Deathknell: Two Counts of Trespassing

Characters: Astrotrain, Benin-Jeri, Imager, Jetfire, LOUDMOUTH, Shockwave, Slapdash, Slugfest

Location: Plumgaige's Derelict Space Station

Date: July 05, 2016

Summary: Autobots and Decepticons vie for information aboard a derelict space station.

As logged by Benin-Jeri - Tuesday, July 05, 2016, 7:11 PM

Plumgaige's Derelict Space Station[]

A kingly sized space station full of jagged spires and ominous purple décor, five eons of wear have taken their toll. The durasteel walkways and high ceilings have been rusted, damaged, and otherwise brought low through deteriation. Power readings are low, light visibility is low...oh the security systems still work out fine though. What, you expected THEM to be shut down too?

Off in the distance in the night sky lies a derelict space station. Given the eons of abuse and neglect, it may be surprising to see the wiry space station still intact. Wide and flat with wavy lines, the station has been leaking atmosphere and rusting for ages. Holes abound within it. Power still flickers through the large spherical rooms at tomes...the real question is what could this ruined station have to offer Cybertron in its hour of need?

Decepticon comms officer LOUDMOUTH calls in, <<We've got motion in Deep Space Quadrant 23...Autobots. What're they doing in our turf?>>

Slapdash calls in, <<Who cares? That's enough of a reason to take em out right? I mean, we're at a truce, but not a truce-truce. We're justified! Call in Astrotrain, and we can get our murder on!>>

Astrotrain calls in, "If you little shifts think you're going to tell ME what to do, you're as stupid as Starscream is...humph...truces. Whats the point?>>

LOUDMOUTH calls in, <<Yeah yeah, anyway crankybot, looks like they're heading to....sector 443...thats weird, we haven't made any giant death lasers out there in ages...>>

LOUDMOUTH calls in, <<we...we haven't right?>>

Astrotrain calls in, <<Snort>>

Slapdash calls in, <<Who we got out there anyway? KILL A BOT FOR ME!>>

Imager calls in, <<Uh...hey Jetfire...you think that truce is going to hold? I can see you on far-scan Radar and all but...well...uhm...I guess what I am saying is 'good luck'>>

Jetfire goes into interstellar mode, hoping his speed will give him a few precious moments of time before Decepticon detection. In addition, he went through the extra steps of concealing himself in a few bits of daring. Approaching the station, he transforms into his robot mode. His optics flash as he scans the derelict station. Shutting off his remaining com links to the Autobots, he finds one of the many open access areas and nudges his way into station.

Shockwave may be a very busy machine, and there are few things that, at this time, would draw him away from seclusion in his laboratory - but this? This is one of them.

<<All Decepticon units, this is Shockwave. I will investigate this situation personally. Soundwave, I will require one of your tapes.>>

Seated inside of Astrotrain, his single optic glued to various data readouts, the Purple One rides in pursuit of the Autobot intruder. If he were anyone else, perhaps he would ponder 'why in the name of Primus did Soundwave send Slugfest But he is Shockwave, and so he doesn't care who's along for the ride.

Benin-Jeri has hitched a ride with Jetfire, and drops free once Jetfire transforms into robot mode. Even though he doesn't need to breathe in space, Ben has his motorcycle helmet down, and keeps playing pre-recorded 'space breathing' noises through the radio, to Jetfire's presumed annoyance. "Space… the final frontier… these are the voyages of the starship Jetfire. His five-hour mission - to explore strange new space stations - seek out new life, and new information -- to boldly go where no Autobot has gone before - and to try to keep his Junkion friend from being eaten." Ben floats through space unless/until he encounters artificial gravity, and seems a LOT more graceful in space than he does on land.

A tiny stego is sitting quietly and in a well-behaved manner inside Astrotrain. There's no crate in here like inside of Blast Off where a tiny robo stego could nap, but he peers out the front window from his vantage point curled up in one of the seats.

Jetfire lifts a panel for Benin-Jeri to climb/float in. He whispers to his stow-away "Keep communication at a minimum - remember, we're trying our best to avoid detection."

Astrotrain grumbles to himself, choosing to chug through space now as his train motif, BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE IT! Or probably because he got to turn upside down and send his passengers into a tumble for a moment. "Hah, Autobots. And me with Energon left in the tank. Which one do you want to gut, because I'm not missing the fight this time!.....also get out of me and take the twerptape with you....you'd better not been sawblading my interior!>>

The two sides regard each other perhaps as the station looms nearby, easily going to take a few hours to comb through, even in its battered condition. And then right there....it becomes clear to the Bots. The Cons want what they want, even if they don't know what it is. This station is supposed to have a miraculous reprieve against the threat of Dead Energon...What would they do with it?

Jetfire looks around and whispers at Benin-Jeri, "Something's gotta work around this flying wreckage..." He activates a panel on his arm, which emits a few low beams as he searches for something to activate some of the station, hopefully without alerting the galaxy to their presence.

Jetfire breathes a sigh of relief. "Ah, there we go..."

Shockwave swivels his box head around to peer over at Slugfest, who has been quite well-behaved so far. "Slugfest--" And Astrotrain spins. Fortunately, his boots are magnetically clamped to the floor at the moment, so that his daredevil ride didn't disturb his data analysis, "--You will exit with me and follow Astrotrain. Astrotrain, I give you the task of pursuing our quarry. Distract them - stop them if you can. Slugfest, when Astrotrain has engaged, I want you to investigate what the Autobots are doing and intervene or sabotage when an opportunity presents itself." His optic flashes, "I will be pursuing other matters, for a time."

Turning, Shockwave disengages his magnetic locks and exits Astrotrain, rocketing into the space station. The first thing he does is scan for a terminal, any terminal, that he can access.

Unlike Jetfire, alerting the galaxy is not his concern.

Benin-Jeri nods to Jetfire, and makes a zipper-zipping motion across his helmet and then miming turning a key and then throwing it away. He then quotes Bugs Bunny from 1954's Bugs and Thugs: "Shut u-up? Why certainly! You don't think I'm the type that would keep on blabbin'? Some people never know when to stop. When I'm told to shut up, I shut up..." He grins unseen behind his black motorcycle helmet, and then pulls out a Junkion-sized replica Original Star Trek tricorder, and begins to scan about, hoping to find something interesting to report to the Air Guardian.

Jetfire frowns and barks/whispers "Quiet!"

Slugfest squeals as Astrotrain spins, falling out of his chair and then back into it! It would appear tiny stegos forgot to put their seatbelt/harness on! When Shockwave tells him to come, he comes. "No am sawing insides!" he says to Astrotrain. "So, spying?" he says to Shockwave, as he scampers out with him.

Jetfire notices that the station does still have some power, some main conduit lines are working. In theory if there is something in the station to help, it would have to be either active or in some sort of stasis, and that means power is needed. He can eliminate about a third of the station proper from the search, but the rest of the search is bound to be internal now...

Shockwave as well locates some power sources, and detects Jetfire's scanning beams as well. While there's a fairly large area to search, the expected clash between sides starts to escalate as the two sides rule out where they need to be.

Benin-Jeri quotes Bugs Bunny, and the entire Planet of Junk picks up on his reference. The entire population says in unison, "EEEEEEHHH SHAADDDAAAAP!" before going back through their trash collection. Also, Ben detects no living Cybertronians on the station...well aside for the three Cons nearby. If there are any defenses left, they're automated.

Slugfest manages to scramble to keep up with Shockwave's exhaustive search, no doubt waiting for the good opportunity to chainsaw rip into a wall for easy access...

Which leaves Astrotrain out there, having returned to his root mode. A few shots from his ionic displacer rifle in front of the Bots as warning shots. <<Alright, you rust-licking cratermakers. OUT. NOW.>> Astrotrain approaches the two, doing his guard dog bit reluctantly, "You're violating the truce. You're gone, and if you stay. *I* get to kill ya."

Jetfire frowns and looks at Astrotrain. He raises his hands, showing he's in no way going to fight. "All right...all right. Just take it easy. We are observing a truce, and we've broken no rules." He adds "Besides, I believe we're both here for the same reason - to stop what is plaguing our planet at this volitile time."

Shockwave begins his work on the terminal, dividing enough of his attention to maintain necessary radio communication. He examines what he has found quickly and works his technological magic on the terminal. He begins a full scan of the station, which is not particularly efficient, and so he is relying on Astrotrain of all the possible Decepticons to narrow his focus. In the meantime, however, he has to begin somewhere.

Benin-Jeri is about to give Jetfire a warning, but once Astrotrain makes himself known with ionic fire, the point becomes moot. While Jetfire deals with Astrotrain, Ben descends deeper into the station, floating where he can, and walking where he can't. He heads deeper into the center, trying to use the data from his scans, his extensive knowledge of space stations and, most importantly, what he's learned from decades of science fiction films to find the source of potential plot exposition. He mutters to himself, "That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over! What the censored for television are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?"

Astrotrain hesitates, obviously radioing into command as Jetfire lays down some law on him. After about twelve astroseconds, the mech scowls, "Shut up or get wrecked. There's the options." He actually raises his hand in a point, displaying option one being 'shut up' which apparently is not 'leave', and option two being the fist. Astrotrain's stalling of Jetfire is certainly causing the Bots some problems though...

For Shockwave recovers some footage of early war, some of Plumgaige's work. He skips all the boring existential lamaise of the Con Engineer's lifework, skips over the part where the security camera shows Wetworks, the Autobot assassin....assassinating him, and moves forward to his logs. <<....war will be endless, and it'll never change. Now we're doing well, but soon? In an eon, we...(skip skip skip)...pointless warmongering (skip skip skip skip)...my life's work. Presented to both sides, the Energon Rejuvenation matris...i avoid using the word Matrix for (skip skip)...perhaps together we can replenish our power source..but it requ..(skip skip)" Good enough.

Benin-Jeri uses his encyclopedic use of Sci-Fi to...wait was that a Stargate he just passed? Did he just see signs of acid melting through vents? Are...are they in the vents? Well perhaps xenomorphs are, and perhaps they're not, but either way, his exploration proves some fruit as he stumbles across Plumgaige's massive laboratory, partially collapsed. Now what?

In an alternative universe, Dinosaur Office gets a stego in a suit on the team. All are amused.

Utilizing the oft-forgotten ability to spindash, Slugfest slams into the station's weak frame and shoots through like Miley Cyrus on a Wrecking ball, unless only Junkions get that reference. Moments after Benin-Jeri finds himself in the laboratory, he finds himself face to snout with Slugfest who stopped in the same area!

Shockwave analyzes the data that he finds, taking entire files and blasting through them at lightning speed. Such is the advantage of his configuration, and it serves him well here. While Slugfest and the Ice Cream Reference prepare for a showdown at high noon, he delves deeper. The radio has gone silent, but he no longer cares - his focus is exclusively upon this terminal, a hub from which he attempts to brute force his way into anything else that he can. He wants information - he wants all of it, and these Autobots will not stop him.

Benin-Jeri makes a Toy Story Alien 'ooooh!' sound as he finds the lab. Lifting aside collapsed terminals, Ben tries to see what he can get working again. He continues to mutter to himself, "Maybe we can build a fire, sing a couple of songs, huh? Why don't we try that?" After swinging up his motorcycle helmet to see better, he uses his surprisingly prodigious strength to lift and move some of the equipment back into place. He then kneels down, carefully rewiring things together and replacing burnt fuses and tubes.

While Ben works he cheerfully hums ominous music from Dead Space. Hearing a crash, however, he looks up with wide, mismatched optics as an unlikely mecha-stego saws his way into the lab. Trying to move quickly, Ben attempts to bring the equipment to life before Slugfest can do any more damage.

Shockwave and Benin-Jeri, both in their own ways, run...roughshod through the lab's security. Apparently first eon security is old hat. Shockwave manages to prepare the ERM for transport, readying it for transport, as Benin-Jeri works on the physical mechanics of it. In a weird way, the two are actually working together...but when the circular tube opens in the middle of the room, it displays a brilliant sphere...like that of a miniature sun, in the very center. It is surrounded by a field of energy that will most likely hurt whomever touches it....but its Slugfest who is there. Is the Cassettecon willing to get fried to win the prize?

The tiny stego spots the glowy ball! Ooooh, Shockwave would love that! So he pelts little feets running for it, trying to grab it in mouf to carry back to the cons! Ebergy field? What energy field? :P

That energy field.

ZZZZZZAAAAPPPPP. Fried stegosaurus is on the menu as Slugfest electrifies himself getting to the precious macguffin. However his mouth is a bit too small to bite and hold the orb in his mouth, and it is nudged free....for a moment the ball falls to the floor, and those present may wonder exactly how fragile it is.

Cybertron's survival... It falls. It falls, and we're all doomed.

It falls to the floor. It falls to the floor. it falls and we all die.

And then a hand deftly catches it, mere inches from the flooring.

Benin-Jeri catches the football at the last moment...and its time to go home...because the station is falling apart rapidly now thanks to the bulldozing antics.

Slugfest is dazed after attempting to grab the mcmuffin errr macguffin! He sprawls on his side, his mouth numb, feet pawing the air.

Shockwave disengages from the terminal when the system alerts him to the fact that the station's structural integrity is compromised. Very, very compromised. While he knows that they will not be claiming the immediate prize today, the venture has hardly been a... total loss. He does not wait for Astrotrain and Slugfest. Instead, he turns and engages his boot rockets. Astrotrain will be able to fly faster without him anyway.

Benin-Jeri grabs the MacGuffin and tucks it under his arm like a football. He turns to leave poor Slugfest to lie and twitch without even a 'thank you much' for disabling the energy field, but then pauses. After such a courageous act, even for a Decepticon, could Ben just leave a lil stego to die? Clearly not. Scooping up poor Sluggy in his other hand, Ben run run runs like a constipated wiener dog, all the way back to Jetfire, who is presumably still stalling an aggressive Astrotrain. "Let's go," he quotes. "We've got a minute and forty before the end of the world." Taking both Slugfest and the MacGuffin, Ben boards Jetfire and they race back to Autobot territory.

Repair Bay - Medical Wing - Autobot City[]

This medlab is carefully maintained by Blizzard, and is therefore usually spotlessly white and clean. Well-stocked medical cabinets line the walls, and tools and spare parts are hung in strategic places. The room is large, even by Autobot City standards, allowing people the size of Skyfire to move around easily. Various tools are available so medics of all shapes and sizes can work on any patient, no matter the differences in scale. Medtables are carefully arranged around the room to handle as many patients as possible; more are in storage in case there is a rush. Usually, there is at least one medic on hand, even if it is only a lowly intern, or the grumpy Lugnut, who seems to always get stuck with the longest shifts.

Benin-Jeri brings Slugfest back to the Autobot City's lab. After securing the MacGuffin, he lays poor Sluggy on a repair table and gently tries to repair him.

Slugfest is still passed out and probably still twitching a little.

Benin-Jeri gently repairs Slugfest, using whatever parts are at hand, and then encloses him in a little forcebubble to keep him save until Prime decides what to do with him (probably a box postmarked for Abu Dhabi). =)

Slugfest sleeps through the entire thing XD

Benin-Jeri makes sure little Sluggy is safe (and that the lab is safe from Sluggy) and then turns to record a report.

He smiles a somewhat mad grin, and reports, "We have met the enemy, and he is us. And Astrotrain. And Shockwave. And Slugfest. Jetfire and I travelled to Titan Station to pick up some power converters. Never thought I'd be so happy about seeing the Sprawl. While Jetfire parlayed with Astrotrain, I made my way to the lab to see what's on the slab. I see you shiver with antici..."

Ben pauses a few moments, and then finally finishes, "pation!" Ben stops and frowns, like perhaps he lost his train of thought. Finally he brightens, and says, "Lemme esplain. No, there's too much. Lemme sum up: We recovered what may be a way to revitalize the sea of dead energon on Cybertron. This could be Big. Viralcom big. Mr. Big from Sex in the City big.

Ben smiles. "I left the energy rejuvenation doodad in Wheeljack's lab to analyse. In the meantime, we have a visitor on the medlab - a tiny stego that might need to be returned to its owner. I'll keep it on a leash until Prime decides what to do with it. 'Til then -- Seacrest, out!" Ben points a giant remote at the screen, and it goes dark.