Mountains of Magnus - Treacherous Peaks

[Foxfire]

Darkfire stepped aside from her sculpture to reveal an intricately detailed statue of the master. The detail was practically flawless, and it was crafted of the blue energon crystals. She noted for the first time and with some irritation that Kol kept calling her mistress. Blessed? She was anything but! Well, maybe blessed in a way that helped her curse. A bit of dark irony there. It would've made Darkfire chuckle if she didn't have bigger fish to fry.

"First off," the assassin said, crossing her arms, "Stop calling me mistress. It's annoying. We're colleagues. Equals. And I am not going to start referring to you as master. Got it? "

"Second, do not tell anyone about this place or I hunt you down to the ends of the universe, and I will kill you. But...I guess I'll have to trust you until then."

"Third....thanks."

Turning toward the ship, Darkfire walked over to it with her arms still crossed. She wondered what sort of things Kol was up to. Might be interesting to join in on the fun.

"Let's get going."

[Laser]

Kol watched his sassy new acquaintance hustle off towards the ship. It was going to be hard for him to stop calling her mistress. It was a 400 year old habit. Still, he had aggravated her, and he didn't want that. Kicking up a bit of dirt, he shrugged and followed her towards the ship.

"....."

[Foxfire]

As the two assassins approached, the master stood waiting at the loading ramp of the ship. He bowed respectfully to the two, which was reciprocated by Darkfire. The master smiled and gestured to the inside of the ship.

"I took the liberty of loading the promised energon to hasten your departure. It was a pleasure meeting you, Kol, and Darkfire, I hope to see you again."

Darkfire allowed a hint of a smile on her face and nodded to her old friend. It vanished as she clapped her hands together and glanced over to her new partner. It was strange to think of him like that, but she had no real reason to go off on her own as of yet. Laser was no doubt furious at the discovery of Foxfire's injury. She supposed that he would come to hunt her down at some time or another. Not a thought that she particularly relished. Nothing that couldn't be handled, though she hoped that it wouldn't come down to a fight. There wasn't a need if matters could be settled without violence.

Darkfire considered sending a private communique to the Guardian. What would she even say? She could simply state that the attacker had been dealt with, and, in a way, she had. Perhaps. It was worth considering anyway.

"Likewise, master. Let's go, Kol."

Darkfire boarded the ship and sat in the pilot's seat once more. She only intended to fly the ship out of the deathtrap cavern, then Kol would take over. She would probably be bound for Kol's initial destination, but she didn't really mind. Better than reporting in to that goon of a commander, Rexacon. She waited for Kol to board.

[Laser]

Kol waved goodbye to the kind old cybertronian. He would never see him again, he was sure of it. It was good to meet with such a person, someone whose good radiated off of his body like a glow. To even be in the presence of such a bot for an instant could leave a lasting impression on the most dimwitted of cybertronians. He had helped Darkfire, and might have done a world of good. Now, he was going to do a world of bad.

The hatch closed and the ship automatically revved up. Kol walked into the cockpit and flipped a few switches, and Nightrunner began to rise up and away. He did not sit. He simply took in the view of the place as much as he could, before it was sealed from him forever. As they rose higher and higher away, Kol checked a bit of information sent to him at his private terminal. It was time to contact Rexacon.

"Darkfire, I know not why you where out in these mountains, and it is none of my business. You may or may not still have allegiance to the Decepticon, however it matters not. There are a series of upcoming events I will be orchestrating that cannot be complete without your help. No one will ever question your allegiance, and I will cover up your past deed. If you decide to help me, I will award you 500,000 credits--you will receive half of that upfront."

Kol headed off towards the war room. "We have a meeting in about 10 minutes. If your answer is yes, then please meet me inside. We have a lot to discuss."

[Foxfire]

Darkfire gazed out at the cavern. She didn't know when or if she could ever return, but she'd never forget. Never. The assassin steered them out of the caverns, the skylight not being large enough to fly a ship through safely, and listened as Kol spoke. An interesting proposition. For years while living on the streets, Darkfire had been a mercenary. That had ended when she had joined the Decepticons.

But now...it might not be a terrible idea to resume that work. However, keeping ties with the Decepticons would probably be the wisest course of action at the moment. Coming to a decision, Darkfire rose, and turned toward the war room. Whatever lay in wait for the assassin, she would meet it and adjust accordingly. Every problem, a solution.

Darkfire headed toward the war room. She rested her hand on the door for a moment, then went inside.

"Let's get started."

[Laser]

Kol looked up to see Darkfire enter the room. He was glad she would work with him. He needed the best for this mission, and he didn't think there was anyone on the planet that could match her qualities. He beckoned her over to a chair on the other side of the table, and then uploaded his hologram to the the Kokular war room. With a bow, he began.

"Hello, for those who don't know me, I am Kol. I believe that the answer to taking Iacon is not only the cliche method of baiting and infiltrating, but an advanced combination of both, interlocking and reacting off of each other. Done correctly, and with my help, the city will fall in minutes, with less than a 10% chance of failure. The following aerial images are courtesy of CyberScan™ Satellites Inc., let's get started."

Kol uploaded a massive grid of Iacon, and highlighted three major sections. "Iacon is a tough nut to crack, and is the most heavily guarded city in all of Cybertron. It is in a state of chaos at the moment, and, at a psychological level, in bad shape. My sources indicate over 6,000 troops ready to defect on my command. It's all about how we use them based on the geography of the city. As you can see here, it's nothing more than a massive cube. The outer walls form a square. If you look inside, the High Council Autobot Enforcer Headquarters from somewhat of a circle about the city, in order to balance out the sectors. The walls of the city are tangent to the circle. If you look even closer, the three communications towers form a triangle inside of the circle, the sides being secant to the circle. This is important, because I have divided the tasks of each of our officers based on this geometrical formations."

"I have chosen the number 6 for our reference number. Every six minutes, an important change or edge will be given to us on the battlefield, but it will always ride on how precise and consistent everyone can be. Time is of the essence. If one fails to deliver, we will all die. I have configured the tasks so that we will take the city in 8 intervals of six. 48 minutes. Now that we all understand, we can break it down now."

"Darkfire, I will need your stealth and expertise to infiltrate and access the communications towers. There are three main towers. Duron, Tetron, and Echcon. All the towers control massive amounts of information, such as roadways, air traffic, and public networking. Inside of each tower, near the top, is a Keeper. Keepers are cybertronians that have committed themselves to becoming part of the living organism that is the city. They have literally connected themselves to the system; they are infused! More information runs through them than anything in the Galaxy. Because of their power, they will see you coming before you even get inside, and will place all data on lockdown. You must find a way to remove the Keepers from the system WITHOUT killing them first, and then shut down Air Traffic Control and emergency data, and of course, damage the power systems in the respective third. Most importantly, block the roads leading to the Northern and Western walls of Iacon. Don't worry about the eastern or southern walls, or the train system. There will be civilians there, and we can't hurt them. You will be given a six minute window to remove the Keeper, and a six minute window to reach the next tower. You will need to be faster than you ever have flown, so will need something to boost your adrenaline. Using a booster--" Kol pulled out three cylinders of the drug, "--your energon levels will skyrocket. They sensation is far from terrible, and the crash is relaxing, but you must focus will all your strength upon arrival. If you kill the Keeper while it is attached to the system, we will never be able to access the data without the brief access window, and we will failed before we even started. I know you will find a way."

"Rexacon, you are the muscle. Because Iacon is such a great city, there is no need to stretch our forces around every wall. We need to be as solid as possible. So that is why I suggest a two front battle, with the focus being on the northern and western walls. The Autobots will not fully commit to just those sides, but once they realize their mistake, it will be too late. Every six minutes, you will call in an airstrike on any selected area, but be as random as possible. I would suggest Mistress Deathdancer make the calls on where the airstrikes be placed, being that she is a tactician. Rexacon, because you are out in the open, you are in danger of the Guardian. If everyone does not move promptly, you and your men will be bombed and/or wiped out. You need establish anti aircraft weapons prior to the attack. My sources have scouted exceptional places for this artillery....I will send them to you now."

"Deathdancer, Bunker, and Blackout will function as a mega unit throughout the inside circle of the city, and will lay ambush sieges upon the Enforcer Headquarters found along the way. This will be at random, and the directions will or will not change based on the decision of tactician. There are only 5 intervals, however, but the force being commanded their will be MASSIVE. Bunker will lead aftermath airstrikes after the initial airstrike that Rexacon sends on Deathdancers order. This will cripple forces before they have a chance to set up. Blackout will then act as a mega wall of destruction as Mistress Deathdancer and her elite teams take out the officials. However, none of them can get inside until Darkfire takes down at least one of the towers, that way air traffic will not detect them landing in the respective third."

"We need a small elite force for diversion purposes. This does not mean go to the Undergrid. I cannot make it any more clear, stay out of the Undergrid. Period. There is no use for any of you to be there, especially if our forces will struggle above ground. I think the young master who helped us kill Zeta, the one with the sniper rifle? If he could be located, he would be allowed to go after a major prize: Optimus Prime. He probably won't be successful, but that's not the point. Any frustration or irritation we can offer can be much appreciated."

"My sources have sabotaged and pillaged many resources belonging to the Autobot Enforcers in such a way that it will blow up in their faces. But we need to fully understand this concept of time. I have an easy to follow timeline made especially for those as meticulous as myself." Kol uploaded the timeline:

Clock Starts - 6th minute
-Darkfire arrives at Duron. Removes Keeper and shuts down said systems
-Rexacon begins siege at the beginning of the clock, sending the first airstrike at the sixth minute
-Troops defect at 6th minute

7th - 12th minute
-Darkfire uses booster and heads off for the second tower, Tetron. She will arrive at the 12th minute
-Rexacon's forces will double from defected troops. The front line will move closer inside the city. The next airstrike will be called on the 12th minute.
-Traffic will begin to back up near the eastern wall.
-Transport ships will approach the city, containing Blackout, Bunker, and Deathdancer, including a great bulk of troops.

13th - 18th minute
-Darkfire removes keeper and shuts down said systems.
-Rexacon's forces will increase and he will advance even further through the western and northern walls. There, he will gain access to AA weapons my sources have set up. This will be the last line of defense for the walls. Unfortunately, if everything is done correctly, then the Guardian will most likely emerge. Take caution. On the 18th minute, Deathdancer will request Rexacon's next Airstrike.
-Deathdancer, Bunker, and Blackout will touchdown and immediately begin their first attack. Trust me that you will not receive must resistance....I will see to that.
-Traffic will back up near the southern wall

19th - 24th minute
-Darkfire uses the booster and arrives at the third tower, Echcon. She will arrive at the 24th minute.
-Rexacon's forces will break through the wall and begin making their way through the city, towards the center of the city, the citadel.
-Bunker, Deathdancer, and Blackout will or will not change direction while cycling through the circle. On the 24th minute, Deathdancer will request the next airstrike.
-Traffic will completely be congested at the eastern and southern walls, nothing will access the city from those points. The Autobots will realize we have no interest in those sides. By then, it will be too late.

25th - 30th minute
-Darkfire will remove the last Keeper and shut down said systems. The city will go into blackout afterwards, and Darkfire can return to the front lines, linking up with Rexacon's forces and helping escort him to the center of the city, towards the citadel.
-Bunker, Deathdancer and Blackout will or will not change direction while cycling through the circle. On the 30th minute, Deathdancer will request the next airstrike.

31st - 36th minute
-Darkfire and Rexacon will have almost reached the Citadel. It is here that Rexacon's forces will break off a bit, and Darkfire will take the initiative to throw the Autobots off the scent. Communications will be down, so this shouldn't be a problem.
-Bunker, Deathdancer, and Blackout will seperate and break away into the respective thirds of each tower, and will prepare to converge on the citadel. Airstrikes will be given on the 36th minute.

37th - 42th minute
-Darkfire's forces will attack the citadel and engage it's primary forces.
-Rexacon will begin advancing, but stay far enough back as to not alert Autobots....he will wait for the attack.
-The three in the inner circle must get as FAR away from the towers as fast as possible. They will converge on the citadel as quickly as possible. NO delay.

43th - 48th minute
-Rexacon will swarm the Citadel after the 48th minute, with Deathdancer, Bunker, and Blackout's forces
-Endgame, Iacon will fall.

"Follow this, and I will handle the rest. My agenda is complicated, you need only worry about your tasks. Not all of us will survive this battle, but will emerge victorious as long as everyone is responsible. If one of us dies, another will assume control of our unit. Time is very important, people. If you have any questions or concerns, now is the time." Kol patiently waited for the reply.

[Rexacon]

Rexacon and the other officers all began talking to discuss the plan that Kol had provided. Some didn't like that a drone was able to come up with such a plan. Others were thinking on how he was able to acquire such knowledge and resources. Rexacon was mixed between as a decision to follow this plan was hard. All the officers turned as they nodded to Megatron. Rexacon turned around as his hologram faced Kol.

"Very well Kol, your plan on invading iacon will be followed. However, if the plan turns out to be disaster then we will go through with our secret weapon. So you better hope this work."

[Laser]

"The plan will only fail if you and the rest of the participants fail to comprehend and adhere. Use whatever means necessary, but do let up on the front line, and do not lose track of the time. Assemble the troops, ready formations, and prepare your aircraft. The invasion will begin in 15 hours. Get to your places by then. Til' next time." Kol shut off the hologram and wiped his face in frustration. He'd seen the body language and the way the generals had received him. What was so wrong with him? Why was he so different? What was wrong with drones? Questions he had asked himself for centuries....but he had to push on. He had gone to the Mountains and dealt with those who had treated him poorly--permanently. But he could not do that in this situation. He could only prove himself, like he'd done time and time and time again.

He then reached an epiphany. Why try to please others? He'd simply do what Kol wanted to do. He'd do things the way Kol would do them. And he wouldn't give a damn what others think. He would just bow to them respectfully and state his opinion. Kol stepped forward and flipped a few switched on a board, and a large green button emerged from the surface. He mashed the button harshly, and spoke out a clear message that would reach a selected amount of individuals....

>>Inner Circle participants, the Formula has been approved. All operations are a go. Representatives rendezvous at the agreed coordinates, relay this message to the essential teams. Team Theta, the AA guns are a positive, expect company. The clock starts in approximately 15 hours. Everything must be ready. Kol out.<<

[Rexacon]

Darkfire watched as Kol had explained the plan to Rexacon and the other officials. An interesting plan in taking Iacon, but hearing Rexacon and the other officials response makes it sound like they didn't like it. Maybe it was the fact that he was a drone coming up with a plan and having the resources that ticked them off. How amusing, Darkfire was gonna see how this'll end up. After the meeting was over, Darkfire got out her weapons and starts preparing them for the mission coming up. She looked at Kol as the ship headed to its destination.

"So Kol, where you get the resources to come up with this operation?"

[Laser]

"Someone owed me a favor", said he, and he left it at that. "We have one stop to make before we head to Iacon. We have to meet the members of the Circle. They also will be the ones paying you your first installment, so I'm sure they would love to meet you." He handed her the boosters and walked out of the war room, eventually reaching the cockpit and plugging in the coordinates for the rendezvous point...