Blackout-3
Cadet
With strength and with honor we fight.
Posts: 37
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Post by Blackout-3 on Jun 25, 2008 18:24:12 GMT -5
Blackout's guns stop spinning. His intention wasn't to defy orders; he doesn't have any less noticeable weapons. Nor can he actually stow them without transforming. His energy cannon is quieter, but it has a distinct glow when charging, and that would hardly be any less ominous.
Scorponok makes a disappointed chitter at the unspoken order to stay put, but otherwise goes silent. Apparently giant robot scorpions can sulk, too.
It should be noted that while Blackout is significantly slower than the jets, he's still quite a bit faster than his Earth mode would imply. More than likely he'll still be the last to land and transform, but given his nightmarish features, that may be a good thing. Scorponok climbs up Blackout's back to perch in plain sight on his shoulder. If they've encountered his alternate, they probably know of Blackout's companion. Keeping him where they can see him should allay fears of Scorponok setting up an ambush.
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Midnight-3
Cadet
"Payback's a mother, ain't it?"
Posts: 74
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Post by Midnight-3 on Jun 25, 2008 19:21:02 GMT -5
One thing Midnight has in common with his counterpart is loyalty to his superiors. Whatever he may think of the wisdom of Starscream's orders, he obeys them. Midnight banked and converged on Starscream's position, transforming as he reached it.
Boot engines thundering, he dropped down beside and slightly behind Starscream. He folded his arms, a peaceful gesture, as it pointed his guns at the ground and made it slightly harder to raise them and fire quickly.
"Reporting as ordered, sir." The heavily-armored jet-former looked at the two with some curiousity. The fact that Botanica wasn't raging and sending mutant plant things at them was curious all by itself.
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Post by Needlenose-3 on Jun 25, 2008 20:08:02 GMT -5
Needlenose lands in jet mode, rustling the treetops as he passes beneath their coverage to land on the metal road. His cockpit opens, and Sunbeam and Zigzag hop out. "Hey, dudes and dudette," Sunbeam greets, resulting in a facepalm on Zigzag's part.
Needlenose moves in to stand behind Starscream, and off to Starscream's right, Sunbeam and Zigzag following along at his feet. He nods towards the Autobot and the Maximal, the picture of calm. "Sir. Ma'am. Good afternoon."
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on Jun 27, 2008 22:21:19 GMT -5
The nice and trying so hard not to be threatening Decepticons unfortunately have several factors working against them, not the least of which is the instinctive reaction that -Con equals Very Bad Thingtm. There is also the fact Botanica knows nothing of the Decepticons present except whatever might have been in the database here or what she recalls from the archives. She doesn't know that Starscream and Company are behaving more against type than would be needed for an attempted ruse.
All she knows is that they've been spotted, haven't been shot at, and First Aid stands out amongst the green like stinkweed in a rose garden.
As quietly as she can, voice perhaps only barely reaching First Aid, Botanica replies to Xaaron: //Already on that. We've moved of the trail, and I've no intention of leading them back to the underground entrance. But First Aid doesn't exactly blend in here. Wrong color and too big.//
//It's Starscream, and he is claiming to not be the Starscream we know.//
Seeing as how their position is already known and moving might only increase their chances of being shot, there is nothing to be lost by answering Starscream. She pitches her voice to carry across the small distance and through the trees, "You would be incorrect. There is very little that would surprise me, given recent events. However, it does not follow that I believe you."
What might surprise anyone whose dealt with Botanica's alternate that there is no sing-song pattern to her speech, and that her tone is strong and clear. She has also shifted to try and place herself slightly in front of First Aid, adopting an almost protective stance.
Radio w/ Xaaron cross-posted.
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First Aid
Rookie
Conscientiously Objecting
Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on Jun 28, 2008 16:36:12 GMT -5
First Aid knows that most likely possibility with anything Starscream says, anything at all, is that he’s lying. And really, this would make a pretty good ruse, if Starscream could get his steadier officers to go along with it – if he did they’re doing a really good job, but no one here except Starscream is anyone First Aid knows. He doesn’t know if they’re too erratic to pull off being polite with no weapons in sight. (Did one of the jets just call him sir? That’s impressive, especially since he sounded sincere. Excellent acting, that. He’s properly becroggled. Sir.)
Basically, First Aid is perfectly in agreement with Botanica that they shouldn’t trust Starscream and co at all. Of course, at present he can’t see a way out of weapons range, so they might as well hear them out. …He can respect the impulse that has Botanica trying to protect him, but he’s not sure that’ll be very effective. He’s not going to protest, though, not in front of the Decepticons – it’s a leaderly move, after all, and he doesn’t want to undermine her authority. Besides, he knows by now that there’s no way she’ll let him shelter her until she’s unconscious and no longer gets a say. .
It’s a combination of similar interest in not undermining her and a desire to find out how Starscream reacts to her point that ‘surprising’ and ‘believable’ are not the same thing that keeps him quiet, alert, listening carefully to her and to the Decepticons while he does his best to watch her body language and theirs.
He’s not distracted by Sunbeam and Zig-Zag, but only by dint of great effort. Later. He can think about convergent evolution later.
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Post by Starscream-3 on Jun 29, 2008 22:00:37 GMT -5
They don't trust him. And frankly, who would blame them? Starscream has no idea of what his alternate self is capable of doing, but then again not knowing is causing him to speculate to no end. And sadly that is something both Starscreams share as a trait--a very over-active imagination. Starscream realizes this is going to take a lot of time to convince them. Time that nobody has. He makes a decision on the spot, and decides that it's for the best, accepting that if his judgement is wrong, the consequences are none other than his. He begins by ordering his troops away on radio. Starscream clearly and methodically removes both gun-arms, and cradling them, makes his way closer to the bush they are behind, without getting TOO close. He casually tosses his weapons near the shrubbery. "I understand your unwillingness to believe me. But this is too pressing to delay any further. I need to speak with your leaders. I have removed my armaments. I surrender." Starscream slowly, carefully and deliberately lowers himself so he is kneeling on the ground, placing his hands behind his head. "If you have no way of restraining me," He calls out, "Use my null ray on me."
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Blackout-3
Cadet
With strength and with honor we fight.
Posts: 37
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Post by Blackout-3 on Jun 30, 2008 5:26:50 GMT -5
Blackout is quite clearly not happy with the radio orders. Considering the alternatives, however, he simply obeys, turning and walking the other way, hands kept out to the sides in plain sight despite the rotors hanging off his back. He doesn't glance back, but he doesn't really need to; Scorponok perches up on Blackout's rotor assembly, watching behind the big chopper. The scorpion chitters worriedly, the only spoken sound from either of the pair since landing, but is otherwise surprisingly still.
OOC: Out of thread.
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Midnight-3
Cadet
"Payback's a mother, ain't it?"
Posts: 74
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Post by Midnight-3 on Jun 30, 2008 7:10:40 GMT -5
Midnight strode away quickly, as if hurrying to obey orders before his loyalty to Starscream overwhelmed his obedience. Dark thoughts simmered inside; if those Autobots dare to so much as scratch his leader, he will track them to their hideout and tear each and every one of them apart, one screaming joint at a time.
A moment later, he felt ashamed of himself for thinking such things; what was he, an Autobot? Preoccupied with his personal demons, Midnight did not notice Starscream's quiet surrender.
--- Out of thread
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Post by Needlenose-3 on Jun 30, 2008 8:27:44 GMT -5
Needlenose frowns as he gets word over the radio. He turns towards Starscream, expression still objecting to the orders he's been given, then sighs. He turns back towards the Maximal and the Autobot and touches his forehead. "Good day, sir, ma'am." With that, he and his guns turn and begin walking off. 'Outside of all conceivable firing range' is pretty far when you have a light-based weapon like Sunbeam, and so Needlenose keeps going until he can no longer be seen through the trees.
OOC: Out of thread.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 30, 2008 22:53:33 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron emerges from what was once an industrial elevator shaft to service the tunnels. Oracle may well be ahead of him. If she is, he is a bit peeved but not letting it show. He's used to it, enough.
He stays behind the elevator housing building, peering around each corner in turn. Then, he darts behind a thick copse of trees. A ninja, he is not, as Flame and his security cameras proved.
Finally, he emerges into the sun, not far behind Botanica and First Aid, and what he sees really has him baffled. He's a golden figure, polished but his armour warped and cracked from extreme heat. His injuries have not yet been seen to. However, he stands proud, unwilling to scrape and cringe as his alternate does, even for an acid test. He places a hand on his hip, and in a clarion tone, he inquires, "And just what is going on here?"
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jun 30, 2008 23:15:03 GMT -5
Xaaron's glare pretty much rolls right off Oracle, but she keeps the retort that dances at the edge of her processes behind her teeth. As far as she's concerned, there is expendable and there is expendable only with no other option. Doesn't take two guesses which category Xaaron falls into. Which means he's probably going to be highly annoyed that she only stays level with him as long as it takes for her to reply to him, before darting out to make sure she was the first into the open. It didn't mean she got stupid about breaking cover in a hurry, but mini-lecture or not he wasn't going first if she could help it. "You're probably right about him giving you an escort if you hadn't said something, and you got one." And she wasn't going to be just for show, cope. After reaching the surface she moves through the trees somewhat gracefully in front of Xaaron, though she does mind the admonition about an open approach once they are away from the exit to the tunnels, and what she sees when she gets close has her almost stopping in surprise. She's quite happy at that point to leave figuring out the mess up to the Emirate and just keep an eye on things. Starscream basically surrendering wasn't something she ever expected to see. OOC: Continued from here.
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on Jun 30, 2008 23:58:36 GMT -5
Moving in front of First Aid is a leaderly move, a protective move, but above all it is a necessary move. If this goes south, and Botanica has to use her attack, First Aid can not be behind her. Chain lightening is a powerful, powerful thing, but like most forces of nature it does not distinguish between good or evil.
She eyes the retreating Decepticons suspiciously. Suspicion turns to astonishment as she watches Starscream strip himself of his armaments and surrender himself. Botanica is boggling, most definitely, but not to the point of distraction; if Starscream wants to hand over his weapons, she'll not argue. She slips forward and is bending down to pick up Starscream's null rays when Xaaron and Oracle arrive.
"Ask and you shall receive it seems," Botanica murmurs. She shifts position to make sure she is not impeding Xaaron's line of sight, then says, albeit a bit dryly, "Emirate Xaaron, Starscream. Starscream, Emirate Xaaron. Emirate, he has apparently sent his troops away and has surrendered himself, because 'this is too pressing to delay any further,' and he claims to not be our Starscream."
Botanica's eyes narrow a bit as she takes in Xaaron's damages. Stubborn mech still hasn't gotten his repairs. What does she need to do, sit on people?
Well, if it worked for Long Haul....
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First Aid
Rookie
Conscientiously Objecting
Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on Jul 1, 2008 19:08:59 GMT -5
Starscream surrendering does not reassure First Aid - viewed through his particular set of lenses, it's an aggressive maneuver, one that drastically changes the situation, and forces them to make decisions while trying to handle an abrupt power reversal. People make decisions they normally wouldn't when pushed that way, and Starscream is definitely pushing. It might just be because Starscream is worried, but it might be intentional, a device to get them to make a mistake.
What does he mean, 'delay any further'? They haven't delayed in the first place. It worries First Aid, worries him immensely, and he really doesn't think they should take him in. "Botanica, shall I -" he starts to say, as Botanica moves to gather Starscream's null rays, and gladly cuts himself off at Emirate Xaaron's question.
Oh, good. It's a moot point. Starscream's got his leaders (all right, leader, but he hardly needs to talk to all of them), but not his way in. It'll be... interesting to see if the conversation is really what he was looking for.
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Post by Starscream-3 on Jul 2, 2008 5:47:33 GMT -5
The Decepticons protest as they retreat--of course they do. They're good soldiers. But Starscream knows what he's doing.
And then the party is joined. Starscream doesn't think much of the Emirate from where he comes from, coward that he is. But this one surely couldn't be the same as the one where he comes from. However, he asked a question.
"Emirate. I am Starscream, but not the one you know. My Decepticons and I have traveled to here from the same dimension as the Autobots that have allied with your Decepticons. I realize that trusting me is going to be difficult, I share the face of your enemy.
"To that end, I surrender. The Decepticons, Predacons and Vehicons I command have been ordered away and will make no attempt to rescue me or perform acts of aggression against any Autobot. I am unarmed and unaccompanied. A shot from my null-ray will incapacitate me, and I will not offer any resistance to being arrested, but it is my wish to parlay with yourself, on your terms. The continuation of both of our factions depends on it."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 3, 2008 7:19:01 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron sees Botanica protecting First Aid and a Starscream who is on the ground and who has removed his null rays. His question was justified.
He says first, "Excellent work, Botanica," and he does mean that. He can see why she was the leader of her expeditionary crew.
He rubs his temples, considering all the options, and he says first of all, "I'm not taking you to where the rest of my Autobots are. You could be bugged, and your troops could use it as an excuse to attack."
"Moreover, it hard to have a discussion between equals when one is treated like a prisoner. Get up. There is a temple not far from here. I can't give you any assurance that I haven't trapped it, but if you can take that on faith, we can speak there of our common unholy enemy."
He gestures for Starscream to rise and then toward the temple.
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