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Some Distance from Decepticon HQ

Hook noted with some disgust the poor condition of the native roads. They seemed to be made of an aggregate of native rocks and some sort of petroleum residue. It was a disgusting and primitive mixture and likely the best these primitives could construct. On Cybertron roads were constructed of a high tensile strength alloy that was highly resistant to corrosion. High speed lanes were kept smooth to allow fast and nearly frictionless travel while slower lanes had a thin layer of tougher alloy pasted over it potmarked with microscope holes to allow a smooth trip but with a good amount of friction to allow more precise turning, control and stopping power. Compared to those roads they might as well be driving over a dirt path.

The Constructicon drove in the middle of the convoy of Decepticons. It had taken a little time to rig up Scavenger on some sort of conveyance as apparently his treads were not ‘street legal’ and quickly began chewing up the primitive roads. Now he sat upon a wheeled conveyance pulled along by Long Haul. It was another irritant this planet gave to them among many others.

“I hope we are approaching the target area. With all of the dirt and other pollutants Long Haul is kicking up along these primitive roads it will be any wonder if all of our sensors aren’t completely jammed and clogged up. Disgusting world.”

Northern Washington State

Windows tinted to hide their empty cabins, Scrapper led the Constructicons on thier path to find the Ore-13. It was interesting to see these primitive organics and the progress they had made with their simplistic technology. Driving past other vehicles and buildings or various shapes and sizes, Scrapper couldn't help but be impressed with what the humans had done with their poor lot. These humans must have some very skilled engineers to create this approximation of civilisation with so little. It might be worth examining them a little closer to see what they know about 'living rough' on mudballs like this.

Some comms chatter brought Scrapper back to the mission. "The condition of the planet is pretty bad, yes, but understandable given all the organic beings in the vicinity. I'm sure your superior Decepticon construction can handle a little mud, Hook. We're about half-way to the target zone, so there shouldn't be many more problems-"

Several kilometres ahead, Scrapper sensed a flimsy barrier blocking the road, attached to a small building. Scrapper zoomed his visual sensors in to a sign on the side of the structure.

"'Canadian Border Control'? What's a Canadian Border?"

OOC: Sorry if I'm throwing in unneeded plot details, but the Canadian mountains are the closest 'wilderness' to Washington state, and that means a certain route.

Northern Washington State

Long Haul drove down the primative highway, lugging Scavenger behind him on a large trailer. The Constructicons hadn't even reached their destination where they could gather the ore and Long Haul was already carrying something. In this instance, it was one of his fellow builders whose treads would probably destroy the flimsy roads on this horrible world. I still don't see why Scavenger can't drive himself around, Long Haul thought, knowing better than to say anything out loud. Bonecrusher is handling the road just fine and he has treads. Just one more example of how I'm viewed on this team, I guess.

Long Haul then overheard the complaints of Hook, who was driving a short distance behind him. "Sorry, Hook. I can't help how much dust I'm kicking up. Maybe you shouldn't drive so close to me." Scrapper's own response seemed to quiet the surgical engineer, at least for the time being.

A short time later, the six Constructicons approached a barrier of some kind that was blocking the road up ahead. Long Haul heard Scrapper say something about a 'Canadian Border Control'. Long Haul wasn't sure exactly what that was, but it sounded like a border crossing of some kind. "Scrapper, I think we're about to cross into a different nation-state. It's quite possible we might have to pass through a manned check point to gain entrance. What are we going to do? We don't have drivers!"

Northern Washington State

"Yes, you're probably right, Long Haul. We should have expected as much on a planet like this." I've been admiring their technology, but these organics obviously haven't made any great progress on their culture.

On Cybertron, the city-states may have been governed seperately, but they were still one union without internal borders. Ruled foolishly by the Autobots, perhaps, but still one entity. But virtually all of the species Scrapper had seen since as the war had sent him across the galaxy insisted in chopping up their planet into fragments, walling each other in in order to preserve some imagined uniqueness. Obviously not a sign of a robust culture, particularly given how much easier it made the Decepticons job.

"Alright, we'll have to get off this road. Onto those sidetrails, and we'll find a way through the border. There may not be any major fortifications, but there could still be sensors or mines. Once we're out of sight, Scavenger can get off and make a sweep, find a gap we can use. Now move, and stay alert."

With this, Scrapper changed lanes, and went down an exit off the main road, almost hitting an inattentive human driver as he went. Ugh, stay out of our way, humans. The last thing we need now is to draw attention to ourselves.

(OOC: My computer at home is still giving me problems. Hence, I'm posting this from work. Just FYI.)

North Washington State – Near the Border

Long Haul followed Scrapper down an exit ramp as the Constructicon leader almost hit a human vehicle as he went. Long Haul quietly chuckled as he managed to avoid hitting the same car or anything else, even while pulling Scavanger’s gerth behind him. Once they were off the main roads and onto the smaller side trails, Long Haul pulled up alongside his commander, kicking up even more dust and debris as they went.

“We’re almost at the border, boss, “Long Haul informed Scrapper. “I’ll stop up ahead and let Scavenger do his sweep. We should be far enough away from any prying optics to not be seen out here.” Long Haul then came to a stop near the border and turned his attention back to his large passenger behind him. “Okay, Scavenger, you can get off here.” Long Haul then patiently waited for his teammate to finish scanning the area.

North Washington State – Near the Border

“The indignities forced upon us while working on these primitive worlds is endless,” Hook grumbled as he followed the others off of the road and on to some sort of sidetrail. The unpaved terrain made the crudely paved roads they had been driving on seem like a smooth superhighway back during the Golden Age of Cybertron. Hook bounced up and down over various rocks, dips and cracks in the neglected and primitive road.

The surgical engineer pulled up next to the other Constructicons as they came to a stop to let Scavenger do his work. “I do hope there is a deposit nearby. I was not built with off road driving in mind. I will have to recalibrate all of my sensors when we return to base to make sure they haven’t been jarred loose thanks to these crude roads.” He wasn’t at all happy with this mission so far. Only returning to base or having some task worthy of at least a modicum of his skill and attention was liable to shut him up.

North Washington State – Near the Border

Scavenger gave Scrapper his report. "There's a sensor network, if you can call it that. Simple vibration detectors, we can just fly over them."

"Belay that. I'd rather not risk it, in case the humans in the guardpost are on alert. Hook, this requires subtlety and a steady manipulator, that's your department. Disable a section of sensors without alerting the humans to the breach in their network. I want to be across the border in a breem.

He'll have it done in two kliks if its as simple as most of the earthling technology. Better to have him bragging than whining about the local conditions any more. The Ore site is nearby, and there it'll be Scavenger and me doing most of the work. Best to give Hook a chance to shine now.

North Washington State – Near the Border

“A seismic detection network. A simple, crude but effective system for detecting any of the wheeled vehicles these humans all seem to drive. It will be easy to bypass or reroute once I’ve located an access point.” Hook activated his own sensors, using the readings sent by Scavenger as a guide he was able to trace the line of sensors to a surface access point. After driving a short distance he located one, a maintenance panel of some sort. It would have to do.

Quietly the Constructicon transformed, remaining crouched down to hide beneath the tree line. He carefully opened the panel, cutting through the lock with a torch, and went to work. As he had predicted, it was a simple system. The individual sensors had carefully balanced components that would send and electrical pulse down to whatever transceiver they were using in a base somewhere. It was easy for him to simply loop several of the detectors together, splicing wires together so that any signal sent from the detectors would simply bounce back into the loop and never be received. He carefully replaced the panel and soldered the lock back together. It would be obvious to anyone who carefully examined it that it had been cut, but a casual glance would reveal nothing.

Hook transformed and drove back to the other Constructicons. “The detectors have been effectively disabled for a one klick radius. That should be more than enough to allow us to pass. It was a simple enough task that even a seeker could have accomplished it. I do hope there will be something more worthy of my attention on this mission. I am not some simple mechanic here to tinker around with the local primitives’ technology.”

North Washington State – Near the Border

I was sure that might keep him quiet a little longer... Scrapper hadn't expected Hook to have any difficulties with the human technology, but he had hoped the fussy micro-technician would have been slightly more proud of himself at that. That wouldn't have been as easy as he makes out, the systems sheer simplicity makes it hard to alter that greatly. But there was no time for musing.

"I'll be sure to get you something to do when we get there, Hook. Now move out, Constructicons. I want to be back through here before the humans find this breach.

Scrapper revs his engine and powers over the Canadian border, headed towards the mountains in the distance: Their objective, now tantalisingly close.

U.S. / Canadian Border

Long Haul followed the rest of the Constructicons across the border into the nation state called Canada. They weren’t far from their destination now. The mountains ahead contained the ore that they were searching for. Once there it wouldn’t take long for the six of them to mine the powerful mineral and then load the green dump truck up to the brim. Long Haul would then do what he did better than anyone and that was to lug the ore back to base.

Hopefully, Megatron wouldn’t admonish them too much for taking so long. It wasn’t entirely the Constructicons’ fault. Trying to stay incognito was a difficult task considering the terrain they had to travel and the obstacles they had to contend with, such as border crossings, sensors and the like. At least now they were across the border and almost to the coordinates.

“How much further, boss?” Long Haul asked Scrapper, pulling along side the Constructicon leader. “If I get any more dust in my servos, I’ll end up stalling out on this muck covered road.”