ofveneers

[ofveneers]

Hey, yeah, uh, i don't answer asks for what Ramwing (Airies) does behind closed doors unless it is public or from someone who is aware of what happened. The psychological horror aspect of his person is entirely unknown and what he does to both Perceptor and Prowl recently is not known outside of them. Even his bodyguards aren't aware of the full extent of things. This applies to anons too. Sorry about that!

[ofveneers]

cybertronian governments fucked up for REAL

⌈ " I truly have no idea what you're talking about! You should see my approval ratings in Protihex. As well as Protihex itself! Ah, the Polity of Progress... Brings a tear to my eyes. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN??????

⌈ " I already hold the position as Senator in Protihex, alas, my term is just about up. Tsk, tsk, anonymous. Not doing your civil duty and educating yourself on voting? " ⌋

[ofveneers]

"Ramwing it's uh, Goon One here. I'm feeling a little under the weather. Could I have a sick day off?"

⌈ " Goon One, I have no recollection of allowing sick days. Please refer to your alotted vacation days next time. I have an important villainous monologue today and you need to be present. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

Have you ever considered... retirement? Like, go on vacation?

⌈ " Now, now, why ever for would I need to do such a ridiculous thing? I am at the top of my game, after all. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

airies what are your thoughts on fair pay wages

⌈ " An important role in my upcoming senatorial campaign! Protihex has gone far too long ignoring the little guys. That's what I'm here for. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

airies what’s your thoughts on your hired goons

⌈ " At least they're consistently goons. UGH. It's so hard to get good work these days, you know? You'll pay mercenaries an exorbitant price and next thing you know nothing but an apology comes back for being unable to fulfill what you asked! Granted the last one I hired died. See, goons? They live up to their name. And they're expendable. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

⌈ Airies drums his claws against the table, swiveling his chair slightly to the side as he stares at Prowl. His eyes bore into him, calculation running in his mind over all the ways he could take him apart. Piece by piece. He'd start with the brain, obviously. Deconstruct that precious processor of his, figure out how he ticks. Why he thinks the way he does. He stops drumming his fingers, instead scraping his claw against his desk in a circle. Mimicking what he will do.

" Oh, believe me, I know full well what I'm doing. Do you have any idea how many enemies you've amassed in your life? How easy it is to place the blame on some poor soul who wasn't even aware they were a pawn? Oh, but I have read your files from the war. I'm sure you know full well what that's like. I must say: big fan of what you did with those nasty little Decepticons. "

The scraping stops and he stands. He circles around, placing a hand on Prowl's shoulder, claws digging in as he grins. " But that's not the point, is it? You want to know why. Initially, I was only after dear Savant here, I'm sure he knows why. But you? Oh you're a prize to be had in of yourself. And proximity only made it easier for me. "

He trails his hand up, until at last he rests the tip of a clawed finger between the seams of Prowl's helm. " Your processors! They would do nicely for my cause. Time was I simply manipulated the bright minded into doing what I want, calculating what I needed, but that got... messy, " Airies glances Perceptor's way, a slight scowl on his lips.

" So, why not cut out the middle man? Or— more aptly, why not cut it out of the middle man? Hah! I got lucky, today. Three for the price of two! How exciting! " ⌋

— He thinks he passed out due to the pain at some point during transit. The distinct lack of weight on his shoulder throws him off as soon as he startles awake. What next grabs his attention is the restraints keeping him sat upright in a chair in front of a desk. His shoulder is still weeping energon, and the pain is nearly overwhelming.

The edges of his vision in his right optic is artifacting, blocking out most of his peripheral vision. The lenses to compensate his already poor vision have been taken from him. He feels lightheaded as he tries to focus his eyes.

He can't turn his head, that being just as restrained as the rest of his body. The room he's in is dimly lit, though the soft rhythmic click click click up to the right behind him is already starting to drive him mad. He can't immediately tell if Prowl's here too.

" Prowl, " Perceptor's voice is quiet, raw, as he glances to his left to see him strapped down next to him. He's not able to prod further, however, as a hulking shadow falls over them. He watches, silently, as Airies walks in from behind their left and he settles at the desk set before them.

Airies grins all sharp teeth and predatory gaze. "Good. You're awake. Now, I'm sure you have questions as to why I have brought you here. But I am a gentleman, so I will allow you, as my guests, to ask me one question each."

[ofveneers]

A SHADOW FALLS OVER THEM.

⌈ Black, red, and white filling their vision as the door swings open, a shape blocking the entire doorway. Airies stares down his nose at the two mechs. There is no pleasant smile at his lips this time, the mask of his veneer all but gone. The true Airies revealed. He sneers, "I have grown rather tired of this game, haven't you?"

The bullets stop when he waves a hand in the air. "Did you like my trick, by the way? The EMP. Special gift from yours truly. Anyone will do anything for you as long as you pay the right amount. Isn't that right, Prowl? You really are amazing!. That tactical processor of yours, truly wasted on the likes of you."

Airies slams his hand against Prowl's head, clawed fingertips digging into his helmet as he brings a knee up to the tactician's chest hard. He glances to Perceptor next, with one hand he reaches out, tearing the scope on his shoulder out of its socket, reveling in the feeling of wires and sensors and neural sockets snapping and breaking beneath his hand. Perceptor screams out in agony, clutching at the hand gripped around his sensitive equipment.

He grins, a cruel glint in his eyes. "As for you... You could have been my greatest success. Now look at you. You have fallen so far from grace. It really is a shame. Hah! Two processors bundled up in that bizarre body of yours! All I could learn."

He drops the torn-off scope, energon coating his hand. "Now... I can't have you two running off, can I? Tsk tsk." With that, the two bodyguards tailing him everywhere step forward, grabbing them and cuffing them with stasis locks. He turns his back on them, looking over his shoulder briefly, that smile back upon his face. "Oh, and boys? Please do clean up the mess. I do so hate leaving a trail."

Ugh, he hates getting his hands so dirty. ⌋

— Low velocity. Multi-caliber. Military standard. Possible mods. That gives him enough to work with. " 5.31 seconds, " he corrects first as he peaks around the corner for a split moment before he follows close behind, " certainly trained. Ex soldier if I were to guess. Aim is slightly off, they don't know the current wind speed to compensate perfectly. "

They'll have to reposition. If they're worth their ilk, they'll be able to logically make sense of where they're going through the building and when. Which means they'll have to be exceptionally careful about crossing in front of any windows.

" Elevators might be down, by the way. They could be employing an EMP. Best we take the stairs down. " All the noise and commotion fades to him, they become background static to the way he focuses. He falls back into old habits that should have never been, finding comfort once more in the way everything shuts down.

They have a job to do. Get out. Send the data. Get out. Send the data. Get out. Send the data. (His chest aches. That great monument of perfect attrocity plays at the back of his mind. It calculates guilt.)

" We won't get so lucky next time if we're not careful. They're a good shot. " Not as good as me.

[ofveneers]

Aren't you an interesting specimen.

⌈ " How charming, " said with a laugh, all smiles and charisma as he swirls his aged energon. " That would be Senator to you, my mysterious friend. Not specimen. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

⌈ Oh... this, he simply must watch. ⌋

[ofveneers]

[ofveneers]

⌈ Airies-2 grins as he hands over the second tablet. Oh, this one is certainly bugged. But he trusts this will fall into the correct hands. He is most certain of it. A little gift for his prodigal protege. He allows himself a small moment to revel in this victory, small as it may be. If he's learned anything in all his years, it's that in times of instability, people crave certainty. He is offering Iacon that certainty on a silver platter.

(And when they become lambs to the slaughter? Well... He will be there the entire way. Feeding them his honeyed words full of cloying lies.)

Airies was most familiar with Iacon and other polities' more... controversial sciences. Even Protihex had involved itself in certain areas of experience. If you have something to offer, then you will gain everything. At least, that's what he learned. (Until it all fell apart. He has Savant to blame for that. That's where it began. And fittingly, he hopes it's where it will end in the present.)

"Excellent," he says, and this may perhaps be the first genuine thing he's said, "I hope your people will make the right choice. Until our next meeting, then." And scene... Exit stage right. ⌋

"That's- density compression and mass rearrangement in the scale of- an entire polity?" The space between Prowl's brow and chevron furrows. Although- his disbelief lasts for all but a few kliks. (He of all mechs should know better than to doubt the theories of impossible sciences. It would be hypocritical of him to start, considering the number of mechs he'd personally indentured to the art of it.) Prowl chews on his glossa, briefly cursing himself for sounding so surprised. He turns, if only to spare himself of witnessing Ramwing's reaction. In a snap, the tactician fixes his expression, and thinks. Logic directives and protocols spin in his mind, picking the bait apart. Considering it. Weighing it. The mention of frame integrations weigh heavy- horribly familiar to Prowl- but he does not consider it now. To think about it, to linger on it now, would do him no good. (Briefly, his mind flits to Perceptor, buildings away, rifle likely still trained. Oh, that very consideration frustrates Prowl to no end.) He turns to Ramwing, face unreadable- a servo outstretched. "Very well. I can have our scientists look over it. Though- do not take this as agreement, Senator. Iacon will consider your input. Regrettably, the final decision on this matter isn't mine to make. You can expect to hear back from me soon."

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[ofveneers]

⌈ His smile returns, though this one seems more genuine than the previous one he wore. He's glad Prowl's decided to accept his bait. He truly wants to get across the enormity of power Protihex could easily hold over Iacon should they choose. And he wants him to know how merciful they are by not asking for anything more.

"Refining our metals at the subatomic level. I may not be a scientist myself, but what my people have achieved is truly marvelous. We take your base ores and we change it in such a matter that allows the stress from, say, holding up an entire polity, to be all but null. It is far stronger than adamant crystal ever could be."

He lets his words hang in the air for a moment before he presses on. "And it is only a matter of time before we learn how to apply it to a Cybertronian's frame without causing undue duress. And... In honor of this auspicious meeting, I have the chemical compound written out for you and your people, should they get the chance to look it over." ⌋

Prowl watches as the Senator's attendants are waved off in single file. He does not relax- something he is, in general, rather good at- but this time with a very good reason not to. Four million years was plenty time to learn how to recognize tight-lipped smiles, all teeth and cheek. He recognizes bait when he hears it. For a moment, the enforcer deliberates. (Something crawls under his plating. Prowl ignores it.) "...Uninterested, perhaps. But it doesn't bode well for either of our cities to stay uninformed, Senator." The tactician's voice is very careful when he next speaks- holding Ramwing's eye contact. His pragmatism wins out for today. "Iacon would be more than willing to help with ore and metal demand- for a little bit of mutual honesty."

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[ofveneers]

Truthfully, Airies is thoroughly disgusted by Rampage's... dietary selection. He makes a face for a brief moment as he watches his new cohort. No matter. In due time they will split ways. His brain isn't worth salvaging for his needs. Though... he may be worth studying... He stores the thought away for now, plans upon plans stacked atop one another in his mind's eye.

When the time comes for him to rise, all shall know fear anyways. They will evolve and grow and expand as they were meant to, and he will be the one leading the way. As was meant to be. It will come together in time, he need only wait.

"I do speak for myself, should all go as planned, they will experience fear either way," he says with a hum, leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet up onto his desk. He stares hard at his clawed digits. "And as you said, I am smart. I am well aware that this leads back to me. Which is why I have contingencies."

He looks up from his claws, quirking a brow, "I should hope you hadn't meant that as a threat, my friend." There is a warning in his voice. He has contingencies upon contingencies, even for Rampage. "In any case, I am your best provider of consistent substance, a clean energy source as far we're both concerned. I heard about your little outing by the way, is there anyone you've yet scouted that can provide me with the processing I need?"

@ofveneers / cont.

Rampage had been content to ignore Airies-2's pretentious rambling, for the most part—he only looks up as he crushes the brain module, a scowl flitting across his features at the act. "That was a waste."

The cannibal's hands are equally as bloody as he sets down the last piece, leaning back to admire his work. His victim—their victim, he reminds himself dourly—has been delicately and completely dismantled, their remaining energon siphoned into a cask; save for their innermost energon, of course. He had dined upon that raw and unaltered, along with their spark.

"Speak for yourself." He aligns his tools into neat little rows, then reaches for a rag and solvent to clean his hands. "Their fear is all I need. If you could experience the thrill of the hunt from my perspective, I'm certain you would change your mind."

And when I am no longer of use, you'll try to dispose of me next. He trains his expression, keeping it neutral as he stares at Airies-2. "You're a smart mech. You know what happens if someone shines a light on my dirty work. All of this," he hovers a claw over the dead mech's empty spark casing, "goes right back to you."

[ofveneers]

❝ whoever your enemies are, they have good reason to fear you. ❞

⌈ airies-2 holds the brain module delicately with the tips of his claws. the name of who it once belonged to already slipping from his mind. it won't matter in the end, anyways, all that matters is the results. he glances across the room, watching his newfound... friend tearing into their remains.

his own hands are still bloodied with energon. it doesn't matter. he throws the module into the air before catching it again. " i don't particularly care for their fear, my newfound friend. " he leans back in his chair, the glow of the biocontainer a backlight, illuminating him in a wash of pale green.

" no, fear should be what they experience last. when they realize they've been a hunted animal the whole time. what i want first is their respect. then it's easy to peel into their plates. "

he sighs, over-dramatically as he crushes the brain module in his hand, relishing in the way it cracks and creaks. " what a waste. this one wasn't what i'm looking for... find me a new target and i'll pay you double. tacticians. scientists. engineers. the sort. someone who thinks too much. as for your unique diet, consider yourself well fed. " ⌋

[ofveneers]

baldur's gate 3 starters (part 2)

part 2 / ? .

❝ i’m also worried about me, but i somehow seem to be worried about you more. ❞ ❝ you put the stars to shame. let’s sit here a little while - i want to drink you in. ❞ ❝ i’d tell you not to get in trouble, but i suspect it will find you whether you like it or not. ❞ ❝ well, this seems as good a time as any for me to stop babbling on. ❞ ❝ i just….need some air…clear my head. ❞ ❝ it’s been a long time since i shed a tear. i don’t even know how long. ❞ ❝ i had a feeling you’d show up. it’s sort of our thing. like it’s fate or something. ❞ ❝ i do appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's try to restrain ourselves a little. ❞ ❝ if that was an attempt at flirting, i should let you know i prefer the strong, silent type. ❞ ❝ no matter how far you come, you’re still on the road to ruin. ❞ ❝ i thought you a hunter. wrong. you’re prey - small. snivelling. pathetic. ❞ ❝ and what am i owed? what about the injustices i’ve suffered - am i not entitled to anything? ❞ ❝ i can’t help but feel the strangest twinge of disgust as i look upon you. ❞ ❝ i trust that you will continue to remember who is really on your side. ❞ ❝ better a short life built on truth than immortality woven of lies. ❞ ❝ i won’t make excuses. i can’t make amends. but i want to help, if you’ll let me. ❞ ❝ gods, it’s horrifying…and a touch fascinating. ❞ ❝ there are many names for you --- and all of them inspire dread. ❞ ❝ destiny is at your door; won’t you at least twitch the curtain? ❞ ❝ the gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for love. a hunger crueller than bloodlust. ❞ ❝ you’ve got a backbone, and the makings of a leader. ❞ ❝ revenge sounds so sweet until you’ve taken it. then all you have is…no one left to blame. ❞ ❝ some mistakes can’t be resolved with an apology. some mistakes, you have to carry with you, forever. ❞ ❝ you’re plotting something, aren’t you? come on then - out with it. ❞ ❝ this is not good, if i may state the obvious. ❞ ❝ think of all we’ve been through just to get to this moment. that wasn’t luck. that was us. ❞ ❝ feel like i should laugh but i’m just too godsdamned tired. ❞ ❝ there is something i lost…no, had taken from me. i want it all back. ❞ ❝ careful - you’re in very real danger of hurting my feelings. ❞ ❝ one thing i’ve learned - real saviours never label themselves as such. ❞ ❝ less thinking of bad thoughts, and more breaking of bad bones. ❞ ❝ i rather like interfering. it’s kind of my thing. ❞ ❝ evil is evil, even if it once was innocent. ❞ ❝ you know, i've been catching myself smiling more lately. i think that's your fault.. ❞ ❝ oh, i’m no innocent. but evil? you tell me. ❞ ❝ i still want to believe you’re better than that. but even i am having my doubts. ❞ ❝ i can’t afford to lose my nerve. safer to just not think, and keep forging ahead. ❞ ❝ when all this is over, will you stay with me? for good? ❞ ❝ this is not good, if i may state the obvious. ❞ ❝ is there a reason you're always such an utter drip? do you have some sort of condition? honestly, it's like you hate good news. ❞ ❝ all of nature’s beauty pales in comparison to you. ❞ ❝ i can’t save you from yourself. it hurts terribly, but i can’t. ❞ ❝ if i seem suddenly flush with hope and soft feeling, you have only yourself to blame. ❞ ❝ is there good and evil within us all? ❞

❝ i’ve been watching you fight. your skills are improving. ❞ ❝ you know, for all the sense of dread and horror seeping through this place, i really feel quite at home here. ❞ ❝ and you? you’re wholly without vice or sin or the occasional lapse in judgement? ❞ ❝ i wager you don’t even know how extraordinary you truly are. but i do. ❞ ❝ one might say you’re paragon of luck. i’ll be there when it runs out. ❞ ❝ i've always had a soft spot for the confident ones…they always disappoint though. ❞ ❝ i concealed nothing from you. i simply left out the details that were not pertinent. ❞ ❝ you’re an odd friend. but, i suppose, a friend still. ❞ ❝ i won’t let you do this. i won’t let you win. ❞ ❝ you are my puppet. make no mistake. without me, you have no value. ❞ ❝ well, this seems like a lovely little spot. the sense of impending doom aside. ❞ ❝ whoever your enemies are, they have good reason to fear you. ❞ ❝ this place is astonishing, a bard’s tale made real. ❞ ❝ i may not regret my actions, but i do regret that they were necessary. ❞ ❝ experience has taught me that no matter how bleak things look, there’s always hope. ❞ ❝ if this adventure has taught me anything, it’s that there are things in this world more valuable than power. ❞ ❝ a wise man learns from his mistakes, and strives not to repeat them. ❞ ❝ no more hiding things from me. agreed? ❞ ❝ my friend. my companion. i adore you. ❞ ❝ your face is sour. by all means leave, if i am so distasteful. ❞ ❝ careful, it’s dark around here. would be a terrible shame to lose you forever. ❞ ❝ you startled me. i…i was miles away. ❞ ❝ you have to know who i was. you have to know who i really am. ❞ ❝ nothing special, of course. you’re only the first person who i truly care for. ❞ ❝ you’ve got a backbone, and the makings of a leader. ❞ ❝ anything you ask, i’ll answer as honestly as i can. ❞