| abstract
| - Waterfall City Moving from the aerospaceport to the city proper, it becomes clear that this city is actually situated on an island in the middle of a massive waterfall. The view is amazing, continuing the trend of anomalous and anachronistic technology, waterwheels harness the power of the falls. The best parts of the city are shining triumphs of science, architecture and engineering. Designs that meld long-extinct life forms with gears and obscure glasswork are very popular. Flickering gas lamps light the dark after the sun sets. The worst parts of the city, however, are a dark contrast. The air is thick with smog. Grim, dirty factories and shambling slums litter the area. In the factories, 'accidents' are extremely common, and the conditions are deplorable. The streets, lacking the bright gas lamps of the better parts of the city, are in no way safe, and the graveyards are haunted by 'resurrection men' who sell even the corpses to less-than-scrupulous experimentalists. Agnorax is a world of science gone mad, in short, showcasing both its crowning achievements and what horrors may happen when progress is untempered by concern for the worth of life. Contents: XF-35B Astral Lightning Fleet Obvious exits: East leads to Agnorax Aerospaceport. Fleet transforms into his Tetrajet mode. Tetrajet hasn't really done a whole lot lately, which is generally fine with him, as not doing things is a good way to stay safe. That only goes so far, though, because sooner or later people start to wonder why they're keeping the do-nothing around, and so Fleet's researched what he believes to be a relatively low-risk job: the sun crystals used to warm the hatcheries of Agnorax. After all, it's among a bunch of /unborn/ organics, so it can't be /that/ dangerous, right? Still, Fleet flies low as he speeds along the outskirts of the city. "The risk to reward ratio is quite good on this one, but we should still be alert. Sometimes these... organic dinobots have surprised us with their non-standard technology," he explains to his companions. Robotic Bald Eagle is one of those companions, for better or worse. "Pew pew pew!" he says, following directly behind Fleet, staring at him intently. "I got you now! Eh eh eh eh eh eh eh!" Apparently that's supposed to be a machine gun noise. "Fox four! FWOOSH! KaBOOM! Ahh, I'm going down, ahhh... BOOM!" Eventually, he knocks it off. "Wait, what were you saying? Dinobots? Cool, I can take 'em!" XF-35B Astral Lightning has to admit that tagging along with Fleet on low-risk missions really takes her back to when she had just been awakened from stasis. Ah, raiding Tasmania. The Autobots didn't care at all and didn't bother to show up. Good times. Of course, the moment they went shooting at the polar bears, the Autobots showed up. Don't mess with the Autobots' polar bears! Catechism points out, "Organic dinobots? But why would anyone want to make THOSE? The real ones are trouble enough as it is!" Note to self: Take Americon away from the flight sims for a while. "Not sure," Fleet answers as he approaches a building tucked a bit away from the rest, in a secluded, wooden clearing. "Doesn't make much sense to me, either." The building is a bit oddly shaped, and looks, more than anything else, to be a large ball of crystal cut in half and set on the ground. It's white, and there are dark shapes suggesting contents, but nothing inside can be seen clearly. The doors, however, are metal and bolted tight. Fleet transforms and lands in the trees, next to the clearing itself. He hmms softly. "Probably easiest to just remove the door - it can't be attached to that crystal /that/ well. Hard to do that without drawing attention, though." Of course, if Fleet wanted to make this a stealth mission, perhaps he should have reconsidered taking Americon! Taking a cultural analyst along on a stealth mission isn't a bad idea! It's just that all their active cultural analysts seem to be deeply dysfunctional, but perhaps that is because /most/ Decepticons are deeply dysfunctional, anyway. Catechism transforms and lands slightly behind Fleet, suggesting, "We could knock?" She, too, is not a good person for stealth missions. For other reasons. XF-35B Astral Lightning transforms into robot form. Catechism's feet unfold, her arms unfold out of her body, her nosecone rotates through her body and ends up on her shoulders to expose her face, and her wings rotate into position. Robotic Bald Eagle lands near Fleet, transforming into robot mode. He looks up at Fleet quizzically as he speaks softly, then something clicks in his head. "OH, I see! This is a sneaking mission! OKAY." He pulls a grey bandanna out from somewhere and slowly, dramatically wraps it around his head. Once it's in place, it lends him a brooding, serious look. "Mission is go!" Americon undergoes a patriotic transformation into his All-American robot mode! Tetrajet transforms into his Fleet mode. Fleet stares at Catechism. "What? 'Could we borrow a cup of sun crystals?'" He looks back at the thing, then chews on his lip. "Well, I suppose if we knocked, they would open the door, and then we could surprise them and take them out..." He glances down at Americon. "Hnh. Americon /did/ bring along his sneaking bandanna. He could stand off to the side and attack them while they're distracted by our request for sun crystals!" Catechism guesses that they failed to requisition a cup of /logic/ for this mission, but Shockwave's not along, so it shouldn't matter. She waves a hand, gesturing, and insists, "Yes, yes, hide in the bushes, Americon!" Are there even any bushes here? "Fleet. You look normal and respectable. You knock on the door and ask to borrow a cup of sun crystals." She'll just stand here and supervise. Americon rubs his chin, hrrmmming thoughtfully. "Yes, ok, I will hide in the bushes! If I find none, it is ok, because I brought a portable bush along with me." He creeps towards the side of the cabin in a highly exaggerated duck walk, occasionally doing a roll just to emphasize how stealthy he is. There's not a whole lot of undergrowth - the trees are pretty tall - so Americon may need his portable bush. Fleet looks down at himself and looks a bit surprised. "Normal and respectable? Ah, good, it's working then," he says before walking up to the door. He looks around a moment, checking to see if the door is trapped, then knocks loudly. *Clang clang clang* There's a moment of silence, then the sound of footsteps on the other side. The door is opened by a lab-coat wearing Allosaur. "Yes?" Fleet drops Mad Scientist Dinosaur. Fleet, being a girly, buttercream Seeker, suddenly faints at the sight of the frightening dinosaur scientist! Catechism rubs her chin. She's not sure that is how Crazy Prepared is supposed to work! She hesitates a moment and amends, "Well. Generic. But we all do-oh, shoot." Her face screws a bit when Fleet inconveniently faints. She stomps over and asks the dinosaur scientist, "Hello sir! You look very knowledgeable and sciency. Do you know what to do with fainted robots?" She kneels down beside Fleet. "Because I'll just kick him in the head until he wakes up if you don't." Americon, meanwhile, has set up his portable bush somewhere off to the side of the cabin, but it's really just a cardboard cut-out of a bush. Sure, it has a photograph of a real bush printed onto it, but it's obviously two-dimensional. The scientist looks rather confused. He looks down at the dinosaur at his feet, then looks over at the cardboard bush cut-out - but of course, he doesn't see the Decepticon behind that, because of Americon's clever camoflage! - then up at Catechism and shrugs. "Oh, yes, I know what to do with fainted robots. I generally use them as test subjects." Americon reaches over his camoflauge and gives the thumbs-up to Catechism, because she's doing a good job or something?... Catechism doesn't put a lot thought into this. She just smiles and replies, "Great!" She tries to heft Fleet up over one shoulder, one-armed. "C'mon. Let's go do some tests!" Catechism can be the mad scientist's perky girl sidekick! Fleet's not awake, so he won't remember any of this, and besides, everyone knows that you get the best upgrades by being experimented on by aliens. Or trauma. Sometimes you get trauma, too. With her free hand, behind her back, she gestures over at Americon, pointing at the bottom of the door. Maybe he can sneak in while the scientist is distracted by perky girls with fainted robots? The mad scientist totally leaves the door open, because he wouldn't be a proper mad scientist if he weren't absent minded. He cheerfully leads Catechism to a platform. All around them are crystals 'nests' that glow faintly and provide warmth for the giant eggs within. He gestures to the platform and says, "Just set him there, will you?" He pauses and considers this. "Oh, and if you don't mind, stand near him. So, uhm, you get him quicker when we're done, and not because I want to use you as a test subject as well, or anything like that." Americon shuffles towards the door, carrying his bush in front of himself. He even goes so far as to sneak into the house itself, still carrying the bush. Catechism dutifully sets Fleet down on the platform, openly goggling at all the crystal nests. She inquires, "So you're... a day care worker?" Catechism was human for a bit. That is not like being an alien space dinosaur at all, and she wasn't even very good at being human. Catechism does stand near the platform, because he said he didn't want to experiment on her! And why would a strange alien dinosaur that she has just met lie to her? It's not like that is STARSCREAM standing there. "Well, yes, but it's a quiet job, and gives me a lot of time to tinker," the scientist explains. He pats terminal a moment. "This was originally intended as a means of accelerating the hatching cycle, but I think I might have powered it too high. Let's check, shall we?" And with that, he activates the beam, flooding the platform... and a certain cardboard bush beyond it! - with the heat ray. Combat: Fleet strikes Catechism with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray Area attack! Combat: Fleet misses himself with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray Area attack! Combat: Fleet strikes Americon with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray Area attack! Combat: You took 7 damage. Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Americon's Agility. (Crippled) Americon yells, "HWARRRGH!" behind his carbdoard bush as it suddenly catches on fire! The little patriot knows just what to do in this situation, however, as he reaches over the bush with a fire extinguisher, and gives the cardboard a good blast. This puts the fire out, but leaves it charred and coated in white powder. Catechism pays no attention to Americon, his fire extinguisher, and the cardboard bush, hoping that if she doesn't notice him the day care scientist won't notice him, either. She watches as her armour melts off a bit, making a puddle on the floor. She reports, "Hrm. Do they have a lot of trouble getting OUT of the eggs or something? I mean, I don't really know how this works..." The scientist watches as Catechism's armor melts, but that she seems not to notice. Strangely, the Seeker he set on the platform didn't react, but a small fire burst out in the floor nearby. Catechism doesn't seem to notice it, though, so the fire must not be important. "Oh, oh no, I just think it takes too long," the scientist says, adjusting the controls. "Just imagine if the joyful parents could have their little bundles of noise that much sooner, hmmm?" He pauses. "It seems like the power level wasn't high enough..." Combat: Fleet strikes himself with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Fleet's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Fleet misses Catechism with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray Area attack! Americon tries to shuffle around the scientist while he's distracted with trying to set everyone else on fire, and begins to creep up behind him, burnt, powdered carboard cutout held in front of him, his walk almost silent, save for his occasionally muttering, "In America," for no reason. Dreadtread has arrived. Catechism is standing inside sort of a crystal dome, which serves as a hatchery for alien dinosaur eggs. They sit in these adorable little crystal nests. Fleet dragged Catechism and Ameticon out here to steal some of the 'sun crystals', but for his trouble, he fainted, and Catechism is just standing arond and letting a mad scientist day care worker experiment on Fleet. Some of Catechism's armour has melted off her and is in a puddle at her feet. "Ooooooh, so you want to improve production efficiency?" "Right, right!" cackles the scientistt as he once more zaps both Catechism and Fleet with the ray. Fleet's own armor starts to melt, and the Seeker groans softly. The scientist gestures. "Ah, see? It's working! He's waking up!" The dude totally hasn't noticed the guy with the scorched cardboard bush sneaking up behind him. Agnorax... Definitely Dreadtread's kinda locale. Fate had brought him here for some reason, and it is very likely one that will put its servant through the ringer considering what he'd heard from the pilot that had dropped him here. Driving through the streets of the heavily polluted and grimy 'underworld', the 'badtank' managed to find himself drawn to the much more polished, beautiful utopian parts of 'uptown' Agnorax. A steady rumbling announced his presence wherever he roamed, an unfortunate side-effect of being a self-propelled artillery piece. <> speaks the AS90 Braveheart as he rumbles toward the Seeker with 'perfect' timing.. "NO!" Americon says dramatically as he lowers his cardboard bush. "He is going to SLEEP... in AMERICA!" Then, with a shrill cry, he leaps up at the scientist and swings at his head... with the cardboard cutout. Well, he's using the edge, so it might hurt?... Waterfall City Moving from the aerospaceport to the city proper, it becomes clear that this city is actually situated on an island in the middle of a massive waterfall. The view is amazing, continuing the trend of anomalous and anachronistic technology, waterwheels harness the power of the falls. The best parts of the city are shining triumphs of science, architecture and engineering. Designs that meld long-extinct life forms with gears and obscure glasswork are very popular. Flickering gas lamps light the dark after the sun sets. The worst parts of the city, however, are a dark contrast. The air is thick with smog. Grim, dirty factories and shambling slums litter the area. In the factories, 'accidents' are extremely common, and the conditions are deplorable. The streets, lacking the bright gas lamps of the better parts of the city, are in no way safe, and the graveyards are haunted by 'resurrection men' who sell even the corpses to less-than-scrupulous experimentalists. Agnorax is a world of science gone mad, in short, showcasing both its crowning achievements and what horrors may happen when progress is untempered by concern for the worth of life. Contents: AS90 Braveheart Mad Scientist Dinosaur Catechism Fleet Obvious exits: East leads to Agnorax Aerospaceport. Catechism covers her face with her hands, and she asks, "So whaddya do with these things when they... decant? Is that what organic factory fresh do? Because I still haven't figured out what to do with Americon." Soundwave is such a deadbeat. She radios Dreadtread, <> Combat: Americon strikes Mad Scientist Dinosaur with his Super Cardboard Attack (Grab) attack! The mad scientist is swatted on the head by a horrible cardboard cutout. He starts waving his hands wildly. "ARGH! I'm under attack! They've hatched and risen up against us! We're doomed, doomed!" he flails, sweeping his tail back and forth at all threats, real and imagined. His distress is such that he hasn't noticed the arrival of the new tank. The mad scientist is not, in fact, a very good baby sitter. Combat: Fleet misses Americon with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Tail Whip attack! [Pulled -5] Americon glares as the scientist fails to fall over! "I SAID, he is going to SLEEP!" He sighs in disappointment, and walks away from the mad scientist, just in time to avoid the lashing tail. "I swear, nobody understands how this game is supposed to work! A blow to the head from behind ALWAYS incapacitates, no matter what!" America? That was the name of the 'enemy'! Dreadtread comes to an abrupt halt, his turret mount shifting and spinning around as it searches for the continent... Wait, continent? They couldn't possibly fit one of those in here... Shifting from tank to robot modes, Dreadtread snarls as his chassis clinks and clanks as the last bits snap into place. "Who is going to sleep in the land of the enemy? We should string this traitor up and feed his servos to... Something bad." Dreadterad nods soundly, only to squint at the heat ray and then the Mad Scientist as Americon strikes, and the Scientist flails. "..." <> The main howitzer cannon of the AS90 Braveheart Self-Propelled Howitzer slides back into its secured forward placement, and the tank chassis beneath the main howitzer artillery cannon splits in half--opening up to swallow the main weapon and 'cockpit' before closing again over the cannon forming a solid tower shield which masks the majority of the rest of the transformation. CLICK. SNAP. HISS. The tower shield is pulled away from the main body by the left hand to reveal the Decepticon Dreadtread. The scientist finally recovers his senses and realizes that the eggs are NOT rising up against him. He looks around, blinking confusedly. "Oh, wait, they're not revolting. Well, any more than usual, anyway." He then looks after Americon. "Sleep? Oh, I've got a ray for that! Somewhere..." the dinosaur scientist starts to look around, at which point he notices the approach of the tank. "What's that? Who built you? I demand to know who built you? Blasted show-offs." Americon receives a radio messager from Dreadtread, and decides to answer it before he is stun-rayed. <> Catechism would be >< close to challenging Dreadtread to an Agni Kai if she knew what the frag an Agni Kai was. As it is? Honour duel, as soon as this mission is over. "So... your factory fresh usually revolt against you, huh? Then surely you won't miss a few of them." She calmly walks over to a nest and tries to pocket some of the crystal in her pocket, whistling. Dreadtread is busy gabbing on a secure comm, completely ignoring the Mad Scientist for the time being. No, he absolutely has not clued into the fact that perhaps with Fleet out of commission, a heat ray aimed at him and Catechism, and Americon attacking the 'Squishy Dinobot' that maybe he should be doing something to assist... Nope! Then, finally the badtank looks to Mr. SCIENCE as he's addressed. "What? ...I am created by the will of Fate. What do you believe created -you- Squishy Dinobot?" "Fate? HOW DARE SHE!?!" shouts the scientist, obviously furious. "I'll show her," he growls, punching his hand. Then he opens his eyes wide. "By destroying her greatest creation!" The dinosaur scientist's hands go towards the control of the heat ray. The heat ray, in turn, starts to move and points itself towards Dreadtread! At least Dreadtread is keeping the scientist distracted from Catechism's theft! Combat: Fleet strikes Dreadtread with Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Heat Ray attack! Combat: Fleet's attack has strange and mysterious effects on Dreadtread. Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Dreadtread's Accuracy. (Blinded) Americon gasps slightly as the scientist takes aim at Dreadtread! "HEY! Do not harm my fellow Americans, or you will pay with your life!" He waggles what's left of his cardboard cutout at the scientist in a menacing fashion. Catechism cheerily continues to pocket sun crystals while Dreadtread gets mistaken for a science project, Americon makes threats, and Fleet is still unconscious on a platform. Lazy, huh? If lazy is code for 'actually pays attention to the stated mission' goal, then Catechism is proud to be guilty as charged. Dreadtread's mono-eye dims considerably when the heat ray is wrenched toward him, engulfing his body with its glowing light. "Argh! Stop that, I cannot see!" barks the Decepticon, as his hands lift to shield his sensative vision. "This is not fair! Not honorable! ...Hm. Congratulations appear to be in order," is offered after a moment of thought as his armor sizzles. "Yes, yes, hurt him! HURT him!" the badtank urges Americon, while simultaneously retrieving his rifle from subspace. "Destruction to the blasphemer who dares challenge the supremacy of Fate!" Pew! Pew! Pew! Combat: Dreadtread strikes Mad Scientist Dinosaur with his Pistol attack! The scientist turns around as Americon brandishes cardboard threateningly, and recoils in fear. "What sort of horrifying SECRET WEAPON is that?" Before he can find out, however, he's hit in the back by Dreadtread, causing the scientist to fall forward. "GASP!" he gasps as he tries to push himself off the floor. "It's a HIT FROM BEHIND!" Americon advances upon the scientist with his chunk of cardboard in hand. "It is a portable BUSH! No, not George W. Bush, because that would be SILLY! It is a REGULAR Bush! And it is VERY convincing!" Catechism's opinion of Dreadtread drops steadily lower. Fairness and honourability are really just... stupid. They're excuses to not use your abilities to the fullest. Self-made obstacles for no reason. Catechism can't stand them. It's bad enough that the Autobots profess to such sins, but when her own people do it, Catechism's smacking hand gets itchy. Not as itchy as her stealing fingers, however. She has to stay focused and keep on the 'job' such as it is. If only they had someone dedicated to cargo here! Combat: Americon strikes Mad Scientist Dinosaur with his BOOSH attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Mad Scientist Dinosaur's Agility. (Crippled) "Hahahah!" He hit! Not that Dreadtread could acutally see his attacks connect, but that didn't much matter, so long as the Squishy Dinobot continued to give him a verbal play by play. "Hahahah! That is right, fear the might of Fate's Hand!" Shifting about, the very large tankcon continues to squeeze the trigger of his rifle sending shot after shot toward just about anything manages to be picked up byhis audio receptors. Pew! Pew! Pew! It was probably a really nice lab at one point... Combat: Dreadtread misses Americon with his Pistol attack! "A portable bush?" the scientist asks. His eyes are wide with amazement, but luckily he doesn't stand up (letting the shots fly over his head). "GENIUS! I must have it to reverse engineer it!" he then surges forward, making a grab for the thing. Combat: Fleet misses Americon with his Really the scientist trying to grab Americon's bush. :O (Grab) attack! Americon is a small target, so fortunately for him, the shots pass harmlessly overhead. "NO! It's my bush, I voted for it!" he wails, yanking the bush away Combat: Americon takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] "Come on, Sqhishy Dino! Keep talking so I can hit you again!" Dreadtread urges, marching around as he continues to litter the room with rifle fire. The sudden shout of 'GENIUS' causes the largest of the Decepticons to turn suddenly, and thrust his rifle forward. "That's it! Just like that!" he calls out, and then lifts his right foot into the air. "Let us make this more simple... How about I call MARCO, and you respond with POLO, yes?" With that, Dreadtread stomps down hard upon the ground with disasterous effect! Strange is this Americon fellow, he cannot help but think. What did shrubbery have to do with any of this? Combat: Dreadtread strikes Mad Scientist Dinosaur with his Seismic Stomp Area attack! Combat: Dreadtread's attack leaves him temporarily incapacitated! Combat: Dreadtread misses Americon with his Seismic Stomp Area attack! Combat: Dreadtread misses Catechism with his Seismic Stomp Area attack! Combat: Dreadtread strikes Fleet with his Seismic Stomp Area attack! "NOOOOOOOOO!" screams the scientist as the bush is torn from his grasp, just before the ground beneath him shakes, knocking him down once more and this time, knocking him out. Meanwhile, Fleet, who was unconscious, is unable to dodge, but on the up side, being hit by a falling piece of heat ray wakes him up. He groans, then looks around at all the destruction and blinks. "So... was the mission successful?" Catechism is stuffed with crystals, even in her weapons bays. If she wanted to carry any more, she'd have to dump bullets, and there is no way in the Pit that she's going to part with any of her bullets. When Dreadtream goes boom-shakka-lakka and rattles the room, Catechism rolls with the vibration and takes to the air, hovering just a handspan over the floor. She asides to Fleet, "Not a great payload, but I've grabbed as much as I can carry. Let's scram." She makes a break for the door. Americon holds up his bush, smiling proudly. "He didn't grab my bush, so yes, it was a total success!" He shrugs over at Catechism and Dreadtread. "I guess they helped!" "Bwahahahah! Your screams will avail you not, Squishy Dino!" Dreadtread barks with laughter, as he shifts and bends to pull his foot out of the crater it had created, and then his vision slowly returns to him just in time to spot the Mad Scientist unconscious on the floor. "...Yes! Fate smiles upon us this cycle!" 'Tread cheers, lifting his tower shield and rifle into the air to assume a triumphant pose before looking to Americon pointedly. "The entire success of this mission is owed to 'her' alone!" That spoken, the tankbot decides to transform and roll out! At least he didn't say that out loud... Combat: Dreadtread takes a moment to shake off the effects of the last attack. Dreadtread's tower shield is brought around in front of him--concealing the bulk of his mass from view as he begins his transformation. SNAP. CLICK. HISS. After laying back, flattening, and compacting what is left is the AS90 Braveheart Self-Propelled Howitzer. "Well, if the mission is a success, then we should be on our way," Fleet says, standing up. He brushes himself off. "Excellent work, everyone," he adds, as if he were in charge or something. Then, he transforms and takes off! Americon stares at Dreadtread. "It is? Oh. Well, I guess so?" He gives a shrug, and turns to Fleet. "I think it was all me, though!" But Fleet is already gone. Americon is very sad as a result.
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