Black Shadow

Wreck of the Dark Comet S-10

The twisted wreckage of blackened spacecraft, alien to this alien world, stabs into the crystalline sky, the jagged remains of the hull like clawed fingers against the horizon. The black ice is thin here, and newer than the ruined ship. It's not yet overtaken the area completely, and the wound that the ship had gouged upon landing still clearly shows sharp-edged gray rocks disturbed beneath the thin layer of frigid dark soil.

The wreckage itself, where re-entry and time hasn't blasted it black, is a somewhat dullish purple, marred on one of the hulls by a more livid shade of the same color, the stylized symbol of a knife-edged face glaring angrily at the world whose gravity dared touch it. A search of the wreckage shows neither survivor nor body, though every now in again the emotionless voice of the computer can be heard making course-adjustment recommendations that come too late for its missing crew.

At least, that's what it's saying when it's speaking Cybertronian. What is being said when it slips into a second, less familiar language is anyone's guess.

Contents:

Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt;

Torque

Loadout

Encore

Windshear

Fanfare

Fusillade

Cackle

Shi-Lai Deathship

Obvious exits: North &lt;N&gt; leads to Nameless Town. North East &lt;NE&gt; leads to Lake of Sorrow. South &lt;S&gt; leads to Ice Caves.

Shi-Lai Deathship

This Shi-Lai Deathship is one of their interceptor-destroyers, sleek and menacing like a vast, looming bird of prey. The 'Suicide Legions' are rightly feared for the prowess of their military machinery, and this shuttle is no exception. Curiously, it looks like someone carved a circle in the side of the shuttle and then hastily patched it. This is not a sapient model and requires a pilot.

Finally, the intel back at base had managed to locate the Deathship, sending the crew most familiar with the Pretenders at this point. Torque has a worried expression upon her face as she stares out the window of the landing shuttle, the femme quickly doing a once over of her gear to make sure everything was good and ready. "Alright... you mechs ready to go? Make sure t' grab what yah need. We don't know what's out here.. Pretenders most likely, and maybe even Thunderwing, though I hope not." The femme rubs the back of her neck as she looks to her teammates before standing and hitting a button to open the door to the outside.

The SwindleOne, repaired and cleand of spacewhale stomach acid was once again traveling through space. Inside Windshear is once more heading to Sixlasers where he has some 'business' to take care of. The last time it was a Spacewhale and now as his intruments go all wonky suddenly, with a vent of air through his intakes hes gotta wonder whats going on now. "Ok... all I want is to get to Sixlasers." he mumbles to himself hoarsely. "How hard can this be?" Even with his working on the controls to try and wrestle the ship back under control, everything just dies and he realizes hes about to crash... "Slag... not.. again.." he groans and braces for impact.

The shuttle hits the ground level and skids for a bit of a distance and comes to a rest near another shipwreck. After a few moments the loading door opens and the Seeker stands at the doorway looking around and taking a scan. he picks up some Transformer readings as well as some serious radiation and with a rather dubious look steps off his shuttle to join up with the Decepticons hes picked up. With a crack of his first step, Windy notices the ice and then with his second step he nearly slips on his aft. He stays on his feet -- hey Seekers are graceful but lately this one seems to have forgotten that.

"... So 'en after 'at, Ah tell heem "What dae ye take me for, a speed train? ' an' then ah clock heem over th' head, drag heem intae me bay an' fly heem home. Sometimes they can jist be too brave ye ken? There's a thin line atween bravery an' stupidity Ah say. Gotta have a balance, right brother?" Fanfare was saying to his brother as they sat in the shuddle's cockpit, talking as they flew the long quiet distance to this strange place. He stood as they landed, stretching his hands to the ceiling.

Loadout is here in this hazardous environment for a few reasons. One being, well he's gotten a new lease on life, and frankly he's all set to get out and get back to performing his duty the best way he knows how. Secondly, he's here because frankly he's right now the only technician/medic to fill the gap needed on this 'away' mission of sorts. As the door swings open, he stands by at the ready, standing easily on his own, looking chipper and far more energetic than he has in a little while. "Remember to limit your exposure to this place as much as possible." He warns for the benefits of the others. Or at least as a reminder. "I'm not particularly fond of the idea of a mission being conducted in this place..." But beggars can't be choosers, can they?

Encore looks at torque and chuckles, sat next to his brother. He laughs at the story nodding in agreement. "I remember that one, bruv. Reckon we've crossed that line a few times though, right? Specially when we were SJs..." He laughs. The autobot doesn't have a cigar on the go, yet, but he is sipping heavily from his flask of Con-grade fuel. Fanfare will have seen him distilling an extra-strong variant of Red Rage Fightin' Juice, JUST for if and when Thunderwing is spotted. The big green bot looks over at Loadout, adjusting his helmet "Yeah... we know... all that radiation's gonna frag with my targeting even more, no doubt. Still..." He's carrying the EBS cannon, strapped to his LEFT arm on its big harness rig. His right arm holds it up across his chest and 'safe', like Smartgunner Marines do in Aliens.

Contrail has been sent along with the other Decepticons to go check out this stolen Deathship that SAT-INT picked up. She comments brightly, "Perhaps some of those Pretender traitors will be here! And then we can /execute/ them." She seems quite enchanted by this idea. As soon as their shuttle touches the blasted dirt of this radiation-ridden world, she's out the back hatch. Oh, Contrail's heard the dangers, but for her beloved Empire, she can take a little radiation damage! She pauses a moment, looking up, and she states the obvious, "We have company. /Move./"

&lt;&lt;We had to delay the party at Arkham, but Thunderwing is a major burr in the Emperor's side. I was present for his first grab for power, and it's not... exactly wise to treat him lightly.&gt;&gt; Fusillade transmits over radio as she supercruises over the glittering hoarfrost toward the awkwardly crash-landed shuttle piloted by Windshear. The Lancer had flown to this planet on her own power, after getting called off her ongoing pet project. &lt;&lt;This pricklin' in my grey bits is starting to get on my nerves, place is soaked in pulsar radiation. Glad my important parts are covered in nuke-grade gloss white! So here's the skinny, Windshear. You still there? Anyway, there's a DIFFERENT wreckage a bit to our southeast that intel was able to pick up on a satellite sweep. The organic shelled -Pretenders-&gt;&gt; That last bit is sneered, &lt;&lt;Are responsible for it. Need to find THEM, or at least their remains, before we go home or someone's going to be VERY unhappy with us when we come home.&gt;&gt;

And how did Overbite get here? Maybe Astrotrain dropped him off some time ago. Maybe he's an animation error. Who knows.

"So we must deal with Thunderwing's maniacal schemes," he says, "I will enjoy rending his ridiculous creations off their metallic frames. Who ever heard of clothing a Transformer in flesh? Ridiculous."

The Seacon discovers Windshear's shuttle and slithers towards it. A bit ungainly on land is his walking shark mode, but it's not as if he's in any particular hurry.

Windshear gets the transmission and glances up toward where shes crusing in. &lt;&lt;"I was wondering why I hadnt heard anything about regarding the breakout mission for Frak --Frik--fu-- Fred."&gt;&gt; he glances at the ship he landed now and then gives his own shuttle a pitiful look. And then leaping into the air he throws himself into jetmode. &lt;&lt;"Lead on to the other ship, Fusillade."&gt;&gt; he says and prepares to follow her. Hes not too familiar with the whole Pretender crisis but hes heard bits and peices of it onthe grapevine so to speak. He realizes hes about to get a crash course on whats going on.

Torque's feet crunch the heavy snow beneath as she steps fro the shuttle, the glare of the sunlight bouncing off the drifts bothering her optics enough to make her lower her hat visor. She raises a brow at Fanfare's question and smirks, "How d'ya think organics like in the cold parts of earth? Similiar way, I imagine." With that said the femme glances out to the distance Deathship and adds, "It'll take forever on foot. Encore, Fanfare, yah mind if we hitch a ride?"

Fanfare eyes the flask and states "By the by, if ye keep on makin' those new drinks ah'm gonna break me promise." he points out as the two of them tromp for the door, nodding at the warning "We'll trie tae avoid it." he squints up at the suns "... somehow." he notes, stepping out onto the surface of the planet "How Ken ANYTHING live here, really?"

"Be aware, we have activity of some sort in the area." Loadout offers when he takes one last look at the sensors on the shuttle before they disembark. He has no weapons to really carry, so he sticks to the back of the group for now, keeping the weapon ports in his forearms folded up safely away. For now, at least. "Perhaps a forcefield generator would have been in order..." He muses the last part aloud, feeling the crunch of snow under his feet and peering down at it in mild, passing curiosity as he goes.

Encore shakes his head at his brother "Nah bruv, this stuff's a one off fer Thunderwing an' him alone." He comments as he follows, looking around. He touches his hat with a downward motion, a protective visor flicking down over his eyes from his helmet. "I dunno man but I don't like it. Planet's giving me the heebie-jeebies anyway." As he speaks, he pulls out a certain humidor and takes two cigars from it, securing them in metal tubes. He hands one to his brother. "For the Fat Lady." He says, as always. He stows his own Victory Dance in the band of the helmet, looking around as he lights a /normal/ cigar. "Oh bollocks you WOULD have ta say that just after I've lit up, wouldn't you Torque..." He sighs. "Ah well, so be it. Least this'll make Loadout happy..." After three quick puffs, he stows the cigar in another metal tube and returns it to the compartment from whence it came.

Fanfare takes the cigar and tucks it away, then chortles at his Brother "Lemme take et this time bro!" he notes as he steps away from the others, crouching down as he starts to transform, parts whirling and clinking as he expands, exploding to fill space...

And at the end of it, his christmas lights come on.

Folding down and around, Fanfare turns into a Snow-covered House Strung with REAL Christmas Lights CF-130 Super Hercules.

Encore says, "Still 'ave to fly with ya, don't I, Mr. Inconspicuous?"

'Winter House with REAL Christmas Lights' CF-130 Super Hercules &lt;Fanfare&gt; says, "Ye can fit."

Encore laughs "Oh frag off can I fit, bruv! Even this shape I'm wider'n yer fuselage."

Contrail shifts into her car mode, which she has at least bothered to outfit with snow chains for this particular mission, having learned from previous disastrous off-roading experiences. Streaking through the snow, she pulls up at the side of the Deathship and circles it, looking for any sort of automated defenses. After a long moment, Contrail reports, "Seems clear. Easy. Too easy. Whatever, just get inside, guns hot."

Turning into a police car, Contrail fights crime! Wait, that's not right. Contrail causes crime.

Dropping one wing to circle over the shuttle, Fusillade waggles wings to Windshear and the mysterrrrrrrrrious new triplechanger. &lt;&lt;Shouldn't take too long, since we're all jets. Someone should probably carry shark-face there. Heyya, Overbite, hitch a ride on Windshear.&gt;&gt; The bomber whips off in an aerial sprint to the crash site, using her terrain following navigation to jostle a bare fifty feet over the craggy terrain, the hard glint of ice reflecting light from the multiple facets over blackened ground. The searing sound of her engines comes into audial shot of Contrail. The sound of transforming, accompanied by the sound of ice crackling from thrusters landing on the frozen tundra. Drawing her nickel-plated sidearm, Fusilladw weaves through the wreckage behind Contrail. "Ain't too keen on being in here, especially since we really don't have any communication specialists with us to pull info out of the computers -- that I KNOW of," she directs hopefully to Contrail.

The walking shark is content to play follow the leader as the other Decepticons head toward the Deathship. "One of Thunderwing's toys, perhaps?" he wonders aloud, "Or clues to his whereabouts inside?" He gnashes his many teeth together. "I'll hunt him down and peel off his ugly face. Then I'll hang it up on my wall!"

Windshear wingrocks in reply to Fusillade and banks over to look for Overbite. Once he sees him he extends those cool claw grappling lines only seen in one ep and latches onto the Seacon -- one cable under each armpit of sorts and lifts him up. "Enjoy the ride." he rasps and then swings back around and follows the bomber to the other wrecked ship. Once near he releases the cables to drop Overbite and then transforms, setting down on to the snow covered ground rather gently. Windy looks around and squints up a bit at the two suns. "Lets get this over with." he mutters as he too heads for the ship

Encore looks up suddenly as he transforms. "Laser-lips..." he mutters before changing shape, blinking twice. "Well, now we know the Cons are around, that's Fusillade. I'd recognise the noise of a B1 any day." He then transforms and starts his own engines, one at a time. "One lit and green, two lit and green, three lit and green, four lit and green. Fanf, I'll go up first and do a quick scoutout. If I get shot at you know it's not safe to take off. Sound good?" Without waiting for an answer, he throttles up and begins to accelerate to take-off speed. As he does so, he can be heard humming Riders in the Sky to himself, quietly.

Loadout actually takes a moment to just....look at Fanfare's light and paint job. Sure he was looking like this the other night, but Loadout wasn't exactly in the best frame of mind there, facing what he thought was his impending death. "Well, this is subtle..." he can't help but comment, climbing aboard for now, thought hearing the talk of Decepticon presence does make him frown. "It should be a safe bet that they are in the area for the same reason that we are, of course."

Torque rolls her eyes and smirks, "C'mon you two, let's get in the sky before we all freeze." And finally Encore transforms and takes off, Torque letting her gaze follow before taking a quick scan of the sky. She heard the noise too, but no visuals yet. Maybe they were on the other side of the ship. Without a second thought on the matter she'd quickly move to Fanfare and hop in, taking a seat at the helm to see outside. Torque tried hard not to look at his color scheme though, since their tastes would never be close. "Agreed, Loadout, but I think their attacks might focus more on the Pretenders, like all the other times."

After Everyone has climbed aboard and sat down, Fanfare closes his rear hatch with a warning bell... His insides much more tastefully decorated at least. THen his own props start up one at a time as he taxis after his brother, shouting up at the mech "If ye go down, A'll catch ye! Ets what brothers are for!" as he speeds along, taking just a little longer to gain airspeed than his lighter brother, engines felt more than heard as the combined power of the eight engines echoed for miles like constant thunder.

He was humming 'Ride the Sky"

Sunstreaker has arrived.

Lamborghini Gallardo &lt;Contrail&gt; replies to Fusillade, "Mmm, sorry, no, Fusillade. I've always been the kind that just /beats/ whatever kind of information I need out of my victims." Stalking over to that circular repaired patch in the shuttle, she transforms, winds back a punch and lays it into the ship, slamming her fist against the weak spot several times until it gives way. Then, heedless of whatever danger may be inside, she throws herself into the ship, beckoning the others to follow with a wave of a hand.

In a transformation that is harder than it looks, Contrail rises up into robot mode.

Sunstreaker has been here the whole time, really...

He watches the others with cool blue eyes, silent and judging. Sunstreaker's been itching for a tussle for quite some time now. Seems like he'd been in the wrong place at all the wrong times. Chances are he was bound to get some trouble on /this/ particular endeavor.

Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; is now the obligatory carry. He doesn't mind, though, as this is probably faster than transforming to his root mode and flying that way. When he's set down, he goes to enter along with the others.

Windshear watches Contrail make an entrance to the ship and then simply follows her inside. Thouh his weapons are fully charged and online and hes prepared for anything.

Drawing one wingblade to balance her sidearm, Fusillade skitters up to the edge of the caved in plate metal of Contrail's entrance, and pauses briefly, glancing into the darkness to see if any obvious threats were visible. With a genuine, ringing laugh at Contrail's response, she paces in, falling into a SWAT-style covering position.

You enter the Shi-Lai Deathship.

Shi-Lai Deathship

The interior of the shuttle is very roomy. There is a highly technical cockpit that seats numerous bots at various stations, and a huge cargo area for additional troops or equipment.

This vessel requires Space-Pilot to use. Syntax: !do &lt;command&gt; or +do &lt;command&gt; - IE. do east, do !profile, do !attack scourge=laser. l/o           - Looks outside.

Fusillade has arrived.

Cackle has arrived.

Torque has arrived.

Sunstreaker has arrived.

Fanfare has arrived.

Encore has arrived.

Overbite has arrived.

Loadout has arrived.

This shuttle contains a good deal of arcane laboratory equipment that appears to have been set up hastily. Tubes containing half-grown shells that float serenely in the half-light, like macabre half-grown fetuses layered over mechanical skeletons. In the far back of the shuttle, there are flickering monitors that appear to be live screening what other Transformers might be viewing - dark caves, the other Pretenders?

Windshear has arrived.

Loadout had of course, deployed from Fanfare's aircraft mode after the Decepticons had vanished into the ship. "Well we can waste time making a hole of our own, or make use of the one they went ahead and put effort into." He speaks, already peeking his gaze inside after them. His optic visor lighting up and glowing a bit brighter as he catches sight of all the..items inside of the ship. "By Primus..."

Sunstreaker cocks his rifle, a narrowed gaze giving the final look-over on his weapon -- preparing for what is no doubt an ineviteble exchange of fire.

He follows behind Loadout in peering to the Shi-Lai, catching a glimpse of its gloaming context. He looks at his gun again for a moment, then to Loadout. "I call dibs on Loadout."

Fanfare comes in last, having had to transform after offloading the others, swinging his way into the hole to land with a THUD. He then freezes staring "... ACH!"

There's just so much that one syllable can really describe.

Encore 's head appears beside Loadout's, Scooby Doo-style. He peers in after Loadout, blinking again and nods to Sunstreaker "Ten-four, I've got my EBS." He pats the massive railgun with a happy noise. It's likely that if anyone tried to take it, he'd bark at them in Russian.

Once the plane brothers touch down Torque jumps from Fanfare, making her way into the ship with the other, the lights on her chest flickering on to illuminate the mishmash lab before them. She erks softly, seeing the growing shells, and steps up towards one to peer in. "So this is how you make a pretender shell... What do we do with 'em?"

Sunstreaker eyes Torque. "Whaday mean 'what do we do with them'? We burn the damn creepy things!"

Sunstreaker shudders at the thought of wearing organic skin.

Encore nods in agreement with Sunstreaker. "Oorah."

Black Shadow

=
===========[ TACS Object: Black Shadow ]=========================

Looking quite strikingly like Thunderwing's own shell in form, this Pretender shell is clad in the black of shadows, ashen grey, silver, and bloody red. The yellow optics look hollow, showing no true intelligence, only a sly, cruel sort of machine cunning.

=
============[ TACS Weapon Object #9487 ]=========================

Suddenly, one of the tubes cracks open and a shell steps forth from the splintered remains, dripping and gleaming with slick wetness. The shell rather resembles Thunderwing's own shell, but it is stark black and bloody red, and the red optics hold only the intelligence of base machines, like a vicious drone. The black shadow flips out a pair of Tommy guns from its forearms and turns its attention on the trespassers.

Fusillade's shoulders relax infinitesimally as the shuttle shields them from the worst of the pulsar's radiation. Shaking her head to clear the residual fuzziness, before pausing to glower at the half-baked, upright tanks, their eerie interior glow reflected off her chiseled face. "Someone had plans alright." She begins to pace toward the command deck of the shuttle, having disappeared from the science bay by the time the Autobots arrive. Draping herself in one chair, she spins it back and forth slightly as she soaks up the various images of the monitors. "Hey, Windshear. You're a shuttle pilot, can you tell me if this video feed is playback or real-time?" At the sound of clattering behind them, she scowls. "Before they get in here!" she hisses about the Autobots.

This all transpires BEFORE the Thunderwing clone births itself. "GAH!" Fusillade leaps back up from her seat, taking cover behind the backrest as she begins popping off rounds at the hulking menace, wingblade-weilding arm held up to her nose. "Pitt, it smells!"

Upon entering the ship, the mutant Shark sets his beady optics upon the quasi-Eldricht abomination that has just spawned from the tube. "Aha! Your Master gave you life, but I will give you sweet oblivion!" he announces. "And when I'm through with you, I will slaughter your misbeggotten fellows!" Uttering a gurgling snarl, Overbite charges as he slashes and snaps at the Black Shadow.

Combat: Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; misses Black Shadow with his Don't Go In The Water attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Fusillade misses Black Shadow with her Disruptor attack!

Windshear looks at the tanks and trying to clear the fuzzy tingling in his systems he shakes his head a bit and looks around cautiously, "This is just disgusting," he rasps as with another look at the tank he hears Fusillade. He glances at the monitors, "Real time and playback -- both, should be at any ra--" he pauses then and frowns, "Who lit one up? I thought I was the only that smoked in this lot." he glances behind him, "We got company...."

Contrail is just about to comment that the Autobots have made it in here when one of the shells abruptly comes alive and glares at them with unthinking menace. It's not what she wanted, really. Contrail wanted to beat on some /traitors/, slaggit, but this Thunderwing knock-off is good enough for starters. She agrees with Fusillade, "Windshear, get over to the monitors. We'll cover you." That said, one of her back-mounted guns swings down over her shoulders and fires at the clone.

Combat: Contrail strikes Black Shadow with her 25-mm GAU-12 cannon &lt;Short Burst&gt; (Pistol) attack!

Combat: Gained 1 energon.

Torque halts at the sight of the Cons, fists clenching as she gets ready to fight, but she huffs softly in annoyance at Sunstreaker's comment, looking over her shoulder to him, "No way! We could get some good use outta this technology. We could at least bring back some samples, and whatever info we can get offa' these comput-- Ack!" Her optics widen in surprise at the sound of splintering glass close to her, the femme jumping back a few feet as the living shell steps out to face them all, looking hostile. "Alright, I take it back. Shoot it, shoot it!" Gun battles were nowhere near her forte, so Torque quickly dives behind a tank beside her.

At the back, Fanfare can't QUITE see what's going on as he blinks "Wot's goin' on? " he calls to those at the front, a hand on one edge, still very close to the hole.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Loadout says, "It would appear that...thing has attacked the Decepticons. If it's a creation of this Thunderwing fellow, there's no reason to believe it would be any friendlier to us. A guardian of sorts, left behind perhaps?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "I hear ya, guv. Don't fink it's worth maybe wastin' a charge on the EBS though."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Torque says, "We can worry about the facts later. Right now we've got this shell and a bunch of Cons in here."

"I cannot say I am overly fond of the idea of randomly destroying technology, but at the same time Thunderwing's dabblings have proven themselves dangerous, according to all the reports." Loadout muses, instinctively ducking down as he hears weaponsfire, his optic visor dimming a bit as he moves to take some temporary cover as he takes note of the situation, staring forward. The mere thought of working alongside Decepticons gives him the cybertronian equivelant of a queasy stomach, but he doesn't have to think of it that way, does he? It just so happens the Decepticons and Autobots both have a beef to pick here, and they can happily go back to shooting each other when they've shot the things that are mutually a problem. It's kind of like when Quintessons show up.

Combat: Loadout sets his defense level to Protected.

Encore leaps through after Torque, drawing his pistol in his right hand because the EBS has his left pretty secured. He lands with a clang and is about to bring the railgun to bear, when he changes his mind and turns, levelling his pistol and pulling back the hammer. "Unfriendlies to the rear, Cons. Don't shoot me an' I won't shoot you - same goes fer da rest of us, I'd say." He warns, so the Cons don't get the idea they're being flanked by a Pretender. Then he opens fire.

Combat: Encore sets his defense level to Fearless.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Wot's HAPPENIN? Ah cannae see!"

Combat: Encore misses Black Shadow with his Pistol attack!

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "Contact!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "That's helpful!"

Sunstreaker blinks as he watches the crimson and black Thunderwing repaint animate itself in their presence. "He's got nice guns."

'*ratatatat*

Sunstreaker growls, commenting a quick side-glance to Torque: "Now you're talking!" Fearlessly charging as his bloodlust faces near drought depletion, the Autobot charges ahead... not wanting to miss ANY action.

Sunstreaker leaps into the middle of the fray, gun brandished. "Heeeeeeeere's SUNNY!"

Combat: Sunstreaker sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, "This?" Thunderwing looks to Bludgeon. "This...is -POWER.- Sheer, unadulterated power- this...thing, as you put it, is one of the lynch-pins of the universe...containing more energy than a thousand burning suns! And...it is -MINE-" Thunderwing steps closer to the monolith, running one hand down the length of the stone- but not touching it, not yet. "I have but to unlock it." he narrows his eyes, and whips his attention to his Pretender minions. "It shall require energy...the very energy of your sparks!" he cackles. "I imagine it'll only take FOUR of your deaths to unlock it- the survivors will have the honor of serving me as my heralds! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Outside, Aquatic Monster returns the look, staying at the back of the pack with his fellow underwater ally. Waiting for action, tense for the conflict building.. Submarauder remains still, poised like a coiled snake to strike out at any moment.

Outside, "Well, now we know what he needed the big burly warriors for, don't we?" The sardonic tone of Carnivac's voice is just made all the more disportionate seeming with the way he's still grinning even as the armored wolf... bolts for the other side of the chamber to put some safe distance between him and the others. Considering how many of them he helped take down, he's banking on becoming a very big target in a few moments.

Outside, Combat: Giant Grey Wolf sets his defense level to Protected.

Outside, Bludgeon doesn't hesitate when Thunderwing speaks; giving him an explanation. "Is it?" He asks, the leering skull face opening it's bony lower jaw so that the Samurai can spit a gobbit of what looks like crimson spittle or blood on the ground near it. "Power in the hands of the most undeserving; in the hands of one who knows nothing of honor." He's expecting Thunderwing to strike him down any moment, and yet he continues to speak. "There is no honor in servitute of a corrupt master. You would kill me, except now you need me." He reaches out, meaning to rest his hand on the stone. "Very well then, Thunderwing. Begin your procedure and get it over with. I /volunteer/."

The clone opens up with those forearm-mounted Tommy-guns on any signature of Cybertronians life that it can detect. Its face, sculpted both handsome and cruel, shows no reaction at all to any of the proceedings, remaining disturbingly blank. The thing has no emotions, no feelings about the tasks it is undertaking. Even when weaponsfire tears into it, it shows no reaction at all, falling into that uncanny valley between a drone and true Cybertronian life, walking sacrilege.

Combat: Contrail misses Fanfare with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail misses Encore with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail misses Loadout with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail strikes Torque with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail strikes Sunstreaker with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail misses Windshear with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail strikes Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail misses Fusillade with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail misses herself with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Contrail (Contrail) used "Space Gangster Tommy Guns": A Level 3 AREA-RANGED attack.

Outside, Bomb-Burst had oddly gotten lost in the dark when he let go of the rope to help turn the wheel. Catching up just in time to hear the less that optimistic words about survival from Thunderwing he lets out a slight snarl glances at the spire and tries to slink back into a shadowed area of the chamber. There are after all others that can fulfill the need for energy.

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; hisses out the completion of his thought: "If death is a release from this slavery, Thunderwing, so be it!"

Windshear hears Contrail order him to the monitors as everything breaks loose then and as he turns to go, hes fired on. Leaping out of the way he manages to not get hit and then slamming down into the chair in front of the screen he orientates himself with the controls quickly, "What do you want?" he asks quickly, "Outside, inside, playback?"

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt;'s armored gloves come to rest on his tool belt, his tentacles squirming with agitation.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Do we want tae play buck buck again Bruv with this bloke?"

Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; seems to have taken a hit! He was about to get really up-close-and-personal. He shakes his sharky head, shaking off the minor damage. "Agile, you are," he says, "Time for me to put you on ice then, I think!" His Freeze Beam Cannon barrel glows. A burst of white energy lashes out from it. If it hits, the Black Shadow will be a popsicle.

Combat: Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; strikes Black Shadow with his Freeze-Beam Blaster attack!

Combat: Black Shadow has been temporarily incapacitated.

"We'll keep you from getting blown up!" Fusillade calls over her shoulder as Windshear sets to work. "See if you can find out if any of those real-time feeds are located on this planet, and if so, from where! We need to end this here, on THIS planet, after we get finished with tall dark and gruesome in the science bay!" She snarls, and fires off a larger round. However, the tommy gun fire from Black Shadow did the trick, and a coolant line ruptures above and behind Fusillade, dousing her into unconsciousness.

She clunks over.

Combat: Fusillade strikes Black Shadow with her Plasma Caster attack!

Outside, White Cross Spaceman clasps his hands to the side of his helmet, trembling slightly, and he murmurs to himself, "I've never believed it was my place to decide who lives or who dies. To use violence in the defense of myself or my comrades, yes, if I must, even to provide final mercy, but this is..." The suit's overrides strangle his voice, and for a moment, the spaceman clutches his throat, looking distinctly peaky and pale. He doesn't /want/ this violence, but the suit does, wants it hard. Pincher tells himself that, that he's /not/ a murderer, not a thief, not a kidnapper. He's a good Autobot! But the suit's already drawing its gun.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Loadout says, "So much for hoping for the Decepticons to take the brunt of it. *sigh* Alright then."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sit-Com says, "Buck-buck number 39, Faaaaaaaat Alllllllllllbert!"

Fusillade goes home.

Fusillade has left.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "= :misses the reference entirely"

Contrail ducks behind a table of Bunsen burners to evade the fire and calls to Windshear, "The suits, Windshear! Are there any kinds of controls for the suits, or is it just playback?" She peeks out from behind the table to snipe at Black Shadow.

Combat: Contrail strikes Black Shadow with her Zap! (Disruptor) attack!

Outside, Catilla's eyes narrow as they shift from the pilar down to Thunderwing. His tail flicks, tip lashing from side to side. "I see. So you needed our power completely in order to obtain power. That's why you needed the brawlers, to destroy the rest of us." He gives a quiet laugh, tail lashing behind him as he rises slowly up to all four paws. Then laughs again, a little louder this time. He settles lower into a crouch, claws slipping from their sheathes. Briefly his eyes glance to Carnivac, the one that abducted him, put him in this situation in the first place. He'd be a fitting sacrifice, wouldn't he? Fangs show underneath those lips in a snarl briefly. But then turns to a grim grin, those eyes turning back to Thunderwing. His claws dig into the ground, attempting to ancher himself as he tries to fight against the suit. How long can he, really? "You've already made me do enough to damn my spark," He snorts quietly, "You might as well just kill me now."

Outside, "Honor, bah!" Thunderwing sneers. "A fabrication of the weak and foolish- archaic, outmoded, and ultimately useless. I thought better of you, Bludgeon. But if you so -insist,- you can be the first to die!" And Grimlock- the warrior having been quiet through the dungeon crawl, simply narrows his eyes and pulls out his Energo Sword, answering the skull-samurai with a singler, almost overeager: "Okay." That is, until Catilla echoes Bludgeon's sentiments, and Grimlock halts in his tracks. "Uh. Don't think that's a good plan." he says.

With open fire zooming over her head Torque makes a break to Loadout's location, though a stray bullet from the shell's tommy gun manages to hit her left shoulder. "Erk.. slaggin' shell.." She hisses at the pain, but continues until she reaches him, placing a hand on the mech's shoulder as she comes up behind him. "Hey, Loadout. Yah ready t' get back in the fight?" She gives him a smirk, not caring if Sunstreaker 'called' him. Sunny had a gun, Torque didn't. Simple as that.

Outside, Thunderwing has arrived.

Fanfare rolls his shoulders as he moves past Loadout and the others now, eyeing the Suit "Lesse if this works AGAIN." he rumbles to his brother, grinning a little. Then his optics go sheet white and he stiffens, before lowering his shoulder - and charging ahead at full power, and a howl as he tries to tackle the suit and land on top of him!

Combat: Fanfare strikes Black Shadow with his Hockey Body Check to the Boards! (Punch) attack!

Encore decides that, to frag with it, he can't shoot today, so he'll go melee The massive autobot charges towards the Black Shadow. But he doesn't go to punch, oh no. Fanfare'll know what's coming as he leans back slightly as he runs. "Oi! Numbnuts!" He growls, leaping into the air and attempting to complete Fanfare's tactic, and elbow-drop onto his chest. "Heeeeeeere's Encore!"

Combat: Encore strikes Black Shadow with his elbow drop (Punch) attack!

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Get 'im Bruv! Ah've got the legs!"

Sunstreaker takes the hits like a champ, because his armor is especially oriented for receiving ballistic punishment. "That all you got, ugly?"

He'd gladly shoot Decepticons as well but since this two-bit Thunderwing knock-off had the audacity to draw first blood...

"My turn!" Sunstreaker unloads, his face flashing an eerie sense of glee with the shots that is quite unbecoming of an Autobot. "Nyahaha!"

Combat: Sunstreaker strikes Black Shadow with his Electron Pulse Gun attack!

Loadout manages to avoid getting hit this time around, simply by virtue of keeping his head down. Literally. Some of the shots clipping and ripping into the lab equipment he took cover behind. As he peeks up, he tilts his head to one side as Torque approaches and asks her question. "I suppose there's no choice either wa.." That's when something a little strange happens. She puts her hand on his back, and a moment later, her hand starts to sink -into- his back. A palm-shaped panel inadvertently depressing under the touch of her palm and fingers. Without initiating the transformation himself, Loadout's body is already shifting and changing shape, bending backwards as it proceeds to wrap around the extended hand, and all the way up the extended arm for that matter, until Torque's entire right arm is swallowed up and merged to become the arm cannon. Torque just accidentally discovered that Loadout has an 'on' switch as part of his design, and it's as much as a surprise to him as anyone else. "Oh dear PRIMUS I didn't expect that." A pause, and then he adds in a near panicked voice, "Ack! Don't tell Repugnus about this! Or any of the Wreckers...and ESPECIALLY not the Dinobots or...don't tell anybody!" Nonetheless, he still sets up the situatin, his entire frame starting to glow as he feeds power to his systems, a targeting reticle superimposing over Torque's right optic as a holographic display module.

Loadout's arms lift above his head, parts lock together and his torso spins about as he transforms into an imposing looking heavy cannon.

Combat: Loadout takes extra time to assist Torque's next attack.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Ach! Watch yer aim Sunstreakah!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "On it!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Nae, on HIM!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Err, it, yeah"

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; shows absolutely no fear of Thunderwing, or even of Grimlock's towering space-barbarian self. "How little you know; how little you understand of what that is meant to be, Thunderwing." He's facing the mad-god now, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword that is sheathed at his armored side. "It is that one thing that one possesses, when they have nothing else. It is what keeps one going, when all others options have failed." Slowly, deliberatly, he reaches downwards and begins to pull the sword out. Immediatly, sparks begin to dance across his frame and Bludgeon drops to one knee as the suit begins to fight him, controls and overrides dropping him instantly. But there is a core of steel in Bludgeon, as millions of years of focusing effort into Metallikato comes to the fore and sparking and smouldering, Bludgeon rises; sword in hand.

"You may have taken my life, Thunderwing -- you may have taken from me what it means to be Cybertronian . . . . but I, have my honor!"

And then, blowing past safeguards that were meant to only prevent an attack on Thunderwing himself and not something else. . . Bludgeon lunges for the stone, mono-molecular edged Katana making a glittering sweep in the darkness as he attempts to drive it straight to the center of the formation.

Outside, Giant Grey Wolf ... is not being shot at? Carnivac actually looks surprised for a moment at this. "Oh come on! You people should be hating my biomechanical guts by this point!" Siigh. "Guess I gotta do everything myself -as usual-.." He starts slinking closer to the brewing confrontations again, cannon humming idly from his backside as it's powering up. He's probably going to try and sneak up on Catilla or something... "Here kitty kitty kitt--" He stops, looking up as Bludgeon goes for the stone instead.

For just a moment, his snarly grin seems to widen, for reasons known only to the wolf himself.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sunstreaker says, "Ahahaha!"

Black Shadow looks blankly at Fanfare as the Hercules tackles it down to the floor. Then Encore piles on, and that sculpture-like face again shows no pain. Not even Sunstreaker's brutality stirs anything resembling an emotional response from the shell. It simply tries to grab the C-130s piling on it and tries to sweep them into the rest of the room in a whirlwind of destruction.

Outside, A slight smirk creases along Catilla's muzzle. An idea flickers to mind in his head, the lights of his eyes brightening. But the smirk is only a shadow, dissolving into a slight snarl quickly. His tail flickers, ears nearly pinning against the fur of his head. Fur ruffles up along the nape of his back, giving him the very image of an angry feline.

"What's the matter, /Grimlock/?" He rumbles, his voice thickening with a challenging growl. "Don't think you could take the both of us?" His body tenses, struggling against the shell. But that analytical mind is still his, Thunderwing didn't take THAT away. And it is trying to lay out a trap. "Big, strong warrior like you can't take on a couple of bots just willing to roll over and die? What kind of challenge is that for the leader of the Dinobots, anyway?"

Eyes widen slightly when Bludgeon rushes for the stone. He struggles further against the controls of the shell, not entirely wanting to be here when that sword hits.

Combat: Contrail misses Fanfare with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Encore with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Torque with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses Sunstreaker with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Windshear with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses herself with Black Shadow's Lash-Out Area attack!

Combat: Contrail (Contrail) used "Lash-Out": A Level 6 AREA-MELEE attack.

Outside, "What? What are you doing? It's impossible! No one has the willpower to break my programming! NO ONE!" Thunderwing gapes, but Bludgeon is just too fast for him. '*Sching!* The monomolecular sword cuts through the obsidian stone...and the top half of it sloooooowly slides down at the diagonal cut, at which point to clatters to the ground with a *THUD!* For a moment, all is still. Then, there's a great rumbling through the cavern- in fact, through the entire PLANET- it's as if someone turned the speakes up to 11 (more like 11 to the n'th degree) for some otherworldly voice to speak from everywhere and nowhere. "THE TENTH OF THE TWELVE HAS BEEN BROKEN. THE FORGOTTEN HUNGERS FOR WHAT WILL NEVER BE." Shocked, Thunderwing stares- an unlikely expression on his face. Fear? "There...there was more than one?" he murmurs. "...then I can -still- be a God! But first, I must rid myself of this chaff!" and Thunderwing pulls a remote from his armor, stamping down on a big red button...

Windshear twitches a wing in responce to both Fusillades commant and Contrails. Simply ignoring the fight behind him he starts flashing through images on the montitor and working some other controls to get readouts of nearby guages, "Suits... 2 clicks to the north, under --" some fighting sounds drown him out briefly."-- planet!" he takes another reading. "Oh.. what have we here?" he snarks out to no one in particular. With a gleam in his otpic he does a couple of keystrokes and flips a switch, then he looks at a reading, "Control frequency to the suits has been severed..." He scans images until he gets to the location of the suits. Then he notices something red flashing on the electronics surrounding the suits. Windshear double checks a reading on the control board and looks back toward Contrail, "There is a self-destruct override as well -- your ca--." and then hes hit and its a good blow at that. He grabs the edge of the control board and looks at energon flowing out his side and stomach, "That....hurt...." he stammers.

Outside, Grimlock has just a moment for his eyes to go wide "Huh?" he asks- then...KABOOM! The kill-switch activates, and Grimlock's pretender shell suddenly explodes in the chest, and the dinocommander topples! "One down!" Thunderwing gloats, turning to the others...and he pushes the button again! Nothing happens. "What? No! They COULDN'T have...Black Shadow should have destroyed them all by now!"

The mutant shark blinks as the Black Shadow thaws rather quickly. And by blinking, he missed the lashing! He stumbles backwards, though his tail prevents him from tipping right over. Several gashes are made in his armor. "So, you still have some fight left in you. I'll put an end to that!"

Overbite lunges again, snapping almost hungrily. Not that the faux-flesh shell holds any appeal for him, but he needs some energy and he might as well try to rip the exterior from the interior.

Combat: Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; strikes Black Shadow with his Feeding Frenzy attack! [Pulled -2]

Outside, White Cross Spaceman tells himself it is just the shell, just Thunderwing's commands, those pounding, demanding impulses in his head, but if he's really honest with himself, is it? Bludgeon, that /Decepticon/ has broken free. Can he, an Autobot, do less?

And then the pressure on his mind lifts, just as Pincher has aimed his 20 Megavolt Stun Rifle over at Catilla and ever so gently started to apply pressure to the trigger. His finger slips.

Outside, Combat: White Cross Spaceman misses Giant Sabertooth Cat with his 20 Megavolt Stun Rifle attack! [Pulled -3]

Outside, "Take him," Octopunch chokes out through gritted, asymmetrical teeth, swinging up his harpoon gun and firing from the hip. A sizzling electrified spear twangs out for Thunderwing, cable spooling out behind it.

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Harpoon Gun attack! [Pulled -2]

Outside, Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Thunderwing's Agility. (Crippled)

Outside, Bludgeon's motion carries himself past the stone, and he lands in a crouch; his sword coming up again -- held high in one hand as he whirls, seeing Grimlock explode. "Thunderwing's Guardian has been destroyed." He hisses, flatly. "Destroy him! Free the others from this dishonor; from this slavery. Autobot, Decepticon, it matters not! Destroy this mad fool, before others suffer the same fate!" And then he lunges towards Thunderwing. It is a thing of graceless power as he puts every single bit of energy he has into the blow, attempting to make good his promise to split the other from crown to crotch. His katana truly is a mercilessly simple weapon, the edges honed to a single molecule in width, sneering at the protection of armor.

Outside, Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; sets his defense level to Fearless.

Contrail keeps hiding behind her cover and fires back at the Black Shadow, shouting to Windshear, "I... there are fellow Decepticons trapped in those shells. If we blow them up, we're costing the Empire warriors. We'll kill the Autobot abominations in our own time! In fact... let's get out of here and do just that!"

Combat: Contrail strikes Black Shadow with her 25-mm GAU-12 cannon &lt;Short Burst&gt; (Pistol) attack!

Outside, Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM attack!

Outside, It's hard to tell if it's a howl or a cackle, or maybe a bit of both, coming from Carnivac as Bludgeon slices down the monolith. "Yes, yes, and everything comes to a head! Mental discipline over science! Just as planned..." Well he had planned on Bludgeon jumping on Thunderwing himself, but going after the thing he wanted is just as good. "Mmmm.. so brilliant, and yet so foolish. You were so obsessed you couldn't see under your own nosecone what was going on. Your mistake was only stopping us from -directly- opposining you."

There's a pause as he cackles, eyes flaring brightly as he fires his lasers at Thunderwing's hand to blow the controller away from his grasp before he comes up with any more dirty tricks.

"But as long as we didn't contradict that... ooooo, did you not see how we wiggle around the lines to undermine? How do you think the Autobots and Decepticons came after us -every time- hmmmm?"

Outside, Combat: Giant Grey Wolf sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Every fiber of his being resisting the shell and Thunderwing's order, hands clenched and pawing out to reveal his deadly claws. They slowly and begrudgingly move towards Octopunch's unprotected flank, towards his soft fleshy tentacles and upperback. "Forgive me, for I.. do not bode ill of you." Submarauder whispers, closing his eyes and waiting for the shell's overrides to finally plunge forward and ring Octopunch's neck.

And.. nothing.

Feeling a sense of.. control, for the first time in a long time, the Aquatic Monster's eyes alight bright red. "Finally, our will is our own!" Before another word can be said, Submarauder draws his sword from the scabbard at his side and makes a mad dash for Thunderwing. "You have fallen from our chosen ranks, and your very machinations will be the -very- death of you!"

Submarauder aims the sword plunge for Thunderwing's chest.

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster sets his defense level to Fearless.

Fanfare grunts as he feels the creature move, starting to yank on his brother. He remained clinging to the mech's wings, and lifts a fist to slam it into the suits' gut "Stay down already!" he shouts as he pounds as hard as he could.

Combat: Fanfare misses Black Shadow with his Pulling on the doors' strings... (Punch) attack!

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster strikes Thunderwing with his Organic-Steel Sword attack!

Outside, Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; keeps to what shadow he is able to find creeping and slinking along. His attention is split between those slowly circling each other ready to strike and the sudden assault upon the pillar by Bludgeon. Grinning a big toothy smile he waits and readies himself drawing his own weapons should an opportunity present itself. Then his eyes widen as the sword cuts clean through and the monolith falls. Broken by the blade the thud as it hits the ground would have brought and even bigger smile to his face had not the otherworldly voice startled him. Catching sight of Thunderwing depressing the big red button he cringes expecting the worst but nothing-painful follows. In fact it's more like a weight has been lifted off of him as his thoughts and actions are now his own. As the others begin to strike at their would be slaver he cackles and joins in the fun blasting away with his slime shooter.

Outside, Combat: Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Combat: Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Slime Shooter attack!

&lt;Autobot&gt; Loadout says, "Torque. Do not worry about my situation anymore. You may, as the saying goes, pull out the stops. This thing must be brought down, it appears."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Ah cannae hold eet much longer!"

Windshear realizes he really needs to keep up with all the goings on in the Empire. He glances back at the monitor and then with a few more keystrokes deactivates the self destruct. And with that he leaves his seat, ignoring his damage as usual, though he does set his jaw a bit clenching his dental plates and then takes a shot a the frist Autobot his optics set upon.

Torque is once again surprised by the gun bot as he suddenly latches around her arm. She's quiet for just a moment before drawing her lips thin, "Again, Loadout? That's it, you're buyin' me a drink when we get back." But before she can ready herself, the widespread attack of the Black Shadow shell manages to catch her. Hard. The weight of Loadout on her arm manages to pull her to a knee while clutching her other leg, which is now leaking at a moderate rate. "Rrrr, that's it! Get ready for a big shot, Loadout!" Torque manages to steady herself back on her feet, though a leg strembles slightly. Gun are is now pointed straight at the Black Shadow, optic sight locked on. "Encore, Fanfare! Get the HELL outta the way!" She shouts loudly to the brothers, letting loose a large blast from Loadout.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Torque says, "Move now, you two!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "aim HIGHER!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "I'M higher!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Aim a BIT higher then!"

Encore winces at the volume, the noise of the echoing voice. "Just... just like when Sit-com an' I destroyed the lens back on Junkion, in that freaky haunted house..." He manages to growl out, after being spun around and used as a weapon. This displeases him, and prepares to slam his fist as hard as he can, into the Black Shadow's face. "I will rip yae head off an' beat you to death with i-... um, bruv? I'm gonna get clear now." And so he does, diving back and, at the same time, attempting to kick the pretender shell between the legs.

Combat: Torque misses Black Shadow with Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt;'s Samus Special! attack!

Combat: Encore strikes Black Shadow with his kick 'im inna rocks! (Kick) attack!

Outside, "No!" Thunderwing says, even as blades and harpoons sink deep into his armor, and slime gums up his joints! "You cannot do this! I MADE you what you are, fools! I shall UNMAKE YOU just the same!" he twists about, then brings up a heavy rifle in either hand- lunging about to lean his back on the remnants of the monolith. And he opens fire, indiscriminately hosing down his creations with searing magnetic energy! "Once I destroy all of you, I can start again! There are still two more chances for me to attain my rightful Godhood! Two more places where the energies of the universe are focused, as through a lens...and they shall be focused on -ME!- BWA HA HA!"

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing sets its defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing misses Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Aquatic Monster with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing misses Giant Sabertooth Cat with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Giant Grey Wolf with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes White Cross Spaceman with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; with its Electrostatic Guns Area attack!

Outside, Catilla's pull up in a snarling grin that would be worthy of Carnivac, watching the pilar come crashing down. There wasn't an explosion as he expected, but the results were much more interesting. He strains against the lockdowns on his systems, struggling to get himself moving. To no avail.

"... Grimlock!" Catilla snarls as the explosion goes off and the dinobot commander falls. Fangs show brightly under those lips, jaw moving in an eagerness to clamp them down on Thunderwing's hide. But the energy buildup from beside him catches his attention. He jerks his head to the side, just in time to watch the blast go off...

And somehow, finds his body reacting instead of resisting him. Claws slide out of the ground where he had anchored himself and he lunges to the side, narrowly avoiding getting a good electrocution by that high powered stun gun. And Thunderwing's own gun at the same time. He lands on the ground lightly, eyes glaring at the spot he just vacated. Then grins, eyeing Pincher. "I'll forgive you this time." Eyes turning back to Thunderwing, the large cat's legs tense. He pushes off hard from the ground, aiming to close the gap between them rapidly, with jaws open wide. And attempts to bring those wicked fangs right down on Thunderwing's arm, trying to yank it harshly.

Outside, Combat: Giant Sabertooth Cat sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Combat: Giant Sabertooth Cat strikes Thunderwing with his Taste what you've wrought! attack! [Pulled -2]

Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; crackles like a miniature supernova, before suddenly letting loose with a large blast towards the Black Shadow in short order, kicking back with the recoil as Torque pulls the trigger. Unlike before, there's no extra crackling, no explosion on board. Just the smooth hum of power following afterwards as he doesn't even black out or go offline anymore. NOW he can handle the power drain, even if he has trouble keeping up at other times. "Forget about it, Torque." he reassures her as the shot goes wide, slamming into a far wall and punching straight through on the way out in an explosion of impact. "I have the energy to keep up!" And then, his new generator rears its head. Throwing caution to the wind, the back half of the cannon's body deploys something that almost looks like pipes and...is that a module that almost looks like a supercharger on a totally bitchin V8 engine? Cause it sure SOUNDS like one as he slams it into overdrive, roaring like a monster let loose. '*VRRROOOOOOOOOOAR!* His entire body starts to glow as he refills his reserves en masse!

Combat: Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; is struck dead center by Thunderwing's weaponry; lurching the pretender backwards and exposing a gaping and bleeding wound dead center. Again, for the second time today he drops to one knee, and then is rising again. An order is given out, though he knows not who will listen: "Melee fighters, circle him! Keep one or two at his back, always! While some must recieve hits, others will land theirs undefended!" And then the antennae on his helmet glow as he lets fly with a series of electrically charged fireballs as he begins to slowly circle Thunderwing. "You cannot win, Thunderwing. You have built us the best as you are able, and now your own mad, foolish genius shall destroy you!"

Outside, Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Electric Fireballs attack!

Sunstreaker is surprisingly agile despite his blinding yearning to indulge himself in the fracas. The dodgy yellow Autobot evades the Shell's retaliation, gnashing his teeth. "I'll not be robbed of using THESE!"

And with that, he swings both arms to the side and puffs his chest out, exxagerating the blasts from shoulder mounted rockets.

Outside, The searing beam from the Electrostatic Rifle splashes and washes over Submarauder's broad ORGANIC chest, tearing away armor and flesh alike.. like a sand blasting, wearing it down layer by layer. Until what's left, is a grisly sight of coral armor broken and beaten in.. the soft gushy pink insides oozing with what appears to be dark blue blood.

Circling around Thunderwing as ordered by Bludgeon, Submarauder rakes a pair of claws against the villian's backside and keeps guard for the counter-attack.

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster misses Thunderwing with his Fear the Klaw! attack! [Pulled -1]

Outside, Giant Grey Wolf laughs even as the electrical blasts strike across his form, scorching marks in his armor and burning some fur. The snarling cackle doesn't stop, even as he's already pacing to the side around Thunderwing as smoke trails off his form. "No no no.. you need to watch more earth horror films. The monsters -always- turn on their master." He stops, legs flexing as they contract, and then in one mighty leap propel him upward, kicking off a wall and aiming his lupine bulk for Thunderwing's upper backside. "You did your work -too- well!" He cackles out, before fangs aim to sink into the monster's shoulder while Catilla is going for the arms.

Outside, Combat: Giant Grey Wolf strikes Thunderwing with his Predatory Leap attack!

Combat: Sunstreaker misses Black Shadow with his Laser-Guided Rocket attack!

Black Shadow is mauled by a shark, expression remaining blank as ever. The shell drips mech fluid. The clone draws a wicked-edged Bowie knife and turns to one of its most dogged assailants, weathering the hail of fire and blows. Hands slick with spilled life's blood, it reverses its grip on the knife and tries to drive it into Fanfare's neck and tear out the tanker's main energy conduit.

Combat: Contrail strikes Fanfare with Black Shadow's Bowie Knife Backstab attack!

Outside, Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; wastes no time leaving his place of concealment after he fires and begins making his way closer to the others. A bit too close perhaps he thinks as the energy blasts start flying as Thunderwing returns fire on those assembled. Struck dead on by a blast Bomb-Burst gets knocked aside landing on his hands and knees the smell of burnt flesh and fur wafting into his nose. Rage building he leans back and struggles to grasp the hilt of his axe that fell beside him. Focusing through the pain and the blurred vision he forces his wings out wind as he gets to his feet. "We shall rend your body in two and feast upon that which remains!" Charging forward he leaps intending to bring the axe blade crashing down upon Thunderwing.

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; throws down his harpoon gun as lightning comes hissing back up the line towards him, the electrostatic overload discharging harmlessly into the damp floor of the cavern. "You'll regret making a monster of Octopunch," he gurgles. A rust-speckled conical mechanism swings off the back of his right arm on a hinged rig and locks over his gauntleted hand. "My revenge; equally monstrous." A spiral blade snaps out of the cone, which spins up to speed with a choking rev of a waterclogged engine. Octopunch puts his head down and charges Thunderwing like a bull, tentacles lashing behind the hunched battering ram of a body. "Taste my hate! RrrrrrAAAGH!"

Outside, Combat: Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Battle Axe attack!

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Rage-Empowered Drill Charge attack!

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; bears all his weight down on Thunderwing, drill screaming as it throws off sparks and blood, churning through meat and metal. A hoarse roar comes from his throat, pale luminous mismatched eyes smoldering behind the fogged faceplate.

Outside, Thunderwing falls! Swords and lasers, claws and teeth- all weapons of HIS creation, tearing deep into his armor! He staggers, dropping one of his rifles...only to burst out laughing again. "Bah! You twisted fools haven't killed me -YET!-" and as Octopunch's drill bores into him, Thunderwing goes so far as to *spit!* upon the tentacled terror's faceplate. "Let it be survival of the fittest, then!" and several vents in his chest open up, at which point they begin to vent a noxious, acidic gas, quickly filling the area around him. "And the survivor shall be my greatest creation YET!"

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; with his Ecohazard Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Aquatic Monster with his Ecohazard Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; with his Ecohazard Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Giant Sabertooth Cat with his Ecohazard Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing misses Giant Grey Wolf with his Ecohazard Area attack!

Outside, White Cross Spaceman is torn into by Thunderwing's electrostatic rifle, and he clutches his chest, gasping in pain. He shakes and looks at his rifle uncertainly, like he doesn't trust it. He really doesn't. Pincher puts away the gun and takes a leaps at Thunderwing, like most everyone else, open handed, trying to dig his fingers into the hated Pretender who made him into this /thing/ and /tear/, managing to spit out, "You are an abomination, a peversion of science, a blight upon the face of the universe, a /cancer/, and I can't see any solution but highly invasive surgery."

Outside, Combat: White Cross Spaceman strikes Thunderwing with his I Wish I Had Claws (Punch) attack!

Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; gets ignored in favor of the mindless monstrosity attacking an Autobot. "I'm not through with you yet!" he says, "Let me peel that false skin off you like a banana!" He slashes with his claws at the creature, attempting to split open the outer layer.

Combat: Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; strikes Black Shadow with his Isn't this a-peeling? (Punch) attack!

Windshear takes some cover if for nothing else then to protect his injury and starts giving random cover fire at... well he has no idea.. but hes firing in the general direction Contrail and the Seacon are firing in.

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; continues his assault on Thunderwing, even as the noxious gases begin to dissolve pieces of his outer shell. His armor shows the effects, molten orange beginning to run down his frame like so much melted crayons. He bends forward, hands on the ground to ride out the pain. "Those who are able to provide combat support -- including battlefield repairs, do so." This is directed at Pincher, mostly, but anyone else who hears it, well, they can play too. Either way, he remains there in a crouched, hunched position for some seconds more before taking up his sword and resuming the attack anew. This time, he simply attempts to bury the tip of the sword in Thunderwing's neck.

Outside, Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Play Deguello! attack! [Pulled -2]

Outside, Corosive fumes wash over the large feline. Fur and systems are eaten away, as a result of the gas. It seeps into his nose, flooding his ventalation system. He sneezes and hacks in an attempt to clear his systems, dislodging his fangs from Thunderwing's arm. "You've already failed cycles ago, Thunderwing! You just haven't realized it yet!" He rumbles, staggering back away from the acidic cloud. Tail lashing, it seems to extend. Then whips around from behind him. It attempts to lash around Thunderwing's body, attempting to hold his arms down and clamp him there in an armor crushing hold for the others to get an easier shot. "Bring him down and we can be done with this!"

Outside, That was Catilla, by the way.

Outside, Giant Grey Wolf's ears flick at the sound of the vents opening, leaping away from their former master as soon as the first whiffs of foul chemical reach his nose. That fifty foot leaping distance was getting its workout tonight, claws scraping across the chamber floor for traction as he lands out of the range of the released hazard. Having saw what that did last time, didn't want to be anywhere near it, nope.

Wheeling his hulking form around towards the brawl, cannon extending out of the machinery on his back, the barrel ratcheting out over one shoulder. "Fittest? No no no~. This is something better.. just look at the creatures you have created. Even the Autobots you chose are twisted in some way." Considering it's a dinobot, a chemist, and his old partner, he's not joking, either. Taking aim, he fires as Thunderwing struggles to fend the others off, aiming his system crippling anti-thermal beam at those exposed vents that were just used to attack them.

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; draws his drill back and swings away, slightly dazed by the gas creeping into his suit through the easily-dissolved rubber gaskets. It plunges into the cavern instead of Thunderwing, chunks of rock skittering as Octopunch brakes it and backs it out. Octopunch takes a step back as a couple of the others leap in to take his place, revving the drill. When Bludgeon goes high, Octopunch goes low, swinging the drill underhand for Thunderwing's sturdy legs. "Survival. Hn. Nature, red; tooth and claw. So be it."

Outside, Combat: Giant Grey Wolf misses Thunderwing with his Survival of the Sickest attack! [Pulled -1]

Outside, Enveloped in the noxious gas cloud, Submarauder can't help but let out a yelp when the vapor based attack further eats at his organic shell's outer casing.. spots exposed now, boils and puss pockets brimming to the fill.

Staggering backwards, the aquatic monster falls to a knee and lets out a heavy sigh. Without verbal response, he takes the fight back to the enemy.. hefting his Proton Cannon in his grasp, spraying Thunderwing in wonderful small disc shaped ovals that explode upon impact.

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Hamstring Thrust attack! [Pulled -4]

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster sets his defense level to Fearless.

Contrail calls out the other Decepticons, "As much as I'd like to get out of here, we still have /that/ thing to worry about." She blasts at it a bit harder. Die, thing, die!

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster misses Thunderwing with his Proton Cannon.. Gatling-gun Style! attack! [Pulled -2]

Combat: Contrail strikes Black Shadow with her 25-mm GAU-12 cannon &lt;Long Burst&gt; (Laser) attack!

The huge mech continued to try and keep the Black Shadow pinned when his white optics catch sight of the knife. Trying to pull away, it nonetheless drives deeply into his throat with a faint amount of sparks and a gurgle noise, his body stiffening. And then he coughs, slumping backwards with a hand moving up to press to the wound as glittering irradiated energon flowed out as he hits the wall behind him, just sitting there, optics still wide in shock.

"Tch, and people wonder why I don't use a gun..." Torque grumbles to herself as the attack sails on by the shell, though her attention is taken by Loadout a moment as pipes jut out and rev him up for another attack. The femme simply smirks with a raised brow, "Very nice. And if yah can keep up now, than that's all the clearance I need!" About to fire again, she pauses, watching through the target sight as one of the brother planes has his neck gouged open. "Fanfare!" Torque quickly steels herself, lining up another shot and firing. She only hoped this one landed.

Combat: Torque sets her defense level to Fearless.

Sunstreaker is disappointed that his first shot of rockets does not connect with the Black Shell. The Autobot launches his second shot, the missiles from his shoulders shrieking from his pauldrons, their rocket thrusters activating after the initial launch. The projectiles leave a trail of white smoke in their wake as they close the distance to the Black Shell.

Outside, Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; feels his blade strike true and falls back into a crouch trying to shield his wounded flesh as best he can. Weakened by loss of blood and other fluids he licks his battle-axe clean savoring the slight replenishment. Lapping at a stray bit he detects the faint hiss of fumes being released and clamps down on the floor with his claws. One they find purchase his wings flap pushing the harmful vapors away from his person. As the cloud dissipates droplets fall upon him as Bludgeon slices at Thunderwing yet again. Scent in the air Bomb-Burst sniffs reveling in the sweet aroma. Driven by a need even stronger than what he felt under the control of Thunderwing he leaps again wings driving him on as he attempts to bite down and feed.

Outside, Combat: Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Serrated Fangs attack!

Combat: Sunstreaker strikes Black Shadow with his Laser-Guided Rocket attack!

Combat: Torque misses Black Shadow with Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt;'s Ionic Blast attack!

Outside, *hrk!* Thunderwing's mad reply is cut short (literally) by Bludgeon's sword- and then the blade is ripped free with a gout of blood as Catilla ensnares him! He struggles and twists, falling to the ground- avoiding a flurry of blasts, but not Bomb-Burst's hungry fangs! Thunderwing finally sights in on Bludgeon. "-YOU!- This is YOUR fault!" he spits, voice growing desperate- and a light flares on Thunderwing's forehead- lancing out right at the apparent ringleader of the Pretender Rebellion!

Outside, Combat: Thunderwing strikes Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; with his Corrosion Laser attack!

Outside, White Cross Spaceman is seething with quite a bit of venomous hatred at the moment. There will be another time to mend and to play the battlefield medic. Right now, he wants to tear into Thunderwing. Having connected with that rending tear and truely gotten his hands dirty, he throws his head back, cackling. Are those ecohazard fumes making the chemist loopy? Either way, whatever misgivings he may have with himself, he draws his 20 Megavolt Stun Rifle and aims it right at Thunderwing. "Fault? You brought this upon yourself. Don't try to spread the blame."

Outside, Combat: White Cross Spaceman sets his defense level to Fearless.

Outside, Combat: White Cross Spaceman strikes Thunderwing with his 20 Megavolt Stun Rifle attack!

Outside, Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Thunderwing's Agility. (Crippled)

Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; unleashes another heavy BLAST, and again he kicks back on Torque's arm with the recoil. And unfortunately, again the shot seems to sizzle past and go right through an opposite wall and Primus knows where it goes beyond that. With his energy levels reading at about half, he makes a quick decision, electing to gamble for the moment. "Alright, Torque relax." He can tell she's not used to handling guns, and it could be some of that 'jerking' motion that comes from those who aren't accusotmed to firearms when they let loose. "Steady, easy now." His voice follows, a sudden series of holographic outlines appearing over the Shadow's form, along with predicted paths as the target is fully lit up for Torque's benefit. "Just think of me as an extension of your arm..."

Outside, Aquatic Monster moves to intercept the shot, diving in front of Bludgeon.. but far too late, as it flies over his shoulder and makes contact with his skull faced ally. Boil sores pop and ooze upon contact with the ground, Submarauder slowly gains his bearing and squeezes off another shot or two.

"See how he veinly lashes out at one, as opposed to many? His end is near, let us speed him along his way!" Submarauder cries out from the ground, still firing off shots from the Proton Cannon.

Combat: Loadout takes extra time to assist Torque's next attack.

Outside, Combat: Aquatic Monster strikes Thunderwing with his Proton Cannon &lt;Low Power&gt; (Laser) attack!

Encore snarls as he sees Fanfare get hit and go down. Rage, not grief nor concern for his brother fills the autobot and he turns immediately back to Black Shadow. He snarls as he charges in and grabs its free arm. A foot is placed against its chest and he YANKS, pulling the semiorganic being's arm from its socket. This done, the Autobot keeps his grip on the hand and proceeds to attempt beating the thing up with the soggy end of its own arm.

"You do NOT hit my bruvva!" He snarls at it. "That's MY JOB! Leave 'im alone!"

Combat: Encore strikes Black Shadow with his a whole new meaning for /armed/ combat! (Kick) attack!

Outside, "No Thunderwing," Catilla rumbles, tail tightening in its grasp. His lips pull back, showing those bright fangs that the scientist gave him in the first place. "This is YOUR fault. You only brought this upon yourself." The tail releases itself from around Thunderwing, lashing around behind Catilla and leaving a gouge in the ground. "Now you're just going to have to suffer the results!"

Legs tensing briefly, Catilla gathers all of his strength in his back legs. In one smooth motion, he takes to the air, literally pouncing the corrupt scientist. His claws unsheathed, he attempts to bring his heavy paws down on Thunderwing's chest. And begins to try and rip downwards, literally attempting to use him as a scratching post, as if trying to find the metal center within the creamy outside.

Outside, Combat: Giant Sabertooth Cat strikes Thunderwing with his Searching for the prize in the center attack!

Outside, And Thunderwing is back down on the ground. "Eehehehe, I love dogpiles." The monsterous lupine saunters back towards the fight with that deliberate stride of a hunter approaching prey that was down but not yet finished, lips curled up into the widest fang bearing grin. "No one to blame but yourself... everything that falls upon you was wrought by your own hands."

Oh geez, he's actually aggreeing with Catilla again. That certainly can't be good.

Then again, it was just like old times. As Catilla goes high for Thunderwing's chest, the giant wolf ducks in low, grinning jaws lashing out for one of Thunderwing's tendons to dig into and keep him off his balance.

Outside, Combat: Giant Grey Wolf strikes Thunderwing with his Hungry Like The Wolf attack! [Pulled -3]

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; is conscious mainly of pain at this moment as Thunderwing fires on him. The beam strikes him dead center, and possesses enough power to launch him out of the melee entirely; striking the back wall of the cavern with a hideous smash and leaving him to land on his face, where he is silent and unmoving. The Pretender Samurai appears down for the count. Inside of the shell, Bludgeon feels pain. He feels the pain of the acid devouring his exterior, and the terrible corrosion laser devouring his internals. The easy thing to do would be to simply give in, to lie there in misery. But he does not. Focusing, he concentrates on getting one arm under him and then the other; his badly wounded shell rising slowly to unsteady feet. The wound is horrible, to the point that Bludgeon's head and shoulders can be seen from within the horribly damaged shell. Slowly, the Metallikato Master bends to retrieve his weapon; his shell spitting reddish blue fluids in a puddle upon the ground. Limping, with one hand over the shell's open torso and Bludgeon's mute, silent, dark-optic'd and unmoving body beneath, the armored samurai attacks once more. He's been working on opening the Mad God's throat, and this time, there is no grace to it whatsoever; just a hell-bent pell-mell slash towards Thunderwing's neck. Outside, Combat: Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Limit Break attack!

Black Shadow is taking a massive beating from all sides - rockets, lasers, and the shark, oh the shark! The 'skin' of the shell peels back, revealing... nothing. There's no robot inside. It's an empty shell that is fighting them!

Then Encore tears off its arm, and the clone's day goes straight from bad to worse. Mech fluid spurts from it, making the floor slick. For the first time, the creatures show some reaction, a flicker of something in those fathomless yellow optics. Fear? No. /Hatred./ It opens up with its one remaining Tommy Gun on the room, putting into practice the only lesson it has had time to learn.

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; slurps hideously, swallowing the black blood the gas has him coughing up. "Bludgeon's judgement to blame? Maybe. The crime? All yours. The sentence... DEATH!" When Bludgeon defiantly strikes Thunderwing down with all his warrior spirit, the monstrous Octopunch looms behind him, lead-anchored boot stomping down to try to pin Thunderwing to the ground so that Octopunch's descending, roaring drill can find purchase in something yielding.

Combat: Contrail strikes Fanfare with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Encore with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Torque with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses Sunstreaker with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail misses Windshear with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail strikes herself with Black Shadow's Space Gangster Tommy Guns Area attack!

Combat: Contrail (Contrail) used "Space Gangster Tommy Guns": A Level 6 AREA-RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 7 damage.

Outside, Combat: Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Hammer and Anvil attack! [Pulled -2]

Outside, Strength and renewed vigor flow through Bomb-Burst as his feast concludes. Retreating quickly as the other continue their assault he makes sure not to get himself caught in the line of fire. "You have sealed you own fate by seeking to control us. Our revenge shall end with your death." Bearing his fangs again the vampire beast watches as the might Thunderwing is struck again and again by those he created. Having crept back to retrieve his gun he waits until the others have struck before hefting the weapon and letting fly another destructive beam.

Outside, Combat: Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; strikes Thunderwing with his Slime Shooter attack! [Pulled -2]

Outside, It's long gone from a battle to a sheer beating at this point! Thunderwing is pinned, trapped under his own creations as they tear great chunks out of his armor- components, fluids, and even LIMBS soon scatter all over the floor! Thunderwing crawls away...fruitlessly- and he soon transforms to his starfighter mode...incapable of flight at this point, but...that's not what he's going for. "Ha ha ha." he laughs, hoarsely- and a bomb-bay on his underside opens up, at which point several explosive charges roll out. "You've done well, my creations...but I'll still take you with me!"

Outside, Thunderwing transforms into his Spaceship mode.

Outside, Combat: Spaceship's Plasma Charges attack on Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; goes wild!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship misses himself with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship misses Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes White Cross Spaceman with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes Giant Grey Wolf with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes Giant Sabertooth Cat with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes Aquatic Monster with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship strikes himself with his Plasma Charges Area attack!

Outside, Combat: Spaceship falls to the ground, unconscious.

Contrail edges toward the exit, even as Thunderwing, the self-proclaimed god fall on the monitors by no hand other than his own. She can't but help smile fiercely, still pot-shoting Thunderwing's dark clone, which, armless, ought to be falling very, very soon.

"A cruel joke this is," Mutant Shark &lt;Overbite&gt; says, "For inside was nothing at all! And thus was even more an abomination than I thought!" The Seacon then prepares to go monkey slag, lashing wildly with teeth, tail, and claws, hoping to rip the monstrosity completely apart.

Combat: Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt; strikes Black Shadow with his Don't Go In The Water attack!

Outside, Giant Grey Wolf zigs left! He zags right!... unfortunately there's bombs blowing up all over the damn place, and no matter how hard he tries to dodge several of the resulting plasma shockwaves catch him in his radius. "OOWoooooh! Hot hot! *WHAM* The giant wolf impacts with a wall of the chamber, hanging there for a moment before finally skidding down to the floor after leaving a Carnivac sized impression in the stone. He slumps to the ground on his armored shoulders, ears still ringing from the blasts. "... Did we win yet?..."

Outside, Bludgeon is tight in close range with Thunderwing as he transforms, and he does not retreat. This is what saves him, as one of the bombs apparently has an errant guidance system and goes bwee off into nowhere. As the fire rolls around him, Bludgeon rises; shilouetted in the mutliple explosions of the devestating volley as he lunges -through- it for what is left of Thunderwing. The plasma fire melts and scores at his armor, little wisps of plasma tendrils caressing his frame like a sultry lover, but still he plunges onwards. Once the spaceship is reached, he poises his lethal blade, now melted and scored in places as he brings it down in a glittering arc -- and then another -- and then another. With a frenetic pace, the samurai chops his way into the spaceship's hulk until he finds what he is looking for. The core casing. Flipping his sword in both hands, he brings it down in a downward stab to end the life of the mad god once and for all! The blade goes. . through the casing, prompting a "WHAT?" from the skull faced warrior. Crouching down, he breaks open the casing -- and then holds it aloft for all to see. "Empty." He hisses. "Just a shell."

Fanfare doesnt react as he's struck by the tommy gun, still sitting there, somewhat disabled and in shock, perhaps it had severed his main linkage to his body too as he blinks a few times, watching what was going on, his snowy form stained dark with energon.

Encore is looking pretty beat up now, big holes in is armour and scores sliced into his helmet from near misses. His Victory Dance is almost hit by one of the rounds - which only makes him angrier - another removing the playing card from the band, with predictable results. Encore's hydraulic pressure is probably quite close to recommended safety limits, if not exceeding them already. Leaking energon and fluids from several injuries, the Autobot snarls louder and keeps on hitting, slinging his EBS cannon up onto his back as he continues to attack, wielding his severed arm weapon in both hands like a baseball bat, he swings in at its empty head, trying to bash it open further. "I... will... frag... you... up... UGLY!" He snarls at the already fragged-up-looking Pretender shell. Against the berserker, there... Is... No... Defence.

Combat: Encore misses Black Shadow with his Armed Combat (Kick) attack!

Outside, "... That kinda counts as winning," Carnivac adds at the announcement, as he's rolling over to get back onto his paws and shake dust out of his scorched, bleeding hide.

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; stumps back to Thunderwing's side after he regains his footing, having been blasted against the truncated obelisk by the explosion. He twists the head off of the shell and holds it up thoughtfully. "Hrm. Never here? Remote control."

Outside, When Catilla has a prey in his sights, it's difficult to tear him away from it. And such is the case here. He's caught up in the hunt, the chase. He notices when Thunderwing transforms, but only dimly, and only because he has to rethink his method of attack. He pulls back, landing on all fours only for a moment. But he's already readying to strike again...

Only to get caught up in the blast before he can. Flame and energy washes over the biomechanical feline's body, tearing away at bits and pieces of the pretender shell. Pain is sent back to the robot inside, a feline hiss of agony rising from his muzzle. The blast sends him barreling backwards from the jet, sliding across the floor until he finally loses momentum. He lies there, his resperators working hard, causing the chest of the shell to rise and fall laberously. One large paw comes up to plant flat on the ground, then another, and he raises his helmeted head to glare at his prey... Optics go out briefly when he blinks, eyeing the shell cut in twain.

"... Empty. That slagging..." He dissolves into a feral growl, ears pinning back.

Torque is obviously pissed about missing this whole time, deciding to give it up while Fanfare was still online. "Sorry, Loadout, but we can let Encore finish this guy off. We gotta get Fanfare medical attention and back to the shuttle." She soon abandons her duty to fire, hefting the gun mech easily over to Fanfare and quickly getting down to business, albeit with her still wounded arm. "Alright, hold on Fanfare. We'll get yah fixed up in no time."

Outside, The bombs wreak havoc on Submarauder's outer casing, pratically desolving any coral armor left on his shoulders and chest. Half of his face is razed to the metal interior, the gills flapping.. half torn off and hanging on by a sinew.

But he's back to his feet after a bit, regaining his composure and with the others for the big reveal. "Coward."

Outside, White Cross Spaceman is blasted by the bomb, knocked down his back and bleeding. He groans and get up enough to press his wounds together and glue them shut with cyanoacrylate. Pincher grumbles to himself, "He'll get what's coming to him. He's made an enemy of /everyone/, even the laws of nature themselves."

Outside, Combat: White Cross Spaceman quickly patches up some of his minor injuries.

Outside, "Plans within plans," grunts Octopunch. "Makes sense. Still, doesn't take away from victory. Freedom. Responsibility." He turns his helmet meaningfully towards the Autobot Pretenders. "Old allegiances. What now?"

Outside, Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt;s eyes widen as Thunderwing transforms and begins to drop explosives about the area. Reacting quickly Bomb-Burst leaps back and unfolds his wings just as the first explosion goes off. As the thermal updrafts overtake him he glides effortlessly about carried aloft on the blasts that hammer his fellow Pretenders below. As the firestorm dies down he floats softly to a landing and spits as they discover the mastermind is yet alive only a shell destroyed in his place. "We are free, his death shall come later. There is little left to be gained here, we should find means to depart and go our separate ways. Each of us has been used, I think we can agree that for now we all have a larger enemy to face."

Sunstreaker's berserk has gone beyond the point of no return. Sunstreaker can feel the false-life in the Black Shell diminished to near oblivion... now all he had to do was stomp it out and extinguish it's light forever. "Belatedly, welcome to /LIFE/ you Godless abomination... but I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut things short and snuff you from your brief and pathetic existence."

He takes aim with one last laser-guided rocket. "I'll see you in Hell!" *FWOOOOSH*

Combat: Sunstreaker strikes Black Shadow with his See You In Hell attack!

Combat: Black Shadow falls to the ground, unconscious.

Outside, "Hrn," Octopunch mutters. "Next we meet, Autobots. Enemies again, yes?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Contrail says, "And that, Decepticons, is our cue to leave, now that the Autobots have finished that monstrosity for us!"

Ion Assault Cannon &lt;Loadout&gt; dutifully transforms again, leaping off of Torque's arm as she gets up closer to where Fanfare is slumped over, landing with a heavy *THUD* of impact, his right hand already retracting into his forearm and replaced by the multitool device. "Hopefully the others can finish that thing off in the meantime." He states, decidedly calm despite the extent of Fanfare's injuries, by the looks of it. That's cause when it comes to being a medical-type Bot he knows he's damn good, that's why. Carefully putting one hand to Fanfare's head, he brings the other hand around to start using a small welder to help seal up the hole in his neck, on low intensity of course so as not to cause problems with the leaking energon. This is all after he injects the Autobot transporter with a quick shot of a numbing agent to deaden his pain receptors of course. "Don't worry Fanfare." He reassures. "We'll have you patched up in no time at all."

The cannon splits at the muzzle and the stock, spinning in the center and unfolding into the Autobot Loadout.

Combat: Loadout quickly patches up some of Fanfare's minor injuries.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "Decepticon Warrior Bludgeon requesting response."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sunstreaker blows on the barrel of his smoking gun. "And that, ladies, is how you win at life."

Outside, *KREEUNCH!* And, from a forgotten corner of the chamber, Grimlock's shattered armor...sits up! He reaches across himself...and then *WRENCHES!* the armor off of him, revealing the dinobot beneath! Sure, there's the radiation to deal with...but hopefully he'll be out of here soon enough. He takes a moment to look over the battlefield, and grumbles. "...me Grimlock miss good part." he snorts, and then looks over at the Decepticons. "Hnf. Go." is all he has to say to the Decepticons- which, given that it's Grimlock, is as close to a peace agreement as one's likely to get! This done, Grimlock picks up the battered helmet that belonged to his pretender armor, and peers at it. "Him Thunderwing say there camera in this thing. Him also say somebody in spaceship. HELLO?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Torque says, "I'm officially buying the strongest drink available when we get back to base."

Outside, Transforming, Submarauder feels relaxed to be in a more familiar 'body' at the moment. "This changes nothing." he spits towards the Autobot Pretenders, hand on his sword hilt. If not for the massive damage already sustained in the prolonged engagement, it's quite possible he'd renew the fight on them.

But today has seen enough bloodshed, and this warrior is weary. And so, he stalks away.. alone. In the background, the 'Incredible Hulk' outro music plays. :(

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "Decepticon warrior, eh? Looking to come back to winning team again?"

Outside, The small Cybertronian submersible folds upwards, into Submarauder!!

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "Destroying Thunderwing should count for much."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "Requesting pickup of myself and the rest of the Decepticon . . . . . pretenders."

Fanfare's optics flicker a little bit as he shifts finally a little, that white leaving his optics as they return to their usual orange color "Mrr... Bruv? Y'get him? " he asks finally, before holding still as the doctor goes to work.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "That's for the Boss to decide whether or not he wants ta frag ya just on princible. But hey the thought counts!"

Outside, "Agreed... and home the -real- boss doesn't cannon the lot of us for it." It takes a moment, but that grin returns to Carnivac's features all the same. "Maybe that we stopped Thunderwing's puppet from becoming more powerful than him will tide some favor."

The lupine turns his head, eyes narrowing slightly as he looks towards Catilla. "Normally this would be were I try to talk you into coming with us instead... but even I realize it's pointless right now." Then ducks his head down just enough to mutter faintly in the feline's ear, before turning and bounding off after Bludgeon and the others.

The attacks finally wearing it down to less than nothing, Black Shadow looks at Sunstreaker, really looks at him. It's not just a drone tracking targets anymore. It's /seeing/. It watches, almost acceptingly, as the rocket comes for it and blows it apart, spraying pieces of the hollow shell across the horrific little laboratory.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Cyclonus says, "Astrotrain, don't you have a wayward soldier of your own to locate?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "Lord Cyclonus."

Outside, Big Daddy &lt;Octopunch&gt; trudges after Bludgeon with leaden footfalls.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "I would request permission to return to the fold, with the rest of my kind. We have proven ourselves by breaking free of our bonds and destroying this avatar of Thunderwing."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "Yeah well pardon me if space is a pretty big place that even a fataft like Trypticon can be hard to find!"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "I will beg forgiveness of Lord Galvatron personally. But for now, we would appreciate a return home."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Carnivac says, "... Oooh, hey, radio's working again."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Cyclonus says, "Permission denied. You are to be escorted to chambers for debriefing, reinstatement hinging on the final analysis.  Understood?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "So be it."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "The rest of the Decepticon Pretenders will stand down as well, or answer to me."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Octopunch says, "Hrm. Familiar ground. Good to be back."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "Pretenders,eh? I suppose they still got those disgusting shell things."

Encore nods slowly, spitting out bits of Pretender shell and goo. He wipes his face and thuds over to his brother "We did." He says, looking Fanfare up and down. "You look like you need a hand." And with that, he gently places the severed arm in Fanfare's lap, hand upwards. He looks back at the Cons present, eyes narrowed. "No fightin' till Thunderwing's dealt with?" he suggests. "Windy mate, dya know where they were fightin'? I fink I saw the Pretenders fightin' Thunderwing, so that means we got our mates back. Need to get 'em 'ome..."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "It is my hope that it is not permenant."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Carnivac says, "That's still a ride, right? I wanna get off this radiated mudball and out of this fur coat finally... not that it doesn't have its perks.... eh? Oh, right. Groveling time."

Outside, White Cross Spaceman rushes to Grimlock's side and immediately tries to repair the big Dinobot, because helping a fellow Autobot is better than being stuck inside his head, with all his roiling thoughts of the awful things he's done. Pincher chatters, "You're alive? Oh, I'm so glad!" He lets the Decepticons leave, unworried. They will be enemies soon enough, but Pincher's done enough violence for today.

Outside, Skull-Faced Samurai Warrior &lt;Bludgeon&gt; is simply gone, by this point, off to meet Astrotrain or someone else.

Windshear stands up from his cover and looks around. "Ok... so...we did .. what?" Hes lost, his leaking, he got to play on a nav board and he wonders if his poor shuttle can make it off this planet with the radiation thats all over the place. His heads buzzing still, perhaps thats why he got a case of lame CPU during this.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Carnivac says, "Aaaw. Com'n, they're not -that- bad.... Oh, shoot. The Dinobot survived after all."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bomb-Burst says, "They don't seem that bad, one could get used to the additions they offer."

Sunstreaker turns his gaze to the remaining Decepticons. "You'll all want to be leaving this ship to us."

Sunstreaker slings his energon rifle over the shoulder, wielding the weapon with the burden of a feather. "sooner would be better than later."

Fanfare blinks at his brother, then turns to stare down at the arm in his lap. He blinks a few times...

And then, probably not helping Loadout, he starts to giggle "... ow."

Outside, Vampiric Bat-Humanoid &lt;Bomb-Burst&gt; ducks out with the others to await a ride off of the blasted planetoid they were dragged to against their will.

Outside, Pain sensors in Catilla's suit are screaming in agony. But he manages to get a second paw on the ground, slowly but steadily pushing himself up. He huffs quietly, looking over the remaining pretenders. But anything he was about to say is interrupted by Grimlock making a return entrance. He glances aside to the dinobot commander, a brow raised. And simply snorts. "What he said. Just go. We won't stop you; there are bigger fish to fry."

Eyes flicker to Carnivac as he approaches, an ear cocked. Brows furrow a little bit, narrowing his eyes in return. "Likewise. It's a shame, but you chose it." One of Catilla's ears lifts to listen what Carnivac has to say. He snorts, but seems vaguely amused. "Get going already," He grunts, pushing himself up the rest of the way to all fours.

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Galvatron says, "Belay that. Bring these Pretenders directly to me. If they resist, kill them."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "That's what I like. Nice and simple."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Bludgeon says, "And they will not."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Contrail says, "I, er... very well! Decepticons, out of this ship and off to round up the Pretenders!"

Loadout concentrates on the motion of the little blue flame as he seals up the holes as best he can for now. It stops the energon from flowing in unhealthy ways, and will certainly suffice until they can get Fanfare back for a -proper- patchup job. "That should do for now." He states, standing up and dusting his hands off. He looks around to the other Autobots, noting their various conditions. "Well...until we get everyone back to base so they can be properly patched up, of course."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "HEY. HEY YOU AUTOBOTS. THIS THING ON?"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Astrotrain says, "Any of you freaks drool on my interior, yer gettin a one-way trip out an airlock into vacuum, capiche?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "...Grim?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Torque says, "Grimlock!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Impactor says, "We're not deaf Grim."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Decibel says, "Yes, and the volume works the same as always so umm stop yelling."

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Carnivac makes an exaggerated slurping sound as if sucking up excess spittle.

Contrail makes a run for it off the ship. It's not Sunstreaker, she tells herself. She was going to retreat /anyway/. Even if the Autobot is a sociopath that just dropped Thunderwing's clone. She has Pretenders to recover, for the Empire!

&lt;Autobot&gt; Decibel says, "And welcome back Grimlock, good to hear you sounding like yourself."

Combat: Contrail begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Encore, Shark Mutant &lt;Overbite&gt;, and Sunstreaker

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sandstorm says, "Now there's a voice we've missed. Sort of."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "Grim, you old bastard, it's good to hear your voice. I saw you 'splode man, what...? Where are you? Guys, c'mon, we needa go pick our guys up!"

&lt;Decepticon&gt; Scorn says, "Good to have you mechs back and not with that crazy Thunderwing."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "nnrgh. Ah think ah ken pull bus duty again. Gimme a moment... all dazed like"

Windshear makes a break for it too and once out of the ship, transforms and heads back to his shuttle. Time to head back and get repaired and decomtaminated from the radiation.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sunstreaker says, "You're all welcome, by the way."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Pincher says, "I... may I return, with the Autobots?"

Fanfare blinks a few more times and stirrs, starting to come to his feet slowly... moving with some stiffness and numbness as he rubs his head a little. "Ugh."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Catilla says, "Ngh... We're in one piece. Somewhat.  But I've certainly felt better."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sandstorm says, "Return? I don't knooooow... Is Catilla's squishy form litterbox trained?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Loadout ahems. "I -do- hate to be the prudish one, and I do appreciate that you all seem to have recovered but...are you still within those organic shells that Thunderwing used to control you?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "Me Grimlock shell explodededed."

Encore helps his brother to his feet and pulls out his Victory Dance, sticking it his mouth. Then he pulls his own from its precarious position and sticks it in his own mouth, lighting both with a match. His heavy ventilation and slightly-orange-tinted optics should let anyone know that it would be a very bad time to harass him about his smoking. He's holding back the Berzerker state with pure cussed willpower.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Decibel says, "Hey look what the cat dragged in, looks like everyone is back to their old selves. Good to hear. Oh, I hope they are I would love to get my hands on one that's not trying to kill me and run a few tests."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Pincher says, "...er, most of us are, yes."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Catilla says, "I haven't quite figured out how to get out of it yet."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Loadout says, "Perhaps a scan and investigation would be in order to ensure Thunderwing can't use these things to do this again, yes? As I said it's not my intention to be the prudish one but we'd best be cautious."

Fanfare is pulled to his feet, mouth pinching to hold onto the Victory Dance as he leans on his twin for a fewmoments, then straightens to stand on his own. "There goes anudder paint job... Let's get home, ah think ah'm getting nauseous with this radiation. Energon's been depleted. Ach, that hurt."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Catilla says, "... And Sandstorm just volunteered as a scratching post."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Pincher says, "I can certainly understand a desire for quarantine. Brig me if you must - my deeds may certainly warrant it - but please. May we return?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Encore says, "Well hadan't we better get 'em back 'fore Thunderwing tries to? Much easier to control 'em back in Autobot City if it comes to it. Least we can keep our guys contained and safe. Now will SOMEONE please get me a mug of Mellow Yellow?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Sandstorm ahahahas. "Well, he sounds normal at least!.. Loadout's right, though. Better make sure."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fanfare says, "Ah have one in me side compartment. HElp yerself."