Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 30, 2007 15:35:54 GMT -5
Skyfire makes a bit of a face. "Well, it's supposed to, Hook, but I discovered a glitch in the activation system. Extreme cold in the circuits either doesn't register as 'damage' to activate the beacon, or freezes it up so it can't activate."
"If you're ready for upload, I can transmit my operating parameters, but to summarize: anything hanging on the outside of my hull has to be fully space-worthy, tolerant of vacuum and vacuum-to-high-pressure transitions, re-entry heat and atomic scouring, hard radiation, widely-varying thermal conditions, excessive EM radiation including light, intense magnetic fields, limited exposure to corrosive gases, and substantial electrostatic build-up. That, by the way, is why all my weapon systems are inside my hull."
This may be the first clue that Skyfire is not as unarmed as he looks, for those unfamiliar with him.... Alas, no one like that is in earshot.
"As for systems inside my hull, they need to be tolerant of electro-static discharges, high levels of gamma and x-ray radiation..." Skyfire ponders 'amusing hazards of surveying unknown stellar systems' for a moment. "I occasionally get high doses of solar particles, and gas giant surveys are adventures in high-intensity storm flying through corrosive clouds. Oh, and the occasional violent high-G maneuver. That applies to external fixtures as well."
Following that summary, Skyfire transmits a short data-burst with all the fiddly numeric values for his operating parameters.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Sept 30, 2007 15:40:08 GMT -5
Dead End turns his head and stares after the departed Demolishor.
"Wheeljack? But he's an Autobot! Did he mean that Wheeljack is a Decepticon or Neutral in his universe? Things could get very confusing if our namesakes from different universes have different loyalties."
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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 Sept 30, 2007 16:17:10 GMT -5
"Apparently in his era I also join the Autobots. I'm not putting too much stock in his era." After all, the best they could offer Starscream and his empire was Demolishor.
Heyyy, wait a minute. "Hook.. how long ago did we receive that radio transmission from that Ratbat character?" It's been a while, hasn't it?
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Post by Hook on Sept 30, 2007 16:40:28 GMT -5
Hook is indeed ready for upload. The data, sadly, gets put aside for now so he can work on something else, though.
"The most recent transmission from him came while I took Demolishor's diagnostic readings, Starscream. So yes, it has." Hook gently runs his fingers over Skyfire's internals, looking for a computer to attach his multimeter to. The one he finds, however, is several million years obsolete and his multimeter doesn't have a connector for that type of connection anymore.
So Hook gets out a different multimeter. This one does have a connection for Skyfire's connector, but it is also set to provide modern diagnostics readings. "Hmm. You need an overhaul when we have the supplies, Skyfire. For now, I am going to install a modern diagnostics reader in you so that the medics who aren't familiar with Golden Age technology can work on you. I am afraid it won't be suited to the stresses of space-work, but it will serve until I can design one that is."
There is another matter that is bothering Hook, and that he thinks Skyfire could help him with. "What is your cargo capacity?"
---
Hook is also installing an electronic tracker on Skyfire, designed to pulse the starship's location data every few hours to Hook. It should be well-hidden and look like a part of another system. It, however, is not currently rated for space.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 30, 2007 17:31:12 GMT -5
Skyfire looks a bit sheepish. "Er, okay. Didn't think of that. Have standards really changed that much?"
"My cargo capacity? Fairly large, with access from two aft bay doors with ramps and one larger forward bay door, also fitted with a ramp for vehicular access. I can also seat passengers in my cockpit or upper deck." Skyfire then gives length and width for his bay doors, and volume plus load limits for his cargo bay that correspond to "room enough to fit in Optimus Prime in truck mode plus over half a dozen other Autobots".
--- Skyfire won't be frying Hook's installations until he has occasion to fly through a very active magnetosphere (like Jupiters) or a solar storm, or until he plays Storm Tag in the name of research. Or if he stays out in space long enough for radiation to degrade the electronics, but that takes years.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Sept 30, 2007 17:34:17 GMT -5
Dead End regards Starscream with his head tilted slightly. "That would be even more confusing," he finally says. Never mind mentioning that Starscream has been notorious for doing weird things (usually to annoy Megatron) all of Dead End's short life...
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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 Sept 30, 2007 17:55:21 GMT -5
"Why?" Starscream said. "This is, apparently, the same world where Soundwave raps and where they attach smaller robots to themselves." But come on, Soundwave RAPS.
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Post by Hook on Sept 30, 2007 17:59:32 GMT -5
"It has been nine million years. Yes, standards have changed significantly." Busy, busy hands! But he's using a light touch on Skyfire while he works.
"Ah. That may be enough for my purposes. When we are done here, will you assist me in retrieving a native mechanical device that I had to leave behind during our explorations?"
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 30, 2007 18:08:58 GMT -5
"Certainly!" replies Skyfire, intrigued by Hook's request, and happy to be of help. Native mechanical device? Explorations? Consider Hook to have 90% of Skyfire's attention. The rest is split between Starscream and everything else.
"I have enough fuel for that. Now if anyone wants me to go retrieve things on other planets, I'll need refuelling."
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Sept 30, 2007 18:11:14 GMT -5
Dead End gives Starscream another expressionless look. "I had successfully edited the memory of that out of my memory banks," he says very drily. "So thoughtful of you to restore it, sir."
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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 Sept 30, 2007 19:16:49 GMT -5
"Anytime you forget that there is a good reason to selectfully ignore Demolishor's reality, I'll happily remind you," Starscream said.
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Post by Hook on Sept 30, 2007 19:21:08 GMT -5
Hook finishes working on Skyfire, having installed the obvious diagnostics reader and the difficult-to-find tracking device. He'd also done one other thing...
"I've loaded your radio with the Decepticon general frequency1," he informs Skyfire, loud enough for the other two to hear though not obviously so.
"Now, if you could lead the way to someplace you can transform in, I'd like to get this jaunt over with..."
---
1. Rather, with the Decepticon Broadcast B freq.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 30, 2007 19:41:44 GMT -5
Skyfire stands up and flexes his control surfaces very slightly. "Ah, I think you got that stiffness in my trim tabs. I won't be sure until I test them at them at high-velocity--that's where the stickiness was really noticeable--but it feels better." Skyfire tests his radio and then nods at Hook. "Either the crater or one of those broad boulevards will do." He nods at Starscream. "Hopefully there won't be any disasters while we're gone--but if there are, you know how fast I can get back." --- And Skyfire is out of this thread and over into Decepticon Interim: Salvage Flight
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Sept 30, 2007 19:46:27 GMT -5
Dead End impassively watches Skyfire leave, and notes Hook about to follow.
"Sir, do you want me to accompany you?"
On the one hand, Dead End would rather find a nice corner to readmope in than wrestle Hook's mining worm around (and yes, he knows quite well that's what Hook must be referring to). On the other hand, if Hook leaves him behind, that leaves him alone with Starscream, who may or may not still regard Dead End as the bearer of exceedingly bad news.
Either way, he's probably doomed.
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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 Oct 1, 2007 14:40:05 GMT -5
"I'm sure we'll manage without you.." Starscream said to Skyfire as he departed, leaving himself and Dead End in the room alone.
Starscream turned around, glaring at the Stunticon. "..and vice versa."
Starscream eyed a series of sharp surgical tools left out on a tray. Many of them difficult to identify to someone unfamiliar with repair - making them all the more scarier. He ran his hand along the edge of the tray. "Before we begin here, Dead End, I have to ask one more time. Are you sure you've left nothing out about my fate?"
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