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Post by skystrike-3 on Sept 17, 2008 3:12:36 GMT -5
Long Haul and Skyfire get a casual, albeit slightly annoyed, wave from Skystrike. He grunted something along the lines of an agreement to Synapse and Wreckage’s offer to help before the radio hail and tell-tale snapping and rustling of local vegetation announced the arrival of yet another new arrival.
Crik-crack came the painful noises from Skystrike’s wing as they snapped forwards in surprise and harshly ground the gritty sand into sensitive joints. The berkut stifled a pained and very indignant squeak and turned to glower at the new jet accusingly.
“That’s it!” He growled his voice just a tad higher than usual as he threw his hands up in exasperation before moving to go sulk nearby Wreckage. “I’m not being surprised anymore today.” And so, the blue seeker went and sulked nearby Wreckage. There may have been some protective hovering as well but mostly it was just sulking and some futile attempts to gingerly pick sand from his abused wing joints.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 18, 2008 20:42:15 GMT -5
"No problem!" Skyfire replied to Long Haul as the latter began to unload the crystal. As soon as Long Haul and the cart were clear, he transformed back into robot mode.
He swung his arms loosely, flexing the joints. "Ahh. Always feels good to unstick things after flying for a long time. Oracle! I see you've recovered nicely--good to see you." Skyfire smiled.
"Firebolt, it would not have been fun for Long Haul to be dumped on his head. You don't really want me to make Long Haul miserable, do you? He's much too nice to do that to." He reached out as if to pat Firebolt on the shoulder.
He looked Synapse and Wreckage over curiously. They looked just like their Decepticon counterparts that Skyfire knew, and this Wreckage seemed to act somewhat like that one--stolid and not very conversational. This Skystrike, however, was rather more... expressive than the withdrawn, surly blue Seeker that Skyfire had originally met so briefly.
Skyfire moved over to one side of Long Haul and, assuming the Constructibot transformed into dump-truck mode, began to lift armloads of crystal from the cart to Long Haul's bed.
"I think about two of us can fit here, one on either side of Long Haul, without getting in each other's way," Skyfire said in response to the offers of help. "Wreckage, you look like you can move a heavy load, so why don't you take the other side?"
Skyfire paused and glanced up at the sky. "Synapse, I hope no one spotted me coming in--that's why I did that low glide over the ocean--but if you still have a node or two keeping an eye on what's going on up above, that would be give us some forewarning, at least."
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Post by Long Haul on Sept 18, 2008 21:24:00 GMT -5
Long Haul's optic band flutters in surprise. "Er... never really seen this many people so eager to do haulin' work, really," he mutters as he rubs the back of his head, genuinely confused. Finally, he gives up on trying to figure it out and transforms, hunkering down into Cybertronian dump-truck mode.
"Well, anyone what wants to help is welcome to, but I'm thinking after a point you all'd be crawling over each other." As Skyfire gets started, he adds a quieter, "Thanks."
His engine starts up as he gets closer to full. No doubt he'll be taking off quickly - well, slowly, because he's not very fast - as soon as he's loaded.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Sept 20, 2008 10:05:00 GMT -5
Oracle's appearance out of the forest gets a startled flutter of movement out of Synapse, even as she announces herself over the radio. Her unexpected smile gets a small and almost automatic one in return as the scout mentally kicks himself for not noticing the slips of grey in the forest earlier. High above, the circling tempo of his nodes increase a notch, increasing his lookout. Down below, Synapse offers a customary bow towards Oracle before casting Skystrike a sympathetic expression.
Before the minibot can start to feel too awkward amidst the growing group of mechs, Skyfire and Long Haul's acceptance of help is a welcoming situation. Synapse casts a hopefully unnoticeable sideways glance at Wreckage as he glides carefully to one side of Long Haul. "I have been keeping my optics up, yes," he tilts his head up slightly at the nodes hovering above. "I shall be more alert so to give a good forewarning." Synapse's tone is apologetic and most of his attention is on the handfuls of crystal he pours into Long Haul's bed.
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Firebolt
Major
Brutal Gladiator, Scarab Lord Firebolt of the Shattered Sun
Moving Violation
Posts: 575
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Post by Firebolt on Sept 22, 2008 19:42:57 GMT -5
Angry Firebolt is angry. Her ponytails flatten against her head and her face plate slams back over her mouth as she pulls away from the touch. "Don't chu touch me..." She says with disdain. She gets up and then stomps back off towards the ruins, sitting down on a pile of rocks and just watching instead. They even said themselves they had enough help, but no, then they had to go and try and touch her.
"Feh!" She states as she ducks behind the ruins, and peers out a la stalker style, watching.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Sept 22, 2008 22:30:57 GMT -5
And here she had been trying not to startle anyone, oops. Looks like a bit of a failure on that count, and the scraping noises from Skystrike's wings as he jerked generate a sympathetic look and wince. That sounded like it hurt. And was probably going to take some work to clean out, which was going to be no fun at all. What was he doing getting in the sand anyway?
Skyfire's comment drew another, slightly wider smile at him. "Thank you Skyfire. I heard you were injured as well, though I wasn't informed of that until after I was repaired. It is certainly more enjoyable to be in one piece again however, I admit." She didn't venture over to help with the unloading, since it looked like any more hands and people might start getting in each others way over there.
At the bow from Synapse, Oracle paused for a moment before shaking her head. Odd manners the minibot had. She still wasn't used to that. Drifting closer to the group, her attention was mostly spread equally across all present, though admittedly a bit more was on Skystrike. Hey it was another Seeker and it wasn't shooting at her. The curiosity was only natural on her part she thought.
Then Firebolt went from cheerful to snarly and Oracle was taken aback. Well, that was a rather extreme reaction to being touched. Did she have some sort of strong problems with contact no one had warned Oracle about?
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Wreckage-3
Cadet
Numbness is Better Than Pain
Posts: 50
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Post by Wreckage-3 on Sept 23, 2008 13:44:42 GMT -5
A tolerant sigh accompanies the reassuring shoulder pat Wreckage gives Skystrike as the Seeker hunkers alongside him. See, that whole sand in the joints problem is just why he chose not to sit on the beach, but it simply is not in him to say that. Skystrike is miserable enough.
Skyfire, on the other hand, seems rather cheery where Firebolt has soured very quickly. What could have spurred such a violent mood swing on her part? And does he really want to know the answer to that?
Not really, he decides.
"Oh. Of course," Wreckage replies mildly to Skyfire. He gives Skystrike another, somewhat more absent, pat before taking his place next to Long Haul and setting to work. Between setting one arm load and picking up another, he glances to the truck's cab. "I… just wanted to help," he murmurs. It could have been any work, really, and he would have offered his assistance all the same. It is a comforting thing to know that he can find a niche and contribute somewhere off the battlefield, leaving his weapons in their storage locks where they belong. He carries on, working in silence after that, and will obligingly step clear once the loading is done.
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Post by skystrike-3 on Sept 24, 2008 12:04:03 GMT -5
“I wouldn’t say eager. More like…” Skystrike cocks his head to one side mock-thoughtfully as he answers Long Haul, bringing his hands up as if to frame the idea. “The nice-guy who gets suckered into doing things because he’s soooo nice.” Of course Synapse takes up on the offer to help before Skystrike can. Which was all and well really because just moving hurt.
The sarcasm melts away at Wreckage’s shoulder pats though. While he does cringe as small jolts of pain run up and down his wings, the seeker’s air of righteous indignity fades somewhat and a tiny smile threatens to curl at the edge of his lips. It was promptly replaced by typical seeker haughtiness and more grumbling about ‘lessons’ and ‘sand’ and ‘friendliness’ and maybe ‘fluffy Strykers’ although that last one might be a trick of the audio sensors.
Now more or less mellow, Skystrike returns the air of curiosity that Oracle gives him, although it was more the novelty of seeing an Autobot seeker rather than seeing another seeker. He’s surrounded by seekers for the better part of his time on Gillanan after all. Then Firebolt’s storming off to the rocks gets a look as well but that was easily shrugged off. Even if the creepy staring that followed made the berkut just a tad uncomfortable. He tries to ignore that, nonchalantly going back to picking sand out of his wings.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 25, 2008 20:59:55 GMT -5
"Well, Long Haul, I guess these are just nice helpful people," Skyfire said. "Thank you, Synapse, Wreckage."
Firebolt's outburst caught him by surprise; Skyfire jerked his hand back and looked puzzled for a moment. Then he shrugged and went back to loading the big bright green truck. In his experience, unpredictably moody people were best allowed to sort their moods out before being approached again.
He glanced over at the twitchy blue jet, who looked like he was in pain. On the other hand, he was on his feet, not leaking anything obvious, and no one was hovering over him opening panels to get at damaged components. He probably wasn't severely damaged. Still...
"Skystrike? How bad are you hurt?"
Once he was done loading--and with the help of the others, it went quickly--he stepped back out of the way to let Long Haul drive.
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Post by Long Haul on Sept 26, 2008 19:42:49 GMT -5
Long Haul is all loaded up! In his alternate mode as he is now, he's unable even to express his confusion over Firebolt's change in mood, but he leaves that alone. He was never good with emotion-stuff, anyway.
"Well, hey, my 'mates were nice, friendly, helpful people, and they generally didn't just volunteer for this stuff." Then Long Haul stops and considers what he just said. "Actually, no, they weren't." He pauses. "But I miss 'em anyways."
Once he's loaded up, he thanks the others with a loud, "Thanks!" Then his engine starts up and he noisily rumbles down the street.
OOC: Out of thread.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Sept 28, 2008 1:52:43 GMT -5
The sight of Firebolt watching them all isn't anything that perturbs Synapse--after all, it is something he does all the time. But her sudden change from cheerful social to sharp withdrawn is curious enough to put a quizzical look on the minibot's face.
He flits back a few steps as the loading is completed. "It is of no trouble," Synapse murmurs after Long Haul and Skyfire, his words are likely unheard over the Constructibot's noisy exit but the small and abashed dip of his head might be more noticeable.
"The crystals...they appear similar to something I've seen before.1 Where did you discover them?"
1 Synapse's long jaunt in outer space took him past Gillanan's 3 moons.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Sept 29, 2008 20:34:24 GMT -5
Even if it was part of the new SNAFU around here, Wreckage patting Skystrike still got a short startled look from Oracle because really, reassuring pats still didn't jive with the old mental image she wasn't quite able to filter out right away. She had better work on that she supposed, but then again maybe not too hard, since a blunted reaction around the wrong Decepticon could be really bad.
Long Haul's departure got a brief wave as she looked after him for a moment before turning back to the others still there now that the loading had still finished. Well, the others still actually there. Firebolt's lurking was politely ignored. The other was being strange and Oracle...really wasn't quite sure what to make of it so until she decided to rejoin the gathering the Seeker was going to just avoid the whole mess and let it sort itself out hopefully.
The question of actual injuries made actually overtly pay attention to Skystrike, unlike her semi-covert curiosity of before. And here she thought he just had sand in uncomfortable places, hopefully she wasn't mistaken. The picking sand out of his wings said probably not, but she shouldn't have assumed. "Do you need assistance?" Hopefully she wasn't overstepping, but well either yes he needed medical help, or yes he needed someone with a brush to get the sand out, or yes he needed any number of other things, or even no he was fine and possibly annoyed now, but at least the question was asked.
She heard Synapse's question about the crystals as well, but honestly geology and the like were not really on her list of top priorities, so while she did pay some attention to what the answer might be, she wasn't very focused on it. They had looked kinda neat though.
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Wreckage-3
Cadet
Numbness is Better Than Pain
Posts: 50
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Post by Wreckage-3 on Sept 30, 2008 20:00:02 GMT -5
While Long Haul departs, Synapse strikes up with Skyfire, and Skystrike garners Oracle's attention, Wreckage silently flounders. Social is not how he would describe himself and this situation is no exception to that rule. Though he is trying.
Firebolt's mood swing is unsettling at best and she… well, she hardly seems to want company, but… he can try that, too. And Bonecrusher could be just as bad when his temper turned south. Sometimes worse. So at least Wreckage has something to go on. He excuses himself from Skyfire and Synapse with a slight nod before wending his way over to Firebolt's little sanctuary; he has no idea what to say, really, but he knows there were times that just having someone friendly nearby helped him. Perhaps that will work for her, too.
Quietly, awkwardly, he settles into a crouch beside the rock and looks sidelong at her.
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Post by skystrike-3 on Oct 2, 2008 5:40:36 GMT -5
Skystrike peeeeeers at Skyfire. The he blinks and does the same thing to Oracle.
“Uh.” The jet answers them both intelligently, quite startled at having Autobots asking him about his current well-being. He looks around to see Wreckage had gone off to see Firebolt’s condition and realizes that he was suddenly in a rather awkward situation. The blue flier then glances back to Oracle and tries to shrug in a macho-seeker manner (albeit the slight wince doesn’t really go along with the intended image so well).
“It’s nothing immediately fatal, just exceptionally annoying and excruciatingly hard to ignore.” He attempts to smile courteously although it might look more like a grimace. “I… uhm, can just go nag at one of the flyboys to help me later. I don’t want to be too much trouble.” Although the idea of being jeered at by the rest of the wing-nut squad and the persistent scrape of sand in places they should never, ever be in made the offer very, very tempting.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Oct 2, 2008 18:46:11 GMT -5
"Any time, Long Haul!" Skyfire waved at the Constructibot as he rolled away. "I'll be along in a bit."
"Synapse, we found them on the blue moon--the whole surface seems to be formed from them. They seem to be a blue quartz, with some interesting minerals adding the color; I'm very curious about the processes that caused the entire surface to crystalize like that. The moon would have had to have been heated sufficiently to melt the surface, then cooled slowly enough for crystallization--or the process happened under pressure, which would suggest that the 'moon' might be the surviving core of a much larger planet. It's also possible the surface is artificial, if not the entire moon," Skyfire happily replied to Synapse.
"In any case, the surface material was quite interesting, and may have useful properties, so I had Long Haul bring back a sample for myself and Perceptor to analyze later."
Skyfire looked relieved as Skystrike assured him the problem wasn't severe, just very annoying. "Good thing it's not severe. After I report in, perhaps I could assist you and Oracle with making whatever the problem is less excrutiatingly annoying?" he offered with a slight smile.
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