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Chapter 14 - Sniping The Decepticon Way

Final part in my Space Bridge trilogy.

Transformers (c) Hasbro
Gundog (c) Direwolf505
Blue Falcon (c) countramsely
Roadtrain (c) Flankfire
Everything else (c) me

Chapter 14 - Sniping The Decepticon Way

Chapter 14 - Sniping The Decepticon Way
Gygax

Flare stared down and into the battle. The skirmish had fast been reduced to an all-out fire-fight, with only the bravest and fool-hardiest of the Autobots and Decepticons pressing forward and comming together in hand-to-hand combat amongst the heavy crossfire. She knew she was much too weak to survive such a fight in one piece. She'd thought herself lucky when she came across a felled defence pylon, the turret that was once sat atop its peak still in barely working order. A few crossed wires had been pulled and rearranged and the machine had laborously hummed back into life, yellow lights pulsing gently and lazily up the barrel. She had a death grip on both pistol grips. She looked into the mess below through the yellowed crosshairs. She'd fired a couple of shots into the fight, trying to get the feel for the hulking weapon. She heaved it around on its bent stand. It was heavy and creaking at the joints that allowed it to rotate and adjust position. But it still worked. That's all that matters. She found Burnout. He was surrounded by the Autobot reinforcements and was now struggling to cope. Crash was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't even get a signal through anymore. Turbulance was still swooping and circling above, making the airborne Autobot's targeting a nightmare.
''Open fire on the Constructicons blocking the pipes.'' Turbulance transmitted.
His voice shook her back to reality and everything seemed to speed back up and grow louder. The noise was horrendous; borderline deafening. She swung the turret around, trying to locate the Constructicons in question. She finally located them and watched them pile large chunks of scrap metal into the maw of an over-flow pipe.
''They're Decepticons, though!'' She transmitted in confusion when she spotted the deep purple insignias on the mechs.
''They're traitors to the Decepticon cause! They're deserters and need to be taught a lesson; now OPEN FIRE!'' He rumbled irritably and swooped low into the chaos, trailing destruction.
A shudder ran through her systems and a plume of steam escaped her mouth. The day was dragging on and was getting mercilessly hot. Curse these Cybertronian summers! She spat bitterly in the back of her mind. A yelp and a curse caught her attention as a familiar voice rose above the din only to be quickly drowned out again. It was all she needed though.

She swung the cannon around and opened fire. She didn't hear Turbulance complain. She was hitting her targeted Autobots, albeit not of the Constructicon variety. Limbs were shredded and a torso exploded in a burst of electricity, metal and Energon. The ion cannon was still going strong. She struck out at another target. The large Autobot howled and collapsed into the throng where it lay jittering and unable to function correctly. She hissed in triumph. Crash now had an open shot, the Autobots she'd been firing at having rapidly and momentarily dispersed from the unexpected volley.
''FLARE!''
''What d'you want?'' She growled irritably at the familiar voice that had suddenly made itself present.
''I want you stop this and listen to me-!''
She cast a glare at her brother who hovered near-by, just out of range and sight of the battle. His voice trailed away at her expression, his words fading with his hope.
''Why should I listen to you?'' She growled, her grip on the controls tightening.
''Because I'm your brother!'' He tried weakly.
''HA!'' She snorted. ''You're a coward! You abandoned me! YOU LEFT ME TO DIE!'' She screamed, her voice shaking with anger. ''You're no brother of mine.''
Those final words came as a dangerously low growl.
''Flare....?''

Solar started to back away cautiously as his sister heaved on the gun, turning it around. The gaping, smoking maw of the barrel was now pointed at him. Something within its depths started to glow. Then realisation hit him full-force and he dived out of the way. Sharp pain registered hotly in his left shoulder and the scent of burnt metal played at the edges of his olfactory sensors. He landed heavily and skittered out of the way of another shot.
''Flare, stop! Please!'' He pleaded. ''I really don't wanna fight you!'' He pleaded, trying to ignore the pain.
His left arm fell limp and useless. It was a lucky shot that had severed and melted several important wires in the joint.
''Then you'll die without honor! Which is fine by me.'' She grinned cruelly and took aim once more.
Solar lept deftly into the air, his afterburners flaring. Flare had him in her crosshairs, finger on the trigger. There was a flash of silver. Energon spattered in to the air and Solar jerked, falling back down, landing with a clatter. Flare's finger hovered over the trigger as she looked on in curiosity at her felled brother squirming around on the ground, trying to heave a length of pipe from his chest.
''What...?'' She muttered in bemusement.
Then she heard a familiar grumbling. Behind where Solar was fidgeting desperately and cursing, the bulky figure of Roadtrain; battered and scarred, joints sparking and a trail of Energon dribbling steadily from a seam between his abdominal armour rose up and onto the embankment they were stood on. He ignored Flare completely, instead walking up to her brother. Solar froze mid-struggle, a hand clamped firmly around the pipe that was protruding from his chest, slick with vital fluids.
''Slag.'' Roadtrain growled bitterly. ''A few inches out from the Spark...''
A large foot landed heavily on Solar's chest and an equally big hand gripped the sharpened pipe. Roadtrain tore it from the young Autobot's body. He proceeded to add more weight, the armour buckling and groaning under the pressure, as did its wearer. Roadtrain looked up at Flare. He then looked the cannon over before casting a glance at the battle below. There was no sign of Krusher. He dismissed it and looked back to Flare.

''I suggest you ignore the small-rivets,'' He said, gesturing at her groaning brother, ''and turn that thing on the big guys down below.''
''Uh...'' Flare looked from her brother and out into the battle once more.
Deadmetal and Turbulance had now both gone from the sky, having fell in a tangle of limbs trying to rip each other's heads off.
''Well? What're you waiting for? Megatron to sign a peace treaty?'' He cackled and lumbered off back down the embankment and into the fray, weilding his makeshift spear with the determination and ferocity of the damned.
Just on the edge of vision, as she spun the heavy weapon back around to point into the crowd below, she saw her brother stir. He rolled on to his front and pushed himself upright. He stood and swayed on the spot for a moment, watching his sister.
''Why're you doing this?'' He asked.
She ignored him and took aim.
''What lies did they spin you?''
She pulled the trigger and an Autobot fell.
''You can't seriously believe that they're the ones who're fighting for peace and justice and that the Autobots are the evil ones?''
Another Autobot was stricken. Burnout raised a foot and smashed the felled mech's head to pieces. She removed a hand from a pistol grip and pointed the balled fist at her brother. A gun formed atop her forearm.
''Shut up.'' She growled and fired.
The EMP hit Solar square in the head. His blue optics flickered then went out. He fell to the ground and Flare continued with her high-powered sniping.


''You got an enemy base to capture, right?'' Ironhide shouted over the din.
A Decepticon his own size charged him. The old Autobot grabbed his arm and swung him around, forcing the Decepticon to continue on by at an uncontrolled rate. Ironhide chuckled deeply as he caught the Decepticon collide with two more at the edge of his vision, bringing them down in a tangle of alloyed limbs and curses. Raid swung around beside him, bringing a fist up and brutally beating another into submission, before releasing the pain of his primary cannon upon its head. The Decepticon forces were now quickly thinning. They were either being reduced to scrap or were retreating.
''If you think you and your squad can handle this, then I'll gladly take my leave.'' Raid replied and fired at a fleeing Decepticon.
Ironhide did the same.
''We like challenges.'' He grinned.
''Autobot unit 231, re-group and move out! We're taking Krusher's place now!'' Raid transmitted at large to all Autobots, not quite knowing who was who anymore.
''Constructicons, go with Raid. And for the love of Primus, Behave and watch your new teammate's backs!'' Galaxy transmitted. ''I'm staying put, big guy. I currently have Krusher in a whole new world of pain right now.''
Ironhide cast a look at Raid, who shrugged.
''Quite a mech you got yerself, there.'' He commented and let off several more rounds, watching in glee as the gaggle of fleeing Decepticons scattered.
''That would be a mildly polite way of putting it.'' Raid replied blankly.
''Permission to stay sir, on the basis that I can't exactly walk right now!'' Gundog transmitted, a slight humourous tone edging his voice.
''Do what the hell you want, Gunner, so long as you get back fairly intact and functioning.''

Raid cast a look around, battering a smaller Decepticon from his body as he did so.
''I look forward to readin' your report!'' Ironhide grinned wolvishly over his shoulder.
''Don't you always?''
Raid then waded off through the chaos, keeping as low as possible. Just because the battle was thinning, didn't mean that all Decepticons were retreating or dead. He saw Deadmetal rise from a pile of bodies and various other pieces of metallic wreckage. The Autobot looked battered and worn out, but he still held himself high, ready to take on the proverbial hoard.
''Flashpoint?!'' Raid shouted.
The medical officer scurried out from his cover, shooting as he moved. He then proceeded to dive back into cover, crouching behind a piece of the twisted bridge that Deadmetal, Gundog and Raid were now hiding behind. Raid cast a look at Gundog's legs. The damaged mech grinned manically.
''Told you the damage ain't that bad!'' He said with a smile.
An ion pulse streaked over head.
''Keep an optic on Galaxy. Don't let her leave you behind and don't let any remaining 'Cons sneak attack her, understood?'' Raid said.
''Completely!'' Gundog sketched a quick salute, sparks flitting from his elbow joint.
Deadmetal was looking around as was Flashpoint.
''Where's Blue Falcon and Solar?'' Flashpoint asked after a moment.

There was pause then Deadmetal said: ''Found Falcon! He's trying his luck with Crash!''
Four sets of Autobot optics peered carefully over the top of the chunk of bridge. Indeed, Blue Falcon was running circles around Crash, but he wasn't getting in enough hits to be of any serious danger to the spikey Decepticon. Crash was skilled and had been one of the first mechs to sign up to the Decepticon cause. He was quite easily fending off the younger Autobot as he fought his way through the hoards of remaining Autobots, seemingly only keeping him around for amusement's sake.
''He's gonna kill him before long.'' Gundog muttered.
''He's not responding to my transmissions.'' Deadmetal grunted.
''Nor mine. Headstrong little scrote.'' Gundog added.
''He's got some skill, I'll give him that. Determination, too. But it's not enough to bring down someone like Crash.'' Flashpoint said solemnly.
''I'll go get him.'' Deadmetal sighed. ''Stay here and cover me, yeah?''
''Try not to waste too much energy. We still have another objective to tackle yet.'' Raid said as Deadmetal bounded over their make-shift defense and transformed into vehicle mode.
Small vortexes of fine debris and soot whirled up in his wake as he moved forward, towards Blue Falcon.
''I'm comming to get you, whether you like it or not!'' Deadmetal growled.
''Not yet, I've nearly got him!'' Blue Falcon replied, then was promptly swatted away by Crash.
''You irritating little insect!'' He growled. ''Why don't you just curl up and die like the others?!''

A weapon was brought to bear, Blue Falcon firmly within Crash's crosshairs. A deep green and black Cybertronian helicopter dropped from the sky, a set of thin, un-armoured arms emerging from its hull. Deadmetal heaved Blue Falcon off the ground just as Crash's plasma shot slammed into the ground where his head had been. Crash then toppled backwards with an electronic shriek as liquid fire exploded on his chest armour.
''What're you doing?!'' Blue Falcon shouted as he squirmed in Deadmetal's grip.
''We've got more to do and we need more than three mechs to do it! Now stop fidgeting and behave!'' Deadmetal growled angrily. ''You've already pushed your luck by ignoring a direct order!''
Blue Falcon then stopped squirming. He saw Raid and Flashpoint running from the basin. He also saw Flare manning an old ion cannon and Roadtrain walking grimly into the fray below. Blue Falcon took aim but was halted from pulling the trigger by Deadmetal.
''Take aim on Flare. That cannon can do more damage than Roadtrain can.'' He said. ''And anyway, why in the name of Primus am I carrying you?''
''Uh...''
''Nevermind. Just take out the slaggin' cannon before it takes us out!''
Flare had re-directed her aim at the two Autobots. She pulled the trigger. The shot exploded halfway across the gap. Deadmetal and Blue Falcon wobbled and tilted in the air as the shockwave caused by Blue Falcon's dead-aim hit them. Then they both fired simultaneously. Flare dove from the cannon and swooped away, towards Burnout who was barking orders at any surrounding Decepticons. The cannon exploded, scattering its components across the embankment.

''What a shot!'' Blue Falcon said triumphantly, pumping his fist.
''Hey! W atch it!''
''Sorry.''
''We've located Solar.'' Flashpoint transmitted. ''He's damaged but still functioning enough to help. We're now heading back across the boarder to re-take the trading station.''
''We're on our way.'' Deadmetal replied. ''Car or helicopter, I don't care. Just follow orders this time, understood soldier?''
''Yessir!''
Once over the embankment, Deadmetal came low, releasing his grip on Blue Falcon. He tucked his arms back into his hull as the younger Autobot rolled deftly across the ground, shrouding himself with his vehicle mode as he did so. They both raced to catch up with the others, leaving Galaxy and her Constructicons behind to help Ironhide clean up.

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