[Video][Open]

[megaton]

I leave for a short time, and I come back to this?

[Megatron may have taken what he considers a 'short' sojourn out to the badlands to scout for Megatronus Prime--one of the few things he manages to agree with his Firstforged about. Granted, 'short' was almost two months, and 'sojourn' was more like 'grueling death march,' but he cant say he regrets it.]

[So now...coming back to what looks like a battleground?]

Is there anyone who cares to fill me in on what I missed?

Comments

[deadlydoctor]

You are alive? That's soem interestign news.

Welcome home, every-thing's a mess again. Blame the lambda, it's fault that everything is radiative now. That giant nuclear plant that appeared out of nowhere might have something to do to it too.

[megaton]

You'd think I'd learn to stay put, when incidents like this occurr...

[Really, now there's radiation too?]

I'm sure we can blame the nuclear plant on the lambda, so your first statement is most accurate. Are you still surviving?

omg I can't type at 4 am. Sorry for the grammar mistakes

[deadlydoctor]

Some things in life are unpredictable. More so here.

[Aye. not so much than before but there is still tons of it.]

we can. And went it comes to survive I'm a master at it. You had any doubts? Maybe you should come to the meday to say hello in person. And so I can give you a check up.

Re: omg I can't type at 4 am. Sorry for the grammar mistakes

[megaton]

I'd be happy to...so long as the medbay isn't covered in radiation.

I'd regail you with fascinating stories about my trip, but I could sum them simply in 'the badlands are acting up, we're going to have trouble.'

I doubt that comes as a surprise.

[originaldragoon]

More monsters attacking Haven is what happened.

[She's been pretty much stuck at the Hub thanks to all the radiation though]

[megaton]

And here this is what I went away to prevent.

[He would grumble, but his engine is already growling in an aggravated state.]

Have they been taken care of?

[originaldragoon]

These monsters were not like the ones that came from the Badlands. Some of them looked like they were once human.

[She gives a small sigh.]

I believe so. Unfortunately, due to something called radiation, I was stuck inside the Hub during the height of all of this.

[megaton]

Human?

Did they...ah, what is that word...did they infect anyone else?

[neverputincharge]

Lambda decided to throw radiation, weird zombie monsters, and dragged a neuclear power plant from earth here.

[Hey Megs, how was your vacation? You missed the party.]

[megaton]

Why is it always Earth. What is it about that small, dirty planet?

[He will never understand.]

That does explain why it feels warmer, at least. Have clean-up crews been organized?

I can edit this if I get info wrong.

[neverputincharge]

Well, alot of us have been to it. Spent time there. Though....back on my world, werd as it sounds. Earth is Unicron, or at least it was.

[Poor guy. Don't destroy Cybertron, man. Then you'll never have to find out.]

Uh....aside from lingerin' radiation, repairing injuries, and getting deconed...not much to clean up. The plant is gone, along with most of the monsters.

[megaton]

You know, one might think I would expect answers like these nowadays.

However, it never gets any easier to hear.

[He laughs.] I bet that didn't make road repairs any easier on you.

[neverputincharge]

Nah, with this place, don't think it ever will. I wish it would, though. Make things easier.

Heh, it did. [He chuckles in return.] It's like somethin' doesn't want us to finish or something.

So...did you learn anything on the trip you took?

[megaton]

Perhaps that is true.

Over the several years that I have been away from my Cybertron...there have been occassions where I have considered what I am doing here. When weighing my options, it is not difficult to imagine that someone might have concocted this to punish me for my transgressions.

Given those who I find myself accompanying...I find we all have regrets.

I did not find anything unexpected out by the badlands, however. There is activity--immense activity--but we've been expecting that for a long time now.

[Video]

[wallcrawler]

We got to fight zombies and horribly mutated radioactive monsters. Yay.

[That litlte attempt at humor's more than a little feeble, but give the guy some credit, he's still recovering.]

On the bright side, pretty sure I could double as a night light right about now. Know anybody who needs one?

Re: [Video]

[megaton]

Considering I live in a cave, you've piqued my interest.

Now there is only the matter of our introduction...

[Because he can't say he remembers you being here before.]

[Video]

[wallcrawler]

Really? Wow. Never figured a big guy like you'd be afraid of the dark.

Unfortunately, it's just a figure of speech. Means I got way too much radiation for my own good. Pretty sure I don't actually glow, but not like I've checked, either.

[Not that running around a radioactive, post-meltdown disaster zone is ever good for you, especially without a protective suit, but oh well.]

As for me, I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. New York superhero extraordinaire, and local radiation sponge, at your service.

[Aaat least until his caretaker finds out he's doing the opposite of resting and chains him to the bed in the medbay, anyway.]

Re: [Video]

[megaton]

As I am not afraid of the dark...your assumption remains correct.

[He smirks, baring a single fang.]

So you are considered a hero among humans?

Ah, no. More than that.

Tell me, what is the difference between a hero and a super-hero?

[notyourblueangel]

[The former Decepticon officer debates replying or not. He . . . he doesn't have to. He Doesn't. Have. To. He . . . he chooses to anyway, because it's a choice he could make one way or the other and he just decides that he will. It has nothing to do with the fact that the mech still scares the slag out of him…really…nothing.]

There was some kind of storm from the Lambda that dropped what was apparently a human nuclear power plant into a region of the wastelands east and south of here, close to Haven's border. Brought with it rapidly-rising levels of radiation as well as various organic mutated monsters. Once the plant itself was located and determined to be the source of the monsters and radiation, several of us attacked and destroyed it. The resulting explosion was somehow more of an implosion as the whole fragged thing collapsed in on itself, sucking all its little mutated gifts away with it. And good riddance to it all.

[megaton]

So you're saying that I missed all the fun?

Such a pity.

You should come with me next time, Thundercracker. It is at least a change in scenery.

[notyourblueangel]

. . .

[While the mech has gotten – understandably – angry at him a few times, times when it was fully warranted, this Megatron has never harmed nor truly threatened Thundercracker. It makes him remember that he /does/ respect this mech, despite his choice to leave the faction. He nods.]

Maybe I will. How did your trip go, sir?

[megaton]

My trip went precisely as I expected it to go.

The badlands feel active, and they were happy to support that feeling by sending out a few monsters to test my metal. It was almost enjoyable.

Predictable, but enjoyable.

[It was better than waiting, at least. Taking action...even just scouting action...made him feel like something was getting done...but enough about him! He hasn't tormented you enough today.]

So.

Tell me.

Have you made any new friends?

[notyourblueangel]

[TC's face goes a bit still at the unexpected question . . . but the subconscious flick of his wings might tell Megatron something. He shakes his head, shoulders straightening just a tad.]

Not since you left, if that's what you mean. I have the same allies I've had for some time.

[Because, yeah, a Decepticon mech doesn't admit to having "friends" if he knows what's good for him - or those he cares about . . . and least of all to Megatron. Including this one? Thundercracker's not about to take the risk.]

[thankyou4myheart]

Megatron.

[An acknowledgment as he offers a nod of greeting – he's spoken to you at least once or twice before.]

As others have already explained, we had a failed nuclear power plant brought through by the Lambda. I have reason to believe it may have been the Chernobyl plant which famously went into meltdown and exploded in the Ukraine back on Earth in 1986, forever ruining a vast region now known as the Exclusion Zone. Apparently the center area that zone was brought here, though it must have been from an alternate Earth than my own, because it brought with it mutated horrors that the Zone from my world simply doesn't have.

The power plant has since been destroyed, somehow sent back through the spatial rift it came from apparently, since it seems to have taken all its monsters and its radiation with it.

[megaton]

[He asked for a description...and that? That qualified as one.]

Is the radiation really gone? That could be more difficult to get rid of then monsters.

[thankyou4myheart]

Not wholly yet, sir, but it seems to be fading rapidly. Humans and other susceptible organics - [And others with insufficient shielding…like him] - are still being advised to exercise caution and carry radiometers anywhere they go to watch their exposure, and decom baths are still being kept at the ready at the medbays, but overall the situation is definitely improving.

[megaton]

Ah.

Well, give it another month or so, I'm sure we won't have improvements for long. I'm starting to wonder why we try building anything of our own. If not radiation, then monsters. Or earthquakes.

OMG I'm tempted to have Deckard simply make the comment that he's from Japan... 9,9

[thankyou4myheart]

((ooc: Monsters, earthquakes . . . and what was the name of that RL power plant in Japan that melted down not that long ago? 9,9))


Determination, I suppose. What's been built here keeps getting damaged, but it's not yet been completely demolished. That I've seen or ever heard of, at least. Overall, it seems like we keep making progress, even if it gets set back a step or two at a time.