Shiftlock
Jan 2, 2013 17:29:05 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2013 17:29:05 GMT -5
Player Info
Name/Alias: CAG
Name: Shiftlock
Age: Approximately mid-20's in human terms.
Gender: Femme/Female
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Autobots
Occupation/Specialization: Diversionary Tactician/Wrecker
Appearance/Altmode: Roughly as tall as Bumblebee or Knock Out, roughly the same frame, but curvier. Definitely female despite being more thickly armored and powerfully built than slender and agile femmes such as Arcee and Airachnid. Bright crisp orange with a glossy black center stripe in alt mode, which is a Mazda RX7-FD3S. Retains a black center stripe/orange exterior in robot mode; helmet has several swooped back arched "spikes", arms and legs are formed from the doors, and headlights and hood form the chest and abdomen. Red optics with black "stripes" down either side of her cheeks/face. Fangy teeth.
History:
Sparked in Polyhex during the middle of the Caste-Era, the Cybertronian that would one day call herself Shiftlock was one of the millions of unfortunate low-caste workers that eaked out a miserable existence within the lower areas of the city. She was written off by her creators as 'unfit for anything more than data transportation' and narrowly avoided being recycled simply because of her speedy, maneuverable vehicle mode. The short-sighted brush-off that nearly cost her her life was never forgotten, sowing a seed of injured pride and rejection that would later take root and grow into an indomitable, stubborn will that complemented an independent streak. Giving her creators the proverbial middle finger, she stole a small amount of shanix and sped off into the Dead End, paying a bribeable Kaonian medic to alter her appearance, taking up the name Shiftlock, and setting herself up as a freelance courier.
Life became harder in the Dead End, and though Shiftlock would take any job offered to her, she knew what it was like to be Empty. Necessity forced her to be careful to avoid injury just to stay fueled and healthy, but it also forced her to take jobs that made her a target of both legal and illegal organizations. She soon found that driving into the Cybertronian Underground - a practice that was once a dangerous rite of passage - was the best way to both shake off pursuers and speed up her delivery times. The terrors that lurked beneath the surface attempting to kill her at every intrusion and the repeated attempts to take her prisoner or snuff out her spark for the data she carried went from being an experience of fear to a giddy thrill - with every success her confidence grew, and every "almost didn't make it" reaffirmed her own self image and her right to exist.
Nevertheless, Shiftlock never forgot where she came from, her caste, or where she was living. Whenever she could, she would share energon, scrounge up parts and aid other Empties, or help other low-caste and disposable escape undeserved fates. She believed in her own strength and skill, but also believed that others could follow in her example, pulling themselves up by their own will. Those who could not, she reasoned, would need to be protected until they could become strong enough - and she would do just that, giving to others what she herself was never given. The words of Megatronus' revolution struck a deep, resonant chord within her and she became an avid follower of his political movement, even rallying other Empties and low-castes to the cause. She believed that help and better times were coming for them at last. She was wrong.
When the war finally came, the downtrodden Empties were eventually sifted like wheat - with a handful being conscripted into the cause, while the rest were turned over to Harvesters to be reclaimed for parts and Energon. Shiftlock became disillusioned with the Decepticon cause, seeing it as just as bad - if not worse - than the caste system that had oppressed her. She began her future military career in earnest, saving as many Empties as she could, and getting them to safer territories. Her forays into Decepticon territory got her noticed by Autobot command. After being approached to join the cause, she initially refused, still stinging from ideological betrayal. The offer to upgrade her body to military specifications so that she could continue to protect those she cared about, however, won her over.
Within the Autobots she was not initially a good fit - she was stubborn, challenged authority and regularly got into fights with anyone that was (or appeared to be) from a higher caste. An insightful commander observed that she was like a "transport engine without the necessary weight of cars" and assigned her to protection, rescue and escort details. It was truly the perfect calling; as long as she had someone or something to defend, she was a force of nature and held her own safety in little to no regard. The military training only honed her skills further, and it wasn't long before she was being psychologically evaluated for the Wreckers.
Now halfway into the war, Shiftlock had become a Wrecker. Working outside the specific Autobot chain of command suited her just fine, and she found many like-minded individuals within their ranks. Yet, even among them, she was not entirely a good fit - she refused to throw away her moral code, and found then commander Springer supporting her in this. As the war drug on, the mounting loss of life in the Wrecker roster was beginning to take its toll on Shiftlock. Springer mercifully struck a deal with Autobot High Command to have Shiftlock begin training Autobot new recruits. Ostensibly this was to help improve Wrecker PR, but there were rumors that the assignment may have been for other reasons, particularly as Shiftlock was to hand select four recruits under her command. She chose three: Clutch Kick, medic and sniper; Dirt Drop, heavy weapons and long-range assault specialist; and Feint, infiltrator and demolitions expert.
After the Exodus, when Ultra Magnus gave the last call for evacuation, Shiftlock and her crew were attacked during their escape. Damaged, her vessel drifted, the crew in stasis, until crash landing on Velocitron some time later. Unfortunately for her and her crew, they were recovered by Ransack and his minions. By now the civil war was in full effect and the raceways were war transports. Resources were thin, and demolition derbies had begun, with the losers being recycled to keep the survivors going. Shiftlock's crew went missing, while she herself was kept like a caged beast in a Roman Colosseum, brought out for others to challenge in oilsport competition. Relentlessly Shiftlock survived, while still searching for word on her missing troops. Cycle after cycle she endured, until at last, she discovered the horrible truth of their fate - from seeing their parts appearing in combatants sent against her. Flying into a blind rage, Shiftlock escaped the derbies by smashing through everyone and everything in her path, escaping into the wastes. By sheer good fortune she commandeered a transport shuttle in time to receive Prime's call, and having nothing left to search for, she set off for Earth, licking her wounds and grieving over those she could not protect.
Personality:
Summed up in one word: Jerk.
Shiftlock tends to keep everyone and everything at arm's length, largely because of the pain of having lost those under her command. Like most Wreckers who rose beyond ground pounder status, she is haunted by the faces of those that fell under her orders. Her unique solution to this pain is two fold: Keep anyone from liking her or coming under her responsibility again, and taking it out on any Decepticon she can find. (As the grief is still fresh for her, this will in time lessen, and she will once more open up and be more like her old self.)
By nature Shift's a thrill seeker and a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Speed, danger and battle have never lost their appeal to her, and she'll find any excuse she can to indulge in them, particularly when they take her mind off dealing with other issues. The best indicator that something is bothering her is the number of explosions, speeding tickets and Decepticon injured she leaves in her wake.
Shift loves getting a rise out of people - usually Decepticons, though she does enjoy needling her friends and allies in a playful manner. She has a remarkable ability to get on people's last nerve, and even with allies and commanding officers she can be unpleasantly blunt. She regards most Decepticons as either toys to be played with (and broken), or trophy kills she intends to carve sections from (whether they are offline or not). While she enjoys taking out her aggressions on Decepticons, she has no problems with slugging a fellow Autobot in the jaw if she feels it's necessary or warranted.
Nevertheless, Shiftlock's true motivation is self-sacrificial protection of friends, allies and comrades. She would much rather draw the fire of incoming Decepticons, taking the bullets, blasts and missiles herself, than let them strike more vulnerable and defenseless targets. She has little fear of death, believing that once you lose that fear, you can fight on forever - to the end of everything. She has a strong streak of Mama Bear - once she considers you 'under her protection', she'll march to the Pit and back to make certain you're safe. She doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word 'failure'. Or 'quit'. She'll keep pressing on no matter how bad the situation or bleak the outcome. She won't give up on someone, she won't let terrible situations flag her fighting spirit, and she won't stop looking for the solution to the problem at hand. She is doggedly stubborn in the right way, and it is this stubbornness that has seen her through many bad situations with her mental health and teammates intact.
Likes: Drift racing, demolition derbies, monster truck ralleys, fighting competitions, extreme sports (are you sensing a theme here?), Autobots willing to race her, getting dirty, staying in vehicle mode, buying specialty tires like some girls buy shoes.
Dislikes: Sitting in one place for too long, terrain you can't drive on, being out-raced, transforming into robot mode, blowing a tire, Decepticons that don't get mad when she insults them.
Strengths/Weapons:
Shiftlock doesn't carry much in the way of onboard weaponry; she tends to fight almost exclusively barehanded, relying on raw brute power, skill and endurance to see her through battle. She has a vibro knife that she uses as a multipurpose weapon and tool, and a grappling beam to allow her to maneuver quickly through terrain (or to aid her maneuvering in vehicle mode), tie up enemies or otherwise bring long-distance targets within range of her hands and feet.
Weaknesses:
Shiftlock essentially has no long-range weaponry. None. No missiles, no guns, no lasers, no nothing! If you can stay out of her way with a grappling cable or have long-range weaponry, all she can do is yell dirty words at you as you pound her into the ground. Because she hates coming out of car mode, she's also forced to move along driveable terrain, and with her vehicle-mode's low profile, road debris, rugged terrain or flat tires can mean a very bad day for her.
Special skills:
Drift Driving: Shiftlock may not necessarily be the fastest thing on four wheels, but she's ridiculously maneuverable. She can pull off hairpin turns, drive on two wheels and slide through the worst road conditions you can imagine.
Combat Driving: Stunt driving with a brutal edge. Shiftlock /loves/ smashing into things. Especially Decepticons that happen to also have wheels. If she can smash into things with wings, so much the better!
Extra Info: Personality is subject to "lightening up" as she deals with present trauma and grief.
Sample RP:
The pack of Seekers were getting closer and closer and within seconds they'd be within range of opening fire on Shiftlock - and on Bennet. Already banged up from leading them away from the local town, out of ammunition and coming close to running on fumes, there wasn't much left she could do.
She scanned the terrain. A smooth path ran off the main highway and up the side of a natural stone arch that made up part of the features of the canyon. Inside, she was grinning. She could make one of her dreams come true yet.
"Bennet!" she shouted, beeping her horn, uncertain if he was still conscious, but reasonably sure he was. "Pull your sorry aft over here, get on your bike and head for the others! I'll hold them off as long as I can, so DO NOT MAKE THIS A WASTE OF MY TIME!"
They have an advantage in the air... but not if Shiftlock joins them. "By the way, I want the words "Left Tire Tracks Across A Jet Mid-Air" on my tombstone!"
Name/Alias: CAG
Name: Shiftlock
Age: Approximately mid-20's in human terms.
Gender: Femme/Female
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Autobots
Occupation/Specialization: Diversionary Tactician/Wrecker
Appearance/Altmode: Roughly as tall as Bumblebee or Knock Out, roughly the same frame, but curvier. Definitely female despite being more thickly armored and powerfully built than slender and agile femmes such as Arcee and Airachnid. Bright crisp orange with a glossy black center stripe in alt mode, which is a Mazda RX7-FD3S. Retains a black center stripe/orange exterior in robot mode; helmet has several swooped back arched "spikes", arms and legs are formed from the doors, and headlights and hood form the chest and abdomen. Red optics with black "stripes" down either side of her cheeks/face. Fangy teeth.
History:
"If you cling to being alive, you become frightened and your vision gets clouded. If you don't have that desire to begin with, you can fight on, right until the end of the world."
Sparked in Polyhex during the middle of the Caste-Era, the Cybertronian that would one day call herself Shiftlock was one of the millions of unfortunate low-caste workers that eaked out a miserable existence within the lower areas of the city. She was written off by her creators as 'unfit for anything more than data transportation' and narrowly avoided being recycled simply because of her speedy, maneuverable vehicle mode. The short-sighted brush-off that nearly cost her her life was never forgotten, sowing a seed of injured pride and rejection that would later take root and grow into an indomitable, stubborn will that complemented an independent streak. Giving her creators the proverbial middle finger, she stole a small amount of shanix and sped off into the Dead End, paying a bribeable Kaonian medic to alter her appearance, taking up the name Shiftlock, and setting herself up as a freelance courier.
Life became harder in the Dead End, and though Shiftlock would take any job offered to her, she knew what it was like to be Empty. Necessity forced her to be careful to avoid injury just to stay fueled and healthy, but it also forced her to take jobs that made her a target of both legal and illegal organizations. She soon found that driving into the Cybertronian Underground - a practice that was once a dangerous rite of passage - was the best way to both shake off pursuers and speed up her delivery times. The terrors that lurked beneath the surface attempting to kill her at every intrusion and the repeated attempts to take her prisoner or snuff out her spark for the data she carried went from being an experience of fear to a giddy thrill - with every success her confidence grew, and every "almost didn't make it" reaffirmed her own self image and her right to exist.
Nevertheless, Shiftlock never forgot where she came from, her caste, or where she was living. Whenever she could, she would share energon, scrounge up parts and aid other Empties, or help other low-caste and disposable escape undeserved fates. She believed in her own strength and skill, but also believed that others could follow in her example, pulling themselves up by their own will. Those who could not, she reasoned, would need to be protected until they could become strong enough - and she would do just that, giving to others what she herself was never given. The words of Megatronus' revolution struck a deep, resonant chord within her and she became an avid follower of his political movement, even rallying other Empties and low-castes to the cause. She believed that help and better times were coming for them at last. She was wrong.
"What is a hero if they cannot drink that much of a curse? All the evil in the world? If it wants to taint me, bring at least TRIPLE the amount! A hero is someone who bears all the people in their sight on their shoulders!"
When the war finally came, the downtrodden Empties were eventually sifted like wheat - with a handful being conscripted into the cause, while the rest were turned over to Harvesters to be reclaimed for parts and Energon. Shiftlock became disillusioned with the Decepticon cause, seeing it as just as bad - if not worse - than the caste system that had oppressed her. She began her future military career in earnest, saving as many Empties as she could, and getting them to safer territories. Her forays into Decepticon territory got her noticed by Autobot command. After being approached to join the cause, she initially refused, still stinging from ideological betrayal. The offer to upgrade her body to military specifications so that she could continue to protect those she cared about, however, won her over.
Within the Autobots she was not initially a good fit - she was stubborn, challenged authority and regularly got into fights with anyone that was (or appeared to be) from a higher caste. An insightful commander observed that she was like a "transport engine without the necessary weight of cars" and assigned her to protection, rescue and escort details. It was truly the perfect calling; as long as she had someone or something to defend, she was a force of nature and held her own safety in little to no regard. The military training only honed her skills further, and it wasn't long before she was being psychologically evaluated for the Wreckers.
Now halfway into the war, Shiftlock had become a Wrecker. Working outside the specific Autobot chain of command suited her just fine, and she found many like-minded individuals within their ranks. Yet, even among them, she was not entirely a good fit - she refused to throw away her moral code, and found then commander Springer supporting her in this. As the war drug on, the mounting loss of life in the Wrecker roster was beginning to take its toll on Shiftlock. Springer mercifully struck a deal with Autobot High Command to have Shiftlock begin training Autobot new recruits. Ostensibly this was to help improve Wrecker PR, but there were rumors that the assignment may have been for other reasons, particularly as Shiftlock was to hand select four recruits under her command. She chose three: Clutch Kick, medic and sniper; Dirt Drop, heavy weapons and long-range assault specialist; and Feint, infiltrator and demolitions expert.
"Three hundred years ago a prisoner condemned to the Tower of London carved on the wall of his cell this sentiment to keep up his spirits during his long imprisonment: 'It is not adversity that kills, but the impatience with which we bear adversity.'"
After the Exodus, when Ultra Magnus gave the last call for evacuation, Shiftlock and her crew were attacked during their escape. Damaged, her vessel drifted, the crew in stasis, until crash landing on Velocitron some time later. Unfortunately for her and her crew, they were recovered by Ransack and his minions. By now the civil war was in full effect and the raceways were war transports. Resources were thin, and demolition derbies had begun, with the losers being recycled to keep the survivors going. Shiftlock's crew went missing, while she herself was kept like a caged beast in a Roman Colosseum, brought out for others to challenge in oilsport competition. Relentlessly Shiftlock survived, while still searching for word on her missing troops. Cycle after cycle she endured, until at last, she discovered the horrible truth of their fate - from seeing their parts appearing in combatants sent against her. Flying into a blind rage, Shiftlock escaped the derbies by smashing through everyone and everything in her path, escaping into the wastes. By sheer good fortune she commandeered a transport shuttle in time to receive Prime's call, and having nothing left to search for, she set off for Earth, licking her wounds and grieving over those she could not protect.
Personality:
Summed up in one word: Jerk.
Shiftlock tends to keep everyone and everything at arm's length, largely because of the pain of having lost those under her command. Like most Wreckers who rose beyond ground pounder status, she is haunted by the faces of those that fell under her orders. Her unique solution to this pain is two fold: Keep anyone from liking her or coming under her responsibility again, and taking it out on any Decepticon she can find. (As the grief is still fresh for her, this will in time lessen, and she will once more open up and be more like her old self.)
By nature Shift's a thrill seeker and a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Speed, danger and battle have never lost their appeal to her, and she'll find any excuse she can to indulge in them, particularly when they take her mind off dealing with other issues. The best indicator that something is bothering her is the number of explosions, speeding tickets and Decepticon injured she leaves in her wake.
Shift loves getting a rise out of people - usually Decepticons, though she does enjoy needling her friends and allies in a playful manner. She has a remarkable ability to get on people's last nerve, and even with allies and commanding officers she can be unpleasantly blunt. She regards most Decepticons as either toys to be played with (and broken), or trophy kills she intends to carve sections from (whether they are offline or not). While she enjoys taking out her aggressions on Decepticons, she has no problems with slugging a fellow Autobot in the jaw if she feels it's necessary or warranted.
Nevertheless, Shiftlock's true motivation is self-sacrificial protection of friends, allies and comrades. She would much rather draw the fire of incoming Decepticons, taking the bullets, blasts and missiles herself, than let them strike more vulnerable and defenseless targets. She has little fear of death, believing that once you lose that fear, you can fight on forever - to the end of everything. She has a strong streak of Mama Bear - once she considers you 'under her protection', she'll march to the Pit and back to make certain you're safe. She doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word 'failure'. Or 'quit'. She'll keep pressing on no matter how bad the situation or bleak the outcome. She won't give up on someone, she won't let terrible situations flag her fighting spirit, and she won't stop looking for the solution to the problem at hand. She is doggedly stubborn in the right way, and it is this stubbornness that has seen her through many bad situations with her mental health and teammates intact.
Likes: Drift racing, demolition derbies, monster truck ralleys, fighting competitions, extreme sports (are you sensing a theme here?), Autobots willing to race her, getting dirty, staying in vehicle mode, buying specialty tires like some girls buy shoes.
Dislikes: Sitting in one place for too long, terrain you can't drive on, being out-raced, transforming into robot mode, blowing a tire, Decepticons that don't get mad when she insults them.
Strengths/Weapons:
Shiftlock doesn't carry much in the way of onboard weaponry; she tends to fight almost exclusively barehanded, relying on raw brute power, skill and endurance to see her through battle. She has a vibro knife that she uses as a multipurpose weapon and tool, and a grappling beam to allow her to maneuver quickly through terrain (or to aid her maneuvering in vehicle mode), tie up enemies or otherwise bring long-distance targets within range of her hands and feet.
Weaknesses:
Shiftlock essentially has no long-range weaponry. None. No missiles, no guns, no lasers, no nothing! If you can stay out of her way with a grappling cable or have long-range weaponry, all she can do is yell dirty words at you as you pound her into the ground. Because she hates coming out of car mode, she's also forced to move along driveable terrain, and with her vehicle-mode's low profile, road debris, rugged terrain or flat tires can mean a very bad day for her.
Special skills:
Drift Driving: Shiftlock may not necessarily be the fastest thing on four wheels, but she's ridiculously maneuverable. She can pull off hairpin turns, drive on two wheels and slide through the worst road conditions you can imagine.
Combat Driving: Stunt driving with a brutal edge. Shiftlock /loves/ smashing into things. Especially Decepticons that happen to also have wheels. If she can smash into things with wings, so much the better!
Extra Info: Personality is subject to "lightening up" as she deals with present trauma and grief.
Sample RP:
The pack of Seekers were getting closer and closer and within seconds they'd be within range of opening fire on Shiftlock - and on Bennet. Already banged up from leading them away from the local town, out of ammunition and coming close to running on fumes, there wasn't much left she could do.
She scanned the terrain. A smooth path ran off the main highway and up the side of a natural stone arch that made up part of the features of the canyon. Inside, she was grinning. She could make one of her dreams come true yet.
"Bennet!" she shouted, beeping her horn, uncertain if he was still conscious, but reasonably sure he was. "Pull your sorry aft over here, get on your bike and head for the others! I'll hold them off as long as I can, so DO NOT MAKE THIS A WASTE OF MY TIME!"
They have an advantage in the air... but not if Shiftlock joins them. "By the way, I want the words "Left Tire Tracks Across A Jet Mid-Air" on my tombstone!"