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Harbinger recoiled as the bird head's blast shattered his face visor.
He let out a bellowing roar of anger. However, his present momentum had already enabled his claw to grasp the fiesty Transformer's left wing.
Harbinger shook his head, and the last vestiges of the Plexiglass face visor fell away. His crimson optics peered at Spitz more fully, in unmasked hatred. Harbinger raised his grappling claw so he could look at the screaming, struggling thing in front of him.
How he despised it. Every fiber of his being called out for its destruction. He raised his arm cannon and positioned it next to the Transformer.
"Renounce your treason and I will vaporize you where you struggle," he boomed, "refuse and I will crush your pathetic primitive form...slowly."
It had been so easy. Yes, he'd been damaged, but the Creator would be most pleased.
[Original RPG] New Quintessa
As Harbinger's claw closed on his left leg, the bright purple optics from Spitz flashed. The neck snapped back and he laughed, continuing to beat his wings against Harbinger's limbs, causing jet fuel to coat both of them.
"The only treason I've committed is that to which my creator intended for me, and I will renounce none. Foolish dark death bringer! You are just where I want you, and you will receive the very same that you were meant to give!"
With that, Spitz twisted and threw shredding talons towards Harbinger's clawed arm, hoping to sink them in. The metallic feather shaft tips closed and he let a second plasma burst out, but in a rather sloppy fashion. Some of it ran down his beak and throat, and instantly, the jet fuel around the Decepticon ignited from the firey substance, producing a scorching ball of flame around the bird form.
"The only treason I've committed is that to which my creator intended for me, and I will renounce none. Foolish dark death bringer! You are just where I want you, and you will receive the very same that you were meant to give!"
With that, Spitz twisted and threw shredding talons towards Harbinger's clawed arm, hoping to sink them in. The metallic feather shaft tips closed and he let a second plasma burst out, but in a rather sloppy fashion. Some of it ran down his beak and throat, and instantly, the jet fuel around the Decepticon ignited from the firey substance, producing a scorching ball of flame around the bird form.
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Harbinger cried out as the bird's talons sank into his grappling arm.
"Impudent-" but the Dark Guardian couldn't even finish his phrase; his fuel-slathed arm cannon tip and claw arm ignited in flames, and Harbinger screamed in agony.
Physical punishment? Not a problem. Excessive heat? Very much so.
Soon after, a mini-inferno lit inside the cannon arm; the internal blast generator was lit by the fire fuse, and the arm exploded in a massive swath of flame, slinging pieces of shrapnel everywhere, some of which impacted the rest of Harbinger's body.
The cannon arm was no more, instead a grisly stump with circuits and servos, which slowly burned and smoked. Harbinger ceased his wailing to look down at his (now missing) arm. Snarling, face quivering with pain, anger, and fear, he held up his burning claw arm.
"DIE!" the Dark Guardian roared, applying more pressure (muted, thanks to Spitz's talons which had cut the flow of CPU commands to the grappling motors of the pincer arm) to the aflame Decepticon.
"Impudent-" but the Dark Guardian couldn't even finish his phrase; his fuel-slathed arm cannon tip and claw arm ignited in flames, and Harbinger screamed in agony.
Physical punishment? Not a problem. Excessive heat? Very much so.
Soon after, a mini-inferno lit inside the cannon arm; the internal blast generator was lit by the fire fuse, and the arm exploded in a massive swath of flame, slinging pieces of shrapnel everywhere, some of which impacted the rest of Harbinger's body.
The cannon arm was no more, instead a grisly stump with circuits and servos, which slowly burned and smoked. Harbinger ceased his wailing to look down at his (now missing) arm. Snarling, face quivering with pain, anger, and fear, he held up his burning claw arm.
"DIE!" the Dark Guardian roared, applying more pressure (muted, thanks to Spitz's talons which had cut the flow of CPU commands to the grappling motors of the pincer arm) to the aflame Decepticon.
Shrapnel from Harbinger's exploded gun right next to him needled into every area of his right side from the blast. A shard lodged in his right optic and he lost half his vision, a large piece sank deeply into his chest. Fragments protruded from his right wing like broken feathers sticking outwards. The flames about him didn't bother Spitz because his body had been redesigned as to be immune to the fire, but being caught did. It doesn't take much to break a bird's leg, and the same almost held true for Spitz's bird form. The main control rod in the leg snapped from the added pressure and the metal rods split the gold metallic skin. Spitz let out a most horrific screech not of his own will. He struggled in intense pain, and in his mind for the briefest instant, a moment of panic slipped through as the bird's screech echoed in the Chamber. The bird form had a will and seemingly a presence of its own that he didn't understand and couldn't control. It reacted involuntarily, and this confounded him.
The bird part of him seemed to want distance from Harbinger, but he wanted to be close... to end the destructive being's existance. Either way, he knew being trapped would certainly bring his own death shortly. Caught still by the left leg, he bent his head down and severed it with the beak in three quick snaps, lifting backwards and upwards at the sudden release. "I will die someday Harbinger, but you will die today!"
The bird part of him seemed to want distance from Harbinger, but he wanted to be close... to end the destructive being's existance. Either way, he knew being trapped would certainly bring his own death shortly. Caught still by the left leg, he bent his head down and severed it with the beak in three quick snaps, lifting backwards and upwards at the sudden release. "I will die someday Harbinger, but you will die today!"
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Harbinger snarled as Spitz's leg snapped off, then looked at his grappling arm in horror.
It was melting shut around the bird's leg.
An agonizing wail bust forth from Harbinger as the grappler arm melted into an ugly amalgam of metal.
The Dark Guardian sank to his knees in utter defeat.
"Mission objective: failed. Termination: imminent. Proceed," he said sadly to Spitz. "Treasonous unit...superior. Treasonous unit...victor."
It was melting shut around the bird's leg.
An agonizing wail bust forth from Harbinger as the grappler arm melted into an ugly amalgam of metal.
The Dark Guardian sank to his knees in utter defeat.
"Mission objective: failed. Termination: imminent. Proceed," he said sadly to Spitz. "Treasonous unit...superior. Treasonous unit...victor."
"Enough of this then." Spitz said firmly but painfully as he fluttered higher up. Fluids were running out of the severed leg profusely, and he knew that he couldn't stay aloft much longer from the loss of fuel. Inside him he welled up a fierce burning sensation as he neared the ceiling within the chamber. He aimed a super-heated plasma burst at the dark guardian's neck and followed it with a razor-winged plunge, hoping to sever the large head cleanly from the neck.
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The momentum of the dive hadn't stopped when he had cut through Harbinger's neck. Spitz saw the floor coming up as he sliced through and couldn't figure out how to react. Much to his dismay, the wings snapped out and he slid along the floor to a stop. The fuel over his body had been consumed and the flames died out. Behind, he heard the last whispers of Harbinger's voice. He glanced back briefly to give a nod at the dark guardian and felt a sudden churn in his stomach. He had won, but he had had to kill in order to win, and he felt a sadness creeping over him. The sadness and remorse mingled with a growing awareness of the pain from the wounds as the thrill of battle wore off. He willed himself to transform, but nothing happened. After a few minutes of struggling he gave up as he sat in a growing pool of steaming fluid. The heat from his body died away as he sat still.
So... tired.
The head drooped and without really thinking about it, he laid it back over his shoulder and stuffed the beak down into the metallic wing as his one good optic closed.
So... tired.
The head drooped and without really thinking about it, he laid it back over his shoulder and stuffed the beak down into the metallic wing as his one good optic closed.
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"No...no...NO!" The Imperial Magistrate screamed, watching the battle between Harbinger and Spitz resolved itself...most unsatisfactorily.
Primacron, Judge Quota and Judge Delibarata were with him in his chambers.
"Impossible! How could one Transformer destroy the Dark Guardian! It's...inconceivable!" Quota gasped.
"Once again, the wonders of Quintesson technology," Primacron laughed gleefully.
"We should begin the evacuation," Delibarata grumbled. He'd only just arrived back on the planet and damnit, now they'd have to leave.
"Set them in motion," the Imperial Magistrate rasped. "Rally all remaining Shartkicon legions and the loyal Magistrates who remain on New Quintessa. We shall flee."
Quota bowed and left- he had other orders to carry out.
Judge Delibarata and the Imperial Magistrate left the Chambers quickly, heading for the hangar.
Primacron silently left the room also- he had some things to pack.
Monstrous things.
****
In the Star Chamber, the hellish battle was coming to a close.
The Alligatorcons had broken the back of the Sharkticon forces, and the carnage was glorious.
Gnaw, the Sharkticon equirry of Judge Corpus, had slain no less then ten Sharkticons before the battle was through. He stood smiling in robot mode, cleaning his tail mace next to his Master.
The Inquisitor, most of his tentacles severed, and his body beaten mercillessly by the Alligatorcons, reeled from the sight. His internal gyro unit wobbled erractically.
"How? Ours was the Just cause! Impossible!"
"Speak to us no more of Justice, hypocrite!" Judge Gavel barked. The Judge himself had inflicted many of the wounds on the Inquisitor, though at large cost to himself- the Judge was battered and broken, and had lost four out of his five faces in the battle with the Quintesson second in command.
"Get you gone from here!" Corpus rumbled.
"Yes, yes, go away!" Quorom chirped.
Judge Writ, who had thankfully been able to avoid the fighting (although Corpus and Quorom had actually entered the fray- and rather well) moved forward.
The Inquisitor shrank back, cringing.
"Inquisitor, leave this place, forever," the ancient Magistrate whispered. "You and your Master are no longer welcome. The Quintesson Dominion shall stand without his tyranny now. So it is spoken- so it is done."
Judge Gavel's Death's Head face (the only one spared the ravages of the Inquisitor's teeth and tentacles) rattled:
"You have been judged by the Quintex. Defy it, and face destruction. Now get out of here, you damned sycophant!"
The Inquisitor cowered, then waved the pathetic stumps of his tentacles at the Quintex, and the Alligatorcon legions, standing proudly with their oily prod lances.
"One day traitors...you too shall receive your sentence!"
The Inquisitor began laughing (nearly hysterically) as he fled down the hallway back towards his dread Master, the Imperial Magistrate.
And in defeat.
****
Jhartix cautiously peered into the chamber.
He took in Harbinger's shattered body with elation.
Then, he saw Spitz's in the same condition.
In a microsecond, the aged scientist was gliding over to where he lay.
"Oh, my boy," he said in anguish. "You have done it, the power of the Imperial Magistrate is broken. The Inquisitor's forces have been defeated, and even now the Court flees into exile. Please, come back to me, Spitz," the old scientist wept. "Please..."
The old unit shut down his internal gyrator and sat on the floor next to his finest creation.
Primacron, Judge Quota and Judge Delibarata were with him in his chambers.
"Impossible! How could one Transformer destroy the Dark Guardian! It's...inconceivable!" Quota gasped.
"Once again, the wonders of Quintesson technology," Primacron laughed gleefully.
"We should begin the evacuation," Delibarata grumbled. He'd only just arrived back on the planet and damnit, now they'd have to leave.
"Set them in motion," the Imperial Magistrate rasped. "Rally all remaining Shartkicon legions and the loyal Magistrates who remain on New Quintessa. We shall flee."
Quota bowed and left- he had other orders to carry out.
Judge Delibarata and the Imperial Magistrate left the Chambers quickly, heading for the hangar.
Primacron silently left the room also- he had some things to pack.
Monstrous things.
****
In the Star Chamber, the hellish battle was coming to a close.
The Alligatorcons had broken the back of the Sharkticon forces, and the carnage was glorious.
Gnaw, the Sharkticon equirry of Judge Corpus, had slain no less then ten Sharkticons before the battle was through. He stood smiling in robot mode, cleaning his tail mace next to his Master.
The Inquisitor, most of his tentacles severed, and his body beaten mercillessly by the Alligatorcons, reeled from the sight. His internal gyro unit wobbled erractically.
"How? Ours was the Just cause! Impossible!"
"Speak to us no more of Justice, hypocrite!" Judge Gavel barked. The Judge himself had inflicted many of the wounds on the Inquisitor, though at large cost to himself- the Judge was battered and broken, and had lost four out of his five faces in the battle with the Quintesson second in command.
"Get you gone from here!" Corpus rumbled.
"Yes, yes, go away!" Quorom chirped.
Judge Writ, who had thankfully been able to avoid the fighting (although Corpus and Quorom had actually entered the fray- and rather well) moved forward.
The Inquisitor shrank back, cringing.
"Inquisitor, leave this place, forever," the ancient Magistrate whispered. "You and your Master are no longer welcome. The Quintesson Dominion shall stand without his tyranny now. So it is spoken- so it is done."
Judge Gavel's Death's Head face (the only one spared the ravages of the Inquisitor's teeth and tentacles) rattled:
"You have been judged by the Quintex. Defy it, and face destruction. Now get out of here, you damned sycophant!"
The Inquisitor cowered, then waved the pathetic stumps of his tentacles at the Quintex, and the Alligatorcon legions, standing proudly with their oily prod lances.
"One day traitors...you too shall receive your sentence!"
The Inquisitor began laughing (nearly hysterically) as he fled down the hallway back towards his dread Master, the Imperial Magistrate.
And in defeat.
****
Jhartix cautiously peered into the chamber.
He took in Harbinger's shattered body with elation.
Then, he saw Spitz's in the same condition.
In a microsecond, the aged scientist was gliding over to where he lay.
"Oh, my boy," he said in anguish. "You have done it, the power of the Imperial Magistrate is broken. The Inquisitor's forces have been defeated, and even now the Court flees into exile. Please, come back to me, Spitz," the old scientist wept. "Please..."
The old unit shut down his internal gyrator and sat on the floor next to his finest creation.
Flames... flashes of intense white and flickers of red and yellow... colors blended with screams and the images of transformers being melted into slurry and scrap rambled in Spitz's subconscious as the Decepticon tried to rest and conserve energy. Then came the faces into his mind... dark, dread faces and long tentacles, and the face of death. An interlude of time spent in the quiet of the science lab occurred, but gave way to a frantic chase followed by energon chains, whip cracks and the torment of mechanoids of all shapes and forms... the smell of melting metal and finally, the whips turned to talons and a sharp beak. They were ready to reach and claw at the faces, when suddenly... his conscious awoke and he realized that it was Jhartix next to him.
For a moment, he struggled with the incredible urge to snap at the Quintesson, then forcefully quelled it, pulling his head up and bringing it down to the old scientist's level. He had gained a bit of his energy back from the rest, but he still felt drained. Jhartix's gentler nature had trapped Spitz more solidly in friendship than any chains possibly could have, and for the first time, he recognized the type of control Jhartix had over him and didn't resent it. The Autobot base of his programming reacted to the kindly scientist's emotions and accepted them.
"Don't weep for me my friend. I won't... will try not to... leave you yet, Jhartix, if you wish it. But Jhartix, you may be better off for that to happen. Your future is secured. If this body was not so battered, I would be dangerous to you like this.
I can't control this form well yet, and am damaged now. I cannot walk and I don't believe I can transform, but if you ask something of me, I will try."
For a moment, he struggled with the incredible urge to snap at the Quintesson, then forcefully quelled it, pulling his head up and bringing it down to the old scientist's level. He had gained a bit of his energy back from the rest, but he still felt drained. Jhartix's gentler nature had trapped Spitz more solidly in friendship than any chains possibly could have, and for the first time, he recognized the type of control Jhartix had over him and didn't resent it. The Autobot base of his programming reacted to the kindly scientist's emotions and accepted them.
"Don't weep for me my friend. I won't... will try not to... leave you yet, Jhartix, if you wish it. But Jhartix, you may be better off for that to happen. Your future is secured. If this body was not so battered, I would be dangerous to you like this.
I can't control this form well yet, and am damaged now. I cannot walk and I don't believe I can transform, but if you ask something of me, I will try."
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Jhartix wept then- but tears of joy instead of sorrow.
"Oh my boy," he said again, praising the Great Creator of the Infinite.
"You won't need to do anything, Mechanoid," Judge Gavel said gruffly, gliding into the room with the rest of the Quintex, Gnaw, and the remaining Alligatorcon legions- many of whom carried Sharkticon heads as trophies.
The Quintex clustered around Jhartix and Spitz.
"Spitz is the savior of the Quintesson Dominion," Judge Writ said softly, smiling at the Transformer.
"We could not have defeated the Dark Guardian, no," Judge Corpus nodded.
"No, no, we couldn't," Judge Quorom echoed.
Jhartix rose unsteadily, re-activating his gyro.
"Most Honorable Judges-"
"Stop with that nonsense," Gavel broke in, snorting. "As far as I'm concerned, you're one of us now. We do have an opening on the Quintex, now that that traitor Delibarata's left us," the battered Warrior Judge said matter-of-factly.
His Death's Head face broke into a wide smile- eerie, but pleasant at the same time.
"You don't have to decide instantly," Corpus replied, chuckling, "but the offer's open. How I could use a nice flagon right now..."
"You and me both," Quorom nodded.
"But- I couldn't-" Jhartix stammered.
"Oh, Writ, just swear him in before I regret this decision," Gavel laughed merrily.
"I, Writ, Judge of the Most High and Honorable Court of Star Chamber, Magistrate Emeritus of New Quintessa, do hereby confer upon you, Jhartix, the title Doctor of Jurisprudence for Life." Writ bowed solemnly, as per the custom.
"Thank you," Jhartix said, moved. He'd speak to the Quintex members about what exactly he was required to do- he was no unit of the law. He looked down at Spitz. "Spitz needs treatment. I myself will rebuild him, even better than before."
"He deserves no less," Gavel thundered, "the savior of the Quintesson Dominion needs not explain himself. Corpus, have that servant of yours-"
"Gnaw have name! Name is Gnaw!" Gnaw said, piping up.
"-pick up the Mechanoid and take it to Jhartix's lab, so he can do his work." Gavel chuckled. Such a lovable dolt, Gnaw.
Corpus nodded.
"Get to it," he said. He really needed that flagon.
Gnaw easily scooped up Spitz in his robot mode. His childlike face broke into a smile.
"Gnaw carry you to Lab," the Sharkticon said happily, then set off, Jhartix in tow.
"Just rest now, Spitz. Soon, you will be repaired..." as the three units left the battle site, the Alligatorcons began to chant, thrusting their prod lances into the air:
"Spitz, Spitz, Spitz..."
"Oh my boy," he said again, praising the Great Creator of the Infinite.
"You won't need to do anything, Mechanoid," Judge Gavel said gruffly, gliding into the room with the rest of the Quintex, Gnaw, and the remaining Alligatorcon legions- many of whom carried Sharkticon heads as trophies.
The Quintex clustered around Jhartix and Spitz.
"Spitz is the savior of the Quintesson Dominion," Judge Writ said softly, smiling at the Transformer.
"We could not have defeated the Dark Guardian, no," Judge Corpus nodded.
"No, no, we couldn't," Judge Quorom echoed.
Jhartix rose unsteadily, re-activating his gyro.
"Most Honorable Judges-"
"Stop with that nonsense," Gavel broke in, snorting. "As far as I'm concerned, you're one of us now. We do have an opening on the Quintex, now that that traitor Delibarata's left us," the battered Warrior Judge said matter-of-factly.
His Death's Head face broke into a wide smile- eerie, but pleasant at the same time.
"You don't have to decide instantly," Corpus replied, chuckling, "but the offer's open. How I could use a nice flagon right now..."
"You and me both," Quorom nodded.
"But- I couldn't-" Jhartix stammered.
"Oh, Writ, just swear him in before I regret this decision," Gavel laughed merrily.
"I, Writ, Judge of the Most High and Honorable Court of Star Chamber, Magistrate Emeritus of New Quintessa, do hereby confer upon you, Jhartix, the title Doctor of Jurisprudence for Life." Writ bowed solemnly, as per the custom.
"Thank you," Jhartix said, moved. He'd speak to the Quintex members about what exactly he was required to do- he was no unit of the law. He looked down at Spitz. "Spitz needs treatment. I myself will rebuild him, even better than before."
"He deserves no less," Gavel thundered, "the savior of the Quintesson Dominion needs not explain himself. Corpus, have that servant of yours-"
"Gnaw have name! Name is Gnaw!" Gnaw said, piping up.
"-pick up the Mechanoid and take it to Jhartix's lab, so he can do his work." Gavel chuckled. Such a lovable dolt, Gnaw.
Corpus nodded.
"Get to it," he said. He really needed that flagon.
Gnaw easily scooped up Spitz in his robot mode. His childlike face broke into a smile.
"Gnaw carry you to Lab," the Sharkticon said happily, then set off, Jhartix in tow.
"Just rest now, Spitz. Soon, you will be repaired..." as the three units left the battle site, the Alligatorcons began to chant, thrusting their prod lances into the air:
"Spitz, Spitz, Spitz..."
"Rest?" Spitz murmured to Jhartix groggily with a mix of a smirk and a touch of amused sarcasm. "How could anyone rest like this? No offense Gnaw, but this is so... so....undignified for a warrior."
Spitz paused and then went into an exhausted ramble.
"Besides, those other teethy guys are making too much noise with their chanting. Not a good strategy to make so much noise ya know. No creature should have that many teeth- even if it does make for one heckuva sneer. Wonder what the other Decepticons would say if you were back in the unit, Gnaw... Rusty optic sockets-- that leg hurts! And I'm making too much noise now." Spitz blinked as a bit of reality struck him, then looked back and forth between Gnaw and Jhartix trying to process everything.
Spitz paused and then went into an exhausted ramble.
"Besides, those other teethy guys are making too much noise with their chanting. Not a good strategy to make so much noise ya know. No creature should have that many teeth- even if it does make for one heckuva sneer. Wonder what the other Decepticons would say if you were back in the unit, Gnaw... Rusty optic sockets-- that leg hurts! And I'm making too much noise now." Spitz blinked as a bit of reality struck him, then looked back and forth between Gnaw and Jhartix trying to process everything.
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Jhartix laughed softly.
"You still have your sense of humor," he chuckled.
Gnaw puzzled over what Spitz had said.
"Sorry," he said. "Gnaw does what Gnaw told to do. Would you like Gnaw to dro-"
"No, no," Jhartix tittered. "Keep carrying him, Gnaw, it's quite all right."
"Okay," the Sharkticon smiled again and resumed walking. "Teethy guys- you mean Allagatorcons. They very good fighters."
'Back in the unit' didn't make sense to Gnaw, so he didn't answer. He just smiled. This robot sure talked a lot!
"You're reacting perfectly normally, my boy," Jhartix said as he reached the lab doorway. Speaking the access code, he and Gnaw entered the room. Gnaw deposited Spitz on an operating table.
"Now then, tell me what needs fixing," the old scientist said.
Gnaw helped himself to some Energon drinks, happily swigging away and from time to time hiccuping from a stool in the corner.
"Nifty!" Gnaw said.
****
Chaos reigned elsewhere on New Quintessa. Hundreds of loyal Magistrates fled, while hundreds still, the so-called Quintex Reformist faction, fled from the Oligarchy's Sharkticons.
The hangars were madhouses, as Sharkticons and Quintesson Magistrates, scientists, and technicians fled. With the defeat of the Imperial Magistrate (temporarily, they reasoned) the Reformers would not deal with the fanatical loyalists kindly.
Some ships already left the atmosphere, and flew off in the direction of the approaching Dark Guardian Convoy in bound from the heavily loyal foundry world of Productus.
****
"Your Excellency, we must flee," the grizzled, weatherbeaten Executioner hissed, clacking his claws. Claws that had thrown the drop switch which had sent thousands of units to their grisly deaths.
"I can't believe I've been so defeated!" the Quintesson leader raged, Death's Head shaking with fury. "Beaten by a Transformer! And those Quintex fools!"
"Traitors, Excellency, nothing more," Judge Delibarata added tiredly. All he'd done was retreat. Depressing.
The Inquisitor appeared, raving.
"I nearly killed Gavel! My force was Just- yet we lost! Impossible!" he screamed. The stumps of his tentacles waved madly.
"You've failed me, Inquisitor!" The Quintesson leader thundered.
Delibarata and the Executioner looked on impassively.
"It was not my fault! Not my fault!" he babbled, howling in pain and humiliation. "It was that damned Transformer! He is the one to blame!"
"Yes, well," the Imperial Magistrate wheezed, "for now, we will retreat. We will wait, in Deep Space with the Dark Guardian convoy...and then, we will strike."
Judge Quota appeared on the gangway.
"Most excellent sirs, we must leave!"
The Quintesson elite raced up the gangplank of the massive Spiral Flagship. After a few moments, its engines activated, and the huge thing lifted off the surface of New Quintessa. The smaller Spiral Ships filled to capacity with the Magistrates and other minions, along with the Sharkticon legions followed behind, streaking toward the still far away convoy.
It was an ominous, twirling sight.
As the Imperial Magistrate turned and peered out the main window of the craft from his chair he screamed-
"I pass judgment on you all! Innocent! Innocent! INNOCENT!"
****
Within the bowels of the main Lab, a small simian organic creature was nattering about, retrieving odds and ends as the Quintesson Dominion home world collapsed into anarchy and change.
The kind of bric-a-brac which could obliterate a robotic race.
"Fools! If only I'd been given more time! Yes, I could have chased that robot off with my Creations! I am the Creator, they are the Created! That is how things should be!" Primacron shook his tiny fists, then grasped a tiny control box.
"My wonderful Techno-Organics. I have yet to activate you. But when I do...ehhehehheh!" Primacron pocketed the switch in his robes.
Next he grabbed a large test tube rack, which housed beakers which sloshed with fluid.
"My perfect Hate Plague. Whom the Gods destroy- they first make mad! Ah hah! Hah hah hah!" Primacron giggled.
Finally, he raced to a large vaccuum tube. With his free hand, he activated a side control panel, and the small creature inside was sucked out of the vaccuum tube into a vacuum holding box. Primacron unhooked the box.
"My precious," he crooned, peering at the opaque box. "Prepare for the Wrath of Tornitron, Mark II, mechanized fiends! I, Primacron, will destroy the Transformers race! With the Quintessons, I will rule the Universe!"
Nearly screeching with laughter, Primacron fled his lab, his Sharkticons assistants taking every diagram, model, and whatever else they could find.
A few minutes later, his Spiral Ship also lifted off en route to the convoy.
Primacron, settled in his chair, steepled his fingers. His assistants put away his horrific projects in a storage unit on the ship, bowed, then left to their own quarters.
Primacron gazed at the departing planetoid of New Quintessa.
"Very soon, Grimlock, I will have my revenge...sweet, sweet revenge...on all the Primatives! Prepare to hear MY call! Primacron, the Magnificent! Primacron, the Genius! Primacron, Primacron, Primacron!" Primacron burst into hysterical laughter, a chant of the mad.
"You still have your sense of humor," he chuckled.
Gnaw puzzled over what Spitz had said.
"Sorry," he said. "Gnaw does what Gnaw told to do. Would you like Gnaw to dro-"
"No, no," Jhartix tittered. "Keep carrying him, Gnaw, it's quite all right."
"Okay," the Sharkticon smiled again and resumed walking. "Teethy guys- you mean Allagatorcons. They very good fighters."
'Back in the unit' didn't make sense to Gnaw, so he didn't answer. He just smiled. This robot sure talked a lot!
"You're reacting perfectly normally, my boy," Jhartix said as he reached the lab doorway. Speaking the access code, he and Gnaw entered the room. Gnaw deposited Spitz on an operating table.
"Now then, tell me what needs fixing," the old scientist said.
Gnaw helped himself to some Energon drinks, happily swigging away and from time to time hiccuping from a stool in the corner.
"Nifty!" Gnaw said.
****
Chaos reigned elsewhere on New Quintessa. Hundreds of loyal Magistrates fled, while hundreds still, the so-called Quintex Reformist faction, fled from the Oligarchy's Sharkticons.
The hangars were madhouses, as Sharkticons and Quintesson Magistrates, scientists, and technicians fled. With the defeat of the Imperial Magistrate (temporarily, they reasoned) the Reformers would not deal with the fanatical loyalists kindly.
Some ships already left the atmosphere, and flew off in the direction of the approaching Dark Guardian Convoy in bound from the heavily loyal foundry world of Productus.
****
"Your Excellency, we must flee," the grizzled, weatherbeaten Executioner hissed, clacking his claws. Claws that had thrown the drop switch which had sent thousands of units to their grisly deaths.
"I can't believe I've been so defeated!" the Quintesson leader raged, Death's Head shaking with fury. "Beaten by a Transformer! And those Quintex fools!"
"Traitors, Excellency, nothing more," Judge Delibarata added tiredly. All he'd done was retreat. Depressing.
The Inquisitor appeared, raving.
"I nearly killed Gavel! My force was Just- yet we lost! Impossible!" he screamed. The stumps of his tentacles waved madly.
"You've failed me, Inquisitor!" The Quintesson leader thundered.
Delibarata and the Executioner looked on impassively.
"It was not my fault! Not my fault!" he babbled, howling in pain and humiliation. "It was that damned Transformer! He is the one to blame!"
"Yes, well," the Imperial Magistrate wheezed, "for now, we will retreat. We will wait, in Deep Space with the Dark Guardian convoy...and then, we will strike."
Judge Quota appeared on the gangway.
"Most excellent sirs, we must leave!"
The Quintesson elite raced up the gangplank of the massive Spiral Flagship. After a few moments, its engines activated, and the huge thing lifted off the surface of New Quintessa. The smaller Spiral Ships filled to capacity with the Magistrates and other minions, along with the Sharkticon legions followed behind, streaking toward the still far away convoy.
It was an ominous, twirling sight.
As the Imperial Magistrate turned and peered out the main window of the craft from his chair he screamed-
"I pass judgment on you all! Innocent! Innocent! INNOCENT!"
****
Within the bowels of the main Lab, a small simian organic creature was nattering about, retrieving odds and ends as the Quintesson Dominion home world collapsed into anarchy and change.
The kind of bric-a-brac which could obliterate a robotic race.
"Fools! If only I'd been given more time! Yes, I could have chased that robot off with my Creations! I am the Creator, they are the Created! That is how things should be!" Primacron shook his tiny fists, then grasped a tiny control box.
"My wonderful Techno-Organics. I have yet to activate you. But when I do...ehhehehheh!" Primacron pocketed the switch in his robes.
Next he grabbed a large test tube rack, which housed beakers which sloshed with fluid.
"My perfect Hate Plague. Whom the Gods destroy- they first make mad! Ah hah! Hah hah hah!" Primacron giggled.
Finally, he raced to a large vaccuum tube. With his free hand, he activated a side control panel, and the small creature inside was sucked out of the vaccuum tube into a vacuum holding box. Primacron unhooked the box.
"My precious," he crooned, peering at the opaque box. "Prepare for the Wrath of Tornitron, Mark II, mechanized fiends! I, Primacron, will destroy the Transformers race! With the Quintessons, I will rule the Universe!"
Nearly screeching with laughter, Primacron fled his lab, his Sharkticons assistants taking every diagram, model, and whatever else they could find.
A few minutes later, his Spiral Ship also lifted off en route to the convoy.
Primacron, settled in his chair, steepled his fingers. His assistants put away his horrific projects in a storage unit on the ship, bowed, then left to their own quarters.
Primacron gazed at the departing planetoid of New Quintessa.
"Very soon, Grimlock, I will have my revenge...sweet, sweet revenge...on all the Primatives! Prepare to hear MY call! Primacron, the Magnificent! Primacron, the Genius! Primacron, Primacron, Primacron!" Primacron burst into hysterical laughter, a chant of the mad.
"A sense of humor? Yes... I still do have that, and a few others too unfortunately." Spitz said with a wince to Jhartix as they entered the lab and Gnaw set him down.
"Thanks Gnaw." Spitz mumbled as the sharkticon set him down. "You're not half bad for a ball of teeth with a mace for a tail."
Leaning back, he listened to Jhartix and began running system diagnostics and relaying the information back to the old scientist.
His energy was nearly gone by the time he finished.
"Jhartix, make sure Writ and the others are okay, huh? I cannot stay actively online much longer."
"Thanks Gnaw." Spitz mumbled as the sharkticon set him down. "You're not half bad for a ball of teeth with a mace for a tail."
Leaning back, he listened to Jhartix and began running system diagnostics and relaying the information back to the old scientist.
His energy was nearly gone by the time he finished.
"Jhartix, make sure Writ and the others are okay, huh? I cannot stay actively online much longer."
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Gnaw smiled.
"Thanks!" he said brightly to Spitz's compliment, then went back to finishing off his drink.
"Yes, yes, of course. But don't worry- Judge Gavel's Allagatorcon Brigades are swarming everywhere...everything will be fine..." Jhartix replied soothingly, as a set of wielding tools and surgical implements descended from their station up above and activated, beginning to repair the damaged triple changer.
"Thanks!" he said brightly to Spitz's compliment, then went back to finishing off his drink.
"Yes, yes, of course. But don't worry- Judge Gavel's Allagatorcon Brigades are swarming everywhere...everything will be fine..." Jhartix replied soothingly, as a set of wielding tools and surgical implements descended from their station up above and activated, beginning to repair the damaged triple changer.
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"No," Judge Writ said, dominant face ancient and frail.
He was watching the Imperial Magistrate's old Viewtrex screen of Cybertron.
The other Quintex members were behind him, silent.
"The maniac's done it," Judge Gavel roared. "He's invaded Cybertron!"
"Yes," Judge Quorom croaked.
"Look- look at the slaughter!" Judge Corpus hiccupped. "The Dark Guardians are being used to slaughter civilians! And look- the Sharkticons have devoured entire cities!"
"And he's re-awakened the Techno-Organics," Gavel hissed.
"That's not possible," Writ said weakly. "All of them were destroyed by the Transformers not to long ago."
"You mean- someone has re-built them?" Corpus asked, aghast. "That's madness! Hardly anyone can control them!"
"Madness!" Quorom echoed, shivering.
"The Imperial Magistrate means to conquer Cybertron once and for all- look, some of the mechnoids' craft are leaving Cybertron," Gavel said wearily, the Quintex members watched the exodus unfold.
"Where will they go?" Quorom asked.
"To the Sol System," Writ replied, head bowed. "The humans are allies of both factions."
"The war will continue, then," Corpus said sadly. "Both faction leaders will not compromise, even as the Imperial Magistrate has seized Cybertron."
"Probably," Gavel said roughly. "But that isn't our concern. Not yet. Soon, it will be. Soon, my Brethren."
Silence fell on the Chamber as the Quintex watched the evacuation and Quintesson counter-moves.
****
"Ah, I've found it!" Jhartix said, peering through a pair of magnification lenses. His hollow optic holes didn't perceive movement as well as they used to.
"Found what?" Gnaw asked, trundling over, still in robot mode. His guileless face smiled, looking down at the operating table.
"Spitz's mode linkups, Gnaw," Jhartix replied kindly. "With this re-established..." Spitz's chest was open, and a pair of forceps, a scalpel, a welding saw and other implements were operated via robot panel near the center of the Triple Changer's CPU, where the repairs were taking place.
"What that mean?" Gnaw asked, frowning not unlike a Dinobot.
"Just a moment-" Jhartix said, and waited until the tools flipped back up at the remote operating panel. The linkup center was totally repaired, and enhanced. Spitz's torn wings were re-crafted, and missing limbs from the battle with the Dark Guardian Harbinger were replaced.
Gnaw watched, fascinated. Spitz now seemed aglow with his new finish, and strengthened frame. He looked sleeker, more deadly. And yet, still noble.
"Now, Spitz will have complete mastery of his avian alternate mode- his jet fighter mode was always less of a challenge," Jhartix said, lifting his optic holes away form the magnifyers, and smiling at Gnaw. "He is a true Triple Changer now. The first. And the strongest. I have re-installed his detection sensors, reaction algorithims, reinforced his pistons and shocks. He can whitstand greater pressure, and exert more damage on enemies..."
Gnaw shivered slightly.
"And bird mode- that be stronger also?"
"Yes," Jhartix said, gyro gliding over to look at Spitz on the clean table. "The flight span of the avian mode is maximized...talons razor-sharp, and the beak doubly reinforced for penetrating and shattering armor. Also, the avian head has limited pyrotechnic ability. And his natural flight ability is compensated...his jet mode required few alterations. It is already formidable."
"But- Spitz still be nice?" Gnaw asked timidly.
"Oh yes, I did not change Spitz's personality component," Jhartix said quickly. "He will behave exactly the same, the perfect fusion of Autobot and Decepticon, with both advantages and none of the inherent weaknesses of each model."
"Oh," Gnaw said brightly, waving a hand in Spitz's face. "You wake him up now?"
"Yes," Jhartix said, verbally activating a robot arm which found Spitz's main power switch, and pressed it, raising back up into the ceiling.
The two waited for Spitz to re-activate.
He was watching the Imperial Magistrate's old Viewtrex screen of Cybertron.
The other Quintex members were behind him, silent.
"The maniac's done it," Judge Gavel roared. "He's invaded Cybertron!"
"Yes," Judge Quorom croaked.
"Look- look at the slaughter!" Judge Corpus hiccupped. "The Dark Guardians are being used to slaughter civilians! And look- the Sharkticons have devoured entire cities!"
"And he's re-awakened the Techno-Organics," Gavel hissed.
"That's not possible," Writ said weakly. "All of them were destroyed by the Transformers not to long ago."
"You mean- someone has re-built them?" Corpus asked, aghast. "That's madness! Hardly anyone can control them!"
"Madness!" Quorom echoed, shivering.
"The Imperial Magistrate means to conquer Cybertron once and for all- look, some of the mechnoids' craft are leaving Cybertron," Gavel said wearily, the Quintex members watched the exodus unfold.
"Where will they go?" Quorom asked.
"To the Sol System," Writ replied, head bowed. "The humans are allies of both factions."
"The war will continue, then," Corpus said sadly. "Both faction leaders will not compromise, even as the Imperial Magistrate has seized Cybertron."
"Probably," Gavel said roughly. "But that isn't our concern. Not yet. Soon, it will be. Soon, my Brethren."
Silence fell on the Chamber as the Quintex watched the evacuation and Quintesson counter-moves.
****
"Ah, I've found it!" Jhartix said, peering through a pair of magnification lenses. His hollow optic holes didn't perceive movement as well as they used to.
"Found what?" Gnaw asked, trundling over, still in robot mode. His guileless face smiled, looking down at the operating table.
"Spitz's mode linkups, Gnaw," Jhartix replied kindly. "With this re-established..." Spitz's chest was open, and a pair of forceps, a scalpel, a welding saw and other implements were operated via robot panel near the center of the Triple Changer's CPU, where the repairs were taking place.
"What that mean?" Gnaw asked, frowning not unlike a Dinobot.
"Just a moment-" Jhartix said, and waited until the tools flipped back up at the remote operating panel. The linkup center was totally repaired, and enhanced. Spitz's torn wings were re-crafted, and missing limbs from the battle with the Dark Guardian Harbinger were replaced.
Gnaw watched, fascinated. Spitz now seemed aglow with his new finish, and strengthened frame. He looked sleeker, more deadly. And yet, still noble.
"Now, Spitz will have complete mastery of his avian alternate mode- his jet fighter mode was always less of a challenge," Jhartix said, lifting his optic holes away form the magnifyers, and smiling at Gnaw. "He is a true Triple Changer now. The first. And the strongest. I have re-installed his detection sensors, reaction algorithims, reinforced his pistons and shocks. He can whitstand greater pressure, and exert more damage on enemies..."
Gnaw shivered slightly.
"And bird mode- that be stronger also?"
"Yes," Jhartix said, gyro gliding over to look at Spitz on the clean table. "The flight span of the avian mode is maximized...talons razor-sharp, and the beak doubly reinforced for penetrating and shattering armor. Also, the avian head has limited pyrotechnic ability. And his natural flight ability is compensated...his jet mode required few alterations. It is already formidable."
"But- Spitz still be nice?" Gnaw asked timidly.
"Oh yes, I did not change Spitz's personality component," Jhartix said quickly. "He will behave exactly the same, the perfect fusion of Autobot and Decepticon, with both advantages and none of the inherent weaknesses of each model."
"Oh," Gnaw said brightly, waving a hand in Spitz's face. "You wake him up now?"
"Yes," Jhartix said, verbally activating a robot arm which found Spitz's main power switch, and pressed it, raising back up into the ceiling.
The two waited for Spitz to re-activate.
Spitz came online suddenly and without any warning. He had been soundly out, and when the connections were made, his awareness kicked in instantly. The purple optics opened and he sat upright, arms coming up to a dafensive position. It was then he remembered. The arms lowered slowly and he blinked, then smiled a bit. The pain was gone, something felt different, but he felt- like himself again.
He looked to the figures standing nearby and smiled.
"Jhartix, Gnaw. I feel - better. How long have I been out?"
He looked to the figures standing nearby and smiled.
"Jhartix, Gnaw. I feel - better. How long have I been out?"
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"How could I mind?" Spitz laughed. Just a few hours? Geesh- I forgot how fast he is with adjustments. But these weren't just small repairs.
Spitz got a puzzled look as he eased himself up off the table. My mind is clear- there's no thought echo anymore. New weapons- should run a system diagnostic...
"Jhartix, what... did you do? I'm- in one piece again."
The Quintesson scientist had impressed him again. Spitz looked at his old friend with a renewed appreciation and a well-concealed sense of awe.
Spitz got a puzzled look as he eased himself up off the table. My mind is clear- there's no thought echo anymore. New weapons- should run a system diagnostic...
"Jhartix, what... did you do? I'm- in one piece again."
The Quintesson scientist had impressed him again. Spitz looked at his old friend with a renewed appreciation and a well-concealed sense of awe.
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"I," Jhartix cleared his intake valve, "erm, reconnected a few power couplings. You will find that...all of your modes should be working in perfect order."
The scientist tried to hide his pride.
"Yeah- Jhartix fix bird mode for Spitz!" Gnaw said, grinning hugely.
Jhartix stifled a groan, and smiled weakly. So much for subtlety.
The scientist tried to hide his pride.
"Yeah- Jhartix fix bird mode for Spitz!" Gnaw said, grinning hugely.
Jhartix stifled a groan, and smiled weakly. So much for subtlety.