Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 12, 2008 21:46:32 GMT -5
Although watching the Decepticon's mining worm take on Omega Supreme had been amusing, and almost beautiful for the destruction and the savagery, Perceptor had not had any desire to embroil himself in that tangle, even to take the occasional pot-shot at the massive Guardian. Omega Supreme, as he had proved by obliterating something, might have most of his attention taken up by Hellbender, but not, by certainly, all of it. And so, Perceptor had altered his course, creeping through the Autobot's city, looking for anything interesting. A smallish garage area had proved distracting for a very short while, clearly having been used by some Cybertronian as a rough hideaway and resting quarters, but the few tools there had been simple and rather utilitarian. Nothing to hold his interest for long. Jazz's transmission reaches him just as he leaves that little hovel behind, making him pause for a moment. // Hm. Duly noted. // Thanks will come in a more concrete and appreciable fashion when next the silver Autobot requires assistance. Provided that Jazz succeeds. Now, on to find something more... intriguing to hold his attention.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 12, 2008 21:57:06 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron has been sloughing off the coating of muck and ash that has been clinging to him as he walks, trying to return to his natural gold and silver and ditch the Nemesis Xaaron look. It leaves a trail of rubbed-off chips, and Emirate Xaaron is aware of it.
They will be retreating soon, and when they do, he doesn't want to be leaving a so-easily tracked trail during his retreat. It better to get it off now.
For another thing, if anyone does bother following the trail right now, he can lead that someone into a trap.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 14, 2008 19:58:17 GMT -5
Hmmm.... now what is this that Perceptor spies in such a convenient little breadcrumb trail? Someone has been playing in the much, and if that faint sparkle of an all too familiar gold clinging stubbornly to a fleck or two of slough-off is any indication...
Perceptor's grip tightens around the dart launcher that suddenly appears in his hands as he stalks off after that trail of shed mud and muck. He'd missed his tormented little subject, he had. Time to see about a replacement.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 14, 2008 20:16:28 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron does look back, now and then, in the middle of leaving his trail of who-knows-what. Now, he looks back around a corner, and he does not like what he sees. A thin frown draws across his face. Emirate Xaaron most certainly does not want an evil Perceptor on the prowl when they have wounded on the ground that are yet to be evacuated. He has heard about that monstrous miscarriage of scientific ethics second hand, but second hand is enough.
Emirate Xaaron knows it must be the mad doctor, for his own Percptor is busy setting up triage. If this is his own Perceptor, he has entirely the wrong idea of what setting up triage means and deserves what Emirate Xaaron says next.
He steps out around the corner, points a finger at Perceptor, and hollers, "Perceptor! You couldn't fill out a grant proposal if you had two research assistants and a post-doc helping!"
He's bold and brash, confident to point of cockiness, and he still stands straight and proud, despite shots all around his shoulders, clear signs of having been partially melted, and sewer muck. This Emirate Xaaron clearly bows to no man, a drastic change from his alternate.
He does, however, duck back around the corner, hoping to lure the demented scientist after him.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 14, 2008 21:01:42 GMT -5
Perceptor's head snaps up sharply, optics narrowed in anger at the taunt. Not his Xaaron at all, then, skulking about amidst the battle, but the other. And so defiant.
This is definitely not Xaaron's Perceptor, for this Perceptor is still fully armed. A lance of light blasts into the corner of the building which Xaaron had just ducked behind. Such a prize this Xaaron would make for Perceptor's dark Prime. Prize enough, perhaps, that Rodimus may even allow Perceptor to participate in the breaking?
Oh, he can only hope. He sets off at a dead run, following the other, pausing only long enough to peer cautiously around corners to avoid running full tilt into the other's line of fire.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 14, 2008 21:16:56 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron suspects he may have run into the only Autobot who is slower than Emirate Xaaron. He is wrong, actually, but he doesn't know that. Either way, he's sprinting now.
Continuing his taunts when he hears the blast impact the corner, Emirate Xaaron shouts, "You couldn't find a root locus if I gave you the poles and zeros of the characteristic equation!"
Careful. Stare into the eyes of a monster too long, and you may become a monster, they say, but what happens when a monster stares into a hunter of monsters? Even Perceptor-3 and Rodimus Prime-3 might find more than they expected if they had this Emirate Xaaron on their hands.
For example, he is heading toward an alley. The evil Mirage's maps would call it trapped. However, Emirate Xaaron has paid especial attention to the traps that they took out and moved, because those are the best things to bait more intelligent foes with, as a smart foe would look at the evil Mirage's assumed report and try to avoid such marked traps.
An observant foe might notice that there is a shortcut - not too obvious but there all the same, a way to cut Emirate Xaaron off before he ever gets out of that alley. A foe who doesn't look around might not notice, but they call this one Perceptor, do they not?
Now that shortcut? Is now trapped. Unlike Runamuck, Emirate Xaaron really can try to use this Perceptor's intelligence against him.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 14, 2008 21:39:57 GMT -5
"And what clever little parrot taught you that bit of vernacular?" Perceptor calls back disparagingly as he follows the fleeing Emirate, taking the occassional shot to continue driving the golden mech before him.
Driving, or... Perceptor slides to a halt, pausing to peer around a corner as he consults the maps Mirage had brought back. Oh, ho. Is that the game Xaaron wished to play, then?
Clever, clever. But not nearly clever enough to try and lure him down into the trap.
A quick duck around that corner to fire off another shot, and then, rather than following, the red scientist slips past that alleyway, dashing over toward another, a shortcut that would allow him to evade the trap noted by their spy and get ahead of the fleeing Emirate.
Perceptor cannot wait to see his expression.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 14, 2008 21:48:59 GMT -5
"Still upset that I failed you in physics, Perceptor?" Emirate Xaaron calls back, a savage grin on his face. He isn't riled, but that Perceptor must be to result to such a juvenile, Terran insult! Emirate Xaaron is probably lying about failing Perceptor in physics, but it is entirely possible that he isn't. It would have been a different Perceptor if he did, of course. "Or was it scientific ethics that you failed?"
He takes a hit to the back that strains his already weakned metal, and his back panel gives way, explosing bared circuitry, already damaged from extreme heat. Emirate Xaaron grunts in pain and runs deeper into the alleyway, looking back to see that he wasn't followed.
Now, did he bait Perceptor into taking that shortcut? He should know soon.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 14, 2008 21:52:49 GMT -5
Perceptor bites back his automatic retort - the echo of it would give his position away, and it is just a bit too soon for that. Once he clears this passageway and breaks out into the cross street that will give him access to that alley, then he can--
His thoughts are interrupted by the crash of his foot breaking through a weakened bit of roadway that he's been dashing down, tripping him up. He barely has time to hiss out the first syllables of a curse when the rumble fills his audios.
The building beside him is crashing down on his head, and too quickly to avoid.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 14, 2008 21:59:12 GMT -5
There is the sound of a building crashing down, and it is music to Emirate Xaaron's audios. Primus, but he hopes that the Gillananese never want this city back.
Emirate Xaaron remarks idly, hopefully loudly enough that Perceptor can hear him across the way and under the rubble, "Never did quite understand the principle of taking the path of least resistance and how it can cause... dangerous shorts." His smirk turns entirely wicked, optics lit a smug, satisfied yellow.
Perceptor is extremely intelligent, and Emirate Xaaron will freely admit that he will never be Perceptor's match as a scientist. As a tactician? Perceptor is somewhat lacking.
Emirate Xaaron moves to be off, lest Perceptor claw his way out or call in a more mobile friend.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 14, 2008 22:20:41 GMT -5
Beyond the pain of crushed plating and of far too much weight bearing down on him, Perceptor feels fury, pure and forthright fury welling up from within. How dare that worthless, pathetic excuse for a bootleg bureaucrat...
The rubble is too heavy to move, at least, to heavy for Perceptor to move by himself. Especially with the manner in which his limbs are pinned as he'd folded in on himself to protect his precious scope. He is stronger than most would give him credit for, but not strong enough to shift the mass unaided. Skyfire might be strong enough, but the explorer is busy, and few others would bother with coming to his air, rather than assisting his pain along.
Fury and more fury, a rage such as that which his alternate would never allow himself to indulge in. He cannot shift it unaided, but there is no reason that he cannot destroy it unaided. And this Perceptor does not deny himself the use of a particular tool when the situation calls for it; he generally just maneuvers happenstance to not need this particular tool.
There is a rumble from beneath the rubble, and the shudder and clack of a rough transformation. Light explodes from the center of the dusty, shattered pile in a lance, burning a tunnel through the stone and plascrete and steel and ceramics. Xaaron is likely long gone, having fled once his trap had been sprung, but that does not stop Perceptor's muted roar of anger as tank treads bear his unfamiliar third mode back to the surface.
He transforms before any of his own can spot him - no need to let them in on his secret - and casts about, expression twisted into one of hate, seeking an errant flash of gold. And if he spots Xaaron, he will tear the city apart to destroy the Emirate.
Otherwise, the dark Prime has left gifts scattered throughout this city, blasted husks for harvesting, and Perceptor means to gather some largesse before it is spirited out of his grasp.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 14, 2008 22:32:42 GMT -5
Having played out the match, Emirate Xaaron is to off to slip down another darkened alley-way before help can arrive for Perceptor. He does spare a glance back at the sound of an explosion. It would be too much to hope for a gas leak that ignited, wouldn't it? What he sees causes him to widen his optics.
Red and black? Perceptor has a tank mode? What in the spires? Is there some secret law that Autobot scientists must have a tank mode? Does Skyfire have one, too?
Emirate Xaaron shakes himself and retreats into the darkness. At the very least, Perceptor is damaged, and he has learned something interesting, something that Emirate Xaaron will need to discuss with his own Perceptor in private. His own Perceptor has shown him great courtesy and discretion; he can do no less. First Oracle, now this. Does he need to call everyone out and have them list their Dark Secrets? He expects Holi's would be, 'I once crossed the road without looking both ways.'
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on May 23, 2008 19:05:27 GMT -5
One particular Autobot stands at the top of Duskwing's personal target list; one Bot had priority over all others. A glimpse of red on the ground, and Duskwing side-slipped in that direction, making a wide, sloppy S-turn that let him observe the ground without looking like he was aiming for the area.
"Yeah! I see you, you lousy overclocked fried-CPU repair drone with dat ten-cent Cracker-Jack toy scope on your shoulder!" Duskwing muttered to himself, a sound drowned out by the scream of his engines.
The dark blue and purple jet rolled and dove, coming around straight toward the red Autobot, silent, saying nothing, holding his fire and aiming at the merciless scientist, holding and aiming, holding and aiming--
PW-PW-PSSSH-PSSH-PW-PW
At the closest, latest instant, Duskwing unleashed all his weapons, firing both lasers and launching his cluster bombs at Perceptor. As he passed, he flipped over, unfolding into robot mode and stopped himself with his jets-transformed-into-boot-thrusters and commenced firing on the red Autobot from the other side.
He finally broke his silence; Duskwing's face twisted in hatred as he yelled "Die, Autoscum! Who's going to repair you, jackleg?"
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on May 23, 2008 19:48:16 GMT -5
Amidst the slowly dying rumbles of the shattered building settling beneath him, and the distant crash and roar of the battle - including the very obvious departure of a certain Guardian - Duskwing's approach is little more than a faint whine. One easily missed by a scientist with more acute visual acuity than auditory acuity.
The crackle of laserfire and the whistle of bombs inbound are quite unmistakable, however, and seize Perceptor's attention as nothing else could at that moment.
Unfortunately for the scientist, charged photons are far swifter than battered servos and motor relays. And dodging bombs is made much more difficult by the lances of lasers punching into, and in some places, completely through red and teal and black plating. Blue optics widen, flashing in shock as tactile arrays sear and burn, as his optical sensors finally fix upon his attacker, and recognition alights like fuel bursting into flame.
Perceptor's cry of pain is lost in the sudden boom and crash of exploding ordinance, and the scientist vanishes amidst a cloud of fire and smoke and shattered concrete dust erupting all around him. There is not even a token shot fired from the center of the shadowed cloud, the swiftness of the attack robbing Perceptor of even the opportunity to retaliate.
Smoke and fire and dust clear, leaving a broken, twisted red mechanism lying motionless in the center of a very fresh crater, and even Perceptor's optics are dark, either deactivated, or offlined from the sheer volume of damage from the enraged assault.
This scientist won't be repairing anyone anytime soon.
ooc: down and out and in need of repairs to continue functioning, but still alive. Obviously skippable if the thread continues.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 25, 2008 19:20:54 GMT -5
A Seeker that is not Oracle and is in fact stamped with Decepticon symbols just laid the smack down on the evil Perceptor. That's so handy that a cynic like Emirate Xaaron wonders where the catch is.
Perhaps the catch is that the Seeker may notice him and shoot him if he doesn't run.
Emirate Xaaron runs off down that darkened alley-way. It's a little jarring, just a little, to see someone who so resembles the gentle, compassionate Perceptor so violently assaulted, but Emirate Xaaron knows that this Perceptor deserves that beating and more, and he has no pity. His steps are sure and unfaltering. It's time to retreat.
Out of thread
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