Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 9, 2008 18:40:30 GMT -5
Skyfire had taken some time to be repaired; it was not that he was so thoroughly burned out as Slag or Grimlock, but that his main spine had snapped, and the sheer amount of metal skin that had been crumpled or torn off in the ensuing crash took a great deal of material to repair. Material that had taken Perceptor some time to scrounge up. Scrounge it up he had; Skyfire was needed in spaceworthy condition.
Skyfire was happy to be up and about again, though he did have a few quiet, choice words about the distressingly low ceiling after his first several run-ins with it. He'd resigned himself to 'grin and bear it' for the next several weeks or however long they were stuck down here when Long Haul approached him.
The lime green and purple truck-former surprised Skyfire with his request; after Skyfire rubbed his head and reminded himself yet again not to dig new divots out of the overhead, he delightedly assented.
Thus it was Long Haul found himself aboard Skyfire as the latter climbed through the atmosphere toward orbit. The sky was deepening through indigo toward black as he chattered at Long Haul, unable to contain his excitement at being back in space.
"So you're sure Omega is on the outer moon, the one that seems to be made of some kind of crystal? Fascinating! I've been wanting to get a closer look at that one since I first saw it. It's got to be either artificial or the remnants of a much larger astronomical body--perhaps the core of an eroded gas giant planet!" Skyfire said. 'Babbled', perhaps.
"We've only got enough fuel for a trip there and back, though. Pity. I'd like to explore, but at least we'll see the surface of this moon, maybe find out what it's made of. Do you think Omega has explored it any?"
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 9, 2008 20:37:21 GMT -5
"I, erm, doubt it. Fuel limitations and whatnot," Long Haul answers from where he sits inside of Skyfire. "He's prolly very hungry," the Constructibot adds sadly.
"But yeah, I'm sure that's the place. It's the one we planned on, anyways. The location I gave. But why's it gotta be fake or... or... part of something bigger? Why can't it just be, y'know, a crystal moon?"
He studies the cubes he's brought with him a bit sadly. Not enough - not near enough. But resources are just so limited right now... At least Long Haul will be able to tend to any repairs not handled by Omega's auto-repair system now.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 10, 2008 6:52:29 GMT -5
Skyfire nosed into orbit, plotting his course to avoid the trigger-happy power sats and other stations littering the sky. As they orbited, waiting for the optimum fuel-conserving window to burn for the crystal moon, Skyfire replied, "Well, I suppose it could... but I'd like to know how it formed. We don't know that much about planetary formation, yet, but a crystalline formation that large is... unusual, to say the least. I'm sure there's something to be learned from studying it."
"Didn't you fellows build a city out of crystal? What's to stop someone from building an orbital defense fortress or something out of crystal?" Skyfire asked thoughtfully.
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 10, 2008 14:38:12 GMT -5
"Well, we did, but the city was kind of, well, fragile. I mean, the city... not standing, that's pretty much there in the center of the whole issue between Omega Supreme and our future selves, right? Wouldn't want an orbit something-or-other for defense or weaponry to shatter like Crystal City did," Long Haul explains, optic band dimmed, sorrow tainting his voice. This is not exactly a happy topic for him, not since arriving on Gillanan III.
Long Haul stands and begins pacing about, finding a window to peer out of. The previously dimmed optic band now gleams, as he breaths out, "Space... I'm... I'm actually in space." He shakes his head. "I always dreamed and hoped, but never really believed I'd be out here."
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 10, 2008 21:42:26 GMT -5
"I like the stars out here," Skyfire said quietly. "Can you see them?"
Skyfire rolled, putting his belly between Long Haul's window and the glare of the local sun, shading the view and revealing the myriad stars of the galaxy in all their glory.
"Would you like to feel free fall? I can turn off the artificial gravity."
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 10, 2008 22:39:30 GMT -5
Long Haul's visor brightens further. "I can! I can see the stars!" He pauses, and when he speaks next, his voice is hushed. "It's beautiful."
He stops to consider Skyfire's question. It's new and exciting, and as an explorer, he's supposed to like new and exciting, right? But the idea of being in free fall is also a little scary. After all, it's called 'free fall,' after all.
But there's something else that Long Haul has to keep in mind.
He looks back at the energon cubes. "Erm, maybe on the way back, Skyfire. We don't have many of these things, and don't want to risk the ones we got, y'know?"
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 13, 2008 9:39:28 GMT -5
There was something very gratifying about Long Haul's sheer wonder at the beauty of the stars. So seldom did Skyfire get a chance to share the beauty and wonder that drew him to explore the farthest stars that he rejoiced when he did. It didn't seem right that such joy should be his alone.
On the other hand, Long Haul did have a practical point about the energon.
"Good point," Skyfire's voice echoed from his internal speakers. "Ah, I estimate 65 minutes until we enter orbit around the outer moon. We should be in range of Omega Supreme's radio in a few minutes, depending on his power levels... though if his radio is functional, he should be able to receive our signal even if he doesn't have the power to reply all the way out here."
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 13, 2008 15:21:11 GMT -5
The Constructibot looks up towards the internal speaker, pulls himself up straight, shoulder-tires turning slightly as his optic band brightens. "Ya' think so?" he asks, though it's mostly rhetorically. After all, if Skyfire didn't think so, why would he say such? "I hope he's doing all right, stuck out all there by himself."
The robot starts pacing around inside Skyfire's hold. "I miss him. Well, I mean, I miss 'em all... the rest of my team. But the them I knew, they're gone now, anyways." He shakes his head, his shoulders droop, and his optic band dims. "I saw at the big fight. They got a Mixmaster now. Mixmaster's on this world, and I ain't even talked to him."
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 15, 2008 18:20:27 GMT -5
Skyfire rolled slowly, then began the leisurely burn to insert himself into lunar orbit. His sensors gathered passive data on the various orbital platforms that he passed, then he focussed on the crystal moon looming ahead. Long Haul's words sunk in and pricked him out of his singular focus on the mission.
"I think... I know how you feel, a little," Skyfire said slowly. "Does it make a difference, that your team was re-programmed? No one has offered that excuse for Starscream..."
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 15, 2008 21:47:53 GMT -5
"Well, I can't really compare, you know? Since I didn't go through the other way," Long Haul explains. "I guess... I guess it's both better and worse. It's better because, well, it means I get to hope that there's some way to fix them, to bring them back, but it's worse 'cos it means... well, I can't really go past it.
"Not sure I should, though. I mean, we might find our ways back, and if we do, that's my future, too. Unless I fix it."
He goes back to the viewport and looks out it, at the approaching blue crystal moon, and falls silent as it grows larger in view.
"Makes me think of home," he says softly.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 20, 2008 18:42:51 GMT -5
Skyfire sailed around the blue moon, sensors alert for anything else out here that might be either friend or foe. His ground-mapping lidar failed to generate useful returns; his radar hinted the surface was rough--jagged crystals that refracted his mapping laser every which way, like the facets of a stealth-plane's hull refracted radar. For the same reason, he couldn't get a good return on his spectrometer--though given time, he could have analyzed the reflected light of the local sun.
Now was not the time. Skyfire spotted the one structure standing above the barren crystal plains. "Long Haul, I've spotted him. Call him and let him know I'm the real Skyfire and we're on our way. I'm calling him myself, but you'll need to confirm my identity."
On Omega's frequency, Skyfire called, // Omega Supreme, this is Skyfire. I and Long Haul are approaching to rendezvous with you for repair and basic replenishment. Long Haul will confirm my identity independently. //
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 20, 2008 19:16:14 GMT -5
"All right," Long Haul answers Skyfire, tone faintly eager. He activates his radio even as he goes to make sure that what supplies they carry are properly secure. Once he does that, he finds himself a seat and secures himself as well.
"Sending the message."
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Omega Supreme
Minor
Shorter and Coloured Funny but Still Angry as the Pit
Posts: 456
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Post by Omega Supreme on Jul 21, 2008 9:45:02 GMT -5
Omega Supreme awaits, on the dark side of the crystal moon. This moon is tidally locked, forever presenting the same face to its planet, so from here, Omega Supreme cannot see the planet below, already scarred by their coming. It is for the better, he thinks.
He picks up the approach of a small - to him - white exploration vehicle, far away now, and likely to be close soon.
Omega Supreme should be happy that Long Haul is coming to visit, that his fellow spacer Skyfire is getting to stretch his wings.
All he feels is that he aches.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 22, 2008 21:41:19 GMT -5
Skyfire fired his belly rockets to de-orbit--no air to brake him here. The jagged crystal crust glittered darkly under the stars.
"Thank you, Long Haul. I see him now."
// Omega Supreme, I have you in sight. How is the ground near you? Is it firm and level enough for a landing? //
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Post by Long Haul on Jul 23, 2008 7:41:59 GMT -5
"I've made contact," Long Haul reports from his seat. "He knows it's us-us and not some other us."
The Constructibot, a little short for a seat made for a carbot, swings his legs, waiting anxiously for landing. He has little in the way of replies for his friend over the radio, and would just as soon wait until he can place a comforting hand on the other's hull.
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