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

ZOMBIES

[re_alignedmods]

Location: Outside perimeter
Radiation: Moderate

They are nothing you haven't faced already, as the mindless, deformed humans have trickled into the Haven.

But perhaps not in this sheer magnitude.

Dozens of groups of five or more shamble about, all around the facility. Walking 'patrols' or staring off into space, or even sitting, huddled around small fires in some pitiful resemblance of their former lives - until the unlucky attacker attracts their attention. Singularly, they are easy enough to pick off - or run over.

Attract too much attention, however...and it could turn into a swarm straight out of a zombie movie.

GEISTS

[re_alignedmods]

Location: Perimeter / inside the facility
Radiation: Moderate to severe

And then, there are the sentient anomalies. Given the amount of radiation and proximity to the Source of all this, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that they are also present in much greater numbers.

Like tiny Lambdas made of lightning or flame, they don't seem to move much. Going around them wouldn't be a problem, if they were not blocking the halls and doorways at regular intervals when found indoors.

While seemingly made of energy, they have a definite presence - and a spiteful one at that. If they are not attacking with their element, charring flesh and metal or scorching the air, they are using psionics to close heavy hatchway doors or flinging scrap piles at anyone nearby. And this run down old facility has a lot of crumbling infrastructure to throw around.

Proceed with caution.

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...

CONTROLLER

[re_alignedmods]

Location: Inside the facility
Radiation: Moderate-severe

You might catch a glimpse of what could have been a human, at one point. Or you just hear the high-pitched audio sound that heralds it's arrival, piercing the core of your mind, before things change in some manner.

Perhaps the creature is gone. Or the path seems different; safe where it once was not. Or you simply can't see the psionic bolt of energy that is now flying your way.

Or what you think are you friends and allies...are in fact the fetid claws and fangs of your enemies, closing in around you...

The malicious physic attacks of this creature, aimed to confuse, disorient, and incapacitate, might arguably be the biggest threat to the well-armored Cybertronian.

UBER-BEAST TWO

[re_alignedmods]

Location: Inside the core of the facility
Radiation: Severe

This hulking monstrosity blocks the way for those that seek entrance to the core, lurking in the dark. The physically strongest mutant to be found, it is capable of stabbing through metal with it's claws, and creating shockwaves that stun the unwary or unagile. Despite it's size, it can skulk around quite easily in the dark...

With bones as tough as steel, it will take a lot of punishment to bring this beast down.

THE CORE

[re_alignedmods]

Location: The Sarcophagus
Radiation: SEVERE

At the heart of the sarcophagus, there lies a device. Glowing with livid yellow light, the only light present in the entire power plant, the room fairly pulses both with radiation and Lambda energy. The glow comes from seven pods arrayed around a column. Humanoid shapes are present in each of the pods, curled in a sort of stasis...but they fade in and out with each pulse of the Lambda energy. They seem to whisper, voices indistinct in your mind, always falling out to static and silence before any real words can be made out. The column flickers in and out of reality. The entire room is not entirely there.

Not yet.

But the pulses are getting incrementally faster, and the Lambda energy around the column is growing more distinct. This could be the start of a second tear in reality.

Destroy the source. Before it is too late.

Re: ZOMBIES

[notyourblueangel]

Frankly? Thundercracker's not waiting for reinforcements. He may not be a Decepticon anymore, per se, but he's still an aerial elite combatant, and it's been too slagging long since he's seen any proper action.

The blue Seeker sweeps in low over the complex, unleashing a controlled sonic BOOM! that rattles the power plant's foundation and flattens most if not all of the surrounding zombies, disorienting them at the very least. He doesn't give them time to recover, either, banking sharply back around for a strafing run with his twin rifles.

There's a barrage of choice words in Cybertronian as his bullets bounce harmlessly off a shield of some kind. Well, that answers the question of the other energy signature he was reading.

He's not worried about how much attention he draws. Stealth is not his greatest ally (especially not with his special mod), and those shambling corpses can't do anything to him anyway.

[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.

I'll edit this if needed.

[neverputincharge]

"Fire in the hole!"

There's several seconds as a genade lands within in a cluster of zombies. The lights blinking as they rapidly tick down. And then BOOM, there's the blue energon glow as the explosion takes out several groups of zombies at once. The ones that didn't die are probably alert now. Or as alert as zombies can be.

Undettered by the monsters, or the radiation, Bulkhead's racing in not too lompng after the area clears after the explosion. While he has his built in weapons and the canon he got from Magnus, he's left his hammer back at the temple. Safely locked away, this really wasn't the place for it.

"Bring it on!" He transforms one of his hands into his wrecking ball as he charges at the monsters, attacking those that come at him.

[skylynx]

Thundercracker isn't alone in his aerial assault. Soon there's a high pitched screeching noise. Not more jet engines, but from the massive Predacon diving toward the zombies.

Skylynx keeps his wings partially folded as he dives, like a predatory bird from Earth, then flicks out his wings as he swoops over the clusters. He gives another screech of anger, before he's unleashing his fire on them. Hot enough to probably sear them to ash, if it reaches them.

He gives a rumble as he beats his wings, and climbs higher once again. Banking some as he does so, to come back around again for another try.

[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?

[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.]

[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]

[raceme]

Oh. Okay. I was just thinking we could spend some more time together doing something that's not work related.

[Sentinel learn how to friendship better, can you?]

IAmnotfamousforthat! [He still huff and then...grabs Sentinel's arm to stop him from taking another step. Not like Blurr has the strenght to do that but he hopes it works.]

I think I've heard something. And it sounded like a growl.

[primest]

[blurr's offer is ignored because honestly? sentinel thinks he's lying. who would want to do that????

the arm grabbing, however, does make him stop. more in surprise at being grabbed than anything else. he primes his shield in response.] If you say so. Probably just another tiny pig thing.

[raceme]

[He still has doubts after all that happened here? Damn it sempai Sentinel what a guy has to do for you to nice the blooming friendship?]

Could be. Those thing go in pac...[he doesn't has time to finish as something bigger than the boars and far, far uglier, runs Btu of the shadows, charging at them.] WATCH OUT!