Sixshot vs Bounty Hunter

Earth Orbit

A blue expanse stretched out, pulled taunt over a smoothly curved surface that shifted with every seconds passing. Drifts of white creeped across the layers of packed atmosphere, and landmasses of rich brown and greens seemed to move with them. The backdrop of space hung behind a craft resembling a plane of sorts-- non-Earth created. Black and spotted with distant stars, their appearances were barely grasped from the glow of the planet below. The Sun peeked about the outer edges, the glare tolerable, the heat near absent. The starfighter was high enough that water would have flashfrozen within decimals of an astrosecond.

Not alone, Sixshot shared the upper eschelons with human constructs, satillites used to project transmissions, some even to detect objects like himself, that did not belong there. The sixchanger wasn't worried, instead he was doing part of his own reconnaissance as it was hoping to catch sight and drive off any Autobots who were making it a habit of spying on Decepticon territory below. Things were in a delicate state, sensors stretched at their limits monitoring the area directly beneath for activity with only a paltry component left to his immeadiate area. There were few who could come upon him without due warning in their ranks.

In a hunt, there are predators, and there are prey. So what happens when the two are predators?

One outsmarts the other. It's a simple as that.

As of current, there are few reasons why any Decepticon or Autobot would be out in space amidst Earth's orbit. For Autobots, it's reconnaissance; scouting out the peculiar activities of the Decepticons in recent days. For Decepticons... it's countering that recon work by particularly brutal methods. Decepticons love their fights... which is just perfect.

That's what Defcon is looking for, after all.

As Sixshot orbits in such a precarious, waiting position like a hunter stalking its prey, there comes the distant ignition of jets. Before anything can be even said on the sixchanger's part, a sudden volley of low-powered laser fire sprays down soundlessly across the expanse of space, seeking to impact against the solo-fighter's hull in a painful series of bursts. <> as the voice broadcasts over radio frequencies, the distinctive form of Defcon's starfighter mode can be seen roaring through space, on a dead path towards Sixshot. <<... or suffer the consequences. And don't pick the stupid choice.>> Cybertronian Starfighter  strikes you with Laser Cannon ::Low Yield::

Before Sixshot could respond accordingly, his armour registered several direct hits on his hull. The strikes though low powered nudged him in his orbit such that his nose and body tilted eschew. It was more startling than greviously damaging, and the sixchanger immeadiately began powering up his systems to attack capacity, the glow of his engines perhaps a precusor of warning just which choice the Decepticon would make. <<"DEFCON">> His reply was an equal shout, irritation scattering the tone, it quickly changed however to a laugh. Here was the moment where he could send out a message about the Autobot's daring, or simply deal with the bounty hunter himself...

Was it really difficult to guess, just which he would go? Here was someone worthy of tangling with, and besides. The Autobot loner had such a stiff upper, it would be just as gratifying to taunt him into frustration.

<<"Since when did you get back-- you're not banned from Monacus by chance?">> The glow quickened to a blast of light as Sixshot suddenly tore out of orbit, sinking deeper into the atmosphere before tumbling into a round about roll that took him into the same intersecting path as Defcon. <<"I think we know how this is going to turn out, I'm not one of your weakling captives.">>

Weapons were primed to fire, <<"I'm DECEPTICON SIXSHOT, and you Autobots are just fodder!">> The last timed to an initial streak of concussion fire.

You strike Cybertronian Starfighter  with Concussion Blaster.

Concussive blasts rain across the armor of Defcon's hull as he makes a sudden veer downwards. Engines roar, a trail of fire igniting behind him as he skirts the rests of the blasts. Metal vaguely dented, the bounty hunter is hardly deterred, the laser cannon at his front thrumming with ominous light once more.

<> is Defcon's grating reply to Sixshot as he twists down underneath the Decepticon. << I think -I- know how this is going to turn out. You're going to resist-- >>

And then, just as suddenly as he swept downward, Defcon is making a sudden blast UPWARDS, aiming that cannon straight for his prey with a hum of power inaudible in the vacuum of space. <<--and I'm going to make you regret -ever- thinking that was a GOOD IDEA.>>

From the barrel of that shining white laser cannon emits a thick burst of power, a continuous stream of energy aimed at searing against the underside of Sixshot's frame with burning power. <>

Cybertronian Starfighter  strikes you with Laser Cannon ::Medium Yield::

That made two of them.

<<"Running away?">> Sixshot retorted with just enough derision to let it be known he thought such a thing a rediculous fabrication. <<"Not everyone has time to waste away from the war. Even we remember our duties.">> Not everyone it was true, but who was going to take the time to pick out individuals in blanket statements, he sure wasn't. Sixshot wasn't making it any easier on Defcon by keeping a straight path, he wove in and out in a sinuous path, albiet keeping the same plane, it was that which caused his run in literally with difficulty.

Wracking the other as he dipped, the sudden about turn caused the other to bank, right into the laser cannon's peal of energy. It melted a thick line through layers of metal, the glow fading quickly in the chill of space. That, that hurt, though he'd refuse to show it to his rival here-- and Defcon was as good a rival as he could get. The bounty hunter had an indomitable reputation, one Sixshot found to be insatiably drawn too.

Shaking off the injury with a recalibration of his systems and jolt of his wings, <<"I couldn't have said it any better.">> The ending would be the same, in his eyes. He kept on the path he'd picked, and as if to refute his earlier statement appeared to be attempting to place as much distance between him and the Autobot as possible in the long arch over head. Instead he cut a tight loop, bringing his nose back in line where Defcon had last been, releasing a strafing run of blasts powered to explosive power, before kicking his engines to a whine and rocketing towards the not so distant disc of luminescent grey-white.

Cybertronian Starfighter  evades your Concussion Blaster attack.

Moon <> Defcon muses dully, <> A pause.

<>

Cannon powering down, Defcon still keeps straight on Sixshot's tail, never letting up for a second. True to his reputation, the bounty hunter keeps a dogged pursuit, thrusters blazing at maximum power to keep him just behind Sixshot. Energy sears across Sixshot's hull and, with a veer, the solo operative releases bursts of concussive power through the limitless expanse of space. <>

With an inaudible WHOOSH, Defcon makes a stunningly skilled rotation through the air, the starfighter spiralling just barely out of the way of each successive burst of power. <> he sneers across the radios. <>

Defcon's unpleasant jab is accentuated by a sudden, -full power- burst of sheer energy from his front cannon, a brilliant beam of lancing power slicing through the air with a straight path -- aimed for Sixshot's jet engines. <> Cybertronian Starfighter  strikes you with Laser Cannon ::High Yield::

Sixshot would like to strenuously argue this point, there were times when he wouldn't need to run afterall. But crush his opposition with the kind of brutal force that one would come to expect from a Decepticon without any give or take to his nature. That Defcon was more than holding his own was a testament that some reputations had been hard earned, and not bloated by unsubstantiated boast. Sixshot would not admit to being in difficulty even now, infact, deep down he was enjoying this...thrill. Defcon saw himself as the preditor here, but Sixshot was more than willing to prove how flawed a perception this would be.

...Right as soon as he recovered from the last forray of Defcon's that is.

Sixshot's enraged roar was lost to the vaccuum, a silent outcry as his starboard FTL drives were struck, the reaction sending a ripple effect before he could manage to compensate, everything shorted and shut down. The now blackened starfighter pinwheeled out of control like a smoking comet trailing its tail behind it as it crashed with a large plume of moon-dust pillared into the thin insubstantial atmosphere. It obscured the view of the Decepticon from Defcon's visuals, but whether or not he was fully taken out...

The answering streaks of fire would answer that as they lanced out of the cloud.

You strike Cybertronian Starfighter  with Concussion Blaster.

Throughout it all, Defcon remains cooly detached from his situation. As he fires off that last, concentrated burst of energy and sends Sixshot on a collision-course with Earth's moon, the Starfighter bounty hunter says nothing. No gloating, no anything. The wordlessness over the radio should do enough to infuriate Sixshot, and besides...

... Defcon isn't here to talk.

Swooping down towards the moons cold, lifeless surface, Defcon makes a preliminary sweep of the area, looking for Sixshot amidst the dust and rubble. << I know you're not down yet, Sixshot. Show yourse--guhn! >> Concussive blasts pelting into his armored side once more are enough of an answer for Defcon; with a sudden twist, the starfighter rapidly descends towards Sixshot, transforming with blinding speed into his main mode. <<There you are.>>

Smoke rising from several blaster wounds, Defcon continues unperturbed. His right leg lashes out, seeking to drive the knee into Sixshot's face. He twists from there in mid-air, spinning across the substantially weaker gravity of the moon to plant his left foot into the side of Sixshot's head in a calm and measured approach meant to send the Decepticon straight to the ground once more.

Falling towards the ground, Defcon expands and transforms into his simple and powerful robot mode. Defcon strikes you with ::Savage Combo::

Were Sixshot having the upperhand in this, likely Defcon wouldn't be able to get him to shut up with his taunts, but whatever the sixchanger expected out of this fight...it was thus far exceeding expectations. Serious injuries that would have taken out lesser Decepticons marked several areas on his body once the cloud of dust thinned to give an accurate visual. Metal warped and twisted where it was not already melted or shorn, circuitry flicked from the gaping holes left from the absense of vapourised armour...and yet he still moved, fought. <<"I haven't fled anywhere!">> Was his revealing assertion, coming in split-second chimes after the spray of blasts.

It wasn't enough to take Defcon down a notch, infact it didn't even seem to phase him. The swiftness of the other's physical retort caught Sixshot completly ofguard, perhaps having expected he other to pull out his own weapon, each strike hits true causing the Decepticon to slam hard into the crater he'd inadvertedly caused by his crash. His optics flashed, the crimson an indignant glow snarling out aloud-- soundlessly. He got a foot underneath him, and pushed forcefully back in the other's direction, <<"If only more of the Autobots were of your caliber, I wouldn't fall asleep in every fight when I send them to RUIN!">>

He lashed out with a feint, fist crossing low in a slash to distract the other's attention downwards before using his head to slam it into the other's. Defcon evades your Using his Head attack.

<<If other Decepticons were of your caliber,>> comes Defcon's mild and unpleasant reply,

<< I'd be a very bored hunter. >>

The taunt is delivered the moment that Sixshot sweeps out with that feinting strike. Defcon looks downward, quickly jerking -backwards- and away the moment that Sixshot lashes out... only to have the wily sixchanger suddenly swinging at him full-tilt with that powerful attempt at a headbutt. The larger robot swings in...

... and he'll find a single hand thrusting out to intercept his head moments before impact with the deafening -clang- of metal.

<<You're weakened,>> Defcon notes impassively as he attempts to keep a fim grip on Sixshot's metal skull. <<The outcome is already determined. Give up now... or else I might actually have to start taking this fight seriously.>> This is accentuated with a sudden twist forward; Defcon's free hand -- the one mounted with a now thrumming plasma cannon -- twists forward, aiming straight for Sixshot's chest. He doesn't even hesitate, releasing a powerful BURST of concentrated, powerful energy straight towards his enemy's chassis at nigh point-blank range.

Defcon strikes you with <Plasma Cannon> ::Low Yield::

It wouldn't be difficult to figure out that Sixshot was hurting, even to Defcon's more than keen optics, his opponent's speed and deftness had decreased considerably, he certainly looked the mess. The taunt hit home, and only his faceplate hit the fact that his mouth was pulled back, the look that he gave to Defcon could have peeled back layers of armour were they given substance. Instead, he laughed, a low grating one as a hand cupped across the new charred and blackened hole in his chest having staggered back. Transforming would be difficult now, all of the sliding parts mis-aligned or damaged. <<"Don't mix me up with that riffraff.">>

The screech of protest was unheard as he crumpled and folded down into a smaller form, wings flaring up behind him as he assumed the smaller lithe wolf-like form. <<"And don't insult me further by TOYING WITH ME">> Bring it on is what he seemed to be saying, lunging foward with claws and teeth bared where he could not before, this close he'd try to latch onto an arm and shear at the plating there while inflicting damage with the flurry of swipes.

Falling foward onto all fours, Sixshot stands poised as a winged wolf, claws and teeth at the ready. Defcon evades your evisceration attack.

<<You want me to take this seriously? Fine.>> Defcon submits to Sixshot's request easily enough even as the Decepticon begins a pained transformation. The sixchanger as beaten as he is now, the rest is as simple as it comes. As the wolf sweeps out with claws and teeth in that painful rake, Defcon is quick to actually LEAP over the pouncing creature. <<Six forms, ten, twenty -- it doesn't change the fact that you're going to jail for warcrimes against the Autobot Faction. Give it up... I'm -through- playing.>>

Lightened gravity slows Defcon's descent as he crashes into the ground in a kneel, blue optics flaring. With a twist, he swings around, attempting to gain a solid grip onto Sixshot's now-smaller body. If he can get a hold of the sixchanging solo assault warrior, he'd lift him up... and then just DRIVE him into the ground in a sudden and crushing blow, bringing behind it enough force to create a massive impact crater before Defcon's sheer, physical fury.

<<You. Are. Under. ARREST!>>

You evade Defcon's ::Gigaton Blow:: attack.

<<"Warcrimes? Look to your own camp Autobot!">> Sixshot snapped out, jawns clacking in a display of serrated teeth as if to match the radioed transmissions between the two physically. <<"Or are you going to hold fast to the belief that all your comrades are as innocents?">> The growling barking laugh was a throwback to his primal form. More nimble in the smaller form, what could have ended everything right then and there turned out to be his saving grace. The other's fingers barely scrabbled across his wings and back, wriggling free with a deft twist and turn of his body. No sooner had he done so would that form drop to the pebble and rock strewn crater, light as a feather, but unfurling into something more.

The paired turrets of the stocky tank swivelled in Defcon's direction, but that wasn't where the threat lay...instead it was from the surge of the vehicle towards the other, treds sending up waves of dust in this close quarters, <<"Typical behaviour, I can only return the favour. Time to grind you into the ground where you belong!">>

Crumpling and folding inwards, Sixshot transforms into a compact ramming tank with paired guns. You strike Defcon with Moon Powder.

Sixshot's barking laughter and attempts at jabbing Defcon's faction are met with a cold, unfriendly stare. Not the type of a man slighted -- but the stare of someone who doesn't -care- what the other thinks.

<<Are you trying to have a philosophical debate with me? Save it, Decepticon. I'm here to hunt down you and all your kind. Ethics...>>

Swiftly evaded and with a counter-assault quick in coming, Defcon is struck by the massive tank in a crunch of metal, striking him solidly and with enough force to send Defcon airborne. Sparks fly around him, and yet, as he goes... he transforms rapidly in mid-air.

<<... aren't PART of the EQUATION.>>

With the -BOOM- of jets igniting, Defcon soars through the air above Sixshot. From beneath him, his unloading bays open up, a pair of Cybertronian missiles locking into place. As Defcon swoops overhead, he releases each missiles in a sudden EXPLOSION, large white rockets blasting forward with an aim towards Sixshot's armored hull... for -explosive- results should the connect.

Collapsing in on himself, Defcon transforms into a sleek starfighter.

Cybertronian Starfighter <Defcon> strikes you with <<Armor-Piercing Missiles>>

Ofcourse Autobots wouldn't want to even consider that there were those guilty in their own party of Decepticon like traits and behaviour-- it may even be that it is the tamer kind of behaviour, but who was going to mince words at this late stage of the game. Sixshot is barely given a chance to enjoy seeing Defcon given flight in the worst way possible before he's forced to go on the defensive. Which is to say little at all once the other littered the area with missiles from above.

Pockets of rock, ash and dust exploded into the air where each struck around the Decepticon, the force rocking his frame till it enveloped the entire mass of the tank in the violent licking curls of fire and energy. This time there were no forthcoming blitzes of fire a second time, and if he waited long enough, the seconds ticked without further sally. When the dust cleared there'd be no sign of the Decepticon but for littered pieces of metal here and there, but for the source there'd be perhaps...irritatingly. Nothing. Sure as his hunch is correct, his earlier statement rang true.

Inspite of what Sixshot may have claimed, like a Decepticon would in the end-- he had fled.

Flipping up and backwards into the air, Sixshot takes the shape of a laser pistol.

Sixshot begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Cybertronian Starfighter <Defcon>.

And it's done. Defcon blazes through the non-existant atmosphere of the moon's skies as those missiles explode in a roar of fire and debris. Circling around, the Autobot begins a rapid descent, his form rapidly shifting into that of his robot mode. He prepares to advance to finish it off and apprehend his target... and yet, when the dust clears?

Defcon finds nothing. <<...>>

Looking at the crater he has carved into the earth from his firepower, Defcon's scanners show nothing; Sixshot is long gone, likely having escaped in the ensuing chaos. <<... Typical. A coward just like the rest. Doesn't matter, though.>> As Defcon speaks wryly, his body twists and morphs once more into his sleek starfighter, engines igniting anew. << I'll find him again, and there won't be any running next time. Just like all the rest.>>

And with that, Defcon blasts off at blinding speeds, making a straight path back to earth -- if only to vent his lingering frustrations against the training drone. Another unproductive mission.

Defcon retreats from the area swiftly, outdistancing all pursuit and parting shots.