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Post by Swerve on Oct 2, 2007 2:05:43 GMT -5
Okay, so Swerve has agreed to box-sit for this stupid smelting leader vote thing. There's just one small problem: he needs a box first. The sooner he finds one, the sooner this whole thing can be over with and the sooner he isn't working for either oldtimer.
He's driving around to that end, looking for something he can borrow or bastardise to his purpose. It's been a mostly fruitless search since he started not long after his last radio communication. Before much longer, he's thoroughly fed up with the lack of anything likely. He'll take whatever at this point.
Like that thing there on the corner.
"Finally!" he growls, gunning his engine and picking up speed. A few seconds later, there's a riotous crash not unlike a car wreck. Swerve is just fine; that box he just rammed off its anchors, not so much. His front bumper is somewhat worse for the wear, but nothing that really bothers him. He's had much worse, and a few dings and some scraped paint don't hinder transformation. He stands and hikes up the battered metal housing under one arm. It's banged up, but it'll hold things.
//Found a box,// he announces over broadband. //Headed to that plaza about a block from base.// Then he tosses the box into the air and transforms. As soon as his find thumps down in his passenger compartment, he's off like a shot. It's a short jaunt to his destination, where he settles to wait for Synapse.
He could have worse company for this. It could be Sideburn.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Oct 2, 2007 8:47:48 GMT -5
Synapse's nodes show up first, keeping a respectable distance away from Swerve before zooming off. The actual scout shows up a few minutes later with Tiny scampering about curiously. She makes many stops to pause and sniff or nip and things, but Synapse's pace is cautiously slow enough that Tiny keeps up rather easily. Synapse is suddenly jerked ahead as Tiny catches sight of Swerve. The dragonette is quite eager to make this new acquaintance. Synapse isn't as excited. But then again, yes, company could be worse. Timebomb could be here. Yes. That wouldn't be terribly pleasant.
He offers a small wave at Swerve as Tiny pulls them up closer. "...So do you know how this will be working?"
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Post by Swerve on Oct 2, 2007 17:08:11 GMT -5
Imagine one of those big, cartoony sweatdrops appearing near Swerve's right headlamp as soon as he spots what must be Tiny, since he knows the green flier is Synapse. Were Swerve not currently a car, he'd be staring at the dragonette with a 'what the smelt is it?' look on his face.
"Uh…." All he knows is he has to sit with Synapse and the box – and the… weird little thing named Tiny – and keep others from screwing around with the votes. "…No," he finally answers the scout. The thing that is Tiny comes whuffling at his front bumper and while he doesn't back away, he almost visibly twitches. Does he have to be nice to it?
Fine, so he doesn't do 'nice'. He just does 'less irritable'.
Swerve at last reverses, not entirely because he's getting tired quickly of having his bumper nosed at and headbutted, although that's definitely a part of it. He'd also like some space to transform… and maybe spook Tiny off him for a while. Luckily for the ballot box, Swerve's arms unfold just right to pop it free before it can get pinned and jam him up. It makes a nice, loud clang when it hits the stone tile of the plaza.
"Guess we just wait for people to show up," he mutters. It's what he gets for hurrying.
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Post by Kup on Oct 2, 2007 17:26:04 GMT -5
Kup ambles casually into the plaza, finishing his story to Grimlock. "...then about this time, the charges went off and blew Unicron's head right back into orbit! Don't know what happened with Starscream, but we haven't heard from him since.1"
The elder is carrying with him a large, flat, thin piece of metal. His notepad? No. It's larger and thinner, apparently something he picked up on the trip over. Someone remembered that in order to cast votes, you need something to write on! And something to write with. Looks like someone will be jury-rigging yet another stylus!
Grimlock might, perhaps, have noticed Kup suddenly stop and frown at something mid-sentence on the way over, however, it would have passed quickly enough, and he would have gone right back to the story.
Kup casually waves to the others with his free hand as he approaches, and when he's near enough to speak without shouting, he begins introductions. "Grimlock, this is Synapse," he gestures to the green Minibot. "He's from our reality, looks like, but from before you were built. Not long after the Ark left, I'm understanding. And this is Swerve," now he gestures to the racer. "He seems to be from his own reality." There may be a double meaning in there. If so, Kup's not going to admit to it.
"Folks, this is Grimlock, commander of the Dinobots. I brought something over to write on, and you guys can keep my stylus here. The metal's thin enough that pretty much any Transformer should be able to tear it, and I think there's enough for all of us to use." So why not paper? Frankly, in this city, it's easier to find something made of thin metal than it is to find paper large enough for Transformer use.
1 Kup is obviously finishing up what he knows of the events of Starscream's Ghost and Ghost in the Machine. Between what he personally witnessed and what he'd have been able to learn from Rodimus, that's most of the episode, although he doesn't know that Starscream actually did succeed in regaining his body at the end and then essentially thumbed his nose at Unicron.
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Grimlock
Major
There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Oct 2, 2007 20:40:25 GMT -5
Grimlock shakes his head at all this. "Seem Arcee were right, then..." he says, then taking a determined look. "Me Grimlock will just have to remember that when me get back, and to tell Rodimus. We be better prepared, then!" A nod follows, and then he looks at the smaller Autobots.
He gives a nod to each of them, and folds his arms since Kup did the introducing for him. Plus, it's the badass way to greet someone.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Oct 2, 2007 20:53:22 GMT -5
Synapse watches Swerve's reaction to Tiny and a part of him is now beginning to be thankful for the little dragon's presence. It'll give both of them something else to concentrate on.
The loud clang of the metal box landing does spook Tiny away momentarily. She scrambles away with a screech, flapping her wings wildly. It takes a few moments for her to regather her wits, but soon enough, she's prowling around the box, examining it carefully before growing bored again. Said clang evokes a small twitch from Synapse's shoulders. He shifts awkwardly as he settles in for the wait.
Kup's arrival is well recieved, though the giant following behind makes Synapse's optics widen behind his visor. That's a big Autobot...no where near the class that Omega Supreme's in, but still quite big. Quite big and quite peculiar with his speech. And yes, if Grimlock was looking for a reaction of slight fear and wonder at his badass greeting, that's the expression he gets from Synapse. He forgets to nod back at Grimlock or give any other form of return greeting. Just wait until Synapse gets to see the other's alt mode.
"Ah, thank you, Kup," Synapse murmurs as soon as his wits are gathered about him again. Tiny though, Tiny takes this opportunity to shift her attentions from Swerve to greet Kup and examine the newcomer.
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Post by Swerve on Oct 3, 2007 10:28:11 GMT -5
Swerve has nothing whatsoever to say to Kup; he just gives the oldtimer a level glare and, unless Kup decides to play keep-away, takes the metal sheet. The racer is all too aware that he's the only one here from Velocitron and has considered the possibility that he's the only one here from his entire universe. He doesn't want or need any more slagging reminders.
For this Grimlock, Swerve has little more than a brief, sour glance and nothing resembling a greeting. The Dinobot – Swerve naturally correlates a group of Autobots that get their own name to Dead End and his Stunticons, which isn't making this first impression any better – gets filed under Swerve's 'yet another mech I don't know but just about every-fragging-body else does' heading, with an appended 'big and sounds stupid'.
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Post by Kup on Oct 3, 2007 10:38:20 GMT -5
Kup isn't going to play keep away, no, although he does take the time to rip off a piece of metal for himself before Swerve can grab it away. He's about to write a name on his bit when Xaaron makes his call over the radio.
The veteran sighs, but doesn't seem very surprised at all. He looks at Swerve and Synapse. "If either of you leave to take care of that, the voting starts over when you get back. Not that it's really started yet, anyway." He frowns and considers. "He'll probably be wanting the roads heading towards the deserts. That's towards that power plant. Where we picked him up, where we encountered the 'Cons, and it's further in that direction they retreated to. He might try to get his radio back from base first, though."
"Synapse, let me know when you get a clear idea on his heading." Kup mostly just seems irritated with the whole affair.
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Grimlock
Major
There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Oct 3, 2007 16:54:12 GMT -5
Grimlock looks over at Kup, letting out a huff growl. "We been decieved? Me Grimlock need to bash Decepticons?" he asks, almost hopeful. Smashing stuff sounds good. Better than voting.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Oct 3, 2007 21:37:40 GMT -5
"I shall, as soon as I find him," says Synapse, his attention now focused on the images his node is transmitting back to him. Kup's words about what roads Hardwire might be taking finally register in his mind and Synapse shifts part of his processes into focusing back on the situation here. "...I'll go to that area then and keep watch for anyone trying to cross it. Hopefully, he'll be caught before that."
Synapse holds out Tiny's leash, unsure of who to present her to. Tiny's attention is right now focused on Swerve as she sniffles and creeps back towards the racer. Tentatively, he holds out the leash to Swerve before taking a few steps away. If the other accepts, all is good. If he doesn't, well, Tiny's heading towards him anyways.
Unless stopped, Synapse transforms and fires his rockets, leaving behind a trail of shimmering hot air.
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Post by Swerve on Oct 4, 2007 13:44:23 GMT -5
There's a just-perceptible twitch that carries through Swerve's frame at the radio chatter and the metal sheet crumples a little in his grip. An unfriendly? A Decepticon? He never paid much attention to that Hardwire mech this whole time, except maybe to note the stupid paint job and weird accent, but he's incensed at the very idea of what's been done. He's all for chasing Hardwire down, ideally with a judicious application of cannon fire; surely a big vehicle like that can survive a few well-placed holes in his chassis.
Before he can transform and peel out with all due speed, though, there's a Tiny practically standing on one of his feet and Synapse is in the air. Swerve's grip on the metal sheet tightens further and he glares down at the dragonette snuffling at his legs.
"Hey!" he bellows after the scout. "What the smelt am I s'posed t' do with this thing?" Holding the leash might be a good start, because there she goes a-waddling toward Grimlock now that she's satisfied she knows the racer's scent.
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Post by Kup on Oct 4, 2007 14:22:21 GMT -5
"I've got her," Kup grumbles, scooping up Tiny and heading towards the nearest tree to tie her in place. While he's doing this, he addresses Grimlock. "I doubt you and I are fast enough to chase the guy down, Grimlock, but you may be able to find him and cut 'im off from the air."
"Speaking of which..."
He's done nothing to stop Synapse, so the spy is probably gone, but he does activate his radio to shout after him.
//Synapse! You spot the guy yet or not?//
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Grimlock
Major
There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Oct 4, 2007 17:56:28 GMT -5
Grimlock almost pouts. He IS slow. And that stinks. He watches Synapse take off, and laments for a bit that Swoop isn't here.
Catching the radio bit, he turns to Kup. "Who Holi?"
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Post by Swerve on Oct 4, 2007 22:36:26 GMT -5
"The slag-sucker grabbed one of the kids?" Swerve demands, throwing the sheet into the box. Oh, he never paid much attention to Hardwire, sure, but it's hard to miss those little scraplets running around all the time. He mostly doesn't bother to remember who is whom; he remembers Holi and Wheelie are the really young bots, though.
Now he wishes he'd just gone after Hardwire as soon as he heard. Smelt, he still can. That torqueless coward deserves a solid thrashing.
"Gonna beat in that lousy face of his," snarls the racer, fists balling tightly. It's a very short drive to repair.
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Post by Kup on Oct 4, 2007 22:55:39 GMT -5
Kup finished tying up Tiny before he heard the news from Synapse, which is fortunate. His lips twist back into a snarl when he does, and he demands of Swerve, "Then why the hell haven't you transformed yet!?" Oh, sure, he had been perfectly content to let Hardwire escape with a bugged radio; they could probably get more information out of that than out of him, anyway. But that was before he grabbed Holi.
Kup takes his own advice and transforms. "Need a ride, Grimlock, or you flyin'?" There's no way the 100mph truck will make it to Autobase1 before the racer, but even so, as soon as he has an answer from Grimlock he's peeling out at best speed.
1 Repair is in the under-construction Autobase. There's more to the base than just Repair (or will be, when it's done).
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