June 3rd, 2002 ~Kimakaze (D), Ghost (D), Lunar (U), Phalanx (U), Whiplash (D), Solar (D), Dead End - South Strip This area serves as Dead End's commercial district, as indicated by the number of shops, offices, theatres and other such establishments. Cybertronians of all professions line the street, calling out to the various passers by; merchants not rich enough to own their own store, or who are simply passing through trying to sell their wares; beggers ask for a handout for the repairs many of them need, or more likely for a drink at the bar; and others offering their services as laborours of all types. Much like the architecture in the rest of the city, the buildings here are low to the ground, and very few rise beyond three or four levels... but the bustling street stretches on far into the distance, growing out as opposed to up. As with all other areas in Dead End, this area is lit by artificial lighting, though a number of burnt out and flickering streetlights leave the road dim and with many a shadow to hide in. Lunar [Robot] [U] Kimakaze [Robot] [D] Ghost [Robot] [D] Phalanx [Robot] [U] Lost Numbers Casino Mercy Hospice Obvious Exits: -N- North leads to Dead End - Central Strip -Kimakaze is beside Ghost and also close to Phalanx, and at the moment Ghost & she seem to be exchanging fairly idle banter, in front of the Casino. -Ghost nods slowly, "Exactly. It is a simple matter of being able to agree to disagree. Without the overtures of a pummaling." -Lunar is watching the trio carefully now. Optics on maximum zoom, audio receptors picking up as much as possible, his perfectly trained body not making a sound, his black paint scheme blending in perfectly with the dark roof of the building and the night sky. -Phalanx listens to the Decepticons quietly, arms folded, and head bowed slightly. -Moonlight strolls into the area rather casually, arms swinging freely and easily. -Lunar detecting movement he scales back on his optical zoom and glances calmly at the newcomer. Then his eyes narrow. Slag. -Kimakaze bristles a bit, feeling uneasy all of a sudden. Probably because of something she just thought of. She nods to Ghost, her former Commander. "Freedom of the mind iss vital, otherwise we owuld all be droness. However, if the overall aim of our species iss threatened, like what Optimuss and Elota were, nay - are proposing, I say the Empire has to act in the better interestss of Cybertron at large." -Solar walks in from the direction of his store. -Lunar then sees his "dear" brother. His optics narrow to hard slits. His claws silently slip out of his fingers half way, he can't help it. Still he doesn't move, his black coloring blending in perfectly with the rooftop upon which he perches. This is getting interesting. -Ghost taps a fingertip on her lips, optics narrowing as she mulls things over.. Despite her time in the underground.. despite her wishes, she's finding that old haibts, or in this case, the burden of responsibility slips right back onto her shoulders like a strange unseen cloak. "We have to insure that we are in fact qacting for the betterment of all, not just save a few." -Lunar smiles evilly, then slips into the shadows, heading north. Soon it will become too dangerous. And he knows all he needs to know . . . for now. -Kimakaze nods "Of course. Numbers iss what makes a species prosper, after all. But hopefully numbers who are without defect and without and idiotic ideal system where by we sit and wait to die. Optimuss was a fool, in fact Elita seems to be far the more sane of the pair of them." -Moonlight waves to the cluster as she walks by. "Howdy," she calls out to no one in particular. -Solar walks up and stands behind Ghost, and Kimikaze, as yet saying nothing just listening -Kimakaze turns fractionally and nods towards Moonlight with a kurt motion of her head. "Greetingss, Comrade." -Phalanx glances at Moonlight, though not immediately recognizing the femme, offers no reply in turn. He lowers his gaze once more, and returns to listening to the Cons. -Ghost starts to speak, but at the hail as well as the sounds of someone coming up behind her, she spins, reaching for a non existant weapon.. "Solar...." she gets out.. "Dont do that." -Moonlight stops in front of the group, tilting to the side slightly and putting her hands on her hips. "Quite the cozy little gathering here. Something up?" -Kimakaze grins at Solar as well, tut tutting for a second. "Sneaking up on uss, Solar?" -Solar says, "Next time I'll use my flight mufflers and hover in. Besides its fun" -Ghost shakes her head, brushing her hand son her battered frame as she steps back to include Solar in the odd circle of conversationalists. -Kimakaze actually pokes Solar with a suddenly extended blade from her right arm, just gently and in a manner between two members of Intel. "You just /try/ it." -Moonlight hugs her arms close to her body. "Well, I don't want to but in too much. I'm more interesting in heading for a jaunt at the bar. Have a good cycle ya'll." -Kimakaze smiles to Moonlight. "Take it easy, Moonlight. If anyone bitess you, you know who to call." She actually seems pretty relaxed right now. -Moonlight waves a hand casually at Kimakaze. "Check." And with a saucy bob of her head, and a quick turn of her heel, she heads for the Surge. Dead End - Central Strip This area of Dead End could be described as the busiest, if only because it serves as a crossroads for the rest of the city. Many Cybertronians of all shapes and sizes can be seen moving through the narrow, crowded streets between Dead End's various points of interest. Though many of the people here appear normal... more or less, many seem to be suffering from some sort of malady, be it rust or system-decay, or from some sort of injury. Many of them are no doubt veterans of the war, Autobot or Decepticon. Occasionally, a vehicle of some sort can be seen forcing its way along the bustling street. As with all other areas in Dead End, this area is lit by artificial lighting, though a number of burnt out and flickering streetlights leave the road dim and with many a shadow to hide in. Lunar [Robot] [U] Obvious Exits: -N- North leads to Dead End - North Strip -S- South leads to Dead End - South Strip -E- East leads to Dead End - Governmental Commons -W- West leads to Dead End - City Limits -Moonlight swaggers into the area, singing a bawdy bar song to herself. -Lunar is up on the rooftops, talking into his radio, keeping hidden, his voice low. His optics quickly move to the source of the noise, and he tracks Moonlight. -Whiplash skulks onto the scene, keeping to the shadows as is her habit, though moving rapidly and with purpose. -Lunar is up on the rooftops, hidden, his voice too low to be heard, his optics narrowed and warily tracking Moonlight. -Moonlight is clearly on her way to the bar...and the spring in her step confirms it. Anyone who knows her at all will know that Moonlight loves bars. -Whiplash picks out Moonlight right away, but not Lunar. She remembers he likes to lurk around on rooftops, though, and looks upward. -Lunar is being careful not to be seen. After all, his greatest enemy at the moment is just south of him. He continues to look around for Whiplash. -Moonlight doesn't know there's skulking people around, so she's not really looking out for anyone. She alters her walking to make neat tappity patterns from her footsteps, and hums along with them. -As someting tentacled and black moves along the walls, there's a ripple of activity in the busy walkway right below Lunar's position. Someone has noticed something scary moving there, and has jumped aside, bumping into another pedestrian. -Lunar laughs softly, and jumps into a nearby alleyway. -Whiplash pauses for an instant, then slips into the next alleyway to the right. -Lunar reaches up and brings his plasma rifle off his back in one smooth motion, cocking it, and smiling with satisfaction. He raises an optic ridge as Whiplash enters the alley. "Hello Lashie," he says quietly. "Miss me?" -Whiplash's response is a quick flash of fangs, though not a growl, as her violet optics glow out of the dimness. "Don't flatter yourself," she remarks. -Lunar he chuckles, still quietly. "What, no hello evisceration? I'm crushed. So how do we back this 'mech?" -Alleyways are a smuggler's next best friend, but tonight Moonlight feels like staying away from them today. She's not hiding anything...she doesn't care who knows where she's going. -Whiplash mutters, "Sorry to disappoint you. So where is this bastard?" -Lunar says, "South. You head straight. I'll circle around and nail him in the back." -Whiplash says, "Oh, you want me to play the distraction, hm?" -Lunar says, "No, I want you to play the noble Decepticon warrior. I'm not expecting you to talk to him, and I'm going to need your firepower to take him down. Me, I'm scum with claws and a big gun. Back attacks from the shadows suit me." -Lunar says, "Besides, this plasma rifle doesn't have a high rate of fire. And I want to take him apart from up close. I'll need someone to help me out. I'm no fool, I know he'd wipe the floor with me in a standard fight. Now lets kill him before he gets away." -Moonlight spots something shiny on the ground. It appears to be a credit someone drop. She bends down to pick it up. "This must be my lucky day." -Lunar glances at Moonlight, through the opening of the alley. "You said you won't help me if I kill another Con?" -Whiplash says, "Funny, I kinda like to attack from the shadows myself." She gives Lunar a sideways look, and melts off into the alley out toward the open street. There she sees Moonlight stop right in front of her. Too late to turn back, she's already out in the open at least for an instant." -Whiplash draws back, but Moonlight might have spotted that movement. "You heard me," she hisses at Lunar. -Lunar grins wickedly. "Slag. She's so happy it's bumming my high. Seeing that smile seperated from her frame . . ." he licks his lips. -Lunar says, "So, both of us from the shadows. You from the front, me from the back. Give the signal and we jump him. That work for you?" -Moonlight sees the movement from the edges of her vision...but money is more important. "Hello?" she inquires once she stands up straight again, pocketing her new good luck charm. -Lunar mutters, "Slag," and flattens his frame against the alleyway. -Whiplash's fangs flash in the darkness again. She edges a little into the way between Lunar and Moonlight. Whiplash considers, and steps forward out of the darkness to meet Moonlight openly. "Just me," she says. "Wasn't sure if it was you." The lie tacked on smoothly. "Listen, there's something I need to check out to the south, you want to tag along?" -Moonlight shrugs her shoulders easily. "Sure. I feel lucky today anyhow." She leans easily to the side a bit. "What's the scoop?" -Whiplash says, "I hear there's some trouble brewing nearby." She sets out at a trot toward the south, and then casually falls back so Moonlight is alongside her..." -Lunar growls softly, then backs away into the shadows of the alley. A scant time later you hear a distant firing of rockets, which quickly fade to nothing. If you knew JUST where to look, you might see a shadow flash by, jumping between two rooftops. -Moonlight bobs her head to show she's listening. "What's the trouble? And what are we doing about it?" -Lunar moves along the rooftops as one born to them, warily giving Phalanx, Ghost, and Solar wide berth, seemingly only interested in getting around them without dying a horrible, painful death. He's very good at moving unnoticed. -Solar says, "no there not natural combatants, and yet neither are many of your Unafilliated. Yet you have a militia. Do you count yourselves among the civilian populace" -Whiplash is way off in the distance, heading south, alongside Moonlight, chatting quietly and companionably. "Not sure, I only got a rumor. Crowd unrest or something." She slowly falls back and off to the side into the shadows as they approach. -Ghost glances back and forth between the two now discussing, seemingly content to listen to them speak as opposed to joining in. -Phalanx arche a brow, "The militia no longer exists, so yes, I am a civilian. That does not make the Autobots less-so." -Lunar moves carefully. Making sure not to be seen. Carefully. Quietly. Every system and weapon on him that's not necessary powered down. Moving around them, until he's behind the three. Of course, by now he's practically invisible, his dark paint scheme merging him with the shadows, his optics dim. -Solar says, "I have to disagree, civilians are by nature civil. I have yet to find an autobot that was so." -Moonlight heads back into the area, her mood even brighter than it had been before she left. -Whiplash murmurs to Moonlight from somewhere a few paces away, "Damn, got another signal. Go on ahead, I'll catch up." With that she melts into the seedy alleys among the storefronts and flattens herself down, creeping forward in silence. -Phalanx ahhs, "So you expect them to take subjugation peacefully? And if your positions were reversed?" -Phalanx says, "Civility has never been a part of war, you should know that by now." -Moonlight shrugs her shoulders. Things are vague right now, so she'll just sit tight and wait. She hears her homeworld mentioned and decides to pipe up, "You have a point there Solar...though I wouldn't press it too much. Back alleys of Monacus were my home for a long time." -Lunar, behind them, crouches down on one knee. A sniper's position. Still, right now, no weapons are powered, or even wielded, and he makes sure he is cloaked in shadow, unseen, undetected. Then he waits. -Solar says, "Yes but by your definition this isn't a war. There are no innocents in a war you know. You yourself said the Autobots were civilians and therefore there can be no war" -Whiplash creeps closer as Moonlight joins the group. Good, a whole custer of conversation. Now if she can position herself just right to break through the others and launch herself at Phalanx ... she draws her legs under her in a tight crouch and gathers herself... -Moonlight keeps her optics open...for anything right now, especially since she's not sure what she's looking for. "Pft. Sounds like you're just arguing semantics. It doesn't matter what names we give to everyone and their actions. What we do is what we do. Words are just there so smarty-afts can confuse people." -Ghost arches a brow, optics flickering lavender for a moment before returning to a ash gray. -Phalanx offers a shrug, seemingly unaware of the impending danger, even as he continues the debate, "A militia is an organization composed, for the most part, of non-professional soldiers. Civilians. It is no different for resistance fighters, rebels, what have you. The point is that they were civilians who felt the need to fight back, for whatever reason." -Lunar takes his gun, still powered down, slowly off his back, aiming . . . somewhere in the group's general direction. Nothing powered. Dark paint scheme blending with the night perfectly. -Solar says, "That is hardly the definition of a war, no is it. Now my brother and I, that is a war." -Whiplash counts the beats of the fuel pump. Her most hated enemy directly ahead. Ghost and Solar chatting with him companionably like old debate partners, beyond her comprehension, but she will not analyze it right now. She pauses one second longer, resisting the urge to look up toward where Lunar might be. He'll act when she does. The time is ... NOW! She bursts from the shadows below a dead street light, pushing off against the wall behind her for added momentum, the claws extended and the tentacles snapping forward - in absolute dead silence as opposed to her normal instinct to fill the night with a shriek of fury. >>Whiplash strikes Phalanx with her evisceration attack. -Lunar smirks. "I guess that was the signal," he murmurs to himself, his plasma rifle powering up. He can't resist, though. Before he fires, he hits his radio, then speaks as he pulls the trigger. -Moonlight springs into action only moments after Whiplash does...she knew something was going to happen, although she did not know what. But she didn't survive as a smuggler by allowing herself to be caught off guard or unprepared. Like lightning she pulls her gun out of it's holster on her leg and points it at Phalanx, waiting for further instructions. Despite her talk about not trusting, she's trusting Whiplash here, and waits to prove her worth...though to whom it is not certain. -Solar just shakes his head and then turns to Ghost, not flinching at the blasts and battle around him "Did you know about this?" -Ghost's optics widen at the moment in which Whiplash spreings forth and strikes Phalanx. Her mind reels as she notes the resounding echo of a rifle being fired as well. Her optics go that deep black violet that preceeds a moment ot utter mindless violence as she snaps out, "CEASE FIRE!" Spinning around to turn her back to Phalanx, takling up a guard position for him. -Phalanx is knocked off balance by Whiplash's initial lunge... He hits the ground hard and slides for a few feet, armor grinding off sparks against the hard surface of the street. He only begins to pick himself up when the plasma burst clips him in the shoulder, knocking him back flat on his chest. Alright, that was unexpected. He shakes his head dismissively, shaking off the pain as he picks himself up for a third time... this time with forearm lasers powerd, and a grenade ready in one hand... Hrm... Obstacle... Ghost. He picks himself up, taking advantage of the shield, as it may only be temporary... Then he waits... -Whiplash races past as her claws connect, and keeps moving as Lunar follows up on her "signal." She spins around at the edge of the nearest steetlight's glow and prepares to leap again, Ghost's shouted command only dimly getting through her battle rage. -Ghost sets herelf to take any charge aimed at the one she seems to ahve chosen to defend, optics that deep violet, hands empty of anything resembling a weapon. -Moonlight shrugs in a 'what the hell' sort of way and opens fire. She /did/ agree to help Whiplash after all. Trying to aim around Ghost, she takes a moment, then lets lose with a blast. >>Moonlight strikes Phalanx with her omnibeam attack. -Solar shakes his head again still haven't moved "Times like this I hate bein Internal Affairs", but he gets his broadband connection ready -Whiplash feints forward and back, snarling, her voilet optics glowing murderously, but she won't leap at Ghost. Somewhere in the back of her mind she hopes Lunar is at least making use of Phalanx's open back. She's not expecting Moonlight to be the one to open fire - in fact seems to have forgotten all about the others present. -Lunar laughs, letting his rifle snap back into place as he quickdraws his laser pistol hidden in his boot. "Sorry Ghost, but I don't give a slag about your orders," he murmurs. It's doubtful anyone can hear him, or see him for that matter. The laser streaks outwards. >>Lunar strikes Phalanx with his laser attack. -Whiplash hisses in gratification as shots converge on the Militia commander from somewhere else, but oh, how she wants another chance to sink in her claws. She slinks into a circling motion trying to find an angle from which she can leap without running right into Ghost. -Solar is standing infront of both Ghost and Phalanx, he easily sees the flash of the laser light as the unknown attacker fires rather cowardly at his back "You handle this lot I'll go after the other one" and he leaps into the air transforms and cloaks all in one smooth motion -Lunar laughs softly. "So, my brother shows his true colors after all. Turn your back on the glorious Decepticon warrior, and instead defend the traitor who fraternizes with a known insurgent." -Gaaa-ah! Another one. Phalanx grimaces as the omnibeam blast glances across his chest armor, leaving a small line of melted armor. It's followed, in short order, by another shot to his back. Ghost or not, a withdrawal will likely be in order. He returns the grenade to the storage pod on his leg... an impractical weapon to use where civilians are at risk, even though many of them seem to have withdrawn to the fringes. Lash is dealt with for now... The other femme... unkown capablities there... A likely enough target for now. He pivots to the side, presenting the profile of his body... leaving as little target area as possible, and lifts an arm, snapping off a shot from his forearm mounted laser. >>Phalanx misses Moonlight with his laser attack. -Solar gets a bead on the last location of the attacker, now that he knows who it is he activates his higher powered weapons as well. he opens all his weapon ports silently and fires while cloaked. >>Solar strikes Lunar with his photon_torpedo attack. -Ghost stands her ground even as shots fly past her to strike the mech behind her. Keeping her optic son Whiplash, she grates out some words, voice rough and gravely, "Stand down or be delt with.." Her hands clench and unclench as she wars withen herself, her abhorance of assailing her own against her determination to defend Phalanx. -Whiplash repeats as she keeps pace with Ghost's movements, "*Get* outta the way? Or do I have to go through you?" The tentacles light up around her in a crackling halo of blue electricity. -Moonlight rolls out of the way of her target's attack and doesn't suffer any more than a bit of a scuffing from the ground. She recovers quickly, and watches to see what happens. If Whiplash continues, so will she. If Whiplash backs down, so will she. But she doesn't keep her guard or her weapon down. -Ghost stares at Whiplash, not moving, a dented grimy apparition of her formal self, "I will not move Whiplash. Either stand down.. or be.. delt with." Her words go flat, "If you choose to attack then you will be delt with fairly. -Whiplash snaps, " 'Dealt with'?? Whose side are you on, Ghost? Or should I say - *FastJack*??" Her optics are glowing violet coals of fury now - she's mad enough to completely forget about security procedures. "Maybe you're more into that *role* than we thought!" -Lunar's optics go wide. "Fastjack? She's . . ." He begins to laugh uproriously. Then the photon torpedoes hit. -A chivalrous mech would likely tell Ghost to stand down... to let him fight his own battles... But Phalanx isn't a chivalrous mech. No, he's a practical mech. Ghost is capable of making her own decisions, and if it means another ally, and a better chance at survival, he's willing to allow this to continue for as long as possible. He watches, optics moving between Whiplash, Moonlight, and in the vague direction from which the other shots came. - Solar says, "I am telling you mechs now and for the last time, any action you take here in this city will result in an official inquiry by Internal affairs. And you have my oath as an officer that it will be harsh" -Lunar snarls as photon torpedoes come out from seemingly nowhere, enveloping him in fire and shaking the foundation of the building. "Can't fight like a man, can you Solar? You have to kill MORE of MY people! But you will not pay for such mismanagement of Dead End until later . . . I gave Whiplash my word I wouldn't kill any Decepticons tonight." He lets a barrage of missiles fly towards Phalanx, then leaps into the air, transforming and shimmering as his own cloaking device activates. Invisible now, he banks towards Phalanx, lining up for a strafing run. >>Lunar strikes Phalanx with his ballistic attack. -Moonlight turns her optics to settle mostly on Whiplash. It's clear she's deferring to the other femme. It's not indecisiveness though that holds her back...just the wisdom that attacking without back-up is a bad idea. She isn't a fighter after all. -Solar flies off after his brother, "No but an EX Decepticon dying tonight won't bother me at all" and with his limited sensors he goes to lower weapons and fires almost blindly at where he thinks Lunar is. >>Solar strikes Lunar with his laser attack. -Lunar is hit and begins to waver in its flight path. He pulls up, flying upwards, at full speed. He's still cloaked, but the smoke coming from his engines gives a general idea of where he is. But he's going fast now, away. -Phalanx stumbles forward as the shots carve new pits into the armor of his back. He turns toward the direction that they're coming from... Just in time to see Solar fire off a barrage of laser blasts. Alright, that's being dealt with, the Con can handle it, fewer problems for him to deal with... Though if the Con doesn't finish him off soon, he won't bother holding off any longer. -Ghost's expression slides from that flat void to one where anger is barely reigned in. A shake of her head as she dismisses retorting with a denial, "I serve the *EMPIRE* Whiplash. And in turn I serve Cybertron as a whole. Don't make me have to count you among those that cannot see that the differences between all of us are simply idiomic and can be worked through!" She remains unarmed still, hands flexing at her sides as she steps back to get closer to her point of defense, "Now, back away and stand down. This is your final warning." -Solar doesn't move to follow Lunar, as the danger is paramount here. Instead he transforms and lands in front of Moonlight yelling, "STAND DOWN NOW!" -Whiplash snaps, the tentacles remaining very much lit up, "EMPIRE You're defending a damn *deserter* who attacked our troops! You want to see an ex-Decepticon die? I'll be happy to finish the job." With that she does finally overcome her resistance to firing, though she does leap suddenly aside to try and give herself a shot more at Phalanx than at Ghost - and she unleashes a crackling bolt of blue electricity. >>Whiplash strikes Ghost with her electricity attack. -Moonlight shakes her head...this isn't looking good. "Sorry Solar, can't do it, wouldn't be prudent. Actually," she muses, a finger going along her own cheek, "it would be, but I'm just a little reckless I suppose. Nothing personal." And with that she takes dances away from Solar in hopes that she can get a better shot at Phalanx. -Lunar, seeing that Solar is dealing with moonlight, lands on a rooftop and transforms, hugging the shadows. He powers up his plasma rifle and begins a careful aim, speaking once into his radio. -Ghost seems to shimmer as she moves to intercept Whiplashes tenticular assault, her frame seemingly outline with the very electricity that was meant for Phalanx, giving her a 'ghostly' haze.. A grimace crosses her face as a flickering pain sifts through her systems before she moves into action, a set expression on her face, pained to say the least, "Phalanx, prepare to receive." she rasps out. -Solar says, "You take another shot at X and I'll start taking shots at you. Its not personal understand, but its necessary. This attack on Neutral territory was not condoned by the CoC. I'm gonna brig you", and with that he reaches over his sholder and grabs his axe, as well as bringing his missile pods to bear "You have your orders now stand down" -Lunar transmits: 'Solar is a traitor. He set explosives on buildings in Dead End, killing hundreds of innocents, then blamed me for it. He worked with the known traitor Fortress to establish that traitor's hold upon this city. And now, he fraternizes with known insurgent Phalanx. Forget who I am for a moment. Whiplash believes in this cause. Don't fail the Decepticons, or Whiplash, now.'. -Moonlight gets a crafty glint in her optics and tilts her head back so Solar can see it. "Of course I won't /shoot/ him anymore..." Her tone is a little too sweet. -Phalanx mutters quietly to himself, shaking his head dismissively as though he doubts what he is about to say, "You're about to cross a line, Ghost... one which I sincerely recommend you do not cross. What you do here tonight will mean little in the scheme of things. Even if they fail, they shall return, they shall try again. I'll deal with it as best I can. The decision is yours, but consider it carefully..." -Ghost's optics narrow to thin slits as she shakes her head, "I didn't come here to lead anyone into an ambush. If they have a problem with you, they can do it some other time. But not tonight," she murmurs in return, "If they will consent to letting you depart, then I will not cross that very thin line, if they continue, then it will get crossed.. repeatedly. " Her optics do not leave Whiplash as she speaks, frame tensing tightly as she readies herself, "Don't push me, Mer Whiplash. I'm already walking the shadows and a push will send me over the edge to never return." -Solar says, "Do I need to tell you that any attack will result in the same?" -Moonlight frowns. "Ah, slag. Thought that would work...no I didn't. But discipline isn't my strong suit. I said I would help Whiplash, so I will help Whiplash. I don't like fighting, but I hate letting people down. Bad for business you know. So, if you don't get out of the way, I'm afraid this conflict will go beyond the verbal." She takes a few more steps to the side, hoping to get a shot at Phalanx still. -Solar matches her step by step as she tries to move around him. "Are you a soldier in the empire or not? Do you have no discipline no military decorum? No respect for the chain of command? Then after your time in the brig I think a few lunar cycles of rebuilding Darkmount will be your next assignment. Now I think I'm tires of talkin, I think a pre-emptive strike is prudent", and he takes a swing with his fist. -Whiplash glares at Ghost, the expression on her face clear as one of hatred and outrage, despite the alienness of the MedusaSaur form. "Think about *what* you're defending," she hisses. "That piece of scum and scrap that's cowering behind you, walked out on the Decepticons. Turned his back on our ideals, betrayed us and collaborated with the enemy. Attacked our warriors. Stole our troops. You're choosing *that* over your own honor? No wonder Shockwave demoted you. *Now* I can see he was right! And don't think that damn fence-sitter can hide behind you forever, 'cause I'll drag his carcass through the streets of Tarn yet!" The tentacles flare up brilliantly one more time, but she still won't lunge for Ghost, still can't overcome that inhibition despite all her fury - her earlier strike against her having been purely an accident that she tried to avoid. "I'll get *him* next time - and maybe *you* - FastJack." With that the light from the tentacles abruptly dies out and Whiplash has leapt into the shadows and is gone. >>Solar strikes you with his punch attack for 4 damage. -Moonlight gets sidetracked by Whiplash's final words and departure. As a result she takes Solar's punch right in her midsection and utters an "umph" of discomfort. She looks around and realizes she's mostly alone now. Carefully she puts away her blaster, but doesn't let her hand stray too far away from it. "There goes the wind out of my sails (or the Cybertronian equivalent)." She looks around, trying to figure out a course of action. With Whiplash gone, and Lunar mostly hidden, she's the only target left...and that's a bad place to be in. -Ghost's optics track Whiplash as the other femme departs, not letting it show just how deeply the words cut or how much this has taken out of her. She stands there, waiting, watching before her attention flicks to Solar and Moonlight, one lone brow arching upwards, "Might I suggest, Madame, that you depart the area before your actions cause another incident." -Solar says, "You gonna stand down now?" -The small laser on Phalanx's forearm powers down, and he relaxes his stance, the threat seeming to have passed. His attention shifts to Ghost, optics narrowing as he waits for her to conclude her business here. There are most certainly new things to discuss. -Moonlight takes off her hat. She looks rather annoyed, but not scared yet. She addresses Solar first. "Of course I'm standing down now. I'm stubborn, not completely insane. I'm all alone now, and I don't want to be blown to bits without anyone left to pick up the pieces." Her tone is rather harsh. It softens as she addresses Ghost. "I didn't 'cause' anything. I was just following Whiplash's lead." She pulls a credit chip out of a 'pocket'. "I guess I'm not so lucky after all." She looks like she's about to throw the chip on the ground, but then thinks better of it and puts it away. She looks from Ghost to Solar and waits...running might save her life, but it might land her in more trouble after all. -Ghost's shoulders shift as she takes a step away from Phalanx, shaking her head, expression sliding grim, "Leave.. " she says softly, "The both of you. Solar, you and Moonlight go.. someplace else." -Solar nods and puts his hand out to Moonlight "I want your weapon and your sigil. As head of Internal Affairs I'm placing you under military arrest and am gonna escort ya ta the brig onboard the Conquest until such time as a military tribunal can hear your case Understand?" -Moonlight shrugs her shoulders and addresses Phalanx. "Like I said, nothing personal, I don't even know you. I was just helping the closest person I have to a friend." Then she turns back to Solar, handing over her whip and her blaster without hesitation. She fumbles a bit with the sigils, but manages to remove them and hand them over as well. "Okay. No more heroics for me. I'll be as meek as a cyberkitten." And she waits for further instruction from Solar. -Ghost shakes her head, "Solar, she was following orders. No detainment. No brigging. Let her leave freely." -Phalanx takes little comfort in that fact, optics narrowing as he replies, "Next time I'll trust that you at least find out why you're attempting to kill someone..." -Solar hands em back "Smeg this ain't gonna be fun. Alright your free to go, but I think I need ta have a nice leisurely chat with a few others." and he walks away muttering under his breath and gesturing wildly -Moonlight takes her things back with a sigh and a shrug. "Ta, ta then." And with that she walks away. - Solar says, "Now I need a drink" Bismuth Causeway As the Bismuth Causeway continues, exits to the southwest point to the city known as Dead End. Once again, numerous bridges, many of them in disrepair span over this area also. The trench itself is yet another natural feature of the asteroid core of this world. Dug into the surface from eons of traveling through space and colliding with other celestial bodies, this entire sector of the planet is riddled with canyons of varying degrees. Where the bridges have failed the trench is usually the width of a Guardian, it sometimes narrows down so that even the smallest of Transformers has to either force their way through, or climb around the bottle-neck. Lunar [Robot] [U] Whiplash [MedusaSaur] [D] Obvious Exits: -SW- Southwest leads to Dead End - North Strip -U- Up leads to Sky above Trench -NE- Northeast leads to Asteroid Canyon -E- East leads to Bismuth Causeway -W- West leads to Bismuth Causeway -Moonlight walks away from the scene...far, far away. She's walking faster than usual, and with more focus and purpose than usual. Her head is bowed slightly and she is very quiet. -Moonlight keeps going, dangerously unaware of her surroundings. But her face is hidden as usual, so it's hard to tell what is going on in her mind. -Moonlight sees Whiplash and Lunar and walks up to them. Unlike her usual, yappy self, she says nothing. -Whiplash shakes her head a little. "Played her part too well," she whispers. -Lunar says softly, "Ghost. Fastjack. Isn't it?" -Whiplash looks up from her distant, shocked expression as she catches sight of a movement approaching, her instincts immediately snapping back into place as the tentacles come forward and light up. -Lunar glances at Moonlight, his mask becoming hard and cruel again. "Hello. Long time no see." -Lunar says, "Now go make it longer." -The light fades in Whiplash's tentacles as she recognizes Moonlight, and she goes back to looking distinctly unhappy about something on her radio. -Moonlight shakes her finger at Lunar. "You're just as friendly as ever I see. And don't start on how my words don't amuse or impress you, because I'm not trying to do either." -Lunar says softly, "Believe it or not, I don't care. Whiplash, what is Ghost saying to you?" -Moonlight's shoulders slump a little. She looks tired. -Whiplash snaps too quickly, "Nothing," a lie that sounds obvious even to her as soon as she says it, so she amends, "You were wrong, Lunar. I was wrong. She had us fooled the whole time. And by forcing a confrontation just now, we blew her cover and ruined the chance to destroy the rest of the militia in their hideout." -Lunar says quietly, "Whiplash. We did the right thing. I'll always believe that. Ghost cannot be trusted. She's too . . . soft." -Moonlight's head snaps back up. "What?!" Her tone is not accusatory, but shocked and a little horrified. Perhaps she isn't as shallow and desensitized, as she often seems. -Whiplash shakes her head. In a sense she's relieved, in another she's horrified. "We coulda had 'em all," she says. Her determination flares back up, though, and she meets Lunar's optics, her own eyes blazing. "I'm still not about to wait for Ghost or anyone to maneuver Phalanx into the right position. If I catch him alone, he's history. You can help me kill him, or you can stand by and watch, I don't care which." -Moonlight doesn't say anything...it isn't really her business anyhow, never was. -Lunar grins cruelly. "If you kill him without me, I'll be sorely disappointed. I suggest a truce, Whiplash. Until Phalanx is destroyed. With more mobility I could hunt him down. Maybe find this base myself." -Whiplash tilts her head a little. "Truce? I was never your enemy, Lunar." Whiplash says, "And you're shot to hell," she repeats from earlier, maybe even, with a lot of imagination, the faintest trace of concern in her tone. "You got a place to get repairs?" -Lunar says, "No. I'll lay low until I heal up." Lunar is obviously doing his normal refusal to accept help. The holes in him look far too large to heal naturally. -Whiplash looks him over, and doesn't quite buy it. She looks over to Moonlight. "Hey. You know anyone that's discrete and can patch this guy up?" -Moonlight ponders for a moment. "I could probably scrounge a name up. Got a few people in debt to me for some jobs I did. If they want my services again, they'll do a good job and keep their mouths shut." -Lunar frowns. "I said I don't need help. Or are you going soft all of a sudden too, Whiplash?" Lunar hides very well his enjoyment that for once Whiplash is looking at him as a comrade instead of an enemy to be used when convenient. - Whiplash adopts a dismissive tone. "Hey, suit yourself. I just figure you're no good in the hunt in that condition." -Moonlight shakes her head. "What is with you people and not liking help or anyone even broaching the idea that you're invincible and can stand on your own. That's just silly in my opinion." -Lunar growls softly, "Moonlight, if your entire faction had betrayed you because you were TOO good at upholding their ideals, wouldn't you tend not to trust anyone?" - Moonlight shrugs. "I don't trust people overly much, but I'm not paranoid either. I expect people to fudge the rules, cheat, etc. But if I think I can squeeze help out of someone, I will." -Whiplash grumbles, "I'm not asking you to *trust* me, I'm asking you to get your sorry armor fixed up so we can kill Phalanx the next time." - Lunar growls softly, "Last time I trusted a medic she deactivated me and tried to sell me to Fortress for the bounty on my head." -Moonlight sighs. "Next time I get kicked off a planet, remind me to go somewhere a little more friendly...or at least somewhere a little more easy going." - Whiplash sidesteps into the shadows, only her optics remaining visible, glowing like disembodied coals out of the dark. "I'll see what I can come up with," she says, and abruptly the violet lights wink out as she turns and vanishes off. - Lunar sighs. "Father was right. Never deal with Con femmes." - Moonlight pretends to look herself over. "I didn't think we were /that/ bad." - Lunar growls softly. "You are." -Moonlight crosses her arms. "Well, I like me." - Lunar says, "I'm sure you like you." - Lunar says, "I don't." - Moonlight smiles. "I know. But that doesn't bother me. You know why? Because you don't like anyone. You don't even like yourself." - Lunar growls softly, "You're right. I bet you think you've just made some great psychological revelation. But you haven't. I've known that since . . . I became this way." - Moonlight shrugs. "Never claimed to discover anything. I'm just telling you that all your nasty barbs don't bother me. If you don't really care about yourself, then why should I care what you think about me. But until this thing with Phalanx is over though, I don't want to antagonize you. I like Whiplash, and I'm sticking with her on this one. So if you can play nice for a while, you can go back to being acidic and nasty later." - Lunar says quietly, "Listen well, because I mean this with all the heart I have left. Whiplash is the Decepticons best hope. Don't let her falter. Don't let her give in to the likes of Ghost and Solar. There's only one way we'll win this war, and that's if Whiplash leads the Decepticon armies." He sighs. "Then maybe I can return to the fold." - Moonlight listens with quiet contemplation. "So, there /is/ someone you like. That gives me more reason to help her." She pauses for a moment. "You really want to join up with the 'Cons again?" There's no derision in her voice, and it doesn't sound like she's trying to needle Lunar any more. - Lunar thinks for a short bit. "No," he says finally, "But I will if they become again an organization I could believe in and belong to. And I don't like Whiplash. I hate her, more than I hate any other Decepticon. Because if it weren't for her, I could believe that there were no more idealistic, honorable warriors in the world. I could mark the whole Cybertronian race up as one big mistake, and kill them all. But I can't, because there's Whiplash. -Moonlight seems puzzled. "That doesn't make sense. Why would you hate someone because they fit your ideals? Just because you can't anymore?" - Lunar says, "Because it means I can't die yet. I can't end all this Primus slagged pain that I feel each day. I can't bury all my ghosts by killing myself." He sighs. "I don't expect you to understand." - Moonlight shrugs. "You're a deep fellow. I'm not deep at all. What you see is usually what you get with me. I have no scars, no real regrets, no hatreds. So I guess it makes sense that I don't understand you." - Lunar says, "Right." - Moonlight waits for more. One word answers are somewhat...unsatisfying. Lunar he sighs. "I don't have time for this." And he takes off, heading south. "Take care of Whiplash. Don't let her doubt the mission," he calls back. "Don't let her loyalty to Megatron force her to obey these buffoons who are not worthy of his sigil. - Moonlight shrugs and watches Lunar leave, wondering how anyone can live with a mind-set like his. But, it's not her problem really. He's not really open, so she's not going to waste too much time prying him open with a crowbar.