The Crystal Of Climax

Perimeter

A dark shape looms in the water, beckoning through the depths to a shallow precipice. At first, it looks like another shipwreck, but moving closer, enough light filters through from the surface to show a much more intriguing treasure. Forgotten towers and crumbling walls rise up from the silt, their surfaces dotted with patches of coral and undersea life. Cracked tiles and shiny bits of obsidian can still be seen decorating some of the structures, and other, highly tarnished adornments could be made of silver or even gold. On the east-facing wall of the city, between the remnants of two towers, an impressive archway still rises above the ocean floor. Through this cracked, but still beautifully tiled structure, the rest of the lost city beckons...

Contents:

Catechism

Obvious exits:

Opening < U > leads to Below the Western Atlantic.

West < W > leads to Grand Archway.

Ruse has arrived.

BEFORE

In the darkness of space, a F-35 hauling a crate marked 'Crystal of Climax' goes hauling by Mars, as if in a major hurry. Given that F-35s are not even supposed to fly in space, this can only be the evil Decepticon, Catechism! She buzzes past all of the Autobot ships and senor buoys, to make a delightful racket on the sensor screens, and then, she dives into the atmosphere and down into the briny deep.

NOW

Underwater, near a ruined, sunken city, the F-35 lurks. Will the bait be taken? Or will it just be barnacles for all?

Autobot sensors easily detect the incongruous presence of a F-35 flinging through space, and the conclusions are simple to make. when word reached the audial receptors of the Autobot known as SKY LYNX, little time was wasted before the titanic warrior launched himself into action, following the trail imprinted on the joint autobot-EDC sensor set, leading Sky Lynx on a merry chase to -somewhere- above a vast stretch of open, featureless ocean. Why would an Autobot, let alone the singular entity Sky Lynx travel so far after one mere Decepticons? The answer is simple:

The Crystal of Climax!

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > circles like a large, strangely-shaped shark, underwater, and she comments over low-power radio to Ruse, who is hopefully hiding in position, < < One of the first considerations of warfare is terrain. In the air, Decepticons outmatch most Autobots, who lack our flight capacity. However, Sky Lynx is an excellent flier. Thus, we should not pursue him in the air. In space, it gets even worse, as he's extremely suited for space. On the ground, his Autobot allies can easily come to his aid - thus, under the sea! It is difficult for most Autobots to reach him here, and he is denied his usual advantages. > >

< < But it also takes away much of our own advantages, though we maintain that of surprise," Ruse points out from her own hiding position. She hasn't moved since being put there, simply...waiting.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > chuckles over the radio, < < Ah! But I am equipped for underwater operation. I must admit, I took a brute force solution for the problem of terrain and had myself rebuilt to handle any and all of them, which while it makes me rather versatile, it makes it a pain to get the right parts in stock when I need repairs, because my design is so hacked-up weird. But I am rambling. Between us, you have the element of surprise, and I have the element of, uh, being in my element, which can be considered force multipliers in the engagement. > >

Sky Lynx's amalgamated shuttle mode is, indeed, perfectly suited for space exploration, transport, and combat. However, it is far less suited for underwater operations like some mere Seaspray. Having tracked the Decepticon to these coordinates, there is little recourse left except to dive in after her. Cutting power to his engines, the huge white and blue shuttle begins to plummet, angling it's pointed nose down towards the ocean's surface. Crashing into the gentle waves, the aerodynamic shuttle drops down into those cold blue depths, rapidly descending towards the darkness below. Powerful spotlights activate, as the Sky Lynx begins the search for his elusive prey.

< < Jack of all trades? Lucky in this case, I guess... > > Ruse trails off as her head twists about, the disturbance in the water drawing the femme's focus.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > is a blueish grey and black irregular shape, which works pretty well for orcas when they don't want to be found. However, right now, she wants to be found, so the crate she is towing iss a bright orange, which should hopefully catch Sky Lynx's attention, if the dragon did indeed take the bait. She reminds soberly, < < The second half of that saying is 'master of none'. And you'll find it applies. After terrain, the next consideration in this particular battle is the range. Sky Lynx is bigger and stronger than either of us. Thus, we will want to keep our distance, for several reasons. > >

While Sky Lynx has many advantages over regular Transformers, he lacks advanced sensors or radar which would prove invaluable in this vast, dark expanse. As the shuttle sinks deeper, his spotlights seem to get dimmer and dimmer, lacking the appropriate candlepower to illuminate his surroundings. Dim shapes begin to form as he approaches what appears to be a ship wreck stranded on the ocean floor.

"Decepticon! I know you are down here, and rest assured, I WILL find you!" He calls out, even his grand voice seeming small in this open, lonely ocean.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > has decent sensors in jet mode (better than in robot mode, anyway), so she gets an idea that something big is moving around above. She radios Ruse, < < One moment. Might just be a whale. > > The F-35 ascends up, and she gets the visual confirmation she's been wanting, <  < Oh, would you look at that! See how awkward he is underwater? We can totally use that. > >

Combat: Catechism analyzes Sky Lynx for weaknesses Ruse can exploit.

< < Of course...yes, I see." Ruse peeks out of her hiding spot, her own sensors helping her as much as her optics in spotting Sky Linx.

The huge form descending upon the ruined, underwater city is no white whale, but is in fact Sky Lynx's shuttle mode! The huge Autobot begins to transform into his combined battle mode, a cascade of bubbles escaping from his body as he expands into his long-necked, winged form. "Come now, Decepticon! Are you so afraid of me that you will hide in the shadows? There is no need to be so inhospitible!" Of course, the huge Autobot has no intentions of merely waiting for the appearance of Catechism, who is no doubt using her mastery of the underwater domain to evade detection. Sky Lynx's tooth-filled maw opens, revealing his 1000 degree acetylene blaster carefully tucked away in the roof of his mouth. The blaster flares to life, and Sky Lynx spits out a huge gout of roiling flames, instantly boiling the water around him and creating a rapidly-expanding bubble of super-heater water and vapor.

Sky Lynx reconfigures into his draconic combined form.

Combat: Sky Lynx sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Sky Lynx strikes Ruse with his Boiling Oceans Area attack! [Pulled -7]

Combat: Sky Lynx misses XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > with his Boiling Oceans Area attack! [Pulled -7]

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > avoids the dragonfire and boiling seas, tacking off to the side and under. She transforms and immediately starts to sink. Catechism launches a spurt of acid from her arm guns at the beast, and she calls out, < < Now, Ruse! He knows we're here! Keep to ranged, because as bad as the boiling water is, being torn apart is worse. That, and you're tiny compared to him, so he won't even feel your punches and kicks. That goes for most large enemies! > >

XF-35B Astral Lightning 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.

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Catechism strikes Sky Lynx with her Acid Strike attack!

< < Ow...ow! Who'd have thought -water- could hurt...! > > Ruse scrambles out of her hiding hole as its filled with the heated water, bringing her own rifle up and around, aiming at Sky Lynx underside.

Combat: Ruse strikes Sky Lynx with her Corrosive Blaster Rifle attack!

Being too large and ungainly to maneuver with anything even resembling agility underwater, Sky Lynx is forced to endure the searing pain from the dual sprays of concentrated acid etching into his hull. The water bubbles around Sky Lynx's frame as he lumbers to turn and face his adversaries. "Ah, and you have brought a friend with you as well! A pity, Decepticon, that you have not brought more!" He pushes against the substrate with his powerful legs, lunging, in slow motion, towards Catechism, jaws gaping wider than any shark's ever did.

Combat: Sky Lynx misses Catechism with his mega-mouth (Kick) attack!

Combat: Catechism's attack continues to damage you.

Catechism comments, < < I know a fellow who is /quite/ fond of ice-based weaponry, and I assume it hurts. Haven't duelled him lately. Should do that. But yes! The least likely things can be the most painful! Anything can be a weapon. Anything. > > Having seen that her acid connected, she slips back into her Aquaspeeder mode to evade Sky Lynx's dreaded chomp, and she calls another shot for Ruse, <  < Go after his ankle joints. Hobble his mobility. An enemy who cannot chase you is easier to handle. > > To Sky Lynx, she answers cockily, "Yeah? So you could miss them, too?"

Catechism transforms to her jet mode, which is quite astoundingly simple for the coneheaded model that she is.

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Protected.

Combat: Catechism analyzes Sky Lynx for weaknesses Ruse can exploit.

Ankle joints it is. Ruse twists around, managing to get herself into a better position as Sky Lynx goes after Catechism. While she's not being paid attention to, she shifts her focus to the joints in question and shoots.

Combat: Ruse misses Sky Lynx with her Corrosive Blaster Rifle attack!

Sky Lynx gnashes his teeth as Catechism transforms and slips away, and then the huge conical head turns ponderously towards the other Decepticon. "If you insist on being so cowardly, Catechism, then I shall simply make an example of your comrade-in-arms!" He replies, turning his large body towards the nameless Seeker accompanying Catechism. his slow-motion steps are enough to avoid the Seeker's shot at his foreleg, and the fire-breathing dragon is quick to return the favour ,belching another plume of flames and boiling water at the Seeker.

Combat: Sky Lynx strikes Ruse with his Fire Breath attack! [Pulled -4]

Combat: XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > 's attack continues to damage you.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > snaps, "Oh, Sky Lynx! Picking on the weak. Yeah, of the dragon and the knight, I see who YOU are." Indeed, she presses closer to Sky Lynx, snagging some footage of the behemoth for herself, of all those fiddly little joints and connections. To Ruse, she directs, < < Focus on evasive manuvers. It is better to miss Sky Lynx than let him hit you. He's just that dangerous. > >

Combat: Catechism analyzes Sky Lynx for weaknesses.

Ruse is hit, and sent backwards through the water, bubbles of the heated liquid filling her vision for a long moment. < < You're telling me...! > > She tucks down behind an outcropping of somesort, trying to gain some cover.

Combat: Ruse takes extra time to steady herself. [Pass]

"Ah, but you give me little choice, dear Catechism! Your cowardliness in facing me gives me little recourse but to fall on less wary targets!" The huge Sky Lynx responds in his impeccably precise speech, while closing in on the other Decepticon's hiding spot. Both Decepticons are being rather cowardly, but this is not a response unfamiliar to Sky Lynx. While Ruse attempts to hide behind a rock, Sky Lynx simply lashes out with his huge claws, attempting to destroy the hiding place and the Decepticon in one fel swoop!

Combat: Sky Lynx strikes Ruse with his Dragon Claw attack! [Pulled -1]

Combat: XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > 's attack finally wears off.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > decides that it is time to get Sky Lynx's attention, front and centre, before the rookie gets torn apart. She charges at him, transforms, and attempts to land on his neck, levelling her arm rifle right at his mouth, from the back and side. She directs, "Eat acid, if you're so hungry for a fight!" < < Uhm. What I'm doing here? This is dumb. Really dumb. You probably shouldn't try it. > >

XF-35B Astral Lightning 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.

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Catechism strikes Sky Lynx with her Acid Strike attack!

< < Then why are you doing it? > > Ruse is being torn apart already, but she's not -so- badly off. Her rifle, when she manages to bring it up, is shot without much of an aim, though she's hoping to take off a hand. Yeah, r ight.

Combat: Ruse strikes Sky Lynx with her Corrosive Blaster Rifle attack!

Sky Lynx doesn't have any hands! but what he DOES have is an ornery Seeker straddling his neck! He arches his neck to try and dislodge Catechism, but that only gives her easier access to splash his face with hot, metal-melting acid! The white plating begins to bubble and boil as the acid eats into his metal skin, while more acid eats away at his broad flank, courtesy of Ruse. The huge Autobot flails around, and his gaping jaws again issue forth a roiling blast of soggy firebreath upon the Decepticons!

Combat: Sky Lynx strikes Ruse with his Fire Breath Area attack!

Combat: Sky Lynx strikes Catechism with his Fire Breath Area attack!

Combat: Catechism's attack continues to damage you.

Catechism grits out to Ruse, < < Because either a) I want to distract him from you so that you are more free to focus on learning or b) temporary insanity. Take your pick. > > She is personally leaning toward option b), insofar as not normally being inclined toward self-sacrifice. Catechism is knocked off Sky Lynx's next and melted by the sheer, utter heat, despite the cooling water all around. Seh calls out to Ruse, <  < Status! My targetting sensors are blinkered after that blast. >  > Okay, MOST of her is blinkered. The sensor are just the worst part. She stumbles up into Aquaspeeder mode and sends a burst of data to Ruse, suggesting maybe a shot down his throat to try to tag his flamethrower.

Catechism transforms to her jet mode, which is quite astoundingly simple for the coneheaded model that she is.

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Protected.

Combat: Catechism analyzes Sky Lynx for weaknesses Ruse can exploit.

< < I"m not doing much better...got a bit more in me, but not much.. >  > Ruse admits as she shifts about before taking a page from Catechism's book. PUshing up, she leaps towards Sky Lynx back.

Combat: Ruse misses Sky Lynx with her Grab attack!

Residual heat leaves Sky Lynx's jaws glowing with ruddy red light, heating the water around his head to near-boiling. "Off again, are you Catechism? A pity, since I was just getting warmed up!" Sky Lynx says amiably, despite the acid that continues to gnaw away at his facial structure. He tries to swim upwards in the water column, his huge head craniung around as he looks for the conspicuous orange crate. "Now, if you'll just tell me where you've stashed the /crystal/, then I can be on my way, and you will be free to retreat and lick your wounds!"

Combat: Sky Lynx takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > studies Sky Lynx some more, as Ruse learns from Catechism's BAD example. If she had hands to facepalm, she would, but she's a jet and can't. So she just grumbles, < < Oh, no! Why can't you pay attention when I am doing /sane/ things? I do them sometimes! Really! But hmm... looks like he's getting tired... > >

Combat: Catechism analyzes Sky Lynx for weaknesses.

Ruse flies right past Sky Lynx...seems she learned, but badly. < < I do...I can do both. > > she retorts before she turns back mid-float to peer up at Sky Lynx. "Oh, just give up already...it'd be so much easier!" As she speaks, she quickly switches weapons before taking a shot.

Combat: Ruse's Flash Ray attack on Sky Lynx goes wild!

Combat: Ruse misses XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > with her Flash Ray attack!

Sky Lynx is not a fan of being ignored by Decepticons, and while Catechism poses little threat to the huge Autobot, he cannot allow her to possess the Climax Crystal. Whatever it is. However, if Catechism will not divulge the crystal's location willingly, then he will have to force. "You will tell me where the crystal is, Catechism, or your friend will face my ire!" He calls out, and in a flash of shiny, sword-like teeth, he lashes out to try and grab Ruse in his jaws.

Combat: Sky Lynx misses Ruse with his Bite and hold (Punch) attack!

Combat: XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > 's attack continues to damage you.

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > mostly manages to evade getting flashed by Ruse because it is dark under the ocean and light is easily dissipated. She jet-glares as Sky Lynx again goes for the weaker Seeker, and she chambers a missile. She shouts, "The crystal was a fake, you giant fool! You were so easily tricked! And I bet you'll fall for it again!" And on that note, she launches a missile. D'boom.

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Neutral.

Combat: XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > strikes Sky Lynx with her AIM-120C AMRAAM attack!

Ruse is, thankfully, already floating away after her failed jump at Sky Lynx, and his swipe at her doesn't connect. "Some ire!" she calls back to him before she adds her own shot sa an echo of Catechism's.

Combat: Ruse misses Sky Lynx with her Corrosive Blaster Rifle attack!

Unable to match Catechism's underwater nimbleness, Sky Lynx is unable to move his bulk away from the incoming missile(torpedo?). The missile strikes his armor, already riddles with holes thanks to the copious application of acid weapons from the Decepticon duo. The explosion bursts in a flare of light, noise, and obscuring bubbles. Amidst the explosion Sky Lynx can be heard venting his frustration with a furious roar, and as the blast dissipates, Sky Lynx is already falling back from the abyssal batterfield. There is no sense wasting further time and effort for nothing, and Sky Lynx retreats to lick his wounds.

Combat: Sky Lynx begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism >

XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > has missiles that work underwater somehow because of cartoon logic even though they should logically be torpedoes. She launches another missile after him, as he departs, and she notes, < < Parting shots are rarely useful. But I do have the rather petty urge to see Sky Lynx suffer a bit more. I think this was educational, at any rate: how to trick Autobots and beat them up under unusual circumstances. > >

Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Fearless.

Combat: XF-35B Astral Lightning < Catechism > misses Sky Lynx with her AIM-120C AMRAAM attack!

Sky Lynx somehow manages to swim away, despite his very un-aquadynamic form and lack of silly little propellors. Perhaps he swims much like a very large metal crocodile.