When an Aerialbot Runs into a Lone Seeker

Drawbridge Over Cyberswamp

The massive bridge extends partway across the Swamp, its demolished center spanned now by new construction but still with visible cracks and stress marks on both sides to mar its once-sturdy structure. On the south end of the bridge, a dark tower overlooks the infamous Cybertronian Swamps, one of the most feared areas since the great wars began. Clearly this has been an area of great importance throughout the eons of war, yet it looks like nothing was ever gained from it but death, as the countless rusted, half-submerged bodies of long-dead Transformers attest.

Contents:

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet

Obvious exits:

Fly leads to Sky above Cyberswamps .

South leads to Northern Crossroads.

South leads to Cyberswamp Bridge Tower.

Down leads to Cybertronian Swamplands East.

F-35B  is out on patrol. Just a flight away are the Autobot emplacements. She dares not fly down there, lest she be taken down in a hail of flak. She's fly high and above when the time comes to cross that particular area. For now, she surveys the drawbridge area. The F-35 skims down low over the swamps, almost splashing up the brackish fluid. Nothing here but the dead that she can see, so far.

Of course, that would be because one Aerialbot F-15 is currently flying above her, having been heading back to Autobot lines on his own series of patrols. "Soo......sightseeing?" He asks, as he cuts his engines to literally drop out of the sky, cutting them in again once he's flying level with the Decepticon Seeker. "I hear the sights over Polyhex are particular amusing."

F-35B  calls on her vectored thrust and suddenly pauses in the air, hovering mere metres about the swamp. Hopefully, this will cause the Autobot shoot out ahead of her, setting up for a decent shot from behind. She chuckles and replies, "Sightseeing? Hardly. Who has time for that anymore?"

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet does shoot out in front of her, laughing as he does so. "Well, I couldn't imagine what any of you were doing outside of the city walls. I mean....last I heard, you were all afraid of the Big Bad Autobots." He banks and starts to swing wide around to the left.

F-35B  idly rotates in place, tracking the Aerialbot. She needles, "I suppose you missed Killarn?" Then, she jets upwards, transforms, looks downwards and lands on the drawbridge, striking up a Black Knight stance. The Seeker heckles, "Get out of here, Aerialbot. You're just cluttering up the air. Go back to Iahex."

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.

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet spins back around towards Catechism. "Aww...is the big bad seeker mad that I can do what she can?" He asks, as he throttles his engines up higher as he swings towards the Seeker. "Gee, I wonder if anyone has told her what happens when a Seeker runs into an Aerialbot alone." He calls out as he picks up speed towards where she stands on the drawbridge, a low dive that will ram her if she's not fast enough.

You evade F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet's ram attack.

Catechism does manage to get out of the way, diving over the side of the drawbridge. She manages to grab onto the side before her fall takes her down into the foul fluid below. The Seeker swings back up into the drawbridge, feet connecting with a solid thump. She calls out, smirking, "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" Catechism raises an arm and the attacked gun to send a weak blast after the Aerialbot.

You strike F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet with Zap!.

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet pulls up then, transforming in midair to backflip himself onto the bridge, landing neatly several yards away from Catechism, his rifle already out and swinging up towards the Decepticon. "Wow, maybe you tin heaps aren't as bad as Ironhide always said you were." He fires his rifle then, a low powered attack, while following it up by starting to run at Catechism.

The underside of the F-15 comes out and down, as the wings and nose pull up and back as the fighter transforms into.....AIR RAID!

Air Raid strikes you with Torque Rifle - Low Power for 11 points of damage.

Catechism doesn't finch as she's torqued by the odd weapon, although it certainly hurts. She takes a 'step" up into the air, as if to flaunt her anti-gravs. Then she takes a literal flying leap towards the Aerialbot. At the last moment, she extends out a leg, perhaps trying to kick him off the bridge. Catechism says, "Ironhide... can't say that name rings a bell. I've never seen him in battle. Is he hiding in Iahex?"

You strike Air Raid with Flying Kick.

Air Raid grunts as he's kicked, but he doesn't go off the bridge, instead grabbing one of the supports and swinging around it, spinning around on the support and actually climbing it for a moment, pushing himself up high enough to swing his own kick at the Decepticon. "He died in battle, a hero, fighting Megatron right before Unicron. Not that you'd know, hiding from the Autobots up here on Cybertron!"

Air Raid strikes you with Kick in the Head for 5 points of damage.

"So he died? Then he deserved death. That's hardly a hero's wages," Catechism argues. Perhaps she ought to pay more attention to the battle, since she gets kicked in the head. It makes her audios rang and not much more, but it does trigger a memory. "Do you Autobots have a thing for headshots or something? Smokescreen punched me in the back of the head, last I saw him. Then I threw him into Grapple!" To punctuate her point, she sends another blast from her arm-mounted guns up at the climbing Aerialbot.

Air Raid evades your disruptor attack.

Air Raid would snort. If he, you know, breathed. As it is, he just lets out a bark of scorn. "Ha! Dying a hero is better than dying a slave or coward, you walking slag heap." The attack is easily dodged. "Case in point. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." He uses the inertia from his swing kick to shift his body so that he's swinging at the Decepticon Seeker femme again, this time with the rifle he holds in his hands.

Air Raid strikes you with Rifle Thwacking for 7 points of damage.

Catechism thwacked. While not major in and of itself, the damage is starting to add up, so she takes the hint and takes a few paces back. Then, she hovers up into the air a few metres. Her spirits obviously haven't flagged, since she still has the spirit to jeer, "So is that climbing of yours compensation for inferior Autobot flight technology, or were you originally built as a mechamonkey?" Obviously favouring her ranged weapons for some reason, she also replies with her arm guns, kicking up the power of her weapons a big notch.

You strike Air Raid with But Aerialbots Aren't Barns.

Air Raid grins. Oh, yeah, this is a fun battle for the white/red Aerialbot. "Not at all. It's the reason I'm a warrior, and not a medic, or recon, or anything else. I live for this stuff." While not entirely true, he is having fun. "After all, it's not every day I get to mess up the paint job of a pretty Decepticon." He considers this for a moment. "Not since that dogfight with Comcast, anyway." But if she wants to take this to ranged combat, Air Raid has no problems with that. At all. His rifle comes up again, and with a quick flick of a wrist, he raises the powerlevel. "Let's see if you can keep running that big mouth after this."

Air Raid strikes you with Torque Rifle for 13 points of damage.

"Comcast?" Catechism sputters, quite able to keep her mouth running. Something very akin to hatred flashes in her optics. She snarls, "Tell me, did you at least give Comcast a proper thrashing?" She'll never live it down if she loses to someone that Comcast beat, after all. Maddened, she flicks out a simple combat knife and charges the Aerialbot, hoping to sink the small blade into one of his wings.

You strike Air Raid with combat knife.

Well, there goes one of the wings he wasn't currently using, so he can't say he's honestly all that upset that he's lost it. Nor is he really all that worried about his injuries, which, aside from the one time she shot him, consists mainly of superficial dents and the like. "Oh, don't worry about Comcast. I sent him home in pieces." He pauses for a moment, considering. "So anyway, do you want to know why your fellow Seekers hate me so much?" And now his grin is positively gleeful. "I'll give you a hint." He moves away from her, raises one hand, and in place of his fist is now a blaster tube. "This." And he fires his null-ray.

You evade Air Raid's Null-Ray attack.

Catechism drops down, hitting the bridge and falling into a 'splits' pose that would make most cheerleader wince. So some of the bridge behind her gets null rayed instead. As such, she's a little baffled as to what Air Raid's talking about and muses aloud, "We hate you because you talk a lot and can't hit?" The Seeker scurries into a kneeling pose and then up onto her feet properly, snapping off another shot with her arm guns at remains of the wing where her knife connected.

You strike Air Raid with laser.

Air Raid grunts as his wing falls completely off now, useless. Oh, he probably could still fly if he wanted to, but at a mere fraction of his speed and with none of his customary manueverability. His attempt to buy time has failed, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't know what to do next. Instead he fires again, this using a disruptor beam. "Nevermind. You want to know why I piss seekers off, ask your boyfriend Comcast." Hey, that insult works on Terran females.

Air Raid strikes you with disruptor for 4 points of damage.

Catechism sees red, making her ruby optics as metaphorical as they are literal. She dragged that little ingrate Comcast off a battlefield, and then he had the gall to make her sound like a damsel in distress. Oh, Air Raid is going to pay for this, and she thinks she'll open a checking account right now. She transforms, paying no heed to the fact that she's on a bridge. The Seeker hits on her afterburners hard and tries to do the Air Raid what he failed to do to her: a ram.

Catechism transforms into her alternate mode: a F-35, Marine Corps variant. Her feet flip up against her shins, her nosecone rotates through her body and out in front where it belongs, her arms tuck into her torso, and her wings rotate into position.

You strike Air Raid with ram.

You take 9 points of damage from striking Air Raid.

Air Raid grunts as he's struck, and struck hard. But that's alright, he's not the world's greatest Aerialbot for nothing. His systems are already starting to go into shock, the damage he's taken and in the spot he's taken it are probably going to keep him in the infirmary for months. At least, that's if First Aid isn't the medic in charge. If First Aid is, he could be in there for Terran years. As he slides off Catechism's alt form and into the swamp, he lifts his rifle, and tries to aim it towards the Decepticon jet. It's a long shot, and it may cost him more than just time. "Well." He comments, energon leaking from his lips. "That hit a nerve." And then he fires his Torque Rifle.

Air Raid strikes you with Torque Rifle for 14 points of damage.

F-35B  crumples in her own nosecone ramming Air Raid, but it's so worth it. Slightly less worth it is getting hit by that torque rifle in jet mode, and she shudders from the damage. She transforms and stands on the bridge, weary but able to go on. She peers down at Air Raid and remarks, "A fitting place for an Aerialbot." Then she sends forth a weak taser shot from one of her arm guns, looking to see where that wing she shot off him went.

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.

You strike Air Raid with taser.

Air Raid would be stuck in the swamp. But he transforms anyway, hoping that the blast from his afterburners will push him out of the muck and goo. He may not be able to manuever well, but at least he can make sure he leaves his body in a convenient spot for the rescue team. As he kicks in his afterburners, a weak signal light's up in his damaged weapon tracking systems. It seems he has target lock. A sidewinder missile streaks up towards the Decepticon, but it wobbles and shakes so badly it may just be a minor miracle if it hits. Of course, at this point, it may be a minor miracle if the badly damaged Air Raid can get out of the swamps under his own power. "Eat this."

Laserbeak descends from the Sky above Cyberswamps  above.

Laserbeak has arrived.

Air Raid starts to kneel, his legs folding beneath him as his arms are pulled into his body. The nosecone behind his head and the wings on his back each extend and come down, changing the Aerialbot into an F-15 Eagle.

You evade F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet's Sidewinder Missiles attack.

"I'm not hungry," Catechism quips, throwing herself out of the way of the Sidewinder. She struggles up onto her hands and knees. Now, where did that wing get to? It didn't fall into the swamps, did it? If she can find it, it'll be the perfect thing to show off in front of Comcast. What, spiteful much? Not seeing it at the moment, she dives into the swap after Air Raid, arms outstretched in front of her and hands balled into fists. Maybe she'll just go after his other wing!

You strike F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet with Smiting the Heathens.

Air Raid falls to the ground unconscious.

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet never has a chance to full pull himself out of the swamp. The weight of Catechism, combined with the damage he's already taken, plus the fact that she did punch him, sends his systems into total overload, and offline. His boosters cut out, and the lights surrounding his altmode dim, and he sinks into the swamp.

Laserbeak hovers in the air, safe away from the heat of the battle, much as he had for much of the fight. With the fall of Air Raid, the metallic bird gives an evil-sounding squawk and soars in close to Catechism, staring down at the prone form of the Autobot with glittering yellow optics. He grinds his beak slightly and begins to circle slowly down, taking advantage of the situation as he always does. Hey, not everyday he has himself a nice unconscious victim to tor- er- interrogate.

Catechism is soaked by the swamp, since she dived in after Air Raid, but she gets to see him go offline. It's oh-so-satisfying. So he thrashed Comcast, huh? Maybe she doesn't have as much to fear from Comcast as she thinks. Kicking off his body, she leaps back to the bridge, boot-jet assisted. She shakes some of the foul liquid off herself and glances over at Laserbeak, grinning. She's never met the cassette, per se, but she knows his 'father'. Helpfully, she inquires, "Want me to haul him back up on the bridge for you?"

F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet would move, if he could. But alas, right now, he's completely unconcious and inert. Although his armor did dent nicely when Catechism gave him one last kick.

Laserbeak skims close to the swamp, barely avoiding a severe case of wet-foot before circling back up into the air. He studies Catechism with that steady yellow gaze, then squawks in the affirmative, hovering nearby to watch the opperation. A condor's face isn't exactly mobile, but perhaps it’s the set of that cruelly hooked beak, perhaps it's the glint in his optics... whatever it is, he looks downright gleeful. His father will be pleased with this night's work.

Catechism smiles and nods, agreeing, "Sure thing." It's funny. Plenty of male Transformers - Sunstreaker and Tracks to name a few - are fussy about their appearances. Catechism apparently is not, as she dives back down into the swamp to haul up Air Raid onto the draw bridge. It's also funny how often in battles she ends up hauling around unconscious jetboys, although up until now it's always been Decepticon jet boys who need to be taken back to medical.

Laserbeak waits patiently while Catechism drags the unconscious Air Raid onto the drawbridge, then swoops down, landing directly on the Autobot's chest, ignoring, or perhaps intending, the way his feet score the already battered metal plating. He hops a few times, then swivels his head to stare at the Decepticon for a moment, then inclines it with a soft chrrr of thanks. When he turns away again to study what has now become his 'carrion', she's tuned out. All that remains is his duty. And his pleasure.

Catechism against shakes off what muck she can. She comments cheerily, "I'll leave you to your task, then." The Seeker then stalks about the draw bridge, looking for Air Raid's wing. Ah, at last! She scoops it up, greedy fingers clasping the damaged metal tightly. The Seeker pauses to take stock of her injuries and comments, "I've got to get back for repairs. You can handle him, I trust?"

Perhaps in answer, Laserbeak activates one of his lasers, trimming off just the slightest curl of metal from the jet-form 'bot beneath him. With a cheerful squawk, he indicates that he's got it under control. Indeed, as long as he goes unmolested by a rescue team, he's perfectly fine. In fact, even if the Autobots do find out, well... every coward knows how to run, and run fast.

Catechism takes her trophy and heads off, for once not retreating. She'll write up a report later. The Seeker tosses Laserbeak a friendly wave in parting and ascends to the sky to make her way back to Nightsiege, transforming and stowing the wing in her cockpit for ease of travel.

Catechism transforms into her alternate mode: a F-35, Marine Corps variant. Her feet flip up against her shins, her nosecone rotates through her body and out in front where it belongs, her arms tuck into her torso, and her wings rotate into position.

You rise upward to the Sky above Cyberswamps .

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Message: 2/21                     Posted        Author

Patrol Incident                   Fri Sep 02    Catechism

--

The flickering image of Catechism appears on screen, and the Seeker is looking far worse for the wear. Particularly, her nosecone area is crumpled. Despite this, she looks quite cheerful and rather pleased with herself.

"While on standard patrol around Polyhex and its outskirts, I ran into the Aerialbot Air Raid and engaged him in combat on a drawbridge in the swamps. It took a fair amount out of me," and the damage clear on her frame makes that rather obvious, "but the Autobot Seeker knock-off was too foolish to run, and the knock-off soon became knocked out. Laserbeak arrived on the scene in a timely manner, and I left the Aerialbot in the interrogator's capable claws. I did, however, bring back this."

The Seeker withdraws a somewhat mangled blue-black wing marked with an Autobot symbol at the middle. Catechism grins wide for the camera, and her image flickers out.

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Message: 2/22                     Posted        Author

Present for Sweeps                Fri Sep 02    Fusillade

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 * Fusillade appears, not quite able to contain herself*

Catechism! That is great, getting up close and personal with them. For the rest of you? See, if you take advantage of lone Autobots wandering around, you can start your OWN trophy collection too. Service really is its own reward.


 * obsidian gauntlets are folded as she collects herself and speaks more formally*

But, back to the task at hand. Lord Scourge? You and your minions may want to listen well. My Number One was not the only one toying with the Autobots this past cycle. I was skirting the southeastern edges of Decepticon territory to take a break from organizing the Aerospace rosters, when I came across one of your marks. Seeing that you would take great pleasure in sinking those pretty pink claws into Jazz, I took the liberty of dropping a canyon wall him. He was already damaged, and did not want to deny you the pleasure of punishing him yourself. Barring the presence of any tunnels in those typically smooth surfaces, he should still be there. No reinforcements showed up, so there is a good chance that he does not have radio capability either. He is practically gift wrapped for you, act fast. Finger Canyons, it’ll be the one with the rubble on its shallow, sloping side. Fusillade out.

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