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Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Smokescreen showed little reaction as one of his energy webs grazed Oil Slick on the leg, which only caused the ‘Con to stumble a bit before he returned to his motorcycle alt mode. For an astrosecond, the rallybot thought that his adversary was going to charge directly at him again, but it soon became apparent that this would not be the case. The Decepticon chopper suddenly veered off towards the shuttle where the Syk dealer transformed once more and sought cover on the opposing side of the Autobot craft. All the while, Smokey continued firing but had little success in striking his enemy before the 'Con disappeared from his sights.

“Slaggit!” Smokescreen cursed under his breath as he quickly checked his rifle’s energy levels while keeping a close optic on the shuttle where Oil Slick was now hiding behind. The chemist was way too close to Tracer for the diversion expert’s liking, but at least she was safely locked inside doing whatever she needed in order to get better. Hopefully, she had already injected herself with the Syk and was well on her way to recovering from this desperate bout with her addiction. Unfortunately, time was not on their side and that became even more apparent at the sight of toxic fumes bellowing into the air from the place where Oil Slick had sought cover. It appeared as though the ‘Con was using his chemicals on something, but what?

Oh, no! Smokescreen thought as the obvious answer entered his processor. The maniacal chemist was spraying the shuttle with some kind of acid, which would soon eat right through the hull and expose a likely still recovering Tracer to his vengeful wrath. If Smokey didn’t do something soon to stop Oil Slick, he would surely be faced with a hostage situation that could only end badly for both of them.

Opening another comm line to Tracer, Smokescreen attempted to warn her of the impending danger: >>”Tracer! It’s Smokescreen outside! I think Oil Slick is using his chemical sprayers to eat through the hull of the shuttle. You need to be on guard in case he’s able to get inside! Do you read me, Trace? Are you there?! Tracer!!”<<

As was the case with his prior transmission to the troubled femme, Smokescreen heard no immediate response. He could only assume that she was okay and probably just reacting to the Syk in some way that prevented her from replying to him. At least, that’s what he hoped. But until he got inside the shuttle to see for himself, there was no telling what condition she was currently in. Regardless, he needed to act now before the dealer got to her first.

Exposing myself is not a good idea, but I have no other options, Smokescreen considered as he readied his electro-disruptor rifle. There was little to no cover to be had around the shuttle except for trees and other vegetation, but that would provide little protection from his adversary's arsenal of weaponry. Once he was out there, he’d be at the mercy of fate, and hopefully it would fall in his favor. The rallybot leaned his back against the boulder and took a deep breath before turning and peeking around the large rock once again. He could clearly see the toxic cloud getting bigger by the astrosecond. There was no time left to lose. It was now or never.

Primus be with me, Smokescreen thought as he off-lined his optics for a brief moment in a silent prayer before they glowed back to life again. Smokey then darted out from behind his cover, transforming into his 350Z alt mode and zooming towards the shuttle until he had reached the opposite side where Oil Slick quickly came into view. “Hey, Slick, try melting some of this!” The diversion expert yelled as he skidded his vehicle form around and unleashed another cloud of smoke at the chemical expert. It was a smaller plume than the last time, but he hoped it would be enough to at least stop the gangly mech’s assault on the shuttle and divert his attention away from Tracer.

Once the last of the black cloud was dispensed, the diversionary tactician reverted to robot mode and slowly backed away from the side of the shuttle with his rifle raised and ready for Oil Slick to possibly come charging through the magnetic smoke at any moment. “Come on, Slick! What are you waiting for? I’m right here! Can’t you see me?” The taunts were intended to anger the chemist even further so that he would be too blinded by rage to think clearly. Combine that with not being able to see clearly through the cloud, and Smokescreen thought he might actually have a chance to make a kill shot against the bane of Tracer's existence.

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Oil Slick turned as he heard the roar of an engine coming towards him. A smile almost graced his face as he realized his plan had worked. He still expected the Autobot to avoid direct combat as best he could. All he needed was to buy time, to get him away from the shuttle so they could both escape. He would have to make sure to keep the battle close to the Autobot, ideally by crippling him quickly. Then he would be able to finish him off at his leisure, perhaps even using him as a bargaining tool against Tracer. At the very least he would get some small enjoyment from pounding his foe.

Smokescreen drove from around the shuttle and let out some annoying quip. Oil Slick was too focused on him to really notice it. The Autobot then belched out another one of the noxious clouds of magnet smoke, placing a barrier directly between them. A slight sneer passed over his face as the Autobot began egging him on. While Oil Slick was not primarily a warrior he was not a newcomer to battles. In addition, unlike so many other Decepticons, his anger did not control his actions. While the ember of rage inside of him grew brighter, it was still under control. He would not let it ignite until he was sure the Autobot could not escape. Then the Autobot would pay for his interference in a most painful manner.

The Decepticon raised his right arm and activated the chemical sprayer attached to it. A stream of corrosive acid shot out of the spray, sailing through the cloud of smoke to hit whatever was on the other side. Oil Slick jogged towards the cloud, moving his arm from side to side to douse everything on the other side of the cloud with the acid. Right before he ran into the cloud he jumped into the air, using his flight ability to sail over it. Landing on the other side of the cloud he produced his flail once again. Quickly whirling one end of it he lashed out with it, sending the spiked end flying towards the Autobot.

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Smokescreen waited with baited breath for the Decepticon chemist to make his move as the cloud of magnetic smoke began to slowly dissipate in front of him. The sound of running on the other side caused Smokey to take a fighting stance with his electro-disruptor rifle drawn up and aimed at whatever would come charging through the black cloud. However, it was not Oil Slick, himself, that appeared through the dark fog, but a steady stream of destructive acid from the Syk dealer’s chemical emitter.

“Ah, fraggit!” Smokescreen cursed as he instinctively spun around and ducked down to avoid the corrosive compound as it was sprayed from side to side in a wide berth. Unfortunately, unlike a laser blast which would have sailed directly over him without incident, the liquid spray did not act in the same manner and began to lose altitude the further away from the source that it got. While the rallybot was able to evade a direct hit, his back was still covered by a residual mist that dropped down from the main stream as it passed over him. It was more than enough to begin eating away at his armor plating, sending an intense pain radiating across his entire back.

“Aaahhhhh!!!!!” The diversion expert screamed as he pounded the ground beneath him with his free hand while trying desperately to remain out of the still unseen Oil Slick’s direct line of fire. Once the chemical attack subsided, Smokescreen saw his chance to make a break for it and forced himself back to his feet, the pain only increasing as the acid ate further and further into his armor plating. The same kind of toxic fumes that had previously emanated from the shuttle was now rising from the rallybot’s own back. He needed to get away the chemist and back under cover as quickly as possible, but that was easier said than done under these circumstances.

As the diversion specialist staggered back and away from the magnetic cloud, Oil Slick came flying over it and landed in plain view of the retreating Autobot. The Syk dealer immediately flung his chain flail at Smokescreen, the spike-covered sphere slamming directly into the rallybot’s chest plate. The pain in his back had now become a secondary concern as an even greater agony enveloped Smokey’s front side, his vehicle mode’s headlights shattering into a hundred glass shards as the red and blue mech was propelled backwards by the force of the powerful strike.

Landing on his back at the edge of the clearing, Smokescreen cried out again in anguish as the pain receptors in his back rejoined the front ones in a symphony of torture and suffering. Laying there on the rocky ground, he peered up into the sky above and let out a deep sigh as his HUD showed the damage he had sustained thus far. “Ahhh, dammit...” was all that the fallen rallybot could utter as he tried to regain his focus on the deteriorating situation he now found himself in. A deep crater now adorned Smokey’s chest plate as he attempted to bring his rifle up but quickly realized that he no longer had possession of it, having lost his grip on it moments before.

Where....where is it? Smokescreen thought feverishly as he looked up to see Oil Slick slowly advancing on his position. Soon the Decepticon chemist would be on top of him to exact his dreadful revenge on the helpless rallybot. I’m not out yet. If I can only find my rifle....wait, there it is! Smokey glanced to his one side and found his weapon lying on the ground nearby. Now, all he had to do was reach it before the enraged Syk dealer reached him.

Trying to ignore the intense pain he was still in, Smokescreen stretched out with his right arm and managed to grab ahold of his electro-disruptor rifle. Bringing it up, he aimed the weapon at Oil Slick and fired off an unsteady shot, his arm shaking slightly. The rallybot didn’t expect it to do any good, but at least the dome-headed chemist was no longer bothering the shuttle or the femmebot inside.

>>”Tracer....this is Smoke...screen. I’m in trouble out here. Take off.....now!”<<

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Oil Slick pulled his flail back after it impacted with Smokescreen. He felt a small sense of satisfaction about the hit. It was far from what some of the more warrior-like and brutal Decepticons might feel at the success of an attack, but for the chemist to feel much of anything was surprising. While some small part of him felt good about his attack, his more analytical side brushed it aside, urging for expediency. Time was still of the essence, both to cover for his absence and to prevent Tracer escaping without paying him.

The Decepticon leapt to the side as Smokscreen fired a clumsy shot off at him. Oil Slick raised his arm and fired off another stream of acid at the Autobot, hitting his right shoulder. As he grasped at the wound in pain the Decepticon stood up, twirling his weapon at his side. He spun around to gain more momentum before releasing the chain from his right hand, the other end still grasped in his left. The weapon swung up with tremendous force, smashing into Smokescreen’s acid weakened shoulder. There was a sound of crashing and tearing metal as the weapon punched through the metal connects of his arm. The limb was sent flying back as Oil Slick pulled his weapon back to him.

Oil Slick felt another flush of excitement at the attack, but quickly pushed it aside. He stalked up to the helpless Autobot and bashed his knee into his face to remove any remaining fight he might have in him. He then wrapped his left arm around him in a chokehold, pressing the acid sprayers attached to his right arm up against his head. He drug the smaller Autobot to the door of the shuttle.

“Tracer!” His tone was icy cold as he shouted out to her. “Exit the shuttle immediately, unarmed! You have broken the conditions of our arrangement. There will be a penalty for that, starting with the application of concentrated acids directly to the cranium of your associate should you delay exiting the vehicle!”


OOC: Fight agreed upon by both players

Mongolian Valley – Shuttle Landing Site

It felt as though she was unconscious for vorns so when she finally onlined her optics she was groggy and her surroundings seemed to be moving in unnatural ways. Tracer lifted her upper body up off the floor of the shuttle and placed her hand on her cranium. There was immense pain, a throb that seemed to grow with every movement. The scout let out a low moan and finally lifted the rest of her body up off the floor.

The mixture of Syk the chemist had provided was much more potent than any other version she was given. She had no idea how long she was out cold and sprawled on the floor. She carefully shuffled to one of the back chairs and flopped down. Another wave of cranial pain washed through her and she grabbed her head trying to make the ache go away.

Suddenly she remembered that she hadn’t made the trip to this location alone and she looked around the shuttle for some sign of who had accompanied her. Her optics narrowed as she tried desperately to recall. Razr had finally moved from under the table and stopped next to her chair. The turbofox placed a paw on her leg and cocked his head to the side as he regarded her.

Tracer looked down at her pet and flashed him a small smile. She stared at him for a moment before she perked up and looked to the door.

“Smokescreen.”

The instant the mechs name slipped quietly from her lips she received a private communique. When she heard the diversion expert’s pain filled voice, Tracer shot up from the chair, anguish playing on her features. The message was ominous…too ominous. She quickly opened up a link with Smokescreen.

>>”I’m not leaving you! Not now!”<<

The femme grew quiet, but she kept the link open. Tracer looked around the shuttle, she knew she brought her weapon but she was having trouble finding….ah, there it is.

She scooped it up and started toward the sealed ramp. She raised her hand and began to lower her palm to the button but she suddenly stopped when she heard her name being called by Oil Slick. She pulled her hand away from its intended target and listened to the chemist.

The threat to use his acid sprayers of Smokescreen’s cranium caused Tracer’s hand to lose its grip on her weapon letting it fall to the floor. The thought of losing him to that maniac was almost too much to handle. She stood frozen in place, her body trembling as she pictured the damage Oil Slick would do.

>>”I’m coming out, Smokescreen. Just hold on a little longer.”<<

Tracer took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She raised her hand to the button and gently pushed. The hiss of the ramp filled the valley and once it was fully extended Tracer tossed out her weapon and slowly descended the shuttle with her hands raised up in the air. She looked down at her former dealer and his hostage. The scout took in a sharp intake of air at the sight of Smokescreen.

“Oh Primus. What have I done?” Her voice was too low for either mech to hear.

Tracer let the shocked expression fade as she addressed Oil Slick.

“Alright, Oil Slick. You have me, now let him go. I’m the one who broke the conditions of our arrangement. Take your anger out on me. Just, please, don’t hurt him anymore.”

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

A defeated look overcame Smokescreen’s faceplate as his haphazard shot was easily avoided by Oil Slick. That look was quickly replaced with one of intense pain when the Syk dealer unleashed another chemical attack, this one squarely aimed at his right shoulder joint. Smokey reached for the burning wound but could not touch it as the acid ate straight through his armor plating, weakening the joint to the point where his gun arm went limp and fell helplessly to his side. That attack was then quickly followed up with another, this time from the flail weapon again. The spiked ball smashed through the already damaged shoulder, severing the diversion expert’s entire right arm from the rest of his battered body.

Dear Primus, Smokescreen thought as his pain receptors felt as though they were on fire with energon seeping from the metallic stump. "Aaarrrgghh!!!" The rallybot screamed before Oil Slick’s knee struck his faceplate hard, almost knocking him unconscious in the process. However, Smokey was not so lucky as he remained fully aware of what was going on around him. The Decepticon chemist then placed the diversion expert into a tight choke hold and dragged him over to the sealed door of the shuttle, all the while pressing the tip of his acid weapon against the blue of Smokey’s cranial unit. Oil Slick demanded that Tracer come out immediately or her Autobot companion would find his head melted into a pool of slag.

Smokescreen remained weak and limp in his captor’s grasp as energon continued to pour from the gapping wound where his right arm once occupied. Circuits sparked and misfired as the rallybot’s life blood slowly drained from his body. Smokey barely heard Tracer’s initial comm that she would not leave him, but he managed to register her words internally nevertheless. She was stubborn, that was for sure. Of course, if the situation was reversed, the diversion expert would not have left her, either. Still, he wanted her to be safe regardless of what happened to him here and now.

Tracer’s next comm, however, filled Smokescreen with even more dread. She was coming outside where she would no longer be safe, where her former dealer could do whatever he wanted to with her. What was she thinking?

>>"No...”<<

It was too late. The shuttle’s hatch had opened and the ramp extended. Tracer descended with her arms raised and pleaded with Oil Slick to let Smokey go without further harm to him. The rallybot raised his head slightly so that his optics could meet with her own. He doubted that the chemical specialist would respond favorably to her request and thus, if this was to be the end for him, Smokescreen wanted the last visage he ever saw to be her’s.

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Oil Slick could feel Smokescreen shifting in his grasp. He tightened his chokehold on him to make sure he didn’t get any ideas of escape. He could easily end his life and he wanted him to remember that.

The Decepticon turned his optics towards the shuttle as the ramp finally lowered. He watched as Tracer’s weapon came sailing out, followed by the Autobot herself, hands raised over her head. A slight sneer passed over Oil Slick’s face before vanishing. In a situation as tense as this one he wasn’t about to let emotions ruin everything for him. Things had gone horribly wrong, but he could still salvage something out of this. He had to. The only way to do that was to remain rational.

“As you can see Tracer I have your associate at my mercy. Any attempt to flee and he will be terminated in a most painful manner. If I see or hear any other Autobots, he will be terminated. If he tries to escape or communicate with you, he will be terminated. The only chance either of you have of escaping this encounter alive is to do everything I say.”

Oil Slick pressed the sprayers against Smokescreen’s head a bit tighter. A drop of acid fell out, landing on the Autobot’s cranium with a sizzle. “Tracer, you will give me that data slug containing the information promised to me. Do it slowly and easily or your friend dies.” The chemist was making things up as he went. Obtaining his payment seemed like the first and simplest thing he could do. After that he would have to decide whether to just terminate the two Autobots and flee or try to extract more from them.

Mongolian Valley – Shuttle Landing Site

The sight of Oil Slick holding Smokescreen hostage brought an angry sneer to her face, but it quickly subsided. She did not want her former dealer to think he was getting the better of her, but it was becoming harder to maintain her composure.

The scout moved a little closer to both mechs but stopped just short of coming in to contact with either of them. Tracer kept her arms raised in the air as she responded to Oil Slick’s demands.

“I can see that. And believe me I’m not going anywhere and there are no other Autobots with me.”

Tracer nodded in understanding at the gangly mech’s last bit of instruction.

“I’ll do anything. Name it. Just, please, don’t hurt him anymore.”

As soon as Oil Slick pressed the sprayers against Smokescreen’s head further, Tracer gasped and quickly backed off slightly. She could smell and hear the sizzle that had come from the tips of the sprayers. The scout’s attention moved, quickly, from Smokescreen and his position to that of Oil Slick.

The ‘Con’s demand for the data slug was an utter surprise to her. Doesn't he have it? I know I gave it to him. Maybe…no, he couldn’t have.

“I…I don’t have it. I think it may have been lost coming back here.”

She took a cursory look around just to make sure she hadn’t inadvertently dropped it when she left the shuttle…nothing. Damn. Now what? She paused a moment before she quickly snapped her head up to look directly at Oil Slick.

“But I remember what was on it. Let him go and take me instead. I can give you everything that I downloaded, but you’ll only get it unless you set him free.”

Her face was set in a stern expression.

“Do we have a deal?”

Mongolian Valley - Shuttle Landing Site

Smokescreen looked on helplessly as Oil Slick tightened his choke hold around the diversion expert before laying out a series of ultimatums to Tracer. If she failed to comply with any of them, the rallybot would die. He emphasized this by pressing the chemical emitter against the Autobot’s cranial unit harder, allowing a small drop of acid to fall onto his captive’s head. Smokey winched slightly just as one last demand was made. The chemist wanted the data slug back with the same deadly consequence to the former gambler’s spark if the femme did not do as she was told. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to both of them, the red and blue racer had already destroyed the tiny device just before he stowed away the second vile of Syk into his right leg compartment. It was a decision that could mean the end for both of them now.

Tracer’s response was one of surprise and uncertainty, but she quickly recovered and said that she remembered what was on the data slug anyway. Therefore, she made her former dealer a new offer to let Smokescreen go in exchange for the information she claimed she had memorized. The diversion expert highly doubted that she had ever looked at the data let alone memorized it to any great extent. And even if she had, those memories would not be reliable due to the severe effects of the withdrawal symptoms she had previously been suffering from. No, she was clearly lying and if Smokey could see that fact then so could Oil Slick.

Keeping his optics fixated on Tracer, a weakened Smokescreen could do little but crack a slight smile as a way to reassure her that everything would be all right. That, of course, was another lie, albeit a silent one. The Decepticon had the upper hand here, and there was no easy way out for either of the two Autobots. The diversion expert knew this all too well as he had faced similar instances like this in the past, only with another mech as the captive. The minibot, Bumblebee, immediately came to mind as the most recent hostage situation and Smokey could only wonder whether or not facing Darkride’s interrogation techniques was in their future.

Regardless, Smokescreen would do whatever he could to protect Tracer from harm, and that meant keeping her out of Oil Slick's clutches in any way possible. "Leave....her alone. I can tell you more....than...she can. I've been stationed....here....longer. Please....take me....and let her....go."

Mongolian Valley – Shuttle Landing Site

From Oil Slick’s optics Tracer moved her gaze slowly down to Smokescreen still caught in the Decepticon chemist’s chokehold. She stared unmoving into the diversion expert’s blue optics as she waited for a response from Oil Slick. That’s when she noticed it. A small smile, it almost too small to be noticed by any who didn’t know Smokescreen well enough. Although that smile was small it spoke a thousand words. His plan became painfully obvious to the femme and she knew she just had to do something before he wound up getting himself killed.

Her mouth was opened slightly and Tracer carefully looked up to the ‘Con. She took in a deep intake of cool air as she slowly lowered her arms. She tried to speak but was cut off by Smokescreen’s attempt to save her…again. Tracer shook her head at the blue and red mech’s attempt and took one hesitant step forward.

“Th…There’s one piece of information on that data slug I can give you right now.”

Tracer looked down at Smokescreen deep concern flooded her entire being. This was something she had to do and this time it wasn’t for her. She had someone she cared about that needed her. It was now that she realized just what Smokescreen wanted for her. But that was never going to happen if she lost him.

“While I was aboard the Guardian, the Protectobots deployed to the former site of the Decepticon base in order to recover any wounded. After their return, along with the other Autobots rescued, the word had gotten out.”

She paused but long enough only to mouth how sorry she was to Smokescreen before looking back up to Oil Slick.

“Optimus Prime is dead.”