The VanMarkiplier

Log Title: The VanMarkiplier

Characters: Akakage Ninja, Jetfire, Satan, Scarlett, Slugfest, Over Kill, Dreadwind, Valour

Location: Midwestern United States - North America

Date: April 13, 2016

TP: VanMarkiplier TP

Summary: Valour leads a raid against a Van Mark Industries facility.

As logged by Valour - Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 8:17 PM

Midwestern United States - North America
The North Central US is predominantly farmlands. These farmlands dominate the scenery, from the vast expanses of wheat fields all across Kansas, clear up through the fields of wheat, corn, and soybeans in Nebraska, and on up through eastern South Dakota and North Dakota. In the Dakotas, however, the farmland is partially divided by the Missouri River, west of which the territories become less farmland, and more ranchable areas. A lot of this area is flat, but in the western Dakotas, the rolling hills turn into the Black Hills in South Dakota, with their peaks and spruce trees. This area is also home to the rocky walls of the desolate Badlands, close by. There are national forests and grasslands all through this area as well, through the Dakotas and Nebraska. To the east of this region, the 100000 lakes of Minnesota, and the Iowa cornfields span outward, into the open hills and plains of Illinois, and their historical importance.

Valour arrives with a small team including Dreadwind and Slugfest. He leads them to the Van Mark corporate office park, the home of one of their apparently-not-secret-enough R&D facilities. He swoops in low and transforms, landing heavily in the large grassy area between the low building and tall fence surrounding it.

Valour opens his palm and tosses Slugfest gently towards the building. "Slugfest. Secure the building and make sure no humans interfere with our progress. I want no one hurt - evacuate the building, and we'll take what we need and destroy the rest. Dreadwind - monitor the air and make sure we are not disturbed by Autobots or otherwise." Valour draws his sword and follows Slugfest towards the building, body tense and expression serious.

Dreadwind leaps into the air as his head slides down between his shoulders. The chest folds up to form the nose and cockpit of a fighter jet. The arms collapse into a pair of weapons pods as the legs fuse together and fold beneath into the fuselage. The wings unfold into place as the tail slides down onto the back end, completing the transformation into an F-16 Fighting Eagle.

Dreadwind cruises along with the other Decepticons, somehow managing to make Mach 2 look slow and sullen. He starts to drop altitude as Valour transforms, but then the order comes. Patrol the area. There's a practically audible sigh as he mutters to himself, "Naturally. Don't want Dreadwind to get in on the action. Leave him to his own devices..."

Slugfest is suddenly tossed, and lands in a treed, bushy area! A large azalea breaks his fall. He manages to scramble off the bush, having fortunately landed on feets, and peeks out of the bushes! A tiny stego looks this way and that, then stopping at the pathway to look both ways before crossing, then runs to the door and tries to get it open! He grabs a door handle in his mouth and pulls.

Jetfire closes in on the area of action, activating his scanners, he begins to assess the targets, the building, the civilians involved - and the ensuing risks - about whether or not to hold back for reinforcements, or proceed in if innocents are in danger.

Valour is focused on the building in front of him, and trusts Dreadwind to watch the airspace above. When Val reaches the edifice, he ignites his laser sword and immediately starts cutting carefully into the roof of the building, cautiously keeping his cuts shallow so as not to damage anything or anyone inside. He moves methodically around the structure, slicing through the concrete and steel crown of the building but leaving just enough structural support that it doesn't preemptively collapse inside.

Dreadwind's starboard wing dips into a gentle banking turn, circling gradually around the area. Then there's a blip on his radar... "Wonderful." He turns gradually until he spots something sleek and white rapidly coming into view. He transmits to the team on the ground, "Just thought I'd let you know that we're all doomed."

Jetfire 's thrusters go to quarter-power as he begins his descent. Not wanting to fire on the place just yet, he slows, about 100 miles out, so should be getting there in about 30 seconds.

Valour glances upward at the warning. "Slugfest - clear the building," he orders. He pauses in his de-roofing project and grips the hilt of his sword. "Dreadwind - what have you got?" Valour's stance subtly shifts into battle mode, and he rests lightly on the balls of his feet, ready to leap into action if necessary. Right now he stands near the main building of the Van Mark complex, the roof of which bears the circular cuts of his sword.

Slugfest tugtugtug, but the door resists. He snorts, swishes his tail, and is about to charge through it headfirst, when it slowly starts opening. Apparently his tail hit the wheelchair access button, which opens the door remotely. He ohs quietly, waits for it to open all the way, then scampers down the hall, chasing any hyoomans he comes across!

Jetfire as protocol, scans the area for nearby human aircraft. He finds one with a Skystriker in the area. Within a few nano-seconds, he identifies it as G.I. Joe - including the pilot. He touches his audio receptor and does a quick radio. Jetfire sends a radio transmission.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 flies overhead. The pilot having not heard anything about an attack but having received Jetfire's transmission frowns inside her flight helmet. She quickly scans the area both visually and with Radar and finds the source of both the transmission and the Decepticons. The Skystriker rolls and heads in for a closer look while its pilot responds to the Radio message.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> Scarlett sends a radio transmission.

Dreadwind suddenly banks hard, angling his nosecone directly between the incoming jets (regardless of direction or distance). With a thunderous boom, the F-16 suddenly accelerates again, rocketing past them. Is he retreating? He transmits back down to the other Decepticons, "Jetfire inbound, along with some... human-made... thing. Undoubtedly here to rain misery on our heads."

Over Kill arrives via vector transport. He sees the situation below but does not engage.

Jetfire sends a radio transmission. He radios Scarlett, urging her to stay away, given the power of Decepticon firepower. He then summons his particle beam cannon and approaches the facility.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> Scarlett sends a radio transmission.

Valour nods in response to Dreadwind's report, even though Dreadwind really shouldn't be looking in his direction at a time like this. "I'll back you up. Slugfest, find the weapon and secure access to it. I'll be right back after I take care of these interlopers." He opens up a channel to Jetfire. "These humans are developing anti-Transformer weaponry. You'll thank me for taking it from them. Back off, now, and we'll ensure no humans get hurt. You'll be the one to initiate violence here."

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 rolls as Dreadfire passes and than turns and starts to follow. The pilot responds to Jetfire's transmission.

Jetfire sends a radio transmission.

Jetfire frowns slightly, reacting to Valour's charge. He radios back to Valour, "A disturbing charge. If that is the case, then the treat is mutual. If your charge is true, then you wouldn't mind ceasing all hostilities immediately and having all of your party come out in the open and tell me how you came across this information.' Jetfire radio/finishes "You have 2 minutes to comply."

Dreadwind pulls into a tight turn as he gains some distance from the Skystriker, bleeding off speed as he angles himself straight into the Joe's flight path. He radios to Valour, "So... They're still here... Ruining our day... What next?"

Valour takes to the air. "You'll have the proof once we uncover it - I'm not revealing our intelligence sources. However, if you wish to land and observe, we won't stop you - but if you initiate hostilities, we will end you." To Dreadwind he radios, "Target our enemies and prepare to fire, but do not engage unless they fire first - any local deaths will be on their conscience. We will take the humans' technology and go."

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 locks it weapon systems on Dreadwind and sends out a general radio call to all the forces in the area "This is Scarlett of G.I. Joe to all Decepticon and Cobra forces. You are ordered to leave American airspace or I will be forced to fire on you." Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 targets Dreadwind with its weapons.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> The computer beeps. "Target acquired."

Jetfire looks up at Valour and frowns through his faceplate. "This is nonsense, right now, there is no reason for me to think that you are doing nothing more than stealing human technology. I'm but one Autobot. Again, vacate the area at once - and come out into a neutral area."

Jetfire says in a chilly tone, "This is your final warning.'

Oh look, ninjas. Actually, look all you want, but you won't see them. Trust me, they are there and they are stealing their way towards the MacGuffin everyone wants. For Cobra! No, no like that. In the, "Cobra paid us a bunch of money!" kind of sense. Leading these ninjas is Satan. Like all of his identically nigh-invisible pajama-wearing cohort, Satan slips closer and closer to his target. Sneak sneak sneak!

Dreadwind maintains his current flight path, the distance rapidly closing between himself and the Skystriker. The weapon pods beneath his wings begin to glow orange, and he transmits a response toward the Skystriker, "You might as well leave, yourself. Everyone else always does." There's no urgency in his voice, not even a threatening tone. Just... despair.

Tiny robo chainsaw stego is still chasing hyoomans, herding them out of the building, nipping at their heels, revving his sawback plates -rrrrrrrrrrrunhyoomanhyoomanhyoomanrrrrrrrrrrunrrrrrrunhyoomanhyoomanhyooman-

Jetfire 's audio receptors pick up distress inside the factory. He frowns through his faceplate and looks up at Valour, "I guess your word is about as reliable as Starscream - " He raises his weapon at Valour - and fires!

>> Jetfire strikes Valour with Particle-Beams . <<

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> Scarlett smirks behind her flight helmet, and calls up a Shrike AAM Missile on her weapons list. She returns the radio message to Dreadwind, "You won't get rid of me that easily...." While she is talking, she is watching the HUD for missile lock. As soon as she has acheived lock, she fires on Dreadwind, muttering, "Ace... Sure would be nice if you decided to fly in to the rescue..."

>> Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 strikes Dreadwind with Shrike Missile. <<

Dreadwind's nosecone disappears briefly in a burst of flame and smoke, but only briefly. The armor is rippled from the missile, but it hasn't deterred the Decepticon from his path. The underside of the F-16 lights up a brilliant orange as searing hot beams of energy lance out against the Skystriker.

Valour's body is slammed to the right as Jetfire strikes him with his particle beam cannon. "Actually, I'd intended to keep my word. I didn't initiate conflict, but now that you have, I will follow through on my other promise - to end you." Valour turns his lasersword around once on his hand, and then dives down, slashing directly at Jetfire's advanced chest armour, interested in just how well it protects against his sabre.

>> Dreadwind misses Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 with Thermal Melters . <<

>> Valour strikes Jetfire with Slash. <<

Ninja have been slowly building a perimeter around the building. There's essentially no way for anyone to leave the building without getting accosted by a ninja... and that's exactly what they are there to do: accost. Why break in and steal the stuff when you can steal it from the thief?

Hooymans are fleeing right and left from Slugfest, running towards the exits, and ninjas.

Slugfest has chased out the last of the hyoomans, nipping the last one by the seat of the pants and tearing off a large patch, leaving one person with an embarrassing hole revealing a heart-patterned pair of white boxers beneath. Slugfest then prances around with the scrap of black polyester pant material in his mouth like a trophy.

Sparks and smoke spurt out Jetfire's chest after Valour's sword attack, but the good news...if you could call it that - is that Valour's in close proximity to Jets. After the slash, Jetfire attempts to grab Valour's arm, and throw him into a less populated area, namely a large, vacant lot nearby.

>> Jetfire misses Valour with Throw. <<

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 is able to roll out of the way of the incoming beams. As soon as it finishes the roll it lines up on Dreadwind again and fires a long burst of 30mm ammo from it's Vulcan cannons.

>> Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 strikes Dreadwind with 30mm Cannons . <<

Valour is grabbed and thrown, but before he hits the concrete, he swoops up, turning in the air until he is flying on his back away from Jetfire. He raises his arm cannons, and fires at Jetfire as he slowly rises and turns, heading back toward the main complex. "Slugfest - is the building cleared?" he radios down, while firing another barrage at the Autobot Air Commander.

>> Valour misses Jetfire with Ballistic . <<

Dreadwind pulls his nose up, the fuselage getting raked with the 30mm fire. Without having to worry about a human pilot, the F-16 climbs rapidly, nose pointing vertical for a moment, then tipping back over the tail. As Dreadwind inverts, the afterburner kicks in, carefully adjusting speed to match the Skystriker. The nose continues to tip toward the ground, falling quickly toward the Joe's aircraft... and lining up a wing coated in Cybertronian armor.

>> Dreadwind misses Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 with Slash. <<

Satan holds his hand up in the air and then makes a fist. Ninja suddenly invade the building, slashing with precision at fleeing humans, in search of anything that might be valuable to Cobra Commander: secret plans, technology, LASERS, who knows?

Most of the office workers have fled, and the small amount of security and researchers are easily cut down by the ninja invaders. They leave plans and technology for the taking - physical blueprints, electronic scans, and small alien artifacts. What the ninja can't make off with is the cannon itself - that might be hard for even Jetfire to carry.

Jetfire 's optics lock in on Valour as he sees that Valour is making the move to...well...move. He chooses to go back to his ranged weapons, and raises his particle beam cannon and fires at Valour.

>> Jetfire misses Valour with Particle-Beams . <<

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 is able again to avoid Dreadwind's attack. Scarlett brings up a Phoenix missile on her weapons stores list and begins to track in on Dreadwind hoping to put him out of his misery but as Jetfire misses she changes her lock to Valour and fires...

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 targets Valour with its weapons.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> The computer beeps. "Target acquired."

>> Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 misses Valour with Phoenix Missile. <<

Dreadwind's airframe groans with the strain of the near-miss. Unfortunately, the damaged surfaces can't quite compensate, causing the Decepticon to pull up much lower than anticipated. He sends a transmission to Valour, "Well, this all went about as well as could be expected. As usual, somebody's made it clear just how unwelcome I am." His nose plows through a tree, twigs getting stuck between armor plates. Smoke billows from the engine as it ingests a large branch, "I did tell you we were doomed."

Valour rotates in the air, nimbly dodging Jetfire's attack and altering his course to zoom towards him for another powerful physical strike. However, before he can engage the Autobot, his defenses alert him to an incoming Phoenix missile. Valour again twists in midair, firing a small interceptor missile from his right arm-mounted launcher to intercept the Phoneix and destroy it before it can reach him. His attention diverted, Valour points his left arm and fires an AIM-7F/M Sparrow missile back at the Skystriker. "You brought this upon yourself, human," he says with what nearly sounds like regret.

>> Valour misses Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 with Missile. <<

Satan's ninja scoop up all the goodies, finishing off the last of the security and streaming to the exists. Satan hisses, "NINJA VANISH!" and a series of smoke bombs explode. When the smoke clears, the ninja are gone. All except Satan, who is slowly slinking away from the scene of the crime, covering his troops' retreat. Who says Satan doesn't care for his children?

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> Scarlett is somehow able to pull her aircraft out of the way of the incoming missile, "Well.. That got his attention.", she murmmers. She switches backs to her cannons, and fires a long burst at Valour, while trying to see what else might be happening. Where did Jetfire and Dreadwing go. "Looks like it is you and I, now, Valour..."

>> Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 misses Valour with 30mm Cannons . <<

With Jetfire and Dreadwind out of the fight, Valour can concentrate on the human, trying to take her out so he can get down to business - stealing or destroying Van Mark's research in anti-Transformer technology. He twists suddenly in the air, letting the Skystriker's cannonfire fly right past him, and then raises his arm again, responding with a burst from his own cannon. "Leave, human, while you still can, and we will take the technology and go. No one has to die here," he declares, not knowing what the ninja have already done inside.

>> Valour strikes Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 with Gatling Cannon . <<

The Akakage ninja rapidly, all but invisibly vacating the area, bringing their spoils with them. Satan is very slowly winding his way away from the building, clutching a handful of shuriken. He is prepared to attack any surviving security forces at a moment's notice.

Slugfest is still trampling through the hallways, and suddenly he sees a hyooman! He charges at said hyooman, which is also probably a Ninja. "NONONO!" the tiny robo stego says, "No are supposed to be in here!" He revs his chainsaw-back menacingly as he pelts lil feets towards the ninja.

Sparks fly from the front fuselage and left wing of the Skystriker from the gatling cannon. Scarlett curses under her breath, having been taking lessons from Flint and Shipwreck. She checks her weapons list, and nods to herself, "Still plenty left..." She pulls up and as she does, something detaches from the belly of the Skystriker. It whistles on its way down, is that... Yes, a large bomb is dropping towards Valour....

>> Skystriker II XP-21F #3142 misses Valour with Bomb. <<

Valour sees the bomb coming, and transforms, jetting out of the way... allowing the bomb to hit and level the building, revealing the mangled scraps of what once was a massive anti-Transformer cannon. Smoke and dust from the building wash over Satan and Slugfest, who were far enough from the dropzone to be covered in soot but not enough to be seriously injured.

Valour, seeing his prize destroyed, orders his team to pull out and return to Trypticon. He swoops down low to make sure Dreadwind gets back as well.

The tiny dinosaur saws right through a couple of fleeing ninja. Satan's eyes go wide in behind his mask. He grunts and without hesitation flings shuriken at the metal dinosaur.

"Sonuva..." Scarlett yells out. Hawk is going to ground her for life now, most likely.... She moves to make an immediate landing... to hopefully see that no one is still inside the building, or what remains of it.

Skystriker II XP-21F #3142> Scarlett sends off a quick report to the Pit, and than climbs out of the Skystriker.

Slugfest squeals as several shuriken embed themselves in his armor! However he does manage to catch one in his mouf. Further angered, the tiny stego seeks to trample the ninja that hurted him! "OW OW OW OW OW! Make you feel owies now!"

>> Slugfest fails his generic combat roll against Satan. <<

Satan rolls away from the trampling dino with grace and attempts to disappear behind another smoke bomb.

>> Satan retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Slugfest, Over Kill, Valour, and Scarlett. <<

Scarlett hears the squeal, and looks in that direction, "Great, just what I need to end the day.. a Dinosaur.... and a Red Ninja." She moves to the storage area under the Skystriker, and quickly grabs her personal weapons. She brings up her crossbow, loads a quarrel into it, and turns back to the combatants. She smiles, and fires at the Dinosaur, as the Red Ninja begins to flee....

>> Scarlett succeeds with her generic combat roll on Slugfest. <<

A tiny stego is currently chasing after the ninja, so his back is to Scarlett. His tail is straight up, and then the arrow hits. Right in the butt, under the tail! The stego squeals bloody murder and jumps about 10 feet straight up, then runs off yelping!

>> Slugfest retreats from the area, leaving himself open to Satan, Over Kill, Valour, and Scarlett. <<

Satan and the other Akakage ninja have disappeared without a trace... into the night.

Scarlett watches Slugfest go, unable to prevent a smile from slipping onto her face. She than glances at the remains of the building, and she sighs, deeply, the smile fading away.

<> Slugfest says, "OW OW OW OW OW"

<> Slugfest says, "something pointy hurting tail!"