Transformers: Steel Reign

[LadyTevar]

"One day, when you grow up," Crimson said absently to Hornet, just as she'd told another child that parsecs away. Like Stryke, Springer had been terse to DeathStrike, and it made her wonder how many people might have grudges against the Decepticon. It would make it all the harder for him to gain trust and acceptance if he had a trail of vengeful 'bots behind him.

"Come on, Hornet... meeting includes you," she said, guiding the day-dreaming teenybot towards C&C.

Trust. That was going to be the hard part she felt, for DeathStrike and oddly enough for Hornet. The stories and rumors of Hornet's little escapades were rife. She doubted any Autobot that knew him trusted him to do something right.

Trust has to start somewhere.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke fixed his optics on Deathstrike and held still as his eyes tracked him. It would be so easy, just say the weapon just misfired. However, he waited for the briefing to start.

[General Havoc]

"It does?" asked Hornet with some degree of surprise, but he didn't protest, and dutifully followed Crimson into the C&C room. Normally Hornet wasn't permitted into briefings. On the rare occasions when he was actually given an assignment, it was usually given to him in person, mostly in the form of someone shouting at him to do something (or more often than that, to not do something).

He walked into the C&C room and tried to disguise his obvious stares as he took in the impressive sight of an Autobot Command Center. He failed.

[Charon]

Shellshock stepped into the C&C, taking a quick look around he then found himself a seat and took it, his old gears creaking as his joints bent. He kept a wary eye on Deathstrike and Stryke, in case one of them started something.

"Well, this will no doubt be a very interesting meeting, what with the importance of this facility and the appearance of our two unexpected guests."

[Dark Silver]

It took the group to finally arrive in the Command Center, where Springer and Jazz stood waiting. Wideload and Gridlock sat at the metal table, above which hovered a rotating, holographic representation of what the completed Fort Maximal would look like. It was truly a beautiful vision, a metallic city bristling with weaponry, aglow with energy.

Springer had his arms folded over his chestplate, as they filed in, his optics focusing intensely on Deathstrike as he came in. As the last few filed in, Jazz cleared his throat, pressed a button on the table controls, and the holographic image disappeared. "Good morning Autobots" Jazz said as they settled down, "Springer and I was here to check on things with the base, and make sure it's ready for Prime's inspection next week."

Jazz droned on, with the preliminaries, about how the base would important for their defensive plans for this region, as well as how it would help with the energy crunch the Earth was under.

Fifteen minutes later, Springer took over, "Now Gridlock and Wideload have done a exceptional job in beginning construction, getting the power plant, Energon Cube production, and the drilling platform. You'll be here to help them complete the rest of the base, lay out it's defensive systems, and then perform it's garrison. Energy production surveys have all been done, we know what's where, and what needs to be done here. Just listen to Gridlock, and I've no doubt things will be ready on schedual. Now...to out two uninvited guests....Deathstrike and...Swiftshot is it?"

Springer looked between the Decepticon and the silver colored Autobot, "Now...who wants to go first on why they're here..."

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike took a step forward. "A long time ago I turned my back on Megatron's war as futile and left Cybertron. The passing of years has not been kind to me. The doom I foresaw did not come to pass. Megatron will forgive ambition before he forgives abandoning the Decepticon cause so I offer my allegiance to the Autobots."

[Dark Silver]

"Your offering allegiance to those you spent most of your online time slagging?"

Springer walked along table towards Deathstrike, standing alongside of him. "Luckily for you, it's not my call wither or not we accept you into our ranks, that's Optimus' call. But if I find out this is some Decepticon tri..."

"Springer!" Jazz voice called out above Springer's, "Calm down. Deathstrike, we'll be interviewing you before Prime arrives, consider it a debriefing His decision will undoubtedly be weighed heavily by our report."

Springer seemed to growl at Deathstrike, before he stalked away, back next to his temporary partner.

[Cynical Cat]

"I was made a Decepticon," said Deathstrike. "I do not apologize for it. I am good at war. I delivered victory after victory to Megatron. But that is in the past. I can challenge the Decepticons in the air, where they are superior, and their Guardian robots. You need me. Prime's choice is simple: if he accepts me, fewer Autobots will die and his war will one step closer to victory. If he rejects me, then you will lose more friends as I will not be there to save them."

[Dark Silver]

"I'm sure Prime has a idea of what his answer will be already, he just wants to talk to you on his own." Jazz said.

Gridlock remained quiet, just watching. While he was base commander, Springer and Jazz outranked him in this.

"We'll keep you out of the CR chamber and functional, you can help us getting the Fort up to snuff. Sounds groovy?"

[LadyTevar]

Crimson's eyes narrowed as she watched Stringer's reaction. She had to wonder if Stringer, like Stryke, had a personal grudge going. If so, it could affect the outcome.

Deathstrike's reply was simple and uncomplicated, and the comment she was about to make in his favor died before utterance. If Jazz asked for opinions, she'd give it then, she decided. For now, Deathstrike was able to make his own stand.

[Cynical Cat]

"It is fine with me," Deathstrike replied. "I am sure my size and strength will be useful in that endeavour."

[Dark Silver]

"Good job."

Jazz turned his optics to Swiftsoft, as Springer walked next to the smaller silver Autobot. "Now, what about you Swiftshot? Your not attached to our base...what's your story?"

[SirNitram]

Overload just quietly glared at Springer. "Shove it in neutral. What you're made doesn't decide who you are." The older Autobot grunted, then waited for more information about this Swiftshot.

[Charon]

Shellshock's red optics focused on Springer for only a second, the old warbot shifted some, though he said nothing. He hadn't been that interested in Deathstrike's story. Swiftstrike however, he had a great deal of interest in. The Autobot hadn't been scheduled to be here, so why was he here?

[General Havoc]

Hornet said nothing, remaining quiet in the corner, hoping that nobody remembered that he was also not scheduled to be here, but had stowed away inadvertantly on the train.

Of course it could have been that people were used to him doing that by now...

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke kept his optics fixed on Deathstrike. However, he soon broke off of him, giving a silent sigh. Or as much of a sigh as a Autobot could give. Now he would have to work with the 'Con, this just got better and better.

[LadyTevar]

Quietly, Crimson reached over and put her hand on Stryke's leg. It was just a pat, an acknowledgment of the deep sigh he gave, and then her touch was gone.

She herself agreed with Jazz. Let Deathstrike work for a time, see how he reacted and if he could fit in with the Autobots. That, more than anything, would be the telling part.

Of course... somewhere in the next few days, she knew that Stryke would lose his temper and try something stupid. Long grudges will do that.

[B4UTRUST]

ICe simply nodded and began his story.
"Given that I wasn't expecting to be here a few days ago I can understand your puzzlement.

"The group I was assigned to was doing reports on the human advancement of power systems into their military aircraft. At the time we were near one of the U.S. Air Force installations, one of their depot maintenance bases known as Warner Robins in the state of Georgia.

"The Decepticons hit the installation. I'm not sure where they came from or why, but they wiped out the human's defenses in seconds and there wasn't a lot of us in the group to begin with.

"The attack came and we lost, badly. The 'cons took out at least half of us in that first run. It was the Seekers. They meant business.

"A few of us were out on patrol of the area and some of us weren't inside the main base and thats what saved us. We tried to put up a resistance, to get back into the area to save the other Autobots and the humans if possible, but we were unsuccessful."

Ice hung his head at this point, a decidedly human gesture he had learned from studying their entertainment frequencies. He thought back to what Autobots were captured when he had left. Those, he was fairly certain, would never be coming home again to refute his story.
"I'm not sure who first heard the 'cons, but it quickly spread that this facilty was another target for Megatron. That he wanted this place wiped out.

"Overhaul was in charge. When he heard the news he told us to go to ground and try to get word to you guys here. He said he'd be heading west to try to get in contact with Autobot Command. I guess since you guys don't know what's going on, that means he failed.

"The rest of us ran for it. The first day we stuck together, thinking there might be safety in numbers. Seekers followed us north until we decided that the only way to guarentee a warning got through was to split up and try to hide.

"I spent an orn backtracking and trying to lose any tails I might have had. But, given my unexpected arrival, I don't think I succeeded. What I don't understand though is that you said it was just two unexpected arrivals, Deathstrike and I. Th-the others should have been here by now. They all couldn't have... Primus..."

Ice sighed and shook.
"If they're not here yet...they can't all be dead..."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke shifted and looked over at Crimson before turning back and watching Swiftshot tell his story. It just didn't make sense to him. There had been no word about an attack of that scale. And why didn't the 'Bots just head to the nearest Autobot base. Why trek all the way up here when there were plenty of places between here and Georgia?

[LadyTevar]

Crimson was wondering where in space this 'gee-or-jah' was in relation to where they were now.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike consulted the map of Earth he had downloaded from the internet and was stunned when he found Georgia. It was on the other side of the continent. "Switftshot"'s story was preposterous.

[SirNitram]

"...Did you say Georgia?" Overload said aloud what was apparently on everyone's mind. "There are two places called Georgia, but both have plenty more Autobot strongholds around them than would ever be required for you to trek all the way to this remote corner of the world."

The massive Autobot leaned forward. "Which does kinda make me wonder more about why there were no tracks in the permafrost around where you were."

[General Havoc]

Hornet had no need to consult a map. Earth was his home planet as far as he was concerned, for he had never been on any other, and he knew its geography very well, particularly that of the North American continent, where he had spent almost all of his time, flying over its mountains, cities, rivers, forests, plains, deserts, and all other terrain.

"Georgia?!" he exclaimed aloud without meaning to, for the last thing he wanted to do was attract attention to himself. "That's... three thousand miles away!" It was slightly less, but not by a whole lot. What seemed suspicious to the others however, Hornet took on blind faith. He did not disbelieve Swiftshot, but merely wished to express how impressed he was that Swiftshot had come so far.

After all, if an Autobot said something was so... then it was.

[B4UTRUST]

"I just follow my orders, not decide where is a more logical place to go. As for tracks," Ice shrugged. "I'm not a scientist, mathamatician, geologist or anything else that could reasonablly or adaquetly explain the nature of enviroments and tracks left on them. Please, by all means explain it to me.

"I know what I saw and I know what happened to me. By the pits, you guys are tough enough, you can take me all the way back down there in custody if that's sufficent for you just so I can show you where it happened. But I'll be slagged because I make that run again alone.

"But in the meantime, I've completed my mission and followed my orders. I've got to find the others and see if they're still alive. I'll show myself out. Crimson, Hornet, it's been a pleasure meeting you all."

[SirNitram]

"Can't explain things if you're wandering off." Overload said with a shrug of his huge shoulders. "Nor can any of this get resolved."