Upgrade: Dirge's Engine Spectacular


 * WOOSH*

A dark blue Seeker casts a long shadow across the entranceway of NCC Medical as the door opens. Dirge stands there,

darkening the doorway for several seconds before walking slowly into the room, carrying a large datapad tablet. "With whom shall I

speak regarding engineering concerns?" he asks the room openly. Wiretap's small ears perk up as Dirge arrives. She has been itching to test out her technical skills, to prove herself to the

Decepticons... And to to perhaps gather incriminating data while she's at it. Her tail flicks, and she turns to face the dark blue

Seeker. "How can I be of service?" She purrs.

Dirge looks down slowly to the diminutive Cassette technician. He lowers the data tablet for inspection. "I have.. procured a copy

of plans used to upgrade the engines of Ramjet. If I allow him to take full air superiority in speed and range, I will never be

free of his incessant gloating. Therefore, I wish to have these plans adapted. We are of the same line, and the modifications

should be minor."

"How convenient..." Wiretap murmers, and she leaps to a nearby repair bay. "I happened to have been present to observe that very

same operation. It should be fairly straightforward to complete." She begins preparing the repair bay table, aligning automated

arms and getting any tools she will need for the procedure. "Lay down on the table and transform, soldier."

Dirge rasps softly, "Additionally.. he must know he has a better. Perhaps I have a challenge for you. If you will not find it.. too

difficult.. I should require a replacement of seals and the addition of systems to convert my engines into proper space-capable

propulsion, including thruster-based attitude control. Have you the capacity to perform these tasks?"

Wiretap skims over the data tablet Dirge has brought with him, tapping it with her delicate claws as she makes adjustments to

various aspects of the design, icluding adding schematics for additional space-flight thrusters on the wings. "Well within my

abilities, Dirge. Proceed with transformation."

Dirge hops up onto the table, transforming in midair...

In a flurry of arms, legs, and wings, Dirge reconfigures himself into the form of an Experimental F-15 fighter jet.


 * THUNK*

The heavily-modified form of the blue F-15 fighter jet lands solidly on landing gear on the large table. Emitted from a hidden

speaker comes a gravelly voice, "And do not adjust the tuning of my engines. They are in a.. precise balance. The specifications

are listed in my file."

Wiretap is, of course, far smaller than the Decepticon F-15, small enough to ride in it's cockpit with ease. But, that just makes

it easier for her to work on the finer details of what will be a delicate procedure. She hrms at Dirge's remark, but she probaly

won't be needing to adjust Dirge's existing engines. And if she does need to, well, she just won't tell him. The agile weasel leaps

up onto the upper surface of the dark blue jet, and begins opening access panels near the rear of the jet to allow her access to

the areas she needs to work in. "First i'd like ot make some improvement to the primary power couplings heading to your engines,

you wouldn't want to blow any fuses when we integrate two new space engines to your system." She says in a professional tone. The

end of her thick tail transforms into a variety of tools, which she uses to begin tinkering on the power couplings, adding some

additional components that will direct power to the two new engines to be added later.

Experimental F-15  emits, "However you must accomplish this, simply do it. Know that your work will herald a new age of

destruction and death on this pitiful world. None shall be safe, though they may flee toward the stars themselves.."

Poweful scanning lenses flip out of Wiretap's cranium and cover here eyes, giving her a pair of goggles that allow her eyes to see

deep into Dirge's systems. She tsks softly to herself, and scampers over to aquire some new components, carrying them in her mouth.

She installs the new components using her multi-tool tail, and closes the panels. She opens her mouth to explain what he's doing,

but Dirge doesn't seem to have the mental faculties or technicla training to really understand what she's up to. Oh well. "Oh? and

I'm sure the upcoming air race at the Olympics has /nothing/ to do with this particular upgrade procedure?" She asks, while she

prepares for the new engines to be installed. She scampers to the repair bay controls, and instructs the manipulator arms to remove

and dissasemble Dirge's wing infrastructure.

Experimental F-15  scoffs, "Games are nothing. An attractive diversion for the weak of mind. These Olympics are a brief

respite, but soon the war will resume..."

Leaving the robotic repair bay limbs to follow thier instructed actions, Wiretap heads over to the main computer in the medical

ward, climbing up so she can access the controls. "Hrm, perhaps they need to install a cassette-sized terminal..." She muses, while

going through the inventory of parts on hand. She locates what she needs, a pair of space thrusters, with vectoring thrust for

maximum mobility. The system has them tagged for a warrior named Redshift, but Wiretap erases the identity and replaces it with

'Dirge'. She requisitions some additional compact manueviering thrusters, and instructs the computer to aquire and deliver them to

Dirge's repair bay station.

Experimental F-15  is silent for a few moments, then realizes Wiretap isn't explaining anything anymore. "There is something

disconcerting about your sudden silence, Cassette," he hisses. "If you have connected my fuel line to my electrical system, I

ensure you that when I explode I will take you to Hell with me.."

Wiretap is glad to note that Dirge is not afflicted by the ego-swelling arrogance so many members of Aerospace possess,although she

isn't sure if the dark and dreary mood of this particualr air warrior is an improvement or not. She certainly wouldn't want to be

in a room full of Dirges, anyway. She returns to Dirge's side, to find his yellow wings dissasembled as she instructed. Good. She

begins using her tail as a cutting torch, removing sections and modifying the wings to allow them to accept the new engines. "And

there is something disconcerting about your obsession with deactivation, Dirge. But, I have no intentions of making you explode."

The new engines arrive from storage, right on time, and Wiretap's tail switches from a torch to a sonic screwdriver as she installs

the engines into the wings, making fine adjustments and connections with her dexterous forepaws.

Experimental F-15  settles, seeming a bit more patient. "We have all been crafted for a purpose, Cassette. Mine is the

unerring destruction of our enemies. The spread of misery and fear amongst those so pathetic as to oppose our rule." A few yellow

lights flicker in his canopy. "It is obsession only in the way that the wrench is obsessed with turning the bolt."

Wiretap installs the space thusters, and runs a few quick diagnostics on the before proceding. The engines *thrum* to life, and the

directional thrust vents on the ends move into various positions. "Very good, these seem to be working well." She adds, and

instructs the mechanical limbs attached to the repair bay table to lift the modifed wings into place, while Wiretap bolts and welds

them in place, then porceeds with making the actual connections that will allow Dirge to control his new components. Fancy new

space engines, built right into the wing and tailfin infrastructure! "Ok, try activating the thrusters. Minimal power only, just

see if they're integrating. I still have to add some heatshielding and a micrometeorite coating."

The hard part is complete, and Dirge's new thrusters seem to be functioning properly. "You'll have to take them for a test run,

record the data, and then come in for a check-up to make sure they're functioning." She instructs, while she begins modifying the

underside of Dirge's forward sections with heat shielding tiles, conviniently already coloured appropriatly for Dirge's paint

scheme. The tiles are wleded and bolted into place, meshing seamlessly with the jet's design. She begins spraying on a special

polymer coating onto Dirge's exterior armor plating, for obsorbing the stress of high-speed micrometeor impacts.


 * woooooeeeeEEEEE*

The F-15's engines slowly turn on and begin to cycle up to idle, filling the room with a strange wailing noise, like many voices

screeching at each other. In sequence, thrusters begin firing test pulses. "Ah yes.. I believe this will do -quite-

satisfactorily.."

The end of the polymer application process marks the end of the upgrade procedure, making Dirge the newest member of the elite

space-faring Seekers. She monitors the activity in Dirge's new engines and upgraded power couplings, and everything appears to be

running within specifications. The weasel leaps away from the jet, and pauses to admire her work. "Take it easy on the new

components, but they should be fully functional soon." Wiretap says, wondering just how she can use this encounter to her advantage

in the future. At the very least, the blue dread-seeker 'owes her one'.


 * EEEEEEEEEEEE*

Dirge brings his engines slowly up to a working level. Not enough to cause him to start moving, due to his brakes and the mechanism

holding him to the table. But probably enough to piss off anyone in the room. The alien shriek rebounds off the surfaces of the

medbay, augmented by two new engines lending their voices to the mix. Then, suddenly, it stops and the engines spin down and cut

off.

The jet transforms to stand on the table, turning his gaze down to examine the new engines on his wings.

The blue Experimental F-15 warps, bends, and reconfigures itself into the form of Dirge, Decepticon warrior!

Dirge looks at the weasel. "I will remember this." Whatever that means.