The Energon Pub

Autobase Tau ~ Perimeter

Another wheel down, more armor taken out, but still the tank, and drawling voice, continued. The time had come, an exceedingly rare time it had to be said, but Roadbuster decided the time was right for a retreat, the only problem now was, could the Wrecker actually make it to safety before he was cut into little pieces by his adversary. With the slight delay in progress that came about from the detonation of the grenade, Roadbuster took the opportunity to get himself back to his feet, or foot in this case.

Planting his rifle into the ground, the Wrecker used it as leverage to haul himself up, and once on his good leg, began to drag himself towards the tunnel that lead underground and to safety. As he dragged the limp limb along, Roadbuster finally let show how much pain he was in as his already desolated body took another pounding of shatter cannon fire, and he roared in pain as his internal systems tried desperately to hold off the ever approaching stasis lock. His vision getting ever more blurred, the Wrecker continued taking shots until he collapsed down behind a broken turret, all his systems slowly failing as vital fluids drained out through the numerous holes inflicted on him by Roadblock

In a final desperate attempt to do something, Roadbuster dropped his rifle, and grabbed the final grenade he had left, setting it to target the weapon that had done all this damage to him; The Shatter Cannons on top of the 4 wheeled tank.

A bit further away, the bulky form of Inferno, who had been helping the injured back to safety thoughout the battle, was on one last check for stragglers before he himself headed for the safety of Iacon. Hearing the unmistakable sound of something large hitting the ground, he turned to see Roadbuster, prone on the ground by a destroyed turret, looking absolutely wrecked (Pardon the pun). Wasting no time, the S&R Specialist headed straight over to the fallen Ground Assault Commander and ducked down behind the turret to avoid the fire coming in.

"I was expecting to find someone still out here, should've guessed it would be you" Inferno joked as he looked down to Roadbuster "zzzkt..Shutup anzzktd take thiskzzt.." Roadbuster replied, his voice modulator failing along with everything else, handing the fire truck the grenade "..kzztktThrow it atkzzt the big ugzzktly firing at zzktzus"

Taking the grenade, Inferno looked slightly quizzically at it, before his attention was grabbed by the sound of Roadbuster's systems counting down to stasis lock. Moving to a crouching position, the S&R Specialist picked the Wrecker up and placed him over his shoulders, before grabbing both the grenade, and the dropped rifle "Better not leave this behind, he'll never forgive me" Inferno thought as he picked up the Wrecker's rifle, and prepared himself to head out from behind the cover of the turret and into the firing line.

Walking out sideways, with the grenade in one hand and Roadbuster on his shoulders, Inferno was caught in the shatter cannon fire, but shrugged it off as he stopped only long enough to chuck the grenade sidearm towards Roadblock's tank shell. Through his red and hazy vision, Roadbuster watched the grenade fly, hoping that at least one of the offending cannons would be damaged, giving he and Inferno a better chance to escape. As Inferno turned and began to try and get out of danger, Roadbuster looked back as his systems counted down "5..I recognise that..4.. slagging voice..3..now..2..I'll get you Roadblock..1..I'll get you..System Shutdown..." The Wrecker's optics went dim as his final thoughts ran through his head.

OOC - All Autobots should be making their next posts in the Iacon thread...we're assuming that everyone, including Ultra Magnus, has pulled back by this point. IC -

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

The grenade from Inferno tumbled through the air before landing on top of Roadblock's hull, bouncing around a bit before detonating. The explosion caused a bit of pain and blew off more armor, but the twin shatter cannons remained intact and seemingly undamaged. That was, until Roadblock attempted to move his turret for another shot at Inferno.

Slaggit! Son of glitch turret's locked up on me. The motors that maneuvered the guns whined without effect and then ground to a screeching halt as twisted armor and bits of shrapnel lodged in their mechanisms prevented the twin shatter cannons from rotating or changing elevation.

"Ya git ta live fer another cycle, ya bright red candy-aft son of glitch," he bellowed at Inferno as the Autobot withdrew with the fallen Roadbuster. "Better make the most of it, turbofairy."

Its movement slowed somewhat by the loss of two wheels, the vehicle shell rumbled back to where the Pretender shell and the inner robot that was Roadblock fired a few parting salvos at the retreating Autobots. The area around Autobase Tau was largely quiet now, the intense fighting finished and just a bit of mopping up still happening. The inner robot looked to Scorponok and followed the huge warlord into the entrance of the Autobase.

"Perimeter's just about secured," he reported. "No significant resistance left. Sweeps are moppin' up an' establishin' patrols. The 'Bots still alive ran into the tunnels, same ones they seem ta have sent their wounded an' non-combatants through when we first showed up."

The ground forces commander looked over his shoulder, watching the last of the Autobots flee as Sweeps harried them here and there.

"No significant casualties 'cept fer drones, an' Ruckus appears ta have lost his legs...again. All in all...I'd say we had ourselves a good cycle, Lord Scorponok."

Autobase Tau
Aaaand it looked like all the autobots had left the field.
She lands on her own two feet near the entrance of the base itself, fairly battered from the battle. She especially wanted to see what happened to that foolish flying Autobot that had lousy tactics.

"Well, that was an interesting way to pass the time." She says to no one in particular sounding almost disappointed it was over.
Fact of the matter was, she is disappointed. She was hoping to have an autobot crash, and burn before it was over.

Shrike's combat computer immediately began analyzing every bit of combat she had in the battle for Tau in the background of her programs, making note of every maneuver and compiling better ones to use.
Her combat computer was always working in manners such as this outside of a real battle.
Running scenarios, and even going as far as cobbling together improvements and a blueprint for a new, and likely improved shell should she ever get the chance to upgrade. It wasn't capable of going far from her acquired data and her own technology though. She wouldn't go far from her current shell even if she could upgrade. She didn't care to loose herself and have to almost relearn how to fight.
Mind you, She's well capable of using everything she has to her advantage, but it'd be awkward to be awarded upgrades and not know what you want, hm?

She places her rifle on the hard point of her thruster, waiting for the doors to be opened,and the base to be accessible. Hope they have something left in the armory. She thought to herself, fueled by the notion of evolving into a more effective combat machine. Didn't matter who made the weapon as long as it did it's job and that she could use it.
Potent as she may be, she figures she can always do and be better, and thus almost always seeks improvement.

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

After having eagerly watched the dissipating smoke cloud for signs of broken and battered Autobots as a result of his bombardment, Ruckus was brutally disappointed to see that the clearing air revealed . . . nothing. Nothing at all. No wrecks, no lost body parts, no sign of the miserable scraplets that had been cowering in their protective fogbank.

Wasn't that just a kick in the aft? The scum had fraggin' run away! Though it probably shouldn't have surprised him. Autobots didn't have the iron in their struts for a real fight, by and large.

Slaggit, there had to be somebody left out here to scrap. Slowly, awkwardly, the Triggercon pulled himself across the uneven ground outside the Autobase, dragging his half-demolished frame after the retreating mechanoids with his one remaining arm. Just for good measure, he launched another pair of missiles to see them off properly, though he was careful not to accidentally hit anything that might be of use to the Decepticons later.

"Cowards! Sparkless petrorabbits! What'cha runnin' for? Get back here, you useless spawn o' Unicron's primary waste processor!" Ruckus bellowed before finally giving up his hopeless chase and rolling over onto his back. All in all, this wasn't the best punch-up he'd ever been to. But it had still been a pretty good time.

Skies over Tagan

(OOC: J gave me permission to tie up this loose end.)

At last, all the Autobot ground forces had finally left the battlefield. Now Stormfire could start the final phase of the air operation, he signalled the Autobots bombers, who came streaking in from the direction of Iacon, beads drawn on the two tunnels leading to the emergency exits from the Tagan base. Stormfire gave the command. A wave of missiles, bombs and plasma headed towards the tunnel entrances as the previously placed detonators began to explode, themselves being fuelled by all the spare ammunition and weapons that the Autobots had been unable to take from Tagan, no point letting that fall into enemy hands. The resulting explosion ripped through the tunnels, completely destroying vast sections of the escape system, the Decepticons would take a very long time to clear the rubble and stabilize the tunnels enough for their own use, and by that time the Autobots would be ready and waiting for them. Stormfire signalled all the airborne forces to head for Iacon, no point waiting round for the Decepticon retaliation. Mission fulfilled, the Autobot flyers responded and had quickly disappeared over the horizon towards Iacon, leaving the smoking wreck of the tunnels behind them

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

Tagan Heights was the most important industrial center on Cybertron. So important that neither faction couldn't afford to lose it. Bombarding the factories down to the ground so that the faction owning it couldn't utilize it wasn't an option either. The production value of Tagan Heights aside, the city state rested above enough raw energon and volatile gases to potentially cause a chain of explosions that could at worst turn the whole planet to a dead husk, a theory neither side wanted to try out.

Regardless of such a victory to the Decepticons, there was little left that interested Motormaster with the fighting coming to an end. The large Stunticon wasn't a fool, he realized very well what they had achieved but it did leave him disappointed. Motormaster had expected far more from the Autobots defending Tagan Heights. His hunger for wanton destruction wasn't even nearly appeased. Greasing his hands with the lubricant of just one Autobot before the conflict was over just wasn't enough for the bloodthristy Decepticon.

And a dissapointed Motormaster could only mean torment to his fellow Decepticons during the following cycles unless an alternative appeared for him to waste his energy on. Luckily for Drag Strip, Wildrider and Breakdown - Motormaster had took a route that effectively passed them on his way to the Autobase, Ruckus on the another hand happened to be on his way.

"Well well. Who we have here?" Motormaster chuckled as he walked over to fallen Ruckus who was still flinging curses at the retreating Autobots. Effortlessly pulling the triggercon up and throwin him over his shoulder like a ragdoll, Motormaster headed towards the abandoned Autobase again. "Hah, at least you are a comedic relief. Struck down during the first firefight you got yourself to."

"Did you even hit anything you poor thing?" Motormaster added wickedly, patting Ruckus' back hard enough to allow the armor plating of the smaller Decepticon bend under the force of the pats.

Autobase Tau
She looked towards the blasts seeing a flying autobot doing a few more things before leaving.
So, he must have survived? I'll have to fix that next time we meet. That bot fought me like I were a stupid drone then fled like the pathetic warrior he is. Maybe next time we can finish things. An ominous glow emanates from her optics.

Shrike turns to the base doors waiting for them to be cleared, not wanting to get in Scorponok's way. Especially not in the way of his claw.

She looks forward to repairs most assuredly. Even with her repair systems over-clocked with the energy from her last beam shot's round it wouldn't replace the lost shoulder armor, or fully heal her shoulder any time soon. Her thruster still aches from pushing the damaged servos in the last round with that infernal autobot. It's so annoying being unable to transform, too.
After repairs, she'd seek the next battlefield, but she wouldn't argue too much with staying here in Tagan. It does need defending after all since the turret systems took serious hits and there's repairs to be made all over.
Though she lacks the technical know how to make most of these repairs she hopes it'll be a lot harder for the Autobots to take it back than it was for the Decepticons to win it. If she remains here she'll make certain of it.

And the industrial aspect of the area means she might be able to nab a freshly constructed ranged weapon. As long as she can mount it on a hard point, or preferably on her shield, she wouldn't complain about what it was. It lingered in her combat computer that her rifle was simply too slow for fast paced aerial combat.
Shrike did look forward to testing freshly made weapons, too. Gathering weapons data is grand, too. Maybe improving her aim or at the least keeping sharp in as many fields as possible.
Maybe there's better armor? Her shield needs repairs, too.
Sparring. Sparring is nice. Maybe show some Decepticons a move or two to help them in close quarters.
There's lots to do here if she's assigned here. She'll look forward to each and every thing.
It's hardly fembot activities, but she wasn't one to like being the typical fembot.

Ah, the arts of war. Not so much the killing, but the honing of a bot's mind and frame to as close to perfection as they can get. The tactics between armies, and even in one on one melee. Taking victory from each and every foe, and knowing they couldn't handle the onslaught from her. She enjoys her hobby and her job.
But that doesn't mean she won't kill if need be. A slagged Autobot is one less to slag a Decepticon and is one more step closer to the end of the war. A war she wants to win.
Imagine if the Decepticons lost the war? What would be her fate? She didn't want to think about it. Probably demilitarized and .. ugh, no and. That's the worst thing she can think of.

Autobase Tau

Scorponok continued to make his way deeper into the Autobot base. Fortunately the base had been designed with Transformers of his height and bulk in mind, so he had little difficulty getting around. It also appeared that the Autobots didn’t have time to set up traps or sabotage the base. If they were lucky they might find the main computer and other systems intact.

“Well done Roadblock. We will let the Autobots escape through the tunnels for now. I don’t want to waste time and energon chasing them down. We need to consolidate and reinforce what we have taken. I do want those tunnels sealed though. We don’t need the Autobots launching surprise attacks from them. Have the wounded brought into the base and taken to the repair bay. I will send Fasttrack to assist in any necessary repairs.” As he spoke the small Transformer rolled out from a compartment on his leg and took off towards the repair bay.

“I will require a report on your personal battlefield experience, particularly about your Pretender shells and how they functioned. Yours are merely a first step in what I hope to be an army of Decepticons armed with them.”

The Decepticon general at last stepped into the command center of the Autobase. Most of the monitors were dark or flickering, possibly from damage take or do to the Autobots destroying them. It was time to find out which. Scorponok approached the main computer terminal. Wires snaked out from his arm and connected to the computer as he began to scan its contents. There wasn’t as much left as he had hoped, but what was left was useful. “I have deactivated all remaining base defenses, but the majority of them are already destroyed. Sensors are down but long range communications are working.” He looked down at Roadblock. “Inform the troops that the base is ours.”

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

Ruckus didn't have the opportunity to voice any objection before Motormaster picked him up and slung the Triggercon over his shoulder like so much battlefield salvage. Damn, this was a sorry position for a warrior like him to be in. He rarely walked away from any battlefield completely intact, given his reckless lack of concern for his own well-being and push-forward-never-retreat attitude . . . but at least he was usually able to make it back to the repair bay under his own power. Usually.

The Stunticon's none-too-gentle pats to his back armor weren't really doing very much for his half-scrapped physical state, either. But at least he didn't jar anything loose. Well, nothing important, anyway. Motormaster was a Decepticon who didn't know his own strength. Or he did, and he just didn't care. Either way, it was going to be a huge pain in the aft trying to live this embarrassment down.

"Dunno," he grumbled in reply to the sadistic Decepticon's question. "But we ain't off the field yet, ya big lugnut, and I see at least one potential target with a really big vocalizer who's too close to miss." Not that he'd actually fire on a member of his own faction, no matter how much slag was getting thrown his way. Wasn't like he hadn't earned it, after all, with his lousy performance. Pegged by a no-good, sneaking, lubricant-leaking sniper before the action had really gotten going. No justice in the universe. None at all.

Besides, it wasn't as though the Stunticon Commander couldn't take a couple of high-yield rockets, even at this range, and not keep on ticking. Ruckus, on the other hand, was more than likely to be blown to pieces in such a stunt.

"I was just . . . gatherin' battlefield intelligence," he went on. "Makin' myself a target so's we could get a bead on their sharpshooters early on. Yeah, that's it."

Autobase Tau
She didn't need to hear the order a second time from Roadblock since she was standing near Scorponok, but respecting the chain of command she looked at the pretender, Roadblock, and then the small robot FastTrack for the order. "Awaiting orders, Sirs." She spoke out bluntly breaking her usual silence.
It helped that she has no idea where the medical bay is, and she did not want to wander around and waste time. Odds are good they'd lead her to the bay or tell her where it is.

She stood up straight, and like a soldier. Her shield is fried, charred, and fractured, one of her armored shoulder pads is gone, and the shoulder that is exposed is obviously wounded. It's doubtful that they'd look close at the thruster connections but one is damaged as well. She has assorted burns all over and some chunks of armor missing in her skirt armor. Basically it's a miracle she's not showing that she's in pain. A faceplate helps.
But despite all the wounds she has they might want her doing something else. Eventually she'll get repairs.

Shrike looked forward to helping to completely seal the tunnels to the Autobot territories. She'd be good at that. Better with repairs and refueling.

The Decepticons ruled the skies and the Autobots would be hard pressed to mount any real ground assault. Especially with those laughable flying bots she saw in the skies of Tagan. One was horrendously slow and she was hoping to rip him to bits but never got the chance. Then there's the one that almost looked like the leader that she fought. Oooh she's mad at him. Not freak out mad but she'll remember him, and take immense pleasure in cutting him to shrapnel.
Further, not only would those wimps have to combat the drones, but their own anti air defenses, and competent warriors.

Autobase Tau

Motormaster indeed knew very well how strong he was. And no one could accuse him of not abusing his power for that was exactly what he did. Friend or foe, Motormaster made it clear to others that he was stronger, tougher and downright invulnerable. Usually that meant world of hurt to everyone else but him.

"Oh, gathering intelligence, eh?" Motormaster chuckled as he marched into the conquered Autobase through a wrecked doorway, not giving much attention if we accidentally banged Ruckus a bit against the hinges of the ripped apart door. "Ye sure have your way at it."

"I have gotta admit there's some mech in the high command whose sense of humor I cannot but appreciate." The monstrous Decepticon added, grinning evilly.

"There just can't be other reason for you carrying that shoddy armor barely stronger than tinfoil." Motormaster added and pressed his forefinger through Ruckus' armor plating just to prove his point, being careful enough not to hurt the smaller Decepticon's internal mechanics though. "Now that I think of it... I don't think we have any medics with us, heh. You'll propably have to wait for reinforcements of the distinct chance of Scorponok having time for ye. Sucks to be you, heh heh."

Autobase Tau

Wherever that blue Autobot had gone off to, Wildrider had not been able to find him. Of course, he was hardly the most gifted tracker in the Decepticon army. In truth, he wasn't any kind of tracker.

Not one to play hide and seek, Wildrider had turned back as soon as word of the impending Decepticon victory at the battle site had reached him. Keen to do what he wanted in the thick of battle, as much as Motormaster would allow, he was still savvy enough to know it wasn't wise to be far out of sensor shot when the boss bot came a callin'.

Finding Motormaster was never that hard of a task to begin with. The unmistakeable weight and loudness of his steps meant that either he was nearby...or an Omega Sentinel was. It was a pretty safe bet as to who was inside.

"Ahh...the burnin' tracks of fleeing Autobots. I've missed that smell."

Autobase Tau - Command Center

"I'll give ya the report in short order," Roadblock told Scorponok. "An' let the grunts know we done good."

The battlefield experience he had had was undeniably positive, despite a few instances in which one major flaw of the Pretender process had revealed itself. But even with the problem of all the separate components feeling pain inflicted upon any one of the three, Roadblock would not trade back his Pretender shell for anything in the universe. It had turned him from an imposing, fearsome, powerful Decepticon war machine into three imposing, fearsome, powerful Decepticon war machines - each more powerful than his original form had been on its own. He looked to Shrike.

"Follow FastTrack to the Med Bay fer repairs. I want ya functional again, ASAP. No way in Pit we're lettin' the 'Bots take this place back from us."

Striding out of the Command Center and back out through the corridors to the exterior perimeter of the structure formerly known as Autobase Nu. Over the massive blast doors hung an Autobot sigil, respledant in red and nearly as tall as Roadblock himself.

"Ugly piece o' slag, idn't it?" the purple and black Pretender drawled to no one in particular. Summoning his twin rust-bomb launcher from subspace, he turned, pointed his weapon upward, and fired both barrels at the Autobot sigil. In seconds, the gleaming red icon was reduced to nothing more than a corroded, undecipherable stain on the base's front wall. "That's better."

His voice rose so all the Decepticons on the field could hear him. "We did it, boys!" he roared, fist raised in the air. "The Tagan Heights belong to the Decepticon Empire! 'Til all are one!"

Autobase Tau

"Yes sir." She replied to Road Block then looked to FastTrack.
She's more than happy to be stationed in Tagan Heights and repaired. It's a practical guarantee that this will be a battlefield again, and truthfully she didn't trust the Sweeps Drones, no matter how many of them there are, to guard anything at this point.
She gives a cheer to help with the morale along with Road Block being careful not to move her wounded arm. It felt like it'd fall off if she tried to raise it over her head.

She reports to FastTrack ready to follow him to the medical bay.

There isn't much to say at this point that hasn't been mentioned before. Repairs, tunnel sealing, guarding, sight seeing, training, upgrades, she looked forward to as much as she could and more if it comes along.[/code]

Autobase Tau

Ruckus grunted sourly, once his cranial unit had cleared after having been whanged against the doors to the Autobase. There were a lot of good reasons why Motormaster would never excel in the field of retrieving damaged mechs. The fact that he was about as solicitous as a Hydraxian saw-eel was just one of them. He was also dumb and ugly. But he was one of the best Decepticons out there at what he did, and nobody could deny that.

It might have been nice if he didn't do "what he did" to his comrades almost as often as his enemies, but a mechanoid couldn't have everything, could he?

"Ain't nothin' wrong with my armor," the Triggercon protested as the two moved deeper into the base. And, in terms of specs, that was true enough. His armor was rated standard for his designation as a frontline warrior. But the fact that Ruckus rarely--if ever--bothered to get it patched up after battle or take even the basic steps necessary to maintain it during his rare downtime had made it a lot less effective that it could have been. Didn't help that half his internal systems were usually glitching out over some minor complaint or another.

Ruckus hated repair bays, though. Every nanosecond he spent in one was time wasted when there were still functioning Autobots out there who needed seeing to. Maybe after the war was won, he'd see about getting himself overhauled. 'Til then, he was going to spend as much time actually fighting as he feasibly could.

"Maybe I picked up a couple o' dents and dings, but it ain't nothin' that can't be buffed out quick enough. But there ain't a repair droid on the planet that could do anything with that mug o' yours," he returned gamely in response to Motormaster's taunts. Even mostly crippled and in the grip of a Decepticon known for his sadistic tendencies, Ruckus remained unbowed. What was left of his faceplate brightened when he saw Wildrider catching up to them.

"I hear that. I'm almost gonna miss that smell, once the last o' those obsolete scraplets is tossed into the smelter."

Autobase Tau

"Sure there is." Motormaster smirked as a response to Ruckus' protest about the shape of his battle armor. Slamming his free hand against his own chest with a loud bang and a force that would have flattened Ruckus' had the smaller Decepticon been the target, Motormaster grinned triumphauntly. "This is proper armor, not a slaggin' scratch."

Such a demonstration of his own endurance was easy for Motormaster. Despite his exceptional physical strength the Stunticon commander wouldn't exactly have it easy if he wanted to really hurt himself. He could not fly or drive fast enough to cause damage to himself. Only if he tried his utmost he might be able to rip open some of his thicker plating, for that well he had been made. Yet, despite the image of invulnerability there were mechanoids stronger than Motormaster was, mechs that could give him a good beating - mighty Megatron was one of them and actually one of the biggest reasons why Motormaster had joined Megatron's cause early on.

Ruckus' comments about his appearance didn't go unnoticed either. "Hah! With your looks I wouldn't try to downgrade my handsome features."

Hardly no other Decepticon would have escaped such comment without a beating but during their numerous vorns of serving in the Decepticon army, Motormaster had grown some fondness towards the small toughbot. Ruckus' if possible was even more fearless than Motormaster himself and had never backed down before him, not even when they had met for the first time and Motormaster had reformed Ruckus' then much more fragile chassis to a wreck with his bare hands.

With Wildrider joining them Motormaster's attention promptly changed towards his underling. "Did you actually hit something out there? And where the slag are Breakdown and Drag Strip?"

Autobase Tau

Wildrider laughs.

"Of course! Some Autobot thought he could take us all on at once. Little empty learned a lesson real quick."

He looks behind him.

"I wonder if there's anything left?" he says, with genuine thoughtfulness as he rubs his chin contemplatively.

With the victory call going out, Wildrider could not help but feel an internal sense of...need. Yeah, they'd won. But he hadn't been able to shove a pipe bomb in to...well...anyone's pipe. Maybe next time.

Autobase Tau

Fasttrack stared at Shrike for a few seconds before turning and walking down one of the corridors. He spoke only a single command to the Decepticon as he walked down the halls. “Follow.” As basically little more than an extension of Scorponok, the small transformer had very little personality of his own. He was typically used by the Decepticon general for more delicate tasks, such as the repairs he was assigned to do now.

He walked through the halls without a misstep to the repair bay. Scorponok had hacked into the computer and passed directions to the room on to his drone. He was also directing power to the abandoned repair bay and by the time Fasttrack and Shrike had arrived it was fully powered and operable. The small Decepticon glanced around the room, scanning its contents and equipment for later inventory. The Autobots had taken a great number of the supplies, but the heavier equipment was still around. It would do, for now.

“Lay on the table.” He pointed at one of the repair tables before turning to a counter to geather some spare armor plates and welding tools to begin repairs.


Autobase Tau – Command Center

Scorponok continued scanning the base’s main computer, trying to get an idea of the condition of the base. 80% of the bases defenses were destroyed or damaged and there were a handful of breaches in the outer walls. One of the science labs had taken extensive damage, likely to prevent it from being taken intact. The power generators had been damaged and the base was only running on 35% power.

It appeared that despite their victory the Decepticons were still in a precarious position in the Heights. A well organized and swift counterattack from Iacon might be enough to push them back to the sea. They were going to need to fortify their position heavily and rebuild the base to make sure they would not be dislodged. It meant a rapid and massive construction effort. Fortunately, the Decepticons had a group that specialized in just such operations. He sent the request for their services along with a full report back to Kaon.

Autobase Tau

That stare from FastTrack had her realize that maybe the bot didn't hear her being told to report to him, or that some formality she neglected was expected.
Well, it's not important now.

Shrike follows FastTrack obediently following orders, though it could be argued she were following out of her own self interests.

She wasn't bothered by his sparse speaking. She wasn't much of a conversationalist either, mostly because she simply has nothing to say most of the time.

She looked around seeing the base in a virtual brownout, and her combat computer took note of it while her navigational systems took note of the layout of the base as they went through. Hn, maybe blasting the generators was a bad idea? she thought to herself. Then again it's either the base's generators, the turrets, or both that must be dealt with.
The situational variables began to arise in her combat computer. What's easier to repair? What is faster to repair? Which target's destruction would lessen casualties for the Decepticons? are a few examples. Her combat computer began formulating, and theorizing what would have happened if other tactics were used in Tagan Heights.

They arrived at the medical bay and to her surprise the idea of laying on a table bothered her on a deep down level. She doesn't know why, though.
It doesn't stop her from laying down on the table, however, and she doesn't show her discomfort as it was a rapidly passing feeling, and so far down that it couldn't surface to her faceplate covered mouth.

Besides, it's not like she has a choice if she wants repairs, and without those repairs she would be at reduced combat ability which would certainly hamper her mauling of Autobots, and the fragging of their stuff which is something she feels that she's really good at. And that makes her feel good.

She occupies her mind with a quasi-meditation while staying alert incase something else requires her attention. Basically more of her mental processors were focused on the combat computer's operations, building further and faster on her vast combat knowledge which above all else dominates her data.
It's as if she were built, and programmed especially to fight like one of those drones that accompanied the assault force. But she definitely feels smarter, or at least more capable than those drones.

Shrike sometimes deals with the feeling of being shallow. It rests heavy on her mind now and then that her existance revolves around combat.
The notion often wrestled with the fact she's also fairly content with being dedicated to warfare. She specializes in it, there's lots of use to it, she's good at it, and that makes her feel good because she often tastes victory in one way or another.

So much going on inside her mind, yet on the outside, at the moment, she lays motionless waiting on those repairs. Her green optics are staring at the ceiling as she waits for that magical moment when she hears that she's repaired.

Hopefully her repairs can go quickly so the harder hit allies can get back on the field soon, too.

Autobase Tau

Despite himself, Ruckus gave a rusty chuckle. Most other Decepticons regarded Motormaster with a mixture of fear and loathing, but the Triggercon didn't think he was so bad. He just had a confidence in his own abilities and a contempt for the weak that he wasn't shy about sharing with all of Cybertron. Wasn't that the kind of thinking upon which the Empire was built?

"What're you sayin'? That I ain't pretty or somethin'?" he demanded, craning his head around to get a look at the back of the Stunticon's massive shoulder. Ruckus grinned, the expression especially ghastly given that half his face plate had been melted away by one of the explosions he'd narrowly avoided earlier. "I'll have you know I'm Primus' gift ta femmes, ya old slagger. Yer just jealous."

Wildrider's contemplative look, though, soon drew the battered warrior away from his mostly good-natured sparring with Motormaster. If there was anything more dangerous than a manic Stunticon in the middle of some kind of random, destructive craziness, then it was a thoughtful Stunticon.

"Whatever's left ain't for blowin' up," Ruckus said matter-of-factly. "We did plenty o' damage already. And every time there's an explosion around here, there's a chance a quarter of the planet'll go up with it, along with a major percentage of Cybertron's manufacturing potential." It was a major prize they'd won, and no mistake. Now the trick would be holding onto it.

Autobase Tau

"Primus' gift to femmes, hah! Then pray tell why they tend to disappear when you show up your ugly mug?" Motormaster joked back to Ruckus and allowing the Triggercon to explain their current status before turning his attention to Wildrider, clearly radiating disappointment.

"One slaggin' Autobot during the whole fight? That's it? Yer growing slaggin' incompetent. Three of you against one 'bot, I should slaggin' beat some competence to your worthless hide." Motormaster bellowed, glaring Wildrider menacingly. Not only did Wildrider's battle report blacken his mood, the Stunticon terrorist had failed to answer his questions.

"Wildrider. Breakdown and Drag Strip. Where the slag did you leave those scrapheaps? Don't slaggin' tell me that this one 'bot actually managed to wound them and you forgot they even existed again." Motormaster demanded to know, this time far less casually than the last time.

Autobase Tau

Slag...

Wildrider always hated when Motormaster started to get this way. It usually meant someone was cruisin' for a lot more than a bruisin'. How was he supposed to keep track of all the Autobots he had shot?! He had fired--one went down. That's all you could hope for, right?

Not hardly.

"They're, uh, out there somewhere," Wildrider says, motioning behind him. "They were slaggin' bots just like I was. 'Course, probably not as good as I was."

He wanted to say something akin to "I'm not the Batch Proto Initiator...but that would surely be pushing it far beyond the very slim level of tolerance that the Stunticon Commander already possessed.

Deceptibase Tau – Repair Bay

Fasttrack had done a full scan of Shrike, locating her various injuries, and gone about repairing the female. The armor damage was easily patched with supplied kept in the room. Her arm required more extensive repairs. He removed the outer plates and began working on the interior of the arm. The frame was still intact, but the electrical wires were a bit scorched and a few of the actuators were dead. He replaced the wires and actuators and sealed the arm up again.

The Decepticon drone stepped back from the table. “Repairs complete. Your articulation thruster will require more complicated repairs than I can conduct with the tools at hand. The Constructicons will arrive shortly with further supplies. Locate the Constructicon Hook and explain the damage to him and he should have the equipment and skill to repair it.”


Deceptibase Tau – Command Center

Scorponok detached himself from the base’s computer. He had done all he could with it for now. It was time to move on to other, more pressing matters. The tunnels leading into the Heights needed to be sealed. Unfortunately there didn’t seem to be an accomplished demolitions expert in the attack force he had brought to the Heights, a minor mistake on his part. It simply meant that the tunnels would have to be sealed by sheer firepower.

As he walked out of the command center he opened a channel to Roadblock. >>”Roadblock, gather the troops with the heaviest amount of firepower at the tunnel entrances. We will simply collapse the entrances for now and worry about sealing them properly later. I don’t want them left open for any longer than necessary.”<<

Autobase Tau-Repair Bay

"Understood. Thank you." She replied to Fasttrack in a serious enough tone as she sat up. That nicety was probably wasted, but it was said anyhow.
She almost began heading out, but paused, turning back to Fasttrack. "Would it be possible to refuel, sir?" Shrike asked in that same tone.

It was probably a bad thing to ask all things considered with the base's current condition, but she burned up a lot of fuel pushing her systems, taking damage, and firing her assault mode's cannon.
She's in no immediate danger of stasis lock at the moment, and she could continue fighting for a while, but she would be fighting with heavily diminished firepower, and risks stasis lock if the next battle is a prolonged one.

Deceptibase Tau - Entrance

>>"On it, Lord Scorponok," Roadblock answered his master's communique. He looked to where Motormaster continued to harass Ruckus. Good soldier, that one. Too bad he falls ta pieces every time we get inta a good scrap. The purple-and-black Pretender called to the Stunticons.

"On me, boys. We're sealin' off the tunnels that the Autoslags used ta run like the petrorabbits they are," he told them, turning to head back into the base. Shouldering his twin rust-bomb launcher, he knew they wouldn't be far behind. For the Stunticons, any chance to use their guns - even if it was only to shoot at a wall or ceiling - was a good time.

"Wildrider, don't fergit yer pipe bombs."