[ INTRO LOG ]

[robotsatan]

You don't know how you got here. One minute you were walking, sleeping, maybe dead -- then you're here, your feet suddenly carrying you down an empty street. Where's here?

Any Cybertronian would recognize this as their home planet, Cybertron, but it's not a Cybertron they've ever known. It has all the familiar hallmarks, but none of the specifics -- the city isn't one anyone here could identify, and even at a glance it's obvious that no one's set foot on the planet's surface in hundreds of years. The city and its surrounding areas all bear the marks of devastating war, of dust and rust collected over centuries. With no one in sight -- right at first, anyway -- there's plenty to explore. In fact, if you start walking, you'll find that your feet may just carry you in one particular direction.

A) The crater.
On one edge of the city is a massive crater left by some wartime weapon that seems to have taken out a large chunk of the surrounding metropolitan area. At the center of the crater it's broken through the surface of the terrain to reveal what looks like it might be a promising energon deposit. There is some strange but native vegetation growing around the edges, too, that no Cybertronian would be able to identify -- small, metallic, brittle-looking sprouts that bear a curiously organic-looking fruit of some kind that doesn't look like it's intended for consumption by any natives of the planet. In one rocky nook of the crater, light catches on the surface of a pool of water, which seems strangely out of place on Cybertron. On closer inspection, it seems that somehow an underground water source has formed a spring in the crater.

B) The center of the city.
If you follow where your feet seem to want to carry you, you'll find yourself in the middle of the ruined city. It seems that the center of the city was once home to a massive forum, and some of the pillars and structures still stand. At the very center of the forum is a massive, elaborately constructed fountain, although it has now long since run dry of whatever used to fill it. One of the low, inner walls of the forum has a terminal embedded in its surface, although it looks curiously ancient, out of place with the rest of the city, and unlike the rest of the technology still left around, there doesn't seem to be any way to power it on or operate it. There are a few scattered pools of water and a few of the strange metallic plants in the city, too, but they're not quite as plentiful as in the crater.

The planet was obviously once home to a massive network of communication relays, but those have all been long since destroyed. However, with the bits and pieces left behind and a few determined minds, it wouldn't be too hard to build a working, if rudimentary, one...

Comments

[d_17nolonger]

Wow. He almost feels sorry for this newcomer, just from the way he's reacting to things. "Depending on what past you've been through, I would assume not."

A few other questions come to mind, but they immediately fly out the window the second he actually processes what Starscream said.

"Orion Pax?" Megatronus' eyes widen, and he approaches, perhaps a bit more menacingly than he means to, towering over Starscream. But he doesn't seem angry; if anything, he's just genuinely surprised. "You've seen Orion? Where?"

[starscheme]

Starscream glances up at him from between his massively oversized claws. "He... yes. Out there," he gestures vaguely, "in the wasteland." He doesn't seem super interested in helping, beyond that.

[d_17nolonger]

Megatronus looks towards where Starscream has gestured with a frown. "Any specifics?" he presses, with a tinge of annoyance in his voice from the vagueness of the answer. "If he's here, it's important I find him."

[starscheme]

"Well it's not as if this area has many significant landmarks," he whines. "We literally bumped into each other inside an abandoned building, which I know was back in that direction because that is where I just came from." The jet just sighs and stares at Megatronus contemplatively, expression dully concerned, probably for a bit longer than is comfortable or socially acceptable. Like really, what the hell kind of forces are at play here...? So close yet so far from finding the person he's actually looking for.

Still, this is almost on the mark... perhaps it might behoove him to tag along with the gladiator for a while, at least until he inevitably overstays his welcome and Megatronus tells him to get lost.

[d_17nolonger]

With a huff, Megatronus pulls away. Okay, maybe that was a little too aggressive, but if there was any chance there was anyone from his world here - anyone that he could tolerate, let alone an actual friend - he needed to find them.

He turns back to Starscream only to be slightly unnerved by the way he's being stared at. He stares back for a moment, a tad longer than he should just to ensure that this stranger doesn't have anything else to say, before asking, "...Is there something I can help you with?"

[starscheme]

Starscream looks startled, suddenly put on the spot. "Me? No, no, I'm... all set," he grins weakly. "It does occur to me, though, that, I might be able to be of some assistance in locating your companion." He glances the gladiator up and down again. "I can provide you with an aerial view of things. That is, your alt mode isn't airborne at this point, i assume...?" The fidgety little jet wants to join your search party Megatronus, WILL YOU ACCEPT? After all, Starscream is definitely interested in helping and is definitely not wanting to hang around for protection. Har.

[d_17nolonger]

"I do not possess an alt mode -- I'm glad to hear that changes eventually."

That doesn't answer the first question, though. Something about this mech seems sketchy - he almost seems nervous about something, that's for sure. Megatronus remains silent for a long moment, almost trying to state into Starscream's very spark through his armor.

"The assistance would be appreciated." For better or worse, it'd be easier to get around with someone that could be air-borne.

[starscheme]

He looks kind of surprised when Megatronus mentions that he has no alt mode, like he can't possibly comprehend that this guy didn't always turn into a terrifying spiky death jet from the very beginning. He transitions out of that pretty smoothly, though. "Well, all the more reason for me to help then," he says brightly, wings wiggling excitedly.

[d_17nolonger]

Despite this stranger's jittery-ness, Megatronus smiles. It's very brief, but it's genuine and warm in relief. His posture relaxes noticeably. "I assume that means you will? Thank you."

[starscheme]

WOAH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ??? Starscream’s really only used to menacing grins, and those usually only came about when there were Autobots present to crush, or if Starscream had a punishment coming to him. He’s entirely unaccustomed to this sincere gratitude.

The jet shuffles uncomfortably and looks away, fidgeting by tapping a hand on the side of one leg. “Yes, I will... er... well. Shall we then?”

[d_17nolonger]

That's an interesting reaction to a simple smile. Megatronus resumes a more solemn expression and nods, with an unnecessary clearing of his voice. "Right."

He takes a moment to realign himself with the vague direction Starscream gestured towards earlier and then just kind of... starts walking, assuming Starscream will follow.

[starscheme]

Starscream silently watches him head off, contemplating the possible outcomes of this endeavor. This is going to be a painfully slow journey, that's for certain.

He leaps up and arcs into the sky, doing his best to stay within Megatron's sight rather than zipping ahead at full tilt.