Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on Mar 5, 2008 7:46:25 GMT -5
While Wedge and Sideburn may be similar in age, it's times like this where their differences in training and experience show. Like Swerve, Sideburn knows there's nothing they can do for any of them.
And Gizmo provides a name for the one next to Sideburn, causing the young mech's head to drop. It's not exactly the same, but so similar to his brother's... Could this mech have had someone he was close to too? Someone he looked out for and teased and kept in line? A faint tremor runs through Sideburn's body. Then suddenly he jerks away from the corpse, onto his feet. As much as he wants to, he can't let himself think of "what if"s and "I wish"es. Job, he needs to do his job.
He moves over to the second body at Swerve's comment. "What do we need most?" Helping Swerve get parts will distract him nicely, but he won't work on Brawn's body. Swerve will just have to look for parts in that one himself. And he's not as squeamish as he might once have been about using dead bodies for parts... He knows full well how the bodies in the morgue back at base have been picked over, and he's even done some of it himself.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on Mar 6, 2008 0:14:30 GMT -5
For a moment, Wedge doesn't move from the bodies. But as the colors slowly leech away from the huge form, the Buildbot stiffly forces himself away. Wedge's optics are fixated on the dark ground and hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides. "So we're just giving up?" His words are soft and likely lost to the frustrated rattle of his engine. 'Giving up' isn't a phrase that Wedge likes to even think about in his vocabulary. "They didn't even get a chance..." He pauses and frowns, watching as Sideburn and Swerve--and even Gizmo take this all into stride.
What? How? Wedge turns everything over in his processors as they work overtime to figure out the reasons for this. Acceptance and surrender are things that he still has to puzzle and fight over.
But there's Sideburn offering to help and Wedge isn't about to let himself look like a frozen lump. He isn't abandoning his thoughts, no way. Those won't leave him until he figures them out. At the same time, he needs to do something.
"How can I help?" Wedge loosens his hands and steps closer to the group again, a determined expression on his face. He wants to be useful...and maybe something to occupy his hands with while his CPU is doing overtime.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on Mar 6, 2008 16:29:38 GMT -5
Gizmo hears the distress in Wedge's voice, and he would like to do something to comfort the Buildbot. But he doesn't know what to do. He's spent so much of his life as a recluse, with computers and databases as his closest friends, that he really isn't sure how to interact with other mechs. Computers are fine -- they have a set reaction to a certain command. Other mechs are so much more unpredictable.
In the end he settles for reaching out and, if Wedge allows it, putting a hand on his arm. "Hey... uh... you gonna be all right?"
He addresses Swerve and Sideburn next. "I'll help. What do we need worst? And... uh... what do we do with what's left?" Because it seems somewhat indecent to just leave the bodies here once they're done.
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Post by Swerve on Mar 8, 2008 4:41:35 GMT -5
The idealism is almost thick enough to clog his intake manifold.
"No," Swerve mutters, glaring sidelong at Wedge, "there was nothing to give up on." He shakes his head. "And I dunno about you, but I'm not stupid enough to waste my energy trying to do the impossible. Besides… even if there was some way to keep him from dying, what were you plannin' to do with him? All these parts missing?" He snorts and nudges at an edge where there should be an arm, scowl wavering ever so slightly when the plating and exposed circuitry there give way under the pressure and crumble like rust. "…Or were you gonna carry him? 'Cause he sure as smelt wouldn't be rolling anywhere like that."
Primus, that attitude. That look, the look on Wedge's face. Swerve hates it. Trips too many painful circuits. The less he has to look at that, the better, and his gaze drifts to Gizmo before he turns away completely.
"We leave what's left," he says. "No point carting it all around for however long this Primus-fragged mission lasts. The whole point is taking what you need, what you can use, while you can take it." There's a note of contempt in his voice for that H-word as he pulls out his toolkit, adding, "I don't smelting need any help, but if you can't figure that much out, I wouldn't want your help anyway." He falls silent after that, testing the big mech's plating with a few careful raps from his knuckles, looking for an area solid enough to cut without setting off more falling apart. What they need is whatever they're lowest on: wiring, hoses and tubing, heavy-duty fittings – standard car parts would probably end up a bigger problem with Wedge in the long run – other little things. It's always the little things.
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on Mar 9, 2008 3:41:45 GMT -5
Since Swerve never answered his question about what parts they needed most, Sideburn just observes what Swerve is taking and goes for similar parts in a different part the body. He never offered to 'help' Swerve, he's just doing what he can for the team. Teamwork doesn't seem to be a part of Swerve's vocabulary, but is practically hardwired in for 'Bots from Sideburn and Wedge's universe.
Sideburn glances up at Wedge sympathetically. "We could mark down these coordinates, and then maybe suggest someone along with that new guy Skyfire make a pass to pick up the bodies once we're back."
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on Mar 9, 2008 15:20:36 GMT -5
Wedge doesn't make a face at Swerve's turned figure. That would just be childish. It'd be childish and unprofessional. So Wedge just settles for a simmering look at the ground which probably doesn't need any further help in heating itself up. Who threw a wrench in Swerve's workings anyway? But...the racer has a point. Gah, why do they always have a point?
His frustrated thoughts are interrupted as Gizmo's touch barely registers through his tracks. "Wha?" Wedge's glare dials back into a slightly startled stare and then an embarrassed smile. "I'll be okay, thanks." Well, at least there are some reasonable people around here.
"I'm marking them down on the map then and call Botanica and Skyfire when we get back," nods Wedge as he records the various data of the area. "Give these guys a better place to rest than in the middle of this desert..."
Wedge trails off as something catches his optics in a craggy patch of rocks not too far away. "Wait a second, what's that?" The Buildbot takes one glance back at Swerve and Sideburn working at the bodies. Yeah, so he'd be no help there. "I'm gonna check it out. Gizmo, wanna come with?"
Off Wedge goes, hopefully, Gizmo's up for some rock climbing.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on Mar 9, 2008 22:57:08 GMT -5
Geez, what crawled into Swerve's exhaust and died? Gizmo was honestly trying to help and got blown off. Did he torque the racer off that bad during the sandflapper fight? Oh wait, he's like this all the time. Joyness...
At least Sideburn seems friendly enough. And at least Wedge looks to be perking up a bit. Speaking of which...
"Huh?" He looks in the direction Wedge indicated. "Oh, sure! Would love to." It'd be something to do to help, anyhow. He sets off after the Buildbot.
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Post by Swerve on Mar 11, 2008 0:49:04 GMT -5
This might almost work out. Swerve stays on his side, Sideburn stays on his, nobody ends up taking a fist to the face and the parts still get collected. Hardly ideal, but functional. Something like savannah predators making an uneasy truce over a kill for the sake of the meal, for those with the Earth experience to make that comparison.
Swerve works in sullen silence, mostly ignoring Sideburn between quick glances to make sure the other Autobot is staying out of his space. Every now and again, his optics drift to Sideburn's work and he looks it over, appraising. At least it looks like the lugnut knows what he's doing; less for Swerve to worry about. Bad enough he's already got those two – he looks away from the body for the first and possibly only time since he hunkered down to work so he can check on Gizmo and Wedge to make sure they aren't doing something stupid, like falling into a hidden hole in the ground – to babysit, he isn't sure about Sideburn yet on that front and the last thing he wants or needs is someone trying to work salvage and screwing it up.
He pauses in the middle of taking apart the shoulder to check Sideburn yet again; he takes in the collection of wiring – connectors still attached, a point in Sideburn's favour – and hoses… that look like they've just been cut free. That earns a rough sigh.
"Hey," he begins, more faintly annoyed than anything else, "if you're in a hurry, that's fine." And if Sideburn bothers to look up, he'll see Swerve tilting his head at that little pile. He keeps working while he talks. "But we've got time. Open up the couplings instead, take 'em intact. We can cut 'em to fit when we need to." The shoulder housing comes loose and he sets it aside to pull the useful gears so he can get at the servo. "It's better than grafting something together."
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on Mar 11, 2008 10:48:45 GMT -5
Sideburn mostly keeps his head down and his hands moving as he works, though he also gives quick glances in Swerve's direction occasionally to make sure he's taking the right parts. And if his glances move up to include Swerve's body posture and facial expressions, well, maybe the red mech had shifted since Sideburn had last looked. He's also moving in the opposite direction from Swerve along the body, heading down the torso and towards the legs. The increasing distance between them might put Swerve a little bit more at ease.
A teeny-tiny microscopic bit.
He does look up at Swerve when the other speaks. He holds back a look of surprise at the tone --probably the least-hostile tone he's used with Sideburn since they've met-- and nods at the advice. "Alright." The next hose he finds is promptly removed from its couplings the way Swerve suggested.
Who knows? Maybe he might be able to make up to Swerve for their not-so-good first meeting.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on Mar 11, 2008 22:05:22 GMT -5
It takes a bit of slogging through the loose sand beneath his feet to reach the outcroppings. Sure he probably could have driven with much more ease compared to walking over. But the distance isn't terribly far and Wedge is looking for a bit of a challenge, however small. Soon enough, the Buildbot is peering through the craggy rock at the rather out-of-place objects. Huh, they look oddly enough like--"Sensors! These must be the ones Rodimus was talking about."
He reaches out, curious to get a better look at these things, but two things stop him. 1) These are Skyfire's sensors. It probably wouldn't be a very professional thing to go about prodding the things. 2) Well, he can't reach it. It's all for the better though (see 1).
"Do you think Skyfire knows we're here right now?" Wedge glances around at the devices, trying to find a way to tell if they're all online. As he looks over them, the Buildbot carefully makes note and marks them down on the rapidly developing map.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on Mar 12, 2008 13:29:44 GMT -5
Gizmo slogs after Wedge, making faces at the feel of the hot sand against his plating. Well, he always did want to go to Tatooine, so he figures it's best not to complain that he's getting a taste for what it might be like.
He peers over Wedge's shoulder and looks at their find. "Ooh, cool!" he grins. "Was hoping we'd get a look at these!" He takes a few visual captures of them, figuring someone will find them useful. "Dunno if he can hear us -- are these things built for auditory recording at all?"
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Post by Swerve on Mar 13, 2008 22:37:33 GMT -5
"…Hn." Not the most expressive of noises Swerve can make, but it's gotta be better than a snarl or growl. He's even pleasantly surprised at the cooperation. A little.
He finishes cannibalising the shoulder without another word – making fewer and fewer checks Sideburn's way as he goes – and moves on to the head. Gruesome it may look to crack open another mech's head, even when he's long past caring, but Swerve has a few private reasons. Spare heatsinks, extra diodes… if they aren't compatible, he can try working around that somehow. If not…. Smelt, maybe they'll work out for someone else.
Once he's done with that, Swerve gathers his tools and his salvage and he stands, hauling everything along to the body named Brawn and checking on Wedge and Gizmo again; okay, so they're over there playing around in the rocks. Whatever doesn't get either of them scrapped. He figures he can leave the big one to Sideburn since he'll go out on a limb and decide that for being the fume-huffing dipstick who called Swerve cute, Sideburn doesn't seem too bad with the tech work. They'll get done with this whole stop that much quicker this way and they can get back on the road. For all that's worth, anyway.
Sure that the two he's supposed to be along on this trip to keep whole aren't trying to make that job harder, he settles down and gets started on round two.
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on Mar 15, 2008 8:04:58 GMT -5
Sideburn quietly finishes his end of the first body, then gathers up everything and moves towards the deep-fried one. He starts carefully picking it apart, looking for anything salvageable, and gives a low whistle when he sees the full extent of the damage inside. There not going to be much to save on this one.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on Mar 15, 2008 18:56:27 GMT -5
Wedge is just about to reply to Gizmo's question when Skyfire's call comes through. There's a few moments where the Buildbot's expression rises and falls with the ongoing conversation before he focuses back on his companion, grim determination fixed on his face. "Just got a call from base. Seems like Skyfire did sense us here--but he's not the only on. The Decepticons have access to the data from these things as well," Wedge turns back to the outcropping and begins scrambling up the best that he can towards the sensors. "We can take the circuitboards out and keep them safe, leave the rest of the stuff behind."
He grabs a couple and lobs them down to Gizmo before skidding down with the rest in his arms and dashing back towards the rest of the party.
"Swerve! Sideburn! I hope you guys have enough stuff, cause we have to hide the bodies and split. The Decepticons are probably on their way!"
He waits for Gizmo to catch up before going further. It's with a surprisingly calm demeanor that Wedge relates the radio conversation with Skyfire and Rodimus to the group.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on Mar 15, 2008 23:43:58 GMT -5
Decepticons? Gizmo would gulp if it was at all possible. "You think they know we're here yet?" he asks as he catches the circuitboards. As Wedge skids back down the outcropping he follows him back to the others, stowing the circuitboards carefully in subspace while he's at it.
After Wedge finishes relating the conversation, Gizmo looks at the bodies. "But... where do we hide them? Not like there's a lot of hiding places here... do we just bury them or what?"
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