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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 13, 2011 12:50:50 GMT -5
Month 1, Week 4, Day 7. Outer hull of Ship. Open. Note: This thread is associated with this plot, so if you don't want your character to get attack by freaky space barnacle larvae, you might not want to join. But worry not! You can choose whether-or-not your character even gets injected with parasite, and if they are infected they'll get fixed up - possibly off-screen, possibly not.Space is very, very big and most of it is pretty empty. But despite this, especially when traveling near astronomical bodies, you can get swiped with stray matter and end up with a bunch of space rocks of varying sizes embedded in your hull. At least asteroids didn't collide directly in front of them, forcing them to crash into an alien planet and fall unconscious for millions of years. No, none of these particularly space rocks were more than an annoyance, causing only superficial damage. But even superficial damage has to be dealt with, and so Rampage was out on Ship's hull, digging space debris out of the metal plating with a pry bar. The magnetic clamps attached to his feet keep him in place as he levers a rock the size of his head out of the hull with a small application of force. Snatching it out of the vacuum he tosses it away from the ship where it's quickly lost from sight in the big black. Work done, he moves on to a larger rock, the space debris ranging from the size of his fist to one almost half his size. Ugh, how he loathes manual labor.
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Rook
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Post by Rook on Mar 13, 2011 19:51:20 GMT -5
If anyone loathes manual labor more than Rampage, it'd have to be Rook. Isn't being an officer supposed to mean he doesn't have to do this sort of thing? The crow is wrapped in form-fitting plastic in addition to the magnetic clamps on his feet. Hard vacuum is horrible on feathers.
He moves behind Rampage, picking at smaller debris that the crab misses, and using a handy device to check for any tiny hull breaches. A tube of sealant is tethered to his waist. He wonders idly if he should attempt conversation, shooting a fearful look at Rampage's back. He's painfully aware of how easy it would be for the crab to arrange an "accident" out here. It's probably best to keep quiet and hope the Transmetal just forgets he's there.
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Mar 15, 2011 16:17:42 GMT -5
Skystrike is very likely the only member of the small group who actually enjoys manual labour. The seeker was almost cheerful as she goes around, tediously plucking and tossing meteorites from the ship’s hull. Of course, being Skystrike, there is barely any outward indication of her light mood outside of slightly perked wings and maybe an air of zen-like peace.
She too has donned on some magnetic clamps. While the blue jet was space-capable, snapping rocks out of the hull just wasn’t very efficient without leverage. There was also a few sheets of metal slung across her back and a welding torch was clamped to her hip, in case they should come across a panel that needed replacement.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 15, 2011 21:33:41 GMT -5
Rook doesn't really need to worry, though Rampage appreciates the apprehension radiating from his spark, chuckling inaudibly into the vacuum.
Rampage is more into slow, painful dismemberments than "accidents", and while it may be true that in space, no-one can hear you scream - though even that's debatable in some universes - there's certainly nothing keeping anyone from screaming loud and clear over the radio. A pity really.
Then there's the fact that they're not alone. Giving Skystrike a sidelong glance - and how can anyone feel so... content doing such menial labour? - he wonders how he'd match up against a Seeker.
Thoughts for another time. For the moment Rampage faces off against one of the largest rocks, a cracked, bulbous thing with an oily luster that's embedded deeply in the hull. Skystrike's supplies will likely come into play once this one is removed.
Jamming his pry bar between the hull and the rock, small fragments flaking off and floating away, he attempts to jimmy it loose. This would be far easier work in gravity. If he brings all his strength to bear at once, he's more likely to pop his magnetic clamps off the hull than pop the boulder out of it. Twisting the pry bar this way and that as he tries to loosen the rock, he doesn't notice as they cracks in it begin to deepen and widen.
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Rook
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Post by Rook on Mar 16, 2011 19:46:36 GMT -5
//Be careful, you're breaking apart the rock,// Rook transmits. The last thing they need is jagged fragments of rock going spinning off at high velocity.
It's awfully shiny, come to think of it. Rook approaches closer, skirting around Rampage. Perhaps this boulder has precious metals in it? The crow narrows his optics, squinting, and leans toward the massive stone.
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Mar 17, 2011 18:30:27 GMT -5
Well, if Rampage ever wants to try, Skystrike is probably going to need a golf club. See how far the pipsqueak would go.
Momentarily distracted after tossing off a Mini-con sized rock, Skystrike looks around to see what the two smaller Predacons were up to. She’s quite sure they could handle the rock themselves, although the panel looks like it’d need to be replaced considering how thoroughly crushed it’d been by the meteor's impact.
//Touching the shiny rock isn’t helping, Rook,// she rumbles as she makes her way over to the two, pulling one of the metal sheets off her back.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 18, 2011 13:47:52 GMT -5
Rampage gives another jerk of the pry bar then yanks it out from between the rock and the hard place. Glaring at Rook, he jabs it toward the crow and growls, //Be my guest.//
If the smaller Predacon doesn't like the way Rampage does thing, then he can do them himsel-
Rampage's thoughts are cut off mid-stream as a large chunk of rock breaks off from the boulder and whips past his head as Ship accelerates away. Looking back at the rock, the lost piece has revealed a hollow interior to the boulder - why it didn't disintegrate on impact is anyone's guess, but it must be stronger than it appears. It may have something to do with the space rock not being a rock at all, because while it may be hollow, it certainly isn't empty.
Within a split second of the rock flaking open, dozens of small creatures - no longer than a foot - pour from the gap. They are smooth, oblong creatures, trailing a multitude of tentacle-like limbs, transparent but aglow with flecks of bioluminescense that almost mimic the cosmos. And with the seemingly physics-defying motion often found in space-dwelling sci-fi organisms, the creatures waste no time in flinging themselves at the surrounding Transformers.
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Rook
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Post by Rook on Mar 18, 2011 18:28:27 GMT -5
//I'm not touching it, I'm just examining it!// Rook insists, miffed. And now Rampage is shoving things at him. //Very well. If you're incapable of finishing the job, I'll be more than happy to-//
Rook is interrupted mid-sentence by the rock, which is actually some kind of egg or something, cracking open and spawning horrible aliens which throw themselves at everyone. //Get rid of the egg!// he shrieks, daggers springing from his wrists into his hands. He stabs at an alien, impaling it and flinging it away.
Even when you're not skilled, sometimes you get lucky. Plus, no matter where he swings, Rook is pretty much guaranteed to hit a facehugger. Unfortunately, they're hitting the 'Cons as well. He has no idea how the three clinging to his back got behind him. He's facing the wrong way.
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Mar 19, 2011 15:32:45 GMT -5
//What-// Nothing like space worms to ruin a beautiful day. Skystrike lifts one thruster off the hull and slams the flames on, making quick work of any flying worms coming her way. Unfortunately it didn’t address the issue of the crawling ones and the seeker feels the slimy bastards crawl up her other foot.
She turns both thrusters on and pulls away from the hull, making sure to roast any that’d gotten on her being before transforming. The magnetic clamps are going to make going back into root mode rather painful, but she could live with that for a bit.
//Get away from that,// she warns, locking a missile on the rock. They’d need a flamethrower and some time in locked in quarantine after this.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 19, 2011 20:20:16 GMT -5
Rampage's optics widen as the wave of space creatures bears down on him. His immediate reaction is to whip out his blaster and start shooting. They're not exactly resilient creatures, and the blasts take out one, two, three at a time. But for everyone few he takes out, there are more behind them and below them and to the sides...
He quickly gives up shooting as they swarm him in favour of smashing and grabbing. Still, he can't get them all and several of them begin crawling over his armour.
Any of the larvae that find their way onto a host go scrabbling straight for seams and joints or any other lightly-armoured areas. One of them finds its way to Rampage's shoulder where it clamps down and begins to shift. Something long and sharp pierces deep into the Predacon's shoulder and he snarls and tears it loose, crushing the creature in his hand. The small wound quickly heals over without a trace.
At Skystrike's warning, Rampage stumbles away from the rock, flailing and stomping at the creatures he goes.
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Rook
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Post by Rook on Mar 19, 2011 21:50:29 GMT -5
Scrapscrapscrap. Rook has seen this datatrack. They're all going to die. Aliens are going to lay eggs in their processors and they're all going to die. Naturally, being a noncombatant, he panics.
The crowformer backpedals away from the horrendous alien pod, flailing trying to reach the parasites on his back as they start stinging him. He manages to pull one off, but now he has a couple clinging to his left foot, and there are still two more on his back. He reaches down and rips both the ones on his foot away with his claws, but now there's one on his shoulder . . .
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Mar 20, 2011 21:25:17 GMT -5
The moment the other two are at a safe distance (well, as safe as they really could be with no atmospheric barrier), Skystrike sends the missile at the egg. And a few lasers for a good measure. That accomplished, the seeker transforms back into robot mode with a quiet grunt of pain from the magnets wrenching at some plates. She pulls one of them off before landing on the hull once more, firing up the free thruster at any straggling worms before looking up at the two Predacons.
Who first?
Rook was nearest. Skystrike reaches out to try and grab the crow by a wing, unsapping the welder from her hip. //Calm down and hold still.// Hopefully, Rook didn’t mind being a bit roasted.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 20, 2011 21:50:11 GMT -5
The destruction of the rocky shell destroys a good chunk of the swarm, leaving only the faster ones that are currently harassing the two Predacons, and those that are getting fried as they try to attack Skystrike. Their numbers are rapidly dwindling rapidly as a result of Rampage and Rook's violent flailing.
A larvae finds its way to Rampage's hip, forms a dart, jabs it into his armour, and is quickly crushed. Another stings him near an ankle and meets the same fate. A third one attaches to his knee, and this time when he tears it away from his armour he raises it to his mouth and rips it in half. Rampage does not appreciate many tiny things causing him pain. He does not appreciate it at all.
All the puncture wounds, only visible on close examination to begin with, soon vanish.
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Rook
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Post by Rook on Mar 20, 2011 22:53:01 GMT -5
Rook is grabbed by the wing and hoisted up into the air. Or what would be the air, except this all takes place in space. He squirms until Skystrike instructs him not to, just twitching as he gets stung by aliens.
This is going to be hell on his feathers.
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Post by Skystrike/Skylar Stringers on Mar 21, 2011 19:07:57 GMT -5
The larvae on Rook’s back were quickly taken care of, their roasted bodies drifting off into space (along with some of Rook’s feathers). She pauses to stomp on/burn a few before turning back to crow and attempting to turn him around and any left on the front. One of the little bastards chose the moment to sting her wrist; Skystrike swats it and a few of its buddies off, leaving a nauseating trail of goo in their wake.
//Rampage, come over here.// They’d also needed to make sure none of the worms had escaped after this. At least they were pretty easy to kill.
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