[Original RPG] Detente: Swallowed by History (Protihex)

[13thScorpio]

Streets

(OOC:Fine by me )

"On it Doc."Gusher replied.He ran a quick scan with the others,each at a point on his body.He sent the scans back to Ratchet,and took stock,once again.This was a great bloody mess Pipeline had got them into.He'd make the best of it. "Commander,since your help here has been negligable,maybe a choice spot for your command would be to help around with the Con leader here.Get this cities ugly mess sorted out."He turned to the others.

"Mr.Mix,let's try this again."At least half of the half done block and tackle was still standing,the other part leaning,but still held in place.Whatever Quickmix did,he did it damn well. "Groove,if you don't mind sticking around and feeling like a construction drone,we wouldn't mind a Protectabots help."

Autobot Corps of Engineers,HQ(Complete!)

Pipeline helped fix the sign on the front entrence to the building,the autobot insignia with a wrench and and hammer crossed behind it,and very battered at that.Now,to get workers to build the cities future infastructer.And for that matter,the entire cities future.He gave a grim grin.He'd have to start measuring the steaks before he tried to take a bite out of it.

"Pipeline to Hot House.Don't mean to interrupt if you're in the middle of something, but I have a request for you.How do you feel about doing commercails?"He really needed Gusher and Towline here.Stripper could destroy as much of the already destroyed city as she could.He just denied her payment to keep her on longer.And he did pay.Eventually.Besides,having a contact a contact like her helped a whole hell of a lot.And Towline with the entire ICC behind him.Primus help him when they found out just how many shanix he and Gusher had saved and looted from the wars....

[grimkuz]

"ok got it" skylynx said to gusher "but whom is the 'con' leader?" looking around

[Warcry]

Warehouse

"Vortex is in the city," Onslaught told Road Hugger. "The other two were here recently, but they seem to have left to pursue their own interests. You two, on the other hand, will replace them nicely."
_________________________________

Templar Heights

"So sorry to disappoint you," Torpedo told Aero Blade.

He led the way into the apartment block, then into a makeshift office on the first floor. The small, silver and purple mech sitting behind the room's desk looked up as they entered.

"Shank, this is Aero Blade," he gestured toward their unwilling guest. "Aero Blade, meet Shank."

"A pleasure," Shank said blandly.

[optimusskids]

Studios

Hothouse waved at his crew.

"Cut take a break, we'll review the rushes for the Longest Cycle and then call it a day."


Hothouse clicked on his communicator as Pipeline's com came through

"Commercials, what did you have in mind. We could always use the extra cash flow."

~*~

Quickmix nodded

"right old boy if at first you don't suceed try try again."

[Clogs]

Steelhaven

Shockwave felt the warmth of Turbofire's kind words, but it quickly died to bitter ashes in the flow of Stratus' questions. "Aero Blade was seized in my presence approximately one point one two breems ago by an unknown unit," he admitted. "I have no idea of his current whereabouts."

He lifted his hand and displayed the metal remains he held. "This and a space-bridge residual energy reading are all that I have recovered from the event. I offer you my regrets."

Meanwhile, Mirage grinned at Wheelie and clapped Turbofire on the shoulder. "We will certainly slow down, friend, but only to encourage you to go faster!" he said. "I expect Ratchet can forward us his shopping list when he has it ready, so let us make a start now."

[Chip1123]

"Works for me." Turbofire said to Mirage, transforming into his alt-mode, pulling up next to a refuleing station. "Give me 5 minutes to refuel and I'll be ready to go. Been traveling a lot today."

[Clogs]

Steelhaven

"Wheelie think/Time to drink," Wheelie agreed, following Turbofire's lead.

Mirage, touching the unpainted patch left on his chest by Ratchet's earlier workmanship, realised just how battered and tired he was. He remembered times like this on Earth with Optimus Prime - you just kept going, because you had to keep going. "I could do with refuelling, too," he said, adding. "And a warm oil bath and a new paintjob..."

[Aero Blade]

Templar Height

"I wish I could say the same," Aero Blade started to speak, his tone very muddled, almost inaudable. He tried to focus in on Shank but was finding it difficult, more difficult than just plain exhaustion.

Something's wrong... Aero Blade realized as he stood nearby to Torpedo, and unfortunately he knew what it was. It had been a long time since he had recharged or recieved any energon, well before Hound and Dirge had dragged him out to the pub, where he had barely gotten anything. Maybe he shouldn't have been so standoffish at their pitstop, given the situation he was now in...

[13thScorpio]

Streets

Gusher shrugged and his backhoe lowered down his back. "Well Commander,find the biggest most purple guy you can.Pretty good chance he'll be thier leader.I haven't had the chance to meet him yet,so your guess is as good as mine."He then turned to Quickmix. "Of course.Though try in this city is stretching the word to the limits."He quickly remounted the area he had been when the building had collapsed on them.Towline took his place and Stripper went back with Quickmix.He did not wait for Groove.

Corps HQ

"Good ones prefferably."Pipeline joked to Hot House. "Unfortanatly they may be slightly,propagandist,to anyone.We need workers here,and we need to make the city look good.Though it is a complete and utter wreck....anywho.We need it for the future of the city.Something about changing this place against all odds and working to change it.Make it a single minded goal for all concerned.Work equals Peace.Peace equals Prosperity.Prosperity equals Happiness.Or something along those lines."He waved to himself and went through the roof to get down to his office where the trailer was to open up the line fully. "I have some truly ancient and not so ancient commercails I'm sending you. Please do not be appalled,though I doubt you will be.Propaganda is Propaganda after all."

[grimkuz]

"ok got it, find shockwave" sklylynx said turning around to fly away he accidently knocked over a few of the ibeams, "whoops, if you need me ill be seaching for the decepitcon leader" he said transforming. the flames coming from the rockets on his shuttle mode caused a fire to errupt but unfortunately skylynx didnt see this as he was allready zooming off into the air

[Blackjack]

Warehouse

(OOC: I know Blast Off is in Altihex, but where is Brawl?)

"Cool. Hyperdrive will be a replacement for Brawl I take it. They're both dumb and powerful." Road Hugger said.

"Hey!"

"So, Onslaught, where do we go now?" Road Hugger said.

"We're honorary Combaticons now then." Hyperdrive said. "Too bad we can't combine into Bruticus the Second or somesuch."

[zigzagger]

Steelhaven

“Data received. Thank you Gusher,” Ratchet replied over the monitor.

Immediately transmitting the schematic he received of Fortress Maximus’ to a nearby data pad, Ratchet looked over the data, assessed the level of damage, and began to make up a list of required parts.

“Remarkable. Despite the extensive damage, the body is still operational...such as it is," he ruefully shook his head. "It's still in pretty bad shape. Now let’s see here...Huh, okay, transtector technology, but with a twist. Sigh, of course it is. Now, let’s compile our list.”

.....
2 caches of tri-polymer sinew material
2 caches of polarized magno-dipped tungsten alloy
2 caches of impacted gravity folded alloy
4 sets of argonized full-forearm and full-legging cydrallics
4 sets of argonized cydradallic shafts (for infrastructure and chassis)
1 set enhanced shock distribution system
2 pressurized energy receptors
2 plasma burners specific to C-331 body-types
1 cache of shock absorbers and trauma buffers.
1 basic internal-component kit compatible to C-331 body-types – should contain supply nodes, autonomical and internal function circuitry, and fuel lines

“There. That should do it,” Ratchet announced as he turned to face Turbofire, Mirage, and Wheelie, only to realize that they were preparing to leave the ship.

“Hey, hold on you three, not so fast! You actually think you three will make it to Iacon and back with a cargo this important on wheels? Get back over here,” Ratchet sternly told them.

He waited for them to return before continuing (OOC: Sorry if that's presumptuous).

“This mission is important and you don’t even know where you are going! Alright, first, here is the list," he held out a data pad. "Everything needed is there. Second, in the next bay should be a few spare emergency crafts. They're small, not particularly fast, and probably have only the reserves to get you to Iacon safely, but it should do the trick until you find a suitable craft to return to Protihex with the cargo. Much quicker than traveling by ground, anyway. I’ll contact Autobase and inform them that you will be arriving, and should be able to provide you with a better craft.”

“But before that, you’ll need to go to the IMR (Iacon Medical and Research Institute) to acquire these items," he tapped on the screen of the pad. "There is an onsite warehouse containing these parts. Here,” Ratchet then produced a very small and thin data-pad and handed it over to the three Autobots. “This should give you clearance, and don’t worry about being stingy. We could always use the extra supplies. Also, just to be safe, chances are if Maximus has enemies here, they may expect a supply convoy. The Steelhaven should have an armory. I suggest you go visit it and arm up. And that should do it."

"Now you may go," Ratchet waved his hand in a sweeping motion. "You three be careful now, and good luck.”

---

Streets

“Umm, yes, certainly,” Groove graciously answered Gusher, switching off his vaporator cannons. “I am here to help. What do you require from me?”

He smiled at Gusher made a reference to the unit he once served under, “Oh, and by the way, the Protectobot unit has been defunct for quite some time.”

[Warcry]

Templar Heights

Shank frowned at Aero's words, but even more so at the Autobot's physical appearance.

"Are you quite well?" he asked, only marginally concerned with the answer.
____________________________________

Warehouse

(OOC: Brawl's supposedly here too, but he's been, uh, remarkably quiet since last Christmas. )

"In most ways, Bruticus was superfluous," Onslaught told Hyperdrive. "Colossal terror weapons have their place, but relying on them in the place of proper military strategy is only one of the failings I've noticed in our faction leadership."

The Combaticon leader moved away from the small medical alcove out into the warehouse proper.

"For now, we don't go anywhere. Our first job is to reprogram this place's security system to recognize us as its rightful owners, which I believe Swindle is already handling."

"Sure am, boss," the corrupt soldier said.

"Good," Onslaught replied. "The rest of us are going to get to work upgrading the security grid so that we're not vulnerable to a Micromaster invasion. Once this place has been turned into a fortress, we'll be able to operate from a position of strength."

Silently he added, And by then I might have an idea of what, exactly, I intend to do in this city.

[optimusskids]

Studio

Hothouse nodded as he listened

"a sort of recruitment drive for the city. It's doable. Bills chargeable to the Autobot army I presume."


Streets


Quickmix went back to work.

[Aero Blade]

Steelhaven

"But why?" Stratus asked to Shockwave, upset and genuinely confused. Aero Blade was the only bot he trusted out here, and now all of the sudden he was completely gone. "Why him and not someone else?"


Templar Heights

Aero Blade heard Shank's question, but he did not get the chance to answer. Unable to sustain himself any further, his systems were starting to shut down, not having enough energy to keep him online any longer. Aero would teter slightly as the light faded out of his optics, leaving the band completely black just before he passed out.

[13thScorpio]

Streets

The Commanders leave left a little something to be desired,but the short fire was something of a good point.With nothing left to actually start on fire,it only warped things a little,but nothing that Gusher and Pipeline weren't going to put into the fabricator anyways.The last of the beams in place and in,he started hooking up the winches to the beams.

"Well,Groove,I know you guys are defunct,but it's a badge you won't soon be rid of.Here,"Gusher tossed him several lines of cables with hooks as big as himself on them,"hook him up around the chest and back.Then once it's all jacked up,we lift.It'd be even better if we had jacks..."Towline and Stripper got down off the building with Quickmix and readied themselves for the big pull.It had all the looks of a short scrap.He spiraled down on a cable,and wrapped a chain around his bucket. "tell us when he's hooked Groove,and join in the tug of war."

Corps HQ

"Of course."Pipeline told Hot House. "I'll add some incentive.A bit of a bonus if they work.Somewhere in the 2 million shanix range."He smiled as he cut the connection.No one ever said a decepticon bank was safe from a couple of determined engineers.Going out of his office,technically,his and Gushers,he went into the main board room.It was empty,stale and white, with some wirings and most of the computers off-line.The main table was built right into the floor,and the chairs were empty too.He'd have to retcify this.He needed the top guns in here(literally and metophorically).He walked out the door and onto the factory floor.

[Warcry]

Templar Heights

Firewagon grudgingly caught Aero Blade as the smaller Transformer collapsed, keeping him from hitting the ground.

"That was unexpected," Shank remarked blandly. Then he shrugged. "Firewagon, Jitterbug, drag him to the medical suite up on the fourth floor, then go over him and see what's wrong."

"What if it's something contagious?" Jitterbug asked warily.

"Then I'll have you tossed into the incinerator with him," Shank said, all of a sudden sounding very tired. "Just go, will you? The adults have things to discuss." He gestured to Torpedo, obviously including him in that group.

[Chip1123]

"Dang. And here I was hoping that most of it would fit inside my truck bed. Guess I didn't realize how badly damaged Maximus was." Turbofire said, finishing recharging. "I'll let one of you two drive the emergency ship Ratchet was speaking of. Not much of a pilot." Turbofire walked up and took the data-pad from Ratchet. "Now let's go get some more firepower. If Ratchet's right, we might need it."

[Blackjack]

Warehouse

"We'll do what you ask us to do." Hyperdrive said to Onslaught. The ex-Micromaster stepped into the former site of the battle and dragged Zoom's inert body and Boost's mangled body out. "Garbage in, garbage out." He said as he threw the bodies out of the window.

Road Hugger looked around and complemented the kinds of traps and killing machines that they could use. "Yes... We'll make this place not vulnerable for Micromasters..."

[Clogs]

Steelhaven

"Why him and not me?" Shockwave responded to Stratus. For an astrosecond, he contemplated pointing out (as he might well have done in the past) the rather obvious, but knew that was out of place. "I assume: from his words, the kidnapper was interested in the technological skills Aero Blade displayed."

Mirage patted Wheelie on the shoulder and turned wearily as Ratchet gave them their mission. Well, at least he would not have to drive all the way back to Iacon! "I am a fair pilot," he admitted. "And a very, very good shot... Lead on to the armoury, Turbofire."

Wheelie gave a tight grin and looked down into his open, empty hands. It seemed that peace, wish otherwise though he may, still needed to be fought for...

Left to his own devices, Gnaw settled back in one corner of the medical bay to await any orders suitable for his talents.