0003: NEW ARRIVALS

[crux_npcs]

Who: New Arrivals, Captain Jack Hollis, Science Captain Urist McEngineer, Graham Baker
Where: Briefing Room
When: Late afternoon
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 room is large, but not quite large enough for some of the bigger Cybertronians. They've been given drone bodies at least, skinny little things with no real features beyond primitive masks made of paper plates. There's seats for everyone, at least, well-cushioned and comfortable, and the room is pleasantly lit.

A few Security personnel, dressed in their red and black uniforms, stand at ease in the rooms in strategic areas. Three men stand at the head. One is Graham Baker, a slightly nervous-seeming middle-aged man wearing a multi-layered business suit that seems rumpled and oversized. The other two men are dressed in military uniforms, one with the blue undershirt and piping of Command, while the other wears the gold of Science.

[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.]

Comments

[arnhaid]

... I kinda died.

[AWKWARD. This is super awkward and he looks, suddenly, like he'd rather be anywhere else.]

It was? You serious?

[tomemyoutliers]

Really! How fascinating - beyond the memory loss have you noticed any other possible repercussions of your demise and subsequent revival?

( Shockwave is possibly getting carried away, for he's decided that waking around Ironhide and giving him a more thorough once over is required. Which means answering his other question in a distracted way. )

Oh yes. Energon crisis looming in our future - even the blind would see it if anyone bothered to look. They don't, of course, because it's far easier to pretend that we can afford to continue on at our current rate of growth.

[arnhaid]

[PAUSE.]

Uh.

[Sorry, Shockwave, that's his usual reaction to technobabble like that. He turns ]

Not... really? I dunno?

[Top scientific mind over here.]

I remember that. Somethin' like that, anyway. Don't think it was just "looming" though.

[tomemyoutliers]

Hmm. Well if you notice anything, I'd like to know. Professional curiosity.

( Please let him poke at you, Ironhide. )

So it happened. Dai Atlas was supposed to have continued on my crusade if I had-- if something had happened to me. I was certain I'd made that clear.

( Shockwave doesn't know he ollied out to go start a cult. Someone should fill him in on that one eventually. )

[arnhaid]

Like... what? I don't even know what all they repaired... if we're being honest here.

[Help him Obi-Wave Kenobi, you're his only hope.]

I'm not real sure who this "Dai Atlas" guy is, but I guess he wasn't too quick on the draw, so to speak. Since things happened like they did.

[tomemyoutliers]

Anything you find out of the ordinary. Perhaps something isn't operating at optimal efficiency or a gear is sticking that didn't before. Anything.

( HE'LL DO HIS BEST. )

A fellow Senator and friend. ( Shockwave never considered he'd start a cult and ollie off into the stars okay. ) Something must have happened to prevent him from doing so.

[arnhaid]

... Does the fact this entire frame got rebuilt by Alpha Trion count as 'out of the ordinary'?

[BECAUSE THAT WAS PRETTY WEIRD, NOT GONNA LIE.]

Guess so. Name doesn't ring a bell... or anythin', really.

[tomemyoutliers]

Absolutely. Did he have your spark?

( GOTTA ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS. But Shockwave waves off his last statement, realizing how pointless it must be to continue asking Ironhide things he can't remember. )

Yes, of course. My apologies.

[arnhaid]

... Uh.

[SORRY SHOCKWAVE. That's. Honestly about as intelligent an answer as he can muster up. He has no idea. Trion had been more interested in talking about himself than answering questions.]

Don't worry about it.

[tomemyoutliers]

Anything? Any idea at all?

( IRONHIDE HE HAD SUCH HIGH HOPES YOU'RE LETTING HIM DOWN. )

It must get endlessly frustrating, not knowing.

[arnhaid]

He wasn't real big on explainin' what he did. He just wanted to blab about how great he was, an' how I should be all grateful an' scrap.

I asked him. Bunch've times. What was goin' on. Didn't get a word.

[HE TRIED, MAN.]

... Yeah. Yeah, it does.

[tomemyoutliers]

I've often wondered if there was any negative effects of aging for Cybertronians. We all assume that our processors will work fine, but--

( You know. If Alpha Trion has gone, there's really no hope for the rest of them when they get that age. )

There has to be someone around to help everyone get on the same page--

[arnhaid]

Heh. Old Trion, goin' senile. I kinda like the sound of that one.

[Aw, look you made him grin, man.]

... Maybe ask Trailcutter. Kid seems like he's got his head on straight.

[tomemyoutliers]

Trail... cutter? Whatever was wrong with Trailbreaker?

( At least he assumes it's the same mech they're talking about. )

[arnhaid]

... I dunno.

That's what he called himself. Maybe he likes cuttin' better than breakin'?

[Crap. What did he say?]

[tomemyoutliers]

( That gets a deep, rumbling laugh. )

His talents don't really lie with either. ( A smile. ) But all the same, I'm glad he's here.

[arnhaid]

Yeah, he's got the... what-you-call.

Hand things.

[Complete with raised palms and finger wiggling demonstration.]

He's a good kid. I like 'im.

[tomemyoutliers]

Forcefields. I had hoped that we'd be able to hone his skill further but--

( A helpless gesture. Damn that empurata. )

Yes, he is.

( Shockwave likes him, too. Then again, Shockwave adores all of the students of the Institute but that's a minor detail. )

[arnhaid]

Yeah, those. [He shrugs a little.] But then stuff happened. 'nough said?

[He offers a pained little grin. He tried.]

Think I sorta crushed his spirits a little, though. Didn't mean to. But... he remembers me and I don't remember much of anythin' about him.

[tomemyoutliers]

Delicately put.

( Much appreciated, Ironhide. So have a small smile in return. )

He's always been incredibly optimistic, I have no doubts he'll bounce back shortly.

( It makes Shockwave worry about him, honesty. )

[arnhaid]

Heh. There's a first. Somebody callin' somethin' out of my mouth delicate.

Yeah... I noticed. Seems a little down, though. Keeps sayin' he's not so great 'cause he can do the forcefield thing.

[He shrugs, but his expression is clouded.]

Keep telling him that ain't true. But...

[tomemyoutliers]

He's an outlier, it's his gift. I've always tried to encourage my students to embrace what makes them different.

( apparently it didn't work with Trailcutter, and Shockwave's expression falls. )

[arnhaid]

Yeah, that's what I'm tryin' to do too! Tell him he's important. That he's gotta think different about it.

[He grimaces, seeing the poor guy look so down.]

Hey... y'know... maybe we work together. See if that don't change his mind.

[tomemyoutliers]

It's difficult - the functionists certainly didn't help inspire confidence in any of them. The passage of time hasn't seemed to help, either.

( which is regrettable. but he does smile slightly, coupled with a nod. )

Two are better than one.

[arnhaid]

Eugh... sounds like a real mess.

[Yeah, Ironhide that's putting it mildly.]

'Course it is. We got this, yeah?