Shady Dealings

[Swindle]

Month 4, Week 4, Day 7 (After the timeskip in Field Trip!), "Dive truck stop in space," Semi-private

Swindle waltzes into the Good Eats Cafe like he owns the place. If he was planning on spending any amount of time here, he probably could end up owning the place. Eyeing (and smelling) a couple of diners hunched over their plates, he reflects that if he did, he would have to hire a new, more competent chef.

The arms dealer slides into a booth in the back near the jukebox and motions to a waitress. She's furry and has tentacles, but somehow manages to have a pencil tucked behind her ear and be chewing a gum-like substance. Some things are universal. "Yeah?" she asks. "Could you bring me a glass of oil and a solid fuel mix, darling?" Swindle requests, giving his best flirtatious smile. The waitress slithers off, and Swindle settles in to wait.

It's always best to arrive a little early for an important appointment.

[SceneMod]

Swindle doesn't have to wait very long at all (especially compared to how long his player waited for this post. :/).

In short order, Swindle has both his meal and his dining companion, one who shakes his head slightly and declines the menu offered by the gum-chewing waitress.

"Lovely to see you again, Swindle," says the Man in the Horn-Rimmed Glasses, "Looks like your friends have been pulling in quite the little raw materials haul out in the field."

Noah smiles, "As many as you Decepticons have, it must take quite a lot of energon to keep things moving smoothly."

[Swindle]

(Considering how irregular Swindle's player's computer access is these days, the wait didn't seem that long, if that's any help.)

Swindle digs into his solid-fuel mix, which manages to resemble runny scrambled eggs, taking occasional sips of oil. The oil isn't very good, so he's not leaving a tip. Not that Swindle ever tips anyway when he can avoid it, but it's nice to have an excuse.

"The pleasure's all mine, I assure you," he responds, reaching across the table to shake Be'net's hand. "We manage. You aching to talk about logistics?"

[SceneMod]

Noah takes the offered hand and gives it a firm shake before withdrawing. He smiles slightly and settles back in the seat.

"Logistics is what I do, so I'm always up for a discussion on the topic."

He nods in the general direction of the asteroid field. "Interesting choice of workers, I must say. Though that big fellow, your transport- he's new isn't he? Handy."

One corner of Noah's lips twitch up slightly, "I have to wonder how you're going to get your personal transport back without raising several questions."

[Swindle]

"Well, I needed to bring at least a couple people in order to get anything done. We do need the supplies. Anyway, I know at least one of the guys I asked to come won't ask questions. Well, no intelligent questions, anyway. And I needed a ship to get here. Two of them were uninvited." Swindle shrugs. The composition of his team here isn't terribly important information, and it's something The Man in the Glasses probably knows anyway, given how much else he knows. The arms dealer wonders how much of it is extrapolated from the information he's supplied him with, and how much he found out on his own.

"I'll tell them I bought it here from someone who was desperate to get rid of it. Everyone knows I can sell slime to a Skuxxoid, it won't be so surprising that I managed to pick up a starship on the cheap. Hopefully they aren't going to question their good fortune."

[SceneMod]

"Hopefully," Noah repeats, "But if they do, at least you've a method of running now."

Noah takes a sip from the tiny glass of water that always seems to appear for people who don't order a meal.

"Interesting bit of news about Pz-Zazz by the way. Ever since you and your opposites left, it's been changing. Most would say for the better. Those who made their money in less legal ways would argue the point."

He negligently waves a hand, "PrimaTech is doing perfectly fine, of course. We are rather adaptable."

"Do you still have that large purple fellow in charge if your group?"

[Swindle]

"It's always nice to have an out," Swindle says, sipping his fuel.

He listens, nodding, to the news of Pz-Zazz. Apparently the God-Egg was as important as everyone believed it was. "So, what, the trees are blooming, the smog is thinning, everyone is being kinder to their fellow sentient, that sort of thing?"

"Ah ah ah!" Swindle chides, wagging a finger. "No more information from me until I see the goods."

[SceneMod]

"Tsk. So cynical and jaded."

"The 'goods' as you so delicately describe them are merely awaiting the finish of your meal." Noah steeples his fingers under his chin in the universal language of the Secret Villain Club.

"Of course, we've been out of contact for quite some time. So a little show of good faith on the part of both parties would be prudent."

"Wouldn't you agree?"

[Swindle]

"I prefer to think of it as being cautious and having good business sense, but you can call it whatever you like," Swindle replies, finishing the last of his oil and pushing away his plate. He then raises a servo and snaps his fingers to signal for the check so he can get out of this horrible eatery before the smell of boiling animal fat seeps into his superstructure.

"Well, I suppose it's only fair," what with Noah holding most of the proverbial cards and all. Swindle produces a small datadisk from subspace, flipping it out between his fingers like a conjurer and making to place it in the Be'net's hand.

The disc contains information about what the Decepticons have been up to. It goes into a reasonable amount of detail and is accurate. The information cuts off the day after Shockwave disappears. Be'net can have the really juicy stuff once Swindle gets his ship.

[SceneMod]

HRG takes the offered disk and tucks it into a breast pocket with barely a glance. Maybe he's simply being trusting. Maybe his breast pocket contains a reader that is decoding and sending the information to pertinent parties even as Swindle is paying his check.

Be'net rises and presuming Swindle follows, will lead the conman out through an emergency exit toward the back of the restaurant. There is no tell-tale screech when the door is opened, indicating that the alarm is either turned off or just doesn't work. Probably the later.

Once outside, he will attempt to lead Swindle through a maze of parked ships and repair stations. The quality seems to be going down the further away from the cafe the pair gets.

[Swindle]

If Be'net is being trusting of Swindle, he's not very bright. Granted, as a rule, Swindle is pretty trustworthy (unless someone else crosses him first) but when he makes exceptions to that rule he tends to run off with spaceships and a bunch of loot. He also has very specific standards as to what constitutes 'crossing him.'

The merchant follows demurely behind The Man in the Horn-Rimmed Glasses, whistling snatches of a jazzy tune he heard on Pz-Zazz that he can't get out of his processor.

[SceneMod]

Be'net says over his shoulder as he walks, "I must say that I'm surprised you didn't angle to stay on Pz-Zazz. You fit well there."

Eventually, the come to the far edge of the collection of ships and repair stations. Parked under a rocky overhand is very iconic ship.

"There you are Swindle. One of PrimaTech's prize possessions. They wouldn't part with it lightly. I was a bit surprised, myself, that they chose this one for you." He turns and and tries to look Swindle in the optic.

"For your sake, I hope you live up to their expectations."

[Swindle]

There are several things that come into Swindle's mind to say upon seeing the very iconic ship. Things like "Even I couldn't sell this thing," and "So the ship is behind the pile of scrap?" However, due to cosmic coincidence, what he actually says is "What a piece of junk!"

[SceneMod]

Also by cosmic coincidence, Noah gives Swindle a scathing look and says, "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts." He doesn't call Swindle kid however, because that would be pushing it.

He reaches up and pats a section of the ships hull. "Saved my life a time or two, even, so again, I hope you live up to expectations."

"Care for the house tour?*"

---

*which will be glossed over because while I am a fangirl, I am not that much of a fangirl. >_>

[Swindle]

"I'd love to. Lead the way," Swindle responds, following Noah into the ship. He'll ooo and aah at the appropriate points. Unless his player is way off the mark, the impression the arms dealer will form is that the ship is fast and well-armed, but basically held together with paperclips and chewing gum.