August 6th, 2003 ~Enfilade(D), Aviator(D), Cinder(D), Solar(D), Steel Fields The light dances along the broken and marred surface of the steel fields. For countless years, this old place had been extensively mined and tunneled for the simple ores that were once plentiful, but now evidence of long-abandoned mining efforts litter the landscape. A small town, Caetobrix, still exists here, once known for the breweries that produced most of the drinks later made famous by the bars on Cybertron. Some of these facilities are still in operation, though are mainly used by the citizens to make a small, indistinguishable amount of energon for trade or consumption for survival. Aviator [Robot] [D] Enfilade [Robot] [D] Brewery [#3275 Tn] Obvious Exits: -U- Up leads to Sky Above Steel Fields -N- North leads to Freelorn Flats -S- South leads to Cybertron South Pole -E- East leads to Steel Fields -W- West leads to Great Gouge -Moonlight walks out of her brewery, and then out of the town of Caetobrix. Since the building is rather close to the city limits, she pretty much exits both at the same time. A smile is on her face right now; she likes the atmosphere of this little place, a place that doesn't have a lot of action in or about it...well, not usually anyhow. -Aviator nods. "It's a brewery. Our fellow Decepticon Moonlight has some ownership in the building. Why?" -Enfilade strokes her chin, then wanders over to Moonlight. "Hey Moonlight. Got a question to ask you." -Aviator follows Enfilade curiously. -Moonlight stops as Enfilade asks her a question rather abruptly. "Hello to you to," she says, grinning, pointedly remarking on Enfilade's lack of greeting. "How can I help you?" she asks, raising her optic ridges as she waits for the Field Commander to ask her question. She also nods in greeting to Aviator. -Enfilade says to Moonlight and Aviator, "I'm going to brief you two on the next phase of Imperial expansion. As you've probably noticed the Steel Fields is mostly deserted, but it's got Caetobrix nearby as a support base. I intend to set up a Decepticon forward post here so we can attack Autobot territory from a direction they won't be expecting." -Aviator replies Moonlight's nod with a nod of his own, then focusing on Enfilade. A serious look taking over his face, he nods in agreement. "Sounds good to me." Cinder says, "Require, another?" Enfilade says, "Affirmative Cinder." Cinder says, "L... location?" -Moonlight's face falls slightly, but then she schools her expression. "What do you want /me/ to do?" she asks. "As everyone has pointedly pointed out, I'm not much good as a soldier." -Enfilade is standing out side the brewery and she says to Moonlight, 'Is this building yours?" -Moonlight can't disguise the bit of pride in her voice. "Mostly, yes. Omnisaber bought most of it actually, then turned it over to me. I still consult him every now and then, but I'm pretty much in charge." -Enfilade says, with a frown in her voice, "Then your buidling might be put at risk by a forward base here. Moonlight, you have a choice. If you'd rather, I'll set up my base on the other side of the Steel Fields and hope the Bots leave your place alone. But...if you were willing...we could use /the brewery itself/ as a base, using the fact that it already exists as a business, to camouflage it." -Cinder glides towards the Steel fields slowly, very low to the ground, hugging it to avoid any radar detection as he approaches. -Moonlight shifts her weight onto one foot and then to the other. "I'm pretty sure my attempts to get a reputation as an 'honest' business femme would be shattered by doing that..." She seems rather uncertain of herself. "I certainly wouldn't want it to be reduced to shambles either." Sighing she shifts her weight back to the first foot. "I /did/ pick this place because it was quiet and sleepy. I didn't expect this..." -Enfilade sighs. "Okay, Moonlight. I understand. And I respect taht...I'm not going to order you to fork your business over to me. We'll set up the command post on the other side of the fields." Enfilade looks somewhat disappointed though. -Aviator stands rigidly as the two femmes discuss their business. He's trying extra hard to act as professional and mature as possible, to make up for his actions the day before. He doesn't say anything, merely stands at attention. -Moonlight shakes her head. "I haven't decided either way yet...I just don't like jumping into things. You must remember that I don't think like military types do. I really have to know how much of an advantage an under cover base would be. The benefits really have to make the risk worth it, if you know what I mean?" -Enfilade says, "If we start building a base out here, Moonlight, I give it a week tops before the Bots realize there's new construction going on. Whereas if we dig a base out UNDER your store, they'll never suspect its' there. ALl teh workers will be disguised as your customers." -Moonlight hmmmms, obviously weighing her options. Of course, if Enfilade had insisted, she would have fought it. But the other femme's respect for her wishes makes Moonlight even more likely to comply. She's just funny that way. Finally she speaks again. "It would be a waste to throw away the opportunity to make things go as smoothly as possible." -Cinder's engines are soon audible as he glides towards the three, pulling into a circling pattern overhead as he runs the people though his identifier, not landing just yet. -Solar parks invisible in a hover over the tops of the others. He likes to be there if needed, But why tell everyone he's there? -Aviator smiles. "Think of it this way, Moonlight. Everyone else will think your reputation will be growing as more and more customers 'frequent' your business!" Solar says, "Solar reportin ready for duty" -Enfilade says, "You'll get lots of business, Moonlight, but if the Autobtos ever find out they'll bomb the place off the map." Enfilade says, "Solar, that's creepy , wehre are you hiding now?" -Enfilade sounds amused as she speaks into her radio. Solar says, "I could tap you on the shoulder" Enfilade says, "One of these days I'm gonna punch ya before I realize it's you." -Cinder grunts a little and pulls up, then away, doing a perimitercheck. Solar says, "Go ahead, Moonlight could put your hand back together" Onslaught says, "Bickering is a waste of resources. Especially on the broadband channels." -Moonlight nods to Aviator. "Well, there /is/ that, but wouldn't that make things more sketchy? I mean, if they think it's some kind of new attraction, won't /more/ Bots show up?" She smiles to Enfilade. "Well, hopefully I'll make enough during the influx to set up elsewhere if I really have to. After all, if people couldn't rebuild, there would /be/ no more Cyberron, right?" She looks around for Solar more out of habit than because she actualy thinks she'll /see/ anything. Enfilade says, "Hey there Onslaught, cranky, ain't you? Me an' Solar are just teasin'." -Enfilade says to Moonlight, "Then you can take their credits and I guarantee you'll make enough to set up a new building somewhere else-this time WITHOUT a base in it." -Solar reaches down with one of his servoes through his bomb bay doors to lightly tap first Moonlight and then Enfilade on the shoulder. "Boo" Onslaught says, "Not cranky in the least. Merely attempting to remove the clutter from all our active channels to ensure reports flow smoothly. Teasing can be done off duty." Solar says, "Teasing is our usual reports" -Moonlight nods. "Well, then you can get the workers ready and send them down this way. I just hope they can be discreet. No sense in making something a secret just to have carelessness expose it, right?" Maybe if Solar hadn't mentioned how close he was, she would have been startled. Since she isn't, she doesn't jump. Onslaught says, "Then your reports are substandard." Solar says, "Probably" Skydagger says, "Skydagger here. Any of yous been making work for me?" Solar says, "Skydagger, I prefer to make work for Autobot medics" -Enfilade grumbles, "I'm gonna pound Onslaught. Who's the freakin' field commander here?" Enfilade says, "Onslaught, who's the field commander here, you or me?" -Aviator stands mostly out of the way of all of this happens, the broadband suddenly coming to life. He turns to Enfilade. "Enfilade, what of the Autobot encounters in the Polyhex region? Shall we shift our attention here now?" Lieutenant Moonlight sighs. "I think you all need to lighten up; and that's my professional opinion." Onslaught says, "You are. Who's in the field? You are. Who's back at base monitoring reports? I am." Aviator says, "We fight on the same team, guys. Let's save the hostilities for the... /hostiles/!!" Onslaught says, "However, if you'd like to contest your position of field commander, go right ahead. Still, a professional tone must be used at all times...lest leadership be regarded as common folk." Solar says, "According to procedure no reports are supposed to be relayed over broadband anyways Onslaught. Their too easily intercepted" Enfilade says, "I'll keep the channels clear, then. *icy* *click*" Onslaught says, "Respect should be maintained at all times..." Skydagger says, "Solar, that's good. However there are those in our ranks who seem to enjoy my company a bit too much, always coming to medbay..." -Enfilade says, "Some of us /ARE/ common folk..." Onslaught says, "Thank you." Lieutenant Moonlight says, "That's just snobby Onslaught sir." -Enfilade says, "Onslaught's gonna olnly WISH he thought of hiding a base under a brew factory..." She looks at the assmbly. "But this depends on you guys keeping your mouths shut." Onslaught says, "Direct any complaints about me directly to me. Not on a widely used channel." -Solar says, "Oh let it go, Onslaught wouldn't know fun if it slept with him" -Moonlight makes a face. "Some people." She shakes her head. "Oh well. I guess it takes all kinds, right? Right. Or else I wouldn't be here." -Enfilade takes out her ceremonial sword and starts to carve "Onslaught Loves Autobots" on the bench. -Aviator shakes his head. -Enfilade says, "Onslaught thinks he's something hot cause he came off a production line...frag him. He needs to learn to cut loose a little. So all he's doing is sitting in Hq while we're out winning the war." -Moonlight arches an optic ridge as Enfilade puts more graffiti on her bench, but she doesn't stop her. Things like that happen, and she cherishes the moments that prove that not all higher ups are stiff and stuffy. Otherwise she really couldn't have much faith in the system. "I can keep my mouth shut when I want to...honestly." -Enfilade mutters to Solar: "... been ... ... But keep an eye ... will ..." -Cinder finally lands nearby, transforming to float down, wings stretched out horizontal like a parachute. He trots to a halt, and glances towards the others, wings snapping back as he makes his way over. -Solar mutters to Enfilade: "Affirmitive" -Enfilade turns her head hearing someone else approach. ============================ Cybertronian Rumors ============================= Message: 14/1 Posted Author Bench Wed Aug 06 Anonymous ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Found on a bench outside Moonlight's Brewery: ONSLAUGHT LOVES AUTOBOTS ============================================================================== -Moonlight folds her arms. "So, do you need me for anything else?" Unlikely, but she just has to ask. -Enfilade says, "What, us invading your hobusiness and making ourselves at home wasn't bad enough?" -Aviator blinks. His question hand't been answered in the little broadband scuffle and he just stands there. He turns to see Cinder approaching. "Hey old buddy!" he greets. -Cinder glances to Enfilade and nods, then nods to Moonlight, then Aviator, one at a time. "Ma'am. ma'am. Sir." -Solar says, "I heard you had fun repairing Dirge Moonlight" -Cinder makes a quick sidestep to end up on the other side of Enfilade as Aviator was. -Moonlight shrugs. "Better have all the surprises out all at once, or so I say. Besides, I'm on a useful roll, and I should keep that going if I can." She chuckles...then stops as she turns towards Solar. "So, who told you about /that/ little incident?" -Solar says, "Skydagger, you should have left his pain receptors on" -Moonlight puts her hands on her hips. "Apart from the most obvious answer, why would you say /that/ Solar?" -Cinder shudders, wings rattling at solar's words, and he glances towards the Brewery, trying to pretend to be not intrested in this, though his face betrayed his discomfort. -Solar says, "Because Skydagger outranks you in the medic corps. It wasn't your call" -Moonlight persists. "She didn't say /not/ to." -Solar doesn't say anything more. -Cinder glances at Moonlight, and nods quietly in agreement. -Aviator turns to Moonlight. "Well, now that this plan is going to carried through, you've still got my word that I'll protect the Brewery." he says with a touch of humour. -Moonlight nods her head. "It's certainly in your best interests now, isn't it?" -Solar says, "Aviator is certainly the best mech to protect the brewery as long as Cascade is the one attacking." -Cinder moves alongside Moonlight, glancing to her silently again, before folding his arms. "Uhm... sit report?" he murmers quietly. -Solar says, "SNAFU" -Moonlight arches an optic ridge. "Oh? Why is that?" In the big picture, she actually trusts Solar, but for the little, every day things, she always suspects him of something. -Solar says, "That has already been taken care of Moonlight." -Aviator grins. "Not that it wasn't before, Moonlight." He glares at Solar. "I wouldn't mind the little slagsucker to come pay a visit..." -Cinder blinks and looks at Solar "Uh... what?" he asks,confused, his wings flaring a littlebit. -Solar says, "Lets just say that the CoC has a slight problem with Aviator's fixation with Cascade" -Aviator stomps his foot. "I've just got a score to settle, alright?" -Moonlight retreats into quiet contemplation for the moment. Sure, she might come out of this one pretty good as far as credits go, but she might lose something more valuable. Then again, she might gain something more valuable. Surely her willingness to put her business at risk will look good in the optics of the other Decepticons. Solar's comment tempts her to speak up again. "I'm sure they'd be more unhappy with him if it was a femme he was pursuing, and not to shoot." -Cinder looks at Aviator curiously, then back at Solar, before looking to Moonlight "Huh?" he asks again. -Solar ignores Moonlights comment for the moment. "Aviator, if you endanger either yourself or the Empire again whith this score to settle. Then I will settle it, and you won't enjoy that" -Aviator rolls his optics. "Yeah, yeah." -Moonlight nods to Aviator. "I've seen what happens when people get too caught up in vengence. It never ends well. That's why I don't play that game. Besides, Solar has enough to deal with with this disobedient femme." -Cinder's optids dim as well, his face going thoughtful. He looks to Solar, then to Moonlight, and straightens. Cinder mutters to Moonlight: "... ... promise ..."((Still remember promise, Moonlight.)) -Aviator psshaws. "It's not vengeance, I've still got my wits with me. This is just getting blown out of proportion." -Moonlight smiles kindly to Cinder, "I've run into ... ... snags ... I'm still working on it. Trust me." ((I've run into a few snags, but I'm still working on it. Trust me.)) -Solar says, "Aviator I saw the videos. You chased Cascade into Autobot territory and right up to the Autobot Outpost and never called for backup. Next time the repairs will be done slowly by Moonlight, and without her removing your pain circuits" -Cinder nods at that, right hand curling a little bit, as though holding a guns' handle, before relaxing again. -Cinder nods at that, right hand curling a little bit, as though holding a guns' handle, before relaxing again. "Have ... But ... ... Aurora. If ... find will ... ... ... ... not tell ... ... ... try buy ... ... Not ... ... ... ... ... ..."((Have replacement. But is not Aurora. If cant find, will get new one. Somehow. not tell Solar. He will try buy new one. Not want that. Want to earn it.)) -Moonlight frowns. "Why punish /me/ for Avitor's actions?" -Solar says, "You just need the practice" -Cinder jerks his head up, and shudders again, wings pulling around his upper torso protectively. -Moonlight narrows her optics. "That sounds suspiciously like you want me to practice torture. From a purely /medical/ stand point, I see no reason why I'd have to learn to fix someone with the pain receptors on." -Aviator glares at Solar. "I have common sense. Sure that was kind of foolish of me, but /back off/, okay? With all due respect." -Solar says, "Then you can leave the medbay and Skydagger will do the repairs slowly. And Aviator, this is friendly advise. I'll let you know when the advise gets unfriendly" -Cinder shivers and looks around for change of topic. He blinks, finally noticing the bench "Uhm, who did that?" he asks loudly. -Aviator looks away. "Thanks, Solar. Not needed though." -Moonlight just keeps frowning. So much for the idea of being on the same side. Of course, in a truly ideal society everyone would automatically show respect for each other, and /know/ that everyone meant the best for them. But since this is the Decepticon Empire we're talking about, Moonlight just hopes things resolve on their own. -Solar says, "Now then, Moonlight has Enfilade given you any information about the construction yet" -Moonlight shakes her head. "Nope. But I don't think she was quite expecting to go this route either. So I guess the engineer types will have to look over the place and cook up something appropriate." -Solar says, "Sounds like another trip to Monocus may be neccessary then. Hows about it Cinder? You up for another trip?" -Cinder blinks and jerks his head up "Uhm... can't." he finally replies -Solar says, "Don't like the way I conduct business Cinder?" -Cinder cringes and his wings pull around his torso again "N..> not that. Going back to academy... refresher course." he stammers. -Moonlight shrugs. "Isn't there enough supplies here to do the job? Or do you just like taking a jaunt to Monacus?" -Solar says, "Refresher course in what? Guess it don't matter. I'll replace that gun while I'm there though." -Cinder frowns at that, wings twitching a bit "Uhm... No... " he tries. "Will do it myself." -Aviator pats Cinder on the back. "Remember what I taught you in melee training!" he smirks -Cinder jerks his shoulder away from Aviator, optics glinting a bit as he takes two steps away from the mech "... right." -Solar refrains from saying anything more. -Cinder looks around again and sighs, glancing to Moonlight, "... ... doesn't ... gun. Want to earn ... myself. ... know."((Hope he doesn't buy gun. Want to earn himself... err, myself. you know.)) -Solar mutters to Cinder: "... ... ... fraggin gun" -Moonlight nods to Cinder. "I think I see what you mean," she responds, her words vague enough that she could be talking about any number of things. -Cinder jumps at that, and leaps away, glancing around,shaken,and his cheeks burning slightly with embarassement "s... Sorry... Wont say a thing again... Err, about it again... err, whatever." -Moonlight idly wonders what /that/ was all about, and curses the fact that her senses aren't super acute. -Aviator mutters to Moonlight: "... ... ... any ... ... the ... ... all ... ... ..." ((Do you have any idea what the slag you all are talking about?)) -Moonlight taps her chest in response to Aviator's hushed words, "I ... what ... ... about but ... can't honestly ... ... ... ... of them." ((I know what /I'm/ talking about, but I can't honestly speak for the rest of them.)) -Cinder folds his wings, then spreads them, and states "Returning to base now... finish packing." -Moonlight smiles slightly. "See you later then Cinder." -Aviator nods to Cinder. "Keep up the practice." -Cinder leaps up without another word, wings flaring and he actually beats them a few times, before transforming. -Solar says, "I'll fly your wing on the trip back Cinder" -Cinder banks sharply at that, and sighs as he circles a few times. "Y... Yes sir." he replies, waiting for an indication that Solar had joined him. Right Room (#3263Ten) Inside this room looks almost like a mini-bar. At the far end of the room is a counter with many glasses and bottles set into shelves behind it. A closed cabinet sits at the far end of the shelves. There are three tables, each with cushy booth seats on either side. The walls are dark blue with white stars painted on them. Everything else is a pale blue color. The lighting here is usually dim and there is often quiet music playing in the background. -Moonlight has just walked into this room, so the door is still open, mostly because she's still standing in the doorway. Thinking she's alone, she sighs deeply, but it isn't an unhappy sigh; it's a sound of contentment. -Aviator pokes his head in the open doorway, not expecting to see the backside of Moonlight a few mere inches away. He steps back, knocking on the opened door slightly. "Uh...hey?" -Moonlight turns around, smiling slightly. "Oh, it's you." She steps into the room and motions for Aviator to follow. "Come on in," she invites. -Aviator follows, looking about intently. "Nice place you got here." he comments, nodding in approval. -Moonlight plunks herself down in one of the cushy seats. "Sort of reflects some of my whimsies. I built this place for me after all." -Aviator joins her. "I like it! It's nice to have a place to get out to. All I have is my stuffy, cubed quarters." -Moonlight holds up three fingers. "I have plenty of living space on Cybertron. My room in Darkmount is my least favorite." -Aviator nods. "How'd you get to own a nice little place like this anyhow?" -Moonlight smiles slightly. "Someone donated a bunch of money to my cause." -Aviator gazes at Moonlight thoughtfully. "Was this before or after you had left the smugglers guild? This someone was...?" -Moonlight waves a hand dismissively. "Had nothing to do with smuggling. A friend of mine won a lot of money off of Solar in a bet. He gave me the money to start this business." -Aviator grins. "Oh that Solar. If he, or anyone else, makes another crack about being repaired with pain receptors left online, I swear, I'll self destruct!" -Moonlight frowns. "He's a bit too fond of the destructive side of things." -Solar transmits: 'Keep an optic on Aviator. And if he spouts off about Cascade I wanna know about it'. -You transmit 'Oh? And what if he spouts off about you?' to Solar. -Solar transmits: 'I expect him to spout off bout me.'. -You transmit '*chuckles* Can /I/ spout off about you?' to Solar. -Solar transmits: 'wouldn't have it any other way'. -You paged Solar with 'Just wanted to be sure.' -Aviator nods. "And I was the one shooting at the Autobot!" He raises an optic ridge as Moonlight suddenly becomes a little occupied. -Moonlight chuckles into her radio, and shakes her head. Then she turns her attention back to Aviator. "You have a point, but sometimes the higher ups are kinda funny. They don't want you to get chummy with the Bots, but for some reason if you shoot them and it /isn't/ their idea, they don't like that either." -Aviator smirks. "I guess I'll have to live with it then. Who ya yappin too?" he inquires. -Moonlight smirks. "I'll give you three guesses." -Aviator looks cluelessly at Moonlight for a moment. "Was it...So...lar?" he bursts into a grin. -Moonlight nods. "Sometimes I suspect that that mech can read thoughts." -Aviator says, "If I may ask, what do you mean by that?" -Moonlight shrugs. "Well, you made a comment about him, and then I get a radio telling me to watch you." She grins broadly. "Sort of unnerving, isn't it?" -Aviator shakes his head and looks across the bar. "Yeah, it kind of is. Good to know the higher ups are all concerned about my well being." he adds with a touch of sarcasm. -Moonlight stands up and walks to the cabinet. "Can I get you something?" she asks. "I know what you mean about higher ups, but they've always been...well...higher ups. Enfilade and Ghost are great though, especially Enfilade. Nothing puffed up about her." -Aviator nods. "I'll have an enerbeer, please. Yeah, I don't have a problem with any of them, I just don't appreciate the disrespect I'm getting from a blown out of proportion situation." -Moonlight pulls out an enerwine for herself and a 'beer for Aviator. She walks back to their table with one. "It's always going to be that way I'm afraid. They're so intent on the war, that they sometimes forget that us 'little people' have feelings too. I know. When I went against Onslaught's words, he made me fight Whiplash in the Dead End arena. Her and some 'mystery guest'." -Aviator shrugs. "I guess that's what we get for having past experiences before joining the Decepticons. In some ways it's an advantage." He points to himself, then to Moonlight. "I doubt die-hard Decepticons sit and talk like we do. But it's also a disadvantage cause the die-hards will get on your case." -Moonlight nods. "Believe me. I know /all/ about that. I'm about as soft as they come you know." -Aviator pokes Moonlight from across the table. "You seem pretty solid to me." he says with a cheezy grin. -"Ha, ha. Very funny," says Moonlight with a laugh. She opens her drink and sips at it. "Since you're so devoted to protecting my place, you can help yourself to the cabinet on the sly. Just don't let anyone else know you're doing it, or I'll be broke before you can say 'freebie.' I'm sure I can trust you."