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Post by Needlenose on Dec 21, 2010 13:44:04 GMT -5
"Mmmmmm... yes and no. I guess could be is the key word here," Needlenose tilts his head and considers, perhaps focusing a bit too much attention on the topic - which would explain why the waspyturner manages to slam into needlespeeder's fender. Needlenose works to recover even as he talks... recover, and veer his own car right into waspyturner's path!
"First, since both sides know that we're capable of doing that, one of the first things we'll when we take a rebel base," because obviously the Autobots are rebels now, even if it was the Decepticons who were at the start, "is check the the computer system, comb through what data we can steal from it, including from the dormant code of anyone's save-states, and then usually slag the system, though some times the save-states are kept for experiment purposes. Knowing that we do that alone keeps some people from making back-ups." The thought of someone essentially mind-raping or experimenting on a copy of a person's brain, whether the person is dead or alive when it happens, is a pretty creepy thought! "Both sides have rules against the high-rankers or folks in the more sensitive positions doing so because of that, too. For example, Mayhems aren't authorized for back-ups, which means you guys may well be dealing with Duskwing and Misfire long after I'm slag." Needlenose straightens up, his antenna perking right up, and he rather cheerfully asides, "Really, I see that as more your misfortune than mine!"
"But besides that, we've got factories for recycling those we capture, and for whatever reason, we've never seen duplicates of someone who's been recycled. Not sure why, it's kind of like that deal I mentioned where copies of someone still alive doesn't seem to work." He shrugs.
OOC: Just as an FYI in case anyone is wondering where I'm getting a lot of this stuff from, a lot of this is a combination of things we've seen in Marvel canon and some fanon conclusions based on it, and has been talked over among the Admin. The conclusions were made both to balance what was seen in the comics with game-balance issues. Supporting events/concepts: Marvel Decepticons do have recycling factories; both Optimus Prime and Tracks are brought back to life from back-ups (Optimus Prime's back-up was done by a human and without his permission or the permission of any Autobots); Marvel Transformers are established to have souls 'divine sparks' from their creators; Optimus has shown hints of being able to remember things that happened to his body after he died, despite having a completely new body; Marvel Universe characters appear to normally need a 'soul source,' usually the Matrix, sometimes the Matrix Flame. Our conclusions: Once a soul gets attached to a person's 'code', a copy of that code can be used to 'recall' the soul if the person is dead at the time. If the person's not dead, running the code copy does no good, so we don't have to worry about someone overrunning the game with, say, Duskwing clones. Decepticon factories recycle lifeforce, so that it's no longer available for recall.
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 22, 2010 12:43:14 GMT -5
Watching the split screen for exactly this sort of recovery and tactic, Waspytuner simply eats some nos and leaps away from Needlespeeder with twin lines of burning rubber happily blazing away on the ash felt.
“Wait! Experimenting on save statez? And prizzoner rezycling factoriez? What else should Wazzpinator know?” If Waspinator was a little quicker and perhaps less shocked, he would have tried to make his tone more casual and curious, instead his tone revealed the fact he really didn’t know what atrocities his associates had committed.
Oh Autobot command had put out all sorts of anti Decepticon propaganda but that was the issue, Wasp had always figured it was just propaganda, the sort of history that only the victor gets to write, he didn’t think that the ‘traitorous rebels’ were as evil as the books and teacher said.
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 22, 2010 14:05:59 GMT -5
"About what?" asks Needlenose, genuinely confused. "They had denied us access to the usual means of making new Transformers! What were we supposed to do, sit on our thumbs and give them victory through attrition? As if! They took our means to reproduce, we made another!"
In Waspinator's reality, when the Autobots denied the Decepticons the device used to make more Transformers, the Decepticons took off into space to go find it (presumably turning what was 'the Autobots' problem' into 'the rest of the galaxy's problem'). In Needlenose's reality, they just found a new method that happened to involve killing more Autobots.
But Needlenose is one of the friendly ones! Really!
While Needlenose's car isn't that great for curves, he seems to be rather practiced at compensating, managing well timed slow downs and accelerations at the few straight stretches that are there - and occasionally rolling right over pedestrians to do so. The strategy seems to be working, as he's managing to close the gap between the two.
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 23, 2010 2:01:29 GMT -5
Indeed making road kill did add a satisfying squelch and the points was always a bonus. The Waspytuner round a tight ‘S’ bend and right into the path of an oncoming truck, right, traffic, he had forgotten about that, he only hoped he could recover fast enough to ram the Needlespeeder in the next corner.
Waspinator had to admit the technique of killing off Autobots and bringing them back as brand spanking new Decepticons was logical, but it did ring cold in his spark. He’d always thought that the ‘cons in his reality used protoforms like the ‘bots did, but he’d never really put much effort into his studies, he didn’t want to look like a nerd after all.
“So what wazz usual meanz?” Another idea went click in Waspinator’s processor, are Decepticons built to be only Decepticons with no choice in their allegiance? After millennia in the stockades, Waspinator had come to vehemently hate the idea of lack of freedom.
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 23, 2010 10:21:11 GMT -5
Oh, they get a choice. And if they make the wrong choice, the Mayhems gently remind them of the error of their ways!
Needlenose manages to swerve away from the ram, but that sends him onto the sidewalk, where he runs over several pedestrians (not so bad) and through a fire hydrant which, unfortunately, slows him down.
He shrugs. "The usual means? Build a body, provide life force with the Matrix or the Matrix flame. The Matrix can provide for more robots faster, but that idiot Optimus took it with him when he went to take his four million nap, and then after he committed suicide over a video game," Needlenose loves that story, "the Autobots shot his body into space with the Matrix in it! Really, it seems obvious to me that they can't be trusted with these things!"
Autobots are very bad about shooting their powerful procreational artifacts (or just powerful artifacts in general) into space. This is true across a number of realities, including both Needlenose's and Waspinator's.
"They've still got the Matrix flame, but they've managed to keep that hidden from us."
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 23, 2010 16:49:29 GMT -5
“Itz official, Autobotz are Slag Headz”.
Waspinator was concentrating very hard on the game now, he completely messed up hitting the group of six orange clad monks and getting the huge 50k ‘Guranga’ bonus.
“Wazzpinator want to hear more about Prime suicide and thiz Matrix Flame, Autobotz here have it or back in old Verze?”
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 23, 2010 18:20:19 GMT -5
"Okay! Okay!" Needlenose answers cheerfully, even bouncing a little in his seat. "Oh, man, I love this story! Mind you, I wasn't there, so I don't have all the details... anyway, you gotta understand, this was my reality's Optimus Prime, which makes him a bit different from the little one we got here - your reality's, I do believe. See, in my reality, 'Prime' is the title for the person who carries the Matrix I told you about, so we've only got one of them, and Optimus is head of the Autobot military. Powerful robot. Can go toe to toe with our Megatron. But anyway, our 'Cons were trying to grab some sort energy generator from a human science complex or military complex or something like that, and the Autobots, party poopers that they are, tried to stop them. Some how or another, one of the humans there got both sides to agree to duke it out inside a video game. Like, not just playing the video game, but plugging their minds in so that it seemed real. Leader of the losing side dies! I think they were wired up with bombs or some such.
"I'm thinking I remember hearing that Megatron had figured out some of the cheat codes, which was why he agreed to it all. Figured he had an easy way to off the Autobot military leader, you know? But despite knowing the cheat codes, he still managed to lose, which mostly just goes to show how monumentally bad at video games Megatron must be! But, even though Megatron lost, Optimus Prime insisted that the kid kill him instead! Insisted! See, in order to win, Optimus had to sacrifice some in-game NPCs," Needlenose adds while running over a digital woman pushing a baby carriage. "He said if he'd be willing to do that in-game, he'd be willing to do that in real life, which makes no sense at all, but that's a Prime for you, and anyway, that if he'd be willing to do something like that, he doesn't deserve to call it a victory. So obviously the right thing to do is to leave his own side without a military leader in a war time situation, right? Wrong! But he insisted anyway, so the kid blew him up, and the Autobots shot his body into space!"
"He came back later. Turns out the kid had made an unauthorized back-up copy of his brain. But that's beside the point."1
He whips around a curve, cheerfully running through a pack of school children as he picks up speed and attempts to pass Waspinator.
"Anyway, the Matrix Flame is just a mystic fire doohicky thing that lets the Autobots know that the Matrix is okay, or something like that. Never been much of a religious sort. But because it's tied to the Matrix... kind of a little piece of it, you know? Because of that, it can be used to provide life force for new robots. I don't think the Autobots have one here, but I'm pretty sure the Rodimus Prime they've got has the Matrix itself."
1 Needlenose is not making any of this up. The Marvel comics were some pretty wild crack sometimes.
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 24, 2010 18:24:55 GMT -5
It sounded like the Autobots were better off without some emo Prime in command anyway.
“Soo Autobotz have matrix and thuzz can make more, we have zip right? Are Decepticonz getting slagged through attrition again?” Waspinator thought no wonder the ‘badguys’ were the ‘badguys’, what else could they do versus the Autobots superior numbers.
Yesterday’s interview had him answering all the questions, and today, he spent most his time enjoying freedom, not perusing the Decepticon files so he wasn’t yet as up-to-date as possible.
Back home, if he knew his stuff right, the ‘cons were outright built to win wars, stronger, tougher, faster and better armed than most ‘bots ever imagined. They were only ousted because the ‘bots brought superior numbers and teamwork. Denying the ‘cons one means to procreate was a major tactical advantage.
The Waspytuner rammed his way through some roadworks, hopefully the spectacular mess left in his wake should slow the competition down enough for the Waspytuner to complete the first lap in 1st place. Though it lost him a precious couple of seconds, he veered to hit more organic on the footpath. It was one of the small joys of video games that he probably wouldn’t try in real life – had he still been a car.
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 24, 2010 19:26:55 GMT -5
"Oh, sure," Needlenose deadpans. "We're just completely getting our afterburners kicked, what with their constant influx of new robots and the fact that we don't manage to get in any new recruits from anywhere, such as, oh, say, strange boulders picked up on the planet some of us initially arrived on or anything." He glances sidelong at Waspinator and snorts. "Come on, now, think. Neither side needs to make new troopers as long as a steady stream keeps showing up in our rock room! Really, most damage either of us could do to the other side is steal their meteorites from them, and even then, there are still folks showing up back on Gillanan!"1
While Waspyturner does finish the first lap in first place, Needlespeedster takes advantage of Waspinator's swerve onto the footpath to surge ahead, pulling neck and neck with the other car.
1 NPCs, but yes, it's assumed that there are still Transformers back on the original arrival planet. Some of them are also dropped characters.
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 24, 2010 22:55:55 GMT -5
Waspinator gave Needlenose a look right back, probably not the right way to react to a Mayhem, but then he’s still got a lot to learn. “What? It make tactical sense for the treacherous ‘botz to up their numberz any chance they got. Wazzpinator still working thingz out here, frag, Wazzpinator never even met Dezepticon before yezzterday.” He continued on, gesturing with his vestigial arms, “we at war, or juzt unfriendly neighbourz? ‘Botz pretend to be nize, ‘Conz pretend to be nize, maybe ‘Botz are making big secret army, we all slag tomorrow.” He shrugged, it took a bigger processor than his to have a solid grip in this universe after only one day, especially after all that coffee-milk.
The Waspytuner went to ram the Needlespedster once more but had to swerve instead to avoid a head-on with an oncoming little red and rather attractive sports car. He incidentally got the ‘Guranga’ bonus he’d missed earlier but Needlenose had the lead – until the next corner anyway.
OOC: So many red underlines everytime Waspy speaks
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 25, 2010 12:37:19 GMT -5
"At war but playing nice to fool the locals," Needlenose answers, now slowing down for a corner. He pulls in close to the inside as the turn starts, driving on the sidewalk, but as the turn continues drifts further and further outside. As he goes on, he sounds more like he's thinking out loud than actually talking to Waspinator. "Even if they have the Matrix, resources are still a problem, and... hmm, Primes don't traditionally use the Matrix to just pump out warrior after warrior, but this isn't a traditional Prime, is it? More Punk Kid Prime. And they're probably getting DOAs like we are, but a lot of our DOAs wouldn't have to stay that way if we did have the Matrix..."
Finally, he says, louder, "All right, Waspinator, I'll concede that you've got a pretty good point! I'll bring the possibility up to Lord Shockwave, but I wouldn't really suggest getting too tied up in knots over this unless we get some sort of hint that they're actually pulling something like it!"
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 26, 2010 1:02:59 GMT -5
Waspinator’s antennae quirked that Needlenose actually considered his idea being worth something. With his ego just slightly stroked, he lay on the couch with just a fraction more dignity. “There izz no worriezz, juzzt more targetz” he said cheerfully, every Autobot arrival just meant another chance one could be Bumblebot. He smiled even more when he finally overtook on the inside of the corner putting him rightfully back in first place, he then rammed a car into the Needlespedster’s way just for good measure.
“How much doez intel know ‘bout ‘Botz? Or izz their Security tight?” Waspinator was just generally curious; he knew he didn’t have clearance for anything specific.
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 26, 2010 13:06:48 GMT -5
"Iiiiii'm thinking that's a question you're better off asking Intel. Or maaaaaybe not at all?" Needlenose replies, glancing sidelong at Waspinator. He shrugs. "If you do ask, they'll tell you what you need to know and then tell you to go away. But since someone will tell you what you need to know even if you don't ask... catch my meaning? 'Course, if you're thinking you can help, maybe sharpen your skills in that arena for the benefit of the cause... by all means, go talk to someone."
Needlenose knows the advantages and disadvantages of his Needlespeedster, so as the car is rammed into his way, rather than swerving around it he hits the gas, surging ahead of it instead. Of course, since he's going into a turn, this forces him to overcompensate to recover - running right through a fire hydrant slows him back down even as it sends a spray of water everywhere.
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Post by Waspinator on Dec 26, 2010 14:12:24 GMT -5
“Hmm, Wazzpinator az double agent…mmmaybe not”. Waspinator’s processor barely had enough cycles dedicated to the idea before the likely hood of abysmal failure got processed, he didn’t want both sides trying to slag him, that sort of mess was best left to other Waspinators less Megacool ™ than him.
He chuckled as the Needlespedster drove through the fire hydrant; the graphics of the water spray were quite good. Still, he was mildly impressed that his opponent was keeping up on the tight curvaceous track. He should probably say as much, probably. “Wazzpinator hope Mayhem Jet fly better than drive” but instead he chose to gently tease.
OOC: Waspinator as a double agent could really let Waspy see both sides for himself, opens up another possible route for the player’s ambivalence. “I used to be ambivalent, now I’m not so sure”.
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Post by Needlenose on Dec 26, 2010 18:38:11 GMT -5
"Mayhem jet flies a lot better than big bug, I'll tell you that much!" Needlenose boasts as he swings around another corner - too wide, as it turns out, which sends him skidding into a building before his car bounces off, several new dents now in place. He's an excellent gamer, but here the handicap of running a car just flat not good for the track may well prove to be too much for him!
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