(no subject)
Full Character Application
Personal Information
Name: Stupei
Age: Twenty-four
Personal LJ: frogwolf
Email / AIM / MSN: storm_2010[at]hotmail[dot]com / Stupei Iori
Character Information
Character Name: Perceptor
Fandom: Transformers IDW
Timeline: Post-All Hail Megatron, prior to the carnage that was Last Stand of the Wreckers
Source: Just doin’ my job.
Character History:
Originally serving on the Autobot Orbital Command hub, Perceptor was transferred to the vessel Ark-17 when the veteran warrior, Kup, was discovered on an alien planet. Along with the Wrecker’s leader Springer, he was assigned to help organize a rescue mission. It would be no small task, as thanks to the toxic effects of natural occurring crystals, Kup became subject to violent hallucinations - He saw the teams that were sent to rescue him as zombified monsters, slaughtering them with his own servos. With the help of Trailbreaker, Kup was finally retrieved, albeit at heavy expense; several Autobot lives were lost in the process and the planet’s radiation had taken a heavy toll on both his mind and his shell.
Perceptor was later enlisted by Prowl to join forces with a research team at the Kimia Facility- As Kup’s frame was incompatible with current technology, they resorted to the Decepticon Bludgeon’s ‘Pretender’ process to create a new shell. While some of the damage caused by the crystal radiation was irreversible, Perceptor managed to synthesize a version of it into the form of a cy-gar - It would feed his addiction without the ill-effects, as well as suppress the flash-backs and illusions.
Using the upgrades as an excuse, Prowl instructed Perceptor to install hidden subroutines into Kup’s programming - it would allow Prowl to have a degree of control over the veteran, so that he could command the audios of his fellow Autobots. Perceptor, while not happy with the situation, begrudgingly did as instructed and was sworn to secrecy about the operation.
As the Pretender process was in its experimental stages, Perceptor was asked to accompany Kup for the time being, in order to keep an optic on him. It was for that reason that he went along on a high risk mission, in an attempt to storm an enemy vessel and rescue a captured crew of Wreckers. Perceptor attempted to secure the chamber they were hiding in, but was blasted through the chest by one of the Decepticons and left for dead by his teammates. If not for the efforts of the rogue mech Drift, he would have been killed when the ship was detonated.
After his recovery, Perceptor explained that while he appreciated their efforts in saving him, he did not wish to ever find himself helpless again and that he intended to repay his debt to Drift. He went straight to work on modifying his own body - this time, to increase his battle prowess. He installed a newer, nearly impenetrable breastplate, specialized stabilizers in his arms, and finally, a targeting unit on his optic.
When a distress call from Hot Rod is received, Perceptor took the opportunity to demonstrate his new abilities - With a single shot, he managed to incapacitate the gestalt, Monstructor, and rescue his teammates. While Blaster claimed that he had ‘defiled’ himself, Perceptor insisted that it was a necessary change; it was the nature of a Transformer to adapt to the situation, and it was logical that he should adapt himself to be more useful in the war.
Taking up a new position on the team, Perceptor became more involved in the destruction of Decepticons, and less interested in the scientific aspects of his function. No longer prone to long-winded scientific babble, his entire demeanour changed with the alterations - Perceptor became a stoic sharpshooter and a lethal opponent, speaking only when necessary.
After their crash landing on a beleaguered Cybertron, he continued to serve at Kup’s side, assisting their efforts against the Swarm. It was planned that he would fire the detonators to destroy the bridge, slowing their assault on the remaining Autobots; however, a precise dart to the throat rendered Perceptor unconscious. While they succeeded in dragging him to safety, it cost Sunstreaker his life to set off the explosion.
Sunstreaker’s sacrifice managed to buy them time, but they weren’t able to stop their pursuers completely. Once recovered from the dart, Perceptor set to work fortifying their defences. Ratchet actually makes a comment on this, stating that what they needed was the old Perceptor to help them repair Prime, rather than another ‘clown with a gun.’
Soon afterwards, the conflict with the Insecticons came to a head - But when all hope was lost, Omega Supreme, having received Hot Rod’s message, arrived on the scene. Rescuing them from the vicious creatures, Omega returned the Autobots to Earth for their final showdown with Megatron and his Decepticons.
With Megatron seemingly defeated and the immediate threat taken care of, Kup and Perceptor both chose to leave Optimus Prime and Earth in favour of a career with the Wreckers. The pair spent the next couple years working with the team, taking the missions that most others would refuse.
It was on one such mission that Perceptor was whisked away to the multi-dimensional hub, Axiom Nexus. Needless to say, he was less than pleased with the situation, worry for his teammates and responsibility to Kup weighing heavily on his Spark.
[Also, just to keep things straight, this is the additional Axiom history I added in his original application:
It was soon after he had completed the tedious hours of Processing that he stumbled across Drift, also freshly arrived in the Nexus. With no sign of any of the others from his ragtag group, Perceptor chose to stay beside the only comrade he had for the time being.
Having pushed science aside in favour of violence, finding his place in Axiom was somewhat of a struggle for Perceptor. He was still a capable scientist, if not out of practice - Deft fingers had lost their precision, his optics had become honed for sniping, not microsurgery. For one who had adapted their shell to war, to suddenly be without a war was a lot like dropping a fish on land.
Even in the (questionably) peaceful Axiom Nexus, his skills were eventually noticed, and Perceptor and Drift were hired by a well-to-do mech in Zone One as a bodyguard. Woe be to any who overstays their welcome on the property they defend, as it would be unlikely they’d have a chance to repeat their mistake.]
Character Personality:
Once a talkative scientist, whose extensive vocabulary could give even the most well-read of Cybertronians a processorache, Perceptor rarely speaks at all now. In fact, he does not actually speak a single sentence in the entirety of the main All Hail Megatron story arc. When he does speak, it tends to be very short and to the point - It was by speaking too much that he led the Decepticons to their position, after all. There are the rare occasions he will explain the science behind a situation, but much of the former enthusiasm (and verbosity) has been lost.
While the change becomes most apparent following his rebuild, that isn’t when Perceptor’s faith first began to waver. Like all Cybertronians, he has been worn down by the millennia of war and participated in questionable acts. He deeply regrets what he did to Kup, even if it was under Prowl’s orders. He could have declined, but he wanted to see the war end just as badly as anyone else; he allowed himself to be swayed by the notion of an ‘acceptable risk’, and stripped the freedom of a good ‘bot in the process.
Of course, his near-death experience mark the true turning point in his life - Perceptor finally grasps the gravity of their conflict and learns the true meaning of being helpless. He vows never to find himself in that position again, and does everything he thinks is necessary to follow through. Changing in both mind and body, he hardens himself to the world and declares himself a soldier.
For those who knew Perceptor before, the decision is frequently considered a mistake. Blaster goes as far as to say he “defiled” himself - To which Perceptor insists he adapted. The war requires those who can defend themselves and others, not scientists. Coupled with his actions under Prowl’s supervision, it would be difficult to believe that he did more good as a scientist. His scientific mind had been turned against one of their own, harming Kup in a way few Decepticons ever could, even if he is not fully aware of it.
This does not, however, mean that he has abandoned his intellectuality altogether. He can still perform if needed, though his focus rests primarily on offensive modifications. His once careful servos lack their gentleness, as an unfortunate Impactor discovered, but he is more than capable as a scientist.
Above all, Perceptor does not want to be a burden to others. He wants to be able to make a difference in the war effort, and he wants to do so with his own two hands. He refuses to rely on others to bail him out, as this has already proven itself a dangerous gamble; if it hadn’t been for Drift, his team would not have rescued him on that mission.
Not only that but, Perceptor feels that they shouldn’t have to take care of him - A single life is not worth risk those of an entire team. In All Hail Megatron, he witnesses firsthand the dire results of failure; when he is incapacitated by one of the Swarm’s darts, Sunstreaker takes his place and ultimately kills himself to protect the other Autobots. Had Perceptor been aware of his surroundings and been able to take out the bridge as he was meant to, he believes that Sunstreaker would have survived, which only adds to the burden of his guilt - Another debt that he would not be able to repay. [He does attempt to in Axiom by sharing his apartment... Though putting up with Sunstreaker seems far more taxing than saving his life!]
As time progresses, he seems to take the idea of hiding away vulnerability to an extreme level; he cuts himself off emotionally, and he actually appears almost callous to the loss of comrades in later issues. In the Last Stand of the Wreckers especially, when he calmly informs his team that one of them will have to sacrifice their life in order to activate Aequitas; he seems disappointed, but barely sympathetic to the fact that an Autobot will die so senselessly.
Even jaded by conflict, Perceptor still has a strong sense of justice and what is ‘right.’ While he has no qualms about killing Decepticons (and at times, is willing to sacrifice his fellow Autobots as well), he still does whatever he is able to protect those important to him - Even if it means sacrificing his own life by head-on attacking a mech like Overlord. There is a line between a soldier and a monster - A line which Perceptor does not intend to cross.
Powers:
Following his injury, Perceptor engineered several physical upgrades for himself to suit his new, self-appointed position. He recreated his chest plate out of an extremely dense mineral known as ‘adamant crystal’ and outfitted himself with superior stabilizers to steady his aim. While the exact specifications are never stated, he also installs what seems to be a targeting optic.
It’s never stated if it’s intentional or not, but he also appears to have been trimmed down from his stockier frame, his entire build sleeker and better suited for mobility. However, this could also have been a coincidental side-effect of his original repair work. (Or, the artists were attempting to make him look more badass.)
Perceptor is an extremely lethal shot. He is shown to be proficient in both all matter of firearms; he wields a pair of pistols with the same ridiculous accuracy as his heavily modified rifle. It doesn’t seem to matter if he takes the time to set up his shot, or he’s firing on the fly - He doesn’t miss his mark.
While it is no longer his primary focus, Perceptor will always possess a gifted scientific mind. His innovations extend to a variety of sciences - He is just as comfortable creating new forms of medical treatment, such as with Kup’s rehabilitation, as he is creating offensive modifications for his rifle. He is more than capable of building that which he has designed as well, as he clearly demonstrates with his own upgrades.
Samples
First person: [Note: The sample provided is set in Axiom-verse; when I originally applied for him, he was already a citizen of the city.]
[This is a video feed, as Perceptor so frequently uses. He doesn’t like speaking much to begin with, so it’s easier to have some sort of image to fall back on.
He stares rather sternly at the camera, the butt of his rifle just noticeable over his shoulder.]
Ironhide. Appreciate you letting me use the range.
[He wasn’t close to the Weapons Master by any stretch, but he was grateful that there was someone who understood the need to blow off steam. The old Tyran never questioned the late night visits to the practice range, or complained about leaving the door unlocked. Perceptor wasn’t one to rely on others, so he appreciated the fact that Ironhide left him to himself.
The next part is more directed to Drift, his expression darkening slightly.
Having lived with the other as long as he had, they had come to converse through glances more than words - There was something in the shuttering of optics, the tilt of a helm... It said more than words ever could, and it didn’t carry the danger of being overheard by the wrong mechs.
He had no intention of losing anyone else - The thought that one of the few ‘bots Perceptor dared call ‘friend’ could be taken from him because of a lapse of judgment...
Words were dangerous, and he didn’t trust himself with that power anymore.]
Gonna be back late.
Third Person: (300 word minimum)
There was a sort of horrible irony in Perceptor’s current situation - A mech, who had been reformatted for war, in a Nexus where war was illegal.
It was difficult to ignore the thought, as he ducked out of view, watching over the grounds from his higher vantage point. His only company was the weapon he carried, which while a comfort in some ways, provided little in the way of conversation.
No movement whatsoever, despite the earlier warning ping to his communicator.
After many long years of studying, making scientific innovations - Doing what he thought was best, in order to help the Autobot cause... Perceptor had reached a breaking point. Lying on the floor, his chest decimated by Decepticon weaponry, without even a shred of dignity to console him as he awaited his imminent death; it had been enough to open his optics to the true nature of their war, and his place in it.
And it was not what he wanted to be remembered as.
After his recovery, he had set about altering himself, not only in body, but in processor. The adamant crystal chest plate, the targeting optic were only the visible changes - But there had been more to his helplessness on that vessel than weak chassis.
Clunk.
The rifle was raised and targeting before the thought had fully processed, magnification sharpening the image, as Perceptor searched for the source.
He hadn’t had the ability, experience, or the resolve to take on the Decepticons. It was his own foolish babbling that had drawn their enemy to their location, carelessness in the face of danger. He had acted little better than a new recruit - Kup, Springer, Drift... Any one of them would have fought harder, dragged themselves up from the floor to face their attacker straight on.
Instead, he’d cowered, accepting his pathetic fate.
There was a distant rustling below, the clatter of footsteps as an unknown mech dashed towards the outer gate. The echo of an angry cry followed him, their hopeless pursuer not nearly fast enough to catch him - but then, they didn’t have to.
The deafening bang of a shot rang out, the intruder hitting the ground before they could even fully register what had happened.
Well, he wouldn’t cower from anything anymore.
Personal Information
Name: Stupei
Age: Twenty-four
Personal LJ: frogwolf
Email / AIM / MSN: storm_2010[at]hotmail[dot]com / Stupei Iori
Character Information
Character Name: Perceptor
Fandom: Transformers IDW
Timeline: Post-All Hail Megatron, prior to the carnage that was Last Stand of the Wreckers
Source: Just doin’ my job.
Character History:
Originally serving on the Autobot Orbital Command hub, Perceptor was transferred to the vessel Ark-17 when the veteran warrior, Kup, was discovered on an alien planet. Along with the Wrecker’s leader Springer, he was assigned to help organize a rescue mission. It would be no small task, as thanks to the toxic effects of natural occurring crystals, Kup became subject to violent hallucinations - He saw the teams that were sent to rescue him as zombified monsters, slaughtering them with his own servos. With the help of Trailbreaker, Kup was finally retrieved, albeit at heavy expense; several Autobot lives were lost in the process and the planet’s radiation had taken a heavy toll on both his mind and his shell.
Perceptor was later enlisted by Prowl to join forces with a research team at the Kimia Facility- As Kup’s frame was incompatible with current technology, they resorted to the Decepticon Bludgeon’s ‘Pretender’ process to create a new shell. While some of the damage caused by the crystal radiation was irreversible, Perceptor managed to synthesize a version of it into the form of a cy-gar - It would feed his addiction without the ill-effects, as well as suppress the flash-backs and illusions.
Using the upgrades as an excuse, Prowl instructed Perceptor to install hidden subroutines into Kup’s programming - it would allow Prowl to have a degree of control over the veteran, so that he could command the audios of his fellow Autobots. Perceptor, while not happy with the situation, begrudgingly did as instructed and was sworn to secrecy about the operation.
As the Pretender process was in its experimental stages, Perceptor was asked to accompany Kup for the time being, in order to keep an optic on him. It was for that reason that he went along on a high risk mission, in an attempt to storm an enemy vessel and rescue a captured crew of Wreckers. Perceptor attempted to secure the chamber they were hiding in, but was blasted through the chest by one of the Decepticons and left for dead by his teammates. If not for the efforts of the rogue mech Drift, he would have been killed when the ship was detonated.
After his recovery, Perceptor explained that while he appreciated their efforts in saving him, he did not wish to ever find himself helpless again and that he intended to repay his debt to Drift. He went straight to work on modifying his own body - this time, to increase his battle prowess. He installed a newer, nearly impenetrable breastplate, specialized stabilizers in his arms, and finally, a targeting unit on his optic.
When a distress call from Hot Rod is received, Perceptor took the opportunity to demonstrate his new abilities - With a single shot, he managed to incapacitate the gestalt, Monstructor, and rescue his teammates. While Blaster claimed that he had ‘defiled’ himself, Perceptor insisted that it was a necessary change; it was the nature of a Transformer to adapt to the situation, and it was logical that he should adapt himself to be more useful in the war.
Taking up a new position on the team, Perceptor became more involved in the destruction of Decepticons, and less interested in the scientific aspects of his function. No longer prone to long-winded scientific babble, his entire demeanour changed with the alterations - Perceptor became a stoic sharpshooter and a lethal opponent, speaking only when necessary.
After their crash landing on a beleaguered Cybertron, he continued to serve at Kup’s side, assisting their efforts against the Swarm. It was planned that he would fire the detonators to destroy the bridge, slowing their assault on the remaining Autobots; however, a precise dart to the throat rendered Perceptor unconscious. While they succeeded in dragging him to safety, it cost Sunstreaker his life to set off the explosion.
Sunstreaker’s sacrifice managed to buy them time, but they weren’t able to stop their pursuers completely. Once recovered from the dart, Perceptor set to work fortifying their defences. Ratchet actually makes a comment on this, stating that what they needed was the old Perceptor to help them repair Prime, rather than another ‘clown with a gun.’
Soon afterwards, the conflict with the Insecticons came to a head - But when all hope was lost, Omega Supreme, having received Hot Rod’s message, arrived on the scene. Rescuing them from the vicious creatures, Omega returned the Autobots to Earth for their final showdown with Megatron and his Decepticons.
With Megatron seemingly defeated and the immediate threat taken care of, Kup and Perceptor both chose to leave Optimus Prime and Earth in favour of a career with the Wreckers. The pair spent the next couple years working with the team, taking the missions that most others would refuse.
It was on one such mission that Perceptor was whisked away to the multi-dimensional hub, Axiom Nexus. Needless to say, he was less than pleased with the situation, worry for his teammates and responsibility to Kup weighing heavily on his Spark.
[Also, just to keep things straight, this is the additional Axiom history I added in his original application:
It was soon after he had completed the tedious hours of Processing that he stumbled across Drift, also freshly arrived in the Nexus. With no sign of any of the others from his ragtag group, Perceptor chose to stay beside the only comrade he had for the time being.
Having pushed science aside in favour of violence, finding his place in Axiom was somewhat of a struggle for Perceptor. He was still a capable scientist, if not out of practice - Deft fingers had lost their precision, his optics had become honed for sniping, not microsurgery. For one who had adapted their shell to war, to suddenly be without a war was a lot like dropping a fish on land.
Even in the (questionably) peaceful Axiom Nexus, his skills were eventually noticed, and Perceptor and Drift were hired by a well-to-do mech in Zone One as a bodyguard. Woe be to any who overstays their welcome on the property they defend, as it would be unlikely they’d have a chance to repeat their mistake.]
Character Personality:
Once a talkative scientist, whose extensive vocabulary could give even the most well-read of Cybertronians a processorache, Perceptor rarely speaks at all now. In fact, he does not actually speak a single sentence in the entirety of the main All Hail Megatron story arc. When he does speak, it tends to be very short and to the point - It was by speaking too much that he led the Decepticons to their position, after all. There are the rare occasions he will explain the science behind a situation, but much of the former enthusiasm (and verbosity) has been lost.
While the change becomes most apparent following his rebuild, that isn’t when Perceptor’s faith first began to waver. Like all Cybertronians, he has been worn down by the millennia of war and participated in questionable acts. He deeply regrets what he did to Kup, even if it was under Prowl’s orders. He could have declined, but he wanted to see the war end just as badly as anyone else; he allowed himself to be swayed by the notion of an ‘acceptable risk’, and stripped the freedom of a good ‘bot in the process.
Of course, his near-death experience mark the true turning point in his life - Perceptor finally grasps the gravity of their conflict and learns the true meaning of being helpless. He vows never to find himself in that position again, and does everything he thinks is necessary to follow through. Changing in both mind and body, he hardens himself to the world and declares himself a soldier.
For those who knew Perceptor before, the decision is frequently considered a mistake. Blaster goes as far as to say he “defiled” himself - To which Perceptor insists he adapted. The war requires those who can defend themselves and others, not scientists. Coupled with his actions under Prowl’s supervision, it would be difficult to believe that he did more good as a scientist. His scientific mind had been turned against one of their own, harming Kup in a way few Decepticons ever could, even if he is not fully aware of it.
This does not, however, mean that he has abandoned his intellectuality altogether. He can still perform if needed, though his focus rests primarily on offensive modifications. His once careful servos lack their gentleness, as an unfortunate Impactor discovered, but he is more than capable as a scientist.
Above all, Perceptor does not want to be a burden to others. He wants to be able to make a difference in the war effort, and he wants to do so with his own two hands. He refuses to rely on others to bail him out, as this has already proven itself a dangerous gamble; if it hadn’t been for Drift, his team would not have rescued him on that mission.
Not only that but, Perceptor feels that they shouldn’t have to take care of him - A single life is not worth risk those of an entire team. In All Hail Megatron, he witnesses firsthand the dire results of failure; when he is incapacitated by one of the Swarm’s darts, Sunstreaker takes his place and ultimately kills himself to protect the other Autobots. Had Perceptor been aware of his surroundings and been able to take out the bridge as he was meant to, he believes that Sunstreaker would have survived, which only adds to the burden of his guilt - Another debt that he would not be able to repay. [He does attempt to in Axiom by sharing his apartment... Though putting up with Sunstreaker seems far more taxing than saving his life!]
As time progresses, he seems to take the idea of hiding away vulnerability to an extreme level; he cuts himself off emotionally, and he actually appears almost callous to the loss of comrades in later issues. In the Last Stand of the Wreckers especially, when he calmly informs his team that one of them will have to sacrifice their life in order to activate Aequitas; he seems disappointed, but barely sympathetic to the fact that an Autobot will die so senselessly.
Even jaded by conflict, Perceptor still has a strong sense of justice and what is ‘right.’ While he has no qualms about killing Decepticons (and at times, is willing to sacrifice his fellow Autobots as well), he still does whatever he is able to protect those important to him - Even if it means sacrificing his own life by head-on attacking a mech like Overlord. There is a line between a soldier and a monster - A line which Perceptor does not intend to cross.
Powers:
Following his injury, Perceptor engineered several physical upgrades for himself to suit his new, self-appointed position. He recreated his chest plate out of an extremely dense mineral known as ‘adamant crystal’ and outfitted himself with superior stabilizers to steady his aim. While the exact specifications are never stated, he also installs what seems to be a targeting optic.
It’s never stated if it’s intentional or not, but he also appears to have been trimmed down from his stockier frame, his entire build sleeker and better suited for mobility. However, this could also have been a coincidental side-effect of his original repair work. (Or, the artists were attempting to make him look more badass.)
Perceptor is an extremely lethal shot. He is shown to be proficient in both all matter of firearms; he wields a pair of pistols with the same ridiculous accuracy as his heavily modified rifle. It doesn’t seem to matter if he takes the time to set up his shot, or he’s firing on the fly - He doesn’t miss his mark.
While it is no longer his primary focus, Perceptor will always possess a gifted scientific mind. His innovations extend to a variety of sciences - He is just as comfortable creating new forms of medical treatment, such as with Kup’s rehabilitation, as he is creating offensive modifications for his rifle. He is more than capable of building that which he has designed as well, as he clearly demonstrates with his own upgrades.
Samples
First person: [Note: The sample provided is set in Axiom-verse; when I originally applied for him, he was already a citizen of the city.]
[This is a video feed, as Perceptor so frequently uses. He doesn’t like speaking much to begin with, so it’s easier to have some sort of image to fall back on.
He stares rather sternly at the camera, the butt of his rifle just noticeable over his shoulder.]
Ironhide. Appreciate you letting me use the range.
[He wasn’t close to the Weapons Master by any stretch, but he was grateful that there was someone who understood the need to blow off steam. The old Tyran never questioned the late night visits to the practice range, or complained about leaving the door unlocked. Perceptor wasn’t one to rely on others, so he appreciated the fact that Ironhide left him to himself.
The next part is more directed to Drift, his expression darkening slightly.
Having lived with the other as long as he had, they had come to converse through glances more than words - There was something in the shuttering of optics, the tilt of a helm... It said more than words ever could, and it didn’t carry the danger of being overheard by the wrong mechs.
He had no intention of losing anyone else - The thought that one of the few ‘bots Perceptor dared call ‘friend’ could be taken from him because of a lapse of judgment...
Words were dangerous, and he didn’t trust himself with that power anymore.]
Gonna be back late.
Third Person: (300 word minimum)
There was a sort of horrible irony in Perceptor’s current situation - A mech, who had been reformatted for war, in a Nexus where war was illegal.
It was difficult to ignore the thought, as he ducked out of view, watching over the grounds from his higher vantage point. His only company was the weapon he carried, which while a comfort in some ways, provided little in the way of conversation.
No movement whatsoever, despite the earlier warning ping to his communicator.
After many long years of studying, making scientific innovations - Doing what he thought was best, in order to help the Autobot cause... Perceptor had reached a breaking point. Lying on the floor, his chest decimated by Decepticon weaponry, without even a shred of dignity to console him as he awaited his imminent death; it had been enough to open his optics to the true nature of their war, and his place in it.
And it was not what he wanted to be remembered as.
After his recovery, he had set about altering himself, not only in body, but in processor. The adamant crystal chest plate, the targeting optic were only the visible changes - But there had been more to his helplessness on that vessel than weak chassis.
Clunk.
The rifle was raised and targeting before the thought had fully processed, magnification sharpening the image, as Perceptor searched for the source.
He hadn’t had the ability, experience, or the resolve to take on the Decepticons. It was his own foolish babbling that had drawn their enemy to their location, carelessness in the face of danger. He had acted little better than a new recruit - Kup, Springer, Drift... Any one of them would have fought harder, dragged themselves up from the floor to face their attacker straight on.
Instead, he’d cowered, accepting his pathetic fate.
There was a distant rustling below, the clatter of footsteps as an unknown mech dashed towards the outer gate. The echo of an angry cry followed him, their hopeless pursuer not nearly fast enough to catch him - but then, they didn’t have to.
The deafening bang of a shot rang out, the intruder hitting the ground before they could even fully register what had happened.
Well, he wouldn’t cower from anything anymore.