| A New Hope | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 15 February 2016 |
| Location: | Maccadam's Old Oil House |
| Synopsis: | Starscream and Tankor overhear something interesting... |
| Cast of Characters: | Arcee, Starscream, Tankor |
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream is in a good mood. Which is odd considering some Autobots just broke into Kolkular and the prison and took Quickswitch. But that's exactly what the Air Commander wanted. ;) He wasn't counting on Prowl with a gun to his head and then shooting said gun right past his head to the other prisoner of interest. Demolisher. And then Phantom up and vanished in the middle of the altercation. So those two things have him annoyed but its in the background compared to what he considers a vitory with the sixchanger.
Starscream walks into Maccadams like he owns the place and heads for a booth near the back wall. Hopefully Tankor got his message to meet him here for some conversation and some drinks. He motions for a server and orders two of the highest grade energons there. Then he sits back and lights an enercig and waits for his friend and the drinks, though not nessicarily in that order.
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor enters the bar shortly after his superior officer, and looks around at the crowd. They mostly look like working bots, like himself in his former life, so he relaxes a little. As for this being a good place for drinks in general? Well, you can't do much better on the face of Cybertron, although their menu is usually stacked toward the less refined beverages, in Tankor's opinion. You have to be picky to get something really worth it, and even then Tankor tends to add dashes of something extra, of his own devising, to spice it up.
Tankor spots Starscream in one of the booths, and walks as nonchalantly as he can over to it. It hasn't been long since Tankor's cover was blown, and even after "heroics" like helping to rescue Starfall, he remains uncomfortable being out and about. Still, if Starscream is comfortable, maybe he can be too. "Commander," he greets the Seeker, still tensely, as he sits down.
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream smiles when Tankor walks up and sits down. He can sense his friend is uneasy and he says, "Look sooner or later everyone's true /side/ in this slagging mess of a political 'scene' on this planet will be known to all. Don't worry about it, ok?" he slides the extra drink toward the triple changer and takes a sip of his own. "So hows things been going?" he smirksa bit, still happy with himself that Quickswitch was 'rescued'.
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor looks down at the energon. High-end. He vents a sigh to calm down, then grasps the glass. "You're right. But I'll be happier once that happens and things are sorted out." He takes a good sip and lets the warmth of the energon soak in a little. "Things are good. I think the operation to rescue Starfall went well, considering. I was happy to be a part of that." He pauses. "But I did hear about the Autobot six-changer being ... rescued. Hopefully that hasn't hampered our efforts too much."
- Starscream has posed:
"Quite the contrary." Starscream says quite pleased with himself. "That's exactly what I wanted." his humor vanishes suddenly. "But that fool Phantom disappearing as usual is getting on my last circuit -- and Prowl shooting Demolisher was... odd but hopefully that can work to our advantage.
- Arcee has posed:
Arcee arrives with a companion, a blocky-looking industrial mech with goggle-like optics. She's so into the conversation at hand that she fails to notice Starscream or Tankor. She joins him at a table a few paces from where the Decepticons are having their discussion.
"Frackjob, I want to thank you for contacting us. We'll do everything we can to assist. I can't blame you for being concerned."
"Thank you, Arcee," Frackjob answers nervously. "The site itself holds extreme promise. Initial scans show a considerable cache. It's like a miracle."
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor listens thoughtfully. "If you say so. It sounds like despite some setbacks things are going pretty well. So, if you're pleased, I'm pleased." He takes another sip and leans back some, finally relaxing. That is, until hearing the name "Arcee", nearby. His hands grip the edge of the table, and his thoughts move to his blasters.
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream catches a flash of energon pink out of the corner of his optic about the time Tankor hears her name. He glances over toward the femme. "She doesn't look interested in beating you up, Tanks, relax." he snickers slightly but keys in his audios to what her and the lower class mech are talking about.
- Arcee has posed:
Arcee is none the wiser as she orders drinks for herself and Frackjob. "How do you think it escaped detection all this time?" she asks.
"Well," Frackjob explains, "The location is quite remote...not many have the energy nor the time to travel deep into the Sonic Canyons, and then once there, how best to get the extraction equipment into the area? It's quite difficult. Also, very perilous."
"I see. Well first of all, congratulations on confirming this find. Secondly, we can assist with all aspects of the job: extraction, transport, security detail...I think a contract will need to be drawn up for all the particulars, but it will be exciting to be able to have that resource available, at least for a while if we ration it right." Arcee smiles at Frackjob. "You've made the right decision."
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor growls a little under his breath at Starscream's jab, but only because he's right. "I'm sure I could handle her. I just don't want her to call in her ... friends." He forces himself to loosen up and listen. As he does, his spark becomes more excited. He looks keenly at Starscream, and is that a smirk on his face? He whispers, "Sounds like energon."
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream whispers, "And we need to make it mine -- I mean ours," he shrugs a bit. Its still for him anyway, right? "Are you recording? I am." he whispers and then causually lighs another enercig, acting all the while like he has no idea Arcee is just a few tables away.
- Arcee has posed:
The chatter at Arcee & Frackjob's table moves to a few mundane topics, as conversation tends to do, but eventually it ambles back into the 'interesting' territory once their drinks are mostly consumed.
"Okay. Hazard considerations. I think we probably need to take this into consideration. Isolated location. Difficult to travel. What else?"
"Gale-force winds are not uncommon," Frackjob mentions.
"Lovely. What else?" Arcee prompts, taking notes down in her datapad.
"The area is populated by primal mechanoids. Some are quite large and viscious. The last time we attempted an extraction, the winds took out two transports, and the creatures ate one of our engineers."
Arcee winces. "Ooch. Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us..."
- Tankor has posed:
"I am now," Tankor whispers back. And as long as Tankor remains in Starscream's good graces, then he is fine with the energon being all Starscream's - he's sure benefits will flow nonetheless. He continues listening. "Winds are not a problem for me," Tankor quietly confides to Starscream. Sounds like he's volunteering, even if he doesn't realize it. "Mechanoids, however ... I would need - I mean, the mission would need some support."
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream nods slightly as he continues to listen. He's not too hip about the /mechanoids/ being there though but thats what lackeys are for. "You won't be close to those mechanoids -- having them do all the work and get the energon out for us is what we need to concentrate on."
- Arcee has posed:
"I don't know how to thank you enough," Frackjob says with some relief, as if a tremendous burden has been lifted.
"Not to worry, okay? We'll take care of things from here on out. You...will be going directly to the safehouse we discussed. And you'll have guard detail, as well. In the city, there's different dangers, but they're every bit as lethal as the primal mechanoids," Arcee says. She's silent for a few moments, and it appears as though Frackjob is handing over a dataslug to Arcee. She, in turn, uses her tablet to download the contents of the dataslug, then puts her tablet away. "Alright, come with me, sir. We're done here."
The pair get up, and begin moving swiftly toward the door.
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor nods. Good to have people below you for a change. He listens in as the conversation concludes, then peeks around the edge of the booth seat as the Autobot and informant head out. "Someone should follow them. The Sonic Canyons cover a large area, even with my scanners it would take a long time to find the source they're talking about." After a glance back at Starscream, he gets up and moves over to the previously occupied booth, just to see if anything was left behind. Doubtful, but worth the risk of being spotted, even in Tankor's somewhat paranoid mood.
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream watches the bots leave as Tankor comments and checks out the other booth. "Well he's going to a safe house so no sense in tailing him. Arcee on the other hand..." he takes a sip of his drink and waits as Tankor comes back. "And yes the canyons are large but Blast Off can fly high enough to scan it all without being seen and in a relatively quick manner."
- Arcee has posed:
The pair hasn't left anything behind in the booth other than their empty drink containers. However, the information that the Decepticons overheard may just be worth its weight in precious fuel, provided they're able to locate the drilling operation. But it isn't going to be an easy haul, the location is apparently remote and hazardous.
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor finds nothing in the vacated booth, and returns to his seat across Starscream. He shakes his head slightly and takes another drink. "Blast Off, hm?" Maybe a rival at some point, but for now ... "If he can locate likely areas, I can do detailed scans to pinpoint or confirm where this source is. After that," and he lets the conclusion hang there as he swirls his drink, making it fluoresce a little brighter.
- Starscream has posed:
"After that we let the Autobots do all the work for us." Starscreams optics gleam a bit and he finishes his drink. "Want another one?" he asks nodding toward Tankor's glass. He doesn't offer to pick up the tab for just anyone by the way.
- Tankor has posed:
Tankor lifts a brow ridge at the strategy of watching and waiting. Then again, forming successful strategies is why Starscream is where he is, and why Tankor will happily go along with it. He empties his drink, sets it down, and replies with a tilt of the head, "Certainly, Commander."
- Starscream has posed:
Starscream motions for Tankor's drink to be refilled as well as his own. He leans back slightly. "Not a bad cycle this was after all." he seems content and its obvious his mind is going a million kliks an hour, scheming who knows what. That seems to be when he's at his happiest.