The Mysterious Mountain

Southern Ural Mountains

''Compared to other mountain ranges on Earth, this range is rather small in stature...however, the freezing, biting gusts of wind make traversing this mountain range a hellish ordeal. To the north, and just visible over some of the shorter mountain peaks, you can see the great snowy wasteland that is Siberia. While some humans make their home in these mountains...overall it is not a safe place to be. So you had best be moving on!''

On a routine patrol mission over Europe, the Autobot Shuttle Golden Age, piloted by Grimlock, ran into a huge electromagnetic storm. The storm threw them off-course by hundreds of kilometers, ruined their equipment and, finally, shut down the engine completely. Bizarre pulses from the storm clouds temporarly shut down all the Autobots on-board... and the shuttle crashed.

Now, in the middle of hostile mountains, unable to fly, radios scrambled, this intrepid Autobot patrol must find their way back home. Or, at least, find their way to the epicenter of this supernatural storm...

"Me Sludge have headache in whole body," Sludge groans, rising from where he has fallen outside the shuttle, in a drift of snow large enough to cover even his massive form. "Ughh... anyone get transponder signal of space truck that hit me Sludge?"

The huge armoured form that has been calling himself Raindance pops up next to Sludge, holding something in his hands. It is a lot of straws. "There is only one answer Sludge. We must choose someone... TO EAT!"

Eagle Armor  groans. "Me Grimlock only head in whole body. But head hurts."

Eagle Armor  climbs out of the shuttle wreckage, dusting himself off. "Me not get. Why we crash? Me good driverre."

For some strange reason, Slingshot got on board with this crazy crew. Maybe it was karma. Maybe it was bad luck. Maybe it was trying to get away from Snarl before he remembered the promise of Pie. He's here now. And awake. "What? You weren't wearing your seatbelts?"

Slingshot might be dinged, might feel like he just crashed into the side of a mountain--- or perhaps just a Dinobot. But he's not going to admit it. No sir.

"Think you hit a snowman."

Metal Brontosaurus  peers myopically at Raindance for several long moments. Then, he shakes his tiny Dinohead and clears his optics. "But we not need food, Raindance," he says, slowly and deliberately. "Unless you Raindance turn into fish, me Sludge not want to eat." The Dumbest Dinobot gets to his four feet and tromps over towards Grimlock's armor. "Me Sludge not know. Maybe you Grimlock have gloucester. That where optics no work."

Eagle Armor  opens his eyes REALLY REALLY WIDE. "Me think me eyes just fine, but then again, these eyes on prochickentender pantsuit, not on me, Grimlock, head. But we need food, so no have to eat tapes. Tapes no taste too good. Me know, because me eat part of Ravage one time."

SKRRRKZAAK!

A HUGE bolt of lightning strikes the mountainside above the party, dislodging a slab of granite... which slowly falls down... and-- CRUNCH! -- lands on top of the shuttle, effectively pinning it. Debris flies in all different directions!

Shark Armor  picks up a can of petrol and wanders about the area. "So uh, I guess we better start a fire to keep warm. What shall we burn. If only Foxfire was here!"

Sludge stands stupidly as the shards of mountain slam into his armored hide. The Dinobot doesn't seem to notice. "Us Dinobots not need burn! Us Dinobots full of FIRE!" To demonstrate, he shoots a jet of flame towards Raindance's feet, melting the snow and scorching the rocks beneath.

Eagle Armor  winces at the big chunk of rock hitting the shuttle. "Me think we should drain engines of fuel so not explode, also so we can cook tasty deer or whatever be around here."

Shark Armor  starts to rummage in the wreckage. "Its okay guys, I have the 'in case of crash' instruction manual here!" He picks up a solid case and stares at it. "its in film version. its called 'Alive'"...

From a mountain peak off to the East, a jet of fuschia flames shoots towards the sky, briefly parting the ominous black clouds that cover the entire mountainous region. In response, several bolts of lightning slam into the mountain peak, bringing peals of thunder across the distance to echo off the rocks around the shuttle crew.

Slingshot was out of the shuttle, hopefully. Trying to keep his wings from being blown away. Seriously. "Those suits gotta eat then? Right. And don't need no little tapes around here."

Screw the winds. Slingshot's going to see if he can take off anyway. Maybe he can catch a deer, or get into radio range. If only there were more Arialbots here.

Eagle Armor  walks up and whacks the Shark Armor on the head. "We no have time for movie! Need get moving! Maybe 'cons attack while we up here playing Alfred Packer!"

Metal Brontosaurus  stares at the mountain to the east. "Dat weird," he decides.

Slingshot makes the face. You know. the one that says 'what the slag?' "What's weird? Besides being grounded by snow in the middle of the mountains with two funny suits and a pyromaniac?"

Shark Armor  slaps Grimlock back. Because he was awesome and got the stronger armour first. Clever annoying tape-thing. "Grr I could take all the Decepticons, Grimlock! I am some sort of superhuman juggernaut! Nothing can stop the Raindance! Nothing!"

Metal Brontosaurus  grunts. "Them mountains supposed to have purple fire?" he asks, looking at Grimlock and Slingshot (but not Raindance because he is a /liar/). "Me Sludge no see that ever."

Eagle Armor  rolls his eyes. "Raindance, even you name sissy. You not have guts to use suit right. You kill at moment's notice? Me think not." Slingshot makes an aproximation of a snort at Grimlock's assertion. "That coming from someone named 'Grimlock'? Sheesh. But purple fire -- I've seen it before. A long time ago. I think it was Decepticons."

"Totally" says the Shark Armour. "I am a killing machine Grimlock, previously restrained only by the lack of any limbs. But now the Cons will suffer! And Sludge, don't worry, purple fire coming from a mountain is totally normal, I see it all the time"

From Eagle Armor , Grimlock whacks Raindance again. "You full of it. And mountain no shoot purple fire!"

Metal Brontosaurus  nods at Slingshot, looking pensive. Then he transfers his doe-eyed gaze to Raindance. "You Raindanza sure?" he says, sounding uncertain. "Maybe it Decepticon, like him Slingshot say!" He stomps a foot, causing a minor avalanche to cascade down the mountain below them. Grimlock backing up Slingshot's words causes Sludge to nod again. "We go look?"

Eagle Armor  stomps his foot down decisively. "We go look!" He pauses. "Raindanza? ME e thought Raindunce. He like Tony Danza? Me like Who The Boss."

Slingshot is totally right. Totally. "Of course it's Decepticons! Whoa--" Avalanche-- "You probably shouldn't do that, big guy. Don't want to be a snow-'Bot and Godzilla."Exploring! Yay! "You would like it." Slingshot says, as he tromps towards what might be considered a pathway towards that mountain. "Let's go kick some aft."

Metal Brontosaurus  turns and follows Grimlock, peering anxiously around at the surrounding mountains and all their jagged... jaggedness. "Me Sludge no like this place," he says in a low voice. "Me Sludge no like any of this!" His tail swishes back and forth, leaving wide swathes of cleared rock in his wake.

Slingshot gets flung off the path and into a snowbank. "HEY!" And that's him spitting snow, "That's gonna rust. You wanna lead, you big bozo, you move a little faster-- and don't push!"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> looks down his nose at Slingshot. "You stick to flying, we Dinobots go first because we stick to beating up bad guys."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> jerks a thumb towards Raindance. "Him Raindanza, he have rear guard, since he macho killer."

Slingshot doesn't take well to being looked down to. Mostly because he's short. And... well. "Yeah. You guys go first, 'cos you make great cover, with the thick armor plating on the heads." Arms fold. Dinobots. Are they all this thick?

The party marches along towards the mountain to the East. Time passes in fast-forward, because RPing a long march through the mountains is even less exciting than watching CSPAN. At the foot of the fire-spewing mountain... a hologram appears!

"WEEGO TCHATSHI MKRONKA!" bellows a towering alien creature, which oddly resembles an Earth buffalo on two legs. And wearing strange alien power armor. "WEEGO TCHATSHI UKKNAHT!" It holds up one hand, palm-out, towards the approaching Autobots.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> scratches his head. "What that stupid greeting? Weiner bop graham cracker weiner bop noodle drum?"

Slingshot stops. Stares. "Is that a buffalo?"

Yes. Yes it is.

"Hi!" Slingshot says, making an attempt to walk around the large armored Grimlock to stare at it again. "Are you a Decepticon Buffalo?"

Metal Brontosaurus <Sludge>'s optics widen in surprise. Then, in excitement at Grimlock's question. "ME SLUDGE REMEMBER!" he cries, hopping from side to side, causing minor tremors at each impact. "Stupid greeting go: borat tweet kinsy bling bong!"

The giant alien hologram looks perplexed as the Autobots speak to it. After a moment, it lowers its hand. "BAH WEEP GRAH NAH WEEP NINNY BONG?" it thunders, looking down towards Grimlock. There's a pause, then: "BAH WEEP GRAH NAH WEEP NINNY BONG!" more forcefully. The hologram steps aside, gesturing with a shaggy arm at a treacherous trail leading up the mountain.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> screws up his face. "Yeah, that it. That what me mean. Bah weep whatever."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> looks at the path the buffalo indicates. "You want us to go on road up mountain? Why? What you space buffalo robot want?"

The alien hologram pauses, and then in English emits "Strangers, fix our ship! We will give you rare minerals and alloys for this task!"

From Eagle Armor <Grimlock>, Grimlock rubs his chin. "Rare minerals and alloys? Me not think those tasty, but maybe me get new body built of out them. Me be shiny gold! You give me e'nuff to make new robot dinosaur?"

Against the odds, Foxfire has followed his friends' trail in the storm. He had been on the shuttle, and had just come back online. It seems that the others

hadn't been able to locate him after the crash. The cassette makes his way through the strange tempest, wincing as the wind and snow blow in his face. Even with his flight ability, he can't take to the skies in the strong gales, and that doesn't matter anyway, with the interference that prevents such things. He continues following his comrades' scents, gradually scaling the mountain.

Sludge frowns. "Me Sludge not fix ship for no fish," he sulks, crossing his arms and looking down at his golden feet. But, after Grimlock makes his own decision, Sludge is quick to follow the leader. "Well, MAYBE me Sludge help..." he grumbles.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> just starts walking up the path without another word. He calls over his shoulder, "Space beefalo better be telling truth!"

"We do not understand 'dinosaur'," the hologram replies. "But we have a great deal of powerful alloys, enough to build something on the scale of you creatures." There is a pause. "You wouldn't happen to be... Decepticons, would you?" The hologram backs away a few steps, holding up its hands in fear. "We... we will resist you! You destroyed our planet!"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> is already walking away and not listening.

Shark Armor <Raindance> waves a hand happily. "See Sludge! Alloys! Alloys are a type of fish. They are really flat and have two eyes on one side. That is perfect! Well done mr flickery man!"

Sludge roars. "Me Sludge CRUSH Decepticons!" he exclaims, punching a fist into his open hand. "We no Decepticons! Them BAD! We..." he stops, trying to think up that word that is the opposite of 'bad'. "Uh, we NO bad!" he finishes, lamely. His horned head swivels to regard Raindance. "Really?! Me Sludge never eat alloyfish before."

Oh whee! A race that got their planet ganked by Decepticons. Who hasn't been attacked by the Decepticons?

"Nah. We're Autobots." Slingshot says, still staring at the hologram. "You scared of them? Aww. Don't worry. We won't let them hurt you."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> is already disappearing in the distance. He yells back, "Hurry up, slowporks!"

"Ah, well. Yes," the hologram seems slightly embarrassed, absently rearranging his toga. "Well, in that case, please help us and we will repay you with alloys upon alloys. Our ship is just up on top of this mountain." The hologram flickers, and disappears.

Sludge shrugs. "Okey." The Dinobot begins to scale the mountain.

Shark Armor <Raindance> starts to FLY after Grimlock with his awesome booster feet. "Its a shame Foxfire isn't here!" he exclaims. "We could have used him.

Oh well, mosey on to this alien thingy. Which is full of fish"

The Shark Armor's boosters sputter and die.

Shark Armor <Raindance> ows

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> scowls at Raindance. "Now me see why him is Raindanza, it like he on sitcom."

Slingshot is not a slow--- Grr. He's not fond of climbing. And he'll show Grimlock. Transforming, he makes the attempt to buzz Grimlock with a vertical takeoff. "Wait up, you big lizard."

The party scales the Mysterious Mountain! It takes a while, so we will skip it here!

On top of the mountain lies the crashed alien vessel. It is very large; about three times the size of an Autobot shuttle. Some of its bulkheads have fallen off and there are strange funnel-shaped engine boosters lying in disarray. One of the buffalo-esque aliens approaches.

He is half the size of a human. Squinting up at the Autobots with large brown eyes, he spreads his arms in welcome. "Bah weep grah nah weep ninny bong," he repeats, then bows, holding out a piece of metal in his hands. It is a shiny bronze-tinted alloy. "Will this be acceptable as payment? We require strong arms to push our bulkheads back into place and plug our verniers back into our engines." A pause. "All of our construction is snap-together, as our people despise modeling glue. Also solder."

Sludge stares down at the tiny alien. "No wonder you need us Autobots!" he says in wonder. "You SHORT!" The hulking Dinobot surveys the damage, then shakes his head. "This no problem. Easy to fix! Then me Sludge get alloyfish."

Shark Armor <Raindance> looks over the wreckage. "Oh c'mon, this stuff is wrecked. If only Foxfire were here, he'd be able to push this ship back together no problem. But he is not here, he must have died in the crash!" He wipes his eyes and slowly places a few stones on the snow-swept ground in a cross shape. "Primus speed, lil' buddy"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> snatches the metal out of the buffalo's hands. "Hmmm... look good. Okay, Autobots, fix ship."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> says, "Look, Foxyfur or whatever tiny tape, right? No good for pushing heavy stuff. Sludge! Show how push heavy stuff!""

Foxfire finally reaches his companions at the top of the mountain. He is exhausted, and appears to be panting, or the Cybertronian equivalent of it. "Dammit, you guys!" he manages. "Haven't you ever heard of waiting?" He glares at Slingshot. "And I heard that, Aerialbot."

Sludge nods. "Sludge PUSH!" he exclaims, walking up to one of the large bulkheads. Setting his hands against the metal, he leans forward and STRAINS against the surface. After a few moments of resistance, gravity and friction succumb to Sludge's massive strength, and the bulkhead slides across the ground and into the waiting slot. A few more seconds of pushing, and it SNICKs into place. Sludge steps back, dusting off his hands. "Sludge PUSH," he observes.

Shark Armor <Raindance> looks startled as he sees Foxfire. "But.. what.. how... where... why..!" he starts. "Its a GHOST!" And with that, he waves his arms into the air, and runs about in a circle, then running towards Sludge to help with the ship. "Quick Sludge, we must fix this ship so we can fly away from the fox ghost!"

Slingshot would blink, if he had eyelids, "Hey-- it's the cassette-Bot. Was he with us?" He peers at the silver tape as he pants. "Heard what, pup? You need some help?"

"Oh, THANK you Autobots!" the little alien cries, backing away again. He watches in awe as Sludge shoves the bulkhead back into place. "AMAZING! You have the strength of TWELVE glondors." Foxfire's arrival causes the alien to look at the fox in shock, then at Raindance's reaction. "What is 'ghost'?" he inquires. "We do not understand this word."

Just then, a large SNOW BEAR crashes over the lip of the mountain, a look of crazed bloodlust in its eyes. Roaring madly, it charges a cluster of the tiny aliens. "Oh NO!" cries the lead alien, reaching into its toga. It pulls out a small, round device, points it at the bear, and presses the top. A beam of blue lances out and strikes the bear... which freezes in its tracks. "Thank Kindrikor," it breathes.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> walks up to the bear and eyeballs it closely. "You guys fix ship, me check this out." He pokes the fozen bear. It wobbles and then falls down."

Shark Armor <Raindance> gives a thumbs up to the alien. "Yeah, thanks Kindrikor! Wait, with that device I could freeze all sorts of animals! Tell me my alien friend, what crazy quest would you have me do to aquire such a prized possession. What amazing journey must I undertake, so I may have a weapon to use against the ghost fox?"

"Raindance," Foxfire sighs, "I'm not a ghost. I'm very much alive." He turns back to Slingshot. "Did you really think I died in that crash? I've been through worse things. Try being in an exploding building after activating your own bomb!" He further approaches. "And don't call me pup." He looks to the alien. "A ghost is a spiritual entity, the remaining presence of someone who's died."

Slingshot shrugs his wings at Foxfire. "I didn't even see you get on the shuttle." He says, "And whaddya want me to call you? Rover?"

"We still do not know what a 'ghost fox' IS," the alien points out. "Is it like your companion there? He seems..." Foxfire's interjection causes the alien to nod. "Ah, I see. So a ghost is like a borkzrk. Fascinating." It turns back towards Raindance. "You would like a Frinduzzler? Well, that can be arranged if you will help us install the fallen verniers. We need them to maneuver in space."

Sludge, meanwhile, starts pushing the second fallen bulkhead back into place.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> picks up the bear and throws it over his shoulder. "Okay, me think, this be good for food. And if it get too cold, we can hollow out belly and hide inside to make warm!"

"Quiet borkzrk!" Raindance shouts to Foxfire before walking over to the fallen verniers and stretching his fingers. "Yeah, this shouldn't be a problem. For I have arms and stuff!" The armoured tape grabs the verniers and with a heft, clips them both back into position on the spaceship's base. Then he reaches down in between them and pulls out an object. "There you go chief! It seems the problem was that a laser hat got stuck in the verniers, causing them to malfunction!"

The alien squints at Grimlock. "Is this the normal nesting behaviour of your species?"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> says, "Normal... behoover? What mean space buffalo?"

The alien smiles. "We are called Bufflors, actually," it replies. "We were curious if your kind normally hollowed out animals for shelter. It seems..." he pauses, looking for the word. After a while he spreads his hands with a helpless expression. "Messy? Also, cramped."

As Raindance shoves the verniers into place and removes the laser, the lead alien smiles a much larger smile. "Thank you so much, Creature-With-A-Shark-Head-In-Its-Chest! Now we can maneuver in space. But there is one more thing we must fix... we are afraid it is in a rather cramped space. Perhaps the fox could fit inside." The alien points at an access hatch. "There are two switches at the end of that access. They must both be flipped in order to restore power to our space vessel."

Slingshot shakes his head. "We don't hollow out animals for shelter. Bozo there has been talkin' about eating animals for days." Ok. So it's probably been hours, but still. "Hey, pup. Why don't you help the Buffalors too. The Decepticons destroyed their planet."

Sludge shoves the last bulkhead into place, then steps back to admire his handiwork. A moment later he wanders back over to Grimlock. "Me Sludge never eat bearsteak before," he says. "What it like? It like fish?"

Shark Armor <Raindance> gives a tut at Slingshot. "Whose planet haven't the Decepticons destroyed? I mean.. they destroyed my planet too..." he sniffs, wiping his eyes. "Poor Planet Raindance, it never stood a chance..."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> makes a so-so sign with hand. "It kinda... more gamey.

Foxfire heaves a sigh. All his comrades are insane. "Don't listen to Raindance," he tells the alien. "He's insane." He shoots a glance toward Grimlock. "I could *probably* fit inside that cling...but who needs *that* for warmth when you have a fire-breathing fox?" A grin crosses his muzzle as he proceeds to assist with the ship. "And my name is *Foxfire*, Slingshot. It'd be a good idea for you to remember it."

Sludge tries to reach his arm into the access hatch and reach the switches, but fails. "Me Sludge arm no long enough, and me Sludge too big to fit inside!" he complains. "How we going to throw switches?!"

Slingshot isn't insane! He's just Slingshot. "Ok, Firefox." Slingshot says, "Hey big guy, move so the FoxBot can get in!"

Shark Armor <Raindance> looks into the small opening. "Hmm. I can shoot missiles down the hatch, I guess. If only I wasn't some huge chunky armoured guy!"

The alien leader walks up to Raindance and puts a comforting hand on the armor's foot. "I am sorry to hear of your loss, Creature-With-A-Shark-Head-In-Its-Chest. Perhaps it will help you to speak of it." He smiles. "Tell me of this Planet Raindance."

Shark Armor <Raindance> sighs, looking up at the sky wistfully. "Oh Mr Buffalo, it was beautiful! The sky was burnt orange, with the citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow. All gone now. All gone... if only we had a stun ray to protect us from the evil Decepticons!"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> picks up the bear and sort of uses it as a puppet, making it pantomime Raindance's movements. "Me Raindanza, me so clever, me tiny midget tape in suit make me look huge. Me tell stories about how me so great me have own planet! Ooh, love me, Raindanza!"

Sludge guffaws, laughing so hard that he has to clutch his stomach. "You Grimlock sound just like him Raindance!"

Foxfire erupts into a fit of giggles. "Sludge is right! That sounds just like Raindance!"

Shark Armor <Raindance> continues looking wistful. "...Oh, you should have seen it! That old planet... The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, when they caught the light, every morning it looked like a forest on fire." He stops, starting at Grimlock. "Hey, I am NOT a midget in a suit, Mr "Hello I am just a head. I am TALKING about my dead homeworld that was named after me, please pay some respect to the billions that died that terrible day."

The alien listens solemnly to Raindance's story, nodding every once in a while. "Truly, your planet was a place of marvels," it says gravely. "Thank you for sharing its story with us. In return, and as thanks for helping us repair our ship, please take this Frinduzzler. Perhaps with its help, this planet may yet be spared the vile atrocities of the Decepticon Empire!" It reaches into its toga and withdraws its own Frinduzzler. "This device has saved our life more times than we can count. We can build a new one, but... please take care of it. It has a great deal of history." The tiny alien offers the Frinduzzler to Raindance.

"Yeah, great, whatever" Raindance emits, stuffing the Frinduzzler into a pouch on his armour. "On the same subject, the coffers of the planet Raindance were destroyed in the attack, leaving the survivors poor and destitute. You wouldn't be able to help out my great and noble race, would you?"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> snorts. "Fizzbutler? Be carful, Draindanza, no know where beefalo been. Maybe he give you space robo-disease!"

Sludge has recovered from his laughing fit, and peers into the crawlspace again. "Hmmm. It not so long," Sludge says. "Maybe if me Sludge arm were longer, me

Sludge could get switches." A pause. "You Grimlock have long arms now!"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> rolls his eyes at Sludge. "Sludge, you transform, you have LONG NECK."

Sludge stays silent for a long time, absorbing this new information.

"I'm afraid we have little in the way of money, friend," the lead alien replies, before tapping a button on his chest. A compartment in the bottom of the ship opens, revealing the cargo hold. It is full of rare minerals and alloys. "But, once our ship is working again, we will repay you with as much of this as you can transport." The hatch closes again. "Say, how did you all happen to arrive in this region, anyway?"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> puts his face right in front of Sludge's and speaks slowly. "Sluder. You transformer. Transform. Right now."

Sludge blinks. "Oh. Yeah." The Dinobot transforms to his Dinosaur mode, front legs landing heavily on the ground. His sinuous neck snakes towards the access hatch, then pokes inside. "It dark!" he complains. "Me Sludge need light... like fire!" It seems he's about to set fire to the inside of the hatch.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> shoves Sludge forward. "Just stick head in deeper."

Sludge's head clangs into the back of the hatch, miraculously flipping the switches. The ship shudders and comes online. Sludge backs out of the hold somewhat unsteadily. "Me Sludge head hurt," he notes, for posterity.

Shark Armor <Raindance> stands about looking at the storage locker and rubbing his hands. "Thank you Mr Buffalo, we promise that this will not go to waste. We will use it to rebuild the glorious empire of Raindance! All the little Raindancians will finally have a home!"

"Wonderful!" exclaims the lead alien. "Our ship is functional again." He turns to the cluster of other Bufflors and says some Bufflorian words to them. They all file onto the spaceship.

"Please, allow us to transport you back to your home. Now that our ship is functional we can use our Cargo Hook to carry your shuttle." At the same time as he says this, the storm begins to clear! Flight functions work again, the radios crackle to life. "What serendipity!" he says, all smiles. "Come, friends. Come. Let us go." The lead alien turns and heads into the ship.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> looks suspicious. "You give Grimlock alloy to make new body?"

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> pauses. "Actually! You guys good at techno-lodge-y? Maybe you make Grimlock new body right now!"

The alien turns from the main hatch, which is large enough for all the Autobots to fit inside. "Certainly, we can build you a new body if you provide us with the blueprints. We can do so on the ship, on the way back to your city." A pause. "Does your kind not have scientists and engineers to maintain you? How curious."

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> rubs his hands together. "Me know, make me WAY BIGGER than before and give me GIANT GUN."

Sludge lumbers onto the alien ship. Nothing bad happens, because they are nice aliens! That is why they look like buffalo.

Eagle Armor <Grimlock> walks right onto the ship, still rubbing his palms together.

Shark Armor <Raindance> wanders onto the alien ship too. "Yeah, make him a giant gun and stuff"

Slingshot is being... quiet? Oh dear. That's not like him. Or maybe because he's talking to a rock, covered with snow about how all of the Dinobots are crazy

and rather 'not bright'. Only the words he's using aren't quite so nice. Aliens. Needing ship fixed... "You sure you want them to make you a body, Grimlock?

They don't use glue or solder."

"I am afraid we don't have the technology to make weapons, but we can make your body as it was before." The Bufflor Chief smiles at Slingshot. "I assure you our construction is QUITE hardy nonetheless. And if he so... desires... he may add... /solder/ later." It sounds vaguely disgusted at the notion of solder.

"Well then. All aboard."

The huge ship lifts slowly into the air, strangely graceful for a gigantic dodecahedron, and begins to float over towards the downed Autobot shuttle. Inside,the Bufflor engineers download Grimlock's blueprints from his cerebreal processor and set to work building a new body.

Once the ship is hovering over the Golden Age, cables shoot down to snare it and haul it out from under the fallen rocks. The shuttle is secured to the bottom of the ship, which begins to slowly fly towards San Francisco.