A Dragon In The Forge

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "WHEN ARE WE GOING TO WAR ALREADY."

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "This lollygagging about is intolerable!"

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, ""When the time is right and not until then, Starchamber."

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "Oh I know this, but I still say the waiting around is intolerable! To me, at least."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, "What is intolerable for you is irrelevant. But if you want something to do; go into Kaon and find yourself a worthy opponent for tonight. You will be the star attraction at the Forge this even cycle."

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "Are we still doing death matches? It seems a waste of troops to slaughter them."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, "Generally no. But that's up to your opponent so chose wisely."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "You know, some of the boys and I found a very, very special opponent for the matches."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "Out in Blaster City. We found a -sparkeater-."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, "Ruiner, explain."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "I'm sorry Lord Megatron, have you heard of a sparkeater?"

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "You get them sometimes in the wastelands. If you have the right bait, they come straight to you."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says after a long moment, "Yes... \*I\* know what a Sparkeater is. I want to know... why you know about this one."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "Because Blaster City is full of things that are useful to me. There's a lot of bodies out here, a lot of weapons, a lot of stashes of buried salvage. It's a goldmine."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "Just like what's under Kaon. Thresher found some kind of primitive beast about six levels under the prisons."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "Death Grip had it bagged and tagged in under a breem. We've got them locked up tight under the coloseum for the fights."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, "Does this beast have a strong enough spark to attack the sparkeater?"

[IC-Decepticon] Blast Off says, "Weapons?"

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "Yeah, if you know where to look. Blaster City was a munitions plant."

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "The beast? No idea, it's some kind of lizard-thing."

[IC-Decepticon] Blast Off hmmms

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron says, "I want that sparkeater brought to me"

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "I am going to very humbly, carefully suggest that you just view it in confinement, Lord Megatron."

[IC-Decepticon] Megatron answers after a moment, "I will take your suggestion under advisement.

Megatron is standing at the edge of arena watching the gumbies get it ready for the matches tonight. Occasionally he tells them to correct something or add something or change something as he sees fit and other than that is talking on the inner channel when needed.

Soundwave is here and he is watching, too. Then again, Soundwave is ALWAYS watching, isn't he? The outlier stands not far from Megatron, red visor scanning the area. He doesn't say much- at all- but his mind is quite busy. Scanning the crowd, searching for anything out of place or useful to Megatron and the Decepticon cause.

Starchamber makes her way out into the arena. She looks particularly >:( right now because she didn't -want- to fight in the arena, she wanted to do something tactically useful. This is a WASTE OF TIME and as such she is visibly irritated. Towering over the average-sized mechs -- and even over the taller Leader-sized mechs, she tromps out onto the field, hands on her hips, staring at Megatron in the stands.

Thundercracker wanders into the arena minding his own business. He notices Starchamber standing there with her hands on her hip plates looking annoyed. He shrugs and takes a seat on one of the 'ringside' chairs.

Megatron pauses and looks at Starchamber. "I do not see your opponent, Starchamber. Don't tell me you have decided to entertain us all with a demonstration of... what exactly?"

Ruiner slips into the seats and makes his way to one off to the side of Megatron. He's got a few things to report, and it's something he'd rather do in person. Noting Starchamber he chuckles. "She didn't pick anything, she just asked what we had available to shoot at," he notes quietly.

"I formally register a complaint at this waste of my time!" Starchamber haughtily calls from the oxide-dust floor of the pits. "But since you have given me orders, well, I suppose I'll have to carry them out, won't I?" She turns her back to Megatron and faces a new gate that's been recently added by the Constructicons - it's a gate into the depths below the arena itself, a hovel of cages and containment fields known simply as the Menagerie.

[GM] From the Menagerie, there is shouting and unearthly roar.

Megatron ses Ruiner take a seat to the side of him and hears his comment. He starts to say something when Starchamber speaks. What the slag is is with transformers an the word 'star' in their name anyway? That word will be the bane of his existence at the rate its going. "I do not consider it a waste of my time and your time /is/ my time, Starchamber -- remember that." he hears the noise from behind that one gate and grins. No this will be a waste of no ones time tonight.

Rumble struts in, feeling the urge to create some serious carnage. For being such a little guy, he sure loves the mayhem of a big fight. "You better be ready to throw down," he bellows at no one in particular, "Cause that's what \*I'm\* gonna do. Throw DOWN!"

Thundercracker looks over at the loudmouth. "Hey, Shorty haven't seen you around lately."

Rumble pauses in his posturing to look up at Thundercracker, and he suddenly grins. "Yeah, well. Cause I'm usually out beatin' someone up!"

Thundercracker laughs, "Up is more like it cause there are few you could beat /down/." he laughs and has no idea if anyone got his play on words. Maybe its just an inside joke. Maybe hes just benig a jerk. He has his moments.

Soundwave watches Megatron but his main focus (at least for a little bit) soon becomes Rumble walking in. The carrier just immediately feels... positive. Like, speaking of stars, little twinkling ones sparkling all around- kind of like the stars that mechs Rumble might /punch in the face/ sometimes see. "Rumble. You are well?"

"Do you remember me mentioning that beast we found six levels under Kaon?" Ruiner asks Megatron with a sly smile.

The roaring rumbles out of the darkened ramp. There is an audible thudding that can be felt as vibrations under the stands, the noise of heavy footfalls. Four sets of eyes, two pairs equidistant from each other, light up the darkness. There are glowing lines from whatever or whoever is in that darkness, and they're all glowing yellow.

Starchamber's irritability eases off, and she hunches forward. For all her complaining of wasted time... well. A fight is a fight. That frown is quickly turning into an eager smirk.

Rumble smirks at Thundercracker. "Oh, you big...comedian you," he exclaims. As he spots Soundwave, he steps over to greet him. "Oh, I'm weller than well, specially tonight. All someone's gotta do is say 'fight time', an' it's ALL good. Also, well."

The ROAR gets Rumble's attention quickly, and he gets all giddy when he sees the abominable creature emerging into the pit. "Ohhhh, mech, wouldja lookit THAT. This is gonna be one fracking huge may-lay!"

Speaking of those with the prefix 'Star' in their name, the Vosian ruler speeds into the Forge, releasing a rather disruptive and showy sonic boom. Protoforming, Starscream comes to an easy halt next to Thundercracker. He smirks at Thundercracker's pun, folding his arms. "Touche," he says.

The seeker's attention is then drawn to the arena, where it appears that yellow opticked beast is being pitted against the new recruit, Starchamber. He sighs theatrically, looking exasperated. "Is this what's on tonight? /Primus/, doesn't anyone /ever/ get tired of these cybercat and glitch mouse games? So cliche. I'm bored already." He gives Rumble a disdainful look.

Megatron knows by the ummistakable boom that his second in commend has arrived and has made sure everyone else knows hes arrived as well. He looks at Starscream loking at Rumble disdainfully. "So nice of you to make it, Starscream." he says a bit sarcastically.

Soundwave nods to Rumble. "I can see. ...And sense. I am glad you are enjoying yourself. We seem to be in for a show tonight. I think this one may even be recorded for the videos." Starscream's appearance is \*felt\* before he is seen, and the outlier quiets a moment before the Second in Command arrives. His glare towards Rumble is met with a look from Soundwave. Not quite a glare. Then he makes a subtle \*reaching out\* gesture with his fingers towards Starscream before becoming still once more.

Rumble smirks at Starscream, then he glances over at Soundwave with a little grin. He says something very quietly to Soundwave, then after doing so, he remarks, "I hope we all get a chance to take a turn against that big ole freakshow! I wanna knock him around too."

Thundercracker isn't bothered in the slightest by the sonic boom nearby and glances at Starscream next to him suddenly. "Yea what you said." he replies and chuckles. Someone got his joke and it was Starscream. That satisfies him immensely.

Skywarp finally joins the group, with little smirk on his face. He probably played a prank not too long ago and the metal image of the poor victim is keeping his spirit up. He walks over to Thundercracker and nudges him with an elbow. "Hey look who finally decided to join the fun. Have not seen you in a while buddy."

Thundercracker gets an elbow to the side and hears a voice he hasn't heard in a while. His face lights up. "Sywarp, bud! I've been busy. Hows pranks?"

Rushing out of the arena is.... well.
It's a two-headed Cybertronian dragon.
It raises both heads and simultaneously bellows, a wide-spectrum harmonic scream that overlays a subsonic thunder and a high-pitched metal-against-metal grinding shriek. Burgundy and gray, it rises up on its hind legs, towering at that height even over Starchamber, who can easily look Jetfire right in the optics.

Starchamber begins to laugh, a certain madness brightening the lights across her own frame; she thought she was going to be bored - and that was the main source of her petulance. "Oh ho ho ho. Yes, they did say there was something down there, didn't they." She stands tall and spreads her arms. "COME AT ME BEAST! SHOW ME YOUR POWER!"

Starscream just narrows his optics at Megatron, his expression turning sour. His sour expression is then directed over at Rumble as he says something to Soundwave in a low voice. Then Soundwave reaches for him and instantly jerks away, scowling. "/Don't/." The seeker says sharply. "Look who's talking," Starscream replies to Skywarp. "I haven't seen you around either. Where have you been, other than being at your usual unproductive mischief?"

Skywarp chuckles "Not too bad, trying to get into more intricate ones. Might need lots magnets or some very quick weldwork or maybe...I could pull that prank the other way around! That would be so much better!" The seeker turns to Starcream "I have been busy stalking people I will need to make disappear. Know your prey and stuff like that."

Soundwave's optics widen just a \*tiny\* bit as the great dragon enters the arena. He's reminded of the primordial he glimpsed once, but the sight of such creatures is extraordinarily rare. Starscream's reaction gets no \*obvious\* reaction, but if you looked closely you might detect just a faint smugness and \*heh\*. He sounds completely polite, though, and he greets the SiC. "Starscream." To Rumble he looks down and comments, "Perhaps. That creature would certainly be a tests of one's mettle. Caution might be advised, however." Not that Starchamber's listening.

Is that a -grin- on the dragon's face? It sure seems like it. Both jaws open and both heads strike at the same time, each attempting to seize on to one of Starchamber's arms.

Starchamber is perhaps a bit cocky; she starts to run to the side and one set of jaws clamps on empty air. The other, however, firmly seizes on her right arm, around the thruster-cannon. She keeps /laughing/.

Megatron drinks in every detail of this dragon and just smiles approvingly. This will be a chance to see just what some of his warriors are truly made of.

Thundercracker gets quite and watches the fight. When Starchamber gets an arm bitten and held onto he winces a bit.

Rumble watches the bout eagerly, almost likes he wants to be in there himself. And chances are, he probably does. He doesn't even flinch when Starchamber's arm gets bitten. He just wants to see how she's going to handle herself against a two-headed dragonmech. "This is so cool."

Starscream dutifully ignores Soundwave. Thundercracker will get a nod, to Skywarp, the red and white seeker says, "I see," he says, arching a brow ridge. "Have you been successful?"

Starscream then watches Starchamber in mild amusement. "From the way she talks, acts and looks, one has to wonder if she isn't actually a /he/," he smirks, "and an incredibly /dull/ one at that."
The seeker scowls at Rumble. "Primus. You disgust me."

Rumble points at Starscream. "You shut your noise hole! I wasn't even in your 'business', lame as it is!"

Starchamber brings her free arm - with cannon still mounted on it - right to the side of the head that has hold of her, and fires. It's probably a good thing she's too excited by battle to hear Starscream's little quip. She's just bloodthirsty enough to take a shot at him.

Skywarp glances at the fight "I have not made my move yet but probably in the coming week. I could have done it a lot quicker but I have be totally discreet. No witnesses and no collateral damage. Makes it trickier. I would have preferred a simple smash and grab but that's not what I was ordered so..." He shrugs "Gotta fly with it."

Thundercracker asks without taking his optics off the fight, "What were you ordered to do, buddy? Need some help?"

The dragon's head is shot and bits of metal go flying but he's not letting go. Starchamber hasn't escaped his hold, and now that he's injured, he's even angrier. Stubborn as an old mechamule, a bright golden glow bubbles up from the base of the free head's neck, and his jaws open to blast a gout of plasma flame at Starchamber. Of course, his own head is in the way, but he doesn't seem to be real concerned about that.

Soundwave continues simply watching this all for now, especially keeping an optic on Rumble and Starscream. He also keeps track of the arena. Neither warrior is a pushover, which the outlier is glad of.

Starscream waves dismissively at Thundercracker. "No, not this time. I would like to see what Skywarp is capable of on his own." He nods at Skywarp. "Very good, you're learning. To obey, and use your abilities discreetly."

"Shut up," he sneers at Rumble. "If all of Cybertron were to erupt in flames, you would be in paradise." He glances over at the fight. "/Amazing/. They're both total idiots--what a massive waste of time and energy."

Starchamber is bathed in superhot plasma flame, cooking some of her internal mechanisms - but she isn't about to go down. To try to free herself, she attempts to transform into spacefighter mode and free herself from Hun-Grr's grip. She needs to take this to air.

Starchamber shifts into her Spacefighter mode.

"Well...well it would be a lot more excitin' than listenin' to you purge an' moan," Rumble counters. Nope, he's not going to let Starscream get the last word in, because it's just not in his processor to back down from much of anything.

Starchamber blasts up to the top of the arena in a move so fast it can barely be tracked. The resulting speed leaves sonic boom behind that gently rattles the structure - it's no Thundercracker special, but the sound barrier was definitely broken. Twin guns on either side of the starfighter's wing extensions charge up fusion lasers and open fire.

Hun-Grr is nailed with the fusion lasers which score down his back. He screams again in rage, now faced with flying target that he's not able to get to. He digs his claws into the arena's surface and lifts both heads, the injured one a little wobbly, and tries to catch the space ship with twin plasma breaths.

Skywarp smiles at Thundercracker "I can handle it. It just won't be as fun as it could be if I warped a guard out of the 100th floor hallway as a distraction." He turns to Starscream "I know when to obey and when I can get away with it. I will have other occasions to have fun."

Thundercracker looks from Starsceam to Skywarp then back again. "I got you bud if you need it." he whispers indicating he will defy orders to help Skywarp if he needs it on whatever this mission is.

Starchamber nimbly hovers out of the way of the plasma flames...

... Which have now SET THE ROOF ON FIRE.

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "I take back everything I thought, Lord Megatron! This is FUN!"

Starscream smiles, laughing a little in mild amusement. He places a heavy hand on Skywarp's shoulder. "Good. Excellent. We'll have a seeker outing one of these days, I promise. And you can have all your fun then." He removes his hand from Skywarp's shoulder, and glances over at Thundercracker with a sigh.
Then he looks up at the flaming roof. "Perfect," he groans.

Soundwave watches all this... until the roof is set on fire. \*sigh\*. Not unexpected, though, with warriors such as these. The carrier immediately pushes a button on his chest, opening the compartment. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw fly out, arcing on either side as they swoop up, up.... and towards some nearby fire extinguishers. Grabbing hold of those with their talons, they soar upwards to try to put the fire out.

Rumble chuckles. "Ain't a real fight until they bring down the roof," he comments.

A very angry dragon, unable to get to its intended prey, suddenly turns its sights on the crowd. Chuffing and growling lowly, it begins to charge towards the stands!

[IC-Decepticon] Starscream says, "...for you. Emphasis on /you/."

"Oh -slag-!" Ruiner gasps, shooting up out of his seat.

[IC-Decepticon] Ruiner says, "CLEAR THE DECK!"

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "Oh I don't know -- starscream, was it? Seems like it's going to become fun for you too."

[IC-Decepticon] Soundwave says, "Starchamber: Recommend focusing on your opponent. "

[IC-Decepticon] Starchamber says, "I have to charge my weapons. Suggestion: MOVE YOUR AFTS."

[IC-Decepticon] Soundwave ........

Megatron has been standing and watching this entire fiasco from the beginning, quietly. Calmly he looks up at the burning roof, Laserbreak and Buzzsaw attempting to put it out and the dragon take off into the stands. That gets a raised optic ridge. He glances at the Seeker trio and then at Starchamber. Several patrons stampede out of the place while others seem slag bent to get some of that dragon. For now he just watches. He really wants to see what some of those that have joined him are truly capable of. He glances back at Soundwave and then throws Starchamber a dirty look. She has to recharge her weapons?
The minor turned revolutionary steps forward with his arm cannon building a charge and looks at Hun-Grr. The look on his face says it all, 'come get some'.

Thundercracker wastes no time in lifting up into the air when the two headed monster freak starts heading for the stands. The blue Seeker hovers hopefully out of reach for the beast and looks down toward Skywarp. "Hey! Get out of its way, 'Warp!"

Starscream looks around exasperatedly. "I knew that was going to happen," he says blandly. "Seekers, If you want to ditch this joint..." he says, his boosters activating as he flies upwards and towards the exit lazily. He transforms and yet again releases another sonic boom as he flies out of the Forge, hoping the other seekers will follow suit.

Soundwave takes the dragon coming for the people on the STANDS as his cue to slip into the shadows. However, he's not running. He instructs Laserbeak and Buzzsaw to continue putting out the fire... and he launches yet another of his friends. "Ravage: Eject. Operation: Stall the Dragon." Ravage eyes Hun-Grr, judging distance, strength, weakness, his scent.... and then leaps for an attack!

"...Check THIS out," Rumble says in awe, as Hun-Grr plows straight into the stands. He grins widely, and instead of getting out of the way like any sane mech would do, he waits until the very last possible moment, then leaps straight ONTO the rampaging dragon-mech. Apparently, this is something he actually WANTED to do.

Thundercracker turns, and transforms to follow Starscream out of the arena.

Two-Headed dragon charging at him? Yeah, time to cut and run. Ruiner wastes no time clambering over seats and getting out of the way.

Rumble transforms his mining pylons out, and begins laying into Hun-Grr's back. "You make a lotta noise, but can you deliver the goods?? Like THIS?? Ahahah!!!" He's...having a great deal of fun, it would seem.

Starchamber is still recharging her fusion lasers; as the energy builds within the muzzles of her weapons, she directs her thrusters towards the ceiling to aid in putting out the flames. Almost ready!

Skywarp floats up near Thundercracker. "I agree with Starscream. I will ditch this joint on prep for my final move." With that Skywarp flies out of the forge.

Perhaps charging straight for the stands is a bad move, but then again how could the dragon know that the audience is just as eager to fight as the gladiators are? It's piled on by minicons; Ravage finds a weak joint in the dragon's right rear leg and tears open the mechanism with his claws. Rumble delivers a strut-shattering series of blows to the beast's back, leaving it concave rather than convex!

And yet the fury is not abated. The dragon keeps focused on Megatron, trying to summon up another boiling burst of plasma from both its heads towards the Decepticon leader. Ruiner's wise to get out of the way - he would't live long if he were caught in that fire.

The dragon blows two streams of plasma fire towards Megatron in challenge - will Megatron be caught in the flames, move out of their way, or try something completely unexpected?

Thundercracker follows Skywarp out of the arena and catches up with Starscream.

Megatron watches some flee another's attack. The three Seekers leaving draw an angry glance and the streams of plasma blown his way doesn't even slow him down. the mech keeps walking toward the Dragon. "Play time is over." he says, lifts his cannon and fires at the Dragon mech, aiming or where the two necks join the main body.

Struck directly, the dragon can no longer take the punishment.

Unexpectedly, the beast from the depths.... /transforms/.

Heads flipping back, body changing shape ( and thus freeing him from further Minicon assault - Ravage and Rumble would safely fall to the ground ), there is now a humanoid mech roughly the size of Megatron. He's badly injured, and barely able to stand.

He drops to one knee. "Hun-Grr.... yields."

Rumble knows when to get out of the way. He abandons his perch when he sees Megatron's cannon. Yep, time to bail. This happens before Hun-Grr gets shot, obviously.

Ravage drops away, landing gracefully on his feet (he's a cat, what did you expect?).... He eyes the root mode of the dragon with some interest, then steps away to rejoin Soundwave in the shadows. Soundwave meanwhile, says, "Well done, Ravage. Rumble."

Rumble eyes Hun-Grr with some surprise. He...wasn't expecting the beast to have a root mode? Or maybe he thought the two-headed dragonmech was the only mode this mech had. After transforming his pylons back in, he steps over to acknowledge Ravage with that teammate-sorta nod, and he gives Soundwave a grin. Somehow, he's feeling kind of proud, like he was just part of something cooler than a simple brawl.

Megatron watches, cannon still poised to fire again, as the dragon suddenly transforms. Well this was completely unexpected. He listens to the mech speak. "Very well, Hun-Grr. What do you propose we should do with you?"

Starchamber holds her fusion charges. She was finally ready to fire once more, but surrender changes the outcome. Dropping down and transforming to robot mode, she steps closer to Megatron, and then looks at Hun-Grr. "You should have kept fighting ME. Then you wouldn't be in this sorry state!" she lectures the prostrate primordial.

Ruiner looks out from behind a support pylon. Is it safe?

Hun-Grr wobbles. "If you let me live, you will have not only my loyalty, but the loyalty of my brothers, who are in your cages below," he offers.

"Brothers?" Megatron questions but not so much as expecting an answer. This intrigues him. There is more then one such mech like this. "I will hold you to your word, Hun-grr. I demand complete loyalty to me and my cause. Serve me well and you will go far. What do you and your brothers call yourselves?"

"We are Terrorcons," Hun-Grr answers. "Our tribe, before yours. Our planet, before yours."

Rumble looks from Hun-Grr over to Soundwave. "...He right about that?" he asks.

Megatron frowns, "Before mine?" he is very curious to hear more but he knows this mech needs repairs first. He looks at a nameless mech nearby and orders repair techs brought to the Terrorcon immediately. He glances at Soundwave. "Know anything about this?" he ass in reference to what Hun-Grr just said.

Soundwave looks back to Rumble and Megatron. "Possibility: correct." He seems to scan through some information through his databanks, though information is difficult to confirm on the subject. "Rumors of ancient beast-like Cybertronians... exist, but not confirmed." But there is an even better source of information: straight from the dragon's mouth. Or... his mind. A scan there and: "He is telling the truth, Megatron."

Several repair techs hurry into the arena but pause when they see Megatron and a mech as big and every much as fierce looking standing there face to face. After a quick moment though they head toward Hun-grr and start working on him. But its safe to say they are all pretty nervous.

Megatron takes in Soundwave's comments and looks back at Hun-Grr. "I want to speak with you when you are fully repaired." he looks around for Starchamber. "You showed promise but need work still." Didnt he order her for more training? He turns and heads back where he was standing near Soundwave.

Hun-Grr's mind is a big jumbled from the pain, but if Soundwave is looking hard, he'll find notions of hundreds, perhaps thousands of strange, ancient beast-type creatures living deep beneath Cybertron's crust, older than the Primes or Knights themselves, and in particular, memories of larger, more powerful beasts... one even as big as a city, alive but locked in stasis for eons.
He is quiet as the mechs work on him, too close to stasis lock to say much more, but he nods in understanding to Megatron.

Starchamber is mildly offended. NEEDS WORK?! She's -the perfect soldier- how could she possibly need work that is just rude.

"Thank Primus that's over," Ruiner says with a sigh of relief.