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:

Hook

Trypticon <T>

Carbombyan Palace

Obvious exits:

East <E> leads to Red Sea.

West <W> leads to Nile River.

Fly <Up>

Like the Pharoahs of old, a lone figure stands, his shadow long in the setting sun, watching a monument being raised in his honor. But this is no feeble Egyptian monarch, and that's no hyroglyph-covered stone... This -only- the proud and mighty figure of HOOK, watching as a team of low-ranking seekers winch his creation - the Energon Pumpulatortron - into position.

Long Haul, for his part, is looking a bit better. He's finally been repainted, although his windows are still clear instead of tinted purple. By this point he's quite familiar with the Pumpulatortron - after all, he's done most of the weld joints on it. Several times, since Hook was never happy with the job he did (and probably still isn't happy, but hey). Still, a week spent welding is a week /not/ spent hauling, so the dump-truck-former, who watches just far enough away from Hook that his 'lone figure' pose still counts, is in a fairly good mood.

There should be music playing as the large, and yes it must be admitted, phallic apparatus is raised slowly upright. Vangelis's "Conquest of Paradise" perhaps, or something by John Williams. But since neither are available, Hook hums a few bars of "Ode to joy". Hearing his not-so-stealthy brother approach, he turns, smiling. "Just in time to witness my triumph!"

"Uhm. Yeah. Okay." Long Haul shrugs. For his part, he's just glad it's finally done, so he can get onto doing... something else. Still not allowed to haul, of course, but on the other hand, there's a lot of annoying paperwork associated with supply running that he could be getting caught up on.

Okay? OKAY? It's better than okay! It's doubleplus good! "Of course, it still has to be run through a rigorous testing process" Hook admits, turning back to watch his creation be locked into place. "Which will take several planetary rotations."

Of course it will. This is Hook we're talking about. Long Haul idly studies the end of one of his fingers, still showing a bit of damage from the /last/ time he welded it to the Pumpulatortron (in a manner of speaking, there is now more Long Haul in the device than there is Hook, regardless of who actually designed it). "'Course," he answers, not sounding in the least bit interested.

Hook rolls his optics at Long Haul's surly tone. "You should be /pleased/ about this, Long Haul. After all, in a tiny way, you contributed a little to the project!"

That's right! All the little bits that would normally be at the end of his fingers. "I'm glad it's done with," he grunts, and then shrugs. "Yuh, I'm suppose I'm glad... but it's not like I /doan'/ contribute to alla the other stuff we build!" His tone takes on a note of challenge. After all, those supplies have to get on-site /somehow/!

Hook thinks about that. He can't remember Long Haul doing anything particularly useful in most of the projects they undertake. "Of course you do" he replies condescendingly. "But in this one, you actually did some real work!"

Long Haul's black hands clench into fists. He shakes a little bit... can't fight... still on light limited... can't fight... finally he relaxes his hands as he spins on his brother. "/Dammit/, Hook! Hauling /is/ real work!" After all, Long Haul certainly doesn't /enjoy/ it, so it /must/ be work.

Hook uh huhs. "Right.. of /course/ it is" he replies. "Perhaps it's so important that you should be banned from doing anything else? Because it's /so/ important.."

Long Haul's fingers splay and he steps back, stance radiating the horror he lacks the face to express. Hook's dug him quite a hole here, and then cheerfully handed him the shovel to finish the job - either he essentially admit that he's useless, that his contributions mean nothing, or he allows himself to be forever locked into the role he despises... and nothing else. He searches desperately for a way out of his trap, and finally explodes, "Allright! Okay! If that's the way you wanna play it! If haulin' is so damned useless, how 'bout you /only/ put me on other jobs!"

Hook smiles smugly. "Calm yourself, brother mine. Before you blow a gasket. I would not want to deprive the Empire of it's foremost transport expert." And yes, Hook does belive that. Long Haul is a Constructicon, after all. "But I see you're also begining to see the value of more.. hands on work." Victory! Victory for HOOK! No wonder the other Constructicons don't like him.

Obviously, Hook never bothered to notice that Long Haul /always/ preferred actually building to hauling (although, granted, he still prefers fighting to them all), and thus the transporter is something at a loss to how to respond to his brother's last comment. When in doubt: shrug! Which is exactly what Long Haul does. "Never said I /didn't/ see the value, but hell, generally if there's any hauling to be done, I'm not even given the chance t'do something else!"

"We are all specialists" Hook replies. "And as you so eloquently put it, it is REAL work."

Which essentially brings them back to the beginning of the conversation, on opposite sides. This whole affair has poor Long Haul /thoroughly/ confused as to just what point he's supposed to be arguing, so instead he lunges right for the clarification. He tilts his head, looking at Hook out of the corner of his visual field. "'It' what?"

Hook sighs. "Never mind, Long Haul. Just be pleased that the Pumpulatortron is installed, and ready for testing. And that your systems will soon be functioning at a sufficient level for you to haul once more." He pauses. "If necessary."

'If necessary.' Long Haul rather likes the sound of that! Of course, sooner or later it will be necessary... and until then, there's still paperwork. Which reminds him, "Hey, Hook, have you started on that new organizational system or what-a-hoosits for the supplies storage back at New Crystal City? We're past overdue for an inventory for that place, and I needa figure out what system I'm s'posed to be following."

Hook has been busy! "I have made a start" he admits. Hook doesn't multitask too well. The perils of being a perfectionist. "Use the..." he shudders "../inferior/ one for now. It will be rearrange when my system is complete."

Long Haul lets out an electronic sigh and rubs the back of his neck with his left hand. "Right. Mixmaster's system." It's oxymoron time, folks! "So pretty much go through the stores and record what's there, an' hope that it's on a list somewhere an' that everything matches up." And folks think that being a supply officer /isn't/ work?