Synapse-3
Cadet
It would be a pleasure...
Posts: 84
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Post by Synapse-3 on Feb 6, 2008 19:24:25 GMT -5
The rocket explodes a few meters away from where the minibot lands and scrambles to. The heat of the explosion doesn't bother the scout so much. He's used to the extreme temperatures of space and lift-off/reentry. It's the blast and following shockwave and wave of shrapnel and debris that causes most of the damage. Synapse remains still, body covered in dirt, rock, and pieces of tree that were uprooted and thrown up in the explosion. He's got even more warnings and alerts flashing all over the place. His armor's dented and torn open in places and his windshield is one great big spiderweb of a crack.
A call is sent out over broadband and Synapse remains still. He is lucky that his nodes were not in the area of the explosion. From what he can see and feel, they're still in the hills, having dropped and rolled to a stop on the rocky surface. A small nudge and they're airborn again, but just barely. He doesn't dare let them leave whatever hiding place they might have at the moment.
The jets...they're still there. Synapse grimaces but makes no other movement. Any escape or movements have to wait until their attention is elsewhere. Even then, everything is starting to look very bleak.
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Feb 6, 2008 22:10:53 GMT -5
Unfortunately for Synapse, Fleetwind is both more patient and less thorough than his alternate-reality counterpart. He observes the explosion with a smile, then dives, staying in robot mode for now.
He radios Thundercracker. //The tree cover will still cause problems, and I could certainly use more light.// Night time and all. //But if he took any of that, we should be able to find him//
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Thundercracker
Minor
Accomodatus the Obliging, Costumer Extraordinaire
Maybe they should just move my berth to repair bay and have done with it...
Posts: 259
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Post by Thundercracker on Feb 7, 2008 1:14:30 GMT -5
//Don't have a spotlight handy// Thundercracker quips, attempting a little humor as he drops. //Let's check the blast sight, then circle outward from there.//
The impact area is a blackened mess, charred remains of vegetation and earth and rock smearing the ground. There's no sign of the minibot, which means he didn't take the full impact. Thundercracker's not too terribly worried -- drone rockets aren't exactly precision weapons, and it's probable that their little shuttle got good and toasted from the strike.
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Synapse-3
Cadet
It would be a pleasure...
Posts: 84
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Post by Synapse-3 on Feb 7, 2008 14:53:54 GMT -5
This scout is slightly toasted, more banged up than anything.
Oh, they're coming down. Synapse fights away his urge to freeze and panic. No. No, he isn't going to be taken by these Decepticons. There is no possible way. In a burst of desperation, the minibot bursts from his hiding place, ion blaster appearing from subspace. Synapse squeezes off two shots and doesn't stop to check for results as he makes to transform and fly away. Both of these actions would be rough and much slower than usual. But he he hopes to get into the dark and back into the air, perhaps back into the upper stratosphere...
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Feb 7, 2008 15:33:43 GMT -5
Fleetwind ignores Thundercracker's attempt at humor, but that's because he now has other things on his mind!
Truth be told, Synapse is stealthy enough that, thanks to the tree cover, he probably could have gone unfound. Fleetwind's sensors are for determining things like terrain and troop strength from a greater distance, not finding a roundish green needle in a treestack! However, the Autobot, in his panic, has kindly given himself away.
Between training and build, the Seeker is extremely agile, and with a twirling twist of his body, he's able to take only the lightest of scores from the ion blast sent his way.
As he spins, he stretches out his right hand, fingers relaxed, palm slightly up, as though inviting Synapse to dance with him.
And then he returns fire.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
Posts: 182
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Feb 7, 2008 22:37:49 GMT -5
Skyfire cracks open the throttles to his rocket engines, adding some of their tremendous thrust to his jet thrusters-- it doesn't take him long to reach the general area of Synapse's coordinates. If TC lags behind, he'll just have to catch up when Skyfire slows down for the pickup. He'd better, if he knows what's good for him.
There are two Decepticon Seekers in robot mode firing weapons near Synapse's reported location. That won't do. Skyfire starts to target the blue one--
And realizes he's an exact double of his own pet. He switches his targeting to the yellow one and fires both proton cannon. He'll close the range before he deals with the other Thundercracker--less chance of accidentally killing him that way.
Matched jets would be lovely.
Over his interior speakers, Skyfire tells Perceptor, "There's another Thundercracker out there. I think I want a matched set."
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Thundercracker
Minor
Accomodatus the Obliging, Costumer Extraordinaire
Maybe they should just move my berth to repair bay and have done with it...
Posts: 259
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Post by Thundercracker on Feb 7, 2008 23:50:00 GMT -5
Thundercracker doesn't have the agility Fleetwind possesses, so he catches one bolt squarely in the leg before he can dart out of the way. He yelps in pain, then snarls and whirls to fire at the minibot...
...and hears a familiar set of thrusters approaching. Skyfire!
//Fleetwind, Skyfire incoming!// Thundercracker barks, and aims another drone rocket at the white shuttle as it screams into view. Slaggit, bring down one shuttle and its bigger friends come to the rescue!
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Feb 8, 2008 9:29:52 GMT -5
Fleetwind turns towards Skyfire at the sound of the approaching vessel, but the warning doesn't come soon enough as one of the proton blasts rim through the the lower lefthand portion of his torso, leaving a large, gaping hole and a considerable amount of exposed circuitry, and eliciting a scream of pain.
//So I've noticed,// Fleetwind hisses out over the radio to Thundercracker. //Another hit like that, and I'm out.//
Still, he has the energy to growl out over a low-powered general frequency, //I should have finished you in your defrag, traitor.// Despite the injuries, despite the pain, he transforms, a pyramid jet simply hanging in the air, facing Skyfire. Just as he begins to fall, he fires his own rockets at the oncoming shuttle before transforming again and falling backwards a distance before, with a flip that's less graceful than it would normally be, pulls himself upright again.
Synapse is forgotten. Fleetwind has bigger worries now.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 8, 2008 11:46:00 GMT -5
Thundercracker is not nearly as fast as Skyfire can be when he wants to be, so it's only now that he catches up, flying low over the forest in an attempt to avoid catching anyone's attention. Decepticon jets, he sees, and one appears to be Fleetwind... damaged, but still Fleetwind...
Is that him? Blue Seekers are incredibly common, but still, the second Seeker appears to be his spitting image, save the Decepticon sigils this one wears proudly on his wings. A pang of remembrance...
Never mind. No good to mope over the past. Still, if his doppleganger knows what's good for him, he'll get out of here FAST.
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Synapse-3
Cadet
It would be a pleasure...
Posts: 84
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Post by Synapse-3 on Feb 8, 2008 20:20:17 GMT -5
With is back turned, Synapse doesn't have the chance to see Fleetwind's acrobatic dodges close-up. But he does catch it from a further distance as his nodes transmit visual feed of the whole situation back to him. Jealousy might aptly describe Synapse's feelings about the pastel Decepticon's graceful movements. So when incoming Skyfire's blasts tear a hole in the seeker, a snort and feeling of smug delight rushes in where there fear and desperation had been before. With Skyfire here, Synapse is feeling very confident in his getting away from this in one piece again.
Instead of continuing his run, Synapse twists back around. He wants to be witness to how Skyfire does away with these jets.
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Skyfire-3
Rookie
Professional Treasure Hunter and Pet Fancier
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Post by Skyfire-3 on Feb 8, 2008 22:15:01 GMT -5
"Incoming missiles!" Skyfire snaps over his intercom. "Hope you're strapped in!"
Skyfire pulls his nose back, sweeps his wings and lights his rockets, letting the missiles fall farther and farther behind as he climbs for the stratosphere. They can't catch him; nothing can. He's the fastest thing ever built.
Unfortunately, that speed came with a price Skyfire is too keenly aware of: metal skin with the armor properties of tinfoil. He'll have to come back down and around in a fast pass and try to pick the Decepticon jets off; they're too alert.
"Damn. I'm going to have to break my matched set. They're too alert," he comments idly to Perceptor as the sky turns black and he begins to arch over...
"Speaking of which, leaving TC with those missile-happy lunatics--when did the 'Cons get so aggressive?--would be cruel, and Oracle needs an assist." Skyfire began his descent.
// TC--retreat from there and go to <coordinates>; meet Oracle and assist her back to the portal area. //
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Thundercracker
Minor
Accomodatus the Obliging, Costumer Extraordinaire
Maybe they should just move my berth to repair bay and have done with it...
Posts: 259
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Post by Thundercracker on Feb 8, 2008 22:53:13 GMT -5
Thundercracker isn't stupid, much as his actions often cause people to wonder otherwise. Just because Skyfire appears to be fleeing doesn't mean he is -- more likely he'll be coming around to fire at a better angle.
//Need an assist?// he asks Fleetwind.
It's then that he notices the other Seeker lurking in the background. Starfighter? No, the colors more closely match...
That's me! So THAT'S the jet everyone was mistaking for him... and for good reason. Did yet another Thundercracker make it to this planet? What is it about this planet that attracts Thundercrackers anyhow?
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Fleetwind
Major
The Chancellor, His Eminent Grandeur, Marquis Fleetwind. The Insurgent Subduer of A Non-Threatening Cute Little Furry Kitten
Twined Elf
Posts: 730
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Post by Fleetwind on Feb 8, 2008 23:28:22 GMT -5
//Not yet,// Fleetwind answers Thundercracker. He's not being macho. The Seeker knows his limits. He can still fight on, but he's not likely able to take another hit.
He scans the area. Skyfire up and away, but liable to return at a moment's notice. Still, there are things to be done in there here and now. Another Seeker? Ah, that would be the other Thundercracker that mentioned over the radio. He resists the urge to tell the Thundercracker he already knew to keep an optic on the other - the other might be able to hear. Nor does he alert his partner to the fact that he suspects they've got back-up on the way. Instead, he decides to deal with the Minibot who doesn't know when to retreat.
Expression focusing past the pain, Fleetwind's flies right at Synapse, his hands moving up to snap off the tips of his wings. He then activates the energon daggers in his hands even has he swings his right arm around to fire once more. Blast from a distance or a dagger up close - Fleetwind will bring the other down any way he can.
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Post by Thundercracker-3 on Feb 9, 2008 0:28:14 GMT -5
//Yes, Master// Thundercracker replies. //On my way.// And he turns and flies in the direction Skyfire indicated.
OOC: Out of thread
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Synapse-3
Cadet
It would be a pleasure...
Posts: 84
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Post by Synapse-3 on Feb 9, 2008 11:34:02 GMT -5
Synapse's mouth widens into a surprised 'o' as Fleetwind charges him. Useless, the scout is absolutely useless in a combat situation and he's painfully aware of it. With a shaking hand, Synapse attempts to pull off a few more shot from his blaster before dropping it to flee.
That leaves his back wide open and Fleetwind's blast catches him squarely. The minibot tumbles a few meters before dropping with a few twitches. Further away, his nodes fall roughly back to the ground, earning a pained gasp from their owner.
If there's anything that separates Synapse from this planet's counterpart, it's that he doesn't know when to follow instinct. It's the lack of conscious control that gets to him. But it's not quite golden when a scout doesn't follow his basic programming. This whole situation being a stellar example of why.
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