The Note Desolation Plays

Log Title: The Note Desolation Plays Characters: Grimlock  Soundwave  Blaster  Blurr Razorclaw Axl Rose  Sit-Com Location: Earth: Nevada Desert Date: July 26th 2015 TP: Spotlight Imager TP Summary: Two unexpected Eurythmen herald the death of the world, and a most unexpected savior! <> Unidentified Ship broadcasts, <> <> Unidentified Ship broadcasts, <> <> DJ Blaster says, "Hey, man! Are you guys gettin' this? *tries to filter and boost signal*" <> Eurythman Ship broadcasts from the Skies over Mexico, <<...our port side stabilizers are gone. Main engine is offline. Requesting immediate help!>> The distress call sounds a little weird with all the singing. <> DJ Blaster says, "Oh, man! Your voice is beautiful! I mean, hold on! We're on our way! All available Autobots - meet me at the following coordinates!" <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "AN EURYTHMAN SHIP IS IN DISTRESS. DECEPTICONS. TRACK DOWN AND CAPTURE ANY SURVIVORS OF THE CRASHSITE, AND BRING THEM BEFORE ME." <> Razorclaw says, "Predacons already enroute. Spread out, search pattern theta once Divebomb has the landing point trajectory calculated." <> Autobot Blaster has left this channel. <> Razorclaw says, "Dispose of any interlopers you cross" In the skies above Mexico, a trail of smoke plumes out from a tiny two person ship. Sleek in design, it is unmistakably from the strange, melodic planet of Eurythma, famous for its strange musical knowledge that bewilder and amaze even the most dedicated soundsmechs of the Cybertronians. Booting around good ol' Mexico is a Junkcycle. Sit-Com is puttering aimlessly when he sees the damaged ship. "OOooh, better check on that," he says, "That doesn't look like a potential 3 point landing." He makes a beeline for what he figures the eventual crash point of the ship will be. In the rocky desert, a hundred miles from civilization, a whole other world can still be seen today. Cacti, lizards, scorpions, a hard dry land that greedily drinks up even the merest drops of water. Smoke hangs low over an outcropping of rock, the new recepient of a crashed spaceship. Judging by the damage to the landscape surrounding it, the pilot had managed to bounce the ship several times before it was suddenly damaged and smashed against the formation. Of the occupants though, there is only mediocre sign of their survival...that is to say, the ship is vacant. <> Sit-Com says, "It's an invasion! Little green men from Mars! Call Area 51!" <> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "RAZORCLAW, ONE OF THE AUTOBOTS IDIOTS IS ON SITE." Razorclaw sends a radio transmission. Razorclaw sends a radio transmission. <> Razorclaw says, "Where there is one Autobot, there is several more idiots." <> Blurr says, "Teletranreportsacrashedship, soIthinkweneedtocheckitout! I'mleavingrightnow! Blaster, youwanttocheckitout??" A crashing spaceship is generally of little interest to Soundwave...okay that's a lie. He's generally interested in about anything that happens on this dustball, especially when the identified ship is of a planet most interesting to him. Eurythma, home of music of creation...and destruction. When the Tape Commander approaches the scene, he lands far enough off to sense the goings on of the crashsite than view it. The inevitable was bound to happen soon. Autobots. It was close to their base of operations, but the chance to learn Eurythma's secrets one more time. It made even the Spymaster make a gamble once in a while. <> DJ Blaster says, "Right there with you, dude! Thanks for the ride!" <<Autobot>> Ace has left this channel. It doesn't take much to spot a big metal object bombarding through the atmosphere. That someone picked it up from Decepticon central and has been tracking it is just all the more helpful. Divebomb could easily spot the descent from the air, but the trajectory and the skipping stone landing made it difficult to pinpoint an actual landing point. More like the vicinity it most likely crashed in. But that is why Razorclaw was on the move as well, claws scraping through sand and rock for traction as the Predacon commander crosses the desert in leaps and bounds, each propulsion of his mighty legs bringing him closer, heightened senses already tuned to the maximum. Blurr is en route to the crash site at speeds that manage to peel paint off of road signs. Thankfully, no one's in any actual danger, as he simply skirts around normal traffic on rural routes. In his passenger compartment is Blaster in boombox mode. Blaster is in boombox mode, riding in Blurr's open cockpit, blasting "What Do You Do For Money Honey" by AC/DC at volumes that would knock over those road signs that Blurr's speed stripped the paint off of. Even while deafening the surrounding wildlife (and probably poor Blurr), Blaster's also desperately scanning for any further signals from the downed ship, and beaming any information he can glean back to Teletraan II for analysis and distribution to interested Autobots. He pulls a map of the estimated crash area from Hound and Typhoon and communicates that information to the incoming Autobots. +INIT: Blaster is set up for this Combat Round. The two parties converge on the scene in their own ways, Razorclaw already, well into hunt mode, can smell alien blood even at this distance. While it is apparent that the two occupants had fled the spaceship, they were injured prey, but what was just as important, was that with the two incoming Autobots rapidly approaching, there was no way Soundwave could slip past his counterpart AND take the two Eurythmans as hostages back to his secret lab. As Blaster and Blurr approach the downed ship, Blaster's enhanced hearing can detect the strained musical wheezing of the aliens as well...it sounds a bit like bagpipes. And while he detects no sign of Soundwave at the moment, there was bound to be trouble the moment Big Bad Blue got on scene... Quick as a wink, Blurr transforms into his robot mode. Once Blurr and Blaster arrive at the crash site, he drops off his passenger, and it's time for an investigation. "NotaDecepticonship," Blurr muses as he scoots around, looking for clues. "Anditisn'toneof*ours*." A final powerful lunge and the robotic lion's paws slam into the desert ground not far from the final resting place of the ship. The sands are even hotter than usual from the heat bleeding off the ship, but Razorclaw pays that no mind. Even from here he can smell the lingering remains of the aliens' presence. As well as the Autobots already near as well. But one thing at a time. The Predacon slinks away from the crash site, nose held high to the air. His heightened senses can maybe give them a scant few extra astroclicks before the Autobots release what's fully transpiring... Blaster leaps from Blurr as the courier transforms. Blasting "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads, Blaster lands hard on the sandy ground, bending his knees to absorb the shock and instantly scanning for broadcast devices, trying to pinpoint the location of the aliens as well as sweep for incoming Decepticons. He nods in response to Blurr's assessment. "Careful, dude," he tells Blurr. "'Cons are definitely on their way to crash the party!" Drawing his massive electro-scrambler rifle, Blaster heads for the signals and sounds coming from the downed aliens, showing little of the caution he advised Blurr, aside from dropping a silver visor over his optics so he can "see" electromagnetic signals that might give away the presence of enemies or injured. <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "The aliens have already left the wreckage... but they are injuried." Meanwhile, a thousand paces away, in the cover of some tall shrubbery, an elfin-looking man lays on his side, a greenish tint covering his crisp white jacket. Over him, a white-haired woman in an ephemeral gown, daps at his head. Their voices echo melodically, "Bassoun...you needn't suffer, my love. Let me help you..." She raises her voice to sing, but before she intones, a hand covers her mouth. The man grunts in pain, hissing, "We...We can't...We can't trust the music any more, dear Cadenice." She regards him for several tender moments, her hand taking his. "To think that I would live without you is worse than all the music in the world disappearing." She begins to sing.....  A blip appears on Blaster's radio scanning immediately, locking in on the two. A mile away, Soundwave follows in Razorclaw's wake. He raises his head, then in an ominous monotone, he replies to Razorclaw. "THERE." \ In the distance an airborn block of dull grey gliding towards the crash site. Well behind Blurr, and Blaster, almost lazily approaching. Late to the party? Nah... Grimlock is the party. And one cannot start the party without him. Therefore he is right on time. That is to say approaching and arriving exactly as he intended to. Blaster pages: What happened to Trebla? *runs away fast* <OOC> Soundwave says, "this is gonna suck now that Big Dino is on the scene" <OOC> Soundwave says, "it is my lot in life, *depressed sigh*" <OOC> Blurr says, "Hey, that's not just ANY Dino, that's the KING" You paged Blaster with 'I felt these names were better in keeping with the episode' Blaster pages: Cool. =) You paged Blaster with 'Trebla is her last name :P'  <OOC> Grimlock says, "Heh, I coulda brought Thundercracker.. that may have been worse"  From afar, Blaster cheers!  <OOC> Soundwave says, "you can grab one of the ...I almost said Nebulans. Euthrymans as your action for a round, but keep in mind how clunky it may be to hold one."  <OOC> Blaster plays tug-of-war with Soundwave  <OOC> Grimlock says, "or T&X in which case you'd all be slapped with cease and desists and billed accordingly"  <OOC> Razorclaw says, "We're screwed if the twins ever team up with Swindle"  <OOC> Soundwave says, "LOL"  <OOC> Soundwave says, "Blurr's pose! To nobody's surprise at all"  <OOC> Grimlock says, "Whatcha mean, They're his headmasters..."  <OOC> Soundwave says, "yeah but he rents em out"  <OOC> Blurr says, "Can we see the Decepticons at this point? They're not hiding out other than sneaky Soundwave, right? :)" <OOC> Razorclaw isn't bothering with being descrete at the moment  <OOC> Soundwave says, "I'm not that sneaky, even though I didn't pose it, assume I broke cover"  <OOC> Grimlock says, "On the other hand Sounders.. may years ago I wwas Soundwave here, i know how hard you punch :)"  As Blaster mentions Decepticons being in the vicinity, Blurr looks around warily and he notices Razorclaw in the vicinity. He isn't sure what Blaster is planning on doing, but he makes the snap decision to provide copious amounts of cover-fire for the Communications officer. He pulls his gun out of subspace and begins strafing in Razorclaw's direction.  >> Blurr misses Razorclaw with Laser Pulse <Medium>. <<  Grimlock begins to decend, at just under thirty feet from the surface Grimlock shifts into his Dino mode, a resounding *THUD* accompanied by a slight tremor explodes ouit from the impact zone. Somewhere small mexican children are diving underneath their beds. The dino begins to stride confidently toward Blurrs position, nose to the air, tail swinging leisurely behind him. Grimlock raises his arms and begins to fold up as he leans back, rising up into his fearsome Dinobot mode. <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "GRIMLOCK..." <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "The Autobots -would- be the ones to waste the resources to bring a Dinobot to a search and rescue mission." <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "ON THE CONTRARY, THEY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE...EURYTHMANS." <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "They stink the same as any other organic." Behind his silver visor, Blaster's blue optics widen in shock. He stops moving a moment, and, for the first time in ages, actually LOWERS HIS MUSIC so he can better hear. "What - what is that?" he asks no one in particular, seeming suddenly unaware of Blurr's continued presence, even as Blurr opens fire on Razorclaw in the distance. "It's... wow." The talkative Blaster is at a rare loss for words. At last he takes a step forward, and then another, drawn to the singing like a cyber-moth to flame. Looking almost in a trance, Blaster's hand reaches for his Record button, which he depresses while still slowly making his way towards the beautiful, wonderful music. He hums to himself quietly, trying to capture and mimic the tune, but the sound is completely beyond him. He glances almost in annoyance at the THUMP of Grimlock's landing, but immediately turns back to the subject at hand - whoever is making that gorgeous melody that has captured Blaster's full attention. Razorclaw 's senses are sharp, but they're also a bit redundant when Soundwave can harness a much wider spectrum. His attention shifts partially, noting the Autobots, and the form arriving from the distance. The odds were swiftly piling not in their favor. But those are the sort of odds that are just meant to be broken. Blurr fires, only for the feline's reflexes to bolt sideways from the blast. Claws rake the sand, but the dust doesn't even settle before he's taken off from the landing. Despite his bulky appearance Razorclaw proves to be deceptively mobile, veering through the strafing fire before lunging at the speedster. A tricky prey to catch. But Razorclaw likes a challenge. Easy kills are hardly very satisfying. >> Razorclaw misses Blurr with Claw. <<  As the Autobot trio approach the raised jut of rock that hides the two Eurythmen aliens, Blurr moving to engage Razorclaw already...Soundwave too had located exactly where the two hostages were. When Blaster focuses on the solitary bush that hides them from sight, Soundwave lands with authority between him and Blaster...and Grimlock. The Tape Commander's hands clench up into fists, and raise up to a basic fighting position. Knowing the Spymaster's legendary discretion in combat, the moment is indeed significant. He intones taciturnly, "BLASTER. GRIMLOCK....." Boiling up for one of the most dangerous fights of his life, he draws his concussion blaster. "YOU SHALL GO NO FURTHER." Moments later, the terrible duo appear, ejecting out of his chestplate. Rumble and Frenzy. Rumble sneers, "Yeah, you tell them!" He breaks off in a cocky laugh, "Ehheheheheheh!" Frenzy draws his twin blasters out, "Let's get em! Lets kick tailgate!" And with that Soundwave throws himself forward into combat, taking a bead for his nemesis first, his weapon trained right on Blaster's chestplate....  Dirty pool. >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Laser <Medium>. <<  Cadenice raises her head, surveying the area. "Autobots...and Decepticons!" She exclaims, eyeing the unfolding combat before her and her injured companion. She lowers her head, "We have to get clear before we are trampled." Bassoun maintains his injured half-scowl, the look of a man in severe pain. "G..go then." He grips her hand tightly, "Bring peace b..back to Euthryma. Bring the music back. You.." He breaks off into a cough, "...just...go." Blurr isn't scared. Nope, he's fairly overconfident as a rule. Razorclaw is a formidable opponent, but at this point he's hardly worried. His primary goal is to keep Razorclaw occupied, distracted, or perhaps both so that Blaster can finish his investigation, and Grimlock can do whatever Grimlock-things he pleases. Moving at a speed that's almost too quick to follow with ordinary vision, Blurr scoots backward to avoid Razorclaw's swipe, then he lurches forward with determination to do...something punch-related, if this rapid movement is to be followed. >> Blurr strikes Razorclaw with Speed-Punch. << Grimlock's crimson optics narrow and regard Soundwave with as much contempt as they can muster considering his saurian form is poorly equipped to express such things. "Me Grimlock goes where me Grimlock pleases." RThe statement is of course pure fact, and in a show of just what he means he takes a calm step forward. "Him Soundwave thinks him can make me Grimlock change actions? Less talk, more action. Him can intimidate Blaster all him Soundwave want... Me Grimlock am a whole other issue." At that he seems to grin, teeth gleaming. <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "RUMBLE. FRENZY. DO NOT PROVOKE GRIMLOCK. IF HE IS CONTENT TO WATCH, LET HIM" <<Decepticon>> Rumble says, "Hah, I'm not afraid of him!" <<Decepticon>> Frenzy says, "Yeah! We'll give him the hammers but good!" Blaster is literally blasted out of his reverie by Soundwave's rude arrival and preemptive attack. "Dude, that just ain't right," he scowls, popping his visor back up before it blinds him with EM data. "This something beautiful. Pure. And I will not allow you to spoil it, you foul discordant punk!" Cranking up his shin speakers once more, Blaster doesn't wait to see of Grimlock's threat has any effect - instead his launches himself directly at Soundwave in a possibly ill-advised physical attack, seeming to take Soundwave's presence personally and responding appropriately. The red boom box folds out into the form of the rockingest of Autobots; Blaster! <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "DO NOT ENGAGE GRIMLOCK." >> Blaster strikes Soundwave with Bash. << Sit-Com finally arrives on the scene, after tracking the descent of the spaceship. "Klaatu Barada Nikto?" he wonders, looking around for the little green men or whatever it is that was in the ship. Then he spots the cons. Quickly he reaches into his pocket for Japense Cat Sticks. He dangles them in Razorclaw's sight. "Here, kitty kitty kitty..." The motorcycle splits apart and re-forms into the jovial form of Sit-Com. Let the laugh track begin! A quick sidestep is enough to spare Blurr from those namesake claws, this time at least. The Autobot strikes back just as quickly, the quick punch rattling against one of the panels of Razorclaw's mane and reverbing faintly through his entire form. He doesn't even spare the Junkion's patronizing worth responding to. "There are claims you are faster than sound itself." The Predacon backflips away, transforming as he does. "Shall we test the verity of such boasts?" One hand grabs the hilt of his sword, and as he lands it is draw from his back and swung in a arc in the same smooth motion, it's vibrating blade unleashing a ringing pulse through the air as he does. The lion shifts and stand on its hind legs, which join its forelegs in folding back to reveal robot arms and legs. The proud head of the lion folds down to his chest to reveal the face of Razorclaw, a Decepticon in disguise! >> Razorclaw misses Blurr with Sonic Blast <Medium>. <<  FLASHBACK: THREE EONS AGO: Soundwave and Blaster stand atop the ruins of a dying world. Outpost 23-1A of the Glorious Decepticon Empire. Soundwave staggers backwards, nearly losing his footing on the remains of his base of operations. The smug Blaster, that bastard, stands before him, "Mech. I'm giving you that chance to check yourself before I wreck your self. So if you want this to be the last dance, I'll gladly punch your ticket." Soundwave considers his options, with a gaze downward to the lava below him. He throws himself forward. NOW: Blaster clocks into him with shoulder, sending the mech backwards, but still standing. Soundwave grapples with his nemesis, his large hands straining to overpower his foe. FLASHBACK: ONE EON AGO: Soundwave looks placidly at his nemesis, bound by electrorope against a wall-mounted table. "MUTE?" He says almost confused, holding a box. Soundwave inverts the box, dumping the decompiled parts of a Cassettebot before him. "MUTE IS DEAD. BLASTER. HE WOULD NOT DECRYPT THE PLANS I NEED AND I COULD NOT INTERFERE WHILE HE STILL LIVED." Blaster screams, "MONSTER! YOU....PSYCHOPATH! I'LL KILL YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS! IT ENDS, SOUNDWAVE, IT ENDS NOW." Soundwave regards Blaster impassively, "NO BLASTER. YOU WILL SCREAM....AND IT WILL BE JUST A BEGINNING." NOW: Soundwave pulls Blaster up off of his feet, hefting him over his head, then bodily hurls him away, putting his strength into his throw to send the Autobot Jammaster sailing... >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Stomp. <<  While the battle is joined, those who are not specifically involved in the combat, they may see the two Eurythmen not far from the actual attack. Soundwave stands a good twenty feet from them, easily able to cover that ground in a single stride. As Frenzy and Rumble sulk, having been given orders to not engage the behemoth killer that is Grimlock, Frenzy turns his attention elsewhere, "Hey, check it out!" The two tapes move to investigate the disturbance. A shriek rips through the sky as the two Titans of Terror manhandle Cadenice and Bassoun, the man still in extreme pain. "Hey, Soundwave, we got em!" Rumble gives a mocking wave to Grimlock, "Yeah, you wanna start some trouble NOW, big mech?" He shakes Cadenice as he chuckles, "Eheheheh!" Somehow, despite being *directly* in targeted range, Blurr manages to zip out of the way of the sword. "Wellguesswhat? -- Whoevertoldyouthat, was/right/," Blurr says with a cheer that's downright nauseating. Then, without even a warning movement, he just rushes right up to Razorclaw in a very brazen attempt to kick his kneeplate in. >> Blurr misses Razorclaw with Speed-Kick. Grimlock watches as the tape commanders duel. Every so often his gaze falls on Blurr and his opponent, as if gauging their fight as well. At the commotion being caused by Soundwave's two flunkies Grimlock takes a step in their direction, booming "ME GRIMLOCK SAY.... DROP THE SQUISHIES AND GO HOME. ME GRIMLOCK NO NEED MUCH REASON TO DO TROUBLE." His gaze now bouncing between the tapes and their mommy. Blaster is thrown bodily into sharp rocks, grimacing as something cracks and gives way in his back. Anger flashes in his blue optics, and all traces of jovial, happy-go-lucky Blaster is gone - this is war. AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" blasting from his shin speakers, Blaster rises painfully, glancing around briefly for his lost electro-scrambler and then forgetting about it - this will be done with sound and fury, signifying at last the death of his long-time opponent. "Soundwave," Blaster spits, as if the word itself leaves a bad taste in his mouth. "Your song ends tonight - your melody is over. Your 'kids' are gonna need a new daddy." Using the rocks as a springboard, Blaster leaps into the air, and comes down hard at Soundwave, putting his full weight into the attack as he hammers his fist right at Soundwave's hated silver face. >> Blaster strikes Soundwave with Hammer-Punch. << The high speed kick is all flash and no substance as despite the quickness of his opponent Razorclaw easily sidesteps the attack, kicking up little wakes of desert sand with the quick movements of his deceptively bulky die cast construction. It's almost as if he predicted it coming somehow. The sword emits a ringing hum as it's twirled in his hand with the maneuver. "Yet with so much potential..." A heavy foot plants in the sand to brace himself as he turns, flipping the sword to rest against his arm and thrust the pommel at Blurr instead. "You lack metholody in -utilizing- it." >> Razorclaw strikes Blurr with Bash. <<  Blaster leaps forwards towards Soundwave, fist in motion. FIVE EONS AGO: Blaster leaps towards Soundwave, fist in motion. The Tape Commander reels from the hit, staggering into the wall of the slave pit of Kaon. He puts his hand against the wall to brace himself, his hand wraps around cool steel as he draws the axe from its placeholder then sweeps it upward, severing Blaster's arm. NOW: Soundwave reels backwards, but not quite enough to deck him. Rumble howls in rage, "Dats it! Frenzy..HOLD MY ENERBEER..." He pauses, "I mean...Hold dis guy!" He absently tosses Bassoun towards the red menace. Frenzy looks rather nonplussed at holding two captives, but shrugs as the King of the Tapes enters the battle!. In a challenge of pure rage, the mighty pylons emerge as he bellows, "BLASTER, YOU THIRD RATE SHELFWARMING REPAINT!)]" Rumble leaps in, fearlessly, slamming his hammers against Blaster's chest. >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Kick. <<   Rumble uses his flight to spin upward, moving to an uppercut to the Autobot Tape Commander's chin, "YOU THINK YOU'RE FUNNY? HUH?"  >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Punch. <<   Rumble raises both pylons over his head, then drives himself down with every ounce of power possible, slamming himself and possibly Blaster into the ground, sending cracks into the ground in all directions, shaking the very desert. "SOUNDWAVE'S GOT THE KING OF THE TAPES, LOSER!...."  >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Punch. <<   Rumble hits the ground turning his back to the nemesis, adding, "and you got nothin...."   Frenzy looks over at Grimlock, then back at Rumble for a moment, "Yeah, I'mma listen to him..ya know." He jerks a thumb at the clearly exhausted Rumble. Sit-Com, ignored by the preda-pussycat, sets his sights on Soundwave. "Your parts would look great on a heap on Junkion," he says, "Donate your parts for the best sound system ever. Operators are standing by, free coffee while-you-wait." He tries to net the Decepticon Tapemaster, to restrain him! >> Sit-Com misses Soundwave with Net <Low>. << Blurr allows his ego to get ahead of his processor, and the inevitable happens. And Primus, does it HURT. One section of armor flies clean off and the circuits spark heavily. But he doesn't give himself time to actually feel the injury, instead redoubling his efforts. There's a bit of hurt pride there, too, Razorclaw can probably tell better than anyone. "Oh, thatwasNOTHING. Whatdoyoueven/call/that, youcallitnothing, that'swhat! Asifyouhaveanybettertechnique, wellyou/DON'T/, Iletyou/have/thatone," Blurr scoffs in annoyance as he draws his gun again and shows off his...less than stellar shooting skills. Shooting really isn't his forte, but it serves him well only because of the speed in which he can get the shots off. >> Blurr misses Razorclaw with Pulse-Laser <Medium>. <<  Somewhere back in Autobot City, the Autobot known as Flashback awakens from a daydream, He muses to nobody in particular, "I feel like I'm needed elsewhere." Callback looks over to him, "Yeah, I get that a lot too..." Grimlock cocks his head to the side, regarding Frenzy with a blank stare as Rumble goes all little man complex on Blaster. One less annoyance in his mind. Without any words Grimlock simply lets fly with a short burst of his eye lasers attempting not to hit Frenzy, but make a point... He does... what he wants... when he wants. And he has little concern for squishues who don;t have a direct use to him. Blaster is beaten backwards by Rumble's frenzied attack, and is clocked in the face before being slammed to the ground. Energon running down his damaged face, Blaster nonetheless laughs. "Know what's funny?" he asks in response. "You two karaoke covers thinking you can carry a tune without your bandleader 'Tone-Deaf' there. I'm going to gank him, and then tape over you two with Celine Dion." With that Blaster folds up into a giant boombox. "Now, to add injury to insult." He cranks his speakers up to max, and hits both Soundwave and his tapes with the full power of Guns N' Roses (possibly deafening the aliens in the process as well, unless they countersong. Oops. Blaster's not exactly strategic when he's mad). Blaster transforms into a giant Boom Box! >> Blaster strikes Soundwave with Sonic Blast <Medium>. <<  Frenzy manages a grin, as he tilts his head to the side, holding both hostages. "Do it again, big mech. I dare ya, cuz you and I...we can make us one of them human barbecues." Frenzy moves to call Grimlock's bluff. It's a bold strategy, Sit-Com, let's see if it pays off for him. Thundercracker screams into the area from the skies above. Thundercracker has arrived. Thundercracker appears. (Invited by Grimlock) Almost as if pointedly proving that attempt at an insult wrong Razorclaw turns his stance sideways as Blurr raises his blaster again and spins the sword in front of himself. Lasers scream through the desert but only scorch the sands and smash cacti as they reflect off the defensive maneuver. At the end Razorclaw grabs the sword with both hands and draws it back, held horizontal to his upper chest. "You were saying." Then raises the sword up, reading to strike... And fires one of his shoulder blasters at Blurr instead. Because he's a cat, and cats are inherently jerks. >> Razorclaw strikes Blurr with Concussion Bolt <Medium>. <<  Soundwave stares at the Junkion, easily tracking the introductory TeeVee oriented battle cry of Sit-Com. While not exactly nimble, the Spymaster is precise in his motions, to dodge the lasso. As soon as he does, sound washes over Soundwave, Frenzy, Rumble, and the two Eurthmans. The fleshies try to scream, only partially able to shield themselves from the sound washing over them. The plants around the terrible trio start to wave, and rip free as dust is kicked up. Rumble covers his ears, as he and Frenzy start to be pushed backwards as well. Cadenice tries to focus herself on Frenzy's shoulder, a greenish aura coming from her voice as she starts to sing, trying to counter the attack, not for Frenzy's sake, but for hers and her companions... The music fails to take hold...  Soundwave hovers for a moment, "YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INFERIOR. BLASTER. SO FOCUSED ON EARTH CULTURE THAT YOU IGNORE 'THE WORK'." The long standing communications warfare, the years and years of planning, of cryptography, of information gathering. His legs splitting as he transforms into his similar altmode, blaring hard Dubstep Metal courtesy of Sluggo (not the bitey tape Slugfest) in countersong to Blaster. Soundwave transforms into a giant Walkman. >> Soundwave strikes Blaster with Sonic-Waves <Low>. << <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "RAZORCLAW, REPORT" <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "THE COMPLEX HARMONIES OF EURYTHMA SEEM TO BE....UNRAVELING." Sit-Com sadtrombones as his net misses Soundwave. Thankfully he isn't in the way of the sonic waves that the deep blue tapecarrier unleashes against Blaster. "Time for timer!" he says, "You know what you need for a quick snack? A WAGON WHEEL!" He tosses his spiky spare tire at Soundwave. Hoping to make a dent. <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "Giving this Autobot a proper lesson in why cockiness is a vice rather than a virtrue." >> Sit-Com strikes Soundwave with Bash. << <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "So in other words, a cacophony." Blurr should probably know when to shut his noise-hole and concentrate on what he's doing, but fortunately for Razorclaw, he really doesn't. That's exactly how he gets nailed by a concussion bolt. This is...not really a proud day in his life. Hot Rod could probably teach him a thing or two about patience. "Idon't/care/aboutyourtechniqueor...or...orwhatever!" Yeah, when Blurr slows down anything, he's probably hurting. Not that he'd admit to it. He darts toward Razorclaw just to be exceptionally irritating, and he tries to thump him hard in the chestplate where he was holding his sword just a moment ago. >> Blurr misses Razorclaw with Smash. << <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "IF EURYTHMA HAS LOST ITS POWER OF DESTRUCTION, THEN IT IS MEANINGLESS TO US. LASERBEAK WILL REMAIN BEHIND TO OBSERVE. THIS ASSAULT HAS NO FURTHER MEANING, WE HAVE WHAT KNOWLEDGE WE CAME FOR." Grimlock is up to the challenge as it were. He begins to stride towards Frenzy. In mid-step he transforms. As Grimlock's burly hands materialize from what were his saurian feet his Ener-Sword appears right with them, firmly grasped in his right hand. "Me Grimlock am sorry, did not hear what him Frenzy said, except for barbeque." Grimlock again cocks his head to the side with a blank stare. Grimlock tilts his head down and raises up, unfolding and twisting into robot mode. <<Decepticon>> Laserbeak says, "SQUAAAAWWWK!" <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "Noted." <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "Let the Autobots waste their time and resources in some aulturistic desire to assist them." <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "AND IF THERE *IS* SOME MERIT TO THEIR CAUSE, WE WILL BE THERE TO SEIZE ADVANTAGE." Over the music, Blaster yells, "Oh, I can do the work, you 8-track has-been. I can just do my job and have a personality, too. Bein' the Decepticon version of a crazy cat lady doesn't make you a spymaster - it makes you sad. Luckily, I have some upbeat evening tracks that'll lighten your mood just right. Countin' 'em down, here's your number 1 hit!" Blaster unleashes another wall of sound, this one more focused on Soundwave directly, Axl Rose's screams delivered at top volume as Blaster takes a cue from Grimlock and turns it up to 11. >> Blaster misses Soundwave with Sonic-Blast. << <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "Precisely." <<Decepticon>> Aerospace XO Thundercracker says, "Thundercracker here, Starscream asked me to survey the situation and provide you mechs with an exit strategy, because you know... the long range scans say you might be in over your servos.." Razorclaw's expression is as impassive as when this fight started, but the predator was relishing this all the same. As soon as Blurr's pride cracked, he was the one in control of the fight. But the process of wearing down his prey was coming to an end... Blurr slams into his chest and the Predacon skids backwards a bit, though seems little more than slightly annoyed by it. "A shame." Razorclaw steps back in, swinging his sword in a rapid sweep at Blurr's legs. "To know oneself does little..." Then half turns to swing again, this time in an upper arc that would knock someone off the ground after having their balance disrupted from before. "When one does not know the enemy!" A split-second stop at the top, only to bring the sword down in one more final, ferocious cleave. >> Razorclaw strikes Blurr with Rend. << Soundwave returns to his root mode, a hand before him, bracing against Blaster's weaksauce. "AXL ROSE HAS NEVER USED HIS TALENT TO TRUE FRUITION. HE LACKS THE PROFESSIONALISM OF A PROPER ENTERTAINER WHICH LED TO SLASH LEAVING THE GROUP. WHICH IN TURN DESTROYED THE TRUE SPIRIT OF GUNS N ROSES." He takes flight, Rumble and Frenzy following suit. Frenzy manages to glare at Grimlock before he casually dumps the squishies. Knowing better than to interrupt bossman, he simply points at his optics then to Grimlock in challenge. "WHICH MAKES THEM A WASHED-UP HAS-BEEN RELYING ON DREAMS OF A PAST RUINED BY SECOND RATE WORK AND A LACKING WORK ETHIC....FITTING THAT YOU ENJOY THEM SO." Rumble and Frenzy both transform, re-entering Soundwave's loader, before he transforms as well. As Thundercracker roars by, his cockpit opening, the Walkman slides inside, giving Soundwave not only a quick exit, but also the last word in the matter. >> Soundwave retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Grimlock, Blast Off, Blurr, Blaster, Razorclaw, Sit-Com, Optimus Prime, Elita One, and Thundercracker. << <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "I shall be right behind you, Soundwave. Once I put this whelp in his proper place." <<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "AUTOBOT REINFORCEMENTS WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY, DO NOT DELAY LONG." Sit-Com beams with pride in having sent Soundwave packing. Now he intends to do the same with the Predacon. He gets out his sonic blaster, which blasts out a very loud rendition of, "IN THE JUNGLE THE MIGHTY JUNGLE THE LION SLEEPS TONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT..." "Sweet dreams, Simba", Sit-Com says. <<Decepticon>> Razorclaw says, "Precisely why I am still strikely. They will rush to his aid, giving you time to escape with your knowledge." >> Sit-Com strikes Razorclaw with Sonic Blast <Medium>. << Blurr gets cut right open, not quite unlike a can opener serrating the lid of a can of tasty morsels cat food! Or something like that. Blurr doesn't have a clever rejoinder. Matter of fact, it's probably a good thing that Sit-Com arrives when he does, because he hits the ground and...doesn't move at all for a while, other than hemmoraging a lot of fuel on the ground. He looks kind of dead, only without the grey coloration. But as Sit-Com is taking out his blaster and shooting at Razorclaw, Blurr /somehow/ manages to transform, but boy is it a sorry sight. Blurr folds forward and transforms into an unusual racecar. >> Blurr retreats from the area, escaping all attackers. << Grimlock turns his gaze to the alien life forms that Frenzy finally dropped. His visor sensors take them in for a moment and finding that they are in fact not quintessons, and not an immiediate threat give them a nod as he turns away and begins stalking away, sword on shouolder, already thinking about who.. or what.. he plans to tear to shreds to work out his current annoyances. "Mr Grimlock think me job is done here." he says to Blaster as he departs "Him Blaster in charge now that Me Grimlock won the battle." <<Autobot>> First Aid says, "I just got a message saying help was requested? I'm en route!" <<Autobot>> DJ Blaster says, "Thanks, First Aid. Music to my audio receptors." Blaster painfully transforms as Soundwave flees, still sulking about Soundwave's utter takedown of Axl Rose. After glancing over to make sure Blurr is getting away OK, Blaster limps towards the aliens to make sure they're OK. "Uh, thanks, Grimlock." When he finally gets to Cadenice and Bassoun, he kneels before them, almost reverently. "My name is Blaster. You're safe now. Help is on the way." His voice (and the Zodiac Mindwarp on his speakers) is quiet now, as he looks around to make sure they are truly safe, or if he's going to have to help Sit-Com with Razorclaw. <<Autobot>> Trojan says, "...Where isss assssisstanc-ssse needed...?" Thundercracker makes a wide circle of the battlefield and departs with his new tape deck! "You got any Miley Cyrus? Play for me tape boy!" Soundwave intones, "THUNDERCRACKER....SHUT UP AND FLY." <<Autobot>> DJ Blaster says, "Trojan! I'm playing Mexican Radio down here, and could use a ride back to Auto City." With the end of the ruthless assault the sonic sword comes to stop with precision at Razorclaw's crouched side, unmoving save for the bit of energon rolling down the flat of the blade and dripping on the desert sands. Neither more movement or less than needed to achieve the intended results. Wait for it, wait for it... There it is. The sonic blast blindsides him, the choice of medium to express it in just annoying as being struck by it, and giving Blurr the oppritunity he needs to transform and speed away. But even as he staggers to regain his footing from the audio assault, it confirms what Razorclaw had anticipated. The Autobots (and allies) turning to stop him from ending Blurr on the spot, giving Thundercracker the oppritunity to swoop in and retrieve Soundwave from the battlefield. All according to plan. The sword is flipped over his shoulder and resheathed to his backside. "Next time, Autobots," is all he intones flatly, before transforming and bounding away. <<Autobot>> Trojan says, "I ssssshall be there sssshortly..." Trojan comes in from Southwest United States - North America. Trojan has arrived. Razorclaw's legs and arms fold in to become four legs padded by vicious claws. As he drops to stand on them, his head in hidden behind that of the lion's, who's optics burn for a moment as he lets out a resounding roar of supremacy! >> Razorclaw retreats from the area, leaving itself open to Grimlock, Blurr, and Thundercracker. <<  With the Decepticons in retreat, Cadenice and Bassoun lay sprawled on the rocks, from where Frenzy dropped them. In the distance, an ambulance speeds across the salt flats as First Aid makes his way to assist the situation. No doubt the female organic suffers from a snapped axel, judging by how she's holding her ambulator, and the male is leaking energon...possibly oil too. So apparently nobody here took 'Organic Medicine' seriously when Ratchet did his scowly-face lecture on it. Cadenice calls out to the Autobots, Blaster specifically since he has had history with the planet. "Please...we need your help...The music is failing us...Everything falls before the Last Note. Does your maestro still live? We must combat the creature..." She slumps back wearily. Like watching the assimilation of a giant serpent from a boneyard of metal containers, the Thunder Wyrm emerges from a cloud of sickish, ancient, gray metallic dust, grating steel, and an eerie groan of gears and servos. <<Autobot>> Sit-Com says, "Someone call the Cybertron Zoo, I think their Lion escaped." Blaster looks confused, which is bad, since he is one of the few Bots who can understand the Eurythmans. "Maestro? Do you mean Optimus Prime? Lay still -- First Aid and Trojan will get you safe back to Autobot City, and then we'll work out why you're singin' the blues." Blurr is in vehicular mode, parked behind a rocky outcropping. His idling engine sounds like there's a few marbles rolling around inside of it. AUTOBOT SPINNY With the two Eurythmans loaded into the ambulance, or rather Cadenice on the stretcher still as Bassoun gets looked over, the alien woman starts to explain. "Blaster, listen...when the music of before was only a dream, there was the Last Note, the end of everything. The end of music, of harmony. It had surfaced once many many years ago, and was fought back by a maestro of music...one of yours. I am certain of it." With her leg in a splint, she tries to prop herself up, "A musician of metal they sang, had fought note vs note versus the Last Note, and subdued it...but it awakens again, and it threatens all. We need your maestro yet again, for Eurythma's sake." Sit-Com transforms and speeds over to where Blurr is! He can help fix him! Sit-Com folds down into his Junkcycle Mode. Vroom, vroom! Cadenice produces a small hologram visual, of a large dark formless monster, and a fiddle-playing metal siren of some sort. As the image becomes clear, after frizting out for several moments, it should surprise nobody who read the TP name to find out that the maestro in question is the trash-talking, gruff, and exceedingly brusque Femme Imager! It will take Trojan a little bit to get there. Her arrival is heralded by not only a dervish of dust and grit, but the trembling of earth and the shrill scraping of ancient metal and groaning of antediluvian gears. The Great Serpent slithers forth upon her belly of armored ship parts and chassis of those mechs long-dead, so that her coming to the rescue might be described as cause for alarm – at first. This is the beast that tore Megatron Asunder in the sea, with those giant jaws of plate-rending teeth...The Serpent Express has come to the Depot – we can't promise a smooth ride when one takes refuge inside of those coffin-scales – but it's (somewhat) safe. At worst, one gets to share a cargo-container with an Autobot that perished some nine-million years ago while being whipped around in a serpentine writhe. At any rate, the guardian-sized mecha grinds to a halt near the given coordinates, and the gargantuan mech rears her head to shake off the sand. “Nexsssst ssstop, Auto-BAHT, Csssity...” she hisses in sussurant cacophony. Thundercracker has disconnected. "<< Hi, >>" Blurr greets the approaching Sit-Com. He doesn't have much to say right now. His ego is just too wounded. Also, he's probably in a lot of pain he doesn't want to admit to. First Aid hesitates upon seeing the strange monstrosity that is Trojan...the hesitation is short lived, almost cheerfully the little ambulance pipes up, <<Well how's that for an airlift? We'll have you both on your feet in no time!>> First Aid putters closer to Trojan, more than willing to give the unusual Bot the benefit of the doubt. Primus bless little naieve combiner pieces. Blaster looks up in shock from the small image of Imager, and finally acknowledges the massive defender. "Oh, thanks, Trojan. I'll radio back to Autobot City to give them a heads' up." <<Autobot>> Commander Grimlock says, "Me Grimlock will be in Dino cave if them Autobots need any more saving. Good job carrying out Me Grimlock's strategy and saving them squishies. Him Blaster should tell rest of Autobots about what happened, being cuz Him Blaster am good at communi-cationizing." ================================== Autobot =================================== Message: 4/113                    Posted        Author Houseguests                       Fri Jul 24    Blaster -- <Radio Message> Blaster here. We encountered a crashed alien ship in the deserts of Mexico, and on it were two aliens from Eurythma who are singin' a strange tune about Imager of all people being the potential savior of their race! Prime, Elita - I'll think you need to talk to these dudes, pronto, and possibly Imager as well. Trojan's giving us a ride back to the City - we should be there soon. Blaster out. ============================================================================== “Ssssalutationssss,” the mobile wreck offers to little First Aid, those eerie optics turning down to study the little Ambulance. Along her entire length – nearly some three hundred feet! - several articulated, armored containers (some coffins, some... we're not sure!) pop open with a hermetic wheeze. It's an invitation to, “All aboard... and pleasssse, ssstrap in.. IT isss... my pleasssure, Blasster....” <<Autobot>> DJ Blaster says, "Will do, dude, as soon as we get back to the city." #75: One More Spark to the Call Contact: Elita One                     Added: Fri Jul 24 2015 Info: In order for Imager to learn how to play music again, she must confront her demons, and there is no worse/better place for it than as she investigates the death of Cometchaser, her former CO. Unfortunately all Intelligence suggests that she was slain in the part of Helex known as Silent Grill. The same place all the convoys have disappeared at as well. Could Silent Grill be thriving again? There'll be monsters, there'll be horror, there'll be...a musical number? O.o Possibly spooky combat scene Next Scene: Coming Soon Finding an appropriate sized 'casket' isn't too much of a problem. Just lay down and... enjoy the ride that's somewhere between a tilt-a-whirl and a Drop Zone, because there are *no inertial dampeners* inside this train <3. Trojan closes the appropriate scale, thus trapping the DJ inside the casket of the unknown. "Anyone elssssse...?" Blurr appears to be getting repaired on the field by Sit-Com, so he's being tended to. <<Autobot>> First Aid says, "Ahh, I hope there's not too much motion, these patients are in need of a stable environment to heal up...can we go slow at least?" <<Autobot>> Trojan says, "Of Coursssssseee. Ssstrap them into the upper ssscalesss. Much lessss motion." Taken. Taken. <<Autobot>> First Aid says, "Ahhhhh.....I'm sure we can figure something out."