| abstract | - Robustus has returned to med bay after a short test flight of his new anti grav and flight systems. His chest armor is currently removed and he's busily welding patches on the interior of it. Apparently he is only now tending to the claw wound. Shred enters the med bay herself, and she pauses as she sees what Robustus is doing, "Hey Robustus.. What the slag are you doing? I heard you had been hurt, why didn’t you get the drones to fix you up? or come to me?" Robustus's optics are shielded by a welding visor as he looks up a moment, a trace of a smile upon his lips. "You were resting when the injury occurred, it was only armor damage. Besides I had to tend to Goa first and foremost since she got him in the pelvic region." he notes, then looking back to his welding work. "As for the drones, their work isn't up to spec." Shred hmms, "It isn't? What has slipped in their standards?" she sounds very concerned now, "I set them myself." Robustus replies as he continues to knit his armor back together, "They need a program upgrade and a way for someone other than you not to tinker with them. The fact they don't shut off pain receptors before they work tells me that perhaps Pyskeout has been messing with them." Shred hmms, and she nods.. "Right.. they didn't shut off pain receptors, you say? Whose pain receptors?" Shred says, "I did set up a special protocol to encourage our fellow Decepticons to avoid getting hurt." Robustus responds with, "Goa." finishing up with the last bit of welding. His welding visor rising back up into his helmet. "Oh and what were these protocols?" he asks, extinguishing the welder. Shred frowns, "That's not right. Basically, any Seeker who needed repairs more than twice in week, on the third and subsequent visits, they would not activate the pain receptor deactivation protocols." Shred says, "Well, any Decepticon, sorry, not just seekers." Robustus shakes his head a bit to that, "That may explain why Goa stopped wanting to come in.. if the drones were following that protocol." he points out, flipping over his chest armor and placing it back on himself with a firm snap. "May need to review your protocols." Shred shakes her head, "No, Rob. I know why goa doesn't like to come in here. take a look at the security logs for the past few months. One in particular for the med bay will catch your attention." Robustus nods, "I may do so, but later." he says, stepping toward you, "I was wondering if you'd like to take a break from the med bay..." Shred hmms, and she nods, "Ok, sure, why not? Megatron did order me to take some time off." Robustus inclines his head to that, "Perhaps to the barracks, unless you have somewhere else in mind?" he asks. Shred shrugs, "I dunno, the barracks, or we could head down to the pits, watch a bit of violence... Unless you don't feel like watching gladiatorial combat?" Robustus considers that, then slowly nods, "I guess that wouldn't hurt, after all I should mentally prepare myself for what I'll see from more serious fights." he then offers you his arm to take, "Shall we then?" Shred smiles, taking the arm, "Let's. I'll lead the way.. ah, you do have a good, visible weapon, right?" Robustus cocks his head to that, "Why would I need a weapon?" he asks curiously. Shred says, "The pits are in a rough neighborhood. would be unwise to appear unarmed." Robustus ahs softly, "I have a pistol." he says, walking along beside you. Shred nods, getting her glaive out, the blade shimmering with energon. "Oh well. just stay next to me. " she leads you to the wind shaft. "We're going to the very bottom." Robustus nods to that, "All right, I'm ready. Practiced using my new systems." he assures you. Shred nods, heading down into the depths. Shred lands at the bottom, leading you out into the darkened slums of Dead End. "Welcome to where I used to live, Robustus.." Robustus adjusts his anti grav and flight systems to lower himself roughly on pace with Shred, soon his feet meeting solid ground. He nods as he looks around. He lays a hand on top of the one that is upon his arm, "You must have been a great warrior to survive here." Shred smiles grimly, "I did more than survive. C'mon." she starts to walk through the blackened streets, her gaze actively looking everywhere. "Careful where you tread. the empties set traps for the unwary." Robustus keeps a sharp optic out, scanning the ground ahead and off to the side of him. Withdrawing his hand just in case he needs it free for that pistol. "Thank you for the warning." Shred nods, "Get your pistol out. Now. " she pauses a moment, to pick up a rock, throwing it at the ground up ahead, where it hits a shimmering net of energy. "Thought so. force nets. this way." she pulls you down a different side street. Robustus summons up his pistol, nodding to your caution and following you. He trusts you know your way around since you claim to have lived here. "Guess they were hoping to catch something other than a fellow Cybertronian.. unless that was the point of that net." Shred frowns, "The point of the net was to catch another Cybertronian... but it was too obvious." she leads you down a number of streets, avoiding a number of obvious traps. "Something's not right here, Rob." Robustus ohs softly to that, "And yet this is right next to Polyhex and no one has done a thing about it." he murmurs, then a curious look given, "Not right in what sense?" Shred shakes her head, "Oh, they send patrols down here,, but they don't really care. The citizens down here are Empties, Rob. Considered the lowest of the low.. And these traps are too obvious. We're being herded." she marches on, seeing a path straight to where she wants to go.. down a narrow alley, with openings on the higher levels of the buildings on either side. Robustus frowns to that and nods, "I know who lives here. And if we are being herded do we really want to go where they want us Shred? Why not just turn back and go somewhere else?" he suggests. Shred smiles, "Because they've blocked off our retreat. We'll be ok. Don't worry." she starts to stride with purpose down the alley.. from behind you, you hear the crazed whooping of a dozen Cybertronians. Robustus tightens his grip on his pistol as he hears that whooping sound behind us, "Great, they got us where they want us and I'm not exactly a trained warrior." he mutters softly, "But maybe we'll be okay between us." Shred chuckles, "Just stay beside me. Trust me, Robustus, this is going to be fun.. maybe a bit painful for me though. Oldest trick in the book to recruit new oil for the pits.." Robustus looks shocked a moment, "Are you saying we are going to end up IN the gladiatorial pit Shred?" Shred smirks, "I am, at any rate. Don't worry, they want a show, I’ll give them a show." Robustus peers at you sidelong with his silver optics. "You realize I'm part of the show too at this point." he remarks, striding alongside you and regripping his pistol. Shred smiles, "You'll just be a spectator. Ok you jokers, take me to gladius. Right now. " she strikes the ground with the haft of her Glaive, to emphasise her pit. "You have no IDEA who you just led here. " Robustus heard the crowds as well as the screams as we approach the pits proper. He frowns a bit at the carnage already in sight. "Gladius?" he asks. Shred smiles, "The pit master. Don't worry, Robustus, you'll be fine. The second they realize who I am, you're gonna be free." Gladius turns toward the two approaching figures. Optic ridges rising slightly. Shred sees Gladius, and he smiles, "It's been a long time, old friend. Now tell your dogs to get the slag off our backs unless they want to be ripped to shreds by the champion." Robustus nods to Shred's words, going quiet so she can handle Gladius. Gladius grunts softly, "Shred, it has indeed." he peers at Robustus, "Boyfriend?" he asks with a smirk. Shred snorts, raising her glaive towards Gladius neck, "Bad joke. Robustus works with me topside. You that desperate now for gladiators you're willing to risk taking on the army?" Robustus gets an odd look at that question. Gladius catches it but sighs a bit at the glaive against his throat, "Of course not. You and your associate are free to go." he replies. Shred smiles, pulling back the Glaive, "Thank you. Course, if you want a spectacle, I don't mind getting in the pit once, for old times sake. Two on one, give the crowd something to remember. The old champ back, one night only." Robustus frowns at this from Shred, "A you sure that is wise?" he asks carefully. Gladius though smiles widely. "Why not, I'd love to see you in this new chassis of yours." he moves off to talk to the announcer. Shred nods to Robustus, "It'll be fine, though I'll almost certainly need some repairs afterwards. at least in a Seeker chassis I am built for this, unlike my original form." On one wall, there is a holo of her original body, flickering.. shorter,. with literally no armor to speak of, her form scarred horrendously. Robustus looks up at the holo and grimaces a bit. "Well.. guess I'm the right mech for that job." he murmurs, "Good luck." he offers, then is escorted to the side while the announcer tells the crowd about Shred being here for a one night fight with two mechs. Gladius returns, "Get your choice of mechs, Shred, make em good." he grins. Shred chuckles, "Send out the best you've got. If I'm gonna give the crowd a spectacle, it's got to be a battle of the champions." Gladius nods, moving off to get the best the pits have at the moment. The announcer states the names of the two mechs who step into the center arena. Robustus watches on from where he has been escorted in silence. Shred smiles, looking to Robustus, "Oh, and Robustus, if Megatron asks, tell him the truth." Then she heads down to the arena, Glaive in hand. In the holo, she was also holding a Glaive, albeit a far cruder looking one. "Let's get this show on the road." Robustus cocks his head to that request. He nods though, wondering if she means her about to get cut into or the whole incident in the prison cell the solar cycle prior. The two mechs face Shred, each a brute in his own right. One with a sword and shield. The other with a triton spear and a small net. The epidomy of gladiator weaponry and brutishness. Shred chuckles, holding he ground in the dead center of the Arena, her glaive held in a single hand, watching the Mech with the net directly, but she's well enough aware of the position of the other, making a point of keeping herself directly in between the pair. The one with the triton is the first to stride toward Shred, swinging his net around to perhaps catch her glaive in it or distract her while the other is circling around to her right, shield held high, then charging toward her and taking a swing at her exposed wings. Shred grins as the mech swings his net, suddenly charging at him as she adjusts her grip on her weapon to a two-handed one, too far inside the net's arc for it to be of much use, she swings the Glaive to try and slam the butt of it into his abdomen. The other mech, however manages to get a clean strike upon her wing, the blade digging deep, drawing a hiss of pain. The swords mech is working to remove the sword from Shred's wing as the triton mech catches the glaive in the triton itself. Finally the sword mech gets his sword loose, stepping back a moment. Shred growls as her initial strike is blocked and the sword is pulled loose, but she's far from done. letting go of her Glaive, she tries to rip the trident out of her opponent's grasp, while head butting him! Robustus makes a mental note of the penetration to the wing, already figuring out what he'll have to do to fix it. The trident mech was not expecting that move, getting head butted not amusing him at the least. Though the swords mech cackles in glee. Then takes a swing at Shred's other wing! Shred whirls as she has now managed to get the trident, and she thrusts with it straight at the chest of the swordsmech in an attempt to not only injure him, but to keep him from injuring her other wing. The sword mech left himself open just enough for that trident hit its mark. The crowd is going crazy, chanting Shred's name. The trident mech recovers from the head butt, moving to snatch at his trident. Shred grins, letting go of the trident as she whirls to kick the mech away, dropping to the ground to snatch up her glaive. Robustus idly is wondering if this is to the death at this point. The trident mech gets his hand kicked away, making him growl and take a sloppy punch at Shred. The sword mech grimaces as he holds his shield over the wounded area of his body, taking another swing of his sword at her. Shred takes the slash to her back, rolling out of the way of the punch, before she dives at the trident mech again to slash repeatedly at him with the Glaive, an attack more brutal perhaps than one might even expect from a feral mech. The trident mech is surprised by the duck and gets himself a nice grouping of slashes for his trouble, causing him to signal he's done. The sword mech keeps after Shred, swinging his weapon at her. Shred has taken a number of slashes now to her back, and she turns, optics gleaming crimson, a look of insanity upon her face as she holds her arms open, inviting him to try for a deadly strike Robustus winces as each sword slash occurs, then gapes as she opens her arms like inviting a lover into her embrace. The sword mech isn't taking it that way though, he goes for the gut shot! Shred takes the gut shot, and hisses, stepping forward to punch the sword Mech squarely on the jaw with one hand, the other dropping to grasp the sword in her side The crowd is going wild with screaming, chanting, the blood lust just wanton throughout the area seating. Robustus gasps, knowing that will take a precedent once this fight is over.. that wound could bleed her out. The sword mech pulls the sword free and growls, "Yield." Shred cackles, "You've already lost.. " as the blade is pulled free, she lashes out to grab the swordsmech by the head.. and depress his medical shutdown! And indeed he goes down when she finds that spot. The crowd just roars! Gladius steps out with hands upraised and takes one of Shred's hands, he is just grinning audio to audio. Robustus on the other hand is only frowning at the spectacle of it all, only being held back by his escorts. Shred smirks, taking Gladius by the hand, and she bows, "Thank you all... Now if you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to back topside." Robustus strides over to Shred, "We should get you to a medical facility right away Shred." Shred frowns, and she nods, "Well, yes. I was thinking that myself. I wasn't about to let those punks win though." Robustus presses his hand to the sword wound, "This had priority." he tells you, concern in his voice. There is already a stretcher arriving to carry Shred to the arena medical facility. Shred nods, moving to sit on the stretcher.. "Hey.. I'll live...." her optics start to flicker.. "Awww slag..." she is losing energon fast. Robustus pushes you gently onto the stretcher, the stretcher carriers are already on the move. He holds his hand firm to the wound, you may even feel his fingers trying to staunch the flow of energon. "I'll need a energon cube stat!" he yells as they move along toward the facility.
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