Common Knowledge: Hook

[Long Haul]

Long Haul stands in front of the camera looking down. He scuffs his right foot against the ground, then clasps his hands in front of him. Finally, he manages to speak.

"Hook. Uhm. He's over there. Is- used to be one of my teammates. My workmates. Back in Crystal City. Before he brought it-" he cuts off, then looks up at the camera. "Sorry. I can't do this." Then he turns and walks off camera. Not long later, it's shut off.

[Perceptor]

There's a few seconds of empty fill before the picture snaps back on, this time showing Perceptor, his expression at it's most studiously even.

"Near the beginning - or, rather the re-initiation - of the most recent war from what Kup has come to call the 'Perceptor Reality', there existed a rather well known and highly skilled team of builders and engineers. Their most notable work, at that time, was the design, construction, and maintenance of Crystal City, known as a marvel for its beauty and innovation."

"This team of six individuals included Long Haul, as well as Scavenger, Scrapper, Mixmaster, Bonecrusher, and Hook."

"Prior to the destruction of Crystal City, these individuals - who would some day come to be known as the first Decepticon gestalt team, the Constructicons - had taken no official side in the growing conflict that would become the resurgence of a war once thought ended. It is from this time period that Long Haul is taken."

"The newly risen Decepticon warlord Megatron, however, sought to harness the combined abilities of the soon-to-be Constructicons by utilizing a device of his design called the Robosmasher. This device was responsible for reprogramming the once neutral construction-oriented group to that of a close-knit Decepticon combat team under Megatron's command. Additional modifications were completed, creating Devestator, the first ever gestalt."

"Keeping these alterations a secret, the Constructicons returned to their duties at Crystal City, and, through trickery and deception, betrayed the Guardian charged with protecting the city - Omega Supreme. Sending Omega Supreme away with a falsified report of another city that had been under attack and required assistance, the Constructicons destroyed Crystal City in his absence, and then set a trap to attempt to utilize the Robosmasher upon Omega Supreme at his return."

"This plot was only partially successful; Omega Supreme firmly remains an Autobot to this day."

"As Long Haul is taken from before these events, his allegiance lies with the Autobots. Hook, however, is taken from long after these events, resulting in Decepticons having a formidable engineer to call upon."

"Hook is not to be underestimated. Even without the rest of his gestalt-mates, he is an utterly brilliant surgical engineer with a cold and devious mind. He is, unlike Starscream, clever enough to keep his agendas hidden until the most advantageous moment, and thus cannot be trusted, even if cooperation appears to be to his benefit."

"While Hook's primary function specializes in engineering, close association with the other Constructicons over the millennia may have afforded Hook a much diversified skill set. If a structure, from something as small as a hand-held weapon, to something as large as a city, is needed to be designed and constructed, Hook is more than capable of doing or supervising all aspects of such a project. He is also a perfectionist by nature, which, combined with his significant skills makes for a formidable opponent and resource for the Decepticons."

"Although not as large, maneuverable, or heavily armed as other Decepticons, Hook is not to be underestimated. He is far more dangerous in a workshop or laboratory than in combat, even without the support of the other Constructicons."

"In appearance, Hook is shares characteristics with Long Haul: coloration - lime green with purple accents - although Hook is possessed of red, rather than blue optics in robot mode. His alternate mode is that of an Earth-style crane. Both forms are capable of lifting significant weights. Like all Decepticons from the 'Perceptor Reality', Hook is capable of robot-mode flight. Additionally, like all mechanisms from my reality, Hook has access to subspace and should be considered armed even if outward appearance indicates otherwise."

Perceptor pauses a moment, and then steps off camera; the picture fades to that of Hook in alternate mode, the distinctive crane boom half deployed. After ten seconds, the image fades to black.

[Kup]

A transcribed-text note from Kup has been attached to this file.

"Hook used to be second in command over on the Decepticon side. When Shockwave arrived, he got demoted to third.

"Hook's a very proud mechanoid. You might want to try rubbing his demotion in his face during battle."

[Skyfire]

"I'd like to add that Hook has a still well-deserved reputation as one of Cybertron's finest cybersurgeons. I watched him do a complete and succesful core transplant in the field, with only his own personal toolkit and my ship's power to provide emergency life support. He seemed to take Midnight's critical condition as a personal challenge, and would not give up on him."