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Shockwave stood outside the Decepticon shuttle Razorclaw had landed on one of the topmost of the fortress city of Kolkular's landing zones only moments ago - surveying the view that opened up from the top of the massive fortress. The same desolation was as apparent here as it was in Polyhex. Regards of this, most of the infrastructure would be salvageable, even repairable had they resources and energon to do so. The fact that they couldn't do so was insulting to a mechanoid like Shockwave but even he had to accept the realities.

"Set up the automated defenses to protect the shuttle." He finally stated and knelt down next to an access hatch that had not been used tens of thousands of years. "Declarative: This fortress is powered down. Our only way to the command hub is through a number of blast doors and access hatches. We have to find the route of least resistance. Blasting through every possible blast door will drain our energy reserves before we get to our target. Inquiry: Has the fortress layout been modified since my departure?"

Kolkular Landing Zone - Top Level

Razorclaw had no trouble landing the transport shuttle on top of the massive fortress city of Kolkular. The ride had thankfully been a smooth one with very little in the way of turbulence. Furthermore, there was no interference from the Autobots, which probably meant that the enemy had no knowledge of the salvage mission to Kaon. However, that didn't mean there still wasn't a chance the Autobots could find out somehow and attempt to stop them. They all had to remain vigilant and ready for anything.

Once the shuttle was secured, Razorclaw followed Shockwave outside where the Predacon Commander could see the vast destruction that plagued Kaon as it did the rest of Cybertron. Perhaps some day their homeworld would regain it's former glory, but that day was not now nor would it be in the foreseeable future. There was no time to reminisce about the past, however, as Shockwave gave the order to set up the auto-guns to protect the shuttle. Razorclaw turned to address Tantrum and the other Predacons. "You heard Shockwave. Retrieve the auto-guns from the shuttle and start setting them up around the perimeter."

As Divebomb, Rampage and Headstrong headed into the shuttle's cargo hold, Razorclaw turned to face Shockwave, who had just inquired about the fortress layout. "I believe the layout is generally the same, my lord," Razorclaw responded immediately. "The only change I am aware of is the addition of a new turbo lift on the south side of the complex that allows for easier access to the lower sub-levels. Everything else should be as you remember it."

The Predacon leader then glanced back towards the shuttle as Divebomb, Rampage and Headstrong emerged from the cargo hold, each carrying an auto-gun. Rampage almost dropped his, but quickly regained control. "Set them up at an equal distance from one another to ensure there are no holes in the defensive perimeter," Razorclaw ordered. "And be careful with them! We don't have any spares!"

Kolkular Landing Zone - Top Level

"Very well. Cut this access hatch open." Shockwave stated after Razorclaw's response. "It will lead into the city's service network where we can maneuver more freely towards the command hub, inflicting minimum damage into Kolkular."

Following up his statement, Shockwave summoned up a holographic presentation of the fortress city and the route they would take for Razorclaw to see. "We will head for the emergency powerplant A-1 of the fortress sector C-8 and engage it with some of the spare energon carried by Tantrum. This will allow us to direct power into the rest of the route we will take, opening blast doors on our way into the command hub through utilizing up to date command codes you possess."

Kolkular Landing Zone - Top Level

Razorclaw knelt down by the access hatch directly across from where Shockwave was situated and quickly pulled out a small blow torch. Before Razorclaw was able to begin, however, Shockwave had generated a holographic map of the fortress city and began explaining what they needed to do once they were inside. The Predacon Commander listened intently and nodded once the cycloptic mech was finished speaking. "Understood, my lord. Tantrum has plenty of extra energon in his tanks, and I have all the access codes required to get us to our destination. There should be no problems."

Razorclaw then ignited his blow torch and began cutting through the hatch until he had gone completely around the sealed rim. Once done, the Predacon leader grabbed a hold of the handle on top and swiftly pulled the hatch door open, allowing a rush of stale air to escape from the darkness below. Razorclaw then turned to check on his team's progress with the automated defenses. They had succeeded in setting up three of the auto-guns and were currently bringing out the remaining four from the shuttle's cargo hold.

Razorclaw stood to address them. "Listen up! Once you are all finished with the auto-guns, we'll be moving down into the fortress. Tantrum, some of the extra energon you brought will be needed once we are inside. I'll let you know when that will be. Now, let's get moving, Predacons. Time is wasting."

Kolkular Landing Zone - Top Level

Tantrum sighed as he lugged one of the auto-guns out of the hold of the shuttle. Was there anything to do on this dead world other than mess around with old guns? It seemed that he had done little more than carry parts and tools to repair guns, actually repair the guns, and now he was lugging them around and setting them up. What kind of work was this for a Predacon? They should have just brought Swindle along. At the very least the little Decepticon knew guns.

Tantrum looked over at Razorclaw as his name was called. He let out a snort. “I’ll be ready with plenty of fuel when you need me boss. Just tell me when and where and I’ll get this fortress charged up as best I can.”

Kolkular - Sector C-8

With the Predacons securing the shuttle, Shockwave gave the order to move out. It took several breems from the band of deadly Decepticons to reach their targets. While they faced no resistance inside Kolkular, the city fortress' sheer size and powered down state slowed them down considerably. Yet, there was no denying them from their price.

"The emergency powerplant A-1." Shockwave spoke up after being silent ever since he had given the order to move out - pointing his gun arm towards a building protected by walls strong enough to hold a massive energon explosion. Turning his sole optic towards Razorclaw, Shockwave gave an order in form of a statement. "You know how to proceed."

Kolkular - Sector C-8

Once the Predacons were finished setting up the auto-guns to Razorclaw's satisfaction, the elite military unit followed Shockwave down into the bowels of the fortress city. It was a long journey through the powerless capital of Kaon, not to mention slow going as the darkness made it difficult to see ahead. The Predacon Commander pulled out a portable light from subspace which helped to illuminate the way forward.

After several breems of walking, the group of Decepticons finally made it to their destination: emergency powerplant A-1. It was a large structure surrounded by a thick wall that was designed not only to keep unwanted guests out, but to keep an accidental energon explosion contained. Overloads and mech error could happen at any time. Therefore, the necessary precautions had to be taken to protect the rest of the city from damage.

Once Shockwave gave Razorclaw the okay to proceed, the Predacon leader nodded in response and then turned towards his team, pointing to one in particular. "Tantrum! You're coming with me. The rest of you stay here. This shouldn't take long."

Razorclaw then returned his attention to the powerplant ahead and moved towards the protective outer wall. Using his portable light device, he was able to locate a locked door, one of only two entrances into the plant. Since there was currently no power feeding the door's keypad, the Predacon leader knew that his codes would be useless. Therefore, it was necessary to open the door manually.

Razorclaw moved to the left of the door where an access panel was plainly visible. Using his blow torch from before, Razorclaw cut open the panel and reached for the lever inside. Pushing it into the downward position, he could hear the locking mechanism unhitch within the door frame. Razorclaw then positioned himself in front of the entrance and forced the door to slide open with both clawed hands. It was a difficult task even for a mech as powerful as him, but he managed to pry the door most of the way open.

Kolkular - Emergency Powerplant A-1

Razorclaw stepped inside a vast chamber and shined his light across the way. On the opposite side he could see the huge power generators that had laid dormant for countless vorns. All they needed now was a little energon to get them started and then the group could direct power through the rest of their route to the command hub. It would certainly make things much easier for them and allow the Predacon leader to use his access codes to open all of the blast doors along the way.

Staying focused, Razorclaw quickly marched across the large room, approaching the primary energon coupling to the generators. Once he had inspected the vitality of the connection, Razorclaw turned his gaze towards the Predacon fueler. "Tantrum, hook one of your spare fuel tanks up here to this coupling and begin infusing the generators with energon. Once that's done I should be able to get them running at optimal capacity and then feed power into the appropriate systems we will require for the rest of our trip."

Kolkular - Emergency Powerplant A-1

It had been a long time, too long, since Rampage had set foot or locked optics on anything having to do with the legendary fortress of Kolkular. It conjured images of storied battles and gladiator combats of old. Rampage had done a lot of business here, even when Kaon itself had been a ward of the prevailing Autobot government. That time period was so far distant that Rampage wondered if his own memory records recalled everything accurately. It didn't matter now. What mattered, form the looks of it, was getting some energy flowing through this place again.

Rampage offered no argument when Razorclaw told he and some of the other Predacons to remain where they were. The environment overhead didn't look too good. Cybertron's atmosphere looked to be just as messed up as the surface. The Predacon wanted to see Cybertron restored. He was sure it could be done, but it would take the vision of mechs like Megatron and the practical skills of those like Shockwave and Thunderwing to make it a reality.

If Rampage's skills on the battlefield could bring it about that much quicker, so much the better.

>>"You guys runnin' in to anything that we can tear up down there? Heh,"<< Rampage transmitted to his commander.

Kolkular - Emergency Powerplant A-1

Shockwave stood silently in the midst of the power plant that had gone unused for many vorns. Only his head turned, very incrementally, as his sole optic scanned everything that surrounded them. Though Tantrum would be able to provide an initial surge to the system, it would have to be used wisely and sparingly. Energy of any sort was an increasingly rare commodity. Shockwave recalled numerous memory compoents of a time when that was not the case on Cybertron. He looked to bring Cybertron to that state once again, but that was an endgoal that had an almost exponential number of other objectives that would need to be achieved beforehand.

"Interrogative: what is the completion percentage of your subordinate's objective, Razorclaw?" Shockwave asked. Deeper levels of the fortress awaited them. They would remain here only so long as it took to get their next path suitably energized.

The purple mech moved at last, approaching a small terminal at the far wall. As he did, his right hand attempted to access the outer security layers of the system with whatever energy Tantrum had managed to inject in to the power plant thus far.

Kolkular - Emergency Powerplant A-1

Tatrum followed Razorclaw and the other Decepticons down into the long abandoned fortress. He understood that they were here to reactivate some of the systems and retrieve some equipment, but there was still a large part of him that wanted to just tear through the base. They had the power and strength to do it, why waste so much time walking around in the dark like this? He kept his thoughts to himself though, trusting in Razorclaw and by extension, Shockwave. Still, the occasional stray spark from the horns on his head indicated his frustration.

He followed Razorclaw further into the base, into one of the powerplants that had kept the fortress running before. It looked to be in ok shape for being deserted for so long. He wasn’t an expert on these things though. The fueler just knew enough to fill up his fuel tanks and empty them out into something else, and you didn’t need a whole lot of skill or knowledge to do that.

The Predacon nodded at Razorclaw’s orders and attached one of his energon tanks to the coupling. The fuel slowly began to pump out of the tank and into the old systems. He watched the tank empty out and snorted. “That’s a full tank emptied into it Razorclaw. I’ve got more fuel if you need it but I’m thinking we’ll need to top off our own tanks before leaving here. Hopefully this old thing still works.”