Blowing Up a Museum



A swarm of Decepticons soars down from the sky, just as Cyclonus promised! Most of them are Sweeps and the occasional FTL-capable Seeker, but most importantly, at the head of the formation is Cyclonus himself. <>

<> one of the Sweeps shrieks. <>

At that, Cyclonus suddenly decelerates, gets behind the Sweep who spoke up, and promptly blasts him to pieces. <> Cyclonus continues as bits of his former comrade rain to the ground, <> True to his own orders, Cyclonus descends to fire upon the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but most of his strikes land around the periphery and cause little damage. The accompanying formation, wary of what happened to the Sweep, follow suit, causing minor damage with their own fire.

When you cannot travel as well as a Sweep, you think creatively. Ravage is in tape-mode right up until the order goes out to hold off on maximum damage and casualties. "You hear that? Poor you, and your new weapons... You'd better clarify with Cyclonus, Sweep." He chuckles to himself, popping out of the canopy as the sweep sends the question to Cyclonus...only to be shot?

Ravage laughs to himself, transforming before hitting the ground on all fours, immediately using the cacophony of noise and laser-fire to skitter off into the shadows. <>

Combat: Ravage activates his cloaking field and vanishes from sight!

Blast Off has arrived.

Cliffjumper has left.

Cliffjumper has arrived.

Space Shuttle  sweeps down in space shuttle mode, circling the vast green belt. "Hmmm. Selective targeting is no problem with *my* sophistated systems..." He carefully aims at a park fountain and fires, blasting the structure to bits while mostly just scaring the many humans nearby.

<> Fusillade effuses as she swoops down out of the cloudy sky, bits of cumulus wisping away off her wings. <> The bomber careens down West 53rd street, the car alarms ring and set off in her wake, and she transforms before plowing into the front plate glass windows. There's shouting, and patrons begin streaming out of the doors in a panick. A few moments later, she reemerges, the whole directory of museum clutched in one hand. She hmms, hauling it up close to her face as she considers, shouting up to the Sweeps and aircraft, "Don't you -DARE- wreck the joint just quite yet! I gotta few WITHDRAWALS to make!!"

Fusillade leans forward, wingblades whipping out to their full span, even as her arms lock backward in place as the rear fuselage. Her torso folds out to the become the cockpit of a Terran B-1B Lancer, ready for flight!

The sleek bomber rears up, wings collapsing onto hips even as the rear fuselage splits to form arms. The horizontal stabilizer slides up, the forward fuselage folds up accordian style, and Fusillade hops up on thrustered feet.

Autobot Shuttle  has arrived.

Cliffjumper drops Autobot Shuttle .

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Central Park

Encircled by water, the city that never sleeps has been forced to grow up instead of out, and the Canyons of Steel are steeper than ever, their metal spires a striking contrast against the seeming wilderness of the park. To the south sprawls the tangle of downtown Manhattan, the massive United Nations complex now rising high to rival the skyscraping Empire State building.

The sloping glass wall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, repository of many of Earth's greatest art treasures, reflects the sunlit sky on the east side of the Park. Crowds throng the park no matter the weather, walking, hoverboarding, playing or simply relaxing. Wide open spaces combine with stretches of crowded pines and maples.

Contents:

Autobot Shuttle 

Cliffjumper

Space Shuttle 

F-15E Strike Eagle 

Fusillade

Ravage [Hidden]

Elita One

Theatre

Obvious exits:

North  leads to Outskirts of New York City.

East <E> leads to Upper East Side.

West <W> leads to Lincoln Center.

Fly <Up>

Contrail has arrived.

Taking a short respite from the War on Cybertron itself, Elita One had returned to Earth for consulting with the Military Division. With Cyclonus' announcement, it was obvious that it was a trap of some sort, but still the challenge could not go answered. Within the shuttle, bound for the museum of art, Elita One ponders the engagement. " I doubt that Cyclonus is doing this for kicks. He's either got a scheme to work with, or he's trying to bait us." She muses, "Could be trying to fish answers out of me specifically, assuming he knows I'm on planet." Her cannon flashes to bear from subspace, shoulder mounted and ready to go, "I'd hate to disappoint his invitation either way. Let's just keep our optics up."

Destruction of art? Not on Air Raid's watch. He streaks through the evening sky in a cloud-ripping wake, not too far ahead of the Autobot shuttle, spotting the bright blasts from Cyclonus and the flock of sweeps. It takes every bit of will to keep from firing as he awaits some kind of order. <<Bossbots-can-I-shoot-yet!>> Fusillade's blatant destruction makes him all the more vocal. <<They're BREAKING THINGS, CAN I SHOOT!>>

Adjusting the steering slightly, Cliffjumper leans over to flick on the shuttle's PA systems. <<Attention passengers, if you look out your portside window you'll see a bunch of Decepticreeps itchin' for a beatdown!>> he bites out, the Golden Age making a wide turn to come into full view of the devastation that lay before them.

Or lack therof, to be more precise. Potshots taken at dirt, a busted fountain, that's not a humongous repair bill.

The side door rakes open, wind bustles in and sends anything not stapled down or a giant robot aflyin'. <<Make sure your tray tables are in the upright and locked positions before departing from the shuttle, thanks for flying Air Cliffjumper!>>

Talia McKinley arrives from the crowded New York City environs.

Talia McKinley has arrived.

Talia McKinley soars rapidly into range.

Apocryphacius has arrived.

Contrail moves north to Outskirts of New York City.

Contrail has left.

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Autobot shuttle inbound. I could attempt to infiltrate and destroy it, if you so wish. One less transport for use to Cybertron."

Another set of engines roars over New York, but fortunately these aren't more Decepticons trying to blow up the Autobots or the Big Apple. It's a VTOL aircraft pulling up along the Autobot shuttle, and the EDC markings are clear as day on the sides. As it settles into a flanking position alongside the larger shuttle Talia raises one hand to salute briefly from the cockpit as she syncs to the local NEST comm-net between factions. <<Sorry we're a wee bit late y'all, had to drop off troops downtown to start putting up perimeters to keep the civvies from gettin' too nosey in the way.>>

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Hm. Excellent idea, Ravage. Do it."

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Another craft, EDC. I do believe the transport craft is still more viable, but I shall see what I can do about the second gnat as well."

Central Park

Encircled by water, the city that never sleeps has been forced to grow up instead of out, and the Canyons of Steel are steeper than ever, their metal spires a striking contrast against the seeming wilderness of the park. To the south sprawls the tangle of downtown Manhattan, the massive United Nations complex now rising high to rival the skyscraping Empire State building.

The sloping glass wall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, repository of many of Earth's greatest art treasures, reflects the sunlit sky on the east side of the Park. Crowds throng the park no matter the weather, walking, hoverboarding, playing or simply relaxing. Wide open spaces combine with stretches of crowded pines and maples.

Contents:

Apocryphacius

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley>

Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

Cliffjumper

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid>

Fusillade

Ravage [Hidden]

Elita One

Theatre

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Outskirts of New York City.

East <E> leads to Upper East Side.

West <W> leads to Lincoln Center.

Fly <Up>

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<<Cyclonusss!>> rasps another Sweep. <<Autobotssss approaching!>>

<<Excellent,>> Cyclonus responds. <<Though Ravage has already informed us of that. Decepticons, the Autobots have accepted our invitation. Engage them or pillage the museum.>> Doing a 180 degree turn, Cyclonus bears down rapidly on the Autobot shuttle, accompanied by several Sweeps and a few Seekers. "Greetings, Autobots! AND GOODBYE!" And he and his wingmen begin to strafe the living daylights out of the shuttle. Some of the blasts might pierce the hull or viewscreen and strike the inhabitants!

Combat: Cyclonus misses Cliffjumper with his Full-Auto Area attack!

Combat: Cyclonus misses Elita One with his Full-Auto Area attack!

Combat: Drained 7 energon.

Ravage keeps his gaze skyward as he watches the two aircraft... Time to move. <<In motion.>> Ravage, ventures across the park, away from the fight proper, to begin scaling a building to gain the high-ground. Everyone's watching the fight, and Ravage has his shadows. He looks towards the fight as laser fire is unleashed upon the shuttle, carefully recalculating his ascent to the rooftops. <<Bring them by the buildings, Sir. I will do what I can from there.>>

Cliffjumper has left.

Cliffjumper enters the Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>.

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>  makes another sweep of the area, spotting the Aerialbot. "Ah.... this just got interesting. We have some unfinished business, you and I. I haven't forgotten that little "adventure" of ours in the "Middle East", as I believe the humans call it. I should have been a little more observant back then...but this will be as good a time as any to finish what I started ..." Blast Off's targeting systems lock onto the F-15 Eagle.

Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to aim his next attack.

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> sets his defense level to Fearless.

"Ah-HA!" Fusillade shouts in delight as she identifies something of interest, jabbing her forefinger on the direcotry. "Fourth floor it is!" She craftily glances around to see the other Decepticons engaged with Autobots, and taps her chin thoughfully. Then, she flashes a grin mischievously, and takes to the air on the southern face of the museum, before she begins shooting the wall to weaken it and open a blast zone large enough to admit her onto the floor containing Painting and Sculpture, 1940s-1980s.

The Global Pose Tracker marks that Fusillade has 'skipped' her action for this round.

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From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Taking evasive action, Cliffjumper yanks down low on the steering to allow the blasts to grace the topside of the hull instead of lancing their ways into the shuttle. Some leftover Sweep dust splats on the front windshield, forcing Cliffjumper to engage the wipers to get a better view. <<Ain't gonna get any better than this, Elita!>> he announces, firing off a pod of rockets towards Cyclonus.

Nameless disposable Autobot gumbies heroically leap from the craft, hitting the ground running. It's not a crack unit of warriors, but with the short notice; this is all they could whip together. However, they do their job by tying up some of the Sweeps who are still curiously taking shots at dirt.

Combat: Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> sets its defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> misses Cyclonus with its Defensive Batteries attack! [Pulled -2]

Combat: Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> (Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>) used "Defensive Batteries": A Level 3 RANGED attack.

Apocryphacius jumps off the back of the Firehawk onto a roof. A pair of tentacles lash out to steady himself on the edge as he surveys the situation. This is Earth, and he has sworn to defend it. Where can he do the most good? Do something about the ship in the air? The charred hole in the wall? Or just look for the sound of screaming friendlies? Hmm...

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> does indeed hold grudges, but doesn't /quite/ remember specific victories. All he seems to know is that they happen, so Vortex's reference totally goes over his head. <<Oh yeah, uh... I sure showed YOU!>> Elita's go-ahead has him tearing down towards the Earth with an ear-splitting scream of turbines. Naturally he goes after the 'con shuttle, hopefully mindful enough to avoid the fleeing humans as opens fire.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> strikes Space Shuttle <Blast Off> with his Laser attack!

<<Permission to engage, Air Raid. Let's show these Sweeps what happens when they go announcing their plans in advance!>> Bolts of plasma rip into the shuttle, sending Elita into cover for the moment. "That'd be Cyclonus. We can't all stay in the shuttle, they'll eat us alive. Go to ground, Autobots!" She nods to Cliffjumper, "On my way out now!" Elita One throws open the shuttle door, then bails out with a practiced forward flip, landing on the grass. <<Bomber on site! That's the greatest risk to human life. I'll try to manage Cyclonus, let's get them engaged, Spread out so we can't all get bombed!" She raises her cannon, taking shelter behind one of the outside concrete statues before putting a shot at the Con commander.

Combat: Apocryphacius sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Elita One sets her defense level to Protected.

The Global Pose Tracker marks that Apocryphacius has 'skipped' his action for this round.

Combat: Elita One strikes Cyclonus with her Laser attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Laser": A Level 2 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 7 damage.

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VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> pulls away from the Golden Age again as it opens fire on Cyclonus and disgorges trooper-bots to try and deal with the Sweeps, dropping low enough for Apoc to jump out onto the rooftops. Someone mentioned a bomber on the radio, leaving Talia puzzled for a moment... until an explosion goes off at the side of the Museum. Well that was a bomb, at least. She thought they meant a bomber plane, not a bomber like that. Though technically it's both, but that's besides the point.

The strikecraft takes full advantage of it's VTOL manuevering to swing around the side of the building and come about to try and line up with the smoking hole in the side of the building... Oh, it's -that- bomber. It's a bomber playing the other kind of bomber, but either way you slice it that's trouble. With a snort and a scowl Talia flicks on the external speakers. "Just for that Ah'm addin' public vandelism and disregard for historical value to your rap-sheet, missy!" As the ship comes to a hover Talia fires the side lasers, trying to peg Fusillade before she can get too far inside but reluctant to open up near the museum itself.

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her Consider this your one and only warning shot (Laser) attack!

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Cyclonus expertly evades the swarm of rockets by barrel-rolling through them, his slim profile from the back proving too difficult a target. Elita One, however, has much greater success shooting at him from below, where his profile is much more broad. He takes a hit to the wing but it doesn't quite burn through. "Well, if it isn't little Elita One!" Cyclonus says as he whips about to bear down on the femme, firing lasers at her, heedless of whether or not the statue is hit as well. "Do you honestly think that primitive statue will shield you from my attacks!?"

Cyclonus doesn't linger to check on whether or not it did protect, though, as he swoops back around towards the museum, or specifically, the parking lot crammed with humans desperately trying to escape, cars honking and scraping up against one another. His bomb bay doors open. "Regardless, hiding there won't protect your precious humans from ME and my incendiary bombardments!" The space warrior seems on the verge of dropping a deadly payload on them!

Combat: Removed restrictions on CRIPPLE for your attacks.

Combat: Temporarily restricting the CORRUPT effect from all of your attacks.

Cyclonus flips forward ninety degrees, limbs folding up and a nosecone snaps down across his head. Wings emerge from his sides and Cyclonus is now in his powerful space fighter mode!

Combat: Starfighter <Cyclonus> misses Elita One with his Oxidizing Laser attack! [Pulled -3]

Combat: Drained 11 energon.

Ravage keeps his gaze on the shuttle until those wipers engage, indicating a blind pilot. <<I asked for by the buildings...>> He is off like a bolt, running alongside the shuttle, Cyclonus, and all the mess as his targeting optics lock onto the Autobot craft. <<How much do you want to bet there is candy inside that one?>> He chuckles softly, skidding to a halt as his rocket is launched. <<One away.>>

Combat: Suddenly, Ravage appears out of thin air!

Combat: Sneak Attack!!

Combat: Ravage strikes Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> with his Heat-Seeking Missile attack!

"Ah, THERE we go," Fusillade says in satisfaction as she strides into the hole she made, and surveys the abstract expressionist paintings of the late 40's and 50's. Her saffron optics light up in delight as she spies the mostly black field of Pollock's Full Fathom Five, the cool grey and white splatters punctuated with tiny flecks of red. She takes a step forward, coveting the frenetic energy captured in the work, before laserfire catches her in the shoulder. With a sneer of rage, she whips back around to face the EDC. "Oh, one of you. So quick to welcome us on our return to your mudball. If you don't mind, though, -STOP- shooting at me!! I am trying to ~COLLECT~ here!!!" she pulls out her sidearm from a thigh dispensor, and raises the chromed nickle-plated muzzle up towards the VTOL, squeezing off a few shots.

Combat: Fusillade strikes VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Not-So-Effective Deterrence! (Laser) attack!

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>  wobbles a bit in mid-arc as Air Raid's lasers strike the chassis and wings of the shuttle. "Argh!" Blast Off's outer shell can withstand extreme cold and heat but he is not as heavily armored as some, so attacks do hurt. But he is used to it, and he simply smirks grimly and continues looping around, locking the Aerialbot in his sights. "Ha! You don't even remember, do you?" he sneers. "Let's see if you'll remember THIS!" and he fires.

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> strikes F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> with his Blast To Bits (Laser) attack!

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The oxidizing laser does hit the statue, as bad as it is, its better than a loss of life. Elita one ducks back out of the way, swapping weapons. She comes up from behind the statue, aiming at the starfighter, "It worked once at least. Let me return the favor, Cyclonus." She frowns, <<What is his game? I haven't gotten word of any other attacks going on.>> She shakes her head, steadying herself. The large magna-scrambler is a type of rifle, with an upper and lower rail. The magnetic charge builds within as she raises the scope to her eye. "NO!" Elita cries out, <<If I can damage his bombbay in time...>> She flips up the triggerlock, then waits a safe shot. The weapon recoils, a loud PHUFF as the magnetic bolt streaks a jagged line through the sky.

Combat: Elita One sets her defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Elita One strikes Starfighter <Cyclonus> with the Elita One-forged Magne-Corruptor attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Magne-Corruptor": A Level 3 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 5 damage.

Combat: That attack has slightly corrupted your Agility systems!

Combat: Elita One's attack damages your armor.

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> swivels its engines to a foreward angle to pull back a bit for distance, though not necessarily to evade the blast as it hits the underside of the craft because Talia is reluctant to risk stray fire in middle of an urban fight. Bits of scorched armor falls from the damage as the Firehawk shudders, but Taila diligently holds the strikecraft steady in the air.

"Do Ah gotta add theft to the list of charges as well? Better yet, lets just keep it to attempted theft," Talia retorts. Both the sidemounted machine-guns swivel forward on their control arms, muzzles flashing with bright streaks as she attempts to keep the wily femme pinned down before she can resume her nefarious plundering of pretty pictures.

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her Tracer Machinegun attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Fusillade's Agility. (Crippled)

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> becomes mildly distracted by the goings-on between the firehawk and the bomber, until Blast Off draws his attention with a focused shot to the nosecone. "Frag! Allll righty buddy, you wanna' play rough? Lil' tubby shuttle ain't no place for the stratosphere! I have some birdies for ya'!" Returning from a sharp ascension, he lobs a few sparrow missiles at the shuttle 'con.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> strikes Space Shuttle <Blast Off> with his Sparrow Missiles attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, With Ravage's attack finding it's target, the back section of the Golden Age is lit with a hellacious explosion accompanied by black trailing smoke wafting through the bright red and orange flames trailing behind the Autobot shuttle. Cliffjumper is sent forward by the ship's rocking momentum, jerkily shuddering the craft before he can implement fuel line closures and other safety precautions to keep it in the air.

Hornhead's fingers are like lightning, working over the dials and knobs with precision. Finally, the fires are extinguished; though the smoke still trails behind it. <<Not gonna keep this hunk of junk up in the sky forever, I'll be puttin' her down sooner or later!>> Cliffjumper announces to the others, before toggling another couple of switches and making a wide turn. Before firing off another salvo of shots, the Autobot pilot notes Ravage's lithe form slinking on a nearby rooftop. "There's the culprit!" he notes, triangulating a laser barrage fix on his location and squeezing off a round.

<<Eat this, furball!>> he announces from the outboard speakers to Ravage.

Combat: Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> strikes Ravage with its Bad Kitty attack! [Pulled -1]

Apocryphacius consults his field manual for advice on how to deal with the Decepticons presented. He sees something about 'holy handgrenades' with regards to Cyclonus, for some reason? He stares at the manual, frowning. Surely, they do not mean to suggest that prayer is advised? No, no, they must mean hole-y, like puncture wounds...

The Global Pose Tracker marks that Apocryphacius has 'skipped' his action for this round.

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<<Don't complain, Ravage,>> Cyclonus says. <<I lured the shuttle close enough, and besides, threatening humans over their possessions would bring the Autobots running all the more quickly.>> But then Cyclonus is struck right in his open bomb bay, and he feels his internal mechanisms seizing up on him. "Hnngh, what!?" He tries to release the incendiary bombs, but the clamps are firmly magnetized to the bombs they carry. "Curse you Elita One!" he roars as he closes his bomb bay back up. Now he decides to bear down on Elita directly, transforming before he hits the ground. "You are ENTIRELY too troublesome for what you are, Elita!" Cyclonus snaps, drawing his sword.

"Nothing but a shadow of Optimus Prime," he sneers as he slashes at her. "A pitiful remnant of something far greater. He was a warrior, but you? You skulk in the dark and shoot us when our backs are turned. You disgust me!"

Combat: Starfighter <Cyclonus> sets his defense level to Aggressive.

The space fighter's nosecone snaps back as its body flips upright. Arms and legs unfold from the wings and fuselage respectively, and a dour face emerges from the body, forming the robot mode of Cyclonus!

Ravage is fine not fleeing from where he shot the rocket. It lets him watch the vast amounts of damage inflicted as he turns to keep moving. <<Shuttle is hit, going to try to forc->> Slate and shingle go flying as the gun batteries open up on him, a few scoring a decent enough hit to spur him on. <<Going to keep forcing it down for demolitions.>>

Lowering the now-empty rocket pod, Ravage's secondary weapon systems come online, the loud ka-CRAK of a high-powered shot ringing out as he continues to pummel the Golden Age. <<Lord Cyclonus, secondary target once this is dealt with?>>

Combat: Cyclonus misses Elita One with his Diamond-Boron Carbide Sword attack!

Combat: Drained 8 energon.

Combat: Ravage sets his defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Ravage strikes Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> with his GAU-21/A .50HB (Pistol) attack!

Cyclonus transmits back to Ravage. <<The museum will be your secondary target. I did say I would destroy it, didn't I?...>>

The cat grumbles. <<Understood. Demolition standing by.>>

Boomslang has arrived.

Fusillade stuffs the painting in her chest compartment, but pays for it dearly.

K-CHUNKAchunkaCHUNKAchunkaCHUNKAchunk!

The hefty machine gun rounds bite into Fusillade's armor, biting away chunks of ceramic armor that clatter to the ground. "-STAHP-!! The slack-jawed yokels weren't going to do anything with it! This isn't theft, it's LIBERATION, you low-browed Philistine!! Rrragh! Here, catch this! @(*^&T$'n -ROTHKO-!" she foams, as she clutches a large minimalist painting consisting of three blocks of color fuzzily fading into each other in stuffy, yawn-inducing gradients. "Maybe it'll put you into a ~COMA~ from how BORING it is!!!" She slings the painting on edge, like a pointy frisbee, at one of the EDC armor's lift fans.

Combat: Fusillade misses VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Modern Art Critic (Punch) attack!

Space Shuttle <Blast Off> says, "Augh!" The space shuttle shudders as the missiles hit home, tearing at a wing and the nose of the shuttle. "All I see, Aerialbot, is a little bird that needs to be grounded- permenantly!" Blast Off sweeps around again, the sharpshooter's missiles locked on target- and he fires."

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> strikes F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> with his Blast from the Past (Laser) attack!

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Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> sets his defense level to Protected.

Elita One raises her cannon on its side to help suffer the carbide sword, blocking it, but sending her back several feet. She skids to a stop, then with another flash of purple, swaps off to her pistol. "Pretentious militant! You bomb civilian targets and announce your battle plans, then whine that I don't fight fair." Elita One shakes her fist, "You scream about honor, you know nothing about it, and you know nothing about Prime." She raises the pistol in a snap shot. "And if you hate my tactics, well....You're really not going to like this then." Almost instantly the pistol shot explodes in a brilliant, damaging flare. She steps behind a park bench as she does, not exactly good cover, but in melee anything can help.

Combat: Elita One sets her defense level to Protected.

Combat: Elita One strikes Cyclonus with her Battle Pistols attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Battle Pistols": A Level 3 AREA-RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 6 damage.

Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Cyclonus's Accuracy. (Blinded)

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Oh now that is just a low blow to throw. Talia pulls on the control sticks and the Firehawk turns midair sharply to angle itself so instead of getting julliened in the turbines it just sails harmlessly through the rear crew compartment that was fortunately empty. The painting is still likely to be damaged as it hits the ground farther away, but at least it wasn't shredded like lettuce in a salad shooter.

"Now Ah ain't the artsy-fartsy type either but y'all don't see me usin' it fer a frisbee."

Now the Firehawk was hovering broadside to the museum. This could be a problem for an aircraft. Well, for a normal aircraft, at least. In this case the striker was fully capable of taking advantace of its hovering ability even in a fight, not requiring it to turn nose towards the Decepticon femme again as instead the turret under its nose swivels to do so instead. "Ah right, now ya got me riled up. Lets see how ya like some real heat." Talia clicks a switch to exchange the ammo chambers, so when she pulls the trigger on the other control stick the Firehawk makes it's displeasure known in the autocannon firing off a few incederary rounds at the femme.

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her Spitfire APIRs attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Another couple of holes are bored into the ship, one of them finding it's way through the front windshield and ricocheting around the hull before lodging itself into a seat. "Whoa, that got his attention alright!" Cliffjumper excitedly exclaims, still working over the dozens of controls for the shuttle.

His mouth works into a sneer, scoffing about the scolding he'd just gotten from Elita One via the broadband. "There's a roof there Cliffjumper. Stop shooting roofs Cliffjumper. What'd the roof do to you, Cliffjumper?" he immitates her voice synth with a nasal-whine.

"Pfffft, check this out!" he smiles, swiveling the controls to make a pass over Ravage. At the last moment, he puts the landing gear down to try and knock the Mecha-Kitty off the roof.

Combat: Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> strikes Ravage with its Landing Gear (Ram) attack! [Pulled -1]

Apocryphacius dlligently constructs a hand-grenade that will hopefully induce copious amount of robot bleeding via HOLES. He frowns, however, as he sees that Elita One is, er... in the way. Kind of a shame, isn't it?

"What?! NO!!! NOT FIRE! You crazy bint! What're you DOING!?" Fusillade lunges back in an attempt to evade, but the rounds fly true, and soon she's careening around on the floor, shouting and sparking. She doesn't take care with where she's stepping, and one foot punches down into the interstitial space between the fourth and third floors, pitching her forward to faceplant. She thrashes around in fury, and shouts, "GET. OUT!" before clawing her way upright and sending a heat-seeking missile toward Talia's aircraft in hopes of ending its enfilade.

Combat: Fusillade sets her defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Fusillade strikes VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Medium Range Missiles attack!

Combat: Apocryphacius strikes Cyclonus with the Apocryphacius-forged Hole-y Handgrenade Area attack!

Combat: Apocryphacius (Apocryphacius) used "Hole-y Handgrenade": A Level 2 AREA-RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 6 damage.

Combat: Apocryphacius's attack drains your energon reserves.

Combat: Drained 5 energon.

Combat: That attack has slowed Cyclonus, making him less efficient.

Combat: Apocryphacius misses Elita One with the Apocryphacius-forged Hole-y Handgrenade Area attack!

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> spirals from a plume of his own explosion. Blast Off officially gains his undivided attention, and he barely manages to bank as sharply as he does, one wing rattling on warped hinges. "You slimey no-good piece of scrap! BURN!" Metal still ablaze, he tries to swoop in close enough for a single bomb. Raid is not good at decorating his bombs. It looks like there might've been a smiley painted on it but the contour totally threw him off and it's a very sad face.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> strikes Space Shuttle <Blast Off> with his BAMMO attack!

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Now that's an impressive sight, and one that would probably result in a satisfying *CRUNCH* if anyone could hear over the whine of the shuttle's engines. Ravage is run over, rolled, and left tumbling... Chaos is good, though, very good. He ducks into the wheelwell, preparing the bomb. <<Cyclonus, I will not be able to reach the museum. Continuing with previous objective.>> He falls silent, listening for the inevitable 'here kitty kitty' remarks.

Combat: Ravage activates his cloaking field and vanishes from sight!

"ARGH!" Cyclonus roars as the flash of light goes off in his now blackened face. He staggers back, clawing at his optics. "YOU WITCH! How dare you berate ME, then blind me! I'll destroy you, I'll destroy this entire area! Reduce the entire park to a WASTELAND!" Then he grunts as little pinpricks poke into his body. "What--what is this!?" he roars. "I'm... bleeding?" he says. "Another of your tricks, Elita!?" He begins to fire randomly throughout the area whilsts stepping back slowly, hoping to catch Elita with at least one shot. "Where are you, witch? Where are you, so that I may destroy you!"

To Ravage, he replies, <<VERY WELL, I will destroy the museum MYSELF! As soon as my vision recovers, that is...>>

Combat: Temporarily restricting the CRIPPLE effect from all of your attacks.

<<Is Fusillade not in a prime spot to handle that task, Lord Cyclonus?>> Ravage would smirk, if he could.

Combat: Cyclonus misses Elita One with his Oxidizing Laser attack! [Pulled -2]

Combat: Drained 11 energon.

Combat: You are still feeling sluggish.

Ravage has left.

Ravage enters the Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>.

<<I'm BLIND, Ravage, I have no idea where she is!>> Cyclonus snaps. <<FUSILLADE! Where are

<<I'm BLIND, Ravage, I have no idea where she is!>> Cyclonus snaps. <<FUSILLADE! Where are you!?>>

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Ravage keeps his voice calm. <<Then let the scout be your eyes, Sir. She is /in/ the Museum!>>

<<-NO- I am NOT done with it yet!!!>> chimes out from Fusillade as she scrambles to try to collect another of Pollock's earlier works, an abstract figural still using brushstrokes of blue, white, red and yellow on a navy background titled She-Wolf.

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>  falters as Air Raid's attack strikes right at the main part of his frame, hitting critical parts of his wings, chassis and weapon systems. He yells in pain as he begins to circle down from the sky, systems beginning to fritz. "Slag it!" He lands heavily inside Central Park, tearing up trees and walking trails as he goes. Transforming into robot mode, he shakes his head to clear his optics a bit and brings his Ionic Blaster from supspace. "This isn't over, Autobum..." he growls as he raises the gun up to track the F-15 flying overhead- and fires.

Blast Off shifts into his battle-ready robot mode.

Combat: Blast Off sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Blast Off strikes F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> with his Blast To Bits (Laser) attack!

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Fusillade, we don't have time for more of your looting! Besides, these humans--their artwork is crude!"

Combat: You ain't no admin, sucka!

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<Decepticon> Scorn says, "Oh, I wouldn't say that. It has it's charm."

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "If we required toilet paper."

<Decepticon> Fusillade says, "Most of them are awful but not this floor, pleeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!  Just a few more!"

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Bah! I was looking at this human art "website," Deviantart I believe it's called, and it couldn't have been more aptly named! I can't even describe how *I* was depicted in--hnnh, fine, Fusillade, you may continue looting just a while longer!"

Elita One frowns, not that he can see her, what with the myriad of effects piled onto The Warrior. "No, you're not. Sky Lynx is en route...just hit the state line, and shortly after that Grimlock'll probably be on site...And you /don't/ want to fight him." She considers her options a bit further, swapping back to her cannon. "Not with your armor crystalizing, your systems scrambling...what went offline anyway, your optics?" She raises the cannon onto her shoulder, "To put things another way...."

Combat: Elita One sets her defense level to Guarded.

Combat: Elita One strikes Cyclonus with her Plasma Cannon attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Plasma Cannon": A Level 6 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 17 damage.

Combat: Elita One's attack has damaged your Strength!

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> darts down after Blast Off, swooping up as the 'con disappears within the trees. He scowls and mutters his usual string of curses, and gets a shot right on his thrusters for his trouble. Unable to find his target within three seconds, his attention meanders over to Cyclonus, all the while still on fire. Elita seems to have things handled but damned if that'll stop him.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> strikes Cyclonus with his Sidewinder Missiles attack!

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> (Air Raid) used "Heat-Seeking Missiles": A Level 6 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 12 damage.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid>'s attack has damaged your Firepower!

"Flushin' out a pest, that's what," Talia retorts. Except then Fusillade decides to do some flushing of her own as a missile comes screaming out of the museum. "Aaaw man this is gonna blow donkey di--" And the explosion of the projectile slamming into the side of the strikecraft thankfully cuts off whatever she was going to say. The broadside hover was a mighty fine target to hit, and it's smoldering even as the Firehawk pulls out of the cloud of smoke, several portions of armor on the left side either burned to a crisp or broken completely.

Talia mutters as she gets a few warnings flashed of damaged systems that might have to do with the left machine-gun sparking and hanging limply from it's actuator in a useless state, but quickly subdues the klaxxon. "Fried a few systems but still in the air!" She switchs back the ammo loads and a holo-recticle blips to life over one eye as she takes full advantage of the Firehawk's advanced targetting systems. The strikecraft reorients itself properly towards the museum as it pulls higher into the air, the nose turret sweeping one way and then the other slowly. Talia tries to position the craft out of Fusillade's direct line of fire estimating from where that missile came from, while at the same time zooming in the targetting sensors and sweeping from window to window, to window, to "Aha!" spotting a glimps of the half-stuck bomber-girl through one of the windows. "Sharpshootin' don't fail me now!"


 * CHA-THUM* The Autocannon fires, in an attempt to prevent more additional damage than necessary by aiming the round -through- that window!

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Gah--curse these Autobots! Are there no medics here?"

<Decepticon> Fusillade cheers! "And now... I am out of room. Time to bring the house down!"

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "It is about time..."

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her The sort of fancy shooting you'd see in an action flick attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, The shuttle skims low over the building, barely touching the rooftop with the tire as it rolls by. Cliffjumper is smiling wide, putting the Golden Age down forty or so yards in what appears to be an abandoned parking lot. Good thing too, as the shuttle's wings knock down every set of light poles during the landing.

Hitting some buttons on the console, Hornhead does a couple of readouts and adjustments to the ship's systems to ensure they at least have a semi-functional ride after this display of power is quelled. Unstrapping himself from the pilot's seat, Cliffjumper makes his way towards the exit ramp with his Kilzooka held aloft.

"Now, where'd that skid-mark get off to?"

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Cliffjumper sets his defense level to Protected.

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, The Global Pose Tracker marks that Cliffjumper has 'skipped' his action for this round.

Apocryphacius made the reasonable assumption that, given that Elita One is not lapine, that she would be relatively unharmed by his weapon. His conjecture turned out to be true! He really means her no specific harm. Apocryphacius is /certain/ that were he to be fighting Cyclonus on Cybertron, her planet, that she would shoot Apocryphacius through to get at Cyclonus. It would be, of course, nothing personal. That is how interpersonal relationships between people work, isn't it? Especially interpersonal relationships where one person has nothing better to do than berate the other person for things that aren't his fault and appears to be completely incapable of showing gratitude. Those are definitely normal and healthy interpersonal relationships.

Now, he jumps off the roof and onto the shuttle to try to enact some in-flight repairs. That is also something that normal people do.

Combat: Apocryphacius quickly patches up some of Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>'s minor injuries.

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<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Lord Cyclonus, is someone atop the shuttle?"

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "...Pardon, I need a moment to PULL MYSELF OUT OF THIS CRATER... hrm... Yes, there is. The pet Quintesson, I believe."

Fusillade grams the She-Wolf into her left bomb bay in her torso, and finally starts paying better attention to her surroundings. She frowns thoughtfully, gazing up at some load-bearing architectural beams in the atrium. And then, the bold, red and black shapes catch her optic. "Hmm, I overlooked those at first..." she steps closer to the smoke-filled space, the glossy arm swinging through, with a series of swooping, precisely balanced boomerang shapes attached to it. "OH, a Calder mobile!!" And then she is punched through the knee by Talia's round, having successfully made it through the window. A torrent of swears and curses erupt from her as she crumples to the floor. "YOU TWIT! I can still FLY! I'll take you down!" She turns away from the mobile, her palm glowing and crackling as she primes her magnetic recall systems. She rears back, catapaulting from her shoulder to her hands a sizzling ball of shaped cyan plasma at the harrying aircraft.

Combat: Fusillade strikes VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Plasma Caster attack!

Fusillade is still on fire, too, it seems, but the flames from the sticky napalm-like material are starting to flicker out.

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Shall I detonate the shuttle prematurely and attempt to get the Quintesson as well?"

Cyclonus is hit dead center by the blast and hurled dozens of feet away from Elita, slamming into a tree in the park and landing with a clumsy roll. "You--" he begins as he stands back up. An instant later he vanishes in an explosion. After a few seconds, he pulls himself out of the smoking crater Air Raid just put him in. "Ha... hnngh..." Cyclonus grunts, smoking, armor cracked and occasionaly missing in places. One of his horns has been blasted off completely. "It will take... more than that! But since you've proven so DIFFICULT, I will destroy the Aerialbot instead!"

At that, Cyclonus transforms and, pouring every bit of power he has into his thrusters, propels himself at Air Raid! "My nosecone is reinforced to withstand collisions in space, Air Raid! IS YOURS?"

<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Yes."

Cyclonus flips forward ninety degrees, limbs folding up and a nosecone snaps down across his head. Wings emerge from his sides and Cyclonus is now in his powerful space fighter mode!

<Decepticon> Scorn hisses a little, "Ngh.. Quint.."

Combat: Starfighter <Cyclonus> sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Starfighter <Cyclonus> strikes F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> with his Ramming Speed attack!

Combat: Drained 17 energon.

Combat: You are still feeling sluggish.

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Ravage turns his radio off. Too much chatter, too much noise...and he needs to focus. Worming his way through the battle-damaged shuttle, the saboteur sniffs out the fuel cells and deposits his bomb. The thud from outside catches his attention, though, and he flicks his radio back on. <<Lord Cyclonus, who is on the shuttle?>> He pauses, listening and shakes his head slowly. <<Understood.>> The primer winds up with a soft whine before the detonation hits, giving Ravage just enough time to drop his cloak to give Cliffjumper a nice scare. "Boo."

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Suddenly, Ravage appears out of thin air!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Ravage drops Doom In A Can.

Central Park

Encircled by water, the city that never sleeps has been forced to grow up instead of out, and the Canyons of Steel are steeper than ever, their metal spires a striking contrast against the seeming wilderness of the park. To the south sprawls the tangle of downtown Manhattan, the massive United Nations complex now rising high to rival the skyscraping Empire State building.

The sloping glass wall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, repository of many of Earth's greatest art treasures, reflects the sunlit sky on the east side of the Park. Crowds throng the park no matter the weather, walking, hoverboarding, playing or simply relaxing. Wide open spaces combine with stretches of crowded pines and maples.

Contents:

F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslang>

Apocryphacius

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley>

Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

Blast Off

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid>

Fusillade

Elita One

Theatre

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Outskirts of New York City.

East <E> leads to Upper East Side.

West <W> leads to Lincoln Center.

Fly <Up>

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Understood. Detonating."

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Sneak Attack!!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Ravage strikes Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> with Doom In A Can's Huge Explosion #11117 Area attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Ravage's Doom In A Can is destroyed!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Sneak Attack!!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Ravage strikes Cliffjumper with Doom In A Can's Huge Explosion #11117 Area attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Sneak Attack!!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Ravage strikes himself with Doom In A Can's Huge Explosion #11117 Area attack!

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Combat: Ravage falls to the ground, unconscious.

Combat: Apocryphacius damages himself.

Combat: Apocryphacius damages himself.

Combat: Apocryphacius falls to the ground, unconscious.

Blast Off  smirks as the attacks strike their target, but he is annoyed at being ignored. He glances over at Fusillade, who was just taking Pollocks from the museum, and rolls his optics, sighing. "At least show some TASTE, Fusillade.... find a classic, like a John Singer Sargent or Rembrandt- or perhaps an Impressionistic work, if there is one there. Something that shows draughtsmanship and form- something that is at least a tiny bit *sophisticated* (for the pathetic fleshlings, at least). Not that abstract dribble...." He notes that she is on fire and considers a moment. "On the other hand.....have at those Pollocks. Yes, gather them all and hold them tight!" Shaking his head slightly, he turn again. "Now, where did that Aerialbot go? Oh yes!" He crouches down and takes time to aim carefully at the F-15.

<<Titian is hella tedious!>> Fusillade retorts to Blast Off.

<Decepticon> Frenzy says, "who"

<Decepticon> Frenzy says, "Awesome."

<Decepticon> Frenzy forgets all his channel commands, apparently.

<Decepticon> Frenzy waves!

With a disdainful shrug, Blast Off transforms into a space shuttle.

Members of channel <O-Decepticon> are:

Airwolf, Backfire, Blast Off, Boomslang, Cyclonus, Dead End, Frenzy, Fusillade, Ravage, Redshift, Repugnus, Scorn, Shockwave, Triggerhappy, Victory Leo

Combat: Blast Off takes extra time to aim his next attack.

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Elita One snarls at Cyclonus, "Now who's the coward? You self-righteous dual-faction mech!" (Cybertronian for 'two-faced' when you don't want to call someone a Quint-for-brains) Then the explosion hits. The Golden Age buckles, the windows shattering, smoke billowing out. Elita only has one thought. <<Cliffjumper!>> She turns away from Cyclonus and his 'totally-not-an-excuse-for-bailing' attack. She braves the smoke, "Cliffjumper?" Panic edges her voice. She stumbles across Ravage first, kicking the cassettecon out of the way, off the shuttle. When the horned one responds, Elita loses a hint of her edge. "Alright...I'm going to chase Cyclonus off, we'll get a repair team in soon." Taking a moment to kick unconscious Ravage again, she emerges, coughing from the shuttle, firing again at Cyclonus.

Combat: Elita One strikes Starfighter <Cyclonus> with her Plasma Cannon attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Plasma Cannon": A Level 6 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 19 damage.

Combat: Elita One's attack has damaged your Strength!

F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> gets a radio warning, but just a bit too late. The starfight smacks right into him in a terrific explosion, black panels of metal dropping with trails of smoke. He drifts weightlessly for a moment, then scrambles to try and transform haphazardly before falling towards the trees of central park. It's a loud, crunching collision as trunks buckle under his weight, and he takes his sweet time lying there in a smoldering daze amongst swans and upturned earth.

Apocryphacius is knocked off the shuttle that he's perching on by the fact that the shuttle is exploding. That generally tends to do it. He will be found, in the next county, in a dumpster, tomorow, with no recollection of how he got there.

Air Raid folds and compacts into his robot mode.

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

From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Fumbling with the keypad, Cliffjumper finally unlocks the door and steps outside onto the ramp. <<Ravage, Elita One.>> he deadpans over the NEST broadband, <<Have you seen Rav..>>. What follows next happens in a matter of moments, split seconds that seem to slow down to a crawl.

Before the next syllable in the Decepticon's name can be uttered, Ravage has already leapt out with his "Boo!" to surprise Cliffjumper. Before that can even be properly percieved and evaluated, the ship erupts in a large explosion. Not only does the door, but half the side of the ship, is blown off and knocks into anything in their way. The black acrid smoke that fills the air instantly decreases visibility to zero, the ground surrounding the shuttle itself a scorched shade of obsidian. The flames flicker and wag too and fro, heat accompanies the movement as it pours out of the Golden Age.

Groaning, Cliffjumper's optics are completely blacked out. Holding back a cough, he finally replies to the broadband chatter once the ringing in his audio receptors enough to hear anything else. <<Keep it down, will ya?>> Pulling himself free from the wreckage, Hornhead finds himself under a foot of soot and debris; directly under Ravage. Glancing from the shuttle to Ravage, back to the shuttle; Cliffjumper loads a rocket pod into the Kilzooka and readies it.

"Who's first?" he growls, kicking Ravage's unconcious form for good measure.

Apocryphacius vanishes out of reality.

Apocryphacius has left.

Central Park

Encircled by water, the city that never sleeps has been forced to grow up instead of out, and the Canyons of Steel are steeper than ever, their metal spires a striking contrast against the seeming wilderness of the park. To the south sprawls the tangle of downtown Manhattan, the massive United Nations complex now rising high to rival the skyscraping Empire State building.

The sloping glass wall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, repository of many of Earth's greatest art treasures, reflects the sunlit sky on the east side of the Park. Crowds throng the park no matter the weather, walking, hoverboarding, playing or simply relaxing. Wide open spaces combine with stretches of crowded pines and maples.

Contents:

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley>

Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>

Air Raid

Fusillade

Elita One

Theatre

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Outskirts of New York City.

East <E> leads to Upper East Side.

West <W> leads to Lincoln Center.

Fly <Up>

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Normally Talia would be attempting to fly circles around her target, but it's bad enough they've been shooting holes in the museum. With her opponent flinging out missiles and plasma balls she really doesn't want to risk what stray fire could do, so she's been bravely keeping her shift tanking the more lethal ordinance. The plasma strike rolls across the aircraft, burning and peeling away more of its armor and shearing into internal hardward.

Despite being smoking, sparking and stripped off of most of its protective external layers, the Firehawk is too stubborn of a machine to just roll over and stop fighting back. Ditto for it's pilot, whom's got her eye on the sights despite their being more flashing red warnings in the cockpit than she can override. "Ah ain't done with ya yet, ya metal plated hussy. So how's 'bout ta pick up yer trash out thare and get!" Alas, she's only got one working machinegun at this point, but it's enough to swivel forth and crack off another volley of fire to try and get her point across.

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Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her As long as I've still gotta gun to sling! attack!

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From Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>, Ravage is kicked. Many times. Eventually, he is not in the shuttle at all. Truthfully, he is quite fortunate to not be fused with the shuttle wreckage. He would be, all said and done, rather upset at Cliffjumper's still being functional, but the shuttle is wrecked and the Quintesson is damaged severely, so that has to count for some note of success. Cliffjumper's final kick is what sends him clattering away from the shuttle fully, the dead-weight bulk of the cat still looking relatively pristine...even if he's not moving.

Ravage leaves the Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>.

Ravage has arrived.

Cliffjumper leaves the Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>.

Cliffjumper has arrived.

Starfighter <Cyclonus> takes another horrendous blast from Elita One, which, this time, lances right through his fuselage, and soon he's pouring smoke from both ends of the wound. He struggles to remain aloft as he feels his systems crashing and power draining. "Hnnngh, no, still not enough, Elita! My bombs are no longer magnetized--observe, now, as I destroy that museum, the humans in the surrounding area, and set everything else ablaze...INCLUDING YOU!" His bomb bay doors open again. "Prepare for--"

Just then, six missiles strike Cyclonus right in this thrusters, which detonate. The space warrior, now utterly disabled, quickly loses altitude and soon plows into a parking lot, smashing aside roughly over a dozen abandoned cars. And Cyclonus isn't the only Decepticon under attack--the other Sweeps and Seekers here also fall under fire from a squadron of fighters that appear to be of Terran design, though not of any known current design!

"Cyclonus is down!!!" yells Voidrun, one of the FTL-capable seekers. "And we're being attacked by whoever these guys are! Fusillade, what do we do?"

"NO! I am still in... command!" Cyclonus says as he transforms and stands back up. He stomps towards the downed Autobot shuttle, rifle materializing in his hands. He squints through the smoke with cracked optics, looking for anything pink. "Where are you, Elita!?" he yells. Finally he sees her by the open doorway of the shuttle, and paces towards her, firing his rifle again and again and again.

The space fighter's nosecone snaps back as its body flips upright. Arms and legs unfold from the wings and fuselage respectively, and a dour face emerges from the body, forming the robot mode of Cyclonus!

Combat: Cyclonus strikes Elita One with his Oxidizing Laser attack!

Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Elita One's Agility. (Crippled)

Combat: You are running low on energon!

Combat: Drained 35 energon.

Combat: You are still feeling sluggish.

Fusillade slow-motion dives in an "Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" towards the mobile, desperately seeking to collect it. However, the machinegun stubbornly refuses to give up, and Fusillade is struck hard by it. She actually falls out of the building, blubbering and clutching upward futilely at the ruined fourth floor. "No, why why WHY?! I didn't get a chance to get to the Klimt!!!" She hrns as she hears one of the Seekers petition her for guidance. "Cyclonus is keeping Elita One occupied, a boon to YOU. Proceed to bring it down!" she gestures wide to the MOMA. "If I can't have it, no one can!!!" she calls out selfishly. She curls her hematite lips as she returns her attention back to the EDC unit. The straining engines bring her some satisfaction, but her finger squeezing the trigger of her sidearm brings her even more.

Combat: Fusillade strikes VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Disruptor attack!

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>  tracks Air Raid as the Aerialbot is hit and makes a crash landing in the park near where the Combaticon lies in wait. Blast Off is hit by a few of the splintering trees and debris caused by the Autobot's crash, but maintains his focus, still locked on his target. "Ah... that is more like it. I see your wings were clipped, too! Now it's time to pluck and roast you like the turboturkey you are.....

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> strikes Air Raid with his TurkeyShoot (Laser) attack!

Elita One suffers the blow, her systems starting to rust over even as she's knocked on her aft. With a grimace, she moves to stand, her joints creaking. "It's over, Cyclonus. You're bested...and on your way out the door, tell Shockwave he's next." Her cannon whirrs back to life again, "How many times must the Decepticons get punished for threatening the innocent? How long until you get it, that it is is what happens to you shellheaded sons of hitches when you mess with the humans?!" She brazenly stalks towards Cyclonus as well, "Fall, Cyclonus! Fall and never darken the skies here again." She spits oil onto the ground, "Same goes for your armada...wherever he is."

Combat: Elita One sets her defense level to Fearless.

Combat: Elita One strikes Cyclonus with her Plasma Cannon attack!

Combat: Elita One (Elita One) used "Plasma Cannon": A Level 6 RANGED attack.

Combat: You took 17 damage.

Combat: You are very aware that your life is in danger!

Combat: Elita One's attack has damaged your Accuracy!

Combat: Cyclonus falls to the ground, unconscious.

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<Decepticon> Cyclonus says, "Graaaa-*static*"

"Here comes the calvatry!", Talia whoops as the squadron blazes in on the Decepticon flyers. She's not going to be picky who they are as long as they're shooting the other side. Unfortunately Fusillade is being just as stubborn, and this time scores a jarring hit on one of the already struggling turbofans, causing it to choke and sputter and the Firehawk to wobble erratically as Talia struggles with the controls.

And gets the femme in her sights on the ground one last time. "A'right, iffen ya want me down that badly..." Guess it is going to be one heck of an emergency landing.

The VTOL props may be shot, but the forward thrusters still have some juice in them. Just enough for the Firehawk to make its attempt at a semi-crash landing right on top of Fusillade! "YEEEEHAH!"

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> strikes Fusillade with her Launchpad McQuack would be proud (Ram) attack!

Air Raid is jarred "awake" by a searing hot shot to his chassis. Warnings blare in his HUD, yet he claws to his feet, staggering towards Blast Off with one palm on the energon-soaked grass and the other pulling his rifle from subspace. He wears a grin that wavers on a sneer as his weapon draws forth to shakily level on the 'con. "C'mon ya' little glitch, come and get me... I'm not out yet!"

Combat: Air Raid misses Space Shuttle <Blast Off> with his Torque Rifle attack!

When Cyclonus drops before them, Cliffjumper gives a smile and glances over towards the remaining Decepticons. "Alright losers, you heard the fat lady sing, time to get along!" he grins, stowing the Kilzooka away and taking careful aim at Blast Off. "Now, GET!"

Combat: Cliffjumper sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: Cliffjumper misses Space Shuttle <Blast Off> with his Pew Pew attack!

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Central Park

Encircled by water, the city that never sleeps has been forced to grow up instead of out, and the Canyons of Steel are steeper than ever, their metal spires a striking contrast against the seeming wilderness of the park. To the south sprawls the tangle of downtown Manhattan, the massive United Nations complex now rising high to rival the skyscraping Empire State building.

The sloping glass wall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, repository of many of Earth's greatest art treasures, reflects the sunlit sky on the east side of the Park. Crowds throng the park no matter the weather, walking, hoverboarding, playing or simply relaxing. Wide open spaces combine with stretches of crowded pines and maples.

Contents:

Cliffjumper

Ravage

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley>

Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>

Air Raid

Fusillade

Theatre

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to Outskirts of New York City.

East <E> leads to Upper East Side.

West <W> leads to Lincoln Center.

Fly <Up>

Cyclonus is lanced yet again by another of Elita's blasts, and his chestplate erupts into sparks. He tries to stay up on his feet but the impact and the total damage to his system is too much for him and so it is that he collapses onto his back, out like a light. Soon, two Sweeps land near him. "Cyclonus is down! Again! We must help him!" The other sneers and says, "Why? He abuses us almost as much as Galvatron does! You saw what he did to Scrape!" The first Sweep gives him a stern look. "Yeah, ALMOST as much as Galvatron. Do you have any idea what Galvatron will do to us if we DON'T save him?" That settles it, and the two sweeps grab Cyclonus up by his armpits and haul him up into the sky.

Another Sweep, with a weird chameleon-like ability, is able to carefully tiptoe behind Elita and Cliffjumper, sneak into the Autobot shuttle, pluck out Ravage, and tiptoe out before they notice him. Cyclonus, after all, might be mad if they discovered they left HIM behind.

Cyclonus is lanced yet again by another of Elita's blasts, and his chestplate erupts into sparks. He tries to stay up on his feet but the impact and the total damage to his system is too much for him and so it is that he collapses onto his back, out like a light. Soon, two Sweeps land near him. "Cyclonus is down! Again! We must help him!" The other sneers and says, "Why? He abuses us almost as much as Galvatron does! You saw what he did to Scrape!" The first Sweep gives him a stern look. "Yeah, ALMOST as much as Galvatron. Do you have any idea what Galvatron will do to us if we DON'T save him?" That settles it, and the two sweeps grab Cyclonus up by his armpits and haul him up into the sky.

Another Sweep, with a weird chameleon-like ability, is able to carefully tiptoe behind Elita and Cliffjumper, pluck out Ravage, and tiptoe out before they notice him. Cyclonus, after all, might be mad if they discovered they left HIM behind.

Fusillade clenches her jaw as the commotion just down West 53rd catches her audial. "Pitt," she spits as she realizes that Cyclonus is down. And at about that time, a VTOL on its last limping turbofan has decided to kamikaze itself on her. Fusillade flies into a fury, barking out "DIE! DIE!" over and over. Each invective is punctuated with a downward spearing jab of her folded up wingblade, the bladed tips aimed down through the cockpit -- either to pin the craft, or pith the plucky operator!

Combat: Fusillade strikes VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> with her Wingblades attack!

Combat: VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> falls to the ground, unconscious.

<Decepticon> Fusillade says, "FINALLY, that pest is subdued!  Gamma wing, form up escort on the Sweeps carrying away Lord Cyclonus and make sure they return to base securely."

<Decepticon> Fusillade says, "Decepticon units participating in the New York assault, roll call.  Sound off!"

Space Shuttle <Blast Off>  smiles to himself as his shots strike their mark, then hits the thrusters with a roar to evade the counter attack he knows is coming. He blasts off, true to his name, evading Air Raid's retaliation. Suddenly more shots ring out nearby but again miss him. His sensors pick up Cliffjumper, who just missed his target- and who seems to have accidentally struck a building instead. Blast Off laughs, taking the time to flip up a wing towards the Autobots in a contemptuous gesture. "You'll have to improve your aim first, Autobums!" Flying fast, he notes the sorry state of the Decepticons and decides it may be the time to retreat. But no matter- he continues softly chuckling to himself. It is always amusing to watch as he hits his target time after time, while his enemies flounder! Secure in his *obvious* superiority, he flies off towards the horizon.

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: Space Shuttle <Blast Off> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

<Decepticon> A bunch of Decepticon gumbies respond with their generic names with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> plows into Fusillade. It also plows into the ground, adding to the damage to the park turf by digging another rut through the grassy grounds before finally coming to a smoking stop. Good thing it's not an exceptionally big craft, but that still leaves a bit of a mess.

And one pissed off femme. Heh. She probably shouldn't be as amused as she is at ticking off another woman of any species, but it kind of is.

Except for when said ticked off woman is looming up over your downed craft with a blade ready to stab. "Shit." Talia hits the release on her safety harness with one hand, plants her boots against the smoking console and kicks hard enough to knock her chair back and roll out of it into the hatch that least to the rear troop compartment just as the blade smashes through the windshield and into said smoking console.

A moment later as Fusillade pulls it out Talia reachs back into the cockpit long enough to snag her hat, jerking away just in time to avoid the follow-up blows to smash the cockpit a few more times.

With the cockeye angle the Firehawk came to rest at Talia ends up slumped in a back corner, but thankfully with her hat to properly put on her head. The engineers are gonna have a fit over the damage to her ship though, hoo boy.

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<Decepticon> Blast Off says, "Well, there's ME. (*He says that like that explains everything, no name needed.*)"

Air Raid leers in Cliffjumper's direction, grumbling. His dimmed optics drift back to Blast Off. "Watch your tubby tail next time, fragger!" he shouts after the departing 'con. <<Hope ya'll are doin' all right 'cause I gotta' turn in, about to pass out here!>>

Air Raid shifts and twists into his black F-15E Strike Eagle mode.

Combat: F-15E Strike Eagle <Air Raid> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Space Shuttle <Blast Off> and Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

Air Raid vanishes out of reality.

Air Raid has left.

Blast Off's sneering draws a sneer from Cliffjumper's face, which quickly swivels to focus on the last remaining 'threat' the Decepticons have in the area: Fusillade. "Hey, don't think you can dine and dash Bomber!" he grumbles, getting out the BFG and making sure it's loaded. "But iffin' ya are, let me send you home with a BANG!" he takes quick aim and squeezes the trigger on the Kilzooka.

The propulsion kicks him backwards, depositing him on his butt and looking upward at the rocket headed towards the Executrix.

Combat: Cliffjumper misses Fusillade with his Killzooka attack!

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The local Decepticon radio frequencies become quite hushed as the forces begin to withdraw. Grunting as she hauls the wingblade out with an audible *SHEENKT!* from the downed VTOL's cockpit, she hisses with predatory superiority as Talia scrambles for cover. Tottering a bit, she leverages herself back up wtih the wingblade, the tip of the blade bit into the ground as it replaces her blown-out knee. Glancing about, "Well well, looks like the party is winding down. Autobots get a shuttle blown up, we get a -- HOLY SEARING AILERONS!" A howling warhead thunders past her helmet, causing her to dive. "Whoa, that's a big one," she says with a hint of admiration, before admitting, "I got the memo though, off I go." She sulks briefly at Cliffjumper before transforming, the bomber missing several large sections of wing and fuselage, before activating her two good engines, and making for the horizon.

Fusillade leans forward, wingblades whipping out to their full span, even as her arms lock backward in place as the rear fuselage. Her torso folds out to the become the cockpit of a Terran B-1B Lancer, ready for flight!

Combat: Space Going B-1R Lancer sets her defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Space Going B-1R Lancer begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Space Shuttle <Blast Off> and Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>

The mystery jets, having helped repel the Decepticons, choose to descend and hover over the museum, courtesy of their VTOL engines. A familiar voice says, "MECH apologizes for arriving to the battle late." That voice, for anyone who's heard him speak before, is that of Silas! And on that note, the jets lift back up into the air and fly off for parts unknown!

His vision torn between following Fusillade's retreat, Silas and company hovering over the museum, and the Kilzooka's payload exploding in an evacuated car lot; Cliffjumper still frantically tries to keep track of all three.

"Damn."

VSC-25 Firehawk <Talia McKinley> clamors out of the wreck of her aircraft, just in time to catch Silas' call. But the fighters are off again before she can even get a response out. "... Well -that's- gonna be interestin' for the reports." Everyone thought MECH went out when Cross bit it, but it looks like they've just kept to themselves. "... Nice planes, though."

Talia opens the cockpit of the VTOL craft and climbs out.

Talia McKinley clamors out of the wreck of her aircraft, just in time to catch Silas' call. But the fighters are off again before she can even get a response out. "... Well -that's- gonna be interestin' for the reports." Everyone thought MECH went out when Cross bit it, but it looks like they've just kept to themselves. "... Nice planes, though."

Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age> has left.

Cliffjumper takes Autobot Shuttle <Golden Age>.

Combat: Your COMBAT flag has been cleared.

Cliffjumper goes home.

Cliffjumper has left.

<Decepticon> Shockwave says, "The humans' flirtation with ruthlessness that began with Franklin Cross is not as dead as we were led to believe, I see."

Ravage leaves to Lincoln Center to the west.

Ravage has left.

Talia McKinley moves north to Outskirts of New York City.

Talia McKinley has left.

<Decepticon> Ravage grumbles. "So it seems... I do need to get away from these overt operations. They are bad for my polish."

Blast Off goes home.

Blast Off has left.

<Decepticon> Blast Off says, "I just wish that if Decepticons are going to raid fleshling art museums they would at least *bother* to learn some taste... Abstract Expressionist Art? Pl-eeease. That's so pedestrian. At least go for some form and expression. *Blast Off *sniffs* snobbishly*"

<Decepticon> Fusillade says, "I'll show you the form of my fingers digging into your optic sockets, ya stodgy ol' prude!"

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "This is why I wish to operate alone, or at least with others who know how to act in silence."

<Decepticon> Shockwave says, "What was the purpose of raiding an art museum?"

<Decepticon> Blast Off says, "*There is a slight *hmph!* and then just static*"

<Decepticon> Cyclonus would say something but he's not in the best shape right now.

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "Yes, I concur with Ravage."

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "We should team up more often."

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Don't make me bite you while you repair my servos."

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "Wait... no. /You/ are not repairing anything, Backfire. I swore I signed something stating that..."

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "I'm certified now."

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "It's different."

<Decepticon> Ravage grumbles about optics being offline. "I'm shutting down again. I don't get paid enough for this."

<Decepticon> Blast Off says, "Apparently, Shockwave, Fusillade is an art collector now. A *poor* one. *sniff (again)*"

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "Wait, Ravage.."

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "We get paid??"

<Decepticon> Blast Off says, "Are you holding out on us, Ravage?"

<Decepticon> Ravage hmms? "You mean you don't? Take it up with Cyclonus."

<Decepticon> Cyclonus is still offline.

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "OH, I will."

<Decepticon> Registered Nurse Backfire says, "Just let me repair him first."

<Decepticon> Shockwave says, "Was there any sign of drawing the Autobots' attention? They are the ones we need to keep off Cybertron--not MECH."

<Decepticon> Ravage sighs. "I disabled one of their shuttles to help restrict movement."

<Decepticon> Shockwave says, "Very well. The next time we encounter MECH, I want you or one of your fellow Intelligence operatives to track any units leaving the scene back to their base of origin."

<Decepticon> Shockwave says, "While MECH is not our primary target, I want the option of eradicating them to be available."

<Decepticon> Ravage says, "As soon as my optics are restored, internals repaired, and finer motor functions brought back to par, it shall be done, Commander Shockwave."

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===================== Reports ===================================

Message: 9/13                      Posted        Author

A message from MECH                Mon May 13    Cyclonus

--

Appearing on Youtube is a quick video from multiple accounts, and it's simply a video of MECH's Commander Silas addressing the camera. "People of this great planet, I am Commander Silas of MECH. You may have heard of us--less reputable news sources have chosen to portray us as terrorists and thugs. Nothing could be further from the truth. Though the politicians are keen to deny it *now,* MECH was sanctioned by every superpower on the planet. And, furthermore, our goal has always been to rid the world of the Cybertronian menace, and we've come closer to doing that than the EDC ever will.

"Ask yourself: What have the EDC's great accomplishments been since General Franklin Cross died? Oh, yes, that's right--they had a military satellite hacked by the Game Grumps. The *Game Grumps!*" He laughs. "Compare that to General Cross, whom the Decepticons viewed as such a threat that they unleashed Trypticon on him! Enough of the past, however--I want to tell you about MECH's victory in New York today. The vile Decepticons attacked the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a small force of Autobots and one EDC pilot arrived to stop them, and all THEY accomplished was to contribute to damaging the museum! But fortunately, MECH was there to repel the Decepticons."

Gun-camera footage plays of several Sweeps and Seekers getting fired upon by MECH fighters, and even Cyclonus is shown getting shot down by a spread of MECH missiles. "As you can see, even without official sanction, MECH is more than well-equipped enough to repel these robotic invaders, and we plan on continuing to do so even in spite of the Decepticons' threats. Once again, my name is Commander Silas, and it is my pleasure to serve humanity." The video ends.

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===================== Autobot ===================================

Message: 3/115                     Posted        Author

Central Park Fiasco                Mon May 13    Cliffjumper

--


 * Autobot symbol revolves, then it is replace by Cliffjumper standing on the launch pad for Autobot City in California.*

"Oh, right." Hornhead laments, "Report time." Approaching the camera, the Autobot stands and looks up and to the left for a moment; before continuing. "Alright, so Cyclonus blanketed some sort of warning message about threatening Earth. In kind, Elita One rounded us up and headed out there on old Golden Age here.." he trails, pointing to the ship that's being gutted of burnt consoles and ruined upholstery. "Well, that was Ravage's fault.. mostly."

"Talia McKinley and Apocryphacius accompanied our forces, which consisted of myself, Elita One, and Air Raid. We met heavy resistance in the form of Ravage, Cyclonus obviously, Fusillade, and Blast Off. For the most part, we held our own; but then these weird planes showed up and helped turn the tide."

Pausing, Cliffjumper continues. "Turns out it's Silas and MECH, can you believe it? I'm sure Intelligence will be happy to sort out that mess, I'll be dealing with the repairs to the Golden Age. Cliffjumper out." he notes, turning away from the camera. Halting in his step, Hornhead turns around and adds one last thing.

"The Decepticons also, oddly enough, caused some property damage to some rooftops, building structures, and a parking lot." he nods.


 * The screen is filled with the restoration efforts on the burnt Autobot shuttle, until the insignia returns with that delightful spin!*

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