Against the Centurions

Log Title: Against the Centurions Characters: Benin-Jeri, Dust Devil

Location: Underworld - Cybertron

Date: August 29, 2016

TP: End of Days TP

Summary: Benin-Jeri and Dust Devil travel to the center of Cybertron.

As logged by Benin-Jeri - Monday, August 29, 2016, 10:38 PM

Underworld - Cybertron

 * The unmapped, largely unexplored levels immediately below Cybertron's disused sewer system are known as Underworld, home to all sorts of horrible things.

Ben nods to Dust Devil. "I'll be careful," He promises. He climbs on carefully, arranging his shield so that if he falls, the shield will ideally blunt some of the impact. "Geronimo!" he calls out. "And away we go! To infinity, and beyond! I'm falling - with style!" He puts his phaser away so he can power down his optics and hold on with at least one hand. "Where the Downboys Go," he says seriously.

Dust Devil doesn't power up his fans once he begins falling with Ben aboard. In fact all is quiet for a bit of that fall other than any noise that benin is making. Then a whirring sound starts and there is a rumble below Ben's feet. The hovercar begins to circle slightly as his vents used for mobility blast against the sides of the tube to begin breaking. As they near the bottom, Dust Devil's two main fans blast into action, trying to stop them from hitting the ground."

Ben and Dusty bravely make their way through Cybertron's underworld until they reach the area where awaits a seeming legion of Centurion Droids standing row upon row guarding the chamber of Vector Sigma. Ben stops up short, motioning for Dust Devil to stop, although of course Dusty knows these caverns and the capabilities of the centurions far better than the Junkion does. He looks over at the legions of guards, and then turns to Dusty. Finally he quotes the Cowardly Lion: "All right, I'll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you fellows to do."

Dust Devil luckily helped get them through the worst of it from his previous experience and short cuts. Though the centurions are one of his least favorite things to deal with. He glances at Ben as he speaks, "what's that?"

"Talk me out of it!" Ben finishes the quote, but even as he's joking about being afraid he's analyzing the situation, taking in the surroundings and evaluating the odds. "It's called situational awareness, Lana," he says to no one in particular, and then focuses his attention on Dust Devil, looking more attentive and intense than usual. "Alright. What do we know, and when did we know it?" he asks seriously.

Dust Devil frowns and glances at the centurions and at the surroundings, "All the shakeups have them more agitated than usual. They're usually still until somethin catches their attention. A sigh escapes him. "Normally when they're still, I'd do somethin ta catch their attention. It usually acts like an earth beehive where the guards all go toward the perceived threat. Once they'd get toward me it was easy ta get over them or around them and get inside. But with them all movin about, it a lot harder.

Ben frowns. He quotes, "I've got a way to get us in there, and you're going to lead us! I know you're usually the distraction, but you have a greater rapport with the Ancient Disco Ball of Knowledge. Mike could not play wingman for me. I need somebody that knows how to take one for the team, or entertain a grenade, or even decipher the bomb, if one comes. You know what I mean? It's a war out there. Want me to take this one for a change?"

Dust Devil looks at the Centurions and toward the doorway before glancing back at Ben, "What do you have in mind? Cause I really don't want ta have ta figure how ta piece ya back together or explain to the other junkions why they had ta get a new kirk."

Ben points to the ceiling far above the cavernous tunnel. "Throw me idol, I'll throw you the whip!" he explains. "I'm gonna swing from the chandelier. I came in like a wrecking ball / I never hit so hard in love / All I wanted was to break your walls / All you ever did was break me / Yeah, you wreck me." Ben reaches over and decouples his right hand with his left, revealing the long cord and winch he used to pull Dusty out of the hole earlier. He grins at Dust Devil a little madly.

Dust Devil facepalms. "That's it. Yer banned from all television....." He glances back up at the ceiling and then at the Centurions. "Okay. We'll need them ta bunch up a bit and yer gonna need some momentum.....I can get them movin in this direction and then we plow our way through....those things are pretty hard. Are you gonna fall apart on me?" He stops and grins. "Unless I can raise a forcefield while we swing through...."

Ben nods. "I'll gather them from above. So far away from you and all your charm / Just out of reach of my two empty arms. When I'm ready to strike, you forcefield me and I'll play bowling for soup. Once I get them good and mad, I'll lead them away. And if you would just lead them to freedom, they'd follow you. And so would I. But this time, they'll be following me, and you sneak in and do your thing with Glowing Epcot Center. You can lead a Centurion to water, but you can't make it drink." Ben smiles and nods, as if everything is clear and set. "Ready?"

Dust Devil frowns, "I don't want you getting hurt...." He sighs. "But if you think this is best.....then I'll let you. If you get past that third corridor and across the gap, they usually stop tryin ta follow."

Ben nods again. "I'm ready!" he quotes. "GIR! Ready the tractor beam!" Ben reconnects his right hand a moment, aims it at the ceiling, and fires it like a grappling hook. Up near the ceiling, the hand grabs a beam and holds on tightly. Ben looks at Dust and smiles. "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" he asks in his best Jack Nicholson Joker. He looks at Dust Devil. "Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Before Dust can answer, he activates the winch and lifts himself rapidly into the air. "And awaaaaaay we go!" he calls out loudly, drawing his Original Star Trek phaser with his other hand.

Dust Devil uses his forcefield to protect Ben and give him the best chance of not becoming more acquainted with the Centurion's power extreme. He doesn't like this plan but Benin is older and usually wiser than he is. Once everything is in motion, he prepares to sprint for the finish line and hopefully have a chat with Dad.

Ben pulls himself up and then fires a few warning shots over the heads of the Centurions, quickly getting their attention. He swoops down just over their heads and then swings back, staying just out of their reach as they converge to try to stop him. Once Dusty's forcefield is safely around him, he whips around in a half-circle, and attempts to bowl his way through the line of Centurions nearest the door. His armour, mass, and velocity, plus the strength of the forcefield, give him just enough oomph to knock a few of the Centurions down, making a hole through which Dusty can dart. Ben then swings around again, luring the Centurions away while staying just out of reach of their crushing grip.

Dust Devil takes off like a shot once there's an opening big enough for him. He might not be the biggest or strongest but he's got speed and agility when it counts. Time to see if he can make contact and boldly go to find help for Cybertron.

Ben keeps the Centrurion Guards occupied while Dust Devil communes with Vector Sigma.