Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Bridge

As the others finished their reformats, Swindle finished the last sensor sweeps, and downloaded the data to a pad for later reference. It seemed the Stunticons were in quite a pitched battle, which wasn't a surprise, but it meant he'd have to be ready for trouble.

"Ok, handing operations over to your console, Blast-Off. Keep the place tidy while we're out."

Bounce Chamber

Swindle arrived in the chamber on Onslaughts heels, checking his weapons as he went. Scatter Blaster fully loaded, Gyro Gun fully desynchronised, a few knives and grenades in his storage. Probably as good as he could get, given the circumstances. Still, with a unit like the Combaticons backing him up, he had little to fear. The Combaticons were professional soldiers, and the perfect team. They'd be able to handle any Autobot threat.

Handling the Stunticon threat, though....

Swindle stored the thought in the back of his cogitator, and activated the Bounce.

Infirmary

Vortex emerged from the reconfiguration and reformat module of the CR Chamber. He offered a mock stretch before rubbing his newly blocked shoulders. He slowly made his way to the polished surface of a life monitor console. "I can honestly say I am overly fond of the blocked angles and collapsed rotor blades look a bit tacky." He grabbed a synthetic fiber rag from one of the bins of clean supplies and removed minor scorch marks off of his new cockpit windows protruding from his chest.

"And to think, organics require these blasted things in order to control their vehicles. I have to admit, its pretty pathetic. Still as long as its functional, then I'll endure this moderate experience."

Bounce Chamber

Vortex walked through the chamber doors with his weapons slung across magnetic strips located along his back. His weapons had been modified to best fit the look of his alternative form, though he didn't exactly see the purpose behind it. Over all he was more interested in the transporter tag system he grabbed before his transformation, becoming apart of his forward weapons array.

"Lets get this over with. Being in such a primitive form chafes."

Bridge

Blast-Off was lonely and bored as he waited endlessly for any word from his fellow Combaticons somewhere down on the surface of the mudball beneath him. He was used to being alone, of course, but not bored. His usual perch was flying high above his teammates, raining down death and destruction on the Autobot forces far below. This often left the space warrior feeling isolated but with plenty of targets to fire upon in order to keep his appetite for carnage satisfied.

However, here he was now sitting cooped up inside the Obliteration with nothing to shoot at and nothing else to do in general. For a short time, Blast-Off had left the bridge, keeping his comm channel open just in case Onslaught were to finally call on him. That message never came as the lone Combaticon made his way down to the repair bay for a quick cycle in a CR chamber to reformat his alt mode into a Boeing X-37B spaceplane, which was the closest thing these flesh creatures had to a military space vehicle. Granted it was probably unnecessary as even when Blast-Off was finally commanded into action he would likely be positioned in a low orbit and not often seen by the human eye. Still, one never knew for sure and he also didn’t want to be the only member of his unit without an indigenous alternate mode. Not to mention it helped pass the time, as well.

Once his reconfiguration was completed successfully, the space warrior immediately returned to the bridge and settled back into the pilot’s chair once more. The primary view screen in front of him had not changed, still showing the dark side of the moon with the Thanatos off to one side. No one had yet contacted him, likely because he was not needed or perhaps he had been forgotten about. Either way, the loneliness and boredom was still ever present, making the time he had spent on board the Combaticon vessel seem a lot longer than it actually had been.

Finally tired of waiting, Blast-Off opened an encrypted comm line to Onslaught, hoping that his commander was not still in the middle of a battle and could provide him with an update of what was currently going on.

>>”Commander Onslaught, this is Blast-Off. The status here aboard the Obliteration is the same as when you and the others departed, sir. Everything is in order. I did take the opportunity to reformat my alt mode into something native to this planet just in case it would be needed. Please advise as to what my next course of action is, if any.”<<

Transmission from Onslaught to Blast-Off

>>"I read you. Situation update is as follows: contact with Constructicons made. Scrapper seems agreeable to working with us. We'll be assisting with the development of a base of operations in this region. That will occupy the bulk of our efforts for the time being. Your presence up there with the Obliteration is the security we need until we have defenses fully set up down here. I can't risk you doing anything that will draw Shockwave's attention. Not with the Thanatos under his command. I feel better with you up there. The others will as well, whether they realize it or not. What's going on with the orbital side of things? Is your position secure?"<<

Bridge

Blast-Off didn’t have to wait too long for a response from Onslaught. The update provided by his commander was a positive one as the Constructicons appeared to be onboard with joining the Combaticons and probably the other specialty units, as well. Further details were not given and were not really necessary, either, considering the space warrior’s current assignment, which apparently would not be changing any time soon.

As expected, Blast-Off was to remain in orbit with the Obliteration as a measure of security until the defenses of the new Decepticon Earth base was completed. He understood the rationale and even agreed with it. He just wished it was someone else to handle things while he got out and stretched his wings. Of course, any comings and goings would likely tip off the Thanatos as to the Combaticons’ location and that could not be allowed to happen.

>>”Understood, Commander Onslaught. I will remain stationed here in orbit until instructed otherwise. I must inform you that a short time ago I detected a transwarp signature materialize near the Ultrax. Moments later, the Stunticon frigate disappeared into the rift and vanished from all outward sensors. There’s no sign of it, and I have not made further attempts to locate it for fear of drawing Shockwave’s attention. Otherwise, everything is secure here, sir. I can see the Thanatos on the main view screen. It has not changed positions since you departed. Interestingly enough, no one from there has attempted to contact me as yet and there has been no outward aggression towards our vessel. If I do receive a message from Shockwave, what should my response be?<<

Transmission from Onslaught to Blast-Off

>>"If it's any sort of reasonable command, do what he says. Just having you and the ship up there and being compliant will probably offer him all the security he needs. Shockwave's not likely to think anything is amiss unless we give him reason to. I'll get you down here as soon as I can. Onslaught out."<<

Bridge

Blast-Off had been relatively alone now for countless cycles. It had been so many, in fact, that he stopped keeping track a while ago. Instead, the space warrior occupied his time with a multitude of simple tasks. He did anything from running diagnostics on the frigate’s various computer systems to indulging in some faux battles in the training facility to helping some of the vehicons with routine maintenance work around the Combaticon vessel. He even engaged in some pointless conversation with one of the vehicons, finding the lack of intelligent responses to be just as boring as not talking to anyone at all.

Why couldn’t one of them have been left to oversee things up here? Blast-Off thought to himself, already knowing the answer to his own question. While the vehicons were good as cannon fodder on the battlefield or as worker bots keeping things nice and shiny, they were not very bright and thus could not be trusted to watch over an entire frigate belonging to an elite unit such as the Combaticons. Onslaught had made the right decision when leaving the space warrior on the Obliteration, even if this had proven to be one of the longest periods of loneliness Blast-Off had ever experienced. Of course, everyone assumed he enjoyed being isolated from the rest of the squad considering that was how he had always portrayed things to them. Unfortunately, it was just an act that served only to hide his true feelings. His role was something he had come to accept long ago about his position within the ranks and therefore he never complained. He had a job to do, after all.

Sitting at the communications station, Blast-Off found himself once again staring blankly at the screen, awaiting any word from his Combaticon brethren down on the planet's surface. It had been a very long time since the space warrior had heard from Onslaught and he had been considering contacting the Combaticon Commander, himself, when something unusual happened. A small light began flashing on the communications console in front of him, indicating that something had been detected outside of the ship. “What the frag...” Blast-Off muttered as he leaned forward to see that the port-side sensor array had picked up some kind of signal. “Computer, give me a visual.” The lonely mech’s words brought up the image of the Thanatos on the primary view screen. At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but then it happened. An intense beam of light appeared, coming from the starboard side of the Predacon warship. It was aimed directly at the Combaticon frigate and flashed a series of long and short bursts that repeated over and over.

“Well, I’ll be slagged,” Blast-Off quipped with a smiled forming underneath his faceshield. “Computer, record that.” The space warrior knew what he was looking at, an old battlefield method of communication that he hadn’t seen used in vorns. Someone over on the Thanatos was trying to send him a message. Of course, he could only surmise as to who it was, but whoever the sender might be they were clearly going old school, likely to avoid detection from Soundwave. “Very clever, my unknown friend,” Blast-Off spoke aloud as the computer finished recording one of the beacon’s cycles. “Computer, translate the signal for me.”

The communique was short and to the point. Thus, it didn’t take the frigate’s computer very long to convert the series of coded flashes into an actual message. Blast-Off stared at the information that was now before his optics which confirmed his prior suspicions as to who was behind the beacon. “Interesting! Very very interesting! I have to get this down to Onslaught immediately.”

Wasting no time, the space warrior opened an encrypted channel to the Combaticon Commander:

>>”Commander Onslaught, this is Blast-Off reporting. I have received a message from Razorclaw who is currently aboard the Thanatos. The message was sent via a light beacon directed at our sensor array. Rather low tech but still very effective. Seems that big things are about to go down over on the Predacon vessel. I’m relaying to you the translated communique now. I await your response.”

{Razorclaw to Onslaught. Need immediate assistance on Thanatos. Battle against Shockwave to begin soon in hangar. Powered up on ultra energon. Use caution. Out.}<<

Bridge

An alert began blinking on a console indicating an escape pod had been launched. A second later the main viewscreen activated and the smiling visage of a recorded Swindle appeared.

“Hello there,” there was a brief pause as the program connected to the recording checked to see who was on board the ship. “Blast Off. I’m sure you’ve just noticed the launching of an escape pod. No need to worry as it wasn’t an accident or malfunction. I have that escape pod rigged up as sort of a ‘life raft’ or ‘care package.’ Its loaded with all sorts of nice toys and gadgets I can use to sell to get fuel or use in more straight forward fashion to get fuel or whatever else we need. The pod will be guided down to me, full stealth protocols so no one will see it so you can feel free to keep this quiet.” Swindle offered a thumbs up through the viewscreen.

“Of course if I’m calling for it, it probably means I or all of us are in deep slag. If that’s the case I’ve set up a little contingency plan. There is a hidden panel in the back of the command chair, just feel around for it. Inside is a higher power radio transmitter and receiver. A matching one is on board the escape pod. These two devices are synced together on randomly changing frequencies and encryptions, making it nearly impossible to spy on. I’ll probably be in touch soon once I’ve received mine on the escape pod. Until then….” Swindle offered a half hearted salute and the image disappeared.

Bridge

No sooner had Blast-Off sent his communique to Onslaught and another alert began blinking on the console in front of him. Leaning in to see what it was this time, the space warrior quickly ascertained that an escape pod had been launched. But how? That question lingered in his processor for only a moment before the smug visage of Swindle appeared on his view screen. The arms dealer quickly explained the situation and how dire it may have become down on the surface before revealing that there was a high powered radio transmitter and receiver hidden in the back of the command chair should Blast-Off need to contact Swindle for any reason. That revelation gave him little to no comfort considering what was about to happen over on the Thanatos. Apparently, word had not yet filtered through Onslaught to the rest of the team, but that would likely change quickly. Thus, the space warrior saw no need to return Swindle’s message with one of his own.

Blast-Off then stood up from his seat and made his way to the command chair where he easily located the radio transmitter. Even if he didn’t need to use it right away, it wouldn’t hurt to have it handy for the coming coup against Shockwave’s forces. Onslaught’s subsequent acknowledgment of the space warrior’s status update indicated that things would be moving along quickly now. Although, Blast-Off saw no need to coordinate with Swindle unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, what was there to coordinate until he was given more details of their next step? The arms dealer said that he would be in touch once he retrieved his own transmitter and therefore the space warrior would simply wait to be contacted again.

After a non-verbal acknowledgement was relayed to Onslaught, Blast-Off played the waiting game once more, this time pacing back and forth across the empty bridge of the Combaticon frigate. He had loitered about the ship for so many cycles thus far, what was a few more? Still, his circuits began to fire at the anticipation of what was to come - a battle with Shockwave’s forces on one of the greatest warships in the Decepticon fleet. Everything was at stake here. The future of the Empire rested on whether or not Razorclaw could pry the full mantle of leadership out of the singular hand of the Military Operations Commander. It would be no easy feat, which was something the Predacon lord understood. Otherwise, he would not have called for additional back-up from the Combaticons in such a low tech and covert manner.

Finally, Onslaught’s last transmission came across his comm line. Blast-Off smiled underneath his face shield as he moved to the main terminal and set the Obliteration on auto-pilot. The remaining vehicons could keep watch over the ship while he was off fighting against his own kind. It seemed like a waste of energon battling those who were not the Autobots, but there seemed to be no other choice now. Unfortunately, with the loss of Lord Megatron, things had become very fragmented within the Decepticon ranks here in the Sol System. The Empire desperately needed to be reunited, and hopefully Razorclaw was the mech that could accomplish that task.

Without further delay, Blast-Off checked his ionic blaster and energon levels. Everything was at full capacity and ready for the confrontation that lay ahead. A few astroseconds passed before the space warrior took a deep intake and activated his personal link to the Predacon warship’s bounce chamber. A flash of light later and he was gone from sight, leaving a fully automated bridge in his wake.