Recruitment

Mixmaster

Characters: Cyclonus, Mixmaster, Nemesis, Nightshade, Scourge, Starscream, Windshear  

Location: Decepticon Headquarters - Polyhex  

Date: December 02, 2012  

Players: Bzero (Cyclonus, Mixmaster), Darksabrz (Nemesis, Nightshade), ShebaKoby (Scourge), StarscreamF15 (Starscream, Windshear)  

TP: Dweller TP  

Summary: Mixmaster attempts to recruit Starscream into the Dweller's legions.

  As logged by Mixmaster - Sunday, December 02, 2012, 6:55 PM    

Decepticon Headquarters - Polyhex - Equatorial Cybertron

 

Darkmount is a fortress on Cybertron, the capital of Decepticon-controlled Polyhex. For a period of time during the Great War it was the seat of power for Lord Straxus, who fed dissenters to the smelting pool, a cauldron of magma which sat menacingly in Darkmount's shadow. The smelting pool empties through ducts into a canyon which Darkmount overlooks. Darkmount is currently controlled by Cyclonus.

   

Starscream stands there fuming after Cyclonus and some of his lackeys leave. He doesn’t realize he’s not alone in the room and says suddenly, "Just who were you before this, Cyclonus?" yes the gears are turning, the Air Commander is plotting and he’s plotting against the purple wanna be leader. But right now that’s not what needs his full attention. This invasion with the Trans-Organics does and the Zombie Seeker's knowledge and cure/not cure might be the key to it. The key to getting one up on Cyclonus and the key to defeating these things and taking back their homeworld. But that means he’s got to cut him loose from the Brig and frankly the Air Commander doesn’t want to. His reasons why are his own but he knows he’s got to tread lightly here or it will backfire.  

  Mixmaster flits between buildings in Polyhex, his chemical cannon cradled in his arms. His optics glow with a fevered brightness, and his sickly green skin ripples with nano-virus. Mixmaster laughs to himself manically. Mixmaster watches citizens run to and fro as the warriors continue to man the battlements and the civilians try to avoid the attacks of flying Trans-Organics that occasionally swoop down from above.    

Starscream catches something out of the corner of his optic suddenly and brings his weapons back online. He turns toward what he thought he saw and then thinks he just heard something that sounded almost like laughter. "Who’s there?" he asks firmly though unable to stop a bit of uncertainty in his voice.  

  Mixmaster cackles, "Well, well, well, if it's not the Screamer. We have ways of making you scream -- oh, boy, we do. You will scream as we consume your body and burn your mind!" Mixmaster isn't being very sneaky.    

Starscream brings his left arm cannon up to zero in on Mixmaster, "You will pay for your treason as will everyone else working with these, creatures!" he glances up and around as he hears battling off in the distance. These freaks are trying to break into Polyhex and -- he suddenly looks back at Mixmaster. "Come here to spy for your masters? What a lovely slave you make, moron."  

  Mixmaster cackles, "Spy? No. I'm a recruiter." Mixmaster brings up his chemical cannon, and aims it directly at Starscream's chest.  

  Starscream cycles through his battle systems and settles on his signature weapon. "Recruiter? Here’s my answer." and he fires.  

>> Starscream strikes Mixmaster with Null-Ray <Medium>. <<  

  Before Mixmaster can fire his sludge cannon, he is hit by the much-faster Air Commander's null ray, which disrupts the energy virus and drops Mixmaster like a stone.    

Starscream chuckles that lovely little evil inside joke way he’s got and walks toward the fallen Mixmaster. "Looks like you won’t make your quota today." he reaches down and opens an access panel on the Constructicon's chest. Then he swiftly disconnects the mechs weapons systems.  

  A power-down sound is heard, and within Mixmaster's chest, something wriggles and twists in the semi-darkness.  

  Mixmaster's chest is full of wriggling not-so-nano-anymore sluglike invaders    

Starscream realizes he saw something that did not look right and opens Mixmaster access panel again.

His optics widen slightly as he sees several black sluglike things writhing around inside the Constructicons circuitry. "What’s this?" he asks to himself as he extracts a set of giant tweezers for want of a better word out of subspace. He grabs on and lifts it up and closer to his face to get a better look at it. He also starts running several spectrum scans on it through his optics as he studies it.  

  The nano-virus is growing more complex, forming larger creatures with greater capacity for intelligence... and much more difficult to root out without killing the host.    

Starscream realizes this and decides to kill the one he’s extracted from Mixmaster. He runs a lethal electrical charge down through his hand to the tweezers to electrocute it then tosses it aside. the Air Commander looks again into the mechs chest and realizes this won’t be easy to take care of. Then he realizes something and opens his commlink.  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Nemesis, report."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...what do you want now?"  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream doesn’t come back with something smart for a change. "I need you to run a scan on Windshear -- he’s in the Brig, Cell 1. I need a very detailed scan of his systems. I’m looking for any...creatures."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis sighs. "How many others are presently in the brig?"  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Just him, why?"  

Mixmaster lays twitching on the ground. Like Bombshell, he takes an extremely long time to recover from having his systems disrupted.  

  Starscream keeps an optic on the Cosntructicon, occasionally looking toward the direction of the battle.  

  It sounds like the Air Warriors are the gates are sorely pressed, and reports start coming in of what look like infected Transformers joining the fray.  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says sweetly, "Cyclonus? How goes the battle?"  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Just making sure that I'm not going to have more work to do because Windshear wasn't placed under medical quarantine -- at least, I can find no documentation indicating as such."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "He was and released -- but something’s just been discovered in another of the mechs turned by this nanovirus. I doubt there’s anything like this involved with him but check anyway."  

  Starscream reaches into sub-space and pulls out a specimen container. Then he reaches in with his giant tweezers. He removes several of the slugs and sealed them into the specimen jar. Once he’s sure the lid is secure he puts it all back into sub-space and then nudges the Constructicon roughly. "I didn't shoot you that hard -- guess you truly are weak... only thing going for you is Devastaator pfft."    

Scourge arrives after cleaning up from when Hubcap was here. "Wh-what are those?!" Scourge exclaims.  

  Mixmaster moans softly. He seems to be swimming in and out of consciousness, moaning to himself. With the Dweller's energy disrupted, Mixmaster seems unable to recover on his own.    

Starscream spins around, "What are you doing here?!" he blurts out and then looks back at Mixmaster.

He runs a scan on him and frowns. "Interesting." he mutters and kneels down to try and repair him from his null shot.    

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Fair enough. This nanovirus... is there a sample of it on hand, perchance? There's someone I want to run it against, see if it's like one that the Decepticons have seen before."    

"What's wrong with him?" Scourge wonders, pointing at Mixmaster. "He seems ill."  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Oh I’m sure none of us have run across this before. There should be a sample in the lab -- or you can get it from Windshear. It seems part of the code incorporated into his BIOS, though he’s not infected anymore."  

  <<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Given Windshear's report... I think you might be surprised. Something similar has been encountered -- I won't go so far as to say that it's the same, especially given that the mental changes also incorporated physical alteration in the process. But I would like to confirm it. As for Cybertron... I think I have someone in mind for that particular mission, and she /might/ stand a better chance of succeeding in reconnaissance, at least. But to be certain, I want to analyze the nanovirus itself."  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "The battle for Polyhex is not going well. More of these energy vampires have arrived, and are turning our fallen into more of their own."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...energy vampires?"  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "Yes. Another side-effect of this nano-virus is that some turn into some sort of mindless energy-draining beings."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...I think Nightshade should join you, Cyclonus."  

  Mixmaster is SEVERELY low on energon, as if the nano-virus used up almost all of his reserves.  

  <<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "That may be wise. We can use all the help we can get."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Well, with her own nature... I think she could siphon from the energy vampires as well as they could from her. Or at least, she should be able to."  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "That would be a unique asset. As it is, we are losing our troops to theirs at an alarming rate, and.... by Unicron!"  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Windshear has retained the energon 'sense' and draining abilities. And Nemesis, I want to see the datafiles on the other virus that was similar. Perhaps we could glean something from it to help in the present situation...Cyclonus, hard pressed you say? I thought you were.. better than that..."  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "A massive Trans-Organic has been spotted."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream smirks. All the fool has to do is ask and he will help but he won’t do it without helping. And of course he has to taunt. "Can't you deal with it? Aren't you a product of Unicron's.. bowels as the Sweeps are? Come now that’s all the rest of us 'lowly' mechs hear -- is how superior the lot of you are..."    

Starscream is working on Mixmaster as he talks on the chan. "Scourge, I need your energon reserves." he says bluntly as he opens a panel on his forearm to disengage one of his own energon lines to assist the Constructicon. And through all this the Air Commander is as freakily gentle in his repair touch as he always is.    

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "A Trans-Organic easily the size of Trypticon is approaching the city."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream snorts, "Any excuse, Cyclonus..."  

  Starscream pauses as he sees a shadow in the sky. He looks over toward it and sees the Trans-Organic Cyclonus just warned about on the chan.  

  <<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear has been listening the whole time and finally cuts in, "It is The Master -- The Dweller, the one behind this all."  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "We are barely holding against its minions. If this...

Dweller reaches the city, it may fall."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "In the other situation, there was no need for a cure. It bonded with her so fully that it went from viral to symbiotic. Removing it would kill Nightshade."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream is enjoying this immensely, "And?" he prods, waiting to be asked to assist, "Not in that nature but this nanovirus integrated into Windshear's BIOS and permanently altered him but... I have to know if there is anything.. inside him besides code."  

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear Wait, what?  

  Starscream glances at the slug he electrocuted and reopens his chan.    

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Electrocute them -- the Transformers under the nanovirus' effects."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Bringing up the nanovirus readings, cross-referencing with Deadite infestation now..."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Scanning..."  

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says, "Is anyone going to answer me? What’s inside me? Is anything inside me besides me, I mean I’m me, inside -- outside, but there’s nothing else -- well scan away, sir."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "Hold on... I'm having the computer analyze the two samples. It'll upload to me while I check you out."  

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says, "Well don’t be shy, I don’t want to have anything besides me inside me..." he stops suddenly. In some circles that definitely sounds wrong.  

  Mixmaster lays on the ground, body twisted and ravaged by an advanced nano-infection.    

Starscream takes a reading on him after he infuses him with some energon. He doesn’t like the readings he’s getting nor does he like the way Mixmaster is acting. He glances back at the one he electrocuted and looks back at Mixmaster. Of course! He nulled the current in the mech and the physical manifestations of the virus went out of control, sucking the energy from the mechs lasercore so... He pulls off his left arm cannon, opens a panel and starts tinkering.    

Mixmaster and Bombshell did seem to suffer most from energy-disruptive attacks.    

"So this is the energy drain virus' effect?" Scourge wonders, rubbing his bearded chin.  

  The shriek of aerial engines can be heard, apparently "buzzing the tower" before coming in for a landing. The craft itself is an odd amalgamation of tetrajet and sweepcraft, though the wingfins are oddly shaped, like the organic wingspan of a bat. As it descends, it transforms into Nightshade, who lands with a *crunch* on her feet and begins moving, heading for the others. "Nice party, Commanders," she comments as she closes. "Intelligence operative Nightshade, reporting. I hear Father dearest wanted to send me into the lions' den for one of his experiments." With a frenetic twisting, contorting and shifting (complete with sound effects), Nightshade transforms into her fearsome robot mode.  

  Starscream says, "I ... inclusive right now, Scourge." he looks up as Nightshade comes in and lands then goes back to his arm cannon he’s modifying. "Whatever it is that you do, Nightshade use it to help defend this city." he stands and puts the cannon back onto his arm. "I have a mech to electrocute." and he fires at the prone Constructicon.  

  <<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...Cyclonus, has Nightshade arrived yet, or is she lolly-gagging around and gallivanting still across the cosmos?"  

<<Decepticon>> Nightshade says, "Ha. Ha. Ha. Your wit, Father, is impeccable as always. I just arrived -- scouted out the attack force before coming in for a landing. You are looking at the nanovirus, right?"  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "If she is here, she is inside the city. I am still without its walls, marshalling our remaining forces."  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...Cyclonus, pull them back. Nightshade, I want you to do something for me. Go outside, see what happens."  

<<Decepticon>> Nightshade says, "...you sent me to Cybertron, just to have me talk a walk outside Polyhex? I wonder about you sometimes, Father."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream cuts in suddenly, "Let him stay and fight -- that’s what he wanted to do." he’s trying not to sound arrogant and happy with cys present situation but isn’t doing a great job at hiding it.  

  Nightshade holds up a hand. "Wait..." She moves down to Mixmaster, kneeling and looking over him carefully. "Strange..."  

  <<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says quietly, "I still have influence over the transorganic, why am I still in the brid, Commander?" his question was for Starscream.  

  Mixmaster writhes on the ground as Starscream blasts him with electricity, trying to kill the slugs that have invaded his body.  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, ""Because you disobeyed orders that’s why you are still in the brig, Windshear."  

<<Decepticon>> Nightshade says, "Besides, Father, there's two infected inside the city. This... looks all too familiar. I feel like I'm looking into a funhouse reflection mirror."    

Starscream motions Scourge toward Mixmaster, "Hold him down!"  

  "If those are slugs, maybe we should just pour salt on them," Scourge deadpans.    

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says, ""I can help in this. I need to get to Cybertron.""  

<<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "...that would confirm the analysis, then. The Dweller is also the source of the Deadite infestation. There's subtle molecular-quantum differences between you and this version of the nanovirus, but there's far too many markers matching up for my liking."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "I said no, Windshear. That’s an ORDER!"    

Nightshade looks up suddenly. "Let him out."  

  Starscream looks at Nightshade, "What?" he blurts. Starscream twitches a wing at Scourge comment, "For Primus sake, Scourge then SALT HIS AFT -- DO whatever you want but hold him down and don’t let the slugs get on you!"  

  <<Decepticon>> Nemesis says, "He's clean, by the way, Starscream."    

"Let. Him. Out." Nightshade looks at Starscream curiously. "Hopefully saying it the second time was clearer for your audials." Yep, someone inherited Nemesis's wit. "The fact that he's retained his intellect and sentience is indicative enough that the changes wrought to him aren't so bad that he would be a danger in that regard. And if he's a danger in other ways... well, being what he is myself, I've got a bit of an advantage in knowing how to deal with him."  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, ""Excellent, Nemesis."  

Starscream scowls at the insult from Nightshade. He doesn’t want to let Windshear out because.. because.. the shape he came back in after the last encounter the Zombie Seeker had trying to stop these Transorganics. He won’t lose one of his best Seekers. That is what he keeps telling himself, even if his real reason isn’t that. But that’s all anyone else would ever be told. "If I release him will you answer for his safety? My Seekers are an asset to this Empire -- everyone knows it. I cannot afford to lose any of them. If you cannot see to his safety you will answer for it. Do I make myself clear?"    

"Within certain limits, yes." Nightshade shrugs after a moment. "Granted, I'm not taking him out into the field with me, because he doesn't have the training or fieldcraft expertise to do what I do. But if he can sense this Dweller figure... well, that's a benefit that we wouldn't be able to access if he stays locked away on Earth, now, is it? The most I'll do is try to determine just how much range he has in homing in on the Dweller... and perhaps see if I can do the same thing."    

Starscream smirks, "Don’t underestimate this Seeker, Nightshade." and rather grudgingly he opens his faction comm again.    

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says flatly, "Release Windshear."  

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says, ""I thought you said I had to stay, it was your orders..."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream huffs, "I know what I said they are my orders and I can change my orders if I want to, understand? You are released. Go to Cybertron and... do what you can against the Dweller and nothing more. Understand?"  

<<Decepticon>> Ace Pilot Windshear says, ""I understand, sir."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Report to the coordinates I have transmitted, Windshear."    

Mixmaster lays on the ground, twitching after a surgical electrocution. Outside, Trans-Orgasnics swarm the gates, and a few venture over the wall, to snatch at roving citizens before being atomized by AA fire.  

  Windshear comes in fast, taking a count of all the transorganics trying to breech Polyhex but as ordered he heads for the coordinates that he was given. He transforms and descends abruptly. Black and gray Cybertronian Tetrajet folds in to become pretty boy Decepticon, Windshear  

  Starscream runs another scan on the Constructicon as he head Windshear come in, transform and land behind him. "Took you long enough." he says and smirks slightly. "Nightshade has left to try and stop the Trans-Organics -- use any influence you have remaining to try and turn this battle around."  

  Windshear studies Mixmaster for a moment and then nods, "As you command." and he turns and starts toward the battle. He notices the Dweller even this far away and can sense him in his mind. But he is not under the monsters control now. If anything he can sense what they are about to do.  

  Mixmaster seems to be stable for now, but will need a lot of replacement energon, as well as a good dose of the cure. For now, though, Starscream's experiment seems to have worked.  

  Scourge can sense that the treatment is working. "Good," he rumbles, "Maybe we should give this to the TransOrgamics."  

  Starscream focuses on Scourge as he watches Windshear head toward the battle, "This isn’t a cure for them. This is barely anything for Mixmaster right now. It’s just bought him some time is all. But... recalibrate your laser, Scourge, this will stop the freshly converted I’m sure."  

  Mixmaster moans quietly, turning his head from side to side deliriously    

Starscream brings his attention back to Mixmaster and kneels back down to him. He scans him again and frowns. "I’ve got to get him to the repair bay." he says not really caring if anyone answers him or not.  

  Mixmaster is in no condition to argue.  

  Scourge nods at Starscream and starts working on his laser so that it will be recalibrated.    

Starscream scoops Mixmaster up and turns heading back into the base. As he passes other mechs he gives orders to secure the perimeter as it appears Polyhex may be compromised at any moment. After several minutes he enters the repair bay and sets Mixmaster down onto a repair table. HE starts setting up machines and getting equipment ready and as he does he says, "You owe me for this, Mixmaster... and you can be sure I will collect but..." he turns back to the mech and opens up his chest panel again.

The Air Commander wrinkles his nose a bit as he sees dead slugs all through the mechs circuitry. He grabs some industrial tweezers and starts playing 'operation' inside the mechs chest.  

  Mixmaster is repaired back to something approaching his original state.    

Starscream monitors the machines readings and is pleased that the Constructicon is stabilizing. He looks at the tray with the dead slugs and isn’t sure yet if he’s got them all but at least they are dead. The Air Commander then goes to a cabinet and removes something from a box and heads back. It’s a large syringe with a murky green fluid in it. Without a word he injects it straight into a main line inside the mechs chest and then watches the monitors.    

Mixmaster jolts and twitches on the table as the fluid burns away all of the remaining nanobots still infecting his system.  

  Starscream is satisfied with what the monitors are saying and then makes some final adjustments to an energon feed he’s got hooked up to the mech. Then he closes Mixmaster's chest and takes a seat nearby. He can hear the battle raging outside and though he really wants to get out there and help, no, Cyclonus has to ask for it. He will not let that mech think he’s in command.  

  Starscream reads the report Cyclonus just entered and snickers.  

  Mixmaster slips into a restful slumber, and slowly returns to some semblance of normal.  

  <<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says arrogantly, "Sounds like someone is having some problems. If you can't even stop an attack on Polyhex how are you supposed to command this Empire, let alone me?"  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "Starscream, your self-serving arrogance could not be more inappropriate."  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "If Polyhex is lost due to your inaction, you can be sure that if Megatron doesn't kill you for your treason, I will."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream chuckles, "Who says this is going to be my fault if Polyhex falls?"  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream adds, "And you fail to realize that with Megatron gone, I am in command not you, not anyone else."

  <<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "Again, that is your assumption and perception, not truth.  But if you feel jockeying for position is more important than saving to fight our headquarters on Cybertron, than you are only proving to us all how truly unfit you are to lead."  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream snorts, "Really? The same can be said for you as well and you know it. Who started this to begin with, Cyclonus? Oh..." his voice starts dripping in mock sincerity, "... by the way, how’s the face?"  

<<Decepticon>> Cybertron CO Cyclonus says, "I am the one here fighting in the field right now, Starscream, while you talk and prattle. Your cowardice is sickening. Cyclonus out."  

  Starscream glances at Mixmaster and smirks.  

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, ""Not fighting hard enough by your own prattle.."  

  Mixmaster is sadly unconscious and misses the petty exchange. =D