Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 26, 2007 18:23:09 GMT -5
Fleetwind has no questions, and tends to try to dodge Spinister, anyway. Spinister takes entirely too much joy from spooking him, although really, as long as that's the worst Spinister does, Fleetwind won't complain.
It's with a thoughtless grace that he steps off the ground from the crowd listening to Spinister's instructions and sets down in the 'city' of those the Assassin is monitoring, the action coming across as a particularly long, gliding leap across a ballet stage. He pivots slightly as he touches down in the city-section assigned to his group, standing next to the flag, and turns to wait for the others in his group. Demolishor and an unknown - he can't say he's thrilled with the grouping, but again chooses not to say anything.
Saying something is really the best way to ensure that he'll be expected to work with them that much more often, really.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
Trust Me
Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Dec 28, 2007 20:32:59 GMT -5
Barricade is pleased to be classified as "an unknown"; unknown equates to no expectations, and if there's no expectations, then he should be able to keep his full capabilities somewhat under wraps for a while longer.
Up ahead, he spots the yellow flier standing next to a flag. Doesn't look much like a "Demolishor", so this must be Fleetwind.
"Fleetwind? Barricade," he introduces as he approaches, pausing to take stock of their surroundings. Much of a muchness, just like every other little settlement he and Frenzy had passed through in their travels across this desolate world. "I vote for traps, and someplace high to make that behemoth of theirs work for the privilege of dying."
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 28, 2007 21:14:22 GMT -5
Granted, false expectations are worse than no expectations, all in all. Of the two, Fleetwind's pleased to go with the later.
"Keeping the flag away from Hellbender's not a problem," the Seeker answers Barricade, his wings pulling back and up slightly as he moves to a higher state of alertness. "We may not be able to subspace or eat the flag, but nothing was said against carrying it, and both lacks ranged weapons and the ability to fly. Neither of the teams we face have a flyer to match my speed or skill," Fleetwind's tone and voice are cool and professional, despite the slight shiver of wing that betrays his nervousness. Either way, it's obvious that he views himself as stating facts, not bragging. "All three of those on Cannonball's team, plus Hook, can fly in robot mode, but they've all got ground-bound alternates. However, I still fall to a well-placed shot, and the best we face is Eye-fire, but we don't know how they intend to use him.
"If I may, I'd like to suggest we propose an alliance with that group and use the time to learn as much as we can about their offenses and defenses, not to mention get them to do as much of the work in taking care of the other team as possible. It should be a tempting enough proposition - so far as surveying goes, I can cover the most area faster than anyone of our groups, and Hellbender will appear the biggest common threat. I would like to qualify those statements, however, by noting that there's a good chance Hook's group will keep their flag underground, and that underestimating the rest of both teams in order to focus on Hellbender alone is probably a mistake. We should encourage Cannonball's group to make it, if possible."
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Dec 29, 2007 17:28:24 GMT -5
Barricade's optics narrow as he mulls over Fleetwind's recommendations. Given that none of the others that he'd seen had seemed to have an aerial alternate mode like Fleetwind, he wouldn't have assumed the yellow mech was bragging when he'd stated his capabilities.
Robot mode flight. What an interesting advantage. That will require some investigation later.
"Agreed," Barricade replies after a moment of thought, his features twisting into an expression of worry. "But Hellbender is such a formidable opponent! It will certainly take all of our combined efforts and planning to neutralize him!"
Quite a convincing display of concern that should be from the practiced infiltrator. Right up to that nasty, vicious little smirky chuckle as Barricade flexes his wicked silver claws in a motion that bespeaks of an equal amount of practice at removing heads and other assorted appendages.
Yes... that ripping one's arm off and beating them to death with it thing still sounds quite appealing to the Saleen.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 29, 2007 17:37:13 GMT -5
Fleetwind gives a quick nod in agreement, and allows himself a very faint, very brief smile that skitters away, fae-like, moments later. He's understood well enough.
"So. Placement and traps someplace high now, towards the end of the planning period, we make contact?" The Seeker steps into the air, then hovers briefly. "I'm about to do a quick surveying fly-around, and I'll need your frequency so we can plan as I do. Mine is <freq>." He frowns, a bit concerned. "However, without a third body, we will be at a serious disadvantage compared with the other teams, as that means that one or the other of us must stay with the flag at all times."
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Post by SceneMod on Dec 29, 2007 19:52:49 GMT -5
It is at this point that the communications tower outside is activated. Due to alterations made, it manages to trigger the solid-light holo-projectors of the training room, causing images to form in the sky overhead. See the Dark Tower thread for full details.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Post by Barricade on Dec 29, 2007 20:31:58 GMT -5
There's a sound of components sliding and then the low whine of a weapon spinning up to ready status as Barricade holds up his left hand - now a cannon, rather than a hand - with that same feral smirk as he offers his frequency. "Go do your scouting. The flag isn't going anyw-"
Overhead, the sky fills with strange images of the missing natives and their pathetic state of distress. Barricade's expression twists into one of faint irritation as the images continue to scroll; this doesn't appear to be any part of the actual simulation itself, so why should he care about the fleeing/fled aliens and their-
What in the name of the Lord High Protector is that... that... THING?
His weapon spins down, vanishing with an absent shift of components as he stares up incredulously as the massive orange planet devours huge swaths of the mechanoid world. Nothing he has ever seen could have prepared him for such a sight, and he is suddenly, achingly aware of a certain lack about his person. There are no needle fingers jabbing into his circuits, no agitated chatter of gutter Cybertronian ringing through his audios, and he feels exposed and nervous for that lack.
He snarls, claws curving into fierce talons as he demands from Fleetwind an explanation for that thing, retreating from fear into the comfort of fury.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 29, 2007 21:02:08 GMT -5
Fleetwind is about to zip off when the images form in the sky. At first, the confusion is evident in his expression. Aliens... panic... another planet... more panic... space... and then the Seeker's optics widen in terror and recognition. In answer to Barricade's demands for an explanation, Fleetwind whispers, "Unicron."
He does not bother to hide the fear, and his body and wings tremble. "It's not just a planet," he goes on, no longer whispering, but just barely not whispering. "That thing transforms. It... he... at the point I was pulled from my reality, that thing was in the process of destroying Cybertron." He hesitates, then continues. "I have reason to believe I am meant to die in that battle. Another ten seconds in my own reality, maybe only five..." he trails off for a moment, then continues, "that thing is my killer."
He does not yet go on his scouting trip. Not with that cluttering the skies.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Post by Barricade on Dec 30, 2007 21:16:44 GMT -5
The broadband erupts with terrified shrieks, and equally loud admonishments, which distracts Barricade momentarily from his fear. That thing attacks Cybertron?
It may not be his Cybertron that is so imperiled - or perhaps it may someday yet be, who is to know - however any Cybertron that falls is one Cybertron too many.
"Then why return?" he growls.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 30, 2007 21:53:58 GMT -5
"I was never planning to," Fleetwind answers, tone still shaken. Still, for all that he is trembling, for all that the fear is evident even in his voice, he maintains control of himself.
"The images are gone. I'm going to go back to scouting. We can switch over to radio for further planning and to continue other preps. Defense will be an issue. I'll look for some place high and easy to trap, as you suggested."
With that, he transforms and rockets off, flying high enough that he can see over most of the buildings, but there are still a fair number that tower over him.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Post by Barricade on Dec 31, 2007 13:52:07 GMT -5
Barricade watches Fleetwind jet off, casting one last nervous glance up at the false sky, claws still clenching and unclenching. His shoulder feels too light, and it's just a little too still around him yet; there's not much advantage Frenzy could offer him against something like that thing, but he'd feel better with his partner all the same.
Shock of the interruption or not, they still have a simulation to run, and if Fleetwind can pull himself together in the fact of that, Barricade can do no less.
He keeps wondering, though, if his own home that he has not seen for so very long might not be in the sights of such a monster as well.
With a snarl, the flag is snatched up in his talons before he pounds down the street, looking for a likely building to start scouting out. Organic or mechanical, cities are cities; there will be service accesses for vehicles into some of these buildings. Time to see what they have to work with.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Dec 31, 2007 15:06:53 GMT -5
Barricade may soon has something to scramble about his shoulder shortly, considering who is being assigned to the team. Not exactly his usual passenger, but hey, this is Team Foreign Exchange.
Fleetwind darts amongst the tall buildings at a very high speed, sometimes rocketing close enough to shatter alien windows and send shards raining on the ground below. He records the land below him, making use of his scouting sensor array, and after a brief time radios Barricade.
//Visual maps, if you're willing to receive them.// And then, if Barricade does accept, he transmits them. As someone with a specialized array, Fleetwind is able to record fairly high quality maps, as opposed to the low resolution images a non-specialist is forced to rely on.
//I should be completing my circuit shortly, but that might give you some good ideas for potential locations.//
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Blackarachnia (BW)
Rookie
She lay back on the ground and let the soft earth envelope her body.
Miss Predacon Blackarachnia, at your service.
Posts: 226
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Post by Blackarachnia (BW) on Dec 31, 2007 16:42:35 GMT -5
Emerging from the portal, the Black Widow finds herself near Barricade. "Hey. I'm the backbencher." The muscle of Demolishor was now missing, but so was the idiocy and the belligerence. Between the three of them, there is no small amount of cunning and tactics. "I'm Blackarachnia. I don't know what you have planned, but I can do fairly well in offense, but I might serve better as defense. I see we have a lot of ground-based opponents. My web can hold them fairly well.
"What have I missed? Besides the in-game entertainment, that is." Blackarachnia's leg points upwards, referring to where the video of Unicron was playing.
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Barricade
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Post by Barricade on Jan 2, 2008 17:15:22 GMT -5
Barricade does, indeed, accept the file, privately pleased at the quality as he skims through them quickly for ideas. He pauses in his headlong jog down the street to orient himself quickly, providing Blackarachnia a stationary target to pop in on.
Fortunately, the radio traffic had warned Barricade that someone was inbound to join them, otherwise, Blackarachnia might have popped out of the portal to find herself staring down the whirling orange maw of a spinning cannon. As it is, Barricade drops into a defensive crouch as she appears, claws extended into an attack pose until her introduction registers.
"Ah," Barricade replies, straightening once again. "Fleetwind is returning shortly from scouting the area. He's sent maps of what we have to work with," he explains, following that with his own personal frequency. Provided that Blackarachnia responds with her own, Barricade will forward Fleetwind's maps on to her as well.
"And thus far, you have not missed much at all. We'd only begun planning. With that information, we'll begin formulating more precise plans on placement and strategy."
He doesn't share what Fleetwind and he have decided so far just yet; Fleetwind should return soon and verify that this is the mech who she claims to be. Once that's taken care of, then it'll be sharing time.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Jan 2, 2008 18:19:13 GMT -5
Fleetwind finishes his scouting, circles once overhead, and then transforms to touch down lightly. Like Barricade, he's been listening on the radio, so he knew that Blackarachnia would be joining them. Unlike Barricade, Fleetwind already knew what she looked like.
The pastel Seeker dips his head swiftly in a nod. "Blackarachnia," he greets. Then he shifts to address the both of them, launching right back into strategy. "Her addition opens up a few new possibilities. For one, she can get the flag to spots too flimsy to support most of the rest of us. If the area is made to look like it <i>can</i> support a normal Transformer, so much the better. Those who fly only in robot mode don't always do so instinctually, and are a bit more likely to fall into pit traps. Not something we want to depend on completely, but something to keep in mind, at the very least."
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