TFARCHIVE FORUMS

When last we left our heroes (in Ch3 Battle scars)...

The Autobots were fortifying their ranks and making preparations.
The transformers had all retreated from Cybertron as Quintessons and a hate plague took over, and they fled to Earth. Upon arrival, the Decepticons established a base in Carbombya and the Autobots established their base in the mountains of Colorado. The Decepticons attacked and retreated, having done and received a great amount of damage. The Autobot scout Hound followed them back, and subsequently fell to an explosion and was captured. The Decepticons reprogramed him and rebuilt him. Eventually he made his way back to the Autobots with Buzzsaw in an effort to follow Galvatron's orders and spy on the Autobots, but Hound was recaptured and a group of Autobots led by Red Alert is still in pursuit of Buzzsaw.

Both factions began searching for other methods to gain energy, with their focus on the eventual retake of Cybertron. The Decepticons made an alliance with the human leader Fakkadi of Carbombya, while the Autobots sent Smokescreen to ease the mistrust among the humans that felt the Autobots had abandoned the Earth to the Decepticons (long ago). The Decepticons sought to prevent the alliance, and captured Smokescreen in order to gain his abilities for their own use.

In the idle time during recovery from the last conflict, many Decepticons have grown anxious. Leozak has spent much energy on recruiting, organizing, and training troops to support him in his attempt to overthrow the current Decepticon leadership. Simultaneously, Soundwave is putting his own coup into action.

For apparently benign reasons, Galvatron has released Smokescreen from the Decepticons’ care. Immediately following his release, Gigatron has returned to Metrotitan after months of his mysterious absence. Currently, the leadership are preparing to send Hound’s removed memory chips to a human processing plant in Japan…

If I missed any major points, at some point very soon either someone else or myself will do a synopsis in the Starting Gate- history section, or else send it to me in a PM and I'll edit it in

Viewfinder silently followed a Micromaster with his optics as the smaller Decepticon passed, then raised his wrist to his face when he thought it was safe.

"Affirmative, Soundwave. Standing by."

********

Galvatron's Quarters...

Gigatron glared at Smokescreen as he passed before proceeding into Galvatron's lair. He nonchalantly pushed the doors closed and caressed his wounds.

"Not a courtesy call, I pray..."

With the ease of the chamber's dweller himself, Gigatron summoned a seat from the floor and dropped his frame into it. He was rather obviously weary, despite his expectantly vibrant demeanor.

"Yes, I fear I've been gone too long. The enemy I battled so vehemently in my time learned the details of my absence, and developed a device to summon my energy signature back to the future. I found myself surrounded by them, in a world where I was the last of our kind. I managed to escape, but not completely without incident..."

He looked down at his frame and examines the numerous holes. One seemed to be leaking rather obtusely again.

"Nevertheless, I destroyed their device, its history, and their technical expert before escaping to today again. It's been a rather harrowing experience, I must admit."

As he trailed off, his optics floated to the door. He couldn't help wondering why no one had attempted to take his place...

Hatemonger watched as Tracer opened fire on the target and the stray shot from Leozak.

"Not bad." he nodded but then decided to do his own display of power.

He aimed just one of his fusion cannons at a target and opened fire, not just hitting the target but completely vaporizing it. He smiled as the melted base of the target was all that remained.

"Indeed..." galvatron's face grew into a contemptuous snarl.

"For a second in command... you surely could have finished those pathetic fools off sooner... you ARE as powerful as you THINK you are, yes?"

Galvatron took in a deep, yet unnecessary breath, letting it out, his optics dimmed momentarily...


"You will again rule over the decepticons, Gigatron. I have business I must attend to... On Cybertron. But know this. I have my sources... fail me here.... and I will have your head! Now... go get yourself into suitable shape again, and seek me out when you're in acceptable condition..."

Gigatron's optics narrowed, pinching out the crimson light much more brightly. He tilted his head slightly but kept his optics locked on Galvatron's, trying to better read his commander's intentions. After a moment, he slid his hands to his hips, no longer concerned with his wounds, and laughed heartily.

"I see you've expanded your brand of humor since I've been gone, Galvatron!"

His laughter faded into a chuckle, and he capped it with a sigh.

"I appreciate your faith, but you should carry more confidence with it. I've not failed you yet, have I? Your contempt would be better used on the Quintessons, I think."

With a vague nod to the side, Gigatron turned for the door. However, he stopped himself after a few steps, turned his head back to Galvatron, and began unsheathing an item from the compartment in his chest...

"By the way, I'm a bit offended that you doubt my power!"

Without turning his body, he bowled a dark orb across the floor. A black head, somewhat reminiscent of Optimus Prime's, stared up from Galvatron's feet through shattered optics. Gigatron grinned widely, threw the doors open, and continued into the hall.

"Hail Galvatron!" he cried to the Officers' Deck as he transformed...

********

Medbay...

Aaaah.

It had been far too long since someone had pampered Gigatron properly. Hidden away in the officers' corner of the infirmary, he sat comfortably in a large energon spa outlined in the shape of a Decepticon logo. Medical Metrodrones hung from their slides on the ceiling in order to work on the wounds on his chest and shoulders. He puffed casually on an energon vaporator, despite the drones' regular pleas that he not for the sake of the procedure. Luxury indeed.

Gigatron popped the vaporator in his mouth, threw his arms to his sides to rest them on the edge of the spa, and dropped his head back. He sighed deeply, his optics floating about the room. Most of it was neat and pristine, though off in the opposite corner were mostly medical supplies. He eyed up a particularly conspicuous crate and zoomed in to get a better look...

"Mechrodronnne?" he slurred over the cylinder of his vaporator before removing it from his mouth.

A Metrodrone scuttled over from its nearby stacking duties. "Yes, Sub-Commander Gigatron."

Gigatron nodded to the crate. "Tell me about the contents of that storage unit."

The Metrodrone whirred and maneuvered over to the supplies, where it examined the serial number on the crate, relayed it to Metrotitan's database, and returned to Gigatron's side.

"Storage Unit DMS-3004287. Length: six point one feet. Height: four point nine feet. Width: six point one feet. Filed: two orns, five breems and one hundred sixty seven astroseconds prior to time of request. Contents: disembodied memory chips of Autobot scout Hound, removed by Decepticon surgical engineer Hook. Status: awaiting decoding."

Gigatron raised his optic-ridges and cocked his head, looking a bit surprised at the news.

"Really..."

The Metrodrone buzzed for a moment, struggling to copy the request.

"Metrodrone, have that unit prepared for transport at once. Starscream, Thrust, Darkwing, Dreadwind, and Hooligan, report to medbay post-haste for assignment instructions."

The Metrodrone saluted awkwardly and scooted off to prepare the crate for transport. Gigatron sighed again and slipped a bit deeper into the spa...

Thrust made his way to the medbay in eager strides. Maybe now that Gigatron had come back - he'd seen him briefly in the hallway before, and taken seeing him alive as a sign that fate was favouring the Decepticons again - he would be given something to do other than guard duty.

"Reporting as ordered, sir."

Darkwing and Dreadwind, hearing their names, ran from Shockwave's office, excited about finally being given an assignment.

Runabout and Runamuck, meanwhile, remained behind.

Tracer looked carefully about him, on guard, and maybe slightly irritated from the shot that passed close by him. Either someone was playing a joke on him, or someone had taken a potshot at him and instead wound up hitting the target and bolted quickly. Either way, they'd best hope he didn't find them...

He turned back to the targets, watching Hatemonger demolished his own target. "Not bad yourself," Tracer called, having heard the previous comment, even from the distance.

Smokescreen had caught a glimpse of Gigatron watching him as he was escorted away. As soon as he was dropped at the Carbombyan border, he watched the Decepticons leave. He shivered involuntarily and darted behind some large sand and rock dunes.

Oi. Now what? They could be watching- waiting for me to call the others and lead them into a trap. What other possible motive could Galvatron have for releasing me? And Gigatron is alive. This is bad.

Smokescreen... you're sounding as paranoid as Red Alert. First thing's first. Call for help and get more space between me and them in case they change their mind.

*He shot a nervous glance back toward the direction the Decepticons left in and picked up his communicator.*

Cyclonus enters the Target Range and looks around.
He looks at the enviroment with disgust.

"Crude... but effective"

He ordered a little target to appear. It moved slowly but then got quicker. Moving and firing at the same time.

Within an instant of the first shot Cyclonus withdrew his blaster and shot a beam straight at the centre of the target as it exploded into fragments of a cybertronian metallic alloy.

He looked at his blaster with a smile.

"As I said... crude but effective"

Corridors of Metrotitan:


Jalgar: -hears the fusion cannon roar and the explosion in the distance as Hatemonger checks his aim, smirks, ears on his cat-like helmet almost twitching- "No style or subtlety. He must hang out with Killbison on his days off....."

************************
Primary Briefing Room, Trypticon:


Killbison: -saying nothing to the Predators, just glaring at them, suddenly sneezes-

*************************
Predator's Cave:


Hellbat: -walks out, making sure not to drop anything, optics wary, some small part of him expecting a trap of some kind(after all, it was what he'd do in this situation.....)-

Gaihawk: -scowling, nods, looks over at Falcon- "Are we ready?"

*************************
Stasis Crypt, Metrotitan:

With a wheeze more reminicient of a death rattle in the darkened crypt, a mechanical arm whirrs out and latches onto the bottom of one of the stasis units, removing it from the honeycomb section of wall and lowering it to the ground. Lights blinking fitfully on the side indicated that the occupant was once more intact, whole, and ready to roll. The pods indicators blinked one more, then stayed lit as with an anticlimactic click, the lid to the pod pops open, rising silently. A hand reached out, gripping the edge as the figure within stood and stepped out of the pod, mentally running systems checks:
Transformation sequencers - check.
Onboard weapons systems - check
Millions of pieces of information bombarded his consciousness as he calmly found his center, found his focus, and reached for his left forearm, hand closing around the grip nestled in the sheath built into his forearm, pulling it free and thumbing the activator switch, smiling as the crackling energy blade sprang to life, running briefly through a blade form designed more to ensure that his movement was still unimpeded, thumbing the activator switch again and returning it to the forearm sheath, optics glowing brightly in the darkness as he steps over to another stasis locker, tabs key, and steps back as the door swings open, his glowing optics the only illumination as he beholds his true face, the shell splitting open at his mental command as he steps inside it.

He becomes the shell.

The shell becomes him.

Gripping the hilt of the katana hanging at his hip, he steps forward, the hollow, empty sockets of his eyes taking in everything as he walks out of the crypt and into Medbay-

Bludgeon: -voice a hollow, echoing thing, harsh and sinister- "It seems nothing has changed in my absence."

Hooligan ambled into the medibay, and waved lazily at those assembled.
"Am I late?" He asked, absent-mindedly rubbing the back of his skull with his launcher arm.

Hatemonger was rather glad to see not all the Decpeticons seemed to forget how to aim or more importantly how to destroy.

Shockwave's Office, Scorponok

The Powermasters have been called away? That is unfortunate. There is a 7% lower chance of success without thier participation.

Shockwave's single optic shifted to the two Battlechargers. "Your waiting is appriciated. However, it would be illogical to begin until all concerned parties have arrived." He noticed several shapes appoaching in the background.

The largest of the approaching figures snarled, "Nnnn. You summoned us, Shockwave?"

"I did, Hun-grrr." He gestured to the Battlechargers. "These two are hereby placed under your command. Take them and see to the security of this city."

Hun-grrr glowered, then spun on his heel and left the office. "Rrrrr. Very well." He gestured to Cutthroat, Rippersnapper, Blot, Sinnertwin, Runamok and Runabout. "Follow me."

Starscream stepped through the med-bay doors his red optics spying Gigatron. He had contempt for the other-universe Decepticon leader getting the command job while Galvatron was gone.

"How can I help you commander his voice held some resent which he passed off by quietening his voice as he said it.

Runner entered the atmosphere and landed on one of Black Zarak's pads. She quickly trasformed in to her car mode and took off twards Shockwave's quarters. She was told by him to go there once arriving. She zoomed down the halls with nerving accuracy. She arrived were shockwave was and trasformed. Noticing the others in tehre she stayed to the back till Shockwave called her forward.

Shockwave's Office

She has arrived. Excellent. Her skills will increase our chance of success by 4%.

Shockwave's optic focused on Runner. He motioned for her to enter, but said nothing. The assignment he had for her was important, and he wasn't going to speak of it in front of inferior units such as the Battlechargers and several of the Terrorcons.

Gigatron looked over the assembled Decepticons and nodded once approvingly. He took one last puff on his vaporator, then tossed it aside and stood in the spa. The Metrodrones buzzed as they attempted to recalibrate their positions to continue working, but a few snapped their hoses and prongs leading into Gigatron's wounds. He held his arms out broadly, motioning for attention.

"Excellent. You five, listen carefully. Over there..."

He motioned to a Metrodrone carrying a reinforced crate at the side of the spa.

"That is your objective. This crate contains the memory chips we removed from the Autobot scout while he was under our... hospitality. The Autobot is known for his excellent memory - if we can decode these chips and learn what he knew, it would be a great asset to our strategic position. You five are to bring the crate to a human processing facility, with which we have contacts, at this location."

Gigatron plucked a small disk, encoded with coordinates to a factory in Japan, from his chest cavity and held it out to the former Air Commander.

"Starscream, I am placing you in charge of this mission, despite the apparent risks. Be warned: I am impatient. Fail me, and your next assignment shall be to report to the end of a gun barrel. Am I understood?"

He raised his head and looked over the assembled group once more, speaking loudly so as to address them all.

"This is a fairly simple task, but one of the greatest importance. Expect Autobot resistence, and deal with them efficiently and lethally should they appear. Now go. I shall expect a positive report upon your arrival."

He nodded to the assembled dismissingly, and as he did, he caught sight of two maroon horns over Hooligan's shoulder. He stopped himself mid-motion to appraise the newcomer.

"No. It can't be..."

Starscream reached out and took the disk from Gigatron with a small smirk on his face. He opened his own chest compartment, that became his nose when he transformed, and inserted it.

"Oh yes mighty Gigatron you are quite understood do not worry. This job will be a piece of energon"

Starscream turned around only to be face to face with the one-time Decepticon leader Bludgeon. What is he doing alive?! Starscream thought as he stepped around him and walked towards the exit watching the the two high-ranking Decepticons while he and his 'team' exited. Apparently Gigatron didn't know he was alive either. This could prove interesting.

Thrust turned his head in the direction that Gigatron was looking. His yellow optics widened in astonishment. Bludgeon? Alive? He didn't let his thoughts dwell on that new observation, though, feeling he had to concentrate on the mission lying ahead of him and the others. He followed Starscream outside. So, looks like Rammers and me aren't gonna be sent out with StarBlade after all... Probably for the better. I've worked under Starscream before, I think I can deal with him... Darkwing and Dreadwind, on the other hand - I hope they won't bicker and mope too much to concentrate on the task at hand... Hope that Hooligan'll concentrate, too...