Blackout-3
Cadet
With strength and with honor we fight.
Posts: 37
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Post by Blackout-3 on Aug 2, 2008 19:53:08 GMT -5
This is a delicate situation. Give out too much information, and it might be suspect. Give out too little, and it might hinder progress. For the moment, Blackout is choosing to err on the side of caution. He's no more thrilled about it than Kup, but so far they only have words to go by. Hopefully that won't last, but that's up to the commanders to decide.
"We can assist in materials gathering to help repairs, if you wish. We'll need every able fighter we can get if we're to mount a successful counterattack." The big chopper pauses. He doesn't want to strain Kup's trust, but better to offer and be declined than not to offer. "Our own techs can assist with repairs as well, if you wish."
He turns with the elder to survey the area. "Sparring sessions sound good. It will give us the chance to find effective tactics against our alternates. We may wish to wait a day or two until our teams have had a little time to get used to each other, though."
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Post by Kup on Aug 4, 2008 20:21:28 GMT -5
Kup looks up as Holi radios them over the shared allied frequency. He dips his head in a nod, then shouts, rather than radios, "Good to hear! Right now, the less out of the ordinary we got, the better." He narrows his optics, then adds, "Hey, is Tiny up there with you?"
Then he turns back to Blackout. "I'll pass the offer for supplies and tech assistance over to Botanica. That falls under her domain, after all." And the fact that anything formal falls under Botanica's domain should indicate a bizarre enough departure from what Blackout is used to! So no, Kup isn't declining anything. He's just not in a position to accept.
"I can help to set up the sparring sessions, though, but you're right about giving them a couple of days. We should probably set up double-watches and scout patrols too, though. Have our guys working with your guys in other ways."
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Aug 4, 2008 20:55:33 GMT -5
Why yes, Kup, there is a shiny silver mecha-dragon up here with the Micromaster. In fact, she even rears up on her hind legs when he pulls just so on her leash.
"She is, sir!" Holi calls back warmly, boosting his voice as much as he can (to Tiny's dismay); he isn't sure why Kup decided they should go vocal instead of using the radio, but he'll run with it. He supposes it could make the situation more comfortable. Give it a personal sort of touch. And that can't be a totally bad thing considering the very strange situation. "I had to bring her along to keep an eye on her!" He pauses, then adds fretfully, "That's okay, isn't it?"
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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 Aug 5, 2008 7:00:46 GMT -5
Blackout turns to look up at the Micromaster, inclining his head in greeting. He hasn't had much interaction with his own dimension's Holi, so there's no real expectation to be met there. And that must be Tiny, too. Blackout glances back at Scorponok; the arachnoid, having been poking at a pile of collapsed ceiling member, is now looking back up, chittering quietly and wiggling his claws as if trying to entice the mecha dragon down to the floor to play.
Blackout turns back to Kup. "Two of each side might be ideal. They may feel less threatened with one of their own backing them up, and no one can try to settle any scores they may have with alternates with a witness present. Any more than four would be too easily noticeable." Whether such a group is practical is up to any RP threads that concern such things, of course.
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Post by Kup on Aug 5, 2008 10:13:50 GMT -5
Kup is shouting because he's old fashioned, and shouting just feels better than radioing. But it does give the impression of being more open, a fact that isn't without value.
The veteran now actually spots Tiny, the right corner of his lips jerks up in a very faint smile that vanishes quickly as he shouts, "Oh, sure! That's fine! Just so you know, we got, erm... there's this..." Is it a pet? What is Scorponok, anyway? "Blackout's Scorponok is wandering about. Keep an optic out, but if they seem to be getting along, let them play. If there's any troubles, give a holler." Or a radio call. Since, presumably, Holi isn't the old-fashioned type.
He returns his attention to Blackout. "Four would be pretty noticeable as it is." Kup frowns thoughtfully. "If it's a matter of building trust, maybe we're best off going with groups of two. The only guys I've got that I really see as being likely to disobey orders and initiate any problems aren't the sort I'd send on a scouting mission where the object is to not be found, anyway." For example, Slag? Not known for his mastery of stealth and subtlety. "But we'll see what we can arrange."
"Oh, by the by, contacted Botanica. She says she'd prefer to meet with her counterpart-," Kup pauses, realizing that term might be misinterpreted here. "That is, she's acting head of medical, tech, and science, and she wants to meet with whoever's holding a similar position with you guys, plus any tech she might be expected to work with."
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Aug 6, 2008 10:59:52 GMT -5
Even while he mulls over watching two… uh, is Scorponok a creature like Tiny, or is it – he? – more like a Transformer? Maybe like the Breast Animals? Holi can ask later. Maybe. If the big 'copter doesn't mind. Holi waves at them both and Tiny blinks at the wriggling, squirming arachnoid, her tail flicking side to side.
"Roger!" Holi calls back to Kup, keeping a firm hold on the leash. "Once I finish my rounds!" Duty first no matter how much Tiny wants to see what this clawed thing is like or how much she chirrs and grumbles when her sitter makes her come along. They're walking away from the new thing! That isn't what they're supposed to be doing! They should be visiting and finding out if this is a friend or a rival for snacks and pettings!
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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 Aug 7, 2008 7:03:49 GMT -5
First, per regulation, came the short-range radio message on Allied Radio: //This here is Midnight; Ah'm approaching the joint site riight now. //
The sky rumbled as a blue-black jet passed overhead, circled widely, then converged, transformed, and descended to a somewhat wobbly landing on his boot-jets. Midnight was still not really comfortable with his new lifters.
Though he had tints of very dark blue on his wings and tail, and his transform was along the same lines as a Seeker's, and he had arm guns like one, Midnight was not technically a Seeker. He was much more heavily built, a fighter/bomber rather than a sleek interceptor.
He gave Blackout a crisp salute and said, "Sorry Ah'm late; had to find a clear spot in this here jungle to take off agin." Midnght carefully neglected to mention just how spooked he'd gotten at the things scuttling here and there in the undergrowth. He didn't think his superiors wanted to hear that he'd had to restrain himself from the urge to burn down half the forest.
"Orders, suh?"
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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 Aug 7, 2008 10:40:27 GMT -5
Scorponok watches Tiny and Holi moving on, making a slightly disappointed chitter. Blackout pats his companion's head consolingly. "You can play when we're done with the sweep." The arachnoid perks up almost immediately, turning back to his surveying with renewed vigor.
Blackout turns back to Kup, noting how they seem to have a hard time describing what Scorponok is. "Scorponok has a spark and is able to transform. The Allspark gave him a more animalistic personality than most, but he is still a Transformer. He assists me with recon where I can't fit or would be too noticeable." He's also covered in blades, but that goes without saying.
He nods at the notion of certain troops not being so good at stealth. He'd certainly never want to send Shortround out on his own for anything that wasn't planned to end in combat. "Shall we begin with a joint watch tonight, then? We can begin fortifying this structure and preparing our defenses in the meantime."
Blackout returns Midnight's salute. The big chopper knows all about trying to find a clear take-off point. The jets don't need enough space for rotors, after all. "We're in the process of sweeping the area. Scorponok is surveying the lower levels, and Holi and the mechadragon are working on the upper levels. Assist us with the remainder, and beware of weak spots in the floor." Blackout indicates the marker stones.
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Post by Kup on Aug 7, 2008 13:14:09 GMT -5
"Good job, lad!" Kup shouts at Holi, before raising a frown to the sky as he watches Midnight's approach rather carefully. Seeker or just Seeker look-a-like, working on the same side as someone with this build isn't exactly what he's used to. It's not an entirely new experience, mind, but it's certainly rare enough! He lets Midnight report to Blackout without interruption, then turns back to the chopper.
"Ah, thanks," Kup says as Blackout explains what Scorponok is. "Sounds something like some of the cassettes from back home." But if the Decepticon means to imply that one has to have a spark in order to be a Transformer, he's got a correction coming.
"A joint watch sounds like a good idea, but we won't be doing much in the way of fortifying unless Prime or Emirate Xaaron... or, erm, Starscream... say otherwise. That much construction in this area's bound to draw attention we don't want, and last I heard, this spot weren't intended as any kind of permanent or even semi-permanent base, anyway. We're best off with just familiarizing ourselves with the area around here if an attack comes, but better than that, doing some wide scouting to decide where we want to take the fight to them, rather than letting them come to us again." After all, they had more time and more materials to prepare for the attack at the Zoo city, and that didn't exactly work out, either.
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Holi
Major
Captain Can-Do
Posts: 672
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Post by Holi on Aug 7, 2008 21:03:57 GMT -5
Holi pauses in his checks to watch this Midnight come in before carrying on; Tiny lingers a bit longer before giving in to his insistent pull on her leash. It's a long circuit around this deck, he isn't quite halfway done yet, and what is he thinking? He's thinking it's an awfully long way down if he isn't careful and finds a weak patch of floor the hard way. Luckily, the first thing they find is an already-collapsed hole. Big enough for him or a Minibot to fall through, big enough for someone larger to get their foot stuck.
//Found a hole,// he reports on the short-range allied frequency to, he hopes, make it easier for the others in the arena to hear him. //It's on Level… er….// Hold, please, he's checking the signage. //…Level circle-with-two-dots-in-it, Section… crescent-around-spiral.// And he waves one arm in wide arcs over his head to flag where he's standing in case anyone's looking up. //It's big enough for a foot to fit through. Um. Someone else's foot, not mine. Bigger.// He abashedly rubs the back of his head and grins an embarrassed grin at Tiny when she cocks her head just so at him.
Okay, that's enough being goofy. Carry on! Holi leads Tiny down a few rows to skirt the gap, then moves ahead.
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Post by Cannonball-3 on Aug 8, 2008 1:16:07 GMT -5
Outside of the Arena, a vehicle engine rumbles as a white station wagon pulls through an entrance near where Kup and company are.
//Cannonball 'ere, lads. No need t' get riled up// he says as he pulls in, transforming with a quick jump, glancing at the others. "Anything I kin do round 'ere?"
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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 Aug 8, 2008 7:07:23 GMT -5
Midnight is not a lower-levels person. That's rather like tunnel-crawling, and he's a flier. He started checking the upper levels of one of the buildings, guns out and charged.
A short while later, there was a rumbled of crumbling ceramacrete, a shout of surprise, and a loud crash of a mass of metal bouncing from floor to floor. Dust spewed out of the doors and windows of the former bank building.
"Y'all can mark this here roof as unsafe," came the muffled voice of Midnight from somewhere near the ground floor.
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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 Aug 8, 2008 15:10:19 GMT -5
Blackout is well aware of Transformers without sparks; his own faction includes several. It's just a habit to define a machine with a spark as alive.
"Covert fortifications," Blackout explains to Kup. "Traps, dugouts, storm tunnels, camouflaged from view. Useful for a retreating defense, easily abandoned. The work will give our troops time to learn to work together under more at-ease circumstances, and the defenses themselves will help us escape in the event of a massed assault."
He does concede the point of taking the fight to the enemy, though. "Perhaps we should exchange available information about our alternates. Communication will be key in this battle, but a few moments of confusion could be the turning point. Even just tricking an opponent into turning their back long enough to shoot them would be useful." Back attacks aren't Blackout's preferred method, but war is an ugly thing.
Blackout nods to Cannonball, but before he can say anything, there's the sound of crushing and shredding materials as Midnight attempts to make a withdrawal. Blackout sighs. "First we should give Midnight an assist. He's still adapting to his new antigravs."
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Post by Kup on Aug 8, 2008 17:51:40 GMT -5
OOC: Being as most the action takes place in a large arena, I'm going to assume any buildings mentioned are either nearby or partially attached buildings that supported the function and operation of the arena, though they'd still be outside of the arena itself.
Kup sighs at the hole report, summons the sheet of metal and sharp pointy cylinder he uses as a notepad and stylus from subspace, and makes note of the whole Holi reported. //Got it, lad,// he responds over the radio this time as he scratches down a notation.
When Cannonball arrives, he narrows his optics, remembering the last time he was allied with a robot that looks like this. He shakes his head. No, different Cannonball. Can't hold it against this guy. But still, it's so hard.
Blackout orders Cannonball to look into Midnight's condition, and so Kup decides to stay on the inside of the Arena, where he can keep an optic on Holi. Not that he's worried about Cannonball causing any problems with Holi or anything. But you know. The floor has weak spots, and Holi's a little guy and such. Really, that's the reason.
"The problem is," he continues to Blackout, "it's not just the fortifications that need to be covert. Putting them in place has to be done covertly, too. They've got a Synapse, and they've got a Jetfire, and we've got no idea when those two are back in the sky. If anything, I want to try to get some partial covering over this thing that looks, well, natural. And while we're at it, we need to find some more remote areas to do some of our sparring exercises and whatnot. Too much activity concentrated here is going to draw attention, no matter how 'covert' the final result is supposed to look. Already, we got a big old hole in a roof that wasn't there before." Kup snorts, irritated. "Might as well draw them a cram-jamming bullseye."
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Wheelie
Rookie
Can't sleep. Sharkticons will eat me.
Posts: 191
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Post by Wheelie on Aug 8, 2008 23:12:40 GMT -5
Wheelie has, in fact, been keeping pace with Holi. He's just been unusually quiet of late, as he has been ever since the Decepticon attack and the mass retreat. The young minibot had never had a home before, never had people whom he cared about or who he could rely on (or who, in turn, relied on him).
So he had lost the first home he had ever known. It was a sobering thought, one that only made his hatred of the Decepticons all the stronger.
Still, he now had other things on his mind, which he finally conveyed to Holi. "Wheelie doesn't like to talk bad about guys on our side, but the little robot makes him want to run and hide. Where he's from, animals aren't so nice. Mechanical especially, they like to slice and dice! How can we trust this 'bot--he seems good and yet... What kind of monster would keep that as a pet?!"
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