Archaeonix Raids Charr



2k5 3 - Sunday, February 10, 2013, 7:27 PM

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Spacebridge Outpost

A circular ring of metal, almost as tall as the building beside it, marks the perimeter of the spacebridge. The delicate spacebridge controls were moved inside Decepticon Headquarters in an attempt to prevent further hijackings, and are now part of the computer center. The entrance gate must be controlled remotely from DHQ itself, sliding open and shut only for authorized personnel.

Contents:

Banshee

Bombshell

Shrapnel

Rodimus Prime

Decepticon Sensor 688

Obvious exits:

East  leads to Entrance Gates - DHQ.

West  leads to Waste Plains.

Fly 

Scorn has arrived.

Onslaught arrives from the Entrance Gates - DHQ to the east.

Onslaught has arrived.

Archaeonix  has arrived.

Rodimus Prime drops Archaeonix .

Carnivac arrives from the Entrance Gates - DHQ to the east.

Carnivac has arrived.

Carnivac drops to all fours, turning into a mechanical wolf.

Bombshell transforms into rhinoceros beetle mode!

Bombshell transforms into robot mode!

Charr doesn't see much action these days, especially with Cybertron seeing a new rise in prosperity the last couple of years. When the homefront is starting to brim with life and energy again, the molten rock that served as Decepticon outpost for so long, even in the most desperate of circumstances, tends to be of secondary importance. Not that a garrison of Decepticon troops haven't been stationed at DHQ of course, it being one of the lesser desired assignments to get.

But even those transmissions were cut off recently, right about the same time as the broadcast about the spacebridge terminus going offline. Convenient that...

Of course, this means that arrival to Charr has to be done by more 'traditional' means as the spacebridge route has been cut off, necessitating the investigating Decepticons to use old fashioned space travel. Who knows what they will find down there, but all attempts to hail the garrison at DHQ have failed for the moment...

Blast Off has arrived.

Brawl has arrived.

Onslaught is sitting in the command seat of the Decepticon shuttle, his eyes locked on the screen as they approach Charr. He pushes a button on the seat's arm to open a communication channel to everyone in the shuttle, <>

Mecha Fenrir Wolf  isn't sitting. He's pacing back and forth, as animals in small confined spaces tend to do. Though in this case it wasn't claustrophobia, it was anticipation. The hunter was eager to do just that, no matter how trivial the matter may turn out to be in the end. We'd make a crack about the gleaming mad smile curling the mongrel's metallic muzzle... but that really isn't a new thing where Carnivac is concerned.

Hubcap has arrived.

Yes, Scorn had previous orders to help Buzzkill with a certain little bit of death, but she doubts the bee will move too far ahead without her for now. Besides, when does Scorn ever properly follow her fellow bug's orders? But that leads to now, the mantis femme sitting pretty amongst the other passengers, a slender leg crossing over the other as she goes about idly filing fingertips into an even finer point. "Of all the times for something remotely interesting to happen with Charr, it has to be now? Tch, and to think, I had things to do." Scorn muses to no one in particular, only smiling sharply and blowing some metal dust from her digits. "Hopefully it won't be too big a deal."

Charr is eerily silent, the usual signs of life and lights from Decepticon HQ gone and replaced by pitch darkness, save for the distant orange glow of flowing magma pools, bubbling and hissing evilly as if to remind of the inhospital nature of this place. There's no usual challenge-greeting from the control towers, no sense of being scanned by the defenses as the shuttle approaches, entering what passes for the equivelant of an atmosphere on Charr. And the reason soon becomes apparent as the Decepticon shuttle rumbles over the spires of the Decepticon headquarters...

Several guards, some of them seekers, lie draped over the walls, or impaled on sharp spires of the base itself. In a few places their bodies are strewn about, bisected or torn to rivets where they fell. The final fate of a small garrison that seems to have been attacked without warning, with almost no time to react. And the cause is not immediately visible until the Spacebridge Terminus is approached. Cresting over a mountain range, the Decepticon shuttle comes into full of the terminus itself.

And the Quintesson warship, its familiar corkscrew shape, that has burrowed down into the ground alongside of it, resting silently and ominously in place.

And waiting, apparently, for the Decepticons to arrive. No sooner has the shuttle crested into view, than a brilliant white burst of energy lances upwards, twin beams from main batteries that stab like knives into the sky, one of the beams coring straight -through- the shuttle's lower hull and actually blowing out the top, narrowly missing hitting Onslaught at his command post as sparks and explosions rock the much smaller ship, smoke pouring out of its side as all power is suddenly lost...

Bombshell transforms into tiny rhinoceros beetle mode!

Kickback folds into locust mode!

Shrapnel converts into his giant stag beetle form.

Grasshopper  steps up from a small crevasse between where the Decepticon shuttle, now in flames, and the Quintesson cruiser rests. The Insecticon raises his hand to his visor, shielding it from the bright glare of the energy lance and the burning shuttle. "I never get tired of that," he comments to his brothers wistfully. "Something about them thinking they're all safe and protected... all gung-ho about their mission... and then the next minute they're all exploding." He takes a deep mechanical breath. "It's almost poetic, isn't it?" Speaking of poetry, Kickback then shifts down into his more compact locust mode, antennae twitching in anticipation.

Bombshell transforms into rhinoceros beetle mode!

As soon as he spots the Quintessons ship, he yells at the shuttle crew, "Raise the shi...". Before the crew even get the chance to obey, the shuttle is struck and the energy beam nearly strikes Onslaught. <>. The combaticon head over the communication station and sends a quick message before making his way towards an emergency hatch to jump off the shuttle.

Rhinoceros Beetle  scuttles behind, settling down among the rocks. "I wonder," he wonders, "who this batch of poor fools are. Surely not as incompetent as the nobots they had taking up space, just so they could call the planet 'theirs.' They might even be fun to kill."

"Yesss-yes" hisses a black figure crouched amongst hunkered amongst the rocks, a pair of massive prongs jutting from it's head, "They're coming, they're coming, the master said they'd come. The master knows all-all." the unhinged Insecticon prattles, last word echoing in a unsettling manner. "We'll scorch them, rip them, tear them, shock them, sear them-them." he continues to work himself up, brongs quivering with anticipation, silvery threads of light crackling and popping between them as his hunger grows. He can stand it no more, the stag beatle scurries atop a rock, optical clusters turned high to watch the smoking heap that will soon crash. His pincers gape wide and loos a horrid cry like metal being rent apart.

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

By the time the shuttle descends through the atmosphere and makes its way over the DHQ Scorn is wiling her time by looking out the small window at her side. And that's when she spots the bodies littering the grounds, optics widening a hair and drawing her to lean in closer to the port. "Huh.. Looks like they've been doing some redecorating. Hm, so much for not being a big deal..."

And then they see the Quint ship. Oh slag. Optics widen even more, flashing bright as Scorn stiffens up. She hardly even reacts to the shot lancing through the ship and sending it down, the only thing snapping her out of it being Onslaught's tightbeam to them all. And so with a clearing shake of her head the mantis springs from her seat before clambering out through the open roof, wings snapping open, allowing her to safely hover while drawing her pistols. <>

A moment later Carnivac pokes his head over the smoking hole in the bottom of the shuttle.... to blow a rasberry at the Quint ship. "Hahaha, you didn't hit -any- of us in here!" The gleeful cackle continues even as he leaps out of the inconveniently made opening and transforms.

But -not- into robot mode. Flying just because you got shot down is for wimps! Instead he transforms the -other- way, Pretender shell summoning around his form just before it hits the ground and sends up a ringing cloud of charred dust around the impact. And Carnivac stands up without a flinch, the powerful haudrolics in his legs having taken the landing recoil like giant shock absorbs, snarltoothed grin as everpresent as always. "Oh looky, unwanted company. Time to break their toys!" With narry a concern for himself he bounds in the direction of the terminal. "Herrrrre bugly ugly uglys~"

Carnivac is sealed within his Pretender shell, becoming a giant biomechanical wolf.

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The Quintesson Warship rests directly next to the spacebridge terminus. Long cables are hooked up to the delicate machinery that has been stripped and exposed, and obviously some amount of work has already been underway while the Decepticons were en route to investigate.

And none other than the Quintesson himself stands at the terminus, his tentacles writhing somewhat as he fiddles with the delicate machinery within. A series of pieces of equipment are already being carried off by a few scuttling insectoid figures...Insecticlones acting as worker-ants as they make off with their ill gotten goods up the waiting ramp of the warship nearby.

Archaeonix doesn't even flinch as the disabled shuttle soars past overhead, impacting against the rock face behind him and detonating in a spectacular explosion that rains debris across the area, none of it touching him, though some comes dangerously close. His ovoid body shifts around, as the Tyrannosaurus skull leers back at the nearby Decepticons. "I would say you are late..." The hideous visage grates out. "...but you are on time, -exactly- as expected."

Combat: Archaeonix  sets its defense level to Protected.

"Now, now, now!-now!" cackles the massive stag beatle as it rocks down towards the rock and then leaps up on it's six, spindly legs. Taking flight without wing or thruster, Shrapnel zips from his less-than perfect hiding place and veers in towards the big, furry wolfoid! "KAKAKAKAKA!-ka!" he shrieks with glee, utterly abandoning any thing resembling the element of surprise as he opens fire, arks of electricity dancing between the foremost points of his prongs before they streak down towards Carnivac with a snarling crackle and then a sudden ZAP of discharge.

Combat: Giant Stag Beetle  strikes Giant Armored Timberwolf  with his Zap! (Disruptor) attack!

Click, clack, click... the sounds of skittering are soft enough that, with Charr's thin atmosphere, Scorn might not hear it until it's too late. Kickback has circled around to flank the Decepticons as they regroup after the destruction of their shuttle. Antennae waving back and forth, he spies Scorn as she escapes the explosion and hovers into place.

"Ahem."

"Here to give Archaeonix even /more/ than what you already have?" Kickback inquires. His tone is half-taunting, half conversationalist. The locust skitters up onto the rock he was hiding behind, peering at her with one of his compound optical sensors, while the other focuses on the general Decepticon advance. Archaeonix's orders were even more vague than usual, and as far as Kickback is concerned, striking up a conversation with the enemy counts as fulfilling them.

Rhinoceros Beetle  takes that as his cue to stick up his head, and his long, metal proboscis, charging it up with a crackling sound and a hint of ozone. He'll release a jolt of ions at the Pretender's organic shell, testing how it stands up.

Contrail has arrived.

Combat: Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> sets his defense level to Guarded.

Combat: Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> strikes Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> with his Ionic charge (Laser) attack!

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Hubcap is doing as Hubcap does. To wit: sneaking, and eavesdropping. He's far too outnumbered to consider drawing attention to himself. Still, he somehow managed to insinuate himself onto the ship's crew, coloured in so much red he looks like Cliffjumper.

Onslaught heavily lands on the ground, raising a could of dust around him as his landing creates a small impact crater. "You are running out of time Quintessons!". Then he turns towards the other Decepticons...all two of them, "I don't know what he's doing with the spacebridge, but we must stop it. Destroy the bridge if necessary." The combaticon grabs his own rifle and aims it at the quintesson. From experience, he doubts he will strike him but since he's close from the spacebridge... he may cause some serious damage to it.

Combat: Onslaught sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Archaeonix <Quintesson> expertly evades Onslaught's attack!

Combat: Onslaught misses Archaeonix <Quintesson> with his Sonic Stun Gun attack! [Pulled -4]

Thunderbolts and lightning, very very frighting -- NOT! Sparks of electricty crackling back along the beast's form, followed by the dull thnks of shots impacting against armor. Swirls of smokey stench of burned fur whaif into the air, but the shots don't seem to deter the Pretender or his manic mannerisms. "Aaaw, such a warm welcome. But I brought my own party wagon." A bounding leap brings him to a stop, but Carnivac continues to just grin like an idiot. "There's hell to pay, and it's coming with me!"

As he's rambling his elaborate sensory suite does its work, tracking the movements of the bug-warriors and feeding out packet-bursts of extrapulating tactical information to other Decepticons.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel> with his Hell's Coming With Me Area attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel>'s Agility! (Crippled)

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> with his Hell's Coming With Me Area attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell>'s Agility! (Crippled)

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Grasshopper <Kickback> with his Hell's Coming With Me Area attack!

Combat: You took 0 damage.

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Grasshopper <Kickback>'s Agility! (Crippled)

Scorn hated being pitted against the other Insecticons. It felt so.. wrong in her mind, so unnatural to fight against 'kin' of sorts. But she doesn't have amuch of a choice at this point as she spies Shrapnel and Bombshell emerging from the rubble and moving in to attack, twin plasma pistols already training on them, ready to fire.

But of course Kickback has to distract her, catching Scorn off guard and sending her wheeling around in mid air to face him, fingers tightening on the triggers. But.. he doesn't attack? It's a relief, but she still keeps her wits about her, optics narrowing and guns still upon him while she utters a threatening, clicky hiss. "/Give/? I gave nothing to that disgusting squid!" So tempted to shoot.. but have to hold off a moment.

"But now that I know you three are here.. I'm more interested in you than him. You're foolish for following our /enemy/. Come back with us and join the Empire like before!" It's a long shot, but at least she extending the offer.

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That player has not yet been approved.

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As the first weaponsfire begins to lance back and forth, Archaeonix clicks off the small torch he was holding in the grip of one tentacle, the beam shutting off as he removes a small circuitboard, placing it within a small alcove that opens up in his egg-shell body. Just at that moment, Onsalught opens fire in his direction, and the Quint turns about calmly to stare straight at the incoming beam. Just as one of the Insecticlones gives a loud, "Reeeee!" and rises up in front of him, intercepting the blast and being blown into tiny fragments, some of which pelt off of the old Quint's metal hide.

"If I did not already know what you intended to do, I would have been surprised at your lack of capability of learning from the first lesson, Decepticon." Archaeonix scuttles to one side, spider-like legs carrying him over to where the lines are hooked up to the spacebridge terminus, which he grabs hold of and jerks free with a small shower of sparks. "I assure you, I have anticipated this course of events. A million possibilities and only one result, though sadly even that one result leaves me with little time to work and forcing me to...improvise in the wake of your interference. Still..."

The hills around suddenly come alive with the sound of chittering from many many mandibles. Insectoid heads begin to poke up from the surrounding terrain, some of them still chewing on bits of seeker or the other hapless Decepticons they had overwhelmed. A handful become dozens, dozens become a hundred...then several hundred, all chittering, all staring.

The Quint's body rotates around until the Sabertooth stares back with glowing red pinpoints in the empty eye sockets, "...I have not come unprepared. Insecticons...it is time to feed."

And the air suddenly comes alive with the buzzing of mechanical wings.

Rodimus Prime drops Insecticon Horde.

Combat: Insecticon Horde strikes Onslaught with its OH GOD THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: Insecticon Horde misses Scorn with its OH GOD THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: Insecticon Horde misses Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> with its OH GOD THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: Archaeonix <Quintesson> takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> inclines his head down fron the red rocks to tell Scorn, "No, join us! We never needed them, and they never appreciated us." Then, he leaps into the air, to pounce on Carnivac. A scientist would be livid if you said he had the proportional strength of a beetle, since that's a matter of the square-cube law, and he's just strong (and equipped with antigravity). Clicking his mandibles at the wolf-mech's pretender shell, he asks, "Is this organic? And metallic? Both? Two great tastes that go great together. You must let me devour you."

"Nothing?" Kickback asks, genuinely surprised. He moves his six legs, getting to a better position on the rock from which to watch both Scorn and the battle as it starts to unfold. He then tsks at his fellow Insecticon. "Of -course- you gave the disgusting squid something. You gave him the greatest thing you could have." Kickback explodes outwards into robot mode, armour shifting around as he rises on just two feet now. He has no weapon in his hand, but anyone that knows Kickback knows that can change in a micro-second.

With a knowing smile, he does a half turn so that Scorn can see exactly where on the back of his own head he's tapping. It's the same location that Archnaeonix used when he drilled into Scorn and Buzzkill with his tentacles. Kickback then spreads his arms out, gesturing at the Insecticon horde that Archnaeonix has now unleashed on the Decepticons. "A truly amazing gift," he confirms. If Kickback is aware of Carnivac tracking his motions, it is lost in his own aura of self-satisfaction. "Coming back to the Empire has its appear, Scorn, but we've got new job offers now."

When several *dozen* Insecticon clones charge towards Scorn and the others, Kickback waves a hand at them, and the clones back off of Scorn and instead move towards attacking the reamining Decepticons--Mostly Onslaught, it seems.

Combat: Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Kickback splits open into robot mode!

Combat: Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> strikes Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> with his Devour attack!

Shrapnel was having the time of his life until Bombshell swept in. With a rasping snarl, the Stag Beatle transforms in mid-air! It's prongs parting to allow a head to appear while arms and legs sprout from the main body. "Bombshell, that one was-!-was..." he begins to complain only to be cut off by the sudden surge in insectoid population rendering his point moot. "Ahahaha-ha!" he cackles away his worry before drawing his grenade launcher. "Never the less, you can have the mongrel! I prefer my meals with a crunchy exterior-ior!" he chatters as he swings his weapon around towards the Combaticon Commander! He sights his shot for just a moment before he fires, a pull of the trigger loosing a heavy 'Thunt!' as a thirty pound metal ball is kicked from the barrel and sent hurtling ttowards Onslaught! Halfway there, the projectile seems to break apart, ripping away into so much chafe and shrapnel!

Rising up, Shrapnel's antennae open to reveal his predatory sneer.

Combat: Shrapnel strikes Onslaught with his Shrapnel Grenade Launcher attack! [Pulled -2]

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Onslaught is swarmed by insecticon clones and he flail to get them off him, "You won't always be able to evade me squid!" But right now, he must deal with more pressing matters. He turns just in time to be hit by a bunch of Shrapnels which rip into his armor. Onslaught had enough of Archaeonis last time and decides to deal with his pets as fast and as decisivly as possible. He falls fowards and transforms into his missile trailer truck. A moment later, a photon missile flies towards the insecitcons.

From his previous mode, Onslaught transforms into his missiles trailer mode.

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s Photon Missiles attack on Shrapnel goes wild!

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught> strikes Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> with his Photon Missiles Area attack!

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s Photon Missiles attack on Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> goes wild!

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught> strikes Kickback with his Photon Missiles Area attack!

Combat: You took 11 damage.

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s Photon Missiles attack on Insecticon Horde goes wild!

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught> strikes Kickback with his Photon Missiles Area attack!

Combat: You took 11 damage.

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s attack has damaged your Strength!

There is a brief pause from the snarling beast as his ears perk upright fully and twist to the sides, as instead of picking up just the three insects in front of him the literal millions of metallic creepy crawly limbs filter through his predatory senses. The tension in his legs finally releases, and just as the swarms spill over the hills like two insectoid waves they only crash down upon each other as the Pretender leaps into the air.

The more precise assault of a single Insecticon is much more effective as Bombshell latchs onto him mid-jump and bites into the pretender's exterior, getting equal parts metal and biorganics. It tastes... weird.

"Since when were you a flea?" With a growl as he lands again Carnivac throws himself sideways, trying to slam Bombshell against an outcropping with enough force to knock him loose, and then leap away from the bug bombing.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> with his Bug Off! (Ram) attack!

Hubcap slinks away to a sheltered viewpoint as he watches the Decepticon/Insecticon byplay. Or should that be bi-play? Hrmmm.

Scorn still hovers in place, wings buzzing softly while guns remain on Kickback, not relenting for a second, though she does take a moment to eye Bombshell when he calls over the hoard of Insecticons that begins to rise from the ground like the undead. However she doesn't answer, attentions moving right back to Kickback. ..And he even gestures to the back of his head, a movement that brings up the memory of that horrid tentacle piercing her processors, forcing a shudder from her.

"Mmph.." Scorn shakes off the thought, rigid stance easing somewhat and pistols lowering. Is she giving in? "I suppose it is amazing, helping bring you all to life. But.." And there's that but, never a good thing. "However tempting it is, I can't allow something I contributed to become a /slave/ of a Quint. And if you won't join us.. well then I'll have to just return you to the Allspark, as much as it pains me."

Her sentence is puncuated perfect by Onslaught's missiles, the mantis taking advantage of the moment to swiftly shift into her altmode, nasty mandibles clacking as she strafes across the sky and looses a thick wad of acid spit at the locust.

Scorn crouches before shifting into her scythe-armed mantis mode.

Combat: Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> sets her defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> strikes Kickback with her Molten Plasma Spit attack!

Combat: You took 3 damage.

Combat: Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn>'s attack has damaged your Firepower!

Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Kickback's Accuracy. (Blinded)

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Insecticlones flit to and fro in every direction, though it seems to be Onslaught who gets the majority of them hovering in front of him. When he unleashes the missile from his racks, the clones scatter in all directions, avoiding the blast radius. Though in the chaos, the same can't be said for poor Bombshell, and especially Kickback.

The chittering insecticlones aren't so easily dissuaded, however, throwing all caution to the wind and now descending en masse in an attempt to latch onto and bury the Decepticons under their mass of numbers, a cloud of insectoid bodies piling onto the missile truck and hurling themselves at Carnivac in an attempt to bring him down like a pack of wolves (hah!) on a larger prey animal.

Kickback had waved them off of Scorn earlier, but their compulsion to obey the even 'higher' power is so strong that they cannot stay away for long. And when the Insecticon gets blasted by Onslaught, they immediately swoop in on Scorn as well, reaching out in an attempt to latch onto her and drag her down in the process, chittering and chattering excitedly as they do so.

Meanwhile, Archaeonix turns back, pulling the last cable from the spacebridge junction and letting it retract back into the ship. It is at this point that the Quintesson deploys the small torch again, quickly setting about removing the entire control panel as two obliging clones that look like smaller versions of Shrapnel step up to act as workhorses for the inevitable load.

Combat: Insecticon Horde sets its defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Insecticon Horde strikes Missile Trailer <Onslaught> with its By the Hundreds Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s Agility! (Crippled)

Combat: Insecticon Horde strikes Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> with its By the Hundreds Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn>'s Agility! (Crippled)

Combat: Insecticon Horde strikes Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> with its By the Hundreds Area attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac>'s Agility! (Crippled)

A missile streaks towards Shrapnel, he can only great it with a smile. His hand flies up and from his fingertips fly lightning! It crackles and writhes across the missile, frying it's guidance system and sending it hurtling away into... Bombshell? "Kakaka!-ka" snickers the insecticon Bug Zapper before turning his attention to Onslaught once more. Prying open his chest compartment, Shrapnel stores his gun away befor he seeks to drop down onto Onslaught's bed, boots tumping down right behind the truck's cab. "Ignoring me like that was a mistake-take." he chides the Combaticon, "Weren't you supposed to be the intelligent one-one?" he adds to further aggitate the heavier mech befor trying to drive his fingers into the giant's hull and... just give him a good taste of what the Insecticon can do at full, glorious power!

Combat: Shrapnel strikes Missile Trailer <Onslaught> with his Forty Thousand Volts attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Missile Trailer <Onslaught>'s Accuracy. (Blinded)

"Slave?" Kickback asks. He thinks about it for a moment, apparently giving it genuine consideration. "That's a very harsh word. We aren't /slaves/... we're more along the lines of associates with Archnaeonix." Kickback says this with complete sincerity, but in the back of his mind he isn't so sure about it. He and the other Insecticons get along with Archnaeonix relatively well. He's the boss, after all, and he's the boss since... well, it's slipped his mind for the moment, but Kickback is sure it'll come to him.

"But if you truly mean to destroy what you helped create, Scorn..." Kickback draws his submachine gun. There's an audible click as it leaves the holster. Kickback is ready for Scorn. Ready for anything she could possibly throw at him. Everything...

...except for MAYBE a photon missile that streaks wildly off course, landing none too far from Kickback and exploding. The shockwave knocks the Insecticon clear off his feet, sending him sailing off his rock and into the grey dirt of Charr. "Ugh..." he wheezes, slowly picking himself back up. He's back up just in time for Scorn to spray molten plasma at him. The wad hits his chest and splatters everywhere, including onto his visor. Wiping his hand across his visor, Kickback's mouth twitches as the first signs of losing his cool creep through. "Shrapnel! Bombshell! Lets put that Combaticon back into his place!" He takes to the skies, aiming his submachine gun downwards as he sprays bullets at him.

"Come to your senses, Scorn. There are other ways of resolving our problems that don't involve you at the bottom of a Charr crater." This is a bluff. With his vision impaired, Kickback is focusing on Onslaught purely because he's the easier target.

Combat: Kickback strikes Missile Trailer <Onslaught> with his Armor Piercing Rounds attack!

Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> is pushed back and knocked off against the rock, needing to change to robot mode to right himself. He hovers back up against the slope, taking a quick scan of the battlefield before deciding how to best deal with the Decepticon in front of--Wait! What's that? He seems to be looking at the throng of robotic locusts swarming Scorn! Bombshell launches himself heedlessly into the air, calling, "Stop!" He's already loading a cerebro-shell onto its launcher. "Oh Scorn, magnificent prize, I had so hoped this wouldn't be needed. Surrender to my control, become one of us, and no longer will these mindless drones think themselves entitled to make you their prey." He lines up the mind-controlling shell carefully. "Give in, Scorn. Join with us."

Combat: Rhinoceros Beetle <Bombshell> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Bombshell transforms into robot mode!

Combat: Bombshell strikes Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> with his Cerebro Shell attack!

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Missile Trailer <Onslaught> is swarmed once again by the insecticons. At first he doesn't react... perhaps he's wondering what the hell just happened with his targeting system... This only last a moment but it's enough for Shrapnel to fry most of his systems with an electrical discharge. Onslaught quickly transforms to get rid of the insecticon but he's surrounded so he used his rifle a club, smashing it into the clones who surrounds him, including Shrapnel...he's one of them...right? At the same times he's struck bu Kickback's bullets, which nearly shred his left arm.

Combat: Missile Trailer <Onslaught> strikes Shrapnel with his This is not a rifle it's a club. (Punch) attack!

From his previous mode, Onslaught unfolds into his robot mode.

Hubcap frowns, Repugnus will kill /him/ if he's not careful. But can he really leave the Insecti-hordes to rampage as they will? Hubcap gets to work, bouncing signals all around the planet.

Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> staggers a bit from his bug scraping maneuver, shaking his head to clear what little sense he has. Which isn't much, seriously. Unfortunately there's a lot of those bug drones still, and in close quarters they're a lot more effective at piling on top of the hulking beast of a wolf like some insane pile on the quarterback with the football.

After a moment though the -entire pile- of drones lifts off the ground as Carnivac uses the powerful haudrolic systems in his legs like a quad of vehicle jacks to lift off the ground. One drone gets grabbed in his mouth and a brief shake to pull it loose and toss it off for him to see. Which is to see Bombshell turning to fire on Scorn instead. Doesn't matter if it was one of his funky brain rape shells, he still shot at her.

He may be insane, but Carnivac still has some sense of honor and loyalty deep in side. Loyalty to the pack and its cause, to his fellow hunters. One of which just got attacked instead of him.

A feral howling "AHAHAHAHAOOOOOOOO!" rings out as the Pretender tears himself from the bug pile-up, flinging his bulk bodily towards Bombshell while he's accousting the femme. And that's a lot of bulk of monster to throw on top of someone, the drones hanging off of him are no match for slowing down sheer protect the pact rage.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Bombshell with his BIG BROTHER WOLF MODE ENGAGE attack!

Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> says, "Of course you're slaves. These filth Quints think of us as nothing but scum and tools to manipulate, but you still fail to see that!" Scorn hisses, watching her acid spit splatter over Kickback. "Things have changed in the Empire since you left us, Insecticons are respected and feared! You have no respect he-- Ergh!" Attentions snap away when she hears frenzied clacks and gnashes of jaws beneath her, the femme looking down to spot the hoard back yet again to try and get her. She hoped they'd stay away, but they were merely drones doing what they do best.

And this time around she can't get away fast enough, a few pincers snapping onto two of her four spindly legs, tugging her down despite the effort she gives with buzzing wings. "Slag! No, let go!!" The mantis screeches, scythes lashing out to cut down the bugs only to have even more replace them. Oh god, they're all over her now, Scorn struggling chest deep in the sea of clones, so close to sinking below into the darkness...

Her only saving grace is Bombshell, his shell piercing her straight into her forehead, Scorn screeching yet again as she claws at the fresh hole with blade tips, scoring armor. But all of this is silenced soon enough as the hoard consumes her and she disappears. ...Though not for long is seems, the frenzy in the air around the area she was in dieing down and the hoard slowly beginning to shift aside, allowing the mantis to sit up. Is she okay..? No.. not at all.

Not with that dim look in her optics and her swaying, zombie-like movements that have her stumbling to her feet and shuffling along with the rest of them, searching for a new target... Carnivac. He may be trying to defend her, but she doesn't even realize it, instead mindlessly snapping her head forward to launch another spit wad at the wolf's face."

Combat: Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn>'s Molten Plasma Spit attack on Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> goes wild!

Combat: Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn> strikes herself with her Molten Plasma Spit attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Robotic Praying Mantis <Scorn>'s Accuracy. (Blinded)

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It was...

Bliss

The discharge of that much pent up electricity, the wafting smell of burning circuits and wires as the volts just danced out of him and into Onslaught. It was wonderful, euphoric. Shrapnel laughs once more,. head tossed back even as Onslaught's transformation throws him free like a unwary cowboy on the back of a bronco. He crashes to the ash strewn ground, a clatter of metal sounding wigth the impact. He's sluggish, he horrid, reverse gluttony of the act having drained him momentarily. Oh if only he were back on earth with a thunderstorm raging overhead.

Dragging himself o his feet, Shrapnel is just in time to be knocked on his aft again, Onslaught's rifle swung about like a cudgle, crashing into the Insecticon and sending him flying! A swath of Insecticlones break his fall, they all go down in a tangle of identicle bodies. It's like a herde of zevras, you can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

"Hungry-gry...." rasps Shrapnel and the clones in unison. The chant builds louder and louder until all of them transform, a small swarm of Stags unified by a shared goal. As one, thy lunge at Onslaught, prongs stretched wide, horrid jaws gaping and gnashing! For Shrapnel himself... the ravaged, left arm is too appetizing a sight to pass up! The Insecticon seeking to devour what Kickback had prepaired for him.

Shrapnel converts into his giant stag beetle form.

Combat: Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel> strikes Onslaught with his Devour attack!

Insecticlone bodies fly to and fro in every direction as the confusion becomes a swirling mass of bodies. The signals being bounced around by Hubcap don't go unnoticed, and more than a few of the swarm pause and bob their heads up, antennae waving slightly in curiosity. Though it won't last for long, it still nevertheless buys the Decepticons a moment's respite from their attentions. Bet Hubcap never thought he would help Cons out, did he?

It's also not unnoticed by someone else, Archaeonix's gaze shifting up slightly as he looks -straight- towards Hubcap's hiding place. But a moment later, he turns back to the work at hand, removing the last of the bolts and letting the removed terminal fall over onto the backs of the waiting two insecticlones, who proceed to scuttle up the waiting ramp of the ship itself. The Quint also moves after them, pausing only halfway up the ramp to peer back at the chaos in his wake. A moment's pause...uncertainty? Calculation? A swivelling of his body until the normal Quint face is revealed, and he frowns deeply at some thought or another.

And then without another word, he scuttles back up and into the waiting ship.

Bombshell is so delighted that not even being mauled by a cyber-wolf can spoil his mood. He raises his rasp to a high tenor pitch as he exults, "Oh, how delightful! Well, we'll work on that aim of yours, but it's the thought that counts." Turning back to Carnivac, he instructs, "See, just aim for the hole I ate in his shell, like this. And try not to shoot yourself. That's so very important."

Combat: Bombshell sets his defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Bombshell strikes Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> with his Ion Impulse Blaster attack!

Kickback opens his mouth to calmly tell Scorn that, no, Archaeonix most certainly does -not- think of them as scum or mere tools to manipulate, but then, after another split second of thought, he realizes that it's actually quite a fair statement on her part. Why do they hang out with the Quintesson again? Kickback makes a note to ask Archaeonix once they're done mopping up these fools. "We're respected and feared no matter who we fight for, Scorn," Kickback retorts, smiling as several drones latch onto her. This time, Kickback does nothing to help her.

Keeping an optic on the Insecticons wayward friend, Kickback watches the battle unfold from above. It's chaotic, but it's the good kind of chaotic. The kind where Insecticons are devouring everything in their way. Yes, definitely the good kind. With nobody else currently targeting him, Kickback is able to re-focus back on his target of choice for tonight. He lands next to the cerebro-shell infected Decepticon, moving in close. "Welcome to the winning side, sister. I'm sorry it had to be that way. I much rather would have prefered you seen the light without the cerebro shell, but you know Bombshell..." he glances in his brother's direction before stage whispering to Scorn. "He can get a bit carried away sometimes." As Scorn is clearly suffering from the effects of the shell, what with plasma spit going all over her, Kickback reaches out to take her hand. "Come now. Lets go execute Onslaught together."

The Global Pose Tracker marks that Kickback has 'skipped' his action for this round.

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Onslaught attempts to kick Shrapnel away from him but the insecticon nearly bites his leg off! The combaticon kicks the air a few times until he finally manages to shake the insecticon off. However, something draw his attention elsewhere... is Scorn defecting? Perhaps she need a reminder of what happens to traitors. Osnlaught aims his rifle and fires... at Kickback! This should be an appropriate demonstration!

Combat: Onslaught strikes Kickback with his Sonic Stun Gun attack!

Combat: You took 17 damage.

Combat: You are very aware that your life is in danger!

Combat: Onslaught's attack has damaged your Accuracy!

Blam! Blam! Blam! The blasts hit around the bite-mark Bombhsell tore in the Pretender exterior, breaking it farther open and damaging the biomechanical systems underneath. With a growl Carnivac staggers a bit from the blasts... but he's still smiling in an unsettling manner. "Aaaw, what cute little tantrum." Pause, and then he bellows up close to Bombshell. "BUT ITS WROOOONG!"

And then he turns away. "Ah ah, you're going to have to wait your turn now, hehehe~" Ears cant forward as he lifts his head, eyes narrowing a bit. They start to glow bright red, and then two highly accurate beams of energy lance out of them, aimed at burning a hole in Kickback's back as he turns to try and drag Scorn off.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Kickback with his 20/20 Fission attack!

Combat: You took 8 damage.

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac>'s attack has damaged your Strength!

Combat: Kickback falls to the ground, unconscious.

Bombshell somehow manages to harrumph in a chitter. "Well, I might get angry at you for that. Even stay to take revenge for my brother. But, I wouldn't want to get carried away, now would I?"

Hubcap catches Archeaonix's look, and glowers in response. "I swear, that Quint is more dangerous than Galvatron, himself," he grumbles.

Er.. well.. points for effort? Her spit doesn't get very far as it catches in her throat, violent green goo dripping and spattering past her mandibles from the ragged coughs that nearly have her falling forward and a blade scratching at her neck. She's only resistant for so long to her own acid, so a backup can reak havoc, sending a jolt of pain through her processors, and subsequently helping to overload the shell, a small spark emitting from the hole followed by a thin trail of smoke. "Ehnn.." Scorn groans, swaying on her feet like she's come out of a dream, everything a haze and hard to distinguish.

Sadly Kickback won't get a chance to totally score by holding her hand as she shifts back to her robot mode, two of her teammates already coming to her aid, one of which is already helping her along. "Ergh.. he got me with his shell, didn't he?" She hisses to Carnivac, poking the smoldering hole in her forehead and grimacing, optics scanning the field to try and spot out the hazy blob that is Bombshell. Since he went to so much trouble to try and get her, she supposes she'll return the favor, pulling ppistol from her hip and attempting to line up a shot on him.

Standing up straight, Scorn shifts back into sexy robot mode.

Combat: Scorn strikes Bombshell with her Plasma Burst Pistols attack! [Pulled -1]

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The Insecticlones continue to mill about, some snapping at the Decepticons, others re-gathering themselves in preparation for another attack. It doesn't look good for the Decepticon crew at this point, so many to be dealt with and so few of them...

...but then Kickback falls. And Archaeonix peers from the edge of the entryway to the ship, before turning back inside once more. His voice carrying on the wind,

"Bombshell, Shrapnel. Withdraw immediately. It is time to depart, I have what I require and time...time is short."

As one, the swarm takes off again, obeying without question as the air buzzes with wings a plenty, rising up as a cloud towards the waiting Quintesson ship, which had already begun to warm up with a deep rumble and start to rise with a roar of lift-thrusters. It barely gives Bombshell and Shrapnel any time to lift off and get aboard, ensuring that they have to 'haul aft' quickly or risk being left behind. As the ship rises higher into the sky, swarms of Insecticlones latch onto its hull, holding on for dear life as the ship starts to spin as it rises further into the atmosphere, growing smaller with each passing second. Some of the clones inevitably don't make it, and fall away freely, burnt up in the wake of the vessel that keeps on rising until it is completely out of sight.

And gone...leaving silence in its wake. For a few minutes anyway, until the Decepticon patrol ship that was in the area arrives, dipping down into the atmosphere and sending out a general hail,

"Commander Shockwave diverted us to Charr as soon as the news arrived. Where can we assist?"

Late ot the party. Of course.

Bombshell's mouth goes taut as Scorn turns on him. Although he doesn't really look surprised. "I'm not angry, Scorn. Your mind will change." Then, up, up in the air; Carnivac's not the only one who can imitate Superman.

Combat: Bombshell begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Onslaught, Contrail, Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac>, Scorn, and Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel>

Flung away with the kick of a leg, Shrapnel manages to take a little snack with him. Eagerly, he crunches and munches on the combaticon's cast off bit of hull.

He would have gone back for seconds... But someone's just decided that they were done.

With a aggitated groan... and s lightly quieter groan to follow it, the Stag Beatle lifts off and jets away! Plowing through lesser clones to just barely make it aboard the ship!

Combat: Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac>

Combat: Bombshell sets his defense level to Protected.

Kickback smiles and nods at Scorn, reaching out for her. But he never gets the chance to take her hand as Onslaught blasts him from behind with his sonic gun. The Insecticon's back explodes, armour falling off in huge chunks. "Nngh..." Kickback gasps, optics wide. He starts to turn, but doesn't even get half way before Carnivac screams at him and fires his optic blasts. The right blast clips his side, tearing off more metal plating, but the second one scores a direct hit, ripping through his abdomen and bursting free on the other side.

Kickback looks down at the hole that now runs straight through him. "But it wasn't..." he says before falling to his knees. Clawing at the ground, Kickback reaches forward with his hands, crawling as best he can towards Scorn. Even as she fires plasma bursts towards his brother Bombshell, Kickback manages to grab and hold onto Scorn's leg. "H-elp... me..." he wheezes, optics wide. There's a thick trail of mechanical blood from where he was shot to where he crawled.

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Bombshell parts with a hopeful, "You can still come with us. You'd love it. He'd see to that. The creator is inordinately fond of beetles."

Onslaught takes a few shots at the fleeing insecticons before heading towards the corpse of Kickback. He looks down at the fallen insecticon for a moment without saying anything, "I don't know what this Quintesson was doing here...but he may knows." He glances towarsds Scorn, "Pack him up. Shockwave will want to study him...and Contrail will want to interrogate him once he's back online."

"Oh my," Carnivac giggles as Kickback collapses from the unplanned by highly effective dual assault, "he looks like he went through the bugzapper." And it looks like Scorn is coming back to her senses. He turns his attention back to the other Insecticons, only to see them all lifting off and heading back towards the Quint sheep. "Leaving so soon? Here, allow me..." His back turret rumbles faintly as it charges up, and spews out a rapid barrage of short energy bolts into the retreating swarm, opening sheer volume of dakka will score a few hits on the ringleaders. "To slam the door on your asses on the way out NYAHAHAHAOOOOO!"

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Insecticon Horde with his Parting Gifts of MORE DAKKA (Full-Auto) Area attack!

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Giant Stag Beetle <Shrapnel> with his Parting Gifts of MORE DAKKA (Full-Auto) Area attack!

Combat: Giant Armored Timberwolf <Carnivac> strikes Bombshell with his Parting Gifts of MORE DAKKA (Full-Auto) Area attack!

It's so strange to see the Insecticons flee, so used to seeing their kind on her side. But overall Scorn is glad, if not a little disappointed, to see them hightailing it off the planet, the femme sighing deeply in exhaustion and hanging on Carnivac for a few moments more before standing on her own two feet, sidestepping when he chases the others off with energy bolts.

She turns on a heel, ready to stumble to the arriving ship.. but there's the matter of Kickback who hangs onto her leg, forcing her to stop and stare down wtih a blank expression. At least Onslaught has the same idea that runs through her head, Scorn only giving a curt nod without looking to the Combaticon and leaning down to silently smack Kickback with the butt of her gun and send him to dreamland.

Unfortunately she's no doctor, so all the femme can do is haul him up as best as she can and drag him off to the patrol ship where hopefully they can keep him stable.

The Decepticon ship takes a holding pattern over the battlefield, as some of the crew are disgorged to search for any survivors of the local garrison, as well as to deal with any insecticlones that missed their ride out of here and weren't destroyed outright. A small team of technicians are also dispatched to take a look at where the Quintesson had been working, and it doesn't take them long to come back with a report.

"Looks like the squid was helping himself to some of the key modulators and frequency components for the spacebridge itself. Basically the parts used to fine-tune the dimensional bending aspect of the bridges to make them, well, work. This is the sort of stuff Shockwave usually fine tunes whenever we set up a new bridge. Without those, this bridge is offline until we get some replacement parts brought out and installed. Other than that though, everything else is whole."

Bombshell, as you could probably tell from his genial and good-natured manner and his love of Twilight <--- Skids.

"H-ungh!" Kickback grunts as Scorn's rifle butt comes down on his head. The Insecticon doubles over from the gutwrenching pain, curling into the fetal position as he lays in the dirt of this alien world. His grip on Scorn's leg couldn't stand up against that viciousness. His optics flicker on and off several times as he tries but fails to remain online. The last thing he hears is the Combaticon Commander saying something about packing him up. This is... bad? he wonders through the haze before everything goes black.

With his ushering the bugs on their way done Carnivac turns back to the others as they gather around the fallen Insecticon. Leans down closer to Kickback, viciously sharp fangs gleaming. "Can I chew on him? Just a little? One of them bit me and I didn't get a chance to return the favor~"