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Greywind is a cultural anthropologist who has made a study of any culture he can get his hands on, from Nebulos to the sub-cultures of Maximals and Predacons to the classified culture of Old Earth itself. Greywind is not fond of guns, although he can use his energy pistol if absolutely necessary. His aim stinks, however, and he's far more likely to use his surrounding to cause an enemy to injure himself. Part of the crew of a routine exploration vessel, Greywind was forced into protostasis when a meteor storm engulfed the ship. His stasis pod was damaged when it crashed, causing irreparable damage to some of the circuits, although not those containing his datatrax. Shadowstalker found and repaired him, routing the commands through his own circuits. This created an incredible bond between the two. Greywind takes his responsibilities as Shadowstalker's "guide" very seriously, often blaming himself if something happens to his friend. Due to this connection, Greywind resigned from the Maximal exploration sector and signed on with the Peacekeepers as Shadowstalker's permanent partner. Sometimes a bit insecure about his lack of formal fight training, Greywind's knowledge and quick wits are usually more than enough to help him cover Shadowstalker's back.
Name: Shadowstalker
Beast Mode: Panther (Black Jaguar)
Faction: Maximal
Function: Peacekeeper
Quote: "You can sneak up on me... but I wouldn't recommend it."
Shadowstalker was once a cadet in Maximal Star Command, one of the highest-ranked
in his class, and a very close friend to Optimus Primal. An accident during
a routine training mission in one of the older parts of Cybertron awakened
an empathetic gift in him. These psychic gifts had been considered extinct
since the Great War, however, and there was no one to recognize it or help
him control it. Unable to stand the company of others during his flare-ups,
Shadowstalker left the Academy and became one of the elite organization
known as the Peacekeepers.
On a Search and Rescue mission for a downed exploration vessel, Shadowstalker
found a downed stasis pod, with a protoform on the verge of expiring. With
no other choice, he downloaded the transformation protocols through his
own circuits, and the Maximal Greywind was created, with a link of unknown
nature to his savior. Shadowstalker quickly discovered that Greywind was
a lifesaver, understanding the nature of his psychic gift and helping him
control it. Now, Shadowstalker can use his psychic sense to scan for ambushes,
although he can still lose himself in the sensations if not grounded by
Greywind.
Shadowstalker has lightened up considerably now that Greywind is with
him. He smiles, laughs, and even cracks jokes on occasion, prompting those
who knew him before to observe that Greywind is perhaps the real miracle
worker of the pair. Shadowstalker tends to take injuries to his friends
VERY personally, often blaming himself for things he cannot help. This
is the case most often with Greywind. He is fiercely loyal, not only to
his partner, but to anyone else he considers a friend.
Name: Trickster
Beast Mode: Coyote
Faction: Maximal
Function: Psychologist/Peacekeeper
Quote: "I've had fun. This isn't it."
Trickster is a wise-guy Maximal, always stirring up trouble. There's usually a method to his madness, however, usually getting members of the crew to open up to each other about their problems. However, Trickster is quite closed-mouthed about his own troubles, usually only opening up to Nightflier. Despite his complaints, smart remarks, and preference for remaining in bed, Trickster is a courageous and selfless Maximal, one who has Optimus Primal's respect, admiration, and occasional amusement. Trickster enjoys a good fight as much as the next guy, and will occasionally engage in rather cutting verbal banter with his teammates. Trickster generally gives the impression of being self-centered and conceited, but he is a gifted psychologist, possessed of a phenomenal understanding of the Cybertronian mind. Thanks to his quick temper and habit of finding trouble, Trickster is quite an accomplished fighter, and a phenomenal shot. If it has a trigger, he can use it, and hit a scraplet at a hundred yards. There are few things in life Trickster takes seriously, but his loyalty to his friends is unmatched. In a life that has always been uncertain, they are his only constant.
Name: Nightflier
Beast Mode: Owl
Faction: Maximal
Function: Medic/Inventor/Peacekeeper
Quote: "You only need three things in life- friends, logic, and a good
right hook."
Nightflier was practically a legend at the Cybertronian Academy, excelling in any field he chose to go into. His main interest was physics, although he also has extensive training in repairs- not to mention a lot of practice, thanks to some of Trickster's habits. The two of them have been inseparable for years, and when the Academy told Trickster that he was no longer welcome as a faculty member, Nightflier quit without looking back. The two of them, plus Sonicshot, soon wound up in the Peacekeepers, dealing with the rising tide of unrest on the Cybertronian worlds, both between Maximals and Predacons, and Predacon internal strife over methods of overcoming their second-class status. This might seem like a strange career choice for an academic, but Nightflier is hardly an ivory-tower type. He has a dry sense of humor, and a quiet courage that has carried him through numerous tight spots. Also, he has a devastating uppercut, as more than one careless Predacon has found out. He is often the voice of reason in a tense situation, and his council is invaluable, both to his friends and to Optimus Primal.
Name: Sonicshot
Beast Mode: Dolphin
Faction: Maximal
Function: Technician/Scout/Peacekeeper
Quote: "Oh, WOW!"
Sonicshot, much like Cheetor, is one of those Maximals who constantly seems to be fresh from the Matrix. He has a child-like enthusiasm that can distract you from the brilliant mind inside. Sonicshot is playful and carefree, and an absolute genius with technology. Trickster has often said that between Nightflier and Sonicshot, the Maximals could build anything up to a fusion cannon, if Megatron would just give them enough time. Trickster is like an older brother to the dolphin-bot, and has been ever since the two met at the Academy. When Trickster and Nightflier left the college, Sonicshot was right behind them, despite having a flourishing career. One of Sonicshot's greatest strengths is that he doesn't seem like a Peacekeeper. Frightened people instinctively trust him, while enemies tend to underestimate him. Sonicshot would like everyone to be able to live in peace, but he knows that isn't likely. However, he is prepared to believe the best about people until proven otherwise, no matter if those others are Maximal, Predacon, or anything else.
Name: Hound
Beast Mode: German Shepherd
Faction: Maximal
Function: Tracker/Recon/Peacekeeper
Quote: "Everything's a puzzle. You just have to find the key."
Hound is a career member of the Peacekeepers, a practical, down-to-earth Maximal whose favorite pastime is solving mysteries and puzzles. When he was assigned to shepherd three rookie Peacekeepers on their first voyage, he thought he was doomed. Instead, the three helped him deal with a smuggling ring, AND clear three Predacons accused of murder at the same time. From that moment on, the four were inseparable. Hound is a calm Maximal with an easy smile and a good sense of humor. His personality is very similar to that of Optimus Primal, which makes him an excellent commander if necessary.
Name: Firecat
Beast Mode: Cougar
Faction: Maximal
Function: Pilot/Peacekeeper
Quote: "The Pit hath no fury like a femme-bot with a blaster."
Firecat is one of the few femme-bots in the Peacekeepers, but she's more than capable of keeping up with the others. Lithe and agile, she can handle a ship like nobody's business. She was thrown in with the other four on their second mission together, and was quickly accepted into the group. She has a huge crush on Nightflier, but it's unknown whether he returns the romantic interest, although he obviously cares about her. She and Trickster constantly wage verbal warfare, a process that disguises the deep respect they have for each other. Sonicshot and Hound she cares deeply about, not only as friends and teammates, but also as two of the rare Peacekeepers to accept her without reservations about her gender.
Name: Bighorn
Beast Mode: Black-faced Ram
Faction: Maximal
Function: Troubleshooter
Quote: "I put my foot in my mouth... but my fist in your face."
Bighorn was at first less than pleased with his beast mode, but he's
adapted. The Maximal troubleshooter has always been the type to run into
a situation head-first-- now by doing so, he can punch a whole through
three inches of steel. Rather like Rattrap, Bighorn's skills lie in his
ability to handle almost every situation that comes up. His methods are
usually quite different, however, and the two argue ALMOST as much as Rattrap
and Dinobot do. Bighorn and Dinobot aren't particularly friendly, but don't
have any real problems with each other. He finds Cheetor exhausting, but
in a good way. Polaris is perhaps the closest friend Bighorn has... the
two can talk about things none of the other Maximals understand for hours
on end. Also, he has a penchant for sheep puns that only the penguin femme
truly appreciates. Bighorn sometimes has a tendency to put his foot in
his mouth in conversation, something which Rattrap exploits to no end.
Polaris takes such things in stride, however. Primal doesn't particularly
understand Bighorn or his thought processes, but he knows that the sheep-bot
is a valuable soldier and a pretty good guy.
(Visual... well, his transformation is like Rattrap's. Color scheme
is white and black. Robot mode- he kind of looks like he's wearing a football
helmet, without the face mask. Optics are red.)
Name: Scramble
Faction: Decepticon
Function: Tactician/Commander
Alternate Mode: Hovership
Quote: "Pain teaches you many things. Like when to duck."
Scramble is a bit of a paradox. He has over four million years of life
experience, but less than a hundred years have passed since his date of
birth. Scramble originally came on-line as a Predacon named Waspinator,
and through a temporal jump, found himself back on Earth, not too long
after the crash of the Ark, the legendary Autobot vessel. When the Beast
Wars were over, Waspinator was left behind, and soon became a combination
of deity and protector for the protohumans of Earth.
Having been rebuilt into a Decepticon Micromaster during the Great
War, Scramble returned to Cybertron and proceeded to commit vast parts
of Cybertron's history to his memory disk, in preparation for the time
when the Maximal Elders would classify it all.
After four million years, Scramble has completely lost the "buzzing"
effect of Waspinator's voice, and Waspinator's tendency to speak in the
third person. Though he wears the symbol of the Decepticons, Scramble is
not particularly loyal to any one faction. Instead, his loyalty is to his
friends, his ideals, and his dream of a free and united Cyberton. Educated
and charismatic, Scramble has used his long life to make many friends and
allies, in all factions.
With four million years of life under his belt, Scramble has pretty
much seen it all. This knowledge makes him an excellent tactician, and
combined with his warm heart and quiet demeanor, it makes him somewhat
of a father-figure to many of those around him. And his years spent as
a cosmic dartboard has given him a dry sense of humor that makes him quite
easy to talk to.
Scramble has few real flaws, simply by virtue of having lived so long.
One of them, however, is his tendency to act on impulse when he sees injustice
done, especially if it reminds him of his time as Waspinator. Also, he
CAN be a bit scatter-brained at times. Still, with his intelligence, charisma,
and genuine good heart, Scramble and his allies are perhaps Cyberton's
best hope for a real, peaceful future.
Overheard:
"What was THAT all about?"
"I seem to have developed a slight urge to meddle. A side effect of
being worshipped as a deity for several millennia, I suppose. Oh, yes,
there are the sacrificial goats, and the ceremonies of tribute... but people
keep asking you to FIX things. It's become rather a habit of mine."
"Lime-green Decepticon, slightly nuts, and WAY too perceptive about
things you wish he'd leave alone?"
"Yeah, that's Scramble, all right."
Name: Minerva
Faction: Maximal
Function: Scout/Spy/Demolionist
Beast Mode: Mouse
Quote: "C-4 is the spice of life."
The security chief for the Starship Axis, Minerva is a good friend to
Polaris. A somewhat raucous type who enjoys the nightlife, the mouse-bot
has taken it upon herself to drag her somewhat shyer friend out into the
real world. Minerva loves a good drink, a good party, a good fight, and
ANY type of male companionship. Always in the center of the action, she
can be surprisingly maternal around her friends or anyone she feels needs
mothering.
Minerva keeps a cool head under fire, which means she can usually get
herself out of any trouble she gets herself into. She and Rattrap are two
peas in a pod, and fight almost as much as they get along. She has a slight
southern accent, and tends to call people "sugah," especially when she
wants to annoy them.
Name: Polaris
Beast Mode: Penguin
Faction: Maximal
Function: Hostess/Information Gathering
Quote: "People leave echoes in history. Listen harder."
Not long after the disappearance of the Axalon, her sister ship, the
Axis was launched. Its mission took it to an Earth-like planet that Cyberton
was just beginning to set up a colony on. Among the crew were Mirage, a
delegate from the Council of Elders and his entourage, including a femme
by the name of Polaris. On Cybertron, she had been a hostess for the Iacon
Grand Ballroom, seeing that political mixers and such went smoothly. As
a member of Mirage's delegation, she mainly dealt with smoothing relations
between the delegation, and the colony heads. High levels of background
energon radiation on the planet caused most of the newcomers to adopt Beast
Modes. Polaris wound up taking on that of a penguin.
Upon the delegation's return to Cyberton, Polaris was caught in a mag-lev
accident that claimed the lives of several Cybertronians. In fact, her
own Spark was in fibrillation for several hours before mysteriously stabilizing.
After her near-death experience, Polaris began to feel dissatisfied with
her work, seeking something more. She eventually met with Scramble and
found herself drawn to his dream of a free Cybertron, having seen the corruption
in the government.
Polaris is an intelligent and well-read femme, if a bit lacking in
self-esteem. She was extracted from the Matrix and immediately became a
hostess, so no one has ever really been interested in her for anything
more than her social graces. No one until she joined Scramble, that is.
She very much enjoys Cheetor's company, finding his energy very refreshing.
And Rattrap and Minerva are some of her favorite people to be around. For
some unknown reason, Polaris finds herself drawn to Optimus Primal. Partly,
this is because both of them love literature and history, but there's a
deeper connection that neither of them can explain. Although as courageous
as any of her comrades, Polaris is not much of a fighter, something she
is keenly aware of.
(Black and white color scheme. For physical appearance, think a Rattrap-scale
Airrazor. Most of her bot parts are white, with the black "Penguin" parts
overtop or on the back. Her head is a sleek helmet shape that vaguely resembles
a chin-length hairstyle. Face is shorter than Airrazors, and more heart-shaped.
Optics are red.)
Name: Afterburn
Faction: Maximal
Function: Field Commander
Alternate Mode: Speedster.
Quote: "I'm what's left when the fire burns out."
Afterburn is a taciturn Maximal with few friends. He keeps to himself,
and most people are content to let him. Anyone who tries to draw him into
a conversation or any other type of interaction tends to stop after being
the focus of that frozen blue gaze. Afterburn's behavior is reckless, borderline
suicidal. However, he is incapable of risking the lives of others, which
is half the reason Scramble placed him in command of a team. The other
is that he truly is an excellent commander.
What only a select few know is that Afterburn is actually Hot Rod,
formerly Rodimus Prime. He disappeared after Optimus Prime's assassination,
knowing that his own term as Autobot leader would surely serve to make
him a target as well. He feels that he failed to protect Optimus, and this
third and very final loss of his surrogate father has him swinging on an
emotional pendulum. At first, he felt a deep dislike for Optimus Primal,
whom he felt unworthy of the legacy being handed to him. However, after
having known Primal and seeing that he has some of the same doubts, Afterburn
has developed a grudging respect for the man. Besides Primal and Scramble,
the only Maximal who has managed to get under Afterburn's shell is Cheetor,
despite Afterburn's best efforts to keep him at a distance. The younger
Maximal understands more of what Afterburn feels than either of them really
wish to admit, and a closeness has grown up between them.
Name: Rodimus Primal
Faction: Maximal
Function: Scout/General Pain in the Ass
Alternate Mode: Phoenix
Quote: "Inferno who?"
The product of a malfunctioning pod, a raging wildfire, the quantum
surge, and general political intrigue, Rodimus Primal is a semi-Transmetal
phoenix with a seriously warped sense of humor. Unlike most protoforms,
who are placed into stasis directly upon extraction from the Matrix, Rodimus
was a fully functional Maximal who was placed into protostasis for reasons
he is unwilling to reveal. His appearance contains elements resembling
both Rodimus Prime and Hot Rod, hence his name.
Rodimus' job description really does include the phrase "General Pain
in the Ass," a duty he enjoys whole-heartedly. While he can be extremely
annoying at times, it's usually for a good cause. He has a surprising gift
for psychology, and can often irritate a shipmate into an emotional breakthrough.
Unfortunately, by that time, they often want to unload a blaster into him.
Most of the time, however, Rodimus is on good terms with the other
Maximals. His goofy humor and ocasionally sarcastic wit endear him to both
Cheetor and Rattrap. Generally Rodimus acts as almost an older brother
to Cheetor, wavering between mentor and partner-in-crime. To Optimus, he's
a capable lieutenant, and Dinobot considers him an excellent warrior. Rhinox
likes him well enough, but would just as soon not have him around, since
Rodimus is able to make any equipment he approaches self-destruct.