"Internal Directive Conflict. Unable to respond, attempting to reconcile conflicting directives." Is all Skitter is able to get out of the AI, and even that is only flashed on a screen, not spoken aloud.
Ula continues swimming up, while Skitter is trying to get the AI to respond.
Chatterbox is still stuck behind the airlock, waiting for Warhawk to cycle out.
Deck of the Flagg
"All hands, weapons free, target the flying constructs. I repeat, target the flying constructs only!" Cutter yells into his comm link, wincing in pain as his arm is singed from the fire.
Almost immediately the choppers open fire!
The first three choppers fire at Thundercracker, who laughs off the first two braces of missiles. However, the chopper behind him lands a missile directly on his cranial assembly, at the base of the neck, and sparks fly! Thundercracker makes a pained sound as some stun gets through, although the damage is all mostly cosmetic.
Dirge makes an involuntary noise as well, as one missile hit's a tender spot, but it's still nothing major.
That is, it's nothing major until blue white energon begins to spray out of the Decepticons bodies where the missiles hit, and both Thundercracker and Dirge scream in agony as their energon boils off through their structural assemblies.
"YOU VERMIN! THE ORGANICS ARE USING ENERGON DESTABILIZERS!" He yells, apparently to the other Decepticons.
Behind Redshift, the 5 tanks open fire!
The tank rounds hit Thundercracker and Dirge, but don't seem to do much to the Soldier Seekers, the armor piercing anti-armor rounds unable to penetrate Cybertronian armor. Both bots seem to be shaken a little by the rounds, but nothing is actually damaged.
Then the night is lit up as a beam of energy stabs down out of the sky! It punches through one of the tanks, melting it and incinerating the crew instantly. The horrible beam of energy smashes down through the deck of the Flagg, penetrating nearly half-way through the ship before it finally stops. Explosions rock the ship as jets parked in the hold detonate from the heat!
Above the Flagg, a Decepticon scout ship drops out of the clouds, it's cloaking device disrupted as it opens fire! Multiple beams stab out, firing at the organic's air support!
One of the organic's jets that were targeted manages to evade, the other 5 are riddled with holes from the rapid fire pulse lasers, sending shredded metal and corpses to the ocean floor!
Command Center, Del'Tor
Optimus would be disappointed
Protect Nascent Sapients
The scanner suddenly buzzes harshly as another ship appears on the sensors.
Within Del'Tor, the confusion vanishes. Subsystems that were previously dormant reawaken.
Protect Nascent Sapients
Confusion vanishes. I am a warship. I have an enemy. I know what I am. Subsystems come online.
"Warning, safety systems disengaged. Warning, safety systems disengaged."
Warhawk is about to cycle the airlock when the ship re-orients itself, pointing straight up. "Warning, atmospheric drive engaging."
The ship engages it's atmospheric drive under water, accelerating from a standstill to over 2400 meters per second in under a second. Explosions begin to occur over the ship as systems are stressed, the hull begins to buckle, and sea water sprays in under high enough pressure to cut an organic in half, had one been in the way. Skitter, Chatterbox, and Warhawk are slammed against the back wall of their respective rooms as the inertial compensators fail.
The ship leaves the ocean at Mach 8, pulling a massive column of water with it! Ula, just getting to the surface, is narrowly missed, and pulled nearly a kilometer into the air as the ship roars out of the ocean at over 8 times the speed of sound!
As it leaves the ocean, it opens fire on the Decepticon scoutship!
The Flagg also fires at the scout ship, launching Tomahawk missiles from a battery of them on the rear deck!
Thundercracker and Dirge transform back into planes, and take off at maximum burn toward the Decepticon scout ship, staying out of the Del'Tor's way!
Pained though he is, Skitter is elated that Del'Tor has activated and seems to be acting in their favor. "All right, Del'Tor!" A welding torch pops out of his right arm as he re-orients himself and sets to work sealing hull breaches caused by the rapid acceleration.
Ula transforms as she's falling along with the column of water, which makes the Flagg rock wildly as it wasn't designed to have Cybertronian scout ships rocket out at 8 times the speed of sound nearby it.
Redshift scrabbles across the deck, desperately attempting to avoid the Humans.
Over Autobot All-Com, Redshift calls out to the crew.
"Chatterbox, I'm assuming you had something to do with... this... development?"
"NOT MY FAULT!" Chatterbox shouts over the comms.
Ula leaps out of the water and fires at Dirge releasing missiles in what she hopes is a surprise barrage at the .
.
.
Ula's missiles streak out after the retreating Dirge, and land blows on his afterburner assembly, making the plane wobble some as it heads toward the Decepticon scout ship.
"Ulastron! So you are working for the Autobots again? Good, I've wanted to watch your death pyre for many cycles." Dirge booms over the airwaves on an open frequency.
Thundercracker cackles. "Ulastron? I'll pay you 100 units of Energon to kill the Autobot on the vermin ship! And I'll keep Dirge from killing you, surely that's a good contract, mercenary?"
Ula winces (if a machine can be considered to wince at all) at the call out by the Decepticons, especially considering she's been getting along so well with the autobots by never actually saying her name out loud to them before.
"I'm not working with anybody you two dolts, you attacked my ride home to Cybertron and I'm defending it! Plus, unless you've got 100 energon cubes in that tiny cockpit, I'd wager you can't pay me anyhow!
Better plan, stop fighting us and let's all get back to Cybertron together laser brain".
Ula will transform into her Drone form.
Skitter completely stops what he's doing. "We have a traitor among us?" He seems somehow deflated. "So this deceptipunk is telling me that we've been blown half-way across the scrapping universe, to a planet with only organic lifeforms, except for the decepticons that somehow beat us here, and have already angered the natives, and now we have a turncoat with us? Even I can't figure those odds."
Chatterbox lets out a groan. "Robot I got mechanovores, Decepticons, Unicron and a wratcheting TRAITOR too?!? I HATE THIS STUPID PLANET!"
Chatterbox tries to get out of the airlock and somewhere where he can blast a damn 'Con.
The airlock finally cycles, as Warhawk dropped out of the airlock and turned to helecopter mode.
CB enters the airlock, and on looking out, realizes that the Del'Tor is 1km above the ocean now... Unfortunately, CB can't fly... He can 'dive' into the ocean, but the fall from this height might do some damage to his framework.
Thundercracker and Dirge continue to blast toward the decepticon scoutship, which continues to fall from the clouds.
Ula will take the half action to transform into her Drone mode.
Ula transforms into her Drone form and flies to Red's position on the Flagg, "I'm too far to shoot either of those two idiots, take your best last shot at them Cityspeaker".
Instead of shooting at the fleeing Decepticons, Redshift instead moves to try to haul any of the Human machines (tanks, planes, etc) that are in danger of falling off the deck of the Flagg.
"There's nothing to be gained by attacking a fleeing enemy," he says to Ulastron. "The application of our strength is better suited to helping those in need at the moment."
The commander has been on his comms calling out orders, including one not to attack the new ship, at least not while it's attacking the ship that's firing on the Flagg.
Ula gets a few rifle rounds fired at her as she swoops toward the deck, the riflemen unable to tell the difference between her and a Decepticon. Some of the sting a bit, but nothing life threatening, yet.
Red is too far away from the tanks to stop them from lurching to one side and then the other, but he does manage to stop some of the humans from sliding this way and that by putting hands down to stop their sliding.
Like a giant whale, the Joe Submarine breaches the surface, a little over a klick away. As it does so, it's spine opens up and two massive ICBM's launch into the sky, rising up on a plume of fire and light!
Ula heads down to the waters' surface to seek out any organics who may have fallen in, "Grab on Organics, I'll pull you back up!"
Ula finds no obvious organics in the ocean near the ship. It appears there were only a handful on the deck, and they were all near Redshift. Probably in an effort to reduce potential hostages while dealing with Red.
As the two ICBM's arc up into the sky, it becomes clear one is headed for the Decepticon, and the other for the Del'Tor!
Red hears the human with the beard shouting into something on his shoulder. "This is Cutter! Abort Shot at Zulu Alpha! Concentrate fire on Zulu Beta! I repeat! Abort Zulu Alpha! Concentrate on Zulu Beta!"
Ula heads back up to the top of the Flagg and transforms landing next to Red, "Well, their presence explains the hostility of the locals. Those guys just can't seem to get along with anybody eh?"
As much as Skitter would love to just jump out of a space ship and grapple with a missile, that only works in stories.
"Del'Tor! They're confused! See if you can shoot that incoming before it gets to us or take evasive action!"
"Chatterbox, Warhawk... are you able to intercept that incoming if it gets too close?"
Chatterbox groans and prepares to shoot down an incoming warhead.
To Cutter, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice: "I appreciate your not shooting our ship full of holes. May I suggest a refresher course in Order Of Operations training for whoever's at fire control on that vessel? Clearly, they missed the part where our ship defended this... Carrier, isn't it? This is a Carrier? Marvelous design!"
To Skitter and the rest, over Autobot Comm: "The Human commander has ordered an abort on the missile headed for our ship... but just in case they're slow... be ready. Skitter, if you're anywhere near the bridge, still, please try to have Del'Tor assume a defensive position - the enemy is fleeing, and we have injured and wounded on the field. I... I think... yes. I would tell him that preserving life is more important than pursuit, at this point."
To Ulastron: "Indeed. The Decepticons are truly our dark mirrors. We should discuss them in greater detail, later. After we've helped here."
Cutter frowns. "Remind me later to explain reality to you, Cityspeaker." He replies frostily.
"This unit is unable to break from faster than sound speed, dodge incoming fire, prevent system overloads from shorting out primary control systems, and deal with badly and partially repaired primary and secondary systems and also use non-existent point defense batteries to shoot down incoming missiles, Engineer Skitter. It is strongly suggested the Engineer get out and shoot himself, or else fix that primary power relay behind the comm console before it shorts out and sends 330 or more kilograms of shrapnel through the back of said engineer..." Del'Tor responds testily, slamming the brakes on hard mid-air still, while juking to avoid the inevitable incoming fire from the Decepticon ship.
CB, with a readied action, begins firing at the incoming missile as fast as he can, but it too is dancing as it comes in, pre-programmed with evasive flight patterns to avoid anti-aircraft fire.
The massive missile is close enough for CB to read 'USA' on the nose cone when it suddenly detonates 112 meters from the Del'Tor's outer hull, the explosion significantly smaller than it could have been, as the self destruct system detonates. A cone of shrapnel and melted metal slams into the side of the Del'Tor at just under the speed of sound, including hot gas and shrapnel that hits the airlock and slams CB up against the back of the airlock interior!
The other ICBM slams into the unprepared Decepticon scout ship!
The massive explosion rocks the Decepticon scoutship! Bits of metal shred off the sides, as odd green fire races over the ship's hull. Where it races, blue fire bursts out of the hull as Energon detonates inside the ship, releasing itself in uncontrolled burns!
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"No mister Prime, I don't wanna go to the carnival to see the junkbots." Chatterbox mumbles to the airlock.
Redshift continues to assist around the deck.
If the "reality" that this Human speaks of is one in which there is no hope, only a series of equations to determine what to kill or be killed by, then Redshift cannot envy him. What a sad way to exist.
The last two Seekers, Thundercracker and Dirge, make it into the scoutship's landing deck, flipping over and transforming to slow down as they skid to a stop. "Ulastron, gonna have to let Dirge scrap you. Unless you stab the Autobots in their spark chambers while they power cycle! You're good at that for sure!" Thundercracker broadcasts on an open channel.
Dirge says in a dreary voice. "Your deaths are only delayed, not avoided, Autobots. I shall light a pyre with your energon reserves on your corpses."
Then the Decepticon scoutship vanishes with a massive crack of thunder as it accelerates to several times the speed of sound near instantly.
The Del'Tor comes to a full stop, hanging over the Flagg, then the port engine belches a massive fireball and the ship lists to one side.
"Failure in port thruster array, failure in inertial compensators, failure in secondary and tertiary power systems, failure in scanner systems, failure in weapons array, failure in comm..." Del'Tor's voice cuts off to those outside the ship, although CB and Skitter hear him continue with the news the comm system failed.
Ula responds over an open comm as well, "Choke on your 100 energon cubes Wisecracker, keep your Decepticon propaganda to yourself".
Ula looks up at Del'Tor, "And we just fixed most of that stuff...
So Red, are you still optimally functional?"
She waves to the organics, "Now I understand your hostility, those Decepticons take without asking, it's their way".
Skitter's snarky comment back to Del'Tor is cut off by the explosion. He manages to maintain his balance, more or less, as he tries to fix the primary power relay. "Don't die on me now," he murmurs, working at a frantic pace.
The short nasty battle comes to a quick, but unsatisfying conclusion for all concerned. After the battle, Redshift and Ula are left on the Aircraft carrier, in vehicle mode, to do talking, while Skitter and Chatterbox return to the Del'Tor.
No one can find Warhawk after the battle, whether he was captured, left on his own, or was downed, is a mystery at this point.
Shemya Island - Hidden Joe Base
April 22nd, 2018 09:32
The Flagg limps back to Shemya Island, trailing smoke. Under the water, the Monterey, a Los Angeles class nuclear submarine, has followed the limping Del'Tor, and said ship has been allowed to dock in the underground and underwater submarine dock that's hidden beneath the island.
Massive undersea doors open to allow the Del'Tor, and then the Monterey to enter. Large bore weapons are kept trained on the Del'Tor as it limps into an area of the underwater port not really designed for it, but large enough to hold it.
Two other Joe submarines, both Seawolf class submarines, the Seawolf and the Stingray, sit moored in their own moorings, although it's easy to imagine both could begin firing on the Del'Tor if need be, given their tubes are pointing out toward it.
While the Flagg is anchored off the shore of the island, with repair crews working under tarps to hide the damage, Redshift and Ula are taken off the carrier and moved to the Eareckson Air Station, if only long enough to go down a massive cargo elevator disguised as an empty hanger.
Under ground, they are reunited with Chatterbox (assuming he is willing to set foot off the Del'Tor) and Skitter. They are placed in a large storage area that's mostly empty. Finally, after mostly sitting around staring at humans who stare back while holding weapons without talking, a new face appears.
The man is wearing a black jacket, and urban camo pants as well as a black beret. He also has a long cigar sticking out of one side of his mouth, the end glowing gently and smoke curling out of the other side of his mouth.
Following behind him is a female human with red hair wearing a tan jacket and wearing black pants and boots.
The man looks the Cybertronians over, and takes the cigar out of his mouth. "Well, now I've seen everything. Bunch of Alien Constructs trying to be friendly for a change." He puffs out a massive smoke ring that floats through the air in the rough direction of the Autobots as they sit around. "Given you things helped the Flagg out, and you..." He pokes at Redshift with the cigar. "...covered a friend of mine to keep a hellfire off him, I've decided to hear you out, and at least pretend I believe all this. I'm General Hawk, I'm in command here. This is Sergeant Major Scarlett, my adjutant and right hand girl." He waves the cigar tip toward the red-haired woman.
The woman has a small electronic device in her hand, and she uses it to wave the smoke from the cigar away from her. "Right hand woman, Sir. Don't make me call the JAGs again."
The man laughs. "Yeah, right. Ok, talk fast you lot." He pokes at Redshift again. "I've got a 12 billion dollar ship with a hole in it thanks to folks with no flesh and blood like you, so as you might imagine, I'm up to my ass in paperwork explaining how I let an expensive ship get a hole poked damn near through it. So make it good."
"Very well, General," Redshift says, calmly. "But I would ask to speak to your governing civilian world council, when possible. We have news and information regarding the conflict that has, very evidently, made its unfortunate way to your world."
Redshift then lays out the same things he told the soldiers aboard the Flagg, including the offer of Energon technology, pointedly indicating that it is the cure to their dependence on fossil fuel and the key to interplanetary travel.
Redshift gives the full run-down of the war between the Cybertronian factions, as best he knows it, letting Skitter interject where possible (and hoping that Chatterbox doesn't start in on the whole 'Mechavore' thing). When he needs to, he pulls Ulastron in to the conversation for her perspective.
"We are here in this place with you because we want to be here, General," he says, wrapping up. "We are not 'constructs,' we are people, and we are refugees, and we want to help you. As effective and... disturbing... as your weapons are, your technology is no match for a determined Decepticon invasion force. They are not above commissioning infiltrators, to disguise themselves as on of your own personnel, if the need arises. Deception and deceit is their way, and they will not stop until everything that isn't like them is destroyed or subjugated."
He pauses, then displays a hologram of an energon cube in his hand.
"With this technology, and more, we can help you keep that from happening. The Decepticons are ten times, a thousand times, worse than you historical fascist conquerors. If they are here in force, your world is in grave danger."
"You might be surprised, Cityspeaker. We've got a nice little collection of parts we've blown off your kind over the years." He gives tight grin. "Don't underestimate humans, nothing is more dangerous." He takes another tug on the cigar. "As to civilian leaders, no way you're getting anywhere close to them until we know you're safe. However, I do have a nice little gaggle of State Department people on their way to speak to you and your companions. If I might point out, you're contradicting yourself. You're saying you lost the war, and you're refugees, but you want to help us. Not sure how refugees from a lost war are going to be much help against the winning force if it's coming here en masse. I doubt it is though, from your description, your war just got lost, but we've had your Decepticons here for significantly longer than that. Care to explain that? Why would they stooge around here off and on for decades at a time, if they've been in a massive war half the galaxy away?"
"I haven't contradicted myself at all," Redshift remarks. "Your United States Of America regularly prioritizes refugees from foreign nations who have useful scientific skills and knowledge. Our desire to help is mutually beneficial; we help you defeat the Decepticons in return for safety, sanctuary, and refuge. I've absorbed much of your world's literature, this is a common theme... I believe you call it 'coming in from the cold'?"
At the mention of the Decepticons being here on Earth for so long, Redshift furrows his mechanical brows.
[b]"I honestly don't know why they'd be here for such a long time. Perhaps if I had access to your records of their activities here, I could formulate a hypothesis, but I'm more of an Urban and Civil Engineer, than I am a tactician. If you want me to tell you exactly why your current metropolitan methods are unsustainable and doomed to failure, I can certainly do that. But the ultimate goal of this group of Decepticons? That is... was... Warhawk's area of expertise."
Redshift turns to Skitter and the rest of his motley group.
"They've been here much longer than we have. Was there a Decepticon ship anywhere near us when we came through the wormhole? Do any of you recall? Perhaps they crashed and reactivated before we did?"
Skitter was reluctant to leave Del'Tor, but allying with the humans seemed like a sure way of getting parts he required for major repairs.
"The properties of wormholes are...complicated. There's all sorts of ways they could have gotten here ahead of us. It's just as likely that they were simply revived before we were." Skitter takes a moment to consider. "It's also possible they arrived behind us, simply MUCH later in time, and they never required reactivation. We just don't know enough yet."
"Pleased to meet you General Hawk, Sergeant Major Scarlett.
Have you encountered any friendly Cybertronians?
I am a bit surprised that you have held your own against these particular Decepticons, those jets serve Megatron and he is an aggressive Cybertronian perhaps the impetus behind the war in many respects".