Lockdown
Sept 19, 2017 17:33:26 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2017 17:33:26 GMT -5
PLAYER INFO
Name/Alias: Maestro
IM/Email: Available upon request
Where did you find us?: Google Search
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Lockdown
Age: Human equivalent: somewhere in his mid thirties
Gender: Mech/Male
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Works consistently for and alongside Decepticons, but ultimately holds no strong loyalty to either side
Original Occupation: Street Racer, Cyber-Ninja
Occupation/Specialization: Bounty Hunter/Freelancer
Appearance:
Facial Features
One look from Lockdown can strike fear into the sparks of any bot who crosses his path, and with good reason: his faceplate has been molded to resemble a grinning skull. Two red eyes peer out of deep obsidian sockets with a cool menace, analyzing everything quickly and efficiently. The chrome faceplate itself is sculpted to his helm, giving it an eerie resemblance to an actual skull. Black warpaint frames his features sharply, adding to the ferocity of his visage.
Voice
His voice is a low growl, grating, yet oddly sauve and eerily monotone with only minimal inflection. His vernacular is eternally casual, slurring words together in a way that most ‘bots would consider to be unsophisticated, but no one could ever mistake the cool cunning edge to every word he utters.
Physical Build
Lockdown is slightly taller than Shockwave, broad shouldered and an all-around imposing figure. His body, once sleek and lithe, has been heavily modified into an uncanny assortment of mods, resulting in a bulkier build. His shoulders slope downwards, making it look as though he is eternally slouching, exacerbated by the way his shoulderplates bend and cover about half of his upper arm. The armor bends sharply at his neck and runs up to meet his faceplate, separated into three pieces to allow for movement, and at the shoulder for the same reason. Chrome spikes from his altmode adorn this armor, two on each shoulder and two smaller spikes on either side of his neck, adding to his already intimidating figure. His torso is wide at the shoulders but tapers in rapidly from just under the armpits to a much slimmer waist. The armor on his chest and stomach are colored and arranged in such a way that they resemble an undertaker’s tux. To top off the look, two plates of armor hang down behind his posterior in a fashion that strongly resembles coat-tails.
His waist is sandwiched between two tires, arranged in such a way that they seem to continue the suit aesthetic of his torso, seemingly to fan out a little from the waist but still hugging it as a suit does. His legs begin thin, then broaden out into thick, sturdy rectangular prisms that compose the hood of his altmode. His exhaust piping runs along his calves, and his front tires are situated at the ankle. His feet are capped with the cow catcher bumper and headlights.
His right arm was lost during the early days of the war, and instead of getting it replaced with a normal arm he acquired a prosthetic multitool arm (see below). This arm is about twice as thick as his normal arm and hangs a little lower, and while it is primarily black, its secondary color is a mustard yellow. He usually keeps this in hook mode to further intimidate those around him. His other arm is still his original appendage, properly proportioned and ending with a normal five-fingered hand.
Lockdown is an imposing figure physically, and uses his mastery of posture to create an aura of professionalism and fear around himself. He carries himself with an air of apathy towards most everyone he encounters, with a few notable exceptions of individuals he has strong ties to (see history). His weird clash of tuxedo-like armor and slouching shoulderplates creates a bizarre contrast in his demeanor in a way that can be baffling and disorienting to his allies and foes alike—just the way he likes it.
Appearance Image: Image Here
Altmode: His altmode is a heavily modified chrome black 1980 Corvette with lime green accents along the sides of the hood, top and tail, scanned in an underground racing club upon his arrival to earth. Originally modified using Earth engineering to compete in illegal street races, Lockdown has since modified it to go even faster by incorporating Cybertronian and other advanced technologies to increase its maximum speed to 250 miles per hour and to keep himself completely under control at these speeds.
Aesthetically, the exhaust piping has been enlarged and expanded to look more like a drag racer (three pipes on either side instead of the standard one), the hubcaps have been replaced with reinforced chrome ones with spiked edges designed to shred the tires of other cars. Mild bodywork resulted in the addition of a small spoiler and chrome ‘cow-catcher’ added over his bumper to provide more protection (giving the front of a vehicle a boxier look), as well a small adjustments to the back to allow for larger back tires. Six chrome spikes are arranged in two lines along the roof of his altmode. All the glass, including the headlight covers, is tinted crimson. Internally, his cabin is quite posh, if a bit aggressive. Sporting leather seats, a chain steering wheel and a skull head for a gearshift, the entire interior looks like an extreme case of midlife crisis. The only visible Cybertronian modifications are holographic license plates that automatically adjust to his location using an pirated GPS connection to Earth’s extensive system of satellites.
Altmode Image: This but modified so that it looks closer to this
History: Lockdown began life as a courier who spent his nights racing illegal in the back alleys of whatever city he happened to be in at the time. Never satisfied with anything less than winning, Lockdown would funnel all of his winnings and paychecks into upgrading himself with better parts and specialized modifications, specifically aimed to increase his speed and acceleration. His obsession with racing soon attracted the attention of a sensei at the Cyber-Ninja Dojo in Iacon. The sensei invited Lockdown into the dojo and offered to train him to become a Cyber-Ninja to get him off the streets. Lockdown attempted to turn down the offer, but the sensei refused to let him leave unless he could best him in a race. Bemused, Lockdown accepted‒ only to be swiftly and efficiently bested through techniques he he did not understand. Eager to learn these techniques, he quickly accepted the sensei’s offer.
It soon became apparent that Lockdown would not be learning what he so desperately desired to learn for some time, with the first several weeks spent sweeping the floors and doing general maintenance around the dojo. Very quickly he started to long for the rush of racing in the dark on a road lit only by headlights. But he hung on, in hopes that his training might soon begin in earnest. But several more weeks passed, and he was still cleaning the dojo. He complained to the sensei that he had learned nothing, and that he insisted that he be taught the ways of a Cyber-Ninja immediately. When his sensei refused, he snuck into the dojo during a training session and carefully observed what was being taught. The next day he attempted to surprise the sensei with what he had learned, but the sensei was prepared, having seen him the night before. Begrudgingly, he agreed to teach Lockdown the basics despite his failure to grasp the initial lesson.
Lockdown progressed quickly in his studies, spending all of his free time practicing his movements to perfection. On the outside he was a star pupil, dedicated to his craft, eager to learn. But underneath he was impatient, eager to reach the more advanced and powerful techniques. He cared little for the spirituality of the martial arts he learned, caring only about the physical benefits. Ultimately, this became his undoing.
Eager to learn what he had come to learn, Lockdown would search for more unorthodox ways to study. He would train with anyone willing to teach him, picking up styles of fighting not taught by the Cyber-Ninja Corps. Particularly, he focused on the advanced and ancient art of Metallikato, not taught by his sensei due to its violent and aggressive nature. He kept these excursions a secret from those at the dojo, rightfully assuming they would disapprove of his choices. After some time of training with a small underground fighting ring outside of Iacon Lockdown felt as though he was ready to test his skills. He signed himself up for a fight and won easily, dispatching his opponent swiftly and viciously.
These fights continued for several weeks, until one night Lockdown returned to the dojo and was confronted by his sensei. Word of Lockdown’s exploits in the ring had reached the dojo, and the sensei had immediately recognized him. He was cast out of the dojo for his dishonorable use of his training, stripped of his rank and official status. As he left, the sensei confided his deep disappointment, and that he had seen greatness in Lockdown that he hoped may yet still be realized some day.
Lockdown spat at his feet and left, never to look back.
No longer settling for street racing, Lockdown searched for a different way to achieve the rush of the chase. Returning to the ring he began to look into become a full-time fighter, but mere days after his expulsion from the Cyber-Ninja Corps the war began.
Lockdown had little interest in fighting on either side, but he soon found a way to twist the series of events to his advantage. Using his status as a capable fighter, he reinvented himself as a freelancer who will fight for the highest bidder. Several of the gladiators-turned-Decepticons recognized him from his fights and were aware of his history with the Cyber-Ninja Corps, an organization that had the potential to become highly problematic to the Decepticon cause‒ and were protecting the last large stock of protoforms. Lockdown was contacted almost immediately by the Decepticons to attack and destroy the Cyber-Ninja Dojo and steal the protoforms contained within.
Lockdown took the job as soon as he received the offer, eager to enact vengeance upon his former corpsmen. Leading a small team of Decepticons, Lockdown used his knowledge of the layout of the dojo to make a thorough sweep of the facility, murdering most of the ninjas in their sleep and overwhelming or avoiding those that were awake. Lockdown lead the raiding party through the halls to the protoform vault, where his sensei waited for him. Eagerly, Lockdown challenged him to single combat, eager to show what a mistake it was to cast him out. Mournfully the sensei agreed, and the two fought. Quickly it became evident that Lockdown was still outmatched, and the fight came to a climax as his right arm was cut off at the elbow. Unwilling to show weakness, Lockdown immediately drew the plasma rifle he had bought off of a black market dealer and immediately shot his former sensei in the spark at point-blank range. The sensei stumbled backwards from the impact, his face sad and full of pity. He looked Lockdown in the optics and apologized for failing him. Angered, Lockdown shot him in the face and left him for dead, gathering as many of the protoforms as his group could carry and leaving the dojo. As he left he set the place ablaze, both to eliminate the evidence and to complete his revenge.
Throughout the Great War Lockdown took many more jobs for the Decepticons: eliminating or kidnapping important individuals, taking out strategic targets‒ all to fund his endless streams of modifications and upgrades. During one such mission Lockdown was assigned to kill the crew of an Autobot transport vessel and bring back the energon it was carrying to the Decepticons. Surreptitiously boarding the ship at the port, he assassinated the crew one by one, taking control of the ship and flying it back to the Decepticon command. Once there he delivered the energon, but insisted that he keep the ship as his payment. His employers agreed, and the Death’s Head has served as his mobile base of operations ever since.
Another memorable mission tasked him with abducting an Autobot intelligence officer to bring back to Decepticon High Command for questioning. He was initially foiled by an Autobot medic sent to recover the officer as well. He overpowered the medic and took both autobots back to his ship, where he stole the medic’s EMP generator. The medic managed to grab the EMP from the table next to the seat he was strapped to and used it to disable the Death’s Head so he could make his escape. Lockdown attempted to stop him, but the medic escaped with the informant but left his EMP generator behind. While not bitter in the traditional sense, Lockdown would be eager to encounter this medic again should the opportunity present itself.
During the war Lockdown subjected himself to many upgrades and procedures. By the time Cybertron had fallen dormant he had outfitted himself with his multitool arm and upgraded all of his critical systems to increase himself to the equivalent of a soldier rather than a racer/courier. His body was covered in scars, though they are barely noticeable in the mishmash of parts and modifications that now comprise his body.
Knowing there was nothing left for him in the ruins of Cybertron, Lockdown ventured out into the wider galaxy in search of work. For many vorn he wandered from planet to planet, doing mercenary work and earning a name for himself among the other civilizations of the galaxy. During these travels he acquired his Vandarian Holographic Generator.
Recently Lockdown received a message from the Decepticon force on Earth, requesting his services once again. He has made his way to the system and now sits in the upper atmosphere of the planet, taking stock of this new world, preparing to meet with the Decepticons and see what dastardly deeds they would have him do this time.
Personality: Lockdown is a cold and yet dramatic figure, anyways analyzing and attempting to stay multiple steps ahead of anyone he interacts with. He trusts no one, choosing to remain detached rather than rely on others. As such he tends to spend long periods of time without sentient company, resulting in his social interaction skills always being a bit rusty. He speaks his mind regardless of who he is speaking to, with the occasional exception of powerful employers who have the power to make his life a living hell if he irritates them.
He maintains a strict code of honor, as much as a bounty hunter can remain honorable. He will never back out of a deal unless his long-term livelihood is endangered, and despises anyone who double-deals in the business. Any who cross him become personal targets, pursued for his own sake and not for monetary profit. While these vendettas are certainly side-projects, he will pursue them with equal resolve as any other job.
He has a tendency for grandstanding, drawing out his target’s final moments in a dramatic fashion to create a fitting climax for the hunt. The longer the pursuit, the greater the show. He makes a point to compliment any targets that manage to take him by surprise before finishing them, respecting those with skill enough to achieve even a momentary advantage over him. To him, hunting is an art, and he values the work of other masters and the challenging prey.
Due to his history with street racing, Lockdown is obsessed with the idea of modifying himself to increase his performance. Throughout his career as a bounty hunter he will routinely take “trophies” from his targets once he has caught them and either apply them to himself or store them for later usage. While some might view this as macabre, akin to a human serial killer taking bits of his victims, Lockdown sees it more like cannibalizing a car for parts. He's become so desensitized that he sees Cybertronian life as little more than machines, and has developed an apathy that borders on sadism. However, he takes no pleasure in inflicting pain on others unless they have crossed him in the past. He treats those he captures with respect and an unnerving amount of courtesy, and though he may draw out the hunt he will always put down those he has been hired to off swiftly and efficiently.
Likes: High bounties, challenging targets, the thrill of the hunt, trophies/mods from his victims, speed
Dislikes: Employers that don’t stick to the deal, lack of a challenge, going slow
Strengths/Weapons:
Tactical Thinker
Lockdown is always able to quickly analyze a situation for the ideal response. He can often predict what his opponents will do, given enough time to analyze them and a general knowledge of their surroundings. This is immensely useful when tracking down a target, and makes him one of the best in the field.
Brawler
He has trained in and become adept at several forms of martial arts including Metallikato and Circuit-Su, and is usually light on his feet and quick for his size. That being said, he is not the most agile bot, and usually relies on his cunning to help him take down more maneuverable opponents. The same goes for stronger ones, who could do serious damage if allowed to hit him more than once. He fights with his head, not just his skill.
Multiuse
His right forearm and hand were lost early during the War for Cybertron, and in their place he affixed a multitool prosthetic arm with a variety of options: a hook with a grappling feature; an electronic lock pick that can open any improperly secured lock; a chainsaw that can tear through most anything but is horribly imprecise and thus mostly used for intimidation; and finally, the EMP he stole from the autobot medic during the war, with a large variance of settings allowing it to do everything from numbing a small area to completely shutting down a cybertronian temporarily. He can switch between any of these at will, though they take a second or to do so.
The EMP requires a great deal of precision and calibration to use, and its effectiveness depends on the bot it is used on. If the EMP is at a high level it may simply stun a larger bot while outright knocking out a small bot. A full blast can be calibrated in approximately two nano-kliks, but to do so is extremely risky as it can be dangerous to both the user (with the exception of the medic who originally owned it) and can easily cause significant damage to anyone who happens to be too close. For these reasons it can be used as weapon, but mostly as a last resort and not without great risk. The EMP can be calibrated to a wide variety of options, but anything besides a typical, focused burst to numb a specific section of the body takes on average three kliks (sometimes longer if it is an extremely specific frequency trying to be achieved). It can be triggered instantly through a mental link, like any Cybertronian augmentation (such as Prime’s Forearm Rifles). After Lockdown acquired it from the Autobot medic, he discovered that it was coded to only function at full capacity if it was being used by the medic for which it was created. In this restricted mode, the EMP can only be used at half-power or lower. In this state, it can cause general numbness to the targeted area, and can disrupt a Cybertronian’s internal functions for a few kliks (no more than 5), such as mild disorientation should the pulse target the head.
Armory
Lockdown has a plethora of assorted gear in the Death’s Head’s storage vaults and trophy room. Most of these items will never be used‒indeed, most have been forgotten after his many years of mercenary work. Anything he uses or will use regularly is either kept on his person or displayed in the large trophy/torture chamber at the center of the Death’s Head. Before every mission he will take any specialized equipment he thinks he will need, but once he is off the ship he is stuck with whatever he has on him until he returns. Usually, he does not find it necessary to bring extra equipment with him.
Lockdown is always armed with smoke grenades for cover and distraction, carrying two at any given time from his large stash aboard the Death’s Head. In addition, he carries similar grenade-like devices that, when activated (by throwing, rolling, or leaving as a trap, etc), spray a glue-like substance that expands rapidly after about fifteen seconds, enveloping the target or targets and severely limiting their movement. He usually carries two of these on him, unless he is actively pursuing more than one target.
Lockdown will use anything around him as a weapon, but always has his battered antique plasma rifle strapped across his back for use whenever necessary. The rifle can usually puncture most armor at close range, and light armor at a distance. For more up close and personal encounters Lockdown defaults to his multi-tool arm and cybersteel katana. The katana is lightweight but always sharp, and can easily slice through most armor if it impacts at the right angle, but if deflected it bounces off quite harmlessly.
Weaknesses:
Franken-bot
Lockdown has been operated on by himself and underworld doctors so many times, much of his body is comprised of parts not originally his own, purchased on the Black Market with dubious origins or “acquired” from past targets. At any time, anything could become a liability if a part happened to be defective or damaged in way when he equipped it. In addition, he is a little more vulnerable to direct physical impacts than the average cybertronian as most of him has been reconstructed so many times.
Built for Speed
Being originally constructed as a courier, Lockdown’s armor is fairly light. While he has since upgraded himself to be a slightly larger and bulkier ‘bot, his armor remains lighter to maximize his speed. He is vulnerable to direct hits and heavy weaponry.
Lone Wolf
Having spent most of his life working alongside individuals who would literally stab him in the back if they smelled profit, Lockdown trusts no one and distances himself from anyone he affiliates himself with. Allies are a means to an end, and while he may be perfectly capable of functioning in tandem with others, he will avoid doing so at every opportunity. He also has little respect for those who presume to be better than him, and does not take orders from anyone. He serves the Decepticons solely for the work, doing the work too dirty for even them to do in exchange for mods and bounties. This makes him fairly useless to the Decepticon cause and exceedingly irksome to those who believe in it above all else.
However, he relies on the medical services of his employers and/or the underground to actually install his modifications as he acquires them. This has forced him into a working relationship with several Decepticons that he would rather not have such intimate knowledge of his inner workings. These relationships are built entirely on necessity, and would eliminate the ‘Con in question if he felt they were compromised.
Borderline Addict
At his core, Lockdown is a thrill seeker and adrenaline junky. He cannot resist a challenge that would test his abilities to their max. While he is level-headed enough to know when a course of action may lead to serious harm for himself or his reputation, he will never fail to push himself to his utmost limits before backing down. Naturally, this can often be used to manipulate him into doing jobs he may not initially want to do‒something he is always aware of but is unable to stop, putting him in an incredibly foul mood when it happens.
Miscellaneous
When in vehicle mode, he does not have access to any of his weaponry, with the exception of his EMP generator, which must be pre-calibrated if used in this mode.
While his multitool prosthetic arm is switching between modes, the mechanisms within become momentarily exposed. Were something to get wedged inside, or a weapon to make contact, it would very likely jam or break, rendering Lockdown down an arm and in need of repairs.
Special Skills: Due to his habit of taking useful components and upgrades from those he has captured or killed, Lockdown has become quite proficient in removing mods, weapons, even limbs and organs from his targets without damaging the item he’s seeking to obtain. However, he usually doesn’t bother to do more than a rudimentary patch job in order to keep his victims from bleeding out, if he needs them alive.
He is also a capable pilot, though his experience is limited to yachts or smaller Corvettes. He is capable of doing basic maintenance on ships and systems he is familiar with, but major repair work is beyond his capabilities.
He is adept at navigating cities, having years of practice as a street racer. Being able to navigate quickly and at high speeds was a necessity, and Lockdown mastered the art with the same determination he approaches his work. He can find his way around a city with ease once he has had a few minutes to orient himself.
Lockdown has two teleportation bracelets that are connected to his ship, allowing him to teleport from the Death’s Head to specific, preset locations on the planet. The coordinates for his destinations must be pre-programmed into the computer in conjunction with the ship's’ navigation system. The bracelets can only store a single destination at a time. Lockdown must return to the Death’s Head before going to another destination using the bracelets and enter a different set of coordinates, a complicated procedure that requires him to plug them into the consul and download the coordinates. The connection the the ship is laser-based, requiring a direct line of sight to function properly. The bracelets only work together, with one on each wrist.
Extra Info: His ship, the Death’s Head, is disguised as a warehouse in downtown Detroit. See below.
VEHICLE INFO
Name: Death's Head
Image: Image Here
Classification: IG-2000 Solar-sailer Yacht, heavily modified from the starship equivalent of a sailboat into a flying tank (similar in size to Ultra Magnus’ vessel)
Appearance: Those who ever happen to be unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of Lockdown’s personal starship and survive are few and far between, and one would be hard pressed to find such an individual that could accurately describe the Death’s Head. Deep in the darkest corners of the galactic underground, stories are told of a crimson bird of prey the swoops out of the ebony blackness of space without warning to ravage its unsuspecting prey. If you happen to be caught in the red glow of it’s “eyes,” the only proper course of action is to prepare yourself for your coming end.
In reality, the Death’s Head is less of an agile avian and more of a lumbering tank. Thick crimson and gunmetal armor plates most of it’s exterior, adding significant bulk and a boxier appearance than the sleek stock model of what was originally a pleasure vessel. However, it’s still retained its basic shape, ironically resembling the same corvette that Lockdown has taken as his Earth-based altmode. The bridge is situated towards the aft of the ship, between the holosail frames. From the base of the veiwport of the bridge the surface of the ship is flat out to the front, where the ‘grill’ glows a neon red from the energy shield projector that is stored behind it. Beneath the bridge in the back is a single ventral fin, used mainly to hold the third Samus Blaster and to provide some measure of stability to atmospheric flight, as well as serving as a third leg of landing gear. The four ion engines flank this fin with two on either side, underneath the body of the ship.
The interior is quite barren and void of adornment, the closest thing to decoration being shelves of mods collected over the years in his central chamber, which also contains two operating chairs and a table in between. The vessel also has two rooms designated as personal quarters, though one of these been converted into a holding cell with laser walls replacing the door. All control stations have been rerouted to the central station on the bridge, so all weapons and piloting controls can be accessed from this station, allowing Lockdown to pilot it with ease.
Weaponry: The Death’s Head is outfitted with three Samus Blasters, two affixed to the tops of the holosail frames with the third located on the bottom edge of the ventral fin to the back of the vessel. These are long-range weapons with multiple modes including a ion-based “Ice Beam” that deals little to no damage to the target but disrupt electronic systems in order to disable other vessels of similar size, a high-frequency “Nova Beam” that can phase through most Yacht and Corvette armor and shields if given approximately two kliks (depending on the material) of uninterrupted focus on a specific point in order to take out key systems without damaging the hull, and a standard “Plasma Beam” designed to pierce armor at close range (though this mode is useless at a distance).
In addition, two Deckard Phaser Cannons are mounted on the front of the ship. These are standard phaser cannons that can damage other ships if enough impacts are made, but will not immediately pierce shielding or armor. These have limited mobility, about thirty degrees in any direction from their standard position (pointing straight forward).
Additional Features and Abilities: Death’s Head is equipped with a warp drive, making it capable of faster-than-light travel. Based on the same technology as Space Bridges, the drive opens a bridge large enough for a vessel to pass through to enter subspace at the point of departure and then opens an exit just before the ship reaches the destination. Such jumps must be carefully calibrated—the slightest error can result in over or undershooting the target, or in some cases, death. Without a copilot, calculating a jump takes a minimum of three kliks, without interruption, making it difficult for the ship to make a quick escape.
In realspace, the Death’s Head propels itself with a set of four solar-powered ion engines that work in conjunction to the holosails attached to the side of the ship. The ion engines provide the majority of the propulsion, with the sails providing power while cruising. The engines and sails provide a forward propulsion, while a system of thrusters allow the ship to turn, decelerate, and fly in an atmosphere. While powerful, these thrusters can only do so much, and the turning radius of the vessel leaves a little something to be desired in normal circumstances, the equivalent of turning a large van compared to turning a small car. They are sufficient to keep the ship flying in a planet’s atmosphere, but just enough to land and reach the thinner lays where the ion cannons become effective again.
One of the most effective tools the Death’s Head possesses is its Vandarian Holographic Generator (VHG). This device can be used simply to cloak the ship against the blackness of space, but can also be used in more creative and subtle ways. For example, if the ship has landed in the middle of a metropolitan area, the VHG can project the image of an old warehouse, allowing it to remain unseen without the risk of people walking into it while invisible. These illusions have some vague degree of substance to them, using a combination of partial transportation of the ship itself and the technology of semi-solid holographic projections to make it so any that might approach and touch the ship would feel the projection as they would expect it to feel. These projections are scanned for by the ship in a similar fashion to a Cybertronian scanning for an altmode, and are projected using the same projectors as the holosails. The VHG is powered by solar energy, a closed system used to power the device while the ship is deactivated or in low power mode.
In addition, the Death’s Head is equipped with a standard energy shield, usually capable of withstanding around ten direct hits from a ship of about the same size, and anywhere from one to ten from a larger ship. Smaller ships might take a little longer, if their cannons are even capable of breaking through.
Weaknesses:
They Came From Behind
All of the weapons on the Death’s Head are oriented in the same direction as the bow, providing it with an excellent offense but leaving the stern dangerously unprotected. While Lockdown rarely is in a situation where he has to deal with a ship on his tail, if a ship were to come up behind him the Death’s Head would be horribly exposed and unable to fight back, forcing him to flee or attempt to evade.
Can’t Have It Both Ways
While the Vandarian Holographic Generator (VHG) can render the Death’s Head nearly undetectable, while cloaked it’s functions are severely limited. In order to maintain stealth, most major functions have to be deactivated: hyperdrive, weapons, all communication, the med bay equipment, etcetera all get shut down when the VHG is activated unless manually overridden (doing so, however, will raise energy levels and/or emissions to detectable levels). While stealthed, all movement must be controlled by thrusters, and life support is kept at a minimum.
Not an Airship
Not remotely designed with aerodynamics in mind, the Death’s Head slogs through atmospheres like a car through water. It loses almost all of it’s maneuverability and speed, and it it battered by air currents that knock it about like a child’s bath toy. Furthermore, the VHG is useless when flying in an atmosphere as the air must bend around it, resulting in an visual phenomenon that is visible to the naked eye. As such, Lockdown usually leaves it up in orbit when he visits a planet, instead using a pair of teleportation bracelets linked to his ship in order to teleport him directly from the surface to his ship’s cargo bay.
History: The Death’s Head was originally constructed as pleasure vessel in the shipyards of Tharkoros VII, where it was purchased by a well-to-do aristocrat. It was barely used for several years, making only one major outing to view a star going nova, but otherwise it sat in his personal hangar without being used. Due to an unfortunate series of events involving a housepet, a bitter ex-wife, a hot-air balloon and a refrigerator he went bankrupt and was forced to sell the yacht.
It was picked up by a small crew of smugglers looking for a fast, flashy and hopefully not suspicion-arousing ship to turn into a smuggling vessel. Stripping it of its luxuries and adding in as much extra, secret storage as possible they filled it with illegal spices and attempted to land on Cybertron but were quickly apprehended by Port Patrol Officers and the ship was impounded. It would sit in impound until the war began, when it would be modified into a war vessel and given to a small Autobot crew to transport material to the front lines.
Lockdown was assigned to kill the crew and bring back the energon it was carrying to the Decepticons. Surreptitiously boarding the ship at the port, he assassinated the crew one by one, taking control of the ship and flying it back to the Decepticon command. Once there he delivered the energon, but insisted that he keep the ship as his payment. His employers agreed, and the Death’s Head has served as his mobile base of operations ever since.
The Death’s Head has been constantly modified ever since Lockdown acquired it. He’s added the three Samus Blasters, the two Deckard Phaser Cannons and the Vandarian Holographic Generator, as well as the energy shield
The Death’s Head is currently disguised as a warehouse in downtown Detroit.
ARSENAL MANIFEST
Rocket Launcher: Acquired from a Wrecker Lockdown once assassinated for the Decepticons, this launcher is large and unwieldy, requiring the proper bracing to fire accurately. It’s a weapon for the patient, placed in advance and then waiting for the right moment. The missile itself could easily cause significant damage to a target with heavy or medium armor on a light hit, and potentially outright kill a lighter armored individual. Lockdown has three missiles stored in his ship in an inactive state to prevent accidental detonations.
Gear Shredder: A launcher that fires razor-sharp spinning blades that ricochet off of walls and can embed themselves in a Cybertronian’s armor, causing minimal damage to heavily armored individuals or potentially heavy damage to those with lighter armor. This was acquired from a Decepticon deserter he had been hired to track down. He currently does not possess any ammunition for this weapon.
Static Lance: A hand-held melee weapon that energizes at the tip. It is capable of dealing a shock capable of stunning a cybertronian if contact is sustained for about half a klik. Usually, however, the target gets a bit irked and shoots you in the face before that happens.
Serenity: A modified Path Blaster acquired after a particularly lucrative job. A semi-automatic weapon that fires dense packets of molten metal with great accuracy. These projectiles can’t pierce armor of any thickness, but if left on a surface for more than one or two kliks they will start to melt through metal (less time for more flammable materials). Lockdown’s has been upgrade with a scope and expanded magazine allowing it to fire eight shots between reloads instead of six. Lockdown used this gun for several years before switching back to his plasma rifle because he prefered it’s immediate effect over the slower burn of Serenity. He will occasionally swap it out if he’s feeling nostalgic.
Assorted Blades: Lockdown has acquired a large variety of blades of all shapes and sizes. They are all of equal or lesser power level than his cybersteel katana.
Assorted Ranged Weapons: Lockdown doesn’t typically bother to keep the guns of those he catches and/or kills, but he has a few kept as backups, two rifles about on par with his Plasma Rifle and three Blasters of about half that power. He has approximately five magazines stored for each: each magazine carrying enough charge for 20 shots. All these are energy based.
Extra Smoke Grenades and Glue Bombs: Lockdown restocks these from his ship whenever he has expended some while away from his ship. He has about three dozen of each stored, in case the planets he visits don’t have vendors that carry them.
Name/Alias: Maestro
IM/Email: Available upon request
Where did you find us?: Google Search
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Lockdown
Age: Human equivalent: somewhere in his mid thirties
Gender: Mech/Male
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Works consistently for and alongside Decepticons, but ultimately holds no strong loyalty to either side
Original Occupation: Street Racer, Cyber-Ninja
Occupation/Specialization: Bounty Hunter/Freelancer
Appearance:
Facial Features
One look from Lockdown can strike fear into the sparks of any bot who crosses his path, and with good reason: his faceplate has been molded to resemble a grinning skull. Two red eyes peer out of deep obsidian sockets with a cool menace, analyzing everything quickly and efficiently. The chrome faceplate itself is sculpted to his helm, giving it an eerie resemblance to an actual skull. Black warpaint frames his features sharply, adding to the ferocity of his visage.
Voice
His voice is a low growl, grating, yet oddly sauve and eerily monotone with only minimal inflection. His vernacular is eternally casual, slurring words together in a way that most ‘bots would consider to be unsophisticated, but no one could ever mistake the cool cunning edge to every word he utters.
Physical Build
Lockdown is slightly taller than Shockwave, broad shouldered and an all-around imposing figure. His body, once sleek and lithe, has been heavily modified into an uncanny assortment of mods, resulting in a bulkier build. His shoulders slope downwards, making it look as though he is eternally slouching, exacerbated by the way his shoulderplates bend and cover about half of his upper arm. The armor bends sharply at his neck and runs up to meet his faceplate, separated into three pieces to allow for movement, and at the shoulder for the same reason. Chrome spikes from his altmode adorn this armor, two on each shoulder and two smaller spikes on either side of his neck, adding to his already intimidating figure. His torso is wide at the shoulders but tapers in rapidly from just under the armpits to a much slimmer waist. The armor on his chest and stomach are colored and arranged in such a way that they resemble an undertaker’s tux. To top off the look, two plates of armor hang down behind his posterior in a fashion that strongly resembles coat-tails.
His waist is sandwiched between two tires, arranged in such a way that they seem to continue the suit aesthetic of his torso, seemingly to fan out a little from the waist but still hugging it as a suit does. His legs begin thin, then broaden out into thick, sturdy rectangular prisms that compose the hood of his altmode. His exhaust piping runs along his calves, and his front tires are situated at the ankle. His feet are capped with the cow catcher bumper and headlights.
His right arm was lost during the early days of the war, and instead of getting it replaced with a normal arm he acquired a prosthetic multitool arm (see below). This arm is about twice as thick as his normal arm and hangs a little lower, and while it is primarily black, its secondary color is a mustard yellow. He usually keeps this in hook mode to further intimidate those around him. His other arm is still his original appendage, properly proportioned and ending with a normal five-fingered hand.
Lockdown is an imposing figure physically, and uses his mastery of posture to create an aura of professionalism and fear around himself. He carries himself with an air of apathy towards most everyone he encounters, with a few notable exceptions of individuals he has strong ties to (see history). His weird clash of tuxedo-like armor and slouching shoulderplates creates a bizarre contrast in his demeanor in a way that can be baffling and disorienting to his allies and foes alike—just the way he likes it.
Appearance Image: Image Here
Altmode: His altmode is a heavily modified chrome black 1980 Corvette with lime green accents along the sides of the hood, top and tail, scanned in an underground racing club upon his arrival to earth. Originally modified using Earth engineering to compete in illegal street races, Lockdown has since modified it to go even faster by incorporating Cybertronian and other advanced technologies to increase its maximum speed to 250 miles per hour and to keep himself completely under control at these speeds.
Aesthetically, the exhaust piping has been enlarged and expanded to look more like a drag racer (three pipes on either side instead of the standard one), the hubcaps have been replaced with reinforced chrome ones with spiked edges designed to shred the tires of other cars. Mild bodywork resulted in the addition of a small spoiler and chrome ‘cow-catcher’ added over his bumper to provide more protection (giving the front of a vehicle a boxier look), as well a small adjustments to the back to allow for larger back tires. Six chrome spikes are arranged in two lines along the roof of his altmode. All the glass, including the headlight covers, is tinted crimson. Internally, his cabin is quite posh, if a bit aggressive. Sporting leather seats, a chain steering wheel and a skull head for a gearshift, the entire interior looks like an extreme case of midlife crisis. The only visible Cybertronian modifications are holographic license plates that automatically adjust to his location using an pirated GPS connection to Earth’s extensive system of satellites.
Altmode Image: This but modified so that it looks closer to this
History: Lockdown began life as a courier who spent his nights racing illegal in the back alleys of whatever city he happened to be in at the time. Never satisfied with anything less than winning, Lockdown would funnel all of his winnings and paychecks into upgrading himself with better parts and specialized modifications, specifically aimed to increase his speed and acceleration. His obsession with racing soon attracted the attention of a sensei at the Cyber-Ninja Dojo in Iacon. The sensei invited Lockdown into the dojo and offered to train him to become a Cyber-Ninja to get him off the streets. Lockdown attempted to turn down the offer, but the sensei refused to let him leave unless he could best him in a race. Bemused, Lockdown accepted‒ only to be swiftly and efficiently bested through techniques he he did not understand. Eager to learn these techniques, he quickly accepted the sensei’s offer.
It soon became apparent that Lockdown would not be learning what he so desperately desired to learn for some time, with the first several weeks spent sweeping the floors and doing general maintenance around the dojo. Very quickly he started to long for the rush of racing in the dark on a road lit only by headlights. But he hung on, in hopes that his training might soon begin in earnest. But several more weeks passed, and he was still cleaning the dojo. He complained to the sensei that he had learned nothing, and that he insisted that he be taught the ways of a Cyber-Ninja immediately. When his sensei refused, he snuck into the dojo during a training session and carefully observed what was being taught. The next day he attempted to surprise the sensei with what he had learned, but the sensei was prepared, having seen him the night before. Begrudgingly, he agreed to teach Lockdown the basics despite his failure to grasp the initial lesson.
Lockdown progressed quickly in his studies, spending all of his free time practicing his movements to perfection. On the outside he was a star pupil, dedicated to his craft, eager to learn. But underneath he was impatient, eager to reach the more advanced and powerful techniques. He cared little for the spirituality of the martial arts he learned, caring only about the physical benefits. Ultimately, this became his undoing.
Eager to learn what he had come to learn, Lockdown would search for more unorthodox ways to study. He would train with anyone willing to teach him, picking up styles of fighting not taught by the Cyber-Ninja Corps. Particularly, he focused on the advanced and ancient art of Metallikato, not taught by his sensei due to its violent and aggressive nature. He kept these excursions a secret from those at the dojo, rightfully assuming they would disapprove of his choices. After some time of training with a small underground fighting ring outside of Iacon Lockdown felt as though he was ready to test his skills. He signed himself up for a fight and won easily, dispatching his opponent swiftly and viciously.
These fights continued for several weeks, until one night Lockdown returned to the dojo and was confronted by his sensei. Word of Lockdown’s exploits in the ring had reached the dojo, and the sensei had immediately recognized him. He was cast out of the dojo for his dishonorable use of his training, stripped of his rank and official status. As he left, the sensei confided his deep disappointment, and that he had seen greatness in Lockdown that he hoped may yet still be realized some day.
Lockdown spat at his feet and left, never to look back.
No longer settling for street racing, Lockdown searched for a different way to achieve the rush of the chase. Returning to the ring he began to look into become a full-time fighter, but mere days after his expulsion from the Cyber-Ninja Corps the war began.
Lockdown had little interest in fighting on either side, but he soon found a way to twist the series of events to his advantage. Using his status as a capable fighter, he reinvented himself as a freelancer who will fight for the highest bidder. Several of the gladiators-turned-Decepticons recognized him from his fights and were aware of his history with the Cyber-Ninja Corps, an organization that had the potential to become highly problematic to the Decepticon cause‒ and were protecting the last large stock of protoforms. Lockdown was contacted almost immediately by the Decepticons to attack and destroy the Cyber-Ninja Dojo and steal the protoforms contained within.
Lockdown took the job as soon as he received the offer, eager to enact vengeance upon his former corpsmen. Leading a small team of Decepticons, Lockdown used his knowledge of the layout of the dojo to make a thorough sweep of the facility, murdering most of the ninjas in their sleep and overwhelming or avoiding those that were awake. Lockdown lead the raiding party through the halls to the protoform vault, where his sensei waited for him. Eagerly, Lockdown challenged him to single combat, eager to show what a mistake it was to cast him out. Mournfully the sensei agreed, and the two fought. Quickly it became evident that Lockdown was still outmatched, and the fight came to a climax as his right arm was cut off at the elbow. Unwilling to show weakness, Lockdown immediately drew the plasma rifle he had bought off of a black market dealer and immediately shot his former sensei in the spark at point-blank range. The sensei stumbled backwards from the impact, his face sad and full of pity. He looked Lockdown in the optics and apologized for failing him. Angered, Lockdown shot him in the face and left him for dead, gathering as many of the protoforms as his group could carry and leaving the dojo. As he left he set the place ablaze, both to eliminate the evidence and to complete his revenge.
Throughout the Great War Lockdown took many more jobs for the Decepticons: eliminating or kidnapping important individuals, taking out strategic targets‒ all to fund his endless streams of modifications and upgrades. During one such mission Lockdown was assigned to kill the crew of an Autobot transport vessel and bring back the energon it was carrying to the Decepticons. Surreptitiously boarding the ship at the port, he assassinated the crew one by one, taking control of the ship and flying it back to the Decepticon command. Once there he delivered the energon, but insisted that he keep the ship as his payment. His employers agreed, and the Death’s Head has served as his mobile base of operations ever since.
Another memorable mission tasked him with abducting an Autobot intelligence officer to bring back to Decepticon High Command for questioning. He was initially foiled by an Autobot medic sent to recover the officer as well. He overpowered the medic and took both autobots back to his ship, where he stole the medic’s EMP generator. The medic managed to grab the EMP from the table next to the seat he was strapped to and used it to disable the Death’s Head so he could make his escape. Lockdown attempted to stop him, but the medic escaped with the informant but left his EMP generator behind. While not bitter in the traditional sense, Lockdown would be eager to encounter this medic again should the opportunity present itself.
During the war Lockdown subjected himself to many upgrades and procedures. By the time Cybertron had fallen dormant he had outfitted himself with his multitool arm and upgraded all of his critical systems to increase himself to the equivalent of a soldier rather than a racer/courier. His body was covered in scars, though they are barely noticeable in the mishmash of parts and modifications that now comprise his body.
Knowing there was nothing left for him in the ruins of Cybertron, Lockdown ventured out into the wider galaxy in search of work. For many vorn he wandered from planet to planet, doing mercenary work and earning a name for himself among the other civilizations of the galaxy. During these travels he acquired his Vandarian Holographic Generator.
Recently Lockdown received a message from the Decepticon force on Earth, requesting his services once again. He has made his way to the system and now sits in the upper atmosphere of the planet, taking stock of this new world, preparing to meet with the Decepticons and see what dastardly deeds they would have him do this time.
Personality: Lockdown is a cold and yet dramatic figure, anyways analyzing and attempting to stay multiple steps ahead of anyone he interacts with. He trusts no one, choosing to remain detached rather than rely on others. As such he tends to spend long periods of time without sentient company, resulting in his social interaction skills always being a bit rusty. He speaks his mind regardless of who he is speaking to, with the occasional exception of powerful employers who have the power to make his life a living hell if he irritates them.
He maintains a strict code of honor, as much as a bounty hunter can remain honorable. He will never back out of a deal unless his long-term livelihood is endangered, and despises anyone who double-deals in the business. Any who cross him become personal targets, pursued for his own sake and not for monetary profit. While these vendettas are certainly side-projects, he will pursue them with equal resolve as any other job.
He has a tendency for grandstanding, drawing out his target’s final moments in a dramatic fashion to create a fitting climax for the hunt. The longer the pursuit, the greater the show. He makes a point to compliment any targets that manage to take him by surprise before finishing them, respecting those with skill enough to achieve even a momentary advantage over him. To him, hunting is an art, and he values the work of other masters and the challenging prey.
Due to his history with street racing, Lockdown is obsessed with the idea of modifying himself to increase his performance. Throughout his career as a bounty hunter he will routinely take “trophies” from his targets once he has caught them and either apply them to himself or store them for later usage. While some might view this as macabre, akin to a human serial killer taking bits of his victims, Lockdown sees it more like cannibalizing a car for parts. He's become so desensitized that he sees Cybertronian life as little more than machines, and has developed an apathy that borders on sadism. However, he takes no pleasure in inflicting pain on others unless they have crossed him in the past. He treats those he captures with respect and an unnerving amount of courtesy, and though he may draw out the hunt he will always put down those he has been hired to off swiftly and efficiently.
Likes: High bounties, challenging targets, the thrill of the hunt, trophies/mods from his victims, speed
Dislikes: Employers that don’t stick to the deal, lack of a challenge, going slow
Strengths/Weapons:
Tactical Thinker
Lockdown is always able to quickly analyze a situation for the ideal response. He can often predict what his opponents will do, given enough time to analyze them and a general knowledge of their surroundings. This is immensely useful when tracking down a target, and makes him one of the best in the field.
Brawler
He has trained in and become adept at several forms of martial arts including Metallikato and Circuit-Su, and is usually light on his feet and quick for his size. That being said, he is not the most agile bot, and usually relies on his cunning to help him take down more maneuverable opponents. The same goes for stronger ones, who could do serious damage if allowed to hit him more than once. He fights with his head, not just his skill.
Multiuse
His right forearm and hand were lost early during the War for Cybertron, and in their place he affixed a multitool prosthetic arm with a variety of options: a hook with a grappling feature; an electronic lock pick that can open any improperly secured lock; a chainsaw that can tear through most anything but is horribly imprecise and thus mostly used for intimidation; and finally, the EMP he stole from the autobot medic during the war, with a large variance of settings allowing it to do everything from numbing a small area to completely shutting down a cybertronian temporarily. He can switch between any of these at will, though they take a second or to do so.
The EMP requires a great deal of precision and calibration to use, and its effectiveness depends on the bot it is used on. If the EMP is at a high level it may simply stun a larger bot while outright knocking out a small bot. A full blast can be calibrated in approximately two nano-kliks, but to do so is extremely risky as it can be dangerous to both the user (with the exception of the medic who originally owned it) and can easily cause significant damage to anyone who happens to be too close. For these reasons it can be used as weapon, but mostly as a last resort and not without great risk. The EMP can be calibrated to a wide variety of options, but anything besides a typical, focused burst to numb a specific section of the body takes on average three kliks (sometimes longer if it is an extremely specific frequency trying to be achieved). It can be triggered instantly through a mental link, like any Cybertronian augmentation (such as Prime’s Forearm Rifles). After Lockdown acquired it from the Autobot medic, he discovered that it was coded to only function at full capacity if it was being used by the medic for which it was created. In this restricted mode, the EMP can only be used at half-power or lower. In this state, it can cause general numbness to the targeted area, and can disrupt a Cybertronian’s internal functions for a few kliks (no more than 5), such as mild disorientation should the pulse target the head.
Armory
Lockdown has a plethora of assorted gear in the Death’s Head’s storage vaults and trophy room. Most of these items will never be used‒indeed, most have been forgotten after his many years of mercenary work. Anything he uses or will use regularly is either kept on his person or displayed in the large trophy/torture chamber at the center of the Death’s Head. Before every mission he will take any specialized equipment he thinks he will need, but once he is off the ship he is stuck with whatever he has on him until he returns. Usually, he does not find it necessary to bring extra equipment with him.
Lockdown is always armed with smoke grenades for cover and distraction, carrying two at any given time from his large stash aboard the Death’s Head. In addition, he carries similar grenade-like devices that, when activated (by throwing, rolling, or leaving as a trap, etc), spray a glue-like substance that expands rapidly after about fifteen seconds, enveloping the target or targets and severely limiting their movement. He usually carries two of these on him, unless he is actively pursuing more than one target.
Lockdown will use anything around him as a weapon, but always has his battered antique plasma rifle strapped across his back for use whenever necessary. The rifle can usually puncture most armor at close range, and light armor at a distance. For more up close and personal encounters Lockdown defaults to his multi-tool arm and cybersteel katana. The katana is lightweight but always sharp, and can easily slice through most armor if it impacts at the right angle, but if deflected it bounces off quite harmlessly.
Weaknesses:
Franken-bot
Lockdown has been operated on by himself and underworld doctors so many times, much of his body is comprised of parts not originally his own, purchased on the Black Market with dubious origins or “acquired” from past targets. At any time, anything could become a liability if a part happened to be defective or damaged in way when he equipped it. In addition, he is a little more vulnerable to direct physical impacts than the average cybertronian as most of him has been reconstructed so many times.
Built for Speed
Being originally constructed as a courier, Lockdown’s armor is fairly light. While he has since upgraded himself to be a slightly larger and bulkier ‘bot, his armor remains lighter to maximize his speed. He is vulnerable to direct hits and heavy weaponry.
Lone Wolf
Having spent most of his life working alongside individuals who would literally stab him in the back if they smelled profit, Lockdown trusts no one and distances himself from anyone he affiliates himself with. Allies are a means to an end, and while he may be perfectly capable of functioning in tandem with others, he will avoid doing so at every opportunity. He also has little respect for those who presume to be better than him, and does not take orders from anyone. He serves the Decepticons solely for the work, doing the work too dirty for even them to do in exchange for mods and bounties. This makes him fairly useless to the Decepticon cause and exceedingly irksome to those who believe in it above all else.
However, he relies on the medical services of his employers and/or the underground to actually install his modifications as he acquires them. This has forced him into a working relationship with several Decepticons that he would rather not have such intimate knowledge of his inner workings. These relationships are built entirely on necessity, and would eliminate the ‘Con in question if he felt they were compromised.
Borderline Addict
At his core, Lockdown is a thrill seeker and adrenaline junky. He cannot resist a challenge that would test his abilities to their max. While he is level-headed enough to know when a course of action may lead to serious harm for himself or his reputation, he will never fail to push himself to his utmost limits before backing down. Naturally, this can often be used to manipulate him into doing jobs he may not initially want to do‒something he is always aware of but is unable to stop, putting him in an incredibly foul mood when it happens.
Miscellaneous
When in vehicle mode, he does not have access to any of his weaponry, with the exception of his EMP generator, which must be pre-calibrated if used in this mode.
While his multitool prosthetic arm is switching between modes, the mechanisms within become momentarily exposed. Were something to get wedged inside, or a weapon to make contact, it would very likely jam or break, rendering Lockdown down an arm and in need of repairs.
Special Skills: Due to his habit of taking useful components and upgrades from those he has captured or killed, Lockdown has become quite proficient in removing mods, weapons, even limbs and organs from his targets without damaging the item he’s seeking to obtain. However, he usually doesn’t bother to do more than a rudimentary patch job in order to keep his victims from bleeding out, if he needs them alive.
He is also a capable pilot, though his experience is limited to yachts or smaller Corvettes. He is capable of doing basic maintenance on ships and systems he is familiar with, but major repair work is beyond his capabilities.
He is adept at navigating cities, having years of practice as a street racer. Being able to navigate quickly and at high speeds was a necessity, and Lockdown mastered the art with the same determination he approaches his work. He can find his way around a city with ease once he has had a few minutes to orient himself.
Lockdown has two teleportation bracelets that are connected to his ship, allowing him to teleport from the Death’s Head to specific, preset locations on the planet. The coordinates for his destinations must be pre-programmed into the computer in conjunction with the ship's’ navigation system. The bracelets can only store a single destination at a time. Lockdown must return to the Death’s Head before going to another destination using the bracelets and enter a different set of coordinates, a complicated procedure that requires him to plug them into the consul and download the coordinates. The connection the the ship is laser-based, requiring a direct line of sight to function properly. The bracelets only work together, with one on each wrist.
Extra Info: His ship, the Death’s Head, is disguised as a warehouse in downtown Detroit. See below.
VEHICLE INFO
Name: Death's Head
Image: Image Here
Classification: IG-2000 Solar-sailer Yacht, heavily modified from the starship equivalent of a sailboat into a flying tank (similar in size to Ultra Magnus’ vessel)
Appearance: Those who ever happen to be unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of Lockdown’s personal starship and survive are few and far between, and one would be hard pressed to find such an individual that could accurately describe the Death’s Head. Deep in the darkest corners of the galactic underground, stories are told of a crimson bird of prey the swoops out of the ebony blackness of space without warning to ravage its unsuspecting prey. If you happen to be caught in the red glow of it’s “eyes,” the only proper course of action is to prepare yourself for your coming end.
In reality, the Death’s Head is less of an agile avian and more of a lumbering tank. Thick crimson and gunmetal armor plates most of it’s exterior, adding significant bulk and a boxier appearance than the sleek stock model of what was originally a pleasure vessel. However, it’s still retained its basic shape, ironically resembling the same corvette that Lockdown has taken as his Earth-based altmode. The bridge is situated towards the aft of the ship, between the holosail frames. From the base of the veiwport of the bridge the surface of the ship is flat out to the front, where the ‘grill’ glows a neon red from the energy shield projector that is stored behind it. Beneath the bridge in the back is a single ventral fin, used mainly to hold the third Samus Blaster and to provide some measure of stability to atmospheric flight, as well as serving as a third leg of landing gear. The four ion engines flank this fin with two on either side, underneath the body of the ship.
The interior is quite barren and void of adornment, the closest thing to decoration being shelves of mods collected over the years in his central chamber, which also contains two operating chairs and a table in between. The vessel also has two rooms designated as personal quarters, though one of these been converted into a holding cell with laser walls replacing the door. All control stations have been rerouted to the central station on the bridge, so all weapons and piloting controls can be accessed from this station, allowing Lockdown to pilot it with ease.
Weaponry: The Death’s Head is outfitted with three Samus Blasters, two affixed to the tops of the holosail frames with the third located on the bottom edge of the ventral fin to the back of the vessel. These are long-range weapons with multiple modes including a ion-based “Ice Beam” that deals little to no damage to the target but disrupt electronic systems in order to disable other vessels of similar size, a high-frequency “Nova Beam” that can phase through most Yacht and Corvette armor and shields if given approximately two kliks (depending on the material) of uninterrupted focus on a specific point in order to take out key systems without damaging the hull, and a standard “Plasma Beam” designed to pierce armor at close range (though this mode is useless at a distance).
In addition, two Deckard Phaser Cannons are mounted on the front of the ship. These are standard phaser cannons that can damage other ships if enough impacts are made, but will not immediately pierce shielding or armor. These have limited mobility, about thirty degrees in any direction from their standard position (pointing straight forward).
Additional Features and Abilities: Death’s Head is equipped with a warp drive, making it capable of faster-than-light travel. Based on the same technology as Space Bridges, the drive opens a bridge large enough for a vessel to pass through to enter subspace at the point of departure and then opens an exit just before the ship reaches the destination. Such jumps must be carefully calibrated—the slightest error can result in over or undershooting the target, or in some cases, death. Without a copilot, calculating a jump takes a minimum of three kliks, without interruption, making it difficult for the ship to make a quick escape.
In realspace, the Death’s Head propels itself with a set of four solar-powered ion engines that work in conjunction to the holosails attached to the side of the ship. The ion engines provide the majority of the propulsion, with the sails providing power while cruising. The engines and sails provide a forward propulsion, while a system of thrusters allow the ship to turn, decelerate, and fly in an atmosphere. While powerful, these thrusters can only do so much, and the turning radius of the vessel leaves a little something to be desired in normal circumstances, the equivalent of turning a large van compared to turning a small car. They are sufficient to keep the ship flying in a planet’s atmosphere, but just enough to land and reach the thinner lays where the ion cannons become effective again.
One of the most effective tools the Death’s Head possesses is its Vandarian Holographic Generator (VHG). This device can be used simply to cloak the ship against the blackness of space, but can also be used in more creative and subtle ways. For example, if the ship has landed in the middle of a metropolitan area, the VHG can project the image of an old warehouse, allowing it to remain unseen without the risk of people walking into it while invisible. These illusions have some vague degree of substance to them, using a combination of partial transportation of the ship itself and the technology of semi-solid holographic projections to make it so any that might approach and touch the ship would feel the projection as they would expect it to feel. These projections are scanned for by the ship in a similar fashion to a Cybertronian scanning for an altmode, and are projected using the same projectors as the holosails. The VHG is powered by solar energy, a closed system used to power the device while the ship is deactivated or in low power mode.
In addition, the Death’s Head is equipped with a standard energy shield, usually capable of withstanding around ten direct hits from a ship of about the same size, and anywhere from one to ten from a larger ship. Smaller ships might take a little longer, if their cannons are even capable of breaking through.
Weaknesses:
They Came From Behind
All of the weapons on the Death’s Head are oriented in the same direction as the bow, providing it with an excellent offense but leaving the stern dangerously unprotected. While Lockdown rarely is in a situation where he has to deal with a ship on his tail, if a ship were to come up behind him the Death’s Head would be horribly exposed and unable to fight back, forcing him to flee or attempt to evade.
Can’t Have It Both Ways
While the Vandarian Holographic Generator (VHG) can render the Death’s Head nearly undetectable, while cloaked it’s functions are severely limited. In order to maintain stealth, most major functions have to be deactivated: hyperdrive, weapons, all communication, the med bay equipment, etcetera all get shut down when the VHG is activated unless manually overridden (doing so, however, will raise energy levels and/or emissions to detectable levels). While stealthed, all movement must be controlled by thrusters, and life support is kept at a minimum.
Not an Airship
Not remotely designed with aerodynamics in mind, the Death’s Head slogs through atmospheres like a car through water. It loses almost all of it’s maneuverability and speed, and it it battered by air currents that knock it about like a child’s bath toy. Furthermore, the VHG is useless when flying in an atmosphere as the air must bend around it, resulting in an visual phenomenon that is visible to the naked eye. As such, Lockdown usually leaves it up in orbit when he visits a planet, instead using a pair of teleportation bracelets linked to his ship in order to teleport him directly from the surface to his ship’s cargo bay.
History: The Death’s Head was originally constructed as pleasure vessel in the shipyards of Tharkoros VII, where it was purchased by a well-to-do aristocrat. It was barely used for several years, making only one major outing to view a star going nova, but otherwise it sat in his personal hangar without being used. Due to an unfortunate series of events involving a housepet, a bitter ex-wife, a hot-air balloon and a refrigerator he went bankrupt and was forced to sell the yacht.
It was picked up by a small crew of smugglers looking for a fast, flashy and hopefully not suspicion-arousing ship to turn into a smuggling vessel. Stripping it of its luxuries and adding in as much extra, secret storage as possible they filled it with illegal spices and attempted to land on Cybertron but were quickly apprehended by Port Patrol Officers and the ship was impounded. It would sit in impound until the war began, when it would be modified into a war vessel and given to a small Autobot crew to transport material to the front lines.
Lockdown was assigned to kill the crew and bring back the energon it was carrying to the Decepticons. Surreptitiously boarding the ship at the port, he assassinated the crew one by one, taking control of the ship and flying it back to the Decepticon command. Once there he delivered the energon, but insisted that he keep the ship as his payment. His employers agreed, and the Death’s Head has served as his mobile base of operations ever since.
The Death’s Head has been constantly modified ever since Lockdown acquired it. He’s added the three Samus Blasters, the two Deckard Phaser Cannons and the Vandarian Holographic Generator, as well as the energy shield
The Death’s Head is currently disguised as a warehouse in downtown Detroit.
ARSENAL MANIFEST
Rocket Launcher: Acquired from a Wrecker Lockdown once assassinated for the Decepticons, this launcher is large and unwieldy, requiring the proper bracing to fire accurately. It’s a weapon for the patient, placed in advance and then waiting for the right moment. The missile itself could easily cause significant damage to a target with heavy or medium armor on a light hit, and potentially outright kill a lighter armored individual. Lockdown has three missiles stored in his ship in an inactive state to prevent accidental detonations.
Gear Shredder: A launcher that fires razor-sharp spinning blades that ricochet off of walls and can embed themselves in a Cybertronian’s armor, causing minimal damage to heavily armored individuals or potentially heavy damage to those with lighter armor. This was acquired from a Decepticon deserter he had been hired to track down. He currently does not possess any ammunition for this weapon.
Static Lance: A hand-held melee weapon that energizes at the tip. It is capable of dealing a shock capable of stunning a cybertronian if contact is sustained for about half a klik. Usually, however, the target gets a bit irked and shoots you in the face before that happens.
Serenity: A modified Path Blaster acquired after a particularly lucrative job. A semi-automatic weapon that fires dense packets of molten metal with great accuracy. These projectiles can’t pierce armor of any thickness, but if left on a surface for more than one or two kliks they will start to melt through metal (less time for more flammable materials). Lockdown’s has been upgrade with a scope and expanded magazine allowing it to fire eight shots between reloads instead of six. Lockdown used this gun for several years before switching back to his plasma rifle because he prefered it’s immediate effect over the slower burn of Serenity. He will occasionally swap it out if he’s feeling nostalgic.
Assorted Blades: Lockdown has acquired a large variety of blades of all shapes and sizes. They are all of equal or lesser power level than his cybersteel katana.
Assorted Ranged Weapons: Lockdown doesn’t typically bother to keep the guns of those he catches and/or kills, but he has a few kept as backups, two rifles about on par with his Plasma Rifle and three Blasters of about half that power. He has approximately five magazines stored for each: each magazine carrying enough charge for 20 shots. All these are energy based.
Extra Smoke Grenades and Glue Bombs: Lockdown restocks these from his ship whenever he has expended some while away from his ship. He has about three dozen of each stored, in case the planets he visits don’t have vendors that carry them.