Honor to the Dead

Log Title: Honor to the Dead Characters: Blockade, Imager Location: Harmonex Date: October 15, 2018 TP: Ghost in the Machine TP Summary: Maybe it's superstition, but Blockade wants to make sure Soundwave won't be angry while he's dead. As logged by  Blockade

Harmonex - Northwestern Cybertron

'''Harmonex is known as the Singing City on Cybertron, where it serves as a center for art and learning. It holds within it lithic crystals that resonate in perfect harmonic frequency. After millions of vorns in decline, Harmonex has recently started to sing again.'''

Blockade sits at the edge of Harmonex, drinking and watching the crystals.

'''Imager has been a part of the patrol that still checks around Harmonex, she had her reasons. There was this whole thing she was dealing with with Soundwave, something she was actually looking forward to resolving, but upon investigating the situation...well, things were not as she wanted.'''

A bulky grey hovercraft skirts the city proper as it makes a beeline for Blockade, aaaaand its going pretty slow, despite letting out a torrent of turbine power.

GAME: Blockade PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

'''Surprisingly, Blockade hears Imager coming over the sound of the crystals. He slowly gets back up to his feet and looks over. A lopsided smile shows up on his face. Somebody who's almost as slow as he is. The big mech tucks away his illicit booze and folds his arms, waiting to see if he's going to get shot at.'''

'''The hovercraft transforms rather fast, the Femme within actually skids forward. one foot ahead as she finishes modeshift. Her hand goes immediately to her triple-barrelled shotgun, and draws it. In a rather stern voice, she says very firmly, "This city is off-limits to both sides. You need to leave. Right. Now." She hasn't quite pointed her weapon at him yet, but the look in her optics indicates that its a real possibility.'''

'''Blockade holds out his hands to show he doesn't have any weapons in them. Though that doesn't really say much when he has a turret on his back. Still. "Now, I'm not going to go stumbling around and crashing into things. I just came to look at 'em. Not going any closer than this."'''

'''Imager regards Blockade skeptically. She leans forward a hair, obviously protective of the city. He was a Decepticon, deception was in his frickin faction name. So why wasn't she reading him the riot act or opening fire? Imager just gives Blockade this stare for a moment, and then hesitantly holsters her weapon. She could take him, if need be. She raises a hand to point upward, "You're not the first one to say that...but don't you go making sudden moves on me." She looks around just a little, "Soundwave send ya? Is that what this is about?"'''

'''Blockade lowers his arms and looks kind of sheepish. "Er, not really, ma'am. On account of him being dead and all."'''

'''Imager says, "Hah.....Ha ha." She responds flatly. Imager assumes a slightly less confrontational stance, though still wary. "Don't tell me he finally got cannoned. Whatever. Like I'd believe that that old mech didn't have an escape plan. You'll probably find him buried in the rubble, or reassembled. His lil stompies are good about that." She trails off for a moment, then crosses her arms. "So Soundwave disappears for a bit and you get all curious about the Singing Crystals, do ya?" Surprisingly, her tone here isn't as full of jaded sarcasm as she's prone to. The maestro is generally interested."'''

'''Blockade hmms, rubbing at his chin. "Well, he brought me out here once, just before the Dominicons caused all that ruckus back at Tarn. With him being dead, I just thought I'd check on them." He shrugs. "Maybe it's a little superstitious, but he's cold and grey in Tryp's repair bay. It seemed the thing to do."'''

'''Imager considers Blockade's words, skepticism still apparent. " Alright, Con...." She pauses, then gestures with a grimace, " Dunno your ID tag....anyway, lets say this is all on the level. Answer me this then. Is Harmonex still on the no-go list? If you actually are here for just...I dunno. Mebbe respect, maybe to hear the Crystals....If you're actually here for benign reasons, I'd like to keep it that way. See if maybe....maybe this time we can keep Harmonex off the military grid. Ya hear?"'''

'''Blockade hehs. "I'm Blockade, ma'am." He shrugs. "Soundwave said he didn't tell command. So far as I know, me and Blast Off are the only others who've seen 'em since they started the music." He scuffs a boot. "He was working on something for 'em, but all his file's're locked down tight like you'd expect, so I don't think anybody is going to find 'em that way."'''

'''Blast Off too eh? She crosses her arms, "Myself, being Imager, Dust Devil, and Encore, are the only three that's been here. I had me an idea to keep this place unaligned, but I guess with your Intel commander sidelined as it were, I doubt its gonna work." She frowns, looking partially at the city. "Because I needed someone in Comms to work with me on this. Guess that's not going to fly, so to speak. Entire city's going to be looted, yet again." She observes Blockade's response, testing his interest in the city.'''

'''Blockade rubs his helmet, looking over at the city. "Well, part of what I was thinking is that sometimes, people get rebuilt. And if something happens to this place while he's dead and somehow he comes back, then Soundwave is going to be fraggin' redlined about it. Either that, or he stays dead and his vengeful ghost haunts whoever does it."'''

'''Imager shrugs. Superstition was as good a motivator as any. "Well. I can't say my reasons for keepin the city secure are the same as yours, but as one of the few Cons who is visiting the city, I suppose you and I can be all non-aggressive so long as no property damage is done. Sounds like its in our best interests." She motions Blockade with a hand as she moves away, still keeping him in sight. "Com'ere. Lemme give ya some proof of intent."'''

'''Blockade shrugs and clomps over, just a bit of caution. Sure, he's a tank, but that doesn't mean he'd enjoy fighting his way out of an ambush.'''

'''With caution, the two go about half a malm across to an unobtrusive part of the city walls, where a non-descript rounded crate awaits. " I had the idea that maybe Big Bad Blue and I...or who ever else came here, could leave some...I dunno what to call it. 'Unoffensive tokens of.....nonaggression.' Somethin like that. Just stuff to help tide things over. See now, this here box. I'll open it up."'''

'''Imager moves to the far end of the box, then opens it up slowly, trying to keep the peace. "Four eighth-cubes of Engex. Nothing too condensed, since I don't want anyone to go round blowing things up while they're overcharged...but enough to make the sweep pass easier." She reaches into the crate, to produce one of the eighth-cubes and sets it on the ground. "Made it myself. Just got a new filtering system too." The last part is denoted with pride.'''

'''Blockade ohs. "Well, I can't make cubes, but if I drop by, I'll add something, then. No weapons, right? This isn't a fighting stash."'''

'''Imager nods softly, "Well, I dunno what all you can do, iffin you want to drop anything in, thats up to you. But I guarantee that anything I put in here will be benign. It'll also have my freq-marker on it too. A simple radio ping'll catch it, in case anyone wants to try to be all subterfuge and stuff." She shrugs again, " Seriously, though. All that engex is yours now I guess, if you're wanting to take it. Or leave some for the next guy to come by if you want. I think we should have a rule though 'Take something out, put something in. No weapons, no danger.'"'''

Imager dropped The Non-Aggression Storage Box..

'''Blockade nods. "Okay. I can work with that. Though I usually don't have much stuff on me. It's not like I'm anybody important. And I might not be back anytime soon. I just needed a bit of thinking time after checking up on the blue guy." He hmms. "Y'want me to tell Boff, or just wait and see if he stops by on his own? He might not even be thinking about this place."'''

'''Imager considers it, then shakes her head. " No sense in reminding him if he has no interest. It'll just be us...or whomever else shows. As long as the city's standing, I'll come by and check the box...nice little peace offering or something." She puts a hand on her hip, " Its...kinda weird trusting you on this matter, but...well hell. If the city of Singing Crystals ain't the place to do it, where is?"'''

'''Blockade spreads his hands. "You don't live as long as I have without learning that sometimes you just gotta keep your mouth shut about stuff. So I'll keep it a secret, because I got asked to. Doesn't hurt anybody to do it. Besides, Sounders paid my bar tab. That was a pretty steep bill for a grunt like me."'''

'''Imager starts to turn away, then pauses. She looks back at Blockade over her shoulder, then mutters an agreement. "Yeah, sometime you just gotta keep your head down and not make any noise. Anyway, Blockade. I wish this sort of truce could be more widespread, but....well...you know." She raises a hand in a planative gesture as if to say 'whadda ya gonna do?' "Next time." And with that, she altmodes back into the hovercraft, and starts to depart.'''

'''Blockade raises a hand to wave goodbye. He looks at the box, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, then strolls away as well. The city seems to be safe enough, at least.'''

Log session ending at 19:37:56 on Monday, 15 October 2018.