Occurs immediately after the previous chapter.
Note: Another cooperative effort on this chapter between yours truly and TheSealer!
Jack arrived at the Cybertron Infirmary and went up to Red Alert. "How's Arcee doing, Doc?"
"She's in stable condition," the head medic replied. "However, she's still in critical care. I'm afraid major circuitry and Energon supply tubes were severed in that attack, as well as supporting structures. She'll require major surgery. And her vocorder was permanently damaged. She won't be able to speak until a new one can be protoformed."
"Oh, God."
"The bad news is, we don't yet have the capabilities here on Cybertron to protoform a replacement vocorder. She'll be in a similar condition to Bumblebee's for quite some time - unless one can be acquired from the Cybertron in the other dimension. I've already communicated with Ratchet."
"She's conscious now. I have her helm in suspension with exterior supporting struts, pending surgery. You can visit. She won't be able to turn her head."
"Arcee, I'm here."
"Jack. Jack, please be prepared. I look awful! And I can't talk!" Jack felt her sobs of anguish in his Spark.
"I don't care how you look! I want to be with you!"
He walked into her room. He ignored the embarrassment and shame she was feeling about her appearance.
"Arcee, I love you! Please, don't feel bad about how you look!"
She really did look bad. Her helm was secured in a locked device that kept it from moving, and her neck was completely covered with medical equipment. All she could do was look straight ahead.
("Hey, Jack") She said, in her Bumblebee-like beeps and boops.
"Oh, Arcee," he said, holding her servo, "I'm so sorry about what happened!"
("I know you are"), she replied. ("I also feel the anger growing in your Spark. Jack, it's wrong. It's like the hatred I held for Airachnid.")
"I can't help it! I will find this Decepticon Technorganic and make him pay for what he did to you - I promise it!"
The two-wheeler smiled. ("Well, I can't discourage you from taking down a Decepticon.")
Jack laughed. "OK, we'll leave it at that."
"I love you, Arcee. Please get better." He kissed her servo.
("I love you, Jack. Tell everyone at the base I'll be OK.")
Skysword left Shockwave's lab shortly after JoAnne entered. He'd explained about the Technorganic body waiting for her, and how it was floating - naked - in the floor-to-ceiling tube. "I respect you enough to have not taken a single look at that body, JoAnne," he told her, "and I don't intend to start. That's your new body, so you should be the only human to see it."
She appreciated that, and entered the lab alone with Shockwave. Standing outside, he heard her scream as the probes entered her skull. "Remember how that felt," he sighed, and walked down the hallway, to wait until she was in a state where she'd be able to get up and dress herself. He was met by Knockout.
"So, how's the femme?"
"Undergoing the procedure."
"And you're not watching?"
"Oh, no, not JoAnne; I'm giving her some privacy. It's a human thing, I guess."
Knockout rolled his optics. "You squishies and your morals."
"Alright, Prime!" Agent Fowler said through the video feed. "What is this meeting about?"
"Agent Fowler, thank you for attending under such short notice." Optimus began. "A grievous development has happened and we must gird ourselves for it. That is why I have requested Captain Sari's attendance as well."
Sari was attending the meeting through her own vid aboard the Skybolt. While she was already aware of the new foe, Optimus hadn't yet released all the details.
"We have a new Decepticon as our foe now. A new Technorganic."
Fowler's usual stern and somewhat grumpy demeanor turned bleak. It had been a while since Kālī's mad rampage, and the damage had all been repaired. But he, as one of those who had seen her and survived, still shuddered at her shadow. Kālī was labeled a complete monster by many; she had all that power at her fingertips and no restraint whatsoever. Even Megatron was more measured than her. In many ways, that made her worse than any ordinary 'Con.
"So they actually did it. What Raf said was true." the man sighed grimly.
"Indeed. This new enemy was agile and powerful. One of ours was gravely injured in battle." Optimus didn't elaborate how or whom and Fowler was wise not to push him. Seeing this, Sari continued.
"Moreover, Shockwave will undoubtedly keep creating more Predacons, which will boost Decepticon forces even more. Everything points toward the conclusion that Megatron is gathering his strength for something big."
"And what do you think it is?" Fowler asked that more to Optimus than Sari, seeing he knew Megatron better than she did.
"Megatron suffered a great defeat when he lost Cybertron. But he will never steer from his goal of seeing our home world under his heel." Optimus looked at the ground. "For that to be achieved, he needs a base-planet of his own with exploitable resources. It would stand to reason that the Decepticons will launch a full assault, for the purposes of conquest on your world. He will attack an area to use as a stepping-stone to take over Earth."
"By Abe Lincoln's chair! Are you serious, Prime?!" one look from Optimus was enough to tell Fowler that the last Prime was always serious. "What am I supposed to tell the Joint Chiefs? The President? To expect a Decepticon-caused nuclear attack on their weather reports?"
"Agent Fowler, while this is a very disturbing turn of events, we can still prevent it from becoming a greater debacle." Optimus spoke softly. "Ever since Cybertron returned to life, more and more Autobots have returned. Many of whom will gladly accept fighting to defend our allies on this world."
"The Skystrikers will also help." Captain Sari added. "And my fellow Autobots from my dimension as well. Raf has been attempting to crack the Nemesis shielding. If Megatron is planning an attack, there must be some battle plans in their ship's super-computer. Raf infiltrated there once, he can do it again."
"Are you sure that's possible?" Fowler quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Extremely difficult, but still possible. The Decepticons will have installed reinforced security after our recent breach." she had to hope for it. If the Autobot's could learn of the Decepticons' timetable, many lives would be spared.
"Alright." Fowler sighed. "I will talk with General Bryce and give him the midnight snack news. Fowler out."
While Sari held onto the hope that Raf would succeed in discovering the Decepticons plans, one fear gnawed at her Spark: many innocent people would soon die.
"Skysword. JoAnne is ready for you," Shockwave told him in his comm.
"Coming." And he headed toward the Technorganic lab.
Inside was the new Decepticon femme, with her orange, yellow and red chassis. She sported flamed-shaped protective covers on her knees and a matching cord tying her metallic ponytail. Her helm, like Skysword's, imitated her hairstyle, with metallic bangs in front.
Unlike Skysword, her wings pointed down. Her chest plate sported a few red glowing lines as did her waist. The spark chamber and optics glowed red, unlike Skysword's which were purple. Her figure remained feminine nonetheless.
"Looking good." he smirked.
"You could have told me it was going to hurt like hell!" she groaned.
"Hey, no pain, no gain. I told you there were going to be sacrifices." she cast a look at her old body which Shockwave was preparing to dispose of. Her face showed disbelief and revulsion. Skysword wondered if that wasn't how he looked when he last saw his old body.
"Shockwave, I'll handle JoAnne's training."
The Decepticon scientist just nodded and returned to his work. Now that the second Technorganic was out of his hands, he could focus on the Predacon Project for some time. They exited the lab and Skysword took her to the landing bay of the Nemesis, where a training area had been set up for the new Technorganic recruits.
"Hey, Frank - I mean, Skysword." she still wasn't entirely used to his new name. "How come you have that symbol on your chest and I don't?"
She was referring to the Decepticon insignia on his chest plate. Originally, Skysword had one when he became a Technorganic. But Megatron ordered it removed because Frank, at the time, hadn't yet proved himself a Decepticon. Only after his first battle with Arcee, which he won with flying colors, did Megatron officially welcome him to the cause.
"This is the brand of the Decepticons. You'll have yours once you show Megatron you deserve it."
"Yeah, you told me it wasn't a free ride." she recalled "So what do I have to do?"
"Your chance will come when Megatron decides. For now let's get you through the basics. Then together, you and I can gather the other recruits."
Shockwave had briefed Skysword on JoAnne's mods, so he was fully prepared to be her trainer. He first talked to her about her combat weapons.
"Your primary close-combat mods are your flame throwers. Hold out your palms and think of throwing a flame."
She did this, and gave it a thought. Instantly, jets appeared above her wrists, and shot out several meters. "Wow! That's awesome!" She halted the mod. "What do you mean by 'close-combat?"
"Every Cybertronian has two sets of combat mods: close combat and long-range. Close-combat is used for fighting your enemy up front, and long-range is for distance. Before I show you your distance weapon, you have another close-range mod. That is your energy-whip."
"I have a whip?"
"Yes. You're left-handed, aren't you?"
"I am, yes."
"It's in your left servo. Will it to…"
"Servo?"
Skysword chuckled. "That's the name for your Cybertronian hands. If Shockwave didn't explain it, when you were downloaded into your new body, you became a Technorganic. You are now half human, half Cybertronian."
"I thought I was half Decepticon."
"Not yet. As I said, the Decepticons are a faction of the Cybertronian race. You must earn that distinction first. I have no doubt that you will do it, JoAnne," he smiled, putting his servo on her shoulder.
She smiled back. "Thanks. So, I lift up my left servo like this, and think of my whip…" and instantly, an energy whip appeared in her servo! The moment she grasped it, the whip glowed a bright red.
"Whoa! Neat! So, what's the energy part?"
"Give it a try. Crack the whip on those metal crates stacked up to your left." And she cocked her arm back and snapped the whip on the crates. The second it made contact, the crates burst into flames, then exploded!
"Holy…!"
"That's the energy part. Your whip is super-powered."
"I'm really liking this," she grinned.
"Trust me; you'll be putting both mods to good use. Now, for long-range combat, we have our orbs. Look at your palms." And she noticed the circular outline on each palm. "I have them also," and he showed her. "This is how you use them," and he fired off a red orb at a crate. JoAnn was in awe, watching the glow on his palm, then the red orb forming and shooting out toward the crate, causing it to explode.
"You try. To shoot an orb, you aim your palm out toward an object and concentrate about firing from that part of your servo. And I'll tell you something else that will happen. As soon as you do that, you'll see something in your line of sight."
"OK." And she raised her arm and aimed her servo at the crate. She concentrated about firing. Suddenly, in her vision, a targeting mod engaged, and a cross-hairs came down on the crate. "Wow," she said.
"See the cross-hairs? That allows you to better aim. And when there are multiple long-range targets - which we'll train on later - you'll see multiple cross-hairs to concentrate on."
"Multiple?! How the heck do I concentrate on all at once?"
"JoAnne, you have a Cybertronian processor now, not a human brain. You are capable of performing 1,000s of calculations simultaneously! You'll be surprised at what you can do now."
JoAnne gave out a wicked little laugh. She was liking this new life more and more!
"OK! Here goes!" And shot out an orb. However, her red orb was small, and did nothing other than push the crate a few meters.
"What the f***!"
"No, that's about what I expected. Your orbs will vary in size and intensity, depending on the intensity of your will. The stronger you will it, the bigger and more powerful the orb will be. Think of it like a punch. Try again."
She tried again. This time, the orb was much bigger, and blasted out of her palm like a rocket. It hit the stack of crates, disintegrating them all on contact, causing a bright flash.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" She laughed.
"Alright. Initial weapon lesson over. You ready to fly?"
"Uh, let me think about that for a minute - hell yeah!"
Skysword laughed. "OK. To fly, you power up your plasma thrusters. You have those on your pedes and servos."
"Pedes - feet, right?"
"Yup. Now, think about turning them into jets." She did, and the four thrusters fired off in unison. "Wow!" she yelled, and she started going up into the air.
Her trainer fired up his jets and came level with JoAnne. "You use your ankles and wrists to maneuver. Give it a try - but do it slowly, otherwise you'll crash."
JoAnne whimpered a bit, and hesitated. Skysword recognized this was a do-or-die moment for her. They were a good 10 meters above the platform, not a bad fall for a Cybertronian of their size - a little painful but no ways fatal - but JoAnne didn't know that. Still, he wasn't about to molly-coddle her - she aspired to be a Decepticon, after all!
"Do it, JoAnne! Let's go!" He barked, and flew at her, bringing his optics up into hers. "You want this? Prove it to me!"
As before, Megatron was observing the training, only this time, he was observing Skysword. The trainer's last, DI-style yelling pleased him. He smiled.
JoAnne spat back. "Alright! I'm going!" she frowned, and started moving around. After a few minutes, she then did something unexpected. She flew away, out into the open sky. "Catch me if you can!"
Skysword laughed. "Very cute. You asked for it!" and took off after her. Approaching where she was flying, he shot an orb that just barely missed her right flank.
"Hey! What the f***?!"
"I'm an Autobot chasing you! What're you gonna do?"
She turned and fired back. "This!"
Two weeks elapsed since JoAnne's recruitment and she had passed through all her instructions, including some basic fighting techniques. Now they had recruited Adam Larson, and his lessons had begun.
"I'm flying, baby!" Adam shouted to the skies.
Adam's chassis reflected his muscular body. He was the tallest and bulkiest of the three, armed with a massive hammer of red energy. His armor was light-gray with red highlights in the lower legs, upper arms and upper chest where the spark chamber was. Red stripes in the jet-boosters, shoulder-pads, upper legs and lower arms. In the upper-legs and shoulders, audio-receptors and crest in the head he sported toxic-green. A unique characteristic of Adam's was the red visor encasing his optics, and the jets in his back.
Right now, Adam was flying high in the desert, straight towards a rocky formation. He was about to make impact…when suddenly he pulled his hammer out of subspace and smashed through the rock, passing through the falling debris unharmed.
"Nice, hot shot." Skysword was following behind, supervising Adam's training in flight-combat.
"Hot shot, huh?", he chuckled, "you think I can have that as my Decepticon name?"
"Nah, that's Megatron's call." Skysword then turned to JoAnne. "Now you two spar."
Adam quirked an eyebrow at the femme, who gave no verbal or gestural reply.
"You know this ain't gonna be fair to her." he scoffed a chuckle at Skysword.
"Humor me."
JoAnne pulled out her whip and grabbed Adam by the wrists. Surprised, he was pulled towards her and before he could react, she fired her flame throwers. Adam let out a small cry as he felt the heat.
"Wow, watch it, I wasn't ready!"
"What's the matter?" she snorted. "Can't take the heat? Then don't join the club."
"Okay, you asked for it sister." and he came at her swinging his hammer. She dodged his attempt and cracked the whip at him. This time he was ready and swung his hammer. The collision of two red energy weapons made a repelling burst but they kept going.
Skysword remained watchful, ready to intervene in case the sparring became too brutal. JoAnne was behaving quite a bit differently than when he first met her. More aggressive and confident, which was a good thing for a molding Decepticon. He recalled the day that changed her into this.
Flashback:
JoAnne had finished her first week as a Technorganic and was allowed some leave. She decided to pay a quick night visit to her hometown, Billings, Montana. She made sure to avoid her old house, school and other places she used to frequent. She just wanted to get some food for her human half. After all, she had learned how to get by during the months she was on the run.
Casually she passed by a small restaurant which normally she wouldn't have paid any heed. If it weren't for her former boyfriend, Michael, sitting in there. With some other girl!
Without thinking, she walked into the restaurant and marched to his spot. To say he was open-mouthed to see her was an understatement.
"Jo!" he used the old nickname he gave her. "The hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same. And to her too." she pointed at the unknown girl. "What's this, Michael? Already moved on less than a year after I left."
"The cops are all looking for you. Not my fault that you burned down the gym." When Michael refused to take her to the Junior prom, she burned down the gymnasium in a rage. Her parents had never cared much about her. She thought Michael did; she thought wrong. Ever since then, JoAnne had been on the run until the day she came across Knockout.
"What kind of boyfriend are you?" she spat with disgust. Her outburst was attracting a few other customers.
"What kind of psycho bitch are you?" he retaliated and drew a giggle from the new girlfriend. "You go pyromaniac just because I broke up with you and now you come pointing fingers! You're just a weak, whiny girl. I can't believe I spent half a year with you. Get out before I call the cops."
"Weak?" she was nearing her boiling point. "You think I'm weak?"
"Yeah." he challenged her, expecting her to breakdown and cry. Instead the last thing he saw was a flash of light.
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S WEAK!"
Minutes later, folks outside went in hysterics of panic when the restaurant EXPLODED, killing every human inside. Before the firefighters or police could arrive, JoAnne had taken her leave. But not before she gazed into her ex's and his new girlfriend's burnt, mangled corpses and spat:
"Who's the weak one now?"
End of flashback.
JoAnne had told Skysword about that event when she returned to the Nemesis. Personally he felt she had done the right thing, even if it was spur of the moment. "Those who step on us must be hurt in return," he responded. Problem was, Megatron wanted to keep a low profile, even if now the whole world knew about alien robots. Fortunately the authorities assumed it was a gas leak and no witnesses survived to say otherwise.
"Skysword!" Starscream's voice spoke in his head. He put a finger to his comm.
"Yes, Commander?"
"Soundwave has detected an Autobot signal coming your way through the Northeast. A flying signal." – Skysword understood the commander's meaning. There were only two Autobot fliers: the Technorganics Jack and Sari.
"Do you want us to engage?"
"But of course! Bring me the head." they cut communications and Skysword stopped the sparring match.
"Listen up! One of the Autobot Technorganics is coming. I want you two to go in hiding and watch your backs. I'll deal with the problem."
"What? You want me to stay back while you dish all the pain? I thought we were training." Adam protested.
"This isn't training, this is battle. Something you two have never tasted." he spoke more serious now. "Go!"
"Okay." JoAnne obeyed with no problem.
"Whatever you say, boss." Adam followed with a mock salute. They descended into a rocky canyon and hid in a small cave. Skysword also chose a hiding place from where to observe and launch an ambush.
Jack was flying to his "secret spot" to wait for the stars to appear. He'd just left Arcee's "secret place", where he watched the sunset bathe the canyon walls with all their colors.
He'd been doing this regularly ever since Arcee's hospitalization. Sitting on "their" rocks at both spots, he would enjoy the scene, thus allowing his Spark Bonded mate to feel it together with him. The feelings of peace and quiet joy she got from this was aiding in her recovery.
"I love you, Arcee."
"I love you, Jack. Thank you."
He was almost there, when he was confronted by a flying Technorganic Decepticon.
"Where are you going, Autobot?"
Jack looked at him with hatred in his optics. "You!"
All hell broke loose in Jack's mind. He flew on a b-line for Skysword with broadsword out on his right arm. The 'Con blocked him with his left falchion. Skysword attempted to strike him with his other blade, but Jack blocked him with his Skyboom shield. They remained locked in this stalemate for a whole minute, while staring in each other's optics.
"So you're Jack, right?"
"I'll kill you!" Jack head butted him hard, disorienting him. The next succession of strikes was made without pause. Jack proceeded to kick Skysword violently in the chest plate and then a roundhouse kick in the head. The Decepticon was thrown off balance and lost altitude.
Jack made a dive for him, broadsword at the ready. But Skysword activated his Negatronic force field to repel him. They both regained balance and stared each other down.
"You have a lot more teeth than Starscream said you have." Skysword said in an almost complimenting way.
"Screw you!" Jack spat again, firing an orb which he dodged with ease.
"What's with the attitude? I thought Autobot's were all about love and peace and crap like that."
"Not when 'Cons like you almost kill someone we care about!" Jack's outburst made something click in Skysword's processor. Knockout had mentioned that Technorganic Jack was bonded - he still preferred the term dating - to one of the Autobots. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure who that was now.
"So, the blue two-wheeler is your girlfriend, huh?" Skysword chuckled tauntingly. "Not my problem she thought she could take me on. She just got ahead of herself."
That little pun drove Jack beyond reason. He went straight for the attack, recklessly charging with broadsword in one arm and Hyperspace mallet in the other.
"Come here, I got something for you." Skysword thought maliciously. He remembered seeing a video of Kālī's defeat at the hands of Sari. The Autobot had tossed an energy orb while Kālī came at her. Shockwave had theorized that a high-speed object making contact with an orb would be vaporized to the sub-atomic level.
He began to make a red orb behind his back Just a few meters closer, and Jack Darby would cease to exist. He tossed the orb and, for a split second, Jack realized his deadly mistake. But he had no time to move out of the way!
Until a beige blur pushed him out of the orb's trajectory.
Jack came to find out it was Sari who saved him from certain damnation.
"Sensei!"
"Jack, we'll have a talk later." Sari said sternly and turned to Skysword.
The Decepticon was as surprised to see Sari as Jack was. He had heard what this Technorganic was capable of - cutting off Megatron's arm and blinding him was a feat for the books. Jack proved to be on the same level as Skysword, but he knew Sari was far beyond. He wouldn't risk fighting Sari, not until he improved his skills further.
"Are you still looking for a fight?" she flew towards him, energy blades out, mouthplate up.
"Nope. I'm no coward, but there's no point fighting when there no chance of winning." Skysword withdrew his falchions. Sari did the same, but Jack did not. If they were having a cease-fire, brief as it may be, Sari wanted to take advantage and learn as much as possible.
"Smart choice. If you don't want to fight, then let's talk. Who are you?"
"My name is Skysword, a Decepticon." the second part of his introduction was rather obvious.
"You were once human, weren't you? The Decepticons found you and promised you a new life and power."
"That's right."
"Why? Why did you betray your world? Don't you know the Decepticons will conquer this planet and eradicate humanity?"
"I know that, Sari. And I don't care." Skysword said lovelessly. "Why should I care for a world that never cared for me?"
Sari sighed deeply. There was no changing his mind. All she could do was prevent others from choosing his path. And if for that Skysword would have to die, so be it. She would prefer another way, but taking him captive didn't seem an option.
"Jack, stand back."
"But Sensei…"
"That's an order." she spoke with a note of command but no harshness. Jack relented and she prepared to engage Skysword. Jack was still moved by his anger and that could cost him his life in a fight against this 'Con. "Skysword, I'm sorry for this but I can't allow you to move others into the Decepticon cause."
"Too late for that." he smirked. While they had been talking, Skysword had sent a signal for JoAnne and Adam to approach stealthy. They rose up right beside him; Sari's and Jack's surprised and shocked faces were priceless. "As you can see, I'm already putting together my team."
"Great, more Decepticon scrap." Jack muttered.
"Hey, watch it, pipsqueak! My name is Adam, don't you forget it!" the largest of the Technorganics growled.
"And I'm JoAnne." she took the moment to introduce herself. JoAnne wasn't about to let her enemies know her partners' names and not hers.
The Decepticons took battle stances but made no move. Sari and Jack mimicked them, though the latter was eager to go turn off Skysword's lights.
"Are you in the mood for round 2?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, but some other time." Skysword turned back to his followers. "We're done for today."
If Adam wanted to protest, he didn't voice his wish. The Decepticons turned their backs to the Autobots and shot up into the sky.
"Didn't Screamer order us to fry them?" JoAnne inquired.
"Yeah, but I've learnt sometimes taking Screamer's orders will only get you scrapped. None of us is at Sari's level, even together. We still need much more training." Skysword responded "Besides, Lord Megatron won't blame us for retreating from a battle we couldn't win."
"Didn't Shockwave say Sari has the ninja P-O-M? that works like telekinesis or something?"
"Yep, that and her skill in martial arts is the big issue. That's why Shockwave is working around the clock on the Predacons. They all working together with us is our trump card."
"Jack, that bull-headed attack was not reasonable." Sari was frowning at her Gakusei. They were back in the Skybolt after having made sure he had no injuries.
"I know, Sensei." he bowed his head in shame; now that the heat of battle was turned off, his anger had dissipated. Though his hatred hadn't.
"What if I had to explain to June and everyone else you had charged recklessly into the event horizon? Have you thought about how your mother would be?" she paused to allow that to sink in. "You remember how Arcee was obsessed about killing Airachnid, don't you? In the end, when she had the chance to do it, she spared Airachnid instead. If you're lucky, you'll do the same."
"I know...it's just that I never…"
"Felt so angry before?" Sari sighed. "I understand that, but you can't let anger and hatred cloud your judgement. We Cyber-Ninjas respect all life, so we can't afford to hold grudges of any kind."
"I...need some time." Jack asked respectfully. She nodded and he went to rest in his quarters and left her alone. Though not for long, for Miko in her human form came right in.
"Captain!" she was smiling from ear to ear. "So! I heard from Jack that you had a run-in with the TechnoCons."
"Techno...Cons?" the captain quirked an eyebrow.
"Skysword and his flunkies. You know! They're Technorganics and Decepticons. That makes them TechnoCons." Miko explained like two plus two equals four. Sari actually half-smiled.
"Following that line of thought, Jack and I are TechnoBots, but that name is already taken," she chuckled.
So the Technorganic Decepticons have been given a name, courtesy of Miko (who by the way, is quite good at these things). Three of the five have been enlisted so far, and two more to come!
Arcee will be discharged from the Infirmary very shortly, but it's quite likely she may not have time to travel to the other Cybertron for that vocorder surgery given the current events! I'm sure Bumblebee will have a great deal of sympathy for his two-wheeler friend.
Thanks for reading – much to occur in future chapters!
Please review.
NOTE: As much as I would like, I'm not able to respond to guest reviews.
