Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jun 28, 2010 21:32:01 GMT -5
Day 7, a different space station than either of the ones the flagships are docked at
The Pinwheel is one of the many orbital space stations scattered in space around Pz-Zazz. As hubs go, it's a bit off the beaten path, but it gets its fair share of traffic, if only because all the public stations do. It's neither as nice nor as run down as some. It is thoroughly mundane.
The Pinwheel is, in fact, known for being one of the 'home' stations of the Space Sanitation Department of Pz-Zazz, which has the very curcial but dangerous job of cleaning space junk out of Pz-Zazz's orbits, lest a stray wrench fell a mighty spaceship.
Among the so nicknamed Pz-Zazz's Strongest, there is a new recruit, Skyblast. He's already done his first few shifts, and he...
...loves this a lot more than he thought he would. Wandering around in space with nothing but a flimsy spacewalk tether tying him to anything, while carrying a micromesh net to clean up micrometeors? This job is stupidly dangerous, lonely, and more than a bit athletic.
He loves it.
Right now, however, Skyblast is sitting alone at a table in the public cafeteria on his lunch break, unwrapping a sort of jelled fuel custard. He's not really sure what it is, and he pokes at it with a finger as he people-watches. Even here, he won't be shocked if he runs into friendlies or uglies.
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jun 29, 2010 19:26:14 GMT -5
Skyblast isn't the only one to have picked up a job picking up trash.
The Decepticons are supposed to play nice with the locals, and looking into something that earns an income certainly isn't frowned on. Meanwhile, Counterpunch is mostly interested in something low key. Most importantly, however, is the fact that going through a person's trash can tell you a lot about that person. The same applies to going through a culture's trash. And though Counterpunch's role is to watch his fellow Decepticons, knowing more about the world they're interacting with should make that easier.
Right at this moment, however, Counterpunch is investigating the trash in Skyblast's net while Skyblast is away at lunch. There were a few pieces that looked particularly interesting, and the net was unattended. He should be done before whoever owns it returns...
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 2, 2010 15:54:59 GMT -5
Easy access to spy satellites is just icing on the cake, right?
Skyblast shrugs and tucks into his weird custard fuel. He's had worse, but this stuff is pretty dense and bland. Skyblast can tell it's going to sit in his fuel tank like a lead weight.
Despite that, he has a light step as he badge-swipes back into the area where the nets are kept and promptly discovers someone looking in his net, on the racks where the nets are gun when not in use. Skyblast puts his hands on his hips and glares up at the taller robot, demanding, "What are you doing? Those nets are fragile! Tear it, and it's useless."
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 2, 2010 18:58:34 GMT -5
Counterpunch straightens. He's not wearing clothing - not for a job that frequently takes him into the vacuum. As a result, the two Decepticon symbols on his chest are visible.
He lifts his head to look at Skyblast, narrows his optics. and shrugs. "Looking at this," he answers, tone short, irritated with the interruption. He looks back down at the device, and growls, "Problem?"
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 3, 2010 16:25:15 GMT -5
Skyblast stares up at Counterpunch for a long moment. Yes, there are other robotic species around that look like them, but this guy is wearing not one, but two Decepticon symbols.
Slowly, deliberately, he raises his hand to his head and smacks his helmet crest with the heel of his hand, swearing, "Blastification!" Skyblast's so arrogant, he takes his own name in vain.
The Decepticon could totally have sabotaged his net somehow so that it will explode when Skyblast goes on EVA, knocking Skyblast out of orbit, forcing him to ride out torrential heat and buffeting forces of re-entry, and that...
...would be freaking awesome.
So Skyblast shrugs and just cautions, "Look, just be gentle with the net, okay? Do you have a 'not death kill maim destroy ravage explode' setting? Use that one."
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 4, 2010 13:24:35 GMT -5
Counterpunch glances down at Skyblast. Correction. Counterpunch glowers down at Skyblast, but briefly.
"I have one setting," he growls. He's lying, but then, nearly everything he says, ever, is a lie. He's very good at it.
He pockets the item he had removed from Skyblast's net. "Unfortunately, we're under orders to..." his optics narrow and the small bit of his nose that's visible curls in disgust, "play nice here."
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 4, 2010 22:17:45 GMT -5
"And just what is that setting, hmm?" Skyblast asks, a slightly smirk quirking over his features. He checks over his net and is apparently satisfied. Then, he looks over at Counterpunch and frowns. "You're a... car?"
Counterpunch not being made out of blades makes that harder for Skyblast to figure out.
Tossing his net over his shoulder, he sashays over to the duty roster to check what he's up for next, and he notes that he's in for a big haul this time, pieces of a ruined spaceship, big enough to be majorly hazardous but worthless enough that the salvage firms won't touch them. Big enough job that he's been assigned a partner, and he turns and asks aloud of the other workers who are bustling about, "Hey, which one of you is Counterpunch?"
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 4, 2010 22:52:25 GMT -5
"The setting that thinks you ask too damn many questions," Counterpunch growls out as he follows Skyblast to the duty roster.
He doesn't even bother to answer the question about what he turns into. Because really, answering questions just encourages more questions!
At Skyblast's question, he stiffens. Then he clenches his fists and yells, "Dammit!"
Working with an Autobot and not being allowed to attack him will be difficult. But at the least, he can make it very clear that he's unhappy about it.
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 5, 2010 11:04:06 GMT -5
"Oh, but I can't help it!" Skyblast teases back playfully, "You're just so terribly fascinating, you know, those aerodynamic," actually 'areodynamitc', but whatever, "lines."
Skyblast turns, twisting his head and torso around to give Counterpunch an appraising look, and then Counterpunch outs himself as Skyblast's partner for this mission. He coos, "Oh Counterpunch, I know it's going to be hard on you, being from the wrong faction to ask me out for a few shots after work, but if you really play nice, well..." Skyblast trails off and smirks.
He heads for the airlock, chattering, "I go by a lots of things, though never 'pookie', but as we've just met, you may call me Skyblast. Any experience working in zero-G before this, or do I need to see you on the road to see you at your best? Because baby, you look like you're made to move rather than just stand still, am I right?"
If he can't shank the Decepticon with his lance, Skyblast can flirt with the Decepticon until Counterpunch feels distinctly uncomfortable!
(Poor Counterpunch may end up wondering why he bothers aiding the Autobots in the first place.)
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 5, 2010 20:18:02 GMT -5
Counterpunch turns to stare at Skyblast for a moment.
"Are you... attempting to fraternize with me?" he asks, incredulous.
He mentally tags Skyblast as a potential traitor (well, all right, he tags all Autobots as potential traitors, but Skyblast goes up a few notches in likelihood) . He'll definitely be included as an Autobot to watch in Punch's next report to command.
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 5, 2010 23:45:03 GMT -5
Skyblast ponders that question, rubbing his chin, net over one shoulder, and after a beat, he smiles and answers brightly, "I'd like to do more than attempt."
Skyblast is mostly just devil-may-care, but if asked, he'd say that a Decepticon who is stoically enduring Skyblast's bad pickup lines is a Decepticon not off murdering the world.
"But anyway, what kinda zero-G experience you got?" Skyblast continues, heading off toward the airlock, rather nonchalant.
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 6, 2010 17:51:07 GMT -5
Counterpunch continues to stare at Skyblast for a moment more, still uncomprehending. Finally, he growls out, "I don't fraternize." He turns and walks alongside Skyblast sullenly. Finally, he shrugs.
"A few battles here and there.1 Asteroids more than anything - minimal G more than zero." He leaves it at that, not adding that he's not really optimized for zero-g environment. That would be giving out tactical information to an Autobot, after all.
(He only does that as Punch.)
1 G1 cartoon characters tended to have periodic space battles, or at least asteroid battles, in S3, the season that Counterpunch was pulled from. Counterpunch would have been 'background filler' during some of these
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 6, 2010 22:26:43 GMT -5
"Oh," Skyblast replies, then adds cheerily, after a beat, "Why not?"
He accepts Counterpunch's answer and waits for Counterpunch to join him in the airlock, tapping his foot impatiently. He'll see how the Decepticon really is, out there among the stars.
This body isn't that good for space. Skyblast has been thinking about scanning a small satellite, but that would make things way too easy, and he can't have that.
|
|
Counterpunch
Minor
The Overlord, His Peerless Highness, Arch Duke Counterpunch. The Salient Vanquisher of His Own Mind
What're you looking at?
Posts: 419
|
Post by Counterpunch on Jul 6, 2010 22:50:31 GMT -5
"Because you're all idiots who interfere with the natural order of things!" He snaps, following Skyblast into the airlock.
He's about to be locked into a small space with this guy, isn't he?
He crosses his arms and glowers as best he can given that he has relatively little face.
|
|
Nimbus Tsura
Major
Secretary to Mr. Breakaway
Sky-Painter Extraordinaire
Posts: 735
|
Post by Nimbus Tsura on Jul 7, 2010 14:12:21 GMT -5
"Sweetie, nature was made to be improved upon," Skyblast answers, laughing.
The airlock door hisses shut, and the air starts to empty out of the airlock, pumps whining. As the air thins, the whine gets harder and harder to hear.
|
|