[ti]Flashback[/ti]Let The Music Play [ Wheeljack ]
Nov 4, 2016 6:00:58 GMT -5
Post by Jazz on Nov 4, 2016 6:00:58 GMT -5
Timeline:
Location: Polyhex
Set before the Exodus, shortly after Magnus's takeover of the Wreckers and Wheeljack's departure
"I don't get why I can't come with you."
"Well, I don't know. You'd have to ask Magnus about that one."
"Like he'd give me a straight answer."
"He'd give you a straight answer. Once you got past the kibble he spews from that huge Autobot Code handbook he keeps in his office. I swear, I've actually heard him say that's his PORTABLE copy."
Reload shuddered at the mere thought of that. It wasn't unheard of for the Elite Guard leader to spew about this and that ethical violation and recite pages from that book, especially now that they were in the company of the Wreckers. Primus knew they didn't seem to follow any of it and probably hadn't even gotten the manual at all. They were just a bit rough around the edges, but Jazz didn't complain. It was actually sort of fun to watch grown bots beat the scrap out of each other for fun.
"At this point I think he probably has that thing recorded somewhere to play over and over again as he's patrolling the halls. I kinda feel bad for the Wreckers, though. We're used to it. To them it's probably like hearing the most miserable song in slow pace on repeat. Especially if Magnus was the one to record it. I'd be surprised if he didn't play it for them in their quarters while they were rechargin'."
"If that's what's to come of me, please, Jazz. Just spare me the misery and offline me before you go! I mean, I can usually stay out of the way when you're around, but once you're gone? I'll be at his mercy!" Reload was a little dramatic sometimes, yes, but this was his playful side. Jazz knew it was him holding that bit of spite of being told that this was a solo trip to Cybertron. Reload had decided to come to the hanger and see him off instead of just accepting the casual 'okay goodbye I love you don't miss me too much' spiel from Jazz to the others when he passed the rec room.
Jazz and Reload had been partners since Jazz had joined up with the guard. The two worked rather well together, passing back and forth off one another's strengths and weaknesses. It was no easy feat for someone to keep up with the fast pace of the saboteur but 'ol Reload somehow did. He could also keep up with the snark, which was even more reassuring now since they had to stay even more sharp in their game to have one up on the Wrecker crew they were now dealing with.
"Well, if ya hadn't made such a mess the last mission that made Magnus have to report to Optimus, maybe ya wouldn't be on his disciplinary list and could'a come. Ya outta think about your actions, Reload."
"Oh! You mean the actions that YOU started and I had to finish, including- and not limited to- going off mission course and getting yourself caught up in that brawl? Really, Jazz, those mechs were TWICE your size and at least FIVE TIMES your mass! That was a dumb move!"
"When you say it like that, you sound like it was all my fault." Jazz faked a hurt tone to his voice, then smirked. "Which it wasn't. I was just observing at first. The fact that I informed both of those mechs that they were wrong THEY took offense and came after ME. I did nothin' wrong except try to correct their mistake."
"One of these days, Jazz, you're going to correct the wrong mech and I ain't gonna be there to save your sorry hide."
"Like you would ever let me out of your sights."
"My point exactly as to why you shouldn't go on this mission alone." There was a genuine warning in his voice as he looked over the younger mech. Reload was his partner, but sometimes he forgot that he wasn't his Creator. There was never anything more there than concern for Jazz's well being, but it did tend to frustrate the saboteur somewhat. "Just because you're Optimus's hand picked choice doesn't mean you're safe from everything out there, Jazz. I think that Magnus should tighten that leash he's got on you a little more, or you may just yank it right out of grip one day when he's not paying attention."
"Well, if I ever get lost, I know you'll be right there to find me. So I ain't worried." They reached the hanger and Jazz typed in his security codes. He must have missed one cause the machine let out an angry NOPE noise at him, but a re-key made it less so. A chime later and it accepted the codes and the large door started to open.
"Jazz, I'm serious. You need to be more careful with who-"
"Oh! Look there! I guess that's my ride!" And that marked the end of that line of conversation. They both walked into the hanger, eyeing the familiar piece of work. It was a small thing, barely able to fit three or four with enough space to still move, but it suited Jazz's needs. He had piloted it before on his own so he already had the thing mapped out in his memory core. This was going to be easy. The stuff he had to do after landing was what would be more difficult. The Elite Guard's main vessel had been traveling non stop since they had learned about their target's location, so he would just use this little beauty to go the rest of the way. No giant leaps, no stops, no detours.
At least he wouldn't be cooped up long and he would then be able to actually DRIVE. Jazz wondered to himself if that was part of Reload's problem since he was just a TINY bit afraid of heights.
"That... okay, well, whatever. I just don't like being stuck behind with Mr-Doesn't-Know-How-To-Pull-The-Stick-Out-Of-His-Aft when you ain't around. So make sure you hurry back. And if you get any dent in your frame, I swear I'll smack the ever livin' daylights outta you."
"Well, there ain't any guarentees on the damage part, but I'll try. But make sure to keep check about Magnus, though, and don't say too much while I'm gone. I'm sure he wouldn't be too pleased knowin' that you're sayin' such nasty things about him behind his back. I'm sure he's very aware of how to clear out the build up in his exhaust." Laughter ensued between the two and the intelligence official only patted him on the shoulder for reassurance. "Don't worry. I'll be back before ya know it! You won't even know I've been gone. Promise." As if that was possible. The entire moving fortress would be a heck of a lot quieter without him around and Jazz KNEW that. His partner just scoffed. "Go harass the Wreckers or some of the new recruits. It'll make ya feel better while I'm on my joyride."
With reassurances in place, Jazz loaded himself up in the ship and launched once the bay doors had opened, heading down towards one of the cities just to the north of Iacon. He always found it silly that they had to travel THIS way, with fuel consumption being something they'd been warned about before, but hey... Jazz wasn't in charge of that fiasco. For now he had to focus. Since Magnus and the Elite Guard had been assigned to oversee the Wreckers, there had been a lot of grumbling and mutiny within the ranks. Though none had the ball bearings to just up and leave...
Except one, which was the reason for Jazz's mission.
The foolish Wrecker. Had he thought that Magnus would just allow for him to move on without at least some sort of tag, at least to ensure it wasn't some underhanded way of him running off to joint he Decepticons? That wasn't Jazz's problem- just as long as he kept THOSE issues away from the Prime, he didn't feel that he had needed to deal with it. And yet, here he was... about to drop off back to Cybertron and... deal with the issue.
Engines warmed up and the small ship was launched from the belly of the Elite Guard ship. At the controls, Jazz looked down at the planet below as his course was set for him and began the trip to the spot that surely wouldn't take that long to reach. Cybertron was a large plant with several spread-out cities, but this? They could have just parked in Iacon and drove...
Again, not his problem. He was just here for the mission.
On Polyhex. Or, as Jazz called it? Home.
This would be interesting.
Location: Polyhex
Set before the Exodus, shortly after Magnus's takeover of the Wreckers and Wheeljack's departure
"I don't get why I can't come with you."
"Well, I don't know. You'd have to ask Magnus about that one."
"Like he'd give me a straight answer."
"He'd give you a straight answer. Once you got past the kibble he spews from that huge Autobot Code handbook he keeps in his office. I swear, I've actually heard him say that's his PORTABLE copy."
Reload shuddered at the mere thought of that. It wasn't unheard of for the Elite Guard leader to spew about this and that ethical violation and recite pages from that book, especially now that they were in the company of the Wreckers. Primus knew they didn't seem to follow any of it and probably hadn't even gotten the manual at all. They were just a bit rough around the edges, but Jazz didn't complain. It was actually sort of fun to watch grown bots beat the scrap out of each other for fun.
"At this point I think he probably has that thing recorded somewhere to play over and over again as he's patrolling the halls. I kinda feel bad for the Wreckers, though. We're used to it. To them it's probably like hearing the most miserable song in slow pace on repeat. Especially if Magnus was the one to record it. I'd be surprised if he didn't play it for them in their quarters while they were rechargin'."
"If that's what's to come of me, please, Jazz. Just spare me the misery and offline me before you go! I mean, I can usually stay out of the way when you're around, but once you're gone? I'll be at his mercy!" Reload was a little dramatic sometimes, yes, but this was his playful side. Jazz knew it was him holding that bit of spite of being told that this was a solo trip to Cybertron. Reload had decided to come to the hanger and see him off instead of just accepting the casual 'okay goodbye I love you don't miss me too much' spiel from Jazz to the others when he passed the rec room.
Jazz and Reload had been partners since Jazz had joined up with the guard. The two worked rather well together, passing back and forth off one another's strengths and weaknesses. It was no easy feat for someone to keep up with the fast pace of the saboteur but 'ol Reload somehow did. He could also keep up with the snark, which was even more reassuring now since they had to stay even more sharp in their game to have one up on the Wrecker crew they were now dealing with.
"Well, if ya hadn't made such a mess the last mission that made Magnus have to report to Optimus, maybe ya wouldn't be on his disciplinary list and could'a come. Ya outta think about your actions, Reload."
"Oh! You mean the actions that YOU started and I had to finish, including- and not limited to- going off mission course and getting yourself caught up in that brawl? Really, Jazz, those mechs were TWICE your size and at least FIVE TIMES your mass! That was a dumb move!"
"When you say it like that, you sound like it was all my fault." Jazz faked a hurt tone to his voice, then smirked. "Which it wasn't. I was just observing at first. The fact that I informed both of those mechs that they were wrong THEY took offense and came after ME. I did nothin' wrong except try to correct their mistake."
"One of these days, Jazz, you're going to correct the wrong mech and I ain't gonna be there to save your sorry hide."
"Like you would ever let me out of your sights."
"My point exactly as to why you shouldn't go on this mission alone." There was a genuine warning in his voice as he looked over the younger mech. Reload was his partner, but sometimes he forgot that he wasn't his Creator. There was never anything more there than concern for Jazz's well being, but it did tend to frustrate the saboteur somewhat. "Just because you're Optimus's hand picked choice doesn't mean you're safe from everything out there, Jazz. I think that Magnus should tighten that leash he's got on you a little more, or you may just yank it right out of grip one day when he's not paying attention."
"Well, if I ever get lost, I know you'll be right there to find me. So I ain't worried." They reached the hanger and Jazz typed in his security codes. He must have missed one cause the machine let out an angry NOPE noise at him, but a re-key made it less so. A chime later and it accepted the codes and the large door started to open.
"Jazz, I'm serious. You need to be more careful with who-"
"Oh! Look there! I guess that's my ride!" And that marked the end of that line of conversation. They both walked into the hanger, eyeing the familiar piece of work. It was a small thing, barely able to fit three or four with enough space to still move, but it suited Jazz's needs. He had piloted it before on his own so he already had the thing mapped out in his memory core. This was going to be easy. The stuff he had to do after landing was what would be more difficult. The Elite Guard's main vessel had been traveling non stop since they had learned about their target's location, so he would just use this little beauty to go the rest of the way. No giant leaps, no stops, no detours.
At least he wouldn't be cooped up long and he would then be able to actually DRIVE. Jazz wondered to himself if that was part of Reload's problem since he was just a TINY bit afraid of heights.
"That... okay, well, whatever. I just don't like being stuck behind with Mr-Doesn't-Know-How-To-Pull-The-Stick-Out-Of-His-Aft when you ain't around. So make sure you hurry back. And if you get any dent in your frame, I swear I'll smack the ever livin' daylights outta you."
"Well, there ain't any guarentees on the damage part, but I'll try. But make sure to keep check about Magnus, though, and don't say too much while I'm gone. I'm sure he wouldn't be too pleased knowin' that you're sayin' such nasty things about him behind his back. I'm sure he's very aware of how to clear out the build up in his exhaust." Laughter ensued between the two and the intelligence official only patted him on the shoulder for reassurance. "Don't worry. I'll be back before ya know it! You won't even know I've been gone. Promise." As if that was possible. The entire moving fortress would be a heck of a lot quieter without him around and Jazz KNEW that. His partner just scoffed. "Go harass the Wreckers or some of the new recruits. It'll make ya feel better while I'm on my joyride."
With reassurances in place, Jazz loaded himself up in the ship and launched once the bay doors had opened, heading down towards one of the cities just to the north of Iacon. He always found it silly that they had to travel THIS way, with fuel consumption being something they'd been warned about before, but hey... Jazz wasn't in charge of that fiasco. For now he had to focus. Since Magnus and the Elite Guard had been assigned to oversee the Wreckers, there had been a lot of grumbling and mutiny within the ranks. Though none had the ball bearings to just up and leave...
Except one, which was the reason for Jazz's mission.
The foolish Wrecker. Had he thought that Magnus would just allow for him to move on without at least some sort of tag, at least to ensure it wasn't some underhanded way of him running off to joint he Decepticons? That wasn't Jazz's problem- just as long as he kept THOSE issues away from the Prime, he didn't feel that he had needed to deal with it. And yet, here he was... about to drop off back to Cybertron and... deal with the issue.
Engines warmed up and the small ship was launched from the belly of the Elite Guard ship. At the controls, Jazz looked down at the planet below as his course was set for him and began the trip to the spot that surely wouldn't take that long to reach. Cybertron was a large plant with several spread-out cities, but this? They could have just parked in Iacon and drove...
Again, not his problem. He was just here for the mission.
On Polyhex. Or, as Jazz called it? Home.
This would be interesting.