September 8th, 2002 ~Nosecone(A), Production Highway Tying together the various supply and production facilities around the planet is a network of smooth highways, sometimes raised, and sometimes flush with the planet's surface. This particular, seemingly endless stretch of highway extends between the factories to the northwest, and the warworld to the northeast. The once gleaming, nearly chrome colored surface of the highway in this area has become pocketed with blast marks and tarnished greatly over time with the numerous battles fought back and forth between Iacon and Skymount (and subsequently, Darkmount) over the years. Still, through the massive spans and arches, it's easy to see that at one time, this was a proudly constructed area, kept immaculate for years until Transformers fell to fighting each other again in this latest war. Nosecone [Tunnelling Vehicle] [A] Hellrazor's Saloon Obvious Exits: -N- North leads to Old Cybertronia -E- East leads to Production Highway -W- West leads to Production Highway -Nosecone trundles slowly but surely along one of the endless highways, heading for the bar. -Moonlight is standing outside the bar, giving it an appraising look. She's off to the side a bit, making sure not to block anyone from entering or leaving. -Nosecone rolls on up to the saloon, shuddering to a halt some distance from the door. Transforming a little stiffly, the Autobot driller stretches his newly-repaired servos and looks around the area, noting the femme lurking near the door. -Moonlight gives a little shrug to herself and walks jauntily into the new bar. Hellrazor's Saloon You are inside the fledgling upstart bar Hellrazor's Saloon. The place is packed, as it always is. The combination of a truly neutral atmosphere and incredibly cheap drinks makes the Saloon a gathering point for Transformers from all over Cybertron. The bartender, Flask, and his staff of waitresses are always busy, but they are remarkably polite with customers despite how hoppingly mad the place is. They are especially polite to customers who tip generously. Loud pounding music blares out of speakers around the room, adding to the din of a crowded bar. Bash and Crash, two rather large bouncers usually stationed near the door, make sure that fights don't last very long here. The entire establishment is owned by the mysterious and apparently very wealthy Hellrazor. (Note: Type menu to see the menu of drinks, and the coded commands for ordering them.) Contents: Flask the Bartender -Nosecone enters the bar in the same way he moves anywhere in this mode - with heavy but sure footfalls. Not bothering to sneak, nor draw undue attention to himself, the stocky 'bot wanders up to the bar, finding himself a nice leaning spot. -Moonlight is looking around the bar from inside the door, rubbing her hands together as though anticipating something pleasant. Her mouth is definately smiling, but because of her hat, no one can see what her optics are doing right now. -Nosecone didn't notice Moonlight as he made his way to the bar, although he is wondering where the femme he saw outside got to.. ah well. Waving down the barmech, Nosecone seems to relax as a mug of energon is placed in front of him. Handing over a few creds, the driller smiles. Time to lean back and do nothing. -Moonlight makes her way through the crowd, nudging rather hard at anyone who tries to grab at her. She makes her way up to the bar and sits herself near the Autobot...maybe this was a coincidence, maybe it was deliberate...or maybe it was the first empty seat she could find. -Nosecone sips at his drink, smiling as Moonlight approaches.. then his smile crystalises as he spots the Decepticon insignia. Isn't that always the way? Ya see a nice looking femme, and then she turns out to be a heartless killing machine. Shifting uncomfortably as Moonlight sits next to him, Nosecone figures he'll give her the benefit of the doubt, and be diplomatic. "Evening", he says, inclining his head. -Moonlight glances over at the Autobot and nods, a big grin flashing across her face. "Hey there," she says as a return to the greeting. Then she takes a moment to look over the list, frowning slightly as her usual drink seems to be absent... -Nosecone sips at his drink, trying to think of something to say. "Interesting place" he notes. That should be safe enough, shouldn't it? -Moonlight scowls at the menu for a moment before turning back to the Autobot fellow. "Seems okay I suppose...but really, who makes a bar and then doesn't serve a basic enerwine?" She shakes her head as though gravely disappointed, but then the grin returns to her face. -Nosecone can't help but smile back. "Someone who doesn't think people that drink enerwine would ever set foot in their bar?" -Moonlight chuckles softly. "Could be, could be. But I guess I could try something new for the sake of the establishment...have any suggestions?" -Nosecone shrugs, newly repaired joints still creaking a bit. "First time I've been here. Played it safe with some Enerbeer. Can't go wrong with beer" he says, taking another draw from his mug. -Moonlight looks slightly doubtful. "I don't know about that. For some reason I've never taken a liking to beer. Maybe it's because Swipe drank so much of it." She shrugs. "Oh well, I guess there's a first time for everything." She looks at the menu again, trying to discern what is closest to the enerwine she's used to drinking. -Nosecone leans back as, looking around at the miscellaneous inhabitants of the bar, he listens to Moonlight. "Swipe?" he queries. -Moonlight nods her head. "Yeah, my mentor back on Monacus. He was a very noisy drunk...I always figured it was the beer." -Nosecone hehs. "Yeah, some mechs get like that. Me, I just get sleepy." -Moonlight shrugs and picks a drink at random by closing her optics and running her finger up and down the list. She ends up pointing to the Omegarita. -Nosecone looks over at the drink. "Omegarita?" -Taking a look at the drink Moonlight gives it a try. She makes a big of a face, then shrugs. "Not too bad." She takes another sip, makes another face, then looks back at the 'Bot. "Yup. As for getting drunk, that's something I don't do." -Nosecone grins. "Really? Why's that?" -Moonlight taps the side of her head and grins. "It's not safe to get drunk you know." -Nosecone blinks, then sighs. "No, I suppose it's not. Not here, anyways." -Moonlight's grin broadens. "It's not safe anywhere. It leads most people down the path of stupidity. Now, I know I'm foolish, but I would hate to be stupid. So, I picked up a tolerance for alcohol." She finishes off the drink with another face. "This certainly is sour." She shakes her head as though to unfreeze the 'sour' look from her face. "By the way, my name is Moonlight." She extends a hand towards the 'Bot. -Nosecone regains his usual lazy smile. "A little stupidity now and then doesn't hurt. And I'm Nosecone" he says, reaching out to shake the offerred hand. -Moonlight's mouth makes an 'o' shape for a moment before it returns to its usual grin. She shakes the hand firmly and then lets go. "So /you're/ the fellow that did the number on Jynx eh?" -Nosecone's smile fades, and he sighs again. "Yeah. That was me" he replies, reaching for his drink again. -Moonlight chuckles. "Interesting...very interesting." Moonlight's tone is rather amused. She folds her arms and continues to grin. -Nosecone takes a long draw from his enerbeer, then turns back to the Decepticon femme with a resolute expression. "Despite what you might have been told, I wasn't there looking for a fight, or on a mission for somthing to do with the war. And I certainly didn't want any trouble. That guy.. Jynx you said his name was? He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." He pauses to take another drink. "With the wrong attitude." -Moonlight grins. "If you ask me everyone on this planet has the wrong attitude. The report said you were looking for a kidlet or something to that effect..." She doesn't seem at all bothered that she is conversing with someone who put one of her allies in repair bay. "Jynx is rather upset with you, you know." -Nosecone mutters, "Well isn't that just too bad for Jynx." The driller finishes the rest of his drink, tipping the mug to drain the last drops of energon. "Yeah, I was looking for a runaway kidlet. And I told Jynx that. Gave him a chance to maybe help me out, then chase me off guns blazing to save face. I wouldn't have cared. But he wanted to play it the hard way, so..." he trails off, then shrugs. -Moonlight motions for the bartender to get her a Martinigon while she's listening. "It is kind of a war thing to shoot at the enemy, isn't it?" -Nosecone shakes his head. "Wasn't about the war. Was about a lost kidlet, who had no place being anywhere near the front lines." -Moonlight nods. "That may be true, but it's still not surprising that you got into a scuffle. We Decepticons aren't really known for our good manners and understanding natures after all." She bows her head slightly and her grin twists slightly ironic. -Nosecone smiles wryly, also appreciating the irony. "Yeah, well. It's always worth a try, ya know? Not my problem if your lot don't want to listen to reason sometimes. But still, I had to try." -Moonlight nods her head and sips her drink. "Oooo, this one's too sweet. I might have to go for the beer after all." She shakes her head. "Trying is always a good thing...but most people around here are too blind to see it. But I have the perspective that they lack. I'm not saying I'm any better than anyone, because I'm not, but I don't see things in black and white most of the time. I prefer to linger in the greys." She grins. "Besides, being rude makes people angry, and angry people are more likely to damange the paint job if you know what I mean." -Nosecone chuckles. "Well, that's a start. Just a pity that friend of yours don't see things the same way." -Moonlight leans her head forward. "Personally, I think that we would be in trouble if we /did/ win the war...but from what I can see, it's most likely that we will. No offense to you and your pals of course." Despite the potential to be so, her words are not condescending. -Nosecone raises an optic ridge, waving over the bartender and ordering two enerbeers - one for him, one for the Decepticon. " 'Zat so? Well, a few 'Bots might have somthing to say about that, of course. Me, I don't think this thing is gonna end any time soon, Primus damn it all." -Moonlight shrugs. "But of course I also think this war is stupid, so what do I know. I'm sure they would have plenty to say about my opinion, but that's the way I see it." -Nosecone blinks, surprised. "I thought you Decepticon types were built for war? 'Cause, this is the longest conversation I've had with a 'Con that didn't include the phrase 'Die Autobot Scum!' ", he says, mimicing a harsh deceptigoon tone. -Moonlight chuckles. "Don't worry about it and don't get your hopes up. Where I came from, I was the scum. I'm certainly not likely to call others scum after that. And I'm not even origionally from Cybertron, so that might explain my lack of war like qualities." -Nosecone ohs, making a start on his beer to cover the awkwardness. "Well, you don't seem like scum now. Especially when compared to.." he waves in the vague direction of the scum and villany frequenting the saloon with a wry smile.. the gesture starting at his own chestplate. -Moonlight grins. "That's awfully sweet of you." She tilts her head back so that he can see her wink. Then she turns to sample the beer. -Nosecone shrugs and grins, idly wondering if Magnus is gonna give him a Stern Talking To for fraternizing with the enemy. -Moonlight knows that the 'talk' is most likely coming to her as well from her own side, but that's okay for many reasons. But in a way it doesn't matter so much any more either way...she grows contemplative of more than the beer as she tastes away. -Nosecone figures that one more lecture isn't gonna matter too much anyway. Primus knows he gets enough Stop Lazing Around The Rec Room And Go Do Something Useful talks. "How's the beer? Not really up to the standards of what you're used to, I'm guessing." -Moonlight turns back to Nosecone. "Not bad, but at least it isn't too sweet or too sour. Kind of like me I guess." She grins, and obviously even deep contemplation doen't phaze this femme much. -Nosecone tilts his head, not sure what to make of that statement.. or the femme that said it, really. "You said you're from off-world. How'd a good-looking femme like you end up fighting the Endless War on this scrap-metal planet?" he asks carefully, not wanting to cause offense - or pry too deeply. -Moonlight grins wryly. "Maybe I should just make it a novel. People always ask why I'm here. I guess that Cybertron isn't the best vacation spot to pick from. But that's okay. I'm basically here because my life was threatened rather specifically on Monacus...here I'm just another Decepticon to shoot at..." -Nosecone whistles softly. "That's a dangerous game. Trading a life under crosshairs for a life in the trenches. You're not worried that trouble'll follow you here?" -Moonlight shakes her head. "Most of the smugglers that we had problems with avoid this planet like the plague, making this the last place they would look for me. They'll probably give up before they decide to look here." She laughs. "As for danger, being a smuggler was never safe in the first place." -Nosecone sips at his beer. "Avoid Cybertron like the plague, huh? I guess smugglers have some sense after all. Unlike us, two different sides of a war, drinking beer in a bar situated in contested territory." He grins, taking another sip. -Moonlight nods her head. "Maybe, maybe not." -Nosecone blinks as a beeping intrudes on his rather pleasant thoughts of ordering another beer and wasting a few more hours talking to Moonlight. Aww hell.. it's his chronometer telling him that he should be back in Iacon, filing some damn fool report. Sighing, he drains his enerbeer, placing the empty mug back on the bar and turning to the femme beside him. "I'd love to stay and talk some more.. but that beeping means I gotta be back at base. Maybe I'll see you round.. and hopefully not have to shoot at you" -Moonlight waves cheerfully. "We can but hope," she says. And then she turns back to the beer. -Nosecone makes his way to the door of the bar, grumbling about paperwork as he does so. Pausing to look back at Moonlight, the driller pushes his way outside and heads back to base.