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SOFTWARE WARS II |
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By Charles Ellis |
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Portrait
of a Jumpstarter By
Charles Ellis Decepticon
subterranean base, 8/3/2299 “How can he still be alive?” Soundwave looked down at the corp- the BODY of Topspin. His mind had been destroyed by a virus, it had partially melted. How could a Transformer survive that?
Bombshell shrugged and turned back to his work. “Near as I can
figure, the virus was rigged so it would cause enough damage to simulate
death- knock as many systems as possible offline, stop any computer from
realising he’s dead, etc. Why, I dunno.” He turned to Onslaught,
frowning. “Did you know about this?” Maybe someone wanted to have Transformer minds. But why? Spying? Study? A hobby? Soundwave didn’t know, and this irritated him. He hated not knowing what was going on, especially when it threatened his troops. And yes, they were his. Galvatron could come blustering in with his hyperbole and drooling, but he was no commander. Soundwave was the true mind behind the Decepticons. Oh, for Megatron to be back in command… Even Scorponok would be preferable…
Enough, he thought. There’s a job to be done here. And what a job it was. Onslaught had had the idea that the virus may have left something behind in the Autobot’s mind, something they could use to track down whoever had created it. It was risky, though. Bombshell would raid the data tracks, something he had done before with dead Autobots, but usually the recently dead. Topspin had been dead for 3 months, and the mind was badly damaged. Bombshell could have his core wiped, become a blank. It was a risk they had to take.
“Are you ready, Bombshell?”
1010101010100000111111101011010110101010100011101000011 interface
010101010101111110000100101111 Name: Topspin. Faction: Autobot.
Function: Jumpstarter, mining…
4, 000, 000 MYA 0101001010111
LIGHT primus, where am i, it’s all so strange, who am/where am/what am i?
There’s someone next to me. He’s like me, I guess. Where I’m
blue, he’s white; he doesn’t have wings, or an optic visor. But his
shape, it’s like mine. I can see that he feels like I do- disoriented,
scared, confused. His name springs into my mind from somewhere- Twin
Twist. Jumpstarter. Like me. “Great work, Wheeljack.”
Others are here, watching us.
“I call them Jumpstarters. They can handle
any terrain and Topspin can even handle liquid environments. They’re
perfect for mining and demolitions.”
Digging through one material to get at others below it. Vital
for gaining the resources needed to keep Cybertron from falling into ruin.
How did I know that? Is this my function, then? Is that all that I
am?
“Hi. I’m Wheeljack, and this guy here is
High Councillor Traachon. I’m your creator and he-“ Chaos
bombing fire death pain
The Decepticons! They’re attacking the ship port I can’t
believe they’re attacking the-
“Topspin!” screams Twin Twist. “Behind
you!”
NO! I did NOT spend those centuries of digging to get slagged up by
some moronic thug! I transform and swing at him with my drills. They rip
through steel, gears, circuits, engine. There’s a strange look of
surprise on his face, as if he’s reproachful of me for fighting back.
Then he’s dead. I transform and pick up the gun.
I just killed a Decepticon AND I FEEL GREAT! They want to storm in
here, kill my mates and take our mined stuff? SLAG THAT! “Come on, Twin Twist! Let’s show these aft-cleaners what Jumpstarters can do!”
I see an incoming Seeker and- Bombshell moved on again. REALLY fascinating seeing the Autobots win fights, but he had a job to do. Now then… How about this- I
tear into Decepticon after Decepticon. Bring it! BRING IT ON! You think
you’re hard, eh? Hard enough to go after the old ones who can’t
transform?! EH?! EH?! TALK TO ME!
Because of you, Impactor is dead, and I’m going to take it out of
you
One
Piece
At A Time! And
then I’m standing alone in a pile of smashed facsimile constructs.
Dammit, why did it have to be you, Impactor? Why couldn’t it have been-
No. He was a Wrecker. One of Us. That was a Wrecker’s death- a
blaze of glory and heroics. That is how we should all go. Twin Twist- he
said that to me during the funeral. We should all die like that, on the
battlefield, being heroes. He’s right. That’s who we are. Wreckers. We
die from being wrecked. Anything else…
I wouldn’t stand it if Twin Twist died any other way. I just
don’t think I could live in that sort of world. Bombshell frowned. So that was how the Autobots thought, was it? Rather like the Decepticons, it seemed, in that- He dropped THAT line of thought very quickly. He had NOTHING in common with them. Yeah. Sure. Next memory, then- MEGATRON?!
We have to fight Galvatron and him as well?! Bloody 0101010101 BASTARD!
You’ve killed them, damn you Hubcap, we’re gonna 010100110011 “Twin
Twist, I see us living to a ripe old age” 0101010101010110101010111111111
And there it was. A little identification left behind by the virus, so whoever picked up Topspin’s body would be able to tell it had been left alive by their virus. It was an odd emblem- yellow 5-sided blade objects on a navy background. Now it was time to track the emblem to its creators. And then… TO BE CONTINUED Heroes
of Desirable Quality By
Charles Ellis Maccadam’s
Old Oil House, New Iacon, Cybertron, 5/4/2299 “I’m
really worried about him. I’m afraid he’s going to get himself
killed.”
Whirl spoke very slowly and quietly. “Springer, you say?” ************************************************************************ Decepticon
stronghold, beneath Cybertron “…repeat,
target has left Maccadam’s. Should I follow? BZZT.”
Soundwave cut the connection and turned to Onslaught. “As long as
his disguise holds up, we’ll soon have a lead on the hacking.” He opened the door to find Bombshell on the floor, limbs scattered about. Topspin looked up at Soundwave with dead eyes, transformed to vehicle mode and attacked. New
Iacon The two of them slipped into an alleyway.
“Y’know,” said Carnivac, “you’re not what I expected. I
heard stories of you being, well, mental. A crazy guy.”
“Trying to sneak up on ex-Wreckers and Mayhems,” sneered
Carnivac. “Idiot. What’s your agenda, shorty?”
They did so, taken aback. “STAR SABER?!” Brawl watched the three of them leave, and reported the entire conversation back to Onslaught. The reply was immediate- follow and pledge an alliance. They needed to deal with the mind-hackers, and the three Autobots seemed to be the only ones dealing with it. Maccadam’s
Old Oil House “That’s
Twin Twist, y’know. The Wrecker.” “Always
thought they were overrated, myself…”
<Talk to us-
You should’ve left me to burn-> He drank his drink. Internal systems warned him that he was consuming too much and could damage his fuel lines. He drank again. He was aware of a commotion behind him, a vicious ripping sound, cries of horror. He ignored them and returned to his drink. “twwwntssssst…” He turned round to see Topspin behind him, his face a silent scream, smoke oozing from his mouth. “Topspin… You came back… I knew you would… I knew…” Whirl’s
quarters, New Iacon They hadn’t been very happy to see Brawl, but decided to listen to his pitch. Now they held a conference- Whirl, Carnivac, the tiny Star Saber and Onslaught via Brawl’s communicator.
“Now then,” said Whirl. “How are going to do this? We don’t
who we’re dealing with, where they’re situated, their motives… How
do we find out?”
“How? They’re dead.”
“Curious,” said Star Saber. “Why are the bodies being left
alive? What purpose would that have?” Maccadam’s
Old Oil House Twin
Twist grinned inanely at his half-dead brother, muttering under his
breath. “Topspin… knew you’d come back. Knew you’d came back.”
“sssss…” “I’m
in position.”
“Yes, Springer.” A missile tore through the air and smashed through the window of Whirl’s apartment. Time held its breath for a second. And then the room exploded outwards. The group hadn’t gotten back to the apartment yet, and so none of them were harmed. But they saw what happened. “Someone is gunning for us,” whispered Carnivac. Whirl glanced around wildly. That missile had been fired just ten seconds ago, and the person who fired it could still be around. He could have friends. He could-
“Run.” They knew now that they had no choice but to stop the Software Wars, and the species behind it. Because now, if they didn’t, they’d be hunted for the rest of their lives while Cybertron collapsed around them. And their chances of success were slim. They couldn’t go to the Decepticon bases- they could be tracked there and Soundwave wouldn’t allow it. They couldn’t go to their homes- they’d be killed. They couldn’t go to anyone for help, because anyone could be mind-hacked. They couldn’t trust anyone. They were on their own. TO BE CONTINUED See
How They Run By
Charles Ellis Part
1 Kalis,
Cybertron, 8/4/2299 Kalis was a land of the dead. This is where the dropouts went, the destitute, the criminal, the insane. They fashioned a dubious existence in the crumbling buildings and ancient Autobot bases, and fought a few minor wars over wealth and fuel.
Wheezel glanced up and down the street (in Kalis, it was very easy
to literally become one of the dead) and opened up his case. He grinned
and pointed smugly at his merchandise. “Here ya go- Mark 2 Cyclone
cannons, ‘Con surplus. Ya didn’t get ‘em from me, here?”
“There IS ammo included with this?” asked Carnivac sharply.
“If there isn’t-“
“Think we shook ‘em off?” They’d been running from the security forces for a few days now, and were finally going to meet up with Brawl’s fellow Combaticons and reach a safe house. They couldn’t keep running forever, they needed to find out the mastermind behind the Software Wars. Every day, paranoia and riots grew worse, and Autobots was afraid to even talk to other Autobots now in case they were mind-hacked spies. The Decepticons were worried about a second strike on them, one more devastating than the satellite attack had been.
The other Combaticons were waiting for them in a stolen freighter
vehicle. “Hurry up, hurry up!” hissed Swindle. “We’re sitting
ducks out here!”
“GAH!”
“Oh bloody hell!” snarled Whirl. “Hey, Onslaught! A little
BACK-UP would be nice here!”
Onslaught drove off, saying: “You do know that you’ve broken
your precious Autobot Code by killing those guys back there.”
“Yes, yes, very macho,” said Star Saber. “Now, does anyone
have any sort of plan whatsoever?”
New Iacon, Cybertron, 9/4/2299 The freighter pulled to a stop. A large-scale protest was going on, and traffic was backed up for miles. Onslaught could see the pickets they wielded, and it seemed they wanted a new government, a democratic one. Star Saber looked out the window, and snorted in disgust.
“I don’t believe it. They are actually able to get away with
that protest. Such incompetence-“
“Uh-oh,” said Carnivac quietly. “Look who it is- a group of
Reductionists, trying to tell everyone how the Software War is the
Quint’s judgement. Again. We better get out of here before the fighting
starts.” Up ahead, they could see the Reductionists preaching to a group of Micromasters. They eyed the fanatics with utter loathing.
“…and if you do not accept our creators with unconditional
trust,” said one, “then we-“ Hydraulic screamed, “THEY’RE THE MIND HACKERS!”, and the protesters attacked. Soon a small violent incident escalated into a large riot as the frightened mob turned on the vehicles, attacking the drivers and overturning the vehicles. Explosions went off. And a little way back, Blast Off, Vortex and Whirl transformed and blasted their way out of the freighter. Blast Off, who carried the rest of the group, and Whirl flew away into the sky. Vortex headed down towards the riot, and caught sight of a fleeing Reductionist. His arm was torn off and his chassis was dented. He caught sight of the Combaticon and called for help. Vortex shot him. He transformed, grabbed the body and flew off. “This is Vortex. I’ve found us a corpse we can use.” Springer stood at the window and looked out at the streets of his city. He could see the smoke rising from a corner of it- the riot, now destroying a very valuable roadway. Yet more Autobots killed, more fear and paranoia spread. He stared at it, and thought of nothing. He was a statue, inert and mindless. “BZZT. Springer, this is Siren. BZZT.”
He came to life. “Yes?”
“Inconsequential. Find and terminate the fugitives.” Springer didn’t think about it. He wasn’t able to.
And a little ways away, the puppet masters grin. “Just a few more days. And then Cybertron burns.”
Part
2 Tunnels
beneath New Iacon, Cybertron, 9/4/2299 The tunnels beneath Iacon were alive with the sound of voices. Around a dozen Autobots lay around, cradling guns and muttering darkly about Springer’s leadership. The Dinobots, Blurr, Jazz, Siren, Hound and Bluestreak; all Autobot veterans, all armed, all angry and all devoted to one thing. Revolution.
Grimlock couldn’t stand to see Cybertron tear itself apart like
this. Soon the entire planet would erupt into war once again, the way
Springer was running it, and the mind-hackers would be able to strike
again and again without being noticed. Not while he was still around, it
wouldn’t.
“So,” he said. “We armed enough?”
“And I have made sure that half the guards at the Citadel are…
conveniently elsewhere,” smirked Siren. “We capture him. He may be mind-hacked. But we still kick his butt and take Cybertron for its own good.” Grimlock pulled out a map of the Citadel and the surrounding tunnel network. “Now here what we do…” New Iacon District 5, Cybertron The amount of casualties was rising day by day, and Fixit knew he was useless against it. It was bad enough that Ratchet, Cybertron’s greatest surgeon, had been arrested, but they were suffering from cutbacks that had been put into operation just a few days before the mind-hacking started, and Springer had shown no signs of rectifying this. Fixit was angry, and frustrated by his inability to fix the dozens of wrecked Autobots that flashed past him every day. He was walking home now, his mind fixed on the state of the wrecks that had resulted from today’s riot. There was a Micromaster who’d been trampled on by his own comrades by accident. His brain module was partially crushed. Fixit had needed replacement parts and a team of dedicated surgeons. All he had was an arc welder and a laser scalpel, because all the spare parts had been used up and they had no money for advanced equipment. The patient had gone offline. So wrapped up in guilt and anger, he didn’t notice his stalker until they’d grabbed him. Every paranoid talk he’d had recently flashed through his mind. It was the security force, deciding he was a threat; it was the Decepticons; it was the Reductionists, out to sacrifice him to appease their gods; it was someone trying to mind-hack him; it was…
“Don’t scream,” it hissed. “Walk slowly, don’t make any
sudden movements.” Springer’s
Citadel, New Iacon They were the best of the best. They’d been studying all the data Springer had on the fugitives, and believed they had five places where they could be hiding. They’d hit them all soon. They were the Off Road Patrol Micromasters. Highjump, Mudslinger, Powertrain and Tote.
“Can they pull this off, sir?” ????, New Iacon To his relief, Twin Twist merely dragged him to a shabby room in the middle of nowhere, filled with stolen medical equipment. Fixit frowned- could the fugitive just want to donate this out of the goodness of his Spark? Then Twin Twist showed him Topspin. Topspin looked up with blank optics, mech-fluid oozing from his mouth. Fixit felt sick.
“Oh Primus… What kind of monster could do that to an
Autobot?” He walked out. Part
3 ????,
New Iacon, 10/4/2299 Topspin lay on the table, brain module out and exposed. Fixit was bent over it, trying to repair it. It wasn’t working. It was half-slagged, and it was taxing him to the max just to stop the thing giving out all together. And even if he could salvage the ex-Wrecker, he’d still be missing more than half his memories. He didn’t say this, of course, because he wanted to stay alive. Twin Twist was bordering on psychotic. “This
is ALL you guys have on the mind-hackers?” Whirl asked. “No wonder
you’re losing the war!”
“Yeah? Where?” “AND WHY DO WE KEEP THIS MORON AROUND! I mean PRIMUS, we have to look where we’re walking so we don’t tread on the freak!” Carnivac ignored the ranting Combaticon and continued to study the logo the Decepticons had salvaged. It was nagging at him, but he just couldn’t remember where he’d seen it… Tote
lowered the hi-rez binoculars and nodded to Mudslinger. “Sensa-scope is
picking them up. We were right, they ARE in an old Autobot base. They’re
subterranean, I can go in, plant some mines and have it all come down on
top of ‘em.” They had become bitter and twisted, and easily corruptible by Star Saber. Now, these Autobots had forsaken everything their side was meant to represent. They were killers, ones that would do anything to win. They headed for the base. “Any luck?” whispered Whirl, avoiding the loud argument going on between Star Saber and Onslaught. Carnivac didn’t reply. It was there, just beyond his reach, the key to this, the key to everything…
“Don’t forget who you’re talking to, Decepticon!” And the sound of Vortex screaming, and hitting the floor. Part
4 Vortex lay in a tangled heap of circuits and shredded limbs. A tendril of smoke rose from his mouth and his face was twisted into a silent scream.
Tote eyed him coldly. “He’s still capable of being repaired.” “Affirmative.” Onslaught moved very fast. Guns were tossed to the others, the other fugitives contacted and told to head for the exits. “We need to get out,” he said. “And DON’T split up, whatever happens. Stay in groups, keep radio contact on a private channel, be prepared for anything. Shoot to kill.” “What about Fixit and Topspin?” asked Whirl.
“Whoever’s invading is after us, not some doc and a retarded
Jumpstarter. They’ll be fine.” Swindle, Brawl and Blast Off also wanted to move. Unfortunately, Twin Twist wanted them to move in the opposite direction.
“I am NOT putting my Spark on the line to go after your
brain-dead friend!” screamed Swindle. “Didn’t you hear Onslaught?
We-“
Twin Twist narrowed his optics and pushed him aside. “Fine.
I’ll do it myself.” “Cloaking field,” muttered Brawl. “RUN!” Onslaught and the others got outside and ducked as scaled-down Sidewinder missiles streaked towards them. The missiles hit the exit, creating a blast that threw the Transformers away.
Carnivac looked up to see two Micromaster vehicles blazing around
the area, not ever making a sound. “This is bad… They’ll be heading
back this way soon, we have to run!” Brawl was down, torn in two by the gunfire. Powertrain had gone on ahead to finish off the remaining Combaticons; Tote had remained behind to find any hiding targets. His sonic dampening field worked like a charm, and his cloaking field was perfect. He smiled- nothing was more satisfying than a well-run op. He heard a crash in the distance, like a packing crate being broken. He ignored it, and continued onwards. +++Activate Sensa-scope+++ The world turned into a neon green framework, dissolving walls and displaying the innards of the base. He could see into the nearby room- a Micromaster huddled in a corner, obviously scared, in a makeshift medical room. One lone Micromaster, confused and frightened by what was going on around him. Tote’s hands shook slightly and he tightened his grip on his gun. He froze, unable to move, think. He could hear screaming, feel searing pain, see the oozing remains of- <No.> That was the past. It had no bearing on today. No bearing at all. He raised the gun and took careful aim at where the Micromaster’s head was.
+++Pretender
Beast shell- online. Cybernetic manipulation mode- active.+++ +++Signature
detected. Autobot; faint; Micromaster.+++ Tote heard it coming up swiftly behind him. It made a soft thudding noise as it made, not machine-like at all, and it was covering ground fast- He spun round and recoiled in fear at the sight. His gun fell from his hands. “Keep away… KEEP AWAY!” And it was on him, all tooth and claw.
Part
5 “Tote, this is Mudslinger- come in.” There wasn’t even a whisper of static. “What do you think happened to him?” asked Highjump.
“NOTHING. Nothing serious has happened, OK? Now, turn and make
another strafing run at the targets.”
“Reaching targets in 5, 4, 3-“
“We can’t reach the ground-based targets without running into
the flyers… Highjump, take ‘em out.”
Swindle and Blast Off ran out of the hideout; Onslaught waved them into a nearby alleyway.
“We have to stay out of sight. Where’s Brawl?” “We’ve got Whirl and the short-aft covering us from the air,” said Carnivac. “My Pretender shell just offed one of ‘em… Hang on, how many were pursuing you?”
“Dunno. They were cloaked.” “I’ve got a plan,” said Swindle. “Onslaught, gimme yer sonic blaster. Carnivac, get yer shell to block the entrance and switch off its audio sensors…” “Here
he comes again,” said Whirl. “Star Saber, when he retreats, blast him
in the back. Distract him.” <Is he coming a different way, to outflank us?> Whirl’s optical sensors darted about, checking for all possible areas where the other one could be, and by chance he looked up. To his amazement, the Micromaster was in robot form and perched almost comically on a building half the street away. Suddenly the Micromaster sprung forwards, covering the distance between them in a second, and dropkicked his way through Whirl’s windscreen.
“OH YOU SLAGGING FREAK!” Whirl snarled and flipped forwards, causing Highjump to fall out; he grabbed hold of the edge of the fractured windscreen and hefted his gun, trying to aim & blow out Whirl’s rotor. “Are you nuts as well as cliché?!” Whirl was preoccupied and Star Saber didn’t have much firepower on his own, and so Mudslinger was able to get in range to fire his rockets at Onslaught and the others. He spun round as soon as he’d fired, and so didn’t notice Star Saber swooping in and blasting the missile out of the sky. “Hey, you’re good for something after all,” said Onslaught. Swindle lay crouched to the side of the hideout’s entrance, the sonic blaster gripped tightly. Carnivac’s shell stood immobile in the entrance, blocking the other Transformers from any attack from behind. <Any moment… Any moment…> There was a soft, almost inaudible thumping noise as a bullet buried itself in the shell’s kneecap, causing it to fall. A few metres away, Carnivac cried out in pain. And Swindle leapt forth and fired the blaster, wide field setting. There was a scream from the cloaked assassin and the entrance rippled slightly as the noise played havoc with the attacker’s cloaking systems. “Got the creep!” cried Swindle, firing at the blur with his regular sidearm. The cloak gave out entirely and Powertrain collapsed, his chest completely punctured. “Two down.” Whirl shook himself thoroughly, throwing off Highjump’s aim but failing to dislodge the attacker himself. In fact, his grip was actually tightening.
“You gonna keep doing this until you’re dead like the other
one?!”
Mudslinger called up to them, his voice trembling. “What do you
mean?!” “R-R-Return them! NOW! We’ll leave, we won’t tell anyone where your hideout is, JUST SLAGGING RETURN THEIR BODIES!” Mudslinger was screaming, out of control, insane. And that was that. The fugitives threw away the injured Powertrain and the decapitated corpse of Tote, and watched, guns armed, as the Off Road Patrol left. Mudslinger’s scream echoed in Whirl’s mind for hours to come. Fixit groaned when he was the fresh batch of casualties he had to patch up. All this on top of Topspin-
Swindle walked in, fairly strutting. “Hey you. Heard yer not
doing too well on repairing Topspin. Ya don’t have all the needed parts
to repair his brain module.”
“In return for this, you repair my buddies before that slagsucker
Twin Twist. Got it?” Swindle left, feeling satisfied. “You think they’ll hold up their end of the bargain?” asked Onslaught. “Yes,” said Star Saber. “I hired them, back when I was in power. They have a rather large number of mental problems. I would say you’ve rattled them quite a bit; they’ll stay quiet.” “Now then; we know who’s behind the Software Wars. We know they know we know. I see it’s time we stopped running, and time we went on the offensive.” TO
BE CONTINUED |