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Post by Victoria Raines on Jan 18, 2009 10:59:56 GMT -5
Distractions are wonderfully things, mainly in that they are exactly that. They pull most everyone’s focus to the one point, while the other goes largely unnoticed. It is a tactic Shockwave has made a point of using quite often and well, though not so much on the battlefield. At least not lately.
He does not expect to come upon the group without warning, of course. The Autobots do have that high-altitude scout, after all. But people behave in predictable patterns. Starscream does not pass the chance to take out a wounded Dinobot. The medics act to shield their patients, resulting in confusion, and in injury. Shockwave’s gaze wanders over the organic-looking creature for a moment. Not so organic looking, this close, though. But she is not his target at the moment.
“Greetings Perceptor, Long Haul. And well met Optimus Prime.” Shockwave looks a bit worse for wear, but his cannon looks perfectly functional, though it is not pointed at anyone specifically. Yet. “Shall we have a little chat, or are you going to do something foolishly heroic and typically Autobot?”
OOC: Cross posted from Deja Vu All Over Again.
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Post by Long Haul on Jan 18, 2009 16:57:17 GMT -5
Long Haul instead opts to do something typically Long Haul. He steps forward, and his single optic band flickers in a blink.
"I know you! You were out there shootin' at my building when everything fell down!" he shouts, finger pointed accusingly at Shockwave.
Yes. Long Haul has taken the moment to state the obvious.
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Post by Perceptor on Jan 19, 2009 13:14:04 GMT -5
Shockwave.
Perceptor rises, glaring, as he shifts to place himself between Shockwave and the others, most specifically Optimus, who is still wounded.
"In the same manner in which you will perform an action that is diabolically harmful and typically Decepticon?" Perceptor inquires coldly. "If you did not order the shelling of our repair area, then you allowed it, and do not attempt to pretend otherwise."
The nice thing about having a massive microscope barrel mounted upon one's shoulder? It doesn't have to be overtly aimed directly at the individual that one is addressing for it to be aimed directly at the individual one is addressing.
Pissed off Perceptor is pissed off.
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Optimus Prime
Minor
Oh yeah? Well I don't know what that means!
Posts: 383
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Post by Optimus Prime on Jan 19, 2009 23:32:04 GMT -5
Optimus Prime is weakened but he remembers his training. This is a Decepticon from another world that he's dealing with and these people will know how to deal with him. For now, he stays his hand.
However the hand is creeping behind his back and he is expecting to draw his axe quickly. But not just yet.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Jan 19, 2009 23:43:36 GMT -5
From the more open triage area, a blue form comes rushing past, not looking where he's going. Boondocker makes it past the Autobots without impact, but he doesn't notice the Big Purple Death and smacks into him, eliciting a loud clang, and knocking him on his aft. The impact is painful to Boondocker, but given his light build, it should simply be a bump to the Decepticon.
It's enough to knock some sense into the janitor, as he shakes his head and cycles his optics. "Daggumit, what was I doin', runnin' off like tha..."
He trails off, looking up to see the imposing form of the Master of Logic, and terror finds him again, he trying to scoot away from Shockwave, but fumbling on every attempt.
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OOC: Bumping into Shockwave done with player permission.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Jan 20, 2009 10:51:08 GMT -5
Shockwave dismissively waves his (rather damaged) hand. “Please, spare me your pointless accusations and protests. While I would usually enjoy such a spar, I have not the time at the mo-.”
His words are interrupted by the arrival of the fleeing Boondocker, who quite kindly has handed Shockwave an advantage on a silver platter. Not trusting his hand to keep an adequate hold on the scrabbling Autobot, Shockwave instead places a foot rather firmly on Boondocker’s middle, pressure just this side of crushing. This means Shockwave’s cannon can point down at Boondocker without it even having to be aimed. Convenient, that.
“As I was saying…If that device you have been worrying over is not some means to send the alternates back to their own dimension, I will paint myself pink and have Starscream’s name engraved on my aft. Your allies would most certainly not have been as close-mouthed about the portal specs as Starscream’s own, and besides, you designed the thing in the first place, did you not, Perceptor? Creating such a thing is most certainly not beyond you, and it would be the type of failsafe I myself would want in place, were I your Prime.”
“It needs to be sudden and all-encompassing, else the wound would be too fragile still, and they might return. We can not have that, and I want that cursed prime’s Matrix out of your Prime’s reach.”
OOC: Stepping on Boondocker done w/ permission.
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Post by Long Haul on Jan 20, 2009 17:39:24 GMT -5
"Boondocker!" Long Haul explains in shock as the Janitorbot is stepped upon. He takes half a step towards Shockwave and then remembers - oh. Captive. Guy he was just shouting about.
He doesn't absorb most of what's being said, and instead just balls his hands up into angry fists. "Let him go, you... you... faceless freak!"
Yeah. That'll show him!
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Post by Perceptor on Jan 20, 2009 21:01:50 GMT -5
"Boondocker!" Perceptor calls as the rustic bot rushes by, making it past just as Perceptor's fingers close upon the empty air of his passage. Only to end up under Shockwave's foot, cannon casually aimed as squarely at Boondocker as Perceptor's cannon is aimed at Shockwave.
"Pink would suit you," he finally grates out, standing tensely, hands balled into fists at his sides as he glares up at the Decepticon.
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Optimus Prime
Minor
Oh yeah? Well I don't know what that means!
Posts: 383
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Post by Optimus Prime on Jan 21, 2009 14:45:59 GMT -5
Optimus Prime draws his axe and extends his arm as if he's ready to throw it. "Okay now you back away from him right now, Decepticon."
He's badly beaten, and even if he doesn't realize it he would be completely under-classed even if he was at peak status. But he can still stand and he can still fight.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Jan 21, 2009 21:22:24 GMT -5
Oh, man...
This day just goes from bad to worse.
Boondocker would give anything just to be back home right now. Forget this lousy dimension with it's lousy fake Decepticons and fake Autobots, and crazy multiversal scrap that doesn't make a lick of sense. New friends are good and all, but he'd rather be at home, lost off in some alleyway of Autobot City with a mop and bucket, hummin' along and doing his assigned duty.
And maybe go see that cute archivist later on. Seems like she always needed help with something.
This little fantasy is interrupted rather roughly, though, as Shockwave's foot comes down hard, immediately making a footprint in the hickbot's thin armor, he crying out in pain. That does not go well with those blasts he caught from Starscream earlier, no sir.
In a feeble resistance attempt, Boondocker grabs at the crushing leg in a panic, trying to push it up. If not to escape, then to at least relieve some pressure.
And to make matters worse, there's everyone chatting on the radio about it, and Xaaron's little policy isn't helping calm Boony down. He snaps off a reply to the others, straining still against the foot, his cooling fans starting to whine.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Jan 21, 2009 23:24:03 GMT -5
Boondocker can push and strain as much as he likes. He may even scratch the surface of Shockwave’s paint job. But that heavy purple foot is not going anywhere. If anything, it pushes down just a tad more, enough to possibly make armour creak and groan under the strain.
That single yellow optic fixes upon Optimus Prime when he makes his demands and threats. A flicker of that optic, an almost imperceptible flick of a headfin, and the gunformer replies, “So typically, Optimus, though you look more as he did before his ascension to Prime. Optronix was not quite so eager for battle in his early days, though, not like his brother. And Long Haul,” his gaze pivots slightly to focus on the Constructibot, “Mind your words. You are in no danger from me at the moment. Hook would be most put out if you were returned overly damaged, and I have no desire to deal with his tantrums.”
Back to Perceptor now, Shockwave’s gaze narrowing to pinpoint as he makes a small tsking sound. “You always did tend to toward the stubborn, Perceptor, “ he says, with a sigh that sounds…almost regretful. The soft whine of his cannon drawing power is now just barely audible. “Activate the device, Perceptor. Do not cause me to be forsworn. Such a happening would put me in the foulest of moods.”
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Post by Long Haul on Jan 22, 2009 8:47:07 GMT -5
Long Haul's hands clench and unclench in frustration as he glares up at Shockwave, then around the room... then finally at Boondocker, as radio traffic angers him more and more. Finally, he straightens from his slightly crouched position and, without a word, marches to place himself between Shockwave (in the front of him) and Perceptor and the device (behind him).
"I ain't being 'returned' to no one, 'cos I ain't no one's property!" he growls out.
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Post by Perceptor on Jan 22, 2009 22:39:54 GMT -5
Perceptor's glare grows more fierce, hands clenching enough to be heard, a bare counterpoint to the creak and groan of Boondocker's armor. He cannot give this... this... this brutish excuse for a scientist the satisfaction of obedience.
Neither can Perceptor risk Boondocker. Nor Long Haul, as Shockwave has implied designs upon the constructibot.
Fortunately, Rodimus offers another solution via the radio. Perceptor just has to hope that an opportunity to remove Boondocker from harm presents itself before Shockwave catches on to the stalling and tires of it. Perhaps Perceptor can maneuver his way into position to take the shot for Boondocker, tackle Shockwave, something, anything rather than give the smug sadist what he wishes.
He'd best do something, soon, though, before Optimus manages to squeeze past him, too, and put himself in harms way, as well. Neither Optimus nor Long Haul really understand what they are dealing with in Shockwave, nor how much danger they are all in, despite Xaaron's words. Perceptor suspects that it is only because Shockwave does wish to "bring Long Haul back" to Hook and that he still wishes to convince Perceptor himself to join him, that Shockwave has not simply eliminated them all.
There are the other Autobots and allied Decepticons in the immediate vicinity to worry about, as well.
"Very well," Perceptor finally grates out, hands clenched tightly. "You will, however, be forced to exercise a bit of patience. The device was not fully operational before your arrival."
There, that sounded convincing enough, right? Not that Perceptor really cares if Shockwave believes him or not at the moment, for he is already kneeling beside the device, tools in hand, to poke and tinker within the still open panels, attention diverting every few seconds to shoot a suspicious glare up at their tormentor. If he is careful, he might be able to delay this process for long enough for someone - Kup, perhaps, or Rodimus or even Xaaron himself - to ambush the Deceptic--
Energy flares unexpectedly as Perceptor slips a probe into one of the redundant feedback coils. There is a soft hum of systems powering up under his hands, LEDs flickering on and beginning to blink in specific coded sequences, sparks of static dancing across the surface of the circuits and screens.
"No! No, no no no no, do NOT--"
A shaft of brilliant blue-white light lances upward from the device for an instant, just an instant, building, building...
"Noooo....." It isn't much of a sound, just a mournful, despairing whimper, really, as Perceptor stares down at his traitorous hands upon the device's casing; it's clear that he had neither expected this turn of events, nor is he pleased in the least with the occurrence.
And then... the pulse. A flat disk of that same brilliant light blasts outward in all directions, slamming through each of them standing - or lying - in the secluded space before continuing inexorably outward like the pressure wave of a nova blast.
As the energy pulses through him, Perceptor's moment of self-recrimination passes-- Shockwave now truly possesses the upper hand... and no longer has any need to not terminate Boondocker. Thought becomes action as Perceptor launches himself from his crouch directly at Shockwave, intending to tackle the Decepticon, to free Boondocker even if he has to take that blast himself. He's failed, so it no longer matters, so long as Boondocker and the others are safe.
ooc: The pulse is a boomerang/catapult wave that will send all the -3's back to their own multiverse as soon as it passes over them. Sorry, no savings throws. Where and how each -3 lands is totally up to each player, regardless of where they were or what they were doing when they get sent back. Here's your Get Out Of Jail Free card. But you don't get to hang out in Free Parking, either. No one stays behind.
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Optimus Prime
Minor
Oh yeah? Well I don't know what that means!
Posts: 383
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Post by Optimus Prime on Jan 24, 2009 7:35:23 GMT -5
Oh, it is on. But first, got to take care of the issue.
Boondocker is terrified. His panic led to him getting captured, he might be feeling guilt or other maters. In other words, he is a liability. "Boondocker! Transform and get out of here!" Hopefully that will at least motivate him in some direction, even if it's not necessarily the 'orders' he was given.
Optimus keeps his axe single-handed as he approaches Shockwave. There is a big cable running towards his gun hand. Optimus is no physiology expert but he's pretty convinced this is no coincidence. He swings his axe down as hard as he can at the cable.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Jan 24, 2009 13:37:39 GMT -5
Boondocker's flailings die down a bit as he becomes more focused on the pain filling his chest as Shockwave's foot sinks that much deeper into him.
The fact that he's getting blessed out over the radio does wonders as well.
Yeah, this combat stuff is scary. This much is obvious. The others have a point, though. Losing one's head over this can lead to one literally losing their head, so...gotta try and calm down. His hands fall to his sides, though hearing Shockwave's gun powering up isn't all that encouraging.
Then the crazy lightshow happens, and Boondocker finds relief as Perceptor knocks Shockwave off of him, and the hickbot uses this opportunity to transform and drive off, as Optimus suggested.
---------- OOC: Out of thread, unless stopped. Also, assuming that Perceptor knocked Shockwave off, going by Perceptor's post and Shockwave's radio post. If this is not the case, will gladly edit.
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