Wheeljack's optics darted here and there nervously as he made his way through the crowds. It'd been a gajillion vorns since he'd been in a place like this, back before his involvement in the war. Back then, he'd been a homeless, easily-bullied fraidy-catbot just trying to scrape by between semesters at the university he'd conned his way into, avoiding the bounty hunters looking to snag the runaway slave and haul his aft back to the mines he'd barely escaped from.
He really didn't like being reminded of those days.
But he was here to make a delivery. He'd questioned this project from the start, but it'd also intrigued him too much to turn it down without "better reason". But then the mech had wanted to meet him here for the exchange once he'd done. Soooo not a good idea. But the mech was paying really good credits for it - or so he'd promised - so . . . here he was. Having to remind himself to straighten up, hold up his head, show more confidence than he was feeling instead of try to slink through, shoulders hunched, head
( ... )
augh, I pop up from workload for air every few days, sorry.derpjack_ftwMay 4 2011, 18:52:05 UTC
The first thing that Wheeljack registers is the sight of the very large mech looking straight at him and waving. And it's not the one he's looking for.
Oh, Primus...
Oh! It's Grimlock!
Relieved, he hurries straight over. Others might be hesitant at just walking unguardedly straight up to a Dinobot - especially the powerful, temperamental T-rex leader - but the inventor has no such misgivings. They're his creations, after all. Okay, so "this" Grimlock isn't, but still...
He offers a hand as he gets within reach. "Grimlock! Fancy meetin' you here. How ya doin', pal?"
Oh, he knows it. Boy howdy, he knows it. He...a-also knows better than to shake Grimlock's hand. D'oh.
"O-owowow..." He tries not pull his hand back too soon or look obvious about quietly flexing his fingers, making sure the joints all still work without evidence of binding. He knows Grimlock didn't mean it. O-or anyway, he's pretty sure. "That's good! That...it's not worse, I mean. I'm lookin' for someone. Supposed ta be bringin' him a project he's had me workin' on. You?"
L-LOL no, I have no idea what it is or what it does. 9,9 *keeps working on that* derpjack_ftwMay 7 2011, 04:04:17 UTC
He's essentially immune to that look. He's gotten it enough times from everyone ever, after all.
His shoulders slump with a half-irritated, half-resigned huff of air from his vents. "You're tellin' me. I needed the money at the time, an' he was offerin' ta pay pretty good. Shoulda known it was too good ta be true." He pulls out the device, showing it to Grimlock. "Fragger was gonna come by my workshop ta pick it up, but I guess he had somethin' come up so he told me ta come here."
Hah! Fair enough.king_grimlockMay 8 2011, 06:19:43 UTC
Grimlock looks at the device produced, and stares at it for a long moment before shaking his head, not about to admit he has no idea what the frag he's looking at. Egghead craniacs get snooty enough about Dinobots without giving them more ammo.
"Then me your backup if he planning to rip you off. You not come down here on your own anymore - you call me when business go bad for you. Me make it go bad for them."
Awwww . . . that should come up between them somehow - Grimmy'd be surprised how patient and-derpjack_ftwMay 15 2011, 21:41:33 UTC
((ooc: -nonjudgmental Jack is. Including/especially with the Dinobots. ~<3 Also...should I NPC a sleazebag for us? XD))Wheeljack waits the beat needed before putting the device back away in subspace, letting Grimlock study it as much as he was going to. He could tell the other didn't know what it was, but to be fair to the Dinobot, its function wasn't really that apparent from appearance alone even to a better-trained optic - the working parts were folded away. It'd been built to be compact when not in use, for easier transport
( ... )
For his part, Grimlock doesn't have a particularly significant relationship with Wheeljack, but he's always respected him. This one seems a little more jittery than the one he knows. Where once, Grimlock might have had contempt for that weakness, he's come to respect that there are more forms of strength than the sort the Dinobots master, and those who would exploit the weak are the ones who must be weakened.
"Me here to look for work. Hear there is mech who hire bounty hunters here. Carotek. Cryonok. Crispotron... name something like that."
LOL IDK if there's a canon chara by this name, I'm just making the guy upderpjack_ftwMay 30 2011, 03:07:25 UTC
Wheeljack is no warrior - he'll be the first to admit it, and readily - but Grimlock's wise in recognizing that there are more forms of strength. The engineer certainly has his own. He'd not be where he is now without a few different varieties.
The engineer's optics darken a half-shade as he suppresses a shudder of dread annoyance. 'Bounty hunter' will never fail to get a reaction from the former runaway, however much he fights to hide it. Even though that was a lifetime ago. Several lifetimes, feels like.
He nods, tone nonchalant as he shrugs in apology. "Yeah, 'fraid I can't help with that. I don't know any bounty hunTERK!The interruption is startled out of him as a hand lands on his shoulder from behind, gripping tightly
( ... )
Stormchaser's duly surprised by the size of the mech, though he falters on a fraction of a second before the crooked grin is back on his faceplates. "Hey, no need to get hostile, pal. The glitch a friend of yours?" Because if the inventor isn't, he really doesn't see why the big guy should give a scrap.
Wheeljack reaches up to wrap a hand over Stormchaser's, pulling to loosen the grip, confidence boosted by the Dinobot's obvious support. "Actually, yes. This is Grimlock. Grimlock, this is the mech I was tellin' ya about." Yes, that's a pointed tone of voice.
Stormchaser shoots the engineer a dark glower at that, but he lets go and recovers to give the Dinobot a joking smirk. "Nothing good, I hope. A mech's dirt's more fun to talk about anyway."
Grimlock doesn't waver in his solid glare. Doesn't even appear to move, certainly nothing close to a flinch or anything else. Just radiating power and making sure that moment of faltering in Stormchaser takes root.
"Me hear you force Wheeljack to make delivery to scummy hangout instead of picking up project like mech with class. Me here to make sure you on up and up. Me strongly advise you not to make me Grimlock munch metal."
There's only a slight flicker in his optics, as if daring the guy to try something.
He really didn't like being reminded of those days.
But he was here to make a delivery. He'd questioned this project from the start, but it'd also intrigued him too much to turn it down without "better reason". But then the mech had wanted to meet him here for the exchange once he'd done. Soooo not a good idea. But the mech was paying really good credits for it - or so he'd promised - so . . . here he was. Having to remind himself to straighten up, hold up his head, show more confidence than he was feeling instead of try to slink through, shoulders hunched, head ( ... )
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Which is why Grimlock decides it's probably for the best to let these vultures know that 'Jack's got backup.
Seeing as how he towers over most mechs, Grimlock's raised hand to wave the nerd over should be quick to catch his attention.
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Oh, Primus...
Oh! It's Grimlock!
Relieved, he hurries straight over. Others might be hesitant at just walking unguardedly straight up to a Dinobot - especially the powerful, temperamental T-rex leader - but the inventor has no such misgivings. They're his creations, after all. Okay, so "this" Grimlock isn't, but still...
He offers a hand as he gets within reach. "Grimlock! Fancy meetin' you here. How ya doin', pal?"
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"Been better. Been worse. What you doing in place like this, Wheeljack?" The firm implication that it's not safe for eggheads here.
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"O-owowow..." He tries not pull his hand back too soon or look obvious about quietly flexing his fingers, making sure the joints all still work without evidence of binding. He knows Grimlock didn't mean it. O-or anyway, he's pretty sure. "That's good! That...it's not worse, I mean. I'm lookin' for someone. Supposed ta be bringin' him a project he's had me workin' on. You?"
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"What project you work on for sleazebags in dump like this? Can't be good one."
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His shoulders slump with a half-irritated, half-resigned huff of air from his vents. "You're tellin' me. I needed the money at the time, an' he was offerin' ta pay pretty good. Shoulda known it was too good ta be true." He pulls out the device, showing it to Grimlock. "Fragger was gonna come by my workshop ta pick it up, but I guess he had somethin' come up so he told me ta come here."
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"Then me your backup if he planning to rip you off. You not come down here on your own anymore - you call me when business go bad for you. Me make it go bad for them."
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For his part, Grimlock doesn't have a particularly significant relationship with Wheeljack, but he's always respected him. This one seems a little more jittery than the one he knows. Where once, Grimlock might have had contempt for that weakness, he's come to respect that there are more forms of strength than the sort the Dinobots master, and those who would exploit the weak are the ones who must be weakened.
"Me here to look for work. Hear there is mech who hire bounty hunters here. Carotek. Cryonok. Crispotron... name something like that."
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The engineer's optics darken a half-shade as he suppresses a shudder of dread annoyance. 'Bounty hunter' will never fail to get a reaction from the former runaway, however much he fights to hide it. Even though that was a lifetime ago. Several lifetimes, feels like.
He nods, tone nonchalant as he shrugs in apology. "Yeah, 'fraid I can't help with that. I don't know any bounty hunTERK!The interruption is startled out of him as a hand lands on his shoulder from behind, gripping tightly ( ... )
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So when he stands up, he looms.
"Business is business," he booms, evenly. "But put hand on him and me put hands on you."
Shouldn't be anything unclear about that proclamation. If that shoulder-grip doesn't release, Stormchaser will get one of his own.
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Wheeljack reaches up to wrap a hand over Stormchaser's, pulling to loosen the grip, confidence boosted by the Dinobot's obvious support. "Actually, yes. This is Grimlock. Grimlock, this is the mech I was tellin' ya about." Yes, that's a pointed tone of voice.
Stormchaser shoots the engineer a dark glower at that, but he lets go and recovers to give the Dinobot a joking smirk. "Nothing good, I hope. A mech's dirt's more fun to talk about anyway."
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"Me hear you force Wheeljack to make delivery to scummy hangout instead of picking up project like mech with class. Me here to make sure you on up and up. Me strongly advise you not to make me Grimlock munch metal."
There's only a slight flicker in his optics, as if daring the guy to try something.
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