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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 27, 2007 18:27:15 GMT -5
Shockwave notes the respectful position that Starfighter has taken up. There is no telling how competant the Seeker may be; however, Shockwave is just arrogant enough to think that no version of himself would make an idiot his assistant.
Once they were well out of sight of the fountain, he speaks, "So tell me, Starfighter, what did being my assistant consist of in your reality?"
"Also what events of note had occurred before you were displaced.?"
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 27, 2007 18:38:37 GMT -5
Starfighter straightens up promptly. "I have the full timeline recorded in my datapad, sir, it's in Needlenose's hands now but I can get it back if you need it. We'd recently been contacted by Megatron again after his group and Prime's group crashed on Earth and remained in stasis for four million years. I've been your assistant for the past two hundred and sixteen years, sir." He makes a small bow again, still feeling very awkward.
"I keep your records and handle administrative duties, sir. Damage assessment, ration allotment and situation analysis and so on." It's complicated to actually explain his job, as it's grown to be 'whatever you need me to do that no one else is competent enough to handle'.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 27, 2007 19:40:18 GMT -5
Shockwave stops. He really wasn't going anywhere; he simply wanted some distance from the others. He leans back against one of the buildings, folding his arms across his chest.
"I think that I shall require that timeline, and any other data you may have gathered about our companions." He considers Starfighter a moment, looking the Seeker over. "Situation analysis, eh? And what is your assessment of our current situation, including fuel supply, defensive capabilities...leadership."
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 28, 2007 0:47:54 GMT -5
"...sir?" Starfighter's fingers fidgeted awkwardly, again wishing for his datapad and the world at his fingertips.
"I don't have the exact statistics with me, but we seem to at least be stable in terms of fuel. The area is defensible, but we have no permanent structures or autoguns at the moment, the current emphasis is on surveying the area and collecting data on our members." He doesn't answer the leadership question, not yet. Not until he knows what Shockwave wants to hear.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 28, 2007 11:42:45 GMT -5
What Shockwave wants to hear is an honest assessment. A bit of ego-stroking is nice, but there is a time and place, and now is not it. After all, this Starscream, similar attitude aside, might actually be competent.
The Seeker's fidgeting indicates nervousness, and Shockwave cannot keep his optic from twitching a bit in annoyance. Primus, what does he do in these other realties to make people so skittish?
"You did not fully answer the question. Are you, perhaps, not as well-informed as you claim, unable to make an honest evaluation? I need to know what- and who- I am dealing with, Starfighter. If you can not be of assistance in that..." He does not complete the sentence, instead letting the little secretary draw his own conclusions.
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 28, 2007 13:27:07 GMT -5
Ohdearohdear, this is not good at all.
"Sir, I've...um..." A short glance at the ground. "For some reason I was knocked unconscious for a short period right before we met. I don't have data on any events that took place during that period, and before that I was inspecting the alien data storage units for potential information. I didn't have a chance to record the most recent data on our energon situation for the last day or two. The current high command--er, the one before you got here--have plans to create a base above the local mine shafts with ideal room for expansion. I haven't been privy to the specific details or if they've changed anything recently, but you could get them from Hook or one of the others."
Screw it, Starfighter's going to see if he can't get his teddy back.
//Needlenose, sir? Do you still have my datapad? If you don't need it any longer, could I have it back?//
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 28, 2007 18:56:38 GMT -5
Shockwave's single optic twitches.
"Starfighter, " Shockwave shifts a bit against the wall, "are you incapable of giving an opinion without consulting your precious datapad? If this Starscream is a capable leader then he will remain so. If he proves that he is not...then steps will be taken to rectify the situation."
He waves his hand at the Seeker. "I can use an analyst, and assistant, if you will. However, I can not use one whose fear of my reaction will prevent him from giving me information when I require it. It has been quite some time, Starfighter, since I have felt the urge to shoot the messenger. I do not intend to take back up the practice here."
"I will speak to Hook about the base designs later. Now, what happened to cause you to loose consciousness?"
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 28, 2007 20:25:09 GMT -5
Not fair...
"I was drugged by Needlenose as part of some sort of prank. When I expressed concern over Dead End after Starscream shot him, he thought it was funny." Starfighter keeps looking at him firmly, trying to avoid any signs of embarrassment lest they be mistaken for more nervousness. "He apparently injected me with some tranquilizing agent, then had me tied to Dead End in a..."
He waves his hands about, trying to describe a concept he'd rather not think about. "Romantic pose. I don't know if Starscream approved it or not."
He shrugged slightly, not quite sure how to answer Shockwave's major question. "Sir, I don't think I'm qualified to render judgment on Starscream's abilities. He hasn't shown himself to be significantly incompetent in any respect and the others seem to be fairly tolerant of his lead, but he doesn't have Megatron's charisma. But I don't have much to compare him to, the only other leader I've known is you and that's in a far different situation than the one we are in now."
Ah, Needlenose replied. //Yessir. I'll come by as soon as I can.//
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 28, 2007 23:02:05 GMT -5
"Ah, so that would have been Needlenose following Starscream's order to take Dead End, 'someplace semi-safe, but amusing.' Inventive, if a complete waste of time." Shockwave shakes his head.
And the secretary has finally answered his question.
"An excellent answer, Starfighter. Thank you."
He pauses, rubbing his chin, the continues, "What occurred during the time between Megatron's disappearance and his re-establishing contact? What was the state of Cybertron?"
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 28, 2007 23:52:41 GMT -5
Starfighter beams slightly, thankful to have finally gotten some proper approval from Shockwave once more.
"The energon supplies were running very low, sir. You--I mean, the other you shut down all the nonessential areas and focused mostly on defense and energon generators. It was...getting very dire, sir. Even the Autobots fought back very little, they were all too starved to present much of a threat to us. When they started fighting back after Prime and his group revived themselves, we were surprised to find out they even existed."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 29, 2007 23:52:44 GMT -5
Shockwave does not miss the reaction his praise has on his new "assistant." This one will be easy.
"And nothing was done to alleviate the crisis? No attempts at better fuel efficiency or searching for new energon sources? It sounds as if your Shockwave essentially let Cybertron rot"
"Certainly I did not spend four million years just waiting for Megatron to reappear. "
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 30, 2007 8:21:48 GMT -5
Now that's an odd sensation. On the one hand, Starfighter's bristling at having heard Shockwave insulted. On the other hand...well, it was Shockwave who did the insulting.
"He attempted, sir. It just..." Starfighter raises his hands helplessly. "It didn't work. We burned off far too much just in the wars while Megatron was gone, and after that it was more a matter of survival. If there was another way, I'm sure he would have taken it."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 30, 2007 20:28:00 GMT -5
"There are always options, Starfighter," Shockwave says, a bit cooly.
"You mentioned you had collected a fair amount of information? Perhaps you should retrieve your datapad from Needlenose and contact me then."
He shifts position again, "Unless you've questions you'd like to ask me?"
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Post by Starfighter on Oct 30, 2007 21:53:14 GMT -5
Starfighter looks up again, shrugging off the feeling of shame. Not that it was his fault that Shockwave ran out of options...
"No questions, sir. But may I speak freely?" He seems almost hopeful.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Oct 30, 2007 21:58:26 GMT -5
Speaking freely? Of course, one gets the most interesting information that way, even if it is sometimes...unpleasant.
"You may," Shockwave says, nodding at the Seeker.
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