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Scavenger sighed digging through the packed and wet sands, he wasn’t sure if this was a mission or a punishment at this point but Megatron wanted sand so they were getting sand. He didn’t normally mind digging, sand was normally easy, but today it was cold and wet, all the while getting the corse grains stuck between joints, it sucked specially in his shovel and tail, well arm in alt mode. He grabbed another scoop and reached to add it to Mixmaster’s drum.
Mixmaster would spin most of the water out pouring it back on the beach before adding the drier sand to Long Haul’s bed. Father up the beach in a parking lot that had been abandoned for the winter along Haul would dumb the sand on tarps and Bonecrusher would flatten it under high powered lights, Hook would move and position the light to optimal drying and Scrapper was loading the previously dried sand into crates for Astrotrain to get later.
“It would have been easier to go to a desert to collect dry sand,” Scavenger said adding another scoop when Mixmaster was ready
“Too many people Scrounge,” Long Haul reminded him
“We…we…we are almost done…done…done,” Mixmaster said unhelpfully as he added more dry sand into Long Haul’s bed.
Scavenger gave another sigh.
[On the way with the next load Scrapper], Long Haul said on the open com as he started driving down the beach
[Scavenger, Mixmaster, you can come back too, we should have enough], Scrapper answered
[K], Mixmaster said as he transformed back so he could walk, water still sloshing in his drum, [c…c…come on]
“Finally,” Scavenger said transforming back as well though as Mixmaster trekked ahead Scavenger found himself stuck in the sand which was at his ankles and he was sinking as he attempted to move, “uh oh…Mixmaster!”
Mixmaster stopped and looked back
“I’m stuck! It’s quick sand! Scavenger called
“Th….th…that’s real?” Mixmaster asked unconcerned, “Th…th…thought it was j…jjjjust in cartoons.”
“Help!” Scavenger said sinking lower
“Ok,” Mixmaster said before pulling up videos about quicksand on his HUD, “oh it is real.”
“Mixmaster!” Scavenger snapped
“What’s the hold up?” Long Haul asked them as he turned around when they weren’t still moving
“Scavenger is in quicksand,” Mixmaster said, “ok the video says hold still. Quicksand is dense and you shouldn’t sink.”
“I’m not human! I’m going to sink!” Scavenger called
“We are made of metal you moron,” Long Haul said driving closer, “hold tight Scavenger.”
“Hurry!” Scavenger snapped as he tried leaning forward to get a grip on dry sand or a rock or something though the movement only had him up to his thighs. He raised his tail to keep from getting it stuck too , “I don’t want to die in this place!”
[Hook get down here or we are going to lose Scavenger], Long Haul commed the others
[What happened?] Hook answered
[Scavenger is stuck and needs a lift out]
[Fine I’m coming]
“Hang tight Hook’s coming,” Long Haul said
“Where am I supposed to go?!”
Long Haul didn’t reply as he turned to drive back down the beach passing Scrapper and Hook on the way
“Wow you really are stuck,” Scrapper said as they both transformed beside Mixmaster
“I told you their were more suitable places to gather sand,” Hook commented to Scrapper
“I told you both!” Scavenger snapped , “now help!”
Hook frowned not liking when he was told off, but given Scavenger situation he didn’t argue this time. He raised his boom out as far as it would go and swung the line out to Scavenger.
Scavenger caught his hook and carefully wrapped it around his chest locking it together and hooked the cable closed
Hook finally started tightening his line
Scavenger attempted to push himself free at the same time but the suction wasn’t giving and the cable only tightened around him, “Stop!”
Hook’s winch screamed as he was dragged backwards against the force, his on tires buring themselves in the sand
“Stop,” Scrapper said, “we don’t need you both stuck and hurt.”
Hook relaxed his line and asked, “fine so what’s the plan.”
“Ok so….so…so what we…we…we need to do, is pump more water into the sand,” Mixmaster said finally finished watching his quicksand video, “it will loosen the s….sssand.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Hook asked,
“I…I…I can do it,” Mixmaster said pulling a length of hose from subspace and handed it to Scrapper before transforming
“You can’t burn Scavenger,” Scrapper said tossing the one end of hose to Scavenger before attaching the other to Mixmaster’s canon
“Frag my life,” Scavenger said as he grabbed the hose and shoved it down next to him
“O…o….ok,” Mixmaster said as he started pumping the remaining water in his drum out and into the sand
As he came Loos Scavenger as able to fight a bit more and Hook starts to pull once again.
Scavenger was able to wiggle around more and started using his tail to push himself up. A few more minutes and he was free and happy to be back in solid ground
“Come on before conditions change,” Scrapper said before leading them back to their parking lot.
“You look like the pit,” Bonecrusher said as the everyone came walking up.
“Shut up,” Scavenger said with a huff before shaking off