| abstract
| - "Ambulance-ferry Rescuer, this is ground control. You are not cleared for that flight path. Please change your vector by thirty degrees. If you are having engine problems, you can turn on your distress signal and we will send support. Please reply. Over." "...Ambulance Ferry Rescuer, you are increasing speed and headed into a restricted area. Respond now. If your radio is damaged, signal using your running lights." "Ambulance-Ferry Rescuer, you are-"
* CRASH!* Whatever ground control has to say is cut off as the Ambulance Ferry Rescuer comes to a hard landing upon one of Cadaecus 9's research sectors. The back of the ship hisses open...and instead of one of the hospital planet's famed rescue teams coming out, it's a hulking figure in grey metal armor and a crested helmet, followed by a pair of snarling beasts! "You." The Space Barbarian says, pointing at the canine. "Find target. You-" and he points to the feline creature. "...follow him. Make sure he no kill anybody. Go!" And with that, the Space Barbarian pulls a laser submachine gun from his back, and sets off on his own mission. "Meet back here as soon as you're done!" So much for a quiet hospital stay! Scorpion is, meanwhile, minding his own business in the chemical trauma ward. Normally, an Autobot would return to home base after suffering the injuries that Pincher has suffered. However, Pincher, on his lonely mission to set right the chemical wrongs the Decepticons have left behind them, has no home base to return to, no home at all. So after limping away from his chemists' duel with Contagion, he checked himself into Cadaecus 9. He's in stable condition now, and the scorpion is happily reading a copy of the Interstellar Journal of Chemical Engineers, paging through it with his claws, while he waits for his next fuel system purge and repairs to his acid-damaged armour. "Your landings need work," the giant lupine retorts, though by the big toothy grin he looks more amused than distraught as he trudges off the carrier. Then looks at the other beast for a moment, and starts to snicker between his fangs. "Just like old times~", he practically singsongs.. well as much as a big snarling space-wolf can. He lifts his head and takes a few sniffs of the air, and then sprints off towards, of all places, one of the heavy isolation sections of the hospital. Just what could they be after this time?... Encore is in one of the extensive medical libraries of the world at one of the terminals, a notepad beside him. He's humming Crazy Nights to himself while he researches a means of helping his friend Loadout, sure that there's no reason to just give up on him. So far, everything he's read has finished with the recommendations of "Palliative Care" or "Put in stasis, research". He's currently unaware of the goings on within the hospital. This will probably change when alarms start going off. At least one of the beasts is snarling. The large feline that accompanies the massive barbarian and the space wolf isn't, but he doesn't appear any less terrifyingly ferocious with those massive sabertooth fangs, or the helmet that obscures much of the top of his head. He glowers up at the barbarian, claws extending briefly from his paws as if somehow testing them. "Fine," He rumbles shortly, ears pinning back underneath the helmet itself, before looking away. Like old times. Indeed. His lips pull back in an actual snarl now as he pads out on heavy paws after the wolf. "Don't get used to it. Let's just get what we're here for and get out." Decepticon Shuttle is out on the tarmac, on the opposite side of where the action is about unleash. Right now, the Decepticon Shuttle is mixed in with some of the other parked space traffic. Under the wary eye of security droids, they seem to have been behaving themselves. For now. Oddly enough they had brought in a small organic/cybernetic mixed alien for treatment, apparently having had a rather rough go of some kind or another. "I -told- that idjit not to get overeager with the questioning. When I said we was gonna put the squeeze on him, I didn't mean literally!" Astrotrain grouses, having just gotten back the report that their 'patient' was unable to be resusitated. "Oh well, at least we seem to have gotten enough information to know where to look ne..." The triplechanger breaks off on giving the report to his passenger(s) as his sensors pick up the incoming shuttle that proceeds to crash down on the tarmac not far off. "...what the frag -now-?" "Ah, this place reminds me so much of the medical factory I was built and trained on... and how much I hated it. Tch." Torque muses to herself while going through some shelved files near Encore, glancing over to him once she sighs in frustration and puts the files back, "Anything yet? Nothin' over here." She's about to walk over before the overhead alarm suddenly blares out, a voice following with information of what's happened and how staff should proceed with protocol. "What the hell..?" Bludgeon has been here for some time. It might be an odd place for a Decepticon, but the silent master of Metalikato has been behaving himself indeed. Well, as Decepticons go. This is to say he hasn't spoken to anyone since he arrived on the planet almost a day and a half ago. Since then, he has been browsing archives on a variety of esoteric subjects. Such nonsense as mind over matter, and various other supernatural things. Now, he finds himself having finally reached what he is looking for -- information on the infulences of meditation and other instances of willpower over the life functions of organic and mechanical beings. He is pouring over this, at the moment. From inside Astrotrain's cargo hold, Overbite is sitting and waiting. I was lucky that Astrotrain plucked him off of Femax to take him on this little trip. "What's going on out there?" he exclaims, "Are there Autobots out there? Something I can chew up and spit out?" He finishes polishing his jawbreaker cannon and stands up. Standing inside the shuttle's confines, Cyclonus silently broods in the back end. Not along as the head honcho's shot caller, the Decepticon overlord is merely here as an advisor. And truth be told, to supervise and report. Galvatron is crazy.. ya know! Sifting through a datapad, Cyclonus is in the process of bringing himself up to speed after the long fight on Femax. The crash on the tarmac raises his interest, quickly stowing the device away and stomping to the front of Astotrain's hull. Scowling, he glares out the front screen and thanks Straxus it wasn't Bludgeon causing the ruckus. Encore shakes his head "Nuffink. Palliative care or stasis. Buncha crap..." He too looks up at the alarms and tilts his head, pulling off his helmet to scratch his head. He replaces it and straps it in place, sniffing the air. "I smell trouble." "I dunno -what- the frag's going on, honestly." Astrotrain quips, as the hatchway to his cockpit opens up as Cyclonus steps forward. The console before the pilot and co-pilot's seats blinks and beeps away, the monitor blinking into existence as it shows an external view focusing on the wreckage of the shuttle itself. As well as the figures emerging into view, "So uh, what do we got here? Some kinda overeager intestellar alien pirates?' A smirk begins to appear on Torque's face as she looks back to Encore from the overhead sirens. "Let's go have a look then, yeah? We're Bots after all, it's our job! Plus, nothin' of use in here anyway." She then dashed off to the crash site, calling to the mech over her shoulder, "C'mon!" The Space Barbarian strikes off on his own path- leaving the beasts to bound off after their own quarry! Doors slam closed in front of him- only to slam open again as a well-placed punch or kick rips them off their hinges! Obviously, the security measures on Cadaecus 9 leave something to be desired. Cat-faced nurses in nun's habits scatter before the mighty figure as he storms through the hospital- but he gives them no heed- perhaps even slowing his steps just a bit to give them enough time to escape! It'd seem that luck is not on Torque's side, however- for just as she is heading OUT of the archives...it seems that the Space Barbarian is heading -IN-. He stands for a few moments, looking down at the femme. "Outta the way." he grunts. Encore facepalms and laughs, following after Torque. "Awright awright, I'm comin." The bigger bot isn't as fast, and so he's just behind Torque. He draws the EBS and levels it the way of the Barbarian, strapping the cannon in place. Like all sci-fi railguns, it makes a menacing hum as it powers up. "No, mate. Outta 'er way." Encore is now equipped with a prototype 90mm railgun. He doesn't know how many shots it'll give him, but they ought to make big holes. Provided, that is, he can hit anything with them... "Perhaps nothing.." Cyclonus responds to Astrotrain's bewilderment, moving for the exit. On the way, the Decepticon general snatches his sword from his back-scabbard and hefts the blade before him. Holding the weapon in his hand, Cyclonus runs a polishing cloth along it's diamon-boron carbide face. "Then again, perhaps everything." Deboarding the shuttle, Cyclonus strides towards the comotion of the crash and the facilities planetside. "Decepticons, there appears to be a calamity on Cadaecus 9. Sound off and observe, we need not mettle unless our hand is forced." Torque is well... pretty damn surprised to see the Barbarian from before now standing in front of her. The femme's wide optics are now narrowed to slits, her jaw clenched as fists tighten, taking a step back to look up at him as she takes a fighting stance. "You again?? What're you doing here, and what've you done with Catilla!!" She so close to jumping him with a flurry of fists, but wanted to give this stranger a moment to hopefully explain. Giant Grey Wolf weaves through a few corridors, before finally coming to a stop outside one of the isolation exam rooms, smearing a bit of drool upon the window as he presses his face up against it. Inside are a couple of Cybertronian nurses, who look -suspiciously- like a certain Pink Warrior femme, save in teal and creme colors and lacking those funky shoulder pad/pylons, trying to calm down a patient. "I assure you sir," one says in an extra sweet voice, the sort you expect to hear from a babysitter pleading with an obnoxious child, "that there is nothing wrong with you. You are perfectly functional." "No, no.. I know there is something wrong!" Their patient... appears to be a large brown and yellow robotic bear, that despite his size is huddling back as far into the corner as he can from the nurse-bots. "I can feel it. Check your tests again. Draw more energon. You need to find it!" He holds up a shaking forepaw. "See, see this twitch? I bet my servos are stripping as we speak..." "You're only twitching because you're making yourself nervous," retorts the second nurse-bot dryly. "And Bingo... is not my name-o, but close enough." Carnivac takes a few steps back, then puts his leaping power to good use to slam into the room's door and smash it open, setting off even more alarms. One look at the ruckus, and the robo-bear's optics go wide with terror. "AAAH ITS FILTHY GIANT ORGANICS KEEP THEM AWAY!" He's practically climbing into the corner to stay back. The nurses just scream, then one faints and forces the other to catch her. Scorpion continues to read his chemical journal, checking out the new advances for feedstocks for the mass-production of room-temperature semi-conductors. He finds this absolutely enthralling, and he giggles to himself a little over the formulae. Progress makes him giddy, even he's still aching from that fight yesterday. One of the nurses gives him an odd look as she checks on the chelating drip running into his hydraulic lines. The scorpion remains entirely unaware of the ruckus unfolding not-too-far-away at all. Carnivac whispers, "You're the 'soft' one. Disable those squealing wenches." to Catilla. Octopunch follows Cyclonus, disembarking from the Astro-Train with acetylene gun in hand. "Medical planet," he intones in his gravelly voice, following the imposing warlord. "Best in twenty sectors. Patients must pay them a fortune. Wonder where they keep it." Bludgeon is actually rather near to Torque and Encore. At the sounds of the Space Barbarian's appearance and the disturbance that it causes, he immediatly keys his radio and closes his book; tucking that away into subspace. Whatever research he was making just became irrelevant. Thoughtfully and silently, moving with great precision and fluidity he approaches both Encore and Torque -- though he remains a fair distance back, arms crossed. He's not making any attempt to hide himself, but on the other hand, if The Space Barbarian is going to eat the two of them; Bludgeon is going to just stand there and let it happen. Or at least it looks that way. Overbite walks to the doorway of Astrotrain's airlock. "So then caution, I see," he says, "But if it does concern us directly, I will be ready." The Seacon shoulders his Jawbreaker cannon, tapping it idly. The Space Barbarian narrows his eyes at Torque and Encore both. "No time to talk." he says- and then looks past them, noting the smoothly-moving Bludgeon in the background. "Decepticon behind you!" he calls out, pointing to Bludgeon- and then he stomps forwards, attempting to muscle past the two Autobots. And this nameless warrior has a lot of muscle. Still, his attention's focused on Bludgeon, mostly. "You're on the list!" Normally it's the dog chasing the cat, but in this case it's the cat following after the canine. Blazing blue eyes are alert, his head snapping from side to side in total awareness if everything around him. Hardly anything gets past his senses. Hardly not the slobber that his 'partner' is leaving behind. He pads up quietly behind Carnivac as they arrive at the doorway, head tilted slightly. "You're certain that this is the one?" He rumbles, his voice deep and growling. Certainly doesn't sound like the one. Leaning in, he eyes through the window in the door briefly, ears twitching. "Fine. Let's just do this." The massive yellow cat bursts in after Carnivac. He lunges at the nurses, a heavy paw coming to bring one of them down to the ground with enough force to pin her there firmly. His long tail lashes out and catches the other one, literally putting the squeeze on her. But only enough to keep her still should she awaken again. "Remain quiet, both of you," He rumbles forcefully and authoritatively, "We're not here for you." Encore mutters through gritted teeth "Torque, when I give the call I want you to dive outta the way. I'm not the best shot in the galaxy and Crosshairs said this thing makes big holes. I'm inclined to believe him." The Autobot's bracing himself, but then... he's brushed aside astonishingly easily, dropping to one knee under the weight of his EBS cannon. He watches the barbarian go, tilting his head. "Stop,! What've you done with Catilla? What the frag's going on?" And then Repugnus comes in from out of nowhere! Well, really he just sort of walks up from behind Bludgeon, and casually leans up against him like he's a wall. "Sup, docs." He then turns towards Bludgeon, as if noticing him for the first time, then looks at the Space Barbarian. "Oh, he's next on this list thing, whatever is? Well, knock yourself out!" He pushes off of Bludgeon, smirking. "Hrm, this IS a hit list, isn't it?" Sixshot banks his flight path, now pointing in the direction of Cyclonus, keeping above coud cover for the short distance, then dropping rapidly from the sky like some crazed kamikaze pilot. At the last moment, he slows with his landing thrusters, and transforms into his robot mode, feet smashing into the ground with a loud, crunching impact. He pulls his weapons from subspace, swinging one over his shoulder nonchalantly. "My Lord." he says, nodding to Cyclonus casually, but with an air of attention. Bludgeon relaxes visibly as The Barbarian approaches him. He is not good at non-violence, and now that it is becoming clear that he must act to defend himself, the decisions are that much easier to make. Bludgeon steps back fluidly -- only to be jostled by Repugnus. The mental reaction is there -- to draw his weapon and bisect the ugly Autobot's uglier face, but he holds fast. The Space Barbarian may not know him, understand him, or be conscious of what he is capable of. And so, the Samurai waits -- picking a more careful spot a slight distance farther from Repugnus. Besides, the longer that he holds position here the greater the chances of the Decepticons arriving en masse. "Silence, fool. Or attack if you are going to." That is said to Repugnus. Thirty percent of his attention is there and the rest is entirely on the Barbarian in question. Bludgeon's posture is loose, and relaxed -- feet in a broad stance, left hand clutching a small metallic cylinder. "I will not be taken." He says to the Barbarian. "Do your worst if you must." "Bludgeon's safety and the reason for this action, concern me more.. Octopunch." Cyclonus rasps back at the Aquacon, stalking towards the facility with sword still in hand. "Now, gather the rest.." Coming up to the building, it's easy to follow the swath of destruction the Giant ass Barbarian has created, with his two 'pets' in tow. "Sixshot, three o' clock. Get the other riff raff into order.." he barks at the sixformer, glaring into the hospital's confines. Torque of course falls for it, despite the barbarian's words being true, seeing Bludgeon standing there. She's pretty pissed at this point once she's pushed aside, her ice blue optics flashing bright at the biomechanical giant. "Oh no yah don't! Where's Catilla! And Grimlock, I know you have him! Hya!" The femme shouts at the barbarian furiously, shifting strength to her legs before making a leap at him, trying to grab him around the neck. Giant Grey Wolf gives the nurses a look for a moment than seems to just ooze a desire to eat one of them... but relents when the sabertooth puts them out of the way. If only so he can stalk towards the cowering robo-bear. "So big, so powerful you are... and yet so timid. Is this how you really wish to be CHAINCLAW?" "Stay, stay back. Bad dog!" Hunkering back in the corner the robo-bear raises a paw as if to strike... but then totally locks up in paranoid fear of what hideous contaminations he could catch from that beast. "You're probably rabid or something!" That thought just makes the space-wolf cackle more. "Oh how I wiiiish... but come. The Master shall see to it you no longer have to fear such miniscul problems." Followed by a snap -- fortunately an non-leathal one -- upon Chainclaw's neck, and starts dragging the bruin back towards the doors. "Oh Primus he's got me! I'm going to get robo-rabies.. or tetinus.. or cosmic rust infection..." The list just rambles on and on as he's being dragged out of the room. The Space Barbarian blinks for a moment as Repugnus makes himself known...and then his lip turns up in a half-smirk at the monsterbot's question. "Kinda. Wanna help?" he rumbles, and tenses- though he soon turns as Torque speaks up, a look of momentary, but genuine confusion on his face. "Whuh?" But, acting on reflex, he spins around and his hand snaps out to grab the femme and hold her at arm's length! This guy has very, very long arms, too. "Hnng. Pay attention! NO TIME TO TALK!" And, glancing past Torque, he sees Cyclonus & Co tromping down the hallway- and so, The Space Barbarian tosses the medic-femme to the side and squeezes off a quick laser-submachinegun burst- just enough to make the 'cons take cover, if they've got any sense! Repugnus gives Bludgeon a delirious smirk, like he doesn't care how the Decepticon, or really anyone, feels about his presence. "Oh, of course, senor! I certainly wouldn't want to anger the mighty war--" He starts yawning. "--oh, man, I'm tired. Oh, wait, what was your name again?" he says, looking at Bludgeon. "Well, maybe you're famous in Japan or something. I dunno." He watches Torque try to tackle... Grimlock?... and sort of just stands there and watches. "Huh. Medic lady, did you say that guy's name was Griml--ah, nevermind. Good luck with him, whowever he is. I mean, I'd help, but I don't want to imply you're a weak and useless female." Bludgeon keeps his posture loose and ready. An observer will note that literally, there is not even a nanometer of movement from him. He is like a coiled snake that is carefully watching his opponent for openings. Torque provides that. As the Barbarian's head turns, even for that microsecond the Master of Metallikato is suddenly on the move, uncoiling and moving forward like a brown and green colored blurr. The small cylinder in his left hand ignites into a brilliant red energy blade; pulsing with armor shattering energy. He holds it upside-down in his left fist, pointed downwards as he explodes into a vicious crosscut towards the Barbarian's midline that if he were human, would threaten to spill his intestines out on the ground. Scorpion has heard that there are Autobots in danger, so he reaches over and plucks out the drips into his lines and the sensors from his bodies, gently, with his claws, so as to not damage the medical equipment. The nurse looking after him gives him a scowl, but before she can stop him, the battle-damaged scorpion has slipped out into the hallway, and he scuttles off, following the sound of ruckus. It is ever in the nature of an Autobot to be fool-hardy and rush into danger when others are at risk. "There, another creature!" Cyclonus roars when the non-organic scorpion scuttles through the hallway. Narrowly ducking the incoming laserfire, which might or might not put the troops behind him at more risk to get hit, the Decepticon attack dog takes position and fires off a shot from his pistol. "Overbite, Sixshot.. take firing positions! Octopunch, make your way down the hallway towards the barbarian." Encore growls and brings the EBS to bear on the Space Barbarian. "Oi! Nobjock!" he calls, as the gun's initiators start to glow deep purple. "Smile fer da camera." And, bracing both legs, he squeezes the trigger. It hurts him, that much is clear. As the projectile is accellerated to a not inconsiderable fraction of C, there's a sound like the air itself protesting, a whipcrack mixed with a whine, and a sonic boom. Encore falls victim to Sir Isaac Newton, sliding back along the floor several feet. His face contorts into a grimace, a few unimportant bracings bending under the strain, but leaving him mostly undamaged... "Decepticons, tear this place apart until we find our missing!" Sixshot says, "And enjoy yourselves! There are plenty of weaklings to...throw around!" he fires off a shot, blowing a large hole in the wall, sending a Cybertronian nurse screaming down the hallway behind it. He turns at Cyclonus' order, swinging his cannons around with him. "Wonderful. A new target." he says, firing off both sonic cannons at the strange robotic scorpion. Combat: Sixshot strikes Scorpion with his Grab attack! "Now those are some strange beasts," Overbite remarks. He drops down to one knee to aim his powerful Jawbreaker cannon. He didn't know what sort of wolf that was, but if Cyclonus wanted him to shoot at it, then he would. Normally he'd rather turn into a walking shark and rip it to shreds. But that would be messy, and this is a hospital. Better they deal with gunshot wounds than an organic wolf thing shredded like grated cheese. Octopunch ducks into a doorway as the laser shots carome off the walls around him. He nods and grunts his terse assent to Cyclonus, deploying his heavily armored undersea exploration mode! STRIFE: Giant Enemy Crab has appeared! Torque slides across the floor a short distance when thrown before being stopped by one of the several surrounding shelves. Managing to sit up she'd rub her head from the tumble, looking over to see the barbarian start shooting at the Cons while Bludgeon attacked. "Ugh.. What the hell is goin' on.." These guys are abducting bots left and right, but trying not to cause any real damage to anyone in their way. It didn't make sense. They were neither against Autobots or Decepticons, and yet they were picking out certain people from both groups. But... oh slag. Encore's using that new gun of his! "Encore, wait don't!" But it's too late, as the massive shot rings out, aimed for the barbarian. Giant Enemy Crab advances up the hallway, laser ricocheting off his carapace as he raises his open claws and attempts to catch the barbarian by the elbow and knee. "Submit. There will be less pain." Combat: Giant Enemy Crab sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Giant Enemy Crab strikes The Space Barbarian with his I Peench (Grab) attack! "If only he were rabid, then I would have a better excuse to put him down," Rumbles the massive feline, eyeing Carnivac as he works to get the large bear under control. But in this case, the wolf and cat were bigger. It's almost disgusting. But the cat is true to his word. As soon as Carnivac begins to drag the bear away, he releases his grip on the nurses. One of them struggles to get up, but he quickly turns back to her, teeth bared and growling. She primptly passes out again. Shortly after leaving the door, Catilla stops. He raises his head slightly, nostrils flaring as he tilts his head to the side. His lips pull up in a distasteful snarl as he glances up the corridor. Under the sensors of his helmet, he picks up a certain energy signal. And more surrounding it. "There's another one on the list," He rumbles after Carnivac and crouches closer down to the ground. And in one fluid motion, launches himself down the hall with such speed that he covers half the distance in only a couple of pawsteps. And in a couple more, the massive biomechanical feline puts itself between Pincher and the decepticons. But is that a good thing or a bad thing? Repugnus politely claps and applauds as Bludgeo delivers a solid hit to the Barbarian! "Nice one! Wait, what?" he says as he listens to the Barbarian. He frowns, considering his options. "You know what, *sure.* I'll help." He then hustles up to Octopunch, and tries to give him the boot! "I attack its weak point for MASSIVE DAMAGE!" he declares loudly. Combat: Repugnus sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Repugnus strikes Giant Enemy Crab with his MASSIVE DAMAGE (Grab) attack! Torque's assessment of where the Space Barbarian's loyalties lie may not be entirely true- for as both Bludgeon and Octopunch sink their blades (or, well, claws) into the tall warrior, he lets out a growling, beastial "RAAARGH!" He clatters backwards into a stack of shelves- and then he's twisting about in response! Dropping his submachine gun, he pulls his own sword with a metallic *Schiiing!* and then sweeps the blade in a wide, red arc- a simple move, but a powerful one, nonetheless! Combat: The Space Barbarian strikes Bludgeon with his Slashing Sword! (Grab) attack! The Space Barbarian also manages to duck beneath Encore's explosive shot at the last moment. "YOU SHOOTING AT WRONG GUY!" he bellows, then gets back to the buisness of a swordfight! Giant Grey Wolf finally gets out into the main corridor with his heavy haul... And right into the middle of a raging firefight already in process it would seem. "..." And there's a heavy thud behind him as the sight of it all causes Chainclaw to faint dead away. It makes his job of hauling him off easier though. Up until he's shot in the side by the Seacon whom he failed to notice because he was focused on carrying off his quarry, yelping sharply as the blast causes some of the armor one his side to buckle. "Ooof. That stung some." Shaking off the blow, he turns his attention to Overbite. And with it, the large cannon that points over one shoulder. "But how convenient for you, this is a hospital. Your location matches your situation..." The cannon fires it's system slowing, energy hampering anti-thermal beam at the fish-con as the wolf-beast starts cackling. "TERMINAL!" Combat: Giant Grey Wolf misses Overbite with his My What a Big Cannon You Have (Grab) attack! Encore is slipping another round into the gun ready to fire again, when he blinks. He knows that voice. "...Grimlock?" He says in confusion, the EBS's barrel hitting the floor with a clank as he lowers it, blinking. "You in there mate?" The autobot has been thrown completely off-kilter by the Barbarian's response. Surely it couldn't be. "Torque, is my neural net scrambled totally or... does da big bad guy sound like 'e' IS Grimster?" Scorpion is spotted by Cyclonus and promptly hit by Sixshot's sonic concussion blasts, which flake off some of his embrittled cyan and magenta armour and painfully jolt his internal mechanisms. It's been so long since he was in a real dustup. The scorpion's many, many compoinds optics swivel about. These faces are all so unfamiliar to him! But he at least remembers what those Autobots symbols mean - in truth, he keeps the thought of that meaning close to his lasercore at all times. Pincher scurries closer to Encore and Torque, swivelling his tail to fire off a return laser shot at Sixshot, and he asks, "How may I be of assistance, fellow Autobots?" Combat: Scorpion strikes Sixshot with its Tail Laser (Grab) attack! Torque had taken note of the speech pattern as well, but hadn't fully connected the dots until Encore said that. "Ugh, damnit I'm gonna hate myself for doing this..." She's back up in a flash, unreeling a long length of tow line from her back, preparing to toss as she swings the heavy hook end round and round before launching it at Bludgeon, hoping to snag the Con and temporarily disable him. She'd either be helping the barbarian with this move, or helping the Bots if she can make the giant explain what's happening by holding Bludgeon hostage, sort of. Combat: Torque strikes Bludgeon with her Towline Lasso (Grab) attack! "Wait, the scorpion isn't humanoid at all.. it's just a regular Autobot." Cyclonus muses to himself, optics clicking in and out for clarification. "Ah well." "Keep up the assault!" he shouts, rushing down the hall towards the barbarian and Octopunch. Blade still in hand, the Decepticon launches himself into the air and towards their main target. "Bludgeon is a Decepticon, and by the decree of Lord Galvatron himself.." he trails, stabbing forward with the blade and coming into contact with the Barbarian's backside with booted heels. "You shant have another!" Sixshot staggers with the blow from the big scorpion. "It's time I got to know you...up close and personal." Sixshot says, regaining his footing. He folds down, transforming. "Let me show you my best side." he continues, and charges Pincher full speed. Combat: Cyclonus sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Sixshot sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Cyclonus strikes The Space Barbarian with his Sword Plunge! (Grab) attack! The form of Sixshot bends forward, folds under and turrets flip out, blasters fold forward, and he sits before you in his tank form. Combat: Armored Ram Tank strikes Scorpion with his Wham bam thank you *RAM* (Grab) attack! Bludgeon practices a rare martial art, that much is known. Part of what it emphasizes is that one must take a hit for their opponent to set themselves up for an even more brutal one. Either way, he only shifts slightly; and is getting ready for a defensive parry when Torque's attack strikes him dead center of the chest; fouling the manuver. This causes the the blade of the barbarian to pass downwards at an angle over his chest and shoulder; taking away a large portion of his left shoulder pauldron and exposing the metallic joint there in a shower of sparks and fluid. The damage there is obvious, and ruinous -- but at least the sword frees the lasso from him. There is however, no cry of pain or any sign of anything like hesitation from Bludgeon. Optics are emotionless as he strikes while the the barbarian's sword is out of place having just attacked him. His own response is a neat little forward roll and a rise on one knee, sword still held facing downwards as the hissing energy blade arcs out towards Torque's face in a vicious swipe. It leaves whisps of red energy and steam wherever it travels. Combat: Bludgeon sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Torque with his Face Dismemberment (Grab) attack! The blast from the shaggy wolf misses Overbite. "Well then it's too bad we're not in a restaurant. It would be the perfect place for YOU!" he retorts. He transforms to his walking shark mode and advances on Carnivac, not knowing that it -is- Carnivac. "And you're Today's Special!" His razor-blade-tooth laden jaws open wide. The robot form crouches down as the shark's head flips up, and the shark's legs and arms swing around. Watch out! Combat: Shark Mutant misses Giant Grey Wolf with his Wolf Tartare anyone? (Grab) attack! Giant Enemy Crab is flipped over by the space barbarian's mighty kick, scrabbles to right himself and tips back over before he can be struck on his weak spot (which is actually the middle of his belly) for the aforementioned MASSIVE DAMAGE. Snapping his claws, Octopunch moves back in to try to immobilize (or at least slow) the bio-juggernaut by clamping onto one of his ankles. "Outnumbered, fool. You will not escape us." Combat: Giant Enemy Crab sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Giant Enemy Crab strikes The Space Barbarian with his Actual Battle (Grab) attack! In another bound of powerful legs, Catilla has caught up with the scuttling scorpion and his persuers. At first it would look as though he was after the scorpion himself, joining the fray with the decepticons agaisnt him. But the biomechanical feline adjusts his trajectory slightly. Barely pausing to gather up strength, he lunges himself not at Pincher, but at Sixshot. Massive paws aim to try and slam into the tank's side with the considerable force of his built up momentum and the sheer strength behind those back legs. But this cat isn't attempting to ride the tank, he's attempting to flip him over and away from the scorpion. Combat: Giant Sabertooth Cat sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Giant Sabertooth Cat strikes Armored Ram Tank with his CAT from out of nowhere! (Grab) attack! "Grr!" The Space Barbarian twists and writhes beneath the combined Decepticon assault- getting a sword in the back and a crab on the ankle! But despite the damage- both sparks and blood spouting from the wounds he's accruing, the warrior in the crested helmet DOESN'T GIVE UP. He starts with Cyclonus, the biggest threat- grabbing hold of the mighty Decepticon- and, thews flexing, he hurls him away...and towards a heavy wall! This done, The Space Barbarian kicks Octopunch in the general direction of Bludgeon and Torque- at which point he growls at the femme. "MOVE!" and with that, he grabs hold of a massive bookcase, and SHOVES it over...it creeeaks over, and then topples, showering anyone underneath with tons of books and the shelves that once held them! Combat: The Space Barbarian sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: The Space Barbarian misses Giant Enemy Crab with his Reference Section H-J (Grab) attack! Combat: The Space Barbarian strikes Bludgeon with his Reference Section H-J (Grab) attack! Combat: The Space Barbarian strikes Torque with his Reference Section H-J (Grab) attack! His previous quarry is all but forgotten as the wolf-beast sees Overbite transforming and come lunging towards him. "And you... aren't on my menu at all. This time." Just as it looks like the jaws are about to chomp down, the creature leaps out of the way of the onslaught thanks to the powerful hydrolics built into his biomechanical legs. And comes back down right into the middle of the real fight. And if his aim is effective enough, right down on top of the Enemy Crab while he's busy trying to grab other foes to pin him beneath the giant lupine's bulk. "On the other hand, crab legs are!" Combat: Giant Grey Wolf sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Giant Grey Wolf strikes Giant Enemy Crab with his Who's got the tartar sauce?! (Grab) attack! Combat: Gained 4 energon. Having been forgotten by his captors, Chainclaw starts to get up, transforming into his robot mode and drawing his sonic blaster. "Nnnnh.. they're so freaky!.. But I should really help..." Somewhat indecisively he raises the weapon.... and only gets out a yelp of surprise before the clawed hands attatched to bat-winged arms lunge out of the shadows, grab the robotic bruin, and drag him away into the darkness. Repugnus yells, "LOOK OUT, CYCLONUS!" as the rain of books comes down, attempting to tackle the Decepticon second-in-command by the wait, but of course it's less to protect him and more to hinder him and just tick him off. "Phew, that was close!" Combat: Repugnus misses Cyclonus with his I'm Helping You! (Grab) attack! Scorpion is slammed into a hospital wall like so much bug splatter by Sixshot. Wheezing and coughing up something a lurid violet that gently smokes as it hits the air, the scorpion transforms. He finds the process a bit painful, given his injuries, but he does it anyway, even as a few more pieces of armour crumble off him. He turns on his forcefield and tries to press closer to the barbarian, brandishing a chemical scanner. He's still not too clear on what is going on, but by golly, if getting a spectrographic read on a barbarian might help his comrades in arms, that's the least he can do! Pincher turns into everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood scorpion-man! Combat: Pincher creates a forcefield shielding itself from damage. Combat: Pincher runs a diagnostic check on The Space Barbarian Encore reaches out to grab Torque and haul her out the way, left hand still occupied by the EBS and its strap-sling arrangement, but can't quite make it in time, diving out of the way o the showering books, snarling. Rolling upon landing, he snarls and looks for a nearby Con to attack. "Fraggit..." he mutters, taking aim at Octopunch and pulling the trigger. Of course, it's with his off hand and might not be so good. He hears Pincher get slamed into the wall, blinking twice as the scorpion-man aims a scanner at the Being Apparently Formerly Known as Grimlock. "Get outta here! You're in no fit state to be in combat!" Combat: Encore strikes Giant Enemy Crab with his I need a target! (Grab) attack! Torque barely even sees the lightning fast sword coming at her, only the sudden loss of vision in one optic as well as a massive amount of stinging pain. The femme wheels backwards, hands upon her face while crying out, glowing violet fluid pouring between her fingers as she wretches and stubles blindly on her own feet. And before she can even recover, a whole mountain of books suddenly buries her, muffling her voice. As sure his devotion to Galvatron, Cyclonus' strike lands true and plunges deep into the organic flesh of the Space Barbarian. Although it leaves him completely open for the follow up grab, and heft through the outer wall of the facility. Crashing through the foundation, Cyclonus lands in the chemical section of the hospital, colliding into canisters and beakers of strange toxins and poisions used for reverse engineering cures. Coming to his feet, the Decepticon tyrant stumbles a bit.. then walks back toward the hole in the wall. "Lord Galvatron's will is -not- so easily deterred, bafoo.." Cyclonus isn't even allowed to finish the statement, as the combination of the volatile substances has an adverse reaction.. an explosion! The wing of that ward is filled with black acrid smoke.. it wafts into the main section sporadically. Bludgeon is just pivoting back towards The Space Barbarian; lethal weapon in hand when someone throws the book at him. He really gets nailed by it too, and half the library; dissapearing under a flurry of educational materials, metallic shelving units and a series of particularialy nasty dust bunnies. For a moment, all is still . . and then . . CH-KRAKFOOM! In a massive electrical fireball, all of it goes up in smoke and flames to reveal the Metallikato Master standing there with a smoking gun in one hand and his energy blade in the other. As before, he looks completely emotionless, though he is blackened and dented in a few places and still missing a shoulder pauldron and most of his torso armor. Torque is now ignored; she is a 'mission kill' to him and not worth pursuing. He begins to step forward, gun vanishing as his blade extends while he gathers speed. A leap forward; left leg aimed in a kick to ward off the Barbarian's sword as a two handed vicious swing cuts downwards towards his neck. It is pure offense and no deefense -- all or nothing. Combat: Bludgeon misses The Space Barbarian with his All or Nothing (Grab) attack! Giant Enemy Crab is bowled into two other Decepticons like a hockey puck, to mix the metaphors. As a crab he hasn't got much purchase on these slippery hospital tile floors; he transforms and rolls out of the way of the wave of falling literary debris. "Enough. If we can't take him alive..." Octopunch draws his weapon and ignites it with a pop-hiss, aiming at the barbarian's neck. A good slice should take that meaty head clean off. He puts a finger into the trigger guard... and that's when a huge wolf smashes him to the floor, pinning him under its bulk! Shark Mutant stands there blankly as the walking shag rug evades his jaws and goes for a different sort of Seafood. "Oh no you don't!" he snaps, "No chowing down on my fellows!" The sea-faring Decepticons have to stick together, after all, even if Octopunch isn't a Seacon. He spins around, trying to smack into Carnivac with his finny tail. Combat: Giant Enemy Crab takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass] Octopunch quickly converts into his nondescript robot mode. Combat: Shark Mutant sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Shark Mutant strikes Giant Grey Wolf with his Tailsmack! (Grab) attack! Repugnus was following Cyclonus into the chemical section, a big cruel grin on his face, when it explodes! "Hfffngh--" is all he gets out as the explosion slams him up against the wall. "Damn, love that smell," he coughs out as the acrid smoke roils over him. Sixshot goes flying sideways with the impact of Catilla's pounce. "Vile cat, how dare you interfere! For this, I shall enjoy tearing out the lines that support your very spark...in a form you will certainly remember in your dying pulses!" he says, and shifts yet again under the Autobot's grasp, then goes straight for the neck, maw agape. Sixshot bends forward, his arms shift position and his head folds in and wings flip back, now sitting before you as a fearsome wolf! Combat: Armored Cyber Wolf strikes Giant Sabertooth Cat with his I can haz Pretenderburger? (Grab) attack! "Hn!" The Space Barbarian spins as Bludgeon sails through the air! And, seeing that attack coming, he does the first thing to come to mind: he ducks! And so, the Space Barbarian remains intact- and as Bludgeon passes by, he snaps his free hand out to grab ahold of the samurai- and with a swift, graceless, and brutal swing, he moves to slam him against the floor. And again. And again and again and again! "Hn." The Barbarian turns his blue-eyed gaze down the corridor. "Get targets! Us leaving!" And, dragging Bludgeon behind him, the Space Barbarian turns to leave- though he does take a moment to pause where Torque is trapped- he props one foot under the bookshelf and kicks it out of the way, freeing her...and, looking over the stacks, he picks out one book in particular- balancing it on the tip of his sword before he flips it at Torque. 'An Astronomer's Guide to the Medusa Cascade' And without waiting around to give explanation, jets fire on the Barbarian's armored backpack, and he takes to the air- plowing THROUGH the ceiling- and soon he's back at the stolen Ambulance-Ferry! Bludgeon is caught, smashed to unconsiousness and borne away by the evil and smelly Barbarian. Giant Grey Wolf emits a snarl as he looms over Octopunch, a bit of drool dripping between his fangs.. and then the snarl breaks into a somewhat unhinged cackling-like sound. "As tasty as you would be... there are other plans in store, yes. Nyehehehe..." The fish tail slaps against his thighs, but either it doesn't hurt much or Carnivac is ignoring it while focused on his current task. Or because the Barbarian is yelling, and he seems to be in charge. Quite likely a bit of all three. He steps back off of the Decepticon, if only to grab the slightly smaller Octopunch in his oversized maw instead, and take off bounding after the Space Barbarian. Being able to leap 50ft in any direction due to his biomechanical legs, the space-wolf has little trouble leaping out of the hole in the ceiling the former just made. The thick smoke from the multiple explisions going off rolls over Catilla before he can rush inwards to continue the attack. It obscures him from vision, and yet Sixshot's jaws still find purchase on something - Just not for very long. It certainly feels fleshy, though, before the beast pulls away, rolling away from the mechanical wolf. "I think not," He rumbles, his voice thick with a growl and difficult to actually place. The smoke in the corridor makes it difficult to see for most people. But Catilla disappears into it, moving deftly and avoiding the others amongst the smog where others would be stumbling around. Locking in on a specific signal, he hones in on the one he had spotted before. Though he takes a somewhat widing way, and Torque would feel a number of books tumbling off of her, as if hit by accident, before the cat reaches his target. Using the smoke as cover, he attempts to bring his front paws down on top of Pincher's back in the attempt to pin him down, trying knock his head hard enough agaisnt the ground to knock him senseless. His long tail seems to extend outwards, and tries to lash around the scorpion bot's legs in the process, as if trying to hogtie him. Then trying to drag Pincher along behind him with that powerful tail, the large cat bounds upwards, leaping deftly through the hole that the barbarian made moments before. Encore sticks his head through the door to try and get a good look at the other two before they leave, to see their shape at the very least. He growls a bit, only to have his head nearly removed by a low-flying wolf. "Frag!" he yelps, going over backwards with a snarl, managing just in time to watch them snatch out the pair as they go. Rather uselessly, he fires up the hole with his pistol, knowing it's too late. "BOLLOCKS!" he growls, planting a kick into the nearest wall with his frustrations. Then, and only then, does he go help out Torque. Pincher has, absent-minded engineer that he is, dropped his forcefield at some point while he was scanning the space barbarian. The sabertooth slams him to the floor, one of his many legs shattering and breaking off from the force of the blow, where it twitches without him. He is bound and tied by that grabber tail, and as he is dragged off, Pincher seems limp and insensate. His scanner, with all the readings he gathered on it, falls from his claws.. Catilla whispers: You're enjoying every nanoclick of this, I know you are. Carnivac whispers, "If you would just give in you could too!" to Catilla. Catilla whispers: I would tell you to bite me, but I realize that you would. Torque gives a pained groan as the barbarian kicks the heavy shelf off of her and drops a book atop her, adding to the others. ..Why this specific one? As the giant walks off Torque manages to move some books and sit up, staring at the specific literature in her hands. It was hard to make out thanks to a damaged, sparking optic, but it was manageable. She's pretty much speechless at this point as Encore moves to help. "No," protests Octopunch in his clenched voice, struggling against his abductor in vain. The beast is too strong! Unnaturally strong, and the arm his fusion-cutter gun is in is pinned in its jaws. He can only reach out towards the other Decepticons as he disappears through the hole in the roof, carried away! "HEY! Where you going with that? That's not your snack!" the Mutant Shark shouts after Carnivac. He rushes in vain to try to prevent his fellow seagoing Decepticon from being taken! Combat: Shark Mutant strikes Giant Grey Wolf with his Where do you think YOU'RE going?! (Grab) attack! Combat: Shark Mutant (Overbite) used "Grab": A Level 0 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 0 damage. The fishmonger manages to grab the wolf's tail juuuust long enough to put some teeth marks in it and pull off some of the fur, but it does little to stop him from leaping away into the night with his prize. Encore picks up the scanner and then gently hooks an arm under Torque, slinging up his EBS cannon and picking her up to carry her. "Let's go." Torque smirks as she's picked up, wiping some leaking energon from her face with the back of her hand. "Heh, who says chivalry is dead?" But she wasn't one to complain as they were off back to base. ELSWHERE... The lab is a dismal, dingy place...dripping liquids of foul provenance, sparking wires, bad lighting. In short, everything needed for properly mad science. The Space Barbarian stands, arms crossed. There's a bulky figure in yellow armor standing beside him- neither looks particularly happy to be there. And there's a third figure- battered, limping...but still standing tall, smiling to show off savagely pointed teeth as he turns to some of his newest subjects- each converted to robot mode and strapped down to a surgical table! "You're awake. Good." Bludgeon awakens, indeed. He is quick to test his bonds, mental efforts concentrating on the smallest movements of robotic musculature as he works his way point for point across his body. Every micro-servo, every actuator is tried and tested against the straps and he finds nothing. No means of escape as of yet. Perhaps some would scream defiance or beg, or plead, but Bludgeon says absolutely nothing at all. Even his eyes are devoid of emotion. And the big bad wolf, who figits from paw to paw in a way that makes it hard to tell if he's watching in anticipation, or anxious about something else. .... Or needs to go find a tree to use. Hard to tell just how 'thorough' those biomechanical aspects are... and he IS a giant canine. You know how that goes. Speaking of creatures seeming rather unhappy about being here, there is the massive yellow feline that was present at the hospital. He lurks near the shadows of the room, keeping partially out of view. Even then, the light reflects off of wickedly sharp fangs, blue eyes blazing bright in the semi-dark despite the loathsome look he's giving the room. Which is overall, rather normal for a cat. Octopunch, similarly stoic, has the advantage of having no visible face at all. His visor flashes with fury, however. "Disgusting. Shameful, being captured by your ilk. Grotesque mutants. Suppose you think this proves something." And the speaker moves into the light- as to be expected, it's Thunderwing! His shell is cracked in places, melted in others...but there's that same mad gleam in his optics as he walks over to look over his subjects. "Mmm. What does it prove? The superiority of my designs?...perhaps." he leers, dragging a clawed fingertip down Octopunch's chest, making a faint *skreeeeeet!* noise as he scratches the paint. "You should be honored, you know- of the thousands of cybertonians I've seen, a select few are...qualified for the process." "Qualified how?" grates Octopunch rustily. "Process imperfect? Only partially compatible? Noticed none of your troops identical. Prototypes? Work in progress? Not inspiring confidence." This time, Bludgeon speaks. His voice is the same as his face. Devoid of emotion and any suggestion or explanation as to what he might be thinking at the moment. "If it is your intent to somehow force my; our loyalty, Thunderwing, you will find what methods you may try to be woefully inadequate. I will not dishonor myself by working to subvert my comrades. Consider it a matter of honor and a promise, that I will be the end of you when this is complete, one way or another, unless you simply destroy me now." The large cat snorts quietly as he settles down upon his haunches. Tail coiling around his legs, it taps lightly against the ground - without the sound of metal. But he doesn't say anything, simply observing. "Not smart," Octopunch groans in exasperation. "Not the Decepticon way. Offer friendly face, then the betrayal. Announcing your intentions... just gives forewarning. Unless you're lying. Not much of a liar." He turns his head a little, looking at the assembled mutants. Some of them he can figure out. "No choice. Look, Bludgeon. Autobots. Subverted too." Thunderwing laughs! "Octopunch, you'll never be an artist. I have...-standards- after all. The Pretender Process is far too advanced to be wasted on mass-produced seekers and the like. Can't you see? You're special...unique. The chosen few, selected to be heralds of a new god!" another evil cackle, and Thunderwing wheels about to point at Bludgeon. "Ah! Fine words, then. In fact, I'll give you your chance soon enough...right after I give you a new weapon! Landmine, throw the switch!" And, somewhat begrudgingly, the yellow-armored figure yanks down on a knife-switch...and the entire lab begins to hum and cackle! The tables Bludgeon and Octopunch rest on jerk upright, while mechanical arms begin to whirr and clack, bringing limbs and armor plating down towards the two bound Decepticons! "They say pain purifies the body." Thunderwing notes, even as a massive helmet is bolted onto Octopunch's neck! Bludgeon does not reply, not for a few seconds as Octopunch speaks and then as Thunderwing has his evil little cackle. A herculean effort is made by him to free himself, using every single technique that he knows. Perhaps, given enough time, he might work himself free. But it is to be too late. Thunderwing might be foolish enough to announce what he's doing before he does it, but he doesn't fall prey to the classic supervillian move of babbling forever. As the 'suit' begins to descend towards Bludgeon, the samurai repeats his previous statement: "I will be the end of you, Thunderwing, when this is over, one way or another." And then he goes silent as the grafting begins. There is no cry of pain. "Save your energon," Catilla mutters, his voice a growl compared to what might be on record otherwise. "You're going to need it by the time he's done." As the process begins, he glances away. He doesn't necissarily want to watch others undergo the process as well, knowing the pain it put him through. Even if the four subjects are half decepticons. Octopunch struggles against the bonds, the table creaking and a few screws and rivets popping, but there's no use! His head is held fast by descending clamps that pin it and immobilize it to seal the helmet around it. Long hoses feeding into the helmet from tanks of vat-grown flesh churn and gurgle as moist matter fills the helmet, spraying and hardening into layers built up around Octopunch's head to form a hideously misshapen suggestion of a face. The glare of Octopunch's visor glows through the milky eyes as a robotic claw arm descends and bolts an impenetrable crystal porthole window onto the front of the new helmet, thankfully obscuring his new face from view. "And...there!" Thunderwing takes a limping step back- his two newest pretenders are deposited on their feet- bonds released! "Thicker armor, new weaponry, enhanced senses, immunity to many of the flaws inherent in a purely mechanical nature...you should thank me! Or...shall you kill me, instead?" he wheezes, still smiling as he spreads his arms. "Do you have what it takes to slay a god?" Bludgeon is not here. Mentally, he has gone somewhere else in an ancient Metallikato technique for resisting interrogation arduous personal suffering. As layers of synthetic flesh are bonded to him, and armor plating over that, his mind barely heeds it. Only when the machine begins to graft the fleshless skull to his face does he truly feel it and that is borne stotically. Nonetheless, it is several seconds before he begins to move. He stirrs slowly; whisps of smoke and rivulets of semi-organic blood running from where the armor has been bonded to the flesh. Experimentally he opens and closes his right hand. He takes a step forward, looking towards Octopunch. And then, his skull like face opens the mouth in a hideous leer as he points an orange armored hand at Thunderwing and speaks in a voice that is little more than a serpentine hiss. " . . do I, Thunderwing? /DO I?/!" It is an almost unknown outburst from the Metallikato Master and he lunges for the Decepticon Monstrosity, right hand reaching to the scabbard at his side and drawing the dangerously curved blade there as he crosses the intervening ground towards Thunderwing with the intention of splitting him from crown to crotch. And then Bludgeon is on his face on the floor; skidding in a shower of sparks as the armor simply refuses to obey his command. And a rage and frustration begins to build that even his skill cannot suppress. Octopunch crawls blindly on his hands and knees when he is released, looking for something with which to prop himself up. With a cracking sound the bulky armor splits on the back of his broad shoulders and long rubbery tentacles squeeze out of the rends, lashing around in the air, feeling and gripping the machinery nearby. One of the tentacles tears an implement off the wall, a rod with tines at the end for handling large animals rendered down for dna and biomass, and passes the spear-like implement to Octopunch's groping hand. He props himself up, standing with a slight hunch from the weight of his bulky exterior pressure casing. His helmet turns to watch Bludgeon; a hiss of gas can be heard from the dive suit, unwholesome breath fogging the helmet glass. "Hrm." "You're a monster. Making monsters of your enemies. Fitting." The suit breathes cold vapor at the pause between each of Octopunch's harsh, clipped sentences. "You designed this for me. You had me in mind. Why?" Quietly, the large feline sighs, turning his head back once he didn't hear the whrrr of the machines anymore. Catilla shakes his head a little from side to side, glowing blue eyes narrowing a little. Not surprised in the slightest. "I did warn you," He states quietly as Bludgeon ends up on the floor. Thunderwing crosses his arms, tut-tutting like a dissaproving schoolmaster. "I thought better of you, Bludgeon. I'm mad, but I'm not STUPID." he chuckles, and turns his back on the pair, strutting over towards a computer console- one that shows an astronomical readout of the Medusa Cascade. "There are multiple failsafes built into your shells...you're locked inside, for one. And the shells are linked to your neural systems- so if you even THINK of disobeying me, they'll freeze up. Not to mention I could kill you with the built in explosives, but I'd hate to waste such good work, hm?" Another chuckle, and Thunderwing turns to Octopunch. "A good question! You see, each of you has certain skills I require for my Ascension. The beasts are hunters and trackers. Landmine is an explosives expert. Pincher is an excellent chemist. Bludgeon is a fearsome warrior, and you, Octopunch- you're resourceful. And that clod of a dinobot is just mean enough to keep you all in line when I'm not watching! He'll kill you, you know, if you give him an excuse." "Yup." Grimlock mutters from his part of the room. "You'll see how it all comes together, once we reach the Medusa Cascade, and I can reclaim my rightful power!" Thunderwing clenches a fist, savoring the idea. "But first...we must prepare. Gather supplies. Weapons. Minions." he laughs, and then dials in a computer command, switching the display to show a picture of the Decepticon Submarauder! "Find him. Bring him to me."
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