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Post by Perceptor on Oct 23, 2007 22:48:04 GMT -5
Hook. Oh. That... would certainly explain the sudden emotional shift.
It seems that it's Perceptor's lot today to be carted around by Long Haul in one fashion or another. He takes the green mech's offer and scrambles up into Long Haul's bed before he gets too far down the ramp. Perceptor isn't sure what assistance he is able to offer, but, even if Long Haul hadn't been willing to go to such lengths to look after him, Perceptor still wouldn't be able to simply ignore the constrictibot's distress.
"I see," Perceptor observes softly. "To what purpose?"
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 23, 2007 23:15:55 GMT -5
Long Haul rumbles a bit faster once Perceptor is aboard, though he's never been a very fast vehicle to begin with. He's quiet for a long time as he rolls onto the street starts heading for Omega Supreme, but finally he answers, "Do I need one? Omega's a friend. I wanna go see him. What more purpose do I need?"
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Post by Perceptor on Oct 23, 2007 23:22:04 GMT -5
Perceptor shakes his head, forgetting for a moment that Long Haul likely can't see the motion. "No, to what purpose did Hook contact you," he clarifies. His voice takes on a softer tone as he adds, "Your affinity with Omega Supreme needs no explanation."
He sighs, one hand absently patting the side of the bed he is leaning against. "My apologies, Long Haul. I do not mean to pry. I... I simply can think of no other manner in which to attempt to assist you than by speaking and listening - neither of which I am particularly skilled at in this instance."
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 24, 2007 7:20:57 GMT -5
"Said he wanted to make sure I was still functioning," Long Haul answers as he motors along.
After a moment, he adds, "And... s'understandable and all, but I don't really want to talk about it, if you don't mind." He considers asking Perceptor not to say anything in front of Omega, then decides that he wants no part of any further deception of the Guardian. Not if he can help it.
He does finally explain, just before pulling into sight of the larger robot, "I just... well, I could use a defrag, too, so I just kinda wanted to curl up inside for a bit."
And then there's the giant, and Long Haul rumbles to a stop. "Hey, Omega!" he calls out with the most cheer he can muster, then he tells Perceptor, "Y'got about ten seconds to get outta there, or I'm dumping you."
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Post by Perceptor on Oct 24, 2007 16:39:39 GMT -5
"As you wish," Perceptor replies with another nod. "Although, if you decide otherwise..." He allows his voice to trail off as Omega Supreme comes into sight.
Long Haul's warning is heeded; he scrambles to the side and hops out, hitting the street with a jarring clang that reverberates unpleasantly through his whole frame. With a sigh, he finally conceeds that Long Haul has been correct in his estimation of the scientist's current state.
"Greetings once again, Omega Supreme. Any issues to report yet on that fuel mixture?" he asks as he waits for Long Haul to transform.
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Oct 24, 2007 18:18:40 GMT -5
Omega Supreme quietly pops open his hatch. Long Haul sometimes sleeps inside of him, and he's happy enough to have Long Haul inside of him, where he can keep the Constructibot safe from harm. He's brought Perceptor, too? What, is this 'camp inside Omega Supreme' night?
The Guardian doesn't mind. After all, Perceptor just got him dinner, and he's a nice enough Autobot. He can camp inside Omega Supreme if he wants to.
He rumbles, "Issues: nonexistent." No food poisoning here!
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 24, 2007 19:40:59 GMT -5
Long Haul transforms and just nods to Perceptor's comment about if he changes his mind. Then his optic band brightens and he looks up at Omega Supreme. "How you been doing, Omega? Hope it ain't been too dull." He's been trying to get by to chit chat when he can! Really!
The transport climbs up the ramp, but despite the cheer in his voice, there's something in the way his shoulders slump and the way he drags his feet that shows he's still not feeling too happy. Once he's inside Omega Supreme he walks over to one of Omega's control panels and sits on the floor, leaning his back against it. He feels closer to the Guardian this way than in a seat or on one of the fold-out cots.
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Post by Perceptor on Oct 25, 2007 11:26:14 GMT -5
For a moment, Perceptor almost turns away and heads back to his workshop - to rest, scouts honor - as he feels a little like an intruder as he watches Long Haul seeking solace from his old friend. But he'd offered to listen, and he'd also promised to rest. If he does return to his workshop... well, Long Haul is right. Perceptor would intend to rest, but would invariably let himself get distracted by something that "simply couldn't wait"...
And then Long Haul would be finding him curled up on the floor, stylus still in hand, most likely. Best to accept the invitation until he was asked to leave.
"I am pleased to hear that, Omega. Please don't hesitate to alert me if that status changes," he explains as he follows the green mech inside and settles himself on one of the fold out cots.
OOC: I'm going to be out all day, so if y'all wanna skip Perceptor, feel free. Unless someone directly asks him anything, he's just going to listen and likely drop offline real soon now, so he's very skipable. If you do need him for anything, I'll be back later this evening. Otherwise, feel free to pose him as having finally gone offline, if it so amuses y'all.
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Oct 27, 2007 9:45:27 GMT -5
Omega Supreme comments back to Long Haul, "Existence: tolerable." He's not sure if it really gets better than that. He's had memories where it did, but he really wonders if those were all lies and delusions.
He feels concerned about Long Haul, the way he slumps, and he seethes with hate and rage, not at Long Haul, but at whoever has hurt him so. Quietly, he inquires, "Status?"
Omega Supreme replies to Perceptor, "Affirmative."
He dims his lights about 50%, as it seems that Long Haul and Perceptor need some shut-optic.
Raises an interesting question, it does.
When does Omega Supreme sleep?
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 27, 2007 10:21:21 GMT -5
"I'm all right, Omega," Long Haul answers a bit sadly as he cuddles against the panel and the floor. "Jus' feeling a bit homesick, is all. It'll be better after a defrag." He rests a hand gently against the side of the bank of counsels he's leaning against, and then repeats, "Just got hit by a pang of homesickness."
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Post by Perceptor on Oct 28, 2007 18:57:07 GMT -5
Perceptor sighs quietly to himself; he can empathize with the homesickness, even if he has had the opportunity to meet such fascinating new individuals. He feels as if there should be something he could say, some observation he can offer to comfort the other. He isn't very good at weaving platitudes of that sort, however, perhaps no better than Omega Supreme is, for all that the scientist is far more glib.
Too glib, usually.
He is still trying to think of something as he slips offline, denied weariness finally dragging him under mid-thought.
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Omega Supreme
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Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Oct 29, 2007 10:49:57 GMT -5
Omega Supreme says very quietly, "Audios: offered." He's here, Long Haul, and he'll listen, but Omega Supreme, of all people, can understand not wanting to talk about it.
Perceptor looks pretty out of it, now. Omega Supreme hopes he's getting enough shut-optic these days.
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 29, 2007 12:18:09 GMT -5
"I know, Omega," Long Haul answers softly. "But I don-" and then something occurs to him. He looks up to where Perceptor is, sees that the scientist has fallen asleep, and then looks up at the console.
"There... might be something you can do for me, Omega. I... I've heard the story, but it was second hand, from Perceptor. And, well... I... I kinda need to hear it from someone what was there."
He stops and leans closer against the side of the console. "If you're up to it, anyway. If you're not, that's fine and I understand. Don't wanna push you."
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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 Oct 29, 2007 23:03:49 GMT -5
There is a creaking noise all around them, like a house settling as the defense base settles himself in to tell the tale.
For this tale, Omega Supreme speaks as he once did, clear and unbroken to tell the story that shattered his soul. Softly, his voice emits solely from the speaker nearest Long Haul, and he explains, "It was a day like any other. I greeted you and the team, and you told me of a city in danger by the war, some distance away. I rushed to help. I did not know it then, but my friends had already fallen. The tapes were clear enough. When I returned," his voice wavers, strings plucked by betrayal, "Crystal City was in ruins. I hunted the Constructicons – what my friends had become – tirelessly, day and night, and I retrieved them at last. I tried to fix their broken minds." Why does Omega Supreme think he could even do that? There is something he failed to tell even Optimus Prime, but he tells Long Haul now. "I am old, Long Haul. A relic of a darker time. I can break minds as easily as I break bodies, but this time, I thought I had fixed them. I was wrong, but I wanted to believe them so. They led me into a trap, and the device that changed them, the robo-smasher, ambushed me. It changed me." His voice sounds hollow now. "But I fought it off. I swore to hunt them to ends of the universe and never to trust the pretty words that misled me so."
"I am an Autobot yet, and I have a duty to protect. I forget, sometimes. Please. Remind me," Omega Supreme grows very quiet at the last and sounds as if he is begging.
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Post by Long Haul on Oct 30, 2007 7:24:05 GMT -5
So this was the reprogramming - deprogramming - attempt Hook spoke of. He had demanded to know what right Omega Supreme had had to try but... what right had the Decepticons to do that to them to begin with? Are they really as alive as they think they are, if their minds can be so easily subverted?
But Omega Supreme fights the subversion, and now he's asking his old friend for help. Long Haul presses his right hand gently but firmly against the console he's leaning against, and whispers, "I will, Omega. Whatever I can do to remind you, whatever's in my power, I will."
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