Log Title: Gathering at the Gates Characters: Backblast, Cerebros, Dust Devil, First Aid, Incognito, Scales, Spike, Starlock Location: Gates of Iacon Date: April 7, 2020 TP: non-TP Summary: More and more people show up at the Gates of Iacon, each with their own concerns. As logged by Scales
Log session starting at 15:46:48 on Tuesday, 7 April 2020.
Cerebros is in the area - walking around with a purpose. The purpose...finding Dust Devil.
Scales is napping on an outcropping of rock in the middle of chalk marks drawn all over the ground, her wings spread to catch as much sunlight as possible.
Cerebros looks around - he swears he saw Dust Devil just a few moments ago. "Dust Devil?! Dust Devil?!"
Spike is making some chalk marks near where Scales is, drawing in the number of plants that would best grow in each plot.
Dust Devil is bent down and was mostly out of sight because he's mapping out Scales' garden while she naps. At Cerebros' calling he pops his head up and makes a shushing motion.
Cerebros flinches and walks toward Dust Devil. He lowers his tone and whispers "Dust Devil...I have a problem."
Scales feels the cold wash of shadow over her wings and stirs grumpily.
Cerebros flinches as he sees Scales awaken. He gives a 'sushing' gesture with his hand and whispers "Scales, I'm sorry. Please feel free to rerenter your rest cycle. I didn't mean to wake you, but it was an emergency."
Dust Devil glances up at Cerebros, he does look at Scales and grins before looking back at Cerebros. "Yer not helpin yer cause there....but what do you need?" He debates telling Cerebros what he's doing wrong or letting the little dragon chew on him.
Spike gives a bemused look, not like he's counting the days for Cerebros to be out of his hair. But...he's counting the hours before Cerebros is out of his hair for awhile.
Scales yawns and stretches, folding her wings away. "'m awake now," she says. "Was only snoozin' 'cause I was gettin' bored and it was sunny."
Cerebros looks at Dust Devil. "Well, you remember yesterday - when I had the discussion with Jazz? Well, of course you do. You were there."
Cerebros gestures "Well...you remember when Jazz said he would get me to the point where I would be able to beat up Decepticons with impunity? And you - astutely pointed out that I was a pacifist, which...thank you again for doing that." He adds quickly "Well, he seemed to be ready to put me in training for combat, and I don't think that he understood that fully. So...I was wondering. You're respected. Would you be able to talk with him and say that type of training just isn't compatible with my ethical code?"
Dust Devil smirks and says...."Nope. One...I know Jazz and he heard everything you said and didn't say in the encounter. The training he'll come up with...and most likely have me help with, will benefit you greatly. My bets will be learning a bunch of medical stuff like pressure points and places to disable or debilitate mechs as quickly as possible. As well as grappling techniques"
GAME: Cerebros PASSES a LEADERSHIP roll of Very High difficulty.
Cerebros flinches and holds his hand up. "Now...wait...I could...I would be willing to meet you halfway - I could see very definitively contemplating the possibility of that 'disabling' techniques with pressure points for medical - but I will NOT do grappling techniques." He looks at Dust Devil and says tentatively "deal?"
Spike just continues to bite his lip and looks at Dust Devil.
Scales stretches slowly, tail tip lashing a bit. "Shame you don't have any zappy abilities like I do."
Cerebros chuckles nervously at Scales. "No...thank you, but I am already over-encumbered in the weaponry department. If anything, I would prefer less, not more."
Scales grins at Cerebros. "Windblade was talkin' to me about maybe building a gravitational system that could help me hold onto things an' also apply a gravity sheath to my claws to make 'em sharper. It's a cool idea!"
Dust Devil sighs, "You have no idea the uses of grappling do you?" He looks at Scales and moves over to her. "okay so studying Scales. I would be grabbing her head, preferably behind her head, using a foot or possibly two to grip her tail and hopefully I can get between her wings to pin her down. Now, that would be grappling, ideally I would practice it with her or someone similar and thus I would be able to safely restrain her or someone similar in an emergency situation. In essence I would be stopping the need for violence.
Spike smirks and tries to back out of this. "I'm going to...check to see if my shuttle's come yet."
>> Cerebros fails its generic combat roll against Dust Devil. <<
Cerebros moves to get Dust Devil out of the way of Scales. "No! Why would you do that?! Scales has done you no wrong!"
Scales blinks. "You gotta be careful tryin' to wrestle me, Dusty," she warns, ignoring Cerebros distress. "I got -six- potential weapons on me at all times, five if somebody's disabled my weapons systems. An' they're spread out."
Cerebros summons his 'if any' used pistol from his holster that came out of a panel of his leg.
"Understood, Scales. And I have one weapon, which I am perfectly fine with."
Dust Devil nods, "I'm hopin that I could use your wings to help protect me from 4 of those weapons...." He points at Scales and asks, "Mind if I move yer wings ta demonstrate? Now on me...if scales came at me with all points out...literally, She could easily get her claws inta me and usin those claws disable major lines and wires. She doesn't need ta be big. She needs ta just avoid my arms and legs and be precise about where she's attackin. Her arsenal of surgical equipment means she can hone in on vital points quickly and pierce armor fast if she needs ta. Again...Done with speed and precision, she could knock me to the ground and eliminate any threat I am to her and myself if she needed ta."
Dust Devil adds, "And yer wrong Cerebros, ya got a pistol...but you have arms, legs and a head which can all be used ta fight in an emergency."
Cerebros nods rapidly. "Fine...fine...just...don't...'wrestle' with Scales. I don't want either of you hurt on account of me." He waves a hand. "Message...received."
Spike walks away from the action. "See you guys later."
Scales nods. "An' I have a couple of ways to temporarily disable an opponent if I get close enough, so I don't have to wrestle long."
Scales waves to Spike. "Stay safe!"
Dust Devil sends a radio transmission.
Spike sends a radio transmission.
Cerebros waves dismissively to Spike, already forgetting him. "That's very nice, Scales."
Dust Devil says, "Now if Spike wasn't runnin off, I could show you how to restrain a human. You have ta be super careful. And I can restrain him with and without his suit on. Which I could show you..." He's watching to see how much quicker Spike's attempt to escape is. "Either way, You can't just DO this stuff. It takes practice. Ya should know how to take on a mech taller than yerself, the same height and smaller. Like knowin what ta do if I got Ravage, Rumble or Scales in Cassette form too. Or droppin me in hovercar mode.""
Scales huffs, a slight flicker of flame sparking from her mouth. "It's not -nice-, that's the point! If I get into a fight, I need every advantage I can get or I'm gonna be squashed! Fightin' isn't my job, but my job means going into dangerous places sometimes. If I want to get -back-, I gotta be prepared!"
Spike hears Dust Devil say 'demonstrate' and picks up the pace a bit, he doesn't want to look like he's fleeing the area. But...well…
Cerebros frowns through his faceplate. "I was NOT judging you, Scales! You have every justification to defend yourself! I'm just saying...given my ... size, I don't have to resort to those acts of violence to combat an enemy." (that'll learn Scales)
Scales growls. "You're -dismissing- me. That's worse. It -matters-. I learned to fight so I could watch Discord's back an' make sure we both got back home when we went out together. 'Cause when he's hackin' a transmission he can't fight."
Cerebros shakes his head adamantly. "No...no." He points a genial finger at Scales. "That's what YOU said about me...you're...what is the term...putting words in my mouth."
Dust Devil smiles, "I respect Scales...I know what those claws can do both medically and physically. I ain't tryin ta teach ya somethin just ta purposely go against your morals...I'm tryin ta see how you can use what we're teachin you to further yer morals." He points to the human, "Spike there could...in an emergency take down a mech such as you or possibly even Metroplex...." He sees Cerebros, "Ummmm I'd not point at her if I were you..."
Spike grins and walks toward Dust Devil. That got his attention. "Me...take down Metroplex? OK, dude, you do need your logic circuits adjusted."
Spike walks up to Dust Devil, maybe not the best idea, given he was talking about grappling earlier.
GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of High difficulty.
Cerebros flinches at Dust Devil. "Why should I not point to Scales. I was just making a point."
Spike looks up at Cerebros and says "Because in most cultures, including yours, pointing is considered rude."
Scales grins at Spike suddenly, toothily. "You're small enough to fit through the vents, sure you could." She turns and snaps at Cerebros' finger, not to bite, but close enough to threaten as a demonstration.
Cerebros frowns and pulls back his finger "Heyah! You almost bit me!" he says in an accusatory tone.
Dust Devil says, "Through the vents, though the access panels and straight for his processors or even cutting through some of the main energon or power junctions. You helped build him, you know his weak spots. If he was attacking and afflicted with cosmic rust, You could stop him from moving and spreading it and start treatment. Just like if you had a weapon I know that if I...." And yes Spike is in range and thus Dust reaches out to capture Spike's arm and hopefully twist it into what would be a compliance grip, the other hand is aimed but not going for his feet yet. "I could push and utilize pain to force compliance if that would stop him or I could hold him until someone like Scales could scan him.""
Spike smirks "Calm your vents, Cerebros - they're just trying to - " Spike's arm is suddenly grasped! "Woah!" He frowns at Dust Devil and tries to escape the grasp.
GAME: Spike FAILS an AGILITY roll of Immense difficulty.
Spike frowns as his not-so-spry 50-something body (de-aged to be somewhere in his 40s) isn't able to wiggle away from Dust Devil.
Scales gives Cerebros a smug look. She knows how close she got to nipping him, and obviously didn't cause any damage yet. She tilts her head at Dust Devil capturing Spike. "You okay, there?"
GAME: Spike PASSES a COURAGE roll of High difficulty.
Spike frowns and nods, giving an 'I'm okay' look. "Yeah...I...I got this..." He leers up at Dust Devil, trying to escape.
Cerebros frowns slightly and says lowly "I accept your apology" to Scales.
Scales growls again and lashes her tail at Cerebros to smack him in the leg.
Cerebros frowns and jumps back "OW!" (that did sting) He puts his hands on his hips, totally oblivious to what his partner is going through now. "What is distressing you, Scales?!"
Cerebros frowns "You're a medic, I would think out of everyone here, you would empathize most with me!"
Scales huffs. "You're treatin' me like a little kid, is what's wrong! I didn't apologize because I didn't want to apologize! You don't get to walk over my feelings and act like a snotty jerk about it just 'cause you think I ought to have acted differently."
Cerebros huffs and says "No...no. That's not what I meant in the least!" He looks at Dust Devil and says "When you're done with Spike, can you please tell Scales what I meant?"
GAME: Cerebros PASSES a LEADERSHIP roll of Immense difficulty.
Cerebros looks at Scales and tries to get Scales on his good side.
"Next week, I turn one. It's hard to believe..."
It's not every day that someone who normally doesn't come to Iacon does so, but then, this isn't a normal day. Especially when it involves someone who's spent the last six months or so keeping himself mostly to Tyger Pax -- at least, up until the last couple of weeks.
And now, Incognito comes strolling into Iacon itself. There's a couple of Autobot security trailing him a discreet distance, but he doesn't seem too concerned about their presence.
Backblast is also trailing Cog. Not because he thinks he's a security risk, or anything, but because he might eventually trail past Dust Devil, and Backblast is on a mission to keep his young apprentice on his toes via the application of high-velocity paint.
Scales grumbles. "Bein' young is no excuse for bein' rude."
Spike squints and shields his eyes as he sees Incognito enter the area. He frowns slightly and mumbles "This one look familiar?" (while still getting handled by Dust Devil)
Dust Devil grins as he carefully holds Spike and then releases him. "Yep! This is Incognito...a friend ta Alpha Trion." HE glances at Cerebros, "I'm almost a Vorn....which would be 1 ta Cybertronians. The war sure did change things fer how things used ta go." He grins at Scales, "I know ta respect you. You and Spike. Both of yas could take me apart."
Spike favors his arm and looks up at Dust Devil and grins. "Thanks...I was almost out of that hold though..."
Cerebros looks at Scales and mumbles "I don't think I was being rude, but...I would prefer not to escalate this apparant disagreement between us."
Backblast sets himself up on top of a building, draping a grey blanket over himself to break up ups outline as he nestles behind Kingslayer's scope, watching.
GAME: Cerebros PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Very High difficulty.
Cerebros looks up and sees what appears to be a disturbance above roofline. He points right to Backblast's presence. "What...what is that?"
Incognito approaches the rest (sans Backblast, who's hiding), pausing a few meters distant. "Dust Devil, Spike, Cerebros," he greets, before looking at Scales. "Greetings, don't think we've met before." He smiles, looking back at Dust Devil. "I don't suppose Optimus is around, is he?"
Scales harumphs at Cerebros. "Yeah? Maybe you shouldn't try to talk for me, then." She peers at Incognito for a moment and brightens back up. "I'm Scales!"
Where Cerebros points, there's a slight irregularity to the roofline, and a glint of something reflective.
Cerebros looks at Scales, confused, "That doesn't make sens.." He goes back to looking at the disturbance. He walks out into the open and activates his optic scanner to view the disturbance.
GAME: Cerebros FAILS a TECHNICAL roll of Very High difficulty.
Cerebros frowns through his faceplate and taps his visor as it adjusts to another setting.
Dust Devil grins at Spike, "I was tryin ta be careful...." Incognito has his attention, "I can try and radio Prime and see where he's at and all." Cerebros' lack of attention gets his attention. "Somethin wrong?"
<<Autobot>> Dust Devil says, "Hey Optimus, ya got a visitor if yer free."
Cerebros points into the vicinity where Backblast is.
"There..." he extends his arm and points a finger up near the vantage point.
Backblast squints at what he's seeing. Dusty's not operating at his usual levels of mischief, something is missing. He tries to remain still, but... well, Dust Devil at least might recognise Backblast's camo blanket.
"That would be great, thanks. Something I wanted to talk with him about." He looks back at Scales. "Pleasure, Scales."
< OOC> Incognito says, "Oops. That was me."
Scales sits up on her haunches, tilting her head. "What's your name?"
GAME: Dust Devil PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.
Dust Devil looks in the direction pointed out by Cerebros. Dust's face turns back and forth a few times as he tries to pick out what precisely Cerebros is gawking at. It takes longer than usual but then there's a look of panic as he then tries to dive behind Cerebros before anything exciting happens, "Oh slag!"
Cerebros is still way the heck out in the open. Probably not the best place to be. He looks over at the diving Dust Devil, making no real attempt to move. "What?! What is it?!" He goes back to looking at the strange formation, adjusting his optics to infrared scan.
GAME: Cerebros PASSES a TECHNICAL roll of Very High difficulty.
[Broadband] Deathsaurus says, "allright. my second appointment is available now."
"Incognito," the new arrival replies. "I'm probably the one they've complained about in the past concerning Tyger Pax, or any of... Primus only knows what else."
Backblastthrows off the cloak and drops off the building just as Cerebros fixes him with the IR scan - although, probably not before Cerebros can get a positive ID. A few minutes later he saunters up to the group, Kingslayer held lazily over one shoulder.
Backblast suddenly fades into sight without a sound.
GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty.
[Broadband] Starlock says, "Mmm I'm still with Calyhex.."
Cerebros runs a lightning-quick crosscheck in his systems. "Backblast..." he says...unsure of what that means, but that's the ID that registered.
[Broadband] Deathsaurus says, "At your convenience."
[Broadband] Deathsaurus says, "Anyone else need a meeting?"
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> Feel like the freakin' peacekeeper of the world. Haah.
Scales oohs. "I was hopin' to see Backblast sometime soon... he'd be great to ask about plants."
Dust Devil comes out from behind Cerebros. A slightly sheepish look on his face. "Ummmm Sorry about that Cerebros. I kinda figured if anyone was gettin shot it'd be me...." He ducks his head a little, "Sorry "
GAME: Spike FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of High difficulty.
Backblast soon enough approaches the group, giving folks a wave "Evening."
"I thought ambassadors weren't supposed to be shot at?" Incognito asks, glancing between Dust Devil and Backblast.
Dust Devil grins a little, "Backblast is makin sure I'm on my toes so ta speak...I should be aware of my surroundins at all times. Usually I'm a bit better about it."
Scales bounds over towards Backblast. "Hey, we're workin' on a garden, maybe. You know any good plants to bring back and grow here?"
Backblast nods to Dust Devil and Incognito "Only with paint. I've found the most wonderful shade of Glowing Nuclear Green I want to try out." He grins, setting his rifle butt down and casually leaning against the massive cannon, lookign to Scales. "A garden? Well, I can help out with that, do you want medicinal herbs, pretty plants, or both? There's even one I've found that concentrates energon to the point where you can eat it to get fuel."
"Ah, always mind your surroundings. I've heard that one before, pretty accurate." Incognito glances at Backblast. "Not me, thank you. Green is not exactly my color."
Starlock sends a radio transmission.
Scales grins at Backblast. "Both! We've kinda marked out a possible area, here, but I still don't actually have permission to plant anything yet from the higher-ups." she waves at chalk marks around the area. "Spike and I have just been thinking ahead."
Starlock would drive, yes drive, her way out back to Iacon in her mini-bus mode, once close enough though, she'd transform back to her root-mode, she's a bit dirty, some dried rust here and there, but nothing serious.. Though she pauses seeing people outside the gates as well.
Backblast nods "I can do that. I can show you where to get samples, protect you... there's a few areas I'm keeping kind of secret, like where the Petrorillas are. I don't want Big Joe and his fam being disturbed, not while they've got sprogs. " Backblast has his rifle stood up next to him. He's leaning on it casually, and it's taller than he is. He starts to roll an enercig, nodding over at Starlock in greeting.
"Tyger Pax might want to think about something like that," Incognito muses idly. "Garden, that is. No reason why it has to be cold metal and nothing else, after all."
First Aid comes out of Iacon itself and pauses when he sees the large group there. "Woah. Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." he nods to everyone and kind of moves to stand by himself.
Scales twitches her tail and her optics gain a bit more pink in the rainbow swirl. "Oh, well, it's planting season on Earth, that's what gave us the idea.." she trails off.
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> You know.
< irc.dal.net> <Dr. Asshole, MD> Primus bless the peacemakers because no other censored will.
< irc.dal.net> <Dr. Asshole, MD> !! Really? I get censored here?
Starlock nods in greeting to Backblast and the others. "Hey.." She says softly, before noticing First aid though, her finials perk up, and would smile, stridding where way over to him. "Hope we're not intruding on anything." she says to the others, before she looks up at Aid. "Hey."
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> haha first time I saw that.
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> I was just thinking. The troops really need to blow something up. I should provide.
"Just talking while waiting for Optimus," Incognito says. "Something I wanted to talk with him about; a decision that I've probably waited to make longer than I should."
< irc.dal.net> <Dr. Asshole, MD> Always fun. What'cha thinkin'?
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> I dont know. Im uninspired about it.
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> guess I can send them after supply lines and trade routes or something. Meh
Backblast nods softly at Scales, lighting his smoke. "We're just chatting, no big deal." he says. "I could take... maybe two people to go meet Joe." He says. "A plant-hunting expedition could be fun... we can see what grows here. Maybe film some Wild Cybertron too."
Scales perks. "That'd be fun! I'd like to see more of Cybertron, but I don't like traveling by
myself."
Starlock nods at them both and makes a sound regarding waiting for Optimus... She pauses hearing them talk about plants. "Hm.. still need to talk to Hound." She'd muse quietly before she look to Aid and let out a huff. "See? I'm okay." She'd say with a false grin and a shrug. "Sorry for the rust also, was helping clean Calyhex up."
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> These guys suck.
< irc.dal.net> <<Underwood>> just one those days?
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> Just finding myself...uninspired to herd Decepticons.
< irc.dal.net> <Gardener> plan B. Im gonna get a drink.
First Aid nods "Good. Im glad to see you're okay but you're filthy. Come here.." he says, heading over to Starlock to scan her.
Incognito glances over, hearing Starlock mention Calyhex. "And how is our intrepid Titan?" he asks. "I've been hearing some of the broadband traffic and all."
Backblast looks to Starlock, a moment. "If you were OK, after what I heard you've been through, I'd be worried." He says, calmly. "That, or impressed."
Scales scoots closer to Incognito and sits, pulling out a datapad. It just has information on native Cybertronian wildlife, but sitting there puts Scales in a good position to listen in.
Physically, she's okay, a bit ill-rested, but Starlock is Starlock, her readouts read pretty much as they should.
Starlock looks over at Cog and nods. "Better, we got Windblade and Banshee too her, still working out a plan to round up all her loose patients, but, things are progressing, and she's healing." Starlock says with a smile. "Ghost and Banshee are currently holding Syndrome and Rend, two of the staff members that where torturing her, pretty sure Windblade and Banshee have an idea what to do with them." She'd tap her fingers.
"Need to tell them I found the real Bedlem." she adds and raises a ridge at Backblast. ".....Uh.. What ya' mean?" she asks a bit nervously.
Backblast sniffs, softly. "Mad titans, that's... gonna give a mech nightmares for a while." He says, with a shrug. "You found the real Bedlam? He still alive?"
< irc.dal.net> <Rawhead> Rum is good, if a bit cliche.
Scales browses the datapad for a bit, tilts her head, then waves to everybody. "Nice meeting you, got something to do, bye!" and she heads for a grate to go crawling through Iacon's vents for some reason.
Starlock ahs. "Wasn't really so much her being 'mad' that made the place bad, it was..The sheer amounts of neglect, torture, experimentation, and scwaler she, and those deemed not mentally well, or lower, where just.. shoved into, and left to rot." Starlok explains with a frown, huffing, and shaking her helm, trying to keep her composure.
"As for Bedlem? well, not anymore." Starlock says as she looked over. "Apparently, last time he went into his office a few days ago, some the patients, likely Hush's crew, got into his office from the ducts, and shot 'em in the brain module, and spark, started chewin' on him." Starlock explains like this is normal.
"He was still alive when I got to him, but dying, tried stabilizing him, not much I could do, woke up though, got him comfortable, and chatted and stayed there with 'em till he passed." Starlock then pauses and smiles softly. "...He also apologized to Calyhex, which I think, was the biggest thing, and I think will do alot to help Calyhex in her healing." She'd nod.
Log session ending at 22:21:19 on Tuesday, 7 April 2020.