Transformers: Steel Reign

[frigidmagi]

Grimlock as engaged Megatron I reached best range for attack. I would not be of any help at the moment fighting a Con like Megatron (87.6%). At any rate Grimlock can be counted on to hold off the Con Leader for a few minutes provided Megatron does not recieve aid (96.7%). This means I should devote my efforts to removing any likely sources of aide.

My sensors inform of the whereabouts of Jetfire. At the moment recieving to much attention from Soundwave... I had better fix that. I alter course and ram Soundwave, ploughing him over like a Terran tractor through one of their organic food fields. It is a satisfying feeling to smash a Decepticon. I transform, pain lances through my relays but I don't care. I am a war machine, I will ignore my pain!

My knife is in my hand, I go to work stabbing into Soundwave's torso. He attempts to fend me off but his limbs are somewhat damaged from my attack and he is surprised at my appearance. This limits the effectiveness of his defense. A sudden burst of rage throbs through me lending strength to my attacks.

"You slagheaps! Everytime I see you, you're assualting some barely refitted civ-bots or an injuried sciencist or crippled old empty and you act like you have triumphed over the Pit itself! Well try fighting warbots for once, you dreg slurping empty!" I yell into Soundwave's face plate has I stab deeply into his chest.

[General Havoc]

Wheeljack forced himself to take a hard look at the situation, and decided that Crimson might well be right. Even if they didn't have to abandon this base, he couldn't trust that the Decepticon wouldn't have booby-trapped the repair modules. It would be just like the Decepticons to do such a thing. He resisted the temptation to curse. There were bigger problems here.

"I can carry Hornet and all his parts," said Wheeljack. "I can stuff them in my backseat if I have to. And a CR chamber wouldn't help Hornet. It's not calibrated to deal with something his size or complexity. If I fed him into one of those glorified car washers, it might could wipe his memory banks or worse.

"Either way though, we have to get both of you the hell out of here. Prime's in trouble of some kind, and Megatron's showed up to lead his troops in person." He stood back up, taking Hornet's severed wing from Crimson and gathering up whatever parts he could spot immediately. He did not look for Ravage. Ravage was no more than an annoyance at this point, and even if the Casseticon WAS still alive, Wheeljack was confident he could handle him.

He plugged a scanner into the back of Hornet's neck and began running diagnostics as he jogged back over to the entrance. A single glance outside showed no enemies immediately apparent, and he turned back to Crimson.

"Come on, we need to get you to Ratchet."

[LadyTevar]

"I saw Megatron and Soundwave taking potshots from above," Crimson said. "I shot a grenade in his direction, more for a distraction than hope of hurting him." She followed behind WheelJack, her pistol in her good hand, the wounded arm hanging limp. She moved far more silently than the larger 'bot.

"Wouldn't Ratchet be with Prime now?"

[General Havoc]

"Assuming nothing ELSE has gone wrong, which is a hell of a big assumption, yes, he should be with Prime," said Wheeljack, glancing left and right as he held Hornet over one shoulder as gently as he could. He was not moving silently or stealthily at all. Such was not his specialty, but unlike almost everyone else here, Wheeljack was as-yet undamaged, and fully armed. The first con who came after him would get a face-full of artillery shells.

"You didn't happen to score Megatron or one of his lackeys with those grenades of yours?" he asked Crimson as he quickly made his way round back towards where Ratchet and the others ought to have been, avoiding any obvious Decepticon interference. It was important to keep Crimson's processor working. If she landed into stasis lock now then he wasn't sure HOW he was going to get both her and Hornet out of here. He let her muse on that question a moment before asking another one.

"And how in the hell did Swiftshot or whatever his real name is get loose?"

[LadyTevar]

"I'm thinking I annoyed Soundwave at least," she answered as she followed Wheeljack, taking a wild guess at why Ravage might have been in the building. "Unfortunately, the grenades aren't as powerful as conventional explosives. What they do have is an EMP burst strong enough to temporary inhibit all circuitry in range."

"After speaking to you, I saw Gridlock walking Swiftshot to the CR chambers, so we know he got there," she continued, answering the second question. "Hornet and I spoke for a moment, then I went towards the OilRig to set it to blow and ....."

Crimson stopped dead in her tracks, logic processor in overdrive. " ... Gridlock. He stopped me, told me he'd set it up already. But... when did he have the time?" It was confusing... but the sounds of the continuing battle made her set it aside for the moment. "Maybe one of the Cassetticons let him out?"

[Dark Silver]

Megatron had managed to move Grimlock's weapons away from his central mass, and brought his knee hard into the center of Grimlock's torso. Grimlock groaned as the Decepticon's knee smashed in, and pressure was applied, impacting several of his systems - the equivilant of knocking the wind out of him.

It took a moment for Grimlock's systems to catch back up, a moment Megatron took advantage of, instepping behind Grimlock's leg, pushing back on the upper body as his leg swept the Dinobot's leg forward.

Grimlock fell backward as Megatron disengaged himself, rushing to grab his fusion cannon again. by the time Megaatron had reached it, Grimlock was back to his feet.

"You coward Megatron. Grimlock will crush you with bare teeth!"

Grimlock transformed in that instant, for robot growing in size as he changed into a towering tyrannosaurus rex, easily doubled Megatron's height. Grimlock lunged at Megatron's head, jaws opened wide to close down. Megatron managed to roll away, replacing his fusion cannon on his arm.

"Die Grimlock!"

the purple glow of energy filled the barrel as Megatron prepared to fire. His arm held level with the other, Grimlock rushing down on him, the Decepticon Emperor of Destruction fired.


Deathstrike opened fire, right into the damaged portion of Dirge's chestplate. Laserfire struck tender internal mechanisms, as the Seeker staggered back with the first shot. The others went right through his chassis, taking the Seeker off his feet, and onto his back, smoke pouring from the wound - the light gone from Dirge's eyes.

Stasis lock.

The sudden glow of Megatron's shot cast a brillant glow across the comatose form of Dirge, washing out most other color in a sudden sea of white energy....for a moment, Deathstrike was blinded by the flare.

When it faded, he would be able to see..


Breakout had Soundwave on the ground, shanking the Decepticon communicator in his torso. Jetfire was getting to his feet, as his optics came to focus. Breakout was heavily damaged, that much was obvious, and while he was stabbing Soundwave, it was straight thrusts. The Decepticon would not be heavily damaged - and once the shock wore off of Soundwave, he'd be fighting back and he'd easily overpower the Autobot.

Jetfire moved as fast as he can, rushing to stand next to Soundwave, his foot coming down on the Decepticon's head. the blow was strong, but Soundwave saw it at the last second, bringing a arm up to fend it off. Jetfire's foot smashed into the arm, which smashed into Soundwave's faceplate. Still clutching his concussion blaster, Soundwave brought he muzzle up, and fired point blank into Jetfire's chest - as he was the most important threat at the moment.

Jetfire stagged back, smoke pouring from a hole in his chest, as Soundwave's gun disappeared, and he grabbed Breakout by the arms, flexing his strength to pray breakout up and away, pushing with his full might against the autobot, to throw him away.

then there was the light....





From the distance, away from the fighting, those who were drawing upon it saw what looked like a solar flare explode upward from the ground. A column of pure, unadultered, horrendous energy flowed up at a 45° angle from the ground, nearly a dozen meters wide, and unleashing more light than the sun.


When the glow faded, Megatron and Grimlock remained on the battlefield.

Both stood stock still, staring each other down.

Grimlock took a step forward, his mouth opening, moving towards the still motionless Megatron. Suddenly Megatron's shoulders moved, rising, then falling, as if he was out of unnecessary breath, was trying to draw air into himself. Grimlock took another, pounding step forward, before he fell forward, the shadow cast over Megatron's form, lengthening outward, before Grimlock finished his fall.

The ground shook with the impact, Grimlock laid prone, his head at Megatron's feet.

Smoke rose from the battlefield, as elayed for so long, oxygen flowed back in, and fire caught on the tundra. Megatron's laugh continued to echo in the suddenly quiet battlefield. So loud was the laugh, the smoke suddenly so thick, he didn't hear the Autobot behind him, till the barrel of the laser rifle was at the back of his head. He felt the presence, turned to look, and his optics widened.

"Megatron..." the voice of Optimus Prime spoke, as he emerged from the smoke, half visible as portions of him remained obscured.

"No...impossible...I defeated you...."

"Burn..."

Prime pulled the trigger, the explosion of energy from his laser rifle almost matched the one from Megatron's fusion cannon. Megatron's face and chest was engulfed by the close range blast, picked up by the kenetic energy, and flung backward for thirty meters.

Megatron hit the tundra hard, digging into the hard earth as if it was butter, his chassis smoking, his chestplate almost gone, his left arm barely raising, his voice weak as he called out....

"Now...."


Prime remained on his feet just long enough to watch Megatron's hand fall to the ground - and he no longer moved. Prime fell to his knees, his rifle falling from his grasp, then once more, the Autobot leader was on his face.

[Cynical Cat]

Optics Offline
Filters Overloaded
Photoreceptor Cluster 7 &9 Burned Out

Rebooting Visual Systems . . . .


Like everything else about Deathstrike, his visual system could use an overhaul and rebuild. Static filled his visual plane and began to clear.

Visual at 68%

Prime, Grimlock, and Megatron were all down. Soundwave was fighting off both Breakout and Jetfire. Deathstrike was more than familiar with Soundwave's immense strength. Breakout was admirably tennacious and armed with a vicious energy blade, but he had suffered significant damage. Victory was not assured.

Chimera and Megatron were both down. Soundwave was one of the few Decepticons still standing. Soundwave was a secretive Decepticon, but Deathstrike had known him for a long time. In this instance, there was one move that Soundwave was likely to make and that was to retreat. That was fine with Deathstrike. Prime was in danger and prolonging the fight would risk casualties that the Autobots could not afford. It was time to push Soundwave into leaving. Deathstrike knew how to do that.

He shouted over audio and radio frequencies. "Autobots! Megatron is down! Soundwave is their only leader left standing! Rally for counter attack! Target is Soundwave!" That should get him moving in the right direction.

Deathstrike limped forward, to where Prime had fallen, ready to pick off any Decepticon he could get a good shot at.

[General Havoc]

Wheeljack nodded and was about to reply when an explosion that briefly had him thinking a nuclear weapon had been set off blinded him and set smoke and light flying thousands of feet into the air. No sooner had it subsided, than a second one errupted. "Sweet Primus!" exclaimed Wheeljack in astonishment. He was still staring into the light when the call came out from Deathstrike of all people....

Wheeljack hesitated, cursing his luck. He had two terribly damaged Autobots on his hands, but at the same time he was one of the only functional Autobot warriors left. It looked like the last robot on the field would decide this issue. He had to do something...

He turned back to Crimson. "I'm sorry," he said, "I have to support the others, or there'll be even more casulties today. Is there... is there any chance at all you can get him, even drag him someplace where he won't catch a loose round?"

[LadyTevar]

There was only one answer to that question. With a force of will, Crimson transformed, minus her HoloRider. It was clearly painful -- her damaged left arm was unable to make the transformation.

"I'd... thought that ... would happen..." Crimson gasped. "Lay him on my seat... Use my arm to secure him. Where should I meet you."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke finally had a clear shot of the battlefield. He came in at top speed, heading straight for Soundwave. As he closed, he transformed, parts shifting, gears grinding. The warbot began running, trying to get close enough to be sure that he would hit his target. And when he was close enough, his machine gun would fire, spitting lethal energy.

[frigidmagi]

Breakout fell heavily as Soundwave tossed him off. They sat there for an instant just looking at each other... Megatron was down. Prime was down. Half the Autobots were down and most of the Decepticons were down.

Soundwave had several gashes torn through his armor. Breakout was so close that if he possessed the needed glands he could have spit and hit him.

He lifted his cannon and opened fire on the gaps in Soundwave's armor.

[Dark Silver]

Astrotrain streaked through the air, having taken his shuttle form, twin forward laser cannons prepared. The autobot Stryke was well within his sights, his sensors locked on. He opened fire, the bolts leaving his cannon barrels, only to have his sensors blinded by the sudden flare of Megatron's, then Prime's shots.

Astrotrain barrell rolled through the air, skewed left of his original shots, the blasts tearing up ground away from Stryke, away from the original points of fire, before he corrected himself.

The Decepticon Triplechanger corrected his flight path, climbing into the air in as steep a angle as allowed by his design, and when appropriately distanced out of the Autobot's optics, reversed course.

Astrotrained rolled and turned in the air, his thrusters on full burn as he shot like a missle down towards the Autobots.

His sensors scanned, and a silent comminique from Soundwave already confirmed he now knew. Megatron was down, most of the Decepticons were damaged or in stasis lock. On tightbeam, Astrotrain sent the signal - even as he opened fire wildly with his laser cannons. He leveled off barely a couple hundred feet from the ground, using his speed to manuver about.




Soundwave was outnumbered. He was damaged, and his minions hurt. "Megatron," he said in that monotone voice of his, before he leapt into the air. he had to escape, his tight beam transmission to Astrotrain would have gotten through, and he had not much time.

Stryke and Breakout's shots both narrowly missed him, as his antigravs gained speed, taking him into the air. He intercepted Astrotrain, flying through the opened sidedoor, and collapsed in the cargo section.

"So?" Astrotrain's voice reverated within.

"Mission accomplished," came Soundwave's reply.

Astrotrain began to climb into the air, gaining altitude, before a massive shadow blocked out the descending sun. Astrotrain allowed himself a low laugh, as his sensors tracked the massive form.

Over the Autobot base, the daylight of afternoon darkened, as the massive figure blocked out the sun. So massive it was, even from the distance, it looked the size of Predaking - yet the shape was different, distinct.

From this distance, this angle, the form of Omega Supreme appeared, sliding through the air, Ironhide and Bluestreak, finally arriving to aid against Megatron and Soundwave, called out to their comrade.

A single ray of sunlight gleamed off the massive robot - revealing not the red brand of the Autobots, but the purple brand of the Decepticons upon it's massive chest as it grew closer. Then the color of the armor became evident. Not the grey red and gold of Omega Supreme, but the Purple, grey and blue of the Omega Sentinal.

Just above the ruins of the Repair bays, the Omega Sentinal corrected itself, standing upright, as it's heavy feet touched down on the permafrost. Behind the blastshield which covered it's face, it's sensors picked up the location of every Decepticon within a thirty kilometer radius, then the Autobots.

"Targets: identified. Terminate: Autobots."




Skylynx burned through the air, his thrusters going at full speed. His sensors picked up the incoming from high orbit, at amazing speed, greater than even his own.

"Rodimus!" he called to his passenger, "My superior sensors are picking up amassive object breaking the atmosphere from high orbit. Trajectory calculates it's headed right for Fort Maximal!"

"Keep it on high burn Skylynx. Massive objects heading for Decepticon battlezones are one of two things, Omega Supreme or one of the Decepticon's drones."

"Worse...." Skylynx said morosely, "I'm sorry Rodimus, it's the Omega Sentinel. I'll buy you time, get the others onboard!"

With that, the passenger pod disconnected from the bottom of the shuttle, going into a controlled descent. The massive blue "box" landed on the ground not far from the C&C, on it's southeast corner. The door slide open, and Hot Rod, prefering to be called Rodimus of late, climbed out, raising his photon pistols.

"Everybody on board! It's time for evac!"



Skylynx's shuttle portion transformed as it disengaged the passenger pod, turning into the fearsome "dinobird" mode.

"Vile creature, while I cannot hope to overpower you, I can surely out think and out manuver you!"

"Target: Skylynx. Fact: Subject is highly manuverable. Fact: Subject has limited long range weapon. Response: artillery."

The Omega Sentinel lifted it's blaster arm, the barrel of the gun glowing brillantly, before the searing beam lanced out. Skylynx circled around the beam, all the time moving closer to the massive form. The Sentinel's head swiveled around, revealing the energy cannon on the back. Targetting sensors took over from opticals, locking onto Skylynx.

Beams of deadly plasma joined the particle beams, filling the air, causing Skylynx to keep his distance. He only had to do this long enough to let the others board, so he could reclaim the passenger section, and depart.

"Hurry lads, I'm not sure how much longer even my superior pedigree can keep this up!"

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike limped as fast as he could to Megatron's prone body. "Omega Sentinel! Stand down or Megatron will be terminated!" He crouched down over Megatron, making it hard to shoot at him without hitting the Decepticon leader. "Stand down or Megatron dies!"

[LadyTevar]

It would have been harder to miss the blast flare than to miss Omega Sentinel's landing. "By the Makers," she whispered, shocked and horrified by the sheer size of the drone-bot.

If not for HotRod's open-channel call for Evac, she may never have moved from the spot. She did not have to be told twice, slowly getting up to speed with Hornet's wounded body draped across her gas tank and seat, held on by her own unresponsive left arm.

She plotted where the Evac box came down... the far side of the C&C, of course. Nothing could be easy, could it. The faster path would put her in the Sentinel's line of fire, so she chose the slower path, ducking around the south side of the C&C to keep its bulk between her and the firefight she knew was about to happen.

She was making barely half her top speed ... it would take a few cycles to make the passage. She just hoped that BreachLoad, Stryke, and DeathStryke could all make it to the Evac pod safely.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke looked to Breakout. "Get to the pod, I'll cover Deathstrike and then fall back." The warbot said. "Your more damaged than I am. Plus, I'm faster than you, so go."

Stryke ran over to Deathstrike, crouching next to him. "Can't believe I'm actually here, side by side with the 'Con I swore to kill." Stryke fell silent and then looked to his side at the former Decepticon. "Thanks for saving Crim." He said.

[General Havoc]

Wheeljack had no sooner secured Hornet as best he could to Crimson's vehicle frame, draping the little Autobot over her seat, before suddenly a massive form loomed into view. Wheeljack took one look, turned back to finish securing Hornet, and then double-taked back in shock. It was Omega Sentinel, and right then Wheeljack realized how unlikely it was that any of them were going to survive this.

"Go!" he shouted to Crimson, not sure where they should go, but at the moment, anywhere but here was a reasonable choice. A bare instant later, something else flared into view, and Hotrod appeared on the channel, calling for the Autobots to evac.

"Best idea I've heard all day," muttered Wheeljack as he raced off to try and help the others who has sustained bad damage back to the evacuation point. He wanted to stay and help Crimson and Hornet, in fact he desperately wanted to, but they could make it back themselves, and there were others who needed yet more help. He would have to see to Hornet on the way back to base. He just hoped that Hornet's damage wasn't as bad as he feared it might be.

[Cynical Cat]

"It was my pleasure," Deathstrike answered the Autobot. "Seeing Prime to safety is the priority. He must live."

[Dark Silver]

The Sentinel's weapons ceased firing, as it's audio receptors picked up Deathstrike's threat. It's head turned on it's joint the cannon once more pointing towards the rear.

Skylynx pulled back from the fight, taking the breather, but hovering in the air close enough to provide assistance to his comrades should the firing begin again.

The Sentinel looked down at the source of the threat, it's blast shield remaining over the face, as it observed. "Probability of delivering upon threat: 96.57%. Probability of striking Megatron: 98.34%. Probability of destruction of Optimus Prime: 99.4%. Observation: You have left Optimus Prime in a vulnerable state in order to secure escape. Conclusion: You will terminate Megatron." The Omega Sentinel, for all it's fierce firepower, seemed to be ruled by a underlying current of logic....the portion of it's personality subroutines currently dominated by Shockwave's datadump.

"You will be allowed time for evacuation. You have two breem. You will leave Megatron now, or I will eliminate Optimus Prime."

[LadyTevar]

The voice of the immense Sentinel was hard to miss. Two breem to escape? Crimson hoped that would be enough time for everyone to get onboard. She herself was just now reaching Skylynx's passenger compartment.

She pulled past HotRod, slowing down to take the ramp up inside. "DeathStrike's with us, Rod. Prime accepted him." she said as she pulled past, making sure HotRod had that little piece of information. Wouldn't do to have the Decepticon left behind, especially since she owed him for rescuing her from Swiftshot. No.. what did he call him? Ice?

It didn't matter. Crimson rolled down the center of Skylynx, going all the way to the back so she and Hornet would be out of the way of the larger bots as they came in. "Ok Hornet... we're safe..." she whispered to the stasislocked teenybot, before going through the painful transformation process once again.

When it was over, she was reclining against the benchseat that ran the length of Skylynx's passenger area, her good arm supporting Hornet (and her damaged left arm) against her chest. She tilted her head back against the bench, feeling exhausted and almost drained by the fight.

Stryke was going to be mad at her. Crimson looked down at Hornet again, whose position was hiding the worst of her own chest injury, then tilted her head back again. If she was lucky, Stryke would wait and yell at her after she'd gotten out of the CR chamber.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke spoke to Deathstrike. "Your overall stronger than me, get Prime to the pod, I'll keep my gun to Megatron while we pull out." The warbot said, putting is laser pistol to Megatron's head. He looked over to where Prime was and then back behind him, looking at how long of a distance it was. "You better get moving." He had the feeling that Crim would be mad at him for volunteering to be the last to the pod.

[Cynical Cat]

"I'm missing an arm and have actuator damage," Deathstrike replied. "I can't do it. Save Prime. Go now."

He addressed the Sentinel. "Unacceptable. Soundwave can confirm I will guard Megatron with my life if your end of the bargain is fulfilled. I will release Megatron when the other Autobots are safely away."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke looked at the former enemy, just now noticing the missing arm. "Yeah, that would be a problem. I don't think I can drag him on my own. You've got one good arm, we each grab Prime and get out of here." He said, looking from Prime to Deathstrike.

[Cynical Cat]

"Negative," said Deathstrike. "I don't trust the Sentinel. Get some other help and get Prime out of here."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke growled and ran over to Prime, sliding his arm under where the larger 'Bot's arm and body met. He opened his comm. "Any functional bots, I need help getting Prime to the pod." The warbot started to pull, trying to get the larger bot to start budging.

[Dark Silver]

The Sentinel's blaster arm swung around suddenly, targeting Stryke and and Optimus as Stryke attempted to lift him.

"Proposition: Unacceptable," The Sentinel spoke, the barrel of the blaster glowing as the charge built up, "You have 20 Astroseconds to comply, or the Prime is Terminated."