Beach Bash 2032

Decepticon Island - Cove Decepticon Island is shaped like a large crescent, alternatively a half-moon or even a bananna if one wants to call it that, with Trypticon's Rest and the towering bulk of the island's volcano dominating the sandy and tree-covered island itself. It is surrounded by water, by a lot of water in fact, and a massive, sheltered cove is formed roughly in the crescent's middle. These tranquil, tropical-fish filled waters are also the final resting place of New Crystal City -- alternatively known as the shark. This huge, city-sized vehicle was destroyed by the Autobots in battle between Trypticon and Metroplex and has since been gutted and salvaged of almost every usable component. It lies broken in two, many towers and the main dorsal fin jutting out of the water's surface to rust in the high-salt atmosphere of this place while coral and marine life are already moving in on the parts that lie below. Constant visits to the wreck of New Crystal City by Decepticon Salvage teams have created a road that leads from the beach here to Trypticon's Rest at the north. To mark the 'entryway' to Decepticon Island, to head further North one must first pass through the massive, salvaged jaws of the city's shark mode -- transformer sized teeth gleaming with a mirror shine as one moves through them.

It is a warm, sunny and beautiful day on Decepticon Island! In fact, it is an extremely good day to be on a tropical island! There is not a cloud in the sky nor a hint of rain! Warm breezes cause waves to lap gently at the sandy shores here. Everyone is having a great day, even the loud and obnoxious monkies in the trees! Well, that's not quite true. A fifty foot motor yacht currently lies half sunk in the sandy shore, the bottom blown out and carbon scored. Galvatron stands before a couple of humans who are currently upon their knees, begging for their lives it appears. The Mad Emperor, for his part, appears to be bored, his left hand on his hip and his other arm, bearing the fusion cannon there, upraised and pointed towards them.

A gumbie of normal stature had the duty, nay.. the privledge, of being a certain Seeker's helper today. Today, is not a good day to be serving the certain simpleton Seeker.. it appears.

"Faster, faster you curr.. we'll miss all the GLORIOUS fireworks!" Backfire caws from his seat, still bound to a wheelchair after Galvatron's return. The gumbie replies in kind, struggling against the sandy beach head.. apparently wheelchairs weren't built to traverse -all- terrains.

With hand cupped up to his forehead, Backfire peers into the distance.. Galvatron and human hostages in view. "There they are, just up ahead.. MUSH, MUSH, MUSH!!"

Motormaster leans on his sword at Galvatron's side, grinning cruelly down at the terrified people. "How I love watching something grovel! Even if it is just a couple worthless human bacteria. Do you think they were sent here by the Autobots or their human pets, my Liege?"

Banshee stands to the left and just behind Galvatron. She looks over at Motormaster. "Does it really matter? Zey are here, zey could tell ze Autobots sings. I vote ve make zem pets."

"No VOTING!" Motormaster hisses. "You remember the last time we had a vote?" He gives a significant sidelong look at Galvatron.

Interstellar Battleship  can be seen cruising across the turbulant waters of the Atlantic underneath the bright sunny sky. There's a flash of an alert light on one of the holographic control panels to Galen's left hand side, prompting the Nebulan to take notice and after reading the data displayed he promptly thumbs the internal intercoms, << We're nearing the destination that Teletran Two had fed us. I'll have Maximus open up the launch bays. >>

Before long there is a dull mechanical whine as the two launch bay doors at the bow of Fortress Maximus parts ways and slides open. Meanwhile the turrets on the battleship can be seen emerging from within its hull and spinning to life as it fills the area in front of its bow with bursts of suppressing fire in an attempt to provide the passengers a window of opportunity to disembark safely.

And when the launch bay is swinging open, Hot Spot is already standing tall and waiting with the Autobots that have gathered for this mission. "Hold her steady, Maximus... Everyone ready? We're about to venture onto the turf of our enemies, with the lives of several innocents at stake." There's a pause as he looks back over his shoulder and smiles. "But I have faith in each and every one of you to perform to the best of your abilities to see through this endevour. Buck up, stand tall, and let's remind them that even upon their stolen shores they are not safe from those who would defend the innocents they wish to arm." He raises one fireball rifle and cocks it to prime its fuel reserve.

"Autobots... ROLL OUT!" Without a second thought the Protectobot commander charges down the ramp and into action, making a beeline towards where the the ship had struck shore and Decepticons were gathering.

Combat: Hot Spot inspires Jumpstart, Loadout, Wheelie, and Interstellar Battleship  with wise and lofty words!

 Galvatron says, "What?!"  Galvatron says, "AUTOBOTS!"  Galvatron says, "Forget the human germs, destroy them!"  Das Stukacon Banshee says, "Taking to ze air!"  Galvatron says, "Motormaster!"  Galvatron says, "Meet Hot Spot head long! I will handle Fortress Maximus /personally/!"  Galvatron says, "Backfire, I don't care if you burn out every single system, engage!"  Das Stukacon Banshee says, "Orders, Kommandant?"  Impudent Fool Backfire says, "I offer all that, and much more.. Lord Galvatron!!"  Galvatron says, "Shoot something!"

Jumpstart has firmly glued herself to Hot Spot's shoulder. Keeping low, the tape hangs on with an extra hand to part of Hot Spot's chassis. "Hope y'don' mind, big guy, but you're stuck wit' me for this."

Loadout is, of course, on board of the Headmaster leader's spaceship form for the moment. At some point during the trip, he'd managed a few words to the new tapebot and given at least a passing introduction and an apology for not having been there to witness her awakening. Though by the sounds of it, he certainly missed out on a bit of a show.

As Hot Spot and the others move to depart, Loadout stays back in the open hangar bay for the moment. No, it's not because he's a coward, but because he literally -is- medical staff and in no way is suited for frontline combat except in his 'support' role. And let's face it, he'd prefer not to have to resort to that except under the most dire of circumstances...so for the moment as the others charge ahead, he stays in the hangar bay, dropping on one knee and watching through a pair of electronic binoculars as he tries to take in what's happening with the Decepticons on the shoreline, "This most certainly does NOT look good."

Master of the understatement.

Combat: Loadout sets his defense level to Protected.

 Astrotrain says, "-Backfire- is still kicking? And he's gonna fight from a wheelchair? NNNNGH, why did I have to be on an asteroid mining trip? Somebody BETTER get pictures!"

Wheelie is speeding along beside Hot Spot, his small engine revving at an annoyingly high pitch, just like his voice! "Wheelie say after today, Galvatron will run away. Away! Away! Away!!!" Wheelie says gleefully to the tune of Brave Robin running away, having his bottom burnt off and so on. Wheelie kicks up sand in his wake. Eat it Decepticons!

Banshee takes several running steps, her propellor blades extending and starting to spin even before she's begun transforming. She rapidly assumes her Stuka form and takes to the air, heading straight towards the Autobots as they come in towards the land. <> She broadcasts, laughing joyously at the thrill of flight, and the incoming combat. She's immediately on the offensive, buzzing past that open door with her machine guns chattering loudly!

Combat: Banshee sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Banshee strikes Interstellar Battleship  with her Strafing Run (Full-Auto) Area attack!

Combat: Banshee strikes Hot Spot with her Strafing Run (Full-Auto) Area attack! Combat: Banshee strikes Jumpstart with her Strafing Run (Full-Auto) Area attack!

Galvatron can see the Autobots coming a long ways off. That is what happens when you ride an interdimensional fat-ass like Fortress Maximus into battle. And so, Galvatron makes ready. He makes ready mostly by bellowing at his subordinates and stepping over the two cowering english people. They immediatly look at each other, and make a beeline for the trees where they are promptly assaulted by coconuts and less savory and more gooey things from the primitive simians that infest the treeline. Good on them, as they run with both hands over their heads. Now, Galvatron knows exactly what to do! As Banshee begins her bombing run, he points his fusion cannon straight at Fortress Maximus and lets him have it with a huge blast of purple fusion energy! "COME TO YOUR DEMISE HAVE YOU, FORTRESS MAXIMUS?! I'M ALL TOO HAPPY TO OBLIGE!"

Combat: Galvatron sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Galvatron strikes Interstellar Battleship  with his Fusion Cannon attack! [Pulled -9]

"You heard the Emperor, curr.. FORWARD!" Backfire cackles, his left hand charging a burst of sickly toxic energon down at his side. The other is held out, pointing a stolen pistol from Powerglide towards the scene itself.

Rather worried about facing Galvatron's ire, not Backfire's, the gumbie nods and switches to double-time. The wheelchair bounces on the dunes, the rickety wheels wobbling as they approach their destination.

"Fear not, Lord Galvatron! For even confined as I am, I.. BACKFIRE glory of the EMPIRE still am more than a match for these.. AUTOTARDS!!" Pulling the trigger, the Seeker audibly "ACHS!!" as he realizes that the weapons system has long been out of charges. So, being of sound mind and body, does the next best thing. "Pew Pew Pew!" Backfire takes a breath, "Pew Pew PEWPEW!!" Another long breath, "Pew Pew PEWPEWPEW!!! Take that cretins, INVISIBLE LASERS UPSIDE YO HEADS!!"

The gumbie pushing him along just sighs, he must have done something HORRIBLE to deserve this fate.

Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Backfire misses Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with his Inviso-Lazorz (Laser) attack! [Pulled -2]

Motormaster sneers at the arrival of the Protectobot leader. "There's little I hate more than a 'ProTECT-o-bot,' Motormaster spits out, hefting up his sword into a guarding position, hilt cocked high and tip low. "Always scurrying around after the Earth vermin trying to put their disgusting gelatin back in their flimsy skins. It will be a PLEASURE to put you in your place, Hot Spot!"

Combat: Motormaster misses Hot Spot with his Optical Heat Rays (Laser) attack!

Jumpstart tunes both optics and ear sensors forward only to get peppered by shots from the shrieking 'con. The tape flies backward, dangling off of Hot Spot's shoulder by her sticky feet. After a moment, she recovers, adjusting her stance to be behind the Protectobot's head before resuming her peeping Thomasina routine. "I'm keepin' an eye on the drama-con over there. I'll letcha know if I spot anything." A grumble for sure, and the rabbit cannot help but rub at a sore patch of her ear sensors.

Combat: Jumpstart analyzes Motormaster for weaknesses Hot Spot can exploit.

Jumpstart adjusts her ears directly at Motormaster as Hot Spot rushes into the fray, whispering her findings to the Protectobot tersely.

Obviously Motormaster has never met Wheelie--the very Oxford Dictionary definition of Annoying. The orange minibot pops out of his car mode and grabs a small energy ball from subspace, and aims it right at the center "spire" on Galvatron's head! "Eat slag scrapbag!" Wheelie pulls back on his slingshot and lets go!

Cybertronian car transforms into a small orange robot.

Combat: Wheelie sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Wheelie misses Galvatron with his Slingshot attack!

Within moments of opening his launch bay doors bullets holes can be seen digging into the exposed interior hull of the hangar bays within, causing hot lead to ricochets throughout the interior within and creating secondary damage inside. Machine gun batteries and point laser defense emplacements located all over the battleship's hull begins tracking the flightpath of the Stuka fighter, filling its immediate airspace with whizzing hot lead and angry laser barrages.

Galen points ahead as he notices Galvatron coming and warns, "Maximus, you've got incoming and not the kinds we can easily handle! We got to go on the evasive!" Soon the bulk of the battleship begins banking sharply towards its starboard side just as Galvatron's fusion cannon blast strikes against the superstructure of the battleship. Thankfully THOSE armour platings were meant to handle abuse of this sort. Somewhere during all this commotion, Backfire's invisible lasers strikes Fortress Maximus hull... for no effect, but it's the thought that counts. Everyone is a winner today!

Two large twin barreled mortar launcher emerges from the bow of the battleship and swirvels around to bear on the hostile targets in view. The barrels adjusts its angle briefly before several barrages of air burst mortar shells are lobbed into the air towards Banshee and Galvatron!

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> sets its defense level to Fearless. Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> strikes Banshee with his Laser-Guided Mortars Area attack! [Pulled -5] Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> strikes Galvatron with his Laser-Guided Mortars Area attack! [Pulled -5]

Hot Spot grunts as stray fire from the fighter plane overhead causes sparks to fly as they rattle across one of his shoulders, but it doesn't slow him down when he's already his optics set on a target, as Motormaster has gotten in his path to the yatchers. He winces a little sympatheticly as Jumpstart takes some of the shots as well, but steels his composure as she recovers and tunes him in, as it were.

"I'm already in my place Motormaster -- stopping the likes of you from harming innocents." Big Blue leaps over the incoming laser blast tearing into the beach, and uses the moment to close the gap and send one big metal boot flying towards the Stunticon. "If you're going to get in my way, I'll just have to go through you!"

Combat: Hot Spot sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Hot Spot strikes Motormaster with his Big Blue Boot To The Head! (Kick) attack!

Loadout may not have been hit during the strafing run, nor was he exactly the target of Galvatron's cannon blast, but he still gets tossed around like a tinkertoy inside of Fortress Maximus' launch bay as the impacts ring out. "Ugh..." He clutches at his head as he climbs to his feet again. Even though he's not anywhere near a console, Loadout -knows- damage when he's in its presence. It's a medic's instinct, and the only thing stronger than that is the medic's instinct to -fix- said damage at all costs.

Amazingly, he abruptly hurls himself -out- of the Headmaster's launch bay a moment later, twisting in mid-air and extending his right arm, transformed into its multitool configuration as he fires out a magnetic grappling hook with a loud *CHFFF!*

Snagging onto the outside of Maximus' Superstructure, the line reels back and pulls Loadout in, as he carefully moves along the outer hull of the ship towards where Galvatron's blast made purchase. Rappelling down like a window washer a moment later, Loadout swings in with welder and torch on hand to seal up the worst of the hole and do what he can to reinforce the armor again, all while bullets and energy blasts are whipping past him! Who said battlefield medicine couldn't be full of action and exciting?

Combat: Loadout quickly patches up some of Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus>'s minor injuries.

Galvatron is a surprisingly nimble individual! He doesn't move at all as Wheelie's sling-bolt goes right over his head. "Huh?" He asks. "Wha . . " Brakoom. It's quite a considerable, nasty brakoom really as Fortress Maximus smokes him with those laser guided mortars. In fact, as the multiple streams of shells converge on his position Galvatron simply dissapears from view in a giant and rolling fireball. When it finishes, a massive crater is visible in the beach and Galvatron is sprawled on his back in the middle of it, blackened and dented. But evil is not vanquished that easily this day! He shakes his head to clear it and rises up to one knee, still tracking Fortress Maximus with his fusion cannon. He is about to make another burst when he stops, optical sensors zooming in and spying Loadout doing his repair work. Well, that just won't do!
 * CHOOM!*

Combat: Galvatron strikes Loadout with his Fusion Cannon attack! [Pulled -12]

Motormaster stumbles backwards, bent over by the impact of Hot Spot's mighty rabbit-enhanced foot! He almost treads on the humans, but they scurry out of the way, shrieking in terror. Motormaster doesn't even notice them, he's so focussed on Hot Spot. "Nothing living is innocent, fool! Don't you realize all intelligent life preys on its inferiors? Life is a crime and death is the sentence- none will be spared!" He swings his claymore back and builds up speed with it as he lunges forward, lashing the heavy blade towards Hot Spot's side in a sweeping arc. "But for you, it may come sooner than later!"

Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Motormaster strikes Hot Spot with his Metallikato: Splitting the Oak attack! Combat: That attack has slowed Hot Spot, making him less efficient.

Banshee weaves and dives around the point-defense fire with embarrasing eaze, laughing to herself joyously, rolling and weaving gleefully... Only for the mortar round to airburst about almost directly on her wingtip. The explosive knocks her almost out of the sky, rolling over on all three axis before she regains control, swooping sow low her wheels brush the wave tops. She climbs to altitude, looping around to begin a long dive towards the Autobots. Specifically, Loadout, with the siren on her portside landing leg starting to scream loudly! <<ARSCHLOCHER!>>

Folding and shifting, Banshee transforms into a Ju-87 Stuka

Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Motormaster with her Horns of Jericho attack!

Stowing the stolen pistol for another time, Backfire gathers the nasty pool of collected tainted energon between both palms. "If the invisible lasers do no harm, perhaps I'll have to resort to another TRICK!" The green noxious substance collects, bringing the bubble to gain even more mass. "Closer fool, CLOSER!!" As before, the gumbie merely grins and bears the ardorous task at hand.. it's no wonder Backfire is the Decepticon's whipping bot.

"Yes.. yes.. YES!!" Backfire gleefully laughs, targetting Jumpstart. "Die you fowl Protectobot PARROT, DIE A DEATHY DEATH!!"

Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Backfire strikes Jumpstart with his Tainted Love attack! Combat: Backfire's attack has strange and mysterious effects on Jumpstart. Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Jumpstart's Accuracy. (Blinded)

TEAM WHEELIE watches his shot go right over Galvatron, his face falling til he's pouting, "Shoot shoot shoot, what y'gonna do?" Wheelie glances over the horizon for the hostagesm "Wheelie knows!" The tiny Autobot-like robot makes a dive for some brush cover, sneaking toward the treeline where the humans might be situated.

Combat: Wheelie sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Wheelie takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Jumpstart gets bamfed in the face again. That's definitely one downside to peering over someone's shoulder. Jumpstart adjusts yet again, her ears starting to splay and try and track once more. Vision swimming, she soon gives that idea up in favor of something a bit more.. direct. "Scrap off, y'legless wonder, go run over someones feet." Backfire's hit certainly has the rabbit's dander up. She tugs at Hot Spot's head, "Shut that loud idiot up, wouldja?" Plucking out one of her ears, she jabs it toward Motormaster as electricity surges through its cable and panel.

Combat: Jumpstart misses Motormaster with her EMP Overload attack!

The sound of vehicles revving up can be heard from within the battleship' hull and soon the two garage compartments on the sides slides open and soon Fortress Maximus' two drones speeds out. The drone cruises across the bow of the battleship, weaving left and right in order to evade any incoming weapons fire before diving down into the waters, only to emerge up on the shores of Decepticon Island moments afterwards. The drones quickly changes their heading to head towards Wheelie with the intent of escorting the small Autobot across the island.

Meanwhile Galvatron's attack on Loadout doesn't go unnoticed, and soon a cerulian blue sphere can be seen shimmering to life around Loadout while the rest of the battleship goes into evasive maneuvers.

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> creates a forcefield shielding Loadout from damage.

Hot Spot sees Motormaster getting out his sword, and reacts in kind, twisting his body so the blade digs into his side, though careful to not expose where Jumpstart is hanging onto his back like a window cling. He winces a moment as internal relays report a couple of severed lines, but he is hardly worried about his own energon leaking... His concern was that his support passanger didn't get attacked instead.

Staggering back a moment from the blow, the Protectobot shuffled to the side a bit as he circle Motormaster, to get between him and the trees he saw Wheelie scurry off for. "Spare me your judgemental blathering, Stunticon." As much as he wants to help them himself, Hot Spot realizes the best help he can do is keep the Decepticons busy so the smaller, faster sorts can handle that.

"Gladly!" He replies to Jumpstart's suggestion. Lacking a melee weapon of his own, he put both his arms together with clenched fists and swung the hammerblow back at Motormaster with his heroic strength! "You heard the lady.. Stuff it!"

Combat: Hot Spot strikes Motormaster with his The Best Defense Is A Good Offense attack!

Loadout is JUST putting the finishing touches on his work when Galvatron just -has- to go and spoil the fun. Rampage already did this once before, in fact but THIS time Loadout actually has time to react when he sees the reflection of the blast coming off the metallic surface of his 'host'. "GNYUGH!" he exclaims as he hurls himself to one side, barely avoiding getting blown to bits and instead taking a portion of the blast along one leg, paint boiling away and a bit of armor melting under the passage. He's almost knocked off of his perch too, briefly dangling by one arm until he gets hold again and pulls himself back up into place, hand over hand, settling onto the hull once more and breathing a small sigh of relief, even as he sees that damnable Stuka pitching and diving overhead still! "This isn't good..." he states, before turning back and facing the others. A brief moment passes and then he transforms, shifting about and coming down with a heavy *THUD* on Fort Max's hull. Armored wheels channel an electric current as he suddenly maglocks into place and won't roll off the Battleship's hull, even as he deploys several odd folding almost wing-like panels on his roof, his sides, even his hood. What could those be for?

With an almighty *FWOOOOOMP!* the spotlights built into his frame do the impossible as they turn a bright sunny day even BRIGHTER. With a nigh potentially limitless power reserve in Loadout's energy stores now, he can channel a huge amount of electricity into making the sort of bright light flash that would make a supernova look like a half-baked attempt at special effects. Parts fold inwards, Loadout's body compacts into a blockier shape and previously hidden roadwheels emerge on his body as he transforms into an armored offroad Cybertronian truck.

Combat: Armored Truck <Loadout> sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Armored Truck <Loadout> misses Galvatron with his Floodlights Area attack! Combat: Armored Truck <Loadout> misses Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> with his Floodlights Area attack!

Galvatron is standing in his signature pose now, legs spread at shoulder width apart; his right arm and the mighty fusion cannon mounted there upraised while the left is balled into a thick fist. Blackened as he is from Fortress Maximus' mortar strikes, he certainly seems game for more as he takes careful aim at Loadout. There is a strange, sick smile on the Emperor's face as he winds up the charging capacitors of the cannon for a long bomb. And then Loadout's floodlights come on! Galvatron staggers back, covering his optics with his forearm. "Nyaaarrrr!" He says, a sudden and uncomfortable flashback coming to him of some stupid flame job covered Autobot pulling tht trick. Enraged, he spins and begins to fire more or less randomly at Loadout and Fortress, not really caring who he hits!

Combat: Galvatron strikes Armored Truck <Loadout> with his Fusion Cannon Area attack! [Pulled -10] Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus>'s forcefield absorbs Galvatron's attack. Combat: Galvatron misses Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with his Fusion Cannon Area attack! [Pulled -10]

Motormaster carries through with the stroke and reverses his grip to drive his sword into the sand in front of Hot Spot, stepping back for a moment. The electrostatic burst crackling off Spot's shoulder-bunny's ears is drawn to the sword's hilt like a lightning rod, grounding harmlessly into the beach as Motormaster steps around the thrumming blade, takes a double punch to the side of the head and strikes back without hesitation! Both hands grasp for Hot Spot's shoulders while Motormaster leans back momentarily and drives his armored cowl forward in a dizzying headbutt!

Combat: Motormaster strikes Hot Spot with his Truck Fight II: Head 2 Head attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Hot Spot's Agility. (Crippled)

Laughing maniacally, Backfire continues to blather on aloud. "Hahahaha, no doubt you'll -seek- revenge Mr. Parrot! You'll find me.. eh?" the cripple stops mid-sentence, when Jumpstart's return salvo is directed at Motormaster.. instead of him. "This.. this is madness! Do NOT turn your tailfeather on.. BACKFIRE!!" he rages, rocking back and forth in the wheelchair. Pointing to Hot Spot and Jumpstart, Backfire grunts out an order. "GO!"

The gumbie obliges, pushing the Seeker along the sandy shores.. pulling short of the action.

"Prepare to meet your.. DOOM!" Backfire cries out, giving the gumbie a nodding signal to charge. Doing so, the Seeker lowers his head and holds out his arm. "The joust of DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!"

The wheelchair is sped through the fray, aimed at the Protectobot and Jumpstart.

Combat: Backfire misses Jumpstart with his Wheelchair Joust! (Ruckus) Area attack! Combat: Backfire misses Hot Spot with his Wheelchair Joust! (Ruckus) Area attack!

Fortress Maximus drops down from the skies and lands on the ground in front of you in his fortress city mode! Gasket and Grommet rolls out from their storage bay inside the fortress city over to you, dragging a packaged present box behind them. The two drones merges into Cog and who then hands you the box of present. You open the box to find a nice shiny +nom inside and a note thanking you for a great night of RP!

Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> snarls as her siren misses its targer <<Ach! Apologies, Motormaster.>>

That's all Motormaaster gets, as Banshee continues her dive, angling her dive to aim instead for Hot-spot, his shoulder-bunny, and, of course, the huge battleship. A bomb drops down from her belly on a 'crutch' before it's released, swinging clear of the propeller before it's released.

The Stukacon, siren still screaming, pulls up /hard/, skimming so low over Fortress Maximus' hull that, adding insult to injury, she leaves two neat, paralel tyre marks on his hull!

Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with her 50kg GP Bombs Area attack! Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Hot Spot with her 50kg GP Bombs Area attack! Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> misses Jumpstart with her 50kg GP Bombs Area attack!

What happens when two minds meet in the heat of battle?


 * CLANG*

Two hard heads slam together, sending the Protectobot staggering backwards from the blow... And stumbling out of Backfire's path entirely by accident as the Seeker rolls by ranting. That gets even him to stop and blink his optics a moment in confusion, then glance back at the rabbit-girl. "... Is it just the ringing in my head because of the headbutt, or did a Seeker just roll by... in a wheelchair?"

Little time to ponder on that though, when the Stuka comes screaming overhead and unloads some explosives. Hot Spot's reflexes are split-second to respond... but instead of saving himself, he reachs back to yank Jumpstart off his back, then drops to the ground and huddles over her, shielding the more fragile tape from the bombs with his own body.

Which is left smoking nastily all down his back afterwards, even as he pushes himself up to one knee. One arm still cradled around the Jumpstart... And then other pulling his fireball cannon out of subspace as he raises it, aims at Motormaster, and pulls the trigger. The weapon belchs a ball of blue fire at the Stunticon in return.

Combat: Hot Spot strikes Motormaster with his Fireball Cannon attack! Combat: Motormaster uses up some of his Scorn is my Armor shield booster!

Armored Truck <Loadout> would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved to see that energy field absorb the incoming attack from Galvatron. He's already been singed once, he'd rather not feel it again if he could help it. It's certainly not due to any cowardice on his part however...when he's on the front lines like this he's just kept so darned -busy-. "Apologies, Fortress Maximus!" He calls out as the floodlights fold back into his frame. He makes a mental note that later he'll have to see about improving them somehow so as to be a bit more useful. "But it appears my services are still required elsewhere!"

With a dull roar, his engine revs up as he backs up a few paces, then suddenly LURCHES forward and launches off the edge of the battleship like the Dukes of Hazard jumping over the gorge to cut off the bad guy's escape! A moment later he splashes down into the water, landing just short of the beach, but it isn't long before he's rumbling up onto the shoreline again and transforming at the same time. Rising up, he turns towards the melee that is Motormaster and Hot Spot. "Sorry to step in!" he calls out, aiming his right arm and firing that magnetic grappler yet again, latching it onto Hot Spot's upper shoulder (the one that JUmpstart currently isn't on board) and abruptly YANKING backwards to help tug the big Protectobot out of the melee, even if only for ten seconds or so.

Long enough for Loadout to get him close while out of reach of Motormaster...even if just for a second, and long enough for him to slap a patch-like object nto Hot Spot's chestplate. A dull rush of energy flowing out as nanites are fed into his systems to help staunch the flow of wasted energon to injured places and help form subroutes for important data transfer. It's a -lot- of tech talk but it works!

Splitting down the middle followed by spinning in the center, Loadout unfolds into his Robot mode.

Combat: Loadout sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Loadout quickly patches up some of Hot Spot's minor injuries.

Wheelie moves bisquick along the treeline. He's got his tri-blade knife out of subspace in his mouth and he's moving close to the ground. He spots the two humans clinging for life up in one of the trees. Wheelie waves at the humans and points to his Autobot symbol, smiling. He's got fierce oil camo paint all over his face. He grabs his knife and starts shimmying his way up the tree, "Have no fear," he whispers to the humans, "Wheelie is here! Come down with him and in Big Fort we go!"

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

The battleship continues to cruise through the Atlantic waters as it brings its port side to bear upon the island, a barrage of laser battery fire is unloaded upon the airspace in the area before the seafaring spacecraft weaves into another series of port and starboard turns as it goes about its evasive maneuvering. Ultimately this is a futile effort as energy discharges from Galvatron's cannon towards Fortress Maximus' general direction. Fortunately Galen was able to divert his attention long enough to flip the switch on the nearby holographic control panel and expand Fortress Maximus' shield radius just in time to absorb the energy blasts intended for him and Loadout. The result is a series of brilliant explosions against a sphere of cerulian blue crackling energy. While all this is happening, Fortress Maximus suffers the insult of having Banshee leaving tire marks across his hull! That evil Stuka! Laser batteries spins up and begins to return fire in retaliation at Banshee and Galvatron.

Meanwhile on the island, Gasket and Grommet follows behind Wheelie and their transport compartment opens up as the Autobot discovers the couple.

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> misses Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> with his Laser Battery Barrage Area attack! [Pulled -6] Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> misses Galvatron with his Laser Battery Barrage Area attack! [Pulled -6]

"Not that one, the other loud idiot! WHOA!" Jumpstart ducks back as Motormaster connects with Hot Spot's head. Cringing a bit, at the heavy CLANG of the two heads meeting, she turns in time to see the rolling marauder coming straight for them. Hot Spot staggers back and the pair are swept out of the way of the Deceptimoron. Popping her head over his shoulder, Jumpstart shrugs briefly, not commenting. Really, what would you SAY to that? Suddenly the goop-grip she has is severed and the rabbit is bodily shuffled.

Feeling the blast reverberate through Hot Spot's body, the rabbit blinks, wide-eyed at him. "That.. was unnecessary. But thank you." As Loadout appears, Jumpstart rallies her energies and dander and steps forward to give the medic and Protectobot a bit of cover fire. Plucking both ears out of their sockets, she smacks them together, creating an arc of electricity that she soon sends forward in Motormaster's direction.

Combat: Jumpstart sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Jumpstart strikes Motormaster with her Bzzzzzzzzzzzt~! attack! Combat: Motormaster uses up some of his Scorn is my Armor shield booster!

Motormaster sniffs, brushing his nose with his thumb as he strides out of the fire, smoldering but apparently completely unharmed, while Banshee's bombs detonate all around, blasting sand high into the air in dark inverted cones.

"You disgust me, Hot Spot. Did you know that?" asks Motormaster in his deep, cracked-bell voice. "I pity you. You surround yourself with toadies and lickspittle servants just to dare to face me. Your strength is wasted on the weak." Motormaster's right arm goes through a rapid and complex set of alterations, reconfiguring into his cyclone gun. "That is why you lose!"

As Jumpstart's electric attack sizzles against Motormaster's armor, the gun's turbine spools up with a turbojet scream, sucking in sand, shells, coconuts, monkeys, shrapnel and flaming jellied kerosene from Hot Spot's fireball gun, and spitting it out in a swirling uncontrolled tornado of fire and debris!

Combat: Motormaster sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Motormaster's Flaming Cyclone attack on Hot Spot goes wild! Combat: Motormaster misses himself with his Flaming Cyclone (Full-Auto) Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Motormaster's Flaming Cyclone attack on Jumpstart goes wild! Combat: Motormaster strikes Mechanical Shark <NCC> with his Flaming Cyclone (Full-Auto) Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Motormaster's Flaming Cyclone attack on Loadout goes wild! Combat: Motormaster misses Galvatron with his Flaming Cyclone (Full-Auto) Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Motormaster's Flaming Cyclone attack on Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> goes wild! Combat: Motormaster strikes Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> with his Flaming Cyclone (Full-Auto) Area attack! [Pulled -1]

Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> laughs at Fortress Maximus as she loops around, rolling around and over the laser fire - playing with it - which leaves her open to be struck by something - she's not sure what, it looked like a flying monkey - from Motormaster's cyclone cannon. <<Ach, VASS? Turnabout ist fair play, Motormaster...>>

She loops around and returns to the fight, the siren on her wings once again cranking up as she begins a dive down towards Fortress Maximus' open cargo door. It makes just such a tempting target...

Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee>'s Horns of Jericho attack on Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> goes wild! Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Motormaster with her Horns of Jericho attack!


 * KERRSPLAAAAAAAASHHHHHH*

Backfire, with wheelchair and gumbie along for the ride, go spilling off into the water.. sending up a splash of water. Moments pass, before the gumbie drags him from the seas and onto the sandy white beach. Coughing, Backfire proceeds with ripping the gumbie a new one. "You daft little mech, do you have any idea what you've done?? You've doomed the Stunticon.. he CANNOT win without my help!!" he scowls, water bubbling from his intakes.

The gumbie sulks his head, taking the berating. Really, he's hoping that Primus himself would come down and snatch the life essence from his core.

"That's it, you're THROUGH!" Backfire chastises, rocking the wheelchair back and forth. "SWITCH OUT!!" From beneath Backfire, the wheelchair raises up and transforms.. into an almost identical gumbie! Meanwhile, the gumbie who was praying for otherworldly intervention transforms down.. into a wheelchair. Talk about taking a page out of the Junkion playbook! Slinking back into the new, but almost identical seat, Backfire points back to the fray. "MUSH!"

Nearing the battlefield again, the Seeker roars out again. "Thought you rid of me, eh Mr. Parrot?? Hahaha, I'm a bit more difficult to lose you feathered brainfart!" Aiming his Hypno-Ray Rifle at Jumpstart, Backfire pulls the trigger.. releashing a set of circular rays, growing in size as they travel forward.

Combat: Backfire's Hypno-Ray Rifle attack aimed for Jumpstart backfires! Combat: Backfire strikes himself with his Hypno-Ray Rifle attack! Combat: Backfire can't seem to think straight...

Monkies suddenly come to the defense of the humans, as Wheelie attempts to scale their tree! Copious amounts of coconuts, foul-smelling monkey-stuff and other sorts of nastiness. One even attempts to piddle on him. Fortunatly or unfortunatly, the two english people are about at their wits end and are similiarly covered as Wheelie will likely be, and both come to him without resistance. Hey, they at least know what Autobots are. "I say, govner . . " One says to Wheelie. "Get us out of here, right pronto? You don't look like you're up for a round of fisticuffs with those Decepticons!" He looks at Fortress Maximus' vehicles. "Uh, they look a little more sturdily built, young man!" Meanwhile, Galvatron comes under fire from Fortress Maximus' heavy batteries once again! They miss him though, by virtue of his shaking his fist at the sea-borne battleship. This is to say, the powerful blast of directed energy sails by where his arm would normally be! Galvatron turns his head to look at the glass crater in the sand where the shot impacts and then looks back to Loadout, and then to Fortress Maximus! He raises his cannon to fire at Fortress Maximus when suddenly he is engulfed in a ball of fire and he is forced to dodge for cover as Motormaster's environmental destruction goes haywire! Indeed, a monkey flies smack into the rusted fin of New Crystal City sticking up from the water and with a splat and a tremendous crash, the entire fin assembly collapses beneath the waves!

"Motormaster, you incompetant glitch! Shoot the Autobo . . " He falls silent as Banshee manages to hit Motormaster. Well, this is all just turning into an excellent mess! Either way, Galvatron takes a moment to transform -- the huge tracked cannon moving to point at Fortress Maximus's hull. An almighty, rocking *KERFOOM* sounds as the sand around Galvatron is turned into pure glass by the heat of the fusion cannon's backblast!

Galvatron puts the deuce in reverse and starts to curse. . cause another sucka on the south side is about to get hurt! Galvcannon is on location now, sh*t is about to get real.

Combat: Galvcannon <Galvatron> strikes Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with his Galvcannon attack! [Pulled -8]

Out of spite, or just dumb luck.. the gumbie wheels him forward. Right into the circular rings from the Hypno-Ray.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Backfire spasms, the wheelchair slows down to a crawl.. as drool drops from both of their mouths.

Loadout steps back, satisfied at the repairs that he's given to Hot Spot on the fly. It'll have to do in an emergency, even if it's not all that fancy. When they get back to base, THEN he can concentrate on getting the right kind of polish out and perfect the repair job. Right now though, there's sudden CYCLONE-FORCE WINDS roaring everywhere that he has to deal with! Sand blows up in his face, and he shields his optics, and somehow...possibly due to her smaller stature being blown about in the winds, Loadout ends up crashing onto his back...and now he's the one holding the tapebunny in both arms. "Oof! That....could have been a lot worse, admittedly." He looks down at her form, noting the damage she's already taken, but also noting the situation as well.

Well, he hates when he has to do this but, "Don't question this...just go with the flow please!" And a moment later, he's starting to transform, his body shifting and spinning around in that random reconfiguring of an old, old style of cybertronian technology. Spinning parts continue to ratchet around as Loadout's modular form adapts itself to the rabbit, and when all is said and done...

Loadout's 'body' has seemingly transformed into a modular body-mounted section that currently encases over Jumpstart's shoulders and back, leading up to the 'barrel' which is bent at an almost 90 degree angle and now aims forward, hanging over her right shoulder. It's like a cannon, that she's now -wearing-. There's an audible *BWEEEEE* as a pencil thin red targeting beam emits forward and holographic target data is fed through the sudden link as, in essence, two transformers become one.


 * A CANNONBUNNY HAS APPEARED!***

Loadout shrinks down, parts lock together and his torso spins about as he transforms into an imposing looking heavy cannon.

Combat: Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Loadout takes extra time to assist Jumpstart's next attack.

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Fear not, Stunticon! BACKFIRE is on the.. NOOOOOOOOO!" <Decepticon> Motormaster says, "Backfire, you impudent fool!" <Decepticon> Motormaster says, "Cease your drooling and do something about this cannonrabbit!" <Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire drools, "Noooooot maaaah fault." <Decepticon> Das Stukacon Banshee says, "I von't be using ze siren again. Readying 250kg penetrator bombe."

Hot Spot pushes himself to his partially to his feet as he feels Loadout's handiwork do its thing, sealing up some severed fuel lines and busted connections within his body. No stranger to having to work under the pressure of nature's fury, the Protectobot braced himself against the raging winds, feet digging into the island turf. "No, Motormaster, you're wrong." Despite the cyclone he stands up fully, extending an accusing point towards the Stunticon even as sand and debris whips around his form. "It's not a waste of strength." He takes one large, metholodical step to move past the bunny that was providing cover fire for him.

And then his strong legs push him off into a charge towards the 'eye' of the storm as the winds buffets his blocky form. "It's working together that makes us stronger.... More than you'll ever understand!" As he closes in he swings out an arm, aiming not only to try and catch Motomaster off-guard with a charging clothesline, but knock him towards his big angry leader too!

Combat: Hot Spot sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Hot Spot strikes Motormaster with his Charrrrrge! (Ruckus) Area attack! Combat: Hot Spot strikes Galvcannon <Galvatron> with his Charrrrrge! (Ruckus) Area attack!

<Decepticon> Motormaster says, "Demolish that misshapen combination! Hot Spot is mine!" <Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Yessssssh shhhaaaah!" <Decepticon> Astrotrain says, "Wait. Wait wait wait. Back up the train a sec." <Decepticon> Astrotrain says, "Did you say...cannonrabbit?" <Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire grunts. "AHEM. I thought it was a parrot?" <Decepticon> Astrotrain snrrrrkBWAHAHAHAHAA..

Getting knocked ear over rudder into someone is far from a pleasant experience. But hey, someone caught her. Staring upside down at Loadout, the rabbit visibly relaxes. "Nice catch, chief!" And yet again, the world around her seems to change in an instant.

Once again grounded, Jumpstart blinks a few times as Loadout seems to fall around her in a massively offensive form. As soon as the targeting display comes up, the rabbit begins.. cackling. Ears splay as a nasty little grin unfolds and she immediately deploys her thumb joints, handling the controls like a child with a new toy at Christmas. "Arright, slobber spout! Let's get a few things straight." She turns carefully, levering Weapon!Loadout's muzzle toward Backfire. "I ain't no Mister, and I ain' no Parrot, neither. An' if sayin' it don't stick, here. I'll give y'somethin' to help you remember."

Combat: Jumpstart sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Jumpstart strikes Backfire with Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout>'s Ionic Blast attack!

Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> completes his broadside of the island and begins banking towards his port side as he maneuvers his massive bulk into a 180 degree turn. Just as sea faring spacecraft is about to complete its turn, a beam of powerful energy strikes the port side of its superstructure dead center, superheating the sea water nearby. Eventually the mist dissipates an excess amount of red molten metal can be seen sliding off the side of the battleship where the fusion beam had struck. Dual laser cannons slides out from the side of the battleship in response to the attack and begins tracking attacking the nearest target of opportunity, which unfortunately isn't Galvatron anymore with Hot Spot in the field of fire. Instead the laser cannons swirvels upwards instead and a pair of yellow bolts erupts from its barrels.

Meanwhile on the island, Gasket and Grommet's transport compartment remains open and available for Wheelie to load the human couple inside.

Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> goes off like a Railway gun on the Eastern front. A deafening *KRA-TWOOOOM* issues out as a shockwave of energy rolls out in all directions, delivering a hellish blast of crackling and unstable ionic destruction straight at Backfire like the finger of an angry deity reaching out to touch him.

Wheelie is facing the most fearsome enemies he's ever faced. Poo-flinging Monkeys! "Furry tree-things, Wheelie is--" He takes a splat of monkeydung to the face, spitting it out phooey and wipes it off his face. Apparently the monkeys don't like his rhyming either. Wheelie makes his way down the tree. BONK, a coconut hits him in the head! "Ow!" He jumps to the ground and waits impatiently for the humans, looks back over where the Autobots are fighting the dumbass Decepticons, "Twins scoop the humans! Wheelie will run with you, Gasket Grommet, gogo gogogo go!!" As he runs back toward Fort Max, making sure nothing happens to the humans, he slips out his slingshot for one more shot at Mr. Nyarrghface, "His Great Lowness. Wheelie has your name right here!" And he shoots at Galvatron's center spire on his head once more....

Combat: Wheelie sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Wheelie strikes Galvcannon <Galvatron> with his Slingshot attack!

Gasket and Grommet loads up the human couples and begins to beeline towards the beach lines once more, leaving behind a pair of tracked trails behind them as they approach the waters.

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> strikes Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> with his Dual Laser Blasters attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus>'s forcefield protecting Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> vanishes.

Galvatron's cannon detaches as he converts to robot mode, catching the weapon on his right arm!

Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> snarls as Fortress maximus' AAA fire lances hits her square on the nose. The impact is severe and does damage, that much is obvious from the way her engine note begins to sputter and complain, the note changing pitch rapidly and regularly as she struggles to maintain power, flying slower with her flaps down to maintain lift. Banking around, she puts herself into a dive again, this time readying one of her larger, 250kg bombs.

Torpedo Ted swings down on a crutch from her belly, just as the 250kg bomb had before, though this time it's aimed squarely at Max's bridge, and the Stukacon is coming down in an 80-degree dive, snarling loudly. The battleship has evidently annoyed the Stukacon, and she's decided to return the favour. <<I haff a present for you!>>

Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with her 250kg Penetrator Bombs attack!

The bomb whistles as it falls. Its purpose is to pierce through armour before detonating...

Galvatron is in the middle of transforming as his cannon's capacitors recharge when Wheelie's shot smacks him right in the head! Specifically, right in the little crown assembly. The little projectile sears into armor and actually snaps the little piece right off. Then, he is broadsided by Motormaster and is left for a moment on his back holding Motormaster in his arms like something out of a romance novel. The blow to his head has apparently stunned him for it takes him a moment for the inevitable to happen. When it comes, it is quite serious as well. Very serious indeed. It arrives suddenly, and it arrives brutally. It comes with vigour, power, and ear splitting volume. It arrives with. ..

Combat: Galvatron strikes Wheelie with his NYARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Area attack! Combat: Galvatron strikes Motormaster with his NYARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Area attack! Combat: Galvatron strikes Hot Spot with his NYARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Area attack!

Galvatron bellows, flails, and attempts to kick Motormaster at Hot Spot, meanwhile lunging for Wheelie and attempting to choke him to death. It's not pretty at all, and it's most def. loud.

The Ionic cannon not only envelops the Seeker, but his two assistants as well! Completely surrounded in the bright hot plasma energy, once it dies down.. Backfire is lain back on the sandy beaches, only charred black. The wheelchair-gumbies are completely disintegrated.

"Ugh, my head!" he cries out, slowly stirring and grasping his flattop. Only difference being, a HUGE chunk is missing. "YOU FOOL!" Backfire seethes, getting up to one knee.. albeit painfully. "How -dare- you attempt to disfigure my BEAUTIFUL visage! You ruined my FACE!!" he shouts, activating anti-gravs. Hands held down to his sides, the palms start generating that sickly green glow.

"I will make every -single- one of you.. PAY!!" Backfire shouts, some clear solution leaking from his optics. Still woozy from the Hypno-Ray and Ionic Cannon, the Seeker does his best to aim at the Autobots. Well, the ones on the left.. they're kinda blurry at the moment.

Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Backfire's Double Vision! attack on Wheelie goes wild! Combat: Backfire strikes Motormaster with his Double Vision! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Motormaster uses up some of his Scorn is my Armor shield booster! Combat: Backfire's Double Vision! attack on Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> goes wild! Combat: Backfire misses himself with his Double Vision! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Backfire (Backfire) used "Solar Assault": A Level 1 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: Backfire's Double Vision! attack on Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> goes wild! Combat: Backfire strikes Galvatron with his Double Vision! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Backfire's Double Vision! attack on Jumpstart goes wild! Combat: Backfire misses Mechanical Shark <NCC> with his Double Vision! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Backfire's Double Vision! attack on Hot Spot goes wild! Combat: Backfire misses Motormaster with his Double Vision! Area attack! [Pulled -1] Combat: Gained 1 energon.

Motormaster shields his eyes with his hand as the ion cannon sparks off and fries poor stupid Backfire. The drool hadn't even had a chance to dry yet! Hurled by Galvatron's literally unholy strength into Hot Spot with a resounding clang, Motormaster pushes Hot Spot away from him with a scowl, while Backfire starts shooting at him blindly. "This is becoming embarrassing. You and I are going to have to settle this ANOTHER time," he growls at Hot Spot. "For NOW, I will have to settle for disposing of this FILTH."

Rearranging himself with a loud grinding sound, Motormaster transforms into a piece of large industrial machinery sporting a menacing crane.

Combat: Car Crusher <Motormaster> sets his defense level to Fearless. As the grinders spin up, Motormaster's crane reaches out to try to snatch the cannon off the bunny's back and 'process' it! Combat: Car Crusher <Motormaster> strikes Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> with his Garbage Disposal attack! [Pulled -1]

Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> begins moving the nose of his bow towards the island as his weapons batteries continues to fire at will at any targets of opportunity available although most of the firepower produced by the emplacements fails to find their target. It is then that a single bomb rains down towards his bridge. Emergency shield generators kicks in around the bridge, and cerulian blue shielding shimmers and crackles violently as the bomb's explosion tears through layers after layers of shielding but the effort was enough to prevent the bridge, and Galen within, from being obliterated!

The battleship shudders violently as the explosion rocks the massive spacecraft left and right, trails of fire burns at various locations of the hull, but it eventually stabilizes and the main shield generators kicks in again and a protective shielding surrounds the ship once more.

By now, Gasket and Grommet has driven into the sea and made their way over to Fortress Maximus' landing bay where it promptly enters into the interior of the battleship's hangar bay.

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> creates a forcefield shielding himself from damage. Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> sets his defense level to Protected.

Hot Spot OOMPHS loudly as the Galvatron-propelled Motormaster slams into him, knocking the Protectobot backwards from the impact. Motormaster's bulk combined with Galvatron's strength was not a pleasant reunion at all. With a grunt he pulls his legs under himself as he gets up, expecting to have to guard against another attack from the Stunticon.

His optics widen when, instead, Motormaster goes for Loadout instead and tries to drag him into those great grinding maws of destruction. "LOADOUT!" With a growl of determination, Hot Spot puts out of mind his own injuries and pushes himself to his feet. There's not a second thought on a course of action once he's seen another Autobot in emimnant danger. Standing, he pulls out both of his hand-cannons, and levels them at Motormaster's bunker form without a second thought of how wrongly this might go. "Put. Him. Down. NOW!" He aims for the crusher's mechanics and pulls both triggers...

Combat: Hot Spot strikes Car Crusher <Motormaster> with his Dual Fireball Cannons attack! [Pulled -2]

Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> notes with some satisfaction that Backfire was at least hit hard for his trouble and...seems to have backfired all over his comrades on top of it. Well, he takes no joy in violence but...serves them right!

He's so caught up in it in fact, that he doesn't notice Motormaster's intentions until the crane arm is seizing him up, and he's being pulled into the grinders along with Jumpstart. "WAAAAAUGH!" he calls out as he feels armor starting to buckle around his 'chassis', some of the structure that's around Jumpstart starting to buckle in dangerously as well as she's pulled along for the ride!

What is it about Autobots that makes them want to protect those that are smaller than them? Loadout can't seem to eject Jumpstart to save her and sacrifice herself, so he does the next best thing he can think of. Even as his barrel starts to crack in certain parts along the center, he notices that the tip is conveniently going in -just- the right direction.

"Gnnngh...I don't care HOW much you think this is a personal vendetta Motormaster...I won't sink to your level. However...I do not...tolerate THIS sort of thing!" he calls out in a pained voice. Light begins to shine through the cracks in his armor, not to mention his capacitors as power feeds through energy tubes at a maddening rate. And what does Loadout do that he almost never does?

He pulls his own trigger, with the tip of his barrel figuratively pointed straight -down- the throat of the beast. *KWA-BWOOM*

Combat: Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> misses Car Crusher <Motormaster> with his Too Spicy to Eat! attack! [Pulled -2]

Fate must favor Hot Spot's heroics tonight, as two balls of scorching blue flame are expelled from the dual cannons without a problem

Wheelie is keeping the Decepticon Emperor occupied. With his neck. The enormous purple Decepticon Leader slams into him as a piece of his head-spire lands in the sand. Wheelie struggles, eyes blazing fierce and kicking up a mess of sand as he struggles in Galvatron's iron grip. Keeping him occupied, of course. Wheelie looks up at Galvatron as his fists close and crush his neck, wires snapping and things crackling, he sneers at Galvatron. More like he's struggling like a toy in an iron grip and manages to spew curses at him even though those fists hurt like hell. Wheelie flashes his triple-bladed knife out of subspace and grinning madly up at Galv as he struggles in his grip, stabs viciously at the Con Leader's face, eyes, optics, mouth, whatever the minibot can reach.

Combat: Wheelie sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Wheelie strikes Galvatron with his Three-Bladed Knife attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily limited Galvatron's Agility! (Crippled)

Jumpstart's hind feet reel in the air suddenly as the weight of Loadout in his canon form is suddenly reversed. However, the rabbit clings to the inside controls with an apology muttered to the 'bot. She can hear Hot Spot outside and even as Loadout goes off inside Motormaster's chompy mouth, the rabbit rams her head upward, sticking her ears to the inside of the jaws and snarling, "You heard the 'bot! Let /GO/!"

Combat: Jumpstart sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Jumpstart's Electromagnetic Interference attack aimed for Car Crusher <Motormaster> backfires! Combat: Jumpstart strikes herself with her Electromagnetic Interference attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Jumpstart's Accuracy. (Blinded) Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Jumpstart's Agility. (Crippled)

Jumpstart fizzles suddenly as her ears cross and the charge takes revenge on her. Scrambled, the tapebun slumps back into Loadout's control area and groans.

Galvatron is in his own little element right now. The scene is really reminscent of another one, some twenty five years earlier or so as he bears down on Wheelie with all of his weight; hands crushing around his neck. Galvatron is not only physically powerful, but he's rather heavy. Either way, he's squeezing and squeezing when suddenly, Wheelie shanks him right in the face. One of his optics shatters and actually comes out in a breaking spray of transpex and green unicron-born ichor. He staggers back, one hand over his left optic as a muted roar comes out of him; ichor spilling over his fingers.

With pure murder in his remaining eye, Galvatron starts for Wheelie. His actions are short and brutal as he attempts to punch the Minibot in the gut, then grab him by the neck and throw him head long towards Fortress Maximus.

Combat: Galvatron strikes Wheelie with his WHEELIE MISSILE Area attack! Combat: Galvatron strikes Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with his WHEELIE MISSILE Area attack! Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus>'s forcefield absorbs Galvatron's attack.

Car Crusher <Motormaster> reverses the grinders to spit Loadout and the bunny back out as the ion cannon starts going off uncontrollably! The fire and the biting rabbit don't seem to be as influential in his decision as the cannon, but then that's to be expected. He transforms and raises a heavy foot to try to kick the bunny into the water just for good measure, since he's already expressed his displeasure with Loadout. "Take your hopping homonculus and leave us, Hot Spot! Galvatron's wrath is waxing, and if you die this day it will rob me of my chance to defeat you myself in the ring of honor... head to head on the great Cybertron Highway!"

With a loud clacking and grinding sound, Motormaster pulls himself up into his grim humanoid form.

Combat: Motormaster strikes Jumpstart with his Through the Uprights (Kick) attack! [Pulled -1]

<Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Motormaster, you curr! The parrot imposter is MINE!!" <Decepticon> Motormaster says, "Then get RID of it, Backfire!" <Decepticon> Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Gladly, partner!"

"Oh, drat.. I hate it when you Autobots put up mirages in front of Decepticon troopers! Well, not Mirage Mirage... YOU KNOW!" Backfire rants and raves, floating in mid-air. "I will -swiftly- dole out the PAIN to those responsible!!" Transforming, with a slight bit of tingling pain, Backfire streaks high up into the air.. before turning the nosecone down, rocketing back into the action.

<<This is all -your- fault, He-She Parrabbito! You will RUE the day you crossed.. BACKFIRE, the EMPEROR'S CHOSEN!!>> From beneath the F-16, two missiles whirl around in the munitions bay and eject. Released, they sit in the air.. stalled momentarily, before their own guidance systems kick in and the pair swirl down towards Jumpstart. The tips of the concussive missiles have tiny sad faces painted on, by the looks of it.. hand painted by a simpleton Seeker.

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

Combat: F-16 Falcon <Backfire> sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: F-16 Falcon <Backfire> misses Jumpstart with his Frowny Faced Missiles attack!

Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> loops around and begins to strafe over all the Autobots present, humming happily to herself even with her engine smoking and flaming loudly with its damage. She cackles joyously, strafing over the autobot she can fire at!

Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> strikes Hot Spot with her strafing run (Full-Auto) Area attack! Combat: Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee> misses Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with her strafing run (Full-Auto) Area attack!

Ion Assault Cannon <Loadout> is spit out of Motormaster's gears like hot chili pepper that's just too spicy for his tastes! As a result his cannon goes off while pointed at the sky...since he's totally incapable of aiming himself under normal circumstances. Clattering to the ground, his damaged segments have fallen open enough that Jumpstart also flops free, long enough for Motormaster to get his kicks in. Literally.

This is about when Loadout finally transforms, rising up in his robot mode and stumbling to one side, just in time to notice the missiles streaking in towards the addled rabbit-tape. "....guh, not THIS time!" He shouts as he ducks into a tuck and roll forward, scooping her up in his arms and transforming as he goes.

Even though it was a recent change, he's starting to get so used to being a triplechanger he's really wondering how he ever managed -without- it all this time. Through the miracle of cybertronian technology, when his wheels hit the ground again, Jumpstart is magically shifted from his arms, to sitting in his driver's seat, even as he guns his engine and ROARS away from the beach just as the missiles blow out two craters in the ground where he was a split second after!

Roaring like a souped up 4x4 truck he crashes over several obstacles before pitching into the water and disappearing below, making a bearing towards the waiting battleship nearby where he'll no doubt get back aboard with a grapple-assisted line again.

Parts fold inwards, Loadout's body compacts into a blockier shape and previously hidden roadwheels emerge on his body as he transforms into an armored offroad Cybertronian truck.

Combat: Armored Truck <Loadout> sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Armored Truck <Loadout> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from F-16 Falcon <Backfire>

Hot Spot bites back the sting as several low energon warnings go off in his head -- despite Loadout's patchwork to major lines he's still been internally bleeding slowly for most of the fight. Outwardly his expression remains stern as he lowers both of his smoking hand-cannons as he glares at his opposing gestalt commander. "One of these days Motormaster, you and your posse of highway hoodlums will get what you deserve... Be it a lockdown cell or the final junkyard." Sadly, that's not the day today.

The humans have gotten wisked away. Wheelie's been launched to Maximus, Loadout is retrieving Jumpstart. The Protectobot waits until the last Autobot is making their way to the Headmaster battleship before finally turning and transforming himself to bring up the rear.

The Protectobot commander reverts to his fire engine mode. Where's the fire?!

Combat: Mitsubishi Furo Fire Engine <Hot Spot> sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Mitsubishi Furo Fire Engine <Hot Spot> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Armored Truck <Loadout>, Jumpstart, Galvatron, F-16 Falcon <Backfire>, and Mechanical Shark <NCC>

Wheelie is still struggling in Galvatron's terrible, mighty fists. When his attack hits, Wheelie chokes out a victory laugh, in a grating, scathing way only he can manage. Wheelie reaches out across the sand with grasping fingers for his trophy, leaving himself open to Galvatron's massive fist slamming into his gut. Rivets snap and his gut buckles, "Uuugggh!" Wheelie groans. Then suddenly he's flying through the air, flailing and -smack- right into Big Fort's mighty shield with a small clank. But he sure felt it!

Combat: Wheelie begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Armored Truck <Loadout>, Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee>, Jumpstart, Mitsubishi Furo Fire Engine <Hot Spot>, Galvatron, F-16 Falcon <Backfire>, and Mechanical Shark <NCC>

Sent flying, the rabbit lands in a heap of limbs and ears going two different directions. Face smushed into the sand, scut rudder in the air, she looks a fair bit distressed. "Ow." She mutters out the side of her mouth, optics still whirling both from the impromptu flight and the previous scrambling she gave herself. An almost comical 'whoop' sound escapes the rabbit as she's lifted once more by something larger than her. Oh, good, it's not a bad guy. "We got d'people, right?" She asks drolly, one ear slipping sideways.

Combat: Jumpstart sets her defense level to Protected. Combat: Jumpstart begins retreating, leaving herself vulnerable to parting shots from Armored Truck <Loadout> and F-16 Falcon <Backfire>

A small elevator shaft in the center of battleship slides open and out comes the merged form of Fortress Maximus' two drones, Cog. The minibot-sized drone begins to search around the area for signs of Wheelie all the while Galen's voice can be heard being emitted through the drone's vocalizer, "Wheelie? Come on buddy, give me a shout."

As the remaining Autobots gets on board, the massive bulk of the battleship begins to go into reverse and soon attempts cruise out towards the Atlantic sea. Slowly. Veeeeeeeeery slowly. This is what old age must feel like.

Combat: Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Armored Truck <Loadout>, Ju-87 Stuka <Banshee>, Jumpstart, Motormaster, Mitsubishi Furo Fire Engine <Hot Spot>, Galvatron, F-16 Falcon <Backfire>, Mechanical Shark <NCC>, and Wheelie Mitsubishi Furo Fire Engine <Hot Spot> gets pelted with assorted rounds from the Stuka in meantime as he's backing off, too.

Galvatron by this point is so pissed off that he's actually gone off somewhere. Probably into the forest. But the Decepticons are left alone, minus the one-eye'd Galvatron who will probably show up at Tryption for repairs later.

Wheelie scurries into Big Fort.

Motormaster fires after Fortress Maximus' great bulk as it slowly glides out over the waves, not because he expects to bring it down with his eye lasers, no. Just out of spite.

Combat: Motormaster misses Interstellar Battleship <Fortress Maximus> with his Spite Lasers (Laser) attack!

"We got them safely, and we got all of our own out of here. Even if damaged." Loadout reassures Babs Bunn....er, Jumpstart after they're in the clear, pulling himself aboard the ship as it retreats from the area and settling down to see about stopgap repairs for those who need it until the group are all safely back at Autobot City.

F-16 Falcon <Backfire> pursues the tape-rabbit, aligning her in his sights with the most careful aim. <<Ahahahaha, prepare to meet your maker.. you.. you Cadbury Cretin!!>> About to fire off the burst, Backfire is out of energon!! Too late to re-load his internal munitions bay, the Seeker simpleton goes back to his old ploy.

<<Pew pew.. Pew pew PEWPEW!!>>

Combat: F-16 Falcon <Backfire> misses Jumpstart with his RETURN OF THE INVISIBLE LAZORZ! (Laser) attack! [Pulled -2] Combat: Gained 4 energon.

Jumpstart shuffles over to look out of one of the bay windows. A rude gesture is her last pot-shot at the idiot savant before she goes about her buisness.