[Original RPG] Shadow War: Victims of the Revolution (Crystal City)

[Heinrad]

Air over Roadway North:


Thundercracker: "Given the shape we're in, Ramjet....." -shakes head wearily, activates commlink- "Which one of us is Thor?"

******************
Roadway North:


Bludgeon: -catching up to Vendix's group of Sharkticons, Hellfire streaming from his hands at them-

[optimusskids]

Underground Lab


Pounce padded through corridor after empty corridor.

He opened a com link to Bomburst

"This is Tigger to Kaboom any luck finding Quintessons over."

Roadway

Weirdwolf steered round a pile of rubble

"Talking you to am I code names briefing packs in were, Thundercracker is Thor over."


~*~

Another Sharkticon vanished in a cloud of vaporized metal.

The Corporal ducked for cover :"He was a fine Soldier. One of the finest soldiers I ever served with."

One of his comrades sighted his rocket launcher and fired a rocket at Bludgeon.


~*~


The second squad of Sharkticons patrolled the North Wing of the lab complex


Unit 451B gripped his rifle tight.

"this is my last assignment you know 14 more days and I'm out of the army for good.

Unit 679R nodded

"I have a half share in a drinking establishment I plan to retire soon too. Look I have a picture of it here"

Lance Corporal Biter surveyed his troops then scanned the corridor

"It's quiet...too quiet.

Unit 8561H:

"It's so pointless , i long for this war to be over."

Lance Corporal Biter frowned

"Unit 2005J wheres your dorsal armour ?"

Unit 2005J shrugged : "I never wear it its too heavy."







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHGYdOQhu2g

[Clogs]

Roadway, north

Lorsyx tried his comm again: 'Base - I am withdrawing to zeta. Please advise if controls are operational.'

He was expecting no reply, but, if someone at least heard him, they might understand what he meant to do - deploy the automated gun turrets studded throughout the City in underground bunkers and built into the encircling high walls. They might also take warning, for anyone moving at or above ground level would become a target if he suceeded.

Back down the street, the nine Sharkticons he had left were depleting their stock of bazookanon too quickly, firing over the heads of Vendix's group in an effort to discourage the Decepticons from following them in retreat. Deliberately, one of the gunners trained his weapon on Bludgeon and fired.

[Warcry]

Air over Roadway North

"Speak for yourself, Thundercracker," Ramjet said. "It takes a lot more than this to take me down." To Weirdwolf he said, "Codenames, Weirdo? Who's stupid idea was that?"
_______________________________________________

Under the City

"I am." Bomb-Burst told Pounce. "On the trail. Of one of them. It smells. Like a scientist." He hesitated slightly, but given his odd speech pattern it was doubtful anyone would notice. "If you like. You may join me. In the hunt. Tigger."
_______________________________________________

Not far away, Hypotheon radioed Lorsyx. "Last I checked," he replied curtly. "But I am nowhere near the base anymore, and everyone else there is dead. It is possible that the Decepticons have destroyed the control circuits, or modified the firing programs. Be careful."

[optimusskids]

Approaching Roadway North

Weirwolf revved his engine lowering his improvised lance as he spotted a fleeing Sharkticon.

He replied to the Seekers

"Think I it was our chief esteemed counter intelligence, he himself can't help thirst for trivia has he that is undecepticon most."


Under the City

I'm going to make my brother wish i'd kill him slaggin' code names

He returned Bomburst's com

"I'm on my way."



~*~


Unit 14- Z shuffled nervously.

"We're doomed ya hear we're all doomed."

Biter laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"Don't panic lad we'll see them off I remember the time we were fighting the...."

[Clogs]

Roadway, heading south

Lorsyx picked up Hypotheon's message and clenched his fists. The base had been overrun, then, and he was probably about to commit suicide. Still, if there was even a slight chance... He sat back tiredly and gave a tight grin, almost a snarl; let the Scientists run, but he would make the attempt at endgame!

'Acknowledged,' he said into his radio. 'If all goes to plan, I will activate the Final Command protocols within fifteen time units, sir.'

[Heinrad]

Roadway North:


Bludgeon: -stops as the bazookannon blast slams into the flaming corona surrounding him, smiles, fixing the gunner with Death's cold smile- "Ah. Lunch. Let me deal with your friends, and then I'll be right with you." -fixing the remnants of Vendix's troops with a hungry glare, thick, obscuring smoke pouring from the smoke ejectors in the legs of his shell adding into the smoke building up from the weapons fire- "Sharkticons, your Angel of Death is coming to feast on your Sparks." -moving into the smoke cloud-

[Chip1123]

Roadblock was on his way to regroup with the Decepticons when his communications unit flared to life with Lorsyx's message. Considering how much my radio unit has not been working, he must be close for me to have picked up on that broadcast...

[optimusskids]

Roadway North

Primus , guide me and protect my spark and forgive me my sins

After his short prayer the Sharkticon lunged

"retreat back to the vehicles I'll try and hold him off."

He lunged teeth glinitng as he aimed to lock his Jaws round the leg of Bludgeon's shell.

Primus forgive me for the sin I am about to committ

Time to power core over load 10 and falling

9 and falling

[Warcry]

- ? -

The Void seemed bigger somehow, more real. Cyclonus wasn't sure how that was possible, but he figured it had something to do with the real world drifting farther away from him. Or the other way around.

Good, he thought. It can all go to Unicron, for all I care. I don't have anything to do with it anymore.

"I'm afraid that won't do at all."

Cyclonus jumped at that voice, the voice, a voice that had burned itself into his mind before he was even truly born.

M...mighty Galvatron? Is that you?

"Of course it's me, you ignorant coward!" Galvatron's baritone voice was like a cracking whip. "Who did you expect? Rodimus Prime?"

No, Mighty Galvatron! Cyclonus raised his hands in protest, despite the fact that his master hadn't assumed physical forme. I just...I didn't believe... He shook his head, unable to properly articulate his thoughts. I don't understand. How could this happen? You were the greatest Decepticon ever created, the most powerful Transformer who ever walked Cybertron, everything I aspired to be but knew I could never attain. And now you're...you're...

"Dead?" Galvatron nodded gravely, which was odd given that he hadn't had a physical form until milliseconds ago. "I am. Trust me, I'm no happier about it than you are."

But how? You're Galvatron. You can't die! Cyclonus' voice was filled with disbelief.

"Even the greatest of us can be pulled down by our lessers, in the right situation." Galvatron fixed Cyclonus with a scowl that sent a shiver through the ex-Decepticon's systems. "You should know. After all, you're lying on the ground dying from a Sharkticon-inflicted wound right now."

Cyclonus cringed, even though he knew the spectre of his master lacked any substance and couldn't hurt him. Or so he thought, right up until Galvatron's left hand curled into a fist and smashed into his face.

Gah! Cyclonus flew backwards, although Galvatron's image seemed to keep pace with him just fine. Wh-what was that for?

"That," Galvatron said through a clenched jaw, "was for giving up." He grabbed Cyclonus by the arm, then hit him again. "That was for being so utterly useless that you can't do anything without me telling you that it needs to be done."

What do you mean? Cyclonus' voice had taken on a plaintive quality. What should I be doing? How have I failed you?

"You!" Galvatron slammed his fist into Cyclonus' midsection.

"Just!" Galvatron hit him again.

"Don't!" And again.

"Get!" And again.

"It!" And again.

When Galvatron finally let Cyclonus go, the smaller Transformer looked up at his master with an expression of shock. What did I do to deserve that? When have I done anything but serve you?

"That's the problem," Galvatron's expression was one of pure contempt. "Serving me is all you know how to do. Even after I'm dead, you're wandering Cybertron like a golem without a master, trying to do the bidding of someone who isn't there anymore. When I was alive I found your puppy-dog demenour endearing, but now it makes me utterly sick. I made you my lieutenant, but you acted like my pet. I needed your honest council, and instead I got mindless fawning and childish, unconditional approval. You were useless. Starscream was a better lieutenant than you."

Cyclonus looked up at his master, hurt and shame evident in his optics. But quickly, all too quickly, his gaze drifted down. Mighty Galvatron, how can you say that?

"I can say it because it's true," Galvatron spat. "Skywarp was right, you know. You are a joke. When I was alive, your fellow Decepticons were afraid enough to only laugh behind your back. But once I was gone they laughed in your face, with no regard for what you might do, no regard for the massive power you wield as a child of Unicron. And what did you do? Did you strike them down? Did you show them the error of their ways? No. You resigned. You ran away, like the useless coward that you are. And you're still running, cowering like a beaten Autobot instead of standing up and facing reality like the Decepticon that you are!"

Cyclonus's head snapped up, fury burning in his optics. How dare you? How dare you? I dedicated my life to serving you! I spent the last two years combing the planet trying to find you, so that at the very least your remains could get a proper Decepticon funeral. I took your abuse, your beatings, your insults for years, because I had faith in you to lead us to victory. And now, now you're a ghostly failure, and you have the gall to insult me?

"If you don't like it," Galvatron said, "do something about it."

For a moment, it seemed like Cyclonus would retreat, that he would crawl back into the emotional shell that he had crafted for himself. But only for a moment. And when that moment was over, he lunged forward and punched Galvatron in the face.

[Heinrad]

Roadway North:


Bludgeon: -sneers as he pulls his leg away before the jaws can clamp down on them- "Such heroic nonsense." -right hand glowing, starting the spark extraction process- "Primus can't forgive you. He burns in the Pit with Unicron!" -his laugh a deep, hollow echo, taunting the lost souls in their eternal damnation sounding out of the infernal could of smoke that envelop him and the Sharkticon on which he's feasting-

[optimusskids]

Roadway North

The Sharkticon took his pistol jammed it under his own jaw and pulled the trigger just as his Power core reaches critical.

[Warcry]

- ? -

"Yes, yes, that's better," Galvatron sneered as Cyclonus' blow spun him around. "Stand up for yourself for once!"

I stand up for myself all the time, Cyclonus told his late commander gravely. I have fought more battles than I care to remember!

"Yes, you have," Galvatron told him, straightening and meeting the other Transformer's gaze. "You've fought countless times for me, for other commanders, for this cause or that. But you've never stood up and fought for Cyclonus, have you?" Crossing his arms, Galvatron asked, "When was the last time you did something, not because you were told to, not because you felt obliged to, but because you thought it was the right thing to do?"

I..don't know, Cyclonus admitted.

"There's your problem," Galvatron told him. "You are the first-generation child of a god, heir to more power than any other Decepticon alive today. But you've squandered that power. You've wasted it, made yourself into a tool for others to wield when you could be so much more. You've let Gigatron use you, then run you out of the Decepticons when he had no further use for you. You've let Black Shadow manipulate you into doing his dirty work, lying to you all the while. If you plan on continuing to waste your gifts, then by all means join me in this abyss." Galvatron's optics narrowed. "But if you want to make something of yourself, if you want to prove right all the trust I had in you-"

What trust? Cyclonus scoffed. Maybe I was your right hand once, long ago. But once you met Gigatron you discarded me, tossed me aside like a piece of trash you had no further use for!

"I placed the faction in Gigatron's hands because he was ready," Galvatron said sharply. Cyclonus noticed that the late Decepticon leader's body had faded away. "He had initiative and fire and charisma and all the other things that you lacked. But he has become complacent, stale, unwilling to take risks. So I suppose the question is..."

Looking down, Cyclonus could see his own form starting to disappear.

"...are you ready now?"
____________________________________________________________

Roadway North

Cyclonus' optics, which had been staring blankly up at the sky for Unicron-only-knows how long, were suddenly lit with a crimson fire.

Behind them was a Decepticon who wasn't sure of anything anymore. Not his self-imposed mission, not his lifetime of service and obedience, not even his own identity.

No, he told himself, that's not true. I'm sure of one thing. I am absolutely certain that this planet has become a complete and utter mess. Someone needs to clean it up...and that someone is going to be me.

As he climbed to his feet, Cyclonus thought for a moment that he could see Galvatron standing before him, nodding in approval. But only for a moment.

[Heinrad]

Roadway North:


Bludgeon: -ground zero for the explosion, sent flying through the air, the corona around him flickering briefly before he crashes to the ground, getting to his feet, smoke coming from the joints in his armor, fixing his glare on the transports, left arm snapping up, aiming his electropulse cannon(fueled by Hellfire), roaring it's destructive fury at the Sharkticons-

--------------

Sometimes, a chance is all you need.

Bludgeon fumed. The sigil had wrapped itself around his face, cutting off his power, his ability to do anything. There were times he cursed his youthful interest in the Dark Arts, cursed the fact that it was due to that experimentation that made him, if nothing else, a ferverent disciple of the teachings of the Ultimate Warrior.

Not out of fear, as his younger self(although he had to admit it, this was probably a manifestation of his dark side) thought, but out of knowledge. This power came with a heavy price. He'd suspected it from the amount of time it took his scars from the Fallen's opening of the door to heal.

He felt it, felt his dark side, just for a second, lose his focus.......

------------------------------


Bludgeon: -hissing in pain as the electropulse cannon keeps firing, feeling fire race along his left arm, thinking it was just a feeling until he sees flame belch out around the bracer- "Wha...."

------------------------------

Silently, like a specter in his own mind, Bludgeon rips the sigil from his face and raises his right hand.

------------------
A little ways back:


The rubble stirred and shifted, falling away as Bludgeon's katana hovered into the air.

[Clogs]

Roadway, north

One of the Sharkticon gunners had opened fire with his last bazookanon simultaneous with Bludgeon's souped-up electropulse blast. The mortar melted in midair; it did not explode, just melted; and the gunner took the full-on fire and disappeared without a sound. However, the missile launcher had been behind him and it went up, flinging substantial parts of the broken vehicle into the others. Two more Sharkticons died then, struck by flying metal.

Growling wordlessly, the survivors snatched up whatever weapon was at hand, stopped covering Vendix's heavy Sharkticons and attacked every Decepticon they could draw a bead on.

[Chip1123]

Roadblock heard the fire in the distance and could see the smoke. He prepared himself for whatever carnage may lay in wait, and readied his missile launchers as he crested the hill

[Warcry]

Roadway North

Cyclonus glanced at the gang of Sharkticons who had started firing blindly at the nearby Decepticons. More than a few laser blasts narrowly missed him, but Cyclonus made no attempt to avoid them. The imposing Decepticon strode calmly toward the enemies, his black beam gun in one hand and his oxidizing laser in the other. As he closed to killing range, he brought the weapons up and opened fire, precisely targeting the Quintesson soldiers' brain modules.

[Clogs]

Roadway, north

An assortment of flying destruction screamed, whined and boomed through the air heading for visible targets: Cyclonus, Bludgeon, Thundercracker, Ramjet and Snapdragon (ooc - if I've missed anybody facing the Sharkticons, forgive me and count yourself a target, too) The Sharkticons knew they were doomed and intended to cause as much damage as possible.

Three units went down as Cyclonus' deadly sharp-shooting found the mark. The remaining three had been moving to grab other weapons from their caches and, although they were all tagged, the damage was minimal. Taking note, though, they dived behind their vehicles, putting a barrier between them and the two major ground-based threats.

---------------------------------------------------------
Roadway, sector zeta

Lorsyx grunted and doubled-over when a sharp pain bit into his abdomen. He could not feel his leg, now, but that was no comfort. There were probably micro-shards, flaking from the largest shrapnel spike embedded in his thigh, in his circulatory system. This would be the old Quintesson's last battle, one way or another...

"Faster!" he shouted at his driver, even though he was already maintaining a breakneck speed. "Take the left turn ahead and enter the tunnel!"

[redman prime]

Starscream drug the lifeless body of Slinger out of sight, stashing the corpse in a recess of the tunnel.
As good a spot as any to stash a cadaver to figure myself out.

He trudged forward slowly, still in severe disarray. His internal systems were operating at maximum capacity to repair all of his damages, but it was akin to healing a shotgun blast with a band-aid. Spotting the body of Apeface still lying in the center of the room, he started towards it. I wonder what good he can do me?

--------------------------
Apeface's systems were all shut down, and if not for Spasma's quick reaction to shut down the mind meld he would be incapacitated too. But he wasn't; he was merely pinned in his shape as the head component underneath the bulk of Apeface.

Well, this is fantastic.
He began trying to see what pieces of Apeface were salvageable, and to his surprise, there was very little. The Quint poison had been very effective in destroying circuitry, which was aided in Apeface having been incredibly dirty and oily. There were that many more points of entry that the toxins could infiltrate his system.

Spasma went rigid as he heard shuffling footsteps, but he couldn't see anything.

[Heinrad]

Near the Decepticon shuttle:


Black Battle Convoy, looking for targets, stiffened as he felt something crash across his consciousness.

Setting his battle platform to auto-defense mode(and knowing that whatever he felt was calling him, needed him NOW, and as handy as the trailer was, it would slow him down), he transformed, engine roaring, smoke and flame belching from his exhausts, slamming into gear, the gleaming black semi rig roaring towards Roadway North.

*******************
Roadway North:


Bludgeon: -the look on his face an odd mixture of rapturous joy, extreme anger and even more extreme pain, staggering as blasts impact against his flaming corona, each blast weakening it, a sudden, over-riding look of shock wiping the rest of the emotions from his face- "No..." -hearing the loud SSCHUNKK!!!!, looking down, seeing half the blade of the katana protruding from his chest, collapsing to his knees, then hands and knees, finally falling over on his side, the eldritch flames surrounding him fading away-

*******************
Air over Roadway North:


Thundercracker: -dodging the ground fire from the Sharkticons, checking his diagnostics- "They're trying to stop us from getting to something, Ramjet. Wanna go see what it is?"