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Post by Spinister on Aug 14, 2007 7:33:38 GMT -5
Inside of his head, Spinister is laughing, although he remains a silent sentinel to the outside world. Singe and Hairsplitter can hear his laughter, and they're rightfully concerned. Spinister just can't help himself, not in the sanctity of his own mind. First, she threatens his weapons. Then, she presumes to dictate terms to Starscream. Next, she threatens Needlenose's weapons. Although Spinister cannot quite parse the insult, the tone is unmistakable. More ludicrously, Starscream even seems to give her terms some consideration.
What she offers is unremarkable, and Spinister certainly wouldn't trust it. It's not like it's that hard a skill to pick up, although Spinister is perhaps a bit biased. Were he less certain that his abilities as a Mayhem outweighed his abilities that birthed a cloaking system that would make Mirage cry, Spinister knows that he could easily find a place slaving over the next super-weapon. Moreover, she changed her story. She offered herself up as a soldier, and now she's playing up maintenance skills. Spinister has the vague idea that Blackarachnia will say anything, if it gets her what she wants.
Spinister chooses this moment to heft up Singe and rather loudly cock the flamethrower. Play nicely, children, or you just might get burned.
If Spinister knew what Skystrike was thinking, he'd feel a slight pang of jealously. What she's about to do is exactly what he wants to do. He certainly can't blame her for wanting to get away from these squabbling urchins, for wanting to seek out some solitude. He certainly doesn't voice any complaints at her suggestion that she depart. That just means there are less people in line to see Starscream ahead of him.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Aug 14, 2007 8:23:09 GMT -5
Eye-fire retracts his right hand, not liking the way all the drawing of weapons is going on around Starscream who is currently noy fit to defend himself.
"My last two queries, how exactly does the chain of command go and what are my current instructions?"
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Post by Hook on Aug 14, 2007 10:52:36 GMT -5
Hook is surrounded by absolute idiots. And he's repairing one. If only he could safely leave Starscream in a shallow grave somewhere, it would make him feel less like he needs to have a few drinks with Bonecrusher.
"I had not noticed we had a particular lack of technical skill around here," Hook observes acidly.
Blackarachnia has swiftly moved down the ranks of his estimation to 'kill it quickly before it proves bothersome'. The sort of sheer attitude that led to a person trying to publically dictate terms to a Decepticon commander almost inevitably went hand-in-hand with an attempt to bully the techs. The lack of self-control she had just displayed over a mere flirtation further lowered his judgement of her as being stupid enough to not take a Hint after the first time she tried something on a medic.
Hook would not be having with that kind of person.
Fortunately, if Starscream had half of a functioning processor and he sometimes pretended to do so, he would realize that giving into her public demands would weaken his authority over the Decepticons greatly. So he would let Starscream tend to her while he continued to tend to Starscream.
"As far as chain-of-command goes, Eye-fire." Hook glances at the sniper rifle Transformer. "Starscream is in command. I am second. Spinister is likely third. Further details have yet to be worked out, though Dead End outranks Demolishor and Sky-Byte."
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Blackarachnia (BW)
Rookie
She lay back on the ground and let the soft earth envelope her body.
Miss Predacon Blackarachnia, at your service.
Posts: 226
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Post by Blackarachnia (BW) on Aug 14, 2007 17:26:01 GMT -5
Another concerned 'parent.' Primus, this was getting irritating for the Predacon. The one that whistled had wandered off, so Blackarachnia didn't draw her weapon. She instead pointed a pincer at Needlenose. "Keep your minions in line."
When she heard the sound of a weapon being loaded, it was a very unsubtle tipoff that she was nearing a line she had no desire to cross. She sighed. This wasn't going how she wanted it to. He rests her head in her hand for a moment, before turning around. In a much less harsher tone, she says, "Look, I've found myself in a strange planet, presumably somewhere in my past. I don't know anyone here. And now that I've found some Decepticons, I'm being treated like some object. It's stressful, okay?" She sounded less defiant and more apologetic, now. Let's hope that they were buying it.
"I realize you have technicians, but do you really want to turn down one more?" Blackarachnia lists off some of her abilities. "I have experience in sneaking into bases, I have a reasonable amount of inventions I can call my own, I'm small which means I'll be more adept for salvage operations, and I do well enough in combat scenarios too. And, as one of your number pointed out on the radio, I have knowledge of your future."
And frankly, Blackarachnia didn't think they're in any position to be picky about their numbers. But she kept that one to herself.
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Post by Needlenose on Aug 14, 2007 17:39:52 GMT -5
OOC: Starscream is being skipped at the player's request.
The situation seems diffused. Sunbeam puts away his rifle, slinging it across his back, and grunts, "Who're you callin' a minion?"
Needlenose answers his minion brightly, "Look at it this way: it's an upgrade from 'pet!'" The Targetmaster briefly considers the viability of asking Blackarachnia about future fads. However, if she's from a world where there have always been female Autobots, she's not from his future, and therefore her information is probably invalid. Oh, woes!
Needlenose sighs and grumbles, "I wouldn't mind another technician, because I'd like to have two working arms!" He pauses. "And being able to transform again would be nice."
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Aug 14, 2007 18:27:05 GMT -5
Oh they had every right to be picky about their numbers when the latest addition was proving to be more a nuisance than she was worth and was easily ridded of by simply stepping upon. At least now Blackarachnia was showing enough sense to at least attempt to diffuse her situation. Skystrike was almost tempted to stick around just to see what would happen little squishy-wannabe. Almost.
The blue jet cast a brief glance around the little crowd that’d formed before shrugging inwardly and turning to walk casually away. No Starscream or Hook hollering her name yet. Maybe the little insect-former was worth more than Skystrike had thought; she was certainly proving to be quite the good distraction.
OOC: Exit to About Town: Dead End and ? for a while.
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Post by Spinister on Aug 14, 2007 21:17:37 GMT -5
Hook's answer to Eye-fire's question genuinely startles Spinister, although he's careful not to let it show. There's just the snickering of his Nebulans in his head that something finally got to Spinister.
He's likely third in command? How did that happen? He's not going to argue, not right now, not in public, and especially considering the alternatives. Spinister does have leadership experience, but it was all small-unit operations with a team that was already highly trained. He knew everyone's specialties and abilities in the Mayhem Attack Squad. Hook's off-hand suggestion merely doubles Spinister's desire to have everyone's capacities benchmarked.
Spinister considers Blackarachnia's apology, if it can be called that. He rather doubts that it is sincere. It goes without saying that he'll watch her, but he intends to watch everyone. It's not that Spinister doesn't trust anyone, but he's been known to violently choke the people that he does.
He turns his head slightly to watch Skystrike wander off. 'No real hobbies'. Looks possibly self-motivated. Interesting.
Oh, he really ought to say something in response to Hook's suggestion about his rank, oughtn't he? He'll see if Hook wants to revise his assessment, given more data, or if his capabilities are sufficient. Spinister says softly, "I've done small unit command prior to... here. My success record was reasonable, but I don't work miracles, and missions fail sometimes. Needlenose can probably give a better assessment of my command track record. He's one of my men and a student of mine."
See? Spinister had more to his command than just Nebulans. He is also being uncomfortably honest here. What kind of Decepticon doesn't pad out his wins and ignore his loses? Spinister finds that by being mostly upfront, by having little to hide, people are less likely to notice what he does have to hide.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Aug 15, 2007 8:06:49 GMT -5
Eye-fire purges his memory system that contained the Decepticon hierarchy of 2005, and replaces it with the sadly quite small and rudmentry one of the present, whenever that may be.
"Now, introductions done, What do you wish me to do?" Eye-fire asks to anyone with rank.
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Post by Hook on Aug 15, 2007 13:45:42 GMT -5
Starscream's wing is finished! Of course, Hook can manufacture Seeker body-parts when he hasn't defragged for six months and hasn't refuelled for three weeks. There is a very good reason why Seekers are the backbone of the Decepticon army, and that would be that even a null-signal medic can repair them.
Blackarachnia's rapid turn-about caused him to revise his opinion of her upwards. He might only have to calibrate her once.
She is still, however, Starscream's problem.
Needlenose, on the other hand... "If you could be bothered to provide the diagnostics I requested, then perhaps you might receive some medical attention."
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Starscream
Major
"Sometimes I can almost feel it!"
strangely enough, male.
Posts: 945
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Post by Starscream on Aug 15, 2007 19:08:55 GMT -5
Starscream is fixed! Finally! He turned to Eye-Fire. "Hook out-steps his jurisdiction..." he glared at Hook from the side of his optics, "But he is correct. I've been considering a promotion of some degree for our flamboyantly-coloured friend. Until a formal announcement has made, know that you you may take any orders from him that do not contradict my own."
As for Blackarachnia, insubordination is an ever-present factor of any attempt at Decepticon hierachy. Starscream wasn't the only one with ambitions, just the one with the most perservence--and the only one worthy, in his opinion. Starscream still was a functioning Decepticon under Megatron's command, and it appears that Blackarachnia will be useful under his own command too. The only difference is that Blackarachnia is not going to succeed, like he did. Or so he chooses to believe.
"Mind your vocalizer, Predacon." The noises that Sky-Byte have been making about Predacons vs Decepticons has made him weary about the self-perceived superiority of these types, hence the scorn when he calls Blackarachnia by her faction. "And I'm sure we can have a place for you here. Hook, if you find her worthwhile, Blackarachnia may have a hand in the design of the base and its defenses." He followed that up with a private transmission: //But keep an optic on her.//
"Eye-Fire, I saw you transform. Some kind of handheld weapon, right? Report your specifications for myself and Hook."
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Blackarachnia (BW)
Rookie
She lay back on the ground and let the soft earth envelope her body.
Miss Predacon Blackarachnia, at your service.
Posts: 226
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Post by Blackarachnia (BW) on Aug 15, 2007 19:17:16 GMT -5
Blackarachnia nodded, satisfied with the response. She'd noted Starscream's contempt at her faction, but it meant nothing to her. "I'm going to go check on this other Predacon I keep hearing about." She said. "So unless you have any other orders?"
Assuming there were no other orders, Blackarachnia would then transform and scurry off in the direction of the mine.
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Post by Needlenose on Aug 15, 2007 20:09:18 GMT -5
Oh, yeah! Hook had asked about his diagnostics, hadn't he? With everything else going on, that kind of slipped Needlenose's mind.
"Oh, right, right. Erm... lingering changes from the battle..." and Needlenose read off a string of diagnostic readings that amounted to left arm crushed beyond use, missing section of right wing, left wing bent out of shape. "That's from the fight. My redundant systems are working fine - better than normal, in fact - and my self-repair has been working overtime with no noticeable strain, but the damages were pretty severe."
"Now, since I woke up here, my power, weapons charge, servo-musculature reinforcement system, primary and secondary neuro-reflexsive pathways have all been operating hundred fifteen, hundred twenty-five - varies system to system - above my specced optimal max, but my internal temperatures are all sitting at their norms." Faster, stronger, more alive. "Whatever this is that's got me hopped up like this, it's not leading me to a burn-out. My tank monitors say I took in and processed fuel with properties they can't analyze sometime between my last memory in my own universe and when I woke up here, but I was in stasis and robot mode at the time, so I shouldn't have been burning fuel." Wait. What does being in robot mode have to do with that? "And, of course, my transform system seems to have been shut down completely, but isn't giving any sort of error. Attempts to manually trigger the transform joints felt... weird, but didn't hurt. But they didn't budge, either."
Needlenose raises his right hand (the working one) into the air dramatically and tells him, "So, there you got it, doc! Can you fix me?"
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Post by Spinister on Aug 15, 2007 22:48:06 GMT -5
So Starscream didn't okay Hook's supposition about Spinister's rank. The right hand isn't talking to the left, Spinister sees. Hook hasn't had command long. One does not issue orders that make one's commander look stupid, unless one is planning a coup and hoping to gather support. Spinister rubs his chin, dropping the hand holding Singe to his side.
Deciding that the others have had their say, he rasps quietly, "My Lord Starscream, I actually wished to discuss my position with you. As a member of the Mayhem Attack Squad, I am accustomed to operating autonomously and without orders. I need such flexibility in order to react quickly and deal judiciously with developing threats. There just isn't time to check back for permission."
This is his most important issue, but if Starscream will not grant Spinister the rights to which he is accustomed, he will take them. He adds, "But I did want to ask you. We lost Wheelie, my lord. Shall I terminate? I think that there are better uses for my time, at the moment, but it does set a bad precedent."
Spinister won't write off Wheelie as a non-threat, but then, he doesn't write small rocks off as a non-threat. A small rock took out one of his optics, in the battle, although he kludged together a fix during the trip.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Aug 16, 2007 2:32:20 GMT -5
With slight irritation Eye-fire changed the hierarchy sitting in his Memory systems again. He didn't like it when things changed so quickly.
"Yes, I transform into a rifle, more specifically a sniper rifle. I'm not against being wielded, and am probably more accurate than those organic things, whatever claims to the contrary." Eye-fire said as he transmitted the design specifications and other tech specs of his alternate form.
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Post by Hook on Aug 16, 2007 12:03:13 GMT -5
"Of course I can fix you. You're not dead, are you?"
Hook may have overstepped his bounds, but as far as he's concerned being correct while doing so made it perfectly all right. Starscream's inability to handle other people being correct may prove annoying in the long-run, but there were ways to get around that as well.
However...
"Needlenose, get over here. Starscream, stop occupying the space for my patients."
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