TNF 2/27/08 - Wallonia

Dreadwind soars in from the skies to the east.

Dreadwind has arrived.

Dreadwind descends downward to Brussels.

Dreadwind has left.

You fly downward to Brussels.

Brussels, Belgium

In the walled city of Brussels, the passage of time seems to have stopped a century or two ago; step-gabled guild houses, gothic churches, and antique shops from the 14th and 15th centuries line the cobbled streets. At the city's center is the Ilot Sacre, the Sacred Isle, the old merchant heart of Brussels with streets named for the merchandise they sell, such as the Rue des Bouchers (Butchers Street) and Rue des Marches aux Herbs (Herbs Market). Tourists, strollers, and artists crowd the streets, the sound of the French, Dutch, and English languages attesting to the varied heritage of the people. Yet Brussels is the seat of the European Union and of NATO, in direct contradiction to its quaint atmosphere.

Soundwave stares down at the silly flesh creatures, evaluating them. "Negative. Judging from their expressions of embarassment and shame, the removing of outer coverings was unintentional. Except for the one in the trenchcoat. He appears to have intentionally exposed himself." He glares at the offending human. "STOP DOING THAT!"

"GRAH!" Warmonger cries, shrinking back from the powerful blast even as it vaporises his precious chest vulcans. "VERMIN!" he coughs, waving away the smoke rising from his chest. "You DARE to strike ME?! A DECEPTICON?! Very well! No more of your disgusting human 'games'."

The old jet raises the high-bore laser, powering up the amber running lights and clicking off the safety. "Prepare to meet your final doom! Prepare to meet DESTRUCTION in the DEADLY BEAMS of... PORCELAIN!"

That's right. Warmonger has decided that the word "porcelain" deserves to represent something cooler than plates. The weapon screams as it releases is plasmatic payload, sending amber death across the heavens towards the Unity.

Galvatron points an imperious finger down at those Wallonians of Namur who are paying him tribute. "That is enough! You have sufficiently humbled yourselves with your gifts of porcelain and... removing your coverings. Except for you in the long outerwear, you I will incinerate for your hubris." Galvatron fires a pair of barely-visible shimmering heat rays from his eyes, causing the flasher to burst into flames and collapse as a pile of ash and blackened bones in seconds. "As for the rest of you... I am pleased at your worship of your new Overlord! As I am a fair tyrant, your lives, and this quaint eighteenth-century youth hostel, shall be spared! Go and tell your comrades of my justice, and raise your filthy human larvae with my name emblazoned across their very souls in terror!" The Wallonians, aghast at the incinerated pervert, are hurriedly pulling their trousers back on, and run away as Galvatron gives them a last order to "Begone!" Galvatron looks pleased. "Well, that's more than usually pay fealty, Soundwave. What else do we have to show for our visit, apart from the 'porcelain' goods?"

White Futuristic Racecar transforms into his robot mode and stands on the outskirts, reluctantly watching this battle. He doesn't seem willing to get involved just yet. Instead, he has been sending radio transmissions.

Michael Briar pulls up hard changing his direction. The porcelain beam is on target, but the Unity isn't even there. However, it does blow the house Michael crashed into just a short time ago into splinters. It goes up like a roman candle raining smoke and fire caught wood everywhere. Michael says, "Damn you! I'm through playing around!" He pulls his rail rifle from his hip lock and fires off a one handed stream of hypervelocity rounds at the seeker.

A certain racecar haults and transforms into Countdown! He hits the ground ashe lands, looking around.

Warmonger is not very good at dodging, this is just a fact. He is tough, though! That serves him well as Briar's rifle rounds tear through his hastily-erected shield (one of his arms), leaving it hanging uselessly by his side. "DAMN YOU, PORCELAIN!" he yells, glowering at his gun. With disgust, he throws it back into subspace... and dives once more towards the Unity.

"You will not be rid of me so easily, human! I, WARMONGER, am veteran of a THOUSAND THOUSAND campaigns!" Raising his good arm, he fires off a few rounds from those ubiquitous arm lasers.

Warmonger misses Exo-suit Glaive Unity  with his Arm Lasers attack.

Soundwave presses a button on his shoulder, and out pops an Autoscout! It unfolds into its drone mode and its wheels shriek as it rolls off into the city. "Drone dispatched to search for Autobot spy." He then stoops down, and sorts through the pile of collected loot with a finger. "It appears that there are a great many offerings, lord. Mostly pottery and belts, but there are small amounts of metallic objects here as well." He nabs something between his thumb and forefinger and slowly pulls it out. "...this appears to be a steel mold for mechanical components. Too small to be of use."

Galvatron looks after the Autoscout curiously. He had forgotten Soundwave even had those. Wow, that's obscure.

From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar roars and now that Warmonger's on a missing streak, Michael takes the oppertunity to go for the big cheese. He turns and says, "Bigger FISH!" before diving down towards Galvatron. "Leave these people alone!" he screams over the roar of his engines. The four wings on his back split down the middle forming four beam cannons. They rotate forward over and under his arms as they charge and crackle with power. His ion cannons, already out, glow red with their own charge before the whole thing is unleashed upon Galvatron. THOOOOOM! With a huge blast the six energy weapons are focused upon Galvatron's spot.

Exo-suit Glaive Unity  unleashes its Tsunami Strike attack on Galvatron, striking Galvatron.

On the horizon a dark cloud appears approaching ever so slowly, those less inclined for gloomy weather had best find shelter or at least stop listening to the airwaves.

Galvatron, looking after the Autoscout, is distracted long enough for the human to land a hit on him which scorches his paint job and sends electrical bolts crackling down his body into the ground. "What? You DARE?" He throws his right arm up and fires off a searing blast in reply. "Tell your Autobot cronies they need no longer beg for your life, human- it is forfeit!"

Galvatron strikes Exo-suit Glaive Unity  with Fusion Cannon (low output).

Green Cyber-Copter  streaks into the area. The noise from his rotor blades seems just a little quieter than usual and make a whirrring sound rather than the normal whup-whup-whup. He's not 'stealthy' by any stretch, but now his flying mode sounds about as loud as a car, rather than a traditional helicopter.

You send a radio message to Quickswitch: Quickswitch, this is Springer. You ready to get back to heavy Earth duty?

Quickswitch has arrived.

Soundwave stares at Galvatron as he is shot, but decides that he can take care of himself, so returns his attention to his drone. Speaking of which, Countdown might hear the little thing's wheels whirring loudly any second now...

A low deep rumble resonanting feelings of fear and dread rolls through the air as the gloomy smudge grows ever closer. The more observant will notice that it does seem to be travelling against the wind, though it doesn't seem to be in any sort of hurry.

From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar lands just as the fusion cannon slams into him. It pushes him back digging rough furrows in the ground. The power alone is enough to melt paint off and warm armor plating. Just as soon as it's done, it stops leaving smoking trails from the suit. "Yeah...I 'DO' Dare. And no one begs for my life!" Michael leaps up on Galvatron kicking upwards towards the decepticon lords chest with a boot.

Exo-suit Glaive Unity  misses Galvatron with its flying kick attack.

 Quickswitch says, "What's the situation, Autobots?"

 Countdown says, "Briar is getting an ass kicking."

 Springer says, "Not for long."

 Springer says, "WRECK AND RULE!"

 Countdown says, "But he is doing a good job of dishing back. I am about to engage a target."

 Quickswitch sounds completely unruffled, "Of course, he's one of those humans."

 Quickswitch says, "Who's he trying to fight?"

 Michael Briar says, "Actually, I'm not doing so bad...but some backup would be grand..."

 Michael Briar says, "Well, first this old seeker, but he couldn't keep up to me, so I switched to Galvatron."

<Autobot> Quickswitch snorts laughing, difficult to read his tone in it.

Countdown says, "Briar, get out of here," pleads Countdown as he looks at the damaged Exo-Suit. "Human, I know you are trying to do good, but this ain't working. Rodimus Prime needs to be here to help. The Autobots? We're not going to be able to do much against the likes of Galvatron." He adjusts his faceplate and looked at Galvatron, "I tried to make a deal with you... And this is what you do?" He disconnects his two gauss guns and isn't sure who to target. His attention pans over to the sound of wheels and notices Soundwave's drone. "Better take on the master to shut off the drone.""

<Autobot> Michael Briar says, "I don't see anyone with the bearings stepping up to face him. Unless you've suddenly learned to turn yourself invisible Quickswitch?"

<Autobot> Countdown says, "Briar, I am going to take him on for a little after I take on the drone that Soundwave has."

<Autobot> Quickswitch replies crisply, "I am already en route."

Galvatron steps back and brings up his knee in an attempt to intercept the Unity in the midst of its flying kick with a crushing blow! "You foolish flesh-creature! You will die with the rest!"

Galvatron strikes Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar> with Boot to the Head.

<Autobot> Michael Briar says, "Good to hear Quickswitch. Arugh...damn, that hurt more than I'd care to admit.  I'm not backing down though.  Not until the big guns get here.  I didn't rejoin the EDC to peel potatoes or fix the toasters.  I'm here to defend the earth!"

Green Cyber-Copter <Springer> tilts slightly forward and dives towards Michael Briar's position. He pulls out when he gets close and hovers over the Unity, small weapons ports swinging open on his undercarriage. A pair trusy Cybetronina energy weapons emerges, swivelling to orient on Galvatron. "Galvatron's just a mech like anybody else! Don't worry Michael, we've got your back. Let's show 'em how!"

Galvatron evades your Laser attack.

The drone's wheels go SCREEEE as it rushes right for Countdown! Oh, no, it's coming right for you!

Durango has disconnected.

Finally the dull smudge reaches the action, though some now might be wishing that it was a meteorological phenomenon the unmistakable and strangely chilling shadow crossing the city is in fact Dreadwind.

From Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar>, Michael Briar has disconnected.

Galvatron laughs aloud, throwing back his head. "If I am just a mech, Springer, and yet so much greater than you, what poor creature must you be then?!" He steps to the side, lasers raking the cobblestones on either side of him as Springer comes in towards him, and calmly raises his right arm, setting one foot back to brace himself against the recoil. "Let me show you what just one mech can do!" gloats Galvatron smugly, and fires a blinding purple beam of energy sufficient to bore a hole through a mountainside.

Galvatron strikes you with Fusion Cannon (standard output) for 36 points of damage.

Countdown pauses and opens fire with his twin blasters at the Drone." He frowns slightly over at the others, "Um, guess on how to stop this would come in handy..." Countdown ponders being a racecar and outrunning the said drone, but alas, there is no time for that.

He unloads as much firepower as he could, hoping that something gets damaged.

As it had rocketed between two continents, the fighter jet had time to consider plans of attack, and to consider the words of the human. How was the human going to be able to defend its own planet from the likes of the Decepticons? It climbed higher and increased thrusters as it, Quickswitch neared the coordinates. He gave a last minute check of his wing-cannons and weapon systems before descending. His sensors detect a familliar sight, Springer, engaging a less than welcome one as the Sixchanger roooaaarrred downward. Never send a human to do a mech's job!

The drone goes up with POP, little component parts flying out in every direction as it sparks and fizzles to death. Well, that takes care of that...

...or does it?! Suddenly Soundwave's body flies across an antique housing complex, arms outstretched as he tries to tackled Countdown! "Foolish Autobot! The Autoscout was but a diversion!"

Soundwave strikes Countdown with Tacklepounce.

Quickswitch strikes Galvatron with Photon Blaster.

F-16 Falcon starts to circle the area making no moves to attack, Galvatron and Soundwave seem to have everything in hand at the moment and it's not as if Dreadwind's been given any orders to help, surely it should be enough that he's here at all.

<Autobot> "/That/" Quickswitch announces in a nearly smug tone as his laser connects square where he aimed at the purple perversion of nature, "is how it is done."

From Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar>, Michael Briar is punted by Galvatron and sent flying. Where did he go you might ask? Well, he's been punted so hard he lands outside of the city in a cow pasture. He crashes, hard, into the side of a hill leaving a nice smoking hole. A cow comes up and licks the side of the Unity, but that's only because he has a bunch of grass there. Michael opens his eyes and sees two cows, twins it looks like. But they're both fuzzy.

Green Cyber-Copter <Springer> has time to go "Oh sl--" before the rest of his curse is cut off as the purple energy blast lances through him. For the briefest of moments Galvatron gets a view straight through the large hole in Springer's fuselage to see the clouds and sky far behind him, before Springer jerks away out of control, spewing sparks and smoke. He barely manages to change into robot mode before he crouch-lands on the ground next to where Michael Briar's Unity...er, used to be! Springer raises his rifle and fires again. Not a conventional laser this time, but a narrow column of swirling air. Springer is trying to throw the Deceptcion leader off balance to buy himself some time to fully recover.

Springer shifts quickly into his robot mode.

Fortunately for Soundwave, Countdown is easily tackled and his guns are no longer in his hands, "Decepticon, I don't want to fight you. This isnt' worth the repairs!" He seems rather reluctant to fight today but pulls out his energon sword just for Soundwave and tries to to take a good swing while Soundwave has the advantage of having him pinned.

You successfully strike Galvatron, who is now temporarily incapacitated.

Countdown strikes Soundwave with energy_sword.

<Autobot> Springer says, "Yeah...now I get it, Quickswitch. Ungh. Anybody seen Briar?"

<Autobot> Michael Briar says, "Owwww..."

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "I think I saw the human flying due east--ah! There he is now!"

<Autobot> Michael Briar says, "Ok, big guns there now? Good...I'm going to take a nap now..."

<Autobot> Countdown says, "Don't die, human... Please."

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "Biggest guns you ever saw!"

<Autobot> Countdown says, "Thanks for the fanfair."

Galvatron fires again, but the wind tunnel blows his aim off course, and instead of severing Springer's head, he instead severs a bell tower off a nearby quaint Wallonian church. "Agh! Dreadwind, do something about this!"

<Autobot> Springer says, "Will somebody please just hit him? I can't keep this up forever!"

<Autobot> Countdown says, "Hit Galvatron? I'm fighting Soundwave right now... Pray tell I live long enough."

F-16 Falcon continues to circle for a moment before replying on open frequencies, "Yes Galvatron, though i doubt it will do anything to rectify our situation, you can almost hear the dull roar of speeding Autobot engines driving in from the distance." Almost lazily Dreadwind wingovers and aims straight for Springer, "Foolish Autobot don't you know it is futile to resist?" A low whine is heard and a fusillade of fire rains down on the green Autobot.

Galvatron gives up on shooting through the almost solid wall of air Springer is putting out, instead withdrawing his left hand into his arm and reeling out his morningstar. He begins to stalk through the wind towards Springer, fighting the wind as he draws closer and closer...

F-16 Falcon strikes you with Rapid-fire machine gun for 4 points of damage.

Soundwave grunts as the blade slices into his gut, but not very deeply. He pushes himself off of the Autobot and stands up slowly, staring down at him. "You will not fight?" His concussion appears in his hands in a flash of light, then Soundwave jumps up and hovers in mid-air. "If you do not... then I will kill Quickswitch. Observe closely." He looks away from Countdown and aims his tube-shaped weapon at the sixchanger, firing a low level blast at him. "Kill me, or I will kill him. That is your choice."

Soundwave strikes Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> with Concussion Shot <Low Power>.

Quickswitch bellows the Wreckers battle-cry as he fires toward the opening of attack Springer had just opened with his wind tunnel. His internal cpu ticked nanoseconds as his laserfire his the ground, scorching it before aiming in a strafe at Galvatron. As he aims and fires in that moment--the Sixchanger hissed at the unseen volley that clipped his wings and impacted his fuselage. Who had been responsible for that?! he wondered, seething acidly as he lost altitude and--couldn't regain it--he transformed and landed on the ground.

His clear and glowing optics followed the trajectory of the enemy's attack, and then the enemy became a target. Soundwave. The Sixchanger shuddered.

Quickswitch strikes Galvatron with Photon Blaster <Medium>.

Quickswitch springs up into his massive robot mode.

Springer's rifle starts to whine loudly, then finally the wind tunnel cuts off as the weapon overheats. Springer jerks slightly as Dreadwind's attacks rain down on his back and shoulders...but after eating that cannon blast the machinegun feels almost like a gentle rain. Springer sighs and tosses his rifle over his shoulder, reaching back with the same motion to pull out his sword. Now the reason for his altered rotor blade sound is revealed - his rotors are now curved, meaning his sword is also curved. They're much too thick to look like a Katana or a sabre...more like a gigantic, two-handed Chinese broadsword. Springer thumbs a control on the hilt, and a crackling energy field shimmers into view as he lunges to meet Galvatron.

Watching the poor sixchanger get the brunt of Soundwave's attack, Countdown decides to transform and speed away from the tape master, "Soundwave, I am not going to waste my time with you," mutters the racecar as he trails away at the fastest speed he has. He keeps his focus on Galvatron and not on Soundwave now. Suddenly, two rockets drop out from underneath the front of the vehicle and chase after Galvatron. Countdown broadcasts to the others, "Target Galvatron. Injury him and the others will retreat." He thinks it's a good strategy at the very least.

Galvatron evades your Energy_Sword attack.

Racing against time, Countdown plunges for the ground, transforming into a racecar!

Countdown misses Galvatron with his Smithers, there's a rocket in your pocket... No need to tell you! attack.

From Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar>, Michael Briar has disconnected.

Kill him. Kill /him?!/ Quickswitch continued to seeth, his optics clouding with the caccaphony of thoughts and emotions that vyed for supremacy in the mech's mind. He raised his blaster. Was he to kill him? Quickswitch roasted between rage and shock, apparent indecision as he withdrew mentally from the battle, hissing at the relentless output of his own processes.

Soundwave has disconnected.

Galvatron ducks low and lunges in as the wind tunnel fails and Quickswitch's photon blasts nip at his heels. Countdown's rocket streaks by overhead unnoticed as Galvatron swats Springer's blade aside and brings his crackling, howling morningstar swinging down towards the brave green Wrecker. "You dare to cross blades with ME, Springer? Spending so much time with Rodimus Prime must have you thinking you possess the power of the Matrix as well! You have no chance against my might!"

Galvatron strikes you with Morningstar for 17 points of damage.

JUMPIN JEHOSPHAPHAT. Barrage becomes MUCH smaller.. and a bug! How did he lose so much weight!?

There's something close enough, large enough, and BUGGY enough, that he's nearby. And he's been nearby. Remember that church Galvatron stomped on? Well. It's now a crater. A complete, perfectly bombed out crater. The lawn has been razed. The building, down to the smallest brick, has been decimated.

It's good enough, for now. "Heh! Even better. Now that that's done..." Barrage takes to the air, his wings fluttering as he lifts off the ground, flying up. "WOah. It's gotten pretty busy here! Can't believe I was missing the fun!" The beetle's guns ready. And boy howdy, he's got a lot of them. "Time to take on the live targets!" With his rockets missing Galvatron, Countdown stops in his tracks and watches as Springer gets beaten badly by the morningstar. "We need Rodimus to come in any minute now," he muttered to himself and kept revving his engine, up as if he was going for a charge soon enough.

With Countdown stopping in his tracks, Barrage gets an easy sight on the guy. Look at that. He's just standing there, watching and muttering, and revving! To think what could happen if he's just let to sit there!

Hahaha, let to sit there. Barrage, while slow, is flying towards him, and continues to, wings beating heavily as he closes in on the racecar. He's sure slow alright, but with Countdown just sort of sitting there.. well. "If you're just going to sit there, do something useful, Autobot! Like leaving."

And then he jams his horn towards Countdown's side, to leak some of that delicious, delicious energon. It's a head first ram!

Barrage strikes White Futuristic Racecar with drain.

Barrage drains energon from Countdown.

Springer gets clobbered by the morningstar, staggering slightly. He stumbles back, trying to put some distance between himself and Galvatron. "Man...and I thought -I- knew how to talk smack." Springer crouches slightly, sword held out behind him, ready for a truly massive swing. "Lucky for me, I'm built Wrecker-tough." He watches the circling morningstar, trying to follow the pattern and time his attack for the perfect moment. Springer steps in closer, sword raised...but then instead of the massive strike he telegraphs, the sword flicks out in a quick slice aimed at the wrist of Galvatron's weapon hand.

You strike Galvatron with Sword.

With the Insecticon attacking while he was trying to concentrate his focus on attacking Galvatron, the racecar looses control of himself and launches at Barrage with full force and speed. The Autobot's inertia moves too fast for him to brake properly. Even if he is able to avoid Barrage, his damage from the night is already showing and the nearby rubble will definitely meet the poor mech.

Countdown strikes Barrage with ram.

Galvatron's wrist on that side actually retracts into his forearm when he uses his morningstar- the chain comes out of his arm. So Springer's razor-edged blade merely scars the chain loops. Galvatron, on the other hand, shows no sign of stopping. He cocks his right arm back in an attempt to straight-arm Springer in the teeth. "Not tough ENOUGH, apparently!"

Galvatron strikes you with Straight Punch for 6 points of damage.

As the Autobot's jabbed in the side with his horn, Barrage looks .. surprised almost. "What are you, a lightweight? Now I'll just have to-wh!" And that's when the inertia catches up to Barrage as well as the racecar Autobot, the car beating against the Decepticon Insecticon, causing big green and ugly to fall from the sky, the beetle crashing against the earth and rolling a few times.

Both sides of legs finally squirm once more, wings pushing him up and off his back, and brushing off, the Decepticon looks on at the target, wheeling away. "Oh no you don't! You're going to end up like the church!" Before he takes off, the horn at the front, as he slowly follows, charging. Energy, and lots of it, gathers before being launched from the horn in large blasts. Intent on taking out the Autobot. No mercy!

Barrage misses White Futuristic Racecar with its plasma attack.

White Futuristic Racecar slams into some rubbled and gets covered in it. The engine stalls as he tries to move out of the way from Barrage's flimsy shot. "Hah, missed," emits the vehicle. But sadly, the plasma beam hits more debris that end up falling onto the top of the racecar. If he was in the Daytona races, he'd be out cold.

Barrage looked at you.

Countdown begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from ARES Exo-Suit <Aya Jones>, F-16 Falcon, Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar>.

It was some time, longer than it should have taken, for Quickswitch to emerge, shaken, from his mental fog and tangled emotions. One hand at his head, haphazardly holding his blaster, his gaze pierces through it.

ENOUGH!

An ironclad grip steadied resolve and he, the action fiercely decided, was to be carried out, if or before the tumbling swirl of his own rapid thoughts overtook him again.

Quickswitch misses Galvatron with its Photon Blaster attack.

Most Decepticons would feel something akin to joy in managing to successfully attack an Autobot. Dreadwind however starts to figure out just how soon that little action is going to come back to haunt him, he narrows it down to less than a cycle before the inevitable. Banking in a lazy arc at the end of his strafing run he lines up for another attack run, this time on a rather too familiar face, twin beams of energy lance down, "I see my tormentor hounds me even here, is there nowhere i can find release from my agonies?"

Dreadwind strikes Quickswitch with Thermal Melter.

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "Springer, it's... I'm 'back' now."

<Autobot> Springer groans. "Well, maybe you can go a few rounds with Galvatron...while I pick up my internals over here."

<Autobot> Slag says, "Me Slag go round and round with Galvy Tron! Me Slag make him square!"

As Countdown zips off, Barrage hovers in the air, less than happy. "Ah, hey! HEY! Getting out of the range of my guns.. that's cheating!" He calls off, buzzing angrily. "Well if you're running, I'll just light a fire under the heels of some of the ones left." He grumbles, before flipping out of his bug mode, and into a giant robot.. with a bug horn.

And then pointing the gun that unfurls in his hand towards Springer, whom happens to be 'tormenting' Galvatron. "Here's a little help for your decision to stay Autobot! Get moving, or you won't be soon!" He enjoys his work. A line of fire rips outwards, towards Springer.. even if he's huge, maybe he can overheat?

Countdown has disconnected.

Barrage leaps from a bug, wings unfurling, legs sliding back, and guns popping out! Lots of them!

Springer is still reeling from Galvatron's punch (he was apparently falling in slow motion, Apollo-Creed style) when he's suddenly bathed in the Insecticon fire. "Aagh!" Still smoldering, Springer stumbles and goes down to one knee. By chance he's ended up close to his own rifle, which he discarded what seems like long ago. But Springer scoops it up without hesitation, immediately flipping it over to firing position and swinging it in Barrage's direction. He unleashes a long barrage an near maximum power, burning through the entire power clip.

The shot goes wide. Rage rattles and fianlly breaks through the murk of doubt and unsettlement. His shoulder-vents hiss and, no sooner while Quickswitch struggled to suppress the weakness that diminished his performance so unacceptably. He snarled, feeling the bite of lasers in his back, "DREADWIND!" Quickswitch's form twisted and turned instantaneously with the blazing overclocked fury and he took to the sky, "After I'm finished with Galvatron, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" Reap the wirlwind!

Galvatron ducks his head to let Quickswitch's photon pulses narrowly miss him. "After you're finished with me, Quickswitch? How droll! You must not have realized that it is ALREADY over -- FINISHED!"

Galvatron transforms into his artillery mode, to bring his heavy weapons to bear.

Accelerated, Quickswitch transforms into a sub-orbital jet.

Fusion Artillery falls backwards onto his artillery carriage, elevating his main gun to aim at the Sixchanger, and releases a blast of tremendous power!

Galvatron strikes Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> with Fusion Cannon (high output).

Argh! The insecticon, now a robot, takes it better, at least, than his buggy counterpart. The plasma burning into his systems, but in the end, Barrage, riddled, can feel the burn. He can take it, but he doesn't like it. Not at all. It doesn't seem to impede his choice to keep going! That wasn't nice.. and flying in the air, Barrage is pushed back a bit, before the jets finally push him forwards again, and the gun switches to something .. much better. "Alright. You like shooting too? Well.. that's still a joke.. because this is how you do it!" Barrage says, floating upwards, and over Springer, before pulling the trigger. What comes next is a blast of vibrations.. and they're pretty heavy. Weakened, however, from Springer's nice shooting.

You evade Barrage's sonics attack.

F-16 Falcon strikes home once more it seems that this cycle Dreadwind can do nothing wrong, he of course knows that this will change immediately. It's not like the universe ever allows things to go his way ever it just tries to lul him into a false sense of security before it drops another hammer blow on him. Dreadwind answers the Autobot, "Oh i might have known i was beneath your notice, not that anyone ever worries about what i may be doing, you'd rather deal with the more immediate situation. Then you can spend all the time you want drawing out my agonies, slowly but surely stripping me down to the core, finally, slowly extinguishing the spark of miserable existence that dwells within." Transforming in mid air and hanging there like a gloomy spirit Dreadwind points an arm dejectedly at Quickswitch.

F-16 Falcon suddenly halts it's forwards momentum and pulls up as it bends in half. The body of the jet twists and unfolds to become legs, while arms extrude themselves from the fuselage sides.

Dreadwind strikes Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> with Single wrist blaster.

No sooner were the words bellowed from his vocalizer than he saw, in slow motion it seemed, the impressive transformation from robot Lord into a living plasma cannon. His optics narrowed ethereally as he gunned forward toward the Decepticon Emperor, playing a dangerous game of chicken with a live beam of laserfire that impacted and sliced through him. The stink of scorched circuits, internal systems alarms going off and the Sixchanger, aghast at his own lack of common judgement. The jet torpedoed from the sky, falling in a burning, charred mess. The Sixchanger's cpu hitched, his cog spasmed his form, ripped and tore its way through its multitude of transformations faster than the eye could follow. A metallic scream despite himself--and amidst the haze of pain and rage--Dreadwing's attack strikes his exposed and vulnerable, charred and melted circuits, "Ab--Abomination..." he hisses to Galvatron, and to Dreadwing, the voice that /still/ found its way to haunt him, he winced, before finally hitting the ground in a heap.

Warmonger vanishes out of reality.

Warmonger has left.

Quickswitch misses Fusion Artillery with its ram attack.

Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> goes thud into a smoking pile of barely coherent ruin.

Autobot Standard Troops #5186 finally arrive on the scene, dozens of cars transforming and surrounding Springer, weapons pointing at the various Decepticons. Springer straightens up after the spectacular off-screen dive he performed to evade Barrage's attack, glaring up at the Insecticon. "Half of you guys...take that pesky Insecticon out!" He gestures at Barrage with his rifle. "The other half, keep that seeker off our backs!" Springer points at Dreadwind with the sword in his other hand. "Me? I'm gonna go get blown up with my old buddy Quickswitch. If I have to go down today, I don't want it to be from either of -those- losers." He turns and limps towards Galvatron. "Wreck and Rule!!"

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5186 misses Barrage with its Kick attack.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5115 misses Dreadwind with its Punch attack.

Sunder soars down from the skies above.

Sunder has arrived.

You call into base to find the location of your comrades...

Woah. Would you look at that! Barrage notices the dozens of cars, transforming and surrounding Springer, waeapons up and pointing at him and his buddy. Well, no, Dreadwing isn't his buddy. Too negative. "Hey! Look at this!" He cries out, as the troops begin to march towards him.

And then as some launch themselves, feet first towards Barrage.. he lets them go over, flipping into a bug and flying low, ducking out of the way. "Hey Dreadwind, Cheer up! We have lots more targets now!" And he bets these .. blow up easier.

ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! "Hey. Stand still! If none of you are in any craters when I'm done .. well you better be!" And flying above them, wings flapping, he begins to fire of quick, powerful shells, trying to rip through the Autobot troops!

As Quickswitch streams by overhead in fire and smoke, Galvatron snaps back upright, turning to watch the sixchanger augur in. "Ha ha HA!" he cackles triumphantly, clenching his fist. "Without your precious leader to hold your hands you are but babes in the woods!" He turns back to face Springer, igniting his plasma saber and taking a gladiator's stance. "Come then, Springer! Let's bring this sorry charade to a timely end!"

Galvatron rises into his mighty robot mode.

JUMPIN JEHOSPHAPHAT. Barrage becomes MUCH smaller.. and a bug! How did he lose so much weight!?

Barrage strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5186 with Gauss.

Dreadwind turns to look at the approaching Autobot horde, "See i was right i told you they were coming not that anyone ever asks me about our tactical situation." He turns his dull stare on Springer, "It's been a long time since anyone associated me with that group, though i suppose it's not surprising they rarely associate with me." With that he smoothly draws both his Melters and levels them at the Autobot reinforcements and open fires, "I doubt that they'll find anything left of me but microcircuit dust, now my final end is here and i am still alone..."

Dreadwind strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5115 with Twin Melters.

Autobot Standard Troops #5115

Streaking out of the stratosphere like a lightning bolt, Sweepcraft <Sunder> hears his leader's call and goes to obey. First order of business--deal with that pesky Autobot Sixchanger that is all over Galvatron like Junkions on a working TV. "Taste hot lead, Autobot," the Sweep hisses, firing his machine guns at Quickswitch.

Sunder misses Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> with his ballistic attack.

Springer grates out, "Bring it on, Galvatron." He drops his rifle to clutch the sword with both hands again. As Galvatron closes in, Springer lifts his sword in a high ready position. His thumb and first finger manipulates a control in his sword's hilt, but this time instead of projecting the energy field

Springer's sword splits into two pieces!

Since his sword actually consists of his rotor blades, folder over and stacked together, by unhooking them he actually gains two identical swords (each with only half thickness and hilt of the original). The move comes so fast that his swords are a blur, and suddenly one is flashing down but the other speeds towards Galvatron's chest from a totally different angle.

(Meanwhile, the plucky Autobot troops keep up their seemingly futile attacks against the Decepticons.)

You strike Galvatron with Slash.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5186 misses Barrage with its Laser attack.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5115 misses Dreadwind with its Punch attack.

The Sixchanger knew he had a body, knew it because of the way it burned and knew the boundary of it. He had cycled through so many modes, he wondered softly what, yes.. A head... he had a head... a hand... two hands... yes. His photon blasters registered in subspace and the Sixchanger felt immediately reassured. He reached up, ignoring the stabs of pain and system protestations, though the move was slow and labored. /Systems online, proceed, engage hostile units./ Yes, he quipped dryly, that /would/ be advisable, wouldn't it, if he weren't a twisted, deplorable mess on the ground! He bareted himself, even as he tried tp move.

Laserfire! Quickswitch's cog took its own action to protect itself, tearing apart his form further--he choked down a terrible groan as his metal rended and subspace compacted himself down into his battered pistol mode, something small enough to evade, before uncurling from it and bringing himself shakily to his feet, slowly.

Quickswitch springs up into his massive robot mode.

<Autobot> Quickswitch uhhnnnns... "..Wreck and rule--!"

Galvatron is caught by surprise by Springer's crafty feint! "So you have some skill!" he exclaims as he brings his blade slashing down in a mighty two-handed stroke, his blade spitting plasma as Springer's carves sparks off of Galvatron's armor.

Galvatron strikes you with Plasma Sabre for 14 points of damage.

Dreadwind somehow manages to keep his somewhat cumbersome bulk out of harms way as the Autobot troops continue to pour their attention onto him, trying to overwhelm the terminally depressed, "Well this is a fine debacle if ever there was one, so many Autobots but so few Decepticons, we're all going to suffer excruciatingly." He looks at one specific Autobot trooper and asks, "You agree that this is all completely pointless, yes?" As he back hands him.

Dreadwind strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5115 with punch.

As the plucky autobot troops keep up their assault, Barrage gets an earful of Dreadwing. "There's got to be a way to drown out his noise." Barrage says to himself, as lasers begin to pelt towards the Insecticon, the bot being able to dive and flap this way and that, as he closes in towards one of the Autobot troops. And singling out a single Autobot troops as well, Barrage pushes one to the ground .. or tries, before biting at him, horrible metal teeth.. just biting. It's more like a love tap. With metal fangs. "Maybe this'll take my mind off him." He's much rather be shooting, however!

You have set the custom name for attack energy_sword in mode 1 to "double-cut."

Barrage strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5186 with bite.

Muttering curses at having missed his prey the first time around, Sweepcraft <Sunder> banks, then comes around for another strafing run. He was looking forward to this. Warming up his plasma cannon, he sights in Quickswitch and opens fire, hoping to barbecue the Autobot for his insolence. "You will pay for opposing the mighty Decepticon Empire," the Sweep snarls.

Sunder strikes Quickswitch with plasma.

Springer takes the blow across his chest, spinning around slightly to try to lessen the impact. "Gee Galvatron...hrrnh." Sparks fly from the new gash in his torso, indicating that the impact wasn't really lessened all that much. "You say the...*coughcough*...nicest...THINGS!!" Shouting that last word, Springer spins back around in a sudden rush of motion, swinging both of his swords in parallel, savage swipes at Galvatron's side - the one unprotected by the Decepticon Leader's own sword.

Although the Autobot troops valiantly keep up the fight, some of them are really starting to waver on their feet, others casting worried looks at Springer and Quickswitch.

You strike Galvatron with double-cut.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Barrage under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5186 strikes Barrage with Laser.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5186 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

The soldiers of Autobot Standard Troops #5115 attack Dreadwind under orders from Springer.

Autobot Standard Troops #5115 misses Dreadwind with its Punch attack.

Galvatron grimaces at the screeching sound of twin blades slicing his armor. "Even so, talk, as they say, is cheap." He lashes out with his right hand towards Springer's throat. "And I... am a man of ACTION."

Galvatron strikes you with The Inevitable End for 18 points of damage.

You are very conscious that your life is in serious danger in this battle.

Galvatron hauls up Springer by the neck with a shake like a dog capturing a rabbit, and begins to squeeze him, holding him off the ground with one hand.

Dreadwind continues to battle on... some would say valiantly but he certainly wouldn't, nor would anyone that knows him. As the first Autobot flies backwards and knocks out a little breathing space a second lunges in from the opposite side. "Autobots, Decepticons, what does it matter who wins, we all lose in the end, we're all headed for eternal shutdown one way or another, are you in such a rush?" He questions the trooper as he leans away from the blow and lashes out with a big foot.

Dreadwind strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5115 with kick.

Barrage is blasted by the lasers, the troops catching him more than not, and the shots begin to melt his armor. "Ouch! Now that stings!" He claims, before buzzing up into the air, his horn glowing again as he focuses down towards the soldiers. "Heh. But that doesn't mean I won't give you back what I've got." Barrage explains. He's not giving them a second to fight back, if he can. Dreadwind can do as he pleases.

What Barrage is pleased with, is simply turning them to scrap. Not TALKING about it! And that's why a rather large blast of plasma lances from his horn, towards the Autobot troops, in an attempt to reduce them to a smoking crater. Even more so!

Barrage strikes Autobot Standard Troops #5186 with plasma.

Springer's feet slowly leave the ground until he's dangling in Galvatron's grasp, neck creaking as it's crushed. Luckily, Springer still has a sword in each hand, and he crosses them in an 'X' under Galvatron's forearm. Unluckily, that arm is slowly but surely crushing several of Springer's more important internal systems into scrap, and he can't apply much pressure. Still Springer jerks both blades out, in a desperate motion that probably doesn't cause much damage but does cause Galvatron to relax that iron grip just enough for Springer to slip free. He stumbles back, coughing, then calls out weakly. "Quickswitch! Our troops are getting trashed! We've got to get them out of here! They're not Wreckers!"

A few of the beleagured Autobot troops throw relieved, grateful looks towards Springer. No doubt if Impactor or Roadbuster had been here they would have been extorted to fight to the very end, but with the more affable Springer they might actually live to transform another day.

Springer transforms into his racecar mode and heads off. "Follow me boys! And don't straggle! Do what you can to cover us, Quickswitch, but I expect you to be behind us any micron!"

Springer shifts quickly into his helicopter mode.

Springer shifts quickly into his racecar mode.

Springer begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Sweepcraft <Sunder>, ARES Exo-Suit <Aya Jones>, Exo-suit Glaive Unity <Michael Briar>.

A new round of scorching cicruits cooks the Sixchanger. NRRGGHH!! Rage flooded his neural network as his CPU surged. He looked around, brought hunched to his knees with the impact. His cog would not obey him--a mental block most likely instituted by his systems, as it never malfunctioned. He raised his photon blaster, opened his mouth to curse the tracker-terminator but the resulting issue was out of step of his rapidly crashing emotions. It was flat, devoid, clinical, "*ZZZRRRK* --ystem standing by. Unit--bzzzt!--target locked," the hostile was to be engaged. Quickswitch stared down the end of his blasters, firing overhead at the Sweepcraft, heavily concentrated fire. "Proceeding to terminate the hostile alien unit." (ignore this transformation, and no, it won't kill ya Sunder. :) )

Accelerated, Quickswitch transforms into a sub-orbital jet.

Quickswitch strikes Sweepcraft <Sunder> with missile.

Autobot Standard Troops #5186 falls into formation behind you.

Autobot Standard Troops #5115 falls into formation behind you.

Galvatron recoils, clutching his injured wrist momentarily before he recovers in mere seconds. "SPRINGERRR! Next time you won't be so LUCKY!" Galvatron swings out his right arm and fires a solid purple beam, raking it across both the nearest group of troops and Quickswitch, but he isn't fast enough to catch Springer with it before the canny triplechanger makes good his escape.

Galvatron unleashes his Fusion Cannon (low output) attack on Autobot Standard Troops #5186 and Quickswitch, striking Autobot Standard Troops #5186 and Quickswitch.

Green Cyber-Car <Springer> drives off into the distance, the Autobot troops transforming and falling in behind. There's no Autobot theme music playing in the background this time...just a hearty "Wreck and Rule!" whenever one of the troops falls too far behind.

As Spring takes his fellow soldiers and heads home, Barrage buzzes upwards, shooting hopelessly after the triple changer. "Hey! You get back here!" Barrage commands, blasts flying towards Springer but never making it. Boy he's fast. "Next time I'll make sure you're not able to walk away from the crater.. it'll just be too big!" Damn!.. And he can't even remove the buildings. How sad.

The Autobot unit that was Quickswitch saw that it was tactically outnumbered, its systems engaging scenarios, far and away of the emotions that threatened it. It became to move in the direction of the other friendlies, possibly through them, in a means of retreat down to his last system spike.

Quickswitch begins retreating, leaving itself vulnerable to parting shots from Sweepcraft <Sunder>.

Dreadwind watches as the Autobots start to pull out, rapidly, "So some of you do have processing power above a pocket calculator. Perhaps you will put off your final termination but there is no real escape, the end will be all the more agonising for your resistance." He fires into the retreating throng though he's not really trying to hit anything.

"They're retreating! Wallonia is OURS!" shouts Galvatron, raising a fist in the air triumphantly.

Sweepcraft <Sunder> growls at the retreating 'bot Sixchanger. He won't get away if he's got anything to say about it! He fires his disruptor, trying to bring Quickswitch down.

Sunder strikes Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch> with disruptor.

Quickswitch falls to the ground unconscious.

It was the space between aware functioning and offline systems, and the Sixchanger had taken all that its systems could take.

Sub-Orbital Fighter Jet <Quickswitch>'s massive form gives a shudder as it hits the concrete with a boom, shattering it. After Sunder's final attack, Quickswitch does not move from the smoking pile of twisted metal that he is.

Dreadwind turns and watches as the final remaining combat comes to a shattering conclusion Quickswitch goes down in flames. Most would take cheer at seeing an dogged adversary like Quickswitch going offline but not Dreadwind. He stares dispassionately "As i said so many times Quickswitch, no matter what you do, what you try, there is no way to escape the suffering, it always finds you." Dreadwind lifts his right arm and hugs his own chest as if in pain from a non-existant wound and then turns his back on the wreckage and trudges back toward Galvatron.

As Quickswitch goes down, Barrage laughs. "BOOM! Another one down, and the others retreating. Look at that, Dreadwind, no beds for us! Well, maybe a bit. But we're not torn to pieces or anything." Flying in bug mode still, Barrage flaps over to Galvatron. "Well. We're done here Lord Galvatron. Any other orders?"

Galvatron looks around at the capital city of Wallonia, the human faces peeking in terror out of windows as the brave Autobots are driven back by overwhelming firepower, and realizes that as much as he would like to order that the whole city be levelled, just because he can, they DID offer him fealty and he DID agree to spare them. "Return to base, Barrage. Very good work on all your parts."

Quickly transforming, Sunder catches up to his fallen prey and starts tearing at a piece of Quickswitch's wing. Once he grabs himself a decent-sized chunk for his trophy wall, he goes back over to where his Leader is.

Sunder shifts into his fearsome-looking robot mode.

Dreadwind has reconnected.


 * RIIIIP!* A huge piece is torn off the back of Quickswitch's head.

Galvatron realizes he doesn't have to call the retreat, too. This IS unusual. "Decepticons... WITHDRAW VICTORIOUSLY!"

Galvatron points his cannon down at the cobbled street and fires, rocketing up into the sky on a purple beam of light.

And as Galvatron calls a retreat, Barrage slowly buzzes up into the air, wings moving, slightly jets helping him out. "Home sweet home! I need a recharge too. I feel pretty tired." He's out of it for the moment. He shot .. alot! A whole lot, actually. Buzzing is the least he can do.

Galvatron has left.

Galvatron quietly slips through the Sanctum's doors.

Dreadwind stops walking towards Galvatron as he calls the victorious retreat and slowly drifts skywards his arms drooping to his sides, it almost seems as if he is trying to fly through molasses as he slowly ascends.

Barrage vanishes out of reality.

Barrage has left.

Sunder has left.

Dreadwind leans forwards allowing his body to fall towards the horizontal as his chest flips upwards concealing his head, while his legs pivot and his arms join to form the lower fuselage, to reveal a deadly F-16 Falcon.

Dreadwind soars upward into the sky.

Dreadwind has left.

<Autobot> Quickswitch says, "*Zzrrrrt* System lockdown engaged, sta--BZZZTTT*"