<Public> The Walk Light of EVIL, Catechism says, "Er, that was weird

NCC Medical Ward

The Crystal City repair bay is far larger than previous versions in Imperial Headquarters or Trypticon himself. Clearly it was designed by a medic, for a medic. The entire room is rectangular in nature with medical beds arranged in a neat grid pattern. The beds themselves vary, with some being precious little more than metal slabs, and others having full scanners and tools attached, as well as everything in between. In total, there are about twenty beds. There is room for more in an emergency situation. The cabinets line the walls, spaced out between medical terminals. Everything has a place, and organization is key. With battle mode being initiated, the huge windows are covered up as the bay is encased in metal for its own protection. Access can still be gained with the right codes, however. Red warning lights flash on and off.

Contents:

Comcast

Chimera

Arachnae

Scrapper's Art <SA> - Fourteen Pieces

MSE CO OFFICE (Earth)

Gumby Medic <NCC>

Obvious exits:

South <S> leads to NCC Central Command.

Southeast <SE> leads to NCC Central Hub.

East <E> leads to Mount R'Lyeh.

Catechism arrives from the NCC Central Hub to the southeast.

Catechism has arrived.

Arachnae stands up with all the grace and deadly poise of a hunter. "Actually, Comcast. I need another subject. Swindle was going to make attempt but I tire of waiting. This experiment needs to draw to a close and quickly."

Experiment. At least Arachnae isn't 'Bouncy' anymore. "If you need my aid, it's yours. What do you require?" The Seeker says.

Comcast was that seeker, by the way. Damn non-easily-identifiable emits. Damn people who make them.

Chimera isn't bouncy. She's leaning against the door, waiting for something to do. Besides daydream about dropping Autobots from Orbit.

Arachnae smiles viciously, "Something to finalize the trap for my intended target, actually. I have one piece, I need another." She starts to say something else, but quiets as the doors open to allow others entrance.

Fleet skitters in, approaching the refueling station. He seems in rather a good mood at the moment - considerably better than he was in the last time Catechism or Comcast saw him, although Arachnae is another matter. He ducks and weaves silently among the obstacles in the way, once more giving a butterfly-ish impression.

Catechism glances around, noting that there's quite a crowd. With something of an odd glint in her optics, she looks at Fleet and Arachnae, still a bit rattled about what the yellow Seeker said the other day. Hopefully it was just his imagination getting the better of him, she thinks. As for why, exactly, Catechism's in here... she needs to return a bucket to the broom closet.

Comcast's optics raise as Nae falls quiet.. only to notice that there are new guests in the room. "..and this would be?" He asks in hushed tones once he's satisfied Fleet and Cate are adequately occupied.

Chimera folds her arms and stares Comcast's way for a while. Someone giving mom trouble? Well. She's right there.

Arachnae flicks wings.. she's going to have to have help making deposits later in any case, "Sunstreaker is my final target. I have Jazz to lure him in. I need another to aid in crushing his skewed little world. When everything he knows is naught but dust and detrius, then and only then can this experiment draw to a close.. "

Chimera looks absolutely delighted at the thought. Probably because it means more crushing of Autobots. And with a fluid movement, she moves away from the door, and towards the desk. "I will help you, Ma'am." She volunteers. Okay. So she's exposing that she was listening to the conversation. But heck. She's been there for a while anyhow.

Fleet looks towards the conversation near... wherever they're having their conversation. Arachnae's desk? He sips his mug of energon as he steps away from the station - he was granted an extra ration of energon, but he's currently holding it in reserves. Of course, Comcast and Arachnae are speaking in hushed tones, so he can't hear what's going on just yet. He flinches a little as he spies Comcast - he hadn't had the chance to let the red seeker know his conclusions were off-kilter.

Comcast hmms. "Very well.. allow me a moment to call up the file of our target." Comcast slinks into a corner for a moment while he makes all the necessary arrangements with DCI, getting all the information about Sunstreaker. Hey! According to this it says he has a twin brother. How wacky is that?

Catechism tries to put the bucket back in the broom closet. This is really harder than it sounds, as, don't you know it, just as soon as she gets the bucket in, that dislodges a mop, which knocks over a broom... Suffice it to say, it takes her some time to get it all sorted out and closed up properly, and Catechism ends up ranting aloud about how mere cleaning implements cannot stand in the way of the glorious destiny of the Decepticon empire. She's obviously not paying much attention to the main conversation.

Arachnae nods to Comcast, letting him do the dirt digging up on her final target. She glances at the trio of assorted Decepticons, smiles to herself.. and starts to hum.

Sunshine song, right?

Chimera just smiles at Arachnae. Not like she knows everything going on, but she's good enough to run errands.

Fleet turns to watch Catechism's freak cleansing accident. Once he had told Hook that he seriously doubted anyone was so clumsy as to get hurt while cleaning; now he wasn't so sure. He then takes a long sip from his mug and takes a few steps towards Arachnae, figuring he'll be shooed away if he's not wanted.

Catechism could only get hurt cleaning if she was in jet mode or if her foe had a vorpal squeegee, just for the record. The closet finally vanquished, she mock dusts off her hands and looks at the others, wondering just what's going on here. Catechism notes that Fleet seems to be a better mood now than he was the other day. Maybe that fight did him some good?

Arachnae nods politly to Fleet, "And how are you this cycle?" voice calm as she picks up a random seeming datapad from the stack and studyig it for a moment or three.

Fleet smiles slightly, although he can't help but look back towards Catechism's valiant battle against the broom closet. Really, it's an attention getter. "I'm well, thank you." He takes another sip as he steps closer, then leans against the nearest meditable.

"Fascinating." The Red Seeker finally says as he looks up from his Autobot files. "So I am assuming you want to go after the target's brother this time? The.. " Comcast looks up the file again, "..red one?"

Red. Well. Since apparantly her creator wants to make the yellow one suffer, yeah. That'd be logical. Not that logic is something that would be associated with Chimera. She's far too flakey.

And of course, Chimera is hovering. Almost underfoot there.

Arachnae peers over at Comcast.. "So he has a brother.." she knew but this confirms it. "Excellent and yes. Preferably alive but he doesn't have to be in any decent shape." Wings flick, "After all, when I'm done, the more battered the corpse is, the better."

"I want first dibs on pieces from the unconcious body." Comcast says, stating his terms. "Scrapper pays well on them, after all."

Fleet, who is coming in late to this conversation, asks, "Gathering another vi- test subject?" He takes a sip of his energon. He no longer thinks he knows /why/ Arachnae needs them, but since it involves tormenting Autobots he's once more all for it. "Do you need any help? I've well recovered from my last raid."

Chimera enjoys tormenting Autobots. Way too much. Which is why she's always ready for it.

Catechism is now paying attention to the topic at hand, not distracted by those vicious scrub brushes as she was previously. She paces well away from the broom closet and asks, "Like that mission to capture that white and black Autobot? I'm free, if you need another set of guns on the task."

Arachnae tucks the datapad into a side compartment for later reading. "You can have first dibs for salvage rights providing that the core is still functional when you complete the retrieval, Comcast." She smiles a not so nice smile, rather vicious when she's plotting revenge of sorts. "Unfortunatly, I can't go myself to get this one, I need to insure that the preparations in the lab are set up as I don't think that this subject is going to be as stable upon retrieval as the last." Wings flick behind her, "I think you have some volunteers to wreck havok on the target, Comcast." she nods to Chimera, Fleet and Catechism.

Ah, a squadron of Seekers. Though not necessarily the Awesome foursome, as Fulcrum is not here. But we do have Chimera, who is just as awesome. Plus she's green too! No need to change the Traffic light motif! "Splendid. Well, all we need is a way to lure him out. According to Sideswipes file, he's got a temper on him, and is a little bit reckless."

Fleet finishes his mug and looks at it. He'd better get it cleaned before they go back out. Of course, many warrior types would probably leave it for the tech types to clean up after them, but this is one of those areas where Fleet may be considered odd. Warriors, technicians, even spy-boys, the Empire needs them all, and he's not the sort to just assume himself above cleaning up after himself just because he's a Seeker.

Arachnae hmms, ticking talon on her chin, "Perhaps a verbal lure for that one? Any ideas?" she gives those present an inquisitive look.

Chimera starts to giggle. "He is reckless, isn't he?" she says, "Took off after me, when I was out playing with the sensor-" She looks to Arachnae, smiles guilelessly. "Of course... I could try getting him going again..."

Swindle arrives from the NCC Central Hub to the southeast.

Swindle has arrived.

Catechism ponders and offers, "Maybe Chimera could draw him out and then the rest of us could ambush him? Sort of like what Arachnae did with the white one, but with more taunting?"

Arachnae smiles, "If you think you can lure him out, my dear Chimera. Then do so. And bring the remnants back here."

Comcast ohs? "Well if you can, Chimera, perhaps you could do us all a favour and do so? I have little to do with him." Well, except for that time he proved how AWESOME his targetting system was without his processor being occupied with certain.. frivolous activities.

Chimera slips a gun out of subspace. Checks it over quickly. And then makes it go back to where it came from. "Oh... I think I can handle him." She grins. Confident. Cockey. And-- very very nasty. "Are we ready to go then? Or do you need more time?"

Fleet is... washing out an energon mug! Ooo! Exciting! His adventures in cleaning are not nearly as interesting as Catechism's had been, however, as he simply rinses out the mug and returns it to its place. He heads back towards the others and admits, "I've never actually encountered him. Wait, there was that time in Belgium... so I don't know how to push his buttons, but I'm willing to help take him down." Fleet's not really much of a taunter, anyway.

Arachnae smiles, "I have to see to the prep work here. Comcast, if you're ready.. Take your team and get me my subject." Her wings flick behind her. She steps out from around her desk, heading towards her office.

Swindle pauses on the periphery of the room, taking the time to sum up everyone present before fully entering the area. As he overhears the fragments of conversation he smiles briefly before backing out of the way in order to allow the 'team' to pass.

Comcast is waiting for an excuse to go! "You are sure that we can lure him out?" Comcast asks, not entirely trusting the somewhat unbalanced Chimera if she's not going to explain herself.

Living in interesting times, cleaning or otherwise, is a curse, anyway. Catechism shrugs and says, "I ran into him in Canada. That time when Commander Comcast..." the conehead trails off. "Nevermind. No, I don't know the target well enough to taunt him effectively, but I am ready to go."

Chimera gives Comcast a big smile. "Trust me. The big lug doesn't think. If you'd been there-- you could've had him yesterday." And she stalks towards the door, ignoring Swindle.

Fleet looks at Comcast before following. Sure, he's not MilOps, but as a department head he's still the highest ranking seeker present, and therefore more or less in-charge.

Trust Chimera. Riiiiiiiiiight. "Let's just get this over with.." Comcast says, suddenly /very/ weary.

Chimera shrugs, "All it takes is the mention of the scrap heap, and he starts going off. Chased me, and all I did was mention the name." She's walking. Walking. Let's get goin'!

Swindle smirks as Chimera stalks past him, turning to watch the taller mech with some measure of amusement. He shoots a look back towards Comcast with a mildly curious expression. "Who're you after?" He asks, although he's fairly sure of the reply.

Comcast turns to face Swindle, since he was snubbing the Combaticon the entire time. "Sideswipe.. Arachnae is starting a collection of them, it would seem."

Catechism follows the others out obediently, as she often does, giving the broom closet once last glare. It thought it could defeat her, but she showed it. Such is the fate of all who oppose the Decepticon empire!

Fleet remains silent, approaching the door quietly as he waits for the team to officially move off. Really, he no longer has anything to contribute to the conversation at this point. His mood is good, and beating up an Autobot with four to one odds can only make it better.

Comcast leaves the conversation at that. They have what they need to know! Now, off to Sideswipe, and victory!

* Spinny! *

Green Pyramid Jet flies on ahead, starting to use her radio.

Chimera receives a radio transmission.

Chimera transmits a message via radio.

Chimera receives a radio transmission.

Chimera transmits a message to Sideswipe: *almost a syrupy tone* Hey sweetie. Did you manage to find room in the mausoleum for that piece I brought for you?

Chimera transmits a message to Sideswipe: It was the most whole piece I could find. Would you like to see the rest?

Chimera transmits a message via radio to Sideswipe.

Chimera receives a radio transmission.

Chimera transmits a message via radio to Sideswipe.

Green Pyramid Jet transmits the brief message to the rest of the squad: "Delaware. Be cautious."

Chimera transmits a message via radio.

Green Pyramid Jet spins, transmitting wild messages at a certain red target. And slowing down over Delaware. Everybody locked and loaded? Good.

Chimera receives a radio transmission.

Green Pyramid Jet descends to the Middle Atlantic States below.

Green Pyramid Jet has left.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> descends to the Middle Atlantic States below.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> has left.

You descend to the Middle Atlantic States below.

Middle Atlantic States

New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington D.C., New Jersey, and Maryland consist of rolling farmland and woods, ancient, worn-down mountains, wide rivers, and verdant valleys. New York adds the largest city in the country, New York City, and the breathtaking Niagara Falls. Pennsylvania offers the steel center of Pittsburgh and the coal mines of the northeast along with the historic port city of Philadelphia. Delaware is the home of Du Pont chemical company, plus food processing and automobile assembly plants. Washington, D.C., capital of the U.S., displays world-famous monuments, buildings, and too much governmental spending. New Jersey contributes the drab city of Newark, the gambling of Atlantic City, and the New Jersey Turnpike. Maryland includes the polluted Chesapeake Bay and the major seaport city of Baltimore.

Contents:

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast>

Green Pyramid Jet

Foxfire

Sideswipe

Chase Technologies lab

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Eastern Provinces - Canada.

Northeast <NE> leads to New England States.

Southwest <SW> leads to Southeastern States.

East <E> leads to Northwest Atlantic.

West <W> leads to North Central States.

Fly <Up> New York <NY> District of Columbia <DC>

F-35 <Catechism> descends from the skies above.

F-35 <Catechism> has arrived.

Sideswipe makes a face, optics an icy winters blue as he looks about. A shrug of his shoulders and another look about, checking on local traffic patterns before he snorts, "Stupid fraggin con thinks I'm gonna fall for the oooooh we killed'em. not dead till I see a body." muttering to himself as he checks his internal map and turns, preparing to head back across country to Metro.

Foxfire comes to a stop, looking toward the sky for a moment, his expression changing to a thoughtful one, before he overhears an all-too-familar voice, and spots Sideswipe nearby, but on the other side of the road. So the fox starts heading that way, too distracted to notice a car heading in his direction. The vehicle screeches to a stop and avoids hitting the little saboteur; the noise itself is enough to bring him back out of his slight daze, and bolts across the roading, shouting a "sorry" to the driver.

Green Pyramid Jet comes down first, banking in, and then transforming as she goes--a quick radio, "Impatient as ever. And I thought you wanted this." She's unsubspacing something. It's not a body.

The pyramid jet unfolds into a female robot.

<Decepticon> Comcast says, "Stay in the sky and keep your distance. He thinks she is the only one."

<Decepticon> Fleet transmits his standard, boring, "I understand and will obey" message. Silly Flee.

<Decepticon> Comcast says, "Why do you keep doing that?"

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> is circling in the sky, far far away from Chimera. At this point Sideswipe should be under the impression that only she attended the show, and he doesn't see why not. After all, nothing wrong with demoralizing their opponents first of all, is there?

<Decepticon> Catechism answers briefly, "Will do, sir."

<Decepticon> Fleet is forced to give a real answer, as there are no pre-coded signals to indicate what he wants to say. "I prefer to avoid vocalizations during combat, even over radio. I'd rather give my full attention to the fight."

<Decepticon> Comcast says, "Uh.. huh."

Pyramid Jet (Fleet), following orders, circles far above the heads of the Autobots, preparing to join Catechism and Comcast in a classic Three Seeker Surprise Attack <tm>. Primus, but it's good to be a 'Con.

F-35 <Catechism> stays rather far away; she's fast enough to be on the scene quickly despite the distance, and distance will obscure her edges and blue out her form into the background. In theory, anyway.

Sideswipe pauses midstep to see what caused the screeching of tires. Oh.. foxbot. A grin as he raises a hand to wave to the lil 'bot. "Foxfire, y' really should look when you're doin'..." trailing off of words as he looks upwards, the sounds of a set of engines incoming getting the warriors attention. Then the green seeker femme. "Not sure I want what you have, 'con." Optics narrow, reflexivly hand goes for rifle. "What. Show me." flat tone, gruff.

Foxfire bares his teeth slightly as he approaches his friend, not really in the mood for smiles. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbles. He doesn't say anything else, but glances to where Sideswipe's looking, and he sighs. "Lovely..."

Chimera makes one of those silly little faces as she neatly lands in front of him, holding out the object. Which appears to be a holoprojector. The kind you'd use if you wanted to take a holo picture of some event or thing in your life that was significant. Maybe this is something that she's been meaning to hang on the wall in her quarters or something. Most likely. The look on her face is indeed one of gloating, as she flicks the thing on, and the image flickers into focus as she aproaches Sideswipe...

Once, in life he looked like:

The best of the best, leaving the rest in the dust. Okay. So this is like... a giant metal robot. His chest looks like the front end of a Porche 935 Turbo, as do the various car parts that form his body. Two doors, like wings, stick up at his back, each with a large number '4' on it. Mostly white, his somewhat brawny looking metallic body has some black-- at the waist, at the joints, and on his 'helmet'. A blue band covers his optics, almost as 'shades' of a kind. At times this band will glow with the intensity of the optics behind it. The face, in contrast to the cheerless black and white that covers most of his body, is usually wreathed in a bright grin. As though this Autobot found something amusing in just about anything he sees.

Now, as death has claimed him, the wreckage of the former Autobot leaves no mistake that he has reached his final destination, heard his final song. Wrenching wounds adorn his chest, singed and coated with carbon soot as if an internal fire took hold and went rampant. His face, which once smiled in merriment is forever frozen into a pained rictus. Gouges marr helm and throat, as if some beast had sank fangs or talons in, seeking the life within. And the final insult, the final injury, the blue visor that once marked him as him is missing.

"Still think I don't have what you want?" Chimera asks, a smile on her own face.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> continues to circle far above, awaiting the moment to strike. "Weapons at the ready.. prepare a full charge but start off with a weak strafing. We wish to disorient them before we take them out." The Jet externally emits in the sky.

Pyramid Jet (Fleet) starts to transmit his usual 'affirmative' signal, then remembers that Comcast seems not to like it. Instead he vocalizes, "Will do," his words clipped and voice curt, as though he were offended to have been forced to speak during a mission.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> honestly doesn't care whether he gets a spoken response or a beep at the end of the day. He just thinks Fleet is crazy, that's all.

Sideswipe keeps wary watch on Chimera, shifting his grip on rifle as he tenses, "Stay back a bit, Foxfire. Lets not get all jump-..." he trails off, watching in slowly dawning reaction to the holo as it begins to form. His gaze flicks to Chimera, then slowly refocuses on the image. Nothing so mundane as horror crosses his face. Nothing remotly like anger, rage, hatred. Grip begins to tighten on his rifle, servos in his shoulders creaking as he goes all over at once tense and high strung. He can't even form the words cascading through his mind as he tries to fit his mind around the image.

Then he sputters, trying to get something out that even remotely comes close to the dawning realization that the probability of the image being true is in direct proportions to the smarmy, gloating smile on Chimera's face. "Where.." he gets out, voice flat, tense, "is he." He's trying to go with that ever dwindling hope that this is a mockery, a facade, some sick game being played to taunt and torment. "I don't think that's real. I mean.. You're a pretty sick 'con. All of you are sick. What the HELL game are you tryin' to play with this kind of torqued up slag?" Rifle creaks as fingers dig into the stock.

F-35 <Catechism> doesn't exactly circle per se. Normal planes don't usually circle, unless they're in a holding pattern over a busy airport. Vultures, organic scavengers which the Decepticon knows nothing of, circle. Despite her lack of circularity in flight, she keeps in the area. At Comcast's message, the F-35 primes her weapons and radios a brief affirmation.

Foxfire takes a few steps back, but not too far, instinctively unsheathing his claws and his fangs showing even more. He keeps his audios alert; he has a bad feeling about this situation, but as all Transformers pretty much smell the same, he can't pick up any additional scents. Most of his attention is on Chimera, though, and he looks ready to kill.

Chimera tilts her head, smiles at Sideswipe, then tosses the projector towards him. "Well, my personal belief is that he's in the Pit, annoying the slag out of everyone there." She answers, "I'd bring the whole body to you, but... there seems to be some need for scrap metal right now. As for games...." She keeps smiling, "I don't play games..." Her hand moves towards nothing, and there. Again. Something out of subspace . .

Uh. Is that a radio/CD player? From a Porsche? Specialty custom design-- and it looks like it was ripped out with something like a crowbar and a hacksaw. "I can continue to bring him to you... piece by piece if you like." And of course she's ignoring the fox. She's got nothing to fear from a tape.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast>, who has been listening in on the conversation for some time now, decides that now is the time to strike! Yes! "Now!" Comcast intones as kicks in his afterburners to hurtle towards the scene, peppering the ground with laserfire. "Surrender, Autobot, or be destroyed." Yup, those are the only two options on the menu tonight. The Menu.. of EVIL. With the four waiters.. of, uh, EVIL. Or at least misunderstanding. In the SKY. Wait, has Comcast shut his wit chip off again?

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

Pyramid Jet (Fleet) dives down behind and to the left of Comcast, engines roaring as he takes his place in proper Seeker formation, despite the fact that his pyramid form means he doesn't exactly match his wingmates. For the original strafing run he remains in jet mode, because he needs the speed to close the distance. He fires his weapons on low mode and then pulls up, preparing to circle around for another pass, or perhaps to transform.

Like a F-35 matches a F-15, anyway. Said F-35 dives down, following Comcast behind and to one side, completing their nice little V-formation. Like the red jet, she strafes at *Sideswipe* with her lasers.

F-35 <Catechism> strikes Sideswipe with laser.

Sideswipe snorts static out of his vocoder, "You're just playin' with..." he's getting more and more at a loss for words. The tossed at him projector gets stepped back from as if it were a bomb. A shake of his head, "What th...." Must not give into blind urge to rip Chimera apart. Must get more information. That's what the good lil autobots do. Really. "No.. way.." disbelief etched onto his face at the sight of the radio/cd.. He knows that one. Jazz liked to flash his brand of bling about on occasion. And there is no way that Jazz would have given that up willingly.

"Slaggin hell, 'Con! I'm gonna rip th' rest of him outa you when I get my hands on you!!" He steps forward, starting to brandish said rifle like the proverbial bat that he uses it at on occasion, no style but real good leverage. Then the surprise begins. The sound of additional engines screaming into the area gets a brief look up before lasers sear into his chest and shoulder, sending him hopping back, "Surrender? You've Got t' be kiddin' me.." More pain lances down from another element of surprise, this time in a myriad little lances into armoring. "Foxfire, take cover!" He gets knocked forward as that last surprise present from Chimera sends lasers searing into his back.

Foxfire does the Transformer equivalent of sucking in breath, then holding it. He remains still, trying to calm himself, resisting the temptation to attempt ripping out Chimera's laser core. And then the fireworks begin. He blinks, taking a few more backsteps, then activates a hologram after Sideswipe yells. He blends in perfectly, nothing more than a large, Foxfire-sized stone. But he's not about to just stand there. The rock fires its lasers at Chimera!

Foxfire misses Chimera with his Laser attack.

And that'd be Chimera chuckling softly as she drops the radio, unsubspacing her weapon and firing at close range. She's stepping out of the way of the laZ0rs from the rock. Easy come, easy go. Foxfire's not her target though. Foxfire... barely registers on her scope. "I'd like to see you try to lay a hand on me... If you think it's so easy."

Chimera strikes Sideswipe with laser lovin'.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> transforms, remaining in the sky. "Keep in the air and peg him in, make it difficult for him to move!" He yells to his fellow Seeker kind. He unleashes a powerful sonic barrage aimed at the red one on the ground. Hey, the file said something about a jet pack too. "Be ready for anything!" He then adds.

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

Comcast strikes Sideswipe with Sonic Shriekers!

The yellow pyramid spins as it rises, transforms as it spins, slows as it transforms, until the pale yellow and white form of Fleet is revealed. His arms leave his sides as he his spinning slows and he ends stationary, right leg slightly bent, hands pointed at the red Autobot as he lays down a line of pulsed laser fire.

You strike Sideswipe with Shoulder-Mounted Lasers (pulsed mode).

F-35 <Catechism> transform to robot mode, as her robot mode is sturdier, and she doesn't think that she'll need the speed of her jet mode. She then clicks the setting of her arm guns over to gauss, tries to move around behind the red Autobot to help pen him in, and fires.

F-35, Marine Corps variant, transforms into robot form. Catechism's feet unfold, her arms unfold out of her body, her nosecone rotates through her body and ends up on her shoulders to expose her face, and her wings rotate into position.

Catechism strikes Sideswipe with gauss.

Great. He's being ganged up on. He should've known that something was wrong. "Can't do it yourself, eh?" words spat out like venom or acid. An attempt is made to sidestep as Chimera aims a rifle at Sideswipe and he has to rethink that, kicking backwards as lasers come from a rock nearby. No time to think about that. The sonics ringing their peal of doom from above eat into his systems, the scores that rent his armoring allowing entrance into more delicate systems and the red one stumbles foward, grip slipping on the rifle. Another series of lasers sears into him from the side, raising smoke from already damaged and leaking internal systems.

"Not gonna go down that easy." Voiced to his assailents or to himself. He's reaching the point of suden system shock and fighting the warnings screaming in his HUD. Then the gause eats into his back, severing the fuel lines to his jetpack with fiery tinned plumes of crimson and yellow brillaince, briefly sending him down to a knee, rifle falling from his fingers. Optics the shade of a winters blue sky flicker and dim as he shakes his head, his is suicidal, and he's aware of the odds slowly falling against him.

"This isn't about Alaska is it?" mumbled as he makes attempt to leap at Chimera, pushing himself forward as fluids and fuel trail in a cascade down his back, briefly flareing to firey life before guttering out, if only to knock her silly with fingers balled into a fist. He stumbles, staggers and only just gets to his feet, choosing to make a call that may mean the difference between one fallen and two.

Sideswipe strikes Chimera with punch.

F-1 Ligier JS-II arrives from the New England State region far to the northeast.

F-1 Ligier JS-II has arrived.

Catechism fades into the background, becoming yet another generic Seeker.

Catechism has disconnected.

Foxfire allows his disguise to fade, muttering a few curses (which he probably learned from Sideswipe) as he realizes how stupid he just was. But no time to worry about that now; why are the Decepticons only going after Sideswipe? The warrior is much larger, yes, but the foxbot is much easier to take down. This indeed baffles the small saboteur, but he decides to worry about it later. He keeps a good distance away, watching the jets and silent choosing his next target...and settles for attacking Comcast, running in that direction and hoping his flames have enough range to reach him.

Foxfire strikes Comcast with Fire.

Chimera doesn't think it will make a difference, any call that the Autobot can make-- which is why she takes the...very weak punch, right on the chin. Or wherever he was aiming-- and then uses her primary gun, as she gives Sideswipe a devilish grin of her own. "No, sweetie. This isn't about some chunk of ice." she answers. Fires.

Chimera strikes Sideswipe with gauss.

Sideswipe falls to the ground unconscious.

We're attacking Sideswipe, Foxfire, because we've got an agenda to do. Unfortunately, that Agenda has forced Comcast to ignore Foxfire, leaving him vulnerable to a mild case of hotfoot. "Aah!" He grunts as he realises he's under assault. From a small Fox creature of all things. "Run away, little Autobot." He say, returning the favour with an arm-rifle blast. "Tell your masters what you have seen today."

Comcast strikes Foxfire with Energy Rifle! (Low).

F-1 Ligier JS-II races in from, well, wherever he happened to be luckily be on patrol nearby, having picked up Sideswipe's S.O.S. Noticing the current situation, he transforms and prepares to attack.

The blue and white racing car slowly changed into a robot

Mirage strikes Chimera with Armor-Piercing Rocket-Dart Hunting Rifle.

Stock Car has arrived.

Fleet was ignoring Foxfire because he doesn't attack rocks! Not even laser wielding rocks! Before it was four seekers against Sideswipe and the laser wielding rock, and now it's four seekers (Catechism doing the generic background seeker thing) against a cassette, but Decepticons are bullies, and Fleet has no problem with ganging up on the weak! But wait, there is a new arrival! Someone else to pick on! And of course, with their main objective accomplished, they can always run anytime they want to, so nothing is lost by picking on him... Flee spins towards the newcomer, flying in his direction as he switches the mode of shoulder rifles.

You strike Mirage with Rail Gun.

<Decepticon> Comcast says, "Arachnae, your target has been dropped. Catechism, secure and evacuate with the body."

<Decepticon> Arachnae says, "Put it into a secured place in the brig."

Mirage is hit and ducks behind the nearest cover. Then the spy watches the yellow seeker flying over towards him, letting Fleet draw closer before firing back, with a shoulder missile.

Mirage strikes you with Shoulder Mounted Launcher for 10 points of damage.

Sideswipe got off the general all call to come here and help kick seeker aft. And gave Chimera a tap on the chin. Then with a startled wide opticed expression, he looks down as the gun that is point blank aimed at him and tries, still to get the hell out of the way. He gets a half step back, starts the turn to the side just as the gauss is released to eat into his side. Armoring bends and warps inwards before something internal ruptures, sending him to a knee. A glare, a snarl and he stares up at the one that made his world start to go shades of gray, HUD no longer displaying anything save for static. "Not.. your.. sweetie..." He drops to both knees, hand clutching at the ripped open burning gaping wound in his side. The gray in his vision spreads, that gauss having met up with things inside which did not need to be exposed to such things, eating into fuel lines, exposing connectors and supports alike. He struggles against the encroaching blackness with a tenacity that is surreal. With a final static hiss of air pushed through systems aflame, he falls forward at Chimera's feet, smoke rising off of him in swells of acrid black.

Foxfire flinches back as he's hit with the blast, temporarily unable to find the will to move and return fire. But it's his concern for his friend that brings him back to his senses. Then an unpleasantly familar scent reaches him, and his optics flash in anger. "Sideswipe," he whispers, and rushes toward his fallen comrade, hoping to at least prevent further damage. He has yet to notice Mirage's arrival. Foxy mentally goes through his list of attacks, and as he only has to ranged techniques, he chooses Laser Vision (TM) as his next attack.

Foxfire misses Comcast with his Laser attack.

Chimera just looks down at Sideswipe for a moment, nudging him with her foot. "Nope. Wouldn't take you if you were dipped in titanium laced energon." She then takes a step back from the body, allowing the Generic Sky Blue Conehead (Hi Catechism) to move in and secure the red lambo-bro. Yeah. She was close-- but then there's that lovely love-tap from Mirage. Which is one that actually registers. But it doesn't go through armour plating, and it doesn't stop her from noticing that there's someone trying to approach the area. "Oh... go home, you lousy mutt." She aims a kick at Foxfire.

Chimera misses Foxfire with her punt attack.

Comcast is focussing Foxfire this time, and therefore easily sails away from his second assault. "Oh good, you can remember someone's name. Next on the list is accepting that you are outclassed and leaving the battle if you know what's good for you!" Comcast follows this up with a widespread blast from his sonics, assaulting Foxfire and the recently arrived Mirage.

Comcast unleashes his Sonic Shriekers! (Pulse) attack on Mirage and Foxfire, striking Foxfire.

Fleet hisses in pain as Mirage's rocket tears a nasty hole in his left shoulder, spinning him around in the air. He's thrown off-balance for a moment, and is forced to maneuver a bit to recover. That was painful... since the Generic Sky Blue Conehead (Hi, Catechism!) seems to have the retrieval of their objective well in hand, he doesn't have to worry about picking up the Autobot himself, and thus can safely /increase/ his distance from the ground, rocketing diagonally into the air before firing at... Foxfire! I did mention many Decepticons enjoying picking on those weaker than them, right? He points his shoulder-mounted weapon at the cassette and fires.

Foxfire evades your The Dubious Might Of Fleet! attack.

Sideswipe lies there at Chimera's feet, broken, blacken, smoking and bleeding. Generic Sky Blue Conehead coming to haul him away.

(Hi, Catechism!)

*VRRRRRRRRM!*

Wait, what's that? Through the din of battle, the cries of pain, the explosions, the rapport of weapons fire...a single, rythmic thundering can be heard, first at a distance...but unmistakably coming closer. Those with a moment to spare might see the sleek lines of a Datsun 280 ZX thundering into the scene with absolutely no regard for mundane terran traffic laws.

The car skids to a halt, quickly shifting and changing about into a robot form, who surveys the scene for a few long moments...and immediately settles on Generic Sky Blue Conehead (Hi, Catechism!) or, rather, the cherry-red warrior she carries. "Not so fast!" Smokescreen calls out, firing off a pair of rockets at the target...unfortunately, the weapons fall short, doing little but creating a flashy fireworks display.

With a changing of parts and that telltale sound, an otherwise Mundane Stock car converts to the Autobot Smokescreen.

Foxfire counters Chimera's kick with an assault of his own, though he doesn't know if this tactic will work. He's had trouble with this femme in the past, and therefore knows she can be...quite evasive, in more ways that one. Right after he attempts the attack, he struck by another of Comcast's weapons, which leaves him in a bit of pain. But he still finds the strength to avoid Fleet's laser...

Foxfire strikes Chimera with Bite.

Chimera isn't particularly worried about the fox that's just decided to attatch himself to her ankle. Because, quite frankly, Foxfire isn't strong enough to do do any damage. Other than to her pretty pretty green paint. "I don't think so." She says, and points the nozzle of the flamethrower down at the poor little tape. "Back off." The others can deal with Smokescreen, and keep him away from the Generic Sky Blue Seeker (Yo Catechism!) while she carries off the redboi... for now. She'll get him eventually. Speaking of eventually. Something clicks. She smiles. And fires off her jets, instead of the flamethrower. Is she... leaving? Looks like.

Chimera begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Smokescreen, Mirage, Fleet, Comcast, Foxfire.

<OOC> Sideswipe says, "Mind taking a broken bot with you Chimera, since the Generic Sky Blue Conehead (Hi Catechism!) isn't really here and this players got to get going due to early Snday morning things?"

Silly Smokescreen, attacking a non-existant Seeker! While the Powder-Blue Seeker femme evacuates with the body on tow (Bye, Catechism!) Comcast's attention notices Smokescreen. "You again.." He mutters at the Diversionary Tactician himself. "Whenever we meet these days, you always seem to be failing to accomplish your goal. Like now, when you are here to prevent an abduction, people keep on getting hurt."

Comcast continues this theme with another blast from his sonics at Foxfire. "I don't know how I'd live with your success rate, Autobot."

Comcast strikes Foxfire with Sonic Shriekers!.

In an attempt to cover the retreating Sky Blue Generic Conehead (Sky blue cammo, Comcast! Not powder blue! Dammit! Oh, and Bye, Catechism!) Fleet changes direction once more, zipping in Smokescreen's direction. Had he not known he'd be retreating shortly, he would not be so brave, as this is a situation that has the potential to deliver extreme hurtitude to him. As he closes on the other he swaps modes for his weapons and fires once more, then brings his knees to his chest to slow himself down and begin to change direction, an action that will be completed... next turn.

You strike Smokescreen with disruptor.

Smokescreen narrows his optics as he glares up at his Decepticon counterpart. "Call it unflagging Autobot optimisim." Smokescreen says, voice wry. And up comes his rifle, leveling right at the bully-seeker, ripping off a barrage of Prowl-esque acid pellets.

"The occasional spot of retribution helps, too."

Smokescreen misses Comcast with his Acid Pellet Gun! attack.

Foxfire lets out a pained yelp, feeling himself become even more wounded. He takes a step forward, but nearly falls as he tries to use his injured foreleg. "Damn you," he growls, wishing at this moment that he was strong enough to rip Comcast apart. Then something in the sky catches his attention, and he can only stare in stunned horror. "Side...swipe...?" He begins to tremble with emotions, the urge to help his friend great, but he knows he is helpless in this situation. "SIDESWIPE!"

Hearing Foxfire's yelling, Mirage dives out from behind his cover, getting into a kneeling position on one leg and fires at the retreating green seeker femme, choosing to use his rifle.

Mirage strikes Chimera with Armor-Piercing Rocket-Dart Hunting Rifle.

"Perhaps it would," Comcast retorts, ducking Smokescreen's blast in the sky, "If you could manage to connect your target." It's a narrow miss, but Comcast tries to make it look like it was much easier. Comcast transforms, continuing his taunt. "But then again, I guess at the end of it all, that's just another failure. I wonder if you bother to keep count? I still do." And with that, he unleashes a maximum blast on Foxfire.

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

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

Foxfire falls to the ground unconscious.

Chimera is heading off into the sunset. She'd stop and return the favor to Mirage, but 1) She's not really interested in sticking around to get beaten up, no matter how much fun it might be, and 2) ... well.. that's mostly because OOCly her player's gonna faceKeyboard in a minute. At any rate. Up up and away.

Chimera soars upward to the Sky above the Eastern United States.

Chimera has left.

"Mission accomplished, I'm leaving," the yellow seeker tells the red one, his words blunt and voice clipped, nothing like the wordplay and rambling he tends to prefer when not engaged. Sure, the Decepticons are still doing rather well in this one, but there's no reason to continue to stick around and increase their damage (and therefore the potential for repairs) when they had already done what they came to do. Besides, the odds no longer heavily favored the Decepticons, and Fleet was, after all, a coward at core. He kicks his jets on full blast and transforms as he rockets skyward, the roar of his engines fading by the nano.

Fleet begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast>.

The final blast totally overwelms Foxfire, and he finds himself no longer able to stay on his feet. He struggles to remain standing, and as he does, he looks toward the sky and releases from his vocal circuits what sounds like a howl of some sort; it's nothing like a wolf's cry, but there's hints of sorrow, and the sound fades as the fox collapses, motionless.

Smokescreen scowls as Comcast dodges his assault...and again as Foxfire falls under it. "Mirage!" he snaps out. "Get Foxfire! No sense in having them capture TWO of ours in one night..." This said, he looks back at that infuriating seeker. Oooh, if only he had shown up earlier- things might've gone quite a bit...differently.

"All alone now, Comcast. How...heroic of you." And, with that said, Smokescreen fires again, making sure to lead just a bit this time...there's no reason that Comcast should get out of this entirely unscathed! *KRA-KOW!* goes the electro-disruptor rifle, sending out a blast of blue lightning!

Smokescreen strikes Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> with Electro Disruptor Rifle.

Mirage is already moving towards the fallen cassette without being ordered to. Switching his rifle to one hand, the spy uses his free hand to scoop Foxfire up, then starts backing away, remaining on full alert, his gun ready just in case now he has an injured comrade to protect.

Red F-15 Seeker <Comcast> is all alone? Crap, why didn't anyone tell /him?/ "EEYAAAAAAAAA.." Comcast yelps as Smokescreen's lightning crackles over his frame. But wait.. the painful cry turns into a sinister laugh.. ".AAAAAAHHHHAA.. HA HA HAAAAHAHAHAAHA!!" Touched a nerve have I, Autobot? I'll leave the three... I'm sorry.. /two/ of you to reflect on your failings. Better get started soon, it will take a while!" And with that, the Jet fires up his thrusters, sending him roaring into the horizon, back to NCC with his fellow Seekers.

Comcast begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Pyramid Jet (Fleet).

Pyramid Jet (Fleet) gets clean away because, thankfully, the one person fast enough to get a shot at him chooses not to take it. Thanks, Comcast! By now he's no longer even an echo in the Autobot's audios.