March 6th, 2003
~Starfire(U), Whiplash(D), Enfilade(D), Sapphire(U), Solar(D), Swivel(A), Wraith(U), Ultra Magnus(A), Thunderstrike(A), Phantom(A), Scattershot(A)

Darkmount - Repair Bay

     Much like the adjacent research lab, the equipment here is showing signs of age, but is kept in a serviceable condition. Two automated repair drones lie against the far wall, though each is obviously missing a few parts...apparently they've been salvaged for someone else's benefit. The once well-stocked parts closets now contain mostly empty shelves and bins. Several dozen repair tables of various sizes are arranged in rows in the middle of the room.


Whiplash [MedusaSaur] [D] 
Starfire [Robot] [U] 
Redline's Side Office 
AutoMedic 
Dartboard 
Serdidymus 
Medical Terminal

Obvious Exits:
 -S- South leads to Darkmount - Regeneration Spa
 -E- East leads to Darkmount - Medical and Science Level
 -W- West leads to Darkmount - Cryochamber


-Moonlight is lying on her isolated little medtable, looking moodily at a datapad.
-Starfire peers into the Repair Bay. She has... a problem that is probably nothing, but no harm in getting it checked out.
-Whiplash is lying crouched in MedusaSaur mode on a med table, apparently unrestrained ... though she's awake, with optics kind-of dim, and the tentacles aren't moving much, indicating something unusual. She's covered in rusty patches, which have definitely spread since the day before.
-Moonlight doesn't notice Starfire's arrival yet. As she lies on her medtable, looking at a datapad, she fidgets at her right arm, which, from the shoulder to a little past the elbow, is covered in the same stuff that Whiplash has. A few other minor splotches are elsewhere on her body, but the main concentration of it is on the one arm.
-Enfilade storms into the repair bay, holding a triangular shaped piece of metal which, on closer examination, is the tip of her right wing. "What the FRAG is happening?!" she bellows. She doesn't look particularly rusty, but she isn't happy that part of her wing just /fell off/ for no reason.
-Starfire has only just arrived herself. She's barely touched, but tends to be cautious about such things.
Whiplash rumbles a soft growl at Enfilade's shout, which rouses her somewhat. She pulls her head up off her forepaws a little laboriously and shakes it a little back and forth, optics flickering ... then brings one clawed hind leg up to scratch at her shoulder. Fortunately she's uncoordinated enough that she doesn't have the best of aim, and thus does not gouge furrows into her own armor.
-Moonlight peers at Enfilade rather mildly. "I think we would like to know just as much as you do Enfilade," she says rather calmly, setting down her datapad to give the field commander her full attention.
-Enfilade growls, "Why the frag are pieces dropping off me an'... holy slag, Lash, you look awful." Suddenly her irritation vanishes under concern for her friend. "Moonlight ? You sick too?"
-Moonlight nods her head, trying really hard not to scratch at the very annoying patches on her body, something she's always been fairly proud of. "Yeah, I'm sick too. This thing is getting outta hand...and I'm not sure how far it's spread. The medics haven't told us anything yet, so we have to sit here and wait." She glances at Whiplash. "It really seems to be wearing on her."
-Starfire is completely clueless herself. She cut short a three-day practice session because of a minor physical problem, but it looks like there are far more serious things wrong than some itching.
-Whiplash just kind-of "blinks" at Enfilade, trying to shake off that damn sedative.
-Enfilade grumbles, "Let me pull up that message REdline sent me...."
-Moonlight nods quite patiently. It's easy to be patient when you have nowhere to go. She folds her arms and waits.
-Enfilade reads the message and sags down to sit on the bunk. "Aw, frag me, he has /got/ to be kidding...."
-Starfire asks timidly, "What's wrong, Commander?"
-Enfilade grumbles, "Ever hear of "scraplets," Starfire?"
-Moonlight sighs. "I take it the medics have something worth telling us then?"
-Starfire shakes her head. She hasn't spent enough time on Cybertron to know its peculiarities. "No, ma'am."
-Enfilade says, "Basically, we got cyber-fleas. An' Ghost cross-indexed me to a file suggesting the only cure, if there is one, might...gotta love that word...might be on a planet day's flying away from here."
-Starfire says, "Coordinates?"
-Moonlight makes a face; the answer certainly wasn't pleasant. But she didn't expect it to. "How hard will this cure be to get?"
-Enfilade shrugs. "We don't know if there even /is/ one, MOonlight, but frankly this is our only chance." she shows the others the coordinates Ghost gave her.  Enfilade says, "The place is called Theta Gamma 7."
-Starfire narrows her optics, translating the coordinates to a place she passed by years ago. Never noticed there was a system there, but then why should she?
-Moonlight frowns, not really knowing anything about the area, which means there probably isn't a lot of social civilizations, if there are any at all. "I guess the only thing to do is go look and see what we can find."
-Whiplash tries to scrabble to her feet, shaking her head more vigorously - an action that nearly threatens to topple her over. "Someone get that ... medic out here so I can ... bite his head off..." she mutters.
-Enfilade says, "It beats sitting around here waiting for my slottin' HEAD to fall off." She kneels beside the MedusaSaur. "Lash? How you doin'?"
Enfilade mutters to Moonlight: "Maybe ... ... ... ... here. ... ... look ... good."  ((Maybe we should leave Whiplash here. she don't look too good.))
-Moonlight mutters to Enfilade: "Which ... why ... ... take ... If ... cure ... there ... need it ... ... ... ... about organizing ... than ... do ... ... ... my opinion."  ((Which is why we /should/ take her.  If a cure is there, she'd need it first.  You know more about organizing missions than I do, but that is my opinion.))
-Whiplash says, "Would be doing a lot better if someone would let me out!" One tentacle flails and strikes the quarantine force field that's surrounding her med table, causing a flicker of light and a protesting BZZZT! from the energy barrier."
-Enfilade says to Whiplash, "Okay, I'll get you out. I'll put you on a mission, how's that sound?" She looks at Starfire. "You think you can find those coordinates?"  Enfilade nods to Moonlight.
-Enfilade mutters to Moonlight: "I ... ... ... ... tear poor ... apart ... getting ..."((I just hope she doesn't tear poor Starfire apart in getting there.))
-Moonlight sighs and makes a hushed response to Enfilade.  "... ... ... ... down once ... has something else ... occupy herself; it ... have ... ... ... leave her here. ... really ... to be figured ... about ... aversion ... medics. This insanity ... ..." ((I'm sure she'll calm down once she has something else to occupy herself; it would have been cruel to leave her here.  Something really needs to be figured out about her aversion to medics.  This insanity can't continue.))
-Starfire scratches an elbow, then forces herself to stop. Fleas, ick. "I can get us there," she offers. "I guess I have it, too, so it wouldn't hurt. What is it we're looking for on this planet?" Decontam problem... Her hull is thick, which is probably why it's advancing so slowly.
-Whiplash's optics flicker as she shakes her head again - not as a negative response to Enfilade, but trying to clear her senses.
-Enfilade Frowns. "They're live beings, so they must have some kind of natural predator or containment or SOMETHING to stop them from having taken over the entire planet. We just need to find it...and hope the cure ain't worse than the disease."
-Starfire hmmmmms. "I wonder if a quick trip through the upper atmosphere would burn them off. But if it's that simple, then just applying heat would cure it."
-Moonlight frowns and scratches away at a patch, her self-control not doing so well against the itchiness. "Well, whatever is going to be done, I hope it's done fast."
-Enfiladesays, "If doing that cures you, we'll come back and try it."
-Sapphire transmits: ' ;'s tenative voice comes through "heloo'.
-You transmit 'Hello?' to Sapphire.
-Enfilade says, "Let's blow this joint...Starfire, Whiplash, Moonlight, you're with me. We'll cure these fleas or die trying." Without bothering to consult with Redline, she opens the containment fields.
-Starfire is eager to get into space again, even with circumstances so dire. "Yes, ma'am. I'm pretty much completely fueled, so we can leave immediately. No science team? I'm pretty good at geology, but I'm not sure I can find a cure for a biological infestation."
-With the dissolving of the forcefield, the sedating signals that were permeating it also dissolve. Whiplash feels the lessening of the effect almost immediately, her optics flashing brighter as she pushes herself to a fully standing position. balanced on all fours.
-Moonlight hopes, for the medic's sake, that he's far, far away.
-Enfilade mutters, "Let's get the slot outta here."
-Sapphire transmits: ' "er.. hi Moonlight"'.
-Moonlight waits until she's /sure/ the field is gone before standing up. She stretches, feeling the sweet taste of freedom once again...mingled with that infernal itching.
-Whiplash shakes out her tentacles violently, offers a rumbling growl toward the closed door to Redline's office, and then jumps down off the table, catching herself, as her coordination is still not quite restored.
-You transmit 'Is there something you need? I'm about to leave the planet for a short while.' to Sapphire.
-Sapphire transmits: ' "er.. yeah... " she says in a quiet voice "think you could use a medic along fro the ride?'.
-You transmit 'I would say yes, but I can't give that sort of permission. I'll mention it to my higher-ups. I assume you're offering your services?' to Sapphire.
-Sapphire transmits: ' "yes..'.
-Whiplash makes her way out of the lift, walking somewhat carefully and with concentration, so as not to stumble, like one who has had too much energon. But with each step the effects of the sedation recede, and she becomes increasingly irritated at the maddening sensation from her outer armor. The tentacles start thrashing faster, and with more coordination.
-Moonlight finishes speaking into her radio as she comes up onto the launch platform. Her optics seek out Enfilade immeadiately. "What is our current relationship to Sapphire?" she asks.
-Shortly after Moonlight arrives, two additional individuals join the away team on the launch platform - a senior laboratory technician whom one often sees working with intently private focus by himself on the Science Level, and his assistant, carrying various scanners and equipment.
-Enfilade mutters to Whiplash, "You got any of those sedatives left?"
-Whiplash grumbles, "Sapphire's Onslaught's friend. I suppose."  Whiplash looks to Enfilade and shakes her head. "Sorry Fil. You gotta threaten to take Redline apart for that."
-Enfilade pulls out a canteen, mutters, "Thank you Dax," and takes a /huge/ swig as she makes her way out onto the launch platform. A few steps later, she sways slightly. Potent stuff, that.
-Moonlight shrugs. "Well, Sapphire wants to lend us her medical services." She looks at the medical crew. "We'll probably need all the help we can get." She waits for Enfilade's answer, and hopes that the stuff she's drinking isn't /too/ strong.
-Enfilade nods. "Yeah, we could use a cooperative medic on board. Bring Sapphire along."
-Ghost slips out of the lift, having taken some time to.. reorganize her thoughts. She absently rubs at a shoulder with a frown on her face, striding towards the gathering.
-You transmit 'Enfilade says you may come.' to Sapphire.
-Whiplash eyes Enfilade a little dubiously as she finds her own way to sedate herself. Not that she doesn't have sympathy for the Field Commander's feelings about space travel, but she hopes the effect wears off by the time they reach their destination.
-Enfilade's optics are...far too bright as she surveys the group, suggesting there's something else other than turbocharged fuel in that canteen. At least she doesn't look incapacitated...far from it. She looks perhaps a bit /too/ ready to rock. "Ghost...maybe you shouldn't be here, you don't wanna get the cosmic fleas." She holds up the tip of her right wing, which simply...fell off that morning.
-Moonlight nods in greeting to Ghost. By her expression, she's obviously uncomfortable, mostly due to the fact that her right shoulder is covered to the elbow in that horrid splotchy stuff.
-Sapphire transmits: ' ok.. were do i go to meet you?'.
-Moonlight turns to Enfilade. "Where should we have Sapphire meet us?"
-Starfire is already in ship mode, but offers a subdued greeting to Ghost.
-Whiplash paces a little back and forth before the waiting starship-mode Starfire, coiling her tentacles against each other where they show those ugly brown patches. On occasion she even swings her head around and snaps at her back.
-Ghost lifts a brow, almost smiling, "As I was in contact with both Moonlight and Whiplash, the chance that I too have this contageon is rather high." She looks at her shoulder, frowning, "Although I can't see anything myself." What she can't see is the rampant speckling and deep corrosion running across her shoulderblade into her back and up into the shoulder she keeps rubbing at.
-Enfilade says to Starfire," Can you pick up Sapphire in teh Wastelands?"
-Starfire says, "Yes, Commander."
-You transmit 'We'll pick you up in the Wastelands. Please be ready.' to Sapphire.
-Enfilade says, "Okay then. Let's get this over with." She conforts hreself that at least the ship they're taking is sentient.
-Solar comes up yawns and stretches "What did I miss?"
-Whiplash ceases her pacing almost immediately as Enfilade gives the go-ahead order, resisting the impulse to gouge at her armor with teeth and claws. Her normally polished black plating is broken here and there by rough-textured "rusty" patches.
-Moonlight waves to Solar. "Hi Boss. If you don't know what's up, you probably shouldn't get too close."
-Whiplash glances around, only now noticing that others have joined them. "Space mission, Solar," she says by way of brief explanation, and follows Enfilade into the ship.
Whiplash has left.

Starfire

     Reinforced steel bulkheads curve steeply on both sides of this ship's interior, more comfortable than most transports. There are two rows of six seats staggered on each side of the center aisle, cushioned for both protection and comfort. The seats can swivel towards the aisle to unfold into beds for the passengers. There are six monitor screens set forward of the seats, displaying visuals of the six relational directions. From the complexity of the readouts, they can also shift to read radar signals.
     Towards the back of the ship is a fully-equipped lab with a vast array of built-in instrumentation. In one corner is a shielded area for isolating possibly dangerous samples, and adjoining it is some standard decontamination equipment.

Contents:
Solar
Whiplash
Enfilade

-Sapphire transmits: ' i am'.
-Solar says, "Good lash I need a nap", and Solar moves to a back spot and promptly falls asleep "Snnnnxxxxzzz"
-Moonlight continues talking into her radio.  You transmit 'We're on our way.' to Sapphire.
-Ghost settles herself as best she can, wincing as her back touches the seat. "..."
-Enfilade murmurs to Ghost, "Lean forward a moment."
-Moonlight seems perfectly at ease inside the ship. She's used to space travel and she trusts Starfire. Glancing at Ghost, she pulls a roll of cloth out of subspace and rolls it into a bundle. She reaches over moves to put it behind Ghost's back.
-Ghost looks at Enfilade, then leans forward. "What?"
-Enfilade frowns. "Frag, Ghost...you got it too."
-Ghost's optics flicker, "So much for command invulnerability." she quips with a wry smirk. "How bad?"
-Moonlight sighs. "Well, at least this will keep you humble Ghost, Enfilade," she says with a wink. "This problem seems to hit everyone the same."
-Enfilade says to Ghost, "Just spotting, so far. Mine's all internal...droppin' my wingtips, would you believe?"
-Whiplash remains in MedusaSaur mode and finds a place in a corner, coiling her tentacles against each other. Where she would normally position herself to get a good view of the stars, she seems entirely disinterested in the sight this time, her full concentration going toward not allowing herself to be driven crazy by the "corrosion." In fact, a close look at the discoloration would show tiny metallic bits imbedded in the armor by now.
-Outside, Starfire murmurs, "Radar contact".
-Ghost nods, again rubbing at her shoulder, "I dunno about just spotting. Shoulder's been stiff as of late. And some other issues with mobility. Maybe this beastie doesnt like ceramic armoring."
-Solar wakes back up "Oh what fun"
-Enfilade says, "Radar? What is it, Starfire?"
-Outside, Starfire scowls inwardly. "Can't tell... Going to infrared." Her internal screens flash to another configuration, showing heat signatures instead of visual.
-Enfilade takes the time to say to Ghost, "Don't worry, you're still pretty," with a teasing wink, before returning her attention to the stars. Now that they're actually out in space she's a little bit better...as long as she doesnt' think about landing, or impacting anything.
-Moonlight gives Solar a look over to see if he has any unsightly splotches.
-Solar has no splotches, but has all that nice new wonderful paint don't you think?
-Ghost hehs softly at the remark, optics shifting shades to a deeper violet. Her attention then turns to the visual screens. "Any ionazation engine trail, Starfire?"
-Starfire says, "Yes, Commander. It's going our direction. I'm following."
-Starfire says, "Approaching the Theta Gamma System, Commanders."
-Sapphire happily looks for a view port...
-Solar checks his weapons systems
-Whiplash drags her attention away from her own unpleasant physical sensations. She's stayed pretty quiet and reserved throughout the day-long trip, but now they seem to be coming upon their destination. And Starfire said something about a contact?
-Starfire says, "... and the coordinates seem to indicate that moon around the star wannabe. Go in?"
-Moonlight just lays back and relaxes until they reach their destination.
-Enfilade says to Ghost, "You give Starfire the order, cause if it were up to me we'd stay in space forever where there's no ground to hit.'
-Ghost leans back gingerly, glancing at Enfilade. "Go inStarfire. This is where the data trail leads us."
-Enfilade dims her optics and says, "Someone tell me when it's over." Maybe this isn't dignified command behaviour but hell, everyone here knows her.
-Moonlight actually respects Enfilade more because she knows she /has/ weaknesses. People who are perfect are always lying.
-Ghost rests her hand on Fils leg. "Be alright,just imagine that you're.. eh..home.."
-Outside, Starfire descends from orbit, rolling slightly from the force of the winds. She's taking all due precautions, as is normal when approaching an unknown planet. Scanners are all operating, ranging from radar to infrared and even some air sampling and analysis. She *is* a science vessel.
-Solar is always lying so conversely he must be perfect.
-Onslaught suddenly awakes to find himself in an odd place. A strange foreign place. A place he doesn't recall having started a rest cycle in, however, far be it from him to actually announce his alarm, instead, moving slightly to at least signal himself as currently being online and nothing more, awaiting more information before making any second guesses.
-From her seat Sapph looks over to Enfilade.. there's so much she wishes to ask the comander but knows it isn't her place to be a bother.
-Enfilade chokes, 'Home is where /it/ happened..."
-Moonlight grins. "Okay, just imagine your in /my/ home."
-Ghost nods, putting an arm around Enfilade, "Hey, why don't we talk about how we're going to redecorate?" She manages a crooked smile, tone light, anything to give Enfilade something else to think about. "I was thinking new statues.."
-Onslaught mutters to Onslaught: "Could be ..."
-Whiplash would come forward to lend her support to Enfilade, but is somewhat freaked out herself by the crawling sensations of having her outer armor eaten alive. If they can't find the cure on this planetoid they're descending towards, then ... what an absulutely unsuitable death this would be.
-Enfilade blinks, confused. "Redecorate what?" ' And then she looks at Moonlight. "Dunno if I've ever seen your home."
-Solar pipes up from the rear. "Can I blow up the old ones Ghost?"
-Moonlight hmmmmms. Enfliade doesn't like being /in/ space and Starfire doesn't like being /out/ of it. She winks at Fil. "Then you'll have to concentrate on imagining what you /think/ it would look like then, now won't you?"
-Ghost pffts, "No, Solar.. They're history and artifacts due all the proper reverance. Although mayhaps they should be cleaned."
-Outside, Starfire doesn't usually spout off a monologue, but... "All ship diagnostics showing normal, another radar contact, too distant to identify just yet. Taking air samples, but analysis will take some time. We're over the planetary highlands. Lots of wind, lots of turbulence, but I'm compensating."
-Solar says, "Drat foiled again", Solar is doing something here to keep peoples minds off certain things "Ah well."
-Enfilade doesnt' particularly want to hear about wind or compensations and lets Ghost handle the landing...this makes getting eaten alive by scraplets downright appealing.
-Moonlight shoots Solar a mock sympathetic glance. "Awww, poor Solar."
-Starfire announces, "I can set down here, Commanders, and start checking the place out. So far, there's not much around, which is a relief, I guess. Wouldn't want to wade through swarms of these things."
-Whiplash stirs as she sees the ground come up under them on the screen, and looks expectantly toward the exit hatch. She's ready to leap for the outside as soon as she feels the touchdown.
-Ghost stands up slowly, looking at the images on the screen. "is there a density level for the particles on the ground?"
-Sapphire blinks at Lash...
-Moonlight continues to lean back and remain comfortable...or as comfortable as possible considering the circumstances.
-Solar says, "Did I hear somemech say air support?"
-Starfire says, "Fairly high, but not as bad as a sandy desert-type area."
-Outside, Starfire sets down harder than usual for her; the wind might have something to do with that.
-Enfilade lets out what's almost a whimper, and then whispers, "Is it over yet?"
-Ghost nods, "We're groundside now, commander. All is well."
-Solar says, "Only half over we still gotta get home."
-Whiplash flickers a glance at Solar. "I don't know if we need air support, but keep your scanners tuned for something on this world that might do these parasites in." She pulls herself to her feet a little stiffly, the left forelimb not quite wanting to move through its full range of motion.
-Outside, Starfire observes, "They're not around here anyway."
-Solar says, "Open the door I want out."
-Swivel pages: it's sad. Very sad.
-Enfilade slowly uncurls herself, getting to her feet. She looks a lot more steady now that the flight-of-horror is over. She hopes this planet is nice because she'd rather stay here than fly home....well, maybe not, but it's a tempting thought.
-Moonlight stands up and leisurely stretches. Patiently she waits for everyone else to leave first.
-Sapphire stands n stretchess her small blue frame, this is her first chance to see another place other theb cybertron.. weeee
-Whiplash leaps/hobbles for the outside.

TG7 Moon Surface

     These craggy highlands have been carved into a variety of bizarre shapes by the constant high winds that sweep the atmosphere of this planetoid. They're bissected by deep valleys, some of which drop sharply into dark grottos, while others are rimmed in a glistening white substance. Under the baleful glow of the nearby parent planet, which fills most of the sky, the landscape takes on an eerie patchwork of shadows and orange highlights. The tips of the crags are covered in a gray barnacle-like substance, from which swirls of gritty particulates are swept away with each exceptionally forceful gale of wind - spiralling off into the upper atmosphere, and from there drawn by the parent planet's gravity out into space. The moon seems otherwise devoid of wildlife or plant life.


Sapphire [Robot] [U] 
Ghost [Robot] [D] 
Solar [Stealth Tetrabomber] [D] 
Onslaught [Robot] [D] 
Enfilade [Robot] [D] 
Whiplash [MedusaSaur] [D] 
Starfire [Starship] [U]

Obvious Exits:
 -D- Down leads to Gypsum Valley
 -U- Up leads to Theta Gamma System

-The winds that wail through the crags here, make steady flight rather difficult.
-Enfilade says, "Someone get those scanners going and see if you can find Scraplets in their natural habitats."
-The two-person science team, having spoken very little on the journy, has kept careful track of the progression of infection in the others. They spread out a little and try to pick up readings.
-Starfire hesitates, then decides against transforming. She's of more use in this mode, continuing her scans.
-Solar gets buffeted to and fro by the high powered winds he tries to get higher above the crags.
-Sapphire smiles as she looks about "So cool."
-Moonlight makes her way out of the shuttle last, looking around. "Hmmmmmmm, windy," is her only comment.
-As Solar flies upward, the "dust" being blown off the peaks hails against him like hard bits of metal. In fact, that's what it is.
-Ghost nods, "Will do." She sends a general shortrange to solar, "What's the air like up there?"
-Whiplash pauses to turn almost double on herself and snap at her own tentacles.
-Solar says, "Holey rusted metal Ghost."
-Enfilade says to Whiplash, "Careful...dont' do any more damage than you need to. We'll fix you." Now that they're landed, though, it's hard to overlook the feeling of being nibbled at from the inside out.
-Whiplash growls to herself and shakes out her tentacles, though that doesn't do much good.
-Moonlight rubs away at various itchy patches. She's not really a science type, and she's not really sure what use she will be, but she keeps her optics alert, just in case.
-Starfire ... itches, but she's not as bad off as the others, so keeps quiet about it.
-Solar says, "I gotta come down flying in these winds and the metal flakes are screwin up my intakes"
-Enfilade glances at Moonlight. "Sorry about that there incident on the shuttle."
-Sapphire shifts and reves her trubine engine befor driving off.. she seems quite happy to be here.
-Ghost shields heroptics, looking skywards, "Come on down then, Solar. Don't need you damaged from particle intake. In case we do have to dogfight something, better not waste what time we have airborne."
-Moonlight chuckles slightly. "Not to mention your paint job, eh Solar?" She turns to Enfilade. "Nothing to apologize for."
-A slight hail of pieces showers down off the peaks, bouncing along the ground surface erratically.
-Solar comes down in a BIG hurry almost crashes as the huge number of metal flakes he seems to have dislodged and sucked up start digging in. He transforms "I think I found those scraplets."
-Ghost tenses, ready to leap skywards should Solar need an assist with landing. "Now, who has the scanners so we can start this hunt?"
-Moonlight walks, rather rapidly, over to Solar. His landing didn't look so good..."Okay, if we've found them, what do we /do/ with them?"
-Swivel is creeping quietly... sort of... at a SAFE distance from the valley where thye sort of... crash-landed some time ago. She peeks around, listening and watching, but trying to use the rust to her advantage. Perhaps the color of rust cmouflages better than SEAFOAM. Her movement is limited as she checks the surface.
-Whiplash is prowling restlessly about, not really sure what a natural enemy of scraplets might look like. Though her left foreleg isn't wanting to really do her bidding, she's still able to move at a reasonable pace. She comes to the edge of a downward descent, but glances back at Solar's landing. More metal hail showers down from the peaks, the individual particles bouncing with decidedly determined motion towards the group of robots.
-Solar staggers up to his feet "Nah I'm alright. You might say most of them blew through my outakes, and the paintjob I got on Monocus is keeping things at bay. Lets just find out what kills em before I'm nothin but a pile o rust."
-The metallic hail,of course, consists of individual scraplets. As awareness of the new arrivals on the scene shudders through whatever communications system exists among the species, a sort of chittering murmur whispers down from the surrounding peaks. A hail of sharp-edged metal bits showers its way down toward the ground, the particulates bouncing over the ground surface as though with a life of their own, and making their way toward the robots. A visible ripple shudders over the rock face as more and more bits scurry down the carved slopes and congragate like a creeping gray mass toward an unexpected source of sustenance.
-Starfire ohhhhhh nos. "Look out, they're coming after us."
-Whiplash's optics brighten in alarm as the creeping cloud of parasites bounces over the ground toward them. *This* is no way for a Decepticon warrior to die! She takes a flying leap down into the canyon.
-Moonlight makes a face. "Ewwww. This situation certainly isn't getting any better." Glancing at Whiplash, she figures the femme has the right idea. Somewhat carefully, Moonlight makes her way down into the canyon.
-Ghost waves, "Starfire, tramsform, we have to make a run for it!"
-Starfire has no place to go... They're coming from above, blocking her way out.

Gypsum Valley

     This is one of the "white valleys" - as opposed to one of the dark rifts - amidst the highlands. The wall surfaces here are smooth and rounded, and the downward climb consists of a curving series of boulders which form a "stepping stone" pattern all the way down into the narrow plain at the bottom. The easy passage is deceptive, however, because the surface is slippery, and coated with a damp, chalky white substance that shifts and powders in response to footfalls. The entire valley is coated completely in this white rock powder, which has built up into assymetrical shapes along the floor and walls, glistening like a magical landscape.


Sapphire [Tec Racer] [U] 
Solar [Robot] [D] 
Enfilade [Robot] [D] 
Whiplash [MedusaSaur] [D] 
Thunderstrike [Robot] [A] 
Phantom [Robot] [A] 
Wraith [Robot] [U] 
Scattershot [Robot] [A] 
Ultra Magnus [Robot] [A] 
Autobot Shuttle <The Freedom>

Obvious Exits:
 -U- Up leads to TG7 Moon Surface

-Whiplash leaps down into the white canyon, skittering across the slippery rocks, without her usual grace. Behind her, a shower of bouncing scraplets pelts over the downward passage.
-Wraith's optics narrow as a whole bunch of 'cons come down the side of the valley.
-Solar sees the bots and yells down "I wouldn't go that way if I were you" and he points back the way he came
-Moonlight comes down into the canyon shortly after Whiplash, and a little less recklessly, though also lacking grace.
-Whiplash isn't looking for Autobots - in fact, she hadn't even seen Swivel up above. She's just trying to avoid the vicious little locusts that are pouring down after her.
-Enfilade is backing up with a huge flame thrower in her arms, but there are too many of the little beasts for her to crispify them all, and she's slowly being forced back, though she manages to cover her Cons' retreat.
-Ultra Magnus dodges his head back and forth and furrows his optic-ridges, trying to better understrand the situation. It only takes a moment, though, to imagine what that is chasing Whiplash. "Take cover!" he commands, and clanks toward the shuttle.
-Sapphire .. in car mode, thunders along the valley floor, she too happy to be someplace other then Cybertron to really care who might be down here.
-Wraith drops to one knee and gets behind a white chalk formation
-Thunderstrike oh frags and dives deeper into the rocks.
-Phantom doesn't make a dive for the shuttle or a run for cover. He's already by cover, so he merely ducks into a small alcove in the wall, and crouches down so he can fit.
-Enfilade finally takes a glance over her shoulder and realizes she's backing right /into/ a pile of Autobots. Frag me with a chainsaw.
-Whiplash notices movement up ahead. Great - Autobots! She bares her fangs, the thought going through her mind that maybe in the midst of this absurdity she can goad several of them into a final battle and at least die like a warrior, instead of like a prey item - but before she can act on the thought, she has to concentrate on not totally losing her footing.
-Starfire is limping along with Ghost's help, but the footing isn't exactly... secure. Oops.
-Solar slips on the white powder and falls flat on his back sliding for a few feet "I just had to come along didn't I?"-
-Ghost has an arm around starfire, trying to help the other femme move quickly away from the falling horde of voracious.. things.. As the footing is none to secure, she begins to slide. First instinct is to twist and catch herself, But with aiding Starfire, all she can to is wince.. and brace for the impact, trying to prevent the other femme from taking the brunt of the fall.
-Wraith spots an unaffil amongst the cons and smiles slightly, "Small universe!" he yells over at Starfire.
-Scattershot slowly starts to back up towards the shuttle, keeping his rifle out and primmed, just in case any one or thing coming towards the Autobot position gets a little to frisky for his tastes.
-Moonlight doesn't really care about the Autobots right now...they're not the ones making her ugly and itchy at the same time. As she slides down into the canyon, she's barely even thinking about them.
-Starfire's first instinct is to transform. No room. She doesn't even have the time to give Ghost an apologetic look before they tumble downwards, but at least there's someone else down there, instead of more scraplets.
-As the bouncing, chittering mass of metal bits follows close behind the Decepticons, it suddenly comes to an invisible line, a place where it draws up like a wave cresting and hovers, undulating a little and refusing to move forward.
-Thunderstrike pulls himself up, and fires a wide range lasma bolt, upon the critters hoping to disperse them as he limps back towards the shuttle. "When I say things cant get any worse...somebody just has to prove me wrong."
-Enfilade looks a little rough...not rusty, but one ofher wingtips is gone and so is, come to think of it, the spurs on her left elbow. Flaring her wings, she manages to keep her balance for the most part, but then the flamethrower runs out of gas. Great, and just when she's nearing the Autobots too.
-Ghost hnngs softly as she falls. still twisting to minimize the end impact for Starfire. She lands on a knee, arm still around to steady Starfire.
-Ultra Magnus watches the flow stop in amazement. His optics are away from the Decepticons, as they have been. He takes a step away from the shuttle to better view the situation, and glances toward Phantom and Wraith in the hope that they can give him some answers.
-Whiplash scrabbles for purchase with the claws and finally brings herself around to stare at the standing wave composed entirely of Scraplets. What the-? She throws a glare at the Autobots, who seem to be in the epicenter of the point where the parasites won't approach further. "Must be the smell," she mutters.
-Wraith gets out from behind cover, and looks at the line of critters, and hmms