Terror From Above!



The skies above Alameda roar with an unholy howl! Locals are terrified, glass is shattered and an experimental F-16 roars over the city, sweeping over the Feral Insecticon hive repeatedly! Dirge has been emboldened by the recent 'truce', and seems to have taken advantage of the situation, forcing the Ferals into an outright panic!

Several dozen of the insecticons flee and burrow into the city, others take to the skies, abandoning their collective home. "Submit! Submit beneath the heel of the Empire!" Dirge roars as he banks about for another pass, his engines already starting their howl as he comes in for another pass.

Sweepcraft  follows right behind the modified F-16. Avarice is getting restless with the lack of action lately. Diving towards the ferals, he opens fire with his laser cannons not really bothering to choose his target or avoiding doing collateral damages.

 Dirge says, "Careful Avarice. Do not damage many of them that have combat potential....not that there is much in this mealy crowd"

 Dirge says, "I had come here in hopes of taming these cretins, to the cause...yet so far, they cower like wretches"

 Avarice grunts, "If you say so... I don't think they have the intelligence to see what good for them."

 Imager says, "I am beginning to agree with you."

 Dirge snorts.

Smokescreen hears an ungodly howl coming from nearby suddenly and then just as fast he gets a frantic message from Stool about pointed head jet scaring everyone. The mech heads out of the base, transforms and streaks toward the Feral Insecticon Hive and sees not only Dirge but a Sweep with him as well. "Even in truce there has to be aftholes who cant resist." he muses to himself as he heads closer to the mess the two Destructions are causing. "Stand down, Decepticons!" he yells over his PA as he comes up. "This is not what 'Truce' stands for."

 Insecticon chittering noises.

 Smokescreen says, "Im there, hang tight bugs."

 Dirge says, "hah...we seem to have awoken something at least."

Sweepcraft  transforms and hovers over the swarm taking another pot shots with his pistol, "Foolish Autobot. We have a Truce with you but not with these..." he motions his left hand towards the ferals, "... Insecticons belong to the empire. This is Decepticon business. Leave before I decide that truce lived long enough."

The sweepcraft splits open and unfold, revealing the sweep known as Avarice.

Dirge banks back around, that howling scream in his wake. He dives straight towards Smokescreen, and then in a display of skill, transforms into his root mode, slamming into the ground with authority. Already his machine gun is raised up at the Autobot, "Truce? Hah...I laugh at the misnomer...but still, we have not broken your feeble truce....Shockwave was a fool to provide one. This business is Decepticon business alone." He gestures to Avarice in agreement, the two having a like mind for once.

A large pillbug named Pillbox inches himself away from the two Decepticons, his tiny legs in motion. Frightened to stampede, he and several others plummet into the bay itself in an attempt to flee. And yet other Ferals clutch their heads in their robot forms, writhing in agony, screaming in the same sort of anguish that Dirge provides...

Smokescreen transforms to bot mode, weapon ready and says, "I don't care what either of you think. They came to the Autobots, right? These are feral Insecticons too need I remind you and they certainly don't look like they answer to the /Empire/. Besides what good will it do if the lot of you are fighting amongst yourselves? That won't help either side now will it." he glances over at the distress the Seeker has caused the intecticons and he himself isn't too keen on that noice the mechs making either but he grits his dental plating and 'ignores' it as best he can.

 Stool says, "I can't stop the sound! I don't know what to do! it hurts!'

 Firefly says, "it hurts"

Avarice chuckles at Smokescreen and shoots the insection nearest to him, "Good Autobot because we don't care about what you think either. You can't stop us and trying to do so would be a violation of the truce and you don't have the courage to take that decision."

 Serenity says, "it hurts"

 Smokescreen says, "Its coming from the Seeker. Shut off your audios if you can. I will take care of it."

Dirge is unmoved, his grim faceplate as stalwart as ever. He raises his weapon and fires...past Smokescreen, the barrage of bullets striking before some of the escaping Ferals. "Semantics. As the Junk scrap...'warriors' pledge their cause, so do the Insecticons to the glorious Empire. You only seek to stall us...fearing our collective might once we recover what is ours from your 'processor scrambling'."

He manages a dark smirk at Avarice's words. "Do you feel your leader would believe the same as you? Run home, Autobot, before we deem your interference a violation on its own accord.)]"

"I.....I don't want this!" A voice screams out from the hive.... and the panic slows, it pauses as the voice repeats. "I don't want this!" It is the Decepticon Stool, the small dung beetle in his squat form, his mandibles on his back. He holds his head in his hands as he speaks. "We want...to be left alone! Stop! You have to stop!" After a moment, more of the Ferals look at him, either curious or in quiet agreement.

Smokescreen stands his ground and doesnt flinch as Dirge raises his weapon and fires past him. He also gives no outward reaction the Insecticons the mechs have just killed. "Courage? Who are you -- either of you, to lecture about courage? The two of you are bullies and nothing more. This is quite obvious and it's also quite obvious the decision I am about to make and take will have nothing to do agaist the truce. What the two of you are doing have nothing to do with the truce either." with that the mechs jumps into car mode and takes off toward Avarice. And at the last minute when it looks as if he might crash into the Sweep the Autobot veers over to go around the mech. As he does a cloud of magnetic smoke starts pouring out of his exhaust.

Quickswitch just happened to be in the area. Just happened to be bombarded by the terrifying howl that managed to rattle even him. "Smokescreen might not end this little truce... BUT *I* WILL!!" his voice drops to dangerously pitched levels, "I'm an Autobot, but you *know* I'll do it. So leave here now..!" he shouts, "..leave the Insecticons alone! They've done nothing to you..! I won't shoot you.. but I will if you force my hand.." Quickswitch shouts at the sky, arms up, to show peace, "..Don't violate this truce!"

Smokescreen transforms into his Datsun 280ZX Turbo Rally Car #38  mode.

Combat: Datsun 280ZX Turbo Rally Car #38 <Smokescreen> strikes Avarice with his Smokescreen attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Avarice's Accuracy! (Blinded)

Avarice jumps off the ground and take off to avoid Smokescreen and escape the cloud of smoke which is blinding him. He then raises his head to look at the new arrival, "Look Dirge. It's Sixshot's cheap ripoff." He rises into the air and keeps mocking the sixchanger, "Please do Autobot. Let your fleshbag allies see you restarting the war because we are exterminating insecticons that are threatening them."

Dirge raises up a hand to cover his faceplate...even though he doesn't technically breathe, but thats what you do when there's a cloud of smoke. He takes a step back from that charging assault of Smokescreen's, feigning admonishment, "Whelp! Insufferable Autobot! I'll put you down and a thousand more l......" And then Quickswitch lands beside his Bot bretheren, causing Dirge to step back again. However he is not alone, and slaggit all he's in the right. He steels himself, and mimicks Avarice's motion of levitation. "These Insecticons are ours to command, ours to control...This is your FINAL warning, I suggest you stand down. NOW!"

<Autobot> Stool says, "He needs to leave! Please!"

<Autobot> Smokescreen says, "Im working on it, Stool"

"You /suggest/?" and the word is sharp as daggers. Quickswitch muses at this. They can't break the truce, "I can't shoot.." he whispers, "i can't.. I just can't! Roddimus will have my head for sure..!" Quickswitch shakes his head, speaks softly, alternating between a sudden flush of contempt, "Just go.. It'll be better for everyone that way.. Although I don't /expect/ the pair of you to heed a thing I say. -sighs heavily-." But he does not violate the sanctity of the truce, what it means to be Autobot.

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "This is scrap. Let's take both of em out!!"

<Autobot> Stool says, "Help me, my queen! Where are you?"

Datsun 280ZX Turbo Rally Car #38 <Smokescreen> wasn't expecting the Sweep to have the sense to leap up into the air when he smoked him so now he has to think of something else. And then Quickswitch happens. That can work. The car changes direction suddenly and snaps back into bot mode. Then he seems to think for a moment and then aims his shoulder launchers up at the cons. "Shockwave will be informed of this now do what the Sixchanger says; leave or we will fire." whether it breaks the truce or not, the mech doesn't really care at this point. Dirges noise is annoying and the insecticons are very riled up about it. And these lil guys really don't wnt anything to do with the cons. At least as far as he knows so by Autobot standards he has to protect them.

<Autobot> Stool says, "Where...is the Hivemind?!"

Datsun 280ZX Turbo Rally Car #38 <Smokescreen> transforms into his Smokescreen mode.

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "It'll be ok.."

<Autobot> Smokescreen says, "I don't know, Stool but hang in there. Tell your brothren to hang on, we are trying to make it all go away."

<Autobot> Stool says, "Its not okay! its not!"

<Decepticon> Dirge says, "Bah!, They're not taking the bait"

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "I know it's not, but we're here and trying to help.. we *will* make it all go away.."

<Decepticon> Avarice says, "Indeed. Not even the crazy one."

<Decepticon> Dirge says, "Not that I blame them. Quickswitch is a pale comparison to our own Sixshot, and to us by and large"

<Decepticon> Avarice says, "He is not a serious threat."

<Decepticon> Dirge says, "It seems taming these insects is worthless to the cause, they have no will, still, I cannot stand them succumbing to the Autobots"

<Decepticon> Avarice says, "If they will not serve, they will burn."

<Decepticon> Dirge says, "let us test the boundaries of their loyalty..."

<Decepticon> Dirge says, "Indeed! Avarice, I find that we finally are of a like mind."

Dirge scoffs, "Yes, run home to your leader, tell him what a 'good little mechling' you were. It matters not. I know the will of Galvatron, and he surmounts anything Shockwave may have conceded to...." Dirge transforms into his altmode, and the jet takes off upward, he continues his monotone monologue, << All things for the empire are of a righteous cause, Feeble Autobots!>> Contrails stream from his wingtips as he takes some ground, and then veers back around....lining up for the Hive itself. <<And the Empire's decree is that these filth must scatter to the four winds!>>

With that, a spark emits from under Dirge's wing...One of his rockets dettaches and ignites, hurtling towards the Hive at large, leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake...

Avarice aims his weapon at Smokescreen and smiles evily, "Tell Shockwave what ever you want. I'm not taking order from that traitor. But go ahead Autobot. Fire at me. You get one shot then I'll tear you limb from limb." He motions his chin towards Dirge, "You have no choice, the horde will burn since they refuse to serve."

"AWW SLAG IT!!" the sixchanger erupts, his form twisting and turning into a jet propelled laser gun. All else is silenced as the assault unit calculates trajectory of the missile and what it will take to stop it, emotions boiling and churning in the background, even as horror threatens it, "...So be it. The truce is broken. I act as an Autobot...!!" it gathers energy into its chamber and fires. Not upon Dirge, but upon the projectile, to try and stop it.

Combat: Dirge compares his Accuracy to 80: Failure :(

Quickswitch transforms into his Jet-Propelled Laser Pistol <Quickswitch> mode.

Combat: Jet-Propelled Laser Pistol <Quickswitch> compares his Accuracy to 80: Success!

A trail of dark smoke follows the rocket as Dirge surveys from on high, when quickdraw Quickswitch altmodes up, turning into a high powered weapon of destruction. A lance of energy rakes the missile as it roars towards the Hive, and detonates it, sending a ripple of thunder throughout Alameda. Dirge altmodes from his position on high, disgust on his face, "You meddle too much, Autobots, too much indeed...Your vulgar tactics and crude behavior will not reflect well upon High Command...Another day, Autofools." With that, he altmodes again, and roars his fearjets as he bursts into supersonic speed...

<Autobot> Stool says, "We...we can't take this anymore."

<Autobot> Stool says, "I talked with the others....we just can't take this."

<Autobot> Stool says, "We..we have to find the Hivemind. And I think....I think to do that...."

<Autobot> Stool says, "We have to leave Earth."

Avarice gives one last evil grin at the Autobots and flies away.

Avarice leaps into the air, his wings folding around him as he reconfigures into a sweepcraft.

Combat: Sweepcraft <Avarice> begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.