May 15th, 2003 ~Nosecone(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... Nosecone [Robot] [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 -Outside Crystal City, Nosecone appears to be.. lecturing? Well, he's talkin g to a smallish group of generic autobot types, anyways. "Of all the lousy piles of scrap.." the driller begins. "..ya do that on the field, an you're gonna come back missin a head." -Moonlight is meandering around, heading towards Crystal City like a lazy moth drawn towards a flame. She can't seem to get it into that head of hers that going to Crystal City isn't the safest thing, and one time she might come back as a pile of spare parts. -Nosecone shakes his head from his seat on a large chunk of metal. "Honestly.. I don't know. Bad enough I have ta drag my aft out here ta try an whup you lot inta shape.. but you're not even tryin!" The gumbies look sheepish, a couple scuffing at the ground with their feet. "Anyways, that's it for the day. Go get some RnR, an try not ta accidently shoot each other this time." -Moonlight spots the group of Autobots and moves, slightly more cautiously, towards them. -The miscellaneous plebs gratefully break ranks and move into the city, some transforming into generic hover-cars and driving recklessly up the main road. Nosecone watches them go for a moment before glancing around (not spotting Moonlight), then summoning a can from subspace and opening it with one hand in a practiced gesture. -Moonlight eventually makes it over to Nosecone, being quiet, but not exactly trying to hide her prescence either. "Long cycle?" she asks. -Moonlight doesn't get /that/ far, but the Autobot is still visibly startled when she speaks, quickly turning then relaxing as he spots the familiar femme. "Kinda" he says, sipping at his beer. -Folding her hands behind her back, Moonlight steps closer to Nosecone, yet remains off to the side a little. "Anything promising in that lot?" she asks converstationally, nodding her head towards the direction of Crystal City. -Nosecone makes a face. "Most of em couldn't find their aft with both hands" he replies. "So it's business as usual." -Moonlight raises her optic ridges in slight surprise. "I didn't think you were into the training scene." -Nosecone shrugs, tapping his rank insignia. "Kinda hafta be, these days. Not sure if command is gonna like how my cadets turn out, but.." He grins. "..least they'll have enough sense ta keep their heads down. Can't hope for much else." -Moonlight looks over the insignia and a look of mock sorrow crosses her face. "I pity you. Who did you anger to earn /that/ little decal?" she says, pointing a finger at the mark of rank. -Nosecone laughs. "Ya know, it seemed ta happen that way too. Never thought about it actually bein a punishment." He thinks for a moment. "Nah.. I get the feelin that that ain't her style" he remarks, though it's unclear exactly who the 'she' is. -Moonlight gives Nosecone a questioning look. "Who is she?" -Nosecone returns the look with a half grin. "Ya know, sometimes I I forget you're Decepticon intel. Sometimes." -Moonlight chuckles and looks rather pleased. "And what do you think I am during those times?" she asks with a great deal of curiosity. -Nosecone takes another drink. "Geuninely interested" he replies. -Moonlight leans forward slightly. "And what makes you think I'm not? I mean, it might be my job, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be interested otherwise. Unlike some, my job isn't my whole life." -"Yeah.." Nosecone begins, "But.. well, you might be interested. But your faction might be interested too." -Moonlight grins mischieviously. "Do you think I actually expect you to answer me?" -Nosecone hehs. "Ya know, I shoulda said the same thing when /you/ asked." -Moonlight shrugs. "Probably. But it's not like you really." She gives a smile that is a bit wistful in nature. "If it wasn't illegal to say so, I'd say your straight-forwardness is rather charming." -Nosecone blinks. "Uh" he says, unhelpfully. There's a pause, Nosecone sipping at his beer, before he asks, "You hear the rumors?" -Moonlight chuckles. "That depends which set of rumors you're refering to." -Nosecone summons another beer from subspace, offering it to Moonlight. "About the weirdness at the 'Surge." he says, looking a little relieved to have changed the subject. Hey, you put the guy on the spot! No fair! -Moonlight accepts the beer with a nod of appreciation. Perhaps if any other Bot had offered her one, she would have been suspicious. But Moonlight can't bring herself to see Nosecone as the sly type. She cracks it open and takes a sip. "The one about Bots and Cons toasting to peace?" -Nosecone nods. "Considerin I've had ta break up at least two fights outside the Surge, both involvin Thunderstrike.." he shakes his head. "Not sure whether to be happy or suspicious." -Moonlight sighs. "Thunderstrike still rushing headlong into his own doom? He really should be more careful, and I've told him as much. Well, at least his energy is in the right place." She takes another sip. "Yeah, those rumors did strike me as a little odd. I wasn't there to see any of it. I was on guard duty." -"You? Guard duty?" Nosecone grins. "Wondered where ya'd got to. Never thought it was somthin as borin as that though." -Moonlight makes an exaggerated grimace. "That is only a recent job of mine. Before that I was on Monacus dealing with a different sort of problem." She points to a scar along her side. -Nosecone winces sympathetically. "Ouch. Thought ya couldn't go back ta Monacus. Or is that.." -Moonlight shrugs. "Well, I /can/ go back. I wasn't wanted by the law or anything. Just some space-scum. And a few of them caught up to me last time I was there. It's no big deal anyhow. I'm still alive and that's all that matters." -Nosecone nods, finishing his beer. "What about them? Manage ta give them somthin ta remember you by?" -Moonlight nods once. "Yeah. They'll find all sorts of goodies missing from their inventory. Of course, I sold most of it off pretty quickly. Credits were good though." -Nosecone hehs. "Aren't they always. Never been ta Monacus, but I hear enough about it. Should check it out for myself one day." -Moonlight finishes her can and sets it down on Nosecone's improvised seat. "Were you around during any of the small times of peace?" she asks. -"Here? Yeah, for a few." Nosecone replies. "I think just recently has counted as one of them, despite a couple of informal brawls." -Moonlight gives Nosecone a quizzical look. "You call /this/ peace?" -Nosecone shrugs. "I haven't been shot at for quite some time. Since that whole cosmic rust thing. So.. yeah. Gotta take it when it comes. It's more like a time ta catch breath, but it's better than nothin." He says this like it's already ending, or that it's just about to. -Moonlight sighs. "But you've never been in an actual peace then?" -Nosecone says, "Guess not." -Moonlight nods. "Well, maybe you /should/ take a trip to Monacus sometime then. Might do you some good. Then again, I don't know if many people would be the type you would want to hang around with." -Nosecone chuckles. "Can't be any worse than the Dead End crowd, can they?" -Moonlight shakes her head a bit uncertainly. "I guess not. Though they certainly have more drive, ambition, and vitality than most in the Dead End." -"Well, I'm sure there'd be a bar or two that I could hang out at." Nosecone grins. "Maybe you can make me a list, or a brochure, or somthin." -Moonlight chuckles. "I'm sure I only really know the scummy places Nosecone. Of course, there's other worlds out there that might be more to your taste." -Nosecone looks up at the stars that are always visible from Cybertron's surface. "Guess there might be. Sometime I guess I'll find out. Drag Lightspeed along, he's always wantin ta travel.." -Moonlight sits cross-legged on the ground. "Well, things seem less grim out there." She waves a hand at the sky and the stars beyond. -Nosecone continues to look skywards for a moment, finally turning his optics downwards with a hint of regret. "Yeah.. but I suppose I can't just run off an leave my friends in the lurch. Gotta keep Cybertron safe from you evil Decepticons." -Moonlight makes a mock evil face for Nosecone's benefit. Then she gives him a rather plaintive look. "Surely we're not /all/ that bad?" -Nosecone can't help but laugh. "Alright.. some of you are only /devious/. Better?" -Moonlight looks as though she's seriously thinking the question over. "Hmmmmm, I suppose so." She folds her arms. "But I'm curious what they /do/ say about me over in Bot-land." -Nosecone shrugs. "Truthfully? Not a lot." He grins. "Which might be a blow ta your ego." -Moonlight wriggles her hand back and forth. "I've mixed feelings on that one. It would be nice to be important enough to be mentioned, but at least that means they don't hate /me/ specifically...just my allegience." -Nosecone nods. "Yeah, I guess so. You're not public enemy number one, by a long shot. Which is one of the reasons you bein captured caused a bit of a scrap. Command didn't think you were worth the effort." -Moonlight holds a hand to her chest. "Now /that/ hurt. I always figured it was cause I was rather helpful to Phantom once in the past. Sort of a return favor or something." She sighs. "Though some Cons don't think I'm worth much either, so it shouldn't surprise me that that Bots think that way as well." -Nosecone ohs? "As a person, or as intel?" Nosecone asks, idly throwing his empty beer can over one shoulder. -Moonlight frowns. "To most Cons there isn't much difference." -Nosecone can't quite make sense of that one, but he nods. "What about me?" he asks, more to wipe that frown from Moonlight's face than from any pressing desire to find out what the enemy thinks of him. "Could think of a few mechs on your side that would like ta put the boot in." -Moonlight thinks about that one for the moment. "I can't think of anyone in particular that is upset with you right now. Certainly Blitzwing had a problem, but he's been gone for some time now." She sighs. "Besides, things have been kinda quiet lately, so I haven't heard much complaints about anyone for a bit." She shakes her head. "But you've never been on the big hate list either."