Planning for Battles

Planning Room - Combaticon Base



      A large room, big enough to contain the four Combaticons and their leader, in addition to the large holographic projection table sitting in the middle of the room. A long metal bench runs all the way across the room to give those in the room a good deal of room to move from bench to bench while giving attendees a view of the surface of the table and the flatscreen embedded into the far wall. In sharp contrast to the high end technological equipment and the spartan military seating there stands a vending machine bearing a picture of a gumby seeker downing a can of Energon and the legend EnerCola beneath and the ubiquitous pin up.





Contents:

Onslaught's Office



"Hmmmm."



That voice belongs to none other than the Commander of the Combaticons: Onslaught. He's standing in front of the flatscreen, which at the moment is cycling through surveillance photo after surveillance photo after surveillance photo of various buildings and locations on Earth. The cycling is pretty fast, as if the computer that the screen was attached to was sorting and filing them or something. Behind Onslaught, on the holographic projection table, is what looks to be a Plan-in-Progress, as there are building schematics and various color-coded Holo-Combaticons being used as pawns in the planning process. Onslaught is very focused on the flatscreen at the moment, optics narrowed as he taps his metal chin with one huge finger. "Where are you? Hmmmm?" is vocalized to himself as he continues to stare at the flatscreen.



Blast Off   enters the base, carrying several vials of precious materials and minerals he has painstakingly gathered over the past several weeks. The Combaticon sniper is tired... it's been a long, hard period of time, during which he faced several obstacles and setbacks- but he was ultimately triumphant. Now he has returned to the base to find Swindle and give him the materials, as they agreed. That upgrade to his heat shields is coming soon- it's the only thing that keeps him going at this point. Noticing a light on in the Planning Room, Blast Off peers inside. He studies the scene before him, wondering if he should interrupt the Combaticon leader.



"I'm busy, Blast Off. What is it?" Onslaught either knows when Blast Off is around, has a tracking device on Blast Off, was watching the security feeds or all of the above. Who knows how Onslaught knows who has decided to interrupt the planning stages of greatness that the Combaticon Commander is going through at this moment. He hasn't taken his optics off the screen, though he does make sure his voice carries over his shoulder and to Blast Off so that the shuttle-bot knows he is being spoken to.



<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off stands next to the doorway. He knows better than to bother Onslaught with trivialities- and usually Blast Off is more than happy to oblidge, not being particularly talkative anyway. But finding Swindle is imperative, and the Jeep is nowhere to be found. "...I wished to ask you if you have seen Swindle? I've been looking for him everywhere and as usual, the minute one actually *wants* to find him, he's gone." He pauses. "Though it appears you are looking for someone, or something, yourself?"

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Swindle is nowhere to be found at the moment. What business do you two have?" It is at this moment that Onslaught finally turns himself around, looking away from the screen with more focused optics now, pinning them on Blast Off in an almost accusatory manner. He knows Swindle well. And he's probably already assuming the worst. Which is probably not a good thing to be doing right this moment. But whenever Swindle's name is involved there's just cause to be slightly worried. "I'm working on something that will, hopefully, get us out from underneath Galvatron's grubby little hands, but it will take a while to finalize." He gives a slightly dismissive wave towards the holographic projections.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"I..." Blast Off leans slightly back towards the door, suddenly wishing he was elsewhere. "I was simply getting a few things that Swindle asked me for. Simply a favor for a teammate." It's technically true, but Blast Off conveniently leaves out the part where Swindle promised him an upgrade to his heat shields in return for the materials required for that upgrade- materials that Swindle hopes to profit from as well, of course. The shuttle then latches on to the rest of Onslaught's words and tilts his head slightly. "Perhaps I should go and let you work on your plans. They sound promising?'

<p class="MsoNormal">"Not to worry, Blast Off. Promising Plans will soon come to fruition. And from those fruits our victory will be swift and powerful." Onslaught is probably just posturing due to the fact that he hasn't exactly come up with an actual plan yet, regardless of what he's said. But he is definitely in the process of doing such. That's just the way he does things. Or at least handles them. "Doing favors for Swindle very rarely happens without a deal attached. Spill." Onslaught keeps his arms crossed and his optics focused on BO as he awaits the truth.

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<p class="MsoNormal">The shuttle gives an almost imperceptible sigh. It's hard to keep secrets from Onslaught... the commander has an uncanny sense about his team and what motivates each individual, after all. It's actually something Blast Off admires in Onslaught, given that Blast Off's much poorer social skills make it harder for him to really "read" others at times. But he knows better than to lie to Onslaught, so.... his hands come up in a small shrug. "I needed an upgrade. My heat shields were cracked. It was.... affecting my performance on the battlefield. (He leaves out the part where he was unable to travel in space....does Onslaught know that? Slag he hopes not, it was embarrassing enough that Swindle somehow learned it...) Swindle told me that if I obtained certain materials for him, he would give me my upgrade." he adds. "It's all for the better of the team, after all... My performance affects our team's performance."

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<p class="MsoNormal">Onslaught knows everything. Well, maybe not. He at least keeps a spy enough eye that he can be ahead of the game when it comes to knowing things and thus manages to make things happen on a scale that boggles the minds of the rest of the Combaticons. He's very good at this and thus makes it a point to use this skill whenever he gets the chance. "Upgrades. Good." It sounds like Onslaught is okay with these things. "You are very much correct, though. A better performance in your department will increase our team's effectiveness by a considerable percent. I don't know exact numbers at this moment but I feel as though any increase in our combined performance will be a good one." Onslaught almost sounds like a proud father. "I am pleased that you are taking steps to better yourself for the good of the team."

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<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off nods, happier now that this seems to be going well. "I always do my part for the team. Unlike some of the OTHER individuals I could name, *I* am reliable and my skills are second to none." He pauses briefly, looking thoughtful. "Well, that might be too modest. I AM the best sharpshooter this side of Cybertron." He nods to himself, then looks back at the simulations that Onslaught had been studying. "Can I assume that you are coming up with one of your brilliant plans? I would enjoy taking some of the wind out of the Autobots' sails....

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<p class="MsoNormal">"By the time the Autobots catch wind of what I'm planning, it will be far too late." Onslaught says this with all the utmost confidence of a mech that has already finished the planning process. He turns to look at the holographic simulations and just nods at them as if they were the best laid plans in the entire history of all the combined universes. As he turns back to his plans, his huge arms go behind his back and he wanders around the room. "I'm confident that this plan will also allow us to put a huge dent in their Energon supply. Permanently."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Energon supply? That would be SO unfortunate," he states in a tone that implies exactly the opposite. Blast Off looks at the holograms, trying to make sense of what that plan might be, but it looks rather chaotic to him. "I look forward to it. I hope it involves humilating Blurr, in particular." He looks closer at the holograms and points to a tiny figure. "Who's this?"

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Do not worry about Blurr /or/ my plan! All will be revealed in good time!" Onslaught reaches to flip off the holographic projection, as if anyone seeing it before it is complete and ready to roll is something akin to bad luck. He turns to look back at Blast Off and starts waving his big hands at him. "Now then, I will be needing to get back to work. You should be looking for Swindle. The faster we get you into better working order, the faster my plans can come to fruition and then! Then we shall be the true victors in this war that never ends!"

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<p class="MsoNormal">Well! Blast Off looks away from the now non-existant hologram like he wasn't really that interested, anyway. He allows himself to be shooed away, turning towards the door, then stops and stares...outside the doorframe somewhere, like a thought has occured to him but he's wondering if he should dare ask it. Standing in the doorway, he looks back to Onslaught. "It does never end, does it? We have put on an exceptional show, as it were (and your plans are brilliant)! But we push and the Autobots shove and this battle goes round and round. The Autobots should have been crushed to dust by now. It's not OUR fault, of course (*by that he means the Combaticons*) but we are surrounded by idiots at times. (*By that he means the Decepticons in general*).... Do you have any advice for dealing with those buffoons? Their crudeness just leaves me flabbergasted at times. They have no understanding of things like planning and FINESSE. And then they get mad at ME when their crudeness and primative ways fail them." He huffs that last part.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Onslaught actually looks as though he's considering this for a long moment. A moment that has him even turning to find a spot for himself to sit down and get a bit more comfortable. He leans his head back against the wall behind him and he tries to come up with a quick solution to all of this. "Ignore them." Onslaught says this like it is the simplest thing in the world to do. When, considering how crazy the Cons are, it is practically an impossibility to ignore them. Some of them anyway. "It works with you all, so it stands to reason that it would work outside of the Combaticons also." Onslaught may have just said that he ignores his fellow Combaticons on a regular basis. But that's okay because he's the leader and he can do that.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off nods his head up until the "It works with you all" part...at which point he stands there, considering what Onslaught just said. Wait, what? Blast Off ruminates on that but isn't quite sure if he should say anything. Well, certainly Onslaught doesn't mean HIM by that remark....no, he probably is referring to the idiocy of Brawl, the craziness of Vortex and Swindle- being Swindle. But certainly there's nothing wrong with HIM. "Well, I can certainly do that. I tend to ignore most mechs as it is anyway. I just don't get most of them. But they're so unrefined I doubt I'm missing much."

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<p class="MsoNormal">"As long as you listen to me, then you will be fine. Everyone else is ignorable on a case-by-case basis." Onslaught is making it a point to put himself at the top of all the food chains that Blast Off may have in his head. Or something like. "I know what's best for the Combaticons and every thing I do serves that purpose. So it would be wise of you to keep this particular mech's wishes at the forefront of your skull." Onslaught has no qualms about heavy-handed hammering of this point home. It will make him seem as though he's just reminding the other Combaticon of what he already knows and understands.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Blast Off 's optic blink. "Oh, uh...yes. Of course. Always!" he quickly nods, then considers. "You should know by now that I respect your leadership. I wouldn't waste my time following the orders of an idiot." Ok, so it's a bit of a suck-up, true, but it's also the truth. And Blast Off usually does listen ...unless his ego gets in the way.... though even that is rare when Onslaught is involved- he tries to be careful about that with the Combaticon leader!

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Good. I'm glad that has been settled. Now, I really must get back to work if I am to formulate the perfect plan to ensure our victory over all others." Onslaught is all about getting Blast Off away from the planning room so that he may go back to his string blankly at the screen. He gives a dismissive wave of his hand at Blast Off. "Dismissed!" is what he says as if that word, alone, would assist with the way things should be done.

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<p class="MsoNormal">"Understood." Blast Off takes one last look inside the planning room, pondering where Onslaught's plans will be taking them next, then decides he doesn't really care. He's sure it will be brilliant, whatever it is. He tries to think of some parting words, thinks of nothing, so he simply walks away in his customary silent manner- still looking for Swindle and the upgrade he knows will come oh-so-gloriously-soon.

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