| abstract | - First up, the report that started it all: ================================== Reports ===================================Message: 9/40 Posted AuthorChilean aircraft carrier attacked! Sun Jun 14 Snapdragon------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Tragic news today, as the Chilean government has officially confirmed the loss of one of its aircraft carriers, the Negra Encalada, in an apparent Decepticon attack. A video camera on board one of the Negra Encaladas helicopters was running at the time of the attack, showing us the first few moments of the assault." "All the more chilling were the reports from the survivors, one of which took footage of the final moments of the attack with his cell phone. We advise anyone watching at home to take note; this footage is graphic in nature." From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe flies along the coast line. At ease at the controls of a Talon, for once, Noah is looking at recent satcom images of the area on one of his holodisplays while Whistler pilots. He says, "Whistler, what is our arrival time?" The helpful AI rolls a few numbers over one small screen showing the figures. Noah pouts his lips a little in contemplation. Then reaches a gloved hand over to the radio controls tapping a few commands.CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" , quite a few nautical miles behind the human air wing, steams at top speed towards the location where human satellites have fixed the Negra Encalada. Maybe he's headed into a trap, but there might be people still alive on that ship, and if the humans are brave enough to take the bait let no one say the Wreckers won't lend a hand to their hosts on this planet! "I'm not seeing much activity on the scopes. Looks like civvy traffic is steering clear of this zone."Ventress Exo-Armor is probably a lot faster than noah's talon, but still keeps towards the coast. <> She says as she has her talon transform to hover on the spot. <> A deep rumbling growl can be heard emanating from the crack in the center of the Negra Encalada. Then, smoke. Several moments later a face emerges, a face dripping with all manner of grease and gore. It looks like the head of an animal long extinct- a Tyrannosaur. Yet it hardly looks organic, though hardly mechanical either. Truth be told that it is indeed a machine, though one so encrusted with blood and dried chemicals that it looks more like some kind of twisted demon. "Hrnnnn...damnable Terran sun. My new nest has become an oven. My playthings will not last long..." Snapdragon, the self-proclaimed owner of this wreck, quietly hisses.Compile is lounging on the beach, just a chillin with an energon margarita and he is singing as well and the song fits for what he is doing."Nibblin on sponge cakeWatchin the sun bakeAll of those tourists covered with oilStrummin my six-stringOn my front porch swingSmell those shrimp theyre beginnin to boil."Yes, he is singing Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet.From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe says, "I'll take over Whistler, thanks." He releases the AI's control of the talon and arcs down towards the sea surface pulling up just a few dozen feet from ditching. He listens to the radio chatter and does a double click on his radio to acknowledge Broadside's radio message. Angling his Talon as the pair of armors approach the wreck, Noah turns his to slip by one end of it and pulls up so he won't go slamming into trees or hills or whatever might be there. He rolls his armor sideways and takes a good long look at the situation. Noah isn't one to go in guns blazing.Ventress Exo-Armor follows Noah in low and flies closer to the tanker to survey the situation. Talazia WAS one to fly in, guns blazing, but seeing who was......in on the tanker hit.....she takes her time. She makes notes of everything around too.....CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" throws off a fine bow wave as he plows through the frigid southern ocean purposefully towards the wreck and whatever lies there. His guns are already trained eagerly in that direction although he's not quite close enough to pick out Snapdragon as a separate entity with his long-distance scanners yet.Filthy Tyrannosaur raises his yellow optics to the cloudless sky, then lower back to the beach, and the other Decepticon present. The optics of the Tyrannosaur flash with tempered anger. All the better to see you with. His metallic lips part just slightly, revealing a row of disgusting but still utterly sharp carbon-steel fangs. All the better to eat you with. "Hrn....Compile. How long have you been here? You are not -spying- on me for your master, are you?" He asks, a long line of geling oil draining from the side of his mouth.Compile looks as he empties his energon drink, "Nah, not spying," he says. "Just relaxing, having a nice energon drink and hoping for some actin to appear. if not, I'll just drink it all away. plus it is nice here. chaos, carnage, destruction, and of couse energon margaritas," and he pulls out a seocnd one form subspace, "Want one?"Ventress Exo-Armor flies on in low and....fast. well....once in range, she fires one disruptor blast at compile and snapdragon. she's not planning on hitting them....just getting their attention.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor sets its defense level to Protected.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with its Disruptor attack! Combat: You took 2 damage.From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe hunkers down and says, "No rest for the weary..." Coming back around, he taps a few commands switching his weapons to arm and transforming. He swings his rifle up aiming a short burst of red laser fire at the horrorcon. It's short and low powered, at least enough that'll sting.Exo-Armor Talon Jet transforms into its Exo-Armor Talon Robot mode.Combat: Exo-Armor Talon sets its defense level to Protected.Combat: Exo-Armor Talon misses Filthy Tyrannosaur with its Laser attack! [Pulled -1]As Broadside comes into range of the wreck a little light on one of the many consoles on his empty bridge flips from red to green with a solenoid click. A dot crosses over the perimeter of a circle on a digital screen and his phalanx guns whirr into action with a noise like ripping a giant sheet of cloth, tracers arcing downrange towards the monster that's emerged from the wreck. "Got him in my sights! I've got your back, EDC!"Combat: Broadside sets his defense level to Fearless.Combat: CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" misses Filthy Tyrannosaur with his Phalanx Turrets attack! [Pulled -1]Filthy Tyrannosaur leans his brutish maw in close to Compile and gives him a few quick sniffs, as if he suddenly gained the mystical ability to tell whether someone is lying by way of olfaction. Apparently satisfied, the Horrorcon pulls away from Compile and grunts, his only answer to Compiles question. Energon margaritas just make him sleepy..but then again everything makes him sleepy. Except a fight. The first bolt of disruptor fire catches Snapdragon by surprise...probably. His response is sluggish at best, but oddly it's almost as if he was anticipating a second shot as well. With a speed unexpected of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Snapdragon manages to duck underneath the red laser blasts of Noah Wolfe, and then follows up with a second shocking display of agility as he jumps- yes he jumps- over the Phalanx Turrent barrage which covers the beachside in spent ordinance and spraying sand. For a moment the entire beach is obscured by the dust, sand and smoke. Then, from that shadowy cover, comes Snapdragon in his robotic mode, his gyro-rifle blazing away at the nearest exo-suit. "Finally! Some more MEAT for me to dine on!" He roars in challenge to the attackers.Snapdragon shifts into his robotic form.Combat: Snapdragon sets his defense level to Neutral.Combat: Snapdragon strikes Exo-Armor Talon with his Gyro-Guns attack! [Pulled -2]Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Exo-Armor Talon 's Agility. (Crippled)Compile looks as he is blinks at the sniffing Snapdragona nd than shrugs, "Suit yourself," he says as he goes to drink the two in his hands, than the first shot hits as it causes him to spill his droink, "Hey, this is high grad....." and than two more shots come and the dodging T-Rex makes like Neo, which the ordinance form Broadside causes Compile to be head first int he sand, his drinks busted and his feet sticking up and he is cursing, but it is muffled due to the sand.Finally, he is free and he is looking, "You know how much enerchips those cost me?" he says to no one as he turns and spots the EDC people. "I spy with my eye,"a nd he takes aim at Talazia and fires on her with rockets.Combat: Compile sets his defense level to Neutral.Combat: Compile strikes Ventress Exo-Armor with his Micro Rockets attack! From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe frowns and tries to nail Snapdragon, but while hovering, Snapdragon does a bit of aerial acrobatics and dodges! Before Noah can respond, his controls arc with blue electricity blowing out his balance systems for a few seconds, even shocking Noah. Noah has never seen Empire Strikes Back, never grab the snow speeder controls or you'll get shocked! The talon rocks back and slams into the ground with a big puff of sand. He brings his rifle up while pulling the armor to a sitting position firing off a full burst of laser fire. "Damn it, stop for a blood second so I can shoot you!"Combat: Exo-Armor Talon sets its defense level to Aggressive.Combat: Exo-Armor Talon strikes Snapdragon with its Medium Machine Gun attack! Combat: You took 4 damage.CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" keeps up the barrage as long as Snapdragon is in midair, tracking the startlingly quick robotheropod with streaming tracers. A second dot crosses over a line on his bridge monitors as Compile enters his tracking radius, and another of the phalanx guns redirects itself, hosing down the general vicinity of the tape-warrior with a rain of 20mm shells.Combat: CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" strikes Compile with his Phalanx Turrets Area attack! [Pulled -2]Combat: CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" misses Snapdragon with his Phalanx Turrets Area attack! [Pulled -2]Ventress Exo-Armor is nailed in the back by Compile's missiles. Oh this won't end well....again. She turns and starts to shoot her machine gun in his direction.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Compile with its Medium Machine Gun attack! Snapdragon takes the rifle shot to the chest with an almost alarming level of willingness. He is fast enough to avoid such things usually, so his actions speak to other motives. Perhaps he is indeed hungry. Now close- or rather, close enough, to Noah and his exo-suit, Snapdragon reverts into his lethal dinosaur mode in a flurry of change and splattering grease. His newly formed mouth opens wide as he charges headlong towards the terran warrior, his carbon-steel teeth glistening cruelly in the otherwise beautiful sunlight.With a spray of oil and a clattering of gears, Snapdragon contorts and reforms into his intimidating Tyrannosaur mode.Combat: Snapdragon sets his defense level to Fearless.Combat: Filthy Tyrannosaur strikes Exo-Armor Talon with his Rend attack! [Pulled -1]Compile is hit by the attack fromt he sea and he turns, "Hey, I'm busy. Wait your turn," he yells to Broadside as he is hit by the machine gun attack form Tal and he looks and shakes his head, "Ohh, that tickled," he says as he raises his hand, which glows and fires the laser at Tal.Combat: Compile strikes Ventress Exo-Armor with his Laser attack! Exo-Armor Talon is locked in the jaws of the dragon...thing. Dragon, t-rex, whatever, it's rended the Talon and when it lets go, Noah's armor sparks and smokes. Noah took some damage as a bit of shrapnel ripped through the cockpit and into Noah. He knows he's hurting but he's not sure where. Noah shakes his head and says, "Gotta get out of range...." and pulls back on the throttle. The armor transforms flipping down and blasting off before folding its legs. It pulls up hard, looping around and launching a volley of machine gun fire, full stream at Snapdragon. At this point, he won't last long in the fight so he might as well go all out before he goes out. Dakkakkakkakkakka!Exo-Armor Talon transforms into its Exo-Armor Talon Jet mode.Combat: Exo-Armor Talon Jet strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with its Heavy Machine Gun attack! Combat: You took 7 damage.Ventress Exo-Armor does her best against compile, but she's not gonna last long either. However......she still fires at Compile......Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Compile with its Pistol attack! Too far out at sea to hear Compile's chastisement, Broadside's perspective of the battle is of squares and triangles on a monitor, radar blips swirling around eachother. As they get closer to one-another, Broadside cuts off the gunfire, letting his guns cool while he waits for the radar tracks to separate so that he has a clear shot against the Decepticons.Combat: CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]Compile is hit by the pistol and he thinks as he lands and places his hands at his hips. taking up the stance of a cowboy, he looks and smiles, "Draw," he says to her. As he says this, he draws a pistol lookign thing and fires on Tal a he stands there. After he fires, his voice sounds like John Wayne, "Take that ya filthy animal."Combat: Compile misses Ventress Exo-Armor with his Pistol attack! The Dragon roars. This was his territory, and the fact that humans had trespassed during his nap was cause for their immediate destruction. Yet what did Snapdragon expect? He knew he was inviting retaliation when he took on the Chilean aircraft carrier alongside Gnaw and Compile. He even allowed the oil slick left from its wreckage to create a perfect trail for them to follow. I suppose if you asked him why when he was of sound mind, he might respond simply that a Dragon is not truly a Dragon unless there are humans willing to come to its lair, clad in knightly armor and bravery and looking for bloody retribution for untold crimes. For now, the Dragonslayers of the modern era would have to be content in the glory of battle. The Dragon roars...and missiles come careening down upon him, stifling his thunderous viciousness with the dull thud of explosives against Cybertronian armor. And just as before, before the dust can settle and behind obscurity, Snapdragon transformers. Before the flames can even settle, the Dragon takes to flight, now in robot mode again, lunging straight up towards Noah with his fists clenched.Snapdragon shifts into his robotic form.Combat: Snapdragon sets his defense level to Guarded.Combat: Snapdragon strikes Exo-Armor Talon Jet with his Punch attack! Ventress Exo-Armor turns as compile fires.....and aims a laser at Compile. While compile seems to be playing at John wayne, this exo seems to be all business......Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor misses Compile with its Laser attack! From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe is blasted out of the air with Snapdragon's fist. Noah screams and rolls over and over before he finally grabs the controls and pulls itself out, but not before skimming the sand. The armor sputters and sparks, eventually roaring off into the sky.Combat: Exo-Armor Talon Jet begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" 's turrets open up again as soon as Noah's mech is out of the fire zone, focussing on Snapdragon in a steady barrage rising up from the deck of the supercarrier.Combat: CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" strikes Snapdragon with his Phalanx Turrets attack! Combat: You took 11 damage.Snapdragon attempts to follow Noah all the way back down to the ground, grasping and clawing at the terran in a desperate attempt to add another human to his gallery of 'pets' inside the broken aircraft carrier, but he fails utterly. Not only that, but Snapdragons single-minded attempt on Noah's life proves his own undoing- a second aircraft carrier, this one an Autobot, unloads a disturbing amount of ammunition into the Decepticon before his anger-clouded mind even grasps the threat. Armor flakes off of the Horrorcon under the pressure of the Autobot salvo, but he rebounds quickly, and sprints back to the wreckage of the Negra Encalada. Snapdragon wraps his now damaged hands around the gash in that ships hull, the wound in it which forms the entrance into the Headmasters private house of horrors, and pauses. "Is that the best you've got, hero? I've driven off one of your slayers already...now come, come into MY territory if you want to claim my prisoners! Or...shoot blindly from a distance, and risk killing COUNTLESS Terrans! The choice is yours, Autobot!" Snapdragon laughs maniacally as he pulls himself into the hollowed out interior of the broken and beached carrier. A roar echoes out from within but a moment later, an invitation, and a warning all in one.Combat: Snapdragon sets his defense level to Protected.Combat: Snapdragon takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]Compile looks at the attack and jumps over it as he flips int he air and comes in with his foot extended and aiming for the midsection of Tal in her armor.Combat: Compile strikes Ventress Exo-Armor with his Kick attack! Ventress Exo-Armor is hit in the cockpit of her exo armor. However, it did a little bit of damage....and thankfully....the systems are still intact. so she takes a risk and fires off another shot........Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Compile with its Pistol attack! From Exo-Armor Talon , Noah Wolfe makes it out of there quickly, eventually setting down on the beach about half a mile away on a curved portion of the beach so he can still overlook the battle. Just in case.CVN-68 "USS Nimitz" heels over to starboard as he cranks his rudder hard in that direction; not being a real aircraft carrier he doesn't have to worry about planes sliding around on his flight deck or grease fires in the galley when he makes hard maneuvers. "I'm not afraid, cyborg! I'm coming in after you, and I hope you're ready!" Broadside's vast bulk bears down rapidly on the wreck, transforming and shrinking at the last moment to slam down feet first onto the deck, axe raised over his head in both hands. With a cry of "Wreck and Rule!" Broadside charges down the deck directly towards Snapdragon, bringing the humming, glowing blade whooping down towards the monster's armored skull!Rising above the battlefield, Broadside assumes his giant robot form.Combat: Broadside strikes Snapdragon with his Vibro-Ax attack! Combat: You took 12 damage.Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Agility!Combat: Broadside's attack damages your armor.As soon as Broadside enters he can see the true weight of Snapdragons brutality. Though seeing the interior of the ship completely chewed up, twisted and sundered in weird and disturbing ways is disheartening, the sight of hundreds of human prisoners in makeshift cages of steel and electrical wiring is just plain horrific. The Horrorcon lives up to his name. In the center of this shrine to malevolence is a pit of oil, grease, fuel and blood, all dumped together to make Snapdragons own personal bath. It is just a few feet away from here that Broadside, and his vibro-axe, find Snapdragons skull. The Dragon roars menacingly as Broadside enters, but does little to evade the attack, and instead rolls backwards with it and transforms into his dinosaur mode. He slams into the oil pit, sending the black stuff flying everywhere even mid-transformation, but quickly rebounds and hurls towards the Autobot with fangs bared. This was the Dragons lair, and he aimed to keep it.With a spray of oil and a clattering of gears, Snapdragon contorts and reforms into his intimidating Tyrannosaur mode.Combat: Snapdragon sets his defense level to Fearless.Combat: Set custom attack name for kick to 'Just a quick taste?'.Combat: Filthy Tyrannosaur strikes Broadside with his Just a quick taste? (Kick) attack! [Pulled -1]Compile looks as his kick lands, but he is shot int he face by the pistol and he falls back, holding his face, "OW!!!! MY FACE," he says as he has his face covered and shakes as his head and body as he moves closer and than he drops his hands and looks at Tal, "BOO!!! Hehahahaha." and he headbutts her.Combat: Compile strikes Ventress Exo-Armor with his Smash attack! Ventress Exo-Armor guesses that was the patented joker attack. However, the attack doesn't damage the exo too badly....once again. It's forearm raises up and another machine gun attack cracks out towards Compile.Broadside has witnessed horrors worse than these. Which is not to say that if he had a nose, it wouldn't wrinkle, or if he had eyes, they wouldn't avert from some of the gruesome trophies Snapdragon has hung about his lair. But one could not say that Broadside was quailed by the sight or the smell or the monstrous beast, only slightly smaller than himself, charging towards him with scything jaws snapping and slavering. "You're lucky it was me who came to pull you out of your hole, worm," Broadside replies, swinging his left elbow towards Snapdragon's nose while he cocks back and recharges his axe for another swing. "Springer wouldn't go as easy on you as I am!"Combat: Broadside strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with his Sudden Elbow attack! [Pulled -3]Combat: You took 7 damage.Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Agility!Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor misses Compile with its Medium Machine Gun attack! Compile after dogn the headbutt, he staggers back, "Oh," he says. "Never doing that again," he says as he takes a few steps back and now has a nice crack on his face. As he moves back, he falls down, and dodges the machine gun attack and he looks, "Check please," he says as he pushes off the ground and takes flight, "Sorry Snapdragon, I gotta split. I cannot take too much more damage," and with that he flies off.Combat: Compile begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Ventress Exo-Armor , Broadside, and Exo-Armor Talon, Jet Filthy Tyrannosaur snarls again, not used to fighting an enemy larger than he. More than that, it seems that his Decepticon ally, if he could be called that, is running off! His audio sensors pick up Compiles cowardly retreat even from inside the Negra Encalada, and even during the scrap going with Broadside. "COWARD!" The Horrorcon cries, though his anger at Compile is cut short when he takes the end of the vibro-axe once again. The Headmaster shakes his head, takes a step back, and growls once more. Yet this time his fangs are parted only in a smirk, not in aggression. The Gyro-guns on his shoulder thrum to life, and emit a pair of ugly bolts of energy at the intruding Autobot!Combat: Filthy Tyrannosaur strikes Broadside with his Gyro-Guns attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Broadside's Agility. (Crippled)Broadside's movements become slower, sluggish and slightly hitching as his gyro-stabilizers are disrupted, making him unsteady on his feet! He seizes a bulkhead in his left hand to steady himself, and hurls himself forward, shoulder lowered to try to plough Snapdragon bodily into the hull with the crushing force of his full weight! "Is he cowardly? Or just smarter than you?!"Combat: Broadside strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with his Crushing Impact attack! Combat: You took 8 damage.Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Agility!Combat: Broadside's attack damages your armor.Ventress Exo-Armor watches as compile flies off. <> She says as Broadside takes over for Noah. looks like it's time to help Broadside with Snapdragon. so....she fires disruptor shots at Snapdragon......from a flanking position....Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with its Disruptor attack! Combat: You took 1 damage.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor 's attack has damaged your Accuracy!The Dragon hunkers down in anticipation of the incoming Autobot, though it does him precious little good as he is slammed- hard, into the hull of the interior of the Negra Encalada. "GRAAAA! You..think that one is smart?!" Snapdragon rages as he is pinned, "I doubt it! This battle is only just beginning!" With that pronouncement, the Horrorcon opens its mouth wide, its razor fangs bared for all the world to see. Even the stinging disruptor fire from Talazia does not stop, or even stall the depredations of the Robotheropod; he might not win, but he will taste Autobot blood this night.Combat: Filthy Tyrannosaur strikes Broadside with his Savagery attack! Broadside lets out a startled grunt of pain as Snapdragon rips his left arm clean off at the elbow with his almost supernatural rage. His axe goes skidding across the slippery flight deck. "Now that's... ungh... that's playing dirty!" he retorts, hammering on the monster with his other fist while he backs towards the axe to retrieve it.Combat: Broadside strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with his Punch attack! Combat: You took 4 damage.Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Strength!Ventress Exo-Armor keeps her distance and winces as Snapdragon starts fighting dirty. <> She says as her machine gun comes up to fire....Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor sets its defense level to Aggressive.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor strikes Filthy Tyrannosaur with its Medium Machine Gun attack! Combat: You took 4 damage.Combat: Ventress Exo-Armor 's attack has damaged your Agility!"We can't just leave these... prisoners here!" Broadside replies to Talazia, bleeding fluids freely from his severed elbow. "He'll kill them all sooner or later!"All manner of petrochemicals are draining from Snapdragons maw, including those which leak from Broadsides now removed forearm. He is panting hard, expelling spurts of filth from every hole and orifice in his body with each new pained breath. His intakes are probably all jammed up or outright destroyed thanks to Broadside and the humans efforts. The Horrorcon pitches his head back, chomps once or twice, and then swallows the Autobot limb, the sound of which is simply disgusting. After finishing his meal, the Dragon continues panting, though through pained breaths he says, "I'll kill them all sooner or later regardless of todays outcome, Autobot. This is but a prelude. Have you seen, hero?" The Tyrannosaur steps into the light beaming through one of the countless gaping holes in the carriers hull, revealing a dinosaur face covered in streaks of crimson blood, encrusted all over his grizzly mantle. War paint. "This is what I do. I make a mess of things. The humans I broke in half to lubricate my servoes...were just the beginning." Ominous as that is, Snapdragon then thunders towards Broadside, but veers off at the last second and instead ducks past him, out into the blinding light of the island outside. He shifts into his jet mode a moment later and blasts away, leaving a trail of greasy smoke in his wake. "THIS IS NOT OVER!" Snapdragon adds as he rockets away.Snapdragon leaps into the air and transforms into his interceptor jet mode.Combat: Filthy Jet begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit.Ventress Exo-Armor watches as Snapdragon rockets away. <>Broadside stumbles against the hull and sits down hard, gripping his axe loosely in his remaining hand. "Unh. Yeah. Give me just... let me sit down for a little bit."
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