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Post by Kup on Apr 19, 2008 20:24:57 GMT -5
OOC: This takes place on Day 9, after the kidnapping and during No One There.
Kup is not any more than marginally aware of the frantic chase going on back at base. Unlike the unfortunate alternate Emirate, Kup knows exactly where Swerve was last seen, and he's on his way over before Mirage finishes swearing over the airwaves.
Of course, Kup's best speed is still nothing compared with the best sped of a race car.
The kup truck rolls up, skidding on the metal road, and then he tumbles into a transform and rolls upright before rushing towards Mirage.
"What happened?!" he demands of the spy.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 20, 2008 22:19:36 GMT -5
"I...Swerve and I were being a bit snippy with each other. You walked up, commented on that fact, then offered to take over watching him. You mentioned that you'd had a report from a patrol, and needed to talk to Swerve."
"Impersonating an individual is about more than appearance and vocal tones. It requires lengthy observation of habits, speech patterns, attitudes. And I am very observant, Kup. It was near perfect, and only in revisiting the encounter do I see the flaws. Which means we have been under observations for some time."
Mirage's fists clench and unclench at his sides as he talks, and he meets Kup's gaze without flinching. There is anger in Mirage's face, also worry and embarrassment. He is well aware of his error, but hiding from it, trying to excuse it, gains nothing and wastes time.
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Post by Kup on Apr 20, 2008 22:48:23 GMT -5
Kup's expression is very intent, ultra-sober. His hands rest lightly on his hips as his optics scan the area. If there are signs of a struggle, they're far too faint for him to detect, but then, based on Mirage's story, this other got the drop on him. He hisses softly, angrily. "Nightbeat's on his way. I've also told Synapse to get the other Xaaron out here. As soon as they've arrived, though, I've got to go."
The security chief turns to look at Mirage. "I've got to go switch up and alter as many of our defenses as I've got time for. We're also back to confirming identity by checking over radio frequencies first." Kup then activates his own radio to make that ruling public. As security chief, that falls under his jurisdiction, anyway.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 21, 2008 9:41:37 GMT -5
Mirage nods, though he visibly twitches at the mention of Swerve's Emiate. Such a confrontation is not one Mirage looks forward to, especially considering what Mirage knows of that Xaaron's feelings for Swerve.
"Do you want me to wait on Nightbeat, or try and pick up the trail now? Because I am going after him, Kup, and we've lost time as it is."
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Post by Kup on Apr 21, 2008 10:53:14 GMT -5
And leave Kup to have to face the music and deal with the wailing and flailing Emirate Xaaron? Oh, gee, thank you so much, Mirage. However, he has a point concerning the widening lead.
Kup narrows his optics and hisses out a growling sigh. He's none-too-pleased with the idea of sending Mirage out there knowing that the interloper's probably also a Mirage, even with radio frequencies. The growling undertone roughens his voice when he says, "Go, dammit. Just keep me up to date." He pauses. "Y'might want to check in with Rattrap or Goldbug, too."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 21, 2008 14:49:41 GMT -5
And here comes the detective in question, moving with his customary swagger and self-confidence. He can't help it, really. It's just part of his natural charm. Or at least, that's his story and he's sticking to it.
He'd been listening to the radio chatter, so he's fairly caught up on what's gone down. In fact, he's already formed a theory.
"I'm guessing Xaaron and Swerve's 'buddies' are here." he says.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 23, 2008 0:40:50 GMT -5
A sharp nod, and Mirage begins to cast about for some sort of indication of direction. He had been here, Swerve here, "Kup" had come from there....that vehicle, it was not so dented earlier, and that small paint smear matches Swerve's paint. No tracks on pavement, blast it all, but perhaps on the outskirts of the lot?
Nightbeat's arrival and comment make Mirage stiffen, but he quickly continues to the edge of the lot. With any luck, he'll find some trace and be able to head off. Alone.
OOC: Mirage is not out of thread yet, but will be in a couple of rounds, and he is no longer in Kup or Nightbeat's immediate vicinity.
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Post by Kup on Apr 23, 2008 10:20:57 GMT -5
"Oh, gee, thanks, Nightbeat," Kup replies, voice saturated with sarcasm. "So glad I called in the wire-wickin' detective on this case. Don't know what we'd do without you, and so on and so on."
He turns towards Nightbeat, right hand resting lightly on his waist, a tight, faint frown of irritation resting lightly on his face.
"Now, if you're done pointing out the painfully obvious, I need you to help figure out how badly we're compromised here. Mirage has got trailing the other guy handled, but he thinks that he'd have to have been here observing for awhile to pull off that level of deception. I need to know where he's been, what he's seen, what he's been using as fuel sources, everything, and I need to know it yesterday. We've been doing a lot of work trying to prepare for invasion, and I'm thinking we don't have time to redo it all from square one, so I want to concentrate on the stuff we know they know about and that we can actually do something about."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 26, 2008 23:36:25 GMT -5
Kup, obviously, does not understand proper detectiving. The first step is to alway state the obvious. Whether that's "he's dead, Jim," or "it's drafty in here," when investigating a bombing. Nor does he recognize Nightbeat;s ability to multi-task. While he's busy being a smart alec, he's already been taking the scene in, memorizing it and running several different clue-finder sub-routines in his central processor.
"Understood, Kup."
He opens his right hand, closes it, then opens it again, a small compartment in his wrist opening and depositing a magnifying glass into his palm. It's actually a bit more complicated a device than it looks, mostly it's parts pieced together from several other scanning devices, but it looks the part, which is important.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
Ate you alive since you were a child/That's when the monster first appeared in you
Posts: 162
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Post by Emirate Xaaron-3 on Apr 27, 2008 21:14:39 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron runs into the area. There is not Swerve-3 here! Not obvious one. Perhaps they shrunk him, and...
Why is he fooling himself? Life is never, ever that kind.There is only heartbreak after heartbreak, leaving him in tatters, barely hanging together, delicate, ripped lace, woven of pain and anguish.
Kup and Nightbeat, and Mirage, away, alone, are grim and searching.
Emirate Xaaron's knees knock together, and his hands rise to cover his optical cleaner-streaked face.
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Synapse
Minor
Do not touch...please
Posts: 380
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Post by Synapse on Apr 27, 2008 21:29:06 GMT -5
Synapse enters close behind Emirate Xaaron, expression tense and flattened while questions and thoughts crowd through his processors.
He doesn't say a word, it isn't his place and nothing he can say feels appropriate. Instead, the scout gives a nod and a bow towards Nightbeat and Kup. Synapse pauses long enough in case there are any orders that need to be followed, but if not, he backs a few steps away before transforming and blasting off into the air. Though even his exit seems even more silently subdued than usual.
Time to serve as optics in the sky, even if the probability of finding anything or anyone is low.
OOC: Synapse in and out as he's just serving as escort
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Post by Mirage on Apr 28, 2008 1:15:21 GMT -5
Mirage has found what might or might not be tracks at the edge of the lot leading away from base. If they are tracks, they are eerily familiar. They look too much like his own, when he is being careful to leave as little trace as possible. But these...these look like heel patterns, too deep for normal walking. Carrying something, maybe. Or someone.
It's faint, and may be nothing, but it's a start. Mirage straightens, turns to let Kup know and then the other Xaaron appears. The look Mirage levels on the distraught Emirate is a mixed bag of concern, pity, and apology. Mirage starts to call out to Kup, then switches to radio.
//Kup? I have what looks like tracks here. I am going after them, unless you wish me to wait?//
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Post by Kup on Apr 28, 2008 10:01:09 GMT -5
Ah, but Nightbeat, isn't it the job of the 'normal forces' to question and harass the private detective? And Kup, as head of Security, counts 'normal forces.' "All right, get to it," is all he tells Nightbeat.
After all, as the 'normal forces,' it's also Kup's job to deal with the 'family' of the victim, and he's just arrived on-scene.
Kup turns and walks towards Emirate Xaaron, expression grim, determined... and sympathetic. He looks down at the golden mechanoid, frown etched deep in his well-worn features, and states, in a tone that seems more dry statement of fact than any attempt at reassurance, "We'll get him back."
To Mirage, he radios, //Go, but don't pull anything stupid. You get more news, you let us know.//
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 30, 2008 22:27:04 GMT -5
Nightbeat is now in full investigative mode, his attention focused entirely on solving the issue at hand. First things first, a general chemical analysis. This will give him fuel information and, cross-referencing with the medical files of the regular universe counterpart, enable him to extrapolate the rest of the information.
In other words, wild mass guessing, but guessing that nine times out of ten turns out to be right.
He gives his scanner a little tap. "C'mon baby, tell poppa what you learned..."
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Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
Ate you alive since you were a child/That's when the monster first appeared in you
Posts: 162
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Post by Emirate Xaaron-3 on May 2, 2008 11:04:48 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron sinks to his knees and falls forward, on all fours, clutching at the metal of the parking lot as if he wishes he could tear it up and fall into some deep, dark hole, never to be seen again. Then he sits up a bit, hands dirtied and dented, and he throws his head back and shrieks piteously.
He gets to his feet, wobbly and shaking, clutching his midsection as if he just downed a tin of C4 and followed it up with a lighter. Emirate Xaaron's gaze roves around the parking lot in shaky, spasmodic jerks before locking onto one particular person with the grasp of an infrared missile.
Emirate Xaaron runs, gait ragged and irregular, toward Mirage, and when he's closer, he flings out his arms in an attempt to grab Mirage. He's sobbing and pathetic, and perhaps he just wants some comfort from the fellow who was nice enough to dance with him. Considering the situation, that would be the logical conclusion.
It would also be forgetting that Emirate Xaaron hates personal contact.
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