Lair of the Stealth Bunnies | home
Hellfire
(played 9/14/02)
Engineering Deck - Trypticon
This room is designed as a rough-and-ready repair station, where the injured can quickly be repaired after battle. The forward section of the engineering station has been set up with a series of repair tables and shelves holding pieces of equipment. The back section of the deck reminds one of the casualties of war, where there is a series of racks for storing badly damaged mechs. The entire deck area is quite tidy and the walls gleam with polished newness.
The scene in the engineering lab is one of interest. Soundwave is finishing his work repairing a transformer that lies quietly on one of the repair tables while Chasm furiously fiddles with an accounting program on the medical computer. Finally Soundwave straightens up, "It's done," he says with a chime of relief. "Tempest, can you understand me?"
There is a stirring on the repair table, and a pair of alien-lidded optics blink into life with a soft ruby glow. She lifts her head, looking curiously at Soundwave, then at the others.
Motormaster is standing anxiously off to the side of the room, pacing back and forth in such a manner as to suggest that it's not long before we wears a hole in the floor and drops through to the level below. He looks up, optics flashing as Soundwave speaks, and then hesitantly steps closer.
Soundwave says carefully, "Tempest. Are you functional? How do you feel?"
CatsCradle slips into the room almost silently, almost plastering herself against the wall inside the door when she sees Motormaster, in an effort to be as unnoticeable as possible. She is still unpainted, still insignia-less, and still with mis-matched and patched armor. Her fingers twine nervously around each other.
Tempest says, ":looks around the room--her hands digging into the sides of the table--and asks, "Where am I?" She appears badly disoriented. Perhaps that's understandable, since she was last in little pieces inside Unicron's maw... She blinks at Soundwave. "Okay...Where's my sister?"
Soundwave tilts his head to one side. "I am not sure of whom you refer to. What is her name?"
The door hisses open, then closed. Then open, then closed. Then open, and that familiar femme steps halfway through, inspecting it as if it were a wholly new concept. She pokes at the door before glancing to the side and seeing the congregation. "..." She bares her teeth, especially those sharpened incisors. As if to say, '-My- door.'
Chasm looks at Macabre. Can't those savages /stay/ in their underground kingdom?
Tombstone arrives in the room hunched over and slowly, seeming almost as if hiding something. He glances at all in the room hesitantly as usual, then stands straight up. Not speaking he glares at nothing with piercing optics that burn through the walls.
Tempest coughs out, "Stormrave..." She looks around, her gaze sweeping over the others, and then draws back away from them to the far side of the bunk, trying to flatten herself down so they don't notice her. It's almost as if Macabre's arrival has frightened her.
Motormaster looks starkly relieved as Tempest speaks, immediately darting almost entirely up to the repair table, not even noticing anyone else entering the room at this point, “Storms! You're alr-" He's cut off as she says the thing about her sister, leaving him blinking and appearing confused, gaze going to Soundwave,"WHo's... who's Stormrave?"
CatsCradle glances over from her spot just inside the door, and her hands stop their nervous fidgeting almost in surprise. She had not expected Macabre to appear for quiet some time yet. Then her attention is drawn back to the ones clustered around the repair table. She begins to chew on her lip, trying to /will/ Tempest to be all right.
Soundwave says carefully, "Tempest, you were in a terrible battle and your body suffered large amounts of damage. I have had to rebuild you entirely, transferring your datacore to its current form. It is possible that the memories you experience happened a long time ago."
Nightracer casually walks into the room, rifle slung over her back. She glances around at the collected Decepticons with a faint. almost smirk-like expression on her face. At least what can be seen of it. She pushes through the ranks to the front, as if she has every right to be there
Tempest looks at Motormaster with a bit of confusion. "Stormy is my sister...I'm...Tempest," she says shyly, looking down at her hands as she says so.
Soundwave says, "It is possible, Tempest, that your memory has gone to a 'safe sector' in your datacore. Your current memory is of events that happened long ago."
Motormaster falters, looking remarkably confused himself. He glances over his shoulder back towards the others gathered here, as if searching for answers, then back down to the yellow femme,"I know who you are... Tempest, it's me, Motormaster..."
Tombstone doesn't move or look around anymore. He just stands there, staring down the wall before him, thinking hard, not worrying about anything or anyone in the room. He pays no attention to their squabbling as he has deeper thoughts to compute...
Tempest appears a little bit startled by how much attention she is getting from other mechs who--to her in her current condition--are strangers. She looks around for someone to help her, and leans towards Soundwave, but cringes back again at his words. A battle? "I remember...something about a battle," she admits. She nods slowly. What is she going to do now? She looks hopefully at the Stunticon. "Motormaster," she repeats. The name means nothing but the offer--I know who you are-- She whispers, "Can you help me?"
Macabre continues to examine the doorway. Tempest's troubles don't concern her in the least.
Skyraider watches from a distance as Tempest attempts to regain her senses. He cant help but feel sorry for her and Motormaster
Soundwave chimes, "Motormaster, Megatron wishes for you to lead a patrol to investigate an energy refining operation being conducted in Tyrian. It should be a simple routine mission and would help enable Tempest to regain her bearings." He looks at both Tempest and Motormaster. Although her datacore has been connected perfectly, sometimes only the company of friends and the routine of work such as patrols are needed to help patients recover.
Nightracer looks around, schooling her expression into one of pleasant politeness. Most of the decepticons here are unknown to her, or at best ones she has heard about
CatsCradle gives Soundwave a side-long glance. She has her own opinions about memory loss... but then again, very few have ever agreed with her on them. She chews on her lip again, including Moto in her concern this time. She had been so hoping that Tempest being well again would help him to heal too, to soothe his rage at Ghost and her mate... that hope begins to fade.
Motormaster is a picture of startled confusion mixed with a note of worry, his optics going to Soundwave as he blinks once, and then again,"I... of course, Soundwave. I'll be glad ta take the patrol out there... But Tempest... what's wrong with her?? I thought her core hadn't been damaged!" He absently rests what he hopes is a comforting hand on the femme's shoulder, saying quietly,"It's okay, shhh. You're fine. You're among... friends."
Tempest is mostly bewildered by Soundwave's words. A mission? But alone and confused she's willing to follow along with the others as long as she has someone to look after her... She gives him a winning smile. "I'll try my best..." She tilts her head. "You...saved me, right?" She addresses this to all of them. Primus only knows what she's remembering, but at least for /once/ she's not snarling at anyone....
Macabre growls at the door jamb as if were a threat.
Tempest winces back at Macabre's growl, her optics wide.
Soundwave says, "Tempest is... physically well. She merely requires time to adjust to the current situation. Tempest - I have done what I can for you. You and your friends must do the rest. You are a brave warrior and one respected by the Decepticon forces. Your wounds were taken in service to the empire. We are your friends and comrades and will do what we can to re-integrate you back into our midst. I believe that a simple patrol will be an excellent way for you to adjust to your new body and re-establish links with your friends."
Tempest nods a little, having taken a liking to Soundwave, and looks up at the others with a "what do I do next?" questioning expression...staying very close to Motormaster.
CatsCradle mutters very softly, "Yeah, right. It's always that easy." She didn't notice she said the words outloud, even if only audible a few feet away, and certainly would have been surprised to realize it. She seems to ease a little, though, at seeing the way Tempest gravitates towards Moto.
Tempest peers curiously at CatsCradle, as if wondering whether Cats is an authority or some sort on this. She makes a note to talk to CatsCradle at some later time.
Motormaster nods once, seizing on that. One patrol, and she could be okay. And if he's leading it, he can keep an eye on her, make sure she's taken care of. "I'll do what I can, Soundwave. We'll leave at once." Back down to Tempest,"Divefire managed to preserve your lasercore after y' attacked Unicron and were nearly destroyed... but don't worry about it. You'll be fine in no time. I'm /sure/ you'll remember soon." He offers her a hand to help her up, stepping back as he does so and seeming at something of a loss.
Nightracer replays silently Soundwave's earlier words. A routine patrol sounds as more entertaining than hanging around at Valckasta. It is not as if she has anything else to do now that the policy to shoot Autobots on sight has been withdrawn for the time being
Soundwave turns to Chasm, "Chasm, accompany Motormaster on patrol."
Chasm looks rather disgruntled. "Can't. Got all these shares to move into my Swiss account..."
Soundwave quietly switches Chasm's terminal off. "You will report on the status of the patrol and inform me of how Tempest's progress." His optics flare redly for a second in amusement. "You will be back among your toys before you even notice."
Chasm sighs, backs up his data, and reluctantly leaps into the air.
Soundwave says, "Chasm will accompany you, Motormaster. He has knowledge of the mission details. Unfortunately, I will be unable to accompany you, as there is work I must accomplish..."
Chasm looks interested. "Your experiment to get the Chronosphere working again? Are you sure you don't need any assistance?" His tail flickers with interest.
Soundwave chimes, "Chasm, you have your orders. The details of the experiment are classified at this stage." He goes towards the computer and calls up plans of a strange device, becoming absorbed in the details of the project.
Macabre has lost interest in the doors and is now looking through one of the myriad shelves. No, she hasn't said a word to anyone, or really acknowledged the existence of anyone else in the room.
Tombstone, quick as bright night lightning spins around and catches himself easily, only to turn and stare at the others for no apparent reason. Crimson red optics flaring, he squints his optics in anger of not starting his mission yet. He cares little for the rest of his crew, even less the restored bot. As he steps up to the middle of the floor his pitch-black metal "cape" swoons with his movements. "I'm coming along", he says, almost commanding it, to no one in particular (insert western guitar tune here).
Nightracer twitches slightly at the sudden movement of the unknown Decepticon.
Chasm leaps into the air, gliding in front of Motormaster. "Come on," he sighs. "Let's get this painful experience over and done with." He circles impatiently in the air. All of that finance work to do and here he is, forced to observe this painful 'General Hospital' style scene.
Tempest waits for the others to lead her wherever they're going. In the meantime she examines the base, trying to find something--anything--that's familiar. The "strangers" have so far been nice to her, so...at least she has /something/ to keep herself busy....
Motormaster glances to Chasm and nods,"Let's go." He doesn't really pay any attention to Tombstone's pompous proclamation... the mech is welcome to do whatever he wants. And he also pauses for a moment, as if to say something to CatsCradle before they leave... then shakes his head, saying instead,"I need to talk to you when I get back." There's none of the rage she might expect.
CatsCradle's optics go wide and guarded at the same time. She gives a slow nod to Moto. "I... I can stay awhile. Til... till after you come back, anyway."
Macabre turns to look at the others, and then starts following them without a word.
Skyraider watches as the others gather to leave. This time, he decides not to go with, patrol not being his cup of energon.
Tempest takes Motormaster's hand, blinking absently as his explanation about Unicron and Divefire goes right over her head, and says, "Just tell me if I'm doing something wrong...I've never been on a patrol before."
Motormaster smiles,"Good then. I'll see you when this is over with." He nods to Tempest,"Don't worry. This is just routine, nothing serious." Then he leads the way from the room.
Macabre peers at Chasm, then growls at him for some reason.
Chasm says, "Articulate little thing, aren't you?" He flaps at the door, impatient to be going so he can get back...
Nightracer ignores the patrol that is being assembled. She was sent here for some custom made spare parts, not to join the Polyhex crew
Tombstone steps, or rather, treads heavily towards the others. Looking straight ahead as he treads, his neuro receptors give off a little twitch, probably from all the stress...
CatsCradle is too distracted to correct Moto... there is /never/ anything routine with this group... still, at least she wasn't ordered to go with them. She rubs at her optics, letting some of her exhaustion show through, and sinks into a chair.
Nightracer quietly confers with Soundwave before he has a chance to retreat to whatever experiment or repairs he wants to return to She waits while some drones collect the parts she was sent for. She looks around with casual interest. "This ... actually is a transformer?" she asks nobody in particular
Soundwave begins to warn Rumble that the equipment is very delicate, but Rumble says, "Aw, I'll be careful with yer doohickey, I won't break..." Unfortunately at that moment he slips in a patch of oil, slides, and crashes right into the table holding the chronosphere....
Nightracer raises an eyebrow at the sight of the little mech ruining delicate equipment
Skyraider sighs as he sees Rumble mess up. Clumsy oaf, he thinks to himself
And with that unfortunate bump...time ripples. And we become... well, we've always been...alternates. Alternates in a world ruled by the children of Unicron.
****
Hellmouth Region
This bizarre region is a hideous accident of engineering and chance.A landscape of powdered metal stretches to the very limits of the horizon. This entire 'land' is unstable, broken and in constant movement due to the weakness of the underlying structure, producing friction for surfaces to grind against each other, resulting in the powdered 'sands'.Like a miniature model of plate tectonics, an ancient chemical fire that has been burning for millennia has resulted in a molten lake covered by loose slabs of metal, floating and smashing against each other, covered by these wind-blown sands.
After a long trip, eventually the Decepticon patrol arrives in Tyrian, the region that its local warlord calls 'the scrag-end' of the Empire. The region is basically a radioactive wasteland, clogging sensors and making it hard for transformers to detect things. You can see that the Tyrians are doing some sort of radioactive filtering experiment here - a rusted apparatus grates as it tries to process... whatever it is doing.
Skydive, the Tyrian science officer, looks annoyed to see the other Decepticons arrive. "What, Megatron can't even trust Colossus with a simple refinery experiment? I assure, it's working perfectly."
Macabre looks around suspiciously. She seems to be getting more and more on edge the further they go into Tyrian territory.
Chasm seems to wilt in the radioactive environment. "My sensors... all these metal fragments are ruining my polish... oh, the pain of it all." He crouches behind a dune, trying to avoid the worst of the metal fragments.
Motormaster steps forward, meeting Skydive's gaze calmly and coolly,"Megatron will send people to inspect when and where he wishes. His commands are not yers ta question, Skydive." He doesn't even seem fazed by the metal fragments, which clink harmlessly off his thick armor plating. "When Colossus has proved himself, he may be trusted again. Now show us what we need to see quickly, an' we'll be outta yer business all th' sooner."
Tombstone steps lighter now as he has not had the chance to see much of this place before. He keeps the look of control on his face though the fragments around him tend to make him annoyed. He moves here and there every so often to dodge them.
Skydive draws himself to his full height. He's not going to be thrown around by some... overpowered infantry commander. He points to the refining device. "Codename: Hellfire. Beneath this region is a chemical fire that has raged for centuries, going back to the time of the Fourth Cybertronian war. No one's really explored the underlayers of Cybertron in this region because of that. What /our/ device does is siphon energy off the chemical fire and capture it as raw energon. Unfortunately, the energon is somewhat contaminated, but we're working on a filtering process. This is really Cybertron's last resource of natural energon. And it occurs in the Tyrian region of the empire."
Macabre transforms -- her thicker armor plating is more evenly distributed in her non-humanoid form. Stupid fragment things.
Tombstone's big boots clank and sound as he switches around, his wily robot face looking less annoyed now as this keeps him on his feet, so to speak. He punches one piece of slag as it hovers towards him and it makes a loud, strange sound. He feels much better now and continues this for a while, fighting with the strange fragments. "Piece of slag *oof*, go frag off!"
Tempest doesn't like this region. At all. She's never, to her recollection, seen anything quite so desolate. The desert environment however is familiar. Shy of the Tyrians, she stays very close to Motormaster...she would be pressed right into his side if he stood still long enough for her to do so. Since he's usually moving around, she can be found trotting beside him.
Chasm shuffles over to Skydive, trying avoid the fragments pounding on his armour. He ducks behind Motormaster, as that's what big lugs are for. "I thought this region was unstable. Your 'Hellfire' operation is not exactly the best thing for friendly environmental planning, you know."
Skydive shrugs, "We know what we're doing. I can't see why Megatron has to poke his cannon into everything that Tyrian does in its own sovereign territory."
Tempest cries out a little as she gets hit, and cringes behind Motormaster as well, peering curiously at Chasm. The novelty of the little dragon takes her mind off the flying hunks of slag...well, that and the fact that Moto is now taking the brunt of them.
Macabre growls at Tempest, for some reason. It's not an exceptionally menacing noise. Rather indecipherable.
Chasm sighs, "Someone needs a copy of 'Hooked on Phonics'."
Tempest cringes back from Macabre, her optics wide with fear, and grabs out at Motormaster's hand.
Motormaster crosses his arms over his chest, though first he takes a moment to idly guide Tempest a bit behind him to better protect her from the flak in the air,"Tyrian is part of the empire. Your sovereignty is at lord Megatron's pleasure. However, if you're so afraid of a little thing like an inspection, maybe we should conduct 'em more often ta make sure yer handlin' things competently out here." He looks to the refinery,"Contaminated energon? How's teh decontamination workin'-" He cuts off as Tempest grabs his hand, glancing back to make sure everything's okay then looking forward agian,"so far?"
Macabre paws at the ground. She doesn't seem to be paying attention anymore.
Skydive says, "Look, everything is..."
Suddenly a massive explosion erupts from the refinery device. A huge column of white-hot fire explodes into the fire and covers everything. Then there's this strange ripple - everything seems to crystallize and then fall apart. There's a moment of darkness and then the howling of the wind starts once more.
Motormaster curses and stumbles backwards from the explosion, hastily trying to interpose himself between it and Chasm and Tempest, trying to protect the both of them with his more resilient form,"What in frag's name was that?! SKYDIVE! What's goin' on here!?" The latter as the darkness settles upon the warping area.
Macabre completely spazzes out at this. She's all over the place, roaring and making other grating bestial noises, flame spewing from her mouth like hot breath on a winter's day.
Tempest ...screams. Shuts her optic lids, goes down on her knees, and screams.
The area has now changed significantly. Instead of the radioactive desert of Tyrian, there is now a sleek, urban landscape: a polished metal structure. A huge towering device dominates the area.
A small mech, who vaguely resembles Skydive - but without any obvious weaponry - is saluting Motormaster. "Sir, refinery operations on schedule. We're going to increase productivity 45 percent in line with orders from Central Command."
Macabre calms down. A little bit. She's still a twitchy bundle of circuits, and her mouth is still venting bright flame. "Rrrrrrr" seems to be the ony form of expression she's capable of right now.
Motormaster hastily drops to one knee and wraps an arm around the screaming Tempest, whispering,"Shhh, it's okay, it's alright..." Only then does he take in the surroundings, optics flaring wide as he then looks to the... Skydive? "Who the frag are you, and where are we?!"
Tempest falls silent, opens one optic...the world has gone back to normal and so she gets up at Motormaster's encouragement. She looks at alt-Skydive with no recognition that he's acting any different than usual. "I...think I'm okay." She's surprised to see she's still intact.
Tombstone lets out a sick long growl as he sees himself come back to... "reality"? Wherever he is now, it's definitely different, and new. He stands up slowly, gasping heavily after that scene, now sounding like a Darth-something... from a place a long time ago in a galaxy far away...
Skydive looks puzzled, "Sir! Refinery operator Skydive reporting, sir! This is the Tyrian Energy Refinery, Cybertron's only source of energon!"
Loitering the background, a heavily amoured warrior can be seen. He transforms from a car armed with mounted cannon into a powerful looking robot. He's also got the Autobot symbol on his chest. He takes a look at the group and waves a hand. "Decepticons! Back to work!" he yells. "The Overlords command it!" He raises a whip and it buzzes.
Skydive says back, "I'm reporting to Squad Leader Motormaster, lord!" The Autobot jeers and then drinks some of the energon that's stockpiled to one side.
Skydive protests,"Lord, that has to come out of my budget quota! How do I account for it?"
The Autobot shrugs, "Your problem, not mine. I'm just the security detail..."
Skydive sighs, "Those guys are so cool. They can do whatever they want. Not that I'm wishing to be anyone else, sir! I'm happy to serve the Overlords!"
The other Decepticons working around the plant stop and raise their hands. "We serve the Overlords!"
A small voice can be heard from the back of the group. "Whoa!" It's Resyke. How /does/ he keep managing to tag along with no-one noticing?
Macabre whirls around and peers at Resyke. As if contemplating consumption of the Insecticon. She's not breathing fire anymore, which is probably for the better.
Chasm clutches Motormaster's ankle in lieu of Soundwave's. "Something seems a little off balance, but I'm not quite sure I can put a claw on it," he says, a faint edge of sarcasm in his voice.
Motormaster is forced to pull away from Tempest as the situation develops, holding out his hand and activating the sword-pocket so that the blade materializes in his grip... this in reaction to the presence of the Autobot and the crackling of the whip. He nods once to Chasm, then looks to the Decepticons gathered around in amazement,"Overlords?... What're you fraggers doin' submittin' to an Autobot? Stand up fer yerselves! There's only one of 'em!" And he steps forward, much taller than most anyone else in the area.
Resyke is too freaked by the weird alternate reality to notice Macabre sizing him up as a kitty-treat.
Laserbeak looks around stunned. "I haven’t been drinking...have I?"
Skydive hisses, "Sir! Weapons are forbidden! The Autobots will punish you if they see you with a sword!"
Tempest only slowly starts to realize that she's suddenly in a group of elegantly carved buildings instead of the wasteland of before, but to her muddled mind that doesn't really mean much. It's the developing fight that's upsetting her. Although she's got mounted lasers and that deadly "bracelet" on her hand, she doesn't use them. Instead she grabs Chasm and hugs him to her chest as one would hug a stuffed toy, for comfort.
Chasm eeps and desperately tries to claw into Motormaster's ankle to stay attached to the Stunticon. "Woman! I am a data analyst and not a thing to soothe you in your unfortunately-timed childhood regression! In other words, let me go and snap out of it!"
Macabre growls again, this time at Skydive. She doesn't like him particularly, and the menacing undertone of her growl establishes this fact with all possible clarity. Skydive looks like a better meal than a little bug, anyway.
Tempest immediately releases Chasm, sniffling as she does so...she looks hopefully at Laserbeak?
Motormaster stares at Skydive in amazement,"Yer afraid of /Autobots/? We've been thrashin' their type for vorns!" But slowly he realizes that, for one thing, the group he has with him isn't the best to engage in a battle with, and second that the other 'Decepticons', the Tyrians, are just staring at him in horror. He sheathes the sword quickly, shaking his head, hissing at Skydive,"What's going on? Who are the Overlords? What's happened here, soldier? Just a minute ago, you were explaining the Hellfire project, and now..."
Tombstone sees the Autobot eventually and almost immediately goes berserk inside. "Grrrr..." He slowly grabs for his Energy Sickle to slice the doomed Autobot in half. He glares at him with his dark piercing eyes. He mumbles, "I dunno where I am, or where you came from bub, but prepare to kiss it all goodbye..." (insert western themed tune of fear, right about... here)
Chasm flaps up into the air in front of Motormaster, " 'Moto, I suddenly feel as though we're not in Kansas anymore...' Motormaster, I think we're someplace else. The best thing to do in this situation is to play along. For some reason Autobots are warriors here and our Decepticon allies are mere snivelling worms. Let's play along and get more information, capeche?"
Laserbeak charges his lasers, it’s instinctive. "Do we want these 'Overlord folks' Deep fried or extra crispy?"
Skydive looks puzzled, "Sir, you came here on Region Commander Megatron's orders to see how the refinery's going. I gave you my report."
Tempest saves Laserbeak from taking the shot by grabbing the Condor and cuddling him!
Motormaster glances to Chasm, grimly, and nods. Were it just him, or if he had his Stunticons... but no, he can't risk it until he knows better what's going on. "Laserbeak, Tombstone, stand down! We'll fight this battle when we know more." Then to Skydive, seizing on something he said,"Megatron... where is the, ah, Regional Commander’s base again? I should, um, report to him what
An Autobot guard swaggers over. Skydive trembles in fear. "Problems, Decepticons?"
Skydive looks at Motormaster meaningfully. "No, lord. No problems whatsoever."
The Autobot glares at the group and then walks away...
Resyke scurries over to Motormaster and whispers something
Macabre starts to prowl around in odd ellipses, not really paying any mind to the Autobot. She's certainly not worried by his presence.
Skydive says, "Sir! Trypticon HQ is approximately 78 traveling cycles in a NNW direction!” He pauses, then asks carefully, "Do I pass my Loyalty Test, sir? I've been very helpful and loyal, haven't I?"
Motormaster glances to Resyke, waiting until the Autobot leaves... though his optics smolder with repressed aggression,"Yeah... you and Laserbeak take a look around, find out what you can. No weapons, no engagin' the enemy... and stay in contact. I don't like this. I don't like it one little bit." He looks back to Skydive, hesitates, then nods,"Of course, Skydive... you've been... very helpful indeed. My report to Megatron and the Overlords will be sure to include that in it. Make sure you don't falter in your service."
Chasm leaps on Motormaster's shoulder. "Er, let's get back to base. I'm worried what Soundwave...er, not that I ever worry about Soundwave of course."
Tempest nuzzles Laserbeak.
Motormaster sighs softly,"Tempest, let Laserbeak go. He's got to go recon now. And stay with the group, stay quiet... this just stopped bein' routine." He looks around once, then agrees with Chasm's suggestion,"We've got to get to Trypticon... maybe we can get some answers there. Let's get out of here."
Macabre continues to look around at her leisure.
Laserbeak is mid tirade "Cowardly Mech is a disgrace to that emblem..." as he's about to none so gently remove the Con emblem from Skydive...and he's suddenly nuzzled "Now Now I know I’m attractive, cunning, charismatic, irresistible....but isn’t it nice to introduce yourself fir.... TEMPEST??? TEMPEST!!!!" he return nuzzles.
Resyke whispers something to Motormaster.
The Decepticons around the refinery are working very hard. It looks like they're running low on fuel and having been repaired or maintained for some time. Skydive urges, "To work - we've got to keep up with the production schedule! HQ wants 45 percent more energon!"
Tempest lets Laserbeak go reluctantly. "Bye, birdie." She looks almost sadly at Motormaster, but he is the boss... She isn't losing control of herself because she firmly believes that Motormaster will not let anything bad happen to her. Although she's frightened, she's not paralyzed with terror.
Macabre prowls up alongside one of the workers, peering alternately at the station and its operator. She emits a slight rumble.
A Decepticon worker objects: "Sir! The refinery won't..."
"We must work!" Skydive says. "You don't want to be Reassigned, do you?" The worker shudders and starts to perform his tasks in a burst of frenetic activity."
Motormaster nods to Resyke, adding in a growl,"And get him off Tempest." He then sets off for the north-northwest, having a feeling Trypticon will be precisely 78 clicks in that direction. "C'mon, Decepticons. Maybe Megatron will know what to do.."
Laserbeak looks to Resyke, then to Motormaster "So we cant engage the 'bots? Talk about trying a mech's patience... "
Chasm leaps off Motormaster's shoulder, gliding upwards, seeing the strange world all around and not liking it. He wouldn't have thought so, but it seems that the world's become a lot worse...
Tombstone scowls at Motormaster, "Frag this, 'Cons... let's get this over with!" he replies with a mad tone yet calm volume in his voice. He turns to Motormaster stomping the floor hard and trying to keep his cool down or hide his anger, "What do you say we do now?" fearlessly but not strong to oppose him, "Your the boss, so tell your best warrior, me, what to do."
Resyke waves his arms. "Come on Beak, we're being all sneaky! You should be good at that!"
Tempest tags at Motormaster's heels, making sure she's not left alone in a world she remembers no better than the one she came from.
Macabre notices the others are leaving without her, and bounds to catch up.
Laserbeak scampers along still POed about not shooting things...
Motormaster glowers, responding only briefly to Tombstone and Laserbeak,"Keep calm, for now, and don't engage.. We'll have a look around. And then... once we know enough... We'll teach these Autobots what /real/ Decepticons can do."
Resyke, scouting ahead in roach mode, radios the all clear. No crazy Autobots or weedy Decepticons here.. but there /is/ Trypticon.
Laserbeak streaks ahead low to the ground, humming at top speed, surveying the area.
Motormaster's patrol returns to where Trypticon looms over a polished metallic horizon. ALl the can see are Decepticons hard at work performing all sorts of labourious tasks, while the Autobot guards keep them in check. And then, as they near Trypticon, they see a sight... a comrade that they thought was dead...
Macabre stalks slightly behind Motormaster in the Decepticon Train, and is not fazed at the sight of Starscream. She doesn't even remember who he is.
Chasm alights on Motormaster's shoulder. "Is that who I /think/ it is?" he mutters.
Starscream watches the patrol approach and waits for expectantly for them to pull up.
Tombstone treads behind Motormaster, growling at the laboring 'Cons littered throughout the area, muttering, "Fragile' fools, get up!" Ahead is a great warrior he's heard about before, but can not recognize now...
Motormaster nods bleakly to Chasm,"Starscream... it seems you were right, Chasm. This /ain't/ our world, not at all. I don't know whether to be relieved or even more worried." But then he cannot say any more, for they are nearing the 'dead' Decepticon flight commander... he raises a hand, hesitantly,"Starscream! Uh.." What did Skydive call him...? "Squad Leader Motormaster returnin' from inspecting Tyrian... I need ta speak with Megatron."
Resyke waves his antennae around in mild shock. "St..Starscream?" he mutters to himself, not quite believing his optics.
Laserbeak pulls around....stunned, and bewildered "Oh crap."
Starscream nods, "Yes it is I. Who else would it be? " he asks quietly and somewhat at a loss to the insects stuttering, "Are you ok? You are stuttering. Perhaps your voice synth need recalibrating."
Chasm tries to detect a hint of sarcasm in Starscream's voice and finds none. He genuinely is being helpful. This is quite worrying.
Starscream looks at the rest of the patrol and gets a thoughtful look for a moment, "Did anything happen while you all were on patrol? The lot o of you seem ///stressed for some reason....Megatron will be relieved that none of you became sport for the bots...."
Tombstone gasps slightly at the name... "Starscream..." he mutters. "Now this is getting... interesting." and let's out a low cackle... He stands up straight and salutes the Air Commander (sarcastically in his own mind).
Chasm flaps over to Laserbeak. "Do think that Soundwave will be... different...?"
Tempest doesn't recognize Starscream any more than she recognizes anyone else, but she sticks close to Motormaster.
Macabre looks around, without the aimless wandering of before. She lowers her belly to the ground and observes the area from this restful position.
Motormaster says quietly,"We are merely.. impressed with the efficiency of the new mining operation." Something Starscream says gives him some hope... Megatron doesn't like the current situation? Good. "Starscream... the workers... they were in bad condition. Can anything be done to help them?" Maybe he can do some good, even in the midst of the pretending. He glances at Tempest as she slinks closer to him, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder comfortingly.
Starscream looks to Motormaster desperately, "If we could only have a cycle in a good repair bay....it has been a long time since anyone has been able to be maintained let alone repaired.....they are made to work till they drop and we so far are powerless to stop them.....It thought you would have been aware of that Motormaster....
Suddenly, Motormaster's radio crackles. Megatron's voice sounds over the broadcast. "Motormaster! Report to me in the Central Command room as soon as you can."
Laserbeak looks to his oft estranged brother "remember that Earthen show Twilight Zone?"
Resyke chitters nervously, lost for words. Believe it or not, Starscream was always a hero to Resyke, and now he's back from the grave? Or never died here? It's.. just.. this whole situation is crazy, almost too much for the cleaner to deal with.
Chasm nods at Laserbeak. "Yeah.. somehow we've wandered into it."
Starscream glances to the bugs chittering, " It will be ok Resyke. Calm down." he looks back to Motormaster, "Megatron has spoken ..we must go.
Motormaster lowers his head, though in fact it's to hide his teeth gritting. /He's/ not going to accept being powerless. The Autobots will pay for this, if he has any say in the matter. He doesn't care if it's his universe or not. Then his radio crackles, and he nods,"Alright Starscream... lead the way."
Tempest looks sympathetically at Resyke and impulsively reaches out to squeeze his hand, recognizing that he is as frightened as she is.
Unfortunately--maybe Resyke remembers how the earlier Tempest treated him as a snack. Tempest herself does not remember.
Resyke doesn't have hands at the moment.
Starscream turns and heads off in the direction they need to go. He pauses for a second to make sure everyone is following then he continues
Chasm comments to Laser, "Soundwave also went a bit wrong with Tempest's new installation. I mean, she hasn't tried to eat me once..."
Macabre lets out a puff of flame as she gutturally yawns, getting back up onto her feet. She does take a moment out to let out this horrific, 'I will consume your eyes' noise at Laserbeak before proceeding with the group.
Laserbeak drops back and perches on Tempest's shoulder, rather nervously looking around.
****
Engineering Section - Trypticon
CatsCradle blinks, rubbing her optics. Did she fall asleep? She leaps up with a gasp, looking at the mess Rumble made. "Quick, Rumble, clean it up, before we get into trouble." She runs over to help.
Rumble gulps. "I didn't mean to!" Frantically he grabs a broom and begins sweeping. "If I'm not careful the Autobots will kick the crap out of me!"
Gryphus enters the room pushing a cart full of supplies for Soundwave’s' work. "Evening." she glances around, "Don't tell me, let me guess, Rumble slipped and fell again?"
Rumble looks terrified. "Don't tell the Autobots, Gryphus, PLEASE!"
Skyraider looks towards Gryphus and laughs a little. "Yes, he did, the poor fellow."
CatsCradle picks up pieces of the broken thingamajiggie and dumps them into the bottom of Gry's cart, carefully arranging things over it to hide. "There. Dump them on your way out."
Skyraider says, "Don't worry rumble. We won't tell them anything."
Nightracer lazes about on a couch, not caring for cleaning up messes or the anger of the Autobots. But then she has been exempted from labour by Optimus for ... other services
Rumble sighs. "Phew!" He pauses. "You know, some days I wish I were an Autobot.?"
CatsCradle pats Rumble's shoulder. "/We/ won't anyway." She glares over at Nightracer. "Some people, though... who knows what they might say."
Nightracer says in that husky voice of hers "don't, rumble..." she glares at Cats when she hears her barbed remark
Gryphus looks down at Rumble, "Hon, I would think you would know by now I am no tattle tale." she states with a smile.
CatsCradle quickly rearranges things on the work table to blend out the empty spot. "There. Does it look like anything's missing?"
Gryphus unloads what Soundwave will need, "I'll tend to this incriminating evidence." she states and moves the cart out of the room to do so.
Rumble says, "I wish I had lots of weapons and stuff, then everyone would do what I said for a change. I'd tell Ironhide to shove his head up his exhaust..."
CatsCradle hisses, "Shhh... someone might overhear you."
Nightracer winces acutely at the mention of Ironhide and exhaust
Skyraider looks at the table. "Nope, everything looks fine, CatsCradle. I could say the same about you," he adds wit ha smile.
CatsCradle gives another glare to Skyraider. "You should hush, too, if you don't want to be caught flirting when you should be doing... well, whatever it is you should be doing." She continues with her tidying, dusting the already spotless area.
Rumble gulps at the idea and cringes behind the table. He's in /enough /trouble today if they find out he broke the Chronosphere.
Nightracer recovers herself, hoping nobody noticed her little slip-up, and purrs "Try to find some shiny metal ball.. Soundwave won't mention it, but some of those bots might just notice it's gone"
Skyraider realizes that he hasn't anything to do, which will get him in trouble wit the Autobots. He walks over to Soundwave. "Anything you need me to do, Soundwave?"
Gryphus returns after a several minutes of being gone, "All right. Everything is cool. Unless they are observing the smelting pits for no reason, I don't think they'll be finding out about that little accident you had Rumble." she gives him a smile and pat on the head. "I'll see if I can arrange a replacement with my underground contacts."
Rumble smiles at Gryphus. "Man, if we didn't stick together the Autobots would have had us long ago...I owe you big, Gry."
Nightracer says, "You could bring me the wax. I could use a little polishing, Skyraider."
Skyraider looks at Nightracer, not with scorn or anger, but his usual cheerful self. "Ah, I'm sorry, but I don't seem to have any. you look fine the way you are, anyways."
Nightracer purrs, though with a hint of anger in her voice "That wasn't a suggestion Skyraider..."
CatsCradle makes a hmphing sound. "/He's/ smart enough not to put himself into embarrassing positions." She gives Rumble's shoulder a pat as she goes by.
Gryphus settles in a chair and takes out a datapad she has shielded so the Overlords or the Autobots find it. She taps away into it, humming softly. "Yes I know Rumble." she smiles as she crosses her legs. She tries to ignore the rather demanding Nightracer.
Skyraider says, "then what was it, Nightie?"
Nightracer hisses "how about an order? you half-wit!"
CatsCradle bustles by again, frowning at a possibly-dusty shelf above reach of her and her dust cloth. "Hold on a moment, Gry." She quickly plucks a few large wing feathers and bundles them together. "Thank you, dear," she coos and stands on her tiptoes to dust the shelf with her new feather duster.
Gryphus looks back at what Cats plucked, "You know you keep that up I won't have any tail feathers left." she notes as she continues her typing.
Skyraider jumps and starts looking around nervously. Nightrider’s hiss has scared the poor too-nice-for-his-own-good mech out of his wits. "Um..uh..polish, polish.."
Nightracer glares at Skyraider "Since when did you need an excuse to paw all over a femme?"
Rumble produces a can of polish to help Skyraider out. He quotes, "You know what they say, "a polished mech is an efficient mech."
Nightracer purrs "My quarters, Skyraider, top-shelf next to the mirror"
Skyraider says, "right. Ill go get it. Uh, which way to your quarters?"
CatsCradle murmurs just as sweetly, "That's the mirror on the shelf, not the one on the ceiling." She continues dusting a shelf above Nightracer. "Ooops, sorry dear, did I get dust on you? I know you have to be so concerned about appearances."
Gryphus gives a brief smirk at Cats and continues her humming and tapping, "Ah finally... " she mutters. Tappity tappity.... busily she gets her order in with her underground contact and gets it confirmed along with payment. "Hmm, Nightracer. It seems the payment required to replace what was lost will require your services."
Rumble grumbles, "I guess my polish isn't good enough for Miss Nightracer."
Nightracer gets up and grabs Cats by the throat "You try changing places with me" she hisses, eyes sparking "see how well you feel after their ... 'attentions'" Her voice turns glacial at the reference to the Autobots
CatsCradle eekurkles and with the brilliant sense of mind she has.... dusts Nightracer's face with the feather duster.
Skyraider heads off after getting directions. After a while (he got lost), he returns with the polish and hands it to Nightracer. "Hear ya go. Enjoy!"
Nightracer gestures at Gryphus "Later. First Skyraider must undo the damage this ... bumbling femme ... has done to my shine.” She frowns. "Unless it involves seducing an Autobot. I can see none of *you* can do that."
Gryphus replies to Nightracer. "I could do it, it is just beneath me." she shuts down her datapad and store it away in her shielded compartment. "Don't worry, you'll like him. He's intelligent, good looking and not involved with the Bots."
Rumble cringes back. "Nightracer, don't hurt her...we're all Cons, we gotta stick together." He sobs once. "Because if we don't, who else will look after us?"
CatsCradle hmphs a little and scurries away as Nightracer lets her go. She bustles over to Rumble. "Don't worry, honey. She's not going to hurt any of us." She leans over and whispers, "She might break a nail or something," with a confidential smile to the cassette.
Nightracer looks at CatsCradle and says silkily "Have you seen the mines, hon? Where most of our proud 'warriors' are wasting away? I'd do a lot worse than this to keep out of that place... and so would you..."
CatsCradle's glance at Nightracer is like iced amethyst for a brief second, the cold of someone who has done her own hell, then it is gone just as briefly, as she soothes Rumble. "It's all right, hun. I'm sure they have their own problems." Her duster swipes hard at a cabinet door.
Skyraider just stands there like a nitwit, watching the proceedings. He says, "I guess you want me to polish you, then."
Nightracer nods briefly to Gryphus "very well" she says, her voice business-like and not at all seductive. Turning to Skyraider she says impatiently "Be quick about it. If I have to do this to cover your skidplates I have to be quick about it, before *he* returns and comes looking for me"
Rumble says, "I can...*gulp* try to stall him..." But the very idea of talking to Prime clearly terrifies him.
Skyraider sighs and grabs a cloth. Dabbing it in polish, he begins applying it to Nightrider’s armour. Not that Nightracer is wearing much in the way of armour, other than something hinting at clothes
Gryphus smiles at her, "Want me to handle him?" she asks. "I could give him some reports that have him engrossed for awhile."
CatsCradle hands Rumble her cleaning cloth. "Here. You don't have to talk to any of them if you're busy." She points to the lower shelves. "You can reach those much better than I can." She moves on to the next set, fussing wordlessly over the non-existent dust layer.
Skyraider mumbles, while polishing away, hoping no-one hears him, "I wish I were an Autobot"
Nightracer can't help overhearing Skyraider, but only says "I don't, Skyraider."
Rumble scrubs hard, mumbling, "I'd rather give orders than take 'em, but i wouldn't know where to begin. I guess I'm stuck doing these joe jobs FOREVER>"
Skyraider looks at Nightracer, "Well, you’re not the one polishing someone else, are you?"
Nightracer slowly turns around and looks at Skyraider, her optics sparking again "Have you been to the repair bay lately? If you do you might pay a visit to Scorcher. An Autobot got a bit carried away in having 'fun' with her..."
Gryphus seems to wait for a reply and shrugs, "Well it was an offer." she mutters.
Skyraider looks down at the ground, "No, I’m fine. Could you turn around please?"
Nightracer unhooks the skimpy bits of her armour before turning around, so that Skyraider can polish everywhere
Skyraider begins to realize that this ain’t so bad after all...
Rumble says, "Oh yeah, Cats? Well, I'd trade my problems for their problems any day. At least it would be...gh...something /different/," he puffs, as he scrubs at an old oil stain that just won't come out.
CatsCradle murmurs, "Different isn't always better. Sometimes... sometimes, it's much worse." Her dusting becomes brisker. "Least we get fed, and shelter," she says in a more normal voice.
Rumble sighs, supposing that speculation is useless. Decepticons are slave labour and always will be.
Gryphus gets a rag, "You want another hand in there, Nightracer, or are the mechs doing a good enough job for you?"
Skyraider stands up cloth in one hand and polish in the other. "There, finished. Whaddya think?" he asks, looking for some approval. He’s only gotten beatings recently.
Nightracer glances speculatively at Gryphus "Never had another femme touch me. Might be something to keep in mind if I need to ... impress Prime..." she reattaches her armour so she is at least somewhat decent and nods to Skyraider. "Well enough," she purrs, adding in an even more seductively husky voice "Might need to do it more thoroughly later"
Suddenly, Megatron's voice rasps across the speakers. "Please report to the Central Control room."
Gryphus puts the rag down, "I think you have overestimated my intent there Nightracer." she pauses. "Hmm, I wonder what's up?"
Nightracer gets to her feet surprisingly gracefully, but then she gets fed better than most Decepticons "Now Gryphus, where is that bot?"
Gryphus double-takes, "I thought you said later?"
CatsCradle glances reflexively up at the speakers, almost cringing. "Now what?"
Skyraider is left speechless at Nightrider’s remark, but thankfully Megatron calls them all before he can mess this chance up. "Looks like something’s up, eh?"
Nightracer shrugs and purrs "Now is later. What do you want me to do to? He's going to give it in exchange for a little recreation?"
Rumble gulps, "We better get to the War Room /now!/"
CatsCradle makes shooing motions with her duster. "Never mind that now. We have to go."
Gryphus smiles, "Come on folks, let's see what's up and discuss this later." she moves out of the room.
****
War Room - Trypticon
Dominating this room is a huge holographic display table, with chairs surrounding it. The display is suitable for projecting any number of video images or giant high resolution holographic maps. There are auxiliary display stations and computer consoles lining the walls, making this an ideal place to plan strategy and review intelligence.
Motormaster says as quietly as he can to the others,"All of you... should things turn to combat, do not let yourselves be too severely damaged. We will have a hard time being repaired here, it seems." He says in a softer voice, "Don't worry... I'll keep you safe, Tempest. Until you remember... you're a warrior, you know."
Resyke is reassured by Tempest's light touch, and stops his nervous chittering.
Megatron is sitting at the couch in the centre of the room. He's painted a pale, pastel colour and lacks any sign of a cannon. "Hello, Motormaster," he says in a cheery voice. "How was your patrol? Everything in tip-top shape? Oh, and is little Tempest after her repair job? We need in shape tomorrow to scrub those floors!"
Skyraider walks in, looking around at his fellow workers. He starts whistling cheerfully, for some reason.
Starscream goes over to his station and smirks a bit at Skyraider
Gryphus enters the room and notes who is here, yet they seem different. Hmm. Interesting.
Tempest looks nervously at Motormaster. A warrior? HER?! But his words reassure her. She gives Resyke an encouraging smile, and then looks blankly at Megatron who she does not recognize one bit. "Soundwave repaired me," she says nervously. Indeed, to those from the alt universe she will look different...her old jet mode replaced by the exotic razor edges of a Kilairian Starcruiser.
Skyraider looks towards his old friend smiling. "Hey Starscream, how ya been?"
Starscream replies lightly, "I’m ok..busy trying to keep tabs on all of us. How are you?"
Skyraider smiles slightly. "Never been better. I just got to polish a fine femme head to toe." He looks towards Nightracer, smirking.
Nightracer glances over her body, to see if Skyraider missed any obvious spots that prime might notice later
Megatron gets to his feet. "I'm forgetting my manners. Let's all join in our song of thanks to the Overlords." He raises an arm across his chest and starts to sing... "Let's work hard, work hard all day long! We do our jobs and that's the right thing! The Autobots are our noble protectors! We serve the Overlords. Serve the Overlords, serve the Overlords and we work hard in their name!"
Skyraider starts singing the song.
Nightracer half-heartedly joins Megatron at best before finding herself a couch to drape herself on seductively
Rumble joins in--in perfect classical harmony, like a choir boy.
Starscream smirks, " make sure its after you’re off duty Sky..." he pauses as Sky starts singing..He would join in but with his voice...its not good...
CatsCradle peeks in behind the others, looking around before coming in with a tentative smile, dusting the nearest panel as she goes with a feather duster than looks suspiciously similar to Gryphus' wing and tail feathers.
Motormaster steps forward, falters, shakes his head... his voice is pained, "Lord Megatron..." It was foolish, of course, but to see his leader as bereft of all that is Decepticon as anyone else hurts him, "Yes... tiptop... shape." Anyone who knows him, a few perhaps from the real world, might notice his hand compulsively twitching into a fist. Buddy about to snap.
Laserbeak gets next to Macabre...and whispers something to her.
Tempest thinks hard. "The Overlords...are like the Mayor and we do what they say?" She looks at Motormaster and Resyke to see if she's figured this out right. "I can do that."
Gryphus looks at them each in turn, studying the variation in color scheme, the way they hold themselves and so on. Is she the only one that notices these folks just /don't/ belong? She keeps this thought to herself till she has proof.
Macabre likes the songs of Angselik better. They have more violence, sex, and, above all, boasting in them. She lays down across a stretch of floor in front of a door, effectively getting in the way of anyone who wants to use said door. She idly, somewhat lazily swats at Laserbeak with a paw, not nearly hard enough to do anything other than give him a semi-firm bop.
Motormaster doesn't sing. Oh no. He starts to tremble. Shake a little. His teeth grit. Both hands tighten. Then, Tempest's words reach him... and he explodes! "HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?! WHERE'S YOUR DIGNITY AND PRIDE?! HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELVES DECEPTICONS!"
Starscream nearly jumps through the wall and spins staring at Motormaster..." AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Laserbeak looks up at the truck. "He told me to stay calm? Ah Irony."
CatsCradle squeaks fearfully, squashed up against the wall in terror. "Shhhhhh!" She flicks her duster at Moto, as if that would help calm him.
Megatron looks rather strangely at Motormaster, "We are Decepticons. We live to work and to serve the Overlords. Are you feeling alright Motormaster? Perhaps you'd better lie down for a bit. I'll have Soundwave make you a hot energon beverage."
Skyraider nearly jumps through the roof when he hears someone bellowing. Looking over, he sees an odd bunch of 'cons. Walking over, he introduces himself, "Heya, I’m Skyraider. never seen ye in these parts before. What’s yer names?"
Gryphus hmms, well that outburst confirms her suspicion quite nicely!
Tempest starts back, staring at Motormaster with her optics wide. His outburst, his pure fury has scared her, and she watches him as if not wanting to be frightened of her caretaker, but never having experienced such vehemence in a friend before!
Resyke resumes his nervous chittering, scurrying under the display table.
Chasm looks at Laserbeak. "That didn't seem to good..."
Nightracer was busy practicing seductive poses but sits up at Motormaster's outburst, too surprised to actually speak
Tempest follows Resyke's lead and huddles next to her bug-buddy
Starscream stares at Motormaster in the same position he was startled into against the wall, "What was that all about?
Gryphus approaches MM, "I think you have caught us at a disadvantage. You are from another reality?" she asks. Ah gotta love her coming right out and doing that researcher questioning thing.
Megatron laughs, "That's a good one, Gryphus." He gestures, ordering everyone to join in a forced spasm of hearty laughter.
Laserbeak readies himself. Infiltration being his forte, he knows when HIS COVER HAS BEEN BLOWN TO SMITHERENES. A quick clickclick followed by some humming indicate his lasers charging up. "Smooth talking Moto."
Nightracer hisses angrily, her optics flashing "Power down those weapons!"
Motormaster settles down, growling somewhere deep in his torso as he glares back and forth at all the pathetic... faded remnants of what he holds dear. "Overlords? Autobots... OVERLORDS!"
Macabre moves herself into a sitting position, and looks around. She wants a fight to start. Yeah, that'd be nice. Then she could get in on it and maul something. When everyone laughs, she just roars animalistically. It's quite noticeable in the background.
CatsCradle eeks at the sound of weapons powering and dives under a table. Finding herself face-to-face with Resyke in bug mode, she shrieks again and launches out from under the table towards the door, screeching to a halt with another squeal at nearly falling face-first over Macabre. She windmills her arms to catch her balance... and Macabre roars. Cats takes a deep breath... and faints.
Nightracer does not laugh when Megatron orders her to, but then she is in a position to ignore almost every other Decepticon if she feels like it. As long as the Autobots do not notice
Laserbeak growls " MY orders come from Lord Megatron ruler of the Decepticon Empire...not some pathetic farce such as this." He points to that Megatron. "Decepticons fight...they don’t serve."
Rumble just /stares/ at his brother Laserbeak. "Fight? How!"
Skyraider cowers in fear in front of the new decepticons, terrified for his life. "Please don’t hurt me!"
Motormaster reaches down with a massive hand as Skyraider collapses at his feet, digging fingers into the collar armor of the smaller mech and lifting him up... up... up... and off the ground entirely, so that he's just dangling there in his grip,"STAND ON YOUR FEET LIKE A REAL MECH! You would cower before me? However much of a fool and a contemptuous sniveler you might be, you are not a coward!" He whirls as Megatron interacts with Optimus, his mouth dropping open... and then he strides forward, shoving Skyraider away,"Have you seen your troops, Megatron? Those workers? They're dying!! How can you not protect them?"
Skyraider dangles helplessly in front of the towering mech. "What do you mean? I’ve never seen you before in my life! Please, put me down!"
Gryphus doesn't take her optics off of MM, even though he is apparently very upset. "I assure you, Megatron, that I am not joking." she sounds pretty sure of herself and as the mech reacts, it seems more apparent to her that her suspicions is right.
Starscream stares at Laserbeak and gives Motormaster a wide birth as he comes away from the wall, " oh and who would we fight little one?" he chuckles oddly
Resyke waves his antennae as CatsCradle goes into hysterics. "Uh.. whuh? Muh?" he states unhelpfully. "You.. alright miss?"
Tempest murmurs to Resyke, "I'm scared. I want to go home."
Suddenly, then the face of Optimus Prime fills the big screen. He's wearing some sort of weird, spikey face mask around his optics, but it's pretty obvious who he is. "Well, Megatron? We need more energy! Increase production quotas by 55 percent!"
Megatron looks apologetic, "Well, sir, we've increased it to 45 percent..."
"That's not good," Prime snarls. "We need to increase the quota!"
Megatron stares, "Yes sir. Right away!"
Prime fades from the screen and Megatron looks worried. He picks up a stressball. "Oh dear. I have to increase quota again and some of troops are acting strangely. This is all too much."
Nightracer looks worried at seeing Prime angry like that. She does not like it when he is in such a mood
Laserbeak sees Prime's Visage and blows up the screen. "Whoops."
Macabre looks down at the fainted CatsCradle, jabbing her with a paw. She growls, and considers the prone body. Then, after some deliberation, Macabre bites CatsCradle. Right on the arm.
Laserbeak whaps Macabre across the snout. "bad kitty!"
Macabre stops shaking Cats' arm like a chew-toy and growls at Laserbeak, now. "Mine," she rasps.
CatsCradle is jerked awake by being bitten. She stares at Macabre with huge optics and bravely.... dusts the lioness's nose with her feather duster.
Resyke looks around at the other person hiding under the table with him. "This.. is just too weird!" he chitters to Tempest.
Chasm sighs, "Why did I come on this inane patrol? Oh that's right, I was forced into it by Soundwave. Just a routine patrol, he said. I'd be back in time to do my stock trades, he said. Sigh."
Nightracer gets on her feet and walks, hips swaying, to Motormaster. She pulls a tiny knife from between her breasts and shows it to him "Every night I have been promising myself that one day I am going to put it through prime's optic. A"
Gryphus steps away as MM ignores she's practically ten feet in front of him, not wishing to get in the way of a obviously angered mech.
Nightracer says angrily "But tell me. How are we going to deal with *His* minions if we do that?"
Macabre makes some kind of almost-laugh at having her nose dusted. That tickles. But then she grabs the feather duster between her jaws, chews roughly, and swallows it.
Laserbeak waddles over to Rumble, and glares at him. Rumble always known as the pit bull of the tapes, is now a sniveling little turd? He shoves him. "Stand up for yourselves, dammit!"
Resyke transforms into a form more suited for conversation and nods in reply. "Me too. But I'm sure things will turn out alright..." he says, trying to force himself to believe it.
Megatron looks mildly at Motormaster, "I'll have to report your deviant behaviour to the Overlords, I'm afraid. The workers are doing their duty, nothing more, nothing less."
Rumble falls right over at Laserbeak's push! "Hey, bro, cut it out!" he whines. "I'm telling Soundwave on you!"
Megatron says, "It's our duty to serve the Overlords. We may all expire doing it, but we'll do it proudly and with a smile on our faces."
Nightracer pales, energon draining from her face. She had quite forgotten that Megatron is quite devoted to the Autobots and unlikely to cover the lapses in loyalty of the common workers
Motormaster drops his blazing purple gaze to Nightracer,"With courage, and with combat! Die if you must, but never never NEVER fall to your knees before the enemy!" He barks a laugh at her little knife,"You want to know how to deal with Autobots? With THIS!" And he activates his subspace pocket, his greatsword popping into one hand,"Or with THIS!" And his cyclone gun shimmers into place in the other. Then, to Megatron again,"Let these Overlords come! I will deal with them myself, or die trying! That is what Decepticons do!"
Gryphus just watches and let's the others realize it at their own pace, after awhile the whole situation could draw unwanted attention. She shakes her head and sighs.
Starscream hears Megatron’s words at Motormaster and stares at Motormaster in shock then back to Megatron, "Turn him over to the overlords Megatron...if you only report him what if he gets more violent?"
Tempest nods, still confused, willing to take Resyke's words as truth...but she's a little nervous still. "I...hope so...."
Megatron's optic widen. "That's a forbidden weapon, Motormaster. I'm sorry, but I'll have to report you." He goes to press a button on his desk.
Skyraider lets out a scream as he sees the blade. "P-Please, put me down, don't hurt me or my co-workers!"
CatsCradle squeaks again, optics even wider as her duster disappears into the lioness' mouth. She backwards-crawls several paces, catches herself before she goes back under the table where the large-bug-creature was. She hears Rumble's voice and falls into an automatic scolding. "Now, Laserbeak, you leave your brother alone!" Then at the sight of Moto's weapons, she squeaks again into silence, backing up against the wall and huddling there.
Starscream rushes over, barely missing CatsCradle, to try and stop Megatron from hitting that bottom. " NO...just turn him over to them...let THEM deal with him
Nightracer steps back, scared, scared suddenly. She may be a favourite concubine of the overlord prime, but he will not forgive her threatening him with a weapon, however puny
Tempest watches Motormaster in silent fear...those weapons terrify her, but he...he was so nice to her...how can he be so scary now?
Megatron glares at Starscream distracts him. "That wasn't very nice, Starscream? What is it with all this deviant behaviour? I feel a head-ache coming on."
Laserbeak stumbles back stunned.... he then flies over and lands on Megatron at full speed, landing on his shoulder and putting his fully powered laser up against Megsie's head. "Push it. Lose your head. Your call."
Gryphus mutters something under her breath and turns to leave. She rather not watch if the Autobots show up and take these impostors down to the smelting pits.
Megatron looks terrified. "A laser pistol! One of the most terrifying weapons ever invented! What do you want, you sociologically deviant creature?"
Resyke seems to be holding a femme convention under the table. Forcing himself to wave cheerfully (he's in robot mode) to CatsCradle, the little insecticon looks from one mech to the other, wondering what to say.
Starscream’s optics widen, "I’m...I’m sorry....but he’s big and really mean....I thought maybe if you just turned him over to the them they could deal with and we wouldn’t have to...forgive me.."
Megatron says, "Be careful, Starscream! He's got a laser pistol!"
Motormaster suddenly settles down into a strange coldness, shaking his head and closing the distance with this... this... NOT-Megatron. He puts one booted foot up on the couch,"Let him push it, Laserbeak. Let him call them. I would rather they die." He then leans into Megatron's face,"We WANT you to stand up for yourselves! Fight!"
CatsCradle finds herself waving back at the cheerful little bug-con, then looks at her hand as if horrified to see what it is doing.
Tempest decides this is not the best time to tell Motormaster that she doesn't know how to fight either.
Laserbeak says, "I want you to lead. Dammit. Your known as the slag maker. You used to take down squads of Autobots yourself. You used to be a leader. Now Lead dammit!""
Nightracer quietly extracts herself from the center of the room, planning to slip out without being noticed. If she is not here when the Autobots show up she might survive.
Starscream looks back quickly and to the laserpistol, " put that thing up !! We cant have those things here...they do a lot of damage...we cant afford that...we cant"
Gryphus leaves the room, not that anyone will notice with the pandemonium.
Megatron says, "We can't! They'll punish us if we disobey! They'll use their weapons against us! They've got laser-whips!"
Skyraider picks himself up and looks up at Motormaster. "Fight? Who? And how? We were built to serve."
Macabre looks around, and transforms. She's got that massive, razor-edged shield. She looks around again, from a viewpoint about twenty feet higher than before. "Rr."
Megatron says, "Slagmaker? Me? Did I run a smelting refinery or something?"
Laserbeak drops back, rolls out his neck and replies "Call your precious Autobots, and I'll show you by example."
Motormaster grabs Megatron and drags him to his feet, forcibly if he must,"Then throw yourselves at them, drag their whips from their hands and turn them upon them! I have known you to be the mightiest warrior in the galaxy... surely that cannot be entirely gone!" He looks to Skyraider,"Fight the autobots! You could be your own overlords! Never die for them again, never kneel for them! That is what we have in my world..." He stops suddenly,"We can teach you."
Resyke sits crosslegged under the table, hoping that his relaxed posture will put both mechs at ease. "Listen. Um. I think things are gonna get real messy in a while. Both of you don't look like you're in any state to fight", he suddenly grins, "So you might as well talk to each other. Or me."
Skyraider optics widen at Motormaster’s comment. "F-Fight the Autobots? But they'll slaughter us!"
Tempest looks shyly at CatsCradle and says, "Hi. I remember you from the repair bay." Another universe, but Temp doesn't realize that.
Nightracer, on her way to the exit, hears Tempest saying repair bay "You've been to the repair bay? How's Scorcher doing?"
Tempest blinks. "I...don't know anyone named Scorcher. I'm new here. Sorry."
CatsCradle looks with wide optics at Tempest, at least clueing in to the shy-and-therefore-not-threatening tone. She points a shaky hand at Macabre. "It... She... ate my duster," she says in a small voice.
Skyraider notices the few Decepticons that are apparently with the big rough mech. He walks over to them, smiling, and waves, "Hey, I’m Skyraider. How you all doing?"
Laserbeak looks to Megatron "Slagmaker...as in 'I used to slay Autobots and keep their heads in my trophy case. One bad aft Mother &^*#214....a real champion of the cause. My hero."
Macabre watches what's happening. Motormaster's spiel isn't working. "You will fight now." She walks over calmly, and slams a button marked 'EMERGENCY' with her palm. Klaxons go off everywhere and the lighting changes to a dim red scheme. "Fight or I will take you out myself."
Megatron says, "But I'm a hero! I work hard and lead by example..."
Megatron says, "Oh no! The alarm! We're done for now!"
Tempest looks at Macabre in horror. She doesn't know how to fight any more than those alt-universe Cons.
Resyke flinches at the sound of the alarm. So much for remaining calm.
Motormaster glances to Macabre, and abruptly nods once,"You want an example, Megatron?! We'll give you an example." And he shove the leader into the couch again,"Fight if you will. Otherwise, now you die." He then turns to /his/ Decepticons,"Everyone, get ready! Let's show these folks how /we/ do things!"
Skyraider starts glancing around frantically. The alarms...now they’re in for it.
CatsCradle tries to bolt for the door. "We're gonna die!!!" She trips and falls headlong, bapping her chin on the floor.
Tempest stares at the guns on her arms and says to Resyke, "How do I fire these things?"
Resyke waves his arms around. "I don't know! You just... fire them! Point them at the bad guys and think about blasting them" The insecticon is about to continue.. when he's interrupted by the sound of Cats hitting the floor.
Rumble trots up to Motormaster. "I wanna fight! Will you show me how?"
Macabre removes a fat, curved dagger from some hidden space, and steadies her shield. She waits for the Autobots to come.
Skyraider heads over to help CatsCradle up. While doing so, he looks towards Rumble. "Don’t be absurd Rumble. You’ll be terminated!"
Laserbeak grins, stretches his wings, and looks to Rumble with a wordless grin on his face. "that's /MY/ Brother."
CatsCradle sits up, rubbing her chin. "Rumble, don't you dare, young mech! I'll tell your father on you!"
Motormaster looks down at Rumble and grins fiercely,"Our first new recruit!" He activates his subspace pocket and gets out an oh-so-feared laser pistol... not one of his standard weapons, an emergency back up. He then hands it to the small mech,"Point it at the enemy, pull the trigger."
The screen shows a small Autobot patrol gunning towards Trypticon lead by a small, spiky yellow vehicle. Using their access codes, they gun up the ramp and into Trypticon.
Rumble sticks out his tongue at Cats. "I wanna be an overlord just like Prime, so nyah." He looks at Motormaster and grabs the pistol with an expression of awe. "For ME? REALLY? WOW!!!" He pulls the trigger as Motormaster said, and almost shoots his own foot off!
Nightracer suddenly finds the exit she was heading for blocked by a stumbling Cats. So since she can not escape the room she looks around frantically for a hiding place. Finally she spots a ventilation opening high up near the ceiling. With surprising agility she leaps first on a console then jumps up to grab the grate. The lack of armour might have to do something with her athletic abilities though. Quickly she rips out the grate and crawls in the duct, closing the opening behind her just before the Autobots storm in the room
Eventually they burst into the command room. There are five warriors in total. Their leader steps forward. "I'm Major Bumblebee, leader of the Deathsquad Minibot Commando team," he says in a deep voice. "And boy, are you in trouble. You're all suspected of deviate behaviour. You'll have to come into Iacon and be Reassigned." He pulls out a laser whip and cracks it alarmingly.
CatsCradle climbs to her feet, storms over to Rumble and takes the gun away. "Shame on you!" she scolds, then looks at the gun in her hand, shrieks in horror and drops it. It goes off, ricocheting past Bumblebee's head.
Macabre stares at Bumblebee for a moment, growls, and lunges, swinging her shield with the intent to puncture some throat. Her eyes glow bright red with savage fury.
Laserbeak nearly falls over with delight. "They always told me pick on someone my own size." He lets lose a torrent of laserfire in the Bots’ direction.
Motormaster looks to Bumblebee... pauses... and then just starts laughing,"Boy... you don't even WANT to know who you are messing with!" And he activates the sword, the chain-teeth spinning rapidly and beginning to scream in a rather disturbing manner,"You might be able to scare these folks with that toy... but I'm a /real/ Decepticon. And I'm about to kick yer aft!" And he charges!
Rumble scrabbles for the gun. "That was a good one Cats!" He takes aim on Cliffjumper, or tries to, and pulls the trigger again.
Major Bumblebee looks startled as the Decepticons fire at them. The Decepticons don't rebel, ever...
Resyke peeks his head out from under the table, wincing as a blaster shot flies over head. "Take cover, miss!" he yells at CatsCradle. "Or fight back!"
CatsCradle squeals, "NononononononoIdidn'tmeantodothaaaaaat." As shots go past her, she "eeeeeeeee"'s, but doesn't dive for cover, instead trying to slap Rumble's hands to get him to drop the gun... of course, only making his shots go even more irratic.
Starscream retreats to the back of the room and starts taking notes on the combat
Tempest is all for taking cover beside Resyke. Trembling, she peeks out to watch the battle, somehow unable to look away.
Skyraider is frozen to the spot, too afraid to think, and too curious for his own good. He stands there, watching the action.
Windcharger yells, "They're firing at us, boss! What do we do?"
"We fight!" Bumblebee says grimly. "Let's give 'em hell!"
Laserbeak says, "Resyke get your aft out here! It's Bumblebee! It's like the Autobot junior team or something!"
The Autobots start firing at the Decepticons. Unfortunately, they're kind of disorganized, as though they don't practice much for insurrections. Gears fires at Motormaster and blasts the Stunticon leader with his laser spray.
Macabre is still charging with the intent to ram the tip of her shield through someone's face and/or neck.
Nightracer first looks through the grate but as the shots fly everywhere she withdraws a bit deeper into the ventilation duct. So much for curiosity..
Motormaster waves Bumblebee forward,"Come and get some!" Single combat between leaders. Gotta love trad-ZAP! Gears's laser spray lances the Stunticon leader all over his torso and arms... but he's a Decepticon in his prime, full charged. And so he just walks through it, rears back his blade, and stabs it towards Gears's face!
Resyke looks back at the cowering Tempest. "Um.. miss? I'd better go do what Laserbeak says."
Laserbeak, through the joys of independantly targetable lasers points one at Cats while firing away at Bumblebee. "Leave my Bro alone you disgrace to the name Decepticon."
Tempest nods to Resyke and lets him go, hoping the other Cons can take care of those strange enemies and keep her safe.
Gears goes down without a whimper.
Windcharger yells, "We've lost Gears, sir!"
Rumble laughs delightedly as he fires wildly at anything bearing a red symbol!
CatsCradle eeks at Laserbeak and grabs for anything... anything... and finds... her dust rag! In a quick movement, she drapes it over Laserbeak's head.
Bumblebee barrels forward, charging at Motormaster with his laserwhip. "The Deathsquad never gives up!"
Skyraider looks on amazed as one of the Autobots is actually killed. "He-He killed him!"
Nightracer wonders how she got herself into this mess, and what she can tell prime if he finds out she has seen everything. Prime might just forgive her, but he will make her hurt for weeks, of that much she is certain
Motormaster flips up his blade, snarling as he boots Gears's corpse away... only to have the laserwhip cracked down around his upper arm, sizzling and blasting him backwards off his feet. He winces and staggers away, feeling the energy course agonizingly into him... and struggles up his cyclone gun, firing at Bumblebee's chest.
Laserbeak shoots erratically, before slashing at Cats with his talon and removing the rag. He lets a blast out at Windcharger. "How about you lose your face Autoscum?"
Resyke runs out from under the table and into the midst of the firefight, hoses clamped to his arms spraying jets of corrosive, undiluted cleaning product in all directions. Most of the acidic substance ends up on the walls, though a few bursts seem to find their marks.
Macabre transforms and leaps at Cliffjumper, the ideal result being pouncing him to the floor and subsequently eating his face.
Bumblebee looks shocked as the gun explodes into his chest. "Impossible..." he gasps, before slumping to the ground.
The remaining Deathsquad Commandos stop firing and drop their weapons, raising their hands into the air.
Macabre transforms into her Lioness mode.
Tempest watches the fight in shock and horror. That Autobot...actually /died/...she wants to cry. She wants to scream. She can't turn away as the laserwhip cracks down on Motormaster's arm, knocking her protector off his feet, biting into his... And somehow, her vision blurs, everything lost in a blinding sea of red.
Tempest howls in absolute fury, and launches from her hiding place, an animal war-cry to match Macabre, and tackles Tapout! He raises his hands in surrender but she doesn't care. She doesn't even know where the energy blade comes from...the one that rips into the Autobot's throat...
Motormaster struggles back to his feet, and watches coldly as the Autobots try to surrender. In his own world, he might acknowledge it, might try to stop his troops. Here?... "Spare one to take a message back to their leaders!"
Cliffjumper stops in mid-surrender as Macabre jumps on him. "Noo," he wails.
Laserbeak is pummeling Windcharger with his talons, gleefully and morbidly covering himself in the mech's fluid.
Skyraider walks up to Motormaster, optics wide in amazement. "How...How did you beat them? I Thought they couldn’t be beat..."
Tapout goes down, his throat ripped open by Tempest's blade. His optics still startled.
CatsCradle squeaks again, then catches Rumble and pulls him out of the way of the mauling and surrendering. She backs them in a corner, then sinks down and wraps her arms around him protectively. "It's only going to get worse now," she moans.
Windcharger whimpers; he's the only surviving member of the Deathsquad left.
Tempest doesn't know if Tapout is alive or dead as she suddenly comes back to herself. She staggers backwards, off the Autobot's chest, her gaze alternating between the gash in the Autobot's throat and the oily energy blade in her hand.
Resyke isn't as combat crazed as his comrades, skidding to a halt in front of Windcharger as the rest of the Autobots go down. Raising his arm, he proclaims. "Um. Surrender or die, Autoscum!"
Macabre feasts upon Cliffjumper, biting into and ripping off his facial plating as if it were some kind of delicacy. He's squirming and squirming, but that only makes it a more delightful experience, as the best meals are the ones that are still alive. They're that much fresher. Cliffjumper's scream comes out as a burble, lacking the apparent necessary to process his vocal impulses. Eventually, he stops squirming. Macabre does not stop cannibalizing him, gleefully splattering and speckling her black and red form with blood.
Motormaster notes Winccharger’s condition, even as Laserbeak slashes at him,"Stop, Laserbeak! He's useful yet." He whirls to Skyraider,"We fought, that's how. You cannot win unless you are willing to fight."
Starscream looks to Megatron and than back to the carnage and is at a total loss for words or action other then taking notes.
Motormaster also pauses to look at Tempest for a long moment, and then nod. Thank you, he seems to be saying.
Tempest watches the energon drip off her blade, and realizes with horror what she has done. She drops to her knees, and bursts out crying.
Laserbeak pulls back... and removes Bumblebee's head with his fluid covered talons, He snaps to Windcharger "Tell Prime...his aft is mine.". He tosses Bumblebee's head at Megatron. "THAT's how the slagmaker did it."
Megatron appears to be in shock.
CatsCradle tries to cover Rumble's optics from the carnage.
Windcharger babbles, "Yes, I'll tell Prime, I'll tell him everything..."
Skyraider straightens up for the first time since he started serving. "You mean...we can beat the Overlords and the Autobots?"
Macabre, her mouth absolutely dripping with sanguine, turns and peers at Tempest. She growls, as if saying to stop that, before biting into and pulling off Cliffjumper's arm.
Laserbeak shoves Cats away. "You pathetic femme...leave my brother alone!"
Rumble says, "Do I have to give the gun back?" He will if asked, but he cradles it close. He wants to keep it.
Motormaster steps up,"And you tell him that if he /touches/ another Decepticon ever again... I'll be on him so fast he won't even know what hit him. These are my people, and I WILL protect them. We all will. The age of the Overlords is OVER." He then stops... and walks over to Tempest, sitting beside her, and resting a hand on her shoulder. It seems the brutal soldier is capable of tenderness too.
Resyke stands there, pointing his cleaning based weapons at the beaten Windcharger as Beak stops hitting the bot. "Yeah, what they said!"
Chasm decloaks from his hologram. "Ahh, it's good to see that violence triumphs over peaceful revolutions..."
CatsCradle bats at Laserbeak. "Leave him alone," she wails, no longer sure who she should be protecting Rumble from.
Nightracer kicks the grate out and jumps down, optics blazing
Tempest unquestioningly curls up against Motormaster and sobs into his shoulder.
Windcharger quivers in terror at Resyke. That cleaning hose looks /dangerous/...
Laserbeak glares at Cats "DO YOU LIKE BEING A SLAVE? YOU PATHETIC WEAKLING? Divefire would be disgraced..." Not even sure if the femme will understand his last comment.
Macabre looks up as Nightracer lands a touch close to her and her feast. "-Mine!-" she hisses, swiping at Nightracer in such a way as to usher her away.
For the first time /ever/, someone is afraid of Resyke. The insecticon is at a loss. "Make one move, and.. uh.. you'll be scrap! Yeah!"
Nightracer stalks towards Windcharger and there is nothing seductive in her posture now. When she stands in front of the cowering Autobot she hisses "And you can tell Prime that he will never, ever, have another Decepticon for his pleasure. I will personally see to that.... If I ever come face to face again I'll rip some parts out of him. Make sure to tell him that too"
Windcharger nods, "Please... don't hurt me!"
Motormaster notes conversationally to Resyke,"Let him go. He gets to live. This time. Won't be so lucky next time he tries this." And then he goes back to comforting Tempest, holding her close and whispering softly to her, presumably comforting her.
CatsCradle cries out again, "Leave him alone, I'm supposed to keep him out of trouble." She catches her breath in a sob. "Go 'way."
Skyraider walks over towards where CatsCradle and the bird thingy are arguing, "Now, now, we're all friends here apparently. Lets try to act civilized about this"
Windcharger says, "I'll tell Prime everything! Please, let me go!"
Laserbeak Looks to Windcharger "Go you’ve got ten seconds....and I don’t know how to count so move!"
Nightracer grabs a discarded gun and holds the unfamiliar weight in her hand, trying to find a comfortable grip on the things. Experimentally she aims it at Windcharger’s head "Get out!" she snarls
Tempest gulps, and nods a few time though there are still tears running down her optics. She fumbles with the sword. "Where did it come from and how do I get it to go away?" She doesn't remember that she has to hit the firing stud to shut it off.
Resyke tries to look mean and tough and strong, which is really hard when you're so damned small. "Yeah, what Beak said! And if you come back.. we'll blast you to bits! And then stomp on the bits! And eat them!" Okay, so he's getting a bit carried away.
Macabre finishes her meal, leaving Cliffjumper's about half still in existence. She transforms, and the fangs of her skullcap (get it? Ha, I kill me!) drip down onto her chest. She pays it no mind.
Windcharger runs from the room, using his access code to open the door and then to escape down the hatchway.
Motormaster reaches down, and shows her how to turn the blade off. He then rises to his feet again, having to get a handle on the situation,"Megatron! You were afraid of their whips?" He walks over and literally pries the laserwhip from Bumbleebee's cold, dead hands, tossing it onto the couch beside the Decepticon leader,"There! Now you have one of your very own."
Nightracer trembles at her own daring, but there is no turning back now. Prime will never forgive her *this*
Megatron says nervously, "How do I put this into my report?"
Laserbeak looks to Resyke muttering something about buying the bug a beer, then turns back to Cats. "Answer my question. DO You like being a slave? Do you know what your mate would say? I believe he would call you a spineless wench...wait that’s me. STAND UP For yourself!"
CatsCradle looks at Laserbeak in confusion. "My mate? I would not take a mate... and create more slaves?" She rests her hands on Rumble's shoulders. "Make my children go through what he has?"
Starscream looks to him and shrugs. The color on his face is gone and his optics look permanently stuck in large, wide mode.
Resyke blinks. "He.. he was afraid of me.." he mutters. "Whoa."
Nightracer turns to Megatron and purrs, her habit of being seductive hard to shake off apparently "I am going to run for it, and I am going to make life for those Bots’ miserable. Are you with me, or should I shoot you first, Megatron?"
Megatron says, "I'm not sure how to deal with this. I mean, there are no procedures in place to follow..."
Rumble grins at CatsCradle. "I kicked Autobot aft! And I'm gonna do it again! I got a laser gun!"
Nightracer looks at Motormaster "You know how to fight. Teach me. Teach us." she glares around "Which one of you is coming with me?"
Laserbeak gives up on Cats "Your a mindless sheep." He turns to Megs and slaps him. "The Time has come for you to make yer own procedures, boss."
Skyraider stares at Nightracer for a good while, thinking over his options. He steps forward, standing tall, "I'M with you!"
Rumble says "Me too!" waving his laser gun.
Macabre paces around the room, tail twitching with a sense of unease brought on by that battle being so quick. She glares at everyone present in turn as she passes by, giving Rumble a slight smile that, given the blood splattered all over her, makes her look like a psychopathic serial murderer.
A spark of light glimmers in Megatron's pastel coloured optics. "I could make up /own/ procedures? I could..." His imagination runs away with him. "I could even come up with own songs for the workgroups! I could make everything more efficient and ensure that trucks really do run on time..."
CatsCradle looks at all of them, fright still in her optics. "We... we have no choice, now. They'll think we were with you all along..."
Laserbeak points his laser squarely at Megatron's chest. "You can fight. Or I can redecorate the room with your lasercore."
Motormaster looks to CatsCradle, voice cold,"You have a choice. There is always a choice... you can join us, or you can die." Then, to Nightracer, almost smiling now. Almost. "I will teach ya what I know."
Tempest makes herself stop sniffling so as not to draw the attention of scary femmes like Macabre and Nightracer.
Nightracer waves Laserbeak and Motormaster aside "I don't know where you are from, but he is ours to deal with... What do you want Megatron?"
Megatron hesitates, "Well, I'd like to..."
A strange rumble shakes the ground. Some of the alarms on Megatron's console start to go off... Megatron quickly whips around and pulls out a computer-printout that's being spewed out from one of the terminals. "Oh fiddly-sticks. It seem that the refinery operation is causing massive subtectonic damage to all Cybertron. It could shake the planet apart!"
CatsCradle looks down at Rumble, smiling in spite of herself at his eagerness. "I... I have to take care of him... and there's the other children..." It's obvious that she has more of a sense of preservation for them, than for herself.
Nightracer fires her gun at Megatron, hitting him in the back of his head
Laserbeak stands there in shock... "Holy slag..." He powers-up his lasers, and looks to Moto "We bringing the fight to them? Or waiting here?"
Motormaster says to CatsCradle,"Generations of children can grow up free and proud, not as afraid slaves. Think about it." He whirls as Nightracer shoots Megatron, blinking,"Was that really necessary? He was sayin' somethin' about the refinery... that's what brought us here!"
Megatron's optics look startled and then his head thumps down on the desk, a waft of smoke curling up from behind him. The alarms and graphs on the console begin to go off the scale.
Resyke staggers around like a bad star-trek extra as the ground shakes. "Whhooaa.. This isn't good..."
Chasm wails, "I want to go home..."
Nightracer dismisses Megatron and says urgently to Motormaster "We have to get out of here. And there's dozens of femmes in the harem that need to be freed."
Skyraider starts getting nervous and frightened. "Whadda we do! Whadda we do!" he asks repeatedly, seemingly to no one.
Laserbeak's head perks up "Dozens of femmes. Suddenly I ain’t so homesick."
Motormaster curses, then looks to Starscream,"Can you turn off the refinery from here? It's destroying your Cybertron!"
Starscream’s mouth drops open as he sees Megatron slump down on the desk. He looks to Motormaster. “Look what you have done!!"
Resyke looks up at Skyraider. "I dunno! Wait.. haven't we had this conversation before?"
Macabre looks at Nightracer, then at the dead Megatron, then at her shield. "... Hm."
CatsCradle stands up. "And the children's dorms. We have to get them out." She still looks frightened, but her voice no longer shakes.
Skyraider looks down at the bug-robot-thingy. "I don’t remember. Have we met before? I’m Skyraider, if not." He then resumes his scared posture.
Nightracer nods at CatsCradle "Yes. Certainly the children too"
Laserbeak hops on Motormaster's shoulder "Plan boss?"
Starscream then reacts to Motormaster’s question, "What do you mean? Why is Megatron dead?" he walks over to Megatron and looks at him, "He sang such good songs too.....
Nightracer yells at Starscream "Get your aft moving. I've had enough of the Autobots."
Starscream turns to her, " Don’t YELL AT ME!!!"
Motormaster looks to Laserbeak... and abruptly blanches. Boss? Hold on just a dangdarnminute... But he can't think about it much, he doesn't have time,"Quiet, both of you! Starscream, turn off the refinery while you still can! Nightracer, go release the other slaves kept in Trypticon."
Resyke is pretty much a kidlet himself. "Is there anything I can to do help?" he asks, scurrying up to CatsCradle.
Laserbeak looks around "Well logically, yall might want to move... They'll be here soon enough."
CatsCradle gives Rumble a determined nod. "You go collect the children in the dorms. I'll find the ones on duty."
Nightracer looks up at Motormaster, accepting him as Decepticon leader "Yes!" she says, still in that husky voice of hers "Cats, Sky and ehmm. you. lets get them free"
Starscream goes to a control panel and begins shutting down the refinery then pauses, "And what will we do when the overlords attack?"
Rumble gives CatsCradle a nod and sets off on his task.
Laserbeak glares at Starscream "Kill them."
Nightracer looks over her shoulder and answers Starscream "We'll be gone by then. Unless you want to stay and explain why their Deathsquad got killed and you watched and did nothing?"
Skyraider looks around, wondering what it actually is he’s supposed to do. "Huh? Whaddya want me to do??"
Motormaster says brusquely,"If you move fast enough, we'll be gone by the time they get here. If you move slow, we stand and fight. You decide."
Trypticon's voice rumbles over the speakers, "Huh? Refinery not suppose to be turned off! Me materials processing plant and monitoring station! This is confusing..."
Resyke can't help but grin as the Dino-city's familiar voice echoes around the room.
On the view screen, a red truck can be seem rumbling towards Trypticon, flanked by a fleet of vehicles.
Nightracer says "Cats can you and your ... friend go free the children? Sky and I will free the harem and the servants." she looks imploringly at Motormaster "Can you find a way out of here for us? The children can't fight"
Macabre grins at the sights the viewscreen brings her. She can't wait.
Laserbeak looks at the screen " Light em if ya got them. Party time."
Skyraider looks at the view screen in horror. "ITS PRIME!! HE’S COMING AFTER US!!" He yells.
Motormaster hesitates a moment, takes a deep breath, and then steps forward to address the base,"Trypticon, I am your new leader! The Overlords... they will destroy you if you let them. You mustn't let that happen." He looks back to Nightacer, then glances at the screen,"MOVE! I'm doing what I can!"
CatsCradle bolts out with Rumble, and in faster time than one might expect, she is back with the older children, organizing them in lines and pairing an older with a younger. For all her earlier fright, she apparently is very good with the children, and very quickly they are ready to move.
Nightracer shoves Skyraider in the right direction "Then get going..."
On the view screen, Optimus Prime transforms. He's wearing a spiked mask and has a long, black cape fluttering behind him, making him look like a refugee from various anime flicks. A long sword appears in his hand, "Rebellious Decepticons - now is the time to surrender! This will be your last chance. The Overlords are watching!"
Starscream finishes turning everything off and looks to the rest, "Wherever you guys are going I want to go too
Tempest is wishing very badly to run, but something in her will not let her run out the door--not without the others. The only thing worse than being in here is being alone....
Skyraider follows Nightracer to the harem
Nightracer and Skyraider return leading a straggle of femmes, most of whom look grimly determined, and several servant Mechs who seem about as confused and scared as Skyraider
Laserbeak gives a circle the wagons gesture with his wing. "Like I said Party time. Let's kick some Autobot aft." He then looks to Motormaster "I think this is where I say the ball's in your court, boss."
Motormaster looks to the screen, then to Nightracer,"IF I buy you time, will you take the people with me with you when you go? I can... hold him. Long enough. If he's anything like the other Autobot, anything at all... he'll accept single combat."
Resyke is once more lost in the sea of larger mechs, peering around someone's legs to get a glimpse of the screen. "Oooh boy. It's the Autobots", he mutters. "Still.. could be worse. Could be Unicron."
Laserbeak looks to Motormaster. "Your gonna need some back up, and I Don’t see any other willing participants."
Nightracer nods thoughtfully and looks at Motormaster "I will ... though they might not want to come..." she understands what the big mech is planning to do
Tempest swallows nervously. "You can't fight him, Motormaster!" If he does...who will she have?
Macabre waits at the door. They're taking too long; she wants a fight! Her dagger and shield are ready and just itching to be used.
Skyraider looks at Motormaster. "Not to sound disrespectful, but that’s Prime out there. He'll hammer you into spare parts!"
Chasm mutters, "I want to go home..."
Laserbeak walks up to the door and waits next to Macabre. "At least somebody else is ready to go." He looks back to Motormaster...
Nightracer turns to cats and says "you know the old access tunnels? I have heard of them but nobody ever knew where to find them? And we're ... not exactly been trying to get out... unlike the servants"
CatsCradle says to Skyraider, "Maybe not... maybe he's grown as soft as the others. They," and she nods at Motormaster, "went through them like wet paper." She picks up one of the younger children, settles him on her hip. "I know the tunnels. I can get us out."
Motormaster smiles quietly,"He usually does. Hammer me, that is. But maybe... maybe this one has gotten used to never having to fight. Maybe I can at least hurt him." He looks around, raises his voice for all to here,"Decepticons! This is the moment of truth. There is no going back. You cannot hide from reality any more. I am going to challenge Optimus Prime myself. That will give you time to get into the access tunnels. You must run, now, but you will return. And reclaim what is yours. Go, learn to fight. Your time will come." He then looks to Laserbeak, Macabre, Tempest, Chasm, and Resyke,"Who wants to stay with me?"
Nightracer pushes her gun in Cats' hands. "Save the children" she says
Skyraider listens t CatsCradles words. They inspire him, fill him with hope. A little too much hope. "Someone gimme a weapon," he says, "Its payback time."
Laserbeak grins "You even have to ask?"
Macabre raises her dagger in response, cheering/roaring.
Chasm says, "Actually, I'd rather been in Alberqueque right now..."
Starscream slides out of the room and escapes. he wants no part of this....but perhaps he will ponder Motormaster’s words as he hides and maybe if they win things will be different
Nightracer gestures to one of the discarded whips "Use one of those, Sky"
Resyke nods, looking resolute.
CatsCradle takes the gun, first holding it between her fingers like it is about to bite her, then carefully shifts it around, holding it firmly. "All right, children," she says in a clear voice. "Just like the games we've played, right? We have to hurry. Everyone got their partner? Now don't let go of them, whatever you do."
Skyraider smiles and picks up a whip. he looks at it puzzled. "Erm, how do you turn it on?"
Resyke nervously wonders if a building is going to fall on him this time.
Nightracer shrugs at Skyraider and goes to the femmes and servants "Follow the children" she says "Cats' will lead you to safety. And then we get back at them for what did they to us"
Motormaster looks to Skyraider, Cats, and Nightracer, leaders of each of the little subgroups of Decepticons,"Go. Go now." Then he walks over to the viewscreen, and activates the outside communication, leaning forward,"Prime! I am Stunticon Commander Motormaster, soldier of Emperor Megatron, warrior of the Decepticon Empire, and protector of the people you would harm. I will fight you."
Laserbeak does his weird little fidgety Lesnar hop around pacing thing. He looks to Resyke and nods approvingly.
From the screen, Prime roars, "Well Decepticons? Otherwise -- " A worker is pushed forward and Prime casually tests the edge of his blade against the worker's neck..."
Tempest is terrified. Part of her wants to leave with the children. But...she does not want to leave the mech who has been watching over her.
Resyke grins shakily at Beak. "This always seems to happen to us, huh?"
Skyraider , after much fiddling around, eventually (accidentally) turns the whip on, its energy reflecting off his battered and worn armour.
From the screen, Prime says, "Very well. Face me. I will show you what it means to defy the Overlords..."
Macabre clangs the edge of her shield on the ground impatiently and repeatedly, standing at the very edge of the doorway so she can attack the first thing to come through.
CatsCradle bustles the children and others out.
Laserbeak shrugs to Resyke "Primus I need a cig." He waddles over to the door waving for the others to follow "I believe the word is company pull out?" Yea he likes being second banana.
Motormaster nods once, solemnly, and turns to go out and meet his foe.
Nightracer ushers the first of the femmes in the same corridor that Cats used
Skyraider starts to think whether he should follow Nightracer or follow Motormaster
****
Vos Hinterland
In the distance, the squat towers of Vos greasily scrape against the dark, smog-choked backdrop. This area formerly processed all the chemical and industrial waste produced by manufacturing. Now, eons of war have left the place sunk into a corroded mess of rust-streaked plating and black, sticky pools of chemical tars and acids. The specialized holding vats have been clawed open and the ancient tracks that would have carried the trucks forward into the processing plant are now crumbled into decay. Wires have been strung up half-heartedly around the empty shells of the towers, and microfibre flags flap limply in the rising air pressure.
Laserbeak soars overhead circling like a vulture ready to rain death from above on MM's word.
Macabre is practically sprinting toward the impending fight. My, she's chipper.
A vast army of Autobots can be seen on the plain. Optimus Prime strides forward, his cape snapping in the breeze. He raises his black sword and points it at Motormaster. "I am ready, Decepticon slave. It is time you realized who your true masters are." A strange, black hovering pyramid hangs over the Autobot army; the Overlords have come to watch.
Motormaster steps out into the night of Cybertron, breathing a few times to get his metal frame relaxed, loose, ready... he glances to Laserbeak and grins,"It always seems to come down to this doesn't it... and I always seem to lose. Here's to tradition." He checks his sword over, then his cyclone gun, finds them both in working order,"Take care of the others, okay?" Then he faces Optimus, and raises his own sword,"To the death!" And, taking a lesson from his battle with Grimlock... he leaps and strikes!
Tempest lets out a low whimper--and searches the Autobot army for faces she might recognize. They remind her of something in her past, at least the few shards of her past she still remembers. She looks for the faces of the raiders who destroyed her homeworld, but does not find them.
Laserbeak looks at the truck and growls, waiting for a Bot to get to close....but knows he cannot interfere in this duel.
Optimus Prime steps to one side as Motormaster clangs down on him with the sword, blocking the Stunticon's weapon with an energy shield that suddenly appears in his hand. He retaliates with a sudden sword-thrust towards the Stunticon's chest.
Resyke stands watching, optics flickering. If the Stunticon dies, they're all doomed. If he lives.. well, they still might be all doomed.
Chasm crouches to one side, partly obscured by a hologram. Just in case.
Motormaster jerks himself to the side as quickly as he can, but the blade slices against his side, leaving a dragged wound that dribbles bright fuel down his torso... he snarls, seemingly only made angry by the wound, and raises a leg to boot Optimus away, raising his cyclone gun as he does and squeezing off a shot.
Tempest secretly hopes that whatever happened in that room will happen again...that suddenly she'll be able to protect Motormaster...but for whatever reason it doesn't, and she remains alone, frightened, and helpless. The battle rage has deserted her; the sword hilt in her hand is a useless trinket. And then she feels horrified with herself for thinking such a bloodthirsty, horrible thought.
Optimus staggers back as the cyclone gun blasts into him. His optics flare with a strange, yellow light. Suddenly, a heavy set of missile launchers appear on his shoulders, phasing in from subspace. There is a sudden *thoom* sound, and the projectiles are launched towards his adversary...
Motormaster jams his blade into the ground with a shriek of metal slicing through metal, and braces his legs... he disappears for a moment in the huge explosion of the missiles, obscured from view, and then it fades leaving him battered, blackened, but still standing. He jerks his blade up again,"Gonna have ta do better'n that, Autobot. Gotten soft? You wouldn't live a day in my world.." Even as he speaks, he transforms... and now, in semi mode, his engine revs and he roars towards the Autobot leader at full speed!
Macabre, meanwhile, is overflowing with bloodthirsty, horrible thoughts. She's yelling at the fight, encouraging Motormaster, 'Tear his throat out!' and 'Beat him to death with his own leg!' and stuff like that.
Laserbeak looks on barely restraining himself from jumping into the fray "RIP HIS FRAGGING HEAD OFF!"
Optimus Prime transforms into his truck mode, his cape conveniently fading into subspace. A massive rumble tears through his engines and his front bullbar is covered with spikes. Gearing up with full power, he rams directly towards Motormaster.
Tempest just stares at Motormaster's display of power and battle skill....
When the cloud of dust clears, while both trucks are savagely dented, it seems that Prime is unable to transform. His front can is demolished and wires and sparks and shorting everywhere.
Laserbeak fires warning blasts to keep the Bots’ behind prime just that. Behind Prime.
The black, hovering pyramid flashes. Instantly, the horde of Autobot warriors start to charge forward on the plain towards the defiant Decepticons.
Resyke points at the advancing Bots’. "They're coming straight for us!"
Laserbeak looks around "Optimus wants to call in reserve firepower? Turn about is fair play." With a piercing sound twin lasers rip towards the Autobot leader. "I reiterate light them if ya got um."
Tempest stands in absolute awe---and then screams as the pyramid flashes, but she also manages to raise her arm and point up to it, so that her scream is a warning to the others.
On the other hand, Motormaster can transform, and does. It's slow, painful, but he's standing of his own power, tall over the cab of his opponent, sparks sizzling and crackling around his battered and torn chassis. "You should've listened when I sent you that warnin', Optimus. You should've learned your lesson then." He looks up, however, as all of the Autobots begin to charge... and his lip twists into a cold sneer, shoulders broadening,"Decepticons... this is not our world, these are not our people! This is not the fight we are used to... but the principles are still the same. We can stand aside, we can lie down like dogs now... or we can go down broken but triumphant. Triumphant? Yes, because as long as you never surrender they HAVE NOT BEATEN YOU! DECEPTICONS FOREVER!" And he raises his sword up over his head, and jams it down into the broken Optimus's engine!
Suddenly, a strange ripple seems warp the very fabric of reality itself. As the scene goes dark, the last thing that can be seen a gigantic column of fire on the horizon, exploding upwards where the Decepticon refinery was. The ground cracks open and everything seems to shake...
Macabre doesn't follow Tempest's warning. She's too busy charging the horde as if she stood a chance of beating them all. Cleanly decapitating Hound, she lashes out at Slingshot, embedding one of her daggers in the canopy on his chest, causing blood and sparks to shoot from it. Then, the darkness overtakes everything again. "--?!"
****
Hellmouth Region, Tyrian
"... just a routine firespike," Skydive says. "The refinery emits those every now and then. But we've got it under control."
Laserbeak says, "Tell me Unicron...no its zombies...no jellyfish that eat things, killer attack drones. No it's killer Unispawn zombie jellyfish drones!""
Resyke cries out in fear from the bots, the darkness, the ground cracking open... it's Unicron all over again...
Skydive looks unimpressed. "It's a natural emission from the refinery. I thought 'Megatron's Elite' were made of sterner stuff. Cowering from a bit of smoke and fire. Gah."
Macabre looks around, completely bewildered, and swings her dagger at the first thing she hears. Then she catches herself, her blade stopping about an inch from Skydive's face. "...?!"
Motormaster startles as the darkness settles over them... and then, when it clears, Skydive is standing before them, contemptuous. He blinks once or twice, then glances to the others... just a daydream?
Tempest stumbles to her knees, crying uncontrollably again.
Skydive leaps back, "What is this? Motormaster, can't you keep your savage in check?" He shakes his head. "And they call /us/ barbarians..."
Laserbeak looks around, as his lasers rip into nothing but the ground. "Where’d they go?"
Resyke cowers on the ground, not aware that they've returned home.
Macabre drops her blade, looking around, completely bewildered. She's all twitchy and stuff.
Laserbeak is stunned "I wanted to kill things dammit. What kind of payoff was that? Aww Primus? Those on that other Cybertron... they’re defenseless again."
Chasm hugs the Tyrian sands. "Sigh. To think that I would be pleased to see this dump again. Well, it's just somewhat unbecoming..."
Skydive tinkers with the refinery. "What you going on about? I bet the rad-sickness is getting to you. Happens to those not used to Tyrian. Anyway, tell Megatron that the refinery is going on schedule and that we can have energy production happening soon."
Resyke slowly uncurls as burning death fails to fall upon him like the wrath of the chaos bringer. "Wh.. What happened?" he stutters, wiping the trails of mech-fluid tears from his cheeks.
Motormaster shakes his head slowly, saying softly,"Not defenseless. We've given them back their pride. The rest... is just up to them, now. Like it always was." He raises his optics to Skydive,"It's nothing, Skydive. We're just all a bit tense. Nothing... nothing at all." And he walks over to the sobbing Tempest, to pick her up off the ground and cradle her close.
Laserbeak scampers over and pats Resyke on the back... his beak still quivering in shock.
Tempest does not protest as Motormaster picks her up. She flings her arms around his neck and holds to him, not understanding how he can be undamaged now, not understanding a thing, for this world is as alien to her as the one they just left.
Resyke grins a little shakily. "N..Next time something like this happens, I'm gonna stay back at base" he says, not meaning a word of it.
Laserbeak looks around "I do...need a beer. More then one."
Macabre looks down at Resyke, and then reaches down and picks him up, gripping his shoulders and peering at him. She then shakes him a bit and peers at him again. He's so itty-bitty!
Laserbeak looks to Macabre "Come on Mac not now. He's a friend."
Motormaster rests his cheek against Tempest's forehead briefly, and then looks to Skydive,"Shut this refinery down. Now. These are the orders given by the authority of Lord Megatron. It will not resume until he says it will, after I have spoken with him." And with no further explanation, he turns away,"Decepticons... let's go home."
Resyke's antennae whip back and forth as he's shaken like a doll. "Whuh?" he exclaims, too freaked from what's just happened to resist.
Macabre looks at Resyke a little bit more, then puts him down. She starts to follow Motormaster back homeward.
Skydive glares at Motormaster, "It gives off one flare and you're shutting down the energon production operation? With no other warning?" As the Decepticons fly away, he mutters to himself, "You haven't heard the last of this..."
Laserbeak glares back at Skydive "Do it." he then pulls even with Macabre "Might I get a word with you?"
Resyke staggers around a little dizzily as he's put down, following the others as best he can. "Wh..What was that for?" he says, confused.
Macabre squints at Laserbeak. "Rr?"
Laserbeak says softly "I owe you an apology. I was being a pain in the aft. Hope you forgive me."
Tempest shivers, not quite sure what just happened.
Macabre glances at Laserbeak for a moment, then lets out a sharp exhalation that could probably constitute a dismissal.
****
Engineering Deck - Trypticon
In the "Real world" as they know it, Soundwave quickly makes an adjustment to compensate for Rumble's error...and the Chronosphere stabilizes. Rumble looks guilty. "Sorry about that, "
Skyraider mutters the word 'idiot' under his breath.
Nightracer finishes collecting the spare parts she was sent for her and raises an eyebrow as Rumble damages some valuable and undoubtedly delicate equipment
Soundwave says gently, "You must show more caution, Rumble. This machinery could cause untold side effects if it is mishandled."
CatsCradle lets out a soft sigh and leans forward to rest her arms on the console in front of her, then her head on her arms, optics closed, waiting for the others to come back. Moto had wanted to speak to her... she doesn't know if she should be glad or fearful.
Nightracer shifts her sniper rifle so it rests a bit easier on her shoulders and back
Skyraider starts polishing the blade of his katana
Rumble says, "Well, no harm done, right? I mean it's not like anyone else is gonna be able to tell."
Skyraider says, without distracting himself from his blade-cleaning, "When are the others expected back from the patrol?
Rumble mutters, "They should be back any time now...let me see."
<Cybertron> Rumble says, "Hey losers, where the frag are ya? How long does it take to do a routine patrol?"
Motormaster walks in, carrying a shivering Tempest in his arms, and looking distinctly unsettled himself.
Nightracer finishes packing and prepares to leave "Thank you Soundwave" she says
Skyraider stops polishing his blade and looks at the arrivals. "So, what took you so long? Get Lost?"
Rumble wisecracks, "Took you long enough."
CatsCradle is sitting exactly where she was before, although now her head is resting on folded arms over a console. Her optics are closed, although it doesn't seem to be an easy sleep. She twitches often, her fingers flexing into claws and relaxing again.
Resyke scurries in after Motormaster, a little unsteadily.
Tempest is cuddled in Motormaster's arms, still sobbing occasionally.
Laserbeak slumps in looking downtrodden.
Soundwave is still tinkering the device in the corner, "I have decided to finish the repair of the Chronosphere later. It still appears to be somewhat unstable in its present state and it would be best if were put aside until I had more to devote to the project." He looks at Motormaster and shakes his head. "Forgive me. I thought that a regular patrol would have been good for Tempest's recovery."
Macabre enters, clears off a table that had some semi-important-looking stuff on it rather carelessly, and then transforms and hops up onto the table, laying down and dimming her optics to a dull red.
Chasm skulks back in the room. "Don't ask. Just don't ask."
Skyraider looks at Tempest. "Apparently not," he says in response to Soundwave’s words.
If Nightracer is surprised at the state of the patrol she does not show it
Rumble stares at Tempest. "She really ain't herself, is she." He isn't so sure he minds though...not being growled at is nice.
Motormaster says quietly,"A normal patrol would've been... but how often do we have normal patrols?" He gently squeezes Tempest close for a moment, then moves to set her down on one of the medtables, though she doesn't appear hurt. None of them do.
Macabre growls at Rumble, who's a bit too close for her liking.
For that reason Rumble decides not to mention to Macabre that she ought to be more careful with things. He edges away from Macabre, but mutters to Skyraider, "Don't let Mac near the Chronosphere."
Soundwave says, "A recovery such as Tempest's will not happen overnight. It will take time."
Skyraider looks down at Rumble. "Sure thing. Who knows what could happen?"
Resyke sits down in a corner, still in light shock. "Beak was right.. a beer is called for."
Tempest promptly curls up, shivering, and clutches the mattress. Where the old Tempest would have been hissing and uttering death threats at everything that moved, this Tempest looks like she'd rather crawl into a hole and disappear.
CatsCradle awakes with a sudden start, her face pure terror, before she blinks it away, letting her head sink into her hands for a moment.
Laserbeak shhhs Resyke, as he knows Soundwave heard that.
Soundwave glares at Laserbeak but says nothing and returns his attention to the others.
Skyraider surveys Motormaster and co., then asks, "Run into any trouble ?"
Motormaster doesn't seem to want to leave the shaken Tempest's side, but finally drags himself away and walks over to Soundwave,"I will not speak of it here... but I have... things to tell Lord Megatron."
Laserbeak slinks off into the corner and asks Macabre something quietly.
Nightracer heads out, her mission here completed and she should get those parts back to Valckasta quickly
Nightracer transforms into her Black Racecar mode.
Tempest comes out of her shell enough to lift her head and watch him. She isn't completely incoherent from the trauma, though she's obviously shaken. She's still showing some interest in the world around her.
Skyraider walks over beside the Chronosphere, keeping an eye on it, but not daring t touch it.
Macabre paws at some device at the end of the table curiously. It wobbles. She seems to derive some enjoyment from its wobbling, which is ruined when Laserbeak bothers her again. She uses her paw to smack Laserbeak on the head very lightly.
CatsCradle pushes herself to her feet and comes to stand at the other side of Tempest's bed. Her hand reaches out towards the other femme's for a moment, hesitates when it shakes slightly, then draws it back. "Did she remember?" she asks, her voice low. It would have been a logical reason to her for Tempest's upset.
Tempest murmurs softly, "I want to go home..."
Laserbeak takes that as a cue, and grabs the device jokingly holding it away from her. "-MINE-" he jokes... trying to sneak away with it.
Motormaster looks to CatsCradle, shakes his head,"We had an experience that has shaken us all. She does not remember who she is yet... Nor does she remember anybody else." Me, he probably wanted to say. Ah well. He focuses on Soundwave again.
Tempest tilts her head at him. "I know who I am. I'm Tempest of Kilair...Who are you, and how did I get here? This isn't Kilair."
Macabre suddenly lunges forward, grabbing Laserbeak with her forepaws. "-Mine!-" she hisses forcefully.
Laserbeak throws the object towards Rumble as he's tackled. He jokes "Operation keep away!"
Rumble sure doesn't want Macabre pouncing at him and he tosses it right back!
CatsCradle's optics flicker to Moto, then back to Tempest. She follows her previous instinct and rests her hand lightly on Tempest's. "Sometimes, Moto... sometimes, it may be better that way." She looks back to him again, her optics worn and exhausted. "But emotions, the real deep kind... they stick around."
Resyke slips unnoticed from the engineering deck, heading for his quarters and some quiet..
Macabre intercepts and catches the device. Then she growls at Rumble, "-Mine.-" Just making sure. She goes back to poking it and making it wobble. Ah, simple pleasures.
Tempest looks curiously at CatsCradle. "I remember some stuff."
Laserbeak tries grabbing it again, and races up towards the ceiling looking down at her. "Catch me if ya can!"
CatsCradle manages a soft smile. "And you may remember more, as you're ready to."
Motormaster doesn't respond to Tempest yet, instead speaking to CatsCradle,"It was her dream to be young again. I won't ruin it for her. You know me better than that." Then, he steps over to Tempest again, voice becoming gentle,"You are not on Kilair, no. You are on Cybertron in the care of the Decepticon Empire. For a while now, you have been a Decepticon."
Tempest says, "I remember Kilair...my sister...my teacher...my friends..." She hesitates. "Then one day these dark strangers came from the sky and..." A shuddering breath; the optics close. "Something bad happened..." It's not clear if she doesn't remember or just doesn't want to. "And then I woke up here." Yep, there's a million-year gap right there.
Macabre loses interest in quarreling with Laserbeak and wanders over to Tempest's table. She looks up at Motormaster to her left, and then grabs the edge of the table with her forepaws, peering over the edge at the occupant. "...?"
Tempest looks at Motormaster. "Where's Stormrave and Val and the others? I want my friends back...I want to go home..." She looks bewildered. "What's a Decepticon?"
Laserbeak does the mature thing and drops the object in Macabre's general direction from above, before perching on Tempest's shoulder squaking softly.
The object shatters on the ground. Ooops.
Motormaster takes a deep breath. He doesn't want to do this, and briefly shoots a desperate look across at CatsCradle... but no. He can't ask anyone else to either,"Tempest... Kilair was destroyed by the raiders. You are... the only survivor that we know about."
Tempest manages a smile at Laserbeak. She strokes the bird. Then she looks at Motormaster. For a second the optics are wide, not understanding. Slowly it seems to sink in. "I'm...alone?"
CatsCradle starts to say something soothing, and stops before the thought really began. What's a Decepticon? Her fingers touch her shoulder where her insignia once was, and where a patch still remains. She doesn't have an answer to that question, not right now. Then she shoves that thought away. "No, Temp. You are not alone." She rests her hand on Moto's arm. "This one... he is ... he is a good person. He won't let you be alone."
Tempest looks at Motormaster to verify Cats' words. There's some tears shimmering in her optics but also a light of hope... if he can tell her it is true...
Laserbeak says as softly as possible "You’ve got friends." He shoots a grin towards Macabre "Maybe not the brightest bulbs, but friends nonetheless."
Tempest smiles with delight at Laserbeak. She really seems to like animals...though she may never snuggle Chasm again.
Motormaster shakes his head rapidly, moving to take her hand in his, speaking quickly, though he is briefly startled by CatsCradle's words,"That's what being a Decepticon is... it means you're not alone any more. You're one of us." He says even more quietly, slowly now,"You and I were good friends. I'm not going to abandon you now. I'll be here as long as you need me."
Macabre continues to peer over the table's edge curiously.
Tempest squeezes Motormaster's hands, and even though her eyes spill over with tears, she feels all right... "But..." she protests, "you're a great leader, you don't need to be bothering yourself with a nobody like me." She cannot forget the sight of Motormaster rallying the Decepticons in battle. "If you'd been around Kilair would have been okay."
Laserbeak looks to Tempest "Ma'am you used to maul Autobots like it was nothing. You could outclass anyone here in a fight."
CatsCradle murmurs, "Not yet, Beak. Give her more time."
Macabre snarls at Laserbeak. She's a Great Warrior of Angselik, of course she'd take offense at that.
Tempest looks blankly at Laserbeak. "I never fought anyone in my life...except..." She shakes her head. "In that weird world...I k-killed someone. A Bot. With my sword. But then it was gone and we were all back here." She blinks. "Was that a dream?"
Laserbeak sticks a mocking tongue out at Macabre. He's king of this animal kingdom. WOO. He then turns back to Tempest "No...you kicked his aft."
Motormaster laughs quietly, seeming rather amused by her statements,"A great leader? Me? Not at all, darlin', not at all. I'm just a squad leader, another soldier in the Empire. And as of now, you might as well be a member of my squad. So don't you worry about a thing." He then hesitates,"I don't know what it was... I have to speak to Megatron and Soundwave. And hazardin' a guess, I'd say you've still got the reflexes you used to have. Trained responses to various things. It just activated one."
Tempest lets out a low moan at Laserbeak's words. "I don't know how to fight..." This Tempest is not a warrior, despite her old reflexes. She looks over at Motormaster. "You mean it? I can be in your group...your...family?"
Laserbeak smiles " if you want Dead End as a uncle"
Macabre peers over the edge of the table at Tempest, not really sure what everyone's going on about or why everyone's crying and getting all touchy-feely and stuff. She looks over at Motormaster and rumbles inquisitively.
Tempest still misses her home and her family but maybe...just maybe she's going to be okay in this new home. She dares to take Motormaster's hand.
Laserbeak sneaks his cooler out of subspace. He notes his Father has sneaked away. "It's miller time."
Motormaster nods once,"We're called Stunticons. Ground warriors, which is a rare thing in the Empire. You were really one too... better in close combat. I adopted you into my squad once. That hasn't changed." He then looks to Macabre,"Don't worry about it. We're just patching some things up." He looks back as Tempest takes his hand, but doesn't pull away.
Tempest says, "I'm a star cruiser, is that okay?" She doesn't even seem to notice that her alt mode isn't a jet any more...but then again, she's back to her original form.
Macabre emits an "rr" that seems to equate with 'Oh, okay' on the growl-to-speech scale. Then she turns her head again and looks at CatsCradle. Then looks at CatsCradle again, face turned into the leonic equivalent of 'wait, what?'
CatsCradle smiles softly at the lioness. "She's been adopted. Like being accepted into the Angselik tribe."
Tempest says, "I mean, it's okay I'm not a car, right?" She looks down at herself. "Oh...oh my." It seems she's only now realizing she's not in a kid's airframe any more.
Macabre continues to peer at CatsCradle. Obviously, that's not what she was asking about it. Then she snnffs in the general direction of Cats' arm, before dropping off the edge of the table and pacing in a circle around it.
Laserbeak looks to femmes, offering them jokingly, before lobbing a enerbeer to Moto. "Femmes cant handle energon..." Laserbeak the responsible drinker.
Motormaster absently catches the drink with his free hand, then hefts himself up to sit on the edge of Tempest's bed, chuckling softly,"Sure, it's fine. Don't worry about it... kid." There's a certain degree of sadness about him for some reason, however.
Tempest wipes her cheeks dry and rolls over, looking up at him. "Thank you for looking after me," she murmurs. "I'm gonna try to be a good Decepticon."
CatsCradle snorts softly. "We can't huh? My drinking buddies were people like Straxus, Beak." She watches Macabre with some puzzlement, but is too tired to really give it much concentration.
Laserbeak realizes what Macabre is about to do. "No eating fellow decepticons! Bad kitty!"
Macabre suddenly perks up when Cats says 'Straxus.' Actually, it's more of a spasm. Then she roars maniacally and leaps onto a counter, destroying anything in her path, leaving awful claw marks everywhere, screaming the whole while.
Tempest squeals in fright and darts behind Motormaster!
Laserbeak facewings and leans into Cats "Don’t mention the big S around her ever. EVER."
Motormaster startles as Macabre freaks out, indeed helping Tempest to whatever safety behind him might offer and watching in bewilderment as she begins maul the counter,"Why not?"
Laserbeak shrugs " I don’t know but I advise against it if you like your limbs."
Tempest peeks out to watch the gruesome display with amazement and nervousness, though she trusts Motormaster to protect her. After all, she saw him beat up Prime...he must be unstoppable.
CatsCradle lets out a long sigh. "OK, you all were witness. Contrary to history, I did not destroy the repair bay /this/ time." She rubs at her optics again. "Great. Well, I went through life telling people not to talk to me about repair bays, and that never stopped them either."
Macabre turns to face the others and spews a torrent of flame, which dissipates just short of them. More of a warning than an attempt on their lives. She goes back to mauling anything and everything she can.
Laserbeak says, "Um....she made my beer warm. That’s nasty."
Motormaster jerks back a bit as she spits the flames, then shakes his head,"Maybe we should get outta here an' leave her ta her... um... destruction." He looks to CatsCradle,"Oh, by the way... everything's forgiven."
Macabre is making her way toward the Chronosphere, methodically.
CatsCradle blinks as she tries to sort everything through a haze of exhaustion. "Oh... um... everything?"
Tempest, not knowing what the Chronosphere does, is just as happy to get out of there.
Macabre then just suddenly stops and falls limp, curling into a resting position. She lets out a harrumph of smoke and buries her face in her paws.
Motormaster nods to Cats, seeming to smile just a little at her sleepiness,"Everything... maybe you should go ta bed, hon."
CatsCradle shakes her head absently. "Can't sleep. Too many dreams..." Then she catches herself, bringing herself back to a semblance of alert. "I'll... I'll tell him, Moto," she says softly.
Laserbeak flies in between Macabre and the important thingy Soundwave said do not break. "Mac, I know you don’t want to hear this... he's dead. Nothing you can do will change that. We've all lost friends, there’s nothing good that will come from you getting all angry over it...let go. Just let go."
Macabre keeps her face hidden as best she can, letting out a low moan in reply.
Tempest looks down at Macabre and offers, "I'm sorry, for what it's worth to you..."
Motormaster nods to CatsCradle,"Things might take some... rebuilding. But I'm willing to try." Then, he decides it might be best to let Laserbeak handle Macabre, so turns to Tempest,"Want me to show you around the base?"
Laserbeak says, "You’ve got friends here Macabre...say what’s inside of you otherwise you’ll just keeping getting all destructive."
CatsCradle says absently, still caught between muzzy and trying to be alert, "Unless someone finds his laser core. It's still running around someplace." Her gaze is still on Moto, though, with relief and the glitterings of hope, and she smiles softly. "Well, everything else is being rebuilt at the same time. I'm sure we can add a few more."
Macabre makes no coherent response, again settling for wailing nonsensically.
Laserbeak wingpets her soothingly on the head, as that’s about all he can do.
Tempest nods to Motormaster, then looks at the floor, strangely shy, as she whispers, "I'd like that very much."
Motormaster hesitates, glances back, and then nods to CatsCradle, "With time, then." And then he leads Tempest from the room.
Macabre remains completely motionless for a long, long period. Then, she suddenly looks up and around, as if nothing had ever happened. "...rrrRowr."
Laserbeak leans over to her "you okay?"
Macabre hisses matter-of-factly, "No."
Laserbeak says, "you want a beer?"
Macabre squints. "...?"
Laserbeak hands her an enerbeer from the cooler. "When you told me to drink and be festive the other day... I drink these."
Macabre stares at the can for a moment, before biting it. Getting beer all over the place, she chews and swallows the can and maybe a third of the beer. "...hh."
CatsCradle winces. "Dear Primus, Beak... don't get that child drunk." She rubs her optics again. "Right... well, I'm not getting anything else done tonight, and I don't want to be around for the fallout of whatever you're doing next. Good night, both of you." She pushes herself away from the table and heads out the door.
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