Station-bound Autobot Thread

[Arcee]

As they approach Synapse, Arcee transforms--first letting Perceptor out--while noting that Nightbeat has done likewise.

She approaches him and jabs a finger into his chest. "Now you listen to me[/b]. I am tired of your belittling cracks about me, my universe, and whatever else you might feel like insulting tonight. I get it. I don't like you, you don't like me. But the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get back to our own lives. So rein in your inner jerk, or I'll open you up and find out if I can remove it personally."

To emphasize the point, she gave him a shove that knocked him on his backside. As she went off to check this Synapse fellow out, he placed a hand on the back of his head and let out a low whistle.

"...I think I'm in love."

***
OOC: Please consider this a joint Arcee and Nightbeat post

[Synapse]

Synapse usually isn't considered to be all that important outside of scouting and espionage. So he's used to being forgotten.

He tries not to pay too much attention to the short interchange that goes on between Arcee and Nightbeat as he drops to the ground. It's really not his business to be sticking his nose in anyone else's affairs. After all, he has something else to pay attention to, namely an unfamiliar red racer still in alt-mode.

"Er...hello." Synapse replies back, he doesn't take any steps closer to the racer or the group. "Have you just joined?" If it's anything, he faintly remembers the sharp voice being directed towards him more than once. He's just not quite sure from where and when.

Dark shapes whizz over the ground and Synapse's nodules circle the group curiously, noting down and recording the appearance of the newcomers. He dares to propel one of the black spheres towards the racers direction, if the individual would allow it.

[Swerve]

Yeah, leaving the bickering pair to it is probably a good idea, but probably not to worry about Swerve. He's just irritated at the moment, running hotter than usual. Nevertheless, he obliges the situation and transforms – racer mode is more comfortable for him, but these Autobots ironically seem less at-ease talking to a car – and gives the flier a level stare.

"Sorta," Swerve openly answers the other's question with a slightly troubled look, not quite sure just how to put it. Funny the guy asked like that, really. "Swerve," he adds by way of introduction. Oh yeah, he's all about the niceties. The situation manages to click through, though: nervousness against brusqueness, a jittery mech on the radio. "…Wait, you're that Synapse character, right?" Swerve could be wrong. Probably is for all he knows.

As for that black ball-thing flitting around, he doesn't exactly shoo it off or swat at it or anything of the like – yet, anyway – but he keeps glancing warily at it, turning where necessary to keep an optic on it. Is it a weapon? Some sort of remote camera? Who the frag's controlling it? And perhaps most importantly, should he scrap it?

[Perceptor]

Not to put too fine a point on it, Perceptor has been... well... sulking. He much prefers his own Cybertron and his own universe to the darker, harsher version that has spawned Nightbeat and Xaaron.

And somewhere, deep in the back of his processor, he cannot help but wonder, since Xaaron had recognized him, what that darker Cybertron's version of himself is like. It's an uncomfortable enough thought that he tunes out the conversation - argument - still flaring up and abandons himself in his calculations.

Right up until Arcee interrupts his thoughts by stopping and transforming. He watches with a mixture of faint alarm and bemusement as Arcee dumps Nightbeat on his skidplate - amusement, and a bit of relief, wins out at Nightbeat's reaction.

"Welcome back, Synapse," Perceptor offers by way of greeting, tossing nothing more than a brief glance towards the floating node; he's quite familiar with them, and it doesn't occur to him to explain their presence or purpose to Swerve.

"Swerve and Arcee rendezvoused with our party shortly after you began your reconnaissance. We are currently in search of the energy transmission facility that powers the receiving station we found in the city."

He doesn't mention certain "discussions" of "philosophical differences" between the various realities. No need to pick yet another fight when it should become all too clear to the green flier soon enough.

---

OOC Note: Thanks all. Am back now. Will try to get all caught up and suchnot ASAP.

[Arcee]

Arcee massages some feeling back into her hand as she approaches Synapse. Where the heck had that little bit of aggression come from? Sure, she got into it with Hot Rod and Springer now and then--okay, she traded insults with Hot Rod the way most people traded baseball cards--but she didn't really think of herself as having a temper.

Yeah, right.

Fact of the matter was, she'd been in such shock over the loss of Optimus that it had colored all her other reactions, taming them, making her almost weepy. That wasn't her.

It had taken the pushing and needling of one of the biggest jerks she had ever met to get her back to herself. Perhaps she should thank him.

"Synapse, right?" she asks. "Did you get a good look at this place? Do you know where we are?"

[Nightbeat]

I had to admit, the dame had spunk. I hate spunk. But you've gotta appreciate a female who can knock you flat like that and then walk off like it was nothing. Or I would, if, you know, we had females to begin with. Still, she wasn't the problem. This world was. Who'd brought us here? Why? And how? I had feeling before it was all done, I was going to be sorry I asked.

Nightbeat hauls himself to his feet to join the others, briefly pausing to answer a communication from Xaaron.

[Synapse]

Swerve? Oh yes, Swerve. The name and voice finally snap together in Synapse's processors and his mouth shuts with an audible click before casting one last timid look back in the racer's direction.

Don't shoot the flying node...please? Synapse blithely fails to notice Swerve's wary glances at the spheres as he spares a small accomplished smile back at Perceptor. He is rather surprised though when Arcee comes forward, her immediate greeting and questioning throwing him a little off-guard. Startled, he stumbles back a few steps but immediately straightens himself once more to report.

"I was able to map out the basics of most of the planet while in orbit. If it's fine with all, I'll transfer the files to everyone. Erm, as for where we are, we're getting pretty close to the desert now. There are roads that we can get across it on, for those of us that need roads. There are more cities across it all. I'll point them all out to you once we all get some maps." says Synapse while compiling his files into one easy-to-send and access folder. "Perceptor, I don't know if this'll interest you or not, but while in orbit, I was able to passively examine some of this planet's satellites. It's got three of them, and one of them was made out of this blue crystalline structure that I cannot identify..."

[Swerve]

Yeah, Swerve is still giving the mini-satellites uneasy looks. They're smelting hard to ignore with all the flying and the circling, and he still isn't sure about them. No-one else seems to be worried. They're busy yakking.

Time for a closer look, then! As one of the spheres draws near again, Swerve makes a quick grab for it with both hands; he can examine it better if it fragging well holds still.

[Perceptor]

Asking if something unknown would interest the scientist is like asking if a fresh jar of wax would interest Sunstreaker.

"Yes, I would appreciate those files, Synapse, and thank you. Also any observations and information you obtained on the crystalline satellite. Did you, perhaps, manage to obtain any sort of spectral analysis?" he asks hopefully.

A physical sample would have been ideal, however a physical sample would have required a more in depth study than a passive examination, and doubtless a use of resources that they could ill afford at this time without a more guaranteed return of investiture.

"We should continue our progress to the transmission facilit-" Perceptor breaks off when Swerve makes the grab for Synapse's nodes.

"Swerve! Please do not damage Synapse's surveillance nodes! They are vital to his function!"

Not to mention that losing them would likely be painful to the green mech, but Perceptor doubts that this rough racer would truly care about that particular effect.

[Arcee]

Arcee nods her agreement. "Better we get moving than just standing around here."

Truth be told, she was more than a little interested in learning more about this planet anyway. Though she was far from the science geek that Perceptor was, she at least had some respect for those that did, along with some natural curiosity. This put her in stark contrast to Springer, Hot Rod, and Blurr, none of whom would have idea one about anything science-related if you offered them a detailed road map with cliff notes. One was just too much of an idiot in general, one was too hyperactive to settle down long enough to think, and the other... Well, maybe Springer didn't have to be bright, he had plenty of street smarts to make up for it.

She was amazed how much she missed them all. Heck, she was even starting to miss the Dinobots.

[Nightbeat]

Talk, talk, talk, talk. Was that all these other-verse Autobots knew how to do? Not a one of them would last five minutes in my universe. Scorponok or Thunderwing, heck, even Straxxus, they'd have been the end of this batch of goody two-shoes before they ever had idea one what was what. I was starting to think it'd be better to just set out on my own, like I always do. Don't need nobody but my brains and a good-charge in my pistols.

Nightbeat hung back at the edge of the ground, not really a part of these Autobots and not social enough to really feel like talking.

[Synapse]

Synapse is just about to send the files over to Perceptor when movement catches his attention out of the corner of his vision. In a split vision, hands loomed dangerously close to his proximity. The nodule that had been in reach of Swerve's over-curious hands ricochets away with surprising speed. Synapse grimaces as metallic fingers graze roughly over the surface of the sphere, sending uncomfortable shivers running up and down his relays.

Following suite to his node, Synapse scrambles back, putting a few dozen meters in distance between himself and the group.

"No touching." he grinds out, optics flashing in a very uncharacteristic show of anger.

He doesn't say anything else, just abruptly sends his files on over to Perceptor. Perhaps the scientist can forward the files to everyone else after he is done analyzing them. Synapse remains in his self-isolation, nodes spinning in a tizzy all around him. No touching. Just no touching.

[Swerve]

He wasn't trying to damage it, for Primus' sake! He just wanted it to hold still so he could– Oh, frag it. It isn't worth trying to explain, even to himself. Let them jump to conclusions if it makes them happy. Sure.

"Whatever," snarls the racer, crossing his arms and shutting up. Much like when he said the same thing to Arcee, it's as close as he'll get to an apology at the moment. Especially as he doesn't really feel like he owes one right now; he isn't the one making assumptions about others' motives here. Maybe an apology later, to Synapse. If the other mech is at all inclined toward communication later.

…If either of them is, for that matter.

[Perceptor]

The only conclusion Perceptor had been jumping to was that Swerve had been making a grab for one of Synapse's nodes. Not that Swerve had any sinister motives, but merely that rough handling would damage sensitive components. No more, no less.

Well, that and that Swerve potentially wouldn't have cared much if he had hurt Synapse. The Racer had already made it quite clear that his allegiance is a matter of convenience rather than philosophy, and that his own well-being is tantamount.

"Thank you for the files, Synapse," he offers calmly, trying in his own ill-equipped way to ease the mounting tensions in the group. It is slowly becoming clear to the scientist that the gulf of differing mores and ethics may be a greater threat to the Autobots than any purported Decepticon presence.

It's a frightening thing to think that they might perhaps need the Decepticons to focus their efforts and mend the fractures in faction cohesion.

"If everyone is settled then, perhaps we should be on our way once more?" he advises, instead, concentrating on the mission rather than letting his thoughts get the better of him.

[Arcee]

Arcee nods her agreement. "Let's roll," she says, transforming to her vehicular mode. "Still with me, Perceptor?"

Though she was not aware of his thoughts, she too shared similar concerns about their traveling companions, especially Swerve. The racer had been an all right individual upon their initial travel, if a bit quick to lash out at others. Perhaps the Autobots of his universe really were to blame for bringing their war to his world, though she strongly doubted it.

And then there was Nightbeat. She had known some truly horrible Autobots in her day. Sunstreaker, for one, came to mind. Vain and vicious, he was not on many people's list of favorite Autobots. Or even Slag on an especially ill-temperted day, but none that seemed so willing to throw most of their values out the window. Granted, his reality seemed a harsher place, one where the choices may have been less clear, but all the same...