TFARCHIVE FORUMS

Following the death of the Imperial Magistrate, several Quintesson factions have their eyes set on filling the power vacuum at the top of their race's food chain. These include the Science Directorate, the Judiciary, and General Ghryik's powerful military junta.

In Iacon, Judge Deliberata, fresh off a highly-sucessful (if also highly expensive) mission to retrieve the Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, tries to rally his caste to overthrow Ghyrik's martial law. Quintesson troops in the city are at liberty, with little to know rebel activity in the area.

In Polyhex, Ghyrik has assigned Supreme Baliff Legatus to assume control of the city. Legatus and his army of Dark Guardian Elites have obliterated the city's rulers and instituted a crackdown in retaliation for the Imperial Magistrate's death. Meanwhile, in the subcity, the resistance regroups and repairs after their recent trails.

In Kalis, a small rebel group plots to destroy the local garrison...while at the same time, secretly planning to obliterate one of their own.

At Vector Sigma, Ginrai's group recovers from their brutal battle with the Combiner Elimination Squad, while preparing to attempt to revive their own Guardian unit.

Polyhex, abandoned recording studio of Titanium sounds.


Squawktalk had followed the directions given to him and was hard at work.

"just need to change the format, clean up the video, polish the soundtrack , rerecord it and before you know it we have the finished product oh yes ready to roll."

Kalis, Rebel HQ

Gunrunner stepped carefully towards Cobalt, and offered him the bomb.

Vector Sigma.

Blackstar landed and looked over to Jinrai.

"So whats the plan now?" He asked.

*****************************

Polyhex

Roadblock looked at Bombburst.

"Well there are several old Decepticon radio outposts all over this city. Of course the issue is finding on that works and getting there without the Quints bugging us. But those could broadcast to the whole planet of we got to one." He explained. Not really a huge fan of planning but hey sooner he could stomp Quints the better.

Kalis: garrison center

Lockdown was sitting at his desk sorting through papers when one of the guards walked to the door.

He looked up expectantly and immediately frowned.
"More trouble Bailer?"

The guard nodded. "She's going to fry our auditory circuits. She won't stop the intonation vibrations."

If Lockdown had been able to roll his optics, he likely would have. Instead, he just shook his head. "Likely has malfunctioning volume controls from the loud machinery the mining constructs use. Try to ignore it. Another two cycles is all before the Alligatorcons come around to collect rebels and the energon deposits for the masters."

"But sir..."

"You're dismissed."

The unhappy guard knew better than to argue. The line was drawn and that was the end of discussion on the matter.

As he left though, Lockdown couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. Captives would try almost anything, but rarely had one tried humming its way out.

I wonder if the judges will find amusement in this one? Lockdown thought to himself as he checked the energon deposit records.

The thought was quickly put aside however, when he saw the large amount in storage. He let out a low whistle.

Wow. With that much, the masters could retire our whole garrison and we'd all have enough to exist on for centuries.
The old guard glanced around for a moment, wistfully wondering when the Quintessons might find his work worthy of allowing him to retire without repercussions.

Resistance HQ, Kalis

Cobalt took the bomb from Gunrunner with a nod of thanks, and inspected it for a few moments. After doing so, he nodded again.

"It's not much of a bomb," he lied smoothly. "The thing is so old that the internal charges probably won't go off. Still..." he looked up at Black Battle Convoy, "if you could drop this in their ammo dump, we could try to set it off when we launch the attack. If it still works, we'd seriously reduce the enemy's advantage in terms of firepower."

He didn't mention that the resulting explosion would gut the entire garrison complex and most likely kill the defector as well, of course.
______________________________

Subcity, Polyhex

Bomb-Burst nodded to Roadblock.

"There is a way. That we could be sure. The enemy won't find us."

The Pretender smiled coldly. "A distraction. Or several of them. Would keep the enemy distracted. While we took over. One of these radio outposts."

Activating his comlink, he replied to Squawktalk. "Good. Let me know. When you are done."
______________________________

Imperial Palace, Iacon

Ghyrik sat behind his desk, looking out at the massive communications system that 43-E had spent the last half-hour rigging. Newly-installed monitors stretched along the wall at the other end of the room showed a dozen of the general's top officers, including Supreme Bailiff Legatus.

"Thank you all for coming," the general practically growed. "I know you all have work to get back to, so I'll make this brief. Our intelligence sources inside the Judiciary have interecepted a communique sent out to all their top officials. It seems someone has called an emergency meeting of their executive."

Ghyrik's optics narrowed. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you what this means."

"They're holding a vote," Legatus' said from his screen. Visable behind the ancient Gatekeeper was the throne of Polyhex, telling Ghyrik that his associate had been successful in deposing the city's former leaders. "They mean to elect a new Imperial Magistrate and push us from power."

"Exactly," Ghyrik said. "We cannot let that happen, obviously."

"What do you need from us?" One of the other officers (a rare Inquisitor in the military ranks) asked.

"I have a list of the magistrates who recieved the writ," the general said. "I'm transmitting it to all of you right now. It's cross-referenced by location. Many of these judges are in your juresdictions. Interdict as many of them as you can. If they can't achieve a quorum, they won't be able to hold a vote."

"And if we can't stop enough of them?" Legatus asked.

"Leave that to me," Ghyrik said darkly.

Polyhex, abandoned recording studio of Titanium sounds.

Squawktalk sang too himself as he worked happily away

"excellent its finished , its gonna be a masterpiece."

He opened a com link to Bomburst


"the propaganda is ready to roll, everything is up and running a hundred percent, spliced edited and in the can oh yes . Some of my best work if i say so myself ."



Subcity Polyhex

Beastbox glared at the Autobot cassette combiners sullenly.

He commented loudly to Needlenose

"got to keep an eye on the Autobots , never know what they're planning."

Subcity, Polyhex

Using a small welding tool that he had taken from a medkit in the medical facility Bomb-Burst had pointed out to him, Needlenose carefully worked to seal one particularly large gash on his right leg.

"Eh, they ain't the dudes I'm worried about," he told Beastbox. "I mean, the 'Bots are 'sposeda be above stuff like that, right?"

The Targetmaster shrugged. "'Course, it might be easier if we just shot 'em to make sure, but I got a feelin' one of the boss mechs would eat us if we did."
_____________________________

Bomb-Burst replied to Squawktalk.

"Excellent. Roadblock and I. Are deciding how to proceed. With spreading the propaganda. Would you care. To join us?"

Haras and Eiramnna strolled through the main hall of the palace, looking for work. Eiramnna made sure to play his wounds up as much as he could, to show he would take hits and survive. Haras glared at all the competition with moderate success. After a few circuits, they sat at the end of the hall and waited for business to come thier way. Eiramnna logged on to a nearby computer port ad made their presence to their superiors so that missions and de briefs could come through to them there.

Polyhex


Squawktalk replied to Bomburst

"i'm on my way, toute suite, sehr schnell. I'll be there ASAP , my ETA is almost immediately."

Breaker seemed to monitor the group for awhile, watching their various activities around the city, but then eventually began to head off on his own.

His pace was his usual speed, and it seemed as though he had a specific destination in mind, which turned out to be what appeared to be a small abandoned medical facility. Breaker proceeded inside without hesitation, dissapearing into the dimmly lit doorframe.

Resistance HQ, Kalis:


BBC: -takes the bomb, narrowing his optics- "Excellent." -subspaces the bomb- "Then let us start this mission." -walks over to trailer, transforms, linking with it, shifts into gear- "Roll out!" -drives away-

Kick Off: -sighs- "Just for that, he deserves to get blown up....."

Normally the hyperactivity of Squaktalk would have made Roadblock want to bash the Con senseless. But for some reason his zeal for this mission was refreshing.

"I figure we have a small window while the Quints pick up their own from our little party earlier. But I am not sure of how many or if they will have recieved a ton of extra troops as well." He said. "So we should probably get a move on if we wish to complete this task."

Subcity, Polyhex

Bomb-Burst nodded to Roadblock.

"Agreed. We leave. As soon as possible."

The Pretender raised his voice and addressed the rest of the escapee group. "We are going. To engage the enemy. Which of you. Will come with us?"
_____________________________

Resistance HQ, Kalis

Cobalt glanced sidelong at Kick-Off. "And so he shall."

The dark blue Autobot pushed himself up to a standing position, then paced towards the other side of the room.

"Now, though...we've got to figure out how to take advantage of all this."

Polyhex , Sub Level

Squawktalk landed and hopped from foot to foot

"Ready when you are Chief, Toujours pret, ready, willing and able , a 110 % on the ball ."

Kalis, Rebel HQ

" Well, we must follow him " said Gunrunner, " or he could suspect something if we don't follow the plan he knows... "

Polyhex

Roadblock nodded and entered his humaniod shell and his humanoid shell boarded his tank.

"We will wait to see who else wishes to join us." He said after Bomb-Burst addressed the group.

Eiramnna had finished shmoozing conacts ad Haras ad finished posting on the Quintesson Intranet: They were now well publicised to the public at large.
"Yes I know you're bored Haras" Eiramnna muttered.
"Why don't you go for a ride and get insome trouble," he sugested whilst closing his eyes ad pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'll wait for something here."
Haras took his leave in an almight Humph, making his way to the Motorpool to retrieve his cycle...

Heading away from Kallis Rebel HQ:


BBC: -to himself- "I do not trust them. As this was only an alliance of convience, it would make sense, especially as they outnumber me. Perhaps they shall inform the Quint guards at the depot that I have betrayed them. That would be the logical course of action, then detonate the bomb I carry when I am escorted inside the base, under guard. In any event, I must be wary." -studying internal maps of the surrounding area, pulls into a shattered warehouse, the roof long ago blown to flinders, walls practically collapsing- "This should provide an adequate fire support location for my trailer." -activates it's battlestation mode, pulling away as the trailer folds open, control tower and main gun rising into the sky as the annihilation disc launcher and missile battery deploy from the sides, checks his remote links, and drives away towards the Quint garrison-

***********************
Rebel HQ, Kalis:


Kick Off: "We'd better get rolling, then." -transforms to vehicle mode, starts engine, and, with much, much, MUCH grinding, managed to get into gear- "C'mon, guys. Let's go kill some Quints." -pulls out, almost stalls, starts lurching forward in short spurts, grinds some more gears, then burns rubber, roaring away-

Kalis, Rebel HQ

Gunrunner entered his shell.
" Ok, let's go! " the pretender said, following Kick-Off.