Commanding the CAT

Log Title: Commanding the CAT Characters: Backblast, Elita One, Scales, Silhouette, Situretto, Upshot Location: Decagon - Command Date: December 16, 2018 TP: ? Summary: Elita has her covert team. Now, who do you put in charge in a team of intelligence agents? As logged by  Scales

Log session starting at 18:39:33 on Sunday, 16 December 2018.

'''Again, the fledgling working group, temporarily called the 'Covert Action Team,' or CAT, has been called together in the Decagon. As always, there is a rigorious and thorough verification process to even get into the Decagon, and here in the COs, the process is repeated. This is, after all, where all the Intel teams report in. The room itself has the standard large table, and viewscreens everywhere, and is currently empty.'''

''' Silhouette walks in and looks around, "oh no one is here." The rifle on her back speaks, "told you we were early" She looks over her shoulder, "Just means we get to greet everyone now." There is a sign from the gun, "yeah great."'''

Scales bounces into the room, hopping into one of the chairs and putting her front paws on the table, ready for the meeting.

'''The silence outside the door is broken by a brief exchange from a trio of voices; the guard and what seems to be two mechs. After they've satisfied the identification requirements they come through, one of them painted in tan and brown camouflage and the other dark green but cowled in the skin of an alloygator. The lighter of the pair speaks, "...and then the guards looked awfully surprised when he sprouted an arrow from his chest. You think they'd have better sensors." He chuckles and claps his counterpart on the shoulder as they step further into the room and out of the way.'''

'''Backblast saunters in "You'd think that." He agrees, with a laugh. "Sentries never learn, man, it's what makes our job so much easier." He chuckles, leaning casually on Kingslayer. Any guard who'd tried to separate him from the rifle is now missing fingers.'''

'''The lithe Female Autobot commander appears from a door on the other side of the room. She hands off a datapad to someone out of sight, then enters the room. The door slides shut behind her. "Good day, all. Hope I didn't keep anyone waiting." She picks up the remote from the table, and activates one of the viewscreens, "I had mentioned to you all earlier about the need to create a working group for a deep-strike infiltration team into Decepticon territory." She gestures vaguely to the room, "As you all have had training on infil/exfiltration, and deep field exercises, I've chosen you to be members of this working group."'''

'''A viewscreen of Kaon and Tarn come up on visuals on one wall. "Our primary focus here is the disruption of Decepticon Intelligence and Logistics, in an effort to weaken their hold on key provinces. Command feels that with the issues in Valvolux having been halted, that now is a good time to attempt a new deep cover strike. This will mean that you'll be under the command of Intelligence, as well as the expectation to be fielded for decasweeps at a time. I recognize that this situation is not a position most Cybertronians covet, but we feel the need for it is great. At this time, I ask that any members feeling mission incapable to announce themselves and depart."'''

''' Silhouette waves to each person who enters and then sits, laying the larger sniper rifle on the table. When E1 enters and perks up some and listen to what she said. She looks around at the other with those glowing eyes seeing if anyone would drop out.'''

Scales folds one paw over the other, all bright attention as she waits.

'''Upshot chuckles as he folds his arms across his chest. "Decasweeps? That's it? At least with this plan they can't move the planet on me."'''

'''Backblast looks thoughtful, nodding at what Upshot said. "What he said. I've been out for decades at a time."'''

Elita One nods softly, "Excellent. Command feels with the active frontline role of Soundwave and Bludgeon, that the best approach is to hamstring the two from behind, restraining them from amounting much of a push forward as they're expecting. Bludgeon is arrogant, and will insist on making do with less, Soundwave is clumsy on the military front, so we hit them both logistically....and here is one of our key points."

'''A viewscreen zooms in on a non-descript Decepticon with a clipboard. "This...is Payday. He's a middling level logistics manager of no real significance in terms of power, ability, or potential. He's background work at the best, at least so we thought. As it turns out, Payday is a moniker being used by the noted Decepticon assassin Double Tap. We believe Double Tap is laying the ground work for a high-level assassination attempt. You might recall his efforts from the near-fatal attack on Victory Leo, and Dai Atlas. We believe he was also involved in the killing of several noted Neutrals and Autobots...Traction. Tumult. Jetwash. Grandstand. I could go on. The capture or elimination of Double Tap will be the first primary goal of the team. As such, he must be drawn out by forcing their logistics division into chaos. Only then will we get our chance."'''

'''Scales tilts her head as she listens to Elita list off a bunch of stuff from long before she was built. She tries practicing patience, expecting that the information will be given out faster if Elita's not interrupted too much.'''

''' Silhouette listens and nods, "Sutiretto and I can put one between his eyes easy if you want mistress Elita." The gun transforms into Sutiretto, "now we are talking. Some action and some fun." Silhouette, "please don't take so much joy in this task." The smaller bot looks at her partner, "aw your no fun."'''

'''Backblast Listens with a soft frown, leaning on his rifle. "I think I've heard of Double Tap. Good, a professional, but... hm. I've had a few plans to take him out." Backblast comments.'''

'''Upshot looks over to Backblast, "You'll have to fill me in later." His attention returns to Elita, "So, scout out their operations, figure out the best way to disrupt it wiht limited resources, and see to it that this Double Tap is dealt with?"'''

'''Elita One nods softly. " Indeed. We have resources fielded already. Some of which are deep cover agents. I don't need to remind you all of how important it is that we do not blow their cover for contact. Some of these agents have been fielded for an eon or longer. Your field liason will be XO Riposte."'''

'''A rust red femme of slender build, with a floating drone next to her, appears on screen. " Some of you may know of Riposte's...infamous war against Onslaught in the Perisio Nebula, in which she was consistantly outmaneuvered by Onslaught's tactical prowess. She has been assigned as liason, and only as such. Orders are to be passed through her from me, personally. Her ability to process and track multiple targets gives her a great amount of intelligence to offer, but only as an advisory role. I hope I make myself clear." The subtext was clear indeed, Riposte is not considered Command for the operation.'''

"Speaking of. This team does require a leadership role, however I have learned with covert operations that it is not Command that should make these decisions. It should be someone the entire team can trust in to follow. As such, I am asking you all to vote on your Operations Commander."

'''Scales looks around at the others present. The one she knows best here.. is Backblast.'''

'''Backblast keeps his hands down "Not me, please." He says, softly. "I'm... not command material."'''

Elita One notes, "I understand the burden of leadership is one that is not often sought out among deep cover agents. All I ask is that you all consider who here you would be willing to trust for orders, or at least their judgment and experience."

 Silhouette thinks for a moment and looks around the room, "well how about scales as leader?"

Scales blinks.

'''Upshot looks around the assemblage, he at least knows two out of the crew. "No offense to Scales, but maybe we ought to see how things turn out in the field. It's easy to make a suggestion outside of the field and have it go wrong once you're faced with a real operation."'''

Silhouette nods slowly, "I know I don't want to lead I not made for that."

'''Scales nods. "I mean, if people really wanted me to, I'd do the best I can, but there's prob'ly a better choice."'''

'''Elita One listens to the group, it was about what she expected. Most of them would single-handedly pick mechs they trust out in the field, ones they'd trust, but a leadership position...that was different. Nobody likes making /that/ call. Her tone is very soft, implying she understands the reluctance. "Very few Bots are...'made for' leading, Silhouette. More often than not, we are put in a position where we must do so, lest the situation grows worse. I...realize exactly how difficult this is for you all, to willingly place yourselves into another's hands. And, I understand /why/ there is such reluctance. Because when you've been fielded for a long enough time, the only person you trust is also the only person you're willing to risk."'''

Yourself.

"So, what I am willing to do, instead, is to give one of you 'veto power'. It isn't a command role, but someone needs to be able to have the power to cut an operation short, to pull troops out if necessary. Now this. This is something I feel that anyone of you can fulfill."

Anyone who is sufficiently wily, might think that this was Elita One's solution to the leadership problem from the very start...

 Silhouette smiles at scales, "I watched you in the modical lab when mistress Elita was hurt and the skill and command you had."

'''Scales ohs and fidgets. "I kind of let Inferno handle that one. I mean, he has the rank and all."'''

'''Upshot considers for a moment and speaks up. "Well, I'm willing to do it. I tend to be watching the whole field anyway, and if it doesn't work out we can try someone else."'''

'''Elita One actually seemed a bit surprised that someone volunteered. "Indeed? Well then, Upshot has veto power at this time. Any units wishing to dispute this may do so through the usual channels, but I feel it is a proper choice. You're all dismissed for now. Expect follow-up orders and dustoff times to arrive within the sweep. Gear up for a six decasweep mission. Carry on, Autobots." She stands, gives a respectful nod of her head to the table, then exits the room through the sliding door behind her.'''

Upshot turns to Backblast, "Well, I suppose that means we can go catch up some more and then start prepping."

'''Backblast nods to Upshot. "It does!" he chuckles'''

'''Scales blinks at the two mechs. "So.. what kind of prep do you do?"'''

'''Upshot looks down at Scales. "That depends entirely on the mission in question." He looks up at Backblast, "We're going to need to figure out places for resupply and to hole up if needed."'''

'''Backblast chuckles, softly, nodding. "Exfil routes, potable energon springs, the works." He agrees. "Just like old times."'''

'''Scales oohs. "Caches!"'''

Backblast nods to Scales "Exactly, among other things. We'll also need to check weapons, check kit... everyone'll need a decent amount of medical gear on them on top of the medic's full kit..."

'''Scales hehs. "I always have tools on me- they're built in. It'd be good to have parts in the caches. That's usually what stops me out in the field."'''

'''Upshot smiles, "So, what you need to do is make a list of the parts you can't do without on hand and work down from there. I'm going to have to figure out what to carry in my main kit and leave the other things with our caches." Reaching up he taps his chin. "I'll have to figure out what to do with Riser. We'll at least have an emergency exfil route for a few of us in the event it becomes necessary."'''

'''Backblast nods to Scales. "The essentials that will work on everyone." He confirms, setting up his little burner-stove on the big table. He does put a heat mat down beforehand, starting to make energon tea. "Couple of things for morale. Not everyone's as entertained by wilderness survival as we are, Upshot."'''

'''Scales hmms, tilting her head at the tea. "Well, if things are -boring-, I usually just nap until I'm needed. That way, I don't use up a bunch of energon. Even better if I c'n get a sunbeam." She stares down at the table, clicking claws on the surface as she mentally draws up a list. "An' if there's a really tight squeeze, I c'n always go tape mode an' take up less room."'''

Upshot says, "I was already counting you as one of the three. My scout ship has enough space for two normally but, as you said, you can be even smaller."

Backblast nods with a chuckle "Just like old times."

'''Scales ohs. "Good." She looks around and gets a datapad and begins transferring her list to it. "You guys probably have better weapons AND sneaking skills than I do, but I c'n back up just about anybody if they're willing to carry me with 'em."'''

'''Upshot shrugs, "And you're better at patching 'bots up than I am. We all have our specialties and we're likely going to need sll of them, and all our skills to pull this off." He looks at the tea, "I was thinking we could retire back to the bar and start plotting out details tomorrow."'''

'''Backblast laughs "Shit, you didn't hear, did you Upshot?" He grins, pulling out a legitimate, stamped and signed certificate. He's a fully-qualified medic, like scales. It lists his specialisation as 'Unusual/problematic ailments & Dark Energon' "You'll have two doctors to look after you."'''

'''Scales hehs. "Yeah, he started helpin' with the lab work 'cause he was there, and got interested in the rest."'''

'''Upshot looks at Backblast and starts to laugh. "Took you long enough to catch up to me on that one."'''

'''Backblast shrugs a little, with a laugh "Yeah yeah. I know. But, well. I was never interested in helping people... just hurting 'em." He hands out mugs of energon tea. He sniffs. "Then Dust Devil, the sawn-off little twerp, finds himself bitten by Rartorata - the herald of the Fallen. It... was touch-and-go for a while, but, well. Scales is a good medic, and Imager knows her thing. Plus... you know me and puzzles."'''

'''Scales nods thoughtfully while still working on the datapad. "I learned a lot workin' on that. I mean, dark energon is still pretty freaky, but at least I know some ways to keep it from spreadin now."'''

'''Backblast sniffs "Dust Devil's a good kid. Trouble, but a good kid." He chuckles, nodding to Scales. "Yeah. I was thinking, I wonder what would happen if we put that stuff in a ninety-mil?"'''

'''Scales stops what she's doing and looks at Backblast, optics cycling through alarmed yellows. "Y'mean the cure, right? Not dark energon or the poison or any of that stuff."'''

'''Backblast nods "I do mean the cure." He sniffs. "I want to get a killshot on the Fallen."'''

'''Upshot eyes Backblast. "Never interested in helping others? So the help in getting folks out of the work camp was what then?"Not being up on all of the events Upshot listens to the exchange and finally comments. "You -always- want to get the kill shot."'''

'''Scales sets down the datapad and her optics cycle through at 'thinking' speeds. "Y'know.. it might disrupt normal energon some, too. It basically curdled the poison and gave us time to clear Dust Devil out. If it does anything similar to somebody who wasn't poisoned, that'd be a bad day for that person."'''

'''Backblast looks to Upshot "Honestly?" He says, rubbing the back of his head. "It was a way in to kill the camp commandant. And... perhaps the seed of what led me to become an Autobot. Being thanked was... new."'''

'''Backblast nods to Scales a little, smiling. "Yeah that's why I keep it in secure storage, along withthe rest of my poisons."'''

'''Upshot nods, "They were a piece of work." He straightens up, "I'm going to retire to a barstool for the rest of the evening and tomorrow I'm going to start consulting the information we have on double Tap and the maps of the Ao and the terrain between here and there. "You coming with me, Backblast?"'''

'''Scales droops a bit but nods at the two. "I'll be at the Sparkplug center. With the kidnapping victims back, there's plenty of work to do there."'''

'''Backblast thinks a little. "Hm. Much as I'd love to, Upshot, I'll swing past that way once I'm sure I can't be of any use at the Sparkplug."'''

Upshot nods, "Fair enough. I'd probably just get in the way, so I'll go check on my ship, and Riser, first and then make my way over."

Log session ending at 22:54:44 on Sunday, 16 December 2018.