Don't pick on Seekers

Shores of the Nile River

''This is a lush, green fertile area along the riverbank of the Nile, one of the largest rivers on Earth. The air is stifling hot, humid, and buzzing with all kinds of insects. Murky green, the river's water is nearly opaque with the rich silt on which the agriculture of the region depends, and it is impossible to tell what lies beneath the surface. The broad expanse of the river is calm here, flowing more quickly to the south where the massive Aswan Dam's generators are churned by the river's motion. Locals still use the river as a means of transportation, many poling their boats northward towards Cairo.''

Objects: Refuge camp

Skydive soars down into view from the skies above.

Skydive has arrived.

Skydive streaks in above you.

Skydive changes back into his Robot mode.

Air Raid has apparently decided to linger in Africa, and rather than sightsee like any good tourist, he's seated on one of the docks, furiously tapping away at his mech-sized handheld which beeps and chirps. Clearly he's reached a boss.

Skydive has tracked Raid down to here. He is carrying something on his hip, not clear what it is at the moment, but the casual converstaion begins. "Raid? What are you doing?"

Skydive's voice distracts Raid for a nano, thusly making him lose the battle. "ARGHH! Skydive!" He takes the handheld and hurls it into the river. Whirling to face Skydive, he fixes him with an expectant glare. If he were were Slingshot or Firelight, he'd be hurled into the water along with the game. "What're /you/ doing?"

Skydive follows the toss of the game into the river and turns his gaze back towards Raids' quizzical, "You could have taken another try, why would you throw it into the river. The chances of you locating that and in subsquently functioning are pretty low Raid," Skydive shrugs it off. "I came to find you clearly."

Air Raid, naturally, regrets tossing away his only current source of entertainment. He grunts and tries to look nonchalant. "I'll just buy another. Welp, here I am, bro. Whatcha' got?" he asks, shifting his weight to have a better look at what Skydive is carrying.

Skydive unhides what he has and it is a toaster. He extends it in Air Raid's direction...

Air Raid settles a baffled look on Skydive before cautiously taking the toaster and turning it over in his hands. "Uhh... a toaster... is it actually a gun?" he queries excitedly, expecting far too much.

Skydive scratches his head and says, "Well, ummm, Pipes gave it to me. And he suggested that I give it to one of you guys as an expression of brotherhood. If you look closely, that cooling systems that I was developing to escape velocity has been scaled down to fit the toaster."

"Brotherhood?" Raid inspects the 'gift', and laughs, "Great, at least this toaster will kick aft at /toasting/. Hmm, very thoughtful. Well, thanks!" He jabs Skydive lightly in the shoulder, "Have you been wanting anything particular?"

"Besides you flying in formation?" Skydive says seriously. "I can't really think of anything. It is such an illogical gift to give to any Cybertronian. Maybe I will suggest Pipes for evaluation. But I told him that I would and now you have it."

Air Raid shakes his helm, "I'm sure Pipes is just trying to be nice, 'Dive. This toaster will have a nice spot on my shelf." He grins, "It's the thought, though perhaps I should be thanking Pipes instead. Any update on the missing Autobots?" he asks hopefully, as if Skydive would be up on the news.

Skydive shankes his head and says, "I haven't heard anything," but he is not willing to give up on the toaster conversation just yet. "Pipes suggested that I give it a name. Can you think of one? It can toast and freeze at the same time."

"Wait, what?" Raid flips the toaster over again and squints into the slots. "Does it have like a freeze ray or something?" Jokingly, he pulls on the level and aims it at Skydive. "Can it freeze-toast energon? I can name it after you!"

Skydive raises a hand in defense and responds, "I just told you, I install a mini version of the escape velocity coolant system. I can run indefintely, I do not know a toaster that can't, and I am certain that if used creatively it would be able to bring any item within its slots to below 150 kelvin easy. And please, name it something else."

Raid looks far too pleased with it. "Oh the things I could freeze... ah, perhaps I should head back to base, no more fires here."

Skydive frowns very unhappy, "I would really prefer that you didn't. What does it have in common with me? How does it remind you of me...other than the obvious?"

"Well." Raid looks it over, and twirls it on the tip of his finger like a basketball, "It's metal, and you're metal. It's boring, and you're boring. It doesn't have lightning bolts, but I could give it lightning bolts!"

Skydive sighs heavily. "Well, Raid, if you must."

Air Raid beams and subspaces the toaster. Oh yes, he intends to toast /and/ freeze many things. He and Skydive are simply milling around the docks, and now Raid is thinking of a ridiculous gift for Skydive.

Artifice is cruising high over the continent of Africa, only idly looking for Autobots. Fleet has charged him with devising a mission for himself as part of the Seeker mentoring program, and he's idly hoping that something will come to him. He happens to drop from the stratosphere directly over the two Aerialbots. He smiles to himself...maybe this will be just the encounter for him to turn in to Fleet. What luck! He says this to himself to hide the disappointment he feels at his awful luck. "Well well," he teases, "two Seeker wannabes!" He swings in for a strafing run.

Combat: Artifice misses Skydive with his Wimp Powers Activate! (Laser) attack!

Clearly Artifice has gotten Skydive's attention and his first instinct is to grab the toaster and dive for cover. Skydive quickly turns hie optics and weapon skywards, in a flash of subspace energy. "Protect the toaster, I put to much work into it." With that, Skydive fires off a few shots at the party crasher.

Combat: Skydive strikes Artifice with his Nega-Gun attack!

Air Raid stumbles backwards at the sudden barrage of laser fire. "Holy-!" In the sky, it's a chocolate Seeker! Or rather, more of a mocha and caramel. Mmmmm. "No worries, it's safe with me!" Tucking it under his arm, he whips out his rifle and flips the setting down notch. Don't wanna' kill off the fun too early. "Wannabe? Gimme' a break!"

Combat: Air Raid misses Artifice with his Torque Rifle attack! [Pulled -1]

By the Pit! Skydive's Nega-Gun blast rocks Artifice. He spins uncontrollable for a second, evading Air Raid's attack by luck alone. Spiderweb cracks radiate far out along his armor from a smoking black blast hole in one of Art's wings. "A lucky shot," he curses. He banks, regaining control and arcing high, scanning Air Raid for his second pass. Combat: Artifice analyzes Air Raid for weaknesses.

Combat: The next attack against you will automatically hit.

Air Raid subspaces the toaster and leaps into the air, regardless of being analyzed! He transforms mid-jump and tears after Artifice, firing off some sparrow missiles. "Heeeere SeekerSeekerSeekerrr..."

Air Raid shifts and twists, pieces sliding into place to form his F-15 Eagle mode.

Combat: F-15 Eagle  strikes Artifice with his Sparrow Missiles attack! [Pulled -2]

Skydive points towards the sky as Air raid lifts off taking more cover, "You Better!" he calls out putting his back against the dock and reloading his weapon.

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

Raid's sparrow missiles find their mark even as Artifice tries to spin out of the way. His pained cries are lost in the midst of a raucous explosion; he turns in, guidances systems damaged, and is forced to transform to stay airborne. "Back off, reject," he sneers, aiming the lightning cannon on his right arm.

Combat: Artifice strikes F-15 Eagle  with his Lightning Cannon attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired F-15 Eagle 's Agility. (Crippled)

"Where's your flock, Seeker!" Raid cries, never flying in a straight line as he twirls and loops after Artifice. A blast of crackling electricity catches his nose cone and lances through his frame, overloading sensors. He howls in agony, diving sharply, struggling to stay in the air. "GLITCH! You're DEAD!" He fires his next batch at Arti's left wing.

Combat: F-15 Eagle  strikes Artifice with his Sidewinder Missiles attack!

Skydive looks up from behind the dock and levels his weapon again. "Air Raid, hold your altitude, I am going to be on your wing any moment," and again Skydive fires into the air. You paged Artifice with 'I hate it when people retreat XD'

Combat: Skydive strikes Artifice with his Disruptor attack!

Clearly, this is not an encounter with which Artifice will be regaling his mentor. He is hammered from both sides, systems beginning to shut down throughout his entire frame before he even has time to realize what's happened. He fights for control as he plummets, trailing sickly black smoke, temporarily unable to move. By the time he manages to lock down some of his ravaged systems, he barely has time to keep himself from hitting the ground at a most perilous velocity. He raises his left arm - the one undamaged part of him - and fires a blast from his Sun Ray at Skydive. No witty retort to Raid's taunting...no attempt at banter at all. There is only anger in him now and the desire to see at least one of these false Seekers blasted back to the ground where they all belong.

Combat: Artifice misses Skydive with his Sun Ray attack!

A distant roaring from the interior of the continent precedes the arrival of the Decepticon reinforcements, come to equalize the battle and give Artifice time to withdraw... or maybe even snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat.

F-15 Eagle  cackles gleefully as he watches the Seeker plummet. "HOW's THE TALONS OF THE EAGLE FEEL, PIGEON!" he yells, diving after Artifice. The blast aimed towards Skydive enrages him, and he fires off more missiles just before the roaring reaches his audials. "Oh slag." Combat: F-15 Eagle  strikes Artifice with his Heat-Seeking Missiles attack! [Pulled -5]

Combat: Artifice falls to the ground, unconscious.

F/A-18 Super Hornet  blasts through the clear sky, supercruising at mach 1.5 with radar hot. "I've got the target on my scopes," he transmits to the massive bomber on his wing. "Couple jets, American make. Probably Aerialbots from the ridiculous color schemes. Looks like they splashed whatsisname."

Skydive dives into the drink of the dock he is hiding behind to avoid that last attack. As he comes up from the the river he notices the extra ambient noise. He calls out, "Air Raid, we have incoming! Form up," and leaping out of the Nile, Skydive transforms and takes a position of Air Raid wing. " let them retrieve their comrade if they wish.."

Skydive shifts into his F-16 mode.

A second set of engines joins the racket of the first approaching aircraft, its bearing much further to the west. Coasting barely fifty feet off the ground, Fusillade threads the needle of the pyramids at Giza, something like: http://outfoxingkarlrove.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/gpw-20040823-unitedstatesairforce-021105-o-9999g-017-b-1b-lancer-bomber-great-pyramids-egypt-1999.jpg before chopping the air with her wing waggle of affirmation to the Super Hornet. <>

"Nnnegatory, I do not copy which one is dumber," drawls Boomslang. "How about I just take the bandit on the left. Eleven o'clock, low. I'm engaging." He peels out of the formation, rolling off and lighting his afterburners as he sears towards the target area to get an all-aspect radar lock on Air Raid. "Fox two!" Boomslang announces, one of his four Sidewinders lunging off the rail and swerving towards the lead Aerialbot.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet  strikes F-15 Eagle  with his AIM-9X Sidewinder attack!

Artifice dreamed long of the glamour and glory of combat as he toiled in the smelting-hot pits of factory work. He also saw himself as having the potential to be a fierce combatant. Crushing defeat was never part of his military fantasies. Arti spins in and hits the ground in heap, done for the cycle. His optics dim. Someone will have to drag him back to NCC.

<> Fusillade sends after the nimble naval jet as she continues to lumber forward, interposing herself between Air Raid and Artifice's crumpled form like a wildebeast trampling a lioness with its fangs in her calf's throat. A brief shrill tone sounds out from a lock, and she gives Air Raid something to chew on.

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer strikes F-15 Eagle  with her Toe-Popping Cherrybomblets (Laser) attack!

F-15 Eagle , for once, complies and flies in formation with Skydive. His victory is bittersweet, as larger planes, most likely Decepticon, approach the area. "Those sound familiar," he mutters, peering down at the smoldering wreckage that was Artifice. When casts his optical sensors back up, he's met with four sidewinders. *BOOOM* Wings aflame, he roars and tries to right himself. He'll be damned if he's retreating at this point. "AHOY THERE!" he shouts at Boomslang, but before he can fire anything off, Fusillade smacks him with some yummy cherrybomblets. "ARGHHH! Oh Fusillade! You've come to see me! Have something for you as well! ENJOY!"

Combat: F-15 Eagle  strikes Space-Going B-1R Lancer with his Heat-Seeking Missiles attack! [Pulled -1]

F-16C  watches Air Raid try to evade as he is completely ignored. He homes in on the other craft. Dogfight time, "Air Raid, defend yourself, but withdraw when necessary," as he systems go hot he fires at the other airbourne craft."

Combat: F-16C  misses F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslang> with his Laser attack!

F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslang> pulls hard on the ailerons and crosses back over Fusillade to her other side, laser beams snapping past behind his sudden contrail-ripping maneuver as he repositions himself to go after Skydive. "You boys thought you found yourselves a milk run pouncing Freshmeat down there, didn't you," he sneers, opening up with his guns on Skydive.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslang> misses F-16C <Skydive> with his Autocannon (Pistol) attack!

-Krt-THOOM!- The missiles hit home, and Fusillade's flight rocks hard, as a surprising amount of ceramic space tile fragments and shatters down to the ground. "Awwww smelt, I'm gonna have to get that re-fitted! You call THAT a missile? Now THIS is..." Despite the complaint and line up for a wisecrack, the large bomber pulls away from Air Raid, perhaps responding to some undetected communications. Surging over Artifice's crater, she ignores him for now. She pulls up hard, punching into a mile a minute vertical climb, before doing a wide wing-over to line Skydive up in her sights. A nasty laugh escapes her, and she abuses Skydive for Air Raid's sake. "Now THIS is a missile," she finishes, letting loose a frighteningly large weapon that looks more like a cruise missile intended for a fortified ground target, complete with its own wings and turboprop engine. Overkill much?

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer strikes F-16C <Skydive> with her AGM-86B Cruise Missile attack!

Freshmeat continues to smolder epically in his crater.

"SCREW THAT," Raid barks in response to the mention of withdrawing. "Freshmeat? Is that really his name? Ahahaha! Hey... HEY!" Fusillade has gone after Skydive. "WHAT ABOUT ME! Okay then! Slangerboom was it?" He makes to clip Boomslang's wing with his own. Not the smartest move, but Raid isn't Skydive, and he just wants to hurt someone.

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> strikes F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslang> with his Ram attack!

F-16C <Skydive> powers past Boomslang as his attack misses and pulls up sharply yo come around again, but suddenly his systems go crazy and *BOOM* he is hit. The blast knocks him out of the sky and straight towards the ground. Skydive lands heavily in the muck of the river and sits there for a bit.

"Augh!" exclaims Boomslang, tumbling out of control as Air Raid crashes right into him! "That's fighting dirty!" He transforms to recover from the flat spin, nursing his damaged horizontal stabilizer as he drops into a cloud bank... and promptly disappears from the Autobot radar displays!

The F-18 produces that distinctive transformation sound as it flips around and pops out limbs to assume a humanoid shape.

Combat: Boomslang activates his cloaking field and vanishes from sight!

Combat: Skydive sets his defense level to Guarded.

Combat: F-16C <Skydive> takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Wait, just like that? That wasn't any fun... Fusillade frowns to herself, righteous indignation fading a bit as the F-16 plunks down in the Nile's fertile banks. The bomber ratchets her bomb bay doors back shut as she circles over Artifice and Skydive. F-16s were a lot more fun to knock over with jetwash, she decides. Well, time to get him to move. "HEY! Wake up!!!" She barks into her comm, having a good laugh at the sudden, unexpected break in the monotony of loitering over west African airspace. She zots the immobile craft with a few laser blasts.

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer misses F-16C <Skydive> with her Toe-Popping Cherrybomblets (Laser) attack!

"Damn right it is! YEEHAW!" Raid howls, his own wing a fair bit mangled now. He dives after Boomslang, only to watch him vanish from sight. Oh, no he didn't. "NOT THIS AGAIN! RRRGHH!" The Aerialbot swoops in angry circles, firing upon the bank, "Show yourself, you COWARD!"

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F-16C <Skydive> after a moment transforms and with the laser fire coming around him rolls quickly into the water. But just as quickly, shaking hsi head a bit he pulls out his weapon and fires at the passing Bomber. "Status Air Raid?"

Skydive changes back into his Robot mode.

Combat: Skydive strikes Space-Going B-1R Lancer with his Nega-Gun attack!

"MAD," Raid replies.

Boomslang, meanwhile, has landed on a pyramid and set up his rifle on its point. He crouches on the backside of the pyramid, aiming up at the circling Air Raid. "Just keep that same course, and we'll be juuuust fine..." he murmurs, estimating for the radius of Raid's turn in order to get the leading correct, and gives the trigger a squeeze...

Combat: Suddenly, Boomslang appears out of thin air!

Combat: Sneak Attack!!

Combat: Boomslang strikes F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> with his Very Familiar Pyramid Railgun Attack attack!

"Ah ha ha that's more like it!!" Fusillade cheers as Skydive transforms and shows signs of life. But then, this odd weapon of his fires, and she suddenly feels some very uncomfortable drafts in places where she shouldn't. "GAH!" She shudders as the weapon chews away at her armor. She snarls, and unceremoniously dumps a cartload of bombs on his head.

Combat: Fusillade sets her defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer misses Skydive with her Bombs attack!

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> gets a nice heaping helping of bullets for all of his yelling. It tears up his undercarriage, smoking holes peppering his frame. "Guhhhh... fraggit!! You're in for it now, Slingbam! Slung...bing... whatever! DIE DECEPTICON FILTH!" Systems all in the red, he's driven forward by pure courage... or stupidity, take your pick. Boomslang visible, he angles towards him, and thrusts forward with no inclinations of stopping.

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> misses Boomslang with his FOOLISH (Ram) attack!

Skydive dips and dives to avoid the bombs which explode all around him. When the fire and smoke clear Skydive is speeding out of the area back in Jet mode. He wiggles slightly before his laser guided systems come to life behind Fusi. "Air Raid, looks like this one forget her wide load sign," and a missle drops off of his wing and heads towards the Bomber.

Skydive shifts into his F-16 mode.

Combat: F-16C <Skydive> strikes Space-Going B-1R Lancer with his Missile attack!

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> is easily amused, so he busts out laughing, "AHAHA! Good one!"

Boomslang ducks back behind the pyramid just in time to avoid having his cone truncated by the enraged Air Raid. "Hey, Fusillade, you've got a bee on you," he transmits up, racking the slide of his railgun to load another slug and aiming up at the little F-16 climbing after the B-1B. The gun's capacitor bank hasn't fully charged up again, but he can still fire it at half charge. That might be enough.

Combat: Boomslang strikes F-16C <Skydive> with his Anti-Aircraft Rail Artillery attack! [Pulled -2]

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> scowls as he banks, then breaks into a beat of some death metal song. "Badadadananaaaaahhh BOOMSLANG! That's what it was." Energon and oil /streaming/ from his frame, he pitches forward deliriously, still targetting Boomslang. A set of sparrow missiles are fired off in his general direction. He hopes to blow up a bit of the pyramid, if not Boomer himself.

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> misses Boomslang with his Sparrow Missiles attack! [Pulled -3]

The missile from Skydive sails up, and detonates nicely against Fusillade's hull. The bomber doggedly remains in the air, refusing to transform to robot mode, refusing to descend. A thin smile of satisfaction crosses her internal features, despite the wrenching pain of her middle bomb bay doors peeling off their sockets. The slabs of metal fall away to the desert sand below, nicely sized for minibot surfing. She uses the fading detonation to guide her, and with a faint snarl, slings out another load of bombs. What's 86 divided by four?

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer strikes F-16C <Skydive> with her Bombs attack!

Combat: F-16C <Skydive> falls to the ground, unconscious.

"That ridiculous-looking leader of yours would have a thing or two to say about your lack of consideration for the humans' dirty old Wonders of the Natural Treasures of the Planet or whatever htey call them," Boomslang yells up at Air Raid, firing his engines to spring off of the pyramid and onto the flat roof of a mastaba. Flares spray out of ports in his chest as he does so, drawing the missiles away from him and into the pyramid he was just on. "But speaking of filthy human traditions, isn't it the Winter Solstice? I got you a present." He pulls a little metal ball out of a compartment in his hip, winds up and pitches it towards Air Raid. It deploys a propellor and buzzes up into the air, seeking a target with its primitive AI...

Combat: Boomslang strikes F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> with his Chemical Spider Mine attack!

The sleek bomber rears up, wings collapsing onto hips even as the rear fuselage splits to form arms. The horizontal stabilizer slides up, the forward fuselage folds up accordian style, and Fusillade hops up on thrustered feet.

F-16C <Skydive> begins to gain altitude on Fusilade quickly but a unexpected attack from below damages his stabilzer and the above dropping of bombs, lets say that this time he does not fly out of the carnage. As the smoke and fire clears this time, Skydive heads for the earth, splashing right back down onto the banks of the Nile.

Fusillade descends, and saunters over to Skydive, raising one hand to flick her wrist and plant her hand firmly on her hip. With hematite lips pursed as she looks over the Aerialbot's form, she shakes her head. "Nmm-MM-mm. Should've flown on home. Nasty little bite, though. Better luck next time, sugah." She doesn't quite do the Sha-Nae-Nae fingersnap, instead turning on her heel, and sashaying over to Artifice's smoldering heap, hunkering down to rest her elbows on her knees. "D'aww, you two match now!" she chirps out to Artifice's unconscious form. "Now let's see who's supposed to be mentoring you..." She flicks open a holo-foil pad, scrolling through several menus until she finds what she needs. "Oh. HIM? Well, no wonder."

Artifice has little to say. He would be embarrassed if he knew which two Decepticons had come to his rescue.

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> is a stubborn fragger indeed. It takes him a moment to figure out what Boomslang was talking about. He'd just damaged a world wonder. Yes, Silverbolt should be quite angry with him. "Uhh, was an accident," he mutters, watching a seemingly harmless little orb float up to him. "Huh?" -KKKRRAKOW!- "FRAG!" he screams, fuselage ripping open from the explosion. He's a bit too distracted to see his sibling fall. Further enraged, he /continues/ to attack, firing off a lone missile.

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> strikes Boomslang with his Last of his Sidewinders (Pistol) attack!

Fusillade pops open her chest compartment, revealing the now empty, mangled cavity where one of her bomb bays should be. She walks around Artifice's corpse a few times, before pulling out one of her wingblades. "Let's see, that is important, that is, that isn't..." She sizes him up like a beef carcass at the butcher, and begins chopping off limbs and non-vital components. The weapon makes a solid 'thunk' with each spearing motion she makes, sending sand flying. "There, that's more like it," she nods proudly at her work as it oozes energon onto the ground below, and begins collecting up chunks to stuff inside her torso.

Boomslang falls through the mastaba when the missile hits him, but nobody's going to miss a mastaba, those things are all over the place around here. They're a dime a dozen compared to pyramids. Poor old second-string mummies buried in mastabas. He climbs out of the mastaba again, shaking mummy off of himself. "Ugh. Dried human." He shoulders his rifle with a little mou of distaste on his lips and squints up at Air Raid, steadying himself with a foot on the wall of the half-collapsed mastaba. "I was talking about Rodimus Prime, but him too."

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Fusillade sets her defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Boomslang strikes F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> with his The Mummy's Curse! attack!

Combat: Boomslang (Boomslang) used "20mm Gauss Rifle": A Level 4 RANGED attack.

Combat: F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> falls to the ground, unconscious.

Some of the mummy gets into the chamber of Boomslang's railgun! What eerie effects might the howling, spectral bullet have on Air Raid?!

Fusillade leans forward, wingblades whipping out to their full span, even as her arms lock backward in place as the rear fuselage. Her torso folds out to the become the cockpit of a space capable B-1R Lancer, ready for flight!

Space-Going B-1R Lancer climbs skyward, mumbling to herself.

Combat: Space-Going B-1R Lancer begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> gets the full brunt of Boomer's attack, and it sents him twirling up a bit before spiraling into the river below. Not only pelted with bullets, but bits of mummy as well, is Raid doomed to be cursed by some scorned Pharaoh? What have you done Boomslang!

Boomslang blows mummy smoke off of his barrel. The smoke curls into a howling face. "DOOOOOOOOM," the smoke says. "Hmm," says Boomslang.

<Autobot> Air Raid says, "May...day..."

Fusillade takes flight to the Skies above Northern Africa.

Fusillade has left.

<Autobot> Jayson Redfield says, "What's wrong, Air Raid?"

Boomslang puts his gun away a little uneasily and flies away in an excessively nonchalant way, scanning behind him often.

With the usual ratcheting sound, Boomslang spins and flips and turns into a fighter jet.

Artifice has left.

<Autobot> Jayson Redfield says, "Crap..."

<Autobot> Swoop says, "Me Swoop will save him Air-Guy 'cause me is most heroic Dinobot!"

"Me not see nothing!" Swoop crows from high above the massive river, beak pointing this way and that as he searches high and low for the remains of his dead comrades. He looks down towards the bank and narrows his eyes. "Oh wait, me see one."

Swoop transforms and lands next to the battered and broken form of Skydive, a sad frown on his face. "Alas, poor Sky-guy. Me knew him!"

With an avian roar, Swoop unfolds into his robot mode.

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> is not far behind Swoop, also on the lookout for the damaged Aerialbots. As the Dinobot spots Skydive, the exo descends and lands beside him. "Don't think he's actually dead, Swoopster," Jayson points out. "C'mon, let's find Air Raid and get 'em both outta here."

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> just lies on the bank next to Skydive, ripped to all hell and bleeding energon into the river.

F-16C <Skydive> lies next to his brother in defeat. Sucks hmm?

"No! They is both dead!" Swoop wipes imaginary tears from his optics. "This so sad but as new Dinobot leader me have to stay strong." He nods sagely. "Okay, you!" He points at Jayson. "Take bodies to big ditch and dump them."

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> makes a show of facepalming. Yes, Jayson likes to play with the controls. "For the last time, they're not dead!" At least, he's pretty sure they're not. "Didn't you say you can do repairs?"

Swoop perks up. "Oh yeah! That true, me CAN do repairs!" He cracks his knuckles (shoddy finger construction!) and crouches down next to the unconcious F-15. "Okay, Air-guy! Me am going to be doing EMERGENCY SURGE-AIRY so uhh...yeah." Swoop looks over at the Exo-Armor. "Uhm, you got screwdriver?"

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield stares at Swoop. "Yes, Swoop, I bring *screwdrivers* with me whenever I get in my exo," he replies sarcastically, then gets serious. "No, I don't have a freaking screwdriver, and besides that, I'm pretty sure you don't need one."

Swoop looks hurt. "You not have to be so mean 'bout it!" With a huff, he turns his head back to stare at the F-15. "...Me nervous now."

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield sighs. "Sorry, Swoop. Look, just hang on for a minute, okay?" He opens a link on his radio.

<Autobot> Jayson Redfield says, "This is Sergeant Redfield of the EDC. Skydive and Air Raid are unconscious on the banks of the Nile River.  Is anyone available to repair them?"

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> manages a groan. A neato fact: Boomer shot bits of MUMMY out of his railgun at him, thusly cursing Raid.

Swoop gasps at Air Raid's weird noise. He stands up and steps back, a look of shock frozen on his face. "Z-z-z-z-zombie!"

<Autobot> Jayson Redfield says, "Hn. Guess not.  Looks like we're on our own, Swoop."

<Autobot> Nightbeat says, "...eh, I'll admit to knowing first aid. I'm out in Senegal. If I book it, I can make it there in a few hours."

<Autobot> Nightbeat says, "A shuttle would get me there quicker."

<Autobot> Swoop says, "Uuuuugh!"

<Autobot> Swoop says, "This sucks."

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield can't help but be amused. "Pretty sure he ain't a zombie, bro."

Nightbeat has arrived.

Swoop glares at Jayson. "How you know that?" He thrusts a finger at the exo's face. "You don't but me do 'cause me watch lots of zombie movies. Me have good eye for zombies."

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield rolls his eyes, though Swoop can't see it. "And do the zombies in movies look anything like Air Raid?"

F-15 Eagle <Air Raid> does, at least, makes zombie noises.

"No, they all people but me sure it can happen to robots," Swoop says with a nod. When Air Raid makes more noise, he points. "SEE?"

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> facepalms again. "He's not a zombie! Settle down already!"

Nightbeat is unceremoniously air-dropped out the back of a shuttle. He protests as he falls, "Wah-hey! I wasn't going to set anything on fire! Ain't no reason to drop me out the back of a shuuuutttle." He pulls at the ripcord for his parachute. The cord comes away in his hand, and there's no chute. He pulls the back-up chute - nothing. Nightbeat curses, "Dammit! I swear, for the love of diodes, if my fist survives this fall, it's punching whoever bought the bargain brand parachutes!"

"Maybe you right," Swoop finally admits. "Hrm, you hear something?" He turns around and casts his gaze to the sky. He points and laughs, "Hey, look! Some guy is falling! Ha ha! That suck for him!" After a few seconds of just watching the figure fall faster and faster, something clicks in Swoop's head.

"ME SWOOP CAN BE HERO!" the Dinobot suddenly bellows. He transforms into his super special awesome dinosaur (kind of) mods and takes off into the sky to intercept the unfortunate parachuter and catch him on his back.

Swoop turns into a flying dinosaur!

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, "Wha--" Alarmed at the sight of Nightbeat free falling, Jayson directs his exo to speed upward to assist Swoop in catching the hapless detective. "Hang on, Nightbeat!"

Nightbeat shouts on the tops of his audios, "I haaaaate airdrops!" And what is this flying through the air, some kind of horrific dragon, looking to eat Nightbeat? The detective flails, as if he could learn to fly if he moves his arms fast enough. With a /whump/ that makes him see stars, Nightbeat lands on the dragon's back. He hold on tight for dear life, screaming, "Aie-yi-yi!" as his peripheral vision confirms an exo launch, too!

Robot Pteranodon <Swoop> rocks from side to side when Nightbeat lands on him as if struggling to accomodate the new weight. He cranes his head around to stare at Nightbeat through the corner of his eye. "Hey! It you! Why you trying to fly around? You want to be cool like me Swoop?" Swoop banks to the right to bring himself back around to the SCENE OF THE CRIME.

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, once Swoop has caught Nightbeat, manuevers to speed alongside the robotic Pteranodon. "You got him okay, Swoop?" Jayson emits, and then, to Nightbeat: "You are one lucky 'Bot. Y'all right?"

Nightbeat gets an optic full of Swoop's beaky mug, and it finally dawns on him, "Oh, it's you, Swoop! I thought you were... nevermind that! Next time, I think I'll leave flying to the professionals, like you." He pulls out his fedora and settles it on his head, so that he can tip his hat over to the exo - "Ah, Mr. Redfield! Lady Luck and I - we have... terms." Not necessarily good terms, but they're there.

When Swoop gets back to the bank of the river he transforms and, as a result, violently throws Nightbeat off his back. He doesn't seem to notice. "Okay! Me was just about to start emergency surgery, so stay back!"

With an avian roar, Swoop unfolds into his robot mode.

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> lands back on the banks of the Nile. "Bad terms, I'd say," the pilot quips. "So, you think you could do something about these two?" The exo motions toward the pair of Aerialbots.

Nightbeat is thrown off Swoop's back and into the muddy banks of the Nile. At least it's soft. "Ooof!" Nightbeat gets to his feet and shakes himself, before admitting, "I could do a lotta things, but first - what happened out here?" His curiousity needs satisfaction!

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> makes a show of shrugging. "Not a clue. We just picked up a 'mayday' transmission from Air Raid. Decepticons, no doubt."

"SSSSSSSHHHHH!" Swoop hisses at Nightbeat. Then he turns to Jayson and does the same thing. "Me Swoop need concentration!" He crouches down next to Air Raid, cracks his knuckles (again), and violently rips a panel off the Aerialbots side. "Me am professoonal!"

Combat: Swoop clumsily repairs F-15 Eagle <Air Raid>'s injuries.

Nightbeat grunts, "It could be the Girl Scouts. I don't trust those broads." He watches as Swoop rather enthusiastically repairs Air Raid, arms crossed, and he notes, "Hnn. Not bad, kid. You didn't kill the witness. Always a good start."

Air Raid folds and compacts, transforming into his robot mode.

Air Raid regains consciousness, and when he does, he freaks. The frag. Out. "RRAAAGHH! Wh'! Wh'!" Managing a scraping transformation, he staggers backwards on the murky shore and falls into the river with a great splash.

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield snickers. "Girl Scouts..." He regains his composure as Air Raid awakens and transforms. "Whoa! Take it easy, man." He directs the exo over to the edge of the river and extends its hand to help Air Raid out of it.

Swoop looks up at Nightbeat and beams. "Me practice a lot on that OPERATION game!" He stands up and brushes his hands together. "Me am double hero now!"

Air Raid groans and groans, "Holyyy... what kind of patch job is THIS! Oowww..." Chest-deep on his hands and knees, he slowly reaches for the exo's hand and gets pulled upright. "Skydive!" He rushes over and gives Skydive a punt to the fuselage. "Get up! We can still chase 'em down!"

Swoop crosses his arms and scowls at Air Raid. "Me Swoop worked really hard to save you life so you better be thankful or else me am gunna punch you in face!" He shakes his fist to get the point across.

Bumblebee has arrived.

Air Raid is in no mood to be thanking anyone. He jabs a finger at Swoop. "Shut your stupid face! This looks like patch job by a... a... a Dinobot!"

Volkswagen Beetle <Bumblebee> comes driving along the frontage road that follows the great slow river. "Sorry I'm late!" he says, with a beep-beep of his horn. "I had to drive here from Nevada, and I only go like fifty miles an hour!"

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, "Look on the bright side," Jayson tells Air Raid. "At least Swoop got you conscious!"

Swoop looks like someone just killed his puppy. First he looks sad than he looks like he's out for revenge. "What you say!? Me Swoop say you shut up YOU stupid face!" He stomps up to Air Raid and throws a fist at him.

Combat: Swoop strikes Air Raid with his Punch attack!

With a sprightly leap, Bumblebee springs up into his robot mode.

Bumblebee transforms by Nightbeat, because he's another car. "Why's Swoop hitting that guy?"

Bumblebee thinks of something. "Ohhh! Are those the 'repairs?'"

Nightbeat asides to Bumblebee, "Swoop patched up Air Raid, and Air Raid's none too grateful. But no one's dead yet." The detective shrugs negligently.

Air Raid gets PAWNCHED inna' face and is sent flying backwards into the river, because well, it's a Dinobot punch. -KERSPLASH- "Oohhh fraggg... THAT'S IT!" Ever hot-headed, Raid dashes forward for a punch of his own.

Combat: Air Raid strikes Swoop with his Punch attack!

From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield groans and tries to step between Swoop and Air Raid. "Whoa, whoa! Knock it off, you two! Right now!"

A smirk tugs at the corner of Swoop's lip when Air Raid goes stumbling into the water but it quickly devolves into a frown after getting socked in the face. It doesn't hurt but it's still kind of shocking. "YOU GUNNA WISH ME SWOOP NEVER FIX YOU!" Swoop hollers, stepping in for another punch. He stops when Jayson get in the way. "Hey, move! Me need to teach him lesson!"

Bumblebee looks surprised. "What, Swoop can actually repair people?"

Air Raid does stop, blocked by the exo, and just stands there, glaring and dripping and aching. "Sorry Jayson, a little on edge. Someone fix Skydive, /please/." He pauses. "No Bee, he can't."

Swoop points over Jayson's shoulder and hollers. "Yes me can! Me fix you! YOU JERK!" From Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield>, Jayson Redfield glares at Swoop, even though the Dinobot can't see it. "No, I will *not* move. No fighting. Understand?" He turns his attention to Air Raid. "Sorry, bro, but I haven't been taught how to repair Autobots. I think Nightbeat can, though. Knock it off, Swoop."

Bumblebee shrugs helplessly at Air Raid. "Sorry, I can't either. I'm just here in case you were underwater."

Nightbeat replies back to Bumblebee, fingers steepled, "Not as far as I know, which means this is either new or a fluke." Nightbeat hates not knowing things.

Swoop steps away from Jayson all huffy like. "You all big jerks! Me Swoop can fix people!" He stomps over to Skydive and kneels down. "Me prove it!" Again, he rips a panel off Skydive's side and starts poking around inside with his fingers.

Combat: Swoop's attempt to repair F-16C <Skydive> goes horribly awry!

Combat: F-16C <Skydive> falls to the ground, unconscious.

Air Raid was hoping Nightbeat would handle Skydive, not Swoop. "Hey, HEY! Get away from him you moron!" He maneuvers around Jayson and tries to pull oh-so-helpful Swoop away from his brother.

Combat: Air Raid strikes Swoop with his Grab attack!

"Looks like a fluke," replies Bumblebee.

"Wait! No! Me can fix it!" Swoop tries his best but alas, it just makes things worse and worse. Eventually he's pulled off of Skydive and just frowns. "No fair."

Nightbeat steps forward, and in his 'crowd control' voice, he announces, "Okay, kids. Get away from the injured and quit yer bickering. Lemme have a look." The detecive kneels down at Skydive's side, checking for vital signs. He pulls out his Detective Handbook and consults, "Okay, red wire to green anode..."

Exo-Armor Pegasus <Jayson Redfield> tries to usher everyone away from the injured Skydive.

"I don't think it's doing anything," Bee says quietly, looking under Nightbeat's elbow.

Air Raid drags his feet back to the dryer shore and sits heavily, gazing at the pyramid he'd slightly defaced. Idly, he mades a gun with his hand and fires invisible shells at Swoop's head.

Swoop stares at Nightbeat and Skydive, shuffling from one foot to the other. He suddenly feels a strange sensation at the back of his head so he paws at it. Weird!

Nightbeat pages through the manual. He tosses his head up and groans, "Swoop, you've blown all his primaries and secondaries! He's just running on tertiaries now. It's gonna take /hours/ to get him ambulatory. Gnn. Next time Swoop, get some training first."