Istanbul, Turkey

You have arrived at Istanbul, a major trading mecca in Europe. The city is full of exotic buildings, and an extensive marketplace lines several prominent streets. Yet even with these hints of ancient traditions, Western ways have found their way into Istanbul. Many people drive fancy vehicles and talk on cellular phones. Modern glass skyscrapers can be seen in between the ancient mosques.

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Black Sea.

South <S> leads to Mediterranean.

Southwest <SW> leads to Athens, Greece.

West <W> leads to Sarajevo, Bosnia/Herzegovina.

Fly <Up>

F-35 <Catechism> arrives from Mediterranean to the south.

F-35 <Catechism> has arrived.

Verdant arrives from Mediterranean to the south.

Verdant has arrived.

The Decepticons are attending air shows again! Oh, those sneaky, dastardly Decepticons! This time it is a Thunderbird show being held as part of a PR event in Istanbul, Turkey (the U.S. generally being on better terms with Turkey than the rest of Europe is). Fleet, once again, has a little sign next to him marking him as a movie prop for an upcoming sci-fi thriller, only this time the sign is in several languages, included both English and Arabic. Meanwhile overhead human-built F-16Cs roar, showing off the skill of their pilots.

A little exhibit on hovering flight features a helicopter, a Harrier, and a F-35. It has multi-lingual signs explaining the basic of how it works, in nice, small words for the kiddies. The markings on the F-35 are a little odd, but the mottled blues, greys, and whites aren't too far off the standard grey, and overall, it's not terribly eye-catching, especially not with such interesting aerobatics up in the sky to distract the attention instead.

And of course, /that/ sign's in about a million languages, too.

Hence "multi-lingual".

Despite being an oddly vivid shade of forest green, the F-16 is probably the least out of place of the three jets. It too, has slightly odd markings, but nothing especially distracting or out of place. A multi-lingual sign next to it points out the various capabilities of the jet, along with an acknowledgement of its status as a prefered military jet in numerous countries.

The pastel yellow movie prop radios to its companions using a particularly odd frequency, although it's still enough to make nearby cell-phones and speakers emit a strange little buzzing noise. "I'll never understand the germs that run this planet. Why bring out so much military hardware and leave it completely unarmed? That's like begging for an attack!"

The demonstration in hovering flight is laughing inside at the Harrier. The poor thing has had its engines opened up to show off the inner workings for those grubby little xenos to see! It's a little macabre for a Seeker to see, but she sees her own insides and the insides of her fellow opened up enough times, often under worse circumstances, so she's not fazed in the least bit. Trying to keep the radio chatter to a minimum unless she's got something she really wants to say, the F-35 replies with a simple radio blip that somewhat equates to, "Yuh."

Autobot Hovercraft (Sentinel) arrives from Mediterranean to the south.

Autobot Hovercraft (Sentinel) has arrived.

Verdant makes a sort of nomcommital reply over the radio channel, much as Catechism did. He's got little love for humans--filthy polluting creations who should have died out long ago--so the thought of being on display for the wasteful, worthless creatures is unappealing, but he'll manage.

Foxfire transforms from his cassette mode to his fox form.

<OOC> Fleet says, "And for anyone who wants to see what's on display here, here's the official Thunderbirds website. http://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/aircraft.htm"

There's a hovercraft somewhere nearby, with a large metal fox perched on top of it to get a better look. Yep, Foxfire's come all the way out here to see this, probably to get his mind off the fact that his vocal circuits are still malfunctioning.

Once more, the pretty pastel pyramid tends to draw a lot of curious attention, although no one's attempted to draw on it yet. Legal punishments are /strict/ in Turkey. Still, a group of young children have wandered close to get a good look at the oddity, and a few seem to be moving in to fondle the prop. Damn kids.

<OOC> Catechism says, "Just... wow - http://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/libraryimages16.htm"

<OOC> Catechism says, "The tailfin clearance in this one is pretty nutty - http://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/libraryimages25.htm"

F-35 <Catechism> resists the urge to flick her flaps. She knows that she has to stay still now. Catechism's thankful that what her grey colouration, the human prototypes don't find her too interesting. Oooh, that was a beautiful zoom! It's a pity the xenos can't stand the strain of the really extreme Gs, though. Eh, it makes them easier to kill, she supposes.

Even if he's distasteful of the humans, Verdant finds their aerial skills remarkable, for such a primative species. Amazingly, he's actually brave in the face of an Autobot, considering it's a little cassette bot. Certainly not the stuff of terrors that, say, Sky-Lynx was.

Foxfire barely moves, except for moving his head around to watch the occassional jet. He really doesn't expect to have any trouble out here, at least until someone finds out that one of the hovercrafts has gone missing.

And one of those tri-cursed children are TOUCHING THE YELLOW MOVIE PROP! Grrrrr! The pastel prop shudders quite a bit more than it should and plays a few eerie noises it recorded from the human internet. Woogie-woogie-woogie! The children scamper back, startled, but then a couple start giggling and pointing, thinking this to be part of the display.

F-35 <Catechism> is just watching the air show and being a nice little Decepticon. She didn't ask to have untold horror visited upon her. However, the show attendants come over to her, one lugging a step ladder. Uh oh, what's this? Drawing on her willpower, she manages to stay still as they set up the ladder and open her cockpit. Soft, pliant fleshlings scrabbling over her hull... ergh. Catechism tries to figure out what's going on here, drawing on her memories of that other air show she visited. Then, the F-35 espies a line of little meatsacks forming with the intent to go up that step ladder and into her cockpit. Images of ravens and bad experiences thusly associated flicker through her mind, and it's just too much. Catechism transforms, the ladder falling away and her cockpit snapping shut. The kids and humans flee, and all she can think of to say is, "FRAG!"

F-35, Marine Corps variant, transforms into robot form. Catechism's feet unfold, her arms unfold out of her body, her nosecone rotates through her body and ends up on her shoulders to expose her face, and her wings rotate into position.

Catechism's transformed?! That certainly wasn't part of the plan! Verdant has a couple of options. He can transform himself, joining in whatever's going to happen, or he can keep up the masquarade. Of course, with one of them already transformed, the likelyhood of keeping hidden just isn't going to happen. He choses to transform too.

Verdant transforms, his cockpit flipping down to form his chest, his head popping up, arms pulling out from his sides, and lower section extending and splitting into his legs and feet, while his wings move slightly to allow slightly greater freedom of movement.

Foxfire perks his ears, optics widening a little as the transformations catch his attention. His first instinct is to attack...but they don't seem to be here to cause trouble. However, that's still to be determined. The tapebot hops down from the hovercraft and trots toward the Seekers, his curiosity piqued.

Pyramid Jet (Fleet) would facepalm, but he doesn't have hands or a face at the moment. So instead he shouts, "What the scrap do you two think you're doing?!" Oh, good job at maintaining your cover in the face of adversity, Fleet! Luckily for him, all the activity has frightened away the children near him, but still.

Catechism does a horrible job of being a robot in disguise, and she quite literally kicks herself now. Argh, stupid, stupid Catechism, why did she do that? And worse, Verdant's transformed too, now. She gestures wildly and vainly tries to explain, "They were going to let the leakin' mini-xenos inside me, Fleet!" Catechism probably shouldn't have used his name either, but she's not thinking straight at moment, insomuch as she ever does.

"Once Catechism transformed," Verdant says, "there seemed to be little point in maintaing a disguiused state." And for once, he didn't actually act from panic! Go him! Of course, as noted before, the Autobot is a little one...

Foxfire stops a few yards from the Decepticons, just watching them questioningly. His attention now turns to a very familar pyramid jet, and, with a optic arched, he heads in that direction. Foxfire circles the jet like a cat stalking a bird, sniffing it and frowning. Fleet. It's definately Fleet. The fox doesn't say a word...because, you know, he can't. At least not until someone *other* that a rookie medic can look at his vocal circuits. Like First Aid, maybe.

Pyramid Jet (Fleet) groans, but continues to remain still. "Oh, wonderful. Just wonderful. I'm a fraggin' Cybertronian jet and I'm drawing less- Gra! Autobot! Get away from me, you! We are /not/ causing problems, nor damaging the humans, but if a fight were to occur here there could be... a lot of casualties."

Catechism calms down somewhat, shuddering. She's had bad, bad experiences with the denizens of this planet, and she's not eager for a repeat. And there's an Autobot here? Just slagging great. She excuses, "Yeah, we're just taking in an airshow, all peaceful-like."

Verdant nods his agreement, holding up his arms in a gesture meant to show he has no ill intentions, letting his arm-guns hang loose and unarmed. "As she said, we are here with no ill intent. We are simply... observing."

Foxfire gives Fleet an odd look. He sits on his haunches and tilts his head slightly. He had no intention of fighting, especially against three Decepticons. He cants his neck to look at the other two, then shrugs, and looks back to Fleet.

What was it about Transformers and damaged vocalizers? Seems to be a regular problem for them. Finally Fleet sighs and transforms - they may be leaving soon and, as a pyramid jet, he prefers not to take off or land in his alternate mode. He looks down at the cassette-bot and sneers. "Y'got something to say, cassette?"

The yellow Cybertronian jet unfolds, revealing the robotic form of the seeker Fleet.

Catechism relaxes but a wire. Some of the fleshies, seeing that no stomping and maiming and shooting is going on, have started to take pictures of the giant robots instead of the main attraction. Leakin' pit! At least the Autobot doesn't pose much of a threat, unless he's brought friends with him. At their enemy's silence, she mocks, "Ravage got your tongue?"

The cassette's silence was peculiar, but Verdant wasn't given to the mocking favored by his oft-wingmates. As for the attention from the humans, well, he supposes it could be worse. "Perhaps," he ventures aloud, "he is incapable of speach?"

Foxfire bristles slightly at the mention of Ravage, but for now he decides to ignore Catechism's mocking. He looks up at Fleet with a slight glare, and raises a black forepaw to his throat, indicating that his vocalizer is, indeed, damaged. That means he can't growl, either. Or bark, or snarl...not of those typical fox sounds. Bummer.

Oh, dear me, the pathetic little animal cassette can't act like a pathetic little terran animal instead. So sad. Fleet, for his part, just snickers at the cassette's predicament. He'd hate it to happen to him, but since it's happened to an /Autobot/ it's funny. "Ah, I see. So while you're still a pest, you're a somewhat less noisy pest for the moment." He crosses his arms and looks smug.

Catechism would be worried about the gathering crowd of humans with recording devices if she wasn't still hopping mad at herself. However, there's an Autobot here, and he can't talk! Things are looking up. Catechism says, quite loudly as if to flaunt the fact that she can speak, "So how about we finish watching the show, you leave us alone, and we leave at the end. That seem fair?"

"I would certainly deem that more that equatable," Verdant adds, once again lacking the mocking tone the others have adopted. While he certainly has no love for the Autobots... he has something less of the, ah, jerk factor non-MSE seekers seem to usually possess. The Autobot's lack of speaking ability is humorous, but a quite chuckle is sufficent for him.

After all, the Constructicons jealously hoard most of MSE's allotment of jerk factor.

Foxfire heaves a mental sigh and rolls his optics. He stands, and turns his back on Fleet, to head back to the hovercraft. As he passes Catechism, he gives the femme a look that says he didn't want to fight anyway.

Yeah, right. Let's face it. If the Decepticons didn't have him outnumbered three to one, he would have SO done the grudge match thing against Fleet. The pastel seeker chuckles and looks at the others. "All right. Back in alt modes. And this time, behave!" With that he follows his own instructions and transforms.

Fleet transforms from robot to pyramid jet.

Catechism gives Fleet a weird look and mouths, 'But they already know we're Decepticons,' but doesn't say it. After a moment of internal debate, she obeys and transforms, quietly taking back her spot in the display next to the poor Harrier and lonely helicopter. The show attendants don't try to set up the ladder again.

Catechism transforms into her alternate mode: a F-35, Marine Corps variant. Her feet flip up against her shins, her nosecone rotates through her body and out in front where it belongs, her arms tuck into her torso, and her wings rotate into position.

"Ah you command," Verdant says, a slight smirk on his face, likewise resisting the urge to point out the absurdity of trying to reassume a disguise at this point in the game. Never the less, he does as asked. Imagine, encountering Autobots and not fighting. Life in the "future" sure was different!

Verdant compacts and folds inward to transform into an F-16 fighter jet.

It's because we're less threatening in alt mode, y'boobs.

Because advanced fighter jets with guns and rockets aren't scary.

That's /Mister/ Boob to you.

Less scary than giant robots!

Yes, Foxfire *would* like to have that grudge match, but not now. At least he knows when he can't win. Ah well. The small saboteur returns to the hovercraft, and hops on top of it, resuming his attentive posture like nothing had happened.

Well, one thing's to be said for the distraction - the humans are now leaving the three Decepticon 'display models' alone! Fleet settles into watch the rest of the show, making mental notes on the abilities of the terran aircraft.

But there's always a punk kid who has seen more cartoon shows than he has sense and wants to get in a dig at the bad guys, or maybe he's just mad he didn't get to mess around in her cockpit. He slinks over and kicks the F-35's tyres. Irritated, she wiggles her flaps, spooking him off. Blasted prototypes. The little xeno scared away, she settles down to take in the show. Was that a reverse Immelman?

Verdant meanwhile, it's actually watching the air show. True to form, he's watching the trees, watching the little animals that are perched in the branches, and generally decending into a botany little haze. Sooner or later, Fleet or Catechism will call him on it, for sure, but for now, he's enjoying the view.

============================ BB Post in Progress =============================

Group: Reports

Title: They're Watching Our Airshows!

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In the 'weird happenings' section of a number of newspapers is the following blurb:

A public relations event being performed by the US Air Force's Thunderbirds was briefly interrupted when three planes that were thought to be display models of various sorts suddenly transformed and proved themselves to be Decepticons. The three robots were seen speaking to a much smaller robot that was later identified as the Autobot Foxfire before transforming again and returning to their jet forms. After the airshow was over the jets left quietly and without incidence.

After that the report trails off into speculations that the Autobot somehow frightened the Dececpticons into behaving themselves, along with a few farfetched theories trying to connect the event with the recent occupation of Carbombya.

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