Space : Near Cybertron
Your sleek black form cuts through the cold vacuum of space. You have been 'hired' to look into some strange news surrounding the Predacons.
It seems that there has been an awful lot of activity involving the Tripredicus council, and the new that Aquasting and Skyshadow taking place as liaisons for the Council, well, things seem to be brewing that your employers wish to know about.
At any rate, the pay was good. And the promise to destroy a couple Predacons lives and dreams was good enough reason to investigate.
Up ahead you see the Predacon Headquarters, a enormous satellite station in distant orbit around Cybertron. The metallic planet was only distantly visible as it was. Your scanners rendered you nearly invisible, and you coated your skin with a reflective polymer. Anyone
looks, they'll just see another floating patch of stars.
There's a light on the station, strange. It seems to be a landing bay opening. Yes, you can see the ship coming now. It's headed in your direction.
You turn sharply and fire thrusters to match speed as the sleek silver ship passes you.
It's marking make it to be the Tripredicus' council's own cruiser!
This bears investigation.
You pull close and latch on to the hull, soundlessly. Your jammers will protect you from detection, and they hadn't put their shield up yet. Time to see where this puppy was going.
Then, your scanners pick up a heavy fluctuations in the energy readings around you. They analyze the disturbance as a time and space distortion! Transwarp drive!
You lock yourself down and hope for the best, you've never tried this with a time warper before.
A gigantic blue vortex of energy surrounds you, and you feel as though you are suddenly slowed down, yet moving faster than light at the same time.
Then, as if a giant bubbly popped, it is over. You scan around, the star systems are out of order, and you're not to sure where you are. Your scanners weren't made for deep space astrogation.
You do register a small blue planet below you though, and it seems that the planet is the destination for your unwilling host.
Heat starts building up around you, forcing your shielding units to come on-line. Luckily, you picked a spot where you were protected from the rigors of planetfall.
You aren't sure what planet you just hopped a ride to, but you did know that if the ship carried the Tripredicus council, and they themselves were willing to take a time jump, there would be no end to the fun you will have making their plans all turn to slag...
a planet? : planetfall
You brace yourself for the searing heat from entering the atmosphere. The shields take up some of the heat, but nowhere near enough. It is the most you can do to stay conscious.
Your pain sensors are overloading. They dull down and seem to go numb. The worst was over.
The ship sets into a landing formation and lowered the shields.
You detach from the ship and land in the city nearby.
You recoat yourself with the polymer which had been burned off in re-entry; this time it reflects the buildings around you.
You don't want to have gone through this for nothing.
The city around you looks like a snapshot of Cybertron. Steel and energy tower above you, but the sunlight sparkling off of it gives it an almost surreal look to you. The Predacon ship is landing a ways over.
Near a collection of white buildings that contrasted sharply with the rest of the silver streets.
You begin to move quickly, jumping from building to building, jammers on full.
As you look down into the streets below you, you nearly loose your footing and fall. The streets are filled with small fleshy creatures.
Biped and walking around as if they owned the place. Strange, they seem to
trigger a memory...
<< You wake up in a webbing of wires and energy, a huge green robot stands looking at you.
Megatron.
Your creator.
"You will be the first of a new breed of Cybertronians. With you and
this Warworld, we will bring Cybertron and Earth to it's knees.">>
You shake yourself and continue across the buildings to get a good look at just who was here and why. You set your scanners to the maximum, undetectable power level, and wait for the fun to begin.
"The anticipation is killing me. This is going to be fun!"
Just then, you stop as you see the ship in front of you land. your eyes come to rest on the white tower beside of it, one of two twin towers rising from the white heart of this city.
On the tower is a symbol that stirs old hatred within you.
On the tower is the Autobot sigil, symbol of the dead race of Cybertronian oppressors.
You snap yourself out of your stupor, and look down at the landing pad below you.
The ship has come to rest, and a greenish Cybertronian has come to greet it, You set your audio scanners on full and pinpoint the green robot.
"Greetings," he calls out to several forms that move down the ships ramp, "Welcome to Autobot city..."
"Where is the one called 'Megaplex." commanded one of the figures, cold shock shoots through you as you recognize the voice of the Predacon speaking. It was one of the members of the Tripredicus council, the War council-member.
Excitement rises inside of you.
"He isn't here yet, but he and Flood are on their way." stammers the larger green Transformer.
"He had best arrive soon, Hound. We can not express the danger of this situation, he is an escapee and a lunatic. He must return before he can cause any more harm."
"I still don't..."
"You still have no choice, unless there is a Cybertron here on Earth with political standing that I don't know about?"
"Well... no, I mean."
"Very well, then we shall take Megaplex with us, and you and your disbanded group of outcasts can go about your petty lives."
The green one named Hound was obviously boiling at this last remark, but he merely swivelled and muttered, "Follow me."
There are five of them, you would guess the three who stride to the front are the council members, in new forms no less. One brownish with large claws, one green with pearlescent wings, one brownish with a tall hornlike headpiece.
They were followed by two others, one a yellow and black Predacon who looked like some kind of bug with large eyes and grey wings. The other an orange and black powerhouse, with a pair of sharp pinchers strapped to his back.
You wonder if you should follow them inside, or wait and see this Megaplex they seemed so interested in...
a planet : an Autobot City
The council members and their escort follow Hound into the white fortress. You slip down silently to the ship and land on top. Carefully you maneuver toward the bay doors of the sleek black ship. You slide inside and up the ramp. As you enter the ship, you are immediately struck by just how posh this ship really is. The hallways are all smooth, and padded to muffle sound. The air is fresh and cool, and the lighting is sensored to your specifics. You make your way down a set of hallways toward the bridge area.
A door ahead of you is shut and a panel blinks beside it. --hmm, a lockplate, not that challenging. you reach forward to remove it, and realize that the plate itself seems to shift around as you near it. It changes in size and dimension, and molds out to cup your hand as you
reach it. An low beep issues, and a warm female voice informs you, "Unauthorized entity log in. Please step away from the door."
You jerk back in surprise, "How te hell do I remove the panel if I can't get near enough to service it?" You mutter under your breath. You look up and down the hallway and notice a smooth black panel running along, similar to the touchpad you reached out to. you step up to the
panels and reach forward, Controls and screens flash into life in front of you.
"Whoa, nice tech. These boys really got it together." you set to work.
After a few minutes, it becomes painfully obvious that this computer is unlikely to divulge any of it's secrets to you from here. You've never run into this kind of encryption, and to keep pressing of is to tempt fate a little too much. you step away having learned nothing.
Best make my way out of here, you turn and begin to tread softly back down the hallway. Suddenly, a golden shimmering net appears in front of you. "Unauthorized entity log in. Unauthorized entity detained." a friendly, warm female voice once again informs you.
planet : an Autobot city
You pull your sword and slice through the netting.
"Gotta be trickier than that to catch me." You then transform into your sleek jet mode and speed off down the hallway. Then you're sensors read several sparks nearing the ships bay doors.
You again coat your skin with the polymer. You flip upside down and fly along the ceiling.
"Me and my big mouth. Maximum Burn."
As you shoot out of the ship, you can see three forms down below, two Cybertronians and a fleshy.
You feel a sharp pain in your nosecone.
-- The shadows around you are lit only by the occasional lightning strike of the stormy nebulae outside. You recognize this chamber, the Destron High Command.
A voice comes from the darkness, a large shape can be seen in the pitch, "And what did you find on your mission?"
Yeah, your mission. You remember a time warp, a ship, the Tripredicus
council's ship. You followed it to a planet through the warp. An Autobot city.
Autobots, but nothing more. It's as if you didn't finish your mission, as if
you died?--
His mind snaps, and the world swims back into view. You look at the robot whose hand is placed on your head
"Mind leech! I will spit you on my blade for your intrusion!"
You struggle, but find yourself pinned by a large pair of orange pinchers wielded by a dark green transformer.
"He knows nothing, he's a spy and a mercenary." The purple and blue robot telekinetic reports.
Cicadon nods and SeaClamp steps forward, "Then in the name of the Tripredicus council I pronounce the sentence of de..."
Seaclamp's attention is jerked away from the Destron at his feet, as a huge slate blue robot lands in the midst of the group. A smaller, sea blue robot lands as well.
The smaller blue one looks around, "What the... Hound! What's going on around here. I haven't seen this many Preds since..."
Cicadon speaks up, his voice in a commanding tone, "We are the Tripredicus council, " the Autobot's jaw sagged at that, "We have come here to take the one called Megaplex into custody."
"What?" the small robot spurts out.
The slate robot interrupted, "And by what authority do you have to take me into custody when no crime has been committed?"
Cicadon gave him a knowing look, "We know exactly what crimes have been committed. Banter not the relevancies of our jurisdiction. We are the highest ranking officials present, and as such, the only ones present to give commands. We are not to be questioned."
"And I am not a fool to be trifled with. You're only intention is to silence me before I can cause your plans any troubles. I know how the trappings of power work. I've dealt with many ploys and plots that make you as transparent as crystal to me. 'An enemy that appears to be
peaceful may only be biding his time, waiting to strike!'"
"True, but the debate is over, there are none here to hold your argument against us, and none here that will break the treaty Cybertronia to help you escape. I assume I am correct Autobots?"
Silence.
Then a rolling sound, an engines roar. A black shape darts in and transforms. A smooth, black vehicle. Molding free as if from the shadows, and changing into a winged robot with large, dark eyes.
Close on it's heels a modern rig. Grey front, with blue windows and red on the cab's sides. A grey trailer with two large missile launchers on top, and a set of blue and white stripes down it's side, ending in the ancient Autobot symbol.
The black robot looks over at the rig, "Like I said... well, gotta go. You now me."
The robot melts into the growing darkness of the evening.
The rig sits for second, as if contemplating. The sky turning a deep red as the sun begins to fall behind the horizon, outlining the shape as it finally transforms.
The Autobot has a youthful look to him. A new body. The cab front turns into wings behind him, the top comes down as his chest, a winged Autobot symbol emblazoned on it. His arms are white and khaki, and his legs blue. His face draws every eye to it. Two, blue eyes set
above a steel maskplate, and a blue helmet He is big and powerful looking, and something in his eyes seems to look straight into your being.
The robot steps over to the slate blue one called Megaplex. The two look each other in the eyes, and an understanding seems to pass between them.
"There is one here who can speak against you." The voice rumbles from the newcomer.
Something echoes from your past, a name, an enemy...
Optimus Prime.
You need no more of a distraction. All eyes are glued on to the two forms. You're sword ignites silently and slices through the brawny Pred before he can even gurgle. You disappear almost as well as that other bot...
Earth : Metroplex
You wait in the shadows, watching expectantly as the scene unfolds. Optimus
Prime... rings a bell, but...
<The glowing matrix pumps life into your body, and you feel the power of
the Warworld around you. Then you see someone reach the matrix below you and
pick it up... He gives a maniacal laugh...>
Prime speaks up, "I, Optimus Prime, am empowered with the right to offer refuge to any I deem fit. Your plans for... Megaplex... are unacceptable."
One of the council, Cicadon, steps forward, "You know nothing of our plans, nor do you realize the extent of what this one has done. He has attacked countless outpos..."
"Enough, I know more than you think... Cicadon was it? And if he to seek sanctuary here, than I would hear his request." He looks expectantly at Megaplex.
"Prime, " Megaplex begins slowly, "You have known me for millennia, and you know better than anyone what crimes have been committed. But I tell you that I no longer wish to fight. The wars are over, let them stay in the past."
The smaller blue one speaks, "Optimus Prime, I've heard the accusations here of some past that is not revealed, but I know what I have seen. Megaplex has saved, not only my life, but those of two humans that were threatened by a mad Predacon. I stand by him, and ask on my honor as an Autobot, protect him from the council's wishes."
"Well put, Flood." He looks down at the diminutive Autobot, "And for what it's worth, I am willing to give Megaplex a chance. That means that the council will be allowed to stay or go, but Megaplex may stay."
Delightful, you tap on the wall with the antennae you 'kept' from Powerpinch. So, this Megaplex is wanted by the council...
Your thoughts are interrupted by a thunderous boom.
You see all the Transformers look beyond you, out over the city. Then you see the night sky light with a reddish anger.
Your scanners pick up on a Cybertronian spark past the other Transformers. You look out carefully, and see a box-like shuttle craft on the horizon, and a shape leaving it.
The transformers are in a confusion, and you hear Optimus Prime yell, "Megaplex, investigate that flyer... Flood, go with him. Hound, with me, let's see what caused that explosion! Metroplex, battle ready! Move out Autobots!"
Hmm... you thoughtfully tap the wall again. This may just be interesting...
Earth : Metroplex
The sky around you was choked with dust, and the first rain of burning embers began to fall.
You look around and take stock again. There was no way you were gonna jump into this battle. Let the Pred's and those Autobot's duke it out. You were sure you could scrap whatever was left.
You see the Tripredicus council look over at Hornet, and down at the leftover remnants of Powerpinch. If they are surprised, none of them show it.
"Hornet." Cicadon orders, "you have your commands, now do your work."
"But the Autobots?"
"Will have enough on their hands within a few minutes."
You note as one of the council turns toward the ship, and your sensors register a signal being sent... Some kind of activation signal?
Hornet turns and leaps into the air, transforming into a metallic hornet. He quickly darts toward the retreating forms of Megaplex and Flood.
Hmm.... What you would give to know their plans. Seaclamp leans over and picks up the torso of Powerpinch. He places the piece into a storage bin on the ship.
"We shall watch from a distance until it is time to strike!" mutters Seaclamp.
The other members nod their heads in approval and the council leaps into the smoke filled night sky.
A minute later, another explosion rocks the platform. You look toward the East in time to see a building begin a slow descent into ruination as fire claims it's integrity.
You move farther into the shadows of the platforms buildings.
From the east, powerful gunshots and explosions could be heard. Looks like the one called Prime is getting his energon's worth.
You look back at the shuttle. You can see that another form has joined the fray. This one is HUGE! It appears to be a quinteformer. You haven't seen a combiner in ages! It's hard to make out much more through the smoke. It looks like the council is heading toward the shuttle,
though.
Then from behind you, you hear a small voice, "That's Flood up there!"
You curse yourself silently as you sink farther into the shadows.
A human has exited the Predacon ship on the back of a large robotic panther. The panther was black and silver, and his eyes cast red beams for a distance in the dark, smoky air.
It seems that they did no see you, but you really must be more careful in the future.
Hmm... Now where did these two come from. And why was a Maximal (as the markings on the panther proved) inside the Predacon ship?
You watch to see what their next move would be.
Earth : Metroplex
You plan your next move, when you sense a sensor sweep cross over you.
-Slag- they must have seen you after all!
You spin as you hear,"BlackShadow, MAXIMIZE!"
The black panther turned into a large, powerful looking robot. He still stood slightly shorter than you did. Black and silver, with a cat-like head and red, angry eyes. On a red crystal belt centerpiece was a black maximal sigil.
He has a gun lowered toward you, and a tracing beem flicks across your frame.
"Step free from your hiding place... Transformer."
You stand up, hands raised.
"Uh... look... I don't want any trouble with you... My name is Bladwing, and I'm just trying to stay out of all this mess."
"What is happening?" he growls.
"Well, lets see... Two Autobots ran up there," you point Westward," to do battle with some shuttle thingy, and two others went thataway, " you point toward the East, "to wherever that fire and explosions seem to be..."
A loud thump sounds from the ship, interrupting your discourse.
The three of you turn, and the Predacon and the human back away from the ship.
Another thump and the rending of metal.
Then, you see a hole being ripped open on top of the Predacon ship. Two ivory tusks jut through on top, push the metal out, and then ripping it down with increadible force.
"oh shit." mutters the fleshling.
You don't need anymore distraction. You transform and hot wing it into the smokey sky, coating yourself with the polymer on the way.
Earth : Metroplex
You hold up and turn to look down at the Predacon ship. Curiosity causing you to pause in flight.
--it's always best to know what you're going against.--
Then you see the creature pull it's huge hulking mass out of the roof of the ship.
It is some kind of mutate, It's jaws leering and slavering, two powerful tusks on either side. Long, sharp teeth line it's mouth, and it's head is sloped back and smooth, with gills on the side and a fin on his back. A fish-like tail swishes in the air as it hoist itself up on thick elephant like legs, it's three toed claws digging further into the ships metal hull.
It gives an unreal bellow, a mix between a whales song and an elephants trumpet.
It glares down on the platform with two insane, red eyes.
Then from the doorway that you just left, you see a lumbering alligator waddle out, on it's back is a spiked shell. It gives out a rumbling his and snaps it's jaws at you in anticipation.
A high pitched squeak melded with a deep snort draws your attention to a dark shape that is winging it's way out of the hole on top of the ship.
A weird bat creature with clawed wings and a bull's head is taking wing into the smoky sky. Close on it's heels is a peach and green praying mantis with lizard-like legs and claws.
--Oh boy, looks like they invite ANYONE to these slaggin' Autobot cities!--
Earth : Metroplex
You watch the fight below you unfold. Two new warriors joined in the fray, the ones called Flood and Megaplex.
Flood had been tackled by the bat-bull. Megaplex blasted the mantis-lizard back into the ship, and then he jumped down onto the elephant monster with the leering jaws. The new bot had shot at the alligator with the thick shell.
This was fascinating, you still hadn't seen the Council. But you remembered the signal sent to the ship...
And then these new creatures appeared. Hmmm...
You scan the platform. A maximal, an Autobot...
And ALL the rest were signature-less!!!!!!
You thought Megaplex had been an Auto, but even he bore no rank insignia. No big deal, you didn't have one either, but these new monsters were a different matter. The Predacon wouldn't hire beast bots that had no allegiance... Also, the way they fight...
They were mad!
You ponder on how to best use this information as you see the bat-bull launch into the sir with Flood on his back. They suddenly begin a deep dive. You hear some inarticulate bellowing from then, and then you see the bat-bull transform...just before they both slam into the ground with
a thunderous crack.
That looked painful, and the bat-bull was getting to his feet. He now was reading a Maximal signature, but he looked a little woozy. You see a black sports car with too many wheels pull up and transform.
Well, one down...
Earth : Metroplex
--So, things look a bit confused. I wonder if I might learn something from one of those Predacon monstrosities-
You move closer to the platform, watching the battle rage, waiting for the opportunity to strike.
The gator-turtle looks like the best target. He was clamping down on the black Maximal's leg. Sparks were flying, but the Maximal kicked him back and transformed back into the panther form.
The gator charges, but the cat leaps free. Then, it was the cat's turn to charge. --What is he up to?--
You see the cat leap over the spiked shell, and skid to a halt near the edge of the platform. --Ah, an old ploy...--
The gator charges at full speed, jaws open and snapping. At the last second the panther jumps clear again, and the gator twist as it realizes it's mistake.
The monster slides off the edge, unable to stop itself. You quickly sieze the opportunity and jet down into the smoky haze below the platform.
You hear the thunderous crack as the gator hits the street somewhere below. As you near the ground, the smoke parts for you to see the smashed form beneath you. He had fallen a couple hundred meters, and was quite inoperable.
You glide low and scoop him into your sharp wing razors.
-- Now to find a nice quiet place, and dissect this mutants brain...--
Earth : Metroplex
You swoop low through the dark and smokey streets of Metroplex. You need someplace quiet to take this guy. He was out cold, but most of the damage looked superficial. You needed to get down quick, but where would be quiet place?
You see a museum building. Perfect! Museums usually had storage areas that sat and collected dust! You land and transform to the side of the large building, and this museum was LARGE. You looked around the clean, narrow alley, --How can these fleshlings live in such purity!--
You see a inclined loading dock around the rear of the building. You hoist the gator over your shoulder, careful not to slice him in half on your razor sharp wings.
The back of the building was quiet, a truck sat there. Empty and cold. You walk over to the large loading gateway. It is a little taller than you, and about two of your body-lengths wide. You find a control panel for the doors operation, a few seconds of hacking and the door slides
open with a shuddering movement.
You move inside the museum, and begin exploring. Soon, you find that the museum goes down at least five stories below the ground, and each story is about 5 meters tall. You haft to duck to walk around them, but you soon come to a tall warehouse area filled with motes of dust and piles of archaic relics. Perfect, and as an added bonus, you see that the piles are accessed by a robotic armature that hangs from the ceiling. That means, no one will be likely to come down here searching for things.
You set your new charge down in a dark corner, and switch on you're eye lights to begin working on his circuitry.
Soon, he is transformed and in a sleep mode. You have found his allegiance codes to be missing, and very few programming modules left stable in his brain. You toy with the ideal of making him loyal to you, but are forced to discard it when you realize that allegiance coding is
to a faction, not a singular robot.
You decide to activate him without allegiance, like yourself. First, you half to learn what you can from him though. You sift through his programming to find only to things hard-wired into his psyche. Blind obedience to the Tripredicus council, this one you could erase by
re-aligning his allegiance wires to be free willed.
The next command was more surprising, destroy Megatron. Megatron? What were these nutsy insects up to? You burn that one out as well.
Megatron, the ancient mythical leader of the Decepticon armies. Your mind spins back through time...
---The womb that you've been formed in is tearing itself apart, You were only partially finished, but now you fell from the metallic webbing to hit the floor with a thud.
Screens around you flare into life, and you see the form of the mighty Megatron... something about the face looks familiar... He is trapped inside of the Warworld. You pull you're sword from it's place and it flares to heated life for the first time. You see your target, instinct tells you to slice at the glowing object before you, a small, round receptacle whose heart glowed with life and power. You move toward it raising your sword...
Then the very wall appears to stretch out and form a face.
A thunderous, screeching voice grates your sensors, "Not so fast, youngling! I STARSCREAM RULER OF THE UNIVERSE WILL TEACH YOU THE FOLLY OF YOUR WAYS!!!"
A blast of energy sends you spiraling through wall after wall, and out
into space...---
You shake your head to clear it of your reverie. The gator is moving, waking up. Now we shall see what will come of this new Cybertronian.
"Uhh...whats dis'n all'bout." growls the low, accented voice.
"I saved you from the Maximal's attack. You were unconscious in the streets below, and a battle was raging. I dragged you here and activated you, returning your logic sensors to normal mode."
"Whaz meanby 'normeal mode'"
"You were berserk, something went wrong with your animation. You were given life to be a drone for the Tripredicus council. Something went wrong, and you went mad. I saved you and programmed you to be free willed."
"Much obliged," he stands up looking around, the gator head had become his shoulder and a huge cannon and shield were attached to his back.
"Now what be this place, tain't no swamp I shorenuff ev'swam?"
"We are in a basement of a museum, it will serve as a place for us to find out what the council has in store above us, and a place for us to plan you're... revenge?"
"Revenge?"
"Yes, they wanted a drone, check your datatracks, you will see what your programming entailed. No free will, no choice, just a happy little foot soldier to do there bidding. You now have the will and right to exact vengeance on those who would be your oppressors."
"Hmmm, shurnuff. Any snake what set Terragator to slave be greatly mistakin' o his hate 'n power! Vengeance it be! Sure do declare by TERRAGATOR!"
Earth : Metroplex : a museum basement
You look at Terragator and ponder what to do.
"Follow me." You turn to make your way back out of the museum.
"Where gon'go?" the heavy accent slurrs out.
"Back into the city, I think it might be time for you to see what you can see."
"Chowanna fight 'ready?"
"Uhm, no. Look, going in with guns blazing isn't always the best choice."
"Naslag ya tain' giveme a reply. Chu da one what's going to the surface wid'n'plan."
"The plan is... for you to go to the Predacon ship and find out what they're up to."
"And dey no note bigator walkin' round they ship? Dees Tripreedcuus much be real dumb bot's"
"No, you're to sneak in..."
"Menot sho you note things tawell. You see dis gun an' shield? Me not made for spy, dat's you're main progrm. I fight, I kill. Y'see some bot's made for one thin' oth's jest ain't."
"Look, I need to know why the Tripredicus council is on this planet, with an army, and so interested in this Autobot Megaplex."
"Dat fine. Got no problem, I thin' you just need ta fig' out just how we best accomplish dem goals."
"And YOUR suggestion would be..?"
"Well, seem like we need some help. Maybe better place ta stay. I got dis cous'"
"what?"
"I say dis cousn' out in da bayou here. He be hidin' out fo coup' ears I thin. He got a lit' place full o s'plies and arms. He may lend hand ifn' we ask reeeeal nicelike."
"How far?"
"You a jet, say five hours, it put us at a distance from this mess roun' here. Let us get clear an' try our luck at a plan."
You're not sure, five hours, that means a quarter of this globe. Then again, if this 'cousin' of his has supplies here...
Earth : Metroplex
The decision is made, you transform once you reach the outside and Terragator jumps on.
You will see just what this 'cousin' has to offer. You jets kick in, leaving a charred streak on the loading dock to the museum. You bolt into the dark night.
The smell of smoke still hung in the air, but the city itself is dark and quiet. The battle must be over. You run a wide scan quickly, and realize that the Predacon ship has gone into a low orbit around the planet. --Hmm... best keep checking on them to make sure that my ride doesn't leave.-- The thought also occurs to you to check you temporal position. That would take some work though, and perhaps old 'cuz' has some computers for you to work on.
The two of you burn the night air as you streak toward the South East. The city is quickly left hundreds of miles behind, and you find yourself streaking past other cities some smaller, some larger. Some areas boast inhabitants that could be counted on the digits of your hands.
Within a few hours you find yourself over a huge swampy area. Terragator points you to where to land. You slowly ease yourself through the dense vegetation and transform to land with a wet smwucsh.
Looking around you the morning light could be seen speckling through the hot, musty air. Weeds and high grass grew up through the waters muddy surface. Thick, ancient trees spiraled up in lazy patterns, entwining each other in a mass of green and grey foliage. Small insectoid life forms swarmed in the dawn light, scattering as you move forward through the swampy waters. You see a snake slither away into the bole of a tree, and a family of turtles plop off a log and swim away.
Terragator seems to take no notice of it all. He immediately begins to pick his way forward. You notice that the bugs seem to take no note of him as he walks straight through their swarms, and the water that he steps in doesn't even make a noise or a ripple.
He starts humming to himself, some kind of strange, sing-song music in that broken dialect of his.
You keep following him, keeping your scanners at a wide scan, but detecting no other transformer life.
Then, the thick treeline seems to part, and a large, weedy, grassy plain seems to stretch out in a line in either direction. Trails can be seen in the weeds, and though the trails you see water. you realize that you must be on the bank of a river of some sort.
Terragator steps right in and sinks to his thighs. He takes no notice, nor does he even disturb the grasses as he walks through them.
You follow, you circuits cringing at the feel of the warm, muddy water whirling around your legs.
Then, from behind you hear a low growl and a sharp snapping sound.
You spin to see a huge alligator! It was nearly seventeen feet long, and probably seven feet wide! That was big enough to give even a Transformer a reason to worry. But still, laser swords and teeth don't even compare. You pull your sword out, the blade hissing in the muggy air. Then you hear several other growls. You look around to notice that about seven gators of various sizes, from eight or so to nearly twenty feet long, had made nice little trails through the grasses right up to you! This was bad.
A smaller gator jumped suddenly, with startling speed, but you were no slouch in the speed area, and chopped him and two others in half before they could touch you, but then a heavy weight from behind bears you down. You feel something put immense pressure on your leg, and you fall.
Then something registers. The gators you cut into had a complete lack of blood...
You spin and grapple with an immense specimen. No way was this thing naturally this strong. You see two others join in the fray, when you hear a hissing mechanical ROOOAAARR!
And a large shape bowls the gator on top of you off, you see Terragators shell rip huge chunks of flesh free from the gator and metal could be seen underneath. Terragator unfolds from his tackling position, his feet, head, legs and tail whipping out from the thick shell. His teeth flash as he tears into another gator, pulling it free of your leg.
You pull your blaster and let loose at another. It is only slightly deterred, until you hit it in the eye. That ticks it off appropriately. It begins to thrash, sending up a deluge of water that give you enough cover and chaos to grab you sword up. It's blade crackles and complains as you re-ignite it. The water on it sizzle and pops sending a cloud of steam off as it gives way to the deep red glow and flame of your laser sword. Quickly, two more gators fall and then there is silence.
"Terragator, Terrorize!" The mutant changes back into his robot mode and pulls his shield around front.
"I thin' we be here."
Earth : The bayou
"What the slaggin' pit fires!!!! You never said anything about mutant gator robot sentries!!!!" "Look, I nev' been dese part's yasee. I jes' a' sprised as you'se was."
"You've never beEN HERE!!"
"Stop yellin' you attract more gators." You see him unholster the large cannon on his shoulder and blast into the water by your leg. A hiss and a cloud of steam erupt and a gator floats, sparking and burning to the surface.
He gives you a toothy smile. The swamp seems to overwhelm you, and for the first time, you realize that the muggy air was still and silent.
"What happened to the noises?"
"Creatures' no like the sound of machines I thin'"
"Great, so we're in some Primus forsaken swamp, no idea what to expect, you've never been here, and your 'cous' is trying to vape us."
"Don' take it so personal. I sure he try ta kill anyone what come round these parts."
"Great."
You begin a scan for Cybertronian life, and widen the scan to a commuincations sweep.
Nothing.
You add in a energy scan, and pick up several low level readings, and several other gators slowy winding their ways toward you.
"Great, there's more of those monsters coming."
"Follow me Blacky."
He transformers and trudges through the thick grass.
"Don't call me Blacky." you mutter under your breath. The two of you make your way to the other bank long before any of the gators catch up to you. As trudge out of the murkey water, clumps of mud drip off of you, all the way to your neck. Terragator stands looking around.
"What is it." you ask irratably.
"This not other shore, this river island."
"So."
"He be hidin' somewhere round here, I bet."
He makes his way along the crowded shoreline of the small island. Thick cedar stumps jut out, and fallen trees lay scattered across the ground. The ground is soggy, and squishes loudly as you fail to find solid purchase. You note again te silence and ease with which the gatorbot moves along the shore line.
"Hello, what dis?"
You look up and see a rickety old walkway. Wooden boards and cut sticks holding it up.
The gator steps up on to it. You wait for it to collapse.
A slight creak is the only protest it makes.
You carefully step onto it. Surprisingly it supports even your greater weight. A quick scan reveals reinforcment inside of the wood.
The two of you make your ways along the swamp walkway, soon coming to the porch of an old shack. Skeletal remains dangle from thin strings on the porches front. And the smell of death and blood hangs in the air.
"It's a humans house." you blurt out, "Unless your cousin is only one point five meters tall."
"Naw, he big boy. Somethin' not right here."
Suddenly a skinny fleshy comes out of the shack waving a shotgun above his head and brandihing a butchers knife in the other hand. He cackles wickedly and incoherently.
The two of you look at each other with confused expressions, and you hear the crack of the shotgun go off.
WHAM!
You fall back from the force of the blast, a smoking hole a good foot into your chestplate.
Terragator steps in front of you and pulls his shield as another blast echoes in the fetid air. He jolts visibly as his shield deflects the shot.
You pull your gun and let off a blast from beneath the corner of the huge body shield.
The wildman falls over smoking. Charred mechanical circuitry exposed where the flesh covering had burned away.
Terragator helps you to your feet, "You okay there, Blacky? You not farin' so well 'round here."
You shake him off, "Yeah, I'll be find, but I may rip your 'cousin' a new waste disposal unit."
You walk over to the building, cluthing the smoking hole in your breast. A quick scan reveals a low level jamming wave. Undetectable from more than a few feet away.
There was definetely something here, but how do you get to it?
Earth: the bayou
"Repair systems online," you mutter. You've taken a lot of damage. Unfortunately, your repairs will be slow unless you change into your vehicle mode. No time right now, hopefully there's a hidden CR somewhere in this Primus forsaken swamp.
"I don' get it," complains Terragator, "There's obviously somethin' here, but I don' thin' cous' lived in no shack."
"Yeah, well Cybernetics aren't the natural life form around here either. We're definetely above his base, but how do we get inside. There's gotta be something big jamming my signals here, or else I'd penetrate it with my higher signal ranges."
"Well, you thin' he'd scan us 'n let us in?"
"Scan us... Hey, this 'cous' of yours was a Predacon, right?"
"Uhm... I not ta sure 'bout that. Aft' all, I just woke up few hours ago."
"And I turned off your allegiance circuits."
"Ayeah."
"Maybe he's lookin for a Pred to open up to?"
"Worth a try." The Predacon gator seemed to shut down for a brief second. his circuits then hummed back into life and a Predacon sigil could be seen on his forehead.
Nothing happend.
"Bad guess?"
"Maybe..."
Something was wrong, but you knew it had to be rigged to react to something...
Earth: the Bayou
You think for a few minutes.
The growth around here isn't new. Cypress tress that large would take a while to grow. Maybe... a few hundred years?
"Hey, try this. Set your allegiance signal to a Decepticon setting."
"Can't don't have one."
"What?" of course not, why give a new spark the codes for an illegal faction,"Alright, then here goes."
You set your allegiance to 'con and reboot your internal systems. As you power up there is a beeping noise indicating success. You look back at your wings to find a purple Decepticon insignia emblazoned across the silver.
Suddenly the island begins to shake with a terrible vengance. The ancient trees began to shift and tumble over as if tiny sticks. You can here the water around the island churn and bubble. There is a strange sense of vertigo as you turn and see that Terragator is already running, "You best get off'n dis island, fore' you end up crushed along wit evythin' else!"
"Bladewing, vehicle mode." You transform and speed past the gator bot as he jumps off the side... the side?
The island has risen off the water, and was continuing to rise.You transform and land next to him, about 75 meters away, in the thick reeds. Even here, you feel the suction under the water as something massive is lifted from the river.
Mud and trees drip off of it as if they were nothing but temporary camoflauge. Ancient roots are pulled up and thick trunks snapped like toothpicks.
You stared in dumbfounded shock as you see a pair of massive jaws open before you. As they creak and groan, straining to open, they resemble the skull of a great gator. The metal armor on the outside has been torn and ripped off, leaving only the cybernetic skull of an immense
monster.
Two towers appear, more like cannons jutting straight into the sky, behind the skull. They stretch far into the sky, nearly ten stories up.
Cybernetic eyeballs stare blindly out into the morning sun from the giant sockets, with shattered glass sparkling across their surfaces.
And as it stops rising, chin still submerged in the water, a stillness that speaks of death takes the swamp.
The water rushes through the swordlike teeth on the lower jaws. The mouth holds wide and steady, as if it had been like this for ages. You feel fear take your spark at the sight of the great behemoth. Even without the armor plating, it was a monster worthy of fear.
The dark mouth seemed to be beckoning to you. Calling to be fed. It's jaws were wide enough to drive a battleship through.
"I thin' we sho found cous'ns base."
"It's no base, not this size.
It was a city.
"A decepticon city." You're voice sounds hollow to your own receptors.
One name rang through your memory banks.
--Trypticon-
Earth: Trypticon
You stare at the gaping jaws in dumbfounded shock. You can barely believe your sensors, but it MUST be Trypticon. There weren't that many
Transformer cities in existence, and there was only one Decepticon city on Earth. The base was covered in algae and rust, the massive skull dilapidated and
dead. The whole thing gave you the chills. Never before had you been this close to such a powerful reminder of your races mortality. It was something that
you took for granted, that you could be repaired even in cases of massive damage, and that a little caution would ensure your sparks eternal stability. Here,
there was no life, no spark. Just a carcass of a once great Decepticon.
You slowly turn your receptor towards Terragator, who was looking at the ancient robot with indifference, "You're cousin's base is Trypticon !! "
"Guessin' that be what I see. maybe he be more help'n I thought."
"Just who the slag is you're cousin?"
"Dunno."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"Look, I been active all of one day here 'n you wanna go and thin' I got answers to everything. My data tracks only registered that I had a relative here.
Nev' met him before, you should know that."
"Great." You switch your sensors on full scan and begin to make your way toward the cavernous mouth. As you reach the throat, you see a ladder
stretching down into the darkness. "Look's like this is the way down." you mutter sourly.
You're sensors begin to register a small buildup of power in the frame, not enough to start systems, but it was building steadily.
The echo of your footsteps on the ladder was accompanied to the sound of slowly trickling and dripping water from the walls. It's a wonder that this
place isn't totally waterlogged.
Lights flicker into life, slowly at first, but soon the tunnel was lit with florescent red emergency lights.
Below you you could see the water. You had only gone down perhaps five stories, and a lake filled the rest of the great cities frame.
"Great, what now?"
"We need go down I thin'. shouldn't this thing have'n access hatch in the stomach area?"
"Yeah, that's at least another ten stories though..."
"No choice, 'less you wanna wait here while I go fetch 'cuz?"
A hundred feet of water... You can take it, but... euck.
"Let's go." you snap and jump off the ladder.
The two of you swan through the reddish water until the tunnel opened into a great reservoir area. Mechanical arms lay ready to process food into
gigantic acid tubs that lay empty... no, not empty you realize as your frame registers minor irritation. The acids just have been diluted by the water that now
flooded the warehouse sized area.
You here a noise, and see Terragator motion through the murky redness.
You join him near the ceiling and find a sealed hatchway. He pulls his gun to blast the door. You grab his arm and motion him to hold.
You scan the door and find that the other side is water free. A gun blast would make a vacuum that would throw you through the door. You think for a
second and hatch a plan.
You shift several of your systems into a shielding unit. A quick reconfigure and you are able to throw a shield outside of your frame.
Turning toward the doorway, a red beam projects from your optic. It widens until it covers the entire doorway. You pull your sword and hand it
carefully to Terragator. He nods understanding and quickly steps into the shield bubble. A little water joins him, but not enough to worry about. He slams
the sword into the hatchway and pries it open. You quickly follow him through the doorway. The two of you push the door shut as the shield bubble shuts
off.
A warning shuts on, "Danger, energy levels running low. Suggest shutdown of non-critical systems."
--Slag, internals, shut down weapons and transformation.--
That will have to do.
The two of you begin without a word down the dark corridors, neither sure of just where you were going. Oddly, Terragator begins to take lead, as if he
knew where he was headed. When you ask him, he just answers, "Notshur' just got this feelin', like Deja vu."
Soon, you find yourselves at a strange door, twice your size and sealed. Power in the city had stopped increasing, still holding minimal levels, but several
major lines seemed to be looped toward this room.
As you stepped up to the door a voice informs you, "Decepticon presence, welcome." and the doors slide open on rusted tracks.
A damp musty smell infuses the dark room. As you step inside, mud squishes beneath your feet. You begin to shut on infrared lights, when a dark purple
source of light begins to glow in the dark, it gets brighter, and soon takes shape into a visor as it's light turns golden.
A single solitary bright spotlight flicked into life, highlighting a 'throne' in the center of the room. The throne itself is made of skulls. From small human
skulls, to larger animals from Earth and other planets. It even includes several robotic skulls. Snakes slither through the conglomeration of bone matter,
hiding from the sudden light.
Sitting on the throne is a fairly large Decepticon. Purple and dark green, standing about twice your size. His optic center glows a vibrant golden as he
looks at you, no movement betraying any other hint of life.
Insects buzz noisily through the swamp-filled room, and a slow, deep grating voice speaks, "So who's here'n wake up Skullcruncher after'n all these
years?"
Earth : Trypticon
"My name is Bladewing, and joining me is Terragator, your cousin. I am here to ask you for some help in a situation I am in. Terragator, here, said you
may be willing to help."
"Cous'n?" The larger robot stirred, you could hear a grinding noise... his teeth.
"Got no cous' I nev hear of."
"I'z jest cooked up," interrupted Terragator.
Skullcruncher stood, cobwebs drifting across his frame, mud dripping to the ground in great clops. You could see roaches scatter from beneath him. He
steps down from his throne. His joints protesting.
"Ahh, I see. You're one of those new bot's they was talk'n bout. Protoformations?"
"Yup."
The robot gives off a low chuckle as he stands near you, looking down at the smaller Terragator. "So, ol' Megs finally give us a call, n' he expects us to
jump to once agin'? How long'n he let us sit in the mud, buried 'n death."
Terragator answers with a date, it catches you offguard. You hadn't thought of the Predacon's processors. He would have been activated with a current
time protocol from the Predacon's computer banks.
The date was only two days before you had left Cybertron.
You feel a great load lifted off of you. At least if you got left by the Predacon ship, you SHOULD be able to find another ride home from wherever this
planet was.
"We weren't sent by Megatron. He's been dead for a few centuries."
"Dead? That' xplains why we been stuck here so long."
"We need help. The Tripredicus council is here, and Terragator here is out for vengeance. I'm out to foul up whatever they're doing, and the Autobots
are still here on Earth."
"I thin' you better explain yourself more completely..."
You begin your story, telling only what was neccessary, and always hedging away from anything to do with allegiances.
You also ask him about the name Megaplex. He seems completely ignorant of any referance, "but there could be a record locked in ol' Trypties
databanks. Problem being most of him got slagged after the last battle. "
"So are you willing to help?"
"Slag, you didn't come lookin' fo' me I sit here for 'nother few centuries, maybe eternity. Stasis lock is boring, fig' that worth a little. I help you... for the
moment."
"Then what condition is this base in."
Skullcruncher laughs outright at the question, "The base's decimated, cremed, totaled, and junk. Oh, it could be repaired but most of it's bout' as much
worth as the mud it sits in."
"Great, what about a CR chamber?"
"Huh?"
"Uhm..." three hundred years ago..." A... repair bay?"
"Yeah, it's four floors down, on level seven. It's still operational."
Terragator interrupted, "What all IS operational?"
"Let's see, last count had been: five of the ten generators, repair bay, processing area, I swithced it to manufacturing, sensor jamming and nulling, and the
radio systems. Course, that was three centuries ago.
"Well, the repair bay is flooded. We had to do some deep swimming to get to here. "
"Great, well, we can pump the water out, and check the hull for the leaks."
"How long do you think it'll take to fix this thing?"
"Hmph, unless you got more 'con buddies up there... Probably about half a year, give a month or two."
"What DOESN'T work?"
"A quick list? The other generators, weapons, movement, self repair, sight, voice, shielding, armor's missing, defense grids are shot... oh, and the spark is
dead."
Well, you got a base, and it's waterlogged and damaged till death, but without the need to worry about a ride home, perhaps it would be worth
resurrecting...
Bladewing... Mayor of TRYPTICON!!!!
Earth : the Bayou
You make tracks up to the repair bay. Thoughts flooded through your head of grand glory as the leader of a new set of forces in the Universe. Hmm,
the spark is the hardest piece to replace. Whose would work? Maybe you could 'coerce' one of those two dolts downstairs into 'donating' a spark. That
could be dangerous, if you use someone who isn't willing... Well, that's an awful lot of power to put in the hands of someone you can't control. The two
below seem to enjoy their bodies, and you doubt they'd be willing to part with them.
It has to be someone slow. You needed a victim, or a new spark...
You reach the bay and start shutting on the machinery. Slag, this is some older tech. No perfect CR repairs here. That'll be one thing to replace. You
have some energon stockpiled on Cybertron, you could afford one of those...
You lay down on the table and the repair arms go to work, you shut down so as to ignore the pain while the arms do their work.
--You float in space, injured and stunned from the reeling blow the Warworld struck you. You see a great battle being raged above a small blue planet.
Joining the battle, a dark cloud of metal swarmed in and claimed the warriors.
You watch as the cloud rips into the Warword. It also begins to eat away at a huge warship. There is a sudden blast of light that fills the cloud. A
beautiful yellow warmth that suffuses the cloud and all that is caught in the battle. The fighting stops, the destruction stops, and for a moment all is at
peace.
You're systems are rebuilt in seconds, and you transform, flying to the closest ship.--
"Systems on-line."
You stretch and look around the repair bay. A low humming could be heard, and a throbbing shook through the frame of the city.
"Bladewing to Skullcruncher, what's going on?"
"The water pumps have cleared 52 percent of the water. And we found out that there's only three generators working, and out broadcast systems are out
as well."
"Great. I'm coming down there."
You begin to make your way to the control center.
As you step into the muddy room, Terragator looks up, "We got company comin'."
"What do you mean 'company'?"
"'Decepticon signatures hundred miles out, they'll be here in a matter of minutes. "
--Great, party crashers, that's all you need.--
Just then... a blinding light seems to suffuse the ship, sending everything spinning darkness.
Earth : Trypticon
You stagger back to your feet, "What the slagging inferno!?"
The air inside Trypticon had grown so humid that you felt like you were swimming. Heat seemed to pour off of the floor, walls, and ceilings. You looked around in the misty interior, and could see the shapes of Terragator and Skullcruncher staggering to their feet.
Then without warning the control computers lit up, startling all the robots with the bright cascade of lit screens and buttons.
"What the ..."
"Yeah, "answered Skullcruncher, "we heard it the first time."
You could hear a humming vibrating through the structure of the city, and you noticed that the mud on the floor had dried as if baked. You staggered over to join Skullcruncher at the contols.
He was swearing softly as reports scrolled across the screen.
"Was it an attack."
"Most charred up attack I've ever seen if it is."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, all generators are on-line, Air pumps are at full capacity..."
You notice that the room was rapidly beginning to clear out, and as it did you could see dramatic changes over the very structure of the room.
"...Weapons systems on-line, Movement, Broadcast, sight, voice, defense... All of it's up."
"Spark?"
"Ok, ALMOST all of it's up. " Skullcruncher grins.
"But how?"
"We're reading the after effects of some kind of energy wave that washed the planet. It wasn't strong, but something in the heart of Trypty magnified it a billion times. It caused a massive structure rebuild. I've never seen anything like it."
Terragator looks worried, you turned and smirk at him, "Don't tell me your scared of a few body alterations?"
"It not that, don'tcha feelit?"
"What?"
"The pullin'"
You puzzle over what he means, when you notice it to. Something seemed to be pulling at your innards, as if it wanted to suck you dry of your life force.
Skullcruncher grimaced, "Slaggin' thing is hungry."
You look down at him in uncomprehension.
"It wants a spark, and it's trying to drag our from our frames. It can't, but that won't stop it from trying. It'll also weaken us over time."
"So what if we slag one of the incoming..."
"No good, First they's Con's. We need reinforcements. Secondly, well, if' force a bot on in there."
"He sho' nuff not gon' thin twotimes bout munchin' us fo' good."
Terragator finished.
"Agreed, what is the status on our visitors?"
"Well, since looks like w'have all this tech available, let's jus' see!"
Skullcruncher turned back to the computers and began to look for a data entry.
"Uhm..."
"Try voice?"
"Oh, nifty, it din useta have that. Computer, status of incoming Cybertronians."
A low, dead, ghostly voice reverbrates througout the room, "Decepticon in nature. Know transformers Starscream and SpaceCase. Updating Starscream's profile. Minor damage to both. Current status transforming to vehicle mode. Course projection. Trypticon."
Earth : Trypticon
Starscream. Deceitful, treacherous and not on your goody goody list.
You look down at Skullcruncher, "I don't trust Starscream."
"Who does, or at least did."
"Should we blast him?"
"He IS a Decepticon, and we DO need help."
"But we can't trust him."
"No, an' I sure ain't lettin' him in my base with't a good reasn'. Plus, if this base is gon' run at peak efficiency, it needs manpower. I say we listen, and
then decide what ta do."
Not the answer you hoped for.
"Then let's not allow him knowledge of our numbers."
"Agreed."
"He may expect you, so go and meet him. Terragator will man the controls here, and I can keep an eye from the shadows. If he gets upitty, we deal with
him."
"And if his deal is good?"
"We'll see. Terragator, Can you run this thing?"
"Sho'. Don look dat hard t'all. Evythin' aut'mated, voice controlled. You just yell, and I'll stomp."
"Skullcruncher, BEAST MODE!!!" With a roar and a snap, the large Decepticon transformed into an equally large robotic alligator. He made his way to
the doors, "Keep, this city at th'level it is, I intercept the 'Cons at the mouth."
You transform and follow the gator up to the surface. As you exit, you notice strong structural changes in the skull and the two towers behind them.
Two cannons stradled the skulls jaws, and the eye sockets were covered with purple cryslal again. The skull itself was still bear, but had taken on a
slightly more monstrous look. It's teeth had grown, especially in the front. The two cannons on the jaw each consisted of some kind of gun that must use
an electo-charge of some sort, the barrel consisted of several lengthy poles clustered together, and a Gatling gun under that. One of the barrels in the
Gatling's could be walked in easily by you.
The towers behind were now slanted out a bit, and were definately cannons now. The barrels being as large as a skyscraper.
It was an awe inspiring sight.
You quickly blended into the shadows to wait. Skullcruncher sat in the jaw and watched.
About thirty more minutes passed, and the roar of jet engines could be heard.
You watched as the two jets neared the jaw and transformed. Neither bot was recognizable to you, but they both wore the Decepticon sigil on their arms.
One was huge, black and grey. The other was smaller, but still larger than you were. He was white with an annoying crosshatch of blue colored with
splashes of red on his body.
You tuned in a close frequency to hear what they were saying.
"Skullcruncher!" the tall black one, the voice was Starscreams, "I had not expected you to still be active."
Skullcruncher transformed and looked up at Starscream, "What is your business here Starscream?"
Starscream looked a bit taken back by the blunt reply, "We were sent here by Megatron to gather our forces for a new Decepticon army."
"Megatron is dead."
"No, he lives, the Autobot's on this planet revived him."
"Why?"
"They did not know who he was."
"Then why doesn't he come here himself?"
"He is still with the Autobots. He has come under threat by the Predacon's and uses the 'Bot's as a protective shield. He knows it won't last indefinitely,
so I was sent here to gather all the Decepticons on the planet."
Skullcruncher seems to ponder this a bit.
It makes a bizarr sort of sense. The one called Megaplex, his voice triggered memories. That must be Megatron. Terragator's orders to kill Megatron...
This was interesting, and important, but what to do. Skullcruncher's loyalties were to Megatron, and there was no telling what he may say or do....
Earth : Trypticon II
You send a quick coded message to Skullcruncher, "Lead him to another meeting place, I don't believe him."
Skullcruncher seems to pause for a second, still absorbing the information. He then looks up at Starscream, "The city is still flooded, perhaps we could
meet at a seperate place to discuss strategy while the pumps work on clearing it?"
"I'm afraid not," Starscream replies, "You see, I have already secured your city from your mutant Predacon, and now ask that you relinquish command to
ME."
"WHAT?!!" bellowed Skullcruncher.
"Surely you don't think I'd walk into a situation without forewarning. The instant you lied to me, your agent was neutralized and control of the city was
assumed by Skyjack."
You recognize that name, he was of your generation, and a master in stealth as well. You lean back into the shadows, this wasn't going well at all.
"I don't know why you would have a Predacon in your service, but it signifies a disloyalty that we can not risk. You will be taken to the brig, and kept
there until Lord Megatron returns to assume command."
"No chance you slag plane!!! SKULLCRUNCHER, BEAST MODE!!!" The large gator lunged forward and shifted into the heavily armored alligator, but
even as his enormous jaws sought to clamp down on Starscream's neck, the other bot pulled a missile from his wings and slammed it into Skullcruncher's
belly.
The large Decepticon went down smoking.
"Drag him to the brig, SpaceCase, he can repair himself. Skyjack!"
"Yes Starscream."
"Report on the base."
"It appears to be fully operational, but some of these readings are off the scale!"
"Very well, begin diagnostic tests. The others will arrive soon, let us be ready in case of... misunderstandings."
"Yes sir."
You watch as Skullcruncher is picked up and dragged inside by the gaudily colored plane bot.
This was no good at all, you silently follow the Decepticon's back into the interior of the ship.
You watch as SpaceCase lugs the alligator down into the brig area and throws him into a jail cell. Inside the cell you see Terragator slumped over, smoke
still trailing from his back.
SpaceCase switches the defense grid back on, and a shimmering field of energy appears in the entryway. You wait as he walks past you and heads off
down the hallway.
You look down at the two gatorbots. Well, at least this will ensure their loyalty to you over Starscream. However, if you shut off the fields you will be
revealed to every scanner on Trypticon. As it was, it'd just take a quick check to see that there were TWO Decepticons previously on the ship. Time was
limited and you were at a loss as how to handle it. Every second that passed, Starscream was becoming more knowledgeable about the controls of this city.
Then you hear a stirring from the cell. A large golden eye on the robotic gator form of Skullcruncher slides open. It seems to take a second to focus, but
then there's a rumbling as he shifts into his robot mode.
"Oooohhh, that 'con can shonuff hit HARD!"
"I thought you were scrap!"
"It take more than one of you newbies to scrap dis ol' 'con. I see you smart 'nuff not to go three on one?"
"No good getting caught, but you two are still trapped."
"Huh, you so sure I spent three centuries here and didn't learn evythin' bout this pile of scrap. It may have new systems, but I be willin' to bet it's codes
ain't changed. Starscream always was good, but too overconfident."
"What do you mean?"
"Skullcruncher exit command 32."
The doorway shimmered for a second and then shut off, a side panel on the room slid open, revealing a jeffries tube leading away from the brig.
Skullcruncher hoists Terragator up on his shoulder. "That'll lead straight to the med bay. The ships commands have been 'blinded' to the power outputs
there and here, an' to make sure they don't walk in and see a problem down here," he waved at the cell, which now contained holograms of himself and
Terragator sitting on the floor, deactivated, "a quick snapshot of the previous security cams provides a good holgram to cover our tracks."
As he steps through the doorway, the cell's shielding shuts back on with a snap.
"After you?" Skullcruncher grins.
Earth : Trypticon
The next few hours you spent in the repair bay while your two cohorts had a chance to mend their wounds. It also gave you a little time to collect your
thoughts.
Starscream is trying to pass himself off as Megatron's little go-bot. You doubted this very sincerely, but what if it was true. While you wait, you hear the
shifting, and feel a momentary sense of vertigo as the base alters into city mode.
As Skullcruncher sits on the table, you question him as to the extent of his links to the base. However, he seems to be very evasive, and merely ensures
you that there was no danger of loosing control of the base. He does tell you that he had read about half of his gator-bot defenses off-line earlier, leaving
about ten in the surrounding swamps. Then you ask about internal defenses. He tells you that they won't attack any Decepticon, that'd be up to your group
to deal with.
You ponder over all this, and finally the repairs of the others are done.
You look at them both, "Ok, here's the plan. I want to take this city back from Starscream."
"Brilliant..." Skullcruncher bites with sarcasm.
You ignore him and continue, "If we can draw his attention away from the others, using those gator-bots, then we can systematically wipe them out one
by one."
"And if he was telling the truth about Megatron?"
"He's lying, I never saw him anywhere near Megatron earlier."
"But you did see Megatron."
"If that was Megatron... he was with the Autobots."
"hmmm... Then I suggest we take those two lackeys of Starscream off-line and lock him out of the base."
"Then here's what we do...."
The red alarm light started blinking on a control panel in Trypticon's new control center. SkyJack flipped a switch and a section on the huge viewscreen
flickered and showed the swamps outside of the base. Nothing could be seen but mud...
"Starscream,"
"Yeah SkyJack, what do you want." Starscream snapped. He had been a little testy all afternoon. The resurrection of Megatron had thrown a nasty
wrench into his plans. Having to cowtow to the other Decepticons didn't improve his loss of power any.
"I'm getting a Decepticon signal outside. Five of them."
"Well... hail whoever it is and let them inside!"
"That's just it, I can't seem to get a lock on them and no visual. They should be right at our front doors, but I'm getting nothing."
"I'll check it out." Starscream stands from the control chair he had been sitting at, four stories above the floor, and stalked out of the command center.
Then another light started blinking, "Slaggin piece of junk... SpaceCase!"
"Yeah!"
"We're reading a energy flux in generator A-3. Take a look at it and make sure it's not got any more water in it or anything."
"Sure."
The control panel blinked a small blue light indicating the outer doors opening to let Starscream out.
Then everything turned off.
Starscream looked down at the mud at the base of the steps. It seemed to be roiling with some sort of life...
"Decepticons. What ARE you doing? This is Air Commander Starscream."
Several lumps seperated themselves from the ground and waddled onto the steps.
They were large alligators.
They just sat there and stared at Starscream dumbly.
Starscream's comlink shut on, "Starscream, this is SkyJack. We've got a problem. All the systems just shut down."
Starscream raised a gun and blasted one of the gators in the head. Sparks flew off and a cybernetic interior was revealed.
"Drones... Someone wanted a diversion..." he quickly spun and reached for the doorway. It didn't open.
"What the...." He didn't finish as he was attacked from behind by
a rather ticked off alligator.
SpaceCase shined the golden light from his optics around the generators room. The computer banks were still humming, but all the lights had
immediately shut down. He hoped he didn't get blamed for this.
He pulled the panel off of the generator and shoved hid head inside.
There, a small box with a blinking red light beeped impatiently at him. It was giving off a wavering energy reading. He pulled it free and stared at it.
"Now that's a dumb thing to put in there."
"Not'if'n you dealin' wit a dumb 'con it ain't"
He spun just in time for the blast of light to register on his optics.
SkyJack tapped at his commlink again. He couldn't raise anyone! Then a feeling passed through his circuits and he moved. Barely in time to dodge a
blade that sliced through his chair.
He spun and blasted out with a bright burst of light. He saw a silver flash duck away and move behind a control panel.
"Come out and play... Whoever you are!" He pulled two missiles from his wings, they began to glow with heat as he charged their infrastructures.
From out of the shadows you step. The yellow energy from his missile clubs glinting off of your silvery wings. Reaching behind your back, you pull your
other sword. Both blades crackle with a red heat as they power up.
The two of you clash. He's bigger, and stronger. But his size doesn't diminish his speed any. He meets blow with parry and you return the same.
The two of you are matched, but he parries and pushes back from you, jumping up to a higher level in the control room. Without warning he throws one
of his clubs s to parry, but the club explodes as you block it, throwing you back against a control array with a shower of sparks. The explosion was small,
but enough to stun you.
He jumped down on top of you, but a flash of light hit him and he flew off to the side. There was a shifting and a thud as something huge landed on top
of him in the dark. A low metallic growl and a ripping of metal was followed by a shower of sparks.
You stood up and checked yourself over, no permanent damage.
Skullcruncher transformed and picked up the torso of SkyJack.
"He'll be 'kay after a little repair work." He muttered and tossed the chewed remains at your feet.
"Terragator here. Got the 'con all wrapped up in the repair bay. Guess'n you took care of the one in the control tow'r."
"Situation under control." You mutter into your com, "Come get the rest of this one and haul it down to the repair bay as well."
The lights on the bridge began to shut on as Skullcruncher activated his control codes. The screen showed up to show the front steps. Pieces of
Cyber-gators lay strewn about, but no sign of Starscream could be seen.
"Great... we lost him."
"But we got' da city, and maybe just in time."
"What do you mean."
"I mean I'm readin' all kinda slag out in them swamps. We got Autobots, Predacons, Decepticons, and Mech energies reading across the board. It look'n
like we got company."
Earth : Trypticon
"City defenses on-line. Shields up, guns on-line. Hold that order. Maybe we should find out why they are here before we blow them to pieces. I think I'll
go out and see what's going on. You keep an eye on the screens and watch for anything suspicious. If I give the order to open fire on someone, blow them
away. Put shields on-line, and keep this base secure. Starscream's still out there."
"I already HAD the shields on-line, and I wouldn't put the guns on-line without knowing why those Decepticon signatures are appearing in the swaps."
Grumbled Skullcruncher a bit cantankerously.
"You wanna go out'n that swamp? Good luck, I'm register'n gunfire from down there. I think someone out ta' pick a fight. I shut down shield long
enough for you ta get out there, then this city is locked."
You turn and head for the exit, "I'll find out why there's so many bot's out there, and I'll find Starscream."
"You have fun. We'll sit right here and watch the games."
You leave Trypticon and enter the swampy area, all around the base of the city, trees were floating in the water, smashed down. The waters seemed to
have receded from the river, and the city was surrounded by a lake. You realize it must have formed when the Dinosaur was pulled up from the swamp.
Huge struts and repulsor engines now kept the base above the ground level. It would need to be moved before too long.
As you flew over the swampy grounds, suddenly an explosion rocked the swamps. It was immense, you hold up for a second and hit your comm,
"Skullcruncher, where the hell did that come form?"
"Not sure, but it look like it came from us!?!"
"What?"
Just then, a wash of heat smashed into you as something tore past you in the air. A column of fire spewed toward the city and smashed into it's shield.
You watch as it resolves into the form of a transfomer, gangly and purple and seeming to be covered in flames. It shakes it's head and rears back a taloned
claw to swipe again at the shield. Sparks fly and scatter as he belows in rage.
Earth : Trypticon
You leap into the air toward the insane robot. You pull a crackling sword and swing at his unprotected back. The metal of the bot sizzles as your blade
digs into him. He spins and a globe of flame surrounds him, pushing you back. HE dives in but you deftly dodge away from his attack.
Then from behind you, the thunder of artillery sounds off and a heavy attack slams into Trypticon's shields. You glance back to see a quintecombiner
moving through the air toward the city's perimeter. A red hot swipe slams into you from the other robot as you turn back. Pain shoots through your frame
as you spin back and regroup...
What the slag was going on?
Earth : Trypticon
You lunge forward with dazzling speed taking the purple Predacon under the ribs. You're sword delivers another solid slice and sparks and smoke sizzle
away from the wounded robot. He lunges toward you unflinching though. You parry as he delivers a selfless attack, and you began to realize that whatever
this is you were fighting, it wasn't sane.
It began a berserker blitz that pushes you farther and farther back from him. You can feel the heat from the wounds he had already caused, as well as the
pain from where Skyjack had pounded you earlier. You know you are in bad shape, and the robot in front of you wasn't slowing down for anything. You
knew you were about to die. With that thought realized, your life became meaningless, and you rejoined the battle with a new clarity of thought.
You clear your mind of the pain shooting through your receptors and everything begins to crystallize. Everything around you disappears except for you
battle. The sounds of the quintecombiners guns fade. The heat of the swamp night fades. The lights of Trypticon fade.
And you see your opening.
With every ounce of careless selflessness that your enemy fought with, you lunged, leaving yourself wide open for a death blow, but at the same moment
your blade connected.
And the robots head fell away to the swamp below.
KAAAATHHHHHOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!
An explosion followed that threw you toward the watery swamp.
SPLASSHHHH!!!
Earth: Trypticon II
A faint bussing warned you of conciousness. You became aware of a conversation above you. Sensors scanned a Decepticon directly beside you, and an
Autobot behind him about five meters.
You hear the Decepticon tell the Autobot, "Yeah, though I think he's solidly off..." his reply is cut short by your sword to his throat.
"Who are you and why are you attacking MY city!" you coughed.
You're damage control systems were on overtime. The injuries you recieved had you barely functional, but best not let them know that.
The Autobot pulls a sabre, but you apply a little more pressure on the blade and the Con motion's him to stand down, "Heya... Look it was you who
attacked us!" The rust colored Decepticon gasped. He was dripping of oil and looked in general, shabby.
"And slagged several Maximals." added the Autobot.
"We did no such thing. The missile was not from any of Trypticon's missile banks."
"TRYPTICON!!!!!" the two exclaim in unison.
"Yeah, Trypticon, and if you don't call off your bruiser up there I'll command my men to destroy the entire SWAMP!!"
"Hey now!" the Decepticon spits, "you wouldn't destroy your fellow Decepticons."
--you gotta be joking--
"Keep attacking and just watch!" you growl.
"Look, " the Autobot steps in, "We don't know what's going on here, but I'm sure if we all stop shooting and swinging blades at each other, we can figure
this out once and for all."
The three of you suddenly became aware of the silence that had descended on the swamp.
You look up and see Bruticus hovering outside the cities shields.
Then, your comm units crackle to life.
"This is Megatron. I have assumed control of the city Trypticon. Combaticons, Hooligan, Starscream report to me in the main control tower."
Earth: Trypticon
The orange Decepticon grinned at you and the Autobot, "Looks like you will both be staying for a while?"
With a thud, the massive quinte-combiner landed on the ground beside you.
"I wouldn't have it any other way. Take me to Megatron." you growl.
The Autobot grimaced, "Likewise, I want to know just what the slag is going on around here."
You get up, and find yourself barely able to stand. Smoke and lubricants were leaking out of almost every joint.
You didn't care.
--How DARE he take MY city!!--
The two of you are taken to the headquarter building, and then to the third level of the main bridge. Terragator and Skullcruncher are still manning their
posts.
"What are you two doing?!?"
Skullcruncher grimaces at you, "Working. Or is that a problem'"
"It is when you should be working for ME!"
Skullcruncher threw his head back and laughed, "Oh, little blade boy, You think awful lot of yourself. Dontcha? I said I'd HELP you. I NEVER served
you. I been commander of this base for three centuries. Megatron is my rightful leader. He say he want the keys. Well, he get the keys."
You feel your receptors burn with anger and embarrassment as you are pushed forward by the large robot behind you. His name was Onslaught, and he
was one of those 'Combaticons' that had formed the quinte-combiner.
You look up at the command platform two stories above you.
The tall slate blue transformer named 'Megaplex' stood and stepped to the edge.
Flood was the first to speak up, "MEGATRON! What in Primus' name is going on around here?!?"
"Flood, I am truly sorry that this had to be."
"What had to be!"
"The Autobots would not be able to keep me away from the Predacon's for long. There are to few of you, and they are now many. I must take steps to
begin a new army that will do what is necessary to deal with the Predacon threat."
"What are you saying?!?"
"I am saying that this is the beginning of a NEW Decepticon Empire. Tell Prime that I hold nothing against him and the Autobots, but if they get in my
way..."
"Megatron, this doesn't have to be the way!"
"Don't be foolish Flood. Prime and you Autobots have been ideling your time away on this planet for three centuries. You're soft and weak. The
Predacon's have been sharpening their knives behind your backs, and they want to use me to start the Great War again. All they needed was an excuse to
show the Autobots and Maximals in the wrong, then they would sweep in like locusts and slaughter you. Now, they must deal with me and a rag-tag band
of renagades. The peace treaty is still intact, and the war will stay away from Cybertron."
"And it will come to Earth... AGAIN!!"
"Regrettable, but I at the moment have no way of escape. I shall try to leave this world, but I believe our time is growing short. Already, the Predacon's
have no doubt activated the proto-forms in their holds. They're numbers now equal the Autobots, and they are well prepared for war."
"How do you know this?"
With a jerk, Megatron throws something on the floor. It is the mangled remains of Hornet, "Return this lacky to the Predacons, he is still alive, but his
spark is in stasis lock. Tell them not to try ever again to control Megatron. "
"But..."
"Leave now Flood. Take the other Autobots and Maximals with you and do not return. I have a war to fight."
Onslaught grabs the wreckage and the Autobot and drags them both out of the bridge.
"As for you..."
"I want to know by what right do you take my command away!"
"COMMAND! RIGHT!! I AM MEGATRON!!! LORD RULER OF THE DECEPTICON EMPIRE!!!!"
It occurs to you that your line of attack might be wrong.
"Lord Megatron, my apologies. It's been a long day. Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I thought I would be allowed to retain control of the city under
your new leadership."
"You never had control of the city."
"Well... I, uhm... What exactly IS going on."
"We plan war on the Tripredicus council."
"Ah, there we go. My plans too include the disruption of the council and their plans for this planet."
"And what is your cause?"
"I was... hired... to investigate why the council was coming here."
"You are a mercenary."
"Yes."
"Then you are of no use to me."
"Wait! We share goals here. I am willing to help you out, for the chance to destroy whatever the council is planning."
The tall blue transformer sits down on the large command chair.
Skullcruncher turns from his chair, "He's not a bad fighter and an escellent spy. He did help me and Terragator retain control from Starscream."
"Even though I sent Starscream to take over the ship?"
"Well, we didn't believe him."
"True, no fault in that." considers Megatron.
"Very well, you may stay and assist the Decepticons for now, Bladewing. I warn you, betray me, and I will personally scrap you faster than you ever
thought possible."
"By your command, Megatron."
Earth : Trypticon
You immediately are taken to the Repair bays of Trypticon.
You can see the scrapped remains of Starscream cluttering a table. It doesn't seem that anyone cares that they aren't being worked on.
You lay down on the repair table and shut down.
--Megatron. You remember him in his later days. He had been replaced by Galvatron, but always did Megatron seem to return. There were theories that he had been indestructible. That had changed when he had disappeared for three centuries. Now he had returned.
And now you were serving him once again.
You remembered being picked up by the Con's days later. You were repaired, but the wars were at a standstill. Peace ruled for a short while.
But war had returned, and Megatron was at it's forefront.
You had been a spy. He had used you numerous times to gather intelligence, spy on the Autobots...
Now, maybe those days would return.--
Earth : the Everglades
You scan the area, subtly. You register no
Predacons. Not surprising, they'd be using stealth circuits as much as
you would. Then you notice the ship moving off.
--Slaggit! We'll loose it if we don't....---
Another ship registers on your scanner, a BIG ship.
Metroplex. The Autobot city was close on the heels of the
Predacons. It was now or never to make your move.
You transform, your sleek, silver covered body
streaking soundlessly and smoothly towards the Predacon command ship.
Your sensors register three forms departing from Metroplex.
---Hmm, some autobot's to play with the predacons?
Or just an investigative team to see what we left behind. Tempting, but
business first.---
You land on the hull of the Predacon command ship.
"Took you long enough." the voice nearly
startled you into loosing your balance.
You spin to find Knight standing behind you against a large
curve in the hull.
"Where've you been!" you snap.
"Here, waiting. There's a good entrance port over
there." He points toward the aft of the ship. "The
sensors have all been disconnected around the area there. We can slip in
unnoticed."
"Let's go then."
Earth : The Hive
Impressive. The suggested hatch was indeed sensor
dead. That in itself required no small feat of hacking to accomplish.
To further matters,
the hatchway was opened and unlocked, most impressive.
This bot had some staggering abilities to accomplish such in
the short amount of tie that he had, not to mention that he didn't set off any
alarms
in doing all this.
You look at your 'ally' with respect, and a bit of
distrust. With a wave of your hand, you motion him to enter the ship
first.
Stealthily, the two of you made your way through the
Predacon ship. You're scanners were set on a low scanning mode, and the
jeffries
tubes made for easy access without walking through the hallways.
Knight's voice registered to you on a barely audible level,
"I think we should head toward the repair bays first. We need to
make sure they
don't have any extra surprises hidden there."
It sounded like a good idea, so you waved him toward the
correct access tube.
You emptied out in the hallways on the deck of the repair
bays. Carefully and quietly the two of you make your way down the halls.
Listening for any signs of Predacons.
Two voices could be heard down the hallway. Quickly,
you coat yourself with the silverish coating and grapple to the ceiling.
Lying as flat as
possible. You look for Knight, but he is no where to be seen.
Then the two Predacons come around the corner. Their
skins were shiny. Shinier than normal even for a Cybertronian. They
reminded you
of the armoring that the purple and gold Pterodactyl had during the assault on
Trypticon.
One of them was red na orange, with a greenish chest and
horns. He was the taller of the two, and a wicked glint sparkled in his
eyes. His
arms ended in two red crystal drills that spinned as if to emphasize his
speech.
The other was blue, green and orange. He skittered
along on four legs and had two long, curved, scythe like arms for hands.
He was one of the ugliest Cybertronians you had ever seen.
"I still can't believe we got the pull for front line
duty!" Said the smaller one, excitedly.
"And no doubt will our victory be assured against these
weakling ancients."
"New tech will smash their rusty carcasses into scrap,
every time!"
"And the triad's agent will no doubt help slow our
adversaries down!" The tall one cackled with delight as they walked
off down the
hallway...
Earth : The Predacon Ship
--An agent for the Council! Great, one more problem to look out for.-
A spy. You're not really surprised. Pausing, you look
around for Knight.
Triad's agent? Great! One more thing to be on the lookout for. There's a spy.
But then again, why am I surprised? Pausing... you cast around for
Knight. But he's nowhere to be seen. Just as you are about to call
out for him, a hand touches your shoulder.
You nearly jump out of your metal! It's knight, materializing from
seemingly nowhere. In fact, you had just looked at that corner of the
room seconds ago. No one had been there!
--Man, this 'bot is good.-
"You gotta show me one day how you do that one day."
Knight smirks... or did he? For all sign of emotion are gone from his face in
the briefest of instants...
You turn a suspicious eye, the only one you've got, towards Knight....
--Guess I better watch myself even closer. And from now on, don't trust
anyone.-
"Let's get this mission done."
The lab was filled with Stasis Pods. Twenty of them in fact, and all
are empty. Furthermore, there was a locked room near the back. A few
seconds of fiddling with the controls, and the heavy blast doors slid aside.
A out rush of air nearly sucks Knight from the ship. You brace
yourself and stay standing only because of your massive wings.
As Knight recovers and struggles to close the doors, you quickly scan the
extra room. The room appeared to be a wrecked lab. There was a
large hole blasted in the wall. The equipment itself appeared to be set
up for one, particularly large patient. Probably head and shoulders over
you.
You stepped into the room as Knight shuts the door behind you. The
air in the room equalizes out in a matter of seconds. You look around the
darkened lab. Looking out of the hole in the wall, you can see a blue
ocean stretching away below you. The Predacon ship has stopped moving,
and seemed to be hovering low over the waters.
In the room, one of the monitors still flashed a scrambled amount of
data. Stooping low over the monitor, you could make out a vague body
shape and some rather odd data. The data centered around a vaguely
familiar form. It was the large Predacon shell that was lying on the
floor of Trypticon's spark chamber.
You quickly download the data for later reference and walk back to the door,
prying it open and slipping through again.
As soon as you enter the room, klaxons begin to blare around you.
You're swords are out in an instant, and Knight is nowhere to be seen.
"All Predacons report to battle stations."
Earth : The Predacon Command Ship
You look around in a panic as the sirens blare.
Jumping, you transform into your jet mode and seal yourself to the
ceiling. You activate your
mirrored coat.
"All Predacon's report to the main bridge.
Attack sequence commencing."
You hear the report of cannon fire from outside.
--Hmm, if all Preds are outside.... And I have a
handy escape hatch... I wonder how much access the lab computers have....-
You jump down and transform again. Hunching over
the controls you begin to hack into the programs.
"What are you trying to do." Comes a quiet
voice from behind.
You spin to see Knight there again.
"Where the slag do you keep disappearing
to?!?"
He looks over your shoulder at the keyboard,
"Accessing the main databanks?"
"Yah, let's see what we can shut down while the
attack is underway."
"Shut down procedures will be encrypted.
Heavily encrypted."
"How do you know."
"Been there, done that. But there is an...
alternative."
"And that is?"
"Try to fool the sensor input/output
relays. The ones that control the energy flows in the ship. Tie
them in 'knots'."
"So the energy input or output for one system....
Gets sent to another."
"For example, the life systems get all power
diverted to shields. The lights get the cannon power buildup...
etceteras, etceteras...."
"Gotcha."
"I'll cover you from the hallway, hurry."
The dark robot steps outside. You hunch over
again and begin to access the proper report banks.
Instantly you hit a wall of encryption. A quick
scan shows that it will take some time to break through it.
Then, a hole appears as if by magic. You leap
through it and keep going. Code after code seems to melt as you reach
them, as if someone
was unlocking them as you go. In seconds, you find yourself at the ships
sensor control unit.
You begin to enter some new data.
Earth : The Predacon Command ship
You close the hatching of wires with a glint in
your eye.
--That'll teach the Pred's a trick or two.-
You quickly spin and bolt toward the door. The
door slides open to Knight, standing up.
"What were you doing?" you gripe,
"taking a nap?"
"Something like that. Let's get out of
here."
The ship shakes as a blast hits the shields.
"Good idea, c'mon, I know a shortcut!" you
spin and head back into the lab, heading for the locked door.
"Ready?"
The black Knight nods once in confirmation.
You open the door, and the two of you jump out the
hole in the lab's wall.
You transform into your winged jet mode.
Knight's wings stretched and he flew, much like the older Decepticon designs.
Behind you, you can see a blast of energy boil out of
the waters. It isn't particularly powerful, but as it hits the ship, you
see the ship buckle
forward. It suddenly lurches directly at the waters.
"Full power to shields equals full power to
forward thrusters."
It kicks sideways, "Rear thrusters equal
stabilizers off."
It crashes into the water, "And hull
pressurization equals flame retardants, full blast."
The two of you head towards Metroplex's landing
platforms.
"Not bad." You congratulate yourself.
"We're not done yet." Knight warns as he
veers off to the side.
Several Predacon forms were converging on you.
Earth : The Atlantic Ocean
They were definitely heading for you.
You glance around for an escape, The skies were wide
open, but the possibility for a race could prove fatal, as your back would be
turned
toward their missile banks.
You transform and hover next to Knight, "Looks
like it's a fight." You pull your two swords from behind, their blades
crackle with red hot
energy.
Knight pulls a sword as well, it's steel surface
glinting brightly in the sunlight.
Several blasts trail toward you from the
incoming. You dodge them easily, but hear a grunt from Knight as he is hit.
They look like glancing
blows, but you see Knight flip and begin to plummet into the ocean.
He hits with splash.
Steam curls up from the water where he hits.
You turn and face the onslaught, alone.
--So be it. Me against the world, what else
it new.—
You pour more power into your swords, causing them to
give of a soft jolting hum of increased power.
The battle is joined.
There are five of them, a dragonfly, a bluish beetle,
another beetle that looked like that ugly bastard from the ship earlier, the
fuzor, Buzzclaw,
and the green Cicadon.
Most of them transformed to attack, except the
dragonfly, who flew past you releasing a toxic cloud of fumes.
Your optics clouded and you felt a numbness creep over
your body, but you shot straight up and out of the cloud.
Immediately, you re tackled by the fuzor, who tries to
push you downward. You turn and kick him into the cloud, spinning as you
hear the
thunk of a crossbow behind you.
You are hit by a crossbow bolt from the bluish insect.
You roll with the hit and turn to find the dragonfly making another pass.
This time you
were ready, you jumped up as another shot was fired at you, the shot hit the
dragonfly in the face, giving you time to spin and land on his back.
He rears up, just enough to take another hit from the
crossbow. You kick off of him, pushing him into the fuzor who had started
to climb
towards you again.
Both land in the water with a splash.
You spin to find that the other three were still ready
for you, weapons drawn. The bluish beetle had his crossbow, the mutant
had a pair of
arms like long scythes, and Cicadon had two large scimitar-like swords made of
clear chitin.
You heard the water splash again as the other two get
back out of it.
You were surrounded.
You were outnumbered, and you were damaged.
It would soon be over, so you set yourself for the
charge.
Then, Cicadon seemed to shudder for an instant.
And after that instant, he brought his swords in a large arc
across the two Predacons that stood beside him.
They gave gurks of surprise as they fell into pieces.
You blinked and watched as he then threw the sabers
toward the two Predacon’s who were climbing towards you from the water.
The swords exploded sending the two charred Predacon's
back into the depths.
You look up, Cicadon stood facing you, then in an
oddly familiar voice, "It's been… interesting working with you,
Bladewing." Cicadon
pulls a gun from his leg and points it at his head.
As the shot rings out, you recognize the voice.
You coulda sworn it was Knight’s…
Earth : The Atlantic
You find yourself chuckling as you call out,
"Thanks Knight! May we meet again!"
--and not on opposite sides—
With that you transform into your blade ship design
and head towards the dark shadow in the Atlantic's waters.
As you near, you see that the shape is getting larger,
and moving toward shore. Trypticon’s head soon surfaces enough for you to
fly into the
docking bays inside it’s jaws.
"Knight has reported in to Optimus as
well," Onslaught informs you. The Combaticon had greeted you at the
entryway and was now
escorting you toward the bridge, "It seems that your escapades have
incited a tactical withdrawal by the enemy forces."
"How many of the Predacon’s still exist?"
"We know of no permanent casualties as of
yet. Unfortunately, Swindle and Hooligan were not as successful at their
mission as you were at
yours. They lost the shuttle they were sent to recover."
"What shuttle?"
"It was the one that we built to house Megatron’s
spark originally, before he had been built a new body by the CR chambers."
"Really."
"Yes, the shuttle was fairly advanced, but
Starscream had taken it over when it reached Earth. Since he was shut
down, the shuttle had been
lost. Apparently those two located it, but somehow lost it on their way
here."
"How do you loose a shuttle?"
"Swindle said something about it crashing, don’t
know exactly what their story will be to Lord Megatron though."
You contemplate this while heading toward the
bridge. This shuttle, if it was repairable, might be your ticket off of
Cybertron, and with your
job here done… Far be it for you to hang out with this bunch of
throwbacks. Perhaps the time for your departure and return to the real
world
was at hand…
Earth : Trypticon
The bridge was alive with activity, most of the
Decepticons manning stations as the massive city situated itself on the shore
of the Atlantic.
Megatron looked back as the door to his command
platform slid aside and you stepped out.
"Congratulations, Bladewing."
"Thank you, Lord Megatron."
"You’re mission has the Predacons in
retreat, now, we just have to prepare ourselves for… the future."
"And what does the future hold?" You
question, curious as too Megatron’s plans.
There is a pause, and Megatron’s face is unreadable as
he looks out onto the massive viewscreen. Metroplex was displayed on it,
hovering
still not far off the Atlantic shoreline.
"For you, a new mission."
"I would ask a request, Lord Megatron."
He looks sideways at you, "A request?"
"Yes, Onslaught spoke of a failed mission.
A shuttle lost by Hooligan and Swindle."
"Indeed."
"I wish to help recover it."
Megatron seemed to think on this for a moment,
"Hooligan is recovering the ship. You will accompany him. He
is in command of the
mission, though."
"But…"
Megatron turns toward you, "Do not mistake me for
a fool, Bladewing. You are still an enigma, and I am not so quick to
place the first bot
to complete a mission in control. Continue to prove yourself, and the reward
shall be great. Continue to question me, and your reward shall be
deactivation."
You step back, bowing your head, "As you command,
Lord Megatron."
"Another thing. Make sure that Hooligan
does not fail again. That shuttle is more powerful than even he
believes. It must not fall into
Predacon hands… or the hands of the Autobots."
"Understood." You turn and leave the
bridge to go find Hooligan.