Autobot Interim: Casting Ballots, Try 2

[SceneMod]

People, we need to get this scene done. Every delay risks another delay. Say we wait out the situation with Hardwire and Holi... what if something else comes up in the meanwhile? Remember, we should have the option of doing time skips.

So, in order for it to happen, this thread is going to be assumed to take place 1-2 days after all current Autobot threads. You do not have to post out of any current thread to post into this one, and you are encouraged not to wait on other events/put things off any more. You are also requested, while in this thread, not to respond to anything external to this thread (radio, etc) and not to make any radio calls to people outside this thread.

Once major events in other Autobot threads start wrapping up, time skips are encouraged to bring everyone else to or past the timeframe of this thread.

Before anyone else can post, Synapse and Swerve need to post-in indicating they're sitting around watching the box. It's in the same open plaza as before, and the area is considered open-air and large enough that Omega Supreme can stop by. For other characters, they can post in once, drop off their 'vote, and not stick around (if you do this, please indicate in your post), or you can stick around to interact. People hoping to meet the candidates (say, Firebolt) may want to stick around for them to arrive.

ICly, no one should be able to see how someone else votes, but OOCly, please indicate in your post how your character is voting. There's nothing to stop anyone from voting from a non-candidate (say, if Grimlock wants to vote for himself, he can). The current candidates are Xaaron, Kup, Jazz, and Holi. The vote is, of course, only open to those who are ICly Autobots and will be at Autobase at the conclusion of the business with Holi and Hardwire. If it looks like Rattrap would be able to make it here in a couple of days, he can toss in a vote, too.

[Synapse]

Back in the plaza, back with Tiny, back with the box, back with Swerve.

Synapse remains standing during his wait for others to arrive. A third of his attention is on Tiny, the other on the area one node is covering, and the last third on his remaining node's patrol. Perhaps a smidgen of the third that is occupied on Tiny is focused on studying Swerve. The racer is the only other person around at the moment and a total unknown to Synapse. Too timid and second-guessing, he makes no move to start a conversation. All the better for Swerve perhaps.

Watching is what Synapse does best, so watch Synapse does.

Tiny on the other hand seems to be quite bored with that fact that she's just staying in one area with no attention being given to her. In fact, she makes her opinion of it all known quite loudly.

[Swerve]

Tiny isn't the only one around here who's bored. Swerve just isn't as slagging noisy about it. He's about as good at starting conversations as Synapse, for that matter, so other than Tiny and her caterwauling, the plaza's fairly quiet.

Swerve has no idea what to make of the dragonette or what to do with her. Where are her wheels? Where does she house an engine in that weird little body? And what the smelt is the point of sticking the box-sitters with her? All she seems to do is whine for attention and make herself as obnoxious as she can. With an irritated gust of a sigh, Swerve props his chin in one hand and watches Tiny chase after some minuscule flying… thing. If the racer had any idea what a butterfly is, he'd probably compare the object of Tiny's attentions with one.

[Long Haul]

Long Haul trundles into the general area in alternate mode, then transforms. He's gotten back to base construction by now. Can't spend too long not doing that. But he can pause long enough to toss in a vote.

He transforms, and after a friendly wave to Swerve and Synapse, he kneels next to Tiny and scritches her behind her audio sensors. From his kneeling position, he looks up at the others. "We got anything to write on?" He seems to have completely missed the thing sheet of metal and stylus. D'oh!

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron strolls into the area at leisurely rate. Finding the place was easy enough; he just listened for Tiny's kreeling. Blast, he really didn't want to be the first one here, but he isn't going to slack on his civic duty, either. At least Long Haul is here. The Constructibot can distract Tiny, too. Emirate Xaaron has a pleasant enough expression on his face as he approaches the voting box from Swerve's side, quite intentionally, too.

He remembers what he told Swerve, and he's not sure if he can actually expect a punch. He won't be surprised if it comes, but he isn't playing it cautious here. Emirate Xaaron can take a punch. Cheerily, he greets, "Good day." He neatly tears off a ballot from the thin sheet of metal, writes out his own name on the ballot, holds it up, blank side to Swerve and Synapse, and drops it in the box.

Then, Emirate Xaaron just stands there, one hand on his hip, the other hanging at his side, feet slightly spread. Let no one say he didn't make it easy for Swerve.

[Synapse]

But Tiny can sniff out invisible people! Well, at the moment, Tiny's more occupied with the wonderful scritching she's receiving. Xaaron's eluded her attention...for now.

Synapse returns Emirate Xaaron's greeting with a smile smile and a nod.

He picks up the sheet metal after Xaaron is done with it and rips off a small piece of his own before presenting it to Long Haul. "Here, you can rip off a piece to write on," the stylus follows after he neatly prints Emirate Xaaron's name on his ballot. Synapse has seen some of what either Kup or Xaaron can do and he's listened to their speeches. Making a choice based on who's had the most leading experience is simple enough. And if Kup's expressions of not wanting the leadership are genuine...then why subject him to it? That's Synapse's philosophy.

Carefully, he folds his ballot and drops it into the box. Synapse doesn't look up to meet anyone's gaze, instead he focuses on keeping an optic out for foul play. But why is Emirate Xaaron looking so casual? And why is he standing so close to Swerve? Synapse shifts nervously on his feet, but doesn't move from his spot as he glances between Swerve and Xaaron.

[Grimlock]

A low 'thudding' sound can be heard in the distance. If there's standing liquid around, cue the Jurassic Park effect in it, 'cause Grimlock is making his way into the plaza, towering in Dinobot mode. He leans down a bit, sniffing in Xaaron's general direction. "...who you?"

[Swerve]

Swerve doesn't have to explain anything to Long Haul. That's helpful. His explanation probably would've amounted to shoving the sheet and stylus at the Constructibot and telling him to just write it down already, anyway.

He stiffens visibly at Emirate Xaaron's approach. He remembers very clearly the offer made over the radio. He'd be all too glad to take up the oldtimer on it; his arms tense and his fists clench tightly as he glares at the golden Autobot. It's like Xaaron wants to get punched! Fine by Swerve! He takes a half-step forward and shifts his weight to put it behind the blow… then stops. That cool, expectant look Xaaron's giving him is bitterly familiar. Right down to the yellow-eyed stare. Swerve's right arm, raised almost in position to deliver the free punch, falls to his side and he turns away, the expression on his face very clearly one of pure disgust and resentment.

He's tired of doing what this greasy old codger wants him to do. Sick and tired of it. And torqued off to no end that what he'd like to do more than anything else right now – what he wants to do so badly his whole body aches for holding back – seems to be exactly what is expected of him. Smelt. Smelt and slag it all to the Pit! And frag Xaaron!

Just as Grimlock lands, Swerve spins back and, with a low, guttural sound of frustration and rage not entirely inspired by his target and as much force as he can muster, smashes a right cross into Emirate Xaaron's infuriatingly calm face. He ignores the jolt of pain that travels up his arm when he connects and just follows through with the momentum. Once he rights himself, he crosses his arms and refuses to look at the oldtimer. His hand's twinging pretty painfully. He ignores that, too.

---

OOC: Punch connected with permission of Xaaron's player.

[Long Haul]

Long Haul stares as Swerve punches Xaaron. He did it! He really did it! His instincts are to try to intercept the racer, and he stops scritching Tiny to lurch in the direction before he remembers that Emirate Xaaron had given him permission to hit him.

So instead his shoulders slump, he sighs, and he glances at Synapse. "Uhm, yeah. Thanks for the help on that." He writes Xaaron's name on his small chunk of metal - hey, the guy's willing to take a hit for the job, obviously - and drops it in with a clatter.

---

OOC: Total so far: Xaaron: 3 votes.

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron watches as Swerve lets his fist fall, optics tracing the hand down. Is that it? Is that all? Emirate Xaaron waits longer, noting Grimlock's arrival.

When it finally comes, Emirate Xaaron takes absolutely no action to remove himself from the course of Swerve's fist. He stands solid, despite the hit, which dents in a portion of his face, but he doesn't allow himself to wince or make a sound. He does bring up a hand to rub his now aching chin and feel out the smarting dents, and he comments, tone speculative, "Not bad," for a car. It's about what he expected, really.

Tone light, Emirate Xaaron inquires, "I don’t suppose that made you feel any better?" He guesses that Swerve's hand would like to have a few cross words with the rest of Swerve for having it punch a tank-armoured machine.

Ah, but Swerve won't look at him. Emirate Xaaron turns to Grimlock and introduces, tone cool, "I am Emirate Xaaron." There isn't a shred of fear in Emirate Xaaron at the sight of the Dinobot. Galvatron was, to be frank, much more terrifying, and Emirate Xaaron defied even him.

He does notice Long Haul's lurch. How touching, but he needn't have worried.

[Bluestreak]

A gray Datsun Fairlady pulls up at that moment, slowing to a halt just in front of the box and its guards. Bluestreak transforms and grins brightly at all present, having completely missed Swerve decking Xaaron.

"Hey there, Swerve, Grimlock!" he greets cheerfully, waving. To Synapse and Xaaron he says "Nice to meet you, I'm Bluestreak. Who are you guys?" He doesn't say anything to Long Haul -- he's still not comfortable around someone who was a Decepticon in his own timeline -- but he does try not to flinch or reach for a weapon.

"So how do we vote?" he asks. "Not like punching cards or anything. Heh, hope this isn't like the humans and their Election 2000 mess, with all the recounts... hey what's that?" He's just noticed Tiny. "It's a little dragon! A mecha-dragon! Is it friendly?" He bends over and offers his hand to Tiny, letting her sniff and nibble his fingers curiously. "I guess that's a yes. Is it like our mascot or something?"

---

OOC: I'm guessing that, since this is a couple of days since Bluestreak's arrival, someone would have told him about Long Haul being an Autobot, so he isn't freaking out over there being a "Decepticon" around. I still don't imagine he'd be entirely comforable around Long Haul for awhile, though...

[Mirage]

The racer drives up to the plaza, noting that a crowd is already starting to gather. Mirage would have been there earlier as well, except he had needed to make a slight detour first. He doesn’t know Swerve, and he’s unsure if Synapse would have considered the problems inherent in confining Tiny to one empty area for what could be a long while.

Transforming, he walks toward the group. Tiny seems happy to see him, whether that is due to the memory of Mirage’s lovely skritches or the two small energy cells the spy is holding in unclear. Likely the latter, if no one thought to feed the poor thing before placing her on ballot box duty. Kneeling, he feeds the dragonette the goodies, stroking her back a bit as he does.

Pulling a small bag out of his subspace, Mirage tosses it on the floor near Synapse. “Here, that should make it easier to keep our little prima donna happy as the day goes on.” The bag is filled with several of the small energy packs they had discovered during their earlier salvage run.

As he surveys the group, he can’t help but notice the rather fresh dent in Xaaron’s face, nor quite stifle a chuckle at the sight. Looks like Swerve can punch, and the Emirate is a ‘bot of his word. Noting the metal and stylus near Long Haul, he asks, “Would you kindly pass those this way?”

[Synapse]

Synapse stares, slack-jawed and amazed at the punch delivered by Swerve. He's even more amazed at Emirate Xaaron's reaction...or lack there of. That looked painful. The scout absently brings his own hand to his jaw, imagining what it would be like to take such a blow. What in the world is Xaaron made out of?

Long Haul's thanks forces Synapse to rip his stare from the dent on Emirate Xaaron's face. "It's no problem," he murmurs, optics following the Constructibot's movements until they take Long Haul further away from the ballot box. Bluestreak's greeting is met with a perplexed look, the bot is talking to him? "My name is Synapse."

Mirage's arrival is noted as the white and blue racer enters the plaza. With more people coming, Synapse could use more optics. Lucky, he has them. One of his nodes zooms quickly into the plaza, hovering a short distance above the gathering group. Its attention is solely focused on the going-ons around the ballot box. This way, Synapse can also bend over to pick up the bag tossed to him. He blanches at the energy packs he finds inside. Food, he had forgotten about that before bringing Tiny here. At the rate this is going, Synapse won't rank very high in the dragonette's eyes. "Thank you, I had forgotten."

This is also why Synapse has never had a pet before.

[Wedge]

A vote, huh? Wedge rolls into the plaza mulling over the speeches given a few days ago. Well, he remembers who the candidates are. But knowing the candidates, that's another thing. Kup is the only one he really knows, the old bot doing that interview and all. Wedge can remember Emirate Xaaron and his questions during the trip back from the station battle. Holi, that's the little blue guy he's seen around, right? He didn't sound like he wanted the nomination at all. Then there's Jazz. Huh, Wedge barely knows him at all.

He transforms and walks the rest of the way to the ballot box. "Hey, can I get those after you're done with them?" Wedge calls out to Long Haul once he spots the sheet metal and stylus. He doesn't know that Mirage has already called dibs on the items.

[Grimlock]

Grimlock watches the punch delivery with nary a flinch, looking back and forth between Swerve and Xaaron. The gold and silver 'bot seems tough enough, but Grimlock wonders how Xaaron would take a punch from him....probably not well. He's Grimlock, after all.

The Dinobot commander snuffs a bit. "You right. Me Grimlock am underwhelmed."