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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jun 30, 2011 19:12:26 GMT -5
Month 4, Week 3, Day 3, Event Horizon simulation room, semi-private- - - Everyone has a certain amount of assigned training, to keep them sharp and improve their abilities. Some need a whole lot of training, if they're just rookies. However, those at the acme of perfection still need training, too, to stay up at that lonely top. So it wouldn't be too startling for Mirage to be assigned to an hour alone with himself in the simulation room. It wouldn't too startling for Mirage to be assigned with just a few others, too, to see what they might learn. It is perhaps it a bit coincidental for him to just be assigned with only Sentinel Prime, coincidental enough to cry foul, maybe, given that Sentinel Prime had to juggle some hoops to get assigned to this particular session. It's definitely peculiar that Sentinel Prime arrives late. Late is something he just doesn't do, after all.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 1, 2011 22:45:33 GMT -5
When Sentinel arrives, Mirage has the sim room set up as a firing range, complete with both moving and stationary targets. Mirage is not firing at any of the obvious targets, however.
Mirage is firing at small crystal disks that are being launched in an erratic pattern toward him. A cluster releases just as Sentinel enters, and Mirage fires his rifle rapidly, sending tiny shards of crystal scattering across the room.
"You," he says without turning, "Are late."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 2, 2011 14:20:47 GMT -5
"Yeah, well, I just ran across the length of the ship, and I'm not a race car like you," Sentinel Prime huffs. That is exactly the kind of excuse he'd never accept from anyone else.
At the glint of something in the air, he snaps his shield up and expands it to a tower to protect him from the... whatever.
"So... good cycle to you, too," Sentinel Prime finishes, sounding oddly sincere and not sarcastic at all. There's some verbal whiplash going on there.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 3, 2011 20:38:52 GMT -5
As the last of the disks is destroyed, Mirage turns toward Sentinel Prime. One browridge is raised in disbelief.
"You are never late, Sentinel Prime."
Mirage is annoyed. He was looking forward to spending some private time target shooting. It relaxes him. Now he has one of his Least Favorite People to deal with instead. Totally not relaxing anymore.
"Have you been issued a ranged weapon yet, or had one commissioned?"
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 4, 2011 19:37:40 GMT -5
"Okay, fine, then I was on time," Sentinel Prime snaps back, rolling his optics. AllSpark, what does Mirage want out of him? Aside from going away or dying, because he isn't planning on doing either of those things, thanks.
Sentinel Prime hedges, "Now what would make you say that? I mean, Rodimus Prime did let me have a go with his piece - and it is gorgeous - but I wouldn't say I'm going to run right out and get one of my own..."
Stupid perceptive spy.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 5, 2011 21:15:25 GMT -5
"Mmmm, yes Rodimus does have a simply lovely piece of equipment, doesn't he?" Mirage drawls, "Such a powerful weapon. I hope you didn't mar its finish by drooling upon it."
"Catch."
Mirage tosses what appears to be his own rifle toward Sentinel. It isn't, though. It's a sim copy. Mirage's rifle is a finely tuned instrument. Damned if he's going to risk Sentinel breaking the thing.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 5, 2011 21:22:49 GMT -5
Mirage is a prude about grubby little Primes manhandling his piece? Rodimus was much more generous!
Sentinel Prime catches the copy-rifle neatly enough and takes a moment to examine it, shield on his arm. If Captain America can have a shield on his arm and wield a flamethrower, too, Sentinel Prime can at least examine a rifle! He looks for the sights, like Rodimus taught him, and peruses the grip. Rifle grips are laid out different than pistol grips, after all.
"Oh, Optimus and I were all over that implement while Rodimus instructed us," Sentinel Prime drawls back. "He's such an attentive teacher. Hmm, you know... I think Rodimus's is longer, but yours has more penetration power, doesn't it?"
Photon eliminator versus armour-piercing dart rifle, that is.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 15, 2011 17:03:53 GMT -5
"Had you a nice little three-way session with him, did you?" Mirage asks blandly, "Rodimus can be quite demanding sometimes. I'm sure he completely exhausted you both."
Mirage continues, "My targets are red. Yours are blue. Since you've had some firearms training, I trust you know enough to point the barrel away from yourself when shooting. Your hold will be different however." Mirage then shows Sentinel the proper way to hold the rifle and how to position it for an aimed shot.
"There aren't that many weapons that fire physical shot among our kind. You'll more likely run into energy weapons. Both types have advantages and disadvantages."
"Now, let us take out the stationary targets at <coordinates>" Mirage raises his rifle again and fires, hitting his target dead center.
"Speaking of three-ways," Mirage says as he pulls his own rifle from subspace, "Your own little triangle seems to be lacking in stability of late."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 17, 2011 20:34:40 GMT -5
"I was pretty satisfied," Sentinel Prime replies, grinning cheekily.
He pays careful attention as Mirage explains. Sentinel Prime really does want to learn now, and he is not unintelligent. He mutters, "There's going to be some kick on this." Rodimus's photon eliminator didn't have any recoil; it was smooth and silent in his hands.
Sentinel Prime misses and misses badly. He misses like someone who has had exactly one lesson with a ranged weapon. Sentinel Prime laughs and corrects, "Three-ways? Triangles? Since I don't think you're talking music, I suppose I ought to clarify - there's nothing between me and Elita-1. Or Optimus Prime. But they're dating," his voice lowers, "and if you start slag with that, I will make your life very, very unpleasant. They could both use a little happiness."
No wooing Optimus Prime away and leaving Elita-1 broken-sparked, Mirage.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 19, 2011 11:57:43 GMT -5
There's some kick to the rifle, but not so much as Sentinel may expect, especially if he copied Mirage's hold correctly.
"Primus, but you are terrible," Mirage says, "I still have trouble fathoming that a reality with such a strict reality doesn't understand ranged weaponry." After all, Mirage comes from a reality where most people use guns, even lowly factory workers.
Mirage snorts at Sentinel's warning. "Please. I've no interest in children." Mirage tries to move over behind Sentinel, place his hands over the blue Prime's and really show Sentinel the proper way to handle such a delicate yet powerful weapon as Mirage's. If he is allowed to get so very close to Sentinel, Mirage will guide the Prime's rifle until it is properly aimed.
"You have to account for the distance, and for shooting up or downhill," he murmurs, "These darts aren't like energy blasts. They drop in the air even as they fly through it. So we compensate."
"Also, you are a liar. Just because you choose to not be romantically involved with them now does not mean there is nothing between you three."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 19, 2011 19:25:26 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime allows Mirage that close. In fact, for someone who affects a problem with being touched, he seems oddly at ease about having the dangerous spy so near. Sentinel Prime pays good attention to Mirage's instruction, and he trades back a barb of his own, "Oh, like you could even tilt at a windmill."
He adds, "And Optimus Prime is an Autobot, not a child. He fought Megatron and found the AllSpark. What've you done?"
Sentinel Prime will rag on Optimus and degrade him. He'll laugh at him. He'll humiliate him in public. He'll disagree with Optimus to the last. But Optimus?
Is his.
And Sentinel Prime will be slagged before he lets that poncy noble Mirage talk slag about his Academy dropout. He does, not, however, disagree with the assessment of Elita-1 as a child; that's why he'll look but not touch.
"But don't worry your pretty head about it, Mirage. I won't let anything get in the way on the job." If anything, Sentinel Prime is probably inclined to be harder on Optimus and Elita-1, just to prove to everyone that he's not going easy on his old pals.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 20, 2011 19:16:36 GMT -5
Mirage does not get Sentinel Prime's joke because he has not read Don Quixote. He does know what a windmill is, at least, but- "Wouldn't tilting wind machines over negate their ability to function? Why damage an energy resource?" That's a very Decepticon thing to do, in Mirage's opinion and he frowns in confusion.
Mirage is also perfectly serious in his confusion. Which may be victory enough for Sentinel. Maybe.
Despite the fact that Mirage lined up Sentinel's shot perfectly the blue Prime was too busy being offended to actually shoot. So Mirage slides his hands deliberately down the rifle until they cover Sentinel's hands. The spy shifts against Sentinel's back slightly and gently squeezes off the shot.
Mirage's lips are entirely to close to Sentinel's antenna as he murmurs, "An army is only as good as its intel, Sentinel."
"I'm sure you will be the picture of discretion," he adds, "But I'd avoid jumping to his defense so quickly. It is quite telling."
OOC: touching of Sentinel done with permission.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 21, 2011 19:48:24 GMT -5
Maybe Sentinel Prime should make Don Quixote Elite Guard homework. It will surely be useful, having read that, if they happen to crash-land in Spain. He just smirks as Mirage reveals his complete lack of prowess as a lancer and does not clarify.
So Sentinel Prime needs a little help with the trigger. Sheesh. After Mirage's demonstration, he tries to fire on his own.
He shrugs when Mirage tells him not to jump to Optimus's defence, but there's no defensive prickle and also no denial. Sentinel Prime inquires casually, "Is there any shame in caring about one's friends? Sure, there could be accusations of favouritism. Sure, they could be used against me. But when the other option is being a paranoid island with no one..."
How much of this does he actually mean? How much of this is just an act?
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Post by Mirage on Jul 24, 2011 9:34:47 GMT -5
Once Sentinel seems to have gotten the proper feel for his weapon-or at least enough to handle it without causing it to go off prematurely in random directions- Mirage steps away from the Prime and returns to his own mark.
"Certainly, one should care about one's friends. Friendship is a valuable thing, more valuable than any fuel or gem," Mirage says as takes out three of his own targets in rapid succession, "My emphasis was on defending Optimus."
"Blackarachnia only beat him up and knocked him around a little. You, she attempted to break. Have you thought nothing of the motivations behind her actions?"
Poke, poke, poke.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Jul 24, 2011 21:35:00 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime summarily misses his first two targets and barely clips the third. He is not, however, spraying indiscriminately. He is being careful, and his form is more or less what Mirage specified. It's just the sort of thing that takes a lifetime to master... or to come to life knowing it, and neither of those things apply to him.
Sentinel Prime considers. His normal reaction to Mirage's poking would be to bristle defensively and get huffy. He could do that. It's probably what Mirage wants, for him to say something rash in a fit.
He says instead, "Why? You think I haven't thought about it?"
Sentinel Prime chucks the ball back into Mirage's court. He can't shoot, but he's good at throwing.
He's thought about it. About as far as he's gotten is that she must like Optimus better, still. So she's soft on Optimus. Sentinel Prime just gets the unadulterated hatred and vitriol, when he was the one who wanted to go back and look for her, and Optimus was the one who stopped him. It's terribly unfair, he thinks. It's always been unfair.
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