| abstract
| - Conflicting images of Los Angeles flicker across our television and movie screens: Hollywood glamour contrasts with gang violence, year-round sunny skies with smog, fast cars with traffic jams. From what travelers can gather, Los Angeles is a land of style and disaster, movers and shakers and earthquakes. Residents are accustomed to a rhythm that alternates between relaxation and stress, but out-of-towners -- fortunately -- tend to experience much more of the former.The nation's second-largest city (after New York), L.A. is a great place in which to do business or take a vacation. Marvelous restaurants, terrific nightlife, beaches, diverse cultural offerings, Disneyland and easygoing attitudes converge in a vast territory flooded with sunshine and lined with palms. Nearly everyone should see L.A. at least once, though a single trip will hardly be enough to appreciate such a vast area that's jam-packed with things to do. Twas the night before Saturday, and all through LA, the Quintesson were up to something out in the bay. Burton Chace Park was concealed from all sight, by a dome that emitted an eerie orange light. Far away from the sinister deeds in the sea, the survivors awaited the day to be free... Reverb received word through the grapevine that something big was going down tonight. Heavy rotors beat the air on the way to rendezvou point, thumping in time to Megadeth's 'The World Needs a Hero.' Nightlash shifts faintly as she glances around, partly to see where Encore's hiding at, and partly to make sure nothing has changed for the worst since the night before. Spying...little that causes immediate concern, she pushes herself to her feet and starts for the entrance to the wonderfully cramped little hidey-hole she's found herself in. With Autobots. Ugh. There's a passive glance to see if there's any other 'refugees' stirring, but it's hardly much of a concern. "Alright, what are you little pains up to?" She chances a glance out. Lowdown grunts at the sound of the Decepticon, opening his eyes. He's still annoyed that the EMT drugged him last night to keep him off his feet, and his hand wraps around the stock of his Steyr rifle. His wounded leg has been bandaged back up again. He looks up at Nightlash, "You're welcome to wait outside..." Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios to the Super Stallion, "CH-53E, what is your status?" The Cobra airsupport finishes fuelling and radios, "Air support ready, SIr!" Angel coughs a bit from where he's been laying. "Ladybird..." he says gently, wincing. "It's cramped in here; shouldn't you be outside where you can move easily?" Reverb returns over the radio, The bass coming from his rotors shakes the ground as he banks low overhead about two hundred yards away from the Cobra helicopter, Nightlash looks at Lowdown rather pointedly, but the Joe doesn't get much in the way of a response. Angel, though, he gets one. "Yeah, just resting to keep my energy up. Figure it'd do little good to be low if something were to, you know, happen." There's a momentary pause. "You holding up alright, Angel?" She looks back out at the skies, pensive. Wait... is that blade-tape? You know those '53's are plagued to have at least two blades with one... "Slag they're loud..." She scans the air overhead for those Overcharge aircraft. "As long as I get to a hosptial soon, I'll live." Angel replies, shifting a bit. He grumbles, trying to sit up, but the MediViper notices him and forces the sniper to lay back down. "...I'm glad you're here, Ladybird. Makes me feel better knowing you're watching over me." The Cobra chuckles lightly, wincing as he does so. "And the more heavy hitters we have, the better." He sighs. "I assume you're here on your own volition?" Lowdown decides to keep to himself that he blames the Cybertronians for their current predicament. He uses his weapon to help himself onto his feet, despite protests from the EMT. He waves the younger man off, his face not betraying the pain in his leg as me moves toward the entrance with his Steyr AMR. Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios, "Simply keep the Quintessons busy while I extract the operatives and civillians. I believe I should also have room for one or two Cybertronians, but it will be cramped and I will have limited lift." He radios to the Cobra operatives, "Be prepared for extraction. I will be flying a large green-black Anaconda. Are there any Cybertronian who can not make it out of the city on their own? I believe the Anaconda can support two tank sized Cybertronians and the civilians." Nightlash chuckles. "Yeah, took a wrong turn at Albuquerque." She grumbles. "I can always get you out of here in my drone, you know. Might take some flying around as a distraction, but it's got a good autopilot. Should make it to Arizona before losing signal and landing automatically." She glances briefly at the MediViper. "It's one passenger only, though. Got the cockpit, holds two, but that'd be assuming I can get up to speed and break the blockade." She turns her attention back to the sky, straining her audio receptors to pick up that noise she swore she heard earlier. Reverb moves in to wait with the Anaconda, turning off the music. If this is a rescue operation, better to save the attention grabbers for when they're in the city. He transmits back, < I can haul a couple out myself. And any civilians that can't manage.> Angel shifts a bit, glancing at his radio. "Lowdown, Interrogator's on his way with evac." he says, grabbing at his radio. <>Understood Sir!"> he replies. He turns to Nightlash. "Ladybird, do you think you can run cover for him? Anaconda's aren't meant for dorect combat." He turns to Lowdown. "Make sure everyone's ready to go." Nightlash blinks her optics and grins. "Of course I can. My radio frequency's open, let him know I'll be on standby for contact." She looks up again and takes a moment. "Heh, know what they say: you only live once. Right?" Well, if anything's going to come at her, she's giving it the chance to do so. Not having runways means initial takeoff is in her robot form, which means no stealth... even after she's transformed to pick up speed, engines roaring loudly to (either on purpose or inadvertently) draw attention.Nightlash's body collapses and reforms into the sleek shape of a COBRA Night Raven S3P before rejoining with the drone. Wait, where'd the drone disappear to in the first place? The Bellum stands tall above the city, the doors to its hangar bay sliding closed after allowing one of the Warships to disembark. The Warship makes its way quickly toward the coastline, its troop doors sliding open... Angel nods, and speaks into his radio again. <"Interrogator, Night Lash is airborne and on standby for contact, sir."> Anaconda #564> "Understood, and your assistance is much appreciated. I am Interrogator, what is your name,"Interrogator radios to Reverb? To the support, Interrogator radios, "Ready for take off and assume formations once airborne." He does as he radioed. To Angel, he radios, "All assistance is appreciated." Reverb lifts off, following formation with the Anaconda, Wiretap is a bit overwhelmed at the sheer scope of the task unfolding before them. "< Interrogator, this is Wiretap, please relay your location and I'll come assist,>" she radioes. She isn't sure how much of a help she can actually be, but she wants to be part of the solution and not the problem. LA has enough problems. Nightlash banks towards the coastline to do a flyby of the scene unfolding below. <> Seeing as she has not been beset upon by massive swarms of flying trouble, she goes through the systems calibration to subdue her own electronic signature, engines silencing themselves as stealth mode kicks in. Here's to hoping it holds.Nightlash fades into the shadows without a sound. Snaptrap, meanwhile, is sitting outside the Bellum. The Quintesson scientists are busy disassembling the terraforming machine, passing components off to waiting Sharkticons. There's no one waiting to repair or reassemble the pieces. The Sharkticons are simply eating them. The Oppugnatio moves in low, heading north toward Santa Monica. The orange stain in the water has become more pronounced, and has reached the sea wall. It has even begun to blead out into the open ocean. It is here that the warship stops, hovering above. A number of Seacons step up to the edge of the deck... then more ...then more still. These creatures are pale reflections of the gestalt team, but they are considerably numerous. A pair of Bailiffs slide one of the terraforming devices up to the edge on a hover-sled before pushing it out of the Warship and into the water. The Seaclones begin following suit, diving into the depths and disappearing from view. Lowdown looks over his shoulder as the Decepticon departs, taking stock of the survivors and their conditions. He checks to make sure his Steyr is loaded and a round is chambered. Things are about to get exciting. Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios, "That will be good. Be careful though, the Quintessons and their soldiers are quite powerful, if the one I have had experience with is any indication."To Wiretap he radios, "Ready the others for evacuation. Also, record anything that seems interesting. You may want to try planting the new bugs on the Sharkticons, if Angel has not done so already, and you can find a way to do it safely."Interrogator flies towards Los Angels, thankful for backup from Reverb. Nightlash continues to record as the warship drops clones and the device, though she doesn't bother identifying it. No response over comms that she is aware of... but that doesn't bother her in the slightest. She breaks away before getting too close for comfort. <> She starts scanning for hostile aircraft and ground forces. <> She winces inwardly. Hopefully that won't be detrimental. "" Wiretap ponders what constitutes as 'safe' on a Sharkticon. The backside doesn't seem nearly as sharp as the frontside, she wagers. (Just going to need to be quick about it,) she thinks reluctantly. In the meantime, she gets her auto-translation equipment to decipher her general message to the populace in several languages, so as many people can understand the evacuation orders as possible. She'll think about Sharkticon butts when she absolutely has to, and not a moment before. Reverb breaks out ahead of the Anaconda as they approach the Quintesson perimeter. He radios back to Interrogator, He banks hard around a building, the walls shaking as his rotors beat out the opening drums to Megadeth's 'Sweating Bullets.' Lowdown's ears pick up the music as it echoes through the streets. He calls over his shoulder, "Get ready, people. Sounds like the party's starting." Snaptrap also hears the music. He snarls, yellow optics flaring, "Sharkticons, we've got company! Spread out!" The turtle moves out into the streets as well, his photon turrets appearing from ports in his shell. Angel tries to stand up, but he really can't manage it. The MediViper shakes her head. "Don't try to walk, idiot. You're bleeding in your gut!" Angel grumbles. "What, are you gonna carry me?" the sniper shoots at the woman, clearly crabby from pain and stress. "Ugh, I should leave your ass here, ungrateful sod." The Warship closes its doors after deploying its cargo and troops. It swings back around, climbing up above the buildings. It begins a slow cricle high above, sweeping the area for the intruders that have been reported. Nightlash hears the music and can't help but grin inwardly. At least it's mildly decent. <> The Night Raven trains her cameras down on Snaptrap... curious he's different than the rest, but she ignores him. Just another of the masses in the horde. With that, she moves on, continuing to hunt out airborne threats. <> Wiretap sighs to herself, when she sees the Sharkticons beginning to disperse into the streets. "Aw, nertz. Here we go." She palms a couple of transponder 'plants', then begins to very carefully follow behind, gradually making her way past blast-damaged buildings and destroyed vehicle frames to get ever-closer to them. Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios, "Thank you. Good luck to you also." He spots a leveled building near the parking garage, scans for Sharkticons, and radios, "I have found a landing position. Go to the large, leveled building near the parking garage to the west. Be quick about it, please." Angel relays Interrogator's orders to Lowdown. "Leveled building to the west." he says, again trying to get to his feet. The MediViper grumbles to herself and recluctantly helps Angel to stand and walk. "We'll need covering fire, in the event the Quintessons catch on to what's happening." she says to Lowdown. Lowdown nods to Angel, moving quickly into the street, taking up a post across the way. He kneels down, bracing one arm against his uninjured leg, he lifts his rifle and takes up a lookout post. Reverb transforms and sets down on the street, speakers from his shoulders continuing to blast heavy metal. He slams is fists together, spotting a Sharkticon coming around the corner. He grins to himself, "Time to break some heads..." He lowers his shoulder and charges, aiming to smash the Sharkticon's metal teeth in.The CH-53E unfolds and stands up into Reverb.>> Reverb strikes Sharkticon Horde with Body-Slam. <<>> Sharkticon Horde strikes Reverb with Chomp. << The civilains are ushered together, a mix of fight and relief on their faces. Kevin elects to walk with Angel and the MediViper, as everyone makes their way out of garage, and head down the street, as quickly as they can. Lodestone walks in back of the group, his slow lumbering loud. From its vantage point high above, the Oppougnatio can see the incoming helicopters. It alters course to fly overhead, blue-white energy flowing into the collector dish on its hull and beginning to coalesce into a brilliant ball. Wiretap continues to trail the Sharkticons that seem to be on the periphery of the main action -- after all, she doesn't want to go through all the trouble of planting a device on a Sharkticon that's just going to get blown up momentarily. She steers clear of the main action, and continues to track the secondary and tertiary waves. "I don't want to do this," she murmurs under her breath, decidedly unhappy about her current mission, yet determined to carry it out. Nightlash sighs... Still silent comms. Well, at least there's movement, that counts for something... She spies the Autobot helo touching down and turns to get a better look at the warship. <> The Night Raven turns to get a good lock on the Oppougnatio's dish, dropping stealth as she opens the underbelly bay, rolling out a rocket. "Hello there, ugly... get out of my sky, please."Nightlash suddenly fades into sight without a sound.>> Nightlash strikes Quintesson Warship #3857 with Rocket. << Anaconda #564> Interrogator lands, a squadron of Mambas above him as he lowers the cargo door. He radios, "Status reports, please?" The energy collection is suddenly disrupted by the rocket blast, although it doesn't divert the Oppugnatio from its course. With its attacker clearly on the sensor grid, the Warship engages its other weapons. It opens with a barrage of laser fire at the Night Raven.>> Quintesson Warship #3857 misses Nightlash with Laser . << Lowdown waits for the last of the refugees to make it clear of the garrage before falling in with them. He signals to Wiretap, "Need some help with those bugs?" Reverb's shoulder catches the Sharkticon square in its ugly face, cracking several of those shiney chompers. However, the Autobot can't see around corners, allowing the other Sharkticons to take him by surprise. More of those metal teeth clamp down on his leg, illiciting a shout of surprise and pain from him. He growls at the creature that's gnawing on him, "Let..." He draws back his fists, sonic pistons arming, "...GO!" As his knuckles crash together, a concussion wave bursts out from the impact.>> Reverb strikes Sharkticon Horde with Sonic Shock . <<>> Sharkticon Horde temporarily loses motor functions from the attack! <<>> Sharkticon Horde strikes Reverb with Slam. << Wiretap pauses for a moment as Lowdown radioes her. She's about to tell him 'thanks but no thanks'...and then she realizes the true predicament this is. She should take whatever backup is offered...it's not like she can just depend on a team of Tele-Vipers to back her up! "<...That's affirmative, let me send you the coordinates,>" she answers Lowdown. Thankfully, the Sharkticons she's trailing are not exactly marathon runners, so she should be able to hold this position for a little while. Nightlash dropped stealth for a reason. Raw speed. And those systems put a bit of a limiter on her engines... It pays, off, though, as she inverts, going belly up to skim beneath the warship as that hail of laser-fire trails behind her. "HA! Told you, /my/ skies!" She arms one of the missiles in her rearward pods, waiting until she's clear to unleash it at the warship and level out her horizon. "Come on, chase me... you know you want to." She gives a faint flit of her rudders, actually wiggling the tail-end of her airframe at the warship.Of course, Reverb can't be the /only/ one to play some music... and the Night Raven's external speakers start blasting the opening guitar riffs to the Eagles' classic, 'Life's Been Good'. <>>> Nightlash misses Quintesson Warship #3857 with Missile. << Lowdown isn't exactly a marathon runner with his injured leg, either, but he moves quickly to Wiretap's position. He keeps his rifle at the alert position, "Alright, what's your plan?" The Warship does, indeed, want to chase the Decepticon. Lasers continue to track the jet's flight path. As the missile streaks off, a pulse turret monitors its flight, unleashing a blast to destroy the missile before it comes even close to detonating. A similar turret on the opposite side of the ship fires another blast at Nightlash's tail.>> Quintesson Warship #3857 misses Nightlash with Pulse-Blast . << Anaconda #564> "I am waiting to get everyone loaded. You're doing a good job, keep them distracted," Interrogator radios to Nightlash and Reverb. He scans the area from the cockpit as the Mambas hovering above provide him with data and Sharkticon locations. Snaptrap gets tired of waiting. The Oppugnatio has engaged the jet, and the Sharkticons are grappling with an Autobot in the streets. The Seacon commander transforms, drawing his sword and moving out into the streets. His yellow optics sweep back and forth, looking for prey. He begins wading through the Sharkticons near Wiretap's position...The turtle shifts and stands up into the opposing form of Snaptrap. The first civilians reach the Anaconda, and run about gratefully, gasping for air as they collapse to the floor in sheer relief. Behind them, Angel is limping aong, wheezing as the MediViper leads him along. "Go ahead, Kievin!" he says. The boy nods, and sprints to the waiting copter. "The plan," Wiretap tells Lowdown, eyeing his bum leg for a long moment, "Is for me to get these things on a few of the Sharkticons without them noticing -- so we can track them back to their lair and monitor them. Your job would be to..." She ponders. Well, he's not going to be moving anywhere very fast on that leg. "Just...pick off any of them that happen to notice what's going on. I'm gonna try to be quick and quiet about it, but I'm not a ninja." "They say I'm crazy but I have a good time," the music continues to blast from Nightlash's speakers as her airbrakes suddenly flare up, aelerons alternating to send her into a forced stall on-end so she can drop into a dive as the pulse-blasts beat a hasty path on either side of her. Ergh...that was close.Engines flare up as the air-brake flattens down again to help her gain speed, drone disengaging to break away as the autocannons housed behind her cockpit open up on the warship. <> the drone begins circling, broadcasting a nice overhead view of the battlefield below. It's more so she can keep an eye on Angel (and the others) as they are evac'd, but it should benefit everyone else all the same.>> Nightlash strikes Quintesson Warship #3857 with Ballistic . << Reverb stuns the creature gripping his leg, but can't react in time to the one that comes charging up and over its fallen comrade. The creature slams into him head-first, knocking the tall Autobot onto his back. It moves in to clamp its teeth down on Reverb's head, but the Autobot grips the upper and lower jaws, his servos groaning as he strains to keep the mouth from shutting. Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios, "Reading loud and clear, Nightlash. Watvh out for that 'big ugly'. he is the one who took down my Mamba during the initial invasion." To himself he says, "I hope I can get out of here." The Warship plows straight into the path of the Drone's incoming fire as its engines flare up. Ports along the sides open, the crew loading missiles into them. The Oppugnatio pulls an alarmingly tight bank, circling around to get back onto Nightlash's tail. Green lasers dance across the sky in pursuit.>> Quintesson Warship #3857 strikes Nightlash with Laser . << Reverb grunts and rolls suddenly to one side, managing to throw the Sharkticon off of him. He moves quickly to his feet, jumping into the air and transforming. Rotors beat the air as energon leaks from his wounds, The thump of the blades echoes the bass of Metallica's 'Leper Messiah' as he heads down the street. The music from Nightlash is replaced by a rather harsh noise as the laser fire rips through the spot typically occupied by the drone, boring a rather neat hole straight through, though it's not seen for long as her airframe ignites from the severe heat, billowing a healthy trail of black, acrid smoke. The impact is also severe enough that she's sent into a seemingly uncontrolled series of spins. <>Nightlash fights to restabilize her horizon, the craft moving notably more sluggishly as she arms another missile, letting it fly. << I'll be quite honest, I don't think I'll be able to take another one like that.>> She runs a quick check on her engines... as long as they function, she's alive. That's a fact.>> Nightlash misses Quintesson Warship #3857 with Missile. Lowdown nods to Wiretap, moving closer toward the street. He finds a piece of rubble to set his rifle on, "Ready when you are..." There's a tiny click as he flicks the safety off. Anaconda #564> Interrogator orders the Mambas overhead, "714 and 715, distract the different looking hostile! The rest of you, stay here to provide cover fire." The two Mambas break formation and fly towards Snaptrap, missiles ready."Understood, Reverb, be careful!" Interrogator radios."Nightlash, they are moving as quickly as possible."He radios quietly, "Wiretap, what is your position?" Most of the civilians has made it aboard the Anaconda, and the rest are clambering in now. The MediViper helps Angel get into the copter, where the sniper collapses to his knees weakly. Nightgaunt jumps on, as Lodestone peers into the copter, judging if he can get in. Wiretap nods, her expression set in determination as she silently sprints toward the backs of the Sharkticon horde. (Hope this group doesn't get sent to the front lines -- looks like they're going in the wrong direction for that, anyhow,) she thinks. And it's right about this time that Interrogator checks in on her. <"On La Cienega Blvd, about to tag a retreating Shark-horde. Got a Joe sniper backing me up."> She uses a burnt-out wrecked car as cover, as she slinks around to the opposite side and pins a device onto the back of a Sharkticon, who apparently doesn't notice. Snaptrap hears the incoming Mambas, a cruel sigh of anticipation escaping around his faceplate. He switches out his sword for his Atom Smasher, leveling the rifle down the street. The Mambas swing around the corner, and Snaptrap opens fire. He continues firing shot after shot as they make their attack run, machinegun fire ricocheting off his armor, a few rounds drawing energon from the less guarded spots on his form. He turns around to continue firing as they pass overhead, and notices a human running from the Sharkticon pack. His voice calls down the street, "And where do you think you're going?!" The Seacon commander steps forward, building up speed like a locomotive. The incoming missile is sliced in two at its midsection by a laser beam. The warhead falls away as the propulsion section flies off erratically. A moment later, both sections explode. The warship circles around, one of the pulse turrets tracking the Night Raven.>> Quintesson Warship #3857 misses Nightlash with Pulse-Blast. << Reverb fires a few bursts from his .50-cals as he banks around a corner, intentionally missing to keep the Sharkticons' attention. He's not anxious to get chewed on again. He continues down the streets, working his way closer to Encore's last reported position. Anaconda #564> The Medi-Viper saultes Interrogator as the last of the stranglers climb about the Anaconda, including Lodestone, how packs himself into a corner carefully. "Sir, Angel's condition is critical. He's only able to move because I've puped him full of pain killers."Over Kill has disconnected. "Iiiiii...yiyi," Wiretap winces, as Snaptrap calls her out. His guns are probably WAY bigger than her sidearm. -- But wait! How about that Joe sniper? He's got her back -- right?? "I'm just going *this* way," she says lamely. "Don't mind me!" Anaconda #564> Interrogator says to the Medi-Viper, "We need to wait for Wiretap."He radios, "Wiretap, make your way to the Anaconda as soon as possible, it is loaded and ready for take off."The two Mambas continue to harass Snaptarap as one pilot radios to Interrogator, "We have an opperative in trouble, sir!" Lowdown has Wiretap's back, alright. He waits until Wiretap is clear of his line of fire. After all, if this tungsten dart hit her, that would be very messy. Definitely against the Geneva Convention. Snaptrap, on the other hand... well, let's say he's exactly what this round was designed for. Lowdown sights in on that shiney faceplate and ever-so-gently squeezes the trigger...>> Lowdown strikes Snaptrap with Steyr IWS 2000 . << Not really wanting Interrogator to know she's kind of in deep at the moment, Wiretap simply radios back to him, "" As she sees what Lowdown's about to do, she *gulps* and begins hightailing it in the direction of the Anaconda. Nightlash missed the missile's wonderful death, mainly because she's still focused on just keeping aloft. She refrains from a sudden turn, instead arcing slowly and giving the pulse-blast a slim profile, wincing inwardly as the paint along her dorsal area sizzles and bubbles from the heat it puts off. <>Watching the scene below via her drone, she grumbles. Wiretap might be downplaying it, but you can't hide from the camera feed. <> Where's that autobot on the ground? << I'll do what I can if required.>> She gives the warship a strafing run with her laser cannons along its underside.>> Nightlash strikes Quintesson Warship #3857 with Laser . << Anaconda #564> "Wiretap, we will need to have a discussion about lying when we have returned to base. We are loaded and ready for take off, once these two are present, Nightlash. Reverb, how are you doing?" Interrogator radios. Snaptrap's charge is derailed by a bullet to the face. Energon trickles out of the hole, joining the energon that's leaking out from the bottom of his faceplate. Having lost sight of Wiretap, the Seacon commander sets his sights on Lowdown. With a growl, he stows his rifle and draws his sword again, the edges glowing red-hot as he resumes his advance. Snaptrap lunges the last twenty feet, bringing his sword up and swinging it down like an executioner's axe.>> Snaptrap misses Lowdown with Sword. << Anaconda #564> Wiretap finally reaches the Anaconda, and tumbles inside. "I wasn't lying!" she insists. "Geeze, I had to run right into the middle of a Sharkticon horde and tag them, that kind of thing takes time! You gotta give me time to get out of there!" Anaconda #564> Angel is propped up against the hull of the copter, and seems to be semi-conscious at best. The MediViper crouches next to the sniper. "Sir, if we don't go know, he might not make it!" she warms Interrogator. Laser fire rains down on the Oppugnatio's back, scoring the armor. One of the missile turrets pops up as she flies overhead, launching out a projectile. With its main weapon repaired, the warship begins to charge its Star Bomb again...>> Quintesson Warship #3857 strikes Nightlash with Plasma-Missile. <<Nightlash is overcome by injuries, losing consciousness. Anaconda #564> Interrogator sighs and says, "Mamba 714, continue to distract the hostile. Mamba 715, retrieve the G.I. Joe." He closes the cargo door and takes off, his escort surrounding the large helicopter protectively. Dashing through the snow, in a beat-up chevrolet...wait, there's no snow in LA in August! No Chevy either, closer to Harley Davidson. Sit-Com bolts from cover and rushes to where Nightlash is. Given the Sharkticon Menace, and the cooperation between the humans and both factions, the Heroic Junkion comes to save the day (and Nightlash's paint job!) Nightlash is busy watching the camera feeds as Wiretap makes her retreat, leaving Lowdown behind. << I can send the drone in to pick up->> The feed cuts abruptly as there's a sudden explosion where she was flying, the missile ripping through the battered airframe. The aircraft just starts a graceful arc towards the ground, most of her, save the sleek cockpit forward, engulfed in the plasma-induced fire and smoke. The paint job is...not going to be an easy thing to save. Not when she slams down, rolling, skidding, and finally grinding to a halt amidst rubble and remains of a downtown building.The drone, lacking inputs, alters course for the nearest designated safe-zone to land, flying under automated recovery protocols common to most unmanned vehicles. Sit-Com is fortunately not far from the building that Nightlash falls into. He scampers over and checks her vital signs, getting out his Tricorder and letting it beep slowly as he scans. Reverb has managed to draw two packs of Sharkticons about seven blocks away from the Anaconda. Of course, now they're closing in from both sides of the street. He swings into a hover, rotors kicking up dust beneath him. "Leper Messiah" ends. The walls around him actually shudder as his rotors take up the beat of Sixx AM's 'This Is Gonna Hurt.' The rocks on the street actually dance as the bass pounds down, the helicopter lurching forward and over the nearest Sharkticon pack. He spots the smoke of the crashing Night Raven, and adjusts his flight path to assist...>> Reverb strikes Sharkticon Horde with Drum-Solo . <<>> Sharkticon Horde strikes Reverb with Kick. << Anaconda #564> Wiretap makes her way over to where Angel is...bleeding out, or whatever he's doing critically. "You dumbass," she chides derisively, scowling with a hint of tears in her eyes. Lowdown is already moving after he takes the shot. Moving out of the alley, he actually runs toward the charging Seacon. He bites back the pain in his injured leg, forcing himself to move at top speed. He can feel the blood soaking the fresh bandage and spreading. As the robot leaps, he leans forward, pulling his rifle across his chest. He rolls as the sword comes down, tumbling right between Snaptrap's legs. Rolling back onto his feet, he continues, spotting the incoming Mambas. He jumps on top of a car, then onto an SUV, then on top of an abandoned trailer. As the Mamba nears, he runs toward one end of the truck and leaps, reaching out for an empty missile pylon... Anaconda #564> The Medi-Viper nods at Wiretaps rather blunt assessment of Angel. "He's a stubborn sod." she mutters under her helmet. "He tangled with a Sharkticon and got his internals squished for his trouble." Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios base, "prepare for emergency surgery. One of our own needs it immediately!" He begins to fly back to the base, radioing, "Mamba 714 and 715, report." Lowdown's hand grabs onto the pylon, practically dislocating the man's shoulder as the helicopter hasn't stopped moving. Nightlash is, to put it lightly, unresponsive to the fact Sit-Com's there. And still in aircraft mode no less. That hit took her out before she could even blink. Anaconda #564> "...OK. good. I'm going to give him the mother of all chewouts." Wiretap smirks. Reverb manages to make it through the Sharkticon packs with only minor additional damage. Before long, he comes upon the downed form of Nightlash, being attended by a Junkion. He calls down, "Need some help?" A blue-white ball of energy has collected beneath the Oppugnatio. As the Cobra helicopters lift off with the survivors, it swoops in overhead, releasing the Star Bomb... Anaconda #564> Interrogator radios, "Evasive action, now!" The Mambas follow Interrogator as he weaves the Anaconda through the remaining buildings, trying to dodge the strange alien weapon. Anaconda #564> Wiretap decides to further assist Interrogator by activating a portion of her commsuit to boost the transmission signals. She isn't sure how much good it will do, but it's something. Anaconda #564> The Medi-Viper tries to hold Angel steady as the helicopter jerks suddenly. The survivors on board start crying out in fear. Kevin, the twelve year old boy that Angel's gron found of, whimpers in a corner. Nightlash can't yell at Reverb and Sit-Com...but /man/ would she ever... Instead, she just rests there. Burning internally from damage. As the helicopters pull up and away from the LZ, the Star Bomb continues its slow decent. As it touches down, the extreme heat burning the ground away moments before it detonates. The initial blast levels the city block, the shockwave cracking walls and throwing vehicles into the air. Anaconda #564> Angel himself is not really aware of what's going on, simply murmuring to himself in a saze. Sit-Com starts to fix the Decepticon, knowing he can't let the Sharkticons get the jump on any of them. "It's going to be ok," he says soothingly, whether Nightlash can actually hear him or not.>> Sit-Com finishes the repairs on Nightlash. << Nightlash is stabilized, but otherwise unresponsive. Pains of being blown to near pieces... On the upside, she's no longer in danger of just burning to nothingness."Oh, you're awake. Good. Not Sharkticon chow. Relax, everything is under control," the Junkion says. Lowdown manages to pull himself up higher onto the Mamba's undercarriage, wrapping his legs around a pylon. He hangs on tight as the shockwave hits, shaking the aircraft to and fro. Nightlash isn't quite awake. Just stabilized. And still an alt-form. She'll probably need some better care to get beyond that. >_> Sit-Com continues to work, so that Nightlash will be able to transform. --- California - North America Beautiful and warm, California and Nevada are the western most states. California is known as the entertainment center of the United States, as most movies, television programs, and record albums are recorded there. It's also known for some of the worst traffic, smog, and riots in the world, especially in Los Angelos. Anaconda #564 flies out of Los Angeles with the squad of Mambas around it. As the rest of the support pulls out of the city, Interrogator radios, "How is everyone?"The Medi-Viper is still watching over Angel, her body language suggesting for as much as she complained about the sniper, she really was worried. Lowdown is still clinging to Mamba 715. Like a badass. Interrogator sets the Anaconda down, and a squad of Medi-Vipers with stretches run to the cargo door, barely waiting for it to open before heading inside to check on the passengers. Interrogator shuts down the helicopter and exits the cockpit to check on the passengers as well. The Mamba comes into a hover about ten feet above the LZ. Lowdown releases his legs, hanging from the underside by his hands for a moment before letting go.Lowdown's injured leg finally gives in. He tries to land on his feet, but the pain is more than he's prepared for. His knee buckles and he falls to the ground. Angel is conscious, but barely. The Medi-Viper with him helps the others get the sniper onto the stretcher. "Low blood pressure, high heart-rate... " one of the Medi-Vipers comments. The other Vipers check on the civilian passengers. They're all alright. Lodestone makes his way off of the chopper, making sure to not get in the way. Interrogator follows the Medi-Vipers out the cargo door, saying to Angel, "Stay with us." Seeing the fallen Joe, he asks, "Do you require assistance?" Lowdown uses his Steyr as a crutch to get back onto his feet. He moves slowly toward the medical personnel, waving Interrogator off, "Managed to make it this far..." It's clear that he's just being stubborn, rather than outright refusing help simply because Interrogator is a Cobra. Angel is wheeled past, his face pale. The Medi-Vipers are concerned for him, as they have no way of knowing how bad his injuries are. The sniper groans, and plaintively mutters, sounding delirious. "Jace..." Having done the bare minimum to ensure the Joe wasn't going to die where he landed and cause the truce to crumble, Interrogator focuses on Angel. "Your brother is not here. Is there a way I may speak with him?" Lowdown follows the medical entourage as well, simply listening in for now. Besides, the two things he wants most are in this direction. 1) His Barret, and 2) Medical attention. It's clear that Angel isn't truly conscious; he doesn't seem to hear Interrogator's words, as he again calls out for his brother. One of the Medi-vipers speaks up. "He's is shock sir; we don't know how much blood he's lost." And good luck getting that rifle back, Lowdown. :) Lowdown follows the group into the field tent that Cobra obviously would have set up for a mission like this. Rather than getting in everyone's way, he just moves off to the side and sits down, blood trickling down his leg from beneath the bandage. A young Medi-viper comes over to Lowdown's side. "May I help?" he asks, he voice laced with a heave Russian accent. Interrogator starts looking through Angel's gear for his cell phone. He looks over at Lowdown and asks, "Have you seen where he keeps his phone?" Lowdown looks up at the Russian Mediviper, and nods, "Wouldn't mind a little stitching..." He unzips the side of his suit to reveal the bloody bite-wound, looking over to Interrogator, "Check his backpack." Interrogator nods and looks through the backpack, asking Lowdown, "Is your radio operational?" The Russian Medi-viper nods quickly. "Da. This will sting." He begins first by cleaning the wound, and then applying a topical anesthetic, so that Lowdown doesn't start swearing when the viper starts sewing up the wound. Lowdown grits his teeth as the Medi-viper starts working. He leans back in the chair, letting air pass slowly out through his nose. He shakes his head to Interrogator, "Radio needs a recharge. Battery's dead." Interrogator nods and says, "There are certain matters I am unsure if our command has spoken of to yours." He keeps looking for the cellphone. The Russian Medi-Viper's a good man, and works carefully to make sure Lowdown's wound is taken care of. Meanwhile, the other Medi-vipers are trying to stabilise Angel, draining excess fluid from his chest cavity so that he can breathe properly. Angel's smartphone is at the bottom of the backpack, and it's still got a strong charge on it. Lowdown raises an eyebrow, breathing slowly and deliberately. "What sort of things?" Interrogator replies, "The experimentation on Humans for one. Also, the machine that was transforming our planet into theirs." Angel seems to have stablized a bit, but he's still murmuring weakly for his brother. "He's feverish." one Medi-viper says, and another injects Angel with some antibiotics. Lowdown nods slowly to Interogator, "I was around for those discoveries." Interrogator says, "Then you can report them once your radio is charged. I am sure they would rather hear from you." He looks at the phone a moment and tries to open the phone-book on it. The phone-book has a few numbers in it; 'Eddie' 'Int' and 'Jace'. Interrogator selects the number marked 'Jace' and hits the dial button. He waits as the phone rings. The phone on the other end rings once, and then there is a response. "Zack?" Hooray for caller ID! Interrogator says into the phone, "This is Interrogator. Zack has been severely injured during his mission in Los Angeles. He is at our base on the outskirts of the city." There is a brief moment of hesitation before Raven responds, indicating that he's alarmed at this news. "O-okay. Thank you...for letting me know."Interrogator says into the phone, "You may see him, if you wish. This base is for all the forces that took part in the mission and that are trying to stop the Quintessons." There is a pause. "He keeps calling your name." Angel is finally stable, after some surgery to stop his internal bleeding. He still has a lot of recovering to do, so right now he's in a corner of the medical tent, resting uneasily. Lowdown has had his own wound stitched up, and is rest quietly in a different corner. Two large rifles lean against the wall beside him. Raven finally makes it to the outskirts of Los Angeles. And with some directions, he quickly heads to where Angel is. Angel spots Raven coming in the tent, and waves a little from his bed, smiling wanly. "Jace..." he says, quietly. Lowdown's corner is along the same wall as the door, so it's entirely possibly that Raven won't notice him at first. "Thank God," Raven mutters, mostly to himself, as he hurries over. "Z--Angel, bro," he starts, quickly correcting himself out of precaution, "what happened? How were you hurt?" It's obvious that he's trying to remain calm, but at least he knows his brother is alive. And no, as a matter of fact, he doesn't notice Lowdown. Yet. Angel coughs a little. "Heya bro. Funny that. I pissed off a Sharkticon." He laughs a bit, wincing a little as his damaged ribs complain. "But, we managed to save some civilians, so... Worth it." He gives a thumbs up. "I probably won't be doing any fighting for while, though." Lowdown managed to figure out who Angel's brother was after a few days. However, he wasn't sure just how close the two of them still were. He keeps quiet for the time being, waiting to see how this place out. Particularly, if Raven shows any potential as a security risk. Raven stares at Angel. "You pissed off a Sharkticon," he repeats, as if trying to confirm it. He casually lifts a hand to rub his temples, then he looks back to his brother. "So do you have an excuse for that? Other than just being a reckless idiot?" At least he's not yelling. "There was only enough smarts for one of us?" Angel offers with a grin. "...I was trying to save someone, to be honest. I think they made it out alright..." He shofts a little. "But I'm still an idiot, just like you're a worry-wart." Raven exhales deeply. "I'm just...glad you're not dead, bro." "I've been a pain in your ass, and you still want to keep me around?" Angel asks with a grin, but he's touched. "...I've missed you, bro." Lowdown chooses this moment to finally chime in. "Angel was definitely dedicated to protecting the civilians we found." Raven stares. "Of course. We're brothers, you dork." He gives his twin a light flick on the forehead, trying to hide an amused smirk. And then Lowdown speaks up, causing Raven to stiffen, surprised by the voice. He turns. "How in the world do you blend in like that?" Lowdown smirks slightly, "It's part of the job." Angel chuckles. "Who you callin' dork?" He looks over at Lowdown and gives the fellow sniper a grin. "You sure I can't keep that awesome rifle, Lowdown?" he teases in a friendly manner. Raven rolls his eyes. "Right, well, you keep doing that. I always thought it was *my* job to suddenly appear..." Lowdown grins over at Angel, "Positive. If I don't hand it back in when I retire, they'll make me pay for it." Angel snickers. "Well then, the obvious solution is don't retire." He jokes, grinning. He looks back at Raven. "Hey bro, I just realized - you never told me your codename." Raven tilts his head slightly. "Huh, I guess I haven't. It's Raven." He smirks slightly. "And yes, that is a reference to the tattoo I have." Angel chuckles. "We're both named for our tattoos, huh? I can live with that." He grins. "...Glad you stopped by, little bro." He pauses, and the laughs, despite the pain. "What, no scolding for being a big bad Cobra this time?" Lowdown could certainly do some scolding, but... this week has just been too weird to bother. Raven wouldn't scold Lowdown. Lowdown outranks him. Raven resists the urge to flick Angel's forehead again. "No, not this time. But being an idiot...well, *that* might get you a good scolding." Angel is technically older, so shouldn't *he* be lecturing his brother? "Hey, you stole all the smarts." Angel says, making a face at Raven before grinning. "I should be heard for a little while, at any rate." He looks at Lowdown for a moment, and then shrugs. "Hey bro... hug?" he asks quietly, almost shy. Lowdown is largely just amused by this exchange at this point. He only hopes that, when things get back to normal, this doesn't become an issue. Raven hesitates, fearful of hurting Angel. But his brother doesn't seem to be in any pain at the moment, so Raven just smiles and hugs him, firmly but not too tightly. Angel sighs happily, ignoring any pain that he's feeling. "...Love you." he says softly, returning the hug as best he can. Raven just continues to hold Angel, as if he never wants to let him out of his sight again. "Je t'aime, cher frere," he murmurs. Angel tugs his brother's ponytail affectionately. "Tu es mon meilleur ami, frere" he says softly. Times like these, he wondered if it was possible for the war between Joe and Cobra to be over. Lowdown is no longer certain about Raven, but this scene is definitely making him wish that he saw his own family more often. Maybe he'll go back home once this is all done... Raven reluctantly releases Angel from his embrace, as if suddenly remembering where he is, and seemingly embarrassed about such blatant displays of affection. "You just get better," he says at last, trying to sound authoritative but probably failing. Angel looks a tad disappointed when the hug ends, but knows that they can't hold onto each other forever. He chuckles. "I'll try my best, little brother. I'll try." "You better." Raven gives Angel a mock stern look. "'Cause if you die, I'll never forgive you." Angel simply sticks his tongue out childishly before closing his eyes, feeling exhausted. "G'night, kid..." Lowdown can only imagine how that conversation would go if he had to shoot Raven.
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