Trypticon Training Room

This stark, spacious chamber is well-reinforced and shielded to stand up to the strain of many practice bouts. A training drone stands in one corner of the room, ready for a workout. The walls are sheathed in protective alloys that house sensors and cameras to project to the shielded monitors, allowing the combatants to observe their fight and progress. Off to the side are a few seats for spectators to observe the combatants and let out a cheer or two.

Contents:

Training Drone

Obvious exits:

West <W> leads to Trypticon Troop Quarters.

Scourge enters from the Troop Quarters to the west.

Scourge has arrived.

Scourge stalks into the area.

Galvatron has arrived.

Fleet is in the air, because it's from the sky that he prefers to fight. The scenery is set to that of the desert outside, the site of Fleet's most recent major battle (not counting his fight against nature a couple of weeks ago) and the drone has the appearance of one of Carbombya's tanks, except that the setting makes it far more powerful than any Fleet faced in the real take-over. The pastel seeker, for his part, is darting about overhead, but he does take a moment for a rather close flyby, reaching his arms for the tank as he passes and firing...

Training Drone evades your Shoulder-Mounted Laser Rifle attack.

Training Drone strikes you with cannon for 29 points of damage.

Your systems are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the damage.

Fleet falls to the ground unconscious.

Training Drone hovers over to Fleet and revives it with a quick zap of energy. "You require additional training to defeat this unit at this skill level."

Galvatron is leaning against the wall. "My. How entertaining. Scourge. Plese. Teach the idiot how to fight."

Fleet's shots miss the tank entirely, while its return fire scores a direct hit. Fleet screams in pain as the massive amount of damage tears him about and knocks him out of the sky all in one go. He crashes into the ground gracelessly, where he is revived. The seeker shakes his head as he attempts to recover his senses and finally looks up to see who's watching. Oh. No. And they saw... that? This bodes. This most definitely bodes.

Scourge's arms are crossed as he watches the display, and shakes his head slowly. "Obviously, Geist's training regimen leaves something to be desired," he mutters darkly. He walks forward, looking down at Fleet for several seconds... several LONG seconds, at that. "Has he taught you nothing, Seeker?" he growls. "Or is his... 'faith'--" the word emphasized with sarcasm "--so misplaced?"

Galvatron says, "I'm voting misplaced."

Fleet pushes himself up and looks up at Scourge, but only for a moment, as his bleary processors work hard to try and piece together what has been said. "He's taught me," the seeker answers softly, "but I still have a lot to learn." Slowly, painfully, Fleet pulls himself back to his feet. Part of what had attracted Geist's attention to begin with was the fact that Fleet is willing to both admit to limitations and to try to learn to extend him, but he didn't know yet what sort of strategy - if any - would work with Scourge.

Scourge shrugs, turning around towards Galvatron. "Perhaps so... but I find it rather amusing to see Geist try, nonetheless." He walks over to a nearby console, tapping in a series of commands and changing the program parameters around.

Training Drone comes alive with glittering lights as various weapons arm themselves. "Skill Level set to Challenging," the drone emits. "Prepare for combat."

Galvatron shakes his head, being wise for a moment, "Do or do not, Scourge. There is no try. Try as you might...if you fail, you still fail. Geist has failed. Fix it."

Had Fleet known the reference, he might have been bothered by the level of Terran taint that was exhibited, but he has no clue and thus thinks Galvatron's actually being original, or some such. As soon as the new scenario is loaded the seeker once more takes to the sky (assuming, of course, the scenario, which was being set by Scourge, allows it). The seeker then twists around and tries to prepare himself for what is to come.

The setting is a hodge-podge of environments. Predominantly jungle, although with some mesas seen off in the distance. The general area Fleet finds himself, however, are rolling hills and plains, with the occasional cluster of jungle terrain to provide some light cover. And standing there, waiting patiently... is a small mech that looks uncannily like Rumble or Frenzy, except that it's green where there would be red or blue on either of the twin spawns of Big Blue and Creepy himself.

Oh, goody. A cassette. Fleet's actually been known to defeat a cassette here or there (yes, he's that pathetic), but generally not one armed with a missile and crush. Still, the seeker intends to try, taking refuge, as always, in the fact that here in the training room, no pain is permanent. The coward remains where he is in the air, twisting to bring his weapon to bear on the drone, even as he tries to move away from it.

Training Drone evades your Rail Gun attack.

Training Drone strikes you with missile for 24 points of damage.

The drone, alas, isn't so easily fooled... probably because Scourge was nasty enough to make certain the drone had detailed knowledge of Fleet's tactics, based on the previous training exercises that the Seeker has undergone at Geist's instructions. It immediately leaps back and takes flight, launching a missile at the Seeker, even as it readies for Fleet's next attack.

And of /course/ Fleet's newly improved ability to dodge fails him now that he has the eyes of his Emperor upon him! Should he really have expected anything else? At least he didn't get knocked out in a single hit, but this missile comes close enough, knocking the yellow seeker from the sky, shattering his cockpit and tearing holes clean through. Fleet pulls himself up as the mock-cassette... well, mocks him. Seeker on the ground, cassette in the air, and things are not looking good. He offers a silent prayer to - well, does it really matter? Primus or Unicron, all Decepticons only swear by dead gods anyway - and fires, thinking, 'Just one hit. Please, just let me get in one hit...’

Training Drone evades your Disruptor attack.

You are temporarily incapacitated by Training Drone's special attack.

Catechism enters from the Troop Quarters to the west.

Catechism has arrived.

The drone cuts its' anti-gravs right at the moment Fleet fires, pulling out a small pistol and firing back at Fleet. Missile and crush, yes... but also a nasty stun that's typically in reserve for such special situations.

As for Scourge, he's simply shaking his head. o O (Geist, you and I are going to have a VERY long talk...)

Once more Fleet suffers a hit at the hands of the drone, but this strike more hurts his dignity (well, if he had any dignity, that would really be aching) and his mobility. The yellow seeker tries to jump out of the way of attack but, clumsier on the ground than he is in the sky, he is unable to avoid it and once more goes crashing to the ground, this time completely unable to move for the time being.

The drone stops, surveying his handiwork, and for some strange reason, begins to cackle insanely. Must have gotten some of the behavior characteristics of Soundwave's cassettes, too. That, or it got confused with some Junkion transmissions, one of the two.

Catechism is just looking to get in a bit of practice with the drone while she's got some time off. She was not expecting to run into High Command! Ack! The Seeker hastily snaps off a formal salutes and glances back at the door. Maybe this is a bad time... and there's Fleet. Figures.

Yes, there's Fleet, trying to shake off the affects of an attack and... failing miserably. Although he's able to pull himself enough off the ground to take aim, his mobility is highly limited. He painfully raises an arm and fires, knowing full well that the next attack will hit, and in all likelihood take him out. Pathetic.

You strike Training Drone with Seeker's Last Strike.

Training Drone emits, "6 points of damage done."

Training Drone strikes you with missile for 25 points of damage.

Your systems are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the damage.

Fleet falls to the ground unconscious.

Training Drone hovers over to Fleet and revives it with a quick zap of energy. "You require additional training to defeat this unit at this skill level."

The drone actually gets hit, although it doesn't appear to have been for much damage, all things considered. With an almost feral growl, the drone turns around, launching another missile at the hapless Seeker and taking it down.

Scourge shakes his head, and hits the console, shutting off the program. "I'm beginning to think Geist was mistaken with all of this."

Fleet is still for almost a full minute before moving again. "Why?" he buzzes, a damaged vocalizer distorting a normally pleasant, somewhat un-Decepticonish voice. "Because I have not completely surpassed my physical limitations after a few training sessions?" It's not until this point that the dancer manages to push away from the ground. With great effort he pulls himself to his knees and turns his still ruined face towards Scourge. "You Sweeps have interesting expectations. I live, I learn, I will improve, and so long as I survive, I will continue. But it takes time."

Catechism pauses near the door, hesitating. The drone may be occupied, but she may still be able to gain something useful here: a gauge of just how long to expect Fleet to remain a Seeker. So she decides to stay, at least a little while longer, and see how it all pans out.

Scourge starts to walk away, heading towards Catechism and the doorway, only to pause as Fleet speaks. Slowly he turns around, regarding Fleet for several long moments. Then he starts walking towards the pastel yellow Seeker, drawing himself up.

Catechism shrugs and decides to head out. She'll have to get back to patrol soon, anyway.

Terran animals often make themselves appear more fearsome by using a few simple tricks to make themselves appear larger. Curiously how that is paralleled among giant alien robots. The pastel seeker looks up at Scourge for just one brief moment before making the effort to stand once more. It takes three attempts, but on the third one he stands unsteadily. Fleet makes no attempt to keep the fear from his expression, but neither does he try to back away. That, after all, is probably more dangerous than standing his ground. Instead he looks up at the Sweep Commander and simply asks, "Sir?"

Crimson optics smoulder down at Fleet, narrowing for a moment. Strangely, there is no overt malice in the gaze, or in his expression, but rather one of puzzlement and thoughtfulness. Finally, he turns around towards Galvatron. "Spirit... drive... determination, in spite of the odds arrayed against him." He nods after a moment, certain of the answer now. "That is why I let Geist continue with his training. This one--" he jabs a finger back towards Fleet "--would do better if he were one of my pack than one or two of the ones I do have." He glances back. "Whether he has the same potential as Arachnae... that remains to be seen." He turns back around, heading for the door. "But I will be watching..."

'I will be watching.' How many times in the past months has Fleet heard that? And every time he does, his life just takes another turn for the stranger. The seeker seems to sink a little as Scourge leaves, but it could as easily be out of weariness due to his unreset injuries as it could be from relief. He IS a coward, but he can figure out when it's safer to stay than to run... and besides, as long as he survives he can yet improve. The yellow seeker stumbles for the door, but takes a moment to offer a Decepticon salute to Galvatron that would look far impressive if he hadn't been beaten to scrap before hand. "Excuse me, my Lord, but it is time for my next watch." Ho-hum... time for several long, boring hours of overseeing human slaves. Oh, wait! That's part of the FUN part of his job!