COMPLETE Chapter 13: Abyss

Scene 1:   Gridmaster will receive a call from a blocked number on her communicator.   ST: Gridmaster? Is that you? It's Tacker.   ST: If your old mech can ask of you a favor... well, I need to. I'm sure you recall our acquaintances in Sin City? There's been some trouble.   ST: One of the regulars at the Citadel's gone missing. Normally, I'd go and look for them, but the Millennium have been stepping up their patrols in the area, and there's a lot of wounded here. I need to stay where I am to treat them. The ELF have other priorities right now, so they can't spare anyone else. That's why I'm calling you.   ST: Primus bless you. Feel free to bring anyone you like along, but if you bring any of those Autobot friends of yours... we'll have to keep this off the books. I think you're keeping decent company. But the brass here won't take kindly to Autobot intervention. Come by Las Vegas, and I'll give you the rest of the details you'll need.   Scene 2 (In Las Vegas, at the Citadel):   Miko: Well, I'd ask you the password, but I know Tacker's waiting on you inside. Come in.   The doors open.   Miko: Y'know, Tacker, you never told me you had a big family.   ST: It's complicated, to say the least. I love my work for the ELF, but it has come with some... sacrifices.   ST: Anyway, Gridmaster! And friends! Good to see you! Let me bring you up to speed.   Miko: And I can help!   ST: There's a youngster who spends most of his time here-- a little mech named Rubble. Medium in size, with such a wonderful little smile. He's good-natured kid with special needs. He doesn't speak Cybertronian very well, and he has social anxiety that makes him very frightened of new people.   Miko: He needs a gentle touch. I think he must have lost his parents early on, he can't remember anything about them, and hardly anything about himself. We care about him a lot here.   ST: Like I mentioned on the call, the Millennium has been on the warpath lately. They say they're preparing for a crusade to avenge their fallen leader. Personally, anything they say makes me squirm. They've misinterpreted the word of Primus. It's a sham. But I digress. They rounded up a group of refugees in the city yesterday, giving them the choice to convert or die. I was able to intervene and scare them off, but in the fight a number of ours were injured.   Miko: You did your best. Don't feel down. Nobody died.   ST: It's true. And everyone is recovering well. But Rubble was among the hostages, and during the fight, he ran away. I don't blame him for being scared. But it's especially dangerous out there, with the Millennium out in force. I need to stay here. But you can go look for him. And luckily, I'm pretty certain of where he's gone off to.   Miko: There's a junkyard on the south part of town, A1 Auto Parts and Wrecking. It's where we found him to start with. It's his favorite little hiding-place.   ST: I don't believe in gambling, but I'd bet plenty of shanix that he's there, tucked away in his little minivan fort. Or some other corner. Could you and your friends go check for him there? And, if possible, bring him back here? That second part is going to be more difficult, I imagine.   ST: I can't pay you directly, but I might be able to arrange compensation of a sort. It'll have to be under-the-table, though.   Scene 3 (At A1 Auto Parts and Wrecking):   The party will be instructed to arrive at night-time, since this will avoid human activity within the junkyard. The yard has overhead spotlights, but these are turned off. They can be accessed by breaking in to the storefront with a NMA.   Inside the storefront, there are several posters asking for the location of a lost child, with a DC 10 Knowledge/Local check will reveal to be "Kicker Jones." The keys to turn on the floodlights are underneath the front desk, and against the back wall of the storefront are the controls. Turning the keys will activate the floodlights.   A DC 10 perception check will alert the players to the sounds of jet engines overhead, and a DC 20 perception check will let them notice the guidance lights of five aircraft above. A DC 20 Knowledge/Local check will identify the lights as a C-17 Globemaster III and four General Atomics Avenger drones. The Globemaster will fly onwards, but the drones will loiter in the air.   Shockaract will descend into the junkyard, landing on top of the highest pile of crushed cars. Esper characters will feel unwell at his presence.   S: What's this? Interlopers? Who are you?   S: I am Shockaract. I don't have time for trifles, so I'll make this clear. You insects are in my way. Stop polluting my presence with your disgusting filth... or I'll remove you myself.   S: Oh, they're raising their squealing little voices. If you must know, I'm here to retrieve something for my master.   If asked who his master is:   S: The only way to know my master is to become a part of them, as I did long ago. They slumber yet, but their awakening is close. They need only to consume one of the Created to regain themselves. That is why I am here.   If asked who the Created are:   S: Beings linked to my master through a unique metaphysical waveform. I have dwelled on this mystery often, but even my prodigious intellect cannot comprehend the nature of this waveform. It is a color out of space, a burning in the sky, a scream of defiance.   If asked about himself:   S: I was sent to this planet by a commission of the High Council, to investigate the possibility of acquiring an extra-galactic material said to be present on this planet. During my research, my master found me, and showed me the truth of this universe. For four of this system's stellar cycles, I have served my master, gathering forces until they are ready to claim this universe for their own.   If asked about his air support: S: They are an example of the absolute power of my master. They are lifeless creations of the creatures that call this planet home, but even they know to yield to my master's power. They have become my master's loyal servants, and they are here to ensure that I have the firepower to succeed in my mission. We call them Vehicons.   If asked about others like him: S: Oh, so you're the ones who had the nerve to interrupt Six, and who destroyed the facility Nightscream was scouting? Hmph. To be honest, you're a joke. You might think you're some kind of threat to us, but you're no threat to my master. We are heralds of a new era. You may resist us, but we are the future. A future that will consume this flawed present.   After answering questions, Shockaract will become impatient.   S: I'm tiring of this drivel. You're not getting out of my way. So I'm going to have to remove you. Prepare for your miserable lives to end. I'll make sure your biomass is put to good use. Vehicons, eradicate them!   During the fight, Shockaract will fight defensively until the Vehicons are defeated.   If the vehicons are defeated:   S: So you cretins managed to destroy this paltry complement of Vehicons? Hmph! It doesn't matter-- they'll be replaced. But I will admit it'll make crushing you all the more satisfying.   When reduced to low health:   S: Grrrr... don't let this go to your heads. This is simply a temporary setback. The other Created are still at large. Any of them will do for my master's purposes. Clutch your rifles, grip your swords. They won't save you from what is coming. You'll all be devoured.   Shockaract will fly upwards and be picked up by the returning Globemaster. If the party continues to investigate the junkyard, they will find Rubble cowering under some... debris.   R: No... no... no...   R: Go away, go away!   If Tacker is mentioned:   R: T-tacker? Y-you know him.   R: Friends. Then, you're friends.   R: Let's go. I'm scared here now.   Scene 4 (Returning to the Citadel):   Miko: Hey, they're back! Hiya, Rubble! Are you ok?   R: Scared... but OK.   Miko will open the door.   Rubble runs across the Citadel to embrace Tacker.   R: Sorry... I just... I wanted to be safe.   ST: I know, Rubble. And that place makes you feel better.   R: Not anymore.   ST: Thanks for this, Gridmaster. And for all of you, I mean, I hardly know ye. I'd like to make this worth your while, but arranging your payment won't be easy. Like I said, this is off the books. The ELF can't know I contacted you for this, so diverting any of their resources your way won't be easy. I'll get in contact with you once I've got something worked out.   ST: Anything else I can help you with?   If asked about Shockaract:   ST: What? This fiend was after Rubble? I've never heard of him. But if he's got a connection to whatever's happened to Six... Gridmaster, you have to get to the bottom of this. We have to. I'll help you however I can, the Citadel allowing. But all of this... frankly, it's beyond me. I've never heard of such things before. But we have to figure it out.   ST: Look, I shouldn't do this, but... Gridmaster, I'm going to share with you the location of the ELF camp. If any of this comes to a head, and you can't deal with it on your own, you know where to find me. But please, don't let your Autobot friends know this. We'd be utterly destroyed. We have important work to do here-- and they have every reason to stop us.   ST: Thanks again for the help. It means the world to me. And I'm sure Rubble's glad to be back, though he may not feel that way now. He's a strong spirit. He'll bounce back.