| abstract
| - Scary Jungle Though the way is barred with vines, they are passable, with effort, leading eventually to the Scary Jungle. Illumination is hard to come by in this place, the vegetation acting as a natural barrier to the sunlight. Its canopy looms overheard, letting a limited amount of light streams in to light the way. Further into the jungle, light is almost completely unavailable except for clusters of crystals spotted here and there. Immediately after entering the area, a cleared path that's been stomped down by Cybertronian feet leads to an underground entrance. Some dated and obviously weathered machinery still resides outside its entrance. The tunnel is caved in though, with little to no chance of clearing it out. Jetfire disliked trying to hurry a process, but this was one of those occassions where time was of the essense. To be honest the only reason he didn't have it done during the Olympics truce was lack of manpower, with everyone wanting to compete and all. That and he just really had not worried too much about it due to the extremely obscure location of Couldarr in general. But after the incident with the rent-a-pirates on the space luxury liner and Perceptor making it clear from his encounter that Galvatron was actively searching for more of those lenses, it was only a matter of time before they came looking. Time they possibly did not have. Several small excavation crews (of the generic sort) were at work trying to uncover the lense they had briefly discovered beneath the snow and ice quickly as possible without disrupting it. If at all possible the Autobots wanted to keep this one intact, both so it could be studied, and because of the warnings of how breaking them were such a supposedly bad thing. Jetfire was off to the side and discussing with the crew foreman, while other Autobots are likely around. Either helping with the excavation, or standing guard against the inevitable, between Decepticons and the hostile lifeforms of the planet itself, and armed escort is totally necessary! Digger rests next to a snow mound, while his excavation partner Scoop is scraping away another layer from the lense base. "You know, I heard that Galvatron wants his mitts on this here lense thinger!" <> Scoop responds, stacking the mound even higher with excess snow. Transforming into a golden and orange minibot, he strides up to Digger. "That's -really- interesting, but you know what.. it's not helping right now!" he shouts in his partner's face. "Yeah yeah, I get the point." Digger rolls his optics, while Scoop gets back to work. The brown minibot grabs up a shovel and starts helping out, muttering under his breath. "Say it, don't spray it." Snow and dirt are unearthed from the ground by excavation machines controlled by Autobot gumbies while Fortress Maximus stands at nearby directing each and every dig that is made to the earth. Why is he directing the dig? Well because he's qualified, before an architect can construct buildings they must first clear the land to lay down the foundation! It's clearly such an important job after all! It's really not a flimsy excuse for Fortress Maximus to be sure. Really. "120 centimeters to the left. Here." Fortress Maximus points a big blue finger down at the spot he is refering to and gestures for the Autobot excavators to dig down near the lense, "Yes, good. Go down a good 2.5 meters and we should be a quarter of the way done." The Headmaster leader gestures towards another exacavator, "Yes, here too." An armed escort really is totally necessary, for inbound to this planet even at this moment are... Warpath isn't here for digging! He's here to make things go BOOM! Though he does assist when asked, where needed. "So how long do you BLAM, think, until the Decepticons find this place?" he asks, "I'm itching to SLAM some Decepticon hides!" THE DECEPTICONS! "Faster, Cyclonus!" Galvatron snarls from within Cyclonus's cockpit. "Those NAIVE Autobots are searching for another of the lenses, and we must find it before they do before they destroy another PRICELESS artifact! And then, once we have found the lense, we shall put it to its PROPER USE and DESTROY our enemies! Hahahahaha!" A white Pontiac Grand Prix with a blue stripe on the hood skids and slides across the ice of this god forsaken planet. Runamuck giggles to himsel as he approaches the area that Galvatron told him to go to, kicking up snow behind him as his wheels spin over the tundra. He's not having an easy time maneuvering, but it seems to be entertaining him, rather than annoying him. The purple Starfighter jets through space, coming around on Coludarr's specific orbit in the Lygian system. <> Sending the nuclear fission reactor into overdrive, the usual purple blast of thruster superheats to white hot as the space craft gains even more speed. <> Jetfire looks up from his discussion with the foreman and glances over it Fortress Maximus' direction. Sure the Headmaster's skills were useful for this operation, but more importantly he had asked him to accompany the mission because he wanted another with a good head (or two if you count Galen) on his shoulders. "Any luck getting a measurement on its size yet, Fortress? If it's too big for either of us to carry, we may still have a bit of a problem getting it off this iceball planet." Only if he knew what was lurking just beyond the atmosphere... though lucky for the Battlecharger, the sounds of the dig help hide the noise of his engine, at least for the time being. ".. I kind of wish Specter could of come along, he knows this planet better than anyone, as unfortunate as the conditions that led to that expertise were." Galvatron grins evilly. "Excellent, excellent! This is close enough! Cyclonus, pop the hatch! I mean to deal with the AUtobots... PERSONALLY!" As Runamuck giddily spins and slides over the ice, he comes within sight of the Autobots. "Whee!" The accelerator depresses, as if toed by an invisible foot, and Runamuck goes faster as he nears the Autobots, although his white paintjob makes him difficult to see when combined with the flurry of snow his tires kick up. Fortress Maximus has to speak up over the loud mechanical whines of the excavation machines in order to respond to Jetfire, "Grommet's subterrain radar scans has uncovered it to be roughly . I'd be able to fit that thing into my cargo hold but it's such a delicate thing, loading it will take a while." He sighs as the muddy earth shifts once more as more dirt is removed, "Circumstances aren't on our side. The earth is shifting due to the excessive moisture in the ground below. It's making things more complicated than usual." The Headmaster leader rubs the bottom of his chin as his considers options to solve this issue, "Did we bring any filicon sulfate? It's a common thing but sufficient quantity of it might be enough to soak up most of the excess moisture." Yeah. There's no such thing as filicon sulfate. Sue me, my technobabble is weak. Elsewhere (but not TOO far away) on Colduarr, Motormaster answers Cyclonus' call! Turning away from his patrol route, he crashes heedlessly through the underbrush, smashing through crystals and trees alike on his way towards the waypoint Cyclonus has sent him. Heaven help any wildlife that doesn't get out of his way fast enough; Motormaster is carrying a shipment of pain, ad he has a delivery to make to the Autobots. Warpath sighs. He's not down with the technobabble. He just scratches his head. "Well, let me know when you start detecting, BLAM, Decepticons!" He paces about somewhat impatiently. Once inside the planet's orbit, Cyclonus adjusts his aerial heading and makes way for the lense and their ground forces. Steaking through the air, his engines boom throughout the canyon on the opposite side of the island and the Starfighter comes well into Autobot view. Galvatron's order is met with immediate action, the hatch on the Decepticon craft pops open with a high pitched *HSSSSSS* and air quickly fills the void. Jetfire frowns a bit at Fortress's explaination. "Damn. I was hoping the ground would be frozen enough moisture wouldn't be a problem. Curse our not having time for a more thorough survey first. Try and do what you can to handle i--" The air guardian cuts off as his head snaps up at the sound of something thundering overhead. He's done that himself enough times to know what it takes to make that sort of sonic boom, and it doesn't instill him with any reassurance -- quite the opposite in fact, once he notices a speck of purple still airborn. "I think you might have your wish, Warpath," he mutters. Followed by a brief eruption of snow through the air as Jetfire transforms, his own engines hurtling the air guardian skyward while his sensors zoom in on the object blasting by with no regard for speed or stealth towards the dig site... and only realizes the problem is worse by what he's got coming into view. "Slag it all to hell..." Growling, the spacefighter quickly brings his weapon systems online, not waiting for them to fully charge up before pouring out a volley in the other spacecraft's direction. Which may clip the big dude with the cannon of doom as he's disembarking too. Jetfire transforms into his Veritech Spacefighter mode. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter strikes Starfighter with his Particle-Beam Cannons Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Veritech Spacefighter misses Galvatron with his Particle-Beam Cannons Area attack! [Pulled -3] Runamuck throttles hard towards the Autobots, going off a snow dune. He flies through the air at Warpath, the White Pontiac twisting to the side in mid air and landing on its edge, spinning at Warpath. "BANZAAAAAAAI!" comes a cry, as Runamuck laughs maniacally. Combat: White Pontiac misses Warpath with its Reckless Driving attack! [Pulled -3] Apparently when you're one of the leading figures of the Decepticon Empire you don't need to be bother to be stealthy, at least that seems to be the impression that Cyclonus is giving Fortress Maximus, who snaps to combat readiness the moment he hears the distinct sonic booms of Cyclonus' engines. "Digger, Scoop. Drop some dirt on top of the lense, send out a distress call and then bunker down somewhere safe." Fortress Maximus orders as he points a finger towards the jungle behind him. Meanwhile Motormaster's rampage through the forest trips Grommet's sensor systems and the drone promptly alerts its main body, causing the Headmaster leader to glance at the direction the Stunticon commander is coming by. The Headmaster leader narrows his visored optics as he analyzes the situation. Cyclonus and Galvatron are vulnerable but with Jetfire dog fighting the pair, the chance of friendly fire is much too high, especially when dealing with aerospace fighters that can supercruise. Motormaster is another powerhouse that'd trample everyone else but him at this point in physical strength, and he could cruise by at any moment to snatch the lense and nobody else would be able to stop him. Galvatron. Well. It's Galvatron. Grimacing, Fortress Maximus turns his body towards Cyclonus' open cockpit and begins to lay down a field of fire as the weapons port on his body frame opens and the weapons battery inside slides out. Combat: Fortress Maximus sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Galvatron with his Laser Batteries (Laser) attack! "Some dirt?" Digger and Scoop reply in unison, looking back at the massive lense. "Yeah, -no- problem." Warpath lifts one leg suddenly as the car goes careening past. "Oh, BLAM, there you are!" he says, "Well ZAM, ZAP! TAKE THAT!" His chest-mounted cannon levels itself at the crazy Battlecharger, and laser blasts come out of it. Combat: Warpath strikes White Pontiac with his BLAM BOOM! (Laser) attack! Galvatron launches himself out of the craft without delay, and is carried along by his momentum before he gradually decelerates to his own top air speed. While slower than Cyclonus, he is more maneuverable in the air, and so he is able to spin out of the way of Jetfire's shots. "Cyclonus! Deal with him! I--" ZOT. He snarls as he takes a laser blast to the chest. "Yes, as I was saying, I have OTHER things to deal with!" He rockets down towards Fortress Maximus, a fist extended in front of himself. "So, Maximus, care to do our match NOW!?" he yells. Combat: Galvatron strikes Fortress Maximus with his Belated Olympics Punch (Punch) attack! The searing hot laser cuts across the spinning Pontiac, before it flips back onto its wheels and skids to a halt with a quick turn. Runamuck giggles to himself, revving his engine. "I'm gonna cream ya!" Smoke and slush fly from his tires as he struggles to get traction in the ice, before bolting over the now at Warpath. Combat: White Pontiac strikes Warpath with his Smash attack! Having ejected the Decepticon leader, the popped open hatch and decreased velocity apparently makes Cyclonus a sitting duck! Jetfire's particle beams impact off the starfighter's front end, scorching up the royal purple paint job and giving the front needle a nasty black smear. <> he emits, closing the opened hatch and diving down towards the Veritech Spacefighter. Combat: Starfighter sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Starfighter strikes Veritech Spacefighter with his Needle Ram! attack! [Pulled -4] MEANWHILE The surrounding jungle rumbles to life, the ever familiar high pitched chirping noise of Coludarr's skitter population. The insectlike creatures rush out from the dense forest, immediately setting upon anyone and anything in sight.. including the lense! Digger and Scoop turn around from the base of the lense, "Oh crap." The brown minibot Digger is impaled through the gut almost at once, leaving Scoop to transform and head for Fortress Maximus. The Skitter Horde has arrived. Combat: Starfighter strikes Warpath with Skitter Horde's They're Everywhere! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Starfighter misses Fortress Maximus with Skitter Horde's They're Everywhere! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Starfighter strikes White Pontiac with Skitter Horde's They're Everywhere! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Kenworth K100 Aerodyne explodes out of the treeline with a crash of falling trees, making a beeline for the lense. The aforementioned wildlife unfortunate enough not to get out of his way? That's the Skitter Horde! Combat: Kenworth K100 Aerodyne sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Kenworth K100 Aerodyne strikes Skitter Horde with his Rushing the Zerg attack! [Pulled -4] Veritech Spacefighter banks sharply to the side, but it's not soon enough to entirely avoid the collision. Cyclonus' sharp nosecone scrapes loudly across his lower fusilade, screeching and shooting sparks as it leaves gourges in his frame. "Who do you think you are, Ramjet?", snaps the air guardian as he spirals away finally. Then pulls a tight mult-G turn that would tear a lesser aircraft to pieces just from the force to charge direction sharp enough to bring Cyclonus back into his rangefinders. "This planet is a bit cold.. How about I heat things up a little?" What would normally be a cargo bay opens beneath the craft, but instead it allows a panel with the turret he's been working on to lock into place. Keeping his distance, Jetfire instead launches a big ball of burning hot plasma after the other aircraft instead. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter misses Starfighter with Plasma Caster's Plasma Caster attack! Warpath gets smacked into by Runamuck and laughs. "Try to BLAM, run me down, will ya?" he says. He transforms and starts to advance on the Battlecharger. Then a horde of native bugs descends upon him! "Where did ZOW, these things come from?" He's too slow to avoid them, but hopefully he'll be fast enough to turn Runamuck into a puddle of muck. Warpath folds down into his awesome tank mode. Combat: Red Tank strikes White Pontiac with his Smash attack! Fortress Maximus continues to track Galvatron's movement as Galvatron descends down upon him but none of his laser batteries were able to hit its mark after his initial success as the Decepticon leader accelerates pass his shots. Three seconds... Fortress Maximus mentally calculates in his mind as he estimates when he has reposition himself to avoid Galvatron. Two seconds... now's a good time as any to---- move?! Galvatron suddenly manages to get in close on the Headmaster leader faster than he had anticipated! Fortress Maximus takes the punch square across the jaw line and his body recoils backwards as its carried off the force of the impact, "Ugh! I didn't think you'd minded me standing you up. I'm not letting you get your hands on that lense!" Suddenly the variables of this battle changes once more as Colduarr's native insectoids bursts in out of nowhere and begins flooding Fortress Maximus and the others. The Headmaster leader throws his fists horizontally in opposite direction, knocking away his would be assaliants, "Keep the horde from killing our excavation crew!" Fortress Maximus narrows his optics at Galvatron and then at the skitter horde before firing upon at the insectoids in an effort to keep them away from the fleeing Autobot excavators. Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Skitter Horde with his Fusion-Powered Photon Cannon attack! [Pulled -6] Runamuck gets rammed by Warpath, a large black gash opened up across his flank, which sparks on occasion. "Ugh! I'd rip you apart, ugly, but I got more pressin' matters!" He wheels around over to the lense and begins doing burnouts around it, the rear of his car attempting to smash the bugs and keep them off the lens, as per his orders. Combat: White Pontiac strikes Skitter Horde with his Reckless Driving attack! Galvatron lands behind and somewhat to the side of Maximus after delivering is punch. He rears back his fist for another blow before he spies the Skitter horde encroaching upon them. "What!? What are these things!? Do you lead them here, Autobots?" Galvatron snarls. "Nevermind--be thankful I intend to deal with them before I deal with YOU, Maximus!" And on that note, he whips out his flail and charges into the swarm of creatures, spinning the flail about as he smashes and batters them wild abandon. Despite his words, however, Maximus may catch the business end of his flail anyway! Combat: Galvatron strikes Skitter Horde with his Epic Flail Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Skitter Horde's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: Galvatron misses Fortress Maximus with his Epic Flail Area attack! [Pulled -1] <> Cyclonus emits, easily speeding up to avoid the plasma ball. His attention has shifted, focused instead on the opponent between Galvatron and the lense. While the Autobots qualify with that description, they do not pose an -immediate- threat.. as do the skitter horde. Pouring on the gforces, Galvatron's air charriot transforms at the last possible moment and lands between the Skitters and the lense. Of course, his trusty diamond-boron carbide sword pointed towards the enemy! The Starfighter flips up, transforming into CYCLONUS! Combat: Cyclonus sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Cyclonus strikes Skitter Horde with his Diamond-Boron Carbide Sword attack! Kenworth K100 Aerodyne transforms as he ploughs through the horde, skidding along trailing zerg bits as he loses his charging momentum. His right arm is already unfolding and reconfiguring itself to bring his cyclone gun into play should that prove necessary. "Foul things," Motormaster sniffs disgustedly. "Like humans with a harder carapace." With a loud clacking and grinding sound, Motormaster pulls himself up into his grim humanoid form. Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Motormaster strikes Skitter Horde with his Crushing Skid (Kick) attack! Combat: Skitter Horde falls to the ground, unconscious. As their desparate gambit fails, one or two skitters do manage to make it to the lense base however.. raking on the object before succumbing to either: 1) Motormaster's Ram! 2) Fortress Maximus' Photon Cannons! 3) Galvatron's Flail! 4) Cyclonus' Sword-Landing! And like that, the immediate threat of the Skitters is ended? Combat: Red Tank strikes White Pontiac with his ZIP ZING ZAP! (Disruptor) attack! Veritech Spacefighter isn't sure if he should be grateful or insulted that Cyclonus decided to attack the horde instead. In the end he decides to be grateful it took care of that problem for them instead. Circling around overhead, Jetfire holds his relatively defensive position. Sure the Decepticons can fly, but it will take them time to come back up after him, or transform again in Cyclonus' case. Deaming the one space capable craft the biggest threat should he be able to carry off the lense, or chase after the Autobots if himself or Maximus try to fly off, he locks his targetting systems back onto the Decepticon second-in-command as he makes his pass, and fires off one of his heat seeker proton missiles. Because really, even if Galvatron is more powerful, Cyclonus is the -sane- one and debatably a bigger risk. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter strikes Cyclonus with his Heat-Seeking Missiles attack! Fortress Maximus ducks down just in time as Galvatron's flail passes by the side of his head, unfortunately that gives the native insectoids sufficient opportunity to literally dog pile the Headmaster leader who disappears underneath the sea of insectoids, leaving only large bodily outline on the ground. That is until said outline stands up vertically once more and promptly tosses the insectoids out of the way, just in time to be massacred by the other Cybertronians' excessive firepower! With one threat eliminated, the tenuous partnership between Autobots and Decepticons splinters! Fortress Maximus charges Galvatron in a desperate (and foolish) bid to keep the Decepticon leader further away from the lens' excavation site, "Keep the excavation crew safe! We eliminate this lens again if we have to!" Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Galvatron with his Tackle attack! [Pulled -1] The disruptor ray strikes Runamuck in the windshield, turning the left half into twisted slag. "Yeah, back to business, punk!" Runamuck tranforms into his blocky robot mode, and fires his friction rifle at Warpath. "Die, die, die!" Runamuck unfolds, becoming a robot! Combat: Runamuck strikes Red Tank with his Friction Rifle attack! Motormaster spreads his stance and swings his cyclone gun upwards, bringing Jetfire into the targeting reticle. The gun's engine whistles and screams as it spools up, and with a loud clack the vents open and the turbine engages. Broken tree limbs and dead zerg swirl into the air as the vortex expands, a dark cone of dirt and debris swirling out from Motormaster's position and threatening to engulf Jetfire! Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Motormaster strikes Veritech Spacefighter with his Cyclone Gun attack! [Pulled -2] Oh, dear, Maximus. That was absolutely the WORST thing you could have said. "DESTROY THE LENS!?" Galvatron roars, even as Maximus slams into him with the force of five freight trains going full-throttle. Galvatron's chest buckles under the blow, but the crazed tyrant clings to Maximus, and hauls himself to the larger Autobot's head. "I AM GROWING WEARY OF YOU AUTOBOTS DESTROYING MY HARD WORK *AND* THESE PRICELESS OBJECTS! Do you realize that NO ONE is making these things? That once they're gone, they're gone FOREVER!?" He presses both hands to the sides of Maximus's head, and begins to squeeze with all his might. "HOW DARE YOU!! What gives you the right to destroy the key to our destiny? The key to the future of OUR ENTIRE PLANET!?" Combat: Galvatron strikes Fortress Maximus with his Bare Hands attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Fortress Maximus's Agility. (Crippled) Cyclonus circles around the lense, waiting for either the acidic quick decomposing corpses to jump back to life.. or for more to rush out of the outlying jungle. When neither happen, and instead a heat seeking missile explodes behind him.. the Decepticon second in command grows frustrated. Getting up from his crouched position, Cyclonus glares up in the sky. "If you persist in making yourself a problem." he growls, giving Motormaster a slight nod as the Stunticon leader tackles his nagging Autobot insect. Some troops require given orders to act, others are able to pick up on nonverbal commands.. Motormaster might belong to group two, but chances are he just likes to beat up Autobots Bringing his Oxidizing Rifle around on Fortress Maximus, Cyclonus fires off devastating shot. Combat: Cyclonus strikes Fortress Maximus with his Oxidizing Laser attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Red Tank strikes Runamuck with his Conventional Shells attack! Scoop drives up to the lense, knocking one last delerious Skitter for a doozy.. then rolling over him with his oversized Payloader tires. <> When it becomes apparent to him that the Skitters are succesfully defeated, the minibot transforms and rests back against the lense. "Or not, I guess.. everyone made it to the evac site." Scoop ducks to avoid a random blast that riccochets over his head. "If you don't mind, I'll stay to keep watch!" The wind isn't so bad.... it's all the debris the vortex scoops up to pelt him with that throws Jetfire a rough ride as the artifical cyclone whips through the air like a deranged wind tunnel. Finally he drops out of the turbulence, transforming as he does so. His booster pack and leg veniers fire, making up for his lack of true flight in this mode by at least decelerating his fall. As he decends his helmet sideguns flip forward, trying to line up all three of bigger badder Decepticons before firing off a volley of energy bolts across their general vicinity. Veritech Spacefighter transforms into his Jetfire mode. Combat: Jetfire strikes Galvatron with his Strafing Laser Vulcans Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Jetfire misses Cyclonus with his Strafing Laser Vulcans Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Jetfire strikes Motormaster with his Strafing Laser Vulcans Area attack! [Pulled -3] "All the more important to keep them out of the hands of a maniac like youuu---aaaagh!" Fortress Maximus calls out in defiance as he carries Galvatron away, but that proves to be a bad idea as Galvatron proves just how dangerous it is to keep the Decepticon leader within arms' reach and the Headmaster leader promptly is put at the receiving end of a painful headache! "And what do you think you're going to do with these lenses once you've gotten your hands on them? Deny the freedoms of other sentient beings while you trample across their worlds?" Fortress Maximus exhibits a rare expression of anger as emotion runs hot! The Headmaster leader wisely decides to drop his baggage and attempts to return Galvatron to Cyclonus by tossing the Decepticon leader. Combat: Fortress Maximus sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Galvatron with his Maximum Force Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Fortress Maximus strikes Cyclonus with his Maximum Force Area attack! [Pulled -3] "Trample their worlds?" Galvatron retorts. "Please, Maximus! Don't think for a moment you know what we're REALLY up to! I won't NEED to trample anyone's world once I have the lense--the laws of physics will do all the work for me! And I think I'll start with the Ear--what!?" While he is absurdly strong, Maximus's greater size gives him the edge he needs to pull Galvatron off and toss right back into his own second-in-command! "ARRRGH" he cries, smashing roughly into Cyclonus, breaking the handle off of his back. "Cyclonus, you FOOL!" he growls, kicking off of him. "Watch where you're going, lest you face my wrath!" Then, he accelerates back towards Maximus, intending to drop a boot in his face. "You won't stop us, Maximus! This I swear!" Combat: Galvatron strikes Cyclonus with his Casual Abuse Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Galvatron misses Fortress Maximus with his Casual Abuse Area attack! [Pulled -3] As Jetfire whisks past overhead and peppers the Decepticon ranks with laser blasts, Motormaster rearranges himself to provide a more precise firing platform. Collapsing and rotating into his minibase mode, Motormaster's laser turrets blaze into action with a barrage of energetic flak! Rearranging himself with a loud grinding sound, Motormaster transforms into a piece of large industrial machinery sporting a menacing crane. Combat: Hydraulic Press misses Jetfire with his AA Lasers (Laser) attack! The shell strikes Runamuck in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. "Urgh...You little rat!" he curses. He feels a quiver of fear, before he remembers there are three ranking Decepticons present. Grunting, pulls a quick half-second transformation into a white Pontiac, before charging head on at Warpath. "DIIIIIIE!" Runamuck folds together, becoming a car. Combat: White Pontiac strikes Red Tank with his Reckless Driving attack! Cyclonus is used as a punching bag, but then again.. it comes with the job. Painfully he picks himself up from the ground, lifting again into the air and transforming. <> Turning around to bear on the Headmaster leader, the purple Starfighter pours on his signature speed and aims to make Maximus pay for his angering of Galvatron. Cyclonus transforms into his Starfighter mode, Galvatron must need a ride somewhere. Combat: Starfighter sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Starfighter strikes Fortress Maximus with his Leader Retribution Ram attack! [Pulled -2] Scoop pulls a couple of explosives, slapping them on the lense in a reckless fashion. It doesn't help that pretty much most of the command level Decepticons are out fighting against Jetfire and Fortress Maximus. But then again, being an Autobot isn't easy.. a Wrecker, even harder. Placing the last charge, Scoop leans down to prime it for detonation.. when the ground rumbles? At first minor quakes that quickly dissapate, then mighty groundshaking vibrations that shake the entire area. The lense lifts up into the air, and connected under it.. is a mutated oversized Skitter! Grafted onto his back, the lense lifts hundreds of feet into the air.. as the guardian of the relic stomps onto the scene. His first victim being Scoop, as he's quickly smooshed into Coludarr's soft soil. A Colossal Skitter has arrived. Combat: Starfighter misses Red Tank with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Starfighter strikes Fortress Maximus with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Starfighter strikes Jetfire with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Starfighter strikes White Pontiac with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Starfighter strikes Hydraulic Press with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Combat: Starfighter misses Galvatron with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Rampage Area attack! [Pulled -4] Jetfire hits the ground just as Motormaster opens fire, veering to the side with a last burst of thrust before his veniers close entirely to avoid the barrage of laser fire slicing across the landscape. The big guy was dodgy for his size, to say the least. And after taking a moment to actually look closely at Motormaster's 'base' form, raises an optic brow behind the visor of his battle helmet. "... A car crusher? No wonder your own teammates are scared slagless of you." Jetfire grabs one of the planetary crystal formations and pulls it up, intending to lob it at Motormaster... but stops as the ground lurches from the monster hoisting itself up under the lens, dropping his impromptu weapon in the effort to keep his balance. Which fails when the monster's stampede actually knocks him backwards into the rest of the crystal outcropping. "I'm starting to -really hate- this planet!", growls the air guardian in a mix of pain and fustration. Grabbing the crystals as he gets up, he jumps behind it for some additional cover, doing some quick patchwork to his own systems while snapping quick comments off over the radio. Combat: Jetfire sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Jetfire quickly patches up some of his minor injuries. Fortress Maximus contorts his body sideways and just barely avoids discovering, in close detail, just what exactly is under Galvatron's foot as the Decepticon leader overshoots. Unfortunately he didn't count on Galvatron's number two delivering an effective follow up! This is such a beautiful partnership between the two, if only it wasn't a partnership marred by abuse! Tsk tsk. Fortress Maximus is sent crashing to the ground before skidding to a stop, the Headmaster leader lifts up his arms dazily and supports himself upright while Gasket and Grommet converges upon him. The Headmaster leader watches his drones arrive under his cracked visored optics before transforming into a more suitable mode to apply repairs. Combat: Fortress Maximus sets his defense level to Protected. Fortress Maximus transforms into his Battle Station mode. Gasket and Grommet swerves to a stop in front of Fortress Maximus. Grommet begins directing armour sealants upon the heavily damaged building in front of it, while Gasket's MAGIC healing lasers continues to pelt the surface of Fortress Maximus' structure. Combat: Battle Station quickly patches up some of his minor injuries. Combat: Red Tank strikes White Pontiac with his ZORCH! (Disruptor) attack! Combat: White Pontiac falls to the ground, unconscious. As the Skitter Queen crushes him and then he gets blasted by a shell, he goes up in a ball of flame. White and blue paint gives away to blackened flaming slag, leaving Runamuck resembling the wrecks he so loves to stare at. Hydraulic Press rattles and rumbles around as the skitter bursts up out of the ground and tips the minibase over in the process. Motormaster pulls himself back up out of the gash in the jungle floor, spitting dirt and looking more than usually cross. "I suppose it's angry with us for slaughtering its vile larvae. Stupid progenitor instinct. It would've had a longer lifespan if it had stayed underground." His back opens in two places and a pair of barrels extend and lock down over his shoulders, lightning crackling between them. With a loud VWAP-CHOOM Motormaster lets fly with his blaster artillery for the beast's underside. With a loud clacking and grinding sound, Motormaster pulls himself up into his grim humanoid form. Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Motormaster strikes Colossal Skitter with his Atom-Smasher Cannon attack! Galvatron misses his original target, flying over him. He hits the ground and braces his fall by rolling forward, eventually winding up in a crouch. Then the Boss Monster shows up, and worse, if Galvatron wants the lense, he'll have to pry it off the creature! "Blast it all! Thwarted again! If it's not Autobots it's these CREATURES! I am tired of everyone getting in my way! Die you abomination, DIE!!!" And then he transforms into cannon mode, pivots towards the beast, and fires a blinding, overwhelming blast right into its chest! Galvatron falls forward, collapsing into himself as he converts into his dreaded artillery mode! S**t just got real! Combat: Galvcannon strikes Colossal Skitter with his Galvcannon attack! [Pulled -4] After impacting off Fortress Maximus, Cyclonus is taken aback when the lense lifts up out of the ground.. and there's a giant spacebug attached to it! Turning around on a dime, the Starfighter aims for one of the giant's legs and intends on clipping it as it flies past. Combat: Starfighter sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Starfighter misses Colossal Skitter with his Clipping Speed! attack! The giant skitter stomps forward, less concerned with anything that Motormaster throws at him.. the direct impact of Galvatron's cannon though, is another matter. Rearing back on his hind pincers allow Cyclonus to sail past without impact, the Colossal Skitter lands forward.. bringing with him a tremendous sneeze that blankets the area in an acidic lime-green mucus. Combat: Starfighter misses himself with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: Starfighter strikes Motormaster with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Motormaster's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes Galvcannon with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Galvcannon 's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes Battle Station with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Battle Station 's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter misses Jetfire with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: Starfighter misses Red Tank with Colossal Skitter's Spacebug Mucus Area attack! Combat: Red Tank compares his Accuracy to 300: Failure :(Jetfire looks up for a moment, and ducks back down as foul space bug snot splatters all over the crystal formation he was hiding behind, fortunately shielding him from it. Jetfire listens to his comm-link, frowning a bit. He wants to help the others... but in the end Maximus is right. The oppritunity to clear out the rest of the survivors while the Decepticons and the alien and distracted by each other is too great to pass up on if they don't want any more loss of lives. Jetfire bolts from his hiding spot once the coast is clear, but instead of lunging back into the fight he's charging into the jungle fringes where the rest of the excavation crew survivors have bunkered down. "The retrieval mission is a bust! Autobots, load up." He transforms and opens his loading hatch the remaining crew and equipment can pile in. Jetfire transforms into his Veritech Spacefighter mode. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] The lime-green mucus coats itself thoroughly over the fortified fortress. Luckily by then, Fortress Maximus has already ordered his drones to return back to their respective storage bays in time to avoid taking an acid bath. "Keep trying, Warpath!" Fortress Maximus announces through his external speakers before lifting off the ground and reconfiguring into his battleship mode. The battleship begins climbing altitude above the Colossal Skitter before setting itself into a stabilized attack angle. Soon the two massive mortar launchers on the fore of battleship swirvels around, the twin barrelled launch tubes raises and lowers periodically as it attempts to obtain an optimal firing solution on the oversized insectoid before launching a volley of mortar shells down at the creature below. Battle Station transforms into his Battleship mode. Combat: Battleship compares his Accuracy to 150: Failure :(Motormaster stows his cannon and charges the monster, grappling at its legs in an attempt to climb up on top of it, so that he can simultaneously get out of reach of its stomping legs and try to find a part of it he can hurt. Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Motormaster takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Starfighter whirls by his first pass, missing the gargantuan beast and sailing forward. Then the Autobots decide to rain down on their little idea, intending to pull a Perceptor! <> Coming back around, the bombbays underneath the Decepticon Lord open.. and in a semi-straight line, he drops 300lbs of lesson on top of those meddling Autobot's heads! Combat: Starfighter sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Starfighter strikes Colossal Skitter with his Incendiary Bombs Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Starfighter strikes Battleship with his Incendiary Bombs Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Starfighter misses Veritech Spacefighter with his Incendiary Bombs Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Starfighter strikes Red Tank with his Incendiary Bombs Area attack! [Pulled -2] Galvcannon is splattered by acidic mucus, and the corrosive material burns into his armor! "ARRGHH! I'm so sick of this!" He hurls himself into the air, and attempts to land on the creature's back. Then, he attempts to grip the underside of the lense and rip it right off of the Skitter Queen! The artillery cannon's back section snaps apart into two legs, its treads convert to arms, and the main body slides down as GALVATRON rises up before you! Combat: Galvatron strikes Colossal Skitter with his Bare Hands attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Colossal Skitter's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Galvatron compares his Strength to 150: Failure :(The Colossal Skitter is set upon by all three heavy hitting Decepticons, one below.. one above.. and one riding him like he's some sort of Igyak! Tromping and stomping, the creature throws itself into a fury to dislodge any passengers it's acquired and smash into anything in sight! Combat: Starfighter strikes Galvatron with Colossal Skitter's Bucking Spacebug! Area attack! [Pulled -6] Combat: Starfighter strikes Motormaster with Colossal Skitter's Bucking Spacebug! Area attack! [Pulled -6] Combat: Starfighter strikes himself with Colossal Skitter's Bucking Spacebug! Area attack! [Pulled -6] Combat: Starfighter strikes Red Tank with Colossal Skitter's Bucking Spacebug! Area attack! [Pulled -6] Battleship is struck by the incendiary bombs dropped by Cyclonus, the concussion of the the blast causes his entire superstructure to shake as the entire ship is rocked back and forth while the fiery explosion continues to drop off the bow and down below. "Ugh! Looks like they're trying to keep us off balance. For once they're actually the ones being precise!" One of the two twin-barreled mortar launchers mounted on top of the battleship swirvels towards the direction of Cyclonus' and attempts to ascertain the travel vector of the speedy spacecraft before lobbing a spread of mortar shells set to detonate in mid-air. Meanwhile the other remaining mortar launcher continues to remain fixed on the huge skitter queen below, its twin barreled turrets spreads apart a bit as it begins carpet bombing the backside of the creature and anybody on it. Combat: Battleship sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Battleship strikes Colossal Skitter with his Laser-Guided Mortars Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Battleship strikes Galvatron with his Laser-Guided Mortars Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Battleship strikes Starfighter with his Laser-Guided Mortars Area attack! [Pulled -3] <> Jetfire bellows over external speakers as bombs start raining down into the jungle courtesy of Cyclonus, bringing his smaller defensive guns online and managing to shoot the ones that would be direct hits so they explode into flaming shrapnel overhead. The others blast down trees and ice into melting flaming rubble, but by sheer luck and fate don't hit, though he can still feel the blast waves rippling through the area. Once everyone is aboard and strapped in Jetfire closes up, and briefly re-extends his legs to push himself up horizontally to launch. Vents open to suck up hot air, and then with an eruption of smoke and energy out of their nozzles high powered engines launch the air guardian screaming towards the upper atmosphere, in an effort to evac the remaining crews before either the bug or the Decepticons notice. Combat: Veritech Spacefighter begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Starfighter Combat: Red Tank strikes Colossal Skitter with his Conventional Shells attack! Between a bombing run and a mortar launch, the Colossal Skitter shows signs of weakening as it falls forward onto bent legs. Wheezing, the insect let's out a shrill clacking of pincers throughout the area! Combat: Starfighter strikes Red Tank with Colossal Skitter's Scared Clacking! Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Red Tank's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes Motormaster with Colossal Skitter's Scared Clacking! Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Motormaster's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes Galvatron with Colossal Skitter's Scared Clacking! Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Galvatron's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes himself with Colossal Skitter's Scared Clacking! Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Starfighter 's Agility! (Crippled) Combat: Starfighter strikes Battleship with Colossal Skitter's Scared Clacking! Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Battleship 's Agility! (Crippled) Motormaster swings from one of the creatures' relatively spindly but still trunklike knees, knocked around against one of the other legs as it tries to shake him free. Swinging his legs to build up momentum, Motormaster slings himself up onto the creature's stony back and makes his way to Galvatron to add his own titanic strength to the Lord of Destruction's! Combat: Motormaster takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Combat: Motormaster compares his Strength to 75: Success! Galvatron sneers at Motormaster as he takes up a position next to him. "You think I need your help!?" he growls, though he doesn't stop Motormaster from helping him, either. Perhaps he recognizes he can't do this on his own, but can't bring himself to admit it. Regardless, he pulls up on the lens with all of his considerable might! Surely it'll come unstuck now? Combat: Galvatron compares his Strength to 75: Failure :(Combat: Galvatron takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Yeah, he needed Motor for that one. Motormaster, not being Drag Strip, is smart enough not to gloat about that. <> As Motormaster and Galvatron throw themselves at ripping off the lense, Cyclonus turns his attention back to the remaining Autobots. Transforming in the air, the Decepticon Lord lands to the ground with a soft clunk.. then strides towards Warpath. "Scurry away, pathetic Autobot. Our work here is done, unless you want to throw yourself in -my- path of destruction." The Starfighter flips up, transforming into CYCLONUS! Combat: Cyclonus sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Cyclonus inspires Galvatron and Motormaster with wise and righteous words! Oh, and it probably didn't help that Galvatron took a few claws in the back. That didn't stop him, though. With the lense FORCIBLY removed from it's back, the Colossal Skitter slinks down to the ground.. rapidly decreasing in size and volume. Until it's about the size of a normal Skitter, no bigger than one of Soundwave's tapes. Was the lense manipulating his size? The world may never find out. Combat: Red Tank begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Motormaster, Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Veritech Spacefighter Battleship begins making a slow turn towards the starboard, and begins descending down towards the surface of Colduarr. The large battleship levels off just above ground level where a ramp located on the aft of the vessel opens and drops down to the ground to allow for Warpath to evacuate inside, "Quickly, Warpath!" Combat: Battleship begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Red Tank, Motormaster, Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Veritech Spacefighter Veritech Spacefighter is already in orbit by this point. Nothing else from him! Galvatron shoves Motormaster out of the way once the lense is free, and triumphantly holds it over his head like it was all him! "HAHAHA! YEEESSSSS! Finally, an intact lense! Now, we must take it to Cybertron at once!" However, the creature he's standing on begins to shrink down to a ludicrously small size, and Galvatron nearly stumbles and drops the lense before he remembers he can fly. Galvatron does that, holding the lense in mid-air, giving the shrunken creature a glare. "Someone finish that thing off." Motormaster stomps on it like a cigarette butt. "Taken care of." Cyclonus turns away from the retreating Autobots, transforming into Starfighter mode and landing near Galvatron. The hatch opens up, allowing his lord and master to jump in with the lense. Cyclonus transforms into his Starfighter mode, Galvatron must need a ride somewhere. Motormaster tromps off to go collect Runamuck so that the hapless Battlecharger can be toted away in Motormaster's trailer. Galvatron flies up to Cyclonus and secures the lense to his underside somehow. Bungee cables? Metal tentacles that Cyclonus never used in a previous episode, and will never use again? Well, he'll find a way. That done, Galvatron hops back into the pilot's seat, looking a bit smug. "Return to base!" Without word nor tarrying to wait for the other Decepticons, Cyclonus rockets off into Coludarr's orbit.. next stop, Cybertron. HOURS LATER The small acidic carcass of the spacebug is tossed aside, as Scoop finally manages to get himself unstuck from the hole. The Autobot Wrecker sighs and wipes away some dirt from his manifold, looking around. "Hey, where'd everybody go?"
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