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Who: Marissa Faireborn, Jayson Redfield, Keeper, Afterburner, Strafe, Scattershot |
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Computron arrives to get Ark II project near completion.
OOC date Oct 14, 2008
IC date Oct 14, 2029
Nevada
A land of rugged, snow-capped peaks, dry desert valleys, and huge, sparsely populated expanses, Nevada, the Silver State, still has the aura of the Old West. Blessed with widespread mineral resources, it is the nation's leading producer of gold, silver, and mercury, but its main claim to fame comes from, of course, gambling. That, entertainment, and skiing make it a popular destination for tourists not only from the bordering states but from around the world. Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe are the best known tourist traps. Less well known features are the large, discreet military facilities and testing grounds in the least-populated areas of the state.
Contents:
Construction Exo-Suit <CES>
Construction Site defenses
Construction site
Keeper is doing what he's been doing for over a month. Guarding the site. An uneventful job save for that one brief troubleshooting journey to Vegas to make sure a troublesome Decepticon never came this way. He is still and stoic. Statue like.
Computron coasts in on the Autobot Hovercraft <Sentinel>, riding it like a giant flying carpet, mighty feet braced on specially reinforced armor plates on the upper hull. A bright blue light on one side of the giant combiner's helmet flickers and flashes, especially as the vehicle sets down for a landing. He steps carefully off of the Sentinel and strides crisply up to the site. Soon his voice, booming but largely unemotional rings out, echoing off of the sourounding structure.
"AUTOBOT UNIT KEEPER."
"...GREETINGS."
Keeper made no move whatsoever as the hovercraft riding combiner made its approach. He made no move when it parked. He flinched not when the voice boomed out in this well kept secret area. He finally moves to return the greeting with a nod as he says, "Computron. I'm sure your presense here is most welcome no matter what the progress level of the project is. Unless, you come about something else?"
Computron turns his head away from Keeper and to the Ark II project. "INITIAL SUPPOSITION CORRECT." He comments with as much enthusiasm as he normally shows - ie, little to none.
"ACCESSING OPERATIONS DIVISION DATABASE ON PROJECT CODENAME: ARKII <FINAL NAME PENDING>..." Lights across his chest flash in various sequence.
"ACCESSING PROJECT BLUEPRINT AND DESIGN SCHEMATICS..." More flashing, this time a little more colorful than before.
"ACCESSING STATUS UPDATES, PROJECT BACKLOG..." More flashing, then the giant robot falls silent. Lights still flashing though.
Keeper rechecks his duty roster log on a datapad for the project. Crosscheck is currently off duty, therefore unavailable to expidite Computron's assessment of the Ark II wich has got to be either done or nearly done. He puts his datapad away again. He sweeps his gaze around the landscape slowly while Computron thinks out loud. He then returns his optics on the giant when he falls silent.
Computron stands there processing (and flashing) for what must be minutes but seems to somehow stretch on far longer then that. Given Keeper's stoic and laconic nature, it results in a long period of apparent inactivity.
...
A few birds circling around overhead land on the Technobot combiner's shoulders and head, but are sent flying off in panic again when the voice finally booms out again.
"TASKS REMAINING IN PRIOTY ORDER: 1) SENSOR SUITE INSTALLATION. 2) WEAPONS SYTEMS INSTALLATION."
"AUTOBOT UNIT KEEPER, YOUR ASSISTANCE REQUESTED."
Keeper nods slightly. He's been lending a hand as general labor on his off duty times. "Very well. What is it you require of me?" Good thing Computron isn't a Sith lord. The cobalt and jade monsterbot scans the landscape once more with his optics and audials.
A silver 2027 Honda Accord pulls up to the Ark II construction site parking lot. The parking lot isn't paved, but at least there's plenty of spaces available. Autobots don't tend to spend much time parked for some reason. A news van is the only other vehicle in the lot. Marissa emerges from the car, wearing a light jacket, T-shirt, jeans, and sun glasses. She smiles in the sun as she quickly brushes off questions from the lone reporter and camera operator. The Colonel climbs down the embankment towards where the orange shining beacon of Autobot justice is currently being built with the assistance of the /other/ orange shining beacon of Autobot justice (unless the Ark II isn't orange, in which case the comparison fails). Marissa smiles to the various Autobot defenders patrolling the site.
Keeper halts and watches the car. It is only when Marissa exits and he scans her retina id that he 'relaxes' which is to say he drops the notion of considering reaching for his blaster just in case. "Welcome, Miss Fairebourn. You might wish to wear ear protection."
Computron moves closer to the partially-unfinished framework of the Ark II (final name pending). He reaches towards an open panel with the thumb and first finger of each hand, then halts like that...
"UNIT COMPUTRON WILL MAKE FINAL CONNECTIONS IN SENSOR SUITE. FINAL STAGE IS CALLIBRATION OF SENSORS TO DISTINGUISH APPROACHING OBJECTS.
The giant head turns to look at Keeper, then turns slightly to take in the approaching Honda. "UNIT KEEPER, PROCEED TO COORDINATES <names some coordinates about 2 miles out from the sight, an area filled with hills and trees and other obstructions>. APPROACH SITE, ATTEMPT TO USE VISUAL AND GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES TO EVADE SENSOR DETECTION. APPROACH VECTOR TO INCLUDE WAYPOINT <coordinates that include Marissa's car.> FOR FURTHER TEST DATA."
"PLEASE."
Keeper studies the landscape including the coordinates. "Affirmative." He transforms into monsterbot mode, going down on all fours, and starts to leap-run away from the site towards the wild 2 miles away.
Keeper, the hardened security mech, transforms down to a four legged monstrousity. Are we sure this is an Autobot?
Marissa Faireborn smiles at the quaint use of the 'Miss' title. "Thanks," she replies to Keeper, heading for the tent where the EDC has stashed its own supplies. There's first aid equipment, communications gear, a small sensor suite, and a pair of Privates stationed on guard duty. It is either the best guard posting or the worst guard posting, depending on one's point of view. Reaching up and seemingly adjusting her earing, Marissa is in actuality listening to the Autobot broadband and replying. Soon enough, though, Marissa emerges wearing those big bulky ear and eye protectors. Everything sounds muffled, though the words of the Transformers and the words on the radio still come through perfectly clear. She doesn't seem to make the connection between the waypoint coordinations and her own car.
Computron reaches into the open panel with his fingertips. Computer systems begin coming online, and small radar dish-like constructs (that are exposed now but will no doubt be hidden and shielded before the Ark II ever actually flies) swivels in circles to track over area. Computron peers inside of the panel, and a few other open spaces that reveal glimpses of the control panels and stations on the bridge of the ship. After a few moments, he turns his head towards Marissa (and Jayson if he's there) and addresses them.
"ASSISTENCE OF EDC UNITS REQUESTED. UNIT COMPUTRON IS TOO LARGE TO OCCUPY THE SENSOR STATIONS. EXTERNAL MONITORING INEFFECIENT AND INCOMPLETE."
Temple Dog <Keeper> reaches the 2 miles distance and surveys the way he came. He considers the designated mandatory target coordinates issued as part of the test and then begins to prowl his way back, serpentinine and unpredictable in his approach. Laying low and patient in choosing where he moves.
Marissa Faireborn raises her hand just over her eyes, squinting in the sun as Computron addresses her and Jayson. The Colonel takes several steps to the side, using the massive robot for shade. "Anything to help," she readily agrees. With the radio mounted in the ear protectors she doesn't need to worry about shouting to be heard by the Technobot Supreme. Rubbing her hands together, Marissa jogs towards one of the radar dish constructs.
Temple Dog <Keeper> carefully winds through some particularly thick close-spaced trees and brushes against one of them. He's no stealth expert afterall. :p Jayson Redfield has been here the whole time. Really. He's just been very quiet, which has probably made him easy to miss. At the moment, he has his goggles down over his eyes. He's not even sure why he's here, to be honest, but it beats laying around in his room sulking. He brushes some hair out of his face and follows Marissa's lead.
Computron adjusts the now-active sensor systems to track Keeper's progress and verify they are correctly identifying him even when he uses objects for cover. Along the way Computron programs additions to the sensor algorithms to make them highight major threats, automatically include other information such as distance, speed, and attitude of visible weapons, and even beefs up the security and reducancy of the sensor programming. Whoever wrote original protocols (or possibly just copied them from existing vehicles) wasn't incompetent by any means, but Computron's extensive experience in sensor systems and sheer processing power lets him plan for scenarios that weren't covered. But there are a few things that even he isn't sure of. When the EDC members seem ready, his voice booms out to address them again.
"QUERY: RECOMMENDED IDENTIFICATION OF 'PRESS' VEHICLE. HOSTILE OR NEUTRAL?" His normally tonless voice sounds just a teeny bit smug at that last part.
Marissa Faireborn looks over from the sensor readout. She's no techie but everything is well labeled. All she'll have to do is read out numbers and the like. It doesn't matter if she doesn't know what they mean. "Just sight seeing, Private, or are you on official business?" the Colonel asks Jayson, peering at him out of the corner of her eye. "The press vehicle?" she inquires via the radio, "Oh, the news van." She's this close to making a joke about the media being hostile, but then thinks better of it. "Neutral. All they have is a standard non-digital camera, per regulations. We can get them to shut it down if that's going to breach security, though."
Jayson Redfield just shrugs. "Little of both, I guess. Thought I'd try to make myself useful." Although, at this time, he doubts he's of much use to anyone, although he *did* seem to scare off Rippersnapper previously. That probably counts for something.
Temple Dog <Keeper> makes it half way, now only a mile away and closing. Irratic path more for tracking than for evading general sight now away from the tree line. The hills leveling out.
Computron closes up the panel and takes a few steps back from the Ark II. The blue wireless signal light on his head still flashes steadily, indicating that while he may be finished with manual work, there's still some data transfer going on. The giant head turns to scan in the direction of Keeper.
"DATUM: AUTOBOT UNIT KEEPER EMPLOYING SENSOR EVASION TACTICS EQUIVALENT OR SUPERIOR TO ENEMY UNIT WITH ENHANCED TACTICAL AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS."
The head turns to glance at Marissa and Jayson.
"DATUM: ARK II SENSOR REPORTING CAPABILITY SUFFICIENT FOR CREW WITH EXPERIENCE IN MILITARY-LEVEL SENSOR OPERATION."
The wireless light flashes frenetically now, and other lights across Computron's torso and helm join it.
"DATUM: SENSOR PERFORMANCE OF ARK II <FINAL NAME PENDING> MATCHES PERFORMANCE OF INTERNAL SENSOR CAPABILITIES OF AUTOBOT UNIT COMPUTRON."
"CONCLUSION. TASK: INSTALL SENSOR SUITE. STATUS: COMPLETE." He turns to look at Keeper, then the two EDC members in turn. "ASSISTANCE APPRECIATED."
Keeper, the brutally fierce looking horned lion-dog, transforms back into his two-legged less terrifying robot mode.
Keeper transforms and returns the rest of the way on two legs instead of four. "Not a problem. I'm sure Crosscheck will appretiate the work done."
Marissa Faireborn seems satisfied by Jayson's answer, but before she can reply Computron is ready for more analyzing. Whenever the big lug needs the numbers read off to him, the Colonel does so in a calm, almost sleep-inducing tone. To her the exciting part about building is watching stuff blast off, or being crazy huge, or looking awesome. It's why she didn't go the science route when she joined the military. Once the work is done, Marissa steps out of the sensor dish construct and waves to Computron. "Anytime, Computron. You just let us know if you need anything else for the work." Not for the first time, Marissa's gaze turns to admire the massive spaceship.
Computron separates into the individual Technobots.
Scattershot has arrived.
Afterburner has arrived.
Computron has left.
Jayson Redfield yawns a bit. He hates to admit it, but he's a little drowsy right now. "Yeah...not a problem." He shifts his gaze toward Keeper, watching as the Monsterbot transforms. He immediately brightens, clearly awed by the no-longer-a-lion-dog robot. "*Sweet* animal mode!"
Scattershot looks about as close as he ever comes to 'relaxed'. He looks around, surveying the work Computron just did...then his contented look melts away. "Aw, slag. We get Computron together, and what do we do...he finishes the sensors? The -sensors-? Why not the weapons systems?!" There's probably far, far more expertise in weapons systems than sensors among the Autobot ranks. Computron is uniquely positioned to be an expert in sensors, one of the brightest scientific minds in the Autobots, and a virtual one-man construction team thanks to his size and strength. And having sophisticated, effective, highly reliable sensors might be more in line with the Autobots and their ideals than massive overkill firepower.
...but hey, this is Scattershot.
Keeper gazes his gold optic upon Jayson. "Mr Redfield. If you say so." He gets so many varying opinions of it thrust upon him, he still doesn't know what to make of the wide range of reactions himself. He walks towards his duty station. "Will you, Mr Redfield, and you, Miss Fairebourn, be part of the passenger manifest on the maiden launch of the Ark II project vessel?"
Strafe has connected.
"I think we already have the weapon systems accounted for," Marissa replies to Scattershot, gesturing to the heavy Autobot defences placed around the construction site. "Still, I'm unfamiliar with the priorities that Crosscheck has set out for the ship construction." Marissa is unfamiliar with construction as a whole. She used to leave that sort of thing to Briar #1 back in the day. Tossing her hair back as Keeper addresses her, the Colonel smiles, "I'd be honoured, and unless I end up having pressing business elsewhere I'd jump at the chance to be a part of the maiden voyage."
Jayson Redfield rubs the back of his neck. "Don't call me 'mister', okay? Makes me feel old..." He is, of course, mostly joking. "Just call me Jayson, okay? Anyway..." He motions toward Marissa, grinning a little. "What she said."
Keeper bows slightly. A polite protocol in a mech who values manners not just as a social nicety, but also a job requirement. "Very well." He takes out a data pad and adds Marissa to the list. He then turns to Jayson. "Oh, yes then. And will you be planning on attending?"
Jayson Redfield nods. "Don't have anything better to do, as far as I know, so yeah."
Afterburner lands on his feet and chuckles lightly. "ah....I'm back in the US...what fun."
Marissa Faireborn can't help but ask the closest Technobot as he lands after demerging, "You don't remember anything that happened while you were formed up as Computron?"
Keeper enters the second human creatures name. :p He turns to Afterburner. "That seems ... inconvenient."
Strafe appears! Chalk it up to an animation error. He was here all along. Strafe slaps his fist into his palm, "Yeah, it IS great Afterburner. Something to look at besides stupid English countryside. I HATE England." He lands after demerging and hasn't a clue what Marissa is asking. He just looks confused.
Jayson Redfield blinks and turns to Strafe, giving him an odd look. "Dude, what's wrong with England? It's a great country."
Afterburner tilts his head. "are we supposed to?" He then looks towards the site. "Oh goody. The new ark. At least Whirl won't be on it...I hope." he then looks to Strafe then to Jayson. "If they're in england...aren't they supposed to speak.....well....english?"
Marissa Faireborn shrugs back at Afterburner, "I don't know. I keep getting conflicted reports from various Combiner teams about what it's like to be in a Gestalt. Maybe it's just one of those things that's different for everyone."
Jayson Redfield slowly blinks. "Uh...they *do* speak English. What are *you* going on about?"
Afterburner says, "they keep saying 'OI' like someone kicked them in the posterior or something....."
Strafe narrows his optical band at the human, "Listen human, when I say something, take it for my word. I HATE england, don't know why. I just do." He laughs as Afterburner makes what he would call a joke, "Good one Burner. They all speak American, not english...whatever that is."
Jayson Redfield sighs a bit. "It's just a different dialect. Still English."
Strafe wiggles a finger, "Uh huh, it's American. Americans speak it, so it's american."
Afterburner says, "die....uh.....lekt? Is that like dying a lot except they left something out?"
Marissa Faireborn doesn't get involved. She's American. Super American. She knows how English is supposed to be spoken.
Jayson Redfield gives Marissa a kind of "please help me out here" look. "Dialect. Accents. People in Mexico speak Spanish, not Mexican. Likewise, people in the US speak English, not American." And he speaks French in addition to English, but doesn't mention that.
Strafe shrugs, "I ah...I don't know." He nudges Afterburner with an elbow, "What is that saying these humans have? It's greek to me?" He chuckles and nods looking back to Jayson, "It's greek to me." He's making it sound like that'll solve this, good luck with that Strafe.
Afterburner shrugs. "yeah....greek to me too. pray I never say 'it's whirl to me'"
Jayson Redfield raises a brow. "Right...well, whatever." He pauses. "Uh. Who's Whirl?"
Afterburner says, "whoever that moron is on the Autobot broadband.....saying he's got a licence for something or another."
Marissa Faireborn relents and helps Jayson out, "Technically the English invented English... so technically they're the ones who have the best claim on what's 'proper' English. It's all the same language anyhow. It's like..." Marissa thinks for a moment. "Ok, you know how Powerglide and Seaspray speak the same language, yet they both butcher it? It's like that."
Strafe says, "Yeah, he's got a license, a license to shut the frag up or get my boot in his skidplate."
Afterburner chuckles. "right....they both speak the same language of stupid....I get it."
Jayson Redfield smirks. "That reminds me. Powerglide hasn't threatened to beat me up in a while. Wonder why." He gives both Technobots an odd look. "I take it Whirl's just annoying, then?"
Strafe nods, "Very, and quiet. I hate that."
Marissa Faireborn gives Jayson a look. "Powerglide threatens to beat you up?" she asks, though in truth she's more surprised that he's been quiet than anything.
Jayson Redfield flushes a little and diverts his gaze. "Yeah...but apparently he also knows that it's a bad idea to attack a human who's not in armor, I guess. Dunno why he doesn't like me." He shrugs.
Afterburner says, "sounds like that idiot."
Marissa Faireborn points her finger towards her temple and twirls it, making the universal 'crazy' sign. "He's got a few nuts and bolts loose," she agrees with Afterburner.
Afterburner nods.....and in a rare show of chivalry...."If he does threaten you.....and he's anywhere near you outside of your armor. Let us know. We'll put him out of your misery one way or another."
Jayson Redfield blinks. "Err, well, I wouldn't go that far...but thanks for the offer."
Marissa Faireborn doesn't seem to mind the offer. Autobots are a rowdy bunch sometimes, and she hopes that this is all just in good fun. This... /is/ all in good fun, right? Right? Right.