Real Decepticons

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< Quantum Posed on Dec 05 08:32PM CST >- Quantum is lounging around in the barracks at Kolkular, sitting in one of the rec rooms and watching the news. A reporter is talking about how a Decepticon terrorist incited chaos at Maccaddam's some cycles earlier, and a firefight broke out, resulting in a few deaths and a bunch of injuries.
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A video taken by some neutral is being shown. He chuckles, because it's of Blast Off wearing a...cape? Of some sort, and playing music on engex glasses. What a glitch. Well it was entertaining, at any rate. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 08:41PM CST >--- Starscream has decided to inspect the barracks. Why? Because he wants to, thats why. He walks in in time to hear the Reporter on the screen explain how a Decepticon terrorist cause the mayhem at Maccaddams the cycle before. "What a lie." he snaps making his presense known to those in the room. He takes a couple of steps in and looks around. < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 08:49PM CST >- Then, without warning, an amorphous shape begins to emerge from the wall behind Quantum. Moments later, another warrior with chrome gilding that may or may not cause even someone like Starscream to be jealous enters the room, apparently having simply walked through the wall. He laughs and joins Quantum's side, clapping him on the shoulder. "Can you believe those guys? I can't believe it, they think that's entertainment." He smirks. "Hey, what do you think? We should go for a drink." He ignores Starscream for now. < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 08:51PM CST >- "Heh, well what else is new, everyone lies. Not like you're an exception, either." Quantum replies to the comment with a just a smidgeon of sass.

He jumps when the other mech appears to simply come through the wall. "What the smelt!" He turns around, almost reaching for his weapon but calming down when he sees who it is. "Primus, stop doing that to me. I'm gonna shoot you in the head one of these cycles." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 09:01PM CST >--- Starscream narrows his optics when Quantum incinuates that the Seeker lies himself, but before he can say anything, Phantum appears out of thin air pretty much and startles Quantum. He looks the new arrrival up and down critically noticing the chrome. "One of these days you will get shot for doing that, Phantom and it might just be me that does it --" he glances at Quantum, "So take a number." < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 09:11PM CST >- The mech is completely unfazed. He shakes his head at Quantum. "That's right, but it won't hurt me, you know, I can think quickly." He taps a forefinger on his own helm, smirking as he glances over at Starscream, noticing how his gaze strays to the chrome gilding on his helm and chassis. "You mean, looking good? Haha! That is not a crime, you know!" He winks, and pats Starscream on the shoulder, grinning. "I am kidding, I am kidding..." He tugs on Quantum's arm. "Hey mech, let's go. It's getting too boring in here." < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 09:18PM CST >- "Yeah, sure. You can think fast, but what happens if your reflexes aren't up to par? Don't get overconfident." Quantum counters. "You can't heal yourself, you know that." Then his arm is being tugged on. "Pfff, okay okay. Starscream I don't suppose you'd want to join us? Jump Joint, or something?" ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 09:21PM CST >--- Starscream looks at the hand that pats his shoulder then shifts his gaze from Phantom to Quantum. He glances around the room. IT looks fine actually and he did just do an inspection the week before. "Alright." he says simply. < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 09:25PM CST >- "Hey, don't think I'm such a stupid guy, I saved you before, you know!" He sighs. "Of course, of course, that is why you must be nice to every medic you see," he says, nodding.

"Sure, sure!" Phantom says, though he doesn't actually want Starscream to come. However, he won't make it known to the others. < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 09:29PM CST >- Quantum moves toward the door, then. "Right, let's go I guess. Hey I did -not- say you were stupid. I just said, you should be careful. Reflexes don't even have anything to do with stupid or smart anyway. Not that you're actually that smart." Because really, he isn't. "Really? Every single medic? Even an Autobot one? You know they wouldn't fix you even if you were dying, right?" ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 09:33PM CST >--- Starscream smirks at Quantum, "You might want to listen to Phantom, it pays to be nice to those that can repair you." he turns for the door, "I'm a repair tech -- and a good one. Did you know that?" he pauses a beat then asks, "So where are we going?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 09:37PM CST >- "Hey, you misunderstood me, that isn't what I was meaning! I was meaning to say that what I said before was a joke!" Or was it? It sometimes seems Phantom prides himself on twisting clarity into vagueness, especially when it concerns himself.

"You don't know that," he presses Quantum, "if you are good to him, maybe one day when you are dying, he will remember the good and save you. It can happen you know."

"Hey, the jealous guy has some sense after all," he says with a grin. "We can go to that place, um, what's it called again?" < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 09:44PM CST >- "Jump Joint." Quantum answers. "Oh, sure. Like that'd happen. Doesn't matter if you helped them before, they're -not- gonna help you. So what then, are you going to refuse to attack any Autobot who looks like he might be a medic? Because you never know, right? In fact any of them could be." He gestures at Starscream. "I mean just look at -him-, does -he- look like a doctor?" ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 09:46PM CST >--- Starscream stops suddenly and snaps a look at Quantum, "What's that suppose to mean?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 09:51PM CST >- "If he didn't attack me, well, why not? If you are dying, really, what is the worst thing that could happen? You will die, that's all, and regret you didn't spread good karma by being nice to a guy who has ability to save you." Phantom shakes his helm. "Of course, someone might think he looks really boring, just like a medic, you know? But that is besides the point, if you don't know he is a doctor, then that is not your fault. He is foolish not to yell, 'I am a doctor, I could save you!' Then that will be his fault." < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 09:58PM CST >- "Tch," Quantum shoves Phantom playfully in the shoulder. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

He shrugs at Starscream as the group comes up on the Jump Joint, a dive bar in Kaon. "Whatever you want it to mean, I guess." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 10:03PM CST >--- Starscream pauses as they get to the bar, "You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?" he's not used to not getting the respect that he feels he deserves simply because he is who he is. And hes 2nd in command of the Decepticon Empire on top of that. Oddily enough though he doesn't say anything else about it and heads into the bar with the other two. Dive bars are not his thing but there's always a first time for everything. < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 10:07PM CST >- Phantom shoves Quantum back. "Me? Ridiculous? You are crazy, mech! I think you must have forgotten you are the one with the magic red foam, Q!"

He arches a brow at Starscream, looking confused. "You must really be convinced I am a dumb guy, huh? Don't you know, you're just a person like everyone else, who can live and die, and feel just like everyone does? C'mon, what do you want me to do now? Kiss your ring finger? Tch." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 10:20PM CST >--- Starscream actualy considers the idea of someone kissing his ring finger. "Now that you mention it..." he smirks. "No I'm not like everyone else, I am Starscream, remember that." < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 10:33PM CST >- "I'm not stupid, I know who you are." Quantum replies to Starscream. "What did you want me to do?" He salutes sharply though, just in case. "Sir."

"Mech, I told you, so many times, it's not magic. Magic doesn't exist." he protests at Phantom. "It's just different FTL tech." He makes his way into the bar and sits down at a table near the back as he eyes the menu. Kind of a ramshackle place, but it's Kaon what else could one expect? ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 10:37PM CST >--- Starscream looks at the salute and sits down but only after he looks in the seat first. He's obviously not used to places like this, one can tell. He looks at the menu and the look on his face is unreadable. "So.. you come here enough to know what's good and what isnt' here?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 10:51PM CST >- "Heh," Phantom smirks, "even such an intelligent guy, doesn't even get what I'm trying to say," he says, shaking his helm. He follows Quantum into the Jump Joint. "Hey, I said it's magic, so it's magic, yeah?" He winks. "Don't try to contradict me again, it's bad for your karma."

"Are you asking me?" he says to Quantum. "Come on, mech, you know it's like I practically just got here.." < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 10:59PM CST >- "Uhhh," Quantum shrugs. "None of it's particularly good, so it doesn't really matter, honestly." he replies to Starscream. He smirks a little bit as the seeker looks in his seat before sitting down. Pff, what a spoiled glitch.

"No, it's not magic." he counters once more as Phantom insists. "And you don't outrank me, so. You don't get to order me around." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 11:01PM CST >--- Starscream makes a bit of a face as he looks at the menu again after Quantum's comment and finally he sets the menu down and says, "What is all this slag about 'magic' anyway?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 11:08PM CST >- "Okay, you pick then," he says to Quantum. "I trust you." He pats Quantum on the back. "Hey, you misunderstood me again, I am just your friend!"

When Starscream mentions magic, his optics glitter. "-I'll show you magic- he mutters in his home dialect of Polyhexian, which Starscream won't understand. "His Lordship Starscream, look! I believe that barstool over there is much more comfortable for you. Shall I get it for you?" He says, optics bright. He salutes the seeker, and gestures to a barstool a few seats over -- indeed, that barstool is slightly higher up and cushioned. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 11:10PM CST >--- Starscream looks at the barstool. "What about it? What makes you seeing that 'magic'?" < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 11:16PM CST >- "Yeah well you were telling me not to contradict you, so I'm telling you I can contradict you all cycle long because you're not the boss of me." Quantum shoots back.

"Nothing, there's no magic." he says with a shake of his head. "Just ignore him, he's crazy."

When Phantom seems to be trying to show off, he just gives him an exasperated look, then turns to Starscream. "He used to be some kind of illusionist." he explains. < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 11:22PM CST >- "Haha, you're very cute," he says to Quantum sarcastically, appearing amused. "Okay, you can do that. I will just contradict you back." He smirks.

"You know what," Phantom says, "He is /exactly/ right! There is no magic, the barstool isn't magic at all!" He grins at the SIC, then moves over to the fancier barstool picking it up with ease and bringing it over to Starscream. "Come, come, sit. It's nice." He even hops up on it momentarily to show him that there is really nothing extraordinary about the chair. Then he jumps off, and bows, gesturing at the chair. < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 11:26PM CST >- Quantum snickers behind a hand because he has a feeling Phantom is trying to play a trick on him or something. But he doesn't say anything, holding a menu in front of his face instead. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 11:26PM CST >--- Starscream looks from one to the other and realizes he needs a drink. He motions with a look at the bar hoping to get someones attention and lucky for him he does. He glances at the stool then at Phantom. "I'm fine here." he says cautiously and then orders the cleanest strongest thing the place might have and he lights an enercig. "So... how long have you two known each other?" no he hasn't let the 'magic' thing go but for now he's going to change the subject. There's no such thing as magic. Of that he is certain. What he's not certain about is where the smeg did these two come from? < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 11:31PM CST >- "Wow, do you see this guy?" he says to Quantum. "Flighty as the wind, one nano-klik he is saying he is so mighty, the next, he is sitting in a broken stool that is lower than all the others!" He laughs. "Okay then, I will sit in it, then," he says grinning. "The first time I can be taller than the second in command while sitting!" He motions at the bartender. "Hey bartender, tell me, what kind person sits in this chair?" he asks.

"Uh," the bartender says, "usually the richer patrons, though that's a relative term here in Kaon..." < Quantum Posed on Dec 05 11:38PM CST >- "You're going to get yourself in -so- much trouble..." Quantum mutters, chuckling from behind the menu.

"Oh, I don't even know, maybe several stellar cycles, feels like forever, though." Whether that was a good thing or bad thing isn't quite clear. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 05 11:44PM CST >--- Starscream snaps at Phantom, "Watch your words with me, Phantom. I have had about enough of your insolance." He looks at the bartender. "Keep your opinion to yourself." he takes a sip of his drink bracing himself for whatever it might taste like. It's not too bad all things considering but it is pretty rough going down. He sets the glass down after controlling the urge to bring that swallow back up and looks at Quantum, "I can understand that." he says sarcastically in reply to the answer he got from his question. Then he looks back at Phantom. "Who is your immediate commander?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 05 11:56PM CST >- He seems unfazed. "Ah, but those were your words, not mine!" He grins ad leans back in the chair, appearing to enjoy himself.

Instead of answer Starscream immediately, he turns to the aerospace commander, his optics gleaming. "So, you don't believe in magic, huh?" He snatches up the glass Starscream just set down, and tips it down a little bit, showing him that there's still liquid in there. "You see it, right?" He switches the cup to his left hand, then turns it upside down. Nothing comes out. "Now, you don't." He grins.

"I am surprised you wanted to know that so badly! You want to speak with him? Go ahead, it's okay, you can just tell me, I can obey you too." < Quantum Posed on Dec 06 12:05AM CST >- "You don't make any sense sometimes, you know that?" Quantum snarks at Phantom. He applauds tepidly at the little liquid disappearing trick. "Yes, yes, very good. You made it disappear, probably by drinking it. Or whatever, maybe you poured it out but either way you stole it. Not that it's worth that much, anyway." It looked like Starscream was having a hard time enjoying it anyway. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 06 12:12AM CST >--- Starscream looks at Phantom as if to say 'really?' and says. "That's not magic. That's slight of hand and nothing more." < Phantom Posed on Dec 06 12:19AM CST >- "Of course it is!" Phantom says, "because guess what, you don't even know what magic is! Magic cannot be defined, though people think it can. Now, of course, your magic red foam, that is a totally different kind of magic even I can't explain!"

He grins, and holds up his once empty cup he had been about to ask the bartender to fill before he'd pulled his little illusion -- now it's three quarters full, with the rest of Starscream's drink. He takes a sip. "Hey, I like that," he says, apparently immune to its poor quality. < Quantum Posed on Dec 06 12:50AM CST >- "Smelt it all, it's not magic!" Quantum insists, though he is laughing a little bit. "When are you going get it through your processor that it's not magic? It was an experiment someone did a long time ago. That worked. So obviously, it -can- be explained by natural means."

"Oh, and you have -terribly- low standards if you think -that's- good." < Phantom Posed on Dec 06 12:54AM CST >- "I didn't say magic isn't natural means!" Phantom chuckles, amused. "It could be. Like I was saying before, it can't be defined." He shrugs. "Where I come from, the drinks do not taste like this. I do not like trying new things, but this is okay, and a drink is a drink. Better than nothing, yeah?" < Quantum Posed on Dec 06 12:59AM CST >- "Then how do you even know what is or isn't magic? Or wait, it's just whatever you want it to be, so just whenever you feel like using the word, right? Psh." Quantum shakes his head. "Mech I don't know how many times I've told you this but sometimes you make absolutely no sense at all." < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 09:13PM CST >- "You don't!" Phantom says cheerfully, "except that when you see it, you know that it is magic. Like the red foam." He grins, downing the rest of his drink. He pats Quantum on the shoulder, looking amused. "And I do not know why you keep saying it! You know yourself all the times you have said it. But, it does not matter, you are still my brother." < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 09:24PM CST >- "In other words, you just say 'magic' whenever you -feel- like saying it." Quantum mutters. "So essentially I'm right." He gives Phantom an exasperated look. "You're never going to drop that are, you? You're just going to keep insisting that it's magic, every time." < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 09:35PM CST >- "You can think of it that way," Phantom says with a chuckle. "I think that secretly, you like it. You think it's funny." He winks, then waves the bartender off when he asks if they'd like another round. "I'm getting bored of this place, there's no music, let's go back." He hops off the bar stool. < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 09:52PM CST >- Quantum finishes his drink off and follows Phantom out of the bar. "Yeah, it was funny at first, I'll give you that. But it's starting to get old, to be honest with you." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 09:56PM CST >--- Starscream is hurt and annoyed and hurt and mad and, did I say hurt? He's mad cause the mission failed and as far as he's concerned it's Phantom's fault for that. He's mad cause he can't find a repair tech and, well, he knows what's wrong and he can repair but he doesn't exactly want to repair himself. So in a huff he decides to go looking for someone with at least enough brains to listen to instruction so he can get repaired. He hates being damaged and he hates pain. The Seeker huffs into the bar and looks around sourly. Then his optics rest on Phantom and Quantum and an evil smirks erupts on his lips. Walking slowly over to where they are the injured Seeker says, "So where did you go, Phantom?" his voice is controlled, too controlled and his expression is tight. < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 10:09PM CST >- Phantom, as they are walking out of the bar, runs into Starscream. He notices his uptightness but doesn't let it bother him. "Hey you, calm down, looking like that can cause you more damage, you know that?" he chuckles. "Come, come. The medic back at Kolkular is free, he will fix you! But you have to be nice to him." He takes Starscream's hand and starts leading him back towards the base < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 10:16PM CST >- Is he for real calling Starscream 'hey you'? Pff. Quantum shakes his head, but doesn't say anything just yet. He starts back inside the base, letting Phantom deal with Starscream for now. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 10:18PM CST >--- Starscream snatches his hand out from Phantums and sneers, "IF you recommend him I don't want him! You realize leaving the battle is treason don't you? You disobayed my orders! We were forced to retreat and if it hadn't of been for you bugging out we would have some out victorious in that mission." ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 07 10:22PM CST > Blast Off has felt better, to be sure. After getting peppered with laserfire courtesy of Sky Lynx and then whalloped with missiles and spun out of control thanks to Prowl and especially Impactor, the shuttle has looked much better. The Combaticon is missing several chunks of heat shield and still trailing ceramic tiles as he is also searching for a medic. Now in /his/ case, he blames Starscream for leading them into this (not)comedy of errors and then rushing off and leaving him to get blasted by Autobots. Over and over again. And being a glass cannon, that hurt. Speak of the devil. Starscream walks right towards him even now. Blast Off straightens up, catching yet another ceramic tile as starts falling off his arm. "Look who is talking of leaving a battle. You called a retreat and hightailed it out of there, leaving me to deal with all those Autobots." He gives a haughty sniff. "Not that I /couldn't/, mind you, it would have been nice to have a little backup is all." He pauses to eye Phantom. "Though he has a point... where were you?" Then he sees Quantum- and stops, staring at the other space alt. < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 10:24PM CST >- "Ah okay," he says, "no problem! I will find someone to recommend for you, that way, you don't have to think you are getting treated by a guy that some person you really don't like told you to go to."

He seems unfazed. "Ha, well I do not know if you are right, it didn't happen so I don't know! But I admit, I am a guy who isn't very good at fighting. Just running away." He chuckles. "But if it bothers you so much, I can do something for you, I will allow you to make a special, maybe secret, request!"

When he notices Blast Off, he grins. "Hey look, this guy can recommend someone for you!" he says, grabbing Blast Off by the arm and tugs him along. < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 10:34PM CST >- Quantum just shakes his head at Phantom's antics. This guy, seriously. "Oh yeah, you turned aftplate on them, eh? What's that all about? I mean there was a reason you were supposed to go with them, right? Not that you listen to my advice anyway, but I would recommend you -don't- run off before whoever's in charge of the mission calls a retreat."

And then Blast Off shows up, looking much the worse for wear. He smirks. "Well, well. What do you know. It's Mr. Caped Musician. I have to say, you were quite the sensation in that vid, I mean, that is until someone shot at you. You -do- know that some of those Autobots know who you are, right? Didn't think you'd be dumb enough to expose yourself in front of everyone like that. Or are you just -that- desperate for the approval of the masses?" ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 10:38PM CST >--- Starscream stares at Phantom like he's some sort of alien and then hears Blast Off whining as he walks up. He looks at him and notices the bits falling off of him. "I called the.. withdrawel with plenty of time for you to follow me -- you do always clain how fast you are." his voice takes on that sickening sweet mock innocense. "I thought you were behind me. You can imagine my surprise when I realized you weren't." the look on his face is unreadible on that last comment and he looks back at Quantum as the mech speaks and can't help but smirk a bit at the 'caped musician' comment. Then he gets serious again. "Regardless of whether he had a fanbase now or not. I need repairs..." he gives the Combaticon a haughty look, "... so I can /repair/ him then." boy that was hard to say. ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 07 10:43PM CST > Blast Off does NOT like that at all. "Unhand me at once!!" He tries pulling away as Phantom suddenly gets far more up close and personal than he likes, being the very standoffish sort that he is. He's also weak and injured, so he gets pulled along anyway. "Run away? What kind of Decepticon warrior are you?" He then looks back to Quantum and OMP. He actually /doesn't/ know what came over him (thanks to the nudge gun he was shot with). He can't explain it. It didn't make sense. But he doesn't know why he did what he did and that smirk is infuriating, so he defends his actions with a gusto he hopes mask his confusion. "I'll have you know there's nothing wrong with displaying skill of that nature. I imagine you are just jealous!! The skills I graced you all with were of the sort only someone with class and sophistication could pull off, after all..." And then he turns to Starscream as his optics narrow a bit. "It was a bit hard to gain speed when I had ships to destroy. HOWEVER I did just that, then retreated as ordered." The mention of the Seeker repairing HIM gets a blink. "That's fine, I'll find someone else." < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 10:51PM CST >- Phantom seems amused. "Haha, Q, look at how cute and amusing the silly shuttle is being." He pushes Blast Off's helm down playfully. "Does he think he isn't injured? The guy must be blind or something...!"

Phantom arches his brow ridges at Starscream, smirking, noticing the seeker's puzzlement.

However, when Blast Off starts mouthing off at Quantum, he frowns. "Hey, are you so foolish you can't even admit you embarrassed yourself? What do you know about skills anyway? I don't see you using any magic red foam!"

"Calm down. The jealous guy might be the one you are blaming, but at least he is trying to fix his terrible karma, you know? Just let him. Otherwise, something else bad will happen to you too. You are supposed to recommend a guy to fix him anyway." < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 10:56PM CST >- "Don't mind him, he's just weird." Quantum says dismissively, regarding Phantom. "Well you know Blast Off isn't as fast as you, Starscream." He points out rather matter-of-factly. Just a statement of fact, really.

"Pfft! Do you -really- have to keep bringing that up?!" he exclaims. "You're just trying to annoy me, is that it?" Sigh.

He chuckles at Blast Off's indignant response. "Phantom's got a point, you know. And I didn't say there was anything -innately- wrong with doing it, I just said it wasn't very wise, given that the Autobots know who you are and everything. And also given what happened." Then his face sobers a bit more. "But seriously mech, what were you thinking? Are you really that desperate to be famous? I never pegged you for the type of glitch who wanted all the attention." ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 11:09PM CST >--- Starscream isn't interested in whhat Blast Off did on stage the other night. All he wants to do is fine a repair tech. He listens to the three of them, still trying to figure out Phantoms trip, then finally says, "Are we done with the socialties yet?" he looks at Quantum, "Do you know of a decent repair tech around here?" ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 07 11:12PM CST > OMP. Phantom is practically noogieing him, and calling him *silly*. This draws an indignant *HUFFFFF* from the shuttle immediately, and his efforts to escape intensify. "I beg your PARDON. I am not CUTE or AMUSING!" He's about to protest even more when Phantom goes on- and this causes him to stop and stare. "I am not *foolish* either. Magic red foam? What on Cybertron are you even talking about? I displayed great skill doing exactly what I was doing. I'm too far above silly parlor tricks like *magic*." Quantum keeps digging at him, and Blast off turns to glare at the other mech... not even sure what to say. Well actually, he knows one thing. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm faster than Starscream. I don't seem to recall HIM being able to go 26,000 mph." Haughty sniff. "Or can you, Starscream?" The rest is a little harder to make a comeback to. "I.. I..." Another huffff. He suddenly wonders if the Autobots put something in his drink... maybe that was it? He has no intention of admitting this though. "It just seemed like a good idea at the time." When Starscream tries to change the subject, Blast off is VERY happy to oblige. "He's RIGHT. We need repairs, we don't have time for this nonsense." < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 11:19PM CST >- Phantom just smirks, waving a hand dismissively at Blast Off. "" he radios Quantum.

"Okay," Phantom says, "let's go to the repair bay, I'm sure there's a guy there who you think is good at fixing you." He smiles and motions for the others to follow him into Kolkular. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 11:31PM CST >--- Starscream follows Phantom rather dubiously and just listens to the converstaion between the Combaticon and the two mechs. Never know what's up when the Air Commander is quiet. < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 11:33PM CST >- << I have a feeling something was off. >> Quantum admits to Phantom, as he follows him inside. "Look Blast Off, I'm just concerned. It didn't seem like you. Why did it seem like a good idea at the time? It's completely against everything you usually are, and it's also stupid. You maybe a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"And it's not just idle chatter!" he protests at the aerospace commander. "I know him well enough to recognize that--THAT wasn't him. It just didn't make sense. On top of that, the Autobots were -there- and ready to pounce! Smelt, you were -there- Starscream! You saw what happened." ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 07 11:40PM CST > Blast Off got dragged along anyway.... but now he is the one beginning to pull ahead. "Well of course I am not stupid. I'm a mech with great education, intelligence and training." He casts a suspicious look back to Quantum. "Since when are you *concerned* regarding anything that has to do with *me*? Don't tell me you're trying to convince me we're friends again." Quantum and the Combaticon have had a VERY rocky history- starting when they first met- and Blast Off hasn't forgotten it. He starts quickening his pace, waving a hand... and then using the other to quickly catch another tile that falls off as a result. "Now let us focus on MORE IMPORTANT things, like repairs... you all can worry about talent night details *later*. preferably when I am NO LONGER around." < Phantom Posed on Dec 07 11:43PM CST >- "" Phantom slows his pace, so that he can fall in step with Quantum.

He watches Blast Off carefully, arching a brow ridge. "He seems like he has such a problem with you, how come?" He glances over at Starscream to see if the seeker is following. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 07 11:47PM CST >--- Starscream is following and just listening. Occasionally he glances over at Blast Off and once or twice stops to pick up some stray part that's fallen off of him. "Primus, mech, can't you keep yourself together?" he asks at one point as he shoves some heat shields in his hand. < Quantum Posed on Dec 07 11:53PM CST >- Quantum sighs at Phantom's question. "It's...a long story. I'll tell you later." he mutters.

Great, okay fine Starscream, ignore him! He gives Blast Off an exasperated expression. "Tch, -friends-? Mech, we were never -friends- before, and never -will- be, I can guarantee you that. But don't tell me that you aren't at least a little bit suspicious that the Autobots -orchestrated- everything about that night? That they were actually trying to draw you out into the open, and they used something that...that we have no idea what it is and all we know is that it somehow got you to do something -completely- out of character. It's just a disturbing thought, that's all." ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 08 12:00AM CST > Blast Off glances to Phantom and is about to answer when yet another piece of his heat shield falls off. He's just reaching down to grab it, when starscream does it for him. The shuttleformer blinks and accepts the tile. "Uh...." He striaghtens up with a huff. "I'm *trying*, they just seem to have gotten lucky and hit my shields in *just* the wrong way." Actually that's a lie, he's a glass cannon and this happens most of the time he sustains damage in battle but DETAILs DETAILs. Then Quantum speaks, and the shuttleformer's armor plates bristle once- which of course just sends more loose tiles falling off. "I'll tell you what's disturbing. It's that that idiot Blurr still somehow has mindless fans adoring him no matter what he does- even getting people killed in his desperation to destory me. It's that the population buys this scrap from the Autobots, period, no matter what they do." He pauses, looking at the hallway up ahead as if about to step forward- and then he stops, tilting his head at Quantum and Phantom. A cold glint ghosts across his violet optics. "Oh, why wait, Quantum? Our comrade wanted to know, and I have nothing to hide." He looks square at Quantum as he answers Phantom. "You see, I killed his partner when they tried to assassinate me one day. He seems to resent the fact that I didn't just die quietly like I was supposed to." < Phantom Posed on Dec 08 12:04AM CST >- "See," Phantom says, "You are being extremely foolish, not admitting you embarrassed yourself. So foolish, that even you are not willing to admit that maybe what happened that night has to do with our enemies and the war. You know, that is as good as treason and terrible for your karma!"

He pats Quantum on the shoulder. "Don't worry. We can investigate this later, when the silly shuttle finally realizes he is wrong. I think he should get fixed first, then, he maybe will have a revelation about his folly."

He turns to Blast Off again. "Your hate is blinding you. If you think more carefully without hating, everything will make more sense," he warns the shuttle former.

"Wow, you really are a terrible guy," Phantom says flatly. Then he shakes a finger at him. "But you know, you are totally wrong. Like you were wrong before. Mech, do you get anything right?" He chuckles as they arrive in front of the repair bay, and he waves a medic over. "Hey, come fix this guy before he totally loses all his bolts!" ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 08 12:08AM CST >--- Starscream has been listening but he has chosen to not answer anything said to him. His minds working on something and he can't be bothered with the banter around him. He will think about it later. Right now -- after he shoves another heatshield into Blast Off's hand, he steps in front of everyone and looks at the medic. "Me first." he says bluntly. < Quantum Posed on Dec 08 12:12AM CST >- "Yes, you're right, that is disturbing." Quantum admits regarding Blurr. "But at least it's to be expected. And you -know- not everyone buys it, you're just being a pessimist. Obviously the Decepticons wouldn't even exist if absolutely -everyone- bought it. Slag there wouldn't even -be- a war to be fought. But what's -not- expected, is the Autobots having some kind of...device or technology or maybe some fragging -outlier- for all I know, that can make someone do something stupid like that without a second thought. It's not like they haven't done stuff like this in the past. Seriously don't tell me you aren't even the -least- bit suspicious that wasn't actually -you-? That maybe, they're still mucking around with Institute tech despite all of Prime's high-sounding talk of 'freedom' and 'equality'? That they somehow manipulated you?"

Oh, and then Blast Off has to insist on talking about that right now? Anything to change the subject, is that what it was? He glares at the Combaticon. "You would do well not to bring that up when I'm around." he says threateningly. ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 08 12:16AM CST > An optic ridge lifts up at Phantom's remarks. "Foolish? TREASON?!?" He glances to Starscream like- *do you /hear/ this guy*? before turning back to Phantom. "I have nothing to be embarrassed about, nor apologies to make. And if I am terrible for living; if I am wrong for surviving this long, if HATE is what kept me alive- then so be it. Again- no apologies." The Combaticon starts to make his way towards the medic when - *oof*- Starscream pushes in front, drawing forth a HUFF. He almost says something... but the Seeker is his Commanding Officer. He'll have to wait his turn. He sighs and looks back at Quantum. There's a moment and finally concedes... a tiny bit. "...Of course I do. The Autobots are well known for playing mind games... literally. But why you think I'd discuss my experiences with *you*, of all people, I do not know. If anything happened, I'll find out- and I'll deal with it. *IF* anything happened." Then at the threat, his optics narrow and he answers icily, "Or what? You'll try to kill me? .../Again/?" < Phantom Posed on Dec 08 12:25AM CST >- The medic sighs, annoyed by their banter and Starscream's pushiness, but simply shakes his helm and starts working. "Okay, okay, I'm on it..."

Phantom just shakes his helm. "Do you hear this guy? He is going absolutely crazy! If you are vengefully blind, you will do things you regret, I promise it. You think it keeps you alive? It will kill you. You don't think sensibly when you are being fueled by your hate -- you just turn into an animal that does what it feels."

"Then who are you going to tell, then, if not us? Are you just going to do it by yourself?" Phantom scoffs at Blast Off. "Okay then, why don't you just fight this whole war by yourself, huh? Haha! He either is so damaged, he doesn't know what he's saying, or by some fluke of fate, he managed to become a Decepticon!"

"Don't listen to this guy, Quantum. He's crazy and just trying to manipulate you. You are better than that. Just leave him alone." < Quantum Posed on Dec 08 12:36AM CST >- "Then we'd better -find out- what they're up to, right?" Quantum replies forcefully. "If they can brainwash you like that, who's to say they won't mass-brainwash everyone like they always used to do? If you're smart, you'd start drumming your memory banks for the names of all Autobots who were present that night, -and- you'd report to Command on what happened." He glances at Phantom. "He's right, you can't fight this war on your own. As much as you might hate the rest of us, no one can deny that fact. Heh, just look at you, you're living -proof- of the truth of that statement.

Phantom tries to console him, and as much as he's tried to put the past behind him, it still boils up every once and a while, especially when people like Blast Off start taunting him with it. "Stay out of this," he growls, suddenly pushing Phantom aside and taking advantage of the Combaticon's weakened stated to attempt to grab him by the neck and push him against the wall. "Listen you good-for-nothing spawn of a glitch. If you want us both to -move on- and stop letting the past hinder our actual attempts to keep the Autobots from creating another totalitarian regime even -worse- than the former ones, you're gonna stop throwing fuel on the fire, -got- that? You know what they say, those who play with fire usually end up getting -burned-." He finally lets go and turns away. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 08 12:43AM CST >--- Starscream turns around suddenly and says, "Enough!" he glares at everyone and then focuses on Blast Off. "When you're repaired I want you to report to Soundave." he looks at Quantum and Phantom. "Phantom, I want you to explain to Scorponok why you left the mission yesterday and Quantum, I am waiting for your report from yesterday." he goes to the repair table the medic pointed to and gets on it. He looks at the Medic. "Get to work." ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 08 12:48AM CST > Now both optic ridges lift up at Quantum. "I beg your PARDON?" he repeats himself, staring. And that's all he does for a moment- stare. "Let me see, I could tell... pretty much anyone in the entire Decepticon army *except* him- and you, from the sound of it? What /IS/ this?" He starts looking between the two. "Is he your new partner or something, Quantum?" Then Quantum keeps going, and Blast Off points out, "You're making a lot of assumptions. One, there is no gaurantee anything happened at all. You're also assuming I *haven't* already done exactly that. Do you believe I operate in some sort of vacuum and have no accountability once I return from an Autobot encounter? ANY Autobot encounter, much less one that created such a scene? And for Primus' sake, where did this idea of me fighting the war by myself come from? Just because I do not trust *you* doesn't mean there aren't those I do trust." Slight pause, and he mutters, "Mostly." Then Quantum tries to grab him. Blast Off is ready for it, though slowed down from his injuries. Quantum manages to grab his arm as he ducks to the side- which just results in yet another piece of his heat shield torn off. It hurts, but he doesn't gasp in pain- there's no way he'd give Quantum the satisfaction. They stand there, staring, as Quantum threatens him yet again. His voice remains cold as he replies quietly, flatly, "...I have *very* good heat shields." Of course that's about when another tile falls off, leaving Blast Off to glance down at it. "..... Though naturally once they've been hit by a ship's weapinry, then.... eh, a little repair may be in order." Sigh. He glances back up. "I am not throwing fuel on the fire, however, I simply stated fact to your... friend here. And you may discover that I do not respond well to threats." Finally, Starscream speaks and Blast Off is happy to step towards him- and a repair table. "Understood." < Phantom Posed on Dec 08 01:03AM CST >- "Like who?" Phantom accuses, "look at you! Falling apart, mentally, physically, and you are in the medic bay with people you hate? Really, that sounds like a guy who has /so/ many people to tell." He folds his arms, optics narrowed. "You're just trying to deny all this because you don't want to look bad, but really, if it has to do with the Autobots, how is that helping you? Or anybody?"

Then things escalate and Quantum pushes him aside and grabs Blast Off. Phantom looks dismayed.

After things settle down, Phantom glares at Blast Off. "What the hell is your problem, really? What has Quantum ever done to you, that wasn't justified, huh? Is that why you killed Sublight? Because you were so jealous of Quantum, because he had a somebody he could trust with his whole core, who would always be there for him? Is that it, then, that you just wanted to make things even? Just because you are a miserable, lonely person not like Quantum, doesn't mean you have to make him like that!"

He scampers after Quantum, shortly after he radios Starscream, ""

"" He radios Quantum. < Quantum Posed on Dec 08 01:14AM CST >- "You're the one who brought this up, scrapheap. I'm just warning you, bringing up that slag isn't a good idea, that is all." Quantum points out. "Oh yeah, have you then? Well how come you haven't reported any of it to Command, huh? Or even reported on the incident at all? Oh wait, I know, because -it makes you look bad-. Well guess what, news flash, -everyone- looks bad sometimes. And you're deluding yourself if you think you're any different. You need to get yourself out of your own head and start thinking about the cause you're serving more than your own little hang-ups and and your own little reputation, because if -everyone- here thought like you we'd all be locked up on Luna-2 already. Let's be honest here, Blast Off--the ONLY reason you're here is because the Senate screwed you over, if they'd kept right on pampering you with all your precious engex and luxuries you'd have -gladly- agreed to keep on doing their bidding, whatever it happened to be. You'd be an -Autobot- just like that Blurr guy you hate so fragging much." Of course, he's one to talk about circumstances being the only thing that made him a Decepticon...

He sighs. << Don't be sorry, and I don't want to kill him. I just want him to shut his vox box up and quit bragging about how he killed Sublight so that I can move on with my life and stop feeling this irresistible compulsion to rip his struts out. >>

Turning to Starscream he waves a hand. "Okay okay, I'm on it." With that, he exits the repair bay. ---< Starscream Posed on Dec 08 01:25AM CST >--- The only thing that is keeping Starscream from flying off his repair table is the fact that hes damaged right now. "What part of ENOUGH did no one get?" and hes his lovely voice did screesh the work 'enough'. "I don't really care right now what Blast Off did or didnt do whenever he did or didn't it. Nor do I care if he killed anyone any of us know. I want peace and quiet right now! Do you two understand?" and yes, the tone of his voice now is a lot higher and tighter then it was when he first started that ramble. ---< Blast Off Posed on Dec 08 01:27AM CST > Blast Off's staring commences again. Where did this Phantom guy COME from anyway, some alien dimension?! "MY problem? What are you droning on about? I never even MET Quantum until he and his partner tried to kill me, and my actions were purely self-defense. There is no way I could know *anything* about them other than the fact that they were trying to kill me - and I responded accordingly. Instead of casting aspersions to people you do not even know, perhaps it is *you* who needs to see a medic? Very possibly for some wiring disorder of the cerebro-cortex." Back to Quantum. Blast Off listens to the first part- and is that a *laugh* that comes out of him? It's one of those chortling huffs that can be a little hard to tell, but yes, Blast Off is laughing. A short, somewhat bitter, yet still amused sounding thing. "You continue to make assumptions about me, someone you never *did* know very well. You presume that a Combaticon- a *Combaticon*- does not know how to follow military protocol? That I *didn't* make a report immediately upon returning to base?? What the slag kind of team do you think onslaught has been running all these years? Wait, don't answer, I'll just get more nonsense. I owe you *no* explainations, but I assure you you make presumptions about my ability to follow military protocol at your peril." The rest is less amusing, and the shuttle's optics narrow as he frowns under his faceplate. Quantum *is* right there. Far /too/ right. Blast Off was extremely comfortable ... and though he hated the Senate, there's probably no way to truly know whether he would have been an Autobot had circumstances been different. A wing elevon twitches- almost imperceptibly - as he thinks of a response. "... That's... simply a bunch of... what-ifs. There's no way to know what would have happened if *this* thing had happened or that thing *hadn't*. And no point in playing that game, either. The Senate made their true nature known long, long ago, and I regret nothing about becoming a Decepticon." He rolls his shoulders as Quantum finally turns away and Starscream protests that this is STILL going on. He doesn't even answer Starscream- audibly- he simply nods a quiet *yes*, and proceeds to a medical table to await repairs. < Phantom Posed on Dec 08 01:37AM CST >- Phantom mutters something incomprehensible in his own Polyhexian dialect about Blast Off being a lonely miser who only made trouble before catching up to Quantum. "No," he says quietly, "I am sorry I am not Sublight. I will never be him. I can only be here to help you. My debt to you is not repayable.." He glances back at the repair bay, relieved to be out of the presence of Starscream and Blast Off.

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