January 10th, 2003
~Stormhammer(U),

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.


Stormhammer [Robot] [U] 
Lost Numbers Casino <LNC> 
Mercy Hospice <MH>

Obvious Exits:
 -N- North leads to Dead End - Central Strip

-Stormhammer is just sort of..wandering about. He doesn't quite seem to be aware of his surroundings, as though deep in thought.
-Moonlight comes whistling into the area, her movements easy and graceful. Despite the fact she's a 'Con, she thinks of Dead End as her home more than Darkmount.
-Stormhammer continues on his course, trudging slowly along the street, eyes seemingly fixed on some distant point.. He doesn't even notice Moonlight heading his way.. might even run into her, in fact.
-Moonlight eventually notices the rather tall mech...say, doesn't he look sort of familiar. She moves a little closer, hoping to jar her memory.
-Stormhammer passes right beside Moonlight, only briefly registering her existence. 'Didn't I see that hat last night?' he thinks, before his mind bends towards other things.
-Moonlight stops and considers Stormhammer for a while.
-Stormhammer mutters something under his breath; it's impossible to make out, except that one word sounds like "Enfilade."
-Moonlight thinks for a moment. "Hey, you're that mech that Enfilade was talking to...aren't you?" she asks. And to think some people think she isn't straight-forward.
-Stormhammer pauses, turning towards the voice; it's almost as though he's come out of a t rance or daze. "Hm? Yes, actually. We were talking, until we were..interrupted. You know her?"
-Moonlight pats her Decepticon symbol. "Of course I do."
-Stormhammer chuckles quietly. "Ah, of course. Forgive an old mech for his..lack of perception. I've had a lot of my mind as of late."
-Moonlight shrugs. "No need for forgiveness or anything. I should have recognized you sooner. You and her were talking for quite some time."
-Stormhammer nods; a very small motion, really. "There was..much to discuss. And still is, I believe. Tell me...how well do you know her?"
-Moonlight smiles slightly. "We're not the best of friends, but I know her well enough that I've been helpful in some situations that other Cons might not have understood."
-Stormhammer leans his bulk against the wall of a nearby structure. "I, myself, do not know her as well as I would like. I..am quite fond of her company, you see. But I fear I may have put her in a bad position."
-"Oh?" she asks, the single syllable asking the mech to elaborate more.
-Stormhammer's optics dim slightly behind his visor. "Several in your ranks would like to see me terminated. Enfilade, of course, does not share these views, and I fear her association with me may cause her to lose the respect of those under her command..or worse, to have suspicion cast about on her.." He sighs slightly. "..I am not even certain why I'm telling you all of this.."
-Moonlight grins. "Because mechs who cause her trouble /always/ tell me these things."
-Stormhammer stretches out a bit, linkages creaking. "I would like very much to see her again, but... Our last meeting caused some hostilities to flare up, with Whiplash, and Enfilade jumped to my defense. I'm worried now what might happen if your tracker makes a report."
-Moonlight makes a face like a light has suddenly lit up inside her head. "Ah...so that's why they were so cold to each other earlier. It makes sense now." She chuckles. "Well, seems like Enfilade is notorious for keeping company she shouldn't. And it always confuses Whiplash..."
-Stormhammer mutters, in a brief moment of humor, "I sincerely doubt it takes much to confuse Whiplash.." His expression remains mostly unreadable, as he speaks half to himself, seemingly on a different topic. "At this stage in my life-cycle, though... Such frivologies and feelings typically belong to the young."
-Moonlight frowns slightly. "Is it really so gloomy being old? Too many people I've talked to who are considerably older than my self have such a doom and gloom look out that it's quite depressing."
-Stormhammer shakes his head slowly. "This act of my life has been, for the most part, quite peaceful and enjoyable. Of course, returning to my homeworld to find it once more consumed in battle has caused a sort of 'doom and gloom' feeling to overtake me, I suppose. And certain recent events have not helped matters."
-Moonlight, having been away for a while and only just recently returned, doesn't have a clue what he's refering to. "Well, what are you going to do about it? Don't worry too much about Enfilade...most people are quite willing to back her up. I know I am."
-Stormhammer smiles, just a little, the corners of his mouth creeping up. "She is fortunate to have friends such as you..ah.. I'm afraid I do not know your name, child."
-Moonlight extends a hand. "My name's Moonlight. And you are...?"
-Stormhammer gingerly encloses the small femme's hand in his own, for a moment. "I am called Khazaad t'Zhan, by my order. My Autobot designation, if you find it easier, was Stormhammer. But that was long ago."
-Moonlight arches an optic ridge. "You were an Autobot once?"
-Stormhammer taps the remnants of the red insignia on his chest. "Long before you were created..long before Darkmount became the world's seat of power..before Iacon became the old capital, even."
-Moonlight shrugs, the time frames given by Stormhammer mean nothing to her...she never sat down and learned her Cybertronian history. But from the sounds of it, he seems pretty old. "Why did you leave?"
-Stormhammer says, "There was no longer a need for my kind here..and I could not bear to stay, besides."
-Moonlight blinks. "I thought nearly everything was needed around here."
-Stormhammer smiles slightly. "This was at the dawn of what came to be called the Golden Age..the second war had ended, Cybertron was at peace, fuel and energon were availiable in abundance.. But the war had gone for so long, it was all I could think of. I could not live in the new world that rose up from it.
-Moonlight frowns. "You couldn't handle the peace?"
-Stormhammer states, simply, "It had been bought at too high a price. I left, to seek my own peace."
-Moonlight hmmmmms. "And now that there's war again...?"
-Stormhammer says, "I have put those ways behind me.." He pauses for a moment, thinking. "And so it returns to my earlier dilemna. Enfilade is a part of this war. I attempt to remain seperate, and yet..I am drawn to her."
-Moonlight smiles slightly. "I guess she has that effect on people." She idly wonders if she'll ever have that effect on anyone.
-Stormhammer chuckles softly. "Perhaps. But as I said, such pursuits are for the young. I, however.. I can feel the end of my span approaching, ever so slowly, yet growing ever closer. It is strange that such thoughts would concern me now."
-Moonlight folds her arms. "I figure you shouldn't give up feeling anything until you're dead...and even then you should keep trying. But then again, I'm not all old and wise like you are." She shudders slightly...remembering others who have spoken of age in such ways. Both of them are dead now.
-Stormhammer places a large hand on the femme's shoulder. "No, you are not. You, friend Moonlight, are young.." His expression softens into a faint smile, "..and wise."
-Moonlight can't help but smile at that. "Actually, most people think I'm rather foolish."
-Stormhammer shrugs slightly. "We all are, at times, young one. That is the nature of life."
-Moonlight nods her head. "Yes, but I'm willing to admit it. Lots of people think I push my luck to far. But it hasn't failed me yet, so I have no reason to stop."
-Stormhammer nods in return. "Let us pray it holds for quite some time to come, then.." He rubs his chin a little.. "I do wonder what to do about Whiplash, now.. She certainly won't start ignoring me just because Enfilade orders her to. And I certainly cannot fight her; that would only create more problems. She is, at least, easier to spot now. What happened to her..?"
-Moonlight chuckles. "What, the white paint?"
-Stormhammer says, "Yes, the white paint.."
-Moonlight grins. "It's gone now, thank goodness. She did it to prove a point." The image obviously amuses Moonlight quite a bit.
-Stormhammer's optics flicker. "I..see.." Clearly, though, he does not. But then, he's never pretended to understand Whiplash's mind.
-Moonlight doesn't either, but she gets along well with the very strange Medussasaur. "So, what is it you did to make the Cons not like you?"
-Stormhammer's expression darkens considerably. "Many believe me to be an Autobot, because of my friendship of young Swivel and young Hyperdrive..add to that the fact that I was forced - much to my dismay - to shoot one of their hunter-seekers in defense of those same youths.. And the..ah..incident..with the ancient weapon.."
-Moonlight frowns at the mention of Swivel, and even deeper at the mention of Hyperdrive. But the mention of the weapon peaks her interest...she was not on Cybertron when those events took place. "Ancient weapon?"
-Stormhammer touches his right forearm softly.. "A weapon that once belonged to Fusionfire, a warrior from ages long passed. The Decepticons believe him to be their progenitor. In truth, he was of the First Race, from which all life on Cybertron is decended. That weapon..was the most purely evil thing I have ever known. It..controlled me."
-Moonlight looks like she doesn't believe for a split second...but remembering some other bizarre things she had experienced, she decides that this one also has a good chance of being true. "That couldn't have been good. But if you were being controlled, how are you to blame for it?"
-Stormhammer says, "I accept responsibility for it. It was my arrogance that allowed It to do Its work. The others, however, have granted me amnesty due to the circumstances. There are, of course, those on both sides who are not satisfied with the command decisions. There are at least as many Autobots who believe I am a Decepticon, as there are Decepticons who believe I am an Autobot."
-Moonlight chuckles. "I hear that all the time about non-factionals. Cons and Bots seem to have trouble accepting those who don't want any part of their squabble." Her expression grows serious. "What happened to this posessing weapon thing?"
-Stormhammer says, "Supposedly, Solar annihilated it. I..have my doubts, but as it has not yet resurfaced.."
-Moonlight grins. "Ah....good old Solar. Yeah, if my boss is mentioned it's wise not to believe a word said."
-Stormhammer picks up his satchel, slinging it back across his shoulder, as he starts to trudge off. "I should return home, so to speak." He seems almost wistful, as he muses, "Perhaps Unix will be restored, soon.."
-Moonlight waves. "Have a good cycle. And, like I said, don't worry too much about 'Fil. She's tough."
-Stormhammer nods slightly. "Be careful, young one. Should you see Enfilade..you could tell her I'd like very much to continue our conversation."
-Moonlight watches Stormhammer leave with a smile...she's turning into Enfilade's personal message-femme...maybe she should start charging.