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 Aug 24, 2008 21:37:44 GMT -5
Rodimus' discomfort at the motion of ambush does not go unnoticed by Botanica. She isn't too keen on the idea either. But if such a doing is necessary...
Botancia casts her eyes downward, and her voice is a touch softer than before as she says, "I have the benefit of being able to move quite quickly in my other mode as well as being able to strike from a possibly unexpected direction. If he was sufficiently distracted and the Matrix vulnerable...I might be able to snatch it away."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Aug 26, 2008 21:37:09 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron shows no distaste or discomfort. He will cross that line, and let them curse him for it, but it's better than being cursed for soldiers he let die while looking for a more morally acceptable solution.
He continues along this path, suggesting, "So we keep a watch for Perceptor, as he's easier to injure than Omega Supreme is, and we attempt to severely injure the evil Perceptor and strand him where we may ambush the evil Prime."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Aug 26, 2008 21:57:16 GMT -5
Rodimus Prime appears almost pained, as he agrees, "It sounds like a... workable plan. Ambushing him won't be easy." He inclines his head towards Botanica. "Given his senses, you're probably our best option." His frown deepens. "And you may have to work alone, or almost alone. Can you get out as easily as you get in?"
He turns towards the others. "We'd need to get Synapse in the sky. Have him give the signal for Botanica to move. We should probably move people into position at least once for practice before we attempt to spring the actual trap, though, so that we know Synapse's signal can even reach her."
"The problem is, though, we're gambling pretty heavily on the idea that he'll fall for something that..." Rodimus pauses, and makes a face, "Something that's really pretty obvious." And yes, Rodimus once fell for it. Shut up. That's different. Good guys sometimes knowingly do dumb things because they actually care about someone besides themselves.
Primes get to play the "young and stupid" card, right?
Rodimus pushes his fist against his chin, elbow supported by the other hand, and goes on thinking, partially out loud. "And what if he's not a... a..." He snaps his fingers, spins on Botanica, and points.
"The electricity attack you mentioned. The one that you had to be careful about doing around the rest of us? You'd be the only one there." Rodimus begins pacing animatedly, snapping his fingers as he grabs for the right words to organize his suddenly racing thoughts. "If he... okay. If he's not alone, zap them and flee. If he's not alone and falls for it, grab the Matrix, zap them, and flee. No matter what if he falls for it, grab the Matrix. If he doesn't..." The Prime shakes his head. "If he doesn't, or even if he does, we've got to be ready to hit them right after that."
"Small groups. Hit and run. First attacks have to come in quickly from a large distance." Now, the Prime spins and points at Starscream. "Jets. As soon as Botanica is out of there, strafing run, bombing run, one and then the other... whatever we can support." Now he turns to face the group as a whole, but he's looking at Dead End. "Next, fast cars. They can approach while the enemy is dealing with the jets. Attack and out of there. No one should stand in fight, no prolonged engagement."
"The heavy hitters should be held back. In case they call in reinforcements. Or if we knock them off balance enough to close in with our slower people. Or just... just..." he waves his right hand absently, shaking his head, his sudden burst of energy exhausting itself. "Just because back-up and not... not spending everything at once is good." The Boy Prime lifts his hands to rub his temples, just below his helm. "I think I might be missing something?" And now, with his energy waning, so does his confidence. He looks towards the others, studying their expression to see their reactions.
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Post by Starscream-3 on Aug 28, 2008 3:28:26 GMT -5
"I can offer an immediate extraction for Botanica if it is needed." Starscream offers. "Ahead of the other jets. A few well-placed Null-Rays should temporarily incapacitate some of the heavy hitters and line things up nicely for a bombing run. But sudden attacks will be the way to go with this Prime, keeping him distracted without offering a single target to focus his attentions on."
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Dead End-3
Cadet
"We who are about to die salute you"
Posts: 63
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Post by Dead End-3 on Aug 28, 2008 7:05:37 GMT -5
"It will have to be fast indeed, if we are to outrun the Other Decepticon jets," Dead End pointed out. They needed to do something about the Demon Prime, but so far, everything he'd heard convinced him they were utterly doomed. "And Nightbeat is far faster than I am... though not, I think, as tough."
"If this is not to be a futile gesture wherein we throw ourselves to our doom, it may be advisable to pick off some of our Prime's support first... especially those other Decepticon jets--and my alternate, who can detect your coming far in advance." Dead End shuddered briefly; talking about offlining himself was... disturbing. Even if he did it all the time.
--- skippable, again
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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 Aug 28, 2008 12:06:21 GMT -5
Botanica considers Rodimus' rather impulsive plan for a few moments, even as she notes his exhaustion, - and how he almost seems to undermine himself with those last comments. He is too young to feel this worn. A funny thought, if one were to consider their relative ages.
"It is a workable start, but there are some items of concern," she says, "Items which stem, I think, from a lack of understanding about exactly how my abilities work."
"I can only access my attack in this mode, and I can only travel beneath the soil in my alternate mode. I can transform rather quickly, but any delay can make the differance between success or failure." She tucks her fingers up under her chin. "Also, while I have not tried it with Synapse specifically, I usually can't receive radio signals underground...," she trails off, then her eyes widen as a thought occurs. "There may be a way around that, however."
She inclines her head toward Rodimus, "The closer I am to you, the more I can...feel you, so to speak. This may work with him, as well. Also, while he may not be alone- considering the prevalent attitudes of that group, how many do you think he would allow near him in such a vulnerable moment? If there was a suitable item of interest, if he had an excuse to send them a small distance away..."
One corner of her lips turn up as she turns to Starscream and Dead End, "Keep him busy and I can myself get out of there. It wouldn't be about outrunning anyone; it would be about outsmarting them. And perhaps encouraging their innate distrust of one another." She has a very specific something in mind along that front, but does not wish to speak of it at the moment.
She looks at Emirate Xaaron and asks, "If I understand your background correctly, such hit and run techniques were standard procedure for your group. What would you suggest, Emirate? And are we missing anything?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Aug 30, 2008 21:34:49 GMT -5
Emiate Xaaron considers a number of factors, and he radios Rodimus Prime, in specific, //How far away does someone have to get from you before you cannot sense them? Can we set up snipers? Artillery?//
He points out verbally, "How can we logically expect to be able to get Perceptor alone? Or any of the opposing Autobots alone, for that matter? If they're foolish enough to go out alone, they're foolish enough to be expendable to their master." Does he speak from experience?
"While it is possible to set up snipers and artillery such that they cannot be detected by radar, we're assuming that we will... somehow... get our hands on the bait for this little trap."
He pauses and again radios just Rodimus Prime, //We need a guarantee that he will take the Matrix out of his body. Couldn't you just... let Unicron out of your Matrix? Your alternate will attempt whatever it is he does with Unicrons, and we hit him then. And then we worry about Unicron.//
Ye Primus, Emirate Xaaron has surely gone off the deep end.
"If we start bumping off the alternate Autobots, they're going to notice sooner rather than later. We cannot be everywhere at once and do everything. Certainly, we could try taking out their key personnel, but if we do that, we're not going to get a clear shot at their linchpin. If we go after the linchpin, we'll have to leave their skilled personnel mostly in place."
He's not used to having air support on his side. He's used to planning against air support, but... "Our jets will already be in the area. If their jets are, it's even. If their jets aren't, so much the better."
"But all said, I do think that the worst flaw in this plan is the idea that we can get our hands on someone the Prime cares about without tipping him off to our attentions. You don't think he would not let even his beloved die, if that was what it took to win, provided he even has a beloved?"
Get right down to the line, and Emirate Xaaron would. Can he expect any less of his enemy?
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Aug 30, 2008 23:35:15 GMT -5
Okay, so Botanica extraction is taken care of. Check. Problems with radar... well, fast jets move fast, fast enough that it shouldn't be a problem, check. Botanica's underground, no worry there. Check. Hmmm. Bombardment instead of the land-based attack...?
Emirate Xaaron interrupts his thoughts twice with radio messages. The first time, Rodimus replies calmly. //It's inconsistent, really. The first time it ever happened, I was a pretty good distance from the others and managed to quickly find them through the maze of Unicron's body. However, our longer range personnel should be able to attack from far enough away.//
His expression falls a little as Xaaron points out a rather critical flaw in the plan. If there's no way to get the bait, there's no trap, and even if there is a way to get it, there's no way to be sure he'll care enough about the fallen to pull out the Matrix. That is, in fact, why he had suggested alternative plans in case he hadn't, but Botanica's clarifications made those a lot less viable.
Rodimus muses over this while the second radio message comes through. "WHAT?!" he says out loud, forgetting his radio. As he calls out, his optics widen and his jaw drops. Then, he turns towards Emirate Xaaron, eyes still wild. "You can't be serioius!!"
Sounds like a big horned, planet eating cat may shortly be let out of the bag.
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Post by Starscream-3 on Aug 31, 2008 4:20:28 GMT -5
"Truth be told, Xaaron, I don't, but in the arrogance of this Prime, I doubt he would consider any situation a war-losing scen--" and then Rodimus snaps up at Xaaron.
Starscream's optics narrow at the outburst. "Can't be serious about what?"
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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 Aug 31, 2008 21:24:37 GMT -5
Botanica listens intently to Xaaron as he plays devil's advocate to the Prime's plan. He makes several good points, and she's about to comment when Rodimus effectively brings all planning to a halt with his outburst.
She spreads her hands as she looks at Starscream, then shakes her head. She really has no idea what the problem is either.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Sept 1, 2008 17:54:23 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron notes rather archly to Rodimus Prime, //You have a very poor poker face, my boy.//
he shrugs and explains, "I was asking Rodimus Prime how far away he can detect people, via his Matrix. His abilities may not be equal to those of his alternate, but it'll give us a ballpark idea of where to position snipers and artillery, anyway."
That is all true. It not what caused Rodimus Prime's outburst, but Emirate Xaaron never said it was. He is simply allowing people to assume that it is an answer.
Casually, he adds to Rodimus Prime, //I suppose that he will need a vessel, will he not? We do happen to have a comatose body on hand.//
What he suggests is blatantly horrific. Does he mean it? Well, yes. However, he also hopes that it'll shock something clever out of the boy Prime.
"We will need to get better intelligence on our enemy, without giving away our our position. I would rather like to recall Mirage, for my part, and reassign him."
He's just not sure that Mirage would come if called. Honour is such a bothersome concept.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Sept 1, 2008 18:25:11 GMT -5
//My poker face is just fine!// Rodimus protests over the radio. //People don't ever play the 'planet eating chaos god' card on you in poker, you know!// Although it certainly might spice up the game.
He looks at the others, and when Xaaron brings up his sensing abilities, he clarifies, "For me, the talent has always been erradict and unreliable. The first time I was able to use such abilities, I was able to quickly locate the other Autobots from a pretty good sized distance away and find them through the maze of Unicron. It's usually not that far, though, when it works at all."
//No.// Rodimus answers Xaaron. //No. Absolutely not. What you're suggesting...//
//...only if absolutely nothing else works and the only alternative is total defeat.// So make it "Plan Z" or something. //We've got other tactics to try first, including that thing we need to test later on.//
"Isn't Mirage already pretty much where we want him?" Rodimus asks at the last bit. "Really, all we should need to do is contact him and see what he has to say."
//Maybe find out if there's a way of getting ahold of Punch without blowing his cover while we're at it,// he adds over the radio to Xaaron.
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Post by Starscream-3 on Sept 2, 2008 14:13:07 GMT -5
Hmm, yes. Rodimus is outraged at using the ability to detect someone. That is exactly what they were talking about.
"Right." Starscream says, in the best 'I totally do not believe you' tone he can manage. He turns to Rodimus, arching his ridge as if hoping for the Prime to shed some light on the matter.
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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 Sept 2, 2008 16:33:17 GMT -5
Botanica is likewise not fooled by the attempts at misdirection, but she manages to keep her disbelief off her face, adopting a neutral expression. Starscream's disbelief, however, is very evident, and causes a touch of worry. Whatever the Prime and the Emirate had been discussing was obviously a delicate subject, and if it was one suitable for open conversation, they would not be using their radios in the first place.
She'd forgotten about Mirage, what with everything going on. He hasn't been around, but she hasn't exactly known where he was, either. But it's been several days since the battle...
"Won't he need to report in soon? Even if he's managing to make do with the local fuels, I've been told they play havoc on your systems."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Sept 3, 2008 9:16:29 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron murmurs, an amused edge to his voice, //You aren't playing poker with the right people, my boy,// but there's an element to his voice, especially when he says 'my boy', that isn't the Emirate at all. The oddity vanishes quickly, however. //Ah, yes... that. When we have a private moment.//
He is losing his touch, he sees. Curses. Emirate Xaaron keeps his expression bland, and he inquires, rubbing his chin, "Was the alternate Holi seen at all during the fight?" He looks over at Starscream. "Is there an alternate Holi? A Micromaster."
Micromasters. Springer has no right to complain about Emirate Xaaron being a poor parental figure, compared to what the Emirate did to the Micromasters.
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