January 9th, 2003 ~Nosecone(A), Starfire(U), Whiplash(D), Onslaught(D), Silentlight(A), Enfilade(D), Steelwind(A), Swivel(A), Slipstream(D) -Enfilade's stuff hits you with a kick that's almost physical. Think about grabbing onto a live electrical wire and being filled...or fried...with its force. -Swivel has been keeping surprisingly quiet, unlike the social and sometimes perky femme she is. She seems more intent on deciding what to try. Most of them look good. Mmmm.... Or perhaps everyone else just seems more occupied with something or someone else and she doesn't want to pester anyone. She casts her optics over a few familiar faces. -Enfilade begins to absentmindedly polish a gleaming black pace stick, used on the parade square to measure off distances. It also hurts like hell if you get hit with it. -Whiplash for her part, after checking to make sure Onslaught wasn't signalling her to take out the Autobots present, or something of that sort, seems not to really expect him to join them, as she's been assigned however surreptitiously to look after Starfire. So she stays in place, occasionally watching the young femme as she sips at the new drinks provided by Enfilade and Moonlight. Though she doesn't entirely forget about the circulating Autobots either, and the tentacles continue to coil about her at a pace indicating a state of heightened alertness. -Starfire almost convulses, just from two sips. Not sure which caused the jolt, since she drank both so close together, but she takes a good guess and figures it was Enfilade's. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Primus. At least she *does* feel more awake, if not irradiated by too close an approach to a star... "Um..." she repeats cautiously, "... thanks." She thinks. At least she can pay better attention now. -Moonlight notices that another one of her 'guests' isn't drinking. With a mock sigh she heads towards Onslaught. "Not much for drinking, are you?" she asks him, just as she had asked Starfire earlier. -Enfilade says, "Don't ask for no more of that cause you ain't gettin' it. What's in the glass an' no more." She rubs the stick harder, not looking up. "I seen guys get shattered by too much fondness for that stuff." -Steelwind watches Enfilade polish the stick with a surprising degree of interest. Either that or he's just absentmindedly staring. He realises himself, drains the remainder of the energon in his cup and gets a sample of something else. As he does this, he finally notices Whiplash, and looks at her for a brief moment. Hopefully not long enough to have been noticed... -Silverstreak halts in his tracks as he catches the movements of Whiplash' tentacles, a sign for the mech to keep his distance. His gaze returns to the few 'Bots present, somewhat wishing they would leave so that he'd know he's not leaving anyone behind when he makes off. This just isn't the kind of scene he needs right now. Especially while wearing that bright red insignia. -Swivel seems most content not socializing for once. With another observation... the people she DO recognize don't seem overly content or merry... and just gets the feeling, from looking over at WHiplash, then Enfilade... things are just tense. She shrugs and enjoys a few samples, then finds the bright colors onthe canopy rather entertaining and stares at them for a while. "woo... pretty..." -Enfilade feels optics on her and glances up at Steelwind. Where has she seen... -Moonlight is probably the most merry person here at the moment. -Onslaught looks over at Moonlight and cocks his head. Joy. He's been spotted AND acknowledged. Double joy really. "Sadly I have to say I had something to drink on the way here...seems I had to stop into a bar that was conveniently on the way...couldn't resist." A partial lie perhaps as he didn't really drink, but convincingly said nonetheless..."However, I think it's interesting what you've done here, and at a later date would like to discuss a business proposition with you. However, now is FAR from the time for such things." -Moonlight arches an optic ridge and a big, mischeivious grin spreads across her face. "Oh, and why not?" she asks. -Enfilade's optics flash. The prisoner. The one who got away. And here he is. How...interesting. She glances at him once in a while out of the corner of her optics, though she spends most of her time looking at Starfire and Onslaught. -Starfire doesn't want any more of the stuff. If one sip is enough to keep her functional, then it's enough. She begins looking around again, but quickly realizes that she can't see much while seated. Rising to her feet, but still needing to steady herself on the chair's back, she peers around as was her original assignment. There's one she recognizes... the Autobot Swivel, who she first met in Fusionfire's tomb. Oh, and *finally*, there's Commander Onslaught. She doesn't signal him, simply continues her examination of the people and surroundings. -Steelwind doesn't notice Enfilade glance up at him since he'd looked away to glance at Whiplash, and now he's watching Swivel tripping out on the colours of the canopy. He happily drinks his drink and considers a few things that are running in his cpu. -Whiplash for her part is quite aware of the Autobots nearby, who are for the moment getting a free ride in her presence. She stands along with Starfire as the pink femme gets up, and remarks, "Well, what do you think? Observations?" -Onslaught looks back over at Enfilade, and briefly over at Whiplash - knowing full well what Whiplash would like to do, and even though the evisceration of the Autobots present might be amusing it would hardly be appropriate just yet...attention moving back to Enfilade and finally to Moonlight before answering. "Well Moonlight, because I've got other things on my mind at the moment, and business isn't one of them. A good business runs itself, but in this case, with you being the hostess...might I recommend to mingle a bit more? If people see you talking to just me, they might wonder what I have to say that's so interesting, and by doing so, may approach me for conversation as well - that's something I'd rather not have..." -Moonlight has half an impulse to say, 'Why, how facinating' in a really loud voice, but decides that this is one of the /few/ times she /doesn't/ want to press her luck. Without another word she heads back to the tables, taking quite a bit of delight in watching the people sample her wares. -Enfilade gets up and saunters over towards Steelwind, casually, swinging her pace stick lightly in her left hand and holding her drink in her right. -Steelwind continues watching Swivel without noticing the approaching Enfilade. He takes the occasional sip from his beverage as he watches. -Enfilade walks up right behind Steelwind and says, as she lays her left hand on his shoulder (tucking the pace stick under her arm) "Hey there. We've missed you." -Starfire gets an unexpected pop quiz. She blinks at Whiplash, then continues her examination of the crowd. "A few people move like warriors, most don't. I've seen one factional... um, Autobot that I've met before plus the..." She's really not all that quick today, is she? Autobots + Decepticons = fight. Usually, and that's usually the time she steps out, but... she can't this time. -Swivel feels like someone is watching her while she is looking at pretty colors. Oooo... aaahhh... hm? She looks over in Steelwinds direction, tilting her head to the side and waving... then sees Enfilae come right up behind. OSmething tells her... it isn't a good thing. She just sort of... watches... -Silverstreak notices Swivel's look and turns toward Steelwind and Enfilide as well. Though he knows little of the other Autobot, this still concerns him none-the-less. Slowly, he starts making his way toward Swivel, deciding it best to keep with someone he knows for now. -Moonlight notices the beginning of an interaction between Enfilade and Steelwind. Keeping an optic on them, she motions for two of her bouncers to get close enough to be handy, but not close enough to cramp either Enfilade's or Steelwind's style. Noticing the attention that Moonlight is giving the situation, a few of the guests make sure to stay away from the bouncers and those they are watching. -Steelwind is momentarily startled by the hand on his shoulder. Hearing Enfilade's voice he turns around and answers nonchalantly. "Oh, it's you. Well, you see, my time was being wasted there waiting for your answer as to whether you need my services or not. And, as you may know, lost time is lost profit," adding a pleasant smile at the end, but a smile that contains something more, like if he were hiding something. -Whiplash continues to Starfire, "So what do you suppose brings 'em all here together? Kinda precarious, don't you think?" She doesn't elaborate for whom, though she indicates Steelwind and Enfilade with a slight motion of her head. -With all the optics now centered on the interaction between Enfilade and Steelwind, it gives Onslaught the perfect opportunity to not have to internally debate matters any more, as he signals Whiplash over in such a way that quite frankly unless someone a) knew what the signal was or b) was watching Onslaught VERY closely, probably wouldn't have noticed. -Starfire hazards, "Free drinks?" -Swivel perks a little, glacning quickly at Silverstreak, absently waiting, returning to watch Steelwind and Enfilade uneasily. -Enfilade tightens her grip and says, "Unfortunately, you were in our custody for a reason and there's a bulletin out for your arrest." She doesn't have cuffs--she's not a cop. But a good length of rope will do...and she's got one of those in subspace, usually used for tying down cargo but it ought to work on a Bot, right? -Whiplash says, "Hmm. Maybe." She flickers a glance toward Moonlight almost speculatively, and notices Onslaught's slight motion at the same time. Silently she steps away from Starfire and melts into the crowd to join Onslaught, though she positions herself where she can still keep a good watch on the young femme. -Steelwind laughs outright. "Interesting concept - the voluntary prisoner." He shakes his head. "Well, think what you will..." He takes another sip of his drink, looking Enfilade steadily in the optics as he sips. -Onslaught leans back slightly without looking at Whiplash, almost 'feeling' her presence near him, and merely whispering softly at a level by which she could easily hear the words. Enfilade wasn't expecting that. he's going to go right back to jail without a fight? No way. Still... -Onslaught mutters to Whiplash: "... ... ... you ... watching over ... she hasn't ... any trouble. By ... ... ... ... exactly what's going ... between you ... Enfilade?" -Enfilade makes a grab for Steelwind's wrist, with the full intent of seizing him. -Silverstreak has the same uneasy look that Swivel does, and isn't quite sure what to do about it. So instead, he starts to whisper to her... that is, until Enfilade grabs at Steelwind. -Whiplash mutters to Onslaught: "Nah she's ... ..." -Onslaught mutters to Whiplash: "Starfire or ..." -Whiplash takes the opportunity of the situation between Enfilade and Steelwind, the hightened attention of the crowd and the alarmed murmur of the onlookers, to conveniently forget to answer Onslaught's second question. In fact, she circles away from him to get a better view of the matter. -Swivel seems to be focussing on more than just Enfilade and Steelwind as she attempts to haul him back to darkmount, most likely, a little edgey, but by no means making a move to interfere. -Moonlight stops the bouncers from approaching the scene with a flick of her wrist. She wants to handle this one herself...Casually she approaches Enfilade and Steelwind, standing somewhat between them, but off to the side so she's not in the way. "Well, well, well. What have we here?" she asks...though who she is asking isn't clear. -Steelwind is old enough to know how to remove his arm from a wrist lock, stepping a couple of paces back from Enfilade after successfully removing himself from the femme's grasp. He remains calm on the surface, though he readies himself to get his dagger if need be. With a wry smile, he says, "Well, my dear, you'll have to try somewhat harder than that if you want to grab me." -Enfilade snaps, "This individual is Autobot unit Steelwind, recently escaped from Decepticon detention in Darkmount." -Enfilade snaps coldly, "You're going back to Darkmount, Steelwind. Tonight." -Swivel seems to give steelwind a warning glance from where she is standing. -Starfire decides that now's a good time to step back out of the way, hopefully not trampled by those members of the crowd also wisely choosing to get clear. She doesn't go very far, just out of immediate range of the pending difficulties. -Moonlight nods her head, apparently unconcerned. "Yeah, I know who he is. I guarded him in the beginning before I was assigned to more smuggly type matters." -Enfilade says to moonlight, 'And being that he /escaped/, official protocol is to capture on sight and bring him back." -Whiplash tries to make her way around behind Steelwind as though to cut off an escape, but there are still other directions that he can run toward. -Moonlight sighs and shakes her head. "I don't suppose that everyone being here on a bit of a break means anything, does it?" -Steelwind catches Swivel's glance and returns her one of his own. He takes another step back. "Escaped? I wouldn't quite say that. More like, voluntary departure after voluntary arrival." Another smile. -Onslaught chuckles to himself and shakes his head - bad cycle on the horizon just confirmed. One must wonder just about when all these innocent patrons and taste testers are going to start running in fear...doesn't really matter, seeing as how now seems like as good a time as any to take a seat and sample the drinks. Oh look, a enerhol mix that he happens to serve at his bar, best to try that one first... -Enfilade says, "This is a warnin' Steelwind. Stay still or I'll /make/ ya. I don't give a frag about your spy games." -Starfire tilts her head, listing. Enfilade does sound rather... testy, doesn't she? -Steelwind feigns shock. "Spy games? I'm offended. I offer you my services, as I have so often in the past, and this is how you thank me." He shakes his head and turns to leave. -Sapphire wanders along humming to herself, her mind not on where she is going or doing -Moonlight doesn't like this one itty bit. Summoning her bouncers to her side, she instructs them to start hearding the civillian types away and then to clean away the tables and such. Since someone is /obviously/ going to get hurt today, she'd rather it wasn't one of her possible customers. With the look of a martyr, she shakes her head as she watches her bouncers burst into motion. -Onslaught looks to be relaxing, enjoying himself, sampling the finer drinks being offered, and noting Starfire for perhaps the first time since returning does his best to quietly call her over to join him. -Enfilade grabs the Autobot and pins his arms. "Nice try, Autobot," she growls, 'but not good enough." -Silverstreak shakes his head. Now is most certainly /not/ the time to be getting into some sort of fight, being as how the trio are so badly outnumbered. Another mutter escapes his form, seeing this as a lose-lose situation no matter what. -Steelwind is grabbed from behind. With his hands immobilised, he has no option but to try bashing the back of his head into her face... -The taste-testers don't offer much resistance to the bouncers' attempts to clear the area. Most of them are sated, and even those who aren't are wise enough not to get involved with the factionals. Moonlight maintains her air of martyrdom as she starts folding up the tables and hauling them to the entrance of her building. "And the day was going /so/ well," she mumbles to herself. -Starfire is watching Enfilade and her prospective prisoner, so misses Onslaught's summons for now. She nods to herself as Moonlight's bouncers clear the area of civilians. She would usually go with them, too, but has no orders... Oh! Wasn't Commander Onslaught here? She turns to peer around for him, then moves in his direction with many a glance back at Enfilade and Steelwind. -Enfilade is guarding her shins, expecting to get kicked. What she wasn't expecting was for his head to strike her mask strong enough to dent it. She reflexively releases her grip at the sudden pain. "Ow! Sonofafragofaslaggin'exhaust-mountin'..." -Sapphire walks right in to the large group of mechs befor the sounds of a scuffle snap her to reality. -Onslaught doesn't move from his chair, as the table he was sitting at is promptly hauled off, drinks and all. "What a shame, and just when I was beginning to enjoy myself...hmmm...to watch, or to act, quite the quandry. Oh well, Enfilade knows what she's doing, I'm sure she'll be fine." Looks over at Starfire and nods, "Ahhh Starfire, please take a seat, and carefully observe what seems to be happening. You might learn something..." -Steelwind feels the hands release their grip and he darts away, transforming as he does so. Now is the time to book it... -Silverstreak starts to take a step backward as the fight seemingly begins. Though valor would say to assist his comrade, discression and something Silverstreak has lacked until recently - wisdom - tell him it's better to report this incident rather than also end up a prisoner. -Enfilade grumbles, cursing, as Steelwind transforms. Chase, eh? She too transforms into jet mode, prepared to fly after him...realizing he might be able to outrun her. -Onslaught growls in a very low audible tone...very hard to hear except for those right near him as he pulls a pistol out from subspace, but without looking over or making it too obviously, nonchalantly aims it directly at Steelwind and fires off a shot - making it seem like it could have in fact come from anywhere, as just as quickly he drops the pistol back into subspace. Enfilade says, "All Decepticon units on Cybertron, alert, prisoner unit Steelwind has been sighted in the Steel Fields, West. Am in pursuit. Intercept my coordinates for capture, alive if possible..." -Enfilade radios other units for assistance. -Starfire finds few seats left that haven't been overturned, so just stands beside Onslaught. Observing is exactly what she was already doing, so his orders are already implemented. -Steelwind accelerates as hard as he can, making Onslaughts laser blast hit empty space, quickly reaching takeoff speed and his wheels lift off from the ground. Airborne, he dashes for the south pole... Onslaught says, "In that case, I'll be escorting Starfire back to Darkmount for her own safety." -Moonlight hmphs...now she's getting orders. Considering Enfilade's mood today, she doesn't dare look for an excuse to disobey them. Muttering to herself, she transforms. Special Operative Slipstream says, "Is he alone or with others?" -Sapphire spins and blinks as lasers start to fly "what.. who.. " she stuters as she fidgets Enfilade says, "Currently solo, but be adivsed there are other autobot units in my immediate area." Special Operative Slipstream says, "Understood." -Onslaught mutters to Starfire: "... like the party ... ... ..." -Starfire is actually rather unsurprised, and her weariness starts to return. "Almost always happens when factionals are mixed," she murmurs back. -Onslaught mutters to Starfire: "... the ... ... ... I'm ... fond of ..." -Steelwind glides off southwards, hoping to outrace Enfilade. -Moonlight's blades start whirling faster and faster until she's ready to lift off the ground. Once in the air she starts to head towards the direction Steelwind took off in. If she had a face right now, it would probably not be a happy one. -Enfilade's engines scream in frustrated fury as she sets off in pursuit at max speed! Dead Zone Before the Great War, this was the largest lake of crude energon on all of Cybertron. On this lake and the great rivers of Cybertron, numerous families and merchants lived on boats, sometimes forming floating open-air markets selling everything from art to souvenirs to parts and supplies. During the War, these merchants and families cruised away from the cities, joined by homeless refugees who found shelter in abandoned boats at marinas and boatyards, and earned a living by trading with civilians ashore. When the Great Lake finally dried up, this massive flotilla was run aground. They struggled to exist, but attacks by marauders and scavengers finally forced the group to scatter, leaving their stripped-down ships behind. That was when the historians began to refer to this area as the Dead Zone. Enfilade [Robot] [D] Steelwind [Tec-Car] [A] Obvious Exits: -S- South leads to Great Gouge -W- West leads to Mercury Bogs -U- Up leads to Sky above the Dead Zone -E- East leads to Dead Zone -Moonlight finally makes her way to where the pursuit is happening. She's quite some distance behind, just within the range of sight actually. Although she might not be very helpful now, at least it will stop Steelwind from doubling back some how. -Enfilade riddles the air with lasers, frustrated at how hard it is to capture just one Bot... -Steelwind loses enough velocity to have to touch down again, but then accelerates hard, regaining altitude once again -Swivel is far far behind.... keeping her objectives barely in her sight.. having a slow start being short and getting cuaght in the crowd. Grrr. Dead Zone On the edge of the former Great Lake, the spaceport/harbot of Fossatense was one of the largest cities on Cybertron. When the city came under attack by Decepticon forces trying to capture the spaceport during the Great War, the Autobots defended. Every square meter of this city was massively fought over, but it was all for naught, when the massive underground energon storage tanks for the spaceport were detonated and flattened the entire city and its environs into a pile of useless rubble. The blackened and twisted ruins now make up most of the Dead Zone. Steelwind [Tec-Car] [A] Enfilade [Ground Attack Cyberjet] [D] Obvious Exits: -U- Up leads to Sky above the Dead Zone -E- East leads to Freelorn Flats -W- West leads to Dead Zone -Steelwind recognises the ruins around him. Good, this chase is over. He turns down a street, dropping altitude and transforming even before he touches down. He makes a mad dash on foot and dives into a shadowy place. -Enfilade dives, swing-wings flaring, until she realizes that shadowy place is just too narrow, even with her swing wings moved to the full back position. Her engines shriek like banshees as she puts on full military power and yanks her nose into a sudden climb to avoid impact. -Moonlight keeps following Enfilade and Steelwind, but not being built for speed, she's certainly not gaining on them. -Swivel is starting to catch up weeee..... just in time to lose track of Steelwind. But ehy... if she loses track of him then ther is a chance that the 'cons have and all is... good... hopefully? Enfilade says, "Fraggit, the Autobot's gone underground! Last known position, dead zone east. Tunnel is...grrrrr...too small for me to pursue." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "Sorry I couldn't be of more help..." Special Operative Slipstream says, "He might be heading my way." Enfilade says, "Mmmrfrrrmmm...it's okay, Moonlight. Slag happens. Slipstream, happy huntin'." -Swivel quickly transforms nearing even further. Wait... now she's here NOT hidden and... there are two 'cons. um.... perhaps too tired and upset from losing their 'prey' to notice? Yeah... that'd be nice but unlikely. -Moonlight moves closer to Enfilade, transforming in mid-air...she doesn't like to be a helicopter more than she can help it. "So...now what?" -Enfilade looks around...and picks up something else on her scanners. "Moonlight! Behind us!" She's angry, and if she can't have Steelwind another prey will do. Enfilade heads towards Swivel and waits to see where she runs to. -Moonlight shrugs, more than happy to follow Enfilade's lead if it means she doesn't have to go off by herself. -Swivel perks. Awe great.... so she has been noticed... and angry too. SWivel readies herself, then breaks out in an evasive mad dash to the entrance to the tunnel she'd been exploring recently. -Enfilade opens up with laser fire! Enfilade says, "We've got another one in our vicinity...all Decepticon units converge on our coordinates!" Enfilade says, "Dead Zone East, unit Swivel!" -Moonlight chuckles to herself and also takes a shot at Swivel, pretty confident that even if she does hit Swivel, nothing serious will come of it, and she always did have a grudge against that one. Not a fluid-thirsty rage, but a grudge nonetheless. -Swivel erks as she feels the heat of the laser penetrate the armor on her shoulder, which causes her to spurt out a little more speed now that the threat deepened. She looks up, just as she sees Moonlight. GREAT. She makes and evasive dart right into the hole, just as the beam comes at her previous location, causing a bit of a disturbance and slightly closing hte exit behind her. Nothing some simple equipment can't fix, but it sure hides the entrance better. -Enfilade lets out a stream of cursing, as the laser isn't enough to stop Swivel and her Vulcan cannon was too overheated to fire. Enfilade growls to Moonlight, "We might as well go back. Fragit all to the smelter." -Moonlight takes the failure to stop Swivel more philisophically. "There will always be another cycle. Where to?" -Enfilade mutters to Moonlight, "Let's go back to Darkmount."