost gave Orion some doubts about his lover's ability to plan ahead. The tunnels could very well be maze-like, but it was nothing good use of markers and trails couldn't solve.

::Oh! Alright.:: Orion immediately began to alter his path as well, slowing with concern as he wasn't quite sure where the hole in the cliffside began.

Slowing down enough so that Orion could feel his way, Megatron glanced at the hole as they passed it, and his vague memory of its size was confirmed - he'd not been anywhere close to it last time, but had spotted it and judged it small enough one could probably simply drop past it.

Or into it and then continue climbing, but either way, both he and Orion were tall enough either of those were perfectly possible, but, in deference to Orion's lesser experience in these sorts of situations and since they were tied together, he thought it better this way.

::We could probably have climbed into it and then continued, but I suspect it's easier this way. Not far down to the floor.::

Well, 'floor' was what he called it, he wasn't actually sure if it was a floor or the roof of an old building, but the hole they were climbing down the side of ended there. There were a few smaller ones, but he was, actually, too big to go down them without bringing tools to make those holes bigger.

::I think I can see it from here,:: Orion agreed. Though 'see' wasn't entirely correct - he was sensing both the hole and the 'floor' on his scanners. It required constant recalibration, but the more he scanned the more he was able to see and sense about the dark area. Not nearly enough for comfort, of course, but it was better than going in completely blind.

He still nearly stepped on a portion of the safety line as he closed in on Megatron's location, swearing quietly to himself.

Megatron, who'd already unhooked the line as he was on the floor, chuckled and tugged on the cable.

"Even if it was still attached, that wouldn't have done anything. You can jump, Orion." Snapping another light rod to make it glow, Megatron made a quick turn around, but saw nothing different from the other time he'd been here.

Not that he'd expected it to, really. The guards wouldn't go down this far unless they actually realised someone was down here, and it was much more probable that anyone who did stumble in down here (or knew about it prior) could climb down elsewhere.

The roof had holes in it, little holes of darker black than the shadows around them, but it didn't matter; they didn't need to walk out on the roof, and even if they did the holes would be easily avoided.

"Yes, fine. Fine," Orion grumbled, flashing his lights to check the distance with more reliable senses before jumping lightly to the ground. Well, roof. It didn't feel terribly safe, but it didn't collapse so he considered it a win. Rolling up the end of the cable and tucking it away for later, Orion took in his surroundings, flashing his lights on full to light the area for them both.

"It looks...well. Unsettling." Like the results of some world-ending Apocalypse. He could make out the edges and lines of other buildings amoung the rocks, and the empty desolation combined with the lack of sky made the area as eerie as it was fascinating.

"It's not the most welcoming place, no," Megatron agreed with a shrug, "but this isn't our destination. This way." Taking Orion by the elbow, he led them across the edge of the roof, around one of those partly-visible buildings and then spread his hand at the wall they were faced it.

"This is where things get interesting," he said with a smirk and reached out, pushing his hand against the rock... which flickered with a shimmer of electric blue and gold, and Megatron's hand passed through the rock.

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