Two times Three

Rome, Italy

Onetime capital of the Roman Empire, Rome still has vestiges of its former glory in such structures as the ruins of the Colosseum and the present-day Vatican. The weather here is typically beautiful, making it a lovely place to stay for a week or so on vacation.

Contents:

Astrotrain

Astrotrain is in Rome! Or rather, he just arrived in Rome. It's nighttime right now, and most of the squishies are asleep, thus he was actually able to come in relatively unnoticed amongst the city and, no less, land in the middle of the ancient Colosseum as he took stock of his surroundings. Why has he chosen this location in particular to meet up? Probably coincidence really...as that's usually how things fall into place around Astrotrain. Right now, as he waits for his 'charge' he is currently looking out over the city's illuminated skylight, his rifle currently balanced on one shoulder with the barrel pointing towards the sky.

A star falls from the heavens above... one moment it was still, the next it begins to arch across the sky and grow larger... The light of it fades and it changes course as it descends. A transformation sound in the dark sky above and then the Decepticon robot Fragment lowers into sight into the colosseum. His purple optics the only thing illuminated on him.

Astrotrain takes half a step back as the 'falling star' descends towards his position. As an interstellar cargo hauler of sorts he's well aware of how fast re-entry can sometimes bring them to a position, aid it doesn't take long before he has his...'student' standing before him. A moment of silence follows as he studies this figure before him. "...hrnn. Alright let's get something straight!" he raises a finger as if to emphasize his words, "You ain't a triplechanger yet!"
 * Crickets chirp*

Fragment can only look up to his mentor, literally, as Astrotrain lays down the law. "Yessir." It is true, strangely enough his duties have yet to call for him to take on his third mode, the one for Earth disguise. So technically, he isn't a triple changer yet. Semantics. The Spaceball-helmed Not-Quite-Tripled Decepticon remains still and silent. Astrotrain indeed looks down at the smaller figure as he responds, his optics narrowed slightly as he digests the answer.

"Yessir? That's it? Yessir?" A pause follows as he straightens up and places his hand to his forehead. "Geez, what'd they do recycle a fraggin drone core and put it inside a body with three modes?" He gives an overdramatic sigh, looking upwards as if imploring the heavens for some sort of explanation. "...awright, this is gonna be a long night. Whaddaya do? I mean, what do you -do- normally. No doubt you're well aware that I'm the premiere form of interstellar transporation for the Decepticons when I'm not already kicking aft! Sometimes I'm nice enough to let Blitzwing come along too."

Fragment hesitates, not wanting to be 'typecast' back into the old job he has moved up from. And Astrotrain provides a good starting point. "While I cannot alone hop between star systems as you can, my range allows me to travel within them individually. Asteroid fields are my playground. I blend in with the drab rocks as well as the stale metal of our world. I am a student of martial arts, mastering my nunchaku. My phase cannon pierces beneath the armor of my enemies. My legs brought the Decepticon empire a medal at the last olympics in the foot race where otherwise we'd have gone embarrassingly without. I'm a working grunt warrior. Decepticon soldier for life."

"Working grunt warrior?" Astrotrain recoils a bit as if he had just heard a dirty word that offended him. "Gyah! I'll tell ya what a working grunt warrior is. A seeker, that's what!" He leans forward and elbows the smaller Decepticon none-too-gently, "And you don't -ever- wanna be lumped in with that lot. You're gonna have three modes, that's supposed to make you special! See we're supposed to be the extra uber types in this army." He straightens up and makes a dramatic motion to the skyline of the city. "Ya get others that are trapped in a mode or so, or freaks that try to turn into six different forms that look like a lego explosion. But noo, triplechangers got extra -and- make it look good. So let's see what that third mode of yours is!"

Fragment optic-brow arches... apparently Astrotrains expectations are very high. This may disappoint, but an order is an order... Fragment transforms...

A rapid transformation brings about the drab grey hovercar before you now.

Drab Grey Hovercar goes from out of this world yet drab looking Decepticon robot to a drab Terran hovercar you'd see any typical family or otherwise boring individual driving around in.

Astrotrain's expectations are probably so lofty not even Trypticon could reach up and touch them, though that could be difficult anyway due to his tiny arms but hey. As the hovercar takes form before him, Astrotrain can only stare for a few seconds, his mouth open a bit. "..." He visibly shakes his head before straightening up, rubbing at his chin slowly, "...alright, alright we can work with this." He turns to look back at the city again. "Tell me you can at -least- make a bit of chaos with the squishies or the Autobots when it comes down to it, right?"

Drab Grey Hovercar hrms, "I had a more low-key outook when selecting this form from those available... Saving it for disguise. The Autobots and germs have only known me in my other forms. But I suppose I can run down a squishy rather anonymously in this mode... Where's a Witwicky when you need one?" He drives around the bowl that is the colosseum interior. Nothing but spooked stray cats.

Astrotrain may not be the swiftest brick in the pile, but he's not a total idiot. And at the mention of Fragment being able to be anonymous, he taps his chin just a bit more in thought. "Yeah well there's usually this theme with triplechangers, we're usually big and loud and good at wreckin stuff. Heck even freaky Octane can smash through things when he's a truck..." He trails off again in thought. "...what're you like for sneakin and stealin stuff?"

Drab Grey Hovercar transforms into his ship mode, not wanting to remain as the drab mobile if he can help it. Green energy glows within his thrusters. His grey metal has a refractive shine that splits light into seperate colours giving him a cool hue. "I'm no expert. But if there are a pair of hands to pinch something, I can make off with it one way or another. Slip into traffic or race into space."

A rapid transformation brings about the peculiar grey spaceship before you now.

"Oh -reaallly-." Astrotrain says at that, an evil glint coming across his optics. The gears are turning in his head, even if not at the quickest pace. Oh yeah, he's going to have all KINDS of ideas to put this little guy through that are going to show why he's such a bad, bad influence. "Alright then! I'm gonna come up with some proper hazi..uh, initia...uh...tests of your skill in the next day or so. In the meantime, I want you to find somewhere with the highest grade energon you can find and steal us enough to have a kegge...to properly swear in your knew triplechanger-ship!"

Spaceship Fragment's inner cockpit instrument panel enigmatically flickers different colors under the tint of the window. "Ceremonial calibur energon. Fine. You can count on me." He grunts.

"And none of that cheapo stuff from Blackrock industries either!" Astrotrain adds for good measure. "They make ya think it's high-grade but I know they water the stuff down!" Satisfied, he takes half a step back. Oh yes, he has pondering to do. Oh yes.