The Energon Pub

Sonic Canyons - The Battlefield

Aftershock fell, hard. Both weapons had been knocked out of his hands as well. He was quick though, and managed to catch the shotgun but the sniper rifle was simply out of his reach before he could grab it.

Aftershock's back was already "damaged" and now the situation was worse. He was nearly out of fuel and part of what he still had was blocked by a piece of jagged metal that he had landed on. Unless Torment allowed him to remove that piece of metal, which wasn't likely to happen, he would only be able to make one more quick charge.

He wasn't going to waste it unless he had too.

Aftershock had one remaining option. He focused on the "hole" in Torment's chest, aimed his shotgun right at it, and fired.

Sonic Canyons - The Battlefield

Swiftscreech knew that he was close to being "killed" so he wanted to get one last shot. No one was paying attention to him. He aimed his cannon at Torment's mid-section.

Please work!

He fired the cannon.

Sonic Canyons - Battle Training


Torment loomed over Aftershock preparing to scrape him with his razor sharp sweep claws, only to be halted by the con sniper’s Shotgun. Torment did not have time to dodge the shot. Aftershock hit him square in the chest at close range, blowing him backwards and across the canyon floor. Because of the backlash of Aftershock’s weapon Swiftscreetch’s fire hit Torment in the “wing” rather than its intended target. Causing his projection to angle as he skidded across the canyon, coming to a halt in a disheveled heap. Clutching his frontal area the Hunter snarled, a chilling sound, enforced by the demon like burn of his optics.

Toement slowly and deliberately pulled his legs beneath him. Coming to a kneeling poise, giving the impressing of praying. His systems registered the hit as a disabling one, preventing him at that moment from standing up. His torso was hunched over and his “wings” hid his body. He was used to situations such as this. ‘His high speed and tracking function often put him out ahead of the main force. This combined with his loner nature lead him many times to being outnumbered in battle and with backup a distance away.’ Quietly beneath the shielding of his hovercraft hull he activated the disintegrator cannons that would normally serve him in alt mode. With a soft hum they powered up and rose from the surface of his wings.

The Constructions had designed the sweeps to kill, and it took an effort on Torments part to remember this was just an exercise. He was well aware most of the older designs of Decepticons saw their make as a threat to their functions with in Megatrons army. But The way of the Decepticon is indeed survival of the fittest and those who are weak do not deserve to survive. For the Tracker to show weakness even in this simulation would shame him and possible disappoint Scourge as well.

~Bold move Aftershock, you shall do what you can to survive but unlike you I was built with the intent to kill. I feel no remorse or despair. If I cease to function then so be it. Courage is for fools, Sweeps were created to destroy all opposition. And today my comrade you are the opposition.~

He readied his Arm disruptor cannon and his heat laser. With a sudden flash he opened his wings but at the same time angled them to allow his canons to fire, simultaneously with his well aimed Arm disrupter and heat laser. The firepower from his hull went straight at Aftershock, as he aimed his other two weapons at Swiftscreetch. A Blinding Flash Exploded from the Halloween hues hunter as his weapons discharged.

Sonic Canyons - The Battlefield

Torment's blast hit Swiftscreech. This registered as him being defeated.

Aww slag! I'm better against enemies my size anyway

There was nothing to do but lie there now. He watched his comrades.

Come on, you can defeat them!

Kolkular--Command Center

Soundwave's attention had been fully engrossed within the report the Insecticons had been provided, pouring over its every detail. The more he came to understand, the more he felt what a ripe world this would be. Megatron would no doubt see the same potential that he did and more. His analysis is only briefly interrupted by the presence of a new Decepticon.

"Decepticon Terrorcharge--service activation: acknolwedged. Present mission: standby."

With Megatron personally visiting the territory of Tyrest, the warriors of Kaon need only to maintain their current battle readiness. When the Decepticon leader called them in to service, Soundwave would ensure that all was as it had been left.

Kolkular, Command center

Skyjack walked up to Soundwave. He had to supress that feeling of discomfort he had about Soundwave the best he could. he was so uneasy around him for a simple reason. Soundwave was un controllable. Other decepticons expressed themselves through their words, atitudes, and gestures, and What they expressed, helped Skyjack manipulate and control them. But Soundwave was different. He was unexpressive, and reserved. This kept skyjack from having him join others who were wrapped around his finger.

Completely supressing his internal discomfort, he tapped Soundwave on the back. "Excuse me sir,' he asked in the same formal way, he adressed Bugly and Terrorcharge, "but, I'm Skyjack, the new espionage agent that was requested. How may I be of service?"

Kolkular – Corridors

Bugly had been left to his own devices again. He begins walking again doing some of the many things he's known for. Thinking, plotting, and planning.
He'd been called here for something important. He had to have been. He's not only a brilliant tactician, but unlike a great deal of tacticians, also a well versed fighter. A master of circuit-su.
Kaon didn't need someone of his caliber. Unless they thought there would be an attack maybe? Of course. Why else would they have positioned so many potent units here?

Kolkular – Bugly's office.

As he enters his office he thinks bout battles in Kaon. There weren't many in recent history.
He has a seat in his chair. It's a posh, luxurious number that's standard to most commander's office. He was still low on the chain of command but high enough to have earned these things.
He activates the map again, and looks at who's where. 'Megatron isn't here anymore? That leaves Soundwave and Scourge in charge here. One day it'll be -I- who will be in charge here.' He chuckles.
Oh sure he could play nice in appearances, but he was not a master manipulator for a reason. Short of outright blasting a superior officer his mind was always working on methods of gaining more control.
And being the genius he is, his mind could multitask.
On top of all the plotting and scheming, he turns on the console to see what's going on in the sensor arrays, and radar of Kaon.
Of particular note he watches the training exercise scourge had sent out, and opens up a sub screen to watch what he had missed.
He soaks in the information eagerly to assess each of their capabilities should he ever be in command of them.

Kolkular – The Hard Light Training simulator.

It has been a while since Octopunch had entered, and he obviously fared well. Dozens of Autobots were strewn about the ground, ripped apart in in ways that'd make any 'con wretch. Many more were floating in the rust sea.
Each training target was decimated in creative ways. Octopunch always did like trying new things while training.
Still this was empty.
He laughs at the pathetic simulation as he kicks a Dynobot's head into the rust sea. It was almost protoform-ish to him, this simulation. Things were way too easy.
Still, he remembers ages ago when he were a young 'con thrilled at this sort of thing. Plunging his fist into a false Prime's chest. Keeping score as he one upped his comrades.
"Ah those were the mega-cycles."
He shared similar thoughts to Bugly. "Why am I here anyhow? I'm a Marine warrior. There's no sea here." He shook his head, waking down the street, "Computer, end program." The landscape faded away around him, and he headed out into the corridors fingering that shiny bauble he carried with him when away from his undersea trophy room.
He folds his alt mode legs back into his robot form leaving his attack mode, then starts walking outside the base. Needed some fresh air, so to speak. No he doesn't breathe, but being cooped up in this base was a bit much. It was too safe.

Sonic Canyons – The Battlefield

That tenacity again. Her sensors read Aftershock's power output as he began moving. Her optics caught his movement, and it's even highlighted. Some zoom, and she saw his plan. She would be amazed the rifle still worked, but she won't count it out of the action.

She starts backing off just after she fired on Rancid and saw Aftershock's movement, a half turn and she dodges the sniper round, then she presents her less battered wing as a shield. Her less damaged wing took the brunt of the shotgun blast as an improvised shield using the fact she had braced herself with distance, and momentum away to keep it from being ripped apart, though it is badly damaged now. Her second disintegrator cannon is down now as well. But she'd rather loose a weapon than loose the battle. Wouldn't everyone?

She enjoyed the tactical know-how she has. A damaged sweep is better than one out of action. Sacrificing non essential parts for the greater good. The longer you fight the more fear you can instill. These and many more lessons were ingrained into her mind. It's debatable why she uses such tactics, especially because they help preserve others. Does she actually care for others? Is she just using them to her own ends? Is it just logic? Maybe she just likes that quizzical look of surprise which seemed to pierce even the most stoic?
She's not telling, that's for sure.

Discord is not as capable in combat in terms of brawn and blast as her elite brethren, but she makes up for it in her mind's power. It's not some weapon that can run out of ammo, or get crushed in a fall. Intelligence works as long as she does. And used properly it can make the best out of almost any situation.

She wasn't able to help prevent Torment from getting shot by that sniper though. She's not perfect, after all.
It was a terrible sight watching him crash, but she knew that he was only mad now. Not -Rage- mad, but mad enough to scare a great deal of 'cons.
No false advertisement here.

Through her sensor array she saw Torment working on Aftershock while she fights the other opponents.
He's more than just shooting the poor sniper, terrorizing him. She loved seeing him in action. He's so good at it. She admired it almost. Too bad he's an advanced unit and rarely seen most of the time.

She then saw Torment get blasted soon after entering combat with Aftershock, but she's relieved in seeing that he's returning fire, and that one of her foes were finally down for the count.

Seeing Torment blast at the sniper wasn't goo enough at this point. From under her impromptu shield the barrel of her heat laser peeks. She fires mercilessly on Aftershock.

She remained ready to fight, still. Aware as she can be and that's mighty aware.

150 astroseconds left. Rage watched her enemies get whittled down. It didn't make her feel any better. They won't be easy prey. Even out numbered, they are more than capable. A few shots won't down them either apparently.
And then allies go down.
She crouches down. She held herself back from rushing the field.
Rage felt something to prove. Scourge needed to know more about her ability. She wanted to know, too. That and she feared for her life. As much of a monster she could be, she knew Scourge was the leader for a reason.
Controlled doses of anger. Treating it like sand in an hour glass. Letting only so much go through. When that last grain falls, it would be ripping time.

Once she goes berserk, she goes berserk. Many times she were held back even when berserk, and it did nothing to help her, or hinder her. Then again it all became a blur in the end. They might be right.
But she was always hard to control. It took every scrap of self control to have stayed back this long. That and even with her abnormal, close to insane courage, she didn't exactly like the idea of a displeased Scourge.
She would only push her luck so far and getting into this mission was pushing it. She doesn't remember half of what happened at that time, but she knew she were mad. A long chain reaction of little things got her riled. No doubt if she didn't get her way, that Fragging sweep Discord would likely be the first to take her talons. Hah.
Grr Hurry up Hurry up Hurry up Hurry up Hurry up Hurry up! was her mantra as she watched her internal chronometer. A low rumbling, yet loud growl comes from her throat. Like some predatory animal eyeing opposition. Something to destroy. Talons on her left hand claw into the ground beneath her.

Sonic canyons - The Battlefield

Aftershock's tactic worked better than he hoped, thanks to Swiftscreech's help. Swiftscreech's attack bought Aftershock enough time to get moving again before Torment retaliated. He did't get very far, and Torment's aim was spot on, but Aftershock used up the last of his unobstructed fuel in one burst to give himself a boost; enough to avoid Torment's attack. His avaliable fuel gone, he fell to the ground. He had managed to avoid getting hit, but he was no better off. He was now stuck, and he could be sure that Torment wasn't just going to let him cawl out of the canyon. And then he became very friendly with Discord's heat lazer. Luckily, his latest move had been well timed and so he avoided taking "lethal" damage. His left wing was sliced off, however, and the lazer came perilously close to the already heavily damaged portion of his back.

He sat up, and with one arm took his fallen wing and planted it into the ground in front of him to act as a shield, then attempted to remove the piece of zagged metal obstructing the truly last bit of fuel for his jets. With the other arm, he aimed his shotgun at at each sweep in turn and fired repeatedly at each. His shots were aimed fairly well, or at least as much as they could be; Aftershock's attention was mostly focused on removing that blasted piece of metal. There was simply no way he could focus on both activities at the same time. To improve his chances of hitting anything, he fired as many shots as he could. But his ammo wasn't going to last forever. And Discord was still after him.

>>Rancid, I need help, badly!<<

Kolkular--Command Center

Not particularly enjoying the sensation of being touched, Soundwave regards the newly arrived Decepticon espionage agent, Skyjack, for a few moments before actually responding to his request.

Again, there was no particularly driving need for offensive or defensive action at this point in time. All that was truly necessary was the maintenance of the current status quo that had been achieved so that he could complete his analysis of the information regarding planet AC488.

"Status: acknowledged. Operation: Kolkular perimeter patrol."

Saying nothing further, Soundwave returns to the information displayed on the several holoscreens in front of him as well as the primary Kolkular monitor.

Well, at least he acknowledged my presence. I wonder if Scourge would have anything for me to do.
He turned to Skyjack. "You know where I can find Scourge?" he asked. He remembered him from before.

Kolkular, Command Center

Skyjack turned and recognized Terrorcharge. Thinking about his question, he replied, "I dunno, I heard he was somewhere by the forge. Well, It was either him or some other Sweep. Figure I might as well head there too." He hoped Terrorcharge would go with him. This could serve as an oppertunity to gain another valuble ally.