WAR IN HEAVEN

    Day 2


Logged by: Soundwave


Command Center

        This circular room was formerly the bridge 
when the base was a viable spaceship. Now used as the 
Command Center, it is dominated by the large central 
viewing screen. The screen is linked to the main 
computer system, and can display anything from 
energon production reports to tactical updates to 
topside weather information. The various other bridge 
control stations have been converted to monitor and 
control the various mechanisms and activities of the 
base. They curve around the room from the door to the 
central viewscreen.

Megatron [Robot] 
Ruse [Robot] 
Ravage [Jaguar]
Obvious exits:
 <S> South leads to Access Corridor.

Chasm has arrived.

Striker arrives from Access Corridor.

Thunderwing arrives from Access Corridor.

Chasm flaps in and perches on Soundwave's shoulder, 
glaring loftily at Ruse and Ravage, as if they have 
no place to be here.
 
Thunderwing enters and quickly glances around at the 
gathered Decepticons, sparing a nod of greeting to 
Megatron and Soundwave.

Megatron is about to work at the computer. He 
finished the modifications on the sensores. Hopefully 
now they will discover the source of the time 
disturbances.

Striker walks in and greets all of the Decepticons.

Soundwave stands calmly near his usual communications 
station, aware of those who have recently arrived, 
but waiting for Megatron's upcoming orders.
 
Megatron has tapped some information from the human 
'news networks', which relates to the current time 
crisis. It plays now-

Temporal catastrophes are sweeping the globe. says 
the human reporter. "In China, Genghis Khan has 
overrun Beijing and Boudiccea has laid seige to 
London. In Italy, Romans legions have been reported 
marching down the highway to Tuscany and in Colorado, 
Jesse James has been arrested for holding up the Bank 
of America. Luckily, these temporal anomalies don't 
appear to last for very long, but they are getting 
more and more frequent. Optimus Prime, leader of the 
Autobots, urges citizens to remain safe in their 
homes." The image cuts to Optimus Prime's square 
features. "People of Earth, the Autobots are doing 
all they can in the current situation.
Various snippets of imagery are showing Autobats 
battling strange woolly mammoths and arresting 
Vikings who are raiding the Canadian coastline.
We urge you to stay in your homes until the situation 
is resolved.

Chasm flicks a claw back and forth. "This is getting 
very messy," he observes to Soundwave.
 
Ramjet arrives from Access Corridor.

Sludge arrives from Access Corridor.

Ravage notes watching the Earth news has rather 
picked up...

Slag has arrived.

Slag stops in behind Sludge.
 
Slag:
A squat, angry looking dinobot.

Thunderwing produces a datapad from somewhere about 
his person and begins to jot down notes, looking up 
at the broadcast, then back down at the text. The 
stylus taptaps the metallic surface in an impatient 
little rhythm and the Valckastan frowns at a random 
thought.

Sludge trudges in, his tail accidently lashing the 
little Chasm. "Uh oh..."

Ramjet stomps in and gestures at the dinobots behind 
him, "Hey, who are these 2?"

Soundwave replies to Chasm as he watches the 
broadcast, "Interesting. The visitors from other 
times are at least keeping our enemies busy."

Megatron bahs. "They’re doing what they can? 
Obviously they are not any more successful than we 
are.”

Slag growls, "Slag is SLAG!"

Sludge says, "Yeah, and Sludge is brono... bronto.. 
brunto... Sludge is dino." 

Thunderwing tilts his head in the direction of the 
newcomers and arches a brow at the Dinobots, quickly 
assessing and dismissing them. Tyrian citizens on 
Earth? How...droll.

Sensors indicate that a strange communique is being 
broadcast over the general area, as if the senders 
don't know exactly who they're looking for. It 
appears to be at an Autobot frequency.

Soundwave keeps a surreptitious watch on the two 
Dinobots, knowing they tend to be a little clumsy in 
close quarters. He steps aside a little with Chasm 
still on his shoulder.

CatsCradle arrives from Access Corridor.

Divefire arrives from Access Corridor.
Divefire walks into the area
  
Chasm flicks his head to one side, "Hear that?" he 
says, poking Soundwave in the shoulder.

Ravage heads on over to Soundwave and hops up close 
to his creator... idly thinking maybe they can toss 
Chasm through a rift and send him home.

Sludge sniffs something and grumbles, his head 
lolling from side to side. "Sludge smell something 
bad."

Striker greets Divefire as he enters.

Megatron says, "Soundwave, can you get that clearer?"

Ramjet looks at the monitor screen and all the 
temporal distorion going on, scowling as he notices 
minibots in the pictures. As usual he has no idea 
whats going on. He looks over his shoulder at the 
Dino's reply, or tries to and has to turn his whole 
upper torso since his kneck does'nt move much, "Yeah 
great. Thanks a lot. That realy clears things up." He 
might be being sarcastic but it's hard to tell.

Soundwave steps forward quickly and works at his 
console, trying to clarify the signal.

Chasm glares at Ravage...

Slag shakes his head. "Slag smell nothing."

Ravage looks to Chasm and licks his fangs.

-Mindlink- Soundwave is aware of the silent 
communication passing between Ravage and Chasm, and 
sends out a sense of calm - though you sense that his 
main attention is focused on his work just now.


Thunderwing turns his attention from the vaguely 
amusing primitives to the far more interesting matter 
of the broadcast and what it could reveal.

Sludge looks at Slag and remembers something. "Slag 
not wash."

A faint reception crackles through. "....egatron, 
this is Optimus Prime. I urge you to share your 
knowledge of the temporal cataclysms with us. This 
planet is being torn apart and it is not in both our 
interests to be destroyed here...*fzzt*..."

Megatron stares at Soundwave. "What...?"

Slag grunts, "Slag is clean. Slag wash... last year. 
Sludge not wash."
 
Soundwave tilts his head a little. "My first 
conclusion is that the Autobots are overreacting as 
so often." He looks to Megatron for his opinion.
 
Sludge grumbles. "Sludge wash, Sludge discover Irish 
Spring... Sludge is Spring clean, Spring clean!"

Sludge stomps a little to accentuate his words.

Ramjet looks back to the screen. "My first conclusion 
is that if the autobots wanna share stuff I have some 
cluster bombs they can have some of."

Slag thumps his tail on the ground. "Slag is clean! 
Sludge is just DUMB."

Megatron says, "Sure they do. However, I want hear 
what my 'dear friend' Prime has to say. Open a 
channel."

Ruse enters, via airshaft. She drops down quietly 
beside Soundwave and awaits orders as she stands at 
attention. o O(Hey look, eveyone must be watching a 
reel of Prime's funniest bloopers.)

Sludge ducks his head and sniffles. "Sludge not 
dumb."

CatsCradle walks into the command center with 
Divefire. "Ok, so why are they looking for these 
dragonballs?" she says to him, obviously in the 
middle of a conversation, then stops talking when she 
realizes the room has several more people than usual.

Striker looks surprized as Ruse comes out of the 
shaft and looks at her, "Haven't seen you in 
awhile..."

Slag grunts, "Slag bored. Want to FIGHT!"

Soundwave looks back at the Dinobots and suggests 
calmly, "Please conduct your arguement at a lower 
level of volume. The rest of us need not be ... 
privaledged by such unique coversation."
 
Thunderwing raises the stylus as though to accentuate 
a statement, but thinks better of it and settles into 
aloof silence, watching and waiting.

Soundwave works the communications controls some 
more, and opens a channel to the Autobot base, then 
steps away from the screen so Megatron can speak 
directly into it.

Sludge says, "Sludge want to fight... Sludge want to 
fight dumb Optimus Prime! Sludge beat him at checkers 
once!"

The fuzzy image of Optimus Prime resolves itself on 
the screen. "Megatron," he says. "I'll be brief - 
Perceptor has analysed the time stresses...."
Yes, a temperal balance point, when drained of 
potential energy, could have caused these stresses to 
rupture outwards and according to Mulgrave's 
theorem...
Prime cuts in. "Megatron, you've drained energy 
from a place that's a weakness in the time/space 
continuum. That's caused all this trouble. You have 
to put the energy back for the rift to stabilize. If 
you don't, this entire world could crack apart."

Ramjet turns round to the dinos and glares, "Hey! you 
heard the commander. Shut up."

Ravage just shakes his head at the obvius dissorder 
and chaos in the room..

Slag surges forward, seeing Prime on the screen. 
"Prime... Slag fight him!"

Divefire mutters to Cats overhearing the conversation 
between the two titans. "Oh good." He starts with 
some sarcasm. "Once more we threaten to distory the 
universe..."

Ravage moves under Soundwaves chair... the Dino is 
going to bust something with its over sized tail and 
pea sized brain..

Ramjet tries to block slag's advance so the dino 
does'nt interupt Megatron, "It's just a screen you 
moron, he's not realy here."

Soundwave listens to Prime rather dubiously, though 
of course it's impossible to guess his thoughts from 
his expression. Still he says quietly to Chasm, "Is 
there something you can add to this claim?"

Megatron says, "Optimus Prime, what a nice surprise 
that you contact me. However, what gives you this 
rather stupid assumption, our energy collecting 
caused the problems?"

Slag glowers at Ramjet, "Slag, er, know that..."

Sludge nudges Slag and snickers. "Slag dumb one, not 
Sludge."

CatsCradle moves to perch on "her" console. "So what 
else is new?" she murmurs to Diver with a grin.

Megatron shortly glances at Thunderwing if he follows 
the conversation as well. How does this fit into the 
data the lord of Valckasta got.

Thunderwing mutters to himself, reacting without 
thinking to Megatron's statement, "...logic, cause 
and effect, perhaps?" Hey, if Starscream's not here 
to do his job...

Ruse meanwhile, hovers up and sits in a empty chair 
to avoid getting stepped on by all the larger 
transformers moving about in the room.

Soundwave flickers a glance toward Thunderwing and 
remarks, "The Autobots have been known to use any 
methods to attempt to deprive us of fuel."

Prime stares fixatedly at Megatron. "Come off it, 
Megatron. Your lust for power is draining the 
resources of this world dry. And the only ones 
capable of siphoning off all that energy, needed to 
trip the imbalance...
At least according to my calculations.. 
Perceptor adds helpfully...
That's where you come in, Megatron, Prime 
continues. "Wherever you took that energy from, 
wherever you found that rift ... You've got to put it 
back. Otherwise you could be destroyed..."

Thunderwing shows no inclination to actually join in 
the conversation, but merely beckons graciously to 
Megatron to continue.
 
Thunderwing smirks at Soundwave, "Indeed. This 
surprises you? Though in this case..." he shrugs and 
continues listening to the conversation.

Soundwave does not seem surprised at all, merely is 
making an observation, as he continues watching the 
exchange.

CatsCradle leans closer to Diver. "How does one put 
energy back?" she murmurs.

Megatron says, "Your puny attempt to remove us from 
our energy sources just to claim them for your own is 
too obvious Prime. Stop trying to fool me!"

Divefire murmers back to Cats. "Well, that theory 
depends on weather you believe energy can't be 
destroyed. In that case all it would require is the 
detination of what ever energy we syphoned off from 
that time distortion."

Ravage starts a rather long Y a w n .... 
Yaaawwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnn.... tongue curling as it sticks 
out of his mouth before he licks the tip of his nose.

Ramjet satisfied the dinos are behaving for now turn 
back to watch the screen..."If the autobots want this 
rift closed so bad why don't they put some of thier 
energy into it?"

Ravage 's ears twitch as he ponders something....
 
You paged Ravage with '(tel) (You sense Soundwave 
asking you to keep watch on Ruse so she doesn't get 
into trouble so quickly upon her return.)'.

-Mindlink- Ravage idly thinks of the explosion size 
of setting off all them Energon cubes and thinks it 
be big enough to effectivly cause this planets climet 
to change.


Optimus Prime thumps his hand down on Teletraan-1. 
"Megatron, you've got to listen! These time rifts 
have been reported from as far away as Cybertron! The 
world doesn't revolve around the Decepticons alone. 
If you don't want to clean up your own mess, at least 
tell us where you got that energy from so the 
Autobots can get the job done. What are the co-
ordinates of the rift you found?"
 
Megatron says, "If you want to know, find it out 
yourself, Prime. You can see this conversation as 
being finished. Megatron out."
 
CatsCradle wrinkles her nose, thinking that over. "So 
all we have to do is explode a few energon cubes and 
the time distortions stop?"

Ravage leans over a bit and itches his ear with a 
hind paw thinking . o O ( Finish it by themselves.. 
what a dip.. we have the energy...)

The image of Optimus Prime fizzes out.

Divefire nods slightly to Cats. "That's it. However 
if you believe that energy can be destroyed... Well 
that's a much longer explanation."

Ravage mentaly sighs and looks over to Ruse.. then 
gets up and joins her in the chair... sitting on her 
legs.
 
Soundwave considers, "If they truly wish to pour 
their own energy into the rift as Ramjet has 
speculated, is it not to our advantage to allow them 
to do so?

Chasm looks rather worried, "Shouldn't we at least do 
something?" he whispers to Soundwave.
 
Ruse snickers seeing Prime get mad, and aws as the 
image fades, "Looked like he going to throw a fit 
Megatron. Should have left it on and recorded it for 
propaganda..." She then erks as Ravage sits in her 
lap, "Hey, what makes you think you can sit there?" 
She pets him though, showing shes only joking.

Sludge says, "Sludge not like Optimus, say Optimus 
bad. No trust gay red truck."

Slag grunts, "Slag want to fight him! Slag want to 
fight everybody!"

Ramjet loks round at Sludge but this time just nods 
his cone once in agreement.

Ravage can't help but look over at Sludge and wonder 
what a gay truck is.... accessing the rather outdated 
Human english Dictionary only shows to gay as 
meaning.. fun.. or pleasant...

Thunderwing watches dispassionately as the witty 
repartee is cut short and makes a few more notes 
before putting the datapad away. He looks askance at 
Megatron and Soundwave, "'If you want something done 
right, do it yourself', no? If the Autobots have even 
less understanding about what is causing this than we 
do, then how can we be sure their attempts will not 
make the situation worse?"

Soundwave inclines his head a little to Thunderwing, 
seeing the logic in that.

Megatron rubs his chin, watching the computer screen 
where a map of the anomlies is built up. "Because I 
don't want to give them the chance, steeling our 
energon.

CatsCradle hmmms... "If energy can be destroyed," she 
says, still speaking softly to Diver "... then we're 
back to the drawing board on a way to stop the time 
disturbances."

Ramjet says, "what situation? you mean those swirly 
hole things? whats the big deal?"
 
CatsCradle grins at Ramjet. "Because one of those 
swirly things might suck you back to another time 
where there's no fuel. Again."

Thunderwing sighs, "If the situation escalates, 
Megatron, you may find yourself losing somewhat more 
than hard-won energon."

Chasm asks Ramjet, "You mean you missed the news 
reports?"

Sludge says, "Sludge like stomping squishy dinos."

Ramjet says, "they're rifts in time right? like that 
thing I went thru before? Why don't we just figure 
out where they go and use them like we use the 
spacebridge."
 
Slag rumbles, "Good to STOMP! Good to squish!"

Ramjet says, "we could go back before the war started 
and mount a suprise attack."
 
Divefire nods slightly. "It would have to do with 
correcting the imblance in the time space continum, 
probably with cosmic energy. Of course there is a 
theory that says everything will balance out on it's 
own..."

Slag shakes his head, "Slag feel funny..." he says, 
in a surprisingly weak voice. "What is happening to 
Slag?"

Ramjet rubs his chin, "Cosmic energy huh?"

Ravage nudges Ruse with his head.

CatsCradle says, "Which would explain why there was 
no historical account of us appearing in the sixth 
century.""

Megatron says, "Thunderwing, I know. But I don't want 
the Autobots to interfere. We will solve the problem 
ourselves."

Sludge looks at Slag and twists his head. "What 
wrong?"

Striker glances at the Dinobot, "Slag? You okay over 
there?"

Soundwave looks over at Slag, the change in tone 
having caught his attention.

Ramjet glances at slag, "you probably just had a 
thought. better sit this conversation out."

Thunderwing says, "The Autobots have always 
interfered. It is what they do."

Slag shakes his head. "Slag not sure."

Megatron says, "You remember our conversation, 
Thunderwing... You don't have any information how big 
the device is we're looking for or what shape it 
has?"

Slag shakes his tail back and forth, "Slag want to 
fight something. That always make Slag feel better."

CatsCradle says a little more loudly, "One thing 
about the Autobots, is that they don't want to see 
any harm come to this planet. If they say it is in 
danger, it probably is, and they probably think they 
have an idea that would best protect it."

-Mindlink- Ravage says, "If the energy was removed 
and caused the instability... then the Energon would 
have to be converted back into the energy form we 
took to start with... Exploding several hundred 
Energon cubes will simply rip part of the planet 
appart and primus knows cause even more damage."


Ruse looks to Slag after scritching Ravage, "Hey calm 
down about fighting. You will have your chance. Your 
almost worse then me when I am bored silly dino."

Divefire adds to Cats statment. "Which would probably 
mean we all don't die horribly in some cosmic 
imbalance."
 
Ramjet finaly answers Chasm, "I got better things to 
do than watch human transmitions."

Sludge says, "Optimus say lots of things to Sludge... 
like, squat on Bumblebee. But Sludge not do because 
Sludge know that feel funny."
 
Megatron waits for Thunderwings answer. Has he found 
out something?

CatsCradle returns to her quiet murmur to Diver. 
"Because we belong here, and not sent into some other 
time? So we'll survive whatever happens if we're in 
some other time?" She snorts again. "Wish I knew that 
when I was back in the sixth century."

Chasm scratches at his head, "Soundwave, this reminds 
me of something important... Oh dear, I've lost it 
again. Hmmm."

Thunderwing turns his attention to the Dinobots as 
well and watches Slag much like a scientist looks at 
a particularly interesting specimen. He calls over 
his shoulder to Megatron, "Hmm? No... Not as of yet. 
The signatures of the disturbances are easily 
recognised, but the pattern is too intricate to track 
back to its source. At least so far."

You say, “Something to do with the time rifts, Chasm? 
I recall you said it had to do with the Dinobots, as 
well."
 
Divefire glances back to Cats, goes to say something 
then stops. "Honestly, temporal physics is so 
theoretical that I have no idea."

Chasm nods, and seems rather abstracted. "Yes, it all 
fits together somehow... But how? And why? And... oh 
nevermind."

Ruse looks to Chasm... and hms, "Chasm are you 
feeling alright? Since when are you forgetful?"

Megatron says, "Well, I realized an interesting fact. 
All disturbances have one thing in common: they 
influenced the continuity of time..."
 
CatsCradle says, "All right, I'll stop with the 
questions." She smirks. "Besides, the last time we 
talked about time travel, you dumped me in the 
lake.""

Soundwave divides his attention between Slag and 
Chasm, relegating the others in the room to his 
peripheral awareness. He has the sense that whatever 
mysteries surround Chasm, have the potential of being 
unveiled now. And - although he himself has no memory 
of having created Chasm as the little dragon claims, 
he has come to feel protective of him none the less. 
Calmly he says, "There is a way we might access that 
information if you will trust me, Chasm."

Thunderwing nods, "That -is- why we have been 
referring to them as 'temporal disturbances', I 
believe..."

Megatron says, "... but only one also influenced 
space."

Thunderwing arches a brow as the Emperor actually 
makes a point, "Dragon's Mount? ...or whatever you 
called the place..."

Chasm flicks a calm gaze at Ruse, "Of course I'm 
perfectly alright," he says stuffily. "If only 
Soundwave would overcome his desire to poke through 
my most valuable possession! My thoughts are my own 
sanctuary; I permit no trespass..."
 
Ramjet folds his arms over his chest and watches the 
conversation in silence. Not realy understanding what 
the big deal is and sulking a little that nobody 
liked his suprise attack idea.

Megatron says, "No, Dragon's mount has been there 
before. But the dinosaur island came out of nothing. 
Possibly the device we are looking for is an... 
island."
 
Slag mutters to Sludge, "Slag hate this waiting 
around. Slag and Sludge go out and fight something?"

Soundwave shakes his head a little in exasperation. 
"Would you prefer to go about the rest of your life 
wondering what you are missing?"

Sludge says, "Sludge say Slag have good idea... say 
Sludge beat Autobots good, like Mr. T!"

Divefire smirks to Cats and nods. "I don't like 
temporal physics."

Chasm coils up on Soundwave's shoulder. "Perhaps I'd 
prefer it..." he mutters... Soundwave picks a slight 
sensation of (fear) from the link, as if Chasm is 
scared of his own past... That impression is quickly 
replaced by Chasm's normal silken-smooth mental 
composure.

CatsCradle shoots Chasm a quick glance of 
understanding, then looks away again, studying her 
claws.

Slag grunts, "That good! Slag and Sludge go and fight 
Autobots now! Let's go!"

Slag turns and starts to barrel towards the doorway.

Striker says, "Woah, hold on guys."

Soundwave's optic band darkens just a little, but he 
reaches up and strokes Chasm's wings.
 
Thunderwing nods to Megatron, "Very well. Carry on. 
Where would this place be?"

Sludge follows Slag and merrily bounces along.

Striker leaps out of the way of the thundering Slag.

Ruse frowns... looking at Chasm. She shakes her head 
and trys to help talk him into it, "Trust me, a 
little invasion of privacy is worth finding out more 
about yourself. You might find out something useful 
to improve apon your near perfection even more." o 
O(Coax the ego, and the dragon will hopefuly follow.)

Slag rumbles happily,
 
Slag enters Access Corridor <<S> South>.
Slag has left.

Sludge says, "If you have problem, if no one help and 
you find them... maybe you hire Dinobots!"

Sludge enters Access Corridor <<S> 
South>.
Sludge has left.

-Mindlink- Ravage idly withdraws... since you seem to 
be treating Chasm as one of your own now and when he 
isnt even your creation.

Soundwave makes no move to call the Dinobots back, 
considering them safely out of the way if they're off 
looking for Autobots to stomp.

Chasm preens, "How can I be more perfect than I am 
now?"

Ramjet looks at the others, "You mean...your *paying* 
them?!"

Divefire shakes his head watching and hearing the 
Dinobots leave. "Some one needs to take away their TV 
rights..."
 
Ramjet shakes his head and stomps over to a console, 
slumping down in a chair to scowl at the screen.

CatsCradle murmurs to Diver, "Says the mech, who 
after being gone from his mate for three weeks, 
brings her back comic books."

Megatron says, "If you accompany us, you will see it 
yourself, Thunderwing. We will visit it, find out 
what is responsible for the time disturbances, and 
take care of it."
 
You paged Ravage with '(tel) (Soundwave senses the 
sulking from Ravage, and sends him a sense of 
reassurance. Ravage will always be his first and most 
precious creation.)'.

Divefire shrugs to Cats. "They feed the imagination."

CatsCradle chuckles, but doesn't say anything else

-Mindlink- Ravage is hardly sulking.. he finds 
offence that you put trust in a creatur whos origins 
have not even been proven... another traveler from 
the future who claims harmful things would happen 
some day.

Thunderwing watches the Emperor for a moment, rueful 
amusement rising to the surface for a moment, "Ever 
the enthusiast. Very well, lead the way... It would 
seem we have little choice in the matter, after all."
 
Soundwave's optic band shifts a little brighter in a 
moment of amusement as he assures Ramjet, "The 
Dinobots are being 'paid' in the same capacity as are 
the rest of us." He leaves that explanation to be 
interpreted without adding further details, however.

Ruse says, "You just can Chasm. If Soundwave unlocks 
something locked in your mind.. a imperfection since 
you can't access that knowledge are in your mind 
which is indeed a flaw... you will then come closer 
to perfection then you already are. Infact you may 
dare I say, become absolute perfection."
 
-Mindlink- Soundwave isn't exactly putting *trust* in 
Chasm, only concerned for his mental welfare as he 
would be for Ruse or anyone else with whom he closely 
interacts.

Gryphus has arrived.
Gryphus walks in , cautiously.
 
CatsCradle grins again at Diver. "Ever see a live 
dinosaur?"
 
Ramjet frowns at the tac display, muttering something 
about hired mercinaries.

-Mindlink- Ravage thinks he should be tossed through 
a rift and sent back to the future where he belongs.


Megatron frowns. "No, we haven't much choice." He 
looks around. "Decepticons, to the island."


	[travel time]


Pacific Ocean <Central>

Ravage [Jaguar] 
Ruse [Robot] 
Thunderwing [Robot] 
Gryphus [Hippogriff] 
Divefire [Robot] 
CatsCradle [Robot] 
Chasm [Dragon] 
Megatron [Robot] 
Mysterious Island
Obvious exits:
 <N> North leads to Pacific Ocean 
<Central>.
 <S> South leads to Pacific Ocean 
<Central>.
 <E> East leads to Pacific Ocean <Western 
Hemisphere>.
 <W> West leads to Pacific Ocean <Eastern 
Hemisphere>.

Soundwave flies alongside Megatron as they approach 
the strange island, with its strange energy-waves 
shimmering around it.

Megatron enters the mysterious island.

You arrive on the mysterious island.

Mysterious Island(#1220en)

        If one were to step back in time 100 million 
years into the lower Creteceous period, the Earth 
would look much like these surroundings: dense 
forests of palms and cycads cluster around towering 
volcanic cones, which smoke ominously and send the 
occasional tremor through the subterrain. Bubbling 
tar pits and steaming rifts through which geysers 
periodically erupt, mark this island as a place of 
rich resources and abundant energy. The native 
inhabitants range from massive sauropods and 
carnosaurs to herds of hadrosaurs and ceratopsians. 
The sky is claimed by leather-winged pterosaurs, and 
elasmosaurs glide in the offshore currents 
surrounding this land. Primitive toothed birds can be 
seen flitting through the forest among the great 
reptiles. In short, this is the species composition 
of the Mesozoic Era, alive and well in its lost 
world, and transported somehow into the present day.

Contents:
Megatron(#261PenACc)
Striker(#1117PenACc)
Sludge(#1222PenAc)
Slag(#1229PenAc)

Chasm arrives on the mysterious island.

CatsCradle arrives on the mysterious island.

Divefire arrives on the mysterious island.

Gryphus arrives on the mysterious island.

Thunderwing arrives on the mysterious island.

Ruse arrives on the mysterious island.

Sludge holds one hand on Slag's chest, his other hand 
gripping the blaster tightly. He scans the 
surrounding area, just waiting for something to 
happen. Juices seep out between his fingertips from 
the wound in Slag's chest.

Slag lies sprawled across the ground in broken parts. 
Sludge is kneeling by his side.

Striker flies in, soaring around the island looking 
for the Dinobots, figuring this is where they went.

Soundwave lands along with the others.

Striker spots the pair of dinos and lands beside 
them.

Striker transforms into his Robot mode.

The fallen image of the Dinobots can be seen as the 
other Decepticons land.

Striker says, "What happened to Slag, Sludge?"

Ramjet arrives on the mysterious island.

Sludge says, "Some other Slag appear out of nowhere 
and stab Slag, then disappear!"

Gryphus cirlces around above. Hey Swoop might get a 
girlfiend. LOl ;)

Megatron lands. "Scan for all that appears 
'unnatural' for such a place."

Striker says, "Another Slag stabbed him and 
disappeared?"

Soundwave steps over quickly to join the two 
Dinobots, wasting no time bringing out a handheld 
med-scanner to determine the extent of the damage. 
Even as he watches the screen read-out, he crouches 
down and prepares to seal the wounds. Echoing 
Striker's question, he asks, "What has occured?"

Ramjet flies overhead, covering the others as they 
land, circling around to look for trouble.

Sludge knows the word 'unnatural', and laughs. 
"Anything natural here?"

In the distance, across the ocean, a strange fiery 
light licks the sky.

Gryphus soars in and lands not too ar off. 
"Amazing.." she utters.

CatsCradle frowns as she lands. "What's considered 
unnatural here? Dinosaurs aren't exactly natural in 
this time, but if the whole island is from another 
time, then they're perfectly natural here...

Sludge says, "Other Slag come out of nowhere, stomp 
ground and stab Slag... yes, that what I say!"

(Slag pages: Although Slag's body appears to be 
repairable, you can't detect any mental energy at 
all. It's as if he was suddenly snuffed out...)

Gryphus rears up on her hind legs, her robotic legs 
fold down from her back/torso as her wings flex 
inward into a tight fold. Her head and neck snap back 
so her robotic head can come up. Her alt mode legs 
now fold up as her robotic legs are in place. Her 
arms convert slightly from avian looking to normalcy.

Megatron gestures at the light. "Something that seems 
'unnatural' for this island. Like that!"

Gryphus takes out her scanner.

Ruse lands and frowns at the sight. Then looks 
around, "You mean another dino that Slag is based 
on?"

Thunderwing got...distracted on the way in to the 
island, but finally makes his way to where his fellow 
Decepticons landed. The Valckastan touches down 
without his usual grace and stirs up some dust when 
he accidentally stumbles on...well a brain ghost, 
really. The Dinobot's predicament is utterly lost on 
the Lord as he becomes immersed in a world of his 
own, white optics staring into nothingness, narrowed 
in thought and mild discomfort.

Chasm perches on Soundwave's shoulder, looking 
worried. "Oh drat, it's started.." He shakes his head 
again, trying to fight back the memories that keep 
trying to poke to the surface.
 
Megatron says, "Don't tell me these are incoming 
Autobots."

Sludge says, "No, other Slag! Robot look just like 
Slag!"

On the horizon, a scene of battle can be made out. It 
seems as though a group of flying Autobots, still in 
their crude jetpacks, are trying to do battle with a 
strange, fiery light in the sky.

CatsCradle says, "waitwaitwait... Ok, theoretically, 
you can't be int he same time twice. Which would 
explain why Slag wasn't feeling well, if he was in 
this time twice over. Because he came from another 
time, as well as already being here." She groans, 
rubbing her forehead"

You say, "'Other Slag'?" He lets the mystery be for a 
moment, shaking his scanner a little as though to 
assure himself it's working. Then he puts it aside 
and simply regards Slag in silence, his optic band 
brightening a bit as he probes telepathcially. Not a 
moment afterward he looks toward Megatron and says, 
"The wound itself would not appear to have been 
fatal, but - I detect no mental impulses from him at 
all.""

Gryphus hmms and scans the light in question. 
"Interesting."

Ramjet transmits, "This is Ramjet. I'm picking up 
autobot fliers. permision to engage?"

Divefire hovers over the area, studying it with 
disbelieveing optics. He mutters one sentance that 
sums the situation up rather nicly. "Not good."

Sludge looks at Slag and yells. "Slag, wake up Slag! 
Slag be okay!"

Soundwave looks sharply at Chasm, insistent now. 
"Chasm - we may just have lost one of our warriors. 
If there is something to be remembered, you must tell 
me."

Striker says, "Seems whatever that light is, it's 
giving the Autobot's one hell of a fight."

Megatron shortly glances at Thunderwing then at the 
light in the sky.

Talon arrives on the mysterious island.

Ruse doesn't like whats going on. She walks over to 
Soundwave and Slag, but watchs the Autobots fight 
seemingly light up in the sky. o O(What is that?)

Chasm shakes his head, "I don't know, it's all 
muddled up in my head..."

Thunderwing utters shortly, without taking his optics 
off whatever it is he is seeing, "...Ashraker... Not 
quite, but..."
 
Ramjet starts heading for the other airial battle, 
like a moth toward a flame.

Striker doesn't fly off to attack the Autobots 
without Megatron's permission, he doesn't want a 
repeat of what happened earlier...

Megatron says, "What is this Soundwave? Any 
readings?"

As Ramjet rockets forward, he can see that Optimus 
Prime and a few other Autobots are valiantly trying 
to fight something in the sky that looks like a 
pillar of burning flame. A figure can be made out at 
the centre of the flame ... and it's solely attacking 
Swoop and Snarl.

Powerglide radios Ramjet, "Buzz off, 'con. We've got 
our hands full."

Gryphus forwns at her readings. "WEll I'm guessing 
whatever this is... it'll come after us after its 
done woith the Bots."

Divefire touches down next to Cats and glances to 
her. "You've been here before?"

Soundwave shakes his head, indicating he's not 
sensing anything of note that would help, but he 
watches Ramjet with some concern as the flyer heads 
toward the battle.

Megatron says, "Then we shall prepared."

Sludge says, "Slag... wake up."

Striker says, "Megatron, Soundwave, should I go help 
our cybertronian friend?"

<O-Decepticon> Divefire says, "And if that red 
thing is a temperal rift in time and space I want to 
know who hired Simon Furman to write this tp..."

Chasm links his tail around Soundwave's neck. "Uh... 
I might need some help, er, remembering..."

Megatron says, "Do it, Striker, but don't attack the 
light... yet."

CatsCradle nods, studying the battle, her optics 
narrowed. "Yes. The island was full of dinosaurs. 
Real ones. The terrian is very unstable, too. 
Volcanic activity, tar pits. Very high energy area. 
And the Autobot Dinobots seems to think they have a 
claim on it."

Ramjet reports back to the others via radio, "The 
Autobots are fighting this burning guy...Is that one 
of ours?"

Soundwave looks sharply at Chasm again. "Indeed you 
might."

Striker nods before transforming and taking off after 
Ramjet.

Megatron says, "Thunderwing, do you get any readings? 
Thunderwing..?"

Striker transforms into his F-15 mode.

Gryphus Looks to her Lord. "My Lord. Permission to 
appaorch the light with a scanner?"

Striker radios to Ramjet, "D'you see any insignias on 
it?"

Talon says, ": shakes his head as he looks around. "I 
had no idea what I was getting into when I 
volunteered for this excursion.""

CatsCradle says, "If it's not one of ours, let the 
Autobots fight it out. Let them waste their energy. 
We can clean up any leftovers"

Megatron says, "Don't ask so stupidly, Gryphus, do 
it!"

A shudder courses through Thunderwing's frame, 
shattering the distraction in its wake, forcibly 
bringing the Valckastan back to the here and now. He 
shakes his head, trying to force some clarity back 
into his mind, "It would seem, Megatron, that 
Ashraker's warnings were not without justification."

Gryphus falls forward and while doing so her arms 
convert slightly into avian legs and feet, her robot 
head sinks down slightly and the head and neck of her 
alt form snaps down over it. Her robotic legs fold up 
into her back/torso just after her alt modes legs 
fold out and down, catching her before her lower 
torso falls. Her wings flex out from the tight fold 
they are in.

Divefire muses and shakes his head again. "I'm in the 
wrong mode for this..."
        Panals reform, locking together as mass 
shrinks, finaly comming together as a Mk III Trans-
Am.

Soundwave steps off and away from the group a little, 
with Chasm still on his shoulder. His gaze passes 
over the motionless Slag, still adorned in his own 
fuel, and then he removes Chasm from his shoulder and 
holds him up so that he can look right at him 
directly. "If you know something that will be of 
assistance to us, Chasm, you will cooperate in 
allowing me to find out."

Gryphus frowns at Megatron calling her stupid. Prick. 
She launches off into the air to scan up close and 
personal. Bots be damned.

Ramjet Heads for the floating figure, "I dunno. I 
gues I'd better check first."

Ruse sighs mentaly. o O(Wish I could help them but I 
would just get in the way right now.)

Ramjet makes to Buzz the burning figure in the pillar 
of flame, flying recklessly close for a better look.
 
Thunderwing has finally noticed the Dinobots, it 
would seem, and regards them seriously.

Striker to Ramjet, "Really? Look before ya leap..."

Chasm pages: Chasm gives you a strange flickery 
mental image. "...there's not much I can do without 
upsetting Council, Chasm," Starscream says. "I mean, 
in light of the recent scandal, I really can't afford 
to lose any more popularity than I have to..." He 
paces back and forth. "But I can't just sit here and 
let something awful happen to Slag. I mean, he's a 
little fucked up in the head, but so what?" He 
smirks, "So I need you to go back and trip the beacon 
up. Send Slag home before the Council can intercept 
him."
Chasm tries to move, but is finding himself 
locked down. "Sorry about this," Starscream grins. 
"Hey, you said you wanted to have your time over 
again. Think of this as a gift from me, eh? Just 
hurry..."
Chasm starts to scream....

Sludge drops his rifle and takes Slag's arm, trying 
to get some reaction from the fallen Dinobot. All 
other activity is beyond his perception. "Slag not 
good... Slag don't die, Slag would not want Sludge's 
life to get boring."

Divefire focuses in on his sensor sweat, absorbed in 
the mamoth power readings he's getting, acompanied by 
what Starscream would clasify as `strange energy 
readings that he finds disterbing...`

Ramjet dips a wing, banking around to try and fly 
behind the figure battling the autobots. dodging 
stray shots as he manouvers in close.

Megatron watches the light carefully. Where does it 
start, where end? Do the Autobot's weapons have any 
effect on it, and which of them do? Does it head for 
a certain destination?

CatsCradle rests her hand on Diver's hood. "What are 
you picking up?" she asks softly.

Gryphus isn't as fast as Ramjet or any other flier. 
But she does arrive on the outskirts of the battling 
Bots. Let them take the pounding. She'll just scan 
thank you.

The Autobots are ignoring the Decepticons for now, as 
their efforts are entirely focused in the pillar of 
light. However, none of their weapons seem to have 
any effect on the figure. Gryphus' scans are off the 
scale.

As Ramjet slides past, he can make out a figure that 
looks like Slag at the center of the floating 
inferno...

Divefire musses and then states the blindingly 
obvious to Cats. "What ever that thing is, it should 
not be here."

You paged Chasm with '(tel) (Soundwave tries to focus 
in on the image more. You hear his mental 'voice' in 
your mind) You were *sent* to this place and time in 
order to accomplish a specific task? You must recall 
precisely what that task is, and how to complete 
it.'.

Gryphus Mutters something in another tongue that 
would loosely translate 'not f'n possible' or around 
that type of workding.

Thunderwing walks over to Megatron's side and joins 
him in watching the light, "Something here...one 
strand in the pattern...a trail, almost. It reminds 
me of Ashraker, but it is different."

CatsCradle pats Diver's hood. "Thank you, dear, for 
that brilliant observation."

Megatron says, "Mmmh... It is energy..."

Striker forces his engines to fly at their utmost 
capacity, hitting his top speed or 2270 miles per 
hour... as soon as he gets close enough to the battle 
he slows down to avoid ramming into any of the 
fighting bots, he seems to see the same thing that 
Ramjet see's, "Is that... Slag?"

Dark Slag laughs and hacks at Swoop with his sword, 
"You DIE now! Over and over again!"

Ramjet radios back, "Hey! It's just that stupid 
mercinary!"

Sludge says, "Sonofabitch."

Soundwave doesn't seem to be aware of the battle 
going on nearby, since he's intently concentrating on 
Chasm and what secrets lie locked in his mind.

Gryphus says, "Utterly fascinating..."

Chasm mutters, "Something about a time beacon... But 
to sense it, you need... potential. Ordinary 
transformers can't even comprehend it..."

Ramjet tightens his bank and lines up for an attack 
run on the Autobots, altering his flightpath to give 
the hovering dino air suport, "Come on then!"

You say, "An object, Chasm? An object that started 
this entire sequence of events? And if so, what was 
its source?"

Divefire mutters slightly. "Yes well... To put it 
another way... It doesn't belong in our Universe. 
Other then that I can't tell with out spending a 
month analising these readings."
 
Gryphus hmms. SHe will have to test a throry here. 
She flies at the Dark Slag, Claws outstretched. "GRIF 
POWER!"

Divefire mutters and gives up, transforming back to 
his robot mode.
        With the folding, turning and size shunting 
of parts, Divefire transforms into his robot form.

Ruse looks to the seemingly dead Slag as her optics 
narrow. o O(Has to be something I can do! I wont sit 
back and watch this play out.) She looks around, 
trying to spot anything the others might not... using 
her keen snipers eye through the scope on ol' blue.

Striker mutters to himself, "Oh boy, what's that 
femme gonna get into now?" meaning Gryphus.
 
Megatron points at the object. "If it is a pure 
energy construct, energy weapons will just make it 
stronger.

Ramjet radios, "Gryphus! break off your attack! he's 
working for us!"
 
Dark Slag ignores Ramjet as the blade clips into 
Swoop, sending the Autobot dino spiralling down into 
the ocean. "Kill Slag, then Swoop... who next? Snarl! 
Snarl next!" He roars and tries to target the 
remainign Autobot dinobot, who is being covered by 
Optimus Prime. Prime yells out, "Slag, I can feel 
your pain. But killing the dinobots won't make up for 
whatever it was. You're from a different time and 
place. But we could have been friends, we could be 
friends... And..."

Dark Slag grunts, "Slag not listen to stupid Autobot 
leader. You weak! Decepticons kill you! Slag only 
here to kill Snarl!"

Ramjet peppers the Autobots with laser fire as he 
heads straight for thier midst, sunlight gleaming on 
his canopy as he looks for any he recognises.

Gryphus misses as the Dark one dives for Snarl. "I 
thiought the dinos were on our side so excuse me."

Sludge grips his rifle and rushes forward, leaping 
into the air and swooping towards Dark Slag.

Sludge says, "Bad Slag want a piece of someone? Come 
get piece of Sludge, bitch!"
 
Ramjet is realy confused now so lets the dinos just 
get on with it and tries to find an autobot to crash 
into.
 
Thunderwing narrows his optics, first at the light 
and the battle, then at the area surrounding him, 
"All things have a signature, Megatron. Often, one 
source is not easily discernable from another 
producing similar patterns. Ashraker's 
was...distinct, however. And what I am sensing now is 
similar...though darker. More...violent." The Lord of 
Valckasta frowns in mild disgust at his own words.

Chasm mutters to Soundwave... "The matrix - not the 
Autobot one. But... there they have their own one, a 
Decepticon one, I think. And you need to be able to 
resonate with it, otherwise it destroys you. And to 
use stuff made from it, you need... potential. But I 
don't have that potential... Or at least I never 
tried..."
 
Powerglidge clips off to one side, "Stupid 'con! 
Won't he just be after your Dinobots next?" He angles 
past and tries to let a shot off at Ramjet.

Sludge stops in mid-air and levels his blaster at 
Dark Slag, squeezing off a round.

Gryphus lands by the other cons. "That.. thing.. is 
giving off energy off my scannes scale."

Megatron smirks a bit amused. "Darker and more 
violent..? How impressive. Whatever it is, we will 
deal with it.

Megatron says, "Soundwave, prepare energon hulls."
 
CatsCradle still watches the battle. "One of... 
whoever he is, against all those Autobots and our 
people, too. That's one hell of a fighter.

Thunderwing's optics suddenly blaze and turn to the 
dark reflection of Slag, "Him! He is the source of 
this..." He gestures, trying to somehow relate a 
sensation that is nothing so much as hearing colours.
 
Ruse shakes in pure frustration as she holsters her 
rifle, and then suddenly calms looking to Chasm. She 
asks the dragon strangely, "Decepticon matrix?"

Divefire glances at Cats. "I don't think the Autobots 
are fighting that creature directly."

Gryphus shakes her head at MEgs. She is geting less 
and less impressed by him lately. She tfs back to 
robot form.
 
Gryphus rears up on her hind legs, her robotic legs 
fold down from her back/torso as her wings flex 
inward into a tight fold. Her head and neck snap back 
so her robotic head can come up. Her alt mode legs 
now fold up as her robotic legs are in place. Her 
arms convert slightly from avian looking to normalcy.
 
Sludge braces his shoulders and powers up his 
thrusters, barelling toward's Dark Slag to tackle 
him.

Soundwave from somewhere at a great distance hears 
his leader's order, and returns some of his awareness 
to the surroundings. Nodding to Megatron, he holds 
Chasm with one hand and begins to generate empty 
energon cube containment fields.
 
Dark Slag grunts as Sludge barrels foward, "You die 
too!" He roars, and fires a bolt of power at Sludge, 
rocking the Dinobot backwards into the air.

Optimus Prime grunts and keeps firing at the energy 
form. Perceptor sighs, "It's like our shots don't 
even effect him!"

Ramjet takes fire from the flanking powerglide and is 
forced to break off his head on attack, he breaks 
right a spiraling hi-yo, switching his targeting 
systems to track the ugly red warthog. "They are'nt 
*my* dinos..."

Striker turns on his side and barrels towards the 
Autobots with machine guns blazing, he may just get 
lucky and hit a rocket pack.

Gryphus resorts to studying the fight. May be some 
sort of reserch worthiness in it.

Thunderwing frowns as several thoughts begin 
converging in his mind, "But...why destroy his own 
kind?" A speculative tone enters his voice and he 
tilts his head in thought. New...ahem...'interest' 
forming, it would seem.

Powerglide barrel rolls under Ramjet and tries to 
come up with a few quick shots. "I can outfly you 
jets any day of the week!"

Striker's shots manage to knock one of the Autobots 
off balance, but at his current speed, he can't even 
see which bot he hit.

Divefire catches the tail end of Megatron's orders 
and focuses in on Soundwave producing energon cubes. 
"Oh no..." He mutters as his optics go wide slightly. 
"He wouldn't , he wouldn't risk distabalizing the 
continuem further..."

Megatron says, "The only thing that interests me is 
to stop this overgrown lizard."

Bumblebee topples from the sky. "Ahhhhh, I'm going 
down!"

Prime yells out, "Bumblebee! This is getting too 
dangerous! Autobots, fall back!"

Dark Slag rumbles, "You not go until Slag kill you 
ALL!"

CatsCradle's optics go wide. "Not to mention that 
this whole area is unstable as well."

Gryphus hmms. "Now we shall see whom this dark one 
goes after.." this muttered
 
Chasm whispers to Soundwave, "What are you doing?"

Ramjet is blasted in the underside, but unperturbed 
just dives straight down, trying to slam himself into 
Powerglide. "Yeah? but can you out-crash us?"

Sludge tumbles, but regains his composure. He brings 
his blaster up one handed and aims at Dark Slag's 
crotch.

Chasm says, "Soundwave, I'm scanning for that beacon, 
but I can't detect anything nearby that could be it!"

Thunderwing takes a leap of logic and smirks at 
Megatron, gesturing grandly to the Dark Slag, "May I 
introduce you to the ruler of Earth..."

Powerglide yelps, "Are you insane? No it's Ramjet. 
Cancel that. Of course he's insane!" Powerglide tries 
to roll out of the way of Ramjet's attack...

Gryphus raises a brow at the Dino's crude attack on 
the better being.

Sludge's bolt doesn't appear to have any effect.

Soundwave ends up with a small stack of energon-cube 
containment fields, and says to Chasm, "Megatron 
appears to have a plan of counterattack. You continue 
to seek out this beacon. Can you convey a visual 
image to me?"

Sludge pounds his fist and swears. "Dammit, Sludge 
miss!"
 
Dark Slag flickers slightly. He vanishes from the 
scene of the Autobot battle and then reappears in the 
sky above Megatron and Thunderwing. "Slag... he rule 
Earth. All of it! Slag's planet, Slag does as he 
pleases!"

Striker stops quickly and transforms, aiming his arm 
lasers at the same time...

Megatron says, "We will se who the ruler will be. As 
it seems he just absorbs the energy of the weapons. 
Energy can not harm him. However, a loss of it may 
have more effect on him. We will try to use the 
energon cubes as a defences. Empty cubes..."

Gryphus says, "OH lovely.. another 'i own the world' 
type."

CatsCradle says, "How did a Dinobot get so 
powerful?""

The Autobots look confused as Dark Slag suddenly 
vanishes. Prime orders, "Autobots, retreat! Get Swoop 
and Snarl out of here!"

Soundwave steps over to Megatron with the empty 
energon cubes. "What is your plan, Commander?"

Chasm mutters, "It's an energy construct. You have to 
be able to percieve it first."

Sludge lobs his gun at Dark Slag's forehead, hoping 
to get sufficient arc to smack the bastard square in 
the face.

Megatron clenches his fist. "We will use the cubes to 
suck his energy out of him!

Ramjet rolls after ramjet...er powerglide (animation 
error?) and chases the slower jet downward, "Yeah 
you'd better run..." as he chases he fires his 
internal cannons, straffing after the manouvering 
minibot.

CatsCradle says, "And why is he specifically going 
after Dinobots, Autobot ones or Decepticon?"

Dark Slag rumbles, "Slag remember you Thunderwing! 
Slag kill you! Hmmahaha!"

Divefire blinks, watching the altanate Slag teloport. 
"No idea... But the power readings would sugest an 
altanate power source."

Dark Slag roars, "Slag from end of time, where Slag 
rules everything, time and space. Slag use Earth to 
hunt Dinobots, over and over again. Slag is powerful, 
Slag is everywhere. Slag kill other timelines before. 
Why you think you can defeat Slag now? Nothing 
special about you."

You say, “And you cannot detect this energy, Chasm? 
You must have been sent back to seek it out for a 
reason."

The Autobots are retreating. After gathering their 
wounded, they quickly fall back into the distance.

Divefire mutters. "I hate being right..."

Megatron says, "Ready the cubes!"

Soundwave hands Megatron one of the energon cubes and 
reflexively draws his plasma gun as the dark Slag 
makes his boast.

Gryphus says, "Slag is full of himself and obviously 
has no girlfiend."

Chasm mutters, "Well, I have to conceptualise this... 
Drat, if only we had an energy-sensitive transformer 
around."

Thunderwing looks up at the hovering Dinobot and 
scowls, "Capable of manipulating time and space, 
indeed." The blustered threat causes the Valckastan 
to fall silent, not quite able to come up with a 
suitably supercilious response to that. But for all 
that his experssion is unreadable, there is something 
about him that suggests something tightly coiled and 
ready to explode into action.
 
CatsCradle squeaks. She holds her hands up, energy 
flickering between them, ready to throw her 'field 
over both her and Diver if needed.
 
Dark Slag snorts, "Slag sees you try something? 
Hmmhahaa! You'll fail. Slag cannot be defeated!"

Soundwave looks to Chasm. "There may be a 
possibility. One who may be able to detect an unusual 
energy reading that does not belong in this time and 
place."

Ramjet does'nt look ready to give up so easily and 
chases after Powerglide.

Ramjet zooms in on the Autobots. As he comes into 
range, all of the retreating Autobots open fire at 
him.

Thunderwing listens to more of the Dinobot's 
blustering and mutters to himself, "...Slag is also 
quite, quite full of himself." He glances at and 
through the Dark Slag, nodding to himself as the 
close proximity allows him to confirm that, yes, this 
was the guy he sensed earlier.

Chasm rolls his optics, "And can you produce such a 
personage out of thin air, Soundwave?"

Gryphus says, "Slag seriously needs a girlfriend. 
honestly he does. Am I the only one that sees that?"

You say, “Lord Thunderwing? It seems we are in need 
of your particular talents."

Ramjet gets further and further away from the other 
cons...and is forced to break off persuit. shot up 
somewhat he heads back to the others.

Ruse looks around, in the background just unsure what 
to do but wanting to do something. She picks up a 
empty energon cube from the stack Soundwave made and 
waits.

Divefire glances to Cats again. "I think Megatron's 
right, sucking energy off that dark Slag might work."

Powerglide jeers in the wake of Ramjet's retreat, 
"And stay out of my airspace!"

Gryphus is probably talking to herself as her 
comments are ignored.
 
CatsCradle smiles sweetly at Gryphus. "And how does 
that observation help us, Gryphus?" she asks. "Are 
you volunteering?"

Thunderwing nods to Soundwave, without taking his 
attention from the hovering Dinobot. Having one's 
life threatened tends to stick in the mind, "Indeed? 
And what can I do for you, Soundwave?"

Dark Slag grunts, "Slag is getting bored. Slag have 
to start killing failures again." He lifts up his 
sword, rather casually.

Gryphus says, "Though his strenth is quite attractive 
his mind leaves little to be desired, Catscradle. so 
no I am not volunteering. I however suggest to use 
his own power agaisnt him.""

Dark Slag grins, "Who wants to die first on Slag's 
sword?"

You say, “I am aware that you have the ability to 
sense certain energy anomalies. Chasm informs me we 
must detect a device which can reverse this entire 
sequence of events."
 
CatsCradle shoots back smoothly to Gryphus, "Then say 
that next time."

Chasm nods, "What he said."

Striker snickers to himself and transforms, soaring 
towards Powerglide, "Oh really? I'll go wherever I 
please Autobot!"

Sludge says, "Bad Slag come get some ass kickin' from 
Sludge!"

Striker fires a few missing shots before rushing to 
the other cons and landing.

Striker transforms into his Robot mode.

Gryphus says, "Why both they are too focused on this 
idea of our Lord’s to care what i say."

Dark Slag slowly points his sword at someone... 
settling on Sludge, "You can die first!" A fiery 
corona of energy laps around him. "All Dinobots must 
die!"

Sludge puts up his dukes, gesturing Dark Slag 
forward. "Come on, mo-fo"

Unfortunately the Autobots are soon out of Striker's 
rage.

Ruse suddenly gets an idea and acts hopefuly before 
Sludge gets killed. She calls out to DarkSlag after 
setting the energon cube down, "I have your answer! 
Why you wont beat us!" o O(I might as well TRY my 
idea. After all he wears a transformer body now. Lets 
see how Slag like he is...)

You say, “I will leave you to discuss the matter with 
Chasm. Ruse and I will attempt to draw energy from 
our 'visitor' before he kills yet another of our 
Dinobots."
 
Thunderwing steps away from what has, through no 
fault of his own, become the front line. Whoever 
thought allowing a Dinobot to be able to teleport was 
a good idea, anyway? Still watching Slag 
speculatively, he nods to Soundwave and Chasm and 
mutters dryly, "...thy will be done..." then half-
immerses himself in the patterns of energy that 
surrounds him. "What exactly are we looking for, 
Chasm?"

Sludge lashes out with one foot, attempting to knock 
the sword out of Dark Slag's hand.

Soundwave unceremoniously hands Chasm to Thunderwing, 
and picks up one of the empty energon cubes, rising 
upward into the air toward the Dark Slag.

Chasm sighs, "Well, it's an energy construct... But I 
can't percieve it. You have to sense it and tell it 
to turn itself off. It's like a temporal anchor or 
something."

Gryphus watches quietly and utters not a ..single.. 
word..

Sludge says, "You think you better than me? Come on, 
I wrap my fingers around your neck and squeeze your 
eyeballs out."

Megatron says, "Thunderwing, Chasm, hurry. We will 
keep his attention away from you."

Dark Slag grunts, and bats his sword into Sludge, 
using the huge weapon like an oversized cricket bat.

Gryphus idly wonders why she was needed here.. she 
just observes. Proably to record this later.

Soundwave attempts to use the same technique of 
drawing off extraneous energy, as the Decepticons 
have been using all along to draw away geothermal 
energy from this island. How much it will affect the 
powerful newcomer, if it even works, may be 
debatable, but he must make the attempt.

Megatron fires at Dark Slag. Well at last he does as 
if, taking care not really to hit. He wants to get 
the other ones attention.

Dark Slag grunts after he knocks Slag down, "Megatron 
dares attack Slag? Hhahaha! Forgotten Decepticon 
leader dares attack Slag?"

Thunderwing blinks at having a dragon handed to him, 
but shrugs lightly and settles the creature on his 
shoulder, distracted and fascinated by the task at 
hand, "As you say. Please continue." He falls silent 
and tilts his head as he regards...nothing. But it 
seems to be a fascinating lattice of nothing, weaving 
patterns quite unheard of in the mundane world.

Megatron's cannon seems to ripple off Dark Slag's 
armour.

Striker picks up an empty energon cubes... and tosses 
it at the dark Slag.

Gryphus shakes her head. "Energy doens't work yet its 
used on him..." she utters.

Megatron says, "Forgotten? You very well seem to 
rememmber me, lizard!"

The empty cubes seem to fill up immediately with 
radiating, crackling energy - and then they explode, 
like bright stars!

Megatron fires again, using the same care to not 
really hit.

Soundwave realizes the plan may not be useful in 
drawing power away from their attacker, but if they 
can only keep him distracted long enough for Chasm 
and Thunderwing to do their part....

Gryphus falls forward and while doing so her arms 
convert slightly into avian legs and feet, her robot 
head sinks down slightly and the head and neck of her 
alt form snaps down over it. Her robotic legs fold up 
into her back/torso just after her alt modes legs 
fold out and down, catching her before her lower 
torso falls. Her wings flex out from the tight fold 
they are in.

Thunderwing can sense a rippling source, something 
that seems call out for him..

Gryphus transforms and issues a challenging SAQAUAK 
at Dark Slag. "Hey you ugly pice of self absorbed 
mech!"

Dark Slag laughs, "Slag hear all about Megatron's 
stupid weapon... Now he sees it for how stupid it 
really is!"
 
Thunderwing's frown deepens and he starts, taking a 
half-step forward and making a gesture as though 
reaching out for something. In so doing, he likely 
jostles poor Chasm too.

Dark Slag casually stabs his sword in Gryphus's 
direction, rippling the wind currents around her so 
that she is forced to turn wing-over-tail in the air!

Ramjet flys back to the others after his aborted 
persuit, now with even less idea whats going on than 
before.
 
Megatron continues his technique of blasts. "Oh, I 
know, in the case of stupidity, you are an expert."

Soundwave fires off a blast from his plasma rifle as 
the Dark Slag lunges toward Gryphus. Like Megatron, 
he takes care not to actually *hit* the creature and 
feed him more energy.

Gryphus claws into the earth, She's not going 
anywhere. Try again. Her wings are furled against her 
body. "You are such a moronic piece of mechhood. 
Think you can bully your way around. You are SO 
WRONG!"

Striker frowns, "Hey, knock it off!" he yells at Dark 
Slag, and hoping, maybe if energy won't affect him, 
then at least missles or 20mm bullets will slow him 
down.

Striker transforms into his F-15 mode.

Dark Slag raises up his sword and sends a huge 
shockwave of energy outwards from around, buffetting 
those Decepticons in the front line, and turning the 
cycads and palm trees to cinders.

Ramjet see's megatron and the others attacking the 
dino and heads to join in of course. "Looks like his 
contract expired."

Striker unloads several hundred rounds of 20mm ammo 
from his guns at Dark Slag.

Chasm digs on Thunderwing's shoulder. Meanwhile, the 
Lord of Valckasta can dimly percieve what he is 
looking for. Something so vast and bright... some 
sort of potential that he has that can never be 
fufilled...

The bullets explode in the energy shockwave before 
than can even impact on Dark Slag...

Talon transforms to his jet mode and takes to the 
air. "I've got missiles too!"

Gryphus hisses at the energy but lets it pass over 
her. No matter the pain. If Chasm and TWing need 
time.. they are gonna get it. "Feh what was that?!"

Striker transforms into his Robot mode.

Ramjet , luckily, is still out of gunrange. Unluckily 
he's got longer range weapons, like cluster bomb 
missiles and he launches one of those at the hovering 
glowing figure.

Striker frowns as his weapons to nothing to the 
enemy.

Thunderwing's features actually reflects genuine 
emotion for once, as the masks all dissolve. 
Fascination, longing, discomfort, bewilderment, 
absolute, unashamed want. Then the sense of self 
returns, and with it who he is and what he is 
supposed to be doing. "Found it." he grates out, even 
as he brushes the edges of what he discovered, trying 
to coax it into cooperating. Wing and a prayer, 
anyone?

Soundwave staggers back as the energy blast hits him. 
His optic band flickers a little as he sends out a 
telepathic scan to check on his nearby creations, 
noting they're unharmed. Then the idea comes to him - 
perhaps something can be torn from the mind of this 
otherworldly enemy? His optic band brightens again as 
he sends out a scan toward the dark monstrosity 
before him.

CatsCradle watches the battle with wide optics. There 
is nothing her light lasers can do to help against 
power like that.

The missiles from the various flying 'cons seem to 
explode before they can even impact on Slag's 
surface. He raises his sword up and sends the energy 
generated by their detonation right back in their 
faces!

Ramjet is sent spinning through the air!

Talon's bomb, which would have hit successfully, 
unfortunately doesn't seem to effect Dark Slag at 
all! And Gryphus nearly collides with the spinning 
Ramjet!

Talon says, "Slag it!""

Megatron falls, and rolls over his shoulder to stand 
again. He frowns, thinking for a moment. Again he 
fires - not at the dark Dinobot (as usual), but at 
his sword.

Soundwave can sense a mind that's all boiling rage 
and self-hatred... it's overpowering his own senses!

Ramjet yells, "Outa the way!" as he barely misses 
gryphus, slamming into a mountainside.

Gryphus hisses at the near misses.

Gryphus says, "Idoits."
 
Ruse sighs ignored... o O(Alright this is starting to 
get to me.) She ponders before shes knocked back and 
grunts recovering from that beings shockwave, 
"Thats... it."

Ramjet bounces of the rock wall, aparently with only 
minor damage, "Least we can shoot straight. you 
hav'nt even his yet."
 
Ruse transmits a message via radio.
Ruse transmits to Soundwave: "Sir, permission to try 
fooling him with a large hologram? It might buy us 
some time!"

Gryphus isn't even shooting. She's not gonna FEED 
Slag. Thank you.

The sword explodes into a shower of dust. Dark Slag 
appears to be outraged beyond belief. 'Fun and games 
over now," he rumbles. "Now you all burn in the 
inferno!" His fiery aura seems to explode outwards. 
Everything is engulfed by a fiery light, like being 
caught at ground zero in the centre of an atomic 
explosion.

Gryphus poses that.

Soundwave fights his way through the sudden barrage 
of primitive rage that pours into his mind, trying to 
detect something, anything, that could be seized upon 
- but the intensity of the emotion overpowers every 
other impulse. Remaining too long in the link would 
be detrimental, and he draws back his thoughts.

You transmit to Ruse: "Procede, Ruse."
A radio transmission is received by Ruse.

CatsCradle's fingers flash and her 'field springs up 
around her and Diver

Gryphus blinks. "Oh.. squuuuuawwwwwakkkkkkkkk!!!!!1

Striker gets knocked on the ground from the inferno.

Gryphus now goes tumbling off into a small distance. 
Feathers and metal rinaing off.

Megatron is thrown agains something. He doesn't know 
what it is, but it hurts in his back.

Ramjet is hit by the shockwave and swatted clean out 
the air...impacting with the ground again this time 
he does'nt bounce off, ending up in a deep furrow as 
he gouges into the dirt below.

Divefire goes to raise his arm in front of his face 
as he clutches for Cats on instinct, feeling the fire 
lick at them, threaten the consume them and then 
disaper.

Talon spirals out of the sky and slams into a tree, 
before crashing to the ground.

And then as Thunderwing triggers the energy beacon, 
the entire hallucination - Dark Slag and the 
explosion vanishes, sucked back towards whatever 
misbegotten timestream that gave birth to him.

The light clears.

Soundwave dims his optic band to black as the 
tremendous burst of light engulfs him. For a moment 
he thinks they're all lost, no more second chances - 
and then the nightmare vanishes as suddenly as it 
appeared.

When the light fades, all that is left is a burnt out 
cinder of an island. A withered cycad leaf floats to 
the ground.

Chasm flicks up, "The energy released by the 
explosion! It restored the island's temporal 
imbalance! And that was very impressive, 
Thunderwing."

Chasm crawls out from under Thunderwing's stunned 
body.

Soundwave picks himself up from where he was thrown 
to the ground, shaking his head a little. He starts 
looking around for the others, an automatic damage 
assessment.

Gryphus groans. "Amzing what a little goading 
does..." she utters and stays where she landed. On 
her back, burned nicely.

Talon transforms and staggers to his feet. "IO think 
I;m gonna stay on Cybertron from now on....."

CatsCradle lets her 'field die down, her optics wide. 
"Oh, let's not do that again," she murmurs, resting 
her forehead against Diver's shoulder.

Striker clutches the back of his head as he makes his 
way up, that blast gave him one pounding headache, 
but he doesn't know if it's serious or not, he just 
/tries/ to shrug it off.

Megatron slowly gets back on his feet. "Ruse..? 
Soundwave..?

Ruse is knocked back again and sighs... when she 
opens her eyes everything is fine. She mutters, "I 
should have just stayed on cybertron." After that she 
collects herself and stands, "everyone ok?"

Ramjet lays upside down i his own personal crash 
crater, engines smoking.

Slag groans, "What happened? Slag's head hurt real 
bad."

Slag tries to dig himself out of the ground.

Divefire mutters a nicly old oath in agrement with 
Cats. "Yes, I can live with out being in the centre 
of a sun fuled by an entire universe of power..."

Megatron says, "Obviously this little event is over 
now."

Thunderwing shakes his head and pushes himself off 
the ground, not paying much attention to Chasm and 
his words. Indeed, the first to catch his optic is 
his not-so-silver armour, covered in scorched patches 
as it is. Then he gets around to answering, voice as 
distant as the rest of his demeanour, "Yes..."

Gryphus Rolls onto her side and grimaces. It hurts 
alll over.

CatsCradle smiles in spite of herself and bumps her 
forehead against her mate's shoulder again, then 
steps back. "Does this mean no more time portals?"

Soundwave limps a little as he moves toward Megatron 
and Ruse, but his attention is caught by Slag trying 
to scrabble to his feet.
 
Divefire goes to shrug, then stops as he notes the 
stiffness in his body. "I have no idea." He glances 
down at his body and notes the fact it's rather a lot 
blacker then before. "But I don't think we'll be 
barbaqued again."

Chasm shakes his head, "No more time portals? Then 
how do I get back?"

Soundwave looks over the group. "It seems the 
Constructicons and I will have work to do once 
again." Hard to tell from the sound of his voice if 
it's a true complaint. But as an added hint, he adds, 
"I would sooner repair than recycle."
 
Megatron says, "Back to base for repairs and 
recharge."

Talon says, "And the first space bridge back to 
Cybertron.""
 
Soundwave steps over to join Thunderwing and Chasm. 
"Back, Chasm? From what I detected in your thoughts, 
there may never have been any intention for you to 
return."

Chasm looks over the devastated wasteland. "It's all 
gone now," he says softly. "I could be here... 
forever..." He shakes his head despairingly.
 
Gryphus slowly gets to her feet, once yellow armor 
now a shade of brownish-black.

Thunderwing rises fully and looks around at the 
scorched landscape, casting his senses in all 
directions and getting...nothing but what is normal 
for this world. Was that mild disappointment that 
flickered over his features?

Chasm glares at Soundwave, "What? You mean they 
didn't want me back? That can't be right... He looks 
at Soundwave rather uncomprehendling. "I can't spend 
the rest of my existence here... I mean, well..."

 [OOC] Divefire says, "Dark Slag unleased an entire 
Universe of power on us, just as Thunderwing turned 
him off." 
[OOC] Thunderwing has the remote, yes!

Soundwave muses, "As we are coming to learn, Chasm, 
there are more pathways into the past and the future 
than we have anticipated. Perhaps some day you will 
be able to return to your own place and time, if such 
should be desirable for you. For the moment, however, 
you are still welcome here."
 
Gryphus tests her wingsfor flight worthiness. Ow.. 
will have to do.

Chasm scratches at the dirt around him. "I have to 
polish myself for a bit. I'll think about it."

Megatron says, "Ruse, what is your condition?"
 
Striker hears Megatron's question and glances over at 
her too, just to see if the cassette has any damage.

Ruse responds, casualy, "Fine." She hisses, "I don't 
damage THAT easly." Nevermind the fact shes dented 
ans has mild energyburns.

Gryphus is starting to see whom Megs favors around 
her. Hmph. She shakes her head and gains ths skies. 
Shaky, but gains them.

Thunderwing shakes his head and nods to Megatron and 
Soundwave. "I shall return to Cybertron." he states 
shortly, then nods to Chasm, regarding the dragon 
with new-found respect. With that, he leaps into the 
air and is gone.

Megatron nods, ignoring the hiss. "Good, then you can 
fly by yourself.

Thunderwing leaves the mysterious island.

CatsCradle brushes over the scorch marks on her 
armor, frowning mildly. "Now, what?" she murmurs.

Chasm folds his paws over, "A good question."

Megatron says, "Everyone able to fly?"

Striker nods, "Just a bump on the head."

Soundwave nods to Chasm. "A good question indeed."

Soundwave too is scorched and a little battered, but 
not that much worse for wear.

Gryphus finds an air current to soar on.

Divefire glances around the island and gives a half 
shrug to Cats, Chasm and Soundwave. "Not a clue, but 
if any one starts to fade out of existance, consider 
it a bad thing."

Ruse watchs Thunderwing leave. She then looks to 
Soundwave then Megatron, "I suppose I should be 
getting back as well. Shockwave only granted me afew 
cycles stay."

Chasm removes a small cloth from subspace, "This is 
only my second best cloth! And I'm all out of 
Spic'n'Span! This is a veritable crisis!"

You say, “It has been good to see you again, Ruse."
 
Chasm smirks, "I'd say it was pleasant to catch up 
with you too, Ruse, if I was in the mood for such 
dialogue..."

Striker nods, "See ya later, Ruse."

Soundwave shakes his head a little. "I am certain we 
can find you some polishing materials."

Megatron says, "You want to stay longer, Ruse?"

Slag leaves the mysterious island.
 
Ruse thinks on it then says to Megatron, "I don't 
think thats a good idea. I wasn't able to do much 
other then watch these events play out and failure to 
aid is unexceptable. Clearly I need more training..."

Striker says, "And you can't train here? Where better 
than on the battlefield?"

Divefire overhears Ruse and voices to her. "I don't 
think you can train to defeat a god Ruse."

Soundwave tilts his head a little in surprise, to 
hear such sentiments from Ruse.
 
Megatron suddenly grins. "I suppose it is more 
because certain changes may be arranged on Cybertron 
for you.
 
Chasm snorts, "/That/ was a god?"

You say, “He certainly seemed to regard himself as 
such."

CatsCradle says, "A god with the intellect of a 
Dinobot is very frightening.""

Chasm waves a paw around deprecatingly. "And all of 
this was some little unknowable war in heaven or 
hell?"

CatsCradle says, "Or a fit of boredom on his part.""

Ruse shakes her head, "Since everything went back to 
normal any proof of my actions in the past are gone. 
So Shockwave can't confirm such most likely." She 
looks to Divefire, "Still, there should have been 
more that could have been done."

Chasm says, "What if he comes back?"

Gryphus idly soars over the devestated island. A 
shame she didn't have a chance to research it.
 
Chasm ponders, "If I had all that power, I'd find 
better things to do than running around killing 
Dinobots."

You say, “I should like to know more about the place 
and time from whence you came, Chasm. Perhaps that 
will give us a clearer understanding of whether this 
incarnation of Slag could return some day. What 
became of the device that sent him back?"

Megatron says, "That does not matter, Ruse. I agree 
to your improvement. Shockwave shall take care of 
it."

Divefire shrugs lightly back to Ruse as he forces a 
snicker from his mind at Cats statment. "Fighting 
gods is part of conjecture and hearsay." He doesn't 
care to voice some of the rumors he's come across 
over the years...

Chasm shakes his head, "When Thunderwing triggered 
it, it seemed to make everything 'normal' again. If 
you can call this reality normal."

Soundwave's optic band brightens a little in a 
'smile.' "I find it quite agreeable most of the 
time."
 
Gryphus passes over the group to see if they are 
gonna leave or not.
 
Megatron says, "Now back to base."
 
Ruse tilts her head, frowning. o O(I have improved? 
Doesn't seem like it...) She looks to Chasm asking 
out of curiosity, "What was your reality like thats 
so abnormal from ours?"

Chasm sighs and flaps along side Ruse, "Well, it, 
er.. it ... it was where I came from."
 
Megatron leaves the mysterious island.


END