IC Time on Earth: Tue Aug 27 16:36:30 2024

Holo Arena

Inside the Holo Arena are black, rubber-coated walls to protect the steel and also to reduce the noise, as these sparring matches can get very violent. A central control room is suspended from the ceiling, heavily reinforced to protect the advanced computer that controls the holo-imaging and stores thousands of simulation scenariors. If a desired scenario isn't already available, then the computer allows for additional programming.

Contents:

Comcast

Training Drone <NCC/Trypticon>

Catechism comes into the Holo Arena.

Comcast is setting up a combat scenario with the drone. Ho hum, boring drone. Wouldn't it be more fun to fight someone a little more real?

Fleet stomps in. Yes, the seeker that keeps his anti-gravs on low-power most of the time is currently stomping. Fleet... FLEET is looking for something to hit. It doesn't take much observational ability to discern that something is bothering the pastel pyramid.

Catechism has finally recovered from that fight from Silverbolt, and while she's in her normal happy state, it's rather a violent sort of happy. The sort of happy that breaks knees with a smile. The holo arena is a safe place to go break knees. Sure, she could raid, but she's not going to do that alone... then she notices that there are two other Seekers here. Oh dear.

Comcast is indeed here, and glad to see the other two of his kind. "Judging by the fact that you are where you are..." He says to Fleet, "And the mood you're in, I'm assuming you need some percussion-related therapy." He reaches out and powers down the drone. He also glances at Catechism, expecting her to chime in on the matter as well.

Fleet jumps into the air and then finds a good spot in which to hover. He looks down at Comcast and nods, although he still delays speaking for a moment longer, as though it takes effort to properly operate his processor. "Yes. Percussion-related therapy is... a good way to phrase it."

"Well, I just want to beat on something," Catechism says bluntly, staring at some point in space. She's still a bit peeved about that last raid. Yes, they got energon, which pleases her, but they could have got more, and since when did Autobots have wings? Flight is the right of Decepticons!

The skies do in fact belong to the Decepticons. At least, this is what Comcast thought too. He should really introduce these two to some aerialbots sometime. "Well, perhaps a vent is what is needed. I propose the two of you against me." He stands up, eyeing his two opponents. "And furthermore, I suggest that we be prepared for anything. Including surprise attacks!" As the Seeker says this, he draws an arm rifle up and fires a quick blast at Catechism, before firing his anti-gravs and flying away.

Comcast misses Catechism with his Energy Rifle! (Low) attack.

Like Fleet needs to be introduced to the Aerialbots. Apparently, Comcast didn't read the report where-in Fulcrum commended him for not dying while fighting Silverbolt. Not that this matters, because none here can read thoughts. But vent? Yes, that sounds good. Fleet flies straight at Comcast, his attack lacking some of his usual grace, and aims his shoulder mounted weapons at the red seeker as he does.

Comcast evades your Death By A Thousand Papercuts attack.

Catechism must have been listening to Comcast, because she was indeed prepared for that attack. She jumps to one side and then up into the air. Catechism glances over at Fleet. Usually, when it comes to real battle, she tells him to go grab whatever it is they're stealing and run away while she draws the Autobot fire. He's lighter and more fluid in flight than she is, and flying mixed can be rather tricky. Shrugging, as too much thought will just get her shot, she fires off a disruptor round at Comcast.

Catechism strikes Comcast with disruptor.

Comcast focusses on Fleet too much to pay enough attention to Cate. Silly Comcast! The Seeker catches a blast from Cate. Perhaps he'll have better luck dealing with Fleet, who he unleashes a higher-charge upon, since his other arm-rifle has had a moment to charge up.

Comcast strikes you with Energy Rifle! (High) for 7 points of damage.

Yes! Focus upon the Fleet, for he is mighty! He is also hit (possibly because he does not bother to duck), but not badly. He takes the attack in his left shoulder, but shakes it off easily enough as he continues to close on Comcast, readying the fist of his uninjured left arm in an attempt to strike the other seeker in the face. Woah. No dodging and a melee attack. Curiouser and curiouser...

You strike Comcast with The Mighty Fist of Fleet!

Being ignored by her enemies in battle suits Catechism just fine, although she's a little worried that Comcast went right for Fleet. She knows that she can take at least more than a few hits before going down, and she is not so sure about the yellow Seeker. If Fleet goes down, it'll just be her against Comcast, Catechism doesn't look forward to that. That red Seeker hits hard. She ascends higher and increases the space between herself and him. Then, taking a bit of time to set up the shot, as Comcast is paying more attention to Fleet and Catechism doesn't want to hit the melee-close Fleet by mistake, she fires with an arm laser and dives away.

Catechism misses Comcast with her laser attack.

Comcast catches Fleet's fist, proving her theory about not being unable to dodge that kind of attack for now. The red Seeker uses his anti-gravs to fly around so that Fleet is now obscuring the line-of-sight between Catechism and Comcast. Comcast gets a quick jab into an exposed area in case Fleet was planning on relocating himself as well.

Comcast strikes you with Precise Jab for 7 points of damage.

Fleet growls. He's not using any of his usual style, none of his normal grace, and not paying any attention to tactic, meaning he's not paying any attention to the fact that he's now in between himself and Catechism. He's simply striking out at what's in front of him, and right now what's in front of him happens to be Comcast. He swings his leg, hoping to connect against the other with his very inconsiderable might. Ha!

You strike Comcast with kick.

Catechism curses inwardly. Her shot missed, Fleet's in too close to get a clear shot at Comcast, and Fleet's acting rather weird. She considers radioing Fleet to work some plan out, but she remembers that Comcast is a communications spook. If she radios Fleet, it stands to reason that Comcast can hear it, which makes the point rather moot. Hissing in frustration, the conehead selects one of her low powered attacks and hopes for the best as she takes aim.

Catechism strikes Comcast with Zap!.

Comcast's might is even less considerable, and the kick manages to make a healthily-sized dent in his frame. And Fleet STILL doesn't serve as adequate cover! This close-quarters thing isn't working all that good. "Ghrah.." the Seeker grumbles as he escapes from close-quarters battle with Fleet, deciding to fire up his sonics and rattle both of his opponents. The sound pulses through the arena, in a totally non-invisible manner. This is a cartoon, after all.

Comcast unleashes his Sonic Shriekers! (Pulse) attack on Fleet and Catechism, striking Catechism and Fleet.

Fleet is knocked back by the funky wavy lines. Are they blue? Red? Apparently they are purple! He covers his audio sensors futilely as the sonics rattle his circuits, but it seems to have knocked some sort of sense into him. He flies upwards after Comcast, but in a wide, spiraling pattern, obviously intending to keep his distance this time. His expression is still angry, however, rather then the intense look of concentration he normally wears in combat. As he nears a level with Comcast he reaches out and fires.

Outside, Fleet strikes Comcast with Shoulder-Mounted Laser.

Catechism sighs with relief as she sees that her shot hit Comcast, not Fleet. This would be easier if Fleet would get out of the way, or does he expect her to get in close and sock Comcast, too? She wouldn't mind doing that, she really wouldn't, especially so given that one little report, but she remembers just how damaging Comcast can be, and her most effective attack are distance attacks. Then Catechism gets hit by those painful, noisy lines. Ah, irony. Shaking herself, audios still ringing, Catechism is silently thankful that Fleet removed himself from close quarters, aims at Comcast's torso, and fires her taser.

Catechism strikes Comcast with taser.

Oh great, Comcast has now taught both of them to keep their distance. Now there goes all his cover! The Seeker decides that if he's going to have to lose this, he's going to take at least one of them with him. He unleashes a full-charge blast at Catechism while he soars through the air, hoping to avoid the energy blasts zipping through the air by either opponent.

Comcast strikes Catechism with Energy Rifle! (High).

Fleet's 'run-away' instincts have started to kick in, and he begins to fly away from Comcast before it hits him: this is the arena! He can't get hurt here! Normally he's able to keep that at the forefront of his circuitry in here, but this time he wasn't not using all his parallel processing paths. The damage and the attempt at escape are enough to bring his mind down to- no, up into the clouds, where it belongs. Because he's a seeker, dammit! He doesn't belong on Earth! So he spins suddenly where he is and fires blindly, not bothering to aim.

Comcast evades your Shoulder-Mounted Lasers (pulsed mode) attack.

Outside, Fleet misses Comcast with his Shoulder-Mounted Lasers (pulsed mode) attack.

+ooc :+misses. :)

<OOC> Fleet +misses. :)

Catechism is still recovering from that sonic shriek and is hit squarely by Comcast's rifle blast. She falls backwards for a while but manages to stabilize her flight. Aw, scrap. There goes that altitude advantage. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, she swoops under Comcast and tries to hit him from below, clicking her arm guns' settings over to gauss.

Outside, Catechism strikes Comcast with gauss.

Catechism strikes Comcast with gauss.

<OOC> Comcast says, "You're not supposed to say that! :P"

<OOC> Catechism says, "Fleet missing makes me hit! Fleet should miss more often. ;)"

+ooc :is giving you a hard time, Comcast. :)

<OOC> Fleet is giving you a hard time, Comcast. :)

Comcast catches ANOTHER blast from Catechism AGAIN. Slag it all! Didn't he upgrade his evasion programming for a reason? The Red Seeker transforms to unleash some /real/ firepower. In his F-15 mode Comcast banks around and opens fire on Catechism with a full discharge of his energy weapons.

Comcast's arms move towards his back as his chest and wings shift themselves until he once again resembles an F-15 fighter jet.

Outside, Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> strikes Catechism with Wing Mounted Laser! (HIGH).

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> strikes Catechism with Wing Mounted Laser! (HIGH).

\Comcast is concentrating on Catechism. Strange. Or maybe not. She is the tougher of the two, and Fleet is apparently running a few transistors short of a proper cognitive pathway. Still, he's calming, focusing more on actually fighting and less on just randomly hitting things. He flies down, rolling as he does so that by the time he's beneath Comcast he's point more or less straight up, and fires at the jet's underbelly.

Comcast is concentrating on Catechism. Strange. Or maybe not. She is the tougher of the two, and Fleet is apparently running a few transistors short of a proper cognitive pathway. Still, he's calming, focusing more on actually fighting and less on just randomly hitting things. He flies down, rolling as he does so that by the time he's beneath Comcast he's point more or less straight up, and fires at the jet's underbelly.

attack comcast=ballistic

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> evades your Rail Gun attack.

Outside, Fleet misses Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> with his Rail Gun attack.

+ooc If it makes you feel any better, that miss was legit. ;)

<OOC> Fleet says, "If it makes you feel any better, that miss was legit. ;)"

Catechism flies shakily now, as Comcast's last shot quite literally clipped her wings, and all that other damage is really adding up. It vaguely occurs to her that this is a worse beating than the one she took from Silverbolt, and this pleases her, oddly enough. The conehead would much rather get smacked around by a proper Decepticon Seeker than some shoddy Autobot imitation, although it is rather a rock and a hard place choice; all in all, she'd rather be the one doing the smacking. She pulls up a bit, wincing as her systems protest. Ignoring their complaints, she pulls up a bit higher and then tries to drops down and grab Comcast. A jet can't punch her, and if she's right there, the jet can't shoot her either. Hopefully, Fleet can still snipe at Comcast's underbelly, if she connects. If she doesn't connect, she'll look rather silly.

Catechism succeeds in grasping Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast>, throwing him off-balance.

This beating is worse? Ooh, Tell Comcast! He'd love to find THAT out.

But either way, he is now faced with a weak spot that Catechism is about to exploit. Well, there is one thing he could do, though it could end up hurting him too. Comcast begins the dive, hoping to be the one who makes it outta here alive..

Catechism can't tell Comcast, because she's just been knocked off Comcast and towards Fleet. Next time, get a better grip, girl. Tsk.

You evade Catechism's ram attack.

The pastel seeker twists to the side as Comcast dives past him, throwing Catechism in his direction as he does. So now he's above the two, and may as well increase the distance. He flies upward, transforming as he goes. At the top of his flight he does an inward loop and starts diving again, but there's no time in this turn for him to actually target Comcast with his rockets.

Catechism may have missed Fleet, but she does end up getting up close and personal with the floor, as her downward momentum just keeps going. Peeling herself off the floor, Catechism stifles a groan. She stands up slowly, makes a face, more out of pain than intent to insult, and tries to get in a shot on the red jet.

Catechism misses Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> with her laser attack.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast>, thankfully, dodges the blast. This is, after all, his low armour mode. He decides to do something about that, transforming. "Clever move there Catechism," he says whilst still in motion in the sky. He sends a single stream of his sonic attack towards her as her reward. "You just need to consider the matter a little more."

The sounds of gears whirring and a jet engine dying down can be heard, as Comcast shifts his form into his natural state.

Comcast misses Catechism with his Sonic Shriekers! attack.

Pyramid Jet (Fleet), however, stays in his low-armor mode, because otherwise, he wouldn't be able to use his rockets, which was the whole point of getting into his jet form to begin with! He's finally targeted Comcast, who's a bit busy at the moment missing Catechism while he tries to taunt her! Unfortunately for him, words do not hurt worse then sonic shriekers. Sticks, stones, and shriekers, after all. No matter. The yellow jet lines up his sights and unleashes his rockets against the red one, lifting his nose-cone just after he fires.

Comcast evades your rocket attack.

Comcast isn't taunting, he's praising!

Well, those /really/ don't hurt.

Being down on the ground gives Catechism the fantastic ability to dodge sound waves. Grinning slightly, she tosses off a salute, which she rather forgot to do when she first entered, the bad, bad conehead, and shouts back up Comcast, "Thank you, sir. Will remember that in the future." And then she shoots at him, which generally seems to work with a decent amount of success, unlike grabbing him.

Catechism strikes Comcast with disruptor.

Uh-oh, thinks Comcast. Catechism is going to shoot him again, which generally seems to work with a decent amount of success, unlike grabbing him! And connect it does.. sending a sharp blast through his wing. At least the blast helps to steer him clear of Fleet's rockets. Comcast is starting to think he'll lose here. But slag it all, he's not going to depart without at least trying to splat one of them. He levels both his arm-rifles at the Tetra-jet coloured that pastel shade of yellow that he knows so well.

You evade Comcast's Energy Rifle! (High) attack.

Fleet barrel-rolls out of the way of Comcast's attack, and it's a good thing, too, as that would have probably /hurt/! He transforms as he rolls, then pulls his legs in as he beings tumbling in the air, coming to a stop and straightening again when he's 'standing' relative to Comcast, making it easier to reach out and touch him with his shoulder-mounted rifles. Maybe.

Comcast evades your Death By A Thousand Papercuts attack.

Catechism wobbles. Getting back in the air might be a bit tricky, given how rattled her systems are. She's still, smiling, though. Her shot connected, and Comcast is trying to shoot Fleet instead of her. Life is, relatively speaking, good. If she's just going to stand down herd like a sitting mechaduck, the conehead figures that she can at least be a carnivorous mechaduck and flicks her arm guns over to gauss before firing at her ruddy target.

Catechism strikes Comcast with gauss.

Comcast isn't going to continue shooting Fleet forever, you know. Pretty soon he might want to just hit Catechism. Or, who knows, Fleet AND Catechism. Like right now! The Red Seeker unleashes a powerful sonic assault again, pulsing throughout the entire arena once more.

Comcast unleashes his Sonic Shriekers! (Pulse) attack on Fleet and Catechism, striking no one.

Fleet leans 'back' (more like up, but we're dealing with funky 3-d space and folks who can 'stand' in non-upright positions and other freaky things like that) and flies away from Comcast, twisting enough to avoid the purple sonic lines. He switches the mode of his shoulder weapons as he continues to turn and reaches for his foe again. By now he has calmed back into his normal state. His expression is no longer angry, and his thoughts are on the dance, not just random hitting-stuff.

Comcast evades your disruptor attack.

Catechism also manages to avoid the evil wavy lines but decides that maybe she should make the effort and get back into the air. The floor is not a place for a Seeker, and the pain has started to dull a little. Gingerly leaving the ground, she is more confident once in the air and plots a course that'll take her under Comcast and then up behind him. As she's trying that path, Catechism snipes at Comcast with a low powered blast, intending to distract him enough to accomplish her goal.

Catechism strikes Comcast with Zap!

Ahh, a reprieve from Fleet! He may not last long in battle, but he can dish it out pretty well while he's there. However, Catechism is still connecting with her blasts. Comcast makes it his own self-imposed goal. He's not going to last very long against both of them, but he's going to bring at least one of them down before he dies. And, sadly, that means FLEET MUST DIE. The Red Seeker believes that those wavy lines that he sent out before lulled Fleet into a false sense of security, so another batch of them aimed specifically at the wait-light of the traffic light of EEBIL will be sufficient in taking him out.

He hopes.

You evade Comcast's Sonic Shriekers! attack.

Fleet is /not/ lulled into a false sense of security, because he tends to always worry about getting hurt. He's a coward, after all! Says so in his note! In fact, the more focused attack is easier to avoid as he falls out of the way of the attack, going heels over head and then turning again head over heels as he falls until he's once more upright and facing Comcast. He leaves his antigravs powered only high enough to keep him balanced in the air, but not enough to stop his downward momentum as he balls his left hand into a fist and punches it in the Red Seeker's direction, firing as he makes this move.

You strike Comcast with Rail Gun.

Training Drone <NCC/Trypticon> hovers over to Comcast and revives it with a quick zap of energy. "You require additional training to defeat this unit at this skill level."

Catechism descends and saunters over to the fallen Comcast. She ducks down slightly and offers Comcast what should be a friendly hand up, if not for the wicked grin on her face. The conehead says mildly, "Good fight, sir."

Comcast was expecting to be taken out.. but at least it was a nice change. You can't win everything. "I'm glad you enjoyed it.." The battered and beaten seeker says as he takes Catechism's hand. "And again, well done on some original concepts."

Fleet circles around once before landing near the other two, a slight smile actually brushing his expression as he does. "Thank you, Comcast. I really did need that. I had tried beating on some drones earlier, but they aren't quite the same for venting one's frustrations."

Comcast chuckles as he points to some of the various wounds on his frame, namely a few rail-gun blasts. "I hope that you are sufficiently vented, then." He says, assuming Cate helps him to his feet.

"I am," the yellow seeker answers, nodding his head once. "The problem is not gone, of course. If there is one. But at least now I have a better chance of approaching it with a clear mind." He looks up towards the ceiling of the arena and shakes his head a bit more briskly, as though trying to dislodge something unwanted from it. "Which is for the best. My processors are the best things I've got going for me, I really need them operating at full."

"Well.. good." Comcast says, as the holographic damage blurrs, pixellates and vanishes, leaving him in pristine condition. "So what is it /exactly/ that is troubling you so, Fleet?" He asks inquisitively.

Catechism does indeed help Comcast to his feet, if a bit roughly. Ah, she's just a clumsy old conehead; that has to be it. After all, Catechism would never go out of her way to hurt another Decepticon, short of these delightful training fights, let alone another Seeker, without due reason. She's rather pleased that Fleet landed the knock-out hit. Being beaten by Fleet has a way of adding insult to injury.

Fleet looks at Comcast, then to Catechism, then back to Comcast. "I'm not really sure I can go into details. I'm drawing conclusions from incomplete information to begin with. I have some facts on something that really isn't my business, which can be worse then no facts, and couldn't help drawing some conclusions from what I do know. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong. But... what I do know couldn't exactly be avoided, I was part of it, but..." his hands leave his side, palms up, and his gaze drops down, "but the conclusion, even if I am right, is probably something I wasn't supposed to be able to figure out."

Comcast crosses his arms, not buying into the cop-out. "And this would be..?"

Catechism steps away from Fleet, distancing herself from him slightly. She hasn't figured out anything, and if Fleet knows something that he shouldn't, she doesn't want to be tarred with that brush. She just got out of stasis, after all.

The protective lids close over Fleet's optics as he crosses his arms and shakes his head. "I think I've figured out what Arachnae is up to. I don't like it," he says, the statement blunt compared with his earlier verbal tip-toeing.

Comcast doesn't unfold him arms, but he takes several steps closer. "And what would that be..?" He asks in a softer tone as he leans in.

Catechism looks slightly worried and says, pawing at the floor with a foot absently, "Techs get up to all sorts of things. Why worry about it?"

Fleet opens his optics again, looking at the now-much-closer Comcast. "Something I'm probably not supposed to know, or she, or someone else, would have told me." He doesn't back up, standing his ground and looking Comcast straight in the eye, his jaw set.

"So this is merely your own speculation?" The inquisative Communications officer says. "You're not breaking any pacts of secrecy by telling me my /theories,/ are you?" He's trying to make Fleet feel silly for all this, without offending him /too/ much. "You won't get in trouble, Fleet. You're doing nothing wrong."

"I think Arachnae's giving, or planning to give, wings to Autobots," murmurs the yellow seeker.

Catechism glances over at Fleet. She's not terribly inclined to trust Comcast, but then, Decepticons generally aren't very trustworthy critters. And then Fleet explains, and her jaw drops. The conehead's got a rather 'guh' look on her face, and she just gapes, not saying anything.

Comcast's optics widen. "..You mean..?" He says, wondering if he's misunderstanding him somehow. "Well, that doesn't make any.. but then again she's not known to.. but what would the point be for her to.. " Comcast shakes it all off. "It would help to explain matters, at least." He says.

Catechism stares blankly at Fleet and then blurts, "That doesn't make any sense! Why would *anyone* want to do that? The Autobots are bad enough as is. Why give them our gift of flight?"

Fleet keeps his arms crossed, and his head does not rise. He keeps his optics turned towards the plain floor of the arena, Comcast's feet, whatever else might happen to be in that direction, although he doesn't give the impression of actually seeing it. "I could be wrong." He pauses. "I hope I'm wrong, but that's the way the pieces seem to fit together."

Catechism glances around and shakes her head. This is too much for her. Perhaps the dancer just has too much of an imagination to him. Perhaps. She looks to the exit and comments flatly, "I'm going to head off."

Catechism exits the Holo Arena.

"Indeed they do.." The Seeker says, his mind swimming with it all. "I think it best if I process this." He starts making his way for the door. "I'm glad you enjoyed our little training session.. but I'm afraid I have to resolve this in my cerebral unit before I continue."