Portable Workspace

Crystal City Spaceport

''Capable of handling multiple incoming and outgoing spacecraft, the gleaming new spaceport is an efficient layout of several large and small hangars, various warehouses, three launchpads with corresponding terminals, and three tall control towers, all of the indigo steel/titanium alloy typical of Crystal City's new design. Unlike the rest of the city, though, this area has very few of the city's namesake crystals on the exterior, as a concentration of them would interfere with visual and sometimes even instrumental navigation. Traffic is infrequent, despite the facility's capacity, and usually consists of occasional alien freighters. Passengers are equally rare, and the waiting rooms typically empty. Due to the lack of personnel, almost all functions are automated.''

Cyberpunk Wrecker Rig  rumbles his way into the Autobot encampment, having shifted down to a more regular cruising speed once they were out of the line of fire and not being chased. "Well that sure beat bein' cooped up in a workshop all the time, that's fer sure."

The Guardian Starfighter that is Jetfire cruises in, shadowing Horsepower until the truck draws to a stop, at which point Jetfire transforms and with controlled bursts from his maneuvering thrusters he settles to the ground and nods, "While I strongly wish for the days when this war will be over, I do derive a certain satisfaction from the encounters we have." he agrees, "I do rather enjoy more of an even match, however." Jetfire shifts and contorts as he transforms, compacting noticably as he unfolds into his towering robot mode.

Repugnus hops off of the rig, grinning from audial to audial. "Oh, yeah, or being a patient for the past few days. Felt to be back out there, doin' damage instead of listening to the rest of you guys wring your wrists about your morals and such." He squints at Horsepower. "So, that thing you got... you seemed real excited about it."

"Ah hear ya thare, pardner," Horsepower replies to Jetfire, sharing a similar sentiment, mechanic to scientist. Once the Monsterbot hops off Horsepower transforms to robot mode. Conveniently his arms are somewhere in the lower back chassis in that mode, making it easy to grab his finds while transforming. So now he's got the converter held under one arm and the collapses machinery station under the other. "Eeyup," he replies to Repugnus with a nod of his head. "Iffen what Ah got in mind works, it'll make things easier for our in the field movements." The wrecker rig heaves up and rearranges into a heavy Autobot form.

Sit-Com is around, fixing up whoever needs to be fixed. "Ten cents. The doctor is in," he says, "And no, I won't yank away the football."

Repugnus smirks at Jetfire. "Ah, come on. An unfair fight just means you can get to the aftermath all the sooner, and that's the part I really like! Or so I hear." He scratches his head. "Heh. Ehh... now that thing... how's that little workstation going to do that? Not that I don't believe you, but--woah!" He blinks as he finds a Junkion hovering around him, patching him up even as he's standing there talking. "...okay. Well."

Jetfire seems to have gotten used to the way Junkion's work, and doesn't bat an eyelash as the minor cracks in his armor are polished away - the only damage he took he inflicted upon himself piledriving Misfire into the ground after all, "Ah but Repugnus, the real joy of it is in the aerial dance..." he smiles warmly, reflecting upon it, "There are few things more rewarding than spiraling through hails of incoming fire without being scratched, only to lance out with a single strike of your own that deals devastation. I have learned over the years that there is a certain poetic beauty even in the throes of war."

To Horsepower he nods then, "I am available to assist in any way, however this is your project and I do not wish to overstep my bounds." he does, however, take full scans of the equipment, his mask having snapped closed to run that red scanning beam of his over both components, "I may be able to find other ways to benefit from these technologies as well, after all."

Horsepower has gotten use to the Junkions and most of their odd ways by this point, though he gives Sit-Com a nod of appreciation all the same. His attention is understandable focused elsewhere though. "That's the idea, buddy," he replies somewhat cryptically to Jetfire as he sets down the 'toolbox' and slams the handle down like a plunger, then steps back to stand clear as it unfolds into the work station once more. Then sets the converter down next to it. "Iffen we combine the portable station with the converter, Ah'll be able to provide energy reserves on the field as well as repairs. As well as a transportable means of workin' on my weapons and producin' munitions," he pauses to jab a thumb over his shoulder at the set up he'd been working at before making defenses for the camp, "Instead of all the time and work it takes to haul -that- around just t'get to work."

Repugnus frowns a bit. "Ennh, don't romanticize it so much. If you set out to kill someone you shouldn't make it out to be like a work of art or something... though I guess you can make art out of the Decepticon once you shoot him down, heheheh." He appraises the work station, scratching his chin. "Neat little thing, though. I guess it beats resting everything on little slabs of rubble."

"There is more to battle than killing... the finest form of combat is the one that leaves your enemy unable to retaliate while also leaving them alive." Jetfire replies with a shrug, "Corpses don't answer questions. And it takes far more skill to exact such a feat, any mindless brawler can kill, just look at Blot." with that, the Air Guardian turns and steps off a little ways to his own little mobile setup, to check on something he'd been working on.

The Junkion nods at everybody. "A stitch in time, will save nine, especially with a needle fine."

Something invisible stalks the spaceport! Well, sort of. With his invisibility cloak activated, Foxfire slinks about, only becoming visible as he nears Sit-Com and the others. "So what'd I miss?" he asks.

As an object burns its way through Cybertron's atmosphere, a brilliant fiery light appears in the night sky. It is rapidly approaching the centre of the assembled Autobots. But as it closes to 40,000 feet, it suddenly stops in its tracks, and then seems to fly off back up towards the atmosphere and Cybertron's orbit. It takes a few minutes, but it looks like something is falling, rapidly. It's difficult to make it out, some kind of purplish object. But it too, changes direction. At around 2,000 feet, a white parachute opens, suddenly slowing the descent, and it becomes clear that the purplish object that had been falling was in fact a red and blue Cybertronian. For those with good optics, it is the Autobot Scientist Perceptor.

Repugnus narrows his optics, grinning a little. "Oh, I definitely understand that. You don't make somebody a corpse until AFTER he's answered your questions." He peers down at Foxfire. "Not that I'd resort to such horrible tactics, right, Foxy?"

A glance at the sky, and Repugnus says, "Oh, we're being orbitally bombarded? Yes? Ah, no. Oh well."

Foxfire merely raises an optic ridge at Repugnus, not bothering to answer him.

"Fox!" Sit-Com exclaims, as the tapefox appears. He goes over to pet the fox and scratch behind his ears. "Come, relax, chew the energon. Have you been a good spying fox?"

Horsepower just shakes his head a bit at Repugnus as he pulls out the magnetic weapon he'd been using and examines it. "bah, charge is empty anyways." He tosses it on top of the portable station and tromps over to his previous workspace to gather up a few things. "Heya there Fox." He's already down rummaging through stuff, and misses the incoming aerial landing by the microscope scientist.

Foxfire waves a forepaw at the others, then smirks at Sit-Com. "Yep..." He lifts his head as he's scratched behind the ears, wagging his tail a little. Then he notices something. "...Perceptor?"

Jetfire has been absorbed in what he was working on at his own portal workbench. Anyone close by would see that he was working on some sort of new device that had a vaguely weaponish appearance to it!

Perceptor was safely descending to the ground, until he hit an updraft, and went flying back up, and off course. He seems to toggle with the controls of his parachute, opening up flaps to try and right it, but he's gotten himself into something of a spiral, "Woah-oah-oah-oah!" Anyone watching might get dizzy, or concerned for the poor scientist.

"Nanoo-nanoo," Sit-Com says to Perceptor. "Greetings from the Ivan army. Follow the ho-chi-min trail."

Foxfire abruptly perks his ears, looking startled. "H-hey! Percy!" Dizzy? No. Concerned? Yes.

"Eh?" Horsepower looks up from gathering materials at the comments and glances skyward. ".. Huh." Seeing Perceptor fumble with the paracute trying to blow him around, he grabs his boom-arm and pulls it up over his shoulder. "Hang on a moment, partner. He aims it towards the para-scientist, and fires the towing line to try and reel him safely down to earth,

Jetfire looks up rather belatedly as a pair of devices on his workbench hum to life, "Perceptor?" he intones, looking up at the descending scientist, "Somehow, extreme sports and Perceptor do not properly reference in my processors..." the hum is soon followed by a pair of red and white drone pods hovering to life, starting to buzz around the big mech as he moves over towards Horsepower.

"Believe it or not, he's walking on air, he never thought he could feel so free-ee-eee," Sit-Com hums, as he prepares to assist the landing Scientist.

Perceptor tries to reach out and grab the towing line, which has quite an impressive reach, but unfortunately, the parachute and his body moves a little with the wind, and instead of going through his hands, it ends up going through the parachute, puncturing it, and getting snagged, "Perfect." He intones sarcastically. Thankfully, it's not bad enough that he immediately plummets or anything of the sort. The parachute is mostly intact, but now he's a robot kite, and if he's going to be a robot kite, he might as well get some enjoyment out of it, and he actually grabs his weapon, pressing a few buttons on it, reconfiguring it, and fires it up at his parachute. It's now on a low setting, and he's turned it into his own makeshift hot air balloon, sending him higher into the air, but now he has more control, and works the controls, towards a safe descent. After he's closed the distance enough, he reaches up with that same gun, melting the straps that attached him to the parachute, and he leaps down, safely landing on one knee. "Thank you Horsepower. I would not have been able to compensate for the updrafts without your assistance."

Horsepower reels the remains of the cable back in once it's cut and Perceptor's on the ground, and gives the scientist a lazy salute in jest. "Always happy t'help out." He'll replace the grapple on the end of the line later, flipping the tow-boom back past his shoulder and into the backpack assembly.

Then removes the pack in itself, setting it next to the other hardware. Other than the towing arm it's made mostly of the storage compartments and rear truck kibble of his vehicle mode.

Which he uses to store tools and gear anyways.

Looks at the portable work station. Then down at the energon converter. Then back to the kibble-pack. Hmmm...

"Ah got it!" With the spark of inspiration he croutchs down and starts dissasembling the pack into its components, making it a bit more obvious what kibble it's made from when it's in pieces. "Looks like the drones are comin' along nicely there," he adds off-handedly to Jetfire as he starts working.

"Indeed they are. I am still struggling with some of their sub-routines..." Jetfire replies, "But, they are functional enough to follow and protect me at this point. I just need to keep them powered down in quarters..." he chuckles a little bit, "They still think the appropriate response to a door chime is to shoot the door." his attention then turns to Perceptor and nods, "That was a highly unconventional entrance, my friend, what prompted your diversion into extreme sports?"

Perceptor deadpans, "Sky Lynx said he would fly me to these coordinates, but that his time was too valuable to land."

Foxfire's ears twitch as he murmurs, "Typical Sky Lynx."

Sit-Com's TV-watch suddenly starts playing an electronic version of "why do birds suddenly appear"...over and over and over again. He frowns in consternation, tapping at it, then realizing it's playing that one episode of the Simpsons.

Horsepower by this point is surrounded by a ring of parts, several of them off of himself in a way. He picks up two of the panels that make the transport bed of his truck mode, and holds them on top of the portable station as if they were and addition to its work surface. "The station already is collapsible. If Ah rebuild it into my 'backpack' and install the converter, it'll be stowed away nicely in the rear portion of my alternate mode as well." Setting the two panels aside, he pulls out a handheld terminal and punchs a few technical calculations into it.... And notibly his accent isn't quite so thick when he's started talking in-depth technical stuff, too. "Then Ah can just drop it off and unfold it as needed for field repairs or rechargin', and have my stash of armaments at easy reach too."

Jetfire hrrrms a little, watching Horsepower work and nods along with him, "Do you require any assistance with the mounting?" he inquires, before answering Perceptor's deadpanned remark with a grunt and, "The big lug should be down here taking care of business. I'll have to insult his ego a little bit and draw him into the fray." the way he says it indicates it's the kind of thing that the Air Guardian has done before. He glances up as one of the drones makes an odd chirping sound and starts to wander off, it's electrical discharge guns zapping at some unseen assailant, "Not again..." the Scientist laments before heading off after the drone.

Perceptor walks over towards Jetfire and Horsepower, looking over the shoulder at what Horsepower was up to, until he hears the electrical discharge guns of a drone zapping in the distance, and then looks at Sit-Com, realising that he may be in serious trouble at the looped sound, "If you'd like, I can perform a maintenance cycle on your television?" That's nothing to joke about with a Junkion.

Horsepower was about to reply, but he's left with his mouth partway open without getting to say anything as Jetfire runs off after his wayward creation. And finally goes to just rubbing the back of his head for a moment with the hand he was raising to point something out. "Aaaaaaah think Ah'm gonna just stay 'way from complex animatronics fer now," he concludes, and turns back to his own work in process. The other hand sets down the terminal and pulls the energon converter closer so he can pry open a panel and inspect. "Well tarnation, no wonder this thin' was in a pile of scrap parts. Wirin' is more fried than a Decepticon atta Dinobot cookout." Gently for someone with such big hands he pulls out a cluster of wires and circuits. "Hey Perc, wanna give me a hand here? Ya know more 'bout these intricate 'lectronics than Ah do, and this baby's gonna need a new regulator control matrice t'keep it from overloadin' the energon discharge."

Jetfire manages to initiate the override and shutdown the wayward drone, "Hmmph." he mutters, plucking it up and popping the hatch open while he returns to the group, the other drone happily burbling along on it's thruster pods, "Ah, there's the problem." he mutters, adjusting the wires accordingly and smiles, "Perfect, that should put a stop to that nonsense." and - without any regard for testing or the several other Autobots around, he turns the drone back on!

"Yes, please," Sit-Com says, "It seems to be on the blink. I am no longer in control of the horizontal, or the vertical." He holds out his wrist to the Autobot Scientist.

Perceptor puts a hand on the Junkion's wrist, and a piece falls off. Even after all these years, it still surprises him when dealing with Junkion technology. He begins to carefully remove the panel, but the picture and sound seems to have cleared up, since it was no fault of the technology, but the broadcast that had bothered Sit-Com. Placing it back where he found it, he says, "Looks like everything's a-ok." He's trying to talk Junkion, and his accent sounds off from normal. Then, upon hearing of Horsepower's quagmire, he heads over, continuing in a form of triage. "Oh, I wouldn't say that so soon. Let's have a look at the current regulator control matrix. It may be salvageable. In fact, if anyone would know about salvaging components, we are in the presence of a Junkion. However, I believe one of his favourite broadcasts is airing, so let's have a look at that in the meantime, shall we?"

"Salvage, recycling, repairs, you name it I do it," Sit-Com says. He allows Perceptor to check on his arm. He looks over at Jetfire. "At least that drone isn't greased-up deaf guy."

Horsepower chuckles a bit as he passes the cluster of wires and electronics to Perceptor. "Either works for me, buddy. Important part is gettin' it done right. More Ah can do t'help in the field without havin' to be locked down to one camp like this, the better." In the meantime, he goes back to work with the collapsible work station and his removed 'kibble', taking a few extra moments to study just what condenses where when it's folded up so he can work it into his storage pack and vehicle mode appropriately.

Foxfire isn't paying much attention to the conversation. No, he's focused on Jetfire's drone. Turbofox instincts kicking in, he chases it a bit before coming to a stop and pawing at it like a curious cat. Don't mind the weird little foxbot, folks.

The drone burbles to life and goes back to 'orbiting' Jetfire with the other one, "Well, with that taken care of..." he muses, "I find myself at loose ends." he glances around those gathered, his optics flickering for a moment before he peers at the wiring that Perceptor was handed curiously, "Well, it may be badly damaged, but we are far more resourceful than our rock-headed friends across the way, I have little doubt we can repurpose it fully into a functioning unit for our purposes."

One of the two drones zips down and scans Foxfire for a long moment before an oddly synthetic singsongy voice says, "Unit: Foxfire, friendly." and zips away once more.

Perceptor transforms into his microscope mode, and begins examining various components of the regulator, attempting to discern the precise nature of the problem, before hypothesising solutions. It would have been better had Horsepower not removed the device in such a comprehensive and abrasive fashion, but Perceptor does not make a habit of criticising his peers.

Foxfire watches the drone for a moment before giving chase again. "I'm gonna catch you!" he singsongs.

Thanks to the IFF signature, the drone is intelligent enough - with Jetfire's help - to load a training program named 'TAG'. It sing-songs in reply to Foxfire, "This unit will evade, points will be assigned for each successful tag that is made." and then it's off like a rocket, weaving through the various constructions and temporary barracks.

Jetfire merely watches, the other drone floating up around his head quietly humming along, seeming to make some sort of tune though that is surely a coincidence, "What do you see Perceptor? Think we'll have to rebuild that entire component from scratch?"

To Horsepower's credit, the thing was already roughed up when he found it! In fact it looks like most of the damage was done by whatever roughshod manner the original thieves removed the convertor from it's previous ownership, and smashed a portion of the control systems in doing so. Probably just yanked it loose or some other similarly numb-hexnut fashion. There's actually a good chance the matrice could be repaired by someone with the right know-how, Horsepower's specialties just tend to be in the more mechanical than elaborate electronics.

To which is why he gets back to work on the station itself while Perceptor is examining the regulator matrice, removing a few parts here and there and using some of the other scrap he picked up to modify a couple of its components to move the way he wants them to when it compacts to storage mode, so the additional pieces fold appropately to his back unit or the rear of the truck depending on the mode.

The microscope intones, "The damage is not as bad as I had feared. It appears that most of it is exterior, superficial damage, but I believe there has been minimal degredation of the signal through these sections of the regulator. The contents of the third tier tube will have to be replaced, but considering outward appearances, that should prove to be a simple procedure. Jetfire, would you care to do the honours?" His microscope then switches from examining to emitting a light, illuminating the damaged section.

The Air Guardian's wrist ports open, a small portable tool kit extending so that he can draw out the appropriate tools - even as big as he is, Jetfire drops to one knee and leans in, his mask sliding closed so that he can bring up an enhanced visual of the illuminated unit, "I do believe I can do that." there are several cuts made with his laser unit, small grippers pulling the ruined parts out slowly, "Mmm... I will put the ruined components in for recycling, if nothing else the raw materials will have some use, finite as they are." he notes, cleaning out the unit, "It will not likely be pretty, of course. The unit itself will retain the scarring."

Sit-Com follows Foxfire. "Tag? You're it?" he says.

Foxfire keeps chasing the drone. He seems to be having fun. Hey, he deserves to relax everyone once in awhile. "You bet!" he responds to Sit-Com.

The Drone ducks under Jetfire's workbench, leading Foxfire on a merry chase and seemingly staying JUST out of reach, of course with Sit-Com joining in, it has to vary it's algorithm and prepare to react to two pursuers, which makes it a lot more complex and a lot harder for the drone to keep up. It is a Mark 1 after all, Jetfire has a lot of work to do on them yet.

Horsepower glances over at the two scientists, chuckling a bit. "Ah ain't worried about looks, don't matter long as it does what it's suppose to do, right? Ah mean, look at me, lugging' 'round in spikes and chains and all. Or our friend o' junk over there! Besides." He turns back to his own work, opening up the lower portion of the work station that it folds down around. "Ah'm gonna put that converter mostly inside, anyways. It won't collapse much as the other stuff, so Ah gotta make it collapse -around- it instead."

Jetfire's fingers are large but dexterous, and as he plugs the new components into place he uses the laser to seal them into place, working his fingers carefully while Percy lights the way, he lets out a grunt, "That should do..." he pauses, plugging one last wire into place and getting a soft glow from the unit's indicator, "it... all done. This unit is ready to go for you Horsepower... you can plug it back in at your leisure." he smiles and stands up once more, "For now, I need to work on the Mark 2 upgrade for the drone units, now that I have them working at all."

"Much ablidged for the help guys." Horsepower leans over and takes the cluster of components off of Perceptor's tray. "Ah'll reinsert it while Ah'm installin' the generator into the rest of the assembly." He pauses a moment to check the details he'd typed into his terminal, and gets back to work. "Ah reckon Ah can handle the rest from here, y'all go get yer drones workin' before ya actually need 'em in the field."