Meet the Founder

Log Title: Meet the Founder Characters: Backblast, Bulwark, Dust Devil, Imager, Scales, Spike, Typhoon Location: Sewers under Valvolux Date: July 5, 2018 TP: Valvolux TP Summary: The team under Valvolux finally finds the mysterious Founder As logged by  Scales Log session starting at 17:50:03 on Thursday, 5 July 2018.

Western Chamber - Level 3 - Valvolux

This large open area has a foreboding presence. It's dark with pockets of flickering light from the random fires left unattended. It's obvious this is a gathering place for someone - or somethings. As you look around you notice unfamiliar markings on the walls. Are they directions? Are they names? Is it graffiti? At the edges of the meager sources of light you occasionally see a dull reflection. One cursory closer look to realize it's the banged up and rusted remains of a bot is all you need to know to move on and move on quickly.

Backblast is quite conspicuously holstering his pistol as he steps out.

Typhoon jumps as she hears the shot from the cell, and frowns, giving Backblast a guilty look. "Uh...I think the door is below this room, and the cube in there." She points towards the dank lair to the west. She looks around anxiously. "What should we do?"

Scales droops all over, wings and head. She doodles in the dust with a claw, staring at the floor. "The door is what we're really down here for, right?" She looks up for just a moment.

Imager has remained sullen since it all ended, and here in the main room, she's not surrounded by corpses. When Backblast reenters, she's looking right at him, but the look isn't accusatory. She just turns away and watches Scales' question without a word. There's energon splatter on her face and fists. Her armor's been dented a little, and her shield's got several scorch marks. At least she's not on fire anymore.

Backblast doesn't exactly seem to be the sunshine sociopath he usually is, either, for a few minutes anyway. At Scales' question, he nods "Yeah, it is. And I don't fancy getting cut off from here by whatever made them tunnels, if it comes back..." He slips his rifle off his back and loads a fresh shell.

Looking at Imager, he opens his mouth to say something, but stops. Everything he thinks of seems… wrong. He settles for not looking at her, and instead searching for the door.

Typhoon can sense the tension in the air, even with her low emotional IQ. Awkwardly, she busies herself searching for a way down out of this room. Finally, under some of the graffiti, Ty stops. Like a Redshirt, she calls out, "Hey, guys! I think I found something!"

Scales walks over to look.

Imager raises her head, and quietly approaches Typhoon. She puts down a knee near the Weatherbot, then wordlessly starts to break out the liquid cable dispenser. Her optics peer about the room, looking for a good anchor point, as she slides her hand repeatedly, drawing out more cable.

Backblast heads over to Typhoon and Imager. He indicates what he thinks as a few good anchor points quietly. "These look like good spots for the cable." he says, before getting on with watching over the team, scanning around the room and its entrances

As Imager begins to break out the cable she sees hatch that appears to have been recently unsealed by the disturbed dust around it. It doesn't look to be difficult to open either, just hard to spot as it appears to be built into the floor, with just a few irregularities to give it away.

Typhoon traces out a line on the floor around the hatch Imager found. She scowls a moment, and then uses her energy sensors to trace out a path leading from below, up through the wall... to the graffiti. She stares at the words for a long time, before finally smiling and pushing certain letters in the scribbled text. There is a deep thud, and then the square she traces out slowly descends, like an ancient, creaking lift. She looks over and smiles at the Autobots, looking pleased with herself.

Backblast gives an approving nod. Then he laughs. "Much more of this Ty and I'll be out of a cryptography job."

Typhoon grins. "I cheated. I think the message was a distraction. I jus' traced out which letters had an electrical connection.”

The lift drops a few inches before stopping, and as it does so a control panel raises out of one side to a height easily activatable by most transformers.

Imager frowns, and runs her digits over the imprints in the ground. She digs out a bit of excess rust that had accumulated there as Typhoon scans. When the hatch starts to sink away, she shifts back away from it, backpedalling a few steps on her knees. She hefts herself up, holding a bunch of the cable in her hand still. She leans in to look at the ancient lift, then gives a skeptical look to the rest of the team. "Doesn't...seem rickety." She says finally before testing out the lift with some of her weight, before easing onto it.

The praise from Backblast really seems to lift Ty's spirits, even if she has a hard time looking at him with that alloygator corpse on his head.

Scales looks at the lift and the controls, then gets on and puts herself in a corner. As much in a corner as she can get.

Looking over at the others, Imager says, "We might need those cables after all, tho. I'd hate to trust anythin' at this point'"

The lift, aside from a tiny bit of surface rust, seems to be perfectly fine; even with Imager's weight.

Backblast shrugs and is the first to step on, figuring himself as the expendable one... well, that was the plan, anyway. Everyone else beats him to the punch. He shrugs and steps on calmly.

Typhoon is actually last on, stepping gingerly onto the lift. After all that's happened, even elevators make her nervous now.

The lift doesn't budge at all with the combined mass of all the Autobots.

Imager eyes the hatch, and Scales thoughts, "I figure the top's gonna close on us when we go down, so might not get much use out of it. Seems sturdy enough though.." She eyes the console, a bit sluggish in her steps. Stepping over to it, she muses, "There's some graffiti on this too....Push X to pull." She shakes her head, "That's stupid. Why'd you push to pull?" She gives a silent look around the group to ensure everyone's ready, then pulls the lever to send the crew back down. Down down to Mutant Town.

Scales pulls her wings in tight, but sticks with the corner.

Backblast hums 'going underground' to himself as the lift descends.

Typhoons optics widen as the lift stops and Imager starts pulling levers. Her sister Hurricane would quote, 'I have a bad feeling about this,' but Typhoon wouldn't get the reference.

The top of the hatch does indeed seal back up once the lift descends far enough to give even the tallest of the team some clearance above their head. There are no lights, but after a moment there's faint hum and the occupants are surrounded be a glowing forcefield that lights up the passage instead.

Massive Door - Level 4 - Valvolux

You stand in front of, perhaps, the biggest door you’ve seen. You know it’s a door because it’s unlike the stone wall surrounding it and there are gouges in the floor in front of it from its heavy weight swinging and dragging across it for centuries. Unlike every other door you’ve seen, there is not any obvious way to open it. It’s flat. Nothing protrudes from it and even the hinges are hidden. There’s no lock, no handle, no knocker -- nothing except some very crude scratchings eking out some sort of communication.

Typhoon shuts down her optics a bit, half-Convinced she's going to die an ignominious death in an elevator.

Typhoon powers back on her optics, somewhat surprised to still be alive.

The lift drops through the ceiling, giving the various members of the exploration team time to take in the size of the room, and the door, as it brings them to the floor. The forcefield shuts off allowing them freedom to move about the chamber.

Backblast looks up at the door. "Now that is a big door."

Typhoon gets out her tricorder... er, circuit tester... and goes immediately to finding out everything she can about this big door.

For a while it is dark and quiet in the elevator, with only Backblast's quiet humming carrying on. The lift hums and moves in darkness. After a astrominute or two, a tiny projection of a dancing Femme lights up the darkness, as a recording of 'The Femme from Ipanemicon' plays. Imager offers a weak smile before the fourth floor reveals itself.

She steps out, viewing the massive room. She puts her hands on her hip plates, and leans back, playing off exactly how large the door is. She looks back to the team, as the group susses out what they're looking at.

She approaches the door, then looks back to the team, "I suppose we could knock?"

Backblast had shut up when the music started.

Scales slips off the lift and stares up at the massive doors. She blinks a few times, then looks at Imager. "That sometimes works in fairy tales."

Typhoon frowns. Just knocking hadn't occurred to her. She looks at Backblast for his opinion, shuddering a bit at his grisly appearance.

Backblast nods "We could. But how thick's that door? We'd need to knock Grimlock hard to be heard on the other side."

Backblast appears not to actually notice his grizzly appearance. He's continuing on -completely- as normal. As if he wasn't wearing an alloygator as a trophy. Somehow, it might be better if he was bragging, or playing with it, or something…

Imager looks around at the team. There were no objections so....that's good? She turns to look back to the giant door. Cityformer sized. She knew it. The real trick was to run fast enough in case they DID unleash a Titan. Her optics scanned the room, looking for good hidey holes for someone of her erm...'stout' framework. She takes the trip to the door itself, and it just keeps getting larger before her. The sense of scale was just so great.

Finally, she gets to the door proper, and looks it over. She responds on radio <> She raises her fist, rears back....hefts forwards....and gently raps on the door with her knuckles. "Hey? Vector Sigma? You in there?"

Typhoon smiles weakly. "Maybe we need that guy whose head you cut off'" she suggests to Backblast.

Backblast shrugs a little, and then reads the lettering on the door. "Maybe. I can go bring him here if you like."

The door remains unmoved.

Imager puts her hand back on her hip plate, then looks back to the team yet again. She bangs on it with a lot more might, just banging with her full elbowjoint and forearm. Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang. Nothing.

She altmodes into her hovercraft, and begins to rejoin the group, because its mildly faster than walking. <>

Scales sniffs around, flicking to infrared to check for any clues that way. She's still not back to her usual bounce, but at least she's contributing.

Imager kneels, her armored frame splitting apart to form a heavy grey hovercraft, complete with solar array.

GAME: Backblast PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Above Average difficulty.

Spike has been sort of leaning back, letting the experts do their thing. However, looking at the massive door, he doesn't think his services for wiggling in tight spots will be necessary.

The 'communication' on the door doesn't look like words, more like a series of filled and empty circles of varying sizes placed at different heights.

GAME: Typhoon FAILS a TECHNICAL roll of High difficulty.

Backblast shines his light on the circles and markings pondering thoughtfully.

Backblast scowls a moment. "Now I see why some of them smart folks have beards. Useful to  hold when you're thinking."

Typhoon can see some power spikes as things happen, but can't seem to figure out exactly  what's causing them.

Scales joins Backblast in looking at the writing, since she hasn't found anything else worth staring at.

Typhoon says, "There's.. there's somethin'. I just... I'm not sure what."

Typhoon sounds frustrated with herself

Spike looks on. Not too sure what to contribute.

Backblast nods "I got to admit I'm not recognising these symbols... anyone else recognise them?" he asks, turning on his light array to illuminate the full pattern.

Imager tilts her head as she joins the others. "Something Cryptic, eh?" She looks over all of the symbols, and starts projecting them before the group with her hologram emitter, the Helios Array. The symbols spin and turn as she tries to find an answer, Tony Stark style.

`If only things were quieter,' Typhoon thinks. There's been no real time to sit back and analyze in the past cycle between all the new discoveries and the things trying to eat, stab, smash, or stomp her. Maybe if she had that chance the cause of those power surges would be apparent.

GAME: Imager FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Typhoon looks down at Spike. "It's sure been rough down here. I'm glad you're OK."

GAME: Imager PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Scales sits on the floor, tucking her paws under herself like an armored green cat.

Spike nods. "I'm fine...thanks." He looks at the symbols. "I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but is there any way we can like...'transmit' what we're looking at above ground, and maybe have some Autobots who may know about super-ancient communication take a whack at deciphering this stuff?"

It takes a moment before the 'symbols' begin to fall into place. They appear to be notes, but without any sort of reference points or demarcation of a staff to sit upon. Once that fact is obvious to her Imager can easily add the missing information and make some educated guesses.

Backblast nods a little "If we can find a fibre-optic data line I can run a tap piss easy... with a little time I could probably even flash it up on every screen in the Iacon command centre." A pause. "That'd probably get me in a hell of a lot of shit with the higher ups."

Scales hmms to herself and ponders playback of some of this stuff later.

Typhoon nods, getting excited. "Maybe some crowdsourcing is what we need!" she enthuses, not realizing that Imager might already have the key to the puzzle.

Imager eyes the circles for several moments. "Hold on now..." She tilts her head as she looks at her holographic (hurr hurr) imagery. She draws up her shield, which starts to unfold her vioello. She draws out her bow, eyes the circles a bit further, then brings bow to instrument, playing the notes as she sees them fit. After several moments, she gets the hang of the tune presented to her, and starts playing it much more richly than before.

Backblast says, quietly. "...or we could let Imager do her thing, she seems to have an idea."

Typhoon glances back up as Imager begins to play. "What's going on?" she whispers to Spike.

GAME: Imager FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Above Average difficulty.

GAME: Imager PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Above Average difficulty.

Spike shakes his head, whispering "I've seen his twice...in a video game, and in a movie called 'The Goonies'." He looks up at Typhoon, "Both are obviously fictitious, so I'm as lost as you."

Of course, after everything that had happened down here. Being beaten, shot at, set on fire, and tasting strange energon, Imager was physically fine, but emotionally weak. Perhaps it was silly to think that she was staring at music, but it started to make sense. She says quietly, obviously

focusing on her vioello playing. "Pretty certain this is music....and you're talkin to Maestro Secundae Imager of the Harmonium Canyons!" She actually starts to traipse around a bit as she scans the music, trying to feel for what the music was trying to convey.

Backblast is quiet, listening for a while, before leaning to the others "There are several tone -based code systems... I can decrypt four of them... encrypt eight... and I make an OK chiptune. But..." He trails off to let Imager talk. "Like the lady said, she's the expert on music." A pause, and he adds "You know, there was talk in some of the places I used go that she should be Mastro Primus, back when the title meant something. Big E tells me that she's certainly more willing to teach the leymech than the ol' Primus was."

As Imager begins to play the notes as 'written' the power readings on Typhoon's scanner rise steadily. Unfortunately just as the tune gets going the provided notes stop leaving the maestro to continue it on her own. She searches her memory banks even as the strokes of her bow begin to falter and the readings fade again.

That last chord echoes before Imager recalls the song in full, something she'd not heard since before the war, and perhaps only performed a handful of times as it was old even before she picked up her bow and not much in fashion even then…

Typhoons optics widen at Backblast's words, even if she doesn't necessarily understand most of what he said.

Typhoon looks back suddenly as her own instruments go haywire.

Typhoon says, "Uh, whatever you're doin', Mage, it's havin' an effect..."

Imager murmurs softly, "Its something from the first age, even before the Empyrean Suite was etched to sheet by Operatius...I only learned the first part of this one...." She plays as she shifts side to side, concentrating, "Originem Fabla...'Story's Start', it was the first part of 'Solus' Repose' This seems like the refrain from later in...."

She plays further, then says in a firm voice. "Even if there is nothing else down here. This....is a treasure."

Typhoon stands before a massive door, listening to Imager play an ancient tune...

Scales is tucked into a dragon loaf nearby, watching Imager play.

Backblast listens to Imager quietly, watching her intently. When all is silent, he says, softly. "I can kind of see what they're on about, too." He waits in the tense silence for something to happen, scanning around with his rifle warily.

Typhoon is completely entranced by the music. Her guard is down completely.

Spike is recording this for his own reference, it's not often that he hears an Ancient Cybertronian piece.

One of the walls begins to suffuce with light. The whole panel illuminating in the darkness. As the metal's luminescence increases edging and patterns appear until there is only a darkened square in the middle. Ancient glyphs decorate a small portion by the darkened square. And from behind the wall there is a bit of scraping that can be heard. Every now and then a soft bang and then more scraping, muffled by the thickness of the metal panel against the wall.

Typhoon's optics widen, and she brings up her gun, whirling towards the noise and light to the east.

Spike gulps and says in a shaky tone "Whatever you're dd..dd..doing, it's working..."

Backblast is only a split second behind Typhoon in whirling to aim. Presumably because Kingslayer is a much bigger, more unweildy weapon to swing around so far.

Scales stands up again, watching the glowing wall with wide optics.

The tune is haunting, melancholy, and beautiful; the space echoing and amplfying Imager's perfomance as she plays. Portion of the walls begin to light up, revealing scenes of Solus Prime through her life, forging the artifacts of the Primes, scenes of her with the other Primes (some of which feature Megatronus quite prominently), and others that eventually lead to one showing the her fatal wounding at the hands of Megatronus.

All the walls are glowing now with these scenes, and all the while Typhoon has been watching the power level in the door climbing and climbing until it too finally shines. As with the walls the featureless door changes to depict Solus' ultimate sacrifice as she was returned to the core of Cybertron.

The middle portion of the door fills in last, showing the Well of Allsparks. When the last note of the tune echoes to silence there is the sound of machinery coming to life within the door and a seam appearing that bifurcates the Well of Allsparks.

The panel on the wall is thumped against from the other side. It is hit again and some dust and debris fall from the edges. One more time and the whole section transforms and from the darkness within spills Dust Devil on the ground. He lands rather ungracefully and glances up at the opening that is seen to actually be lit with a faint glowing series of lines. "Ya coulda warned me there was a drop." The panel then makes the classic tranforming noise and shuts again.

Scales blinkblinks away from the awesome glowing story to snap her gaze to Dust Devil. "Wha..?"

Typhoon's optics widen even further in awe at the display Imager has evoked, looking over in mild annoyance as Dust Devil, of all mechs, chooses this awesome moment to drop in from a side door.

Typhoon growls, "Dusty? what are you doing here? we've... we've accessed something ancient...."

Backblast tracks Dust Devil down towards the floor, then scans over all of the images. "Shut up, Dusty, look around a moment."

He's recording all this in his own memory for later, to watch and enjoy the spectacle when he's not got a job to do. For the immediate moment, he's looking for threats - which is why when the seam appears in the door, he whirls sharply to aim his rifle - and his LMG - into the doorway. "Very ancient."

Typhoon says, "Anybody know what all that was?"

Spike runs toward Dust Devil "The hell?!"

Backblast says, "The story, Ty. THE story." Still aiming through the doorway, he indicates what he recognises. "The Primes... the Fallen included. Solus Prime forging the Artefacts, like the Matrix...and there, her death at the hands of Megatronus."

Imager lowers her vioello and takes a step forward towards all the light. If anyone had been paying attention to her, she's always been fascinated with the great Femmes of the present and the past. It was Elita One's words that gave her the reason to stay with the Bots after the Trypticon assault on Iacon. Bathed in the light of ancient pictures, she just stares for several moments, her mouthplate open. "S...Solus Prime's life...." She says again with a soft gasp, "These artists really believed in her..." She rocks forwards, and just sags to her knees as she marvels at the great pictures. The forging of the Requiem Blaster. The Council of the Primes. The assault against chaos.

It’s been an emotional day for her.

Spike looks on in awe. Chances are, if he gets out of here in one piece, he's going to have a lot of questions.

Dust Devil is clearly surprised to see who all is here. He was told his friends were about but not who actually. A faint smile appears, "Sorry ta drop in." At being shushed he ducks his head and glances up at the walls. A smile appearing on his face. "So this is what he was hintin at...."

Typhoon is torn between the mythical and the practical. She looks between Backblast and Imager, not fully comprehending what she's seeing and hearing. Maybe she should have paid more attention in Cybertronian history and mythology class. "Dusty," she whispers. "How did you even get here?"

Scales tilts her head, putting what Backblast and Imager have been saying together with what little she's read up on Cybertronian stuff. She knows her Earth history better, sadly. But this is really cool. She'll have to show it to Discord later.

Backblast sniffs "If this is... as old as it looks..." he comments. "I might have to... rethink a few..."

Scales looks around. "So.. um.. does this mean it's open?"

Backblast says, "Ing."

Typhoon looks a little dizzy as she tries to take in more data than even she can handle.

The door, and the room, do nothing more as if its function has been completed.

Typhoon says, "Should we... should we go in?"

Imager takes several minutes to pull herself together, and maybe she brushes away some of the window fluid from her optics, but nobody would dare think she was that emotional. She gets her feet under her and stands back up, "A cathedral for the Thirteen...." She says softly, before attaching her vioello to her back. "Doesn't explain the power source, but...." She trails off as she approaches the door. Funnily enough, she walks right past Dust Devil without a word, obviously preoccupied by the situation.

Typhoon again looks to Backblast for guidance

Backblast looks around "So, uh, I guess we go through?" He asks the room in general. If there are no objections, and seeing as Typhoon also suggested it (and, in his eyes, he's the expendable one)... oh bugger it Imager's already moving. He hurries past her and then begins to move cautiously, scanning around.

As he passes her, he adds "It was just dust on the optics." He says quietly - basically saying that he won't tell anyone about it.

Dust Devil glances at Typhoon after taking in all the images. A slight smile appearing on his face. "Kinda like one of his stories.....oh sorry Ty, I was talkin with Alpha and he said some stuff was goin on and showed me how ta get here. Of course he didn't tell me WHAT was goin on of course. That would make too much sense."

If Typhoon's optics open any wider, they'll fall out of her head. "Alpha? isn't he dead?" She shakes her head. "Questions later. Let's go." She hurries after the others.

Scales trots after the bigger bots.

As Backblast hurries past Imager to the door on the southern wall it takes but the lightest push to get them to open.

Backblast has left.

The Sanctum - Level 4 - Valvolux

This chamber was built for giants. The massive double doors are three times the height of Optimus Prime, but so balanced that even a minibot can push them open once unlocked. The floor of the room is made of irregularly shaped tiles, fitted together so perfectly that the joints are almost invisible. At the edges of the room, columns resembling vines erupt from the floor, bands of metal wrapped together and branching at the top to support an arched ceiling at least a hundred meters high. Small colored orbs peek out from the twists in the columns and provide dim lighting with criss-crossing shadows.

Between the columns are a series of plinths, each bearing a tool or a piece of armor. No names are given, but the sizes and styles vary too much to have belonged to a single individual. All show patterns of wear from use, but are clean and in good condition.

In the center of the room lies a large digger, its cylindrical body still and its metallic tentacles curled loosely, quiescent but impossible to avoid stepping across. It faces the far end, where a stasis pod stands on a low dais. The pod is fifty meters tall and half that across, the translucent door giving little clue as to what is inside. At its side is a console at a comfortable size for an ordinary transformer, dwarfed by the rest of the room. The controls look simple, but are unlabeled. The only sound in the room is a quiet hum of power conduits and the echoes from those who dare to enter.

Backblast looks around, his eyes wide "Well, I think I really am going to have to re-think my position on the Thirteen Primes..." he says, his voice echoing back off the walls. "I mean... if that's who I think it is, I've seen /two/ of the c- two of the b- two of them now."

The armored hovercraft stands up, her front bumper becoming her paulders, the solar array her shield. Behold, Imager.

Typhoonwalks in,, mouth open as she looks around the massive room. "Uh... I think we found the source of the power drain, y'all"

Scales stops barely on the other side of the doors, noting the GIANT DRILLING MONSTER on the floor with a quiet squeak.

<> Imager says, "oh...primus...look at this"

<> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "I... I ain't sure what I'm lookin' at."

Scales creeps forward, crest half up, and she checks infrared to see if the big monster has any heat signature. Or any sign of life, really.

GAME: Typhoon PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Backblast carefully approaches the digger. "Keep clear of me." He says, before poking a tentacle.

Typhoon peers at the driller. "That... that ain't som'in alive, is it?"

Backblast chuckles "That's why I'm poking it."

Imager keeps shifting her gaze. "I uh..." she starts to babble, "I never really took history for too long, was never really paying attention when they talk about the First Forging, and all that but...this is a cathedral...these pieces are relics. They may not be from the First Age or anything, but..." She pauses as Backblast checks the driller creature. "but uh....this is a lot of tech we probably haven't seen since well before the War." She runs her finger along one of the reliquaries, not touching the items of note. "But....what's drawing all the power?"

There does seem to be some heat in the over-sized driller, but not enough to give the impression it's actually alive. This is also good for Backblast as he would have been the first target for the wrath of the beast being so close and edible.

Dust Devil looks around and sighs, "Now I wish Alpha was here. He could probably say exactly what all this is." He glances around. "This is like some of the stories he'd tell me when he wasn't ramblin about other weird stuff."

Typhoon could get out her tricorder or use her arm-sensors to try to answer Imager's question, but she still seems to just be wondering around the room in awe.

Scales creeps a few steps closer. "I don' think it's alive..." She reaches out to poke another part of it, because Backblast poking it just isn't proof enough for her.

Backblast continues to approach the stasis chamber, wanting to see what the status display says. He mainly wants to see if it's active, and occupied. His LMG scans around, while he also does the same with his rifle... no chances being taken here by the sniper.

"Theory one, which I'm going to check out, is that it's that stasis tube."

Scales gingerly hops over tentacles, trying to keep up with Backblast as he crosses the room. It's hard for her not to jump at the sounds of her own claws scraping on the floor.

To Backblast's frustration there is no status monitor, merely the control panel, which had no labels of any sort.

Imager looks up as Backblast calls attention to the stasis pod. She starts to move forward, and passes by Dust Devil. As she steps over the driller critter, she looks confused at Dust Devil. She says casually "When'd you get here?" in passing, before she moves in closer to Backblast, giving herself a good 10 yalms from the stasis pod. "If its somethin bad, lets just grab everything we can, and run."

Backblast looks to Imager. "Hey Imager... you see if you can make sense of that... I'm gonna... see if I can get a look at who it is."

As he speaks, he unslings a grappling hook from somewhere, twirling it around his hand a few times before launching it up towards the top of the stasis pod...

GAME: Backblast FAILS a DEXTERITY roll of High difficulty.

Neutral Good Typhoon lingers near the entrance while the others investigate the stasis pod…

Lawful Grouchy Imager assesses Backblast's request and shrugs. She approaches the console, and gives it the once over. "Huh...well, there's not really anything on here I mean...there's a lever and a button....I'm really good at levers and stuff, but this is really hit or miss."

GAME: Backblast PASSES a DEXTERITY roll of High difficulty.

...but unfortunately the hook fails to catch first time. He gathers up the cable, making sure it's coiled properly. He casts a second time and this time it does catch. After testing his weight, he ascends to about what he estimates to be face-level, and wipes off the frost, if there is any.

There is no frost on the glass, and only a shadow hinting at what may be inside.

Scales sits down next to the stasis pod controls and waits semi-patiently, only her tail lightly flipping from side to side.

Backblast frowns, and activates all his lights.

<> Imager says, "well Backblast?"

<> Imager says, "Holy shift"

<> Imager says, "what if this is like....Solus Prime's framework?"

<> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "I don't know what that means!"

Turning on all those lights is much like turning on high beams on a foggy day as most of the light is bounced back which obscures the view of the figure inside more.

<> Imager says, "I dunno either! I mean...the remains of one of the Thirteen?"

Backblast scowls, and de-activates all but one of his his lights, trying to pierce the gloom with a tighter beam.

GAME: Typhoon PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "I'm still tryina see... glass is really smegging foggy."

Imager looks up to Backblast, then down to Scales. She shrugs, and looks back up to Backblast. "Just uh....waitin on sign here..."

Typhoon nods slowly, slowly getting her wits about her. she draws a pistol, and peers back out the door, guarding their only apparent exit.

Scales ahems. "If you could help me get up to the controls, I could see if they're like what I'm USED to using."

The tighter beam is more helpful in that the mech isn't blinded, and it's much easier to tell there's a shadow on the other side of the glass.

Backblast frowns a bit. "Can someone give me light from another angle?" he asks, with a frown. "Can't... see much."

Imager looks down at Scales, "Well sure but I thought you preferred flying. I didn't wanna...you know...offer help where no help was needed." She lowers her hand for Scales. Imager calls out to Backblast, "Backblast, if that drilling critter was fresh, then we want to move on this fairly fast, right?"

Scales hops up onto Imager's hand. "I don't have jets," she explains, "so I don't 'take off' well and mostly have to climb for that part."

Backblast nods "You thinking pop it and hope they're friendly?"

Dust Devil says, "Is there any writin anywhere that might say who or what is inside?" He glances around, trying not to hit into anything. "Wonder if Vector sigma links inta this at all?""

Imager nods after a moment, "Oh...I see. Heh, you should have no trouble taking off near me when I'm altmoded. I kick up a LOT of air. Should be able to just catch wind real easy." She motions to the controls, "Pretty simple stuff really."

Backblast rappels down the tube so that the others can open it.

GAME: Scales PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Above Average difficulty.

Typhoon looks over at Dust Devil. "I think the dead priest said somethin' about a link to Vector Sigma, but I'm not sure what it was."

Scales looks over the controls and beams. "Oh, this is really simple! It doesn't have all the controls the ones in the repair bays at Metroplex do, but what it does have are all in the same places." She holds up a paw over a big, green button. "So, we opening it?"

Backblast shrugs "I thought that was the plan..." he looks to the others

Typhoon says, "Not sure why whoever is here would need Vector Sigma access, tho. what do you think, Dusty? After all, Alpha Trion led you here, right? musta been for a reason..."

Imager looks around, "Well yeah, this is more of a discovery right now than a real energy investigation, but if this was powering back up, we should learn what its powering up."

Scales glances around, and, seeing nobody else telling her no, she presses the button down and gives it a half twist to lock it.

Typhoon nods in agreement, but still steps back and grips her pistol.

Backblast hops back away and brings his rifle up. "I really shouldn't have used that shell..." he mutters.

Typhoon frowns, hoping Backblast won't need that KingSlayer shell. whatever is down here, it's got to be big, and dangerous…

Imager pulls back with the others, assuming Scales goes with as well. She eyes the big stasis pod warily. "We...might regret this, but better we find out now than let the Cons do somethin."

Typhoon nods again, hoping Imager's logic holds out…

With the button depressed and locked in place the light inside the stasis pod begins to dim as various gasses vent out the sides and back. Much like the doors leading in a very faint line begins to show in the middle of the door keeping who, or whatever it is inside. The gasses inside spill out like a waterfall, covering the floor in front of the device in fog as the door opens wider and wider until the whole thing is open.

As the mist clears away there is no face up where Backblast was dangling, and in fact not even close to it. The figure that is eventually revealed seems to be around the height of Ironhide, and perhaps a bit stouter of frame.

Dust Devil looks at the thing in confusion. "Alpha did say that whatever you guys were gettin inta could possibly save the entire galaxy....but he was about as vague as he normally is. Which is...well...incredibly vague."

Bulwark 's optics blink on a dark cobalt blue as he takes in the spectacle before him.

Bulwark stands about 25 feet tall, and is a built broader across than the usual transformer his size. Treads down the backs of his legs and disc shaped drill bits at his heels hint at his vehicle mode. His armor is thick and mostly bare metal darkened by work and heat, except for a few highlights of cobalt blue. He wears no faceplate, and his optics are a deep blue to match those highlights.

Typhoon gasps, optics still wide.... and then frowns, as what emerges looks like... just some dude. "Huh?" She asks. "Where's the galactic guardian?"

Imager maintains her cautious gaze, her optics haven't changed a single pixel, as she regards whatever the pod held...

Scales watches the mist dissipate, then hops off of her perch to bound over. "Hello!" she calls out. "I'm Scales!"

Backblast swings his gun down to aim at the individual within. Although he doesn't fire, yet. "Not... what I was expecting."

Bulwark looks down at Scales as he exits the stasis pod. "Hello Scales, can you tell me what exactly is going on in my city?" As he asks he steps towards a plinth bearing a hammer that seems too large for his size and takes hold of it. The tool comes loose easily and he lifts it with no apparent effort.

Scales stops and tilts her head for a moment. "You mean Valvolux?" she asks.

Typhoon frowns, shoulders tightening up. Leaning her head closer to Dust Devil, she says, "I nearly died for this? I was expecting some kind of... something. 'My city'? Who is this guy? He's barely bigger'n me. How's this supposed ta help against th' likes'a Overlord an' Shockwave? I think Alpha Trion led you to a dud, Wheel-Horse." She shakes her head, optics narrowing at last.

Backblast lowers his rifle when the guy looks friendly. "Huh." He looks at Typhoon. "You know people've said that about me. And I've brought down some... big people."

Backblast adds "And that's a big 'ammer he's carrying around like it's nothing."

Bulwark nods, "Yes, Valvolux." He looks over the company assembled company, taking note of scrapes, bites, dents, and other signs of damage.

Once Typhoon is done speaking he points towards her and speaks up. "It seems you took quite a beating getting down here. Let me see what I can do for you." His matter of fact tone brooks no discussion as he turns and makes his way over to one of the columns on the side of the room. A faint touch to one of the vines and a section of wall changes to a medical bed easily large enough for Ultra Magnus.

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "You want to tell him, or want me to give him the short, short version."

<> Scales says, "I got it!"

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "Shiny."

Dust Devil grins a little and looks at Ty, "And how many people have ya seen me take on and all. And I've seen you and yer sis' do things that are impressive." Bulwark gets a smile from Dust Devil as he watches the mech take everything in and start working on stuff.

Backblast takes off his alloygator, uses a rag to wash the energon from his face, then polishes the gator's snout before putting it back on.

Scales follows along at Bulwark's heels, eager to be helpful. "The Decepticons decided to try to conquer it! Shockwave led an army and he and Overlord really beat up the walls. We were defending it pretty well, but there was some sabotage and they got through all the fortifications. There's fightin' in the city, now."

Typhoon raises her optics ridges, throwing Backblast a side-glance. Still, she shrugs, unable to argue with what he said. She starts as Bulwark addresses her, looking around before turning back to the mech with the hammer. "Uh..." she says, glancing back at Dust Devil and then over at Backblast.

Backblast nods a little. "We're... not popular." he admits. "Some people see us just as another occupying force, but honestly? We just want to keep Valvolux neutral. If the Decepticons hadn't come here... the only Autobot presence would be the two Fat Alberts and their engex deliveries... and anyone coming just to visit the city. We don't wanna occupy, that's... not our thing. We defend. Not oppress. That's... kinda why I joined the outfit in the first place."

"Shockwave did always keep his optic on the factories here, and it seems he may have gotten his desire to occupy them for the time being," Bulwark comments.

The newly revived mech stares at Typhoon and rests the hammer head down against the wall. "I would prefer you come get repairs of your own volition, but I will see to them where you're standing without the aid of my tools if you prefer."

GAME: Typhoon PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty.

Typhoon remains near Dust Devil and the door. At Bulwark's words, she glances again over at Dust Devil, and then back at the recently-revived mech. "Uh, OK. Sure," she stammers. She holsters her pistol and approaches Bulwark, glancing down at Scales on the way and giving the little dragon a nervous smile. When she arrives before Bulwark, she looks unto the repair chamber. "What should I do?" she asks hesitantly.

Backblast nods "Well, he's come to take them. We're trying to push him out but we're stretched quite thin. Most we've been able to do is make the Cons pay while evacuating people and falling back in an orderly fashion." The sniper sets his rifle butt down and leans on it, casually, adjusting his alloygator.

Scales gives Typhoon a quizzical look. I mean, sure, it's huge, but it's just another medical bed.

Dust Devil grins mischieviously as Typhoon moves closer. He offers helpfully, "Probably just need a complete vivisection to make sure that the systems are the same as he's used ta.." Optics go to Backblast's new decor, "So I'm guessin you had to deal with those things on the way?"

<> Scales says, "I'm right here to watch an' make sure he doesn't do anythin' weird, ya know."

<> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "Thanks, Scales. Not helpful, Dusty!"

Backblast nods "This one wanted to eat Ty. Put up a good fight. Skinned it."

Dust Devil laughs at the radio traffic, "Truthfully though, he probably should know that yer built on Earth. Some of yer systems might range differently and yer element levels and compositions are probably still different. Just sayin, rather pipe up now about anomalies he might see than after somethin gets tweaked wrong."

Typhoon looks back at Dusty with a scowl, before giving Scales a smile. She climbs into the large repair bay, laying back carefully and staring directly upward, avoiding Bulwark's gaze. "I appreciate that, Backblast," she mutters, almost under her cooling fans. Signing, she adds, "OK. You, too, Dusty." Finally she gives Bulwark a half-smile. "I do appreciate the help. I ain't usually this nervous, but I had a hard day!" she insists.

Bulwark catches Scales' expression to Typhoon then looks back at the femme. It seems he's about to say something before the Weatherbot climbs into place. "I have no doubt from the damage you're showing here," he says.

"That's unfortunate" he replies to Backblast, "That would explain why my automated systems woke me up."

Backblast nods "They're here to defend you? Yeah, sorry if it was a favoured pet. If it's any consolation, it put up a good fight, nearly got me." He shows off toothmarks in his paint. “Or, do you mean the whole invasion of the city waking you up?"

Scales hops up and scrambles in order to sit on the edge of the medical bed by Typhoon, the better to keep an optic on the Weatherbot. And pat Ty's foot reassuringly. Got the pocket medic right here.

The mech begins reaching for tools as he gets to work on Typhoon, removing temporary patches, broken armor panels, and other damaged components. Even with the potential unfamiliarity due to build location or design Bulwark doesn't seem balked at all in his work to repair the femme.

"The invasion of Valvolux and the damage it sustained. Little things like that," he motions to the remains of the alloygator, "aren't a big enough threat to cause those systems any concern."

>> Bulwark finishes the repairs on Typhoon. <<

Finally, some answers! Ty smiles as Bulwark at least explains the sudden power draw on the city - even if it seems a bit much for such an only-slightly-above-average-looking guy. Well, here's hoping Backblast and Dust Devil are right, and he's More than Meets the Eye. She tenses as Bulwark begins his work, but starts to relax at Scales' reassurance. Her optics begin to widen again as Bulwark initiates fast, efficient repairs of at least Blizzard-level competence so soon after being defrosted.

Backblast chuckles "No I was thinking he might be /part/ of the defenses." He looks around the room. "Man you gotta have some hardcore processing systems to at full bore so quick after a defrost. I know that I was outta whack for a week and my mouth tasted like the back end of a Junkion freighter."

Dust Devil finds a spot to sit since he's ready for a slight break himself. He watches and works on scraping some of the soot out of his intakes. "Thought it always tasted like that, that's why you drink the tea." He chuckles softly.

Scales watches Bulwark work for a bit, then blinks and looks back at his face. "So, uh... what's yer name, anyway?"

The mech doesn't miss a beat as he cuts and fits in replacement panels and undamaged components back into Typhoon. He spares Scales a glance, "It's Bulwark. I used to be a supervisor for some of the factories up there that I helped build."

Typhoon smirks at the interplay between Backblast and Dust Devil as her systems adjust to the quality repairs. "Thanks," she says with a smile. Just as she realizes she doesn't know her benefactor's name, Scales comes through with the question. At the answer, though, Typhoon frowns.

<> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "That's it? We came all this way to meet a factory supervisor? He seems nice an' all, but we should get back to th' surface. No tellin' what Overlord's doin' to th' population while we're down here."

<<Autobot>> Scales says, "We should pick up that cube thingy, too, right?"

<<Autobot>> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast chuckles quietly. "Factory supervisor from the /old/ days, Ty. And he helped build the city.

<<Autobot>> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "Pre-war. Presumably built all this on the way back. The size does begger a question though."

Scales reaches out a paw over Typhoon's leg. "It's nice to meetcha!"

Backblast looks around, narrowing his eyes at Dusty a moment before looking over at Bulwark. "So...something's been tickling me. How come this is all so huge? That cryo tube's not exactly your size."

Dust Devil grins, Opening a plate, he pulls out a filter and proceeds to bang it against the floor. A small cloud of black soot and gunk comes off of it. "That explains the overheatin..."

<<Autobot>> Dust Devil says, "Maybe he shrunk in the wash...or like earth vegetables in the refrigerator."

<<Autobot>> Scales says, "I kind of like that he's a normal size, though. It's a lot easier to talk to somebody who's only four or five times bigger'n me than fifteen or twenty"

<<Autobot>> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "Huh. Wow. I never thought about it that way. An', yeah, we should check out that cube onna way back."

Bulwark reaches out towards the little dragon and holds out a finger for her to shake. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Scales."

In no time the mech is leaning back after affixing one last panel onto Typhoon, "That's as much help as I can give you at the moment without straining your systems as they get used to the new parts."

Bulwarks looks back to Backblast, "I designed it to that specification in case someone larger than myself needed it. Things didn't turn out that way," he answers. "Now, if you have any more questions you can ask them from up here," he pats the side of the medical bed. "Once your compatriot gets up, that is."

Typhoon frowns in response to radio traffic, but gives Scales a genuine nod and smile before flashing Bulwark a strained one. She glances between Bulwark and Backblast, listening curiously to Bulwark's answers and trying not to smirk at Dust Devil's radio guesses.

When Bulwark pats the bed next to her, however, Ty gets the hint and scrambles off the platform - perhaps a little too quickly for her state of recent repairs. Wincing, she offers Bulwark another soft word of thanks before going to sit next to Dust Devil while she recovers.

Backblast blinks "Huh? Oh, heh, I'm not -that- badly hurt..." he says, hopping up just the same. "Scales 'ere did a lot of good work fixing me up. Makes sense, though. Back then, pre-war, there were a lot more of the big industrial mechs around." He looks up at the tube, thoughtfully. "Hundred and sixty feet... that big enough for a cityformer in their robot mode?"

Dust Devil reinstalls the filter and opens another panel. Out pops another filter which he bangs  on the floor to clear. He turns it around and proceeds to chip out the blackened glass that adheres to the filter. A soft grumble escaping him before he smiles at Ty when she joins him. "Feelin better?"

Dust Devil offers, "At least big enough fer guardian class"

Scales stays where she is to supervise. Besides, watching a really skilled medic work is fascinating.

Backblast is correct about his injuries being basically superficial with some armor panels and minor internal systems damaged. Bulwark again dives in to his work, strippiing away the bad parts only to replace and weld in new, undamaged ones. "Only if they were willing to squeeze in and be uncomfortable," he offers to Dust Devil.

>> Bulwark finishes the repairs on Backblast. <<

Scales pauses as a stray thought filters through. "Did you design everything in here?" she asks.

Typhoon sits next to Dust Devil and gives him a smile. "Yeah, a little. Thanks," she offers. She nods at Dusty's guess. "Yeah. At least enough for a gestalt - well, onna th' little ones like Menasor. Not a biggin' like F-5," she says braggadociously. Her mood seems to be improving by the minute as self-repairs adapt to Bulwark's efforts and nothing emerges to try to eat her. Speaking of which, she calls out as an addendum to Scales' question, "Like the big sandworm on th' floor?"

Dust Devil chuckles and chisels off a particularly thick piece of glass and tosses it at Typhoon to let it ping off her. He then works to reinstall the filter.

Backblast nods quietly as he listens. "Still though, this is a pretty comprehensive repair bay. All your own work?"

Bulwark is a consummate professional and doesn't le the conversation impede his progress. "In order, yes; yes, but based it off an actual creature we had to deal with; and yes, designed and built these chambers myself."

Typhoon giggles at Dusty. "Hey! Knock that off!" she complains, looking around for something to throw back at Dust Devil - ideally not a big industrial hammer. She glances back, though, looking impressed at Bulwark's answers.

<<Autobot>> Weatherbot Typhoon says, "Maybe this is a guy we don't want to mess with after all."

"So, Bulwark - you seem pretty handy - think you could built any weapons to help us defend Valvolux from th' Decepticons?" Ty asks bluntly.

Backblast nods a little. "You make the gators too?" he asks, after a moment. He frowns, looking up at the ceiling. "Man, them transorganics woulda had a field day in here." A pause. "Oh, yeah. There's a nest of them up there... we've wired the nest up to blow in..." he checks his chrono. "About sixteen hours. Shouldn't cause any structural damage."

Dust Devil sighs and moves to lean against Typhoon, listening to Bulwark and the others talk. A slight smile on his face as he powers down a little.

Typhoon looks around a moment before slipping an arm gently around Dust Devil, protecting him like a little brother while he partially powers down for self-repairs.

Bulwark finishes painting the last panel to match the rest of Backblast's scheme. He looks over to Typhoon, "That I am, but I don't build weapons anymore. However, I could come up and offer you some help in dislodging Shockwave and the bastard children of Megatronus from my city." There's just a faint bit of menace in the last bit of that sentence that seems out of place for the otherwise friendly and business-like mech.

Scales blinks at Backblast. "Yeah, it'd be good to get past that -before- it blows up. Oh!" She peers at Bulwark's face again. "Didja make that BIG repair bay?"

Typhoon glances up, catching the change in tone. Her shoulders tense as anxiety returns. With whom - and what - have they allied themselves?

Bulwark thinks on Scales' question, "The one for the titans? I had a hand in it's design and construction, yes."

Backblast looks at Bulwark "bit personal, is it?" He asks. "Oh, yeah, if you know him there's something you should know. If... Megatronus IS the Fallen... Unicronites brought the bastard back from the dead recently. Tried to stop 'em, but..." He sounds genuinely regretful. "Just didn't fire fast enough. Hadn't developed the Kingslayer round properly yet."

Bulwark shifts his optics back to the mech he's just finished working on. "The quickest solution does not lead to one that lasts. You have to build on a stable foundation to assure what you strive for now will be there long after you've left it on it's own."

Typhoon frowns, trying to follow Bulwark's sage advice.

Backblast shrugs a little. "But sometimes all it takes is one well-placed shot." He says. "If I'd been a second or two quicker, the Unicronites would never 'ave cut that con's throat." A pause, a satisfied chuckle. "Still, I stopped it being a death-blow, so whatever happened, it didn't work completely."

Bulwark nods, "But that one shot is not quickly taken, it is calculated to strike the precise spot it will have the most effect." He stands up and motions Backblast to get up before taking another injured Autobot up to get repairs.

"Destruction can be just as much a part of creation as the things we normally associate with it," he offers the sniper before his attention is moved to hid current patient.

GAME: Scales PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Scales tilts her head to one side. "Wait.. you talkin' about that guy who was gettin' that dark energon from th evil Junkions?"

Backblast nods "True, it is." He agrees. He looks at Scales, nodding. "That very bastard indeed."

You say, "Oh."

<<Autobot>> Scales says, "I have got a LOT Of reading to do."

Bulwark sees to the rest of the injured Autobots in turn, making short work of the damage, or sealing up the worst of it. After that's done he returns the room to it's pristine configuration as well as retrieve the hammer, which again gets slung over a shoulder. The stasis pod is closed, and the driller gets a light touch from the builder before he quietly, but firmly, ushers the explorers back out and shuts the door; which locks again, behind them all.

The journey back up to the Titan Repair Bay has a few, minor impediments, to the recently repaired Autobots and their new ally. With just one side trip to get the cube mentioned by the dying mech. Bulwark does offer to keep hold of it and make sure it stays safe if their willing to let him, but doesn't put up a fight if they insist one holding on to it themselves.

After that it's just a hop, skip, and a jump and they find themselves in the immense chamber where Grimlock has been busy keeping any mecannibals at bay, or completely destroyed.

Log session ending at 23:58:24 on Thursday, 5 July 2018.