I Am A Soldier:

HEY

Jumping on the bandwagon here, and recycling this journal.  You miiiiiiiight want to defriend it :(  Not because I don't love you, but because I don't want you getting confused.

Everything after this entry is no longer relating to the MS ELEGANTE.

Because the public sort of these things scare me like spiders under the toilet seat cover, I have placed this here for privacy purposes.

Anon is allowed, comments are screened, etc, etc. All I ask is... please be gentle.

player information.

name: Red
are you over 18?: Yes
personal dw: redfirelight
email/msn/aim/plurk/etc: aim @ thisismyomnitool, plurk @ redfirelight
characters in abax: Zevran Arainai, Garrus Vakarian


in character information.

series: Transformers (Live Action Movies)
name: Ironhide
age: Millions Of Years, if not older. (50 Million, for the purposes of the app)
sex: Male, (technically None but Ironhide uses male pronouns for himself)
race: Cybertronian, Autobot
weight: 4.9 tons
height:25', 0"
** These are his canon height and weight. He will be downsized to 8' 0", in-game.

canon point: Dark of the Moon, just before [SPOILERS IN WHITE] Sentinel's betrayal. And Ironhide's own death.
previous cr: None

history:
It is said that Ironhide is one of the oldest known Autobots--and he looks it, with his body still carrying many scars, broken pieces, and countless repairs, most specifically a bad hip and faulty core timing (according to the bio on the back of his toy). He is a veteran of countless battles, both on Cybertron, and on Earth.

He was a captain in Megatron's protection force, the Cybertronian Armed forces, fighting to protect the planet and the All Spark from hostile takeover, and well-known for his ability on the field. This skill was, according to his history, enough to which Megatron himself took notice, and allowed the soldier audiences with him, to make his reports in person. Ironhide worked closely with Starscream, and other warriors, who would later turn on their own kind. Everything was perfectly normal, until the science team led by Optimus uncovered a strange piece of triangular metal with an odd inscription, and, at the same time, their planet was attacked by an organic army looking to take the All Spark for themselves. Ironhide was involved in the battle, helping to drive off the enemy fighters.

Then Megatron took the triangle thing for himself. Soon after, he fell into madness, ordering the deaths of a group of the same scientists -- including Optimus Prime -- who had discovered it. After Megatron launched an all-out attack on the organics trying to take the All Spark, and began forming the Decepticons, Ironhide was among the first dissenters to join Optimus. He refused to take innocent lives.

This was the most difficult choice he had to make. Did he stay with the army, as was his function, or did he follow his programming, and go with what he knew was right? There was no way that a group of scientists -- one of whom did good repair work from time to time -- could be guilty of what Megatron claimed. There was no reason for Megatron's claim... and calling for execution, their execution, was not the purpose of soldiers. He knows full well that he deserted the armed forces. But he will never admit it. Especially after the war began, and his choice was vindicated. He does not regret what he did, and if pressed, he will justify his decision.

He has been serving under the Autobot leader ever since, becoming not only comrades, but friends as well.

When the war officially broke out, he became indispensable, providing tactics, and some intel on the Decepticons. At some point during the war, he was given the task of training the young warriors, produced to bolster the Autobot forces. He seemed to take to this task quite readily. One in particular was called Sideswipe, and the two were quite close during Sideswipe's training and upbringing. Unfortunately, they lost contact after the younger 'bot was dispatched to look after a refugee colony, which ended in disaster. It was destroyed by a Decepticon named Demolishor, and Sideswipe took off on his own, after an argument about tactics with his old teacher.

Eventually, Optimus was forced to launch the All Spark from Cybertron, in an attempt to end the war, despite dooming their race, and their planet. Megatron followed out into space, abandoning his troops, but the war continued. It was decided that a group of Autobots would seek out the All Spark, and Megatron, before the Decepticon forces could do the same. Ironhide was among the group chosen for the mission.

Once on Earth, he joined in the search, resulting in a great deal of frustration, and the discovery of the boy Samuel Witwicky, who was in possession of a map to the All Spark. All this searching eventually culminated in the battle of Mission City, and the apparent death of Megatron when Sam shoved the All-Spark into Megatron's own spark, along with their longtime lieutenant, Jazz.

Ironhide was among the cleanup crew following the battle, partnering with Captain Lennox's team in taking down the rogue machines created by the All-Spark's energies. He later aided in transporting the Decepticon remains to their final resting place, taking part in small skirmishes with them along the way.

He, along with the other surviving Autobots, joined forces with the human military, forming the group known as NEST, in order to hunt down both the remaining Decepticon forces, and any that might arrive later on. With Megatron dead, it seemed that Starscream had taken over the command of the Decepticons. For two years, they fought battle after battle, collecting more Autobot refugees, and coming out with more victories than they did losses. Every part of the globe was under scrutiny, from the African desert, to the Andes. In Africa, they engaged Starscream's forces at a major dam in Zambia, defeating them, and saving millions of lives, as the Decepticons had been attempting to break the dam. Later, he took part in a mission to Australia, in which it was discovered that there were a splinter group of Decepticons, working toward Megatron's resurrection. This only strengthened the need to step up patrols, and stop any Decepticon who entered Earth's atmosphere.

Then, an incident took place in Buenos Aires, in which Ironhide was called on to reign in his old student. Sideswipe had reappeared, obsessed with revenge, and was hell-bent on taking down a massive Decepticon alone. The younger Autobot managed to rack up a large death toll, and huge amounts of property damage before Ironhide could talk him down. It took the old warrior throwing himself in front of a missile strike to get through to the younger, and haul him back to NEST, where they began working together once again.

All went as planned, until a routine mission in Shanghai came coupled with a strange warning about "the Fallen". From there, everything fell apart--the human government's relationship with the Autobots disintegrated into suspicion, Megatron was revived, and, worst of all, it seemed, Optimus was killed.

Following the apparent disbanding of the NEST forces, Ironhide took part in the battle in Egypt, fending off the oncoming Decepticon horde until Sam could reach Optimus--presumably with a way to restore Ironhide's leader and old friend back to life. During that battle, Sam was killed, seemingly ending all hope of reviving Prime, and Megatron's massed forces drew down on the dwindling NEST team. And then, somehow, the boy came back to life. Prime was revived, and the Fallen defeated, thanks to quick action on the part of Ratchet, a defunct old Decepticon, and a previously unknown Autobot called Jolt.

After the Decepticon retreat, or rather, after Megatron and Starscream fled, things slowly began to go back to the way they were. NEST was placed back in action, and started working not only to root out Decepticon incursions, but, apparently, terrorist threats as well since this is a Michael Bay movie, after all. Everything went pretty swimmingly, until a Decepticon known as Shockwave attacked NEST HQ, killing a good number of Autobots, and NEST personnel -- including one Director Galloway, much to the private relief of a lot of personnel. The Autobots and their allies carried on... at least until Shockwave reappeared in Chernobyl, and it became obvious that their human allies hadn't exactly been honest with them about important facets of history. Like... finding and using Cybertronian technology. In Chernobyl.

Optimus was understandably upset, as were the others, and after he made this very clear, a mission was launched to find the source of the technology the humans had appropriated -- a source Ironhide identified as an old Autobot ship known as the Ark, a ship which carried very valuable cargo. One Sentinel Prime, a hitherto unmentioned mentor of Optimus, along with some very secret and powerful technology known as a 'space bridge'. So off they went to pick him up, and bring him and his stuff down to Earth. This was all well and good until, of course, the Decepticons heard about it, and decided to crash the party.

Ironhide was one of the defenders who stood against a pair of Decepticon attacks on the NEST compound in Washington DC. He and his student, Sideswipe, took down the Decepticons with relative ease, before falling back to help defend Sentinel from further attacks -- as they had realized it was he the Decepticons sought after.

And then Abax happened.

personality:
Tough-as-nails and no-nonsense, Ironhide is a warrior to the core, despite the fact he tends to be something of a loose cannon—-no pun intended--with a temper and actual cannons to back him up. He is fiercely loyal to a given cause--fanatically loyal to the Autobot cause, and utterly devoted to Optimus Prime. However, he tends to be standoffish, occasionally foul-mouthed, and stubborn, going so far as to argue with Optimus before ultimately giving in. Tact is not in his vocabulary, or his core programming. Ironhide has a temper, and although his "bite" is just as bad as his "bark", his displays are often easily settled by those who know how to properly handle him. He's excitable, despite his age, especially where weapons and explosions are concerned. But around pretty much everything else, he acts like a grouchy old man, with a stubborn streak as wide as he is massive.

While he does not give his trust away freely, especially in regards to humanity, once you’ve won it, he can be frighteningly devoted. He does genuinely care about his fellow Autobots, but the Decepticons have a special place in hell, as far as he's concerned--he hates them as much as any living thing can hate another. He feels that any measures are necessary when it comes to defeating said Decepticons. Since a good majority of the soldiers he once knew sided with Megatron, relishing in chaos and destruction, tainting their purpose. In a sense, most of those he knew betrayed their kind, and therefore Ironhide himself--in his opinion. Megatron especially. He worked with them, trusted them, and they ended up trying to kill him, and the Autobots.

"Turning traitor" is, therefore, a big issue for him; a traitor, he believes, cannot be redeemed. They are scum, and can never be trusted again.

But for the Autobots, and their human allies at NEST and in the children, he would give his life in their defense, without hesitation. He will never, ever, kill those he deems to be innocent--which is usually a synonym for "civilian". Beating them into a pile of unrecognizable scrap, however, does not count as "killing", in his book. It's gotten him into trouble for nearly crossing the line before, as far as physical violence goes. But under no circumstances will he actually take a civilian life. Death is for soldiers and traitors. On this, he will not so much as bend.

He was made for soldiering--for protecting the weaker, the younger, the innocent. Whether that means throwing himself into the fray ahead of one of them, taking the shots meant for another, or giving his own life for them, it doesn't matter to him. He will do so. It isn't so much that he feels certain individuals cannot protect themselves. It's just something he must do, and can't adequately explain why. If he is unable to defend those he cares for, or those he feels he must, it rarely sits well with him. He doesn't know how to protect people from things that can't be fought, and that, for lack of a better word, scares him a little. More accurately, he hates it.

Ironhide is painfully private, almost to the point of phobic. All personal matters, especially his own, are best kept private. This is likely due to his experience in the military, where there was little place for things like feelings. Afterward, Personal Matters were something the enemy could use against him, and thus best kept quiet.

He does try to get along with his allies, and with people more outwardly emotional than he is, but he seems to consistently say the wrong thing, and can't for the life of him figure out what he's said wrong or why. Most of his more concerned, sentimental conversations are locked down--the words are supposed to be between the two parties, not the rest of the world. Emotion still overrides caution, sometimes, and he's not always able to do this, which leaves him ashamed of himself, or merely embarrassed, for a long time afterward. This includes forms of physical affection beyond the odd shove--it's private, it should take place behind closed doors. He has a very clear soft spot for the young -- human or Autobot, as evidenced by his raising of one Autobot, and his treatment of Bumblebee throughout his canon.

Lastly, if you want to live, do not fly with Ironhide. He hates it, loathes it. If there is any other feasible means of transportation, by God, he will take it.

abilities/powers:
His name does not lie, his armor is thick, and tough, it had to be, for him to have survived for as long as he has. Shots that would kill a smaller, lesser-armored Autobot only scratch him. It takes a great deal of force to so much as puncture his exterior armor. He's rather agile for his size and age, although not a fast mover. Both he and his vehicle mode are heavy-duty brawlers, not quick scouts. His top speed is only 110MPH in vehicle mode, though he is capable of hauling 200 metric tons, and able to take on most head-on collisions without much severe damage. He is almost literally a tank in truck form. And, since he's an Autobot, is capable of switching between forms on a split-second's notice. He can scan a machine and take its form. However, it does need to be of the right size to accommodate his mass.

At one point, it was said that he had a hand in destroying a small planet with the strength of his weaponry. Also according to the novel, Veiled Threat, he has the capacity to refine and create energon, which is essentially a substance that comes from breeding nitroglycerin, gasoline, alcohol, and the juice in blue glowsticks.

Like all Autobots, he possesses scanning capability--although what exactly that entails is unclear. It is noted that they are capable of detecting lifeforms, other Cybertronians, and some types of radioactive material with these scanners.

He is capable of calling up a holographic driver, though the exact capabilities of said hologram are never quite explained. They can speak with the voice of the Cybertronian in question, but are not solid, as objects are able to pass through them. There is no other discernible difference, however, between the hologram and a real human.

**Ironhide's other obvious strength is that of his weapons--the two main cannons on and in each arm. On the right arm, a plasma warhead launcher, capable of firing off 3 "smart" rounds per second. On the left, a fission chamber cannon, delivering a 12kt payload.

Rumor has it that he also possesses a minigun, firing 200 rounds per second, but prefers the larger cannons. All of his guns are equipped with top-of-the-line targeting sights, and only the very best in components and semi-self-regenerating ammunition. The fission cannon is capable of solar recharge, while the missiles can be replenished by ingesting raw material in the form of scrap metal (as seen in the novel Veiled Threat).** [[Because his cannons are literally a part of his body, their capabilities are included here. However, upon entry to the city, their firing components will be deactivated, as will their ability to produce ammunition, rendering them inoperable.]]

first person sample:
Where... where is this! What's going on! I will not tolerate this nonsense! There is a battle going on--

[A brief moment of stunned silence, and then, a roar that shakes the communications devices of all those listening]

... My cannons... Who touched them! Who has tampered with them! Show yourself! Or I shall tear this place apart to find you! How dare you lay hands on me and my weapons! When I find you, I will not hesitate to--do not think I cannot destroy you without them! Answer me! Now!

Optimus' orders or no, when I find the responsible party, you will be reduced to your basic components before you can blink!

[Another pause, and then, quieter, but no less agitated]

Hmn. Oh, should... Autobots. Come in! Where are you! I have been taken from the field... What is Sentinel's status? Respond!

third person sample:
The Decepticon howled, swinging its head around to face the Autobots, mouth gaping wide for another attack. In response, Ironhide planted his feet again, scarred optics set, his aim never wavering. He stood like a great black sentinel between the attacker and his wounded charge, lying silently in a pile of broken silver armor. Murder glinted in his expression -- in the white-hot barrel of the cannon.

"Come!" he bellowed over the distance. "Try to touch this soldier again and I shall tear the other half off as well!"

It paused. Sickly green optics flicked from the fluid-spattered ground to the jaw component still held in Ironhide's grip. The Decepticon took a step forward.

Orange light ripped through its shoulder joint, burning a molten hole through metal and wires. With a shriek, the Decepticon lumbered backward, twisting and whining through its mutilated mouth.

"Come again!" shouted Ironhide. "Come again, if you dare!"

It froze, its high-pitched keening of pain still echoing across the plain. For good measure, Ironhide hefted the oversized component and flung it at the creature. It clanged off the monster's wounded shoulder, hitting the ground with a crunch. He snorted out a huff of air, stepping toward it as the other cannon swung into position. His voice dropped, a low, rumbling snarl tearing its way free of his chest and vocal processor.

"Try me."

The creature didn't move. Ironhide didn't move.

With a warbling hiss, it backed down. It slid back into the canyon, dragging itself slowly over the broken rock, agony in every motion. Even after it vanished, Ironhide stayed put. Too many times the Autobots had been fooled by false retreats. He refused to add to the count. He didn't know how long he stood there, looming over the fallen young soldier, waiting. Too long, probably.

At last, he deemed it safe to proceed. Without a word, he knelt, and hefted the silver body up onto one shoulder. Sideswipe's frame was shivering, twitching as every slight touch sent a ripple of pain through his sensors. He was coated in fluid, shrapnel, and dust. Two fingers on one of his hands were missing. And he was alive.

Ironhide carried his charge back to the base camp, keeping his free cannon primed the entire trip.

case no:
No preference.