[Original RPG] Broken Peace:C3 Autobot Battle Scars part 2.

[Reflector]

Jazz hurriedly finished loading the canisters (as well as his other "personals", consistent of only a few spare munitions he'd thought to grab from the armory on his way), then stood beside Skyfall with arms crossed during the mission statement. He nodded along, and followed Skyfall up the ramp.

"Right on, boss," he replied to Skyfall's request. "Everybody in! Let's move!"

Jazz stood at the top of the ramp, escorting the Wreckers into the Omega shuttle with one waving hand and waiting for all to get aboard...

[Quick Switch]

“Director.”

The calm vocoder seemed to clamp onto the other unit’s audial receptors like a vice.

“Go away.”

Cerebros shifted, uncertain. The reserved brains of Fortress Maximus had taken a risk in coming here, he knew- because the present unit’s nerves (literally) were…rather on…edge.

“Director, I’m sorry, but I just can’t do that. You’re needed.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it! Is that why Red Alert suddenly re-appeared? Look, Cerebros, I understand just fine. First Ironhide shows back up, and now Red Alert.” The unit’s strong vocoder was noticeably slurred. Cans of energy brew littered the desk. And the floor. And....pretty much everywhere.

Cerebros kicked one, which skittered slightly.

“Director, I know this must be difficult for you. I know you admired both units quite highly. The fact that they were-“ Cerebros struggled for the right word, then decided on the obvious- “dead…does not help matters. I know you loathe the Matrix but it can serve a useful purpose.”

“Brought back from death, where’s the honor in that? Optimus was denied his true death. Of course, he’s only a dockworker so we’ve been following a sham all these years. How am I going to interact with them? Do they want my job? Is that it? I’m no longer needed? Does the dockworker not have confidence in me anymore?” The vocoder’s voice alternated between awful despair and terrifying wrath, shaking the office. Cerebros noticeably flinched, even though the person residing in the chair was turned away from him.

“Red Alert and Ironhide remember how much you have done for the faction,” Cerebros offered. “They will be honored to have you as their Director. And Optimus fixed you. Your mind-“

“My mind,” the unit said menacingly, and Cerebros stopped. “Was invaded by the Matrix and put back together. My whole existence has been a lie, a propaganda campaign by the ‘Elders’,” he said the word with utter and complete rage. The unit turned.

It was truly a sobering sight. His optics were barely lit, and his frame was stained with energy brew residue. Even now, he clutched two cans in his massive fists.

“You’re…drunk,” Cerebros said uncertainly. “Optimus believes in you, Director. Even though he was not the warrior always you idealized for so long- he is our leader. He is flawed, like every other Transformer. Do not forsake him now.”

“I won’t, I won’t, the unit slurred, hurling another energy can. “But he never TOLD! Never told us…”

“Director,” Cerebros said softly. The unit paid no attention.

The unit began swigging another energy can.

“Hound has been found, Director.”

The incoherent mumbling ceased, and the massive, squat unit rose.

“What did you say, Cerebrum?”

If Cerebros hadn’t been terrified out of his central processor, he would have corrected the mangled name.

“Hound- he’s been found. In the medical bay-” Cerebros was whacked in the head as the remaining energy can sailed into his braincase and the other unit ran from the office.

“Hound? Is it true? I’m coming Hound! I’m coming!”

Cerebros unsteadily patched a message into the medical bay.

“Ahem. All personnel presently stationed in the Medical Bay. Director Quick Switch is on the way…and I suggest you prepare for a hasty exit.”

[Heinrad]

Medbay, Fort Max:


Minerva: -looks up from monitoring Hound, smacks the palm of her hand against the nearby comm panel- "Keep that hotheaded maniac out of here, Cerebros! Hound's my patient, and I won't have him disturbed!" -punches comm panel switch again- "Ironhide, Crosshairs!"

Ironhide: -looks in from corridor- "What?"

Minerva: "Quick Switch is coming, and I get the impression from Cerebros that he's not bringing a decorative floral arrangement!"

Ironhide: "Great." -moves into doorway to block it, crosses arms- "Get ready ta back me up, Crosshairs. Ah get th' feelin' this ain't gonna be easy."

********************************
Omega Shuttle:


Roadbuster: -boards, finds a seat- "Any idea what the inflight movie is?"

[Hyper Prime]

Countdown closed up the doors of the cargo hold with his base inside and then made his way past Jazz, "Alright. As they say in those old, human westerns, lets head 'em up and move 'em out!" He then walked into the doors of the Omega Shuttle and made his way towards the radar system of the ship.

Redhot opened up the hatch of the micromaster base he was in. He then tried to move his way through the darkness and then found a way out of the hold. He walked up to a side of the wall he was thought would lead him to the hall way and brought out his gun. He then began to fire at the door, attempting to melt through it rather than blast it.

[Brave Maximus]

Skyfall blanked his optic circuts for a moment and shut down his audio receptors. He reached out through his link to the Omega shuttle, felt the world through it's sensors and systems. Energon was flowing into the engines, prepairing to roar to life. Anti-grav thrusters hummed and prepaired to lift the shuttle up and guide it in it's journey. Missile banks were prepped and the warheads loaded - ready for battle. Internal systems registared the loading of Countdown, Roadbuster and Aero Blade while Jazz still stood at the door, waiting for Artfire to finish loading the equipment and Dropshot, Stepper and Artfire (as well as their target master parters) to enter the shuttle.

Then another sensation entered his mind through the link. It could almost be called pain, as the transformers feel it. Something was hurting him. Something was burning inside.
We are in danger. Some one is trying to destroy Me\Us

Skyfall snapped back awake. and jumped out of his seat. Before he could move another inch or say anything Starlight shouted, in a very concered voice:

"Skyfall, I\We are detecting a massive ......"

Skyfall cut her off before she could continue:
"Heat souce in the hold! The energy clips could be trying to breach!"

With out a word, Skyfall ran from the command centre and out the door. As his feet hit the open air, his thrusters ignited and he flew through the air, ignorning the other transfromers in the troop section. His optics were just begining to see a heat spot on the access hatch to the cargo hold. A quick mental command and the hatch sild open, revieling a red Micromaster with what looked like a cutting blaster held at the door.

It took everything that Skyfall had not to punch the bot with everything he had. Instead his fists were balled at his sides, optics almost cracking with fury:

"Can you tell me why you are trying to cut into ME!?!!
Beyond that - what the hell are you doing here!?!!! This mission is for my team only! I do not take kindly to people sneaking around and I DO NOT LIKE people trying to cut through my hull! Do you know how bloody dangerous that was? That hold contains a subspace pocket and these walls are part of the contianment for it. IF you had of cut through with out me knowing, it would have ruptured and that would have been VERY BAD!!!!"

Skyfall turned around with out waiting for an awnser and looked instead to his troops.

"Countdown, he's one of yours. You and Jazz work out what to do with him. If need be, get Roadbuster to help you out. And please, for the love of Primus, stop him from cutting any more parts of me up, it doesn't feel good."

Skyfall paused for a moment, almost turning around and appologizing to Redhot. He didn't like getting angery, but getting cut like that pissed him off more than it hurt. And besides, he had never seen Dai Atlas or Victory Saber appologize for yelling at a troop for doing something wrong. Jazz, Countdown and Roadbuster will handle it with the dicipline and compassion nessisary. Well, Roadbuster can handle the dicipline anyway.....

Skyfall headed back up the ladder to the command centre. The Omega shuttle was almost ready to launch. As soon as Dropshot and Co. were aboard, they'd launch for the mission.

[Hyper Prime]

Redhot was really surpised to have someone find him, and almost killing him. "What? But... huh? You lost me at the beginning." he replied in surprise.

Countdown had heard what Skyfall said and quickly ran back into the cargo hold. When he saw Redhot, he sighed. "Redhot.... mind telling me what you're doing?"

Redhot saw his commander and looked really nervous, "Uh... trying my best not to get in trouble?"

Countdown put his hand to his forehead in a "Why Primus, why?" He then said, "Well if you had known, Skyfall and the Omega Shuttle are connected. Whatever pain you cause the ship, he feels it! SO don't do it again. And another thing, why are you here?"

"Well, things were just really boring here, so I thought I could sneak a ride with you guys and on this mission that you're going on." he said meekly.

"I see. Why didn't I see this coming?" Countdown looked to Roadbuster and Jazz, "Well, what should we do? Were about to take off soon and we can't escort him back."

[Warcry]

Medbay, Fort Max

Oh, bleeding slag, that's all we needed.

Crosshairs turned to Ironhide. "I've got a better idea." His optics flicked to Trailbreaker. "Can you block the door with your forcefield? The last thing we need is Quick going off on us in here and spooking our patient."

[Amarant Odinson]

Stepper and Artfire finished loading the last of the equipment that they had brought with them from the armory as Dropshot checked thier equipment.

" I think we're all set, boys. Let get this show on the road." he yelled at them.

"Nightstick and I are ready" Artfire answered back.

"Same here Dropshot." Stepper said as him and his partner, Nebulon loaded up into the Omega Shuttle.

"Alright then" And with that, they all loaded up with Skyfall and the others. "Skyfall, we're ready when you are."

[Brave Maximus]

Skyfall heard Dropshot's comments through the the comm system of Omega and his voice was pipped into the troop compartment:

"Roger that Dropshot. All troops better grab a seat, we're leaving!"

With a mental command, the entry ramp and doors of the shuttle closed and sealed with a hiss. It took only a moment to make sure the shuttle was pressurized and the Anti-grav thrusters hummed to life.

Pushing the ground away, the Omega shuttle rose into the sky, orientating itself. Skyfall asked Ark to open a communications channel to Autobot control:

"This is Skyfall aboard the Omega shuttle. Leaving Autobase on a course for Japan. Call us if you need us!"

The Shuttle then tilted up at a 45 degree angle and the main engines roared to life. With in seconds the shuttle had reached the upper atmosphere and headed for Japan and the aproximate location of facility holding Hounds Memory chips.

[Reflector]

With a look of surprise across his face, Jazz hurriedly backtracked into the cabin as the door slammed in front of him. He slid into a seat a row ahead of Roadbuster, and after buckling in for launch, turned halfway around with one arm on the back of his chair.

"I asked Skyfall to show Blood Guts Bullets And Octane, but it looks like we got a dramedy instead..."

Jazz fell quiet during the few minutes of the shuttle's launch sequence, knowing that communication would be tough (and his head would best face forward lest he lose it). As the Omega achieved suborbit and calmed down, Jazz ejected a communicator from the side of his face and called back to Countdown in the hold.

"I think it's a little late to be taking him back... He got any medical experience? We're sure gonna need it."

[Brave Maximus]

It took only a few minutes for the Omega shuttle to hit the upper atmosphere. The pull of the earth was less here and most of the anti-grav thrusters shut down. The main engines continued to move the shuttle through the sky, faster than they could have lower down. As it was, it only took the Shuttle and it's crew less than half an hour to traverse the Pacific ocean.

Starlight and her team members were used to space travel. Infact, Skyfall had the nagging suspicion that they were either designed for exploration or orbital construction. Before their bodies were changed by another universes Megatron. Because of this, they used the Omega's sensors to pinpoint the building and it's complex from their orbit. When they had reached the co-ordinates, Skyfall slowed the Omega Shuttle to a stop, engagine the Anti-grav thrusters to keep them in position. From this altitude they could get some decent pictures of the lay out of the outside of the building and possibly detect the signature of the chips (But he doubted that - they'd more likely need to be ALOT closer to do that).

"Starlight," Skyfall's voice rang out through the command centre, which had been in pretty much silence since the trip began, "Keep the shuttle in this orbit and lock sensors on the building. Then you and the boys please join us in the Troop section, I'd like your input on this".

Then Skyfall exited the cockpit and headed down the ladder to the crew section. Redhot was still there and Skyfall was still trying to figure out what to do with him. Perhaps Jazz and (More likely) Roadbuster would be able to put the fear of Primus into him. Skyfall had heard the conversations in the shuttle. It was wierd having the sensors of the shuttle attached to your mind. Perhaps he should ask Cerebros how he delt with it. Ah well, something for later.

"Alright, We're basically on target. Our objective lies below us." With a mental command the lights in the troop section dimmed and a projector provided an over head view of the technology company.
"The movie today Roadbuster, is how to ruin a Decepticon's day in three easy steps." The Micromaster tried his hand at dry wit, but found that he was a little lacking. Down to the buisness at hand: "We've got readings that there are Decepticons in and around the facility, but we don't know who, how many or powerlevels. So I'd like to hear suggestions"

Edited because I just got a joke

[Heinrad]

Omega Shuttle:


Roadbuster: "Simple. The odds are good that they're expecting us to attempt this. So you, me, and Sixwing go in shooting. Jazz takes the rest around to the back entrance and they go in that way, take out any guards they leave on duty. At worst, it's a quick way to get the memory components back. At best, we'll be able to wipe out every single Decepticon in a pincer movement."

[Brave Maximus]

Skyfall looked at Roadbuster and then at Sixwing for a moment. The Combiner certianly seemed to like the idea. But Prime had asked that they keep the collateral damage to a minimum and with the hardware Roadbuster was carrying and Sixwings..... attitude, it would probably cause more problems than it was worth.

He looked at Roadbuster and smiled a little:

"Tempting, very tempting - but Prime asked us to keep a low profile and not to cause too much damage. And with your tactic, there's a risk of damage to the chips, as we don't know where they are being kept."

Skyfall pondered the display for a moment and then had an idea. Perhaps those tactics classes had paid off.

"How's this: Dropshot and Stepper take up a position on this westward facing high ridge. Hopefully it's still with in your range?
Artfire - Nightstick is a sniper rifle as well, isn't he?
We can place you two on the Southern mountian.
With those three in position, they can provide support fire, incase we run into anything nasty out there.
Jazz and Sixwing will circle around back as Roadbuster suggested, and either take out any guards in a 2 on 1 situation or sneak in the back.
Myself and Roadbuster will provide an entrance to the building, while Aero Blade locates the chips and any Data that my have been derived from them. Countdown and Stratus will provide escort and backup. Also, you maybe able to detect the chips."

Skyfall looked up the ramp to see Starlight and the other Minicons at the landing from the Cockpit.
"Starlight, you and the boys will remain with Omega in base mode. Monitor communications and, should it be requested, provide a missile bombardment."

Starlight nodded: "Thank you Skyfall, I\We do not like Violence....."
She visibly winced as Nemesis reached out and punched the unsuspecting Ark in the arm, like two brothers.... young brothers.
"Well, most of Us\Me don't....."

"That's the plan, as it stands. Any questions, comments or suggestions?"

From the back of the Shuttle Sixwing spoke in his deep gravely voice:
"What if we should run into any human..... resistance?"

Skyfall looked at him for a moment:
"Well, hopefully seeing a giant, unfriendly transforming robot like yourself will make them think twice about how much "reistance" they put up."

"And if they are less..... intellegent than you?" Sixwing said, almost laughing. "What should we do then?"

Skyfall sighed a little, more manerisims he had picked up from living on earth. This Bot seemed to revel in carnage and battle.....
"Then defend yourself, of course. But, what ever you do, there is to be NO loss of human life on this mission." Then, making a very poniant look at Sixwing: "None what so ever!"

"Anything else?" The young leader said, looking at the other troops.

[Aero Blade]

Aero Blade nodded to Skyfall, hearing his segment of the plan. "I'll be able to locate those chips easily," Aero Blade responded.

"And we'll keep him him safe, won't we?" Stratus asked, looking towards Countdown.

[Hyper Prime]

Countdown smirked, "Don't worry about me buddy. I maybe small, but I can handle myself." He tehn pointed at Redhot, "Just help me keep him out of trouble or danger."

Countdown looked at Skyfall, "Redhot and I will be the ones to stay here to aid you. If anything gets bad, I'll out there with my base. Sound good?"

[Amarant Odinson]

As Skyfall laid out the plan of attack, Stepper spoke up as soon as Skyfall mentioned them.

"Don't worry about us Skyfall. You just point us at those Decepticons and they're as good as scrap. Right guys?"

Artfire smiled in agreement as he looked down at Nightstick. "Looks like you and I get to have some on our this time little buddy." Nightstick just nodded excitedly.

Dropshot on the other hand didn't say a word for the entire flight. He was getting focused on the misson at hand. He was blocking out everything else. His fuctions were starting to slow down. Just enough for no one to notice yet. He knew now that it was only a matter of time before he truly felt alive. Doing what he was designed to do.

[Brave Maximus]

Skyfall looked at Countdown and shook his head a little.

"Countdown, your base is in storage at the moment and cannot be easily deployed. Besides, you are a combat model. Aero Blade doesn't like to fight, but he's good at sabotage and stuff like that. I need you right there, at his side, incase the situation gets heavy. And to Keep Redhot out of trouble, he can assist Jazz and Sixwing. He's just going to have to be on his best behavior with them."

Nodding to Jazz, Skyfall said: "Well 2IC, what do you think?"

[Heinrad]

Denver Airport, Cargo Area:


Nightbeat: -rolls to a stop at the entrance to the cargo area- "So what do you think we're looking for?"

Muzzle: -pops Nightbeat's glovebox open, pulls out a scaled down to human size set of Autobot tactical goggles, straps them on, starts looking, cycling through the various vision modes- "I'm guessing a Decepticon shuttle. Maybe Astrotrain. Little green guys from Mars.... who knows? But Hound was going to smuggle himself out of here somehow. And we're going to find it."

[dai-atlas2000]

Buzzsaw sensed the Autobots nearby trying to suss out his position. Things did not look good. If he was to be captured Soundwave must be informed of the danger regardless of the danger...

Buzzsaw patched an urgent link through to his master. "SOS. Capture potentially imminent. Requesting orders.SOS"

[Blaster]

"I have him in my sights! Missles away!" Raindance shouted over the comm to Red Alert as two heat-seeking missiles detached from his underwing and flew forward towards the back of Buzzsaw.

~~

Blaster sat back listening to all the Autobot chatter flying back and forth amongst eachother wishing he could atleast listen to some music. "Man somethings gotta happen 'round here eventually dunnit?" He asked himself as he listened in closely on the chase for Buzzsaw.

~~

Windslice leaned back against the wall nearest to Hound as the other autobots near him planned ways to fix their friend. Windslice wasn't so optimistic. He figured they would be better off killing the security threat and repairing if needed at a later point. As he was now he would kill them as fast as any other Decepticon. He looked down at the blackened chassis of the once green transformer.