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Post by Kup on Jun 15, 2007 17:39:03 GMT -5
Kup's return to consciousness is not gentle, and automatically he returns to his last wakeful moments. "Galvatron!" he screams. "You smelt-swigging, slag-groping, s- huh?" The elder pulls himself to a sitting position and looks around him, baffled. "Well, this ain't Charr!" he states the obvious aloud, in that way that old people tend to. Then, in an easy, practiced motion he leaps to his feet and begins brushing himself off. Then he walks to the nearest cage and leans forward, examining it. "Hey... I'd almost swear that was a Niroxidan Trimaron..." he mutters, before looking around the area as a whole. He quickly comes to the conclusion that the area is some sort of zoo, and the architectural style tugs at his memory circuits, although he has trouble placing it exactly. He shrugs it off, deciding he'll remember eventually. That still leaves the question of how he got there, and why, but he saw no immediate answers, and if there was one thing the ancient Autobot had learned, it's that sometimes you have to have patience. If there's not immediate solutions, give it time, and one might present itself.
This, of course, assumed the galaxy wasn't busy consuming himself in a war of unheard of proportions, but there really wasn't much he could do about that at the moment, was there?
For a moment, he considers trying his radio, but then decides against it. If any of the others were transported with him, particularly Blaster, such a move could provide him with more harm than help.
Finally, he shrugged. There was nothing else for it but to check out the area as best he could and see if he couldn't turn up a clue.
OOC: That's right! I'm RPing... with myself! I may include a couple of other single, story building posts, if I decide he does anything of note, but I eventually plan to hook up with the other Autobots when they return to the city by the river. Omega Supreme's arrival will probably be hard to miss!
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 3:37:22 GMT -5
"…Ow."
Holi sits up very slowly, then stands, unsteadily at first, and looks around. Things are an awfully odd shade of orange. …Wait, orange? Did the Commander decide to redecorate? A second sweep of his surroundings tells Holi a much more horrifying thing: he isn't on the Galaxy Shuttle base at all. This doesn't even look like Micro. And where is everyone?
"P… Pipo?" he tries as he starts forward. "Fire? Boater?" There's no answer, so he continues along the path, taking in the scenery. He just has to stare at the cage on the left as the big thing inside comes into view. The big dead thing. Holi goes quickly from awed wonder to wistful sympathy at the sight. "Poor thing," he laments. "Looks like it couldn't get out…." No, but something else could, unless that scuffling sound is Laster trying to sneak up on him. Holi freezes and listens, receptors tuned as finely as possible, and there it is again: a footstep. It doesn't sound very close. "Laster," he calls out, "if this is a joke, it isn't funny!" No response, but the footsteps change, falling faster. "Braver? You aren't funny either!" Still no answer, and the footsteps are much closer. He draws his pistol and turns to face whatever it is. No-one's going to scare him like this! Not even Leo… zack?
Holi once again stares. It looks sort of like a cat, but sort of like a lizard, too. Like maybe if someone smushed the two together. Yeah, that's it! It's a callizard! And it's only a little shorter than he is, which is good, because he was worried it'd be much bigger. He grins and subspaces his pistol.
"Hi there!" he chirrups. "Don't worry, I won't shoot you. You just worried me for a minute!" Imagine his surprise when the callizard doesn't look overjoyed that he's being friendly. It growls and edges toward him, hunkering lower to the ground as it goes, and his smile falters. "H-hey…." Still approaching. Still sounds angry. "No need to get upset now!" He takes a step back and the callizard picks up its pace. "N-nice kitty– er, lizard– stay! I said stay!" Instead of listening to him, it lunges with a noisy snarl and lots of claws and sharp teeth that do a lot of painful scraping when it hits him. He tumbles over with the callizard trying to gnaw on his head and he wishes he hadn't subspaced his pistol, though he'd really rather not have to hurt the callizard if he needn't.
"Bad kitty!" wails Holi as he starts shoving it away. That's what you say to misbehaving cats, right? Right. "BAD KITTY!" he bellows, much louder, and kicks it off. He then scrambles to his feet and runs in the opposite direction from whence it came. Maybe it won't follow him.
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 6:24:00 GMT -5
Kup has just moved out of sight of spot where he arrived when he hears a new voice calling out names he doesn't recognize. He freezes, then glances around and darts behind the remains of one of the broken cages.
The other being passes him by in his exploration, and Kup risks a peek. Hmmm. Autobot, but... when did they start making them that small? He's not showing any signs of infection, but waits and observes anyway, just to make sure.
He is convinced by the other's reaction to an encounter with... hmmm, looks like a Gillanan callizard!1 Had Holi been infected, he would not have been so gentle in dealing with it as it provided a focus for the Hate. Kup steps out from hiding, and is just about to swat the creature off the tiny Autobot when Holi scrambles out from beneath it and takes off running, having not even spotted the elder robot.
Kup sighs and shakes his head while glancing briefly skyward. Kids. Then he summons his acid-glob laser musket2 and fires in front of the callizard, further encouraging it to run the other direction, which it does. Then he returns his musket to subspace and runs after Holi, shouting, "Hey! Wait up there, lad!"
1 What do you know? Holi had guessed the name correctly!
2 You just try to work that one out! I dare you!
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 11:35:14 GMT -5
Would anyone believe it hadn't occurred to Holi there might be others around to hear him?
The gruff voice isn't one he recognises, but he slows, then stops, then turns around anyway. He doesn't recognise the other Autobot, either – not that it really matters. The callizard is now nowhere in sight and he's much too happy to see someone else wearing the familiar, bright red emblem to worry about the angry critter right now. He can at least be sure this is a friend.
"Heeey!" he calls, waving. There's an elated grin on Holi's face once again as he doubles back to meet halfway. Maybe the green mech is a new member of the team? It seems like they pop up every few days. Say, he might even know where everyone else went!
2 - The fact of the matter is, in Kup's day, lasers did whatever they were told. And they liked it!
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 11:55:47 GMT -5
When Holi stops running away and instead starts running towards, Kup's run slows to a walk, and he gives the strange little Autobot a friendly smile and nod. "Hey there, lad. Name's Kup." He looked around, his smile fading to something more thoughtful. "Now, er, this might sound kind of strange, but last thing I remember, I was on Earth. I don't suppose you have anything to do with me being suddenly half-way across the danged galaxy?"
Wait, what?! Why would Kup assume that? Why, he can guess the region from the animals he recognizes, of course!
2 Bah! You call that working it out? That explanation comes straight from the Transformers Wiki! Why, in my day, the fankids would crank out a 23 page dissertation that referenced at least nine different episodes or comic issues from four different series, plus at least two PhD level physics papers and one obscure fanfic written by a guy named Ned who lives in a basement in a tiny town in South Dakota! *shakes fists.* Kids these days, with their fancy internets and their googles and their wikis...
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 12:23:54 GMT -5
"Earth? You've already been to Earth, Kup?" Obviously, this prospect garners the Micromaster's attention first. "We just left a couple of days ago," he adds, "but we went to Micro… I was hoping you knew where we are." And what a crestfallen look he has about him, too. One might think somebody's just kicked his turbo-pup. Not that he's ever actually had a turbo-pup.
Oh, where are his manners?
"I'm Holi," he says and offers one hand for a shake.
2 Fluff and stuff, fluff and stuff, that's all it is. No sense dancing around the subject when you can just get to the point, I says.
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 13:10:48 GMT -5
Now Kup frowned and narrowed his optics. First off, if this tiny Autobot had been assigned to Earth, Kup should have recognized him, second, "a couple of days ago" was when the Hate Plague was first beginning to spread, and third, Kup's never even heard of any place called 'Micro,' not that he wasn't occasionally blind-sided by the odd Transformer-inhabited planet he had never head of (such as Paradron).
Kup shakes his head. "I've got an idea, but a few things don't add up," he admits. "In fact, the more pieces I get, the less they do." The elder mech turns his frown towards Holi, his expression considerably more suspicious. "Holi, I've never heard of any, 'Micro,' and I sure as heck know you weren't on Earth. So... you want to try a more convincing story this time?" His stance isn't hostile, not yet, but remember, this is the mech that put Sandstorm under a lie-detector over his story.
2 See, that's the problem with kids today! They lack the patience to sit down and do their convoluted fan-explanations properly! Always looking for shortcuts, they are!
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 13:59:41 GMT -5
Holi hesitantly withdraws his hand as Kup rebuffs him, then looks squarely back up at the elder Autobot, all earnestness and bemusement, and a little hurt at being mistrusted like this by another Autobot. Just what is this place? Does it turn Autobots against each other?
"I'm not telling a story!" he insists, arms open, palms up in a gesture somewhere between exasperation and pleading. "We've been on Earth for a while now, since Commander Star Saber moved operations there when he found out Deszaras was there, too! We've been fighting the Dinoforce and Leozack and the Breastforce this whole time!" He's getting wound up about this as only a Micromaster can. "We finally stopped his plant on the asteroid base, so the Commander decided we could go back and visit Micro while Braver and the others stayed on Earth to keep an eye on things. But the Breastforce showed up there, too, and then Gaihawk escaped from prison! And… and now I'm here." He slumps a little, not sure what else there is to explain. That's pretty much everything, recapped in a single air compressor cycle.
…Surely Kup will recognise the Supreme Commander's name, at least!
2 *shamelessly shortcuts*
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 16:05:19 GMT -5
Kup holds up both his hands, then lowers them in the universal, "Calm down" gesture.
"Calm down, calm down, lad. Getting worked up won’t get us anywhere." He finally lowers his hands completely, and looks around once more, his optics resting on one of the signs. Then he looks back at Holi. "Well, I believe you're not intentionally lying, anyway. 'Cos someone intentionally lying would make a lot more sense." That, of course, still didn't leave out the potential for crazy. "None of those names mean a durned thing to me." His voice is no longer accusing, but it's still firm. "I don't know any 'Star Saber,' and the commander of Autobot forces on Earth, 'least when Rodimus ain't around, is Ultra Magnus." This is not sensitive information Kup is giving out, so he's not particularly bothered to share it, although he does watch Holi's expression carefully for some hint of recognition as he speaks.
"Least, it was before this Hate Plague business started up," he adds darkly.
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 16:53:03 GMT -5
Not a one of those names rings any bells.
"I've never heard of Ultra Magnus," Holi mumbles, sounding less assured even as Kup is still stern, "or Rodimus." Now he's confused. Well, he was confused before, but it's worse. He doesn't know these names, Kup doesn't know the Supreme Commander or even Deszaras, and the elder thought he was lying about everything–! Why would he lie? Especially to another Autobot? "And I don't know what a Hate Plague is, either." Though it didn't sound very nice at all.
Abruptly, Holi draws himself up straight, jaw set, and fixes his optic band on Kup's wizened visage.
"I'm not lying," he says, perfectly serious. "On my honour as captain of the Rescue Patrol. As an Autobot." Of course, who'd believe someone with his dearth of years is a captain of anything? Even if it is the truth.
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 17:15:14 GMT -5
Between Kup's age and his position as the Cybertron's Chief of Security, he knows full well that "Autobot Honor" isn't all it's cracked up to be, but if this kid isn't lying he's a brilliant actor. Still, Kup can't help but gape. "Not know Rodimus Prime?!" he exclaims. "He is... erm, was... erm... lad, he took over leadership of all Autobots when Optimus Prime passed on in the aftermath of the Battle of Autobot City! He used the Matrix to finish off Unicron! You can't live on Earth and not know all... th..." Kup suddenly trails off into silence as something occurs to him.
Kup mutters softly, "Oh, smeltin' slag-scrap..."
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 17:44:56 GMT -5
That honour happens to mean quite a lot to the young Micromaster, thank you kindly. He's trying to be serious!
Holi would answer – really, no, he doesn't know any Rodimus Prime, or an Optimus Prime while on that subject, and didn't he just say he was telling the tru– Wait.
"Rodimus? Rodimus Convoy?" he blurts out. "You mean Rodimus Convoy!" And Ultra Magnus! How could he forget– Oh. Right. Attacked by a callizard. It's sort of hard to remember important things like that when an angry snarling thing was just chewing on his head.
OOC: Sorry for all the, er, trouble.
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 19:26:57 GMT -5
"No," grumbles Kup as he places his hands on his hips. He moves his legs further apart and looks down. Not at the tiny Autobot, but at an unspecific spot on the ground between his feet. His optics narrow and his lips purse once again in thought. "No, I mean Rodimus Prime." Before Holi can protest, he orders, "Don't argue. I'm not saying you're wrong, or you're lying. What I am saying is, looks like we've got more wrong than being in the middle of the greatest crisis the galaxy has ever seen..." he hesitates and gestures towards Holi, "well, plus whatever you were doing, with the asteroids and, erm, Breastforce and stuff... with being yanked out of that and plopped in the middle of a zoo halfway across the galaxy that probably shouldn't be abandoned but is."
Kup pauses and considers what he just said. He sighs. "Because, of course, all of that ain't near enough wrong as it is," he mutters as an addendum. He shakes his head and looks at Holi. "Look, uhm... Holi. You seem like a nice enough kid." Maybe a little high strung, but Kup's seen worse. "But, well... first off, we need to get out of the open. There may be worse about than that calizard." And if any other Autobots got brought over from where Kup had been pulled from, some of them might be wearing the red emblem. "They'll be plenty of time to work out what's going on later."
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Jun 20, 2007 20:44:15 GMT -5
Maybe Rodimus Convoy and this Rodimus Prime are brothers?
…Okay, okay, fine. He won't argue. Holi knows the sound of an order when he hears it and totally unknown location or not, he's still an Autobot soldier. He knows better. Although maybe he could do without hearing 'nice enough kid'. Well, he'll have to try harder to show Kup he isn't just a kid, that's all there is to it.
"Yes, sir!" he says crisply with a quick salute. He then turns and glances around; Kup can probably see farther, being taller, and that would be good because there isn't much Holi can spy over the surrounding cages, sharp optics or no. That might be the top of a building a few dozen meters or so away to the right. It seems fairly solid. "It looks like there's a building over there," he suggests as he points it out.
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Post by Kup on Jun 20, 2007 21:26:20 GMT -5
Kup's optics cycle off and back on in a blink at the eager eyed little military salute. As soon as Holi turns to look around, a brief, amused smile quirks the corner of his lips, although the moment Holi looks back, it's vanished once more.
The older mech turns in the direction Holi points to, and nods. "Whelp, it's a start," he says. "But actually, what I said about not being out in the open... I mostly just meant not just standing around in the open." He walks towards the building. His step is light, his expression wary, and his whole body is held in angles of extreme alert. "We'll never get anything accomplished if we just hole up somewhere, but that's as good a place as any to start looking for answers." Kup glances over his shoulder to make sure that Holi is following (and hasn't, perhaps, summoned his weapon for some reason) and advises, "And keep on your toes, kid."
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