LD-L1 attempts to hail the unknown vessel. “Unidentified Flying Object. Please state your business flying so close the the Prime’s craft.”
“To be honest with you, i don’t know much myself. The prime just called me, asked me to come along, and left it at that. Sorry about that, I want this over with as much as you do.”
“Our business is none of yours,” replies a male voice- perhaps the dropship’s pilot. “Change course and bug out, if you know what’s good for you.”
As he speaks, the dropship swings above the Pulsar and turns to match her heading, only about thirty feet above the yacht.
“I guess the sooner you get goin’, the sooner that’ll happen,” Riveter says. “The drones have been getting the skimmer ready while we’ve been talking- she’s all yours.”
“That doesn’t sound like anything good to me.” Aralysa remarked. The Hecatan transformer made her way over to the console to try and see what the problem was.
Nova smiled.
“Definitely sounds like a nice place. Sounds a hell of a lot better than my old home at least. I’ll have to give it a visit if I ever get the chance.”
Axis flapped up on to the control console, and pushed down on the radio with one of her bird feet, trying to contact the approaching ship.
“Attention unidentified vessel. This is the shuttle Pulsar, captained by Axis Prime. You are to identify yourself and state your intentions immediately.”
She said sternly.
“If we ever get the chance, I’d be happy to show you around.”
Low-Tide offered.
“I don’t think they’re here for peaceful terms. That much is obvious.” Kitai said. His wings fluttered.
The Pulsar’s exterior cameras show two ships in close proximity. One appears to be a human-made dropship, and is flying right over the yacht’s hull; the other is a Junkion craft of unknown make. Both are armed, and according to sensors, the Junkion ship is charging its weapon.
The communications system shows that the human dropship is receiving Axis’s message, but for whatever reason, its pilots are not responding. Worryingly, armor plating beneath its cockpit slides away to allow a rotary gun to lower itself into view. The green cube mounted on the craft’s tail detaches and falls onto the Pulsar’s hull, transforming as it descends into a boxy mech. Magnets in the robot’s feet secure it to the white metal, and it reaches behind its waist to grab a weapon that was secured on its lower back.
“I am sure you will,” Overgrowth says. “It is a whole galaxy of opportunities out there, as your people used to say.”
Instinctively, Kitai launches himself at the glass window in the front of the bridge, putting his full weight into it.
Salvage quickly ducks as Kitai leaps over him and smashes through the viewport, erupting into the open air in an explosion of glass and a harsh shattering sound. Right after the hybrid passes through, an emergency energy shield materializes where the window had once been.
“What the Pit, dude!?” the red Junkion screams. “There was a door- there’s like a million doors on this ship!”
Stopgap had come to a conclusion when the fight had concluded. It was clear that this band of warriors was capable, but they weren’t capable enough to serve him in his accession. This revelation brought to light just what the gods had planned for him to regain his place among them.
They want me to interfere?
Alas, that was why he was here now, hiding behind a stack of crates in the shuttle’s cargo hold listening in for any sign of them landing. truly, this was the newest low of his life. there he was on the cusp of greatness and here come the gods ruining his plans once more.
Truly there was no spark lower than his.
Ignoring the Junkions annoyed cry, He turned to the mech, annoucing a broadcast in screaming quintesson.
“Primus give me strength.”
Axis grumbled. She quickly switched the ship’s radio to internal comms.
@ajtazt @keiththelegokid @Rukah @N01InParticular @BlackBeltGamer98 @ToaNoah_Wafflemeister @rainsong @DuneToa
“Attention all hands! A hostile craft has approached our vessel. Either brace yourself or prepare for combat!”
The Prime announced.
Axis transformed into her robot mode and summoned the Star Calibur from subspace. Her hand had healed by now, but her shoulders still wore the scars from her fight with the insecticon.
Maximus came rushing into the bridge. Gauntlets already equipped.
“What’s going on? What’s the situation?”
He then noticed Axis had transformed and armed herself.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m preparing for battle.”
“No way! You still haven’t healed. You need to rest. I’ll handle this.”
“Maximus, darling, as honorable as that is I refuse to stand idly by while this ship is under attack.”
Axis replied harshly.
“Oh come on!”
Nova angrily shouted.
“Just when I thought I’d get a chance to rest.”
The girl went back inside and boarded her mech. The large backpack detached and hit the cargo bay floor with a loud thunk. Niko quickly jumped off and ran into his own mech.
Gungnir then rose back up to its full height. One arm reached behind its back and retrieved a large shield with a bladed tip and two long cannon barrels on its surface.
“Who do you think it is?”
Niko asked as Ferrex walked up to Gungnir’s.
“I have no idea. But if they’re going to interupt my peace and quiet, they better be ready for a hell of a beating.”
Nova replied, reactivating her low and rumbling voice filter.
“Combat? Man, that doesn’t sound good. I think I’m gonna sit this one out.”
Low-Tide remarked.
“Alright, thanks a million. See you again soon sweetheart.” He days, climbing into the vehicle, and preparing to start the engines.
———
Seeing as the humans opted to take hostile actions, LD-L1 opted to nip their boarding manuever in the bud. He carefully aimed for the mech before fireing his anti-asteroid laser. Surely mineing equipment would be more than capable of destroying, or at least severely damageing the mech.
Stonefist nodded, considering his offer. “Maybe, once we’ve got this job finished. Aralysa wanted to take me back to Hecate, but I’m sure she’ll be interested in someplace new–”
But just then, the Prime’s voice sounded over the intercom, and she didn’t sound very happy.
“What’s that?” Stonefist replied automatically, but Low-Tide responded.
“A fight? Well, it seems time I get going.” the rocky bot mused. Then he took off.
“Nice meeting you!” He called to the Eukarian as he rushed for the bridge, his heavy feet
plodding across the floors. Meanwhile, someone already on the bridge was getting ready for combat.
“That definitely doesn’t sound good.” Aralysa remarked as she monitored the other ships’ approach. Kitai had smashed his way onto the Pulsar’s hull, but the Hecatan was less willing to meet this new threat head-on. Still, she checked her lasers and activated her energy saber, ready for anything that might come their way.
Nobody in the cargo bay seems to have taken notice of Stopgap yet, hidden as he was. But the other people in the chamber appear to be getting ready for another battle following the announcement over the intercom.
Overgrowth draws her longsword from her hip and shouts a short battle cry in Ancient Cybertronian. Those who know the language would understand that she’s praying for Primus to show mercy upon the souls of our heroes’ latest enemies.
“Give 'em Hell, as the humans say!” Beta Maxx exclaims from atop an energon tank, raising his fist.
“Doors, people! Use the frakkin’ doors!” Salvage continues to rave. “I’m trying to fly the gorram ship here!”
The exterior cameras give Stonefist, Aralysa, Axis and Maximus, and anyone else on the bridge a view of the fight as it continues to unfold. Kitai charges at the human mech, while the Junkion ship shoots a laser at it’s back. Perhaps the pilot of that vehicle is an ally…
The laser strikes the human mech in the back, searing through a patch of its olive-colored hull. It staggers forward, its magnetic boots keeping it upright. It’s upper body twists, the pilot looking up at LD-L1’s ship through a dome-shaped cockpit. Blinking red warnings and damage indicators are reflected in the glass, before Kitai’s terrifying war-cry is carried through the wind whipping over the Pulsar’s hull. The mech turns back around and limbers its weapon: a huge nine-barreled rotary gun. The weapon roars like some fearsome nebulon super-predator as it sends a hailstorm of lead at Kitai.
Above the mech, the dropship’s troop bay doors swing open, revealing an armored human crouched behind a heavy machine gun mounted from the ceiling. The gunner opens fire on LD-L1’s ship, aiming right for the cockpit, while from either side of him, twenty armed humans pile out of the dimly-lit interior. Thruster packs in their suits cushion their descents as they too land atop the hull, securing themselves using magnetic boots.
The skimmer’s controls respond promptly to Ivory’s input, and the ship surges to life. The entire frame seems to come alive with the engine’s power.
As soon as Stonefist made it to the bridge, he announced to the others present:
“I’m heading out.” The second the stone-armored robot finished saying this, he headed out the nearest exit to join Kitai in meeting their new attackers head-on. Aralysa noticed the gray-armored warrior come onto the bridge, but was too late to warn him to wait before he ran out the door. She sighed.
“Always rushing into a fight, that one.”
Nova and Niko make their way to the rear entrance. Without a second thought Nova jumped out into the open air. Using Gungnir’s main thrusters she lifted up and landed on top of the ship, while Gungnir’s feet magnetized to the hull to help keep it stable.
Niko meanwhile nervously peered over the edge, looking out through Ferrex’s eyes.
“I don’t think Ferrex can exactly move like that. I’ll wait here in case they try to come inside.”
“Fine by me.”
Nova replied.
“I can’t let you go out there. Not while you’re still so hurt.”
Maximus urged.
“And what am I supposed to do? Sit here sitting on my hands while my subjects do all the fighting for me?”
Axis shot back, sounding quite upset.
“Yes! As the Prime it’s most important that you stay safe. This isn’t anything I can’t handle.”
The predacon replied. Clearly putting his foot down.
Axis was quiet for a long moment.
“… fine. I’ll stay. But the moment it appears you’ve lost control of the situation, I’ll be out to join you.”
Maximus nodded.
“Fine. I’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
With that Maximus rushed back to the main entrance, running past Ferrex and diving out just like Nova did. Seeing the predacon swiftly transform and fly up to the top of the ship, the poor boy felt particularly grounded.
Maximus transformed back into his robot mode and landed next to Gungnir, gauntlets at the ready. He took a moment to look over his opponent before charging into battle.
LD-L1 Veered the ship to the right, avoiding the heavy weapons fire. Punching in the coordinates for the port he hit the auto-pilot button. As the ship began to turn, LD-L1 slammed the door button then transformed. When the angle was right he tore out of the side door and tried to make the jump down to the pulsar below, wheels spinning at max RPM the whole way.
Ivory hit the vertical lift-thrusters and the ship began to float above the ground. He then eased the rear thrust and began a slow but rapidly accelerating take-off.
Sixteen of the twenty human troopers look almost identical. They wear red and black hardsuits adorned with ammunition packs, breaching charges, and knives, and thruster packs are built into suits’ backs. The troopers each carry an automatic rifle, some kind of micro-rocket launcher, and a submachine gun. Their faces are hidden beneath reflective blue visors, and an image of a rabid dog is scrawled on the sides of their helmets.
The other four troopers, though, have more unique kits. One is an eight foot tall giant of a man wearing what appears to be a slimmed-down variant of the suits worn by the others, though he carries the same arsenal of weapons as them. A white skull is painted on his suit’s breastplate. The second is also a larger fellow, though his size may be attributed more to the bulky exosuit he wears, which sports a laser weapon and a grenade launcher on the right and left shoulders, respectively. In his hands, he holds a wicked-looking machine gun, fed by a belt coming out of the back of his suit. The third wears a suit with larger thrusters than the rest, and has a grappling hook on his left arm. A large sword is also stowed on his back, between the thrusters. The fourth has a suite of high-tech scanners attached to her helmet, a wrist-computer attached to the gauntlet over her right forearm, and a pair of cylindrical pods are mounted on her thighs.
Behind the troopers, the enemy mech continues to do battle with Kitai. The hole cut into its back by the Grunt’s laser cannon smolders. Currently, it wields a huge rotary cannon in its hands, though it may have other weapons stored within its frame.
The troopers scatter as LD-L1 lands in their midst, using their thrusters to quickly jet out of the way, lest they be splattered. As the cultist’s borrowed ship peels away to speed back to Iacon, the troopers’ dropship eases back to put all of our heroes within view of its pilots. Its nose-mounted gun whines as the craft lays down a blanket of suppressive fire over the Pulsar’s hull. The troopers group themselves into two squads of ten, with the giant and the sword-wielder joining one squad, and the heavy gunner and the techie joining the other.
The howl of the skimmer’s engines briefly drowns out all other noise in Riveter’s spaceport, growing quieter as Ivory jets out over Iacon’s walls. It would not be long before the detective catches up with the rest of our heroes aboard the Pulsar, though he may have an unpleasant surprise waiting for him when he does…
Transforming quickly and turning on a dime, LD-L1 Sprints after the Second squad, his unnatural strength giving him considerable speed. He moves to grab the nearest member of the squad, a veritable death sentence for the trooper. Assuming he is successful, he would take the soldier, and sling him at the heavy gunner, applying his considerable strength to the action.
Upon encountering the warzone Ivory cools the jets a bit. Time to take stock of what weapons this thing had.
As Stonefist surveyed the battlefield, one of the approaching ships opened to reveal an odd-looking bot, apparently an ally, based on his attack on the hostile newcomers. The other ship’s passengers, however, wouldn’t prove to be so friendly, and it opened fire upon the four resisters.
Quickly, Stonefist shielded himself with his shell, the bullets not having much of an effect as they slammed against his armor and bounced off. Seeing as his new ally had attacked the second squad of soldiers, Stonefist decided to go after the first. The rocky bot transformed into his boulder alt mode, and, carefully reversing his antigravity devices to keep him from falling off the Pulsar, Stonefist started rolling towards his foes.