Carbombya

The grassy hills and savannas in the east, bordered by ancient volcanos and sprawling lava fields, are the only part of Carbombya not made up of barren desert. Until recently, the country depended on meager livestock herding and subsistence agriculture, but upon the discovery of a huge reserve of very high-grade oil beneath the shifting desert sands, things changed radically. The struggling democracy weathered multiple coup attempts by greedy neighbors and other interested foreigners before finally succumbing to the tender mercies of a home-grown dictator. There are no refugees from war torn Ethiopia being taken in as slave labor, not here under the enlightened rule of President-for-Life Abdul Fakkaddi!

Contents:

Fulcrum

Galvatron

Trypticon <T>

Abdul Fakkadi

Carbombyan Palace

Obvious exits:

East <E> leads to Red Sea.

West <W> leads to Nile River.

Fly <Up>

For the average Carbombyan slave, little much has happened for them. Toiling away in harsh conditions to produce oil. Harsh conditions and regular threats of torture and/or death. Even their immediate guardians are still in place - why upset a system that is working fine, after all? It is just that their new masters are made of metal, and not flesh and blood.

Yup, everything is more or less normal.. except for one. One of the slaves has never walked miles barefoot to their harsh labourous work. One who is used to wearing his official military uniform as a sign of authority, not as his only uncomfortable shield from the unforgiving sun. In these last few weeks, Abdul Fakkadi has suffered many indignaties. He says nothing to his one-time servants. He works hard. He ignores the nightly death threats. He didn't usurp leadership of this entire country by being impatient. But the rightful ruler of this land can only tolerate so many injustices upon himself....

Galvatron comes to land, right in front of Fakkadi, hey...he's got good intel. "Well well well. How the mighty of fallen. How the strong...barely survive." he laughs. "If it isn't supreme dictator and president for life..." he mumbles, "Isn't that a bit damn redudant?" his voice picks up again "Abdul Fakkadi" a smirk befalls his dark features, "Well. Look at you. My slave. My loyal little minion. But, it doesn't have to be this way. You realize this, yes? You don't have to work these fields. You don't have to be like these...mortals." a snort, "You could be amongst us, Abdul. Back in your rightful place. Overseer of this country for my army. Granted, you would have no military control, but you would have the rest of which you once had. All you have to do is one thing. One...small...thing. Then you won't have to sit amongst these pathetic mortals any longer. Look at you. You don't look quite well in those rags, do you? So? What will it be?"

Rather near where all this is going on, a yellow seeker is standing guard, taking his assigned shift to oversee the slaves. Prior to Galvatron's arrival his stance was... still alert, because he's cautious by nature, but it was more of a relaxed military stance. This changes upon his Emperor's arrival, and he stands at attention for a moment before once more turning his attention back to the slaves. Wouldn't do to let them mistake Fleet's proper acknowledgement of his leader for distraction, after all.

Fulcrum is also watching over the humans, though mainly as an excuse to be somewhere else but medbay while he works on a few projects of his own. Somewhere where he's less likely to encounter Arachnae, or at least be in the same vicinity for long periods of time. Although it does make him a target for others attention... so he quickly stashes his datapad in a storage hatch on his hip and attempts to look.. guard-like. Or something.

The new and improved Bandit towers over the puny humans he has been put in charge of minding. He stands there with a fierce and ominous look on his face. If you would have spoken to him months ago, he might have had an ounce of sympathy for these fleshlings, but not now. Not after what he has been through. Not after he has been so close to death...so close he could almost taste its sweet and alluring poison. He did not just recieve a new paint job....he has a whole new outlook on life. His purple optics glare, and he makes sure that he keeps everyone doing what they are supposed to be doing. "Keep working flesh creatures....you will be fed if you do....killed if you do not...."

The sudden arrival of Galvatron - a large robot even by Transformer standards - is almost too much for Fakkadi, who has been seriously unnerved by the events of the last few weeks. He jumps back in shock. He squints his eyes as he looks high up look his undeserving 'successor' in his optical units while this foreign invader, this robot, mocks his title. Mocks his position, and refers to his official uniform - tattered as it is - as rags. "You.. who invade my fair lands.. now dangle these false promises in front of the rightful ruler of this country? To willingly concede control of the righteous and mighty, great and good military force and be your puppet king?" Unfortunately, noone has told Mr Fakkadi about how the 'righteous' Carbombyan military - comprised of little more than bargain sales of decrept decomissioned machines from other nations - crumbled in response to a simple Decepticon assault force.

Galvatron laughs. And laughs. And laughs again. He aims his cannon at the sands beneath him, blasting one shot. A huge crater forms. Dust as far as the eye can see. It takes several moments, but finally the dust settles. "Idiot. Fool. Mortal. You're a moron. Did you see what I just did to the ground? Imagine what I could have done to your army had I particpated? Do you know why I did not, Abdul? I WASN"T NEEDED. A mere small assault force could take your lands. And it did. You military was a joke. One EDC shuttle could have taken it. You know it, and I know it. Stop with your bravado." he smirks, "Sometimes I like spirit." he aims at a group of slaves, firing again...barely missing what would have killed them all. They were once Abdul's elite guards, "Sometimes not. Now is not. Face the truth, you mortal fool. You never stood a chance. The only thing that made it interesting was the Autobots. But now you do. Don't you see, you mortal fool? I won't be the first to want what you have here. I was just the quickest and smartest. The Autobots want your land. So does the EDC. Do you think they will offer you what I do? If they take over, you have NOTHING. It will be a DEMOCRACY?! Do you know how failed democracies are? Now, it is what you wanted. An absolute dicatatorship with absolute power. You will control these people, Abdul. Absolutely. My might will make sure of that. The might of my troops. Without me...they could rebel. But now, you can control it all, the only price is energy. So. Reconsider. This is your last chance. Hear my offer."

Hey, the Carbomyan airforce is even feilding MiG-29s, jets that are now more than 40 years old! Which is good news to Fulcrum, since he's been stripping down and canibalising the few jets that weren't destroyed in the initial, overwhelming Decepticon assault. Starting slightly as Galvatron opens fire, he decides to just watch the show progress. Today, Fulcrum will be playing Silent Decepticon Goon #2

Bandit continues his minor patrol back and forth in his sector. Things seem to be going as well as can be expected. His attention does not waver though the taks might seem mundane. He takes a moment to look outside the base of operations, to scan for anything out of the ordinary. With the coast clear he returns to his work. He notices Fulcrum off in the distance and he waves quickly. That is when he notices Galvatron speaking to a terran human. Upon closer inspection it is the former leader of this group of pitiful fleshlings. He grins at the bitter irony of that....and wonders just how angry it must make him feel to have been so easily usurped. He grins as he sees Galvatron's display. "Excellent...." he says lowly.

Fleet's head snaps up as first Galvatron shoots the ground in front of him, then at Fleet's little group of slaves, almost leaving him without an actual job there... aside to stand there and look menacing in all his pastel glory. Which is basically what he continues to do, anyway. Slaves, meet Silent Decepticon Goon #1. #1 would have been Bandit, but he's been talking.

Abdul Fakkadi is president-for-life of the federal /democratic/ nation of Carbombya. It's in the official documents that he's a democracy! At least, that's what he likes to call it. "Perhaps.. I have been hasty. In my response." He says, trying to save face despite the fact that he knows full well Galvatron has him dead to rights. He struggles to turn away from the crater in front of him, and the excessive heat that eminates from it. Finally, he sighs. "Very well, Decepticon. I am willing to hear what you have to propose." Sheer bravado in the face of certain death; but it is nothing but then. His attempt to save face in front of his people is about as convincing as Fakkadi's regular denials of slavery to the UN.

Galvatron laughs, "Of course you will. Oh. And I'm not just any Decepticon. Remember that. It will serve you well." he holds hin his hand a document. Something that is so small for him, "In my hand, I hold a treaty. A treaty that I somehow think you will like. In it, it annexes your nation to the Decepticon Empire. HOWEVER. It also details that you get all the protection and rights that such title suggests. You, Abdul, will be leader of this province of my empire. You control the slaves. You control the province. The only thing you do not control is the military. But that is because of the nature of my Empire. My provinces, all of them galaxywide, have their own rulers. But all things military always default to me. You will have your position back. you will have your palace back. You will have your "slaves" or "servants" as we will tell the UN, back. It will all be legal. It will all be yours. Except the energy and military. What do you say, Mortal, do you want your life back?

Now now...The UN wrote Abdul a VERY strong letter! And of course, imposed crippling economic sactions, stopped him from being allowed entry to any country.. but the letter was the important thing. And.. is Bandit waving at Fulcrum? The blacksmith nods in reply, then turns back to the deal in progress, wondering why Galvatron doesn't just step on the human and be done with it. But then again.. that means some poor Decepticon would have to be overseeing this dusty crap hole permanently.

Bandit remains silent listening as best he can to the exchange between Galvatron and Fakkadi. He wonders if the human will sign the deal. Either way, this province is the Decepticons, there will just be less bloodshed and more logistical issues if he does not. He knows he would not want to be put in charge of this crap hole. I guess now that he is quite he is Decepticon Goon #3....or perhaps semi-silent Goon #1 ....whatever.

As a Decepticon, Fleet sees nothing particularly wrong about the idea that a treaty signed while under duress would still be a legal treaty, and actually, had he known more about human history, he might even have pointed out that that's usually the way humans do business among themselves, anyway. The seeker allows himself a smile as he listens to his Emperor - once the whole thing is legal, the Autobots can't touch them, prevented by their own moronic sense of morality. All in all, he must admit, a very clever plan indeed!

Abdul Fakkadi grits his teeth as he considers his beloved Carbombya in the hands of another. This foreigner. This alien.. machine. Just a thing. A device. Though a device of mass destruction. "It would appear," he says in a resigned tone, "That you have presented this to me as an offer which I will not be able to refuse." He snatches the paper to skim through the finer details. "Very well, Decepticon, I will accept to your terms.." and now he dares to display a glimmer of the fire he once had as this land's leader; "With two conditions! First, I expect as a territory of the Decepticon Commonwealth to have appropriate protection enforced! You will no doubt wish to protect your own interests, after all. And secondly, I wish to conduct the affairs of my land and its people as I wish, unmolested by your subordinates. I will send you the energy you covet, but be held accountable to you and you alone. I do not wish to be treated as a toy for one of your flunkies to play with."

Galvatron smirks, "Read the treaty, mortal human. That is exactly what it details. Of course that is what it is. Of course we want to protect it. Of course we want the money the oil will provide after our own supplies are met. You will receive a fair share of the profits, as the treaty provides. More than enough to make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. If you had read the agreement, you wouldn't have to worry about such things."

Bandit is not surprised at all to hear the human try to save face. It seems as if that is all that these flesh creatures try to do. They know that they are weak...they know that they are inferior...but if they can 'LOOK' like they have some sense of dignity then they feel allright. He shakes his head, hoping that there is a caveat in there, that if he treats Decpticons like they are @$$ clowns...then Galvatron will be paying him a special visit. He would spit on the leader if he had the capability, where is blot when you need him.

Fulcrum has disconnected.

Abdul Fakkadi reads the finer print.. Hmm, well apparently Galvatron's idea of a 'fair share' pales in comparison to his own. Namely, Fakkadi believes all of it is his. "Then I will agree to your terms, Decepticon." He hisses. "But let it be known that the President-For-Life of the fair and just land of Carbombya is not pleased with the terms." He looks at the paper.. then signs. "For all the difference it would make." A pause. "My.. Emperor."

And meanwhile, the slaves are continuing to lug about the energon on crude trolleys. A pair carting them nearby Fleet hit a large rock, causing three of the potentially-volatile cubes to fall onto the ground.

Galvatron smirks widley, "Excellent. I knew you would see it my way, Abdul." he looks over to Bandit, "Bandit! Take him to his palace. Let him have that which he wants. Take him away from these other mortals." he looks to Fulcrum, "Announce our agreement to the UN. This is official." Poor Galv. He doesn't realize that the UN will never sanction such a treaty.

Fleet snarls. Yes, he can snarl - he learned it back in Decepticon boot camp. It's an essential skill, after all. "Clumsy fleshlings! Watch it!" He points to one small group, "You three! Return the cubes to the cart! And if you value your own lives, you will be gentle with them!" After all, if they're not gentle, Fleet himself would hardly have to make any effort to punish them! The cubes will do that themselves!

The trio follow their master's commands, carefully loading up the cart before continuing with the harsh transit. Of those pushing the cart, more than a few of them re-evalutate their presumption that the yellow robot was actually quite cowardly.

Bandit nods and salutes his leader. "As you wish Lord Galvatron....." he turns towards the human and motions for him to hop in, as he transforms into a shiny new S-37 XF. Nothing wrong with having him ride in style, and perhaps scare the shite outta him in the process. "You will find this to be the latest in technology and comfort....just remember to buckle your seat belts." He chuckles and blasts off into the air doing a loop and then breaking the speed of sound to make what would be an hour or so journey take 2 minutes.

With a leap canards and wings begin to fold out and rotate into place. Arms retract and legs change into powerful engines. Out of what seems a flurry of motion streaks a sleek and powerful jet fighter.

Abdul Fakkadi, who does as he is told, approaches his escort-turned-carriage and climbs in. He keeps his comments about the turbulent transit to himself, until such a time as he's not actually within the person he is critiquing.

Abdul Fakkadi has disconnected.