Transformers: Steel Reign

[SirNitram]

Request - Vocalizer access.

Overload's voice sounded a bit tinny and from the torso region. "Armour's not breached in any location. Self-repair is chomping at the bit, but it'd go fast once I go vehicle. I suppose I could pack up the.. bits of this guy in my trailer and deal with him back at base. He's about as safe as he can be in there."

[LadyTevar]

Crimson looked from Breachload to Stryke, the two in charge of their little squad. She refused to look at Hornet, whom she knew had to be giving them all what her old miner comrades had called the 'begging-food' face. She thought the human term was 'puppy-dog-eyes'. Same idea, she assumed.

"Whatever you decide, Breachload. I'm just glad I'm not the one who has to make the call." Or explain it to Rodimus and Prime, she added silently

[General Havoc]

Not for the first time in his short life, Hornet was very glad to see First Aid. Usually this was because Hornet found himself requiring First Aid's services more often than he cared to admit, but in this case it was merely because First Aid , like Wheeljack, like Optimus, like Crimson even, was one of those who simply could make anything better.

As usual, Hornet completely missed Crimson's sarcasm, as he did the implications of what Waspinator had said, for such things were not within his worldview, and taking Crimson's comment at face value, he turned to First Aid and tried to haltingly explain, hoping that Waspinator himself might corroborate some of the statements in question.

"Waspinator told me he was tired of the fighting, and just wanted to get away from it. He kinda... landed on me by accident when we were getting ready to attack, but he said he was tired of getting blown up and just wanted to get away. And then after the fighting was over, I went back to see if he was okay, and Streamline blew him up just for talking to me!" He gestured at the dismembered head. "I guess it didn't work though, because he's still alive, and so now we've gotta fix him, don't we? I mean even if he's a Decepticon, we can't just kill him! He hasn't done anything except land on me, and that was an accident!"

Crimson saw fit to bring up the fact that Hornet had gotten himself shot up by the drones (not to mention soaked in burnt mech fluid), and he lowered his head sheepishly, even though Waspinator explained what had happened. "Streamline blew him up right next to me, so I kinda got splashed..." he said. "Plus, I think I flew right through one of the MiGs after I blew it up. They... broke my hydraulics and they cracked my canopy." He sounded like he was admitting to some kind of truancy. "Sorry."

Reluctantly, he handed Waspinator's head over to Crimson, for the thought that Crimson would do anything with it other than see that Waspinator was fixed, either here or later on, did not even enter his processor. "Please don't let Shellshock or the others blow him," he pleaded, indeed invoking the "puppy-dog eyes" that Crimson had feared, not that he knew what such things were. "Can't we just fix him and let him stay with us? We've done it for lots of other Decepticons!"

He forebore to mention that said former Decepticons were the very ones that would be making this decision.

[Dark Silver]

First Aid's voice gave all the gentleness needed, as he looked at Hornet, the sky blue optic lenses didn't so much as move, as he placed his hand on Hornet's Shoulder, admittedly he had to bend a lil bit at the knee joints to do so.

"Well, let's take your new friend," First Aid said, looking pointedly at Waspinator's head, "and see how bad the Repair Bay got trashed. If we're lucky, we can get you both fixed up."

First Aid looked over the entire little battlegroup, and shook his head, "I still find it so hard to beleive, even in the middle of a war like this, we Autobots have gotten so blood thirsty that we'd kill a helpless Mechanoid who didn't want to fight anymore. Even if they are a Decepticon."

First Aid was a Pacifist, a rarity in the Autobot-cause, but that was one of the reasons he made such a good medic, he focused all of his skills into repairing the damage caused by war - and it was only out of utter nessecity that he joined with his fellow Protectobots into becoming Defensor.

With that, First Aid took Waspinator's head, and with Hornet, went in look for the remains of the medical bay.


------ o ------

It took a couple hours before the rest of the battallion finally reached the former Decepticon border outpost. Rodimus was with the last group, making sure the human vehicles and troops were protected from a possible Aerial attack.

"Alright everyone," Rodimus called over the comm channels, so everyone in the camp could hear him, "We'll leave two squads here for rear guard, one of the human and one of the Autobot squadron. Squad Wreckage and Squad Pack will be the rear guard. Everyone else, get ready to move out in three megacycles. Get in your recharges and check your weapon systems. We're going right for Megatron's Spaceport."


Information was passed out to the squad leaders, the rest of the important battleplans. The battallion was going to strike fast and true, the humans and their all important Heavy Main Battle Tanks would provide artillary support for the Autobots, as other squads to cause diversions for the Decepticon forces along the way - letting the main body move through hopefully unoppossed. Once at the massive spaceport, they would call in Omega Supreme, and engage in a all out battle against the Decepticon forces there. It would be a truly great encounter - no less than 5 Guardian Robots and 10 Sentinal Robots stood in their way, and nearly 200 Decepticon - not including the Constructicons themselves Add in the squadrons of Headmaster Dreadwing's providing aerial cover and the Spaceport's automated defense drones....

And if they managed to get through that...doing as much damage as possible along the way, they would do their damndest to get the crown jewel of megatron's fleet....

They would steal the Nemesis.

"That'll be your team's job" Rodimus told Overload and Shellshock in private, "We'll fight you to the Nemesis' doorstep, you get onboard, power it up, take off. We're going to steal it right from under Megatron's olfactory sensors...."



------ o ------ o ------ o ------

Location: New York State, former site of New York City.


New York City was a smoldering ruin.

Within the center of it, surronded by the haze of multicolored energy blasts and missile fire, stood the full might of the Decepticon's ultimate creation - Trypticon.

"Trypticon HATE Autobots! Trypticon DESTROY!"

A bolt of Plasma from Trypticons mouth exploded into a human building, causing the Autobots taking cover there to flee, their weapons still discharging into the brutes armor.

Near it's feet, two Gestaults poured their combined weapons arsenals into the ankle joints. Every little bit of damage would help against the monster, but it was already eight hours into the fight, and the Autobots were barely holding ground through decepticon, and heavy artillery and missile fire.

[Charon]

Shellshock nodded as Hot Rod went through his plan. Odds still weren't very good on this plan working, but the prize was worth the risk. Then something else came to Shellshock. "What kind of resistance can we expect once we're aboard the Nemesis? Because right now I'm thinking I'm having my squad split up to secure the engine room and the bridge and if it's just us there's no way we'll be able to clean the entire ship of Decepticons before we lift off."

Then Shellshock remembered what Hornet had done. "Hot Rod one of my squad, Hornet, picked up a Decepticon during the fighting. He was already down but First Aid tucked him away somewhere before I could say no. So just be careful, the thing's just a head but it's still active, so it might still be able to do damage."

Shellshock sent out a message to the rest of his squad, they were to download the known specs of the Nemesis and study them, and familiarize themselves with how to run the bridge and engine of a warship.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson looked to Stryke ruefully as First Aid walked away. "I think we have just been shown up by Hornet," she murmured, feeling a little ashamed now at how she reacted to Waspinator. He was just a head! He had to be helpless now... right?

***

Megacycles later, she was still wondering if they'd done the right thing or not. She had rested and recharged for the next part of the battle, which she was sure ShellShock and Overload were going to explain as soon as Rodimus was done with them. "Stryke? Why didn't you go to the briefing, instead of Overload?"

[SirNitram]

Overload had shifted to vehicle mode, repairing and recharging even as he listened to Rodimus. The arcane technology of his design meant he had power to burn, but they were still talking about the Nemesis.

"I'm as ready as I can be." He reported simply. "If nothing else, I'll powerlink with the ship's systems and throw off the safety interlocks. Theft or total obliteration."

[rhoenix]

Firetrack, standing upright in his robot mode, was now completely refueled and rearmed. All connections and workings for all of his weapons and systems had been double-checked. The moment was now at hand - they were really going to outright steal the Nemesis. If that was not possible, then it was to be destroyed.

He had downloaded the available plans, and familiarized himself with not only the engine room and the bridge, but all nearby and adjoining rooms as well. This was going to be, as the humans would say, "one hell of a battle."

He also knew the importance of continued rapid advancement, given that Rodimus was adhering to the military practice of blitzkrieg. "I'm ready whenever you are. This needs to be done."

[General Havoc]

It had taken longer than normal to repair Hornet, partly because he refused to sit still when First Aid told him to, at least until First Aid had threatened to duct tape him to the workbench. Consequently, the others were already assembling for the next phase of the mission when Hornet finally emerged, repaired, cleaned up, reloaded, recharged, and presumably ready for the fight to come.

Presumably.

He trotted out of the makeshift repair bay that First Aid had set up, and moved over to where the others were. The military hardware on display was enormous and varied, and Hornet couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy at it all. Unlike the others, he had only the vaguest sense of what they were doing here, halfway around the world from Autobot HQ. He had of course heard Roddimus' transmission, and what he was supposed to do in this plan they had cobbled together. Given what everyone was talking about though, given the sheer size of the Autobot forces on display...

... well he could be forgiven for feeling a little nervous.

Accordingly, he approached the others with his head lowered semi-sheepishly, his optics fixed on the ground in front of him, plainly worried about what was to happen next, and just trying to stay out of everyone's way as they loaded and prepared their weapons, any one of which was powerful enough to simply vaporize him.

Par for the course.

[LadyTevar]

"There you are, Hornet!" Crimson said, striding over to him. "All reloaded? Refueled? Re-armed?"

[General Havoc]

Hornet raised his head when he heard Crimson addressing him and smiled nervously. "Yep," he said, though his usual enthusiasm was dampened a bit. "First Aid said I'm all fixed, and he topped off my energon, and I got some more missiles to replace the ones I used."

Normally, Hornet would have been babbling happily about one thing or another (there was always something), but right now he looked nervous and distracted, his frame quivering ever so slightly on the edge of perception, as he glanced furtively up at the gigantic war machines like Omega Supreme that towered overhead. He had only the vaguest idea of what was awaiting them on this mission, but if it required things like this to handle it... well... it was a daunting prospect, particularly for him.

"Are we... are we going soon?" he asked Crimson, trying to keep the fear out of his voice, and failing.

[rhoenix]

"Are we... are we going soon?" he asked Crimson, trying to keep the fear out of his voice, and failing.

Though he wasn't asked, hearing this question of Hornet's caused Firetrack to smile, but not unkindly. He knelt down so that his face and Hornet's were on a more even plane before talking to the Littlebot. "Yes, Hornet - we should be going soon. What we're about to do could help tip the balance of the entire war on this world. We are going to either steal or destroy one of the two greatest weapons assembled against us."

Firetrack's voice grew a bit softer, barely audible to anyone not immediately near to Hornet as he continued. "I know you're afraid, Hornet. You'd be mad not to be. The trick is to use the fear as fuel for your will and resolve, not to let your fear make your choices for you. Think of this, Hornet - you wouldn't be here unless those in charge here thought you would be helpful or useful to us achieving our goal. You are necessary, Hornet - stand tall, and perform each order in the upcoming times with pride."

[SirNitram]

Overload, still in vehicle mode as he topped off his supplies from the human battalion's quartermaster, spoke up as Hornet seemed nervous. "Firetrack. Not so much pressure on the little guy." He rumbled, his voice having the inflection of an idling motor. He was anxious. He wanted to get going, but he would wait.

"Hornet.. Little guy. If you doubt on this, or any mission, try and think what Prime would do. Prime's not Prime because he was built warmachine tough. He's Prime because he does the hard things, even when he's probably scared out of his circuits. But he'll do the right thing. And you, I suspect, will as well. Here, if it's easier, you can ride on the top of my trailer until we get closer to the site and you can launch for CAP."

Being atop the massive Overload as he cleared two hundred MPH would be a nice boost to Hornet's.. Often inadequete takeoffs.

[General Havoc]

Hornet could not even begin to conceive of Prime afraid of anything. It was not possible. Contrasted with himself at present, it was like comparing a pebble to Mt. Shasta. He closed his optics and lowered his head and tried to stop his frame from shaking, but his algorithms overrode his conscious commands as always, and he trembled nervously despite himself, and hoped the others wouldn't think too much less of him for it.

"I'll... I'll try," he said, though it wasn't clear if he was replying to Overload or Firetrack. He didn't ask the obvious question of how it was that he could possibly help, let alone be "necessary" in a fight that required the services of Omega Supreme, who used more energy in moving one finger than Hornet had in his entire body, and whose main weapons were a thousand times stronger than all of Hornet's firepower put together.

And then Overload offered him a ride.

His head popped back up and his optics opened wide. "R... Really?!" he asked, barely able to believe it. Fear was one thing, but it wasn't every day that Overload offered him a ride on his trailer, and even if he wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not, he was already eager to try it. "Thanks, Overload!" he chirped, and he gave the enormous war-bot as big a hug as he could manage (which wasn't very), oblivious as always to whether or not Overload was interested in receiving such a thing. He was still afraid, but momentarily at least he had tempered that fear with the idea of being allowed to do something new and fun.

And Hornet was all all about having fun.

[LadyTevar]

The sight of Hornet trying to hug Overload's Alt-Form front grill gave Crimson the giggles. Even the nearby humans gave into a grin, as Hornet's exuberism again proved catching. Crimson had to admit, the old civbot had come up with the perfect distraction.

"Well... looks like we'll have to find a way to make sure you don't fall off, Hornet. Let's find some cables," she said, and hoped he didn't have a repeat of what happened when he tried to wire Fort Maximal.

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke chuckled watching them. He made one last check of his weapons and systems. He had heard Crim's question but ignored it. He didn't really care if he was XO or not, and he had figured that Overload was the real XO.

[LadyTevar]

Just because she was sidetracked by Hornet didn't mean she didn't notice Stryke's non-answer. Sending Hornet off with Overload to figure out how to keep the teenybot attached to the trailer, she took a moment to slip next to her big green 'Bot. "You don't want to be XO... do you," she asked privately.

[Agent Fisher]

He tilted his head, looking down at her. "What makes you say that?" He asked. The warbot put an arm around her shoulders. "I mean, I don't really care if I'm XO or not." He said, hoping she would leave it at that.

[LadyTevar]

"It seems that way," Crimson replied, sliding her arm around Stryke's waist. She pushed the subject a little "Is it because you think Overload should have been XO?" After all, Overload did have a lot more experience, especially as Shellshock's partner, so she could understand that reasoning. "I know it's not because you doubt your ability..."

[Agent Fisher]

Stryke nodded. "Yeah, exactly." He said. "Overload and Shellshock are like brothers. They make a great team and make a good team as CO and XO." He said, inwardly cursing Crim's inquisitive nature.

[LadyTevar]

Inquisitive she may be, but she also knew her 'Bot well enough to know when to leave things alone for the moment. "Well, if you were acting XO, then you'd be responsible for Hornet," she teased, even as they both knew she was the usual full-time teeny-bot-sitter. "I know you'd rather not have that honor."

[Charon]

Shellshock was quiet as the others encouraged Hornet. His red optics watching them quietly, gauging their attitudes as best he could. When they seemed to be done with that he spoke up.

"All right listen up. Since our job is going to be to steal the Nemesis, we're going to have our hands full. Every last one of you, yes including you Hornet, are going to know how to fly that thing, shoot its guns, and run its engines. Right now my plan is that we are going to split into two teams. Stryke, Crimson, and Firetrack will secure the main engine room. We want to make damn sure that when the time comes to fly that we can do so. Overload, Hornet, and I will secure the bridge. Chances are that the Nemesis is going to have a lot of Decepticon's crawling around inside, so don't get bogged down fighting. Get to your objective and get your position secured. Any questions?"

[rhoenix]

A grim smile grew on Firetrack's faceplate as he added what was available of the Nemesis map to his own cartographical software. "My only question is 'how soon is this thing going to start?'"

[General Havoc]

Hornet was so speaker-tied by the fact that Shellshock had picked him to help secure the bridge of the Nemesis that he almost forgot to be scared. Almost. He blinked his light blue optics several times, his processor trying to wrap itself around the fact that he was about to fight a whole lot of Decepticons and the fact that he was going to be taught how to operate the most powerful Decepticon weapon ever made. The two facts called for entirely different reactions, and Hornet seemed stunned for a second before he managed to settle himself down. "I... I um..." he stammered, unsure of what to say. "No, I... I understand... I think?"

Not the most inspired thing to say, but he clearly was trying to steady himself for what was about to happen, though he couldn't resist glancing back at the others and venturing a only partly-convincing brave smile, as if to say "Look what I get to do!"

Partial was better than none.

[LadyTevar]

Crimson wondered what Shellshock was thinking, taking Hornet with him. Then she realized that between Overload and Shellshock, Hornet would be the safest.

"I've had a little experience piloting," she reminded them, as she'd spent most of the last four million years in and out of stasislock as she traveled and mined for Energon in the ship that brought her to Earth. "Nothing even close to a warship, though." Her vessel had been so kitbashed it made DeathStrike's patchjob look top-of-the-line.