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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 6, 2007 13:23:59 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron crosses his arms and listens. He's a bit disappointed that it is not a communications dish, but being a power beaming receptor does have its own potential applications. When Perceptor looks up, Emirate Xaaron's gaze follows him. Up is where the bad jets come from, but there's just sky and dark birds up there now.
He inquires, "Interesting set-up. Would you say it is because planet lacks such fuels or the locals merely decide not to utilise them? Now...we could try to get it operational, which doubtless alert anyone here to our presence, or we could try to find a relatively safe place to wait out the night, if predators are a concern. Personally, I would be inclined to suggest that we better establish ourselves and learn more about this world before we smash open Prima's vase."
Emirate Xaaron is thinking that they might find a parking garage of some sort. They had to have some place to keep their nice, clean vehicles, and given that the people here were a little bigger than humans, the housing for their machines ought to be big enough for Autobots, if they duck. An underground parking garage would be ideal. He's used to tunnels.
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Post by Long Haul on May 6, 2007 14:34:58 GMT -5
Long Haul stares at Xaaron for a long moment. "Who's vase? And why would we wanna smash it?" These words come out as reflex, while most of his thought goes into actually working out what the others have said. Finally, he switches tacts. "That dragon was usin' fuel of some sort. Something close enough to what we use what we could drink it. Might do well to figure out where it was gettin' it before we go wandering off lookin' for any power stations or anything."
Then he sighs and gestures absently to the dish, looking at Perceptor as he does, his shoulders slumped to express tiredness. "Opposite of the way we came, though? Y'mean, we gotta cross that desert? If that's the case, I say we go looking for a road what goes the way we need it, first. Ain't a worry so far, but I'd rather not burn out my tires faster than I need to on that hot, black ground, if you don't mind. We don't know how long we're gonna be here!"
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Post by Perceptor on May 6, 2007 15:32:15 GMT -5
Perceptor glances at Xaaron before kneeling next to the panel Long Haul had pointed out previously.
"Unable to say at this time. There may have been limited quantities of those fuels occurring naturally, or this race may have evolved beyond them. Or have utilized a different progression of invention than other races I am familiar with, eliminating the need to follow that path," Perceptor explains as he pops open the access cover and examines the internal components of the receiver device.
"This device, though unpowered at this time, is in good condition. This is not the device which requires repair to make the system functional," he finally declares, replacing the hatch and standing. "Likely the transmitting station or the satellite system requires maintenance or replacement."
"And I agree, Long Haul. A road would not only spare wear and tear on our components, most notably your tires, but would also most likely lead in a more direct fashion to the facility we need to locate."
Perceptor pauses and looks around, taking in more of the city. "We will also require fuel to safely make the journey. Unless we are able to locate some sort of map or geological survey during our exploration, we have no way of knowing how large that desert is. I am hesitant to abandon a potential base with ample materials and a possible ability to engineer an energy source for an unknown desert crossing with no fuel and supplies."
He offers them both another considering look and then turns to point up along the road they had been following into the town, in towards the city center. "I would recommend remaining here and continuing our exploration of this settlement to locate those supplies and fuel reserves before attempting to locate a road across the desert."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 7, 2007 8:20:03 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron, it may be noted, has a clear conscience about possibly pillaging an abandoned settlement. Maybe its owners intend to come back. Maybe it has archaeological significance. So what? They’re all weary Autobots, even Long Haul. If the people of this planet stand for good, the Autobots will doubtless pay them back somehow. Autobots are handy for dealing with rampaging menaces that may be troubling planets. If the people of the planet aren’t good, well… Robin Hood had the right idea.
He murmurs, “Prima’s vase. Prima was the first Transformer, according to lore. He was given a beautiful vase by his creator, but the neck was so narrow, he could not see what was inside it. Prima reasoned that the insides had to be even lovelier than the outside and smashed it to see. Rust, corrosion, computer viruses, and any number of horrors flew out, but Hope was trapped in the unbroken neck of the vase.” He pauses. “It’s just a story. Basically, it means, ‘leave well enough alone’.”
Emirate Xaaron laces his hands together and summarizes, “We find what supplies we can here, on the look out most of all for a map, communication equipment, fuel, or usable repair parts. We keep our optics open for possible shelter.”
Xaaron is the shortest one here, Perceptor in microscope mode not withstanding. Guess who gets the fun of crawling on hands-and-knees, if they find a likely data storage building?
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Post by Long Haul on May 7, 2007 8:35:23 GMT -5
Long Haul nods his head in silent agreement with Perceptor's recommendations, and even begins to look around, trying to decide on which direction to go next. If anything, he's less worried about pillaging the settlement than Xaaron - the thought that the people who left this stuff here might want it back has not yet even occurred to him.
He tilts his head at the story. "'Leave well enough alone'?" he asks, a bit confused. "But how're you gonna tell when it's 'well enough'? If you don't go fiddlin' 'cos you're afraid of makin' things worse, y'ain't never gonna make them better, neither." Surely the sentiment of a builder at heart!
The transport looks around. "High ground might be a good idea. If there's anyplace nice an' big to use as shelter, we should be able to spot it if we get high enough. I'm not much for climbing though." He grunts softly. "These folks ain't much for building high, neither. Squat little settlement," he adds in tones not entirely approving.
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Post by Perceptor on May 7, 2007 13:18:17 GMT -5
Perceptor listens to Xaaron's explanation curiously, filing that away in his databanks. "The humans have a similar tale, of a woman known as Pandora and the box that she had been entrusted with," he offers. "Xaaron's point, however, that of not advertising our presence more than we must, is well taken. We are still not certain if this settlement or even this world yet harbors inhabitants..." Perceptor pauses there for a moment, a darkly thoughtful look crossing his features.
"Or if other beings have been transported here such as we were. It is... difficult to conceive that we three were the only such beings taken thusly."
And Perceptor is wary, more than wary, that elsewhere, a contingency of Decepticons may be exploring their surprising new surroundings, even as Xaaron, Long Haul, and himself are. Perceptor's optics fasten on Long Haul for a long moment as he turns that over in his CPU. Thoughts of recycling the materials they find abandoned do not trouble him; his greatest concern is for Long Haul, a far more innocent mech than Perceptor had ever imagined that a Constructicon could be.
He should be told. Now. Before it becomes an issue. With luck, it will never become an issue, but that is a risk Perceptor cannot take when the lives of Xaaron and Long Haul also depend on it. As heavy and as terrible a burden as it is, Long Haul not only needs to know this thing, but he has a right to this knowledge as well. Perceptor heaves a long sigh, turning to face the lime green mech with an air of great resignation.
"Long Haul, I believe that you come from my distant past, and, as such, there are things which..." Perceptor pauses uncomfortably, continuing haltingly, and with a resigned sigh, "There are things which you need to hear. From me. Now, and before we go any further. I do not want to risk... to risk running into other... beings, before you hear what I need to explain to you. Please."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 7, 2007 19:25:02 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron suggests, "Please, Long Haul. My point is merely that I agree that rushing across the desert when we have a whole city to explore is unwise." He then smiles slyly and notes, "If we do find high ground, a glider may be useful."
He looks thoughtful at the mention of the humans having a similar tale and comments, "Well, I am told that the Decepticons tell the tale with Starscream in the place of Prima. I can certainly understand blaming Starscream for all the ills of the world. The basics of the tale may be a cultural meme that has deeper roots that any one origin, something that is liable to occur to most sapient species."
Emirate Xaaron's expression darkens. He has been quite worried that there may be Decepticons about here. That is when a radio broadcastbreaks his train of thought.
//Synapse here...t-this isn’t funny guys. I’ve got something important to d-do.//
He looks to Perceptor and Long Haul and says, "Sorry to interrupt this educational talk, but I know of no Synapse. Is such a name familiar to either of you? Even if it is, it could be an ambush. I suggest that we approach with caution."
((OOC: Locking this thread. We'll move on over to the Zoo and Meeting thread and welcome out newest Autobot friend, Synapse! Yes, the Zoo is in this city. It was a tourist attraction.))
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