crux_fleet | 0004: NEW ARRIVAL BRIEFING

Entry tags:

0004: NEW ARRIVAL BRIEFING

Who: New Arrivals, Graham Baker
Where: Briefing Room
When: Late afternoon, Februaro 30th
Warnings: None

When awakening, you'll find the area you're in to be very busy. The people in the medical ward are polite and understanding, but firmly refuse to answer questions until the briefing. The same goes for the robots in the hangars. Either given hospital outfits resembling very comfortable pajamas, drone bodies, or their own bodies, they are escorted by polite, unyielding people in red and black uniforms to the briefing room.

The Briefing room is large. Not enough to accommodate a Cybertronian, but spacious enough for several dozen people. The chairs are high-backed and well-cushioned, more like comforting eggs floating a foot or so off the ground than anything else. A half completed, but still functional, holographic display is settled into the floor, showing a slowly rotating pyramid.

A few Security personnel, dressed in their red and black uniforms, stand at ease in the rooms in strategic areas. They seem fairly relaxed. One man stands at the head. Graham Baker, a middle-aged man, showing the first signs of balding and wearing a rumpled business suit perhaps a size too large, nervously clasps his hands together and smiles.

[Questions to the NPCs will go in the briefing thread. The rest of the post is there for people to mill about and do whatever with. The mods will not be doing hangar/medical awakenings unless it's specifically asked for.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Trailcutter had been spending his days in the hangar--it's not like he had anywhere else to go. After having the transport to the nearest space station take off without him (not that he should be surprised), he noticed the emptiness of the place--no one to drive around, no one to really...talk to. Shockwave had taken to fixing up Sentinel, and he didn't want to bother him unless it was necessary.

Lo and behold he finds himself here, practicing his forcefields. With his mentor now in the building, 'rusty' was a polite word for his talent.

But he didn't expect company--sure, he heard over the speakers that new arrivals were here, but he thought the Cybertronian train had ended. And when the motorcycle arrives, an eyebrow perks from behind that visor. Not a familiar one by any means, she was.

But who's he to be unfriendly?

"Hey!"

Might as well call out to...whoever it was. They didn't have a driver so he could only assume--

"Cybertronian?"

You know, Arcee probably shouldn't be surprised anymore to see other Autobots. Her team was just so small, though, that a new friendly face was just that much of a big deal. ...In war, anyway. She can't recall the last time she ever ran into someone and small talk was the best course of action. Although they sent out the call for Cybertronians to return to the planet, it didn't exactly happen instantly. She's not sure what to feel right now.

But there's something...off about this guy. The friendliness she can handle, in fact she even welcomes it considering the situation. But his shape was...well, not wrong. Just...different? Hrm... she can't really put her finger on it.

Transforming on the spot, Arcee walks closer to the forcefield-making bot, eyebrow raised. Just who are you, big guy?

"Yeah," she sees no point in hiding it. In fact, she's awfully proud of it. "...Are you?"

He stands up when she transforms, although feeling a bit awkward towering over her like he does. He wasn't the largest bot, by any means...although probably a lot bulkier. Her frame, however, wasn't familiar to him. I think the word you're looking for is 'blocky', Arcee.

But have just as intrigued of a face in return. Although it's not nearly as obvious with that visor.

"You bet. Wouldn't want to be anything else."

But her affirmation earns a smile. "Name's Trailcutter, can't say I've seen you before, from the war or after."

Blocky. Blocky works. Why would anyone choose to be so blocky? She supposes she shouldn't judge one's blockiness, but it's just so very odd.

"Well, you try not be seen during war. What can I say? I was good at it," a stealth mission joke. If he doesn't laugh, Arcee's going to be crushed.

She continues to stare at him, not at all ashamed that it might be considered rude at this point. It finally dawns on her what's so out of place and she finds herself tapping the middle of her face.

"Why...do you have a nose?" she taps again for emphasis.

Well, he gives a soft chuckle. That definitely sounds like something Mirage would say. It's best he makes a good impression, anyway.

"Not so much for me. I'm built for endurance, not speed."

The staring gets a little glance to the side, attempting to think up conversation--that is, until that comment comes to light.

"Uhh--" his hand instinctively taps it as well. "I guess the same reason why you don't, am I right?"

A hand is placed on her hip. Yeah, that doesn't even make sense, Trailcutter. ...At least he laughed at her joke.

"I don't have one because it's kind of unnecessary," except by kind of, she means completely. "What could you possibly need a nose for?"

Cybertronians don't need to breathe. It...it just looks silly.

"Unless you were trying to fit in on Earth. FYI? Their body parts weren't fashion statements."

"Hey, it's not like I comm'd the guys while I was being created and specifically asked for a nose. It's just how I came, alright?"

His shoulders roll uncomfortably--out of everything this one could have chosen, she chose the nose? Forcefields were usually first, if not that, then his bulky frame. She's definitely original, at least.

"Nice to meet you too."

It's just weird, okay?! She's never seen it before. The closest being the center of someone's helm poking just far enough to look like a nose. This...this is a straight up human nose.

Woah, wait a minute, what did he just say?

"Created. Am I hearing this right? Created?"

Thaaaaat's not a thing Cybertronians should be. Arcee's really starting to doubt this guy's credibility.

"I wasn't being serious. Figure of speech, you know?"

He'll try to save this conversation as quickly as he can, though. "Okay, point is, don't know why I have a nose, but it doesn't really matter. Or at least...I'd hope not."

He figured Cybertronians had more important things to worry about.

Either way, he'll hold out a hand, a small smile soon to follow.

"Now, guess I should give you a PROPER welcome."

Oh... A joke. Well, that's good to know. For a minute there she thought she was talking to some kind of human-made Cybertronian. Those...those don't usually go so well. And let me tell you, the idea of one that can talk was pretty frightening for her.

Rolling her shoulders, it's almost like she's rolling off this whole mess. He has a weird nose, she can deal. It just means she gets to come up with cute nose-related nicknames now.

The hand throws her off, though. Here she is being a pain, and with little remorse, and he can still find it within himself to shake her hand. Very well, she'll take it. Seems like a good time to finally tell him her name.

"Arcee."

He won't complain or question. She seemed to be pretty easy going, at least from his perspective. Then again, he's not one to really hold people against things if they don't really bother him. In a strange space station with maybe 3% Cybertronian population, you don't really hold a grudge over a nose.

The smile remains as he shakes it, optics and visor shining a little brighter. That is...until she introduces herself.

"Arcee? I heard you correct, right?"

There's almost...slight fear in that tone.

Why do handshakes always have to turn into something awkward?

"Yeah...?"

It's not like it's a difficult name to remember, or even very long. She was a fan of it, personally.

"Promise, wasn't trying to trick you there."

Okay, just...play it cool. Arcee was a complicated situation, for sure, but she'd never harmed an Autobot as far as he knew. Just a little off her rocker.

This one...seemed in control of herself. Heck, they had a whole civil conversation despite the nose jabs.

"Sorry, it's just...you're very different back home. My universe, I mean." That won't stop him from trying to make it into something positive, though. "Already like you better."

Um, sorry, excuse her? Universe? What universe? They're all in one universe, it's huge. She's still certain she's the only Arcee in it.

"What?"

Ooooh boy. Yeah. Get ready for this bomb.

"We're not all in the same universe. I mean, I assumed we were, but a lot of things aren't matching up, and now that you're here...and I know an Arcee back home...

Guess that means there's more than one of...everything."

There's a surprisingly long pause, mostly due to her not knowing what to say. She even opens her mouth a few times, as if about to start, but stops herself before anything comes out.

After a few of those, she finally throws her hands in the air and turns around.

"Nope."

"H-Hey! I know it sounds crazy but...well, it's already crazy, isn't it? Can you really cast it out?"

It's a bit hesitant, pulling back a few times before it actually happens, but he reaches over, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"And think of it this way, you've already got a friend."

That certainly was a bold move and Arcee finds herself stopping the moment she feels his touch. It makes her...angry. Yes, she wants to go with angry. How dare he lay a finger on her? Especially with all the things on her mind right now? Her first reaction is to turn around and attack, but she finds herself resisting the urge after what he says.

Pardon?

"You don't even know me."

Seriously, she seems extremely confused. There she was, just insulting his nose of all things, and just like that they're friends? Really?

The statement immediately removes his hand, as if he feels like he pushed a button. She sort of had a point--despite knowing his world's Arcee (a tiny bit, rumors only), she was completely different.

"Well true, but you don't make friends with people you already know."

But his eyes dart to the insignia on her wing, gently gesturing to it.

"Autobot. That's a good start, right?"

Her wings lower the moment he mentions them, almost as if they know he's talking about them. Or it just makes her a little uneasy, who knew? But if she had a point before, he had an even better one. There was something, something serious, she had to accept.

"I need all the allies I can get."

She has yet to see any of her team here, and considering the hangar is the only place the majority of them would be able to fit, Arcee could guess they weren't around. That would be her luck, wouldn't it?

"Don't feel bad, it's sorta the same way with me too."

Considering all the ones he's seen around here are from his world, he can guess what it must be like to be the odd one out.

"So what do you say? Buddies? Acquaintances? Partners?"

There's a twitch in her face, a sort of trigger response the moment he says partners. Nice try, big guy, but a few nice words aren't enough to butter her up so quickly. If she was won over so easily, she'd probably be dead by now.

"Acquaintances," she can't make that anymore clear, the way she says it almost sounds like she's simply blurting out a solid fact. "Just because you know how to work a first impression, doesn't mean I should trust you."

...But it's a good start.

The tone in which she says it causes him to shift a little uneasily. Had he gone too far with all of that? Maybe, but he couldn't risk losing his ally the moment he made one.

"Acquaintances. Got it."

Those arms fold across his chest, looking off to the side. "Well, can we agree that we trust each other a bit more than we trust this place? Makes it sound better if you think about it."

"What, this place? You mean space?" There's a gesture to, well, everything to emphasize her point. Obviously she knows that's not really what he meant, but to be fair that is where she is. And she does trust space more than him. Who even knows what kind of universe he's from. It could be a real twisted one, like where Decepticons are good and Autobots are off their rockers. Wouldn't that be something?

"You know, it's funny. A part of me always thought humans in space would lead to disaster. Good to know I was right."

"Actually, I meant the giant ship. " And just like her, he gestures to...well, everything. He can kind of get the air of distrust from her, which is honestly unsurprising. No sense getting offended. That didn't win you any friends.

...

But when she says that last line, he laughs and shakes his head. "You don't know the half of it. Rodimus can't stand 'em."

0004: NEW ARRIVAL BRIEFING

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