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The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known simply as the Congo, is the southernmost country in Central Africa. It is also the second largest country in that region by area and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 78 million, the Congo is the fourth most populated country in Africa and the sixteenth most populated in the entire world. It is here that the Predacons and a contingent of vehicon miners have been sent to extract a large deposit of Ore-13, also known as Ultra Energon. The site of the deposit is underground near Mount Nyiragongo, an active stratovolcano with an elevation of over 11,000 feet in the Virunga Mountains. The main crater is about two kilometers wide and contains a lava lake, which has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in history. Numerous underground lava rivers stretch out beneath the surface of the surrounding forest which will make extracting the Ore-13 more difficult, not to mention very dangerous.

Skies over the Congo – Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo

The shuttle broke through the clouds over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Greenery stretched out for miles in every direction with only the Virunga Mountains breaking up the forested landscape in the distance. It was there that Mount Nyiragongo was situated, a gentle wave of smoke slowly rising from the crater.

“There,” Razorclaw pointed with one clawed actuator. “That’s the volcano, Divebomb. The Ore-13 deposit should be somewhere on the opposite side. It’s underground so you won’t see it. The coordinates I previously inputted into the navicomputer will guide you. Take us carefully over the mountain and set us down in the forest a few kilometers from the volcano.”

Skies over the Congo--Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo

"My apologies, my lord. Indeed, it does appear to be the most energy-rich. And the most volatile," Divebomb said, buckling slightly at their leader's jab at his memory. As if he were some unreliable Stunticon glitch.

“There. That’s the volcano, Divebomb. The Ore-13 deposit should be somewhere on the opposite side. It’s underground so you won’t see it. The coordinates I previously inputted into the navicomputer will guide you. Take us carefully over the mountain and set us down in the forest a few kilometers from the volcano.”

"Following provided coordinates. The extraction equipment I requisitioned is following us down on a Vehicon-piloted supply shuttle," Divebomb reported.

"Looks like my kinda terrain," Tantrum huffed as he looked through the cabin windows. "'Volatile', heh."

[Skies over the Congo – Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo]

Tantrum wrote:"Looks like my kinda terrain,"

“Hehehe, and here I was thinking that Otis lived on a barnyard, not on some giant flaming mountain!” Rampage chuckled in his seat, near Tantrum’s own. To be fair, the view they were seeing on the displays was pretty impressive.

“This Ore-13 stuff, is it some kind of energon that turns you super saiyan? Or maybe it gives you another evolution? ‘Cause that’d be pretty cool to have around.”

Headstrong too was observing the area they were flying towards through the shuttle’s cabin windows. Seeing something with your own optics always beat staring at monitors. Still, given his relatively poor eyesight for a Cybertronian, most of the terrain appeared to him roughly as they did to a human. Masses of changing colors allowing him to spot different tree masses from grass fields and such but not too much of details.

”Rampage please.” Headstrong snorted, ”You had your tank full of Ore-13 for the Fallen campaign. Your memory is as short as your attention span.”

Skies over the Congo--Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo

"Every surge of new power makes is too quickly adjusted too, making it easy to forget what we had to subsist on previously," Divebomb ruminated as he guided the ship along its plotted course.

"Yeh. Well. We got a ways to before we can make enough of that stuff to get 'used' to it. I've stashed away my last tankful for an emergency. Hopefully we'll be able to get crankin' on a new batch fraggin' quick," Tantrum added.

Divebomb guided the shuttle to the forested area that Razorclaw had indicated and began to angle downward.

"Where's that shuttle full of diggin' supplies you ordered?" Tantrum grunted, looking over at Divebomb. The Predacon Aerial Specialist checked the ping of the support shuttle. It wasn't far.

"Right where it should be, Tantrum. Don't blow a servo. Engaging landing sequence."

[Skies over the Congo – Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo]

Headstrong wrote:”Rampage please. You had your tank full of Ore-13 for the Fallen campaign. Your memory is as short as your attention span.”

The tiger put a digit to his chin and squinted his optics in thought. Did he actually? “Oh yeah, now I remember!” Wow, that was one hell of a drug.” He racked his memory again, but it wasn’t coming back to him clearly enough. What DID come back to his mind was that one scene from Spongebob, when Squidward threw his clarinet straight outta the darn window. That was funny stuff.

Divebomb wrote:"Every surge of new power makes is too quickly adjusted too, making it easy to forget what we had to subsist on previously."

“Gee, Divebomb, good job cracking open the thesaurus for that big word, “subsist”. Makes you look real snazzy and smart, don’t it? Pfeh.”

He awaited the moment he could get off the shuttle, so he wouldn’t have to necessarily be jam-packed with these other dudes.

[Skies over the Congo--Approaching Mt. Nyiragongo]

Divebomb quirked a barely noticeable eyebrow ridge in Rampage's direction.

"It makes me useful is what it does," Divebomb sighed. "We can't all spend our functioning vorns doing little more than watching holovids and 'tee-vee'."

The shuttle came to a reasonably soft landing. Divebomb engaged the clamps, just in case the surface was not as sturdy as it seemed.

"And we're here."

[Woods near Mt. Nyiragongo]

Rampage stepped right off the shuttle as soon as it had opened. It sure was a bright sunny day down on the mudball. He could spot the volcanic mountain in the distance, somewhat covered by the foliage. Huh.

He turned back to his fellow zoomates, putting a hand on his hip and leaning a little with some sass and swagger. “So, where do we start?”

Shuttle / Forest near Mt. Nyiragongo

Divebomb wrote:"Following provided coordinates. The extraction equipment I requisitioned is following us down on a Vehicon-piloted supply shuttle.”

“Good,” Razorclaw responded to his aerial subordinate. Divebomb may not like his Predacon brethren, but he was one of the more useful, not to mention smart, mechs under the lion-former’s command. As a result, Razorclaw could overlook Divebomb's anti-social tendencies.

Ignoring the harmless bickering between some of the others, the Predacon Commander kept his attention on the volcano and forest ahead. Before long, the shuttle had landed right where it was supposed to and they all began to depart.

Divebomb wrote:“So, where do we start?”

Razorclaw heard the question as he stepped off the ramp and onto the softer forest floor beneath his feet. The lion-former didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he began scanning the area, focusing primarily on the ground. “We start here,” the Predacon leader finally spoke, pointing to the spot in question. “According to my scans there is an old lava tube about 10 meters down. Once we access it, the tunnel should lead directly to the Ore-13 deposit.”

As Razorclaw finished speaking, the supply shuttle arrived overhead with the extraction and mining equipment that Divebomb had previously requisitioned. After a few astroseconds, the shuttle landed not far from the crew shuttle and the vehicons within stepped out.

“Over here!” The Predacon Commander shouted to the vehicon miners. “Start drilling here. And the rest of you…” Razorclaw’s attention then shifted to his Predacon warriors. “Assume your alt modes. Now!” Following his own instruction, Razorclaw transformed into his beast form. The synthetic skin covered his normal metallic appearance, making him appear to be an ordinary, if not overly large, lion.

Razorclaw then turned back towards the vehicons who appeared to be taking their sweet aft time. To impress upon them a sense of urgency, the lion-former let out a deafening roar which caused the vehicons to almost jump out of their metal frames and hurry themselves along, bringing a large drill out with haste before setting it up where Razorclaw had told them to.

Moments later, the drilling had begun into the forest floor.

Forest near Mt. Nyiragongo

The volcano and surrounding landscape drew Tantrum’s attention, stirring the animalistic side of him in ways few locations were capable of. The brutal conditions surrounding them guaranteed only the strong would survive.

He was home.

Or as much as any place was home for him.

Razorclaw wrote:“Assume your alt modes. Now!”

He groaned at the tone in Razorclaw’s command. Our mission. Right, he thought, remembering they were supposed to blend in.

Obeying the command, Tantrum transformed into his bull mode and snorted, sending a cloud of gas bursting from his nostrils. He pawed at the ground, zeroing in on any stray vehicons that were slow to respond to Razorclaw’s orders.

Of course, their leader took care of it himself, hogging all the fun.

“What next? Patrol, stomping errant lackeys, or roaming mindlessly like this world’s lifeforms?” He knew it had been covered in their briefing, but found the information lost in his recent enjoyment of their assignment. He didn’t even mind the faux covering that made him look like an Earth bull.

[Forest near Mount Nyiragongo]

Razorclaw wrote:“According to my scans there is an old lava tube about 10 meters down. Once we access it, the tunnel should lead directly to the Ore-13 deposit.”

“Roger roger,” Rampage said, before folding himself down into his pantherine alt mode as well. The synthetic coverings on top of his alloy plating had been coated to resemble that of a member of the leopard species, as his usual tiger disguise was not a native species of the area.

It didn’t take long for the vehicons to start drilling down into the tunnel. While the apex Predacon was roaring orders at the cannon fodders, Rampage skedaddled over to Tantrum, who seemed to have something similar on his mind.

Tantrum wrote:“What next? Patrol, stomping errant lackeys, or roaming mindlessly like this world’s lifeforms?”

“Aye. Need us to rock’em, sock’em and send them on a highway to hell?” He could use a jog around with Tantrum right now. Maybe they could banter over each other, with Tantrum ending up throwing a fit. Good stuff.

Headstrong, like the others – transformed into his rhinoceros mode. Well. Giant rhinoceros mode in this case. Easily dwarfing the biggest white rhino a human being had ever laid his eyes upon despite of his size being scaled down for this particular mission. And well, easily dwarfing all the other Predacons in their current alternative forms. At least he did look the part with all the foul smelling synthetic flesh that covered him.

”Nothing.” Headstrong snorted as he chimed in to give his opinion to Tantrum and Rampage and laid down. ”What the slag there is to do for a Predacon in a place like this but bore ourselves to death?”

Forest near Mt. Nyiragongo

Rampage wrote: “Aye. Need us to rock’em, sock’em and send them on a highway to hell?”

Tantrum snorted his agreement, his exhaled gas quickly caused the shrub it blew on to begin wilting.

Headstrong wrote:”Nothing.” Headstrong snorted as he chimed in to give his opinion to Tantrum and Rampage and laid down. ”What the slag there is to do for a Predacon in a place like this but bore ourselves to death?”

Another agrees. That makes… three? Yes, three… I think. Having other Predacons agree with him only caused Tantrum’s temper to flare even more.

“Anything is better than standing here like… weaklings waiting to be preyed on. I am not weak!” His optics glowed through the organic covering as he continued pawing at the ground and looking for anything to vent is growing anger on.

Forest near Mt. Nyiragongo

Drilling. That was all well and good. It was the waiting to hit paydirt that might well kill all of the Predacon warlords. The Ore-13 that they would find would hopefully make the waiting worthwhile. They thrived on battle. Not this....this Constructicon work.

At Razorclaw's command, Divebomb had transformed along with the others and took to the air. On Cybertron, he had assumed an avian-inspired alternate mode that gave him no pause to swoop down and assault even the likes of the great Optimus Prime. Here? On this planet? His adapted alt mode would barely be suitable for an attack on Ravage. Pfeh.

A pox on disguises. I'm putting in for a modification, Divebomb grumbled to himself as he accessed updated mission logs. >>"Looks like we're going to have some company soon."<<

Skies over Mt. Nyiragongo

Once Motormaster had boarded, the Constructicons had wasted no time sealing off the ship and engaging their transit down to Earth. For most of them, it was something of a bittersweet trip. It was on this mud-covered world that they had tasted the gestaltic oneness that Megatron had been driving towards for so long. And yet, it had only been a taste. Devastator's mind was more a chaotic mind-salad of the six Constructicons rather than any idealized gestalt. Nevertheless, here they could improve upon their labors and make Devastator even more of a force to be reckoned with.

"Are you seeing these energy levels, Scrapper?" Hook said, looking over Bonecrusher's shoulder as he and Mixmaster piloted the vessel forward.

"That I am," Scrapper agreed. "Just bubbling under the surface. Imagine the core. if it's somehow intrinsically linked to the ore-13, we could fuel a dozen Cybertrons."

Hook nodded, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Scrapper motioned to a specific area of the map.

"There are our Predacon friends. Land over there," the Constructicon Commander directed.

A looming shadow was cast over Hook and the Constructicons piloting the shuttle as Motormaster approached them, drawn in by the anticipation he had heard in their voices.

”Dozen Cybertrons? You exaggerate.” Motormaster’s doom-laden voice boomed. A wicked grin rising on his face. ”But clearly enough power to let us walk over the Autobots if we get to work uninterrupted.”

”I am liking these odds.”

Mt. Nyiragongo

>>"Company,"<< Divebomb transmitted to the others as he watched the Decepticon shuttle land near the others. It was beginning to look like a Decepticon outpost. Well, the shuttles at least. The terrain had a long way to go. Cyberforming could certainly help with that.
___

Pilot's Cabin

”Dozen Cybertrons? You exaggerate. But clearly enough power to let us walk over the Autobots if we get to work uninterrupted.”

Scrapper looked up at Motormaster, grinning behind his faceplate.

"Exaggerate? Perhaps. But not by much. We've seen what Ore-13 can do compared to regular energon.Who knows how much there ultimately its to be tapped on this planet. But if there is a link to the molten core...well...as you said, it will win us the war and avert our extinction."

As the shuttle settled into its landing place, Scrapper motioned for the Constructicons to get in gear.

"Let's get digging."
___

“Good to see you, Breakdown. How have things been for you?”

"Ack!" Breakdown shrieked. He could almost feel his ghost jump out of his spark.

"The frag! You tryin' to kill me? Hmm....are you?"

Before Breakdown's line of interrogation could go any further, the interior of the shuttle began to rattle. Breakdown gingerly touched the sidewall of the passenger cabin as the shuttle landed. Or, at least he hoped that was what happened.

"Did we land or crash?"

Jungle near Mt. Nyiragongo

Tantrum wrote:“What next? Patrol, stomping errant lackeys, or roaming mindlessly like this world’s lifeforms?”

Tantrum’s question was quickly followed by the other Predacons complaining about having nothing to do but stand around or patrol the area. Razorclaw couldn’t help but agree with them. The Predacons were an elite specialty team that thrived in the heat of battle. Unfortunately, there was no battle anywhere to be seen. They were simply here to oversee the extraction of the Ore-13 as Megatron had wanted. Those were their orders and to keep prying eyes away from the site if necessary. Still, not something to the level of a team like the Predacons.

“I feel your frustrations, my Predacons,” Razorclaw replied, looking over at his squad. “But orders are orders. We are to oversee the operation and keep the area secured. Anyone or anything that wanders too close we eliminate without prejudice. If all goes well, this mission won’t take too long and we will be on our way back to the Thanatos sooner rather than later.”

The Predacon Commander then gazed skywards as Divebomb alerted him and the others that they were about to have company. The updated mission log indicated that the Constructicons and Stunticons were on their way to lend support. Seemed like overkill for such a simple mission to mine some Ore-13, but Megatron must have found it necessary so who was Razorclaw to argue?

The lion-former trotted over to where the shuttle had just landed and waited as the exit ramp lowered and extended to the ground in front of him. Razorclaw then transformed back into his robot mode as the passengers within began to disembark. “Welcome, comrades, to what the fleshlings call the Congo. I trust your trip was uneventful.”

Shuttle

Breakdown wrote:"Did we land or crash?"

Drag Strip glanced over at his jittery compatriot and smiled, trying his best to stifle a laugh. “Heh, does it have to be just one or the other? You never heard of a crash landing, Breakdown?” A chuckle then escaped his vocalizer as Drag unbuckled himself and got up from his seat, stretching his servos as he did.

The former race champion then peered out the nearest window and saw mostly jungle in his line of sight. “Looks more organic than usual. Yuck.” Drag Strip then turned back to his Stunticon brethren. “Well, I suppose it's better than still being cooped up on board the Thanatos.” Sigh.

Forest near Mt. Nyiragongo

Divebomb wrote:>>"Company,"<<

At hearing the announcement, Tantrum looked up at the descending shuttle. A stream of gas was expelled from his nostrils.

“Finally, we can end this boredom,” he said, pawing at the ground as his frustration started fading. “They better be sturdy after making us wait this long.”

“Welcome, comrades, to what the fleshlings call the Congo. I trust your trip was uneventful.”

Motormaster, not too surprisingly - was the first Decepticon to step out of the shuttle. He had made the motion to be the first to walk down the ramp and the rest had given him all the room he wanted rather than endanger their own well being.

”They usually are Razorclaw,” The massive Stunticon harrumphed, casually holding his atom-smasher rifle over his shoulder as he walked down the ramp.

”Doesn’t look like much,” He sneered, a dissatisfied look etched on his face. ”Seems bit of an overkill from Megatron to send us all here.”

[Forest near Mount Nyiragongo]

Tantrum wrote:“Anything is better than standing here like… weaklings waiting to be preyed on. I am not weak!”

”Normally I’d tell you to Hakuna Matata, but honestly I’m feeling bored out of my mind as well.” Rampage sighed at the reality of things as Razorclaw reinforced the fact that all this was on Megatron’s orders. He pawed the ground, scratching the dirt and grass a little bit. Big oof. He, much like his fellow Madagascar-cast teammates, was not really feeling this. But then...

Divebomb wrote:>>"Company,"<<

”Now we’re talking! That took long enough,” the pantherine mech said as he pawed the ground in anticipation. Soon enough, but also sure enough, a shuttle of familiar make had descended onto the ground.

[Shuttle]

Breakdown wrote:"The frag! You tryin' to kill me? Hmm....are you?"

Offroad chuckled. Breakdown would be fun to mess with. “Why, of course, Breakdown,” the daredevil said as he pierced his gaze into the Stunticon’s optics. “Why else would I be present here?” He stood back a little and chuckled. “I joke, Breakdown. I have no intention of killing you, or anyone else present here. You may calm your circuits.”

Luckily, it was just then that the shuttle had landed, which only did more to agitate the Stunticon’s nervous system. Offroad internally laughed, though externally only a smile was to be found. Fortunately, Drag Strip had already followed it up with a witty response of his own, with a clever play on words. The daredevil paid him no heed and stepped out of the shuttle after Motormaster.

Motormaster wrote:”Seems bit of an overkill from Megatron to send us all here.”

”That seems like an understatement on its own.” It was true. Although some of the others were showing their distaste for the organic flora and fauna around, Offroad personally didn’t care too much. It was just another type of environment he was used to. A little mud wouldn’t do any wrong.

Rampage nudged Tantrum nearby. “Hey, you see them? They look like they’re straight out of Fast & Furious,” he said, "Hopefully this'll be better than staring at a tree for another vorn or however long this takes."

Forest near Mount Nyiragongo

Tantrum had been eyeing the shuttle and those disembarking, particularly the large mech that led the others as he headed for Razorclaw. Motormaster. Now he would be a fun challenge.

His attention shifted to the others as they disembarked as well, noting that teams had been sent rather than individual mechs. The only reason for this in his processor was an upcoming fight, and he found his mood improving slightly.

Slightly being the operative word.

Rampage wrote: ”Normally I’d tell you to Hakuna Matata, but honestly I’m feeling bored out of my mind as well.”

The sound of a challenge, as weak as it may have been, pulled Tantrum’s attention to his teamate. Another expulsion of gas jetted from his snout. “Hakuna Matata?” He’d heard the phrase somewhere, but he couldn’t remember where that had been. The bets he could relate it to was a challenge, perhaps a war cry of some sort Rampage had picked up during his video searching.

Anticipation surged through him at the thought of sparing with one of his teammates and releasing some of his pent-up energy. He had plenty of fuel stored, so what could it hurt? It wouldn’t be anything too serious. At least, as long as he didn’t lose. Shaking his head and snorting, Tantrum said, “If that is your wish,” as his metallic hooves dug into the soil he’d been pawing.

Then Rampage good-naturedly bumped him.

Rampage wrote: “Hey, you see them? They look like they’re straight out of Fast & Furious,” he said, "Hopefully this'll be better than staring at a tree for another vorn or however long this takes."

That simple action nearly set off Tanrtum’s temper, but he held it in check. The thought that he’d been so close to having fun being taken away so easily didn’t sit well with him.

The fast and furious? What is this fool talking about? Tantrum had grown accustomed to Rampage’s quirks, but this was not the time or place. He did, however, like that idea of finding something better than continuing to stare at a tree as Rampage mentioned.

Shaking his head and snorting, Tantrum said, “Anything is better than waiting. I say we test their worthiness on being here,” Tantrum said, shaking his head and snorting.

Forest near Mount Nyiragongo

"Scavenger...Divebomb has made me aware of some equipment he requisitioned. Meet those Vehicons unloading the shuttle and put it to good use," the Constructicon Commander said as he and the others began to disembark from the craft that had brought them to the surface of this curious planet once more. t least this time, they would be working on the actual surface and not trying to construct a base underwater.

"But of course, sir. I'm on my way," Scavenger said, dutifully scurrying off in the direction of the auxiliary shuttle that the aerial Predacon had the good sense to summon.

"Bonecrusher, Long Haul....we need a working tunnel into that mountain. Start clearing the area nearby."

Bonecrusher grunted, saying nothing as he transformed into his oversized bulldozer mode. His engine growled almost-deafingingly as he rumbled off and began to plow through a set of nearby trees and other foliage.

With the preliminaries taken care of, Scrapper, Hook and Mixmaster approached the area where Razorclaw was already in the process of welcoming them to the area and engaging with Motormaster.

"I've seen this picture before," Scrapper began, good-naturedly, referring to the last time these particular commanders had been in a room, working together. That time, they had been working to keep the empire from ripping itself apart or from falling into the hands of the likes of Thunderwing, Starscream, Shockwave or some other would-be dictator who had not yet made their move on the throne.

Now, with that very throne seemingly resecured, they could afford to turn their attentions to the pressing matters of winning the war and avoiding extinction. If the latter were to occur, after all, the former would be moot.

"I've got my men started on the mining process. I trust you and the other Predacons haven't run into any trouble since being sent down here, eh?"

“Heh, does it have to be just one or the other? You never heard of a crash landing, Breakdown?”

Hmm. As it so happened, he had. That's not what had happened was it? No. Too soft for that. Everything was fine. Had to be.

He got up and followed the other Stunticons out into the field.

“Why, of course, Breakdown. Why else would I be present here?" offroad had said.

Breakdown's optics widened. Fight or flight. Fight or flight! What to do?!?!?!!!???!?

"I joke, Breakdown. I have no intention of killing you, or anyone else present here. You may calm your circuits.”

Calming. Sensors.....stabilizing.

"Yeh. We'll see. Just know I'm watchin' you," Breakdown said, pointing to his two optics and then pointing at Offroad.

“Looks more organic than usual. Yuck. Well, I suppose it's better than still being cooped up on board the Thanatos.”

Once Breakdown was out of the shuttle and looking around, he had to admit he actually agreed with Drag Strip. This was way better than being on the shuttle. Frag, it was a welcome break from the Thanatos and the black void of space. Even if Motormaster was just a stone's throw away.

Maybe that would change.

"Bet we could help Bonecrusher clear away some of this green organic crud," Breakdown said, his engine making a revving sound as he walked with the others.

Jungle near Mt. Nyiragongo

Motormaster wrote:”They usually are Razorclaw. Doesn’t look like much. Seems bit of an overkill from Megatron to send us all here.”

“Indeed, but I’m sure he has his reasons. The ore is very important to the future of the empire. Security of this site is essential while the ore is being extracted as quickly as possible,” Razorclaw replied to Motormaster as the rest of the shuttle’s occupants began to disembark. Stunticons and Constructicons began to pour out onto the jungle floor. Scrapper wasted no time in ordering some of his men to help the vehicon miners with what needed to be done. The Constructicon Commander then joined the other team leaders.

Scrapper wrote:“I’ve seen this picture before.”

“Ah, yes you have,” the Predacon Commander agreed with a chuckle. He was together again with his two former allies. The only one they were missing was Onslaught, but he was already away on another important mission. They had worked well together in the past and kept the Decepticons from falling apart while Megatron was away. They would work well together again to ensure the ore was removed without incident.

Scrapper wrote:"I've got my men started on the mining process. I trust you and the other Predacons haven't run into any trouble since being sent down here, eh?"

“Excellent, Scrapper. And, no, we haven't encountered any trouble thus far. I have my Predacons patrolling the area just in case,” Razorclaw confirmed as he glanced over to see that the mining process was continuing in earnest. “Furthermore, the vehicons have already begun drilling down into an old lava tube that scans indicate leads directly to the Ore-13 deposit underground. We must be careful, however. This volcano is still very active and there are numerous magma veins that stretch out beneath the surface. One wrong move and the ore chamber will be flooded with hot lava. If that happens, we could have a very volatile situation on our hands. We may also need to divert lava away from the site if it comes too close.”

In its raw form, Ore-13 was unstable to say the least. If lava were to come into contact with the ore, there was no telling how great the explosive effects might be. The need for three speciality teams was becoming more and more clear to Razorclaw by the astrosecond.

Shuttle / Jungle Floor

Drag Strip followed the rest of the Stunticons down the ramp as they all exited the shuttle. Once outside, the former race champion looked around with disgust. So much organic garbage - trees, grass, underbrush and the sounds of various animals. It was almost enough to make the yellow Stunticon purge his tanks. He didn’t, of course. Drag was far tougher than that. Besides, it would only bring more berating from Motormaster if he saw Drag Strip lose his energon in such a humiliating way.

Breakdown wrote:"Bet we could help Bonecrusher clear away some of this green organic crud.”

“Yes, we could, Breakdown,” Drag Strip replied as he stood next to his nervous comrade. “Guess you’re happy we made it down alive. Heh. Now, if we can just survive this jungle…” The yellow racer allowed his words to trail off in the hopes of making Breakdown even more paranoid and frightened. “Ha! Come on Breaky, let’s go help ol’ Bonecrusher and Long Haul,” Drag said as he patted the scaredy mech hard on the back.