Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2017 11:10:02 GMT -5
PLAYER INFO
Name/Alias: Niamh
Email: niamh_729@hotmail.com
Age: 19
CHARACTER INFO
Name: MAL-414
Aliases: Mal / Michael
Age: 20s-early 30s
Gender: Mech
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Decepticon
Original Occupation: N/A – MAL-414 does not function outside of war.
Occupation/Specialization: Cannon-fodder (aka: day to day guard duty, patrols, combat training, and occasional menial labor until his number gets pulled)
Appearance: (Pic) MAL-414 is physically a perfect specimen of the Vehicon Trooper frame type: distinctly average in every way, except those in which he is below average, and possessing an unmistakable aura of awkwardness. The fact that Vehicon Troopers are usually sparkless, emotionless drones incapable of feeling awkward only accentuates the effect.
That said, Mal isn’t especially short or tall. Coupled with the lithe bent of his frame and cheap, non-stick washable armor plating (you’ll find the 'Made in China' after you’ve scraped away the 'Lasts over a month' Con insignia from his chest), it all leaves the poor mech weighing more towards aesthetics than functionality. If one could correct his indomitable slouch and brighten up his paint job just a bit (unless you really prefer the iconic Decepticon dark gray and dusky purple theme) he might be quite a looker.
The only part of his frame that isn’t dark-and-mysterious is his shiny silver face plate. A sharply angled expressionless mask takes the place of true facial features, its smooth surface interrupted only by a red triangular visor that wraps thinly around the slant of the mask. His long chin is significantly narrowed and juts out just enough to suggest an under bite. His face is framed on either side by slender decorative plates that angle towards his chin, the upper half curving back and away like long, pointed ears.
Mal’s helm is set just a bit too far forward on a thick neck that vanishes into his wide torso. Apart from the glowing purple mark of Decepticon allegiance over his sternum, his upper body is nondescript. It consists of four large plates that meet at a raised point just over his spark chamber, making room for thicker armor underneath. Smaller plates curve more gently down his sides only to end in dangerously sharp points—barely noticeable on this sea-urchin—above the waist.
Fenders make up the outer armor of either shoulder, each guarding a small tire that is unprotected from behind. Elbows appear severely disjointed, forearms drawn up alongside the upper arms and attached to the outside rather than connected end to end. Flat, angular planes and knife-like edges lead to long tri-taloned servos that swing level with Mal’s knees.
Mal’s waist is disproportionately narrow and completely lacks the deep purple that dominates the outer plating of his upper body. Thick gray plates slope downwards toward the junction of his legs, complementing a jagged violet pelvic guard. Thighs are gray and featureless, widest in the middle and narrowing significantly at both pelvis and knees.
His primarily violet pedes begin at the knee-joints. Most distinctive are the trio of spikes on each knee. The long center spike points upward and forward while a much smaller pair hook back with a lesser upward slant. Mal’s pedes are broad from front to back but from a frontal perspective are barely wider than the smallest part of his thighs. His second set of wheels are centered on the outside of each pede.
Altmode: (Pic) Mal’s altmode is a sleek black and violet sports car with fully tinted windows. Eye-catching for a human vehicle but a little overdone in certain Decepticon circles.
History: MAL-414 was constructed very soon after the Decepticons gained control over the last remaining Vehicon production crèche toward the beginning of the war. Drones who had gained sentience while under Autobot influence were virtually nonexistent, having been surreptitiously deactivated to avoid complications, leaving all newly sparked drones with no precedents to stand on under Megatron’s merciful rule. Due to the rarity of the phenomenon and the mortality rate of Vehicons regardless of intelligence levels, it was a confusing and difficult time for those who lasted.
As one of these pioneers, Mal’s social exposure was limited to sparkless comrades and the enemy Autobots. He had no ambitions to rise above his peers or escape the boundaries of his frame type, so his early years were unmemorable—a blur of fighting and training and dreamless recharge. Emotions were fleeting. The loss of a comrade incapable of social bonds was no true loss, and he had no opportunity to form other attachments. If anything, the Autobots were his only options for intellectual stimulation. Coding, much stronger than his almost-spark at the time, prevented anything of the sort.
Mal’s function fluctuated from one specialty to the next. He experienced the front lines and forgotten moon bases, guard duty and labor shifts. An incredible amount of luck kept him online from one post to another.
It wasn’t until a deep-rooted section of coding malfunctioned that MAL-414 truly began to gain a sense of individuality. Over thousands of years he grew more and more apart from his peers, superior to them in every way but unsure how to help his own personality develop. With no role models but the Decepticon officers he briefly interacted with, Mal shaped himself after what he knew. He attempted to get a coach by developing an internal AI which integrated data from all accessible databases, but his own limited processors couldn’t handle such a powerful program and the AI was reduced to an encouraging sidekick. His one true companion.
During this time, he finally took an interest in the outside world and discovered that his kind were no longer an obscure rarity in a multitude of blank drones. He made his very first friend who fell into a smelting pit the next week.
Aaand so began the life of MAL-414.
Mal was stationed on the Nemesis long before the Exodus and is well established on the warship. In line with current trends, he has accepted the alias ‘Michael’ until he can leave this dirtball behind.
Personality: Vehicons are coded to be heroes. To risk their lives to accomplish their task, to fulfill their goal no matter what the cost. Originally designed by Autobots, they are brave and selfless, honorable and kind. It is written into their spark that they are worth nothing, and their only function is to one day give their lives for the cause. It was intended that the Vehicons would never experience the emotional equivalents of these coded beliefs and responses. That though they would be certain of their own worthlessness, they would never feel it. Never be alive.
Some chose differently.
Because Vehicon coding was written to be unchangeable, it is extremely difficult for even sentient drones to develop true individuality. Most develop along very similar patterns, retaining ignorant simple-mindedness and incompetency that is the result of constant battering of drone coding against the weak influence of an almost-spark. Glitches and malfunctions within the code of already sentient Vehicons are usually the catalyst of truly unique identities.
MAL-414 had his first glimpse at the potential of individuality during a malfunction of one of the deepest, most foundational codes in his system: allegiance. For one and a half breems he was left to contemplate the true meaning of loyalty, and whether or not he truly owed his to Megatron and the Decepticon cause. By the time a medic was able to snap the code back in place, Mal was only 83% certain that he was in the right faction.
That dubious 17% became the springboard of a dedicated and relentless rebellion. It found its outlet in the “accidental” spilling of energon in public areas, failure to thoroughly clean and check weaponry, and the occasional misstep during presentation. This quirk has faded over time but occasionally resurfaces. Mal is unlikely to voice his support of Megatron and his victories quite as enthusiastically as fellow Vehicons due to doubts of his own authenticity.
Following that, Mal experienced a catastrophic identity crisis. Every action he took was weighed against what he thought might be if he weren’t manipulated by fixed drone coding. As millennia passed and the self-questioning didn’t abate, his almost-spark strengthened and took on increasing attributes of a true spark. As a result, some codes could be bypassed, permanently or temporarily, and others could be altered just enough to suit his preferences.
Using general frame types as his compass (er, general frame type Decepticons, that is), Mal came to believe that as a sentient being it was his right to put his own personal wellbeing over that of all others. He also perceived that value was assigned according to one’s usefulness to those in power and the rarity of said use. The first is a blatant opposition to Mal’s code which dictates absolute worthlessness and is a source of some confusion, as the code refuses be completely eradicated. The second is his guide to personal achievement and the value he places in himself.
As such, the driving force behind Mal’s character is the deep desire to be useful, tempered only by self-preservation and a teaspoon of dignity. It could then be assumed that Mal is self-conscious and praise-dependent, but that is not at all the case. For a period of time he attempted to calculate his personal value according to the responses of other mechs, but came to the conclusion that it was woefully inaccurate. He developed a program that allows him to set his own parameters for success and failure, and provides him with what he deems an appropriate reward or penalty. This circumvents any potential reliance on outside approval.
At some point during the transitional period, Mal’s Heroic Bravery program got totally broken. Unsurprisingly, the mech himself is grateful that a string of numbers and symbols entangled in his systems can’t urge him to leap between a deadly energy bolt and whichever oh-so-superior officer is its target. This malfunction was never detected by a medic, and Mal keeps it well disguised by staged efforts. The stereotypical floundering incompetency of Vehicons is, in this case, a boon.
Not having to fight suicidal tendencies has helped Mal adopt the general Decepticon attitude of selfishness and, thanks to Starscream and others, cowardice. He shies away from risking his life in any situation, often gladly trading dangerous assignments (attractive opportunities for many cons) for the drudgery of menial labor. Though this invites some ridicule, he easily counters it by listing the numerous instances in which his eager replacements were hopelessly annihilated.
Speaking of which, compassion is an emotion Mal has yet to experience. He is emotive but rarely wastes feelings on others.
Mal has a deep appreciation for the better things in life which he does not get to experience. He notices the beautiful and the ugly and resents being confined to the lowly life of a drone. Because of this, he finds great joy in possessing objects and knowledge which others do not.
On the other hand, Mal doesn’t waste the life he has. Social and moderately friendly, he isn’t above spending his down time in the rec room with the other Vehicons, laughing and joking over an Earth comedy. Granted, his humor tends toward the dark and morbid and isn’t always appreciated by his comrades. At times like these he is content and grateful his life isn’t any more complicated than it is.
Likes:
Dislikes:
Strengths/Weapons: Mal’s primary weapons are energon blasters that are as effective and accurate as slag. They can cause light damage to low quality armor and would be more akin to a bee sting against truly powerful plating. His only other choices are well below average servo-to-servo combat and his fine intellect. Fine-ish. Ish.
Weaknesses: Physically, Mal is deficient. He has no size or mass advantage and his armor is subpar with a multitude of weaknesses. His blasters are degenerate and he has no secondary weapons save the three awkward talons on each servo. Coordination is a maybe. He was trained poorly, has continued to be trained poorly, and he actively avoids any and all opportunities for betterment.
Mentally, he’s lost in the sauce. Though his intelligence levels are calculatedly above that of drones, it’s not enough for anyone else to make note of. Making decisions is hard. Following complicated plot twists and strategies (but more importantly, plot twists) is hard. It takes a lot of concentration.
Emotionally, Mal is pretty okay. He has his AI to help calm him down when he gets mad, or when his favorite character bites the dust.
Special Skills: Mal’s a sneak. He can usually get around the Nemesis undetected while he gathers blackmail material and other information. For a Vehicon, that’s pretty impressive.
Name/Alias: Niamh
Email: niamh_729@hotmail.com
Age: 19
CHARACTER INFO
Name: MAL-414
Aliases: Mal / Michael
Age: 20s-early 30s
Gender: Mech
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Decepticon
Original Occupation: N/A – MAL-414 does not function outside of war.
Occupation/Specialization: Cannon-fodder (aka: day to day guard duty, patrols, combat training, and occasional menial labor until his number gets pulled)
Appearance: (Pic) MAL-414 is physically a perfect specimen of the Vehicon Trooper frame type: distinctly average in every way, except those in which he is below average, and possessing an unmistakable aura of awkwardness. The fact that Vehicon Troopers are usually sparkless, emotionless drones incapable of feeling awkward only accentuates the effect.
That said, Mal isn’t especially short or tall. Coupled with the lithe bent of his frame and cheap, non-stick washable armor plating (you’ll find the 'Made in China' after you’ve scraped away the 'Lasts over a month' Con insignia from his chest), it all leaves the poor mech weighing more towards aesthetics than functionality. If one could correct his indomitable slouch and brighten up his paint job just a bit (unless you really prefer the iconic Decepticon dark gray and dusky purple theme) he might be quite a looker.
The only part of his frame that isn’t dark-and-mysterious is his shiny silver face plate. A sharply angled expressionless mask takes the place of true facial features, its smooth surface interrupted only by a red triangular visor that wraps thinly around the slant of the mask. His long chin is significantly narrowed and juts out just enough to suggest an under bite. His face is framed on either side by slender decorative plates that angle towards his chin, the upper half curving back and away like long, pointed ears.
Mal’s helm is set just a bit too far forward on a thick neck that vanishes into his wide torso. Apart from the glowing purple mark of Decepticon allegiance over his sternum, his upper body is nondescript. It consists of four large plates that meet at a raised point just over his spark chamber, making room for thicker armor underneath. Smaller plates curve more gently down his sides only to end in dangerously sharp points—barely noticeable on this sea-urchin—above the waist.
Fenders make up the outer armor of either shoulder, each guarding a small tire that is unprotected from behind. Elbows appear severely disjointed, forearms drawn up alongside the upper arms and attached to the outside rather than connected end to end. Flat, angular planes and knife-like edges lead to long tri-taloned servos that swing level with Mal’s knees.
Mal’s waist is disproportionately narrow and completely lacks the deep purple that dominates the outer plating of his upper body. Thick gray plates slope downwards toward the junction of his legs, complementing a jagged violet pelvic guard. Thighs are gray and featureless, widest in the middle and narrowing significantly at both pelvis and knees.
His primarily violet pedes begin at the knee-joints. Most distinctive are the trio of spikes on each knee. The long center spike points upward and forward while a much smaller pair hook back with a lesser upward slant. Mal’s pedes are broad from front to back but from a frontal perspective are barely wider than the smallest part of his thighs. His second set of wheels are centered on the outside of each pede.
Altmode: (Pic) Mal’s altmode is a sleek black and violet sports car with fully tinted windows. Eye-catching for a human vehicle but a little overdone in certain Decepticon circles.
History: MAL-414 was constructed very soon after the Decepticons gained control over the last remaining Vehicon production crèche toward the beginning of the war. Drones who had gained sentience while under Autobot influence were virtually nonexistent, having been surreptitiously deactivated to avoid complications, leaving all newly sparked drones with no precedents to stand on under Megatron’s merciful rule. Due to the rarity of the phenomenon and the mortality rate of Vehicons regardless of intelligence levels, it was a confusing and difficult time for those who lasted.
As one of these pioneers, Mal’s social exposure was limited to sparkless comrades and the enemy Autobots. He had no ambitions to rise above his peers or escape the boundaries of his frame type, so his early years were unmemorable—a blur of fighting and training and dreamless recharge. Emotions were fleeting. The loss of a comrade incapable of social bonds was no true loss, and he had no opportunity to form other attachments. If anything, the Autobots were his only options for intellectual stimulation. Coding, much stronger than his almost-spark at the time, prevented anything of the sort.
Mal’s function fluctuated from one specialty to the next. He experienced the front lines and forgotten moon bases, guard duty and labor shifts. An incredible amount of luck kept him online from one post to another.
It wasn’t until a deep-rooted section of coding malfunctioned that MAL-414 truly began to gain a sense of individuality. Over thousands of years he grew more and more apart from his peers, superior to them in every way but unsure how to help his own personality develop. With no role models but the Decepticon officers he briefly interacted with, Mal shaped himself after what he knew. He attempted to get a coach by developing an internal AI which integrated data from all accessible databases, but his own limited processors couldn’t handle such a powerful program and the AI was reduced to an encouraging sidekick. His one true companion.
During this time, he finally took an interest in the outside world and discovered that his kind were no longer an obscure rarity in a multitude of blank drones. He made his very first friend who fell into a smelting pit the next week.
Aaand so began the life of MAL-414.
Mal was stationed on the Nemesis long before the Exodus and is well established on the warship. In line with current trends, he has accepted the alias ‘Michael’ until he can leave this dirtball behind.
Personality: Vehicons are coded to be heroes. To risk their lives to accomplish their task, to fulfill their goal no matter what the cost. Originally designed by Autobots, they are brave and selfless, honorable and kind. It is written into their spark that they are worth nothing, and their only function is to one day give their lives for the cause. It was intended that the Vehicons would never experience the emotional equivalents of these coded beliefs and responses. That though they would be certain of their own worthlessness, they would never feel it. Never be alive.
Some chose differently.
Because Vehicon coding was written to be unchangeable, it is extremely difficult for even sentient drones to develop true individuality. Most develop along very similar patterns, retaining ignorant simple-mindedness and incompetency that is the result of constant battering of drone coding against the weak influence of an almost-spark. Glitches and malfunctions within the code of already sentient Vehicons are usually the catalyst of truly unique identities.
MAL-414 had his first glimpse at the potential of individuality during a malfunction of one of the deepest, most foundational codes in his system: allegiance. For one and a half breems he was left to contemplate the true meaning of loyalty, and whether or not he truly owed his to Megatron and the Decepticon cause. By the time a medic was able to snap the code back in place, Mal was only 83% certain that he was in the right faction.
That dubious 17% became the springboard of a dedicated and relentless rebellion. It found its outlet in the “accidental” spilling of energon in public areas, failure to thoroughly clean and check weaponry, and the occasional misstep during presentation. This quirk has faded over time but occasionally resurfaces. Mal is unlikely to voice his support of Megatron and his victories quite as enthusiastically as fellow Vehicons due to doubts of his own authenticity.
Following that, Mal experienced a catastrophic identity crisis. Every action he took was weighed against what he thought might be if he weren’t manipulated by fixed drone coding. As millennia passed and the self-questioning didn’t abate, his almost-spark strengthened and took on increasing attributes of a true spark. As a result, some codes could be bypassed, permanently or temporarily, and others could be altered just enough to suit his preferences.
Using general frame types as his compass (er, general frame type Decepticons, that is), Mal came to believe that as a sentient being it was his right to put his own personal wellbeing over that of all others. He also perceived that value was assigned according to one’s usefulness to those in power and the rarity of said use. The first is a blatant opposition to Mal’s code which dictates absolute worthlessness and is a source of some confusion, as the code refuses be completely eradicated. The second is his guide to personal achievement and the value he places in himself.
As such, the driving force behind Mal’s character is the deep desire to be useful, tempered only by self-preservation and a teaspoon of dignity. It could then be assumed that Mal is self-conscious and praise-dependent, but that is not at all the case. For a period of time he attempted to calculate his personal value according to the responses of other mechs, but came to the conclusion that it was woefully inaccurate. He developed a program that allows him to set his own parameters for success and failure, and provides him with what he deems an appropriate reward or penalty. This circumvents any potential reliance on outside approval.
At some point during the transitional period, Mal’s Heroic Bravery program got totally broken. Unsurprisingly, the mech himself is grateful that a string of numbers and symbols entangled in his systems can’t urge him to leap between a deadly energy bolt and whichever oh-so-superior officer is its target. This malfunction was never detected by a medic, and Mal keeps it well disguised by staged efforts. The stereotypical floundering incompetency of Vehicons is, in this case, a boon.
Not having to fight suicidal tendencies has helped Mal adopt the general Decepticon attitude of selfishness and, thanks to Starscream and others, cowardice. He shies away from risking his life in any situation, often gladly trading dangerous assignments (attractive opportunities for many cons) for the drudgery of menial labor. Though this invites some ridicule, he easily counters it by listing the numerous instances in which his eager replacements were hopelessly annihilated.
Speaking of which, compassion is an emotion Mal has yet to experience. He is emotive but rarely wastes feelings on others.
Mal has a deep appreciation for the better things in life which he does not get to experience. He notices the beautiful and the ugly and resents being confined to the lowly life of a drone. Because of this, he finds great joy in possessing objects and knowledge which others do not.
On the other hand, Mal doesn’t waste the life he has. Social and moderately friendly, he isn’t above spending his down time in the rec room with the other Vehicons, laughing and joking over an Earth comedy. Granted, his humor tends toward the dark and morbid and isn’t always appreciated by his comrades. At times like these he is content and grateful his life isn’t any more complicated than it is.
Likes:
- Entertainment – Spending half his life acting exactly like a drone gives Mal a unique appreciation for anything that fills up extra time and makes the dullness of existing more bearable.
- Knowledge – He doesn’t actually want to learn it. He just wants to possess it, and then trade it for something better.
- Contraband – Likely an echo of his first malfunction, Mal gets a thrill out of finding, keeping, and stealing items he shouldn’t have. This is probably the most dangerous thing he would ever willingly do. And, as with knowledge, he likes what he can get in return.
- Miners – This frame type is the only one even marginally more worthless than Vehicon troopers. Naturally, Mal feels a little superior when they are in proximity.
Dislikes:
- Anyone better than him – This isn’t so much a dislike as an overall resentment towards mechs who were constructed his superior.
- Squishies – He’s stepped on a few and it’s a little weird to wipe off splatters of used-to-be-alive jelly.
- Earth – No explanation needed.
- Danger – Because, duh, he could die.
- Soundwave – Always present on his mind while smuggling high grade.
Strengths/Weapons: Mal’s primary weapons are energon blasters that are as effective and accurate as slag. They can cause light damage to low quality armor and would be more akin to a bee sting against truly powerful plating. His only other choices are well below average servo-to-servo combat and his fine intellect. Fine-ish. Ish.
Weaknesses: Physically, Mal is deficient. He has no size or mass advantage and his armor is subpar with a multitude of weaknesses. His blasters are degenerate and he has no secondary weapons save the three awkward talons on each servo. Coordination is a maybe. He was trained poorly, has continued to be trained poorly, and he actively avoids any and all opportunities for betterment.
Mentally, he’s lost in the sauce. Though his intelligence levels are calculatedly above that of drones, it’s not enough for anyone else to make note of. Making decisions is hard. Following complicated plot twists and strategies (but more importantly, plot twists) is hard. It takes a lot of concentration.
Emotionally, Mal is pretty okay. He has his AI to help calm him down when he gets mad, or when his favorite character bites the dust.
Special Skills: Mal’s a sneak. He can usually get around the Nemesis undetected while he gathers blackmail material and other information. For a Vehicon, that’s pretty impressive.