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Factory Chimney
Beastbox scrambled ever upwards hauling Crankcase awkwardly with him.
"give up my hostage me no think so."
[G1 RPG] Terminus: The Tempest (Protihex)
Combaticon Field Bivouac
Onslaught continued to dig himself out of the sinkhole that Beastbox had dumped him in, blasting the occasional Imperial who came too close for comfort.
_______________________________________
"So, uh...do we shoot through him?" Needlenose asked.
"You're the Mayhem," Acid Storm told him. "Aren't you the one who's supposed to be telling me how we need to be bloodthirsty?"
"M'eh. That's more Bludgeon's thing."
"Good," Acid Storm replied. "Because I'm not planning on shooting through an ally any time soon. But I've got an idea. Cover me?"
"Sure thing!" Needlenose peeled off and fired on the nearest Imperial fliers, drawing their attention while Acid Storm turned toward the factory and opened fire -- not on Beastbox, but on the chimney above him. The acid molecules carried by his hyperion cannons' particle beams immediately went to work on the concrete, dissolving the surface layers and leaving the rest of the chimney covered with slick, corrosive slime.
"Try climbing that!"
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell accelerated away from Sixshot, taking advantage of the hexchanger's unaerodynamic choice of alternate mode to put some distance between them as it weaved from side to side to dodge most of the incoming fire.
"How adorable," he commended. "Tell me, did you get stuck in that mode by accident or have you actually willingly inflicted it on yourself?"
_______________________________________
Meanwhile, Spinister chased Thunderwing's inner robot in the other direction, firing at him but not getting especially upset when he didn't score any hits.
If we drive him far enough apart, he thought, whichever half doesn't have the Matrix will be vulnerable.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus had never considered himself a tactical genius, but in this case it really didn't take much to figure out where the battle was. The explosions and weapons fire were visible from miles away, so it was fairly straightforward for him to lead his troops straight into the fray.
Approaching the Imperial lines from behind, Magnus accelerated to top speed. Then he deliberately jackknifed his trailer and he skidded horizontally through the Imperial lines, crushing a wide swath through the green and grey troops. Only then did he transform, opening fire with his laser rifle and shooting down the confused Imperials as quickly as his reflexes would allow.
But despite the damage he'd done with his dramatic entrance, he didn't hold any illusions. The Imperials outnumbered his men by a huge margin, and sooner or later they'd manage to organize themselves and meet the Autobot threat.
But not any time soon, if I can stop it!
"Autobots, attack!"
Onslaught continued to dig himself out of the sinkhole that Beastbox had dumped him in, blasting the occasional Imperial who came too close for comfort.
_______________________________________
"So, uh...do we shoot through him?" Needlenose asked.
"You're the Mayhem," Acid Storm told him. "Aren't you the one who's supposed to be telling me how we need to be bloodthirsty?"
"M'eh. That's more Bludgeon's thing."
"Good," Acid Storm replied. "Because I'm not planning on shooting through an ally any time soon. But I've got an idea. Cover me?"
"Sure thing!" Needlenose peeled off and fired on the nearest Imperial fliers, drawing their attention while Acid Storm turned toward the factory and opened fire -- not on Beastbox, but on the chimney above him. The acid molecules carried by his hyperion cannons' particle beams immediately went to work on the concrete, dissolving the surface layers and leaving the rest of the chimney covered with slick, corrosive slime.
"Try climbing that!"
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell accelerated away from Sixshot, taking advantage of the hexchanger's unaerodynamic choice of alternate mode to put some distance between them as it weaved from side to side to dodge most of the incoming fire.
"How adorable," he commended. "Tell me, did you get stuck in that mode by accident or have you actually willingly inflicted it on yourself?"
_______________________________________
Meanwhile, Spinister chased Thunderwing's inner robot in the other direction, firing at him but not getting especially upset when he didn't score any hits.
If we drive him far enough apart, he thought, whichever half doesn't have the Matrix will be vulnerable.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus had never considered himself a tactical genius, but in this case it really didn't take much to figure out where the battle was. The explosions and weapons fire were visible from miles away, so it was fairly straightforward for him to lead his troops straight into the fray.
Approaching the Imperial lines from behind, Magnus accelerated to top speed. Then he deliberately jackknifed his trailer and he skidded horizontally through the Imperial lines, crushing a wide swath through the green and grey troops. Only then did he transform, opening fire with his laser rifle and shooting down the confused Imperials as quickly as his reflexes would allow.
But despite the damage he'd done with his dramatic entrance, he didn't hold any illusions. The Imperials outnumbered his men by a huge margin, and sooner or later they'd manage to organize themselves and meet the Autobot threat.
But not any time soon, if I can stop it!
"Autobots, attack!"
-
optimusskids
- Protoform
- Posts: 6981
- Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:24 am
- Location: UK
Combaticon Field Bivouac
Acid Storm circled around the chimney, cannons at the ready.
"Are we really going to play this game, Beastbox? Get down from there or next time I'll be aiming for you instead of the masonry."
____________________________________________
Onslaught lunged upwards, grabbing onto the edge of the sinkhole only for it to crumble in his hands. He started to sink back down...but stopped short. Looking up, he saw that a white hand attached to a light blue arm had taken hold of his wrist.
"Hold tight," Ultra Magnus said as he hoisted the Combaticon leader upwards. "I'll have you out of there in a few seconds."
Acid Storm circled around the chimney, cannons at the ready.
"Are we really going to play this game, Beastbox? Get down from there or next time I'll be aiming for you instead of the masonry."
____________________________________________
Onslaught lunged upwards, grabbing onto the edge of the sinkhole only for it to crumble in his hands. He started to sink back down...but stopped short. Looking up, he saw that a white hand attached to a light blue arm had taken hold of his wrist.
"Hold tight," Ultra Magnus said as he hoisted the Combaticon leader upwards. "I'll have you out of there in a few seconds."
-
optimusskids
- Protoform
- Posts: 6981
- Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:24 am
- Location: UK
Skies
"Dunno. Same thing that got you stuck in a half-fleshling shell, I guess." Sixshot told Thunderwing gamely as he tailed away and opened fire again at Thunderwing. "Besides..."
Sixshot moved quickly from side to side, seeming to blur into shadows... which it did, for there were six Sixshots streaking towards Thunderwing's shell now.
__________________
"Topspin, Overdrive, and all airborne Autobots, engage the big, ugly aristrocratic freakshow!" Whirl screamed, as he whupped towards Thunderwing's inner robot upside down, and launched his incendiary missiles towards the Imperial.
Swoop flapped his wings, the missile launchers under his wings activating and opening fire towards the Pretender as well.
__________________
Combaticon Field Bivouac
"Come on, Decepticons! Pin him down!" Repugnus hissed as he leapt from where he was perched towards Beastbox, schyte-claws glinting as he tried to slash down towards the Cassettecon. "You won't be able to get yourself out of here, kong!"
__________________
Arcee drove up to Ultra Magnus and Onslaught, energy blades extending from the front end of her vehicle mode and through the Imperial trying to snipe Magnus from behind, one of the blades stabbing through the Imperial's head and through it.
Arcee transformed, pulling her blades from the now-dead Imperials. "Boss, there's Thunderwing." The female Autobot said as she pointed with her activated lightsaber towards where Thunderwing was dogfighting Spinister, and again towards where he was fighting Sixshot. "And there."
"Dunno. Same thing that got you stuck in a half-fleshling shell, I guess." Sixshot told Thunderwing gamely as he tailed away and opened fire again at Thunderwing. "Besides..."
Sixshot moved quickly from side to side, seeming to blur into shadows... which it did, for there were six Sixshots streaking towards Thunderwing's shell now.
__________________
"Topspin, Overdrive, and all airborne Autobots, engage the big, ugly aristrocratic freakshow!" Whirl screamed, as he whupped towards Thunderwing's inner robot upside down, and launched his incendiary missiles towards the Imperial.
Swoop flapped his wings, the missile launchers under his wings activating and opening fire towards the Pretender as well.
__________________
Combaticon Field Bivouac
"Come on, Decepticons! Pin him down!" Repugnus hissed as he leapt from where he was perched towards Beastbox, schyte-claws glinting as he tried to slash down towards the Cassettecon. "You won't be able to get yourself out of here, kong!"
__________________
Arcee drove up to Ultra Magnus and Onslaught, energy blades extending from the front end of her vehicle mode and through the Imperial trying to snipe Magnus from behind, one of the blades stabbing through the Imperial's head and through it.
Arcee transformed, pulling her blades from the now-dead Imperials. "Boss, there's Thunderwing." The female Autobot said as she pointed with her activated lightsaber towards where Thunderwing was dogfighting Spinister, and again towards where he was fighting Sixshot. "And there."
Skies
Highbrow turned from what he was doing, the Imperial he had been fighting crouched behind cover and not daring to move, and made for Thunderwing's position. "This is definitely not the brightest order I have ever followed." He said to no one but himself, and opened fire on Thunderwing, taking care not to hit his allies.
Topspin finished off the Imperial he was fighting. "This should be interesting." He said, obeying Whirl's orders and taking off towards Thunderwing.
Topspin finished off the Imperial he was fighting. "This should be interesting." He said, obeying Whirl's orders and taking off towards Thunderwing.
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
Battlefield
"Leave," Acid Storm told Beastbox. "Put down your hostage and walk away. As long as you don't try and attack any more of our people, I won't try to stop you. I won't insult your intelligence by saying that some of our more...zealous brethren won't come looking for you once this is all over, but you'll have a long head start by then."
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell chuckled as he continued to accelerate, pulling away from the Autobots that were taking the air to attack him. Whirl's missiles came up short, as did the other Autobots'.
"There's a difference," he said. "My shell is useful. You, you're all hollow tricks and empty threats. You really think there being six of you will make a difference, Sixshot? I'm a demigod now, like I was always destined to be. The Chosen of the Matrix. I'm worth a hundred of you. Do your worst."
_______________________________________
"Trying to seperate me, hmm?" Thunderwing asked Spinister as the Targetmaster's incessant spray of ineffectual energy blasts continued to rain down on him. "You really think that'll work?"
"I know it will," Spinister shot back, no longer even bothering with the pretense.
"You can't beat me," Thunderwing replied, twisting in the air and rocketing back toward his former lieutenant.
"You think I'm the one who's supposed to beat you?" Spinister laughed dryly as he transformed and fell to the ground. As Thunderwing shot overhead, he used Singe and Hairsplitter to toast the underside of the renegade's inner robot. "Oh, you're as clueless as ever."
His inner robot wasn't nearly as well-armoured as his shell, and although the Matrix had protected him from the worst of the damage, Spinister's attack had still hurt. Transforming to robot mode, he landed on a nearby street. "Do enlighten me, then, old friend."
Spinister laughed again. Hitting the ground, he ducked behind a building. "'Old friend', is it? Oh, you're just overdosing on your delusions today, aren't you?"
"And you're surprisingly chatty. I remember a Spinister who was quiet and efficient. You sound like Skywarp. What happened to you?"
"I grew out of it," Spinister's voice called out from somewhere to Thunderwing's right. "That's something that normal, healthy sane people do, you know. They recognize their weaknesses and try to move past them. But you?" Another barking laugh punctuated Spinister's latest insult.
"Me what? Oh, this should be good..." Thunderwing didn't care what the Targetmaster had to say -- or at least, he wanted to project that image. But truthfully, Spinister had been his most loyal lieutenant and to hear him say these things was more hurtful than he would want to admit. But he had to keep the Targetmaster talking so that his voice would betray his location.
"You're exactly the same person you were thirty years ago, Thunderwing. Still arrogant. Still obsessive. Still so blindered by your sense of destiny that you'll follow wherever it leads without a thought about the damage you're doing."
Thunderwing smiled. The voice was getting closer as he walked. Laser cannon in hand, he rounded the corner around which the voice was coming...and saw nothing. Or at least, no Spinister. It took a second, but eventually he spotted the source of the voice. A small radio, propped on top of a short, round-ended cylinder.
"Still so filled with hate that it gives you tunnel vision," Spinister's disembodied voice finished. "That's a fusion bomb, by the way. I didn't want to set one off anywhere near the Combaticons, so thanks for obliging me."
"It won't kill me," Thunderwing warned, his voice angry and threatening even as he tried to hide the fear that was rising up in him. "The Matrix will heal my wounds, no matter how grave they are."
"Oh, I know," Spinister told him. "I know. But it'll hurt. A lot. And it'll give Sixshot the time he needs to kill the part of you that's actually dangerous."
"Oh, good show," Thunderwing said with genuine appreciation. "There's the cold-blooded deviousness that caught my eye when I made you my second."
"I learned from good examples," Spinister told him icily. "At least after I got away from you. And speaking of, by the time you wake up and pull yourself together a couple of those examples are going to be here to deal with you properly. You remember Gigatron and Cyclonus, don't you?
Thunderwing thought he could hear a smile in the Targetmaster's voice, something else that was unheard of in the days they worked together.
"See you soon."
_______________________________________
As the mushroom cloud rose on the horizon, Spinister called out to Sixshot, "The connection's broken! Hit the shell with everything you've got!"
He only hoped that enough of his message survived the vicious EMP released by the explosion that the sixchanger would be able to make sense of it.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus frowned as Spinister and Thunderwing's inner robot dropped below the building line, and his expression only grew deeper as the massive explosion several blocks away rocked the ground that they were standing on. His vision was momentarily overcome with static as the electromagnetic pulse washed over him.
"I think we just got an opportunity," he told Arcee and Onslaught. "Knowing Thunderwing, that won't stop him. But he'll be down for a while, and they'll be disorganized. Air troopers, attack the Pretender shell. All ground forces, charge the Imperial lines!"
Then, a bit abashedly, he turned to Onslaught and said, "Not to say that I'm trying to undermine--"
"Don't apologize," Onslaught told him. "You have more experience with Thunderwing in particular and Matrixes in general than I do." He transformed to vehicle mode and rolled toward the Imperials' drop zone, cannons firing. "As far as I'm concerned, you're calling the shots."
"Thanks." Magnus transformed as well, dropping the ramp on his trailer. "Autobots, climb aboard and use me as a gunnery platform. We're going in!"
"Leave," Acid Storm told Beastbox. "Put down your hostage and walk away. As long as you don't try and attack any more of our people, I won't try to stop you. I won't insult your intelligence by saying that some of our more...zealous brethren won't come looking for you once this is all over, but you'll have a long head start by then."
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell chuckled as he continued to accelerate, pulling away from the Autobots that were taking the air to attack him. Whirl's missiles came up short, as did the other Autobots'.
"There's a difference," he said. "My shell is useful. You, you're all hollow tricks and empty threats. You really think there being six of you will make a difference, Sixshot? I'm a demigod now, like I was always destined to be. The Chosen of the Matrix. I'm worth a hundred of you. Do your worst."
_______________________________________
"Trying to seperate me, hmm?" Thunderwing asked Spinister as the Targetmaster's incessant spray of ineffectual energy blasts continued to rain down on him. "You really think that'll work?"
"I know it will," Spinister shot back, no longer even bothering with the pretense.
"You can't beat me," Thunderwing replied, twisting in the air and rocketing back toward his former lieutenant.
"You think I'm the one who's supposed to beat you?" Spinister laughed dryly as he transformed and fell to the ground. As Thunderwing shot overhead, he used Singe and Hairsplitter to toast the underside of the renegade's inner robot. "Oh, you're as clueless as ever."
His inner robot wasn't nearly as well-armoured as his shell, and although the Matrix had protected him from the worst of the damage, Spinister's attack had still hurt. Transforming to robot mode, he landed on a nearby street. "Do enlighten me, then, old friend."
Spinister laughed again. Hitting the ground, he ducked behind a building. "'Old friend', is it? Oh, you're just overdosing on your delusions today, aren't you?"
"And you're surprisingly chatty. I remember a Spinister who was quiet and efficient. You sound like Skywarp. What happened to you?"
"I grew out of it," Spinister's voice called out from somewhere to Thunderwing's right. "That's something that normal, healthy sane people do, you know. They recognize their weaknesses and try to move past them. But you?" Another barking laugh punctuated Spinister's latest insult.
"Me what? Oh, this should be good..." Thunderwing didn't care what the Targetmaster had to say -- or at least, he wanted to project that image. But truthfully, Spinister had been his most loyal lieutenant and to hear him say these things was more hurtful than he would want to admit. But he had to keep the Targetmaster talking so that his voice would betray his location.
"You're exactly the same person you were thirty years ago, Thunderwing. Still arrogant. Still obsessive. Still so blindered by your sense of destiny that you'll follow wherever it leads without a thought about the damage you're doing."
Thunderwing smiled. The voice was getting closer as he walked. Laser cannon in hand, he rounded the corner around which the voice was coming...and saw nothing. Or at least, no Spinister. It took a second, but eventually he spotted the source of the voice. A small radio, propped on top of a short, round-ended cylinder.
"Still so filled with hate that it gives you tunnel vision," Spinister's disembodied voice finished. "That's a fusion bomb, by the way. I didn't want to set one off anywhere near the Combaticons, so thanks for obliging me."
"It won't kill me," Thunderwing warned, his voice angry and threatening even as he tried to hide the fear that was rising up in him. "The Matrix will heal my wounds, no matter how grave they are."
"Oh, I know," Spinister told him. "I know. But it'll hurt. A lot. And it'll give Sixshot the time he needs to kill the part of you that's actually dangerous."
"Oh, good show," Thunderwing said with genuine appreciation. "There's the cold-blooded deviousness that caught my eye when I made you my second."
"I learned from good examples," Spinister told him icily. "At least after I got away from you. And speaking of, by the time you wake up and pull yourself together a couple of those examples are going to be here to deal with you properly. You remember Gigatron and Cyclonus, don't you?
Thunderwing thought he could hear a smile in the Targetmaster's voice, something else that was unheard of in the days they worked together.
"See you soon."
_______________________________________
As the mushroom cloud rose on the horizon, Spinister called out to Sixshot, "The connection's broken! Hit the shell with everything you've got!"
He only hoped that enough of his message survived the vicious EMP released by the explosion that the sixchanger would be able to make sense of it.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus frowned as Spinister and Thunderwing's inner robot dropped below the building line, and his expression only grew deeper as the massive explosion several blocks away rocked the ground that they were standing on. His vision was momentarily overcome with static as the electromagnetic pulse washed over him.
"I think we just got an opportunity," he told Arcee and Onslaught. "Knowing Thunderwing, that won't stop him. But he'll be down for a while, and they'll be disorganized. Air troopers, attack the Pretender shell. All ground forces, charge the Imperial lines!"
Then, a bit abashedly, he turned to Onslaught and said, "Not to say that I'm trying to undermine--"
"Don't apologize," Onslaught told him. "You have more experience with Thunderwing in particular and Matrixes in general than I do." He transformed to vehicle mode and rolled toward the Imperials' drop zone, cannons firing. "As far as I'm concerned, you're calling the shots."
"Thanks." Magnus transformed as well, dropping the ramp on his trailer. "Autobots, climb aboard and use me as a gunnery platform. We're going in!"
-
Lady Quickswitch
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 10:43 am
Re:
Skies over Protihex
A familiar Transformer flew in over the skies of Protihex in one of his six very distinctive modes.
Ice crept over the fighter-jet wings at that altitude, but this was absolutely nothing compared to the grim, icy resolve that grasped deep and frozen to the core of his central processor. The idea of returning home and seeing them--him--once again--
But then there was Cybertron speeding beneath him, and he would have wept for joy at the sight of it.
It's been so long. Too long.
He'd been gone for a deca-cycle. The former Security Director had resigned in disgust and then disappeared, leaving no trace of his whereabouts and notifying no one once he'd tendered his resignation--not even those precious few he counted as friends--of where he was going.
He regretted it. Of course he did. How couldn't he? Leaving them all in the dark like that. But it was something he had to do, and he knew it.
Better that way. Quick Switch was sure his friends would understand.
He made his descent just as Ultra Magnus was speeding toward a massive firefight far below. There were Autobot shuttles and airborne units. Quickswitch recognized many of the units.... Even some Decepticon units--?! Fighting Thunderwing??
What in Primus' name is going on...?!
He caught the Wrecker Whirl's order to the others over his open comm frequency.
I might as well join 'em, Quick decided and made ready to converge on Thunderwing's hideous visage.
He opened a frequency, "This is Quick Switch," he radioed, "I require a sit-rep whenever one of you has a moment."
A familiar Transformer flew in over the skies of Protihex in one of his six very distinctive modes.
Ice crept over the fighter-jet wings at that altitude, but this was absolutely nothing compared to the grim, icy resolve that grasped deep and frozen to the core of his central processor. The idea of returning home and seeing them--him--once again--
But then there was Cybertron speeding beneath him, and he would have wept for joy at the sight of it.
It's been so long. Too long.
He'd been gone for a deca-cycle. The former Security Director had resigned in disgust and then disappeared, leaving no trace of his whereabouts and notifying no one once he'd tendered his resignation--not even those precious few he counted as friends--of where he was going.
He regretted it. Of course he did. How couldn't he? Leaving them all in the dark like that. But it was something he had to do, and he knew it.
Better that way. Quick Switch was sure his friends would understand.
He made his descent just as Ultra Magnus was speeding toward a massive firefight far below. There were Autobot shuttles and airborne units. Quickswitch recognized many of the units.... Even some Decepticon units--?! Fighting Thunderwing??
What in Primus' name is going on...?!
He caught the Wrecker Whirl's order to the others over his open comm frequency.
I might as well join 'em, Quick decided and made ready to converge on Thunderwing's hideous visage.
He opened a frequency, "This is Quick Switch," he radioed, "I require a sit-rep whenever one of you has a moment."
[sigpic][/sigpic]
Battlefield
"I'd kill him." Repugnus muttered while Acid Storm spoke, but he added, "But we've got bigger fish. If Thunderwing wins, he'll kill us all, and I really don't want that to happen. Let Blueboy go already, Kong."
_______________________________________
The six Sixshots, all in Wingwolf form, flew up towards Thunderwing's shell. "Everything is a hollow trick of some sort. Your shell likewise. My tricks, however, is better than yours. I'm always better than you."
Sixshot's holograms disappeared, and he transformed back into his gun mode, just as Spinister's garbled transmission came through. "And, unlike you, I'm not too proud to admit that there is strength in numbers. Not to proud to admit my mistakes. My pride. You'll die here, Thunderwing."
He charged as the mushroom cloud blossomed in the distance, and fired everything. Hypersonic concussion blasts pelted towards Thunderwing's shell, followed by the gamma blasts from his gun mode, as well as the missiles he had taken for space battles. All of them launched at Thunderwing's shell.
_______________________________________
"Hey, hey, hey, it's our favourite crazy six changer!" Whirl replied jovially to Quick Switch, as he spun around horizontally to orient himself while Sixshot and Thunderwing dogfighted. "Big guy, we have a truce with the Decepticons here and the neutral Combaticons -- long story -- so don't shoot them. Thunderwing, on the other hand, got his grubby paws on another Matrix and the Liegespawn, so he wants to take over the universe for laughs. We're shooting his shell, shooting always works. Quick, you can't let Sixshot steal all the glory, can you?"
Whirl didn't ask or question where Quick Switch had been, or where he came from. There are times for that later.
Swoop, meanwhile, ignored the Wrecker as he swooped down beside Sixshot, launching two missiles at Thunderwing.
"FIRE EVERYTHING!" Whirl righted himself into a proper firing position -- albeit upside-down -- and launched his null ray and incendiary missiles.
_______________________________________
Arcee nodded at Ultra Magnus silently and hopped up onto the larger Autobot. "Let's roll out!" the female Autobot said, sheathing her lightsabers (they won't do any good here). Instead, she pulled out her old blaster, and clicked it once.
Arcee looked up and saw Quick Switch's form. "Magnus, we've got another unexpected backup. It's Quick."
Monocle scrambled up Magnus as well, readying his rifle.
"I'd kill him." Repugnus muttered while Acid Storm spoke, but he added, "But we've got bigger fish. If Thunderwing wins, he'll kill us all, and I really don't want that to happen. Let Blueboy go already, Kong."
_______________________________________
The six Sixshots, all in Wingwolf form, flew up towards Thunderwing's shell. "Everything is a hollow trick of some sort. Your shell likewise. My tricks, however, is better than yours. I'm always better than you."
Sixshot's holograms disappeared, and he transformed back into his gun mode, just as Spinister's garbled transmission came through. "And, unlike you, I'm not too proud to admit that there is strength in numbers. Not to proud to admit my mistakes. My pride. You'll die here, Thunderwing."
He charged as the mushroom cloud blossomed in the distance, and fired everything. Hypersonic concussion blasts pelted towards Thunderwing's shell, followed by the gamma blasts from his gun mode, as well as the missiles he had taken for space battles. All of them launched at Thunderwing's shell.
_______________________________________
"Hey, hey, hey, it's our favourite crazy six changer!" Whirl replied jovially to Quick Switch, as he spun around horizontally to orient himself while Sixshot and Thunderwing dogfighted. "Big guy, we have a truce with the Decepticons here and the neutral Combaticons -- long story -- so don't shoot them. Thunderwing, on the other hand, got his grubby paws on another Matrix and the Liegespawn, so he wants to take over the universe for laughs. We're shooting his shell, shooting always works. Quick, you can't let Sixshot steal all the glory, can you?"
Whirl didn't ask or question where Quick Switch had been, or where he came from. There are times for that later.
Swoop, meanwhile, ignored the Wrecker as he swooped down beside Sixshot, launching two missiles at Thunderwing.
"FIRE EVERYTHING!" Whirl righted himself into a proper firing position -- albeit upside-down -- and launched his null ray and incendiary missiles.
_______________________________________
Arcee nodded at Ultra Magnus silently and hopped up onto the larger Autobot. "Let's roll out!" the female Autobot said, sheathing her lightsabers (they won't do any good here). Instead, she pulled out her old blaster, and clicked it once.
Arcee looked up and saw Quick Switch's form. "Magnus, we've got another unexpected backup. It's Quick."
Monocle scrambled up Magnus as well, readying his rifle.
-
optimusskids
- Protoform
- Posts: 6981
- Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:24 am
- Location: UK
Battlefield
As soon as Crankcase fired, Repugnus moved, leaping upwards and transforming into robot mode. Every bit of him wanted to kill Beastbox first and leave Crankcase to his fate, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't care about Crankcase, or the Autobot code, or anything... but he knew that the wimpy Mayhem, one of the photocopy-boys and the neon Seeker would kill him if he didn't try to rescue Crankcase.
So try it he did. Reaching an hand to catch Crankcase's arm, Repugnus transformed his other arm into his beast-mode's blades, stabbing it into the walls of the crevice to slow their fall. "Hang on, blue." He hissed.
As soon as Crankcase fired, Repugnus moved, leaping upwards and transforming into robot mode. Every bit of him wanted to kill Beastbox first and leave Crankcase to his fate, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't care about Crankcase, or the Autobot code, or anything... but he knew that the wimpy Mayhem, one of the photocopy-boys and the neon Seeker would kill him if he didn't try to rescue Crankcase.
So try it he did. Reaching an hand to catch Crankcase's arm, Repugnus transformed his other arm into his beast-mode's blades, stabbing it into the walls of the crevice to slow their fall. "Hang on, blue." He hissed.
Battlefield
"Oh, for the love of..." Acid Storm grumbled as Beastbox got clobbered in spite of his impromptu attempt at diplomacy. Seriously, sometimes I wonder why I bother."
Since Repugnus was busy saving Crankcase, the seeker swooped in toward the falling Beastbox and tried to catch him with his tailfins.
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell exploded in a bloom of fire as Sixshot et al's weapons raked across it's no-longer Matrix-protected hull.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus raised an optic ridge at Arcee's report. "I suppose what the humans say is true: the more the merrier. I wonder where he's been all this time, though."
As he talked, he drove into (and over) a cluster of Imperial troops.
"Oh, for the love of..." Acid Storm grumbled as Beastbox got clobbered in spite of his impromptu attempt at diplomacy. Seriously, sometimes I wonder why I bother."
Since Repugnus was busy saving Crankcase, the seeker swooped in toward the falling Beastbox and tried to catch him with his tailfins.
_______________________________________
Thunderwing's shell exploded in a bloom of fire as Sixshot et al's weapons raked across it's no-longer Matrix-protected hull.
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus raised an optic ridge at Arcee's report. "I suppose what the humans say is true: the more the merrier. I wonder where he's been all this time, though."
As he talked, he drove into (and over) a cluster of Imperial troops.
Battlefield
"Stupid 'Con!" Repugnus shouted at Acid Storm as he pulled Crankcase out of the crevice. "Why're you saving the monkey? He's the enemy!"
Really,Repugnus would've understood if an Autobot did that, but a Decepticon? A frakkin Decepticon? What in the hell has this world come to?
______________________
Sixshot transformed into robot mode mid-air, keeping himself hovering with the afterburners in his feet, punching his fist into the air. "In your face, asshole!"
And then, "Spinister, it's me, the shell is gone." Transforming back into his wingwolf mode, Sixshot ignored the Autobots around him and shot off towards the still-blossoming nuclear mushroom.
______________________
"Magnus, this is Swoop. We have just destroyed Thunderwing. Or his shell, at least." the Dinobot said as he banked down in an effort to catch up with the much-faster Sixshot (pteranodons aren't built to match the speed of hybrid jet-animals). "Since big and ugly here isn't in a mood to stick around I'm guessing he's going for the juicy core."
_____________________
For his part, Whirl twirled through the air, firing his incendiary missiles at random, yet each missile blowing through Imperial jets trying to divebomb his allies below.
His Autobot allies only. Old habits die hard.
"Stupid 'Con!" Repugnus shouted at Acid Storm as he pulled Crankcase out of the crevice. "Why're you saving the monkey? He's the enemy!"
Really,Repugnus would've understood if an Autobot did that, but a Decepticon? A frakkin Decepticon? What in the hell has this world come to?
______________________
Sixshot transformed into robot mode mid-air, keeping himself hovering with the afterburners in his feet, punching his fist into the air. "In your face, asshole!"
And then, "Spinister, it's me, the shell is gone." Transforming back into his wingwolf mode, Sixshot ignored the Autobots around him and shot off towards the still-blossoming nuclear mushroom.
______________________
"Magnus, this is Swoop. We have just destroyed Thunderwing. Or his shell, at least." the Dinobot said as he banked down in an effort to catch up with the much-faster Sixshot (pteranodons aren't built to match the speed of hybrid jet-animals). "Since big and ugly here isn't in a mood to stick around I'm guessing he's going for the juicy core."
_____________________
For his part, Whirl twirled through the air, firing his incendiary missiles at random, yet each missile blowing through Imperial jets trying to divebomb his allies below.
His Autobot allies only. Old habits die hard.
Battlefield
Highbrow's electronic suite was rendered useless for the time being, by the nearby bomb that had gone off. "Well, being as one of my most useful combat advantages has been taken off-line for the time being, I shall have to hope Topspin's training embedded itself in my memory sufficiently." He said, blasting an Imperial backwards with his cannon.
----------------------------------
Topspin came alongside Ultra Magnus, blasting an Imperial that tried to rise to his feet after being run over by Magnus. "Guess I'm your escort service here." He said laughing. "Not that you need much of one if you keep driving like that."
----------------------------------
Topspin came alongside Ultra Magnus, blasting an Imperial that tried to rise to his feet after being run over by Magnus. "Guess I'm your escort service here." He said laughing. "Not that you need much of one if you keep driving like that."
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
Battlefield
Spinister replied to Sixshot as he roared back toward the main battle, "I hoped you would. The main robot is buried under ten metres of rubble, but I think we both know that won't hold it for long. We need to take whatever time we've got and organize our response, when it comes back."
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus smiled. "Good work, Swoop! Stay with Sixshot and back him up, in case the worst happens."
"I appreciate it, Topspin," he said to the smaller Autobot. "It might not look like it now, but as soon as the Imperials can organize themselves again we're going to need every advantage we can get."
Almost as soon as he said it, a large group of Imperials with heavy truck alt-modes rumbled into the open square and shot right toward the small group of Autobots in a tight, disciplined formation. Weapons bolted onto their vehicle modes shot wreaths of fire at the Autobots. Meanwhile, sniper fire erupted from the nearby rooftops.
"Like now, apparently."
Spinister replied to Sixshot as he roared back toward the main battle, "I hoped you would. The main robot is buried under ten metres of rubble, but I think we both know that won't hold it for long. We need to take whatever time we've got and organize our response, when it comes back."
_______________________________________
Ultra Magnus smiled. "Good work, Swoop! Stay with Sixshot and back him up, in case the worst happens."
"I appreciate it, Topspin," he said to the smaller Autobot. "It might not look like it now, but as soon as the Imperials can organize themselves again we're going to need every advantage we can get."
Almost as soon as he said it, a large group of Imperials with heavy truck alt-modes rumbled into the open square and shot right toward the small group of Autobots in a tight, disciplined formation. Weapons bolted onto their vehicle modes shot wreaths of fire at the Autobots. Meanwhile, sniper fire erupted from the nearby rooftops.
"Like now, apparently."
Battlefield
Topspin saw the Imperial troops a moment too late. Their fire blasted the ground in front of him, causing him to flip uncontrollably, hitting some nearby rubble. Topspin transformed and stood to his feet, but fell back to the ground, momentarily dazed.
--------------------------------
Highbrow's rear propellor was hit by one of the sniper shots, making him lose altitude fast. Highbrow transformed on the way down, drawing his weapons out. "Evidently I shall be joining the ground assault until that is repaired." He said to no one in particular.
--------------------------------
Highbrow's rear propellor was hit by one of the sniper shots, making him lose altitude fast. Highbrow transformed on the way down, drawing his weapons out. "Evidently I shall be joining the ground assault until that is repaired." He said to no one in particular.
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
Steelhaven
It wasn't too long after Ratchet had alerted Iacon of Protihex's most current plight, that the Steelhaven was hit by an indeterminable type of communications black-out - one that appeared to a least have affected the starcraft's channel to its crew.
On top of that and maintaining the ship's defenses, Ratchet, the stand-in captain, was also in charge of coordinating evacuation efforts of the city-state's populace, a task made all the more difficult by the aforementioned communications black-out.
---
In the hangar bay, Ratchet offered a nod of affirmation to one of his crewmen to wave in a ground-transport into the bay. This one, like several before it, carried Protihexians refugees -- some wounded, but certainly all frightened. It would doubtfully be the last to arrive today.
"Hoist," Ratchet pointed to the vessel. "That one over there. Help unload the wounded."
"Sure...but, err, I hate to be the bearer or more ill-news." Hoist scrunched down his head. "Have you been by the medbay? We're not only running out of space, but also the manpower and resources to accommodate them."
"I know, I know, but what would you have me do then?" exhaustion was evident in Ratchet's voice. "With radio still on the fritz, we may as well be operating blind. I won't risk launching anymore transports after what happened to the first batch of refugees we tried sending out."
Ratchet clinched his fists into a tight balls. "Hrn, damn Imperials. They're toying with us..."
"Well, look on the bright side - Iacon is on their way, aren't they? You did speak with Prowl," Hoist sympathetically told the former-medic.
"I did. They may already be here, or were intercepted by the Imperials while en route. No way of knowing for sure, that's the maddening thing," he said. "And for that matter, who knows what Fortress Maximus' status is."
"Holding his own, I would imagine. After all, at one time you helped rebuild him," Hoist warmly answered.
Ratchet, seemingly oblivious to his colleagues kind words, futily tapped his left audio receptor as he attempted to contact the bridge a few floors above...only to receive a shrill "KKKKRRRRRRRKKK!!!" for his efforts.
"Gah, for Primus' sake," he winced.
"We can't even contact anyone inside the ship?!"
"Hold on," Ratchet held up his hand to Hoist. "Cog? Cog, are you receiving me?"
"...kkkrrrk...fzzz...Ratchet - fzzz - am receiving you Ratch-," Cog answered.
"You're receiving me? Great! Does that mean you've solved our problem?"
"Fzzz - Unfortunately not...ll not bore you will the technical jargon, but to borrow a rather crude analogy, I'm piggybacking off what I believe to be one of the Combaticon's stray signals - krrk - weak, but for the moment should be safe to talk...."
"So the black-out was only directed at us?"
"It would seem so, but I can't be cer - fzzz - And before you ask," Cog quickly added. " I have no idea if Iacon has answered our call for aide - kkrrkk."
"Sigh, I figured as much," Ratchet ruefully shook his head. "Still, good work, Cog. See if you contact can Fortress Maximus. And, if possible, anyone on the field. Autobot. Combaticon (OOC: nudge, nudge). It doesn't matter. Let them know that we're still here..."
"I'll do my best."
---
(OOC: In the next exciting post: The Return of Fortress Maximus! Yay! Well, okay, it's not like he went anywhere, it was me that did
Would've included it here, but I have to think of length.)
It wasn't too long after Ratchet had alerted Iacon of Protihex's most current plight, that the Steelhaven was hit by an indeterminable type of communications black-out - one that appeared to a least have affected the starcraft's channel to its crew.
On top of that and maintaining the ship's defenses, Ratchet, the stand-in captain, was also in charge of coordinating evacuation efforts of the city-state's populace, a task made all the more difficult by the aforementioned communications black-out.
---
In the hangar bay, Ratchet offered a nod of affirmation to one of his crewmen to wave in a ground-transport into the bay. This one, like several before it, carried Protihexians refugees -- some wounded, but certainly all frightened. It would doubtfully be the last to arrive today.
"Hoist," Ratchet pointed to the vessel. "That one over there. Help unload the wounded."
"Sure...but, err, I hate to be the bearer or more ill-news." Hoist scrunched down his head. "Have you been by the medbay? We're not only running out of space, but also the manpower and resources to accommodate them."
"I know, I know, but what would you have me do then?" exhaustion was evident in Ratchet's voice. "With radio still on the fritz, we may as well be operating blind. I won't risk launching anymore transports after what happened to the first batch of refugees we tried sending out."
Ratchet clinched his fists into a tight balls. "Hrn, damn Imperials. They're toying with us..."
"Well, look on the bright side - Iacon is on their way, aren't they? You did speak with Prowl," Hoist sympathetically told the former-medic.
"I did. They may already be here, or were intercepted by the Imperials while en route. No way of knowing for sure, that's the maddening thing," he said. "And for that matter, who knows what Fortress Maximus' status is."
"Holding his own, I would imagine. After all, at one time you helped rebuild him," Hoist warmly answered.
Ratchet, seemingly oblivious to his colleagues kind words, futily tapped his left audio receptor as he attempted to contact the bridge a few floors above...only to receive a shrill "KKKKRRRRRRRKKK!!!" for his efforts.
"Gah, for Primus' sake," he winced.
"We can't even contact anyone inside the ship?!"
"Hold on," Ratchet held up his hand to Hoist. "Cog? Cog, are you receiving me?"
"...kkkrrrk...fzzz...Ratchet - fzzz - am receiving you Ratch-," Cog answered.
"You're receiving me? Great! Does that mean you've solved our problem?"
"Fzzz - Unfortunately not...ll not bore you will the technical jargon, but to borrow a rather crude analogy, I'm piggybacking off what I believe to be one of the Combaticon's stray signals - krrk - weak, but for the moment should be safe to talk...."
"So the black-out was only directed at us?"
"It would seem so, but I can't be cer - fzzz - And before you ask," Cog quickly added. " I have no idea if Iacon has answered our call for aide - kkrrkk."
"Sigh, I figured as much," Ratchet ruefully shook his head. "Still, good work, Cog. See if you contact can Fortress Maximus. And, if possible, anyone on the field. Autobot. Combaticon (OOC: nudge, nudge). It doesn't matter. Let them know that we're still here..."
"I'll do my best."
---
(OOC: In the next exciting post: The Return of Fortress Maximus! Yay! Well, okay, it's not like he went anywhere, it was me that did
Would've included it here, but I have to think of length.)Battlefield
"Right." Sixshot replied to Spinister. "What do we have in mind? Unless you've got a handy Matrix stashed somewhere, I doubt conventional firepower is going to do any good against him."
_______________________________________
"Stay with-" Swoop balked at Ultra Magnus' orders, but he was savvy enough not to question them. "Right away, sir."
As Swoop left Whirl and banked up towards the air where Sixshot was flying, There were worse Decepticons to stay with. At least this was not Divebomb...
_______________________________________
Arcee, stuck behind Ultra Magnus, had little choice but to return fire with her blasters at the enroaching Imperial formation.
Behind her, Monocle was less fortunate as the ground erupted around him. Not hanging on quite strongly enough onto Magnus, Monocle lost his grip and fell onto the ground, his gun falling off his hands.
________________________________________
"What are we trying to do again?" Road Hugger said.
"Well, since the three of us aren't exactly in any shape to fight bar the stray shots, I'd hoped we would be more effective trying to, say, contact Darkmount or Camp Gigatron, get more reinforcements our way." Detour sat in a jumble of wires, while Road Hugger was still aiming Chopster at any Imperials moving in. "Didn't you see the nuke just now? This is out of the league of a bunch of Micros."
"Technicality aside-" Road Hugger said, dodging a stray bullet, "Are those junk we salvaged off the bivouac actually working?"
"I- yes!" Detour smiled, giving his partner a thumbs-up of triumph. "I'm receiving a signal. It seems to be piggybacking on our frequencies, but I do hope it's help. It seems to come from... the Steelhaven?"
"Right." Sixshot replied to Spinister. "What do we have in mind? Unless you've got a handy Matrix stashed somewhere, I doubt conventional firepower is going to do any good against him."
_______________________________________
"Stay with-" Swoop balked at Ultra Magnus' orders, but he was savvy enough not to question them. "Right away, sir."
As Swoop left Whirl and banked up towards the air where Sixshot was flying, There were worse Decepticons to stay with. At least this was not Divebomb...
_______________________________________
Arcee, stuck behind Ultra Magnus, had little choice but to return fire with her blasters at the enroaching Imperial formation.
Behind her, Monocle was less fortunate as the ground erupted around him. Not hanging on quite strongly enough onto Magnus, Monocle lost his grip and fell onto the ground, his gun falling off his hands.
________________________________________
"What are we trying to do again?" Road Hugger said.
"Well, since the three of us aren't exactly in any shape to fight bar the stray shots, I'd hoped we would be more effective trying to, say, contact Darkmount or Camp Gigatron, get more reinforcements our way." Detour sat in a jumble of wires, while Road Hugger was still aiming Chopster at any Imperials moving in. "Didn't you see the nuke just now? This is out of the league of a bunch of Micros."
"Technicality aside-" Road Hugger said, dodging a stray bullet, "Are those junk we salvaged off the bivouac actually working?"
"I- yes!" Detour smiled, giving his partner a thumbs-up of triumph. "I'm receiving a signal. It seems to be piggybacking on our frequencies, but I do hope it's help. It seems to come from... the Steelhaven?"
Oh yes, there's more!
Between Xaaron Point and Downtown - Near the Governor's Office
"I must say, Percep-Ngggh!" Fortress Maximus grunted as stray enemy fire smacked against his armor. He promptly returned the favor with his wrist-mounted battery.
"As I was saying - impeccable timing, Perceptor," he continued while sending another photon volley to the advancing Imperial forces. "And Shockwave? What is his stasis?"
Perceptor aimed his sniper rifle. "He is quite formidable, so functional more than likely," he told the large headmaster. "We were surveying a site believed to have once been annexed by Black Shadow when the Imperials first touched down. Before we were separated, it was decided that the reasonable course of action was to locate the good Governor."
"You have my thanks, Perceptor," Groove told the science officer. "Though we certainly could use him right about now. Not that I'm not grateful, but we're grossly outnumbered...Why are they attacking us, anyway? And why so many?"
Perceptor, now peering over a chunk of debris he was using for cover, fired at an Imperial solider. "That, Groove, is patently obvious," he answered. "Now please, stay close."
"Damn it. Comlink is still out," Fortress Maximus muttered.
"The Steelhaven crew may still be functional, Fortress Maximus...dire as the situation may seem. Given time, and the appropriate working space, I might be able to crack the jamming signal," Perceptor raised his rifle at a nearby Imperial infantrymech. "Though, I must confess, I am impressed..."
"Impressed?" the Autobot commander deflected an incoming bolt with the ramp kibble along his arm. "You're joking."
"Not at all," he flatly replied. "For being a detestable people, I can at least appreciate a carefully laid stratagem. Clearly The Imperials have been studying our weaknesses for sometime now." He pulled the trigger, and with startling precision took out the attacker's head. Perceptor made no attempt to disguise his smug satisfaction.
"Are you actually enjoying this?" Groove said, disturbed by the science officer's cool indifference.
"With all due respect, 'Governor' Groove, our opponents were committed to do the same to you," he snapped in retort. "Not a difficult concept to grasp; as an elected official, you have to ability to rally the citizens of Protihex - i.e, you are a strategic and rather obvious target."
"The fact that I'm here probably isn't helping matters much, either," Fortress Maximus added. "Besides, we are all targets here."
"Hmph, at any rate," Perceptor continued as he repositioned the scope of this rifle closer to his optic. "The Imperials are renowned for their massive superiority complexes and have destroyed countless species in their quest to validate said superiority. They are also not ones to 'personize' the enemy," he fired once more, again with devastating results and a icy smirk. "I have no reservations showing them the same courtesy."
Not looking away from his own target, the larger Autobot interjected, "He's correct about one thing, Groove - you were targeted. We need to get you back to Steelhaven. I have little doubt that my crew is assisting in the evacuation and your people need you."
"You are of course right. I'm..." the former-Protectobot stopped short when he glanced around the battleground. "They're trying to circle us."
Fortress Maximus took Groove's cue. "Hmm...Yes, it's a flanking maneuver," he answered. "They don't want us moving too far."
"What do we do?"
"We'll have to punch our way through," he confidently answered.
Being the walking armory that he is, Fortress Maximus deployed the full arsenal hidden throughout his body, along with his standard dual laser blaster and photon rifle, which he gripped in each hand. Facing the enemy, he glanced over his shoulder at Perceptor and Groove and said, "When it's clear, you two make a run for it. I will follow."
In rapid succession, the Steelhaven's captain then bombarded the encircling Imperial soldiers.
---
Bridge, Steelhaven
Cog sat at his terminal, still leeching off a stray signal from the Combaticon's channel, when a brief blip flashed on the monitor.
"So..that channel is active," Cog mused out loud. "I hope this works." He pressed a switch on the console and sent out the message he had prepared beforehand.
< This is Cog of the Steelhaven - We are currently experiencing a communications black-out - Evacuation efforts are still proceeding, but we are unable to safely launch any transports until radio is back online - Civilians casualties: 108 - Crew member casualties: 11 - Captain remains MIA - Defenses still online and operating in full capacity - Field officers available and ready to repel enemy forces - Please respond >
---
Between Xaaron Point and Downtown - Near the Governor's Office
As Perceptor and Groove sprinted along the ruined landscape, Fortress Maximus not far behind, a strafing Imperial flyer suddenly whizzed overhead and sprayed the ground as it made its pass.
"Unngh! B-be-hhhind m-me," Fortress Maximus groaned as he shielded the relatively smaller Autobots from the salvo.
"I was a Protectobot at one time," Groove protested, but still heeding the headmaster's order. "I can fight."
"Admirable," Perceptor dryly stated. "Though ultimately that would prove wasteful. Do as he instructs."
"I think you have the wrong idea..."
"Shh!" he quickly interrupted, catching the flyer turning back around from the corner of his optic. "He's going to make a second pass. Maximus, if you would be so kind as to maintain that pose while I attend to this pest."
Stepping away from the large headmaster, Perceptor once more raised his sniper rifle to its appropriate position and fired at the incoming Imperial's "cockpit". The flyer spiraled out of control, zoomed over the three Autobot's heads, and crashed several yards behind them.
"Impressive, if not a bit too aggrandizing for my tastes," Fortress Maximus said. "We gave them something to think about, but reinforcements won't be too far. We need to keep moving - and quickly."
The hulking Autobot then converted into his cruiser mode. "Can't risk flying, so I'll have to stay close to the ground," he continued. "Climb on you two."
"I must say, Percep-Ngggh!" Fortress Maximus grunted as stray enemy fire smacked against his armor. He promptly returned the favor with his wrist-mounted battery.
"As I was saying - impeccable timing, Perceptor," he continued while sending another photon volley to the advancing Imperial forces. "And Shockwave? What is his stasis?"
Perceptor aimed his sniper rifle. "He is quite formidable, so functional more than likely," he told the large headmaster. "We were surveying a site believed to have once been annexed by Black Shadow when the Imperials first touched down. Before we were separated, it was decided that the reasonable course of action was to locate the good Governor."
"You have my thanks, Perceptor," Groove told the science officer. "Though we certainly could use him right about now. Not that I'm not grateful, but we're grossly outnumbered...Why are they attacking us, anyway? And why so many?"
Perceptor, now peering over a chunk of debris he was using for cover, fired at an Imperial solider. "That, Groove, is patently obvious," he answered. "Now please, stay close."
"Damn it. Comlink is still out," Fortress Maximus muttered.
"The Steelhaven crew may still be functional, Fortress Maximus...dire as the situation may seem. Given time, and the appropriate working space, I might be able to crack the jamming signal," Perceptor raised his rifle at a nearby Imperial infantrymech. "Though, I must confess, I am impressed..."
"Impressed?" the Autobot commander deflected an incoming bolt with the ramp kibble along his arm. "You're joking."
"Not at all," he flatly replied. "For being a detestable people, I can at least appreciate a carefully laid stratagem. Clearly The Imperials have been studying our weaknesses for sometime now." He pulled the trigger, and with startling precision took out the attacker's head. Perceptor made no attempt to disguise his smug satisfaction.
"Are you actually enjoying this?" Groove said, disturbed by the science officer's cool indifference.
"With all due respect, 'Governor' Groove, our opponents were committed to do the same to you," he snapped in retort. "Not a difficult concept to grasp; as an elected official, you have to ability to rally the citizens of Protihex - i.e, you are a strategic and rather obvious target."
"The fact that I'm here probably isn't helping matters much, either," Fortress Maximus added. "Besides, we are all targets here."
"Hmph, at any rate," Perceptor continued as he repositioned the scope of this rifle closer to his optic. "The Imperials are renowned for their massive superiority complexes and have destroyed countless species in their quest to validate said superiority. They are also not ones to 'personize' the enemy," he fired once more, again with devastating results and a icy smirk. "I have no reservations showing them the same courtesy."
Not looking away from his own target, the larger Autobot interjected, "He's correct about one thing, Groove - you were targeted. We need to get you back to Steelhaven. I have little doubt that my crew is assisting in the evacuation and your people need you."
"You are of course right. I'm..." the former-Protectobot stopped short when he glanced around the battleground. "They're trying to circle us."
Fortress Maximus took Groove's cue. "Hmm...Yes, it's a flanking maneuver," he answered. "They don't want us moving too far."
"What do we do?"
"We'll have to punch our way through," he confidently answered.
Being the walking armory that he is, Fortress Maximus deployed the full arsenal hidden throughout his body, along with his standard dual laser blaster and photon rifle, which he gripped in each hand. Facing the enemy, he glanced over his shoulder at Perceptor and Groove and said, "When it's clear, you two make a run for it. I will follow."
In rapid succession, the Steelhaven's captain then bombarded the encircling Imperial soldiers.
---
Bridge, Steelhaven
Cog sat at his terminal, still leeching off a stray signal from the Combaticon's channel, when a brief blip flashed on the monitor.
"So..that channel is active," Cog mused out loud. "I hope this works." He pressed a switch on the console and sent out the message he had prepared beforehand.
< This is Cog of the Steelhaven - We are currently experiencing a communications black-out - Evacuation efforts are still proceeding, but we are unable to safely launch any transports until radio is back online - Civilians casualties: 108 - Crew member casualties: 11 - Captain remains MIA - Defenses still online and operating in full capacity - Field officers available and ready to repel enemy forces - Please respond >
---
Between Xaaron Point and Downtown - Near the Governor's Office
As Perceptor and Groove sprinted along the ruined landscape, Fortress Maximus not far behind, a strafing Imperial flyer suddenly whizzed overhead and sprayed the ground as it made its pass.
"Unngh! B-be-hhhind m-me," Fortress Maximus groaned as he shielded the relatively smaller Autobots from the salvo.
"I was a Protectobot at one time," Groove protested, but still heeding the headmaster's order. "I can fight."
"Admirable," Perceptor dryly stated. "Though ultimately that would prove wasteful. Do as he instructs."
"I think you have the wrong idea..."
"Shh!" he quickly interrupted, catching the flyer turning back around from the corner of his optic. "He's going to make a second pass. Maximus, if you would be so kind as to maintain that pose while I attend to this pest."
Stepping away from the large headmaster, Perceptor once more raised his sniper rifle to its appropriate position and fired at the incoming Imperial's "cockpit". The flyer spiraled out of control, zoomed over the three Autobot's heads, and crashed several yards behind them.
"Impressive, if not a bit too aggrandizing for my tastes," Fortress Maximus said. "We gave them something to think about, but reinforcements won't be too far. We need to keep moving - and quickly."
The hulking Autobot then converted into his cruiser mode. "Can't risk flying, so I'll have to stay close to the ground," he continued. "Climb on you two."