by The J Writer » Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:22 pm
Shockwave's Tower - Briefing Room Three
Striding into the Briefing Room, Dunehopper gave Rapture a dutiful if uninspired salute and then took a seat near the end of the large table. Sure hope this is worth missing that fight, he grumbled silently. If it ain't...maybe me and the up-and-comer need to have a little post-mission chat, with my fists and rocket launchers doing the talking. Wonder why Starscream isn't leading this one? It's his job, after all. Maybe Rapture's gunning for his job. She has it written all over her.
He speared Rapture with a nasty glare, slightly mitigated by his visor, and waited to hear what this briefing was all about.
Shockwave's Tower - Command Center
With lesser matters concluded for the time being, Shockwave could at last move on to the next pressing item on his extraordinarily long and complex personal agenda. The towering purple mechanoid looked back to Onslaught as Rapture departed the Command Center, and began to speak in his customary monotone.
"Fact: the Autobot and Decepticon factions each possess a single gestalt warrior - Defensor and Devastator, respectively," he stated. "Fact: the current balance of power effectively comprises a situation of mutually assured destruction should gestalt warriors be called into battle. In essence, a stalemate before the battle has even been joined. Situation:" his voice hardened ever so slightly, "unacceptable."
He continued, passing a datapad to Onslaught. "Within are personality analyses prepared by you, amended by myself. Thorough review and breakdown of previous combat and non-combat performance has yielded favorable results. The Combaticons are viable candidates for conversion into gestalt components."
Shockwave paused for a moment. In his logic processor, the unsatisfactory balance of power and suitability of the Combaticons for upgrade to gestalt status were justification enough for them to be so upgraded, but he knew that most Transformers, even ones as coolly strategic and analytical as Onslaught, had certain needs regarding pride and validation. Shockwave would spare a few kliks to these needs. A few; no more than that.
"As well, your combat performance and the performance of your unit has been exemplary, and your work as a strategist and acting city-state commander have likewise warranted some reward. Consider this your reward."
Shockwave moved to a data terminal and pressed a few buttons. A holoprojector in the center of the vast chamber flickered to life and projected an image of a huge, menacing Transformer, militaristic in styling. Clearly this was the intended gestalt form of the Combaticons.
"Designation: Bruticus. The most efficient melding of Vortex, Swindle, Brawl, Blast-Off, and you. Bruticus will alter the balance of power on Cybertron dramatically in favor of the Decepticon Empire. Your unit will have a hand in bringing about the final mega-cycles of the Autobot Republic."
Before he could continue, Shockwave noticed, as Reflector had, the arrival of a shuttle in one of the Tower's secondary hangar bays. It was not just any shuttle, either. High-level command codes identified precisely who was on board that shuttle. Though not exactly caught by surprise - Shockwave could count on one hand the number of times in his lengthy existences that he had been truly surprised - the military coordinator was slightly displeased by this turn of events.
"Project: suspended for the time being," he informed Onslaught. "Stand by for continuance. You are dismissed."
The holoprojector cut off as Shockwave sent a mechanomental command to the Center's computer network, and, as if on cue, the cyclopean mechanoid turned toward the main entrance of the Command Center. The doors slid open, and silhouetted in the frame was the Emperor of Destruction himself. Shockwave's hand moved slowly to his chestplate, halting here with a dull thud of metal on metal.
"'Til all are one. Greetings, Megatron. Welcome once again to Polyhex."
The military coordinator stood still as a statue, awaiting Megatron's words.