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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 6, 2023 19:22:26 GMT
Characters Appearing: Nicholas Bee, Skyfire Location (s): Malto Home Timeline: July 8th Plot Summary: Nick finally gets to meet one of Bee’s legendary friends.
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 6, 2023 19:28:06 GMT
Nick was still getting used to weekends.
Now that he lived in a stable home, he no longer had work to do on weekends. And that meant that, for all intents and purposes, his time was his own. And while most times he spent those hanging out with Bumblebee, his foster dad was off with one of his missions that afternoon, which left him trying to figure out what to do with his time.
He was just a little more cautious these days between his abduction by Soundwave and getting caught by Bumblebee at a street race.
So when his Switch got boring, he’d decided to go outside and see what may or may not be going on with the others. After all, he’d been the lazy one hanging out in the barn. “Maybe the others got stuff going on…” he muttered.
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 8, 2023 8:54:11 GMT
Skyfire knew they might be following him - they, in this case, being Nightshroud, Starscream, and possibly Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Wingthing, or any of the other flying Mini-Cassettes that Soundwave could control. Still, his onboard RADAR screen was clear for the entirety of his flight back from the North Pole; so if they were following him, they'd have already known enough. Plus, Starscream knew about his findings at the Pole - the fact that there wasn't a Decepticon HQ up there already meant that once again, the Air Commander of the Seekers had wisely left the research to Skyfire. After all, if his findings continued to lead him down the path, it would mean having to find a way home. Skyfire was certain that Starscream would bide his time for that - after all, Thrust and the Storms, at least, were on Cybertron. Skyfire doubted very much that Shockwave would let them fall out of combat fitness.
He was headed back to G.H.O.S.T. HQ - but he figured he'd report in with Bumblebee and Dot Malto, hoping to confirm his aerial findings with theirs from the ground. He lowered down, the shuttle's great engines switching easily to VTOL mode before he transformed, standing up and looking around, hiding his faceguard and eyeshield to appear more approachable. When transformed, he was one of the largest Autobots on Earth, dwarfed only by colossal beings like Omega Supreme and Metroplex. He scanned around, and saw the boy walking outside, with some kind of G.H.O.S.T. tracker on him, tied to one of Bumblebee's comms frequencies. With that, the huge bot knelt down, looking at the boy with something like a pleasant expression on his face.
"Hello, I am Skyfire. Who are you? And would you happen to know Bumblebee's whereabouts, or when he is due to return?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 8, 2023 9:32:24 GMT
Nick was surprised when he heard the voice mentioning Bumblebee.
Even more so when he saw who it was. Was that Skyfire? The Skyfire!? Nick was a little ashamed to admit his jaw hung open a good few seconds. Barely able to comprehend one of the most legendary Autobors on the planet had just landed in their yard and was talking to him.
Still the part of him that wasn’t a squealing fanboy also knew to be professional, after all he basically represented Bee right?
So getting himself together, he finally found his voice to reply. “Oh my God, you’re him… I mean… Really, you’re Skyfire! The Skyfire!” great job, Nick that wasn’t at all a fanboy reaction. “I’m Nick… Sorry I just wow, I can’t believe you’re here right now. I’ve read all about you inside and out. Damn you’re bigger than I thought.”
Oh right, Bumblebee… Where was he. He’d forgotten his question. “Oh, dad’s on some sort of mission I think… Or doing some training. I forgot what he told me when I was half asleep,” he admitted. “He should be back soon, I think. Or I hope. I was hoping to rope him into a movie tonight.”
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 8, 2023 13:27:27 GMT
Skyfire didn't really understand the reactions people had to him, as though he was some sort of hero. That sort of adulation, in his eyes, belonged to Optimus, last of the Primes. He was just a scientist who'd gotten stranded on a world of rock and ice, forgotten for millions of years of war. He looked at Nick with a quizzical expression on his face - especially since the human boy seemed to be referring to Bumblebee as his father. That seemed odd to the old scientist; then again, the whole vagary of family structures of biological life-forms often left him shaking his head. He much preferred the simplicity of Cybertron in the old days. Back then, when a function was needed, the Senate would commission a shell constructed. After the mold was cut and the body was poured, the circuitry would be allowed to propagate, filling in the various functions; and finally it would be brought to Vector Sigma to be invested with a Spark. There was no protoforming, no vagueness of purpose. This strange new world he'd awakened to still irked him sometimes.
"Humans do seem to have a difficulty on occasion when it comes to grasping scale. I believe it's due to your visual memory not being quantified and scaled."
He nodded at the comment about Bumblebee's whereabouts, though. "I see. It would likely be best for me to remain until his return then. If he's on a mission, an interruption to check in and report could prove hazardous. In what way did you intend to 'rope' Bumblebee into this film? Also, do you mean in the sense of watching, or creating, the film?"
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 8, 2023 20:47:19 GMT
Nick figured that was pretty true.
After all, he was pretty intelligent in his own right, and it wasn't often he got these things wrong. But first... To address the elephant in the room. After all, he had forgotten that Bumblebee didn't really get to get in and talk to his friends often. So, the mention of his dad was a little jarring he was sure. "Oh, sorry, I keep forgetting I should clarify... Uh, Bee's my foster dad. It's still pretty new," He admitted. It was taking some getting used to. "And kind of a secret - obviously. Since uh... Can't have GHOST knocking on our door and everything. But he's cool if I tell Autobots he can trust, obviously."
Now onto the other part. "I mean, it does make sense. You have to be big enough to carry around the other Autobots, right? I was only a little off I think," He admitted. Looking him over a bit in curiosity - he'd have to adjust his scale in his head. "Sorry, I'm a bit of an Autobot encyclopedia... Least that's what most people say. But if Prime is like 19 feet, you're about thirty to fourty feet, huh?" He asked.
God, Nick stop being such a nerd... He told himself.
Oh! The film? Ha. Nick wished he was a filmmaker, but for the most part. That was regulated to his Youtube videos. Movies were more of Hashtag's thing. "Nah, I'm trying to get him to take me to Indiana Jones... I'm not really a filmmaker. I'm more like... A facts and numbers guy. Sometimes science," Nick replied in all honesty. "But I do run my own Youtube channel all about you guys! I figured with all the information I got, it made sense... Even some videos teaching people your language."
He blushed again.
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 14, 2023 8:52:29 GMT
Skyfire nodded, trying to process the logic behind Bumblebee's decision. Given that his function was that of a covert operative, for the small Autobot to take on some kind of family connection seemed very odd. Not only that, but that connection was to a very fragile human being. It wouldn't even take a concerted effort by a Decepticon to kill this young boy - any attack here on the Maltos would put him at a risk even greater than Dot's children - after all, he didn't have a constant connection to Bumblebee or other Autobots. It made Skyfire very concerned when he tried to process the risks. He'd have to ask Bee what his thought process had been.
"I see. I had not been informed of the situation. I hope that you remain safe, and do not get involved in the ongoing conflict."
The comment about his size caused him to nod sagely at the boy, since his form factor was noted. "Your assessment is correct, roughly. My original function was that of interplanetary explorer, my cargo space was needed for Energon storage and material transport to be studied on Cybertron. Transporting others was a happy side effect when I was reawakened."
When the boy mentioned that he was teaching people Cybertronian, he thought for a moment. That got his attention - especially if his theory was correct. If that which had made the Terrans was an artifact of the Primes, and with the occurrence of his own "accident", there could be far more to this world than met the eye. "Interesting. Have Dot's children been able to describe you the text which they reported to Prime during the construction of Twitch and Thrash?"
That information would be a great help.
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 14, 2023 20:07:08 GMT
Don't get involved?
Well, he guessed that it was a little late for that. But at the same time, Bumblebee had proven time and again he was a good parent. He'd gotten him back both times, and he was a tough kid anyway. But all the same, he couldn't exactly lie and say that he hadn't, could he? "I mean, I've had my share of run-ins before. The other month Soundwave held me hostage for a while," Nick explained, rather matter-of-factly. "Then there was the Stunticon incident before that. But it's cool! Bee's a good dad. He came for me and he knows I'm tough. I won't let it rattle me."
Much... Anyway.
Nick made a mental note, thankful that he could get that right. But when Skyfire looked interested in his mention of being able to teach Cybertronian. He grinned proudly. "I know. It's hard to believe I can speak it. But I can. Especially now that I live with dad," Nick explained. "Thanks to him I'm getting pretty fluent. I can speak for long periods now!" He said those words slowly - as it was clear he was still learning how to hold a full conversation, but still.
Oh! The text that they reported? Huh. He hadn't really thought about that - or at least he hadn't seen it. He definitely hadn't been able to go to the cave... At least not yet. "I mean, they've mentioned it before. But I don't know if I know what you mean," He admitted. "They saw text around there?"
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 18, 2023 18:02:37 GMT
Skyfire nodded in response to Nick's question. Well, the boy thought he could speak Cybertronian, so perhaps it would be best to see if organic life actually could speak sensibly. Though his dialect was a bit off, probably something from the protoform generations, and it sounded like he was from somewhere outside of Iacon. "Yes, the mention of visible glyphs was included in the reports from both Bee and Prime. Perhaps they would still remember the text clearly enough for transcription. As to you being held hostage by Soundwave, I am glad that you are safe. Very few beings escape Decepticon imprisonment intact."
He thought for a moment, trying to put it all together, before a logic circuit sparked. "Where were you when you were being held by Soundwave?"
Soundwave had escaped with the Seekers. If the Decepticon spy could be found, and recaptured, it was possible that some part of Starscream's loyalty matrix might fire off, and he'd attempt the same stunt as was tried for his own sake. If not, Soundwave's capture was itself a goal.
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Jul 31, 2023 3:09:10 GMT
Nick scratched his chin.
Glyph's that old would be ancient. And while he was a genius-intellect type of kid, he wasn't even sure he was on the "Prime Language" level. Hell, he'd probably need to meet Optimus before he even had a point of reference, admittedly. "I could probably ask them but I don't know how well I'd do trying to get the information there. You're probably talking ancient text" He admitted. "Thanks, I uh... It was kind of scary. But more rough than anything... He had cut off Bee's and my bond and..."
He cringed, clearly not willing to revisit that.
Wait, where was he held? That was a really good question. Nick didn't remember a whole lot of where he was held beyond a cave in the mountains. But he did try to go into his memory and think of anything he could... "It was weird... I don't remember a ton. But I do remember I was in a cave somewhere in the mountains. We flew a long time, I passed out before I saw which," He admitted. "I woke up deep in some cave. Thankfully no bears."
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Post by Skyfire on Aug 14, 2023 10:21:33 GMT
Skyfire nodded at Nick's assessment of the text that the Malto children had seen. It was entirely possible that what they'd seen was written in text that was older than he was; and he made no pretense of being young. Some of his notes were even hard to read for the younger generations of their species, due to the archaic way his handwriting was styled. He didn't understand the 'bond' Nick talked about; the word simply didn't fully compute to him.
"That you are alive alone is a feat; that you are unhurt is near to a miracle. Soundwave is a terrifying foe - there are few Decepticons on this planet I consider more fearsome. Even some of those I believe to be on Cybertron would pale in comparison."
He was kept in a cave, that made sense. Soundwave was smart; he would have kept his captive somewhere hard to identify. At least Bumblebee had found the young man, and in time to save his life. That was the thing he needed to remember. Losing a foe was not good, but not losing an ally was far more important. "I understand, I am glad there were no troublesome animals."
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Sept 12, 2023 3:47:06 GMT
Nick had to agree with him.
He hadn’t been as afraid of him as he was now. But Soundwave actually terrified him even if he sympathized with his plight. But still, he wouldn’t say that to Skyfire or another Autobot either. Lest he put Bumblebee in a bad position, right? ”It definitely made me rethink following in dad’s footsteps that’s for sure,” Nick admitted. ”I had thought about it - but if that’s what facing a Decepticon head on is like I don’t think I ever want to be on the front lines.”
Nick looked at him and tried his best to really think of anything else that might help him. That said, something did come to his mind after a few minutes. ”Wait! I did use my Apple Watch my old boss gave me to keep my location on… I mean, I don’t know if you could use that… It went out after a while. But it got some of the journey I’m sure.”
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Post by Skyfire on Sept 21, 2023 17:10:51 GMT
Skyfire nodded at Nick. He knew that GHOST has equipment which could, in some cases, neutralize a Cybertronian. Their help had been essential in some battles, but humans were extremely fragile. The unfortunate habit that many "adventurous" humans had of acting on impulse didn't make matters any better. At least the boy realized early in his life just how dangerous being around the Transformers could be. Maybe he'd even understand soon enough what the true meaning of "'til all are one" really was.
"Soundwave is one of the most dangerous Decepticons. He's a master of infiltration and data acquisition. His abilities in combat are powerful, both directly and indirectly. His ability to deploy additional combatants has been sincere cause for concern as well. Your survival alone is remarkable."
Skyfire looked at the small device. It always amazed him, the level of miniaturization required to make things work in scale for humans. "I believe it will help, yes."
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Post by Nicholas Bee on Sept 30, 2023 4:25:18 GMT
Nick blushed.
He honestly, didn't feel like he was that remarkable really. Maybe it was the part of him that knew his parents didn't want him. But he just felt... Average. That said, speaking Cybertronian that much was taking a strain on his throat. After a while, it always did do to the fluctuations and rather inhuman sounds it involved. "I think I gotta take a break from the Cybertronian by the way, sorry... Harder for humans to keep it up," He admitted with a chuckle. "You guys have the upper hand with your gears and stuff."
But... Dylan did hold up one finger before disappearing into the barn toward his room. It would be a couple of minutes, but eventually he came back up with his old apple watch, holding it up carefully. "This is what I used... I figured it'd give Dad some idea with where to start," He explained. "I just don't know when the signal dropped. So it could still be a bit off."
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Post by Skyfire on Oct 8, 2023 11:14:45 GMT
Skyfire nodded as he examined the device, his sensors already scanning through the device's memory. The boy's comment about having reached the end of his ability to speak Cybertronian. It was still remarkable that Nick was able to make himself understood, to need a break was fair. He was, after all, very very young. "That's no shame on your part. Some younger mechanisms would not have been able to maintain a conversation in our native language as long as you. There truly is much more to humans than meets the eye."
He considered the signal drop issue, but his scans gave him an additional insight that the boy might have lacked. Being a machine had certain remarkable advantages. "This device, and the one it was wirelessly connected to at the time, both have accelerometers and maintain logs when offline. There is a margin of error, of course, but the location should be easy enough to find from this information."
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