Afterburner Grenade

++ Rust Narrows ++

Almost totally abandoned, the crumbling remains of Cybertron's former

capital city now languishes in disrepair. Old buildings in silvers, reds

and bronzes are discolored from the wearing of time, flaking and decaying

into corrosion and rust, which blows around the streets with every passing

vehicle, giving the area its name. The empty streets sometimes host illegal

races, and are a hotbed of criminal activity, ignored by local police

forces. At the center of these narrow, wheel-spoke pathways is the

Acropolex, the former capital building of Cybertron itself in the Golden

Age.

Fortunately for Whirl, a contingent of SecF happens to be in this particular sector, standing guard over manual laborers and drones working to clear out what meager rations remain in a moderately-sized silo not far off. It's the only one left with anything even in it at this point, but what with the shortage, the Senate is working to sequester what it can in preparation for the conflict they know is to come.

Prowl is currently standing at the cargo bay doors to a massive shuttle that happens to also be an Autobot--specifically, Sky Lynx--overseeing the entire operation. He's heard reports of a situation a quarter of a kil due west of here, involving Whirl going up against a group of Decepticons (again). He expects he'll have to send a unit out there, or perhaps even make an appearance -himself-. Good Primus.

"It may not be too much longer before the Senate is probably sending me to petition the cityformers who have gone off-world to see if they would be willing to donate supplies and more troops to the cause and defense of the home world. It will not be an easy task, I assure you, but I am far more than up to the challenge." Sky Lynx comments as he continues his easy cruise over the silo. That is until they both pick up on the transmission from below.

Sky Lynx immediately starts to run diagnostics to make sure everything is in ready and primed condition. "It seems that the one that was rather adamant about how much life means nothing to him has decided to go get himself into trouble yet again. As you are the current field commander on the scene, I leave the decision in your capable hands as if we should interfere, but it is my expert opinion that one even as big of a dissenter as this Whirl seems to be could always have a change of spark when shown a mediocre of compassion and assistance by those that are in the higher castes and his command structure." the shuttlebird offers his advice freely, as always. "And it is my cursory scans that show that all has gone well here with the silo operations so that our presence is not terribly needed anymore as a deterent to any acts of terrorism from either the Decepticon insurgency or the local rebellion."

Prowl was about to give Sky Lynx the confirmation to move in and intervene, but Vortex suddenly takes off. Well at least he wasn't stupid, right? He does his best to tune out Lynx's garrulous rambling, and simply answer with the occasional "Mhm. Yes, of course."

When the shuttle bird finally appears to be done talking, he takes the opportunity to update the situation. "It would appear as if the altercation has come to an end. I'll call medical to check in on Whirl."

Vortex has run off. Whirl is... Still alive. Backdrop takes this bit of information in with silence and some deep breaths.

Then, the secret of his little plan comes to light. Out of the pile of garbage, a large, scruffy-looking turbo fox peeks out. It looks around in a daze. Then, it notices Backdrop. It starts to growl.

"...This plan did not work at all the way I intended." Then, Backdrop shifts back in to vehicle mode and zooms to Whirl's side. Save him from the tubrofox!

"Most curious that he chose to flee under his own power than to come to his compatriots that wanted to support him, do you not find that curious?" Sky Lynx internalizes to Prowl, looking every bit like a normal shuttle and cargo pod as he cruises across the skies of Iacon. "If you like, I could easily overtake is rather slow alternate form with my superior speed and abilities but I suppose that you are correct in the assumption that he could make it to the Decagon under his own power. Curious, still." the shuttle offers as he starts to make a lazy circle back to the supply silo.

"I have been running an inventory of what is in this silo and most of it seems to be outdated and in some cases even recalled weaponry and supplies. I will have to assume that outfitting the Autobots has caused this to be an issue, unless the reasoning for gathering these supplies is to destroy it, which would be a perferable solution as it would reduce the risk of damage from friendly fire incidents and possible misfires. It also will keep the weapons and supplies out of the hands of insurgents." the shuttle continues to talk, and talk, and talk.

"Huh. That mech seems to be in danger of being attacked by a turbofox." Lynx reports to Prowl. "I do not know who that brave mech is, but he did try his best in a valiant defense of Whirl that I happened to record as we were approaching the area. If you would like to view it, I have the replay available in 16:9, 3:1 and 1080p formats as well as in several speeds, or as Jazz would like to place it - a techno remix I believe he called it?" Playback starts of Backdrop dinging Vortex upside the head with a pipe.

Flying low and behind some crumbling structures out of sight, are the twin seekers Starscream and Thundercracker, with the former Vosian ruler in the lead. He protoforms quietly and lands behind an abandoned apartment complex, his crimson optics glowing as he surveys the Autobot activity. "<Taking energon from empties, heh. And I thought they wouldn't stoop any lower>" Starscream radios his brother.

The seeker then opens his subspace compartment and produces two out of the ordinary look blasters. "<These are a special breed of the vamparc. Once fired, it will drain your opponent's energy then shut off--effectively storing the power drained from your enemy. On my word, target the Autobots and the workers. Leave the Empties unharmed--let them take back what the Autobots are stealing from them>"

Thundercracker transforms behind his brother and lands quietly next to him. He looks on seeing whats going on ahead of them and with a nod takes the blaster. He frowns a bit when he hears what they do, "Where did you get these things from?" he asks as he takes aim

Blah blah blah...fleeing under his own power...blah blah blah...slow alternate form...blah blah blah blah...curious...blah blah, inventory...misfires..blah blah blah...turbofox....blah blah...replay...Prowl just kind of filters out the important bits to pay attention to and tunes out the rest. He ignores the footage of Backdrop, perhaps fortunately for the former cleaning bot.

Contrary to Sky Lynx's loquacious habits, Prowl's reply is rather laconic. "Any weaponry or ammunition that falls outside of spec will be recycled, and any energon will be transported to Iacon." He replies into Lynx's internal comms. Hmm... something has popped up on the shuttle's sensor arrays. "You seeing this, Lynx?"

"<Now. Prowl has picked up on our presence>" Starscream attaches the vamparc ribbon to his wrist and transforms, swerving out from behind the structure he and Thundercracker had been hiding out behind. "Surprise, surprise, I decided to drop by and pay you a spontaneous visit, Prowl," Starscream remarks sardonically. "I hope you're flattered."

Oddly enough, he doesn't aim for Prowl, instead, he targets Sky Lynx with the vamparc. "<A partial courtesy of Pharma>" Starscream says bitterly in response to Thundercracker. "<Don't ask>"

-Combat- Starscream hits Sky Lynx with a ranged attack!

Well since Starscreams going for the big guy, the Indigo Seeker turns and fires the odd blaster at Prowl. As he fires he catches a glimpse of a mech he recognizes from the other day. Its that small mech Swivel was speaking with.

There is still the matter of the mech being chased by a turbofox. Thankfully, the mech is actually a racer frame; a very, very small racer bot, though. Probably why he isn't in Ibex and, you know, racing.

In vehicle mode, he can outpace the wild animal well enough, but he's focusing so much on trying to outsmart the thing that he isn't really looking at where he's GOING.

Backdrop bumps right in to Thundercracker. It really is a bump to the seeker. The petite mech actually bounces right off. The turbofox is STILL running at him, though!

"They are my sensor arrays, and as superior as they are, then of course I picked up on the possible targets. So yes, of course, Prowl." Sky Lynx responds to Prowl, as the shuttle considers the turbofox and Backdrop yet and he descends. As he gets close to the ground, he kicks up dust and debris but with his expertise in flight, he barely skims the rooftops and ground before /bursting/ right over where Backdrop and the turbofox are, hopefully scaring the bewildered creature away from the supposed empty. "There, that should give us the needed speed to return to our proper area of patrol. Yet another reason why it was curious that Whirl and Vortex both suddenly fled the area." The suggestion hangs thick in the cockpit of Sky Lynx as he tries to process why an Autobot would work with the enemy. It just does not make sense.

Of course, if he ever hears the whole story, there will be hell to pay somewhere.

"I will hold our current path of approach. If there is ill intent to be had it is better for them to assume that you have not detected - oh bollocks." the large shuttleformer transmits as the leader of Vos decides to make his appearance. All this time he has been internalizing to Prowl? It suddenly ends as the shuttle is targeted.

"You will not find me that easy of a target to defeat, Starscream!" Sky Lynx suddenly powers up his engines and charges right into the line of fire, looking to get in close to the pair of seekers as they begin their attack. The lights of the shuttle dim as Starscream's attack hits and his energy is drained - but doubtless there is far more energy in Sky Lynx then what that weapon could ever dream to hold. The shuttle dips a little to disgorge his passenger before he throttles up, protoforming at the last astrosecond, his entire frame curled into a large pounce to catch Starscream by surprise and slam him into and through the building.

He warned everyone he was back, Scream. Surprise.

-- Radio: A-Chat -- Sky Lynx says, "Prowl, I will send my Lynx component with you to defend the workers and evacuate the silo. I shall detain these ruffians until you are clear!"

-- Radio: A-Chat -- Prowl says, "Copy that."

-- Radio: A-Chat -- Sky Lynx says, "In the meantime, let me remind Starscream how bitter the taste of defeat is."

Prowl quickly speaks over the comms to the workers. << Get whatever you're carrying at the moment onto the transport -now-.>> he commands. << I'll set the rest of it to blow. Sky Lynx, deal with the Decepticons. >> He steps off of Lynx and transforms as he falls a short distance to the ground, making a beeline for the silo.

Thundercracker's shot glances into his bumper, causing it to crack and spark, as well as slow him down a bit, but he continues, determined to salvage this operation; though he does drop a grenade from a compartment in his undercarriage for Thundercracker to deal with.

-Combat- You hit Thundercracker with your ranged attack!

One of the other security mechs present in the contingent notes the turbofox, and since Sky Lynx seems to have Starscream -well- in hand, he places a well-aimed shot in the creature's direction. Which also happens to be in Thundercracker's direction. Coincidence, right? Hey, not all enforcers are sparkless monsters who don't care what happens to little guys!

Starscream's armor takes a beating as Sky Lynx leaps forward and slams him into the side of the crumbling building, the two seekers had been hiding behind. He grunts, as the sound of buckling metal can be heard.

"How.. predictable, you brute," he mutters. Well, looks like he's gonna have to use up the energy he just drained from 'Lynx. He aims for the bird's faceplates--if it hits home, it will light up like a bolt of red lightning as and crackle violently as it tears into Sky Lynx.

Starscream glances over at Backdrop. "Well, don't just stand there, help!" he says in an irritated fashion.

Then Prowl drops a grenade out from under his bumper and Starscream wonders if he does that in front of Arcee.

Thundercracker suddenly feels something hit his leg and looks and suddenly that small friend of Swivels just bounced off his leg. "Hey waht are you doing?" he asks and steps back away from the little mech... and right onto the poop grenade from Prowl. Hes not sure waht happens next. Theres a bright flash, much noice and lots of sensor nodes screaming pain. The Blue Seeker ends up a few yards away with a loud thudslam onto the ground. Well thats not what he was expecting no sireee. He stumbles back to his feet and glares at the Autobot, "Not nice," he say sand lifts an arm cannon at the car firing as he does.

Oh, look at that. The turbofox was dead. And the blue seeker asked him a question and then BOOM.

It was probably not a very good thing that Backdrop had his optics up and had been staring at the blast. Even in vehicle mode, he manages to stumble, going two feet in one direction and then another. He isn't acting healthy in any manner right now.

"Brute? I am applying the amount of force that is required to handle one as boorish as you, Decepticon!" Sky Lynx responds, rising from the ruins of the apartment as building pieces and debris cascade off of the large beastly creature like some otherworldly monster. "Now, Starscream, you have incurred my wrath!" the creature booms - and then the seeker has to go and blast him in the face. Sky Lynx stumbles backwards and roars his disapproval, one of his golden windshields cracked. "...how /unsporting/!" he calls out to the Decepticon.

And perhaps Starscream did a little too much damage, because as the mighty shuttle rises, he seems to split right in two. The lower half of his body falls towards the ground. Once seperated, a second set of legs come out from under the shuttleformer, his tail whipping back in forth in agitation.

The other half of the shuttle, Lynx, protoforms his head and lands on the ground. "Fear not, young mech, help has arrived!" And indeed as he charges, the catbot lowers his head, his maw opening to snap up Backdrop in his jaws and barrel right over Thundercracker in the process in an attempt to save the poor mech from himself.

Prowl totally does not need to do that in front of Arcee, because Arcee doesn't need a bomb in her face.

At any rate, the second blast from Thundercracker sends him barreling into the doors of the silo. They crack and glass shatters as he is slammed through it. That hurt, though the officer recovers quickly, transforming and standing back up.

There's still a small amount of energon in here...enough to rig it with a small detpack. He swiftly programs the detonator, setting it to blow in half a breem before transforming yet again into vehicle form and booking it out of there. << Sky Lynx, what's your status? Have you neutralized the threats? >>

Backdrop is picked up by Sky Lynx's secondary... Primary? ... Is picked up by one of Sky Lynx's modes. The little racer is still in vehicle mode, but is completely limp and unresisting to the pickup.

A limp race car kitten, is what he has become.

A strained whimper lets itself loose from his form.

-- Radio: A-Chat -- Prowl says, "I've armed the explosives. Clear the blast radius."

The seeker is laughing. No, no, not at Sky Lynx. Well maybe a little. But mostly at his brother for getting blown up by an afterburner grenade. "<Thundercracker, try not to embarrass yourself...>"

"If you know anything about me," Starscream says as Sky Lynx retreats, "it's that I find playing fair /boring/." The seeker ascends quickly, so that he can aim Sky Lynx's upper body with the vamparc ribbon once again.

-- Radio: A-Mission -- Sky Lynx as Sky radios, "Understood. I have seperated to keep them both at bay." Lynx reports, "I am attempting to clear the civilian that has wandered into the area. We should be clear in a moment.

-- Radio: A-Mission -- Prowl says, "Good. Hm. Who is that civilian, anyway?"

Thundercracker snorts, "Says the one who got slammed through a buil--" and then he gets run over by some part of skylynx. Hes not sure which part, its not important, hs on the ground wtih trample marks on him. Ok that smarted and he slowly sits up with dents and scuffs all over his scorched and dinged up from from the aft grenade. "Im finding it very hard to like everyone here at this point." he mutters to himself as he gets back to his feet and fires at something infront of him. He doesnt care who or which part of who at this point. If it bears a red smiley face its getting shot.

There's another solid hit against the plating and shields of his shuttle form. With his frame seperated into his components, Starscream may make a better score this time as the large bot collapses into the building with a roar of anger and pain. "Yes, and it is quite unequivocally annoying.." the shuttle offers before he suddenly jets straight up from the building, trailing debris and dust behind him. His massive jaws open, the large cannon that would rival most voyager class main guns in size comes to life and suddenly sprays out a blast of pure plasmatic blasts towards the seeker commander.

The Lynx unit tramples over Thundercracker as he carries Backdrop to safety and spits the mech out, depositing him into a sturdy enough looking building. "Stay put. There is about to be some very large explosions, but do not allow them to get you curious. It is very dangerous outside with this battle afoot. Do tend to tread carefully and head north if you feel the need to retreat." the large cat offers, just as several shots land against the rubble, sending up blasts of metal and debris. The large Lynx turns to face towards Thundercracker. "You are not having the best of cycles. Might I suggest that you cut your losses and retreat while the majority of your damage is to your pride and not your hide?" Lynx offers before he charges down Thundercracker again, looking to leap on the Seeker and pin him to the ground. He may be the civilized beastformer, but he knows how to use that beast to his advantage.

<< Both Seekers are occupied, blow the stack and then fall back to Lynx! >> Sky Lynx radios. << I have taken moderate damage from this weapon that Starscream is using and while I have plenty of energon in my reserves, if this battle becomes prolonged it could start having a more sizable effect. >>

By now, most of the workers and drones have managed to pull out and pile onto the transport that starts to take off just now. Hopefully not -too- many of them had gotten caught in the crossfire. Thankfully, it just -barely- manages to get out of the blast radius in time...

BOOOOOOOOM

The silo explodes in a massive puff of black smoke and blazing fire, the entire structure bursting into an inferno. Prowl drives out of the blaze with several cracks and dents from the fight as well as scorches from the fire, but at least he's able to fall back to his ride out of here. << Affirmative, Sky Lynx, I've cleared the blast. Let's get back to Iacon. >>

The plasma blast from Sky Lynx's mouth knocks the seeker back. His armor is now half charred and slagged, but he's undaunted. "Ngh.." he mutters.

Starscream then smirks as vamparc ribbon drains even more energy from Sky Lynx. At least his weapon is intact. With the first energy chamber full, Starscream removes it and subspaces it quickly, placing another empty one into the ribbon, "Getting /tired/?" he taunts. But then the stupid bird tramples his brother and the seeker isn't about to just that slide. His crimson optics flash angrily and he dips down lower, now leveling both his null ray and the vamparc ribbon at the large Autobot. "Don't touch him," he snarls.

Thundercracker is indeed trampled again by the two part autoclod only this time hes being held down. struggling slightly the blue seeker tried to kick the underside of the mech pinning him down. He has no idea where his vampire blaster has gone at this point either. Hopefully Starscream will notice hes no longer in pocession of that cool weapon. "Get off me!" he wheeze and tries again to kick the mech.

The pair of weapons slamming into the shuttle weakens his shielding considerably. Coupled with the seperation of the two forms, Sky Lynx knows that while he could remerge and hold his own with a fresh reload of energon, he has his own orders. "I cannot honor that request, Starscream. Not as long as you and your ilk continue these attacks..."

And then comes the large explosion and Lynx reports that Prowl has been evacuated. "And as much as I would like to remain in place and provide you with the much needed comupance you deserve, I have my orders as this mission has been completed." Breaking off his contact with Starscream, the dinobird rockets towards the ground, making a headlong dive towards the Lynx component of his form. The shuttle armor is scarred and his visor is cracked, but for the most part Sky Lynx has suffered worse damage than this.

Lynx, in the meantime, finishes pouncing on Thundercracker, knocking away the weapon. Even as he takes the solid kick to the midsection, the cat knows that is the same weapon that Starscream is using on his bird form. The Lynx scoops down and attempts to snag it up before Thundercracker can recover it and leaps away, sliding to a stop near where Prowl is. As the explosives are set and the detonation begins, the cat darts across the ground, his large form leaping into the air and folding his head in as the Lynx protoforms back to it's cargo pod form.

The bird grabs the pod in his talons, the legs folding in as the dinobird remerges to his full Sky Lynx mode and starts to rocket skyward away from the battle with Prowl. "Ta-ta for now, Starscream!" he chortles as he continues to race away.

As Sky Lynx swoops low, Prowl jumps up and grabs onto the cargo bay doors to pull himself up and inside of the shuttlebird. "Good work, we managed to recover most of the supplies. As for the rest of it, at least the Decepticons no longer have access to it." He states, glancing out of a port toward the retreating air transport. "Now let's get back to base." The officer slumps against a seat in Lynx's cockpit, the exhaustion finally setting in. Ugh

Starscream stares angrily after Sky Lynx. If looks could kill, the dinobird would be in his grave. What an idiot. Though not much more can be said for his brother, who has pretty much totally failed as an assist on this raid.

"How could any mech that big think he can pull off being cute?!" he mutters in disgust. "Slagger."

At least when Sky Lynx knocked the weapon away from Thundercracker, the energy chamber dislodged and was left behind. Starscream leans down and offers a hand to his brother, looking sour. "What was /that/? I mean, what have you been doing for the past few megacycles? /Sleeping?/"

Thundercracker looks up at his brother and slowly takes the offered hand, "No I was busy getting trambled. Whats your excuse?"

Starscream sighs dramatically. "I was busy trying to keep you from getting trampled, you /idiot/," he mutters, hoisting his brother to his feet. "Was it not obvious enough?"