Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2016 11:22:08 GMT -5
PLAYER INFO
Name/Alias: Jaxrond
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Skyfire
Age: (Human Equivalent) 30+
Gender: Mech
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Currently unknown due to circumstance
Original Occupation: Exploratory scientist
Occupation/Specialization: Scientist
Appearance:
Standing head and shoulders above Optimus Prime and a head above Megatron, Skyfire is a behemoth. He matches in proportion with his bulk, giving the impression of the human equivalent of a tall, muscular man (possibly a body-type five on the provided chart). Though he is not exceedingly heavily armored, he is impressive to behold. His armor is found mostly in the chassis, arms, and lower leg areas, though his thighs are also plated in a lighter armor. His abdomen is thinly covered in plating that is more suitable for protection in interstellar travel rather than combat. Skyfire’s coloring is predominantly white, though, he does have the occasional red or blue accent. The plating in his abdominal and inguinal areas is black while that in the costa area is grey. On his lower legs are armor plates that cover the shin entirely to the knee before ‘flaring’ out on either side in a ‘v’, the tips of which end at the midpoint of his thighs. The edges of the plating, including the flares, is light blue. The armor of his forearms is much the same in coloring, with blue accents and a band of red at his wrist joints. His servos, while large like the rest of him, have surprisingly long and thin digits. These make it easy for him to do the more delicate aspects of his work.
Skyfire has a rather gentle face, with kind optics and a soft curve to his mouth. His helm frames his face completely, running along the entirety of his jawline. From the front of his helm juts a blue finlike apparatus, approximately where his ‘forehead’ is. His audials jut up in much the same way but have more of an antennae shape to them. The bot’s rather impressive wing set is painted red and extends up from his back like those of a butterfly. Included in this wing set are his missile launchers. The wheels of his landing gear fill the space between his neck and shoulders.
Altmode: Tupolev Tu-160
History:
Sparked early in the Golden Age, Skyfire was always curious. The peaceful era provided him room to create and learn, and to seek answers to his never-ending questions. As any good scientist does, he constantly sought knowledge, preforming many experiments and going great lengths to satisfy his curiosity. Skyfire had a hand in many advancements during the Golden Age, whether as an apprentice learning from an older scientist, or as a prevalent name himself in later years. Despite his achievements on his homeworld, however, he soon turned his optics to the stars. Cybertron was familiar. It had much to offer, but, it did not hold his interest. It was questions of other worlds that he sought answers to. It was as his work turned towards exploration and discovery that he made his only true friend. He’d had many assistants and such in the past, and was well-liked as he was an amiable bot. However, this friend, a seeker, was the only one he felt a true connection with. They had a mutual taste for the freedom of flight and a thirst to explore all that the universe held.
Together, he and his friend took their desire for travel to the heads of the Cybertronian scientist division. With the Spacebridge Project in the developmental stage, their request was met with a great deal of optimism and even eagerness. It was believed that sending someone like Skyfire and his partner, who understood the intricacies of what the project entailed and who possessed enough diplomacy to make attempts to befriend the native populaces of alien planets enough for a Spacebridge to be implemented, would further the goal of the project. Colonies could be founded, trade with other worlds initiated, and alliances forged. A pair of willing, and brilliant, volunteers was exactly what was desired.
In preparation, Skyfire underwent a series of self-modifications before beginning his explorations. He refitted his frame for long-distance aerospace capability, making himself able to withstand a wide range of temperatures, from the freezing cold of space to the blazing fiery heat of entering an atmosphere with a strong gravitational pull. He also made it so that he could store and use energon as efficiently as possible, even slowing it to the barest life-sustaining trickle if needed. Skyfire was brilliant, and, in his brilliancy, ensured that he could survive almost any foreseeable outcome of interstellar exploration. He made these modifications based on data provided from other, earlier trips made before his time and from what was gleaned from the Quintesson invaders.
Skyfire made many journeys, both alone and with others, to not only the worlds surrounding Cybertron but to those beyond. As Cybertronian influence expanded, he stayed on the leading edge of the exploration field. The majority of his work was found in reporting initial contact with an alien world. Whether the world was inhabited, dead, hostile in populace or climate, comfortable in climate, suitable for an outpost, and so on. During these explorations, he came into contact with a wide variety of locations. Sometimes, the worlds he found were dead, though they had once held a flourishing society before a calamity wiped them out. These were always of interest to him, and he spent longer than his superiors would have liked analyzing the remnants of these ancient societies. Other times, he found a fully populated planet. These were always approached with others at his side, lest the natives prove hostile and able to overwhelm a single Cybertronian. Some planets were too dangerous to approach altogether due to the extremes of their climate. These always disappointed him. But, regardless of his personal desires and disappointments, he was successful. Initially, he lent a great deal to the success of the Spacebridge Project.
When the project failed, Skyfire found himself without the backing of the science community. They called him ‘old-fashioned’ and ‘behind the times’ when he insisted that his explorations continued. Slowly, his funding dwindled until he was forced to use funds from other work to support his travels. They became fewer and further between. In the time that the caste system rose to dominance, attempted Skyfire to spend more time away from Cybertron, usually on nearby planets, finding any excuse he could to be absent. When he was on planet, he was often squirreled away in his laboratories, avoiding his fellows as much as possible. He became reclusive, only truly spending time with only his friend. Skyfire’s spark, though curious and hungry for knowledge, was a compassionate one. Having been privileged to participate fully in the Golden Age, he found it painful to watch the subjugation of the lower castes. Rather than vainly attempt to work any influence, using his former reputation and genius to call for change, he chose to escape.
His escape took him too far when the planet Earth became known to him. It was far away and completely uncharted. More than enough to peak his interest, and to provide the distance he desired. Together, he and his colleague set out to explore. His friend warned him of the dangers of approaching without caution. But, Skyfire’s excitement over the prospect of exploring it led to his almost complete disregard of the warning, and of his previous experiences that reinforced his friend’s words. He rushed ahead and, in doing so, became caught in a ferocious ice storm upon entering the atmosphere. Despite all of his modifications and cutting-edge technology, he was brought down, crash landing on the planet’s surface with enough force to put him into a comatose state. His friend desperately searched for him, but, was forced to return home when it became too dangerous for them to remain. They returned to Cybertron to beg that aid be sent. A small search party was launched, only because his brilliance in the laboratory would be missed. When nothing turned up, Skyfire was declared missing and most likely offline. His name passed into memory, and he was disregarded as the old fool who had clung to the past until it had destroyed him, the genius who had toppled over the thin line into madness Even that cold criticism faded in the face of the cultural turmoil on Cybertron.
Contrary to reports, Skyfire was alive. He had managed to shift to his bipedal form one last time in an attempt to make it to shelter and let the storm pass before the environment became too much for him. Trapped in stasis, he could do nothing as the Earth’s Ice Age raged around him, slowly locking him under ice. For millennia, he laid in his prison, unable to bring himself online. His survival measures sustained him far beyond what he could have imagined. It was not until his supply began to run low and an automatic warning activated, that he finally regained a semi-conscious state.
Personality:
Skyfire is a bot of science. He was sparked to attempt to fulfil an insatiable curiosity and to make steps forward in the advancement of his race. As such, he is not a soldier. His armaments have been used only for self-defense when he encountered a hostile race on an unexplored planet. Even then, he rarely used his weaponry. Skyfire’s kind spark makes him a natural diplomat, the result being that he always attempts to find a logical, nonviolent solution before resorting to force. He is also very compassionate and hates being exposed to the suffering of others. If Skyfire was human, he’d be the type to take in a stray kitten he found out in the rain.
Unfortunately, his compassion acts as a double-edged sword. He is naturally inclined to give others the benefit of the doubt. In this way, he is almost naïve. Though highly intelligent and rather wise, he attempts to look for the best in everyone. It was for this reason that he struggled so much when the caste system was implemented and discord and hatred was sown among the socio-economic classes. Being of the science class, he was a member of the highest caste and therefore the recipient of a great deal of hatred from those of the lower castes. Skyfire’s natural inclination to avoid conflict and his inability to deal with that amount of negativity is what drove him into seclusion.
Skyfire is also the type who will be blunt in as nice a way as possible. He might tell someone those mods look like they came out of a junkyard, but he’ll do it with a kind smile. Then offer to upgrade them. He makes friends easily due to his endearing demeanors and endeavors to be personable. Oftentimes, despite his kindness, he comes across as odd. His intelligence and career causes him to be ‘weird’ in comparison to the other bots, as does his lack of knowledge about anything that occurred since the early years of the Caste System Era.
Likes:
Science- As Yoda is one with the Force, Skyfire is one with science. The bot can go for cycles running the same series of experiments. And once someone asks him a scientific question and seems generally interested, they had best be prepared to be there for a very long time.
Peace- Skyfire is naturally a bot of peace. Having lived mostly during the Golden Age, he knows little else. He has only experienced minor combat a handful of times.
Comradery- He knows a great deal and his job was to aid in the advancement of Cybertron, thus, he wants to share his knowledge. With everyone. It’s not that he means to be a chatterbox. Sometimes he just likes to sit and observe. But, once he gets going, he’s going. And he’s always more than willing to have someone to talk at. That said, he is definitely the type to start ignoring others when something else catches his interest, though, he doesn’t do this out of meanness.
Order/Organization- In Skyfire’s mind, these two are almost one and the same. A well-organized and well-stocked laboratory will make the bot as happy as he’ll ever be.
Unsolved Questions- Anything and everything that could lead him to more knowledge turns him into a kid on Christmas Morning. If someone were to ask “how many moves should it take to solve a Rubik’s Cube most effectively?” he would be running a series of tests to find the answer. The more challenging the riddle, the better.
Discovery and Exploration- Some of Skyfire’s happiest memories come from his exploratory missions with his friend. He loves the thrill of newness, even if that newness results in something unfavorable.
Truth- In Skyfire’s mind, if knowledge is power then truth is liberty. And Skyfire values liberty highly. The liberty to explore, create, and learn is something he prizes.
Dislikes:
Conflict- Skyfire is naturally adverse to conflict of any sort, to the point where he would rather lock himself away by himself than engage in it.
Old News- He has no interest in old info unless it’s pertinent to his current research.
Idleness- A bot who is always searching for truth, Skyfire cannot be consciously idle. It would drive him mad. If he were to find someone who could be content when idle, it would confuse him to no end.
Dictatorial Behavior- Having witnessed the implementation of the caste system, Skyfire cannot stand the subjugation of others. He places it on the same level of enslavement. The taking of liberty is something he cannot abide.
Small Organisms- While they may be fascinating, a bot of his size constantly worries about accidentally harming them. Mainly by stepping on them. Small creatures put him utterly on edge. When he awakens, humans will be included in this.
Weapons:
Skyfire’s weapons are sparse. His main offensive component are a pair of photon missile launchers, fired using a targeting system in his optic. Due to their destructive capability, they are a last resort. Skyfire has only used them a handful of times in his life, and never for truly striking a blow. When they were fired, it was as a warning shot or method of intimidation in order to avoid conflict.
Handcrafted within his laboratory, his photon missiles are a bit outdated in the modern day but still effective. They are made by compressing energy in a cylindrical capsule, which causes them to be quite destructively explosive. Their range is approximately two Earth miles at full velocity. When they make contact with a target, the impact causes an immediate detonation. The closer the target is, the more damage is done due to the loss of velocity over distance. The casing blasts outward, sending shrapnel flying, and the energy itself is unleashed. Skyfire has also calibrated these so that they can detonate before impact is made, specifically for a show of force rather than an attack. The missiles are big, showy, and loud. They fit his need of a deterrent weapon quite well. If used in combat, the missiles are powerful enough to do sufficient damage. At least, theoretically. He has never used them on a fellow Cybertronian.
If he had, Skyfire would know that his current models are not nearly powerful enough to, say, punch a hole in someone’s armor, but, if fired at a joint or armor chink, they could put the target out of commission until repairs are made. If a series of missiles were used on the same spot in someone’s armor, they would eventually break through. However, that would entail some very serious accuracy and quite a few missiles based on armor durability.
Skyfire is also equipped with a blade that, while it could be used as a weapon, is too delicate for heavy combat. It could cut through thin armor plating, but, its primary purpose is for use during experiments.
Strengths:
Endurance- Skyfire’s self-modifications enable him to travel long distances with minimal energon usage. He is also able to withstand a wide variety of planetary conditions and gravity levels. It is because of these modifications that he survived when trapped in ice.
Aerospace Capability- Skyfire is able to travel long distances through space just as well as he can fly within an atmosphere.
Intellect- Nice though he may be, Skyfire’s nobody’s fool. He might not pick up social cues, but when it comes to a straight up battle of factual, scientific knowledge, there are few who can beat him. From Cybertronian anatomy to general planetary function to Cybertronian dialects throughout the years, if it could be labeled “Scientific Study”, he probably did it. Unfortunately, much of his knowledge has little practical use at the current time.
Smooth, Logical Talker- Skyfire is the type of bot who could probably talk a five year old into eating his brussel sprouts. His voice is naturally pleasant to listen to. He has a great deal of charisma because he’s so friendly and he’s smart enough to make just about anything sound like the most logical thing in the world. Despite that, he also tells it how it is. If the situation’s bad, he’ll let you know. But he’ll follow up by selling you on the solution he’s concocted.
Patience- The bot has more of it than the Biblical Job ever did. It takes a lot to push him to the end of his rope. As with all beings, some things push him faster than others, but, he can hold out for a long time.
Delicate Touch- Despite his size, Skyfire has very steady servos capable of ‘delicate’ work. He’s used to being big, and, as such, is constantly aware of his motor control. He’s also quite capable of controlling the strength that comes with his size, due to a lifetime of needing to do so.
Brute Strength- Skyfire is huge. He carries a lot of mass, and with that mass comes a lot of force. He’s strong enough to suit his size, able to life the larger parts of some of his bigger experiments, like when he assisted in the development of one of the first space-capable ships created during the Golden Age. He’s not Superman, but he can definitely provide assistance with heavy-lifting. That said, he could also do quite a bit of damage with his fists, especially to small targets. However, he’s never been trained to fight hand-to-hand and is much too refined to have ever bludgeoned someone with his servos. He has previously never had the need to do so.
Weaknesses:
We Don’t Need to Fight- To put it bluntly, he sucks at combat. He’s untrained, and he has very little will to fight unless he reaches the end of that legendary patience or something precious to him is threated. Even then, he’d much rather negotiate. He’s most certainly not a soldier and he most likely never will be.
Why Can’t We Be Friends?- His willingness to seek the good in everyone has come back to bite him in the aft before. And it probably will again.
Decepti-what?- Skyfire was put in ice long before the war broke out. What’s now ancient history to most bots is completely unknown to him. Decepticons, Autobots, the loss of Cybertron, and everything that goes with it is after his time.
A Whole New World- Skyfire crash landed on Earth during the Ice Age. As such, he knows nothing about Earth as it is now. Humans are as unknown to him as the Decepticons.
Big Bots- Being the Behemoth he is could be seen as a strength if he was a combatant. However, since he’s not, this is a weakness. Especially for robots in disguise. Hiding outside of vehicle mode isn’t easy for a guy this big. His mass also slows him down quite a bit. While he can fly, he doesn’t do it nearly as fast as a smaller craft would. Nor does he transform with any kind of speed. Tight spaces are most certainly not an option. It wouldn’t be advisable for him to be climbing around on any possibly unstable structures either.
Weight-bearing Joints- Because Skyfire is so huge, there’s a lot of stress on his weight-bearing joints, particularly the knees and ankles, and the hips to a lesser extent. If a small bot could cripple the big guy, he’ll go down hard.
Visible Target- Due to his size, he’s a big target. Like a giant ‘here’s where you need to shoot’ sign. Taking cover would be very difficult for him unless there was a really big rock to hide behind.
Underprepared- Because of the time he lived in, and the nature of his weapons, he never carried more than six on his person at a time. Any more than that would heighten the risk that they could be triggered by accident and end up exploding while he was carrying them. As they were mostly used as deterrent weapons, he never imagined he would need more than a handful at a time.
Mr. Freeze- Skyfire’s been in the ice for a very, very long time. Once defrosted, it’ll take him a while to get moving at full capacity again. It’s only because of his survival modifications that he himself did not sustain some very permanent damage. He’ll be stiff and need some serious physical therapy to even walk properly again. Transforming, which requires a series of minute shifts, will be an impossibility until he gets his full range of motion back, which could take months. Even then, he’ll be slower than usual. It’s also very possible that his systems, particularly things like flight regulation and targeting systems, will be glitchy for a good while. His missiles, too, will be much less effective than before, damaged by the cold.
Light Armor- Skyfire’s armor was designed for interstellar travel and environment resistance, not combat. Though it is capable of resisting some extremes of heat or cold, it is not made to take enemy fire. Nor direct physical blows. It was made to distribute weight in case of a crash and save him from excessive damage, not block the concentrated force of a punch or blunt weapon attack.
Special Skills:
Science Fanatic- Skyfire is an inventor and explorer through and through. When it comes to modifications and scientific design, he’s the bot to call. He won’t be much help in doing medical work, but, he can offer basic assistance due to his knowledge of Cybertronian anatomy and physiology. This would apply in the same way a person who knows how blood clots work can take steps to stop bleeding more effectively. He has a well of knowledge, both useful and not so useful that he’s more than willing to share at any time.
Internal Documentation- Skyfire’s processor was made for the recording of copious amounts of knowledge. It’s because of this that he was such a skilled explorer. He could memorize routes and details necessary for course charting and record his discoveries in great detail. It’s unlikely the bot will ever get lost once he’s been somewhere or has a trail to follow. It’s also because of this that he’s such a skilled researcher. If he read something about space engine function at some point, he can most likely still tell you where he found the information and summarize what the text said.
RP Sample:
Cold and darkness. It was all he knew. It was all he had known for a long, long time. Even in his forced stasis, he had been at least somewhat aware of the cold. The entrapment. His processor was sluggish, mostly unresponsive. He couldn’t form coherent thoughts. If he could have, he would have wondered how long he’d been in this state. Where his partner was. If there was a way out. What his true condition was. He would have wondered a thousand things, as usual. He was always wondering. Until he wasn’t.
Something had changed. His incoherent mind was aware of at least that much. He wasn’t quite as cold. Some small, far away part of him said that this was a good thing, as he was dangerously low on energon. The majority failed to see the importance of this. Nothing was important. Nothing was even worth thinking about.
Outside where his body lay entombed, the flow of the artic and the shift of temperatures over time had worn at the ice that encased him. Only a thinnest of walls lay between him and the world outside, but, he was far too weak to reach out to it. He had been trapped for too long. Any outside viewer would be able to see him with only the vaguest distortion. An impressive and once-proud figure, lost for millennia.
Finally, as the sun continued to warm the wall, a small section of it melted. The signal for help that had been trying to escape for the duration of his imprisonment finally broke free, broadcasting to the world. He was unaware of this, as he was unaware of everything else. The signal had always been and would always be. Just like the cold and the dark.
Though, he wasn’t quite so cold now….And he wasn’t so sure that the signal had always been or that the warning pertaining to his energy levels had always been either. Something had most certainly changed, this much his processor did register.