<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Decepticons.  Energon.  Mine.  Any questions?"

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul says, "Err, um. No, Boss. I think I know where we can get

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Assman...I mean, Long Haul.  Whatever do you mean?"

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul says, "Well, there's this boat. And there's oil in it. And it's supposed to come through this one little place called Trini...Trina...T-something. I've never heard about autobots in T-something, before."

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Long Haul.  You realize you just revealed your entire plan on open radio?"

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul says, "Uh oh."

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul says, "I mean...that's why I used a code name! Operation: T-Something!"

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Much like Operation:  Sneaky Sneaky sir.  Which was....SNEAKY.  Something you lack.  Let's hope you succeed and I don't have to shoot you in the face."

 

<Decepticon> Scrapper transmits, sounding actually concerned for his brother, "Do you need help, Long Haul?"

 

<Decepticon> Scrapper says, "Not that I don't think you can do it on your own, but... well... you probably can't."

 

<Decepticon> Recoil says, "Glad to see inter-team faith among the Constructicons is at an all time high!"

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul just kind of emits a *GULP* noise- quite a feat for someone with no digestive tract. "Yes, boss." Who he's talking to remains a mystery.

 

<Decepticon> Scrapper says, "Transmit your coordinates."

 

<Decepticon> Scrapper says, "Over tight-band."

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Recoil.  I commend you."

 

<Decepticon> Recoil says, "Always happy to point out the fairly obvious and, more recently, mundane among the troops, Captain."

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Clearly."

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Worry not, soon I will "spice" things up."

 

<Decepticon> Scrapper says, "Don't worry, Lord Galvatron. The Constructicons have not failed you in some time, and I aim to keep that streak alive."

 

<Decepticon> Recoil says, "You will allow Trypticon to receive the Spice Channel?"

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "It doesn't already?"

 

<Decepticon> Recoil says, "Or you will torture captured Autobots with repeated viewings of "Spice World"?"

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "OOOOOO"

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Now there's an idea.  And:  Let's hope not, scrapper."

 

*** TRAVEL SPAM ***

 

Trinidad Oil Fields

 

     Only newly becoming an oil power, the wealth of Venezuela doubled in size when five new superwells were found here and two more in Venezuela-controlled land in Antarctica. Now this once small pigmy has become a thundering giant, able to contest all but the largest oil companies. Well after well pump the ground and collect the sweet blood of the Earth. Two towering skyscrapers mark to the world the city of Trinidad's coming of age.

 

Contents:

Porsche 935 Turbo

Long Haul

Obvious exits:

Northeast <NE> leads to Western Central Atlantic.

Northwest <NW> leads to Caribbean Sea.

South <S> leads to Amazon River Basin.

West <W> leads to Panama Canal.

Fly <Up>

 

Trini...Trina...T-something.

 

In any case, it's a booming little oil town, even now growing. New buildings, new buisnesses, and all that stuff.

 

And all this building involves...construction. It's a rare instance, in this case, that Long Haul's alternate mode actually provides more than adaquate disguise. He's just sitting there in his truck mode, not even bothering to drive around, just apparently sitting idle not too far from the docks.

 

Sitting idle while, at that very dock, a moderately-sized oil-tanker is pulled in towards the docks.

 

<Decepticon> Galvatron says, "Scrapper, aquire me a copy of this Spice World.  But first:  Energon."

 

<Decepticon> Long Haul says, "The Spice Channel? Why would we want that? I mean, who wants to watch a show on Nutmeg? Stupid carbon-based humans."

 

Porsche 935 Turbo is diggin' that salsa beat. The tiny country of Trinadad and Tobago is near enough to Brasil to pick up some of those latin rythms. Of course that's just the side benefit of getting to travel the globe, and be the only porsche that can skim across the oceans to check out potential targets. Y'know. Oil fields and such. Jazz just happens to be driving somewhere nearby, where he can pick up a local station, and still take a peek around.

 

Long Haul hunkers down into his truck mode, settling heavily down upon the ground with his four massive wheels. Just another day on the job.

 

Payloader <Scrapper> has been driving ever since he hit this landmass. The Constructicon knows that the flying payloader trick doesn't fool anyone, but a construction vehicle, even green, does a much better job of being a disguise. Careful to, ugh, obey all traffic laws, Scrapper enters the small town via the main road, much to the amazement of anyone watching. Lets hope they don't notice the driver-less situation. The Constructicon slowly tries to make it to the coordinates Long Haul gave him.

 

Hey, Macarana! Yeah. Jazz is lookin' at the activity. Of course, his own driverless situation could prove to be a problem. Not that an expensive car driving around in a South American country in a not-so good area is not going to be such a good idea. He's been driving since he got here as well. Mostly because he's trying to avoid getting put up on blocks. He's very attatched to his wheels. And y'know, a green construction vehicle probably isn't going to call all that much attention around here, since there's a plethora of bright colours in the area. Hmm. The docks might be a better area to get information at.

 

Long Haul lays in wait, like some sort of very large, very blocky sort of jungle cat. In his own mind, at the least. When in reality, he's just a big-ass truck. Have you ever seen a stealthy truck?

 

However, Long Haul isn't the biggest, fattest cargo hauler about- there's that cargo ship. The tanker slips into the bay, whereupon crewmen, dockworkers, and sailors scurry over it like so many sweaty, spanish-speaking ants, tossing a variety of lines back and forth.

 

Almost time...

 

Payloader <Scrapper> enters the area and looks around. He actually pauses to marvel at the buildings. They're not skyscrappers by any stretch of the imagination, but they serve their purpose, and serve it well. There's a good air of practicality and Scrapper has to respect what they've done with the resources allocated for them. But the Constructicon Leader isn't here to sight-see, he's here to make sure his brother doesn't run into any trouble. And so, he opens up a com-link to the dump truck. Wherever he may be.

 

You transmit a message to Long Haul: I've entered the town, Long Haul. What's going on?

 

Long Haul receives a radio transmission.

 

Transmission from Long Haul: There's this boat. With oil in it. They're gonna put the oil in trucks. I'm gonna take the trucks.

 

Long Haul transmits a message via radio.

 

You transmit a message to Long Haul: Hmmm. Sounds like a reasonable plan... *sounds a tad surprised*

 

Long Haul receives a radio transmission.

 

Trouble is my middle name. At least, that's what it seems like. But the white Porsche is driving slowly along, looking for unusual sights. Like a giant lime green dump truck. Or a lime green payloader. Or... a lime green cement mixer... thankfully, there aren't as many lime green vehicles around here as all that. Er. Two may be enough. Jazz slows up a little, seeing the tanker. "Hmm." he comments, turning down the music.

 

Long Haul continues to sit, motionless. There IS more than one lime green dump truck in the world, you know. Robots in disguise, and all that. Long Haul does catch sight of Jazz, however- yet instead of transforming and assaulting the Autobot, he just stays put.

 

Meanwhile, at the tanker, somebody drives a large truck up- one of them 18-wheeler tanker-types- whereupon hoses are attatched, and it's readily available that they're transferring oil from one transport to another.

 

Payloader <Scrapper> hopes Long Haul's plan doesn't run into any of the many problems that could potentially arise from a situation like this. Autobots being number 1 on this list. Militants being a close second given the proximity to their territory. But Scrapper, for now, keeps out of sight of his brother. One lime green construction vehicle? Hey, happens all the time. Two? That's when people get antsy. And so, Scrapper remains within sight of the tanker, but fairly far away. Naturally, the sight of a white porsche does not seem out of place at all.

 

Hey. This is South America. A Pink Payloader wouldn't seem out of place. We'd say the same about a pink Dump truck, but those have been spotted as far north as Maine.

 

Anyhow. Robots in disguise and all. Jazz can probably see a Lime Green VW Bug from here. But he can mostly see the transfer of oil from one tanker to another. Yes. This might be a vulnerable spot. Which is why he's checking it out-- Y'know. While some of the other Autobots keep a watch on other areas around the world. It's not like he's the only one out here, now is it? The only one listening to a tango, while contemplating the number of vehicles idling in the area. Which includes that dump truck, a BMW, and a couple of tugs. No Decepticons are Tugs, now are they? He starts idling himself, thinking about that.

 

Transmission from Long Haul: Um, Scrapper? I think I see an Autobot...um...Jazz. Could you, like...bash him?

 

Long Haul transmits a message via radio to Scrapper.

 

You transmit a message to Long Haul: Jazz? I owe Jazz a thrashing. But... he's tough. I'll need help.

 

Long Haul receives a radio transmission.

 

Long Haul continues to stay put- meanwhile, the dockworkers go ahead and finish pumping stuff into that first tanker- they soon disconnect the fuel lines and start moving stuff around, for the first Tanker to be off on its way...

 

And that's when Long Haul acts! He transforms up into his robot mode and leaps to action- well, it's not a leap so much as a 'steady plodding'. Dockworkers flee in terror before the green menace- as they rightly should!

 

Long Haul gets directly to the point, however, as he lowers one shoulder towards the tanker and sets about lifting the massive thing, even his own mighty thews straining under the massive weight. He ignores Jazz, dearly hoping that Scrapper can take care of things for him...

 

The green dump truck rears back, turning itself into a formidable Decepticon Warrior! Well, no, not really. It's just Long Haul.

 

Payloader <Scrapper> gets a disturbing transmission. Something abou Autobots! The lime green payloader moves forward, inching towards the tanker and keeping an optic out for any signs of a white sports car. As Long Haul does the Constructicon name proud, Scrapper lays in wait, mentally preparing to get the jump on anyone who might be ambushing his brother. Ah ha ha ha ha! Of course, with Long Haul around, his disguise has just gotten a whole lot less likely to succeed. Already citizens are pointing at him and backing off. Scrapper ignores the mewlings of the flesh creatures.

 

Oh good grief. It's a Constructicon playing BigFoot, and scaring those humans. Of course, Jazz is probably going to assume that most of these people are pointing and eeking at Long Haul. Which is perfectly awful. He transforms, taking a step towards Long Haul, since, despite Scrapper making himself more obvious, Long Haul is the one doing the heisting and hauling. "That's far enough, Long Haul." He says, "Put the tanker back, an' get on outta here." Well. That's one way of confronting a problem. Head on.

 

The Porche explodes into action, becoming Jazz, Autobot hero.

 

Long Haul flexes his metal musculature, beginning to pull the Tanker off of the ground- he finally manages to get both arms beneath the massive truck- and that's about when Jazz shows up. Somewhat unbalanced, Long Haul looks over to the Autobot, taking a few steps backward to keep himself from dropping the thing.

 

"Um..." he can't really fight while holding this thing. "I'm...not...stealing it!" He lies. Badly. Smokescreen, he isn't.

 

Payloader <Scrapper> audibly cheers as Jazz transforms, just a short ways in front of him! Scrapper chuckles and transforms into robot mode, already aiming his pistol towards the superspy's back. "Oh I quite disagree, Jazz. It's not nearly far enough. I have a counter-offer. You get on out of here and my brother and I won't add your face to my art collection!" He nods in agreement with Long Haul. "That's right! He's not taking it - he's CONQUERING it!" Ok, maybe that's not what Long Haul meant, but Scrapper hopes it is.

 

The rear section of the payloader unfolds and stands up, revealing two legs. The sides and the wheels slide out to form arms and hands. The shovel itself folds onto the robot's back as Scrapper's head is revealed.

 

Well... he should have expected this, now shouldn't he? Jazz just smiles at Long Haul, "And I have a counter-counter offer. You put that back, an' get your afts back t' Decepticon Island, an' my backup won't hurtcha t'day." Tilting his head, and casually, not turning around. "'Cos I can't letcha just take whatever ya want like that, now. It's not right." Sickening, isn't it? Doo gooder type Autobots always talk like that, don't they?

 

Long Haul pauses, and would wince, had he a face to do it with. That's...not quite what he expected from Scrapper. Long Haul pauses for a few long moments, running through situations in that whacked out head of his. "Erm, Well. Um."

 

Long Haul's thinking can't match pace with the relentless force of gravity, as he staggers backwards- dropping the tanker truck- he staggers backwards even more, however, whereupon Long Haul falls into the water with a profound *SPLOOSH!*

 

That wasn't in the plan.

 

"ARGH!" Scrapper groans as Long Haul staggers into the drink. "Long Haul you worthless pile of scrap metal!" he shouts, absentmindedly lowering his pistol and completly ignoring Jazz for a few critical moments. The Constructicon runs up to the edge of the water and peers down into it. "Get out of there before your innards rust!" Of course, Jazz gets to do whatever he wants during this amazing display of incompetance.

 

Besides laugh?

 

Jazz takes this amusing opportunity to...er... try and bumrush Scrapper, and push him into the harbor waters as well. Of course two wet Constructicons won't really /hurt/ them... but it's better than two dry Constructicons rampaging and stealing oil. Besides. His backup needs time to...er... get here. That is, if he really does have backup. Y'never know.

 

Long Haul is underwater. He sinks down, down, down for a few long, long moments. Well, so much for a simple plan. He turns on his antigravs and sets about getting out of the underwater situation.

 

Long Haul emerges out of the water- behind the tanker. And then...in a rare, rare moment of inspiration, Long Haul gets AN IDEA. The Construct floats over to the back of the boat, then settles his massive paws of hands into the steel, digging into it with his grip. This done, Long Haul starts flying backwards- and he begins to HEAVE...

 

And slowly, ever so slowly, the tanker ship begins to lurch backwards, out of its mooring, assorted chains and ropes beginning to strain and break!

 

Scrapper shakes his fist at Long Haul. "Primus," he mutters, "How slagging STUPID do you have to be in order to -GAH!" And so Scrapper falls after being given a mighty shove, splashing into the water and sending waves spewing up in all directions. Scrapper is now underwater. He sinks down, down, for a few long, long moments. The Constructicon gurgles something to himself and activates his flight systems before they short out from the water. Rising awkwardly out of the water, he watches as the boat starts to float away. "Go Long Haul! Swim to freedom, brother!" he cheers him on. This time, however, he keeps a very close optic on Jazz in case he tries to stop this diabolical plot.

 

Swim to freedom? Does Long Haul even know /how/ to swim?

 

Jazz doesn't have time to enjoy the sight of a couple of soaked 'Cons. What's Jazz gonna do now? Shoot the tanker? Hardly. He does have an idea of what to do though. Transforming, he pops out some big-ass speakers. This shouldn't hurt the ship. It would hopefully just stun Long Haul for long enough for Tanker-Ray to maybe cast off, or at least get the crew off of it.

 

Wonder how long it'll take backup to arrive. You know. Those other Autobots in the area. Er. Right then.

 

Long Haul tug, tug, tugs, like the little Decepticon who could! Or the mid-sized decepticon who could. Only for Jazz to belt out whatever crap-rock he's using as a weapon these days. "Yeargh!"

 

Long Haul claps his hands over his audio receptors, letting go of the tanker- a mistake. Y'see, Boats don't have, per se...brakes. As a result, the Boat keeps going- even when Long Haul doesn't. And so, the thing fairly well plows into Long Haul as it continues to pull out to sea- *CLANG!*

 

The crew, at least, dive off of the sides, hoping to escape the giant fighting robots.

 

Sinking down and folding up, Jazz becomes a Porsche 935 Turbo.

 

Scrapper, who drew his own gun several poses ago, tsks at Jazz. "Uh uh, Autobot - The way I count it it's still two to one, and that means you're not going to be walkin' away from this." The Constructicon hovers in the air near the dock and over the water. Taking aim, Scrapper fires off three quick laser bolts, searing their way towards the Autobot superspy. Scrapper is unaware of Long Haul's status, but he just has a sneaking guess that it is BAD BAD BAD. "The price for survival is your arm, Jazz!" Hit or miss with his shots, Scrapper floats towards the Autobot. He wants an arm! He's comin' for an arm!

 

An arm? You'd have to catch Autobot Meister in robot mode to get an arm. Really Scrapper. And don't you have water in your gun?

 

The Porsche catches a couple of those bolts in the spoiler, and is forced to shut down that music. Probably a good thing. There's only so much of it that JAZZ can take. "Ah.. hey..." he says, "I ain't walkin' away from this. I'll be rollin'." Of course Jazz can give out a couple of laser bolts back in Scrapper's direction before attempting to pull back behind cover. Like those convenient crates over there.

 

Long Haul keeps on a going out to sea! Just...in a large Haul-shaped-dent in the stern of the tanker. "Ouch." he grumbles. Yet at the same time, his goal is still accomplished, as the now-unmanned tanker continues drifting aimlessly out to sea!

 

Scrapper, though. He's on his own. Sucker.

 

Scrapper advances towards the porche, but he's a pretty crappy flier when you get right down to it. This gives him two problems: A, it means Jazz can drive circles around him even more than he could if Scrapper were on terra firma. And B, it means he can't dodge worth crap. Scrapper takes both laser bolts, and bits of his hard Constructi-armour breaks off. One blast weakening a knee joint, and the other smacking him square in the chest. Scrapper hits the ground by the water in a crouch. "Blast you, Jazz..." he says in his gruff voice. The Constructicon glances out at sea, watching as his brother makes his very... very... slow... getaway.

 

Porsche 935 Turbo would gladly drive circles around Scrapper, however he's got to... er... what does he have to do? Ah. Save the tanker. Since Scrapper's down for the moment, watching the tide roll out, Jazz is going to make an attempt to see if he can get to the tanker, and try to slow Long Haul down. Er... that is, if Scrapper doesn't move. Because if Scrapper doesn't move, Jazz has a perfect path to get to the harbor. Muhah. Sorry Long Haul.

 

Long Haul finally peels himself out of his dent, then clambers over the boat, finally standing on deck. He glances from one side to the other, realizing that he's the only one on the big ol' tanker. Sweet! But...he has no idea how to pilot it. Unsweet.

 

And yet...he knows who just might. "Scrapper!" Long Haul yells out. "Get on the boat! Get on the boat!" This said, Long Haul takes up is own laser pistol and fires off a few shots- shots that go far, far away from Jazz, but they might rattle him and make him run away. Right?

 

Yeah. Right.

 

Scrapper doesn't need to be told twice! The Constructicon takes the moment of respite and lifts off the ground. "Another time, Jazz. Give my regards to the rest of the Autobots we trashed just last week!" And with that, he lifts up and soars to the boat, touching down upon it next to his brave brave brother. Scrapper has his pistol out in case Jazz wishes to persue the sloooow getaway.

Yeah yeah yeah. Jazz is warded off. Mostly because those shots came close to hitting some poor civilian craft. And mostly because somewhere, some silly person needs to sleep. "Nuts." he says. At least he got the satisfaction of dunking Scrapper this time.

 

Long Haul fires off a few more random laser shots, doing a bit to singe this and that- though nothing important and Jazz-shaped. "Ha-HA!" he lowers his blaster, coasting off on that boat...very...very...slowly. Huh. Go figure.

 

Long Haul pauses, then looks over to his brother, Scrapper. "Um...can you make the Engine go?"

 

Scrapper idly examines his wounds as he says, "Make it go? Ha ha ha, that's a good one, Long Haul. No, I think the best course of action here would be to... lets see now..." Scrapper searches around, "Ah, here we go!" he finds the cut off heavy duty cables and moves to tie them to Long Haul. "Just tow us on home." he says cheerfully.

 

Long Haul Just stands there for a few moments as Scrapper goes and ties the variety of cables and hooks to him. "But...can't you...use the...engine?" Guess not. Well, so much for an entirely glorious encounter.

 

With a sigh, Long Haul gets to work, floating slowly up into the air until the lines are taut, pulling that massive tanker along. Just another day in the life of the Decepticon Empire!

 

================================= Decepticon =================================

Message: 2/16                      Posted        Author

Operation: T-Something             Fri Jun 11    Long Haul

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Spinny, Spinny- and so, it's...Long Haul! Standing outside of NCC, somewhere or another.*

 

"Err, yeah. Well, I was lookin' at some maps and...stuff, and I found this little place called Trinidad; an' they got oil there. And I hadn't heard of any Autobots there...so I went there to get some oil. I had planned to just get a tanker truck and run away...but I didn't. Y'see, this Autobot Jazz showed up, and started shooting at me and Scrapper- did I mention Scrapper was there? Err, he was."

 

"So...anyway, I lost the tanker TRUCK...but I DID manage to get THIS."

 

*Long Haul jerks his thumb over his shoulder, and the camera pans out, showing a medium-sized Oil tanker- a bit battered, and rather abandoned...but otherwise intact, pushed up on the beach and listing to the side, like a forgotten child's toy.*

 

"So, there's oil in there, just waitin' to be processed. I'll be available once it's time to start moving the stuff...Long Haul, out."

 

*Blip!*

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