Barricade
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Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Post by Barricade on Feb 21, 2009 15:01:54 GMT -5
The menus of the simulation offerings scroll past Barricade, page after page, quickly discarded or ignored as he seeks... something. Something in particular, although he isn't quite sure just what, yet. He'll know it when he sees it, just as he knows that he hasn't seen it yet.
He is, uncharacteristically, alone. Not that there is no one else there in the simulation room with him, but his opponent hardly matters. No. He is alone while Frenzy is off... doing whatever it is that has taken Frenzy's fancy at the moment. Barricade is not used to being without his partner when they are not actively assigned to a mission. Not that he is dependent upon his partner. Of course not. He is just...
Bored. That's what he is. Bored. Frenzy usually at least keeps things lively when he's around, with his rough and foul chatter, if nothing else. There is too much quiet, and it's making Barricade restless.
Ah. There. His hands still upon the room's controls, tapping out a sequence to call up the option he's just found. Yes. That should do nicely. Hopefully the simulation will render those dark, sharp spires and fractured shards of metalscape faithfully. Towers like jagged teeth rising into a star-strewn sky, marred here and there by towering columns of smoke and embers swirling upwards into the darkness. Graceful lines of Cybertronian etched heavily into the walls of sharp towers and along the dull metal streets. Dull-opticked, lifeless Autobot heads stuck upon pikes that jut from the wreckage here and there.
Home.
"How challenging do you want?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder as he tries to decide how many drones and enemies to tell the simulation computer to add.
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Eye-fire
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In two minds about everything
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 21, 2009 15:07:15 GMT -5
"How Challenging can you handle?" Replies Ghost, having stolen Eye-Fire's body again to test out how well he can take the skin of the other being in his body. A risky hing to do, impersonating another, but Barricade has had little to do with Eye-Fire, so the risk of discovery is minimal.
Ghost studies the options that Barricade has chosen. Different from the Cybertron that he and Eye-Fire are used to, but nothing so alien as to put him on the back foot. Eye-Fire's years of basically living in the ruins of Cybertron's most hell blasted cities will do him well here, having learnt how to survive in a landscape of twisted metal and broken corpses.
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Barricade
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Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Feb 21, 2009 15:28:46 GMT -5
Barricade casts a quirked-opticked look over his shoulder at the gun-former and keys in a sequence to fill the simulation with opponents. These are his streets and shadows and he has hunted them all.
"As you wish," he replies, grinning his toothy grin. "Just say 'Uncle' when you've had enough."
Yes, cocky Barricade is cocky.
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Eye-fire
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In two minds about everything
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 21, 2009 15:39:55 GMT -5
Yes, yes, this is Barricades world.
But it isn't. This is a simulation. Ghost doesn't doubt that Barricade's slight home ground advantage here along with his resourcefulness will help him, but he knows that Barricade has never faced a gunformer before, which is interesting, to say the least.
"I'll be sure not to damage your go too badly." Ghost replies, wishing that Eye-Fire's body was equipped properly to smirk.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
Trust Me
Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Feb 21, 2009 16:01:53 GMT -5
Barricade snorts and initiates the simulation, keying open the door to the actual room and waving Eye-Fire ahead of him.
No, Barricade has never faced a gun-former before. Not like Eye-Fire. He is, however, partnered to Frenzy, who is prone to bouts of purely malicious tampering just for amusement's sake, and can contort himself into the absolute smallest spaces when he feels like it. Which, truth be told - for once - is fairly often.
Having Frenzy around is like having a rabid little hellcat who happens to love the particular flavor of your energon out to hamstring you as you walk through a hedge maze. Oh, and after you've been blinded and deafened.
"Game on," Barricade rumbles, watching Eye-Fire closely.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 21, 2009 17:07:12 GMT -5
"May the best mech win." Ghost says, in a nod towards Eye-Fire's friendlier side. Of course, Eye-Fire would still tear off your arm if he had to. That Decepticon badge isn't just for looks.
Ghost enters the door, and waits for barricade to enter after him. He'd like to get what the objective is before he runs off.
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Barricade
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Knight of the Spastic Sword
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Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Feb 21, 2009 17:30:12 GMT -5
So tempting to plant a shot or a punch or a kick right in the middle of Eye-Fire's back as he preceeds Barricade through the door. That's just Barricade's nasty side talking.
Of course, that's pretty much the only side he's got. Still, why give up such an advantage so early in the game? No sense in making Eye-Fire suspicious of him so soon.
"I will," he quips, grinning as he follows.
"Two minutes amnesty from each other to get into position, and then, every mech for themselves," he explains, claws flexing with anticipation. "Simulation isn't locked, so anyone can join in anytime. Keep that in mind."
See? He's even being nice enough to warn Eye-Fire about potential complications! He's just a super nice guy, isn't he?
He's also got some oceanfront property in Kansas to sell you, too.
And then, unless Eye-Fire stops him with another question, he sprints off into the chaotic darkness.
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Eye-fire
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In two minds about everything
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 21, 2009 18:05:05 GMT -5
And Ghost has some prime riverside real estate in Brooklyn.
Ghost takes off in his own direction, aiming for some mid sized spires. A rookies mistake would be to head for the highest tower he can find, which would be far to an obvious move for Barricade not to think of it and promptly blast the highest one he can see once 2 minutes are up.
Ghost reaches the base of one of the mid sized spires, and begins hauling himself up by hand with only minor assistance from his antigravs. Eye-Fire is far too fond of using them, in Ghosts opinion, as they are easier to detect and use too much energy to justify the extra mobility.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
Trust Me
Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Feb 22, 2009 18:18:51 GMT -5
Two minutes amnesty from Eye-Fire, but that does not grant Barricade amnesty from the simulation's drones, and as he barrels down a darkened valley between two jutting spires, a pair of drones step out into his path. Feral glee creases the infiltrator's expression as he tucks into a roll, dodging between the pair of simulated enemies, and spinning around up to his feet to peg both of them right in the back with his blaster in rapid succession.
If it were not for the other simulated battles going on throughout the environment, he might have just given his position away. His pair of blaster flasges, however, should easily be lost in the other similar blasts flaring up here and there throughout the twisted landscape. Besides, a hit from the drones is just as damning as a hit from Eye-Fire.
Speaking of which...
Barricade ducks down another shattered, dark roadway, and places himself into the deepest shadows, dimming his optics as he scans the skyline. Eye-Fire is a gun-former, a sniper. He'll want something elevated. Time to go hunting.
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Eye-fire
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In two minds about everything
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 23, 2009 0:42:00 GMT -5
Ghost hauls himself up a final spiky ledge, lying flat on his stomach as he scans the ground below. After being satisfied that he's got a good vantage point, He rolls to his left and then to his right, peering straight back down the spire. Once he's gotten his first few shots of he's going to have to move quickly, which will probably involve jumping down into that spiky hell.
Having (Thus far) avoided detection by both drones and Barricade, Ghost transforms into his sniper rifle mode, choosing to enter the smallest size, about 1.8m long and 10cm wide, to make noticing him that much harder.
Now he just need wait.
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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 Feb 24, 2009 17:18:54 GMT -5
Several more drones fall to Barricade's blaster and his claws - he prefers to use his claws, as much because he enjoys the sensation of rending metal and spurting fluids as he is concerned about giving his position away - as he stalks the tortured streets. Eye-Fire should have probably found himself a vantage by now, and if he's smart, is hunkered down good.
In retrospect, Barricade wishes that he'd studied the gun-former better before now. Don't some of these odd Decepticons have the ability to compress their mass? He isn't wure which of them can, and which cannot, though, nor what the parameters are if Eye-Fire happens to be one such.
He is at a disadvantage here, hampered by his own lack of intelligence, and by pitting himself against a sniper, rather than another Hunter. Also by his lack of Frenzy, who could have quickly scaled a tall spire and acted as his eyes, but Barricade refuses to ponder that for too long. It implies a dependance which he does not wish to admit to.
Well, Eye-Fire would be a fool to not utilize his own skills and advantages. Barricade would be the same, if he did likewise, even if he does prefer playing his game close to the chest. Fortunately, Wreckage has already spilled that particular little secret, and so there is nothing to be gained by clinging to it. Plus, he and Frenzy have a bit of fuel stashed to make up for what he is about to expend.
The next drone which Barricade stalks down does not die. Not immediately. Under cover of darkness, he scans it, assuming it's shape, design, and form. Even his head alters to fit the new aesthetic, although his toothy grin remains, as well as the sweeping protrusions opon his brow that mimic stylized horns.
Only then does the "other" drone die in a flash of blaster fire.
And now, it is time for Barricade to call upon his particular skills, the skills which make him an infiltrator. He abandons the shadows, adopting the same bolder behavior of the drones, stalking from street to street without his previous need to stay in hiding. He hunts like a soldier, rather than a Hunter.
He hunts like a drone. Just like all the other drones.
Meanwhile, he watches covertly. Watches the spires and towers and taller buildings for that errant flash of rifle fire where no drone should be. He bides his time, waiting for Eye-Fire to reveal himself, and continues racking up the kills against the other drones seeking to kill anything that moves.
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Eye-fire
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 25, 2009 1:00:20 GMT -5
Ghost has not been spending his time twiddling his thumbs and hoping that Barricade would foolishly stand somewhere elevated and easy to spot and shout for Ghost, or rather Eye-Fire, to fight him. No, he has been observing the drones and seeing how they act, look and react to each other. Their unthinking malice is interesting to watch, but their lack of purpose and direction makes them far too random for his taste.
Barricade is not random. Chaotic maybe, as an infiltrator with strictly defined behavior and procedures will soon end up dead once those procedures have been puzzled out, but Barricade is too intelligent to be truly random.
Ghost weighs his options. He can either sit and wait for Barricade to expose himself, which is unlikely short of Ghost by chance happening to spot the infiltrator. He could always pick off a drone of two and hope this attracts Barricades attention.
Ghost zooms in on a drone, stalking around unawares to its fate. Firing two shots, one aimed for the head and the other for the chest, he dispatches the drone quickly and efficiently. Quickly transforming, Ghost throws himself sideways down the tower, expecting enemy fire to strike his location quickly.
The first few bolts of inaccurate fire from the drones strike his abandoned nest as he pulls himself tight against the tower, having used his antigravs to keep him close to the tower, hoping his black form is lost against the tower. Now he just need observe.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
Trust Me
Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Feb 27, 2009 19:28:43 GMT -5
Barricade's patience is rewarded when finally, off to his left, he spots one shot and the afterimage of the shot that had preceeded it streaking down from a dark shadow on a taller spire. Not one of the tallest, interestingly enough. Eye-Fire is clever. Clever enough to abandon his perch, likely.
Trying to flush Barricade out. Very clever.
Back to the shadows he goes, pounding his way from dark street to black crevasse, closing in on that tower, always watching whenever he has enough clear sky to do so, to make sure that his adversary hasn't flitted off overhead. Risky, it is, running in like this, but nothing can be gained without a little risk. And hopefullu, Eye-Fire is still looking for a black and white Decepticon Infiltrator, not a darker Decepticon drone.
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Eye-fire
Major
In two minds about everything
Posts: 597
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Post by Eye-fire on Feb 28, 2009 17:56:06 GMT -5
Ghost isn't actually looking for anything right now. the amount of fire that the drones are putting into the tower is greater than he anticipated, and he's busy climbing down the tower as stealthily as possible in case a stray shot actually strikes him.
As such, he's slightly more worried about accidentally impaling himself on a spike than looking for Barricade, who can wait.
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Barricade
Minor
Knight of the Spastic Sword
Trust Me
Posts: 372
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Post by Barricade on Mar 2, 2009 13:46:18 GMT -5
Barricade is good at what he does. He is good at sneaking about, and even better at insinuating himself into even the most touchy situations without arousing suspicion.
He is not, however, a sniper, and Eye-Fire is a fairly small, dark mech against the recesses of shadows. Barricade's only real advantage, at the moment, is that he is partnered with Frenzy, and is used to scanning for odd blurs of movement from small mechs where no movement should be.
It isn't helping much. Neither are all the drones filling the air with weapon's fire. Stupid drones.
// Come out, come out, wherever you are.... // he croon, sing-song. // Can Eye-Fire come out and play? Or are you too busy playing peek-a-boo with the drones? //
Maybe a little taunting to hedge his bets will help. Probably not, but... Can't hurt to try, right?
Back to trying to close that distance to the tower in question, to see if he can catch himself an Eye-Fire scaling down the side. Hopefully before a certain sniper spots him inbound and figures out that he's done a form swap.
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