Transformers: Steel Reign

[Cynical Cat]

"What do you wish from me?" Deathstrike asked.

[frigidmagi]

"I've been prompted to squadleader with Hornet and Blindside under my command. They tell me I can pick my second. Unless you get a better offer I'm asking you to be it." I answer.

[Cynical Cat]

"Autobots have difficulty taking suggestions from me, let alone orders" Deathstrike replied. "Have you evaluated your other options?"

[frigidmagi]

"My squad will take your orders or face my discipline. If they don't like it, they can spar with Grimlock for next couple Vorns. This squad will be a ragtag unit as best unless it is trained and taught well. I need someone who knows how to train and to fight. Also we will have Hornet on our sqaud. Prime's orders, you are among the few likely to be able to train him to any level of effectiveness. They will behave has soldiers or I will break them. It is that simple. You are the best choice for the position it is that simple." I reply. I almost snort, as if a good number of the detractors hadn't flipped sides themselves.

[Cynical Cat]

"Then I am your second," replied Deathstrike. "How do you want to get started?"

[frigidmagi]

"I was hoping to get information as to Hornet's capabilities from Wheeljack, but that seems a bust. Let us go inform the troops and work up a training line up. Prime has said we will not be getting orders for another 72 local hours. Might has well take advantage." I decide. Also there is other work to be done but we can discuss that later.

[Cynical Cat]

"Wheeljack will lie about Hornet's abilities in any case," said Deathstrike. "His explanations about Hornet's paper thin armour don't make sense. There are Cybertonians his size that are far more durable. Whatever reasons Wheeljack had for it, design limitations is not the reason for Hornet's frailty. I suspect it is linked to his obsession with duplicating the development of homo sapien children. In any case, he will not be forthcoming about Hornet's design capabilities and limitations."

[frigidmagi]

I start moving away from the lab and towards the bay, last I knew the squad or at least a majority of it was still there.

"You are very likely right. Still if nothing else his estimates would give me a place to start. I honestly know very little of Hornet other then the fact he is an experiment. Do you have any feel for what Hornet can and cannot do?" I ask has we move along.

[rhoenix]

Finishing up his Windshear sword forms, Blindside felt exhilarated. The two books Teletran-1 had uploaded for him had proved fascinating, and he planned to refer back to them when he had a free moment.

For now, however, he reverently placed the swords back on the rack he had retrieved them from, and walked out of the small training room, walking nearly silently, with his hands clasped behind his back as always. He headed to the Maintenance Bays, hoping to speak with Ratchet again.

He frowned as he reached the entrance to Maintenance Bay One, looking through the doorway to see a few Autobots in stasis lock, but nobody moving. Deciding to check the others, he began walking further down the hall, to see Deathstrike and another Autobot he hadn't been introduced to, apparently having an interesting conversation. At this he smiled, but they seemed to be deep in conversation, so he didn't interrupt them. Instead, he walked toward the next Maintenance Bay to see if Ratchet was located there.

[Cynical Cat]

"He is an excellent flier," said Deathstrike. "I saw him maneuver two Headmaster drones into a midair collision. He's brave, but his judgement is poor. He'll need a handler to prevent him from acting on inappropriate enthusiasms."

[frigidmagi]

"I am sure between you and Crimson you'll figure something out." I reply to him and see Blindside walking away. Oh No, can't have that.

"Blindside, join us for a moment, I have an announcement that concerns you. The rest of you, come here and line up" I wait for a bit as they do it.

"Bots, as of today I have been prompted to leadership of Squad Ico, which would be you, you as well Blindside. I have also been told I'm allowed to chose my second. Unless ordered otherwise, that will be Deathstrike. Now some of you may have reservations about my choice. Lucky for me, we are not a Democracy. Also we are going to start training in a organized manner both as individuals and as a squad. You will all report to the firing range in four Megacycles for marksmen evaluation for instant. You will receive further orders there. That is all." I announce.

[rhoenix]

Looking mildly surprised, Blindside turned and listened to the unfamiliar Autobot crisply discussing the composition of Squad Ico, which apparently included him.

At the end of his announcement, Blindside bowed to him in the same way he had to the others he'd met - his left hand clenched into a fist, his relaxed right hand covering it. "I had been told by Ironhide that I would be assigned a squad, and I am honored to meet my new squad leader, though I do not know your name. I will assist you and follow orders to the best of my ability, though I must warn you in advance that I have not fired a gun of any sort for nearly 84 Vorn, and had terrible aim before that."

[frigidmagi]

"I am Breakout and do not worry to much about your lack of practice with firearms. We will correct that. I am told you have practice in a form of martial art?" I ask.

[rhoenix]

For a microsecond, Blindside felt trepidation at the thought of shooting a gun. However, he remembered his brief conversation with Ratchet earlier, and it would seem that his time had come to come to become at ease with guns again.

Returning his attention to the present, he nodded calmly to the Autobot he now knew to be designated Breakout. "I am honored to meet you, Breakout. I have reached the rank of accomplished student in the art of Metallikado. As for properly learning how to shoot, I suppose I should have expected the necessity. I look forward to learning."

[Charon]

The rest of you, come here and line up

Shellshock paused as he was about to begin talking to Overload about Blindside. He glanced back at Breakout and nodded some. He knew that tone of voice and he knew that look. Shellshock fell in line quickly.

"Bots, as of today I have been prompted to leadership of Squad Ico, which would be you, you as well Blindside. I have also been told I'm allowed to chose my second. Unless ordered otherwise, that will be Deathstrike. Now some of you may have reservations about my choice. Lucky for me, we are not a Democracy. Also we are going to start training in a organized manner both as individuals and as a squad. You will all report to the firing range in four Megacycles for marksmen evaluation for instant. You will receive further orders there. That is all." I announce.

Shellshock's thoughts on Deathstrike being second in command are conflicted to say the least. Deathstrike is a recent defector, and as such putting him in that position is dangerous to say the least. But he is also easily the most qualified for the job, Shellshock had no delusions that he was any more than a soldier. On his face however, Shellshock displayed no sign of his own thoughts on the matter. As Breakout finished Shellshock gave him a proper salute, and then waited for Breakout to finish talking to Blindside.

[frigidmagi]

Returning his attention to the present, he nodded calmly to the Autobot he now knew to be designated Breakout. "I am honored to meet you, Breakout. I have reached the rank of accomplished student in the art of Metallikado. As for properly learning how to shoot, I suppose I should have expected the necessity. I look forward to learning."

"That is good Blindside. As for the Metallikado... Shellshock over here a moment... You are going to teach Shellshock what you can, and the both of you will instruct the squad on hand to hand tactics. I will inform you when the first squad wide lesson will be." I said.

[SirNitram]

"S'why we have a firing range, Firetrack." Overload rumbled to Blindside, using the old name. Shellshock.. Appeared to trust him. Overload just remembered an annoyance who delayed shipments, which is possibly the eighth deadly sin.

Deathstrike was considered a moment, before the shorter version of Overload wandered back to the trailer. True, Deathstrike was a Decepticon, and a lethally effective one. He had never renounced those ways, merely chosen the way that let him fight with honor. But Breakout trusted the veteran.

Overload transformed and backed up to attach the trailer, ruminating on that. There was, of course, the surface reason: Deathstrike had the glut of experience in the war and it's brutal head on tactics, and was by all accounts a truly lethal air commander. But it possibly went deeper; Deathstrike had tried to stop. And when forced to pick up the blaster again, he had chosen the Autobots, because he felt he could honourably follow Prime's orders.

As the hauler towed his way out of the repair bay and towards the target range.. He'd need lots of practice.. He ruminated on that. And then, there had been that planet mentioned in passing.. What had truly transpired, when Decepticons who had put down the blaster were found by Autobots who, perhaps, had not been ready to let go..

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke stood stock still, his face not betraying any emotion at the thought of taking orders from Deathstrike. Inside, he hated it, but he was a warbot and a soldier, he'd deal with it.

As Stryke listened to Breakout, he let a small smile slip onto his face. Breakout reminded him of a character from a human warfilm. All he needed was one of those wide brim hats that he had heard referred to as Smokey the Bear hats.

[rhoenix]

Breakout nodded crisply at Blindside's reply. "That is good Blindside. As for the Metallikado - Shellshock, over here a moment - you are going to teach Shellshock what you can, and the both of you will instruct the squad on hand to hand tactics. I will inform you when the first squad wide lesson will be."

At this, Blindside looked slightly up to Shellshock, smiling, before he turned back to look at Breakout directly. "I would be honored to do so."

Directly afterwards, he saw an Autobot that looked hauntingly familiar walk by him, and shortly before transforming, speaking to him non-chalantly. "S'why we have a firing range, Firetrack."

At this, Blindside almost did a double-take in surprise. "Overload! It's good to see you again." He paused for a moment, looking slightly guilty. "I should apologize for knocking over those cargo crates a few times, all those vorn ago."

[Charon]

Shellshock nodded some at Breakout's order. "I picked up some mettalikado a long time ago, so it shouldn't be too hard to pick it up again." A large part of Shellshock didn't want to go down the memories that were tied to those long ago practices with the distinguished master of mettalikado and one time friend, Bludgeon.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike headed to the firing range and programmed the holographic projectors to display a variety of moving targets: Seekers in both forms, low slung tanks, Casseticons, Chinese MiGs, human soldiers, and lumbering Guardians. These would be a good start.

[rhoenix]

Seeing the others disperse already, Blindside consulted his map for directions to the firing range. He faced Breakout, and nodded to him with respect. "I shall head to the firing range now, to see if I can make up a bit for lost time. Shellshock," he said, turning the much larger warbot, who at the moment looked pensive, "whenever you'd like to practice, please let me know. Perhaps the two of us, given your prior familiarity with the art, should come up with a good basic primer for the others."

Nodding to the rest with a smile, he walked in his usual way toward the firing range. Reaching it, his golden eyes dimmed slightly as he nonetheless tried not to show his dismay at the large variety of training weapons on the wall, having no idea which to pick. Shaking his head slightly, he settled on a rifle, walking with it to an open slot on the firing range.

[Charon]

With Blindside gone Shellshock looked to Breakout. "Sir, I assume you've been fully briefed on Blindside?" It was clear what the statement was, Blindside was possibly a spy.

[frigidmagi]

"I have, part of your job will be to learn how to counter his moves just in case. Feel free to teach the squad whatever Pit fighting moves you can as well. We're going to be in the thick of it." I tell Shellshock.

[Charon]

Shellshock chuckled. "Easiest way to do that is shoot 'em before they get to you, but I take your meaning. For the record, Overload and I knew Firetrack some, he's got the feel of Firetrack, though changed thanks to mettalikato, and he's got some of the small minor memories. If he is a spy, he's probably long-term." With that Shellshock saluted his superior officer and followed after Overload.