The Warriors' Tale (Transformers)

[Imperial Overlord]

The Character of Breakout is the creation of frigid magi and this story wouldn't be possible without frigid's contributions.

I roll up and transform from warmachine to robot mode. I give Prime a salute when finished. "Sir, Breakout reporting as ordered." I always have a feeling of awe when reporting to Prime. He gave me life with the Matrix and purpose simply by the way he conducts himself. To follow in his footsteps is incredibly hard. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to blaze that trail alone. Yet he does and makes it look easy.

"Breakout," Prime begins, "thank you for coming so quickly. I have an important mission for you. We're getting reports of disturbances as the reclamation center in Metricore. An Autobot has gone missing. I need you to investigate."

"Yes Prime," I answer. "What if it is the Decepticons? They also have a salvaging operation there."

"That's why I'm sending you. I need someone who can tell the difference between a feint and the beginning of a new offensive." The energon flows surge in my chest at the sound of Prime's praise. If this is a feint and we commit too strongly to defending Metricore we leave ourselves vulnerable elsewhere. On the other hand if the Decepticons intend to seize the scrap yards and abandoned foundries with a real offensive then we need to be able to fight them off. This is an important mission.

"When do I leave sir?"

"As soon as possible."

I transform and roll out, stopping only briefly to refill my energy reserves before leaving Iacon. The golden dome of the Autobot capital recedes behind me as I roll out towards No Bot's Land. I am vigilant, keeping my sensors sweeping for Decepticon air attack or ground attack while not drawing too much attention to myself.

My vehicle form is well suited for battle. A moderate amount of sloped armour allows me to attain respectable speeds while still deploying the firepower of a turret equipped with a mid sized cannon and missile launchers. I'm more than ready for a fight.

One doesn't materialize. I make pretty good time through Cybertron's battered cities and empty roadways. The war has done a good job of turning the planet into a series of ruined cities and mech graveyards. If Megatron's true ambition was to turn Cybertron into a wasteland, he has succeeded.

Resources are now in short supply. Energon, high performance alloys, rare metals and chemicals; all of these are in short supply. The factories and industrial facilities at Metricore were smashed early in the war, back when resources were plentiful. Although they are now located far from any place of importance, both sides maintain scavenger bases to sift through the junk and send the valuable materials back to their home bases. So far neither side has considered Metricore worth engaging in full scale battle over.

A dark shape flashes through the sky far off to my left. A Decepticon flier, probably a Seeker, operating at near full power by the speed. He's gone now, having vanished behind some ruined towers. I review my sensor tracks. The form does not conform with the pyramidal shape utilized by most Seekers in vehicle mode. Eighty seven percent chance that the Decepticon is interception based space fighter, a rare design among the Decepticon forces. Most of them were reconfigured to other forms with the decline in space travel from Cybertron, except for the ones with enough firepower and armour to make effective ground attack strikes.

I don't need to search my files to come up with likely matches. The most likely candidate from that very small pool of robots is Deathstrike and he's exactly the robot Megatron would send if he was serious about an offensive or trying to get us to think he was. He'll be trouble, especially if he brought friends.

Iterex Base comes into view. It's a former transit hub, a dark domed building with a pair of air defence towers nearby. Missile tubes and a pair of rotating six-barreled autocannons on each tower defend the base against air attack. Connections to above and below ground transport links allow entrances into the many layers of factories and storehouses. In theory it's a perfect scavenger base. I transmit my identification code and roll passed the guns. The main gate slides open and I drive inside.


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Deathstrike's antigravs hummed as he dropped towards the roof of Base Forty-Seven. The bay door hissed open and the midnight-blue Decepticon passed through, touching down on the floor beneath. Two Decepticons were on hand to greet the powerful Seeker.

They were shorter than Deathstrike, who was himself only slightly shorter and a little slimmer than Megatron. His wings folded neatly on his back in robot form and his heavy x-ray cannon was attached to his right arm. The two Decepticons who were on hand to greet him were smaller than him.

One was a dirty yellow in colour and only came up to his waist. The other was dull orange and just reached his shoulder. "Uh Deathstrike," said the orange robot, "welcome to Base Forty-Seven."

"You are Blades?" the big Decepticon asked. "And this is Scamper?"

"That's right," said Blades. "Who else is coming?"

"No one," said Deathstrike. "Lord Megatron and Shockwave sent me to investigate. If reinforcements are required, I will call them in." Neither of them thought the problem was serious was the truth of the matter. Deathstrike was built for deep space interception and heavy ground attack, functions that the Decepticons had little use for now that space travel was rare and all but the last of the Guardian Robots were in scrap piles. Deathstrike's energy needs were considerable, the natural end product of having high performance engines push a lot of mass around. He had spent far too much time in reserve status and assisting Shockwave with planning as energy supplies dwindled. The chance to return to the field was something he had jumped for.

"Sure," said Blades. "Whatever you say. Where do you want to start?"

"I want to talk to everyone and find out exactly what has been going on," said the Decepticon strike leader. "And then I want to take a look for myself."

[Vehrec]

Oh Primus. Transformers fic. DEATHSTRIKE Transformers fic. Even after he switches sides, he's still one of the ultimate decpticons in my book. Why are your OCs so awesome IO? What is the secret? Would you mind explaining how you go about creating one?

[Imperial Overlord]

Why are your OCs so awesome IO? What is the secret? Would you mind explaining how you go about creating one?

I would if I knew what you meant by "OCs".

[Vehrec]

Original Characters, the abreviation is fairly commmon and I'm suprised that you didn't recognize it.
Would I be going overboard to request Deathstrike's strength, intelligence, speed, and so on? I'd guess that he's got a 10 in firepower, if i was guessing. Damn it, I really like this 'Con.

[Imperial Overlord]

I don't read many fanfics and I'm not familiar with that slang. As for why my characters are interesting, I try to create beings with real personality and flaws. Deathstrike isn't me in a large number of ways, but he has enough virtues that I like him despite being someone who revels in slaughter. I also let them fail, get the shit kicked out of them, feel fear, and make bad decisions. I hate too shiny bastards who never fuck up, so I don't make them. I also don't much like whiners so Emo Bot 9000 isn't going to be one of my lead characters.

Deathstrike's speed is very good, he's got to be able to intercept and engage space craft.

Strength is good, but not the equal of say Grimlock or Ultra Magnus. Better than most Seekers who are pretty strong by Cybertonian standards.

Agility is average in both fighter and robot mode. Dogfighting isn't his strength.

Armour is heavy. He can take quite a pounding.

Firepower is fairly high. The x-ray laser is quite powerful and is capable of firing off bursts or short length continuous beams and he carries a large missile payload.

Intelligence is high. Deathstrike isn't a scientist 'bot but he is quite intelligent and assists Shockwave in his role as Decepticon strategist.

He's also an energy hog, especially in flight mode.

[Alan Bolte]

This is an important mission... This is an important mission.

Was that intentional?

It's a former transit hub, not a dark domed building with a pair of air defence towers nearby. In theory its a perfect scavenger base.

The 'not' makes no sense. It is a perfect scavenger base.

Deathstrike's energy needs were in considerable,

Another extra word.

[Imperial Overlord]

Corrected.

[Sidewinder]

A good start. By the way, do you have links to frigid magi's fan fics, i.e., those featuring Breakout?

[Imperial Overlord]

A good start. By the way, do you have links to frigid magi's fan fics, i.e., those featuring Breakout?

Nope. He's actually using him in a RP at Librium Arcana.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Oooh, looks nice

[Imperial Overlord]

I pass through the entrance way and into a large garage/assembly area. Four Autobots are waiting for me in robot mode. I roll to a stop and transformed.

The Autobots all had scratched and stained paint jobs. "I'm Clampdown," said a large yellow Autobot. "I'm in charge here. "This is Scutter," he pointed to a small yellow Autobot, "Overdrive" a massive red Autobot that was almost Prime's size, "and Glitch." The last was a small green Autobot, just a little larger than Scutter.

"I'm Breakout," I replied. "Prime sent me to help with your problem. Records say that there should be one more Autobot here."

"Burndown," said Clampdown. "He went missing nearly two hundred megacycles ago."

"Yeah," said Scutter. "We were doing a salvage run and I found a passage that was too small for him. I went down it and found a warehousing chamber. Took a good look and came back. I was gone maybe three breems, tops. He wasn't there when I came back. Some scoring on the wall, high energy particle beams I think. No Decepticreeps waiting around in ambush though."

"I'll want to talk about this incident in detail later," I reply. "I need a breakdown on current operations and status of the enemy."

"You got it Breakout," said Clampdown. "Probably best if you come with me to the briefing room." I follow him onto a lift platform that takes us up and into a circular room. A computer system with a holoprojector was at the center of the room. "Computer, display Metricore region down to a depth of five kilometers."

A maze of green lines sprung up. One one edge was a red dome accompanied by a pair of red towers. On the other was a purple tower. In between was a maze of ruined buildings and beneath them a tangled mess of tunnels and chambers. "Metricore was an industrial district, back before the war. Factory-plexes, power generators, and warehouses stretching for kilometers above and below Cybertron's surface. Landing strips, space docks, roads and railways connected it to every part of the planet and the moons beyond."

"Then came the war," I said. My data banks were full of data on the early war period, courtesy of Prime.

"Yes," said Clampdown. "It was a rich prize and Megatron wanted it. The defenders knew that if he captured it intact he could conquer Cybertron within a few vorns with all those resources at his disposal. So Metricore was reduced to ruins, its own wealth fueling the forces that destroyed it. After it was ruined, both sides abandoned it until resources started becoming scarce. So Prime sent us here and Megatron sent Blades and his 'bots over there. We've been digging and skirmishing ever since."

"Understood," I said. "Current Decepticon activity?"

"We haven't seen any for nearly nine hundred megacycles. That's unusually long. They haven't been idle though. We've seen signs of their presence. Broken open doors. Breached chambers. They're out there."

"You did lose Burndown in that time."

"Yes," said Clampdown, "and a sad day that was. We were friends from before the war. But we didn't see any 'Cons then. Burndown just vanished. 'Cons usually don't take the body, not around here at least."

"How long has Deathstrike been here?" I asked.

"Deathstrike's here?"

"So you didn't know that he had been deployed here?"

"No." That made sense. Deathstrike's x-ray laser created distinctive wounds. If he was keeping his presence secret he wouldn't leave the body of one of his kills around were it could be recovered and analyzed. Deathstrike's record indicated that he wasn't a particularly sneaky 'bot, other than his fondness es for sneak attacks and ambushes. But Deathstrike might not be forming the overall strategy, just obeying like a good soldier.

"Have you seen any other new Decepticon arrivals recently?" I pressed.

"No. Just Blades and his crew."

There were too many unanswered questions. Were the Decepticons massing in force? Had Burndown been taken out by Deathstrike? If the Decepticons pressing hard, why hadn't they been seen? I needed more data. "I'll be going out on the next patrol."

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Scrapiron and Gunstorm entered the command center. Scrapiron was a big 'bot, dull grey and massively built. Gunstorm was midsized, blue and white and very quick. A pair of particle beam rifles protruded from over his shoulders. "You wanted us boss?" rumbled Scrapiron.

"Yeah," said Blades. "This is Deathstrike. Megatron sent him to check up on the situation."

"That so?" asked Scrapiron. "Been a long time since you've been let off the leash 'Strike. And this ain't exactly flier territory."

Deathstrike said nothing for a moment. Scrapiron was challenging him without doing so directly, hiding his attack behind a recitation of facts. Deathstrike could reply that since he wouldn't be flying his energy consumption levels would be low, outside of combat. That would just be playing Scrapiron's game.

"You can choose to be a malcontent or a loyal warrior Scrapiron," growled Deathstrike. He took a step forward. "Do so quickly. I will then deal with you accordingly."

Scrapiron raised his hands to ward off Deathstrike's wrath. "I didn't mean nothin' by it."

"You have been here too long," said Deathstrike. "Had you spent more time in Kaon you would not have made such a mistake. I will forgive it once. You are Decepticons. I am Lord Megatron's will cast in steel. You will act like Decepticons."

"Yes sir," said Blades. The other Decepticons nodded.

"Good," said Deathstrike. "Now tell me about your problems."

"Well," said Blades, "it's like this. First there's been several tunnel collapses. We've had to either go around or spend a fair amount of time and energon moving the rubble. But that's just part of it. We've been finding booby traps of all kinds around. Automated gun turrets, mines, and hives."

"Hives?" asked Deathstrike.

"A pod, size varies," said Scamper. "Always disguised to look right for the area. Sensor system detects nearby 'bots, activates the contents, and opens the pod. Out pours a bunch of minibot drones. Fast movers with cutting tools. They swarm and then, well that's it if you aren't fast enough. Unless you're Scrapiron."

"Hide's too tough for them to get through fast," rumbled the big 'bot. "And they crush easy."

"Typical Autobots," said Blades. "Have something else do their fighting for them. Something that keeps their hands clean and they can dispose of later."

"Any unusual contact with Autobot forces recently?" Deathstrike asked.

"Yeah," said Blades. "Less contact. A lot less contact last thousand megacycles or so. That's when they switched to their trap strategy so that's not a surprise."

"Presumably they acquired the materials for their traps during their scavenger runs," said Deathstrike. Traps are good for area denial and control. They cannot replace warriors in the field, just alter field conditions."

"So?" asked Blades.

"The Autobots are trying to pin you down without engaging you, leaving them free to find and loot the best scavenging grounds. A civ 'bot strategy. They are not warriors in their cores. They are the 'bots that have hidden behind Guardians, Wreckers, and Primes. We will bring them to battle and they will melt like lead in a smelter."

[Sidewinder]

Good chapter. I await the coming battle with anticipation.

Oh Primus. Transformers fic. DEATHSTRIKE Transformers fic. Even after he switches sides, he's still one of the ultimate decpticons in my book.

I couldn't find any other fan fics featuring Deathstrike on this board-- a search turned up 'Zaia's Babysitting Adventure!' and 'How Stravo Got His Groove Back'. Do you have links to Deathstrike's fan fics on other sites?

[Imperial Overlord]

I couldn't find any other fan fics featuring Deathstrike on this board-- a search turned up 'Zaia's Babysitting Adventure!' and 'How Stravo Got His Groove Back'. Do you have links to Deathstrike's fan fics on other sites?

Background story is at Librium Arcana.

[Imperial Overlord]

Clampdown's reaction to my pronouncement was mixed. On one hand, he liked the idea of having me go with them in case there was a fight. On the other hand, it meant that he was going out there again. Morale was in the Pit, one didn't have to be Perceptor to see that. I need to address it immediately.

"Let's go back down," I say to Clampdown. He nods and kills the holo image. We descend via the elevator. The other Autobots look at me expectantly. I wonder if this is what Prime sees when he looks at me.

"You do important work," I begin. "Your labors here are vital to the Autobot cause. They aren't glamorous, but they are appreciated. Optimus Prime keeps a close optic on what he learns of your efforts. When he heard you were having problems he sent me to help you deal with them. You know this place. I can't succeed without your help. You're essential parts of the team and my fellow Autobots. We need to work together to solve this problem. Prime is counting on us."

I watch their faces closely. Scutter shifts uncomfortably, like he's being put on the spot. Glitch is nodding approvingly. Overdrive smiles. Clampdown doesn't do much of anything.

"What we need to do now is move into Decepticon territory in force and find out what's happening," I continue.

"Decepticon territory?" squeaks Scutter. "Why?"

"Because we won't find anything about them here," I reply. "We need to see them, to evaluate their strength and their actions and hopefully take one prisoner or capture a body with a salvageable data core. Now we need a route into an area the Decepticons will probably be at, somewhere near one of the recently tapped sites you've found."

"Sure thing," says Scutter. He transforms into a small, flat, six wheeled vehicle and tears off down the exit tunnel. "I'll take you right to it."

"Autobots, roll out," I say in my best Prime imitation. "Clampdown, stay back here and guard the base." And report to Prime if I don't come back is unsaid.

Overdrive transforms into a wheeled cargo hauler a little smaller than Prime's size and lumbers after Scutter. Glitch transforms into a four wheeled compact car with a sensor dish in front. He darts around Overdrive and heads on after Scutter. I transform into vehicle mode and pursue my over eager comrades. "Scutter," I order, "slow down. You're getting too far ahead." For someone so unenthusiastic about the prospect of combat, he was charging pretty hard.

"You got it," said Scutter. He had exited the fortress and driven down a pitted and scared ramp leading to a large tunnel beneath Cybertron's surface.

"There's a whole bunch of roads like this here," rumbled Overdrive as we descended. "Used to haul a whole bunch of stuff to and from Metricore." The tunnel was big, easily wide enough to accommodate two wide streams of traffic. It was deserted now, with pieces of rubble or burned out shells lying in parts of the road. For a moment though I could picture it as it existed in the Golden Age.

"Come on," said Scutter from ahead as he zipped into a small side tunnel. We followed him.

"Pull back," I said. "You're still too far ahead."

"Alright," he said. He fell back and stayed within visual range. He turned at another side tunnel which took us into a vast chamber lined with roadways. Bridges crossed the gulf in the middle. Above and below dormant and wrecked machines lay silent. The chamber was about a kilometer wide and ten kilometers long.

"One of Metricore's factories," said Overdrive. "The doors on the side were for finished products and raw materials. Hundreds of 'bots working at any given time." He tight beamed me a pic image. And I saw. The whole chamber not dark and filled with shadow, but lit from end to end and full of life.

"You were there?"

"Yeah. I hauled stuff from Metricore all over Cyberton," he said with pride. "Until Megatron and his Decepticons ruined everything."

"Okay 'bots," said Scutter from ahead. The little 'bot was crossing one of the bridges. "We're about to run out of safe territory and into No 'Bot's Land. Grab your guns and keep your engines running because from here on in it gets scary. Waaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooo!"

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Deathstrike followed Blades out of an massive door in the depths of the base. "This leads to a major tunnel nexus," said Blades. "From there we can go all sorts of places."

"Scamper, Gunstorm, with us," Deathstrike ordered. Scamper transformed into a transmetal centipede complete with a sinister set of pinchers and ran ahead at full speed.

"He's got a good set of sensors," said Blades, "so he goes ahead. Unless you want to step on a hive."

Gunstorm transformed in a multiwheeled fighting platform with a quad battery of needle like gun barrels. "Try coming down a corridor against that," said Blades. "And close quarters, I'll slice you." He smiled.

Deathstrike smiled back. "Good," he replied. He broke into a run after the vehicles. Blades turned to enter a code on a keypad that sealed the door. He then ran after Deathstrike, swiftly catching up to the longer legged bot and then matching his pace. "You're eager."

"These ambushes have been frustrating. With you backing us up, we can really lay a hurting on the Autobots."

The Decepticons hustled down the corridor. Soon it branched out into an intersection of four large transit tunnels as well as a ramps going up and down. Scamper headed towards an up ramp.

"Wait," called Blades. "Their base maybe up, but the most recent signs of looting were lower levels."

"Right," said Scamper and changed direction. He darted down the road and and down one of the ramps before skittering to a stop. "Mine!" he shouted. The other Decepticons skidded to a stop, sparks flying as they did so. Scamper transformed and shot the a piece of wreckage with a long barreled pistol. There was a flash as metal turned into vapor. He fired again and there was an explosion that cratered the ramp.

"Shaped proximity charge," said Scamper.

"Pits," swore Gunstorm. "They're setting traps this close to base?"

Blades drew both of his swords, long single edged black metal weapons. For a moment they were surrounded by a violet corona. "They're probably long gone," he said.

"That only matters if we let them attack us," said Deathstrike. "We are Decepticons. We will bring the war to them."

[Sidewinder]

A Decepticon that transforms into a centipede? Interesting choice of alt-mode. I can't imagine him carrying heavy weapons, though; he sounds more like an assassin.

[Imperial Overlord]

A Decepticon that transforms into a centipede? Interesting choice of alt-mode. I can't imagine him carrying heavy weapons, though; he sounds more like an assassin.

A scout. He can move really quickly through really tiny places. And possibly leave a bomb, camera, or Soundwave behind.

[Imperial Overlord]

Scutter lead the Autobots through a narrow corridor. "This is a worker way," said Overdrive, chugging along and trying to keep up. "Not one of the main hauling routes. Not as big, but not as exposed either."

"Easy to establish choke points," I muse.

"Yeah, that's the down side. Fortunately, easy enough to retreat from though." The Autobots drove forward and Scamper emerged into another huge chamber. Half a kilometer wide by five kilometers long, the roadway that lined the upper level allowed easy access to storage rooms, overhead machinery, and lift platforms. Beneath them, on the factory floor, were literally kilometer long lines of machines.

"This is it," said Glitch. "Some of the machines still have power, but the real haul is in alloys and chemicals." His sensor dish twitched. "I'm talking radioactives and extractable fuels, real payload type stuff. Convertible to big amounts of energon and we've just scratched the surface. Of course, most of its is junk so we have to search thoroughly, but still good stuff."

The little Autobot zipped down a ramp and into the mass of machinery below.. "Wait," I order. "We're here to hunt, not to extract resources."

"I'll get him," said Overdrive, heading down the ramp. "He has his enthusiasms, that's all. He's not too big that I can't haul him away by brute force if I have to. He'll fit nicely in my trailer."

"Boss?" asked Scutter. "Want me to take a look around? I'm not Glitch, but my sensors work pretty good."

"Don't stray," I remind him, "but go ahead. I want you to be able to get back here in ten astroseconds if you have to."

"Yes sir," said the little yellow bot as he zipped off.

"Sorry sir," came Glitch from below. The Autobot's voice dripped with contrition. "I get a little over enthusiastic sometimes."

"Apology accepted," I said. Glitch seemed like a good 'bot. "You stay down below. Scan for hidden Decepticons and booby traps. I don't want any surprises. Overdrive, Clampdown, back him up. If he finds something, make sure we hit first and hardest."

"Got it boss," said Overdrive with a chuckle. "And you?"

"Overwatch and reserve," I reply. "The first Decepticon I see is going to get a taste of my cannon."

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The Decepticon warriors jogged behind Scamper, with the exception of Gunstorm who rolled along easily just behind the transmetal centipede. Autobots would be able to negotiate these tunnels and roadways much faster in their vehicle forms, giving them a distinct advantage even without the threat of bombs and other traps. The best way to deal with it was a plan of action that played to the Decepticon strengths and flight wasn't much use down here. That left direct combat and Deathstrike was more than ready to rely on that.

Scamper plowed on ahead, swaying back an forth as his legs propelled his body down the corridor at an impressive speed. "Coming up on a factory chamber now. Some of these places have good loot. If we find a few Autobots we can really lay a hurting on them."

"Eeeeeek!" Scamper jumped into the air and off the roadway, diving towards the factory floor below as an energy blast struck where he had been. "Autobots!" he shouted as he dived and hid in a mass of machinery.

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My first shot missed. The Decepticon was too fast and too low to the ground to be an easy target and was now on the ground. "Glitch! Overdrive! Get the centipede bot!" I'm already shifting position. The Decepticon had emerged from a corridor on the other side of the chamber and about a hundred meters down. If I can get into position in time, they'll be stuck in a shooting gallery.

Another warrior emerges as I ramp up my engine. Fairly big, orange with black trim and carrying a light carbine with a pair of swords stuck over his shoulders. An instant match for my data files. Blades, close combat specialist, Decepticon veteran with a long history of personality clashes with the Decepticon leadership. I fire.

My shot hits him in the shoulder and blows through his armour. Smoke boils from the wound. He jumps down, relying on his antigravs to cushion the fall. Laser fire comes from below. The centipede 'bot has transformed and is firing on me with a long barreled pistol. A blast hits one of my wheels, wrecking it and screwing up the track. My speed is shot. I'm not going to make the interception point and I'm going to get shot to pieces if I remain up here. Instead, I drive off the roadway, transforming as a I fall towards the factory floor. I land easily on both legs, bent to take the shock of my fall. There's two Decepticons down here, one already wounded. I draw my energon knife with my right hand. Close quarters seek and destroy is one of my specialties. That's when I see Deathstrike emerge from the corridor.

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Deathstrike burst out in to the open, his arm swinging to bring the flanged barrel of his x-ray laser to bear on any Autobots as he made himself a difficult target. Spots of heat from active weapons gave him clear signs of activity, but no clear targets. Then an Autobot rose up, firing a missile from a battery mounted on his right shoulder. Deathstrike got a good enough view to identify him. Breakout, one of Optimus Prime's better warriors. The missile roared through the air towards him as the Decepticon activated his thrusters.

Unlike most other Decepticons, Deathstrike's flight systems were not primarily antigravs with a set of weak thrusters as a secondary system. Instead he relied primarily on powerful nuclear engines which enabled his great mass to accelerate at considerable speeds, but lacked the ability to maneuver as well as antigrav systems. The Decepticon rocketed sideways as Breakout's missile blew a crater in the wall behind where he had been standing. Another missile was already on its way.

Deathstrike twisted to fly sideways and down as the missile shifted course to continue to track him. Impact would be in a little over one astrosecond. Deathstrike reached his destination, the big Decepticon passing behind a huge support pillar. Fire and white hot pieces of metal flew from the pillar as the missile struck it.

The fire going Deathstrike's way allowed Gunstorm to emerge and attack. The blue and white Decepticon had a particle beam rifle in each hand and he unleashed a volley of fire against the Autobots below him. Particle beams bored holes through machine casings and fried the electronics inside. Traces of volatile chemicals ignited and in seconds Clampdown, Overdrive, and Breakout were hiding behind burning machines.

A particle beam blasted all the way through the machine in front of Breakout, missing his face by centimeters. Such prodigious expenditures of energy couldn't be kept up for long, but they didn't have to be. Gunstorm just had to keep them down long enough for Blades or Deathstrike to flank them.

Scutter crouched down and gripped his pistol with both hands, aiming carefully. The distance was long, but he had the shot. He fired, sending laser beams flashing through the gloom at Gunstorm. One bolt struck the Decepticon in the lower torso, the other in the left shoulder. The bolts blazed through armour and he toppled. "Got him!" yelled Scutter.

Deathstrike broke cover long enough to raise his arm cannon. A beam of violet light flashed into existence and struck Scutter in his left hip and cut up, through his torso and across, finishing as it sliced through his right shoulder. The little Autobot fell, smoke and fire coming from his insides.

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"No!" shouted Clampdown as Scutter fell. A hand reached out of the corridor and jerked Gunstorm's body out of the line of fire as I moved down toward the centipede 'bot's position.

"Glitch, get me a reading on the Decepticon's positions," I order him through the radio. "Overdrive, Clampdown, prepare to give me some covering fire."

"Y-yes sir," replied Glitch.

"Scutter's down," said Clampdown. "We've got to help him!"

"We move toward him and we break cover," I growl. "We can't help him that way." If I rip my knife through Blades's or Deathstrike's circuits, that's another matter entirely. "Glitch, cover that corridor with your gun. If a Decepticon sticks his head out, shoot it off."

"Yes sir!" he replied. "I've lost Scamper on my sensors sir, which means he can't be close otherwise I would see him. I've had experience tracking him. He probably ran for it." Which would be a good idea, under these conditions. "Blades is falling back towards Deathstrike."

Lasers flash towards Deathstrike, sending jets of blazing metal away from where they strike the column. Its thick, but it won't survive the punishment its taking much longer. Then he's slag.

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Autobot fire was eating through Deathstrike's cover. "Blades, Scamper, move towards me so we can cover each other and fall back." This hadn't gone well. Gunstorm was down, although Scrapiron had been able to pick him up. "Scrapiron, return to base."

"With all due respect," said Blades, "you're in the middle of a shooting gallery."

"That's true," I said. "Scamper, your position?"

"One hundred meters away. Breakout is way, way too close. Glitch must not be able to read me because I'm inside a machine, but if he gets closer I'm so slagged."

"Blades, transform and bolt on my order. Scamper, move towards me and prepare to fly when I give the order."

"Boss, they'll kill me!"

"No they won't. I'll see to that."

Blades transformed and a lean race car burned rubber away from the Autobots. He had jumped the gun and forced Deathstrike's hand. He had no choice but to do it now. He rose up on a flare of plasma and transformed. The midnight-blue fighter shot towards the ceiling and then jinked around the pillar. Rapid fire laser pulses flashed towards the Autobots and missiles raced from his weapons bay, hammering the factory floor with concussion blasts and a wave of shrapnel.

The Decepticon swooped down, with a skill honed through millions of years of flying and computer control systems, skimming down just above the machines below. Scamper jumped up and flew into Deathstrike's weapon bay. "Go! Go! Go!" he shrieked.

Deathstrike roared passed and over the Autobots and rose up, spewing flares and jammers in his wake. He was expending resources at a prodigious rate, but he had no choice. It was do or die time.

Breakout rose behind him, wreathed in flame. He could take a missile shot, but that was iffy. His cannon, on the other hand, couldn't be jammed. Deathstrike jinked, making himself a difficult target. Breakout's left arm and forearm mounted cannon lined up. He fired.

The first two shots missed. The third shot blew a hole in his wing. The fourth hit his engines. Smoke and fire jetted from the Decepticon. The fifth hit him in the main body. Deathstrike went down.

[Alan Bolte]

Scamper lead the Autobots through a marrow corridor.

Ewwwww.

[LadyTevar]

Scamper lead the Autobots through a marrow corridor.

Ewwwww.

Yeah, IO wasn't paying attention to his SpellChecker this time around.

"This a worker way,"

Should there be an 'is/was' in that sentence?

Spots of heated from active weapons

Heated? or just Heat?

Deathstrike flight systems

You forgot the possessive

side ways

One word, not two

beam of violet ligth

Yeah... I think you know the problem here

I've losed Scutter

Lost.

do it now."

Need rid of that quotation mark, since there's nothing being said here

roared passed and over the Autobots and rose up

This needs commas or something.

[Enigma]

So Scutter is a traitor\'Con spy?

[Imperial Overlord]

So Scutter is a traitor\'Con spy?

No, I switched the names of the two characters early on, but I sliped up and used the wrong names in story.

[Imperial Overlord]

I swear to the almighty FSM I regret having even considered switching the names of any characters. My brain simply doesn't accept it.What a mess. Should be fixed now, as a I just caught a batch of errors and corrected them. New installment up in the near future.

[LadyTevar]

Frigid should have caught that, since he's your beta reader.

[Imperial Overlord]

Frigid should have caught that, since he's your beta reader.

I think he only checks to see if Breakout's actions and words are what they should be.

[LadyTevar]

Frigid should have caught that, since he's your beta reader.

I think he only checks to see if Breakout's actions and words are what they should be.

Bad Beta Reader! Remind me to hit him for not paying attention