September 27th, 2001 ~ Enfilade (D), Solar (D), Whiplash (D), Silverstreak (A), Scour (A), Ghost(D), The Wild Surge - Bar Dimly lit and noisy, Dead End's only bar is never lacking in patrons. While the energon isn't of the best quality, many of the chemical additives are unique to the place, and so highly prized by those who can afford them, even outside of the city. For those less affluent, the wall behind the bar still offers old, contaminated energon and various forms of crude-grade fuel as well as the more acceptable low and high grade energon, plus some interesting compounds that are better left to the imagination. Whiplash [Robot] [D] Enfilade [Robot] [D] Solar [Robot] [D] -Moonlight saunters into the bar, her movements giving no apology to her existance. -Enfilade leans on the bar in front of the supposedly Sleeping Solar. "Hey, I wanted to thank you for the new weapon, it works great." -Solar mutters to Whiplash: "the ... ... ... when ... other optic ... ... off. ... the ... is ..." -Whiplash regards the new arrival, noting a familiarity. -Moonlight grins broadly at everyone present with a quick wink. -Solar looks up and nods "Your welcome then", and he slouches again. -Enfilade nods once to Moonlight. "Don't think we've met." -Whiplash shoots Solar a look and a shake of her head, unable to understand the concept behind feigning inattention, but then, everyone has their own technique. "Hey, I remember you," she says to Moonlight. -Enfilade just shakes her head in amusement at Solar. Funny guy...but a good mech. -Moonlight walks up to Enfilade, but stops a respectful distance..."Most likely we haven't. I've been sort of in and out since I joined up..." She extends a hand. "I am Moonlight, smuggler extraordinaire." She then nods to Whiplash. "And I remember you, Whiplash. How have you been?" -Whiplash says, "Can't complain." She smirks faintly. "You're in the right place out here, let me tell you. Where'd you disappear off to?"" -Enfilade shakes hands. "Field Commander Enfilade," she says, and then tilts her head. "What division are you in? INtel?" -Moonlight wriggles her fingers at Whiplash. "If you don't know, then maybe you're not supposed to. It could be personal, but then again it could be top secret." She turns back to Enfilade. "I am, indeed, a member of the intell gang." -Whiplash chuckles. "You *are* in the right place." She finds a table nearby, so as not to interfere with Solar's "surveillance", and motions the others over. To an observer it might look as though she's just here to relax for the evening, but she positions herself, as always, to keep a clear view of the door and most of the room. -Enfilade's expression is hidden by the mask, which is just as well...the Field COmmander doesnt' think too much of her fellow General, Razelore. Still, no need to say this aloud, or to hold it against Moonlight. "Greetings from Combat division, then." -Moonlight bobs her head at Enfilade's greeting. "It's always good to feel welcome." She then follows Whiplash over to a seat and slouches rather comfortably into it. Most likely she /is/ here just to enjoy the scenery. -Enfilade is never in a bar for very long before she's turned up some low-grade rot-tank energon... Unable to find a relatively clean glass, she provides her own. -Enfilade doesn't wait for service...she just helps herself. -Whiplash notes Enfilade is feeling quite at home here these days. She herself takes out a black bottle with a MedusaSaur label from her personal storage compartment, and looks at it speculatively. Whether she's going to pour a drink from it or just gaze at the label, isn't immediately obvious. -Enfilade looks over and laughs. "You're supposed to /drink/ it, Lash." -Whiplash looks up questioningly, then interprets, "You want a glass of this?" -Moonlight just watches the two other Decepticons for a few moments, a musing look on her face. -Enfilade looks surprised. "I won't say no if you're offerin', but no worries, that there is yours. You're just lookin' at that bottle like you expect it to speak." -Whiplash smirks. "Maybe I am. Silly, hm? Truth is, I'm more interested in the outside than what's inside, though I gotta admit, it's good stuff. Here, have a bit." She reaches over to offer to pour a bit into the Iron Hitch mug if it's empty. -Enfilade pours her cheap crap into a nearby dirty glass, wipes out the inside of her mug, and sets it down in front of Whiplash. -Moonlight arches an optic ridge at Enfilade, "Don't trust bar quality cups?" -Whiplash pours a generous amount, then looks to Moonlight. "Want to try?" -Moonlight grins at Whiplash. "Certainly." -Enfilade looks up at Moonlight. "Bar quality? Where do you think I stole this from?" and laughs. -Whiplash pours some of the high-grade energon from the black bottle into a glass for Moonlight as well. What little can be seen through the dark glass, makes it obvious that the bottle is still mostly full. -Moonlight shrugs her shoulders easily. "Well, if you carry it around with you, you must not trust the ones just lying about here." A sweep of her arm indicates the room and all the mugs therein. As Whiplash finishes pouring she lifts the glass and motions like she's giving a toast and proceeds to sample the goods. -Enfilade says, "This here is a sort of prize...had it since my early days in the war academy." -Whiplash finally snags a semi-clean glass for herself and pours just a *little* of the high-grade energon, sipping at it slowly. -Moonlight nods sagely to Enfilade. "Ah, I see." She glances over at Whiplash and sees how little she pours for herself and sends her a questioning look. -Whiplash answers to the unspoken question, "Wouldn't do to waste it all at once, would it? Anyway, I prefer my senses sharp." -Enfilade says, "Eh, if I didn't relax once in a while I'd be all spun out and go nuts." -Moonlight grins. "I suppose always having the senses sharp would be the wise course...but I'm not really known for my wisdom." And with that she has another go at the stuff in the glass. -Enfilade says, "There is of course a matter of responsibility...but I ain't on duty tonight." -Whiplash gives Moonlight a dubious look. "In your work, lady, you gotta keep your senses sharp too. Or so I'd guess." Is she curious about where Moonlight has really been all this time? Sure. But she knows better than to pester the Intel agents for information. If they want to say, they'll do so of their own accord in time. -Solar is still snoring away, except now he pulls out a bright white bottle that glows and erie royal purple. "If you want to over-energize try this. It put Ghost on the floor in less than a bottle", strangely as he spoke the snoring was still present. -Moonlight nods, affecting that she is drunk. "Maybe so, maybe so, but sometimes you have to drink to close a deal or people'll think that you're a snob." -Enfilade looks over at Solar. "I want to have fun, not knock myself out, this time. And I know what that /is/, and it's really gross when you think about it." -Solar says, "Why is it gross? You know how many parts are in you now that came from mechs dead for centuries, cannibal? This is harmless ole Transorg Queen blood. And none of IT ever came from a comrade of ours" -Moonlight glances at the bottle curiously...but not /that/ curiously. -Enfilade glances over at Solar. "I ain't one to claim that I ain't never borrowed from the dead to power the living, but I ain't one to do it by choice." Still, she looks down at her frame as if she's never really seen herself before, and mumbles, "ain't /that/ many parts in here belongin' to someone else..." -Solar says, "Don't get me wrong I ain't saying that its a bad thing, its survival after all. It just seems wierd to take a moral stand or something from a different species, and to think it normal to remove parts from the dead. Hell we kill petro-foxes for sport" -Moonlight looks herself over with a shrug. "Unless someone's been lying to me all this time, I'm still made up of all origional, Moonlight specific parts." -Whiplash isn't up on the latest nuances of barroom specialties, and just sips further at her glass, her tentacles flickering around her. Despite the fact that her watchful gaze travels regularly around the room and to the door, she seems pleased to be here among friends. -Enfilade mumbles, "WEll in my book, it's a matter of necessity. An' the idea of drinkin' somethin' from a TransOrg kinda freaks me. Of course, you get me on a night when I'm desperate to forget somethin' an' I won't give a damn about where that stuff came from." The underlying message is that Fil has been known to deal with stress by trying to drink the problem away. -Whiplash remarks, "I killed TransOrgs to survive on occasion. Not the greatest meal, but you can live off 'em." -Whiplash darts a glance toward the door at the new arrival. -Enfilade looks at Whiplash. "Lemme guess, you were in your animal-mode?" -Making his way slowly into the Wild Surge is a young but tough appearing mech with no factional insignias. His optics scan the scene about him, a hand reaching up to stroke his chin. Slowly, he begins making his way to the bar. -Whiplash thinks back on that, and says, "Usually." -Moonlight doesn't look up as someone else enters, her face is mostly burried in the cup of alcohol she is holding. She mumbles something that just echos inside the cup. -Solar mutters to Moonlight: "... ... a ... ... play waitress for a while" -Solar mutters to you: "Do me a favor and play waitress for a while" -Enfilade shrugs. "See, that's different. Survival's got its own laws, I ain't got no problem with that, and to two hunters, it's natural. But...I dunno, maybe it comes from my Academy days. Where there's still a sort of underlying order under all the brutality...to stop war for degenerating into chaos." -Whiplash recognizes the new arrival as someone who has been in here before, and returns her attention to her comrades. -Moonlight shakes herself a little and stands up. She sets the cup gently down and saunters behind the bar, giving a quick, nearly unperceptible glance towards Solar. -Solar transmits: 'take his order and the no matter what give him the white bottle' -Enfilade continues sipping at her drink. "Hey Lash, did you ever find out what planet this stuff came from?" -Solar says, "As long as it ain't Paragon" -Moonlight makes a motion like she's dusting herself off and peers at the new arrival. "Can I take yer order?" she drawls. -Whiplash glowers at the bottle and shakes her head. -Enfilade snickers to Solar. "Damn, I heard that." On her left cheek is a gleaming scar, a souvenir of the Paragon voyage. -Silverstreak looks over slowly toward all the decepticons and then sits down, nodding to Moonlight. "Yeah. I want something high grade." His vocalizer is a bit gruff, to try and disguse his voice. Slowly he continues to gaze over the entire crowd. -Moonlight nods her head and gives the counter a wipe with a handy cloth. "Very well." She grabs a bottle off the counter, wipes /it/ off as well, and hands it to Silverstreak. -Enfilade looks over theAutobot with a cursory glance. She doesn't recognize him. -Enfilade tosses back the rest of her drink and starts unexpectedly giggling...that stuff /is/ pretty damn strong. Oh yeah, the Field Commander is buzzing tonight! -Moonlight taps the bar to a beat from some contemporary song and looks around the bar while nodding her head this way and that way. -Silverstreak takes a slow sip of the stuff offered to him, putting down the necessary credits to pay Moonlight for the bottle. His optics continue to scan the area and the young mech lets out a gasp and cough from the potency. "This... is stronger than I Thought." -Enfilade's making her smiley-optics squint, as she leans her head down on her elbow...giving off the impression there's a contented smile under that mask. -Whiplash pokes Enfilade with a tentacle-tip. "Easy on the high-powered stuff, Fil." Her optics flicker a little in amusement, though. -Moonlight blinks at Silverstreak. "Is it not to yer liking?" -Silverstreak looks back to Moonlight, a bit of a grin upon his contenance. "It's fine... just a little stronger than what I expected." He nods to the femme, placing the bottle to one side. Best to take it slow. -Enfilade mumbles, "Stop pokin' me, I'm up already...fraggin' mornin' parades..." Enfilade seems to be quite literally lost in memories. -Whiplash grins. "Cybertron to Enfilade - what are you thinking about?" -Moonlight gives a sideways glance to Whiplash, questioning about the status of Enfilade. -Solar starts to snore. -Solar transmits: 'do the same for this mech, you'll find another bottle in the white crate under the right cooler'. -Enfilade blinks a little...then sits bolt upright and says, "The proper trajectory of #23 cannon shot is 50 degrees from the horizonta, sir!" And then she doubletakes at Whiplash and snorts a little. "Um...sorry bout that..." -Whiplash bursts out laughing, tries to shut herself up, and fails. "You *were* off in your own thoughts somewhere." -Silverstreak blinks and peers at Enfilade, somewhat uncertain as to if she is drunk or what. He takes another, very small, sip of the liquid. Best to not take in too much after all. -Enfilade focuses in her optics on Whiplash and...whuffles what is probably a scowl, poking the black female. "For two seconds I swore I was back at the academy, falling asleep in one'a Phalanx's lectures..." -Whiplash's amusement shifts almost instantly to a puzzled expression. "Phalanx??" Surely, someone who happened to have the unfortunate fate of sharing a name with her most despised nemesis. She looks at Enfilade in silence. -Enfilade mumbles, "Yeah, he was a prof at the Academy..." Somewhere in her spangled thoughts something is blinking a warning... -Moonlight has never met Phalanx, so the name means little to her. She leaps on top of the bar to survey the place, a smirk on her face. -Whiplash's optics narrow a little. "The *Decepticon* War Academy?" -Enfilade wisecracks, "No, the Autobot War Academy, that's where I came from, right?" and giggles. -Silverstreak pretends not to notice the name "Phalanx", very fortunate himself to have not gone the same route as Enfilade 'less he endure the same lectures." -Whiplash growls an annoyed, "You've had to much high-grade, Fil. Tell me about this *Phalanx.*" -Enfilade tries to concentrate on that little mental warning buzzer. She looks around, the room pleasantly blurred in her vision, and sees no threat of any sort. She mumbles, "That's the guy who taught me...to be a...soldier..." -Moonlight plunks her metal bottom on the bar top and folds her arms, trying to look superior, but the twinkle in her optics belie her attitude. She grew up as a street urchin, knowing nothing of lessons or academies. -Whiplash's tentacles flicker a little faster around her, and a slight glint of gleaming white fangs is visible as she says, "Pity he's got the same name as that bastard that runs Crystal City, then." -Whiplash is watching Enfilade intently, though. -Enfilade's swing-wings reflexively snap open, the Field Commander's head jerks up...and suddenly clarity comes through her fogged mind. That was the warning...that Whiplash hates Phalanx. Right. So she lays her head back down and says, "Fortunes of war..." noncomittally. -Silverstreak looks over at Moonlight a moment and nods, motioning the bottle toward her. "This is pretty good stuff. Where'd ya get it?" He then sets the bottle down and feigns taking another sip. -Moonlight winks down at Silverstreak from her spot on the bar-top. "Trade secrets and all." -Silverstreak nods and grins then looks back out to the bar, just listening to the conversations. -Whiplash just keeps her attention locked on Enfilade. Her mind spins through several simultaneous scenarious as to what the truth could really be here. Finally she looks pointedly away and pours herself another small amount of energon from the black bottle. -Enfilade may be a heavy drinker, but even she has limits and that swiftly-consumed mug of high-test put her over. She spins the Iron Hitch mug around her finger, lost in a pleasant blur, not really sure what year or where she is and not caring... -Whiplash has gone silent and thoughtful now, the tentacles flickering around her at a pace that indicates her former relaxation is now definitely a thing of the past. -Silverstreak stands slowly and places some more creds down upon the bar, as a tip. He then takes the bottle with him. Offering a wink to Moonlight, the mech notes, "There's a little extra for yourself." -Moonlight takes the tip and tries not to look shocked. She just bobs her head like any waitress wench would. -Enfilade does something strange...lifts the mug to her face to drain the last drops, and smashes the lip of the mug right into her mask. Puzzled, she tries again with the same result. It's as if she expected the mask not to be there. She looks at the logo on the mug as if she can read an answer in its faded design. -Silverstreak begins making his way out of the bar, careful not to bump into anyone that may be drunk or looking for a fight. -You transmit 'Perhaps we should get her out of here...' to Whiplash. -Whiplash receives a radio message. -Silverstreak Silverstreak steps back into the strip. -Whiplash is still lost in her own thoughts, but a message from Moonlight snaps her back to attention. She notices what Enfilade is doing and snakes out a hand, snagging her wrist holding the mug. "I think you've had your limit, Fil. Maybe we head home." -Silverstreak transmits: 'Shame yer a Decepticon, my dear. I'm tryin' ta stay out of this war, but I woulda loved to spend more time with ya.'. -Enfilade is disinclined to move right now, but...Again that blurring of time. "Loadmaster said I could sleep upstairs," She mumbles. -You transmit '*there is a bit of laughter* No shame in what I am at all.' to Silverstreak. -Silverstreak transmits: 'Not quite what I meant. I could look past it if'n it weren't for the war.'. -Scour walks through the door to the Wild Surge and immediately steps to the side out of the light, optics dimming briefly then going back to a dullness again. He waits a few minutes before moving out towards the bar to get a drink, which he came here to do. -Whiplash says, "Well, um ... maybe there's a spot nearby you can sleep it off. But this isn't the best place in the world to zone out. Kinda like the wastelands."" -Moonlight slips back behind the bar from her place on top of it. She looks at the new customer. "What can I get for you?" -Whiplash this time misses the newest arrival, or at least isn't paying much attention to who walks through the door, though she notes the movement out of the corner of her optics and doesn't focus her full attention on it. -Enfilade's optics focus again as she drags herself back to reality. "Whiplash," she mumbles. "Yeah...maybe I better head home to..>Darkmount, right?" She seems to be trying to double check. -You transmit 'Better hurry, we don't need her weakness smeared all over the public. *sounds slightly anxious*' to Whiplash. -Whiplash receives a radio message. -You transmit 'Well, I suppose that is your problem, isn't it? *she chuckles good-naturedly*' to Silverstreak. -Whiplash smirks faintly, but she doesn't seem that amused. "I'm not hauling you offworld and back to Recoil, if that's what you mean." - Enfilade seems to be a little back in charge of herself as she points a finger at Whiplash and slurs, "Recoil can't tell me what to do, I'm a General." -Whiplash says, "Yyyeah, that's right, Fil. So you gotta conduct yourself like one." -Enfilade straightens up on the bar stool and picks up her mug, tucking it away. -Silverstreak transmits: 'Yeah.. *chuckle* I suppose it is my problem.' -Whiplash says, "You want to head back? Or maybe - Solar, is there a spot where Fil can sleep it off?" -You transmit '*There is a pause.* You going to do anything about it?' to Silverstreak. -Solar nods. -Enfilade grumbles, "Like I ain't done this before..." and kind of sways on her stool. -Silverstreak transmits: 'Perhaps in time. What's your name? Name's Downshift."'. -Whiplash was about to ask Solar for a nearby place to rest, but thinks better of it. -Scour sits down at the bar a couple of stools from the Decepticons. He waits for someone to come to him, preferring to stay quiet. -You transmit 'My name's Moonlight...' to Silverstreak. -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "... ... ... ... ... the city I don't ... ... ... ... ... ... stash out here. ... I ... take ... ... way and get ... ... to ..." -Moonlight walks over to Solar and leans towards him as though to say something. -Moonlight mutters to Solar: "... that first fellow ... ... me to ... the ... to? ... been ... me..." (Know that first fellow you wanted me to give the bottle to? He's been radioing me...) -Solar mutters to you: "and? whats he been sayin...oh by the way hit that nice blue button behind the bar" -Moonlight smiles to herself. -Whiplash gets to her feet, holding onto Enfialde's arm and trying to urge her to stand as well. "Come on, 'Fil. I think we'll go for Darkmount after all. Nearby accomodations aren't all that comfortable." -Moonlight mutters to Solar: "... ... ... not I ... ... ... ... ... ... ..." (Believe it or not, I think he's hitting on my ugly carcass.) -Enfilade mumbles, "Neither was my tent in the 58th..." but regardless, she gets to her feet. She's not too overcharged to walk, but she does sway into Whiplash every once in a while. -Whiplash says, "Thanks for the hospitality, Solar." -Enfilade waves, "Bye Solar," and gives him the squinty-grin. -Solar says, "Lash take 'em upstairs and drop 'em in the penthouse of the Light Deal. Take the passage if ya need to" -Whiplash maneuvers Enfilade toward the door, giving the room and its inhabitants a warning look, lest anyone try to mess with them. -Silverstreak transmits: 'Hmmm. When do you get off-duty?'. -Enfilade lets Whiplash lead the way, she knows she's not capable of being in charge tonight. -Whiplash stops and hisses softly, "Take her upstairs? What, before the 'Bots start creeping around in here?" -Solar mutters to Moonlight: "... the blue ... first ... smack em ... if'n ya ..." Solar mutters to you: "Push the blue button first then smack em around if'n ya want" -Moonlight mutters to Solar: "... What ... ... ..." (Oooo. What does it do?) -Whiplash hangs onto the swaying Enfilade, and imagines staggering all the way back to Darkmount with her. Maybe ... maybe the Light Deal isn't such a bad idea after all. -Scour transmits a radio message. -Solar mutters to Moonlight: "... ... ya as soon ... ... ... ..." -Solar mutters to you: "I'll tell ya as soon as ya push it" -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "You ... ... unobtrusive ..." -Enfilade mumbles, "I c'n fly...I flown in worse shape 'n' this..." -Scour transmits a radio message. -Solar mutters to Whiplash: "... him North The ... wall ... ... ..." -Enfilade seems to think she's air-worthy, but do you believe her? -Moonlight leans back behind the bar and hits something (a button to be specific) and waits. -Scour comes back from talking on a radio in his head. He looks up at Moonlight. "What's the second strongest stuff you've got?" he asks? -Blast doors lower and lock into place at all the exits of both the Surge and the light deal all because of that nice blue button. In fact a blast shield comes down and encloses the back wall of the bar protecting the precious energon. And a large bank of monitors power up as well. -Whiplash casts a wary look around, then says, "No flying tonight, Fil. I got a better idea. Come on." She tugs Enfilade toward the north part of the building, toward the dark part of the room. -Solar says, "Moonlight it locks the doors" -Enfilade perks up, noticing the shields locking down. "Frag. What's happening?" she braces herself, legs spread apart and wings raised to give her better balance. -Scour doesn't seem to notice the locking of the doors or anything of that sort. He just waits for his drink, arms folded on the bar in front of him. -Whiplash pulls Enfilade more insistently. If something spooked Solar enough to lower the blast doors, she may be needed to fight. So first to put Enfilade to bed. -Moonlight reaches beneath the bar and pulls out a bottle. After wiping the dust off with a cloth, she hands it to Scour with a servicey smile. Ghost says, "That seems to have gotten their attention, Solar." Solar says, "I have two UNKOWNS in my bar, and they entered just about the time your group showed up" Ghost says, "Most interesting." Solar says, "I've been having Moonlight give them the Transorg queen blood" -Scour nods. "Thank you." he says. He pops open the top and drinks a little sip of it, tasting it some. -Moonlight turns to wiping the bar with her rag, humming a little as she does so. Electra says, "A pity... I could outfit myself with radio-intercept capability, but then I have the feeling I'm going to be having certain parties asking me to transfer departments once again." -Whiplash hurries out of the shadows in the back of the room, slowing her pace forcibly as she comes back into view - alone now, having left Enfilade elsewhere. As her steps slow, her thrashing tentacles do not, however, as she goes to join Solar and looks around the bar. -Whiplash says, "You're locking in your customers? They'll drink up all your profits," she says, making the attempt to sound like she's kidding, but in fact her attention is very focused now for potential trouble. -Moonlight doesn't seem concerned as she contently wipes away at the bar and humms. However, if anyone had X-ray vision, they could see her free hand sliding down her leg towards her thigh gun, cleverly concealed behind the bar's cover. -One of the tentacles snakes out and snags the MedusaSaur label bottle off the table that the Decepticons had shared, and Whiplash stashes it back in her storage compartment. -Solar looks up to see a red light flashing from the monitors. He slowly saunters over to them and notes one of his bar Patrons is now in the Light Deal. "Lash would you come with me please?" -Whiplash says, "Sure." -You transmit 'What about myself?' to Solar. -Solar transmits: 'You watch the other one and keep an eye on the monitors'. -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "... made ... ... the ... down? ... thinking the 'Bots that ... is watching ... up ... ..." -Scour shakes his head as he swallows down what he had sipped and slams the bottle down. "I thought I asked for the second most powerful not the most powerful one. -You transmit 'Duty? I'm always on duty, but never on duty.' to Silverstreak. -Solar mutters to Whiplash: "The ... are always ... to ... ... everyone ... ... ... ... ... ... Makes the Light deal a ... ... ... got that thing" -Whiplash casts a quick glance back at the disgruntled customer. She'd be disgruntled too, if she'd been locked in when she dropped by for a drink. -Silverstreak transmits: 'Oh? And why can't I get into tha bar? I wanted to talk to you.'. -Moonlight looks around. "Well, I know we have /something/ more powerful than this around her somewhere." She ducks behind the bar and clangs around for a few minutes, then pops her head back up. "But I don't know where it is." -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "Might want ... ... the place though ... ... ... ... ..." -Whiplash indicates the annoyed customer over at the bar. -Whiplash shakes her head. "Didn't see anyone over there when I came through." She keeps pace with Solar as they head toward the dark back of the room. -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "So you ... ... ... kill the ... at ... just in ... he's ... ... ... ... ... an advance scout? I ... do sure. ... you don't ... a rep ... killing your customers on ... ..." -Scour shrugs. "Do you having anything about half as powerful as this then?" -Silverstreak transmits: 'Mayhaps we can get together sometime, then?'. -Solar mutters to Whiplash: "That's why ... ... ... ... this mech the HARD ... Remember what happened to ... when she ... it?" Ghost says, "Well, Resonance seems displeased with whatever outcome is occurring. Solar, Whiplash, what's happening on your end?" -Moonlight makes a mental note to convince someone to hook her up with the ability to hear better, cause all this whispering is driving her crazy. But she doesn't let that show in her face as she turns to the customer. "Um, let me check." And she ducks back down again behind the bar. There are more clanging sounds and the sound of something breaking and spilling. The word "Ooops" floats up from behind the bar. -Whiplash mutters to Solar: "Enfilade ... had some weird things ... ... ... You're ... ... guy will spill his guts too ... he's ... anything ... ..." -You transmit 'What if you're not my type?' to Silverstreak. Whiplash says, "Watching Moonlight trying to get this last customer drunk enough for him to slip up and talk, if he's really an advance scout for the 'Bots." -Silverstreak transmits: 'Then we'll call it quits and not worry about it. But better to find out for certain than ta speculate, eh?'. Solar says, "We got one Unkown left in the bar. The other one took a look around the Light Deal and left. Right now Moonlight is pouring the Transorg Queen Blood down his intake" Ghost says, "I know why they are here, at least. Its just finding out how many of them are lurking about that is the question." -You transmit 'I'll have to think about it. Us working wenches are awfully busy most of the time.' to Silverstreak. Whiplash says, "Myself, I've never seen the guy before. You might end up with a passed-out customer on your floor. Or more than that." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "I call it an artist at work, thank you very much Whiplash." -Whiplash checks out the back corners, making sure there's no one left lurking about. Just that one guy still at the bar. Ghost says, "Elita seems to be getting ready to go in and get someone in there. I think you may have someone trapped that belongs to her." -Whiplash stalks over almost casually to the bar and comes up next to the one remaining guy. She looks him over, and remarks, "So. You're the last one for the night, hm? Doesn't bug you at all that we shut the place down for some reason?" -Moonlight finally jumps back up with a bottle in her hands. "Ah, here you go. Still strong, but maybe not as strong. I /am/ in the business of serving people...and we /do/ want our customers to come back." She smiles cheerfully. Solar says, "If I'm doing anything its being overly cautious I have the mainframe downstairs and supplies enough in the warehouse to rebuild Darkmount. Both of which are prolly worth millions of credits to the bots. I have only one mech in here that is not a Con and he's running as an Unaffil. I have nothing she owns" Ghost says, "Her words were: ""I never said *I* was planning on retreating. They have one of ours trapped in there."" -Solar transmits a radio message. -Solar transmits: 'tell him it's our mistake and the bottle is on the house. By the way what is in the second bottle?'. Solar says, "Mind If I contact her?" -Scour takes the other bottle and sips it carefully, swallowing it slowly this time. He looks at Whiplash. "It doesn't bother me. I know sooner or later I'll get out of here." he says to Whiplash. -He looks back to Moonlight. "Then you shouldn't lock people in here." he says to her. -Whiplash meanwhile is trying her own approach of checking out the unmarked Transformer. Is he so intent on drinking his fill that he doesn't *care* he's been locked in - or is there a more sinister motive? Ghost says, "Negative. She doesn't know that I am out here. IF they start to move in, I will inform you if not distract them." Solar says, "Do I have permission then to treat this unknown as a hostile. If he is one of hers?" -Whiplash says, "Funny. If *I* dropped by a bar for a drink, and the doors and windows suddenly got locked, I'd think there might be some trouble brewing. I'd maybe not want to be in the middle of someone else's business. At the very least, I might not want to be stuck there." -Whiplash shoots a look over at Solar, then regards the unknown Transformer again. Ghost says, "Negative. That is what they are looking for, an excuse to attack Dead End. IF we attack, then that gives them their thin excuse to prey on what we protect." Solar says, "I will just show him the door then. No harm done." -Moonlight raises her hands defensively. "Hey, I'm just a working girl following her orders. You'll have to take any troubles up with the management." Ghost says, "Solar, Scour is the unit trapped in the Wild Surge. Proceed with Caution. This may be a time to let the doors open, tell everyone that you got a bomb threat and give a round of free drinks." Whiplash says, "You mean this guy at the bar is Scour? I'm right next to him. Could reach over with my blade and just take his head off, easy as that." Ghost says, "We now know that they have us under active surveillance. Lets give them something confusing to dwell on." Solar says, "SCOUR? He's a fraggin computer specialist...and you want him to stay in here? I got a terminal in here to the mainframe ya know" -Whiplash makes an elaborate shrugging motion with her tentacles, and says to the mech beside her, "Suit yourself. I'd be clawing up the walls. But I guess Solar provides good service, hm?" She gives him a sharp-fanged grin. -Scour shakes his head. "I just came to get a drink. It's been a while since I've gotten a drink." he stops drinking and stares into the liquid into the bottle. Ghost says, "I know. I'd think it best to let him out this time, get a good scan on him and open the door before they all come traipsing in looking for a fight. Just open the doors, tell those in there that it was a system glitch or a bomb threat and watch him." -Outside the locked door, someone knocks tentatively. One of the regulars, wanting back inside, perhaps. -Solar walks behind the bar and looks around, then he pushes a button next to the blue one, and the door to the Surge cycles open. He then makes a general announcement "I'm sorry mechs. I got a message saying someone attached a bomb to the outside of the buildin. So I locked it down. It is now Isolated to the Light Deal so you are free to leave. As a means of compensation your tabs tonight are empty" -Moonlight dusts herself off. "See, this next stuff isn't so bad?" -A few mechs from outside peer back in as the door opens. "Hey Solar, what's the problem?" one calls. -Solar says, "Somemech tryin to put me out of business again. Prolly that no good fraggin brother o' mine again. This is the second fraggin time this megacycle that he's out a bomb on my buildin!" -Whiplash says, "Don't worry, we got it under control." She gives the unknown Transformer at the bar a sharp look, then deliberately steps away. -Whiplash says, "You want me to check the outside?" -Moonlight beams at the room in general from under her hat. "See. Now things are all better." -A few customers filter back in. -Solar points to the Monitors. "My crews are handlin it" Solar says, "I unlocked the Surge, but not the Deal. I told em their was a bomb threat and it is now isolated to the Deal only" Ghost says, "GOod. Keep the Deal locked. Elita seems rather oddly ready to go in guns blazing." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Forgive me for not being a political genius, but what was the point of this?" -Whiplash paces restlessly to the door and back again. "Still. Someone's gotta check things out first hand," she decides, and transforms, slipping out silently into the city. Ghost says, "For us or them?" -Scour transmits a radio message. Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Either or." Whiplash says, "Where is she? I'm heading out into the city, want to scour some of the nearby alleys to make sure there's no more 'Bots lurking around." -Whiplash steps back into the strip. Ghost says, "Them, I can guess it was to see if we had a stronghold on the city and if so, if it's enough to make it a valid target. For us, its making them wonder if we have such a strong hold. And now we know that they are looking in on us and can put countermeasures into proper places." Ghost says, "outskirts." Solar says, "I have a mainframe in the Deal. it has a backup of the Darkmount system. Looks like I may need to add some camoflaged weapons to the buildings themselves" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "I suppose it's just as well I'm not into politics. Dealing with smuggling scum individuals is about as far as my people skills go. I don't seem to grasp all this mass manipulation very well." Ghost says, "It takes some skill and some patience. Something that I don't have much of myself." -Scour taps the side of his head and then shakes his head. "I better be getting back to my home. I've got to finish trying to put something back together. I've forgotten what though right now." he looks to Moonlight. "Is it okay if I take this bottle with me so that I can finish on the way home or some other time at home?" Whiplash says, "Better to keep the 'Bots where we can see 'em and feed 'em false info, than having 'em sneak up on us. Nothing suspicious in the nearby alley so far. I'm still looking." -Moonlight shrugs. "I suppose so. That's not usual...but it hasn't been a usual day and I am supposed to be accommodating." -Scour says, "Don't worry. I'll probably be coming back some time or another." -You transmit 'Should I encourage this guy to come back...or not?' to Solar. -Solar transmits: 'Might as well But have the scanners work him over as he leaves forth button from the bottom to the right.'. Ghost says, "Ahhh.. Dissention withen the Autobot ranks.. Something I've always wanted to overhear." -You say, "Well, I would appreciate that...it stops me from losing my job." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Hmmmm? What dissention? Don't leave me too much in the dark here." Ghost says, "It would seem that Elita has several mechs that want a more frontal approach with this war.." Ghost says, "And one unit that is insubordinate enough that even I'd shoot him for mouthing off." Ghost says, "Prepare for another unit to enter the city. Hyperdrive" Ghost says, "And Silverstreak just entered again as well." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "He's a pest." Solar says, "what do you mean AGAIN. He must have been the first visitor." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Where is the first fellow anyhow? He keeps radioing me. Shouldn't he be in trouble now or something. *there is a short whuffling hmph sound at the end of the sentence" Ghost says, "This unknown out here is simply amusing to watch. One could almost think he is trying to goad Elita." -Scour says, "I'll see ya later then." he stands up, grabbing the bottle and leaving a neat stack of credits also as he stands up. He then starts walking towards the door, sipping the bottle a little also as he walks out. Solar says, "he is in trouble now...Do you want me to take him out back and slag him for you. To protect your fragile sensibilities???" Ghost says, "Pardon?" Solar says, "Silverstreak keeps hitting on her" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Fragile? Ha! Since when did that apply to /me/?" Ghost says, "If Moonlight thinks he's a pest, she can take care of him herself. If not, then she can ask for aid." Whiplash says, "We got company outside the Surge." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "I don't care what happens to him either way...he's /just/ a pest." Ghost says, "Define company." Solar says, "Let em in I got active scanners on. I'll know who they are the minute they enter" Whiplash says, "That guy that was inside earlier, that who left just before the lockdown. Unaffil, no symbols. I've seen him around before. But ... I'm told he works for the 'Bots. Don't know how reliable that source is, though." Ghost says, "What does he look like?" Whiplash says, "And ... well, look at this. A little Autobot swamp rat, strolling right up to the doorway. How about that?" Solar says, "If he is the same mech I think we can positively identify him as Silverstreak" Ghost says, "If he matches the one that just left here after reporting to Elita, I say SOlars pretty right on that call" Lieutenant Moonlight says, "So, what do you want /me/ to do. Just sit here and wait? I'm not a planner...I'm just a smuggler." Whiplash says, "The one that was a customer earlier, he's kinda blue-gray, black helmet, black shoulders, black hands, kinda banged and scratched up. No symbol. Looks a lot like a bunch of other guys that hang out here, but I've definitely seen him around before." -You transmit 'Maybe...I'll have to see.' to Silverstreak. Whiplash says, "And the other one - definite 'Bot. Hyperdrive. Want me to let him live, still?" Ghost says, "He was the one that was out here reporting to Elita. *pause* At the least, he is an Autobot spy. At the worst, we may know who he is." -Silverstreak transmits: 'Sounds good to me.'. Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Erg! Should I tell this guy to get lost, or should I string him along and see what songs he sings?" Solar says, "We scanned Scour as he left. Next time he comes in here or the Deal I will know no matter what. Unless he can disguise his core signature" Whiplash says, "He just stepped out. I'm right outside your door." Ghost says, "Seeing as I can do that, Solar, it can be assumed that he might be able to as well." Solar says, "can you Disguise your cerebral Pathways as well?" Ghost pauses... "ACtually. Yes." Solar says, "Then I might have a problem. Just might mind you. My system scans for schematics. If he can change them drastically enough he can get through my systems" Ghost says, "There is a high probability that that mech, the unknown one, could be Silverstreak. Not a positive ID, but he was mentioned while that mech was here, and ELita seemed irked." -Solar mutters to Moonlight: "Radio ... ... ... ... him ... the ... ... ... your name is ... ... ... ... think I ... somemech in ... bar say it...' catch my ..."((Radio the mech back call him by the name Silverstreak, like 'Oh your name is Silverstreak isn't it? I think I heard somemech in the bar say it...' catch my drift?)) -Moonlight mutters to Solar: "... ... ... ... a ... ..." (Um...he's already given me a false name...) -Solar shrugs "Who cares? What name did he give you?" -You say, "Called himself Downshift." -Solar says, "Radio him anyway and call him Silverstreak instead of Downshift. See how he answers. We may be able to get a positive ID" -You transmit 'So, how's the whether where you are Silverstreak? *her tone is rather arch*' to Silverstreak. Whiplash says, "Our two bar hoppers are wandering off. They exchanged some snappish words out here, now they're each taking a different direction." Ghost says, "Keep an optic out. I just let them know they have been watched." Whiplash says, "I'm circling the building again, just to make sure they don't have backup waiting for us to let our guard down."