deprive every single spark of hope

"Thrown in the lake of broken dreams. In endless darkness" This is a CLOSED IDW Transformers RP account. Revenant | Decepticon | Assassin | Independence Chloe Peyton | Earthling | Student | Charge to Revenant

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Hey, y'know it’s…whatever. None of my business. I’m gonna go inside the ship…I mean the, well, the big guy…ok. You two can share information while I look around or something. Ok.”

Nenna turned on her heel and marched off toward the big archway that lead into the ship’s crew quarters and hurried through the corridor until she reached the cargo. Soon as she was far away enough from the others, she wiped her face clean of tears that forced themselves out of her eyes. Far too many emotions raged in her at once for her to keep it together and she’d be damned if any of her ‘so-called’ friends saw her weep like some stupid child. But then again, that was also incredibly childish of her. They were friends. Just friends that hurt mher feelings. Even if they didn’t meant to. Nenna stomped down the hall, mumbling to herself until she came upon a sight that made her jump and gasp. The massive bodies of the two mechs that had been wrecked in the fight laid still and lifeless on the cargo hold floor. She approach the white one with caution, walking up on the monochrome hand of segmented, slender digits that laid still in front of her. She reached out and touched it, carefully, then withdrew her own hand. It reminded her of that strange and breathtaking encounter by the portal Rider had referred to as a space bridge. The massive hand gate reached down to her and the very small smile on the giant’s weathered face…

“Is he dead?” She asked aloud, not sure where to aim her voice to communicate with Providence. Nenna walked a little closer to the limp head that laid tilted to the side. The eyes were dark and the white mech certainly seemed dead, if that was a word you could even use for a machine.

[thewanderingrider]

“Nenna!” Rider called out, but to no avail. He fell silent, and he could say nothing more, either to Nenna or to Chloe. His gaze fell to the rough floors of the Cybertronian they sailed on, and then to the high waves beyond. Retributor caught he sudden outburst and saw one of the humans run down into the back, and he too grew quiet. Soon after, he saw Rider make his way towards the railing of the deck. The boy leaned on it and stared at the ever cresting waves that stretched to the horizon.

Providence felt the stillness growing on his decks. In particular, he felt Nenna isolate herself from the rest of the group. Then she asked the question.

“No,” Providence replied through the hangar intercoms. “He is only resting. He will need medical attention, but he will make it. He is strong…he’s been through worse,” the destroyer added gently. “More importantly, what are you doing here, instead of being with the others?”

[shadowrevenant]

The tension between the teenagers left Chloe in an unvomfortable but awkward position. She barely knew either of them very well; they're her classmates and they studied altogether for projects, considering her lone wolf status described by other students.

"I..." Chloe inhales sharply with a whisper filled with regret and sadness, she wondered if she made the right call to rescue them from a threatening situation and tagged along into their mess, "...Sorry."

With that, Chloe turned on her heels returning to Revenant's side, leaving both Rider and Nenna alone. There's no doubt Revenant had watched the exchange, with thoughts running within their processors...

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Rider, I have worried for you since I had the great honor and fortune of freeing you from that terribly unfortunate wall by the terribly misaligned space-bridge.” Hardwire smile and leaned back to rest against Geardust’s alt-mode. “And well, I suppose o get that from his spark. One of the many good and beautiful things it has given me.”

“Ngh. Don’t. Not in front of the aliens.” Geardust whined with discomfort over the sudden affectionate mention and flashed his lights disapprovingly.

“Oh come now, you’ll live.” Hardwire tapped the hood of the truck with one finger while smiling even wider. He looked back down to Rider and composed himself as the new human joined them, bowing his head in greeting and then turned away to give them privacy.

Nenna tore her eyes from the fascinating ‘brother’ mechs and looked at Chloe. Then to Chloe’s own mechs friends. Then to Rider. She took a step back and sized the two up for a moment, chewing on her lip while thinking. What came out next was due to sleep deprivation, wearing wet and sticky clothes and feeling scared and lost.

“Hey we just study together, you don’t owe me anything, either of you. I’m just very jealous and very confused by all of this but well…I’m sure you had a reason for the secrecy.” She mumbled and wrapped her arms around herself. She sounded way more hurt than she intended to but, well, she was. “It’s just kinda sucky. I thought we were better friends, I guess…that sounds really dumb and selfish but…whatever. I know it wasn’t personal. I’m sorry. I’ll shut up.”

[thewanderingrider]

“So you really are happy to see me?” Retributor asked Revenant coyly, his arms still crossed over his chest. “Well, you know me. I’m the best there is, even if its protecting small humans! Second to best when I’m with you,” he added, jokingly.

Rider, meanwhile, giggled over Hardwire’s teasing, but he fell silent when Nenna seemed to withdraw. He was about to comfort her when Chloe drew near, and he put the thought at the back of his mind. To her question, he nodded silently. “Well, yeah…you know more about this deal than either of us. I don’t know much about them either, I’ve just seen their home.”

[shadowrevenant]

The former assassin shook their head at Retributor. Taking a quick glance from their friend to Chloe engaging in a conversation with the two other teens, then back. “Tch, always the show-off, as usual. Keep it up, you might’ve pass for Cybetron’s number 1 fighter.” Revenant’s voice then lowers, vocal chords switching between masculine and feminine affecting on their tones, “Yes, I am more than happy; quite relieved to be exact. It’s not the same without you around.” Revenant lowers their head with a hushed whisper,  “I do miss you.” Chloe, meanwhile,taken aback by Nenna’s words and lowers her head feeling unsure how to proceed with the conversation. She grows nervous despite she’s not used to socialising in general. “I understand if that’s how you feel, Nenna.... I’m sorry.” Chloe admits, trying her best to lighten the load, “Believe me when I say this, I’m not really aware of your situation nor your involvements with Cybertronians.” She turns her attention over to Rider, “I... wouldn’t say I’m best knowledgeable. All I know they’re an alien species from the planet Cybertron. Revenant told me about... unsettling history on their planet; I think it’s best you learn more about that from your Guardians rather than me.” Then Rider mention he saw their home, it piqued her curiosity, “You saw their home? What... it’s like?”

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Seem like a lifelong friendship.” Nenna mumbled, curiously. Then she scoffed and gave Rider a gentle nudge with her elbow, along with a look of fake hurt feelings and resentment. “And you’re one to talk! You’ve been to their homeworld!”

Mia stopped by Hardwire, Rider and Nenna on her way over to the helicopter, giving them both a long, worried look. Nenna halted her teasing of her classmate and looked Mia up and down, still not sure what to make of the EDC officer.

“Take care of yourselves, alright? And watch the waters…what little I know of Edel points to most of his body having been rebuilt by cybertronian tech. I wish I could help you all, if I think of some way to do so I promise I will.” She said with a small nod and then stepped over to the railing to give the large, rugged alt-mode of Buccaneer a gentle pat.

“And you be careful as well, I’ll let you know where we go so we can meet back up when this has blown over.” She said, quietly and with a small, somber smile.

“Really?” The Decepticon asked, hopefully, from his control panel.

“Of course. Be careful, my friend. I’ll see you soon.”

“You too…and I hope so.”

The doctor wiped under her eyes as she walked, head held high and quickly boarded the helicopter, setting in next to the wounded officer to keep him as stable as possible.

“Redscreen.” Lighfall, who had remained entirely silent for hours, called out into the comm channel inside Redscreen’s cockpit.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry! Azure is a great pilot and I trust him.” The red he’ll shot back, chipper and hopeful as ever as he took off from Probidence’s landing pad. Lightfall merely flashed one of his canopy lights in response as the party took off.

Hardwire sat in silence during the exchanges and goodbyes, watching the helicopter take off into the setting sun. Rider’s words hung in the air, and when the mech turned his head back down toward Rider, his optics glowed with renewed light and warmth. He laid his head to the side and couldn’t help the loving smile that immediately brightened his gloomy features.

“Oh, Rider…my brave little friend. You’re right, but I wish we’d met under circumstances of peace and safety. I just worry. A lot.” Hardwire mumbled, softly and laid his hand to the floor next to the human to give Rider’s arm a very careful brush with one of his digits.

“And to think all of that happened because you got stuck in a wall.” Geardust piped up with a scoff, his headlights flashing behind his brother where he remained parked.

[thewanderingrider]

“And you never bothered to tell me,” Retributor protested in mock-hurt tone. “One might think she replaced me. But it’s okay, I’ll live,” he joked with a cracked smile, glancing over to the small human. “Maybe I’ll even get used to the arrangement.”

Rider giggled a little and scoffed, but replied defensively all the same. “Oh come on, it’s not like I intended to go there! I didn’t even know it existed until I fell through that portal. I probably know less about them than Chloe does!”

He fell silent when Mia gave a muted farewell, and offered a confident nod next to Nenna’s soft words. After all was said and done he watched the other, silent grown-up make confident strides as he boarded Redscreen and rested his hands at the controls.

“If Edel tries that cybernetic shit again, he’s got another thing coming,” he remarked to Mia, while starting up the alt-mode’s engines. “Stay low and out of sight yourselves, I’m sure things are just going to grow more complicated from here on out,” he added, as he opened up the throttle and lifted Redscreen off from the Providence’s helipad. Rider was going to enjoy the moment, and then Geardust made his quip. The boy found himself laughing a little, again.

“It’s not my fault that the portal wasn’t working right. And hey, it all worked out in the end! I never would’ve pegged you for a worrier like your brother either,” he murmured more gently to Hardwire. “Not after how nicely you treated me when we first met…”

[shadowrevenant]

“Heh. I doubt you’re letting me out of your sight. I wish I had introduced you to Chloe under any circumstances.” Revenant remarks, then their voice lowers to a hushed whisper with a hidden affection, “Beside, it’s good to see you again.” Chloe diverts her attention from the two Cybertronians reconciling their banters within their own sense of humours. The young teenager grant them some room to speak in private and facing over to the two classmates. Chloe wasn’t the one to socialise with students at her own age; never the one to talk. She spent her lone days keeping to herself than attending social events. Throughout a chaotic day and an exhausting journey in a day; she left both of them in the dark about her connection to Revenant. Braving her wits against the motion sickness and the ocean; she cautiously approaches her classmates with a shy smile, ignoring the sea’s scent. “... I guess I own you some answers?” Chloe asks them, worrying about intriguing their conversation.

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Nenna smiled back at Rider and bit her lip to contain the excitement. A moment later she caught herself being excited over more potential fatal danger and leaned on the hull of the great ship. What would even happen to them now? And all of their families must be worried sick. She had met Rider’s mother before, and her heart sank when she thought of the poor widow worrying herself sick over her son. Chloe, however, remained a mystery. Nenna shot a glance over to the group with the unknown, rather grim looking robots, that hovered around Chloe. She watched them with curiosity while trying to comb out the tousled mess of salt water and dirt that was her hair.

“Well, then…I can’t well force you but I hope you’ll all call for help if you need it.” Mia sighed with resignation. She felt the proverbial eyes of all the mechs on her, obviously wishing for the EDC staff to leave. “I appreciate it. All of you, you didn’t have to help us, and I will not forget it. Ever. Thank you…I’m sorry for what happened.” Mia cleared her throat and forced her posture straight, even though every muscle and bone ached sorely in protest. She was so exhausted she could’ve slept right on this wet ship floor. Straightening her ponytail and ruined uniform, she walked toward Azure, looking the pilot in his dark eyes.

“And thank you, Azure. Can you help me get Dmitry up from Buccaneer?” She asked, softly as she was able. The glare from the helicopter-transformer behind Azure literally burned her eyes for how red and bright his visor was in an overt display of anger.

Hardwire had slowly perked up and looked down at Rider. His spark flared in a joy that chased away his fears for the boy’s safety. His guilt reminded itself as he stared down at the small eyes full of warmth and trust. His optics dimmed and looked elsewhere. It was a trust he felt utterly undeserving of.

“Rider…I really just want you to be safe. I can’t say where that is…I don’t even know what to say about any of this.” The NAIL spoke quietly while leaning back, having not felt this lost in a long time. Would things ever be the same? Would Providence ever look at him the same, or the other way around? The pain and fear of the parasitical intrusion into his systems still lingered and he felt it’s phantom tendrils in the depth of his mind. Places he had since long locked away to forget, forever.

[thewanderingrider]

Retributor turned to Chloe, a little surprised at her sudden gesture. At her quiet admission, and Revenant’s snarky addition, he cracked a smile, his crossed arms shifted a little with his upper body.

“Well, it can’t be helped anyhow,” he excused, half-heartedly. “If I had tried to focus only on you, I wouldn’t have done as good of a job. If she’s sticking with you, then I’m stuck with you both, heh.”

Rider, meanwhile, stuck with Nenna, and watched Chloe with the two other bots. “Guess she’s used to this whole thing,” he murmured to his classmate. “How long do you think they knew each other?”

Without a word, Azure nodded and strode over to the alt-form of their newest acquisition, helping Mia carefully should Dmitry out from Buccaneer and transfer him over to Redscreen. By that time, Rider’s attention was diverted to Hardwire. The small boy stared up to Hardwire with a reassuring, knowing smile. “I’m safe whenever I’m with you guys. We’ve been in worse spots on Cybertron, remember? We’ll be alright…”

His voice, though not reflecting the confidence of knowing the future, was filled with hope.

[shadowrevenant]

Chloe managed a small smile and nods at Retributor’s words. She could tell from his tone he wasn’t really used to gratitudes. It was the least she can offer to express her thanks for saving the young, fragile humans from harm’s way. Her eyes fell upon Nenna and Rider watching from afar, hushing quiet words to each other. She owned them some answers, she thought. Revenant’s chuckle brought her attention drawn back to the two Cybertronian beside her. “Guess you’re not getting rid of me that easily, my friend?” Revenant smirk behind the mask, crossing their arms over the chest, “Sorry I’ve been out of communication for years. Laying low and raising Chloe kept me occupied.”

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Boresight turned his head toward Skyshark’s voice. He gave the red jet a small smile and a soft squeeze on the shoulder he held onto for support.

“If I don’t last, I will at least fade happily…now.” He said, quietly enough for only the other jet to hear.

Mia gave Rider a thankful smile, her shoulders sank from exhaustion as she sighed. Nenna didn’t look at Rider the same way; hers was a look of frustration and scowl. Hardwire heard the small voice behind him and fell deeply silent while the EDC doctor offered several solutions for the teenagers if they’d go with her. Hardwire rose, slowly, his damaged frame giving of an almost mournful metallic grinding of all cogs and gears that were misaligned from the fight they had just endured. He nodded to the woman below.

“If they want to leave with you, nobody will stop you. So long as they’re safe and protected.” It took a lot of will for him to turn halfway and look down at Rider. His optics shone weakly without any color, and he forced a smile that only served to make him look sad. He said nothing else and slowly walked away to the other end of Providence’s deck to sit down beside Geardust. Hardwire pulled his knees close to his chest and leaned his head over folded arms to force his body to slow its drain on resources. Geardust felt the sting of pain deep in his own spark, but he left his brother alone. Nenna looked after Hardwire with a pained expression and then back at Rider with a frown.

“I don’t know…I kind of…I wanna stay with the transformers.” She piped up and felt her cheeks redden. Maybe the mechs didn’t want them here? She crossed her arms and looked down.

“I am not flying any EDC scum anywhere!” Redscreen suddenly barked out from his alt mode. “I say we push them into the water, see how long they can swim before sinking.”

Lighfall remained silent as well, but shared the same thought as Redscreen. Both having first hand experienced the imprisonment and cruel vivisection of this faction.

“Look,” Mia tried again, her voice uneven and thick from exhaustion and fear for Dmitry’s condition. “You’ve every right, I don’t blame any of you! But I didn’t do anything to you, neither did he! It’s not like I blame all of you purple badges for the loss of human life when you destroyed our cities or you red badges for not intervening sooner. I have…clearly picked the wrong side in all of this and I see that now but I swear I was just there as medical staff for personnel…I didn’t know. It doesn’t make it right, but it’s true.” Her hands fell helplessly to her sides. She looked from one mech to the other, getting no response from any of the aliens, and lastly looked at Azure, pleadingly.

“Please. He’s going to die…please help us.”

[thewanderingrider]

“Humans are full of it,” Retributor replied dryly, rolling his optics and glancing back at the commotion. “Just look at where we are, now. At the very least, you ought to let me help.”

After Revenant couldn’t answer Chloe, her counterpart stepped in to inform them both. “It seems that the EDC people wish to leave…” he murmured. “One of the injured is dying.”

Skyshark held Boresight’s hand firmly in his own, looking at his companion with tenderness and fear. “Don’t leave me yet…” he whispered to him. “You’ve only just come back. You don’t get off the hook that easily…”

Rider looked to Hardwire, with a smile and a shake of his head. “No…As for me, I’m staying with you,” he said, and turning to Nenna, “And with you, too. I know your friend means a lot to you, but I feel safer with my guardians,” he said in a tender, but firm voice. “Let us stay with them.”

Providence spoke up, his commanding voice filling the intercom once again. “We shall provide transport for you and your companion. “Azure, you helped instigate our escape, and in a bloody manner that was unfit for our original goal and intention. You also chose to spare the lives of these two humans. You will help them in return for allowing to escape back to the American mainland without detection. Do you accept?”

“It would seem that I have no choice,” Azure chided Providence, regarding the pair with crossed arms. His eyes, however, betrayed pity. “…But you have a point. Fine. I’ll need transport again.” Having said this he jerked his head over to Redscreen. “I need your help,” he told the crimson mech. “The sooner we deliver them to safety the sooner we can get back here with less to worry about.”

[shadowrevenant]

“Well. Let them leave?” Chloe’s voice were quiet, watching the commotion with alarmed tone, “What happened back in that cavern were horrific enough.” The next, Chloe step an inch close to Revenant, facing inwardly to Retributor, fingers clasping and twirling together, as her mind thinking on the chosen words carefully, the smell of the ocean were already on her nerves to keep her nausea in check. "Hey, um... Retributor, is it?” Chloe calls for the elder cybertronian’s attention, blue eyes casts downwards to stare at the pavement, shyness overcome her, “I want to express my gratitude for saving me and my classmates from danger.” Shen then gazes up to face him with a smile, “So, thank you.” “Heh. And, here I thought you say we’re getting ‘too soft’ if we help others.” Revenant smirks behind their visor, the hint of teasing tone had gone unnoticed to Retributor’s ears, “I guess we’re both at the point with old age approaching.”

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Everything hurts, nothing is critical.” Boresight mumbled while being led by Skyshark. “Not yet at least. No visual…obviously.” He said with a dejected grimace and gesture to his mangled face. “I think it’ll have a spark failure due to anger more than anything…” he added sheepishly and felt all together both hopeless and like the universe’s biggest fool. It didn’t make matter better than the was carried to safety aboard his old commander whom he had just tormented in his cell, hours earlier, and the rest of Providence’s friends.

Not to mention the red jet that had a supportive arm around his back.

“Good, old, reliable Skyshark.” Boresight let out in a long vent, somberly. It had barely occurred to him in his state of panic that he had called his name in the storm. It almost angered him to be there to begin with, rightfully he should’ve been left to sink and get crushed in the depths.

“My comrade doesn’t have a month.” The EDC Doctor announced as she stepped aboard the massive destroyer, trying not to think of the terrifying reality of having made possible enemies with a transformer this size. “Can any of you with a flying alt-mode carry us to shore? The teenagers as well, their families must be absolutely beside themselves with worry.” The stern woman added with a gesture to the young ones in her sight. Nenna made a sour face where she stood , bracing herself against the cool hull, adjusting her grip to a softer one when she became aware that it was still the old guardian mech she was leaning against.

“Forgive me, human-” Hardwire suddenly cut in as he rose and stepped forward, his towering frame overshadowing Mia’s view of the sky as well as Rider and Chloe. He lowered himself on one knee and gave her a sharp look with his crystalline optics that shone softly violet. “But I would not now and not ever trust their safety in your hands.” He added with a strangely commanding tone to his otherwise soft, musical voice.

Mia stared up at the giant and frowned with indignation, something that slowly receded as she saw the grim marks on his armor and face from his struggle with Eden and his mind-controlled husk of a Cybertonian. She looked away and was met with the open ocean and the smoke stacks that rose from the destroyed base. Chills crept up her spine from the thought of Edel’s morbid form rising from the water to drag them all down. Not to mention the sadistic bounty hunter…

“With respect, Cybertronian, you can’t honestly tell me that this place and the company of your kind is safe for helpless children.”

“We escaped your people and their guns just fine, with just one of them, lady.” Nenna spat out from behind and Mia looked skyward to make sure she’d chose her words right. She looked back to Hardwire and saw in his dim optics and crestfallen expression that at least he agreed, even if he didn’t say anything.

[thewanderingrider]

“Keep it together,” Skyshark urged Boresight softly. In his voice, hope fluttered through a storm and raging seas, interspersed with bursts of terror. “There’s no need to be angry…we’re safe now. Together again. Just rest. We’ll find help for you, just hold on…”

“We are several thousand miles away from habitation,” Providence replied to Mia on intercoms, his voice indicating admonishment. “And we have few options, isolated atolls and islands with limited medical facilities. However, we are closer to the shores of the Eastern continents. If you truly wish to depart with your companion, then Redscreen or Lightfall can drop you off on the outskirts of a human city. But as for us, we head for the American continents. That is where Nenna and her friends live.”

“I’m with Hardwire and the lady on this one. Can we trust them not to betray our position once we let them go?” Azure asked openly, and eyeing the medic with a sidelong gaze. Rider spoke up for them in a faltering, but audible voice.

“Mia seems nice…she wants to help others, beyond anything,” he offered for her defense. “I trust her…there’s no reason for her to sell us out.”

Azure chose not to mention his past acts against the EDC that directly preceded their arrival.

Retributor, meanwhile, scoffed at Revenant’s rebuff. “Yeah, where have I heard that before? The Decepticons might have deceived me, but my ears don’t. I’m glad you care for the human, but…”

He looked to Chloe and Vesper, and then back to his old partner. “Don’t get killed in the process, okay?” he asked, and then turned to direct his attention towards the sea.

[shadowrevenant]

Revenant rolls their own optics; glancing over their shoulderplate averting attention from a seasick Chloe to a grumpy Retributor left tending to assist the others ontop the ramp. “I don’t plan on it unless we’re all looking for trouble as we, usually, did in past. ” Revenant remarks back, with a shook of their head then direct attention back to Chloe, “I have my fully responsibilities with this one.” Revenant extends a hand out to help Chloe climb off the Predacon’s back and places her gently on the group without tripping. Chloe breathes sharply, yet the smell of the ocean were already nauseous and gross, trying her best not to puke on the ramp... or was it a Cybertronain’s alt-form? She couldn’t tell. Too busy dwell with her own current problem. The human glance an exchange look to the group, watching cautiously, and curious to what’s the commotion is about as her ears overhear many yellings and heated words in-between. “What’s this about?” Chloe asks her Guardian. Revenant made a scoff, “Frag if I know.”

[musingsofmyhexrt]

                            I’d give my life 

                                        just to see you  s m i l e

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Time passed and so did the storm as the other mechs made their way onboard the massive destroyer that was Providence’s alt-mode, as terrifying a sight as it was awesome. Geardust has stood at the edge of the water and watched in stunned amazement as his friend disappeared into the raging water and emerged a giant machine big enough for him to soon stand upon. To conserve space, Geardust and Lightfall had both transformed and remained stationary at the stern, both quiet and seemingly contemplative over the whole situation they had found themselves in. Snowblind and Roughtracks both laid lifelessy in the hangar with both of their bodies having shut down to critical lifesupport.

Hardwire’s attempts to speak to the Headmaster hadn’t gone as well as he’d wanted and he decided to leave the stern looking cybertronian from an older age to her own thoughts. There wasn’t much space for him on the ship with the others around and his severe damages made it hard to move. He had kneeled down and watched the smaller boat out in the ocean that carried the children, trying to catch a glimpse of Rider. His mind was heavy with the turmoil they had all endured and while he wanted to talk to Providence, he struggled to find words to break the silence.

Boresight remained with Skyshark, in as much silence as most of the passengers and survivors. The shield had been torn from his face and his optical casings were nothing but a mangled mess of dark pits and exposed wiring. A big tear in his cranial armor exposed the delicate wiring of his brain module and he looked like he’d been run through a grind saw. He was depleted but fumed silently at the disaster of it all, the treacherous humans and former comrades. Redscreen had landed next to Vesper and Lightfall and opened his hatches to let Azure out.

Mia tended to the bad wounds of her soldier companion who’s ragged and labored breaths made Nenna so uncomfortable she had to keep from covering her ears to block out the frightening sound. She huddled close to Rider and was still sort of hoping they’d wake up from this surreal situation at any moment.

“Are you kids alright?” Mia asked the two after she’d stabilized Dmitry. She turned while wiping her bloodied hands and wiped her wet hair out of her face with the back of her wrist.

[thewanderingrider]

Retributor stopped just before they boarded the massive boat and looked to Revenant with concern in his eyes. “Hey, you alright?” he asked quietly. “I you need to talk, we can do private channel stuff.”

Once Buccaneer was winched up to the side of the ship, Rider climbed out from the smaller boat and ran onto the main deck of the massive destroyer. His first thoughts were of Chloe, and he ran through the rooms out to the back of the helicopter deck where the other Cybertronians had assembled. Rider looked up in the sky to Vesper and flailed his arms wildly, trying to get his attention to let Chloe down. Just then the jet and crimson helicopter landed on the helipad, and Retributor took some of the deck chains to secure Redscreen to the deck so he wouldn’t slip off as they made their voyage. Azure emerged soon after, hopping off and taking off his flight helmet, breathing a sigh of relief. It was over, finally, and they had picked up two more humans on the way. He wondered if the peace could be kept while on the ship.

Skyshark brought Boresight to the front of the ship, near the missile cells and the 5-inch gun. Though scrapped and scarred from the encounter, his first thoughts were still of the seeker. “How are your wounds?” he asked tenderly. “You look pretty bad, we’ll need to find a way to patch you up.”

Just then Providence’s voice rang out through the intercoms. “We appear to be safe, for now,” he stated to all present aboard. “No one is trailing us, and the seas of Earth are vast. We will make our way back to the American mainland, a voyage of a month or so. This should allow us to heal our wounds, take some time to recuperate. I will try to contact the others on Cybertron in the meantime, and request assistance and transport home for those who need it.”

[shadowrevenant]

It didn’t take long for the Predacon to land safety ontop the boarding ramp of the ship; carefully not to push or let Chloe slip off him accidentally as he land. The Predacon turns over his shoulder to find Chloe clinging tightly with eyes glued shut, trembling and whimpering nervously like a helpless child. Revenant, on the other hand, turns to face their old friend and waves a digit to brush off his concerns. “No. It’s no need. I am fine.” Revenant tells him, before stepping away from Retributor after watching Vesper recently landed, “My only priority is Chloe right now. I must put my concerns and responsibilities for her first.” The Predacon whirls gently trying to coax Chloe down, then its optics darts over the approaching ex-assassin. Revenant watches cautiously over Chloe’s trembling form and scans her for any signs of injuries then found her free from harm’s way. “ \\ Master. I worry for the sparkling. // ” Vesper chirps to Revenant in his native language. “Chloe?” Revenant’s optics fixated on Chloe and gently calling for her attention. The sooner the ex-assassin’s voice reaches the human’s ears, she slowly opens her eyes and turns to face her Guardian with a weak smile. Revenant didn’t flinch nor startled by the peaky appearance their charge seems to look and covering her mouth. “I made a mistake.” Chloe whine groggily, removing her hand from her lips, “I looked down and I regret it.” Revenant didn’t say anything but chuckle at her, then extends their hands out to gently carry Chloe in their hands, from Vesper’s back, holding her close to their spark chamber. This should be an interesting journey back home...

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Geardust watched and listened in the howling wind, and said nothing more as Providence gently picked the former Decepticon up from the ground and carried his limp frame safely toward the ocean. What did he mean? Worked for him? Geardust quietly followed behind the bigger mech, hobbling on his damaged and uneven legs through the water and debris.

Lightfall picked up the gravely wounded Roughtracks from the water as well, slinging the smaller Decepticon over his augmented arm and up over his shoulder. He quietly shot some studying looks to Revenant and their companion, the bigger, black mech that had kept the humans safe in the chaos.

“He’s right. Please, come with us. I know it must be overwhelming but I can explain…it isn’t safe here.”

Hardwire closed in on the silver Headmaster and held a hand out to her. She turned and looked at the group, still as wide eyed and confused. The massive one that had spoken to her had armor that looked familiar, bug that was it. The rest was nothing but alien to her.

“Where am I?” She asked, her voice carried with it the command of a seasoned warrior.

“We are on Earth, we are far from home. Much had happened.” Hardwire continued, meeting her hard face with a smile.

“Earth? Is it…a colony?”

“No, alien planet. Come, I’ll explain best as I can but not here.”

She hesitated, looking back into the dark, angry waves where her enemy had escaped, finally, she nodded and followed Hardwire who closed up behind Providence.

Out among the waves, a blast jet of water shot up as Boresight broke through the surface, scrambling to claw his way up on something to hold onto, but his ripped out optics and damaged sensors made it nearly impossible to navigate in the waves. He panicked and felt fear grip his spark as he barely had enough fuel to keep from sinking. He’d landed far from the others as the parasite got ripped off his alt-mode. He cried helplessly the name of his old companion, the only thing he thought to do while struggling to break though the surface with his leg-jets stuttering with the last remains of power.

“Skyshark!” He shouted again while trying to pick up on any readings of the rest of the mechs.

“Help!”

[thewanderingrider]

Retributor patted Revenant on the shoulder as he passed her by, making his way to Providence. “We are not safe here, we must depart,” he urged, looking back over his shoulder as he made his way through.

In his hands, Providence closed his eyes and let his transformation cog do the rest. On his knees, with Snowblind in his hand, Providence expanded as living quarters and other rooms were created, his frame massively expanding until he displaced enough water to float on the ocean seas. Snowblind lay in his rear hangar.

Skyshark, meanwhile, heard Boresight’s voice among the waves and dove into the water without hesitation. He could see his former compatriot, and he kicked off with the jets on his calves to help scoop Boresight into his arms and then make a landing on Providence’s helipad.

Rider was most concerned for Chloe. Sooner or later, Vesper would get tired, and there was no other escape except out at sea. “Chloe!” he called out. “Land on Providence! We’ll meet you once Buccaneer is brought aboard!”

[shadowrevenant]

The pat snaps Revenant out of their own running thoughts swimming within their processor. It was not the time to dwell on things when the timing is not right. Revenant directs a simple nod to Retributor before following in steps with the group to escape this cavern. Revenant watches Providence and his crew more cautiously and curiously.

*** Vesper alerts the human companion they must land to rejoin everyone else. The Predacon offers soothing whirls to calm Chloe from an oncoming waves of anxiety as she struggles to keep her eyes open and not look down. Out above the sea; Vesper looked for signs of this Providence to land safety, then Chloe made a mistake to look down. Her face grew green and covers her mouth with her hands to prevent nausea icoming as seasickness overwhelms her.

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Chloe!” Nenna shouted out over the chaos while walking half way backwards next to Rider in their hurried pace. She was wet and freezing and her hair a tangled mess around her face. “Chloe, get over here - it’s not safe!”

“I’m sure the…bird will guard her, just hurry and stay close.” Mia cut in and Nenna felt like she was chided by her teacher in history class. Neither of which were things she liked, but she bit down and jogged closer to Rider, grabbing onto his arm for comfort and to make sure he didn’t go off to his robot friends as well.

Buccaneer rubbed the side of his thick chin guard while walking, feeling both awkward and mildly stressed over the situation. He kept thinking about Providence’s alt mode, if the old one still had it, and how utterly insignificant his own would be against it if Providence should decide to eliminate him. Lost in his thoughts, the big mech hit his head on a collapsed set of pipes with a loud bang that made the humans below him jump, to which he quickly apologized with a dense groan behind his palm. He reached the water and hurried to transform into a big, military boat that lowered a motorized ramp as near as he was able to any semblance of ground for the humans to climb aboard.

***

“Wait! Stop her, the Headmaster! She’s..she’s lost and confused!” Hardwire suddenly shouted as he and Geardust appeared from behind the rubble in the eastern sector. His entire frame too broken for him to hurry after the silver figure that chased after Striker, but he tried to run, limping badly on his left leg.

Striker clasped his clawed glove over his chest and struggled to stay conscious through the pain that burned him alive. He spat a mouthful of energon through his filed teeth and threw himself blindly into the depths soon as he broke through the wall and let himself sink with relief. The fire died instantly and his repair protocols gained the upper hand on the damage they fought to sustain. The big mech hit a shelf of cliff deep below and withdrew into the dark of a cave, letting himself go offline.

The headmaster darted toward the edge of the broken station, skidding to stop at the whipping waves that angrily slammed into the remains of the docks. Bewildered and stunned by the sight, she stopped and stared, at the dark waters, the grey, stormy skies and the architecture, albeit in ruin, that surrounded her. When she was brought of the shock of the alien surroundings, her mind focused in on its task of eliminating her target, her only target. She rushed forward at the waves again, but stopped at the discomfort and warning hazards her ancient systems fed to her. Frozen and halfway submerged, she became overwhelmed and slowly backed up.

Geardust struggled with his own damages while hobbling behind Hardwire who was still faster, even while severely damaged. His fiery optics rested on Providence with a look of relief, as much that could be seen on his features. His softened expression grew much more grim at the sight of Snowblind, mangled and offline in a puddle of water.

“He worked for that…whoever that was. Right? This is all his fault, again!” The mechanic barked out in anger and hoped for everyone’s sake they’d either leave the betrayer behind or let him die from his injuries.

[thewanderingrider]

Rider’s implicit trust kept him with Mia, even in spite of the much more violent circumstances that precluded his decision. He felt Nenna grab his arm and he looked to her with a long stare and a quiet, reassuring nod.

“Don’t worry about me leaving…I trust them. I’m with you.”

He turned his gaze to Buccaneer, who had changed into a boat bristling with armaments and a partially covered area. Seeking to bring Nenna to shelter from the cold, raging waters, he ran aboard the boat straight into the covered helmsman’s section. “Come on!” he urged Buccaneer. “We need to meet up with Providence!”

***

“We cannot assist her unless she is willing to accept our help,” Providence replied, taking a few steps that threw up columns of water in his heavy, massive stride. He was about to call out to her before Geardust alerted his attention back to Snowblind.

Valephion. He was still alive.

“He did indeed work for Striker…as I once did for him,” he lamented, before he took up Snowblind in his arms and carried him to the edge of the water’s advance. He turned his optics to fall on the silver headmaster. “There is nothing more you can do to wound Striker further,” he said to her. “If you still value your life, you are welcome to join us. There is nothing left for you here.”

[shadowrevenant]

Revenant pause briefly. The name ring a bell to their processor and quickly took a glance back to the direction where the Headmaster escaped to. Where have Revenant heard the name ‘Alpha Striker’ from? It was like memories logged within were nothing but a complete blur beside the shadowplay days. Then, frowns in thought. *** With the duo left the rest behind; they are on their lonesome together. Chloe huddled her hoody tightly for warm and comfort, despite how freezing and wet within the cavern. The water levels were rising alarmingly high; Vesper flies in air at a rapid speed similiar to Revenant’s own. Chloe wondered leaving the two acquaintance behind is a good idea... She, still, doesn’t trust the strangers fully. Once the light is in view and Vesper follows the opening escape to met with outside ocean and sun drawing down to the horizon. Chloe made a mistake to look down and immediately regrets it. Seasickness slowly creeping within the back of her throat and gulps nervously listening to Vesper’s calming whirls and beeps. Vesper remains in air, awaiting for the others, and, possibly a safer place to land away from the ocean.

[incorrectdgm]

A lot of people want to kill me, I take great pride in that.

Cross Marian (via incorrectdgm)

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Mia jumped down to duck for the bird as it swooped through the opening in the wall and clung to Buccaneer’s big hand as he lowered her to the floor. She exhaled and held her chest in relief when the teenagers were removed from the violent fighting between the mechs and hurried over to aid Dmitry further down the hall, closely followed by their big guardian deception.

“Let’s get outta here.” Buccaneer huffed as he looked over his shoulder with concern, fed up with the fighting and chaos around them. He’d taken on the duty of aiding the EDC in the hopes of just getting to enjoy some time of lazy inactivity without much demand to his daily chores. Suddenly life erupted into another war zone and for all he cared he could tear his badge off and punt it into the ocean.

“Radio into the group fighting Striker, tell them where and how to escape.” Mia ordered while walking with her soldier companion slung over her shoulder. She rolled her eyes at the loud groan from the mech whose steps grew heavier with what seemed like belligerence.

Buccaneer scanned the nearby frequencies and signatures until finding the one that matched the one known as Providence. He knew enough of the aged warrior to not want to be on his bad side, and started his message with as much formality he could muster.

“Providence - This is Buccaneer, I’m aiding the humans in their escape off the base as I have the alt mode to carry them to sea. I’d recommend you take your people out of here before things go from bad to worse if such a situation is possible. I’ve no interest in fighting, I just want to get out of here and protect my friends. If you can make your way up to the main docks you should have sufficient room to transform as well and I’d be willing to aid in any seaside defense - Buccaneer Out.”

—-

Geardust slammed into Skyshark’s arms with a yelp of surprise and some discomfort of his frail armor falling apart and exposing his vital parts. He watched over shoulder the parasitic Requiem falling into shattered pieces off Boresight and the mangled jet nosediving into the ocean, vanishing into the storming waves and howling wind. He signaled for Skyshark that he was alright and have the red jet a nod of thanks before jumping down to the broken platforms below, hurrying to find his brother in the debris. He felt his legs malfunctioning and his energon levels depleting slowing from damages he hadn’t noticed he received in the fight, but limping and hopping forward, he searched with growing panic for Hardwire anywhere in the labyrinth of the destroyed base.

“Hardwire!” He shouted out over the dense sounds of the fight across from his location, shuffling closer to the room where he picked up his brother’s signature. He froze in fear at the sight of his brother getting up from the floor, slowly and with some struggle, before a towering figure in jagged, old armor with ornate parts of no vehicle he could recognize. He panicked and withdrew his saw blade as quickly as he could and jumped forward to get what he assumed was his brother’s attacker away from Hardwire.

“No, don’t!” Hardwire just barely noticed his brothers leaping silhouette before it was too late and the stranger spun around and rolled backward just in time for the deadly blade to cleave through the back of the ornate armor plates.

“Back off!” Geardust growled out and stood himself guarding his fallen brother with his spinning blade held in front of them both. “Are you…are you alright? Are you hurt?!” He barked down to Hardwire in the next vent of his ports.

“I’m alright, please lower your weapon and - no, wait!” Hardwire cried out to the stranger that vanished in a quick leap over the wall they both had crashed through. The landing on the other side was dense impact even though it came from a smaller frame and a long spear formed in a hand of armored claws. Seconds later, the former silver dragon bore down on Alpha Striker with a vengeful battle cry, one the bigger mech did not find time to parry in the midst of defending himself against both Providence and Revenant. Striker groaned from the burning, blinding pain of the spear that impaled his chest and vitals under the heavy armor plates. White flames shot out from the weapon that burrowed deeper as the Headmaster threw her entire weight into the attack until she was face to face with her captor and tormentor of endless cycles, only yearning for the light to drain from his red gaze. Striker gritted his energon stained teeth in as much anger as pain and managed to clumsily swipe at the smaller mech stuck to his armor and felt the spear pull out. The weapon ripped and tore open several of his fuel and coolant lines, leaving the vicious flames within that grew and began licking up at his facial plating. The more he struggle to put it out, the more it stuck and smeared over his body and he groaned in pain that grew more and more severe. With a crashing stumble, he turned and fled with smoke and fire bleeding out of his dark armor and he scrambled to find the closest path out into the water, and the silver Headmaster turned to pick up her spear then ran toward Providence and Revenant to blindly chase after the fleeing mech.

[thewanderingrider]

Rider gulped but nodded firmly to Chloe. “I don’t think we have much of a choice,” he said in a small voice. “We’re small humans outmatched in a much bigger fight.”

Having said this he ran to Mia, and followed her lead with Buccaneer as they ran over to the other EDC guard for their escape. He looked over to Nenna with fear in his eyes, but he willed himself to keep his sanity together. He had been through worse on Cybertron, he could get through this.

***

Skyshark merely grinned, tiredly. “Risky move, but a good run, kid.” His jet boots allowed him to hover a few feet above the ground, where he let Geardust disembark before reverting to his alt-mode and taking to the ceiling again. He was about to stall and use the free fall to land a few more shots on Alpha Striker before he realized that yet another presence entered the fray. Retributor caught notice of the silver being and quickly aimed his wrist cannons at her, but quickly lost sight as Alpha Striker made a hasty retreat through the chaos.

Providence did not pursue, already having set fully in a defensive stance to protect Lightfall. Now, they found themselves with a chance for respite, and the others had also drove their assailants off. It was then that Buccaneer broke through comms and issued his proposal. His monolithic frame stood still for a moment before he turned to the others. “Let the others go. Buccaneer has decided to aid the humans, ours included. This facility is falling apart, and we must leave this place.”

[shadowrevenant]

Overhearing the feed from an unknown mech called ‘Buccaneer’, Revenant quickly patch a secured comm to Vesper amongst with the remaining humans. [[ Protect our Chloe; if they prone to show a threat, escort her out safety. The other two children, as well. ]] With the threat neutralised momentarily; Revenant watched as both threats fled from the battle readying to make haste with escape route. The facility was about to fall apart and turns to check on Retributor waiting for the warrior. --- [[ Message acknowledged. Will defend with my spark. ]]

Vesper relayed the message back to Revenant with Chloe still clinging onto the armoured back for protection and dear-life. Nenna and Rider both climbed off to join Mia; but the Predacon noticed the human charge refuse to budge. The Predacon squeak calming whirls questioning the human. The human draws in a sharp breath as her anxiety and concerns for seasickness mounts up onto her chest. “I rather stay with you, if you don’t mind, Vesper.” Chloe quivers with fear in her voice. The Predacon understood her hestiation and acknowledges her request with a nod. He leap off the ground into the air with wings sprouted out, as Chloe continues to cling onto him, and follows after the group to the exit.

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Go, just go! GET OUT OF HERE!” Nenna howled in terror behind Chloe and banged on the metallic hull of Vesper’s back. Mia kept jumping and waving to the party to head their way and hopes at least the big bird would see reason in getting the teenagers to safety. *** “Alright, dropping…NOW!” Geardust swung himself up to slash through as much of the parasite as he could without tearing up the Seeker as well. A groan of pain gurgled out of the morph whose tendrils shot out to snare around Geardust’s neck. He slung his saw blade again to sever his snares, hitting a fuel line in his paincked flailing. A large slab of metal exploded off the drone and Geardust felt its snare slip off his body and he fell freely toward the ocean, spinning helplessly in the air. “No no! NO!” the mechanic shouted over the comms, fearing the impact and water that would freely seep into his makeshift armor. *** Hardwire wrestled with the silver beast whose jaws snapped inches from his face before they both got knocked apart by the shockwave of Providence’s missiles exploding overhead.  “Uhhnnnn…I’m…I’m alright…” Hardwire called back to the old mech over the comms while slowly creeping over to the winged creature and wrapped his arms around its neck. “Forgive me…but I must try to reverse what’s been done to you…” The needles shot out of his long fingers and his optics flared up as soon as he had drilled his way into the shackled mind of the ancient Headmaster… *** Striker’s mighty axe slid right off of Providence’s armored cloak and he stumbled from the weight of the swing, rebounding with a backhanded swing of his spiked gauntlet toward the old guardian’s face. In his peripherals he saw his black wolf get decimated by the assassin and whipped around to send a barrage of searing shots from his fusion cannon at Revenant’s position.  “Even I wouldn’t deny the valuable teachings from the likes of Heretech…nor Megatron. Such it is with great minds,” Striker snickered in the midst of his whirl of dual front on fighting. “Age makes them feeble and demented when seeds of doubt root and grow…suffocate reason and conviction.” He shot a glance over his shoulder at Lightfall who crawled out from the wreckage  he had caused in his crash, his wings and rotorblades broken and bent. 

[thewanderingrider]

“Chloe…” Rider called out to his fellow student, a little in fear but nevertheless with some conviction. “I think we can trust these ones. I don’t think they’re like the other EDC people.”

He could prove nothing, but he knew that his grip on Vesper would give out soon, and they needed extra assistance.

*** 

As soon as the word was uttered both Azure and Skyshark unleashed their salvo of firepower, their vision instantly erupting in a massive explosion of light and heat that shook Redscreen’s airframe and forced Azure to regain control. The human fought with the control stick and the throttle, and cursed under his breath as alarms blared throughout the cockpit.

Only Skyshark remained in a position to save the mechanic, so he dived down and gunned his engines, unfurling his transforming seams and returning back to his regular mode to reach out and pull Geardust close to himself and then put down some vertical thrust on his boots so that their fall would be broken.

***

Providence stepped back quickly, just enough so that the edge of Striker’s axe passed inches from his face plate, and then he followed the backswing with his sword to prevent his opponent from making follow-up attacks.

“With age and introspection grows wisdom, and in their youth they knew only of destruction, nothing of restoration,” Providence contended, and then snapping a kick out at Striker as he uttered his last phrases. Instinctively the weight of his footing shifted ever so slightly to Lightfall, to try and block Striker’s advance should he break engagement and try to finish his former subordinate off.

[shadowrevenant]

Chloe acknowledged her fellow students' voices advising on the options to go from. The teenager had milder reins control over the Predacon to provide commands and orders, whether to fight or defend. 

Chloe watches her guardian below, gulping nervously from the extreme height from above, engaging in a firefight between the hunters and Alpha Strike. Retributor was backing Revenant's to entrust the assassin to make a run to assist Providence with their blades. Or their plasma cannon to slow the enemy down. Readying another shockwave combine with ESF as their cooldown limit ended.

The teenager yell out to the Predacon to follow the passaway to escape, trusting Rider's assurance. Chloe is nervous but she trusts her instinct whether this is the right thing to do.

Vesper listened; then roar out a screech acknowledging the command and flew to the exit and reaches its claws out to carry the human waving at their attention.

"I hope you're prepared to take risks...." Chloe quietly tells Rider and Nenna.

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

Nenna shivered and clung to her new mode of transportation, ducking down as the wind and rain whipped against them when they became airborne on the back of the flying transformer. Hardwire stared up in shock and horror at the humans being transported high up in the air. **** Geardust hacked and smashed through the tendrils that clawed at him and seemed to increase each time he cut one off. The mechanic let out a sudden cry of surprise then the jet rolled in a dive and nearly flung him off it’s back. He flailed and managed to grab onto the protrusion of Requiem’s frame, landing underneath Boresight’s alt mode. He saw the ugly mess of parasitic wire crawling all over Boresight’s inner systems and his spark chamber and pried the metal open while carefully sawing his way through. “Ngh! I think - I got it! I’m gonna…cut this this out and drop down, then you take the shot!” he called out over the static comm channels to the two flying mechs that tailed them. “Alright?” **** Striker gave Providence a mockful sneer before sending his axe into yet another cleave against the anchor sword, rushing in with a tackle of his spiked shoulder armor. “Ironic that it’s the idealistic fools like you and Orion Pax that last so long in war times. I figured I’d save you until last, anyhow, so many cycles spent chasing down your old teacher and even he wouldn’t spill the details of your whereabouts..” One of the flying hunters banked hard in the air as Vesper swooped past, letting out a deafening shriek while diving after the smaller Predacon with splayed claws. Nenna glanced over her shoulder with wide eyed fear as its maw opened with a blinding flare and a searing blast of a sizzling projectile cleaved the rain as it bore down on Vesper’s back. “Shitshit! It’s shooting at us!” Nenna cried out with a voice barely audible for the howling wind around them and clung harder to the Predacon’s back for protection. The flare travelled closer and it’s murderous heat pressed down on the humans’ back before its light was suddenly blocked out by a great shadow and a bright, violet barrier between the Predacon and his attacker. Hardwire shrugged off the blast that knocked him back momentarily, his wing’s flaring up brightly in their energon fuelled glow.  “Keep going, take them to safety!” he called over his shoulder and seconds later was rammed by the flying beast that knocked both him and itself through the wall with a loud explosive crash, sending debris flying through their impact and out of sight on the other side of the wall.  **** “Here, lift me up here!” Buchaneer hurried over as Mia gestured to him and propmtly picked her up to raise her to the massive crack in the building, caused by Providence’s earlier rampage. She jumped and waved in the Decepticon’s rusted old hands, trying to get the attention of the airborne teenagers when she spotted them inside the combat zone.  “Over here! Fly through here!” She shouted and hoped at least this would get them to safety. “Ok if they come through here, let’s hurry up to the docks and get them out of this mess and off to safety. Are they gonna be protected onboard your alt-mode, Bucky?” “Well not as much as big guy in there, I mean he’s real impressive I remember-” “Ok, not the point, yes or no answers only.” “Well, uh…sorta?” Mia looked to her mech companion with a dejected and disapproving frown before grunting out. “Sorta will have to do then, if nothing else just leave me behind and take Dmitry and the kids to shore, ok?” “I’m not leavin’ you here, that’s outta the question, lady.”

[thewanderingrider]

“Solid copy,” Azure confirmed, cutting the engines and suddenly letting Redscreen freefall to reverse direction and keep up with Boresight’s dive. “We’ll set up the shot, and fire on your mark,” he reassured the Cybertronian, opening Redscreen’s throttle again as Skyshark followed him in and closed on the seeker. Azure’s targeting reticule hovered over Boresight’s spark chamber, and his index finger curled around the trigger to Redscreen’s gun.

***

Rider hooked his arms around Vesper as he held on for dear life, his legs dangling behind him comically, if not dangerously. He almost regretted looking back down behind him if not for the fact that he glimpsed Hardwire shielding him and the other humans from the attacks of one of Striker’s hunters. He saw Hardwire smash into the walls and he cried out in horror, but he dare not outstretch his hand. Shortly thereafter he saw the other humans beckon to them, but not fully trusting them yet, he did not yet voice whether Vesper should take the chance and entrust them to the EDC’s care.

Providence saw Hardwire get sent through the wall and unleashed a pair of missiles to assault his pursuer, while he himself found his weapon caught in a deadlock with Alpha Striker’s axe. He felt the lurch come from his enemy as he shifted to spike him with his shoulder. Providence, however, remained light on his feet, pivoting to move in tandem with Striker’s movements so that he could spin out of the body check, allowing himself to give into the weight of his enemy’s axe so that he could avoid damage to his cloak or armor.

“He is no longer a teacher…” Providence replied, letting his knees drop to angle the weight behind his blade, hoping to break the deadlock and slash at Striker in front of him. “And he taught me nothing that I had not learned from our past wars.”

[shadowrevenant]

Vesper is wary of the humans with connections to the EDC; their cries for the teenagers' attentions had gone unnoticed. The Predacon did not wish to endanger three younglings further, having narrowly sway to avoid maneuvers. Activating the shield system endures full-on protection, and did the best as he could avoid them in harm's way.

Chloe was breathing hard. Her instinct urges her not to look down to the battle below and rising water levels. She wasn't sure what condone her anxiety fear the most; heights or drowning. As badly as the teenager wanted to watch in awe and admiration over her guardian's combat capabilities, and fighting side-by-side with Retributor assisting in takedowns. She only managed a small peak with her wary eyes to witness their teamwork against the hunters.

Heeding Hardwire's command to escort the teenagers to safety, there's little choice he had left and their safety is the top priority under his responsibility. He whirls few clicks in his language commuincating with Chloe to understand the next objective. But, Chloe understood the Predacon's hesitation to follow the same route as the others leaving to.

"Um, guys?" Chloe calls over her shoulder to Nenna and Rider behind, her fingers grasping tightly on the back of the Predacon's neck for support, "Vesper is unsure whether should we follow these... people or not. Thoughts?"

[quetzalpali]

A while back, I saw a post where you could listen to “Reaper’s line in his native language” since he’s Latino.

You see, I’m Latino, and the problem with that post was that they had taken his lines from European Spanish, (like the difference between UK and US english) as awesome as the voice was, that’s not quite what he’d sound like. So here are all his unlockable voice lines in Latin American Spanish! : D

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

“Got it! Climb on in!” Redscreen transformed back into his flight mode and allowed Azure passage into his cockpit once more before taking off to follow the hijacked jet.  “Hey, red-jet!” Redscreen radioed in to the crimson jet as they climbed up above the blasted Atoll base and into the whipping rain and storm outside. “I can’t read the signatures on this mess, link up with me!”  Geardust, meanwhile, clawed his way ontop of the jet and was immediately lashed and snared by the disturbing tendrils that belonged to the parasitic drone, trapping him in place while he hacked through them to get to the cockpit of the mangled Seeker. *** Striker charged at Providence when he was busy slashing at the beasts. He swung his axe with a crackling sound of thunderous electrical discharge, lighting up the dark chambers in a hellish red glow. Without his wings he moved with deadly swiftness, at the bigger, heavily armored target that was his primary focus for the moment.  “I’m impressed,” Striker sneered as his next cleave fell, rolling to the side to avoid the rounds fired from Revenant. “You’re even willing to murder my slaves in cold blood. If you weren’t such a high priority target I’d make you a most lucratrive offer of partnership.” One of the winged twin beasts snatched Snowblind from the ground and flung the white mech helplessly up into the air, catching him again in its claws to tear him in half. Lightfall made a swift bank toward the two and shot the saboteur out of the beast’s claws, only to pay for his action with the second flyer ramming his alt-mode into the wall with a dense crash.  Hardwire emerged from the waters with the torn and melted body of Roughtracks, with a gaping, ugly hole just below his bared spark chamber. The NAIL gazed frightened at the chaos around them and tried his best to gently pull himself and the scout to safety where there was none to be found… The black wolf that engaged Revenant transformed itself to its bipedal mode and lunged at the assassin, slashing at the black mech in blind fury only controlled by its master. Dead, sparkless eyes stared back at the former Decepticon as its maw opened to bare an array of sharpened fangs  that snapped at the air around Revenant’s face.

[thewanderingrider]

Azure coughed and stumbled over to the entry ladder, but with determination he could climb in and get back into the familiar feeling of piloting an aircraft. Once his hands rested on the controls, however, he felt back at home, and brought the throttle up for Redscreen’s engines to kick into high gear and pursue the rampant aircraft. Skyshark flew at Boresight’s 7 o’ clock in an attempt to engage Requiem without having to hit Geardust, but the margin of difference was perilously close. Nevertheless, he linked his targeting data feed to Redscreen’s own systems, and hoped that Azure in a gunship would stand a better chance at sharpshooting.

“Redscreen, we’ll gain some altitude and shoot Requiem from above, close range. We’re going maximum accuracy on this one, no hitting Boresight or the skull-mech.”

***

“Your husks and your actions are far beyond the point of discourse,” Providence stated matter-of-factly. “Your guilt-tripping falls on apathetic ears.”

Out of the peripherals of his optics, the guardian sidestepped the sudden cleave of Striker’s, the axe grazing with a shrieking scrape the front of his chest armor. Cursing to himself, Providence snapped out a swift kick against his assailant, and let loose another salvo of his gauntlet missiles at the enslaved beasts who hounded Lightfall and Revenant.

Retributor, meanwhile, heard Vesper’s request, and hesitated. A much smaller mech placed in charge of keeping the three humans in a war zone safe? It was a risky proposition, but if he did he could go fully on the offensive, and help even the odds. He grit his teeth internally, and snarled.

“They’re your responsibility now. Don’t disappoint me.” He opened his doors and Rider unbuckled and climbed out, and he turned behind to see if the others would follow suit. Around them, the water and the carnage raged.

[shadowrevenant]

“ // Your lack of faith is clearly insulting. // ” Vesper scoffs at the older warrior, before landing beside to shield the humans from harm’s way, “ // I’ll protect them; assist Master Revenant. // “ With Retributor unbuckling the teenagers, Chloe was the last one to climb out of the alt form, watching the mech transform to engage into a firefight. Vesper screech quietly to the humans to climb onto his back, with a soft hum to calm their nxiety or nerves. Chloe was the first climb on despite Rider and Nenna’s wariness, she mastered the reins of the Predacon that kept her out of the danger and sat onto the back; offering her gesture to help pull Nenna and Rider up behind. With that, Vesper carried the humans and leaps off into the air searching for a hidden passage to extracting them for safety. As much Chloe is wary of heights, her worries overcome her thoughts to her attention fixated on Revenant. What was this newcomer mech wants with Revenant for? *** Revenant narrowly dodges the hunters, except the black wolf had only scratched their paintjob on the armour. The assassin had made sure the shockwave surrounds them would’ve slown the hunters down as possible as they can. With a low grunt, Revenant cautiously watches the hunter with their optics for the next movement to strike or defend from its attack. Revenant arms their blades up in defensive, waiting... The beasts were mindless, controlled by Alpha Strike, the assassin felt remorse over kiling thel beasts, despite their natural fondness for them, much even try to tame them, right the wronging. It’s how Revenant tamed Vesper...

[gear-dust]

Into the abyss

[gear-dust]

thewanderingrider

“ROUGHTRACKS!” Rider cried, pressing his hands against the window. With wide and wet eyes the boy saw Roughtracks fall into the water. Retributor kept himself at the rear of the group, fearing for his life as well as the lives of those whom he carried. He had little time to do much else, and when Alpha Striker opened fire Providence moved to defend the group with a quick fold of his armored cloak, the metal plating over the guardian’s left shoulder taking the brunt of the fusion cannon’s blasts while his right arm shot out with his sword.

With his knees bent, Providence could shoot out and close the distance to engage Alpha Striker at point blank range, and as he rushed his opponent his artillery piece unleashed a single round to, if not damage Striker, to at least put him on the defensive. He would give the follower of Galvatron no quarter, and he expected none in return. There was nothing more for Providence to say; the only thing left was destruction.

shadowrevenant

Chloe clasp her mouth with both of her hands surpassing a shock gasp. She had seen Revenant performed assassination kills on opponents before her eyes, but never had she seen a cybertronian blasted to pieces suffering the same fate as Roughtracks.

She watches as Revenant engage in the firing battle with the group with slow rounds of plasma cannon to Alpha Strike.

It was a nightmare; like a bad dream surface the reality. The teenager doesn’t know what to speak or comfort Rider’s distress. She turns to Retributor’s dashboard, fighting off her watery eyes, with a pleading voice.

“Retributor, get us out of here, please.”

Chloe glances around through the window and saw no signs of the humans who were here a little moment ago.

“That sure don’t sound so good…” Buchaneer mumbled as their group heard the thunder of fusion cannons going off. “We should get outta here, just get to the water and I can transform to get us to shore.” “I’m not leaving without making sure those kids are fine.” Mia huffed and whipped her hair out of her face, hurriedly jogging down the hallway to find a way around to the fleeing car. Buchaneer scooped up the wounded Dmitry and placed him on his shoulder, glancing to Azure and Redscreen before following the woman. “Lightfall…he’s in there, I’m not leaving him there. What do we do?” Redscreen asked Azure and followed the other bots, realizing he hadn’t the firepower to blast through the debris. **** Striker took the swing of the sword with both gauntlets curled around his axe, meeting the charge of Providence with one of his own. The force of the clash sent a small shockwave through the room and with a push against the old guardian, he side stepped and kicked himself skyward as the fire from Revenant came in from the flank.  Hardwire ducked down and scurried across the broken chamber, wading into water to dive in and search for the stranger’s remains. A soft blue light glowed down below and he swam deeper to gently pick the scout up and take him to the nearest ledge.  Striker shot two blasts at the annoying distraction of Lightfall’s alt-mode weaponry, nearly melting through the fans in his wings. Another painful burn bit at his side as Revenant’s fast travelling weapons clipped him and he opened the silos in his shoulders to unleash a barrage of rockets down below. “Hunters, tear them apart!” Striker commanded with a growl and dropped to the broken shelving of what remained of the walls. The Massive wingd dislodged from his back, as did the jagged armor plate on his chest, one shaped like the maw of a beast and soon enough these shedded pieces of armor transformed and lunged for the enemies on command. “Domesticated Headmasters…” Lightfall commeted with disgust over the comm and quickly dove out of the way for the swift beast that was on his tail. 

[thewanderingrider]

Retributor spinned his tires and ran circles around the room. “Sorry kid…I don’t have the means to make an opening. Best we can do is maneuver our way through this fight.”

“Can we help Roughtracks?” Rider turned to the steering wheel, his hands still prying at the windows. “Maybe he’s still alive.”

“Doubtful,” the decepticon replied. “And I’m not risking your lives.”

On the other side of the wall, Azure slowly stood to his feet, looking around. The skull-headed Cybertronian hung dangerously from the tail of Boresight, and Skyshark engaged somewhere behind, a perilous combo. His first concern was escape, now more than ever. It was supposed to be a quick job before the others had intervened, now it was a fully blown fight, and he was sure reinforcements would come towards Striker’s way if they stayed much longer. He counted on Providence for his escape, but with a fight on their hands escape was not possible, being in the middle of an atoll base. For now he had to make do with their given situation. He could still make Edel pay dearly for his crimes.

“Target Edel. Bring Boresight’s…parasite, down. We’ll prepare the way for Providence to help make an exit for us all. Failing that, then we can at least make every last bastard here pay for what they’ve done.”

***

Providence said nothing. All he was focused on right now was the death of Striker. As soon as the old hunter blasted skyward the guardian responded with a salvo of launches from his gauntleted missile cells which pursued him with lethal abandon and impacted with deafening blows.

Noting Lightfall’s troubles, Providence wasted neither time nor words to swiftly intercede and make a broad, kneeling slash at the hound that pursued his former subordinate.

[shadowrevenant]

As if on cue; Vesper have been eavesdroping on Retributor and the teens commuincating altogether, sensing the warrior's desire to fight along with Revenant and three high stress levels fuming from the teens witnessing Roughtracks' disembled frame and the chaotic battle.

" // Retributor. Let me escort the fleshlings. // " The Predacon spoke through the comm channel with Retributor in his native tongue.

***

Revenant resumes firing upon Alpha Strike before shifting their target patterns onto the hunters, sheathing a second blade replacing the plasma cannon.

The electric surge encasting their body produces an emit force of shockwave field surrounding them towards the affected hunter approaches. The surge sent shocks through the systems as if paralyzing for a short time.