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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 18, 2008 20:52:53 GMT -5
OOC: Takes place on DZ-3 Day 10, after Skyfire-3 takes off to pick up Mirage-3 and Swerve-3.
Skyfire is gone -- the explorer took off far too fast for Thundercracker to board or even hope to catch up. The Seeker is on his own.
The thought doesn't please him, as one might assume such freedom would. If anything, it terrifies him. No Skyfire means no protector from any Autobot who's bored and wants a punching bag or practice dummy. And though there's still that small part of him that loathes Skyfire, there's also that ever-growing part that has come to depend on him for safety, for stability.
He's currently lurking in the trees, hoping to keep out of sight until Skyfire returns.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 21, 2008 17:20:49 GMT -5
Dead End found himself patrolling the perimeter after explaining his analysis of everyone's likely performance in the upcoming battle one too many times. Really, people were just too sensitive; it wasn't like he'd insulted anyone's skills or courage! He'd only--
Hmm, that was interesting. Local trees did not have blue leaves that were metallic and the size of a small house. In fact, the shape and the colors looked distinctly familiar.
Forcefields imperceptibly energized, Dead End drove toward the peculiar tree. The dark red Porsche rolled up and said, "Thundercracker, whatever are you doing there? I didn't think you liked organic vegetation."
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 21, 2008 22:32:13 GMT -5
Spotted? Oh dear...
Thundercracker jumps slightly and turns to face that voice... that very familiar voice. Dead End? The Stunticon warrior has made it here? Wait... no, these Decepticons are not like his Decepticons. They're reversed... they're like the Autobots, sadistic and power-mad...
And what is this Dead End like? No longer respectful of life, but perhaps a crazed killer...
He flails briefly, trying to retreat deeper into the trees, but F-15s aren't exactly built for navigating through vegetation. He only succeeds in tangling himself up in the branches. Dead End might catch sight of his wings, devoid of any sigil, or he might not.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 22, 2008 8:05:44 GMT -5
Dead End was not a detective like Nightbeat-1, nor was he blessed with superior powers of visual observation like Fleetwind. He tended to depend on his radar, which showed him the shape of a Seeker. Morbid apathy as a lifestyle didn't make him the most socially observant of mechs, either.
Thundercracker's traditional contempt toward things that drove instead of flew had not endeared him to the Stunticons, but Thundercracker here, on Gillanan III, had earned enough contempt from higher-ups due to his mishaps to perhaps earn a bit of sneaking sympathy from Dead End.
Apparently the tree was eating Thundercracker. That would not do. Dead End transformed, drew his concussion rifle, and with two quick, precise shots, blew apart the major branches that appeared to be grappling Thundercracker.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 22, 2008 8:17:56 GMT -5
The branches entangling Thundercracker shatter, and he staggers a bit before regaining his balance. Once he's sure he's unstuck, he faces Dead End again, tensed and wary like a cornered turbofox.
His counterpart in this world might disdain those creatures not lucky enough to be gifted with flight, but this Thundercracker, when looking upon a car-mode or any other non-flying mech, feels a strange sense of pity. Such mechs, cursed to never experience the thrill of flight, the ecstacy of wind across the wings, the fuel-tank-dropping thrill of a daredevil dive or roll... Dead End might possess antigrav flight capabilities like most Decepticons from his universe, but it's not really the same as a flight alt in his mind. For the briefest moment that feeling crosses his CPU again as he looks upon the Stunticon...
Then he regains his senses, and he shrinks back slightly. "W-what do you want with me? Don't hurt me... if I'm someplace I'm not allowed to be I'll go, I swear..."
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 22, 2008 20:48:23 GMT -5
Dead End's visor glow flickered slightly in surprise. That in itself is a major difference between this Dead End and the one Thundercracker knows--that Dead End only wears his mask and visor into battle, but is otherwise open and expressive. This Dead End conceals all behind the mask.
The tree made no further threatening moves. Dead End tilted his head and looked at Thundercracker curiously.
"You're not our Thundercracker, are you?" he said in that pleasantly mellow British voice. "How very odd. They told us their Decepticons were like our Autobots, but I've never met a cringing Autobot. Our Autobots are annoyingly brave. Not that it matters; we'll all die in the end and come to rust, both the bold and the cowardly."
A private radio channel is opened. // Scourge, sir, I've found the Other Thundercracker--the one that came with the Other Autobots--hiding out by himself. Just in case you might be interested in the intelligence. //
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 22, 2008 21:41:36 GMT -5
Thundercracker does notice that key difference, and it makes him wonder. Did this Dead End come here expecting a battle? Or is he simply not one to reveal too much of himself? He has a feeling voicing that question will only result in pain, so he holds it back.
"Your Thundercracker... no, I'm not your Thundercracker," he replies, still tense and wary but making no further move to retreat -- not that there's much farther he can go without bending his wings or knocking down a few trees. "I... I'm sorry if I confused you..."
There's more he could say -- that he wasn't always this way, a cringing coward -- but he can't bring himself to say it. This Dead End confuses and disturbs him. Yes, Dead End was haunted by the idea of an early death, but never morbid and fatalist like this one.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 22, 2008 21:49:44 GMT -5
"Indeed. I hear you are someone else's Thundercracker," Dead End said mildly. "Dear me, you seem more like Starfighter than anyone else. Are you really a Decepticon from the other universe?"
What were those other Decepticons like? What was he, Dead End like? Perhaps this Thundercracker might be a chance for Scourge to get some intelligence on those other Decepticons--and the strange Autobots they'd allied with.
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Post by Sable Conolly on Apr 22, 2008 21:50:05 GMT -5
Scourge has generally been staying inside the base. That is not part of Starscream's terms, it should be noted. He simply does not want to accidentally run into a ranking Autobots and thereby violate what the terms do say. Being so careful rankles Scourge.
Dead End's invitation could not have come at a better time.
Scourge is surprisingly quiet, when he wishes to be, for a big black truck, and perhaps they do not hear his approach. Dead End likely picks him up on on radar, though.
His pose is casual, but not slouching, one hand on his hip, and he greets, "Dead End, Thundercracker - hello."
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 22, 2008 22:02:01 GMT -5
Thundercracker nods in reply to Dead End's question. He wants to say more, if only to defend his universe's Decepticons. But he holds back, unsure if he should say anything. If he says too much, Skyfire might be unhappy... and so much of Thundercracker's health and safety rests on NOT making Skyfire unhappy...
He turns sharply at Scourge's greeting. The black truck was a treasure hunter in his own reality -- but who's to say what this one is? For the moment, indecisiveness leads to inaction, and he only looks Scourge up and down as if searching for any physical discrepencies between his Scourge and this one.
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 23, 2008 9:07:07 GMT -5
"Scourge." Dead End nodded politely, though there was more warmth in his tone than one might expect.
"Thundercracker seems rather nervous, sir. I believe him to be the captive Decepticon from the other universe that I've heard rumors of." Dead End's visored gaze shifts significantly toward the Seeker's sigil-less wings. "He is said to be associated with the other Skyfire."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Apr 23, 2008 19:06:03 GMT -5
This Scourge has a martial bearing that the other Scourge never possessed. He is stiff and formal, even in a casual setting.
He comments to Dead End, "I see," and I see that you have not forgotten me.
Deceptively friendly, Scourge crouches just the slightest bit and puts his hands on his upper thighs. He cajoles, "Don't be so shy, Seeker. Keep acting like that, and I might think that you have reason to be afraid."
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Apr 23, 2008 21:42:54 GMT -5
Thundercracker hesitates, then edges slowly out of the trees. Despite his stiff and formal manner, this Scourge doesn't seem to want to intimidate him...
Perhaps there's still that lingering portion of him that wants to trust someone wearing a Decepticon sigil. It's a notion that he had better shed quickly if he wants to survive long here...
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Dead End
Major
Yes, we're all doomed. I already knew that.
Posts: 797
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Post by Dead End on Apr 24, 2008 9:05:00 GMT -5
Of course Dead End remembered the dark truck; Scourge is rarely far from his thoughts. Bringing Wildrider around to the idea that Scourge was a better Motormaster was another problem entirely, and he was still figuring out how to fit Runamuck in. The stray car-thug fit right in with the Stunticon mentality, but he wasn't a Stunticon. Still, he seemed to team up well with Dead End and Wildrider.
"He does have reason to be afraid--of his Autobots," Dead End pointed out.
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Post by Sable Conolly on Apr 24, 2008 15:01:16 GMT -5
Scourge is very good at intimidating people, when he wants to be. However, he doesn't want to be intimidating right now and is instead attempting something else that he's quite good at - suckering someone in who hasn't got a clue. Scourge keeps his pose loose, despite his inherent formality, and his antennae flicked back casually.
He says softly, in an unthreatening manner as possible, "Would your Autobots hurt you just for chatting with a pair of Decepticons? I would hardly think that fair of them." He straightens a bit and looks over at Dead End, inquiring, "Wouldn't you agree?"
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