END GAME Part Three: THE CORE

[solianpolarity]

Solus stands poised with the fully-assembled, towering form of Nexus Prime at the opening to one of the subterranean tunnels. A small herd of acolytes is accompanying them, carrying crates of supplies - metal, energon, and raw materials. While the combiner-Prime would normally just barely fit in the smallest of Solus' tunnel workings, this tunnel dwarfs even him.

It is a vast, primary shaft; wide and formal and clearly important enough to have earned additional detailing in the very walls. It carries an air of reverence that is obvious even over the comm, that of a temple, rather than a simple maintenance shaft.

This is something special.

"Those of you with my Mark, and those of my brother - to us! We must delve down into the core of the world, and ready our final preparations. If we cannot complete this...this is our last resort. There will be no other chance for the survival for this world or it's intended purpose."

Solus frowns at the camera, steadying herself against despair.

"It barely needs to be said, that if we do not survive this, your return home will not be likely."

Nexus steps forward, gesturing down in the vague direction of the center of the world.

"And on that happy note... Unicron's minions have sought to taint the core. You need to aid us in clearing the attackers, as well as repairing the damage they have dealt, if you got the talent. We gotta work quickly - my brothers can only delay the attack for so long. Only then can we survive this fight." Nexus gives the viewers an encouraging nod.

The coordinates of the massive tunnel follow before the view cuts out: the two Primes will be waiting.

Comments

[deadlydoctor]

How can we say no to you, madam?

[Knock Out considered not coming all together. He avoided direct combat like a cat avoided water and his painjob was safer that way. But right now no place in the planet could be considered safe at all.

So he make sure no one was in the medbay, grabbed the sword, the Resonance Blaster and...headed straight to the bar. There was no way he was doing this 100% sober. Thankfully, he know better than get too overcharged that his aim would be compromised and left after a few cubes. And so there he went, me4ting Solus and Nexus at the tunnel.]

[skidaddle]

I'll have your back.

[Possibly because then he gets to look at it. What? It's a nice looking back.]

[deadlydoctor]

That's a really smooth way to say that you like my rear, Skids.

[Yep, he got it too.] If we don't die perhaps we can have share a few drinks later. [In private, most likely.]

[solianpolarity]

[Knock gets a nod of greeting from the preparing Prime. She is pleased to see him, even with the hint of highgrade she can detect.

At this stage of the game, going straight for the drinks is an understandable reaction.]

At this point, I would hope for nothing less than your assistance in this, Knock Out.

After all, I cannot see you leaving your fate to chance, in someone else's hands.

[deadlydoctor]

[It was only to give him some extra courage, it also might be his last drink ever. Can she blame him?]

I am here, aren't I madam? A thing that probably surprise us both...[He adds, a bit unsure. He knows he's not suited for battle, but for her and what he has here, he will try.

She get a smile for that.]

No, not anymore. It doesn't seem like it.

[leap_before_look]

[The white Gundam stands just over 56 feet, but within, Garrod feels a lot more comfortable than running around outside on his lonesome, for a change. After all, when you're surrounded by things that are easily five or six times your size, it's nice to be more on their level.

He's also glad that he's gotten the power switched over, as much trouble as it had been.]

This the place...?

[His voice comes over the external comm of his mobile suit, a young voice at odds with the blaster-toting robot that comes to stand at the ready.]

[nexicpolarity]

[Nexus Prime grins down at the new arrival - though not nearly as much as he usually has to, what with the giant Gundam and all.]

That it is! Nice suit - you should be a big help stomping on some of our problems in that.

[leap_before_look]

Heh. Just point me where you need me and I'll do my best!

[neverputincharge]

You know I'm with ya.

[Don't mind if he sounds annoyed, you can blame Liege and his betrayl for that. He'll store away his external canon, and hook his Hammer into his back plates, and make his way to the tunnel. With Rookie not far behind him.

He's seen what the core being infected did to his Cybertron, how they had to abandon it for Eons before it could be restored. He does not want to see the same thing happen here.

However he can't help letting awe poke through as he takes in the chamber as he arrives.]

[skidaddle]

Don't sound so serious.

[Skids rolls up behind you.]

It isn't as if this is the end of the world.

[neverputincharge]

[He turns as Skids's voice, and chuckles. He brightens some, despite the circumstances.]

Heh, yeah. What am I thinkin', we're inly going to a party, right?

[He's glad to see him, glad to have at least one other from the crew here. Though, he certainly wasn't going to stop Thundercracker or Wing from fighting alongside their FirstForged. They needed all the help they could get up there.]

[solianpolarity]

[The Prime's lips twitch in a hint of a smile when Bulkhead arrives. She's glad to see him, ready to assist; had her initiate not been among the volunteers... Well.

Solus is simply glad she chose wisely.]

It is good to have you alongside us for this endeavor, Bulkhead. Your help will be most useful.

[im_wavin]

[Ravage comes up to the giant tunnel entrance and looks at it in aw.]

Whoa...

[He is small for a Cybertronian, but this tunnel makes him look even tinier. Like the size of a mouse. The jaguar isn't sure what he can do to help, since he's not a strong fighter, but he isn't going to back out. He wants to help after all. Maybe he can lead Unicron's minions on a marry little chase away from the core?

[He give the two Primes a salute and wave]

I'm totes ready!

[skidaddle]

Hey there, Karaoke cat.

Ready for some action?

[If Skids is there to tag along, he's glad he's got friends by him. Its a bit like being back on the lost light, venturing forward into...utter insanity. Yes. Just like the lost light.]

nexus

[nexicpolarity]

[Even if Ravage's help might be limited, Nexus Prime seems glad to see him, stooping down to be closer to the tiny little 'con as he salutes right back.]

Ravage! Good to see you here and ready to help!

[angleofscience]

[He's tried to consider what to do, and well. He could assist in the fight directly against the... entity, but maybe his skills can be better used. And while he isn't marked primarily by Solus, maybe she might still accept his assistance.]

Would you have need of another pair of hands and processor? While I... can fight, and would be willing to, I believe my other skills might be of more use here.

[solianpolarity]

[Solus seems a bit surprised to see one of Liege's here, given everything...

But Jetfire has a boon from her as well. So she gives him a nod as he arrives.]

I will not turn down any assistance offered in this. We will need all the help we can get, and your skills will surely prove useful.

[invisiblepinkboat]

I'm coming. Probably can't help you repair anything too complicated, but I can keep things off you... and scout ahead, if that's needed.

[She has all weapons with her and loaded, and even if she run out of those there'll be her martial arts.]

[solianpolarity]

[Solus is apparently pleased to see Elita, despite her assertions that she may not be of much help.]

Scouting once we arrive down in the core should be useful enough - you can assist us in finding all the sources of damage and corruption. Or any lingering enemies that will seek to waylay us, for which there may be many.

[the_other_green_seeker]

[Jadewing... does not like the sound of 'delving down into the core', no.

But he likes even less the idea of facing Unicron head on. He's not ashamed to admit that the huge monstrosity attempting to come through the Lambda terrifies him, because he's fought against it before; he understands how useless conventional tactics and weapons are against it.

So if anyone has a better plan? Jadewing is all for it.]

I'm here. I probably wouldn't be of much use repairing anything this complex, but just tell me where to go and what to shoot. I'll do my best.

[nexicpolarity]

[If Nexus is surprised to see the jet, he doesn't show it, instead greeting Jadewing with the same enthusiasm as everyone else, giving him a wave.]

Hey now, I'm sure you'll do fine. Any help here is gonna be useful - just shooting the scrap out of these little shadow minions isn't something that can be underrated!

The Core 3.5: Down to the Depths...

[solianpolarity]

Once everyone is assembled, Solus Prime leads the group through the massive tunnel, where it takes an abrupt dip down- thankfully, an equally massive, open-walled maintenance elevator awaits as well.

The ride down to the core is long - but considering how far down you are actually traveling - all of the way to the literal core of the planet - the elevator is actually amazingly swift, and somehow working outside of the realm of normal physics.

Given the occasional flashes of light that occur when Solus fiddles with the controls, there might well be Land-Bridging involved.

But the reason for the long trip down quickly becomes apparent: neither Solus or Nexus are idle during the trip. Solus' hammer rarely stops swinging, repairing the patchy, wounded areas of the shaft that stink of shadow, even as they travel down; and Nexus is hard at work with the energon canisters, converting the energon into the purest form you have ever seen.

It is obvious when the core is near: the air grows thick and heavy, and the shadows pervasive. Solus and Nexus share a look, and the giant Prime brings over some of his collected energon. It glows brightly, white and reflective of a multitude of colors. Carefully, some of the precious energon is poured into a canister of collected scrap - which Solus then hits with her hammer.

Amazingly, it doesn't explode. Instead, the canister now contains a number of oddly shaped medallions, the white energon crystallized as a shard in the middle of each. They are offered to the group.

"Your boons for this venture. My device will protect you from the pressure at these depths - while Nexus' energon will protect you from the taint the shadows likely carry. You call also apply it to small portions of corruption to aid in the cleansing."

"But be careful," Nexus interrupts. "Use too much, and you'll burn the energon out. The light will go out, and you'll be without protection for yourself."

They are quickly passed out, and not a moment too soon. The elevator starts to slow - and the ride becomes more jerky, the tracks worn by enemy action.

Solus' hammer is already in hand.

"Prepare yourselves."

The ride jerks to a halt, and in the sudden silence, the chittering of a thousand gnawing jaws can be heard. Nexus kicks the doors open, and Solus lunges out with a cry, hammer swinging-

The Core is vast, a gleaming white hollow, laced with gold and silver circuity; the product of ages of careful, loving work. It is open, but empty, waiting... and damaged, covered with dark splotches.

Solus Prime's roar of rage draws every beady purple eye in her direction.

They look rather like scraplets, with long, inky limbs and crunching jaws tripping shadowy taint.

They are tiny.

But they are many.

And they are tearing the Core apart.

[neverputincharge]

[Bulkhead's glad for device they're given. That pressure was getting bad. He nods in understanding of the instructions. Right, becareful not to waste the energon. He finds a place for it as the ride continued, watching Solus and Nexus work on the shaft as they go along.

But the sound of the chittering has his eyes widen, and the sight with the doors open makes him give out a rather girly scream before he can stop it.

Big fierce Wrecker everybody.

But it's quickly followed by an indignant and annoyed--]

Why'd it have to be scraplets? [Seriously, why couldn't it be those winged wolf things like last time?! Or zombies or those mutant things that came with the plant.

But he takes a few vents to calm himself best he can and focus. These things are taking out the core. They can't let them do that. He jumps out of the elevator and draws his non integrated cannon, and starts shooting clusters of the little pests.]

[leap_before_look]

[With such a long time to stand and do nothing, Garrod can't help but be anxious. He's curious as to what the Firstforged do in the meantime, the medallions they're given carefully handled, the destination seeming so sudden, all at once.]

What...are they?

[Even after charging out after the Firstforgeds' lead, he can't help but come to a slight pause. Well, it's easy enough to tell that those things are doing some major damage.

The Gundam X-Divider levels his weapon and starts to fire.]

[invisiblepinkboat]

[Whatever they are, beyond critters of Unicron - and she doesn't have a clue, as their looks doesn't remind her of anything - they don't seem to have any huge ability to be able to tell when she's passing by, her cloaking engaged.

So she uses that to dart to the thickest bunches of them a few times, using the medallion to get at the corruption furthers from everyone else before drawing back to the other end of the huge hollow.]

I hope we aren't too late...

[The damage, caused by innumerable tiny things, is harder to tell how bad it is rather than if it'd been a few (or one) large things doing it.]