May 12th, 2003 ~Cascade(A), Gates of Crystal City As you move off the main thoroughfare towards the Crystal City, you behold the massive chrome arches that form the singularly impressive gates to the city. The elaborately ornate spires that top the arches reach high into the sky as if to proclaim their immortality to the universe. The highly polished metal structure twinkles what light there is back at you, as if focusing a spotlight on all who enter the great city. The Guardian robot sized gates show few signs of any damage from the current conflict--a testimony to the dedication and vigilance of Omega Supreme. The gates stand open, but are well guarded by members of the Crystal City Militia. Beyond the troops, the bustling and lively main street beckons you inside... Cascade [Tetrajet] [A] Crystal City City Map Harmless Hermit Obvious Exits: -U- Up leads to Sky Above Crystal City -NE- Northeast leads to Old Cybertronia -E- East leads to Old Cybertronia -W- West leads to Guardian Pass -Cascade is just swooping in for a landing in front of the gates, and as he comes close to touching down he casually transforms from Tetrajet to mech, feet hitting the ground with a satisfying impact as he stands to inspect the entrance to his old home town... -Moonlight is meandering along, apparently heading for Crystal City. She doesn't seem to be in any sort of hurry, and has made no attempt to conceal herself. For those close enough to see her expression, she looks to be in a fairly good mood as she is smiling slightly. She is also humming a bar tune. -Cascade glances back down the road, and catches sight of a femme making her way up the avenue. He glances over her curiously, hmming softly to himself as he looks for a marking that would show her allegiance. He seems to have a couple of Autobot decals himself, in very noticeable areas. Then he catches sight of the Decepticon symbol. He raises his arm, letting the laser rifle smoothly lock into place. "Halt. Who goes there, and what is your business?" -Moonlight stops at the sight of a rifle and the sound of a voice. Hmmmm, this definately /isn't/ Nosecone. Oh well, she can cope. She raises both hands slightly in a gesture of non-offensiveness and cocks and optic ridge. "Hey fella, calm down. Guns aren't friendly you know." She doesn't seem at all bothered. "My name is Moonlight, and I don't really have any business other than just taking a walk." What, is this guy new or something? Most Bot-types know her by now... -Cascade scans the femme as she speaks, the rifle's muzzle not moving as he looks her over. "And you were not informed that Crystal City is off limits to Decepticons? Or perhaps you wish to defect? If the latter is the case, I suppose we can work something out..." He breaks his chain of thought and then says with a slow smile, "Otherwise..." and his voice trails off faintly threateningly. -Moonlight shakes her head slightly. "You guys must have good PR types if you want to go around just shooting everyone who walks by." She 'eyes' the gun. "Of /course/ I know CC is Bot territory. I was nearly killed when your people took it over. But every now and then I like to make sure that it still looks the same. It /is/ a very nice city after all. Warms me to the core actually." There is no hint of sarcasm in her tone. -Cascade hmmmmms at this, for a few moments, then says very calmly, "Since I helped evacuate civilians when *your* people took it over, let me just say that I am not entirely sure I want you back even one at a time. I don't like my home invaded by the people who nearly destroyed it, even when they are off duty." He seems very protective of the city, and quite willing to fight if necessary to protect it. -Moonlight holds up a hand defensively. "Didn't I just say that I /liked/ the city?" -Cascade smiles at that, and replies ironically, "You will forgive me if I am not used to completely trusting the word of the enemy at first contact." Then he says, more seriously, "And even if you are telling the truth, there could be more truth you aren't telling me." And still the laser rifle doesn't waver. "After all, you could be on a covert mission of some kind." -Moonlight arches an optic ridge. "Gee, I didn't think of /that/." /Now/ she is being sarcastic. She looks around, and then looks back to the mech. "I've already told you my name. Do /you/ have one?" she asks. -"No, I don't," is the simple reply. It's hard to tell whether he is being saracastic or not, because he has one of those kinds of voice. "If that bothers you, you really don't have to stay and chat. You can always go back to your own corner of the planet. Or, as I said, if you want to defect we can always talk about that." -Moonlight laughs. "Defection is always a bad idea. There's no quicker way to get every mech and femme on the planet hunting you down." -Cascade shrugs a bit at that. "Then I guess we don't have much to talk about, do we?" He chuckles to himself. "You should consider this a favor," he explains calmly, adding as clarification, "I am keeping you from getting killed by preventing you from accessing enemy territory without permission." -Moonlight chuckles. "I don't actually want to go /in/ the city. I'm not /that/ crazy." She takes a single step back. "Of course, I certainly appreciate not getting shot. It makes such a horrible mess of my paint job. Oh, and the pain isn't so nice either." She's speaking blandly now, and it's not easy to tell exactly how serious she is being. -Cascade hehs at this, very softly, but the muzzle of the rifle doesn't drop a bit. "Excellent. Then you have seen what you wanted to see and you can be on your way. And I understand exactly how you feel, since I prefer not to kill attractive femmes when no actual battle is being fought." -Moonlight preens slightly at the compliment. It doesn't matter who gives her one, or how it's delievered, she still enjoys it for what it's worth. "Now, what would be the fun in that?" she asks, looking at the mech rather levely, or as levely as she can with the 3 foot difference in height. -Cascade shrugs one shoulder, the one not attached to the arm levelling the rifle. "That depends on your point of view," he replies casually. "Some people have strange ideas of fun." -Moonlight nods her head. "Especially on Cybertron." -Cascade hehs again, nodding. "And yet you are still here. One would think you are looking for trouble after all..." His voice takes on a bit of a warning tone. -Moonlight tilts her head to the side with a grin. "Oh, I love trouble, but of a different variety. Just ask anyone." -Cascade shrugs with the shoulder that isn't levelling a weapon again. "I may do that, we'll see. In the meantime, I think it would be a good idea if you either pulled out or drew down. Nothing personal, it's only your entire philosophy of life I despise. Not you yourself." A thin and deadly smile. -Moonlight frowns for the first time in this encounter. "You're another one of those stereotypers, aren't you." She pats her Con symbol. "Just because I have this doesn't mean you know anything about me." She taps her chest. -Cascade laughs softly and replies, "I know this: if you wear that symbol it means you have agreed to fight for the same cause that killed plenty of innocent people who had nothing to do with the war here in Crystal City. By wearing that symbol, you endorse that mass murder. You can try to lie to yourself all you like, but the symbol does mean something. You may not be that kind of person, but by wearing that symbol you endorse those killings. The side you choose does matter, my dear." -Moonlight shakes her head again. "I never said it doesn't matter, I just said that it doesn't mean you know anything about me. I'm no idealist. I don't belive in causes." -Cascade finds this quite funny, and his laughter shows it. "Then why are you fighting for one? The symbol means supporting the cause. That's why we choose sides, because we believe in them. Knowing what happened, and becoming a Decepticon, or knowing what happened and remaining a Decepticon, makes you as guilty as if you had pulled the trigger on innocent mechs, femmes, and kidlets yourself." -Moonlight smiles slightly, sadly. "I'm glad you find that funny. If you ever run into Phantom, ask him what lengths I'll go to /not/ to kill innocents. Not that you have to, it's just a suggestion. As for joining, it was for something much more simple and basic than beliefs. It was for self-preservation. But I guess I'm just petty that way." -Cascade laughs again, though this time the laugh is a sad one. "What you personally have done is immaterial if you fight for the people who cause the very things you work to prevent. You can be part of the problem or part of the solution. By wearing that symbol, you have consciously chosen to be part of the problem." -Moonlight shrugs. "That might be so. But it's really easy to not care in the first place when this isn't my planet or my people. And from my own experience, I can't really say /either/ side is completely right. Both are a problem, so it's really immatariel, as you say, which side I'm on." -Cascade laughs again, and says calmly, "If you don't care, why take sides at all? That's worse, even, than believing the Decepticons really have the right to kill and enslave anyone who doesn't take their side." -Moonlight folds her hands behind her back. "The Cons supported me when I needed it, so I support them in turn. It's pretty basic. As a whole, I don't really care about them either way. Ah, but there are many individuals among them whom I like and respect. I wouldn't turn against them. To me, friends are more important than abstract ideals." -Cascade ahhhhhs and replies, "Then you can understand why I am on the side I am on. The Decepticons killed my friends. People who had never done anything to them or threatened them in anyway. To me, that is more important than whether or not you might personally be a good person. You have chosen to side with mass murderers." -Moonlight has heard this before. It still troubles her, but not enough for her to show it. She's been playing the callous one too long to show it /that/ easily. "You're free to see the situation any way you like." -Cascade nods agreeably, before answering back with something of a smile, "I am also free, since we are on what happens to be Autobot territory these days, to do more about the situation than just observe. Once again I would suggest that you either draw down, or pull out." -Moonlight seems to consider her options for a few moments. The thought wanders through her mind how each faction, despite the unity of factionalism, is so full of differences. Oh well. It can't be helped. "Since you're /so/ eager for me to go, then I suppose I'll return your earlier favor by leaving." She executes a sweeping bow and turns to leave. -Cascade inclines his head politely, lowering the rifle just a hair for the first time. "I appreciate that, thank you. I will remember it in the future. I am sorry that things have to be so unpleasant, but your 'friends' haven't given me much choice during my life. I feel sorry for you, and I hope you don't come to too much grief over your mistakes. Good luck." -Moonlight looks back over her shoulder. "I don't think war was meant to be a happy or easy thing. Good luck to you as well." And with that she makes her exit.