From Russia With Love

Siberia - Asia

The icy blasts of wind in this frozen tundra chill you to the very core. The severe cold reminds you of what a constant punishment this must have been for the humans who were exiled in a penal colony here in the past. The terrain is steep and difficult to traverse. The icy wind squalls make the travelling even more difficult...not to mention the low visibility due to the snow.

LAST TIME ON THE TRANSFORMERS..

Grandstanding in Tyrest, Backfire and company abducted a neutral scientist named Farsight for their nefarious schemes. Of which, they need materials.. badly. So badly in fact, they targetted an out of the way EDC base in disuse with STOCKPILES of what they needed.

Siberia.

NOW..

Streaking over the skies of Asia, the F-16 is in tight formation with one other Seeker and an Insecticon. <> the lead jet calls out, a point of a nosecone later brings it down to bear on the base. As wind RUSHes past, the Decepticon transforms and hits the outer perimeter with a THUNK. Snow is sent upwards in all directions, Backfire starts putting his troops in position.

"Buzzooka, scour their base for the supplies!" the idiot savant calls out, firing on a gunnery station. "Breezetrim, aid in my DESTRUCTION of this inferior germbase!!" he cackles, the automated EDC defenses firing on their positions.

As ordered, the Pine-Beetle moded Insecticon starts tearing into a rear flank of the base and the black Seeker bathes a laser-turret tower in flames as he puffs on an enercig.

The F-16C Agile Falcon transforms with that ever-familiar sound to reveal.. BACKFIRE!!

 Captain Ushanka says, "To arms, to arms comrades! We are under assault!!"

 The Rush says, "Say wha?"

 The Rush says, "Serisously? While I'm tryin' to eat lunch?!"

 Captain Ushanka says, "Siberian EDC bunker under assault from unknown enemies, Decepticon most likely."

 The Rush says, "Priority one question."

 The Rush says, "Are there any extremely hot women at this bunker?"

 Captain Ushanka says, "We are a land of snow, comrade."

 The Rush says, "So is that a yes or...?"

 Captain Ushanka says, "Dah, our women will warm your heart if you can aid us."

 Captain Ushanka says, "Together we shall be strong like bull."

 Major Velum says, "Just get out there, Rush."

 Captain Ushanka says, "No, stronger. Like Russian women's weightlifter."

 Talia McKinley is somewhere just rubbing her face with one hand and muttering that Rush is even worse than her brothers.

 The Rush says, "It ain't my heart I'm lookin' to get warm."

 The Rush says, "Alright, alright. Let me finish my beer."

The Rush. In all of his glory seems to be trying to enjoy a liquid lunch. And that would be a beer. Apparently, he's already had a couple because the bottles are lined up in front of him and right now he's attempting to just get his sip on a little bit more. Then a call to arms goes across all over the base he's currently in and interruptions are the point for the day. Which is not up The Rush's alley. And somewhere in the middle of all this, he's chattering through the communications frequency that he's not even about whatever is going on. But soon enough, as in after he finishes his beer, he's up and heading off in a non-chalant stride towards the hangar where the BLACK SPARROW is parked and waiting.

Cue the EDC VTOL Initialization Sequence Cut Scene.

Streaking through the sky without probably cause (and probably using a low-grade version of hyperspace), the Black Sparrow hits Siberia with epic style and speed, soaring into the middle of all this tomfoolery without so much as a second of hesitation. Once he's in the cockpit of the Black Sparrow, all bets are off.

The tower crumbles under Breezetrim's continued assault, once weakened by the blasts the aloof Seeker sends it tumbling with a shoulder charge into its middlesection. With the tower, half the left garrison wall weakens considerably.. collapsing in sections, shifting in others.

Backfire cackles, stomping into the base proper and continuing his brand of rampage, orange energy fired off from either palm into bunkers. "Ahahaha, follow my path of GLORIOUS SPLENDOR and you'll no doubt REAP the benefits comrades!!" the Seeker simpleton laughs.

The black painted Seeker merely shrugs, takes a pull from his enercig, and goes about stomping on a tanker truck. "Yeah, whatever."

Near the rear of the complex, the Insecticon Buzzooka tears into storage facility after facility. "Nothing yet, boss." he replies, large mandibles clicking and devouring some metal while Backfire is busy. He wasn't ordered NOT to eat on the mission, technically.

Backfire's attention is elsewhere, rightly so. The Rush is on the scene, lookout!! Scowling, the Seeker afixes his aim on the EDC pilot and unleashes a preliminary blast. "Pathetic waste, do not DARE oppose me!!"

Combat: Backfire strikes Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Tis a Flesh Wound!! (Laser) attack!

The Black Sparrow tries to dodge but catches a blast to the side of it and inside The Rush is getting a bit miffed. "Whoa! Hey!" He reaches up to flip on the speakers of his ship. "Watch it! I just had her wings done!" The ship gets taken into a spin, pulling off to the side and back up with the quickness, soaring above whatever is going on down below. The Rush doesn't really pay too much attention to anything that isn't an automatic and obvious threat. This is why he's not exactly a team player.

"Hold on. Did you just call me waste? Hashtag Ew." And as The Rush speeds in the general direction of Backfire, with weapons primed and laser blasts flying. Not that they are that much powerful or anything, but if he can keep this idiot busy while the EDC responds, then maybe he's a bit of a team player after all.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > strikes Backfire with his Shoot 'Em Up! (Laser) attack!

"What kind of name is Hashta-GAH!!" the Seeker roars as laserfire rattles his frame, leaving trails of tiny smoke wafting up. Beady optics peer from behind them, first to the garrison he just toppled.. then up to his current annoyance. Taking to the air, Backfire transforms and follows pursuit after this Rush character. <<You shall know the BURNING fire of the Decepticon EMPIRE, Hashtag Ew.. for it shall CLEANSE even your INSIGNIFICANT corpse!!>>

A cluster missile locks in the bay, rotating down and released from underneath the F-16.

Still idly stomping away, Breezetrim knocked over another supply depot with that apathetic look that has made him the coolest Con this side of the twenty-first century. Still puffing on his enercig, the Seeker gumbie levels his laserfire at a barracks.

MEANWHILE, Buzzooka is tearing into the rear section of the base.. still busy looking for something.

A shake, shudder, and shiver; and before your eyes BACKFIRE transforms into a F-16C Agile Falcon!

Combat: F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> misses Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Cluster F*ck (Laser) attack!

The Rush keeps an eye on his scanners and spots an incoming missile. Which is not good. He only has time to smirk as he throws the controls to the left and spins the Black Sparrow out of the way of such missiling. He is not trying to get blown up right now. He's still got too many women to spellbind with his pelvic sorcery.

"Maybe you missed the memo. I'm The Rush." The Rush's voice can be heard as the Black Sparrow comes back up and over, twirling through the air towards the Seeker Jet. It straightens up as it gets close enough to the jet, before dropping back low and releasing a cloud of who knows what for the jet to get all caught up in. "Can you feel it?" And then he's laughing. Because now he's having a ball.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > misses F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> with his Shenanigan Cloud attack!

Dizzied by The Rush's (or is it Rushes?) amazing display of aerial 'dancing', Backfire attempts to keep up and follow suit.. only to have his engines stall. Immediately stalling midair, the F-16 plummets downward end over end.. thankfully missing whatever it is the Black Sparrow just farted into the air.

<WARNING - IMPACT IMINENT. WARNING. WARNING.>

Fighting to get his systems back online, Backfire angles his nosecone at the Sparrow and kicks in the afterburners. <<Are you seriously referring to yourself in the third person? That is SO lame!!>> Backfire jests, spiraling upwards at the Terran craft.. while thinking HE was the only person who referred to himself in such a manner. <<Feel what? My SUPERIOR skills outshining yours, germ? If that's the case, then yes.. I FEEL IT SO HARD IT HURTS!!>>

<WARNING - IMPACT IMINENT. WARNING. WARNING.>

Not paying attention, the F-16 keeps streaking upwards on a collision course with the Black Sparrow while he pontificates aloud.

Back on the ground, Buzzooka finally finds what they're looking for.. after tearing into the seventh supply bunker.. and filling his greedy Insecticon belly with the other six bunker's contents. "I've found it!"

Combat: F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> strikes Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his IMPACT IMINENT!! (Ram) attack!

<EDC> Captain Ushanka says, "They have decimated our base, comrade. Please, do tell you are on way of kicking butts of theirs."

<EDC> The Rush says, "Shut up! Let The Rush do his thing!"

The Black Sparrow is not in the process of getting smacked something fierce by Backfire and that's not going to be something that The Rush is going to allow. "I said-- mother-- hey!" There's a quick flipping of switches to put the Sparrow into hover mode, while The Rush pops the top on the cockpit.

"What did The Rush say? Didn't The Rush tell you to watch it?!" The Rush is climbing up and out of the cockpit, balancing on the ship that is trying to hover steadily (and failing) after being rammed into by an angry jet of sorts. The Rush pops his coat open and draws his sidearm, spinning it on a finger and brings his hand up to try and get a bead on the jet. Which is going to be hard because it is a damn jet. But that doesn't stop The Rush from firing shot after shot after shot after Backfire!

Hey, you feel that? Cuz here comes The Rush.

Combat: Rush sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Rush strikes F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire> with his Hex Scrambler attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily mildly impaired F-16C Agile Falcon <Backfire>'s Agility and Accuracy. (Dizzy)

Mid-transformation, Backfire is pelted by a dizzying array of small arms fire. While minute in the big scheme of things, the Seeker can't help but feel his head get a little whoozy as his anti-gravs activate to stabilize him mid-air. "Watch what, germ? Watch me crush you??" he roars, looking at three Rush's in front of him. "Well, one of you anyways. HOLD STILL!" Backfire grumbles, snatching out to grip The Rush in his hand.

"I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK!!"

Down below them, Breezetrim flew off in boredom when there wasn't much to do on the ground.. he must be moody today. Buzzooka however is busily taking raw materials out of the bunker, stacking them up in a nice row just outside of the base perimeter.

The F-16C Agile Falcon transforms with that ever-familiar sound to reveal.. BACKFIRE!!

Combat: Backfire strikes Rush with his The Whole World.. IN HIS HAND! (Punch) attack!

Now see, The Rush should know better than to get out of the Sparrow when he's dealing with Decepticons. But he can't help his bravery and need to show off. Not that there's anyone around to see him show off except for the enemy. He's snatched right up and off the Sparrow, which continues to hover helplessly without its pilot and the pain from the huge hand crushing him so is enough to have him bleeding. And there might even be something broken.

"Not quick enough." is muttered as The Rush presses a button on his wrist, which brings the Black Sparrow out of its hovering state, overburns the engines and sends the thing speeding towards Backfire, since this is probably the only way he's going to be able to get out of this massive Decepticon's grip! Collision Course Activated!

Remember this as the day you almost caught The Black Sparrow!

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Guarded.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > strikes Backfire with his Taxi! (Ram) attack!

"Pathetic germ, there is NO ESCAP-EGAHH!!" Backfire cackles madly, interrupted when a ship flies directly into his face. Unable to close his mouth quick enough, for taunting takes precedence, the Seeker suddenly has a mouthful of Black Sparrow. Well, partly anyways.

Reacting as quickly as he can, Backfire attempts to seize the ship and take a HUGE bite out of it.

No, really.

Buzzooka finally finishes unloading the bunker, tarrying for some minutes to ingest some other EDC buildings while his boss is distracted. "Ahhhh, Russian cuisine at its finest."

Combat: Backfire misses Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Taking a Bite Out of Crime! (Kick) attack!

<EDC> Captain Ushanka says, "Status report, comrade?"

The moment of the collision has The Rush leaping out of the grip of Backfire and launching a zipline from his gauntlet to hook onto the Sparrow and swing himself back into the cockpit. It all happens easier thanks to Backfire having a mouthful of the ship. The cockpit seals again and The Rush is at the controls, just in time to see Backfire is about to try and have himself a Black Sparrow sandwich.

"Not today." He flings the ship into reverse and slams on the controls to the guns that arrive as part of the ship slides away to reveal them. And here comes the storm of bullets. Because sometimes ballistics are the best breath mints.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > strikes Backfire with his Bullet-In-Bored (Pistol) attack!

Combat: Critical Hit!

Backfire's teeth mash on the ship, but the Black Sparrow is piloted again and off shooting actual ballistics at his face before he can react. Throwing a hand up to shield his face, the Seeker drifts backwards from the nuisance swatting effortlessly. "No, today is the day.. fool!" he calls out, activating anti-gravs to max to send him soaring up above Rush.

"Today, is the day you attone for your SINS!" Backfire declares, drawing his rocket launcher from subspace. "You and yours have SULLIED the EMPIRE for long enough, no.. today is that day where the end draws near." he continues to belittle the EDC pilot, loading a projectile into the launcher's tube. "When whatever death god you worship embraces you for the first and final time, clutched in defeat." he rambles, leveling the rocket launcher at Rush.

"That end, for you, is TODAY!!"

A rocket propels from the launcher, spiraling downward at Rush, leaving a plume of smoke behind it. On the front of the rocket, a sadface emoticon is haphazardly painted on.

Buzzooka gathers the supplies in his clutches, stuffing what he can into subspace, and takes to the skies. "Operation is a success, Backfire!" he comments, flying off into the distance.

Combat: Backfire strikes Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Rock-It Lawn-Chair attack!

The Black Sparrow catches the rocket full on. And when it strikes and explodes against the VTOL Hybrid, The Rush gets rocked from side to side and a piece of the over stylized ship gets knocked loose. There's just so much going on that the lights inside of the ship are sent into a flickering rage, as well as the sounds of sensors and stuff beeping and what not. That was a brutal hit.

"If The Rush even understood what you were talking about, The Rush would have an appropriate response." It takes a moment for The Black Sparrow to get itself back righted. It is still flying, though smoke is coming from the side of it. Something crucial must've been hit. But The Rush is at the controls so it isn't over until it is fully over. And for The Rush, it's /never/ over. "Instead, allow me to reintroduce myself..." And then a pair of cannons that are revealed from the front ofo the VTOl Hybrid seem charged up and ready to rock, before they blast something fierce in the direction of Backfire.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > strikes Backfire with his EMP Pulse Cannons attack!

Enveloped in the EMP, Backfire's screams are likewise mute when he is wracked over in pain. The assault is enough to knock him out of the air, plummeting towards the ground, the Seeker can barely manage to curl up into a ball before making contact with rough Siberian soil.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-RRRRRRRRRRRRAMMMMMMM

The crater created flicks with small fires, quickly doused by the abundance of snow here. A mixture of smoke and steam trail upwards in large wafts, only disturbed when a hand reaches from the impact crater grasping the edge. Slowly getting up, Backfire runs a diagnostic over his systems while trying to gain a bearing on Rush in the air.

<SYSTEMS - EFFICIENCY EXCEEDED. INTERNAL REPAIRS REQUIRED.>

Silencing them with the touch of a button, Backfire merely glares upward at 'The Rush'.

"Fool."

Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Backfire takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

"I know you are but what am I?"

The Rush pours onto the controls of the Sparrow, twisting and twirling the ship down towards the ground. This is why he was taken out of prison to be able to fight alongside the EDC and take out suckas like Backfire. This is why he's called The Rush, because he's moving so fast that the bad guys don't know how to handle it.

As he nears the ground and where Backfire is, he takes aim with his targeting computer to try and get a lock on the Backfire, before sending forth a blast of DISRUPTIVE LASERNESS in his direction. Nothing too damaging, but if he can continue to wreck this fool's sub-systems, he's all for it.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Guarded.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > misses Backfire with his Zap Brannigan's School of STFU (Disruptor) attack!

Orange energy crackles over Backfire's form, developing in the fists and spreading throughout wildly. Spiking in random fashion, the energy snaps and fizzes aloud as the Seeker's glare is still trained on Rush. It's unclear whether the 'fool' statement was made to his opponent, who is providing much more of a match than he thought, or himself for pushing the fight when the objective was already completed.. especially in his given condition.

As the energy builds, the aura of it extends zapping nearby complexes randomly, the power to the EDC base flickers and is lost. Drawn into Backfire's chorus of energy, the sight is abysmal to say the least. A lone Decepticon figure, completely enveloped in bright orange energy, toxic to the touch, surrounded in darkness as an EDC base struggles with the power outage. Emergency lights attempt to activate, then those too are shorted out as fast as they activated.

Slowly, Backfire's arm raises to point at the Sparrow. "Soon.." he barely mutters, his optics almost a look of possession as they glow bright white. One of the arcs from Seeker streaks out.. clearly not by choice, but merely because of proximity. "Leave this place, or your end will be SOON!" he rages, still building up energy. The collection of power soon shifts to the arm pointed at Rush, the large buildup pooling and swirling around.. condensing, hesitating, waiting for one final release.

Combat: Backfire misses Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Happenstance Energy-Arc! attack! [Pulled -1]

<EDC> Captain Ushanka says, "We have lost all power to base, Rush come in, what is happens?"

<EDC> The Rush says, "The Rush has it under control! Stop whining!"

The Black Sparrow banks to the right as energy goes arc-ing through the air and such. This is not a good sign. And considering that things are going bad in the base, The Rush is considering his options. "Goin' dark." is said within the confines of the Sparrow, before he turns off the entire VTOL, making it go silent and plants himself somewhere he might not be seen. Not that the ship has a cloaking device (yet), but The Black Sparrow is more than capable of recharging its batteries, so to speak, while it is not being shot up the yin and yang or blasted with energy.

Here's to hoping that Backfire is just too stupid to find it.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > compares his Intelligence to Backfire's Intelligence: Success!

When the Sparrow suddenly goes 'dark', Backfire's optics remain open.. but squint the ever so smallest of a fraction of a half of a very tiny measurement. They shrink ever so slightly, or something. The hand soon turns into a fist, joined by another, both held out wringing with power as it is slowly redistributed. This is perhaps the most powerful collection of power Backfire has ever wielded thanks to this medical anomoly, his lasercore overcharged and superproducing.

If his internal systems weren't already muted, they'd be SCREAMING pings and klaxons like nobodies business right now.

Suddenly, the energy that was just previously coarsing over his frame envelops into his middle. Internal sensors are silenced, all recording instruments in the immediate vicinity (even the Seeker's) fail, all documentation of the next few minutes might as well not exist. The bright white optics cool, resuming to their nominal color. They shine brightly in the complete and utter darkness.

"Die."

FFFFFFFWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBB

From Backfire's middle, the entire area is bathed in the noxious orange energy. Spreading outwards, it rollicks over anything in it's path. Buildings are toppled, the unshielded parts of the EDC base are vaporized, trees, shubbery, vehicles, the ground itself razed and left charred. Backfire himself falls to the ground on a knee, the toll itself taxing and damaging to his own life.

Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Backfire strikes Black Sparrow < The Rush > with his Energy Anomoly Wave <Full Power> attack!

The Black Sparrow is glad the systems were down and off because that energy tears the damn thing somewhat apart. But after the surge of power and unjust pain, it flickers back to life and rises. On that rise things fall off it, from parts of the ship itself to things that probably shouldn't be falling from it. Still, though, The Rush is smiling through the cracked cockpit.

"Haha! Loser! We didn't need this base anyway!" That is all The Rush can think of to say right now, as he's focused on trying to keep the Sparrow from falling completely apart as it turns to start flying off in a direction that is not the base. He tried to protect it but he couldn't. Not by himself. And he'll be damned if he's going to let his ship get destroyed protecting something that he doesn't even care about.

@(*#@ That.

Combat: Black Sparrow < The Rush > begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.

The damage to Rush's ship and quick departure go largely unnoticed, as Backfire rises systems begin to reboot.. which activates his onboard diagnostics. Another push of the mute button silences them, however. The Seeker guages his power levels and begins the meager stumble back to base.

Objective complete, though his lasercore is worsening by the cycle.