The Energon Pub

Main Hangar

Turbulence excepted the words of his squadron leader. It was Quantum's unblemished record that inspired the blue and bronze warrior when he was first starting out, and to hear that he was inspiring from the portal controlling seeker did wonders to his composure.

"Thank you sir" He then addressed the tactician Nightraid "Well atleast I'll get out of Starscream's debriefing. I doubt these soldered repairs will hold as long as his vocalizer." the seeker dryly stated. While one might think Turbulence disliked Starscream, it was more that he knew his frames limits. Inspiring or not, the last thing he needed now was to collapse in front of the seeker commander.

As the Silverstrike departed, and the others gathered toward the main hangar, Turbulence let the drones bring him to the repair bay further within the tower.

<hr>

Ramjet had to concur with Thrust on this one. Hearing the air behind his maroon wingmate's words, it reminded him of what he once liked in the recently demoted Air Commandant. The seeker quietly longed for those days again. When he believed Starscream was in it for the cause and not the recognition.

>>"We should have brought the rain."<<

Transforming from tetrajet to conehead mech, Ramjet entered along with his fellow seekers Dirge and Thrust. He wasn't impressed with the overall performance by the seekers this fight, or the remaining Decepticon forces for that matter. But unless the redwinged warrior personally knocked something out of the sky, he was usually unsatisfied. If it were up to him they would have followed The wounded Guardian all the way to the maximus line and bring the fight to the Autobots. This likely would have lead to the seeker's own destruction, but then the aerial fleet was only tasked with 'escorting' Omega Supreme to sector 905, not falling the giant.

The seeker proud of pain could tell by Dirge's expression he was not looking forward to Starscream's debriefing. Then again when has Dirge looked forward to any speech from the seeker commander? "Hehe the good part is about to come up." Ramjet sarcastically stated his fellow wingmates. "I think I'll get a closer look."

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Bother? Bother?! You're just afraid! Thrust's optics lit up as he glared at Dirge while transforming and landing behind him. He was as close as it gets to saying the same out aloud, but the mixture of Dirge's all too familiar creeping hum and Starscream's presence just up ahead made him can it.

As far as Thrust was concerned all the credit ought to stay away from the cocky seeker commandant. Not necessarily anything personal, but he preferred that it'd find its way to the so called coneheads instead. On the other hand, he didn't want to address one of his team in a degrading manner in front of the others. If image meant anything to anyone, it would to Thrust and he wasn't going be the one to tarnish it.

With that Ramjet came with his comment and burst his rail of thoughts, turning Thrust's frustrated grimace to a smirk. Here we go again...

Main Hangar

Nightraid chuckled in response "Indeed. I'm sure you'll be fine in no time" he said to his comrade.
He was curious about what would unfold next... .
Face hidden in part by his faceplate, his optics took in those around.

Shockwaves Tower--Main Hangar

Warthog thudded to the ground in the hangar, having been taken away from more illustrious duties by pressing errands of another sort. He saw Starscream directly in front of him, facing his way, and glared through the Seeker Commander. The heavy mech retracted his chest-mounted mini-gun and stood facing Starscream.

"Warthog reporting for duty, Commander" he snarled like his namesake, angrily surveying the younger, much smaller Seekers like an annoyed parent.

(Sorry I was out for so long guys)

Shockwaves Tower--Main Hangar


Ghost looked passively at Starscream from his dark corner of the hanger. He could care less what the commander had to say. He would eventualy know the truth behind everything anyway. His ruby optics turned to Rapture. He listened to the un seen voice quietly and nodded.

"I agree"

He said in a hushed tone.


______________________________________________

Blitzwing looked at Swindle.
"Its not that I prefer either, I go where the fun is.... but.... Starscream is a fancy boy and not someone I would hang around with if you know what I mean. Working for Onslaught's not bad, though it wasn't such a bad deal when I had to go on a mission with Skywarp either. So Id say 50/50."

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Swindle nodded politely at Blitzwing's non-commital answer: It made sense in a way, Blitzwing wasn't known to be picky about where he got his entertainment. So Swindle accepted the answer and went back to waiting.

Less than a klik later, with no sign of anyone but more seekers collecting together, Swindle turned back to Blitzwing.

"Say, Blitzwing, you needing anything? Like, spare parts or an upgrade chip or 2? Or maybe you'd fancy an old Pre-War piece of art. Anything like that? I have a humble collection of items that might be of interest, if you're in the market."

Sector 905

With Onslaught pulled from the wreckage, Cyclonus saw no reason to linger. He lead the Sweeps back into the air and back to Shockwave’s Tower.

Shockwave’s Tower – Hangar Bay

The Air commandant landed in robot mode in the hangar followed in short order by the other Sweeps and, finally, Sixshot. Cyclonus could again feel the tension between the Sweeps and the other Decepticon fliers. It was to be expected. Most creatures did not like change, let alone seeing the change and their eventual replacement, happening right before their optics. Still, this friction was not good for the Empire. They did not need to waste energy against each other while the Autobots still controlled a good portion of the planet.

He would have to have a discussion with Starscream about that later, assuming the seeker commander would even be conducive to such talk. For now he needed to check in with Shockwave to see if he had any further orders for him or the Sweeps. Hopefully nothing would happen between the two groups of fliers while he was gone. If something did happen, he would have to trust that Sixshot or Starscream would prevent it from getting too far out of hand. He ordered the Sweeps to seek repairs and energon as needed and headed to the command center.

Shockwave’s Tower – Command Center

Cyclonus stepped into the command center and stood before Shockwave. “Do you have any further orders or assignments for my Sweeps and I, commander?”

Shockwave's Tower Main Hanger

Skyshroud wasn't happy to see the sweeps in the hanger. He was a very young con and felt very threatened by them, he hadn't had a lot of battle time and was afraid that if he didn't prove himself a an asset he would be melted into sweep parts.

Then Cyclonus ordered the sweeps to go and get repairs or something, almost if he had sensed Skyshroud's anger towards them. Not that he had wanted to start a fight, but if somebody else did...

((OCC: sorry for my dissapearance I had a load of coursework to do))

Shockwaves Tower--Main Hangar

Rampage walked into the main hangar bay and shifted to robot mode the annoyance of not finishing his target was evident in his expression; but he kept himself calm enough to stop from lashing out at just anyone. Still he didn't like being cooped up like this. Rampage needed to run and to catch his prey then take the most delightful task of slowly finishing it off.

Still Razorclaw had ordered them back so back to base he had come...even if he didn't like it.

Holding back a snarl Rampage watched the sweeps leave; he himself wasn't too damaged; if fact he wasn't even sure if he was damaged at all, but he did regard the new transformers with a little disdain...well actually Rampage treated everyone with disdain; just some more than others.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Starscream looked up into Warthog's weathered faceplate, his cheerful smirk remaining fixed in place, despite the other Decepticon's bellicose attitude. One advantage to his diminished status, he supposed, was that broken-down, ill-tempered wrecks like this one were no longer his problem.

"That's very nice," he drawled impudently, "but haven't you heard the news? There's been a changing of the guard. The mech you want to see is Cyclonus. Dour type, about yay high," the Seeker held his hand about a head's length above his own, "purple, with the pointest head Primus ever gave a Transformer. You can't miss him. Now do run along, old-timer, I have other business to attend to."

Warthog properly put in his place, the Commander of the Seekers turned to face his troops, arms outspread. "My fellow Decepticons," he began expansively, "excellent work, as expected, worthy of the true elite. Your performance in the field was everything I have come to expect from warriors of such caliber. Each and every one of you acquitted yourself like a champion against the Guardians, from the seasoned veterans among us," he gestured to Dirge and the other Coneheads, and then to Dunehopper and the members of Rapture's squadron, "to the newest additions to our ranks." Starscream nodded approvingly to the enthusiastic Skyshroud. True, his enthusiasm had been potentially disruptive to their battleplan, but he had use for mechanoids that could be molded in his image. That consideration superceded all other concerns, at the moment.

"I would particularly like to congratulate Jadewind and Ghost for their expert tactical support to their brothers and sisters in the field. And to commend my new second-in-command, Rapture--a femme who needs no introduction. Such a sterling example of leadership potential is rare, even in the Empire."

Starscream took a moment to judge the reactions of the other Seekers gathered in the hangar, then concluded, "With such mechanoids as you operating at all levels of Seeker hierarchy, there can be no question of our value to the Decepticon cause, now or far into the future."

* * * * *

Onslaught touched down in the hangar bay just as Starscream was concluding his gilded appraisal of the Seekers' performance. Though he had little use for such displays himself, the Combaticon was too reserved to allow his irritation to show much, despite the damage he had sustained.

Casting a glance at his impromptu retinue, he said, "Very well done, Heap, Bludgeon. Our objective was achieved." There was no higher compliment that Onslaught could give. "For now, you are dismissed. Your time is now your own, at least for the present. I advise you to spend it productively." With a stiff salute, the militant Decepticon crossed the hangar, making his way to the repair bay.

Polyhex Inner Defense Perimeters/Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Quantum exited the portal he had made and flew towards the huge pointy tower in the middle of Polyhex; Shockwave's Tower. The cyclopian calculator had build a marvelous construction with enough defenses to even keep Megatron out if he so desired.

The black and white flier hurried back, well knowing that Starscream had expected him there sooner. If it had not been of Turburlence's heroic actions against the Guardian, and the resulting damage from it, he and his squadron would have been back with the rest of the airforce.

Entering the Tower's mainhangar the squadron commander was able to hear most of Starscream's grandious peptalk. Quantum was well-aware of Starscream's less sympathic personality traits, but he was still his superior officer and thus he would never dare speaking ill of him. Even if he wasn't, Quantum didn't like to talk behind others backs. It was simply not in his nature to do so.

Knowing the seeker commander well after many many vorns, he knew that Starscream already had noticed his and the ones companying him the very second they had entered.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Dirge stared at Starscream as coldly as ever as the seeker commandant congratulated them and specifically Ghost and Rapture. Attempts to mold the seekers into a tigher mob bound to each other stronger than before to both oppose the rising importance of the Sweeps and to strengthen Starscream's own position. It was nothing new to him. Thrust and Ramjet propably still embraced such unity like most of seekers. Dirge himself had grown bitter and disillusioned towards Starscream amd his lies already hundreds of vorns before the Great Shutdown. Often he wondered if others shared his thoughts but deep inside he was a coward. To ask a wrong question from a wrong seeker could prove to be catastrophic.

No, it was better to keep his disdain to himself and it the end, Dirge was not convinced Cyclonus being any better. The new air commander seemed to loathe the seekers and it didn't fit very well with a veteran like Dirge. He understood the use for expendable drone fleet, what he did not understand how anyone could think of the Sweeps being superior to experienced combat force able to think invidually.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Rapture had very delicate hands. Long, tapered digits. Strong, supple wrist actuators. The femme's hands were quite obviously the hands of an artist.

Currently, these hands flew across the surface of a datapad with practiced efficiency. They had done so ever since the femme had dismissed her wingmen. She was working on something. She had a plan to press the help continue the current upward trend the war was taking. While it was true that Starscream was rather informal, and would likely have been receptive to a cursory verbal overview, Rapture was a thorough and methodical femme.

Besides, the proposal she was working on was not really for Starscream. No, the regulation perfect document was intended for Cyclonus. She wanted to make an impression on the new Air Commander. Show him that she meant business. Convincing the prototype of her earnesty and dedication was a far higher priority than the mere formality of gaining his stamp of approval upon her promotion.

After all, the promotion was merely the means to an end, not the end itself. Rapture had been taught from her first cycle of existence that power was a tool. In and of itself, it was worthless. The pursuit of personal aggrandizement was equally void. But if one could properly apply power to accomplish one's goals, it was a useful tool indeed.

For decorum's sake, she had paused her work when Starscream had begun his banal speech. Behind her dispassionate and neutral expression, the midnight femme listened with disdain. It wasn't exactly that what he said had no merit. And the Seeker Commander certainly knew how to work a crowd, she had to admit. But that skill was of little use without credibility. And currently Starscream's melodramatic antics were straining what little credibility he had left. Must he overstate every fact that leaves his vocal processor? she asked herself with hidden irritation.

Soundwave's daughter acknowledged Starscream's somewhat smarmy and disingenuous praise with a modest nod. It seemed the proper thing to do. She allowed him to finish pontificating before resuming her work.

When her proposal was complete, she approached the Seeker Commander. "Sir," she began, cutting straight to the point. "I have taken the liberty of drawing up the necessary papers to ratify not only the new Squadron assignments, but my own promotion. I know that you have little love of bureaucracy. And as your XO, it is my responsibility to deal with the red tape." She offered the datapad to Starscream. "All that is required is your signature, but I would advise you to peruse them nonetheless, at least this once. I want you to be confident that I have such details well in hand."

"Additionally, I have drawn up a proposal for a tactical action to be undertaken by the Seekers. With your approval, I would like to submit this proposal to the Air Commander. I believe that such a by-the-book approach will give Cyclonus cause to question the cliches regarding our phenotype."

She leaned closer, speaking more softly. "And in my opinion, any uncertainty on his part is good for us."

Shockwave's Tower--Hangar

Warthog glares at Starscream's back, considering blasting him straight to slag for his smug attitude. Eventually shrugging it off, he looks at Cyclonus with a laugh.

"Let's go see what this kid wants." He hovers over towards Cyclonus, his thick faceplate and red eye-strip scrunched into his closeset approximation of a frown as he attempts to overhear any orders Cyclonus may issue in an effort to judge the new commandant's competence.

"At least he's not Starscream."

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Bludgeon nodded to Onslaught "As you wishhh..." he said. He glanced at Heap and nodded respectfully. The Master was not one for excessive pleasanteries but the complimentary message was clear enough. The Master of Metalikato strode of to have himself given a slight overhaul and then to practise his swordskills in the arena. He wondered who would be there.

Nightraid meanwhile stalked the corridors of the Tower of to get new weapons. His mind a bit wanderered of as he contemplated the tactics and decisions of the previous battle, going over all the data in his mind regarding it. Where mistakes were made and success was achieved. And he drew lessons out of it.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

As the sweeps came in, Reforge nearly fell in ranks with his former brethren. If not for the impetulant looks from a young seeker, he would have. As Cyclonus ordered the drones to obtain repairs and the like, the reformatted airmedic lingered behind.

He recognized the old frame of Warthog, if not the mech it belonged to. "It's been sometime since I've worked on a war bird like that; Frankly a little surprised the antiquidated frame wasn't decommissioned." he thought as Starscream reprobated the aunry old flier then began praising the seekers. His speech fell flat, a first, before the sweep framed technician.

There was a time, as seeker surgeon Refit, when he could believe the words from the charismatic Starscream. Now as he's seen Warthog cast a side, and as testimony with his own new frame, the seekers' time seemed soon fleeting. Perhaps this feeling came along with his 'fortunate' upgrade.

This one success for the seekers did not mitigate the equal success of the drone sweeps. Reforge shuttered at the thought of there other spark containing counterparts like himself. Their fervent dedication to the hunt and veracity in combat would twist any medic's fuel pump. Still, he recorded his former Air Commander's speech out of nostalgia.

It was then that the curt yet direct debrief by Onslaught alerted him to the time he'd wasted.

Reforge half considered atleast greeting Warthog, but doubted he would recognize him in his new frame anyway. Whatever ties he may have had as a seeker were now irrevocably severed. The price for his preservation, perhaps. Realizing he's likely the only mech on board able to properly monitor and repair the sweeps, the technician departs for the medbay.

<hr>
Ramjet nearly hooted and hollered following Starscream's speech. While moments ago he was gripping about the self serving seeker, he had to admit he's all ways fallen for his posturing speeches of pontificated prattle. Garnishing a salute, the red wing warrior was again among those who were wrapped around Starscream's nullray.

With no further orders given, the calamitous conehead soon looked for a seeker to share a drink with. It was all too easy to notice the femme Rapture approaching Starscream; Ramjet assumed even the sweep drones found it hard to ignore Soundwave's handy work. While he could appreciate even Buzzsaw's artistic flare, She was far more than a datadisk with wings. However, if she processed anything like the communications officer, Ramjet would do better getting a few rounds of energon with the mechs. still it didn't stop the clod from giving her an unneeded scan over.

Bumping elbows with Dunehopper, "Dune, You know a good place to refuel? I'll even get the first charge." It wasn't often that the conehead would treat a fellow mech, but he was in high spirits and wanted his octane count to match. "Your welcome to come along to er... flyloud." he said to the new stealth seeker Skyshroud before waving down his own noise making wingmates. While he doubted Dirge would care to join, there was no telling with Thrust. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask them both.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Well, that had gone over about as well as Starscream had expected. The reactions of his fellow Seekers to his post-battle address ranged from exuberance to polite attentiveness to thinly-veiled skepticism. But there were always holdouts--even more of an inevitability now, with his personal reputation teetering on the edge of the proverbial smelting pool. Though frustrating, at times, there was a significant part of Starscream's personality programming that relished the challenge.

Besides, he didn't need their adoration, only their obedience. It was hardly his problem if the nay-sayers couldn't bring themselves to recognize a superior mechanoid when he was standing right in front of them.

The Seeker Commander's characteristic smirk remained fixed in place as his much-lauded lieutenant took advantage of the temporary lull to bring a few procedural matters to his attention. She had been a busy femme, hadn't she? Though bearing very little similarity to her maker in form or demeanor, deep down, where it counted, Rapture was cast from the same, self-serving mold. It was a fact that Starscream kept very much at the front of his thoughts at all times when dealing with her.

He glanced over the data pad she handed him perfunctorily. Certainly a model of cool professionalism, this one; at least, such was the role she had presently decided to play. It suited his own needs well enough, but Starscream was not oblivious to the danger she posed, not even at this early stage in the game. So, she had a mission to propose, did she? No doubt tailored to showcase her many talents for the benefit of the new Aerospace Commandant. And once she had ingratiated herself, made herself indespensible to both himself and Cyclonus, where then would be the need for him?

Still, it spared him the need to interact with the grim mechanoid faceplate to faceplate. Moreover, he was curious to see just how far Rapture's ambitions could take her, how much she was willing to risk for the sake of her own vision. It could all come back to bite him in the aft later, certainly, but for now he would give her the room she needed to maneuver.

If nothing else, it would keep him from growing complacent. Besides, millennia of wrangling with Megatron had given him a unique perspective on the value of a relationship based on "friendly" antagonism. Sometimes, the quality of one's adversaries was even more important than the quality of one's friends. Not that he'd ever really had very many of the latter.

"Clichés he sees embodied in me, no doubt," Starscream replied with a dark chuckle, adding his secure authorization code to the data pad and handing it back to Rapture. "Proceed at your own discretion, Second. I'm sure whatever you've concocted will please our stone-faced commandant. For now, I need a little quiet time. I'll be in hangar control if you require me for anything further." With a nod and a lopsided, ironic grin, the red and white Seeker strode past his milling troops and the Sweeps with whom they were now sharing the hangar bay.

Shockwave's Tower Main Hanger

Starscream's speech really seemed to lift everyones spirits. And to top it off Ramjet even invited him to go and get some energon, all and all it was a good day to be a seeker.

If the Sweeps truly were the future of Decepticon Air Superiority the Seekers surely weren't out of the spot light yet, and when the time came Skyshroud knew that his brothers and sisters would still be a force to be reckoned with.

Skyshroud snapped out of his train of thought, "Its Skyshroud not Flyloud. But Yeah, Ramjet I think I will only If you let me buy next time. By the way nice flying out there."

Shockwave's Tower Main Hanger

Blitz grinned at Onslaught as they were dismissed.
“Well Swindle been nice chatting but I‘m off to see what there is to do.”

Blitzwing made his way down into the barracks. He stopped when he noticed the pathetic continuance of Deadend sitting at a bench facing the wall. He was absorbed in polishing his armor oblivious to everything else.

“You missed one easy battle, if ya wanna call it a battle. We chased off the guardian.”

He stepped over to the side.

“You’re lucky you missed Starscreams seeker speech. I thought my cranium was going to explode with all the hot air he was blowing.”

__________________________________________________________


Ghosts optics narrowed as his name was mentioned by Starscream. He then turned his head to listen to a voice only he could hear.
“Well did you expect any less of her?”

The transparent seeker shook his head.
“I don’t know how she put up with you, if I was a femme……………..”

Ghost looked away.
“You may out rank me but remember your still dead. Fine I’ll follow her. I’ll suggest she take me onto her squadron how’s that sound?”

Ghost got up and made his way over to Rapture. He gave her a moment to finish what she was doing before he spoke.
“Rapture I ………”
Ghost turned his head and stared at his unseen escort under his breath he mumbled. "Well I’m not ceramic clay and I don’t have the Molybdenum armor that you had while alive"

“Rapture I would like to request to be assigned on your squadron.” The transparent male waited for her response.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hanger

Guess there's not going to be a full debrief, Swindle thought as Onslaught left. He must be real happy with how things went, which considering a building fell on him, is saying something.

Swindle then noticed Blitzwing had left without taking him up on his offer. Not one to be daunted by a few rejections, the Combaticon headed over to Heap, with a glance or 2 at the likes of Rampage and Warthog as he left.

"Hey there, ugh...Landfill? No, Heap, sorry. That was some good shooting you did out there. Not many 'Cons can just unload on the 'Bots like that. I'm glad I don't have to get in the way of all those shells!". He chuckled pleasantly, a subtle touch but one he had gotten milage out of.

Shockwave's Tower--Hangar

Warthog saw Swindle descending upon Heap and groaned audibly, stomping his way over to his old comrade. He knew that Heap could handle himself against a con like Swindle, but it would do his old spark good to watch the exchange. Besides, Warthog found himself antsy. The tension between the Seekers and the Sweeps was building, and one way or the other someone was going to be proven inferior eventually.

Warthog knew that at least he was safe for now from replacement; no other Sweep or Seeker could match his raw muscle and ability to soak up damage, and that would always ensure him a role on a battlefield somewhere.

Returning from his reverie, he gave Heap and Swindle a friendly nod.

Shockwave's Tower--Main Hangar

"One more good shot and I woulda tookin' the thing down," Headstrong grunts as he pushes past Tantrum and Divebomb in order to get inside of the tower faster. "Slaggin' oversized empty had ta run like a little glitch."

Neither Divebomb nor Tantrum said anything to encourage or discourage their fellow warlord. They both knew that one more shot was overstating the probabilities, but if they had been allowed to give chase, the Decepticon force that had been dispatched to fell the mighty Sentinel would have overtaken and subdued the prey eventually.

Trailing behind all of the other Predacons, Razorclaw comes in for a swift and smooth landing. He had heard their various chatter but paid little attention to the majority of it. The elusion of the prey had not sat well with his core functioning, but the mission had been declared a success regardless. The powerful Omega Sentinel had been driven back. It would send a message that the Decepticons were not idling away their time. Nor could they be routed out like a bad outbreak of rust. He would have to be satisfied with that for the time being.
___

Reflector noted the incoming arrival of the various Decepticons that had been tasked with attacking the Omega Sentinel. On all of the other perimeter viewscreens, none of the components noted any activity that could be deemed out of the ordinary. Shockwave would expect a report denoting such.

>>"Commander Shockwave, your tower remains as it had been prior to your departure,"<< Reflector's triune tonality reverberates through the tower's communications array.

Shockwave's Tower - Command Center

>>Acknowledged, Reflector."<< Prompt and efficient as usual, the trio had nothing of note to report to Shockwave, but the military coordinator appreciated their consistency. Consistency, one perhaps wise mechanoid once had said, was victory. Shockwave did not agree completely with the sentiment, but a bit of dependability did go a long way in maintaining security of operations at the Tower. As Cyclonus entered and spoke, Shockwave's single optic looked up from the data console he had been monitoring.

"Your unit's performance against the Omega Sentinel was commendable," he informed the air commandant. "The Sweep drones shall remain on-station. The Seekers will continue patrol duties for the time being."

It may have seemed that Shockwave did not quite trust Cyclonus to handle the basic defensive operations around the Tower, but the military coordinator had his own reasons for leaving Starscream's troops in the role of air patrol. For one, it would keep the Seeker commander somewhat busy, and thus, hopefully, somewhat out of trouble. As well, it would prevent the other Seekers from having too much free time. Historical analysis: Seekers left to their own devices tend to be more trouble than they are worth. Case in point: Starscream. To be fair, most all Decepticons tended to become a bit troublesome when left without orders for very long, but the Seekers seemed especially prone to such problematic behavior.

The cyclopean Transformer turned to a data terminal once more. >>"Onslaught, report to the Command Center upon completion of repairs."<< He had certain possibilities to discuss with the Combaticon leader who had recently proven himself a capable city-state commander in Shockwave's absence. The message sent, the military coordinator looked back to Cyclonus.

"Fact: we lack the mechpower to present a true offensive threat to the Autobots in Nova Cronum. Fact: given the loss of the Cluster batteries to Omega Supreme, our capacity to defend Polyhex from incursion has diminished. However, with proper timing and efficient use of our resources, we can appear more formidable than we truly are."

A map of the border zone between Polyhex and Nova Cronum flickered into full-color above one of the terminals as a holoprojector was activated.

"Deployment of Sixshot to the border zone would provide early warning of any Autobot incursion as well as present the Sixchanger with targets of opportunity." The military coordinator paused, his single optic settling on Cyclonus once more. A slight gleam, almost inquisitive in its brief flicker, crossed Shockwave's optic.

"Analysis?"

<hr>
Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

The thought of a nice, cool cylinder of high-grade seemed mighty nice to Dunehopper as Ramjet offered to purchase the first round. He rubbed his chinplate for a moment.

"Ya know, since Polyhex got leveled by the Autobots last time around, there hasn't exactly been a jumpin' bar scene," he said sadly. "But I bet the Commissary has something halfway decent for us to guzzle."

Grabbing Skyshroud by the shoulder, the burly Seeker followed Ramjet's lead.

"C'mon, 'Shroud. Not every orn you get to hang out with a couple of battle-tested aces."

Shockwave's Tower - Command Center

Cyclonus nodded as Shockwave gave out his orders. He felt no disrespect at the Sweeps being ordered to remain in the tower for now. Air patrol in non-combat situations was a tedious task and best left for lesser troops. It would also keep the seekers from causing any trouble among their own ranks or with the Sweeps. The Sweeps were eager for combat, but were also much more disciplined than the Seekers.

He was a bit concerned about Sixshot though. “I see no fault in your orders commander. They are logical as they always are. The only thing I would caution on is Sixshot. I do think having him patrol is better than keeping him here. He seems to crave activity and battle more than even most other Decepticons. That being said, I’m not sure how long a patrol would keep him satisfied. He will likely exploit any opportunity for combat he can find. While it seems there are few combat situations he couldn’t handle, I thought you should be aware of this if you weren’t already.”

Shockwave's Tower - Main Hangar

Rapture looked the strange Seeker known as Ghost over. With both her wingmen incapacitated, she was tempted to take the transparent Decepticon up on his request. But the midnight femme did nothing without considering the factors involved.

True, Ghost had unique stealth capabilities, and one of the highest top speeds amongst the Seekers, higher even than her own. And his record (or more accurately, the segment that was not classified beyond her security clearance) appeared reliable.

However, there was a significant downside to consider as well. The mech in question was possessed of a serious deficiency in close combat ability, even compared to her own light frame. But the Seeker Sub Commander was more concerned with the personality component report on Ghost. Apparently, the stealthy Seeker was convinced he could communicate with the dead.

Under normal circumstances, Rapture would consider such a programming irregularity as unsuited to active duty. However, it seemed that Ghost had an uncanny knack for knowing things he had no way of knowing. He claimed the dead advised him. While she found this unlikely, the femme was nonetheless cautiously intrigued. She wondered were his Intel really came from.

The entire situation took on a new light when Ghost discussed his imaginary friend's molybdenum armor. While that element was a common component in many alloys, pure molybdenum armor was extremely rare. It was simply too heavy for most frames. But Rapture knew one dead Decepticon that had been outfitted with such a hull.

Either he has been spying on me, the clever femme mused. Or he really can communicate with the dead. Frankly, I don't know which I'd prefer. Rapture decided to allow Ghost into her squadron, more to keep an eye on an unknown variable than anything else.

"Approved," the femme replied laconically. "I have pressing matters to see to, but afterwards I would like to speak with you."

Turning on her heel, the femme departed for the Command Center. Within half a breem she had arrived at the nerve center of the Orbital Torus State of Polyhex. Seeing that Air Commander Cyclonus was speaking with City Commander Shockwave, The former Casseticon knew better than to interrupt. So she simply stood at attention as protocol would dictate, and waited the opportunity to address her superior officer.