Jazz
Rookie
SugarSugarBoozeSugarSugarBoozeSugarSugar!
Posts: 175
|
Post by Jazz on Jul 28, 2007 5:21:55 GMT -5
Jazz giving up completely would be like Perceptor stopping with the technobabble.
There may be moments of weakness-- where uncertainty creeps in on tiny feet-- but the spark never stopped pulsating. Jazz is still the kind of mech who goes down fighting. Always has been, always will be. Were he less badly damaged, Jazz would be insisting on helping the others.
Things are looking better. A system integrated with one that Perceptor isolated might be slightly damaged-- but it's functioning, now that the dependent protocols are back in place.
It may take days to get him back together again, but those are days that the scientist has given to the silver mech.
More stable--
Jazz definitely can't die right now.
From what he's seen so far, death would be far too boring.
|
|
Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
|
Post by Dead End on Jul 28, 2007 11:27:08 GMT -5
Dead End's engine roars as he speeds towards Long Haul. The way the Autobots are converging on him, he's important--or carrying something important. His own plans for holding someone at gun- and piles of high-explosive-point until he could extract Long Haul, or get them to call off Omega Supreme, have gone to the place where most battle plans go.
Best just do a quick recon before things get totally untenable. Dead End weaves, dodging incoming fire as best he can, and trusting his forcefields to handle the rest. If they don't--he'll never feel it. Not with all that energon packed in his trunk.
It struck Dead End that he was being a bit reckless even for him. "I must have shared too much of Wildrider's code last time we merged," he mutters to himself.
With a final burst of speed, Dead End catches up to Long Haul--just as a terribly familiar jet comes thundering in from the north somewhere. Two jets. Time to extract.
He scans Long Haul--rounded, alien styling, yet half-familiar at the same time, like-- like the ground vehicles of Cybertron! Autobot symbol plainly emblazoned on his grill. More than a little something is wrong here.
"LONG HAUL! Are you a prisoner? Say the word, and I'll take out your guards and we can run! Hook is worried!" Dead End yells, swerving and skidding to avoid dropped debris (Is that the torso of Optimus Prime? How odd!).
He winds up hurtling past the Constructibot and taking a turn on two wheels to avoid plowing into the rock piles at the foot of the butte. Great, it looks like Slingshot and the other, unknown Aerialbot are circling for an attack run. Dead End deploys his vehicular cannon and hugs the foot of the butte, making it hard for the jets to come at him, except from straight in. That direction, he covers with his blaster cannon.
// Warning: two Aerialbots have appeared on the field--Slingshot, and an unknown. Hook, Long Haul appears uninjured, but is a Cybertronian or other alien truck model, not an earth vehicle. I am getting the attention of a great many Autobots who aren't Omega Supreme; possibly Long Haul or what he is carrying are important to them. Relaying images to you, // Dead End broadcasts to the Decepticons--though he sends the images to Hook and Starfighter.
// Starfighter, once you've sorted out that Treaddraft idiot, I recommend you retreat. You do not want to engage the Aerialbots. And can you tell me what Long Haul's alternate mode is? I am not all that familiar with Cybertronian vehicles, // Dead End sends to Starfighter privately.
// Hook, Long Haul is wearing an Autobrand. I'm not sure he's an unwilling captive--can you pass me his personal frequency? It's hard to yell at him with a bunch of yahoos trying to blow me up, // Dead End sends privately to Hook.
|
|
|
Post by Starfighter on Jul 28, 2007 14:11:47 GMT -5
Starfighter flicked out his datapad and did a quick search--no Treaddrift. They guy was either unimportant or lying. The roar of engined caught his attention and he looked up. Also not good.
Snap judgments weren't really Starfighter's forte, but Treaddrift struck him as scared, cringing, and he didn't seem the warrior type. The mech did remind him a bit of himself--but given a combat situation, Starfighter would probably leave himself behind too. He wasn't risking his life over someone he didn't even know.
//Long Haul appears to be some sort of hauler vehicle, used for Construction. Same general function as his Earth form, just a different design. Treaddrift's pretty dead weight and not on my roster, I'm retreating back to the power station.//
"If you're a prisoner, they probably won't kill you now," Starfighter offered by way of comfort. "If we get a chance we might come back for you."
He transformed, hesitating in case Treaddrift had any offers to make.
|
|
|
Post by Slingshot on Jul 29, 2007 15:20:59 GMT -5
Slingshot swings in low near Long Haul, just behind Skyblast, and cuts the grappling lines. Optimus Prime's torso lands very, very near his legs, and the Harrier has already roared off after the Stunticon.
//Yeah, that's a Stunticon. Dead End. Watch it, he's got forcefields.// If Slingshot were even a year older, he could give Skyblast a better summation of Dead End's capabilities. Alas, he is not, and so he cannot.
Okay, purple guy is on their side. Blue jet isn't. The Stunticon definitely isn't.
Skyblast can have the other jet. Slingshot wants to sink his fingers into Dead End and tear out his transmission- Let everything, absolutely everything from today boil over in a wash of violence and mayhem.
By now, the Stunticon has gotten past him, past Long Haul (and Slingshot will deal with that later), and the Harrier curves back around in an attack run. His twin mortar cannons open up, blasting away in a steady stream of noise. Shards of red rock fill the air as Slingshot tries to nail the Stunticon.
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 29, 2007 21:20:05 GMT -5
Skyblast reports, //You sure this guy is on our side? He looks awfully chummy with the blue jet.//
He watches Slingshot peel off after the car and notes down his advice. Forcefields aren't unheard of to Skyblast, and he wonders if there's anything that penetrates the car Decepticon's particular field. Sound has to, or he wouldn't be able to hear! Light, too, so that his optics work. Skyblast radios, //Thanks Slingshot, gotcha.//
The blue jet remains unengaged, and Skyblast is always up for showing a Decepticon flier how it’s done. Focusing, he extrudes paired energon blades on his wingtips, suitable for slashing another robot right open if he can get in close enough.
Skyblast dives, just barely skimming over the ground. He enjoys the benefits of ground effect and jams on his accelerator, heading straight at the blue jet. At the last moment, he pulls up and away, hopefully raking one of those wingblades into the Decepticon.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 29, 2007 21:54:17 GMT -5
Starfighter probably can't find Treaddraft because he's looking for Treaddrift instead. Besides, maybe Treaddraft's from a different universe than Starfighter is. Has that thought occurred to the Seeker?
At Starfighter's declaration that Treaddraft is to be left behind, his expression sinks like the Titanic. He wails and sputters, "Oh, please, don't leave me behind, sir! They'll take me apart for spare parts, see if they don't. They've already taken my radio."
Then, he looks over at Perceptor's gun, and a devious expression passes over Treaddraft's face. However, before Treaddraft can act on the cutthroat thoughts that pass through his head, the grey jet comes barreling down at them. Treaddraft hits the dirt, the only evasive action that he can take right now. Flat to the ground, he slides a finger through the gun's trigger and caresses it. The concussion rifle is what he would call in the business a 'bargaining position'.
|
|
|
Post by Perceptor on Jul 30, 2007 6:02:29 GMT -5
The improvement in Jazz's functions does not go unnoticed; Perceptor allows himself a little more hope.
It's Long Haul's sudden application of brakes more than the crash and slide of an all too familiar corpse that alerts Perceptor that the parts he desperately needs - and the cavalry - has arrived. Performing such precision work in a moving vehicle over such rough terrain is... tricky under the best of circumstances. Attempting the same in the midst of a battle is not something Perceptor looks forward to ever doing again.
He jerks his attention away from his work as Long Haul slides to a halt, half afraid at first that Dead End has caught up with them. The billowing of black dust draws his attention to the terribly familiar greyed bulk - in nearly the same two pieces that Jazz is, he notes morbidly - sliding to a halt just beside them as both jets peel off toward the combat behind them. He manages not to flinch. Just.
As badly as he needs the parts from the mortal remains of Optimus Prime, Perceptor isn't confident that Jazz can do without the power he, himself, is supplying to the battered mech. Perceptor cannot aford to disconnect himself from Jazz even long enough to hop down and heave everything up into Long Haul's bed. Not just yet.
Then light erupts from the power station in a searing lance into the heavens, before arcing back down to the planet in thousands of ribbons. Long habit has his CPU running calculations even as his optics are taking in the sight.
// I believe that the energy transmitter has been activated, // he explains. // If there are any close enough to Long Haul to assist for a moment, I would appreciate it. //
|
|
Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
|
Post by Synapse on Jul 30, 2007 20:17:57 GMT -5
Synapse frowns as the grey plane comes in close to the ground, sweeping over Xaaron and the Decepticon flier and kicking up an obscene amount of dust and sand into the air, thoroughly obscuring whatever bead he has on the blue flier and on Emirate Xaaron. It's then that above that dark cloud that a huge beam of light spears the skies.
Perceptor's transmission is what finally snaps Synapse out of his amazed stupor. Long Haul is but a few feet away...but then there's Xaaron who Long Haul said to watch. Well, with the arrival of reinforcments in the form of these two fliers, he can spare his hands. Hurriedly he turns and sets the rocket launcher back into Long Haul's bed.
"What do you want me to do, Perceptor?"
|
|
|
Post by Long Haul on Jul 30, 2007 20:54:30 GMT -5
Long Haul... is stuck. He can't leave his spot, he's as close as he can get to the spare parts, and so he can do nothing besides sit there, helpless, as the Decepticon first arrives, then appears to threaten him over the general frequency. But for someone intent on killing him, this strange ground vehicle is awfully conversational.
Dead End: "LONG HAUL! Are you a prisoner? Say the word, and I'll take out your guards and we can run! Hook is worried!"
"What?!" Long Haul exclaims, startled by the question. "No! Who the hell are you!?"
The light show gets his attention as does, well, everything else, but he's helpless to actually do anything. When Synapse arrives, though, he can guess at what Perceptor had wanted. "He can't reach the co-, the bo-, he can't reach the spare parts, Synapse." Long Haul is actually not nearly as disturbed about the idea of honoring a dead mech by making his remains a part of something living as most Autobots would be, but knowing the attitude of most of them, he's unsure of what term is least likely to offend. He probably just made the worst choice possible.
"Could you put them in my bed, where he can reach?"
|
|
Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
|
Post by Holi on Jul 30, 2007 22:37:18 GMT -5
There's a warbling noise as Holi chirps his siren about a hundred meters out in a sort of announcement to avoid startling anyone by just showing up. The cavalry may be small, but they have arrived!
"Long Haul, sir! Sorry we took so long!" Thump, bump, transform. "The lights in the sky were really pretty, though, weren't the–" Holi stops. That's… that's another Transformer in two pieces like Jazz. Bigger, more familiar in design. Sort of like– no. No, it isn't Commander Ginrai.
But that red and teal bot – there's no mistaking him. Holi can't help staring.
|
|
Jazz
Rookie
SugarSugarBoozeSugarSugarBoozeSugarSugar!
Posts: 175
|
Post by Jazz on Jul 30, 2007 23:09:00 GMT -5
Shame that Jazz can't see the light show. He'd probably love it.
The sudden stop worked something loose temporarily, and there's a fluctuation. Nothing Perceptor can't handle-- though the glitch does make one of the four fingered hands flex. Hm. Could that have been a motor relay? Possibly.
Everyone is a slave to his or her name. It's one of those things that can be heard in the loudest of conversations. An unfamiliar voice addressed him over a channel that Jazz is still tuned into-- a few others have been using the name as well. And somehow, he's still listening.
The sudden shifting of power is subtle at first, weak. As though he's trying to wake up, trying to find out if someone's calling him, and nearly succeeding at leaving the dark, empty, and very lonely spaces.
The good news is that whatever Peceptor is doing, it's restoring systems enough for Jazz to attempt to move.
The bad news is that it takes far too much energy to do so.
|
|
Wheelie
Rookie
Can't sleep. Sharkticons will eat me.
Posts: 191
|
Post by Wheelie on Jul 30, 2007 23:12:18 GMT -5
The small pod-car that is Wheelie pulls up alongside Holi, transforming into his robot mode just as quickly. Nervous eyes scan the crowd of other Transformers, uncertain of who to trust.
"Doesn't look like you've had fun! Did someone try to kill and run?"
|
|
Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
|
Post by Dead End on Jul 30, 2007 23:39:49 GMT -5
Dead End actually caught up and passed Long Haul, Perceptor--and kept going after yelling a question at the lime green truck. How rude of him not to stop for conversation and tea! Dead End zigs and zags, dodging Slingshot's fire as he weaves in and out of rock piles around the butte. Sandstone shards rattle and thud on his roof and hood like a particularly nasty hailstorm. Unfortunately, circling the butte is taking him in the wrong direction. The useful thing about circles, though, is that they take you in all directions, eventually. Dead End has a brief radio conversation with Long Haul and Hook as he circles the butte, going around it counter-clockwise until he comes around to the north guardrant, heading west-- Now he's between the cluster of Autobots around Long Haul and the battle at the power station. With luck, there's some allies in that direction. Dead End peels off, running northwest as he floors it, engine roaring as he bounces across the desert floor. // Ah, Starscream, any one else--I'm bringing you some Aerialbots to play with. My playtime is about up, so I'd be happy to turn them over to you. //
|
|
|
Post by Starfighter on Jul 31, 2007 12:47:47 GMT -5
Starfighter transformed back and hit the dirt seconds before Skyblast roared over him, landing on his back and in a rather vulnerable position. The blades came so close that he could almost feel the wind from where they passed by. He fired a few shots in Skyblast's direction, but they were frantic and not likely to hit anywhere important. Besides that, the lights arcing across the sky were enough to distract the aim of any casual soldier.
"Told you, can't get out of here with you too." Starfighter managed to flip and transform back again, trying to race upward out of Treaddrift's rifle range before he decided to shoot the tetrajet down out of spite.
|
|
|
Post by Slingshot on Jul 31, 2007 14:41:28 GMT -5
Slingshot stays on Dead End's tail, cannons blazing. The wind among the rocks is weird. If he were Skydive, he'd say it was risky, and if he weren't furious, he'd say it was a challenge. But right now, he's flying on instinct, and the air movements here aren't quite dangerous enough to make that a stupid idea.
|
|