The Energon Pub

Corridors

If Whirl had eyelids, they would be sitting heavily along his brow as he listened to Nightbeat issue off such a somber piece of insight on their current condition.

"Wooow, what a mood killer. Here I was, pumped up to get back into the fight thanks to our local Optipotimus, and you just had to defecate on his hard work." The cycloptic mech added. "Is he always this grim? We are bots of action! You should be glad to be jumping back into the fray!" That was until Highbrow got some bearings to call Brainstorm out on his crazed idea. The biomechanical engineer shot back a glance to his fellow scientist, though without the spite Highbrow was throwing his way. Before Brainstorm could issue a retort, his link with Skymauler seemed to produce some level of results.

>>"Reflector to Skymauler--bypass authorization granted,"<<

Brainstorm could hear through the echo of comm links. He closed his connection with Skymauler and returned his attention to an angered Highbrow, a cheeky smile breaking beneath his faceplate.

"I suppose, consider- imagine the Decepticons there? They are fighting a couple of monsters who want all of us dead; even Decepticons; and then you come in with us as some sorts of burnt offerings to the gargantuan fragglets! Utterly ridiculous! I thought you wanted them dead! Not offering them peace offerings!"

"Hey, you heard Pyro," Brainstorm said throwing his hands up defensively, tossing a mischievous wink back at the VTOL-former, "Keep your chin plates up and keep looking forward- or something."

---

"I-I'm good!" Scowl responded, rising to his feet and freeing his weapon from it's holster. "Aim for the joints? I can do that!" He paused for a moment, studying the corridor-turned-battlefield before turning back towards Slog. "What about the others? 'Fly, Bristles, Birdo? I haven't heard from them since that thing came raging in."

Near the Primary Mineshaft

Barrage was losing it. Only the presence of even more terrifying Insecticon in Hardshell kept him from opening fire at the Autobots. They needed to die. Sparkstalker’s plan made no sense to him. Why were they giving them mercy? He didn’t even stomach it when the likes of Megatron and Scorponok took prisoners and those were ’cons he could never hope to challenge. That hardly meant that he had to agree. An enemy was an enemy. And the only good enemy was a dead one. To him that was the only lasting solution to the Great War. Particularly drawing his ire were Highbrow and Whirl, who were getting on his nerves with their loud complaints and bravado.

”One more word Autobot. One more word and it all ends for you,” Barrage hissed at Highbrow, barely being able to resist blowing the stuck up Autobot full of holes on the spot after Highbrow voiced his latest complaint. Whirl was certainly being as annoying but that bot was marked by Megatron. Everyone knew it. Killing him and leaving witnesses would be essentially a suicide and that wasn’t exactly in his agenda. And so, Barrage did his best to ignore Whirl as difficult as it was.


”Hardshell,” he snarled, pointing his gun against the back of Highbrow’s head. ”Let me end them.”

The giant Insecticon Barrage was addressing stopped on his tracks, turning his baleful optics to stare back at Barrage.

”No.” He growled, his optics narrowing, ”Do as you are told.”

Sighing, Barrage removed his gun from Highbrow's face but his creepy little red optics told the Autobots all they needed to know. Give him one excuse and the trigger happy Insecticon would cut loose. One excuse.

Near Primary Mineshaft

Acid Storm nodded slightly at Ion Storm, silently echoing the 'better up there than down here' statement.

Otherwise he remained silent, motioning for Nova Storm, ignoring the Autobots and Decepticons prattling, falling in step with Stormy.

Garrus-9 – Corridors Near Primary Mineshaft


Nova Storm heard what Ion Storm was hinting. He intensely glared towards his teammate while speaking darkly towards him. "Sparky, there is no need to give either of us an e-ticket, particularly in your style." Shortly after, he noticed Acid Storm's motion for him to move on. He deeply sighed since he wanted to examine the ore further but it would be better to get out of here before he got darker in attitude. After a bit, he nodded and kept the ore for a possible later use. At this time, there was no telling if the ore would prove to be useful or not. He then trotted behind his trine mates.

Ion Storm heard Nova's response. He chuckled before he spoke to Nova Storm. "And what are you going to do about it?" He had a childish tease in his voice. After a bit, he left with the others while ignoring the Autobots' and Decepticons' prattling. Right now, he did not really care about what was happening amongst the group. He was just interested in leaving the confined area and possibly assisting in any way that he could.

Garrus-9--Hangar

"My lord Cyclonus, send me back to battle," a Decepticon said as he was being carried past on a hoverboard. At least half of his upper torso had been blown open. Critical injuries had clearly been tended to while down on Garrus, but there was clearly a period of recovery still in store for this mechanoid before he would be battle-ready once more.

"You fought honorably. Recover. The war is not yet ended. There is a place of renown for warriors like you who are willing to sacrifice."

"Y-Yes, my lord. I will! I will..."

“Hey-ho, Commander Cyclonus. What can I do to help?”

Cyclonus turned to face the newest voice that desired his attention. He nodded an acknowledgement to the warrior and looked around. Shuttles were being steadily filled. Those filled to capacity were taking off while others were beginning their return trek from the battleships above.

"Any that cannot carry themselves, get them to the shuttles. Lord Scorponok and myself have no intention of wasting future combat resources."
___

Garrus-9--Corridors

Apeface's none-too-subtle prodding had worked. Stormwrecker fired at the gestalt, for all the good it appeared to do. A missiles of some kind whizzed past his head. It started to turn but before it could complete the arc, it slammed into a wall and sent a pulse of flame exploding in every direction.

“Stormwrecker, do you have a spare gun or something?” Umbra asked.

"I'm not made o' guns! Didn't y'get one from that nutmech we ran into a ways back?"

Stormwrecker looked around. Amidst the shower of debris, more than one dropped weapon was easy visible, having been knocked out of the grips of various combatants as they engaged the gestalt and were reduced to whatever offensive means they had left.

"Here, take mine," he said, shoving his weapon in Umbra's direction as he crawled out and tried to recover a new one.

Corridors:

Slugslinger rolled to another barrier to avoid being in one place for too long. He need to be able to shoot the monster's optics, but his hands shook. Come on! You're a sniper! This is your job!

His arms shaking, Slugslinger took aim. Time was of the essense. He couldn't wait. He needed to fire now!

Slugslinger placed his finger on the trigger, but then... A barrage of heat seeking missiles came in from the giant opponent. The sniper then went running, and he didn't know when to stop! Was was gonna get hit! It was hopeless! We was going to die! No no no NOOOOOO!

He ducked behind a barrier and held his head expecting impact, but then... Nothing. Anticipation was almost worse than dying in Slugslinger's mind, yet, as he waited... Nothing happened. Only firing. Huh.

Slugslinger peeked up over the rubble to see what was going on. He saw some of the missiles had been destroyed, and the others Mindwipe was leading around like a herd of Earthen reindeer.

>>"Mindwipe! What are you doing?!"<< commed Slugslinger, >>"Don't kill yourself! I dunno what those spirits or whatever are telling you but we need ya, Mr. Spiritual! This is a fight, not a rodeo- Oh. Okay. I get your plan now."<<

The Semper Tyrannis--Med Bay

The two Reflector units looked at each other as Spinister, instead of responding normally, set about trying to communicate with the Surveillance Specialist in his own unique way. Without a word, the component that had been in recovery within the med bay turned on its heel and exited the room. There was no reason to have two-thirds of himself observing whatever this was. Reflector watched as Spinister pointed to the CR chamber that currently held Overlord and then pointed once more to the open berth.

“Needs help. Put him on it. I’ll fix him,” Spinister said, though with some noticeable trouble.

"How will you...?" Reflector began, before thinking twice. Resources were stretched thin as it is. If Spinister could do something to speed the process along, Scorponok would surely be grateful to have something to hold over the notoriously independent Phase Sixer. Something like his life.

Reflector turned to the CR chamber and began to operate the command terminal. Overlord's optics were offline, but his vital signs were still stable, as Scorponok had commanded they remain. Once the chamber was drained and hissed its way open, surgical claws descended and removed the Warrior Elite, carrying the severely damaged mechanoid across the room before slowly depositing him on the open berth.

After a few short astroseconds, Overlord's crimson optics began to flicker.
___

Garrus-9--Corridors

"Honestly, the mines. I wouldn't choose to be in either situation but all things considered we were probably safer down there. Not safe, but safer. Although in the long run that's irrelevant. I mean we're doomed either way, the end might as well be sooner and more interesting than later and amazingly pointless. It is pointless, there's no denying it. Anything mined there is just going to help speed up some planet's race to destruction. I suppose when you look at it that way, everything is pointless. Eventually this war will be over and what will be left to show for it all? Dead worlds filled with dead bodies. So really by not being in the mines we are assisting the universe. That went on much longer than I expected and has little to nothing to do with our current situation. I think I should just stop talking now," Nightbeat said.

Pointblank got more of an answer than he was expecting. He wasn't too surprised though. Nightbeat was nothing if not thorough--one to consider a situation from all possible angles. He actually agreed with Nightbeat's views on the war. Pointblank had felt similarly for a long time now. He had no desire to remain down there in those mines, but apart from that, he could certainly see where Nightbeat was coming from.

He might have responded, but the Insecticons in their midst were getting increasingly agitated. It was obvious in their body language and their conspicuous threats to the likes of Highbrow. For that reason, Pointblank kept his mouth shut. No reason to aggravate an already precarious situation. He simply nodded to the other Autobot, trying his best to indicate that he understood at least some of where he was coming from.
___

Logicor's durable frame was being steadily pelted by a barrage of offensive weaponry from a multitude of directions.

"Calculating optimum countermeasures," the behemoth bellowed as it staggered into a wall, temporarily seeming to be covered in flame as one ballistic after another collided against his armor and weapons fire continued to ring out through the high prison walls.

Logicor's processors dictated that he scan every potential threat. As he was doing so, the gulf between his opponents tactics and an optimum response was growing exponentially wider. These were a collection of threats that had no rational reason to be fighting alongside on another. Their styles were not complementary in the least.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" Tentakil shrieked, running out of nowhere from somewhere behind Snaptrap, charging the gestalt. He got blasted in the face and was sent skidding to a firey halt before Logicor had even turned in his direction.

"Calculating optimum countermeasures," the gestalt said again, pushing itself away from the wall and taking a staggered step down the corridor.

"Calculating...."

It took another step, though this one was slower. Its offensive weapons systems were beginning to die down.

"Calculating........"

It turned its head towards the Horrorcons, Umbra and Stormwrecker and raised its colossal minigun slowly. But ti did nothing further and seemed to be effectively frozen in its tracks.

"Calcu-"

Semper Tyrannis – Medical Bay

While Reflector was setting about getting Overlord onto the table, Spinister was busily tinkering away on Firewire. It was cinch to patch up her leg, but she had to have a new arm made. He was tinkering away at that when Overlord was deposited on the adjacent berth. Glancing that way, Spinister scribbled something down on a datapad approached Reflector and handed it to him. This was easier for the both of them.

The first line read: “FirEWiRE wILL bE fInE bUt shE nEEdS aN ArM. seE inSTruCTioNs.”

Below the first line were several detailed but surprisingly simple instructions. There were even some hastily scribbled diagrams. Without a word, he moved over to Overlord’s side. It didn’t look good. With a shrug, Spinister set to work, opening the phase sixer up. He pulled out his fuel pump and looked to see if it was okay. Some of the port things looked kinda iffy. Spinister stared with narrowed optics at it while he fiddled with it.

That was when some kind of flickering caught the corner of his optic. His crimson optics shot wide open as he froze, staring into Overlord’s flickering optics.

From where she lay on her own berth, Firewire let out a hazy groan, covering her face with her good hand. Her optics glowed faintly as they came into focus. “Where…”

Corridors:

”One more word Autobot. One more word and it all ends for you, said Barrage.

Highbrow became increasingly scared at the growl from the Insecticon. He felt that his mouth might have just killed him this time. Oh no, this can't be good-

”Hardshell,” Barrage snarled, pointing his gun against the back of Highbrow’s head. ”Let me end them.”

"Oh no no please! I surrender! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I prefer the gestalt!" Pleaded Highbrow he felt his time was about to end now. He was to be one with the Allspark, but then...

No.” Hardshell growled, his optics narrowing, ”Do as you are told.”

As Barrage removed his firearm from the back of Highbrow's cranium, Highbrow shook with even more fear than before. A fear that caused one to become still and speechless. Luckily for him, he needed to stay quiet anyway.

Highbrow looked over at Barrage briefly and saw the cold hard stare. "Eheh!" He jumped as he turned away quickly, and then he continued walking in most likely the wimpiest way possible.

Amphitheater

"You.....won. Not much...more...I can do.....now. I told you....to kill me......you didn't. My only remaining.....function....is try and....preserve....the lives of.....my subordinates," Maximus said, straining to get out everything he wanted to say before he either went into involuntary stasis lock again or Scorponok put him there.

"But.....I'm in no....position....to do even that....." he sighed, his voice trailing off weakly.

”Oh please cut the dramatics Maximus,” Scorponok said, lifting Maximus’ chin up with the point of his claw. ”I know your energy levels are higher than I instructed them to be left at. I have access to all the data involving your treatment and the statistics do not match. Someone has been juicing you up out of pity or malice.”

”Treason either way,” the gargantuan warlord added, his optical visor burning of anger. ”And yet, with all the sedation you were put through after our battle, I am surprised if you barely feel anything.

>>[beep]<<

An alert from the Semper Tyrannis. A very specific one he had set up. Overlord’s CR chamber had been opened without an authorization from him.

>>”Reflector. What is the meaning of this? I instructed you to keep Overlord sedated and stable until I got back to the Tyrannis in person.”<< The transmission was entirely spoken in a low growl of someone who could barely keep his anger in check. The catastrophe with Jhiaxus. The unyielding defiance of the Autobots. He did not need an unstable member the Warrior's Elite he couldn’t control in the mix. Overlord’s defeat in the clutches of Omega Supreme had offered a perfect opportunity to install a tactical blind spot of his own into the brain module of the phase sixer and Scorponok was not about to forfeit that opportunity.

Semper Tyrannis-–Medical Bay

Reflector took hold of the datapad and examined the message.

“FirEWiRE wILL bE fInE bUt shE nEEdS aN ArM. seE inSTruCTioNs.”

Reflector glanced from the datapad to the messenger, but he was already quickly setting himself to the task. Reflector began to look over the instructions. They were, at least, understandable...once he reaccustomed himself to Spinister's communicative peculiarities.

“Where…” the femme said weakly.

"Remain calm. We will have you restored and of service to Lord Scorponok soon. You're aboard our lord's flagship, in the medical bay," Reflector said, not bothering to look at whether the mechanoid was even fully conscious or responsive at this time as he approached the fabrications system and began entering the specifications for the new arm.

>>”Reflector. What is the meaning of this? I instructed you to keep Overlord sedated and stable until I got back to the Tyrannis in person.”<<

>>"Apologies, Lord Scorponok. I thought under the circumstances, especially in light of Jhiaxus' treachery, I would see what could be done to hasten the Phase Six Decepticon's recovery. Once he knows that you are responsible for his recovery, he will surely owe you a considerable boon."<<

Reflector looked momentarily over in Overlord's direction.

>>"That said, I assure you he remains stable and sedated. He will not walk out of here under his own ability before you've had the chance to assess his progress and....demeanor...personally."<<
___

"Ghn..." a murmur escaped Overlord's partially charred face.

Internally, his optics were a sea of red warning sensors. That...was nothing new. How many battles had he fought that had reduced his optical field of vision to such? And yet, he could feel the telltale sensations of someone...fidgeting...within his internals, though he could not currently tell whom.

One arm, completely stripped of its outer armor and reduced to the bare ununtrium endoskeletal structure, reached out and seized the mechanoid that was currently operating on his internals. He might kill whomever it was simply for spite.

"Who....?"
___

Garrus-9--Amphitheater

”Oh please cut the dramatics Maximus. I know your energy levels are higher than I instructed them to be left at. I have access to all the data involving your treatment and the statistics do not match. Someone has been juicing you up out of pity or malice.”

Fortress Maximus choked out a weak laugh. Pity or malice? If someone was ensuring that he had more energy than he was allotted, it could very well be either. Not that there was anything of substance that he could do with it, other than subsist. Was that to be his existence now? Dangled precariously over the void but never allowed to enter?

”Treason either way. And yet, with all the sedation you were put through after our battle, I am surprised if you barely feel anything."

"Consider me....also surprised," Max said, painfully arching his head backward to look up at the conspicuous absence of Jhiaxus. His mind's eye only recalled flashes of what all had occurred since being brought here from the medical bay. The nightmare that his friends, the Technobots had become, joining the tragic Monstructor Six. Then the pain...and the darkness. "Your pet madmech....gone?"

Semper Tyrannis – Medical Bay

“’Flector? That you?” Firewire murmured as her vision began to focus up. Yup. That was Reflector. Well, one of him. Hims? Part of him? Bah, she was too groggy to debate that at the moment. Or exactly groggy enough. She watched him go over to the fabrication. What was he making anyway? Why couldn’t she feel anything? She ran a quick diagnostic to check. Oh. Someone had disabled her pain receptors. Why…

Firewire looked down with narrowed optics.

“ACK!” She squeaked, noting with great distress that she was missing one of her arms. “No, it’s okay. It’s fine,” she muttered to herself. She could get a new arm. It was fine. Lord Scorponok squishing her must have rendered the old one unsalvageable. It was fine. She wasn’t really attached to that arm. Well, not anymore anyhow.

There was a groan from nearby. The berth next to her. Her optics slid over to it. They shot open as wide as discs. She flinched away, nearly flinging herself off her berth in the process. “Overlord!” she managed in a strangled sort of cross between a shout and a whisper. Oh frag, she wanted none of that. He was charred, partially melted mass of metal, but he was still about to kill a poor fragger. But how’d he get so messed up…? Hm. Curious.

As curious as she was, Firewire rather hoped that he hadn’t noticed her little outburst and made herself as small as possible.

When Overlord’s skeletal hand had seized him, Spinister’s optics might have widened more if that were physically possible. Despite that, he didn’t let go of Overlord’s fuel pump with the hand that was holding it because that would be bad. It could break and those kinds of things weren’t the easiest to put back together. Plus, it’d probably hurt the guy. But…Spinister did scrape and claw at the arm holding him with his free hand though in a hasty sort of panic.

“…!!!”

It occurred to him to reach for his gun. His hand darted away and scrambled for one, seizing it just as Overlord managed to speak.

"Who....?"

Spinister froze, his optics contorting quizzically. Who? Did he forget? Maybe his brain got fried? He hadn’t had time to check that yet. He’d check that next. Yeah. Good plan. Maybe.

“…You’re…Overlord,” he answered after much giving Overlord a look that was meant to be…something. He patted the phase sixer’s arm with his hand that was still clenching the gun. Kind of a weird pat. “It’s okay…You’re safe.”

Amphitheater

>>"Apologies, Lord Scorponok. I thought under the circumstances, especially in light of Jhiaxus' treachery, I would see what could be done to hasten the Phase Six Decepticon's recovery. Once he knows that you are responsible for his recovery, he will surely owe you a considerable boon."<<

Reflector looked momentarily over in Overlord's direction.

>>"That said, I assure you he remains stable and sedated. He will not walk out of here under his own ability before you've had the chance to assess his progress and....demeanor...personally."<<

>>”Damned fool! When it comes the Warrior’s Elite you do not make decisions on your own!”<< Scorponok roared into his communicator with fury truly terrible to behold before calming down just enough to be able to – well, not roar. >>”Overlord has a history of rebellious and erratic behavior resulting in dead Decepticons around him. If your actions backfire on us I will hold you responsible Reflector. And if that happens, the DJD will be the least of your worries. Make it right before it is too late.”<<

Ending his communication with Reflector, Scorponok turned his attention back to Fortress Maximus who was clearly coming to his senses and trying to make sense of his current situation. Yet, despite all the damage and suffering he had been subject to, the Autobot commander seemed to beg for more.

"Your pet madmech....gone?"

”You. Are an insufferable wretch Maximus,” Scorponok spat out and turned away from the Autobot towards of group of recovering Decepticons, resisting the urge of dealing even more damage to his nemesis out of spite. ”You! Salvage all of Jhiaxus’ remaining equipment and take them alongside with this pile of junk into my ship. I will deal with both later. ”

Having given the present few Decepticons his instructions, Scorponok headed out of the amphitheater towards the sounds of the battle being fought against Logicor, leaving Fortress Maximus to their gentle care.

Corridors

As Hun-Gurrr’s blazing optics turned to glare at the Seacon commander that had made it to his side, Snaptrap could witness the ghastly view of the Terrorcon’s damaged face. His optical visor was cracked and half of it was missing. Parts of his facial covering was torn away, revealing the metallic bone structure and servos under it. While his thick armor plating was intact, it was cracked and dented from the damage taken after going through couple of walls from the force of Logicor’s kick roughly an hour earlier. A lesser mechanoid would have been crippled or dead from such a show of power but not the leader of the Terrorcons. But not even him Hun-Grr could escape such trauma unscathed.

"Calculating optimum countermeasures."

Flashing Snaptrap a toothy grin full of sharp teeth, Hun-Garr pulled his scimitar out of Logicor’s leg and began to circle the giant’s leg to get in front of the mighty combiner. The edges of his scimitars were scratching against Logicor’s leg as he moved just to satisfy his growing energon lust.

"Calculating...."

Having reached a suitable position, Hun-Grrr pulled his both scimitars up and sunk them down into the Technobot monstrosity’s feet, effectively nailing the giant’s foot into the floor while gunfire and energy blasts whizzed above him into Logicor’s upper body and explosions rocked his audio receptors. Hun-Gurr didn’t doubt that for a moment that the monster couldn’t free its foot from the floor with its tremendous strength but the pain it felt had to crippling.

"Calculating........"

”NOW! Focus everything on Scattershot! Look at the damage! It cannot withstand our firepower much longer!” Apeface boomed from his position, throwing jokes aside and leading with example like a professional as he always did when the situation really warranted it.

"Calcu-"

Hun-Gurr could barely hear the Horrorcon Apeface yelling commands over the sounds of the explosions and Logicor’s thundering voice but there they were. The giant was slowing down. It was becoming indecisive, apparently unable to determine proper course of action against the multiple threats towards its well being. Hun-Grrr could feel battle trance overcoming him. The beast within called out for him. The transformation into his razorbeast form came without thinking. Teeth sunk into Logicor’s leg, tearing out armor and polymer sinew. Snaptrap had had his answer.

Semper Tyrannis--Medical bay

“’Flector? That you?” Firewire said as Reflector continued to wait for the fabrication process to be completed.

"It is indeed....I," Reflector said. "One of the fortunate benefits of being able to be here, on the bridge and striding purposefully down a nearby corridor all at the same time. You look like you've seen better vorns. What in Primus' name happened down there?"

“ACK! No, it’s okay. It’s fine,” Firewire shrieked, pulling Reflector's attention away momentarily. Ah, she'd just noticed the extent of her injuries.

"Yes. it's fine. Relax. We've stitched far worse than this back to full functionality."

“Overlord!”

Reflector looked over at the Phase Sixer's berth, suddenly worried for a moment that he was suddenly on his feet or something. No, it was just a reaction to his presence while Spinister did, well, whatever it was he intended to do.

"Yes. There he is. Still alive after an encounter with an Omega Guardian. You should have seen him when he first came in. He looked....um...I guess he looked more or less like that, but we've stabilized him and done what repairs we can within the confines of a CR chamber. Spinister will no doubt work some wizardry on his condition," Reflector said as the fabrication unit beeped and hissed as it opened. Mechanical arms stretched outward with the new limb, a perfect replica of Firewire's old one. Reflector took the limb, and walked back over to Firewire's berth whilst eyeing the instructions from Spinister. As he did, a reply from Scorponok came through.

>>”Damned fool! When it comes the Warrior’s Elite you do not make decisions on your own! Overlord has a history of rebellious and erratic behavior resulting in dead Decepticons around him. If your actions backfire on us I will hold you responsible Reflector. And if that happens, the DJD will be the least of your worries. Make it right before it is too late.”<<

Reflector held a hand up to his head as he tried to adjust the volume of the communique. It was too late though. Pain.

>>"Understood, my lord. It shall be done,"<< he transmitted before looking at Overlord's berth once more, this time noticing Spinister was now struggling in the warrior's grip. "Oh....bother."

Sigh. One mess at a time.

"So....it looks like this will just go right in here," the Surveillance Specialist said as he jammed the limb into place, not especially delicately. But what could they expect? He wasn't a medic.
___

Overlord could feel the mech struggle helplessly in his grip. It would feel so good just to squeeze and crush and tear until the movement stopped.

“…You’re…Overlord.It’s okay…You’re safe,” the voice said. Even though Overlord could not clearly see who was speaking to him, his vocal recognition analytics went into effect as soon as the mech spoke, identifying the Decepticon in question as....Spinister? Not Shockwave? Not Knockout or Flatline or Orbitoclast? Who was this to presume to be fiddling around with his fiddleables?

And what was that? Was he being patted? Was Spinister attempting to comfort him? It was laughable.

So...

"Heh. Heheh," Overlord chuckled as he released his grip on the mech. "I feel endlessly relieved now. Proceed."

Garrus-9--Amphitheater

"Most mighty of lords, I believe my brethren and I can assist in this area," Bombshell said as he exchanged glances with Kickback and Shrapnel. The other two nodded their understanding and the multitude of diaclones that were scurrying to and fro around the amphitheater and other areas began to systematically dissect everything that could potentially be of use within the amphitheater. Salvage, yes. Salvage and reconstruct. That they could do only too well.

"Perhaps it would please his mightiness if-" but as Bombshell turned back to Scorponok, he saw the the oversized Decepticon warlord was already taking his leave. "Ehhhh...no matter. Continue."

And with that, the Insecticons and their swarm continued their work.
___

Garrus-9--Corridors

Stormwrecker couldn't believe what he was seeing. They were actually fighting it. This monster thing. They weren't all dead! Praise be to Primus! Or whatever was looking after them.

”NOW! Focus everything on Scattershot! Look at the damage! It cannot withstand our firepower much longer!” Apeface called out. Scattershot? Scattershot. Yeah, that one right there. Stormwrecker adjusted his aim and continued to fire.

"Calc..." the behemoth groaned, before finally freezing up entirely.

Semper Tyrannis – Medical Bay

Reflector’s flat monotone made it easier for Firewire to wind down a bit. But frag, of all the medical berths in all the medical bays on all the ships in their fleet, why, dear Primus, did hers have to be the one next to Overlord?! That mech killed their own on a whim. For giggles! And kicks! Firewire felt as if she was going to be ill with the sheer amount of dread that washed over her.

It was then that something Reflector said made Firewire narrow her optics and look to the three-in-one technical officer.

“Spinister? Wizardry? What?” she looked from Spinister and back to Reflector again. “Are we talking about the same Spinister? Because…the Spinister I know has never shown an inkling of medical knowledge. Well, he’s never shown much of anything really, but the point stands!”

Firewire glanced down to her leg. Hm. That part looked like it had gotten crushed but was recently repaired if not cosmetically. “You fixed up my leg already? Huh. So anyway, what went down on that prison moon is that the old windbag, screw loose nut that we woke up turned on it.” Firewire grumbled, pouting. “I knew he would too. I just knew it! Way too much ego for a rickety pile of scrap. Always respect those that can squish you! I mean, I can understand phase sixers being egomaniacs…Er. I mean. Uh, anyhow…”

Firewire cast a vaguely nervous glance to the mess that was Overlord before continuing, “He deployed a device that emitted some kind of field. It paralyzed the vast majority of Decepticon forces. I don’t really remember too much after that as…uh…Lord Scorpy-nok kind of…you know…fell on me.”

Recoiling as Reflector just jammed her new arm back into place. “YOW!” Firewire hissed, swatting at Reflector lightly. “Geez, ‘Flector, I’m amazed you patched up my leg with that sort of delicate touch. Oof.” Rolling her arm around a few times, she ran some diagnostics and tested out her limbs already having enabled her pain receptors again.


As Overlord released him, Spinister nodded, feeling pretty good about what just happened. He moved to return to work on Overlord’s stuff when he realized that he was still holding his gun. When had that happened? Shrugging to himself, he stowed it away and quickly returned to fiddling with the fuel pump. Mmm….Twist that…connect that…and…done!

Examining the product of his labor, Spinister nodded again, feeling particularly good, before setting that back where it belonged. Hm. What to do next? There was a lot to do, honestly. Maybe if he could…Spinister’s narrowed optics slid toward Overlord’s face before darting back to his open internals. Mmm…His optics drifted again to Overlord’s face and lingered there, narrowing further.

Sidestepping along the berth back and forth, Spinister grappled with words. And what to do next. That looked busted. And that thing also looked real broke. But this mech was giving him funny looks. And he had laughed. That was good, right?

After a long quiet moment, Spinister gestured to Overlord’s open internals and waved his hand around over them.

“What…hurts…?”

It’d give Spinister at least a starting point when there were optics on him.

Garrus-9--Corridors

Logicor reached out and froze, Chopshops charge lost momentum he stopped and leaned on his spear for a moment. "we did it..." he said to himself.

Energon leaked from several places in his carapace, he looked down into a gathering pool of it at his feet, Chopshop took several steps forward and collapsed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sudden change in Logicor had not gone unnoticed by Mindwipe, who transformed and landed near were Hun-gar chewed at the frozen combiner. He considered shooing him away, but thought better of inciting the detestable beast. He drew his scanner running it over Logicor, then discreetly took some samples of the combiner with his laser scalpel.

Mindwipes mind swam with possibility's for a moment, he gathered his faculty's.
"Command, we have the combiner. Several Decepticons wounded, awaiting evacuation."

While Mindwipe waited for a response he noticed the prone form of Chopshop, "Insecticon... interesting." he said to himself, rolling the dieing mech over with his foot, he checked his spark. "Fading but still operational... good for experimentation." Mindwipe smiled to himself.
"ill be seeing you aboard the Semper Tyrannis my little friend..."

Mindwipe then turns his attentions back to Logicor.

Garrus-9--Corridors

Seawing noticed all of the activity of the other Cons once the dust settled from all of the explosions. The one thing which surprised him most of all was the sudden stoppage of this Logicor. It seemed to been hit with a null ray which could been the case but from what Seawing could see, the worst damage were a few gashes from swords or teeth around the legs and connecting joints. The idea of taking out the center piece which was Scattershot was brought up in the chaos which sounded like a plan to Seawing. He opened fire with his venom lasers on the main portion aiming for the head hoping to extend the current stasis of Logicor.

"I think his brain module is on overload. There are too many of us for it to process. For being a weapon of destruction, it is having troubles with its tactics. If we keep on overloading its sensors, I doubt it would be able to do much more. Now the question is if it will separate into the Technobots again who might be able to function once split. I advise for all of us to watch for such event and subdue the team if or when they split apart. Maybe they will be too exhausted physically and mentally to prove much of a challenge."

Semper Tyrannis-–Medical Bay

“Spinister? Wizardry? What? re we talking about the same Spinister? Because…the Spinister I know has never shown an inkling of medical knowledge. Well, he’s never shown much of anything really, but the point stands!”

"I agree. I've been looking over his technical specifications whilst monitoring the evacuation of the prison. There's nothing in here about receiving any kind of medical training. Reports from superiors vary, but a few have mentioned him being some kind of idiot savant during battle, accomplishing things no one would have otherwise expected. It's quite fascinating actually. I should dig into these reports more often."

Reflector listened as Firewire gave her account of what had happened down on the surface. He was honestly surprised, to a degree. He had thought, whatever Jhaixus' malfunctions, that Scorponok's offer would have fallen on receptive auditory sensors. Perhaps they would have, had this been the Jhiaxus of old. But after being imprisoned, immobile and conscious for that length of time? He supposed he could not be all that surprised that the mech that had emerged when Scorponok freed him had not been the same mech to go into that specialized cell all those vorns ago.

That account, of course, ultimately brought Firewire around to what had been responsible for her current condition--Scorponok falling on her. Imagining such an occurrence was not pleasant. Reflector could not help but tense a bit.

Once the arm was in place, Firewire yelped and flailed a bit.

"Oh hush. I'm sure you've been through worse," Reflector tutted, as he looked over the arm and Spinister's remaining instructions. Everything seemed to be more or less how it was supposed to be. "The top medics and repairmechs are in the first fleet, as you'd expect. So...we make do. How do you feel? Connections reestablishing?"
___

Overlord let out a hiss of....not pain, exactly.....sharpness, as Spinister reattached a primary fuel pump. Some of the sensors clouding his optics began to display numerical values that were returning to normal. The mech then stepped away. To do what? Overlord did not know. But soon thereafter his choppy voice interrupted again. Clearly this was not a mech that was accustomed to oration.

“What…hurts…?”

Overlord pondered the question for a moment before arriving at a question of his own. One more interesting.

"What are you, little Decepticon? You're no medic. You're a battlefield mech. A frontliner. A grunt, heh. Fighting honorably....towards peace, yes? Of course you are. Why do this? You must know the risk you're taking."
___

Hangar

As the Decepticons nearby continued to board evacuation shuttles and others returned, a transmission to command-level mechs came through. This one from Mindwipe.

"Command, we have the combiner. Several Decepticons wounded, awaiting evacuation."

Well, that at least--if nothing else--would surely please Scorponok. Given what a mishmash of successes and failures this operation had been, it would be hard to tell.

>>"I read you, Mindwipe. I will be en route to assist with the evac. Standby."<<

Cyclonus then motioned for Stranglehold and a few others to approach.

"The remaining gestalt has been reacquired. There are more injured that require our aid. You four are with me. We'll assess and retrieve the injured and call for additional extrication as needed."

Garrus-9--Corridors

As Goldrush continued forward with the others, the signs of the epic battle that had been waged here were all around him--scorched and destroyed walls, obliterated floors, strewn prison equipment and scattered husks of mechanoids that had become more casualties of the war.

The war.

Even here, he had not been able to escape the tendrils of its reach. After having served his time and opening up his business, he'd thought a prison would be the last place that would attract Megatron's attention. Of course, his primary mistake had been forgetting about the prisoners....even Decepticons came for their own sometimes. So long as it served their purpose. Just as he now did once again.

Ahead, the characteristic sounds of battle had faded and silence once again reigned, save for the clinking of metal feet against battleworn floors.

But then, surely enough, his audios picked something up. Not weapons fire, but the sounds of chatter. They were approaching other Decepticons. Fortunately, it did not sound like those Decepticons were currently locked in a battle for their lives. Goldrush could work with that.

Hangar

"...You four are with me. We'll assess and retrieve the injured and call for additional extrication as needed."

Octopunch threw another pile of scrap onto a cart that he was salvaging from Jhiaxus' command console. A vehicon took what he could and pushed the cart away and disappeared into the ship. The multicolored scavenger approached Stranglehold's side and met optics with the ancient-warrior.

"'Once more into the breach', as they say. Heheh." Octopunch's commented, his tentacle-appendages flicking about behind him as he readied his harpoon gun once more.

As the scavenger was lead out of the hangar, a couple of Seekers were assisting a combobulated mess of mechanoid onto the transport. The Decepticon in question was Banzai-Tron, who seemed to be suffering from a prolonged side effect from Jhiaxus' attack. His legs were twisted together as if trying to shape themselves into his attack-boat mode, only the edges didn't seem to stick together properly. Half of his face plating was concealed behind a sizable chunk of his chest from being forced open.

"Eh-end this...t-torment..." his voice creaked, weak and shattered.

"Easy now," one of the seekers answered, hoisting him over his shoulder better, "We're getting you outta here."

Garrus 9 - Corridors

Calculating...Calcu-"

"I think his brain module is on overload. There are too many of us for it to process. For being a weapon of destruction, it is having troubles with its tactics. If we keep on overloading its sensors, I doubt it would be able to do much more. Now the question is if it will separate into the Technobots again who might be able to function once split. I advise for all of us to watch for such event and subdue the team if or when they split apart. Maybe they will be too exhausted physically and mentally to prove much of a challenge."

"Well would you look at that, it seems a couple of the fishies grew some brains." Snapdragon commented to Seawing's assessment, jovially flicking the side of the Seacon's helm with his sizable actuators as he ran through the Decepticon horde. Making his charge towards the stunned Gestalt, the Horrorcon transitioned into his beastial form once more. The dragon-former leapt into the air using the momentum of his rush to increase his impacting force as the claws of his hind legs sunk into the Scattershot-shaped torso. With any luck, and with Hun-Grrr down below worrying about the legs, perhaps this could keel the Technobot combiner over to make it easier for the various Decepticons about to tear limbs out from the torso piece.

-

The march from the mines to the Decepticon filled corridor had met its end. Brainstorm gazed semi-awed, semi-repulsed at Jhiaxus' abomination. What he saw through the security feeds of that Seeker's own optics did not prepare him for the real thing. Worse, it seems their plan might've hit a hell of a bump in the road seeing how the Decepticon's had this thing pinned down.

'Out of the pan and into the fire' as they say...

Corridors

Snarler started backing up, every step backwards a barrage from his tail rail gun let loose.

When he finally hit the wall segments being used as cover, he transformed and moved behind it quickly.

"Too dangerous" he muttered to Bludgeon.

--

Bomb Burst had the same feeling as Snarler. He transformed into his hover jet alt mode and deftly dodged fire as he quickly made his way towards Snarler, Bludgeon, and Nightbird.

"Skullgrin." He called out to his team mate. "Too much 'friendly' fire." He silently skirted around the giant Transformer's legs towards the others.

"More danger from the others." He said absently as he transformed amd, staying on the other side of the cover, started shooting.

His attention turned to the others behind the cover.

"You said this thing likely has a weak point,maybe a coordinated attack to distract it and expose possible soft spots while someone targets a likely weakness?" He said.

Corridors

"Well would you look at that, it seems a couple of the fishies grew some brains."

"Eh, I’d contest that notion were I not so busy," Apeface huffed as he surveyed their latest battlefield, having watched as Decepticons of all shapes and sizes had made their move against Jhiaxus and Scorponok's monster with varying degrees of success.

This one, though....it was doing something that Monstructor hadn't done. Being built out of fraggin' Technobots, Apeface wasn't surprised by that, but he was surprised by the fact that it seemed to be winding down to a stop like some protoform's toy. With the gestalt's last utterance, the titan simply stood there as if frozen in time. Reaching out. Doing nothing. And not even nearly being toppled over by Snapdragon’s attack because the Decepticons at the giant’s feet weren’t coordinating their moves with the Horrorcon. Well, maybe Blot and Snaptrap had been but their efforts weren’t enough for what Snapdragon had had in mind. Not without Hun-Gurrr’s help and the Terrorcon leader was otherwise occupied – mainly due to a berserker feeding frenzy.

"You said this thing likely has a weak point,maybe a coordinated attack to distract it and expose possible soft spots while someone targets a likely weakness?"

”Something like that,” Apeface replied back to the energon vampire,”It worked right?”

"Offensives forces--halt!" Apeface barked furiously, knowing full well how hard it was to get a Decepticons’ attention when they were in the throes of battle. "It ain’t moving! We got 'im!"

Too bad that wasn’t going to stop Hun-Garr and that didn’t bode well given Scorponok wanted the Technobots alive. Not gnawed to death.

Perhaps. Loud skittering noise?

”Everybody behind the Technobot giant move out of the way now!” Apeface barked just as the culprit of said noises appeared behind the corner – Commander Scorponok in his namesake alternate mode.

The gargantuan arachnid reached out, his massive claw closing around Hun-Grrr’s tail and pulling the Terrorcon forcibly off the damaged Technobot while a visible energy charge around his electron stinger grew exponentially brighter.

ZZZZAAP!

Logicor lit up with an electric charge before falling down to the floor separated into its five unconscious component pieces by the force of Scorponok’s sting.

”Collect the Technobots and get them back to my ship!” The fearsome Decepticon warlord roared out his commands, ”And keep them away from each other!”

Swinging Hun-Gurr against a wall like the massive Terrorcon weighted nothing and pinning him against it, Scorponok blasted the Terrorcon leader with a low yield sting to calm the monster down, ”I am done with this place! Get to the spacebridge! We are leaving.”

”And we are hunting down Jhiaxus,” he seethed.