The Secret Of Ghostworld

Spectral Climbs

Sensors suddenly flag all kinds of alerts, identifying a planet in the immediate vicinity, and it's on a collision course! An astrosecond later... it vanishes. Sensors, gravitational forces, even one's own visuals, detected the gravity well of a planet, but now there is only the vast blankness of deep space. An interesting if unnerving experience. The haunting afterimage of that ghost planet occasionally flickers on the screens - or does it?

Obvious exits: Below Plane &lt;BP&gt; leads to Deep Space - Galactic Plane. Driftward &lt;D&gt; leads to Deep Space - Paraplanar. Coreward &lt;C&gt; leads to Junkion System. Rimward &lt;R&gt; leads to Deep Space - Paraplanar.

You descend to the surface of Ghostworld.

Ghostworld - Surface

Everything is bleak here. The sunlight seems to have trouble filtering through the thick, still air, when clouds do not blot out the wan yellow star entirely. Even the bright of day is little better than twilight. Shadows are long and seem to move of their own accord. Aliens in various stages of rot and decay litter this world. Some are inside crashed vehicles, others in buildings, and others still fallen on the ground. The hospitals are particularly overflowing. Whatever happened here was sudden and catastrophic, but whatever it was, it seems that no one got out alive.

Obvious exits: Up &lt;U&gt; leads to Spectral Climbs. West &lt;W&gt; leads to Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Clutch has arrived.

Lightspeed has arrived.

Gears has arrived.

Red Alert has arrived.

Dee-Kal has arrived.

Galvatron has arrived.

The Spectral Climbs are known for anomalous gravity wells, for seeming as if there is a planet there and then... nothing. Today, however, that odd gravity blip didn't just vanish, and to avert an out-and-out crash, any Autobots and Decepticons investigating the Spectral Climbs have been forced to land! It would seem there is a planet here, after all, and that something is dreadfully wrong...

Clutch looks around the deserted streets and whistles softly. "Wow...I didn't think anything could be creepier than a deserted zombie planet, but this comes close." He peers into a crashed vehicle, grimacing at the dead alien inside. "Anybody got any ideas on what could have -happened- here?"

As he touches down the small shuttle -- no room for more than a few Decepticons, tops -- Galvatron snorts loudly. "If the job is to be /done/," he huffs, his armor still shining from the brand-new plating job done after the whole Avatar fiasco, "and done /right/--"

Galvatron stands and walks to the airlock. "--then I must do it /myself/, it seems. Pfah!"

Dee-Kal checks her scanner. "Airborne virus? Deadly toxins? Somebody ate a really bad curry?"

Lightspeed sighed a bit, looking around some himself at the place. "Just one clue Clutch. It might be just another dreary, bleak planet, but something tells me this might be related to the Matrix." He said.

As per the scene-set, the Autobots are forced into a landing! Red Alert peers down the road that Clutch is already exploring and frowns. "Well, we found it... or it found us." He hops out and looks around, his sensors running overtime. "Can it relly be /here/, though?"

Dee-Kal says, "Why are you asking *us*? We do not know. That is what we are here to find out, ne?"

"Knowing our luck Red, doubtful. I really doubt that we'll find it here, but more clues are more likely, if not another one." Lightspeed said. "Though we should find it before the 'Cons over there do."

Clutch says absently, "It was probably a rhetorical question." He glances over at the Decepticon shuttle in the distance (?), but he seems pretty confident. He's got his trust rifle, and a small squad of fellow Autobots. Nothing on this planet seems like it could threaten them. What's to worry about?

Of course the door hasn't opened yet.

Red Alert vanishes out of reality.

Red Alert has left.

Dee-Kal pulls a face at her scanner. "Well, if this *is* Matrix related, then I do not wish to know which 'Matrix Of' caused the failure to apply moisturiser that I detect on these ex-humies... Hum. Or perhaps antiseptic would have been more in order..."

Clutch shakes his head and comments gently, "Let's try to show a little more respect...something terrible must have happened here."

"Ahhhh we'll be lucky if we all don't get ourselves slagged," Gears grumbles, "What's wrong with this place, anyway?"

Lightspeed looked over at Dee-Kal for a bit. "Are you certain that's what's wrong? A lack of moisture in them?"

Galvatron is close enough that the Autobots could probably see a spot of purple if they looked close -- fortunately, Galvatron doesn't see them, as he's looking in the other direction, surveying a swath of bleak, desolate landscape. "Hnnmmh," he says, metal mouth curling into an ugly smile.

Dee-Kal straightens up. "Captain. I am detecting signs of either poor hygiene or incredible infection of some sort. These ex-humies are smurfing with foreign DNA. I am fairly certain that is it viral...

Catechism is following along behind Galvatron, in the way that Galvatron usually has a Seeker or Sweep near him. She, too, is looking entirely the wrong way to see any Autobots. Instead, she looks down at some of the dead aliens, makes a face, and exclaims, "My lord, it would appear that our work here is already done!"

Clutch says, "Well, I say we spread out, see if we can find -anyone- who's still functional. Maybe we can help them...somehow." He takes a few steps, then notices something moving in the direction of the Decepticon shuttle. "Or maybe at least get some idea of whether the Matrix is here at all, and where.""

The little JUNKION taps at her scanner and tunes it in a bit. She passes the scanner over a native form. "H'm. I am definitely smurfing bad signs. What ever it was, it was deadly and quite possibly fast-acting. Rather like ibuprofen when it attacks pain fast. Only this poor smurf did not *have* any ibuprofen. Or a cure..!"

Lightspeed nodded some more. "And its killing them at worst, changing them at best. Or maybe its the other way around depending on how you look at it."

"But that sounds like a plan, Clutch, but first, does it seem like it would be contagious or stick to us in any way, Dee-Kal?" Lightspeed asked.

"Hm?" Galvatron looks down at the corpses, and kicks one; it breaks a bit. "I assumed that this planet merely shared my taste in decor -- but you're right. /Suspicious/." Galvatron turns a bit, scanning the horizon. "Let's see if there's any sort of /civilization/ to be found here..."

Dee-Kal wrinkles her nose. "Stick, probably." Then she shudders. " Infect? I do not wish to find out! I still get nightmares thinking about Cosmic Rust Junkion pirates..."

Catechism nods eagerly and agrees, "Of course, Emperor Galvatron!" Civilisation, right! Now, where might that be? Hmm, perhaps she is looking on the wrong direction. Catechism starts to turn around.

Dee-Kal runs a few more scans. "I... do not think it will harm us. But I do not think it is wise to return home without a complete cleansing procedure to remove traces first. I do not want Sam-u-el and my EDC friends to get space diseases!"

Clutch walks along, coming upon a building with some peculiar markings. "Hmm...I think this might be a hospital," he comments, studying the sign and a few vehicles outside all of the same design and markings. "Either that or this planet's version of a pizza delivery business. I'll check it out!" He carefully makes his way inside, but emerges right away, shaking his head grimly. "No survivors. But they look a little better off than the guys we saw when we first got here."

Lightspeed nodded. "My thoughts exactly Dee-Kal. All right then, lets move out and figure out what's going on here." The Technobot began to make his way around, trying to find some sign of life and/or civilization beyond what they had seen.

Perhaps the /nicest/ looking building here is a techno-mansion off to the west...

Lightspeed pointed over in the direction of the Techno-Mansion. "That seems like the best place to start looking." He said, making his way towards it.

"Oh great," Gears moans. "I knew it. There's probably more diseases here than you can shake a conductor rod at. For organics and us, I'll warrant."

Dee-Kal gives a meek shrug, and follows Lightspeed. "Speedy, onegai... you remember when you were part of Computron, back at the Old Maintenance Centre..?"

Deeky motions Gears to follow her behind Lightspeed and Clutch.

Galvatron slowly turns around, as well. "Hmh," he grunts, peering outward -- "I think I detect -- Autobots. Hnnn. Let's not show our hand just /yet/," Galvatron says in a rare moment of lucidity with regard to his antagonism. "Let's follow them -- see what they might gain -- and then /take/ it."

Clutch moves along with Lightspeed, positioning himself to where the two 'point mechs' can easily cover each other in case they run into something unexpected.

"I do remember, actually." Lightspeed said.

Catechism nods slowly and switches to a quiet voice, because being quiet will totally negate her horrendous paint job, "Of course, Emperor Galvatron. We will let the Autobots do all the hard work and then snatch up the glory." She rubs her hands together, grinning wickedly. "It would seem that they're moving off to the west... what's that, there? A house?"

Dee-Kal hums to herself. "..lions and tigers and bears, oh, my. Lions and tigers and bears, oh, MY..."

Dee-Kal follows along. "And I mentioned how Sam-u-el would freak if Computron radioed him..? ..only you/he could *not* radio, and so on..?"

"Keep your audio receptors up now bots. We don't want the Decepticons to get the drop on us." Lightspeed said. The Technobot nodded. "Yes, I do. The data from all that is stored still."

Lightspeed moves west to the Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Lightspeed has left.

Clutch moves west to the Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Clutch has left.

Dee-Kal moves west to the Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Dee-Kal has left.

You move west to the Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion

The mansion, once used as a think tank by the elite intellectuals of this world, is elegant and opulently furnished, with three floors above ground. The colours tend toward deep mahogany, rich burgundy, and velvet blue, and there is extensive use of exotic alien woods and marble. This place was clearly both beautiful and comfortable once, but dust has started to accumulate, and here are stained scratches in some of the walls, as if someone gouged finger into the wall so hard that they bled. Perhaps in some of the files tucked away here, there will be an answer to the malady that befell this world.

Contents:

Dee-Kal

Clutch

Lightspeed

Obvious exits: East &lt;E&gt; leads to Ghostworld - Surface.

Gears arrives from the Ghostworld - Surface to the east.

Gears has arrived.

Galvatron arrives from the Ghostworld - Surface to the east.

Galvatron has arrived.

Galvatron flies a respectful distance from the Autobots, keeping low to the ground and using cover whenever it presents itself -- he's not the most stealthy robot in the world, but he does an okay job of shadowing the 'Bots to this creepy mansion.

The mansion seems to be in better shape than the outside of the planet, but it's dark and cold, even clammy inside. The door creaks rather loudly.

Dee-Kal beams.

"Hmm," Galvatron says, rubbing his chin as he surveys the outside of the Mansion, after the Autobots have entered. ".../you/ go in first."

Dee-Kal chuckles, a hint of mischief in her voice. "..I wonder if Computron Claus could arrange a big humie-sized, signed poster for Sam-u-..." but her voice tails off as she looks about the mansion's reception hall. "Oh, my stars..."

Lightspeed doesn't like the sound, but he figures if the 'Cons aren't following them just yet, the sound wouldn't make them too much. Looking around, Lightspeed's first objective for him to find was a computer. "I must say, this is a rather... nice place, if it wasn't for the stains. And the dust. But first things first..."

Catechism is following along after Galvatron, ever the dutiful and loyal soldier. Then Galvatron suggests that she should do in first. She stares up at Galvatron incredulously. Surely, the mighty Galvatron is not afraid for some /house/? She stalks around the mansion, looking for some sort of backdoor into the place, where she and Galvatron might sneak in without the Autobots noticing them.

Clutch looks around, then cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, "Hello?! Can anyone here us?? We're here to help! We're Autobots!" The mighty Galvatron is resolute as Catechism stares at him -- he has plans of his own, it seems, which involve taking to the air, surveying the windows of the place on the second floor and above.

The mansion is massive, and the first floor seems to consist of a library, a kitchen, and several entertainment rooms.

There seems to be no answer to Clutch's hail, at first. Then, delayed and distorted, there is a faint, "...botsss." Perhaps just an echo?

"You know, 'I'm here to help' is the scariest thing you'll ever hear in several galactic languages," Gears comments dryly.

Dee-Kal scowls lightly. "..some of us are Autobots! Some of us are Junkions!"

Clutch looks a little uncomfortable, as if he's starting to wonder if that was such a good idea himself. But then he shrugs it off. "Should we split up to cover more ground?" He asks, the innocently cheerful suggestion of one who hasn't seen too many horror movies, or experienced some of the more 'exciting' adventures Autobots have had in the last 50 or so years.

"And that's if they even know what Autobots are. It is rare, but still." Lightspeed said. He smirked over at Dee-Kal some. "I'll see what can be done." He said, in response to her earlier questions. The Technobot then goes back to finding a computer to try and access. "But then again, if its here, or one of its copies, then they most likely would know."

The windows of the second and third floor are often either cracked, cobwebbed, or shuttered, as Galvatron will see.

The first floor seems to be lacking in computers. Perhaps the other levels will have some?

"We don't know what we're dealing with here, Clutch, and splitting up could be fatal if we run into something bad." Lightspeed said. *Like Galvatron if he was on the ship.* The Technobot thought. "For now, lets move on up and try to find some kind of computer or terminal. The data that might be contained is what we're after."

Clutch says, "Lightspeed, I haven't seen anything that even resembles a computer. But maybe you can check out the library instead. Sorry, looks like you might have to do this the old-fashioned way." He smirks at Dee-Kal. "And as our the only Junkion present, maybe you can investigate those entertainment rooms? See if you can find a news service, or any kind of communications equipment? Anything?" Finally he nods at Gears. "That leaves either the kitchen or helping one of the others...take your pick."

The stairs are extremely creaky, and if the Autobots (and Junkion) aren't careful, they just might hit a weak spot and crack a stair.

Clutch errs...no splitting up? "Okay, scratch that."

Gears says, "The more we split up, the easier we are to pick off one by one."

&lt;&lt;Take the low ground when you detect them moving upward,&gt;&gt; Galvatron transmits via tightbeam to Catechism. &lt;&lt;I believe the Autobots call this move 'circling the wagons.'&gt;&gt; They don't, but Galvatron's grasp of Earthling euphemisms for combat techniques was never really that good anyway. Punching in a boarded-up third-floor window, he moves to enter the house.

The room Galvatron enters seems to have been store room of some sort, and it seems to be full of crates of advanced scientific equipment.

Dee-Kal perks at the notion of an entertainments room. Then she reconsiders. "I do not think they smurf video games here... this place looks more academic to me. Perhaps a lounge or Club room..." Then Gears delivers his chipper line. The little Junkion's optics widen and she clings to Gears.

The main screen in the entertainment room, perhaps equivalent to a television, flickers on for a moment - and then flickers off. Perhaps it was motion-sensitive? Perhaps?

Lightspeed does what he can to walk up the stairs. The creaking worries him, but he does what he can to avoid putting too much pressure on the stairs. Once up on the second floor, though, he does look around, carefully testing out the floor as well, for any potential weak spots. "I wonder how old this place is..."

Catechism lurks outside, obeying Galvatron's orders to wait for the Autobots to move upward. Every now and then, she peeks through a window to see if they have moved upstairs. The Autobots might catch a glimpse of something outside, through a cracked window.

Clutch starts up the stairs after Lightspeed. He's probably the heaviest Autobot present, and sure enough, one foot disappears through a particularly weak stair. "Er...watch out guys. There's a step missing here," he announces with a straight face. He pulls his foot out of the hole and continues up, this time with one hand on the railing in case he has to grab something to keep himself from falling. "I can make out dust everywhere. We must be the first ones moving around in here for a while."

Gears gingerly follows Lightspeed up the stairs, presumably with Dee-Kal still clinging to him. "How much do you want to bet we're in for more surprises?" he says dimly.

There seem to be several offices on the second floor, with quite nice computer set-ups. From one of the offices, there seems to be a tapping noise.

Lightspeed nods in approval, smiling some at his find. He doesn't miss the tapping noise, though, and heads over to see what it is. "Hello? Anyone there?"

Clutch spins his head, staring intently at something. But nothing's there, so he walks out onto the second floor. He spins again, in the other direction...still nothing. "Uh...I thought I saw something," he explains akwardly. Then he tilts his head to one side, listening. He nods in approval at Lightspeed, then adds, "We're Autobots!"

Dee-Kal feels better after borrowing Gears for a few moments, and cautiously lets go, moving forwards. She hears a curious tapping sound and levitates from the stairway completely, gliding over behind Lightspeed to investigate, curiously. "Some of us are Junkions... Ahoy..? Aloha...?"

The tapping sound is coming from inside a computer terminal.

"Stranger and stranger still..." Lightspeed said, going and looking to see if there was any way to open up the computer terminal. "Hold on, we'll get you out of there."

The little Junkion draws her scanner and uses it to examine the computer terminal. She floats at an odd angle, though, forgetting to focus on her antigravs properly. Completely upside down, Deeky scans the terminal and checks her findings...

Dee-Kal says, "Sillybot... it might not be a person inside at all. What if the sound is just the computer hard drive smurfing up? Or perhaps a trap for the unwary..? YOu know what Master REd always says..."

Inside the computer, the read/write arm for the harddrive has been banging on the harddrive, punching holes in the recording disc.

Dee-Kal h'ms.

Shadow has arrived.

"Or it could be the computer some how making itself useless really. I don't think we can get much from this, but if you want to give a shot at trying to fix it up, Dee-Kal, go ahead." Lightspeed said. He stood up, backing away to give Dee-Kal space if she wanted, heading towards another office. "I'm going to see if another terminal can be accessed."

Such details are too specific for Deeky's scanner to detect, but she can see that no organic life signs are coming from the terminal. As to mechanical life signs... She fine tunes and scans again, using a different setting. Nope. Nothing Cybertronian, Lithone, Junkion... nothing from Earth tech...

And if Lightspeed is successful in finding said terminal, he will access it and try to see what delicious datas are on it for consumption.

A slight breeze picks up, sending the dust into the air. It's odd, because they're inside a /house/.

There are other terminals. The first one Lightspeed finds flickers to life as soon as he approaches it.

Dee-Kal frowns momentarily. *Nothing* Cybertronian..? She holds up her scanner. Or holds *down* her scanner, seeing as she's floating, inverted. "..huh..?" She checks again. Cybertronian signals..? Deeky tap-taps at her scanner and uses it again. H'mph. Nothing. Just her imagination. Or a ghost of her own devising, having the sensors tuned right up high...

Catechism finally decides that it is safe to try to enter the house. It sounds like the Autobots are upstairs. She tries to open a back door on the ground floor, which creaks and can probably heard throughout the house, so she pauses, hoping that no one will come down to check on her.

"It still has power? How preculiar." Lightspeed said. He went up to the terminal, accessing it and trying to find out not only the cause of what happened on the planet, but anything on the Matrix. If there were ghosts here, he's certainly not paying them any mind.

Shadow transforms into his chopper mode.

Galvatron, meanwhile, has been ransacking the third floor -- snapping open crates with his fingers, glaring balefully at the lack of riches and energon and Matrices he finds. "Hmph," he grunts, as he hears the Autobots below him.

Black Helicopter has been in the background this whole time. Honest. Maybe. Either way, he's here now. And he doesn't like the looks of this place. Right now he hovers outside, above the creepy mansion, scanning it closely. He doesn't plan on moving unless Galvatron (or Catechism) gives him an order to.

Dee-Kal still hears a tapping sound coming from within the terminal that occupies her attention. She shrugs, pops up a spray gun from her wrist. Err, no. Wrong tool. She retracts the spray gun and pops up a small cutting tool. Much better. The little Junkion begins to cut into the terminal housing, fairly close to the tapping sound.

The computer only erratically responds to Lightspeed's commands, almost as if some else was standing beside him, tapping at the keyboard at the same time as he is. It seems it is trying to spell out a message.

Lightspeed stops his own typing, looking at what's on the screen. He looked down at the keyboard afterwards to make sure he wasn't doing anything wrong himself.

Dee-Kal cuts carefully, quickly. She touches her forehead - a small LED light comes on to illuminate the interior of the terminal. Dee-Kal continues cutting with care. What *is* making the tapping sound..?

WHAT LIES... is typed out, and then it pauses, allowing Lightspeed full control of the terminal. This mansion was used by scientists and doctors, and the computer is full of research and papers.

The computer Dee-Kal is cutting open has apparently decided to 'kill' itself, its read/write arm punching holes in its recording disc.

"What lies... that is rather... wait..." Lightspeed says. His mind is now processing the information, and goes to see if he can't back up the files on the research and papers as he does so. The Technobot is starting to get an understanding of what's going on here.

Galvatron leans down and cups his ear against the floor, listening to try and hear what the Autobots are saying. Ooh, he's tricky.

Catechism radios Shadow, //Hey, come over here with me. Galvatron wants us to out-flank the Autobots.// She seems to have found the kitchen. For a moment, she thinks she feels a hand on her shoulder, but she turns around and sees nothing there. Catechism shudders and looks again at the kitchen.

Gears glances around nervously. He's sure there's bound to be Decepticons showing up, sooner or later. Or something worse.

"...screaming?" Galvatron murmurs to himself, lifting his head up from the floor and not looking quite so ridiculous as a result. "Clearly, Catechism has proved herself /worthy/ of her promotion -- but she'll pay yet for not obeying proper radio protocol and alerting /me/!" Galvatron then leaps up and attempts to /stomp/ through the floor!

Dee-Kal retracts her cutter and eases a small hand into the gap. "Easy now... do not be afraid. It is nothing to worry about. Hush... let us see what is here..." Who is she talking to? The computer, or herself..? Hard to say...

&lt;&lt;Oh, yes, of course. I'll be right there.&gt;&gt; Shadow descends and transforms, landing on his feet. He quickly enters the mansion and hurries to catch up with Catechism. His rotors are twitching, indicating a vague hint of nervousness.

The black helicopter shifts into the form of Shadow.

//Dee-Kal... have you tried morse code before?// Lightspeed radios to the Junkion, hoping she understands what he means.

For a moment, something flickers into Gears's field of view. It looks rather like one of the dead natives, only alive. Its expression is pleading. Then, it's gone, the dust stirring with a slight breeze again.

The floor is no match for Galvatron. He'll land in another office.

Clutch stands out in the hallway and looks between the offices where Autobots (and Junkion) are working. He crosses his arms across his chest. Between such gems as 'let's see if we can help these people' and 'let's split up!' none of his ideas have been winners tonight. And to top it off, he's starting to think his sensors are playing tricks on him. It sounded like someone just crashed through the ceiling in another office. "Uh...guys?"

Dee-Kal radios back. (Smurf code? Ohh, I understand. Wakarimasu. And hai, so desu. I can smurf morse code, yes. Why..?) she inquires.

Catechism looks around the kitchen, and as she passes by, the knife rack collapses, sending the knives skittering in all directions. One falls into her foot, and she briefly yelps in pain. Then, she pulls the knife out of her foot and glares at it balefully.

Galvatron makes a ton of noise in the process of breaking the floor -- and in landing, boots clomping on the ground, descent slowed by his boot-thrusters. Looking around the empty office, his face is one of shock and surprise -- "But I swore I heard --" Galvatron puts his face in his hands for a moment. "I cannot be going /mad/ -- thus --" Malevolent red eyes uncover. "--they must be /hiding from me/."

Shadow winces slightly as the knife falls onto Catechism's foot. "Err...are you all right, milady?"

The computer in the office with Galvatron sparks to life, wheezing and sputtering, a slightly smoky scent emitting from it. The screen, badly gaussed, shows a test pattern.

Lightspeed winced at the loud noises being made, but trusts, for now, that its just one of the other 'Bots. //See if the tapping the terminal is making makes any sense if translated out through morse code. I think something is trying to give us a message.// Lightspeed radios back. He then goes to see what else comes up on his own terminal once he begins typing again, still looking for any kind of data that might be useful.

Dee-Kal double-takes - (You want me to *talk* to it?)

Lightspeed sighs. //Yes, I do. Like I said, I think something is trying to give us a message, or communicate with us.//

The little Junkion shrugs. Why not? The day is already slightly mad. She pats her computer terminal. (.... . .-.. .-.. ---) Hello.

Shadow frowns slightly. "Possibly. I suggest we go investigate. We may find something valuable, if nothing else..."

The tapping does spell out a simple code. IT CAME FROM THE STARS. WE WERE NOT READY. YOU CAME FROM THE STARS?

Dee-Kal almost falls to the ground in amazement. "Oh, my star- oh, my gosh..."

Clutch goes to investigate all the noise in Galvatron's office. He pushes the door open and looks inside. Then he quickly closes the door again, as if closing it will make what he saw go away. He stands there with his hand on the doorknob, trying to hold it closed. "Guys!"

"You okay, Dee-Kal?" Gears wonders, obviously deeply concerned. "What did it say? Is it going to kill us all?"

She rotates in midair, now upright. "I think so. Smurf me a nano... I think... I might have... I do not yet know..."

Standing behind Clutch, after the door closes, is one of the native aliens, only... transparent. It stares sightlessly at the Transformers, the way that the blind stare.

"What is it Clutch?" Lightspeed asked, trying to keep focused on his own task right now and trying to process and figure out what's going on. //Any progress Dee-Kal?//

Dee-Kal is good at making sounds in her hovercar mode. She adapts. *STARS NO. PLANETS YES. WHAT CAME. WHAT IS WRONG.*

Lightspeed's terminal will tell him that the researchers here tried and tried to find a cure for a disease that came suddenly from the stars, but nothing they tried was any use. They simply weren't prepared. So they took more drastic measures.

The tapping tells Dee-Kal, WE ARE READY FOR YOU.

"Yes -- /hiding/," Galvatron says, reassuring himself as only a madman can -- though talking to himself and grinning maliciously. "But I'll /find/ them -- let this /world/ be marked as the Autobots' /grave/!" Galvatron then charges at a wall -- picking one more or less at random -- to try and barrel right through it like Kool-Aid Man. "HERE'S /DEATH/!"

Dee-Kal clicks and beeps rapidly, softly. Then she pauses, waiting.

Galvatron is running face-first, as well, so his face is all that bursts through as he yells.

Dee-Kal h'ms. She says nothing to her companions just yet.

The ghostly alien standing behind Clutch seems to agree with Galvatron, echoing, "Death..."

Dee-Kal clicks and beeps to herself softly. *READY. WHAT SORT OF READY. I DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT YOU. NOR DO AUTOBOT FRIENDS. PLEASE EXPLAIN.*

Clutch finally blurts out, "It's Galvatron! The newest leader of the Decepticons!!" Sometimes Clutch forgets that this stuff isn't news to everybody. He holds both hands on the door, as if he can keep the Decepticon leader trapped inside. Then he hears the shouting, sounding now like it's coming from the next office.

"A Matrix of Disease?" Lightspeed said softly. He tries to see what else he could get, hopefully what this disease was contained in, unfortunately for him its about that time when Galvy busts his head through the wall. "SLAG!" Is all the Technobot says before making a dash for it. "Autobots! We're under attack!" He says, preparing his weapon. Is he going to fire? No. He's not Strafe, and knows better than to fire at everything, especially Galvatron.

Now comes the Kool-Aid Man part, as Galvatron rips through the wall, smashing anything that prevents him from entering the room, cannon aglow. "Run all you like, Autobot -- you can't outrun your /destiny/ -- to /die/ at my /hand/!"

Catechism looks to Shadow and suggests, "Sounds like it's time to go upstairs." She runs to the staircase, and taking ti quickly - she smashes a foot through a creaky stair, getting herself stuck in the staircase.

Shadow nods and readily follows, but as Catechism gets stuck, he comes to an abrupt stop. He grabs her hand and tries to pull her out. "My dislike for this place has increased!"

Lightspeed's terminal doesn't seem to mention any Matrices of Disease. It mentions a Matrix, however.

Clutch runs into Lightspeed's office, his own rifle ready. "Not today, Galvatron!" He leans his head and mutters in a much lower voice to Lightspeed, "Any ideas??"

Dee-Kal continues clicking and beeping softly, making little sense to anyone but herself, to those new to the room. *LOTS TO ASK. NOT MUCH TIME.* "rEADY..? What does *that* mean..? Ready..? Oh - I think I smurf the idea!" *YOU CANNOT HELP YOU, BUT YOU CAN HELP US. OKAY. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO.*

"And here I thought my destiny was to write the next big operating system that would be use the galaxy over and make billions and become the richest Autobot alive. Go figure." Lightspeed said. He needs to get Galvatron distracted so he can get back to the terminal and find all the info. When Clutch comes in, he smiles a bit. "Just keep him busy..." Lightspeed replied softly.

"Ready? (etc)

Giving Shadow a new reason to hate this place, another spectral alien appears and comments to Shadow in a dull, leaden voice, "The House has claimed her. You cannot help."

Dee-Kal radios Speedy on an encrypted channel. (You were right! We have contact!)

Galvatron advances on Clutch and Lightspeed, laughing -- clearly unfazed by the herculean task of taking on two Autobots at once. "/Yes/ -- any /IDEAS/?!" he cackles. "Oh wonderful. We go into a Haunted House, only to be squashed by Big Purple and Ugly here. Could this get any WORSE?" Gears gripes.

The tapping stops, silent for now.

Clutch sizes Galvatron up, noting the hulking size, the giant cannon, and the dangerous expression on his face. Well, sacrifice is part of what it means to be an Autobot. Clutch takes a step forward, then another, then breaks into a run in the small space between himself and Galvatron. He tries to tackle the large Decepticon, sending them both back through he whole Galvatron just made in the wall!

Clutch succeeds in grasping Galvatron, throwing him off-balance.

A spectral alien figure near Galvatron suggests, "Save yourself. Always make a backup." Another appears and shrieks, "No! No backups!"

Shadow stiffens, his gaze resting on the ghostly alien. He straightens apprehensively. "We'll see about *that*..." He goes silent, studying the specter closely. Something about it seems odd...familiar, somehow. Almost like... "...Holograms...?"

Dee-Kal remains floating beside her computer terminal, apparently un-noticed... well, so far. She looks up from her work, optics dimmed instinctually to avoid being detected. *HELP IS GOOD. ADVICE ALSO.*

Catechism looks vastly disturbed by the ghost claiming that the 'house' has claimed her, and she tries to accept Shadow's help to get to her feet, hissing lowly, "No house can hold me!"

Galvatron glances at the aliens as Clutch leaps at him. "YES -- NO BACKUPS!" he howls, too caught up in the moment to realize he's either seeing things where none exist or, perhaps worse, seeing things where they do. Galvatron is staggered backward a bit by Clutch's tackle, but not knocked to the ground -- and so he simply tries to shove the Autobot back toward his comrade. "At least you two will die /together/!"

Galvatron misses Clutch with his grasp attack.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Shadow says, "These ghostly creatures--I believe they may be holograms!"

Lightspeed seizes his chance, dashing back to the terminal and accessing all files on the Matrix as he can. "Come on now baby... just download all files on the Matrix, directly if you have to." He mutters. The sooner that's done, the better. It also dawns on him about the planet as well as he starts to put it together. "We don't know how long we have..."

The files on the Matrix indicate that an orange object with handles and a shining blue core visited here - bringing disease and death. The natives launched it back to space, but it was too late.

Shadow attempts to pull Catechism out once more. "These 'ghosts' are mere holograms. I'm certain of it."

The figure near Shadow titters, "Holograms? I died. I died! Can data die? Die... die..."

Dee-Kal radios Lightspeed. (They say that It came from the stars. they were not ready then. They are ready for us... Apparently.)

Gears rubs his head. "What is this? The Four Matrixes of the Apocalypse?" he groans.

Clutch is knocked backwards, but manages to catch himself by flinging both hands out and grabbing the edges of the 'door' that Galvatron provided in the wall. This keeps him from falling or being knocked back into Lightspeed's office. He glances at the aliens appearing (and disappearing?) and part of his processor thinks about their cryptic advice. Backups? That doesn't sound good. But Clutch tries to keep all his attention on the Decepticon leader. He points his rifle at the ground beneath Galvatron's feet and fires a spatter of acid pellets, each of which explodes wetly like a paintball to coat the floor with an unnatural green substance.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Shadow says, "Lord Galvatron, what is your location?"

Catechism is pulled out from the stairs, and she glowers over at the insane ghost. She murmurs, "Thank you, Shaodw." She looks at the hole in the staircase. Is there... something down there? She flicks on her running lights, trying to illuminate the hole.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; &lt;:D Catechism says, "...I think this place may have a basement."

Shadow nods. "Don't mention it." For now attempting to ignore the ghost, he peers down into the hole. "Do you see anything?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Galvatron says, "Second floor -- I've got a pair of Autobot /pests/ on my hands here."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; &lt;:D Catechism says, "Surely no one too troubling, My Lord?"

Galvatron is slowed momentarily -- by the acid eating at the floor, and causing it to buckle a bit under the Decepticon leader's weight (let's face it, dude is heavy). It only slows him momentarily, though -- for, you see, Decepticons can fly, and Galvatron just launches up out of the hole before he can fall completely through it. "Nice try," he growls.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Galvatron says, "The usual level of annoyance, I'd say."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; &lt;:D Catechism says, "Ah, no need to ready the Imperial Sticky-Notes, then."

Lightspeed worked as fast as he could, trying to see if there was any data on the Matrix's flight path, as well as how long ago this might have been. "Where to... where to... Just hold him a bit longer Clutch!" Lightspeed said. The Technobot knew they were running out of time. //Pull out Dee-Kal. We've got Galvatron here, and who knows what else now!// Lightspeed radios back.

They seem to have shot it vaguely in the direction of Planet Turnbuckle.

Dee-Kal suspects backing up might be a good idea. She reverses into the shadows behind the computer console. Then she undoes the ribbon cable in her hair and ponders. *SO* she inquires to her console. *WHAT DO I DO.*

Galvatron meanwhile charges forward, attempting to grasp and /throw/ the Autobots, one per hand -- right toward the conveniently placed hole in the stairs!

Galvatron succeeds in grasping Clutch, throwing him off-balance.

Galvatron succeeds in grasping Lightspeed, throwing him off-balance.

The tapping advises Dee-Kal, DOWN! DOWN WITH THE DEAD.

Clutch sees Galvatron launch out of the hole. Oh yeah, flying...he has just a moment to process this before he learns a little about flying himself. Only this is courtesy of Galvatron throwing him through the air.

Clutch moves to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Clutch has left.

Dee-Kal's optic brows rise, surprised. *I FOLLOW. OH MY STARS*

Lightspeed got the data he wanted, preparing to destroy the terminal before he's stopped by Galvatron. And then thrown. "Slag it all!" The Technobot says as he flies throw the air and into the hole in the stairs, after Clutch.

Lightspeed moves to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Lightspeed has left.

Gears moves to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Gears has left.

Galvatron moves to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Galvatron has left.

Dee-Kal takes a breath, and floats over the computer console, then dives downwards...

Dee-Kal moves to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Dee-Kal has left.

Catechism looks over at Shadow and comments, "Wait, you pull me out of the stairs, and we have Autobots diving down there? Something has to be up. C'mon, let's follow them." With those brave or foolish (probably foolish) words, she jumps down the hole that Shadow worked so hard to free her of.

You move to the Ghostworld - Basement.

Ghostworld - Basement

The basement is a rather drastic change from the rest of the mansion. The stairs creak, and the basement is depressingly dark, even with the lights on, but the entire place seems to be finished in a dark, smooth metal. A generator of some sort hums erratically, and it appears to power both the mansion and all sorts of odd, arcane equipment. On a table, a small alien is strapped down, dead. He looks to be perfectly at peace, however, despite the odd equipment still embedded into his little body.

Contents:

Dee-Kal

Galvatron

Gears

Lightspeed

Clutch

Obvious exits: Up &lt;U&gt; leads to Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Clutch picks himself up from the ground where he finally landed. "Lightspeed?" He calls out, not sure if he's seeing things in the dark. "That you?"

Shadow arrives from the Ghostworld - Techno-Mansion.

Shadow has arrived.

Shadow blinks. Well, this is starting to get interesting. Or annoying. Take your pick. He jumps into the hole after Catechism.

Lightspeed picks himself up, getting his weapon ready and shaking his head. "No, I'm Galvatron's Twin Brother Ultitron. Of course its me Cluch."

Spectral alien figures flicker in and out of view here, working on the equipment, running long-finished experiments. They don't seem to be able to see the Transformers. It's almost like looking at a flashback. This is the work the researchers did here, looking for a cure for a plague from the stars.

Galvatron dives in recklessly after the two Autobots, landing with a 'THUMP' between them. "Hh," he hisses, looking around at the ghosts -- "A cunning holographic trick, Autobots, but it will NOT save you!"

Dee-Kal all but gasps aloud as she comes across what has to be Frankenstein's lab. Or a Borg creation chamber. Or both. Fortunately, she keeps quiet. Hovering in the semi-darkness, the little Junkion watches the ghosts floating across the chamber...

Clutch backs a few steps away from Galvatron out of reflex, but looks at the holograms himself. "This isn't anything I'm doing!" he hisses back. "Something else is going on here!" "Err, if I may, milord," Shadow speaks up, "I do not believe this is an Autobot decepticon." He approaches some of the equipment and gently places a hand on it as he looks it over. "Holographic generators...alien, but that's what these are."

Catechism gets to her feet and grabs the side of her cone, which rather aches from the fall. She looks around in the darkness, wondering what strange science was done here.

"How about if you value your laser core, you'll stop and just think about what's going on here. Galvatron, if you're getting out of this alive, you will have to do so with our help." Lightspeed said. He was only half sure on that. If the data he's gathered thus far is correct, then whatever these Aliens ended up doing most likely is not good for any of them.

The spectral scientific re-enactments cease, and some of the ghostly figure from before appear again, now joined by what would appear to be a youth of their species. One starts, "Couldn't save the body. Too many bodies." Another bickers, "The flesh was weak!" The youth says quietly, "But the mind was weaker. Why do you come here?"

Dee-Kal watches, like a good Junkion.

"I GO WHERE I /PLEASE/!" Galvatron roars, incensed by the ghost's nerve. "If you are not an Autobot /TRICK/," Galvatron says, ignoring Lightspeed's pleas for reason and marching up to get in the ghost's face, "then EXPLAIN YOURSELF -- before I /DESTROY/ YOU!"

Dee-Kal suspects the ghosts won't answer, but says nothing, and remains hidden in the shadows, observing and listening.

"Explain?" one ghost laughs. "There is no explaination. We thought it was a virus, but it has to be small, a prion, or -" Another snaps in, "Vir? Impossible. The barrier membranes were useless, useless! Like all of this." The little ghost wanders away from the others, perhaps nearer to Dee-Kal, and he comments, "They're all mad. They brought it on themselves."

Clutch looks at the ghostly youth. "We're here to find the Autobot Matrix...it's vital to us. To the whole universe. It's the only way the Autobots can be sure we can protect everyone. From people like them -" he gestures at the Decepticons. "And even worse..."

Lightspeed didn't care if Galvatron listened to him or not, as long as he wasn't trying to tear everyone apart. Backing up some, he tried to listen at what was going on with the holograms while looking for any way out of here other than the way they came. He didn't think he would be able to find one, but any chance at all to get them out in one piece was one he was going to take.

Shadow glances over his shoulder, and after a moment removes his hand from the generator. "This is odd," he says quietly to Catechism. "I'm certain these specters are mere holograms, but that small one...he seems less like a hologram than the rest."

Catechism protests, "It's the Matrix of Leadership, not the Autobot Matrix! A Decepticon could use it, I'm sure. You greedy Autobots just never let us try!" Then, she glances over at Shadow and arches an optical ridge. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"And why would we let you try?" Gears counters. "We all know where that gets us."

Dee-Kal peeks out. She click in morse code, softly. *Hello Casper*

Clutch hisses, "We didn't have to let you try. You stole it from Ultra Magnus, after you tried to murder him. And it -still- didn't help you...it took a Prime to unlock it's power!"

Lightspeed looks at the 'holograms' some himself, his central processor doing its thing. "You all are holograms, and yet, you are more than such, aren't you?" He says.

Shadow shrugs slightly. "Just as I said, milady. That small one seems different than the others. The rest are likely emitted from those generators, but that one does not appear to be." He pauses, then adds, "As if he were a *real* spirit..." But that's impossible. Right?

"Holograms! It was the only way," one ghost insists. Another scoffs, "But the initial experiment, it was a brilliant success. We just couldn't replicate it. We tried. How many died in the trying?" A third notes darkly, "Not enough. Not near enough. Should have been us first."

The little ghost looks right over at Dee-Kal. He really resembles the corpse on the table. His head tilts to one side... very tilted. Nearly coming off. "Hello." He seems a bit more lucid than the other ghosts.

"You are all that's left of what happened here. While its no help, and I almost want to say this happened a long time ago... but sorry. This was our fault." Lightspeed said. The Matrix came here, or a Matrix did, and because of that, this world was decimated. "Another planet lost because of Maxitran's desire for knowledge... or power..." He said softly, looking away. "PRIMES ARE /NOTHING/ TO ME!" Galvatron roars at Clutch. "ARE YOU REALLY THAT /SUICIDAL/, AUTOBOT?!" he says, threatening to disrupt the proceedings as he stalks over to wave his cannon right in Clutch's face.

Mortex has arrived.

The little Junkion clicks and beeps a little more fluidly, watching the small apparition. *a real ghost. how wonderful. but. how lonely.* She has often projected small holograms to entertain the human technician, Sam, and watching somebody else perform spectral antics fazes her not a bit. *so. this is where you tried to find a cure. what did you find. you say you are ready. what sort of ready. is it energy to store and then use. is it a device. is. it. oh no i hope it is not you.*

One ghost speculates, "The processors in that one, the crowned king. Do you think-" Another bickers, "None of us think! We just spew out the same old tired ideas, never succeeding." The dark one advises, "Better to break him in the trying. Better to make him dead like this world." The three ghosts take points around Galvatron, making 120 degree angles. Then, they reach out for him and try to walk /into/ him.

Gears sighs. "Oh great, now they're going to possess Galvatron. That /can't/ be a good thing. I don't care what anyone says."

"What -- WHAT ARE YOU -- GET AWAY, I -- 110101010101010101010110000111101010101" Galvatron spasms, then grows still, eyes going dark.

Slowly, slowly, a creaking sound emits from his feet -- and then, like a fallen tree, he simply tips over, stiff as a board.

Dee-Kal looks a little dismayed. *i could not bear to think of a cure being a person. even an ex-person.* Since morse code has no emotives, her clicks sound flat, in spite of her expression. She gasps, seeing what the ghostly Trio have done to Galvatron. *oh. my. stars.*

The little ghost looks from Clutch to Dee-Kal, and he admits, "Oh, don't worry too much. They killed me, not anything from space. Killed me trying to perfect a transfer process. If they couldn't live in their bodies, they thought they would live as holograms." He shakes his head. "But they're mad." He stares over at the fallen Galvatron, as if it has proven his point.

"Lord Galvatron!" Alarmed, Shadow rushes over to the mighty Decepticon Overlord and kneels beside him to examine him. He is, of course, no medic, so there's not really much he can do about it. "What did you DO?!" And there, ladies and gentlemen, is a rare moment in which the normally calm Shadow is...not so calm.

Mortex just sort of appears behind Catechism and Shadow; well, alright, that's what it certainly seems like. In reality, the medic's been scouring the mansion for interesting gizmos, and he just sort of happened to pull a lever revealing the secret passage, following it more out of curiosity than anything; that it happened to open up behind his Decepticon allies as Galvatron is being possessed is just sort of dumb luck. Hovering slowly, the Decepticon medic gives a rusty-gear cackle as he's so famous for, landing on the floor and staring at Galvatron through those sunken red optics.

"I... think it would be best if we got out of here before they decide to test their theories out on us guys." Lightspeed said. "Plus, if our luck holds out, Galvatron won't stiff for long." Lightspeed walked over to Dee-Kal, Clutch, and the ghost, sighing some. "And as mad as they are, they're still powerful kid."

Catechism rushes to Galvatron's side, clearly dismayed by what fate has beset her Emperor, and she cries out, "Emperor Galvatron!" She kneels next to him and raises an arm gun to aim it at the Autobots, scowling.

Clutch leans back as far as he can away from the cannon, then when the ghosts approach Galvatron he backs off in obvious relief. That relief melts away when he watches them seemingly incapacitate the Deception leader. He regroups on the other side of the room with Lightspeed and the others. "Well...I'm not thrilled about sticking around here any more than you are, but we can't just leave these people like this, can we?" He eyes the little ghost, clearly the one Clutch is most worried about.

The little ghost smiles at Lightspeed and says in very mild voice, "I'll be here when they're gone. I'll always be here. You'd be better off on Planet Turnbuckle, though. Much better."

Dee-Kal fans her wings and floats closer to 'Casper'. She pat-pats at his shoulder area urgently. *you have to do something. mander galvatron is a bad and wicked leader but this is too much. have you any influence. can you make them let him go. calm him perhaps. but let him go.*

Lightspeed nodded, though he did mentally wish the ghost didn't say the planet's name out loud, or that the Decepticons didn't hear it. The last one was a futile hope though. "Come on 'Bots, lets get out of here, now, while the 'Cons are busy." He said, heading for the exit as fast as his legs would take him.

Dee-Kal glances after Lightspeed. She radios to him. (But they said they were ready. Is the answer not here..?)

Mortex drums his boney, clawlike fingers together as he steps forward to inspect Galvatron. "My, my..." His voice creaks, "Mighty Galvatron looks -most-...incapacitated..."

The Necrocon gives another of those bleak cackles as his head swings around like rusty hinges - creeeeak, creeeeeak - and refocuses. "Shall I give him the attention I suspect he requires...? I would feel remiss if I did not aid our mighty leader..."

Dee-Kal's hand will pass clear through the little ghost. He stares at Galvatron and proclaims, "Processing power. His processing power. They want it. Perhaps... perhaps if the equipment had been better..."

//Ready to test on us, Dee-Kal. They want their lives back. Our answer is elsewhere.// Lightspeed radios back.

Clutch backs towards the exit, after Lightspeed. Moving more slowly than the fleet Technobot, he's able to cover his retreat. "Lightspeed's right. Let's get out of here while we still can." He adds grimly. "Before any of us end up like him." He's starting straight at Galvatron as he says this, but by now he's at the stairs himself so he turns and follows Lightspeed.

Mortex lands, cape and pieces shifting about, until he's transformed into a hearse with a revving engine and a black-and-white paint job.

Clutch has disconnected.

Ecto has arrived.

Mortex revs his engine once as the trunk swings open, a gruesome black coffin with the purple Decepticon symbol staring up sliding out. It, too, pops open as the symbol's eyes go red, and various machines within click and whirr, mechanical arms and buzzsaws and other medical equipment preparing to treat their almighty leader. Mortex's wheels whirr once as the coffin's arms prepare themselves to lower Galvatron within, once his allies use those wonderful arms.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; &lt;:D Catechism says, "Decepticons! We take Galvatron, and we leave. The medical bay on the Absolution will be better equipped to treat Galvatron than field repairs."

Dee-Kal makes pretend. She emerges from the shadows, a free-floating form herself, into the dim light. The little Junkion flies to 'Casper' and calculates - then plants a kiss on the ghost's cheek. Okay, it's a pretend kiss, but it's at vaguely the right point. She speaks, no morse code this time. "Thank you for your advise, Casper... will you be okay..?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Mortex says, "Yes, of course. Let's away, away..."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Shadow says, "Yes!"

Catechism, not for the first time this month, pulls out her jet mode tow line to try to loop a line around Galvatron to ready him for transport. She looks both disturbed and disgruntled. The Autobots are escaping, and Galvatron apparently needs to update his firewall definitions.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Mortex says, "I will...diagnose...examine...see what I can see on the way, yess? Perhaps the problem is something we can discover...early..."

Whatever the Autobots here may have in mind Ecto, as always, has a different plan in mind...he'd sense something about this place, something that told him that he was at last on the right track. As he approached the dark mansion he became fascinated(and quite distracted) by the reading popping up all over his handbuilt PKE meter and which he was only shaken out of by the sound of Mortex's engine whirring and like the ill advised heroes of Manic Mansion begins to double time his way down toward the basement.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Mortex says, "On...second thought...I have a...feeeeling...I will remain and cover your escape, yes? We cannot allow Lord Galvatron to be injured in this very dangerous time..."

The hearse rises, unfolding into a cloak wrapped around a skeleton-like robot with malevolent glowing red optics.

Shadow sighs heavily. "What a mess..." He couldn't care less about the Autobots--all that really matters now is seeing to Galvatron. His hand strays to one of his rotor blades as he watches out for anything else that may threaten him and the others.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Shadow says, "Of course, Mortex..."

The little ghost looks extremely startled by Dee-Kal. It comments, "There are worse fates than what lies after breath." As Ecto arrives, however, the little ghost suddenly looks... afraid? Very afraid. And vanishes.

The little Junkion (yes, she's smaller than Ecto ^-^ ) floats in vague reverse after her Autobot allies... but not before a quick radioed message to Ecto, explaining about the helpful little ghost and to please not capture him.

Gears sighs. "Well at least Tall and Gruesome is out of commission...Fates worse than Death? Can't say as I'm surprised."

Ecto apparently failed to notice the ghost which looked spooked(yes, I said it) and vanished as his optics remain glued to his PKE meter. At Dee-Kal's radio messages reaches him he stops and looks around suddenly and fails to see or detect a ghost. He frows, taps the screen, and then proceeds on toward the basement.

Catechism just tries to drag Galvatron off with her tow-rope. She swears, they ought put wheels on this guy or something. He's heavy.

Dee-Kal smiles.

Galvatron has disconnected.

Gears has left.

================================== Autobot =================================== Message: 3/113                    Posted        Author Tales From The Ghostworld         Thu Dec 11    Lightspeed -- 

So here's how it all went down. We were forced to make a landing on a planet in the Spectral Climbs sector of space. It, quite literally, appeared out of no where. Once there, though, we discovered that it had been ravaged by some kind of disease. That and the Decepticons had been forced to land as well.

Further exploration of the planet led us to believe that something caused this, and that it merited investigation. So I, Dee-Kal, Gears, and Clutch, went out and investigated. Our search took us to a techno-mansion, where apparently the scientists and engineers of the world worked.

It was here that we learned that they lived still, sort of. As holograms, and seemed a bit wanting to regain a more permanent, and less automated light, form. This is important, as they forced themselves into this holographic form to try and live through the disease.

A disease that came from a Matrix. I'm reluctant to say this is a Matrix of Disease right now in full, nor am I going to say it is the Matrix of Leadership. There wasn't enough data to determine if it was real or just another copy. It was, though, with out a doubt, the cause.

Finally, and most importantly, we did discover clues as to where the Matrix went, when they launched it back into space to try and stop the deaths. It was sent to Planet Turnbuckle. That is all.

Signed, Lightspeed

=
=================================================================

Shadow has left.

Ecto moves down the stairs to the basement, somehow managing not to stumble even though he never looks at the stairs he's walking down, before he stops just in front of the door. He leans forward, running the PKE up and down the stairs, before he attempts to push the door open slowly. "Whatever's going on here, it's behind this door...I just hope it doesn't have more legs then I do.."

Dee-Kal has left.

Mortex is standing there, force-field engaged, softly thrumming protectively around him as Ecto arrives. Mortex lets out one of his trademark cackles, his claws clicking together as his cloak folds closed around him. "Well well well well...the Junkion, the Junkion...once again..."