Once upon a time

Once upon a time there was a far off world where Autobots ruled with an iron fist and Decepticons fought bravely and meekly against their tyranical empire... and then some outsiders came.

 Spirited Geist says, "I have returned, much grateful for the permitted leave. I am... better now."

Oceania -- Mirror Universe Containing Australia, New Zealand, and a great deal of islands, Oceania is known for its marsupials and a plethora of extremely poisonous animals. The war has barely touched this area, due to the Transformers mostly overlooking the land down under. As such, refugees from other, less-fortunate areas have spilled into Oceania.

Secret Decepticon Base -- Mirror Universe

This base is quite disheveled and messy, as if hastily constructed. Crates of supplies are stacked in one corners. there are a few scattered recharge berths elsewhere. A pessimistic looking gumby medic hovers near some hastily set-up collapsible medical tables. A battered planning table has several maps pinned to its surface.

Contents:

Fleet

Cyclonus

Decepticon Gumby Medic -- Mirror Universe

 Cyclonus says, "That is glorious to hear brother. I shall compose a poem to celebrate your return"

The Decepticon base is dishevelled, but it has life. Sitting on the planning table, next to a photocopier is Cyclonus, wrapped in a hessian cloak as he scribbles on some parchment, a pair of electronic spectacles balanced on his nose. "The noble wanderer, bringer of peace... Comes again to..." He sucks on his quill. "Geese? Lease?"

"Release," suggests Fleetwind as he enters into the base, a cheerful spring to his step that's rare among the oppressed ranks of the Decepticons. "Release can probably be fit in better, /whatever/ it is, sir."

"Ah, a cromulant suggestion!" Cyclonus utters as he gets writing again. "Release Fleet, release of tyranny and oppression. My return to this planet to broker a peace will bear fruit, I promise you. I have already written a devastating pamphlet with points that Rodimus cannot help but find compelling!"

Geist lands and transforms. A kind smile graces his face. "May your spring of musings never run dry. It is good to see you both again. Nepsa is a wonderful place to unwind, but duty is duty."

Fleet rubs the back of his head. Sometimes he can't help but think part of the reason the Decepticons tend to come off so poorly is that so /many/ of them are a bit... over-dedicated to peace. "Well, that's great to hear, Cyclonus, but I think you're arguing with a rock. Perhaps it would be better to focus on inspiring the people instead? Encourage the numbers to rise up!" He turns back towards Geist and grins wide, then does a low, dramatic bow that says 'look at me!' better than it says, 'welcome back!' "Welcome back, Geist! Good to hear you found your time away invigorating!"

"Ah Nepsa!" Cyclonus exclaims. "I wrote an ode to it once, a beautifuly summery land where the sun never ends. One day this world shall be like that Geist, and we will live in peace and harmony with the Autobots!"

He clears his throat. "Together hand in hand

Singing across the land

Freedome will be here quite soon,

We only have to..."

He pauses, sucking on his quill again. "...moon? Spoon?"

Fleet sighs and looks towards the ceiling. "According to the Autobots, all we need for peace and harmony is to give in. We don't /want/ there idea of peace and harmony!"

Geist offers, "..make our own boon?" He strolls around the Oceana base of operations as he considers Fleet's words. Geist, one of those who must do the 'dirty work' of the Decepticons, still appretiates that there are those who contribute to life's beauty amidst so much oppression. "Thank you both, comrades. I hope we suffered no losses in my absense?"

"Ah!" Cyclonus looks up at the ceiling. "Some have fallen, but they fell with love in their hearts. Fleet, you are too brutish, but you are right. Already I have designed a poster campaign to get the people of this world on our side. I have set the Deluxe Insections to paint placards with which we may strike at the heart and minds of the Autobots. And Geist, could you perhaps ask your Sweep bretheren to help clean this base, for how can we fight the disorder without, before we tackle the disorder within!" At this last line, he gives a start, and quickly writes it down before the inspiration vanishes.

Fleet winces as he's called brutish, but he's used enough to it. After all, as a former shocktrooper for the Autobots, he does still resort to violence more easily than his fellows. The moment is gone, though, and he shrugs and smiles. "But, uhm, forgive me, sir, but are there any plans in the works beyond a realm of cleaning and the distribution of paper? Inspiring the masses is a fine cause, but oftentimes actions speak louder than words."

Geist chuckles and head-drops for a moment. "But ofcourse." He looks up again. "Every dirty job is our specialty." I'd like to thank the academy for this writers award. ;) Geist considers, "But don't let Scrapper hear you, you might hurt the Constructicons feelings. They've so little to work with most of the time." He starts by putting his back into pushing a recharge berth into order with another, away from the center of the area to unclutter it one piece at a time. After Fleet speaks up, Geist nods in agreement. "Yes sir... as sad as it may be, this war is fought on multiple fronts. Morale is important. Propoganda as well, but in the short term, the enemy still needs to be met head to head. Both with pad-pen and ener-sword."

Cyclonus nods firmly. "Of course Fleet, I have a solid plan of attack. As we speak, an amendment to a sub-proposition is being put to the Galactic Alliance by Councillor Blot. When it is ratified, the Alliance will pen a very stern letter to Rodimus, with the recommendation that he reconsider his position in the arena of galactic tyranny."

He looks at Geist sadly. "Oh poor, misguided Geist. Violence is always the last solution. We must consider Autobots potential friends rather than enemies. Besides." He shuffles some paperwork. "There is much to do. Last night for example, our scouts picked up a rather strange electrical storm which sent some of the psi-sensors off the scales. It may be worth investigating"

Fleet covers his face with his hand at Cyclonus's talk of stern letters. He tries again, desperately. "Sir! Violence may be the final solution, but we are at that solution now! This is not Optimus we're dealing with! Stren letters and angry words won't get you anywhere with him!"

Geist hefts the berth the last foot, putting it efficiently into position and then moves out to start rearranging another in the same fashipn for the poor gumby medics working benefit. "Hmm, a storm you say? Where was this, and is it moving anywhere?" He knows that pushing those more innocent than him would be damaging. Sometimes what Cyclonus doesn't know won't hurt him. And there are other important things going on in the galaxy other than the Cybertronian war.

"Hmmm?" Cyclonus seems lost in contemplation again as Geist and Fleet speak. "Oh Fleet. You must treat others as you yourself would be treated, were those not the words of Straxus himself? If we reduce ourselves to barbarianism, then we are no better than those we profess to fight. I am sure that Rodimus is a reasonable man, and is already deeply swayed by the letters I have been sending him."

He turns to Geist. "It has abated now, but there were strong readings in the chronosphere with an upsurge in energy that may be the result of a matter transporter. Perhaps another spacebridge has been activated by the Autobots. If you can find anything, it would be appreciated"

Geist bows his head. "I obey." He first finished moving the second berth. The rest will have to wait. He rubs his clawed hands together and then heads to exit. "Till all are one and mirth runs rampant again." The Sweep gives Fleet a meaningful look before he transforms and flies out.

With no flourish or time wasted, Geist transforms into the spacefaring Sweepcraft mode.

Oceania -- Mirror Universe

Containing Australia, New Zealand, and a great deal of islands, Oceania is known for its marsupials and a plethora of extremely poisonous animals. The war has barely touched this area, due to the Transformers mostly overlooking the land down under. As such, refugees from other, less-fortunate areas have spilled into Oceania.

Contents:

Catechism

Catechism is still in that horrible purple and cyan paintjob. She is passed out in the wilderness, and she seems to be grievously injured, as if she was punched by someone very large, very powerful, and very on fire and then lived through an explosion. Her wings twitch fitfully, as if nightmares haunt her.

Sweepcraft  flies out from the base and begins a tracking search pattern, spiralling outward. His Radar sensors sweeping and his instincts guiding him. It isn't long before his sensors pick out the ping of a large metal blip in the middle of the wilderness and he hones in on it carefully as he activates his invisibility cloak, aware it could be a sign of danger. He transforms for reduced approach velocity. Landing, he remains cloaked seeing the heavily damaged Decepticon. He stops and crouches to examine both her and then the terrain all around. Finally, however, he is left with the motivation of saving a comrade over risking a trap being sprung. He decloaks. "Are you conscious?"

The Sweepcraft transforms rapidly into the cruel robotic Decepticon Geist.

The mirror Catechism left, flying off into space to rally the rim worlds. She is rumoured to be dead. This Catechism, despite her injuries, is quite alive. As Geist asks his question, she awakes. The ex-Seeker groans and sees a Sweep crouching over her. Immediately, she tries to scramble away. Clearly, Cyclonus knows her treachery and has dispatched the Sweeps to kill her!

Geist remains crouched and raises a hand out in a 'be settled' motion. His optics observe her carefully but not unkindly. Internally he processes what he is seeing, not just the behavior, but the Seeker's appearance. "Is that you?"

Catechism draws an arm gun on Geist, clearly skittish. He's... not rending her open? Clearly, he is just waiting for three more Sweeps to arrive, so that they can draw and quarter her. A bit out of it, she says aloud, saying what she would otherwise keep to thoughts, "Oh slag. Scourge'll be here soon, and then... and then... all over. Blast it! I only did what Straxus would have done."

Geist arches his brows up in slight surprise but then surpresses the physical response. It is clear to his analyitical mind that this apparent Catechism, thought dead, has been through a great ordeal. Perhaps her injuries were a part of it. "Catechism. You have been missed. Please, be calm. I mean you no harm. Whatever happened to you, it's over now." He remains still, crouched and unoffensive in posture.

Catechism's left optic twitches madly. There is a Sweep - is that Geist? - telling her that everything is all right? Well, either her actions proved to be the correct actions and have been officially sanctioned, or he is lying to her so she will let her guard down, so that he can gut her. She keeps the weapon aimed at Geist and looks extremely wary. Catechism asks, "I'm missed? Yeah? Lord Cyclonus was okay with what I did?"

Geist headtilts. "Well... yes." He says it as if it were obvious. "Look, I mean you no harm. If I did, for whatever off reason that may be, I could have done something to you before you arose. You need medical attending."

Fleet departs the Decepticon base, preparing to go out searching for wrongs to right, when he spies what's going on above it. His optics widen as he recognizes one person in particular. "C-Catechism?" he begins, uncertainly. Then, louder, shouts, "Catechism!" as he dives for her, to greet her in a fierce tackle-hug! Fleet succeeds in grasping Catechism, throwing her off-balance.

Catechism could point out that it is much more satisfying for a Sweep to watch the fear in a target's optics as the target dies than it is to kill a sleeping target, but she decides that Geist doesn't need the advice. Reluctantly, she lowers the weapon, and she asks, "So... how long was I out? What have I missed?"

Geist lowers his 'easy now' gesturing hand, watching Fleet dive-hug at Catechism. "Um careful there, Fleet. Catechism seems to have been through a lot since she left us almost a month ago."

Catechism gets tackled to the ground by Fleet. She has some clear injuries - looks like she got hit by a flaming punch and then lived through an explosion. She also looks rather baffled and wary, as if she expects Geist to injure her. Her spiked knuckles extend, and she's ready to try to get him to lay off when... she realise that is is more hug than tackle. Catechism is literally speechless.

Fleet immediately looks embarrassed and flails backwards, up off of Catechism. "Oh! Oh, dear, I'm sorry, Catechism!" He grins, then, brightening. "I was just so pleased to see you made it back in one piece! That's such a relief! But yes, we need to get your injuries tended to, don't we?"

Avalanche seems to be flying his way towards the others, a completely baffled look on his face. "Did...Soundwave just...call me a meanie?" He whispers to himself, and shakes his head. "Im dead....I know it. I died...that's the only explanation..."

Geist rises gently and offers Catechism a hand. "It's not far to walk."

Catechism reluctantly takes Geist's hand. Maybe he's being nice to her because she taught him about bombs? But that makes no sense! He's a Sweep, she an ex-Seeker! Catechism asks of Fleet, disbelieving, 'You're... on our side? You're really okay, Fleet?" Well, Geist isn't trying to kill Fleet... Then, she sights Avalanche. Oi. Perhaps he'll nail her to a wall again.

Avalanche looks up, and witnesses more insanity! We're they just hugging?! "I...I need some energon." He says loudly, just walking up to the others. "So...uh, you're not giving food to the needy?" He asks, and looks at all of the gathered Decepticons.

"Not at the moment, no," Fleet admits, then adds, "though you might want to suggest that to Cyclonus. Surely it's got to be a more effective means of making progress than his endless letter-writing." Then he shakes his heads towards Catechism. "Of /course/ I'm on your side! Come now, Catechism! How long ago was it that I escaped from the Autobots? And you want to question me now? It's not as though I /wanted/ to do the things they had me doing."

Geist brow arches at Avalanche. "Obviously... we were just tending to Catechism." He turns to her. "We all assumed you dead after you left I'm afraid. But this is good news. There are so few of us left. We cannot afford the loss of even one."

Catechism stares, shaking. She mutters, "Giving food to the needy? Writing letters?" Her voice raises, "What in the /name/ of Straxus is going on here?" However, they might expect this of their Catechism - she was always a bit more... direct than most Decepticons. Then, she asks, "Wait, captured by Autobots? What?" That wouldn't be expected of her, though.

Avalanche slams his hands to the side of his head. "What in the name of the Pitt, is going on!?" He calls out crazily, having a hard time adapting to what's going on. "Where is your Decepticon /PRIDE/?!"

Fleet's optics widen at Avalanche's outburst. Then he quirks a rakish grin. "And here I'm usually told I have enough pride for several Decepticons!" he jokes, before giving Catechism a concerned glance and then looking up at Geist. "Obviously she's been injured worse than she shows, Geist. It seems to have affected her memory. We need to get her to aid immediately!"

Geist headtilts, now observing Avalanche and Catechism more carefully. "Excuse me, but my pride has never wavered. Why are you freaking out?" He looks to Catechism and back again. It is not helpful to be freaking out after Catechism has been clamed from... also freaking out. He tilts his head slightly towards Fleet in acknowledgement of the need to tend Catechism.

Catechism starts to accept Fleet's explaination - that she must be RAM-damaged. She mutters, "Yeah... guess my processors must be scrambled. Again." She laughs a bit, nervously, as if losing it a bit. "But seriously, we aren't writing letters and giving out food, are we?"

Avalanche walks over towards Catechism, and whispers to her.

"Well, /I'm/ not," Fleet answers Catechism as he tries to guide her back to base, where she can receive repairs. "I generally leave that sort of thing to Cyclonus." He shakes his head. "He just has such a hard time comprehending that sometimes, force is the /only way./"

Geist gives Fleet a reprimanding correction. "There are many ways to defeat those cursed Autobots. If you stick to /only/ lasers then the war is lost. You've got to beat them in every way or they'll never be taken down off their high thrones."

Catechism lets Fleet and Geist guide her in this surreal situation. At Avalanche's whisper, she exclaims, "WHAT?! Was it... poisoned food, at least? I could see Soudnwave doing that, maybe." She rubs her chin. Then, she looks to Fleet, frowns, and asks, "Is Lord Cyclonus feeling okay?" Cyclonus? The guy who chucks tables at the slightest provocation?

Avalanche looks at Catechism and shakes his head, "No, not like the EDC pizza trick. Just...giving out food." Then he looks at Geist, as it seems he acts a bit more like he knows. "Of course, not just lasers. You Sweeps use your claws to tear apart enemies too..."

"'Lord' Cyclonus?" Fleet asks, shocked. "Cate, you know such arrogant titles are for the likes of Autobots, not us!" Then he frowns at her, optics narrowed. "You really are acting strangely..." He doesn't respond to Geist, primarily because his concern for Catechism takes prioty at this point.

Onslaught is moving in a straight line through the vegetation that stretches for a long distance, but where the normal Onslaught would do so simply to reach his objective, this mirror universe Onslaught seems to be doing it for the sake of it. Trees are sent flying, bushes and grasses are trampled, and the zoologists wisely stay away.

Sunder approaches the scene, curious as to what appears to be a near-altercation. He cocks an optic brow at Avalanche. "Indeed, we do, but only out of necessity. I would prefer that we not /have/ to fight at all, but the Autobots are being so unjust. I cannot bear the thought of them ruling the Galaxy."

Catechism rubs the side of her cone, as if she has a severe headache, and asks Avalanche, "Are we doing a propaganda push again?" Of Fleet, she asks, "Am I? Acting strangely?" To her, Fleet is the one acting stragely. In fact, everyone but Avalanche is acting strangely! When Sunder approaches, she tries to break away from the others, as if ready to bolt. Okay, the Sweeps are done punking her, and they must be ready for the kill!

Avalanche succeeds in grasping Sunder, throwing him off-balance.

Geist shifts his stance weight slightly, sensing things are... off. But keeping his unformed thoughts about it silent for the moment. Instead he comments, "Your irritability... have you undergone something traumatic? What of significance has happened to you?"

Avalanche quickly grasps Sunder, and looks at it. His optics studying the Sweep for a moment. "I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON!" He roars at the Sweep, and shakes him about.

Onslaught comes face to face in his march with a very tall tree, one almsot as he himself, which he narrowly regards for a few moments before he pulls back his fist and smashes the tree with his fist. It splinters but doesn't do anything more then that so Onlsaught again bulls back his fist and slams the tree again causing the splintered tree to fly rapidly backward in the general direction of the gathered Decepticons. Onslaught keeps marching forwad at a slower pace then the tree apparently not caring about what happened to it.

Fleet /stares/ at Avalanche, then looks at Geist and Sunder. "It would seem that Catechism isn't the only one out of sorts!" he observes, then tries to grasp Catechism's hand. "However, Catechism's injuries still must be attended to. I'll leave you two to sort this out." With that, he tries to pull Catechism off.

Fleet pulls Catechism's hand to him, then, and lifts her up, carrying her off like a hero would a damsel.

Catechism is carried off by Fleet. She looks rather more perplexed than a damsel should, squirming in his arms as her takes her away.

Geist narrows his optics at Avalanche as Fleet makes to escort Catechism away. "Who are you?" For the first time, Geist has an edge of commanding menace in his voice. One that resonates of a keen dominating presense. Alpha Trion or Hannibal Lecter?

Geist then startles as a tree comes crashing down near them and staggers back a few feet. "What the? ... "

Sunder gasps as he is pounced! "Whoa, easy there!" the Sweep says, "Do you have a case of amnesia, perchance? You are not acting like yourself at all, Avalanche." The Sweep tries to calm the Horrorcon down by burying his face into Avalanche's chest and uttering a sound suspiciously like a purr. Hugz for the Horrorcon!

Sunder succeeds in grasping Avalanche, throwing him off-balance.

Onslaught emerges from the tree line as it crashes to the ground and rolls away without actually striking anybody. He turns toward the group of Decepticons, pointing toward Sunder, before he speaks loudly. "HEY! WHAT'S ALL THIS STUFF?!"

Avalanche just flails his arms, trying to get the Sweep off of him. "What is the matter with your core processor!? I am Avalanche! Not some......" He can't even finish his statement. "Just get off!"

Geist relaxes slightly, the commotion caused by the loud-living Onslaught. "That's what I'm trying to find out." He points at Avalanche. "And outbursts are not helping at all... what is your malfunction?" Two mentally damaged Decepticons in one day? Could something nefarious be happening to cause his allies to become chaotic or is something else going on?

Hinder bouncy jogs toward Avalanche then looks up at him. "Avvy! Hi!"

Onslaught thumps across the ground, arms swinging backward and forward, as he approaches Geist and Avalanche before coming to an earth shattering halt in front of the pair. Although the distance has closed, however, his volume level hasn't. "I DON'T LIKE THINGS BEING BROKEN IF I'M NOT THE ONE DOING IT!"

Hinder winces and looks up at Onslaught. "Onsy! Too loud!"

Avalanche quickly transforms, and moves away from the other Decepticons. "Back off, before I am to be slagging the lot of you!" The mecha tigers, grumbles it's anger towards the gathering. Onslaught...sounds about right, but Ava is too worked up to notice it.

Hinder chases after Avalanche-kitty. This is fun!

Sunder whimpers. What /is/ wrong with Avalanche? What happened to the sweet cuddly tiger that curled up around him and purred him to sleep? Sunder looks positively heartbroken at Avalanche's outburst and sudden hostility. "Slagging? Whatever for?" he asks.

Geist hmms. "Everybody just stop. Take a moment." His optics, though not unkind, remain fixed on Avalanche. "You... do you find us... strange?"

Hinder stomps one little paw while trying her best to be all bossy and stuff at Onslaught. "No being mean! And stop yelling."

Avalanche just shakes his head. "Alright, this is just being a joke, yes? Your all just gonna jump me, or...shoot me?" He looks around, and blinks his optics. The tiger continues to hold a defensive stance, he maw snapping if the others come too close.

Geist speaks with no air of deceit or cruelty at all, "No, there is no joke. None of us are here to harm or shoot you unless you start doing that first. Now, answer my question. Are we strange to you?"

Onslaught continues to speak out in his booming tone of voice while more or less ignoring Hinder and her gesticulating paw. "SHOOT YOU? HMM...MAYBE LATER ONCE YOU STOP MOVING!" As Geist speaks up, however, Onslaught makes a impatient sound and steps back to give the other some space.

Avalanche looks at the others, "I dont have to answer to you." He comments, as wisps of freezing nitrogen seep from the beast's maw. "I think ill just be going, if you all dont mind...."

"Say, chaps- who's up for a little detour?" And so, Grimlock- complete in his dark grey & purple, steers an Autobot shuttlecraft southward, landing it a little ways away from wherever the Decepticons are. "I, Grimlock, have been informed Sky-Spy has detected some rather...odd goings on in the vicinity. I, Grimlock, wager those Decepticon curs are up to something! And, of course, we can't have any of THAT now, can we?" he asks, and flexes his fingers in anticipation of some good old fashioned ultra-violence.

Durango, who was totally not just in car-mode, is standing around, in his black-and-white tuxedo-esque paint job, having an enertini from the on-board sports bar. "Thank you, my good man," he proclaims, as flips a credit towards Eject, the bartender. "I heartily agree, Mr. Grimlock! Let us enjoy a delightful afternoon of aft-kickery and other such delectible debauchery!"

Geist frowns. "Something is very wrong here, soldier. but the rest of us seem to be seeing that it is with you. You should come with us and get yourself checked out by a medic. We can't afford to lose you to whatever is happening to you, Avalanche." He pauses as he sees in the distance shuttle sign and watches the small shape land. "Not now..."

Hinder steps up onto one of Avalanche's paws. "Yeah, Avvy, you okay? You seem discombobulated. Hee. I like that word." Kup has been hunched down in the gunmetal confines of the shuttle as he was flown to the new destination. Yeah, not the usual happy orange look he's used to. The bar is a nice touch. But this has to be part of a prank, it has to be. Because the alternative *makes no damn sense.*

Following Grimlock out of the shuttle, Kup nods and unholsters his musket laser rifle which fires acid pellets, instead of the other way around. "Right. I ain't so beat up I can't frag a 'con or two." Very much in character for MU Kup. Even after pitched battles that guy hardly ever went to the medical bay.

Onslaught turns to look over at Geist, gesturing broadly with his left arm so that a flock of low flying birds sudden;y had to scatter, before he fires his voice at the other. "NOTHING WRONG THAT A REMOVAL OF THE HEAD CAN'T FIX!" The gears in his head stops, reverse, and then move again at the different speed as he turns to look at the approaching shuttle before he begins to stomp toward it. "I'LL SHOW YOU HOW IT'S DONE!"

Soundwave flies into the area, after hearing about Friendly Decepticon signals in the area. He loves flying, flying makes him feel like a bird!

Red Alert's Car has managed to stow away on the Autobot shuttle. Nightbeat knows he's there, Red is sure of it, but Nightbeat hasn't given him away yet. But then, he, Nightbeat, and Punch seem to have some sort of working relationship, anyway, so maybe that has something to do with it? Either way, he waits until after the thing's been landed and creeps out before immediately diving for cover.

Avalanche looks down at Hinder for a moment, and raises an optic ridge. Though, the roar of an oncoming shuttle pulls his attention and gives him an excuse. "Autobots!" He bellows out loudly, but...not as loud as Onslaught. "We have to stop them, for his lord Galvatron!" The claws of the Horrorcon dig into the ground, as he prepares to engage the /enemy/?

 Spirited Geist says, "Be on alert. A shuttle just landed nearby our location in Oceana."

Grimlock whistles a jaunty little tune to himself, and brings out his weapon of choice- a large, cylindrical cannon with a nasty-looking bayonet attatched to the muzzle- a veritable gunblade, really. He pauses, however, as he notes Avalanche and Onslaught storming TOWARDS them. "Why, that's rather brazen of them." he muses. "Normally, they're fleeing in terror by now, wot?"

Nightbeat is on the shuttles. yeah. He isn't giving Red Alert away because he can later call Red Alert on all his skulking and thereby blackmail Red Alert. Red Alert is a friend, yes, but with Nightbeat, the blackmail just comes with the territory. Red Alert knows the score. Nightbeat half-suspects that Red Alert is just teasing him.

Geist is about to follow after Onslaught when Avalanche roars into a battle mode... and speaks of Galvatron. He whispers harshly to Avalanche, "are you insane? Do not speak his name again!"

Sunder squeals as he sees the cute and adorable Hinder. Oooh how he wanted to hug the little ferret! And since he got no hugz from Avalanche, he wanted to hug the Hinder. Avalanche's actions are still incomprehensible.

Sunder succeeds in grasping Hinder, throwing her off-balance.

Kup also spots Avalanche and Onslaught approaching. "Eh. Those guys like familiar," Kup mutters. "Oh, I see... they... they got repainted too." Does that mean the Decepticons are in on the prank, too? Of course not, that's ridiculous. But what IS going on? "Say, Grimlock..." Kup says, peering at Grimlock's gunblade. "Pretty nice weapon ya got there. What happened to that Galaxial Missile Launcher ya had?"

Soundwave then sees the Autobots. "Oh no! More Autobots! We're in trouble now!" He hits the ground and starts running toward the Decepticons.

Durango's face has a veritable look of GLEE as he follows Grimlock out into battle. "I love a good Autobot hunt in the evening, before supper. It whets the appetite!" he begins powering up his cannon, which are still on his arms, although in this world they are chrome and magnificent. "I hope that they have more femmes with them.. I broke my last one two astrocycles ago."

Kup stares at Durango. *What* did he say, just then? "Um, yeah. Yeah. Let's, uh, let's all grab one or two."

Onslaught is still thumping his way across the ground at a slow and steady(but impressive) pace as he seemingly ignores the various heavy weapons that are being set up. "I HOPE YOU'VE ALL GOT YOUR WARRANTIES!" he bellows in a rather showing of friendly advice prior to indescriable violence.

"Oh, this? I, Grimlock, upgraded a bit ago- more efficient, wot?" And he stares down the approaching Decepticons- casually flicking a switch on his gunblade, which begins to emit a low hum as a hellish red glow from the barrel. "DECEPTICONS!" Grimlock bellows, "SURRENDER NOW, SO WE CAN KILL YOU!"

Avalanche looks over at the others, and just shakes his head. "Well look, if it isn't Grimlock. I've been waiting to even the score with you!" The beast slowly making his way towards the Autobots. "Looks like you finally learned to use Hooked on Phonics, since our last match."

Soundwave yells loudly, "Oh no! Please don't kill us!"

"I must concur with my esteemed collegue, Mr. Grimlock, and request your immediate cessation of all hostilities!" Durango bellows towards the Decepticons. And then, as an afterthought, "Ah, addendum! I shall require three of your finest feminine-type robots to do my personal bidding!"

Kup is really perplexed, now. While he is still marching towards the Decepticons, Grimlock's words seem rather incongruous to him. "Haha, yeah, ehm, settle down there, Grimlock." Under his breath, Kup mutters, "Computer, deactivate current holographic simulation, Code: 4298TWW1, Authorization: Kup." He looks around, expecting to see an empty holographic training room, but nothing happens. "Slag."

Red Alert winces at the shouting from his hiding place, but doesn't damping his hearing. He needs to take in /everything/. Onslaught... what is he on about? And Soundwave is using somewhat normal speech patterns and pre-emptively begging for mercy. But Avalanche's references to 'Hooked on Phonics' are of particular interest, as though /he/ expected a different speech pattern from Grimlock as well.

Through it all, though, Red Alert keeps most of his focus on Kup, looking for an opportunity to get his attention, to make Kup see /reason/... ah. He tried to shut down a simulation. He's starting to understand something's wrong, at least.

Onslaught is too loud and large to be a holographic simulation as he continues to make his way toward the Autobots. When Grimlock bellows Onslaught, not to be outdone, bellows back in his direction. "KEEP STAYING STILL SO I CAN HIT THE RIGHT SPOTS!"

Soundwave waves his hands. "No, don't fight! Can't we all just get along?" His voice is a little buzzy, but not nearly a monotone.

Geist follows Onslaught and Avalanche because leaving them to face the Autobots alone would be cowardly. If they had done what they were supposed to and vacated, things might have gone smoothly. But there is a hidden new base below the ground, and leaving soldiers behind is not only wrong, but also tactically unwise to keeping the base whereabouts a secret. "Decepticons. To arms! We must defend ourselves this day and bring these Autobots back down to earth!"

Nightbeat starts to move closer to Red Alert's hiding place, not leaving the shuttle. Unlike the rest of the Autobots, he has no real desire to go beat on the Decepticons right now. Where is the profit? If they leave any alive, he'll be happy to interrogate them, but... the actual shakedown? He'll leave that to other people unelss pressed.

"Oh ho!" Grimlock says, "It'd seem you're no longer the cowardly tiger, ay Avalanche?" And the dinocommander, raises his gunblade and snaps off a quick, low-powered shot at the tiger. "Usually, I, Grimlock muust at least threaten one of those human germs before you'll unsheathe those claws!" Kup's grumblings go unnoticed, however, as Grimlock prepares for the impending fracas!

Grimlock strikes Avalanche with Double-Blaster!.

Hinder gasps, then BOLTS across the way toward Soundwave.

Red Alert really hopes Kup just heard Grimlock calling the humans 'germs' and talking about threatening them. Really. Because that'll make his case /so/ much more easily.

Soundwave yells, "Hinder!" and then scoops her up like she's a big cat. "The bad Autobots want to hurt everybody," he complains.

Hinder says, "I know, Soundy. It's okay. They better not be mean."

Kup begins swinging his rifle from one target to the other. First, Soundwave. One of the most merciless Decepticons he knows... is a blithering, peace-mongering idiot? And what is up with his voice? Perplexed, Kup trains his gun on Onslaught, next. Eh, well, Grimlock has got him, it seems. Then, finally, Avalanche. That guy's pretty tough--oh, wait, Grimlock again. Kup shrugs, then points his rifle at Geist. Well, ok, he's attacking them, so obviously the thing to do is to retaliate

As Kup squeezes the trigger on his rifle, the loud report of the laser bolt just so happens to coincide with "human germs," probably much to Red Alert's vexation.

Kup strikes you with Musket Laser for 9 points of damage.

Nightbeat finally paces right over to where Red Alert is in the shuttle, and he whispers lowly, "So. What are you doing here? Clearly, you suspect something is up. Kup? I know, he seems weird - not violent enough. Also, not dead."

Onslaught almost trips into something and, looking down, it turns out to be the tree he punched in half earlier. He grips it in his left hand and, turning to look over at Grimlock as the other opens fire, before he holds the tree section horizontally before he springs f or ward toward where Grimlock is standing and swings the three at him. "YOU GRIMLOCK MUST HAVE A DENTED HEAD!"

Onslaught strikes Grimlock with Controlled Collision.

Avalanche is struck by the blaster assault, and grimaces for a moment. Grimlock never used his weapon on Ava before. "You will suffer for that, Dinobot!" The Horrorcon charges right at the commander, his claws thrashing at him. Unlike this dimension's Avalanche, this one is bringing -wrath- instead of -serenity- at the Autobot.

Red Alert's optics widen, and he can only hope that Nightbeat is watching the battle and doesn't see his face. Dead? Kup's /dead/?! He takes a moment to recover. "Well, /obviously/ something's up," he hisses, trying to recapture the level of confidence and borderline arrogance that seemed to get him through earlier. "Possibly a clone. An infiltrator of some sort?"

Avalanche strikes Grimlock with slash.

Sunder hisses at the approach of evil Autobots! "Very well, we must rout the enemy," he says, pulling out his disruptor rifle. "How dare you attack my /dear/ brother!" he shouts at Kup, and fires. "This will not stand!" The rage in Sunder's voice becomes apparent, and his optics glow ever so more slightly.

Sunder strikes Kup with disruptor.

Nightbeat notices the widening of optics from Red Alert, and he files it away. Then, he paces over to the shuttle's wet bar, to fix himself a very, very classy and very, very expensive drink. He's called Red Alert out and knows he's there, and Red Alert knows that Nightbeat knows. That's good enough for now.

Geist spins in his charge as Kup's musket fire wings his torso. He narrows his optics as his headcannon warms up. "Kup, you sadistic son of a glitch, you know toying with a Sweep isn't like toying with most other Decepticons. So why resume trying now?" He seems to have taken the less than lethal shot as an insult from what he's come to expect of Kup from experience. His own laser fire opens up on Kup.

Kup evades your FA-CHOOM! FA-CHOOM-FA-CHOOM! attack.

Soundwave hmphs loudly at Hinder. "Kup is a big fat meanie. Hey wait, innit he dead or something?"

Durango giddily kneels down just off to the side, and from subspace summons a bottle of his patented MechaCourvosier, which he opens and begins wiring. Looks like something...or some/one/...is going to go 'boom' today!

"Try as you will-" Grimlock grunts as Onslaught crashes into him. "But the likes of you-" and Avalanche smashes into him- "-Are no match for I, GRIMLOCK!" And Grimlock transforms into his dark grey dinosaur mode, red optics glowing! He snarls, and swings his tail around at Avalanche's face- even as he snaps his jaws down at Onslaught! Should be a familliar feeling for either of them, really.

With a grunt and a growl, Grimlock changes into a robot T-rex! Watch out.

Kup ducks under Geist's return fire, but he isn't so lucky with Sunder's blast, which scorches his shoulder. "Uh, yeah, I'm real sadistic," he says. "Hot Rod used to whine that I was all the time, and all I'd have 'em do is some damn chores! But whatever." Rushing towards Sunder, now, he swings a fist at the Sweep's face. "So when did you guys such a buncha sissies? I mean, I'm expectin' ya to rip somethin' outta me and make it a trophy. You people are slackin'. AND I'M NOT DEAD! I'M RIGHT HERE!"

Kup strikes Sunder with OH HELL NAH.

Grimlock unleashes his Rampage time! attack on Avalanche and Onslaught, striking Avalanche.

Onslaught is not on time for Rampage time, in fact he's a little early for it, but he's on an accelerated timetable as he moves back from Grimlock's snapping teeth. He pulls back his right fist and tries to knock it through the front of Grimlock's mouth. "SO WHEN DOES THE MATCH START?"

Hinder says, "I don't know, Soundy." She looks over toward Kup. "He doesn't look dead, you know, all grey and unhappy and stuff."

Onslaught strikes Robot T-Rex!  with Da Smackdown.

Red Alert starts to creep nearer towards Kup. He's no expert and stealth, however, and is also well aware that there are a few other sensitives on the field. He watches the Sweeps and Soundwave for reaction as he moves nearer to Kup, continuing to listen carefully to what's going on on the battlefield as well. Fireflight might not have been so far off, after all.

Mecha Tiger  is /smashed/ to the side, skidding along till his immense weight brings him to a stop. The plating along the side of his tiger muzzle is was ripped clean off. The beast rumbles though, as it turns it's fury back to Grimlock. "Ill slag you, Autobot. You will be nothing but wreckage when Im done!!!" The Horrorcon leans back, and then leaps at Grimlock with all the strength he can muster.

Avalanche strikes Robot T-Rex!  with crush.

Durango continues in his evil deeds, connecting this wire to that one, and so on, melding this compound to that fuse, and such. All the while, he is not-so-quietly humming -- or rather, singing in "la"s -- Vivaldotron's 'Fugue in Quark-Major', complete with violinitor solo.

Geist raises his palm out and from his wrist spews a cloud of glowing... golden... stinger drones. The swarm flies at Kup. "Trophies? Ha. Do not insult us with your morbid fascinations. But if need be, we can rip you to shreds if it comes down to that. Rid the galaxy of your miserable gnarled presense, tyrant."

Kup evades your Stinger Drone Swarm attack.

Hinder watches the fighting, growing more upset. Finally, her shrill little voice cuts through the din. "STOP IT! Stop being so mean!"

Soundwave pets Hinder. "Big ugly jerk..." he grumbles. "Hey KUUUUUUUP!" he yells. "Why don't you go back to Jerkistan!"

Sunder growls savagely after being hit. Something Kup might find very familiar about the Sweep. "Do not call me a sissy," he snarls, "Your oppressive kind must be dealt with! I wish it were not so, but that does not negate my responsibility!" And to illustrate his point, he lashes out at the Autobot's face with his claws.

Sunder misses Kup with his slash attack.

"Gah!" Grimlock snarls, and snorts a bit of flame as Avalanche crashes into him. "I, Grimlock, have better things to do today!" he whirls around, and bears down on Avalanche, charging forward- he lowers his head and opens his jaws- aiing to chomp down around one of the tigers legs- and he WRENCHES his head to the side, attempting to do all sorts of grevious damage to the annoying decepticon. Rargh!

Grimlock strikes Mecha Tiger  with Dino Destruction!.

Worry creases Kup's face. Sweeps uninterested in trophies? And he's apparently a tyrant, now? An oppressive one, at that? No, this... this must be some kind of psychological warfare! "SHUT UP! You damn freaks don't have any right to accuse me of being just like you!" Kup swings his rifle butt at Geist's head while yelling at the top of his lungs! He is aware of someone telling him to go to "Jerkistan"--is that Soundwave? No, it ISN'T! "Nrraaaahhh! Just shut up! SHUT UP!"

Hinder says, "NO! Big chompy meanie! Leave Avvy alone! Soundwave, do something!"

Kup used smash. You evade Kup's This Is My Rifle attack.

Onslaught sees Grimlock attempting to slice Avalanche into julienne fries and so decides to do something about it. He steps forward, reaching out with his arms, to attempt to grab ahold of the Autobot's jaws and clasp them shut.

Onslaught succeeds in grasping Robot T-Rex! , throwing him off-balance.

Red Alert looks around. The Decepticons aren't doing well... and Red Alert needs to get Kup out of here before things have been wrapped up. And Kup, himself, is getting more and more aggitated. Finally, he breaks cover, rushing right towards the veteran, hoping that most others on the field are too distracted to notice. He tries, in fact, to move between Kup and the Sweeps. His rifle is out and at first it's pointed at them, but then he lifts the muzzle towards the sky and holds it up with one hand, making it clear he has no intent to fire. "/Kup/!" he hisses. "Something is /horribly/ wrong! Not just something... /everything/! We have to get you out of here!" He looks up at the Sweeps. Right now he's an open target. The Sweeps he knows would take advantage of that, easily. These two?

Soundwave puts down Hinder and runs straight at Kup. "I have to protect my friends!" He swings one of those giant load-lifters at Kup's ugly jerk mug.

Soundwave strikes Kup with Go Back to Jerkistan.

Durango finishes his masterpiece, and stands, with a maniacal look upon his face. He turns towards the carnage, with a rather nasty bomb-type thing in his hands, and bellows. "DECEPTICONS, BEHOLD! I, your doom-bringer, have brought your doom! That's right, worthless, good-for-nothing, peace-loving liberals! Seek not your doom any longer, lie awake at night no more wondering who shall bring your doom, for see, it has already been broughten!"

He pauses, and shakes his head violently, getting that last phrase to clear out. "If one of you should survive, remember the name DURANGO, for it is he that has so eloquently written this, the final, and finest chapter of your otherwise ill-written novel of life!"

Durango stands, arms outstretched, letting the DECEPTICONS peer upon their death before he lobs it towards them.

Hinder YEEKS at Durango. "NO! Not a meanie loud boom thing! Don't want it!"

Geist drops backwards Matrix style under the swing of Kup's rifle butt and keeps going, flipping with his hands planted to the wilderness ground. Sweep agility and his own advanced fighting style in co-operation to make the not-so-pretty visaged Decepticon a beautiful thing to behold sometimes anyway. It is Durango's derranged-o announcement that draws his attention away from Kup, however. An explosive? Oh no! Geist runs and leaps through the air trying to intercept and catch the device. Whether it blows up in his face or if he has time to disarm it seems irrelavent at this moment, he is protecting the others.

Geist succeeds in grasping Durango, throwing him off-balance.

Mecha Tiger  rolls to the side, yelling out in pain as the Dinocommander is more relentless than EVER before. However, it seems that Onslaught..../saves/ the day? This is a doofy world! However, it allows the Horrorcon to get his bearing again. "Ugh...he's never fought like that before." Transforming into his robot mode, Avalanche just shakes his head. He then moves to regain his footing once again. Yet, as Durango calls out of his plans, Avalanche stumble-runs at him, changing his tactics. If Grimlock can't be taken down, then Avalanche can atleast even the odds! Leaping up into the air, the Horrorcon slams both his hands into a large balled up fist. "It ends here, Autobot!!!" He roars out, and brings his fury down on top of Durango. This is a fool-hearty action, as Durango held the weapon above his head. Thusly, now Avalanche's full strength comes down on it as well.

Leaping up, Avalanche transforms into his titanic robot mode.

Avalanche strikes Durango with Hammer strike.

Kup's head snaps back as Soundwave clocks him good. He falls onto his back with an "oof," but not for long. The cranky old man is soon back on his feet and charging at the Tape Commander... or is that what he really is, now? He doesn't care if all of the Decepticons take him on at once. As far as he's concerned, they'd STILL be outnumbered. Then... someone steps in front of him. It's Red Alert, rambling at him about something, and how it is horribly wrong and he has to leave. "Shut up! You're crazy, like everyone else!" Kup barks, trying to shove Red Alert out of his way so that he can strangle Soundwave in retaliation.

Kup succeeds in grasping Red Alert, throwing him off-balance.

Soundwave gets smashed in the face and falls over. "Owww!" he complains. "That hurt..."

"No more than usual!" Red Alert answers, both to Sunder's question if he's gone mad and Kup's accusation that he's crazy. He tries to grab Kup, to pull him back away from Soundwave. "Crazy enough to try to ram a shuttle into a planet-sized Galvatron yesterday... crazy enough to follow you and Rodimus into the Matrix itself two days ago!" Then he continues, words quick and high pitched and tense, "Kup, does anyone /else/ here seem to know what you were doing two days ago?"

Red Alert misses Kup with his grasp attack.

Durango stares in abject horror as the horrorcon comes crashing down into his life. In another world, Durango would've tucked and rolled by now, his commando training coming to life. In this world, he's an aristocrat, barely trained and very well bred. He has no chance. Even as Geist sails past, grabbing the bomb out of his hands in some feat of gymnastic brilliance, Durango does not react. Too transfixed was he on the oncoming giant ball of death. He sees his life flash before his eyes -- the killings in the name of social advancement, the tortures in the name of distortion, the hundreds of Autobot femmes he had mercilessly broken -- and all that he can manage, empty arms still outstretched, is a final scream,

"OH........BOTHER!"

He barely feels it, as Avalanche lands directly on his chest plate, crushing Durango's laser core in a moment.

It is over.

Durango....is dead.

Hinder gasps as Kup proves he's mean and hits poor Soundy. She bolts across the chaos and puts herself between Soundwave and Red Alert and Kup. "Leave my Soundy alone you big meanies!"

Kup growls, "I'll show you plenty of cruelty, Sunder!" He picks a huge boulder up and holds it over his head with both hands, looming over Soundwave. Battered, scarred, and angry as hell, Kup is the spitting image of his mirror universe self. "And I ain't just gonna hurt you, Soundwave! I'm gonna kill you!" He shrugs off Red Alert, marching slowly towards Soundwave. Hinder interposes himself between him and Soundwave, but this isn't surprising to Kup. The tapes are programmed to be loyal to him, right? "Outta my way!" Kup growls, trying to kick Hinder out of his path.

Kup misses Hinder with his grasp attack.

Soundwave raises his arms up to fend off the boulder. "Noooooo!"

"Mmmgph!" Grimlock, still with bits of Avalanche dangling from between his teeth, shakes his head from side to side as Onslaught struggles with him. He growls, and then snaps his claws upwards, attempting to rake the razor-sharp blades across Onslaught's faceplate! This done, Grimlock shakes his head free...only to see Durango explode. "Well, posh." Grimlock says, surveying the situation- Durango's dead, Red Alert is crazy, and Kup...is trying to kick a tape's brains out. Good old Kup! "Kup!" Grimlock says, backpedaling. "I, Grimlock, dare say it is time to withdraw! This excursion has taken an unexpected turn- and for the worse!"

Grimlock strikes Onslaught with claw.

Red Alert's optics open wide in horror at what Kup's doing. "/KUP!?/" he exclaims, shocked. Then his expression hardens. He had been so /sure/! But obviously he was wrong. This /isn't/ the Kup he was familiar with, after all.

Hinder stands her ground despite being WAY overmatched. "NO! Stop being mean and evil you big meanie! You evil mean Autobot!"

Avalanche watches as he delivers a fatal blow to the Autobot wretch. "Enough of this!" He roars, picking up the lifeless body of Durango. "You've already LOST. I have slagged one of your comrades! Leave now, before I take out another!"

Red Alert is /not/ strong enough to take on Kup, so instead he thinks fast. He transforms, form still battered from the fight against the Fallen, and opens a door. "Soundwave! Transform! Now!"

Soundwave says, "Okay!" and turns into a tiny tape player. And just sits there.

Soundwave spins, folds, and collapses down into an innocuous-looking microcassette recorder, a fraction of his former size.

Hinder may be all cutesy and annoying and stuff, but she's not stupid. The moment Red Alert offers to help and Soundwave turns into a little cassette recorder in the middle of the chaos, the turns, scoops him up in her teeth (carefully), and bolts for the red car. Let's hope she's faster than Kup.

Onslaught is slashes upward across the face, but luckily his optics remain unscathed, but he still stumbles away from Grimlock as the other watches the exploding Durango. "RRRRR! ONE TREE ISN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU!"

Geist lands away from the... mess... and examines the device Durango made, working to disarm it while also looking up every other second to see would be attackers coming for him. His optics linger on Avalanche as he pauses his difusement work. He is disturbed by Avalanche's change of heart. Although he values having fellow soldiers who can get things done on the battlefield... Avalanche used to be such a sweet swert thing.

Kup's face twitches. He could do it. He could do it so easily. Kill Soundwave and end countless millenia of subversion. And yet... why is he just cowering there? He glances at Hinder. The little tape really is loyal, and call him... evil? "I... dammit." Resigned, Kup drops the boulder onto the ground, harmlessly. Once again he listened to his better judgement and showed mercy, though Kup wonders if that's really a good sign.

Then he's *flabbergasted* when he sees Red Alert rescue Soundwave and Hinder! "Wha...?" Kup mutters. He stares at them at all, shakes his head, and decides he's had enough of this. "Uh, right, Grimlock, yeah, there's, uh, too many of 'em.." Running back to the shuttle, Kup realizes what he must do.

He has to talk to Rodimus.

Robot T-Rex!  holds up a claw towards the raging Onslaught- almost professorly. "Quiet, you." he says- and looks back to Avalanche, and...laughs? "Why...I don't know what's gotten into you, Avalanche, but keep that sort of talk up, and we'll make an Autobot of you yet!" This done, he wheels about, and stomps back towards the shuttlecraft! "Hnn. Pity about Durango, wot? I, Grimlock, shall somehow find a fourth for bridge."

Grimlock begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Durango, Kup, Fire Chief's Car, Sunder, Onslaught, Avalanche, Geist.

Kup begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Durango, Fire Chief's Car, Robot T-Rex! , Sunder, Onslaught, Geist.

Fire Chief's Car is at a loss. He closes his door around Hinder and Soundwave protectively as Kup runs away, unsure of what to make of the whole mess. Is Kup like the others? Evil? Or was he just in one of his rages? If it's the second, he may be letting the Security Advisor run into terrible danger, but now that he has passengers, he can't risk them, either. He settles for a message, and hopes to Primus Kup's radio doesn't fritz out again.

Blue Microcassette Recorder beeps loudly. "Wait, you're not a Decepticon! You're an evil Autobot!" he says to Red Alert. "Help! Help! We're being kidnapped!"

Avalanche scowls at that comment, "Why would I want to become a weak, Autobot COWARD?!" He then tosses the body to the ground, and in an act of rage, he actually crushes what's left of Durango's head, under foot. The crunching and grinding is ghastly, as he watches the others retreat. A grunt of pain escapes him, rubbing his arm where Grimlock had torn a HUGE chunk out of it.

Hinder puts the cassette recorder down to thank Red Alert, but then he closes the car door and Soundwave starts to panic. So she starts to panic. "Help! Help!"

Blue Microcassette Recorder keeps yelling, "Help! Help!"

Onslaught stomps(he can't move any other way apparently) as he makes his way across to Avalanche. He gestures to his scratched face before bellowing in the other's direction. "LIGHTWEIGHT."

Fire Chief's Car opens his car door back up.

Hinder scoops Soundwave up again and scrambles back out of the car, dashing well away from Red Alert before stopping and setting the tape recorder down.

Blue Microcassette Recorder starts playing a siren noise. "AHOOOOOGA! AHOOOOOOOGA!"

Fire Chief's Car closes his door again. The numbers are obvious, especially with Kup and Grimlock gone. "I'd be careful of the tiger," he tells the Decepticons, before his engine roars, his tires screech, and he peels off, taking the most direct route out of there.

Red Alert retreats from the area swiftly, outdistancing all pursuit and parting shots.

Geist finishes with the device, now harmless in his hands but useable for Decepticon gain another time perhaps. He approaches Onslaught and Avalanche. To the yet unknown universe outsider he asks quietly, "You have done so well on the battlefield, but what has gotten into you?" He appears genuinely concerned.

Hinder noses the tape recorder then backs up. "It's safe to come out now, Soundy."

Blue Microcassette Recorder tips over. "Augh!" he yells. "Oh yeah," he says, calming, transforming.

The innocuous-looking microcassette recorder rapidly unfolds and grows to immense proportions, becoming the Decepticon Communicator, Soundwave!

Kup has left.

Avalanche raises a brow, as he kicks the body aside. "Comrade, /you're/ the one acting strange. These Autobots only respond to strength, strength and power." He then shakes his head at Onslaught. "When did you become so....stupid, Onslaught?" He asks, still utterly confused at the situation.

Grimlock has left.

Robotic Bald Eagle  swoops down from overhead, rushing to Hinder and Soundwave. Converting to robot mode, he glances around at everyone. "I heard about the Autobot attack! Is everyone ok?" He pats Soundwave reassuringly. Americon undergoes a patriotic transformation into his All-American robot mode!

Sunder rubs his beard thoughtfully. "This is a most perplexing situation," he says, and turns to Geist, "Brother, I think something is very very wrong here."

Soundwave whines at Americon. "They're being very mean!"

Red Alert has left.

Hinder looks up at her patriotic sibling. "Yesyes. All okay now. They were being very mean, but... (( OOC : P(!*Y@$*)&#@$ AFK. ))

If Onslaught could furrow his brow right now he would do so but he can't at the moment. He steps closer toward Avalanche and makes a low rumbling sound in Avalanche's direction. "I NOT GET DEFEATED, SMART GUY."

Americon sighs. If only they had made Soundwave a little bit smarter, but noooo, no one ever listens to Americon, even though he's usually right. "Well, don't worry, guys. It's over now, and besides, I'm here." He grins. "I'll keep everyone safe, trust me."

Soundwave is like Flowers for Algernon stupid. He hugs Americon. "Oh thank you Americon!"

Geist nods to Sunder. Something he has suspected since before the Autobots 'interrupted'. :p "I recognize the value of strength. That's not what I am talking about. I am talking about you. You have become... someone else inside. Completely different... Who are you behind those optics that seem so alien set in this familiar form?"

Americon hrrrrghs as Soundwave snatches him up in his crushing grip! "Ack... Soundwave... crushing me... urgh!...."

Hinder looks up at her patriotic sibling. "Yesyes. All okay now. They were being very mean, but we told them to go away, and they did!" She looks over toward Avalanche. "Well, Avvy was kinda mean too, but he was just trying to help."

 Spirited Geist says, "Fleet, how is Catechism doing?"

Avalanche raises a clawed digit to Geist. "Look, all I know is. I went offline for less than a nanoclick, and when I come too...you're all acting strangely. Lord Galvatron would incinerate the lot of you, if he was being here." He blatanly ignores the command the Sweep gave him earlier, about not saying the Unicronian's name.

 Soundwave says, "The.. the.. the Autobots are big mean slag-heads. Jerks."

Geist headtilts at Avalanche again. "That's another thing, you know better than to speak Galvatron's name in the presense of the Autobots. They can never know... You say you were unconcious? You must have been tampered with. Your memory and views on things are out of whack, to put it simply... what happened to you before you lost consciousness, do you remember?"

Americon thumbs up weakly at Hinder. "That's... that's great..." Through the pain of being hugged by Soundwave, he glances over at Avalanche. He wonders what the other Decepticons are, which is, what's gotten into him? If it weren't for the crushing, crushing hug, he would comment on it.

Hinder shuffle-walks toward. "Avvy? You going to go thoughtful spot now? Can I go too?"

 Spirited Geist says, "Yes, Soundwave. We know, thank you. Very mean."

Avalanche looks around, and starts to consider the situation logically. Obviously, something was seriously amiss here. He looks around, at all the questioning optics. "What happend?" He asks, and that's when Hinder speaks up about a thinking spot. "Uh, yes, yes...I need to...goto my thinking spot! I need time to, get my thoughts together..." Lying to his counter-world's allies.

<M-Decepticon> Fleet says, "She's gone into her defragmentation cycle. She remains very confused, however, and she acted like she's never even seen the base before."

Hinder tilts her head at Avalanche. "Can I go too?"

Soundwave lets go of Americon, then skips over toward Avalanche to stand next to Hinder. "Ooh, we're going to a place now?"

Geist keeps watching Avalanche. "You do that... and stay out of trouble. When you figure out you do want our help and want to talk, we'll be ready...." He turns to Hinder. "Leave him be, Hinder. Soundwave, you too."

Americon drops to the ground like a rock, and sucks in air, relieved. "Oh, geeze. Why'd we make him so strong?..." Watching Avalanche leave, Americon rubs his chin. That guy does seem much more belligerent than usual. But maybe that's a good thing.

Avalanche turns on his heel, and begins to walk towards his thinking spot. However, the others will definitely note that he's going the wrong way.

Hinder turns to look at Geist, and would pout if she had lips. "Aw. But I wanna go..." She looks at Avalanche again. "Avvy? Where you going?"

Soundwave awws, pouting. "I wanted to go..."

Avalanche uses his thumbs to point the direction he's going. "To my thinking spot, where else?"

Hinder says, "But it's the other way."

Americon raises a brow at the tiger-con. "Uh, maybe you picked out a new one? I mean, I don't know. Frankly you meditate way too much."

Avalanche quickly turns around, "I knew that, Grimlock just... knocked a circuit loose is all..."

Hinder is still watching Avalanche alertly.

Soundwave hrmphs and collapses back down into a tape recorder.

Soundwave spins, folds, and collapses down into an innocuous-looking microcassette recorder, a fraction of his former size.

Avalanche makes his way towards the thinking spot, and just simply shakes his head. "What is going ON?" He whispers to himself, before getting out of sight of the others.

Blue Microcassette Recorder obviously turns into a tape recorder because it's easier for the Cassetticons to carry.

Hinder looks around at the others, then picks up Soundy-player again and carries him back over toward Americon.

Americon takes Soundwave in hand, thinking hard. "Yeah, he's certainly different. Maybe something happened to him?"

Geist beard-rubs. "Agreed. Avalanche is most certainly not what we know him to be... And perhaps... just perhaps... something may be wrong with catechism as well... we presumed her dead lately after she left to go recruiting in the outer rim almost a month ago, but here she turned up, damaged and disoriented... Decepticons. Perhaps it would be best to just keep an optic out for odd behaviour from them and any others you may come across. For now, let us get out of the open. Return to field duty or the base as you all see fit." The Sweep gives a respectful bow of his head to his commrades and then heads for the hidden base entrance.

THE END

OR IS IT?