The Energon Pub

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

Quake tackled the large transformer as he assaulted the Stunticons.

"Arrgggh!" yelled the Warrior as the massive Quake knocked him back. He quickly reverted his weapons back into their storage compartments and pulled out his Energon-axe.

"Alright bud, you wanted to take me on up close and personal? Be my guest, it's your funeral!"

He slammed the axe against his foe and dug deep into his armor. He then swung again, throwing his opponent back some yards. He spun his axe and smirked.

"So Bud, are you gonna start fighting or am I gonna hafta persuade you some more?!"

He then charged Quake, his axe high in the air and slashed it down on Quake's head.

Autobase Tau--Perimeter

All at once, it seemed, Wildrider had found himself surrounded by flame-engulfed, metallic debris. Waving the fragged minerals and ores away, his optic sensors struggled to get a sense of where he was and who exactly had the brass to fire at him like that!

He didn't recognize the Autobot, but he didn't need to. He had just put himself squarely on the radar of the rest of his cohorts.

"Aww, this 'un's got himself some lip," Wildrider chuckles, lining up a shot as the crazy Autobot attempts to hack in to Quake like fresh obsidian, straight from the source. "Let's mangle it with the rest of him."

Wildrider's optics shift erratically from one direction to the next before again focusing on his chosen target and firing.

This was what he functioned for.

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

Between the Autobots' outer and inner defensive lines, Ruckus really wasn't short on targets. But blowing apart automated guns and rank amateurs really wasn't his idea of a good time. Weren't the 'Bots supposed to have some heavy-hitters stationed out here? And if they did, just where the frag were they? A glance back out in the direction he'd come from quickly offered a likely answer to that question: Scorponok was making his slow but inexorable way from the beachhead to the outskirts of the base. Between the imposing warlord and Roadblock's new bag of tricks, no wonder the scuzzoids were still hiding in their bunker.

Those new flyers looked like they were doing a pretty decent job of tearing things up. And Quake's manic bombardment had probably left the defenders with the impression that the whole planet was coming apart around their cranial units. And was that Shrike buzzing around up there, adding yet another big gun to the mix? The Triggercon gave a rusty chuckle. Cracking open Autobot scum was its own reward, of course, but being able to show off a little for the femmes never hurt when it came to motivating the troops.

Transforming, ruckus sent another pair of rockets hurtling against the enemy defenses. Ah, but this was a good time to be functioning, even if his left knee joint did feel like it was full of jagged titanium shavings just now.

"Quake!" he bellowed, casually ripping the arms off a combat drone that had inadvertently come within arm's length of the belligerent Decepticon. "Quit messin' around with that overgrown Empty already and get your gigantic aft in gear! We've still got a whole cyberat's nest of these slaggers to clear out!"

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

Quakes optic features narrowed on the Autobot that now opposed him, smashing hard into Panzer sending him back a number of feet. "Persuade? Look around slag unit! Your the only one scheduled to be scrapped tonight!" Quake exclaimed referring to the vast number of Decepticons and one Autobot on the field. Panzers first axe swing smashed into Quakes titanium chest. Quakes armor was thick like Panzers, offering an abundance of resistance to damage. Panzers axe caused sparks to ignite from great force, meeting a great barrier that was Quake.

Quake moved back a couple of feet and glanced upwards, noticing Panzer coming for anther strike. Quake brought both of his arms upwards and blocked Panzers axe strike on his titanium armor. Panzers axe made part of Quakes arm start to glow red from the force of the axe being held on his arm. "Not bad Autobot! But not good enough!" Quake exclaimed while his optics narrowed on Panzer his arm glowing red from the force of Panzers axe. Quake then pushed upward with all of his force, pushing Panzers arms upwards widly into the air. Quake then brought his massive robotic fist back and slammed it directly into Panzers face, punching his opponent square in the kisser with authority. "How about a Nano sammich!" Quake exclaimed after punching Panzer hard in the face.

Autobase Tau

From her vantage point she could see the massive warlord wading through autobot defenses.
Oh boy, this base is going to fall. She'd show a smile if her face wasn't covered by a plate.
She fires again into the generators, then fires a sweeping blast into the wall of the base looking to collapse a section of it, then decides to save her remaining shot for later.
She noticed the infuriated Wildrider aiming for the Autobot, and probably Quake if he got in the way. I wonder if they can handle it?
"Transform!" She takes her robot form, and takes up her rifle before perching on a good vantage point for sniping.
Yeah that Autobot should have stayed inside and helped evacuate or something. He's going to get his spark snuffed. She watched Panzer and Quake about to get blasted.
She thought about shooting the Autobot but her rifle didn't do much against his thick, dense armor. She'd be plinking him, and might hit her comrade Quake. Though it's questionable if he'd feel it either.
Maybe she should upgrade someday.
She keeps an eye out for oncoming and outgoing Autobots that might be trying to sneak out, ready to pop their heads off their shoulders.

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

From his perch, Mirage watched as Scorponok waded through the Autobase's defenses with little trouble. First that black and purple humanoid I don't recognize, and now the Tyrian warlord himself. I do believe we've just gone from bad to worse. He watched as in a matter of moments, one young Autobot - he believed his name was Panzer - managed to get himself in over his cranial unit. Splendid. As if we didn't already have enough wounded to evacuate through the tunnels. He opened a commlink as he shouldered his hunting rifle and scanned the field.

>>"Ultra Magnus, I suggest you get yourself and the other able-chassised mechs out here post-haste if you plan on having time to pull the wounded back through the tunnels."<<

Drawing a bead on Ruckus, Mirage snapped off two quick shots, sending rocket-powered darts streaking at the Decepticon's knee joints. Moving more quickly than he would have preferred, he then took aim at Shrike and fired two more rounds at her. He had noticed her moving to a sniping position, and did not care to have the Decepticon taking potshots at the Autobots as they exited their base to cover the withdrawal of the wounded through the tunnels.

Autobase Tau

She kept an eye out, but not well enough it seemed. The darts from Mirage took her by surprise. Luckily she were sitting in a defensive position.
The first dart burrowed into a thin part of her usually durable shield and tapped a divot into her thick chest plate, one of the few places where she has thick armor, before falling into her lap.
The second dart punched a hole into one side of her shoulder armor, and passed through the gap between her joint and the armor to the other side of the same shoulder armor where it stopped as it was slowed by the first impact, rattled around, and ended up stuck in the seam of her shoulder joint. Luckily her shoulder armor wasn't hooked into her major systems, rather just there for protection.

"What th'!" She exclaimed a quarter second after the shots hit, then gets cover but loses her sniping angle. It beats being a sitting duck for the next shots.
She sits there thinking for a bit, steadying her oil pump, and digging the dart from her shoulder joint then looking at it. She wasn't mad though. Startled but not mad.

In her mind, she calculated the trajectory of the sniper weapons point of origin using the hole in her shield, divot on her chest plate and damaged shoulder armor as reference, then took her rifle off the arm mount into hand.
Shrike rested the barrel over her cover exposing only a small part of her hand, then angled it in that general direction she figured the sniper was. She has a good idea where the sniper is, but it's not dead on perfect. She fires off two rounds in a short period at the direction she thought they came from, though she couldn't aim as well being unable to see around the corner.
It'd be luck if she hit her attacker, or made the Autobot dive for cover.
She looked at the area around her seeing it difficult to move on foot and have cover, then decides to go for it.
She hops over the cover with her shield up, then begins her bullet-like flight towards the direction of the sniper approaching mach speed, and accelerating quickly, keeping her shield up protecting most of her chest and face leaving someone hard pressed to hit anything life threatening, the rest of her body angled away to have better protection, nearly completely horizontal. She keeps her eyes peeled for the sniper ready to dive upon that rascally hunter. She charges her heat blades on her way, eager to repay him for damage done.
There was enough Decepticons near the base to be an adequate assault force, and the big boss man was on his way. She probably wouldn't be missed or needed. It was time for her personal glory, or a slagging. Besides, the Decepticons don't need a sniper taking pot shots at them.

She spots Mirage and charges him ready to cut him to ribbons, but first a shield bash from her charge.

Autobase Tau - West Tunnel

A mess.

Ultra Magnus had received status updates every few astroseconds. Mirage's last one only made the previous seem so much worse. The outcome looked grim. But he knew something had to be done.

He began his com-link spree.

>> Autobots, they're in range. Get in your positions. >>

>> Mirage, thanks for the tip. I'll get on it. >>

>> Stormfire, launch all our flyers on my mark to fight down those sweeps. From the reports I've seen, you'll be able to distract them for awhile. >>

>> Roadbuster, are you near? We're about to move. If you see us pop out, then just follow. >>

>> Hot Rod, I hope you're in position. Because when those auxillary cannons start going off, we're moving. >>

I hope this'll buy enough time.

>> Trailbreaker, what's your status? We're about to buy you some more time, but I don't know how much. >>

Magnus suddenly stopped and transformed. He turned and held up his hand to signal the other Autobots following him to stop. As the others transformed, he noted their confused looks.

"I know," Magnus let himself smile. "Consider it camoflauge."

He then faced one particular Autobot.

"Jedishen, I'm going to head out first," he said. "Hopefully that'll distract the head 'cons long enough so we can catch them off guard. When you hear them firing at me, get the rest of the 'bots out on the battlefied. Got that?"

One small beep went off. Outside, now that the Decepticons had neared the base, the defenses nearest the perimeter activated. Tau's biggest, most powerful weapons - Tau's last resort - opened fire on all nearby Decepticons.

Magnus' only response was to transform.

>> Hot Rod, Stormfire, go! >>

Autobase Tau ~ Medbay

"OK, keep it moving!!" Trailbreaker shouted as he entered the Medbay, seeing a steady stream of injured being helped and transported out towards the escape tunnel entrance. As he began to assist in the removal of patients from CR, Wheeljack's voice crackled through his commlink "Ah slaggit, he shouldn't have to do that" Trailbreaker thought to himself as he heard the words 'Destroy some of it'

"Understood Wheeljack, progress with transporting the injured is a bit slower than normal, so you've got some time before we pull out, but not much. Once you've finished up with what you've got to do, head straight for Iacon, I'll wait for you there, Trailbreaker out"

As he watched the last few walking wounded leave the Medbay, Ultra Magnus' inquiry came flooding through Trailbreaker's commlink "All the injured are now clear of the Medbay Magnus, and those who weren't helping have already entered the tunnel and are on their way to Iacon. I'm going to have a quick look to make sure we've got all the stragglers, and then I'll be on my way as well, I'll let you know when I arrive in Iacon, Trailbreaker out"

---------------------------------
Autobase Tau ~ West Tunnel

"Yes Sir.." Jedishen replied to Ultra Magnus, locking in his 2 shoulder mounted missile launchers as he spoke "..I'll get everyone moving, don't concern yourself with that" The Scout's face showed little of the confusion adorning those of the others around him, he was far from being classified as a veteran, but he knew what was at stake here, and the all too real possibility of losing the base to the Decepticons was not something he could easily miss.

Slipping his Sniper Rifle into subspace, knowing that this fight would offer little chance to use it, Jedishen looked round to the 'Bots he would he in charge of, so to speak "OK, get ready to move, and once we're out there, don't stop, either firing or moving, this isn't an impossible situation to get out of, so remember your training, and keep your optics open"

--------------------------------------
Autobase Tau ~ Near West Tunnel

"We're close enough Magnus.." Roadbuster replied as he continued with his steady progress back to the base "..When the slag hits the fan, we'll be there, count on it"

Autobase Tau ~ Near West Tunnel

"Lets just hope we don't hit the fan with the slag," Freeway said, "Trouble doesn't follow us around, Roadbuster, we just happen to end up going to the same places, hehehe!"
"I'm just worried that if we don't get back quickly there won't be much of a base left to help save," said Searchlight, "Pity the base doesn't have enough automated defences, we could use some now,"

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

Quake's large fist hit hard against his head, knocking him back a few yards. That was okay, he had a hard head(like everything else). He quickly regained his composure and charged him again, this time with his missiles exposed.

"Try to hit me now Frag!" yelled Panzer in joy.

He fired his missiles towards Quake, sending him back and providing cover for Panzer as dust (once again) surrounded the area.

Okay Panzer...center yourself and stay calm.

He pulled out his blaster with his right arm and held his axe with the left.

Come out come out wherever you are...

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

Quakes connection felt good with that strike to Panzers face, causing a vibration in his hand due to the immense protection Panzers armor offered. Quake glanced over towards Shrike as she charged the battlefield. Then his Decepticon Ruckus, spoke up for the first time in awhile. "Ruckus is that you! I thought you got slagged!" Quakes robotic facial features sorta grinned, making a playful comment to encourage Ruckus to deploy more mass destruction. His attetion was seperated on the battlefield he had noticed Shrike had taken damage to her shoulder. Quake could care less about personal honor, his only mission was to destroy Autobots anyway he could. "Shrike!" Quake yelled out. "Watch yourself I dont want to carry your ass back to base!" Quake exclaimed, showing his cocern for the wounded Decepticon with minimal empathy he had in his processor.

Quake then turned his optics back to Panzer who had displayed his mighty missles once again upon the battlefield. Quake was not worth two shits when it came to getting out of the way of incoming fire, crossing his huge thick titanium arms over his chest, Quake prepares to accept the inpending blast. "Ahhhhhhhh!" Quakes vocabulatory exclaimed upon impact. The missles struck his huge frame, causing two large explosions that created small craters in the battlefield. Smoke, debree, and dust gathered in the pending area. Quake remained with his arms covering his head and chest for a couple moments before he decided that was the end of the missles. "That Autobot scrap-heap." Quake exclaimed.

Quakes massive form had now darkened from the explosion. Quakes outer appearence was now covered in black sharpnel marks that had spread all over his outer form, rather than looking his normal purple color, Quake now appeared to be a black Decepticon. Quakes optics glowed a violent purple color for a moment as he burned enerigon in rage. "Hey Ruckus! Why don't you show this Autobot loser how a real robot fire's rockets!" Quake exclaimed.

Quake then turned his attetion back to the task at hand, stepping from the crater he was in back to level ground. He could hear Panzers voice in the distance. "Who ever said I was hiding?" Quake said through the dust. "I DON'T NEED TO SEE YOU!" Quake yelled at the top of his voice box while he transformed into his tank mode, jamming a plasma shell into his plasma cannon. "Its the end of the line Autbot!" Quake continued to talk trash while he aimed his plasma cannon in the general area.

Quake then fired a blast from his plasma cannon while in tank mode the shell was designed to cover a large area rather than a direct impact, firing his plasma straight at Panzers last known location at near point blank range. Tank fire echoed over the battlefield, making Quakes presence known to all as the plasma shell struck either into the ground near Panzer or Panzer himself and then exploded, spreading plasma burn in all directions hitting everything that was near Panzer. Quakes plasma cannon smoked as Quake waited to see the results in the mist.

(OOC - Attempts, guys...please use attempts in all combat unless you've had a PM/AIM conversation with the other person involved.) IC -

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

And I'm made. Mirage pulled his hunting rifle down from his shoulder as two shots from Shrike impacted around his cover. Time to move. He noticed a path to some other cover near a ruined defensive gun, somewhat closer to the power generators that were taking a beating from the Decepticons' fire. Before he could make his move, however, the odd-looking Decepticon he had been firing upon streaked into his path and attempted to flatten him with a blow from some sort of heavy shield. Had he not been as nimble as he was, Mirage would have been knocked flat onto his tailplate. As it was, he was forced to transform into racer mode and shoot directly underneath her flying form.

Tau's main batteries opened up as Mirage dueled with the Decepticon, filling the air with shells and bursts of destructive energy. Sweeps here and there fell, but the vast number remained, immediately shifting their attention to the batteries. They rained incendiary explosives and heat laser beams down upon the turrets and emplacements, and some even touched down to begin tearing the automated defenses apart with their energo-claws.

Mirage transformed back into robot mode and stood up behind Shrike. His left foot shot forward at her rear armor, toe extended in a sharp Metallikato technique designed to puncture armor and cause internal damage. Not a particularly Autobot-ish technique, but even Optimus Prime has been known to borrow it from time to time...

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

Drag Strip and Breakdown had jumped for cover when Panzer had released his missile salvo. This did not apply to Motormaster though - the powerful Stunticon commander stood amongst the smoke and rubble like somekind of a demon, unfazed by the severity of the attack. Optics burning eeriely, face twisted to reveal a sadistic grin, the beast enjoyed it.

There weren't many things that could hurt Motormaster and he never missed the opportunity to rub it into the faces of his enemies or allies for that matter. Yet, he refrained from taunting the Autobot back. No, he wanted something more and with Panzer already being assaulted by Quake and Wildrider he felt no need of interfering even though it tempted him to go in and steal the kill. Then he saw it. Shrike charging past his position with great speed towards someone, a shape very familiar. Mirage.

Immediately changing his course of direction, Motormaster began moving towards the aristocratic Autobot and the Decepticon femme dueling with him. He was in no hurry, the number of kills didn't matter to him, who he killed did.

"Drag Strip! Breakdown! Help Quake and Wildrider to slag that Autobot!" Motormaster boomed, "I just saw an old friend."

Instantly and not even slighty reluctantly like usual, the two Stunticons began focusing their fire at Panzer, not really to hit directly but to limit the room the Autobot had to manouver around, thus making it more difficult for the Autobot to escape from Quake and Wildrider.

Autobase Tau
(OOC: I always attempt but sometimes I don't word things properly. If I violated the rules, I apologize.)
She heard the concern of Quake as she battered Mirage to the ground with her near mach speed shield bash charge. Duly noted.

Her agile form became more upright as she spun around in time it took Mirage to transform into the car, But she wasn't quite fast enough to react to the shot which collided with the thicker shin armor.
The high speed shield bash jarred her more than she'd admit or else she'd have used her shield to stop it. The turn around was more than instinct to her, though.
She makes no noise at she took the damage, gritted teeth hidden behind her face plate, but she hovers possibly showing that the leg has been made unusable for the time being. Then again if he'd watched her for any amount of time, he'd have seen that she hovers a lot in combat which might hide her leg's damage for now.
The repercussions of the shot? How would the Autobot know? But she's hard pressed to transform fully and unable to use that leg or her assault mode beam canon until the effects wear off, or she's repaired.
She'd never tell him, though. She try not to let on. And unless she were going to use her last beam shot from her alt mode, it didn't matter too much in terms of mobility.
She hovered half turned from him, her shield at the front with her blades extended and heated as he transformed back to robot form.

His kick came in, but unfortunately for him, she matched his speed in a flash of violent martial prowess. He'd soon realize she got close for a reason.
She blocked the kick at his shin with her shield using her articulated thrusters to keep her steady from the impact. She keeps the shield between his thighs and slightly angled under his kicking leg using the reach advantage granted to hinder his movement and maybe off balance him while her arm recovered from the frame jarring kick. Her heated thrusting blade at the tip of the shield might burn his leg as it slides down her shield.
Almost instantly after the impact of the kick, her thrusters flare as she looked to ram his upper chest with the flat of her damaged shoulder armor which was on the same side of her shield . If it connects, her shoulder armor gets cracked around the hole left in it from his earlier shots at her due to the high speed of the shoulder thrust's impact. The impact might stun, or stagger him, maybe even both.
After the shoulder thrust Shrike immediately seeks use her other arm's sword length blade to augment a boxing style uppercut aimed for his midsection, though the arc could hit other parts of his body, followed by an immediate thruster augmented near instant Muay Thai styled knee thrust aimed for his midsection, and ideally strike the cut her blade might leave if it hit to worsen the wound.
With luck, the impact would be enough to throw him back which she'd follow with her leg snapping out out using her foot blade to try and gouge him open further. If her knee strike doesn't throw him back, her snap kick is likely to miss, or stab him at the thigh of his leg keeping him standing. She didn't need much strength behind the kick relying more on her blade for the damage.
She'd use her other leg in an Enzugiri (A leaping takedown kick to the head/neck) with the blade of her other foot to try and finish him off, but she can't even try to rag doll the leg in an attempt since her leg is locked up from his disruption shot earlier.
She backed up instead, hovering just enough off the ground that her feet wouldn't touch the ground. Her stance retaken with the shield across her midsection pointing downwards, and up front ready to defend.

All in all, her combination wouldn't likely kill him even if it all hit, but he'd get the point ... hopefully multiple times as they rend at his armor, and internal parts in that rapid flurry. Even with this display, she held back instead of going all out.
Like Mirage, her martial arts is a mishmash of many styles and all around designed for the quick removal of enemy threat. Nothing glorious, but intended to be thoroughly effective.
She was impressed by his ingenuity of style, and the kick, but she wasn't going to waste time talking or thinking about it.
What would give him an window of opportunity to attack was that she just now saw the turret systems were still online even though she blasted the generators twice over plus Quake's plasma shells. She'd hoped that the base couldn't power them anymore. She was wrong apparently.
She couldn't transform to blast the generators again. Not without seriously damaging herself firing the beam. She, instead stayed to fight the autobot that gave her the thrill of being adept in melee combat.
Shrike didn't notice Motormaster coming to join in, though, rather focused on Mirage and for a moment, the turret fire behind him she had hoped to prevent/stop. If he didn't hurry up, she just might end up killing Mirage for him.
Or forcing Mirage to retreat at the least.

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

Ruckus had gotten sloppy. He'd been so preoccupied with trying to keep track of his fellow Decepticons that he'd stopped watching out for himself. Normally, that kind of gross stupidity got a mech deactivated permanently, and it would have served him right if that had held true now. Fortunately--at least, from the Triggercon's rather unique perspective--it looked like all his lapse was going to cost him this time was a couple of shattered knees.

That was sure as slag what he'd thought had happened, anyway. One second, he was blasting away at automated gun emplacements, and in the next every nuerocircuit in his chassis was practically overloading with pain. The rocket-powered darts fired by the hidden Mirage had torn into his legs, and Ruckus collapsed to the ground before he'd even properly taken stock of what had happened.

Grimacing in equal parts agony and frustration. No way was he getting knocked out of the fight this quickly. Setting his jaw, the Triggercon managed to crawl into the ample cover provided by a felled security tower. "Sniper! Watch your afts!" he called out to anyone who might have remained oblivious to that fact.

Ruckus then turned his attention to the damage he'd suffered. His left knee-the one that had been giving him trouble from the start--was a total loss, little more than a twisted mass of metal just barely serving to hold his leg together. The right had fared somewhat better: it looked like whatever had hit him had passed straight through the joint. It was as excruciating as being fed feet-first into a smelter, and he wasn't going to be winning any footraces anytime soon, but he might be able to drag himself around well enough to distract a 'Bot or two from the others.

Slaggit, why had it been the knees? At least a non-fatal chest shot would have left him able to transform.

Well, there wasn't any helping it. Pulling himself painfully into an awkward standing position, Ruckus leaned heavily on the rubble under which he'd taken refuge as he limped cautiously back into the ongoing firefight. When the Autobase's inner defense grid came online, throwing an impressive amount of ordnance into the air, he whistled softly. Just before he targeted one of the cannons that the Sweeps had not yet homed in on and blasted it into scrap.

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

The energy shell barely missed him, but it really wasn't meant to hit him. The plasma burn grazed his armor and screwed with his sensors a bit, leaving his optics fuzzy.

Slag, this doesn't look good, he's going for the maniac defense. I'll just hafta return the favor...

He transformed and started to charge towards the direction of the plasma shell recently fired. He saw him, looking beat up and covered in debri.

"Hey, punk! Face me like a real mech!" He transformed and grabbed Quake's main cannon as if to rip it off.

Autobase Tau-Perimeter

Quakes gears started to turn as Panzer tried to close the distance to grab at Quakes plasma cannon. "Not a chance Autobot loser!" Quake exclaimed as he hammered down and started driving in reverse as Panzer grabbed nothing but think air. Quake had noticed Ruckus, crawling away from the battlefield.

While driving in reverse Quakes plasma cannon could turn 360 degree's with ease, rotating his plasma cannon in a circle to face Panzer. "Have some plasma on me!" Quake exclaimed as the massive tank opened fire again this time sending a plasma shell straight at Panzer at point blank range in an attempt to destroy the Autobot with extreme measures. Quakes cannon fired a red shell that glowed with a trace on it, through the air heading straight for Panzers chest.

Quake drove in reverse heading backwards towards Ruckus, stopping near Ruckus to shield Ruckus from incoming fire. Quake provided Ruckus with a wide range of cover it was easy to hide behind the big purple tank. While covering Ruckus, Quake now had the ability to use his long range weaponry on the field unless Panzer was going to follow him all the way across the battlefield. "Take five Ruckus! I got your back!" Quake exclaimed as his plasma cannon fired shells at Panzer.

Autobase Tau--Perimeter

As the other Stunticons were ordered to join more directly in the fray against this brave, stupid Autobot, Wildrider's own gutsiness increased exponentially. Still, he didn't even know who this Autobot was. He didn't keep track of every fraggin' last one of 'em. If they had an ugly red symbol on their chassis somewhere--he shot 'em. It was that simple.

No reason to fix a system that wasn't broken.

Moving closer to the Autobot and lining up a better shot as his attention appeared to be solely focused on Quake, the Stunticon Terrorist had rarely been one to let a good chance pass by. It was seeing them at all that was usually the problem. He'd normally just fire every which way and let the damage fall where it may. But now he had a target. Lucky him.

"Hey now, don't get grabby! You haven't even bought him a cylinder of oil."

Wildrider chuckles and then--in an instant--a murderous glaze covers his optics as he perfects the shot and fires.

Autobase Tau – Command Center

“You’ve got it Magnus.” With that Hot Rod headed for the east tunnels.

Autobase Tau – East Tunnels

>>We’re in position now, Magnus. Just give me the word.<<

Grasping his gun firmly with his right hand Hot Rod quickly, and carefully, thought out his next moves. He was one of the fastest bots around, next to Blurr, and he planned on firing first and asking questions later. Sneering Hot Rod’s thoughts turned to Arcee. She was a good friend, but perhaps there was something more. He’d have to stay alive to find out.

Shaking his head to clear his processing unit, the cavalier turned his gaze towards his team.

“We go on Magnus’ mark.”

With that said, Magnus ordered the team to take flight.

Guns blazing in the Decepticons’ direction, the small group spread out and moved as quickly as possible to draw as much fire as possible.

Autobase Tau - Hangers

Stormfire’s team had been busy, he knew they were in a losing situation, so they’d raided everything vaguely missile like from the armoury, he’d face the consequences later, besides it wouldn’t be prudent to leave all those weapons just sitting their waiting for the Decepticons to fire them. Assembled in the main hanger Stormfire’s plan was formed, waiting until Magnus’ command finally came.

‘All right everyone it’s time to start phase one of the plan. On my mark. Fire!’

Waves of micro dart grenades were shot into the air, exploding at pre-determined heights, they were only a danger to the airborne Sweeps as they quickly lost speed after their explosion, falling harmlessly to the ground. Any Decpticon too near one of those explosions would be punctured in multiple places, causing a great loss in speed and agility. Stormfire had seen what the drones could do and knew that to be effective, his small air force would have to level the playing field.

‘Second wave. Fire!’

Missiles streaked away from Autobase Tau hangers. The Sweeps, preoccupied with the defence grid, got one mighty surprise as the lead missiles began to streak in and find targets. Stormfire’s aim was to disrupt formations and sow confusion with this second wave, an unexpected mass missile attack generally carried that tactic quite well.

‘Fire final missile wave and get skyward now!’

As the last of Autobase Tau’s missile armoury streaked away towards the Sweeps, Stormfire’s small force, cramming as many guns as the could into subspace, Transformed and roared out of the hangers under the cover of the missile barrage. The small force kept a tight formation it headed towards a small group of separated Sweep drones.

(OOC: Hint-hint, J... )

Autobase Tau - East Tunnels

The shockwaves from the nearby heavy explosions shook the ground heavily, and blew huge clouds of dust and smoke left and right around the Autobase, bright spheres of red tones ingnited then dissolved into brown and black trails of smoke on the ground and in the air. The rumble echoed through the tunnelways, ringing in the audio receptors of the small group of Autobots heading towards the tunnel exit.

"Get plenty of spare ammo, Remy! These guys ain't here to play with slag!" Beretta shouted, trying to rise above the noise swirling around her and her teammate, as she maneuvered between the shaking tunnel walls and the rubble falling on the ground from the force of the impacts.

Remington's answer was lost in a dull clang, as a large hunk of metal fell from the ceiling, barely leaving her time to avoid being crushed by a side dash. The technician femme hit the wall with her shoulder, but tossed herself onward. The iron slab fell on the ground behind her.

"I think I've noticed that!" She shouted back as she followed after Beretta, her motion a little disoriented and her steps a bit uncertain.

The Decepticons seemed to really mean business this time. The sheer, overwhelming force of the assault shook the Autobase by its foundation, and if not for the stationary defenses, it would have obliterated the Autobot force by now.

Ceasefire...dream on, little bots, Remington thought as she jumped over another pile of fallen debris, arriving at the open exit of the tunnel. She leaned against the wall, right behind Beretta and unlocking her shotgun, raised it to a ready position.

Her head turned to the side, she gave a glance to the outside of the tunnel. The battle was already raging with full force. The sight before them was far worse than she would have hoped. The ground and the skies alike were covered in layers of fire and smoke, only wavering silhouettes of mechanoid frames visible through the curtains of heat. They were being overwhelmed quickly.

"Shall we have a body count contest?" Beretta grinned at Remington and drew her pistols from her waist holsters, scanning their surroundings with her glance for any foes. Her visors flashed up lively. Too lively and too excited.

"This is no joke, Retta," Remington answered, concern, even a streak of fear in her voice. She could feel her central fuel pump thumping louder and faster. "This strike force is nothing like we've encountered so far. If we don't keep our heads down this time, they'll grind us into scrap."

"You always say something like that," Beretta waved dismissively and made a bored frown. "Here's the chance to take some Big Con down with a nice, clean cranial shot and show what we really have."

Before Remington could react, or grab Beretta by the shoulder to make her see at least some reason, Ultra Magnus's transmission came in, ordering Hot Rod and the others to move out, and spread among the advancing Decepticons.

At Hot Rod's mark, Beretta let out a loud cry, and with both guns held forward and blazing, she charged forward into the fray, in the direction Roadblock was leading some of the Decepticon troops.

Autobase Tau - West Tunnel

"Remember to wait until I distract them," Magnus said to Jedishen. "I'll let out a flare, if you know what I mean."

With that, the city commander started his engine and blasted through what seemed like a dead end. In reality, the tunnel exit had been a cleverly hidden hologram. As Magnus drove through, he saw the carnage of the battle. He noted the new Decepticons.

We might be in trouble.

He then recognized a familiar face. If the Autobots needed to distract any single Decepticon, it was Scorponok.

Big, purple, and ugly. Just the same as usual. He's making his way straight to the base. And somebody has to stop him.

Magnus quickly transformed. As the armor from his carrier assembled around his white form, he already began aiming. He raised up his right arm, stabilizing it with his left. Out of the corner of his optic, he saw three moving vehicles approaching. As he locked on to Scorponok's chest, he smiled.

This'll be fun.

In a seemingly foolish move, Magnus ignored his on-target aim and shifted his arm slightly to the left. He stopped his run and knelt down.

>> Fireworks are lit, Jedishen. >>

Magnus launched the missile from his shoulder. It'd barely miss Scorponok, but it'd send him the exact message the city commander had intended.

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

She's inventive, if nothing else, Mirage admitted as his opponent tried all manner of techniques to harm him. Dodging, blocking, and parrying as best he could, he emerged from the flurry of blows with a few cuts and scrapes from the heat blades and other attacks. For the moment his systems registered no major damage, but that could certainly change at any time, and as it was, the pace of combat was wearing on him. I have neither the energon nor the time to keep sparring with this one. I need to occupy more than one of these Decepticons if Trailbreaker is going to be able to get the wounded to Iacon.

Activating his rear-mounted electro-disruptor, Mirage let the unusual device do its obfuscatory work. Shrike's next blow - some sort of uppercut followed by a take-down - flashed through nothing but a hologram as Mirage put distance between himself and the Decepticon. It was then that he noticed Motormaster heading straight for him.

"I'm good, no question about that...but this is getting ridiculous."

The spymaster prepared for the worst as the Stunticon barreled toward him.


Roadblock was enjoying this battle beyond words. His new Pretender shells were functioning perfectly, and his already formidable combat abilities had been tripled if not more by the augmentations Scorponok had made. As another defensive battery was laid to waste by a combination of the vehicle shell's shatter cannons and the Pretender shell's twin plasma cannons, he noticed an Autobot charging at him as they made their counterattack.

Touching down, the hulking purple and black humanoid smirked as Beretta dashed toward it with guns blazing. The Pretender shell's thick hide absorbed the laser bolts with little ill effect as he advanced. Rather than trying to avoid her charge, he stepped right into her path and locked one huge hand around her neck, lifting her off the ground with a violent jerk caused by her own momentum.

"Typical Autobot crap," he drawled. "Sendin' femmes an' weaklings ta fight a battle. No way ta run a slaggin' war, no way a'tall."

Roadblock's fingers tightened around her throat as he jammed the twin barrels of his plasma blaster into her midsection.

"Ready ta die, ya lil' glitch?"

(OOC - Prolly a good time to jump in, Remmy. )

Autobase Tau - Perimeter

"Finish her off Roadblock!" Quake exclaimed loudly in the background while he gave Ruckus time to recover from his damaged limbs. Quakes optics then viewed an Autobot defense force in the distance, coming off the Decepticon flank. "There trying to flank us!" Quake yelled over the battlefield. Motormaster and Shrike had been engaged with Mirage. Roadblock was dealing with the femme at the moment and Ruckus suffered damaged to his legs. "Ruckus come on! Your gonna have to get up and kick some robotic ass!" Quake exclaimed while rotating his plasma cannon towards the current Autobot presence. "I'll go cut these fools off before they flank us!" Quake exclaimed as he punched the gas pedal to the floor and started racing across the battlefield. "Sucker!" Quake exclaimed to Panzer in the distance.

Quake forced his way across the field of battle, driving past Roadblock and the others to find that the Autobots had started to spread out. Quake turned his plasma cannon while in tank mode to focus on Hot Rod first. Quakes plasma cannon opened fire as anther thunderous blast echoed from his cannon, letting plasma shells rain from the sky down towards Hot Rod's location on the battlefield. "Were do you think you clowns are going!" Quake exclaimed as he jammed anther plasma shell into his cannon and this time turned to fire at Blurr, sending red glowing plasma shells all around the battlefield. Heavy artilery fire had been a constant sound through this battle.

Quake then transformed into his robot mode, reaching down to retrieve his plasma rifle he had dropped earlier in the battle. He then noticed a number of missles streaking across the battlefield upon glancing at the source of the missles Quake discovered the launcher. "It's Ultra Magnus!" Quake exclaimed loudly before turning to aim his plasma rifle. Quake fired a number of heavy plasma rounds int he direction of Hot Rod and Blurr to try and keep the Autobots busy while Roadblock and Motormaster finished off Mirage and Beretta.

"Come get scrapped!" Quake exclaimed while he continued to fire in the direction of the two Autobots.