Sky-byte
Minor
Worst Luck Ever
Posts: 334
|
Post by Sky-byte on Dec 29, 2007 17:29:43 GMT -5
If Scourge tries such a thing, Sky-Byte would be sure to latch on and pull the tanker down with him.
"Why discreet is my middle name," he states with a disarming grin.
If the Decepticons were all desserts, Sky-Byte could have his cake and eat them all. How convenient!
"If Sell Sword is such a mercenary, it's possible that we may be able to buy his loyalties some how and have him undermine his team from within. I wouldn't trust a truce with any of these Decepticons..." he glances back and forth between Scourge and Frenzy. "The both of you included." The last part is more muttered underneath his breath before he flashes another grin at the others. "So shall I get started on our decoys?"
|
|
|
Post by SceneMod on Dec 29, 2007 19:53:05 GMT -5
It is at this point that the communications tower outside is activated. Due to alterations made, it manages to trigger the solid-light holo-projectors of the training room, causing images to form in the sky overhead. See the Dark Tower thread for full details.
|
|
Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
|
Post by Frenzy on Dec 29, 2007 19:58:14 GMT -5
Frenzy remains silent as Scourge and Sky-Byte plot how the defense is going to work. He doesn't do defense, except as it comes with getting through them. And he really doesn't think that what he has to contribute will be of much use to designing these defenses.
Then the room starts playing its little holovid. Frenzy cranes his head to see, then stands up right, two hands settling on Scourge's helm to balance him as he watches.
"Not a game thing," he mutters as it goes into a repeat. "They'd be speaking our language. Real thing. Outside. Shidanfuk."
There is an instinctive urge to get to Barricade Right The Frak Now. NownownownownownowNOW!
Thin little fingers slide into one of the seams on Scourge's shoulder-mounted weapons battery, curl and hold, then yank back out as Frenzy scrambles over the top of Scourge's head to the other side. And then back again.
|
|
|
Post by Sable Conolly on Dec 29, 2007 22:34:18 GMT -5
Sky-Byte is correct not to trust Scourge, which is fine. Scourge doesn't trust Sky-Byte, either. He is about to suggest that Sky-Byte get to decoy-making, and he'll get to undermining structures.
Then Scourge beholds something that stops even him cold. He stares up at the sky in sheer, dumbstruck wonder.
There is something very wrong with Scourge, something that was instilled in him during his corrupted birth from a four-part source, or rather, there is something fundamental that was left out of him. He is quite nearly without fear, even when fear would be sensible, when it would keep his temper in check, when it would keep him from engaging far superior opponents.
So what Scourge should feel is sheer, gripping terror that shakes him down to his spark. Instead, he feels a dark, intense, burning envy. That such a creature could even exist! Even in his wildest dreams of power, Scourge never dared to dream so large. He literally aches with hunger as he beholds the devourer of worlds.
Scourge would have power like that or have it bow to him.
If either Sky-Byte or Frenzy have enough collection of mind to notice how Scourge is gazing at the holo-image of Unicron, they might be deeply disturbed.
Dimly, it registers on Scourge that Frenzy is actually causing him some pain. Deliberately but with great speed belied by his powerful build, he reaches out to snatch up the infiltrator and orders coolly, "Calm yourself. We are Decepticons, Frenzy. We do not fear power. We master it."
|
|
Sky-byte
Minor
Worst Luck Ever
Posts: 334
|
Post by Sky-byte on Dec 30, 2007 0:42:04 GMT -5
At first sight of the broadcast, Sky-Byte notices that he does recognize these strange beings. With all the picture books he has, figuring out the looks of the planet natives wasn't terribly hard. He still has no idea as to what they're saying though, they seem scared enough.....and with good reason!
Sky-Byte is too busy gaping at the hologram of the great. Big. Planet-eating. Planet. So he doesn't quite focus on the panicked voices of the speakers any longer. He takes a glance at Scourge, you know, just to check how terrified the other must be. Problem is, the look about Scourge doesn't strike Sky-Byte as terrified at all. Maybe...yes, he's just going to go back to staring at the Planet of Doom and pretend that never happened. Just about now, Sky-Byte would like to zip away and hole himself up somewhere safe. Pretend this all didn't just happen.
See, Predacons are smart. They know when to run away and live another day. Problem is that Sky-Byte can't really run away right now.
|
|
Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
|
Post by Frenzy on Dec 31, 2007 0:14:59 GMT -5
The dark hand grabbing for him jerks Frenzy out of his terror, but it mostly certainly does not calm him. The hacker skitters down Scourge's back in a clatter of metal and curses, then leaps off and onto Sky-Byte. Whereupon he promptly swarms up the shark'transformer to perch on his shoulder.
"Gas-guzzling, sludge-sucking knockoff repaint of Optimus Prime..."
He goes on like that for some time in a low, vicious mutter.
|
|
|
Post by Sable Conolly on Dec 31, 2007 9:42:57 GMT -5
It's a really sad day when Sky-Byte's reaction to something is less annoying than... anyone else's. But Sky-Byte, at the very least, does not utterly flip out and crawl all over Scourge.
Scourge brings up his hand to cover his optics band and clamps it very firmly, with a slight screech of his fingers against the metal of his head. Luckily for him, that fantastic polish job means that he isn't stripping any paint. Sigma, he wants to snap-draw his plasma gun and blow Frenzy away.
It's not a hot button when you kill everyone who presses it. It's a death button. Theirs.
But Scourge needs to make friends and influence people, here. This Frenzy seems to be a spiteful spot, and does he want an infiltrator to know that Scourge has a massive temper problem and Daddy issues?
Taking his hand away from his face, Scourge slowly and deliberately laces his fingers together and cracks his knuckles, letting each pop linger. He comments lowly, voice polished and professional, "I look like your Optimus Prime, do I? Why, thank you for the information, Frenzy." Chew on that slip-up, Frenzy, giving a strange cross-dimensional Decepticon information that he didn't earn. "Now. Sky-Byte, get started on those decoys. I'll get to undermining and trapping. Frenzy, map our sector, and if that's drone work for you, find a map. If this simulation is really as detailed as it looks, perhaps even the charge stations will be accurate," and therefore contain maps.
Blast this. Why'd he let them talk him into doing guard work? He needs to put a sword in someone!
|
|
Sky-byte
Minor
Worst Luck Ever
Posts: 334
|
Post by Sky-byte on Dec 31, 2007 10:59:55 GMT -5
Oh, if Sky-Byte had any ounce of trust in Scourge that the other wouldn't deride him for an eternity, then the Predacon would have at least jumped behind Scourge. Let the giant planet in the sky eat Scourge first, get indigestion. But it was just a hologram and Sky-Byte has lost his pride enough times to the Decepticon that he doesn't feel like doing it again. So Scourge is spared.
Now the little mech's on his shoulder. Ho hum, Scourge has lost himself a little friend. Sky-Byte struggles to keep in the guffaws at Frenzy's muttering inside. The little infiltrator isn't too bad. "From the sounds of it, you look like every Optimus Prime. How very droll." No, that isn't amusement in Sky-Byte's voice.
He turns quickly, "Yes, decoy work, right on it, Scourge!" He says, a little too cheerful and in a hurry. Off he starts to find raw materials for his project. Frenzy is quite welcome to stay or make his jump for it. Sky-Byte is pointedly not looking back over his shoulder to see if Scourge wants a fish kabob. It's all about a dignified exit.
|
|
Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
|
Post by Frenzy on Dec 31, 2007 14:38:39 GMT -5
If Scourge doesn't know that he looks like Optimus Prime by now, he's too dumb to be allowed to command the little spy. More likely, he was falling into the same slaggign stupid pit trap that everyone and their drone fell into - assuming being a spy meant you had to be an information black hole.
No, idiots, people don't talk to you if you don't give them anything. The key wasn't holding onto information with an iron grip, it was giving out information that was worthless in exchange for something that wasn't worthless.
So Scourge looks like Optimus Prime. So what? Mech couldn't make use of it - he didn't have the right kind of body. What's more, and Frenzy was pretty darn sure about this, but he wouldn't make use of it even if he could. It took a powerful sense of self and arrogance beyond imagining not to flinch from what'd been up there, even for a moment.
Frenzy lets the shark carry him away, and then he dives off down the side and disappears into a building. Time to find some maps and maybe a few other toys. Like Wreckage.
|
|
|
Post by Sable Conolly on Dec 31, 2007 14:53:58 GMT -5
Scourge is painfully aware that he resembles Optimus Prime, and Sky-Byte had to just go rub it in again. Picture a chibi Scourge pulling down an optic shutter at Sky-Byte behind his back. He was just looking for a way to stick it to Frenzy that did not involve pulling Frenzy apart. People who take Scourge literally really have another thing coming to them. Intelligence is worthless if it is not relayed to where it can be used.
Also, Scourge has considered painting himself up to look like an Optimus Prime, and he'd even do it, but the Autobots happen to know that the Decepticons have Scourge, and they wouldn't fall for it.
He watches the two departs and calls as they go, "Be back here 10 minutes before timeout. Sharp."
With that, Scourge turns crisply on his heel. There are a lot of ways this could go bad. Even as he's trying to coerce Dead End into betraying Starscream, others could be trying to coerce his team members. Sky-Byte would likely leap at the chance to stab Scourge in the back. Meanwhile, that Frenzy might favour Wreckage. It's a good thing that Scourge informed Dead End about Wreckage, isn't it?
Scourge stalks off to find his own flag. One thing is certain: he's not going to tell Sky-Byte or Frenzy where he put it. Then, if they do betray him or are captured and tortured, they'll have nothing to say. Worst comes to worst, he can leave his trailer to guard the flag and take this game solo.
|
|
Sky-byte
Minor
Worst Luck Ever
Posts: 334
|
Post by Sky-byte on Jan 1, 2008 19:19:15 GMT -5
A few things here, pick up a few object there, Sky-Byte is finding quite a few different knick-knacks in this city. With the lack of subspace and the lack of desire to give up any of his reading, he's stuck to lugging all the things he has found over his shoulder in a make-shift sack. The sack being fabric he's found to make little flags with.
As soon as he's found everything, Sky-Byte settles down and begins his work. These certainly are not amateur works of art. No, this shark is very precise with his work. Perhaps too precise, considering that sometimes can't tell the difference between his own work and the real thing. But expects nothing less than perfection, maybe that's why most of his plans fail. Sky-Byte is a terrible micro-manager.
Also, to work on making some drones look like their team. Sky-Byte would have to find some drones first and then construct the disguises. Making a Frenzy should be quite interesting, making a Scourge...
Scourge. Sky-Byte pauses in his work and makes a face. Just what is that conniving mack up to, making off with the flag and not telling anyone else where he's put it. Unlike Frenzy, Sky-Byte does care whether or not he knows where this flag is. There's just no way that Scourge is going to know some vital piece of information that Sky-Byte does not. No way! Work speed doubling, he quickly makes to finish everything as soon as possible.
After he's done, this shark's going hunting.
|
|
Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
|
Post by Frenzy on Jan 4, 2008 0:05:41 GMT -5
Frenzy skitters through buildings scaled for beings taller than him, flicker-flashes of thoughts scattering through his head like machine-gun rounds.
Scourge grabbed for him.
Scourge has to suffer.
Scourge has to lose.
But.
Sky-byte and Frenzy have to win.
Who can take Scourge?
Wreckage is big enough and tough enough. Starscream has machinery-shutdown zaps.
To be absolutely sure, get both of them.
Starscream makes the truck-humper burn more.
Scourge guards the flag. Need to know where the flag is.
Instead of looking for maps or consoles, Frenzy backtracks through the buildings, slipping through them like a ghost in the fog as he seeks out Scourge and follows him.
|
|
|
Post by Sable Conolly on Jan 4, 2008 9:20:29 GMT -5
Scourge sets traps and scavenges for materials in silence. He is efficient and disturbingly quiet for someone of his massive size. The flag is tied jauntily to one of his smoke stacks. He won't be leaving it there, but he isn't going o plant it where he wants it yet. He also behaves, perhaps unconsciously, like someone trying to give a tail a slip. Scourge doubles-backs and takes bizarre turns.
He rather hopes no one is tailing him, but if someone is, his tail should think that Scourge knows he's being followed.
All warfare is based on deception. – Sun Tzu
Scourge opts for simple traps, being a saboteur and not an engineer by trade. Step under this roof, and it will fall down on your head. He also sets traps sized specifically for Frenzy. The spy shouldn't be in their sector, anyway. He should be out in other people's sectors. Scourge also gets his hand dirty under the hood of a number of simulated local vehicles, tweaking them to overheat, burst into flames, and explode. Unfortunately, he can't rig up a proximity fuse or anything, so some amount of time into the game, they will go off. Hopefully, the fire will force the fliers up into the air, where they can be sniped more effectively. He uses some of the precious steel cable he's found to set up trip wires that collapse sections of walls.
The black truck does not pause anywhere overly long. It's rather hard to tell his evaluation of any given site. He does spend an obscenely long amount of time meticulously dissembling a stop light mechanism and staring at it before leaving.
Scourge also spends an extended period of time exploring an underground parking garage and meticulously barricading all the exits save one with vehicles compacted by his massive strength.
He takes a trip of the sewers.
Scourge spares nothing but a bare glance for a deep, dark pond in one of the city parks, the reservoir, the river, and any number of bridges. He does, at one point, dive into a pond, and he affixed a number of sharpened, jagged poles to the bottom. Scourge traps several pools and under-bridge areas so, but he doesn't touch the reservoir. There are no wet footprints leading to or from it at all. Scourge seems to disdain the sewers entirely.
Finally, he returns to the spot, 15 minutes to go, and the flag still not hidden. Idly, Scourge stands, drying his wheels and his feet with some scavenged cloth.
|
|
Sky-byte
Minor
Worst Luck Ever
Posts: 334
|
Post by Sky-byte on Jan 4, 2008 15:21:43 GMT -5
Planting decoy flags here and there as he goes, Sky-Byte peppers the sector with his lovely works. He also manages to ambush some of the local drones and secure the disguises that he had so carefully crafted onto them before letting the things go on their way.
With a few more flags in hand, Sky-Byte begins his search for Scourge. The extra flags were for evidence. Just in case Scourge did catch sight of him sneaking after him and Sky-Byte could then just stand and laugh it off with a: 'Following you? Why, you must be mistaken. I'm just looking for places to plant these decoys. What a coincidence though!' He'd be well on his way of doubling back somewhere safe though, just in case Scourge decides to shoot him anyways.
Sky-Byte does find Scourge though, the Decepticon still setting up traps. He follows Scourge carefully, gliding after him and darting behind walls and such. Because a flying shark is a lot quieter than a tip-toeing giant robot, thus much harder to notice--but does Scourge notice him? It's more than once that Sky-Byte thinks that Scourge is on to his tailing with the black tanker's erratic path. It's also more than once that Sky-Byte loses his quarry. But every single time, that blasted flag is still tied on Scourge's smokestack! Scourge must know that he's being followed. Cursed truck.
It's nearly time to meet again and Sky-Byte can't stick around watching Scourge forever. He's still got some decoys to get rid of. Frustrated and utterly irritated, Sky-Byte leaves to finish his work.
He gets back to the meeter spot just a minute or so early. The sight of Scourge standing there, drying himself, and still having the flag causes a very unhappy arch to Sky-Byte's back as the shark swims on closer.
"I don't know if you've forgotten Scourge, but the flag is still on your person," grumbles Sky-Byte.
|
|
Frenzy
Minor
Emperor of Profaningshire
Fscking Bigjobs
Posts: 339
|
Post by Frenzy on Jan 5, 2008 14:55:19 GMT -5
The convenient thing about being four and a half feet tall in a species where ten or twelve was the usual minimum was that most people who set traps for you never actually set them anyplace useful. Because most Transformers couldn't imagine what being four and a half feet tall really meant as far as your options went.
Frenzy only needs to keep Scourge in sight to make himself happy. He doesn't need to stick anywhere close to the big truck, and he simply watches curiously as the truck makes his traps.
They're running out of time. He ought to get the maps for the other two... Perhaps. No, definitely. No point in being unreliable yet.
Once he sees Sky-Byte rejoin Scourge, Frenzy skitters off to do interesting things to the local computers. Perhaps they have a security network in place that monitors the entire city. He should be so lucky.
|
|