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Post by Mirage on Jun 16, 2010 23:04:39 GMT -5
Day 10, Event Horizon, Semi-Private
Mirage has information to pass on. Kup would normally be the one to receive this information, but he is apparently occupied with some personal project. So Mirage is searching out Emirate Xaaron instead
He could pass it off to Rodimus, perhaps, but Mirage isn't up to talking to him just yet, and Mirage also has a few things he wants to ask the Emirate.
The spy peeks his head around the door of Xaaron's office. Ah good.
"Emirate? Have you a moment for a bit of private conversation?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 16, 2010 23:29:26 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron has his head down over his desk, and he looks absorbed in reading some dossier files.
But the surface of his desk is very, very shiny.
He sits up in his chair and leans back, looking fairly relaxed. Emirate Xaaron smiles and greets, "Mirage. What can I do for you today?" He then stands and ambles towards the door. "Aside from lock this, unless you had another venue in mind?"
Emirate Xaaron somehow doubt Rodimus Prime will using the office today.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 17, 2010 10:53:03 GMT -5
"No, this will do just fine," Mirage says when Xaaron asks about venue.
The spy flops gracefully into a seat across from Xaaron's desk and waits for him to lock the door. When Xaaron returns to his desk, the Emirate will find a datadisk sitting in the middle of his paperwork.
"I had a meeting yesterday afternoon. Normally, I'd not bother you with particulars, but Kup is busy and Rattrap doesn't have the clearance."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 17, 2010 11:04:21 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron does lock that door, then, and walks back to his seat. He picks up the disk carefully and looks it over. Then, he sets it aside, and he steeples his fingers under his chin.
Mirage doesn't mention Rodimus Prime at all, but the Prime does tend to be in the thick of things moreso than Emirate Xaaron is, and he's also rated to go out on his own without being accompanied. Could just be that. Could be.
Emirate Xaaron insists, "I'm not bothered. Now, what else is there? You wouldn't sit down if all you wanted to do was drop off a disk."
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Post by Mirage on Jun 17, 2010 12:51:58 GMT -5
"Well, he seems to be doing as well as can be expected, if that matters," Mirage says, "but I still worry a bit. It can't be helped, I know."
Mirage crosses one leg over the opposite knee. "But you're right, there are some other things I'd like to speak with you about."
"Our newest Dinobot, for one. The team member, not the namesake."
"She is surprisingly intelligent."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 17, 2010 13:58:40 GMT -5
"It matters," Emirate Xaaron notes simply, looking over at the disk again. Punch is as brave an Autobot as any, to do what he's doing, but he has to stay an Autobot. Punch going native would be disastrous... and well, yes, Punch is an Autobot, too, so him... coping well is about as best can be expected. It's a shame they can't do more for him, but everything is a shame, these days, and shame and guilt don't get anything done.
"Hmm, you want to talk about the Dinobot?" Emirate Xaaron arches an optical ridge. Aren't Dinobots beneath Mirage's dignity? This should be interesting. He settles back into his chair and notes, "Mostly, I just remember meeting her on fire. So do tell."
His own Dinobots were fairly smart, depending on which one you met, but Grimlock had a definite bent toward the tyrannical.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 17, 2010 21:23:27 GMT -5
Mirage quirks a smile at Xaaron's obvious surprise. His next statement should be even more shocking.
"I'd like to continue training her, if I may. She understands the concepts of tracking and stealth, has a good grasp on subtlety, and what's more is actually eager to learn a new skill. While I would advise that she not be sent into a Decepticon base to sniff out information, having someone other than myself and Rattrap with such a skill set could prove quite useful."
"She is still unsure of us, by the way."
Of course, Mirage may not be the best person to be mentoring someone whose loyalty isn't assured, given some of his own sentiments.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 17, 2010 22:06:01 GMT -5
...Mirage wants to continue associating with a Dinobot. Whaaaaat.
"I am tempted to suggest that you must have lost a bet somewhere," Emirate Xaaron observes. "But more seriously, if she wants to learn something useful and you are willing to teach, I see no reason why not, provided it does not interfere with other duties. She's supposed to answer to Botanica."
But, well, Dinobots. If they answer to anything, it is a miracle.
Letting two admitted doubters go off and doubt some more together might not seem like the wisest course, but training is something of an inherently military activity. They'll reinforce each other. Hopefully.
Emirate Xaaron smirks just a bit. "You know, she stowed away on the Event Horizon. For months. Said she wanted to study our anthropology without us knowing, so as to not bias the subjects. So I can see her having some aptitude in your fields, but I do have to ask..." his head tilts, "...do you have any idea why she was on fire when I met her?"
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Post by Mirage on Jun 17, 2010 23:22:45 GMT -5
"On fire? No, I'm afraid not. Though do not most of the Dinobots have some sort of fire ability?" Mirage asks.
"And no, no lost bets. She's rough around the edges, yes, but actually puts a great deal of effort into attempting to behave like a proper young lady." At least around Mirage. The spy has some suspicions about why that may be, but he'll not embarrass the girl by mentioning that. "I'll be sure not to tear her away from where she's needed."
He settles back a bit in his chair. "Bambi is quite the anthropologist, yes, with a bent toward sociology and archeology as well."
"She doesn't think much of our other Dinobots at all."
Mirage smirks again, "Now...what exactly prompted this entire affair with Springer?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 18, 2010 9:33:59 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks thoughtful. It seems, at least to him, that Mirage hasn't found out all that much about his possible future student. That seems a bit... odd. He taps a finger on his desk.
But. Ah. Comprehension dawns on him. Mirage has found a Dinobot that he can go sneer at the other Dinobots with. That makes ever so much more sense.
Emirate Xaaron explains carefully, "I attract trouble. On Pz-Zazz, my paint scheme is... interesting. I appear to be a purveyor of illicit goods and services. So, after being shot in the shoulder, Springer and I ducked into the Temple of Mammon casino, figuring trouble wouldn't follow us inside. It did. In dispatching said trouble, Springer apparently impressed some of the casino management, one Miss Donna Troi. Impressed her. And Springer just... didn't understand at all." Emirate Xaaron rubs his optics. "Springer is well-proportioned. If he could use that to his advantage, it would be for the better, but I'd at least like to see that he knows enough not to get rooked. Not just on this planet. Decepticons are called Decepticons for a reason."
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Post by Mirage on Jun 18, 2010 20:33:23 GMT -5
Mirage might have found out quite a bit about Bambi that he's simply choosing not to share. Much as with Oracle, Mirage is keeping his information close and only sharing what he must.
(Or it could be that due to time fuzziness, his player doesn't know just what Mirage finds out about Bambi yet. >_>)
Mirage tilts his head as he considers Xaaron and muses, "Hmm, yes, I can see that. You could practically be a symbol for the excesses of some of those people, just based on your build materials."
He leans back in his chair. "So. She was taken with him, and he was oblivious, thereby possibly costing us a connection which we most certainly could use. He is handsome enough, but I've not been much in his company, so I can't speak to how well he may take to such lessons."
"I can attempt it, at least."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 18, 2010 20:52:56 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron notes ambivalently, "It's just electroplate." Underneath that, there's various composite layers of metal plate, ceramic blocks, open space, and other, more exotic materials, a bit of depleted uranium here, some capacitor banks there.... "...though enough that melting me down would be profitable." He grimaces; some have tried to grab him for exactly that purpose.
He rubs his temples. "I mean, we still did kind of get... hired. But it could have gone better. They're having trouble with a gang called the Atrocitans, a few hundred strong, and she'd like a... message sent. Given how much the gang seems to dislike me, if we can find one of their strongholds, I'm probably sufficient bait to incite an attack on my person and a counterattack by our forces, which would qualify as self defence, thereby sending the desired message without landing us in any more legal trouble."
"Giving it a good try is all I can ask of you, Mirage. Hopefully Springer will accept that forewarned is forearmed, at least."
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Post by Mirage on Jun 19, 2010 14:27:31 GMT -5
Mirage nods at Xaaron's final comment, "I'll try and approach it from the point of view of a spar, and maybe it will sink in that way."
He sifts in his seat, "Unless something comes up which requires my unique set of skills, if I could be excused from assisting with that other endeavor on planet? I have a...bit of a side project of my own which is taking up quite a bit of time. I'm not sure if Rodimus mentioned it to you or not."
"It requires that I not do things like become openly involved in turf wars. Maintaining my image is very,very important right now."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 19, 2010 14:39:51 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron considers that. Is it really healthy for Springer to consider flirting a competitive, semi-violent activity?
But that's how Xaaron would want him to use it, isn't it? As a weapon. So perhaps he shouldn't worry himself with whether or not it is healthy for Springer, because what does matter? Emirate Xaaron grimaces slightly for a moment but swiftly and smoothly recovers.
He rests his lower arms on the edges of his desk, folding his hands together, and he replies, "Prime hasn't mentioned much of anything to me, really. I think we can handle the... turf war without you, but I can't promise anything." When can he ever? "So, what has your image being so much more important than usual? And unless I miss my mark, it's usually rather important to you in the first place."
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Post by Mirage on Jun 19, 2010 16:04:02 GMT -5
Rodimus and Xaaron don't talk? Mirage keeps his puzzlement at that to himself. Perhaps they've just been too busy with everything to compare notes.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of a local gentleman's sister. Local enough, anyway. I get the impression he's been on Pz-Zazz awhile."
Mirage frowns, "But it's much more involved then a simple disappearance. Mechanical beings seem prone to dropping of the face of the planet, particularly those who possess skills, or are exceptionally attractive. This lady vanished from a very exclusive club, one that caters only to technological races, and she isn't the first performer to disappear after a show there."
"I've managed to gain admittance, but all it will take to revoke that is being caught by the wrong person in the wrong situation or with the wrong company....which unfortunately is most of those in our current ensemble."
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, "I'm fairly certain I've located the point where the people are shifted off planet. I'm not sure yet if it's true slave trade or something more involved, but I will."
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