Escape from Burpleson

Log Title: Escape from Burpleson

Characters: Baroness, Capt Zero, Growler, Interrogator. Chip Chase (SG), Major Bludd, SG-Artemis, Snoop

Location: Burpleson Air Force Base, Shattered Glass Universe, American Southwest, TFU-verse

Date: May 1, 2011

TP: Shattered Glass TP

Summary: Major Bludd catches a break and escapes from Burpleson, with the aid of the Baroness. Snoop likewise finds herself free.

Burpleson Air Force Base

Burpleson Air Force Base is located in a desert region of the United States of America. It serves as the main control center for the country's Global Orbital Defense Satellites, via an advanced signal relay transmitter. The base's commander is a battle-hungry, commie-hating, cigar-chomping General in need of a psychiatric appointment.

Out in the Desert, past most signs of civilization, is a small cyborg. She is hiding out near a military instalation that she knows of. She is camped out at the top of a sand dune/hill covered in a gahill suit, to make her hard to spot. With her is a large caliber sniper rifle, that she is peering through the scope of, trying to pick out a high value target.

In her mind she hears the voice of Father Cobra tell her: 'Violence should not be the first action of a peaceful society', but she has never been able to completely follow that teaching, or forgive the actions of the government enforcer that killed her father.

So, instead, she tracks the first officer she can find, waiting for him to pause in his movement. When he does, she quickly adjusts her aim to take into account the wind speed, direction, and to account for the drop that gravity will have on the bullet from such a distance. She fires.

Within his dark cell, Major Bludd sits on his uncomfortable bunk and stares unseeingly at the wall. It's only been half an hour, by his rough estimate, since Tomahawk came round to 'ask him some questions', but the bruise on his left cheekbone feels like it's the size of a grapefruit already. He closes his eyes, wondering how he'll get out of this place and what's become of his alternate self.

Major Bludd

This man stands about six feet tall. His black hair is cut short in a military style, and a black vanDyke beard frames his thin lips. He wears blue jeans and an olive t-shirt. His left eye is covered with an eyepatch, evidently to hide the remnants of a past injury.

He has clearly been through some kind of ordeal. His good eye bears a heavy shadow beneath it, as if he's been sleep-deprived, and his face is covered with bruises and minor cuts. His clothing is dirty and in tatters; the lower quarter of his shirt appears to have been torn off. His left hand is wrapped in a strip of cloth whose colour may once have matched that of his shirt. He moves slowly and deliberately, as if each step requires a great amount of effort.

Some unlucky guard has been assigned to prisoner mess duty, and is bringing the Bludds some dinner. Moldy bread, salty water, and day old warm jello.

Major Bludd hears the sound of the latch opening. It's only been about two hours since the last meal, he reasons. His captors must be trying to confuse his internal clock. He gets to his feet as quickly as he can and hides behind the door just before it swings open, leaving the guard to look in, for the moment, on an empty cell.

Capt Zero's armored car is parked within the compound. Zero steps out of the car as the door is opened by his driver, but then hits the ground as he hears the quiet zip and loud clang of an assassin's bullet ricochet off his vehicle. He calls out an alert as he scuttles around to put the car between him and the source of the bullet.

Across the base, the sound of the gunshot rings, a few seconds after the bullet richochets off the car. Artemis frowns, as she misses. The lucky officer must have moved. Well, they know she is here, so it is time to make sure she at least gets someone hurt, or justifying the risk she took to Father Cobra will be... difficult at best. She adjusts her aim, a little, and fires again, as Captain Zero moves to get under cover.

An alarm rings out, and the guard looks up, forgeting, for a moment, about Major Bludd.

>> SG-Artemis strikes Capt Zero with Sniper-Rifle <Low>. <<

In another part of the base, a lone techie jumps as he is startled by the alarms. He curses as he drops the mysterious tape-shaped artifact he was carrying back to the lab.

Major Bludd takes the opportunity to slam the heavy steel door in the guard's face as he stands in the doorway. The tray clatters to the floor, the man staggering aside in confusion and pain. Bludd steps into the doorway and cracks the guard across the jaw with an anger-filled punch.

Capt Zero pokes his head up to shout orders, and curses as a bullet slams into his shoulder. From the walls of the base, soldiers fire somewhat blindly at the dunes surrounding the base.

>> Capt Zero strikes SG-Artemis with Ballistic <Low>. <<

Snoop hits the ground and realizes there are sirens going off in the area.

SG-Artemis is struck by a bullet from one of the guards, and she mutters a curse at her bad luck. She moves forward, leaving her rifle behind. She has decided that she is going to take the Captain down, one way or another. As she slips forward, she pulls out a sub-machine gun, and starts peppering the area around the car with bullets.

>> SG-Artemis misses Capt Zero with VZ 61 Skorpion <Medium>. <<

Capt Zero moves back around the car, and shouts to guards that the attacker is on the move.

Major Bludd peers into the hallway, sees it empty, and drags the unconscious guard into the cell. The guy's clothes are a couple sizes too big for him, but he slips them on over his tattered clothing, making sure to clip the guard's gunbelt on as well. He hopes he doesn't have to make contact with anybody on his way out.

Capt Zero's guards focus their fire as Artemis comes into view, gun blazing.

>> Capt Zero strikes SG-Artemis with Ballistic <Medium>. <<

SG-Artemis is struck again by the guards, luckily she is half metal, and some of the rounds are just causing sparks to fly. While the Skorpion puts out alot of rounds, it is inaccurate as all hell. She drops it as it clicks on empty, and brings up her hand, a gun port opens in it, and a round flies from the opening.

>> SG-Artemis strikes Capt Zero with Hand-Pistol <Medium>. <<

Snoop sends out a small EMP to try and detect if there are any people in the immediate area.

Capt Zero growls as he's struck again by the incoming warrior. He curses, looking to the sky and around for the rest of the force. Surely even a Cobra hippie isn't crazy enough to attack a base on her own. Leaving his ineffectual cover, he moves to intercept the infiltrator, firing his sidearm at the cyborg.

>> Capt Zero misses SG-Artemis with Pistol <Medium>. <<

Snoop sense that there's a humanoid shape low to the ground, as if getting ready to pick her up.

SG-Artemis is able to dive forward as her target shoots at her, and avoid the bullet. She comes up, a pistol in the hand that doesn't have the hole in it. She fires said pistol.

>> SG-Artemis misses Capt Zero with Glock-17A <Medium>. <<

Somewhat disguised in the guard's uniform, Bludd heads down the hallway. He proceeds carefully, avoiding the scrambling guards as they respond to the alarm. He quickly gets the sense that he's lost. "Damn place can't be /that/ big," he mutters. The pounding of feet approach and he ducks into the nearest door, shutting it behind him. As he turns around he sees a man bending to pick up what looks like an audio cassette tape off the floor.

Snoop figures it's now or never, and takes a chance by transforming. Standing in her dino mode, she takes a second to get reoriented and then hisses at the human.

The tiny cassette flips up in the air, transforming into a small Dinobot.

Major Bludd draws his stolen sidearm on the technician. "Don't make a sound," he hisses, "and don't --" He recoils as the cassette becomes a robotic dinosaur.

The techie jumps back as Snoop transforms and hisses at him. He backs away slowly (unwittingly towards Bludd), and holds out his hands. "Uh, nice, uh.. robot?"

>> Capt Zero strikes SG-Artemis with Smash. <<

Capt Zero's soldiers back away, not risking another shot that might hit their captain.

Snoop notices another human behind the tech and panics. Weighing her options, she turns and runs down the hallway, trying to find a way out.

SG-Artemis is hit in one of the few places where there is almost no metal in her body, and she is struck hard. She falls to the ground, her pistol flying. From her hand emergeges a set of claws, and she rushes Zero with them extended. She swipes them at him, while her eyes dart for a way out of this mess.

>> SG-Artemis strikes Capt Zero with Claws. <<

The tech erks as he belatedly notices the Major and his pistol. "Oh, man," he thinks. "This is not my day!"

Major Bludd spends only a moment watching the dinosaur run off. Seems the owners of the base like to collect all manner of things. He seizes the tech by the shoulder. "Gimme yer radio," he growls. "I need t'make a call."

Capt Zero cries out as he's slashed across the legs, bleeding as he stumbles back from the cyborg. "Kill it!" he yells, and keeps staggering back and the soldiers once again open fire.

>> Capt Zero misses SG-Artemis with Ballistic <High>. <<

SG-Artemis starts backing away from the base, slowly, firing rounds from each arm now. Some at Capt Zero, some at the Guards.

>> SG-Artemis misses Capt Zero with Handgun <Medium>. <<

The tech gulps. "Of course. It's on my belt. You can have it!" He keeps his hands up, obviously afraid of getting shot.

Capt Zero stumbles back behind some cover. "Seal the base! Don't let that thing escape!"

"Smart man," Bludd says, grabbing the radio. He gives the tech a shove. "Go sit in that corner," he orders, "away from the door." He holsters the pistol in order to adjust the frequencies on the radio for a moment.

SG-Artemis starts to move faster at the yell, but risks one more shot at the Captain....

>> SG-Artemis critically strikes Capt Zero with Arm-Rifle <Medium>! <<

The tech covers in the corner. The smell of urine suddenly fills the hall. In the meantime, the only thing between Snoop and freedom is a pretty glass door.

Snoop notices natural light at the end of the hall, and makes a full-tilt run, determined to finally get out of this place after months of captivity. She strikes the glass, shattering it, and tries to run through, only to get caught and tripped up by the crash bar in the middle of the door. Briefly hanging out of the door, she wriggles her little arms and legs trying to get free. Eventually she topples over through the top part of the door, landing on the ground below.

(Radio) Major Bludd transmits *static* "-ving me? Ana, you there?" to Baroness.

Capt Zero rises up somewhat to yell at the troops and takes a lucky bullet to the chest. He stumbles backward in a pool of his own blood, gasping in pain. At the crash, half the troops, stop and gape at the sight of the 6' silver robot dino struggling in the doorway.

(Radio) Baroness sends Major Bludd a radio transmission, "Sebas....at you?"

Major Bludd fiddles with the radio some more, pausing to look over at the technician. "What's the quickest way outta here?" he demands.

The tech silently points the way Snoop took, now a bit brighter.

With that final shot, and the distraction of the robot, the Sniper turns, and hotfoots it back to her escape vehicle... just a fast off road motorcycle....

>> SG-Artemis retreats from the area, leaving herself open to Major Bludd, Capt Zero, and Snoop. <<

(Radio) Major Bludd transmits 'Not ... left, Ana. Adrenalin ... outta here?' to Baroness.

(Radio) Baroness sends Major Bludd a radio transmission, Where... you? Repe.... Where are....?

Major Bludd runs for the door the tech indicated, his step noticeably shakier now. Whatever reserves of adrenaline he had are fading away fast.

The base forces fire at Artemis as she retreats, rushing to their own vehicles...

>> Capt Zero misses SG-Artemis with Ballistic <Medium>. <<

GAME: Major Bludd PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

(Radio) Major Bludd transmits 'Don't know. Will ... out.'

Half the forces are distracted by the run-away dino. No one seems to have taken notice of Bludd in all the confusion.

(Radio) Baroness sends Major Bludd a radio transmission, "Keep transmitting, I am getting..oser. Almost lock....down your...gnal

SG-Artemis gets to her Bike, and fires it up. She goes offroading, but leaves a trail of dust and sand in her wake.

Major Bludd staggers out of the door, noticing with passing interest that its glass has been smashed out. He puts his back against the outer wall and takes stock of the situation.

GAME: Capt Zero PASSES a LEADERSHIP roll of Average difficulty.

Snoop scrambles to her feet and then notices all of the people looking at her.

Capt Zero lies in a pool of blood, being attended to by a small team of medics. A couple of Joe desert dune buggies chase Artemis across the desert, disappearing in the distance.

Rage #760 has arrived.

(Radio) Baroness sends Major Bludd a radio transmission, I think... I think I found you.

Major Bludd seems to be virtually alone except for the robotic dinosaur he found inside the base. He watches it carefully, hoping it doesn't decide to make a meal out of him. "Ana," he mutters into his stolen radio, "you find me yet?"

Snoop hears a whisper and whips around to look at the human behind her. She quietly assess the situation to see if he means harm.

Major Bludd's hand goes to his sidearm instinctively as the dinosaur whirls on him. His knees, however, choose that moment to abandon their posts and he finds himself sliding down the wall to sit heavily on the sand. "God, I'm just s'tired," he mutters to himself. "I hope," he says to the robot, with slightly more volume, "you're not hungry."

Capt Zero's soldiers form a large half-circle around Snoop, rifles raised, afraid to move closer.

Snoop looks at the man. "I no have energoodie, I eat goodie, not squishie. I wanna go home wit Blasser and play wit stick. He in snand somewhere."

GAME: Major Bludd FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

Rage #760 comes roaring down the road towards Burpleson. It is loud it is obvious and it is bristling with weapons.

Major Bludd stares up at the dinosaur, squinting. "Right," he breathes. "Ana," he says into his radio, "I could use --" He stops as the sound of an engine reaches his ears. "You a good robot or a bad robot?" he asks the dinosaur, chuckling at his own words and wincing immediately as the laughter aggrivates his chest injury.

Capt Zero's jump and spread out as another vehicle heads for the base. The order the vehicle to slow, and if it doesn't, they open fire.

Snoop tilts her head. "I good robot! I ottobot!"

Major Bludd says, "You want outta here?"

GAME: Major Bludd FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Above Average difficulty.

Rage #760 doesn't stop. Not at all. It rams the gate!

Capt Zero's troops open fire, trying to stop the vehicle in its tracks

>> Capt Zero strikes Rage #760 with Ballistic <High>. <<

Rage #760 is struck by some bullets but really they don't do a lot. The main gun on the Rage opens fire firing more to scatter the guards than anything. Baroness has no clue where Bludd is exactly so doesn't want to target the buildings....

GAME: Major Bludd PASSES a STRENGTH roll of Below Average difficulty.

The Burpleson Air Force Base is hoppin' tonight. A sniper has grievously wounded Captain Zero, allowing a disguised Major Bludd and an Autobot dino to escape confinement. Now a Cobra Rage is assaulting the base directly. The Joes scramble to respond.

Snoop is standing outside a building, facing and talking to Bludd.

Capt Zero's troops run to their own vehicles to respond. A few cover the dino, but the rest back off to deal with the more immediately-hostile threat.

Major Bludd pushes himself up to a standing position with some difficulty. "H'lo?" He takes a shaky step toward the dinosaur. "You wanna get outta here? The guns can't hurt you, yeah?"

Chip's SUV pulls into the area, a relatively safe distance from the action. Chip looks on impassively. His aide, who is also CEO of Chase Industries sighs and looks at Chip. "I understand why we're watching the Joes...but as CEO, I have to say, this makes ZERO sense. They are our third biggest client. Why are we threatening them to crash their entire system just for some...low-level drug dealer!" He tries to grin and encourage Chip. "We're supposed to make money! You don't make money when your clients hate you!"

Snoop says, "I wanna go home! Gun can shoot, but Blasser have me fixed!"

Chip Chase looks out from his SUV window (bulletproof!) disinterested, looking on in the action. "I need to see how much I can cripple the Joes if they cannot deliver Buster to me."

Troops bring a small contingent of buggies and tanks around to stop the Rage.

Rage #760 fires off a barrage of Rockets at some of the buggies while the driver heads straight for the mass of buildings "Come on Bludd come out here now!"

"'M about past fixed," Bludd mumbles. He starts edging toward the sound of the commotion. "Ana, what's goin' on?" he radios. "These lads're gonna start shootin' soon, I reckon!"

Explosions light the base as the sky starts to darken. The Joes fire back, bullets bouncing off the Rage's armor.

Chase Industry's CEO jumps in terror as the explosions rock the SUV. Chip remains unphased, cupping his hands yawning. His halo still firmly attached to his shoulders.

Rage #760> Baroness radio's Bludd, "Oh, they are... shooting, that is. But give me a good idea where you are, and I can pick you up, and we can get the hell out of here...."

Capt Zero's troops continue to fire in on the Rage, while others start to tighten their semi-circle around Snoop. From behind Bludd, the sounds of boots can be heard as reinforcements approach from within the building.

"They're gonna start shootin' at me!" Bludd protests into the radio. "'M outside with a dinosaur," he adds. "An' not delerious yet." He looks over at the robot dinosaur. "I don't think." He looks over his shoulder toward the building. "Gonna get real messy in a sec, dino," he says, staggering toward Snoop. "If we help each other mebbe both'll get out alive."

Snoop swings back to Bludd. "What you need? I wanna go to snand."

Rage #760> Baroness looks for the Dinosaur... and what do you know... She drives the Rage for it. And while she does, she deploys the Mines in the back of the Rage to take out any of the Joe Buggies that try to follow.

GAME: Capt Zero PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Capt Zero's troops begin to realize the wounded soldier talking to Snoop is not one of theirs.

Chip Chase sighs inside his SUV. Pulling up a laptop and begins accessing the SG-Joe base network. Right now, he doesn't do anything, but he pinpoints the vulnerable areas that he can exploit. Chase Industry's CEO looks on nervously. "Sir...maybe we should go to a less...chaotic area? I think I saw a Dairy Queen a few miles ago."

Major Bludd points to the oncoming Rage. "That'll get us outta here," he says, pausing to clutch at his chest. "Shield me," he requests, "'til we get to it. Then ... then you can get small an' I'll carry you out." He glances around to the base troops. "If they shoot me now, ain't nobody gonna fix me, ever."

Capt Zero's troops raise their rifles and aim at Bludd.

Rage #760> Baroness aims the Rage's machine guns at the troops, and fires at them, while driving for Bludd's location. No time to make sure they are down though... got to get the Rage between Bludd and the rest of the troops, so he can climb in....

GAME: Capt Zero PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty.

Capt Zero's troops stand their ground, for all the good it does them. Those that aren't gunned down by the Rage's weapons are ran down by its bulk.

Snoop looks from the human to the loud vehicle. She drops back to stand in front of him, then slowly starts walking toward the tank, lunging at soldiers in front of her.

Capt Zero falls back away from the guns, death, and scary-toothed dino.

Rage #760> Baroness sees the Dinosaur, and mutters, "That thing is NOT hitching a ride with us...."

Chase Industries' CEO is now getting spooked. SG-Harvard Business school has NOT taught him how to weather this storm. "Chip...let's leave...now!" Robot dinosaurs, firepower? Big vehicles? It's too much. Chip looks out the window and yawns. "You're no fun...we're staying." He opens up another window and says "Start the car and I'll cripple your credit rating."

Rage #760> Baroness also hopes she doesn't have to shoot it....

Major Bludd stays behind Snoop as the dinosaur makes its way to the Rage. "Glad y'could make it," he quips to the Baroness. "I made a deal," he tells her. He turns to Snoop. "Do that trick y'do," he says, leaning heavily on the door of the Rage.

Snoop looks at Bludd. "Dat okay. You go here. I go out in snand and find home."

GAME: Base guards PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty.

Base guards regroup, piling into more vehicles and calling for additional reinforcements.

Rage #760> Baroness breaths a sigh of relief, both at Bludd's arrival, and at word that the Dino is going to make its own way home....

Larger-calibre weapons start hammering the Rage, doing increasingly more damage. Soon the Baroness's own retreat will be threatened.

Snoop hops around to the side of the vehicle and swings her tail at some soldiers to force them back.

Major Bludd steps up onto the platform on the outside of the Rage. "Get us outta here, Ana!" he gasps. "Good luck, dino," he adds in a murmur, clinging to the Rage's frame with white-knuckled fingers.

Base guards's back away quickly. In this universe, Transformers are still a dangerous novelty, and no one wants to the the first to face Snoop's shiny teeth.

Chip's driver's eyes bulge as he sees Snoop's tail swing. "Shitshitshitshitshitshitshit!" Chip remains undaunted. "Stay..."

Rage #760> Baroness mutters, "About time...." She floors the accelerator, and starts firing every weapon the Rage has left, that she figures she can spare... They still have to make it THROUGH the rift guards on the other side....

Rage #760

       This vehicle is a rolling armory, practically a tank in and of itself. Four armored wheels support the sandy tan-colored chassis, with its crimson armored doors and turret. A reinforced metal plate protects the front, ideal for ramming targets. A slit space has been removed from the middle of this plate to make room for the small gatling cannon protruding like a nose. A pop-out conical rocket pod is mounted on the port side of the vehicle, while the rear of the vehicle conceals a minelayer. A pair of small missiles is mounted on the main turret, with another pair mounted to the vehicle's roof beside it. The turret, itself, sports a large pair of concussion cannons. The passenger door has #760 stenciled in yellow, while the Cobra insignia is emblazoned on the roof and either side of the vehicle.

Outside, Snoop looks at the soldiers and notices panic. She starts running circles around them to kick up some dust.

Outside, GAME: Base guards PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty.

Outside, Base guards open fire on the Rage and Snoop

Outside, >> Base guards strikes Rage #760 with Ballistic <Medium>. <<

Outside, >> Base guards misses Snoop with Ballistic <Medium>. <<

Outside, Chip's driver's voice breaks. "I think we've seen enough!"

Baroness ignores the fire coming from the guards, and heads back for the main gate. "Hold on tight...."

Outside, Snoop hears something zip past her in the cloud of dust. Thinking it was enough time for the vehicle to get away, she runs off toward the desert. She pops up long enough to look into the SUV window for Blaster, then continues on into the great expanse of sand.

Outside, >> Snoop retreats from the area, escaping all attackers. <<

Major Bludd clambers into one of the tank's seats, scrunching himself down as best he can to avoid having his head either shot off by the guards or knocked off by the Rage's main gun. He braces himself at the Baroness' warning, watching the sky move past overhead.

Outside, Chip's driver shrieks as Snoop looks into the vehicle. Chip looks up disinterested, the dino reflected in his mirrored glasses. "He better leave before he gets fired upon" is all he says.

Baroness heads for the gate using the last of the mines to cover the rear...

Outside, >> Rage #760 retreats from the area, leaving itself open to Snoop, Base guards, and Chip Chase. <<

Outside, Base guards gives chase in Joe buggies, but mines left in the Rage's wake, shall we say, discourage pursuit.

Outside, >> Base guards critically strikes Rage #760 with Ballistic <Low>! <<

Outside, Chip Chase looks up dully from the retreating vehicle. "I've seen all I want to see." He barely flinches from the crippling blast the Base Guards just leveled upon the vehicle.

Outside, From the scrimage, Chip pulls off reams of data from his laptop. He looks over at his driver and says disinterestedly "Schedule a meeting with the highest-ranking Joe(SG) ASAP. I wish to renegotiate our contract."

Outside, Chip's driver smiles and says politely "As you wish...but I must restate...threatening clients is NOT a good way to build maximum customer satisfaction!"

Outside, Capt Zero is carried back to medical and put on life support while his wounds are tended to.

Baroness heads to the portal.

Major Bludd notes with some dismay that the guard's uniform shirt he's wearing is rapidly becoming bloody. "There yet?" he asks with all the energy he can muster.

American Southwest - Shattered Glass Universe

       The Southwestern United States is defined as the states that lie west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37, 38, 39, or 40 degree north latitude. A 97.33 longitude degree west could qualify as the separation of the American Southwest from the American South. The Southwest historically began at the far west side of Fort Worth, 10 miles east of downtown Austin, and 55 miles east of downtown San Antonio. Some sources however, put this boundary line much further west, classifying most of Texas and Oklahoma as a "southwestern" sub-region of the South itself, thus distinguishing them from the other states commonly considered Southwestern. However, Southwestern vegetation such as the Desert Spoon, Prickly Pear Cactus, and the Spanish Dagger can be seen growing natively in Austin, the Texas Hill Country, San Antonio, South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, and South Padre.

       The Southwest is ethnically varied, with significant European American and Hispanic American populations in addition to more regional African American, Asian American, and American Indian populations.

       The area also contains large cities and metropolitan areas, despite its low population density in rural areas. Houston, Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio are among the top ten most populous cities in the country. Many of the states in this region, such as Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas have witnessed some of the highest population growth in the United States. Urban areas in this region, like Albuquerque, Austin, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson and El Paso are some of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

               (Source: Wikipedia)

Baroness nods, "Almost to the portal... but we'll have to hope our forces have retaken the other side..."

Major Bludd starts removing the bloody outer shirt. "These stitches's bad," he states. "Too much movin'. Who's guardin' it?"

Baroness says simply, "I ordered Interrogator and Over Kill to take it back...."

Southwest Portal You enter the portal... Southwest United States - North America The Desert Southwest is exactly what it sounds like: Desert.. The arid regions of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico predominate, with their rocky peaks. The major vegetation in these areas consists of desert scrub and cacti. Rainfall in this region is sporadic, limited to annual downpours that lead to flash floods. Habitation is sparse and centers around water and/or major highways. Some towns are little more than wider parts in the road with gas stations. A quarter tank of gas can mean the difference between life and death here. Only appropriate in this area that a road listed as 'Route 666' runs through this, from New Mexico into Utah, crossing the corner of Colorado to get there. Utah and Colorado are anomalies in the northern part of this region, with their more forested areas. Along the western section of this region is California with a paradox of climates. The southern half of the state is similar to the more arid areas of Utah and Arizona, while the Northern and coastal regions are more lush and green, like Colorado.

Major Bludd gives up after he realises he can't get the shirt off over his shoulders without further opening his stitches. "Wunnerf'l," he mumbles.

Baroness comes driving through the portal, as fast as the Rage can. Immediately she sends a radio message, before even looking around to see which side controls the portal....

The sound of the Rage's engine becomes a comforting background sound to Bludd as he sits slumped in one of the vehicle's passenger compartments. He clutches his chest wound shut with one hand, gripping the side of the compartment with the other. "No booms?" he asks weakly. "No bad guys?"

Outside, A pair of Vectors flies in at Mach4, bringing backup to the portal area. A slower one comes in behind him with its human passengers. "Be careful." their leader calls from the lead vector. "There may be more Autobots."

Baroness keeps accelerating, after coming through the portal, just hoping that no one starts shooting.... of course, that doesn't mean no one will.... the Joes open fire....

Outside, Interrogator is watching from a monitor in the Vector. He flinches as the Joes open fire on the lone Rage and cusses in Russian. He says to Over Kill, "Can a Vector pick up a Rage?"

Outside, Growler stands a short distance from the portal, talking idly with a group of classic-car aficionado soldiers, when the Rage comes roaring out of the portal. "Uh-oh," he grunts. "Not that thing again."

Outside, Rage #760 has no rear facing weapons left except for the main guns which can be traversed in that direction. The Cannons turn slowly until they face the portal and the Joes and they begin to fire.

The firing of the main cannon disrupts Bludd's blood loss-inspired doze and he frowns, removing his hand from his wound to place both over his ears. "Nnnghh. Loud, Too loud."

Outside, "Hey!" Growler calls after the speeding Rage. "You can't just zoom on through there!" He runs a few steps after the vehicle, shouting.

Outside, Interrogator watches as the Autobot chases after the Rage, saying to himself, "Come on, you can make it..."

Baroness smirks, "Try and stop me..." She fires a round of the Main Cannon at Growler, while still speeding off....

Outside, Rage #760 targets Growler with its weapons.

The computer beeps. "Target acquired."

Outside, >> Rage #760 misses Growler with Concussion-Cannon <Medium>. <<

Outside, Growler dances aside as an explosive round hits the ground near his feet. "Man, those sting," he mutters. As the Rage seems to be hell-bent on leaving the immediate area, Growler stands his ground, remaining near the portal.

Baroness doesn't stop, and since there is no pursuit, doesn't continue to fire.

Outside, >> Rage #760 retreats from the area, leaving itself open to Interrogator, Growler, Nightfall, and Over Kill. <<

Rage #760 disengages its targeting systems.

The computer beeps. "Targeting disengaged."

Major Bludd fidgets in his seat. "Done boomin' now?" he asks shakily, placing a bloody hand over his eyes.

Baroness mutters, "Hopefully. Just hang in there, 'bastian." She reaches over, and rubs his cheek, breifly, before placing both hands back on the controls, and muttering, "That evac would be nice, any time....."

Major Bludd smiles briefly at the touch, closing his eyes. He's quiet for a few minutes, then mutters, "Duct tape," definitively, as if declaring an important fact.