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Post by Rodimus Prime-3 on Feb 18, 2008 12:15:07 GMT -5
The Prime gives an almost imperceptible nod of approval as Bumblebee takes his place, the faint smile the best indication that the nod isn't a figment of imagination, and he releases his hold on Duskwing's cockpit. One last check to ensure that the Decepticon's power supply is stable, and Rodimus takes a step back.
Then he backhands the Seeker. It's not with anywhere near his full strength, but he certainly hits hard enough to make it clear that he's perfectly capable and willing to visit crippling damage, even death, on Duskwing at any moment.
"Three things, Seeker," he snarls out. "Your cause, your commander, and his call-frequency."
OOC: Smacking around of Duskwing done with player permission.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 18, 2008 13:35:53 GMT -5
Duskwing's head snapped over hard under force of the blow, tearing the thin, flexible metal of his face. Lubricant oozed down one corner of his mouth.
The impact seemed to bring some clarity to his mind. Autobots! Somehow he'd gotten captured. A dull, surly anger stirred in him; his wings hurt, his engine hurt, things ached all over, and now this lousy excuse for a circus transport had just punched in him the face. The very sight of him pissed Duskwing off.
"What the slag you do to Thundercracker and Fleetwind, you slaggin' Autobot circus truck? Whaddaya, some kinda moron? Look at the purple symbols and guess, ya slagger! Or is dat too compli-comp-- hard for youse? You must be some kinda stupid if youse guys don't know who you're fighting by now!" Duskwing fought Bumblebee's grip, optics glowing brightly with rising anger.
"My Commander?" He stopped struggling to stare blankly at the gaudy Prime as the rest of his questions sink in. "Youse get dropped on your cr--cran--brain thingy alluva sudden-like and get--what's the slagging word?--amnesia?"
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Post by Bumblebee-3 on Feb 18, 2008 14:27:17 GMT -5
Wow. This Seeker really doesn't know who he is dealing with here. Give him the answers he wants, Decepticon. On second thought, don't. This way, Bumblebee gets to help inflict more pain. A grim smile forms underneath Bumblebee's mask.
Bumblebee's grip tightens on the squirming Duskwing, specifically around his neck. Maybe Prime will let him get a few kicks in when he's got the information he needs.
OOC: Consider me skippable until I make my next post in here, which'll be sometime tonight or tomorrow.
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Post by Rodimus Prime-3 on Feb 19, 2008 0:55:02 GMT -5
Rodimus snarls and backhands Duskwing a second time before he gains control of himself. He forces his fists to his side, straightens himself to his full height, and narrows his optics as he studies his Seeker. His attention seems to be caught by the spot of Duskwing's facial metal that he's torn, and he reaches up to absently draw a thumb along the wound, his expression now almost distant.
"Oh, I know what that purple symbol means in my own reality," he says softly, almost purring now. "It indicates a pathetic weakling out to make the world a better place at the cost of their own well-being. Such nonsense. After all, what better place can the universe be than the best place possible for me?" At 'me,' Rodimus grabs hold at one of the jagged edges of Duskwing's facial armor and pulls it off roughly, before returning to once more gently finger the now-growing wound.
"But you see, this is a grand new world, and it seems that some of the rules have... changed. I would know these new rules, before I bend them, too, to my will."
Rodimus smiles down at Duskwing, expression almost benign. "So again I ask: your cause, your commander, and his call-frequency. But please... don't answer." He lowers his voice to an almost rough whisper. "It's been far too long since I've ripped someone filament from filament, and while I certainly don't need an excuse, I would enjoy having one."
"As for you... friends. Fleetwind was never here, but Thundercracker?" Prime's smile turns absolutely horrible. "Thundercracker's right behind you." He looks towards the sigiless Seeker and pulls off another piece of metal from Duskwing's face in order to lift his hand towards Thundercracker. "Come, Thundercracker. Come around to where Duskwing can see you." Then he leans close in towards Duskwing and whispers roughly, "The truth is, you may well find yourself praying I grant you the mercy of death. It's a much kinder fate than the one Thundercracker lives with - a pathetic, simpering, obedient little plaything for an Autobot. For such is the privilege of Autobots who please me," Rodimus adds extra emphasis to these last three words as he looks over Duskwing's head and pointedly glares at Skyfire, "and such is the punishment for Decepticons who do not."
He takes a moment to glance at Bumblebee, and rumbles, "I'm not quite sure you're holding him tight enough, Bumblebee."
OOC: Permission has been granted to slap around and generally manhandle Duskwing for the duration of this thread.
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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 19, 2008 1:33:34 GMT -5
Once Thundercracker stepped clear, Skyfire finally transformed, carefully shifting his well-secured cargo into his "hollow legs". He stepped back out of the way of the proceedings and watched, since Prime hadn't given him orders to go somewhere else--
and Prime was one of those moods, where he'd have his sadistic fun at someone's expense. Skyfire was already wary of the pointed looks Rodimus was sending his way; it wouldn't be wise to annoy him further.
One of these days, he was going to have to remind Prime that if Prime wanted to get off this mudball, it was a hell of a long walk without Skyfire.
What the slag did he want TC for--oh, a demonstration. Skyfire watched carefully; if Prime broke his pet and the new one, this was not going to go well.
--- OOC: standing in the back waiting... and skippable
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 19, 2008 1:56:07 GMT -5
Thundercracker flinches visibly as Rodimus Prime speaks his name. And when the Prime gave his order... he quails. But he can't disobey such a direct order, and he approaches with his head low and his wings shaking with terror. Any thought of putting on a brave show for Duskwing is quashed almost instantly by his fear of the Prime's displeasure and Perceptor's reprogramming.
It isn't until he's standing before Duskwing that he looks up, and the expression he offers is both fearful and apologetic. There is nothing he can do for his comrade, and he knows it all too well.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 19, 2008 2:10:43 GMT -5
The blow fell on the edge of his cowl this time, though the impact still strained neck cables violently. Duskwing shook his head carefully, straightening the strained cables. This guy liked to hit people, Duskwing realized.
He stared at Rodimus with a half-puzzled, half-angry snarl lingering on his face as the Prime spoke. Duskwing was just starting to sift his way through the pile of words Rodimus threw at him when Prime reached down and ripped wider the wound in Duskwing's face.
"AGGGH! You slagging glitch-spawn of an underclocked drain-rooter! My cause is gonna be to shove both my guns down your static-spewing vocalizer and blow your fuel tank from the inside, ground-crawling sludge-bucket!" He wrenched furiously at Bumblebee's grip, bending struts in his arm as he tried to wrestle free of the other Autobot and the arm-restraints, optics blazing now with rage. "Youse talk real tough, but you gotta have your exhaust-sucking interface-buddy here hold me down just ta hit me. Even dem Auto-bugger flyboys was tougher then dat!"
"And-- Huh?" Duskwing's parade of insults came to a screeching halt at the mention of Thundercracker. His optics widen considerably at the sight of Thundercracker-3. 'Pathetic, simpering, obedient', Rodimus had called Thundercracker. The look he gave Duskwing--fearful and apologetic--wasn't what he'd expect from Thundercracker at all. "What'd you do to him?" Duskwing asked uneasily. "He sounds like an Autobot."
Duskwing turned his head painfully to look at the Autobot Prime. He was acting really weird for an Autobot leader, even if these were some kind of Wreckers. In fact, he was acting like.. "And you're just like Megatron!"
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Post by Bumblebee-3 on Feb 19, 2008 2:23:40 GMT -5
Apparently extra pressure to the neck triggers involuntary robo-tourettes, and also manages to get Duskwing's processor working.
Bumblebee graciously obliges Prime's request and encourages Duskwing to think more, in one fell swoop as his arms tighten, wrenching his captive's head and arm in a painful direction.
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Post by Rodimus Prime-3 on Feb 19, 2008 11:52:34 GMT -5
Once Thundercracker obeys and moves into view of Duskwing, Rodimus appears to lose all interest in him entirely. The Prime isn't opposed to keeping a few broken toys around well after they've been shattered, but he's not had any part in breaking this trembling, soulless specimen, leaving Rodimus with only minimal interest in the creature.
Obedient little Bumblebee, however, earns a faint nod of approval for his eagerness.
At Duskwing's latest round of insults, Rodimus does not slap him once more. Instead, he growls thrusts his right hand onto - into Duskwing's cockpit. He then channels a jolt of chaotic energy drawn from the Matrix and the power of Unicron, directly through his hand and into Duskwing. The amount of power used isn't enough to do serious or long-lasting damage, but it should be extremely painful from head to thruster.
"That's right, Seeker," Rodimus Prime murmurs. "Keep not answering my questions..."
"As for him?" he jerks his head dismissively towards Thundercracker. "I did nothing to him, beyond letting Skyfire and Perceptor have their way with him." Rodimus shrugs, then returns his focus to Duskwing. "But finally, the light dawns. You are not Decepticons as we are used to dealing with them, just as, I suspect, we are not Autobots as you are used to."
Rodimus sighs. "I am growing bored with this, Seeker. You don't want me to grow so bored that I decide to end the game." He reaches up and idly plays at the wound in Duskwing's face once more. Then he starts pulling the metal skin off, this time more slowly, along the injury. "Now. Starscream's frequency."
Duskwing expects Rodimus to know who's in charge of him already. With so many other parallels, can it really be that simple? Well, whether he's guessed correctly or not, Rodimus should get confirmation in the Seeker's response.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 19, 2008 13:03:21 GMT -5
Duskwing groaned as Bumblebee wrenched his head and neck back; the yellow and black Autobot's arm rubbed painfully against the tattered stump of the Seeker's left wing. If the looming presence of this red-eyed Prime hadn't already driven Duskwing into a seething red rage, he would have been screaming in pain--
He screamed when the jolt of energy hits him, arching his back and thrashing wildly in Bumblebee's grip. He's stronger than the Autobot; if Duskwing were less damaged, less worn down by the long patrol and dogfight, less restrained, he'd long since have pulled free. As it is, the killing rage that spiked through him at every blow and jolt of pain drove him to his limits, exhausting his reserves that much more by the time it subsided. His struggles were violent, but growing weaker each time.
"What'd dey do, mix up the badges and names on your world?" Duskwing growled. "And it ain't dawn. It's hours from dawn. Your chrono-thingy broke or somethin'? Or you just stupid? Any moron wit' optics can see it ain't dawn, even if his clock is busted."
"If youse so slaggin' bored---AIIIIYEEEEEEE!" Duskwing's scream as Rodimus starts peeling off pieces of his face was high and thin. "YOU BASTARD! Factory-defect of a gray-market undercity fab run by drunken drones on a hack program! You call Starscream--<insert frequency here>--youse guys call him and youse tell him you gonna take over and run things and I'm gonna dance on your fragged shell and wear your pretty red helm for a knee guard when he's done with you! Or you gonna run away and hide from someone you ain't got Wasp-face here already holding down?"
Somewhere in the back of Duskwing's metaprocessor, a very belated procedure suggested that maybe he shouldn't be saying such things to this perverse Autobot Megatron-workalike. Unfortunately for Duskwing, the fury and hatred that this Prime's very presence produced in Duskwing's psyche overruled any stunted, always-too-late shards of common sense he might have had.
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Post by Bumblebee-3 on Feb 19, 2008 15:09:26 GMT -5
Oh hey, look. 'Wasp-face' isn't holding down anyone anymore. He throws Duskwing to the ground.
Now, obviously, Prime is going to run screaming because his captive is free, right?
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 19, 2008 23:05:40 GMT -5
Once it becomes apparent that Rodimus Prime is ignoring him, Thundercracker slinks back to Skyfire's side, standing a little behind the shuttle as if to hide. He can't help but cringe as the Prime further abuses Duskwing, but at the same time he can't tear his optics away. It's like watching a car wreck -- you can't stand to watch and yet you can't help but watch.
OOC: Back to skippable unless called on again.
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Post by Rodimus Prime-3 on Feb 20, 2008 1:16:14 GMT -5
Rodimus sneers, and is just about to order Bumblebee to release Duskwing when Bumblebee... releases... Duskwing.
Hnh. And here Rodimus Prime thought Oracle was the psychic one.
Once Duskwing's been released, though, Rodimus just straightens and halfway turns away, as though the Seeker were suddenly beneath his notice. His expression grows considering, as though he hears something no one else here does - and, in fact, he does at that.
He makes an announcement over their military frequency, then gestures absently towards Duskwing. "Ensure he doesn't escape, by whatever means desired." Not 'required,' but 'desired.' He's primarily addressing Bumblebee, but there's a glance at the others which indicates that anyone else who wants to get into the act may do so. "When you're done, however, give him to Perceptor. We may have to give him back to his owner." Then Rodimus snorts and mutters, "Frankly, I begin to suspect one of the worst things I can do to Starscream is return this half-clocked defective to him."
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 20, 2008 1:35:42 GMT -5
Duskwing staggers to his feet with some difficulty, confused at suddenly being released. Wha'did he do that for? Duskwing studies Rodimus Prime's half-turned back with suspicion; the guy was probably trying to trick him into something. Well, Duskwing just wasn't going to play his game!
Duskwing turned, and with a boost from his good thruster, jump-kicked, doing his best to shove the entire weight of a dead jet engine tipped by a metal foot through the most intricate and delicate-looking bits of Bumblebee's weirdly exposed internals.
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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 20, 2008 1:39:12 GMT -5
While Duskwing was still getting to his feet, Skyfire told Bumblebee in languid tones, "Just in case we don't give him back to his owner, try not to do too much more damage. I want another pet, and this one's already--"
Skyfire broke off in surprise at Duskwing's sudden move.
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