Ally: Maybe it's like-- you can still get high-ranking jobs with or without becoming Elite Guard, but it probably helps.
Ally: which means Longarm would have had to be BAD. ASS.
L: yesssss. Longarm is just that awesome.
L: Maybe the Elite Guard require background checks
Ally: drug testing
L: NO CYBERCOCAINE
Ally: CYBERCOCAINE IS A HELL OF A DRUG
referenceThe writing front is going remarkably well! The thing with Jazz stalled, but the awesome thing about having a half dozen stories going is that when one stalls, my hindbrain has figured something out on another one. I just gotta poke until I know which one it is. Right now it's Disassembled, which makes me happy. In my pants. Disassembled is just that kind of fic. It needs warnings piled deep enough to drown in, but it makes me happy in my pants.
( Disassembled snippet cut for dismemberment and impalement. This is one of the nicer bits, actually. )Oh yeah I was gonna post a bit of that Jazz thing. Totally out of context, because Sunstreaker being the subbiest sub that ever subbed kinda requires some context. I know this is lamely boring but whatever, dudes, you shoulda seen the crap I was writing before this. The second Jazz walked in it got 1000x better.
Sunstreaker looked up, and for the briefest instant Jazz looked back.
It lasted less than a nanoclick. Jazz came in as if nothing were out of the ordinary, greeting Prowl easily with a little salute of the datapad in his own hand, saying, "Hey, Prowl my mech. Got a few clicks to spare? I wanted a fresh set of optics on this thing."
"Jazz." Prowl nodded a greeting, sitting up straight to accept the datapad. "Hmm. I like the changes you've made."
"Saw the rough draft on Teletraan's systems, did you? Yeah, I wasn't happy with it either. I let Prime know I'd be changing things around a bit." Jazz settled on the edge of Prowl's desk, his back to Sunstreaker.
I am enjoying writing his dialogue. Prowl is all short, clipped facts and orders, Sunstreaker is 100% attitude, and Jazz is just like HEY MY MECH, WHAT'S UP. Also I am enjoying NOT writing the ridiculous accent some people like to force down his throat. Yes, I've heard his accent. It can be indicated with phrasing and tone. There's no need for WRITIN' LIKE THA MOS' RACIST BITCH EVER, YA DIG? ugh never write out an accent unless you want the character to be incomprehensible. PET PEEVE, I CAN HAS IT. I actually am angsting over whether to have him say "nah" at one point, but it's a word as distinct from "no" as "yeah" is from "yes." You would not believe how much time I've spent thinking about that word.
Okay I've rewritten this entry five times now, fuckit I'm posting.