| abstract
| - Darkmount, ancestral fortress of the Decepticons. There have been three incarnations of the Decepticon capitol building; the original, built under Straxus' reign, was destroyed in the early days of the War. The second collapsed into its own smelting pits during the battle between Galvatron and Avatar the Usurper. The third stands before you now. The Darkmount compound first presents a curtain wall patrolled by drones and studded with laser cannons. Behind this stands the hunched shapes of the drone factory, the shuttle hangars and their ancillary buildings. Looming over it all is Darkmount itself, a faceless and unlovely edifice sixteen hundred meters tall, about which flights of Decepticons circle like roosting birds. Apart from the landing platform halfway up, it has no other visible apertures, no entrances at ground level. The only beings that enter Darkmount by choice can fly. During the day, the tower is more clearly visible, a vast monolith against the sky which commands a view of most of this hemisphere of the planet. Darkmount - Landing Platform The thin and bitter winds of Cybertron howl around the tower, a vivid reminder of the eight hundred meters distance between this platform and the ground. The landing platform is the busiest single part of Darkmount, with continual air traffic in and out under the watchful eyes of the particle cannon turrets and their crews. Simple in concept, the platform is little more than a massive section of the tower wall which hinges down to become a flat plane suitable for landing anything from a Seeker to a shuttlecraft. The interior edge opens directly into the cavernous atrium of the fortress. Galvatron stands on the edge of the platform, left hand outstretched to the terrain rolling away far below, visibly concentrating. His fingers move slightly as if operating a marionette or playing a wind instrument, and the glowering sky responds. The planet seems to struggle against him, but slowly it is responding; he has already done much, and although doing it by force seems to cause almost as much disruption as it repairs, he is slowly bringing the surface of the planet to heel. There are smooth metal sheets where there was rock and rust before, walls where there were rolling plains, bunkered trenches where there were ravines. Ready for the Decepticons to occupy them, and to decorate their iron paradise with an Autobot head on every pike. Needlenose stands on the landing platform near the Decepticon quartermaster, looking out over Polyhex. Or rather, looking out into the fog. His grilled faceplate hides the absolute horror that he's feeling right now. Sure he's glad that the Decepticons are going to conquer. What loyal trooper wouldn't be? But this isn't the glory that he had been expecting. Where's the chillin' and relaxin'? Folding his arms, Needlenose steps to the edge of the platform, though away from Galvatron, and looks straight down. He doesn't have a chance to see the ground thanks to the smog. Sunbeam and Zigzag, both wearing their helmets to avoid breathing this stuff in, stroll up to their partner. "Dude..." says Sunbeam, breath taken away by the lack-of-sight. Zigzag smirks behind his helmet. He has no problem with risking Cybertron for the chance at victory. "Hey Sunbeam. Hope you had a good recharge because I don't think you're going to see either of the suns for a good long while. Ha ha ha!" "Shut up, Zigzag," Needlenose snaps. The Targetmaster looks over to the Decepticon Warlord. "What do you think it feels like?" he asks. "Controlling the entire planet?" A digital framework appears around bludgeon as his Pretender mode surrounds him. The skeletal Samurai has reappeared, flames in his eyes. Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior stands with his arms crossed, gazing out over the landscape. He takes note of every creation and destruction of the planet as it is brought to tow. His eyes blaze as the samurai judges the scene before him. "Mighty Galvatron, the planet itself heeds the call now, the call of destruction, of power. Our long awaited victor is now undeniable." He gives a nod of approval to nobody in particular. "The planet knows its Master." The last line is said with a note of satisfaction. He adds after a moment, "Finally this rebellion is put down, and the cosmos will be yours, and a new war will begin against those who do not heel as Cybertron has. I relish the opportunity for new combat." He clenches his fist in anticipation. Darkmount, for those unaware, is a massive spire at the heart of the Decepticon capital of Polyhex. Standing 160 stories tall, its interior contains everything needed for managing a galactic war. Designed for Decepticons, it has no elevators or stairs. To get from one level to another, you've got to fly. Autobots without that capability will have to be acrobatic or creative. Crosscheck is riding inside the shuttle with the other autobots. The scientist seems pretty calm but only because he's good at hiding his fears. Attacking the heart of the Decepticon empire to take Galvatron down, with only a couple of autobots looks like a suicide mission to him. The price of failure is too horrible to even think about it. Crosscheck spent the last cycles studying the situation and he is well aware of what's going to happen if Vector Sigma can't be freed of Galvatron's influence. To change his mind, he begins to tinker with a new odd looking rifle that's resting on his laps. Bell UH-1V Iroquois transforms into his Blades mode. There is something seriously wrong with the world when Blades ends up in charge of anything. Then again, there /is/ something seriously wrong with the world. Blades recaps to his fellow Autobots, who are coming in hot and hard on the Autobot shuttle and scientist Jetfire: "Autobots! Vector Sigma has been corrupted by Galvatron with help from a fluid termed 'Dark Energon'." Blades does air quotes. "We've tried to get Vector Sigma back, and it almost blew the chips out of one of our own." Blades reads news reports, see. "Today, we're assaulting Darkmount. We're probably not all coming home, but we're doing this for Cybertron. We're coming in on a landing platform on the 80th level, 800 m up - don't fall, unless you can fly, you won't survive the drop. We have to make it inside and up to level 113 to destroy it. I think Sandstorm's got a handle on that. Once inside - again, don't fall. If you've got grapplers, use 'em. There are no stairs or elevators. The floors don't even connect to each other in a linear fashion. /Don't/ get distracted. We're not here for glory. We're not here to settle scores. We're here for one thing only: to destroy floor 113. Got it? You'd better, because I'm gonna be the first one outta here." Indeed,Blades is ready at the door, prepared to jump. He gestures with his thumb. Then, in a moment, he's out and transforms. Blades yells, "Darkmount, I'm back! Hope you missed me - because you can't shoot for slag!" Blades transforms into his Bell UH-1V Iroquois mode. "This is a pit of a way to get combat training," Shiftlock mutters, looking out the door after Blades jumps through. "I am thoroughlty convinced that Impactor is trying to kill me." She wonders if there was any sort of plan for this, or if the plan was just 'Hey we got a map of Darkmount, let's throw exploding things at it and make it explode.'. With a sinking feeling, she assumes it's likely the latter rather than the former. << Do we have any sort of team assault plan for this? >> she asks over the radio, trying to be optimistic, as her right hand disappears into her forearm, energon grapple extending. The hook has been slightly altered - retrofitted with Tailgate's gift given a few days prior - and she's out after Blades into the air. Jetfire nods at the Protectobot's words. "Remember, our objective is to destroy those transmitters." Holographic images and schematics of said transmitters briefly appear above a projector at the center of the passenger hold. "As he said..do -not- get distracted. The Decepticons will no doubt attempt to divert your attention away from the objective--but we -must not- falter. Remain focused, so that we can get inside, obliterate the target, and get out." The scientist then follows Blades to the rear hatch, pausing momentarily to add, "And take out anyone who stands in our way." he nods at Tailgate. "Tailgate, with me." Hopefully the minibot will agree to riding with him, despite what happened -last- time... As Blades indicates him briefly, all Sandstorm does is pat his chestplate with one hand and flash a thumb-up to everyone else with the others. Then reachs over to pat Shiftlock on the shoulder with a smirk. "When they said military training, I bet you never expected anything like this, huh? But its take off the training wheels and make your motherboard proud time. Because this?" He thumps a fist to his chestplate again. "Is what Wreckers do -for fun-." Suicide missions into the heart of the enemy stronghold on a one-shot, all-or-nothing mission? For -fun-? Either Sandstorm has a very strange definition of fun (he does) or Shiftlock has gotten herself into a heap of interesting times (she has). With those delightful words of encouragement done, he saunters over to the open hatch right on Blades' heels. Looks out for a moment. "Careful, the first step is a doosy." And with that, he jumps out. And transforms into-- Wait, no he doesn't. Because that would be the easy way to do it. Instead Sandstorm jumps out only to pull his arms partway back into a skydiving freefall position as he plunges into the vicious looking clouds surrounding Darkmount. There's only one way to express this moment, and you know its coming. "WREEEEECK 'N' RUUUULE!" Tailgate is still reeling a little from the recent current events. However, his desire to prove himself hasn't diminshed at all, consequently, that's why he's here. However, he's still having difficulty remembering why he even is on board this shuttle. He hides behind Jetfire's leg, watching Blades attempt to be inspirational. He never did get to thank him for digging him out of that pile of rubble. However, he doesn't seem approachable right now, so he just listens attentively. Well, there was really no need. Tailgate's already clinging to Jetfire's leg, Needlenose and his two partners stride over to Bludgeon, because when you're feeling depressed and you're curious whether you could be made to feel even worse, talking with Bludgeon's a good idea. He would snark it up, but Galvatron is right there. Unsure about whether Galvatron can even hear them right now when he's doing... that thing he's been doing lately, Needlenose says, "So, uh, I just flew in from the outer gates and my engine got clogged about half way there. Had to switch to anti-gravs." Needlenose looks out at the smog again. "I don't want to challenge your perfect design of course, Lord Galvatron, because it's perfect, and... uh..." Needlenose trails off, realizing this is a bad idea. "It's, it's great." He gives a weak thumbs up. He really hopes that transfer to Six Lasers comes through. Needlenose then perks up, "Hey do you guys hear something?" He looks up at the clouds. His optics suddenly go very wide. Upon hearing the telltale noise of a shuttlecraft's atmospheric thruster assembly, the Decepticon quartermaster opens a channel again. <> Pause. <<...you did? Then what in the blazes... is...>> **WREEEEECK 'N' RUUUULE!** "...oh slag!" The quartermaster turns and runs down the landing platform back towards the Atrium. "What?!" roars Galvatron, his concentration broken by the sudden arrival of an Autobot shuttlecraft skidding through the air around the side of the fortress, followed very shortly by a squad of Autobots leaping fearlessly towards the landing platform! As his attention is withdrawn, a checkpoint on the road to Polyhex twenty miles distant collapses into a heap. "Decepticons, to your posts! We are under attack!" Galvatron takes a half-step back, swings up his right arm and pumps three rapid shots out of his cannon at the shuttle, punching narrow holes through the hull as he searches for vulnerable points inside, such as the engines, fuel lines, or control linkages. Combat: Galvatron sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Galvatron strikes Crosscheck with his There's a hole in the shuttle! Area attack! [Pulled -9] Combat: Galvatron strikes Tailgate with his There's a hole in the shuttle! Area attack! [Pulled -9] Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior raises his head at the sound of a disturbance. If his skeleton's face could smile he would. He gances down at Needlenose for a moment, then says a single word. "Wreckers." With a burst of speed, he darts out to the landing platform. There can't possibly be too many more places for the Autobot forces to form up at. <> Galvatron just put two holes in the shuttle. <> Below the Autobots, Bludgeon waits. His sword is drawn in a graceful arc, sending crackles of electricity in his wake. "Come then." He says simply, awaiting the team. Eventually, a robotic bald eagle lands on Galvatron's shoulder. Now, normally having a bird land on your shoulder is a classic symbol of command in the Decepticons, but some in the Empire say that Americon is probably an exception to that rule. Either way, the patriotic Decepticon seems blissfully unware of those considerations. He watches the landscape shift, head bobbing side to side now and then, miraculously saying nothing. Then, suddenly, AUTOBOTS! "Don't worry, Mr. President," Americon says to Galvatron, who may or may not have even been aware of him being there until now. "I'll take care of those Autobots and prove to that stupid Harrow that I'M NOT A TRAITOR AND I JUST HIT THE WRONG CHECKBOX IT HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY GEEZE in America." And he flies up and shoots lasers at Sandstorm! Americon's robot legs pop out metallic feather-like objects as they and his lower torso split apart, also revealing an eagle head. The arms and robot head join the main body, and his guns convert into tail feathers and rocket launchers. Americon is now a bald eagle! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Sandstorm with his Laser attack! Crosscheck pushes the gumby pilot off his seat and take his place, "Let me do that, you look a little nervous." and then Galvatron starts shooting at them, "Nevermind. I'm going with the others." The scientist runs for the hatch and leapswith a little help from a rocket pack (why am I the only one who thought to bring one?). As he jumps out, he gets blasted by Galvatron and crashes rather than he lands on the platform. He grabs his lower chest and grunts in pain as smoke passes through his fingers. "I knew I should have skipped military training that often" he mutters. The autobot scientist extends both hands towards the Decepticons and energy sparks surround them. With a loud grunt of pain, he projects them towards Galvatron and his goons. Combat: Crosscheck sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Crosscheck's Energy Dissipator Field attack on Galvatron goes wild! Combat: Crosscheck strikes Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Energy Dissipator Field Area attack! Combat: Crosscheck strikes Needlenose with his Energy Dissipator Field Area attack! Combat: Crosscheck's Energy Dissipator Field attack on Robotic Bald Eagle goes wild! Combat: Crosscheck misses Sandstorm with his Energy Dissipator Field Area attack! Combat: Crosscheck strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Energy Dissipator Field Area attack! Wow, this stuff is thick, and pretty nasty too. With a grunt Sandstorm bobs his head and a protective faceshield and visor slide into place over his face, making it look more like the action figure's head instead of his animation model as the visor lights up with visual enhancements that only partially cut through the obscuring smoke and stormclouds as he plummets through them. A downward plume erupts from the bottom of the clouds as Sandstorm drops out of the thickest part of the bank, a few laser shots bouncing off his armor and leaving little scorch marks. "Nice storm." That is when he finally transforms into his helicopter mode, rotor roaring loudly into function. "Let's see how you like it!" Before that trail can be pulled back into the clouds its sucked behind him by the sudden vortex of air produced by the high powered rotor, the smoke and debris swirling in upon itself around Sandstorm as he plunges toward Darkmount, sending the obscuring spiral of debris driving down towards the platform in an attempt to give the other Autobots some cover. Sandstorm transforms into his Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter mode. You paged Blades and Needlenose with 'Nope!' Combat: Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter strikes Robotic Bald Eagle with his Ride The Storm And Reap The Whirlwind Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Robotic Bald Eagle 's Accuracy! (Blinded) Combat: Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Ride The Storm And Reap The Whirlwind Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior 's Accuracy! (Blinded) Combat: Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter strikes Needlenose with his Ride The Storm And Reap The Whirlwind Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Needlenose's Accuracy! (Blinded) Combat: Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter strikes Galvatron with his Ride The Storm And Reap The Whirlwind Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Galvatron's Accuracy! (Blinded) They're flying towards Darkmount, and Tailgate is clinging to Jetfire's leg, not ready for whatever it is they're about to leap headfirst into. But suddenly, the shuttle jolts and without warning, gaping holes open up in the side of ship, The shuttle banks violently, and Tailgate yelps as he loses his grip on Jetfire's leg and is flung against the wall. A flying piece of hot debris impales itself in his leg. "Ow!" He cries, and finds he cannot stand. "Jetfire..." The shuttle nosedives, and he slides towards one of the gaping holes in the ship, unable to grab onto anything! Bell UH-1V Iroquois has been to this landing platform before. He /wishes/ he was coming back here with a full squad of the Technobots to just ruin the whole place, but he isn't. The Autobots just have to make do with what they have, because if they fail, Cybertron falls to the Decepticons, and every new Transformer born is going to be born with poison in his soul, without even the freedom to choose otherwise. The Huey is more than a bit miffed to suffer from friendly fire, but he tries to keep a lid on his anger. Now is not the time. Sandstorm makes for some treacherous flying in the area, with his eponymous sandstorm. What do they have in the way of targets down, here, though... oh. Well. It's smart rocket time, and time to hope that there will /be/ time for Sandstorm or Ietfire to do what they do. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Galvatron with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! [Pulled -2] "Tailgate?" Jetfire doesn't see Tailgate any--Oh, wait...he looks down, and finds the minibot clinging to his leg. "Never mind, then...Hang on tight!" he chuckles, and jumps out of the hatch, free-falling through the clouds for a few astroseconds before transforming into his sleek space-worthy flight form. As Tailgate slides through one of the holes that had opened up in the hull of the vessel, he flies in front of it, hoping the minibot can grab onto him as he makes the flyby. The scientist opens a commlink to respond to Shiftlock's offer, <> With Tailgate (hopefully) hanging on to his wings, he dives downward toward the landing platform, opening fire on the Decepticons below with his particle beams. Combat: Tech Spaceship sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Tech Spaceship strikes Robotic Bald Eagle with his Quad Particle Beam Phalanx Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Tech Spaceship strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Quad Particle Beam Phalanx Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Tech Spaceship strikes Galvatron with his Quad Particle Beam Phalanx Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Tech Spaceship strikes Needlenose with his Quad Particle Beam Phalanx Area attack! [Pulled -2] Shiftlock shuts out everything but her immediate senses and the necessary radio feeds. She fires her grapple line forward and strikes the side of Darkmount. Bracing herself, she lets the pull of gravity take hold and swing her up into the storm, tracking on Jetfire's position and Tailgate's. She's ready to try to catch the minibot if he slips, advancing upwards as she lands on a craigy metal precipice above her. In spite of the bravery of the Autobots, and the barrage of rockets he's already under fire from, Galvatron does seem more confident with a bird on his shoulder. "Americon, to the skies! Bring down that helicopter!" Decepticons have an inordinate love of falconry, and Galvatron displays it as he gleefully launches Soundwave's minion to handle Blades. Sandstorm's defiance, however, seems to outrage him. "HERE?!" bellows Galvatron, advancing on the Wrecker through the whipping, scouring wind. "At the very SEAT of my POWER BEYOND MEASURE?" He breaks through into the eye of the storm, cracking his knuckles as he advances on Sandstorm. "I think you OVERESTIMATE yourself, Wrecker! You must be WELL and TRULY mad!" Galvatron lunges through the raking particle beams at Sandstorm, one arm cocked back and ready to deliver a devastating blow! Combat: Galvatron sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Galvatron strikes Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter with his A SHORT SHARP LESSON attack! [Pulled -3] Needlenose may not be all on board with the 'destroying Cybertron to win it' philosophy, but he sure as hell is on board with stopping the Autobots from raiding their home. Looking back at Bludgeon, he nods decisively. "They're suicidal if they think they can attack Darkmount and walk away from it." Particle blasts strike the landing platform, with one burying itself into Needlenose's shoulder. "Mad and soon to be dead, boss. ZIGZAG! SUNBEAM! /To me/!" The two Targetmasters jump and transform alongside Needlenose, both attaching under their respective wing. The F-16's engine sputters briefly in the thick red smog, but Needlenose forces himself upwards, flanked by a squadron of Tetrajet Seeker warriors. "There's only one shuttle in the sky, boys! If you see a big dark shape, /take it out/!" Needlenose does indeed see the shuttle, though it's hazy. He fires a proton missile, blowing one of the engines off the Bot shuttle. Said shuttle, already overworked from the clouds, is going to have some serious trouble now. Good luck, Tailgate. Swooping past triumphantly, the F-16 moves to find his next victim while the Tetrajets stay with the shuttle. "Ah ha. Is that you, Blades? Or should I say 'Razor'? What a stupid name that was." Needlenose taunts. A cross hair on his HUD aligns perfectly over Blades. "Soon /scrap/ is going to be the most suitable handle for you." That's when the coloured bars on the little monitor in his cockpit start dropping, indicating power loss! "Ugh, the Autobots are doing something to our systems. I'm registering a slight energon drop off. I think I can fight thr- whoa..." Needlenose trails off as everything goes dark. It was hard to see BEFORE, but with Sandstorm kicking up debris and smoke in his direction, Needlenose is flying blind. When you're an F-16 and you can't see and you know there's a big tower nearby that you could easily smack into, it makes for a nerve-wracking experience. Through the thick haze, Needlenose can barely make out what looks like a helicopter. Thinking quick, he decides it must be either Blades, Crosshairs, or Sandstorm--unaware that Crosshairs has already landed. Accordingly, he has Zigzag take the shot! GAME: Needlenose rolls a (2)-sided die: ROLL: Needlenose rolled a 1 Combat: Needlenose misses Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Lightning Bolt Blast (Laser) attack! Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior raises his free hand before him, noting Crosscheck's strange sparking energy. It trails on his hand for a few moments, before a quick shake of his hand dissipates the energy. Dust and sand are next, getting caught in his optics and gears. The cape he wears...wait, why is he wearing a cape? It ruffles and flutters in the wind, the sand starting to shred the flimsy material in its wake. Bludgeon perseveres with a steadfast demeanor. He only raises his arm over his face when Jetfire opens fire with his particle beam cannons. He grunts with disapproval. His cape already in tatters, he regards the two Autobots who land on the platform. He approaches slowly, his steps measured. "Come then." With that, Bludgeon assaults both of the grounded Autobots with his blade! First, to Crosscheck, he darts in close, the hilt of the blade moving to slam into his faceplate. In mid strike, he just seems to slide, anticipating Shiftlock's landing arc from the energy grapple. With no wasted motion, the strike continues, electricity crackling as it goes towards Shiftlock. Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior strikes Crosscheck with his Ruckus Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior strikes Shiftlock with his Ruckus Area attack! [Pulled -1] Robots in disguise! Needlenose transforms into his F-16XL Jet Fighter mode! Galvatron has reconnected. Robotic Bald Eagle laughs as it turns out Galvatron did know he was there the whole time! "No problem, Mr. President! Destroying these Autobots will be a piece of American apple pie OOHHH PRIMUS MY OPTICS!" he screams as his optics become filled with sand. He screams some more as he's hit by lasers, but not as loudly. In fact, those screams were kind of disappointing compared to the ones that came before. "Can't... see..." he grunts, squinting through it. He sees a shadow falling. "Rumble!? OH NO DON'T FALL RUMBLE!" He zooms to what he thinks is Rumble, only to gasp as he sees that Jetfire has 'caught' him! "JETFIRE! You bastard, let Rumble go!" And so he swoops by to try and 'save' Tailgate from Jetfire, plucking him away from him and flying him around in search of safety! How alarmed will the Autobots be by this? How confused might the Decepticons be by this? And why is Americon suddenly playing the theme to the Neverending Story? Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle 's Distract Attack attack on Interstellar Battleship goes wild! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior 's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Tailgate with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Tailgate's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Tech Spaceship with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle (Americon) used "Distract Attack": A Level 0 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Tech Spaceship 's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Crosscheck with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Crosscheck's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Shiftlock with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Shiftlock's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle misses Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle 's Distract Attack attack on Bell UH-1V Iroquois goes wild! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes himself with his Distract Attack Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Robotic Bald Eagle 's Agility. (Crippled) The moment the Autobots are spotted, the entire city is put on high alert. Decepticons everywhere rush to their garrisons, struggling to work with instrumentation that isn't working quite right due to the interference. Missile batteries come online, scanning the heavens for any sign of that Autobot shuttle. Seekers, Sweeps, and an assortment of other Cons take to the air, flying up the side of Darkmount to join the fray. The small Autobot squad is going to have to keep moving, keep blasting, and keep using the darkened terrain to their advantgae if they're going to have any chance of survival. Crosscheck can barely see Budgeon charging him with all the dust flying around. At the last moment, he attempts to dive under the blade but get caught on his shoulder. He must fight his instinct to face the Decepticon since Galvatron is the top priority here no matter the cost. The scientist releases the weapon he brought from its magnetic clamp and aims hit at the Decepticon leader. This may be his only chance but Bludgeon could backstab him at any moment. Crosscheck aims as well as he can before pulling the trigger, sending a weird energy beam towards Galvatron.but what is Americon doing? Combat: Crosscheck sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Crosscheck strikes Galvatron with the Crosscheck-forged Destabilizing Ray attack! Bell UH-1V Iroquois doesn't think he can attack Darkmount and walk away from it. He will, in fact, be the last bot to walk away from this, if he does walk away, because if /anyone/ goes down, once floor 113 is destroyed, Blades is going for those poor sods to get them out. The helicopter manages to evade Needlenose's retaliation, and he snaps, "Needlenose? What are you supposed to be, a pair of pliers? I bet you torque a lot of nuts!" He also manages to evade Americon being... terrifying. Blades has a sinking feeling, though. Despite past history, he sends a rocket after Needlenose. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes F-16XL Jet Fighter with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! [Pulled -1] The next thing Tailgate knows is that he's falling! Right into the gaping hole in the side of the shuttle! Jetfire's flying by, and he reaches out to grab him, but suddenly, he's being plucked from the sky by a... Decepticon?! Where is he taking him?! Oh, well, perhaps this can work to his advantage. He jettisons out his hood magnet, latching onto Americon's neck and climbing up to sit on top of the eagle. "Thanks for saving me!" he says, trying to sound like Rumble (not that he really knows what he sounds like but oh well). Then he leans forward and partially covers his optics while pointing at Needlenose, "Oh no! Look! An Autobot!" Combat: Tailgate sets his defense level to Aggressive. Having done his literal dirty work and providing some limited visual cover for his comrades Sandstorm levels off and the copter starts booking towards the Atrium proper. He's making good distance, laughing a bit as the Cons scatter for their cover and placements in the wake of his blinding whirlwind, which the energy of the Decepticons' own storm is making linger longer than it would. But then Galvatron comes flying out of the smoke in such a fury to smash his fist into the side of the Wrecker, sending the Sikorsky tumbling through the air a bit. A little too busy being knocked off course to worry about Americon's antics. He comes out of the tumble transforming, landing in a crouch that shoots a few sparks from his heels as he skids backwards. That hurt, but his protective mask slides back to reveal that he's smirking. "Yes, yes, and hell yes," he answers the tyrant's shouting. "Of course I'm insane enough to storm your castle where no one else would. It's what we -do-." He snaps his arm to pop one of his combat knives out of a hidden forearm compartment, catching it out of the air and for the moment standing as if he intends to indeed bring a knife to Galvatron's cannon fight. But his keen awareness of the battlefield spots Crosscheck coming up behind the warlord and raising his fancy gun at him. In a moment to keep Galvatron looking at him Sandstorm flips the knife around in his hand, and sidearms it at Galvatron instead as a distraction. "Speaking of which, I've got sieging to do!" He turns and books it towards the Atrium, charging through any other con-mooks that get in his way if need be. Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter transforms into his Sandstorm mode. Combat: Sandstorm sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Sandstorm strikes Galvatron with his Distracting Throw attack! Tailgate transforms into a Sports Car! Combat: 1986 Pontiac Trans-Am strikes Robotic Bald Eagle with his Ferrocobalt Hood Magnet attack! Combat: 1986 Pontiac Trans-Am 's attack leaves him temporarily incapacitated! Darkmount's landing pad isn't the only place in the skies that's filled with hostile Autobots. A secondary group of flight-capable Autobots, found in the north western quadrant of Darkmount's airspace, is being pummelled into submission by the devastating anti-air batteries firing angrily at them from the left, the right, and below. Fortress Maximus is in the middle of this group, serving as field combat data command as well as delivering fire support as requested from his subordinates. Two Autobot techjet fliers dives down port-side of the large battleship and is shortly followed by four more Decepticon cyberjets in hot pursuit. One of the Autobot techjet suffers a direct hit into one of its engines plunges down below while the other breaks away sharply, just in time for a well placed air burst mortar round, launched by Fortress Maximus, that promptly disables three of the pursuing tetrajets and forces the fourth into fleeing. Eventually the number of Autobot reinforcements is thinned by the anti-air defenses to the point where they're on the verge of being wiped out. << Break off and return to base, Autobots! Keep your wingmates in sight and help each other out during your retreat. I'll continue on ahead and join the main assault group, hopefully this will drag the Decepticons' defenses towards me. >> Fortress Maximus announces grimly via comms to the squadron of Autobot fliers around him and begins thrustering towards the direction of Darkmount's landing pad, meanwhile angry orange blips of AA fire batters the shields projected around himself, causing a semi-spherical field to flare constantly beneath him. The remaining Autobot fliers begins making their way out of Darkmount's air space while being pursued by several Decepticon tetrajets, splitting apart the city-state's focused defense. The trail of AA fire follows Fortress Maximus all the way to Darkmount's landing pad, where the Headmaster leader eventually transforms and drops right down onto the landing pad itself, throwing shattered pavement all around him in a small shockwave. This isn't Fortress Maximus trying to make a flashy entrance though, this is the big guy dropping down in desperation, the journey to the landing pad and withstanding the AA fire that managed to hit him has winded him. Fortress Maximus' current form begins to reconfigure itself, shrinking in size, and he eventually emerges in his robotic form. Jetfire continues past the landing platform toward the interior of the tower, then banks upward, his sublight engines kicking the throttle hard. They certainly had the element of surprise on their side, but this was the center of Decepticon territory. The faster they could get to the transmitters and blow them to microns, then return to the Decagon and Vector Sigma to purge it of Galvatron's vile corruption... Americon goes unnoticed, as the scientist is determined to remain focused on the objective. However, he does realize that Tailgate isn't hanging on to him, though not until he's already made it inside. <> he asks, somewhat frantically, concerned that the minibot might have fallen to his death, though despite himself he continues flying upward toward the objective as fast as he can. He'll just have to hope the others will be able to save him.... The scientist watches the levels whiz by, though he can't catch -every- number--he's moving too fast! 80...81...82...83......85...89... Combat: Tech Spaceship sets his defense level to Neutral. Shiftlock is attempting to find the next place to grapple up, when the electricity arcing from Bludgeon's blade gets a freak one-in-a-million strike of good luck - with the storm aiding it, it arcs up a set of electrical conduits. Shift fires the grapple, latching it onto a set of cables, connected to the conduits, and the charge shoots into her arm. Crying out in surprise and shaking her hand, tethering momentarily lost, she hears Americon's yelling; tracking Jetfire and Tailgate, she's horrified to see the minibot grabbed by Laserbeak's short bus cousin. For a moment she's distracted - waiting to give an assist - until she sees (to her surprise and relief) that the little guy has things well in hand. With everyone racing upwards, there's only one thing to do - keep going. Shift continues upwards, Spiderman-style, slinging her grapple, swinging up and moving with surprising speed, covering ground almost as fast as the helicopters. She recalls something said to her about how you move faster if there's music. While she doesn't have Jazz's speakers, she does have the mixtape he gave her. Let's change the beat. Combat: Shiftlock sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Shiftlock takes extra time to steady herself. [Pass] Robotic Bald Eagle had been about to come to the realization that he had actually "saved" Tailgate, but the minibot's done him in already as a powerful magnet overrides his logic centers, confusing the already mentally impaired Cassetticon! "DESTROY NEEDLENOSE-SHAPED AUTOBOT," drones Americon as his optics go swirly, and a veritable death blossom of deadly but festive rockets streams towards Needlenose. OR DO THEY? Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle 's Rockets' Red Glare attack on F-16XL Jet Fighter goes wild! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Rockets' Red Glare attack! Combat: Tech Spaceship takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] F-16XL Jet Fighter can't see for sure but he thinks it annihilated the hell out of the dark shape. It isn't until Blades starts getting sassy at him that he realizes that somehow the Protectobot survived. The F-16 tilts to the side, engine chugging as his air intake vents start getting clogged. "!!!!" says Needlenose. "You... I... the...!" his rage is so great that he loses his ability to adequately verbalize how much he hates Blades right now, but needless to say, it is a ton! Turning around as he tries to spot Blades, Needlenose feels a hard KA-BLAMMO! as he's hit dead centre by a smart rocket that came out of nowhere. "Argh... blast it." Needlenose transforms back into robot mode, Targetmaster partners in each hand. "I beat you once, Blades! I can do it again!" he screams, actually managing to lose his cool. Quickly, he takes aim with Sunbeam at the helicopter and pulls the trigger. "...sorry dude," the light discharger says while /failing/ to fire, "No sun, no power. Them's the breaks. Maybe if, like, we had a tanning salon in Darkmount I'd have been able to charge up?" Growling angrily, Needlenose shoves Zigzag into Sunbeam, using the former to charge up the latter. Now he has a full rifle, and he uses it to send a powerful flare towards Blades. The sky lights up, and Needlenose sees the incredibly imposing form of Fortress Maximus's battleship mode cruising in, harried by an insane amount of firepower. As the Headmaster transforms into robot mode, Needlenose gasps and pops off a second bright shot before the pollution resumes its smothering presence. Needlenose was never even aware that he was nearly Americonized. More Than Meets The Eye! F-16XL Jet Fighter transforms into robot mode! Combat: Needlenose misses Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Light Burst Discharger Area attack! Combat: Needlenose strikes Fortress Maximus with his Light Burst Discharger Area attack! Combat: Needlenose uses up a charge on his Double Targetmaster booster pack! Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior surveys the scene, taking note mostly of Jetfire's ascent. Americon's last round of fireworks blind him again. Fighting through the disorientation, he remarks <> He holds out his hands, the pretender shell fades for one reason and one reason only. Flight! The nearly non-descript green Con flies up after Jetfire, << Ignore the others, move to defend the transmitters.>> And then explosives rain down on Bludgeon again, just as he was shifting forms. The Pretender grunts in annoyance as he speeds up towards the target. <> A helix of digital framework surrounds him, as the bot within appears, Bludgeon has shed his exterior nonsense for his true form. Combat: Bludgeon sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Bludgeon takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] "One of the Autobots got through!" Galvatron snarls to his Decepticons, wrestling with Sandstorm. "Stop him! Get Jetfire!" He strains to heave up Sandstorm and hurl him at Crosscheck, trying to free himself from the Autobots so that he can respond to the incursion personally! Combat: Galvatron strikes Sandstorm with his The Personal Touch Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Sandstorm's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Galvatron strikes Crosscheck with his The Personal Touch Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Crosscheck's Agility! (Crippled) It is chaos inside Darkmount. Jetfire will see Decepticons running and flying all around him, trying to get to their battlestations. it takes around level 85 that someone finally notices the obvious. "Autobot!" shouts a tank guarding one of the levels. He takes aim with a rail cannon and pops off a gauss beam. If it hits, Jetfire will find himself smacked against the wall. If it misses, the wall gets obliterated instead. Either way, a trio of Seekers are now on Jetfire's tail. Bludgeon has guessed where he's heading. Shiftlock will have a slower time of it, but Jetfire's flashy entrance means he gets the majority of the interest. She'll be able to see the firefight happening between Jetfire up higher. The spire is definitely built with anti-Autobot precautions in mind, and it will take every bit of her acrobatics skill to successfully navigate up it. This becomes suddenly harder when all of Darkmount /shakes/. Fortress Maximus has landed. Within moments, Darkmount's Atrium is ready for a siege. Gun turrets begin popping out of the walls, followed by insignia-tuned electro-nets and gravity wells. This is to stop the speedy ones. For Sandstorm, there's a small army waiting for him as soon as he bolts from the landing platform. Crosscheck is about that charge Galvatron when Sandstorm is hurled towards him! He tries to catch him but the wrecker is coming too fast and knock him off his feet, nearly sending him into stasis lock. The scientist painfully gets back on his feet. With Fortress Max here, he feels that he can leave Galvatron alone long enough to deal with Bludgeon before he gets murdered by the pretender. Drawing his own sword, he leaps towards the samurai, bringing his weapon down into a not that gracious arc. Combat: Crosscheck sets his defense level to Neutral. "Correction: you beat /Razor/, who is a Decepticon loser! I'm a Protectobot, and Protectobots are a whole different kettle of oxide sharks," Blades banters back, but he /is/ worried. Needlenose probably will beat Blades again, if Blades is being realistic. Blades just needs to last long enough for the other Autobots to destroy floor 113. The helicopter does manages to fly up higher along the spire and duck behind a support spar when that light burst comes for him, though. He transforms to robot mode, hugging that little projection, and, one-handed, he tries to nail Needlenose with some light of his own. Bell UH-1V Iroquois transforms into his Blades mode. Crosscheck is about that charge Galvatron when Sandstorm is hurled towards him! He tries to catch him but the wrecker is coming too fast and knock him off his feet, nearly sending him into stasis lock. The scientist painfully gets back on his feet. With Fortress Max here, he feels that he can leave Galvatron alone long enough to deal with Bludgeon before he gets murdered by the pretender. Drawing his pistol, he leaps towards the samurai, all gun blazing. (repose) Combat: Blades sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Crosscheck strikes Bludgeon with his Laser attack! Sandstorm curses as he has to juke to the side of his original path as several Seekers drop in his path and raises their guns. He pulls out his sandblaster to blast a hole in one's wings, but the momentary hesitation is enough time for Galvatron to grab onto him and wheel the Wrecker away from his advance and fling him into Crosscheck. Slag and a half. <> he half-coughs into his comm, then pushes himself to his feet with a brief apologetic look to Crosscheck before he chases after Bludgeon. Well, this is going to be messy. He's got Galvatron in front of him, and the troops at the gates behind that. He crinks his neck joint a bit, then starts to spring towards the tyrant and his back up. Only to transform, wheels screaming as they hit the metal pavement and the buggy roars forward. Will Galvatron jump out of the way? Or will he have to go through him and the guards full throttle like a day at the monster truck rally? Really, either way works. He's taking some big risk here, but that's what mech's like him are here for. Combat: Blades strikes Needlenose with his Photon Pistol Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Needlenose's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Blades strikes Robotic Bald Eagle with his Photon Pistol Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Robotic Bald Eagle 's Accuracy. (Blinded) Sandstorm transforms into his Desert Patrol Vehicle mode. Combat: Desert Patrol Vehicle sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Desert Patrol Vehicle strikes Galvatron with his Wreckers don't play Chicken. We run them over! attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Galvatron's Agility. (Crippled) Showers of fragmented debris rain down around the crater that Fortress Maximus had created with his abrupt, and desperate, entry. An unsteady hand penetrates through from the cloud of dust that has yet to settle, it lowers down into the ground, the fingers making firm contact against the ground and visible effort can be seen dragging something forward... and eventually the white and blue form of Fortress Maximus can be seen slowly rolling out of the mess he had made. His sluggish movement is a telling sign that the big bot is still dazed, but there would be no rest for him as Needlenose's Nebulan partner's beam discharge strikes Fortress Maximus in the shoulder and puts a grimace on the Autobot Headmaster leader's face. "Urgh..." Fortress Maximus does his best to suppress the grunt of pain before getting on to his two feet and surveys the situation. Ok, Sandstorm and Crosscheck are being turned into pinatas by Galvatron. Tailgate is riding an eagle... how'd he managed to do that? Blades is keeping Needlenose and Americon busy. What a mess. Well, might as well as tackle the biggest threat here first, although it's not a task that he's thrilled about. "Sandstorm! Take cover!" Fortress Maximus yells out as he goes into motion, the two ion pulse cannons on his waist unfold and lock into position and fire off a pair of crystal blue beams, "Galvatron! This power you command, it doesn't belong in the realm of mortals like us! We'll have you relinquish it here today." Combat: Fortress Maximus sets his defense level to Protected. 90....93...99...100...105... Up, up, Jetfire goes. Hmm...the Decepticons haven't started harassing him, yet--but they're bound to be on his afterburners soon! Aaaand, speak of the devil! Or devils. There they are. Seekers begin their pursuit, and a guard fires at him, but he executes a horizontal barrelroll to avoid the shot. It disintegrates the wall on the other side. Ha, leave it to the Decepticons to damage their -own- fortress, he thinks to himself as he partially powers up his particle beams to try to fend off his attackers. Wait...aha...there are a few support beams that partially crisscross the way up ahead, protruding into the center of the tower somewhat. Gunning his engines even harder, he appears to fly straight at one of them, only to make an ever so slight maneuver towards the right to -just- barely miss it. Hopefully -that- will take care of some of the less agile seekers. Once he's past the beams, he glances at the floors and refers to the map from Tailgate. Floor 113...here we are! He flies towards it, then transforms and lands. Immediately taking a defensive stance, he searches for Decepticon defenses, and if any of those seekers had made it past him... The vessel shifts into the biped form of Jetfire. Combat: Jetfire takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Galvatron with his Retractable Ion Pulse Cannons attack! [Pulled -5] The moment Shiftlock can get onto a smaller landing platform, she immediately transforms into vehicle mode. From the front of the her grill the energy grapple reappears, ready for business. Adjusting her spoilers and wheelwings, she powers up her turbines and blasts right off the edge of the smaller landing zone. The grappling line comes out, and in car mode she swings down, then back up, and aims her line, catching one of the Seekers after Jetfire! The jet is suddenly jerked backwards by the weight of a car on its tail, the Decepticon caught offguard and howling in surprise, breaking off his attack. Shift winches the grapple hard and still revving her engines, drives up the back of the jet and launches herself even higher into the air. The back of her trunk opens, and a spray of dozens of smaller missiles take off in all directions, aiming for gun turrets, other seekers, and anything else below that might be impeding Jetfire's rapid ascent. She throws herself to the winds, shutting off one speed turbine to adjust her trajectory, before grappling onto the back of another genericon Seeker. Catching up to Jetfire by using Seekers some kind of driving game speed launchers, her engine roars as she comes up behind Jetfire, transforming mid-air and landing with a solid thud behind, guns out and ready to give the big guy some help. Combat: Shiftlock takes extra time to steady herself. [Pass] Bludgeon chases Jetfire in a most unusual race. A fast aerial Autobot versus a slow generally grounded Decepticon. Still he continues his course for a few moments, then calls out <> The jet obliges for the moment, to which Bludgeon grasps ahold of the wing, providing a significant boost in speed. His knuckles lock in as the velocity exceeds his own capacity, a stern look on his face, as the wind buffets him. Floor 113. Wordlessly, he dives into the floor, his body flipping forward, the gun at his arm shifting to an overhead view. His fearsome tank form skids on its treads, roaring forwards as the momentum drives him back. "Autobot!" He calls out, ensuring Jetfire sees him AND he has a clear shot that does not threaten any transmitters. The heavy Ba-Whoom of a tank shell echoes as he fires at the intruder. A helix of digital framework surrounds him, as the tank within appears, Bludgeon rolls onto the scene, his cannon crackling with power. Combat: Jetfire expertly evades Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank 's attack! Combat: Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank misses Jetfire with his Bludgeon Shells attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank (Bludgeon) used "Bludgeon Shells": A Level 3 RANGED attack. Galvatron makes Sandstorm go through him, because he's certainly not standing aside for an Autobot! Sandstorm is equal to the task, and as Galvatron gets back to his feet he's starting to look a little worse for wear, and before he can fully recover his balance he's struck by the piercing pulses of the Headmaster leader's ion guns! "Fortress Maximus, you show your face! I thought you were a PACIFIST." Galvatron fairly spits the word. "Have you finally found your spine, or is that the Nebulan I'm speaking to?" He shakes out his right arm, cannon glowing as he powers it up, and lets fly with a concussive double shot, the second timed to reinforce the shattering vibration of the first through the target's frame. Needlenose snarks on the Decepticon broadband even as Blades ducks behind a support beam, but Bludgeon quickly gets him back in order. "Alright... alright, the mission. Just focus on the mission. Get to the transmitter room," he tells himself. Splitting Sunbeam and Zigzag apart, Needlenose holsters the pair of them back to wherever they go to when not being used. Flying back down towards the platform--it is the only thing he can see anymore--Needlenose lands and breaks into a run. This takes him right past Blades, who shoots him with another flare. "ARGH!" Almost tripping, Needlenose catches himself at the last second and reaches the Atrium, passing Fort Max and transforming into jet mode as he does. The air is much cleaner here, and his engine's performance shows it as he races upwards. Blades might be having flashbacks to their original duel. In this case, though, flying up through the Atrium is problematic because Needlenose can't see dick all. KA-BLAM! He smashes through one of the floors. "Ow!" KA-BLAM! He smashes through another floor. KA-BLAM! "Argh!" KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM! Weaving and ducking erratically, Needlenose catches up to the Seekers pursuing Jetfire just as his vision finally starts to clear. "Ah ha... I see not just one Autobot, but two..." he mutters. As Bludgeon goes for Jetfire, Needlenose watches the car Bot as she /drives up a jet/. "Holy... damn! That was impressive!" he admits. Missiles fly all about, annihilating Seekers but leaving Needlenose unscathed. "VERY impressive! Buuuuuuut not impressive enough that I ain't gonna kill you." He fires a photon missile. Robots in disguise! Needlenose transforms into his F-16XL Jet Fighter mode! Combat: F-16XL Jet Fighter sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: F-16XL Jet Fighter strikes Shiftlock with his Proton Missiles attack! Combat: Galvatron misses Fortress Maximus with his Compression Shot attack! [Pulled -3] Americon's brain adjusts to the magnetic field, but the Cassetticon is apparently still unaware that Tailgate is riding him, not Rumble, temporarily incapacitated (and magnetized to the back of his head). "Totally got that Autobot!" Americon crows. "Though I wonder what Skeletor's mad about? OH WELL. Hang on, though, Rumble, this is gonna get dicey!" Dodging around the screaming Seeker spinning out of control after Shiftlock used him as a ramp, Americon decides that the Empty is the real threat based on that alone, and chases after her! "Hey..." he shouts at her, but realizes he has no idea who she is. "...YOU! It's too bad you took that off-ramp because it leads to your DOO--gah!" And suddenly Shiftlock is exploding! "Nevermind!" he says, jinking away from her. He zips towards Fortress Maximus instead. "Uh... hey, Fortran Maximal or something! I... have no more one-liners." He sighs, despondent, but goes for his optics anyway. Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle misses Fortress Maximus with his O' Say Can You See attack! Level one-hundred and thirteen houses one of the most evil experiments that Cybertron has ever seen. The centre of the darkened room, for whoever makes it there first, is a large floor-to-ceiling cylinder with a purplish gas constantly being pumped into it. If he gets here, Jetfire may recognize the Dark Energon based readings. Decepticons man the lab stations, constantly monitoring Galvatron's connection to Vector Sigma, even as the supercomputer rests half way around the world. A nervous Decepticon lab tech speaks into the radio as he keeps getting reports of the Autobots making their approach. Crosscheck is stuck on the plateform, unable to reach level 113 and left with little option but to help Fortress Maximus to distract Galvatron since it may be the only chance Jetfire and the other will get and if Galvatron reaches them, it's game over. The scientist draws his sword and takes a sprint towards the Decepticon leader, bringing his weapon down in a not to graceful arc, "Pacify this!" Combat: Crosscheck misses Galvatron with his Ionic Sword attack! [Pulled -2] That was such a satisfying moment of Galvatron rebounding off his chassis and then the Seekers scattering again as the buggy tears through their position, but Sandstorm spares little more than a few microns to savor it. There's still business to be done, and while he may be a thrillseeking adrenaline junkie he prefers to get it from the roar of the battle ahead instead of clinging to the fights behind. As he passes the threshold he veers sharply suddenly, hitting one of the protrusions of Polyhex's remodeling to use the high velocity and low weight of this mode to launch upward and get some air time before finally transforming back into chopper mode and booking it upward hopefuly before more of the enemy flies can get reorganized. He can't catch up into firing range just yet, but Needlenose comes into view. As he closes in Sandstorm spots where the air pollution has started to gunk up one of the jet's vents. He zooms in on it, marks the spot, and transmits the tactical aiming data up to Shiftlock. <> Desert Patrol Vehicle transforms into his Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter mode. Combat: Sandstorm analyzes Needlenose for weaknesses Shiftlock can exploit. Blades watches Needlenose make it inside to go harass greener Autobots. It's jetslag that they took Shiftlock out on this mission, but Blades gave her an out already, and she chose to stay. It's still jetslag, though. Blades dives down and transforms, moving inside now that he has the chance. He doesn't keep harrying Needlenose, because he has a /mission/. Instead, Blades lines up Bludgeon in his sights. That'll teach the Pretender to go after Blades's plan B! Blades transforms into his Bell UH-1V Iroquois mode. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! Wow, this Decepticon really doesn't take a hint, does he? But he's not about to complain, he'll take all the help he can get. Well, it does seem that he recognizes Shiftlock and Fortress Maximus as enemies though. However, Tailgate isn't about to just sit around and let his friends get hurt. "He's mad because you let that Autobot shoot him!" he says, trying to sound mad. "Oh quickly! I think Galvatron requires our assistance!" he says, still playing the 'Con. Shiftlock has just had time to land and turn around when she's nailed with a photon missile. A chunk of armor blows off her back, shattering the windshield of her speederform and kicking her over the side of the platform--! A grapple shoots up and snags into the top of the landing platform, and Shift is just saved from falling. She reminds herself to thank Tailgate very, very hard when she gets back to base, the metal grabbing tip is helping. If she gets back. Having relanded on the platform, she ducks into the doorway, trying to shield Jetfire (hahah right, he's huge) as she crouches down and takes aim at Needlenose. "Just shut up and fall already," she snaps icily, after receiving targetting data from Sandstorm, sending a flurry of bullets towards critical systems. Combat: Shiftlock strikes F-16XL Jet Fighter with her Double Pistols attack! Fortress Maximus is forced to steady himself with gritted teeth as the two ion pulse cannons mounted on his waist recoils after having had discharged its beams towards Galvatron. "I strive for peace, Galvatron, but even one such as I will prepare for war when one's own planet is being threatened by a mad mech such as you." The large Headmaster declares with booming conviction, and is promptly tested as a purple glow begins emitting from Galvatron's cannon, followed by a deadly beam penetrates the heat mirage coming out of the barrels of his cannons! It's only thanks to the binary bonded advantage provided by Galen that Fortress Maximus was able to force his torso towards the right and sustaining only superficial damage to his sides, but nevertheless one can tell that this would've been a traumatic wound given how long his slagged armour plating was left glowing well after the beam had subsided. Galen's voice can be heard on broadband, << Never heard of a technical pacifist before? ---Maximus, to your right! >> The warning was just in time for Fortress Maximus to notice Americon's approach and allow the large Autobot to nimbly dodge roll away to safety. "We're running low on time. Every moment we spend here is ever inch the window of opportunity for victory will close on us." The Headmaster leader surveys the area again grimly before keying into his comms. << Don't fault, Autobots. Do not be daunted by the opposition. We are here because we are the ones capable of keeping our planet from falling into chaos. We've made it this far, rely on your comrades. Rely on your experiences. Rely on your instincts. Let's get this job done and clear on home. >> Combat: Fortress Maximus inspires 1986 Pontiac Trans-Am , Jetfire, Crosscheck, Shiftlock, Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter , and Bell UH-1V Iroquois with wise and majestic words! Jetfire scans the area, immediately picking up on energy readings identical to that of the Dark Energon swirling through Vector Sigma's circuits back at the Decagon. << I've made it to Floor 113 and identified the transmitters, and a large cylinder full of gaseous Dark Energon.>> Bludgeon's tank mode takes a shot at him, but he saw the Pretender coming up after him and jumps out of the way just in time. Turning quickly, he fires off another paticle beam, in Bludgeon's direction, hoping it'll be enough to cover him as he makes a break for the lab. Hurrying forward, the scientist spots a tech trying to inform his superiors of the Autobots' arrival and levels another blast at the unfortunate mech, hoping to take him out before he can inform the others of the tall mech's arrival. Combat: Jetfire sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Jetfire strikes Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank with his Double-Barreled Particle Beam attack! Green and Brown T-72 Main Battle Tank takes a missile to the side, one that pierces his mighty armor, enough to be noticable at least. The tank roars up, actually managing to lift partially off the ground before that helix of energy surrounds it. Moments later, the demon samurai is again there, and he is ready for bear. "Enough!" He raises his blade again, slashing at Blades' blades, eager to force him to a less maneuverable form. He slashes twice at the copter, then slides over towards Jetfire again, intent on keeping his focus. "Your lives are at an end!" He draws the crackling blade across Jetfire's form. "Fall before my might!" A digital framework appears around bludgeon as his Pretender mode surrounds him. The skeletal Samurai has reappeared, flames in his eyes. Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior strikes Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Ruckus Area attack! Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior misses Jetfire with his Ruckus Area attack! Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior (Bludgeon) used "Ruckus": A Level 2 AREA-MELEE attack. F-16XL Jet Fighter laughs as he nails Shiftlock. The jet performs a little loop de loop, flames roaring from his engine. With Bludgeon no doubt about to kick Jetfire's rear end, he feels he can take a moment to fully enjoy terminating this Autobot. "This is going to make for one great story afterwards," he chuckles. When he comes back around, he sees that Shiftlock has transformed and latched onto one of the platforms. He lines up for another shot, targeting sensors zooming in until... he gasps. "Wait, you're a gal! Oh, dudette, my bad. If I knew that I would have done something else. Nah, nah, it's cool. We can w-" The F-16 shatters as a hail of bullets rip through his already weakened frame. His wings fly off and plummet well over one hundred stories to the ground. His engine makes a loud ka-CLUNK as it dies. Wobbling even as pieces fall from him, Needlenose desperately transforms into robot mode and smashes down on one of the platforms. He gasps, smoke pouring from his back as he crawls to the edge. He's on a platform just opposite of where Shiftlock has landed. He grips Zigzag tight, as there's enough mechanical blood on his hands now that the Nebulon is getting slippery. Trying to hold his aim steady, the Targetmaster fires a powerful lightning bolt towards the Autobot. More Than Meets The Eye! F-16XL Jet Fighter transforms into robot mode! Combat: Needlenose sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Needlenose strikes Shiftlock with his Electrostatic Overloader Rifle attack! Combat: Needlenose's attack has strange and mysterious effects on Shiftlock. Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Shiftlock's Accuracy. (Blinded) Robotic Bald Eagle yells back at Tailgate, "You're right, Rumble, Galvatron needs help... killing Fortress Maximus!" OH NO Tailgate's remark backfired! And so Americon transforms to robot mode, landing on the platform, and somehow Tailgate, once magnetized to his eagle mode head, is now magnetized to his robot mode head! How did that happen? Shut up! WORSE YET Americon whips out his massive Americon, a bazooka-like weapon that he slings over his shoulder at points it at Fortress Maximus. "You're a pretty big, dodgey guy, but I can hit the broadside of a barn EVERY NOW AND THEN so that means I'm going to hit even though you do not resemble a barn but you are more kinda the size of one in America." And then he fires that horrible weapon, which sends him flying! But does he hit Maximus? Or will his aim go horribly astray again, possibly hitting Bludgeon!? Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle sets his defense level to Fearless. Americon undergoes a patriotic transformation into his All-American robot mode! Combat: Americon strikes Fortress Maximus with his Americannon attack! Galvatron starts to say something to Fortress Maximus, but before he can get it out he spots Crosscheck's reflection in Maximus' gleaming hull. Galvatron doesn't draw his own weapon; he waits until Crosscheck is almost on top of him, then turns in a sudden flash of motion, the fingers of his right hand held rigidly straight and aimed for the Autobot's throat while he seizes Crosscheck's sword wrist with his left. Combat: Galvatron strikes Crosscheck with his Knife Hand Thrust attack! [Pulled -2] For those just joining us, a battle rages around and in Darkmount. With the sky consumed by dark red clouds, all anyone would be able to see from afar would be the brief flash of weapons fire trying to break through the smog. On the landing platform, Galvatron fights Crosscheck and Fortress Maximus. Inside Darkmount is pandemonium as Autobots are rushing to destroy the machinery helping Galvatron exert his control over Vector Sigma. Decepticons are trying to chase down and destroy the Autobots that have infiltrated inside. On level one-hundred and thirteen, Jetfire is able to breach the lab and blast the main tech just as the mech was getting hopeful about Bludgeon saving him. Now, can Jetfire dismantle this machinery and help Tailgate--assuming that IS his plan--cleanse Vector Sigma? Bell UH-1V Iroquois is slashed by Bludgeon's blazing blade. The helicopter wobbles in the air. He sees that Bludgeon has not yet been deterred from pursuing Jetfire, and Blades decides that he needs to amp up the distraction factor. He tries to hover around up and behind Bludgeon. Then he transforms, keeping some forward momentum. The Protectobot pulls one of the blades off his back and tries to impale Bludgeon in the back, both hands on the hilt to put all his force into the swing. He jeers, despite Bludgeon's terrifying mien, buoyed by Fortress Maximus's inspiring words, "The only thing that's at an end is your fashion disaster." Bell UH-1V Iroquois transforms into his Blades mode. Combat: Blades sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Blades strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Rotor Blade attack! Crosscheck is almost beheaded by Galvatron's hand. He now has a large wound at the base of his neck leaking energon all over his chest. He attempts to move away but Galvatron his still holding his wrist and there are no way to shake him off. Gathering his strengths, he launches a vicious punch, trying to reach Galvatron's face. Combat: Crosscheck sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Crosscheck strikes Galvatron with his Punch attack! F-15E Strike Eagle is late, and doesn't even CARE. He zooms in through the red clouds to dive headlong into a throng of multi-colored seekers, because there's always seekers. "WOOO!" First things first, he has to get his aft un-magnetized from the careening eagle with the wonky bazooka. "Hey!" Tailgate cries. Then he notices that Crosscheck just got slashed by Galvatron and things are starting to not so good for the scientist. "The Autobot attacking Galvatron is over /here/!" Tossing out his Hood Magnet again, it this time attaches to a nearby metal strut. Then he steps on Americon's wing, causing him to shift his weight downward right into Galvatron! Combat: 1986 Pontiac Trans-Am sets his defense level to Fearless. Tailgate protoforms! Combat: Tailgate strikes Galvatron with his Let My People Go attack! Shiftlock backs further into 113 behind Jetfire, keeping her weapons trained on what's going on outside as she covers the larger Autobot. Needlenose's lightning attack zaps her, making her momentarily stagger, her optics fritzing out and blurring. Everything looks like some kind of antialiasing nightmare, and it's hard to tell where she should be shooting. Bludgeon looks like a broken jpeg, complete with tiny file with red X in the center. She has to rely on sound as she stops to try to double tap Needlenose where he lies. She's not much into witty banter, it seems. She opens fire with her guns, putting a lot of bullet towards the sort of Needlenose-colored blob at the end of the platform. As long as you shoot A LOT of bullets, at least ONE of them is bound to hit, right? Law of averages and such. Combat: Shiftlock sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Shiftlock strikes Needlenose with her Double Pistols attack! Whoops? Did Fortress Maximus just screw over Crosscheck? Ouch, he just got it in the neck, looks like the big guy did screw up the poor guy! Well at least his armour plating won't be so shiny now that after Americon's bazooka shoots right into him in the chest! "Grah!" The Headmaster leader grimaces and the force of the bazooka sends him flying backwards and into a wall, "Hard to imagine... something that small can do this much..." However this isn't time for retaliation! Fortress Maximus crouches and shifts into his defense base mode, soon his pair of faithful drones shoots out of their garages and off towards Crosscheck. As the drones nears Crosscheck, they each ready a nano-regenerator device and fires off green restorative beams at the wounded Autobot! Fortress Maximus' armour plates splits open, accompanied by the distinct transformation sound, as towers and buildings rises up. Defensive batteries, communications and radar dishes can be seen emerging all over while the three main ramps can be see unfolding and extending down to others access to within. Soon the distinct form of a defense base sits before you. Combat: Defense Base quickly patches up some of Crosscheck's minor injuries. Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter rolls to the side to avoid the wreckage of Needlenose's obliverated wing and jets as the Targetmaster feels the sting of AUTOBOT TEAMWORK! "Aaaah yeah! Keep that up toots and you may be Wrecker material after all!" And to think they called this a -training- mission. Now is Shiftlock moving onward or is she going to stick around and finish Needlenose off?... Yep, looks like it. Nice. "Don't mind me passing through!" Sandstorm banks and dives for the 113 entrance, transforming as he does so. A few bits of metal broken by impacting Galvatron a few rounds ago clatter about as it's the slimmer buggy that passes the femme, coming in at an angle so he actually lands on the wall of the passage instead of the floor, then starts to circle over the ceiling while pumping nitro into his engine to keep up enough speed to produce the downforce drag to keep him on the inverted surface, hoping the daredevil maneuver will help him get past the Decepticons inside and closer to Jetfire's position. Sikorsky S-62A Helicopter transforms into his Desert Patrol Vehicle mode. Combat: Desert Patrol Vehicle takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Once he's taken out the whistleblower, Jetfire's quad beam cannons expand out of his back and pepper the area with high-energy particles to take care of any remaining tech gumbies in the area. Once that's done, he hurries over to a terminal near the Dark Energon-filled cylinders, listening to a series of transmissions from a tech at the Decagon as he goes. Immediately, he sets to work, searching for a way to overload the transmitters' power cells and make them go BOOM. Additionally, this would hopefully set off a chain reaction that will basically destroy level 113 in its entirety. Beyond that, if that method isn't plausible, there's always sabotaging the pumps controlling the flow of Dark Energon, causing the pressure inside the cylinder to get so high that the giant container would shatter, sending the superheated particles inside flying in every direction. Different method, same result... The scientist is confident that his friends have his back, but he deploys his combat drones just for good measure! Needlenose grimaces as he manages to hit Shiftlock, though he would have to reluctantly admit that Zigzag had to do most of the aiming. Still laying on his front, Needlenose tries to bring his other hand around to reload the Nebulon, but his hand keeps shaking and it's taking longer than he'd like. He doesn't even know where Sunbeam got to, but with the surfer out of energy he wasn't going to be much use anyway. Then bullets come flying up to him, shredding the platform he was laying on. More than a few bullets bury themselves into his chassis, and Needlenose goes limp, hand dangling over the side. Zigzag, falling from the Targetmaster's grasp, transforms into Nebulon mode and lands on the platform one lower. He looks up but can't quite see Shiftlock due to the angle. "Ehhhhh, time for plan alpha. So long, suckers!" he shouts as he makes tracks to safety. Combat: Jetfire strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with the Jetfire-forged Guardian Drones attack! Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior has been temporarily incapacitated. What's that flying out from inside the Decepticon base? Is it reinforcements? Yes! It's Blueshift, hurrah! We are saved, Blueshift is here to turn the tides! Blueshift rockets out with determination towards Needlenose, transforming to robot mode and getting out something. Is it a clever weapon to save the day? No, it's a notebook. "Hi, Needlenose." Blueshift coughs to get his attention as Needlenose gets shot by Shiftlock, looking down at the limp body of his comrade as he falls to the ground. "I don't know if this is a good time, but it's Friday and I need to collect your lotto money if you still want in..." Needlenose bleeds and doesn't answer. Robo-blood starts pooling around Blueshift's feet. It is starting to get EVERYWHERE. "Grah!" Galvatron grunts, thrown to the ground by the impact of the Tailgate-guided Amerimissile! "Get OFF me, fools! The Autobots are inside the fortress! Crush them one and all! There is NO EXCUSE for defeat here in our own capitol! I want heads to ROLL!" Combat: Galvatron inspires Needlenose, Blueshift, Americon, and Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with patriotic and uplifting words! Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior is impaled from behind. The Pretender stiffens for a moment, his hand opening in surprise, his other still gripping his blade. For a moment, perhaps the backstab did its work, until his hand clenches in anger, "Dishonorable tactics. Always. You Autobots preach a good game, but you do little else. So be it! Fall, Fall before me!" With a slow methodical step, he pulls himself forward off of Blades' blade, energon leaking from his chest, but still he is standing, the steel samurai unyielding. Bludgeon moves forward into action, turning to face Blades, possibly to throw him at Jetfire when he is caught in the side by Jetfire's aid. The samurai trembles as his systems start to shut down around him. He takes a shaky step towards Blades, raising his sword. This is the mech that fought through sheer willpower against the control of another. He takes another step, barely able to hold his katana above his head. The blade drives down into the floor as Bludgeon finds himself in a kneeling position, a moment of weakness. Americon has no idea how he hit Galvatron with that much force, though, as he bounces off, he realizes that it didn't seem to hurt HIM very much! Physics are funny like that...? Then he looks back at the guy who pushed him into Galvatron, thinking maybe Rumble made a mistake, but then his face fills with despair, then rage, as he realizes it wasn't Rumble at all! "You... YOUUUUU!" Americon screams, running at Tailgate. "YOUUUU!" he screams again, and proceeds to bonk the minibot on the head over and over and over!" Combat: Americon strikes Tailgate with his bonk bonk bonk (Punch) attack! Americon actually runs around in a circle throwing fists behind his head and looking retarded. The lab is a very delicate affair, with complex calculations going into making sure that Galvatron's control over Vector Sigma was absolute. The power cells are easy to overload, and soon fires begin erupting throughout the lab. Highly advanced equipment bursts into flames as the calamity spreads. Decepticon reinforcements--real ones, not Blueshift--are sure to come down hard, and so Jetfire had better finish whatever he's planning and bolt. Meanwhile, back in the Decagon, the glow of Vector Sigma increases to near blinding levels. Crosscheck manages to free himself when Tailgate rams into Galvatron and his most serious injury has been treated by Fortress Maximus so he's not on the verge of dyingthis times. Judging by Vector Sigma's comment over the autobot frequency, it seems that Jetfire succeeded at least that's what he hopes. Crosscheck backs away from Galvatron firing his weapon's last charge. " hope they get the job done soon reinforcement are bound to be on their way" Combat: Crosscheck strikes Galvatron with the Crosscheck-forged Destabilizing Ray attack! Desert Patrol Vehicle gets a nice view of Blades' rotor-stabbing Bludgeon as he speeds past, coming down to the opposite wall he had started on to squeeze past as the drones open fire as well. There's no friendly fire instances but the potential of it happening just sparks his circuits more, then the buggy zips off the wall as he passes the doorway. Flipping end over end the Wrecker transforms, Sandstorm landing on the deck and skidding to a stop with his blaster ready in his hands.... Except the drones already slowed Bludgeon down. And the lab already has unconsciouse techs lying about. "And they say scientists can't fight," he chortles over his shoulder towards the working Jetfire, even as he moves to stand in front of him (as much as he can, considering how big Jetfire is) and keeping his attention on possible entrances Decepticon reinforcements could come through. Desert Patrol Vehicle transforms into his Sandstorm mode. Gasket and Grommet zap Crosscheck with the regenerative beams mounted on them until sufficient repairs have been deemed rendered to the Autobot, and soon the drones are guided by Galen out of harm's way and made scarce. Fortress Maximus reemerges into his robotic mode shortly afterwards, his stance slightly off balance due to the jarring transformation in such confined space. This sure is one big landing pad, eh? The Headmaster commander is about to join the fray with Crosscheck against Galvatron when he notices Americon sweeping by and attacking Tailgate! Countless years of experience has given Fortress Maximus a keen insight in noticing patterns in his opponents' movements, and this experience serves him well once more as he analyzes Americon's movements and transmits a brief message over to Tailgate with tactical instructions! Fortress Maximus' current form begins to reconfigure itself, shrinking in size, and he eventually emerges in his robotic form. "Ow..." Tailgate mutters, although honestly, Americon is punching backwards blindly, most of his punches are striking his own armor. A few good ones, however, knock Tailgate on the helm. "Don't do that," he coos, "you're just hurting yourself, you know." He kneels, digging his knee servos into Americon's neck while leaning forward to cover his optics with an iron like grip. Combat: Tailgate strikes Americon with his A Kick in the Tailgate (Kick) attack! GAME: Jetfire rolls a (100)-sided die: ROLL: Sandstorm rolled a 74 ROLL: Jetfire rolled a 65 ROLL: Shiftlock rolled a 37 ROLL: Blades rolled a 8 Air Raid folds and compacts into his robot mode. Air Raid eventually gets to where he probably needs to go, joining up with the gaggle of Autobros in the tower. He spots blue, a particular shade of blue. The spaceship with girly wings! Rifle drawn, he levels it at the 'con's backside. Combat: Air Raid sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Air Raid strikes Blueshift with his Laser attack! "I'm as dirty as they come," Blades declares, without shame, "You'll never catch me claiming anything different." He darts away from Bludgeon as Bludgeon pulls himself off his blade, putting some distance between himself and the honourable swordsman, who is... suffering from one of Jetfire's awesome science things, Blades supposes. Now here's the hard part. Blades would /like/ to finish Bludgeon off, quick and dirty, and see all that glorious energon spilling everywhere. Now would be a prime time to at least /try/. Oh, how fantastic that would be, those rivers of pink... However, is that really the best use of his time right now? Jetfire just needs a little more time with the transmitter, and then they need to get out of here. All of them. But Bludgeon is /right there/. He'll ruin their escape. Blades is, as he said, dirty as they come. He takes to the air, blades thk-thking, loud in the enclosed space, and he delivers a missile with Bludgeon's name on it. Blades transforms into his Bell UH-1V Iroquois mode. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! [Pulled -1] Shiftlock has nothing to say as Sandstorm rolls past her; she keeps an eye on the situation with Blueshift and Bludgeon. Needlenose doesn't count anymore. Weapons held at the ready, she gets to the narrowest part of the corridor between the Decepticons, Sandstorm and Jetfire, and blocks it up with as much of herself as she can. Combat: Shiftlock sets her defense level to Guarded. Combat: Shiftlock takes extra time to steady herself. [Pass] Jetfire smirks with satisfaction as explosions begin to light up the lab. Right...now they have about half a breem to purge Vector Sigma before the generators go critical and blow the place to outer orbit. Originally, he was going to let Tailgate purge the system, but the minibot is...otherwise occupied. Hopefully the scientist himself will do. He opens up a panel somewhere in the conglomeration of machinery near the cylinder, revealing a complex network of cables and tubes. Pulling out a select few of them, he deftly makes the appropriate modifications, leaving just one data socket open. He is about to interface his own systems and attempt to purge Galvatron from it himself, but an explosion nearby catches him off guard, and he his sent flying into a wall. The scientist checks his chronometer. Ugh, no time to get back over there, the entire place was going up! Wait, Sandstorm is still standing over near the terminal, isn't he? <> Galvatron staggers as some strange feedback reaches him through the mysterious conduit of the Dark Energon infection he and Contrail introduced to Vector Sigma. "What? How DARE they? The Autobots will pay dearly for this!" He whirls away from the battle on the landing platform, sweeping Crosscheck and Tailgate aside to charge past them to the inner platform from which he can see into the atrium. "Starting with THIS one!" Galvatron adds, aiming across the open center of the fortress to try to shoot Blades off of Bludgeon. "Get them away from the laboratory!" he shouts at the gumbies swarming ineffectually. Darkmount shakes violently as a powerful quake strikes Polyhex. The lightning storm begins to pierce even the thick red smog covering the city. Blueshift kicks the lazy Needlenose in annoyance, as Needlenose is obviously too selfish to even reply, and just bleeds all overhim. while he is distracted, he is shot in the aft by some mean aerialbot. "Ow!" he shouts, drawing his SPACE SWORD and swinging it at the face of the Autobot. "Hey, I use that to sit on!" Combat: Blueshift strikes Air Raid with his Vorpal Saber attack! Combat: Galvatron strikes Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his William Telling attack! [Pulled -8] Needlenose is not one to fight to the very last. But Galvatron's words... yes, this is THEIR capital, and he isn't about to let no stinking Autobot take anything from THEIR capital! If Galvatron orders them to fight to the end, then he'll fight to the end. Also? He realizes that if he stays here Blueshift is just going to kick him in the gut again. The Targetmaster gingering struggles to get back up to his feet. He shifts into jet mode, wobbling horribly as he tries to fly straight. The quake hits Darkmount, but he's safe as he's in the air. The F-16 draws a lock as Shiftlock even as she watches Blueshift and Air Raid trade firepower. The missile streaks from under his wing, threatening to take out the entire corridor Shiftlock is standing in. Robots in disguise! Needlenose transforms into his F-16XL Jet Fighter mode! Combat: F-16XL Jet Fighter strikes Shiftlock with his Proton Missiles attack! Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior trembles as he tries to muster. There is no will superior to his, there simply cannot be. With an internal demand, he starts to stand, only to catch a missile from Blades. The shrapnel is mostly cosmetic damage, but it injures him regardless. Again, the real Con within can be seen inside the Pretender suit. He stands, and surveys the room. An explosion rocks the floor, causing the flooring to shake. Jetfire was just blown away from the entire machine. Wires and plates were opened on the control device. Sabotage. As his systems get rebooted finally, he turns to look at whom else was nearby, perhaps it could still be saved. Sandstorm. The wrecker. He was going to wreck it. Bludgeon makes his choice, Galvatron's words only reinforce his decision. His legs are hobbled, having taken a lot of damage. However he was never a nimble Con, strong, swift and deadly, his armor took the brunt instead, and his armor was still exceptional...minus that aforementioned hole. He stalks towards Sandstorm. Another explosion erupts, surrounding him in strange colors and energon fumes. The smoke starts to fade, and the undead menace remained. He raises his blade, "Wrecker. Know regret. Know Pain!" He puts his all behind his swing, a downward slash away from any vital equipment. Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior strikes Sandstorm with his Monomolecular Edge Katana attack! "As long as I also destroy you, Tailgate," Americon screams, "IT'LL BE WORTH IT!" And so he pulls his laser pistol out and tries to press it against Tailgate's head, or butt, or something. But is Americon, in fact, just going to destroy himself, as Tailgate or warned? Or will he implausibly destroy Bludgeon instead when he fires!? Combat: Americon strikes Tailgate with his Red White and Blue Lasers attack! [Pulled -1] Crosscheck is swept aside by Galvatron. He does try to stop him but it's no good. He falls on the ground and takes a moment to "catch his breath". After a few seconds, he's back on his feet and knowing that he can't follow the others, he sighs. Going over to the edge of the platform, he looks down... no way to get down, "Great..." he mutters. He feels so useless now. <> Air Raid pauses a split second to endure the strange quaking. "What the...?" Blueshift's sword buries into a major line and somehow manages to drain his energon. He gasps and drops to a knee, vaguely aware of the smog and channel chatter. Doesn't sound good. "Ain't done with you yet, fragger!" Combat: Air Raid strikes Blueshift with his Torque Rifle attack! The moment Galvatron touches down on the landing pad of level 113, Shiftlock's eyes are on the Decepticon leader. It's the face of everything she hates. The face of everything that took away the freedom of her city and the lives of what few friends she has. She quickly makes up her mind on what must be done. Let's say that the Wrecker attitude has rubbed off on her just a tad. Needlenose pops up - surprising her - as the crippled jet fires another missile at her, striking her in the lower abdomen, blowing open a chunk of her armor, sending a find pink mist through the explosion. She hacks up a glowing spray of energon... and grins. Transforming into vehicle mode - as Bludgeon sadly passes right over her to get to Sandstorm - her tires shriek against the floor, and she attempts to run down Galvatron and push him over the edge in vehicle mode. If only she had flames painted over her hood - it might look kinda familiar. In either case - she'd gonna be driving off a cliff. Combat: Shiftlock sets her defense level to Fearless. Shiftlock crouches and tumbles forward, twisting in the middle as her body compacts rapidly into the form of a Cybertronian Speeder. Combat: Cybertronian Speeder strikes Galvatron with her Tactical Crash attack! On sheer reflex from being a fighter for so long and his own knowledge of explosives does Sandstorm duck down when something blows up a bit to close for comfort. Jetfire isn't quite so lucky though, and the access port is left bare of interface. Sandstorm looks to the scientist briefly, then to the indicated socket. How ironic. Except that's when Bludgeon recovers, and comes after him with that badass katana of his. Catching the incoming motion out of the corner of his optics, Sandstorm turns his side towards the Pretender, letting the blade slice into his shoulder. It cuts deeper than he had hoped because of that refined edge, sparks crackling from something that was possibly important. "Pain? I know plenty of pain." He's still got his slag eating grin though, even though that hurt. "Pain is how I know I'm alive. Pain is how I know that, despite what questionable and dangerous things I've done to fight this war, I've not become just a mindless killing machine like some of your friends down there." With one hand he opens a interface plug from his palm and reachs for the socket with it. "Regret?" And with the other he shoves his sandblaster point-blank at Bludgeon, trying to shove the muzzle into one of the damaged points from Blades' rockets. "Never once." Well. This is no good. Seems like everyone's ditching the landing pad in exchange for the commotion up above in the tower! Pity Fortress Maximus can't fly the way he is right now. Or can he? The drones that Galen is remotely controlling speeds back towards its owner. When the pair is at arm's length distance away, they transform and merges together to form Cog just in time to grab onto Fortress Maximus' outstretched hand. Cog swings across from the right hand to the left, holding on as Fortress Maximus arches down towards the left in a clear attempt at winding up his left arm for a pitch! Soon Cog is sent rocketing up into the skies in a parabolic arc towards the tower! Cog sprays the windows standing between it and its destination with precise weapons fire before landing into a shoulder roll up onto its two feet just in time to pull out an energon infuser at Blades and pulling the trigger! Fortress Maximus' armour plates splits open, accompanied by the distinct transformation sound, as towers and buildings rises up. Defensive batteries, communications and radar dishes can be seen emerging all over while the three main ramps can be see unfolding and extending down to others access to within. Soon the distinct form of a defense base sits before you. Combat: Defense Base deploys his reserve energon tank. Combat: Sandstorm strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Point-blank Sandblaster attack! Combat: Defense Base refuels Bell UH-1V Iroquois 's energon reserves. Tailgate manages to dodge a few of the shots Americon is tossing his way, but several of them graze him. "Ow!" he yelps, and grabs the muzzle of the gun, trying to wrest it from him. He succeeds in causing Americon to aim at himself, at least. Combat: Tailgate strikes Americon with his Fisher Price Junior Laser Pistol (Laser) attack! Bell UH-1V Iroquois is refreshed by the fuel that Cog provides him! Delicious! Blades doesn't even fumble the reufelling and cut off his own the probe the way that one Seas Stallion did. Then Blades is shot off his business of harrying Bludgeon to keep Bludgeon away from the scientist and from the delicate, vulnerable Wrecker who is so very in need of protection, because this mission has gotten really weird. But 'shot' is not the right word to describe what happens to Blades. It's more like 'immolated by incandescent light the flames out his engines and leave shim sputtering'. The helicopter falls, levels and levels down. His guttural scream grows fainter and fainter. Then the sound fades away entirely. His engines reignite around level 17. It's a long, long way back up to level 113. Blades may resent his alternate form sometimes, but today, he's glad to be an airframe. His blades whip up, and his engine is now the thing that does the screaming. This isn't like that stupid race yesterday. Now, speed matters. But faster than him are his rockets. "Boom, baby." Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Galvatron with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! Jetfire watches as Sandstorm plugs himself into the datasocket and faces down Bludgeon at the same time. More explosions go off around the lab, turning the entire level into a blazing inferno. Checking his chronometer, he sees that they have about 0.54 breem left. The scientist transforms, preparing to take himself and his allies out of the final blast radius, hopefully in time. <> Meanwhile, Jetfire's multi-purpose combat drones make their way over to Sandstorm and do what they can to effect minor repairs to his outer armor. The vessel shifts into the biped form of Jetfire. Combat: Jetfire quickly patches up some of Sandstorm's minor injuries. Galvatron is knocked off-guard by the detonation of Blades' rockets whistling up from below, and before he can recover his balance Shiftlock crashes into him! He tumbles end over end off the side of the platform, but as he falls he reels out his electro-flail, magnetizes it, and lashes it towards the new Autobot he doesn't recognize, but whose selfless crash hurled him over the edge. "You're above your station, Autobot! Time to BRING you DOWN to EARTH... LITERALLY!" Again Bludgeon takes another blow, his true form being scarred and assaulted at point blank range. Yet he still stands. Still battered, but not yet beaten. He lets out a harsh, haunting chuckle. "Ehhhhh...ehhhhehhhhh...." The laugh coming from one of the most stoic warriors the war has produced is rasping and weak. His gaze turns to the wires and such that Sandstorm is reaching for. He probes a thrusting strike at the manipulators. "Your kind, the Wreckers, you live for combat as I do. Despite all the....predictable words, there is truly little different between us." He gestures to the machine, "You're trying to do something still...return it to as it was before? What will happen to Vector Sigma if it explodes, or if I kill you as you interface with it?" Another explosion rumbles behind him, "Our time is short here...but here we live....I live." He raises his blade again, the tip of the blade starting at the wire interface, maybe just maybe slicing it in half, and then to Sandstorm's torso, maybe just maybe slicing HIM in half, "And you die." Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior strikes Sandstorm with his Monomolecular Edge Katana attack! Oh no! Blueshift is hit by the Torque gun! He doubles over in agony - obviously the effect of the weapon is to make him think of that ugly Autobot Torque. "Curse you Autofool!" he cries, shaking a fist at Air Raid. "If only I had my Ham Ray on me, then you would see my true fury!" He transforms to his spaceship mode, flying straight at Air Raid, determined to slice him to bits with his girly wings. Blueshift leaps into the air, flipping into the form of a small spacecraft Combat: Blue Spaceship misses Air Raid with his Wing Slice attack! Combat: Galvatron strikes Cybertronian Speeder with his Fly You Fools! attack! [Pulled -2] "Nnngh, got 'er," Needlenose wheezes. He transforms back into robot mode, landing on a lower platform in a kneeling position. He's been horribly wounded, and he has no more guns left as they both ran away. "Some day I'm replacing you two morons with /real/ guns," he mutters. The spire shakes again and Needlenose holds onto the wall for support. Americon yells in rage and frustration as a few laser blasts scorch his own head! "Arghhh! Just get off of me already! I hate you so much, you... you... German!" Because... er... Gauss? And in his desperation to escape Tailgate, he transforms into tape mode, and... where did he go? Oh, there he is--trapped on Tailgate's chest. Americon's robot legs pop out metallic feather-like objects as they and his lower torso split apart, also revealing an eagle head. The arms and robot head join the main body, and his guns convert into tail feathers and rocket launchers. Americon is now a bald eagle! Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] And with the connection made between Sandstorm and Vector Sigma, the Wrecker's mind is expanded to new horizons. For a brief, fleeting moment, he can *feel* the entirety of Cybertron. It is all one huge machine, with trillions of moving parts as the Creation Factory manages the reconstruction of the planet. Buildings, cities, and entire sectors are all so simple when viewed with the right perspective. A commercial district here, a radio transmitter there, a small metropolitan area there. The speed at which the computer works is mind boggling. The control extends beyond just Cybertron, but to its three new Moonbases as well. But there is the pained side as well, as the Dark Energon and the taint of Galvatron remains. Vector Sigma, per its programming to remove foreign programming from its core, has been repeatedly attempting to remove Galvatron's influence, but never had a chance to succeed before the transmitters were destroyed by Jetfire. The experience would be overwhelming, but for a split second Sandstorm is the most important being on Cybertron. "The name's Shiftlock, tyrant, and if anyone needs brought down, it's YOU! I don't have to be important - I only have to get you out of the way!" The magnetized lash tears into the side of Shiftlock's vehicle mode frame, ripping off armor and hitting fuel lines. She transforms back into robot mode, arm already loaded with a grapple, and attempts to latch onto anywhere grabbable on Darkmount, leaving a string of energon dribbles through the air as she goes. Critically injured, she begins looking for Tailgate, aiming to lower herself to find out where the straggler of the group went, and get clear of 113. The Cybertronian Speeder's main components extend from its central frame as it twists in the middle and rises up into a copper and black fembot. Combat: Shiftlock takes extra time to steady herself. [Pass] Crosscheck is waiting on the platform, arms crossed over his chest, with a worried look on his face. Hopefully he won't be forgotten behind! Jetfire starts to fly away, intent upon picking up whichever of his comrades need extraction, but notices Bludgeon attempting to slash at Sandstorm. No...the Wrecker -cannot- be interrupted like that! If the Pretender manages to damage the interface cables, all the 'Bots have done here might have been for naught. The scientist -can't- let that happen. And so, the vessel turns toward the skeleton-faced Decepticon, targeting arrays focused on his energy signature. A missile is launched from one of Jetfire's weapon bays! Jetfire folds up, shifting into a technologically superior spacecraft. Combat: Tech Spaceship strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Missile to the Bones! attack! Air Raid blows the tip of rifle, just to look badass. It's better than shaking your fist like Bluelame here. Suddenly SPACESHIP. Raid drops to avoid the slicing, though he does get the tip of his nosecone grazed off. "Ugh!" Flipping back into a black jet, he tears after Blueshift, slinging a missile in his direction. <> he spares the time to cheer. Air Raid shifts and twists into his black F-15E Strike Eagle mode. The drones do some quick patchwork, which Sandstorm would be thankful for if his attention wasn't... split, lets say. Because that's more trippy than you can ever imagine, Tailgate's explaination is nothing to how it actually -feels-. He only vagely hears Bludgeon's words, but the blade stabbing into his midsection couldn't feel more real. This is more important right now though so he's standing his ground, as confident in his allies as he is in himself. Maybe it's that he is smarter than he acts. Or maybe its that he's already a bit crazy. But Sandstorm simply lets go of whatever restraint or reluctance there would possibly be, letting his mind reach out to the supercomputer and the systems of the planet. His mind, his courage, his will to resist. Stand up and take control of yourself, Vector Sigma. Unlike the tyrant Sandstorm doesn't try to force it to do what he wants, he tries to encourage it, to suppot it into fighting back. It's the most powerful computer in the universe, some Decepticon filth shouldn't be enough to keep it down! Sandstorm does his best to use his recon skills to help Vector Sigma find the lingering taint and try to purge it. Even as more firefights go on around him. Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle strikes Blue Spaceship with his Heat-Seeking Missiles attack! Unfortunately Americon has given Tailgate the ability to pick him up like an old thing and throw him... anywhere. Grabbing a bit of stray wiring that's fallen down from all the chaos and debris from level 113, he binds up the tape like a Christmas present and tosses it out the nearest window. "You should probably go save your fearless leader since you owe him one from earlier!" he yells after the Casseticon. "Shiftlock! Are you alright? Is Jetfire okay? What about Sandstorm?" Combat: Tailgate strikes Robotic Bald Eagle with his Grab attack! As the blade slices through Sandstorm's body, the link starts to slip away. His thoughts towards Vector Sigma start trailing off into the void. Cog exhausts its supply of infusable energon and promptly tucks the device back into a hidden compartment on his side, but it's clear its job isn't done yet! Shiftlock's getting the microchips beaten out of her! Not on Galen's watch though! The Nebulan partner of Fortress Maximus commands Cog to spin around and once again retrieve the nano-regenerator gun that it has at its disposable and zap Shiftlock with revitalizing nano-machines! Combat: Defense Base quickly patches up some of Shiftlock's minor injuries. Bell UH-1V Iroquois continues to strain his engines to try to fly back up and recover from his fall. He feels like he's missing a lot of the action and that his rockets are probably having a better and more productive time than he is. The radio chatter gives him some idea of what is going on, at least. Blades gives one of the rockets an image of Bludgeon, and he sends it off on its merry way. Lucky sod. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior with his Armor-Piercing Smart Rocket attack! Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior falls to the ground, unconscious. Blueshift is hit by Air Raid's heat seeking missiles despite him not being in heat. "Argh, you cheat!" he shouts, transforming in mid air to twist and aim his SPEED GUN at Air Raid. "Let's see how you like getting lasers in the COCKpit!" He squeezes the trigger, and stupid-looking circles of energy spill out of the barrel towards Air Raid! Combat: Blue Spaceship sets his defense level to Guarded. The spaceship flips up into the handsome form of Blueshift Combat: Blueshift strikes F-15E Strike Eagle with his Speed Stealing Gun attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired F-15E Strike Eagle 's Agility. (Crippled) F-16XL Jet Fighter , still kneeling on one of the platforms, struggles to keep fighting. He doesn't realize Galvatron has been knocked out. Looking around, he finds a wall panel that snapped off from one of the earlier stray shots. Heaving it up into his arms, he sends it hurtling towards the F-15. The /dogooder/ F-15, that is. Not one of the many Seekers flying about. "Blueshift!" he shouts. "Don't accentuate the word COCK, you fool!" More Than Meets The Eye! F-16XL Jet Fighter transforms into robot mode! Combat: Needlenose strikes F-15E Strike Eagle with his Thrown Panel (Kick) attack! Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior bellows, "YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED!" as he his slash goes deep and wide but the followthrough was not recovered easily. He is winded, bruised, battered. Bludgeon raises his foot to deliver a massive kick to the vulnerable Sandstorm when another freaking missile came out of nowhere at him. As time stops as it is wont to do, Bludgeon makes a note to check for homing signals on his person and armor for any clue as to why people keep with the missiles. It buries into his side, and the Pretender falls to his stomach. He raises up slightly, just barely functional, his hand reaches up to Sandstorm's side, gripping at him, clawing perhaps. The need for success beyond measure. "Y..you can't...". And then his grip loosens. "Oh, damn, you're right! I have to save Galvatron and prove I'm not a traitor!" Americon yells. And so he tries to transform into bird mode to do that, but Tailgate's already bound him up and thrown him through a window. "Wait, oh, crap, I can't save anyone like this! OH NOOOOO--" LATER Some Decepticon gumby puts a WANTED poster up on a wall. On the poster is none other than Americon's bird head, squawking at the camera. The crime? Desertion and treason (maybe). No really, they actually put that in parentheses next to treason. Americon collapses and shrinks down into a very tiny cassette labeled, "America's Most Patriotic Hits!" Combat: Patriotic Cassette begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Sandstorm, Bell UH-1V Iroquois , Tech Spaceship , F-15E Strike Eagle , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, Blast Off, Galvatron, Tailgate, Decepticon Shuttle , Blueshift, Crosscheck, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior , Needlenose, and Shiftlock Sandstorm tries to hold as much as he can, but it's no use. Between the supercomputer rebooting and Bludgeon still trying to shiskabob him, even the Wrecker can hold out so long. Sandstorm slips back to the land of the functionally aware, even as Bludgeon is missiled by his friends. "Maybe...", he finally replies to the samurai's words even as he slouchs against the console briefly. The Pretender claws at him... but the fight is over, even if it isn't in Bludgeon's core. "Hell, you're probably right there. But I've got one thing you'll -never- have..." With a tired groan he manages to push himself up from the terminal and starts staggering towards Jetfire. The gouge in his lower section is starting bleed energon a bit, but it's more from the interface that he's woozy, unusually unsteady on foot. "... Mind giving me a lift? I wouldn't trust -myself-... hff.. trying to fly like this..." Galvatron falls out of sight into the darkness of the hollow fortress' central shaft, disappearing far below ground level, although his bellow of rage seems to echo long after his blazing yellow eyes are lost to view. Except to Sandstorm. To Sandstorm, they appear, glowing balefully in his mind. The backlash of the Dark Energon connection burns into Sandstorm's consciousness, linking him briefly to Galvatron, through Vector Sigma, as Scourge or Cyclonus were once linked to Unicron through Galvatron. The tyrant's crushing will, thick with hate, sick with rage, bears down on Sandstorm like an enormous hand, like the pressure at the bottom of the sea, and if it had been someone else, or if the Black Blood of Unicron had flowed through Sandstorm's mechanical veins rather than only being communicated to him through the linkage, he might've succumbed. Sandstorm knows now, knows intimately, why Galvatron did the horrifying Unicron's bidding, and why Cyclonus, Scourge and the other Sweeps, whom Galvatron half-scornfully calls "the cauldron-born," irresistably bend their knee to Galvatron now that Unicron is dead. But even as the poison of that dark presence and the venomous will to control all life seeps into Sandstorm's limbs like ice, the thaw is already coming. With the help of all the Autobots, and with the light of the brave and above all, intensely INDIVIDUAL spirit of Sandstorm to guide itself by, Vector Sigma is able finally to purge itself of that corruption, and the yellow eyes of Galvatron fade from Sandstorm's sight. Blast Off was lying in Medbay until just a few moments ago, still recovering from one Pit of a hangover from his unfortunate encounter on a far-off planet....one that found him being "wined and dined" and ultimately "sacrificed to the Gods". It's a day he'd like to forget, and the Combaticon has one HUGE hangover. But there's a ton of noise coming from nearby and the shuttle finally stumbles out of medbay just to see what the slag is going on. He stares in disbelief at what he sees- Autobots? HERE? Is he still drunk or something? He shakes his head...no, they're still here. What the slag? And is that Sandstorm and Blades? The Combaticon brings out his ionic blaster and creeps up closer, trying to stay unnoticed in the shadows and figure out what is going on- and if he's imagining all this or not. F-15E Strike Eagle can't quite linger on Blueshift's terrible banter, as he's caught in SLOW RAYS or something. His speed drops dramatically, yet he still manages to stay airborn. Needlenose dives into the fray to light up his fuselage, which hits just the right lines to make him largely combust. Flames erupt around him, and he elects to uh, get some space between him and the 'cons. Shiftlock lands hard, and can barely stand. Thanks to the nanomachines, however, she won't go wandering off half-functioning and digging through trash looking for Tailgate this time. We hope. Fuel lines are sealed and vital components repaired enough that she can stand, but her armor looks like hell. "I'm--" She pauses to cough up a splatter of energon. Okay, so not EVERYTHING is perfect in there. "--fine. Just fine. We gotta get out of here, come on." She waves over Crosscheck, having him join in with the other ground pounders getting ready to split. "I'm pretty sure I can still get up to speed even like this, so let's get out of here while we can." Shiftlock crouches and tumbles forward, twisting in the middle as her body compacts rapidly into the form of a Cybertronian Speeder. Combat: Cybertronian Speeder begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Sandstorm, Bell UH-1V Iroquois , Tech Spaceship , F-15E Strike Eagle , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, Blast Off, Galvatron, Decepticon Shuttle , and Blueshift Jetfire is relieved as Bludgeon -finally- falls thanks to Blades' missile. <> The scientist nods to Sandstorm as the Wrecker limps toward him, and he flies under the orange Autobot, doing what he can to lift him up. <> He accelerates up and out, heading for the nearest window, as the explosions in the lab get worse and worse, the time between them decreasing drastically.... Finally, the chain ends with a single, massive detonation as the entire floor is enveloped in bright white-hot flames. The supports holding it in place crack and shatter into several blazing pieces, the rest of level 113's flaming contents coming crashing down after them. Jetfire watches the destruction from just beyond the window he smashed through, hoping none of his comrades were caught in the devastation... Combat: Tech Spaceship begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior is crushed by said floor collapsing atop him. Sandstorm more or less collapses on top of the starfighter, but he's got enough awareness in him to grab on for the wild ride out of here. Which is just the sort of ride he prefers, even while trying to shake off the effects of what he saw while he was still connected to that system. Let's just say he probably understands Galvatron and his unicronian stooges a lot more than he'd ever wanted to, and leave it at that. It was a harsh shock, even for a Wrecker. Cog is commanded by Galen to wait for Blades to transforms, if and when he does, the drones obediently leaps inside the Protectobot's cabin. Phew. Good thing Cog doesn't have the capacity to be pained by such filth! Did Blades purposely keep the vomit as a trophy over Cross?! Meanwhile down below, Fortress Maximus shifts into his battleship mode and allows the anti-gravity generators and thrusters to guide him back into the air as he gains altitude. Almost instantly the air space around him is lit up by anti-aircraft fire once more though! Sucks to be fat, doesn't it? << How's everyone doing so far? The rest of you good to go?" >> Fortress Maximus' armour plates splits open, accompanied by the distinct transformation sound, as his body reconfigures itself into the form of an interstellar battleship. Needlenose points at Air Raid, "Yeah that's it!" he coughs and wheezes. "You run away! Run back to Silverbolt and be comforted by his luscious lips you coward!" Needlenose hopes that Air Raid is too far to actually hear him. Combat: Interstellar Battleship begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Tech Spaceship , F-15E Strike Eagle , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, and Decepticon Shuttle Tailgate sees Jetfire leaving, and panics a little, but as the large jet is flying out of the lab, he jumps out of the same window he has tossed Americon out of and grabs onto his wingtips, hanging on to dear life once again. Why does his always happen to him?! Combat: Sandstorm begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Bell UH-1V Iroquois , Tech Spaceship , F-15E Strike Eagle , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, Galvatron, Decepticon Shuttle , Blueshift, and Interstellar Battleship Blast Off just stands there and watches. Yes, he definitely must still be drunk. Autobots here, Autobots there, Autobots everywhere- explosions, colors, flashing lights, Bludgeon being swallowed by the ground....maybe he should just head back to Medbay? He is apparently still feeling quite unwell. He MUST be. He begins to back away, back the way he came. Back towards some peace and quiet..... Bell UH-1V Iroquois , with Cog inside his rather disreputable cabin, is rather doggedly determined that he is not going to leave anyone behind, unless it is himself. It's okay to leave Blades behind. Even though First Aid told him to come back. Blades knew the risks when he took this mission! Now, everything is exploding, so Blades has to fly like a maniac, and... Air Raid is complaining about Blueshift and Needlenose. Didn't Blades say not to make this personal? Well, Since Air Raid asked so nicely... Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois misses Blueshift with his Full-Auto Area attack! Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois misses Needlenose with his Full-Auto Area attack! Blueshift stands by the flaming piece of flooring that has crushed Bludgeon. "So, uh, I don't know if this is a good time, but it's Friday, and lottery money is due, if you want in on this week's draw..." he trails off as he sees the flaiming Air Raid trying to fly about in the sky. Air Raid is pretty flaming, but today more than ever. "Wait, I thought you were dead! Time to die twice!" He leaps into the air, lasers pewing away at the Autobot Blueshift leaps into the air, flipping into the form of a small spacecraft Combat: Blue Spaceship strikes F-15E Strike Eagle with his Laser attack! Needlenose walks around the platform he's on, arms raised over his head in victory since the Decepticons won. He's still bleeding all over the place, but robo-adrenalin is looking him going. "Yes! We! Are! The! Eeeeeeeeeeek!" Needlenose runs and hides as gun shots riddle the ground around where he was standing. Combat: Needlenose sets his defense level to Protected. F-15E Strike Eagle hears it. And it's not the first time he's heard a jab like that. Silverbolt being mocked isn't THAT big of a deal, though being labeled a coward incites him more heatedly than the flames melting his metal. Also who cares about Blueshift. He banks right around to sling bombs! "BLADES, YOU SUCK!" Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle misses Needlenose with his GBU-27 Paveway III Bombs Area attack! Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle strikes Blue Spaceship with his GBU-27 Paveway III Bombs Area attack! Combat: Air Raid uses up a charge on his EAGLE TALONS booster pack! Elsewhere... ...on planet Junk, a mech dramatically (and intentionally) hidden in shadow holds a banana phone up to his audio sensor. "Yes, Mr. President?" he says. "Of course, Mr. President. I understand." Wreck-Gar sets the banana phone down and steps out of the shadow, flashing a quick thumbs up to the Junkion responsible for the dramatic lighting. "Gentlemen," he says. "Gondor calls for aid." ...on Nespa, Six Lasers mascot Kremzeek--a guy in a big yellow suit--folds his hands, looking over a Galactic Assembly advisory. "Ho ho, Sol system think they can take Galactic Olympic profits from us!? Hmm! We see about that!" ...in a secret lab on the ocean-moon of Aquatantis, Shockwave watches from behind ultra-thick transparent Cybertronium as his equipment bombards the Dark Energon sample given to him by Galvatron with every type of radiation he can imagine. The experimentation chamber glows an eerie purple. The blood of Unicron's secrets must be discovered. ...on Nebulos, Princess Llyra steps out on the balcony of her home in the capital of Koraja. Now the leader of a people who have been victimized by the Transformers' war, she has been called upon to speak on what should be done about the looming Cybertronian threat. ...on an alien starship not far from Yrral, Captain K'gard, a dull green alien with four arms and a fantastic hat, looks at the man on the other side of the ready room desk. "It seems," he says reluctantly, "that you are correct after all, Mr. Silas. A new Cybertronian army is inevitable. I will reach out to our supporters and assemble the armada." Blueshift gets totally blown up by Air Raid's ridiculously twinky bomb. "Argh!" he shouts as his undercarriage explodes, causing lots of smoke to spiral out of him. He aims his descent in the direction of Air Raid. Is it possible to ram a plane in mid-air? PROBABLY NOT but this energon isn't going anywhere! Combat: Blue Spaceship sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Blue Spaceship strikes F-15E Strike Eagle with his Full-Body Strike attack! Needlenose activates stealth mode by hiding behind a crate as a missile explodes just above him. From there he peeks out in order to watch what he hopes is Blueshift kicking Air Raid's aft. The problem is, Air Raid is right: Blades does suck. He has a problem, and his problem is that he can't shoot for slag. Blades has made progress in admitting he has this problem! He even let First Aid patch his system and reboot him a /bajillion times/. It was so bad he threw up. And Blades has to come back in for a recalibration later on, once his logging software has collected enough data on how Blades is DOING IT WRONG. Primus, Blades wishes that First Aid just had a cream for this. But anyway, Blades heckles back, "NO YOU!" clearly the most intelligent, articulate response possible, and he tries some more generic shooting with guns, which he hates. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois misses Blue Spaceship with his Full-Auto Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois strikes Needlenose with his Full-Auto Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Needlenose falls to the ground, unconscious. "FRAG YOU, FRAG ALL OF YOU!" Raid shrieks after Blueshift collides with him. He tumbles aimlessly as Blades totally takes down Needlenose. "Hey, HEY! I weakened him for you! KNOW THIS!" Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Tech Spaceship , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, Decepticon Shuttle , and Blue Spaceship Needlenose stays hidden behind the crate where he cannot be touched by gunfire... but then Blades's firepower brings down the platform above him. The platform smashes into the one below it, spraying dust all over the place and leaving Needlenose buried. Technically Blades this counts as a MISS. Blueshift transforms, landing on the ground to congratulate Needlenose, but instead slips in Needlenose's head. "Ugh," he exclaims, looking up at Blades. "Curses, do these Autobots never stop?" He raises his space ray and fires at the helicopter The spaceship flips up into the handsome form of Blueshift Combat: Blueshift strikes Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Speed Stealing Gun attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Bell UH-1V Iroquois 's Agility. (Crippled) Bell UH-1V Iroquois sees that Air Raid is FINALLY LEAVING THE EXPLODING BUILDING FULL OF DECEPTICONS WHO WANT TO KILL THEM. Aerialbots. How do they even survive in the wild!? Then Blueshift steals Blades's speed, and he feels... so... sluggish. His OS threatens to crash. His engine gutters out again. And that's it, when his engine restarts. He's out of here. Here's gone. He's... still so slow. Combat: Bell UH-1V Iroquois begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Tech Spaceship , F-15E Strike Eagle , Reaver Shuttle < Invictus>, and Decepticon Shuttle Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle strikes Bell UH-1V Iroquois with his Grab attack! Blueshift punches the air as he stands in the ruins of the Decepticon base, amongst the burning bodies of his comrades. "YES! DECEPTICON VICTORY!" +d And why do you have human currency?
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