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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 17, 2010 14:12:16 GMT -5
Day 5. Semi-private thread. Please ask before posting in.
It seems someone has a proposition for Shockwave. Novel concept, that. Usually it is Shockwave who presents such things.
Swindle has politely begged audience with the Decepticon commander, and Shockwave sees no reason to deny him. Besides, the not-a-Combaticon has been quite proactive in establishing their merchant cover story. Such initiative- no matter how self-serving- should be rewarded, yes?
So Shockwave sits comfortably at a desk in his hotel suite, waiting for Swindle. They have had little interaction up 'til now.
It should be an interesting conversation.
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Feb 17, 2010 14:30:30 GMT -5
Swindle adjusts his tie as he walks down the hall toward Shockwave's suite. This is it. The big pitch. If he can pull this scheme off he's going to be swimming in credits. Finally coming to the Decepticon commander's door, he knocks, and it opens with a mechanical 'whoosh.' The arms merchant strides in, smiling, and addresses Shockwave, bowing slightly as he does. "Lord Shockwave, so glad you could see me! Have I got an idea for you! What would you say if I told you I could discredit the Autobots and fill Decepticon coffers a the same time? Too good to be true, right?" He reaches into his storage compartment and pulls out a datadisk, holding it between his index and middle fingers like a magician doing a card trick. He gestures with it toward a flatscreen media player on one wall. "May I?"
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 17, 2010 15:04:22 GMT -5
Shockwave listens impassively to Swindle's grand entrance speech with not so much as a headfin flick to express interest. Swindle's initial hook falls in line with Shockwave's meta-plan for their time here; however, he wonders if he arms dealer knows that Shockwave himself ran quite the successful smear campaign of his own, back in his home reality.
The gunformer leans forward and props his elbows, hand cupping over canon tip. He tilts his head slightly toward the media player.
"You may. But Swindle," Shockwave voice takes on a slightly cautionary tone, "do drop the street hawker persona, if you will. I am not one of your shills, to be persuaded to part with the cherished by your silvered words."
He gestures again to the player, "Continue."
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Feb 17, 2010 15:44:40 GMT -5
Swindle smiles sheepishly and nods. He was prepared for this sort of response, he is, after all, used to dealing with Megatron back home. "You don't want to hear the patter, you just want to see the goods. I can respect that. Speaking of which, I recently sold Prowl, (Autobot from my reality, bit of a wet blanket, as they say on Earth) a sword with a homing beacon in the hilt. The frequency for it is <some numbers.> Call it a gift." So saying, he inserts the disc into the media player and activates it.
There's some static on the screen, and then. . . a cozy domestic scene. Three gelatinous tentacled blobs sitting around a table, eating mush from bowls. One is significantly smaller than the other two and of a lighter color, seemingly a child. Suddenly there's a crash from off-screen, and two mechanoids, dressed up with what appears to be carboard so that they look similar (but just different enough not to provoke a lawsuit) to Springer and Long Haul burst into the frame. Autobrands are clearly visible on them. "Everyone put your tentacles up!," shouts Not-Springer, brandishing a weapon, "We're taking all your valuables!" The small blob begins crying, and one of the larger ones hushes it, clutching it protectively. The third blob reaches under the table and says "Not so fast, housebreakers! I have. . .a gun!" And it does indeed pull a gun from under the table. The two Not-Autobots look alarmed at this turn of events as the blob turns the muzzle on them and pulls the trigger. A voice from off-camera says "Click, click!" and Not-Long Haul knocks the weapon out of its tentacles. The camera zooms in on the blob's face and the scene freezes as it says "Oh nooooo. . ."
The camera zooms out again, the scene still a frozen tableau, and Swindle walks into frame. "Hey there folks!" he says, "Swindle here, for the Decepticon Mercantile Consortium, makers and purveyors of fine munitions. Don't let this," he gestures to the frozen scene, "happen to you." A boom microphone drifts into frame from above and Swindle casually knocks it back up out of view. One of the blobs says "Can we move now?" Shooting it a look, Swindle replies in that same non-threatening salesman voice, "You move when I tell you to, organ sack! Where was I? Right. . . buy Decepticon, and keep your loved ones safe!" He pulls a hand blaster from his storage compartment and places it in the tentacles of the frozen blob, then steps into the background, arms crossed, grinning, as actors start moving again.
"Zap, zap!" comes a voice from off-camera, as the blob fires the prop gun and the the two housebreakers fall down dramatically. The little blob turns to Swindle and gushes "Gee, thanks, mister!" Swindle pats it on what is presumably its head, and says "Sure thing little guy!" Addressing the camera, he winks and says, "Remember folks, buy Decepticon for quality weapons. I should know! I'm not just the spokesmech. . ." A robot, also wearing a shell of pure refined Cardboardium, painted blue and looking a bit like Sentinel Prime (which is surely pure coincidence) rushes at Swindle from behind, frothing at the mouth and screaming, as Swindle deploys his arm-mounted scatter gun and levels it behind his back at the onrushing mech. The off-screen voice says "Bang!" and the look-alike gasps and clutches his chest, overacting falling to the ground. ". . . I'm also a customer," Swindle finishes. The scene fades out, and is replaced by the Decepticon emblem.
Turning away from the vidscreen, Swindle addresses Shockwave. "Now, I know it's a bit rough, but with a little editing, some special effects, maybe we could run it by Soundwave, or whoever is good at that sort of thing around here, we can have this planet eating out of the palms of our servos!" With this, he holds his hand out palm up, then closes it into a fist, smiling all the time. It's a much nastier smile than his usual one. "I can poduce a whole series of these ads, purchase some prime-time airtime, and well, I'm sure you can do the math."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 17, 2010 16:36:28 GMT -5
Shockwave's optic flickers as Swindle mentions well, swindling Prowl.
"I would prefer to call it your duty, Swindle," the Decepticon commander corrects softly before turning his attention to the commercial mock-up.
As the commercial plays, one of Shockwave's headfins tilts gradually up, vaguely imitating the slow arching of a brow. It is several seconds past the end of Swindle's pitch before Shockwave speaks again.
"I would not call it rough. I would call it ridiculous," he says, "While I appreciate the idea behind your presentation, personal experience has proven that one need not fabricate such doings. It is much more effective to simply use the Autobots own actions against them."
"While I am not opposed to either of the base ideas you present, I would prefer something a little more subtle, all around."
Shockwave leans back, "Speaking of subtlety, you did take care to get the proper licenses, yes? We have already inadvertently vexed one of the local cartels, and I have no wish to press that issue at the moment."
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Hellbender
Major
Mecha-Shai-Hulud
"Seriously."
Posts: 892
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Post by Hellbender on Feb 17, 2010 20:46:10 GMT -5
Suites have more than one room; that's why they're called 'suites' and not hotel rooms. Hellbender drifts in from the other room where he's been waiting and listening from, just in case someone shows up to cause trouble. As the Boss said, they've slightly annoyed one of the local cartels.
The big worm-former stands silently to one side, listening as Swindle finishes up his pitch and Shockwave responds. There's something familiar about the scenario; should he comment, or not? He's not a staff officer, and it's not really his place--but it's a sergeant's job to support his officer, too. He'd overstepped a bit at the meeting in the garden, but Shockwave had been patient with him. Mentioning things from his history wasn't really overstepping.
"Sir, this here sort of reminds me of something Megatron did back on Earth in my universe. Used the Stunticons to set up the Autobots, make 'em look like the bad guys in front of human cameras... Had Bombshell re-program some journalist to fill in the details, Ah think. Ah hear it worked pretty good--got the humans to take out the Aerialbots for us."
"And Swindle here sure is one sweet talker. Bet he can do editorials as well as he does sales," Hellbender said thoughtfully.
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Feb 17, 2010 21:22:44 GMT -5
Swindle looks crestfallen at Shockwave's response for nearly a whole two seconds. "Subtle? I can do subtle." He laughs at the mention of licenses, reaching into his chest compartment and pulling out a datapad and some paper printouts. "Did you want the real ones or the forgeries? Pz-Zazz is my kind of planet, boss, I know how to operate here. I'm not pushing on anyone's turf."
Swindle turns to watch Hellbender enter the room, and nods as the worm-former gives his two energon chips. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, big guy," he says. "Lord Shockwave, I know you know how to use your assets to maximum effect. If you want something mashed into a pulp, you'd send Bonecrusher. If you need someone stabbed in the back, you'd send Starscream. But if you want to run a con? I'm your 'Con," Swindle finishes, jerking his thumb at his chest.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 18, 2010 13:33:17 GMT -5
"Mmmhmm," is all Shockwave says in response to them both at first, fingers drumming softly on the desktop.
"I am no stranger to such manipulations of popular opinion-," he begins, addressing how words to both, "Where distrust, worry, or suspicion already live, it is much easier to sow more aggressive seeds."
"We already have such a garden, tilled so thoughtfully by the Autobots themselves. Omega Supreme's crash, the destruction it wrought and the lives it took, has already set some local opinions against them."
Which reminds Shockwave- he needs to send someone to check on the Guardian's repair progress. For that matter, he may do so himself- and perhaps persuade Hook to accompany him. Omega will not be in any shape to do damage to the Constructicon soon, after all, and the Autobots could hardly risk an unprovoked attack upon a concerned- if estranged- family member, now, could they?
"A pity... I do not think we have any video footage of the Rodimus Prime from Starscream's reality blowing up that planet," he muses, "But I am sure that among the many there are good enough examples of 'Autobot violence' stored in old video feeds and such. Poke around, Swindle, see what you might find. You may start with this."
Shockwave slips a datastick out of subspace and places it on his desk. It contains a variety of video clips from the battles on Earth which the gunformer used in his own propaganda campaign. Admittedly, some of the clips are just as telling on Megatron's crew as on the Autobots, but that is because he wished to discredit both factions at the time. That said, even those clips are edited to make the Autobots appear worse.
It is professional work, carefully done. Shockwave imagines Swindle will recognize them for what they are.
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Hellbender
Major
Mecha-Shai-Hulud
"Seriously."
Posts: 892
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Post by Hellbender on Feb 18, 2010 20:57:25 GMT -5
Hellbender nods along with Shockwave. Yep, the Boss knows what he's doing a whole lot better then Hellbender does.
"Ah don't think Ah have anything really juicy, just footage of Springer and his Wreckers bein' Wreckers. They hit the Smelting Pits when Ah was on guard duty that one time," Hellbender growls. He didn't like the Smelting Pits or the Wreckers. "Ain't they got Springer here, too?"
He stops and ponders a moment, tapping a finger against his chin. "Y'know, if you make sure's not to show just what was bein' smelted at the Pits, it does show Springer and his boys wreckin' a major industrial installation and punkin' around and laughin' while they slaughter the 'workers' there."
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Feb 19, 2010 20:15:06 GMT -5
Swindle nods, picking up the datastick and examining the shape of its plug before sticking it into his little finger and reviewing the footage. "This is good stuff, I can see where you're going with this. Maybe we can get some testimonials from the people around the crash site? And I've got some datatracks of my own that are none-too-flattering for the 'Bots." He grins. "I can work this angle."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 20, 2010 23:17:05 GMT -5
"Yes, the Autobots have a Springer. We can actually thank him for some of the continued ill will; his temper overrode his logic and he actually fired on Duskwing without provocation."
Shockwave settles back in his chair, "I may have something else of significance, but I will have to review some old data. Now," Shockwave focuses his single optic on Swindle, "Perhaps you would care to enlighten me as to how you can set up such an extensive arms stand without touching our own reserves?"
Because subspace, while pretty damn handy, usually has limits in Shockwave's world. The idea that this Swindle has the equivalent of Narnia in his chest does not quite compute.
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Hellbender
Major
Mecha-Shai-Hulud
"Seriously."
Posts: 892
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Post by Hellbender on Feb 21, 2010 18:00:15 GMT -5
Hellbender nods. "Sir. Ah'll download that gun camera footage for your viewing thet Ah have from Springer's raid just as soon as Ah can find a datastick."
Hellbender looks politely curious himself and turns his head back toward Swindle.
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Feb 21, 2010 19:47:11 GMT -5
Swindle unplugs the datastick from his finger and tucks it into his chest compartment. "Why, that's just my private storage dimension! Uses transwarp technology. I keep all my inventory in here." Pushing the drawer closed, he asks, "So I guess you've got a plan for our next move here, Lord Shockwave?"
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Post by Victoria Raines on Feb 22, 2010 12:31:27 GMT -5
Shockwave slides an empty datastick toward Hellbender.
"Thank you, Hellbender."
Oh, Swindle, you have just gotten Shockwave's attention in a way you probably did not want. The Decepticon Commander's optic flickers as he studies Swindle.
"Private. Storage. Dimension. Transwarp technology," he repeats, and Hellbender may recognize that Swindle is in trouble of sorts by both Shockwave's tone and the words which follow.
"How fascinating."
Shockwave leans forward, "Transwarp technology proved too unstable in my reality for anything beyond debris removal." It also created the planet of Junk, but Shockwave doesn't know that yet.
"I would be most interested in both reviewing your schematics and examining that special chest of yours, Swindle."
The subject of next moves is tabled momentarily in favor of the pursuit of SCIENCE!
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Hellbender
Major
Mecha-Shai-Hulud
"Seriously."
Posts: 892
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Post by Hellbender on Feb 22, 2010 21:18:57 GMT -5
Hellbender picks up the datastick and puts it to work as he promised, locating and downloading the gun camera footage from that one Wrecker raid where Hellbender suffered his first decapitation. "It's gun-camera footage, so it could use some clean up, and it goes kinda wonky there at the end when Roadbuster blew mah head off."
The big, blue-black former heavy assault plane, current mining worm Transformer isn't big on science (except for his recently acquired expertise in industrial geology). "Transwarp-based private storage dimension" means about as much to him as "Emfozzing framistan dohickey". What he does understand is that tone in Shockwave's voice.
Hellbender hopes for Swindle's sake that Swindle is cooperative. He doesn't really want to have to chase the little guy down and restrain him.
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