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LV-117--Ocean

Seawing was a bit more cautious then his fellow Seacons since recon was his specialty. This new beast was a monster modified by the mad scientist to be even more of a monster. It shouldn't surprise Seawing since the scientist enjoyed enhancing and making things bigger monsters. He swam around the beast the best he could trying to dodge it and his fellow Seacons fire. So often he is the one who has to find the weak point instead of shooting blindly like they are doing now.

>>I believe I found some soft fleshy areas back in behind the fins. It would be wise to stop wasting ammo on the heavily armored areas unless you get a very lucky shot down the creatures throat.<<

Seawing stayed behind the beast the best he could and started firing his venom lasers at the spots behind the fins.

Hundreds of Decepticons began pouring into the unforgiving acid rain through several sequentially opened portals spread out across the foundation of the mountain where Jhiaxus’ base was located in. The charge - led by the Terrorcon Hun-Gurr was tactically spread out not to become an easy target for Jhiaxus’ gigantic monster while the Decepticon air force led by Cyclonus kept pummeling away at the Chaosteros, keeping it under heavy bombardment and at the very least, hopefully distracted enough to allow the ground forces add their firepower into theirs to bring the beast down.

As the Terrorcons rushed to climb towards the Chaosteros, utilizing the natural overhangs and steep rock faces of the mountain to protect them from direct fire by the Chaosteros in order to get on melee range – Hardshell commanded the vast majority of the Insecticon horde that had been waiting at the forest edge to attack, making the skies between the cyberformed forest and the mountain dark with swarming Insecticon diaclones.

With the final portal from the Semper Tyrannis opening into the fields between the forest and the mountain base, Scorponok marched through it with the Horrorcons Apeface and Snapdragon on his sides. Above them the sky began raining down Cybernaughts from the Worldsweeper the Shatterer like a meteor shower into the fields before them - the trio stopped to witness the onslaught the Decepticons had unleashed upon Jhiaxus and his monster. Either to wait for them to soften the Chaosteros up for the final blow or possibly to draw Jhiaxus’ attention away from the attacking Decepticons.

LV-117 – Base of the mountain

The sizzling of the acid rain on his mostly burned and charred skin sent shivers through Cutthroat. After Hun-Grrr’s settling of his and Sinnertwin’s brief confrontation, Cutthroat assumed little, if any, of his organic covering remained, and his pain sensors confirmed as much.

Not that he cared. What was pain compared to the energon rush of the hunt?

This is what he’d been waiting for; this was what he was designed to do.

They were told this planet was hostile and deadly. To Decepticons, but not to Terrorcons, he thought as he flew from one cyberformed tree to another, drawing closer to the mountain and the chaosteros.

As they moved, Cutthroat kept one optic scanning for easy prey. A little feast of oil and energon would help refresh him for the upcoming fight. Maybe he’d have the pleasure of finding that little bite from earlier. If not, maybe the chaosteros would step on Hun-Grrr. Not that he’d be heartbroken or anything, but it would simplify things for him.

One thing at a time, though. Right now, it was getting into position and waiting for an advantageous moment to strike.

LV117 Mountainside-ish

Iguanus, Carnivac, and Snarler had plunged through the ground bridge with the rest of the Decepticons, emerging into the unforgiving environmental of LV 117.

It did not even give them pause, however, they simply threw towards the objective with reckless abandon. Hitting the Chaosteros with everything they had.

--

Bugly was doing the same from the air, though paused briefly to tail Bomb Burst as the vampire flew in with an extra special payload of a femme holding tight to Bomb Burst's belly.

"Got a new under carriage accessory, Vampy?" He shouted.

Base of the Mountain

Stepping through the portal was both exhilarating and terrifying for Slog. The acidic rain they’d been watching since the operation began pelted their organic covering, but he didn’t notice. His focus was locked onto the chaosteros. His optics searched for an opening, something that the others hadn’t noticed.

He realized he’d paused in his study and awe at what their tormentor had created and quickly pointed to a rocky outcropping. With a quick motion, he signaled for the Monstercons to take cover.

His thoughts shifted to Umbra, and her role in their mission. As their scout, she would be instrumental in locating any traps or openings they needed to act. It meant she would be placed in danger, but there wasn’t anything they could do about it.

Opening a channel to Umbra, he said, >>We need you to find a vantage point close enough to watch the chaosteros for our best opportunity to get inside while staying safe.<<

The decision came naturally, but he didn’t like it. Separating one’s forces rarely ended well, especially when it meant the weakest member of the team would be on their own.

Within the Choasteros

Hundreds of signal-specific frequencies were running across Jhiaxus' jade-green optics. Bot-specific frequencies that the the praetor had collected when his spheroid scanners had been given run of the prison in order to find gestalt-compatible subjects within Scorponok's ranks. To say that he had been successful was an understatement.

Amongst them all, however, there had been an anomaly: Decepticons whose body scans looked strikingly similar to those of the Monstructor Six, after Jhiaxus had finished his modifications. They seemed to possess all the primal rage of a descendant of Onyx and yet all the compatibility of a descendant of Nexus. It had been wondrous to behold. And yet, Jhiaxus had dare not given them any mention during his time with the gladiator, lest an occasion just such as this one happen to arise.

Now, however, he could play.

Internal lighting flickered as the chaosteros roared, rearing back from the current onslaught before firing off another destructive wave of energy. With all the pieces now in play, it was time to end this charade and force these Cybertronians to accept their destiny, one cluster at a time.

"I see you, gladiator," Jhiaxus chuckled as his holoscreens displayed three mechanoids who appeared to be hanging back from the main conflict. "I know you want to join. Your circuits ache for it. Let me give you the motivation you require."

Returning his gaze to the series of signatures before, Jhiaxus pulled up the frequencies of the Monstercons and the Technobots. He saw that Scorponok had attempted to lock him out of their minds. Only now, at the end, would he discover that to be an impossibility.

"One...." Jhiaxus began, interjecting a new signal into the minds of the Monstructor Six.

"Two...." he continued, sending a similar signal to the Technobots.

"Three..." he finished, sending the last signal to the heretofore undiscovered combiner. Given the mechanoids involved, if this worked, it would soon be the end of Scorponok's little resistance.
___

LV-117

As Icepick trekked forward with the others, he suddenly felt an emptiness in the pit of his spark.

That familiar malevolence.

"Oh no..."
___

Mountainside

As Lightspeed pushed deeper into the mountain, his body suddenly began to cramp. He looked at the other Technobots with him.

"Fraggit....

LV117 Mountainside

Bomb Burst slid through the sky, dodging Insecticons and other air units as they flew towards the Chaosteros. It was a jerky ride at times, because of the winds and rain, eventually causing him to needing to use his engines.

>>"Nightbird, firing engines in 3... 2... 1."<<

Knowing the spy would move her hand in time, he fired his engines. Which was when Bugly started trailing along beside him.



Oh how he hated Bugly. "I'm busy, bug." He growled back.

---

Nightbird moved her hand as Bomb Burst started counting down. She searched for another handhold as Bomb Burst shook from the sudden power provided by the engine, as he pushed his afterburners into use to speed up and stabilize himself.

There was little to hold under him, so she grabbed the grapple hook's line.

Her optics drifted to Bugly as he flew up to them. She recognized him, though hadn't yet met him. Though she did take offense to being called an uncarraige accessory.

---

Bomb Burst banked around the creature. "We'll land over there just above the Autobots." He shouted to Nightbird and headed for an outcropping just above Fortress Maximus' position, dropping a couple bombs on Mr Ugly as he did.

--

Mountain Base

Bludgeon rumbled towards the Chaosteros at top speed, taking the rough terrain with ease in his tank mode. Sliding to the stop halfway down mountainside, he transformed before he stopped moving, causing him to skid from forward inertia as his feet hit the ground, he managed to regain his balance gracefully though. He removed his cannon from his back and levelled it at the beast, firing a bolt of electricity at it.

---

It took just a moment for Bomb Burst to make it to the mountainside. Once close enough, Nightbird let go of his tail fin and let herself swing down, riding a moment upside down as they closed in.

After barely a breath of time, she released the grapple, while still upside down, flipping mid-air so she landed on her feet on the ground with acrobatic grace.

Instantly the sniper rifle came out and she peered through the scope. She had all the intell on the beast's weak points so she aimed at the closest ones and began firing right away.

As she did, Bomb Burst transformed mid-air and landed behind her.

He stood there a moment, shifting his weight from foot to foot, not knowing what to do at the moment.

--

Nightbird paused briefly, looking back at Bomb Burst. She knew damned well the Chaosteros was in range of his lasers, but he wasn't using them. She frowned at him under her battle mask.

"Look, boss. I know it never occurs to you, but you do have weapons capable of use outside of melee range." She muttered to him.

He glared at her, and she was glad the battle mask was on as she was smirking. She usually called him 'boss' to irritate him. He hated being called that.

"Either that or fly your aft over to that thing and hit it with your axe if range is out of your comfort zone." She said as she went back to firing.

--

It was Bomb Burst's turn to frown. He hated to admit she was right... And he was sometimes at a loss of what to do when he wasn't dropping out of the shadows and stabbing someone.

So he engaged his lasers and began firing, also at the Chaosteros' weak points.

The Chaosteros destructive wave caught up to the two just as Bomb Burst was about to start say something, they skittered backwards a bit, but their overhang.. and their ledge as well... Was pretty much gone. He leapt into the air, transforming as he did, Nightbird shooting her grappling hook into him as he did. "Frag." He muttered as his warning systems screamed at him regarding his armor.

He hovered above the Autobots and Lockdown, maybe about 30 meters above, reluctant to put the two of them in the cave with the Bots and Lockdown.

--

Nightbird looked up at Bomb Burst and then down to those below. "Oh get over yourself." She shouted to him. "Dire straits and all, vampire, you need out of the rain! Now lower me a bit!"

Bomb Burst complied and began a careful vertical decent. Meanwhile Nightbird let out some of her line. She slowly slide into veiw of those below.

"Greetings Autobots... Lockdown..." She said trying not to swing too much in the wind. "Room for two more?"

LV-117-Mountainside

>>Are we not on the same world, facing the same foe, Autobot? The difference between us is I’m here of my own accord while you’re hoping Scorponok will honor his part of the agreement. Tell me, do you really expect him to leave you in peace? Or inform your fellow ‘Bots of your presence here?<<

Maximus already knew he was gambling. He didn't need to be reminded of it by some Cybertronian bounty hunter whose interests only lay with himself. He knew nothing of the calculations Maximus had had to make in order to get here.

>>I can see to it others learn of your being here. All I ask is a limited partnership to apprehend Jhiaxus. To be clear, what he’s done or what he hasn’t isn’t my concern, just as your well being isn’t. If you prefer to be left to your own devices, who am I to argue?<<

So Lockdown wanted Jhiaxus too? That didn't compute. Still, after all of this mess, Fortress Maximus had no interest in the mad scientist's fate. Let him fall prey to Scorponok's vengeance or Lockdown's cage or be consumed by his own creations, Max didn't care. Spark extraction was a cruel punishment. He could see that now. A crueler fate than the execution that Jhiaxus had been denied so many vorns ago. Were he in the scientist's place, he would probably have little concern for his own well-being also. He would also likely be just as insane. But apprehension? Maximus could go along with that. It wasn't like he intended to take him into custody again. They were well beyond that point.

"See to it, then. You want me to assist in apprehending him? That I can do. It's what I'm doing already," Max said, before heading deeper into the caverns.

>>"Before you wander too far in that direction, general, you should know that our Insecticons have discovered Jhiaxus's true location, and it's not within that fortress. It's within the chaosteros,"<< came a new transmission from Reflector, one that stopped the warden in his tracks. He turned and slowly stalked his way out of the caves once more, his expression dumbfounded. Jhiaxus was.....in....that thing?

Truly, sanity had left him behind.

"It seems your target--our target--is in there," Maximus said, pointing at the gargantuan creature as it lashed out violently at the forces arrayed against it.
___

Ocean

>>I believe I found some soft fleshy areas back in behind the fins. It would be wise to stop wasting ammo on the heavily armored areas unless you get a very lucky shot down the creatures throat.<<

As the monstrous, sharklike creature swam forward, it suddenly rebounded, thrashing violently as various attacks found their mark. Its jaws opened wide as it came in Overbite's direction.

Lucky shot down it's throat, eh? Overbite thought as he fired in the beast's direction. Overbite then shot downward as the massive jaws clamped down violently on the area where he had just been.

"I never said I had the best aim!"

A slight smirk grew on Scorponok’s face as he watched what was taking place at the horizon. Jhiaxus had taken the bait. He had succumbed too deep into his madness to even take in consideration that he had given Scorponok exactly what the Decepticon leader had hoped for. The solution to the enigma of combination that had eluded him for so long.

It wasn’t the perversion that was Logicor’s currently forming haphazard combination of Afterburner, Lightspeed, Nosecone and Strafe without missing Scattershot as the centerpiece. It wasn’t the horror Jhiaxus had forced upon the Monstercons again in the form of Monstructor. No. It was the third combiner, seemingly having been created spontaneously by Jhiaxus’ command. A hulking, roaring abomination formed out of the five Terrorcons, a ravenous monster towering over the two other combiners on the field, full of seemingly animalistic fury without a target.

Only if that had been the case. How many times he had tried? The Terrorcons possessed unique transformation characteristics Scorponok had been working with for eons in secret. Them and another group Jhiaxus had apparently missed out. Out of all of his forces these two groups shared a cybergenetic bond he had determined to be a roadmap to a successful combination of body and mind. Scorponok had seen this combined form of theirs before but he had never been able to combine their minds into a living being, only into a blank state that had left the combined Decepticons with various state of mental issues and memory loss. In a sense - he had lacked the key to make the full combination possible. Until now.

Hundreds of neural sensors planted into the Terrorcons during their last visit to CR chamber worked in unison with Scorponok’s own scanning suite as he cracked the code Jhiaxus has used to overwrite the minds of his most feared special unit.

>>”Reflector, prepare to receive.”<< Scorponok contacted his go to go con onboard his flagship after after receiving an acknowledgment – upload a signal for Reflector to download. >>”Use the fleet to amplify the signal and fire my counter pulse at the combiners. Once you have sent it, create a focused jamming field around the Chaosteros to stop Jhiaxus’s attempts of countering our signal.”<<

Mountain tunnel

Nosecone continued to drill through the mountain as fast as possible. He hoped their target was buried in the mountain or at least a way to beat him by finding his lab of secrets. During this whole time, Nosecone ran analysis after analysis on the merging program and parts. The physical parts made sense but the program eluded him to some degree. This all changed when he got a weak signal to start the process. This intrigued Nosecone because they were still missing Scattershot who was presumably in the medbay or possible cr chamber. Nosecone tried to overwrite the signal to transform or at least block it but struggled greatly. His body tried to transform in the tight tunnel he was digging. Luckily the tunnel wasn't allowing the transformation but at the same time it slowed his forward progress and drill. He could tell by his sensor readings they were very close to a large open area only a few meters ahead. With what little control he could muster, he brought out his front weapons which were more for melting than any real damage. He opened fire on the remaining rock. The beams got through at the last second before he lost control. It took the remaining willpower to get a good read on the cavern which was a room possibly being a lab. He then radioed Fort Max about the situation.

>>Fortress Maximus, sir, this is Nosecone. We found a large room with Hope's of it being the mad scientist lab. The problem is I am suffering from a forced transformation into my respective limb of logicor. It probably be safe bet my fellow Technobots are suffering as well. Thankfully the tunnel isn't wide so the transformation is very slow but painful. You probably experienced similar issues of little room to transform.<<


Ocean front

Seawing smirked on the inside as the monster squirmed to get away from his shots. As he was floating to himself, he lost track of one of the fines and got smacked by it. There wasn't any real damage but it took Seawing a few moments to get refocused. Once he did, he was able to continue outmaneuver the beast but still had slight issues on getting lined up behind the fine. He did wonder how long it would take his venom to take effect. A creature this size would take a little longer than a standard mech to become paralyzed but still the creature should lose some manueverability once those fins collapse or get stiff.

[LV-117 Skies over Mountain Range]

Wheelie wrote:"What's our destination? Our station of operation?"

“We’re going back to the Autobots,” he said, with a shaky voice. “We should be with them now.” From the side, he could still see that absolute unit of a chaosteros causing mayhem. Hopefully everyone was still holding up alright to that.

Hopefully.

The acid rain was still pelting down, and even worse now that they were flying. “Sorry about the weather, Wheelie, but it’s either a few kliks of rain or a cyborg gargantuan.”


[LV-117 Surface]

Ransack reshaped himself into his alt mode, so that he could get up, close and personal with this monster. His bug optics glowed, and he descended on the cybernetic skin of the monster, transforming back in midair and unleashing a relentless volley of fire onto it. Kill it. He fire round after round at the soft, fleshy parts. His red visor glowed faintly. Kill it. Another few moments, and he brought himself into point blank range. His concussion cannon was in his right hand. Aimed down. Grip tight. Kill it.


[LV-117 Ocean]

The underwater action was growing, the tension increasing. Overbite, hilariously enough, had found that the big fish looked like a satisfying upgrade to him. Seawing pointed out that there were some organic portions, and the underwater demolitionist made his way down to the area that he had pointed out. He shifted into his cephalopod alt mode, and bulleted himself towards the fleshy portion. Outside of the waters, on the surface, an intense rumbling began to occur.

And right at that moment, Tentakil had secured his grip onto the megalocon. He injected half of his tentacles into an organic part, and the other half into a metallic surface. >>”Swim back, unless you’d also like to have a taste.”<< He squeezed hard, attempting to crush into the damn monstrosity that was this beast. When he felt his spikes completely embedded, he offline his round, left optic and forced several hundred thousand volts of insulated yet raw and violent electricity into the shark. “Hrngh!” The amount of energy he was spending to make this happen was immense. He had made sure to make it count.


[LV-117 Surface]

Wildfly felt the release. He felt himself enter the fray. He felt it in his circuits like some kind of euphoria that had infected his systems. He rushed straight in, towards the creature that had suffered a similar fate as he and his fellow ‘cons had at the hands of Jhiaxus. A maddening bloodlust filled his moves. He skipped from side to side, dashing past others, taking flight. All to finally cRuSh tHaT sCrapLeT’s hEad. It was too much for his circuits to handle. He needed release. And he needed it now.

But the euphoriant bloodlust wouldn’t last long. In a split second, as his systems felt… hijacked, infected by a different feeling. Something hollow. As if everything he had was suddenly sucked out of him. As if he was just a shell for the vacuum that had taken its place inside. His spark felt like it was being broken, beaten up and scarred in all the worst ways possible.

And it all feels so fragging familiar.


[LV-117 Mountainside]

When Skyfall and Wheelie arrived back at the mountainside, it looked like six different kinds of hell had walked through this place. “Wheelie, I don’t feel too good about this.” All kinds of chaos was being waged. He looked for the location of the Autobots, and thankfully enough, Fortress Maximus’s size was enough to give it away. Not like secrecy really mattered anymore. He descended, with less control than before, shaking and stirring on the way down. It was more of a sharp plunge than a descent. “Agh! Wheelie, jump, now!” He almost would’ve crashed to his death, were it not for the aid of a few jagged rocks on the side. Thunder roared above, and a crack of lightning lit the skies.

After the flash, Skyfall tried to bring himself up. He couldn’t afford rest at this point. He looked up to see the rest of the Autobots, a few leaps above him. He tried to climb his way to the top, slipping a little bit on a few rocks and missing a few places that he needed to grab, but he pulled himself up nonetheless.

And finally, he was reunited with his fellow Autobots. Fortress Maximus, Wheelie, Brainstorm, Whirl, the Technobots, Pointblank, and the rest. “Hey. We’re back.” He didn’t know what else to say. He was just glad to be back amongst family again.

Realising that he was in the middle of a war and not at some random chit-chat party, he turned his attention to the action. Hundreds of insecticons crawling around the chaosteros with several seekers in the sky and a dozen other land troops. It was a sheer insanity of a view.

And then the rumbling began.

Out of the corner of his optic, he saw something rising. Something grotesque and utterly shocking. Mechs being transformed into unnatural positions and being linked together.

First, it was Monstructor. He had seen this already. A nasty sight to behold. He almost felt bad for the kinds of things Jhiaxus had done to them, to the chaosteros and pretty much anything else he’d come into contact with.

Next, another titan. This one he hadn’t seen before. He hoped he hadn’t seen it before, because it looked like the unholiest kind of abomination. It looked like a savage beast who would ravage through everything, day and night, if only to find a sliver of energon to feed itself with. He hoped that it wasn’t the case. He recognised some of the members of that titan. Terrorcons, they called them. Vicious, ruthless animals.

Hopefully, the titan wasn’t a sum greater than its parts.

Skyfall heard a vulgarity from Lightspeed behind him, and some kind of shifting. His optics stretched wide open. “Lightspeed! What’s happening to you?!” And alongside him, Strafe and Afterburner. “What’s going on?!” Nosecone was drilling in the tunnel, but for some reason the sound of the drilling had reduced.

Panic filled his systems as he realised what was going on.

Base of the Mountain

Despite every circuit telling him they needed to wait, that allowing the Terrocons to attack first was the logic and best course of action, Slog found himself struggling to keep his emotions in control.

It wasn’t a new fight as he’d struggled with this since Jhiaxus forced them to combine, but being so close to their former tormentor and having to wait, to allow others to take the fight to their enemy was nearly too much to resist.

He wanted to transform and attack, to allow what he truly was at heart to come out.

No, if I do… if I lose control I’ve failed them… He clenched his hands as energon lust surged through him. To rip, bash, and rend the chaosteros until he found their tormentor surged through him until…

Nothing.

The feeling, the desperation ceased as though someone flipped a switch and he was becoming something else…

No, please, Primus, no. He tried to lock his servos to keep the familiar sensation of being controlled overrode his circuits.

Dread tried to bleed out from his processor, but it couldn’t. It was trapped inside with his thoughts as they slowly shifted onto another pathway creating the paradigm he and the others had dreaded reforming.

This is the last thing I wanted.



Ah, there he is. Oil dripped from Cutthroat’s beak as he watched Hun-Grrr and the others move toward their target from his vantage point. More importantly, he also spotted a tiny spec that looked like the snack that had avoided him previously, but he couldn’t be sure.

Even if it was, there would be time to feast later. He had other business to attend to, and unfortunately, it required him to aid his leader and the others in this quest. Afterwards, well, let what happened then be a concern for the moment.

He chuckled at the flying Decepticons bombarding the chaosteros, then avoiding its strikes as best they could. Some fell, others didn’t. It was the way of combat. The difference from what he could see were the Autobots fought bravely, albeit foolishly given they weren’t Terrorcons, while those that crowed their own superiority hit and ran like the weak cowards they were.

These are the mechs we call allies? These pathetic excuses for warriors dare to tell me where and who to fight? I am no weakling, Hun-Grrr, but I am not stupid, either.

For the first time since entering the hanger and then stepping foot on this world, he didn’t crave the conflict. Instead, he found himself approving of the idea of remaining back and picking off those too weak to put up a fight. Once he had his fill of their energon, servos, and oil, he would join the conflict. Until then, he intended to let Hun-Grrr and the others tax their reserves. He would remain fully fueled and only blackened by Hun-Grrr’s flames.

Yes, this was the way to fight this battle. Wait and attack while the others were occupied.

He settled back on the thick branch of what had once been a tree of sorts to wait when something blipped in his processor. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to catch his attention before his hostility drained away and he felt an unrelenting drive to join his teammates.

The part of him that continued to drive him to rebel, to be his own mech roared in anger and indignation, but it was a quiet roar. More like a whisper as that part of him was pushed aside and locked away to serve as witness to what was to come.

LV-117 - Mountainside[/i]

Lockdown had been in enough of these discussions to know Fortress Maximus had little choice but to agree. Had it just been himself, he wouldn’t have. But offer help for those under his command and he’d agree to just about anything like a good Autobot commander.

Of course, there was always the chance he’d refuse. Nothing was guaranteed in the universe, especially when it concerned mechs standing at opposite sides of the spectrum. Not that he had room to complain. Lockdown may be a Decepticon by programming, but he was about as central as a mech could get. Monetarily speaking, that is.

Still, he saw no reason to give this or any Autobot any quarter. He’d walk away in a blip of a sensor if need be. He’d find another way. It was what he did.

Fortress Maximus wrote:"See to it, then. You want me to assist in apprehending him? That I can do. It's what I'm doing already," Max said, before heading deeper into the caverns.

Lockdown watched him with an amused expression. Not bad, Autobot. Faster than I expected. “it is agreed then.” He stood and readied to leap to the ground, but took an astrosecond to check on the progress The Death’s Head had made. Pleased it had located what appeared to be a thin part of the mountainside, he turned his attention back to the events at hand.

As he landed on the cave entrance floor, he noticed his newfound ally had paused, then turned back. Lockdown readied his chainsaw and EMP generator. He didn’t expect an honor bound ‘Bot like Maximus to betray him, but stranger things have happened.

Fortress Maximus wrote:"It seems your target--our target--is in there," Maximus said, pointing at the gargantuan creature as it lashed out violently at the forces arrayed against it.

Fragging scrap, you’ve got to be kidding me! Vocally, he said, “Things are never simple, are they?”

He weighed his options between honoring his deal with Skorponok and Maximus or heading into the mountain to see what possible treasure were left behind. In the end, he decided honoring his deals was more important. He had to if he wanted to work for either group again.

With that, he sent a signal to his ship to ready its engines. When things went sour, he wanted to have a backup available.

“It appears we have our work cut out for us, my friend,” he said, readying his weapons for what was to come.

LV-117

"Death, to all," Monstructor gurgled, followed by a mirthless guffaw that sounded entirely alien. The gestalt drew its weapon and began to blast aerial units out of the sky with practiced ease.

>>"Decepticons, monitor all directions,"<< Cyclonus ordered as he and a contingent of fliers soared past the chaosteros, one of whom found themselves summarily gunned down by the newly-reformed Monstructor. >>"Our enemy is no longer singular in nature."<<

Cyclonus pulled up smoothly. As he circled around, he saw a new gestalt. One he had never seen before.

What madness is this? he thought, before his scanners confirmed the presence of the five Terrorcons. By Primus, how had Jhiaxus accomplished that? And what was more, if united with Monstructor and this garganguan chaosteros, could Scorponok really win this fight, preserve the site and not suffer critical troop losses?

Cyclonus would do his best to see that he did.
___

The Semper Tyrannis--Bridge

>>”Reflector, prepare to receive. Use the fleet to amplify the signal and fire my counter pulse at the combiners. Once you have sent it, create a focused jamming field around the Chaosteros to stop Jhiaxus’s attempts of countering our signal.”<<

>>"Receiving now,"<< Reflector responded, opening the ship's data systems to accept the massive data signal that was being uploaded.

This would take some time.

LV-117 – Base of the Mountain

Rippersnapper was surrounded by mayhem and war and he was enjoying every astrosecond of it. The shark monster followed behind his master, Hun-Grrr, as the Terrorcons charged towards the cyberformed mountain and the monstrous Chaosteros that had been unleashed upon all of them. The acidic rain from the skies above pelted off of the synthetic flesh that covered Ripper's metallic skin. At least this slag had already made itself useful even if it was disgusting to have against his frame.

The land shark avoided the various attacks by the Chaosteros, seeking cover when necessary behind a variety of rocky outcroppings and the natural overhangs of the mountain, itself. Rippersnapper didn’t remain under cover for long as he charged into the fury of battle again and again. He was salivating at his jaws, wanting so much to taste the metallic flesh of the Chaosteros. It was more than big enough to feed all of the Terrorcons and then some for many many cycles to come. Hopefully, once the beast was finally brought down, Lord Scorponok would allow the Terrorcons to feast upon its remains. A shark beast could only hope.

As Rippersnapper continued his assault on the Chaosteros, the terrorist unleashed a volley of missiles from his twin launchers at the unholy creature. The explosions rocked the side of the beast, but did little to slow it down. Ripper kept up his attacks, but soon felt a strange sensation overcome his entire body. He suddenly stopped his advance as his joints began to freeze up. Rippersnapper’s body soon began to uncontrollably contort and change as if he was about to transform except he wasn’t going back into his robot mode. No. He was becoming something else as he was drawn towards his other teammates.

“What’s....happening....to me?” Rippersnapper managed to utter before his mind was somehow pushed back into the recesses of his processor. A power that was not wholly his own had overtaken him and he was now a mere pawn as he and his Terrorcon brethren joined together into a new horrifying abomination.

“Oh what a lovely battle this is!!”

Gullet chortled to himself as he followed the ground troops towards the cyberformed mountainside; galloping through the cyber-trees and clearing underbrush with a spray of his corrosive stomach acid. To any normal troop, Gullet was monster that would find more home with the Terrorcons; yet he always stuck with the normal soldiers during combat. His beast-mode was monstrous; the large head and jaws of a shark atop the heavily armored quadruped body of a rhino, Gullet was a terrifying sight to be. The Decepticon grunted with every step as he aimed to climb atop the mountain and taste his foes energon between his teeth, no acid rain or giant beasts will deny him a free meal. His large carnivorous mouth began to smoke and a gush of smoldering orange and purple stomach acid burnt through the cyber-forest; leaving only charred metal and burnt peat.

LV117 Mountainside

Nightbird watched as more Autobot's came crashing in, Fortress Maximus and Lockdown "negotiated", and she slowly (and unintentionally) spun around on her grapple line to see Monstructor come to life behind her and Bomb Burst.

"Aww bolts, there's the last thing I wanted to see again." She grumbled as she continued her slow spin and now was facing the Autobots and Lockdown.

They we're obviously busy enough with all the insanity going on that they had not noticed her hanging in midair. But she couldn't do this long as Bomb Burst's armor was about to breech from the acid rain.
She wiggled her digits in a good bye wave and reeled in her grapple line, slowly hoistong up to the underside of Bomb Burst. She flipped over so she was hanging upside down again, lingering a bit longer in front of the Autobots... Partly for effect, partly to be in position to grab Bomb Burst's tail fin.

"I sometimes think being a spy works against me sometimes." She yelled up to the Vampire, jokingly. "You understand that, a career of not being noticed." She laughed. "Let's find some place else, maybe lower down the mountain there is a safe spot."

--

Bomb Burst shuddered a bit as his tilt fan seized from corrosion, something which he needed working for hovering. Fortunately, it continued spinning at normal speed, though it was a grim reminder that the acid rain was taking it's toll.

Nightbird stopped her ascent briefly as Bomb Burst dropped a bit before regaining his fan functionality.

LV-117- Mountainside

Gullet burnt through several more lush trees before he halted towards the rocky wall; lifting his head up towards the battle above him. As the other grunts began to grapple or clamber atop the rock, Gullet transformed into his hefty Cybertronian form. The corrosion from the rain was crawling across his metall frame; that battle above is the perfect protection from the rain. Gripping his large hands on the mountain wall; Gullet began to climb atop the wall by making handholds with his inhuman strength.

“I cannot wait to burn those nice juicy cadets in my acid” mumbled Gullet, he was slowly catching up to his fellow troopers and smacking his metallic chops.

The acid rain numbed the Decepticons sensors as he finally stopped atop a small ledge area, one right below his comrades but left untracked by them. “Hmm? maybe this is a shortcut through the mountain or it’s a deadend?....One way to find out” thought Gullet as he begun to follow the path. Opening up two latches on both arms, Gullet unlocked two rotary cannons attached hidden inside his arms and both were were ready to unleash a nightmare upon his foes.

During his walk, he heard a couple distressed voices.....

LV117 Base(ish) of the Mountain

Crowbar fidgeted under the organic coating that had been put on him. This was positively insane. How could anyone mech do his job with this stuff on?

Well, possibly it didn't matter. Scorponok only want them to shoot at this thing. He was pretty much just part of the big distraction.

“No fun in that…” he muttered as he swung around his plasma rifle and opened fire on the Chaosteros.

He kept felt totally underused as he plinked away at the beast. It was hardly a good use for his skills. He was never the distraction, he was the one who used the distraction as cover.

Where was Bomb Burst in all this? Couldn't that damned parasite have given the dark ops crews better orders?

He stopped firing to look around.

>>”Hey. Boss.”<< He said over the team comms for Bomb Burst, or even Nightbird would be great. >>”Any other orders besides shoot this thing?”<<
---

Carnivac was stalking around the Chaosteros in his wolf mode, cannon mounted on his back and taking shots when he was able to get a view on the weak spots he had targeted. It wasn't easy peasy with this thing, that's for sure. Snarler was behind him, content to follow and take cues from him.

This dancing around an unpredictable monster was getting a bit frustrating though.

He spotted Bludgeon up just a bit from them, in his tank mode still, firing away.

“Let's join the Chief, Snarler.” He said. “Concentrating fire may be more effective.”

Snarler simply grunted an affirmative and trotted behind Carnivac as the Wolf maneuvered to their commander.

“Good to see you free, Commander.” He said as they arrived.

--

Bludgeon didn't respond to Carnivac's greeting besides a soft ‘ummhmm’ between rounds.

LV-117 Mountainside

“What the!?!?”

Gullet grew suspicious as he began to walk slowly down the path, as grunts fell down from the beast above to the sharp rocks below, becoming small purple metal energon puddles. A vulgarity shot past Gullet’s receptors and he inched across the path, the trail getting wider as the rockwall closed on him. “Such vulgarity in such times like this...” thought the warrior as his guns flickered around and started to wear from the acid droplets above; there was somebot or else right in front of him. That’s when another voice pierced through the rain; “What’s going on?” , the Decepticon finally reached a curved angle and peeked through to find his leaders accursed nemesis’s. There were Autobots, an entire group of them awaiting to be mowed down or ripped to slag; Gullet then backed away from the curved and started to create a plan in his head.

“I must wear out the bigger foes first, before assaulting the rest with my whip and strength; stomach corrosive and rotary cannons should be used for this”.

Gullet then stood up after thinking of a plan to take care of his newly found prey; he then flicked off the safety clips on his guns and strolled right into the three aviation based foes in front of him. “For The Glory of Megatron!!!!!!” hollered the Decepticon warrior as he began to fire his rotary cannons upon the trio in front of him; orange acid drooled from his bear-trap mouth as he laughed maniacally into the fray.

LV117 Mountainside

And suddenly... There was shooting from behind.

Nightbird released her grapple and dropped to the ground. Her katana out she whipped around, keeping low to the ground.

She spotted the Decepticon sygil on Gullet. "Frag!" She yelled.

---

Bomb Burst transformed and dropped to the ground too, between the Autobots and Nightbird, and Gullet. He had pulled out his axe.

Also recognizing the newcomer as a Decepticon, though he didn't let up on a defensive stance. "Stop shooting!" He ordered Gullet. "Our enemy is that." He motioned slightly with his axe at the Chaosteros rampaging near by.

ctrlFrequency wrote:LV117 Mountainside

And suddenly... There was shooting from behind.

Nightbird released her grapple and dropped to the ground. Her katana out she whipped around, keeping low to the ground.

She spotted the Decepticon sygil on Gullet. "Frag!" She yelled.

---

Bomb Burst transformed and dropped to the ground too, between the Autobots and Nightbird, and Gullet. He had pulled out his axe.

Also recognizing the newcomer as a Decepticon, though he didn't let up on a defensive stance. "Stop shooting!" He ordered Gullet. "Our enemy is that." He motioned slightly with his axe at the Chaosteros rampaging near by.

Gullet froze before his guns could fully fire and do damage upon his unexpected targets, two other Decepticons stood between him and his prey. One carried a katana to her side and the other a battleaxe; the one with the axe motioned towards the huge beast above him and told him that “Our Enemy Was That!!!”. The sentence soared for a minute in the cannibals processors until he understood the real mission at hand, his dark purple optics furrowed with frustration and obedience and his jaws clenched.

“Many apologies for my mistake Lady Nightbird....”

With a whirr and a painful grunt, Gullet changed into his voracious beast form; a monster with a large shark-esque head and a armored rhinos body. Gritting his teeth and boring his sharp finned hooves into the rock wall, Gullet began to gallop up the mountain wall using his great strength to bore hoofholds in the rock. Taking one last glance at the two Decepticons that halted his advancement and his prey further away; Gullet muttered several vulgarities about a spoiled hunt or something like that. As troops fired upon the beast above, Gullet churned his insides for a special weaponised surprise.

“Better be hungry big beastie.....Gullets got one liquid lunch for you!!!!!!!”

Opening his large jaws and gurgling for a moment, the Decepticon let out several large bursts of corrosive stomach acid towards the Chaosteros; hitting it’s underside. Manic laughter passed through the steamy mouth of the cannibal, loud enough to be heard by his comrades.

Hell….yes, that's what this planet felt like for sure. The small orange Autobot didn't say anything in reply to Skyfall on their way back to the location of the other Autobots. He just held on tightly to his bigger friend’s chassis so he wouldn't fall to his death, and suffered as the acid rain continued to eat away at their bodies.

Yes, the little bot was known to be quite the survivor, but this ordeal really looked dismal. All he could do was hold onto faith; the faith that he had in his fellow Autobots and his own will to survive. Then, all of a sudden, his will was tested again as Skyfall lost his equilibrium and began to plunge! The aerial mech shouted at Wheelie to jump as they were about to collide with the mountain. Wheelie gathered up all his strength in his servos and made the leap, jumping for the rugged wall of the cliff and instinctually latching onto the rocks that he could. He struggled, especially with the makeshift repairs on his previously injured arm, but he was able to stop from sliding down the rockface. Then he heard the crash, and he turned his head towards the sound, yelling, “Skyfall! Skyfall are you okay?! You have to live another day!”

He was quite relieved though, to see that the mostly red flier had also been able to get ahold of the rocks and climb up. His spark which pulsed so quickly, got some relief when Skyfall joined them, and little Wheelie smiled and said warmly, though painfully, “Welcome back, Ace. See you fell from grace. Now we gotta pick up the pace!” Yes...pace...to where though? Wherever, to stop this destruction first, that's what needed to be done! However, things weren't getting any easier. Now on top of the huge cyborg reptilian beast rampaging around, there was a giant mix-mashed horror trampling around with it. Wheelie stared at it in horror and asked his fellow Autobots, “What in the pit is that thing?!”

LV117 Mountainside

Bomb Burst watched as a small, orange, rhyming 'Bot (Wheelie) went by, just after Gullet exited their presence. He dimmed his optics in confusion. He then let his optics drift back to Nightbird as he brought them back to normal light level. He had an inkling of what was going to happen next.

Nightbird’s rage was bubbling up.

--
“Lady Nightbird?” Nightbird growled.
---

“Oh don't go there, Nightbird…” Bomb Burst said softly.

---

In The Air

Bugly was flitting around the Chaosteros as best he could, firing his photon rifles at it. The winds were making it hard to maneuver, his wings acting more like sails. So he ran with that. Gliding and using the strong air currents rather than expending the energy to fight against them.

---
Base Of The Mountain

Igunaus was feeling like they were getting nowhere. >>"Bugly, have you tried your electric shock thing?"<<< He commend to Bugly.

--

>>"I think I would be just a giant lightning rod if I did."<< Bugly replied.

---

>>"True."<< Iguanus agreed, realizing the science behind that would be rather... Electrifiying. Speaking of science... He caught sight of the Terrorcons being forced together. >>"Holy scrap!"<<

---

>>"What-"<< Bugly began just as he caught sight of the Terrorcons as well. >>"Scrap is right, another one?"<<

Back to The Mountainside

Lady Nightbird? He did not just call me Lady!” Nightbird’s ire was certainly awoken.
--

Bomb Burst made a funny face. “Oh she went there….I don't think he meant it that way, Nightbird.” He said. “It-”
----

Nightbird didn't give Bomb Burst a chance to finish. “It's because of you, you know.” She pointed out. “You always getting between me and everything else makes others think I need protected.”

LV-117 – Mountainside

“Eat This and More of This!!!!!”

Gullet increased his acid blasts to full stream; a jet spray of orange acid coarsed through his metal throat and into the underside of the giant Chaosteros. As he continued firing upon the large beast, several sizzling puddles dripped upon the rock wall and floor; chunks of ground began to scorch and shatter to the forest below. Slowly but surely, Gullet was literally scorching the battlefield.