Skyfire to Kup, Wedge & Perceptor

[Skyfire]

// Emirate Xaaron, Kup, Wedge: Skyfire here. Slingshot and I are exploring a small offshore island at the coordinates I previously provided to Wedge <repeats coordinates>. There is a small town here. Something triggered a holographic broadcast from what looks like some kind of communication tower or antenna. It looks like an emergency news broadcast set to auto-repeat; I have recordings. Kup, your guess about the destruction of Gillanan IV appears to have been correct, if you can confirm that the Machine Planet in the image is Unicron. <transmits video>. It also appears that this world was evacuated in response to the threat of Unicron. We will investigate the communications tower next. Awaiting your reply, Skyfire. //

[Kup]

//We're getting it here, too, Skyfire,// Kup replies, tone somber. //And yeah. That's definitely Unicron.//

[Wedge]

// Yeah, it's broadcasting all over the place. I'm not familiar with anything like that at all, // says Wedge in open wonder. // Never seen them that big before... //

[Skyfire]

// Ah. Noted. Any specific orders or priorities for our investigation while we're out here? //

[Kup]

//Besides avoid getting hurt and stick near Slingshot?// Technically, Skyfire shouldn't be out there without Arcee, but the directive was keep a warrior with him. Slingshot fits. //Power sources are a pretty high priority, but besides that, look for anything that might shed... well, shed more light on the situation.//

[Skyfire]

// Skyfire checking in. We're at the communications tower in town and working on shutting the broadcast down first. It's a, um, morale issue. //

[Kup]

//Copy that. We've managed to get it shut off over here.//

[Skyfire]

Skyfire opened a radio channel to Kup and Wedge again: // Skyfire reporting in. Slingshot and I have located a geothermal springs complex, and what appears to be a probe of some kind. Sending you imagery now... // Here Skyfire uploads low bandwidth imagery of the hot springs complex, and some high-resolution zoom-ins on the probe itself. // Unless you countermand, we'll try to capture the probe. //

[Wedge]

// Whoa. I don't have anything against trying to capture it. But be careful... // Cause it's got tentacles, and tentacles automatically equals not cool...well, Claw Jaw can be an exception.

[Kup]

There's a moment of hesitation. So they're here, too?

//Skyfire, those designs look like they could be Quintesson. If it doesn't look like you can grab it without endangering yourselves, don't.//

Skyfire no doubt recognizes that name from a recent conversation with Kup, what with them being both the Transformers' creators and the ones responsible for Skyfire's death in Kup's reality.

[Skyfire]

// Ah, Kup, Wedge: Skyfire here. The probe self-destructed when we attempted to capture it. I'm uninjured, checking on Slingshot's status now. We'll bring back the fragments for analysis. //

Skyfire sounds just a bit chagrined.

[Kup]

//Eh, it happens, kid.//

[Skyfire]

// Kup, Wedge: Slingshot is also fine. We'll be heading back once we gather up the pieces. //

Private to Kup: // I'd like to talk to you and Emirate Xaaron once I get back, in person. //

[Skyfire]

// Kup, Wedge, Perceptor: We are on our way back with the fragments of the probe. Perceptor, in case Wedge hasn't had a chance to fill you in yet--and things have been moving pretty quickly at my end--Slingshot and I discovered a small, formerly inhabited island while conducting flight maneuvers. The island had functional power, and started that rather dramatic broadcast that I hear you saw locally as well. In the process of investigating what the island might have for a power source, we encountered an apparently non-local probe of some sort.//

Skyfire sends Perceptor the same hi-res images of the probe that he'd sent Kup and Wedge earlier, and continues, // The probe exploded when we tried to capture it. No one except the probe was hurt; we're bringing the fragments back for analysis. //