Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Jun 15, 2007 23:20:45 GMT -5
Whup! And down Nightbeat goes, signaling his agreement with a nod. Before hand, he lets go of the leash so the dragon can stay with Long Haul.
"'bots made to look like dames," he mutters to himself. "What'll they think of next?"
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Post by Long Haul on Jun 16, 2007 9:21:20 GMT -5
There goes Nightbeat, but Long Haul is still on the shoulder. Not that it's an issue until it's time to actually move, but the Constructibot is beginning to worry that it just might become one then.
He knows none of these strangers, and Xaaron's dealing with greeting the red and white car, while Perceptor is welcoming the female. Still, there is the subject of bases to consider. He rubs his chin thoughtfully, then shouts down, "Y'know, s'far as a base goes, that building where we found this guy," he hefts the dragonette, "might be a good bet. We knock out a few floors in there, and we've got room to stand." The transport pauses, lays one hand on Omega's head, and adds apologetically, "Ain't seen nothing yet that's big enough for you, though. I guess, if we're here that long, that'll have to come later on." He sounds genuinely sorry that the local architecture is not scaled sufficiently for the large Autobot.
Then he turns back to those below. "But... back to that one building. Until we get floors knocked out, the roof'll have plenty of space once alla that scrap's cleared to one side. And for the vehicles inside, we might get s'more what still have charge in 'em, and there's probably a lotta parts potential. Plus, it'll be a good place to start checking out what the rest of the city has from. I mean, Synapse said some parts of the area he arrived in looked like they even still had power, so..." Long Haul trails off, and shrugs. "S'anyway, that's my thoughts on it."
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Post by Swerve on Jun 16, 2007 17:09:05 GMT -5
Swerve watches that rock bouncing between Xaaron's hands with wary optics. It's a decent size for pitching at a mech's head and right about now, he trusts the golden mech with it about as far as he could throw him.
"Oil-sport racer," he declares simply, with pride and a level stare at Xaaron, not a care for the technical illegality of his occupation. He's used to the abhorrent reactions he usually gets and doesn't figure there's a point to explaining it any further. He glances up at Long Haul, though; should he mention the husk?
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Arcee
Minor
Token Girl-Bot
Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jun 16, 2007 18:57:35 GMT -5
It's a long moment before Arcee can speak. "I... I just don't know, Perceptor. They killed him. Killed Optimus. I just don't know how we're ever going to take Cybertron back now."
Another pause. "I don't know how we're ever going to carry on without him."
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 17, 2007 14:38:17 GMT -5
Perceptor sighs quietly. He'd had little comfort to give then, and he isn't precisely used to being one to offer comfort even now. His is a vocalizer more accustomed to reciting periodic elements and differential equations rather than quiet words of encouragement.
But he will try.
"We will," he replies with quiet conviction. "The Autobots existed for many millions of years before Optimus. The Matrix has been given over to a new guardian."
He does not remember Arcee vanishing for any length of time, any time at all, really, during that hectic time. Either their realities diverged at that point, or they are to return to their respective places and times without any passage of time in their histories. Long Haul has been told what is to come to pass in his future so as to attempt to prevent it. Perceptor can honestly, at this point, see no harm in explaining Arcee's future to her. Hope has always been one of the Autobot's greatest strengths, and she could use a little dose of it right now, he thinks.
"You must have faith, Arcee. The Autobots will persevere," he urges her, before nodding subtly toward the others and continuing privately. // We, each of us, come from different points. Some have been taken from different realities than our own, while others of us have been pulled from different points in history from each other, within the same reality. Long Haul was taken from a time in our distant past when he was still an Autobot, from before Megatron had attacked he and his work-mates and turned them against us. I come from a point in your not-too-distant future, and Omega Supreme comes from even further beyond that. //
// You must have faith, Arcee. The Autobots will carry on because we do, and we have. //
"Now, let me introduce you to the others. This is Emirate Xaaron. He and Nightbeat," he explains, nodding to wards the detective, "come from the same reality, though it differs from the one that you, Synapse, Omega Supreme, Long Haul, and I seem to come from."
As each mech is mentioned, Perceptor nods to them by way of brief introduction. Omega Supreme and Long Haul need no actual introduction, however an acknowledgment is polite.
"Xaaron, this is Arcee, a warrior of considerable skill and competence among the Autobots."
He turns his attention briefly up to Long Haul - that may herald a bit of a potential brewing problem, this reluctance of Omega Supreme's for releasing the constructibot; it bears watching.
"I agree, Long Haul. The city should hold some opportunities for scavenging fuel and energy. I do believe, however, that we need to at least send a party to scout for the power transmitting facility that would energize the receiving station we found. Such a network would indicate a potentially large source of energy capable of meeting our needs more easily."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 17, 2007 18:26:47 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron sighs a little at Nightbeat's reaction to Arcee. The idea of public relations models being almost commonplace boggles him, too. They aren't even public relations models, if he understood Long Haul correctly, just model line variants. Such is what happens on a godless planet, foolishness.
To Long Haul, since ignoring the construction worker's input on the base situation would be rude, he replies, "That building might do, although I confess I would feel safer underground. The resistance always used tunnels."
Swerve is wise to note the size of the rock. Emirate Xaaron is always one to keep his options open. His reaction to Swerve's career is bland. One parts of it is that he doesn't know what oilsport racing is, although he can guess by the sound of the words. The larger component is that Xaaron is a cagey fellow with good control over his reactions. He says, sounding mildly interested, "I'm afraid that I haven't heard of that particular sport. Could you please explain for me more about what it is that you do? It does sound dangerous, from what little I can guess. You must be quite tough."
Perceptor's introduction of Arcee strikes Emirate Xaaron as a bit odd. The Arcee whose files he skimmed was competent, yes, but she was no Twin Twist or Topspin. For Perceptor to identify her as such, there are several possibilities. He may be overstating her abilities, being a noncombatant and not a proper judge of combat competence. She may be more competent than his Arcee. She may be the best that Perceptor's reality has to offer. Given the Autobots' less combative natures, he suspects that it is that last option that holds the most merit.
Emirate Xaaron tenders Arcee a salute and greets, "Hello, Arcee. My condolences on your loss." Perceptor has already explained that the future is brighter than it looks for her.
He tilts his head to one side and wonders, "Would splitting our forces be optimal at such a time? I suppose that dispatching the cars would be possible, to send them ahead to the station, while the rest of us cannibalise what we can of the city, although you might be needed to make the alien technology work, Perceptor."
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 17, 2007 18:36:04 GMT -5
Omega Supreme is still not setting Long Haul down. He feels rather wistful when Long Haul makes mention of the ceiling heights. They always did build to a proper scale, they did, before… no. He's not missing them. He's not. They can never be what they once were. For Long Haul to be as he is constitutes a gift that he cannot explain. He should not expect more.
At Arcee's anguish and Perceptor's consolation, the giant finds that he has something to offer, oddly enough. Putting a hand on Long Haul to ensure that he stays in place, he crouches down to get closer to optic level for Arcee and Perceptor, although he cannot crouch that low. Quietign his voice to a dull rumble, Omega Supreme says, "Death: temporary. Optimus Prime: returned."
Optimus Prime listened to him and kept him from doing too much collateral damage. Deadened and unmovable as Omega Supreme is, the Prime's passing hurt him, too. He wishes that he could have more appropriately appreciated his return.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Jun 17, 2007 19:33:49 GMT -5
"Yeah," Nightbeat pipes in with all the tact of, er, something tactless. "Our Optimus Prime bit the big one too. But he got better. They saved his brain or something."
It didn't exactly warrant thinking a lot about. The notion that a Transformer brain could be saved to a human data storage device was absolutely mind-boggling.
"Splitting up couldn't hurt, Emirate," he adds. "Better than just sitting around waiting, anyway. You know I get itchy with nothing to do."
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Post by Long Haul on Jun 17, 2007 20:13:36 GMT -5
"Well, it could hurt if, y'know, one of the groups runs into something that's big enough for the whole group to handle, but not for their bit of the group," Long Haul points out from his simplified point of view. With his free arm, he leans against Omega Supreme's claw for balance, since the giant's position makes standing a bit awkward.
"Onna other hand, we might not have no choice. Omega's running pretty low on fuel. Him wonderin' around aimlessly ain't a great idea." The Constructibot’s optic band dims a moment as the prospect of splitting up is considered. He wants to go to the power station; he's excited by the potential to further explore this strange new world. What's more, he's the best choice for bringing useful material back, outside of Omega Supreme. But on the other hand, he's also the best option for getting anything like a base into usable form, and at this point it looks like trying to persuade Omega Supreme to let him head off with the others seems unlikely.
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Post by Swerve on Jun 17, 2007 20:48:19 GMT -5
What more is there to say about it? It's oil-sport racing, it doesn't get much more basic than that. Of course, there might not be oil-sport racing where-ever it is Xaaron comes from, and Swerve decides that sounds pretty fragging boring.
"What's to explain?" he mutters diffidently. The oldtimer sure is fond of asking questions, and smelting weird ones at that. "You race, ya scrap the other racers before they scrap you, ya cross the line in one piece if you're good enough." Swerve crosses his arms, still keeping a watchful optic on that rock… just in case. He doesn't know how fast this oldtimer might be; Brakedown wasn't exactly a pushover for being about as old as dirt, and Swerve would like time to duck and swing back if he has to.
Splitting up sounds like a very good idea, for that matter. Swerve is all for it. It'll get him away from Xaaron before he pops a heat sink wondering just what the smelt he thinks he'll do with that rock and when. And why.
"If you're plannin' to do something with that, then do it already." Swerve gives the older mech a heated glare. Fraggin' Autobots. Not like I walked in waving a gun at 'em.
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Arcee
Minor
Token Girl-Bot
Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jun 17, 2007 22:20:55 GMT -5
Were Transformers capable of it, Arcee might be blushing at Perceptor's compliment.
On a private channel to Perceptor, she simply says, //Thank-you, Perceptor. I... I needed that.//
Omega Supreme's announcement that Optimus Prime would one day return brings a smile to her face. "He'll be back? That's great news!" Oh course, this just might be shell-shock talking. Sooner or later the absurdity of someone returining from the dead will hit her, and then she might be less all right with it.
"Thank-you, Xaaron," she says. "I'll do whatever I can to help."
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Post by Perceptor on Jun 18, 2007 5:19:38 GMT -5
Perhaps, Xaaron, it could be a little bit of all three. It is fortunate, however, that Perceptor is not privy to Xaaron's thoughts on femme Bots and supposed "godlessness." Their opinions and ideals are quite different, apparently; Xaaron and Perceptor seem destined to forever clash.
Arcee's quiet thanks he answers with a brief, near imperceptible nod, adding, // When there is time and opportunity, if you wish it, I will relate more specific details about what has yet to pass for you. If the opportunity does not arise before we are once again separated and returned, simply know this: though tragedy heaps upon tragedy, and it will appear that all is lost, the Autobots do persevere. You mustn't lose hope. //
"I am not a tactician, Xaaron. I do know, however, that if Hook should chance upon a similar receiving station as we had, he will seek out the transmitting facility. He is a consummate technician, even without the support of the rest of the Constructicons, and, barring catastrophic destruction of the original facility, will be capable of making whatever repairs necessary to get such a facility online and producing energy."
Perceptor sighs thoughtfully. "We can only hope that he has managed, in that case, to rendezvous with additional Decepticon forces in the same manner that we Autobots have found each other. Such a scenario would slow down his work as he attempts to integrate and compensate for their lack of skills that meet his expectations and requirements."
"Should Hook manage to secure and operate a power transmitting facility..." Perceptor lets that dangle, unsure if even he has sufficient vocabulary to properly express the tactical deficiency they would then be laboring under.
He is about to repeat his observation about not being a tactician, and asking Xaaron for more of his thoughts on the matter, particularly given the work the Emirate had put into his 3D diagram, when Omega Supreme drops his succinct verbal bomb on them.
Arcee may still be somewhat in shock to be able to blithely accept such a pronouncement, however she had no significant repair skills, and didn't have Perceptor's full insight into the damages that had taken the Prime's life.
Optimus Prime? Returned to them? Living again? It... it wasn't possible. Perhaps if Ratchet had been there, perhaps if the medic had lived, perhaps he could have repaired the wreckage of Optimus Prime's internals and saved him, however Perceptor did not have Ratchet's skills. He had enough skills and understanding, however to know that... mechs do not return from death in such a manner.
If it is true... If it is possible...
What of the others lost that day? Might they be returned as well?
"That is a... startling revelation, Omega Supreme," he manages. "I... thank you."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 18, 2007 17:46:24 GMT -5
Still listening to the others in the periphery, Emirate Xaaron keeps his attention on Swerve, the most unknown of the quantities. My, he seems edgy, doesn't he? Xaaron rubs his chins and says, "Ah. Very interesting. Sort of the gladiatorial principle applied to racing." He didn't particularly approve of the gladiatorial games. They were created to be warriors against Unicron, not against each other. The games did provide a method of disposing of criminals and did bring in revenue for the state, but enforced labour would have done the same. He pauses in tossing the rock from side to side and holds it up. "This? No, nothing just yet."
Emirate Xaaron looks thoughtful at Omega Supreme's news that his, Perceptor's, and Arcee's Optimus Prime returns. His Optimus Prime did the same, after all. Optimus Prime was always a fine military leader, if too hard on himself, to the point of injury and death as a result. Gesturing to Arcee and Perceptor, he says, "Such news is good. Something for you two to look forward to."
"But back to the present, I believe it would be best if the three cars, Arcee, Nightbeat, and Swerve took Perceptor with them and investigated the power station." He knows Nightbeat is fast, and Arcee and Swerve looks pretty quick. "Long Haul and I will take Omega Supreme back to the city, try to get him fuelled, and scope out the prospects of a base. Synapse, you can either scout ahead for the cars or returns with us. For the exploratory group, if you run into any trouble, do not hesitate to contact us. While I'd rather see Omega Supreme's power conserved, your collective safety outweighs the fuel issue."
There, that seems to cover it, if they'll listen to him.
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jun 18, 2007 18:02:59 GMT -5
Omega Supreme isn't used to being the bearer of good news. He rocks back a bit, uncertain. It is good that he was able to make Arcee and Perceptor feel a bit better, just by relaying what has happened. He's trying to muddle fuzzily through the awkward situation when Perceptor mentions a name that stops him cold.
Hook.
If Long Haul will let him, Omega Supreme sets him down. Then, he gets down on his knees and again scrunches down to look Perceptor in the optic. He growls, "Hook. Knowledge acquired: when?"
Then, he looks to Long Haul, looking extremely hurt, and asks, tone plaintive, "Knowledge: possessed?" Tell him that Long Haul didn't know, that he wasn't covering for the crane. Long Haul cannot think to protect Hook, not when he's the one who needs protecting from Hook and his wily ways. If Omega Supreme has to crush Hook to make Long Haul safe he will, for all that Long Haul might hate him for it.
He excuses Arcee, Xaaron, Nightbeat, Swerve, and Synapse for now. Most of them are either too quiet, too confused-seeming, or too unfamiliar for him to point fingers at just yet, although that time might come.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Jun 18, 2007 19:51:03 GMT -5
Nightbeat will listen to Xaaron! In as much as he listens to anyone, anyway. Ie, he follows orders when it's convinient for him to do so. Right now, he doesn't have a plan of his own, so he might as well follow along with it.
"Sounds like a plan to me, Chief," he says. Not that he much likes it--he generally prefers to work alone, after all--but in this particular case of being on a strange and unknown world, he'd rather have people by his side. Besides, he might not know much about Swerve or Arcee, but the Perceptor he knows was a respected Autobot resistance leader back on Cybertron. This one can't be that different, can he?
And then Omega Supreme pursues his "I'm a big bad scary mechanoid and you will do what I say RAAAGH!" act. Having been through this once before, he just rolls his optics.
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