ALLEGIANCE: Decepticon
SUB-GROUP: Phoenix Corps
FUNCTION: Elite Commando Leader/Tactician
"Survival of the fittest; destruction of the rest!"
Tempest was once a quiet, shy little robot living on the neutral colony of Kilair. That all changed when a Decepticon named Brigand and his squadron of raiders blitzed the city and murdered most of the inhabitants. One of the handful of survivors, Tempest looked at the devastation around her and saw only the fulfillment of Darwinian survival--to the mighty go the spoils.
Tempest believes that the Autobots are soft and weak, whereas the Decepticons are strong and more intelligent. It is, therefore, the Decepticons' duty to destroy the Autobots in order to claim their rightful destiny and keep the Cybertronian race powerful enough to survive. But she has little attachment to the Decepticon cause. She does not believe in higher ideals; they are only a means to disguise the truth, which is pure animalistic survival. She sides with the Decepticons purely because she believes they are the more capable survivors.
Rather than blaming Brigand for destroying her homeworld, Tempest feels a sort of gratitude to him for opening her eyes and changing her from an insignificant worker into the terror of the galaxy who has travelled the skyways, sampled the best the universe had to offer, and taken what she liked best to have as her own. She thinks that Kilair essentially asked for its own destruction by neglecting to prepare for an attack.
Tempest's military experience has been learned the hard way...by trial and error. She possesses genuine affection for Phoenix Corps, but has no reservations about being ruthless if that will best serve the interests of the group. She shows no mercy on enemies in battle, since in her mind, sparing the "weak" threatens the viability of the Cybertronian species.
Tempest is the only true Kilairian in Phoenix Corps. Harrier, Beretta and Deuce were picked up in her travels through the scumholes of the galaxy and honed into an elite fighting force; Chopper came to Kilair from an origin elsewhere. Tempest did not invite just anyone to join her unit; prospective members needed highly-developed skills that would complement those of the entire squadron. She also had no qualms about eliminating those who did not get along well within the unit. Tempest believes that this means of choosing a team is far more effective than the gestalt robots, who are forced to keep members in their groups lest the larger robot lose a limb if a certain member is killed.
Tempest's secret loss is that of her "sister" from long, long ago on Kilair...
ABILITIES: Tempest, a Seeker 2B model, can reach top speeds of Mach 2.7. In jet form, she resembles an Earth CF-18 Hornet jet, but is also able to fly in space. She carries two laser cannons mounted on her arms, six missiles in jet form, and a pair of blue longblades in robot form. Those who underestimate her risk their own lives.
WEAKNESSES: Tempest has very few weaknesses. Her greatest error is in discounting the power which emotions have in others' minds. She is often guilty of mirroring, assuming everyone is as vicious and ruthless as she is.
TEMPEST'S THEME SONGS: "I" by Black Sabbath
"...giving nothing, the taker, the maker of war!
I smash your face in--but with a smile... All together, you'll never be stronger than me!
"I am the Storm" by Blue Oyster Cult
TEMPEST DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT: My original concept of the character had her acting much like a Valley Girl--a complete opposite of Stormrave.
CREATING TEMPEST: The "Valley Girl" idea died quickly when I realized what Tempest would have had to have gone through to survive the destruction of Kilair, after she was left behind on the ruined planet. Her life has NOT been pretty. There's a survival spirit in her that refuses to lie down and die, no matter what happens to her. Hardened by her experiences, tortured by inner demons, driven by desperation, Tempest is, in my mind, my most fascinating character.
