Cooperation Please

Log Title: Cooperation Please

Characters: Arcee, Dust Devil, Ringtone, Slugfest, Starlock, & Swivel

Date: June 02 2023

Summary: A casual conversation at the Rollout bar turns into a discussion about the sleeping sickness.

Arcee strolls into the place, looking around wistfully. It's been some time since she's been out here. She has a seat beside Slugfest, and smiles pleasantly at Swivel. "Hi! I'll take one energon, double-strength."

"Comin' roight up!" Swivel chirps to her newest customer. Swivel goes to pour Arcee's order, setting it down in front of the pink femme. "And how's the day been treatin' you?" Swivel asks. The rush hasn't hit yet and thus she's more than happy to settle into some light conversation with the patrons.

"Not too bad," Arcee says, smiling at the other femme. "Are you new here, or have you been here for a little while? It's been so long since I've been out this way, everything and everyone is new to me. My name's Arcee," she greets.

The teal femme laughs lightly. "I've been workin' here less than a year," Swivel responds, looking oddly relieved about something. "I was about to remark that you seemed loik a new face. But then, I get a lotter folk tell me I am the new face, not them." Swivel rolls back her shoulders. "I'm Swivel. It's noice to meet you, Arcee."

"Usually, when I go someplace, it's local to Iacon," Arcee admits, taking a sip of the energon drink. "Mmm!" Her optics widen. "But wow, this is such a good blend I really need to come here more often. Very smooth. I can appreciate it, Swivel."

Swivel nods her head. "Understandable." the bartender remarks as she picks up an empty glass and a rag and begins to clean it. "Encore makes sure we have a woid variety of blends and only uses quality ingredients." Swivel glances at Arcee's Autobot symbol, and then back to the femme's blue optics. "Do you know Encore?"

"Oh yes. It's been a while since I've seen him, but I'm familiar with most of the Autobots. Probably more than a fair share of Decepticons, as well, for as many scrapes as I've been in." Arcee smiles. "Not to worry, I know the house rules."

"The no violence house rule?" Swivel asks just to clarify.

"Right, that's one thing I pride myself in, good behavior, even if I'm overtanked on premium energon," Arcee says in an aside.

Swivel blurts out a loud brayish "HA!" before clearing her vents and supplementing it with a more modest giggle. "Well then I'm sure we'll get on swell, fer I'm all about ther good behaviour." Swivel tilts her head to the side. "Though sometoims what's good behaviour in one place isn't in another. It kin be..." Swivel trails off as she catches herself, "...It can be tricky keeping track."

"That's an interesting accent you have there, is it local to any particular area?" Arcee's travelled all over Cybertron over the years, but has never heard an accent quite like Swivel's.

Swivel jerks her head back at the mention of her accent, then she laughs sheepishly, glancing off to the side. "It's a Swivel accent," she responds playfully, laughing again. She sets down the glass she was working on. "I'm from... Nyon originally, I think. Memory's a bit rusty, but spent toim in Rodion and... Dead End. But then I was off world fer a spill. But I'm working on dropping the accent. Part of me turning over a new chapter in me loif."

"Ah, okay! Interesting." Arcee sips her energon, not in any particular rush to finish it. "Do you ever get trouble in here? Or has it been quiet? It seems to me that tensions rise and fall in a pattern. The war heats up...the war cools down."

Swivel shakes her head. "Not a lotter trouble on me shifts, no. Most folk that have differences take it outsoide." Swivel glances at the exit, and then back to Arcee, picking up her rag and beginning to polish the bar top. "There's the odd drunken brawl, but I usually just duck behoind the counter and let another staff member deal with it. Or fer the patrons to throw ther bloighter out themselves. Folk come here because they're lookin' fer some peace, and police themselves quoite well." Swivel slows down in her wiping, staring off thoughtfully. "I think it helps that the war seems ter be in a lull, though. Folk are more concerned with the sleeping sickness and Liege Maximo lately, I think."

"Absolutely. We may have no choice but to work together, and for *that* to happen, the old tensions need to die down. But it's easier said than done. I can give you reasons all day that I can't stand Decepticons. They've killed a lot of my friends over the vorns," Arcee admits grimly. "But if I must cooperate to fight a greater evil, then so be it. For a while."

Canting her head to the side, Swivel picks back up in vigor at polishing the counter as she listens to Arcee. "Understandable. We all do what we gotter do to survoive, as individuals as well as society, roight? And sometoims it means working with yer enemies against another enemy." Swivel smiles. "But takin' a break from foightin each other to stand unoited against a bigger threat is a noice thought, isn't it? To just be Cybertronian?"

"I guess," Arcee muses softly, sipping her drink. "Maybe I'm just too used to holding a grudge. But it's difficult. Part of me doesn't want to cooperate at all, but if we must, then I'll do it."

Swivel stops polishing, laying the rag over her shoulder. "I'd loik to say I understand. But I guess I don't really, since I've not fought in the war. But that doesn't mean I think it's wrong to feel that way. Just different expereinces."

"Right, exactly, I don't fault you for being more open to the idea of cooperating between the factions and those who are neutral," Arcee says. "There's no right answers. Is cooperation the right answer? Or will the Decepticons break their promises? We'll just have to see."

"I'm glad!" Swivel says in a bubly tone. She whips the rag off of her shoulder and tosses it with other dirty rags and sets to putting a few things in order behind the bar counter. "That's how I loik to do things. be aware maybe things COULD go wrong, and watch for them, rather than never do anything because it MOIGHT not turn out. Decepticons moight turn on you, or maybe it'd be an opportunity ter take another step towards peace!" Swivel smiles sheepishly as she thinks a moment. 'Er... that's how I loik to be but... I guess there are a lotter things I don't do because I'm scared how they'll turn out. But!" Swivel brings up a finger. "I'm gettin' better! Bolder!"

Arcee grins. Swivel's so little, hearing her say she's getting bolder is kind of cute. "You have to be bold to bartend around here. Some of the clientele can be kind of rough, I'll wager."

Swivel tilts her head to the side, looking around at some of the other large patrons. "Oh, well, yes, sometoims. But I'm rarely ever alone, so I know if there is somethin' beyond what I kin handle, I've always got someone ter step in and help." Swivel grins. "I foind being resilient just as effective. Though... there's plenty o' folk wot are wary of messin with minibots. I wonder why?"

"Well, it's kind of mean to do that, but that doesn't stop some folks from messing with them anyhow," Arcee remarks, sipping her energon drink. "They do it to feel better about themselves. As sad as that sounds."

Slugfest has been sitting quietly this whole time while the femmes chat, but a grumble in his fuel tank reminds him he's thirsty. "Can haz energons?" he wonders.

Swivel nods. The bar counter is neat and shiny and the glasses are clean and well organized. And just as Swivel was about to relax, up peeps the bottomless pit. Swivel looks over at Slugfest. "Alroight, I'll get you a bowl," Swivel says with her usual smile. She pours some energon into a shallow bowl and places it in front of Slugfest.

Swivel then returns her attention to Arcee, tapping her fingers lightly on the bar counter. "Well, I dun see how picking on someone smaller is something to feel GOOD about. But it's more efficient. If I were disposed to pushing folk around, I'd loikly start with smaller weaker targets." Swivel glances over at Slugfest a moment or two. No. She doesn't shove the little steogsaurus over to illustrate her point. Instead she slides her stool on wheels over to him, and gives him a pat on the head. "I'm smaller than most folk, so there'd not be a lot of prey for me. Though I have met someone that foinds minibots crazy and scary. Funny, isn't it?"

A blue and silver mechanical ferret slinks into the tavern. He has a few cubes of Energon on him and a small cargo container full of snowglobes that have the 'I <3 California' images on them. He tries remain unnoticed for a while as he is afraid of how Swivel is going to react.

Slugfest yays and starts drinking out of the energon-filled bowl, his tail wagging happily.

"Some mechs are just messed up like that -- one bad experience, and they're scared and its hard to revert," Arcee says, eyeing Slugfest for a moment before going back to sipping her drink.

Swivel gives a small shrug and slides back over to Arcee. "I guess I kinnae - ech! I mean cannot talk. I'm scared of lots. Pillows, for example. They terrify me." Swivel laughs self deprecatingly. "Now that's just messed up, innit?" Swivel gives a small shake of her head, glancing about the room. Movement catches her attention and she spies a slinky ferret, who despite his best efforts to not attract much attention, has the very attention of the bartender. As for how she reacts, she just smiles, but doesn't call out to the ferret. She can tell he's tryng to be sneaky, and it never even occurs to her that it's her notice he's trying to avoid.

"Pillows?" Arcee looks mildly surprised. "...Okay, maybe not messed up, but...uh..." She boggles. Then she notices the little ferret-mech. "Anyone you know?" she asks quietly to Swivel.

With a few careful moves, Ringtone tries to get to the bar. "Miss Swivel! I got you a box full of snowglobes. You shake them up. There's little people in there and they like it. They inside there and they want to see the snow. Or I think that's how it works." He seems excited. "I missed you." He looks at Arcee and says, "You're pink!"

Swivel shrugs sheepishly. "I got locked in a crate full of pillows and cushions once." Swivel clears her vents. "Loik you said, it just takes one bad experience."

Swivel glances again at the roving box of snowglobes - and the ferret attached to them as he approaches. Her optic ridges shoot up as he mentioned he has snowglobes for her. She then looks at Arcee again. "Ah, to answer yer question, he's a friend of moin." Swivel then looks back to Ringtone. "Those sound really neat! And I missed you too, Ringtone! Good to see you made it back from Earth safely." Swivel glances over at Slugfest with just a flicker of apprehension, then back to Ringtone as her smile returns.

Slugfest pauses in his energon drinking. "Snow globes?" he wonders.

Arcee smirks at the ferret-mech's keen sense of observation. "I sure am," she admits. She nods to Swivel, then when the femme addresses him as 'Ringtone', she quickly looks in Ringtone's direction. "Oh! You're Ringtone! I've been looking for you, I'm Arcee."

"No one looks for Ringtone!" says as he backs himself into a corner and he looks at Swivel. "I... I did come back from Earth. I wanted to see you because I missed you. I felt bad not being there for you. Especially because I was told I was rude to Blast Off." He slumps his shoulders. "I was not aware that I hurt you." He looks down, "I got you things because I don't know how to express with words." He then looks at Arcee. "Sorry, Pinkcee, but I am not allowed to talk to strangers. Only when Starlock is nearby."

"Hmph, okay." Arcee's expression falls. "Darn. I wanted to help with the sleeping sickness signal tracking, too. That's okay, I'll just find Starlock, no biggie."

Swivel tilts her head when Arcee mentions she was looking for Ringtone. But the question on the forefront of her mind quickly gets shuffled off as Ringtone begins to apologize. Swivel shakes her head, placing her hands out, palms open. "Oh not at all! No need -" Swivel cuts herself off and reflects a moment. "Wellum, yes, you were rude to him. But you dinnae need ter buy me gifts because of that." Swivel reaches over and plucks up a snowglobe, giving it a shake. "I wasn't hurt exactly, though, just - uh - stressed. Embarrassed? But I'm foin now. Things are foin. We're foin."

Swivel glances over as Arcee mentions helping out with the signal. "Oh? There been new leads on that?"

Looking at Arcee and not figuring out the Autobot emblem, Ringtone says, "You only said that name because I said that name." The ferret looks at Swivel and nods to her. "I better be going." He cowers as he hears what he did to Swivel. "Starlock laughed and I wanted to keep her laughing..." He does try to make her laugh... even if he hurts others by mistake.

Arcee laughs. What a funny little mech. "If I only said it because you said it, then why did I know about the sleeping sickness signal, hm?"

Swivel tilts her head as Ringtone shrinks back. "You needn't go. I'm not mad, Ringtone." Swivel peers at the snowglobes a moment or two, then back to Ringtone. "I loik making Starlock laugh too. But I also don't loik Blast Off being mad at me. He..." Swivel frowns for a moment, then shakes her head and laughs. "In the moment it was upsettin', but I'm sure we kin all look back and laugh at it. I mean, Blast off laughed about it later, too! He thought it was absurd that you though HE would ever be interested in a groundpounder guttersnoipe loik meself, ha ha ha."

Swivel quickly finds a new glass to polish, although it doesn't need it. "Anyway, let's not worry over that. Sleeping sickness is a much bigger concern. Why not accept Arcee's help? Seems loik it's something that otter be all hands on deck - and since she's an Autobot too I'm sure Starlock'd think it's foin."

"If I could fly---" Ringtone pauses, "I can fly! I would be interested in you. But I'm a silly ferret-mech. Who is also interested in Starlock. Or so I am told. I don't know. I'm a little ferret. A sorry little ferret." He looks back at Swivel. "I'm not an Autobot. I'm a reject. I was never a Decepticon but Ghost put the sticker on me. Then she left the Decepticons. Autobots don't trust me. And I need to talk to Starlock first. She told me to not talk to strangers." He looks confused. "No offense, Pink-One."

"It's okay! None taken." Arcee looks amused. "Swivel, could you tell Ringtone that Arcee would like Ringtone to ask Starlock if she could help with the sleeping sickness signal project, please?"

The tiny stego has almost finished his bowl when the topic of sleeping sickness comes up. "People be sick while sleeps?"

Swivel comes out from behind the counter and walks over to Ringtone, reaching over to place a gentle hand on his back. "Well, yer in good company. We kin be rejects together," Swivel says with a tender smile. She then looks over to Arcee, optic ridges rising. "Oh of course, Arcee!" Swivel clears her vents and looks Ringtone in the optics. "Ringtone, Arcee'd loik it if you'd ask Starlock if Arcee can help track the signal for the sleeping sickness. For that matter, ask if I can help as well!"

Swivel looks over at Slugfest. "Well not sick in their sleep but making them sleep too much. Someone smarter and better informed could tell you more."

"Well, tell Arcee that if she knew Starlock as much as she claimed then she would not need Ringtone to ask Starlock if Arcee can help Ringtone track signals!" The ferret looks at Swivel and says, "The nerve of the Pink One." He winks at Arcee. "So, you don't know Autobot. I don't know if I can stop the Sleep Sickness. I want to."

"Thank you, Swivel!" Arcee says cheerfully, then turns and looks at the little ferret-mech. "Me too," she says. "Maybe there's strength in numbers, though. The more of us trying to stop it, the better chance we have of succeeding."

The ferret shrugs, "Yes, Swivel. Thank you!" He sticks out his tongue and bounces on his tail for a moment. "I grabbed one of the tower's signals. There's like two or more of them out there that we need to track. We can stop it but no else is helping. Soundwave is too busy with whatever happened to... Ghost." He sighs.

"I wonder if it's possible to reflect the signal back out into space?" Arcee wonders aloud.

Swivel looks between Arcee and Ringtone. But since Arcee isn't bothered by Ringtone's antics, Swivel just relaxes and settles into her role as mediator, if necessary. "I agree. The more of us working at this, the better. And I think Starlock'd be relieved to have more folk working on it. She's been overworked for so long."

Swivel tilts her head at the mention of reflecting the signal back out to space. But she doesn't have much input. "Sadly, I'm not a communications specialist. But I kin - er - can help in other ways. Sometoims just having extra folk on the ground spreading out is useful." Swivel beams. "I loik bein' useful!"

"I'm not even a communication expert or specialist, I just know how to do things! Like how I hacked the signals and such. And blew myself up." The ferret dulls his optics as he lowers himself down on his seat. He huffs, "One day, I wonder if I can talk to an Autobot leader that is not Cerebros. I'd like to be a friend of the Autobots but I am afraid. Starlock sneaks me in but I don't want her to get into trouble for bringing in a ferret."

"Well, that makes THREE of us who are not communication experts but want to help stop this thing. If there's three right here in this enerbar, imagine how many there are in the surrounding cities who would want to help, too," Arcee says with a wave of her hand.

Rubs her chin as she thinks for a moment. "The trouble is, we don't know who ter trust, as there moight be agents of the Liege here on Cybertron. Otherwoise there WOULD be a larger call out to help." Swivel then for the first time peers at Arcee with just a hint of suspicion, but then quickly banishes it. She offers up a shrug. "Just gotter figger out the information flow logistics, is all. But as an outsoider, not really my place." Swivel smiles again. "But I'm around if anyone wants ter use me."

The ferret falls off his chair and tries to pick himself up onto the chair. "I can track and find signals. Hack signals. Mimic signals. Create signals. I also can do long range communications. I'm like Ghost and Soundwave. Just a ferret." He shrugs again. "Is Ghost even the correct term these days?"

"Oh! Careful!" Swivel cautions, although there is some amusement in her voice. "I got lots of sensors, but none of them are very specialoized. Wot is that saying... Jack of all trades, master of none?" Swivel tilts her head.

Swivel frowns thoughtfully at Ringtone. "Not sure... you'd have to ask her."

The ferret lowers his head, "I'd only do work that I can do with Starlock. I can only focus when she is there." He seems concerned.

<<irc.dal.net>> <elevated_ferret> I need Voidwalker.

Arcee is quiet for now, sipping her drink.

Swivel tilts her head and lets out a long 'hmmmmm'. She then perks up as an idea comes to her. "I could paint meself purple and carry a wrench around! Would that help?"

<<irc.dal.net>> <Voidwalker> what broke

<<irc.dal.net>> <Icebox> My self esteem.

<<irc.dal.net>> <Icebox> Kidding!

<<irc.dal.net>> <Voidwalker> I can't fix that! I can't even fix mine!

<<irc.dal.net>> <elevated_ferret> I like you the way you are, Voidwalker.

<<irc.dal.net>> <Voidwalker> <3

<<irc.dal.net>> <elevated_ferret> No, Arcee is talking to me. STRANGER DANGER.

<<irc.dal.net>> <Voidwalker> ahh okay

Swivel is thinking about painting herself purple. Ringtone is back from Earth and scared of Arcee. He kept saying he needs Starlock. Arcee is just sitting at the bar, sipping her drink and occasionally smiling at the paranoid ferret-mech.

Starlock shuffles tiredly into the bar, somehow, how did she get here without falling asleep?! Well she's here, and looks... well like she just woke up, but she's smiling... squinting, but smiling.

Swivel gives Ringtone another friendly pat before she walks back beind the bar, resuming her post. Seeing Starlock arrive, she hops up and waves frantically. "Starloooock~" She calls out enthusiastically. Starlock may be sleepy, but Swivel is not.

Swivel looks back to Ringtone. "It'd be more efficient if you could foind other ways ter focus."

Sniffing the air and getting her scent, Ringtone shouts, "Starlock!" He leaps off the chair and almost ignores Swivel's pat until he turns around and paws at her. "Sorry, my emotional support Autobot is here! I need to be with her. If I am not with her, she gets tired and has the urge to strangle Hoover."

Starlock chuckles, waving to to Swivel, and then there is Ringtone! She laughs as she walks over to help close that gap. "Who /doesn't/ get the urge to strangle DD?" Starlock snarks with a grin.

As Swivel and Ringtone enthusiastically greet Starlock, Arcee turns and smiles in relief as the small femme is awake enough to function this cycle. She's always worried that she's going to hear about another mech entering permanent stasis lock.

Swivel's optic ridges shoot up when Ringtone turns away to greet Starlock, then furrow. But she smiles all the same as she goes back to polishing glasses. Ignoring talk of strangulation, Swivel looks up.

"Good toiming, Starlock, maybe you can help resolve a little matter. Arcee wishes to help Ringtone track the sleeping signals. But he won't work with anyone but you. Since he listens only to you..." Swivel tilts her head to arcee and then smiles brightly. And yet her hand seems to be wiping that glass very rapidly, and a bit forcefully.

Wagging his tail and then making faces at Swivel, Ringtone says, "I don't want to strangle Dust Devil. He makes me look smart. And I do listen to him. Like when says not to do something, Starlock told me to do the opposite." His optics glow as he gets closer to Starlock. "I grabbed you some trinkets from Earth! I'll drop them off later."

Slugfest finally finishes his bowl of energon, hops down off the seat, and scampers about! He runs up to Starlock. "Are sleepy and sick?" he wonders

"He doesn't trust me...I guess because I'm pink?" Arcee shrugs. "Oh, Swivel, could I get another round, please? That was nice."

"Not because you're pink!" stammers a frustrated ferret frantically from floor-level. "Cerebros told the Autobots I'm evil! And a bad doctor." He paws at Starlock. "I can't help it that I bonded to Ghost as a host. I can try to help save you though. I'm not evil."

Swivel perks up. "Sure thing, Arcee!" Swivel chirps merrily as she hops off of stepstool to go fetch a refill for the pink femme. Although at Ringtone explaining a little more why he's a bit unsure of Autobots, Swivel tilts her head. "Evil? You?" Swivel laughs.

Starlock chuckles. "There maybe a misunderstanding indeed, I think its just, you want me to be there with you when you and who we get to help, start tracking that slag down?" She asks Ringtone, before looking over to Swivel and Arcee.

She then blinks. "Oh no, this again? Or did he say something new?" Starlock asks as she kneels down to help pick him up. "You shouldn't really take what he says to heart, he's a new spark." Starlock nods.

"I think we've all been there before," Arcee says with a knowing smile as Swivel gets her a refill. "We were all new sparks once. It's not easy. But yes, count me in, I absolutely want to help."

Swivel tilts her head. "The thing is..." Swivel begins to say, then quickly mouths an 'I'm sorry' to Starlock, "...we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot if we only chase the signal when Starlock's awake. It makes more sense to track it whether Starlock's awake or not - use our toim better. The sooner we do that, then the sooner we can cure Starlock, and then you can spend MORE toim with her! Wouldn't you loik that, Ringtone?"

"I don't trust people unless Starlock is with me," says a defeated ferret. "I'd trust Dust Devil but Starlock pointed out that he's got a busted processor." The ferret paws at Starlock some more as he seems to be fascinated with her. "Besides, I'm not evil. I'm Starlock's emotional support thingy and she is my emotional support thingy."

Starlock snorts at Ringtones crack and glances away sadly, but a smile still on her face. "Swivel's gotta point ya know, but I also understand your point, you're a neutral, people kinda treat you badly like a decepticon, specially since your attached to Veritas." Starlock nods as she takes a seat, and gently pets Ringtone.

She then chuckles. "Yeaah dunno how this happened, but it did." She'd huff. "also gifts? Aww, didn't have to." She'd smile tiredly and then looked to Arcee. "...You can trust Swivel, and I'm sure Arcee wont hurt ya, so, if you get the chance, take it, don't wait for me, specially if i'm down hard." She'd nod. "How I gotten as far as I have, just.. need to remember and be cautious about whos toes ya step on."

Ringtone shrugs, "I haven't seen Cerebros since that time but I don't think his conversations about me didn't stop hurting." He yawns as he sees the party. "I am sleepy but I miss Hoover. Did we take his spare parts yet?"

Swivel arches an optic ridge as Ringtone mentions he doesn't trust people. Swivel just picks up and begins shaking the snowglobe that Ringtone gave her, staring at the swirling contents, glancing up at Starlock for a moment when she assures Ringtone that she can be trusted. After listening a bit longer, she goes back to shaking the snowglobe.

From some shadowy cover in the ceiling, a small bat-shaped drone swoops down, perching on one of Swivel's tires. She looks up. "My shift's about to end." Swivel looks over at Starlock. "Can I get you anything before I clock out? Kaff? Amethyst enertea?"

Arcee smiles at Starlock. "I'm all about the helping. We'll need to cooperate anyhow in order to make any headway on the sleeping sickness."

Starlock nods. "..Words like that can hurt.. specially if the one who said them, doesn't apologize.. It will dull with time, but know, you're not evil, and that's coming from me.. and i'm a real tough judge of character." Starlock chuckles, lifting Ringtone up to rest on her shoulders. "You've been in my head, you know how... weird, I can be with who I trust." she nods as she says it aloud, like its foreign.

Starlock then perks up at Swivel and makes little grabby hands. "Teaaa" she'd then laugh.

"Agreed Arcee, I hope the files I've been putting out have helped.. right now, we need someone to look into the code its leaving behind to offline people once they block the signal, and track the signal down to turn it off... Ringtone here is one part of that puzzle, cause he can track signals, almost got it once but we need a second person."

"Starlock wants... Kaff mixed with... Enertrea. Diffused with Freon." The ferret paws at Starlock's cheeks and then looks at Swivel. "I trust you. I met you before I met Starlock. I am still trying to save up to get our own pirate ship. Legally." He looks at Arcee. "Are you a friend of Dust Devil?"

Slugfest scamper scamper capers around aimlessly, running off the energon he'd consumed earlier, like a hyperactive toddler on too much sugar.

"I wonder if I can do that on one of the terminals in the Decagon," Arcee muses. She's no communications expert, but if the computer can do all the work I can definitely feed it all the data." She peers at Ringtone, wondering how she should answer. "I know who he is, does that count?"

"Starlock wants Kaff enertea with a freon twist, or YOU want that?" Swivel asks, laughing as she goes to get some enertea steeping. Catching movement out of the corner of her optic, Swivel glances over to Slugfest running about, then snorts softly in amusement.

"Yes. The Misfortune Pirates..." Swivel says, smiling but her gaze going very distant. She then recollects herself and checks on the enertea. She focuses back on the plans to deal with the signal. "If I were given the roight equipment, I moight be able ter help triangulate. I can move quoite freely despite being ground-bound."

Starlock laughs with Swivel. "No worries, i can pay for that." She'd smile, gently ruffling Ringtone's helm and watches Slugfest a moment. "Someone give him the good stuff?" She'd ask, jerking a thumb back with a chuckle.

"Well uh, we maaay have been boosting off that before, how we almost got it." She admits with a cough, Starlock than pauses.. wait. "Wait.." she says "Wait.." she says again and looks at Swivel. "You.. can track signals?" She asks, lifting a finger.

Dust Devil comes in with a pack on his back and two more strapped and hanging from his shoulders on either side. He's got some road dust on him but at least doesn't seem to be quite as bad as he's been before in terms of being dirty. Heading to the bar, he stops by the entrance to the back and calls out playfully. "Special delivery....." A smile appears on his face when he looks toward Swivel. "Got those ingrediants the boss wanted."

"I can pay for it. I am something called 'rich' from what I am told by Veritas. Crypto, BitCoins, investing, and such. I do that when I am asleep." Ringtone smiles and then says, "I can pay, Swivel. I will cover Starlock's tabs as well. But it's not a date or else Soundwave will give me the talk."

Starlock looks down and Ringtone and purses her lips, puffing a cheek. "Riiight, one of Ghost's, slash Veritas's.." She says if THAT explains it all. Internally, she has no idea how to feel about this.

Swivel laughs again and shakes her head. "Slugfest often foinds the good stuff. Somehow."

Swivel looks over at Starlock. "No - not quoite track signals. Comms aren't my thing but... I can track... hmm how do I put it. I'm made fer exploration in dangerous and far away places. I'm made ter collect data on the unknown. Usually it's meteorlogical, seismic, radiation, and all that - but vibrations are vibrations. With ther roight equipment or modifications - maybe? Big maybe. Anyway, sometoims one thing causes a change in something else - so you don't look for the one thing, but the something else it causes. Loik voids or... I'm not good at explaining. But I sometoims infer - I think that's the roight word? Infer the presence of something by the presence or absence of something else." Swivel checks the enertea again. then brings it out. "No worries about paying, this one's on the house. Call it the medic special."

Swivel looks up and waves to Dust Devil. "Bring 'em on over!"

Starlock looks thoughtful, tapping on her chin. "Its a thought, they are similar equipment wise.." Starlock muses in thought and looks to Swivel. "Maybe is right, but.. hey, its something!" She grins widely. "No-No I get it, sort of, its like.. you have equipment but its tuned for a different kind of specialty, but if its tinkered with a bit, it could possibly act a way needed." Starlock nods hoping that made sense.

"Like.. A Scalpel is a surgical tool, but it can be used as a knife, for food or mechanical use, not what its MADE for, but it can do it... Given a bit more complicated." Starlock goes on.

"Ah-- Thank you." She nods, bowing her head lightly in thanks.

Ringtone rolls over and then curls up on Starlock. He's attached to her. He is not really attached to Ghost/Veritas these days. She went human and had to leave him behind. Or at least that what he thinks. He also feels like he never was a Decepticon.

Dust Devil removes his packs and stretches, his frame popping in a few spots. "Much better.....yeah this pack needs ta go ta Encore....this one is Fanfare's and Backblasts....and the last is the samples I got to on the route here ta save myself a trip. There's additional critter activity at A232...not sure what type, but there were tracks." He looks over at Starlock and Ringtone, giving them a nod.

Swivel nods her head. "I've got the... framework. And I may not be very broight just fer a lack of education, but I do trust in my hardware. I think it moight be possible to attune me to the signal."

Swivel rubs the back of her helmet, glancing briefly at Ringtone as he curls up on Starlock. She then smiles as Dust Devil brings over the delivery. "Oh, tracks? Neat! Wot sorter tracks?"

Then Swivel's optics light up. She turns back to Starlock. "TRACKS! You know, signals are energy, its targeted, yes? But it's gotta travel, which is why we're tracking it. But that means chanes are it's colloidin' with things, and maybe, just maybe, it moight be leavin' tracks! Soigns of which way it's been or gone. Think of... think of loight! Some things are affected by loight, some things aren't. Some absorb, some reflect, some allow it to pass through - maybe there's something othe'n the targets bodies that react ter the signal. Just loik how ya moight not see a critter, but you know it's there because of ther tracks it leaves!"

Starlock grins, her own optc LED's shaping into stars in excitement. "So you and Ringtone maybe able to help in tracking it down together!" she'd throw her fists up like a victory was just had. "Fuck yeah!" She'd beam.

"And it is leaving something." Starlock adds, pointing at Swivel. "Know that loyalty code I broke in the Combaticons? Its leaving something akin to those that are getting stuck in sleep lock, I actually have copies of the code I've sent to Chromedome but its been sometime since, but maybe that data could help you in tracking it like that?"

Dust Devil says, "Have ya done comparisons with those who have been around the medics and such and haven't succumbed and seen what their old readings and biometrics say compared to now?" Stormchaser sniffs Dust Devil and bites him on the tailpipe. The Robo-Dog-Mech waits for a treat.

Starlock nods over. "Yeah, the signal is.. targeting specific people, dunno HOW yet, but its targeted attacks." Starlock explains tiredly. "I've explained this in my reports." She adds, squinting at dust Devil.

Swivel tilts her head. "Actually, I never heard about the loyalty code in the Combaticons..." Swivel's optics blink a few times. It takes Swivel a few moments to refocus after her mind goes off on a wild spin. "Uh... so you are sayin' folk that don't got the sleeping sickness got this code, it's just not active? Or sayin' that those with the sickness have something loik the, uh, loyalty code?" Which she knows nothing about.

Starlock pauses, realizing what she just revealed and slaps a hand over her mouth, starting to sweat, realizing what her sleep addled brain let slip, she looks horrified... She tires to refocuses onto the other topic.

"Y-Yeah its similar enough, it seems over time the signal downloads and embeds this code that makes the target go into immediate sleep lock if they block the signal, I still dunno how they exactly target us, but its very much targeting individuals, why Ratchet got it, then me, but then it took so long to get to someone like Brainstorm." She explains.

Swivel tilts her head. "Though I was thinkin' more impacts it moight have on more stationary things. Loik radio towers or observatories or somethin'...." Swivel places a fist into an open palm as she thinks. The little bat drone is still perched on one of her tires, and she'd almost forgotten it was there until she looked over her shoulder, saw it, let out a small startled yelp, then began laughing at herself. Thankfully for Starlock, Swivel is trying to ignore the tasty tidbit about Combaticons in deference of a far more important matter. "So the signal is there, but blocking it is what triggers sleep lock? Hrm... the thing is... ter target someone from a distance ya'd need... loik... that person's personal frequency, wouldn't you? So... maybe the rumours about spois is true. Maybe folk've been here fer a whoile, paintin' folk so to speak so the signal can lock on to them."

Starlock shrugs. "I dunno, that's the thing, we know its isolated to Cybertron, as going to earth weakens the signal greatly." Starlock explains, latching onto the topic. "So it has to be broadcasting from towers here, I think what we also gathered when Ringtone here tried last time." She nods. "...Though, a spie still isn't out of the range of possibilities.. be one working for the hub, as important Bots, Cons and neutrals have been going down." Starlock shrugs. "Would need to be someone of Soundwave or Blaster's skill to get frequencies like that without getting it from the person directly, but I know its not either of them, fact Soundwave has the sickness himself."

Swivel tilts her head. "Well... the Hub do call themselves ther Cybertronian Empoire. So targeting Cybertron isn't so strange." Swivel squints. "Maybe... they know some kinner... I dunno... latent code we all just have naturally but often gets overlooked? I'm not a medic so now I'm just makin' stuff up." Swivel rubs the back of her helmet. "Well, anyway, if it'd be possible to re-attune my sensors to help Ringtone, I'd be willin' to try it. And if not... well I can still just help nagivatin' any rough terrain if the signal seems to lead into any."

Dust Devil says, "I'd be afraid of what else it might be rewritin as it continues it's course....or what can be added to it since we can't block it" Dust Devil grins, "Blaster is immune due to all the 80s music..."

Starlock nods in agreement to both as she sips on her tea in thought. "I'll take you up on that Swiv, needs to be done before I fully fall into sleep lock, like Ratchet." She'd huff.

Swivel glances to Dust Devil and nods. "I loik to think we aren't so easy to rewroite... but I keep bein' told otherwoise."

Swivel shrugs again. "Well, I'm happy ter help. A bit scared, but, I'm learin' being brave isn't the absence of fear, but doing wot's roight in spoite of it."

Starlock blinks, and then smiles. "Yeah, thats exactly what it is." She adds softly at Swivel.

Dust Devil laughs and shakes his head. "We don't know what level of scientist is over on that side....but so far they've hit us with a virus that is ko'ing the medics. If we were attacked right now, how well would we survive the third and fourth waves when we can't repair those who are hurt in the first. I fought someone who talked about trying on Symphony's body and takin it for a spin.....I'd be kinda nervous about NOT assumin things can get worse."

Swivel rubs her cheek. "I just... wish I was brave sooner. I... was so scared of losing folk's good opinion I..." Swivel trails off and shakes her head, clearing her vents. "Ah well, I'm doing good now, that's wot matters, roight?"

Swivel looks over at Dust Devil, optics woide. "...That wasn't that... Reaper femme, was it?"

Dust Devil looks to Swivel and smiles, "if ya aren't at least a little bit afraid when you have ta face the unknown then yer settin yerself up for trouble. And yeah...she liked her attack and mentioned tryin her body out."

Starlock looks over at Dust Devil. "Well, thats fecking creepy." she states with a cringe, before looking back to Swivel. "Yeah, the here, and the now matters, can't.." She'd spin her hands. "Go back and fix the past, just.. gotta work to make the consequences of whatever mistakes made, better." Starlock agrees and smiles. "..Scared a lot when facing Megatron, and mouth off to him, but I do it because I know if I don't.. he'll hurt more people."

Swivel continues staring at Dust Devil. "I... did not hear that part of ther foight. Moight have been after I ran off..."

Swivel rolls her shoulders back. "Well, should I report to a lab or something so you can get a better look at me and see if modifying me for this purpose is doable? I've never actually... had upgrades before so..."

Dust Devil grins at Swivel....pure mischief. "Oooh I can escort her in with stasis cuffs and everything.....Would that work?"

Swivel's optics flicker. "Well, if that'd make security feel more at ease, I don't have a problem being cuffed. I had to get used to it, after all."

Starlock nods, and finishes her tea, getting up. "Alright.. uh, hm." She pauses realizing.. she.. really doesn't have her own workspace like Ratchet, thats awkward, closest thing she had was.. "Welp, time for me to show you a place." She laughed awkwardly. "Thaat wont be necessary."

Swivel perks up. "Show me a place?" She asks, tilting her head to the side.

Starlock nods. "Yeaah, kinda my personal work space." She'd smile. "But thats if I can't get any aid from the autobots.." She'd huff. "Still wanna show you it though~"

Swivel nods her head. "Well! It's a date then!" Swivel beams. "Shall we go now - or meet up another toim when yer more awake and you can show it to me?"

Starlock chuckles. "lets try another time, i'm starting to fall asleep again." She admits tiredly.

Swivel nods her head. "Well, if you'd loik I kin droive with ya ter make sure you get there safely. Or I've always got my room. I don't moind sharing." In fact Swivel's a bit too liberal in inviting people to sleep over. But that's just her hospitable nature.

Starlock smiles. "Thanks, I'd like the help, don't think Ringy here doesn't want to wake up without me ether." She'd nod