The Energon Pub

Kolkular - Hangar

It barely seemed like a breem since Scourge had flown into this hangar last, and with his thoughts racing and confirmation signals coming in, it seemed like astroseconds since he'd left Megatrons presence. Scourge felt more excited than anxious, but his feelings were definitely mixed.

Focused on the data screen at his wrist, Scourge sensors barely noticed the munitions trolley in time. He leapt back, crashing into Carnage as the Trolley Driver braked to a halt.

"Er, um, sorr-"
"FOOL!!!" Scourge's backhand send the driver cartwheeling over his vehicle. "If I could spare a breem, 100 measly astroseconds, I'd feed you to Rage and Carnage! But this cycle, you escape my wrath ONLY because the grave responsibilities Lord Megatron has given me." He turned then, pushed the trolley out of his way, and transformed, not even checking if he'd offlined the poor worker.

Flying out the hangar door, he was already reengaging his radio.

Kolkular - the Hangar bay

Rage follows Scourge. There's not a whole lot to say.
She only gives a momentary laugh at the misfortune to the worker thrown aside before she transforms and heads for Tagan behind Scourge.

Kolkular - the Hangar bay

Carnage fell over as Scourge backed into her. Maybe I shouldn't stand too close to my clumsy master. However, she soon realized that her misfourtune had come from the foolish trolley driver. She got up, drew her blade, and brought it down hard on the dockworker's hand. With a satisfying thwack, it fell clean off the shocked worker's arm. She transformed and flew after her master.

Kolkular - Command Center/Monitor Womb

With Scourge and the others dismissed to their tasks and his own agents arrived in Polyhex, Soundwave stood and turned to Megatron.

"By your leave, Emperor Megatron," he stated in his electronic monotone. "New assignment: intelligence synthesis."

He then exited the Command Center, departing to an adjoining area that served as an intelligence nerve center for the fortress. Known as the Monitor Womb, this chamber allowed a Transformer with the appropriate technical expertise to examine and analyze hundreds or even thousands of different datafeeds at one time. Only a few Decepticons possessed the processor capacity and configuration to utilize the Monitor Womb to its full potential; Reflector was one, Bugly was another. Soundwave was, of course, one of the Decepticons that could employ the Monitor Womb's equipment to full effect. After all, he had designed and constructed it.

Once fully ensconced within the cramped, dark, almost claustrophobic chamber, Soundwave settled into a large seat in its center and a pair of data cables snaked out of his left forearm to interface with the Womb. The doors clamshelled closed behind him, and the chamber was suddenly illuminated with the cold light of dozens of monitors surrounding Soundwave. He issued a single mechano-mental command: Begin.

Data flowed over him like water over a broken dam. His processors categorized, organized, and analyzed each bit and byte. Countless details, large and small, were entered into his memory banks for use and consideration at a later time. The process went smoothly until he encountered a confluence of survey data from the planets AC488 and BW778. Soundwave registered what, for him, passed as surprise, and slowed the data flow.

Similarities. He let the flow increase in tempo once more. Correlations: unusual. Life-form scans flooded his primary processors. Biological schematics for plants, animals, viruses, fungi - eventually the entire spectrum of carbon-based life - flashed through his mind. The connections became clearer and clearer.

Life forms: identical, save for temporal dissimilarity. There was something very strange about all this, something that made no sense from a biological standpoint. Exploration: necessary.

Depot J-117

What's taking them so long? Venom wondered about the state of his new teammates. Hmmm... Better call him to see what's up. He activated his Comlink.

<<Aftershock, how'd it go?>>

Venom waited for a response.

A secure transmission from the Tagan Heights came in on the High Command channel, coded at the highest level of urgency.

Thunderwing wrote:>>"Thunderwing to High Command. We are under attack by the LSC. Grimlock's unit is pinned down, but additional Autobot forces are en route from Iacon."<<

>>"Request reinforcements. Please advise."<<

Kokular-Corridors

Rancid started to get bored. He had been wandering around the fortress for hours not doing anything in particular. Finally the thought of communicating with his new commander crossed his mind.

<<Hey Venom, got any work for me?>>

Depot J-117

<<As a matter of fact, I do,>>replied Venom. <<Rancid, go bring everything you would take with you for a long distance mission. Ammo, energon, as much as you can take to survive in a foriegn area. I can't tell you why right now, but if anyone asks, you're being transferred.>> Venom hoped taht this would help him get something accomplished. In the meantime, he had work to do. He transformed and flew off.

Command Center

Venom arrived outside the door of the Command center. He peeked through the door in beast mode. All there was was Megatron. Great. now what? He sees me, I'm fragged! he needed a plan. At least one coomputer in there had the data as to where the Insecticons were going, but there was no way he could get in there without being spotted. He stopped to think...

Kolkular – command center

Megatron listened to the message from Thunderwing with interest. The LSC alone would be quite a prize, but the fact that other Autobot forces were moving in was concerning. This could rapidly turn into the Autobot counterattack to retake the Heights that he had been expecting. If that was the case then Prime himself would be leading the assault. If Prime was there, then he would have to be there. He knew none of his subordinates was the equal to the Autobot commander in battle or in strategy. It was always come down to him to fight Optimus Prime, and him to eventually slay him.

The Decepticon Supreme Commander rose from his throne. He sent out a quick reply through the fortress’s communications to Thunderwing before making his way towards the exit of the command center. He sent out another signal to Soundwave.

>>”Soundwave, Thunderwing reports that the Tagan Heights are under attack. This may be the counterattack we have been expecting. Assemble a team to accompany use to the Heights to help reinforce it and report to the hangar bay immediately.”<<

As the imposing Decepticon walked through the doors of the command center he lashed out with his right hand, snagging the diminutive Insecticon Venom in his hand. “I do not appreciate spies in my fortress Venom, especially ones who are fellow Decepticons. You had best have an explanation and give it to me quickly as my patience is thin and I do not have time to waste.” To emphasize his point he squeeze his hand slightly, showing that he could crush the other Decepticon with ease.

Kokular-Corridors- Just outside of the Command Center

Rancid was on his way to the supply warehouse until, suddenly, he noticed his CO Venom in the clutches of Megatron.

Cold Slag! Megs is going to crush Venom like an aluminum canister! If he bites the dust I might not have another chance to track the Insecticons!

He rushed to Venom's aid and kneeled before Megatron.

"Lord Megatron! Please forgive my commander! He has an afflicition my Emperor! His paranoia knows no bounds, he was probably just excercising his uncontrollable tendency to look through cracks!"

He prayed to Primus that his pleading would work. He assumed Megatron was just, if not a little rough around the edges.

Kokular-Corridors- Just outside of the Command Center

Venom looked up at Megatron. He thanked Primus, Unicron, the Time God, the Sacred Frijoles, and every other deity he could think of that Rancid came to his rescue. He based it off of his new ally's alibi, adding in some truth for good measure. "My apoligies my lord, but I have been a bit jumpy lately. You see, Shrapnel abused a small trust exercise and tried to shoot me in the face. Fortuntly, I survived, and have assembled a "commitee" to see that his actions are dealt with. I just needed to use the command center to track his actions, but I wanted to see that I was noot walking into an ambush first. I'm trying to keep attempts on my life to a minimum, you see. I am just doing my duty to make sure this empire is not infested with rogues and cutthroats."

Kolkular – command center

Megatron spared only the briefest of glances at the Decepticon Rancid groveling at his feet. He wasn’t particularly interested in what excuses other Decepticons offered for him. Venom needed to come up with a reasonable explanation for his actions, and quickly. He didn’t want to waste an undue amount of time on the former Insecticon commander.

As the Insecticon revealed his reasons for spying Megatron’s features twisted into an angry scowl. He lifted the Insecticon higher into the air, bringing him right to his eye level. The Decepticon’s optics glowed an angry red as he shot a glare at the Insecticon that looked as if it could burn right through him.

“So you decided that you would take a group of MY Decepticons to fulfill your little desire for revenge? That your little quest for revenge was more important than the mission that I sent Shrapnel and the Insecticons on?” He slammed the smaller Decepticon into the wall, hard enough to knock his circuits around but not enough to harm him. “Remember this Venom. Should your personal goals and vendettas get in my way again, you will be crushed, swiftly and utterly. I allow my Decepticons to settle scores among themselves, but NOT at the detriment of the Empire. Shrapnel is on an important mission, you will leave it at that, understood?”

Not waiting for a reply he casually flung the Insecticon at Rancid. “Summon this team you have assembled, I will at least get some use out of what you have been doing. Have them and yourself meet me in the hangar bay, IMMEDIATELY.” Megatron then continued you down the hall towards the bay in question.

Kolkular – command center

Venom transformed and picked himself up from the throw, only to fall back down. His self-esteem was at an all time low. Why did I do this? I'm such an imbecile. Maybe I should just give up. I can't win. Megatron will just send me on a sucide mission because he doesn't feel like killing me himself. The worst part is, I've damned all these soldiers to suffer my fate. Only I deserve this punishment. Why should they suffer? He spoke his thoughts out loud. "I'm the worst leader ever. I shouldn't have done this. Rancid, get the others and tell them I'm sorry, I'm an idiot, and that they need to report to the hangar bay. This is all my fault, I never should have done this."

Kolkular - Corridors

With nothing to do now but wait until further orders from Venom or some other commander, Aftershock amused himself by seeing how fast he could draw his weapons. It was a rather futile exercise; his shotgun was easy enough to whip out but his rifle was more clumsy, being intended for two-handed use.

But something else was on his mind. He had a bad feeling about something. He just couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He could see little reason to expect anything to go so wrong in his near future. Though after the day he'd been having, anything could happen.