Decepticon Interim: Fleetwind Does Normal Things

[Fleetwind]

The yellow Seeker does not return to base via a direct route, but a meandering one that would be more difficult to trace. He thinks nothing of having left Thundercracker and Jetstorm behind. Skyblast was retreating. They can run anytime they want. Unless Jetstorm gets caught again, but if that happens, well, it's his fault for not running when he had the chance.

Eventually Fleetwind returns to base, circling lazily overhead. Hmm. Skyfire near Hook. Better to not go there; he'd have to explain his injuries. And, while they're painful, he does have a self-repair system that can at least get started.

The pastel Seeker seeks out one of the tallest buildings in the town... and curses its flatness. How dull. So instead he flits a bit further up the mountainside to for a bit of alone time, perching himself in a spot where he can look down at the down and, with his enhanced distance sensors, watch the going-ons.

This little Seeker needs some time for himself.

[Spinister]

If anyone could trace the path that Spinister took to return to the Decepticon encampment, Spinister would be deeply ashamed of himself. No, he didn't make any use of his cloak. It drains his fuel levels, and the more he uses it, the more likely he is to get caught.

The Apache does note some funny infrared readings from the mountain. He lands on the other side, when Fleetwind isn't looking back, and slowly, quietly scales around the mountain until he is directly behind Fleetwind.

Spinister reaches out to tap a hand on Fleetwind's shoulder and comments, "Enjoying the view? I see that you aren't busy."

The injuries that the Seeker sports must be from that Skyblast fellow. Looks like mostly slashing damage, probably from a large knife. Don't look too bad. It's curiously that the Seeker hasn't sought out a medic yet. Does he have something to hide or does he just not care?

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind does not notice Spinister's approach. In fact, he doesn't notice that Spinister is there until the tap on his shoulder, which results in a jump and a spin... but not a landing. The Seeker, optics wide, is so startled he forgot about gravity!

Well, no. He just automatically kicked on his antigravs.

When he sees who it is, he relaxes - marginally - and settles back down on the ledge. He nods. "Correct on both counts," he replies, taking a moment to study the helicopter.

[Spinister]

Spinister's blades perk up at Fleetwind's startled reaction. So this one is a jumper! Spinister has to admit he finds that quite satisfying, but he doesn't dwell on it long. Instead, he swiftly explains, "Lord Starscream has dispatched me to assess the capacity of his forces. There will be a mandatory combat exercise later, but for now, I'm going to ask you some questions. I was going to stick with the standard ones, but you explain how that combat you just got into went."

He is not accusatory, merely mildly interested. He stays a decent distance away from the ledge. He can fly in alternate mode, but falling off a mountain is never a good start to a flight.

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind shrugs one shoulder. "It was close to a draw, I think. He's more maneuverable than I am as a jet, more agile... but I think we're close to the same skill level, and I can stay in the air in robot mode. We both focus on... artistic aspects of flight, but my chosen form is closer to a combat art. On the other hand, he looks to have thicker armor than I do. It seems to come out rather close to even in the end."

He glowers. "It'd have gone better, were it not for Jetstorm's panicked flailing. The Autobots have Omega Supreme. If he- if all of these 'Cons- cannot learn to keep their cool against much larger opponents, we are dead." And if Jetstorm shows no improvement, and soon, Fleetwind will not risk himself for the smaller jet again. He will go to a great deal of trouble to assist someone who has a good chance to aid him in the future, but if the 'Vehicon' stays as he is, the Seeker can see no possible use for him.

[Spinister]

Spinister withdraws a datapad and writes left-handed. If anyone pays attention to what he's writing, he's writing backwards. He jots down a note that Fleetwind mentioned art. The Seeker's evaluations of Skyblast may be useful. Spinister does note that Fleetwind is mostly blaming Jetstorm, instead of taking responsibility. Staring at the datapad, he does acknowledge, "We'll work on that in training."

Spinister looks up and says, "You're Starscream's bodyguard. How is that working out for you? I need a brief history of your universe, major technologies and figures highlighted, and your weaponry, special abilities, and skills, useful and useless. The art, for one thing. My partner's an artist, y'know?" He tilts his head to one side slightly, considering. 'Partner'. Doesn't sound quite right, but 'student' isn't cutting it anymore. "What kind of combat and team experience do you have? What enemies have you engaged on this world?"

He offers, "The more I know, the better Starscream will be able to place you in assignments, and the more successful we'll all be."

Spinister would hope that Starscream would know a little bit about his 'bodyguard', but that part isn't flying so well.

He finishes, "I can tell you a bit about myself, after, for your own good. Lord Starscream tells me your reality doesn't train mechanisms like me."

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind's optics flicker briefly in start. "I was... not aware that Starscream had intended that position to be permanent. He hasn't called on me for it since. At the time, I believe he was just trying to pick someone who seemed likely out of a group of relative strangers."

The pastel Seeker shakes his head and considers. "A brief history of me... universe? Uhm. It started existing. Cybertron happened. They had a Golden Age, and eventually some mechanoids decided that as grand a species as ours should be running things everywhere. Megatron lead them. The Autobots, lead by Optimus Prime, opposed.¹ I was built sometime during the first million years after the start as a factory-built Decepticon." He does not mention that he was considered borderline defective. "I am a weapon, and I take pleasure in acting as such. However, I also believe... that the Empire should get the maximum possible usage out of the resources that went into my making." In other words, he wants to live as long as possible. For the Empire, of course.

"For the longest time, one of the edges the Decepticons had in technology was the gestalt process, but the Autobots have finally gained that as well. Anti-gravs are still primarily a Decepticon technology, although I believe I read once that the Dinobots can fly in robot mode. We also have the Space Bridge for quick transfer to Earth and back, but often at a significant energy cost."

"The only weaponry out of the norm for a Seeker I possess are my wing-tip daggers. While I'd generally prefer my fights be at a distance, but if they can't, I'm prepared. Also, there are simply times when a close-in run can cause more shock and get better results than firing from a distance. I do have better than normal long-ranged sensors, and although they are primarily useful for scouting and mapping, they do assist in my ability to aim."

"The art..." Fleetwind shifts from one foot to another. Blast, but he shouldn't have mentioned it! But he did. He sighs. "I am an aerial dancer." And then he summarizes Aerial Dance in much the same way he had for Jetstorm. Finally, he finishes with, "But the art hasn't been used as a means of picking threes in a long time, and has quite fallen out of favor in general. I find that it pushes my agility to its limits, however, and continue to practice it for that reason."

"Like most Seekers, I'm used, primarily, in working in groups of three Seekers. I lead my last Three, but it was a fairly unimportant team at a fairly unimportant post." He shrugs. "We got by. Moderate successes, moderate defeats, nothing to brag about or be slagged over. Just another group of weapons in the Empire."

"During the last battle, most of my focus was on Omega Supreme. I did briefly engage a red race car that I didn't recognize while trying to keep him away from Needlenose. All I can say about his skill is that some of his shots landed. After that, I was tasked with getting Needlenose in the air, although I did have that brief altercation with Skyblast before we had fully retreated."

Fleetwind tilts his head. "And that seems to cover it. I would appreciate knowing about you, sir. If that's all right."

---

¹ Due to issues with history suppression and the like, there are a number of significant details missing from Fleetwind's recounting.

[Spinister]

Spinister is satisfied by the correction that he gets out of Fleetwind. So the yellow Seeker was just a living shield. Spinister's flattered that Starscream thought he'd need a bodyguard around Spinister, but he also notes down that Starscream's power base is built on a lot of lies and false grandeur. No, not all of these notes are going to Starscream. Some are going to Needlenose. Some are staying with Spinister.

He's getting much the same story from Fleetwind as he did from Dead End and Thundercracker, but it's interesting to see what people leave in and leave out. Some of it says what Fleetwind thinks is important. Some of it says what Fleetwind hasn't experienced. Some of it says what Fleetwind doesn't want Spinister to know. He's getting the impression that Fleetwind didn't see much action with the major players, if he only read about Dinobots. This thought is later all but confirmed.

There is something that might be an approving nod at Fleetwind's art, but then, it might just be a twitch from standing there. It's a martial art, and Fleetwind's using it to better himself as a warrior. There is no waste there. He's also pointedly working to address a weakness in the Seeker design, the lack of melee equipment and experience.

Spinister raises a finger when Fleetwind is done and asks, "Just to clarify, what does your Space Bridge look like?" His own Decepticons have gone through at least twoversions, and it'd be nice to know what version with which these people are familiar.

Then, stylus and datapad in hand still, he rests his hands on his hips briefly, composing his thoughts. Then, Spinister brings them back up, but he clearly isn't writing anything about himself as he explains, "I am... was the leader of the Mayhem Attack Squad, a special operations unit. Used to co-lead with Snarler, but he bought the farm. When the empire has problems with deserters, malcontents, and dissenters, we get rid of those problems." He leaves exactly what that entails to Fleetwind's imagination. "We also take on other high profile problems. Lord Starscream's having a bit of trouble getting his troops here to wrap their heads around the idea of 'deception', but this is the kind of thing you don't talk about around this 'Skyfire' guy. Likewise, you want to be quiet about my guns. They're xenorganics. I get a significant performance increase for my trouble. Part of the Decepticon creed is 'Anything for power'. 'Anything' includes 'squishy little aliens'."

There is an indignant snort from Spinister's side.

[Fleetwind]

"The spacebridge? Very large circular thing," Fleetwind demonstrates, index finger and thumb curved to imply walls, which he starts together and circles around towards him, suggesting something that lies on the ground. "No ceiling. You go inside the walls, the door closes, you're sucked up into... wherever... and spat out in the chamber in Shockwave's tower back on Cybertron."

So... nothing like the ones Spinister is used to.

Then he nods. "Well, I intend to say as little as possible around Skyfire. In fact, part of why I'm up here was because I spotted him near Hook, and I'd prefer to have to answer as few questions about my condition to him as possible. I don't see how Starscream expects to maintain this particular deception for long, though. Sooner or later, either someone's going to slip up, or people will start leaving because they're tired of being forced to play nice for the guy." He shrugs. Not his problem, really.

The Seeker listens to Spinister's defense of the organics, and nods once. "All right," is all he says concerning them.

[Spinister]

Spinister's head noticeably tilts to one side, and he mutters, "But it'd function entirely differently!" More loudly he static-coughs and adds, "...I'm assuming. Our space bridge is a bridge. Through space. We've gotten into portals lately, though."

He is used to Decepticons integrating organic components into themselves, be it as *masters or Pretenders, but given the reaction to Blackarachnia and his guns, it seems like these guys are not. He figures a pre-emptive explanation is better than having to blow out someone's knees over a threat to one of his guns.

Spinister sighs and notes, "I hope I don't have to kill this Skyfire, but civilians can shape up in surprising ways. Needlenose was a circuit designer before the war. Did fashion hardware." One might read 'useless hardware' into there, but oh, Spinister would never say such a thing. "Now he's a trained killer. I'm not expecting that kind of turnaround with Skyfire, but with a bit of coaxing, maybe he can get into the whole conquest thing."

He accepts Fleetwind's explaination for not going to Hook right now and offers, "If Needlenose wasn't busy, I'd suggest you ask him for repairs instead. Just don't go too long without getting fixed." 'Macho' is another word for 'stupid'. "You'll need to be well for the combat exercise. I think we're done here?"

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind dips his head. "I'll report when he's not busy," he answers. He's all for being in top fighting form!

"And... I don't have anything else, sir."

[Spinister]

Spinister nods and replies, "Thank you for your compliance. Watch yourself."

Now, does he mean that as a friendly parting or a warning?

This is Spinister. He'll have it both ways.

He ducks behind Fleetwind, and if the Seeker turns to watch where Spinister is going, he's gone. Dropped below the ledge, and scaling down the mountain, to be exact. Simple environmental cover is quite effective!