Illinois

Illinois, a major center of heavy industry, is a place rich in beauty and history as well. The north consists of prairies, bluffs, and historic river towns. The western part of the state is an abundant rural area rich in historic sites and great architecture. The central region was the home of Lincoln, and his presence is still felt. The south is a land of rolling hills and sparkling lakes. Chicago, blues capital of the world, is home to perhaps one of the most spectacular skylines in the world.

Contents:

Jet Helicopter

Modified F-15 Jet <Thrust>

Pyramid Jet <Aether>

Battlecruiser

Rock'N Roll Hall of Fame

F-15 Jet <Comcast> leads his company of airborne Decepticons through the air to the American city of Illinois. "Our target tonight Gentlemechs!" The jet booms as he lowers himself slowly. "The earth monsters have a little event we are to attend. There will be Autobots there as well. Remember, we're at peace. You do NOT shoot them." He starts to shift his trajectory to an open area in a park area where a stand is erected and a crowd has gathered, including television and other media crews. "Oh," The seeker adds, still away from earshot, "And remember. Smiles. Pleasant ones. Ignore the sore jaw, and get MSE to fix it later."

Pyramid Jet <Aether> says, "I'm actually looking forward to a chance to investigate more closely the hairless bipedal apes that populate this planet, Comcast," banking off to one side. "I have had few opportunities to investigate carbon-based biological life. This proves to be a most interesting event."

Jet Helicopter sighs inwardly. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and now she's here instead of back at her makeshift lab, waiting to do something she doesn't understand. Smiling isn't an option for her, but neither is she scowling. Considering the numbers present, and the human media among them, she had better keep out of their reach.

Modified F-15 Jet <Thrust> screams in at a noise level that (for Thrust) could be considered 'subdued', making a large jet trail, presumably to impress the terrans seated in the stand. He circles around, transforming as he freefalls into the open area. The look on his face is somewhere between what most beings would consider a smile, and his usual smirk-type look. "Hello, eart....er, Americans!"

Thrust falls out of the air with a noticable decrease in noise, transforming from sleek red jet to intimidating robot, his feet hitting the ground with a 'thud.'

Battlecruiser leaves a double-helix vapor trail in his wake as he barrel rolls towards the mid-western state of Illinois. "This is a PR gig and they sent *me*..." he mutters to himself as he closes in on the location for tonight's festivities. Recalling the last scolding he got from Rodimus for "erratic flying" over densely populated areas, he rights himself and levels his descent, finally transforming a safe distance away from the crowds. Eyeing the competition, he offers a mirthful smirk. "Four on one... it's almost not fair for y'all."

Scattershot pulls his head out of his ass and transforms into robot mode.

F-15 Jet <Comcast> transforms next to Thrust, landing. "Yes, greetings native animals of planet earth!" He says, pleasantly smiling. Comcast might know a bit about human culture, but he can never get the words right. "We, the Decepticons, with our new agenda of peace, love and understanding, accept the challenge you have issued us!" He kneels down to the small human at the stadium.

The small human is in fact the mayor of Illinois, who is ecstatic to have such a publicity junket like an Autobot/Decepticon challenge in his own town! "Thank you, uh.." An aide approaches him and whispers in his ear, "..Starscream! For joining us today." Turning to the public, "The Decepticons and Autobots have generously agreed to enter into a friendly challenge for the opportunity to donate a cash prize to a charity of their designation. Our aides will divide the number into groups and give out a list of items for them to gather. Bonus points will be awarded for swiftness and style." He looks somewhat disappointed at Scattershot. Only one Autobot? "Cybertronians, are you ready?"

The sounds of gears whirring and a jet engine dying down can be heard, as Comcast shifts his form into his natural state.

The pyramid-jet shifts, spins, and expands, converting into the powerful seeker robot, Aether.

Aether quickly unfolds, landing beside Comcast. She says nothing, but curiously observes the humans below. How... intriguing.

Jet Helicopter is uneasy at the sight of Scattershot. She played a so-thrilling game of hide-and-seek with him on Cybertron once, and was almost caught. *Almost*. She scans the Terrans as well, and that makes her even more uneasy. Not to mention the outright lying that Comcast is doing. The mention of a list is cause for speculation as she tries to put the pieces together. A 'friendly' challenge of items to be gathered? Why?

Scattershot :scoffs at Comcast's attempt to ingratiate himself with the humans. "'New' agenda of peace? So Galvatron has authorized the admittance that all the past peace-initiatives were also 'agendas'? Shocking..." he tails off and readies himself as the competition looks to be starting shortly. To the human running the show, he nods. "One lone Autobot. My pals felt my fund-raising expertise was unmatched," he grins.

Thrust :'s look noticeably changes as he hears the name of -that- man, but he nods to Comcast when he asks about readiness, and again ramps up the fake smile. He glances across at Scattershot, and asks, "And how did they come to that conclusion?"

The mayor turns to the assembled Cybertronians. "We have here lists for teams. The Decepticons shall break down into two teams of two for this." He hands out lists to Comcast and Thrust, as well as one for Scattershot. And on those lists?

-Costume for one of your team members to wear. (Any kind of costume, nurse, superhero, etc)

-Celebrity Autograph (No, the Mayor doesn't count). The more autographs, the more points.

-Sponsorship from a local company. Paraphernalia and gifts are a bonus.

The Mayor gets a novelty oversized starter's pistol. "You have your challenges! Let the Scavenger hunt begin!" And with a crack from his pistol, the race is on.

Aether peers at Thrust's list. "A... costume? We don't seem to be built for additional trappings. And... I don't recognize this term. Aw-toe-graff? Are you familiar with these?"

Jet Helicopter knows nothing of costumes, of celebrities, or of sponsorships either. If Comcast hoped to win this, then he'll be disappointed. Then again, it shouldn't matter who wins, if she has finally deciphered this event correctly. She swivels slightly to look in Comcast's direction, awaiting instructions. Too bad it's not really a race; that's about the only thing in which she would have a chance.

Scattershot accepts his list before throwing a sneer at Thrust. "I'm not sure, but I think my expansive wingspan and impressive firepower had something to do with it..." he remarks. Glancing at the list, he frowns for a split-second. That costume thing is going to be tough, doubly so because he's the one who has to wear it. Resuming his typical state of arrogance, he files the list inside a chest compartment and pivots to sprint away. He knows just where to go for one of the items on the list, despite the others being quite a longshot.

Thrust scratches his cone as he holds out the tiny sheet to Aether. "I think it's some sort of mark. Celebrity is someone famous, right? As for costume...perhaps a repaint is in order." He looks around, confused.

Comcast takes his list and turns to Airwolf. "Let's make this divisional, shall we?" He says to the amassed Decepticons. "Airwolf.. let us go on. I have some experience with celebrities." And with that, he takes off.. to the likeaFOX Network.

Aether narrows her optics. "All right. Sponsership. I understand that one... and we are in the American territory of Illinois, which, unless I'm mistaken, is in close proximity to locations known for a great deal of vehicle manufacture. Perhaps we may acquire... 'sponsership' from them?"

Jet Helicopter is probationary MSE, actually, but obediently follows after Comcast. At least someone seems to know what he's doing. While following, she turns over these terms in her mind, but can find little in the way of exact Cybertronian equivalencies. Costume? She's heard the word, but doesn't recall where. "Is a costume something like a transformation?" she asks. Autographs are completely beyond her. Sponsorship is a bit more familiar, if only because she spent a few years in a neutral city, but that requires knowing the local merchants.

Thrust nods, watching Scattershot turn and run away. He asks Aether, "Shall we go for a flight, then?"

Comcast tries to talk to Airwolf over the /WHUPWHUPWHUP/ sound of propellor blades. "Costume.. is SIMILAR to a transformation. The humans get an unusual outfit to clothe them in." He lands at the likeaFOX Network. Not to smash into the building this time, just to announce, "Exclusive Interview with a Decepticon!"

One of the "benefits" of being an Autobot is mandatory attendance at diplomatic functions. Among them, the yearly EDC Halloween parties. As such, Scattershot is familiar with such terms as "costume", "sponsorship" and "celebrity". It's the latter Scattershot is most familiar with. Luckily, our Technobot hero is also a baseball fan. He leaps up and transforms into Battlecruiser mode, powering his forward... no, no, that wouldn't do. He orients himself to head for the outskirts of town with one target in mind: Steve Bartman, infamous ruiner of the Cubs chance to get to the World Series some 20 years before!

Scattershot takes to the air and becomes a Battlecruiser, D-7 style.

Aether nods. "My personal suggestion is the region known as sector D-Troit. Perhaps an alliance, perhaps a minor technology swap with the makers of human personal transportation devices would be sufficient..."

Thrust takes off into the air, hopefully headed in the general direction of Detroit. "Then that's where we'll try." His black fist leads him, and he doesn't change into jet form just yet.

Long distance to Airwolf: Comcast is gonna handle the signature. Do you wanna handle the next item we search for?

Aether quickly tails after Thrust, silently hoping his rather... rough edges didn't get them into too many troubles...

Jet Helicopter has to transform at this point, but she's even more uneasy at doing so. She also has a good portion of her attention on monitoring the airwaves for any mention of herself personally. Paranoid? Damned straight. You would be too if you had a cloaking, radio-interception-capable cityformer after you. This is Comcast's show, though, so she stays clear and lets Comcast do the talking. After all, the truth is not what is wanted here. Terran traffic isn't happy with her presence, so she engages a minute amount of thrust to take her up over their heads and out of the way.

Jet Helicopter transforms into her robot mode.

Several reporters show up and flock about Comcast, who attempts to determine who is the one he's seen the most of on the tee-vee. Ahha, local talk show host Oprey Winfrah. The Seeker holds out his scavenger hunt list, saying "Non-disclosure agreement, sign at the bottom!" The host does so, eager for the opportunity for the unique interview (at least, without guaranteed death). Comcast snatches the list away. "Thanks!" He says before raising himself up in the air and departing as quickly as he arrived. "That's one item checked off. It's a shame you can't ask for more than one 'exclusive' interview. As for sponsorship, maybe you can help. Who are the most likely type of merchant to offer such a thing?"

Airwolf ponders. "Aircraft manufactures, maybe. In something similar to your design or mine. Er... they usually require something reciprocal as in painting their logs on oneself."

Thrust begins to head downwards over a large automobile plant after a not-so-long trip, just managing to come to his senses before crashing through the roof of the plant. He lands in a large concreted area, the gawping faces of the warehouse workers staring up at him and Aether. "Automo...thingy workers. We believe we have technology you could study. In return we would like a...." He ponders for a moment, "sponsorship."

Aether grimaces, hoping to perform a little damage control, if possible. "What my rahter... forward companion has tried to explain," she begins, "Is that, in the new spirit of friendship and cooperation being fostered by the Decepticons in recent days, we believe that we may be able to offer something to your operations. Consider it to be... a gift, of the Decepticons." Nudging her elbow into Thrust, she kneels down, closer to the humans' level. "Perhaps a... token of good faith would be appreciated. We would be happy - nay, honored to wear your insignia into the skies, should you see us worthy alli... er, partners...?"

Battlecruiser arrives at his destination and transforms again. The ol' cog sure is getting a workout tonight, good thing it's not going to fail at the worst possible moment! He scans the streets and frowns. "Now just how in the blue hell am I supposed to find him?", he curses. Running up one street and down the other are apartment buildings. Apartment buildings that Technobot Commanders can't exactly enter without leaving a four-story Scattershot-shaped hole in the structure. "Hey yo!", he shouts to any pedestrians that will listen to him. "I need to find Steve Bartman!" Almost immediately, Scattershot receives several objects pelting against his frame. Pebbles, sticks, garbage, sharp metallic objects, anything the citizens of this fair city can find to vent their pent up frustration of nearly two decades. The technobot reflexively shields himself with his forearms. "Hey, c'mon! I'm just lookin' for him, geez!"

Scattershot pulls his head out of his ass and transforms into robot mode.

Comcast grunts.. "Paintwork is fine with me. It should qualify as bonus points, after all." He suddenly shifts his vector to sharply up, for a better view of the area and possibly a good idea for airfields. "Someone with a high profile as well.. someone who is more willing to accept the good image that sponsoring a charity will bring." A smirk on his face. "And as for style.. we could approach competing companies."

Thrust kneels down next to Aether, uncomfortably, with most of the auto workers still slack-jawed at the sight of two large robots surrounded by the cars they've made. A man with a suit, a very expensive suit (ooo, the boss!) comes running out, followed by two lackeys with armfuls of caps, t-shirts, and the like. A group of paint shop workers look over the two robots, eager to find surfaces to paint on, as the boss gets down to small talk.

Airwolf follows Comcast, peering down at the aircraft with a great deal of interest. So many different shapes and designs... Her attention is drawn to a variety of types. Not military, but heavier jets. She points towards the airfield in question. "I see a lot of those in flight, so it is a popular brand. Boeing?"

Scattershot continues to be accosted for saying the name of a man who appears to be held in the same regard as the Dark Prince himself. Two thoughts occur to him simultaneously on how to deal with the situation. The first, of course, is that this is charity. He should take his beating and just find something else to do. Rodimus would like that. The second is... what he actually does. "THAT'S IT!", he screams, enraged beyond reason at the onslaught of ungrateful humans. He steps back into a fairly open end of the street and transforms... into BATTLESTATION MODE!

Scattershot folds down into Battlestation mode. Ruh-roh.

Aether grins, finding a wide-open space. "Perhaps my alternate configuration would be more accessable." Converting into a pyramid jet, Aether sits low enough on the ground for the workers to even climb up her wings. Her 'cockpit' now flashes as she speaks... "You may apply decals or paint anywhere except near the air intakes, engines, or cockpit, indiginous life forms."

Aether collapses, her arms and legs drawing inwards, as she converts into a highly maneuverable Pyramid-Jet Seeker.

Thrust finishes his small talk with the auto worker boss, who strides off, beaming (if a little anxiously), presumably to make phone calls and get the money thing happening. He sits, very awkwardly, and is swarmed over by keen paint workers with airbrushs and airguns. He says, not entirely politely, "Stick to the wings and turbofan shrouds, terrans."

Comcast looks and the airfield, and back at Airwolf. "Works for me.." he says, before suddenly deactivating his anti-gravs. This is a race, no time for a gentle descent. He plummets towards his target, kicking in his boot-jets at the last possible moment abruptly halting the descent. After a less-than graceful landing on the ground, he looks up and waits for Airwolf to show up. Perhaps he's done enough talking.. it's time for his companion to discuss matters now.

Airwolf is mildly surprised by Comcast's hurry, until she, too, recalls that this is some kind of very odd race. She drops to the pavement beside him, though more lightly, then peers about with increasing interest. As expected, the Terrans come to stare from a safe distance as much as she stares at her own surroundings. Oops, back to business. Dropping to a knee so she doesn't tower over them, she asks politely, "May we speak with your, er, commanding officer, please? About a sponsorship agreement between us for the sake of charity."

Pyramid Jet <Aether> bravely endures as a myriad of logos is plastered all over her jet-mode. And not just for the vehicle corporations themselves, but all of their subsidaries... auto parts stores, oil companies, lawn care merchandise, pharmaceutical products for something called ee-wreck-tile dis-funk-shun... regardless, it was a temporary measure, at best, and nothing she would wait endlessly for. "I must apologize," she announces, "But we should really be moving on. We will certainly be in contact, however, and hope to continue this... profitable endeavor. Thrust?" Very slowly, she raised off the ground, causing the work crews to madly scramble to the ground below...

Battlestation powers up the entirety of his offensive firepower at the same time. Glows of bright yellow, purple and red eminate from various weapons ports across his battle platform as traffic comes to a standstill in all directions around him. He narrowly managed to avoid crushing cars beneath his transformation but alas, this sure isn't going to make for good Autobot PR on the news tomorrow. His barrels lay dormant in terms of locking onto a specific target. "Look here," he grunts. I want Steve Bartman. I want him here, I want him now and I want him ready to sign a piece of paper so SOMEONE GIVE HIM A FRICKIN' PEN!" The denizens have ceased throwing objects and, after initial shock, begin running around in an erratic pattern of terror. One, however, comes from behind a corner of a building. "T-That's all?" says the human. Scattershot directs his optical scans towards this lone statue in a sea of excitement. "You are Steve Bartman," he declares and powers the weapons down. Ejecting from one of his side ports is the list the Technobot was given initially. "Sign this," he commands.

Thrust is now freshly painted with 'Fordral Motors' (and other, less, um, wholesome) logos just below his decepticon ones. It's quite a sight, really. He turns to Aether and suggests that perhaps, with the sponsorship thing out of the way, they should indeed work out where to find one of these 'celebrities.' He begins to rise, being a little more careful than usual to not step on anyone.