Ep. 0.5 - You have been street racing? (Closed?)

[sniper]

((KO, get your fabulous self over here! ;> ))

The nightfall cradled the hot, dry lands of Nevada - the very ones Sniper had already learned to dislike. He had managed to get the day's scratches out of his paintjob, but they remained fresh in the memory of the vain lamborghini, which drove lazily across the deserted roads. He had managed to slip out of the base with Bumblebee earlier on - and had since lost the bugbot to get a little time alone. Hopefully this kind of time wouldn't cost him his clearance to the Autobot base, which was his ... Sniper didn't quite know how to address it. Nemesis had never been a home to him, nor did he remember it as such. The Decepticon warship only managed to irk his hatred towards the ones who were still abroad.

With a slight rev of an engine, the spy raced forward, only to slow his pace as his sensors alerted him to a distant light source. Cars? The green lamborghini would slow its pace, but still travel further, observing something that seemed like a beginning of a street race. Cars stood still, side by side, letting the ex-Con get a good look at them from the surrounding darkness.

Humans. Nothing interesting about them or their primitive speed. Or this was what Sniper thought as he was about to drive past the crossroads leading to the starting race. But then, something caught his eye-

[Deleted]

Well, this night was shaping up to be a bust, Knock Out thought. He'd parked on a side street, where he could see the assembled humans without encouraging anyone to approach him. He was becoming something of a notorious legend among the racers: the flashy winner who never got out of his car or talked to anyone.

The "winner" part was actually becoming the most annoying. There was precious little actual CHALLENGE here, and the few racers he knew to provide that precious little challenge apparently weren't showing up.

Knock Out sighed, setting a timer on his chronometer. If someone interesting hadn't shown up in five minutes, he was leaving. He tapped into a distant wireless access point, sifting through the local amateur racing forums. Perhaps he just needed a new hunting ground....

[sniper]

The licence plate, "JOFY 892", had an instant match in Sniper's vast archives. And when his search hit the correct result, his slow driving came to a complete halt. Knock Out. Decepticon Medic. The spy's engine revved with anger and hi wheels made a sharp turn towards the starting race. He realized giving away his position wouldn't be the wisest choice but when the flag waved go, Sniper couldn't resist the urge to make the medic eat his dust.

The spy's engine purred, like a beast getting ready to pounce on its prey, as he glided across the road, settling into the line of the starting cars. The street lights reflected from the gleaming green paint job as he did so. The darkened windows of his sleek lamborghini mode wouldn't give his true nature away immediately. But even so, his attention was fixed on the red sports car which stood just a few cars away from him now. And even the sight of a fellow Decepticon got the Spy's system to heat up. While Sniper was known to keep his paint job out from harm's way, this ... this was personal. This was a revenge. And it had to start from somewhere. From someone.

The cars started, tires scratching the dry ground before they dashed into the night.

[Deleted]

Knock Out's sensors picked up the energon signature just as he was about to drive off. He didn't immediately recognize the altmode until he ran it through his database. Aaah. The little spy who'd been slagged. Hadn't seen HIM in a suspiciously long time...and to see him now, in this Autobot-infested area, too.... Very suspicious indeed.

Knock Out kept several optics on Sniper as the...hmm...as the mech made a sharp, angry turn to get to the starting line, engine revving aggressively. Any hope of the mech not recognizing him was cut off by the angry tone of his field, flaring brightly enough for Knock Out to feel it meters away.

Well, Knock Out thought. If you want to PLAY...

Knock Out rolled up to the starting line as well, sensors keen on Sniper as the humans gave the start signal and they all peeled away into the night. Knock Out took an early lead, then poured on more speed, easily outpacing the rest of the pack...except for one.

::Well, well, fancy meeting you here. Long time no see.::

[sniper]

Outracing a lamborghini was no easy business - especially if one happened to be an alien robot from outer space. And same applied to the red muscle car, possibly an Audi R8, which dashed towards the lead, driving in an arrogant way, if possible. That snotty Decepticon glitch. This thought got Sniper to amp up the speed, which allowed him to reach the Medic's side, almost. Sniper, despite his light built and speedy nature, wasn't as used to driving planet-side as Knock Out must have been by now. After all, as a spy he was very well aware of the Medic's tendencies to visit this dirty, wrecked planet - far more often than his comrades did, at least.

Then, a smug voice on Sniper's frequency. It sounded like something sticky that'd get stuck on your heel. Sniper's snug EM field gave out something equivalent of a slight grimace. His engine revved, as he drove just few inches behind the Doctor. Dangerously close, even.

::I am good at my job, Doctor,:: his voice, broken by a slight static, was pure ice. ::I won't be seen unless I want to be.:: The relative calmness of his cold voice was followed by yet and other angry rev. The lamborghini pulled itself partly on Knock Out's side. ::But that is obviously not one of your talents.:: The custom design on the red reflected from the green paint job, which had been buffed its stainless prime again.

::You have a lot of nerve, showing your face around here, you know.:: The tone of Sniper's voice grew darker over the transmission. ::But no matter,:: he continued on the same tone. ::You'll regret it soon enough." Maybe there was a dark grin lurking at the end of his words, maybe there wasn't. But with this, he tried to speed past the arrogant Decepticon glitch, carving his way so close that scratching the bastard's paint was bound to happen, almost.

[Deleted]

Knock Out laughed, swerving the slight inches required to get out of Sniper's way as he accelerated. ::Showing my face 'around here'? And why should I not be 'around here', hmm? As the humans say, "it's a free country", and here I was, minding my own business, doing absolutely nothing objectionable. Something here I should be wary of?::

It was well-known that this area was an Autobot stomping ground. Whether the Autobots were based in this area or merely drawn here by their small human friends was unknown. But this...well...this was interesting.

Knock Out had not seen Sniper after the incident, though the descriptions of Soundwave dragging a slagged Sniper through the groundbridge like a bag of trash had been rumor fodder for days. After Megatron's and then Soundwave's tender mercies, the mech should have still been a twitching ball of spare parts and scrambled processor threads.

Instead, here he was, repaired and out to pick a fight. Which meant either the mech had a truly superior auto-repair system which had cropped up since Knock Out had last had him on the medberth or...he'd had help.

It COULD, conceivably, have been Neutral help. Knock Out wasn't betting on it, though.

::So,:: the Decepticon sent to the Lamborghini, fishing idly with words as he accelerated enough to tap the other's bumper with his own. Playfully. Didn't even dent either of them. ::Haven't seen you around. They finally let you out of your cage?::

[sniper]

::Of me, mostly,:: Sniper transmitted, his words like a ice. A threat lingered on them. Sniper was very determined in seeing some Decepticon heads rolling. ::That, and I know you have had your aft handed to you around these parts of this wretched planet before,:: he continued and skimmed through his research folder on the good Doctor. ::There was something about a missing door panel, yes?:: he said a bit lighter note, but only to irritate Knock Out, if possible. He had kept close tabs on all of his comrades whilst aboard the Nemesis and the Medic was no exception.

They drove side by side for a moment, leaving behind the last remaining headlights of the and their sad little human vehicles. Sniper could feel the Decepticon tapping his bumper when he moved far enough. His processor registered this as a taunt. Which, in Knock Out's case, was very likely. The medic took hardly anything too seriously, unless it had to do with his paint.

::No-one keeps me in a cage anymore. I bow to no masters,:: Emphasis was put on the first word. Irritation poked through the spy's voice, mainly because of the slight tap of a bumper. ::But then, you've got me covered, bowing to two different ones like you do,:: his voice fell back to a more composed, softer note. He was very well aware of the fact that Knock Out had also been part of Starscream's scheme against Megatron. ::And speaking of your masters,;: Sniper felt the familiar tingle of greed in his throat. ::You wouldn't have the ship's coordinates on you, would you now, Doctor?:: His tone suggested that he knew very well that Knock Out wouldn't give up the coordinates just like that. It wasn't a serious question - but rather, an eerie promise of what the spy was planning to do.

((Jebuz Christ this autocorrect program I'm running! X,D ))

[Deleted]

Knock Out scowled internally. As if this punk was comparable to Optimus Prime. Or Knock Out, for that matter. Knock Out might be a medic, but he'd certainly seen his share of frontline battle. He wasn't afraid of Sniper.

Knock Out accelerated to run side-by-side, tired of seeing the mech's tail-lights. He passed Sniper to run ahead, his engine no more limited to his alt form than Sniper's was. ::Coordinates? Why, no, I seem to have left home without them.... If you'd like, I could return to get them...perhaps bring them to you at a later date?::

He gunned his engine, shooting ahead. Sniper was putting off enough aggressive field that Knock Out's battle systems flared to life. At least this was going to be more entertaining than the usual street race.

And I only have one master, Left-For-Scrap. Me.

[sniper]

The red sports car dragged itself ahead of Sniper. the Spy picked up his pace, keeping the gap between them very small. He wasn't going to get this smug slagger get away.

::I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer, Doctor,:: Sniper transmitted. While his tone was calm, it cast vicious shadow over the dark bit humour he had answered Knock Out with. ::If you're not willing to give them up in civilized manner, rest assured, I have other means to get them out of your system,:: and they're not of a very pleasant kind.

With this, the green lamborghini dashed forward, following Knock Out's lead. But while Sniper was a very good match for the Decepticon medic in speed, he wasn't as used to driving this planet as Knock Out was. And as the street lights started to grow scarce and they came in on a sharp curve, it send Sniper's rear end fishtailing with a cloud of thick Nevada dust. His spark flared with fury as he corrected his altmode. The gap between them had managed to grow significantly in a matter of seconds.

But it only managed to get Sniper more determined.

He shot forward, closing in as fast as he could. And once he was close enough, his green mesh would transform in a very quick manner. It was a matter of seconds before Sniper's lanky robot form was leaping trhough the air, aiming its limbs (and claws) towards the Knock Out's roof.

[Deleted]

::Then I hope you've learned to live with disappointment.::

Knock Out was ready for the attack, sensors primed for a fight. As soon as he saw Sniper commit by transforming, he slammed on his brakes. Sniper's momentum made him overshoot, his dive for Knock Out's roof turned into a scrabble for purchase as he landed instead on Knock Out's hood and promptly rolled right off. The result wasn't QUITE as dramatic as the medic had been going for (THAT would have ended with the cocky little left-for-scrap flying completely over him and landing in perfect position to get ground into the pavement beneath his wheels), but it sufficed.

Knock Out transformed as he slid to a stop, the last of his momentum turned into a controlled roll over the pavement that ended with him crouched on his feet facing Sniper, energon prod spitting sparks in his hands. His grin was demonic in the fitful light from the prod. "Do you REALLY want to get into this with me, Left-for-Scrap? Awfully confident of you, especially since there's no medic to patch you up when I disassemble you. Or is there? Made some friends, have you?"

<<How matched of a fight do you think this'll be? Knock Out was a Wrecker, so he's well-versed in melee combat and will go for weak points. And do you have any preference for how the fight should go/anything that should happen before Bee shows up? Knock Out's just looking for a bit of a workout and perhaps getting Sniper to admit he's been with the Autobots. He'll bolt at the first real sign of being outmatched. >>

[sniper]

Sniper should have taken Knock Out's following reaction to his calculations. Or rather, he had, but it hadn't translated into action as well as he had hoped. The green mech landed on Knock Out's roof, just to slide off and end up on the side of the road. He ended up on his side, error messages alerting him to a subtle scuffing of his beautiful paint job. Sniper did, however, regroup quickly. He peeled his torso off the ground and gathered his legs beneath it, crimson colored optics snapping their gaze to a direction of an ominous glow of energon.

Knock Out's energon prod. He meant business.

But so did Sniper. He hopped on his feet, glancing at the green armor plating of his left arm. Minor scuffing - but as someone who was also prone to vanity, Sniper wasn't exactly happy about it. He crouched, long claws forming a row of tense hooks. His attentive gaze snapped onto Knock Out, and he answered the Medic's notion with a very subtle grin.

"While I always gave you credit for not being as weak minded as your partner-," Sniper begun, adjusting into a tense fighting stance. "-you have so little knowledge of what I am capable of." His battle system went online. It set a minor transformation into motion, which shaped the spy's scuffed arm into a tool that remotely resambled one of Soundwave's tentacles, perhaps. "Or what kind of friends I am capable of making." There was confidence and darkness, dancing about the tones Sniper spoke with. It was obvious that while he had beenaway from the field for a long time, and wasn't exactly built for field action to begin with, this wasn't Sniper's first time attempting to hardline hack someone against their will.

And with this fact lingering on his field, Sniper slipped slightly further from Knock Out. He was attempting to circle the Medic and find a blind spot to take an advantage of. That, and stay away from the energon prod. While Sniper was fast, his speed was also his only defense. His lanky form practically asked to be punched.

[Deleted]

The stance and claws didn't worry Knock Out. Oh, he might get scratched up, but when the fight was over, scratches were fixable. And the medic was no stranger to melee combat himself, something several very ignorant Decepticons had learned (painfully) since he'd arrived on the Nemesis.

The cable, though...that was slightly worrisome. Knock Out's firewalls were medic-grade, which meant they were sufficient to guard him against 95% of the slag that might be waiting in a patient's systems to pounce on an unknowingly-plugging-in medic. They were not, however, even close to hackerproof. Knock Out had seen Sniper's processor specs. All else being equal, Knock Out knew who'd win in a processor-to-processor hacking, and it was not him.

But all else was not equal, now was it? Hacking only worked if one could plug in and STAY plugged in and not get physically slagged in the process. And Knock Out also knew all of Sniper's OTHER specs. He judged his odds of keeping the hacker out of any of his important bits to be fairly good, really.

Knock Out circled slowly, keeping Sniper in view. "Oh my, forward, aren't we?" he purred. "If you wanted to get under my plating, sweetspark, all you had to do was ask." He grinned, sending a verbal shot in the not-so-dark. "Be gentle. It's my first time with an Autobot."

[sniper]

Sniper moved slowly at first, keeping his optics firmly on the level of the medic's. There was an overwhelming arrogance about Knock Out, but Sniper was very capable of answering it with the ominous expression he wore. There was darkness to it - as much as it seemed amused by the situation. Knock Out was way too arrogant to run away, it seemed. His confidence worked to Sniper's advantage. Once he would manage to get the mech off his feet somehow, Knock Out would know, that despite the unfortunate events with Megatron and Soundwave, Sniper was to be feared.

"Well, gladly enough-," Sniper purred right back. "-this is not my first time with a Decepticon," While Sniper's movement was tense and well thought of, his tone was composed. It didn't give away the fact that his scanners were running full capacity, working out the weakest spot in Knock Out's defense. And it certainly didn't give away the flash of his headlights and leap, which occurred once a suitable hit was found.

Sniper was fast. But by leaping right towards the Medic, he took a grave risk, as he was no match for the mech in melee combat. However, trying to exploit any possible weak points, he attempted to tilt Knock Out's balance just enough to get the slagger on the ground.

[Deleted]

Knock Out had seen the leap coming. He'd meant to get his prod into position so the scrapheap would drive himself into a nice little jolt, but he had to give it to the little hacker: he knew how to read an opponent. He'd moved when Knock Out had just shifted his weight in exactly the wrong way for him to be able to plant to take Sniper's charge properly. Knock Out had had to take an extra step to get his ground back and had lost valuable time and leverage doing it.

Fast little fragger, Knock Out thought.

In the end, he'd had to settle for deflecting. He'd gotten his prod between them, catching Sniper's weight before it could impact him and spinning around it, attempting to fling Sniper as far from him as he could to keep those nasty cables far away. Again, that had been the plan.

Then the ground had shifted under his right foot. Not a lot. Just a little. It distracted him and threw off his balance yet again, meaning that his push against Sniper's frameweight was woefully underpowered. Instead of getting his weight under the little slagger and tossing him far enough to gain some space, the medic only had enough leverage to shove Sniper barely out of cablereach.

Frag, Knock Out thought, lashing out with his prod and a snarl to drive Sniper back.

[sniper]

A slight grunt escaped the spy - out of both impatience and surprise.

Sniper landed on all four of his limbs after being shoved away by Knock Out. The spy strangled a grin as he slipped to the left, attempting to exploit the brief wobble that occurred in the Medic's defense. And the second Sniper got his optics on what was a glimpse of Knock Out's back, he got ready for another leap. It seemed that the Medic had indeed underestimated his foe. It was an easy mistake to make with Sniper, who wasn't built for melee combat and looked the part. The gleaming green mech leaped through the air again, his scanner locked on the weakest points of the Decepticon's defenses.

He was attempting to get Knock Out to fall front first on the ground.
It would make it that much easier to attach a hacking tool into the Medic's head.