Once the centre of all Cybertron, Kaon is now a shadow of its former self. The military garrison live isolated in the great fortress of Kolkular and the wealthy elite lock themselves inside heavily-guarded citadels while the underclass live in slums and toil away at heavy industry.
Word of Megatron's return and Gigatron's fall from the throne in neighbouring Polyhex has only just started to spread, but already partisans from both sides are demonstrating in the streets, raising rabble and clashing violently with each other.
Something more sinister is spreading as well. Discontent among the city's rich and powerful over Kaon's fall from grace has been rife for years. But as they watch the working-class citizens squabble over which leader to follow, more and more of the wealthy are starting to whisper...maybe it's time they dispensed with leaders entirely.
(OOC: If you're interested in helping fill out the city's population, give me a shout. We could use a few more characters, including some who'll end up with important roles in the plot. )
The young Decepticon was flying in the airspace around the fortress, performing barrel-rolls and high G-force manoeuvres for the fun of it. Ostensibly he was out on patrol, but he never took that duty very seriously. After all, his sensors were among the most advanced in the Decepticon army and his weapons compliment was barely adequate for strafing ground-based targets, so even if hostiles showed up there wasn't much he could do aside from shooting off a warning to the command centre and then running away.
The small purple aircraft's aerobatics attracted differing reactions from those watching. His fellow soldiers watched his display of flight skill with grudging respect. The plebes living in the city's lower levels looked up longingly, wishing that they had the freedom to fly wherever they wanted without regard for real-life concerns. The wealthy plutocrats who ran the city's economy, on the other hand, looked down on him with utter contempt.
Ransack was blind to it all. He was flying, and that's all that mattered.
Jolt spurred on the "Mecha-Pony" as he surged to the front of the pack. He closed on "the turbo fox" and with a deft swish of his blade amputated it's left hand.
The worker who had fallen foul of the cities eliteblinked at the oil gushing from his stump then staggered on towards the wall of the hunting preserve.
Jolt turned to one of his compatriots
"I bet you 2000 Shannix I get his head for my wall."
He raised his sword
"Tally ho!"
~*~
HQ of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation
Stratus stood alone in the boardroom. The red and blue Skyquake repaint checked that the door was locked before opening his secret panel to reveal inside a room a room filled with pictures and memorobilia.
Stratus slowly opened a display case and hefted a double bladed axe.
He posed in front of mirror holding it.
"Soon Cybertron will tremble when they realise what I have concealed from them for so long. For I am Lord Straxus bwahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahhahahahaa hahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahhhahahahahahahaha."
~*~
Outside the boardroom his secretary glanced nervously over her shoulder as she heard the manaical laughter echoing through the top floor of the building.
The boss had been acting strangely of late , disappearing without a trace, pacing the corridors late at night according to the security guards, he hadn't been the same since his doctor disappeared."
The Predacons wandered the streets of Kaon as a pack. Razorclaw leapt stealthly above buildings, Divebomb soared overhead and Headstrong, Tantrum and Rampage all walked side by side on the streets.
"What a dump why did we stay here?" Divebomb asked.
"Because in the jungle we rule." Was all Razorclaw growled which made the sniper decide to stay in line.
****************************************
Roadblock rode in his tank running debris off the road.
"From Commander to street sweeper, oh yeah this is fun." He said pushing some deactivated mechnoids off the road.
As the large craft flew over the thick, heavily-guarded wall that formed the Polyhex/Kaon border, Overkill could clearly see the difference between the two cities. Where Polyhex was a military town with each neighbourhood laid out precisely to military standards, Kaon was a patchwork, individual streets and buildings designed with an almost random assortment of architectural styles. The cassetticon figured it was probably a manifestation of the decadence that had characterized the city throughout its history. He said so, but no one paid him any attention.
As the shuttle started to turn to the north, Overkill got a good look at the imposing fortress of Kolkular and the acid wastes that stretched beyond it.
"Wow," was all he could think to say.
_________________________________________
Near Kolkular
Ransack was just pulling out of a steep dive when the voice of the fortress' air traffic controller came over the airwaves.
"Ransack, report in."
"I'm here," the small Decepticon replied. "What's going on?"
"We've got a bogey coming in on a bearing from Darkmount heading for the spaceport district," the controller said. "We want you to perform a close-range check on them."
"Sure thing," Ransack replied, climbing back into the air. "Considering what we've been hearing, do we know which commander they're loyal to?"
"Rumour has it that Megatron himself is aboard," the controller said. "But that's for command to figure out. All we need you to do is make sure the ship isn't filled with explosives before we let it land."
"Consider it done," Ransack told him as he tore off southward.
_________________________________________
Command Centre, Kolkular
The controller activated the comm and sent an alert to all off the garrison's Decepticons.
"Unidentified vessel coming from Polyhex," he said. "Alert status two. Command staff please check in."
Big Hook glanced at the hoarding on the building site across the road.
Tanker was planning a new outlet opposite. How could an independent operator hope to survive with competition undercutting the prices and selling them as loss leaders.
Frowning he slammed Stockcar's hood
"One tune up all done you'll wow them come raceday."
Al Fresco's Trattoria
Gondola snapped he fingers
"Another bottle of the 2004 high grade Senor Rapido my glass it is getting empty si?"
Train's Lucky Strike Gym
Train handed Boxcar an oil rag
"Come on champ, you can do it , lets see your moves, and remember to try not to signal your roundhouse so much your opponent will anticipate it. We need you to be top notch for the big fight."
Boxcar swayed unsteadily
"Whatever you say Boss but I t'ink I need to sit down for a bit."
Bombshock watched as the city came into view through his weapons scope.Primus he hated places like this,where the rich ruled and the poor could do so little about it.He'd been on the bottom of the pile for so long he just wanted to blast a few of the mansions to dust,and then atoms for good measure.
"Staxx,Vindicator,any sign of hostile activity?"He asked,aiming his gun at one of the government buildings.
Bridge
Dropshot stood at the back,being a gaurd,again.The city came into sight,and he wondered if there would be a fight,or if the transport would get shot down.Knowing Bombshock was at the controls,it was more likely that there were going to be no AA batteries left,or civillian buildings for that matter.He wasn't one to speak,but Bombshock didn't know when not to shoot.
(OOC: The Darkmount stuff could have stayed in the Polyhex thread until they left, but no big deal.)
Megatron's transport
Megatron brought the ship around the spaceport in a tight loop, trying to find a free landing pad large enough to accommodate them.
He glanced back at Dropshot and said, "Watch the sensors for incoming fliers. I want to know who's watching us before they get close."
___________________________________
On approach
With his magnetic field generator cranked up to maximum to make it hard for anyone on the ship to get a sensor lock on him, Ransack swooped in toward the transport and started to scan.
___________________________________
Al Fresco's Trattoria
Frostburn tried not to sigh as he listened to the newsfeeds from Polyhex. Things looked very, very bad, with someone claiming to be Megatron overthrowing the rightful leader of the Decepticons and Gigatron fleeing the city with a small band of partisans. The aerial warrior suspected that the news was being spun by pro-Megatron mouthpieces before it was released, but still. Things still looked very, very bad.
The Decepticon soldier heard the call from Kolkular's command centre, but ignored it. Roadblock and the Predacons might be trying to pretend like everything was alright, but it wasn't. There was no chain of command anymore, not really, and he saw absolutely no reason to obey any orders that came his way unless they came directly from Gigatron.
Hearing Gondola's order, he waved in the direction of the server mech. "That sounds good," he said. "Get me one too."
(OOC: Frostburn is a repaint of Classics Jetfire done up in silver, light blue and light purple. At some point he'll get a profile.)
The Waiter poured a little of the high grade into a delicate glass.
Gondola tasted it swilling it in her mouth.
"Perfecto,senor an excellent vintage leave the bottle."
Locomotion's Mansion
Guard slid the long handled mirror under the ground car sweeping it back and forth. He then started the engine and opened the doors with the remote control key fob.
The vehicle did not explode.
He made an A Ok sign to Railgun.
"looking good."
Amalgamted Depot
Truck stood in front of the Depot office looking down across the shop floor.
"We are living in interesting times mechs and I know you are a worried, things they are a changing . But remember whoevers in charge at the top the Mafia's always looked after you. Your a loyal to us we're a loyal to you. We need to stick together, we've got a sweet little operation running in Kaon and we want to keep it that way. So whatever happens to begin with we keep our heads down, if things get too bad we might need to take some action but I know I can rely on you, together we'll get through this one way or another.
The crowd of employees went mad cheering and waving their hands in hte air.
"Yes sir."Dropshot said quickly,snapping out of his revry.Which one,which one?Which ones the right sensor?He thought with frustration,hoping to the highest powers,Unicron or Primus,he didn't care which,put him on the right spot.His deductive prowess,or what he thought of as prowess,put him at what looked like the right sensor.He looked over it,but really didn't see anything,at best,a blip of fuzz that could have been one of the many biomechanical fliers or watch camera's.
"Sir" Staxx responded "I'm detecting the standard armament in those building. They are not locking on us at the moment, but it wouldn't take them long to start firing."
Megatrons Transport,Weapons Deck
"I am getting the same readings as Staxx" Vindicator replied to Bombshock. "If I detect any agressive motiong I will open fire."
Stratus gripped the handrail of the catwalk as he looked down at the latest subsidary of Sirius Cybernectics in it's guise as Sirius Enterprises plc. The big echoing foundry was empty except for himself and the forman who was giving a guided tour.
He turned to the foreman.
"If I understand correctly the scrap goes in the crucible and is reduced down to it's component parts, a Smelter if you will."
The foreman nodded
"That's right zur. Very efficent it be"
Stratus his eyes ablaze looked at the foreman
"Do you enjoy working for Sirius."
The forman blinked
"Well zur it's early days yet, I'm sure we can come to an equitable arrangement.
Stratus leaned closer
"That's not what I heard I hear as shop steward of the union your encouraging your fellow workers to strike for better pay and conditions."
The Forman shuffled
"only doing my job zur , got to look after the working mech.
Stratus moved closer producing an axe from subspace he demolished the security camera with one swipe.
"Very commendable if misguided you see...."
Stratus backhanded the foreman over the safety rail and down into the red glowing slag in the crucible below.
"you'd have been better off looking after yourself."
The foreman scrabbled madly against the sides hanging on precauriously
"help me zur, zurrrrr I'm sure we can....
Stratus pressed a button on the console which churned up the slag and the undertow sucked at the foreman pulling him in.
"AAaaaaghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
He screamed in pain as he slowly melted.
Stratus raised a Dictaphone to his lips
"memo to personnel, place advertisment for new foreman at the ironworks. An opening has occured due to the unexpected need to terminate an employee due to sedition."
He gazed deep into the churning cherry red metal.
"Excellent just what I need."
He raised the dictaphone to his lips again.
"Memo to maintenance Security camera in section Z2-45F needs replacing."
"All righty then."He swung his guns at the spaceports main AA batteries, smiling as he did so.He could get used to this,the whole being called sir and having his orders carried out.If,they actually did what he said,which would remain to be seen. "If they so much as target lock,blast them so far into the pit they won't be coming back."He said to Staxx and Vindicator.
Bridge
"Um,sir?"Dropshot queried,trying to get Megatrons attention. "I think we have a flyer,cause someone has just started scanning us.But,thing is,I ain't getting much on rader.Interference....I think."He petered off,his expierence with aircraft and aircraft things other then Tracer was absolutely zero.
Megatron located a good landing spot and guided the shuttle downward.
"Is that so?" The Decepticon leader smiled a little bit at Dropshot's report. "Well, I certainly hope the local garrison is competent enough to have someone trail an unidentified shuttle entering their airspace without permission. If they hadn't sent anyone I would have had to have executed their commander on sight. Can you give me a visual?"
At the same time as he was talking, he plumbed his memory, digging up what he knew about the various fliers assigned to Kaon. Then his smile grew a bit wider.
"If it's who I think it is," he told Dropshot, "he's not going to open fire on us any time soon. Or me at least."
_________________________________________
Above the Spaceport
Ransack flew closer to Megatron's shuttle and continued to scan the transport as deeply as he could.
"Control, I don't think they're carrying anything other than personnel."
"Acknowledged, Ransack," the tower controller told him. "Keep pacing the shuttle until it touches down."
_________________________________________
Al Fresco's Trattoria
Frostburn got his drink, then glanced over at Gondola. "And what exactly is a femme like you doing in a dump like this?" he asked with no real curiosity in his voice. He found it hard to muster much interest in anything right now, but figured that conversation was better than listening to tales of woe and doom on the newsfeeds.
The tone in his voice left it open to interpretation whether he meant the restaurant in particular or Kaon in general.
Gondola stared down her nose at Frostburn then lifted it into the air.
"You do not know who i am. I 'appen to be the best Polo player in 27 solar systems. I 'ave my own scented oil Chukka for mechs and High Octane for femmes. I 'appen to be a well reknowned model , I have inspired Slog, Dismembered Chassis 34 was inspired by me and you ask me who I am"
"Doesn't ring a bell," Frostburn told Gondola with a shrug. "But then, I don't get back to the home world that often anymore. My work keeps me in space most of the time. In fact, this is my first time back home since the Quintessons were chased away." He paused for a second. "I've seen that piece of Slog's, though. He kept a holodisplay of his work in his quarters on the Nemesis, and it was one of the pieces high up in the rotation."
"I'm an Argentinean myself Argent's a lovely planet but i t'ink it's also good to come back to the birthplace of our culture yes, plus Senorita Loca is paying well. Which colony do you come from? I'm Gondola by the way. Ah yes good viejo Slog he 'as is funny methodos but once you get to know 'im 'e is a very funny mech. 'is is 'ow you as viscious as a Sirenean Slagbat."
Gondola leaned closer
"So what do you do Chico and what brings you to Als's place."
"Actually, I don't suppose I'm really from anywhere anymore," Frostburn told Gondola, "although I was actually brought online the first time less than ten miles from here. I've spent so much time travelling since then that I'm not sure I'd say I'm 'from' Kaon anymore, but it's home."
He glanced around the restaurant furtively, as if he was looking around for any Megatron-partisans before continuing. "Actually, I work for Gigatron as a special agent of sorts. I'm set up with a lot of equipment that's very useful for solo deep-space travel, and he's got a lot of interests on the colonies and beyond. I was actually just on Argent a few months ago, during my last tour of duty. I'm here because it was high time for a vacation, but considering the news coming out of Polyhex I'm probably going to be looking for a new job tomorrow."
He delivered the last part of that line with poorly-disguised bitterness.
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