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Post by Perceptor on Jun 4, 2007 16:28:25 GMT -5
"I do not believe the Emirate had any more desire or control over his arrival here than you or I, Nightbeat," Perceptor observes as he rises to his feet once more. "I'm quite certain that if he had, he would have chosen more familiar Autobots to have accompanied him to this wilderness."
Without waiting for an answer, Perceptor moves to the door and opens it. "Thank you for transport to this location, Omega Supreme. In such unfamiliar terrain and situations, I am more comfortable keeping our forces as centralized as possible, until we have more information at hand," Perceptor explains as he disembarks, trusting Nightbeat to follow.
The distant darkening sky catches his attention, reminding him that some additional explanations may be in order for some of their forces to alleviate any potential panic or discomfort.
// For those of you unfamiliar with weather patterns on an organic world, the incoming potential precipitation is, most likely, nothing to be concerned about. Xaaron, Nightbeat, Swerve, I am unfamiliar with your Cybertron, however on the Cybertron which Synapse, Arcee, Omega Supreme and I come from, precipitation is highly acidic and dangerous to come into contact with. On an organic world such as this, precipitation is generally one physical state or another of dihydrogen oxide - water. Given the chemical composition of the flora and soil content noted thus far, while the inbound precipitation may contain some impurities, I believe such impurities will comprise a minuscule portion of the overall composition. I will verify as soon as I have obtained a sample for analysis, however, I believe the precipitation likely to be of no concern. Accompanying atmospheric phenomena, however, may pose some risk in the form of extreme electrical discharge and severe winds. //
Translation for everyone else? The rain is harmless. The potential storm may not be.
A flash of now-familiar lime green and gold catches Perceptor's attention, although the blob of silver - quite discernible to the scientist, even at this distance, as an immature specimen of the same type of dragon that they had dispatched earlier - makes him pause.
"Interesting," he murmurs to himself, before continuing down the gangplank to the ground to await everyone's arrival. If his calculations had been correct - which there's no reason they should not have been - Arcee and Swerve should be arriving soon, as well. With any luck at all, they might even arrive not in the midst of an all out brawl.
Wouldn't that be delightful?
OOC: Perceptor's transmission is crossposted to the Autobot Broadband, as well, as that's what he transmitted on.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 4, 2007 17:33:09 GMT -5
The darkening clouds baffle Xaaron. Maybe when he was younger, Cybertron had weather, but those memories were filed away and zipped up as low priority a long time ago. The outline of Omega Supreme rises on the horizon, and Emirate Xaaron sinks lower into the dump truck bed. Slipping a hand over the edge, he works to unlash Long Haul's cargo. This does put the dragon in snapping range, but Emirate Xaaron uses one of the cords, no longer used to hold down the dragonet, to muzzle it. He taps it on the nose and whispers, "This is why I win. I have hands."
More loudly, he suggests, "Perhaps I ought to disembark now and walk the rest of the way in." He can do Long Haul and the others no good if he gets taken out along with the dump truck.
Perceptor's information about this 'rain' phenomenon does assuage Xaaron's perplexion, although it does not ease his worries. So they can have a shouting match/murder/battle in the middle of bad weather. Add Unicron and a zombie or two, and the mess would be complete.
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 4, 2007 17:57:57 GMT -5
The defence base's optical sensors report to it that tell-tale flash of lime green that he knows so very well. That is Long Haul, he'd stake his life on it, and perhaps he has. His gears creak, demanding that he transform. However, with Nightbeat still inside him, he cannot in good conscience. Omega Supreme booms, "Out."
He counts the steps it'll take to bring him to the Constructicon, plots the trajectory that his claw will take to swoop down and grab him. So the Constructicon has a passenger, maybe two. Omega Supreme so hopes that they have the sense to get out, but it won't be a problem for him to simply dump them.
So it's going to rain? Then let it rain down on him, as he washes his hands of one Constructicon. There will be five more to go, and then that abomination Devastator will be put to long overdue rest. He ought to have died with his city. Being alone would be preferable to this agony, ever taunted by the warped shadows of his old friends.
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Nightbeat
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Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Jun 4, 2007 21:49:56 GMT -5
And exit one Nightbeat from the confines of Omega Supreme.
As for the rain, well, it held no real worries for him. Unlike a lot of Autobots, he's had plenty of off-planet expereince, so he's well aware that most rain is pretty safe.
As he exists, he gives Omega Supreme a glance. "Keep it together, big fellah. Now's not the time to go a-smashing."
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Post by Long Haul on Jun 4, 2007 22:01:35 GMT -5
Long Haul slows to a stop. So much for not standing alone! But truth be told, the Constructibot would just as soon not risk anyone in this business, anyway. "All right. Better get the wings and the dragon outta there, too."
He pauses and waits for Xaaron to unload him before continuing. "And, dammit, Xaaron, if I don't make it through this, you ain't allowed to eat the little guy unless you ain't got any other choice, got it?"
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Synapse
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Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Jun 5, 2007 8:13:45 GMT -5
Harmless? Really? This world just holds more and more interesting discoveries. His nodes halt in their rapid approach and return to sweeping lazily over the area. They remain close enough for a swift return though if need be.
Synapse steps quickly out of Omega Supreme's large shadow takes a few towards Long Haul and Emirate Xaaron's general direction. It's then that he glances up at Omega Supreme. "Now, you came here to get proof. Don't hurt this Long Haul unless you have a legitimate reason...okay?"
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 5, 2007 15:07:31 GMT -5
Perceptor doesn't like the terseness of Omega Supreme's command; for a mech given to terseness anyway, there's a sharp edge to the former sentinal's voice that fills Perceptor with dread. With Nightbeat outside, and Perceptor already beyond the gangplank, however, there's little he can do now except transform and achieve targeting lock on Omega Supreme. If necessary, he'll attempt to make a target of himself to distract the massive mech, or disable him, if possible, with his light cannon.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 5, 2007 17:01:34 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron isn't leaving Long Haul alone. He is preparing a cunning assault that will... oh bother. That would require the use of a lighter, two kegs of energon, and more cable than they have. He shifts the cording on the dragonet, making a rough leash of it. Then, lacking anything better to do with the wings, he lashes them to his back. Fantastic, he thinks dryly, now he looks like Swoop spawned with Sunstreaker.
Deadpan, he agrees, "Right. No eating the little guy... wait, you do mean Synapse, don't you?" Emirate Xaaron zips out of the dump truck's bed, smiling roguishly.
He'll follow Long Haul at a distance. After a fashion, they could have Omega Supreme surrounded, although it's possibly the most useless surrounded he could imagine.
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 5, 2007 17:20:05 GMT -5
Nightbeat urges non-violence. Synapse echoes Nightbeat's pleas. Perceptor has no words for him, and Omega Supreme doesn't even notice the target lock of the scientist. It doesn't even occur to him that Perceptor might be able to deduce one critical seam or fracture line that could possibly slow him.
There is an inevitability about his transformation, like the slow, soft start of an avalanche, crescendoing to the full roar of a freight train in the end. Gears mesh, and pistons pump, and the defence base gathers himself up into a titan who can reave mountains.
As a robot, Omega Supreme is slow, but the death-knell thud of his steps is quicker than usual. He might be sprinting, as much as that word can apply to him. Once the distance is closed, he reaches out to grab Long Haul.
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Nightbeat
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Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Jun 5, 2007 19:18:56 GMT -5
"Oh, frag..." Nightbeat mouths. Despite the futility of it, he draws his weapon, ready to aim it at Omega. He's a good shot, maybe he could hit him just right in the faceplate if he had too...
"Don't do it... Don't do it..."
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Post by Long Haul on Jun 5, 2007 19:39:53 GMT -5
As soon as Xaaron, the wings, and the dragon are out of his truck bed, Long Haul transforms. Might as well be in robot mode for what's to come, and besides, it's easier to access his personal subspace storage from this mode. He raises his hands and with a quick flash, summons two sturdy carrying cases: his repair kit and the case for his trumpet. Both of these he throws to the side, further inland. Not so far that they can't be found, but hopefully far enough to get them out of the way of what's to come.
Then the Constructibot stands up straight and looks directly at the oncoming behemoth. His expression is unreadable, but then, it always is. He raises both hands in front of him and now summons his pistol/welder. It's not aimed for Omega, but instead held lengthwise, the barrel pointed away from the water. Long Haul grasps the weapon's barrel with his left hand, then flings it further in-land, near the tools and trumpet.
This done, the transport once more returns his hands to the raised position, palms open and facing Omega Supreme. He has nothing left.
The mech gives no resistance, and is snatched into the air by the Guardian's clawed arm.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Jun 5, 2007 22:08:37 GMT -5
Synapse would not appreciate the tiny verbal prod about him. Even if it's from Emirate Xaaron. His stature is something he has tried to become quite proud of...but it's really a hard thing to maintain when a majority of your comrades are the size of Springer or Blaster, or heck, Ultra Magnus. But he doesn't hear the comment, thus he doesn't care.
There are other worries running through his mind right now. Such as:
What in the world can any of them do to affect the huge Guardian? This and other such doubts run through his mind. Synapse is utterly frozen in place by shock as Omega Supreme transforms and swoops down upon Long Haul. When the transport is effortlessly taken by said Guardian without so much of a twitch of resistance, Synapse finds himself shamefully lacking in action.
Everyone else more or less seem to have something planned out. Synapse summons his rifle and takes to air. "H-hey! What are you going to do with him?"
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 5, 2007 22:57:09 GMT -5
This? Is not a good situation. This is about as far from a good situation as Perceptor can imagine.
// Omega Supreme! Cease and desist immediately! Long Haul is not our enemy! // Perceptor orders, demands, begs over the sentinal's frequency.
He accquires target lock, aiming for the thin maw of the barrel of Omega Supreme's head cannon. It's the only thing that Perceptor has noted just yet that would be painful enough to distract the massive mech from doing something... dire.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 6, 2007 11:49:59 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron finds himself twitching at the touch of the rain. Small objects are impacting into his armour! He tries to convince himself that they're not shrapnel rounds, that it's just a harmless liquid, but it's rather hard on him. The wings that he lashed to his back flick at his twitching, entrancing the dragonet.
When Omega Supreme grabs Long Haul, Emirate Xaaron mutters, "By the Matrix flame..." If Perceptor had gotten Omega Supreme's codes, they wouldn't have this problem. They could have sat and talked to Omega Supreme for however long it took to convince him not to exactly what he just did. If Long Haul had been less hasty about wanting to meet, they could have scoured the city for anything that would have helped.
Instead, they face the enemy unprepared and uninformed, and he wears their own face.
Emirate Xaaron darts forward, considering his options. The dragonet follows, unperturbed by the rain. He turns and hisses, "Stay!" but the dragonet doesn't listen. Sighing, Xaaron takes up the leash and drops a sizeable rock on top of the leash. The dragonet tugs at the leash and pushes at the rock, but for now, it seems unable to get the leash out from under the rock.
The dragonet secured, Emirate Xaaron begins to make his way towards the behemoth. Call him so expedient as to be cruel, but never call him a coward. All the plots and plans that he has considered have given way to one option: climbing Omega Supreme. If he can get there in time.
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 6, 2007 11:52:28 GMT -5
There are several important things to note. One is that Omega Supreme has at least two ways to shoot Long Haul and have employed neither of them. The other is that he can easily crush Long Haul, if he so chooses. While no one would call the way he's gripping Long Haul gentle, he hasn't even put a dent in the transporter.
So what is it that Nightbeat doesn't want him to? Just contract those pistons a fraction more and crush the life out of Long Haul? Bring his main cannon to bear and blow Long Haul away? Is that it? He hasn't made a move to do either of those.
Now that he has Long Haul in his clutch, Omega Supreme holds him up so that he can see him. Cybertronian lines. Blue optic band. Autobot symbol. Still, it could be a trick. Transformers are known for, well, changing forms.
Synapse inquires about what Omega Supreme wishes to do with Long Haul, and the Guardian's head swivels all the way around to stare down at Synapse. He intones, "Product verification."
That... is a line better suited for a Quintesson-made Dark Guardian of long ago.
Still ignoring the drawn weapons all around him and the little gold figure steadily making its way towards him, he swivels his head back around to Long Haul. Perceptor's command and plea reaches him, and his reply is simple, //Verification required.//
Omega Supreme extends a circuit probe from his cannon arm, the one he used to vainly try to fix the damage that the robo-smasher did. He then moves to open up Long Haul and see the truth for himself. The rain might not be the best time for circuitry examination, but he can hold Long Haul upside-down so that the rain doesn't get in, if he has to.
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