robotsatan: (Default)
robot satan ([personal profile] robotsatan) wrote in [community profile] robothell2014-12-19 11:20 pm

[ INTRO LOG ]

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...
auramatic: (what did you say?)

[personal profile] auramatic 2014-12-20 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
A - The crater
Whoa, hey. This is…new. Definitely not the Lost Light. Did they land at some point? How would he not have known? He totally would have known. Besides, they only just got finished with that sparkeater business… If Drift didn't know any better, he'd say this was Cybertron. But that's impossible -- Cybertron doesn't look like this anymore, and they're light years and light years away from that region of the galaxy anyway, and…

The thought sputters out mid-sentence as he turns his optics up to peer at the sky, and -- those sure are a bunch of constellations he recognizes as viewable only from Cybertron. O-kay, clearly someone, somewhere has some explaining to do. Drift climbs onto one of the small rocky outcroppings at the edge of the crater to get a better look at the sky, trying to figure just where on Cybertron they are.

B - The city
Drift's optics are wide as he approaches the center of the city, the ruins of the forum. It's like a piece of Cybertronian history right before him, albeit poorly preserved -- he hasn't seen anything like this since…well, since before they'd destroyed most of their own planet. More than that, the layout of the city doesn't feel familiar to him at all, but this has to have been one of Cybertron's major cities. His face alight with curiosity, Drift makes his way around the fountain and toward the embedded terminal, his expression growing increasingly more perplexed as he examines the ancient-looking device. "Wonder how old this even is," he murmurs to himself, reaching to smooth his hand over the blank screen.
milkruns: (Default)

THE CITY

[personal profile] milkruns 2014-12-20 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
After running into Megatron in the middle of the city and wandering around a bit, June finds herself following him into the center of the city. Here in the forum it's more apparent than ever that June is far too small for the sheer scale of it -- she wanders slowly around the forum with her neck craned back and her eyes slightly wide with awe. Even in ruins, it's nothing short of impressive.

This must have been what Jack felt like, setting foot on Cybertron for the first time. Except she can breathe here. And -- hey! What's that? She leans over to inspect a spindly, metallic looking plant that seems to have sprouted from a crack near the bottom of a column, already half her height in size but decidedly small to a Cybertronian. It looks like it…has fruit? June's just going to peer at it and maybe prod at it a little.
Edited 2014-12-20 04:31 (UTC)

[personal profile] d_17nolonger 2014-12-20 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
Primus, was Megatronus confused. This was Cybertron. Right? But it was so... different. Ruined and looking completely uninhabited - the layers of rust and dust left him plating looking unclean just standing here. And he had been wandering about for some time, just taking in the sights that almost brought a tangible pain to his spark.

He stopped just short of the edge of the crater, examining it with curiosity. He knelt down and gently poked at the one of the brittle-looking plants, drawing his claw away out of fear he'd accidentally destroy it. Out of anything he's seen on Cybertron, this was something he'd never even imagined finding...

He doesn't even register June's presence at first, not accustomed to focusing on any smaller lifeforms.

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
a.) The Crater
Cybertron.

When Optimus told Alpha Trion he needed to take some time to return to Cybertron for something important, this wasn't exactly the Cybertron he had in mind. For one, the planet he knew (and loved) was much more populated. Not by much, but...I guess anything's bigger than zero. Either the inevitable happened and Starscream went up and eradicated their species (let's be real, it's very likely), or this is not HIS Cybertron.

Anything was possible at this point.

Upon further inspection of the energon deposits and the..strange vegetation (it almost looked Earthlike, if Optimus didn't know any better). Interesting...it's not something he's ever identified on their planet. But the biology of Cybertron wasn't exactly his forte at the Institute of Higher Programming. Letting one of the 'leaves' run across his finger, he eventually stands up, trying to gain any higher ground possible to see just where (and maybe WHEN) he was.

And if there were any survivors.

b.) The City

Once the crash site (or so he assumes is one) was inspected as much as a Prime could, he wanders until he finds what looks like the remnents of a city. 'Ruins' would be a bit of a compliment for what they were, really. Whatever had lived there had long since ceased. A shame, really. He could have used the help.

"I suppose asking for directions is out of the question."

Haha, Prime humor. You're hilarious.

But that doesn't stop him from approaching, recognizing some of the technology but seeing some vast differences in it as well. One more thing to add to the list of interesting things that clouded the Prime's mind. This Cybertron, whatever it was...WHEREVER it was...

He's not sure he wants to know what happened to it.
sailormulti: (Battle Damage)

The City

[personal profile] sailormulti 2014-12-20 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
Brass was panicking. Arika had been right next to her, along with everyone else, but they'd all just vanished and now she was stuck in this giant city. This incredibly spooky, giant, ruined city. Staying in one place did not sound like a good option so she'd taken a guess and headed off in what she hoped was the best direction for answers.

It had taken her a while to get there on foot, but she eventually made it to the city center. At this point she was fairly certain she was alone, and the look on her face as she looked around was hopelessly forlorn. She stopped next to a large piece of rubble on the outer edge of the forum, figuring here was as good a place as any to rest for a moment. She sat down on the ground, looking incredibly small, lost, and scared.
gimmicky: (STILL APPROACHING)

THE CRATER

[personal profile] gimmicky 2014-12-20 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
Ooookay.

Weirder things have happened. He's definitely experienced weirder. With the right drink, you could see a bot's head float off his head and into orbit. Being displaced back on Cybertron when you clearly weren't? When you were on a planet so far out of the way that there's no way a hop, skip and a jump could take you there? That's doable. But that's not what's getting Trailcutter right now. It's the fact that he knows he's sober.

The moment he looks up again from Towards Peace, Bluestreak isn't there. First Aid isn't there either. Mainframe? Well...he didn't really notice Mainframe anyway. Still. Gone. An eyebrow perks as he scans the area, not registering any of the three as far as he could tell.

"Guys?"

With a heave, he gets to his feet, tucking the datapad underneath his arm, that perplexed pout turning into a frown rather quickly.

"This isn't funny."

Because...yeah, they're somehow responsible. Taking another step forward, the feel of the ground felt oddly...like home. In fact, he was getting a lot of vibes like that. The atmosphere, the stars...

"...There's something familiar about this place..."

Thanks, genius.
sailormulti: (Close Up)

Re: THE CITY

[personal profile] sailormulti 2014-12-20 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
Brass had been wandering around alone for what seemed like ages before she finally made it to a courtyard with a fountain. At this point she was starting to believe she was the only person in the city. She sighed, starting to circle the fountain to get to the other side of the courtyard. She couldn't help jumping a little in surprise as another person suddenly came into view on the other side of a large plant.

A human! Not Arika, for certain, but hopefully someone who could help her. Adult humans were usually pretty good at having answers. She ran over, calling out.
"Excuse me, miss! Could you tell me where I am?"
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (UH)

B

[personal profile] rodders 2014-12-20 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
Out of all the places Rodimus expects to be, back on Cybertron isn't one of them. He's not even sure how he got here - he'd turned to talk to Perceptor about spark-types and then suddenly... he wasn't. Normally he'd blame it on Brainstorm, and technically he probably still could, but the control case was still with Nightbeat so he couldn't have traveled in time.

Right?

Because it is Cybertron, Rodimus is sure of that. Nothing else in the universe feels like Cybertron does, even if everything is wrong about it. He doesn't recognize the city, and even the planet is off - it's more like it was before the reformatting, like it was when they were all stranded there and then when Wheelie had taken them back. But he wanders around for lack of anything else to do - Lost Light not in sight and no one answering his increasingly frustrated comms.

Which is when he hears it. And then sees it. And then sort of stumbles to a halt. Because he knows that voice, he knows that autobot - er, former autobot - in front of him and he's missed Drift so much that he can't quite believe the other mech is here.

"Drift?" Well he's not instantly disappearing, so Rodimus figures that's a point in his favor. "Drift!"

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
Perhaps when Optimus was searching for other life forms to ask for directions (haha see dad joke from earlier no don't it's not very funny), he should have looked a little closer to the ground. Because he momentarily passes by June, only picking her up in his peripheral vision after.

With a slow head turn, he takes upon her, eyes slightly widening in both...surprise and awe.

Because that's a human. On what's clearly Cybertron.

"Uh."

Great first impression, Optimus. Not only is your cover instantly blown, but you could have been a little more eloquent. You certainly do any other time of the week.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you as I was passing. Are you in need of assistance?"

Also, air?

THE CITY

[personal profile] d_17nolonger 2014-12-20 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
This place was growing more and more depressing the longer he walked through it.

Megatronus brushed his hand on one of the buildings, pulling it away and examining the thick layer of dust that came away with it. How many years of accumulation were there? Was it even possible to tell?

He waved it away and pressed forward, peering into the distance at what looked like an area for a forum, complete with a massive fountain that must have looked beautiful in its heyday. But now, with such a lack of people, it was disturbing, almost unsettling.

He stops before the fountain, examining it for a moment before turning his attention to the area around it, momentarily taken in the somberness of the place.
quantumechanic: (yeah so this is drift's hippie crap)

THE CRATER

[personal profile] quantumechanic 2014-12-20 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
Nautica, if questioned, would be willing to admit she was confused, but at least this was less immediately threatening than a derelict Lost Light surrounded by quantum foam. Shame about Nightbeat being unaccounted for, though. Very inconsiderate of him, given the magnitude of the mystery to be solved. He was probably okay, for the moment, assuming he and the rest didn't get blown up when spacetime ruptured from the damaged quantum engines, not that there was much she could do about that from here.

"Here" had to be Cybertron. She didn't recognize the city, but she wouldn't, now would she? The weird part was that neither her on-board radio nor her wrench were picking up any comms signals. Instead, she followed the one strong reading she was getting, a power signature, to the crater--and to its energon.

That would be why there was a smallish purple 'bot crouched in the center of the crater, looking intently at a wrench, a briefcase forgotten on the ground next to her.

"Good grief, that's an extensive deposit."
aminerproblem: dat DRAMATIC LIGHTING (pic#8603040)

whipped out the dramatic icon for this shit

[personal profile] aminerproblem 2014-12-20 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
Le Crater

Megatron didn't so much awaken as he did jolt back into consciousness, finding his helm resting on unmistakably Cybertronian soil. It was different from the metallic shavings of Croteus 12 - thicker and more compact. The energon dripping from his hands pooled at the surface rather than sinking -

Energon from a guard he'd killed. There's a cold dread that immediately falls on the Tarnian miner's frame as he rises to his feet. That's right. There was a riot, Decimus had the gall to show his mug to them after telling them they'd be disposed of - and his security forces murdered someone for speaking out.

At plunging the pick-axe into his chest, he felt no guilt. The vivid image of the Autobot guard's head caving beneath his hands brought a pang of justified pleasure rather than disgust. He felt a little sickened at his own reaction - even if it was self-defense, even if it was deserved. How far would he fall from here?

It's after he notices the pool of water and the bizarre plant life that he considers his first guess wrong. Where was he? Cybertron didn't have any natural pools of water on it, at least none as crystal clear as this. After detecting no immediate signs of danger, he goes down on one knee and scoops a handful of it, using it to rinse off the guard's energon splattered on his forearms and face. The dirt and industrial grime still stuck to his body remains untouched.
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (I'M TELLING THE STORY)

[personal profile] rodders 2014-12-20 05:30 am (UTC)(link)
"I dunno, Prime. Might be useful if you found anyone."

Trust Rodimus to take the vague beginnings of a joke and run with them, making them unintelligible in the process. He's still-- miffed might not be the right word, but--

No, miffed is a good word. Rodimus is going to go with that one. He's still miffed about the entire Megatron thing. But Optimus Prime being there when he's supposed to be on Earth at least means it's probably not a Brainstorm thing, not in the least because he's still alive.

Rodimus pushes off of the wall he's leaning against, not yet falling in step with Optimus. "So: Cybertron but it isn't, and no way of knowing how you got here? Me too."

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
That voice. Optimus's audials flick ever so slightly as the round pieces swivel, instantly recognizing that voice. Optics trail to the side, catching glimpse of Rodimus, his plating immediately relaxing in the process. A familiar face was welcome, at the least.

But what Rodimus says has him thinking, giving another quick scan, a nod soon after.

"It's good to see you, Rodimus. Although I wouldn't mind under better circumstances."

...

"You'd be right on the situation. But I am curious as to why we are here. Or what exactly this is."

Walk with him, Roddy, he needs the company.
pullingamiko: (whoa)

The Crater

[personal profile] pullingamiko 2014-12-20 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
So "weird" doesn't really begin to cover this. The last time Miko was on Cybertron, it was because she had been kidnapped and stuck in a jar to be used as a bargaining chip. One would think that being here, completely unrestrained and able to breathe just fine no less (maybe she would have been willing to write that part off as the Decepticons being huge liars, but if it were a bluff the Autobots would have realized it and kicked their butts right there!) would be an improvement.

Maybe it would be if she had any idea how she got here to begin with. Or could see anyone in the area. As it is, it looks kind of... ruined and empty. Her best guess is that the spacebridge glitched out somehow and dropped her here, and it's just a part of Cybertron that's too far away from where the 'Bots have been for any sign of them to be visible, and...

And she wasn't even at the base when it happened, and that still wouldn't explain the whole "breathing" thing. Great.

She picks around at the edge of the crater, crouching down to examine the plants and come to the conclusion that she has no clue what they are, then turns to look over the slope of the crater. She bets she could probably get down there without too much trouble. Getting back up might be an issue, but that would be something to worry about when she gets to it. She kicks a pebble experimentally into the crater, crouching slightly and bracing her hands on her knees as she watches it fall.
towardspeace: (time 2 TAKE OUT THE TRASH)

THE CITY

[personal profile] towardspeace 2014-12-20 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
Having left the human who's been following him around to examine what appears to be plant life (this entire situation gets more and more suspicious), Megatron is making his own inspections of the ruins they've been drawn to. He's uncomfortably aware of the fact that the impulse to come here has not been wholly his own, and he's determined to work out where it did come from.

The broken-down terminal standing silent in the centre of the forum draws his suspicion most keenly, but closer inspection yields no more clues than peering at it from a distance did – it certainly doesn't seem functional. One of Megatron's hands curls into a fist with the impulse to take out his frustration on the piece of antiquated machinery, but he dissuades himself with a heavy hiss of air from his vents. With the fuel he's being dosed with, he thinks bitterly, he probably wouldn't be able to make a dent in the blasted thing.

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
"I've heard humans use a similar tactic to make technology work."

Guess who can recognize you a mile away, Megatron. This guy. And he can't say he blames him (for once) on his frustration. It's been quite a journey of patience and confusion for him too. And Megatron being here is one of the more normal parts of this little field trip.

Because wherever Optimus seems to go, Megatron is always there to follow. You can't have one without the other.

The Prime approaches, his ear pieces swiveling ever so slightly as he takes in the ex-warlord, gaze as even as ever. Eventually, his arms fold over his chest as he looks at it as well, trying to make some sense of it.
sailormulti: (Wait)

Re: The Crater

[personal profile] sailormulti 2014-12-20 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
Brass hadn't arrived near the crater, but she'd seen it from a distance and decided to investigate. There might be a clue as to how she got here, and she could use any information she could right about now. She'd never been away from Arika this long and she was starting to worry.

As she got near the crater she couldn't help but notice the girl with pink hair crouching near the edge. The very steep edge, and that looked like a nasty fall.
"You should be careful, that doesn't look very safe," she said as she came up, stopping a cautious distance from the edge.

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
The city had proved less-than helpful when it came to finding out where he was. The technology was a mix of foreign and familiar-but-outdated. An odd combo to be sure. So it's no surprise seeing Optimus venture his way back to the crater.

Only to find himself not entirely alone this time. Near the water that seemed to naturally trickle from the crater, he noticed surface ripple, eyes trailing it to the source.

Seeing a...somewhat familiar frame.


"Megatron."

He couldn't stop himself. It had become almost habit now.
kitrite: (oh you)

[personal profile] kitrite 2014-12-20 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
Giant buildings, giant people made of metal, and endless banks of machines that he doesn't understand. Vanadi is pretty sure he's got the gist of this place by now. And since none of these overly large, clanking people have tried to murder him here, he's starting to feel more comfortable.

So he picks one, the large, broody one over there, and approaches. He looks terribly casual about it, with hands pocketed and a quirked smile in place, but he takes care not to place himself into what he assumes is easily-squished range.

"Lovely weather here, isn't it?" comes the voice from knee-high. Ah, a classic opener. Never gets old. "A bit less green than I'm used to, but I'll happily take it."
aminerproblem: (pic#8602988)

[personal profile] aminerproblem 2014-12-20 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
"... Orion Pax?"

This day was starting to get more and more bizarre. Megatron gets to his feet, shaking his hands free of the out of place fluid, secretly thankful he'd arrived after he'd mostly cleaned himself.

The Rodion Police Captain looks like he's changed frames, but that's far from the strangest thing about this whole situation.

[personal profile] luckyfaceplate 2014-12-20 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
While the name wasn't as foreign to him as he'd like to admit (blame a few identity crises), it felt odd coming out of Megatron's mouth. With Megatron's voice.

But that was a mystery in itself. Megatron sounded younger, brighter.

His frame was different.


It was like...it was like looking into the past. Those eyes widen considerably as he walks closer, noticing the hazard tape on the Cybertronian.

"You called me Orion Pax."
aminerproblem: (pic#8602989)

[personal profile] aminerproblem 2014-12-20 06:35 am (UTC)(link)
"That was your name, last I recall."

Megatron isn't entirely sure why Pax is staring at him like he'd just sprouted a second head. But then again, not much made sense in this situation right now.
tomemyoutliers: (damn straight i called you 'optimus')

B) THE CITY

[personal profile] tomemyoutliers 2014-12-20 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
Shockwave is beside himself. Not literally (not yet, at any rate), but certainly emotionally - he's gone from seconds away from undergoing Shadowplay to this. Cybertron. Cybertron destroyed. All of his work, everything he's done to protect his planet and this is what it has to show for it? No, there has to be something... anything... Shockwave refuses to accept this as final. As unfixable.

So he follows his feet once he's managed to exert a small amount of control over his emotions, thoughts elsewhere. Something must have intervened. And that something brought him to this Cybertron, and would have the power to send him back. Who is he to argue with the force that's pulling him along if it can do all of that?

Finding the terminal at the end of the trail is, suffice to say, a let down. Undaunted (and desperate to make some sense of at least one thing on this Cybertron), Shockwave runs his hands over it - looking for a way to turn it on or input some sort of command or something.

It's infuriating, and his expression - while still curious - grows more and more frustrated.
Edited 2014-12-20 06:53 (UTC)
tomemyoutliers: (damn straight i called you 'optimus')

[personal profile] tomemyoutliers 2014-12-20 07:18 am (UTC)(link)
That certainly is a bot he recognizes, thanks to the rapidly growing political movement he inspired. Megatron had caught Shockwave's interest briefly - anyone who believed that the current system of governance was corrupt did - but he dismissed the miner as someone who belonged to his own group rather than someone willing to see a pre-existing cause and take it up as his own.

Which was something to be admired, certainly, but not what Shockwave was looking for. Either way, the Senate feared touching him and in doing so, make him a martyr - it gave Megatron a level of protection Shockwave was slowly coming to realize he hadn't had. As usual, the best revelations come too late to do anyone any good.

Picking his way through the organic foliage - after stopping to grab a few heavy hanging fruits, because this certainly didn't belong on Cybertron no matter what had happened to the planet - Shockwave calls out to him.

"It's Megatron, isn't it?"

Although he doesn't recall any of the reports ever indicating that he was likely to be covered in energon.