The Zone: Part Two

[re_alignedmods]

Thanks to the distraction caused by the various creatures and anomalies, and the interference from the ever-increasing radiation, pinpointing the fallen 'meteor' and likely source of the attacks may have been difficult up until now.

But efforts to locate it have paid off.

South-west of Haven, there is a ridged valley that did not exist a week ago. In it's center is a massive, sprawling power plant, exhaust towers rising up to the horizon. It is literally crawling with more mutants.

As if that was not ominous enough, it is a nuclear power-plant.

Anyone who has been to Earth or knows their human history - or happen to be from a Tyran universe - may recognize it for what it is: Chernobyl, straight out of some alternate Ukraine. The facility is tucked in the middle of the valley like it landed there, edges slightly off and melded into the landscape, but entirely intact in it's crumbling, ominous glory. Despite being of human-make, the building is devoid of functional electric lights, the very air around it seeming to leech the light out of the surroundings, but it is far from lacking in 'living' activity.

The concentration of anomalies, radiation, and Lambda-like energy signatures is at it's strongest here, surrounding the moldering facility. Any sensors point to the readings only getting worse on the inside.

Any organics or particularly weak-armored Cybertronians are going to want protective shielding of some variety to participate in this attack. The radiation in this valley is well beyond safe levels, and only on the rise. Any attempts to simply attack from the air (unfortunately) do little damage, the majority of any ordnance hitting some sort of storm cloud-like anomaly thundering with increasing intensity above the facility.

It looks like it might be growing. Time is running out.

You will have to enter to find the source.


[[Mod Note: Given modly time constraints, the following prompts are not intended to be NPC'd, but are instead to serve as a vague story-line for the assault. Feel free to use them, pick and chose only ones that interest you, or to thread your own attack as you please! However, once the Source is reached, a final prompt will be posted when it is destroyed, (or when the event comes to a close a week from today.)

And as a side-note, this plot contains SPOILERS to the end of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.]]

Comments

UBER-BEAST ONE

[re_alignedmods]

Location: Inside the facility
Radiation: Moderate-severe

Large and powerful enough to flip a car - or an average sized Cybertronian - with stunning blows, this two headed creature is fast and agile. Capable of dodging shots and leaping down from above with crushing attacks, this beast may be difficult to down.

Especially when it comes in packs, hunting down the unwary in cramped halls...

[raceme]

[Blurr lost sight of the other Police Force members once he managed to enter the power-plant. Most of them where still outside, fighting the strange human-like creatures and other monster surrounding the facility. He got inside faster thanks to his speed and now was staring around wondering where to go.]

BOOSH

[primest]

[the radiation is annoying, of course, but nothing bad enough to do any damage. at worst, it's sapping his energy slightly. stronger towards to core, etc etc, yeah he's not stupid enough to go wandering right into a radiation hot spot and... melt, or whatever.

he'd initially wandered off on his own based on the fact that most things here were small enough to cark it after one poke of his lance/shot from his blaster. it was almost disappointing in a way, that it was so easy, but at the same time a relief. nobody wants the shit of fighting cybertronian sized mutated beasts, bro.

anyway, sentinel's just sort of wandering aimlessly, all 4 headlights on full beam, not really paying attention to where he's going (except steering clear of places that make his robo-geiger counter tick more intensely than it already is) so HE MIGHT JUST WALK INTO BLURR OR BE REALLY EASY TO SPOT BECAUSE OF SAID AFOREMENTIONED FULL BEAM HEADLIGHTS.]

D8

[raceme]

[There goes Sentinel, flashing everybody. Blurr is distracted inspecting a dark corner and doesn't notice the lights until he turns to see were those come from and finds himself face-to-chest with his teammate.

He jumps six feet on the air, scared out do his mind.

Literally six feet on the air. He stays there, floating until he realizes is Sentinel and not some sort of monster.] Oh...hello. IDidntheardyoucoming.

[primest]

[wow, blurr. wow. he immediately turns down the headlight to less BLINDING levels. slightly startled by the whole FLOATING THING how are these idiots scaring each other more than the RADIOACTIVE MONSTERS but doesn't make comment, only frowns. harder than his default expression of barely repressed exasperation.] Really? What were you even doing in the corner?

...You're not scared are you?

[WHAT A SHIT-EATING GRIN THAT IS.]

[raceme]

[You need a warning siren or something, like Ratchet. That would help a lot. U JELLY OF HIS ABILITIES? 8) be jelly. He doesn't have many of those But Blurr is soon enough touching the ground as well. he rather not, because it's filthy here but he can tell by the wtf expression in Sentinel's face that he wasn't expecting him to fly.]

Who? ME? no...WHY? [Who told you.] You just surprised me, that's all.

[primest]

[HEY HE HAS HEAVY FOOT FALLS]

You did the... flying thing. [he shrugs. doesn't give a shit.] Found anything worth our time?

[raceme]

[Well Blurr was distracted investigating!.]

Yes I've been able to do it for six months or so. I thought you knew? I can do a few other things thanks to my Glyph. [Then he shocks his head.] No not yes I was deciding what way to go. Suggestions?

[primest]

I don't really care to keep up with everything that's happening to everyone.

[even if that is really cool]

The obvious answer is the way neither of us have been yet.

[raceme]

I can't do that either, it's understandable. I can also fly while in my alt mode.

[Imagine a flying racing car. He almost gave Blitzwing a spark attack once, it was great.]

To the left then. [He starts to walk towards the darkened corridor.] Are you feign alright? The radiation is heavier here.

[primest]

That's... [he just trails off and makes a 'hm' noise. that sure is a thing.]

I wouldn't be here if it was too much. Not without protection, anyway. [a pause] Speaking of protection, isn't your armour too thin for all this?

[raceme]

I'll show you one day if you want. [Blurr gives him a smile.] I'm still learning but I practice as much as I can. [And this is why more often than not Cliffjumper ends babysitting him and making sure he doesn't pass out.]

[Oh you had to mention that.] I...I feel fine. [Doooodging the real answer. And Blurr's not really feeling all that fine but he's not melting yet and he things that's enough.]

[primest]

...I'll pass.

[IT'S WEIRD OKAY, THE JETTWINS ARE THE ONLY AUTOBOTS HE'S COMFORTABLE TO SEE FLY]

Riiiight. Right. The guy who's famous for overexertion is feeling fine. I believe that.

[sentinel doesn't seem to care much, however, as he's barely even sparing blurr a glance. bess frand]

[cliffjumper]

[The radiation was rising, and Cliffjumper was seriously uncomfortable. That didn't mean he was going to turn around, or suggest they do so - this needed to stop, and so far things had been...

Reasonably easy to take care of. The radiation creeping upward was fragging worrying, though. He wasn't sure how much he could take, exactly, and even less idea of Starscream.

And then the thing attacked.]

Look out---gah!

[He caught it in the edge of his vision, and of course he couldn't preicsely tip or push Starscream out of the way, but the way his intended push turned into simply slamming into Starscream's leg when the critter slammed into him meant they at least went stumbling.

Cliffjumper swore and tried to get his processor and limbs back in coordination - the strike had scrambled gyros and left him briefly stunned.]

[loyalflier]

[ Starscream is keeping a watching eye on those levels. if it becomes too dangerous, he is going to forcibly remove them both. a lot of good stopping this will do if they are both deactivated before even reaching the source.

his processor is so deep into thought, trying to work this all out, that he doesn't even notice anything else is amiss until Cliffjumper is shouting at him.

the minibot slamming into the jet makes him buckle slightly, but there's now a protecting arm around Cliffjumper from pure instinct alone. ]

What was...

[ but then he catches the movement, barely in time to dodge. he sort of drags Cliffjumper with him, not entirely aware of his grip. but being attacked by a quick enemy... that doesn't bode well for them and Starscream's blades pop out with a shnnk. ]

[cliffjumper]

Rrrg--- apparently this blasted place got more than just zombies and energy things lobbin' scrap at us!

[Growling, Cliffjumper shook his helm and didn't even notice Starscream's arm partly around him and partly holding him up until he got his feet under him, trying to track the shadow slinking around them with his gun.

At least he hadn't dropped it.]

The frag is that thing?

[He fired off a shot, and it jumped aside then immediately launched itself at them with a snarl.]

[loyalflier]

Are you surprised? Things can never be done easily.

[ at least his arm eases up on Cliffjumper. his optics try to follow the movements, but really its the minibot taking the shot that has him reacting as quickly as he does.

as soon as the critter lunges, Starscream slashes forward with his blade. whether he'll hit the target or not is anyone's guess, but he knows this sinking feeling. ]

It's not by itself.

[ there are more. ]

[cliffjumper]

Not really, but ya know... I'd been kinda hopin'...

[Starscream's blade sinks into the creature's left side, not quite slicing off its front leg. It dodges enough to skulk, now limping, beyond easy blade reach.]

It's--- Fraggin' pit! [Starscream's right. Swearing, Cliffjumper recklessly squeezes off several shots and while he gets the injured one, the other blasts just burns into the floor and walls.]

Of course there's more than one.

[It's stupid, but he feels kind of offended.]

[loyalflier]

Your hope might have jinxed us.

[ funny how he can joke and tease at a time like this, huh? thankfully Cliffjumper's there. to watch his back and so that he can watch out for the minibot.

the shots aren't missed, but Starscream is already searching for the other lifesigns he's picking off. ]

Back to back?

[ that way no matter what angle they come at them from, the can see it. ....as long as it's on from above, of course. ]

[cliffjumper]

And here I thought a scientist like yourself didn't believe in superstitions. [Cliffjumper tossed a smirk up at Starscream before he slid behind the larger mech in answer to the question, causing one of the shadows slinking around them to briefly retreat.]

Best bet in this situation. Especially given the lack of fraggin' space!

[He could still move reasonably freely, but Starscream couldn't... and these critters could pack a wallop given their size, considering the way it'd slammed into him and stunned him.]

[loyalflier]

We live on a Cybertron that has gods and the like. I think I can believe some superstitions might be true as well.

[ smirking right back! then he settles, digging an additional weapon out of subspace. he isn't the most effective with a pistol, but Starscream might need something with a bit of range. ]

How well are your sensors working?

[ in other words... how many, if possible. the radiation is messing up Starscream's readings. ]

[cliffjumper]

Told ya. [Cliffjumper snorts, still grinning before he sweeps the area with a frown. The radiation's messing with quite a lot, including visual, which means it's harder to widen his visual range...]

Uh... Worse than I'd like. All this slaggin' radiation... [Trailing off, Cliffjumper squints and scrunches his nasal ridge before he fires off a few shots, scattering them into the darkness and jumping back into Starscream to avoid a swipe, kicking out in response.

He doesn't hit anything, though.]

More than three, I'd guess? 'Cause I'm pretty sure there's at least one on your side, and there were at least two things movin' just now.

[Scowl.]

[loyalflier]

Don't tempt me into teasing you while we should be focusing on other things.

[ because he'd find a way, you know. but really they should be focusing on this instead. following the movements of their 'prey' for lack of a better word.

thankfully Starscream is sturdy enough that he isn't going to be knocked over by Cliffjumper knocking into him. Starscream fires off a few shots himself, though he's not sure he's hit anything. ]

With you here, the odds are surely in our favor.

[cliffjumper]

Yeah, like how? [Snorting, Cliffjumper briefly considers what he has in his subspace - and unfortunately it's not what might be the most useful right now. Like grenades.]

Don't got grenades, which would've been useful, but we'll make do. Don't think a bomb would be useful here. [He grinned briefly at the thought and then shook his helm, firing at one of the shadows which was---]

Ha!

[Starscream had injured one of them, and now that injured one was most definitely dead.]

[loyalflier]

Yes... Because tossing one in close quarters with these quick little buggers is a good idea.

[ rolls eyes. but then he brightens for a moment, taking another shot at the creature lurking in the shadows. ]

Your cannon, Cliffjumper. Think you can cover parts of the ground in glass?