Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 28, 2008 0:38:35 GMT -5
"TC! Follow!" Skyfire ordered as he transformed and rose into the sky. He was confident his newest pet would follow; the alternative was to stay behind and trust himself to the mercies of Rodimus Prime and Perceptor. TC already behaved better than that; he was shaping up into a good pet.
Skyfire banked and swung around to the east; from his experience on Gillanan III so far, the civic center was generally in the middle or on the waterfront, and the best place to find fancy civic buildings holding objects of civic pride and/or negotiable value.
As he landed in front of the gaudiest large building he could find and transformed, Skyfire frowned to himself. There was too much ground to cover; he'd have to trust TC to loot on his own.
As fire and light erupted to the north, Skyfire shook his head as he waited for TC to land. There was nothing for it but to do it, and see if TC's training had taken....
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 28, 2008 9:20:48 GMT -5
Thundercracker transformed and touched down before Skyfire, instintively lowering his head as he stood before his master and saluted. He had quickly learned that, while as corrupt as the rest of the Autobots, Skyfire was not cruel for cruelty's sake -- if he behaved himself. Disobedience usually entailed a beating if he was lucky.
If he was unlucky... well, Skyfire enjoyed some perks from his dealings with Perceptor.
"Your orders, Master?" he inquired.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 28, 2008 15:57:17 GMT -5
"You know the drill by now," Skyfire said. He pointed at another ornate building next door to the one Skyfire was looking at. "Grab the shiny stuff being carefully displayed like it was important. Small art objects that are heavily protected while on display. Don't overload your cockpit, we may have to move out of here fast when the pyromaniacs get here."
He swung his cannon down and blew the front doors off the building in front of him. "Oh yeah, if you see any non-Gillanese high-tech on display, CALL ME. That'll be a Perceptor present. Meet me out here when you've covered the building."
With that last order, Skyfire strode into the Gillanese building, not needing to duck his head after using the cannon as a wall-opener.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 28, 2008 20:20:59 GMT -5
"Yes, sir," Thundercracker replies, and he arms his arm guns and blasts the doors until there's an opening large enough to accomodate his height and wingspan. Yes, he's still trusted with his arm guns -- though he does miss his incidenary rifle...
Don't think about that now. He has orders, time to follow them.
As he wanders the hallways of what looks rather like a museum, he can hear the explosions and crackling flames of the other Autobots laying waste to the city. For a moment he feels a stab of... something, as the destruction calls to mind memories of whole sections of Cybertron being laid to waste, as the Autobots fought to keep the Decepticons subjugated, willingly allowing their own homeworld to be ravaged rather than let his people be seen as equals...
He shakes his head and continues, pausing every now and again to pick up a small statue or a framed piece of art and tuck it into his cockpit. The Autobots hadn't wanted to see the Decepticons as equals -- and perhaps they had good reason. Perhaps it was as Alpha Trion said, and Decepticons were merely monsters to be kept under lock and key...
He pauses in the act of reaching for what appears to be another statue -- silver and shaped like a tapered cylinder, with a dome-shaped top and round nubs in rows up and down the sides. This isn't Gillanese as far as he can tell. Either it's a very "modern" piece of art, or it's something tech-ish.
//Master, I found tech of some kind. Your orders?//
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 28, 2008 22:12:17 GMT -5
Skyfire is busy "tossing" the City Public Library for objets d'art --he's already picked up some beautifully-carved marble mecha-dragons from the main entrance--when he gets TC's call.
// Can you secure it without damage, or is it too big or too active? // Skyfire replies as he blows down another door.
Blue optics narrow thoughtfully at the sight of sealed cabinets holding not data disks, but books and manuscripts. Bingo! He's found the Rare Books section. Skyfire smirks to himself; once they get hooked up with the interstellar market again, he can find some collectors to pay serious creds for this stuff. Or if they get back to Cybertron.
Quickly, he gets to work recovering the delicate books and manuscripts cabinets and all. There are advantages to being an interstellar transport; one is the ability to carry a lot of loot. He had to hurry; nothing like priceless rare burnable items to attract the incendiary-wielding lunatics he was marooned on Gillanan III with.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 28, 2008 22:39:32 GMT -5
//It's inactive, Master, but to make room for it in my cockpit I'll have to dump some of the art I picked up// he replies. And he's privately hoping it STAYS inactive -- the last thing he needs is for a piece of unidentified tech to suddenly activate in his cockpit.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 28, 2008 22:53:08 GMT -5
// Frak. All right, hold your position. I'll be there as soon as I stash this last batch of books. Fragging pyromaniacs will probably torch the place before I clear it properly. //
Skyfire stashed the manuscript cabinet he'd just picked up in his 'hollow leg'. He looked around regretfully at the remaining rare books before leaving. TC had better have found something good, because he probably just cost Skyfire the rest of the books.
He jerked his head up as the warnings of incoming jets hit the airwaves and briefly scanned the skies. // FRAK AND DOUBLE FRAK! TC, we got incoming that's not us--I'm coming over there on the double. Keep your head down, I don't want you getting it shot off. //
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 28, 2008 23:16:49 GMT -5
//Yes, Master// Thundercracker replies, and he lifts the machine off its pedastal. Its heavier than it looks...
Skyfire's next order makes him freeze. Incoming that's not ours -- or perhaps to be precise, incoming that's not theirs. Decepticons here...
No, he won't hope for a rescue. That's too much to hope for. Besides, he's only one mech, and surrounded by hostile Autobots to boot. Why would they risk their afts for him?
//Understood// is all he says.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 28, 2008 23:48:18 GMT -5
Skyfire follows Thundercracker's trail of destruction through the museum, musing that it'd be really nice if he could have a little jet like Skyblast as a pet. Or something like Holi, but with wings. They'd be so handy for ferreting in these diminutive buildings. God help the Air Defense Team if Skyfire ever hears about them.
Skyfire finally locates Thundercracker and his find. He leans over and examines it carefully, lightly scanning it with his sensors. "Well, well. I think we've found something interesting."
Skyfire straightens and smiles at Thundercracker, then gently pats the captive Seeker on the head. "Good work, TC! You're a good jet." He gently strokes his thumb soothingly along TC's left wing edge. "Goooood jet." 1
"Anything else left in this building?" Skyfire looks around quickly. "Looks like you mostly covered it--follow me and help me get the rest of the rare books, if we have time."
He carefully hefts the alien droid-widget-thingy and wraps it in a tarp from his cargo locker, then stashes it in the other hollow leg. On their way out, he opens a channel to Perceptor:
// Perceptor, sir, if you're not busy, I found a bit of non-local tech that you might be interested in. Actually, TC did. He's been real good since you adjusted him. Where can I meet you? //
--- 1 Petting of TC by permission of player.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 29, 2008 0:07:31 GMT -5
Thundercracker lowers his head with a submissive smile as Skyfire pats him and caresses his wing. Some small part of him -- very slight, but still there -- wants to recoil from the touch, disgusted. But Perceptor's programming, subtle but powerful, suppresses it.
"I live to serve, Master," is all he says in reply.
He stands and follows Skyfire out of the building.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 29, 2008 21:03:20 GMT -5
Skyfire listens to the chatter on the Autobot-3 channel and watches events in the skies above, focusing in with his explorer's sensors. "At least that bunch of pyromaniacs has something to do," Skyfire finally commented.
"Come, TC. We're going to grab the last of the books, then skedaddle. I don't want to keep Perceptor waiting." Skyfire strode quickly back into the library and up the stairs in two steps to the rare books room. Once there, he started packing up the remaining two cabinets, keeping an ever alert audial on events outside. If things started exploding outside, he was perfectly willing to drop the loot and bolt.
No treasure was worth his life.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 30, 2008 0:16:59 GMT -5
"Yes, Master," Thundercracker replies, trailing in the explorer's footsteps. Once in the library, he does his part to ready the cabinets for travel.
He's not eager to see Perceptor again, but he knows better than to say that aloud. If they just hand over the whatever-it-is quickly, maybe they can be away before the scientist asks if the Seeker needs his programming checked...
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Jan 30, 2008 1:08:36 GMT -5
A not-distant-enough explosion blows up a building not-far-enough away; dust drifts down from the ceiling as they work. Skyfire glances up worriedly. "Things are getting hotter. That'll do; TC, let's go."
He packs up the last of his loot and heads back down and out. "TC, secure for flying; make sure your controls aren't obstructed. If anyone shoots at you, get down on the deck and hide. Otherwise, follow me."
Skyfire transforms in the middle of the broad avenue and heads west, towards his rendezvous with Perceptor. Normally he wouldn't check if TC is following him; TC is a good, obedient pet, but there's fighting going on nearby. Skyfire keeps an anxious eye on TC, worried lest his pet take a stray shell or get hit by debris.
Fortune favors the treasure hunter; assuming TC follows without incident, they arrive at the rendezvous in due time.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Jan 30, 2008 9:00:41 GMT -5
Thundercracker has no desire to be pulverized, either by the incoming intruders or the trigger-happy Autobots, and so after transforming and taking off he does not stray from Skyfire's side. There are no hold-ups to delay the meeting with Perceptor.
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Perceptor-3
Rookie
Curiosity killed... everyone else. After a lengthy examination, of course.
Posts: 139
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Post by Perceptor-3 on Jan 30, 2008 15:06:30 GMT -5
The coordinates provided Skyfire lead he and his pet to the edge of the once-ordered city where it gives way to the orchestrated chaos of the natural world once more. Perceptor stands there, waiting, although his posture does not indicate irritation or even impatience. Instead, he seems fascinated, shifting his attention from the crimson glow of the death throes of the settlement to the remains of a small creature with a long neck, feathered wings, and four legs that terminated in zygodactyl claws spread out across his palm, its structures displayed to the unforgiving dark sky.
Perceptor glances up in the direction of the approaching treasure-hunter and his little shadow, cool blue stare shifting out to catch the thin trail of another jet high over the city, and of the Prime's weapons fire just barely missing the unfortunate jet's nose. Best not to interfere with the Prime's fun; Perceptor is rather fond of his structures remaining intact, and is far more content to inflict pain than to have it inflicted rather adroitly on him. The distant jets are safe from his precision aim unless Rodimus orders it otherwise, and, instead, Perceptor turns his attention back to wait for Skyfire's delivery.
The pet seems to be behaving marvelously, from the look of it. Not that Perceptor had had any doubt of that outcome, even if such obedience does preclude the need for another in depth examination of the pet's programming.
Pity, that.
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