Transformers: Steel Reign

[General Havoc]

New Kaon, Former Republic of Qatar, Earth:

A lone figure stood atop the battlements of ferrocrete and tritanium, and gazed out over the empty night sky, letting the wind whistle across the rooftop and gently splay out the cloak of polymerized duranium that was fastned to the back of the figure's shoulders and neck. The cloak, like the figure itself, was pitch black, not glossy but worn and dark as the sky it stood before, barely visible at all before the lights of the Decepticon command center save for two coals of red light, narrowed and gazing out over the sea of sand. It made no movement, save a light drumming of the fingers of its left hand on the waist-high battlement, its thoughts hidden to all but itself. The only other visible object was a single hooked and cross-tapered blade, chrome-colored and glinting in the moonlight, affixed to the figure's right arm in place of a hand, resting serenely on the crenelations, a tool of the figure's trade.

It stood there, motionless save for its fingers and its cloak, a partly animate statue of metal and circuitry, staring after lord-knew-what, mind consumed with thoughts unknown. It made no gesture, not even when the footsteps of another Transformer appeared behind it, and approached to within killing range, for it already knew who this was, and what they wanted.

"Reaper," said Soundwave, "Lord Megatron commands your presence."

Reaper did not react to the news immediately, but made a low, indiscernible noise, like a prince or king lost in bloody thoughts. "Of course," he said finally, revealing no particular emotion in the words. It was clear that he had expected the summons, and it was equally clear he already knew what he expected Megatron to tell him.

*--------------------------------------------------------*

The doors to Megatron's throne room opened on their own accord, and in walked Reaper. He strode in purposefully, his blood-red optics fixed on nothing in particular, his scythe twitching against his side as though it were a willful thing of its own accord that obeyed only grudgingly the commands of its master. Down the hall and past the guards strode Reaper, and they parted before him, for they knew he would not hesitate and ask them to move, but shove, hack, or otherwise move past them should they dare to stand in his way. Rare and few were the Decepticons that Reaper showed any form of deference to.

But Megatron was one of them.

"Lord Megatron," said Reaper once he had reached the center of the room, and he stopped, and brought his scythe up to touch the flat of the blade to his forehead, before sweeping it down and across him in a strange form of salute. He inclined his head as he did this, ever so slightly, a very mild form of respect perhaps, but from Reaper, one of great significance.

"You called for me?"

[Cynical Cat]

Slipstream's engines were powerful, but Deathstrike's powered that of a much more massive warmachine that functioned as a high speed interceptor. Deathstrike couldn't turn on a dime and the energy costs of operating at high speed were ferocious, but he could outmuscle the lighter Autobot easily.

He's going to scrape me against the rock, he thought. Moron. He lives in a space ship that survived reentry and plowing into a mountain. He's in combat with a Decepticon warrior with heavy armour plate. And who can fly.

Grabbed Slipstream and wrapped the smaller Autobot in a bear hug that he had used to crush the armour, servomotors, and life out of other Cybertronians. He went to full power on his thrusts, aiming their combined mass away from the rock face and towards the sky.

Nuclear engines whined and then roared as they went to full power and plasma streams lashed the air. Their earlier momentum was enough for Slipstream's trick to work, sort of. A human machine would have been junked, but Deathstrike could fly through a human fighter with only a few scratches to his paint job. The impact caused minor damage and then they were up in the air. And Deathstrike was squeezing.

[General Havoc]

The first, and as it turned out, only warning that Hornet got, was the sound of several jet engines straining.

He glanced upwards, still melancholy over what had happened, seeking solace, and saw two Cybertronian jets rocketing towards him like meteors in reverse. He had exactly enough time to gasp, cry out, and dive for the ground. It was that last item which saved him from being crushed or incinerated, as Slipstream and Deathstrike passed right overhead at unfortunately large rates of speed, plowing into and gouging a trough through the rock face before them, showering Hornet with bits of rock large enough to kill a human outright, which fortunately simply pinged off his metal skin.

He stood there and gaped for a moment or two as Slipstream and Deathstrike wrestled with one another. Only after he came to his senses, did he shift back into his airplane form and take off, keeping a decent distance, but staying within visual range of the two.

This did NOT look like a training exercise.

[SirNitram]

"....You know, that doesn't sound good." Overload rumbled, drawing out the massive energy sword he kept in his subspace pocket. He moved to guard Thundercracker's inert form and his brother. "Prepare for inbounds. Sounds like someone's going to be fighting all the way in."

[rhoenix]

Despite having run all the way into the forestland, Blindside was still vaguely aware of what was happening outside the entrance to the Ark. He was enjoying his night-time stalk through the forest when he heard the sound of powerful engines, joined by the sound of Deathstrike's fusion jets, which made him curious enough to look, seeing the two in a full-on fight in the air.

Making an instant decision, he began moving at a wolf-like effortless lope in his lupine form back toward the Ark. Blindside burst out of the forest and closed the distance toward to the two aerial combatants, locked in their struggle high above the ground.

[LadyTevar]

Outside, Crimson had burned out most of her rage, as could be seen by the circle of torn-up dirt from her backwheel digging in and doughnut-ing the ground. Now there was just the quiet rumble of her idling engine, the sound so many humans described as a growled 'potato-potato-potato'.

She'd ignored the discussion between Slipstream and Deathstrike, although her sensors had shown their positions exactly. It wasn't her concern at all, until the two blips collided and the roar of jet engines straining echoed around her.

Instantly transforming, she looked up in time to see the two combattants twisting skyward. "Well....... that's just Prime......." she muttered. Her sensors picked up the smaller form of Hornet, following them, which made it even more interesting. Yet, it was to only one 'bot she opened the private comm. "Other Autobots might think otherwise, but somehow I don't think you started this fight, Deathstrike. SitRep?"

[Cynical Cat]

"No," replied Deathstrike as he squeezed Slipstream, "I started it. This shouldn't be too many more astroseconds." Metal creaked and deformed under his embrace. "I have the situation in hand."

[LadyTevar]

The answer made her shake her head. "At least you're honest about it," she radioed back to the Decepticon. "I hope it's worth the punishment you'll get over it. Watch for Hornet flying your six, he may decide to help."

[B4UTRUST]

Damage indicators were screaming. Systems failures were massive to say the least. But he still had options. He still had flight capability and he still had weapons systems. And he had a pissed off Con hanging on tight to him at high speeds.

He flashed targeting codes through his systems, locking onto Deathstrike's transponder signature. All of his missiles were contained in the lower part of his form, not his midsection. Missiles that were far faster then he, or even Starscream for that matter. And much more manuverable. Panels opened in an instant as over two dozen of his missiles poured out of the opening, arcing out, up and back down into the back of Deathstrike.The missiles were designed to fell Seekers in one or two hits. Even heavy armor would breach to that many hits.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike was slightly surprised that Slipstream had fired missiles against a foe in melee. There was a reason it wasn't done. The Decepticon veteran matched his transponder code to Slipstream's, initiated jamming, popped flares, chaff, chameleon pods that produced signatures that matched Deathstrike's new profile and energy signatures, and fired his thruster at an angle. They spun, leaving Slipstream's fuselage positioned between Deathstrike and a very confused plunging missile swarm.

[LadyTevar]

The streaks firing from SlipStream were unmistakable. The Lugnut's firing MISSILES?! screamed through Crimson's processor in the nanosecond before she put out a emergency call to the full squad. "Slipstream's fired on Deathstrike! BackUp Needed!"

[rhoenix]

Crimson put out a emergency call to the full squad. "Slipstream's fired on Deathstrike! BackUp Needed!"

At this, Blindside leapt into the air in his dire lupine form, and landed in his Lamborghini Reventon form, his motor roaring as he revved up the RPM's before he even landed properly. His speedometer flashed past 100 MPH in seconds, then 200 MPH. Without bothering to brake to a halt, he intentionally used a rock jutting out of the ground as a ramp, transforming back into his wolf form, running as he hit the ground to close the last few meters toward Crimson and the other assembling members of his squad.

Trotting to a halt, he sat on his haunches near Crimson, looking up at the melee above him. "Well," he said in the more feral voice he had when in his lupine form, "I didn't expect this to happen."

[Dark Silver]

Optimus was alerted to the fight the moment it occured, TELETRAN was good at keeping him on tabs. Whe the missiles where fired, Prime left the repair bay, and was out of the Arc in under fiften seconds - no Autobot was stupid enough to get in his way at the speeds he was moving in his hauler form.

Prime transformed once more as he cleared the Ark's entry-way, miniture boosters beneath the forward section of the semi's cab threw him into the air, as his body shifted and changed, the laser rifle coming out in a moment.

Prime's optic sensors locked onto the swarm of missiles, even as he was in the air, changing the rifle to wide dispersal, and obliterated them in one well place blast right between Slipstream and the swarm. They commited fratricide then, and Prime's rifle was already swung to the other two targets.

There was much in the way of heresay in the ability of Optimus Prime to lock onto targets, even rumors that with his rifle, he could burn a hole into a Seeker at over thirty miles out with pinpoint accuracy.

Those who witnessed the next two narrow beam shots would not doubt those rumors, as the next volley tore into both Slipstream's thrusters, and hold into Deathstrike's arms and legs.

Prime landed on his feet, laser rifle pointed down, waiting for the mess two fighters to fall, so he could beat sense into their logic processors.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike dropped Slipstream and redirected his thrusters. Damage analysis filled his data arrays.

Armour Breaches
Arm Main Power Lines: Severed
Arm Main Actators: Offline
Arm Functionality: 18%
Leg Primary Motive Systems: Offline
Engine Power: 37%

He landed in a flare of fire and dust. Prime had fired on him. Prime.

Smoke poured from the breaches in his armour. He could walk. Just. And perhaps beat Bumblebee in an arm wrestling contest.

"That was unwise Prime," Deathstrike rumbled. Not a threat. On his best day, he could take Prime. By dumping a load of heavy missiles with focused armour piercers into the Autobot Leader's back. He had no intention of initiating violence.

He strode forward. "You should have let me deal with him."

[Dark Silver]

Prime's optics focused on Deathstrike.

"I fired on both of you. I didn't choose favorites."

His voice was the same timber as always, that deep baritone, but underneath it seemed to have a sense of anger to it, "You'll both be taken to the CR chambers, then your both going to be spending the next lunar cycle oiling and waxing Omega Supreme's skidplates."

Prime put away his rifle, as four Autobots rushed from the Ark, moving towards Slipstream and Deathstrike, "And if I have to beat tolerence, obdience and teamwork into both your primary processors, by the Matrix I will....."

Prime remained where he stood, watching.

Even his great patience was wearing thin....

[Cynical Cat]

"I see," said Deathstrike. "Firing on disobedient robots is fine for Optimus Prime, but it is not for his officers. Of course, I haven't been insubordinate, intolerant or disobeyed any orders. The only one who has been insubordinate, intolerant, and disobedient is Slipstream and I was disciplining him, severely, since lesser measures had failed."

[Dark Silver]

"At least I left you both primarily whole, instead of in scraps to be scrapped up from the landscape. We'll discuss it after your repair cycle, with your Commanding Officer present. Dismissed Deahtstrike."

Those within earshot had to wonder if it was irony that Prime dismissed a now crippled Mech - one who he had just crippled - or it was just Prime rubbing it in.

Of course, Slipstream's damage was much worse than Deathstrike's, blowing a hole into the primary propulsion system of a Aerialbot tended to hurt more than just immobilizing their arms and legs.

It didn't change the fact that Optimus turned his back on Deathstrike, and stalked back to the Ark.....he still has Thundercracker and Wideload to see to.....

[Cynical Cat]

I have no obligations to a leader who treats me dishonorably, thought Deathstrike as we limped towards the Ark. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings," Deathstrike whispered. His eyes flashed for a moment as he stalked towards the repair bay.

[General Havoc]

Hornet had remained under cover as the missiles and beams of energy began flying, but when Optimus came out and loudly pronounced his judgment, Hornet stood back up slowly and just watched. He hesitated, as Prime turned back to return to the Ark, but then took a deep breath, squeezed his hands into little balls tightly, and ran after Optimus.

"O... Op... Optimus?" he said nervously, as he always did on the rare occasions he spoke to Optimus Prime.

"S... Slipstream... Slipstream said that... that he was gonna... gonna kill me... and other things... when we were training," he said haltingly, staring down at the ground, wishing he didn't have to say any of this. "D... Dea... Deathstrike told him to stop it... and got... got mad with... with Slipstream when he wouldn't stop. I... I think that's why... they started fighting..."

[LadyTevar]

Crimson felt she should say something... but Pits, it was Prime! Shellshock and Overload may make jokes about knowing him before he was Prime, but Crimson was activated afterwards, and in a way she had the usual quiet respect and near reverence for the Autobot leader that many bots younger than her had. Elita-1, she'd have questioned, because Elita-1 was approachable, to Crimson's thinking. Optimus ... was Optimus.

Thus, when Crimson moved, it wasn't towards Optimus, but to her squadmate Deathstrike, catching up to the wounded Decepticon and falling in step (two for his one) beside him. "So, after BreakOut punches Slipstream back onto his afterburner, now you felt the need to rip him to scrap?" she asked casually. "When do we get our turn at the arrogant lugnut?"

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke had been a few seconds behind Optimus, and watched him fire. The warbot said nothing as Prime said his piece. His gaze shifted to the red fembot, he watched as she moved over and had to jog along side the wounded Deathstrike. Even with the former 'Con being on the same side, he still didn't like the idea of Crim being near him. He narrowed his eyes, stepping back and letting them pass.

[LadyTevar]

As Crimson passed Stryke, she looked back over her shoulder at him.

I should say something to him.
No ... Not now....
He's still probably mad at me right now.
Later. I'll talk to him later, after the fuss dies down.

All this crosses her face, giving her a slightly sad look before she turned her head forward and continued walking with Deathstrike towards the CR chambers.

[rhoenix]

Blindside had remained silent throughout the whole scene. At this point, he wasn't sure what to think. One one hand, Optimus Prime' actions pretty decisively ended the fight, and had assigned a menial punishment to both Slipstream and Deathstrike for resorting to full violence against once another, something he had seen only once before in his admittedly relatively short time being active.

On the other hand...the leader of the Autobots, holder of the Matrix, shot two of his own, something he had never even heard of happening. Once he was over his shock, it said something about the underlying mood of the Autobots here, on this small world. Had the fight become so desperate over time?

He began walking inside as the others did, transforming smoothly into his robot mode as he did, ending up walking alongside Stryke.

"Wow," he said, somewhat anti-climactically. He really couldn't think of what else to say.

[Charon]

Shellshock had listened carefully, gauging distances, weapons fire, possible combatants. The old warbot didn't move from his position as he slowly shook his head. "Limited combatants, with missile fire. The fight is still outside, not moving inside."

As Optimus left Shellshock was now even more certain that the fight was going to be handled, two shots later the sound of the struggle ceased. Shellshock had been raising his cannon some, but with that he now lowered it some as he confered with Teletran-1 as to what was going on.

Shellshock looked over at Overload. "Deathstrike was just fighting Slipstream, seriously enough for Slipstream to shoot live missiles."

[Cynical Cat]

"This was not about ego or wrath," said Deathstrike. "Slipstream was proving intractable to all forms of discipline. We cannot succeed as a team with rogue disrupting elements and we need him to be reliable to cover us from air attack. Utterly reliable. We all will hold each other's lives in our hands.

"I took drastic measures. It might have worked. It still might have worked if Slipstream realizes that I defeated him with his own missile volley and only Optimus's intervention averted that. But I do not think so. My credibility as Breakout's second has been undermined by the leader of the Autobots. Breakout's credibility as leader has in turn been undermined by his chosen subordinate's disastrous failure.

Slipstream will be less manageable than ever. The team will not cohere. And we will not be ready for the mission until after the Decepticons have another chance to crush us."