Red Alert
Mar 20, 2013 10:17:26 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2013 10:17:26 GMT -5
-Player Info-
Name/Alias: Toggs
IM/Email: Reasonably_suspicious@ymail.com, AIM: Lady Grimlock
-Character Info-
Name: Red Alert
Age (or human equivalent): Middle age
Gender (or human equivalent): Mech/Male
Species: Cybertronain
Faction: Autobot
Original Occupation: Domestic Warden
Occupation/Specialization: Security director/expert
Appearance/Altmode: Red Alert is roughly Ratchet's height, though he has a much slimmer, more angular build than the medic does. Overall he has a very lanky body, as one would expect of a former scout. His paint-scheme is an even mix of red and white, white being his primary base-coat while red makes up his helm and decals. Speaking of his helm; Red Alert has two sensory-horns on either side of his head, which habitually spark electricity when triggered by certain stimuli. His alt-mode is a Lamborghini Diablo styled as a fire-chief’s vehicle, complete with sirens and (an obviously unregistered) state sanctioned fire-apparatus license plate.
History:
Red Alert was, to the surprise of absolutely no one who knows him, quite literally tailor-made to work in the security field. Commissioned and manufactured for the purpose of safeguarding Cybertron’s elite, he was designed with acute senses, an encyclopedic memory for security procedures and protocols, and a spark-deep sense of duty and dedication to ensure that he would be a capable warden who not only met, but exceeded standards. He spent his formative years training in lower Iacon, honing his skills in mid-caste districts, and gaining the experience and qualifications necessary to be promoted to upper Iacon, where he would be entrusted with safeguarding Cybertron’s Elite. In preparation for his eventual position, Red Alert spent a great deal of time rigorously studying his trade, even going so far as to train off-world on one of Cybertron’s numerous colonies, in order to integrate their methods and alien technology into his own repertoire.
He found a promotion waiting for him once he returned to Cybertron, having cultivated his talents during his internship to the point where he was deemed competent enough to be trusted with safeguarding the more valued members of Cybertron’s population. He became the warden of Translucentica Heights, and as such he became responsible for supervising the entire district. His duties included patrolling the neighborhoods, keeping tabs on the residents and the goings-ons in the area, keeping watch for suspicious activities, and working within the district’s budget to design and implement public safety measures such as security equipment, protective fencing, and emergency call-boxes.
He also designed personal security systems for individual homes and buildings, and worked closely with the local Enforcers, whom he often reported suspicious activities to. Though he did not have the authority to make arrests or use deadly force as enforcers did, the circumstances of his position (ie: the fact he was looking after senators and other high-casters) allowed him to detain and question suspicious persons within reason. His position also gave power to his voice, as any calls he made to the police were usually considered high priority, thus ensuring a faster response whenever he requested aid or investigation.
For a while, things ran smoothly. Unlike in the lower-caste districts he trained in, the Towers didn’t suffer from an abundance of crime, or addicts, or belligerent mecha disturbing the peace. He was more than qualified to handle the job he had been assigned, so life should have been easy.
Should have.
Red Alert isn’t certain when it happened or where it started, but somewhere along the line, his life began to take a downward turn. Gradually, he found himself becoming more and more anxious, worrying over a steadily increasing number of concerns which had never bothered him before. Whether this was due to the the stress of being responsible for thousands of lives worth several times more than his own, his instincts getting out of hand, a combination of the two, or some other unknown series of factors is anyone’s guess.
Over time, he withdrew from his social circles, lost contact with friends, and threw himself into his work more fervently than ever before. Considering he was always something of a workaholic, this wasn’t exactly a good thing. A few residents of of the Heights began issuing complaints regarding his work performance, namely that it was becoming excessive and somewhat invasive. He was asked to dial things down a bit, and to his credit, he did try to reign in his efforts back to a less…obsessive degree. He just wasn’t very successful, because at that point he was seeing more dangers in the world than ever before, and his conscience and sense of duty wouldn’t allow him to knowingly put his wards at risk - even if those risks may have been all in his head.
To make matters worse, Red Alert’s concerns began to escalate beyond the realm of plausibility. Instead of opportunistic thieves and petty vandals, he began to worry about more abstract things-- like Triple M zealots bombing the homes and businesses of Functionalists, or assassination attempts being made against the senators that resided in the Towers.
Soon, his worries gradually began to extend to himself as well. More and more he felt as if he was being watched, to the point where he rarely felt as if there were not a pair of optics watching him with ill intent. He wasn't certain any longer whether he was simply delusional, or if something genuinely concerning was happening to him, as he had experienced his fair share of...false alarms, as he liked to call them. By the time the word “Decepticon” was beginning to be whispered in the streets, he finally found himself questioning whether or not his mind was failing him. He felt he had memories that seemed...off, events that seemed strange when he looked back on them, timelines between one memory or another that didn’t match up. Because of this, he started to obsessively record any conversations he had, as well as write down (and time-stamp) his daily activities and observations. After some time began to look into memory inconsistencies and their possible causes, and his searching eventually brought him to the practice of Shadowplay.
Before long, he became increasingly worried that his memories had been tampered with, that his mind had been altered in some way, that he was being targeted by someone (or several someones) for reasons he couldn’t begin to discern. Unfortunately, this conviction only exacerbated his already fully developed paranoia, and after a few long, dreadful months of constant stress and borderline-panic, Red Alert finally decided something needed to change.
He researched ways to remedy his predicament, some...decidedly darker than others. After weighing his various options (and agonizing over the decision for weeks on end) he finally forced himself to reach out and seek the counsel of a therapist. Progress was slow at first, and not at all helped by the increasing number of worrying, violent protests cropping up every day, but eventually (after a few hundred sessions) he finally established a tentative trust with the mech he had chosen to confide his endless worries in.
Unfortunately, the war was officially declared before he could make much more progress than that, but with the worst of his troubles having been (for the most part) alleviated, he was able to both join and swiftly rise through the Autobot ranks without his PPD hindering him overmuch. Eventually, he found himself promoted to the rank of Director of Security, and as the war progressed he developed something of an infamous reputation amongst Autobots and Decepticons alike for his controversial yet effective methods. The former, because they had to live with some of his more...excessive measures, the latter because he made every base he warded the bane of even the most skilled special operatives.
Needless to say, defensive skills such as his were in high demand, especially considering the high mortality rate of mecha in his position, as mecha responsible for overseeing a base’s entire security network tended to be high-priority targets. As such, Red Alert made a point to train other mecha whenever he was transferred out to a new base, in the hope that his skills would not die with him the day his luck finally ran out.
It wasn’t until he finally caught wind of the Prime’s whereabouts that he finally set aside his self-imposed task and set course for Earth, intent on providing whatever aid he could.
Personality:
As a firm believer in Murphy's law, Red Alert is convinced that anything and everything can (and most likely will) go wrong at any possible moment. He sees disasters around every corner and tragedies waiting to happen wherever he goes. His thoughts are plagued by the images of himself and his comrades meeting various gruesome fates, and his sleep is often interrupted by those same intrusive images. Despite this, he holds by the opinion that he is neither a pessimist nor a paranoiac. Rather, he considers himself to be a realist, as he genuinely believes that the universe is an inherently dangerous and unfair place. As one would assume, this grim world-view has helped shape him into the cynical, safety-obsessed person he is today, though his over-protective watchdog nature certainly feeds into that as well.
In order to avoid the numerous undesirable events that he is convinced will occur without implementing the proper preventative measures, Red Alert never does anything without carefully thinking it through. He weighs the pros and cons of every decision, and imagines (in great detail) the various outcomes said decisions may have. He'll also spend hours thoroughly inspecting anything that has the potential to be even remotely harmful, and if anything even vaguely suspicious/threatening catches his attention, he'll drop whatever he's doing to investigate it. This obsessive-compulsive need to repeatedly check for any sign of danger is all-consuming, and when he's unable to make his checks for whatever reason, he becomes increasingly distressed and irritable, to the point of being unable to think clearly or focus on anything else. He'll often work himself to and past the point of exhaustion, just so he can be absolutely sure that he didn't forget or overlook anything.
All these behaviors can be attributed to the function Red Alert was sparked and designed for. Despite being reassigned to a new function, Red Alert has never truly stopped being a warden. Safeguarding his comrades and ensuring the safety and well-being of those under his protection has always been, and continues to be, his ultimate concern; though you'd be hard pressed to get him to admit this out loud. He prefers to explain away his over-protectiveness as dedication to his job, rather than as genuine concern for his comrades, as admitting to any sort of sentimentality could potentially put him in a vulnerable position. To avoid being emotionally hurt/exploited, Red Alert does his best to keep everyone at arms-length, (both literally and metaphorically) where they can't hurt him, or vice versa. As such, he prefers to keep his relationships distant and professional, though with enough time, effort, and sheer persistence, a few bots have managed to climb over the wall he's built around himself. They are the lucky few who get to see the good qualities that he, ironically, keeps hidden away in his effort to discourage people from even attempting to befriend him.
On the negative side of things, Red Alert has a bit of a temper, which usually takes the form of sharp, biting comments and the occasional frustrated rant (which, while usually aimed at a deserving person, occasionally hits innocent by-standards.) While he isn't quick to anger under normal circumstances, his tolerance for rage-inducing people/situations decreases significantly whenever he is in a particularly foul mood, or under great mental/physical stress. He also has a stubborn-streak a mile wide, and he will kick up a fuss if his beliefs, opinions, or desires are challenged. For example: If ordered to take time off of work for the sake of his own health, he'll argue day and night that he's perfectly fine, despite all evidence to the contrary.
In summation: Red Alert is an obsessive-compulsive workaholic control-freak with severe trust issues and an over-inflated sense of responsibility who doesn't know the meaning of the word “off-duty.” Tense, cagey, and always on edge, Red Alert is a mech who seriously needs a vacation, but is too obsessed with his job to ever take one. He's also wound up so tight you couldn't get a pin under his plating with a jack-hammer, so he's not exactly the most fun person to be around. But hey, his snark can be pretty amusing sometimes, so at least there's that.
Likes: Working (and his job by proxy), forming contingency plans, monitoring security-feeds, going on patrols, people who actually listen to his warnings/orders/theories, being taken seriously.
Dislikes: Being touched (and having his personal-space invaded), loud-noises, chaotic environments, sensory-overload, sensory-deprivation, sensory-hallucinations (he has a lot of sensory issues, if you hadn't already guessed), not knowing what's going on in any given situation, being disrespected, being disbelieved, being treated like he's insane, being gas-lighted, having his glitched triggered.
Strengths/Weapons:
Rocket launcher: Red Alert has a shoulder-mounted rocket-launcher with a range of 25-miles. Needless to say, it packs quite the punch, and due to Red Alert's overly-cautious nature, it's always loaded and ready to be fired at any given moment.
Particle beam rifle: As the name implies, Red Alert has a rifle built into his right forearm that fires ionized particles, which disrupt the atomic/molecular structure of whatever they hit. The damage these particles cause can be as mild as a scorch to as severe as a smoldering hole through what was once a mech's chassis depending on the strength of the material being fired upon and the intensity with which the ionized particles are charged.
The best offense: Red Alert is more of a protector than a soldier, as his expertise lies more in preventing attacks rather than taking part in them. However, this does not mean he is not a capable fighter in his own right. Quite the contrary; he knows how to effectively subdue and/or restrain mecha of various sizes and alts without the use of lethal force. Additionally, Red Alert is (unsurprisingly) adept at defensive maneuvers. After all, staying out of harm's way and avoiding injury is his forte.
Weaknesses:
Suspicious to a Fault: Though he does his best to keep his treacherous processor in check, Red Alert still suffers from a severe case of paranoid personality disorder, and the symptoms thereof. Despite being an intelligent, logical mech, he will sometimes be plagued by irrational thoughts, which prompt him to take rash/extreme actions that, to him, seem perfectly logical and reasonable. (For example: withdrawing from all social contact to avoid emotional manipulation, or re-watching the same surveillance-clip hundreds of times just to be absolutely sure he didn't overlook anything.) Additionally, Red Alert's paranoia places him in an almost perpetual state of nervousness/anxiety, which subsequently makes him jumpy and on-edge. This mental strain can often lead to physical ailments, such as insomnia, fatigue, and premature part-wear.
Old Habits Die Hard: Due to the nature of his former occupation, Red Alert faces great difficulty when tasked with fighting/killing his fellow Cybertronains. He can still use lethal force when absolutely necessary, though mostly from long-range (hence his two long ranged weapons; neither of which require very precise aim, which is useful when looking directly at your target makes your systems lurch in protest.) It is difficult for him to reconcile his conscience with his sense of duty, and so he struggles to bring himself to kill fellow Cybertronians, particularly with his bare-hands. However, he has no difficulties fight hand-to-hand if he uses techniques that restrain/disable rather than ones that cause lethal-damage.
Hypertensive: Due to the extreme amount of sensory-input he is capable of receiving, Red Alert is in a near-constant state of sensory overload. His processor is often overwhelmed by the various stimuli it is bombarded with on a daily basis, which leads to his overall nervousness/twitchy behavior as he struggles to process all the sensory and situational information he is receiving. In addition to sensory overload, Red Alert frequently suffers from visual and auditory hallucinations, which commonly occur whenever he is particularly stressed, or in an environment that heavily feeds into his paranoia. Unfortunately, this can sometimes cause him to make rash judgments or cause false-alarms, as the 'threat' he saw or heard exists only in his over-clocked processor. His enhanced senses are also very easy to exploit, as particularly bright lights, loud noises, or harsh scents can cause him to lock up while his processor struggles to cope/send him into a fit of pain and/or nausea depending on the stimuli.
Workaholic: Anyone who knows Red Alert knows that he is fiercely dedicated to his job, and that it is nearly impossible to tear him away from it, even for a few short moments. He doesn't seem to understand the concept of being “off-duty” and as such, he is almost constantly working, save for the few moments he has to take out of his day to refuel/recharge. Unfortunately, he'll often forgo both of these rather important activities in favor of working even more, which, needless to say, is terrible for his health. Not that he seems to notice or care about this, as “Exhausted and under-fueled” tends to be his default setting unless he has someone around to remind him that he cannot, in fact, run on dedication and stubbornness alone.
Obsessive-compulsive: Red Alert is very easily distracted by anything that has even the most remote possibility of being a threat. Should he hear/see/smell something that seems suspicious, he has to investigate it, regardless if he has something better/more important to do at the time. Trying to ignore the urge to investigate the possible threat is not an option for him, unfortunately, as the intrusive “what if” thoughts will continue to plague him until he gives in. He will repeatedly check cameras, make sure locks are in place, and preform a great number of other “checking” rituals, simply because the intrusive thoughts/urges won't leave him alone until he does. While terribly inconvenient in its own right, this disorder can become hazardous to Red Alert's health, should he be compelled to check something in the middle of a dangerous situation or be too distracted by his intrusive thoughts to notice a danger/threat before it's too late to defend himself from it. Should he be placed in a situation where he is physically unable to preform his checking-rituals (by being restrained or otherwise incapacitated) Red Alert will become increasingly anxious and distressed, thus rendering him incapable of preforming tasks that require heavy concentration or a level-head.
Faulty Programing: Red Alert has a very prominent glitch that, in his own words, “comes and goes.” This glitch manifests itself as a buildup of electricity in his sensory-horns, which are actually designed to spark electricity whenever one of his internal or external sensors detect a possible threat. However, thanks to the electro-glitch, the electricity also tends to discharge itself when Red Alert is startled/agitated, or when he is under a great deal of stress, physical or otherwise. While more annoying than anything, this electro-glitch can be quite hazardous to his health if it is triggered in rapid succession, as the constant discharge of electricity can cause severe damage to his processor, as well as extreme and even debilitating pain.
Fragile Speedster: Red Alert's frame-type is built for agility, dexterity, and speed, rather than durability. As such, his armor is not as thick as that of the typical frontliner, and therefor, he is more susceptible to damage. In short, his additional mobility comes at the cost of his structural fortitude.
Special skills (that are not weapon related):
Extremely enhanced senses/Hyper-awareness: Red Alert's senses of sight, hearing, and scent are all highly advanced, to the point of near super-human levels (...by Cybertronian standards). His optics can pinpoint a 2 centimeter object at a distance of 1200 feet, while his audio-receptors can pick-up the sound of a microchip dropping from 1.4 miles away. His olfactory sensors are equally impressive, as they can detect trace orders as weak as 2 parts per million (that's any scent that's 99.9998% orderless.)
Top of his field: Red Alert is arguably the most skilled Security-director to have ever held the position in the Autobots' ranks. Or, at the very least, he's the most infamous. He has an encyclopedic knowledge/understanding of all Autobot security procedures and protocols, as well as a plethora of self-made contingency-plans for just about every disaster-situation imaginable, so it's very difficult to place him in a situation he hasn't already prepared for, to some extent. Additionally, he is (out of necessity) talented at encrypting data and designing/coding firewalls, intrusion detection systems, counter-viruses, and et cetera. In short, if it is at all security-related, chances are good Red Alert is familiar with it.
Amateur mechanic: Red Alert naturally knows how to repair security equipment in addition to designing it, as he wouldn't be very good at his job if he couldn't do maintenance on his own tools. His knowledge of mechanics is limited mostly to security equipment, but over the years he's picked up a few tid-bits here and there about other things like ship/weapon repair.
Tactical training: Red Alert is a moderate-level tactician. Though he specializes in defensive maneuvers, he can still competently design and implement offensive battle plans.
The best offense is a good defense: Red Alert's expertize in the art of self-preservation coupled with his enhanced senses (not to mention years of training and experience) have made him a formidable target for both assault and capture (it's rather difficult to sneak up on a mech who can literally see and hear you coming from a mile away, after all.) Additionally, Red Alert has taken great lengths to make his processor a hacker's worst nightmare---trying to get information out of his head is like trying to maneuver through a labyrinth that's riddled with pitfalls and booby-traps, while simultaneously trying to avoid being shot to death by the numerous guards chasing after you.
Extra Info:
Red Alert's sensory horns function as a visual/tactile alarm system. Whenever his internal/external sensors detect a threat/anomaly, his sensory-horns discharge a crackling-blue spark of electricity which serves as a tactile alarm to Red Alert, and a visual alarm to everyone around him. Unfortunately, as mentioned above in the weakness section, prolonged exposure to alarm-triggering events/stimuli can be incredibly hazardous to Red Alert's health, as the repeated electrical discharge from his horns can cause intense pain, as well as severe damage to his processor.
Name/Alias: Toggs
IM/Email: Reasonably_suspicious@ymail.com, AIM: Lady Grimlock
-Character Info-
Name: Red Alert
Age (or human equivalent): Middle age
Gender (or human equivalent): Mech/Male
Species: Cybertronain
Faction: Autobot
Original Occupation: Domestic Warden
Occupation/Specialization: Security director/expert
Appearance/Altmode: Red Alert is roughly Ratchet's height, though he has a much slimmer, more angular build than the medic does. Overall he has a very lanky body, as one would expect of a former scout. His paint-scheme is an even mix of red and white, white being his primary base-coat while red makes up his helm and decals. Speaking of his helm; Red Alert has two sensory-horns on either side of his head, which habitually spark electricity when triggered by certain stimuli. His alt-mode is a Lamborghini Diablo styled as a fire-chief’s vehicle, complete with sirens and (an obviously unregistered) state sanctioned fire-apparatus license plate.
History:
Red Alert was, to the surprise of absolutely no one who knows him, quite literally tailor-made to work in the security field. Commissioned and manufactured for the purpose of safeguarding Cybertron’s elite, he was designed with acute senses, an encyclopedic memory for security procedures and protocols, and a spark-deep sense of duty and dedication to ensure that he would be a capable warden who not only met, but exceeded standards. He spent his formative years training in lower Iacon, honing his skills in mid-caste districts, and gaining the experience and qualifications necessary to be promoted to upper Iacon, where he would be entrusted with safeguarding Cybertron’s Elite. In preparation for his eventual position, Red Alert spent a great deal of time rigorously studying his trade, even going so far as to train off-world on one of Cybertron’s numerous colonies, in order to integrate their methods and alien technology into his own repertoire.
He found a promotion waiting for him once he returned to Cybertron, having cultivated his talents during his internship to the point where he was deemed competent enough to be trusted with safeguarding the more valued members of Cybertron’s population. He became the warden of Translucentica Heights, and as such he became responsible for supervising the entire district. His duties included patrolling the neighborhoods, keeping tabs on the residents and the goings-ons in the area, keeping watch for suspicious activities, and working within the district’s budget to design and implement public safety measures such as security equipment, protective fencing, and emergency call-boxes.
He also designed personal security systems for individual homes and buildings, and worked closely with the local Enforcers, whom he often reported suspicious activities to. Though he did not have the authority to make arrests or use deadly force as enforcers did, the circumstances of his position (ie: the fact he was looking after senators and other high-casters) allowed him to detain and question suspicious persons within reason. His position also gave power to his voice, as any calls he made to the police were usually considered high priority, thus ensuring a faster response whenever he requested aid or investigation.
For a while, things ran smoothly. Unlike in the lower-caste districts he trained in, the Towers didn’t suffer from an abundance of crime, or addicts, or belligerent mecha disturbing the peace. He was more than qualified to handle the job he had been assigned, so life should have been easy.
Should have.
Red Alert isn’t certain when it happened or where it started, but somewhere along the line, his life began to take a downward turn. Gradually, he found himself becoming more and more anxious, worrying over a steadily increasing number of concerns which had never bothered him before. Whether this was due to the the stress of being responsible for thousands of lives worth several times more than his own, his instincts getting out of hand, a combination of the two, or some other unknown series of factors is anyone’s guess.
Over time, he withdrew from his social circles, lost contact with friends, and threw himself into his work more fervently than ever before. Considering he was always something of a workaholic, this wasn’t exactly a good thing. A few residents of of the Heights began issuing complaints regarding his work performance, namely that it was becoming excessive and somewhat invasive. He was asked to dial things down a bit, and to his credit, he did try to reign in his efforts back to a less…obsessive degree. He just wasn’t very successful, because at that point he was seeing more dangers in the world than ever before, and his conscience and sense of duty wouldn’t allow him to knowingly put his wards at risk - even if those risks may have been all in his head.
To make matters worse, Red Alert’s concerns began to escalate beyond the realm of plausibility. Instead of opportunistic thieves and petty vandals, he began to worry about more abstract things-- like Triple M zealots bombing the homes and businesses of Functionalists, or assassination attempts being made against the senators that resided in the Towers.
Soon, his worries gradually began to extend to himself as well. More and more he felt as if he was being watched, to the point where he rarely felt as if there were not a pair of optics watching him with ill intent. He wasn't certain any longer whether he was simply delusional, or if something genuinely concerning was happening to him, as he had experienced his fair share of...false alarms, as he liked to call them. By the time the word “Decepticon” was beginning to be whispered in the streets, he finally found himself questioning whether or not his mind was failing him. He felt he had memories that seemed...off, events that seemed strange when he looked back on them, timelines between one memory or another that didn’t match up. Because of this, he started to obsessively record any conversations he had, as well as write down (and time-stamp) his daily activities and observations. After some time began to look into memory inconsistencies and their possible causes, and his searching eventually brought him to the practice of Shadowplay.
Before long, he became increasingly worried that his memories had been tampered with, that his mind had been altered in some way, that he was being targeted by someone (or several someones) for reasons he couldn’t begin to discern. Unfortunately, this conviction only exacerbated his already fully developed paranoia, and after a few long, dreadful months of constant stress and borderline-panic, Red Alert finally decided something needed to change.
He researched ways to remedy his predicament, some...decidedly darker than others. After weighing his various options (and agonizing over the decision for weeks on end) he finally forced himself to reach out and seek the counsel of a therapist. Progress was slow at first, and not at all helped by the increasing number of worrying, violent protests cropping up every day, but eventually (after a few hundred sessions) he finally established a tentative trust with the mech he had chosen to confide his endless worries in.
Unfortunately, the war was officially declared before he could make much more progress than that, but with the worst of his troubles having been (for the most part) alleviated, he was able to both join and swiftly rise through the Autobot ranks without his PPD hindering him overmuch. Eventually, he found himself promoted to the rank of Director of Security, and as the war progressed he developed something of an infamous reputation amongst Autobots and Decepticons alike for his controversial yet effective methods. The former, because they had to live with some of his more...excessive measures, the latter because he made every base he warded the bane of even the most skilled special operatives.
Needless to say, defensive skills such as his were in high demand, especially considering the high mortality rate of mecha in his position, as mecha responsible for overseeing a base’s entire security network tended to be high-priority targets. As such, Red Alert made a point to train other mecha whenever he was transferred out to a new base, in the hope that his skills would not die with him the day his luck finally ran out.
It wasn’t until he finally caught wind of the Prime’s whereabouts that he finally set aside his self-imposed task and set course for Earth, intent on providing whatever aid he could.
Personality:
As a firm believer in Murphy's law, Red Alert is convinced that anything and everything can (and most likely will) go wrong at any possible moment. He sees disasters around every corner and tragedies waiting to happen wherever he goes. His thoughts are plagued by the images of himself and his comrades meeting various gruesome fates, and his sleep is often interrupted by those same intrusive images. Despite this, he holds by the opinion that he is neither a pessimist nor a paranoiac. Rather, he considers himself to be a realist, as he genuinely believes that the universe is an inherently dangerous and unfair place. As one would assume, this grim world-view has helped shape him into the cynical, safety-obsessed person he is today, though his over-protective watchdog nature certainly feeds into that as well.
In order to avoid the numerous undesirable events that he is convinced will occur without implementing the proper preventative measures, Red Alert never does anything without carefully thinking it through. He weighs the pros and cons of every decision, and imagines (in great detail) the various outcomes said decisions may have. He'll also spend hours thoroughly inspecting anything that has the potential to be even remotely harmful, and if anything even vaguely suspicious/threatening catches his attention, he'll drop whatever he's doing to investigate it. This obsessive-compulsive need to repeatedly check for any sign of danger is all-consuming, and when he's unable to make his checks for whatever reason, he becomes increasingly distressed and irritable, to the point of being unable to think clearly or focus on anything else. He'll often work himself to and past the point of exhaustion, just so he can be absolutely sure that he didn't forget or overlook anything.
All these behaviors can be attributed to the function Red Alert was sparked and designed for. Despite being reassigned to a new function, Red Alert has never truly stopped being a warden. Safeguarding his comrades and ensuring the safety and well-being of those under his protection has always been, and continues to be, his ultimate concern; though you'd be hard pressed to get him to admit this out loud. He prefers to explain away his over-protectiveness as dedication to his job, rather than as genuine concern for his comrades, as admitting to any sort of sentimentality could potentially put him in a vulnerable position. To avoid being emotionally hurt/exploited, Red Alert does his best to keep everyone at arms-length, (both literally and metaphorically) where they can't hurt him, or vice versa. As such, he prefers to keep his relationships distant and professional, though with enough time, effort, and sheer persistence, a few bots have managed to climb over the wall he's built around himself. They are the lucky few who get to see the good qualities that he, ironically, keeps hidden away in his effort to discourage people from even attempting to befriend him.
On the negative side of things, Red Alert has a bit of a temper, which usually takes the form of sharp, biting comments and the occasional frustrated rant (which, while usually aimed at a deserving person, occasionally hits innocent by-standards.) While he isn't quick to anger under normal circumstances, his tolerance for rage-inducing people/situations decreases significantly whenever he is in a particularly foul mood, or under great mental/physical stress. He also has a stubborn-streak a mile wide, and he will kick up a fuss if his beliefs, opinions, or desires are challenged. For example: If ordered to take time off of work for the sake of his own health, he'll argue day and night that he's perfectly fine, despite all evidence to the contrary.
In summation: Red Alert is an obsessive-compulsive workaholic control-freak with severe trust issues and an over-inflated sense of responsibility who doesn't know the meaning of the word “off-duty.” Tense, cagey, and always on edge, Red Alert is a mech who seriously needs a vacation, but is too obsessed with his job to ever take one. He's also wound up so tight you couldn't get a pin under his plating with a jack-hammer, so he's not exactly the most fun person to be around. But hey, his snark can be pretty amusing sometimes, so at least there's that.
Likes: Working (and his job by proxy), forming contingency plans, monitoring security-feeds, going on patrols, people who actually listen to his warnings/orders/theories, being taken seriously.
Dislikes: Being touched (and having his personal-space invaded), loud-noises, chaotic environments, sensory-overload, sensory-deprivation, sensory-hallucinations (he has a lot of sensory issues, if you hadn't already guessed), not knowing what's going on in any given situation, being disrespected, being disbelieved, being treated like he's insane, being gas-lighted, having his glitched triggered.
Strengths/Weapons:
Rocket launcher: Red Alert has a shoulder-mounted rocket-launcher with a range of 25-miles. Needless to say, it packs quite the punch, and due to Red Alert's overly-cautious nature, it's always loaded and ready to be fired at any given moment.
Particle beam rifle: As the name implies, Red Alert has a rifle built into his right forearm that fires ionized particles, which disrupt the atomic/molecular structure of whatever they hit. The damage these particles cause can be as mild as a scorch to as severe as a smoldering hole through what was once a mech's chassis depending on the strength of the material being fired upon and the intensity with which the ionized particles are charged.
The best offense: Red Alert is more of a protector than a soldier, as his expertise lies more in preventing attacks rather than taking part in them. However, this does not mean he is not a capable fighter in his own right. Quite the contrary; he knows how to effectively subdue and/or restrain mecha of various sizes and alts without the use of lethal force. Additionally, Red Alert is (unsurprisingly) adept at defensive maneuvers. After all, staying out of harm's way and avoiding injury is his forte.
Weaknesses:
Suspicious to a Fault: Though he does his best to keep his treacherous processor in check, Red Alert still suffers from a severe case of paranoid personality disorder, and the symptoms thereof. Despite being an intelligent, logical mech, he will sometimes be plagued by irrational thoughts, which prompt him to take rash/extreme actions that, to him, seem perfectly logical and reasonable. (For example: withdrawing from all social contact to avoid emotional manipulation, or re-watching the same surveillance-clip hundreds of times just to be absolutely sure he didn't overlook anything.) Additionally, Red Alert's paranoia places him in an almost perpetual state of nervousness/anxiety, which subsequently makes him jumpy and on-edge. This mental strain can often lead to physical ailments, such as insomnia, fatigue, and premature part-wear.
Old Habits Die Hard: Due to the nature of his former occupation, Red Alert faces great difficulty when tasked with fighting/killing his fellow Cybertronains. He can still use lethal force when absolutely necessary, though mostly from long-range (hence his two long ranged weapons; neither of which require very precise aim, which is useful when looking directly at your target makes your systems lurch in protest.) It is difficult for him to reconcile his conscience with his sense of duty, and so he struggles to bring himself to kill fellow Cybertronians, particularly with his bare-hands. However, he has no difficulties fight hand-to-hand if he uses techniques that restrain/disable rather than ones that cause lethal-damage.
Hypertensive: Due to the extreme amount of sensory-input he is capable of receiving, Red Alert is in a near-constant state of sensory overload. His processor is often overwhelmed by the various stimuli it is bombarded with on a daily basis, which leads to his overall nervousness/twitchy behavior as he struggles to process all the sensory and situational information he is receiving. In addition to sensory overload, Red Alert frequently suffers from visual and auditory hallucinations, which commonly occur whenever he is particularly stressed, or in an environment that heavily feeds into his paranoia. Unfortunately, this can sometimes cause him to make rash judgments or cause false-alarms, as the 'threat' he saw or heard exists only in his over-clocked processor. His enhanced senses are also very easy to exploit, as particularly bright lights, loud noises, or harsh scents can cause him to lock up while his processor struggles to cope/send him into a fit of pain and/or nausea depending on the stimuli.
Workaholic: Anyone who knows Red Alert knows that he is fiercely dedicated to his job, and that it is nearly impossible to tear him away from it, even for a few short moments. He doesn't seem to understand the concept of being “off-duty” and as such, he is almost constantly working, save for the few moments he has to take out of his day to refuel/recharge. Unfortunately, he'll often forgo both of these rather important activities in favor of working even more, which, needless to say, is terrible for his health. Not that he seems to notice or care about this, as “Exhausted and under-fueled” tends to be his default setting unless he has someone around to remind him that he cannot, in fact, run on dedication and stubbornness alone.
Obsessive-compulsive: Red Alert is very easily distracted by anything that has even the most remote possibility of being a threat. Should he hear/see/smell something that seems suspicious, he has to investigate it, regardless if he has something better/more important to do at the time. Trying to ignore the urge to investigate the possible threat is not an option for him, unfortunately, as the intrusive “what if” thoughts will continue to plague him until he gives in. He will repeatedly check cameras, make sure locks are in place, and preform a great number of other “checking” rituals, simply because the intrusive thoughts/urges won't leave him alone until he does. While terribly inconvenient in its own right, this disorder can become hazardous to Red Alert's health, should he be compelled to check something in the middle of a dangerous situation or be too distracted by his intrusive thoughts to notice a danger/threat before it's too late to defend himself from it. Should he be placed in a situation where he is physically unable to preform his checking-rituals (by being restrained or otherwise incapacitated) Red Alert will become increasingly anxious and distressed, thus rendering him incapable of preforming tasks that require heavy concentration or a level-head.
Faulty Programing: Red Alert has a very prominent glitch that, in his own words, “comes and goes.” This glitch manifests itself as a buildup of electricity in his sensory-horns, which are actually designed to spark electricity whenever one of his internal or external sensors detect a possible threat. However, thanks to the electro-glitch, the electricity also tends to discharge itself when Red Alert is startled/agitated, or when he is under a great deal of stress, physical or otherwise. While more annoying than anything, this electro-glitch can be quite hazardous to his health if it is triggered in rapid succession, as the constant discharge of electricity can cause severe damage to his processor, as well as extreme and even debilitating pain.
Fragile Speedster: Red Alert's frame-type is built for agility, dexterity, and speed, rather than durability. As such, his armor is not as thick as that of the typical frontliner, and therefor, he is more susceptible to damage. In short, his additional mobility comes at the cost of his structural fortitude.
Special skills (that are not weapon related):
Extremely enhanced senses/Hyper-awareness: Red Alert's senses of sight, hearing, and scent are all highly advanced, to the point of near super-human levels (...by Cybertronian standards). His optics can pinpoint a 2 centimeter object at a distance of 1200 feet, while his audio-receptors can pick-up the sound of a microchip dropping from 1.4 miles away. His olfactory sensors are equally impressive, as they can detect trace orders as weak as 2 parts per million (that's any scent that's 99.9998% orderless.)
Top of his field: Red Alert is arguably the most skilled Security-director to have ever held the position in the Autobots' ranks. Or, at the very least, he's the most infamous. He has an encyclopedic knowledge/understanding of all Autobot security procedures and protocols, as well as a plethora of self-made contingency-plans for just about every disaster-situation imaginable, so it's very difficult to place him in a situation he hasn't already prepared for, to some extent. Additionally, he is (out of necessity) talented at encrypting data and designing/coding firewalls, intrusion detection systems, counter-viruses, and et cetera. In short, if it is at all security-related, chances are good Red Alert is familiar with it.
Amateur mechanic: Red Alert naturally knows how to repair security equipment in addition to designing it, as he wouldn't be very good at his job if he couldn't do maintenance on his own tools. His knowledge of mechanics is limited mostly to security equipment, but over the years he's picked up a few tid-bits here and there about other things like ship/weapon repair.
Tactical training: Red Alert is a moderate-level tactician. Though he specializes in defensive maneuvers, he can still competently design and implement offensive battle plans.
The best offense is a good defense: Red Alert's expertize in the art of self-preservation coupled with his enhanced senses (not to mention years of training and experience) have made him a formidable target for both assault and capture (it's rather difficult to sneak up on a mech who can literally see and hear you coming from a mile away, after all.) Additionally, Red Alert has taken great lengths to make his processor a hacker's worst nightmare---trying to get information out of his head is like trying to maneuver through a labyrinth that's riddled with pitfalls and booby-traps, while simultaneously trying to avoid being shot to death by the numerous guards chasing after you.
Extra Info:
Red Alert's sensory horns function as a visual/tactile alarm system. Whenever his internal/external sensors detect a threat/anomaly, his sensory-horns discharge a crackling-blue spark of electricity which serves as a tactile alarm to Red Alert, and a visual alarm to everyone around him. Unfortunately, as mentioned above in the weakness section, prolonged exposure to alarm-triggering events/stimuli can be incredibly hazardous to Red Alert's health, as the repeated electrical discharge from his horns can cause intense pain, as well as severe damage to his processor.