Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Jul 16, 2007 21:14:19 GMT -5
// I see a great big Tower, straight ahead. Is that what we're looking for? // he comms to Perceptor.
Hardwire who came from Cybertron...he must not come from the same Cybertron that Synapse did because nothing about this mech rang any claxons in his memory banks. Unfortunately for Synapse, and perhaps fortunately for Hardwire, the scout's too far ahead to hear any of Nightbeat's proclamations.
// Perceptor, he calls himself Hardwire and says he hails from Cybertron. // But of course Hardwire comes from Cybertron, don't most Transformers? He casts an appraising eye over Hardwire before shrugging.
"Ah, I'm Synapse. The others should be coming up pretty soon." he says. "Are those building plans-"
He freezes in mid-sentence as the gathering of sunlight in the bulbs catches the rest of his attention. That should not mean something very good. Abruptly, he calls for his node to bank up sharply. A good thing too. The sizzling of heated air barely scorches its black surface, leaving Synapse with the equivalent feeling of getting a quick second degree burn.
He sucks in a quick breath through his intakes, his mouth twists downwards in a tiny grimace.
// Warning! Tower does have online defense systems! ...like lasers of some sort. // he blares over the broadband in shock.
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Post by Swerve on Jul 16, 2007 21:49:58 GMT -5
Definitely no-one Swerve knows, this Hardwire mech. His make tugs at a memory relay, but Swerve can't quite make the connection, whatever it is. It'll nag at him for ages, probably. He still isn't about to trust some random, unrecognisable mech who just came out of nowhere– This sounds familiar, actually. Well, slag.
Fine, he won't blindly trust the mech. That'd be stupid.
"So," wonders the racer, "is he comin' along or what?" At least if Hardwire's along, they can keep an optic on him.
The matter of Hardwire's identity is quickly pushed out of mind when Synapse blurts out something about defence lasers. But why on the smelting radio? Frag, no matter. If they have to get into that power station, that means going through the defences. Sounds fun.
"You alright, kid?" Swerve lobs at Synapse. Trust him, he's just as surprised it slipped out as any of the others might be.
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Jul 16, 2007 22:02:35 GMT -5
"Hardwire" leans back slightly, in a confused look at Synapse. "Eh? Wot's with you, lad?" he asks, puzzled. Looked like he'd been shot, except, y'know, minus the being shot. His head turns, looking at the others - Red car, pink car, and a blue car with flames. He couldn't see Perceptor from this far off, though. He glances back at Synapse. "Friends of yours, I assume...?"
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on Jul 16, 2007 23:23:28 GMT -5
None of them has any idea just yet, but Wreckage is on his way to an encounter with Autobots. If he knew, he would be abuzz with anticipation.
As it is, he is aware primarily of the heat as he trundles across the parched terrain – the heat and the sun pounding down like a physical force on his armour plate. He is curious after this Starscream that is like and unlike the lieutenant commander, shares his private frequency, but sounds nothing like him and seems oblivious to the search for Lord Megatron and the All Spark. He had spoken of differing time periods and 'different Starscreams and Megatrons'. Another Megatron? That is an… intimidating thought. All in all, the situation is quite strange. Stranger even than the entire hunt hinging on a human boy.
He pauses in his ruminations to note the change in terrain; outcroppings are more frequent and progressively larger, becoming buttes and mesas. In the distance, a massive plateau rises over the desert floor, and that seems to be some manner of roadway leading to it. The plateau seems to match up with the coordinates given by Starscream. Perhaps by the time Wreckage gets there, Starscream and the others will have arrived.
Never has Wreckage been so keenly aware of his colouring as now.
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Post by Perceptor on Jul 17, 2007 15:06:06 GMT -5
An Autobot. Perceptor files that away as good, although he cannot help but think that it is only a matter of time before they run across the Decepticons which surely must have been brought to this world as well.
"What is it, Nightbeat?" Perceptor asks curiously, not about to discount any potential source of information or observation. Nightbeat is, after all, a trained investigator.
Ah! Information from Synapse! // If it is surmounted by a satellite transmission array, yes, I believe that is our goal, // Perceptor replies, pleased.
As for Hardwire, Perceptor had only added the question of planetary origin after Swerve had so vehemently explained his own planetary origins. It had seemed like an an appropriate question to add to the repertoire.
// Synapse! Are you all right? // Perceptor asks, thoughts interrupted by the strident radio call about the defenses that Perceptor had feared may still be in place. // Regroup, Synapse. Any details you can provide about what you witnessed will be helpful in attempting to determine a course of action. //
Not for the first time, Perceptor is bitterly regretting that he must depend on others for rapid ambulation. Being restricted to the view provided by the windows of Arcee's passenger compartment is... frustrating to the mech who depends on his observational abilities to perform his function.
Thus, the mech with the longest view of them all... misses the approach of the white Decepticon against the black scrub mesa. He's not going to be pleased about that later, that's for certain sure.
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Post by SceneMod on Jul 17, 2007 16:49:40 GMT -5
OOC: Not posting ICly this round, as nothing new has happened that the environment would react to.
This is just a reminder, but keep in mind that SceneMod will not post every round if there's no need, so if your turn comes up and you're ready to post, don't feel you should wait on me.
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Arcee
Minor
Token Girl-Bot
Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jul 18, 2007 0:01:33 GMT -5
"Looks like we've got another lost lamb," Arcee says, even as she begins to slow down just a bit in response to Nightbeat's request. She doesn't much like him, but she accepts that he does have useful skills, or else that Emirate person would never have trusted him.
In as much as any of those Autobots could be trusted.
"And what, pray tell, do you have for us now, Mister Detective?"
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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 Jul 18, 2007 0:10:42 GMT -5
"Yeah," Nightbeat says, "you can blame this one on Dollface here. Got so caught up arguing with her I wasn't even thinkin'."
He pauses, partially for dramatic effect, and partially because he knows it will annoy Arcee.
"Anybody notice we're runnin' out of plants? Saw plenty on our way in, and now... zip. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Bupkiss."
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Jul 18, 2007 0:32:09 GMT -5
Synapse shakes the surprise from both the attack and the unexpected inquiry from his mind and responds automatically. "M'alright, just have to bring it up to higher altitudes." He forgets that Hardwire probably has no idea of what he's talking about. "Mmm yeah, I'm traveling with them."
// Yes, the tower has what looks like a transmission array.// he responds to Perceptor, transmitting a visual of the tower to the scientist. // The defense system I encountered, it's in that band of green around the place. I thought they were satellites at first. //
As the rest of the group gets closer, Synapse manages to catch Nightbeat's last comment.
"If you want plants, look ahead, there are plenty. Especially if you want the laser-shooting sort."
The higher his singed surveillance goes, the more desert he's able to see. On the edge of its transmitted vision, Synapse spots a bit of contrast to the dark desert. He frowns again, as if that will clear up the image for him. There's too much heat interference for him to really make anything out, but it's just strange. Quickly he turns his attention back to the laser bulbs. They seem to be the more immediate danger.
Little does he know that they'll probably be the least of his worries later.
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Post by Swerve on Jul 18, 2007 0:45:24 GMT -5
No plants. Big deal. Swerve had his fill of plants back in the forest, thanks. Plants and those little brown things that skitter across the road and try to wreck him. If he wants someone to try wrecking him, he'll join a race.
There. Nightbeat wants plants, he's got plants.
Just a nano. "'Laser-shooting plants'?" Swerve is still in racer mode, but his voice makes his non-expression very clear: he's giving Synapse a look like the kid has blown a diode or two. Or ten. The defence system is laser-shooting plants? Whatever lived here was even wackier than the Autobots, that's for sure. "Sure you ain't seeing things?" he adds doubtfully.
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Jul 18, 2007 1:03:41 GMT -5
Cannonball takes count - ...three, four...and something in Arcee's seat that's red. Not sure if that counts...then again, he'd heard one more voice, so he assumes it belongs to the strange red object.
He then fires up a private band to Starscream to report the findings so far, and joins Swerve in the Quizzical Looks Aimed At Synapse department. He wasn't quite sure if he should say anything else, for the time being.
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Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
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Post by Wreckage on Jul 18, 2007 1:52:39 GMT -5
Wreckage has, by now, decided that he does not envy Brawl his desert post. Compensating for the heat is no trouble, but the white-clad fighter finds it a nuisance insofar as it intrudes on contemplating his situation. The dust kicked up by his passing, too, is a minor irritation. He dislikes the thought that it could negatively affect his efficiency. Pulling onto the roadway seems the most reasonable course of action to lessen its impact. Onto the roadway he goes, then.
What scrubby vegetation there is here, and of it there is still more than he saw in his post region, seems to thin out nearer the plateau, which looms ever larger as Wreckage continues down the roadway. He debates slowing down; he has no real reasons to believe Starscream will be prompt in his arrival. However, he has no reasons to believe Starscream will not be prompt, either. Fickleness is hardly beyond the lieutenant commander. Wreckage decides, then, he should maintain his speed. Arriving late is worse than arriving early.
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Post by Perceptor on Jul 18, 2007 18:30:02 GMT -5
"However puerile in his method, Nightbeat is accurate in his observation. Without taking the time for a detailed analysis of soil, weather, atmospheric, and solar conditions, however, I cannot begin to offer a hypothesis for-" Perceptor breaks off for a moment, returning with, "The weapon is an organic, vegetation based life form, Synapse?"
Perceptor wants to see it for himself, and now! How fascinating!
"An organic form capable of producing a wavelength and intensity of energy that significant could potentially be a harvestable source of energy all of its own! Fascinating!"
"Synapse, the plants did not respond until your surveillance node approached, correct? The causeway from the basin floor to the top of the butte where the transmission station lies, is there a significant grade near the top? Significant enough to, perhaps, mask the approach of a mechanism for a closer examination of that vegetation?" he asks eagerly.
He just needs to get in scope range - line of sight, really, that's all. Oh what an intriguing puzzle!
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on Jul 18, 2007 23:41:44 GMT -5
The warm ground Wedge wakes up on is definitely unfamiliar. It's nothing like the cool dampness that he has grown used to within subterranean Earth. Nope, nothing like being underground at all. But that's not the only thing that's bothering him...it's quiet and he feels oddly alone.
Activating his optics, the first thing he notices is the blinding glare of the sun shining right into them. Wedge shoves himself up and a great expanse of black sand greets his vision. Black sand and blue skies. Now he wishes to see three other colors along with it, namely yellow, red, and green.
"Heavy Load?! Heavy Load, where are you? Grimlock? Hightower? Guys?! Guys?!" his inquiries grow louder with each one unanswered. They were just with him, honest to goodness. Right there, all around him. Where'd they go? Where...where? They wouldn't leave him hanging like this. Never. Maybe...maybe this is all just a really bad dream. A really really bad dream. It definitely doesn't look like anywhere on Earth that he can recognize (and Wedge has been to a lot of places on Earth).
Okay, okay, no need to panic. Dreams end and he'll wake up in no time. "Argh! I'm not scared!" No, not scared of anything. Not even if he can't feel any of his teammates nearby.
Frustration and fear mixing together, he runs forward a few meters before dropping to a halt. Okay, this is ridiculous. There's nothing to freak out about. Absolutely nothing. Just play this out until the end. Trundle around this black desert. Meet the good guys, blast the bad guys. That's how dreams play out right?
Wedge picks himself back up and transforms. Soon an orange bulldozer is moving slowly across the sand.
'I hope Hightower wakes me up soon...I don't think I like this dream.'
However much he dislikes it, he has to play it out right? Hesitantly he opens his radio. // Hey, anybody out there? //
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Arcee
Minor
Token Girl-Bot
Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jul 19, 2007 0:22:29 GMT -5
"A laser shooting plant?" Arcee asks. "Didn't look like the people here had technology that advanced. That's serious botany!"
In fact, it really sounded more like a Decepticon super-weapon. Hadn't some of the older Autobots mentioned a space-ray that was made out of an alien firefly?
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