Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 30, 2008 15:26:00 GMT -5
With many anxious glances at the sky, Skyfire makes the rendezvous and lands with flaming thrusters, setting fire to the grass in a wide ring. He transforms and extracts a carefully wrapped package from his 'hollow leg' (cargo bay). He notes the splayed-out creature in Perceptor's hand.
"Find something new in the local wildlife, or more stray mecha-forms?" Skyfire asks, curious. For all that loot pays the bills and adds rare curios to his personal collection (he really misses that gold coffin of Tutankhamun he 'liberated' from Earth), he's still an explorer and scientist at heart.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 30, 2008 22:57:10 GMT -5
Thundercracker transforms and touches down, staying behind and to the side of his master as if hoping to hide from Perceptor. Being in the vicinity of the scientist always gives him the chills, but he remains ever the obedient pet, simply standing quietly and remaining available should Skyfire call on him. Any expression of fear, he knows, will only encourage the red mech.
His curiosity is slightly piqued by the winged beast in Perceptor's hand, but he doesn't express that interest. No need to draw further attention to himself.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on Jan 31, 2008 22:45:04 GMT -5
"No mechanical lifeforms just yet," Perceptor replies mildly as he peers at the bundle Skyfire has brought him. "But I believe that the probabiliy is an inevitability. This is a Gillanese creature." That would help explain why the city they arrived in was deserted - perhaps this world had suffered a mass exodus as well, just like the Gillanan III they had just left.
Perceptor barely gives Thundercracker a glance. Unless the Seeker is pinned open on his table, the pet is really of no further concern to the scientist than an absent, wistful afterthought. Unless Skyfire brings Thundercracker to Perceptor's attention - mentioning a faulty programming glitch or a physical deformity would certainly do that - there is no reason for Perceptor to bother taking real notice of Skyfire's pet, either.
"So, let us see what interesting specimen you have brought to me, yes?" he adds, the remains of the little organic flicked away into the trees like dust; there's always more where that came from, if he's truly interested in a more in depth study of the creature.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 31, 2008 23:48:27 GMT -5
Skyfire smirks and holds out the wrapped package for Perceptor to take. He holds it gently, not wanting to damage the device by squeezing too hard. "It looks like a drone, but it's not Gillanese, and they had it stashed in a museum. That made it interesting, in my book. I wrapped it for transport--unless it's real shoddily built, it should still be in the same condition as when TC found it."
"By the way, you did your usual fine work on TC. I'm very pleased with him." Skyfire said genially. Another glance at the sky, and he added, "Maybe they'll leave one of those guys in a large enough piece that you can fix me up another pet."
Skyfire was still annoyed at being yanked to the abandoned world of Gillan-III and leaving his stable of pets, comfortable manor, and curio collection behind.
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Oracle-3
Cadet
It's such a thin line between heaven and hell.
Posts: 80
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Post by Oracle-3 on Feb 1, 2008 0:06:55 GMT -5
Slipping out of the city to join the others, Oracle cast a slightly curious glance at the object being passed between the two. Stopping next to Skyfire she gave him and Perceptor slight smiles, ignoring Thundercracker after ascertaining his status. That object, whatever it was, must be something Skyfire found while he was looting the city that he thought Perceptor would be interested in.
Speaking of looting though. "Find anything good Skyfire? Before they started destroying everything I mean." With the word 'they' she jerked a thumb back toward the city, obviously indicating both the arsonists and the fighters.
The mention of a another new pet got a slightly amused look. "Trying to rebuild your stable here? Well another world, more opportunities I suppose." She rather thought most of the Seekers around were substandard materials, but then again she tended to think that of most of her build type. The fact that Seekers were usually Decepticons had a lot to do with that opinion of course.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 1, 2008 2:02:37 GMT -5
Thundercracker's gaze moves to Oracle as she approaches, and while he says nothing there's a flicker of thought in his optics as he regards her. He wouldn't say anything about it, of course -- he's a good pet, after all, Perceptor made sure of that. But he knows a great deal about the Autobot Seeker/assassin and her... friendship with Skyfire. And the irony would be amusing under other circumstances...
Another pet? He glances skyward in reaction, trying to pick out the Decepticon fliers. Again he harbors no hope for a rescue, but he does wonder how they're faring in the battle...
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on Feb 1, 2008 23:23:02 GMT -5
Perceptor accepts the bundle, unwrapping it to look it over. "Hmm... I think, perhaps, I have seen something similar before. I must retrieve this and return it to my laboratory for further study later," he observes as he continues poking and prodding at the nobby inverted trashcan with a plunger appendage.
Hn..." One quick glance shot up toward the aerial rout. "And if there is nothing left functional, perhaps something may yet be done. I have not constructed and programmed a core from the drafting board up for quite some time," he observes absently.
What an interesting experiment that would make for; which bird would adjust and function better? The caged bird who once knew, if distantly, freedom, but had had its inconvenient dreams amputated and cauterized? Or the caged bird that had never known freedom, and had never been taught that yearning for such was a dangerous thing? Oh, the possibilities!
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Feb 1, 2008 23:55:55 GMT -5
"You have?" Skyfire looks slight surprised; he'd always gotten the impression that Perceptor was not well traveled. "Interesting. Where abouts, or used by whom?"
Because if the Gillanese had been in contact with whomever Perceptor knew of, depending where he knew them from....
They just might get back in business sooner than expected. Rodimus Prime might want to burn down the galaxy, but Skyfire wanted to explore and re-establish his comfortable home base. Hopefully far away from whoever finally put down Rodimus Prime and his close associates. Skyfire had traveled enough of the galaxy to know that there's always someone with bigger guns than you out there.
"Hello, Oracle! I was wondering when you'd catch up! I think I found their rare book section; might be something interesting enough for trade, or at least show the development of the language. Got a couple of marble mecha-dragons, too. They'll make nice doorwardens." Skyfire grinned at the Autobot Seeker.
"Of course. Me, live in a bunk in a military base? Not for long. I like a comfortable home base to come back to, with pretty things to look at... " He smiles fondly as he says that and idly strokes Thundercracker's helm like one would a beloved dog.
--- OOC: Skyfire-3 has general permission from the player to benignly pet, pat, scritch, rub, etc his pet Seeker TC-3. This note will not be repeated every post.
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Oracle-3
Cadet
It's such a thin line between heaven and hell.
Posts: 80
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Post by Oracle-3 on Feb 2, 2008 0:18:53 GMT -5
A possible link to returning home? Oracle honestly wasn't sure how she felt about that. On one hand it would be nice to return to a place that she knew and was comfortable with, but on the other hand there were so many new things to see and do on this planet, and that was even before they crossed over the portal. Well whatever, wasn't like even if Perceptor did possibly know where some object the previous inhabitant of this place had deemed worth keeping came from, that they would be leaving too soon. Still things to do first after all.
"Finishing up what I was doing took longer then I planned, but it doesn't look like I missed that much so far. Sounds like you found enough of a haul that it was at least slightly worthwhile to you to come here. That's good." He would probably have come anyway, but that wasn't exactly the point. "You've roughed it before, as we both well know, but I admit it isn't your style if you can help it. You do appreciate your creature comforts after all." More then one meaning to that, and by the sardonic twist of her lips as she glanced at Thundercracker, she meant them both.
Looking back towards the air fight again, she smirked slightly and checked the sharpness of one of her wrist blades with a delusively careless air. "Want me to go for incapacitating shots if I can while we're here? One of you could probably do something with whatever I bring back, and the expression on their faces tends to be priceless." The fact that it was more difficult was another reason she offered. A challenge sounded fun.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 2, 2008 1:21:55 GMT -5
At Skyfire's touch, that faint sense of disgust flares up again, and for an instant he tenses just slightly as if about to jerk away. But once again his reprogramming wins out, and like a faithful dog he submits to the touch. Really, he's lucky to have Skyfire as a master. Had any other mech staked their claim on him first, he'd be dead... or worse, he considers as he shivers slightly at Perceptor's words.
Oracle's words and glance do not go unnoticed. He simply returns the look with a neutral expression. Skyfire isn't the only one here who appreciates their "creature comforts..."
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on Feb 2, 2008 15:32:28 GMT -5
"An offering from an outer systems trader," Perceptor replies absently, waving the coincidence off with one hand. Said trader had hoped to keep the scientist's interest centered on something else to purchase his own safety after having failed to obtain the components Perceptor had been wanting.
Unfortunately for said trader, the laser cores of Megatron's creators had not been such an easy target to obtain. He'd made such an interesting subject to test the new corrosive fuel additive, had that trader. The Black Ops sector had very much enjoyed having a new tool in their arsenal of tricks. Not as fast acting as Perceptor would have hoped - it had proven very difficult to produce a corrosive as powerful as he would have wished that remained relatively undetectable to an untrained mech - but fascinating in its effects. The trader had taken a surprisingly long time to expire.
"Similar, Skyfire. Not identical. It was quite some time ago, and the universe is a vast cauldron of infinite probability. They may yet be utterly unrelated and share pure phenotypical similarities," Perceptor cautions before, with one last inquisitive little humm, he re-wraps the item and carefully tucks it out of sight where he might retreive it before returning to their own universe.
"Hmm... Yes. Incapacitating shots would be appreciated. Do not impinge upon the Prime's amusement," he adds.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Feb 2, 2008 16:16:20 GMT -5
Skyfire shook his head at Oracle. " 'Roughing it' is when you are on expedition to some remote, yet profitable frontier, and then go back home to a nice comfortable base. When you live like you're on expedition all the time, that's just poverty and scarcity. Still, once we get off one of these rocks and can hit someplace civilized, we'll do fine." Skyfire waves one hand dismissively at the night sky.
"Yes, I concur with Perceptor. Incapacitate if possible, and try not to cut up their faces; those are harder to repair to the original beauty." He favors Oracle's own face with a brief, admiring glance. "I figure Skyblast will insist on making performance 'art' out of one of them anyway. Hopefully there's more where they came from. A lot more."
"True, Perceptor, but I'll keep an eye out for more of that type. The locals obviously considered it significant, or they wouldn't have put it in a museum." Skyfire's optics narrow thoughtfully. Without bothering to look at the blue Seeker, Skyfire says, "TC, you hear that? You see any more tech like that, secure it and let me know right away. Plus you spot any other non-Gillanese tech, ditto."
"Roger to that last. You know, Perceptor? I'd like a micro-jet like Skyblast, or something smaller, to help extract artifacts from these little buildings. We need more little guys like Holi to deal with this micro-sized tech."
Skyfire looked up at the aerial battle again. "I'll bet Prime's going to want me to pick up the pieces and ferry them back, again."
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Oracle-3
Cadet
It's such a thin line between heaven and hell.
Posts: 80
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Post by Oracle-3 on Feb 2, 2008 16:50:26 GMT -5
If the gizmo was something he got from an trader, then it probably wasn't going to be that much help in tracing exactly where they had ended up since she doubted Perceptor had been all that interested in the exact location the trader had gotten it from in the first place. He had a good point about it not having to be from the same origin even though it looked similar too, which would actually make it more misleading then useful. Oracle was rather glad that wasn't the sort of thing she usually had to concern herself with, it sounded incedibly dull to learn though Perceptor seemed pleased with the object.
"Well since I fully intend on going home eventually, doesn't that make this roughing it?" She knew what he meant though, and the teasing smile she favored Skyfire with for a minute let him know she was just being her normal self. She noted Thundercracker's lack of response at the same time and made a mental note about it for later.
She nodded to both of them in confirmation of the request for live retrieval of targets, though Perceptor's comment got a slight 'duh' look in response. Irritating the guy that could reduce her to enough pieces that Perceptor would be annoyed at having to reassemble her was not on her list of fun activities. She was crazy, but not that crazy. "I won't damage anything too difficult to fix, I have better aim then that even when they're squirming." She wasn't that worried about competing with Skyblast over targets either, she got on passably well with the other jet and as long as she didn't attempt to stop his fun completely, she could possibly get him to give her anyone she really took a fancy to.
"It will probably depend on how many pieces are left when those two get finished." And if they got one or two of the Decepticons. Only one and Skyblast and Slingshot could probably manage between themselves.
Speaking of the dogfight going on, Oracle suddenly broke out in a sting of virulent swearing as one hand came up to cover her optics. "Cover your optics!" She gritted out quickly, and shortly thereafter a bright flash lit the sky. As the light was still fading, she was transforming into her jet mode and streaking toward cause of the flash. She did not appreciate that one bit, and she was going to try and make sure Needlenose was well aware of that fact.
-------- (OOC: Out of thread, up to you if she provided enough warning to keep from being blinded if characters were looking in the direction of the fight. Time lag is around 5 seconds from her covering her own optics and the flash. The verbal warning is after she covers her eyes.)
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 2, 2008 21:42:06 GMT -5
"Yes, Master," Thundercracker replies with a slight nod.
He shows no reaction as the others discuss their plans for the Decepticon jets. There is nothing he can do, after all, to help his comrades. He can only hope they have the sense to flee while they have the chance...
He's quite used to following orders, so at Oracle's cry he's flung his arms over his optics without even thinking about it. The flash of what can only be Needlenose's Nebulon Sunbeam still manages to bleed through the corners of his optics, making him wince.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on Feb 4, 2008 6:15:43 GMT -5
"Hmm..." It sounds as if Skyfire doubts the good Doctor's ability on returning them all home at some point. How... disappointing.
"Excellent. Any technology alien to these worlds could prove quite educational," Perceptor replies. "Or at the least, entertaining."
Perceptor glances back toward the distant destruction and aerial battles. Something small and nimbile like Skyblast, hm? "I will see what can be done with whatever components are alotted to me once Rodimus Prime has had his... amusement." Such a challenge would prove interesting. Perceptor has not had the access he would have wished to a mechanism like Holi. Such micronized technology is utterly fascinating and would provide such a wonderful challenge to duplicate.
If only Holi would allow him a sufficient glimpse into his systems. Unfortunately, the canny youngster has proven to be far too wary thus far to provide Perceptor the opportunity. Perhaps... Perhaps this world might contain another Holi that might prove slightly more... accessable for Perceptor studies.
Oh what an opportunity that would pro-
Oracle's warning interrupts his thoughts sharply, and Perceptor springs to comply, diving for the safety of Skyfire's more significant bulk even as he rotates his scope, initiating an optical input shutdown proceedure just to be safe and throwing his arm up to shield his optics.
He almost doesn't make it. Even with that warning and the precautions he'd managed to take, it takes a full seven seconds for his visual cortex relays to reboot themselves to full functionality.
"I will be most pleased to disassemble that weapon to the cellular level someday," he observes in his most studiously even and calm tones. It's the calm before the storm, and someone is... most displeased.
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