Transformers: Steel Reign

[LadyTevar]

As always, Hornet brightened up immediately the instant Crimson paid any attention to him at all.

"He kept running all these tests, like always," said Hornet with a groan as he rolled his optics. "And then he said I had to get three whole coats of paint! Getting painted tickles! He knows that! I think sometimes he's just trying to be mean."

Hornet didn't really mean that of course, and as proof he grinned and turned in a circle again. "You really like it?"

"Three coats? Well, that might explain why it's so shiny," Crimson said, although she wondered about the tickling. "And I think you look very nice. Have you gone to test your targeting computer yet?"

[SirNitram]

Flight was a new sensation, and for a bot as old as Overload, it was rare to get new sensations. As the clouds whipped around his new alt mode, the hauler quested higher, listening to his own engines as the sounds changed. The world fell away, and he felt free. Perhaps, he reflected, this was why so many joined the Decepticons, before the wars between military and civilian model broke out. To fly.. It was a feeling like no other.

As he pulled higher still, his engines were gasping audibly for air. There were a secondary set of engines, he knew, able to throw him higher still, but he let them sit idle, listening to the straining for air as he crested to the peak...

The blue sky turned to black, and he could see stars in the middle of the day. For a moment, Overload was struck silent by the view, as he began his descent, the lifting body of his form guiding him downwards without attention until he broke from the reverie, igniting engines and soaring back to base.

[General Havoc]

Hornet beamed a broad grin and gave Crimson a big hug (with the usual caveats for one his size). All conversations with Hornet carried such risks.

Releasing Crimson, he stepped back and thought about it for a second. "Um... no..." he said, "I didn't test it yet. Do you wanna come try?! We can play target-tag!"

Target-tag was a game the Arialbots had come up with and taught to Hornet. It involved high speeds and missile target locks. Normally it wasn't played by ground bots, but Hornet didn't know that.

[frigidmagi]

I wrestle for a moment with telling Deathstrike of the conversation with Rodimus and then decide Rodimus would not mind to deeply.

"I suggested an assault when we were withdrawing. Command decided we did not have the heavy units available needed to fight the Con Omega. But then there are few heavy units available to us." Breakout shrugged at that. It simply couldn't be helped at the moment.

"There are some bright spots however, Rodimus, Jetfire and I were able to deny the enemy protoforms and Command has finally decided an attack on fort Maximal should be carried out. It is my hope after taking back the fort to convince the others to attempt an offensive into other Con territories. But that is for the future. Tell me, are you settled in well enough for effective operations?" I asked.

[Cynical Cat]

"I am not yet at optimum capabilities," said Deathstrike, "but I am in far better shape than I was at the first battle of Fort Maximal where I was able to contribute successfully." He sent two quick laser pulses at a pair of targets.

"I congratulate you on your success. Given Decepticon numerical superiority, a passive or defensive battle strategy will only result in loss by means of attrition. I regret not being able to join you. I hate these engagement restrictions. It reminds me too much of my last days on Cybertron."

He hesitated and then decided to go ahead. "I have been reviewing my data logs on the Fort Maximal fight. Some of the facts are suggestive of betrayal."

[LadyTevar]

Releasing Crimson, he stepped back and thought about it for a second. "Um... no..." he said, "I didn't test it yet. Do you wanna come try?! We can play target-tag!"

Target-tag was a game the Arialbots had come up with and taught to Hornet. It involved high speeds and missile target locks. Normally it wasn't played by ground bots, but Hornet didn't know that.

She was getting used to the hugs. It was just another of his childish quirks that one day she'd ask WheelJack about. "You'll have to explain Target-Tag to me.. I've not heard that one," Crimson answered, placing one hand on Hornet's back and gently guiding him down the hallway. "I was just thinking the holo-targets myself ... see who can score the most points."

[frigidmagi]

When Deathstrike informs of that, my circuits shudder. I am a warmachine, while I have and can preform covert assaults, lies and betrayal are still foreign concepts to me that I struggle to understand. I was made for battle not intelligence work. I do a quick calucation that Deathstrike is lying to me. The Likelihood is 12.34%, I quickly feel shame at it, Deathstrike is a warmachine like myself. Should the day come where we must kill each other he will do so with energy cannon, missiles, blades and fist has is fitting for warmachines, he will not shame me with lies and falsehoods. Or so I prefer to believe.

"I would be very interested in hearing these facts from you. There were indeed... Anomalies in the battle." I say.

[Cynical Cat]

"Data is circumstantial only," said Deathstrike. "I find it compelling."

"Fact: Surviving weapon systems went offline simultaneously with no sign of a Decepticon strike."

"Fact: In mid battle, Decepticon forces change targets to destroy the maintenance bay after Black Ice had been freed."

"Three possible means of freeing Black Ice. First, he is freed by another infiltrator. Second, freed by some special ability that allows him to override CR chambers stasis lock. Third, freed by stealthed warrior. First two methods involve secrets worth destroying the maintenance bay to preserve."

"Fact: Black Ice's arrival and cover story were unusually sloppy. Hypothesis: flaws in cover story became apparent after he attacked in helicopter form and then the helicopter disappeared. Said attack was an attempt to escalate the engagement involving my arrival into one that would result in my termination.

"Hypothesis: What if I had not arrived? Black Ice arrives, disguised as an Autobot. No Decepticon attack occurs. No deep investigation. Already present infiltrator can present faked message indicating assignment here. No suspicion. Infiltrators disable base systems and Black Ice attacks at optimum moment during Decepticon attack. Prime is terminated."

"Logically, the infiltrators capable of this are Gridlock and Wideload. They were also the robots who placed Black Ice in his CR chamber."

[LadyTevar]

Hornet was babbling happily as he and Crimson walked into the Target Range, yet Crimson was still able to catch the last bit of DeathStrike's statement.

"What did you say, Deathstrike?" she asked in shock, her hand unconsciously tightening on Hornet's shoulder. Hopefully the teenybot took the hint to be silent for a moment... and hopefully she didn't damage his paint.

[Cynical Cat]

"Hello Crimson," said Deathstrike. "Breakout and I were discussing anomalies at the battle of Fort Maximal."

[frigidmagi]

I end the program, but make a note to myself to take Hornet here soon for practice. While not a warmachine it would be better for him to develop skill to offset his size and strength. Also it will annoy Ironhide, which has value in and of itself.

[LadyTevar]

She looked between the two larger bots, and then down at Hornet, wishing he wasn't here to hear this conversation. It would only confuse him.

Her hand dropped and she stepped forward, closing the distance between her and the two WarBots. "... Like how the OilRig wasn't destroyed?" she asked, then elaborated. "Gridlock not only assured me he took care of it, he actively prevented me from going to check on it before the attack."

She had to look away, shamed. "I should have doublechecked his work. Prime told me to help Gridlock with it... and I failed him." Now Hornet knew why Crimson was looking so upset earlier.

[Cynical Cat]

"The additional data supports my conclusion," said Deathstrike. His lips twisted. "If we were Decepticons, I would know what to do. But that part of my life is behind me."

[frigidmagi]

"I must ask a question, just to be sure. Who was responsible for ensuring Ice was restrained and unable to escape?" I ask. I already know the answer but it must be said.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson had the answer to that one too. "I saw Gridlock escorting him to the CR Chamber approximately ... " she pauses, accessing that memory for a time stamp.

They can see on her features that something has just occurred to her. "... Gridlock ... didn't have time to do both..." she murmurs, playing back her memory. "When did Gridlock leave the C&C?" she asked the two Warbots. "I left when the guns came out, about a breem before I saw him outside. Did he leave at any time before that?"

[Charon]

Shellshock was rubbing his optics, probably harder than he should have as he walked down the corridors. Three weeks locked away in his quarters, planning. Three weeks of studying the plans of the old Fort Maximal. Three weeks of trying to pull any information he could from Gridlock and Wideload. Three weeks of waiting for a scout to actually return.

And he was no further than he had been when he started. Shellshock was extremely frustrated, and with Overload off learning how to fly, stupid triple-changing, maybe I should have stayed with the Decepticons long enough that they'd have given me flight capabilities... no.

Shellshock stalked into the training chamber and came to a dead hault as he noticed a good deal of his team already there. His red optics scanned them quickly, there was something wrong with it, the way they were standing, some looked nervous. Except Deathstrike, he looked conflicted, which in itself was immensely odd.

"Right, so what have I missed, I'll be training if you don't mind, but I'll be listening."

Shellshock walked over to the terminal and turned it on. He looked over and saw how close the targets were. The old warbot pursed his lips and set the targets back further. Then further, then further.

"Bah, this ceiling is too low, I can't get the right trajectory for any further than this... it's no good. Damned civilians still trying to make war machines." Shellshock kicked the machine hard and the metal plating dented.

[frigidmagi]

"We have discovered facts that led us to believe that a traitor was present at the Battle for Fort Maximal. We also believe the facts led us to the identity of the traitor, being that of Gridlock. It is highly likely that Wideload is a traitor as well in my opinion." I report to Shellshock, ignoring the outburst. I believe it to be a product of outside frustration. Also I have never served in a completely warmachine force and so have no basis for comparison with Autobot Standard Procedure.

[Cynical Cat]

"I didn't see Gridlock leave," said Deathstrike. "I was focused on other things." He turned away from the shooting range, ignoring Shellshock and addressing Breakout. "My word may not be trusted, but yours is. We cannot allow ourselves to be further compromised."

[frigidmagi]

"I agree. Crimson will you present your observations with me?" I ask, her direct observations of Gridlock's behavior is required or Command will not listen. I wish there were other dependable witnesses but it is a pointless exercise. Warmachines should not wish, warmachines should do.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson looked at Hornet, who'd been wide-eyed and amazingly silent the whole time (must be a record), then at the other three, older, warbots.

"Shellshock... did you see when Gridlock left the C&C?" she asked, trying to pin down the times. "I left with WheelJack when Prime pulled his weapon. We were gone about a breem, then I glimpsed Gridlock walking the Imposter to the CR Chamber. I spoke to Hornet for about half a breem, then went to set up the OilRig to explode."

Once again, shame hit her, making her stumble over the words. "Gridlock met me before I got there ... he .. he was joking at first, telling me I didn't have to check it, he'd taken care of the OilRig. Then he got defensive, asking if his work and his word wasn't good enough for me." Again, her head lowered, her shoulders drooping in percieved failure. "I let him talk me into going to the Western Line and finishing the turrents there. I never got a chance to go back to the OilRig after that point."

[Charon]

Shellshock didn't even seem to pause for an instant. "Right, so we know who it was now."

Three weeks of studying the reports, millions of years of experience, it would make sense that at one point in time or another that Shellshock would figure out that it had been a set-up.

In response to Crimson's question Shellshock shrugged. "He left the C&C and I went to work. It was maybe, what, half a Breem after you left?"

"Either way, it's not likely that without anything more than suspicions and claims that any of us will be believed. Our only options are to either get proof, which we can get from Fort Maximal, assuming there is still enough of the original designs standing, or we... no." Shellshock shook his head and sighed. "I am sorry, it has been a frustrating three weeks. Our option is to find evidence."

[Cynical Cat]

"That is not our only option," replied Deathstrike.

[frigidmagi]

"I believe we should at least inform Rodimus. He has been an effective commander in the past and I trust him." Breakout protested.

[LadyTevar]

"I believe we should at least inform Rodimus. He has been an effective commander in the past and I trust him." Breakout protested.

Sometimes, there are no words.
Sometimes, there is just the look of shock, as a logic processor temporarily shuts down before it overloads, and the vocalizer shuts off before the burst of snerking laughter escapes.

[Charon]

"That is not our only option," replied Deathstrike.

Shellshock looked at the Decepticon turned Autobot, of all the people here, Shellshock was the one who had followed a similar path.

"Accidents can happen, but I would prefer not to use that method unless absolutely necessary. Backstabbing begets backstabbing. What other option were you thinking of?"

"I believe we should at least inform Rodimus. He has been an effective commander in the past and I trust him." Breakout protested.

Shellshock laughed. "Hot Rod? I would not trust that brash arrogant upstart with a hydrospanner, let alone a squad of Autobots. I will say that the boy has potential, but he is a long way from it, though I will admit he is relatively well liked among the other Autobots. More than any of us can likely say."