[Original RPG] Divided Loyalties - C3 : The First Strike (Rodimus Convoy)

Reflector · Post by **Reflector** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 10:17 pm

"Who's that?" Scattershot ejected.

"I dunno," Strafe replied. "But I don't like the look of him. Bet he's one of Prime's new secret weapons. Permission to take him out, sir?"

"Permission deni-- Strafe!"

Too late. Strafe had already broken formation, and the bulky tub of a ship Scattershot was in no condition to pursue. He grunted and briefly tipped his wings in the opposite direction, signaling the other flyers to stick to the predetermined flight path.

"Come in, Rodimus," Scattershot called internally. "Problems already. Strafe's off to attack that Zoos fella. He may require ground support shortly. The rest of us are sticking to the plan. Standing by."

As quickly as a starcruiser working within an atmosphere might, Scattershot dipped his left wing and dove toward the ground. His electron pulse cannon opened fire on the ground below, pocking the outer walls of an artillery cannon, and as he pulled up, the roof of a bunker. Narrowly avoiding contact with the ground, he swooped up and began banking around to his next target; his rear scanners hoped to catch the Aerialbots scoring two points.

********

"I've gotcha now, you oversized garbage can!"

Strafe dropped his nose, bringing his form (relatively) screeching down on Zeus. He fired two pairs of laser bursts from his dual nose cannons, and pulled around to make another pass.

********

Meanwhile, outside the gates...

If this were the specific moment Primus decided to reallocate names by merit to every one of his children, Lightspeed and Slow Poke likely would have switched. But then, it's not easy to meet your potential when a tank is your walking partner...

"Can I ask you an honest question, Nosecone?"

The driller didn't seem to register being spoken to for a few moments, but when he did, he replied with an interested coo.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing? Something about this feels wrong... Stealing supplies from other Autobots just doesn't sit well with me, I guess."

"What do you mean, Lightspeed?" Nosecone drawled. "Rodimus is our leader, and he's decided that this is necessary. Besides, don't you remember the attack outside Iacon?"

"It doesn't matter!" Lightspeed shouted. "We should still have our ethics, shouldn't we? Autobots do not steal, especially not from one another!"

Nosecone hummed a single, drawn out note as he pondered Lightspeed's philosophy. However, he soon cut himself short as they drew upon the gates.

"Hup. Work to do."

Nosecone continued on toward the gate, fired a missile to open up a starting point, and immediately dug his drill in. It wasn't thick; wouldn't take more than a minute. Behind, Lightspeed transformed with a sigh. He pulled his blaster, flipped a switch, and dutifully opened fire on a pole supporting one of the two guard towers flanking the gate.

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 10:39 pm

"Scrap it all to the Pit!" The depot administrator slammed his clipboard down on his work desk. "Understaffed and underappreicated! My workers need time off, and we need more storage space!"

Another robot, a floor supervisor, scampered up.

"All ready for ya, boss. Just finished loading a new shipment in the main area. Then the graveyard shift can leave."

"Hey! Hey!" One of the energy loaders was craning his neck to see in the distance. "We got visitors, sir!"

"What's he yammering about?" the administrator sat back in his semi-plush chair, hands over his face. Everybody was keen for a wartime economy, until people didn't want to cut back once war happened.

Zeus' arrival caused the loader workers to pause; some pointed at Rodimus' approaching troops. The few floor supervisors tried to give orders, but no go.

"We're under a-" and suddenly the energy loader who first sighted Convoy's troops didn't have an upper torso, smoothly cauterized by Zeus' laser rifle. The loader's body clattered to the floor. Other loaders started screaming and running pell-mell as Zeus' other pistol shots fired about the building, some were hit falling dead where they lay, most escaped.

****

At the main gate, the two loaders in charge of sentry duty exchanged glances, shrugged, and ran as Rodimus and company charged (or flew) forward towards the depot.

"We shoulda done somethin'!"

"Like what? Gotten melted like that lookout? Sorry, but suicide isn't in my union contract!"

It didn't matter, because the two were crushed when the destroyed tower fell on top of them with a remorseless crunch.

****

In his office, the administrator was starting to sweat. His workers were dying around him, the outside of the depot-and the building itself- was looking like a warzone, and the main force hadn't even arrived yet.

"Close the blast doors," he whispered.

The floor supervisor nodded, ran to an access panel, and in moments large blast doors had shut over the main doors of the depot.

"This won't hold, boss," the supervisor looked over at his haggard superior. "They got combiners out there!"

"No, it won't," and the administrator removed from his desk a riot baton, "but at least it won't be too easy for them. Damn the Decepticons! Damn them to the Pit! How many workers are left inside?"

"Three," the supervisor replied.

"Get 'em riot batons and shields. I won't surrender this facility, not to Decepticons!"

"Don't think the're Decepticons," the supervisor retireved the gear and distributed it to the three panicked loaders, "think the're Autobots!"

"We haven't had a working radio for years! Damn cutbacks! We're isolated, Optimus Prime's forces won't even be able to get here in time!" The administrator walked toward the front of the facility and stood riot baton in hand. "We go down swingin'!"

"You heard him boys, soon as they come in, you let 'em have it!" The supervisor stood next to the administrator and wielded a large crowbar.

The hopeless vigil began.

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 10:56 pm

Rodimus growled.
"That stupid oversized crazy idiot's going to kill the civillians inside. Aerialbots, stop him!"

He carried on driving, passing through the gates as the right tower collapsed. Grimlock, Lightspeed, Nosecone, with me. Scattershot, help us get these blast doors open."

Rodimus transformed into robot mode, leaping forwards as he adjusted to the rapid deacceleration, then opened fire on the swiftly closing blast doors.

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 11:08 pm

Rodimus' shots hit the blast doors with a thud; the power dented the doors mightily, but they continued to close.

Inside, the three workers tried to close ranks in front of the two depot officials, but they could see Rodimus firing at the doors only a few feet in front of them, and their courage was at the breaking point.

"Holy Matrix, creation of Primus..." the first whispered,

"...forgive us our programming errors..." the second continued,

"...now and at the hour of our deactivation." the third finished the incantation.

"Great Maximus," the supervisor intoned reverently.

The administrator was not a spiritual construct, but he recognized the unit's hope in the face of overwhelming fear. "Steady now," he barked, "steady."

****

Outside the depot, the wounded loaders were trying to flee- many were horribly mangled by the pistol/rifle fire, and the building shards impacting the ground from Rodimus' fire.

"Damn murderers!" one screamed, who was missing most of the left side of his face. "Death squad! You aren't soldiers!"

"They aren't Autobots! Can't be! It's a Decepticon trick!" another, missing both his legs, and sitting in a pool of mechanical fluid, wailed in terror.

And so the workers added their own shrill voice to the battle, in some form or fashion.

Blaster_86 · Post by **Blaster_86** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 12:44 am

Karandras watched the Devestation from above shaking his head from within the shuttle form the scanners and cameras picking up everything.

He had elected not to go after Sixshot yet there would be time for that later. He wanted to find out why Autobots were fighting and killing eachother and stealing from each other. It didn't sit right at all.

The big one was destroying the place what a fool. If he wasn't insane he didn't know what was.

"To each their on path I guess" the Phoenix Lord muttered shaking his head.

"Computer save what we are seeing now this is something I can look back on and hand off to Optimus at the right time. This is gross robots or not" Karandras said beginning to access Autobot frequency to get an distress call to any of the functioning ones who weren't insane.

Skyre · Post by **Skyre** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 3:50 am

"ZEUS NOT UNDERSTAND!!!" the giant gestalt screams.

Immediately, Zeus split into his constituents: Skyre, Crack, Boom, Blast, and Roar.

"Take evasive action, Strikebots! Blast, Boom; you two level this facility. Try not to hurt any of the humans but if they're in your way...keep the objective in mind!" Skyre orders, hesitantly. I really hate killing innocent humans but we MUST stop this madness between Rodimus and Prime...this is just another step... "Roar, keep whatever you want...and Crack, it's you up front again, buddy!"

"Roger that, sir!" Crack says, greedily. He immediatly forms two small daggers from his AT Field, one for each hand, and a smaller buckler for defense. "I will rip this facility apart with my ba--well...with stuff in my hands at least! WHOO HOO!!!"

Skyre flies over to Rodimus and transforms into robot mode, his blue cybertronium alloy glowing in the sun as brightly as the day he was created. "My fellow Strikebots have created a perimeter around this facility and are awaiting my orders. We're here to serve the Autobots and Separatist cause lead by you, Rodimus. Anything you need?" I just want this war to be over so we can go back to partying again...hopefully Prime regains his senses soon...

Skycat · Post by **Skycat** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 5:59 am

"Acknowledged, Rodimus," Silverbolt commed back, then flipped his comm over to the frequency shared by his team. "You heard him, boys, we've got a rogue gestalt to stop." One by one, the jets fell in behind Silverbolt as they lined up to make a strafing run on Zeus. As they approached, the gestalt suddenly split up into its component parts, which then proceeded to surround the compound. The Aerialbots pulled up, surprised, and started to circle overhead.

"What now?"

StoneCold Skywarp · Post by **StoneCold Skywarp** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:51 am

Grimlock had seen enough of the carnage lying around him, innocent robots lying in various states of dis-assmbley.

Bots were running round missing limbs, casings...the sights were un-imaginable to him, but not totally alien.

"You say you do this in name of Rodimus Convoy!?"

Grimlock addressed the robot that hovered above his leader.

"Perhaps you not right to fight our battles, we come here to get energon, not destroy innocent lives..."

Grimlock had finally snapped, the anger and frustration boiled inside him, he transformed to his robot mode and noted the blast doors ahead of them.

"Me Grimlock say we need to get out of here fast"

Grimlock charged forwards with all his strength behind him, shoulder charging the blast doors.

Skyre · Post by **Skyre** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 5:37 pm

Roar emerges from the side of the facility carrying a large load of energon cubes. "Skyre, look what I found!"

"Very good, Roar. Head towards Metroplex and unload. You can come back later for clean up."

"Roger that, Skyre!" Roar shouted enthusiastically. Being in the midst of battle makes me queasy, anyway...

Skyre radios to Blast and Boom, "Blast, Boom, are those charges set?"

"We have infiltrated the staton. Remote charges set and ready to detonate on your mark, sir," radioed Boom.

"Good! Transform and remove yourselves from the facility. Immediately report to me." ordered Skyre. "You hear that, Rodimus? This whole facility is ready to be destroyed at my leisure, but I need your opinion. Tell me what you want the Strikebots to do with our current situation."

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 5:46 pm

"The depot's been breeched!" The supervisor called out to the administrator, as he saw Energon being carried away by the Strikebots.

Then, of course, Grimlock burst through, ripping the doors of their hinges, causing them to fall backward, crushing all three of the workers in a spectacular display of strength. A sickening crunch followed.

The super and admin barely manged to hurtle themselves out of the way.

"Grimlock!" the super screamed.

"Go ahead! You won't take anymore Energon without a fight, you brute!" The admin tried to steady himself, but couldn't. He weakly held up his riot baton in front of him as Grimlock stood at the threshold of the depot. He rose, finally, shaking next to the Dinobot leader.

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 7:47 pm

"I want you to get the slag out of here. You've caused enough damage. Go guard the perimeter, or something."

Rodimus was incensed, and let the Strikebot leader know full well what he thought of the Gestalt's actions. Meanwhile, he entered the facility at a more mundane pace than Grimlock, weapon drawn.

"Don't be foolish," he told the supervisor.
"Stand down, and no more people will get hurt. I guarantee it."

He turned, and opened a comm signal to the Aerialbot leader.

"Silverbolt, send two of your men down here, they can transport the captured energon back to Metroplex. I need the rest of your unit to keep tabs on these other Transformers. They're untrustworthy."

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 8:53 pm

The supervisor tried to wipe the sweat and grime off his face, and dropped the crowbar on the floor of the depot.

"Rather late for that, isn't it? We're the only ones left who aren't hurt!"

The administrator tossed his riot baton down also and stepped up to Rodimus.

"Look, I don't understand. This is an isolated depot, way outside the war zone area. Normally you all send a messenger or something from Iacon telling us that you need to requisition Energon. Shock, I would've signed the forms myself letting you take what you need to stop the Decepticons!"

The supervisor shot Rodimus and Grimlock a glance.

"You all are from Optimus Prime's army right? Based in Iacon? Unless your Decepticon spies, or something. No Autobot ever fires on civilians!"

The administrator looked out at the ruin of the depot.

"You're soldiers slaughtered my men," he said. "Has Optimus Prime turned insane?"

StoneCold Skywarp · Post by **StoneCold Skywarp** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 11:16 pm

"I wish I knew..." Prowl idled back into the comm room of Metroplex "...it's been evident that Prime's been acting strange however."

***************

Grimlock stood, clearly towering over the two bots infront of them, he silently purveyed the room.

A silent machine.

Skyre · Post by **Skyre** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:57 am

"Guard the perimeter, he says! HA!" Skyre snorts. Skyre transforms into jet mode and reaches a safe altitude. "Blast, Boom, are you at a safe distance yet?"

"Roger that, Skyre," radios back Boom. "Orders, sir?"

"Well...Roar's unloading the newly captured energon onto on of our more 'trustworthy' allies. I have discovered from the supervisor of this facility that this is a resource depot for Prime. We must do whatever it takes to neutralize Prime."

"Roger, that, Skyre!" Blast screams enthusiastically. "You know what that means, Boom!"

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Boom screams maniacly.

"Wait! We must get confirmation from Rodiums before blowing this facility." Skyre said, calmly.

Skycat · Post by **Skycat** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 5:02 am

"Copy that," Silverbolt replied to Rodimus over his comm. "I'm sending you AirRaid and Fireflight, the rest of us will keep an eye on the rogue combiner team."

Within seconds, AirRaid and Fireflight peeled away from their formation and spiraled downwards towards the facility, AirRaid complaining the whole time about being delegated to cargo duty. The other three Aerialbots continued to circle above the depot, keeping a close watch on the Strikebots.

Slipstream glided around overhead, unobtrusively tailing Skyre from above and behind him.

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 6:20 am

Vortex happily spun along on his rotors, eager to be whippiing through Cybertron's sky, buzzing low rooftops (and scaring quite a few residents in the process).

Blast Off, meanwhile, soared high in the fringe of the skyline, and activated his targeting device for an accurate picture of the coordinates sent to him.

"Don't trouble yourself too much, Vortex; accuracy over eagerness will get the job done," Blast Off jibed his comrade with good wit.

"Nah, too slow! Gotta get in their- what the?!?" at that moment, Vortex fastly accelerating, broke over the horizon of the devestated energy depot. "Must've been a sneak attack, and how! Look at the carnage!"

"Indeed," Blast Off reflected, detached. He zoomed in, making sure his scope was picking up the ruin below. "It appears that the rebel Convoy has attacked this facility...the Aerialbots...Technobots and other combiners are present...large amount of casualties-"

"Yeah, ya think! Only two civilians left standing! Looks like Galvatron hit the place by himself!" Vortex said, stopping to hover just outside the limits of the gates, "didn't know Autobots were so oilthirsty!"

Blast Off put himself into a slow crawl high above the scene, zooming in to make an accurate assesement of who was present. "Grimlock and Convoy are present- the command element of the traitors," he reported crisply. "This is intriguing news, for once Teratron is not responsible for another war crime."

"We could've done better- no survivors! Whoops," Vortex laughed nervously, "forget I said that. Old programming dies hard ya know!"

"Blaster," Blast Off intoned via comm, "preliminary investigation concludes an energy depot has been attacked by forces led by Rodimus Convoy. Extensive civilian casualties and structural damage; energy looting in progress."

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 11:06 am

Rodimus nodded.
"Technobots, start loading the energon cubes onto Air Raid and Fireflight. I want to be out of here as soon as possible."

He turned, and motioned Grimlock away from the group. Once they had gotten a distance away, so that they couldn't be heard, he spoke in a hushed voice.

"This couldn't have gone any worse old friend. I said that I didn't want any casualties, but that moronic gestalt ruined all that. What do you think? Are these other bots allies of Prime, sent here to discredit us? If so, how can we turn this in our favour?"

Skyre · Post by **Skyre** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 8:41 pm

"I assure you, Rodimus," Skyre interrupts as he swoops down and transforms from jet form to robot form, "that I am NOT sent here by Prime. And I in no way intend to discredit you nor your followers, even though some may be quicker to think light of our presence." Skyre gives a sharp glance to the sky towards Slipstream's silhouette. "We have a tactical advantage here. Why not blow the facility and take the energon. It would help to neutralize Prime's energy resources AND benefit our own supply."

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Boom continues to chant psychotically over the comm.

"Blast! Calm him down before I'm forced to put him under suspend mode!" yells Skyre. "Don't mind Boom, Rodimus. He just loves his job, and gets antsy when he's not allowed to do it."

"Back from unloading, sir," Roar says as he transforms from Moonrover ATV form to robot mode. "Any orders?"

"Join Blast and Boom at the remote detonation site. And see if you can calm Boom down." Skyre replies.

"Affirmative, sir. Roar out." Roar proceeds to transform into ATV form and head towards the site.

"Crack, transform and head to sub-orbital altitude. I want you to keep an eye on these Aerialbot fellows. I don't trust this Slipstream fellow, and that Silverbolt guy seems to be running the show, although he is under some sort of influence from Slipstream. Just observe and radio back to me on this private channel periodically," Skyre requests to Crack, now wandering around the perimeter of the facility.

"Roger," says Crack, melancholily, "but if we need to bust heads, you know who to call first!"

"Roger that, Crack," Skyre says. "So how about it, Rodimus? Blow the facility?"

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 9:43 pm

"Maybe I'll blow you up instead, you fool," Rodimus said in a low voice.
"You and your team are a blight on the Autobots. You have no right to wear that badge. I might not agree with Prime, and he may have made the first strike, but we are still Autobots, and killing innocent civilians is not the Autobot way, and it especially isn't mine.

Rodimus was so angry that his optics were blazing.

"Now get out of my sight, before I do something I might regret."

Rodimus made to walk away, then stopped.

"And before you go, you can remove all the bombs you've planted here."

Quick Switch · Post by **Quick Switch** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 10:01 pm

The supervisor scratched his head.

"So, wait, you're not from Prime's army?"

The administrator said quietly,

"I don't care who they are now, I just want them to go, and take that psychotic combiner team with them! I'll declare this depot an Open Zone, if it'll help end the suffering!"