Railspike

Strength 7d

Agility 17d

Intellect 16x

Willpower 13d

Hand Size: Edge:

4 (25) 2

Origin:

Like the other members of Team Bullet Train (and the Autobots in general), Railspike is an electromechanical entity hailing from Cybertron, a transforming robot sent to earth to protect it from evil. He may also be from another time period, making him doubly out of place here.

Powers:

Cybertronian Physique: Railspike is a robotic entity of Cybertronian origin. As such, this cantankerous old commuter has, by his very nature, the use of a large variety of abilities that reflect this. His very body gives Railspike these super-human powers:

* Body Armor (s): made (or formed) from primarily metallic materials, Railspike is considerably durable. His sturdy, inorganic composition affords Railspike intensity 8 (+2) protection from attack, enough to make him highly resistant to conventional human assault.

* Growth (a): Cybertronians come in all manner of sizes, few of which align with the human norm. Railspike, for instance, nominally stands at twenty-four feet tall in his humanoid mode, which grants him this power at intensity 6 as a general matter of course.

As such, this wise transport possesses a +6 size factor. This grants him a +6 bonus to the damage he inflicts on normal sized foes, while theirs suffers a -6 against him. Conversely, he suffers a -6 penalty to strike standard sized enemies in the first place, while they gain a +6 to hit him.

* Microscopic + Telescopic Vision (w): all Transformers can alter their visual sensitivity where distance is concerned. Functioning at intensity 2, these powers let Railspike see objects up to a mile distant with ease, and allow him to read items on microfiche.

* Radio Transceiver (i): as are most Transformers, Railspike is equipped with an audio / video transmission system. This communications rig allows him instant contact with any other Cybertronian within a wide radius of his person, having intensity 7 range (100 miles).

* Resistance / Invulnerability to Disease and Poison (s): as an inorganic life form, Railspike possesses complete immunity to poisons and organic diseases. He also possesses intensity 30 (+7) resistance to more chemically creative forms of disease.

Corporeal Gestalt (a): a tight-knit group, Team Bullet Train has the power to combine their very bodies into a singular fighting form, the fleet-footed Rail Racer! Railspike possesses this power at intensity 16, and serves as the head, arms, and chest of Rail Racer.

Headlights (i): to better emulate a bullet train (and since they come in handy in the dark), Railspike is equipped with a set of convenient headlights. These twin lamps can generate intensity 8 illumination, making railing at night no problem.

Powerstroke Missiles (i): fired from launchers mounted in each of his shoulder pads, these weapons typically strike in a large volley, inflicting intensity 10 fragmentary (physical) damage. Of course, individual missiles are only capable of inflicting intensity 4 damage by themselves.

Shape Change (a): Railspike has the power to transform into a Nozomi 500 bullet train engine. He can do this at will, though the transformation requires a verbal trigger ('Railspike, Transform!'). Railspike's engine form moves with intensity 6 speed.

Hindrances / Augmentations:

(none)

Equipment:

Sonic Umbrella (i): this sidearm can be used by Railspike to down an opponent with ease. It emits intensity 10 sound waves, tuned to inflict concussive (physical) damage with each blast. Foes with unprotected sound pickups may well pass out in anguish when so attacked.

Skills:

Boxing (s): though he prefers to use his sonic umbrella or powerstroke missiles, Railspike can also get 'personal' in a fight when necessary. He can divide his pre-card play action score between two unarmed melee strikes, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.

Leadership (w): wizened beyond his considerable years, Railspike is an effective leader. As such, Team Bullet Train receives the benefit of a +1 to their actions whenever following Railspike's well-practiced leadership; however, if this leadership is lost, it turns into a -1 penalty.

Marksman (a): Railspike has demonstrated his uncanny skill with line-of-sight weapons on several occasions - particularly with his powerstroke missiles, performing trick shots that have befuddled the Predacons time and time again. He uses such weapons at a reduced difficulty level.

Contacts:

The leader of Team Bullet Train, Railspike can naturally rely upon his squad for help if necessary - not to mention the rest of the Autobots, who value his combat skills and wisdom. Hey, the good guys do tend to stick together, after all.

Calling:

Mentor, with a secondary calling of Guardian: Railspike constantly works to improve Team Bullet Train's performance, running them through endless teamwork drills. He does this to better protect the earth, a world teeming with a people he's grown to truly love over time.

Likeness:

In his vehicular form, Railspike resembles a Nozomi 500 bullet train engine, one that is white and blue in hue. In his humanoid configuration, Railspike resembles a well-crafted robot built from various bits of a bullet train engine - he's really quite smooth.

Personality:

Courteous, polite and intelligent, Railspike excels as the leader of Team Bullet Train because of these qualities. Of course, his demeanor belies these traits, for he can be stubborn on occasion, if not downright cantankerous, for he likes doing everything in an orderly fashion.

And a lot of the Autobots are (as far as he's concerned) undisciplined.

Real Name: Railspike
Occupation: Autobot warrior
Legal Status: citizen of Cybertron with no known criminal record on earth
Marital Status: inapplicable
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: the Autobots, Team Bullet Train

Height: 24' (approximately)
Hair: inapplicable
Eyes: red
Weight: several tons
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Railspike is composed of a strong alien metal that is primarily blue and white in hue, regardless of his form.

Story:

Not a whole lot has been revealed about Railspike's history when you get down to it, but a few things have come to light. It would appear that this fellow is an older Autobot, one with untold years of experience in protecting the innocent from Predacon (or Decepticon, or Vehicon) violence.

He's also a competent leader, who has the respect of not only his two fellow members of Team Bullet Train, but the Autobots as a whole. He has led the Team into battle against Megatron's earth-bound thugs several times, both before and after the Decepticons burst onto the scene.

Though Ruination (the result of a merger between the five Combatrons) seems more powerful than Rail Racer (a gestalt of the three Team Bullet Train Autobots), Railspike hasn't let that cow him any; in fact, this has spurred him and his team to fight even harder for the Autobots' cause.

This is most likely because, thanks to an extended period of time spent working with humans, Railspike has evolved a deep appreciation for the fleshlings. He goes out of his way to protect them, even going so far as to stop fighting his foes when such battle puts humans in undue danger.

This has caused him some... static where more rambunctious Autobots (like Ultra Magnus) are concerned, but Railspike cares not - for he knows what is right for him - and the earth. Now that all his evil cousins have been defeated, Railspike's ultimate fate is as of yet unknown.

He's apparently returning to Cybertron along with Team Bullet Train, to protect other innocents across the universe from other Predacon schemes. Of course, should they - or any other evil Cybertronians - return to earth, it's likely Railspike will reappear to oppose them!

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