Kup Interviews Impactor

[Kate Mason]

OOC: Day 21, Event Horizon, Kup's office, theoretically open, but you'd better makes sense to be here, unless you're just walking by in the hall and happen to poke your nose in.

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Kup has that scrappy old sheet of metal out on his desk, that sheet of metal so lusted after by codebreakers, and a stylus sitting next to it. He's looking over a few files on his terminal monitor, and he's frowning. There's been a bit of a delay on this interview, what with all the crazy going down almost every day, but it doesn't mean that Kup has to like it one bit.

He leans back in his chair, glances over at Springer, and offers, "We'll try not to make too much noise."

Now, will Impactor be late, early, or right on time? That, right there, says a lot about an Autobot.

[Springer]

Springer glances up from his own paperwork on a datapad, blinking.

"Hey, if you guys can make enough noise to distract me, then that'll be a big feat."

With that, Springer goes back to working.

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OOC: Skippable!

[Impactor/"Imp"]

Impactor is thirty-four seconds late.

Perhaps he got distracted or turned around in the hall way on the way over. An extra 'hello' between there and here would be enough.

Perhaps he doesn't fuss about the seconds and figures 'more or less' on time is good enough.

Perhaps he's telling Kup, 'I don't have to be on time for you,' by being late, but not late enough to make it worth making a deal about.

Either way, he's here now.

As always, he sports no Autobot symbol. If someone is very observant, they might notice that he's just a shade grayer than he was the day before.

He doesn't stand at attention, just putting most of his weight on his right leg, his left leg faintly bent.

"Yeah?" he asks, by way of greeting.

[Kate Mason]

Oh ye of little faith, Springer.

Kup doesn't split seconds. He also doesn't fuss over Impactor not standing at attention. Life's too damn long to worry about that slag. Instead, he suggests, "Y'can sit down, y'know."

"That Em'rite of yours and my la- Rodimus have written up your reality, but if you've got anything to add to their accounts, goferit. I know you were granted clearance early." Kup gives Impactor an evil eye at that last. Yeah, it happens. They're not going to lock someone up in the medical ward with no clearance just because the security interview hasn't gone through. Kup doesn't have to like it, though, and he doesn't.

Hmm. A bit grey. Reminds Kup of something. Things usually do. He'll ask about that later.

[Impactor/"Imp"]

"Yeah, I know I can sit," Impactor answers belligerently. "My joints haven't failed yet today."

He remains standing.

A brow-ridge lift accompanies Kup's quick correction as Rodimus is mentioned, but he doesn't comment about it. A faint, almost challenging smirk plays at the edges of his lips as Kup gives him the 'evil eye,' and he shrugs. "Nothing to add, no. They seemed to cover the important stuff from the point where I was pulled from and back, and they're both from farther ahead than I am, anyway." He pauses and frowns, rubbing his chin with his good (meaning existent) hand. "In two different directions, apparently." He shrugs.

[Kate Mason]

Oh, a stubborn wiseaft? Great combination. Kup briefly glances up at the ceiling. He does, however, add a cryptic annotation to his sheet of metal, when Impactor complains that his joints haven't failed yet.

Then, he stabs a finger out, pointing at Impactor's broad expanse of chest, and he asks, a bit challenging himself, "Nothing to add, huh? What's with the lack of symbol? I know your gilded idol prances around without one, but Nightbeat's got one, and he's just as shady, and Rodimus figured it out, too, and the boy wasn't too bright as a ladbot."

The Autobot symbol is a bit of a sticking point with Kup. There was a time when he had to fight for his right to wear it in public, and more recently, he insisting on Jetfire ditching the Decepticon symbol. It's about more than just friendly fire accidents waiting to happen.

[Impactor/"Imp"]

Impactor shrugs. "I do most my work behind enemy lines. An Autobrand gets me shot faster," he answers roughly. Then he frowns, expression turning sour.

"Besides, I shouldn't have to wear a symbol to prove I'm an Autobot. Brands are for Decepticons."

Impactor is old enough, after all, to remember a time when 'Autobot' was the species name for Cybertronians. He was around when the Decepticons rejected their very species, and symbolized that rejection with a brand. Before that time, no one marked themselves.

It's entirely possible that it hasn't occurred to Impactor some of the implications of his answer with regards to the others in the room.

Or maybe it has, and he's just seeing what buttons he can push.

[Kate Mason]

Kup looks over at Springer and the lad's nice, prominent Autobot symbol, unthinkingly touching his hand to his own Autobot symbol, and he makes a, Is this guy for real? gesture.

He looks back to Impactor and says roughly, "Check that attitude. Maybe that's so where you come from, but y'ain't there now."

"So y'say you do most of your work behind enemy lines? Sure as shooting ain't a spy. Tell me what you are, then, 'cos what you look like is some glitched up transorganic-spawned vampire crossed with a Junkion." Kup has an idea, based off what Emirate Xaaron's written down and the medical reports, but what Impactor is willing to say about himself is just as important.

[Springer]

Well, Impactor's a Wrecker. Springer peeks up from behind his datapad, curious as to how well this will go over with Impactor. He doesn't say anything, though - if this Impactor is anything like his own, he has no problem speaking his mind.

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OOC: Still skippable!

[Impactor/"Imp"]

Impactor gives a dismissive shrug of his right shoulder and shakes his head. "Thinking on it's changed where I'm from, too, but that don't change my thoughts on the matter. I've fought side by side with folks who've worn brands, but I never will." There's a touch of pride to his tone and the lift of his head as he says this last. Just as fiercely as some show themselves to be Autobots with the Autobrand, Impactor shows that he is one without one.

Most of Kup's insults would have more power if Impactor was familiar with any of those terms outside of recently read computer files. Even so, his brow-ridges knit and his lips curl back into a snarl. "Not vampire. Zombie. But I was a commando." The choice of tenses here might seem a bit curious.

[Kate Mason]

Kup props up his chin with his hand and rest his elbow just on the edge of his desk and makes a few notes on sheet of metal. They're sloppy and jagged because his hand is shaking anger at the sheer attitude of that so-called Autobot there, and he crushes the stylus ever so slightly.

There's an edge to Kup's voice as he growls, "Y'know who refused to wear the symbol back home? The damned doves. Frakheads that tried to take mine off and booted me off Cybertron."

But he's supposed to be interviewing Impactor, not picking a fight, much as he might like one. "Any talents, special skills, or abilities?"

He'll ask about weaponry next.

[Impactor/"Imp"]

Impactor snorts.

"Y'sure it wasn't the stink, hippy?" he asks.

Xaaron had told him not to call Kup a hippy unless Impactor was looking for a fight. Impactor... is looking for a fight.

When the veteran asks about his talents, skills, and abilities, Impactor answers. "Mostly I got a talent for gettin' things done. Used to lead a small team against military targets, behind enemy lines as often as not, outnumbered and with little to no back-up. Expert in small group tactics, used to planning, training for, an executing missions with low expected success rates, but high potential payoff." This isn't quite the same as suicide missions. Impactor's willing enough to face overwhelming odds if the stakes are high enough, but there's a fine line between risking your all for the right cause and throwing your life away stupidly. "Alt's a drill tank. I drill, through metal more often than not. Sensors to keep me from gettin' lost when doing that, but nothing special." He shrugs.

[Kate Mason]

Kup was going to ask Impactor about weaponry.

Instead, he's going to fragging throttle Impactor. Kicking back off the chair, he launches over the desk, hands outstretched for Impactor's neck to tackle him down. The metal sheet goes flying with a clatter and picks up a new collection of dents, that in Kup's mental shorthand, will now stand for 'Impactor's an annoying cuss that needs the ugly beaten out of him'.

He roars, "I was gonna ask you about yer weaponry, but I'm gonna settle for... the slag did you just call me!?"

[Impactor/"Imp"]

Impactor is tackled to the ground with a clatter, and one of the smaller panels on his back shakes loose, but doesn't yet fall off. He grunts. "I called you a stinkin' hippy, that's what! But why change the question? I can show you my weaponry!" he shouts, swinging his right arm towards Kup, not to impale him but to knock him off of him.

[Springer]

Springer glances up, then shakes his head and goes back to work. Impactor may be Impactor, but Kup is Kup. If anything, they'll wear each other down rather than pose a threat to each other. Springer figures it's just best to let them work things out this way.

He'll step in if one of them gets homicidal, though.

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OOC: Once again, still skippable.