Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jun 18, 2008 18:58:35 GMT -5
And lo, they time-skip to the junkyard
Spinister isn't being obviously about it at all, but he's looking for someone. He has Pee-Dee slung over his back and Hairsplitter in one hand, as he cautiously peers around corners with a more-than-healthy amount of paranoia.
There's the junkyard. he doesn't settle down at the edge but instead presses in deeply, looking for the most obscured spot, finally nestling Pee-Dee down in a vaguely bowl-like depression. Spinister crouches, wary and searching.
He can't say that he likes junkyards. Not after he's seen the Autobot smelting pools.
Spinister can't help himself, and he breaks the silence, whispering, "Will this do, ma'am?"
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jun 18, 2008 21:14:23 GMT -5
Barricade stifles a shiver as he coasts through the gate of the junkyard. They're such... creepy places, really. Like defiled graveyards with all the broken, empty husks tossed and littered about, scavenged and ravaged by rust, dust, and time.
He knows, of course, that these machines never really lived, not like Frenzy and he do, but, even still, the silent broken machienery stacked around is... eerie.
A quick databurst to his parnter warns Frenzy that he is about to transform, and the smaller mech carefully slides into his accustomed compartment tucked safely within Barricade's chest as the mech rises out of his alternate mode. The sound of his plating and servos shifting is loud against the rest of the quiet. At least it seems that way, but that's his own caution thinking hard at him. Caution and not paranoia - it's only paranoia if they really aren't out to get you.
Now, where would Spinister have tucked himself in all this... Ah, here we are. A pathway deeper into the maze of shattered steel and rusted junk. Look for someplace defensible. Hidden.
// We're here, Boss, // he radios, declaring himself before slipping around the last few stacks he guesses would shield Spinister and Pee-Dee from sight. Barricade is really just not interested in getting shot today, if he can help it.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jun 18, 2008 21:46:59 GMT -5
"Hmm? Oh. Yeah, fine." Pee-Dee manages to wrest herself from her book to twist her head about and look over the area. "It'll do nicely."
That distraction taken care of, she dives back into the world of Guards, Guards.
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jun 21, 2008 12:59:12 GMT -5
Just because they really are out to get you doesn't mean you're not crazy.
Immediately, he swivels and snaps to a standing position, Hairsplitter in his hand and tracking. Then Spinister slowly lets Hairsplitter drop before dropping the Nebulan entirely, who transforms and stands in the Wreckage. Spinister lunges forward to clap a friendly hand on Barricade's shoulder and whispers, clearly straining to keep his voice down, "You're a sight for sore optics, Barricade. Meet Pee-Dee. Our Rodimus Prime did a number on her and the whole alphabet, too. I've tried to stabilise her, but there's only such much I can do."
With his other hand, he reaches down to give Pee-Dee a tap and continues, "Pee-Dee, meet Barricade. I think I've seen weirder task forces, but I'm not sure when."
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jun 21, 2008 15:48:43 GMT -5
It may not be as obvious to one who isn't used to those features, but Barricade grins widely as he returns that clasp with one of his own.
"Good to see you guys, too, Boss," he whispers eagerly. "Especially with everyone in one piece!" No, it isn't that he doubts Spinister's abilities, but Barricade frets for the safety of his friends, especially when they are alone - relatively, and Nebulons notwithstanding - without backup, out of contact, and facing off against that dark psycho Autobot Prime.
So, this is the Autobot Boss had made contact with, huh? Or... what was left of her, at any rate. There is a dark little corner of Barricade that he doesn't like to admit to that is somewhat... pleased... to see Pee-Dee in pieces like this.
Except, this isn't their Pee-Dee, supposedly. This Pee-Dee is "nice". Maybe.
"Ouch. I'd say it's nice you meet you, ma'am, but you look like you've had better decades," he offers, shaking his head as he extends a clawed hand politely.
"And if t was the Prime that did this... I'm surprised you managed to get this much working, Boss. Good job."
"So. I'm not a repair tech, Ms. Pee-Dee, ma'am, but unless we plan on this being the OK Corral, here, we'd best get you a bit more mobile. You have any suggestions?"
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jun 21, 2008 16:13:48 GMT -5
But Mr. Vimes has just spotted the dragon going to swoop on the celebratory gathering of it being dead! Spinister can't interrupt now!
Spinister apparently can and will. Pee-Dee lowers the book to her chest as he introduces her to Barricade, head cocking slightly as she studies him. Spinister and he seem to be happy to see each other. They're friends then.
She cranes her neck as Barricade's coloring clicks. That symbol is... Oh yes. "Are all of you mirror Decepticons cops, or did I just get lucky?"
She wants to say that she's had worse; that she's been dismembered and scattered throughout Junk; that Jigsaw made her into a paperweight for a while. But the story with Jigsaw is complicated, and the story of her dismemberment was even moreso.
She also balks at giving Spinister the credit for her recovery, even if his repairs did ensure she was online right now. Pride's a little too thick in her sometimes.
"Oh, I'll be fine when I get working," she assures Barricade. "I'm just going to finish my book first."
Someone may need to take it away from her.
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jun 21, 2008 16:40:25 GMT -5
Spinister waves a hand and says dismissively, "She's a Junkion, like Screwdriver, you know. They go together easily. I did nothing, nothing at all. Hook could have done a much better job, but Hook is..." ...captured? Nothing saying that in front of her. Watching her for her reaction, yes? Yes.
He chuckles, a rich sound, and he replies, "Not all of us, ma'am. Just the good-looking ones. Lucky you!"
Spinister releases his grasp on Barricade's arm, and he explains, "She thinks she can get herself going using the parts here. I was planning on doing a bit more recon of the area, trying to figure out where they're holding prisoners, and I was going to leave Singe to watch over her."
Singe is a part of him. He'll know before radio if anything happens.
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jun 21, 2008 17:26:59 GMT -5
// You really wanna split yourself up like that, Boss? // Barricade asks privately. // Frenzy and I can keep an optic or six on her while you three recon. I'm not going to underestimate her, but, really, she's in pieces, and Frenzy and I are on top of our game. // And then Spinister doesn't have to leave part of himself behind.
Barricade merely grins at the cop commentary, but then the grin fades around the edges as Pee-Dee starts to tune them out again.
"Ma'am, I... I, uh, don't mean to criticize, but... should reading books wait until later? You know, when we aren't deep in enemy territory with one mech down?"
Of course, if this is their Pee-Dee, that would be an excellent way to catch them. Simply shackle them with an "anchor" that they cannot, in good conscience, leave behind.
Yeah, Barricade isn't liking that scenario either.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jun 21, 2008 19:34:59 GMT -5
"It's a very good book," Pee-Dee points out as if this excuses all possible consequences of her actions. Awkward as reading is with only one arm, she has been quite steadily devouring it.
Now she looks up at the two Decepticons from where she nestles in the junk. She's barely anything, and these two are fresh and fully armed. Her gun and truncheon are lost in subspace until she can replace that generator. The mirror-Jazz shattered her shield. She has nothing but her wits and the book Spinister gave her.
The way I look at that, Bedlam: if we're still drawing breath, we have a chance to do something on our shortcomings besides piss and moan.1
"I don't have most of my tools anymore, you know." She tucks the book away into the one working subspace pocket she has and works her fingers into the seam between throat and chest. Her fingers wriggle, her armor flexes, and then she brightens and pulls out a wrench triumphantly. It's scorched and blackened, but it is most definitely a wrench.
There was a bit of scrap above her head that looked sturdy enough to base on arm-strut on. Sticking the wrench in her mouth so she's holding it by the long middle, she reaches for the piece.
It's just out of reach.
---
1. Quote from NYPD Blue.
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jun 21, 2008 22:34:16 GMT -5
Spinister replies to Barricade, //I have complete faith that you can watch her, but like you just said, she's in pieces. A lady needs her sidearm, and I happen to be all out of sidearms. A flamethrower will have to do. Other thing is, if she's spoofing us, Singe only fires when he wants to fire. Finally, a binary bond isn't blocked by radio jamming, keeping Singe here gives us one line of communication that can't be cut or jammed.//
See? Spinister can think things through. He's not just a pretty face, and that's good, because he's really not pretty.
He chatters, "Glad you're enjoying the book so far, ma'am," Yes, the book is his fault, Barricade, "I can lend you a toolkit for the meantime, but I'd like everything back in one piece." He withdraws his toolkit and holds it out to her. He does have a few random spares on hand if he critically needs to do something, but for now, she needs it more than he does.
Spinister does not yet offer her Singe. Barricade might have a really good argument why not to. Barricade's a smart guy like that. On the other hand, he might be dazzled by Spinister's immaculate rationale.
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jun 22, 2008 8:12:00 GMT -5
// Excellent points, Boss, // Barricade replies, and there's a faint tone of relief in his voice as he does so. Having a secure means of communication that can't be blocked is a significant relief to Barricade, because Singe will be able to tell him if anything happens to Spinister out there, too.
"Ah, here you go, ma'am," Barricade offers, carefully pulling the piece Pee-Dee had been reaching for loose to hand down to her. As creepy as he finds the junkyard to be, he has to admit that watching her piece herself back together from all this... well... junk will be a fascinating process. He might even learn a thing or two!
"Tell you what, until you get them rebuilt, I'll be your legs for you and fetch what you need out of this stuff that you can't reach. Does that work for you?"
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jun 22, 2008 18:40:50 GMT -5
"Back in one piece?" She mock-pouts at him. "But I could build so much out of a set of screwdrivers!" A beat, and Pee-Dee smiles at Spinister. "Nah, no worries. I won't break up your tools for parts."
She brings her arm down to press the heel of her hand against the ground, making ready to scoot herself closer to the piece she wants-
And then Barricade grabs it for her. "Thank you!"
Humming happily (the Hawaii 5-0 theme, incidentally), Pee-Dee goes to work on forcing the metal into the shape she needs it in. "That'd be good, yeah." She sighs a bit as the metal folds into the shape she prefers, and she pulls out a welder from Spinister's toolkit. "I'm not going to meet dress-code for a while, looks like."
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jun 22, 2008 20:50:16 GMT -5
Spinister points out mildly, "I'm afraid I'm not so adaptable as you are, ma'am. I might need those screwdrivers someday for some other unfortunate in need," and he adds over the radio to Barricade, //Or to help my unfortunate self into an Autobot base.//
Ah, Barricade is such a considerate fellow. Spinister's glad to have met and to have the pleasure of working with him.
Now, Spinister gestures to Singe, who has been standing quietly in the rubble, and he explains, "I can't just leave a lady unarmed, and well, you didn't draw a gun on me when you saw me, ma'am, and I really doubt it was because you were happy to see me. I'm going to lend Singe to you. He's a flamethrower. Singe has a range of 140 to 3200 Fahrenheit, and he's double-barreled and nuclear-powered. He can and does aim and fire himself, as long as you point him in vaguely the right direction. He's a little shy, so don't worry if he doesn't say much."
Hairsplitter observes, amused, "No, you just talk enough for the both of you."
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jun 23, 2008 22:16:33 GMT -5
// Or help your unfortunate self out of an Autobot's base, // Barricade agrees.
"Probably me," Barricade chips in with a rakish grin. Which is probably true enough. Spinister is the one most likely to get himself deep into Autobot territory without backup, but it's probably Barricade that's more likely of the two of them to actually get himself into trouble. Something about running to the rescue of anyone in need and something about looking before he leaps, or some such thing. It's all been muttered in and out of his hearing.
He doesn't do anything so obvious as to even radio Spinister to be careful out there. He knows that Spinister will be as careful as he can as the situation dictates, and no amount of cautions on Barricade's part will change that. It would be very nice, though, if they could all make it home in one piece. They haven't lost anyone yet - not for lack of the Autobots' trying - and he'd kinda like to keep that track record going.
Instead, he just offers a confident nod and then waits for Pee-Dee to point out another piece that she needs while he keeps watch.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jun 26, 2008 16:02:55 GMT -5
Pee-Dee glances up from her welding to look at Singe, resulting in a rather sloppy line. No matter to her, since this is just basic strut-stuff. It doesn't need to be pretty. "Hello, Mr. Singe. Are you a cop, too?"
The idea of a nuclear-powered flamethrower that turns into a little man is a bit odd, but no more so than any of the rest of this situation. "I wonder what Bedlam would think of this..," she murmurs, before snatching up a bit of scrap metal and working on more of the base for her missing arm.
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