Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 24, 2015 6:26:34 GMT
Atchafalaya
The Atchafalaya Basin, or Atchafalaya Swamp, is the largest wetland and swamp in the United States. Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atchafalaya River and the Gulf of Mexico converge. The river stretches from near Simmesport in the north through parts of eight parishes to the Morgan City area in the south. The Atchafalaya is unique among Louisiana basins because it has a growing delta system with nearly stable wetlands. The basin contains about 70% forest habitat and about 30% marsh and open water. It contains the largest contiguous block of forested wetlands remaining (about 35%) in the lower Mississippi River valley and the largest block of floodplain forest in the United States. Best known for its iconic cypress-tupelo swamps, at 260,000 acres (110,000 ha), this block of forest represents the largest remaining contiguous tract of coastal cypress in the US.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 24, 2015 6:43:20 GMT
Waking up half-sunk in muddy swamp-water, Roadcharge looked around. His escape pod had shatterd on landing, sending him some couple dozen yards from where the largest piece of the pod lay. Clearing his optics and rising to his pedes, Roadcharge looked around the dark, foggy swamp. It was night, he knew that much, and there didn't seem to be anyone around. Nobody knew he was here maybe.
Taking it safe, Roadcharge hid his Avacon insignia and changed his paint to a deep blue color. He realized his alt-mode wouldn't work without tearing a path in the swamp, so he had to navigate on foot until he found some kind of clearing. The large mech was not the most gentle though, and was still leaving a trail of damaged trees and tracks in the mud.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 27, 2015 0:57:40 GMT
The pair of mechs had been tracking the faint signal for months. The pathway had been a long one, winding through the whole state of Louisiana; the signal had been faint, the shattered escape pod's energy signature unreliable. At certain points in their search the signal had simply gone out entirely. Now that the pair had successfully pinpointed the source of the signal, they'd split up in their search upon approach. Cackler, the stronger of the two, had no quarrel with dirtying his finish. He'd entered the swamp several hours before while the sun had still shone, illuminating his pathway, but now that night had fallen he had turned to using his headlights while searching the wetlands. Peds splotched through shallow, muddy water as he slowly approached the escape pod's remains. Once he'd drawn close enough to determine that there wasn't anything left, the burly mech let out a low rumble, followed by a distant, hoarse chuckle, and activated his comms.
{:: Ain't nuthin' here, Mourn. ::} His partner was quick to respond.
{:: As we had expected, Cackler. Conduct an auxiliary sweep and meet at the rendezvous point. I'll continue searching the outer perimeter, in the mean time. Report any relevant findings. ::} Mourn's comm. system remained open even after he heard the clicking sound of Cackler's being shut off. He sat at a clearing just outside the swamp in his alternate form, his Earth guise; a Nissan 350 Z. His headlights off and engine quiet, he began to slowly drive around the outer edges of the swamp. It took Mourn only a few moments to determine the best course of action, and he sent out a message on the open comm. systems.
{:: I know you're there, ::} he spoke smoothly, his deceptively calm, collected voice raising no red flags; reflecting only the cold, nonchalant, detached attitude that Mourn held, {:: so make this easy for yourself. If you reveal your name and allegiance now, you'll be given a fair chance to explain yourself. ::} Although he truly couldn't have known whether or not there were a bot here, giving the impression that he did might have expedited the process of locating and identifying the former occupant of this escape pod.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 27, 2015 1:14:12 GMT
Roadcharge had been trudging through the swamp for some time now, being a bit less careful by now. Mud and water coated his pedes and lower legs, making the whole process of navigating the swamp a tad harder due to the added weight and lessened traction. His optics glowed in the dark swamp, along with the energon veins on his frame.
When he had heard a voice, he quickly activated a disguise. His optics turned orange, while his pain shifted to a plain shade of green. The disguise then was strengthened as his armor and frame shifted, making him smoother and more compact looking despite his size. His new helm had a facemask that covered his mouth, and his wheels were replaced by treads. He now looked like a large tank mech, one without an insignia.
Though he was now disguised, he didn't want to be captured or bothered. Roadcharge continued to trudge through the swamp, searching for a suitable clearing to transform and find somewhere quiet enough to activate his flare. He was hoping to get a ride back to his faction, even if the mission looked like it was in shambles already.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 27, 2015 1:33:37 GMT
Mourn fell silent when there was no response over the comm. channels, a small, unnoticeable grimace flashing quickly across his faceplates. He was admittedly thankful that no one was around to see him lose control of himself; they'd been searching for this for far too long; to find their journey to be fruitless in the end, turning no results in their endeavors to find this crash site, would be absolutely unacceptable to Mourn.
{:: We're turning back, Cack- ::} before he could finish his statement over their shared private channel, Mourn was interrupted by Cackler.
{:: Hold up. Heh, heh heh, heh, there're tracks here. Fresh, too, heh heh. ::} Cackler stooped down low, knees dipping lightly into the mud. His chassis was already coated with several layers of mud. He'd been searching for nearly the whole night, after all, and hadn't been shy about immersing himself in the filth of this planet's wilderness. Though his faceplate was covered in thick, caked-on mud, the bright, crooked smile he wore on it showed almost as clearly as the light beaming from his shoulder-mounted headlights. {:: Looks laike he'hs movin' towahrd ya. ::}
Mourn didn't respond. Instead, he revved his engines quietly, waiting patiently in the clearing behind a pair of bushes while he waited for his pray. Cackler had already begun lumbering noisily through the wetlands, plugging along. It was their oldest, most practiced maneuver; Mourn would wait, concealed, for the prey, while Cackler flushed it out of hiding. Roadcharge surely had to be nearing the very edge of the swamp, but if he were attentive enough, he would hear the booming, thunderous steps of Cackler's chassis and the swashing of water and mud as it splashed around his form.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 27, 2015 1:56:34 GMT
Not being a mech made for stealth, Roadcharge could be heard growing nearer to Mourn. The heavy hydraulics and servos in his legs hissed and groaned as he strode through a more open section of swampland. Being in a full frame disguise, Roadcharge would have been unrecognizable even if they knew who he was, putting him at ease as he continued moving.
Roadcharge wondered if the others made it to this mudball, he wondered if they lost anybody. If one of the twins met the allspark he'd make sure not a single Autobot or Decepticon survived the war. Roadcharge balled his servos into fists at the thought. Exventing, he grumbled to himself as he began to see the clearing up ahead.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 27, 2015 2:15:10 GMT
The gap closing between them quickly, the maneuver seemed to be working perfectly. Mourn remained idle, his engine a low, quiet hum drown out by his partner's rambunctious stomping in the difference. Cackler was drawing nearer very slowly; he wasn't the fastest runner, and the unfavorable conditions of his environment was slowing him considerably besides that. Mourn, for the moment, would engage his opponent without the assistance of his burlier companion.
Transforming just as Roadcharge reached the edge of the swamp, nearly having reached the clearing, Mourn had the advantage. While Roadcharge's movements would still be hindered by swamp mud and water, Mourn had solid, relatively dry ground underneath his peds to give him both a better grip and more mobility.
"Tsk, tsk, and here I was, hoping- unrealistically, apparently- that you would be smarter than this," Mourn spoke smoothly to the mech. His faceplates were featureless; though he had all the regular detailings- two crimson optics, the ridge of his olfactory sensors, and his intake- he wore no emotions on his faceplates. His matte gold chassis was undefined in the dark of the night, and though he wasn't the tallest of mechs, his physical appearance was offset by the mannerism that followed. The thin lines of his lips were parted slightly as he vented deeply, reaching behind him to draw out his long weapon, a powerfully energy rifle- Executioner's Glee. The nozzle was immediately trained on the mech's chest plating, and Mourn kept a digit hovering over the trigger of his weapon while it glowed, humming; an ominous deep red that matched his dully glowing optics.
"I'll give you a chance once more, and only once more. Your designation, please, and allegiance." While Mourn confronted the mech, Cackler's bounding steps drew ever closer, slowly, but steadily.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 27, 2015 2:35:23 GMT
As Roadcharge stepped into the moonlit clearing, his orange optics stared at Mourn. Due to his disguise, he knew that everything he said could be a lie, due to the fact that they would likely never see him like this again. Grinning behind his facemask, he opened is servos wide and kept them to his sides peacefully, to show he wasn't holding any weapons. His powerful frame, painted green and shaped to be both smooth and sharp towered over Mourn.
I'm a neutral, name's Bulwark. I ain't the best pilot y'see. The mech said in a synthetic sounding voice, not too distant from the likes of Soundwave. He didn't look scared of Mourn, but also didn't look like he was hoping for a fight.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 27, 2015 2:46:15 GMT
Before Mourn could adress the self-professed neutral, Cackler drew close enough that his huffing, exasperated voice could be heard.
"Lem'me at 'ehm! Ah'll fraggin' rip 'ihs spark from the charcoal of 'ihs rottin' chahssis!" Cackler bellowed, voice falling into an exhausted, booming laugh. He still wasn't nearly close enough to do anything to the mech, though if this 'Bulwark' would have looked back at him, he would have seen that the mech had drawn his melee weapon; a hammer with an unusually thick pole that doubled as a club-like bat.
"Neutral," Mourn almost spat out. There was more than a subtle distaste in the tone of his voice, greatly differing from his expressionless faceplate. It was clear he wasn't very fond of the mech's allegiance. "Very well then, Bulwark. You have until my compatriot reaches you to convince me that you're more valuable to me alive than dead." All of Mourn's talk about him hoping that Bulwark would have been more intelligent was simply a show. His initial attempt to make contact with him had been only a precautionary measure, again, as he hadn't known that the mech who'd piloted the escape pod was still present. His skill, however, was in his confidence. By holding himself as though he meant everything he said, he'd be able to deceive nearly anyone effortlessly. There was no way for Bulwark to know that he had not, in fact, known that he'd been in the vicinity.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 27, 2015 3:01:19 GMT
Roadcharge looked back at the mech charging towards him, and narrowed his optics before looking towards Mourn again. Typical Decepticons, always there to shoot first. His big friend wanted to fight though, and Roadcharge could never resist a good chance for a fight. Reaching back as he moved away from Cackler, he grabbed his howitzer and swung it down so he could would it in both servos. As the blast shield and barrel extended, the clunk of the shell loading could be heard.
Without any hesitation, Roadcharge fired the shell at the brute. Whether or not it hit mech, it would dig into whatever it hit before exploding violently in a massive ball of fire. The strength would be enough to incapacitate smaller mechs, and give bigger ones a decent injury to soften them up. And if Mourn decided to advance, he'd get a heavy slug.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 27, 2015 7:03:59 GMT
Mourn let out a third 'tsk,' this one accompanied with a rare public display of emotion; a foul grimace that consumed the whole of his normally expressionless features. It would be a fight, then, and with a forty foot plus neutral against two twenty foot plus Decepticons, Mourn couldn't think of a more taxing trial, nor could he think of a more enjoyable one for the two. It was a most welcomed challenge for Mourn as a battle tactician- trying to figure out just how they'd best him. Already his processor was racing, scrambling to work out all of the variables.
Cackler had burst into a louder, more obnoxious bellow of laughter the moment Roadcharge had loosed the first round from his barrel. Throwing his arms back in a quick wind-up, Cackler swung his hammer back at the shot. It struck true, and the round blew on impact, not effecting the hammer at all beyond coating it in black soot. His arms, meanwhile, had had their metal singed by the fireball. The force of the blast had put a major amount of strain on Cackler's considerably strong arm, however, and already his chassis felt sore. Otherwise, the strong mech had come out alright.
Roadcharge had made a mistake in turning away from Mourn. The charge of his energy rifle was let loose, and the high precision weapon launched a focused bullet of energy, straight toward the center of Roadcharge's back. It was a round as powerful as a sniper's shot, and would have the same effects; if it hit true, at this distance, it would pierce multiple layers of Roadcharge's overlapping armor.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 28, 2015 0:37:19 GMT
The burst rifle shot pierced into Roadcharge, stinging in his back, and causing nearby armor plates to shift in discomfort. Grumbling, Roadcharge lowered his howitzer as he continued to move back away from Cackler, taking advantage of the slow speed. As the mechanisms in his howitzer loaded another shell, he let go with his left servo and raised it at Mourn. The servo quickly shifted and turned into a large gun, which then fired a heavy slug at the mech. Aiming for the torso to kick some nice kick.
Looking back to Cackler, Roadcharge transformed the slug cannon back into a servo, and used it to aim the howitzer at the mech. The shell blasted out of the cannon, primed to explode violently as always. The firing of the shell would rattle most mechs, but Roadcharge had thousands of years with heavy weapons, and was more than used to wielding such a gun.
Just like you Cons, shoot first. I'm not a good pilot, but I can fight.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 28, 2015 1:02:22 GMT
"Heh heh, you've got bite," Cackler spat through a series of chuckles, thick chassis reverberating from the laughter. Before the howitzer could be loaded again, he'd already reached into the bag of tricks fastened to his back. Roadcharge wouldn't have known it, but the servo was staying in the bag idly until he'd receive further instruction.
Mourn, much faster and more agile- with the added advantage of having the high ground; dry, and easier to work with- had ducked to the side long before Roadcharge had turned to acknowledge. His energy rifle had overheated from the first shot; it's largest disadvantage; a massively slow firing rate. It was a large sacrifice to pay for having the power and kick behind it that it did, but it made up for it by also being relatively lightweight and easy to handle- nothing compared to the howitzer that was keeping Roadcharge in the thick marsh.
"Does he just? Ah- and accusing us of having shot first," Mourn managed to scoff a retort to his partner's comment. "Big 'n bahd, ai'd say! But heh's all talk, heh heh."
"I did give you a chance. Twice, for a peaceful resolution," Mourn said, his voice's tone having adopted a more skeptical tone. Cackler's charge aside, if the mech had simply responded to his initial transmission, then this would have been over and done with by now. "Cs," he followed up with a cryptic, quick and concise command to his partner. Cackler knew what he meant by the code, and immediately went to action.
Cackler, trudging slowly to the side to give himself a better position, pulled out a servo full of small, seemingly harmless cherry bombs from his bag. Against the larger, well armored opponent this seemed a fruitless endeavor. Just as the next round of the howitzer was loaded, Cackler let his sore arm fling forward, and the load of small bombs were sent into the air just as the howitzer unloaded its next shell. Simultaneously ducking and rolling to the side, through the thick mud of the wetlands, Cackler chuckled heartily- and the explosives all went off.
The cherry bombs had seen to their intended purpose just as Mourn had known they would, and the howitzer shell blew prematurely when it had hit and subsequently activated the first of the small cluster. The fireball was close to Cackler, but with his lazy roll to the side and his chassis coated in cool, wet mud, he'd been spared most of the damage. It was as if his armor had barely been singed, this time, though the shell had managed to clean his armor dry of the wet subterfuge coating it.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 28, 2015 1:14:56 GMT
'scuse me, but a threat ain't peaceful. Roadcharge said as his howitzer began loading another shell. Not wanting to wait things out however, he quickly swung the weapon over his back and grabbed the base of the handle for his melee weapon. As he pulled it over, the weapon lit up and engaged the rocket engines mounted on the back end. Almost like a mockery of Cackler, he began to chuckle. The large heavy rocket mace hummed in his servos, begging to swing into something. And Roadcharge was happy to oblige.
Suddenly shifting and breaking into a dash, Roadcharge moved towards Mourn to strike. His heavy pedes pounced the mud below Jim, splashing it into the air and leaving clear tracks in his wake. The weapon lit up even brighter as he shifted her servo slightly in the handle, controlling it's thrust as he prepared to strike. As he drew close enough, he swung the weapon upwards before delivering a swing immediately downward. Should the weapon miss Mourn, it would still shake the could and leave a small crater.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 28, 2015 1:28:21 GMT
While Cackler rebounded from the small impact of the blast, grappling in the mud with his own ungainly chassis and drawing closer in slow, steady strides toward solid ground, Mourn was all too happy to oblige their opponent in one-on-one melee combat.
To put it mildly, Roadcharge had made a mistake.
Swinging his projectile weapon over a shoulder to once again find its place flat against his back, Mourn drew his own melee weapon in the same motion. His speed allowed him to see the slow charge of the heavy rocket mace and adjust himself accordingly, dashing to the side to avoid the impact of the hammer, and pushing his peds off the ground just high enough so that the impact wouldn't shake his stance. His free servo folded behind his back, and up close Roadcharge would have been able to see his surprisingly upright, almost gentlemanly posture; the servo holding his melee weapon, a much faster, more precise and elegant weapon- the rapier- was quick as a flash in its counter attack. Before the mace had even hit the ground, the rapier had made several quick, sharp stabs at the few visible gaps in Roadcharge's armor. Mourn was the superior swordsman of the two, and so long as he'd match Roadcharge's speed and surpass the speed of his slower weapon, he'd continue to hold the higher ground.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 28, 2015 2:02:43 GMT
Grinning behind his facemask, Roadcharge shifts underlying plates of armor in an attempt to clamp down and catch the end of the rapier during one of the rapid strikes. If he caught the mech's sword, it would likely force Mourn to either let go or break the end off of his blade. Either way would help even this battle out against his opponent, and make taking at least one of them out easier. He knew he was losing, knew he should have brought a gatling gun or his dual maces.
Regardless, he hefted up his rocket mace, and engaged the thrusters as he swung vertically towards Mourn, letting the engines accelerate the head of the weapon up to 60 miles per hour towards his target. If the initial swing missed, he would let his torso continue to rotate, and shift into a whirlwind attack against Mourn. Things were going pretty bad, but he was hoping for a moment to use plan B.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 28, 2015 2:12:00 GMT
Mourn's facial expressions seemed to be coming in an abundance today, and a rare smile flashed briefly across his faceplates. The rapier snapped cleanly near the middle of the long, thin blade, but Mourn didn't so much mind the loss of one of his two rapiers. His other servo reacted instantly, reaching behind him and bringing the second melee weapon out. His crimson optics observed, and he saw the whirling, vertical attack coming- this time a little too late, perhaps, to dodge it entirely- but he knew how to use it to his advantage.
Meanwhile, Cackler had reached dry ground, and was taking up the daunting task of wiping off the excess, burdensome mud that was weighing his chassis down, still absent from the fight and leaving Mourn to his own devices; he had the utmost confidence in his more intellectual companion, and found this entire endeavor to be quite amusing, apparently, as he hadn't ceased laughing yet.
Mourn leapt in a motion that might have, to Roadcharge, appeared to be a feeble attempt to dodge the attack. Though his jump had been powerful, the far superior height and reach of his opponent meant that he hadn't dodged it entirely. The mace clipped one of his peds, and Mourn winced in response to the sharp pain. But, as he'd been matching the direction of the swing, the hit hadn't been as bad as it might have been had Roadcharge landed a solid slam on Mourn's chest- and Mourn, to what he was certain would be his opponent's surprise, landed his other ped on the mace, pushing off of it. He managed to stay in the air long enough to make a strong, solid stab toward Roadcharge. At the angle he stood, the stab was aimed right for Roadcharge's back.
If it struck true, it would lodge into the mech's weaker back plating; Mourn saw the advantage of this, not because of any prior knowledge of Roadcharge's weaker back plating, but because of the injury he'd already sustained there by Mourn's energy rifle.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Jul 28, 2015 2:35:04 GMT
Mourn may have had the accuracy and skill to aim for the damaged spot on Roadcharge's back, but the mech's whirlwind attack kept the momentum and rotation if his torso going. As he swing back, facing Mourn with his upper body, he used his strength to raise the weapon and attempt again at hitting his target. For once Roadcharge felt what it's like to be a small step ahead in a fight, though he knew it wouldn't last.
He knew the other mech was coming, and was figuring out what to do. If he could take out the smarter one, he'd have a chance to win this fight. He could easily outrun the other one and keep distance while using his howitzer. But until then, he was in a losing fight.
|
|
|
|
Post by TG-Mourn || TG-Cackler on Jul 28, 2015 2:51:25 GMT
Cursing himself silently in the brevity of the moment just between his realization of his mistake and the moment Roadcharge's mace struck true, right in Mourn's core, the body of the tactician was sent flying. It hit the dirt, bouncing once, and thankfully steering clear of the swamp. The mech could feel the pain of the impact, and armor plates were cracked, some shattered completely, though overall he was left fully functional. The grip on his rapiers had loosened, and they were sent flying farther than his body had, the undamaged sword several feet from his helm, the broken several more feet beyond that. Rethinking, biting through the pain of the impact as he recovered, Mourn considered how to approach the brute force of this tall neutral mech.
Cackler had reached his opponent. Several long strides away from Roadcharge, Cackler's deep, gravelly chuckling was joined now by the faint crackle of a lit flame. The mech had taken his time in getting back into action, and it showed in the cygar hanging- lit, with puffs of smoke ascending from it- from his intake. He'd put his hammer away, and instead the container on his back that he'd previously drawn cherry bombs from was held firmly in his grasp.
"Hah, aih was wrong. Seems tah me like yer talk and yer bite ahre the same, after all," Cackler said amusingly through puffs of his cygar.
A servo was already digging into the bag, ripping out of it with a few frag grenades in grasp, and then flinging them at the large mech. They might have been average explosives, but the frag grenades were nothing to be scoffed at; even for a large mech, the shrapnel, the fire, debris, and impact of the explosives could be devastating- especially with Cackler standing, far enough away that the frag grenades would only spray his chassis with dirt, lobbing them constantly at his opponent. His servo didn't cease. After the first cluster of three frag grenades, he dug once again into the bag to take a hold of three more, ambling to the side to change position between throws just at the right moment to ensure that his change in position couldn't be seen by Roadcharge through the blast of the frag grenades. It was a perfectly timed attack that Cackler had mastered through his life of long, arduous battles; lob, allow earth-shattering, disorienting impact, and then reposition to repeat the process again.
|
|
|
Colossus
•
Avacon
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Gender: Male
|
Post by Colossus on Aug 7, 2015 16:23:06 GMT
Grinning behind his facemask, Roadcharge began to advance towards Mourn, wanting to finish the job and let his friend know to back off. He shifted his grip on the handle of his weapon, preparing it for another swing. His heavy armor rattled as the layered plates drew further from each other, enabling him to move slightly faster. He was going to enjoy this.
As he got near, he heard Cackler, and then the rustling and tossing of frag grenades. Instinctively his armor shifted to be in better resistance to blasts, but preventing him from moving momentarily. The blasts shook his frame, but he wasn't disabled by them. Grunting, he quickly transformed into a heavy Cybertronian treaded vehicle, and floored it. Even if it wasn't his hammer, he was still gonna try to hit Mourn.
|
|
|