Consequences

November 24, 2011
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Quickrazor Nova Black
(The Tina, Polyhex)
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Quickrazor sits alone at a booth, looking somewhat disturbed. Considering events, that only makes sense... He stares into a cube of high grade, replaying what had occurred and wondering how it had happened...and what was going to happen next. 
Nova Black walks into the Tina and sees Quickrazor staring into a cube of energon. He looks preoccupied, and not in a good way. She takes a seat at his table, hoping that doesn't have anything to do with her but unable to shake the suspicion that it does. "Hey, Doc." 
Quickrazor looks up at Nova and the look in his optics is queerly neutral and flat. "Nova." he says softly. "I...we need to talk. Something occurred last cycle, something that involves you, however indirectly...and I would rather you learn it from me. There may be...trouble." 
Nova Black winces, her wings twitching. "I thought so, when I saw you. You're usually -- different -- when you see me." She frowns. "What happened?"
Quickrazor steels himself. "Slipstream is currently on intensive support in my repair bay...at my hand." 
Nova Black's engines stutter. "What?!" 
Quickrazor shutters his optics and his tone changes almost to the flat cadence of a report. "We were practicing together. Words were exchanged...words about you. I got angry and challenged her." 
Nova Black chuckles in spite of herself. "I take it you won." Her mouthplates twist into a grim line. "She was talking slag about me? *Still*?" 
Quickrazor nods. "I did. I...it was not precisely like that. It's entirely possible that I took offense on your behalf..." He looks at her. "I am aware that you are more than capable of fighting your own battles. I refused to stand there while she said things about you that offended me." 
Nova Black's optics flare. "So you confronted her. About my business." Her engines rumble in mounting displeasure. She's glad to hear that he sparred with someone, and she told him herself about a quartex ago that she didn't mind it being with her. But -- "Were the two of you alone, at least?" 
Quickrazor exvents. "Not everything. Just about the escort position...and that she wronged you." He gets ready for it, then- lying to her would serve no purpose. "Hookshot and Knifepoint. The latter's presence was...not unwelcome in the aftermath. I...almost put my blade through her *spark*." 
"What?" Nova's wings click again in anger -- and concern. "You did *what*? Were you *trying* to kill her?" 
Quickrazor shakes his head. "Absolutely not. It was an accident." 
Nova Black snorts. "An accident. That you almost killed her. For me, as if I can't handle my own affairs." She looks away, too angry to trust herself to look at him. "Primus *damn* it. You *know* what happened to me when I killed someone others liked too much. Do you think I *want* something like that happening to *you*, supposedly in my name?" 
Quickrazor says very quietly, "No. I do not. And it was not entirely for you...you are correct, though." He looks at the wall. "The consequences of this will be far-reaching, I know...and I...expect your displeasure. I...will understand if my actions cause you to reconsider things, even if I hope you do not." 
Nova Black's optics glow bright and pitiless red. "Let me tell you something, Quickrazor. I've confronted Slipstream about that. More than once. And every time, she's called me a 'makada' and walked out. She hasn't had the spark to defend her own honor." Nova smirks, a twisted little expression. "I thought we'd have this out once and for all and be *done*, and instead she's run. And now you rush in and risk everything to defend me. I didn't need defending. Not when she didn't have the spark to fight." 
Quickrazor looks through Nova, feeling oddly cold within. "She fought me. You are /worth/ that much, and I didn't want her dead! If I did I could have left her where she lay in the drill hall- instead, I saved her." 
Nova Black sighs. "I'm worth that much. To you. But what happens now? Haven't you noticed that the *entire* army knows exactly how you feel? I haven't even been coming by your medbay because every time I do you fawn all over me like I was whatever Starscream thinks he is. What happens once Sparkles tells everyone in Polyhex what happened yesterday?" 
Quickrazor rubs his forehead idly. "I don't know. I honestly don't. I am not ashamed...yet I /know/ that I should show restraint. I find that I cannot. I am sorry." His weakness, his downfall...but he really can't help it. 
Nova Black slaps the table hard with a gray fist. "Damn it, Doc, are you even hearing a word I'm saying to you? This -- this can't go on. Not like it has." 
Quickrazor flinches. "I am listening. I am hearing you. I..." He shuts up before he angers Nova even more. "Do not..." he says almost silently. 
"This can't keep happening," Nova says. "I can't -- my business is my business. I'm not here to provide some show for the others. And right now I can't help but think I've told too many of them too much anyway. I -- I don't regret trusting you with my secrets, Quickrazor. And I don't want to lose you. Not over this. But how can any of it stay secret if you go around nearly killing other Decepticons over it? If she provoked you by insulting me, sure, knock a few pieces of her plating off. I don't care. I'll laugh. I'm glad you're as good as you've turned out to be, and *yes*, she deserved a few dents. But if you brought this up in front of the others and then did something they're not gonna forget -- maybe I really have said too much." 
Quickrazor looks Nova squarely in the optics, allowing everything that is going through his processor at the moment to show through. "I swear it on the memory of my family that this will /never/ happen again. Never. I...allowed my emotion to overcome rational thought, a fatal flaw, but I do not want to lose you. I would do much to prevent that." 
Nova Black nods. "All right." She gives him a small smile. "Just *warn* me next time when you decide to go after someone on my behalf. Unless they're challenging you over it right there and you have to hack something off 'em to escape with your dignity." 
Quickrazor feels a flood of relief. "In the future, I will direct anyone foolish enough to besmirch your name to you directly. It is not my place to fight for you, but only for myself." He considers reaching for her hand but does not, not after her concerns about his conduct. 
Nova Black clicks her wings. She's not *happy*, not really. But at least he understands what she's saying. "Thank you. All I want, Doc, is to make sure we're careful. Believe me, I know how hard it can be. The others are right -- I've got a temper straight from the Pit sometimes." She snickers at herself, wryly amused. "But if we really want this -- alliance -- to work, we have to realize that we've got the potential to make twice the enemies if we're not careful." 
Quickrazor nods. "I know. And I would prefer to keep your name out of it should the higher-ups question me as to why Stormfront's escort leader is lying insensate awaiting almost a full refit. If possible, I will ensure that it is I who takes the punishment...you had nothing to do with this. It was me." He'd ensure Hookshot's silence, somehow... 
Nova Black nods. "I understand. I wasn't part of it, not unless Slippy's tryin' to send me a message that she wants an aft-kicking from me. But somehow I don't know that she'll be coming to me for that, *now*." She laughs, the first full laugh she's made all day. "But you may not be able to keep me out of this. Not if anyone asks Slipstream why it happened." 
Quickrazor nods. "No, I may not...but she owes me, regardless. I saved her life. If I can buy her silence with that, then I will." Quickrazor suddenly feels exhausted, the lack of recharge, long work on Slipstream, worry, and stress taking a toll on his systems. "I will /try/, Nova...but not too hard, if you understand what I mean." 
Nova Black nods decisively. "Fair enough." She notices his exhaustion and clicks her wings slightly in concern. "Then -- I think we're done here. And Quickrazor -- you're better with that blade than you think." She grins, proud of her protege's skill in spite of all the drama. "Realize it before you *do* kill the wrong Decepticon. Like I said -- I'd rather you didn't go through the hell I went through." Her voice is light, but her expression is deadly serious. 
Quickrazor nods. "I suppose you are correct in your assessment of my skill...considering things. I require rest, and soon, or else I'll be an easier target than the Air Commander." He looks intently at Nova. "Thank you." 
Nova Black stares evenly back at him. "There's nothing to thank me for. I -- I'll meet you sometime later, then, when you've rested." 
Quickrazor nods and does not argue, not now...and probably not ever. "Until then. I will see you...when I see you." As he rises, one hand brushes lightly against her arm, almost in passing. He moves slowly toward the medbay and his offices, where his berth awaited him. Recharge would come swiftly, he knew. 
Nova Black watches him go, a wry smile on her face.
Category:LogsCategory:2011 LogsCategory:Quickrazor's LogsCategory:Nova Black's Logs