Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 6, 2008 16:50:47 GMT -5
So our intrepid heroes good buddies selected pair have topped off, and started their journey in vehicle mode, rolling toward the swamps, the closest location on their list provided by Shockwave.
The ride had been awkwardly silent so far.
Cannonball had been mulling over this assignment - Maybe they didn't have the skills to work on the base, but they still could have been useful in some manner. Perhaps Hook had a hand in this? That wouldn't make sense, though. Why send Wreckage, too? He seemed pretty competent in a military hierarchy, unlike Cannonball. Maybe they didn't want him around to cause trouble with base-building, and Wreckage is along to make sure he doesn't get into trouble on his own...or try to pull any newcomers to his side?
Shockwave, you are a cunning one.
Finally, he can't stand the silence any longer, and flicks on the radio: //...wot d' ye make o' all this, lad?//
|
|
Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
|
Post by Wreckage on Feb 10, 2008 12:00:06 GMT -5
Wreckage is surprised. Almost pleasantly, even. Cannonball has been remarkably quiet on the drive thus far; not an exceptionally long interval, overall, but considering how loquacious most of these other Decepticons can be – how much some of them obnoxiously are – the silence is welcome. At this rate, this mission might even be tolerable.
Then Cannonball simply has to go and ruin it. What is it with these Decepticons and their penchant for constantly talking at the times it seems least necessary?
"…All this?" echoes the Stryker rhetorically. "Foothills."
|
|
Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 11, 2008 22:44:54 GMT -5
"That ain' wot I mean, lad. I mean aboot Shockwave throwin' us oot th' base. Ye think there be more tae it than just that we "'ave no skills relevant tae base construction" or wutevah it were that 'e said..."
An audible sigh is heard, one of mild frustration. "Mebbe ah be thinkin' too 'ard aboot it."
|
|
Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
|
Post by Wreckage on Feb 13, 2008 20:04:20 GMT -5
It takes a second or two for Wreckage to understand just what a blessing it is he has had little chance to converse with Cannonball until now. That dialect approaches a thickness nigh to unintelligible.
"Then be more specific," he chides in answer to Cannonball's correction. "It is simple," he adds, not slowing the least bit while some smallish, dun-coloured organic creature scrambles to clear the road before he can run it down. "When a soldier becomes a liability, it is better to… turn him loose than let him impair the unit's function." The two of them are apparently liabilities in the course of construction and while the idea of being seen so rankles, Wreckage will abide by the decision.
He supposes there could be an ulterior motive involved. It certainly is not impossible; they are, after all, dealing with other Decepticons. On the other hand, he is uncertain what that motive might be and will likely leave the matter to other, more curious minds for the picking. The swamp is near enough for visual confirmation and his primary concern is the mission at hand.
"Just focus on the assignment," he mutters.
|
|
Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 14, 2008 23:10:34 GMT -5
Cannonball grumbles a bit, then falls silent once more, and stays as such for the remainder.
After some time, they arrive at the edge of the swamp, near the winding road that cuts through the muck.
"...well, we're 'ere."
|
|
|
Post by Shrapnel on Feb 15, 2008 14:56:17 GMT -5
As the road progresses deeper into the swamp, it sweeps through a cluster of buildings. Hardly more than a shanty fishing-town with most of the buildings raised up on stilts to deal with the changing water-levels.
But there is the curious sound of music throughout the place. Simple snatches of different songs sound from separate areas, and it isn't birdsong. It is instrumental music.
There are rustles of movement through the grasses and swamp-plants, ripples in the water that might not be caused by the native fishes.
Resting casually on the roof of a house is also large black metal beetle-machine with curved silver antlers. It appears to be sunning itself.
|
|
Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
|
Post by Wreckage on Feb 17, 2008 13:32:13 GMT -5
A brief beat while Wreckage decelerates just enough to let Cannonball take the lead on the narrower swamp track.
"…Your powers of observation are remarkable," he rumbles idly and leaves it at that.
The swamp is as unremarkable to Wreckage now as it has been every other time he has driven through it; a profusion of organic things in various states of thriving or decay, the air cloyingly heavy and humid in his ventilation. It is not a place he finds particularly appealing, but neither is it intolerable. Another location on the map, another region to bring under control, nothing more than that. He does wonder as the shanty town comes into view, in as much as he ever bothers to ponder on the motivations of sapient organics, why creatures capable of building the cities he has seen on this planet would have chosen to live in this place as well. Perhaps they were isolationists. The relative inaccessibility of the swamp interior could make it strategically useful in that respect, especially with the single road tracking across the mire. Easily monitored, easily controlled. Easy to avoid those one has no desire to confront.
And perhaps someone else has had the same notion, he muses, unless the animals happen to enjoy music. Wreckage slows warily, dialling up his sensors. The music is bothersome; could be a way to cover the sounds of an impending attack. Or… what is that on that rooftop? The colours, and those large antlers, strike a note of familiarity. Wreckage has seen similar before.
"I believe we have… company," he murmurs to Cannonball. If the dull roar of the Stryker's engine was not announcement enough, his transformation will have to suffice.
|
|
Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 17, 2008 23:09:02 GMT -5
Cannonball had dislike for the swamp. For one, it be stanky. For two, it's where that lousy worm first showed up. For three, it be stanky! Enough to make some of the nastier members of his crew smell good, even. And that's not even starting on the goopy muck that was all around. That was such a problem to get cleaned out...
Luckily, Cannonball kept his gripes to himself. He couldn't help an internal smirk at the remark about his observation skills. Who'da thought the big guy had a sense of humor? Wry's better than nothing, after all.
And...huh. That's different. Music and a big...black...thing. "...now 'o's Cap'n Obvious?" he mumbles back, transforming as well. Once in robot mode, he readies his blaster arm in case this thing is hostile. Taking a bit of possibly not-bright initiative, he calls out: "Oi, 'o goes there?!"
|
|
|
Post by Shrapnel on Feb 19, 2008 0:32:12 GMT -5
Antlers swing around to point at the duo on the road as the beetle acknowledges them. Perhaps it studies them, though without any obvious eyes or windows that might mark a sight-point. But there is a definite pause before it answers.
"I don't know. Who does go there, go there?"
After all, Shrapnel definitely isn't the one going anywhere right now.
In the background, the music has become much quieter. An observant mech might realize there is no insect buzz at all.
|
|
Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
|
Post by Wreckage on Feb 21, 2008 0:40:38 GMT -5
Wreckage very nearly makes a face at Cannonball.
"So I am the captain now, pirate?" he wonders before looking back up. "Very well." He was nominally placed in charge of this exercise in efficiency as it is; getting his erstwhile teammate to voluntarily recognise this fact – through deliberate misinterpretation or not – is simply an interesting addition. More important than getting the pirate to fall in line, however, is addressing the oversized insect with the peculiar speech pattern.
Insect… something in the database. Insecticon? Hook mentioned an Insecticon. A Decepticon who did not stay at the base. Shrapnel, was it? However, Wreckage can see no emblem of affiliation amid the black and violet. The colours and those antlers still nag at his recognition….
"Survey team," he finally decides to answer the beetle's question, breaking the growing quiet. "You… are an Insecticon." Not precisely a statement, not exactly a query.
|
|
Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 21, 2008 22:58:05 GMT -5
Oh, wonderful. They're BOTH twisting his words around. "Primus, I be stuck with mechs that donnae know 'bout bloody figgers o' speech" he mumbles to himself.
He cracks open a channel to Wreckage: //Insecticon? Donnae if they're related, but thar be these things from my universe called 'Terrorcons'. Mass-produced drones that serve to suck planets dry o' energon...there's one that kinna resembles this bugger. 'Cept it has one central horn rather'n them antlers. An' it's a figger o' speech. Th' day I call another mech my captain is my dyin' day...//
He then answers Shrapnel. "Means "'O are you?", in short."
|
|
|
Post by Shrapnel on Feb 23, 2008 16:27:50 GMT -5
"I know what it means, it means," Shrapnel assures the fellow standing in the road.
A survey team of Decepticons? How interesting! Perhaps they would uncover a hidden temple full of energy and sexy cricket ladies!
Perhaps not.
The Insecticon soars down from the roof to land in front of Cannonball, tilting his antlers up at the pirate's face. "I am Shrapnel. Do you have names, names?"
|
|
Wreckage
Major
One of the Quiet Ones
Posts: 554
|
Post by Wreckage on Feb 25, 2008 20:53:58 GMT -5
OOC: Apologies for the delay. Lost track.
Energy sources will, of course, be transported, but any cricket ladies found will have to travel under their own power if they want to come along.
//Duly noted,// Wreckage replies without looking even once at Cannonball. //And I am well aware it is a figure of speech. I am a warrior, not an idiot.// Although the assumption that intelligence is inversely proportional to size or talkativeness has, annoyingly, had its occasional uses in the past. Convenient underestimations.
Something Wreckage should take care not to do, he reminds himself, watching the beetle – Shrapnel… yes, that was the name in the file – watching Shrapnel land. Why the Insecticon lives out here, he supposes, must bear something in common with whatever reasons the organics had for doing the same thing; the truth would only baffle him.
"…Wreckage," he replies. This is, of course, assuming Shrapnel's question was directed to both team members and not merely the one he currently has at the ends of his antlers.
|
|
Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
|
Post by Cannonball on Feb 27, 2008 15:45:03 GMT -5
Sexy cricket ladies? If they're anything like the sexy spider lady, Cannonball Does Not Want. Energy is good, however. Maybe a sexy energy lady...
Good thing Shrapnel didn't say that out loud, Cannonball would be caught up in his imagination for a while.
//Jes' makin' sure, lad.//
He eyes down the antlers, where one would expect a face, but sees none. Cannonball still stares, though. "I be Cannonball, captain of th' Sea Slag."
Yeah, he's gonna be honest. He's had enough of that subterfuge nonsense for a lifetime.
|
|
|
Post by Shrapnel on Mar 3, 2008 23:44:58 GMT -5
"You're scaring the birds, birds," Shrapnel comments as he transforms. He's shorter than both of them, but in this mode, there is a very clear Decepticon symbol stamped on his chest.
"If you're looking for things, you'll probably want to see the tower, tower."
|
|