Crystal City: Psychological warfare

TF2k5 - Hubcap - Friday, March 01, 2013, 3:01 AM

Outskirts of Crystal City

The vast Sagros Plain yields to more broken ground at its northern border, where grim evidence of war reasserts itself. Craters of various diameters with rusted, torn rims become more and more frequent, especially in the territory around Crystal City and the badly-damaged roadway leading north from it, but around the city itself, it is mysteriously clear. Or not so mysteriously; the city has been completely rebuilt. From nearby, it is difficult to see much more than the massive city walls and the upper stories of its tallest buildings, but from further away or from the air, the graceful indigo steel-and-crystal towers are more visible.

"Twenty-three, monitor all energy discharges. Set scanners to high, and divert additional power from the engines is necessary," Outbound says, as he sits within the pilot's seat of the Decepticon Shuttle by the name Despoiler which hovered high in the Cybertron sky. His feet are kicked up upon the console and crossed at the ankles. Clearly the infantrymech was 'taking it easy', though naturally even so he was busy reading over something on datacomputer that adorns his left forearm. After another moment he leans forward slightly and punches a key on the communication's console beneath his feet, "Windshear, are you certain that you wish to take point on this recon?"

The Seeker doesnt respond for a moment as he just lets the air course over his body in the rush of flight. He hasnt flown actually in some cycles. And though he loves to fly a shuttle, hes had enough of flying one and this time hes out in front of it flying point. <"I already am, Outbound, too late to ask."> he asks as he suddenly tips downward and decends. <"This is the area we keep running into Autobots.">> Windshear begins as the Windshear shaped dent comes into view on the far wall of a building. <" That tells me -- smeg its obvious, theres something major in the Bot underground in this area."> he pulls up and transforms to land on the road next to the windshear dented wall.

A dead black McDonnell Douglas F15A transforms into Windshear.


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Hubcap is not hiding, really, he just wants a little distance from all those people congratulating 'Bumblebee' on his speech. The Decepticons aren't exactly being subtle, flying like that. Hubcap peers over the edge of a crater, trying to figure out how to turn things to his advantage.

Remedy got a report that there were cons in the area, and flew out to keep an eye on the enemy, and see if she can hamper things for them. Or rienforce any bots out here

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Outbound smirks. That's Windshear for ya... Always something 'smart' to say. He keys the shipboard comm again. "Acknowledged. If we might find the central hub for their incursions into Crystal City there will certainly be great honors heeped upon us for our efforts. Maybe you can get yourself out from beneath the Fleshling's bootheel..." If there was ever incentive for Windshear to be successful at anything not having to follow Singe's orders on the regular was it! "Keep in touch..."

Windshear snorts, "Please, I saved Galvatron once, saved the absolution -- the flagship from going into the tarren sun. I got.. a medel... Im cursed in this universe, Outbound, Im cursed." universe? mmmm what has he seen in his travels as Jack Sparrowtron eh?

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Hubcap hunkers down into his crater as the 'Con's continue to patrol. Maybe he can play this a different way...

 Hubcap, Hubcap whom? A bored sounding flunky sighs loudly into the radio. "Updates required from Crystal City patrols.  Anything interesting out there?"

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Yeah, my back hurts and my boot thrusters look swollen.. who is this?"

 LOOK Outbound says, "Negative. Sweep has turned up no Autobot or Resistance activity thus far. Who-..."

Remedy checks the proximity sensors and notices where Hubcap is.

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Windshear starts looking around the building that the bots 'ploded. Somewheres in here there has to be the answer to why this area of the city is so bot infested. The Dead looking Seeker starts tossing debris aside looking for -- the elevator. Well well, what could be down here? The Zombie Seeker begins to pry the doors open, <"I think I found something, Outbound.">

"Good... Lets make this recon worthwhile," Outbound replies, and sighs as he leans back in his seat and his pointed finger releases the comm button to begin typing upon his computer screen. As much as he loved volunteering for these types of missions given that it was something to do they could be just as boring as sitting around at Darkmount... Straxus, what he'd give for a little chaos!

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 HubcapHubcap whom? There is hesitation, then: "I don't think I'm permitted to release that information over the communications frequencies.  I'll check the regulations."

 LOOK Outbound says, "Oh, REALLY..."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Regulations?  We don't need no stinkin' regulations."

 Misfire says, "We don't?"

 LOOK Outbound says, "Careful, Backfire..."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Of?"

 Hubcap, Hubcap whom? "Allow me to clarify, 'Regulations' means, 'It's up to Galvatron.'"

 LOOK Outbound sighs heavily, a bit bored and a bit irritated all at once! "Of giving too much leeway on interpretation of 'regulations', or the lack thereof... In any case, if you cannot identify yourself on the comm then do not speak on it, Soldier."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I am above reproach, Outbound.. ask Buzzkill."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I tell you what to do, not the other way around."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Now then."

 Misfire says, "Didn't you use to run Aerospace..."

 Impudent Fool Backfire says, "In any case, if you can't identify yourself on the comm then don't speak on it, Soldier."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound scoffs. "Fine. You deal with this."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I just did."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "That was me dealing with it."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "Well done."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Yes, Misfire."

<Decepticon> Windshear says, "Some mechs are trying to work here. Why are all of you chatting up the airwaves?"

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "But then my head became a vessel for the next generation of the Insecticlone army, so I took a sabbatical."

<Decepticon> Misfire says, "And now you don't...So, doesn't that suggest some reproach...Like a tenth of reproach maybe?"

<Decepticon> Windshear says, "Backfire, you dont even know what sabbatical means."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "They could not have possibly picked a better mech for the job, though I would have thought that the next generation of the Insecticon army would at least require something to satisfy their hunger upon hatching..."

<Decepticon> Buzzkill says, "Backfire! Has Harrow brought you your pickeled energon yet?"

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire chortles, "In your case Windshear, it'd be a 'Black Sabbatical'."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Now that you mention it, no."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Harrow is being a terrible Medical slav.. assistant."

Hubcap frowns slightly, there are too many suspicious folks on the 'Con frequency. Still, maybe it provided enough of a distraction to Remedy to go unnoticed. "Safer not to be noticed," hu mutters.

<Decepticon> Windshear snorts, "Its Black Sabbath, Backfire -- the name of the band is Black Sabbath."

<Decepticon> Harrow says, "..."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Really?"

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I didn't know that."

<Decepticon> Hubcap, Hubcap whom? The watchstander comments dryly "I suspect head pregnancy puts you on medical leave.  You cannot give orders.

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Thank you for pointing that out, Windshear."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound groans.

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "The contrary, it means I get to give more orders."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Check this out unnamed soldier dude.."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "HARROW!"

<Decepticon> Harrow says, "WHAT."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Pickled Energon!"

<Decepticon> Harrow says, "Would you WAIT a SINGLE NANO!"

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Alright, one nano.. but no more!"

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "Actually it means nothing more than that your status is elevated in terms of 'protection'. No shooting Backrire for being...Backfire."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "So, please everyone feel free to carry on treating him as you normally would."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "So wait, you mean everyone is like.. my bodyguard?"

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "Minus...the damage."

<Decepticon> Buzzkill says, "No physical harm may befall Backfire as long as the eggs are in his head."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound groans.

<Decepticon> Buzzkill says, "Emotional abuse is stll ok."

<Decepticon> Buzzkill says, "Though I dont recommend it."

Remedy peeks over the rim of the crater she's in. She has a general direction of Hubcap, but, she doesn't intend to go looking for him. Would create too big a target.

<Decepticon> Scorn says, "Stress may cause the pods to reject the host."

<Decepticon> Vortex says, "Does he.. have emotions?"

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I am a literal rainbow of the emotional spectrum."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound chuckles, a rare sound, "He is a walking headcase... Oh, the Insecticons and their humor. Strange as you are, bra-vo."

<Decepticon> Misfire says, "Wait...Backfire really has bugs growing in his head?"

<Decepticon> Hubcap, Hubcap whom? "Take away his weapons.  He's been known to accidentally shoot himself on occasion."

<Decepticon> Harrow says, "Your pickled energon is in the medbay, IMPUDENT FOOL."

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Thank you, Midwife Harrow."

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<Decepticon> Harrow says, "DON'T CALL ME THAT."

<Decepticon> Misfire says, "WOAH, there...getting accidentally shot by your own weapon isn't grounds to get it taken away...TRUST me, I have checked...repeatedly."

<Decepticon> Vortex ponders, "Has the emotional abuse commenced?"

<Decepticon> Hubcap, Hubcap whom? "Did you have brain insecticons at the time?"

<Decepticon> Misfire says, "Uhhh...no...*muffed sounds of shouting-'Aimless get some Head Insecticons...don't ask why you fool*--Ahem, you have a point there, Namelesscon."

Windshear prys the door openand sees the shaft empty. He looks down and sees that it goes down a lot farther then the building does. He snaps open his comm.

<Decepticon> Windshear says, "Outbound, get down here. I found something.""

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "Copy that. Waiting around listening to this squabbling is more taxing than a plasma blast to the face..."

<Decepticon> Windshear says, "The face is not a good target... no not the face.. " his personal battlecry...

<Decepticon> Vortex manages a slight snicker.

Outbound's optics flash and in the next moment he's out of his seat and headed for the hatch. "Twenty-three, maintain safe distance. Hover and await recall order," the infantrymech commands Drone-23 who chirps an acknowledgement in binary. The hatch opens, and Outbound is falling Cybertron-ward in no time and before long at all he's following the path laid out by Windshear and bringing up the rear for backup. "Alright..." he begins, noticing the deep shaft... "I see. Could be anything in there," he begins, and immediately marks their position on a grid map and sends a wireless marker beacon back to Darkmount. "...After you."

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Hubcap starts upright and turns towards the Decepticons present, whom he can hear, even though he can't see them. Frowning, he risks a narrow-band transmission focused on Remedy. <<Okay, I don't know where that hatch leads, how about you?>>

Remedy stiffens, hearing Hubcap's comm, <<I have no idea. But, I don't think we should let them poke around in there, in case there IS something present there.>>

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Windshear looks down the shaft for a moment. Ok as Seekers go hes not that claustophobic, smeg compared to most Seekers he isnt but.... even so, he pauses for a moment peering into the deep dark shaft that heads far underground. With a slight flutter of his aerolons (sp) the Dead looking Seeker grabs an elevator cable and begins to decend into the darkness.

Outbound watches Windshear descend the shaft with a hand wrapped around the elevator cable, and the infantrymech smirks. Leaping from the shaft 'ledge' he passes right by Windy, freefalling almost to the bottom where his antigravs kick into gear to keep him from going splat. His plasma shotgun is out and ready for action the moment that he straightens his back. "Looks clear..." he begins, and starts to slowly make his way deeper into the black. "I can feel a light draft. This shaft is more than meets the optic..." TRANSFORMERRRRS!


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<Decepticon> Windshear comments rather quietly sounding as if hes in a closed in space, "This tunnel -- I think its one of the major runners, has all the audio settings for it..."

Hubcap taps a finger to his lips in thought for a few moments, then slowly smiles in a slightly disturbing way. <<We don't have the muscle to overpower them,>> he transmits, <However, it's possible that... Got any explosives on you?>>

<Decepticon> Hubcap, Hubcap whom? "Are you certain it's of Autobot construction?  Cybertron has many secrets."

<Decepticon> Windshear says, "Including who you are, mech."

<Decepticon> LOOK Outbound says, "Localize your transmissions, Windshear... This nameless one is a bit too nosey."

Remedy almost laughs, <<I'm a medic. I wish. No, they're afraid I might use a charge on someone who annoyed me.>> She looks down,  <<DOes it appear the tunnels have power?>>

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<Decepticon> Vortex perks up and listens more closely.

Windshear sences Outbound just drop down past him and land at the bottom. It sure did sound far away, "Wind?" he says as he decends farther down into the black. Good, at least he cant see the walls all around him. "And no I was not talking to myself..." he adds suddenly. The abruptly his feet hit the bottom with a loud CLANG and he nearly falls to his knees. "I meant that." he mumbles as he stands up and shakes his cankles a bit. "Hey, I can feel it too -- Outbound? Where are you?"

Outbound presses onward, and after a few steps a thought occurs to him. They're going to want to have this place completely mapped out if it turns out that it can be used for anything, or especially if it has anything to do with the Autbots. His right forearm juts forward and a tracer(marker) fires with a muffled 'thoomph' before sticking into the mangled corridor of rock and metal. "The draft is growing more forceful... Whatever is at the end of this tunnel is massive. Whether or not it is of Autobot origin we will want to map it extensively," Outbound comments after several moment's of silence following the sound of Windshear joining him at the bottom of the lift shaft.


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Hubcap makes his way to the hatch and, opening a small compartment in one arm, takes out a comms relay. Leaning down, he clamps it to the side of the shaft, speaker facing downwards. He quickly backs away, gesturing to Remedy to do the same.

"WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER!?"

The voice roars through the tunnels, reverberating through the narrow confines.

<Decepticon> Hubcap, Hubcap whom? "Woah, we just got some weird readings.  Did you guys wake up an eldritch horror or something?"

Remedy moves back at Hubcaps' insistance, wondering what he has in mind, his eyes widening as she hears the voice

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Whoa, whoa, WHOA! What the frag is that?? Outbound is Mobile Infantry, which means that when it comes to infantrymechs he's among the best trained and versatile there is... But one thing that he does not deal with, or at the least one thing that he does not deal with without strict orders to so so are BLOODY FRAGIN' MONSTERS! "Windshear... Back. Now," Outbound whispers, optics flashing wide as he begins to backpeddle with his gaze firmly locked straight ahead along the sight of his shotgun. Outbound's going to have to check the Imperial Records Burea for this 'Eldritch Horror'...

Windshear freezes dead in his tracts when he hears the voice. Hes heard horrible things like this in the past and it never ends well. Horrible things are attached to voices like that. He doesnt even really hear Outbounds words at this point. "Fuuu..." his voice trails off as he turns straight into Outbound!!! He lets out a scream to beat all (how the smeg can that baratone get that HIGH?) -- well its like the shriek he lets out when Scorn's face falls apart only on steriods. For a moment the Seeker struggles to get untangled from Outbound. He he has no idea if he hits the mech with a fist or a wing or what but he does know he grabs some part of the mech and literally blasts straight back up through the elevator shaft.

"Imdonhereletsgetbackandfileareportoksoundsgoodtome."


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Hubcap smiles to himself as he sends the remote trigger to the relay. Granted, he hadn't expected such a hurried escape, but... No, nevermind, this is fun. Smirking, he queues up a few more transmissions, and signals Remedy: << We should probably be somewhere else, shortly.>>

Remedy nods, <<Sounds like a plan. Need a lift?>>

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Outbound was in this tunnel one moment, and then suddenly he was flying through the Cybertron airways. "Whoa!" he exclaims, as lets face it- he wasn't expecting to be YANKED out of the tunnel, even though he was a bit frightened. Tell anybody and you're dead! "Windshear! Put me...DOWN," he growls the last word, though otherwise he appears to be the model of composure. "I don't care how big, and how scary whatever is down there happens to be... We are Decepticons. We will regroup. We will return. And we...will...conquer."

Windshear is out of the tunnel and back in the building rubble almost too fast to think about. He hears Outbound asked, no demand to be put down and he just uncerimoniously lets go of the groundpounder and then hovers down and lands. "Dont' say a word." he says recovering his smooth captivating baratone. "I...claustophobia -- yea we all have it.. its in our core programming ok?" Thats his story and hes sticking to it.


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Hubcap puts a hand up to the side of his head with a wince, then walks over to the hatch and pushes it closed. "Okay, we'll need security forces here to -" He cuts off as the faint sounds of laughter echo through the hatch. "That... that wasn't me."

Remedy looks over at Hubcap, "That wasn't your... trick?" She moves up next to him, "You need some repairs?"