Transformers: Steel Reign

[LadyTevar]

"wait a minute...," Crimson said quietly. "Are you saying that after handing the Dinobots their collective tailpipes, *you* shoved your sword through Shockwave and caused that explosion?"

[Charon]

Shellshock shook his head at Deathstrike. "He engaged the Dinobots because they'd have made too big of a hole in his defenses before they were taken out if he hadn't. Furthermore, I doubt a remote controlled clone, Shockwave or not, could have taken on all of the Dinobots, let alone win as easily as he did. I'm not saying it's not possible that it was, but to conclude that it was is utter insanity. Shockwave miscalculated his being able to get to cover before we reached him, he was not the infallible genius you seem to make of him."

[Cynical Cat]

"He engaged them solo," Deathstrike said slowly and patiently "He had legions of Decepticons at his dispossal, sentinals, and Guardian Robots and he chooses to engage Grimlock, who can challenge Megatron hand to hand, and four other tough Autobots simultaneously. Only after receiving severe damage did he call in reinforcements or back up of any kind, despite them being available. Those are not the actions of a Decepticon Strategist or a Decepticon Leader. Only Megatron provoked into a great fury would be that reckless. Not Shockwave."

[SirNitram]

"They had an old score to settle." Overload said simply. "If it was a remote, it stood up to scans right up to the laser core itself; you think I target on a whim?" The tank rumbled slowly. "And another thing. He activated another scheme while we were fighting. He personally assured me his death wouldn't stop his plans. That is exactly Shockwave's behavior."

[Charon]

Shellshock grinned. "Sentinals and Guardian robots, that you'll notice, weren't here, nor were his legions of Decepticons. Sixshot was already out of the fight, and we haven't seen Blitzwing's armored hide since I dropped a few shells near him. The only one capable of stopping the Dinobots without unacceptable losses was for Shockwave to engage himself. So he did what any leader should do and engaged." Shellshock got a far off look on his face then. "And I got a fairly close look at that fight through my zoom, and the way Shockwave was fighting, he was angry, and it was scary." Shellshock shook his head. "No remote clone could do that. Shockwave is dead."

[Cynical Cat]

"Shockwave's plans don't include suicide," said Deathstrike. "Or unnecessary risks. He had, or could easily have had, more than sufficient troops to back his position. We are being manipulated." His voice took on a sarcastic edge. "But feel free to ignore me on this. I was only his comrade for millions of years and a frequent collaborator during his planning sessions."

His optics flared for a moment. For a moment he analyzed his personal situation from Shockwave's point of view and calculated probabilities. Yes, Shockwave would probably calculate that eventual disillusionment and abandonment of the Autobot cause would be overwhelmingly likely. His previous treason against Megatron would be data in support of that conclusion. And that would explain Sixshot hadn't seriously damaged him. He had been ordered not to. No point in having Sixshot waste his time destroying what would eventually become an asset. "Now that would be consistent with Shockwave's planning."

[LadyTevar]

"Now that would be consistent with Shockwave's planning."

"What would be consistent?" Crimson asked, still sitting on the table, cradling Hornet.

[SirNitram]

"Shockwave's plans always extend beyond himself. That's why he was one of the most dangerous down in the Pit; if defeating you meant he was going to risk his own laser core, just to ensure you went down permenantly, he would engage thus." Overload rumbled. "I won't write him off yet, and even if I was sure I got him for good, I know his plans will continue without him. But let's rachet down the paranoia. One way or another, this advance was halted. Burn up your processor cycles on what he started into motion, not whether I pegged the real thing. If I didn't, he'll reveal himself in some logically appropriate moment. Until then, we halt his plans."

[Cynical Cat]

"Ordering Sixshot not to engage me because Shockwave anticipates me abandoning the Autobot cause in the near future," said Deathstrike. "It is one of two possible explanations for why Sixshot declined to take shots at me when he had the chance."

[Charon]

Shellshock laughed and rolled his eyes. "And they say all the time I've spent in stasis has made my circuits melt. You're worrying about the wrong things Deathstrike, even if by some miracle Shockwave is still alive, we still have no word from New York City, frankly that can only mean that the city is either annihilated or is on it's way to being the next Decepticon foothold on the Americas."

Shellshock looked over at Crimson and Hornet. "Do you think you two are ready for transport when it comes? We're going to want to move fast."

[SirNitram]

"Then, Deathstryke, you must determine whether your Spark allows for free will, or if you're just a cog in Shockwave's plans." Overload rumbled. "Me, I've got this thing's little AI squawking about lack of response from bases around the New York Metro area, so I'm wanting to get rolling. And yes, I will fight in a damn human tank if I must. I've managed with worse."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke had set himself down against a wall, his broken legs in front of him. He listened to the other talk. The green warbot gave a sigh and closed his optics, figuring someone would come by and start working on him, or at least take notice of his status.

He heard Shellshock's comment to Crimson and Hornet and spoke up.

"Yeah, I'll be ready too, if I can get some to fix my legs and arm."

[Cynical Cat]

"Don't flatter yourself Overload," said Deathstrike. "Shockwave wouldn't consider committing suicide to finish you. Listen to me. I was right about Gridlock. I was right about Black Ice. If you were to tell me Ultra Magnus or Elita-1, mechanoidss that I have only known as enemies but you have known far more intimately were acting in unusual ways, you would expect me to strongly take your extensive knowledge of them into consideration. I am telling you, as a being who was a close to Shockwave as anyone gets, our best case scenario is that Shockwave was robosmashered and used as cannon fodder by a resurgent Megatron. We aren't that lucky."

[Charon]

Shellshock glared at Deathstrike and considered for a brief moment beating the hell out of the arrogant bot. "In case you missed it, Shockwave already knew he was beaten, and so at least tried to take his opponent with him. Better that then being taken prisoner by the Autobots. Shockwave did nothing more for Overload than he did for you by, according to you, ordering Sixshot not to blow you out of the sky, leaving you to attack him at a later time. As for Gridlock and Black Ice, you were right, but these were things we had already figured out ourselves. Your arrogance smacks of your Decepticon heritage." Shellshock was clearly using the term as an insult

Shellshock looked over at Stryke. "The way it's looking, most of us are in no condition to go to New York, that includes you Overload." Shellshock did not even look at his brother as he spoke those last words.

[LadyTevar]

"Yeah, I'll be ready too, if I can get some to fix my legs and arm."

Crimson gave Stryke a concerned glance, then looked back to Shellshock. "My damage is all armor, but I'd like to stay with Stryke and Hornet. They'll need help getting back to the Ark."

There was nothing else to say... the two of them were damaged the worst of those who *didn't* need a new body, although she finally spotted BreakOut, who was also looking torn up. That made all of the convoy injured to some degree. "Are you and Deathstrike seriously thinking of heading to New York now?" Crimson asked Shellshock.

[SirNitram]

Overload's engine audibly round gears. "Fine. We'll hold off on heading to New York until repairs can be completed. Deathstryke, run the probabilities. Satisfy yourself. Ultimately, if he's alive, he'll be acting dead until he can maximize gain anyways. I have no illusions about being smarter than him, so I won't see it coming. Let's just all get back to the Ark and get repairs done. And get me out of this thing, if we're holding off on a counterattack."

"...Because if this thing chirps for a 'Sitrep' one more time, I'll go mad. What's 'Sitrep' anyway? Earth terms..."

[Charon]

Crimson gave Stryke a concerned glance, then looked back to Shellshock. "My damage is all armor, but I'd like to stay with Stryke and Hornet. They'll need help getting back to the Ark."

There was nothing else to say... the two of them were damaged the worst of those who *didn't* need a new body, although she finally spotted BreakOut, who was also looking torn up. That made all of the convoy injured to some degree. "Are you and Deathstrike seriously thinking of heading to New York now?" Crimson asked Shellshock.

Shellshock was looking at least as bad as Deathstrike was, perhaps in some ways worse, in other ways better. "If the fight is still going, Prime is going to need all the power we can muster that isn't so badly damaged that they won't be able to assist enough." Shellshock's eye continued to flicker, in annoyance the old bot smacked the side of his head, the flickering quickly stopped for a time before continuing to flicker.

[Cynical Cat]

"Aren't you bothering to listen fool?" growled Deathstrike. "Shockwave would not have put himself in that position! We botched the offensive, complete with Hornet running around and playing tag with the human jets instead of maintaining some kind of air screen, Starscream successfully decieves us as to what is occuring at the base, and Shockwave just happens to fight half the Autobots single handidly despite having more than a hundred reserves in bunkers. Does that make sense to you? Does that sound like the behavior of a master strategist and tactician or does it sound like there is something else going on?"

[LadyTevar]

Crimson was not in the mood for this in-fighting. "So, maybe he's in New York," she snapped. "Either way, none of us are functional to the point where we can run off and dig him out." She looked around the maintenance bay at the Convoy. "Slag it all, I might be the least damaged out of all of you."

Her optics raked across all of them, even silent Breakout, before going back to DeathStrike. "Functional or not, for the moment Shockwave is no longer a problem. Later you can take it up with Prime, or beat it out of StarScream if you like."

Crimson had not gotten the news about StarScream's escape, obviously.

[Charon]

Shellshock turned to look at Deathstrike. "If you grieve for the loss of your former friend, then I understand." With that Shellshock ignored the rest of Deathstrike's argument, looking to Crimson. "You're right that you're the least damaged, either way, it doesn't look like there's much help to be found here, and transport out of here is going to be outside," the warbot looked to Stryke and then Hornet. "Are you capable of moving without damaging yourselves further?"

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke shrugged. "Just help me up right and hand me my 'crutches'. I'll be able to move outside on my own."

[Cynical Cat]

Imbecile, thought Deathstrike. These weak minded Autobot hypocrites were all too willing to give themselves the credit for an illusionary victory and ignore how they bungled the campaign. Well, perhaps not all of them. Breakout seemed to possess functional data tracks. "Bring the next plate," Deathstrike said to his human assistants.

[SirNitram]

Overload's gears stopped grinding. "Deathstryke, look. We can't know for sure either way. But you're right; you knew him best. And remote or real, he invested alot in this. Work out why. Work out as many possibilities as are probable. They'll be useful either way, because you know it'll be redundant."

The tank rotated. "Shellshock, help me get some flatbeds. I figure I've got plenty of bots to tow home."

[Charon]

Shellshock looked down at Overload. With the form Overload was in now, they'd be better off walking home until Jetfire was ready. But it wouldn't hurt to give Overload something to do. "Right, let's go. Crimson," he looked back. "I'll see if I can find somebody here that can help Hornet out more."

[Cynical Cat]

"It's a distraction strike while the true offense begins," said Deathstrike. He had, in fact, already thought of this. "One to crush us utterly in the long term and completely erode our position in the short term. New York is far away and filled with civilians. Distance and indecision will combine to delay response by the Autobot leadership. If Shockwave is still running the operation, he will make use of that time to put the next phase of his operation into motion."