by Smokescreen85 » Sun Apr 13, 2014 12:53 pm
- Motto: ""A look can be deceiving; a touch can be lethal.""
- Weapon: Twin Shoulder-Mounted Rocket Launchers
Australia - Uluru
Skywarp chuckled at Thundercracker’s comment. “Yeah, we can take care of those heralds ourselves. We don’t need a bunch of Auto-scrappers getting in our way. Shields is all they’re good for, I guess. Although, I’ve never been much for hiding. Rather just take ‘em head on, ya know? We probably should’ve not waited for the stupid ‘Bots, but I’m not in charge....thankfully. Heh.”
The teleporter remembered his brief time as leader of a mission in the Iranian Desert. It had not been a good experience to say the least as most under his command did not take him seriously. Nightraven had been the only real exception, helping the prankster through a difficult ordeal. Never again did Skywarp want the responsibility of leadership. Of course, that did not necessarily mean he completely agreed with everything his superiors said or did. Razorclaw, for instance, was nothing more than an animal who had only won the throne because of his Predacons and their numerous supporters. Had the lion-former fought fairly, and alone, he would not have won his current position of power. In all actuality, Starscream should be the new supreme commander, or at the very least Thunderwing. The latter was now out of commission, but the former still had a chance.
Speaking of Starscream, Skywarp’s thoughts were interrupted by the blue flier’s query regarding the whereabouts of the missing Seeker Commander. “Um, I have no idea, ‘Cracker,” the teleporter responded, rubbing his chin guard. “I didn’t see him before I bounced down here. Don’t worry, though, I’m sure he’s plotting his next move as we speak.” It was then that the prankster’s attention was drawn towards the sound of Headstrong shouting at someone in a fit of rage. At first, ‘Warp did not know what had angered the Predacon so viciously, but as the seeker’s optics followed Headstrong’s intense glare it became very clear what the issue was. “Well, well, it looks like the Autobots brought that traitor, Howlstrike, with them. Wasn’t he a former Pred, ‘Cracker? Heh. This should be very interesting.”
_________
As Razorclaw approached the group of Autobots, Howlstrike took several deep intakes of air in order to help calm his seething nerve receptors. The tracker knew that he’d see his former teammates here, especially since the Predacon Commander, himself, was now the leader of the Decepticon Empire. The very notion was laughable at best. There was no way that the likes of Razorclaw could keep control of the entire Empire when there were ‘Cons like Overlord and Scorponok still out there, unaware of Megatron’s disappearance. When one or both of them found out about the slagmaker’s apparent demise, they would come seeking to claim the throne for themselves and no amount of help from the other Predacons would be able to save the lion-former from his ultimate fate.
Be as it may, Razorclaw was currently in charge of the Decepticons now, and Howlstrike would have to deal with working together at least for the time being. The Fallen was a more important and dangerous adversary that needed to be dealt with first. Of course, there was also Hardhead, the one who had decapitated the hunter some time ago. Vengeance against him would come first then, if the situation allowed, retribution against his former commander. Prowl’s warning had not gone unnoticed, eliciting a low growl and deep stare from the tracker. While the military strategist was a real prick-bot, he was also correct. Howl would never outwardly admit that, though, but remaining focused on the mission at hand and not letting revenge override the primary objective was crucial. It just so happened that vengeance against Hardhead and the mission’s objectives coincided. What luck.
Unfortunately, there were some that did not see defeating the Fallen and his heralds as the more important goal. Rampage had already made optical contact with Howlstrike, pointing his sword at him from half way across the battlefield. No words were spoken as the ex-Predacon brought his own sword up to bare, returning the gesture in kind to the tiger-former. Howl’s attention was then drawn to Headstrong, whose temperament had clearly gotten the better of him. His outburst was somewhat comical, and the threat of disembowelment made the Autobot tracker laugh out loud as he took a defensive stance and readied his sword for a sudden attack.
“You mean, you’ll try, Headstrong!” Howlstrike roared back at his former comrade, flashing him a toothy grin. Anger had taken hold yet again and no amount of meditating would make it go away this time. If the Predacon or any of the others wished to attack him then Howl would defend himself, the Fallen be damned. “Make your move, ‘Strong! I’m right here!!”
“HOWLSTRIKE! STAND DOWN! THAT’S AN ORDER!!” The loud vocals echoed across the battlefield, causing the former Predacon to break optical contact with Headstrong and whip his head around to see the source of the command. It was Prowl, the black and white mech moving towards Howl with a deep scowl etched across his faceplate. “I said, STAND DOWN! NOW!”
Letting out an angry growl, Howlstrike slowly lowered his energo sword and took a step back as Prowl stopped between him and Headstrong. “This is not the time nor place for this nonsense. The enemy is out there on Ayers Rock. Not here! Now, get it together, Howlstrike! I’m not going to tell you again! Am I clearly understood?”
The former Predacon’s own scowl matched that of the military strategist. Ultimately, however, Prowl was still right. A fight with the Predacons would have to wait, at least for now. “Understood,” Howlstrike muttered loud enough for his superior to hear him. The tracker then moved back further and stood next to Blindside, the only other “friend” he had made in the Autobot ranks besides Kup. Howl’s circuits were still on fire with rage, but after a few more deep intakes, they began to cool again, if only slightly.
“Good,” Prowl responded as he turned around and gave Headstrong the same intense glare he had just given Howlstrike. The black and white’s optics then shifted and moved across the crowd of ‘Cons, his expression never changing. “We’re all here to fight the Fallen, not each other! I suggest that you all remember that!” With his words spoken, Prowl returned to the side of Ultra Magnus and addressed the Autobot leader in a low tone. “My apologies, Commander Magus, if I overstepped any bounds. I felt I needed to act quickly to prevent a fight from breaking out.” The strategist then fell silent as Razorclaw drew closer with every passing astrosecond.
_________
Razorclaw approached the shuttle and the Autobots outside it with a sense of indifference. He knew the battle ahead would not be against them and that they would, in fact, be allies if only on a temporary basis. While he didn’t particularly like the idea of joining forces with the enemy he had fought for countless vorns, it was certainly better than more infighting with other Decepticons. Still, the sight of Howlstrike elicited the desire to tear the traitor apart right there and then. Howl represented not just betrayal, but the failure of Razorclaw to keep his own team together. The tracker was a constant reminder that the lion-former may not be suitable to lead the entirety of the Empire and that he may lose control just as before.
Of course, attacking Howlstrike would do no one any good, and Razorclaw knew that. It would only serve to start a battle with the very allies they needed in order to defeat the Fallen and his heralds. If anything, such a conflict would inadvertently give the demigod exactly what he wanted - the death of Cybertronians. The Fallen would simply sit back and watch as the Autobots and Decepticons tore themselves apart. Then, once the battle was over, the fiery mech would destroy those who were still functioning. Thus, the Fallen would ultimately win and all over one pathetic traitor. Simply put, Howlstrike was not worth the risk.
Razorclaw was not the only one to understand this as Prowl quickly stepped in to prevent things from getting out of hand. The sight of the military strategist admonishing Howlstrike while protecting him at the same time was almost too much to stomach. The lion-former wanted to purge his tanks but reframed from such an action as it would be deemed unbefitting of a supreme leader. The Predacon lord watched as Howl slinked back with the other Autobots like a cyber-rat returning to its hole in the wall.
Once Prowl had finished speaking his mind, Razorclaw opened a private comm line to his unit: >>”Stand down, Predacons! This means you, Headstrong! The Autobot is correct. This is not the time nor place to make the traitor pay. Howlstrike’s time will come and it will come soon! After all, anything can happen during the chaos of battle, like a stray laser blast hitting the wrong target. Heh. You get my meaning.”<<
Confident that his unit understood his final comment, Razorclaw closed his comm line as he stopped a few feet in front of Ultra Magnus and Prowl. The lion-former regarded both Autobots with a respectful nod before focusing his attention first on the black and white. “Prowl, in the future, I suggest you reframe from telling my Decepticons what to do. They are mine to command, not yours.” After letting a few astroseconds go by to allow his words to sink in, Razorclaw shifted his focus to the new Autobot leader.
“Ultra Magnus, I’m going to dispense with the pleasantries and get right down to the point. As you must be aware by now, I am the new Supreme Commander of the Decepticon Empire. I fought for this position in order to ensure the survival of my kind and Megatron’s ideals. This Fallen creature and his heralds are threatening all of us, Autobot and Decepticon alike. Therefore, I offer an extension of the truce you initially brokered with Commander Onslaught previously. We will combine our forces and work together to take the fight directly to the Fallen. As you can see, I have already begun preparations to help us in a siege of Ayers Rock. Once this demigod is defeated, the truce between us will end and we will go our separate ways until the next time we meet on the battlefield. Make no mistake, Magnus, this is not an end to our war, but merely a break from it. Are you agreeable to these terms?”