Spirit of Freedom, act 2

Log Title: The Spirit of Freedom: Act 2: Soundwave Boogaloo Characters: Soundwave Rumble  Slugfest  Smeltdown  Optimus Prime  Hot Spot  Cuffs Location: The Spirit of Freedom Date: A couple of weeks ago I guess? TP: Spirit of Freedom Summary: Soundwave enacts part of the cunning plan to decimate Autobot forces as he enters the engine room with an enormous bomb!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL2fBtEqISw Previously on The Transformers... The camera pans away from the initial assault. Dirge, Scourge and the Sweeps broke into the Spirit of Freedom's medbay, intent on killing Ultra Magnus....

In the background of said scene, for a brief moment, Soundwave was spotted, his tape minions behind him as he afforded entry to the Engine Room, and behind him? Ravage and Frenzy carried a rather large bomb-like device in his wake...

DECEPTICONS!

Blaster fire echoes up through the hall as Soundwave leads the charge. Though this ship is perfectly new, it confuses him not. Every step taken is perfectly in line with the mission. A squad of gumbies pour out of the hallway at various doorways, all returning fire at the Tape Commander. With a solid kick, Soundwave knocks one down, stepping onto and over his unconscious form. Behind him, Ravage grunts under the weight of having this bomb rest on his shoulders, as Frenzy carries the front half of it. The little red menace cackles to himself, taking a moment to kick at the downed Bot as he follows along.

"For Cybertron!" A zealous gumby cries out, as he leaps out into the hallway, cracking off several shots. Soundwave intones ominously, "BUZZSAW."

The condorcon squawks as he transforms, his cannons opening fire on the Bot Gumby. Approaching a set of power-locked doors, he gestures forward, "LASERBEAK."

The vulturecon emerges moments after his kin, his eyes light up as he moves to weld open the door.

The ship shudders as the doors to the engine room open. A wide open area with two enormous power reactors, and a two fold level missing most of the various instruments and equipment this ship may have installed at a later date. If it survives....

<> Imager says, "Hey..uh, Cuffs. I gotta see about patching this hole in the medbay, but I left you an energon cube before you get moving again, should help with things." <> Cuffs says, "Thanks. My self repair systems have kicked in. Hopefully that's all they're doing today." <> Imager says, "Uhhh yeah, but well, don't get your hopes up. Okay, I gotta get the mag shield installed, mucho pronto, otherwise this entire ship's gonna go up in reentry, so....yeah good luck with...whatever you all are doing."

<> Hoist says, "Ultra Magnus is back in stasis...for now. Primus help me if he starts opening fire on everyone again."

Back in the Medbay...

Cuffs finally gets to his feet after being handed a cube by Imager. He stands, his head clearing as he stares out the hole in the medbay wall. Then something he had seen earlier clicks in his head. He turns and heads towards the main door, his self repair system already kicking in. Stepping out, the mech looks up and down the hallway, before the memory hits him more consciously. HIs optics flash and widen. "Awh slag." he slaps a button on the wall "Intruder alert! The boarders are NOT repelled! They're heading towards the aft of the ship - the engine room!" He turns to transform, engine smoking slightly as he peels out to persue.

<> Cuffs says, "... Intruder alert! The boarders are NOT repelled! They're heading towards the aft of the ship - the engine room!"" <> Optimus Prime says, "Acknowledged, Cuffs. I am headed there now from the bridge."

Soundwave enters the Engine Room, on task as always. He raises his concussion blaster to two of the automated defense turrets that the ship had installed, blasting them to bits within a moment's notice. He steps forward towards the reactor console, analyzing it. Frenzy drops his end of the bomb rather carelessly, leaving Ravage in a position where he needs to crawl backwards from under it. The pathercon grumbles to himself, as Frenzy makes a motion of dusting off his hands. "DECEPTICONS. HOLD THE ENGINE ROOM. THE DESTABILIZER WILL REQUIRE SEVERAL MOMENTS TO POWER UP TO MAXIMUM CAPACTIY."

Ravage raises his head, his sharp sense at work, "I smell more Autobots inbound..." With a growl, he slips into the shadows, hiding from plain sight. Rumble has arrived. Rumble appears. (Invited by Soundwave)

Typically Seekers disliked being partially limited to the ground, or constrained to tight fighting quarters.

Smeltdown was hardly your typical Seeker in that regard. If anything the enclosed hallways and deck platforms made his particular style of combat more dangerous. Splays of plasma fueled flame from his weapons set security-bots and scenery alike aflame, farther hampering their pursuit of Soundwave's transgession through the ship. "Tremble, Autobot scum! Not even your bastion is space shall spare you from Megatron's glorious wrath!" Another burst of flames to cover their backs by farther clogging the deck behind them, and Smeltdown makes a short dash with his heel jets to emerge into the engine just behind Soundwave. Being assigned to assist one of Megatron's most trusted lieutenants was a great honor, and an even greater responsibilty.

Optimus Prime meanwhile is making his way quickly through the corridors, cannon in hand, heading towards Engineering in order to put some serious hurt on Decepticon scum.

Hot Spot rushes aft down the main corridor just behind Optimus Prime, a massive black fireball cannon in each hand. "Blades!" he radios, "See if you can target the Decepticons still outside the ship! Groove, try to track what Decepticons are in and out of the ship and direct resources accordingly based on asset priority. Streetwise, listen to Groove and intercept the Decepticons wherever possible. First Aid, get to medical and check on Ultra Magnus. I'm heading with Prime down to the engine room to kick those Decepticon boarders back off our ship!" Spotting the flame path left behind by Smeltdown, Hot Spot switches one of his cannons to fire suppression and starts spraying the hallways and burning Autobots, radioing back, "Aid! We got wounded en route!" He covers the area with flame retardant foam and keeps moving, on his way to the engine room.

Rumble has his laser-rifle out, and is in the process of 'guarding' the engine room bombing party. The fire will be more than sufficient to slow down any Autobot responders, but he's pretty sure it's only a matter of time before they show up, and he's going to be ready for them.

The tiny stego is beside Rumble, whirring his chainsaw plates and swishing his thagomizer. "Going saw bots up on pieces!" he says, stomping a little feets.

 leads to Observatory of Iacon - Iacon.

<> First Aid says, "Of course, Hot Spot! I'm en route there momentarily...Hoist do you have things covered if I dig Springer out of this hole first?"

<> Hoist says, "He's....he's stable, I think. Just don't take too long."

<> Cuffs says, "I'm about to be first on scene. I'll try to keep them busy until you guys get here..."

Racing down the corridor, the black Lincoln turns on its' highbeams. He could see the Engine Room doors closed up ahead, and was going to have to time this VERY carefully... He sends a signal up ahead to it, counting in his head, and guns the engine at what he figures is the perfect moment. His engine roars to life as the black car surges forwards, and the doors open - sliding mere inches away just as his wide front end crosses the threshhold...

ANd those bright high beams shine into the room directly across, illuminating Soundwave. The engine rumbles again as Cuffs pushes it into the red, bearing down as fast as he could on the Tapecon!

<> Blades says, "Hrgghh, I can't make visual outside, the reentry is too much for rotors. We got a combiner out there on the hull!

>> Cuffs rams Soundwave! <<

A signal was sent to the engine room, one that Soundwave caught immediately. The Tape Commander raises his concussion blaster towards the door, firing as it opens. Cuffs roars into the engine room, amid Soundwave's shots, up the ramp and right into his chestplate. With a loud shuddering noise, Soundwave is sent sprawling onto his back, his gun clattering to the side. He reaches for it, as he bellows out. "FRENZY." The little red menace holds out his hands, sending shrieking, deafening noise towards Cuffs before the policebot can amount a second assault. Soundwave moves to recover his weapon as it happens... >> Soundwave critically strikes Cuffs with Sonics ! << >> Cuffs temporarily loses motor functions from the attack! <<

An autobot car comes screaming into the engine room, smashing through Soundwave and earning the ire of his followers. Smeltdown, on the other hand, turns his attention back towards the entrances. Where there is one Autobot, there is almost always more, and sure enough, his thermal imagers pick up the form working its way through the fires he set, emitting a hiss as his readouts show the flames being smothered and faulter from the retardant foam.

Figures there would be a Straxus damned FIRE TRUCK present to try and spoil Smeltdown's fun.

Not having any of that, Smeltdown takes out one of his smaller thermal charges and lobs it into the corridor, trying to rekindle the fires and slow the Autobot down. >> Smeltdown strikes Hot Spot with Fire . <<

Barging forward, rifle in hand, Prime follows through behind Cuffs as he sends Soundwave sprawling to the deck. As Smeltdown hurls a thermal charge at Hot Spot, he raises his rifle to aim at the Seeker, sending his own blast of heat in the form of hot light towards him. "It seems you haven't taken the hint yet, Decepticons. No houseguests!" >> Optimus Prime strikes Smeltdown with Beam-Laser . <<

Hot Spot spots the incoming thermal charges coming down the hall, and yells, "Optimus! Look out!" He throws himself on the charge, taking the fire blast himself and absorbing it with his special vanadium-steel alloy armor. From the floor, he sees Prime strike the source of all this fire, and Hot Spot is pleased. Scanning the engine room for threats, he rises up onto one knee and decides to help his commander put out the fire. Aiming carefully, he hoses a stream of fire-retardant foam at Smeltdown, trying to snuff out his fire before snuffing out his life. >> Hot Spot strikes Smeltdown with Water-Cannon . <<

As Cuffs shows up and collides into Soundwave, Rumble scowls and brings his laser-rifle to bear on the security Autobot. "C'mon, Sluggy, let's take out these losers! They're totally *CENSORED*-ing the boss's plans!!" he exclaims angrily.

>> Rumble strikes Cuffs with Laser . << Slugfest charges forward, sailing past Cuffs, and heading at full tilt towards Hot Spot. Pelting lil feets, the tiny stego tries to sink lil teefs into Hot Spot ankle! >> Slugfest strikes Hot Spot with Bite. <<

Cuffs was experienced in 'crash takeout' like this, and so the collision itself wasnt that bad at all. His 'crumple zone' was thusly crumpled, and he recovered fast from it, ending off to one side. But as the sonic waves shriek out, the car actually SPASMS in a way that cars do not usually do. He groaned under the pain, close enough to the source that his reinforced windows show that they are only reinforced against energy and kinetic damage. Not sonic ones. As every window in the vehicle crackles and cubes to the floor around him, the shot of laserpower to his side shakes it out of him, and he lurches forwards sluggishly, still trying to maintain cohesion, and doing a fantastically poor job of it as his hazard lights abruptly start blinking. Well, at least it wasnt his alarm going off this time...

<<Decepticon>> Demolitions Expert Rumble says, "Nice hit!" It was working out so well...and then HE entered the fray. Like countless times before, when the chips were down, it was always the Last Prime that ruined everything. If he had a face, Soundwave would blanche. He draws himself up to his feet next to the mech-sized bomb in between the two reactors. A gentle whirring motion emenation from the dynamo within. It wasn't ready yet. As Frenzy turned the tables on Cuffs, and his cassettecons, his loyal troops, engaged on his behalf, Soundwave took up arms as well. He had to stop Prime, he had to put him down. With a mighty monotone bellow, he decrees, "FOR THE DECEPTICON EMPIRE!" He fires at Prime repeatedly, focusing him forward, even as his more stealthy minions lurked and prowled, putting themselves into position for their own attacks shortly.

Soundwave continues, "THE AUTOBOT CAUSE DIES HERE. TODAY." It was a lie. Optimus would survive, he always survives, but he needed the Prime's attention, as much as it was going to hurt to have it.

>> Soundwave misses Optimus Prime with Laser <Medium>. <<

A laser blast catchs Smeltdown in the shoulder as it's wielder barges into the fight, though the sight just makes the Seeker smirk as he recovers. "Well well, if it isn't Optimus Prime, come to watch as we tear apart your little toy from the inside ou--"

The SPLOOSH of water cuts him off, and though it doesn't so much in the way of damage in comparison, the pressure is enough to throw him against a bulkhead.

A moment later he spits out some chemical from his mouth as he gets up. "Well that spoiled the moment." The time for speeches is gone, so he uses his anti-gravs like a booster to launch himself back into the fray. His primary mission was still to aid and defend Soundwave unless otherwise told, so he follows that. He veers to the side, getting into a position to flank Optimus from the opposite side of Soundwave's laser fire and use his own weapons to send a pair of fiery streams for the Autobot Commander. "AND YOU WITH IT, PRIME!" he adds to Soundwave's decree.

>> Smeltdown strikes Optimus Prime with Flamecaster Gun <Medium>. <<

Optimus Prime flinches as the tongues of flame swirl around him, but beyond scorching his paint job, it seems to do little to him. His optics narrow, but instead of returning fire, his concentration is now on Soundwave. "I think you all have a seriously poor grasp of reality if you think the cause, or I, die here and now." he says, his cannon swinging to align at Soundwave. "The only thing that is going to die a painful death here and now is your pride." With that the trigger is pulled... >> Optimus Prime strikes Soundwave with Disarm <Medium>. <<

As Hot Spot hoses Smeltdown with foam, a small dinotape charges him, sinking his teeth into delicate servos located in Hot Spot's ankle. "Ow!" Hot Spot yells in surprise, jerking his attention back to his position and looking down to turn his focus on the aggressive little Decepticon messenger. "Get out of here!" he bellows, and brings his massive fireball cannon, which is bigger than Slugfest, down onto the micro-cassette trooper from above. >> Hot Spot misses Slugfest with Bash. <<

Rumble snickers briefly as both he and Frenzy manage to hit Cuffs almost simultaneously. Then, he's back to a steely-cold determination as he quickly assesses the situation, then turns his gun on the Protectobot Leader. "You leave him alone, scrapheap!" he bellows at a volume that's completely unnecessary, as he opens fire. >> Rumble misses Hot Spot with Laser-Pistol <Medium>. <<

The tiny stego squeals and darts between Hot Spot's legs before the bad giant Autobot can smack him with the cannon. His chainsaws are whirring, which may or may not ...hit something.

>> Slugfest misses Hot Spot with Blades. <<

Cuffs' vision and scanners were starting to clear up. HIs wheels straightened in their wheelwells, the glass crunching under the reinforced tires as the world starts to stop being just a haze of pain. He ached all over. But as the battlefield starts to make more sense around him, his engine growls a little more angrily now, as the two figures in front of him caught his attention first. Soundwave... and Prime. He lets Prime take on the Tape commander, as much as he had a bone to pick with the Decepticon.

And so he sweeps his scanners over the other fighters, but it was the much closer, and quite ignoring-the-black-car-called-Cuffs Rumble that caches his attention. With a squeal of burning rubber, he lurches forwards, swerving a bit close to the bomb. At what he guesses was a good time, he shuts his headlamps off, and then turns high beams back on, hoping to time it to match Rumble looking to see what the noise was... >> Cuffs tries to ram Rumble but misses. <<

<<Decepticon>> Smeltdown says, "Help your brother, Rumble. I'll deal with the Auto-cop."

Soundwave takes a staggering blow from Optimus' Pathblaster. For a few moments, his optical ridge shifts into one of pleading and desparation as he hunches down, his arm paralyzed by the trauma momentarily. Using the bomb itself as cover, he puts himself in a better position. Would Prime dare shoot at him here? What if he missed?

A glint forms in his visor, as Soundwave intones, "NOW." Ravage leaps from the shadows, attempting to rake at Prime. The shrill shriek of Laserbeak's trademark "SQUAAAAAWWWKKK!" cries out moments before his auto cannons strafe Prime's immediate area. Laserbeak wasn't expecting to deal much damage, his assault was the distraction necessary to allow Ravage, a fellow skulker, time to retreat into the shadows. As his minions work in concert, Soundwave aims his pepperbox missile launcher, firing the moment his crew was clear of the blast radius. >> Soundwave misses Optimus Prime with Missile-Pack <Low>. <<

<<Decepticon>> Demolitions Expert Rumble says, "A'right."

It doesn't matter that the fire is minimal effectiveness at best, Smeltdown HIT Optimus Prime. That's some amount of rights to bragging right there. While the moment of being pleased with himself does fan his own fiery spirit more; Smeltdown isn't the sort of Decepticon to thrive on just his own glory. Soundwave is also engaging Prime... but Cuffs is getting awefully close to the bomb in his attempts to deal with the cassette-cons trying to hassle Hot Spot. Smeltdown launchs himself towards the Autobot car, aiming to bring his feet down on top of Cuff's hood. "Pick on some mech your own size!"

Not that Rumble isn't capable of handling himself. Just Slugfest needs his help more than Rumble needs to beat this Bot's head off. >> Smeltdown strikes Cuffs with Bash. <<

Optimus Prime meanwhile dodges the various missiles. "Two can play that game..." he says as he performs a leap, bringing his rifle up and flipping it to rapid fire mode. >> Optimus Prime strikes Soundwave with Rapid-Fire <Medium>. <<

Hot Spot looks up as Rumble fires at him. "Why?" he asks, at slightly less volume than Rumble. "Do you want some, too?" He switches focus to the gun in his left hand, which is still set on "charbroil." He aims this weapon at Rumble, preparing to take out the cassetticons one by one if he must to keep them off of Cuffs. At that moment, however, Slugfest runs under his legs, nearly tearing through one of Hot Spot's thighs. Hot Spot twists in place, still kneeling on one knee, and lashes the cannon in his right fist back at Slugfest as the dino emerges behind him. "How many of these things does Soundwave have?" he asks incredulously. >> Hot Spot strikes Slugfest with Smash. <<

Rumble seemed to be prepared to break off from Hot Spot briefly, but whether it was his attack on Slugfest that brought him back to attention or something else isn't entirely clear, as there's many altercations happing simultaneously. What happens next is Rumble puts away his gun, and then just...leap-flies onto Hot Spot's shoulder, angrily pummeling at his head in a very irritating, distracting sort of way. However, the pylons are not yet out. Much cursing is also involved. >> Rumble strikes Hot Spot with Blow. <<

The hood crumples slightly under Smeltdowns' weight, and Cuffs hits the gas, attempting to fling Smeltdown horizontally along - and perhaps, catch him in thw now-open-air front seat of his windowless windshield. He struggles to put on the speed at this point, plumes of black smoke trailing behind him as he zips across the battered engine room, this time those flickering headlights simply aiming for one of the blast-reinforced walls, the decepticon still on top of his hood... going for a deceptisandwich?!?

The hood crumples slightly under Smeltdowns' weight, and Cuffs hits the gas, attempting to fling Smeltdown horizontally along - and perhaps, catch him in thw now-open-air front seat of his windowless windshield. He struggles to put on the speed at this point, plumes of black smoke trailing behind him as he zips across the battered engine room, this time those flickering headlights simply aiming for one of the blast-reinforced walls, the decepticon still on top of his hood... going for a deceptisandwich?!?

The wheels lock abruptly, and screaming tires fill the air as Cuffs brakes as hard as he could at the last minute, intending to use Inertia to do his work for him and fling Smeltdown into the opposing wall, which ends up in the end, only centimetres from his hood ornament! >> Cuffs strikes Smeltdown with Bash. <<

Somewhere in another part of the ship, the Autobot Inertia looks up from his duties to ponder if someone needed his assistance elsewhere...

Soundwave staggers backwards again, forced to a kneeling position behind the bomb. Either Optimus Prime was crazy, or just that confident. Most likely the latter. He clutches a hand to his chestplate, the several holes in it leaking precious purple energon. His gaze flickers to the bomb's readout. He needed more time. Always more time. The faction head was staring him down from a distance, as the Intelligence Commander runs a self-diagnostic. Always needed more time. "FRENZY." He bellows, the red tape hops the top of the bomb, posting with one hand to stand in FRONT of the warhead. "I gotcha now!" He holds his hands forwards as a massive wave of DUBSTEP just roars forward towards Optimus, the waves so powerful, they were visible to the naked optic. >> Soundwave strikes Optimus Prime with Sonics <High>. << >> Optimus Prime temporarily loses motor functions from the attack! <<

https://youtu.be/742vVjWQbiA?t=32

Screeching tires bring Cuffs to a halt, throwing Smeltdown from the hood before he can realize what the car is doing. He's promptly bucked off and slams into a bulkhead for the second time tonight. "Ugh. Bot and a hard place." Smeltdown presses his hands against the warped framework to pry himself from the wall, leaving a vagely Seeker shaped indentation. "Your tenacity is mildly impressive, Autobot... But mine shall leave you no more than husk for the flames of war to consume!" A knife pops into one hand from a hidden compartment, the blade glowing white hot as Smeltdown tries to stab it into Cuff's exposed cab console! >> Smeltdown strikes Cuffs with Thermal-Knife. <<

<<Autobot>> Cuffs says, "Ugh. I'm starting to fall apart. May have to retreat soon. *zbbzzzt*" <<Autobot>> Imager says, "We've got the medbay cleared, if you need to get back to it, do you need a lift, Cuffs?"

<<Autobot>> Cuffs says, "not yet... hang on, I have to shoot someone."

<<Autobot>> Imager says, "Heard that! I just had to give ole whatzim, the Seeker whose always laughin, had to give him three barrels again..."

Optimus Prime is hit by the soundwaves, every circuit in his body going into overload, and he falls to the ground in a heap, groaning as he struggles to get his servos moving again.

Hot Spot's optics widen as Rumble leap-flies onto his shoulder and just starts pummeling Spot's armored black head. Hot Spot awkwardly stands, swaying, as Rumble's blows start taking their toll, disorienting Spot and making it hard for him to concentrate. Spot takes a step forward, shaking his increasingly-dented noggin. "Knock it OFF!" he yells, and brings one of his fireball cannons up to try to smack Rumble and dislodge him off his shoulder. >> Hot Spot misses Rumble with Punch. <<

<<Decepticon>> Frenzy says, "Rumble, Give him the hammers! The hammers!" <<Decepticon>> Demolitions Expert Rumble says, "It's hammer time, ain't it." <<Decepticon>> Frenzy says, "Yeah yeah!" <<Decepticon>> Laserbeak says, "SQUAAAAAWWWKK!"

Rumble chuckles nastily, managing to scramble out of the way of the cannon as it attempts to aim in his direction. "What was that? You want me to knock it off?? Hey, if you insist! I can do special requests."

There's a slight whirring sound as Rumble pulls out his pylons -- an almost-too-brief window of opportunity for Hot Spot, which Rumble doesn't allow to last for very long before slamming the pylons into Hot Spot's armor plating. He'll be lucky if his head doesn't get knocked off, now! >> Rumble strikes Hot Spot with Piledrivers. <<

"OW!" yelps Cuffs, now smoking from his rear end AND his middle. The time for transforming it seems, was at hand. He transforms without moving away, the hood - which perhaps was the least damaged of all of him (except his three tires, and his undercarriage, curiously enough) becoming his riot shield under Smeltdowns' body. This also puts Cuffs BENEATH Smeltdown though, with the Seeker on his shield now. But that was okay. He had a better chance of hitting with his power taser when he was this close. Still bearing damage from earlier, Cuffs was missing half of his face, so he only looked half-grim right now as he brings the rifle around to bear. "You use a lot of words." is all he said, not much for one for quips usually. *BZAP*

>> Cuffs misses Smeltdown with Power-Taser <Medium>. <<

With Frenzy blaring away at Optimus Prime, Soundwave takes his measure. His Concussion Rifle was damaged during Prime's justice shot a bit earlier. The Tape Commander mentally attributes that as to his lack of accuracy in the assault so far. He steps forward, maneuvering closer to Optimus as Frenzy keeps dropping the bass. His cassettecons were doing a marvelous job, defending the engine room, and now it was his time to do his part as well. With his gun on the fritz, Soundwave tightens up his hands into fists, his steel servos straining under the pressure. When Frenzy ends his shriek, Soundwave rushes in, a...slow, lumbering freight train that rears back to slam both of his fists up into Prime's chin in a hammer punch!

>> Soundwave strikes Optimus Prime with Stomp. <<

Smeltdown once again proves to be not your typical Seeker, in that while he wasn't exceptionally strong he was as familiar with close-quarters combat as he is with spewing flames from afar. As Cuffs shifts to bring out his weapon Smeltdown rolls off the shield, but instead of stopping he bolts sideways, and the taser shot whistles just past his helm. "Enough playing. Now you BURRRN!" He levels both his flamecasters at Cuffs and opens fire, completely ignoring the fact that he's still so close to the Autobot that he could get caught in the backblast himself.

This is fairly typical for Smeltdown. It comes with being a pyromaniac zealot -- oblivious to one's own self-destructive danger.

Optimus Prime takes the brunt of Soundwave's fists as his faceplate is mangled... but Soundwave's critical error is that he is now within melee range himself. Balling his own fists, Prime's servos regain power and putting all of his massive strength into one powerful strike, his fists head right for Soundwave's chestplate... >> Optimus Prime misses Soundwave with Never!. <<

>> Smeltdown attacks Smeltdown, and Cuffs with Conflageration, striking Smeltdown, and Cuffs. <<

Hot Spot howls in pain as, indeed, his head is nearly knocked off his body. Spot drops his cannons, staggering into the corner of the doorway leading into engineering. He reaches back, trying to grab Rumble with both hands to dislodge him before Rumble can finish the job of pulverizing his head or slamming it completely off his body. Rumble has successfully made the transition from 'nuisance' to 'lethal threat' and Hot Spot reacts in alarm, attempting to snatch Rumble off his shoulders and throw him across the room - preferable into something big and heavy, like the bulkhead. >> Hot Spot strikes Rumble with Throw. <<

Rumble gets flung across the room, and thunks hard into the opposite wall. "Ugh!! ...Sluggy, keep him occupied!!" he yells as he slides down the wall like a melting butter-patty.

"Ugh..." Cuffs lifts his shield, but the metal doesnt do much as it simply conducts heat, and the heat easily reaches around it. He drops to a knee, his tires now smoking and slouching on their rims. That's it for his alternate mode. He hunkers behind the shield as sparks andsmokes fly from his frame now. The mech was not looking good at all. Now going on the defense, he 'turtles' behind the shield, and takes careful shots past it, but the mechs's falling apart was... well, causing him to fall apart. >> Cuffs strikes Smeltdown with Heavy-Laser <Medium>. << Slugfest eees when Hot Spot eventualy succeeds in smacking him. He's slow to get up, but when he does, he charges up his energy cannons. "No smash lil stego and no smash Rumble!" <<Autobot>> Cuffs says, "Prime... Spot... sirs... I need to start falling back. Too much damage."

>> Slugfest strikes Hot Spot with Solar Beam <Medium>. <<

<<Autobot>> First Aid says, "Imager, I need more energon!" <<Autobot>> Imager says, "Not...not much left in the tank there sir..but yeah, you got it."

It was the strangest thing. Soundwave saw Optimus Prime reel from his hit, sagging to one knee dramatically. And there he was, surmounting the mighty Prime himself. Standing tall, standing proud as he sent the Prime reeling. It was so disconcerting that he knew it had to be a ruse, a feint of some sort. When Optimus' pistons whir, his great strength and defiance roiling within, Soundwave flinches. He FLINCHES back out of the way of a monstrous uppercut, the likes of which would have no doubt slammed him into his own weapon, and done significant damage. As Soundwave marvels at Prime in mid-leap, the lights from above him, haloing him for several moments, cut out as the ship trembles. More out of panic than anything else, Soundwave bellows over comms, <<[ansi(+m, DECEPTICONS, BEGIN PULLING BACK. WE ARE AT CRITICAL MASS FOR THE DESTABILIZER.>>

Bailing from the fight as best he can, with the auditory recant of 'Discretion being the better part of valor' as well as 'May your reach never exceed your grasp', Soundwave retreats back to the bomb, then slams his fist down upon the newly displayed red button that was totally not there on first viewing.

The bomb shakes and whirs, as it crackles to life, causing the reactors to flare and pulse in erratic patterns!

<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "DECEPTICONS, BEGIN PULLING BACK. WE ARE AT CRITICAL MASS FOR THE DESTABILIZER." <<Decepticon>> Slugfest says, "eeeee!" <<Decepticon>> Laserbeak says, "SQUAAAWWWKKK!"

<<Decepticon>> Smeltdown says, "Yes sir!" <<Autobot>> Imager says, "Whoooaaaaa, we are getting some severe energy fluctuations!" GAME: Cuffs FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

<<Autobot>> Cuffs says, "Slag. Forgot to *zzzt* Mention... bomb." <<Autobot>> Imager says, "A bomb...a bomb in the engine room. Uhm....that *could* be a problem, sirs." <<Autobot>> Imager says anxiously, "Hot Spot. You wouldn't happen to be demolition certified, are you?"

Smeltdown gets caught up in the very fire he's spewing, and by the time he's finally backed off he's sporting his share of smoking armor as well. Looks like, despite he's preference in weaponry, he's not exceptionally fireproof himself. Not that it's really slowed him down any, either.

Soundwave is pulling back and activating the bomb. Decepticon forces are retreating. Time to make sure his superior officer has the chance to do the same. "I'll be right behind you sir!" Then grins as he pulls one of his firebombs out, and throws it towards Optimus Prime in an attempt to get him off of Soundwave's case so the tape commander can withdraw safely. "IN THE NAME OF MEGATRON I CAST THE FLAMES OF HIS WRATH UPON THEE!" <<Autobot>> Hot Spot says, "Negative on that. Protectobots to the engine room! We may need Defensor for this!" <<Autobot>> Cuffs says, "Can we *spark* Space it?" >> Smeltdown misses Optimus Prime with Molotov <Medium>. <<

Optimus Prime dodges the incoming firebomb, but the distraction of dodging it is enough to take his attention off the Decepticons as they retreat.

Hot Spot chucks Rumble across the room, and brings his right hand up to his dented, aching head. "Pull back, Cuffs - I'll take care of that Decepticon." He takes a step forward - and is promptly shot in the back by Slugfest. He glares backward at the tape, but stays focuses, pausing to scoop up one of his fireball cannons and then stepping forward back into engineering to try to cover Cuffs' retreat. Oh, Smeltdown is already on fire? Well, let Hot Spot help with that by applying more fire. Hot Spot brings his cannon up, and still moving forward, calls out, "Hey, Decepticon! How about some more of your own medicine?" He aims carefully, but then the bomb crackles to life. He immediately gets on comm: "Negative on that. Protectobots to the engine room! We may need Defensor for this!" While he waits he aims again to take out the rear guard as the Decepticons retreat, and launches a massive fireball at the Decepticon self-declared master of incendiary warfare.

Rumble is gone from view briefly, then reappears near Slugfest moments later. "C'mon, Sluggy, that destabilitizer's gonna go massively clinical, we gotta <CENSORED> outta here." He sneers nastily at the Autobots as he begins slinking away with his other tape brethren. "Enjoy your epic fail, /loooooosers!~/ We're out!" he taunts the Autobots before he leaves, because he simply can't keep his trap shut for more than a few microseconds.