Battle of Pluto

It is midnight on the firing line, insofar as it seems like midnight at all times here on the edge of the system. Glancing coreward, the Sun is a small bright spot, and rimward is nothing but the Kuiper belt, the Oort cloud, and then intergalactic space.

The map doesn't read, "You Are Here." The map reads, "You Are Nowhere."

Out on this icy rock called Pluto there is a tiny outpost of humanity, one not manned at all times but rather used intermittently for weapon testing cycles. But there are a few systems that remain online throughout the long periods of disuse.

Several hours ago, one of these systems detected a small incoming craft, and in failing to receive a friendly confirmation signal sent out a distress call to the EDC back at Copernicus. The EDC monitors relayed the call to the Autobots, and a strike team was assembled.

Now, Scourge is just setting foot on the surface of the former planet, walking out of the small shuttle with his rag-tag group of followers. The Decepticon growls, "There's nothing here, Decepticons. I was hoping they'd put up a fight. Everyone with me, we're going inside." As the group heads for the EDC's bunker, an Autobot shuttle decelerates from full speed, moving into orbit...

Mindwipe is supposed to be out gathering scientific data for Shockwave on Io. Gathering scientific data bores Mindwipe to tears. So hauling out to attack the EDC bunker is an acceptable diversion, even if it means getting his hands dirty. Pluto. Chiron. The mythology is fascinating. Mindwipe follows along after Scourge, viper pistol in hand, looking over his shoulder and up at Chiron. A coin for the ferryman?

"Hey Scourge," says Rumble, unaware of the mythological import of Pluto's moon and probably incapable of following the discussion if it was explained to him. He's scurrying alongside with an outsized silver blaster in each hand, "if they don't put up a fight we can still hurt 'em, right? Just to teach 'em a lesson? Make an example of 'em?"

Sharkticon  waddles behind the rest of the Decepticons. He pesters each of them in turn with pleas of "Foooood?"

"Get outta my frickin' face, rotard," snaps Rumble at the Sharkticon.

Scourge responds, irritated with all the useless communication, "/In due time/, imbeciles. First we're going to secure the facility for our Lord Galvatron. Then you can start hurting and eating whatever else you want."

They're not far from the bunker. Cue heroics.

Mindwipe is pleased that he has said nothing so far! He also sees that there is a typo in his databanks - Charon, ahem. Chiron was a centaur. Yeah.

Far away, James' Exo-Jet bolts straight out of a temporary hangar berth on the Copernicus. It doesn't bother going for the runway extending out into space - and doesn't need one anyway. Instead it pitches it's nose back, and within fifty meters stands on it's tail, blazing jetwash slamming off the ceramic taxiway. A moment later the Exo screams straight out into space, riding a column of fire. This spectacle is accompanied by silence rather than the sonic boom of an atmospheric launch. Except for inside, where James feels a teeth-rattling rumble from the twin engines buring white hot behind him. Digital readouts show the tactical situation as Mars quickly passes by in the view from his canopy - only Mars, as Saturn and the others are on other parts of the system. His Exo only slows down when it makes a final approach into Pluto's orbit, bathing the EDC base with powerful sensor systems.

Smokescreen has alreayd been delivered to the surface of the planet, thanks to an Autobot shuttle that began to make it's way back in system afterward, and is standing just outside the closed bunker doors. He idly glances up toward the blackness of space, before casting a glance over the cold and distant landscape in front of him. "I guess this place is good for keeping a secret...probably the people who built it have forgotten about it by now."

Right behind James' Exo is the Ventress and it's pilot, Talazia Keldahoff. When the Apollo stands on it's rear and turns, the Ventress performs a rather easy split-s and takes the lead position for the moment before letting the Apollo take the lead and heading directly for Pluto. Only when they near Pluto does the Ventress slow down and let the Apollo scan the surface. <>

Focus was talking with an odd looking alien on Copernicus. Since it's a trading hub of several different species, information and commerce flow through here on a regular basis. Not as much since the cons begun this new campaign on sol however. Even so, Focus was able to talk to something, until he was called up to the military base and 'drafted' for this mission being one of the few bots on the station. Now, after sitting in an assault shuttle with Smokescreen at the helm Focus is down on the planet pluto. He can tell by all the trees. He walks with Smokescreen and says, "As it is with most of these things."

Scourge stops cold on the icy surface as his troupe rounds a sheer wall of solid methane to face the Autobots. The Autobots, already lying in wait for them. Out comes his gun. But there are only two, and there are four Decepticons. "You're nothing but waste of time, Autobots. Stand aside," he sneers, "Or Lord Galvatron's wrath will come down on your heads." Driving forward on sheer menace, he goes to stalk right past the two rather unthreatening Bots.

"Along wit my fist!" adds Rumble. "Gonna split ya like a turbococonut! And then shoot what's left!" He brandishes his blasters with a malevolent grin.

Pluto is a cold hell. Death by ice will suffice. But you know what's even colder? A viper pistol's paralytic fluids. Maybe not strictly speaking colder, but it'll cause lock up, all the same. Mindwipe thumbs his viper pistol absently, in a pleasant Jedi mind trick voice, the hypnotist suggests over unencrypted shortwave radio, "You want to let us in and then lie down and die." He doubts anyone will fall for it, but he tries anyway.

The roly-poly ball of Shark is so very hungry that he runs past Scourge and the others and charges at the enemies. He spots an exo and leaps into the air, trying to latch his rows of teeth upon James Bailey's machine.

Combat: Sharkticon  strikes Exo-Jet Apollo  Jet with his Sharknibble (Punch) attack!

Focus tenses, then relaxes letting his energon stores flow through his body more so than usual. He activates all his sensors with a quick mental command, hearing, smell (well, there's none of these two since it's a vaccume), all forms of radiation save visible light, and even movement are felt rather than sensed for Focus now. He pushes off with a foot leaving a poof of dust behind. In an instant, he slides to a halt in front of Scourge. Already, a diamond shaped knife is in his hand from a hip compartment. He holds it up against Scourge in a guarding posture and he says over short range coms, <> He's not sure if Smoke or the humans can take care of Scourge. Right now, he's not about to waste time asking. (Attack_ok)

Smokescreen was just about to respond to Focus, and reference an illuminating article in the magazine found on the shuttle, but then stops as Scourge arrives. He stands his grouns, his rifle suddenly in his hands, which he raises to his shoulder and levels at Scourge. "We're not giving up that easy."

From Exo-Armor Apollo , James Bailey, rather than falter at the fact that the Decepticon's pet Sharkticon is chewing through one of his Exo's wings, throws his Exo-Jet's engines into full power again, rocketing down towards Pluto's surface and taking his enemy with him. The entire jet seems to shudder as James pours on acceleration, until it's a dark blur headed straight at the ground. At the last second it rolls on it's side to fly with his wingtip just a few feet above the ground - and hopefully dragging Gnaw along the ground hard enough to scrape the unwanted passenger off.

Combat: Exo-Jet Apollo  Jet strikes Sharkticon  with its Bad Shark No Exo-Biscuit (Punch) attack!

Ventress Exo-Armor  Jet immediately follows the Apollo to the ground and transforms as it nears the ground. Of course......as it nears the ground....it's also firing at gnaw....low powered laser blasts aiming for the sharkticon.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor  sets its defense level to Protected. Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor  Jet misses Sharkticon  with its Disruptor attack!

Scourge glares at Smokescreen. Who dares to point a rifle at him likewise dares to get a faceful of claws. "I said /MOVE/!" he roars, lauching full tilt at the Carbot. "Fools!" he spits. "This planetoid belongs to LORD GALVATRON, now!" His voice drops to a low rumble. "Maybe if I'm feeling generous I'll let /one/ of you live to tell your pathetic allies."

Combat: Scourge sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Scourge strikes Smokescreen with his A Face Full of Claws (Punch) attack!

Sharkticon  is scraped off like a barnacle off a ship's hull. Only faster. Rolling and tumbling to the ground, the Sharkticon flicks his tail at the exo as it is in the process of scraping him off.

Combat: Sharkticon  strikes Exo-Jet Apollo  Jet with his spikey tail schmack (Kick) attack!

Mindwipe comments, "You know, I think there is another garrisoned stationed right... over there. Yes." The hypnotist steeples his fingers and looks over the icy surface meaningfully. Then, he transforms to his bat mode, to wing over that way somehow, despite there being virtually no air to support him in flight. Not that a bat of his size makes much sense as being able to fly at all, given his wingspan.

Mindwipe turns into a bat. Is anyone shocked?

Combat: Giant Bat  begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Jet and Exo-Jet Apollo <James Bailey> Jet

"Gonna wreck your face so bad Swindle won't even wanna sell it for scrap!" exclaims Rumble to... nobody in particular, but presumably the Autobots. Not that they'd done anything to him, but they didn't really need to. All he needed was for Scourge to say 'go,' or indicate it with his raking claws in this case. He swings up his blasters and leans around Scourge's leg, snapping off shots at both of the Autobots, one from each hand.

Combat: Rumble misses Smokescreen with his Akimbo Blasters Area attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Rumble misses Focus with his Akimbo Blasters Area attack! [Pulled -2]

Focus narrows his white blank optics seeing the thermal and energon trace image of Scourge punch Smokescreen. That probably hurt. Focus frowns and hopes to draw Scourge off of Smokescreen for at least a few seconds. Tucking one arm to his side and setting the other at a right angle, he assumes the crystalocution style. He grunts and snaps out an open hand with the finger knuckles leading at the sweep. But not before lifting a foot and turning to dodge a few rounds from Rumble's Akimbo Blasters.

Combat: Focus misses Scourge with his Knuckle Punch (Kick) attack!

Rumble is easy to dodge, sadly. :(

Smokescreen is knocked back by Scourge's punch, which also scratches away the steel off Smokescreen's face in five long rows, but the Autobot distraction master quickly recovers himself. in all this he somehow misses, and fails to notice, Rumble's attack. He raises his rifle butt first, and attempts to swing it toward the base of Scourge's neck. "I'd heard tougher talk then that from Soundwave!"

Combat: Smokescreen strikes Scourge with his Smash attack!

From Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey>, James Bailey is rocked hard by Gnaw's tail swipe just as it starts to pull away, leaving a trail of armor plating and a piece of one rear stabilizer behind. Inside, James grips the controls in his hand until his knuckles turn white, then thrusts the throttle lever forward again, sending his Exo speeding headlong at the tiny Decepticon unleashing massive firepower. As the jet blasts forward, James pulls back on the lever to the left of the throttle, the small light next to it switching from 'J' to 'R' as the gears around his cockpit began to whir. The Exo-Jet sommersaults forward in a flourish as parts slide and lock into place, only to emerge from the move hovering in mid-air in a humanoid configuration. A hand-held gunpod comes up to point at Rumble and emits a short three-round burst of tracer rounds.

Twisting and shifting, the Apollo transforms into an exo-suit.

Combat: Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> misses Rumble with its Pistol attack!

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> finally completes it's (long?) transformation sequence and hovers above the ground, tugging a rifle from its back and firing some really high powered shots at Gnaw.

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Jet transforms into its Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Robot mode.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> misses Sharkticon <Gnaw> with its Medium Machine Gun attack!

Scourge jumps back a step, narrowly avoiding the airless whiff of Focus' knuckles. "Alright, if that's what you want. Decepticons! No prisoners. Space the humans and scrap the Autobots. Don't bother making it clean." The Sweep's head cracks sharply to one side as Smokescreen's rifle impacts it, adding a little gash to the almost organic shape of his face. "Heh heh," he growls, seemingly amused by the damage. He brings the back of his hand up to wipe away the leaking fluid there. "I like your effort," he tells Smokescreen. "So you get to watch.." Scourge flings himself at Focus, a towering flurry of bladed claws. One powerful stroke across the chest horizontally, one diagonally left to right and top to bottom. One uppercut, intended to open up the smaller Bot from gut to throat.

Combat: Scourge sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Scourge misses Focus with his Clawed Assault attack!

The roly-poly Sharkball recovers from rolling around like a cueball on a pool table just in time to get missed by the Ventress's machine guns. His attention now drawn to that machine, Sharkticon <Gnaw> transforms and starts firing his laser rifle at the Ventress. "Food not supposed to shoot back!" he complains.

Gnaw transforms into his robot mode.

Combat: Gnaw misses Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> with his Laser attack!

"Whoah! Incoming squishy jerkfaces!" shouts Rumble as he scurries away from the strafing the human mecha slings in his direction. "Where's our air support? We got trouble on all sides!" He turns to keep his back to Scourge and slings a barrage of laser bolts up into the sky, playing anti-aircraft gun.

Combat: Rumble strikes Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> with his High-Intensity Pulse Laser (Laser) attack!

Focus tenses, then relaxes letting all his servos go slack. He drops and leans back, letting the first swipe of Scourge's claw pass within a paint layer of his chest. Then he quickly shifts his weight to the side in a roll, letting the other claw slam into the ground in a large crunch of rock and dust...or whatever Scourge would like. It just seems more dramatic this way. Either way, the sweep missed. The autobot gets to his feet after the roll, glaring at Scourge. Focus turns his head to pop the stress in his neck servos. "He may watch and I shall afford him the show." he says, tensing up one arm. "How do the humans say the phrase? Bring it on..." Energon flows into the joints and lines there, some leaking out in a bright purple haze around the lower portion of the arm. Power and strength surges through the limb, ready to pound anything within reach. He cocks it back and lets the attack fly, aiming for a weak point...relatively speaking, on Scourge.

Combat: Focus strikes Scourge with his Crystalocution: Vitals Strike attack! [Pulled -1]

Smokescreen shakes his head, swiveling his rifle up toward Scourge, as the sweep moves past him toward Focus. "It looks like you talk better then you fight! Here, have a taste of this!" He rests his rifle on his shoulder, aiming the rifle just ahead of Scourge, before firing off a snap shot from his rifle.

Combat: Smokescreen misses Scourge with his Disruptor Rifle attack!

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> is able to spin away from gnaw rather quickly as the lasers zip towards the Exo. Raising it's left arm, disruptor shots start firing out of a minigun point.......

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> misses Gnaw with its Disruptor attack!

Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> is singed by the laser. One shot hits it's lower leg, causing the engine housed there to spark and short out. The jet tumbles to the ground before rolling back to it's feet right next to Rumble. The two combatants stand there for just a second, and for once the size disparity between EDC Exo-Suit and Decepticon warrior goes in the EDC's direction. Inside the pilot's compartment, James's lips twitch unconciously into a predatory smile as he taps a quick command and then depresses one foot pedal. Outside, the Exo responds by raising one knee almost to it's chest and then smashing the flat part of it's foot forward - directly at Rumble's face.

Combat: Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> sets its defense level to Neutral. Combat: Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> strikes Rumble with its Kick attack!

Scourge takes the strike from Focus, right in the chest, causing microfractures in his joints that damage his ability to make his normally fine-precision movements. "Gaah!" he growls, ducking under Smokescreen's futile attempt to fire at him. "Bring it on? I'll bring you down!" Scourge flings his hands out for Focus' shoulders, leaping while trying to pull the Bot into his semi-pointy knee.

Combat: Scourge strikes Focus with his Ow My Knee! (Kick) attack!

"Umph!" Rumble finds himself made a football for the Nth time in this long, long war filled with much larger combatants kicking him around. The time Springer kicked him from Holland into Romania. All the times Octane kicked him just for being in the way. The way Frenzy would kick the back of his chair constantly while they were riding in a shuttle. Computron stepping on him, does that count? And now a squishy! A filthy organic animal! "I ain't havin' it!" exclaims Rumble as he stands back up, it not occurring to him that no one else can hear his internal monologue. He holsters his blasters and transforms his arms, leaning over to beat the ground with the pistons into a rapidly building sinewave. The dark, porous Plutonian shore rolls and shivers and shakes, frozen gasses floating up to drift across the vibrating ground as Rumble rips the landscape in a fury of indiscriminate violence!

Combat: Rumble sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Rumble strikes Smokescreen with his Plutoquake! Area attack! Combat: Rumble misses Scourge with his Plutoquake! Area attack! Combat: Rumble misses Focus with his Plutoquake! Area attack! Combat: Rumble misses Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> with his Plutoquake! Area attack! Combat: Rumble strikes Gnaw with his Plutoquake! Area attack!

The Sharkticon somehow miraculously dodges the incoming fire from the Ventress once again. Dumb luck? Well whatever it is, Gnaw wants food, but he sees he's going to have to mash it up first. So he decides to tenderize it first with his mace. Now if he can hit the Ventress with that, it will truly be a miracle.

Combat: Gnaw strikes Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> with his tail maced! (Punch) attack!

Focus gasps, but no sound comes from his vocalize. He clenches his teeth as energon leaks out in glowing strands. Focus spits it out and says, "We shall...ugh...see." He shakes off the pain quickly and snapping his hands up to get Scourge's off him. No beard stabbing today! He takes half a step back, then leaps backward in the air, missing the Plutoquake thanks to the low gravity. He pulls several blades from his hip compartment and throws them at Scourge while in the middle of his jump. He lands gently and gracefully into a full crouch upon a jagged spire of rock that just exploded out of the ground thanks to Rumble. The Pluto Chapter of Greenpeace will want to have a word with him after all of this.

Combat: Focus misses Scourge with his Multi blade volley (Laser) attack!

Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> boosts into the air as the ground where it was standing a second ago is shattered. It wobbles a bit, thrusters on it's back holding it aloft but momentarily unstable with only one active boot-jet. But the pilot brings it back under control through manual adjustments of the remaining foot thruster, accomplishing a mid-air hover. The Exo tracks rumble with the gunpod again, this time holding it in both hands as if in anticipation of recoil. It pauses for just a moment as the collapsing landscape reveals a series of conduits and color-coded wiring running underground. Then it fires, this time a long stream of glowing rounds that pelt the rubble around Rumble as James tries to walk the fire into the little Decepticon.

Combat: Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> strikes Rumble with its Medium Machine Gun attack!

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> seems to go on the offensive after being hit. Aiming it's rifle at the Sharkticon again......this time the exo seems really determined to take out the sharkticon.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> sets its defense level to Neutral. Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> strikes Gnaw with its Medium Machine Gun attack!

Smokescreen misses his shot at Scourge, literally if not figuratively, and is just about to aim for another shot when suddenly the earthquake hits. He tumbles off his feet and hits the shaking grouns, earning several dents and a number of rock shards poked through his frame, before sprawling on his face. However, on his way down, he had let go of his rifle. The rifle tumbles to the ground and, in typical defiance of the weapon's proper function, fires off a snapshot in Rumble's direction.

Combat: Smokescreen strikes Rumble with his Disruptor Rifle attack! Combat: Rumble has been temporarily incapacitated.

Scourge jumps away before anyone can really bring weapons to bear on him, transforming in the dark sky and hovering up there. "It's time to take out the garbage," bellows his voice. A powerful tractor beam zaps out of his center weapon mount, after the Apollo. "Ever feel how cold it is in space without any shielding? Everyone should feel it. You'll get to. Once."

Scourge transforms into his Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> mode.

Combat: Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> strikes Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> with his Laser Lasso attack! Combat: Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> has been temporarily incapacitated.

Rumble tumbles over backwards, momentarily frozen. The ground thankfully stops shaking around, sublimated frozen methane re-settling slowly in the weak rgavity.

"Gnaw not want to eat lead!" the Sharkticon complains, as bullets strike his armor and embed themselves. He transforms, reminded that he's still ravenous, and goes to eat the Ventress.

Gnaw transforms into his Sharkticon mode.

Combat: Sharkticon <Gnaw> misses Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> with his Feeding Frenzy attack!

From Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey>, James Bailey's gaze darts from various screens and displays as they report catastrophic failures in vital systems. Just to be helpful, his Exo's computer system recites in a pleasant human voice, "Weapons systems - offline. Main propulsion - offline. Transformation systems - offline. Sensors systems - offline. Damage control system..." James swears a soft "Damn!" before addressing the computer. "Any systems NOT offline?!" The computer system, cheerful as ever, responds "Communications systems online." James chews his lip, then pulls out a tiny board that unfolds into a mini-keyboard across his lap. His fingers begin flying over the keys, and a small display shows lines of code scrolling by.

Outside, barely visible through the demolished landscape from Rumble's earlier attack, a small blue light flickers on a junction box marked with EDC symbols. Other lights begin flickering on. Dust begins shifting aside in various places as things begin moving beneath the surrounding surface.

Smokescreen manages to get to his feet once the ground quake stops, picking up his disruptor rifle, before looking down at the passed out Rumble. "Nice try, little guy." He then turns around, gripping his rifle, before he searches for Scourge. He eventually finds him upward, and, tilting one of his rocket launchers up, fires a rocket upward toward the now airbourne Sweep.

Combat: Smokescreen strikes Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> with his Shoulder-Mounted Missile attack!

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> halts in mid flight and dodges Gnaw's bite attack. <<Hey Sharkticon. You're not going to like my exo....it tastes horrible. I should know...I've tasted. Go eat the sweep....I betcha he's a LOT tastier!>> The Exo, rather than waiting.....flies it's best towards the bunker to try and get the weapons working while the Apollo reboots.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> sets its defense level to Protected. Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Focus growls, actually growls! Crouched upon the methane spire, he says, "I shall not allow this to happen." He turns, seeing the other things coming on line, then leaps off the spire and high tails it at Gnaw. He pulls out a blade and whips it at the Sharkticon, his only ranged weapons. "Sharkticon, face me!" he calls out.

The Sweep rocks under the impact of the missile as his sensors and engines go temporarily offline. But the Exo-Suit stays in his tractor's grasp. Scourge responds to this violence, "Feh, Autobots. I'll show you how few of my systems I need to take this piece of worthless flesh offline." From his three weapons modules comes a hellishly bright glare. Static briefly enters all of the comm frequencies as a three lances of light converge on the Apollo, annihilating matter itself as it comes into contact with it. Releasing it in bright torrents of energy in all directions. "Such a worthless species."

Combat: Scourge sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> strikes Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> with his Disintegrator Beams attack!

Rumble props himself up, shaking his head as he recovers from the brief lock-up caused by Smokescreen's weapon, and resets his stance, starting the shakin' and the quakin' back up. It's weaker at first, and more limited in scope, but gradually ramping up in power, and left to his own devices Rumble will no doubt soon be cracking the surface open and sending the unwary tumbling into chasms like he has been known to do on Earth.

Combat: Rumble takes a moment to shake off the effects of the last attack. Combat: Rumble strikes Focus with his Minor Groundwave Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Rumble strikes Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey> with his Minor Groundwave Area attack! [Pulled -3] Combat: Rumble strikes Sharkticon <Gnaw> with his Minor Groundwave Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Sharkticon <Gnaw> is able to dodge another blast, but the earthquake from Rumble's attack causes him to roll around like a billiard ball, uncontrollably, getting launched into the air at odd intervals. Perhaps he'll smack into the Ventress?

Combat: Sharkticon <Gnaw> misses Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> with his Smash attack!

Smokescreen ducks inside the hanger at the firing range for greater protection, but holds open the door for Focus.

Exo-Armor Apollo <James Bailey>'s systems are just starting to recover when Scourge's attack tears into it's torso, flaying off layers of armor and revealing delicate servos and superstructure underneath. Then Rumble's attack hits it too. Inside, James swears as several new systems short out. He scans over the list of remaining functionality - so much has changed since the last time he got a status update, but conventiently transformation and propulsion is back online. James quickly reconfigures his jet into it's space mode and throttles up, pulling back into the sky.

Twisting and shifting, the Apollo transforms into an exo-jet.

Combat: Exo-Jet Apollo <James Bailey> Jet begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> watches as the Apollo takes off. the Ventress isn't far behind.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> sets its defense level to Protected.

Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> transforms into its Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Jet mode.

Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Jet begins retreating, leaving itself vulnerable to parting shots from Exo-Jet Apollo <James Bailey> Jet

Focus finally gets into range, sort of. Then he hears the retreat being called by Smokescreen. He spins the blade in his hand before stuffing it into his pocket, then runs like hell to the bunker transforming as he goes. Just as he reaches the bunker he transforms, then gets inside.

Focus spins his torso around while his backpack flips onto his shoulders. The legs lock together and the whole thing falls back on cushiony repuslor fields. In a blurr of motion, Focus transforms into a hovercar.

Combat: Focus sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Focus begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Ventress Exo-Armor <Talazia Keldahoff> Jet, Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge>, and Exo-Jet Apollo <James Bailey> Jet

Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> transforms and lands back heavily on the ground, stalking for the bunker. Growling, "Idiots. Did they really think they could oppose the might of Our Lord Galvatron?" Reaching the door to the testing range bunker, he simply rends it twice, then kicks it in. A dark laugh passes his lips, and he steps inside.

Sweep Spacecraft <Scourge> transforms into his Scourge mode.

Rumble follows Scourge, keeping one of his arms transformed into its piledriver mode in case he needs to suckerpunch anyone he finds unexpectedly inside. "I know, right?"

Sharkticon <Gnaw> follows behind. "Foooood inside?" he wonders, waddling eagerly as his internals grumble in hunger.

Scourge smirks grimly. "Not inside. But it'll be here. Soon. Rumble! Contact the Absolution. Have them send an extra ration for the Sharkticon. But not too much.." he grins evilly. "We want him to stay a little.. hungry.."

"You got it, Scourge," Rumble replies dutifully, and scoots back outside to put through a phone call to Soundwave about that.