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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 21, 2011 19:57:24 GMT -5
Week 1, Day 6, Semi-Private
See, the thing about random coordinates, with the simple criteria of 'Not anywhere inside the Event Horizon', is that you can end up pretty much anywhere! Well, that isn't true: the Spacebridge has a range, after all. Unfortunately for the Seeker and the Combaticon, that range is rather wide.
In this case, wide is 'end up somewhere in unknown space' wide. And with his damaged systems, Assault could do little more then float around, waiting for his auto repair to mend the worst of it. It could have been peaceful, though. He could have quietly drifted around, been alone with his thoughts, connecting stars to make patterns, or use them as an impromptu board for a mental game, while occasionally pinging his distress beacon...
Ah, what could have been.
Instead, he was stuck with Brawl.
The rather loudmouthed and easily bored Brawl.
In a void.
For several days.
Why me.
The thought kept creeping back, no matter how much he tried not to. But could you blame him? As soon as his thrusters had been repaired they were off, the Combaticon hitching a ride on the Seeker's back. They drifted along, conserving fuel and only doing the occasional course reaction...Well, it would have been only the occasional one, if his companion would stop shifting constantly!
//Brawl. What have I said seventy one times now about this little trip?// He bites out over the radio, his head turning to glare at the tankformer, while his heel thrusters flare in yet another course correction. ....//CEASE. YOUR. WRIGGLING.//
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 21, 2011 20:20:40 GMT -5
Brawl, who is hanging onto the Assault's back, would argue that he is not easily bored. It's just that the vast emptiness of interstellar space is really, really boring. You can only sing '99 Energon Cubes on the Wall' so many times.
So yes, he's been pestering Assault non-stop. It's not like there's anything else to do! Plus, it takes his mind off the fact that he had to siphon fuel from his tanks into Assault's in order for them to be able to make the trip. The process was embarrassing and unspeakable, and they have agreed to never mention it again.
//How am I supposed to know how many times you've said anything! I ain't countin'! And I'm not wrigglin'! I'm just tryin' to get comfortable! You're all lumpy!//
There's a pause of indeterminate length before the tankformer asks // . . . Are we there yet?// He has no real idea where they're going, but he can tell they aren't there. Even Brawl isn't dim enough to miss a planet. Annoying Assault is the next best thing to hitting him, though. It has been a while since Brawl got to hit something. He misses it.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 22, 2011 10:51:17 GMT -5
//Did you not get after the forty eighth attempt that it would not work!?// Brawl is no longer getting on Assaults circuitry, he's become a full blown glitch causing his systems to fritz! Again, the thought to simply dump the Combaticon and proceed without him pops up it's ugly head, but it's just as easily stomped back into the deep recesses of his mind. The tank is his ally, his comrade! Even if he is annoyin-
//I...Bu....Wha...Where would we even-!?// Assault sputters at Brawl's question until he shuts himself up. No way. No way that Brawl really is going to do this. Not even he is that juvenile!
With a weary sigh, he gives a short, if aggravated response over the comm.
//No.//
//Are we there yet?//
Great.
//...No.//
//Are we there yet?//
He is.
//No.//
//Are we there yet?//
//NO.//
//Are we there yet?//
/NO.//
//Are we there yet?//
//Yes.//
//....Really?//
//OF COURSE NOT!//
This will be a loooong trip.
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OOC: Brawl's continued pestering done with player permission.
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 22, 2011 17:15:38 GMT -5
You win this round, Assault. Brawl sighs inwardly and checks his fuel levels. They're still very low. He guesses he can put up with micrometeorite scars, so he shuts off his self-repair systems to save power. And there's nothing to really see, so he can reduce power to his sensory systems. He reluctantly cuts power to his transformation and weapons systems as well. In the extremely unlikely event of an emergency, he'll be practically defenseless.
//So, in all seriousness, how long is it going to take us to get anywhere?//
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 22, 2011 18:02:51 GMT -5
That worked? Bah! Of course it did! It was a mere mental game and at those, Brawl is no match for Assault's superior intellect!
That really worked?
//It depends. I suspect that we are in this system's Oort Cloud, so the brightest star should be Pz-Zazz' sun. There are several possible scenarios. I am correct, we drift until we come across a cargo vessel that picks up our distress beacon or a planet that is inhabited. If I am correct and have luck on our side, the other Decepticons will pick it up and come to our aid. But if I am wrong, if we are in a different system altogether with no rescue on the way...We will be forced to go into stasis and pray that one day we will be found and not crash into something large.//
The latter option is rather...Unpleasant. Which would explain why Assault shuts down some of his own systems so he can use the extra power to boost his beacon's range a bit.
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 22, 2011 22:18:04 GMT -5
//What's an Oort Cloud?// Brawl strongly suspects it isn't something fun. //I don't see any clouds around here. I've seen clouds before, Assault. We are not in a cloud.//
The Combaticon is quiet for a long, contemplative moment. Even in the vacuum, one can almost hear his processor working. //I'd rather go offline than go into stasis out here. It'd be just like being back in detention. Cold, dark and alone. I'll shoot myself before I die slowly and quietly,// he says.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 23, 2011 8:30:24 GMT -5
Assault should have seen that coming. But that doesn't stop him from letting out a good, long sigh, and if he weren't trying to conserve energy, he would have brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. //It is a term, Brawl. For the 'cloud' of debris that surround solar systems.//
Hopefully he explained it well enough for the Combaticon to understand. The silence that follows suggests he did. Good. The Seeker enjoys the quiet while he can, lowering the glow of his orange optics to a mere glow. He knows that it won't last, after all. Brawl shall always be Brawl. It is not even that long before he is proven right, though he is now wishing that Brawl would have kept quiet for a different reason altogether.
He does not respond at first. What can one say to this? He takes his time, thinking, and when he finally does respond, it is with a solemn voice, the annoyance that had laced his tone prior gone entirely. //I do not blame you, my comrade. To have your mind separated from the world, cut off from the universe with no longer even a sense of time, isolated...Alone, in the purest sense of the word...//
//Execution would have been a kinder fate.//
//That will never happen again, Brawl. To neither of us. If we are to be condemned to the void, then I shall use my last energies to give you a worthy death. You have my word.//
With that said, he goes silent once more. But now, the void no longer is quite as peaceful as it was mere moments ago. No. Now, it felt like it was a blanket of darkness, weaved with threads of hopelessness, wrapping itself so tightly around him that it came close to suffocating him...
//No.//
He will not let the void get to his mind. His optics brighten with a flare and focus on that bright source of light ahead. That sun is their salvation, their guide. What's more important though, is the weight on his back. Brawl may be an annoying pest, but he is his annoying pest, his responsibility and he will get this soldier home.
//We will survive this. We will return. We will thrive. We WILL be victorious once again! This I promise!//
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 23, 2011 9:27:46 GMT -5
//I don't see any debris, either,// Brawl replies, a bit distractedly.
Brawl is a botly macho 'bot. He does not talk about feelings, and he denies experiencing them if anyone asks. Of course, there's no-one around to hear, so . . . //Thanks, Assault. That . . . that means a lot.//
The tankformer laughs. //You promise? Unless you can magic a transport outta thin air, that ain't a promise you can make.// Besides, they don't even have any thin air.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 23, 2011 10:42:59 GMT -5
At Brawl's gratitude Assault responds with only a small smile. But when the tankformer points out the little flaw in said promise that smile fades, one optic twitching a little. Damn it. //I...Not important! Have faith, my brother in arms! We will find a way! It...Might just take a bit.//
Let's just hope that they'll get lucky.
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Blast Off
Rookie
I stayed the cold day with a lonely satellite.
Posts: 177
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Post by Blast Off on Feb 23, 2011 19:51:03 GMT -5
Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, there's a white and purple camouflage NASA Space Shuttle, marked on the underbelly with a symbol no one here knows! It is entirely possible that Brawl smacks against the windshield.
Blast Off greets, //Hmm. So glad I was not disappointed.//
He carries relaying communications equipment, but to transmit a waveform, he has to pick it up first, and he thought the shape of that frequency reminded him of someone. Of course, it could have just been aliens using Decepticon frequencies by sheer random chance, and Blast Off could have been terribly let down. Blast Off so often is.
However, flying from Gillanan III has been terribly lonely, and even such a slim chance was worth investigating. Now he sees it is… not his Brawl and a Seeker.
So Blast Off is disappointed, after all.
OOC: Detecting of radio waves done with permission.
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 23, 2011 20:08:29 GMT -5
Brawl, in fact, clangs against Blast Off's front window and sticks there like Garfield. He recognizes the other Combaticon at once, of course. He doesn't have train parts on him in unusual places. (Also there is no way an actual U.S. space shuttle would be out here.)
//Blast Off! Am I glad to see you!// he exclaims, tapping a friendly palm against the shuttleformer's window. //You did that on purpose!// he adds, repeating the gesture with a fist. Jerk-aft, bumping into Brawl just because he's not smart and doesn't have an English accent.
Brawl is clambering over the Blast Off, heading for the nearest entrance into the other Transformer's interior when he notices his paint job. //Frag, son, who painted you?! You want me to kill 'em for you?//
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 23, 2011 20:37:54 GMT -5
It would seem that the universe favors him for once! Assault completely missed the incoming shuttle until it was far too late, rebooting systems so he can turn to see what it is that hit them.
But the sight gives him a grand ol' smile. He hovers there, his arms crossed as he lets Brawl have his moment, though he does quirk an eyebrow at the....Rather unconventional colorscheme. How odd.
With a flare of his thruster heels he gently launches himself in the second Combaticon's direction, landing gracefully for once! Though he has a feeling that he already knows what his answer to Brawl's surprise will be. A pity. //It is good to see you, comrade. I was beginning to worry that we would not reach civilized space for another month.//
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Blast Off
Rookie
I stayed the cold day with a lonely satellite.
Posts: 177
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Post by Blast Off on Feb 23, 2011 22:48:20 GMT -5
Blast Off comments innocently, //Try braking at a significant fraction of c and see how you enjoy it, Brawl.//
He opens up his cargo bay doors, because those should be plenty wide to accommodate the two Decepticons. As soon as they're in, he'll close the doors, re-pressurise, and then let them into his crew areas instead of keeping them in with his cargo. It's only polite.
Blast Off replies mildly on the paint issue, //Under Bludgeon's leadership, Swindle was not able to secure access to the same paint supplies as he had prior, which necessitated a change of colour scheme. Swindle did negotiate a fantastic deal on purple, however.//
This is why all the G2 Combaticons have random purple splotches on them.
//A month? Try more like a few years... and you are?// Blast Off sounds slightly expectant. The Seeker clearly knows of a Blast Off. He'd better introduce himself.
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Brawl
Rookie
somethingcidal
Heavy Metal Accident
Posts: 220
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Post by Brawl on Feb 24, 2011 20:23:43 GMT -5
//What the heck is c?// Brawl demands, letting himself into Blast Off's cargo bay and kicking the hatch that leads into the pressurized cabin in what is probably meant to be an affectionate way.
//So do I need to kick Swindle's aft or this Bludgeon guy? This is Assault. He's alright.//
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Feb 25, 2011 18:21:59 GMT -5
Assault follows Brawl into the surprisingly spacious shuttle. Long live size shifting! He heads toward the crew cabin, listening to Blast Off's chitchat, and he is hardly surprised at what he hears. Swindles: Consistent through (almost) every universe!
Oh, what is Brawl doing now? This is not the Blast Off from their reality! The Seeker resists the urge to facepalm and instead gives Brawl a stern, commanding look that says more then any order could: Don't.
At Blast Off's question he pauses to think, but just as he's about to respond Brawl cuts in with something that makes the Seeker cast an annoyed look at him. Just alright? He just carried you through space on his back! He promised to give you a mercy kill!//Thank you for the kind words, Brawl. But yes, I am Assault.//
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