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Post by Pee-Dee on Jan 11, 2009 0:25:35 GMT -5
Pee-Dee stares at Thundercracker-3 in the hopes that he'll magically become more interesting in the next instant.
She is disappointed.
She sighs and cuddles Mr. Singe to her chest. "Are they here yet?"
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jan 11, 2009 7:18:53 GMT -5
Still some distance away, a sleek black and white Saleen Mustang races along the dry desert, kicking up a roostertail of dust in its wake almost like thruster wash. It is oddly silent within Barricade's passenger compartment, devoid of the occassional chatter which Frenzy only indulges in with his partner, primarily because Frenzy is tucked safely away out of reach of Barricade's other passenger.
Perceptor.
Barricade has not had much interaction, yet, with the Perceptor from the reality that he and his folk had come from, that other Gillanan, but what he has seen has been more than enough. Transporting the mad scientist's Alternate is decidedly... odd. Especially since the Perceptor which Barricade knows has made no secret of his desire to get his hands on a mech or three from Barricade's original reality.
It could all still be an act, that hope and worry this Perceptor had shown when he'd been told - again - by Barricade that Pee-Dee lived and was functional. It could still be nothing more than a ruse to gain access to Frenzy and Thundercracker and himself.
But the Doc, Hook... Hook seemed to trust him to some extent, and that had gone a very long way toward assuaging Barricade's fears. Their Perceptor was the antithesis to everything that the Doc believed, stood for. If Hook could come to terms with his hatred of and fury with a Perceptor to even share the same room with this one, let alone actually hold civil discussions with him... well... Barricade trusts Hook.
Still, it's Barricade carrying Perceptor rather than anyone else because Barricade has a secret weapon to deal with any unpleasantness that Perceptor may offer: Frenzy.
Not that Barricade is particularly happy to put his partner in harm's way, should Perceptor prove, ultimately, to be a threat - and not because Barricade doesn't think that Frenzy can handle himself, but simply because, well, it's his Frenzy - but any extra line of defense is preferable to none. He supposes. Better to risk himself than anyone else, and Frenzy should make incredibly short work of the miniscule microscope if Perceptor should try anything.
And isn't that as creepy as a football bat? Or is that supposed to be "queer"? He's mixing his human idioms again, he thinks. Still watching a mechanism that towered over him as much as Perceptor had - almost Prime's height! - shrink himself down to something that Frenzy could hold in his hands? That had been...
Weird. Just plain weird. This whole situation is. Thundercracker is not going to be pleased, he's sure.
// Singe! // Barricade transmits privately to the targetmaster. // We're inbound to your location, ETA about five or ten minutes. Head's up for immenant weirdness: the Autobots sent their Perceptor. I'll try to position myself to tackle Thunder to keep him from flying off before turning Perceptor loose. //
ooc: not actually on scene with Pee-Dee and Singe yet, but will arrive in the next post. More posts, if something comes up to delay them for any reason, or the conversation dictates a delay.
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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 Jan 11, 2009 14:39:18 GMT -5
Singe pretends that he is Pee-Dee's radio, relaying over his helmet speakers, // We're inbound to your location, ETA about five or ten minutes. Head's up for imminent weirdness: the Autobots sent their Perceptor. I'll try to position myself to tackle Thunder to keep him from flying off before turning Perceptor loose. //
He pauses to consider that and decides, "So no. Not here."
Ugh, Perceptor. Creepy sod.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 11, 2009 20:36:00 GMT -5
Thundercracker alternates between watching Pee-Dee warily and glancing up at the sky, certain that Skyfire is going to come rocketing down any moment to snatch up his wayward pet. His wings shiver from time to time, his innards still churning with nervousness. He hopes beyond hope that this isn't all a cruel trick, that perhaps he is on his way to freedom...
He makes no attempt at conversation -- no one cared to make conversation with him as a pet, so he's rather out of practice.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jan 12, 2009 12:46:20 GMT -5
Pee-Dee perks up as Mr. Singe reveals that they will be here soon. "Hm! Officer Barricade is bringing Bill Nye!"
She stands, wobbling a bit as she's still feeling a little off-balance from being so light. "Cheer up, emo jet!"
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jan 12, 2009 19:23:56 GMT -5
"We'll be there in just a couple of minutes," Barricade drops into the quiet, adding a belated, "Sir." Professional courtesy, and all that. Or something.
Okay, he trusts the Doc, but it's still Perceptor.
Ahead, the ground rises on either side, enclosing them in narrow canyons. Barricade doesn't have to slow down, though, since he hasn't been running at his usual breakneck pace, with Hook trailing behind him. Hopefully with the Doc there to help, they can keep Thundercracker from having a meltdown about Perceptor.
He's still pondering that when he rounda a sharp shoulder of rock in a bend of the canyon, revealing Pee-Dee, Singe, and Thundercracker waiting up ahead. Everyone is still in as many pieces as he left them in, so that's a good sign.
"Thunder! Look who's back!" he calls ahead as he slows, and then rolls to a stop in their midst. Positioning himself near the Seeker, he gives a quiet warning to his passenger, and then initiates his transformation sequence, being careful to scoop Perceptor up in one hand as soon as his components have shifted enough to do so.
Hopefully Thundercracker doesn't notice the tiny red microscope shielded in his hand, yet.
"Everyone okay?"
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 13, 2009 2:02:30 GMT -5
Thundercracker glances up at Pee-Dee, mouth slightly open in a confused look. Emo jet? He isn't as familair with Earth idioms as some of his kind, so he's still struggling to parse the word "emo" when Barricade finally pulls up.
And behind Barricade...
"Hook?" His optics light up, and for the first time since leaving Skyfire the slightest of smiles plays at his lip plates. "It's you?" Please let it be HIS Hook, not this world's doppleganger... and if Hook could somehow flee Omega Supreme's clutches, then perhaps there's hope for him as well...
He's so mesmerized by the sight of the Constructicon that he fails to notice what -- or who -- is in Barricade's hand. Perhaps that's just as well...
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jan 13, 2009 12:12:43 GMT -5
"Everyone is a-okay, Officer Barricade!" Pee-Dee gives a half-remembered Autobot salute. She gives everyone a sunny smile, seemingly cheerful despite her appearance. The Junkion is a patchwork of unfamiliar metals, some still gleaming silver, some rusty brown, some the typical rust-red and orange of a Junkion. There's an obvious line across her chest from the top of one shoulder to the bottom of the opposite armpit; above it is her original material, below is all new.
The Junkion swings around to look at Hook, head cocked curiously.
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Hook-3
Cadet
No One Knows What It's Like
Posts: 94
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Post by Hook-3 on Jan 13, 2009 12:20:46 GMT -5
Hook transforms and stands a bit stiffly behind Barricade. He peeks sidelong at Pee-Dee, wincing at the evident damage she's suffered somewhere along the line. Even if she is- isn't, she isn't that sadistic bitch.
He straightens his shoulders and turns to Thundercracker. "Yes, it's me." He steps forward. "How are you doing? What do you feel?"
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Post by Perceptor on Jan 13, 2009 18:31:21 GMT -5
Perceptor is about to ruin Barricade's plans.
He isn't precisely privy to the Decepticon's thoughts on the matter, but even if he had been, it is unlikely that he would have remembered beyond spotting Pee-Dee. Living, functioning, mobile, active Pee-Dee.
She looks like hell, with more than half of her structure obviously new-to-her, and what had been original showing signs of having been dragged face-down through a war zone. Her structure and functions will require extensive work, yet, to reinstate her robustness, much less return her to combat-ready status. That she survived at all, given the extent of the damage her repairs indicate that she had received, is nothing short of a miracle.
In other words, she looks absolutely glorious to Perceptor.
Barricade may be attempting to hold him securely and out of Thundercracker's line of sight, but the Saleen is no match for Perceptor's determination. A shift, a flip, and the tiny microscope is flipping through the air, transformation sequence already initiated. Perceptor lands on his feet and closes the distance to Pee-Dee in a half dozen swift, long strides. Heedless of anything else, even that he has left his back open to three Decepticons - one with a particular interest in seeing him deactivated - and a Nebulan Targetmaster, he wraps his arms around her and pulls her into a warm, enveloping embrace.
"You are functional!" he breathes, hugging her tightly. "When you did not return... we thought we'd lost you... The Dark Prime... he damaged so many so severely... We thought..."
He is no Nightbeat to have a vested interest in Pee-Dee's specific well-being, however, Perceptor has lost too many good friends all too recently in his time, and has no desire to see anyone else lost. Not if he can help it. Not even if he cannot.
He shakes his head and laughs, a pleasant, almost joyful sound, and picks Pee-Dee up just enough to spin her around once as he continues hugging her, just so happy to finally have his own confirmation that she is functional.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 14, 2009 0:33:11 GMT -5
Thundercracker has to pause and think about Hook's question. "I'm..." Happy to see Hook free and undamaged, confused by this whole Other Autobot and Other Decepticon business, terrified that Skyfire will come roaring down with guns ablaze to reclaim him... "I've been better."
And before he can elaborate at all, the red object in Barricade's hand springs to life... and unfolds into Perceptor. And all emotions save fear are obliterated from his mind at that moment. Perceptor... the table... hands pinning him down... the agony of his mind, his very programming, being laid open and twisted to suit the scientists' whims...
No! Not now, not again! Never again! The fact that this Perceptor came in the company of his Barricade and Hook doesn't cross his processor -- his panic dominates.
With a strangled cry he spins on his heel to run, to fly, to do whatever it takes to put as much distance between himself and Perceptor in as short a time as possible.
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Post by Barricade-3 on Jan 14, 2009 16:52:52 GMT -5
"SLAG IT!"
Barricade had not been expecting Perceptor to merrily slag all his plans to hell like that, even if he had beeh mostly prepared to have to tackle Thundercracker in a moment's notice. He'd just been kinda hoping that he would get to pick that moment, not Thundercracker. Stupid, slagging, dense-as-lead, half-clocked, fumble-fingered, unthinking... SLAGGER!
"Thunder, NO!" Barricade yells, closing that gap between them and launching himself at the Seeker's legs to catch him before he lifts off, bear him down to the grown and hold him there, if he can, until explanations can be made. "It's not him, Thunder! I wouldn't DO that to you! Neither would Hook! You gotta believe us!"
He's brobably going to take a face and/or chest full of thruster fire for his troubles, and that's if he misses. If he doesn't miss and actually catches Thundercracker, he's going to take a lot worse than that, he bets.
Whatever it takes to keep Thunder from flying off and back into captivity. He'll take it.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Jan 16, 2009 19:35:35 GMT -5
Pee-Dee whoops as Perceptor twirls her, because that's what you do when people pick you up and twirl you, right?
When the good scientist sets her down again, she kisses him soundly. Because that's also what you do when people pick you up and twirl you, isn't it?
Then she blinks as Thundercracker goes screaming off into the sky. "Oops."
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Hook-3
Cadet
No One Knows What It's Like
Posts: 94
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Post by Hook-3 on Jan 16, 2009 20:18:28 GMT -5
"NO! Thundercracker!" Hook darts into the air, hands reaching out towards the blue jet. He's no where near as fast or agile as the jet is in the air, though, and can only hope Thundercracker comes back of his own accord.
"Thundercracker! It's not our Perceptor! This one is a decent mech! Please!"
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Post by Perceptor on Jan 16, 2009 21:16:27 GMT -5
"Oh... my!" Perceptor exclaims, surprised by that unexpected kiss. So surprised, in fact, that he utterly misses Thundercracker's terrified flight until Hook and Barricade begin shouting.
His optics are widened almost comically when he turns back to see the commotion, until he flinches, coming to understand the cause.
"Oh no... I... I did not think," he offers, shaking his head. "I am sorry!"
"Thundercracker, please! I am only here to help! Please cease and desist!" He should just quiet down and let the others handle calming Thundercracker down, shouldn't he?
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