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Post by Kup on Sept 13, 2007 22:29:34 GMT -5
Kup finishes with his detour to Repair in their make-shift base and makes his way towards the Zoo, closer to where Omega Supreme had been parked, probably accompanied by Perceptor. He greets the Guardian's base mode with a cheery wave.
"Hey, Omega. You been getting on all right?"
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Post by Perceptor on Sept 14, 2007 19:15:59 GMT -5
Kup is, indeed, accompanied by a Perceptor. If anyone else happens to be out and about, hopefully they won't be too shocked to see the scientist outside of the repair area/workshop of his own volition and not, by all appearances, under any duress.
"Greetings, Omega. Thank you for allowing me to observe."
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
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Post by Omega Supreme on Sept 14, 2007 19:48:46 GMT -5
Omega Supreme nods the turret of his tank component in response. He doesn't transform yet. It's not like Perceptor is imposing by coming here. Omega Supreme is pretty loud. Perceptor could easily sneak into listening range without Omega Supreme noticing.
He answers curtly, "Status: improving."
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Post by Kup on Sept 14, 2007 20:05:37 GMT -5
Kup taps his foot against the ground once, then twice, as he considers how he should go about this. Talking to Omega Supreme from inside would be... awkward. Like talking to a wall. So instead he decides to just stay outside and stand. His new etching stylus and old plate of metal are removed from subspace once more, and he begins.
"No need for me to go over your capabilities, combat experience, and so on. I already got all that. What I'm really needing is details on what's down the road. Like you know, I was pulled out of the middle of the Hate Plague. You said it got cured." The veteran looks up at the tank. "I need to know how."
Despite temptation, what he does not add is, And do I survive?
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Post by Perceptor on Sept 15, 2007 9:12:25 GMT -5
Perceptor would be amused by the concept of him sneaking around anywhere. It's not like he's a ninja - or a Geisha doll, yet - or anything. Oh little does he know.
Besides, Omega Supreme is a sentient, sapient being, not a bit of landscape, even if he is larger than several prominent bits of local landscape. It's only polite to offer him the opportunity to send the too-curious scientist away. Everyone seems pretty content with the situation, though, so Perceptor settles into the background to listen.
ooc: No need for anyone to wait for Perceptor to post from here out. He's content to hang out in the background and slide posts in as he has questions or reactions. Otherwise, he'll be perfecting his science-ninja skillz.
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
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Post by Omega Supreme on Sept 15, 2007 14:18:24 GMT -5
Omega Supreme was out on a mission in deep space during the Hate Plague. He received a brief radio order to stay the heck away from Earth and to ignore any radio orders that followed.
Later, a rumour spread through space, and Omega Supreme just couldn't help himself.He returned, to find the Hate Plague cleared up. His account is thusly second-hand, but it is better that his account be second hand, considering his power.
He relates, "Quintesson: fetched. Optimus Prime: revived. Rodimus Prime: subdued. Reversion: triggered. Matrix:opened. Hate Plague: cured."
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Post by Kup on Sept 15, 2007 17:20:00 GMT -5
Kup rubs the palm of his hand right hand down his face. "Thank you, Omega." Well, one thing's for certain: Omega will probably never have to worry about the Dinobots clambering around him for stories.
And he still doesn't know if he lives through the whole affair.
Kup shook his head. "The Matrix was the cure all along, huh?" His voice turns sad. Tired. "It could have been cut short so much earlier, but then, how were we to know?"
The veteran turns towards Perceptor. "Well, now you know the end. I'll tell you the beginning. It all started when a human science expedition to test some sort of new super-alloy returned from space. Turns out Optimus's body hadn't been as thoroughly destroyed as we had thought after that Quintesson trap,1 and they found it, and returned with it. Unfortunately, that's not all they came back with."
"Their ship was coated with... some sort of viral spore2 that induces hatred, violence, and anger. None of us knew about that yet, though. The Decepticons were only interested in the alloy, and attacked the science lab to take it. We, or rather, the Technobots, tried to stop them, and when one of the scientists, gal named Jessica Morgan, was injured in the battle, well... the other two humans working on the program blamed all of us, Autobot and Decepticon, and concocted a scheme using Optimus's body and those Hate Spores to get us back."
Kup clenches his right fist around his stylus. Not hard enough to damage it, but only barely. "Their plan- the humans' plan- was to use Optimus Prime's body to lure us in, and then to infect us with those spores. The girl, Morgan, warned Rodimus, but he was determined to retrieve Optimus's body anyway. He thought having a heads up, being on the alert, would let him avoid the trap." Kup shakes his head. "He was wrong."
"I wasn't part of the force that went out there. Rodimus, Ultra Magnus, the Aerialbots, Protectobots, Throttlebots, Bumblebee, Blurr, Steeljaw, and Wheelie went out there." Overkill much? "There was also some concern about a second Decepticon attack, after all. Rodimus Prime got out with Optimus' body, but Ultra Magnus and the Aerialbots were infected. Then, when the Decepticons did arrive, a number of them were, too."
Up until now, Kup had been pacing as he relayed his story. Now he stops walking and looks to the ground. "We tried to contain the violence," he said softly. "Bumblebee, Blurr, Steeljaw, and I went out to face Superion. The object was just to stall him until we could get Defensor in there. We... didn't last that long."
The pacing resumes. "Next thing I remember, I was waking up on a medical table back in Autobot City, being repaired by a Quintesson. While I was out, Rodimus came up with the idea of sending Sky Lynx out for one of them, figuring that if they brought Optimus back into a semblance of life once, maybe they could bring him back completely. That was... before Rodimus got infected, too. Him, all the combiners... thankfully, Rodmus had shut down Metroplex before it could happen to him, but by that point... by that point the virus was running rampant. Autobot, Decepticon, Junkion, Quintesson, human, and more. Earth, Charr, Cybertron and well beyond, all consumed by madness.
"The way it seems to go is, the folks infected go after uninfected first. Then after each other. Then it’s just random destruction. When I woke up, the only Autobots not infected were those of us who had been injured by Superion, Sky Lynx, and Optimus himself. Well, there were some folks on remote missions," Kup gestured at the Guardian, "like Omega here, but they had been sent orders not to return. Reports were coming in from all over the globe, all over the galaxy." The veteran gives the scientist a pained expression. "Perceptor, when I left Earth, there were Autobots battling Autobots... Autobots killing humans... and no end in sight. No way even keep track of the losses.
"Optimus Prime decided to consult the Matrix. Problem was, Rodimus had it, and Rodimus was infected. So we needed that super-alloy the Decepticons took. We left for Charr to get it back. When we got there, we found the Decepticons infected with the same madness as everyone else. All of them except Galvatron himself. Optimus managed to talk him into leading us to the alloy, desperate times and all that, and we traveled into the caverns of Charr together.
"And this is where my part of the story ends. Partway down, the infected Decepticons caught up with us. Blurr, Bumblebee- er, Goldbug, now- and Blaster were infected, and Galvatron caused a cave-in so that he, Optimus, and Sky Lynx could escape." The veteran hesitates. "I was on the wrong side of that cave-in."
Kup shrugs and turns away, walking absently towards Omega Supreme. "And then I blacked out, and then I woke up here. I suppose I should count myself lucky, even if I hadn't been snatched up. There's-" his voice catches, "there's only a few other Autobots on Charr that I might have- might have ent up killing. Except- except-" he stops and looks down, shoulders trembling lightly. When he speaks again, his voice is barely loud enough to be heard. "Except the Decepticons have space crafts. And I'm a damned good pilot."
1 This is one of those things in Transformers that you're just best off not thinking too much about.
2 This is another thing you shouldn't think too much about. Just close your eyes and chant, "SCIENCE." And please, don't challenge Kup on the matter. It's not his fault this is his canon! ._.
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Post by Perceptor on Sept 15, 2007 20:14:00 GMT -5
The abridged, abridged version, apparently. It's as Perceptor expected - at least the telling of the events. That a Quintesson was able to successfully revive Optimus Prime, after all the previous events is... interesting. Perceptor cannot help but wonder how much good could be accomplished with that sort of knowledge.
Or how to go about acquiring said knowledge.
Once again, it is the Matrix which is to be the key to their continued existence. Fortunately Kup is forthcoming in explaining just what the Matrix is responsible for saving them from.
Perceptor, having come from the same universe and reality as the "viral spore", will conveniently not think about that, and simply accept it as SCIENCE! Because otherwise? The exposition could go on for pages, and really, no one wants that.
This... This is dire. Humans - scientists - plotting against Autobots and-- wait.
"Jessica Morgan?" Perceptor asks in sharp surprise. "I am familiar with her work, as well as that of her father and of her research partner, Greggory Swafford. It is they who...." his voice trails off as he processes this information. They are well respected, and formerly allied scientists, not humans of Dr. Archeville's ilk! Sheer, cold horror wells up at these stunning and disturbing revelations. Horror and... and vague betrayal.
As Kup goes on to describe this plague, however, Perceptor finds his faith getting even more shaken. Autobots battling Autobots. Autobots killing humans?!
This must be prevented at all costs. And Kup... Perceptor vows to himself that when he devises a means to return everyone, he will find a manner in which to adjust when and where each individual is returned. He will not return Kup to such a state or place. He cannot see what purpose it would serve, particularly with Kup's last, quiet, observation.
He does not, however, feel like opening a discussion about the validity of his conclusion with the elder mech. Like Kup plans with Wheelie, Perceptor will keep this decision to himself unless the elder mech comes to the same conclusion himself. Perceptor will not throw away his friends' lives so pointlessly and recklessly. Especially not to... that. To the fate of being a vector for such potential for mass murder.
"How, precisely, is this contagion spread? By what vector are the spores transmitted and reproduced?" he asks, retreating from the horror of thoughts of such a violent pandemic by immersing himself in his role as scientist.
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
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Post by Omega Supreme on Sept 15, 2007 22:03:29 GMT -5
Omega Supreme has enough problems with those punk kid Aerialbrats. Kup can have the Dinobots all to himself. Hesupposes that he could have carried out extermination duty, tirelessly stalking and killing the infected, but he'd have to forget the Constructicons and put his gun to himself in the end if it came down to that. For all that the Matrix could have been opened sooner, he does not like thinking about what would happened if more time had passed.
Lucky? Kup? "Luck: uncertain. Future: resolved. Status: alive."
Omega Supreme rumbles in reply to Perceptor, "Transmission: touch."
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Post by Kup on Sept 15, 2007 22:54:18 GMT -5
Kup tilts his head and nods at Omega's pronouncements, then turns back to Perceptor. "Yeah, what he said. Transmitted by touch. Only takes a second, if that much. And it can infect... everything. All known animal life, sentient1 and otherwise, all known living machine species." He shakes his head. "Never heard of such a thing."
The veteran turns back to Omega. "'Resolved,' Omega? Are there any other big events down the road that I should know about?"
1 Some may argue that the correct word is 'sapient.' However, Transformers are pretty consistent about using the word 'sentient,' whether it's correct or otherwise.
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Post by Perceptor on Sept 16, 2007 5:06:33 GMT -5
The utter virulence of this contagion astounds and frightens Perceptor. No appreciable incubation period, no species boundaries, and utterly inimical to everything it touches. This was no natural disease that the humans had stumbled upon and capitalized on; this was some sort of engineered weapon turned loose or gone awry which the humans had the misfortune of rediscovering.
"The alloy which Dr. Morgan was developing shields from transmission?" he asks. He's still - mostly - following their continued conversation, however the bulk of his processing is engaged with the hate plague.
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Omega Supreme
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Post by Omega Supreme on Sept 16, 2007 10:21:22 GMT -5
Kup has opened Pandora's shoe drawer. He wants Omega Supreme to explain the mess with the Headmasters?
Omega Supreme groans.
He intones, "Year: 2007. Autobot City: attacked. Plasma Energy Chamber Key: stolen. Chamber: activated. Autobot shuttle: crashed. Location: Nebulos. The Nebulan Hive: enemies. The Nebulan rebels: allies. Headmasters: created."
Omega Supreme pauses in his account to transform. He kneels down in robot mode and starts sketching something out in a grassy median. He shows a stick figure of a headless Transformer and of a small creature, about human-size. He labels the small creature 'Nebulan'. Then he does a very crude drawing of the Nebulan leaping up, transforming into a head, and taking the place of the Transformer's missing head.
"Decepticons: captured. Made Hive Headmasters and Targetmasters."
He sketches out another Transformer and little man. This Transformer is missing his gun. He looks sad. Then the Nebulan turns into the Transformer's gun, and the Transformer looks happy.
"Fortress Maximus; Scorponok: constructed." He stands upon his tip-toes and waves his arms above his head. "Size: immense. Alternate forms: cities. Metroplex; Trypticon: dwarfed." Yeah, they sure make Omega Supreme feel small. "Terran sun: ignited. Nova: impended. Crisis: averted. Spike: hero. Decepticons: ejected. Location: unknown. Cybertron: reborn. Golden Age: now."
By Alpha Trion's beard, Omega Supreme sounds like he's been hitting the high grade, and knows it. They should remember one thing, though. Omega Supreme is not very creative. He literally could not make up this stuff.
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Post by Kup on Sept 16, 2007 10:44:50 GMT -5
"That's the idea," Kup answers Perceptor's question before Omega Supreme starts on his 'story.' "I wasn't around for the follow through, but if Optimus managed to get the Matrix from Rodimus, sounds like it probably worked."
Then Omega Supreme begins his story, and Kup's jaw drops. Nebulans, Headmasters, Targetmasters - Nightbeat had explained those. Apparently they weren't unique to that other reality. They just hadn't happened in his own yet. But then the Guardian goes on to describe Fortress Maximus and Scorponok... Metroplex and Trypticon dwarfed? That's insane! And then a near nova that's prevented by... Spike?
Maybe Kup shouldn't have called him dumb back in that Sharkticon pit.
Kup closes his mouth, puts his hands (the ones still clutching the notepad and stylus) on his hips, and grunts as Omega finishes his 'story.' "Hnh. Well, hopefully they'll pull it off a bit smarter this time around. But Omega, are you telling me that the Decepticons are just wandering around at large somewhere in the universe, we don't know where, and... no one's doing anything about it? We're just declaring it the Golden Age and calling ourselves the victors?"
Kup stops to consider this a moment. He shakes his head. "You sure I made it through that Hate Plague nonsense?" Obviously, he needs to have a long talk with his near-future self!
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Post by Perceptor on Sept 17, 2007 16:52:56 GMT -5
Perceptor's plotting, planning, and data-integration are put on hold by Omega's transformation and... illustrated oration.
Headmasters? Targetmasters? Cities which dwarf Metroplex and Trypticon? (Though, honestly, it may be as much the sight of Omega Supreme standing on tiptoe, waving his arms in such a manner that boggles the scientist as much as it is the concept of city-formers that dwarf Trypticon and Metroplex... Omega Supreme is simply not supposed to do something that... comical! He is Omega Supreme!)
And how, precisely, does one ignite a sun? It is already ignited! (There is a limit to how much SCIENCE! this poor mech's CPU can absorb so blithely, afterall.)
"What, or who, exactly, are the Nebulans?" he asks, trying to make sense of any of this.
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Omega Supreme
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Post by Omega Supreme on Sept 17, 2007 18:16:07 GMT -5
Omega Supreme agrees. "Alloy: successful."
He shrugs and replies, "Cybertron: golden."It's not like they're just calling it a Golden Age! He clarifies the Decepticon situation."Decepticons: split. Half: missing. Celebration: on-going. Clean-up: later."
Omega Supreme sounds as if he disapproves. He points to himself and explains what he intended to do, "Plan: depart. Constructicons: unpunished."
The Sentinel did not plan on returning when he was done. Then, Omega Supreme points to Kup and repeats, "Status: alive. Targetmaster: acquired."
That's right. Kup is running around with a little alien who turns into his musket.
He inclines his head toward Perceptor and explains, "Nebulans: organic. Shape: humanoid. Colour: green."
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