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Post by Blackout on Feb 10, 2009 13:45:42 GMT -5
//Blackout,// he identifies himself to Phobia. The big helicopter moves closer, transforming far enough to not blind them all with the dust cloud and closing the last distance on foot.
Blackout looks down at Duskwing and the motorcycle. A jet without wings isn't likely to move fast. The jet he could carry, and the bike doesn't seem seriously damaged, but moving Long Range is a problem. There's also the somewhat amusing thought of what kind of damage Long Range would do as an impromptu wrecking ball, but that's neither here nor there.
"I may be able to transport Long Range, but I cannot carry all of you," he states.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 10, 2009 20:45:28 GMT -5
"I think that's the big Pave-Low guy," Duskwing says belatedly. "Bludgeon? No, Bludgeon is the Mayhem with the sword. Blackdown? Knockout? Blindspot? Somet'ing like dat."
He flexes one foot, trying to shake the grit out of his joints. "Hey, you're the guy with the Scorpi-cassette, right?" Duskwing asks Blackout.
He stares blankly at Blackout for several moments after Blackout makes his announcement, then, finally, "I'm not whatcha call a logistical genius here, but couldn't you like, make two trips?"
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Feb 10, 2009 23:06:22 GMT -5
As Blackout lands Phobia darts back a bit further away for the simple sake of being a fussy, dust hating, bike-bot.
"Blackout." He mutters to Duskwing, engine rattling in annoyace as he feels the pinpricks of even more grit settling on him. What a horrible, horrible day.
"Two trips." The dark mech adds after a moment of silent disgust at his current condition. "But, as loathesome as I feel about driving through this terrain, I can get back to base under my own power." He doesn't exactly want to, you know, get on a helicopter. Or hang around any of these people any longer than necessary.
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Post by Long Range on Feb 11, 2009 1:03:09 GMT -5
Long Range might actually entertain the idea of bieng used as a wrecking ball if approached with it by Blackout. Sure, the fall would hurt, but not so much so if he landed on an Autobot. He also frowns at the thought of two trips. He'd rather not leave Duskwing behind in his injured state, unsure if there might be predataors that stalked these dunes.
Long Range gets an idea. If it works it'll look silly, but they'll all get home sooner. "Hey Duskwing, do your antigravs still function? How about yours Phobia?"
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Post by Blackout on Feb 11, 2009 17:05:13 GMT -5
A wrecking ball approach would certainly be an unexpected way to get an artillery platform on the ground faster.
"Would you volunteer to be left behind?" Blackout asks Duskwing with a noticeable edge in his voice. "There may yet be Autobots in the area. And Scorponok is not a 'cassette'." So is Blackout annoyed at the suggestion of leaving wounded comrades behind, or at a possible slight at his pet? Actually, yes.
The chopper considers Long Range's question. It does conjure up a rather silly mental image, at that. It also brings up the question of why Long Range doesn't just get his own antigravs, but that's neither here nor there. (Hey, it'd make the wrecking ball idea easier, at least.) He waits to hear the other two reply before commenting further.
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 11, 2009 19:31:50 GMT -5
Duskwing gives Long Range a puzzled look. "Yeah, but I'm low on fuel. Can't fly back to base."
He glares at Blackout; though he's not quite sure what the Pave-Low is getting at, the tone isn't all that friendly. "I don't never volunteer for nuttin'. Nothin' but trouble doin' dat. An' don't he hangar in your chassis? Dat makes him like one a Soundwave's boys. 'Cept not an ob--ob--obnoxious little oil drip like Frenzy."
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Feb 12, 2009 8:09:27 GMT -5
"Seeing as Duskwing is the most severely injured and lowest on fuel, why don't you take him first?" Phobia pipes up between trying to shake dust from his back. "If there should still be Autobots around he isn't exactly in much of a condition to fight them anyhow. You can come back for Long Range later and..."
He trails off, looking up at the aforementioned mech when he is questioned about the state of his antigravs. Now why would he like to know about the state of Phobia's antigravs? Certainly any ideas involving them can't be good for the bike's dignity.
"They work." The bike answer cautiously after a few moments and though he didn't look it, he was on the verge of fleeing. "Why?"
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Post by Long Range on Feb 12, 2009 8:49:25 GMT -5
Long Range doesn't have antigravs because they'd have to be huge to make up for his massive bulk, which is heavier than even most other Transformers his size, and in turn make him even heavier.
Really, its a surprise he doesn't get a lot of fat jokes.
"Well, the basic idea is that Blackout here picks me up, and I take one of you under each arm, and you use your antigravs to compenstae for the increased weight without having to burn extra energy to propel yourself forward. This gets us all back to base quicker with only slightly bruised egos." Long range says, doing appropraite hand motions to help them visualize his plan.
Yes, he is aware how bizarrethis will look as they come in. No, he doesn't care.
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Post by Blackout on Feb 14, 2009 13:19:58 GMT -5
They made Trypticon fly well enough to make escape velocity. Unless Long Range is heavier than a city-bot.
With a grunt, Blackout dismisses Duskwing's ramblings. For now. Maybe after the jet is repaired, he can be dragged into that training room Blackout's heard about...
He considers Long Range's plan. "I won't be able to move or maneuver very quickly," he muses out loud, "but it may be serviceable for now."
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 14, 2009 15:55:23 GMT -5
Duskwing staaaares at Long Range, his face screwed up in a wonderfully boggled expression.
"Huh. But, wouldn't that... Huh. Yeah, but... Hmm. Well... Uh.... I guess it might work," Duskwing says. "I dunno. It sounds com--com--" He waves one hand around, snatching at the air. "Complicated! Yeah, that's it. It's complicated."
He frowns at Long Range. "It ain't my ego that's bruised, it's my wings and chest. Can't you see dat?" An ego is apparently some obscure electronic device, as far as Duskwing can tell. Or possibly a breakfast pastry.
"But okay, if youse guys think it'll work..." He still looks a bit doubtful. And Blackout is ignoring him, like all those screwy Decepticons did.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Feb 14, 2009 16:31:50 GMT -5
"I... Uh." Phobia takes a moment to stare at all of them. "... If I'm truly not needed I insist that I get to base on my own."
He slooowly begins to back away.
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Post by Long Range on Feb 14, 2009 17:19:50 GMT -5
"No, your needed as a stabilizer in case Duskwing overcompensates and unbalances us. I see you trying to run away." Long Range says as he he jabs his finger at Phobia, becoming tired of his unhelpful attitude.
Phobia will go along with this crazy plan and like it, even if it kills him.
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Post by Blackout on Feb 15, 2009 16:19:22 GMT -5
It's either ignore Duskwing, or try to send him flying back the hard way. The techs have enough on their plate as it is.
Blackout glares quietly down at Phobia. He doesn't raise a finger; he just drops a large part of his back into the sand. A short moment later, Phobia may notice a cluster of rather pointy blades rising up out of the sand over his shoulder. The blades then spring open with a sharp snap.
"You will help," Blackout states simply. His tone does not invite argument. "We have enough problems without having to hunt down deserters."
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Duskwing
Major
"What the slag happened?"
Posts: 848
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Post by Duskwing on Feb 15, 2009 17:43:11 GMT -5
For once, it's not Duskwing who is being glared at! Duskwing gives Phobia a smug look and says, "Hey, if I gotta do my thing in this plan, you gotta do yours. No runnin' away! Dat pisses off guys like me who done followed orders and took the lumps, see? You don't wanna piss me off. Or him," Duskwing points at Blackout, "or him," followed by a thumb jerked towards Long Range. "An' you don't want us thinkin' you're a slacker who..."
Duskwing frowns, trying to find the right word again. "... who snuck away from the fightin' 'cause a not wantin' to get hurt. Yeah. Dey got a word for dat, and you don't wanna be that word."
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Feb 15, 2009 22:16:54 GMT -5
Phobia doesn't like a lot of things and he definitely wasn't about to start liking this plan. Unfortunately for him, that didn't really matter much in face of three larger mechs and a pointy thing coming out of the sand behind him. Such was the unfortunate side effect about being a coward.
He makes a mental bingo board of the insults being thrown at him before finally uttering a most unhappy rev and reluctantly transforming into biped mode. The crackling of dust in his joints still rang in his head by the end of it, but Phobia managed to keep the baleful look on his face.
"Very well." After this, Phobia was going to go curl up in a dark corner of his room and whimper quietly for the next day and a half.
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