(( OOC: Sorry for my lack of posting, Wintersong and company. I haven't been absent, persay, since I've been peeking in every so often and reading posts, but I know I've been slacking on replying, and I apologize. Actually been having fun sitting back and reading the other posts on the other missions. Also, I'm not sure what to do about Phoenix's "infultration." Is she inside or outside the Axalon? I'll have Sentinel capture Nemesis' signature and report the intrusion to Optimus and have the rest of his team defend the Axalon from her while Dinobot dances with Venatrix. It'll give us something to do while the other teams are wrapping things up. Although, most of OP's team are still injured, but they could fight more easily inside the ship without energon intereferance.
))
"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" Sentinel sounded off as the
Axalon's defense system kicked in after reading Nemesis' signature. All of the external and internal weaponry whirled to life, the ones in Venatrix's vacinity targeting her immediately, giving her only a second to react before they fired upon her.
-----
"If you truly find us that undeserving, I fail to see why you persist in following us," "But," "you continue to tell yourself that. It should console you once your hope of defeating me has been... deferred."
Sometimes Optimus wondered why Dinobot was with the Predacons in the first place. He was admiring the way he spoke to Venatrix.
"What makes you think i plan on defeating you? You know as well as i do why i choose to confront you every time i had a chance. A warrior can only get stronger by facing opponent that are stronger then him-or herself."
Primal glanced over his shoulder at the Predacon when he heard her voice approach closer to his team. She was actually quite near to the raptor now. While it made him a little uneasy, he didn't show it. If she meant to attack all of them, she would have done so by now. Venatrix truly was set on a sparring match with just Dinobot.
"This should prove a suitable battleground," "Are you prepared?"
Stopping upon Dinobot's observation, the Maximal leader examined the immediate area. No other threats were detected. It was a good place for the two to battle, not that Optimus really approved of it, and the
Axalon wasn't too much farther from there either.
"I've been patiently waiting for this moment for a while now. So lets dance..."
The gorilla motioned his team to stand back from Dinobot and Venatrix, giving them their space. As their fight began, Optimus spoke up to the frilled lizard.
"Frilla, we may have lost that protoform to the Predacons, but it was not your fault. I should've been better prepared," he admitted.
"I wasn't expecting Manterror, as well as the other Predacons Megatron decided to bring with him. We were simply outmatched. And I failed to keep you out of harm's way so you could focus on the pod." As leader, it was his responsilibility, therefore the failure was his own to blame.
Tigatron had sat down near Optimus and Frilla, resting his injured shoulder that he had been limping on during the trek back. He disagreed with their leader, though; Primal wasn't giving himself enough credit.
"Despite the odds against us, Optimus, you fought rather well. It is not easy battling two Predacons at once, trying to protect a helpless protoform and the Maximal who was trying to keep its programming on its course. You and Frilla did your best. We can only hope that the other pod has been safely secured by our fellow Maximals."
Primal gave a nod of thanks to Tigatron. Perhaps he and Frilla had done well after all considering the turn of events they had encountered. Such was the circumstances. The tiger's words did make Optimus ponder about the other Maximal teams. Almost the whole day had gone by now without a single word from either one of them.
"WARNING: Intruder alert! All systems activated," Sentinel's voice suddenly rang through Primal's communication link.
Tigatron cocked his head in curiosity when he heard the ship's defense contacting their leader. It was a clever computer Rhinox and Rattrap had installed.
Of course, the announcement from Sentinel was not something Optimus wanted to hear right now.
"Sentinel, identify the intruder," he demanded. His headache and aching back from Megatron's weight stomping on him earlier put a little pressure on his tone of voice.
"Acknowledged," the defense system responded.
"Intruder identified. Unit Nemesis."
Well, that's just prime! She must have snuck away from the ending of the battle earlier and headed there immediately after. But why? Perhaps it had something to do with the nano technology she had left behind on Nightmist's body.
"Tigatron, stay here with Dinobot. Frilla and Wintersong, come with me back to Base." Tigatron would be better off staying in beast mode since it would help repair his wound and give him rest off of his feet, making sure Venatrix didn't pull any fatal stunts on Dinobot. Optimus couldn't just leave the raptor alone out there. As for the two females and Primal, they would have to hurry back to the
Axalon in beast mode to reserve their power in case Sentinel wouldn't be able to fend her off on its own. Turning his back to the battle, the gorilla took off on his knuckles and feet as quickly as he could toward the ship located over the waterfall.
Twitching his ringed tail on the ground wishing he was well enough to help, Tigatron watched their commander take off quickly into yet another confrontation. Perhaps Optimus endured too much. The cat understood leadership and the responsibilities it required, but he thought Optimus performed above and beyond what was expected of him to protect his crew. The downside to that was exhaustion, and continuously putting his life in danger. A Cybertronian's body could only endure so much before systems would begin failing, especially during battle; like fatigue, for example. He could tell the gorilla was growing tired as dusk quickly approached. As much faith as Tigatron had in their leader, he wondered how long this war could possibly go on. Frowning, he turned his green eyes back to Dinobot and Venatrix.
-----
"Might have but then again Rattrap we wouldn't be any better the some of the Predacons."
Rattrap looked at Feralnight and sent her a faint nod, along with a quiet sigh. She was right.
"So just carry her out ad set her on the island?"
Might as well, if we throw her she'll just suffer more damage.
"Yeah. But if you 'happen' to trip and drop her on the way, then don't worry about it," snickered Rattrap.
"Preds got their own CR's anyway."
Aw.. you wrapped her like a gift, you shouldn't have..
Watching Glowstick appear as the
Leviathan opened, the rodent cringed a little.
"Whoa. Talk about yer freaks. Man, those guys just keep gettin' uglier an' uglier," he said to himself.
"Well, you know, it's our problem to you. So, uh, enjoy," Rattrap replied to the squid with a smile in his voice.
Ugh. He floats too? "What a creepy lookin' Pred. All those slimy, squirmy, wormy tentacles. Yuck!" he said off of the radio. No wonder Wintersong and them had trouble with him in their last mission. Despite his appearance, there was something a little more "civil" about Glowstick than the most of the other Predacons.
"Arigato! (thank you)" "thank you so much! and I'm sorry for giving you the trouble of sedating her."
"What're you so thankful for? She's nothin' but a headache!" Rattrap said back to the
Leviathan, unable to understand why they were so grateful to have Starshadow back in their hands. She was nuts! Did anybody
really want her on their team? Aye.
"Well least we are leaving mostly unscathed." "Now just hope the others had better lucky then we did."
"Yeah," he agreed with Feralnight, watching the Predacons' transport peacefully take off.
"Hopefully we ain't the only ones who failed miserably today." Rattrap fired up the
Nomad again and took off in the other direction, steering the small vessel back toward the
Axalon. He sat back in the chair, a little more relaxed now that this day was over with.