September 9th, 2002, ~Hyperdrive(A), Jynx(D), Whiplash(D), Psykeout(D), Firestarter(D) Hyperdrive says, "Psykeout...Psykeout is dead. No more will suffer from his twisted mind." Con Lieutenant Moonlight gasps. Whiplash says, "Anyone catch that over the Cybertron broadband?" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Yes...............but...what can I do about it?" Con Lieutenant Moonlight's voice seems devoid of...anything. "Where are you Hyperdrive?" Jynx says, ".... what happend? Redirecting flight route. I am going to meet up with you Whiplash. I didn't get the gest of what was said but if its a trap two will do better then one in finding out." Whiplash says, "When I catch that crawler Psykeout, he'd better *wish* he was dead. He's always getting himself into trouble." Hyperdrive says, "I...I'm here....." Crossroads The crossroads here are one of the few remaining functional intersections on Cybertron. Four thoroughfares enter and exit this cloverleaf monstrosity made up of intricately woven levels of superhighways, but the actual routes can only be determined by traveling them. Stacked three levels above the surrounding landscape, the entire exchange is covered with a huge glass dome. The purpose of the dome was lost long ago with the construction crew that built this interchange, but now it simply provides some shelter from the occasional caustic storms that arise on Cybertron. The area around the interchange is relatively flat and since the crossroads are raised above it, there is room underneath for travelers to rest or admire the open view. Hotly contested in more recent times, whoever controls this central transit point could potentially control entrance to Iacon as well as the Crystal City so the Autobots and neutral citizens of Crystal City try and keep close guard over it. Hyperdrive [Robot] [A] Psykeout [Robot] [D] Dome Abode Obvious Exits: -U- Up leads to Sky above Iacon Crossroads -N- North leads to Ancestral Overpass -S- South leads to Crystal City Highway -E- East leads to Old Expressway -W- West leads to Ruined Outpost -Moonlight is looking around...she hasn't come onto the scene yet. Her expression is rather blank, or what can be seen of it is anyhow. -Hyperdrive is kneeling by the rent body of Psykeout. He touches the mech's head. -Moonlight shows up on the scene finally. She rushes over to where she sees Hyperdrive... -Hyperdrive continues to stare at the body. Touching the face, "Why...why did you have to do this. Why couldn't you be the friend I hoped you would be...." -Psykeout's body lies there, void of any color or emotion. -Moonlight takes off her hat, her face crumpling like a childs when they are alone at night and afraid. After a moment of silence she makes a sound that is sort of like a sob and a laugh at the same time, and she can't seem to do anything besides shake her head over and over again. Lieutenant Moonlight is making strange half sob, half laughing sounds between words. "I....I don't feel so good..." Whiplash says, "Moonlight?" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Yeah...Whiplash...?" Jynx says, "Are you alright Moon?" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "I think I want to go home...." -Hyperdrive backs away finally and looks over, "He would have destroyed me......and my family, friends...if...." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry.: Whiplash says, "Where are you? What'd you find?" -Moonlight looks at Hyperdrive. "Don't be sorry...just run. Go away. The Cons will be coming soon and they're sure to kill you. I would want to if I were different...just go...go and go and go and GO!" Lieutenant Moonlight's voice sounds very small, child-like, "He's gone..." Firestarter says, "Find Psyke's shattered carcass somewhere, eh?" Whiplash says, "What??" Lieutenant Moonlight sniffles. "Psykeout...gone. He's not going to trick me anymore. Psykeout....he said he wanted it...didn't believe him...should have been more careful." There's no more laugh in the sobs now. Jynx says, "FIRESTARTER! Last night we fought together.. how could you be so... COLD to another Decepticon now!!! That could very well be you and I out there if Resonance had actual skilled troops..." Whiplash says, "Moonlight. Where are you?" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "The crossroads....but I don't want to be here anymore. I want to leave, but I can't leave him here all alone. He didn't want to be alone, so I'm not going to let him be...." Whiplash says, "Any Autobots out there?" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Yeah....the kidlet who got him...said he was sorry...but how can you apologize for /killing/ someone....?" Whiplash says, "Alright, you keep him there. Consider him dead. I'm on my way." -Moonlight sits down next to Psykeout. "He said he doesn't like to be touched....so no one should touch him now...not that it matters. There's no one left inside, is there?" She doesn't seem to be talking to anyone...just talking and sobbing. Firestarter sighs, almost as if bored. "Jynx, it's war. If you can't handle the death of a comrade, go cry in a corner like a kidlet." Lieutenant Moonlight just gasps. -Hyperdrive stares and shakes his head, reaching out to Moonlight, "He....he thanked me. For releasing him. The war....the war was too much I think. Perhaps before the war....there was a good guy there....but this evil war destroyed him." -Moonlight squints up at Hyperdrive. "Where there's life, there's change...he can't change any more...you took that away...and I failed...I said I'd help, but he didn't let me. He ......" She blinks. "Why are you still here? Have some respect and leave the dead with their own. He's not yours....you killed him...." -Hyperdrive is shaking, "Ya don't understand....ya don't understand at all....He was my friend....I trusted him. He tortured me....hurt me and now he woulda killed me....I had no choice. If i wanted ta live." He is rather badly torn up. "He wanted ta be released....but he couldn't do it himself. He thanked me. And I wished I'd never been created...." He rubs his optics and turns to run stooping one to pick something up which he quickly stashes. -Moonlight slams a fist into her thigh. "Well your wish is going to come true soon. if there's an afterlife, you'll probably meet him again very soon...the others are coming for you now...and tell him I said hi...tell him I'm not a spy...and tell him that I was always his friend." She breaks back down sobbing. -Hyperdrive calls back, "He was my friend once too.....least I stopped him from hurtin ya too....." He then breaks into a run, limping heavily. -Moonlight watches Hyperdrive run off, then leans forward and rests her head on Psykeout's still chest...just sobbing and sobbing and sobbing as if there was no tommorow. -Datatap's satellite has lost a noticeable amount of satellite barriers, and isn't pleasant elsewhere either. It took him this long to dare respond to the distress call.. the satellite turns in numerous directions furtively, unsure what to watch for. -Whiplash is travelling fairly rapidly along the ground, along with Jynx. -Jynx is traveling slightly above ground and glides in coming to a hover to where he can take in everything at once... -One glance from a Decepticon, and Datatap's generally outta here. Best be hoping he sees Hyperdrive really really soon. -Hyperdrive is fleeing the scene as quickly as he can with the injuries he sustained. -Moonlight is just sobbing still, apparently unaware of what is around her. The way she's bent over Psykeout and leaning against his chest doesn't look comfortable, but it's unlikely that she cares about that at this point in time. -Jynx sees the child and raises his arm withdrawing his left hand, "Not so fast 'kid'!" His optic brightens as he shoots at the fleeing suspect not caring that it is a child.. it is an Autobot and that is more then enough! -Whiplash notices Moonlight's crouched form in the distance and races toward it, catching simultaneously the movement of Hyperdrive making his way off. -Datatap recognises the sound of laserfire.. and the sound of a voice from a mere cycle ago. Good Primus Not Him. This isn't helping him creep up any faster, you know.. he does come around, though, and notices the fleeing figure of Hyperdrive. The satellite peers toward him and the others.. and .. is that a shudder going through the box? -Whiplash slows her forward momentum, torn between heading for Moonlight and chasing down Hyperdrive. -Moonlight also hears the sound of fire going on. She finally looks up...and around. She stops her sobbing for a moment and just seems to listen....then she lays her head back down. -Hyperdrive is shot and cut down again. He struggles to get to his feet, raising his forcefield to protect him from further gunfire. He shakes and tries to get to his feet and run again. -Moonlight finally stands up, rather slowly and shakily. Bending down she moves to pick up Psykeout's body. She's not the strongest person on Cybertron, but Psykeout was never very big in the first place, so she is able to lift him. Still crying, but silently this time, she starts to move away from the scuffle that is happening a little ways off. -Jynx notices both Hyper and now Data. "More of you vermin! How many must die before you are all dead?!" He flips backward in midair and lets of a volly of magnetic energy fire down between the two, not caring about the forcefeild... not caring about the others fear. He cares for one thing, their deaths for this! Lieutenant Moonlight says, "I think we want to go home now.........is that okay?" -Whiplash snarls in fury as she wants to leap after Hyperdrive, but at the same time her attention to her fellow 'Cons must come first. She spins away from the fleeing Autobot, letting Jynx take care of him, and transforms, closing the distance between herself and Moonlight. -Whiplash says, "Alright, Moonlight. Let me see." -Moonlight turns slightly to show Whiplash the body...Psykeout's body. But it seems that it's Moonlight who is in the most pain right now...dead mechs feel nothing. -Whiplash's optics flash darker for a moment and she bares her fangs. "Dammit," she hisses. "Shoulda *made* him learn to fight." -Whiplash shakes it off, for the moment, and gently takes hold of Moonlight's arm. "Let's get back. We'll see about payback tomorrow." -Moonlight's face crinkles like she's about to cry again. "Yes...back. Where we belong...." -Hyperdrive just manages to not be hurt by Jynx's cannon. He dives to the ground, trying to not to be seen so he isn't shot. The forcefield remains on. -Whiplash guides Moonlight back toward the direction of 'Con lands. "Come on," she says quietly. -Moonlight takes a moment to pull out the usual pack of ener-cigs. "Do you think he would mind if I kept these...he won't need them anymore?" -Three satellite barriers down and a -chunk of the satellite itself-. This is going to hurt for a loooooong time. "Hyper?" he calls out to the other mech, weakly. "Come on!" It gives Jynx a menacing-without-eyes glare, but begins to slide offstage- too much damage to try a shot, the box thinks. -Whiplash's optics flicker for a moment in a "blink." "Dammit," she whispers again, to herself. Then she looks up. "Keep 'em," she says. "I don't know if he'd mind or not, but ... keep 'em for yourself, if it helps." -Moonlight nods her head and is silent for the rest of the trip home.