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Who: Swindle, Airlift, Blast Off, Rumble, Chopshop |
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Workshop - Darkmount - Polyhex
White cement tile floors complete with floor drains mark this room as a maintenance space even before you see all the machine tools. Toolchests and workbenches are mounted on the walls, with the center of the room left open for access to the lifts and hoists. Air hoses for pneumatic tools hang in reels from the ceiling, easily accessable from any part of the room, and at several points along the rear wall there are connections for fuel, coolant and welding gas hoses.
There was pieces of Soundwave in one portion of the facility. Likely waiting for one of the few medics Soundwave would actually trust to work on reassembling him. Granted, someone with the right motivations and high enough clearance could get over there and possibly make an even bigger mess of the annoying sound machine.
Fortunately there are some temptations that even Swindle knows better than to act on.
That and he has his hands plenty full with his own projects. Multiple medtables and workbenches have been overtaken by parts and dismantled drones, weapon modules and the like. Cables and wires run here and there, some clusters are partially assembled, others just end off connected to nothing. Circuits and various hardware pieces have been spread out to be picked apart looking for flaws or burnt out components.
It was over a partially dismantled tactical sensor unit that Swindle was hunched over, a holographic magnifying lens positioned over his right optic as he poked away at a few circuit pieces with a forceps and soldering wand to reinstall pieces, muttering something about load bearing procesessors and too many generic components due to mass production under his breath.
Rumble is more or less guarding the pieces of Soundwave at this point. He stands in somewhat territorial fashion near the table where his creator's mangled pieces are arranged. If someone without the proper 'clearence' even thinks about touching them, he's going to pitch the world's biggest, quakiest tantrum.
Airlift storms in as the alarm he'd secretly hidden in the Workshop goes off. Well..it's not like he really hid it, or it's even an alarm. In fact, Backbone is just so scared of the Reaver that he had transmitted the 'Swindle' code via radio as soon as the Combaticon had arrived and started appropriating tables. He's actually the one who's been working on Soundwave, since the tapedeck turned pancake is in no particular condition to complain. Not that he had room to complain last time Airlift repaired him so he could get smashed again..
Looking around he spots the section that is taken over by the bodies of drones, growling to himself, loudly enough it might well carry. "Ahh Swindle..so glad to see you deign to come by the offices.." he says coolly as he strides over. "But seriously, don't you think that the medtables should be reserved for actual injured Decpeticon's...rather than these walking toasters you've thrown together? I've seen them in action..seems you've been buying components from Junkion again.." His voice practically drips sarcasm and malice as he strides closer. A few of the medics actually eye the pair as though they expect something is about to go down as Airlift says, "I've been hoping to finally have the opportunity to..speak with you..since I returned."
Medbay is like a treasure trove for some Decepticons. And you know who in particular? Chopshop, the Insecticon thief who's just shown up since... Who knows when? The Insecticon confidently walks in and his optics just seem to light up at all of the -stuff- Swindle has around!
Chopshop wouldn't be a good thief if he gave into temptation right now, time to assess the situation. Attempting to look casual, he peeks at what Swindle and Airlift are up to.
Blast Off walks into medbay, looking for Swindle. He knows his teammate is nearby, and he wants some answers on the drones. He has some operations to run, and needs those drones up and ready to go ASAP. The shuttle is not in the best of moods... first the Autobots steal Silas from him (though he was able to get Scorponok and Soundwave back, at least... not that that is /really/ exactly a "good" thing as far as he is concerned, anyway). He'd have been perfectly happy just leaving them back in the battlefield, but he knows he'd have a hard time explaining that later. So he's done his job, appeared to be a "loyal" Decepticon, go him. And then there's his recent encounter with Blurr, who he hadn't seen in quite awhile. That ALWAYS puts him in a foul mood.
And now... as he enters the medbay, he sees Airlift moving in on Swindle, looking like he's spoiling for a fight? The shuttleformer slows, stepping inside the door, then watching the other two. He says nothing, just lurking in the background for now- and ignoring the others, like Chopshop and Rumble.
Combat: Smelting your Plasma Conflagerator.
Swindle looks up at the growl... though for a moment it's seeing the *potential compatition* in Insecticon form that earns a shielded glare. Until he lowers his head to get back to work. For the most part. It takes a thief to know one, and you can bet he's going to be keeping an optic on Chopshop as best he can.
"I would just use the workshop I commandered in Nova Cronum," the Combaticon replies without missing a beat, "but it's too high risk with its proximity to the railyard which the Autobots have been nosing about more and more lately. Here I can at least work with only having to worry about my own faction trying to... implicate things."
He may be talking to Airlift, but that last bit is quite clearly emphasized more at Chopshop's general proximity.
A few sparks fly from the soldering wand as he taps it to another connection. "As for the issues with the drones, that is what I'm trying to find. Considering the methods they are being primarily handled, for high priority combat tasks they were not originally designed for, the numbers and complexity may just be spread out to a point the standard systems can't handle the load. Resulting in the... erratic issues I keep hearing about." He nudges the chip into place and looks up properly once more. "The smaller group of modified units, which were networked to a local control device providing additional input wavelength and OS power to the primary contral network, retained a greater level of tactical resolution even with Autobot disruptive efforts."
All these long words make Rumble very irritable, so he moves to sit on the medtable beside the Soundwave scraps. (If anyone here was as smart as they're tryin' to sound,) he thinks to himself, (Then Soundwave would be FIXED by now.)
"Yes...yes.. I hear they were quite impressive and not even using 'my first blaster's this time.." he concedes. "That is until Jazz blew them, your shuttle, you and Blast Off up and turned your tactical advance into a large smoking crater of failure.." he adds as he stops to lean against the table. Picking up one of the pieces he looks at it for a few long moments. Surveying the room he notes the arrivals of Blast Off and Chopshop and even he glares at Chopshop. Another thief..great..
He sets the piece he'd been looking at down on the table with a shake of his head. He can't help himself, he's a techie and hates to see Logistics made to look bad, even if Swindle is being made to look bad as well. "Have you considered using a shared subroutine in their on board tactical evaluation systems, to network their own processor power in field? Even such limited processing capabilities as theirs should increase by an order of magnitude if a dependable linkup could be established..then have some of them act as routing systems for the linkup, networking further clusters together. That way you can grow your area of control per single controller unit.."
"They didn't turn and shoot a bunch of holes in Blast Off just because of sensor disruption at least," Swindle replies, just because he knows his teammate walked in and is probably waiting to berate him about that and the exploding shuttle. "Jazz was an unfortunately unexpected spanner in the works. But failure just means more room for improvement!"
Leave it to Swindle to try and put a positive spin on it.
He's about to get back to work, but pauses as Airlift offers his advice, despite the somewhat condoning tone of it. Looks sidelong at the Reaver. Then down at his work in progress. Then turns to grab the display screen he's been using as a reference and pulls it a bit closer. "... You may very well be onto something there," he finally admits.
Chopshop does attempt to look casual and innocent, but, well, his history's always there to give people (Quite due) cause to be suspicious! Fine, fine, he'll be sneaky about it. However his history of thieving comes to help him, turns out breaking into certain high security areas gives him a bit of expertise in technical things. Unlike some other cons, he actually understands a bit of what's going on! "I think he's got a good idea too, if it means anything from me. Helps keep them a bit less limited to isolated segments going down too" Chopshop says, walking a bit closer to get a better look at what is being done.
Blast Off continues watching, gleaning bits of information as Swindle talks. Ah, so that's what he's doing. He watches Swindle and Airlift talking, but doesn't have a lot to add. He remains looming in the background for now. He understands a lot of what's being said, but just can't get himself to the point to care enough to say anything about it. He remains ready to give Swindle support if needed- and also keeps an optic on Chopshop. He doesn't trust that Insecticon... they all kind of give him the creeps, anyway. Well.... except for one.... maybe.... he's not sure. Scorn is.... confusing.
Airlift glances over at Chopshop, smirking slightly. He nods though, after all, support is..appreciated. "I have to say you reminded me of hives and made me think of it.." he admits to the Insecticon. "Unicron did much the same while we were under his control..we were all connected. It made for a fearsome combat advantage.." he says, claws flexing at the memory slightly. Whether he's enjoying it or reliving horrors is hard to tell. "If our dear friend's over in Aerospace could ever manage to wrest firm control of the skies above Nova Cronum..I'd suggest deploying an airborne command node.." he says in an obvious dig at Blast Off, though he doesn't look at him when he says it. "Unfortunately, they can't seem to ground that little flamebot Dogfight reliably, much less keeping real threat's like Sky Lynx or Jetfire out of the air.. A pitiful day when the Decepticon's must skulk on the ground for lack of open skies to fly.."
Swindle flicks his fingers across the display's touchscreen controls to move around a few bits of the wiring schematic as per Airlift's suggestions. And for the first time in the night actually not paying scornful attention to Chopshop, because as much as he hates the thought of compatition, having the potential solution to puzzling out this technical matter is a lot more interesting to him.
Onslaught did make him promise at Soundwave's insistance he wouldn't try to sell off the drones.... but they never said anything about selling the modifications to others that could utilizing them in their own animatronics....
"Instead of trying to increase individual processors, that would allow for a cluster of drones to compile into one -big- processor. Then the bigger virtual processors link together, and their tactical capacity and maneuvering increases." His purple optics practically alight with the potential. "And if we're finally assured they won't accidentally blow up our own forces," flashes a brief smirk in Blast Off's directions, "I would feel a lot safer about equiping them with some more formidable ordinance."
Chopshop just shrugs at Airlift's comments. "You know us Insecticons, each is different from the other! Well, except the clones.". He can't comment too much on the situation at Nova Cronum having mysteriously not been around (Read: Off stealing something), but he does keep a bit of an optic on Blast Off, just to see his reaction.
"Could always just hide one of the nodes as well. You'd be surprised how few people investigate the second to top floor of abandoned towers, really. Always figure its got to be on the top floor!" Chopshop almost sounds like he's speaking from experience at that...
Blast Off glares over at Airlift after his little dig at Aerospace, and he finally joins the conversation. "We DO have firm control over the skies over Nova Cronum, and I have shot down fools like Dogfight in nearby locations such as the Rust Seas. It's just..." he pauses and looks off, "...we've been a little busy, what with many crisises all at once... or have you forgotten that little incident with Trypticon? Aerospace... and the Combaticons... has kept Nova Cronum in our hands, you have little to complain about. Unless you're just... LOOKING for something to complain about, hmm?" Swindle's comment about getting him being shot by the drones gets another slightly annoyed look. "....Indeed." Chopshop's look is noticed, and the Combaticon stares at him now distrustfully.
"I'm sure you'd have come to that conclusion eventually Swindle..were it not for all of your..other duties.." he muses. "I hate to even consider just how much all of your time spent in managerial duties is cutting into the profitability of your enterprises.." He glances towards Blast Off and shrugs, "if you say so..I'm sure that a mighty leader of Aerospace, one of such an august company of commanding officers who spend every waking hour in service to Lord Galvatron's Empire..must be correct.." He nods as he eyes the specs that Swindle is looking over.
He actually comes around the table then, for a better look, leaning in over Swindle. "You know in all honesty, if you were to perform those upgrades..I don't think it would matter if they did shoot up the front line troops. I mean, they're getting slagged by the Autobot's so often I've gone through thirtysix abraxis crystalline rods welding armor back on.. Why not simply load the drones with enough firepower to truly make a statement about the superiority of science and engineering over...ah.. well, you get my meaning.." he says as he points towards a weapon fuel relay on the schematic, "I'd give you good odds that that one's going to burn out when they come online with good targetting solutions and speed."
Swindle snorts softly, though for the moment most of the subtle poking at the duties required of him being in charge of a division go unresponded to. Except for one, "Speaking of, I still need to find and wring the cranial support struts of whoever allowed that subspace bomb to slip through the cracks. High Command, wisely enough, didn't even trust -me- with that location despite my current division stature." Galvatron isn't -compltely- insane, thank the sparks.
Swindle swivels his seat to look down at the piece he was working on, hmming. "Because Onslaught won't let me max out anything more than a few drones at a time, because he insists -he- will make -this- strategy work. No offense to our team leader, of course... but even Blast Off here knows that he can get so focused on the exact details of a plan that he looses track of bigger pictures."
Chopshop raises his hands to Swindle's statement. "Not me" Not to say he hadn't been snooping around and wouldn't have stolen it if he had the chance. Speaking of stealing, that Insecticon is a bit too close to that table that some of those bits Swindle isn't currently looking at are on...
"Just tell him they're more disposable soldiers. He loves those, doesn't he?" Blast Off's glance is ignored, for now. Just have to act casual and drop suspicion...
Airlift grunts at that, "Since when is the Division Command of the Medical, Sciences and Engineering division beholden to Onslaught or anyone else besides the high command?" Airlift demands. "Were it not for your..extra-curricular..affiliations with Onslaught, he would not dare to challenge the authority of the head of MSE!" he declares. "And rest assured Swindle, you know that Logistics will be blamed for the failure to notice the missing device. It will never be Intel's fault that the spies weren't caught..nor military or aerospace that the perimeter was not defended well enough. No, it will be our division blamed..and Lord Galvatron is not known for his forgiveness of failure. He always seems to blame the highest proximity to command staff.." he muses.
Blast Off glares again at Airlift (this is a recurring theme, isn't it?), not liking the Reaver's tone. Then again, he rarely does. WHY did he save this guy from space again? Oh yeah, he didn't know any better at the time. ...Shame, that. "Of course." He tilts his head, like a half-shrug, at Swindle's comment on Onslaught. "I suppose, but... Onslaught is brilliant. I'd still trust his plans before I'd trust most others." Airlift gets a pointed look as he says this. The shuttleformer's allegiance to Onslaught is pretty firm, even though Onslaught is technically a planetbound mech and normally not one the shuttleformer would think so highly of. It's.. complicated. Like so many things with him.
He listens to Airlift's reply and adds, "Well... why *wouldn't* it be considered your fault? Logistics SHOULD be keeping track of such things. Well, that and...." there's a glance to Soundwave, "...intelligence. Aerospace can't fight an enemy we can't see, don't know is coming, and has left no trace or warning of its existance until it suddenly shows up in the middle of our base!" Meanwhile, he continues to keep an optic on Chopshop, who's sudden act of nonchalance only raises more suspicion from the shuttle. He works with Swindle, after all... he knows that look.
Airlift just looks over at Blast Off and again smirks, that look of self satisfication that suggests Blast Off played perfectly the part prepared for him. He remains quiet for a short while, watching Swindle tinker with the drone controls. "You know Swindle, you're quite an able engineer..I don't give you enough credit.." he admits politely. "I still object of course on principal to you being in command of my division, and mean to reclaim my office.." he assures, "but I see no reason that should hinder our working together." He smiles at the Combaticon. The smile is midly more frightening than his evil looks. He hmmms, "you know though..the upper ranks of our division are woefully under-represented. I suppose that, when I take over..there might actually be room in MSE for a mech with your talents.. Head of Technology Aquisitions perhaps..or Experimental Weapons Division.." he muses. "Perhaps even Executive Officer. Then of course, you would simply be following your division commanders orders when you outfitted the drones with the weapons they need to turn the tide of this battle and secure Nova Cronum."
He stops and picks up one of the drone heads as he paces, "You know.." he taps a key on the table and brings up one of his own holorecords on the primary viewer, blown up to actual size as he walks over. "Speaking of things that are personal..I think our drones.." he raises the head up into position inside a dismembered head of a Nova Cronums citizen laying on the battlefield..so that the display is superimposed over the drone head.. "could use a bit more armoring..something with..aesthetics.." he suggests with an evil laugh.
Swindle .. actually chuckles a bit at Airlift's triade. "If I didn't know better," or maybe he does, "I'd say it sounds almost like you're trying to compile a rap sheet." The Combaticon was a cool customer, you could be throwing accusations left and right or trying to gun him down on the battlefield and it was still rare to see Swindle not keep his usual greasy charm up.
"Please Airlift, don't patronize me with your roundabout incrimidations." Just as casually as he responds Swindle plugs his personal datacron into the display to download the alterations he's made to the schematic files at the suggestions. Then turns just enough to waggle a digit at the Reaver. "You imply that despite my said 'extra-curricular activities' I don't know where this is going? Of course I'm going to catch blame just for being in charge, even if I didn't actually do anything. Just like I catch slag just for my reputation or from it being Starscream's fault we're even here in the first place."
The download finishes and Swindle unplugs the link, then turns back to Airlift. And smiles. It's one of those snakeoil charming yet slageating grins he's rather infamous for. "And if you think just -that- is going to stop me, you really have -not- gotten caught back up with the times. One misplaced bomb that nearly threatened Cybertron as a whole? Drop in a bucket. HOW many times have our kind nearly lost or been driven off our own world by this time? It's like a terrible cliche in a cartoon or something."
Did his optics dart aside for a moment there, or was it just your imagination?
"Now if you will excuse me. Or even if you won't." Swindle chuckles a little more as he gets up, and gives Airlift a brief bow. "Despite the thinly veiled jabs, you've provided plenty of insight as well." He stows his device away and gives a vage gesture at the table. "Feel free to... decorate these however you feel like expression your Unicronian morbidity. I have no farther use for -scrap-. Good cycle, gentlemechs."
And just like that Swindle turns and walks right on out, blame or not, he's got plenty of other of his own matters to attend to.
Chopshop gives Blast Off a casual glance. Dangit why does he have to be looking? If only there was some distraction that... Almost right on queue, Airlift takes another one of the heads and loads up the display. The Insecticon offers a brief wave to Swindle as he leaves, but he's not too focused on either distraction. Oh no, he's focused on that one burnt out drone skull.
Chopshop picks it up, almost as if inspecting it as Airlift talks, before he just puts his hand to his side. Still holding the head, though. "That'll make those 'bots angry for sure." Chop Shop says, a bit impassively.
There's a wicked laugh from Airlift, "We'll see..I'm looking forward to seeing whether you get demoted or simply see a more profitable positioning available for you first..one without such..oversight," is Airlift's parting jab. He's still holding the 'trial by combat' card as well..just in case..he's danced the dance before and is far more confident of how it ends with Swindle than with Blast Off. Turning back to the medical bay, "Backbone, put together a salvage detail. Gather pieces from the corpses of Nova Cronum and outfit the attack drones with them.." he instructs before going to check on Soundwave, not at all about to go do the menial tasks himself.
Blast Off has to wonder just what Airlift is smirking about.. and hope there's nothing to it. He watches the mech's head get superimposed on the drone's body with a slight look of distaste. He doesn't share in the other mech's love of morbid things, though he does realize the effect those might have on the Autofools. But wait.... "Those *might* work, but I certainly hope no one is going to expect *me* to transport a bunch of rotting mech parts dripping who knows what all over my cargo bay?" He does momentarily take his optics off Chopshop.
As Swindle comments and leaves, he shifts a little as Swindle brings up the whole Starscream incident, then adds, "For the record, I blame Intelligence more than anything. How did all those disgusting organics make it past our security and spies? Buzzsaw and his ilk need to step up their game." He looks at Airlift again. "And Swindle is correct... your little agenda has not gone unnoticed. While your optics are fixed elsewhere... just make sure you don't take a... misstep where you are currently AT."
Chopshop has successfully stolen the burnt out drone head. Greatest thief. "Also, yeah, I ain't a salvager. No skill required to drag some corpses in" the Insecticon adds, antenna twitching.