Nucleosis: We Require More Vespene Gas

Log Title: Nucleosis: We Require More Vespene Gas Characters: Soundwave Swindle Mixmaster Location: Hydrus Four Date: 5-29 TP: Nucleosis TP Summary: The Decepticons go raiding for Nucleon As logged by  Imager

<> Combaticon Swindle says, "Cybertron. Sucks." <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Explain?"

<> Combaticon Swindle says, "Ok, so I'm driving along at a pretty good clip, taking in the sights and then I go to break and the next thing I know? I'm crashing into a freakin' pylon because, oh, hey! traction is something that happens on other planets! *grumbles* I need new wheels"

<> Nightshade says, "Try not letting your tires run down to the treads next time, maybe?" <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Have you tried magtires?" <> Combaticon Swindle says, "My treads are just fine! *grumps* Not yet..." <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Go to maintenence and get your tires examined or changed out." <> Combaticon Swindle says, "I've been on Earth, haven't had a chance to swap back out yet." <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "When you are on earth, have them changed back. Contact people with ground based altmodes. Maybe they have something retractable. I dont know. I dont use wheels." <> Lugnut says, "I BELIEVE I CAN ASSIST WITH THIS PROBLEM" <> Nightshade says, "Could be worse; you could have ticked off my departed... re-creator? Primus, that sounds stupid. Anyways... you could have ticked him off enough to follow through on some of those old threats of his. You know... Terran kitchen appliances?" <> Lugnut says, "WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING IS, YOU SHOULD BE FLYING OVER THESE PYLONS INSTEAD OF CRASHING INTO THEM." <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Good point. Flying is the superior way to travel."

Hydrus Four(#11008RFt) A mysterious and forgotten world filled with ancient ruins and strange, robotic sapient creatures... Contents: Imager(#3803PXckZ) <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Lugnut? Thats the smartest thing I've heard today"

<> Combaticon Swindle's voice doesn't drip sarcasm, it sprays it like a firehose. "Wow! Thanks, Lugnut! I never woulda thought about flying!"

<> Lugnut says, "I AM GLAD TO ASSIST, IN THE NAME OF THE EMPIRE. FOR WHEN ONE OF US GROWS STRONGER WE ALL DO, FOR THE MIGHTY MEGATRON, WHO IS INVINCIBLE."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Hrm. Indeed." <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "Invincible...riiiight."

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "YES! INVINCIBLE! GLORY TO LORD MEGATRON!"

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "THERE WAS A PAUSE THERE. EVERYONE IS SUPPOSED TO SAY 'GLORY TO LORD MEGATRON' WHEN SOMEONE SAYS 'GLORY TO LORD MEGATRON' IS MY CONNECTION FAULTY?"

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "I WILL JUST ASSUME THAT EVERYONE SAID 'GLORY TO LORD MEGATRON', AND IT HAPPENED IN THE TINY INSTANCE WHEN MY RADIO MAY HAVE FALTERED."

<<Decepticon>> Nightshade says, "Given how you seem to be shouting... I would say 'yes, your connection is definitely faulty'." <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle statics. 'What? I didn't *ftzzzts* that *fzzzzzt* *krackle* *bzzt* -peat?

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Yes. Glory to Lord Megatron and the Empire. Your equipment is fine, Swindle."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Except for maybe your..loyalty chip."

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "...is that like an energy absorber?"

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "IF LOYALTY CHIPS ABSORB LOYALTY, THEN MINE MUST BE FULLY CHARGED, AS ARE ALL LOYALTY CHIPS IN THE EMPIRE."

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "Hey, Lugnut, do you have your loyalty badge? You really should have one of those..."

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "AHHH...LOYALTY BADGE?"

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "YES, OF COURSE, I AM SURE I HAVE IT HERE SOMEWHERE." <<Decepticon>> Nightshade sighs quietly into the comm. "And then they wonder why I chose to... take my vacation for the last stellar cycle or so." <<Decepticon>> Lugnut sends a picture of his Decepticon brand in his big clawed hand. <<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "IS...IS THIS IT?"

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle fret-sounds. 'noooo....'

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "There it is. See, Swindle. Nothing to worry about."

<<Decepticon>> Lugnut sends a picture of a trash recepticle.

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "There y'go!" <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Oh look swindle. He's got a picture of your family." <<Decepticon>> Lugnut says, "AH GOOD." <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "HEY!" <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "...ok, maybe Vortex..."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "stack a couple of them on each other and you have your combiner, Swindle."

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "Hey, Soundwave, you ever consider upgrading? Like, to a Zune or something?"

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Touche. Swindle. You are up for some mining. Lets go to Hydrus Four."

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "What?! But -- NO! Come on! My wheels!"

<<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "what are you all screaming about?" <<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "I can hear the bellowing from Tarn" <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "I'm not a miner!" <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Swindle needs wheels appropriate for Hydrus Four." <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "No I don't! I need wheels appropriate for Cybertron!"

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "But you're not stationed on cybertron."

<<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "....*muttered grumblings of sulky pouting*" <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Don't worry. I'll be there to check your wheels."

The threat of Nucleosis looms larger than before for both sides. Razorclaw and the other warriors that were initially exposed to the toxin have been seeing gradual decay. In truth, if the Autobots actually fielded this weapon, they could actually passively stop the Decepticon forces over a span of an Earth year.

While trying to find a cure, it was a conversation with Mixmaster and Soundwave, that perhaps the Decepticons should lean into the Nucleon issue. Sure the transformation issues would present problems, but to be faster, tougher, stronger, and more importantly, functional for movement again, no risk was too great.

Thus, Hydrus Four, a planet sealed away by eons of war. The Decepticons actually had discovered this planet during the war, and had used Nucleon in the past, but that age has come and gone.

The planet is mostly barren and deserted, a strange blend of organic and metal, with ruined buildings covered over by metal sheets, much like a land slide might do...

Soundwave as of last night placed himself in quarantine for a while with the nucleosis hitting him hard. However, he knows he started this search for Nucleon is something he must start immediately. So he's loaded up a ship with anyone he can conscript along, and is heading to Hydrus Four. "If we're lucky, the Autobots haven't beaten us to it. We just need a sample. Get in, get out. Quick and easy." his optics glow a sickly yellow amber, his movements are much slower then normal as the nucleosis progresses through him.

Swindle grumbles as he stomps along, having been pressganged into helping with the mission. He's also moving slow, but that's more a case of him sulking in motion, rather than due to any illness. "Get in, get out, quick and easy -- yeah, you know you just jinxed us big time, right?" he says.

Mixmaster has a special tank that he brought on board, as well as a large tank for the Nucleon itself. In short, he has a lot of stuff, anything that can interest him is getting brought home. "Unless the Autobots chose to set up shop here, I think we'll be fine." He puts his hands together, " I've developed a short-term armorcoat that will assist us without threat of contamination. We'll all need to spray up before touchdown, so lets get started." He demonstrates, by using a spray wand to coat his hand, turning it a grey sheen. "Now that I think of it, Shockwave was big into Nucleon. Which makes sense, since his altmode was just more gun." He chuckles to himself as he starts to spray over himself, turning grey as he does, "I should've made a spray arch to do this faster...bah."

For Hydrus Four, any spot is about as good as another. It seems surprisingly to be one biome, meaning that there's no ice gathered at poles, no deserts, its just this desolate flatness. Armorcoat is applied, as the shuttle opens up...

Of most obvious note are some of the area's ruins. Buildings with a brass and bronze theme to them, still in good wear despite the years, though most of them are covered by the planet now, giving a presense more like a series of caves than buildings...

Soundwave nods "We should spray everyone at base since we have contaminated there. We would not want certain members walking around with this as well." He says. "Imagine if it vgot to one of our more aggresive members. Or in a combiner." he says as he looks out at Hydrus.

Mixmaster shrugs, "Well, its to prevent current infection, I mean I'm sure its flawless, but we can do that. I'll need more space, but yeah, always at service to the empire." ...anything to make that sweet bar beneath the Proving Grounds that much better too. Mixmaster chuckles to himself as he surveys the area, then kneels down to examine the metallic rock. "This has been melted and left to cool....this entire area." He glances up, "...Starship fire. Someone intentionally shot up the planet, that sounds like us."

Swindle shudders, shifting from foot to foot. "...couldn't we just send in some drones?" he asks, voice almost a whine. "Wouldn't that be safer? Why do we have to go in person?" And by 'we' he means 'me'. "...dibs on that spray."

Soundwave nods "Since I am obviously one of the infected, there is no need to spray me. Just keep your distance if I get a scratch or fuel leak." He says. "Speaking of which, as an infected I could be best to send in to retrieve the nucleon. I will need the rest of you to cover me. Think you can handle it?" his tone is a lot more aggressive then normal. Hes giving orders not suggestions. He's not normally this hands on either.

Swindle flinches back when Soundwave mentions being among the infected. "...I can cover you," he says. "I can definitely keep you covered from a nice, safe, deep distance. Whatever it takes to stay outta the splash zone."

Mixmaster puts up his hands, "Could be worse stuff here, but sure, boss." He looks around casually, "Seems pretty dead here, nobody came out to greet us."

GAME: Soundwave PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of High difficulty. GAME: Swindle PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Average difficulty.

What technology that remains in Hydrus Four is unusual, and its easily seen since the major ruin in the area is now a long slanting passage deeper into the planet. The passage is wide, like 'fit a Decepticon Cruiser sideways' wide, though its not near tall enough to actually fit one. Soundwave notes an area still with power, some cables glowing weakly. And with that, the team can descend down further, looking for the objective. The area grows dark quickly, only with the faint glow of pipes or brown-out level equipment that has just enough power to be on, but not function.

Mixmaster bangs on the wall, and listens to the clang. He puts a finger to his mouthplate, "Some sort of koppernickel alloy. Not as strong as any good duracrete, but pretty high end for weapon systems." Mixmaster looks over to Swindle, "You've got some koppernickel in your combiner parts. Good connection value...I think we could smelt this entire planet and turn a profit."

Soundwave heads over to the cables, taking a look at them. "We need to get this power supply working before going any farther." He says. He looks for a generator, or anything that the cables are attached to, so he can get enough power to get those lights on. He doesnt want any surprises from the shadows. "Swindle, Mixmaster. Keep your optics online." He istens as well, trying to hear anything. "Its quiet. Too quiet. You know how that turns out." oh, paranoia's kicked in now too. Lovely.

Swindle shudders as he gets a look at Hydrus Four without the protective cocoon of the ship. He reaches into a hatch and pulls out a sliver of stone and rubs his fingers over it, muttering something half under his breath "From scraplets and sparkeaters and things that dwell in the depths, Sunbow protect me," he mutters, then Mixmaster starts talking about profit and his posture changes. "...how high a profit we talking?"

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

Swindle spots a generator nearby. "...ok, that's an old model but pretty sure I can rig that sucker to work," he says, walking over to the generator and unhatcing a set of tools. He makes sure his hatches are safely sealed back up before he kneels down and begins fiddling with the wires and connections in an effort to bring the lights on. Mixmaster gives a professional assessment, "That all comes down to how much we have to spend. You ever see a planet forge? It actually melts down the entire place, and refines it into its base components. A mostly metal world like this...and I'd say Koppernickel is a mid-range metal of use, I'd say it'd be worth a couple of hundred-mill credits to the right client. Good bulk raw materials."

Swindle hears 'couple hundred-mil credits' and his optics flare almost as brightly as the lights as they come up. "...so, we do this," he says. "What kinda split you thinking? I'm willing to go, say, sixty-forty?" With him taking the sixty, of course. The lighting comes on a little, even at its best, its not bright, but streams of light continue down into the depths, and they go down quite a ways. By now, the team has progressed a full mile straight down. Since they're on a slant, they've walked about three miles, all full of this near barren...chute, perhaps? At least it is a straight shot to the surface.

The tunnel ends with some sort of blast door. The way that the door seals together, it latches, and practically folds into itself. However, with Swindle's revitalization of the nearby system, one of the energy conduits projects a weak, malleable holodisplay, showing something in some foreign language. Gears cover the screen and connect with each other....

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

Mixmaster puts his hand to the plate, "Hmmm. Some sort of...looks like a locking combination. Why is it everyone always likes puzzles?" He turns his hand a few times, turning gears on the holodisplay, but it still flashes red.

Soundwave intones "Get that door open. Crack the code on it, or crack it open using untraditional methods. I dont care how we get in there. jUst do it quickly." yeah. Normally he'd be hacking away.

Swindle cracks his knuckles. "Oh, gee, if only we had somebody with us who knows how to crack locks," he says, with a smirk. "Want me to take a crack at it? DOesn't work, I can always baby it." He gesures with his scatterblaster.

Mixmaster looks in dismay to Soundwave, "I'm not security installation!"

Mixmaster adds, "I could melt this pretty easy though." as if he were in competition with Swindle.

Soundwave nods "Get that 'lockcracker' on it, Swindle." he says. He stays back and watches the two work at it, more interested in destruction then sneaking in quietly right now.

Swindle looks over the machine, and comes to realize what Mixmaster had wrong. This wasn't a security console, this was a calibration device! Something in the area needed fixed before the doors could open due to some sort of safety program. Once he had that idea in place, he simply gets the gears turning in a proper order.

The doors shudder, and one of them moves, the shudder echoes up and down the tunnel, pretty much alerting the whole planet to your arrival.

Swindle is definitely showing off by choosing to attack the console. Not that he's opposed to the more direct route but he's reading the room and showing two of the smarter mechs in the Empire that he's no dummy either is, for whatever reason, important to him. "You were close, Mixmaster," he says. "This was a calibration device; a lot of these kinda mines use 'em as security measures." Is he being smug? Yes, yes he is. He's being a smug little thug.

Mixmaster just gives Swindle a flat look. "Anyway, selling a planet's doable, but you've got to have a furnace capable of doing the job. So lets say we do this. We'd (the Constructicons) get paid on the front end for labor. Then you'd source the buyer. All in all, if you survey enough territory, it can be a really profitable business..." More light comes from the darkness below.

Soundwave lets Mixmaster and Swindle work out the details. "You two have dealt with this before I take it? Im sure you can get past this and we will figure out hte repayments once the mission is successful." how many "Glory of the empire" points is he paying in this time? Not near enough.

Swindle considers this. "Ehhh, I could go for that but I'm thinking before we smelt the place, we should reclaim some of the equipment," he says. "The resale value on some of this would be choice -- now, if you're willing to give me salvage rights on the front end, I'd be willign to cut you a decent deal on my services as a broker."

Soundwave pauses. "I hear something." he says, concentrating. "Transmissions blink uncompleteted. Seven two..." he says. "We are not alone. Someone is moving up from the tunnels below."

Soundwave pauses. "I hear something." he says, concentrating. " Static tuned into reason. Time in the aether deepens. Transmissions blink uncompleteted. Seven two..." he says. "We are not alone. Someone is moving up from the tunnels below." he relays to the group.

Swindle scowls. "Of *course* there is," he says, a snarl creeping into his voice. There's a whine as his scatterblaster powers up, coming to the ready. "This is your fault, Soundwave. You jinxed us. Good job." Sure, Swindle was afraid to come on the planet, but that was before he found ut he could make money frmo this place. Now? It's personal. Somebody's wanting to steal *his* planet!

Mixmaster draws his construction pistol, its better for welding, but Autobots die to it too. "And there's our 'its too quiet moment.' coming back on us." He glances up the slanted ramp, eyeing what it'd take for his concrete mixer altmode to climb that distance.

There's a face in the darkness from further down, a face of a robotic creature on the ceiling. It seems to be a proper life form, ie: inorganic, just one solid metal frame "U---U--Uplander! Uplanders!"

The cry of alarm goes out to the tunnel as it starts to scamper away.... "Stamp, clink, clank, whirl, whizz, and boom! Wheel hum sing uplander doom. Crash, thoom, snap, bam, bing, bang, and zoom! A near-soon fallen crimson tomb.

"Slap tick clank purr kizz blam crash! Bluehand back, uplander bash!"

<<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "Heh...he didn't look that scary. Lets take him!" <<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "You uh, lead on, Soundwave."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Theers more then one. Cant you hear them?"

Soundwave tilts his head. "Sounds inorganic. Solid metal frames." He says, moving forward. "Trying to tell how many." He listens. "Uplanders. They know we are here. I do not think they are friendlies."

Mixmaster looks to the tunnel and back, "Well yeah, we slagged their planet. But they probably deserved it. So what now, we just stand here looking binary, or we go down there and we slag them some more?"

Soundwave pauses. "Wait until they come to us." he says. "We have them in a halllway, we are between them and hte only way out. If they attack, take them out one at a time." Swindle has this planet half sold. 'Their planet? Since when? Buncha trespassing squatters..."

"Uplander! Uplander" The cries go out into the night. The weirdest thing is that they seem to be in full cadence. As the team stays at the half-opened door, panels start to open as the Hydrus Four natives stare and crawl on all fours, keeping their distance. "Uplanders! No! No! Bash! Scrap-bash!"

For all of their screaming, and hooting, none of them have actually aggressed, they've all stopped about thirty yalms away from the group, with an estimate of forty or so of them visible.

"Big Eyes, Big eyes! Soon! Scrap-Boom. Quickmake scrap boom!"

Mixmaster actually starts to cackle, "Oh look at these guys! They're shellshocked! They're afraid of us, oh that's rich!!" He picks up a piece of rock scrap and bounces it in his hand, " I bet I can bean one of them with this."

Soundwave pauses. "Hold a moment." he says. "They are being loud. But they are not being..a.ggressive. You would think if they were in the nucleon they'd be aggressive as well." he says. "Let's see what we're dealing with here."

<<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "they're binary!" <<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "Wow...we really did a number on these guys"

Swindle grunts. 'I'll take that action," he says. 'You don't, I get full salvage rights plus ten percent of the gross on top of my commission for selling this place." He sighs as Soundwave suggests actually *learning* about the creatures. 'Whatever, but if they make a move, I'ma shoot the freaks."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Im not entirely sure it was us. Maybe something else in these tunnels. Or they've been imbiding hte ucleon." <<Decepticon>> Combaticon Swindle says, "*our* nucleon. Freeloading scumbags..."

Mixmaster laughs, "We're in non-binding territory without a proper invoice, you freebooter. I wouldn't trust a verbal agreement with my own forgemaster, not without a proper invoice for services rendered." He throws the rock at one of the natives for funsies.

GAME: Mixmaster PASSES a DEXTERITY roll of Average difficulty.

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "I just want to make sure theres nothing worse then them making them act that way."

One of the natives gets socked with the rock, and scampers away on one of the walls. The others start to yell, again in perfect unison, "Bash! Bash! Uplander bash! Not farsoon we smash and we dash!"

<<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "Bingo! Got him" <<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "Hah, I'm going to use my flamethrower, I haven't had a chance to use that for a while."

Soundwave pauses. "Trying to figure that out. Sounds like they're more worried about being bashed then not. Something...has them spooked. And Im pretty sure its not us."

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Im not worried about them. Im worried about what they were running from."

Swindle growls. "Great! Just fraggin' great! You let one group of squatters in, and everybody thinks it's open season!" he says. "Let's evict 'em. With extreme prejudice."

Mixmaster flips the switch on his forearm, changing his chemical sprayer's power supply. "Well, If it were up to me, I'd say...lets make them more scared of us than whatever it is they're scared of."

Swindle was gonna do that anyway but the fact Soundwave's given permission is just icing on the cake. "Let's flip these flops," he says, warming up his scatterblaster. "C'mon, Baby, it's time to make the donuts."

GAME: Mixmaster PASSES a FIREPOWER roll of Below Average difficulty. GAME: Swindle PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty. GAME: Soundwave PASSES a FIREPOWER roll of Average difficulty.

Soundwave arms his own cannon. "How do they say it on the frontlines. Let's..do this." Mixmaster puts his hand atop part of the barrier wall and hurdles it, immediately letting the flamethrower go, shedding light and pain in the immediate area, "Yeah! There you go! Fear immolation. That's plasma napalm at work!"

Swindle fires his scatterblaster, aiming for center of mass on the nearest of the alien creatures. "Light 'em up, Mixy!" he says. "Just watch the equipment, yeah? No need to wreck the resale value clearing out the garbage."

<<Decepticon>> Mixmaster says, "yeah, classic Con tactics!"

Soundwave starts to unleash his shoulder cannon down the shaft towards the critters making their way up "Yes. Try to keep the equipment in tact."

The Hydrus natives start to scamper back, still screaming warnings, screaming nonsensical words of violence, of dominance, "Scrap-bash! Scrapbash and stompheels!" And yet they seem all bluster!

As light is radiated more from the flamethrower and scatterblaster, Soundwave detects some momentary images of the creatures. They all have a plate welded onto the back of their head...of koppernickel. The same metal that Mixmaster mentioned was really good for combiners...because it linked up well.

The Decepticons keep pushing the natives back, despite their howling rage. One might think that they've yet to recover from whatever Shockwave did here so long ago.

At the bottom of the tunnel is an open circle atrium, that leads directly into the planet's natural reservoir of...Nucleon. Suffice to say, as long as the Decepticons keep the pressure up, they can get the tanks they want for their future experimentation.

Soundwave nods "Mission: successful." he says. "It was almost too easy. Perhaps we shoudl try the more aggressive approach more often in the ftureu." Mixmaster fills up a few cubes of the good stuff, noting its weirder yellow coloring. "Yeah, this should do the trick...Hey, Swindle, try not to sell all of it before we get a chance to play it out, right?" Swindle snorts. 'No promises," he says. "I am a pawn to the whims of the market, y'know?" He stays at a distance from the nucleon, letting Mixmaster be the one to tend to the stuff. "...some dumbaft wants it, who'm I to say no?"