We are a literate, intermediate to advanced AU Transformers RPG Based off of the first season of TFP with dashes of other incarnations sprinkled here or there. Characters from any continuity are welcome however must be restyled to match the TFPrime universe.
Active, with ongoing plotlines, we are always willing to integrate new characters into storylines once incorporated into the setting.
Post by Thundercracker on Oct 8, 2023 20:36:23 GMT -5
Thundercracker fortunately had enough sense to bite off the string of nasty replies that he was planning to say to counter Nokta’s apparent disbelief as his mind was suddenly focused on confronting the problem that Starscream had thrown at him. As he turned around to line up a third attack on the swarm he was struck by a sense of deja vu while talking to Starscream. Almost like the war hadn’t happened and things were back to normal.
::It’s a horde Starscream, they didn’t sit still and let me get a headcount.:: He replied a bit exasperated. What did they all expect, that he was just sitting on his aft counting the damn things?
Part of him wished that he had ended up keeping that flamethrower from that time he had accompanied Pyrotech on that scavenging expedition. Might be useful right about now...
::And negative, missiles are NOT, repeat, NOT advisable. There is some seismic activity and additional explosives might end up escalating it with unknown consequences.::
He roared down the line of scraplets again and fired another burst, sending 20mm rounds ripping through the group as close as he could to the front without sending rounds towards where Nokta was working. Part of him was irritated again that Starscream had only bothered to bring himself. Was his ego that big as to think he would be all they needed instead of a squadron of Eradicons?
Stop it. Forget the bitter feelings. We have a job to do.
::We might have to go with a modified ring of fire. 100 meter separation to account for Skywarp’s absence.::
Last Edit: Oct 8, 2023 20:36:36 GMT -5 by Thundercracker
Nokta dove back in to the engine with renewed fervor. Still, there was a twinge of annoyance in the back of Nokta’s mind as they were denied a headcount. Wasn’t Thundercracker a seeker? He thought aerial units like him were supposed to have all manner of sensors and scanners that could provide at least a ballpark estimate of the number of scraplets they faced.
But just like the conversation between the two fliers over the open airwaves, he would have to drown that out to focus on the task at hand. His fingers gripped the knob on the engine that denoted the power levels for the main battery, twisting it all the way to the right to power it back on…
Only it didn’t.
Furrowing his brow, Nokta twisted the knob to the right. Nothing.
It wasn’t turning back on--
Again. Nothing.
Frag! No no no no NO!
Some wire or internal mechanism must have gotten dislodged and was preventing the engine from cycling into full power. Nokta was not a technician or engineer by any means, but he couldn’t let that stop him at a time like this. Nokta snarled, glancing down at the plethora of wires still hanging out of the engine, he frantically began pulling them out, trying to discern which colors went where, what they were plugged into, if they even did anything at all.
Ever present, the scraplets continued their march. The feeding frenzy had yet to begin, though some potential prey was in sight. The fliers were far too quick, their scents lost to the high winds over the mountaintops.
Any second now the lieutenant would be seen, and then the only thing keeping him from death would be time. Their masses swelled, almost as if in anticipation. Slowly…slowly…
They’d reached the crater’s edge.
And all at once they stopped. Every single one of them. Freezing in place as if time itself had ceased function.
And then they began to shake. Trembling, shivering, every last scraplet buzzing in unison. A cacophony of hisses suddenly rang out, bloodcurdling, a chitter chatter of death screaming on the air. Each of them calling out to one another, warning of the food source below…
Post by Starscream on Oct 27, 2023 19:49:59 GMT -5
A gentle, rumbled growl was the only immediate reply to his brother's words - though not quite loud enough to be broadcast over the comm line itself. A general number, even if off by a few hundred, would be beneficial indeed - though given the shimmering wave of silver it was evident they were dealing with thousands, if not more.
::No need for the sarcasm, Thundercracker.:: he didn’t sound annoyed, though wanted to make it known that he wasn’t impressed.
While he was in range and could make a perfect shot from where he currently was with a missile, the following words from the other Seeker made him pause. As little as he cared for this planet, Nokta was still down there somewhere - and even though the horde of Scraplets seemed to be fairly grouped together, there was no telling if there were even more just waiting to be freed, or if things would be made worse by firing upon the mountain.
::Noted.::
Easing forward, a chuckle escaped him at the suggestion from Thundercracker.
::We haven’t done that in a while - are you sure you remember how to?:: a gentle tease, though his voice was still serious enough. With Scraplets, all it took was a lapse in concentration even for a moment and they’d be upon you in an instant. With how many there seemed to be? It would be a short death indeed, though painful beyond words for those agonizing few seconds.
::I’ll lead, you shoot- wait…::
Another growl - this time it was audible over the comm as he realized what was happening. It seemed the Scraplets had lost interest in the two fliers, and were going for the easier meal.
::We need to pull their attention back to us, now!:: he snapped, pushing forward toward the chittering horde - hoping the sudden boost of speed and the energy it used would at least catch the gaze of some of the vermin to the point they’d all turn and follow.
::Nokta, get ready to run!::
As easy as it would be to call a bridge to get the grounder to safety, that’d be a death sentence for all at Blackridge Hold. Drawn to the swirling vortex, the Scraplets would swarm en masse at having a target, overwhelming the underground base in an instant.
Post by Thundercracker on Nov 6, 2023 22:14:00 GMT -5
::Well excuse me, I’ve been having a really trying day without this basket of scrap piled on top of it, Starscream.::
While there was still a hint of irritation in Thundercracker’s voice, there was a new element that had slipped its way in. A faint trace of humor, a memory of the good old days. Back before things had all gone to scrap. Back when they were brothers who had each other's backs. And it seemed Starscream had picked up on it, based on the reply he had gotten to his suggestion. Thundercracker subconsciously let some mock-indignation flow into his voice.
::Forget the move that I invented? Psh...not likely.::
Hearing that Starscream wanted to take the lead caused Thundercracker to pause in confusion. Starscream wasn’t one to place himself in the line of fire like this...
His rumiations were interrupted by Starscream doing just that.
::Primus damn it, Starscream!::
It was almost instinctive, without any conscious thought. Thundercracker instantly dropped altitude and followed Starscream in, moving into position on Starscream’s right wing without a second thought as the Air Commander accelerated towards the horde.
::New plan....think we can pull them off of Nokta and into a valley?:: he asked, a thought occurring to him.
Run? Run where!? The scout screamed in his head as he turned around, only barely managing to contain his horror at the sight of dozens, hundreds of scraplets cascading over the edge of the crater on nearly all sides, boxing him in. Anywhere he could run would net him the same demise, unless one of the seekers managed to get close enough to somehow lift him out of there.
::No.:: The mech seemed finish that thought aloud. This would all be for nothing if he gave up now.
::I can fix this– I just need more time!:: The mech shouted back over the sound of gunfire and the impending horde, his voice level and clear, managing to keep his entirely rational fear at hand as he worked. He had trained, just as many others had, to keep that fear at bay as he did what needed to be done. Even during the worst case scenario. During something like this.
The sound of the scraplets approaching, the sibling fliers above bicker-strategizing, the numb pressure that had begun to build in the back of his processor, he blocked it all out. They needed this engine. That was what he forced his mind to focus on as he dug into the engine’s internals.
Don’t look up, don’t look at what’s coming. Keep a steady hand. Focus, as the second in command said. You can do this.
Sparks flew from the wires as he plucked and tore at them, the mech wincing as his digits and servos were singed here and there but not enough to create lasting damage. Not enough to get him to stop when he should have. He’d found the right wire, a line of current jolting out of it, he just had to find its twin amongst the mangled and tattered masses of wiring…
Thousands of sets of legs skittered in the distance creating a dull and ominous hum that was slowly growing in volume. He had to work fast. Had to do this right. Had to be efficient.
More sparks arced out of the wiring and into his free servo, causing a less than comfortable tingle. The smell of something burning filled his olfactory nodes. He ignored it.
::I’m nearly finished! Just keep them off my–fzzzRRTzrp!::
A shout of pain from the lieutenant interrupted his sentence before it was fully formed, followed by a sudden bassy rush of static that tore through the comms of the two fliers.
A dull, rolling hum that would soon become more like a roar as their approach hastened. The horde buzzed in unison. They were hungry, starved after years, perhaps decades or even centuries in stasis. And now a fresh bounty was in sight.
A lone Cybertronian lay prone aside an engine in the crater below. As if sensing their prey’s vulnerability, the scraplets appeared to move faster, eager to begin their frenzy. Some had reached the bottom now, having toppled over the sides they now regained their senses and began their rush anew. The only saving grace now was the sheer size of the crater in respect to the tiny scraplets. Still, it would take a short minute or two at most for them to reach Nokta now.
The roar of a jet engine fought against the volume of the swarming masses as the two seekers passed overhead. A halt in their advance, as the scraplets turned to face the Cybertronians as they flew within close enough range to be detected by the screaming horde. They twitched and shuddered as new potential prey passed by. Not moving yet– they were stricken by the new data their infinitesmally small sensors fed them, torn between which targets to proceed against.
They chose the fliers.
The wave of undulation within the glistening horde shifted, and began moving in the direction of their flight capable food.
But as the masses shifted and changed trajectory– it became clear that not every scraplet had received the memo. Some still remained stood still, stragglers at the fringes of the main pack, still struggling to make a decision as to which hunt to join. These scraplets did not go with the rest. Instead, they continued on their path from before, steadily crawling towards the prone Cybetronian in the crater’s midst.
Far less than before, now, but it only took a small handful of scraplets to remain deadly– and these were easily a few hundred that continued to approach Nokta’s position.
Post by Starscream on Nov 24, 2023 15:37:59 GMT -5
::A trying day?::
Starscream barked out a laugh at that - a genuine one.
::You’ll have to tell me all about it when and if we survive this mess.:: the last word was growled as he focused up, continuing his spiraling descent down and toward the swarm.
Primus, there were a lot of them. He hadn’t seen this many in… no, it didn’t matter, as they were here now - thousands upon thousands to the point they almost seemed to move as one. A terrifying shimmering ocean of silver teeth that luckily, for the moment, hadn’t turned their focus upon him as he got into position.
Though that could - and no doubt would - change in an instant. Or so he hoped. Pulling them from the grounder below and the engine that was so desperately needed - they wouldn’t get many chances to do this right, meaning it had to be perfect the first time.
Luckily, with Thundercracker here, he had no doubt it would be. For a moment there it felt like old times, a sort of comfortable familiarity as the other Seeker moved to take his place on his right wing.
::Forget the move that I invented? Psh...not likely.::
::Invented, yes, but I perfected… Skywarp and I mastered it in your abse-:: He didn’t get to finish that sentence, the shout of pain from Nokta a grim reminder of just what they were doing here, and while he had been focused on the task at hand, it certainly jolted him back into the moment with a sense of urgency.
::Nokta!::
He couldn’t see anything past the swathes of silver, couldn’t tell if the stranded mech was even still alive - couldn’t hear anything over the buzzing mass of the swarm. That didn’t sound like the garbled cries of someone being eaten alive, at the very least - though it didn’t sound good either way. If he’d somehow hurt himself and couldn’t even make an attempt to fight back, he would be devoured in an instant.
Meaning they had to work fast.
Ah, but it seemed that some of the swarm had realized there was a bigger meal - one that’d stupidly made a point of going toward them, making their tiny lives easier.
The two Seekers would be able to outfly and outpace the Scraplets with ease, and so even upon their approach toward the pair, Starscream slowed himself further - a gentle ping without words sent to Thundercracker to relay his position - tantalizingly close to the murderous creatures, though still just out of reach. They’d have to work for this meal.
Only it seemed not all of them had taken the bait. Even amongst the shimmering mass, he could see that some still seemed focused on their original goal.
A growl of frustration escaped him, and Thundercracker’s earlier question was finally answered.
::There’s no time! I’ll lead the swarm, you take out the stragglers focused on Nokta!::
He couldn’t tell just how many were still fixated on the grounder, however it was surely enough for Thundercracker to work out how to deal with on his own.
Momentarily hovering in place, he made a point of throttling his engine some in an attempt to make himself known further to the horde - they were drawn to heat, and if he could even pull just a few more away from Nokta and distract from the second Seeker beside him as he hopefully made his way down into the crater? It’d be worth the momentary seconds of panic that he was doing well to hide.
Post by Thundercracker on Dec 3, 2023 20:06:32 GMT -5
Heh...when and if...
Strangely enough, despite the odds that were stacked against them, there was something in Thundercracker’s spark that told him they were all going to survive against this. And although he was loathe to admit it...it was the knowledge that Starscream was here backing him up. A mech that he could trust with his life because Starscream trusted him with his. Together they could do anything.
Their reminiscing was cut short by the problem at hand though. Damn that stubborn Nokta...unable to take a hint...
That’s probably what made him good at his job to be honest.
Thundercracker didn’t second guess Starscream’s orders this time, because he knew that if Starscream was volunteering himself as bait that meant that Starscream probably had a way out of the situation. Starscream’s sense of self-preservation was legendary, even before he had become the Decepticon second in command.
::Understood.::
Feeling almost sorry for the scraplets, Thundercracker dove back towards the cave and transformed back into root mode, both his blasters coming to life on his forearms as he blasted away at the scraplets while using his pede thrusters to stay in the air. He continued to blast as he made his way towards Nokta’s last known position.
There would be no hail or sign of copy from the other end of the scout’s comms. The grounder remained radio silent, his ping frighteningly still on the local allied radar. The engine beside him remained idle, buzzing with energy still yet waiting to be harnessed.
The main horde shifted violently as Starscream peeled off from Thundercracker. Above the ridge line closest to the direction the seeker commander had flown in, the horde was beginning to gather. Within the crater below, they each climbed one atop another like crazed, hungry lemmings. They were making quick work of scaling the steep walls of the crater once more, their negligible individual sizes be damned.
Thundercracker, on the other hand, would deal with the stragglers. The lone scraplets were easily picked off by the superior weaponry the outlier mech boasted, evaporating in their place with each leveled blast.
The brothers’ plan was working, but for how long?
A sudden, jerking shift in the main horde would be hard not to draw the former seeker’s attention. The half of the horde still scaling the crater’s edge seemed to warp around the middle, their synchronized movements akin to one singular beast as opposed to a thousand small ones. The pattern of shifting would appear almost like the maw of a beast as it retched and gagged in an attempt to regurgitate a poorly digested meal. The formation within the midst of the horde would perform this jerking motion once more, the grouping of scraplets sinking down within itself, and then…
The horde exploded upwards. Hundreds of tiny scraplets were slingshotted out from the midst of the horde as hundreds more beneath them used their combined mass to push their brethren upwards and into the air by the dozen. Hundreds of tiny, razor sharp mouths soaring toward the hovering seeker, well within the ‘splash zone’ if he did not move with haste…
Everything seemed to fall into stillness for a moment around Starscream. Oh, things were certainly moving - Thundercracker diving down beside him toward the cave, the shimmering ever-moving swarm of far too many scraplets to count. The drone-like buzz from thousands of hungry, razor-sharp mouths that seemed to drown out all other noise.
The silver Seeker was focused. Scraplets only had one thing on their tiny little processors, though that wasn't to say they were predictable in how they went about their goal. They were fast, able to catch even the most attentive mech unawares, devouring them within seconds should they have the numbers to do so.
They certainly did now. If any one of them got caught in the swarm, there wouldn't be much to be done. Fire a missile, hope for the best - ease the suffering of the one inundated should the attack actually hit its mark.
He thought of Thundercracker, and there was a pang of worry as the other Seeker moved. While they may have been at odds with one another, they were still brothers, and he'd hate to see him lost to something so barbaric. While his attention did not drift fully to Nokta and the ominous silence, he worried for him, too.
He wanted to speak aloud, to tell Thundercracker to be careful - though did not want to distract with unnecessary sentiment. The words hopefully did not even have to be said, though it would remain to be seen if he would later regret not saying them.
Suddenly, movement. Everything snapped to him in an instant as his attention zeroed back in on things all at once - it seemed his attempts to draw the swarm's focus had worked, though he had vastly underestimated just how many there actually were.
It was hard to tell in a river of silver.
A river of silver that was now heading directly for him after an explosion of sudden movement that saw them almost erupt upward in a terrifying flurry. He could outrun them, he knew he could - though to move too quickly would cause them to lose interest, their focus shifting back to the easier meals below.
Waiting until the last possible moment to move, Starscream would begin to fly. Spiraling up slowly, hoping to lead the mass of angry, gnashing mouths up and away. He made sure to throttle himself to the point he kept warm - enticing them, while moving just enough to keep their attention on him while keeping himself safe.
Hopefully, this would give Thundercracker the time and space to check on Nokta - the engine could be successfully started, and then the pair of Seekers could do what they did best.