Epilogue: The Death of Zetar

Log Title: Epilogue: The Death of Zetar Characters:
 * R-Blade
 * Zetar
 * Dust Devil
 * Bumblebee
 * Lodestone
 * Encore
 * Bishop
 * Trypticon

Location: Trion Square - Iacon

Date: March 21, 2017

TP: Siege of Iacon TP

Summary: Bishop makes friends.

As logged by Zetar - Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 5:10 PM

Trion Square - Iacon
Trion Square is a central gathering place in Iacon. It currently houses the captured form of Trypticon.

Bishop drops out of Encore and rolls off the ramp deftly, landing not far from where Dust Devil is digging for Zetar.

Trypticon continues to groan and rage as the Autobots secure him. Finally, one of the techs finds a way to disable the speakers, and Trypticon is silenced.

Encore waits patiently for his passengers to disembark. When they're off he transforms, grinning to bee. "Och." The big fellow laughs. "If y'can complain aboot yer optics bein' fried after a bang like tha' in yer face it's a good day. Stay there, aye? I'll keep watch 'till someone comes here to guide you to the medical bay if y'can't see."

<> Encore says, "Iffen y'smoke come collect yer Victory Dance from me."

<> Lodestone says, "Ya got my attention."

<> Encore says, "Main Street taewards Medical. Fat lady's singin'."

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee says, "Ow... Ow. Starting to regret my idea. Not really. But Primus that was close. I'm not joking when I said my optics were fried. I think something flash-melted too."

Lodestone groans quietly as he stands back up... slowly... The joints aren't quite what they used to be. He starts meandering toward the location indicated by Encore, stopping a couple times to make sure a few groups civilians don't need any help first. After a few long minutes, he finds his way to Encore.

Encore pulls a big, steel humidor of enercigars from somewhere. He sits down, laying it open on his lap. He lifts out one of the tubes and opens it, taking a sniff of the cobalt-lithium cigar before he lights it taking a long, smug puff. He offers the humidor to Lodestone.

Bumblebee sits against something, his optics offline. He wasn't jokng about them being fried! Helooks rather burnt and will need someone to patch him up, and get him a new coat or three of paint. "So... what's it look like?" he calls to Encore.

Bishop rushes to Zetar's side, taking out his handheld camera. It's not as advanced as Leeroy, but it gets the job done. He approaches Zetar and holds the camera up to his face. "Zetar? Any words for our audience?""

Encore takes another smug pull of his cigar. "Och it's beautiful. Tryppy's in city mode, canted about forty-five degrees with his arse in the air. Marines are securin' him now. We've been hurt... but we hurt them a lot more. Megs is gonnae blow a fecken GASKET."

The camera's light brightly illuminates Zetar and brings his crushed body and severe injuries into gristly focus. Bishop holds the camera so close as to almost dip it into Zetar's leaking fluids that pool around him.

Zetar lays where he's crushed, sensing Dust Devil's presence but starting to lose sight of him as Vector Sigma's energy boost fades and Zetar's golden optics start flicker out. "I -- I was a hero?" he asks shakily. "L-like Encore and you? A real hero? I tried..." His voice starts to fade as smoke drifts from his fatally-cracked core and out of his mouth.

The rescue workers Dusty saved dig frantically for both Autobots, but for Zetar it's clearly too late. His color is already starting to fade. He squints as Bishop shines a bright light in his face, distracting him from his last moments with his friend Dust Devil. "What?" he asks weakly. "Who are you?" he asks faintly. Before Bishop can answer, Zetar dies, on camera for Bishop's audience.

The camera whirrs and squeaks as the lens zooms in for a close up.

"Damn...I wanted to reshoot that...the angle was off." Bishop lowers his camera. "Hmmm...I'll try to get it in editing."

Dust Devil frowns as he keeps a grip on Zetar's hand until he's gone offering a last, "You were a true heroe. Every bit as brave as Encore....And my friend." The medics take Zetar from him and help him to his feet. He takes two shakey steps before he suddenly full out PUNCHES Bishop.

Encore would, were he able to see it, applaud Dusty Aldrin-ing Bishop.

Bishop takes the blow directly to the chin and is knocked back with such force as to send him flat on his back to the ground. His camera fares far worse and is knocked out of his hands, the lens cracking audibly as it hits the ground.

Bumblebee would also approve of the punching, sweet tempered as he is.

Dust Devil says, "He was my FRIEND. And more importantly, he was a bot, a plain ordinary bot and my friend. He didn't fight fer glory. He didn't fight ta accomplish any vendetta. NO. He did what he could cause it was right. He loved ta dig, and loved just bein useful. He didn't ask fer any of this. And you. YOU are videoing this? Like its a game? No. You respect him like any heroe who gave all. Cause at the end of the day, its him....and the mechs like him that will rebuild this planet after all the fighters are done and gone."

Bishop sits up and rubs his chin.

Dust Devil stumbles and falls to his knees. He's hurt, he's exausted and now he has had to say goodbye to another friend.

Bishop stands up and dusts himself off, and picks up his camera to examine the damage. Smugly, he looks at Dust Devil. "It's just reporting."

<> Dust Devil says, "Encore...Encore play somethin fer Zetar. He's gone on after doin his best...."

<> Encore says, "...aye. Any requests?"

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee sounds stricken. "Z-Zetar...? His... His spark's gone out?"

Encore looks up at what he hears and sighs, taking a pull of his cigar. Quietly, he takes another cigar from its humidor, and crushes it to dust in his hand. Bishop looks at the camera in his hands. "And now my last camera is broken. Great.

Bumblebee looks up, and even though he's blind, he tries to make his way closer to Encore. The little bot looks rather upsetr. He was starting to like the driller bot, too...

Encore stashes his enercigar humidor and moves close to let Bumblebee know where he is. From another storage compartment he pulls out his bagpipes and after a few moments of distressing noises as he inflates the bag, he begins to play Amazing Grace.

<> Encore transmits a fairly decent, mellow, an slow rendition of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

<> Dust Devil says, "I don't know. And bumblebee, since yer higher rank, might want ta take a report that I hit the guy with the camera.I don't care if you gotta lock me up. Though if ya do, tell me so I can hit him again"

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee solemnly hums along in a low tone.

Bishop says, "Hey look...I'm sorry about your friend...Zero...or whatever...""

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee pauses to say, "...Not now, Dust. We'll talk later..."

Dust Devil isn't in the best shape. But somehow he gets to his feet. He looks to where Zetar is being taken away. Unfortunately the mix up on Z's name caused the young mech to suddenly go off on Bishop. "ZETAR! Z! E! T! A! R!" And Dust devil punctuates each letter with a punch.

<> Bishop says, "Hey...I'm just here to report the news. Oh, and if you guys want to post some funny stories or pictures at the show's website, we can do a retrospective for Zero like...tomorrow!"

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee says, "Bishop, as I think I'm higher rank than you... SHUT. UP. NOW!"

<> Espionage Director Bumblebee sounds shockingly pissed off.

<> Encore doesn't falter once in his piping. As Amazing Grace fades out, he begins to play Going Home

Bishop drops the camera again as he is grabbed by the furious Autobot, whose rage empowers every blow with far greater force than he could have imagined. Unable to defend himself, he takes every blow to the face like a down and out fighter before dropping limp at Dust Devil's feet.

Bishop takes an enraged beating from the much smaller Autobot, who yanks him like a rag doll and punches him repeatedly, his blows like a jackhammer.

The much bigger robot taking a savage beating from the much smaller one would be almost comical were the mood not so energized with outrage.

Bishop stands weakly, getting up from his knees to confront Dust Devil. One optic is darkened and cracked by the beating...Dust Devil has placed his blows accurately.

<> Encore contiues piping, solemnly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvnK-NKlgC8

Bishop says, "It's just...the news...I'm..just...reporting..."

Dust Devil watches the bot hit the ground. Fists are balled and he just stares. "ZETAR and if you want to write about him. You BETTER let someone read it before you post. That mech helped kickstart cybertron with his skills. And he saved me and others." Dusty shakes, waiting for him to say something else. To give him ANY reason to restart the hits.

<<Autobot>> Encore pauses piping. "Someone get the lad outta there." He continues.

Bishop says, "Good...a hero...the camera...loves...heroes..."

Bumblebee can hear the confrontation, but can't see what exactly is happening. But he's fairly sure Bishop's being a dent in the aftplate to Dusty, if the other small mech's voice is anything to go by. He stands, weakly, making his blind way towards Dusty's shouting. "Hey, Double-Dee..." he says, not in the best of shape after his stunt... "Buddy..."

Encore has one of his gumby friends guide Bee over to Dusty. He walks over to stand somewhere where he can look suitably impressive and play... and hopefully distract Bishop.

Some of the rescue workers that Dust Devil rescued finally intervene. "That's enough," R-Blade says quietly, placing a gentle hand on Dust Devil's damaged chest. "It'll be OK." R-Blade directs the medics to see to both Bishop and Dust Devil -- preferably in seperate medbays.

Dust Devil might have stopped. But Bishop apparently can't stop talking. Suddenly he whirls and punches to prettify the other side of Bishops face. Now whether the medics save Bishop in time will be up to fate. Once Dusty is pulled away, he just slumps.

Bishop goes down like a sack of bricks and slumps to the ground, thoroughly silenced. Bishop lies unconscious, face down in the mud and dust and the last bit of Zetar's pooled fluids.

Bumblebee asks his Gumby helper to lead him to Dusty's side. "Hey, Double-Dee..." He hugs his friend. "...I'm so sorry." He sounds genuinely upset. "Zetar... was a true Autobot..." he says quietly. "He wouldn't want this. Us, fighting and tearing each other apart..."

Encore's pipes continue to add a sombre note to proceedings

The helpless camera lies in the dust next to Bishop...looking so frail...so crushable...

Bumblebee is blind. So, it's not his fault if he accidentally steps on a thing. "...Ow, what did I kick...?" CRUUUUUUNK!

A Junkion medic picks up the camera and reverently puts it in a bin and then grabs Bishop by the foot and drags him to the medbay.