Operation Petal Drop

Log Title: Operation Petal Drop

Characters: Windshear, Blast Off, Swindle, Hubcap, Snarl, Ghost, Rumble, Slugfest, Sit-Com, Benin-Jeri, Metroplex, Geist, Pulver

Location: Th' bar, Autobot City

Date: Feb 14, 2014

TP: None

'''Summary: It's Valentine's Day! So what's a lovelorn mech to do? Why, impress the girl of his dreams.......with flowers.'''

Th' Bar Like most Dockside buildings, this place is livelier on the inside than it would seem to be from the outside. Most hours of the day, this place has people in it, though the crowds are quiet, sitting in small booths talking quietly amongst themselves and studiously not making optic contact with anyone but those at their table. Curiosity is not welcome here, if you must look around try not to make it noticeable. The bartender is an older tankfemme, built like a half-sized Guardian. There appear to be no bouncers... either they're well hidden or she doesn't need 'em.

Ghost fades into being, perched on a stool. Probably much to the surprise of whomever is near. "Nerual bomb, double."

Ghost suddenly fades into sight without a sound.

A silent, invisible force slowly drinks from an oddly, eerily suspended glass. No wires here.

A little mini stego scampers into the bar, clamoring for energons in a bowl!

The mysteriously self-motivated glass continues to periodically raise and drain. The barkeep fills it up again when it gets low. A credit appears as if by magic on the bar counter!

Slugfest gets a bowl full of energon, which he eagerly slurps. Once it's all gone, he wanders around, then peeks up at Ghost. "What are readings?"

Ghost waves for her regular, then peers at the steggy, "Athmospheric conditional reports."

Slugfest ohs quietly, sitting there for a moment to try to process the atmospheric comment by Ghost. "Oh, want know when is rainings?"

Rumble struts in like he owns the place, and he climbs up on one of the vacant barstools.

Ghost gives a shake of her head at Slugfest, "More on pressures and conditions for flight patterns, Slugfest. See if there are any storms."

Ghost is seated at the bar, data pad in hand, talking quietly to Slugfest. She's got 1 empty container in front of her and a second that's full.

Rumble orders a full-sized enerdrink. Well, he has the credits for it. "Course I want a full one!" he says to the 'tender.

Windshear walks in looking a bit down. With barely a pause at the door he heads to where hes been sitting at the bar the past few times hes been here. He slides onto the barstool and calls for his usual. Then he lights an enercig and glances around. He nods at Ghost and then sees Rumble, "Where you been hiding, shorty?" he asks.

Ghost peers over at Rumble, then watches Windshear come in and get settled. "Get your stress vented?" friendly tone.

Rumble grins cheerfully, guzzling down the big ener-drink like it wasn't a big deal. "Hey there, ya big glitch! I been all over, findin' trouble in the meantime, but it's good to be back! Whatcha been doin' with yourself, eh?"

Windshear nods at Ghost's comment. "Yea -- we couldnt hit each other no matter how hard we tried. But it was worked out...you guys keep the insults to our commander do a minimum around me, ok?" then he glances at Rumble, "What kind of trouble?" he asks grinning a bit at the glitch comment, "Anything worth checking out?"

Ghost shakes her head, "Minimum doesn't mean never so.. have to be able to vent as well." She shrugs, picks her mug up and goes back to reading.

"I know." Windshear says, "I didnt say you couldn't, ok?" though its obvious he doesnt like it. "I just said not around me."

Ghost nods, "I'll do my best as long as the Megatron stuff is kept in line. And I know, I know, he didn't get brought up but... Same boat I think. Makes my systems itch."

Windshear nods, "I completely agree." though hes not one of the ones that cuts Megatron down but he understands.

Rumble glug glug glug. Somehow -- dimensional anomaly?? -- he fits the contents of the enerdrink decanter into himself. There's got to be more in that container than there is space inside Rumble...right??

Windshear glances at Rumble for a moment, "Mech, you got subspace in your energontank or something?"

"I just know how to party!" Rumble exclaims cheerfully, turning the decanter over and placing it on the bar. "One dead soldier!"

Windshear smirks.

Ghost raises a brow at Rumble, then shakes her head, picking her own mug up to sip. "Doesn't a party need music, Rumble?"

"...It helps," Rumble answers Ghost. "Well, I got the BASS...but last time I used it here, I got kicked out."

Windshear is looking in his glass of purple energon and seems lost in thought.

"Whassamatta?" Rumble asks Windshear, staring at him curiously. Not really much empathy there, but he's definitely curious as to what's bugging the Seeker.

Windshear glances at the munchkincon, "Nothing."

Ghost whiffs air through intakes, "You're looking very broody over there and it can't be the reports." Pause, wicked smile, "The ones I got into were the usual drek so.. Need another venting session?"

"Yeah, c'mon, let's spill some guts! ...Or somethin'." Rumble strolls along the bartop.

Windshear looks at the two of them and snorts a bit, "Nothing either of you would care about." Slag it sucks to be an EMO mech.

"That may not be true!" Rumble points out. "I'm a real syncopatic kinda guy. I lissen to all kinds of stuff. You wouldn't think it but I DO! An' Ghost over there, I'll bet she syncopates too."

"Do I look like I was made last cycle or something?" The Vampire Seeker counters, "Of course the two of you listen to everything and then handle it like any respectable Decepticon would..." and he knows all too well Ghost is itching to find out just who 'Cee is and what they are to the Dark Seeker.

Ghost turns on her stool. "What bug's crawled up your afterburners now, Windshear?" Amused tone, but gentled (probably by the double neural bomb she had earlier). "Yes, Rumble, I syncopate when necessary." Amused smirk that fades, "Yes. I do listen to everything." Snap of wings, "It's my function. But not everything I hear makes it into a report. Somethings.. just are some things."

"Yeah! Just things," Rumble chimes in. "So tell us those things an' you'll feel better!"

This is a lot harder then he thought it would be. How can a femme do this to a mech? Windshear flicks a wing, "Im ok, Ghost, don't concern yourself with it."

Windshear glances at Rumble and smirks, "No." he says lightly.

Ghost lifts a brow, considers something foolishly reckless and potentially damaging for a moment then follows the though with, "You are not okay. But fine, be all.. mechly about it."

Rumble feels something funny, deep down inside. It feels like one of those...feeling-type things, but he isn't quite sure which one it is! Some kind of emotion...he'll have to ask Buzz what it is, because it's probably a glitch Soundwave needs to burn out of his circuits. "Uhhh. Okay. You want another drink? Maybe what you need is to get overenergized!"

Windshear takes a pull off his drink and says, "I will be." and then back at Rumble, "That's what I'm trying to do."

"Good, cause I'm gonna go visit the femme over there. I'll come finish whatever you can't, how's that!" Rumble grins, and hops off the counter, pretty much falling on his face on the floor. Slowly, he gets up, and struts over to Ghost's table, climbing up to reach it.

Windshear watches Rumbles head over to Ghosts and then looks back into his glass wondering what Arcee is doing.

Ghost grumbles, "Asking people how they are. What *is* wrong with me. I want to go /back/ into the mainframe. Frag this drek. " as she finishes her drink.

Windshear chuckles slightly, "I was goign to ask, Ghost. Im the nice one, whats your excuse?" he say that lightly as he finishes his drink and motions for another.

Ghost snorts, eying Rumble as he gets close, "Yeah, the /nice/ one." she replies to Windshear. "I'll show you the *nice* one." Snort and she finishes the mug, motioning for #3.

Rumble has a seat on the bar itself, beside Ghost, his little legs dangling off the side. "Hey, toots."

Windshear shifts on his barstool so hes facing ghost and rumble, "By all means then... show me."

Ghost's attention flicks to Rumble and both brows raise, "Toots?" Pause, and she slowly shakes her head, "No, Windshear. I will not embarrass myself so. I'm not known for being /nice/, why break such a carefully constructed illusion, hmmm?"

Rumble glances over at Windshear, wondering if he could ever get it through the other mech's circuits how to win with the femmes. He always seemed to be so clueless about it! All he really had to do was watch *him*. Watch and learn. "Yeah, Windshear, c'mon."

Windshear says nothing and just takes another pull from his glass.

Ghost hrmphs, shifting wings to a high position and angled back, picks up her mug and, makes a point of turning her data pad back on to read.

Rumble is sitting on the bartop, beside Ghost. He frowns in annoyance at Windshear, flicking an old bottlecap at him and watching it *ping* off the Seeker's armor.

Windshear looks where the cap hit him and then at Rumble, "Did I ask you to do that?"

Blast Off walks in to the bar. He *thought* he was leaving last night with another cargo run. To his chagrin, however, it turns out some worker *broke* something important while they were carrying it inside his cargo bay and now he's STUCK here waiting some more while they work to replace it. THEN he can go. Not that he's in any hurry to return to Earth, mind you. But sloppiness and disarray bug the shuttleformer. He comes up to the bar and orders a drink, looking as aloof as usual.

"I don't gotta ask!! You ain't talking about somethin' an we don't know what it is an' it's ticking me off!" Rumble begins getting all defensive, which is usually the yellow-light warning before the pylons come out to destroy everything. "So you better tell us, or...or...or we ain't gonna know what it is!"

Windshear studies Rumble for a moment and then Blast Off walks in. He gives a nod in greeting and then looks back at the cassettecon, "Now why should you get ticked off about something personal with me?"

The little mini stego had been sitting by Ghost, but now he starts scampering about. "Is day hyooman mens give flowers to wimmins they lurb!"

"Cause, I wanna know what it is," Rumble says, as if that should be pretty obvious. He's now walked down the bartop, past Ghost and Blast Off, and is standing next to Windshear.

Windshear cycles his intakes a bit harshly when Slugfest says what he says and then looks optic to optic at Rumble whos now in his face, "You can't sell it, make a profit or do anything with it and you certainly cant help find a solution to it so whats the point, Rumble?"

"Cause I just wanna know what's fraggin' you up so bad," Rumble admits to Windshear. "I mean, you're a Seeker, you're badaft, right? That's like, second nature to you! So what is it that can rattle you up an' make you drink?"

Windshear cycles his intake fans again, "Fine.. concerns a femme, ok?" he braces himself for the jokes now.

Blast Off nods back the greeting to Windshear, then recieves his glass and sits down near the others. Not TOO close, though, of course. Gotta be all aloof and distant and everything. But he's close enough to listen in.

"Okay. Makes sense now!" Rumble, quite surprisingly, has no jokes for Windshear. Or maybe he just doesn't want to chance getting slapped across the room because that's a hell of a way to take flying lessons. He strolls back down the bartop, having a seat beside Blast Off. "See, I ain't surprised youre here. Know why? Cause this is a classy joint."

Ghost ohs.. And gives Windshear an odd look before nodding, "Well, we are trouble." she concedes and finishes mug #3. "If she hurts you. Let me know. I've got an in with an assassin." Waving for #4. "If that's too much, I can always have a core to core with her on how daft it is to toy with a Seeker. I've got experience." Bitter smirk.

Windshear gives Ghost a look, "I dont want any harm to come to her so yea, thats too much. Look she hasn't done anything to me, I just can't see her, its complicated."

Ghost raises a brow, "Duty?"

Windshear raises an optic ridge and gets a rueful look on his face, "You.. might say that..."

Slugfest dances around Windshear, "Say it wif flowers! Is what hyoomans do today!"

"Man, Slugs, you been usin' circuit speeders again, haven't you?" Rumble shakes his head.

Windshear leans back a bit and looks at Slugfest, "What?"

Hubcap casually strolls into the bar, ignoring the scowls and glowers directed his way by those who still haven't gotten over the whole zombie thing. Ordering a drink, he sets himself down at a table and just listens.

Swindle walks in, looking at the throng of patrons, including some familiar faces. He wanders over to Blast Off, pausing to say to Rumble, "Hiya, squirt." He looks over at Windshear and Blast Off. Doing business?

Snarl noses in the door, thagomizer swishing

Blast Off sloooowly looks down at Rumble with an imperious gaze. "Well, naturally. And I bring up the class of any place I go." He looks around the room, then down again to Rumble. "However, not *everyone* displays the same levels as I." He sips at his glass. "If you have interest in /class/, I would suggest this vintage. It's quite delightful." He nods a short greeting as Swindle comes in.

"Now THERE'S a classy mech! Swindle, you just classed up the joint," Rumble calls out to Swindle. "C'mere an' buy the next round, willya??"

Ghost shakes her head, picking up mug #4 and sipping. "Well, pull yourself together, mech." Not unkindly, "What will be, will be. Or pick your favorite platitude." She grins rakishly.

Blast Off watches some Autobots come in and eyes them coldly, but says nothing. He's too *classy* to, after all.

Windshear's wings twitch a bit at Ghosts comment, "It will be what I make it to be." he says as he lights an enercig.

"Sure thing, little buddy," Swindle says, "Oh hey, Windshear. Still looking down in the mouthplates?"

Windshear nods vaguely at Swindles remark but says nothing. He does though think about what Sluggy said. What day is today for humans? He runs through his data banks and realizes its something called Valentines Day.. well that just makes the fact he misses his femme even more painful. Slag it.

"Matter of fact, I am gonna try that vintage! Yeah, 'tender, get me a vintage!" Rumble orders an energon decanter nearly as big as he is. Where he puts it all, Primus only knows. He sits on the bartop beside Blast Off, dangling his legs over the side of the counter.

Ghost shrugs, picks up the mug and finishes #4 with little pause. "Then make it happier. You're moping makes me want to slap sense into you." Cheerful smile.

Hubcap smirks as he sees Blast Off's reaction to the Autobot presence. Hm, only one thing to do, really... dodging through the crowd, he reaches up to pat Blast Off on the back. "Hey there, rocket, did you find someone to read that story to you, after all?"

Slugfest uses lil stubby legs to leap to a bar stool then clamber up onto the counter, where he scampers over to Rumble and noses him. Eee, cold wet stego nose! >:3

Blast Off gives Rumble a dubious look, arching an optic ridge at the smaller Con, but says nothing besides, "Do you KNOW what *vintage* even means?" Then Hubcap pats him on the back. the Combaticon jerks aside in a huff. He likes to keep his distance... from *everyone*, and most certainly Autobots! Not into up-close-and-personal after all. "Do you MIND?!?" he gives the Bot an indignant look, then tries to regain his composure. "I... I... what story? And my name is most certainly not ROCKET."

"HEY, quit that, ya crazy glitch," Rumble grumps at Slugfest. "Go play with your flowers, or somethin'. Go find us some femmes. Make yourself useful!" unidle

"No has seed in long times"! Slugfest says to Rumble, "Where were hiding?" He looks over at Windshear. "HIM need flowers!"

"I ain't been hidin' anywhere, I been out bein' awesome," Rumble tells Sluggy. He peers at Windshear, then back to Sluggy. "...Why does he need flowers."

"Cuz him gotted femme!" Slugfest says.

"Hey, if anyone needs flowers, I'm your mech," Swindle says.

Windshear snorts, "Really, Sluggy? What would flowers do and how could I even get them to her?"

Rumble puts a hand on his hip, looking expectantly at Sluggy. "He's gotta point."

"Uh, drop on Metroplex? Her prolly get them somehow if does that," Slugfest suggests.

Hubcap affects a saddened expression. "Well, that's terrible, but don't worry!" Hubcap pulls several children's books out of a compartment in his torso. "I came prepared."

Ghost waves for #5...

Windshear facepalms.

Slugfest ooohs at Hubcap. "Has Horton Hears A Sharkticon?"

Windshear can't beleive sluggy said what he said for everyone to hear. He doesn't make enough to pay everyone off every 30 cycles...

Ghost gets #5, sips and peers over at Slugfest, "Who in Metroplex needs flowers?" Fans whirr up. Maybe #5 is a bad idea.. Optics get a wickedly mischievous glint to them. "It's been a while since I slipped in there."

Rumble turns and gives Windshear a 'WTF'-type look. No words.

"Get lots flowers and drop from high up. That make sure her get lots and lots and see how much lurbs! Hyoomans say more flowers the better," Slugfest says

"If you're going to do flowers, I'd suggest long-stemmed roses. A LOT of them," Swindle remarks.

Blast Off starts to just glaaarrre at Hubcap. "What ARE you doing? ... And children's books? Why am I not suprised an Autobot would be carrying THOSE around?" The mention of flowers and Metroplex and everything does make him temporarily look over at the others in confusion- especially as to why they are talking about this with Autobots in the area. But... lesser beings never have made much sense to him, anyway. He shrugs internally, then goes back to glaring at Hubcap.

Windshear can't tell whats got his cogs in a knot more, he misses Arcee and can't talk to her, or Slugfest all but blabbing it to everyone that his femme is .... an Autobot...

Ghost slides off of the stool and pads closer to Windshear, "I think we should talk. Privatly." Mug in hand though.

Windshear grabs his glass and slides off the stool. "Why not." he says, the damage has already been done he feels. He turns to follow Ghost wherever she wants to go.

Rumble flicks an enerdrink cap in Slugfest's direction.

Ghost crooks a smile, "This.. is going to feel weird." Did the lights just dim? She finishes #5, sets the mug down and extends her hand, "For you. But, best security there is." Yeah, at least it appears to be localized to the area around Ghost.. And those shadows creeping up her legs like inky tendrils, wisping and waving about.

Windshear looks at the hand and frowns, then sees the shadows creeping up her legs. He looks at her and takes her hand. "Thrill me then..." he challenges.

Hubcap glances aside at Slugfest, then shuffles through the books, finding one, he props it open at the first page. "Would you like to read to the class?" He then shoots an obviously-falsely innocent expression at Blast Off, "Now, now. No need to be grumpy, you can learn to read, too."

Ghost grabs the hand, smirks and phases the two out. Her voice can be heard echoing a moment, "Never done a mech your size. Hold on.. or you won't come back." Shadows rise up and then, they're just not really there.

There's a throaty, gaspy sigh coming from somewhere in the vicinity of the Sweeps' table. But it looks like nobody's there!

Mini stego's wagging thagomizer swats away the enercap, as he scampers to read the book that Hubcap has propped open. "Ooooh!"

Windshear keeps a good grip on her hand as instructed.

Blast Off just keeps glaring. "DON'T be ridiculous, Autofool. I have probably read more books than you even know EXIST." He whips up a datapad from subspace, and starts tapping onscreen to bring up his MASSIVE reading list. It's just MASSIVE, I tell you! "What do you think I do when I'm flying long stretches during space travel, anyway?"

Rumble watches Hubcap troll Blast Off, since he isn't going to get to listen in on Ghost and Windshear.

Swindle looks around and notices that Windshear and Ghost have vanished. "Huh. Nice trick," he murmurs.

Slugfest paws at the book to turn the page when he's finished reading the page that's open. His thagomizer wags, which might be slightly thumping against Rumble.

Blast Off glances to Swindle, then to where the other two Cons had been. Huh. Yes indeed. He makes an internal note to find out if they have "warping" abilities like Skywarp. He asks Rumble, "You never did tell me if you even knew what *vintage* means...."

Rumble, who is having a mini-battle against Slugfest's thumping tail, looks over at Blast Off. "I do so know what that is! Why wouldn't I know that?? Everyone knows what that is!"

Blast Off raises a skeptical optic ridge. "And so.... what IS it, exactly?"

"Oh, c'mon! We fine-mannered mechs know exactly what that is! Vintage needs no explanation! You can get it at great establishments everywhere!" Rumble grins, trying to look confident, but if he could flop-sweat, he would probably be doing just that.

Swindle grins, staring at Rumble, greatly amused at the little mech's response. "Sooooo, where are we on the flowers? Did Windshear want any?"

Blast Off is far less amused (he's rarely amused, anyway, of course), and gives Rumble a deadpan look. "In other words.... you have no clue."

"Windshear's the one who's needin' some flowers, but he, uh...took some sorta trip with Ghost. I guess he can clue you in better on those flowers when he gets back," Rumble says to Swindle. Then, Blast Off gets a defensive reaction from the little cassette. "It's gotta do with enerwine an' that kinda thing! It comes in a bottle an' it's got a cap on it!"

It's a shimmer, then the shadows themselves rise up and swirl lazily as lights dim around one spot in the bar. Like forming from the nothing, Ghost returns, holding Windshear's hands, their forms slow to reform into the here and now, shadowy outlines, then thin, transparent, then slowly bleeding back into solid states of being. The shadows lazily fall back to the floor, pooling underneath chairs, feet, tables, quintescent once more.

Windshear recalibrates his sensors and glances around. Then he looks back at Ghost, "Thanks for the lift." he says quietly and slowly releases his hands from hers.

Ghost inclines her head in a nod, optics a light lavender hue. "Wind to your wings." She heads to the bar to get her data pad and leave.

"Wind to your wings, Ghost," Windshear says and then turns back for where he was sitting and where is that slugfest?

Slugfest is currently reading a book that Hubcap is propping open! Horton Hears A SHARKTICON! Also, his tail is intermittently thumping against Rumble, like an idle cat's restless tail.

Rumble is slapping Slugfest's tail, and trying to convince Blast Off that he, too, is cultured and knows the meaning of 'vintage'.

Windshear sits down and has his drink refilled and seems to be pondering something.

Blast Off blinks and gives Rumble a surprised stare. "That... that is... almost correct." He sounds a little confused to have to say that.

"Yeah, not bad, little buddy," Swindle says, "So, what's the plan?" He looks over at Windshear questioningly.

Windshear looks at Swindle. "Plan? What plan?"

"Oh come on, I know a love starved mech when I see one. The plan to impress your girl, of course!" Swindle says.

Windshear ponders this for a moment, "Whats in it for you to go with this, Swindle?"

"Well, it's a fair bet, whatever you need to impress the femme with, I can get for you," Swindle says, "Heck, I'll even throw in a discount, because it's you." He grins. "So, what'll it be? Chocolates? A stuffed pink unicorn with a heart on it? A teddy bear? Or a few dozen longstem roses?"

Windshear starts thinking about the flowers sluggy mentioned and his other comments and a few things other mechs have mentinoed. He runs it all through his datafiles on US earth customs and then thinks back on how painfuly sad his femme was the last time he saw her. Mmmm it works for human femmes, would this work for a transformer femme? He turns to Swindle suddenly, "I need those glowX pink and barilium Red roses -- you know the ones that grow on the far north west side of Cyrbertron? Yea... I need about 150 tons of them like... 6 million astroseconds ago."

Swindle rubs the back of his head nervously, "Ha-ha, oh yeah, that's right." He chuckles somewhat nervously, ""Yup, I can get you all kinds of those."

Windshear frowns slightly. "How fast and how the smeg can you deliver them?"

"Yeah, and we'll need something with a really big cargo hold to deliver them," Swindle says, turning to look at Blast Off, "With Swindle's delivery service we can have em delivered in a little over an hour."

Windshear raises an optic ridge, "To earth? To..." here it comes, "Autobot city?"

"Autobot City??" Rumble exclaims.

"Sure, we just air-drop it," Swindle says, "Should be easy enough."

"Want help pick flowers!" Slugfest pipes up.

Blast Off overhears THAT little tidbit and can't help but look over at the other two speaking now. "Autobot City? Why on ...Earth... would you send roses there? Or..." he can't seem to believe he's saying this... "Pink unicorns?" He takes a quick look at his wine glass, trying to make sure he didn't get something far stronger than he had THOUGHT he was drinking. Nope, looks like plain 'ol enerwine.... he shouldn't be THIS drunk.

Windshear takes a pull off his drink and then looks hard at each and every Decepticon in the bar, "WE pull this off, I will, make it worth your while. But if any one of you." and he snaps a look at Slugfest. "ever EVER breath a word of this to anyone -- not only will it implicate all of you for termination by association but, I will find where you recharge." his optics darken, "And I will enjoy every last drop of your energon..." and he lets his programming surface for a moment, the electronic vibes it sends out so everyone can pick it up.

Slugfest eeeeees! "No tells!" he says.

"This is the craziest gig I ever worked," Rumble mutters, shaking his head.

"C'mon buddy, it's for a good cause," Swindle says, to Blast Off, "And besides, it could be fun. And the inside of your cargo hold will be smelling like a million credits, too."

Blast Off ... doesn't like being threatened, and it does clash quite-ever-so-much with his ego. He stares at Windshear for awhile, then responds coldly. "Do NOT threaten me." He glances briefly to Swindle with a small huff, then goes back to staring coldly at Windshear... and awaiting a response. The shuttleformer is sitting quite still- and probably ready for action at a moment's notice, if it is needed.

Windshear holds Blast Offs gaze evenly, "Then keep this to yourself waht we are about to do. I will reward you genorously for it but I will not have loose lips about this...operation."

"Heh, if there's one thing Blast Off doesn't have, it's loose lip plates," Swindle remarks.

Windshear smiles slightly, "I'd expect no less from a mech as educated as your team leader, Swindle"

"Me am lip plates sealed!" Slugfest says, wagging his thagomizer.

Windshear looks at Slugfest, "That includes what you've been going about all cycle evening, sluggy."

Slugfest eeks and tries to hide his nose between his front feets!

"It's vintage, it's pure vintage, that's what it is," Rumble says, deciding he's too cool to stick to dictionary definitions of words.

Swindle uses a cell datapadd to send a message. "OK, the roses will be here in about 15 minutes. Then we gotta load them into Blast Off's cargo hold, and away we go."

Blast Off studies the other Con, still fixing him with the cold gaze of his violet-gray optics. He does finally nod slightly to Swindle, "Indeed. I am the embodiment of discretion." To Windshear, he states, "I do what *I* wish to do. At the moment, I do not *wish* to ...tattle on your little secret. I think you are a FOOL, if what I THINK is happening is actually happening. But it is none of my concern." He keeps giving Windshear a cold look. "Just do not MAKE it my concern, or I shall stop being so... polite." He snorts. "I am NOT the team leader. Though perhaps I *ought* to be. However," He does finally nod in some small agreement, "Onslaught IS a brilliant mech. Why else would I have joined his team, after all?"

Windshear chuckles, "Yes I am right now, Blast Off. But when do Seekers care what other think?" Windshear acknowledges the rest of Blast Offs remarks with a slight smile and then looks at Swindle. "That fast? How did you manage that? Whats the bill?"

"Oh I had a bunch of mechs that owed me a favor," Swindle says, "Shouldn't be too bad. About a thousand credits. And that's cheap for those things."

Windshear starts a mental tab. "Ok got it." he looks at sluggy and rumble, "The two of you will toss them out of the cargo hold." he says in an authorative fashion.

Windshear he looks back at Blast Off, "You need to do a low slow flyby /over/ Autobot HQ. If you don't know where it's at I have the coordinates."

Blast Off keeps watching Windshear, but the intensity is subsiding. He finally just nods to the other Con, then lifts his glass calmly to take a sip again. Until something Swindle said registers. "Wait.... MY cargo bay? You want to use MY cargo bay for this nonsense?" And Windshear gets an even more incredulous look.

Windshear smirks, "Blast Off, this isn't too much for one of your extreme abilities is it?"

Rumble struts up to Windshear, and motions to tell him something in confidence...

Windshear frowns curiously and leans in, "What?"

Rumble mutters to Windshear, "Psst.... it... thinks the... dumb,... time.... do... is... drinkin'. Make it..."

You hear Rumble mutter to Windshear, "Psst. He ain't gonna do it if he thinks the mission is dumb, which is like, his opinion 99% of the time. So whatcha do is get him totally frag-faced on whatever it is he's drinkin'. Make it strong!"

Windshear smirks, "I got you." he says and he also decides hes going to get everyone drunk as well. He turns to the barfemme, "Give him the entire bottle of what he was drinking and the same for everyone else as well." good primus are femmes expensive... his bankaccount is starting to panic.

Pulver grumbles, "For that I'll need a payment up front."

Blast Off sniffs smugly. "NOTHING is too much for one of my excellent skills and abilities." He raises the glass for another sip, then places it down again. "But WHY should *I* deign to get myself involved in this possible fiasco? And... as a shuttle... probably get myself SHOT at?" Then he receives a free drink, and looks down at it for awhile before saying, "... Well... that could be a ...start..." He gives Windshear an appraising look. "But only a start."

Windshear dies a little inside at that demand. He reaches into a subcompartment and pulls out a small item that looks a bit like a smartphone. He punches in some codes and says, "What's the total for everyone and my tab?"

Pulver gives Windshear his total for the current tab, plus his new requests.

Blast Off holds up three fingers, the tiniest smirk under his faceplate now. "Three bottles... and I won't even mind getting shot at."

Presently a mech comes inside, heads for Swindle, and whispers to the Combaticon. "Ok, look alive folks, the roses will be here in 5 minutes. Time to get ready."

Windshear looks at the total and hsi black body blanches a bit. "OK." he says in hsi manon baratone and makes it as business like as he can muster. Arcee you better appreciate this, he thinks to himself and then hopes no one shoots blast off. Trying ot explain that to Megatron almost makes his energon pump skip a cycle. He quickly punches in soem codes on his hand held device. "Should be in your account now, Pulver."

Pulver stops and makes sure the energon credits are transferred, and withdrawn, before she pours and distributes more drinks.

Windshear stops suddenly and looks back at Blast Off. He starts to say something and then the roses announcment is said. Oh Arcee, is all he can think as he turns back around and says stiffly, "Add a third bottle of the Vintage for Blast Off." and he types in that code to transfer the credits to Pulver.

Pulver frowns, and makes sure the transfer is cleared before adding a third bottle for Blast Off.

Blast Off looks all the more smug.... yet in a still "polite" way, somehow. He's just that good. He gives Windshear a slow, courteous nod and lifts a glass to him before turning to pick up his new, shiny, oh-so-excellent bottles of wine and placing them in subspace.

Windshear checks his balance and weeps a bit then he puts his nifty bankaccount whisamajig back in his forearm compartment and looks at everyone in this mission. "You heard it 5 earth minutes before we leave. You all have 5 minutes to drink everything I just paid for, that's an order." Sometimes it's nice to be an officer. Windshear notices Blast off doing that though and doesn't say anything. Last thing he needs is a seriously drunk shuttle wobbling over autobot HQ dropping roses everywhere -- aaaannd trying to explain /that/ to Megatron.

"Oh, slag!!" Rumble quickly begins drinking any vintage that isn't nailed down.

"Okay, it's here," Swindle says, "Let's get a move on, if we want this stuff delivered while the sun's still up."

Blast Off finishes his glass, nodding to swindle, and gets up from his seat to stretch just a bit. Time for a space flight.

Windshear looks at Pulver and smirks a bit, "Till next time." man the things this femme must hear and see. He wonders where on the list of crazy this 'mission' falls under in everythign shes witnessed running this place. "LEts do this." he heads out of the bar.

Slugfest perks up, thagomizer wagging. "Okay!"

Pulver cleans the bar, collecting glasses and containers as the Decepticons head out.

Blast Off Blast Off is a predominantly brown and black robot with a purple chest, where his Decepticon insignia is etched. Attached to both arms is a large piece of armour that makes him appear as though he is wearing gauntlets, and his legs are made from the rocket engines of his alternate mode. A mask covers most of his face save for his purple optics, making his facial expressions generally inscrutable. Contents: Crate o' Porn

Windshear sits there as they fly, "Music... I need some music..." he starts going through his personal collection but... cant seem to find anything appropriate. He finally settles on the only thing he can think of and gets ready to have it play out of his awesome chest sound system as they begin the drop Inside the shuttle, the passengers are separated from the cargo by a temporary divider. 150 tons of Cybertronian roses. Say, where's Slugfest? He's not in the passenger compartment...

Swindle rides up front like a Combatibro. "Coming up on Autobot City," he says, "Let's get ready to drop those roses." He heads over to check the other compartment.

Nevada Desert - North America Off the beaten path, one of the many Nevada deserts uninhabited by communities. It is a large stretch of land, miles and miles around. There is no build up here; no houses, no factories. In the center of it all, accessible only by a treaded dirt highway, well worn by constant travel, is a large metallic city. To the east of the city runs a river, grasses and trees thriving along its banks. To the west are mountainous rocks and canyons. Behind it are large open flats. This area is governmentally restricted to civilians, a fact enforced by the constant Autobot security patrols. (OOC Note: If you are in here, you are within range of Metroplex's guns.)

Benin-Jeri has parked his ship in the desert outside the city, and is on top of it working on one of the engines.

Sit-Com is also outside the city, just absorbing the sun, optics shuttered as he faces it, feeling its glowing warming warming glow. Almost like TV!

Blast Off flies in shuttle mode. Windshear's bribe was a good one, because otherwise he'd never allow something like this if he could help it. He HATES just being used as transport, and he doesn't really like the sensation of lots of mechs stomping around his cargo bay. He doesn't mind so much with his Combaticon teammates, since he's used to them, but other Cons can mess the place up, leave dirt on his floor, annoy him, kick on his walls- OH the ANNOYANCE! Blast Off speaks into his loudspeakers, <> To Windshear he states, <>

Benin-Jeri has half his attention on his engine, and the other on a small TV playing "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding."

GAME: Benin-Jeri PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Average difficulty.

Benin-Jeri's ship gives off an incoming-proximity alarm, and Ben starts at the sudden sound.

GAME: Benin-Jeri PASSES an AGILITY roll of Average difficulty.

"Bad noise, bad noise!" Sit-Com exclaims.

Benin-Jeri nearly falls off the ship, but uses the momentum to transform into a large motorcycle and ramp off the edge of the ship and into the sand below. Benin-Jeri touches the side of his helmet, and mutters, "Showtime, Synergy!" With that, he transforms into an ugly chrome chopper.

Blast Off ...also doesn't allow anyone besides Swindle in his cockpit area. Letting others near his senstive control panels? No way.... >_> The others ride in the cargo bay, on some seats that are set up there. The actual cargo is behind them, behind the temporary wall, with an aisle to access it from.

Benin-Jeri ramps gracefully off the side of his ship, but lands badly, losing a wheel. Metroplex has connected. Autobot City  has left.

Windshear pauses That didn't sound good. He goes back to the rose holding area and stops agasp... thers no flowers just millions of petals. "WHAT THE HELL?"

Benin-Jeri painfully transforms back into robot mode, and collects the parts he lost. The chrome chopper emits, "Honeeeeeeey FLASH!" and unfolds into the rotund form of Benin-Jeri.

>> Benin-Jeri takes a step back and starts to put his pieces back together. << >> Benin-Jeri quickly patches himself back up. <<

<> LtCmdr Metroplex says, "Incoming Decepticon craft detected."

Blast Off broadcasts over his loudspeakers, <>

Benin-Jeri heads into his ship to turn off his alarm.

A little mini stego sits atop a pile of petals, a single rose clutched between his stubby little front legs. He pulls a petal off with his mouth and murmurs, "Lurbs me," then drops it, then pulls off the next petal, "Lurbs me not." The he pulls off the last petal. "LURBS ME, YAY"

Windshear looks at Rumble, "Get ready to throw these.. petals out!" and he turns for the open hatch, leaps out and transforms.

Pretty Boy Decepticon Windshear folds out into a powerful Black and Gray Cybertronian Tetrajet.

Windshear leaps out of Blast Off and transforms to fly escort. He does not bring his weapons online but is ready to divert any shots taken toward blast off in any way he can.

GAME: Metroplex PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

GAME: Metroplex FAILS a TECHNICAL roll of Average difficulty.

Swindle also goes into the rear cargo bay, hearing Windshear's shout. "Oh. Oh wow." he says. "Well, at least this'll be easier to shovel out. Quick, Slugfest, help push all these petals out when Blast Off opens his hatch!"

Twin speakers from the V'Ger boom "Get to the ship! It's our only chance!"

Windshear sends a radio transmission.

(Radio) Windshear sends you a radio transmission, ' Tell rumble and slugfest to start dumping the.. cargo.'

Metroplex sends a radio transmission.

Metroplex sends you a radio transmission, 'CHANGE COURSE. I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN.'

Blast Off continues flying, not answering Metroplex. I mean, really, what's he gonna say??? His cargo bay door opens for the others. He does radio the other Cons, though. <>

Metroplex aims its many, many weapons on the incoming shuttle.

Slugfest shuffles rose petals in front of him as Blast Off's hatch doors open to the outside, so that petals start falling like a gentle rain....and then a full mass of them like a blizzard.

"Radar indicates....THOUSANDS OF INCOMING BOGEYS!" Sit-Com exclaims! "We're doomed!"

Junkion Freighter  powers up and begins to hover, kicking up sand.

Twin speakers from the V'Ger boom "I'm gonna sing the Doom Song now! DOom doom doomdoomdoomdoom doomdoom doomdoom doom doomdoom doomdoom doom doomdoom doom doom doom doomdoom doom doomdoom doomdoom doom...""

Windshear sees the petals raining down as he continues to fly escort for Blast Off.

Sit-Com chimes in with "Doom, doom-da-doom, doom-doom-doom doom doom doom dooooom"

Metroplex fires a warning shot across Blast Off's bow.

Windshear sees the shot coming and dives over nudging blast off out of the way if all else fails.

Junkion Freighter  flies upward, and moves to attempt to intercept Blast Off and his unknown-but-surely-deadly payload.

V'Ger is suddenly pelted with... red and pink energon rose petels

"Oh, Primus!" Rumble exclaims, diving under a stack of Playbots. "Smut, take me away!"

Twin speakers from the V'Ger boom "What are those -- Cherry Blossom Petals? Did I fly into an anime and not realize it?"

Sit-Com was looking for the enemy attack...and gets a facefull of rose petals! *DOOF*

Sit-Com says, "It's a blizzard! It's a tornado! It's......Sailor Moon? "OK, since when are the enemy Tuxedo Mask?"

Blast Off swings out of the way of Metroplex's shot. The shuttle is extremely agile and very hard to hit, after all. Though if he DID get hit, it might send him crashing down, completely down for the count. Not that he'd admit that, of course. But actually... Metroplex isn't even trying. Well, not yet at least. <>

"Come on, hurry up, let's get those petals dropped!" Swindle says to the mini-stego.

The mega-stego, aka Snarl, hears the report, and goes racing to the exit of Autobot City, thagomizer swishing. "Silly Septicons know attacking Metropecks is tatamount to getting chassis gnawed on by sharkicons!"

Rumble pops out of the crate, prepping to drop the rose petals.

Slugfest continues to help push the rose petals out of the hatch, but the sheer quantity in front of his face prevents him from seeing just exactly where the hatch opening is. Suddenly his little feets feel nothing but air......and there's a prolonged "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" as the confused, bepetalled mini stego drops like a rock towards Metroplex!

Junkion Freighter  flies up towards Blast Off, its loudspeakers blasting, "Operation: Dumbodrop ends NOW. In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

Rumble waves buh-bye to the mini-Stego (NOT his brother!!), then dumps rose petals out after him. "Here, have some petals!"

Seeing the rain of ener-petals hasn't stopped, Metroplex fires again, this time with purpose.

>> Metroplex fails his generic combat roll against Windshear. <<

Windshear rolls away from the shot and then levels out. "Are we done yet?" he asks Blast off as he does not return fire on the bot city.

Junkion Freighter  approaches the Decepticons at top speed.

Swindle peers out of Blast Off's cargo bay. "I think we're missing someone," he remarks.

Snarl blinks as the storm of rose petals continues, his brows furrowed, "Septiconz are dropping... plants? Ack!" The 'ack' is punctuated by a rather loud crunch, and silence from the Dinobot, having performed Operation Butt Pillow for the stego septicon, flattened by a high velocity Slugfest!

Blast Off dodges out of the way again. His voice is quite annoyed. <> To Windshear he replies, <> There's a pause. <>

Windshear sees the Junkion approaching fast, "If you aren't sure then we aren't." he says and realizes they need to get out of there. "Roll the rest out, Blast Off, we are out of here!"

"He'll figure out someday that he can fly," Rumble says with a smirk. "Maybe. Anyhow -- that's all the rose petals I can find in this place..." He kicks a few stray petals out the doors.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE *THUD*

Metroplex fires again at the Decepticons start dropping tapebots. >> Metroplex fails his generic combat roll against Blast Off. <<

A little mini stego lands hard on Snarl! He's coated in a thick layer of rose petals, and kicks little feets trying to dislodge them, squealing all the way!

GAME: Metroplex PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty. GAME: Metroplex PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Average difficulty.

<> LtCmdr Metroplex says, "The Decepticons are dropping what seems like a non-lethal payload. We will need analysis of its content. Otherwise they have not returned fire."

"I can't see, I can't see!" Sit-Com complains, waving his arms in front of him like he's in some sort of polar vortex blizzard and can't see five inches in front of his face. He looks like a rose petal mummy.

<> Junkion XO Benin-Jeri quotes, "Put the petal to the metal; let's go."

Snarl is sprawled out, optics swirly as he is dealing with an impromptu stego shaped projectile to the cranium

Blast Off dodges yet another shot, then broadcasts over his loudspeakers, <<Slugfest has indeed fallen out. Someone needs to retrieve him. Meanwhile, I still get shot at. Windshear, I'm starting to think you owe me a fourth bottle...>>

<<Autobot>> Junkion XO Benin-Jeri says, "We have a piper down! We have a piper down!" Rumble begins scooping up a few of the rose petals that never made it out the hatch.

"Hmm, I wonder if these can be smoked..." He hops back into the porn crate and begins rolling himself a rose petal cigarette.

Twin speakers from the V'Ger boom "On behalf of the moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!"

The mini stego slowly squirms down from impacting on mega stego's head, still dazed and confused with all the petals over him still and from the impact.

Windshear drops down low and is scanning for Slugfest. As soon as he picks him up he extends those two bird claw like appendages that seekers have (golden lagoon) and starts closing in. Oh lovely, sluggy is on top of Snarl.. Oh Arcee, Windshear thinks, I hope you appreciate this. "Course shes worth it but still.

Blast Off radios to Windshear, <<Understood.>> The shuttle notices Snarl way down below there- and oh look, that is where Sluggfest appears to be as well. The shuttle finally closes up his cargo bay door. <<We are leaving, then. Rumble, what ARE you doing? What's that? Why didn't you dump that with the rest?>>

Swindle is practically biting his fingernails, if he had any.

Snarl doesn't seem to be in any status to threaten Windshear, just starting to recover from the Septicon butt attack!

<<Autobot>> Junkion XO Benin-Jeri says, "They're closing the pod bay doors, HAL."

<<Autobot>> LtCmdr Metroplex says, "Decepticon ship is closing up and breaking off."

Slugfest is about to be rescued by Windshear, still trying to shake off all the petals off!

Sit-Com says, "Danger Will Robinson!"

Slugfest is grabbed by the talony things of the Seeker, EEEEEing all the way home!

Blast Off, with a boost to his rockets, starts blasting off, like his name... back to home and still in one piece. Where some FINE WINE awaits.

Metroplex sends out drones to analyze the strange Decepticon payload.

Atop a pile of petals, is a small card, anonymous, that says, "To Arcee"

Snarl ughs, shifting, "Ugh. Me thing Septicons now using stegos as weapons. Camoflaged with flower petals! Me haz head ache!"

"Ok, that was a success," Swindle says, heading back up to the cockpit on the way back to Trypticon. "Came off about as well as I expected, I think."

Blast Off flies along, course set for home. <<Yes, I suppose so. I do not understand the WHY of it, but... I really don't care much, either. Three fine bottles of wine await me, and not a shot hit me. It was a good cycle.>>

The End!