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Post by Mirage on Jul 7, 2010 13:23:59 GMT -5
Mirage cocks his head, a serious look on his face as he examines the terrain mock up. Rodimus will have more of an advantage than he realizes; Mirage has never even seen snow and ice before, and he is no elf who can stride across snow drifts and leave no print. Yes, it will make tracking Rodimus easier, perhaps- but not by much.
Terrain is terrain, however, and Mirage can adapt. He memorizes the layout as it stands. Several good hiding places, and places to trap...
The spy smirks as Rodimus tells Mirage where he will be starting. That was an advantage the Prime needn't have shared. At the very least, he could have waited until Mirage chose his starting point.
"That goal is acceptable. I'll start along the canyon crest, in this area," he runs his finger along he canyon edge, about a third of the way down from Rodimus's position but between the Prime and the cave. "That will simulate my arriving on site and beginning the search. I'll have to make my way down and cast for sign, which will give you those few minutes of start I mentioned."
"Shall we?"
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 7, 2010 13:45:39 GMT -5
Rodimus gives a single sharp nod of his head, taps the panel three times, and suddenly Mirage is in the location he had indicated with Rodimus no where in sight. In truth, the Prime is no farther than he was before, but the room employs a number of sophisticated illusions to allow the both of them to perceive themselves as being in the locations they had chosen.
The first thing Rodimus does is sprint towards the nearby river, ice-covered in this spot. He tests the surface gently and frowns, then runs out onto it anyway, moving as quick as he can and never staying in one spot for long. Behind him, a few cracks snake out along the surface, but so far he manages to avoid plunging through.
It would be horrible if he falls in, after all. It's not as if he's been known to drive underwater on alien planets or anything.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 7, 2010 15:44:30 GMT -5
Mirage takes a few moments to get his bearings, frowning as the cold registers and wind blows a bit of snow across his vision. It's drift from the rocky canyon wall, not snowfall, but it still makes a distraction. The cold and wind will make tracking harder, even if the pristine white field will show tracks like neon paint.
The sound of ice cracking carries well in the frozen wastes, and the spy turns his head in the direction of his prey's starting point.
He finds a switch back trail and begins to descend into the canyon. he walks lightly, disturbing the ice and snow as little as possible. He employs his cloak for the descent, knowing that his dark blue paint will stand out loudly against the canyon wall.
Not so loudly as Rodimus's paint, however.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 7, 2010 22:30:56 GMT -5
Rodimus makes it off the ice and continues to dash towards the opposite wall, although he's now running as 'light' as he can, avoiding extra noise.
He reaches the cliff wall and touches it lightly, looks up, and then nods. Then he begins to run alongside it for a distance.
The snow seems packed in well enough to avoid an avalanche as long as he's careful, but one good shot should bring it all down. Bad if Mirage is the one doing the shooting, but good for creating sudden blockages or burying opponents - even if he himself gets buried in the process.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 8, 2010 10:13:05 GMT -5
Mirage reaches the canyon floor, just a handful of minutes after Rodimus passed along the area. The Prime had been hidden from Mirage's view by the edge of the very trail the spy used down, and the Prime's quiet footsteps muffled by the downdrafts which buffeted the spy on his climb down.
Light as the Prime runs, however, he still leaves a semblance of tracks. Some of the tracks are blown over by drifting snow, but a slightly deeper impression here, a pattern there...Mirage kneels to examine the tracks, familiarizing himself with the Prime's mark. Moving in a low crouch, Mirage continues on.
He's running. Not full out, but still running. Possibly counting on speed and distance, since I'll be playing catch-up. Wait... Mirage stops to examine a set of tracks, then looks up at the canyon wall, These tracks are deeper...a pause here. He reaches out to examine recently disturbed snow on the wall. Testing the grain... the firmness maybe? Hrm....
Mirage can follow, attempt to catch up, or he can attempt to get ahead of Rodimus and lie in wait. Either is a valid tactic. But tracking Rodimus can tell Mirage so much.... A moment to cycle his cloak, and the spy follows, though his pace increases.
//It occurs to me- what qualifies as a capture? I am not strong enough to subdue you physically. I could certainly incapacitate you with rifle fire but...//
Yeah, shooting up someone you want to sex up only works as a flirtation tactic in bad romance fics.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 8, 2010 11:52:32 GMT -5
Rodimus continues to run for a short distance, until he hits an area where the cliff side is more cliff and less snow. He glances up, spying a ledge overhead, then looks around. He can't spot Mirage, but that doesn't always mean anything. It's Mirage. On the other hand, he can't spot any footprints beyond his own just yet, either.
He leaps, grabbing a hand hold, and starts to scramble up the cliff face. This'll leave him vulnerable and open for a short while, but so does staying in the canyon bottom, and he's pretty sure he remembered seeing a cave mouth somewhere along this particular ledge.
//What? You mean you've never had to subdue a mark stronger than you are?// He pauses. //I suppose I should have let you pick out a few tools of the trade before we got started.// Ropes. Nets. Chains. Y'know. //Guess you're just going to have to improvise with what's available,// he adds smuggly.
As Rodimus climbs, he does reflect that he'll have to cross tactics that leave both him and Mirage buried by an avalanche off his list. Trapped is captured, buried by snow is trapped, and getting your enemy to defeat himself is a valid route to a win.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 8, 2010 22:24:06 GMT -5
//Rodimus...you are remembering that at the time of my displacement, the war hadn't even been a world-wide event for a century, aren't you, and that I've been a soldier for less than half that time? I've always been used strictly as an intel gatherer, and the extent of my 'hunting' an actual person has been shadowing them for that reason.//
In other words, Rodimus gets to be Mirage's first.
//I'm perfectly confident in my ability to find you, and even to capture you in some manner. I simply....wished to know the parameters. You're not a turbofox on my estate, that I can simply shoot out of hand.//
Mirage's head comes up. The sound of falling rock- ice maybe?- and then a faint scrabbling...very faint. Could be a trick of the wind and echo. Could be Rodimus heading up.
Given the softeness, Mirage is betting on the latter. And the sounds aren't that far away from the spy's location. Mirage considers his options, then dashes, cloaked, lightly across the frozen river. The ice creaks, but Mirage is lighter than the Prime, and he avoids cracking the surface.
He edges along the canyon wall, but watches the far wall. If Rodimus is scaling the cliffs, that flame-colored plating will stand out like a sore thumb.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 8, 2010 23:17:26 GMT -5
Rodimus really doesn't tend to remember that, largely because it's mind-boggling to him that he has so much more combat experience than Mirage.
He's supposed to be the young one, dammit!
//Actually, erm, I... I knew that! But I tend not to think about it. //
//But I don't want to set too many specific parameters. That'll hinder you more than help you, Mirage. It'll limit your options.//
He finally reaches the ledge and pulls himself onto it. Then he's immediately up again and running, heading further up-canyon, towards the nearest tunnel entrance.
He'll be inside it in moments.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 9, 2010 0:03:21 GMT -5
Mirage is older than Rodimus, but in terms of life experience, Rodimus is very much the senior.
There's a considerable pause before Mirage answers Rodimus. This is because the spy is concentrating on locating the source of those faint noises.
Ah. Hmmm.
There's a jumble of snow and ice covered boulders balanced precariously above the ledge Rodimus is using, just before the tunnel mouth. Mirage lifts his rifle, and sights in on what looks to be a keystone piece.
//Very well. Then I'll simply have to take the options that present themselves.//
Mirage waits until Rodimus is but a few paces from the jumble. He fires, three times in rapid succession, obliterating the rock and starting the mass sliding over the ledge.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 9, 2010 8:28:42 GMT -5
Rodimus's optics open wide and his head snaps up as the rock slide begins, heading towards him. Without hesitation, he begins to sprint... forward, towards the rock slide, as he tries to reach the tunnel before it's cut off.
For a moment it looks like he's not going to make it - the debris starts to slide past the tunnel mouth, forcing Rodimus to run across it, jumping and vaulting through unstable ground, sometimes setting a foot down on top of a rolling rock for just long enough to propel himself forward until he reaches the entrance to the tunnel and dives in. Moments later, it's blocked.
Probably not the best option, he reflects as he transforms and starts to drive down the tunnel. This one has at least two other exits, and he thought he saw another smaller one on the map, but if those get closed off, he's trapped and he'll have lost. It's why he rolls for it now, even though his vehicle mode is louder. It's also faster, and he needs to get back out of the tunnels as soon as he can.
Over the radio, though, his tone is actually encouraging. //Now, see? That's the idea!//
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Post by Mirage on Jul 9, 2010 20:39:58 GMT -5
Mirage smiles grimly, but he doesn't linger to admire his handiwork. No, the spy takes only enough time to make sure Rodimus actually makes it into the tunnel.
Which is exactly where Mirage wants the Prime.
He's off, sprinting back across the ice, then transforming and racing down the riverbank (as best he can race as a precision vehicle on hard packed ice and snow), heading toward the tunnel exit that is closest to the goal cave.
Mirage isn't worried about stealth here, but speed. If Mirage can beat Rodimus to that opening, he can block it, and force Rodimus back down the tunnel to one of the other exits, almost back where he started. Rodimus might try his luck with some of the natural vertical shafts and fissures which let a bit of light into the tunnels, but most of those won't be large enough to one his size.
//So...were you more angry at me for what I said, or the fact that I am too perceptive?//
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 9, 2010 22:58:28 GMT -5
//You can be perceptive if you keep it to yourself,// Rodimus answers, tone shading more snappish than before. //You just... won't leave me alone about that! Why won't you just accept that I don't want a relationship right now!// he adds, exasperated, as he rolls through the tunnels.
He never was heading towards the entrance closest to the goal cave - that would be too obvious - and is, in fact, keeping watch on those vertical shafts. Most of them aren't large enough.
Most, but not all.
He rolls through a larger than normal pool of light, then screeches to a stop. He transforms and jobs back into the light, then looks up, judging it.
He leaps against the tunnel wall and then pushes himself up into the shaft. There, he braces him against opposite side and uses them to scurry towards open air. This one'll be a tight fit, but it should be close enough... at worse, he might have to break off the edges of the exit to get through.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 9, 2010 23:25:14 GMT -5
Mirage makes it to the tunnel mouth that he wishes to block, and sets about causing another cave-in. Even if Rodimus finds another way out, blocking this one prevents the Prime using it as cover, later.
Rather than climb back down, Mirage climbs up as it's a shorter distance, and he'll be able to run in vehicle mode up top as well. Unless he has reason not to, like a flame-colored helm peeking out from the ice.
He does grimace as he pulls himself over the edge. He really hates to bring this all up with Rodimus now. But...it serves two purposes. One, it makes them talk about things, without their having to be face to face. Two....Rodimus is a very volitle being, despite how much he tries to reign in his temper. An upset and angry Rodimus should be a Rodimus off balance.
Mirage really does intend to win.
//Commenting on your obvious feeling for your Arcee and your Springer is not pushing you for a relationship, Rodimus, and it isn't your rejection of such a thing that upset me back at the club. It's that too many times, despite the fact that you were obviously enjoying my company and you were obviously attracted to me, you looked at me as if you expected me to shove a knife through your chest.//
//What in Primus's name am I in your reality, that the idea of letting me, specifically me, close to you frightens you so badly?//
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 10, 2010 18:34:06 GMT -5
Rodimus does not peek his head out as soon as he gets to the top. He pauses just before he would be visible and hesitates, frowning and listening. Mirage is sneaky enough that Rodimus figures he's not likely to hear him, but the Boy Prime figures it's worth a shot before making himself vulnerable.
That, and it gives him a chance to collect his thoughts. There's a moment of hesitation, but... Mirage does deserve to know this, and besides, he was never ordered not to tell anyone about him.
He sighs over the radio. //It's not... it's not my reality's version of you that's the problem, Mirage,// he admits.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 10, 2010 22:16:21 GMT -5
Mirage does run in vehicle mode for a bit, and the faint sound of his engine might carry with the wind. He doesn't run that way long however, only until he gets close to the original cave mouth. Then, Mirage transforms back into robot mode, cloaks, and continues down toward the other exit. He's moving swiftly, but he's also being careful. Rodimus would have to either still be in the tunnel below Mirage's feet or have come out up top. Either way, caution is called for.
He stops to rest his cloak behind a clump of rock.
//What then?// Mirage sounds honestly puzzled, //I know I can be oblivious sometimes, but I really don't think I've done anything to cause such a reaction.//
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