Mister Perfect

Elita-One's office is a giant shrine to Optimus Prime. No...wait, that's not it at all. It's surprisingly undecorated, given the style the Femmes generally seem to have. There are however, a good deal of pictures and holograms. Pictures of friends gone by, of profound moments of life, and most importantly, those under her command.

The spring seats are torqued to heavy load, for the larger Bots, even Ultra Magnus would find himself comfortable here.

So it would appear that Elita One has asked to speak with Blurr in her office regarding the events at the Shore mansion a few solar cycles ago. Thus, the speedster makes his way there as requested. Having worked with the fembot extensively before she was transferred to the military division, he has a fairly high degree of respect for her...although he wouldn't really call her a close friend. Does he even have any of those? At any rate, he knocks on the door in his customary rapid fashion. "Elita One? You...wanted to see me?"

Elita One is doing some musing at her desk, then raises her head "Yes Blurr, come in, have a seat. I wanted to go over a few things with you." She gestures to the big comfy chairs in her office, a small gesture to help alleviate any official presence of the place, "Mostly I wanted to see how you're doing with the promotion and your thoughts on your new role. You've been a data courier for quite a while, and the new job must be exciting to be plotting intel missions, eh?"

Blurr nods, entering the office and sitting down in a comfy seat as indicated. "Oh, thanks for your concern. I'm doing fine though! It's a lot of new responsibility, that's for sure, but I'd say I'm adapting fairly well." he smiles, though he doesn't actually look particularly happy.

"After all," he adds, "That's what we do as Cybertronians. We adapt to whatever new surroundings we may find ourselves in."

Elita One gives a short nod as she settles back into her chair, "That we do, its in our nature. Most of us didn't ask for this war, and yet we adapt. We adapt enough that we end up in a perfect stalemate that's lasted a thousand vorns." Elita One takes a measured moment then stands, moving around the desk to sit in the other large chair, "Blurr, the reason I'm asking is because you've gotten very very aggressive of late. Mostly with this rivalry with Blast Off. I understand the need to best someone." She nearly smirks, "Primus help me, I know THAT one all too well. The reason I mentioned the Shore incident is because I feel your legendary competitive streak is showing. You chose to attack and nearly run down the human instead of help contain the monster assault." She repeats herself, "Blurr, you saw Thorne try to blow up all these people, and you chose to engage him further instead of protect. Now, all chastising about choices aside, I want to know why you decided to go that route. "

Blurr just gazes at the wall as Elita One chastises him. Competitive is in his nature, yes...but lately...



He snaps out of it and looks back at her, seeing as she's waiting for a response. In fact, she's asking him why he made that decision. Which he'd been afraid of. If it was just going to be scolding and a lecture, he could just nod and say it wouldn't happen again. But this? Sigh.

"I..." he shakes his head. "It was nothing, I was just upset--as I'm sure we all were--that he put all those humans in danger. He and those Primus-forsaken MECH glitcheads. It...it won't happen again."

In a quiet tone, Elita One presses the question, "That's not what I asked, Blurr. One of the burdens of command, which you are part of now, remember, is to look over issues and possible failings and assess fault, assess blame. It is a difficult lesson for all of us to learn." She stands up, then touches a shelf, producing a few holoimages. Elita One takes one, and studies it for a moment. "You're not the first one to have recklessness or passion, Blurr....Early war, very early war, before the Shutdown, Optimus tried for one last chance for peace, to find common ground with the Decepticons. Sounds just like him, doesn't it?"

She turns around then sets the picture down on the table, a picture of her and he, Optimus looks very despondent by his positioning, "Needless to say, he failed. It was an ambush of course, he knew it could be, but in his lasercore, he could not accept that there are those that simply will not listen to reason. That was his hardest lesson to learn." She lets the moment sink in, "Your reasons may not be as noble, but that does not mean they are any less valid."

Blurr watches the holoprojections blankly, and nods at Elita One's assertions. "Right." he says after the speech about the burdens of leadership. And another, "Sure" when Optimus' example is given. And when she finishes, he just shrugs. "I appreciate you giving me the benefit of the doubt Elita, but honestly it was just an outburst of recklessness, if you will. Just didn't feel right letting him get away when I could easily catch him and grill him for information about MECH."

"At the time, anyway..." he adds. "But you saw that I quickly realized my mistake and came back."

Elita One nods softly, "Alright then. I know you're a competitive sort, and that sounds about right. I just wanted to ensure that your role of leadership wasn't stressing you out. If I can give you a few tips to combat that?" She continues as if you said yes of course, "Delegate. Most Bots know how to fight of course, and they'll seek out someone they can handle when possible, so when you're under fire, everyone generally knows their role well enough to deal with those situations. Second, give general orders if needed. Protect this, aid that. The more general the terms, the more room a Bot has to interpret his orders, so you don't have to. Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for suggestions to situations. You've been rather resourceful this last year, so you may not ever need to do so, but the more information and ideas you have to work with, the more likely you'll find the perfect plan of action to use."

<p class="MsoNormal">'''LATER…. '''

<p class="MsoNormal">Petrified Forest - Cuprahex

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">As far as the optic can see are rows and rows of spindly metal structures, each consisting of a set of four masts in a wedge-shaped pattern that protrudes from deep beneath Cybertron's surface. The upper half of each mast has a thick, tightly-rolled wrapping of thin, fragile metal of varying sizes and colors from tiny delicate blue ones to gigantic red ones that tower overhead, like skeletal robots the size of Guardians. There are several that have frozen in the open position, their colorful "petals" fully unfurled though in many places ripped.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr is sneaking around the fusion reactor near Cuprahex, doing a bit of recon as ordered by Elita One. There were conduits running from the reactor to the barracks below the outpost...that was how they'd gotten in before, and now the courier is seeking the same opening--is it still there? Or have they decided to rid the base of that weakness?

<p class="MsoNormal">He creeps along a narrow corridor near the reactor room, the heat from the generator radiating through walls. Technicians hurry back and forth, going about their various jobs maintaining the conduits. If anyone sees him, he's just another technician. Or at least it would appear so, with the portable holomatter projector he's wearing.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off happens to be in the area. Actually, "Happens" isn't quite the word. He was finishing up transporting cargo to the Cuprahex outpost when an alert went out on local Decepticon channel frequencies. An Autobot signal had been detected nearby. Identity? Possibly Blurr. Of course, that immediately got the Combaticon's full attention.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off is a Captain now, so he has enough standing to ask the outpost's commander about the matter and ask if anything is amiss. Interestingly enough, the Commander informs him that there appears to be an extra worker on shift right now - he was about to send someone down to investigate. Blast Off tilts his head... "Oh really?" Remembering that Blurr has pulled this holo trick before, the Combaticon informs the Commander he'll be happy to go investigate personally- and so, does just that. He enters the reactor room and asks to see this extra worker. The gumby scans the area for him....

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh sure..." The gumby nods, and points to what appears to be another technician standing near an open panel as he works on replacing some old circuitry. "He's over there."

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off looks sharply over at the tehcnician who.... looks like every other technician in this blasted place. Hmmm. A wing elevon twitches in annoyance. Blast Off runs a few scans, but there is nothing obviously wrong. It's possible the generator is interferring with the signal as well... he gets a positive reading- and then it's negative. What? He raps the sensor area with a few fingers, trying to get it to work. While some data is still being processed, he decides to walk over and talk. A few quick steps bring the Combaticon over to the worker. He gets ready to grab his blaster out of subspace if neccessary. "You. What's your name?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Indeed, the radiation from the reaction chamber is throwing the readings off. Blurr had known this would be so. And that's why he's here. He smirks, his back still turned to Blast Off but he manages to wipe it away before he turns around and looks alarmed. "Uh--! It's Quicksilver, sir. Is something amiss?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off crosses his arms and looks skeptically at the "worker". "No, nothing amiss at all... I am... merely performing a routine inspection. QUICKsilver, hmm? Interesting name. How fast are you then? You work here very long? What do you do?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh? Well, good." 'Quicksilver' smiles and turns back to the panel he's repairing. "How fast am I? I don't really know. Never really tested my limits, but I've been here for a megacycle or so, not long." he replies casually. He pulls out a cracked housing and examines it a moment. "Hmm, do you know if those conduits still run up near the barracks at Cuprahex? Been thinking they might need the housings reinforced with something stronger than trilithium if so...you know, in case they get attacked by a diversion squad again." Again? Were these low-ranking techs even supposed to have access to such reports?

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off watches the "worker" closely. Hmmm, he sure seems knowledgable for a mere gumby. Also, he asks a WHOLE lot of questions. Thing is, Decepticon gumby workers don't ASK questions. They learn rather quickly just to do their work and hope to avoid notice. "I don't know. But you're quite intelligent for the unwashed masses I see aswarm in this place. In fact, I imagine your skills might be quite wasted here. Tell you what, I want you to come with me. Now. I can fly you to Darkmount myself- you may work on my quarters there." He doesn't actually HAVE quarters there, techncially, but he knows they won't be heading there anyway. Meanwhile, his trigger finger is getting quite itchy....

<p class="MsoNormal">Hmm...Darkmount, eh? Blurr is not quite sure he should take Blast Off up on his offer. Without the radiation scrambling the sensor readings, the arrays at Cuprahex will surely pick up on his Autobot energy signature. Plus, he's beginning to think the Combaticon is suspicious already.

<p class="MsoNormal">'Quicksilver' beams. "Really? Wow, I don't think I've ever been complimented by an officer, thank you sir! I don't think I can come with you though, plenty of work to do down here!" He pulls something out of the panel he has open, it had been behind the cracked housing. Wait a minute, is that a memory disc? He isn't repairing the thing, HE cracked the housing! And he's stealing that drive!

<p class="MsoNormal">...Or is he?

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Protected.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off doesn't like that response one bit. Gumbies most certainly do NOT disobey a direct order from a superior. Quick as a flash, his ionic blaster is out and drawn towards the "worker". "That was NOT a request. Stop what you're doing and come with me. Now, or I shoot you. And I've been told this weapon of mine really, really hurts." He's 99.99 percent sure it's Blurr at this point, but if it ISN'T.... hmmm. It would be a bit difficult to explain to HIS superiors. And this IS a reactor.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr clenches his jaw servos...okay, Blast Off is definitely onto him now. He either comply and be taken prisoner most likely, or...blow his cover now. And he's thinking blowing his cover now is the best option, since it seems the Combaticon is the only combat-ready Decepticon in the area. And no doubt he'll be hesitant to use his greatest strength against him here--for fear a stray shot might strike a critical component.

<p class="MsoNormal">'Quicksilver's' smile doesn't leave his face, and he nods, slowly standing up. Okay that is definitely odd behavior for a tech, most of them would be shaking like crazy by now. Yet this one doesn't even appear fazed at all. "Alright, alright. I'll come with you..." His hands are held behind his back. Of course, he's secretly picked up a laser welder that had been on the floor behind him, and is holding it there.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off points to the door, still holding his weapon at the "worker." "That way, if you please." There's a pause and a shrug. "Or if you don't please." He gestures the gun towards the door, indicating "Quicksilver" should exit and Blast Off will follow directly behind. "You're quite calm. Yes, let's have that little excursion, shall we?... At least you won't throw up in my cargo bay, will you?" He still sounds quite calm and detached.

<p class="MsoNormal">'Quicksilver' nods and starts toward the door as indicated. Hm, should he wait until he gets outside and boards Blast Off's cargo bay, then stab him right in the navigation controls? Blurr's definitely tempted...but then again if he goes outside, they'll all know he's an Autobot.

<p class="MsoNormal">Instead, just as he comes up next to the Combaticon, he pauses momentarily to smirk ever so slightly in Blast Off's direction. "Heheh. I guess--" And in one abruptly swift motion, the welder is out, active, and plunged in the direction of the shuttle-mech's side. "--you'll never know!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr misses Blast Off with his Welder to the chassis! (Punch) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off wouldn't have let Blurr in his cargo bay, anyway. Are you kidding? EW. No, he would have shot the 'Bot as soon as they got outside. His optics are fixed on "Quicksilver", though, as as the other mech comes near Blast Off is ready when there's a sudden quick spurt of action and that familiar mocking voice. Leaping back, he appears to sneer behind his faceplate. "I KNEW it! You think you're so clever, don't you, BLURRR? But you're no match for my shooting skills..." He instinctively whips the blaster up and his finger pulls back on the trigger.

<p class="MsoNormal">Then at the last second, there's hesitation. A glance up at the reactor makes the Combaticon pause and debate the wisdom of shooting here. But if he's not shooting, what can he do? He steps back, still aiming at Blurr. "I'm sending in for reenforcements, by the way. Better go, Blurrrr... before they arrive." He hasn't, but Blurr wouldn't know that. When Blurr leaves, he'll follow and shoot the slagger.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Protected.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

<p class="MsoNormal">"Ha!" Suddenly, the 'Quicksilver' visage flickers and fades away, revealing Blurr's true form. "Reinforcements, really? Here? Who's going to come charging in here with their guns blazing? If your additional forces aren't stupid, they'd wait outside for you to bring me out. Besides...why would you send for backup? It's just me. That'd give the other 'Cons a chance to down me instead of you, and you couldn't possibly let that happen now could you?" he laughs. "No, Blast Off--I'm not an idiot. .." He tosses the welder away, and lunges at the Combaticon, attempting to knock him over the edge of the mezzanine railing and down into the reactor. "...and I'm going to end you."

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Protected.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr misses Blast Off with his Charge! (Ram) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off 's optics narrow as Blurr finally reveals who he is. "That's better... I want to see your real face when I destroy you." His fist clenches, but as Blurr states the reality of the situation... and what he says IS true... the Combaticon's fist lowers slightly and he hesitates again. Slag it. It dawns on him that being THIS predictable around Blurr might be a bad thing... Blurr knows him too well. At least in THIS respect.

<p class="MsoNormal">He doesn't have a lot of time to reflect on this insight, however, as the Autobot zips forward to attack. With a lunge to the left, Blast Off avoids Blurr's charge and runs back to the side, still keeping his distance. The sniper also suddenly realizes this isn't a good situation... if he can't shoot, what can he do? ...Not much, though he's loathe to admit it. There's a reason he likes to keep distance. Distance protects him, getting up close and personal rarely ends well for someone with armor as weak as his. Looking around, he spies a wrench sitting on a table. Grabbing it, the Combaticon throws it at Blurr. He snorts, sounding more confident than he feels right now, "End me? In your dreams... You ARE an idiot to stick around here... This is a dangerous place for a lone Autofool..."

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Neutral.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off misses Blurr with his Put a Wrench in Your Works (Punch) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off (Blast Off) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr comes precariously close to toppling over the edge himself, but his superior agility saves him and he dashes off to the side, ducking the flying wrench. He laughs at Blast Off's assertions. "Ha! Is that what you think, Blast Off? I'm the idiot to stick around here? A place where you can't even use your precious shooting skills? No, you glitchead. I lured you here. I saw you in the area, and I knew that if you heard something might be off, you'd come to investigate, especially if it sounded like me!"

<p class="MsoNormal">The speedster nimbly jumps onto the railing and stands atop a coolant tank. "You're as fragging dense as a malfunctioning maintenance drone, you know that Blast Off? You drive everyone away from you, even your own teammates, and yet you long for true companionship! If you hate them so much, why do you even let them into your mind?! You think you have some kind of sense of honor, yet you serve a cause that viciously slaughters hapless mechs for the sheer sake of sadism while you turn a darkened optic! You're a blind FOOL, that's what you are! And since you've already had plenty of chances to see the light yet refuse to face the truth, I am going to end you--right here, right now. Whatever it takes."

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr isn't always very easy to read, but THIS time...this time anyone could tell from that steely expression that he's determined, and he is serious. And as if that weren't enough, his electro-laser is already out and ready to fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr strikes Blast Off with his Electro-Laser attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off has been temporarily incapacitated.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off listens with increasing anger as Blurr lays into his psyche and... shreds it to pieces. The Combaticon takes another step back, but Blurr is hitting all the right... the wrong places. He suddenly feels alone... quite alone.... and quite vulnerable. This reactor room is also beginning to look an awful lot like the Computer Mainframe to him... the place Blurr nearly DID end him. He takes another step back, optics glowing a pale, ghostly violet. Clutching his blaster he nearly shoots Blurr, especially when he mocks the Combaticon's loneliness. That useless, pathetic feeling he tries to stow away and keep hidden from anyone. How the slag does Blurr *know*? "...I... I have no idea what you're talking about.... that's... utter nonsense... everyone KNOWS I PREFER to be alone, away from the petty everyday nonsense of the riff-raff I have to endure...."

<p class="MsoNormal">As the rant continues, the Combaticon's anger sparks what's left of his pride... and as always, it's his pride that sees him through. He straightens up a bit, putting on a haughty look again despite his unease. "How DARE you mock me, you piece of Cosmic Rust! SCRAPLET! I work for a cause that seeks to keep our kind ALIVE in a universe that is BRUTAL. And I should know, I've seen a lot of it! Far more like a mere ground-pounder like YOU could ever POSSIBLY comprehend! There's no room for namby-pamby soft touches and "political correctness"! You are strong and thus get the limited resources available, or you are weak and you perish. It is simply the way of the universe."

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off glowers. "And I have more honor than you will ever comprehend... You know, you have never struck me as the honorable sort anyway. Do you really care about others? You seem willing to do whatever dirty trick, whatever dirty thing it takes to win... that's all that matters, right? Being the hero? Being the star? Being MR. PERFECT!??! But you're not... there's no way you can be... Perfect people always have something to hide, don't they?" He gives Blurr a grim "smirk". "*I* should know... and *you* certainly do, too." Then Blurr comes at him again, but Blast Off is quite unnerved despite his show of arrogance. Blurr's deadly look doesn't help, nor the difficulty of shooting here. Startled, he raises his blaster- slag it, he's going to shoot Blurr anyway... he's got no other choice now...but Blurr strikes before Blast Off can shoot. "GAAAAH!!!" The attack zaps a paralyzing energy through his form and he crumples. He hunches over on the floor, trying to find his feet again but not being successful. "Slag you...*zzzt* ...you son of a *crk* glitch....", he manages to say somehow.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr laughs unpleasantly--it almost sounds like the way Onslaught might laugh when his opponent is unaware of the plans he has coming soon to fruition. He jumps down off of the tanks, transforming as he hits the floor and charges the immobile Decepticon...Blast Off may have been right about him, at least a few times...but he'd be slagged if he ever showed it. "Whatever it takes to stop dangerous people like you from making this universe even more brutal than it already is. Of course, if I had it my way, killing you wouldn't be the only way to stop you. However, as Optimus Prime learned the hard way--some people just can't be reasoned with."

<p class="MsoNormal">In a flurry of moving parts, Blurr folds down into a pale blue-colored supersonic hovercar.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Cybertronian Hovercar <Blurr> sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Cybertronian Hovercar <Blurr> strikes Blast Off with his Killing the Dangerous Ones attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr uses up a charge on his Running Start booster pack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off listens as Blurr lays into him some more...since that's all he can do as he hunches on the floor, trying to get up. Then he hears that classic transformation sound and the rev of engines. OH SLAG. He struggles, desperately trying to get up before he gets run over. Talk about invasion of personal space- which he always seeks to protect. How completely undignified.... Resentment and humiliation grow as the hum of a vehicle gets closer... he can feel the wind before he ever feels the impact. "How DARE you...." is all he can gasp out before he gets sent flying across the room with a crack and a thud. "AAAAAhhh!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Being hit by a car is not pleasant... not pleasant at all, and his recently repaired armor is shattered. A trail of smoke wisps up from his chest plate and there's a crack on his right optic. the now quite battered shuttleformer is finally able to stand, though, which he does... staggering back to steady himself on a wall. "You will PAY for that... I am a Combaticon, one of the greatest sets of warriors the universe has ever known... and you WILL understand why before the end. And it will be YOUR end, not mine, you piece of SCRAP." With that, the enraged Combaticon comes at Blurr, angry enough now to WANT feel the impact of his own strike against the Autobot's armor. Still clutching his gun, he swings it up to try striking Blurr with the butt of his ionic blaster. He is definitely angry, though there is still a sense of haughty aloofness... a distance.... despite how close he is.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Aggressive.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Cybertronian Hovercar <Blurr> expertly evades Blast Off's attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off misses Cybertronian Hovercar <Blurr> with his PistolWhipped (Punch) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off (Blast Off) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr sees Blast Off coming after him, and heads for the coolant tanks again. This time he doesn't climb up on top of them, but merely stands in front of them, and just as the Combaticon swings his gun up to strike the speedster, he twists out of the way.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">"NO!" he shouts. "This is YOUR end, scrapheap! You know why?" he smirks. "Because you're a pathetic, predictable coward! You wouldn't dare try to hit me now, unless you're even more dense than you are cowardly! In which case, you're STILL dead."

<p class="MsoNormal">Indeed...the Combaticon will find himself in quite the dilemma. If he fires at the coolant tanks, there's a good chance he'll cause a leak even if he does hit Blurr, or destroy the controls--which regulate the flow of lithium-titanium nanofluid to the coolant chambers in the reactor. And as if that weren't enough, the courier raises his own weapon and begins shooting relentlessly at the shuttleformer.

<p class="MsoNormal">The hovercar quickly unfolds upward and outward to reveal the fastest terrestrial Cybertronian in the galaxy, Blurr!

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off is indeed confronted with a dilemma... and is a bit at a loss here. He's a turbo-duck out of water, and he knows it. He's a SNIPER, slag it... not a heavyweight wrestler! Built for speed and agility... not hand-to-hand combat. That's why the Combaticons have Brawl. ...Or pretty much anyone but him. He's the weakest physically, which grinds his gears... but it's simply been an acceptable trade off for the lightning speed and quick reflexes. But then there's Blurr... ~Mr. Perfect~... who seems to have speed AND some strength... and this just makes Blast Off hate him even more. He also has an alt mode that works here... the Combaticon is stuck in root mode since shuttle would probably just blow the place up with sheer size and impact.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blurr starts firing at him, and he tries to dodge but the effects of paralyisis are still lingering, slowing him down. he stumbles as a shot connects on his arm. "Gah! WHO's THE IDIOT, you fool?!? With your generally poor aim you'll blow this place up!!" He rages at Blurr, optics blazing purple... then he steps back, looking slightly cowed, and waves a fist. "Fine. You win THIS time. Enjoy your victory... it will be short-lived. Watch your back when the sky is overhead... I can shoot you from orbit, you know..." He growls, then rushes off to the exit. What...is he running away like a coward? It might seem so... until as he gets to the side of the tank, he suddenly lunges back at Blurr, trying to ram into the accursed Autobot! There, perhaps that wasn't so predictable after all?

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr expertly evades Blast Off's attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off misses Blurr with his Surprise I hope (Ram) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off (Blast Off) used "Ram": A Level 3 VELOCITY attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">"'This 'place', is your place, not mine." Blurr says grimly, as he again evades Blast Off's attempts to knock him over. Hah, trying to prove him wrong about the predictable part, isn't he? Must've struck a major fuel line. "Regardless, I don't think you've been paying attention. Remember what I said? I'm going to kill you, Blast Off,"

<p class="MsoNormal">Diving for a piece of broken framework with a sharp end, he grabs it and attempts to thrust it straight through the center of Blast Off's chassis, out of his back and into the coolant pump control array behind him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"...And I'm going to do whatever the hell it takes to get the job done."

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr misses Blast Off with his Whatever It Takes attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes, but you're IN this place RIGHT NOW, you fool- do you think you can outrun the explosion? If you do, you're a greater fool than *I* imagined...." Blast Off replies, slowing down and swinging back to the side after his failed attempt at ramming. Then his enemy brings out a piece of sharpened debris. Blurr's statement of killing him has a unsettling brutality to it, especially given the recurring situation here, and the Combaticon does feel a slight chill run through his circuits. You HAVE GOT to be kidding. This is too much like the Mainframe battle... Blurr is fast, but Blast Off is determined- and desperate- to avoid being stabbed again. That tradeoff he made long ago for speed and agaility pays off as he jerks back sharply to avoid the attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">He says in a grim, quiet voice, "And YOU will have to do better than that. I'm still a match for you in agility... and you're probably not very used to that. ~Mr. Perfect~ is probably used to excelling in everything, right? What do you do when you mess up? I wonder if you even confess.... or if you just cover it up and hope it goes away. Some things don't go away... some mistakes can't be undone. What are yours, I wonder?" Blurr MUST have a weakness, and he'll be *slagged* if Blurr knows his and he doesn't know Blurr's. Suddenly, he lunges forward, swinging his gun and trying to ram Blurr as hard as he can!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off strikes Blurr with his Trying to Find the Chinks in the Armor (Ram) attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off (Blast Off) used "Ram": A Level 3 VELOCITY attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">Slag it! Blast Off manages to slip out of the way as he brings the piece of framework down. Blurr clenches his jaw servos in frustation. "I'm not fragging perfect you glitchead...and slag if I'd ever tell you anything!" The speedster may have missed the Combaticon, but the control array doesn't have same ability to dodge as Blast Off does. And thus, the controls are crushed, they display shattering and sending sparks in all directions. Text flashes across another holographic display:

<p class="MsoNormal">WARNING: PUMP CONTROL MODULE ERROR CODE #15402219-113-5

<p class="MsoNormal">WARNING: COOLANT CHAMBER PRESSURE ALERT #35022735-532-0

<p class="MsoNormal">WARNING: REACTOR MELTDOWN IN 502.12 ASTROSECONDS

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">The courier glances at the warnings, then brings his blasters about once again. "But...you must've missed the part where I said..." he points them upward at a loose gas duct in the ceiling instead of directly at Blast Off. "...whatever it takes." He fires at the ceiling couplings, and the duct begins to fall as Blurr transforms again and takes off down the corridor, headed for the tunnel network below the reactor facility, where he most likely came from. Blast Off will have to move quickly to avoid getting trapped under the debris!

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Fearless.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blurr strikes Blast Off with his Gas Duct in Your Face attack!

<p class="MsoNormal">Alarms are screeching by now, and the workers scramble over each other to evacuate the area!

<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off notices the clenching of the jaw. Hmmm... perhaps he DID strike a nerve after all? And he finally got an actual "punch" in... though the impact seems to do as much damage to him as Blurr- and it didn't even seem to do much against the Autobot's armor. He's not even sure he noticed. Pfft, figures. Bouncing back to stand some distance away, an alarm starts to sound. Then Blurr actually fires at the gas duct and the Combaticon blinks. "What? You are a FOOL..." But the shot is fired, and the gas duct falls. The Combaticon tries to evade it, but given his state of damage it's beginning to get difficult- and the large pipe strikes him, crushing what's left of his torso armor. "Gah!"

<p class="MsoNormal">He has to use every ounce of strength he has left to wrestle away from the blasted thing as sirens start to wail and more pieces fall to the floor, thudding nearby. The Combaticon is starting to get scared as a sense of claustrophobia starts to sink in. Finally freeing himself, he leaps over another falling duct and gets the slag out of there, getting pelted with debris as he scrambles for the exit. Closing in... it's closing in... gotta get out... the former Renegade Decepticon hates feeling trapped... he was trapped in a box for millions of years, after all... do NOT want to go there again. Finally, he sees light and breaks free... and it feels so good. Open sky above and the shuttleformer can relax... at least a bit.

<p class="MsoNormal">But mostly, he looks off in the direction his scanners tell him Blurr is headed. He's too injured to pursue, though he radios Decepticon frequencies to inform them of what happened. Well, kind of what happened. But what happened is Blast Off knows Blurr is as determined to win this as he is. Sounds like Blurr is getting tired of their little "game" and wants to end it. Well, it will be ended. But *BLast Off* will be the victor. If this is a battle of egos, Blast Off will win this thing.... right?

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Protected.

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

<p class="MsoNormal">But Blurr has already disappeared into the catacombs below the facility, where Blast Off's sensor arrays are unable to penetrate. He's probably already back to Iacon, anyway...

<p class="MsoNormal">As Blast Off makes his frenetic rush for the exit, the white-hot inferno seems to make chase, its fiery clutches seeking to devour him before he can fly away. But fortunately for the Combaticon, his fast flight form is able to save him--though many of the technicians who had been working there were not so lucky even though they'd started evacuating long before he had. In fact--most of them are incinerated before they can get out of the gargantuan blast radius.

<p class="MsoNormal">As the Combaticon looks back, he will witness the reactor facility going up in in a giant, spectacular mushroom-cloud eruption of fire, rushing hot gases, and molten slag.

<p class="MsoNormal">And that is that. Blast Off had better report this to Command...surely if Blurr has survived, the Autobots will know that Cuprahex is now without its shield until a suitable substitute power source can be found, or until the now destroyed reactor can be rebuilt. And if Command is at all concerned about keeping the outpost and its advanced sensor array...

<p class="MsoNormal">