| abstract
| - Retoris is under weather advisory. Clouds have long since covered the skies, and the rain is falling. As the electrorain hits the ground, it actually shocks the landscape. An annoyance really, but with the large storm brewing, it's going to be quite a chore. Retoris' Grand Wall is still under construction, though close to being finished, and despite the weather it's being rushed. No telling when the Cons'll return, or attempt to slip an operative into the city during it's reconstruction. Imager looks at the skies with a frown, as construction Bots are getting the materials on site. A halo of blue energy surrounds her, catching the water and electricity that would fall on her. A shield umbrella. She hauls up a large wide flange to the site, and speaks up over the rising winds. "Right so, we've got one section left here. Us Ops peeps, we're gonna get the shield and wall up and running, if you're not Repair or Construction certified, you can always lend a hand moving things or keeping a sharp eye out. Be creative, we need this done before it gets any worse. If Decibel can stop a flood singlehanded, this is nothin!" Her chestplate glows for a moment as she brings forth a large hologram of the blueprints for the rest of the wall. "So here's the layout....and..." She steps back from the hologram, puts her hands together like a viewscreen, then expands her hands, the hologram grows larger, actually laying over the area in need of repair. "So there's that." Crusade is no construction or repair Bot, but he's got a functional pair of hands and here to offer what assistance he can. He looks eager to help out, despite the awful weather and his lack of relevant skills. The white and blue rookie approaches Imager and snaps off a salute. "Reporting for duty, ma'am! What do you need me to do?" Torque is already well underway with the rest of the build team, muscling through the shocking rain. "You heard the femme." The medic remarks when walking by Imager and those gathered, stopping beside the larger femme and gesturing to the hologram. "It's imperative that we get this wall up in time. If we leave it open then that's a big chance for Cons to slip in and ruin all our hard work. So we're not gonna let a little rain stop us!" She grins to the others, raising a fist to drive her point home. With that said, the towtruck moves towards their supplies and grabs a hefty stack of metal panels meant for bigger mechs, grunting as she hoists it up over a shoulder to try and get it to the unfinished part of the wall. Imager jerks a thumb at Crusade, "Heya, grab a wide flange or somethin." She drags the large beam towards the wall, then plants her large hands on it. With a bit of heft, she starts raising it up into place, "Ya know, sorta wish Grapple was on hand. This is his thing anyway, his protoform." She tries to hold it in place as the higher up construction bots start their welding. Combat: Imager compares her Strength to 50: Success! Let's be honest here, this sort of thing really was not Roadbuster's sort of scene. Building walls? He'd rather be knocking them down to get to the Decepticons on the other side of it. While far from a dumb brute, technical applications really wasn't his thing. But there were Autobots needing help, and if a Wrecker wouldn't be afraid of trudging through the lowest slagholes of the Pits, what's a little bad weather? An annoyance, and that's about it, even as little sparks from the droplets crackle when they hit the form that towers over pretty much everyone else save Imager herself comes trudging up to the gathering. He doesn't say much, which is typical for him when not in middle of a brutal fight, and just looks around. Seeing Torque pick up some stuff and carrying it off, he figures that would be the best thing to do as well. He is huge and strong, after all. On the other hand, delicate really isn't his thing, so he opts for grabbing a couple of replacement support beams and hefts them onto his shoulders. "Where ya want these?" he finally rumbles out. Combat: Roadbuster compares his Strength to 60: Success! Imager says, "that depends, you gonna blow up somethin?" Trenchfoot calls out over the public channel, <> Crusade nods and watches Imager closely, keeping note of what she's doing. After a moment, he takes one of the flanges and mirrors her actions, nudging it into place so that the construction bots can weld it. However, he struggles with the task a lot more - wrangling such a large beam is no easy feat for someone his size. Combat: Crusade compares his Strength to 50: Failure :(___ ___ _____ ___ _ _ | _ ) / _ \ |_ _| / __| | | | | | _ \ | (_) | | | \__ \ |_| |_| |___/ \___/ |_| |___/ (_) (_) The electrorain just starts to cut loose, the ground sparking with each hit, like a tiny wave of pure blue electricity. Imager's shield is holding it at bay, and for good cause. She's got issues with both rain AND electricity, and the look of unease on her face is apparent. The femme calls out, "Whoa whoa whoa!" as Crusade's beam starts to tilt. She steps backwards and sinks to the ground, her heavy hovercraft form being brought into bear. A thick band of energy whips out to try to stabilize the area, lest a domino effect comes into play. Imager kneels, then splits as she lays flat, then outer casing of her hovercraft mode sealing into position around her. Combat: Heavy Hovercraft compares her Technical to 50: Failure :(Crusade's attempts at carrying the huge beam don't end nearly as well as he'd hoped. His grip slips somewhere along the line and it topples over, thunking him on the head. "Ow!" He glances at Imager apologetically, doorwings slumping as he rubs the spot on top of his head. "I'll... uh... I'll just help with transportation." And he does just that, moving supplies around as and where they are needed. Combat: Crusade damages himself. Combat: Crusade compares his Endurance to 50: Success! Torque says, "Yikes. You okay there, Crusade?" Crusade says, "Yes, ma'am. My hand slipped." Imager says, "don't let it get you down, Crusade. Every hand here helps." Torque sets down the stack of panels beside some workers, straightening up afterwards and looking over to see how everyone else is doing. Not well, it seems, as Crusade's grip on the beam slips and it falls from his hands, knocking him on the head. She'd make a move to help, but speed isn't her forte. Frowning, she moves to the mech and places a hand on his shoulder. "Hey now, you okay? I know we're in a rush, but make sure you keep yourself safe first, alright?" She smiles a little and pats him before he moves off to help some more. Back to work, Torque maglocks a rivet gun to her hip and unspools her towline, swinging around the hook before tossing it up to where it latches onto an upper level. "Roadbuster, hand me a beam, will yah?" When he obliges she'll tuck it under an arm and start climbing, one hand pulling her up on the line while the slack is reeled in. Will she make it up top to deliver the material? Little sparks crackling and arc with every bit of electrorain, but Roadbuster pays it no head as he works. This was a battle against the elements now, and it was not a fight he was going to lose. He passes one of the beams to Torque when she asks, sets the others down and rolls his shoulders to shrug off some of the ionized drizzle rolling down his chassis. Everyone else is helping Crusade get back up, so he just offers a simple, "Keep trying. No givin' up." and then turns back to the matters at hand. One of the other workers lets out a yowl and drops the pneumatic hammer he was using to clear away broken rubble so the new sections can be put up. "Slag! The electrorain is gettin' in the equipment and shortin' it out! We can't keep cuttin' through thi--" He just sort of trails off as Roadbuster steps over his crouched form, cocks back one large arm, and slams his fist into the scrap in place of the hammer. "Move the grit outta the way," he grunts, and laborers scramble to scoop the debris clear while the Wrecker swings again and again, trying to put his 'wrecking' to good use. Combat: Roadbuster compares his Strength to 70: Success! Combat: Torque compares her Strength to 60: Success! Trenchfoot comes back on the horn. His tone is grave. <> Off in the distance, the eerie glow of a malestrom of lightning rain, made form into the large size of a tornado is noted... ___ ___ _____ ___ _ _ | _ ) / _ \ |_ _| / __| | | | | | _ \ | (_) | | | \__ \ |_| |_| |___/ \___/ |_| |___/ (_) (_) A section of wall crumbles, no longer being supported. While the piece itself was of minor consequence, as it sloughs out of place, a reservoir of water behind it pours out, dousing Imager. She screams as electricity overloads her systems. Light pours out of her mouth and chestplate as blinding streaks of light pour out of her uncontrollably. The hovercraft shudders, then folds in half. Imager stands up from around it, her ramplates becoming her pauldrons as the last step. Imager says, "YAAAAAHHHHHGGGG!" Combat: Imager strikes Roadbuster with her Aurora Cybertralis Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Roadbuster's Accuracy! (Blinded) Combat: Imager strikes Torque with her Aurora Cybertralis Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Torque's Accuracy! (Blinded) Combat: Imager misses Crusade with her Aurora Cybertralis Area attack! Combat: Used up 1 Reserve Power. 1 remain. Due to the problems this caused, the Autobots points drop by 30. Torque says, "Image-Arrgh!!" Torque reaches the top and sets the beam in place, unlocking the tool from her hip and riveting it into place. Things are going well, it seems. Or.. not, considering the section of wall that collapses near her. "Watch out down below!" She hollars to those still on the ground, but the following water manages to douse Imager, setting off some kind of reaction that flashes the whole scene. "Ergh!" Torque yelps, a hand over her optics. That really smarts, still seeing spots after trying to rub them clear. "Damnit, someone get her under some cover!" And now that the shield is gone, they're all prone to the zapping rain. Fighting against this, and her recovering vision, Torque uses her building knowledge to barks orders to the workers trying to hastily patch up the hole. "You, put that beam up there to keep it steadier! No no, not that screw, use the bigger one and make sure it's tight this time! No half-afting this job, yah hear?" Roadbuster takes a step back from his rubble clearing and looks up at the unpleasant weather report from Trenchfoot. "Frag." One word sums it up. Then a second of wall breaks open, spilling out pooled electrowater and scrambling Imager out of the work for the moment. He hisses softer, visor flickering between bright and dim as it tries to compensate for the light show. Broad feet slosh through the energized puddles forming as he marchs through the stunned workers trying to shield themselves, grabs a section of wall and starts pushing it up against the rising winds to get it into place. "Stop rubberneckin'. Imager's a tough gal." He pauses to adjust his grip, and keeps going. "She'd want ya all to keep workin' so the same don't happen to the whole city. So grab some more materials, and put yer back struts into it. We didn't save this city from the Decepticons just to lose it to some slag fraggin' weather tantrum!" The panel starts to slide up and into place, one mech against the raging storm if need be. But hopefully seeing the big form of Roadbuster trying to work despite the growing odds against them with the terrible weather will help inspire the others to get back tow ork and keep trying. Combat: Torque compares her Technical to 75: Failure :( Imager says, "oh noooo" Torque puts head in hands Embarassed, and nursing a mild headache, Crusade continues his work, offering only meek nods of affirmation when he's spoken to. What a fine way to prove how useful he is! Transporting parts and supplies seems to be something he's capable of, and he sticks to it. The electro-twister alert stops him dead in his tracks - it's a very fortunate thing that he'd stopped, otherwise he'd have walked right into one of the streaks of light coming from Imager's frame. He quickly sets down the load he's carrying, and starts trying to haul Imager towards shelter. Combat: Roadbuster compares his Leadership to 80: Success! This leads to the workers looking a bit confused as they try to keep up with her orders, so they don't get very far. ___ ___ _____ ___ _ _ | _ ) / _ \ |_ _| / __| | | | | | _ \ | (_) | | | \__ \ |_| |_| |___/ \___/ |_| |___/ (_) (_) That same twister looms closer, spitting lightning bolts at the environment, and hurling electrically charged debris. Large sheets of metal, ripped from who knows where, go spinning out into the city. A worker falls from the wall, his legs shorn off. "I'm..I'm alright!" Nevertheless the Autobots don't abandon a coworker to their pligt, as three rush in to get him to safety. Small cacophanies are heard in the distance as the other debris crashes somewhere in town. The shield and wall needed completed now, before the electrotwister hit, or there was bound to be significant damage... Prowl says, "Go team Red!" Powerglide hi-fives Imager fizzles and sizzles as much of her energon is fried by the damage. Crusade actually gets her just about to cover before she reasserts herself, "...Nah..Nah! I gotta get out there. I'm fried yeah, but..the city needs us." She actually puts her hand on Crusade's shoulder for a moment, "Preciate it, but we got mechs to save. Listen...you nimble? Looks like one of those radio arrays is needing planted back on up there." She gestures to the top of the wall, on the other side of where Torque is. <> With that, she shifts into her altmode, and hovers across to the fusion reactor itself, "Okay then...let's get charged up!" Combat: Torque compares her Technical to 65: Success! While he wouldn't be one to admit to wanting help, Roadbuster is silently relieved when his actions speak louder than his words and laborers snap out of their daze to join him with getting the replacement sections into position. Others scramble to grab supports and fasteners, realizing they're going to have to do this the old fashioned way with rivits and bolts as the electrified rain is getting too strong for welding torchs to burn fully. Crusade looks up at the radio array and his doorwings flutter in horror. It's pretty high up. But yes, he's rather nimble, all things considered. He nods meekly and shuffles towards the wall. Up he goes, trembling all the way, praying that his hand does not slip. If he manages to get all the way there, he's going to plant the radio array back in place. Combat: Crusade sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Crusade compares his Agility to 45: Success! The storm bears down on the city, and the team springs into action, all business now. Imager adds extra power to the reactor, boosting its weakened strength to help coax the shield to life. The Wall groans in protest, suffering as the shield starts to come together, but Roadbuster is there to provide the strength and sheer determination to keep things in place. Torque finishes those last minute rivets to help disperse the energy collected in the storm when it hits. No sooner than the initial gridwork comes together, does the electro twister slam into it, the power of hell-blown fury in its system. The shield and the storm buffet each other in a shower of sparks, as the city weathers the storm properly. Even with the wall and the shield between them and the storm Roadbuster can feel the reverb of the structure when the two forces slam into each other... But thanks to the hard work and bravery of those present the defense holds. It eats up pretty much all the power in Retoris, but a few hours of blackout is better than getting entirely trashed. Everyone comes together just in time, the wall secure and shield up just before the storm barrels down on them. Torque swings a little as the structure shudders, but she holds fast and makes sure to keep a hand on one of the workers next to her. Once the danger passes she sighs deeply and actually chuckles. "That was way too close. Phew.. Talk about really pullin' out all the stops." Patting the worker on the shoulder, she then looks up to spot Crusade clinging to the wall like a scared cat, which draws a snort from the femme while climbing back to the top.
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