And another one of these!

[makeshiftwings]

General musebox post is go! ... Again!

Comment here with a location in the subject line (The Thor, some alien planet, Pandora, etc). You can come up with a scenario or leave your comment blank and I'll do that for you!

Comments

> SOME ALIEN PLANET?

[sciencetank]

[YOU ASKED FOR A SCIENCE TANK.]

[makeshiftwings]

[ The little human and the big, big robot are an odd team, but they sort of ended up together out of necessity. Angel could hardly fend for herself in the wilderness, and, when she'd unwittingly tried to use her abilities on Perceptor himself, it became apparent that she could be useful in procuring the data he was after.

Now if only he'd stop glancing at the metal implants on the side of her skull. Hard not to notice them, what with the way she was perched on his shoulder ]

... I won't be offended if you ask what they're for.

[sciencetank]

Well, that's rather fortunate.

[He doesn't mind her sitting there, while he... takes notes on some giant glowing tree. This data will be important for later. He misses his lab, a decent computer terminal, anything but a data pad with such limited space. But one must make do.]

I'd ever intention to do so, once our situation became significantly more stabilized.

[Like, figuring out how to keep both of them fueled on an alien world.]

[makeshiftwings]

[ She cants her head a little, considering this. ] You mean, figuring out what we're going to do for dinner?

[sciencetank]

Din... ah. Yes. Something to that effect, actually.

Since I rather doubt both of our systems are compatible with the same sort of fuel type, the process becomes entirely more convoluted than it would be, were we of the same species.

[makeshiftwings]

What do you eat, anyway?

[sciencetank]

It isn't exactly eating persay, so much as it is refueling. My frame is mechanical in nature, and thus requires a substantial amount of fuel to continue functioning as it should.

[Perceptor, stop talking, that doesn't answer her question.]

But, to answer your question more specifically, and succinctly, energon. Pure energy in liquid or semi-solid form.

[makeshiftwings]

I'm going to guess that it doesn't grow on trees. [ Aha, awkward little laugh. ]

Does your research mention any energy sources? Or anything safe for organics to eat, for that matter.

[sciencetank]

Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. If it did, a very great many problems would have been solved all at once!

[He waves a hand at the air, as if the space around him is to blame.]

Mm, not on this world, no. I've been rather preoccupied for some time over the little matter of the war and the Ark.

[makeshiftwings]

They sent you down here without any information?

[sciencetank]

Ah... sent is... perhaps too strong a word for it.

[makeshiftwings]

What happened?

[sciencetank]

A fairly significant explosion to a major portion of the Ark's forward cargo bay. In addition to a rather large hole in space being torn open.

[i.e. He blew up.]

[makeshiftwings]

... So you crashed here.

Maybe we should look for civilization?

[sciencetank]

Quite dramatically so.

Perhaps, yes. It would be one way of locating suitable fuel for yourself.

[makeshiftwings]

They might have something you can use, too. Let's not count ourselves out of this yet.

[sciencetank]

I designed an evacuation-class starship out of a cargo freighter while under fire from Decepticon warships. "Counting myself out" isn't in my programming.

[MARCHING OFF THROUGH THE WOODS NOW.]

[makeshiftwings]

Can you tell me more about yourself, Perceptor? [ The robots back home would sometimes gain sentience, but this is a while new level. ]

[sciencetank]

What in particular interests you?

I'm a scientist, first and foremost, despite the vehicle mode -- which serves its purpose, I'll have you know. One of the only to study the ruins located within the Sea of Rust. Additionally, I was charged with restoring the old Teletraan-1 terminals across Cybertron to full functionality.

A job I was perfectly happy to see the back end of, I daresay.

[He'll keep talking for hours, if she lets him. Going off on tangents about the war, the divisions between the factions... etc.]

[makeshiftwings]

[ She actually doesn't mind. She listens intently, politely stopping him to ask for clarification every once and a while, nodding in the appropriate places.

All she's ever known are Hyperion and Pandora. This is all fascinating to her.

At least until they come across a plume of smoke in the distance, coming from somewhere at the edge of the forest. ]

Perceptor... Perceptor. Look-- what do you suppose that is?

[sciencetank]

[No one ever just listens. Well, except for Jetfire when he was being polite.]

[He stops, though, looking off in the direction she's indicating.]

Hm. Judging from the composition of the smoke heading in our direction, it isn't a secondary impact crater. Nor is there enough of it to be a natural fire of some sort...

... a settlement perhaps.

[makeshiftwings]

The only way to really find out is to take a look. Let's get through these trees.

[sciencetank]

Very well. Do hold on.

[Because the tank is about to indiscriminately smash through the trees.]

[makeshiftwings]

[ She gives a little squeal of surprise, clinging to his shoulder for dear life. ]

[sciencetank]

[He probably should have warned her better, but oh well.]

[In no time at all, they're reaching the edge of the forest, and the big scientist is... comically ducking down behind a rock. The better to observe.]

... What a wretchedly primitive little settlement this is.