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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2015 22:58:03 GMT
The chaos on the skydeck, the tiffs of his minor crew, and the... well... other things.
Tarn had brushed off the occurrences and left Nickel to her fussing at the others about their lack of support of their systems. In the meanwhile, Tarn hadn't been of the mindset to deal with it. Nickel was who she was, Tarn was himself in and of itself, and he had taken the opportunity to retreat to the confinement of his quiet quarters onboard this shipwreck of a flagship Nemesis. It was mostly filled with dysfunction that he could barely bring himself to even scuff at. For the most part he just wanted some quiet time to get his head together and he couldn't' do it with everyone fussing about and ruining his concentration. If his DJD needed him, they would locate him.
For now he sat at his desk staring off at the wall, studying the marks on it across from him. Digits latched together infront of his faceplate, of which underneath his protoform's face shifted ever so slightly.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2015 23:12:19 GMT
There is the slight clearing of a voice behind Tarn.
"Did you really think I don't notice you sneaking off like that, Tarn?" Nickel asks him sharply, making her way though the mess on her wheels, "And I suppose you thought that if you left it long enough, I would get tired of this mess and tidy it up for you?"
She wheels up by his side, "It wouldn't be such a mess if you came back more often and did a little bit of tidying each time."
This is Nickel's way of saying "I'm glad you're back. Stay longer."
"And I've heard rumours that little juvenile Skypray misses his old family too," she adds, "Even if they are a pack of lazy, procrastinating delinquents."
She wheels back to the door, hovering there for a few minutes.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 1:00:25 GMT
Oh, right... Nickel. Nothing got past that wheeling little shrimp. Nothing. For her being so small she was quite an irritation sometimes, but that was to be expected from someone who barely reached ones knee joint. All that nagging... that carrier nagging...
Tarn didn't look at her as she wheeled around and spoke, barely even acknowledging her. Instead he was staring at his digits as he had been this entire time. He moved them, flicked at air as though trying to remove something that was stuck to them. All the lifeblood spilled on these servos and it never quite came off. He saw it... he sensed it. He FELT it. It was thrilling sometimes, but at moments like these he wished it would just go away.
Tarn turned around in his chair, holding said servos out towards Nickel and finally lifted his optics to look at the little wheeling scraplet who had made her way back to the door.
"... The energon. It's in my joints, and I can't get it out..."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 2:57:19 GMT
"The... Energon?"
Nickel frowns, and wheels forward again. She's trying to find a nice way to put it. The DJD isn't as easy a job as some people assume.
"Tarn... If there's a problem, I'm your mechanic, and you can tell me anything in complete confidentiality," she manages to reach up high enough to pat him on the knee, her voice softening a little, "I promise."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 12:01:02 GMT
Tarn cracked his digits, moving them around as he just stared on silently. He could feel the lifeblood from those his team had successfully killed shifting around each time he moved his digits, see the tiny fragments of the dried energon settling into placed like some reminder of what he was. Was there anything to change? Was there any chance of rekindling his passion for what he did? As much as he appreciated his family and would put his own spark on the line for any of them, there was something... missing.
Since Megatron's absence he had felt himself slip. He was no longer as sharp as he once was and he could find himself able to watch his crew's work less and less. At first he had assumed it was because he was growing bored with it but perhaps it was more than that. Perhaps there was some trigger he was missing and some spark needed to be rekindled.
Perhaps something in his processor was malfunctioning.
Feeling Nickel tapping him on the knee, he glanced to her again and continued to hold his servos out to her as though there were something she could do for the lifeblood that he saw on them. Unknown to him, there was... nothing there to be done with them; not even the tiniest of cleaning. But he still held them to her like a sparkling having injured itself somehow. It was almost pathetic to see if Tarn weren't so damn intimidating but reputation alone.
"They're lifeblood... it's all there. I can feel it... can't you see it? I can't get it out of my joints. Please get it out."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 13:31:22 GMT
Nickel looked at Tarns perfectly clean servos, deeply concerned.
"Tarn, I think you..." she tried to think of a way to put it, "I think you're losing track of things. In a war, Decepticons die, at the hands of Autobots. And Autobots don't worry about it. Not necessarily because they're bad people, but because they're good soldiers. Soldiering isn't a hobby. It's a job."
She struggled to pull herself up to sit on the chair next to Tarn with some difficulty. It ended with the wheels in her feet about three feet off the floor.
She took his servos - which required pulling him down a bit - and frowned seriously, looking into his optics, "The Autobots have lost Optimus Prime, but our war goes on. We lost Megatron, but the Autobots still fight us. Why? Because the life of one soldier doesn't matter. Not your life. Not mine. What matters is the war. The cause. There is nothing a good soldier wants more than to end the war. Tell me, Tarn... tell me again, what is the cause of the Decepticons? Why did I join you?"
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 23:38:48 GMT
Tarn could feel the pull of Nickel as she tugged his servos but as she spoke nothing seemed to really get through to him. Not noticeably, at least. He was staring ahead at the tiny wheeler- or rather, above her helm to the door-, and just sat there in silence. He didn't seem to really connect with her words or let them phase what was going through his processor at the moment. He had his own thoughts and resulting actions revolving around in there and it would take more than little Nanny Nickel to change his underlying courses of action. His team was his family, his own little family amongst a side of killers and harlots who stayed true to their course because of him. Tarn knew better than to think his absence would have kept them going in that straight line.
Vos had his experiments and his own sadistic torture to carry out, whereas Kaon had his interests that detered him from one thing to another quite quickly. Helex and Tesaurus? They were their muscle, ultimately, with very basic thoughts outside of 'yes sir'. They had all come with that basic bit, but Tarn had taken that time he had to try and grow them into something more. He tried to give Kaon purpose, he taught Vos as much modern wordage as he could, and he forced Helex and Tesaurus to put more than force behind their thoughts with individuality that had been denied to them upon creation.
Tarn had.... nothing.
All he had was the cause and his desire to ensure there was something greater at the end of this war for his family. He wanted more for them than he knew what was eventually to be in store for him once his duties were complete- an ultimate sacrifice, so to speak.
Standing, Tarn lightly pulled his servos from Nickel and walked out to the hallway outside of the door to his quarters, pausing there momentarily to look around. He was used to having his own little porthole to stare out at the land below when he had the Peaceful Tyranny, but now that was over and he was forced to stay in quarters with the group of imbeciles that he'd been shipwrecked with. Without words he walked through the halls until he found a small window where he could just... stare... as he often did when he was thinking. He hadn't said anything to Nickel- for better or for worse to where his thoughts carried him.
So he just stood, looking out of the reinforced window to the foreign planet below.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 23:56:56 GMT
"Tarn?"
Nickel wheels up beside him.
"Tarn, I think you've confused yourself. The Decepticon cause isn't about destruction. No worthwhile cause ever was."
She stands beside him, looking up.
"Do you remember when you and the boys found me, hiding, injured and surrounded by the bodies of my friends and family on Prion? My whole world had been crushed by a pre-emptive strike by organics. The few who weren't killed or dissected were enslaved. I had never even heard of the Decepticons or the Autobots or their ridiculous disagreement on how they wanted to do the same thing. You and the boys patched me up, and you read me 'Towards Peace'."
She continues calmly.
"Your servos have Energon, yes. But no more than any soldier in this war. You, Tarn, are all the better of a mech for knowing that it will never fully wash away. This war isn't about Megatron. It isn't about Optimus Prime. It's about building a better future for all robots, under a single banner. And deep down, you know it!"
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 0:13:13 GMT
Tarn's servos had come to fold behind his back, locking him in his usual casual stance. Only part of what Nickel had to say was actually registering. What little was making its way in was being filtered out but his thoughts. It was difficult enough to find a place to go to be alone without having the DJD's personal nanny following him about and hounding him. He didn't even really know what she was on about even though he probably would have should he have been paying more attention. This was Tarn's weaknsss, really. Trailing off to ones own mind on the matter of what was and wasn't family was a good way to get yourself killed in this war.
But still... there was a humane side to him; an AUTOBOT side to him that the Decepticon within hoped to one day crush. That side would throw it all away for those foolish followers of his...
"The Decepticons have lost their way. It is a shameful admission to his memory. I have failed to keep those of his Mark in line."
There were finally words from him but no optic contact as he continued to stare blankly ahead. The next movement brought his servo to his faceplate where it idly traced the contours of the carved face of the Decepticon insignia bore there. There was no hiding his allegiance no matter what his processor and spark had to clash about.
"Megatron and his words of wisdom..." There was a softness as he spoke his almighty Leader's designation. "This new following, this new Leader... they have all lost their way and have disgraced His name. All hail Lord Megatron." His servo clenched his faceplate. "May fall those who denounce His teachings."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 0:27:45 GMT
Nickel's wheel revs; a version of her tapping her foot. She can see Tarn isn't listening properly. But still, at least some of it is getting through...
"Yes," she speaks louder, "And no. Still, it doesn't matter who the leader is; the Decepticon cause should remain the same. If it changes, it's not the Decepticon cause any longer. This 'Lord' Backbeat... He's insane, but that comes with the job. And it's barely the start of the problem. Oh, he wants supremacy alright..."
She continues firmly.
"The real question is who he wants it for."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 0:54:46 GMT
"Being insane does not qualify you for the job of Leader. It is the ability to unify all your people and rally them behind you for a single cause. This... 'kill and destroy what is not one of us' mentality is neither what Megatron strive for nor gathered followers to. This is... I do not even know what to call THIS."
Tarn shifted a bit on his pedes and lowered his servo to fold them together behind his back once more. Finally he looked to Nickel and though there was a clear difference to size in regards to their height, there was a way he stared at her as he did to Vos and Kaon. She was an equal to him, just as they were, and he never looked to her as any less. So even though he did not crouch down to her level to be optic-to-optic, there was not the slightest bit of arrogant air about him.
"All of the unity- even if it were flawed in some regard- has long since come to pass. There is nothing left of Megatron's rule now but the name of the opposition. The Decepticons have become blinded since His departure from us and now there only remains chaos and discombobulated idiocy amongst those who wish to have the Decepticon mark just for their own ideology. They fail to see that they are blinded to getting what they want. The honor that Lord Megatron held has now fallen and there is barely a sliver of it remaining; a shameful shell of what He had originally created and expected us to continue in his absence. This Faction has lost its way somehow and I have failed him by failing to keep His dream- His course- as a driving force."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 1:07:40 GMT
"Huh. I'd say that you actually failing him... is too strong a way to put it," even when she agrees with somebody, Nickel tends to make sure she disagrees with them too, "That would suggest there's no way to put this right."
She continues to look up at Tarn, sternly.
"This isn't over. There are lots of mechanoids still loyal to Megatron's cause. There are even those loyal to his cause, and they don't know it yet! I never even knew I was a Decepticon until I met you!"
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 1:31:17 GMT
"Allow me to merely remind myself that I, as a loyal follower to his teachings, has failed. It is quite easy to be swayed and stray from the path you are to follow when your guidance is lost to the freedom in numbers." There was moment of silence as Tarn thought his next words and he went back to the previous stare out the window. "As a Leader, one must take consideration to be mindful that your followers do not partake in such things. The fact that Backbeat has lost that hold? It only proves that his leadership is not of the strength needed to keep those in line. Perhaps the others need a reminder to what the Decepticon cause is. Perhaps that is all that is needed. Though perhaps I am blinded myself."
Tarn thought on it a moment. To go behind Backbeats back would be a treaturous act, but in some ways... Backbeat had become a traitor himself. The lack of honor that Tarn had been seeing since Megatron's departure of his Faction was painful to see. As much as Tarn wanted to bring things back to the center, he needed to suggestion of his own little group of followers.
"Gather the others, Nickel. We are in need of a private meeting to discuss this situation. I wish to hear the thoughts of the rest of the DJD before any decision is firmly made."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 1:37:46 GMT
Nickel is beaming proudly now.
"Now that's the Tarn I know and am proud of!" she tells him, pleased that he's showing his honourable leadership qualities and strong charisma again, "He'd better not take one of his lazy hiatus again!"
She wheels out of the room rapidly, heading back to the Skydeck to find the other members of the DJD.
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Vos
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Wear my Faceeeeee
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Post by Vos on Jul 6, 2015 3:59:28 GMT
Vos walked hastily down the hallways, his hollow bright red optics glowing as his dim grey and black form navigated through the shadows. His parts never made any clanking sound, due to them being designed for complete stealth. Vos kept wriggling his talon-like servo digits, anxious to hear what Tarn had to say. Even if Tarn had spoken, he still had only regarded the DJD with formalities, never truly addressing the more pressing matters which needed to be dealt with. As Vos neared the hallways which contained Tarn's quarters, out of total self-control, the mech slowed himself down, forcing calmness upon him. Almost coming to a complete halt, Vos tilted his helm downwards. He couldn't look too nervous and vigorous for Tarn. He preferred to keep a more calculating air around the large mech.
Perhaps he was trying to impress Nickel and Tarn? No. Well. Maybe sometimes. Vos inhaled quietly, shaking his helm gently to himself in the shadows. He would just have to keep quiet, listen, and then put in his own point of view if requested. If not? He'd keep his mouth shut. Not that he had one anyways. With that, Vos took a quiet step forward--only to find himself bumping into another mech around the same size, helm first. Both scrambled backwards, unsheathing their claws as Vos hissed a small cuss word in ancient primal vernacular. He found himself staring into red optics much like his own. Vos raised one of his claws threateningly, as to shoo the mech away. Only to find the mech did the exact same thing. Vos mentally frowned before circling around--only for the mech to mirror his move.
What was going on? Was some idiot playing a sick joke on him? He would teach this little rascal--Unless...ah. Vos relaxed some, realizing who this mech was. At the same time, both stepped into the beam of the over head light. Vos found himself staring into his duplicate, or his A.I. duplicate for that matter. Another Vos. Vos himself knew he had been taking a few risks when he had started cutting his consciousness into pieces like this, dividing himself into different bodies. Well, he had placed a particularly large hunk of himself in his A.I. simply put, and his eagerness to get to Tarn had woken his machine up, and made his goal it's goal. The worst part was, he was the A.I., and what he thought the A.I. thought. They were almost one being, but they were in different bodies.
"Go. Clean up the mess you left behind in my room." Vos said quietly to the A.I.
"I did. Now if you pardon me, I would appreciate a small talk with Tarn on DJD matters." It responded. Vos stroked his chin. if this A.I. was him, there was no shaking it. It--or more like it--he would want to discuss things with Tarn, since 'he' had not seen Tarn in a 'long time' so to speak.
"Fine. Do not display anything other than a cool-head however. You will apply the term, 'As silent as the grave'." Vos told the A.I. sternly.
"Very well. But for the record, I advise you cease talking to yourself." The A.I. quipped. Vos folded his arms.
"At times, I really do not appreciate the company I must keep." Vos muttered,
"Speak for yourself." the A.I. mumbled back. Trust me, I do. Vos thought to himself, as both glanced at each other irritably, before stepping forward for Tarn's quarters. This would be slightly awkward, but it was explainable. Or, with luck, Tarn just wouldn't ask. Vos and his counterpart thus approached the door, opening it before slipping inside. Luckily, Vos was polite enough with himself that when he entered first, he kept the door open for his A.I. He really didn't have the spark to shut himself out and away from Tarn in this period of time, so he would allow himself the pleasure of being twice the audience he usually was for Tarn. As ridiculous as this was, the other members would just have to accept it. Both Vos and his duplicate stood quietly at the side of the door, awaiting Tarn's words on what he had to say.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 11:26:47 GMT
' Decepticons... Backbeat here. It's come to my attention that some of you are planning a little take over... Well here is the problem. I don't see why? I'm offering you all the freedom promised by Megatron at the start of this war! '
Freedom promised at the start of the war? Ask skeptical as Tarn was to hear this, it was within his duties to do so, so he stayed seated at his desk and watched the transmission coming through.
' Real freedom! Think of the fun! No more pesky bureaucracy to spoil your fun! Do you really want to trade one police state for another? NO of course not! You want to be able to stab the Autobots in their religious authoritarian faces! When ever you feel like! '
This was an appeal to the masses, to taint their ideals even further. There was no honor in this.
' Now once the Autobots are done for, and I have the Autobot's matrix in my possession... I'll leave you all to kill each other over leadership... But till then... I'm run-! '
Tarn ended the transmission, cutting it out before he had to further subject himself to the chaos Beabeat was promising to bring. He turned around in his chair, slumped backwards as he rested his elbows on the armrests and templed his digits together. Backbeat didn't have the charisma that Megatron did and no where near the level of honor, but he did have appeal. The newer Decepticons would be swayed to this way of thinking since they didn't know any better, and few were still around from the days of Megatron's early rule. Could he even bring this faction in line? Would it be counter intuitive to send a mass message himself?
Tarn reached over and removed his datapad, scrolling through to locate his favored literature. He could almost recite it from spark by now but it didn't hurt to have the physical writings infront of him. He heard the door to his quarters open and glanced up only momentarily, spotting the... twin Vos's... standing there. A small chuckle came from his frame.
"New experiment, Vos? Seems this one is a bit more functional than the previous ones, hm?" Oddly, even though the two shared the likeliness, he had addressed the original one first. "You play a dangerous game, Vos. Be mindful that it does not backfire. Should something happen to you- any of you on this team- my spark would never be complete again."
His optics once more returned to his datapad, scrolling through his reading while he awaited the arrival of the others.
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Post by Vos on Jul 6, 2015 12:56:42 GMT
Vos caught only the last part of the transmission before he settled inside, residing in the shadows. Vos had never been up to date with the new leader of the Decepticons..not since Shockwave had passed away. Where were mechs like him these days? Tarn was a great mech himself, and he could do anything he wanted to if Tarn put his mind to it. First things first though. The mech had to rally everyone up first. Vos withheld a sigh as he glanced to his A.I.
'New experiment, Vos? Seems this one is a bit more functional than the previous ones, hm?'
Of course Tarn had noticed, and to top it off, he had given commentary. At least he hadn't asked a question which would have been aggravating. Tarn seemed to be the teasing type with his crew, and sometimes, it got on Vos's nerve. He couldn't say or do anything about it, since Tarn was in command. And since Tarn new this, he could simply indulge with his annoying little jokes. In the long run, there really was no hate, it was just brotherly verbal rough-housing. Still annoying since he was the the second-smallest member.
'You play a dangerous game, Vos. Be mindful that it does not backfire. Should something happen to you- any of you on this team- my spark would never be complete again.'
Then there were comments like these. It assured Vos he had a family alright. Both Vos's inhaled, then exhaled wearily simultaneously, as if to say 'yes, we know.' to both of Tarn's statements. Vos still held himself to his word and kept quiet though. Not to insult Tarn, but simply because he had nothing to contribute to the conversation. He'd told Tarn what he'd been up to. Or, almost everything he had been up to. Nickel might not be happy about his lab experiments on himself. WELL, technically it wasn't an experiment it was just---character analysis. Yes, that was it. As for his counter part rebelling against him? Likely, but if that were so he could simply just use the counter part against Taggon, and see how long it would last. Or better yet, a large brawler. Then again, the A.I. could be thinking the exact same thing...So yes, he was playing a dangerous game.
"Just call this an experiment in living." both Vos's said at the exact same time, then glanced at each other for a split second. Vos found himself glaring at his 'twin'. He had told ti to be quiet. But evidently, 'he' just couldn't help but return the small musing with Vos.
"Not a word of this Nickel though." The original said softly, causing the other to nod. At least they could agree on that.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2015 13:24:18 GMT
"Not a word about what?" a small voice pipes up behind Vos.
There is the sound of a wheel revving gently against the floor - the very basic equivalent of Nickel tapping her pede in irritation as she looks up at two backs of Voses.
"Trying something clever again, Vos? Bad idea, considering how little experience you have," Nickel snaps at him.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2015 5:13:42 GMT
The sound of a tank could be heard, and a large hand opened the door, revealing Helex in his alt-mode.
He transformed, slamming the door behind him. "Did you hear what the idiot Backbeat said?" Helex asked.
Not waiting for a reply, he continued. "Freedom to do whatever they want? You told us, Tarn, that we're extreme performance management. He's corrupting the Cause! We have to... We have to put him on the List! Actually, right now, he should be the List! Everyone else is insignificant."
[And find someone to check for surveillance thingies.]
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Post by Sparkspray (Kaon) on Jul 8, 2015 15:46:09 GMT
Electricity filled the air, a crackling sound from outside the door. The boops and beeps from the keypad followed before the door slid open, as Kaon entered through it. He looked at his comrades, only Tesaurus and the Pet were missing. In his left servo he held a datapad, not unlike the one Tarn used, and on it's screen was the list and a radar, with small dots all over, these dots were the targets on said list.
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