Transformers: Steel Reign

[General Havoc]

Hornet still stood motionlessly in the middle of all the chaos and activity, both lasers still aimed straight at Starscream. He could barely believe that he was standing less than twenty yards away from the most dangerous Decepticon flier of all time, and that he was SURRENDERING. Shellshock, Overload and Starscream seemed to know one another, as did Deathstrike, although that was less surprising. He HAD mentioned flying alongside Starscream before.

The call from Crimson woke him back up, and he yelped softly and backed up as quickly as he could, moving over to where Crimson and Stryke were. He ran over to the two of them, staying out of everyone's line of fire as best he could.

"Do... D'you think I should... be in the air?" he asked Crimson, glancing up at the human pilots patrolling overhead, and listening in to their much more quiet and regimented comm chatter. He was no match for Starscream in the air OR on the ground, as he well knew, but it seemed like the sort of thing he ought to do.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke nodded. "It's where your best, Hornet." Stryke said. "You could probably help the humans up there better than down here."

[frigidmagi]

Possibility that Deathstrike will indulge his emotions... Data not good enough for calucation. Sensory backup still required.

I comm Stryke.

"There is a 25.12% chance that the Decepticon assassin may attempt to infiltrate the base while we are distracted. Do not sound the alarm, move out and began scanning on the perimeter. Take Crimson, do not mention the assassin tell her to scan for stealth units."

I begin calucations, who else can I reasonably expect to follow orders. I am tempted to send Hornet on recon... 67% he won't bomb me this time.

I decide the risk is worthwhile.

I comm Hornet.

"Hornet, this is Outbreak I need you to do a overwatch circle from above. Avoid combat if it occurs please."

[LadyTevar]

Crimson nodded. "Stryke's right, Hornet. Go up there and let your friends know what's going on."

She looked back to the tarmack as DeathStrike made his appearance. "ooo... this won't be pretty. I think DeathStrike said he and StarScream didn't get along. Probably showed him up one too many times."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke looked over to Breakout and nodded. He turned to Crimson. "Hey, lets go for a walk on the permimeter." He said to her on a private channel. "And if you don't mind, could you scan for any stealth units out there?"

[Cynical Cat]

"This is the Decepticon air commander and a master of treachery, who survived repeated betrayals in an environment far less forgiving than the Autobot ranks," Deathstrike said to Overload. "He is in the middle of a piece of treachery that has been successful so far. Do not underestimate him."

He turned and left, heading towards Breakout. "I am on my way," he signaled. "It was necessary to remind Starscream's captors of the nature of their captive."

[SirNitram]

Overload silently nodded.. And data streamed to Deathstrike. It was targetting data, as the massive 'bot had never disengaged the targetting locks. It was quite clear that Starscream would be getting the undivided attention of weaponry if he tried anything.

Yet Overload's actions were entirely jovial, joking, and immature. "Hey, it's not a problem."

[frigidmagi]

"Understood. I believe there is a slim chance that a Decepticon infiltrator or force will attempt either an attack of entry of the area. I do not desire to play games with fate. I am establishing perimeter and would appreciate you serving on high overwatch. Hornet is also circling but your experience and skills are greater." I send back.

I feel better knowing that Deathstrike will be up above me, perhaps providing a example for the young bot Hornet. I trust him more then Slipstream or the Aireal bots are at times... Fickle.

[General Havoc]

"I think DeathStrike said he and StarScream didn't get along. Probably showed him up one too many times."

And suddenly Hornet felt a twinge of admiration for Starscream.

He switched his comm to answer Breakout. "S... sure..." he said nervously. "I... I mean Roger." He nodded to Crimson and Stryke, who had largely been telling him to do the same thing. It did not occur to him that they might have been trying to get rid of him.

He took off at a run away from the gathering and transformed before taking off, spiralling up to three thousand feet and falling in with the human pilots on patrol. One of them radioed him.

"Eagle 6 to Hornet Prime."

Hornet nearly fell out of the air at the designation. It took him five whole seconds to realize that 'Prime' meant something totally different in the human flight milspeak than it did to the Autobots. Hornet was in his own flight group, with no wingmen. This made him "Hornet Prime"... as in "prime target".

"Um... this is Hornet... Prime..." he said, feeling very uncomfortable using the term. "Just... call me Hornet, please."

"Roger, Hornet. This is Eagle 6. Any idea what the Hell's going on down there."

"It's Starscream..." said Hornet. "One of the badguys... the Decepticons. He says he's surrendering. I'm not sure why. They wanted me to make sure nobody else was coming with him..."

"Eagle Leader to Eagle 6 and Hornet Pri... Hornet, pipe down the both of you, we could have bogeys inbound and snoopers on those channels."

Hornet gulped. "Yessir..." he said, not even realizing he was addressing a human, not that it would have mattered if he had. Hornet had no problem with the idea of a human commander.

[Dark Silver]

"Ahh...the Traitor.." Starscream smirked as he saw and heard Deathstrike.

"You know Strike...you always where a pain in my servo's...but the look on Megatron's face when you betrayed his cause....well...I really should buy you a drink for that one. It was priceless."

Starscream's laugh eched in the evening air, off the prefab buildings. "Of course I've commited a peice of treachery. I chaffed under Megatron's rule, what makes you think I would suffer that arrogant cyclops' conniving ways? Unlike Megatron, I intend to see Shockwave dead....you could always rejoin us you know....under my leadership, the Decepticons will flourish like never before....."

[Cynical Cat]

"I concur," Deathstrike responded to Breakout. "You may want to raise the possibility of appointing an Autobot air commander with Prime." He rose up on his thrusters and transformed, roaring off into the sky. He ripped through the sound barrier and climbed towards the heavens.

"He's not going to do anything yet," Deathstrike sent to Overload. "Timing isn't right. It's a week from now or a year from now that he'll strike. He's almost as smart as he thinks he is and he's a trained scientist and experienced technician as well as veteran warrior. His repetoire of tricks is extensive."

His last warning on the subject. Now to concentrate fully on the skies. If Starscream could rip through the human and Autobot air defences, so could a bunch of bomb ladden Seekers. Getting passed him when he was on guard was a different matter.

He heard Starscream's taunts over his receivers. He felt a momentary flush of shame and then a surge of anger and then he was calm again. Starscream wanted him to be off balance because he knew him too well. Deathstrike would not succumb. He would endure the shame of his treason, but he would not sully what was left of his honour by going further down that twisted path.

[B4UTRUST]

Slipstream was silent when he watched the scene play out with Starscream. That he has shown up to betray the 'cons to the 'bots was not surprising. This was only about the two or three hundreth time he had done that that Slipstream could remember, which meant Primus only knew how many times he had done it that he couldn't recall.

The fact that the 'bots didn't drop him on the spot, however, disturbed him. This was Starscream. He had nothing but a history of betrayal and counter betrayal, of making ploys to better his own interests and agendas. And they were going to sit here and let him remain online. Did they not realize that he was going to betray them as soon as he could? Primus, the rogue Decepticon figured it out! Why couldn't the Autobots? Sure, Overload and Shellshock had the 'con covered but they were just pointing guns at him, not slagging him where he stood.

And this is why he knew that most of the 'bots wouldn't get out of this war alive. They were too thickheaded, sentimental, and 'honorable' to take down the enemy when they had to. They had the top Decepticon aerial ace at gunpoint and they weren't going to put him down. How had the Autobots survived the last four or five muriovorns since he had been put into stasis lock? If this was their method of operation it's a miricle they've survived this long. At least in the old days the 'bots utilized advantages when they were given them. Pits, he recalled leading a small squadron of aerialbots at the battle of Kalis. The Autobots had mounted the offensive that time and by Primus it had done something! They had stopped one of Megatron's greatest schemes. Now the 'bots were content to sit back and play a defensive roll. What had happened to them since then?

He shook his head when he realized that he was probably agreeing with the rogue 'con based on what Deathstrike had said.
'I know we've slipped to far now,' Slipstream thought to himself.

[Dark Silver]

Optimus Prime, Jazz and Hound rolled up onto the tarmack in formation, Prime on point, Hound and Jazz to either side. Almost in unison, the three Autobots transformed, going from jeep, car and semi-truck to robotic warmachines in a moment.

"Ahh..the great Optimus Prime....so kind of you to see me..."

Optimus walked to Starscream, towering over the Decepticon Air Commander by several meters. "Starscream..." he said, his voice low, as his fist drove into the jet's lower torso with enough force to resound for miles.

Starscream doubled over with the blow, the transparent steel canopy shattering with the power of Prime's fist, mechfluid and lubricant spraying from Starscream's mouth like his fuelpump was placed on reverse.

"Jazz, Hound, Take him to the interrogation room. Aerialbots, Deathstrike, Slipstream, Hornet, I want a perimeter around this base, full sensors, active and passive, scan for potential incoming stealth units. Thirty Klik radius. Overload, Shellshock, form Overshock, perimeter patrol around the this facility, Breakout, Stryke contra-patrol. Recruit humans to assist in setting the full perimeter. Autobots, Roll out!"

Jazz and Hound scooped up Starscream, as the Decepticon gurgled out painful tones, dragging him away.

[Charon]

Shellshock laughed as Optimus slammed his fist into Starscream's gut. When he saw the damage done, and felt the reverberations of the sound of the hit, Shellshock whistled. Sometimes he forgot just how powerful Optimus was. Grinning as he glanced at the Autobots and humans alike, Shellshock spoke first to break the silence. "It was worth not shooting him to see that."

A part of him was worried though. Optimus had never been like this before, first the sanctioned shooting down of Chinese pilots, and now the sudden and, perhaps overly brutal, attack of Starscream. It seemed, odd. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. The old warbot nodded as Optimus gave his orders and stepped up to Overload. "Let's get too it then brother."

Shellshock began the transforming process, soon, they would form a bot that was almost equal to the size of the dreaded Devestator.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson gave Stryke a hard look as he made his suggestion, then her eyes narrowed as she got the private comm. "You're thinking it's a trick," she replied on the same private channel, turning and walking towards the perimeter. "You don't have to be sly about it, Stryke. I was one of Elita-1's strike squads. This kind of distraction would make it all too easy to slip more 'Bots inside."

The Autobots had always held the line, fought the hardest battles. They had been the main strength of the army. The Fembots under Elita-1 had far different tactics; silent raids, strike and fade. Counter-intelligence, supply disruption, and other things that many Autobots would never think their slight-framed counterparts would do.

Crimson paused as Prime rolled up. She did want to see what he would do with StarScream.

The Punch was a surprise, and had her wincing in unintentional sympathy, even as she knew StarScream deserved it.

"Autobots, Roll out!"

Crimson looked at Stryke. "I'll try to get the humans set up. You get out there, since Prime had the same idea it seems you did."

First task: Tell Hornet via private comm. "Hornet? Did you hear Prime's orders? Pass the word to the human pilots, we will need to cover a lot of ground."

[SirNitram]

Overload shifted, becoming a pair of legs and lower torso as Shellshock formed the upper torso, arms, and the larger head emerged into view. With the telltale sound of the combination process, the two fused, the older technology blending seamlessly with the new. The massive cannon on one arm, there was a minor resemblence to Megatron, writ much larger. Overshock stood up to his full height slowly, stretching.

"Overshock online and complying." It would be a few moments before the two minds situated themselves properly to share duties, in the meantime, the huge 'bot strode to the facility to perform basic patrol, always mindful where his feet were to avoid upsetting the base's main residents.

[frigidmagi]

"Stryke I am coming to you, maintain your course." I com to him and begin moving from my position. No enemy found... Yet. My tracks grind through the soil has I pick up speed.

I have managed to anticipate Prime's orders. That is good.

[General Havoc]

"Copy!" chirped Hornet, still wincing at the blow Optimus had delivered to Starscream, a blow that looked like it had nearly CRUSHED the Decepticon.

"Eagle Leader to Hornet, what's the score?"

"They want us to fan out and watch for incoming bandits!" said Hornet. "I... don't know how..."

"Roger, we've got that. Fall in or not as you wish, you people seem to be pretty decent at independant operations."

The humans scattered to begin their sweeps, and Hornet, after only a moment's wait, did the same.

[Cynical Cat]

"This is Deathstrike. I'm taking high overwatch. The rest of you cover the lower altitudes." The void beckoned just above him. He scanned it quickly and then refocused most of his efforts to the altitudes below him. He yearned for battle, but his feelings were secondary. He would not disrupt the battle plan and endanger his comrades and the victory out of petty emotional impulses. Even if the Autobots weren't really his comrades.

[LadyTevar]

One more thing to remind Hornet... "Hornet, make sure the humans know about DeathStrike, SlipStream, and any other AerialBots who will be up there."

Stryke was already transforming and rolling to meet BreakOut. Whatever passed on a private comm between he and she remained that way as Crimson herself walked over to the nearest human tank. "Gentlemen?" she asked politely, looking at whomever seemed to have the most stripes on their sleeve in her view. "Whom would I speak with to arrange for help maintaining the perimeter?"

[Dark Silver]

Decepticon Forward Command Base - Pontifex

I have considered structure and form, action and reaction, cause and effect. But I neglect to factor in one fundamental universal constant - Starscream's Treachery. But my plans are not undone.

Shockwave surveyed the damage left behind by Starscream. The Space Bridge console was all but useless, it'd be days before the Space Bridge was completed. Luckily, the Space Bridge was not a vital roll in his plans.

"Sixshot, transform and begin surveillance of the Autobot basecamp. Report in every three Breem. Runabout, inform the Constructicons their services are required. Runamuk, prepare the drones for flight, the attack will begin in five hours."

The three Decepticons saluted Shockwave, and moved off, Blitzwing took a position just a few steps behind and to the right of Shockwave, acting as a bodyguard. "Starscream's treachery has upset my time table Blitzwing. Upon his capture, I want his Laser Core extinguished before me."

Blitzwing sneered, the order music to his ears, "Of course Lord Shockwave." He longed to have a crack at Starscream.

"You will lead the initial assault, I will slave the drone fighters to your neuro-processor frequency. Do not fail me Blitzwing."

"I will not my Lord."


------ 0 ------ 0 ------

The hatch opened up in the tank, as two humans popped their heads out. They stared at the fembot, looking her up and down slowly, before one of them grinned, saying, though none to softly, "I wonder if she's got the appropriate input/output ports......"

His partner cleared his throat, elbowed his mate and looked at the fembot, "We'll radio in back up ma'am."

The two slide back into the tank, the hatch closed, as the tank began to roll into position to keep watch.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke kept rolling along, the holomatter gunner standing behind his machine gun. The holomatter gunner kept sweeping his eyes over the area. "Stryke starting perimeter sweep." He announced.

[B4UTRUST]

Slipstream let out a satisfied noise as Prime delievered a devestating blow to Starscream's chassis. Finally, some sense! Slipstream waited for the second blow to fall, but it didn't. It seems he was too quick to believe that the 'bots would do something. The bitter irony was that had he gone and done that himself, Overload probably would have shot him.

When the orders came rolling down he almost sighed in relief. Finally, a chance to do something other then wait. He jumped up and shot skywards before transforming. Once in his alt form he throttled up, blowing through one of the human formations. He wasn't as fast as Starscream, but not many were. But he was close. He leveled out at a little over 20,000 feet and started cruising in a large holding pattern. Of course cruising for him was faster then a good deal of human jets were capable of traveling. Settling himself in for a boring experiance he turned down the comm and turned up the tunes. It was possibly the only thing the humans had done right that he could see in his limited experiance with them. They made good music. Of course that wasn't a guarentee of their ability to do anything else right, but hey, it was a start. Maybe if pushed in the right direction...

[Charon]

Shellshock's half-mind spoke to his brother's as they began to walk the perimeter.

"Optimus seems to have... changed. wouldn't you say? Maybe Deathstrike and Starscream are right and I am just getting soft and rusty, but the Autobots are changing, I think. Have I just missed so much in my eons of slumber?" Shellshock's voice sounded oddly worried. He had woken up to a new Prime, a Prime more like the warriors he had been used to fighting with before all these wars had begun. The old bot worried that perhaps his old allies were becoming more like him.

[General Havoc]

Hornet quickly related to the humans which Autobots were to be in the air, and the human flight commanders reminded their pilots to check IFF transponders before engaging. Hornet himself flew low to the ground, several thousand feet up, but below everyone else, searching with his radar for anything at all that might show up. The two custom missiles on his wings sat ready to be used, and Hornet wasn't certain if he hoped he would get to use them or not.

But if need be, he would.

Still... he was worried, and in his worry, he opened a channel to Overshock.

"Um... Overshock?" he asked softly. "This is Hornet. Do... do you think the Decepticons are gonna attack us here? I'm... I'm worried about the humans."