To Capture a Sixchanger

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-< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 09:13PM CST >-- The remote area is split by the approaching sound of engines drawing closer and closer to the shore, as a hovercraft slithers above the water, spraying foam as it goes. It's Quickswitch, and once he lands on shore he reverts to robot mode and looks around, a serious and concerned look upon his face. He raises his hands to his mouth and shouts, "Sixshot?!" He looks around, seeing nothing yet, "Sixshot?? Father, where are you?!" He has been searching all of Cybertron for the Decepticon sixchanger, absent without leave to find him. < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 09:19PM CST >- Prowl has been keeping an optic on Quickswitch's behavior. For some reason he appears to be obsessed with finding Sixshot. He's followed the larger Autobot all the way to the Rust Seas in one of the Autobots' aerial patrol vehicles. The -Rust Seas-. It made no sense. He sighs, shaking his head as he watches the readouts on the HUD, turning to the craft's small crew.
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"Stay here. I'll deal with this." "Yes, sir."

He disembarks and approaches Quickswitch cautiously, knowing how unpredictable and dangerous he could be. "Quickswitch, what are you doing out here? You're asking for trouble, you know. You may be a powerhouse, but you're not invincible. What do you want from Sixshot, anyway? Why do you have to be bound to his existence?" --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 09:26PM CST >--- There is something simply wonderful about the Rust Seas. It could be the deadly swamps that will slowly corrode someone's processors, or the corrosive gasses that churn on the surface or fill the air... It could also be the various creatures and other such dangerous beings that populate the more dense regions, ready to tear anything apart that happens to encroach on their territory. And...Nightlash could be one of those aforementioned insane mechs ready to tear anything apart for encroaching on her territory. After all, she does have a keen sense of 'THIS IS MINE' in the back of her mind. So when Quickswitch encroaches, she's quick to fly an intercept course, skimming the surface as close as she'll dare as she approaches the waterborn mech. <> She pauses, and then smirks inwardly. <> --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 09:26PM CST >-- Starscream is flying. It's what he does and does well. And right now he's out patroling looking for a specific mech. Not just any mech but the huge 'Autobot' freak called Quickswitch. When he made the suggestion to Bombshell to use Quickswitch as a guineapigabot, he wasn't thinking he'd have to be the one to go out looking for him. He's got better things to be doing right now, like making a summery report of all thats gone on in the Empire and with the Autobots this past week. He didn't appreciate Scorponok making him in charge of that but he's already thinking on how he can use that to his advantage. So deep in though is the Seeker that he actually flies right over Prowl and Quickshot and doesnt notice at first. Then he does and he wingovers and heads back. -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 09:36PM CST >-- The unstable sixchanger did not even consider the dangers of this place--why should he? Being one of only two like his kind--and now, in search of the other, he hears Prowl above him. Irritation flickers over his face, replaced quickly by concern, "We're of one cog.." Quickswitch explains, "He hasn't been seen for vorns. Either he's up to no good or.." Quickswitch shudders, not finishing the sentence. Instead, he tries to explain, "Sixshot and I share a bond as Sixchangers. He is my.. my father.." It is an ancient word with no direct translation, but the eventual human word 'father' comes closest, "I--" As Nightlash yells an introduction, Quickswitch transforms with lightning rapidity to his cannon mode and turns about, releasing what could either become a warning shot or a direct hit, "I have no quarrel with you," utters the assault unit, "I seek Sixshot. The Sixchanger. Have you seen him?" < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 09:44PM CST >- Prowl sighs. "Look, you need to find who you are on your own. If Sixshot is up to no good, we will track him down and bring him to justice, just as we will for everyone who fails to uphold the law. You don't need to do this alone."

And then Nightlash shows up. Heh. An optic ridge goes up at her. "Somehow, I am not surprised to see you out here, Nightlash. Despite the fact that this place destroyed your life?" He doesn't bring up the fact that it's hardly 'her domain.' That's when the crew of the ship he came in speaks into the comms.

<< Sir, we've got a hostile aerial unit in the area, looks like Starscream. >> << Understood. Stay low for now. >> --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 09:45PM CST >--- There is no doubting that, in a straight-on sprint, Nightlash can certainly outpace something as silly as a quick pot-shot. But dodging? Well, that's another matter. The 'warning shot' lances through her wing and she spins in an aileron roll while laughing. "Sixsix the Changershot? Nope, can't say I have! Of course, if he was here when I was here, then I might have killed him. I don't know! I blocked a lot of that out of my memory banks because it was dull. Or painful. Or both. Maybe both... hah. But, no, I can't remember." She slows, banking on one wing to settle into an overhead pattern. "So...is this the way Autobots greet NAILS now? Shoot first, welcoming remarks later? Pfft. I'm not surprised. What about you, Prowl? Not even going to admonish him? ...well, no. I suppose not. It is you..." She grumbles audibly as her own scanners pick up the approaching Seeker as well. "Pheh, well, see if I help either of you out here for that little act of wanton stupidity." --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 09:50PM CST >-- Starscream notices the Autobot Patrol ship but other then pull to the side ever so slightly, outwardly pays it no mind. As he pulls up he notices Nightlash and Quickswitch firing at her. He smirks to himself, pulls up and transforms. Then he lands on the ground close the three but a moderate distance away from all of them, "What do we have here?" he begins with humor and mock surprise in his voice. "An Autobot, firing on a NAIL?" he focuses on Prowl suddenly, "Is this what you're 'teaching' them to do now? Impressive." -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 09:58PM CST >-- Quickswitch raises an optic ridge, "Thought you might be a Decepticon," he says, growing into a chuckle and shaking his head, "You? Kill Sixshot? You couldn't kill him. So far, no Autobot, no one, has. Not the greatest warrior Cybertron has ever known. C'mon, let's--" he prickles, hearing a -very- distinctive voice, "...I act upon my own volition. The Autobots do not control me..." mutters the assault unit, "/Starscream,/" he's suddenly irritable, as his racing systems move from emotion to emotion, "I'd leave now, if you don't want to decorate my quarters... in pieces..." he transforms into puma mode, bracing the ground, growling and hissing dangerously. < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 10:06PM CST >- "Quickswitch, do not harm the neutral unless you are threatened." Prowl -does- admonish the sixchanger. "I apologize for his behavior. He is rather unpredictable, but we're working on that."

However, when Starscream lands, he doesn't hesitate to pull his weapons on the Decepticon. "Starscream." he threateningly. "What do you want? There's no cargo for you to steal this time, haven't you noticed?" --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 10:09PM CST >--- "I don't know. I've been known to do stupid things before." She snorts and then shifts, landing and pulling a weapon on Starscream. "Don't call us NAILS...that's /their/ word for it, and it's sort of stupid." She then lowers the small blaster and regards Quickswitch carefully. "So...an Autobot that claims to not listen to orders, shoots neutrals on sight, and...another Autobot that slaps him on the wrist for doing so? Yeeeeah, that's a great combination. If I put those little snippets next to Blurr's remarks, you Autobots aren't looking so hot right now." She then turns her blaster towards Prowl. "So...what keeps me from just saying that this is for my own health and safety, hmm? What really keeps me from doing something that is, to be fair, probably remarkably stupid and won't pan out for anything in the long run, but...could be all kinds of fun right now?" She winks. "Because I might be listening. Or might not... I don't know yet." --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 10:14PM CST >-- "Come now, Quickswitch." Starscream begins smoothly, "I mean you now harm. I want to help you actually. Not like him..." he looks at Prowl and then to the weapon. "What I want has nothing to do with you. Last I knew this area was neutral territory. And why would you accuse me of wanting to steal something?" his optics flare slightly in humor and then he stares at the femme as she speaks, "I bet you're never lonely are you?" -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 10:18PM CST >-- "I FOLLOW ORDERS!!" the beast thunders back at Nightlash and prepares to leap!

But doesn't. "Yer safe, as long as you ain't gonna do anything stupid to harm me or Prowl over there," his optics narrow, "The day you want to help me is the day Sixshot becomes an Autobot!" Oh, how he wishes Sixshot would. The Sixchanger eyes Starscream up and down, watching Nightlash on his periphery, "What's your game?" he asks the Aerial Commander skeptically, "Prowl? I suggest we take him out and vacate this place. Sixshot isn't here." he lowers his head, dissapointed. < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 10:24PM CST >- Prowl shakes his head, moving over toward Quickswitch and putting a hand on him as if to signal him to stand down, though he may have actually placed a tracking device on him instead. But he actually...looks like he's willing to listen to whatever Starscream has to say. "No, stand down, Quickswitch. We will listen to what he has to say." He lowers his weapon somewhat, though he doesn't put it away.

He sighs at Nightlash's threats. "Do whatever you feel is appropriate, Nightlash. You are not a part of this organization, therefore I have no authority over you. However, be aware that if you do take offensive action against myself or any of my soldiers, we -will- take defensive action." --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 10:29PM CST >--- "Lonely? Me? Never. I mean, what is there to be lonely about?" She considers Prowl's words and then smirks ever so slightly. "So...what if I'm taking a defensive action? You know, like...I was shot at, fear for my life and existence, and...yeah." She winks. "Am I allowed to press charges? Or, you know, demand justice?" She glances at Starscream. "What would the Decepticons do, hmm? I'm curious. Nail shot at for no reason." She shifts the barrel from Prowl to Quickswitch. --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 10:36PM CST >-- Starscream regards Prowls comment to listen to him with a bit of an aloof expression and then seems bored at Prowl's bravado toward Nightlash. He smirks a bit at Nightlash's answer to his question. But then he gets serious and looks at the Sixchanger. "I can find Sixshot for you, Quickswitch. I mean he is a Decepticon. Actually I think he was with Bombshell last I heard. I'm sure he would be more than happy to put you in touch with Sixshot." his voice is smooth and so assuring. Its a tone he practices at every oppotunity, like right now. Anything to get what he wants from whoever his target is at the time, right? -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 10:40PM CST >-- Quickswitch nods his beastial head amicably toward Prowl as he pats the sixchanger on the shoulder. Quickswitch listens, to both Nightlash and Starscream. Starscream's words and tone baffle the Autobot. What Decepticon wants to help him??? "You know where Sixshot is?!" he brightens with excited anticipation, "Take me to him--" then, horror across his features, "No, don't! What am I saying?!" As Nightlash points her weapon at the sixchanger, the Autobot transforms into robot mode, guns drawn, "..I follow orders.." he whispers to himself, then, to Nightlash, "You're safe.. you're safe.." < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 10:46PM CST >- "Don't listen to him, Quickswitch. Why would he want to help you?" Prowl insists. "They just want to use you." He glares at Starscream. "If you think you can convince us to trust you, you couldn't be more wrong. Now give me one reason I shouldn't arrest you right now and haul you off to Garrus-1."

At Nightlash's words, his expression turns a fair bit more severe. "I told him not to harm you, and he has obeyed my orders. If you require medical assistance, I can also arrange that. However..." his optics narrow.

"-Stay- out of this, if you value your life." --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 10:54PM CST >--- Nightlash blinks. "Oh, actually! That's a pretty good idea..." She looks at Prowl. "I demand some sort of justice and you threaten me." She grumbles. "See, it's like I told Blurr! This is exactly why none of us really like you Autobots that much." She turns the gun back on Blurr. "What would the Convocation say if I showed them this? You threatening me here, now, with the circumstances being what they are? They know I'm unstable and my head's not working right." She frowns and then looks at Quickswitch. "Look at that, Quickswitch was it? Your 'friend' Prowl here is trying to deny you a chance to find dear old ... Sixshot? Yeah. Someone graciously offered to help you, and he's trying to talk you out of it. What doesn't he want you to find, hmm? Is he trying to control you? Deny you? Maybe he knows more than he lets on. Maybe he's hiding Sixshot from you, and he's worried you'll find out..." She lowers her blaster and gives Prowl a smirk. --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 11:13PM CST >-- Starscream gives Nightlash a bit of a surprised look but hides it quickly with a smile. "She's right, Quickswitch, I merely want to help you. Unlike some --" he looks at Prowl, "-- who claim to be your friend but really aren't. The brand he displays should tell you that much. Honestly, Quickswitch, what have they really done for you? Have any of them truly offered to help you find, Sixshot? Or are they always coming up with excuses to keep you from finding him?" -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 11:15PM CST >-- With every word Nightlash speaks, and then Starscream, Quickswitch's expression delves into icy fear, shock, and sheer confusion, "Prowl?!" he entreats helplessly. Shakes his head.

All the while, dark, acrid smoke rises from the Sixchanger, and he begins to shake, his sensitive systems overtaxed by the mental whirlwind within. His face descends into darkened fury as he /doesn't/ fire on Prowl, or any of them. Hands raise to his head, "..Safe.." he whispers incoherently, "Got to find Sixshot... Keeping him from me--Decepticons everywhere..." The smoke grows thicker, more acrid as Quickswitch glances wild eyed from Nightlash to Starscream to Prowl, deeply uncertain.

He falls to his knees, hands clutching madly at his head, smoke rising from his armor seams continuously, "Sixshot," he cries, "Where are you?!" Emotional turmoil deep within threatens the very cog of the transformer, threatens a few twitchy transformations from him, "You don't /want/ me to find him!" the hateful sixchanger lashes out at Prowl, barely coherent, "NO, I won't hurt you. But--" Quickswitch gnashes at his face, "Shut up--Shut up!!" he tells everyone; Starscream, Nightlash, Prowl, himself. < Prowl Posed on Jan 23 11:32PM CST >- "I'm not threatening you. I'm -cautioning- you." Prowl corrects. "This confrontation is about to--" And that's when Quickswitch lashes out at him. "Quickswitch!" The tactician jumps out of the way, barely avoiding the hit. "Pull yourself together, you don't -need- Sixshot. You're a good soldier on your own...I firmly believe that." He shakes his head.

"Damn it." Opening a commlink to the patrol ship, he issues the order. << Take him down. >> The order is immediately obeyed, and the ship's forward weapons array suddenly opens fire on Starscream. Well Nightlash, he warned you. --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 11:36PM CST >--- "You see? He's trying to talk you out of it still! You're like me...something is missing. We /need/ that something, and they don't understand." And...suddenly firefight? She turns to dive for cover, taking a few blasts herself in the process. Not that she's about to give up. "And now he's shooting at us all to get his way! Run, Quickswitch. You don't need him anymore." --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 11:42PM CST >-- Starscream is suddenly fired at! He quickly transforms and takes to the air, taking a few shots as he goes. He really dosnt like his paint marred or the pain that comes with it. "You're some kind of afthat, Prowl." he snaps borrowing one of Skywarp's terms. "Two can play this game." is the only warning anyone gets as he sends a signal on a tight beam from his comm. In seconds the roar of jet engines is heard and two Seekers decend seemingly out of nowhere. <> and with that he spins around and fires both wing lasers at the ship that keeps pelting him with lasefire. Now he's really annoyed. Hes slighlty damaged and his paint is a mess... --< Starscream Posed on Jan 23 11:45PM CST >-- The two Seekers waste no time in obeying their leader's orders and both start to pummel the Sixchanger with heavy laserfire. If anyone tries to come to the Autobots defense they get fired on as well. -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 23 11:52PM CST >-- "..Don't need him anymore--" Quickswitch mutters, "Don't understand us.." Nightlash's words penetrate the haze that is the Autobot's mind, "Sixshot.. missing.." and then Prowl's order, TAKE HIM DOWN.

Somehow, this order, a shining beacon, spirals out of context, and Quickswitch, smoking, confused, transforms to cannon mode and fires on--

PROWL!

As soon as he fires, heavy laserfire hits his chamber and reverts him to robot mode. He fires on the Seekers, but then, falls forward, apparently succombed to the stress his systems were under. --< Nightlash Posed on Jan 23 11:55PM CST >--- Nightlash just laughs as she watches with a sick sense of glee at Quickswitch's sudden but inevitable betrayal, and she looks through the haze of combat towards Prowl. "He shot me, Prowl. I got what I wanted." What she wanted? A broken-minded mech firing on his own in utter, horrified confusion? Absolutely. She transforms, her engines roaring to life as she starts to put some distance between herself and the scene to simply watch from above, her drone taking flight to help with coverage and to keep herself into a more 'not in the crossfire' spot. < Prowl Posed on Jan 24 12:05AM CST >- "I know," Prowl replies to Nightlash. "And I can give you -more-."

Suddenly Quickswitch turns and fires on him, though he can't say he's too surprised either. "Agh!" He fires a guided missile off toward Starscream, but then turns and transforms to high tail it toward the ship. << Abort, I repeat abort! Pull out now, the sixchanger is too unpredictable--this isn't a fight we can win. >>

As soon as he's inside, the craft turns and flies off, disappearing into the stormy skies above the Rust Spot. --< Starscream Posed on Jan 24 12:15AM CST >-- Shadowburner and Flightpath waste no time in landing and pinning the Autobot down with energon chains. Just because he collapsed and is probably still smoldering means nothing. This mech is a one mech army for sure.

Meanwhile Starscream notices Nightlash retreat out of the corner of his optic as he continues to hammer the Autobot shuttle. But then suddenly the shuttle stops firing and starts veering off toward Prowl. Well thats no fun. The Seeker turns to pursue when his radar suddenly pings an incoming missile, and one hes going to have a hard time shaking. In a burst of angry speed, the Seeker starts flying alongside the Autobot shuttle to pull in front of it and hopefully confuse the missile into hitting the shuttle instead. -< Quickswitch Posed on Jan 24 12:17AM CST >-- Quickswitch does nothing more, faintly mutters, "no, oh no.." as it sinks in that he fired upon his own comerade. Even as the energon chains come down around him, he doesn't have the strength, physical or mental, to put up a struggle. He fades into a low-power state as the Decepticons do their work. And Nightlash won't be forgotten. < Prowl Posed on Jan 24 12:23AM CST >- Starscream has no problem pulling in front of the Autobot craft, he does certainly have the advantage in speed. The missile explodes against its rear engines, setting one of them on fire, though due to its size, it is able to take the brunt of the attack without going down. However as soon as he gets in front of it, its forward weapons open fire with full fury! --< Starscream Posed on Jan 24 12:29AM CST >-- Starscream smirks to himself as he hears the missile hit the shuttle and then flips his cogs when hes suddenly tore into by the ships lasers. In a blurr of HUD damage warnings, the Seeker wingovers and drops down fast and hard and in the opposite direction. He got what he came here for as he catches a glimpse of the two Seekers taking the immobilized Quickswitch and heading back to base, so he has no reason to keep fighting. He speeds up as much as he can with his damage and puts as much distance between himself and the bot shuttle as fast as he can manage.

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