Transformers: Steel Reign

[SirNitram]

"We've both missed alot." Overload replied through the simple mind-link that allowed the massive warrior to walk and fight. "He has changed. I fear he's as badly effected as me. Probably worse. It seems like just last Vorn he was little Orion the factory worker, doesn't it? He's gotten the edge... And no one should like getting the edge."

The comm activated, replying to Hornet. "They will try and kill the humans, Hornet, or maybe enslave any that don't fight back. I'm sorry that you have to face this now. But we will be their sword and shield. I know you're not ready to try and kill anyone," It was a word Overload, like Shellshock, had started to use. It carried the full weight of what was done, better than any Transformer word. "..But I know if you find a Seeker trying to hurt one of your friends, you'll do the right thing. Wheeljack made you pretty smart."

[LadyTevar]

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......"

She had to smirk at that one. "I don't think you have sufficient voltage," she quipped, showing that some of the 'Bots had an idea of interpersonal relationships. For Crimson, it was just a variation of similar lines from other young members of sexually-reproducing species upon realizing she was feminine. Some things, like young, bored, sexually repressed soldiers, don't change.

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.

"Thank you." She looked to the other tanks nearby. "The Autobots on patrol are OverShock, BreakOut, and Stryke. BreakOut will most likely be in command, if you wish to coordinate with him." She was assuming that OverShock, like many combiners, suffered from the merging of minds and would defer to BreakOut.

As the other tanks acknowledge her intell and moved out on patrol, she turned to look for other humans that she could ask for aid. This was their base, and it seemed they were very willing to defend it now. As she watched, the foot soldiers were already forming up into squadrons and heading out on their own patrols. It seemed the human leaders had agreed with Prime's orders and were getting their people moving.

Good enough for her. She strode away from the humans, transforming as she went into the sleek red Harley. She didn't mute the engine's roar ... between the tanks and APCs the classic 'Harley sound' wasn't that powerful -- yet it still turned the soldier's heads as she sped out, her holo-Rider flickering into existence as she went.

"Crimson to BreakOut. Joining OverShock on Patrol ... do you want me further out as a fast scout?"

[General Havoc]

Hornet couldn't help but smile (figuratively), as some part of Overshock radioed him back to tell him that they didn't think him stupid (that made TWO Autobots at least that didn't). "T.. thanks..." he said, "I'll... I'll try to do what I can but..."

He sighed. "I... I think some of the humans might not like us very much. I think they're... they're scared of us."

[SirNitram]

"They're angry and scared over what we brought here, Hornet." Overshock's footfalls were regular and precise as he maintained perimeter patrol. "I don't like it, Shellshock doesn't like it.. Most of the Autobots don't like it. We've come to their world, and as a result, it's nastier than it could have been. But if we're ever going to stop Megatron's plans for this pretty little world, we need to show we're good at the core."

[General Havoc]

"I see..." said Hornet, not sure if he did or not, but it seemed like the thing to say. He pondered this for a few moments, glancing up at the human aircraft overhead.

"So... how do we do that?"

[SirNitram]

That was the question Overshock dreaded. He admitted it after a few moments. "I'll let you know when I've found out, little guy. I don't know how to make them trust us, believe in us, want to work beside us, especially not like how the two of us regard them."

[General Havoc]

Hornet was puzzled by the last thing Overload had said. "What do you mean... like how you two regard them?" he asked. "Don't... don't you like the humans?"

[SirNitram]

"Shellshock and I are honored to take the field with humans. We are happy to fight with them, and would defer to a human commander without a problem if the situation called for it. But I don't know how to make humans feel like that. We saw in them such courage..." The massive combiner's head shook. "I need to get back to patrol, I fear. Fly safe. Fly fast. Bring down a Seeker so I can kick it."

[frigidmagi]

I link up with Stryke and we begin the patrol, various upgraded vehicles of the human units joining us. I establish communication with them and hash out a patrol plan worth following. Their commander, a Major Halloway is a sensible one.

The humans are in tanks, neither myself nor Stryke are tanks in our alt form. This draws comment, more so aimed at Stryke.

"I didn't know the robots made Tin Plated P.O.S'es to."

"You think he gets stuck in 3 inches of mud to?"

"Millions of years of alien technology and he picks that piece of crap."

Are some of the comments that reach my audios. A com from a nervious Lt. is addressed to me.

"Excuse me, Sir? Why the Bradley?" He asks. I mull the question for 23.41 seconds before answering.

"I am not a tank but I am not a civilian model either. Upon arriving I scanned the archives of your planet for viable alternative forms. I liked the performance record of this vehicle. I felt it was a good and serviceable warmachine." I explain.

"And your friend?" The Lt asks.

"Not all of us are the best decision makers." Is all I can say.

[General Havoc]

"Sure thing," said Hornet, and he signed off the channel. Hornet had assumed that the humans had courage, more courage than he did, which wasn't saying much at all, at least according to everyone else.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson pulled up beside OverShock, her engine downshifting as she matched his pace. "The humans are joining our patrol, and BreakOut is coordinating with them. I've asked him this question, but didn't get an answer -- Do you want me out further as a fast scout?"

She actually wanted to get out further. While the terrain wasn't flat road, it was enough that she could get up to good speed while still maintaining sensor readings. While she and Stryke got out the Ark and out on the road, she really didn't get a chance to open up like she wished that often.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke ignored the comments directed at his form. They came from tankers. Of course they wouldn't like his form. He continued rolling around the perimeter, opening a comm channel to Crimson. "Crim, any thing out there?"

[LadyTevar]

The nice thing about patrol/counterpatrol? You meet in the middle. "Nothing out there.... but I do see you coming around the corner," she answered teasingly. "I'd like to go out another 5 kliks for a quick scouting. Then I could get more detail from my specialized sensors. Too much metal here to make odd things stand out."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke raised a comm with Breakout. "Breakout, this is Stryke, Crimson can't get a good scan from here. She wants to go out another 5 kliks so she can get a better scan. I'd like to escort her out there."

[Charon]

Shellshock was mostly off-line, but that meant he could activate his full-range sensors now.

Partial Override engaged. Control over Advanced Sensor Suite to Shellshock. Identity acknowledged.

Overshock could use his eyes to verify, but at the distance they were at now, the sensor suite could not only see to the Decepticon base for better examination, but beyond it by a good ten miles. Shellshock's half-mind watched carefully, trying to take note of any irregularities.

[Dark Silver]

The air, the sky, the ground, all of it remained clear of enemies as the Autobots and their human allies patrolled.

Eventually, Jetfire relieved most of the humans and the Aerialbots (including Hornet) of patrol duties, citing orders from Prime to have them get rest and recharged. Jetfire also passed the orders to Deathstrike, remain at high overwatch. Prime apparently suspected the Decepticon strike fighter to have a higher energy reserve than Hornet or the Aerialbots.

Eventually, also, the patrols were replaced, fresh Autobots replacing those who would need a run to recharge their power cells. The human commanders had suggested it, after all, tomorrow would only start a possibly very bloody, very long campaign against the Decepticon base.

Best to have their warriors at their best and most ready.


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

Blitzwing looked over the flightdeck, at the gathered drone army.

Humans stood next to their MiG-29 fightercraft, dressed in their flightsuits, hemetted heads all staring up at Blitzwing, waiting for orders.

"Board your planes, and prepare for takeoff. We go to battle in one megacycle!"

Shockwave explained the plan to Blitzwing, the timetable which had been accelerated. He would keep to that timetable.

[General Havoc]

No sooner had Jetfire relieved Hornet and the others than Hornet had landed and made his way over to the recharge facility. A half-cube of energon later, and he was topped back off, but Prime had said that he wanted them all ready for the fight tomorrow, and Jazz had insinuated he should take some time to do a proper recharge. Accordingly, Hornet plugged himself into one of the power generators with a huge cable that connected to his shoulder, and sat down on top of one of the diagnostic tables and deactivated his own reactor, letting the generator provide power while his reactor cooled down and went into a maintenance cycle. Typically such an event was routine, with no side effects whatsoever, but this was Hornet, and this, coupled with all the activity of today, triggered one of Wheeljack's fractal subroutines. No sooner had it done so than Hornet felt his optics starting to dim...

Anyone entering the facility afterwards would find Hornet curled up in a little ball on top of one of the diagnostic tables, fast asleep, the generator providing all the power he needed for the moment, his own reactor restored to full running capacity and ready to take over in the event of a power loss. His energon tanks were topped off, his diagnostics showed 100% efficiency, and physically speaking he was ready to go at a moment's notice.

But baring emergencies or someone waking him up, Hornet's programming told him that he was tired, and so he lay sound asleep, a soft smile on his face.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike's energy reserves were indeed great, almost as great as his rate of consumption. Still, he was only flying and fighting in full out combat mode. His reserves would last a while longer.

It would be nice if Prime would give the orders to roll out and attack. Massing near Fort Maximal, but not doing anything, was merely giving Shockwave time to fix Starscream's sabotage and come up with a plan of action of his own. It was increasingly clear to Deathstrike why the Decepticons were in a dominant position on this world.

He sent a message to Slipstream. "Deathstrike to Slipstream. I suggest when the attack comes that you engage the enemy human planes as your primary targets. Your capibilities and state of mind make you the ideal choice to engage and neutralize them. They may be frail machines piloted by fragile organics, but they are likely armed with Decepticon weapons." He purposely avoided the word "kill". Autobots tended to react badly to it, in most cases.

That's when he saw it. "Deathstrike to all Autobot forces! Decepticon forces are taking off!"

[B4UTRUST]

Slipstream would have laughed in other situations at Deathstrike's message.
"You sure Overload won't get his armor torqued if I do? I'll deal with the organics. They may have Cybertronian tech, but they're still just flesh."

When Deathstrike signaled the 'con forces were inbound Slipstream turned to engage. The vernier thrusters pushed his yaw hard around. He took a second to set himeslf up for the combat, turning down the comm and up the tunes. The exhaust ports glowed with barely contained power just waiting to be unleashed. Weapons systems were unlocked and brought online as he waited.

[SirNitram]

"Overshock reinitializing..." The behemoth rumbled, as both halves of it's consciousness began booting back up from standby. The massive combiner stood up, sensors snapping online. "Requesting sitrep." The massive cannon was turned towards the enemy base.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson had also taken the chance to refuel and had been one of the ones to find Hornet sleeping soundly on the diagnostic table. Some of the others to find him were human technicians, who were watching him from a distance with interest. Crimson had merely answered their questions about it by blaming his small size and construction before spending the rest of her downtime talking with Stryke and answering more curious Humans' questions.

Thus, when the alert went out, her first thought was predictable. "Go, Stryke... I'll get Hornet and catch up." She didn't wait for an answer from her partner, trusting him to trust her as she went for the sleeping teenybot.

She wasn't that quiet entering the room, but she kept her voice calm and low as she gave the trigger. "Hornet, Einata! Wake up, teenybot, the 'Cons are coming to us."

[General Havoc]

Hornet woke up instantly, the command word overriding the usual sleepyness that he would normally have exhibitted. Quickly, the little bot sat up and looked around at Crimson, his systems programmed not to realize that he had awoken by command rather than naturally.

"I'm awake!" he yelped, and he jumped down from the table, looking around, feeling the apprehension starting to build up within his spark. "Are... are the cons here already? Is it starting?"

[Dark Silver]

Blitzwing remained at the rear of the formation, in his jet form, as the MiG-29 Fulcrums flew ahead of him. Within moments, they were within weapons range, even as human jets and Autobot fliers took to the air.

The MiG's broke up into groups of four, peeling off into multiple directions. There were sixty drones in the air, with another wave of 40 behind them - Blitzwing tailing.

Missles locked and streaked out from the Mig's and human Jets, the Aerialbot's lasers blasted out, and Jetfire climbed to higher altitudes to allow himself more manuverability and fire solutions.

Jets exploded in the air and dogfights began, as the second wave angled to the ground.

they were barely fifty feet from the ground, before the cockpits opened, the humans ejecting from the planes. The MiG 29's body folded and altered, Transforming into a headless robot, somewhat similar to Starscream's body design. The humans floated in the air, before the flesh and clothing ripped from their forms, their bodies changing and then landing on their transformed plane's bodies.

The Fulcrum Drones lifted their arms, charging their lasers and moved forward, towards the base.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson reached out and unplugged Hornet from the recharger, since he'd forgotten. She was thankful he'd not gotten tangled in it jumping down. Her voice was terse as she gave the sitrep to the little bot. Hopefully he didn't take it personally. "DeathStrike sounded the alert. Fliers inbound." She looked the little bot in the eye. "I don't know what your orders are, but you best get airborne and find out."

As she spoke the comm-chatter of dogfights started making itself known. Crimson tried to follow it, but she knew this was something she couldn't handle at the moment. She gave Hornet a hard look. "I want to say it's like the game you were playing... but you know that's a lie. You know what you're doing up there, I don't. Do your best, and try to come back intact, ok?" she said, the only peptalk she could give him as she reached out and patted his head.

[Charon]

I'll help clear out the air, you close in on the ground units, as soon as you're close the game is all yours brother.

Shellshock did not hesitate as the drones in the air closed. He initialized a temporary override of the right arm and turned it into the air. He was an artillery machine, with targetting programs that would make most 'bots green with envy. The planes in the air had slowed to combat speeds. With the exception of having to avoid hitting his own allies, it was fish in a barrel.