| abstract
| - October 09, 2011, 6:11 PM Murusa Guardbreak Shattersphere Sepphoris Protofire --- The sharp, crystalline scree is scattered over the east-west road itself, and the valley itself is silent, with no sign of the missing patrol team. The landslide that buried the road must have been recent, with crystals not yet settled, and the occasional sharp tink-tink-tink sound as something shifts within the drift of shards on the road. The larger drift on the north side of the road is undisturbed, the slide having come off the southern hill-face. Still- all seems peaceful - for now. Murusa came on duty to find out about the fact that a group of guards had not returned from investigating the earthquakes and had asked for a couple volunteers to come with her to seek them out. The last contact was out here in the Valley of the Shards. She surveyed the landslide suspiciously as she paused, listening to the sound of the crystals tinking against each other. Guardbreak picks his way around the road, keeping a careful optic on the landslide for any sign of further collapse. //No sign of the team yet, ma'am.// He comms to Murusa and their companions, glancing sharply up the hill as a segment shifts. //It's possible they were trapped and crushed in the landslide.// //I'm sure they're fine!// Shattersphere pipes up, starting to scramble a bit haphazardly up the hill to try and get a better vantage point. //The landslide's stable, ma'am, or at least my sensors say it is. I could be wrong, but I don't think so, 'cause practice makes perfect and I've had a lot of practice with landslides and collapses and stuff.// Sepphoris steps lightly through the undisturbed portion of crystals, one of the ubiquitous market baskets from the Crystal City marketplace carried in one hand. She periodically stops and sifts through the crystals around her feet to pluck out a few to put in the basket before moving on. She reaches the edge of the landslide area and stops in surprise, looking down over the very recent change in the topography. Murusa picks up the dicebag and rolls against her awareness. Murusa's roll fails! Murusa listens to the comms from her two volunteers as she observed them move around. Wisely she didn't join them, more intent on carefully scanning the comms for any sign of their lost guards. //Any sign of them having gone through before this landslide?// she comms to them both. Shattersphere picks up the dicebag and rolls against her awareness. Shattersphere's roll fails! Guardbreak picks up the dicebag and rolls against his awareness. Guardbreak's roll succeeds! Sepphoris picks up the dicebag and rolls against its awareness. Sepphoris's roll fails! Guardbreak activates his comm to respond, but pauses as his sensors alert him to a minute shift in the ground beneath him. Narrowing his optics, he focuses more on the top of the scree, trying to ascertain if it's going to collapse any further and endanger them. To his surprise, there appears to be some sort of shadow falling on the collapsed metal, and he hikes his sensors up even higher. //Shattersphere, get down from there. There are tremors starting.// He snaps, not quite sure if the shadow is anything important enough to note. There's a tiny, almost imperceptble rumble, and another small shower of crystalline gravel scatters down the hillside, along with a distinct low 'thud'- more felt than heard-, originating from over the top of the hill. Murusa keeps watch as she walks a bit closer to the landslide itself, trying to see for herself if there were traces of the guard that are missing. The tremor and thud makes the Angel Commander frown slightly, "I do not like this." is murmured then comms /I need someone to get on the other side of the hill and find out what that noise was about./ Shattersphere glances over her shoulder, tilting her head in confusion. //Huh? I didn't notice anything. There aren't any tremors in the landslide...// Regardless, she moves to obey the not-quite-order, just beginning her descent down the landslide-formed hill when the gravel skitters down past her, and she stops. //That's not... Okay, ma'am! I'll go!// She turns back around, snapping her facemask and visor down as she ascends to the top of the hill. That's enough proof of something wrong for Guardbreak, and he frowns. //Ma'am, there appears to be some sort of shadow at the top of the landslide. It may be nothing, but I suggest we proceed with extreme caution.// He warns, shifting into a mildly defensive stance as he watched the large femme scramble up the face of the landslide. Another deep rumble shivers through the ground beneath the guards' feet. Murusa listens to the suggestion then comms to both, //Make it so. No need to be rash. We do not know what we are dealing with here.// Then another rumble, //Keep your scanners on high, if the ground feels at all unstable I want you both out of there.// Shattersphere's optics widen behind her visor as she makes it to the top of the landslide, staring down in disbelief at the sight that greets her. The new tremor goes completely unnoticed as she takes in its source- a massive cityformer forcing itself to its feet, one fist (and holy Primus that fist alone was as tall as her) pressing against the ground, shaking it with every shift. //Uh. Uh. Uh. The ground's totally stable, ma'am.// She says faintly over the comm, managing not to fall on her aft in surprise. //We need reinforcements. As many as they can send. Uh. If they can send everyone, that would be really really great. I think I found where the patrol went.// Sepphoris looks down the landslide, then notices the guards also in the area and the odd deep rumbling. Adjusting her footing, she looks around curiously. This area is usually so... peaceful. A prime harvest zone for those trace elements she finds so useful. After another moment of nothing untoward, she steps carefully to look for some more of the bits along the ground and out to where she's immediately visible to anyone else in the area. Guardbreak tenses, both at the fresh series of rumbles and Shattersphere's response. //What did you find?// He demands, edging toward the landslide himself when he spots the new femme, murmuring a rather foul word to himself. "You there!" He calls out just loud enough to be heard, motioning for her to approach him. Murusa wasn't sure what to make of the stuttering other than whatever Shattersphere was seeing was a sight to behold. //Could you tell me why I'm about to call in all the guards and omega units out this way because it better be good enough to abandon our city if it's not major.// then looking over toward Guardbreak she tries to find whom he's speaking toward and then spots Sepphoris. She'll let him handle the civilian as she makes her slow and steady way toward Shattersphere. Another thump-and rumble and a deep growling boom are audible from the other side of the hill. //M-ma'am, it's major. It's so majorly major I would think I was joking if I wasn't looking at it myself.// Shattersphere answers, cautiously stepping forward and taking out her spear. It's more for her reeling processor than any real show of intimidation. //He's big. So big. Like, bigger than the guardians, he could step on all of us and not even notice big. And he's standing up oh Primus ma'am this is not good.// There's an edge of hysteria coming into her tone as she watches the giant start to get to his feet. Sepphoris stops and looks at Guardbreak, then does as she's bid. She watches her feet as she steps carefully toward Guardbreak both to keep from slipping and to continue scanning the ground for any small crystalline shards that she can use. As soon as she's close enough she addresses the mech politely. "Sir?" Murusa keeps moving carefully toward the other femme, taking a longer route that didn't involve that landslide of crystal shards. She cues up her comm, //Murusa to all available guards and omega units, we require your presence at the Valley of the Shards immediately. Hold your fire until it is determined what exactly we are up against.// then she taps her private comm, //We need you at the Valley of the Shards sir, something is going down.// She finishes those comms as she finally comes to the top of the hill... and beholds... "By Primus..." The giant form unfolds further as he rocks to his feet with a crashing groan of long-frozen gears and hydraulics, dim optics each as wide as Murusa is tall whirring as the derelict cityformer focuses on the tiny forms in front of it. Guardbreak frowns as the ground shudders again and some sort of sound reaches his audios. "You need to return to the city immediately-" He cuts off as Shattersphere's comm comes through, optic ridges drawing down sharply as he glances over to both the guard femmes. //Ma'am, there is a civillian here who will require immediate evacuation should this become a firefight.// He comms, about to turn his attention back to the femme before him when the cityformer finally becomes visible. "...Primus preserve and protect us." He murmurs in disbelief, reaching over to grasp Sepphoris' arm. "You need to leave. Now. Shattersphere cycles her optics in a rapid sequence as she stares back at the giant towering over them, hesitantly taking a step forward. "Uh..." Shifting her spear to her dominant hand, she raises the free one to wave up at the cityformer. "Hi there big fella!" She calls out, forcing the nervousness out of her tone. Hey, he might be friendly, she doesn't know. Murusa comms back to Guardbreak as she holds the huge forms gaze, //Do it.// Certainly the old femme had built many a tall building in her time, but this immense being was something else all together. She steps ahead of Shattersphere, raising her voice as loudly as she could, "Greetings and good cycle oh giant of us all. We had no clue you were here or I am sure we would have been here sooner to raise you from your recharge. May we know your name?" Sepphoris looks surprised by Guardbreak's words, but immediately willing to comply. "Of cour..." His epithet cuts her off and she turns to follow his gaze, her optics going wide. "What in Primus' name?" GROOOOAAAAAANNNN! The cityformer shakes his massive head and his optics flash on and off a few times with a sound like giant banks of halogen road lamps lighting, and he leans over towards the little transformers in front of him, eyeing them at close range. Rousing himself from his monastic meditations, PRotofire indeed, answered the call swiftly as he exited the city, with a wing of others called as well. They flew over the roadways on their cushions of air as he homed in on Murusa, sending a transmission when he was five minutes away. His brake lights come on abruptly as he rounds the hill, halting and sending those with him scattering to avoid chain rear end collisions with each other. "... Dear god." he states simply, shocked. "Dangerous." Guardbreak answers simply, stepping out in front of the femme protectively. Even the appearance of Protofire and their reinforcements isn't enough to draw his attention away from the giant, and he instictively starts glancing around for anything large enough to use as cover for both himself and Sepphoris if things went badly. Murusa taps her comm, //We have on our hands a very large individual, at least five times the size of a omega unit. Keep fire on hold for now, I want to see if we are dealing with friend or foe here.// then she gestures to herself, "I am Murusa, Crystal City Guardsfemme, commander of the Angels." then she hears the familiar engine of Protofire, but her focus remains upon the behemoth before her as it leans closer. If the older femme is afraid, she surely is NOT showing it. Her posture is relaxed, face a mix of awe and friendliness, "Do you need repairs oh giant one?" is asked. Shattersphere leans back a little in response, craning her neck to keep optic contact with the giant mech as he gets closer. "Er..." She stammers, falling quiet when Murusa talks to the cityformer. Watching him for any sort of response, she takes another few steps forward, standing on the very tips of her feet and stretching out her free hand to gently pat the giant's cheek. "Uh... Thank you for not crushing us?" //I can see that// Replies a shocked sounding PRotofire. //I am doubtful on the success of the Command Code this time around. It backfired last time.../ He doesnt move though as the huge thing overshadows them all. //The last one was smaller. This one is... I really am speechless.// He does though, start to hover forwards as it approaches and seems at least, not hungry. The cityformer narrows its optics at the tiny creature that had the terminity to pat it and ROOAAARRS, hot exhaust blasting past the pair of femmes on the hill and the sound itself echoing loudly down the valley, setting off another cascade of scree sliding down the sides of the valley! Protofire picks up the dicebag and rolls against his agility. Protofire's roll succeeds! Guardbreak picks up the dicebag and rolls against his agility. Guardbreak's roll fails! Guardbreak picks up the dicebag and rolls against his agility. Guardbreak's roll succeeds! Guardbreak snarls quietly as the scree starts to collapse, coming down at him and the civillian femme with alarming speed. He turns, managing to shove Sepphoris out of the path of the landslide as it hits, but not quite fast enough to make it out of the way himself, the pile of loosened metal coming crashing down on top of him. Murusa frowns at Shattersphere then bends her legs at the knee to keep from toppling over from that mighty yell the huge mech just let forth. Even then she skids back a bit on the hillside. "Shattersphere, stand back. Now." her tone low, but full of authority. "She meant you no disrespect oh giant one. None of us do. Surely you are awake for a reason and we are all curious as to why." then a comm to Protofire, //The last one the Cons controlled. This one we cannot allow that to occur to or we are truly doomed.// "Ware!" calls out Protofire as the slide occurs, a sparkling cascade of crystals as he hits his jets, lifting up into the air as he circles around carefully in midair, moving closer to Murusa before he transformed to his robot mode, nodding in agreement to her //It could be a powerful ally if we could convince it. Does it seem sentient?// he glances to Guardbreak's last seen location, making his way over quickly while he allows Murusa to handle it, and the civillian "What brings you here, Civillian of the City?" Sepphoris yelps in surprise when she's shoved clear of the renewed landslide by Guardbreak, losing her balance and hitting the ground roughly with her hands and knees. She looks back and tries to locate the guard that pushed her clear, but he's just... gone. She glances up at the flight-capable Protofire, then back at the fresh 'slide in a bit of shock. "He... he's buried." Shattersphere flinches at the roar, bracing herself against the blast of exhaust from the giant. She hesitates at Murusa's order- she's only being friendly, why would anyone be mad about that?- but steps back anyways, glancing down when her audios stop ringing and she hears the commotion from below. //Um... Guardbreak? Where'd you go?// She asks nervously, trying to spot the other guardmech they were with. Murusa considers the being before her then replies. It had not spoken, but it did shake it's head to a question so it must have some understanding of language. //Sentiance yes. How smart it is to be determined.// she comms back to Protofire. Her focus is that large mech, letting the retired mech help the other guardsmech out. "Do you understand me?" this directed toward the giant. The Cityformer's enormous hands dig into the loose rubble of the hillside, dislodging more debris as he shoves himself to his feet, dismissing the smaller shapes for the moment and looking around. He takes a step forward- a single stride is enough for him to overset the top of the hill and bring his left foot down in the valley below, narrowly missing the guards massing on the road below. //Keep your optics on him, but do NOT attack. Stand back.// Directs Protofire as the huge thing steps OVER him. His optics flicker a moment as he moves over carefully, clambering over towards Sepphoris, offering a hand "Help me find him. HE should be okay." he advises, voice tense, but calm. Guardbreak grumbles as he manages to force his way out of the pile of gravel, optics narrowing as he feels the small chunks of metal grinding in his joints. That's going to be pit to get out later. He barely has enough time to feel relieved that he got the civillian out of the way before the giant foot slams down almost on top of him, and he takes a few quick steps back, careful not to trip over the pile of rubble behind him. Murusa picks up the dicebag and rolls against her agility. Murusa's roll fails! Shattersphere picks up the dicebag and rolls against her agility. Shattersphere's roll succeeds! Shattersphere watches the giant mech step over them, bracing herself to stay on her feet as his movements shake the ground around them. "Um. I don't think he understands us, ma'am." She says quietly, only her orders keeping her from trying to catch the large mech's attention again. //Should we try to stop him?// Murusa tries to keep her feet but the tremor the giant caused finally upsets her normally solid stance and she's sent skidding down the scree toward where the others are located.. not that she would reach them. She frowns and turns over to get to her feet, glancing over at Protofire, realizing now what Shattersphere had said referred to Guardbreak. A soft huff given, "He appears to be looking for something." she notes softly. "Let's let him be, see what he does. He hasn't fired upon us, which I take as a good sign." "are you okay, Guardbreak? " asks Protofire, voice quiet as he glances up and down his soldier, before peering way up at the creature again. His wings snap idly, and nods in agreement to Murusa "I concur; if he does not speak, it would be a pity that we could not ask him and perhaps help him." remarks Protofire "I'm fine, sir." Guardbreak answers gruffly, rolling his shoulders to try and knock the chunks of metal out of those joints. He edges around the large foot, joining the rest of the group. "And if he approaches the city?" He asks, turning his full attention to the giant towering over them. "Do we simply assume he has no hostile intent and let him be?" Another giant step moves the cityformer's right leg over the top of the northern-most hill and into the valley on the other side. His head continues to turn from side to side as he heads north and east. Shattersphere picks her way down the hillside as the cityformer takes another step, stopping by Murusa and offering her help to balance the other femme. "Uh... So are we just going to let him go, ma'am?" She queries, letting her mask and visor to retract, revealing an openly confused expression. Sepphoris pushes herself to her feet, either refusing Protofire's offered hand or not realizing he was offering to help her stand. She watches the cityformer simply walk over them with an expression of awe. "Is that...?" Murusa watched which way that giantic step took and considered thoughtfully, "Doesn't appear to be headed toward our city at all." she pointed out as the city was to the west and the giant was moving east. "It's almost like it's headed toward Iacon, but not quite." she looks toward Shattersphere, "Not easy to stop something that big, even with our forces." she then looks toward Protofire, "Should we contact Iacon and let the Autobots know that thing may be headed their way?" "Polyhex perhaps? What DOES lay in that direction? " asks Protofire aloud, nodding to Guardbreak as he sidesteps as well, carefully balancing on the uneven surface "We'll discourage him from continuing, without being hostile if possible. And yes, we should let him be. No need awakening the ire of a giant." he notes to all present, turning to focus on the civillian again. The enormous mech takes another shambling step, kicking the top off the hill as he lifts the foot out of the valley and showering the troops with gravel as he exits their immediate vicinity. Guardbreak grunts, watching the giant cityformer move away from them toward the east. "Very well." He answers, flinching as the gravel raining down on all of them pings over the small collection of dents he earned during his tangle with the landslide. "Well, okay." Shattersphere says with a small frown, yelping at the sudden flood of gravel smacking into her back. It almost manages to send her tumbling heels-over-head down the hillside, but she manages to catch herself at the last moment. "Um, should we tell someone about this? He's kind of big and could really hurt people on accident." "I will ask the Hierophant to send a message to Optimus Prime." promises Protofire, crouching as well as crystals clattered off his armor. "... Amazing, isnt it, that our world could have such creatures." Murusa considers that question then shakes her head, "Would make more sense to go south from here if it was going toward Polyhex. Remember there's a sinkhole not far from it and going north would bring it to that and be unwise to try and cross." She ducks down a bit as the gravel comes raining down on them all. "It will tended to, be calm." toward the other femme. Sepphoris brushes bits of fstuff off of her shoulders, then looks around for her dropped market basket for a moment before realizing that Protofire is looking at her. Of course that makes her stop and look a bit guilty. "Your name? " he asks expectantly of Sepphoris, tilting his head. "Are you okay, Murusa? Status report - everyone!" he states, looking about at the NPCs as well. Guardbreak narrows his optics slightly, crossing his arms at Protofire's comment. "Perhaps. Until there are casualties." He murmurs, glancing over at the civillian femme as if he just remembered her, about to ask her own status when Protofire's order comes. "No major injuries, sir." Shattersphere rubs at her lower back, visibly pouting a little. "I think those crystals put a dent in my aft." She whines quietly, before yelling down to Protofire and the rest of the guard. "Nothing big, sir! I might have a few dents but other than that I didn't get hurt!" She pauses, looking down at her free hand as she rests her weight on her spear. "Well, my hand's kinda dirty from touching the big fella but I probably should have expected that. I wonder what this stuff is?" She rambles, apparently not even shaken by the encounter. "That is good to know." concludes Protofire, nodding at Guardbreak, not responding to the folded arms. He looks at Shattersphere then, and his look softens a little bit "Just have it washed off. I would like you, Shattersphere, and you Guardbreak to follow the creature at a distance to ensure we know where it is going, until its' intentions are revealed." Murusa replies, "I'm fine despite my little unplanned trip." Still watching the massive being as it moved away. "That thing is just so huge I doubt anyone wouldn't see it coming let alone hear it coming, I am sure that self-preservation will kick in so I would not overly worry about casualties." this toward Guardbreak, then to Protofire, "Shall I send out a command to have the troops head back to the city seeing that they were not needed?" Guardbreak nods sharply at the order. "Yes, sir. We will keep radio contact." He agrees, making his way over the large pile of dislodged crystals and transforming, waiting for Shattersphere. Shattersphere looks at Protofire curiously before smiling, subspacing her spear again. "Okay! I can do that! I don't think he'll move very quick anyways, so I can probably keep up pretty easy, and maybe make friends with him." Her nonstop stream of talking doesn't even pause as she scrabbles down the hill cheerfully, transforming at the last moment and bouncing on her tires in excitement. "Do you think he'll want to be friends, Guardbreak? I think he might. He didn't crush us at least, so maybe..." The babble finally fades as the two drive off after the large cityformer.
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