Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
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Post by Frenzy on Oct 24, 2011 19:10:25 GMT -5
Oh no. Dr. Hoffman wraps an arm around Dr. Suzuki, rubbing her shoulder. "- We can go back to the other Incan ruins in a few days. You can retake the rubbings."
And if the Peruvian government objects, well, Dr. Hoffman is already planning to have Words with them about the giant alien robots.
Dr. Suzuki hopefully has backups of everything she'd known from before this expedition somewhere.
OOC: Arm around the shoulder with player permission.
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Post by Lynn Deanna Payne on Oct 25, 2011 19:14:24 GMT -5
Bambi has completely baffled Duskwing, she sees. She hisses out, "You stepping on tents. Could be snakes in tents. Snakes crawl up you afterburners and eat you processors! Better come out in jungle with me Bambi. Everyone know there no snakes in jungle. We settle this civilised way."
Hey, if nonsensical threats worked once, maybe Bambi will get lucky again! She starts to stalk around Duskwing, tail swishing.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Oct 26, 2011 12:24:31 GMT -5
Rodimus resists the urge to smack himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. What a blasted mess. The Autobots are going to have to go into overtime on the disaster relief aid to make up for the PR blow from this nonsense!
(Not that Rodimus really minds that too much, since he's generally pretty happy to help out where it's needed, anyway.)
Instead of the facepalm, he just looks down at Duskwing and says steadily, "'Zippo.' Human term for a lighter, a kind of firestarter. Specifically, a nickname for the little firestarter right over there talking to you," Rodimus gestures, "that is, the one that hasn't set you on fire. Yet."
He says it convincingly, because he's an incredibly good bluff, and truth be told, if one takes him at his word, his orders still more or less make sense. Of course, Bambi might not be too pleased with being called 'Zippo,' but she'll get over it.
Not-Zippo is already doing her part to try to draw Duskwing away from the ruins (and away from the tents), so Rodimus takes the opportunity to make it the rest of the way down the temple. This will put him closer to Duskwing, which might further encourage the Seeker to back off, but he's really more interested in making sure there aren't other humans, assistants and the like, being endangered at the camp sight.
OOC: Just to let folks know, I'm pretty cool with the 'Cons getting the crystal myself. Rodimus's priority is with the human safety, anyway.
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Post by Crankcase on Oct 28, 2011 11:49:41 GMT -5
//Got it,// is the shortwave answer, quite possibly garbled by the thick stone walls between Duskwing and Crankcase, who finds a smile creeping over his face in the dark. The biting rejoinder makes him feel a little better about all this. It's almost homey.
Then he shakes that off and focuses. He's still on a mission and that mission is getting more complicated – a point made quite clear by the exclamation that echoes down the stairwell to him. Bingo. He supposes that's the 'Zippo' Duskwing warned him about and he pauses. The voice didn't sound close; he shouldn't need to open fire just yet. It'll be better if he keeps moving. Get to the prize first and get away, minimise the need for confrontation. So he continues on his downward trek, taking the steps two at a time.
Ahead and below, there's an eerie, pale green light.
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Zippo
Cadet
Twisted fire starter
Posts: 88
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Post by Zippo on Oct 29, 2011 16:28:12 GMT -5
Feeling like he might be getting close to the prize, Zippo hurries down the steps through the doorway, still airborne. He’s careful not to touch anything as he goes but he has no reason to believe any form of stealth on his part was necessary. As his descent nears an end, he sees first a pale greenish glow an almost immediately thereafter, the unmistakable silhouette of a large shadow pass in front. Instantly Zippo reverses direction and heads back up transforming into beast mode as he goes.
//WE HAVE COMPANY//
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Oct 30, 2011 11:42:26 GMT -5
What are the humans carrying on about now? You'd think he'd stepped on one of them and--Duskwing glances down, finally noticing the trampled tent.
"Oops. Sorry." He steps back a bit more carefully, not on top of any more tents--then stares at Bambi. At first, just blankly, then his mouth tightens up in a frown of suspicion.
"Youse is tryin' to lure me out into the jungle so's your buddies can jump me outta sight of witnesses!" He points an accusing finger at Bambi.
"And look what you made me do!" He glares at Rodimus Prime for good measure, all the while backing up one slow step at a time, being careful not to step on any tents, jeeps or large crates this time. Out of swinging hammer range. As long as he doesn't give Prime an excuse to say he's hurting the humans, the Autobot leader might not start a fight in front of the humans. Maybe. If he's lucky. Only if he was lucky, Duskwing wouldn't be facing an crazy micro-Dinobot and Rodimus. Freaking. Prime all by himself. How did he pull this assignment, anyway?
"Yeah, well, just keep the crazy Dinobot on a leash, will ya? Nobody told me youse was gonna be here, so I did not come here to start no fight, see?" Duskwing tells the big scary Prime. Don't show the big guys your fear, it just makes them want to pound on you more. "But if youse starts something, stuff could get messy. Lotta accidental damage, see?"
// I might maybe have got that wrong, but keep your optics full up, anyway, // Duskwing radioes back, sounding a bit uncertain. He believes Rodimus's explanation, but is not so eager to tell his fellow Decepticon that he was an idiot for jumping to conclusions based on a stray mention of a nickname.
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Nov 2, 2011 21:50:29 GMT -5
"I hope so," laments Dr. Suzuki, stifling a sniffle. She can at least try to be dignified about losing who knows how much of her compiled research materials. She can't help being fascinated by the care now being taken, and the seeming show of contrition on the jet robot's part. He's plainly worried for his own safety, but minding the camps – from which other researchers, workers, and guides watch the confrontation. Those who haven't vanished in terror, anyway.
Both sides are apparently eager to minimise the human cost. It's almost enough to distract her from the wreck that's been made of her tent.
Almost.
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Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
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Post by Frenzy on Nov 4, 2011 21:58:44 GMT -5
Now Dr. Hoffman really hopes Dr. Suzuki has many back-ups. She may think the other scientist is rather silly, but she likes her. "... We could make that trip to the Nasca lines, like you wanted?"
She narrows her eyes at the reference to Forbidden Books. That is an... obscure and learned threat. (Dr. Hoffman knows she would commit murder if she was forced to work for Forbidden Books.)
Well, the jet is being careful now, which is healthier for the grad students than not.
"Do you want to stay here and watch them or check the temple, Dr. Suzuki?"
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Post by Lynn Deanna Payne on Nov 7, 2011 9:02:13 GMT -5
Bambi gets very, very riled when Duskwing makes that oblique threat to cause 'accidental' damage, the scanty metal 'feathers' on her raising something like hackles. She pulls a mess of papers from the Peruvian government out of her subspace, waves them angrily, and snarls, "Us have every right be here! You Seeker threaten accident? Get out. Go. You say me Bambi crazy? You trained psychologist now, huh? Trained psychologist no use that term, so maybe you Seeker rethink it and take it back." That is not a suggestion. "You say me Bambi need leash? Like pet? Me Bambi am sapient being! Endowed with freedom right from creation! Take you jet-bigoted self somewhere that want hear it!"
She advances closer to Duskwing, trying to 'herd' him away from... well, pretty much everything.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Nov 9, 2011 19:40:43 GMT -5
Oh, great. Someone inside? And yet starting a firefight in there is a good way to get on Peru's bad side. This means trying to get... whoever as he leaves, after they're clear of the temple and the humans. And then there's the issue of the humans themselves.
One of them needs to get around to watch the other side. Bambi's practically made for ambushing, but while Rodimus is confident that Bambi can deal with Duskwing, whoever in the temple right now is an unknown. Plus there's whatever warnings Duskwing might give.
Rodimus comes a decision. He pulls, of all things, and old fashioned paper notebook from subspace. Given the size difference with humans, sometimes it's handy to be able to hand them information sources lighter and more... foldable than a datapad. Rodimus begins writing something down on it.
"Bambi's right. We've got legal right to be here, approved by the local government." He smirks and nods towards Duskwing. "Can you prove the same?" He finishes writing and kneels, handing the piece of paper to the nearest human archeologist - Doctor Suzuki? Have yourself a genuine alien artifact, right from the source. "Here's our contact information back on base, along with the officials we spoke with, if you need to confirm."
What the note actually says is, "Danger in the temple. One of them inside."
Then he straightens and looks down at Bambi. "I trust you've got this handled, right? Some of the folks in their camp," he nods towards the camp that Duskwing is walking amongst, "ran off in a panic, and I need to make it sure they made it to safety." With that, he dives into the forest, heading off in a direction that makes sense for doing what he said he was doing. Luckily, the trees here (as we know from various cartoon episodes where the Transformers are wandering around in the jungle) are taller than he is, and it's only a few moments after he disappears from view that he starts to double back.
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Post by Crankcase on Nov 9, 2011 21:14:37 GMT -5
Crankcase doesn't hear pursuit, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. He doesn't turn until he reaches the floor, and then he spins and brings one gun to bear. All he sees is a flicker of movement high above, further up the stairwell.
//Something here,// he radios Duskwing, scowling. //Followed me. Gonna grab the crystal.// There's no weapons fire bearing down on him, so Crankcase gets back to work. The crystal lights the entire chamber – and it's larger than he expected, he realises, looking around as he approaches the altar. He checks the shadows clinging to the corners, but nothing leaps at him. Focus, he can almost hear Hatchet growling. He still expects some last-minute trap as he grabs the crystal.
He wasn't entirely wrong. He's hardly both feet on the floor again when the altar explodes in a fountain of lava. The Dread, alone before the fire, with no eyes to bear witness to his sudden fit of shock, makes a noise akin to a mis-dialled fax machine and scrambles for the stairs, certain his life depends on leaving this insanity behind him. He's mostly inured to random explosions, but this is molten rock jetting like a geyser from a temple altar in the middle of Peru because he picked up a shiny rock. The gem isn't even warm!
"Crazy – this is crazy, this is crazy, this is CRAZY," he huffs as he plunges upward, running with three limbs while he keeps the crystal tucked under the fourth, dreads clanging and jangling across his shoulders.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Nov 9, 2011 21:29:00 GMT -5
Duskwing backs up again and snarls, "You is a Dynobot, which means homicidal nutcase completely crazy whack-job! I am not the one that busted Blitzwing in the face on account of not liking his looks! You pull out dat hammer, you gonna set things on fire and knock slag down, so youse the one that'll cause any 'accidents', see?"
He glares at Prime in frustration and shouts after him, nearly sputtering with frustration: "You brought the crazycakes, and youse got the bearings to say I'm not legit? My orders is completely legal, they come straight from the Air Commander, so kiss my afterburners!" Duskwing shakes a fist toward Prime's retreating back.
// Cranky, you got anything? I t'ink it's falling apart out heres, and I'm gonna get gone Real Soon Now, // Duskwing radios his partner in crime, his voice strained and anxious.
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Nov 11, 2011 11:12:05 GMT -5
It's all Lucy can do to contain herself as she takes the note with almost exaggerated care. Handwritten, by one of the aliens, no less! …In English! Well, she tells herself, of course it's in English as he's offering them contact information. He has rather tidy handwriting, too, she thinks, having not even gotten to reading the actual contents of the note. She wonders if she should ask for samples of their native script; she'd love to compare them against Earth forms. Why, if she discovered positive matches, it could exponentially forward her theories!
Oh, yes, the contact information. With a nervous, abashed smile Doctor Hoffman likely knows quite well by now as a sign that her colleague has been off in her own little world for a moment, Doctor Suzuki studiously nudges her glasses back into place and reads. Then turns visibly paler.
"Actually," she says to Doctor Hoffman in a strained voice, "maybe…." She trails off, her excuse now defunct as the big red one dashes off after those who've run off into the jungle. He says he wants to make sure they're all right, but the jet robot has been contrite and seems genuinely frightened of the little dinosaur one, who is genuinely threatening. Oh, who to believe? She'd like to investigate what's going on inside the temple, assuming this is the truth, but then the note warns of danger. Theft? Could they have heard the same legends that brought the expedition here?
What if they're out to steal it? Or what if it was theirs all along?
What if all of these robots are in this together? What if this demonstration is just a ruse to keep the humans out of the temple? Lucy turns a stern gaze to the top of the pyramid.
"Maybe we should finish our investigation," she says in a sweet and steely tone. If there is an artefact in the temple, then she damn well wants to see it. And certainly not let it be carted off summarily like this. She is not going to lose her tent and half her materials (at a minimum) for nothing!
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Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
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Post by Frenzy on Nov 11, 2011 17:12:57 GMT -5
Dr. Hoffman reads over Dr. Suzuki's shoulder then glances up at where Rodimus is heading off into the jungle. "Well, as long as someone is fetching back the grad students..."
Neither of the good doctors works for Miskatonic University, so there's no formal waivers signed that grad students agree to risk madness, death, or all of the above while on a dig.
"Good plan," she says to Dr. Suzuki then starts climbing up the stairs on the temple. Assuming no one stops them, they should reach the top just as Crankcase is running out.
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Post by Lynn Deanna Payne on Nov 11, 2011 22:49:05 GMT -5
Does Miskatonic University do online courses? Bambi would totally enrol in those.
"That complete slander! Me Bambi never kill anyone. How many people you Seeker kill?" Bambi asks. She's angry, but she's also deliberately probing. Duskwing does not seem too bright, and Decepticons are often proud of their kill counts. If she can just get him to casually spout off, say... 4 million (which would mean he has only killed one enemy per year on average, which is probably really low for a Decepticon soldier, she thinks), that will sound awfully like genocide to the humans around here.
The humans who are entering the temple. Bambi sighs and grumbles and radios Rodimus, //Uhm. Them doctors entering temple.//
"Anyway, him Air Commander no have treaty with Peru, so him Air Commander's orders mean exactly... nothing," Bambi concludes, smirking smugly.
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