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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 17, 2011 11:09:31 GMT -5
Month 1, Week 3, Day 1, semi-private
Scourge despises office work. His hatred usually makes his efficient at it, so he may do it and be done with it as quickly as possible, so as to have more time to do other things, such as practise his katas or run simulated tactics or... almost anything but this.
Today, however, he has an appointment, he sees on his schedule. So Mindwipe finally granted Assault that audience, after all? Perhaps Scourge should be freer with the rest of the troops, as Starscream is, but familiarity breeds contempt.
He'll see.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Mar 21, 2011 18:48:23 GMT -5
Assault had a very clear idea of what he wanted to talk about with Scourge, prior to the attack. He knew what he needed, what his goals were, what stories he would have to tell to Scourge to get his attention and what's more, his interest. But with Hook out of the picture and other changed circumstances, that has changed and while he may hate change, the hand that life has dealt him is far too good to get annoyed with things not going according as planned. If he plays his cards right, the outcome of this meeting will be guarantee that when all is said and done, he will be the last one standing. Just a shame that Shockwave will always be an obstacle, but obstacles can be overcome.
So it is with pride steps that he walks up to Mindwipe's desk, giving Count Hypnola a curt nod while placing a package down on his desk, the smallest of smiles pulling at a corner of his lips. Once Mindwipe has called him in (and quickly yoinked the package), the Seeker turns on his heel and moves through the swishing doors, stopping only when he's right in front of the tanker's desk, giving him a standing salute.
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Posing of Mindwipe done with player permission. And apologies for the late post, didn't realize that it was made already. >_>;
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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 21, 2011 23:07:31 GMT -5
Scourge returns the salute crisply and gestures for Assault to sit down. He gives Assault what would appear to be his undivided attention, not looking off at a terminal or a datapad, instead regarding only Assault, optics narrowed. Scourge inquires, "Assault. What do you have for me?"
An Autobot officer might ask, 'What can I do for you?' That's not Scourge.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Mar 22, 2011 15:45:14 GMT -5
Good, Assault has Scourge's full attention. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is up for debate, as well as dependent on how he plays his cards. Let the game begin!
"Very well. You are well aware of my tactical abilities. We have touched on it, if briefly." Not that Assault would be surprised if Scourge had simply discarded that information. "I still wish to contribute my own talents and skills to our cause under your command," Very important, that part, "and I would like an opportunity to demonstrate my own worth to you."
"However, I am a versatile Decepticon. I always had a knack for engineering. With Hook in the hands of the Autobots, we are at an obvious disadvantage. While I am nowhere near as talented as our missing Constructicon, I could perhaps aid the Repairs and Engineering section with cushioning the blow by taking over some of his more low profile projects."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 22, 2011 22:25:11 GMT -5
Scourge discards trash, but he's young enough that he doesn't really have much reason to forget things. He leans back and decides to point out the two most incongruous things in what Assault has just said, "You're a Seeker appealing to a tanker truck, and you want more support work, not less."
"I can accommodate you. I would be happy to, in fact." Really! "I'm just curious if you've made this offer to anyone else prior, and if you'll be making it to anyone else after."
Scourge holds up one hand and finishes, "I'm being blunt with you. Don't take offense. Any Decepticon worth his name is at least somewhat deceptive. I'm making the assumption that you're worth the name."
Unsaid: The ball's in your court to prove me wrong.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Mar 27, 2011 9:52:36 GMT -5
"I am and I do, yes." He sounds rather matter of fact about it too! Though not in a disrespectful tone of course, it would not do to make it seem like the Seeker thought of the tanker as his lesser, or that he is not worthy of his respect.
But, Assault understands just why Scourge is rather...Careful. It is rather odd that Assault is appealing to him instead of, say, Starscream. But, he has an explanation for that, one he waits with sharing until Scourge is done talking. "I do not take offense, Lord Scourge. After all, I fully understand why you are being so cautious. But I assure you, this offer is exclusive. Lord Starscream is worthy of respect, of course, but he has not been here as long as you, nor has he proven to be as skilled and charismatic a commander as yourself." Yes, he just called Scourge charismatic. Scary thing is? He means it!
"I do not deny that I am worth the name of Decepticon, nor that I do, in fact, have ambitions of my own. But, they do not extend to you, past wishing to prove that I am noteworthy, of course, and I will do so by demonstrating that it is not just deception that has earned me my wing marks."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 27, 2011 10:28:18 GMT -5
Scourge is still going to roll with the assumption that Assault has talked to or will talk to everyone else who is anyone in a Byzantine game, despite Assault's assurances. Give him a year or so of good service, and Scourge will reconsider.
On the surface, however, Scourge nods and states, "Good. So you want more shifts in engineering and some specific commands from me. Did you have anything in mind in particular?" To go along with those stated ambitions?
Scourge seriously doubts that Assault is truly at his disposal.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Mar 28, 2011 15:21:16 GMT -5
Of course Scourge wouldn't believe him just yet. Assault expected no less. But for now, he has taken the first step and it went according to plan. "Nothing in specific, no, but perhaps if we are going to double as buccaneers when we run into astray ships, I could be put in a taskforce, or if I may be so bold, even be put in charge of it. Something small, simple, but which can serve as a chance to prove my worth as well as benefit us all."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 28, 2011 22:25:06 GMT -5
Scourge tilts his head and asks, "Where'd you get that idea?"
Mostly because it sounds like he got it from Cannonball and that Cannonball will whip Assault's skidplate for stealing it.
Scourge doesn't object to raiding ships out of hand. He just doesn't want the Decepticons to bite off more than they can chew.
The other fishy thing is that 'ganking ships'!='more shifts in medical'.
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Mar 29, 2011 19:28:54 GMT -5
"Oh, it's a scenario that I have been going over the past week or so. " Don't forget Scourge, Assault is a tactician first and engineer second and he did ask for increased activities in more than one field! "After all, outside of training simulations, this is the only activity we can engage ourselves in on a regular basis, unless we make an enemy, other than the Autobots, who would desire to see our shells quite lifeless."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Mar 31, 2011 18:47:26 GMT -5
"I wouldn't say the only," Scourge observes. He does not elabourate.
He does, however, inquire, "A few weeks? How have you accounted for the fact that biting off more than we can chew is a possibility? We see a ship that looked stranded, we block their communications out... and one of the crew members is in an unblockable hive mind with the commander of the Athenian military, who have just deployed to rescue them."
Scourge flourishes a hand up. In assaulting wayward ships, they are gambling much. What thought has Assault given it?
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Apr 1, 2011 5:51:46 GMT -5
Now that IS interesting. Assault doesn't press on though. He will find out in time what it is.
But there is an interesting question and an even more interesting possibility! "Ah yes, that is an interesting possibility and rather tricky to solve. But not impossible. First, we must never simply charge into a stranded ship, far from it! We must use guile and deception. Make them believe that we offer them a helping hand and indeed, even genuinely lend them aid. That way, we win their trust while allowing the more stealthier ones of our own forces to see just what kind of communications they have and act accordingly."
"We also have a rather distinct advantage. We have been to Pz-Zazz, one of the most frequented planets in this reality and we have at the very least basic information on many of the species we could encounter. We simply need to cross reference with our data to see which targets we should strike at and which to genuinely help. I imagine that the Athenians would be valuable allies, for example."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Apr 6, 2011 11:04:53 GMT -5
Scourge laughs.
When he's done, he points out, "Basic information is not going to suffice. It's one thing to stop on a planet like Earth, where the locals are barely out of the Stone Age." Come on, the humans haven't even visited Mars yet! They're total slackers. "It's one thing to raid in a universe that you know like the back of your hand, where you have a fearsome reputation," which is what Cannonball did.
Scourge leans forward, "But here? There are so many species who could wipe us out without blinking, and we don't even know who all of them are. If they're smart enough to get themselves into interstellar space, the risk to our lives - and our reputations, mind you - are very, very high. I won't operate on shoddy intel. It's worse than no intel at all."
"What if we waltz into 'help', and it's a trap, hmm? Because I'm pretty sure that's something I would do."
"We can look into knocking over a backwater planet or two like Earth. Find some rock-banging aliens who wouldn't know what to do with oil if you set it on fire in front of them."
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Post by Assault/Arthur Aldrin on Apr 9, 2011 6:51:23 GMT -5
If there is one thing that Assault does not appreciate, then it's being laughed in his face. The temptation is strong to jump up and make Scourge swallow his words, but he knows that he is no match for the tanker. So he sits there, calm, that pleasant, tiny smile still on his lips as he waits for him to finish.
"I can understand your caution, but you also underestimate our capabilities. Take a gander at our comrades and the skills that they possess. When put under the command of a brilliant tactician," At this he motions his hand towards Scourge, "low intel would not be as large an obstacle as you believe it is. They would succeed and none would be any wiser."
"Of course, this is all hypothetical. There are other endeavors to which I can lend my other skills."
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Post by Sable Conolly on Apr 11, 2011 17:19:49 GMT -5
So it is very high risk, could lead to loss of reputation, normally has a high casualty/wounding rate, and Ship is highly distinctive, so unless they kill everyone aboard, they won't be able to do it often before they become blacklisted.
Assault is apparently okay with all that.
Scourge files Assault under 'foolhardy'.
Having already explained himself, since Assault apparently didn't listen to any of that, Scourge says simply, "No." He refuses to be forced to go over something that he thinks is already very clear, especially when he already suggested a better alternative of which Assault is having none.
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