Scene #9352: The Lair of Behemoths

Owner	Pose
Combaticon	The time Onslaught set to convene for the operation was hours before it actually was marked to begin. At least all six Combaticons had formed a solid point to gather for those invited to join the expedition to Drannith. Some thirty minutes to departure, a massive white Autobot with aircraft wings on his back had joined the group, and some time later, much smaller Combaticon-scaled autobots; In turn, introducing themselves as Jetfire (the huge white one), Hoist (gangly, yellow, with hazard markings), and Perceptor (Red, blue, with a microscope on his shoulder). Closer to departure, Jetfire converts-- assuming the form of a massive high-tech cargo ship. The cargo bay itself is already full of materials he loaded earlier; but passing through there up to the passenger area is straightforward with how well-organized everything is. Brawl has to carry Depthcharge aboard, though the most virulent of the six Decepticons at least doesn't say anything. She just scowls; as if the very idea of using an Autobot for transport is abhorrent. Jetfire is, however, pleasant and polite when he chats over the PA system; ensuring everyone is comfortable and ready before he takes off. "While I speak with General Kudro about establishing trade with Sanctuary," Perceptor's voice is extremely robotic, far more than the other Cybertronians. Like a Speak & Spell with less pauses between words, "Jetfire and Hoist are tasked with assembling a local Space Bridge. This will connect Sanctuary to the warp gate network." "Then we won't have to take such a roundabout way to get there in the future," Jetfire's voice chimes over the PA. Already in-flight, he's passed through two different gates and now cruises comfortably above a sea of bright purple waves. "Vortex and Brawl will be your direct security detail, Perceptor," Onslaught states evenly, "Blastoff and Depthcharge will keep an optic on the settlement at large. Swindle--" "Will establish trade contacts in the marketplace!" the dealer chimes in brightly. Lifting one finger, he wags it while closing one eye and putting on a grin, "After all, I'm the only reason anyone even knows this little planet has an Energon deposit." "... Right," Onslaught turns more towards the other-- decidedly less mechanical-- passengers; "As none of you are assigned to the security detail, you are free to do as you please. I would appreciate any information on local wildlife, in particular the 'behemoths' this Ikoria is known for, their territories, and their movements." "A map of the valley, whether produced from wide area scans or one provided by the garrison, would also be helpful for my own investigation." "Information on any landmarks is also desired. Navigation aids, places or objects of importance, that sort of thing."
Combaticon	"If you're about wrapped up, Onslaught, we've entered airspace over Ikoria just now," Jetfire announces. He banks slightly to give the passenger cabins a good look at the sprawling, verdant jungle below. In the distance, forming an almost impenetrable wall, tall stony mountains. A huge crystal formation made of twisting, glimmering spires towers up above a modest lake. And out near the mountainous rim; something impossibly huge rears its head up to look right at the aircraft. An entire rock formation shifts, shuffles, and stands-- only to turn slightly and flump back down in a cloud of dust. Once that settles-- its head is no longer visible. "And there is our destination!" "Sanctuary." There's a V-shaped cut in the mountain rimwall, a valley formed by escaping water. Nestled in the back is a massive whitewashed stone structure, a great castle wall complete with multiple towers. Despite how incredibly tall the structure is-- resembling, for example, the great smooth concrete face of Hoover Dam-- it is covered in deep gouges and scratch marks all the way up from the dense foliage at ground level to the parapets at the very top.
Regulus	Regulus hasn't met the Combaticons before but she has heard them over the bands and she's curious about lending a hand not because she actually knows or cares about the situation going on with them but because they mentioned something called 'energon' which might be something she can use in her alchemy. Maybe not! she doesn't know what it is. But it's called energon so she figures that sounds promising. She doesn't know what megacycles are so she just sort of guesses and ends up arriving hours before Onslaught's set time which, apparently, is also hours before the actual planned time. Bored, Regulus lies on the floor like a corpse and groans and moans and is complaining 'why did you have us come here hours before you planned to even go...!' and so on until finally some ridiculous giant robot slash cargo ship appears. "Finally! I was afraid I'd pass out and wake up in yet another era with how long that was taking...!" She makes her way in and listens to the comments and the whatnots and it's probably fair to assume she got maybe a third of it but eventually Swindle mentions the energon. "Oh! Yeah I wanted to ask about that. In exchange for helping with whatever you want, may I take a sample of energon so I can study it? My last rad power source got commandeered! So I'm bored out of my gourd without any alchemy or any ship." She isn't sure she actually knows much about local wildlife either, or what to even expect out of that, so it's probably best she ask about her cut now. ''Deep gouges and scratch marks.'' "Looks like Sanctuary is in peril." She murmurs.
Riku Asakura	Riku had only met the Combatacons on the radio, not in person yet, or had gotten to know them. Instead, he's here because he's heard that people need help, and when people need help, Riku comes running. Riku climbs on board Jetfire, the giant Autobot transport, and makes his way to the passenger area. Meanwhile, he gets the lowdown on what is going on here and what is needed. Others have their tasks, but what is needed of them is information. Map data, info on the local wildlife, especially on the Behemoths that are natural to this area of the planet. "Alright, I can do that. Information on the Behemoths, anyway." Riku notices the scratch marks and deep gouges with Regulus. Even while the entire sight of landing is breathtaking, it seems Sanctuary may not be as safe as hoped. "Look at the wall... It's covered in scratches and claw marks. I think they might be in trouble." Riku looks over towards the Combatacons. "What do we know about these Behemoths?"
Star Twinkle	Despite the fact that other autobots are boarding Jetfire and using him as transport, AI frets somewhat about doing the same with the entire spaceship, given that the camper van transformation doesn't have legs either. What the Precures eventually settle for doing is bringing AI in her detached form, a spherical floating drone with a camera lens on fthe front, an antenna on top, and a big pink heart printed on the side. Yuma seems delighted to have another small floating companion along with her, and rubs her own tendrils on either side of AI like she's giving her a hug. But besides those two, the Pretty Cures aren't flying! They're standing on their own two feet, on top of the deck of a ship that might be standing on his own two feet too! Completely unsure of what to expect on the other side, the girls have come prepared for adventure: Hikaru with overalls and a safari hat corded below her chin, and Lala with puffy skorts and silly little elbow and knee pads in bright colors. "After all, I'm the only reason anyone even knows this little planet has an Energon deposit." "Yahh--! Good job, Swindle!!" Hikaru's main experience with energon is that she has eaten it once and that was awesome, so she's psyched to give Swindle a hi-five for his good work. "Energon... I wonder if the people living here know it's there, lun?" Lala murmurs thoughtfully, glued to the windows to watch the environment roll by below with fascination. "Will we have to dig it up?" "As none of you are assigned to the security detail, you are free to do as you please." "Of course. If you believe it would be helpful, then I can take a scan of the forest below, though there would be some delay in relay communications between my drone and core processing unit. Miss Lala?" Still getting used to AI's occasional displays of autonomy, Lala startles and then nods, tapping the heart on the drone's side with an antennae bulb. "Lun! That sounds helpful!" "And there is our destination!" "Woah?? Huh???? Big monster?! What was that? Is that mountain alive? Are we gonna go meet it?" "In exchange for helping with whatever you want, may I take a sample of energon so I can study it?" While Hikaru is frantically zipping around to get a better look at the moving mountain, Lala senses a fellow Scientist in Regulus. Excited by the chance to explain something, she holds up one hand and puts the other on her hip. "Energon is really cool, lun. It breaks apart into littler squares made out of big squares-- that's called cleavage-- and it's got energy that plants and people can eat too. I didn't eat any but Hikaru said that they tasted a lot like if cosmo gummies were fizzy."
Calvin Nash	Jetfire, Hoist, Perceptor... "Chevalier Calvin Nash, Commonwealth Paladins." He's here in his Demon Marshal uniform, having arrived in a white light pickup truck with the inverted-pentagram livery of the Marshals on its doors and a light bar across the top of the cab. The truck is presently stored as information on his COMP, to free up cargo space for Jetfire. He offers the robots, Autobot and Decepticon alike, a handshake each despite the difference in size between them--with the exception of Jetfire, who, owing to being a plane, receives a tip of his uniform's wide-brimmed hat. "How y'all doin." The mission briefing The passenger cabin "I reckon I can help with just about all of what you're askin', Onslaught," nods Calvin with a businesslike frown, arms crossed. "One way or 'nother. I'll fill where I'm needed, and if there ain't no preference, I'll get you the info on them behemoths. Big, dangerous sumbitches're kinda my wheelhouse." That is debatably true, but he'll present only the most flattering aspects now and deal with shortcomings only when they're a huge problem; chiefly, by downplaying them even as they collapse around him. Information on the Behemoths, anyway. "Good deal," says Calvin, all but certain of the viability of this plan without much reason to be. "Riku, right? I seen you in Sotenbori that one time. Tell you what, they get ornery, you can wrangle 'em and I'll scan 'em." He pats the bulky COMP on his wrist, a thing of 90s-tech in its silhouette and of scavenged, hammered metal in its composition. "That must be one of 'em right there," he says with a nod towards the window. "Guess the name fits. Damn, lookit all the dust he kicked up just lyin' down." Sanctuary. Looks like Sanctuary is in peril. "Fort town," Calvin agree-opines with Regulus. "What's in that valley wants out. Easy to see why. Might be big to us, but it's a lot smaller to them. Lot more crowded. More competition. Yep," he says, like a plumber surveying and summarizing a pipework conundrum, "Keepin' all that in's a full time job." Hikaru and Lala's presence, generally "Girls, y'all make sure you stay hydrated, now, you hear? And stay in contact on the radio."
Combaticon	Each time Regulus complained, Onslaught responded in the exact same tone: "So we are not late." He is evidently a practitioner of 'Early is on time, on time is late'. Military guys, what can you do? > "I wanted to ask about that. In exchange for helping..." "I don't mind one bit," Swindle shrugs with his eyes closed, "Think of it like food for us robots. While we value it, it's pretty plentiful. I got some refined Energon right here, even. If you wanna mess with it raw, you'll have to wait until the deposit is surveyed." While Lala explains what she learned about Energon from Brawl back on the Pikmin adventure, Swindle pulls a cube out of his stomach-drawer. Giving it a twist, he breaks it on the fracture plane and holds a piece out for Regulus. > "Will we have to dig it up?" "Oh, Primus, no," Swindle holds up his free hand, palm out towards Lala, "Mining for raw Energon is extremely dangerous; especially if it's already crystallized. If it gets unstable, raw crystalline Energon could even explode! There's specialist 'bots back on Cybertron who will handle that part, and the refinement besides." > "What do we know about these Behemoths?" "Only that this valley is the only location on this planet that has them," Onslaught admits, "Sanctuary acts as a gate, preventing them from getting out and causing chaos in the rest of the world. We will have to get more details from the local garrison." Calvin fills in some observations on Sanctuary's role and how difficult it must be; and so surely Cybertron with its million-years civil war history has some goods that the defenders could make use of. > "...though there would be some delay in relay communications..." "Leave that to us!" Hoist, previously silent, raises a hand to tap his chestplate with his thumb, "One the space bridge is operational, we can bring your main body through without a problem!" "If I can fit, anyone can! Jetfire adds with a laugh over the PA, "Alright, strap in. I'm bringing us in for a landing."
Combaticon	Jetfire land vertically on top of the castle city's main keep; disembarking is pretty straightforward as well, and the crew is met with an entourage of men and women in black and white uniforms. The overall vibe is fantasy-medieval. Heavy metal armor and all manner of sharp implements seemingly varied to the wielder's preference. At the group's head is a squat heavy-looking man with a full beard and absolutely no hair, clad in copper-lined steel armor and quilted gambeson. Beside him; a willowy tall woman in a similar getup, an absolute rail compared to the heavyset guy next to her. The long pointed ears indicate she's an elf, not human. "General Kudro," Perceptor holds his hands out as he approaches, Captain Capashen. Thank you for receiving us personally." Despite the utter monotone of his Speak&Spell voice, Perceptor manages to make that sound warm. "I've eagerly awaited your arrival, Perceptor," The older man reaches out, taking Perceptor's in his and giving it a firm shake. Perhaps a little too firm, by the slight crunkle sound and the wirey science'bot's expression. "I imagine you're eager to get right down to business. My second, Captain Danitha Capashen, will handle that. She's a much stronger head for the politics than I do." "Once our talks are concluded, I will happily give you a tour of our city," The elf states with a little nod, "Your entourage will have to wait; or explore on their own." Groups shear off the main team here; Hoist and Jetfire relocate to a lower pavilion to assemble the Space Bridge using the components Jetfire carried all the way out here. Vortex and Brawl accompany Perceptor, Danitha, and a handful of Coppercoat guards into the main keep to do their political thing. General Kudro is, however, still here with some of his own Coppercoats. "Now then--" the general starts, stroking his beard, "I admit this life isn't one that gets a lot of practice entertaining guests. How can I play host to you lot in the meantime? Food, drink, entertainment?" He casts an eye at the two young girls in the group, pausing, "No liquor, of course."
Combaticon	This is also where the Combaticons scatter. Not only have Vortex and Brawl departed; Blastoff leaps up and transforms-- converting into a fighter jet and soaring off into the sky. Eager to fly on his own rather than be someone else's passenger. Depthcharge is a lot less dramatic, closing her eyes and waving off Kudro's invitations. She instead hops off the parapet and drifts down to street level, committing to the security detail duty she was assigned. And Swindle-- well, he tips a two-fingered salute to Kudro, "I'll take you up on it another time, that's a promise! For now, I've got business of my own to handle." He also departs, similar to Depthcharge, though goes off in an entirely different direction into town. This leaves only Onslaught with those who opted to join him, his arms folded behind his back just beneath his cannons, "I do have some research to conduct while I am here, if you would direct me to your archives," is all he requests of Kudro, "And I request that you attend to any queries from my colleagues, as well."
Riku Asakura	'Riku, right? I seen you in Sotenbori that one time. Tell you what, they get ornery, you can wrangle 'em and I'll scan 'em.' "Oh, right, yeah. Sorry, we didn't get to meet outside of work!" Riku says and makes a small bow to Calvin. "That sounds like a plan to me. I'll pin them down for you, and you can scan them with your uh..." he looks at the device on his arm. "Wrist computer..." he says, not sure what to call the old-looking device. Riku would have just used an app on his mobile device. Upon landing and meeting the locals, Riku nods his head to what people are saying without really having a clue about what is being said in the political sense. It's just important to acknowledge that you're being talked to and are listening. "Nice to meet you, General Kudro and Captain Capashen. I'm Riku Asakura. I'm here to help out as much as needed," he says with an excitable energy. Others will handle the political stuff; he's going to handle the rough stuff. Which is being entertained by the General. "Well, I was curious about the Behemoths and what they're about, I guess. We're curious about them and how they live."
Regulus	Regulus may not be planning on bringing back a weapon into the Foundation but she might be intending to bring back this 'highly unstable raw material back'. "Oh sure a bit of both makes sense. It'd be good for comparing!" It doesn't seem like the Combaticons care and so Regulus also doesn't really think much of it. She gives Calvin a nod. Fort town. She gets the deal with that but is quickly distracted by Lala! "People can ''eat'' the energon?" She hears how it tastes. "Oh wow I gotta try eating some too. So that's three pieces total at least..." She's really being convinced to push up her paycheck here. "I never heard of such a varied energy source like this before." She admits. "Have you tried using it to power anything yet?" Presumably she means anything besides Hikaru's stomach. "Is it a stable output or variable?" ''Girls, y'all make sure you stay hydrated, now, you hear?'' Regulus reaches into her bag and draws out a bottle of Dr. Pepper. "Don't worry I brought drinks!" ''General Kudro'' Regulus whistles and looks away like she expects to get in trouble with General Kudro despite not meeting them before or anything. She doesn't exactly have the best track record with authority in general, though the promise of the cosmic fizzy gummy energon is enough to keep her from being sassy about it. And she's not being actively annoyed by them just yet either. It sounds like they'll have some time to explore so she looks to Lala and by proxy HIkaru. "So how bout it, do you want to explore or party?"
Calvin Nash	Don't worry I brought drinks! "That got caffeine in it? Careful with that. Out on a hike, that'll take the water out of you like shit through a goose." Calvin seems to get a kick out of Riku's uncertainty of nomenclature. "Computer and compendium. COMP for short," he advises. Calvin nods at Kudro and Capashen. Your entourage will have to wait; or explore on their own. "That's the plan," nods Calvin. "Y'all take care." No liquor, of course. "Course," Calvin agrees with a firm, curt nod. "Chevalier Calvin Nash. Nice to meetcha, General. Be happy to grab a bite, and I bet people in a place like this'd know how to eat. Can't stay long, though. Got a busy day ahead of us." We're curious about them and how they live. "Saw one on the way in," affirms Calvin with a double-point of his right index in Riku's direction. "Me 'n Riku here, we're plannin' to get a lot closer to 'em, sooner than later. I can take a scan with my COMP, here," he says, patting the bulky computer with his left hand. "But it'd help to know what's already known."
Star Twinkle	"Girls, y'all make sure you stay hydrated, now, you hear?" "Hmm? Yeah!!" Hikaru looks a little confused at being told this at first, but then her expression brightens. She excitedly swivels around to show off the kind of gear you'd expect to be a crude 3D model of something you can buy online after seeing it in the show, a brightly colored backpack-like thing with some extendable silly straws coming out of it and a big water droplet symbol. "I got this from a friend on planet Desertrian!" "Mining for raw Energon is extremely dangerous; especially if it's already crystallized. If it gets unstable, raw crystalline Energon could even explode!" "O-oyo...." Lala's face pales, taken aback with her antennae curling up. "Th-then we'll be careful, lun!" "Sanctuary acts as a gate, preventing them from getting out and causing chaos in the rest of the world." "Ohh, so they're protectors... that's why it's all scratched up." Hikaru reassesses the fort with renewed respect and interest, while Lala nods pensively. "They must fight really hard if the monsters are that big, lun." "If I can fit, anyone can!" Speaking of big, Hikaru finally gets to meet someone who's many meters tall!! She has several questions about this, as expected, while clambering around the internals of the ship like she's an Autobot-Osmosis-Jones. "Hey, hey, why did you choose to be this big? Is it hard getting around places if they're sized for smaller people? Are most of your friends super big too or are they mostly small?" "I've eagerly awaited your arrival, Perceptor," "Hi! I'm Hikaru Hoshina! I love stars and constellations! Your planet's really pretty. Do you fight the behemoths a lot? Are there behemoths that are nice?" Lala follows her up with an introduction of her own, while curiously leaning this way and that to look around every bit of the city she can see. "I'm Lala Hagoromo, lun. Actually," In reference to the alcohol, "I'm an adult on my planet. ...But I don't want alcohol, lun." "Wrist computer..." When Riku points it out, Lala wanders over to peek at Calvin's wrist device too, holding up her own glove with an electronic display on it. AI comes hovering over in tandem. "Oyo? Is COMP a type of AI too?"
Star Twinkle	"Don't worry I brought drinks!" Despite her very handy backpack, Hikaru is delighted to be given a suprise sweet treat gift. "Soda!!" She makes grabby hands at it, and then pops it open with an index finger and a sigh like an overworked businessman. "So how bout it, do you want to explore or party?" "Well..." Lala looks around with a thoughtful little frown. "I want to see more lun, but... the best way to learn about somewhere is to talk to people, isn't it? But exploring on our own would be fun too..."
Combaticon	> "Hey, hey, why did you choose to be this big?" "Hmm?" Jetfire is in the process of unloading equipment from himself with Hoist's help (as a mobile crane), when Hikaru asks about his size. While he gets back to work, he talks without interruption, "I decided that I could best leverage my talents by not reformatting my robot mode's size when everyone else did. I've always been rather large compared to my fellow Autobots." With a little laugh, he adds, "I don't have the best fuel economy, though." "Archives? Certainly." General Kudro glances aside at one of the guards with him, gesturing. The young man steps out of formation and, after a brief exchange of looks with Onslaught, leads the Combaticon commander into the depths of the keep itself. > "Chevalier Calvin Nash. Nice to meetcha, General." The general laughs, "Fighting off monsters is hard work. Your instincts are right on point; the best cuisine on the continent can be found right here. I treat my men to the best, because they risk everything every day." > "Well, I was curious about the Behemoths..." > "Saw one on the way in." > "Do you fight the behemoths a lot? Are there behemoths that are nice?" "Hmmm... So you want to know more about those beasts..." Kudro strokes his beard again, "My scouts should be returning soon. Let's relocate to the tracking station. This way, come, come," As he turns to enter the keep, he raises one hand and beckons to be followed. His Coppercoat guards don't miss a step, with one already getting the door for him. It's-- well, a castle. A good bit cooler inside, nice and comfortable compared to the outdoor jungle heat, winding stairs down into the heart of the keep itself with well-lit corridors and side rooms. One of the spaces he leads people past clearly has Perceptor and Danitha inside; the robot's voice is as clear as Brawl standing guard outside the door she clearly couldn't fit through. "I've been running Sanctuary for thirty years," Kudro explains on the walk, "And it's been running another sixty before then. Some time before that is when the Ozolith descended and this valley was created. You saw on your way in; this valley is an immense impact crater. When the Ozolith's energies started mutating the animals around it, that wound up being something of a blessing." Another coppercoat guard pushes open a large set of doors; this space looks like how one might imagine a war room. It's a big space with lots of books on shelves, lots of figures and diagrams; dominated by a huge table in the center that is itself covered by a detailed map of what must be the crater-valley of Ikoria. Carved wooden figures of monstrous creatures are scattered around it. "When those mutated creatures started getting out-- getting meaner-- getting bigger-- a solution was needed. Sanctuary is that solution. I'm sure you already figured that out, but the context probably helps." Settling down at the head of the map table, Kudro, strokes his beard again, considering the widely dispersed figurines in front of him, "Of course, the behemoths are still here. Still getting bigger. Still getting meaner. I'm hoping trade with Cybertron will give us the edge we need to keep this going." "General," Another coppercoat, his jacket markings slightly different and suggesting he's a bit higher in the ranks than the regular guards, steps forward. "Go ahead, Chevill. These people are curious about the Behemoths, too."
Combaticon	The soldier nods, colleting one of the little pusher-sticks that warroom tables always have. Using it, he points; "Titanoth is still asleep near the western range. Our guests' arrival disturbed it, but thankfully it went back to sleep." The figure resembles a heavyset dinosaur covered in thick spines, though it's unpainted, it still looks like a mountain just stood up. He shifts, pointing at another cat-like figurine with multiple sets of horns, "Snapdax was sighted entering the area. Our teams didn't pursue it beyond the edge of Titanoth's territory." Kudro nods, gesturing. Chevill continues, "Kogla picked a fight with Nephroi." He moves a fierce gorilla-like figure near another that resembles a many-legged goat surrounded by smoke, "Nethroi has yet to resurface. For now, it seems to be lurking in the great bayou." Leaning back, Chevill sets the stick down, "Obosh, Lutri, Yidaro, and Keruga are all confirmed in their own ranges, and Zirda reappeared in the salt flats. That's all I have to report, General." "Thank you," General Kudro gestures to the table, "The great majority of these behemoths are little more than beasts. Some; Yidaro, Zirda, Keruga, Jegantha; have shown benevolence or even kindness." Clasping his hands, Kudro leans his chin on them, "Others-- Snapdax, Nethroi, Lurrus, Obosh-- I can interpret nothing but malice from their actions. Such creatures would be an incredible calamity should they escape this valley. It is our duty to track their movements and, should they make a run at Sanctuary...eh... 'change their mind', you could say."
Regulus	''Soda!!'' "Soda!!" Regulus loves Dr. Pepper but she delights in Hikaru's excitement even more and just lets her have it. She thinks she and Hikaru might have similar tastes in food and drink but she's not going to interrogate that at all. ''Out on a hike, that'll take the water out of you like shit through a goose.'' Regulus grimaces more at the idiom than the warning. "It's okay it hasn't stopped me yet." Well actually it probably has stopped Regulus before but she just didn't connect it to her soda fixation. She seems to have a lot of energy that gets her through her horrible nutrition. ''I don't have the best fuel economy, though.'' "So you consume more 'energon' than others of your people?" Regulus asks. "I suppose if everyone else is using less of it there's plenty to go around. How fast does energon... grow? Appear?" ''I want to see more lun, but... the best way to learn about somewhere is to talk to people, isn't it?'' "True! So I guess we can do both. It sounds like we have plenty of time." ''Ozolith's energies.'' "Sorry maybe I missed this one, but what's the Ozolith? Does it use energon too and it just spilled out or is it an entirely different sort of energy structure?" "So... some are beasts but some are ''evil''? They're the natural inhabitants even if they're mutated, right? Maybe they see you as infringing on their territory?"
Riku Asakura	'Computer and compendium. COMP for short,' "That's really cool. It's larger than my smartphone, but I like how it sits on your wrist," Riku says to Calvin, nodding and looking over the device if offered. Though Lala is probably far more interested in it than he is. She is already asking if it's a type of AI. Whereas he was comparing it to a smartphone. 'Others-- Snapdax, Nethroi, Lurrus, Obosh-- I can interpret nothing but malice from their actions.' "Is it possible to stop them for good? Or do others show up in their place? Back home, when giant monsters attack, sometimes you have to stop them from coming back permanently, especially when they attack cities. Sometimes they can be calmed down and returned to their natural habitat." "But if it's as you say that they're nothing but malice..." he says, frowning. He normally wouldn't be gun-ho about destroying any creature, but he values the lives of others. "Is containment the solution you have achieved here?" He asks, wondering if such a thing is truly possible.
Calvin Nash	Is COMP a type of AI too? "No ma'am," says Calvin, a lot less down-to-business for Lala's sake. "It isn't. What it is, is a map, a real big backpack, a camera, a... messenger, and a guidebook for our world that every Marshal has a hand in," he says, opening the COMP and pulling up an entry he figures Lala will like with a few rapid keystrokes. The tough greenscale screen pulls up a softly flickering compendium entry. In a way, Riku is right, it's like someone independently invented the idea of a smartphone--with a few things that smartphones don't usually do, such as summon demons. Cait Sith Fairy Its name means 'fairy cat,' and it appears frequently in Scottish and Irish legends. It can walk on two legs without making a sound, as well as speak in human language. Said to travel back and forth between the cat kingdom and the human world. Null:Expel Displayed in greenscale to the right of the entry is a grinning cat that walks on two legs, in extravagant riding boots, a matching feathered cap and cloak, holding a cat-sized cavalry saber high. "It's also a... bridge, between the world of stories, and the human world. Lets fellas like him," he says, poking at the image of Cait Sith on the screen with his index, "Stick around with less effort. I got a few in mine, but, uh..." He clears his throat. "I dunno if you'd get along with 'em, 'cept for one, and they're kinda scary-lookin'." The one demon he has right now that isn't in some way related to death is currently his prisoner and so ideologically opposed to him that summoning him for less than a life-or-death situation would be wasteful and dangerous. Calvin decides he doesn't want to think about that, and so he doesn't. He closes the COMP. "Anyway." It's just in time to be ushered to the tracking station, which is fine by Calvin. This jungle is a good deal hotter and than post-ICBM Georgia, and more humid besides. He fans himself with his hat, before planting it squarely back on his head. The war room of sorts--this is a familiar environment in an unfamiliar context. It reminds him a little of the Marshal HQ on Ossabaw Island back home, especially with the effort that's being made to coordinate disparate information and act decisively on it. "That one," he says, pointing at Titanoth. "That's the one we saw, mm-hm." Calvin makes a note to remember it. It is our duty to track their movements and, should they make a run at Sanctuary...eh... 'change their mind', you could say. "Copy," says Calvin. "For somethin' that big, I'd have to pack a lunch. But I read you." 'Benevolence and kindness' are of interest to Calvin, and he ponders this over a few quiet moments, hand on his chin. "How smart are they, wouldja say, General? Figured I'd ask, since you said a few of 'em were decent, for giant monsters."
Star Twinkle	"What it is, is a map, a real big backpack, a camera, a... messenger, and a guidebook for our world that every Marshal has a hand in," "Ohh, so it's like AI, but without an AI to help you use it." Lala nods, very willing to understand this idea after her time on Earth-- Hikaru might only use a flip phone, but there's normal computers and stuff that she's had to interact with. AI, in drone form, bobs up and down in the air. "On Samaan, children are assigned personal AI before birth so that they can learn the tools to engage with society fluidly during periods of highest brain plasticity." "Lun. Does it take a long time to learn to use the COMP without help?"} "I dunno if you'd get along with 'em, 'cept for one, and they're kinda scary-lookin'." "Huh?? Who? I wanna see! We won't be scared, right, Lala?" Hikaru beelines towards Calvin at the display of a weird little monster, and Lala bounces off of her energy to nod in agreement as well. "I've never seen a real Cait Sith before! Do you have a yeti in there?" "When those mutated creatures started getting out-- getting meaner-- getting bigger-- a solution was needed." Lala's eyes flicker down, suddenly a little somber as Kudro explains. Hikaru catches on as well before she says anything, pressing her lips together and crossing her arms. "So... they're dangerous because they're hurting, lun. That's really pitiable..." "Can the-- the Ozolith be fixed? Or is there a way to reverse the mutations somehow?" "Obosh, Lutri, Yidaro, and Keruga are all confirmed in their own ranges, and Zirda reappeared in the salt flats." "Wow... they're all so cool...." Hikaru's eyes sparkle again as she gets to indulge in the report of all the weird fucked up kinds of monsters, instead of thinking about their origins or danger. "Maybe we should meet some of the nice ones first! If we show that we're friendly, maybe they'll be willing to help!"
Combaticon	> "Sorry maybe I missed this one, but what's the Ozolith?" "This is the Ozolith," Chevill uses the stick from earlier to point across the table; in the very center of the map, also carved from wood, is a great crystalline structure with several thin spires, all reaching upward while twisting around one another. It is in fact the same great crystal formation seen from Jetfire on the way in, Vadrok considers it part of its territory, so we haven't had a chance to study it very closely. What we do know is that it gives off some manner of magical 'radiation', of sorts, which has had a rather dramatic impact on the wildlife in the valley. It's not Energon, as far as I know, but I don't think it's a reliable energy source either." "Even small creatures are twisted, warped, or mashed together in unpredictable ways. The average tigorilla is easy to deal with compared to the likes of Kogla or Snapdax." > "Is containment the solution you have achieved here?" "Containment is what we've managed so far. We lack the, ah... firepower, to put it bluntly, to make an earnest go at killing any Behemoth, to say nothing of the especially huge or vicious ones." Once again, a reference to Kudro's interest in working with Cybertron. It's pretty clear he's after bigger and badder weapons. > "That one. That's the one we saw, mm-hm." "Titanoth is a real piece of work," Chevill grumbles, "If I were to ascribe a human personality to it, I would go with 'ornery'. Its territory isn't a set region like the others. It considers the whole valley its territory, but only really gets up when something intrudes past a certain radius around itself." > "How smart are they, wouldja say, General?" Kudro strokes his beard in thought, considering Calvin's question, "Tough to say. I'd like to claim I had a conversation with Zirda, but that giant fox never spoke a word out loud." Lifting his gaze, he nods, "I'd say even the more beastly ones still have their own sort of intellect; same as any hound or hippogryff." > "So... they're dangerous because they're hurting, lun. That's really pitiable..." > "Can the-- the Ozolith be fixed? Or is there a way to reverse the mutations somehow?" "Ahh, you two are really quite kind, aren't you?" Kudro exhales, rubbing his face, "Near as we've been able to figure out, there's no way to reverse what the Ozolith has done. We've considered destroying it or draining its energies, but Vadrok won't let us get close enough to even try." > "Wow... They're all so cool... Maybe we should meet some of the nice ones first! If we show that we're friendly, maybe they'll be willing to help!" Kudro and Chevill both pause, glancing at one another while Hikaru admires the immaculately carved wooden figurines of assorted giant monsters. The younger man clears his throat while the other rubs at his beard again, his eyes going back to the figures on the table, "The salt flats, you said? Keep a team on Zirda. If she comes this way past Gemrazor's den, maybe we take an opportunity to pay her a visit. If nothing else--" He gestures, eyes closed, "We can show these fine people one of the more affable behemoths of Ikoria." "Right away, General." MEANWHILE-- Out on the pavilion, Hoist and Jetfire have completed assembly of the space bridge. A big U-shaped frame energizes, producing the bright blue energized portal between the upraised forks. Tapping the side of his helmet, Hoist opens a commlink to Lala's AI, "Alright! The space bridge is active. I'm sending the destination code to you now, it's safe to move through whenever you're ready."
Regulus	Regulus frowns at the crysalline structure. Magical 'radiation' doesn't sound pleasant, even for someone who protects herself and fights with light (lower case). "Is it actually safe to be here without protection if it's mutating stuff?" Maybe it's not affecting the Cybertronians but she's just a human with human flesh and bits! She worries what it'd do to APPLe! Though she didn't bring APPLe along today. ''If we show that we're friednly, maybe they'll be willing to help!'' "Hey that's not a bad idea." Regulus, who doesn't really want to put down behemoths in general if she can help it, or generally be in range ofe a behemoth. She's fine with observing behemoths from a distance thank you very much. She looks at Kudro and Chevill and then adds, "Well they didn't say it's impossible so maybe it'll work out." She is ALSO pretty interested in the COMP but if she tries to pull her mind in another direction she's pretty sure she'll melt even without the radiation. One thing at a time, Regulus! The multiverse isn't going anywhere! Probably.