Ragged Edge

++ Altihex ++

Blurr is on the job today. Well, to be more specific, on the -courier- job. After all he is a spy, courier, and racer at the same time. This particular cycle he is carrying some important information--research data, actually, from a facility in Iacon to somewhere in Altihex. The speedster is zooming down the pan-continental expressway, weaving in and out of normal traffic toward his destination. It definitely looks like he's in a hurry, but doesn't Blurr always look like that, whether he actually needs to be in a hurry or not? Probably.

Blast Off is in Altihex, too. It's been awhile since the shuttleformer has been here, but Altihex was once a hub of space technology. As a space shuttle living during the age of the Clampdown, Blast Off has been finding it harder and harder to gain access to replacement parts. The recent loss of his rocket feet led to a long search for spare parts, and it was only a near-chance encounter with Torque that finally led to the badly needed replacements.

After having a discussion with Panacea recently, Blast Off has been realizing that it might be wise to try and find spare parts in \*advance\*, before he needs them. And where better to find a remnant of space tech than in Altihex? So he makes his way along a city street, taking in the sights- and information.

As Blast Off is making his way down the street, there is a rush of air right past him along with a familiar blue and white streak of color. Others might be left wondering what or who that was, but the Combaticon probably wouldn't mistake -that- blur. Or should I say, Blurr.

Blast Off would freeze- but that would be a mistake. The Combaticon is immediately on the move. He can't keep up with Blurr, not entirely... but if he's quick he might be able to keep track of the Autobot at least. Scanners lock in on and start following Blurr as Blast Off leaps up with anti-gravs to get a better view. The shuttleformer flies up to a rooftop (this seems familiar!) and searches for the 'Bot, pondering his next move- if any.

Blurr doesn't seem to be aware of Blast Off just yet, still moving speedily along. He heads toward the industrial sector of the city, veering away from the more populated roads. Well at least now it's a lot easier to keep track of him, as he's a single prick of light zipping along toward a large factory in the southeastern quadrant.

Yes, that's much better. Blast Off keeps that signal and lifts up into the air, using anti-gravs to do his own sort of "racing" through the sky itself. Still, the sky pales compares to what's above. The shuttle keeps low enough though to attempt some level of sneakiness- not that he's that sneaky by nature. Still, making himself /totally/ obvious wouldn't do at all.

Blurr finally stops in front of a large facility. It looks like a drone a factory, but the doors he's headed toward probably lead to the research and development sector of it. Above said doors there is a lighted sign that reads:

SKY SPY NETWORK

Yes, it would appear this was a Sky Spy factory, where those accursed drones were made to invade the privacy of -everyone- so that the Senate would know if anyone so much as put one digit over the line. They were the -reason- people were afraid to oppose the government...because you never know when the sky spy network might be watching.

Blast Off's optics dim at the sight of "Sky Spy Network". It is a truly hated name. It's part of why he can't go to space anymore.. the place he was BUILT for, the place he still yearns to go. He'd love to just take a bomb and blow up the slagging building right now, if only he could get away with it (and if only he knew how to set up a bomb). But no, he must be VERY careful, for surely the spy network will have an optic all around here. The shuttle drops down, landing in what he hopes is an inconspicuous dark alley nearby to keep watching- perhaps a little LESS noticably.

Blurr waves some sort of pass in front of a security pad near the door. It scans for a few astroseconds then confirms and the doors slide open to allow him inside. It might be difficult for Blast Off to slip in after him once he gets inside...should he make his move now? Take the Autobot by surprise and see if he can grill him for information? Or should he wait and see what happens? Perhaps he can get in through a window, or at least watch through one.

Blast Off is terrified on getting trapped again and trying to break into the SPY Network just doesn't sound incredibly appealing to him right now. Though yes, perhaps a window would help. He could tolerate looking through a window (carefully) and decide what to do from there. So the shuttleformer does just that, slipping along the alley and hoping his darker colors keep him hidden away- enough, at least- until he can peer inside.

The alleys are fairly empty, but Blast Off will probably notice that there are some guardian drones patrolling about. They're not too difficult to avoid, however...fortunately enough. But he'll have to stay on alert to keep out of their sights.

Blurr can be spotted moving through the doors and into the hallway just beyond them. At the center of it there is a sort of office area with a circular reception desk. He directs a nod and a smile to a clerk sitting there, then heads toward an elevator.

Well, it certainly seems Blurr is up to something. As always. Blast Off edges along towards another window but has to drop away to avoid one of the spy drones. Once that's drifted by, he returns to look inside once more and- whoop, gone already. It takes a few more windows before he finds the courier again, and he moves in to watch.

Being able to fly is an advantage for Blast Off, and since the sector is mostly dark, his colors help him blend in as he scans the windows. Finally he is able to spot the speedster again through a window into a empty office. But the door is open, and the room directly across the corridor is where he'll catch sight of Blurr handing something to someone else in there. And...is this window just a crack open? Perhaps someone was sloppy, recently...

Blast Off hesitates a moment, but as yet another security drone drifts by the shuttleformer finally decides to risk breaking and entering. WHAT'S YET ONE MORE CRIME to ADD TO THE LIST anyway? Since inside is starting to look less tight on security than outside, perhaps that would be better for him after all. Quietly, he lifts the window up and hovers inside, closing it just before the drone flies by. Then he turns to get a better look at what Blurr is doing across the way there.

Yes, it seems that the inside doesn't have a lot of security. After all, it's just a factory, and there haven't really been any attacks on factories lately. At least not yet. Here, most of the security is focused on the internal data networks, which feature many layers of advanced encryption. Can't have just anyone figuring out how to access the Sky Spy network, after all.

So Blast Off is able to easily slip inside and find himself in an empty office across the way from the room where Blurr is. Well, it's empty of people, but there are quite a few crates of stuff and a couple of desks. It's also rather cluttered. It made for a nice hiding place.

But now, he can hear a snippet of the conversation being had:

"...well thank you, Blurr. I'm quite astonished you managed to get this so quickly!"

Blurr laughs. "Aw, it was no trouble. Not when you can move as fast as I do. And he'll be none the wiser."

"Ah, that's right. You are truly unique, then. Well I will make sure we get right to work on it. It may take some time, but this at least makes it more feasible."

The conversation ends, and the other mech exits the room, making his way to the left and down the hallway. Blurr lingers in the room for a moment longer...is he suspicious?

WHO will be "none the wiser", Blast Off wonders? The shuttleformer's optic ridges furrow down a bit as he frowns under the faceplate. He leans back as the other mech leaves the room, but then the Combaticon's curiosity has him leaning forward, trying to get a glimpse of what the mech is carrying once his back is turned- and a look at what Blurr's doing. As much as he'd like to start shooting and demanding answers, he's not sure this is the time or place.

The mech isn't holding anything, actually. Perhaps the data transfer has already been made? Blurr glances about the room and out into the hallway tentatively. But he doesn't check the room Blast Off is in. Finally, he seems satisfied and moves off back toward the elevator, presumably to take his leave of the place. The Combaticon will glimpse him subspacing a data slug as he makes his way out.

Blast Off isn't quite sure what to do. He'd be interested in that data slug, but it's subspaced and even if it wasn't, getting it out of Blurr's hands without a fight would be problematic. Especially in close quarters such as these. The shuttleformer watches Blurr go. Then when his back is turned and he seems fully on his way out, Blast Off begins to follow. Should he keep on Blurr's trail, or go and try to find that mech and see what he was looking into?

Well, Blast Off -could- exit the building the same way he came in, and lurk on the streets below, waiting for Blurr to leave the facility so that he could possibly ambush him and attempt to grill him for information or swipe that dataslug from him.

Or, he could try to find that other mech he was talking to, and demand information from -him-. He knows Blurr is a force to be reckoned with, whether he'd like to admit it or not...but at least he -knows- Blurr. His strenghts, and his weaknesses. This other guy? Not so much. He could be anything. Though he's probably just some scientist who doesn't know how to put up a fight. Still, he -could- be more than Blast Off can chew.

The racer slips into the elevator, the doors shutting behind him. It won't be long until he exits the building, most likely. Blast Off had better make his choice...

Blast Off deliberates this a moment. Decisions, decisions.... He's halfway tempted to trail the unknown mech. Surely he's just some paper-pusher. He'd be safer, most likely. I mean, yes, he COULD be /more than meets the eye/, you never know on Cybertron after all! But for a moment, his thoughts linger on the nameless one. Safer, easier, right?

Then somewhere inside the Combaticon, pride stirs. Since when do Combatronians take the (assumed) safe and easy path, anyway? His optic ridges furrow down. No. No, he's a mighty space warrior, and the constant thorn in his side is BLurr. Pride demands he face the courier. So he slips through the window and hovers downwards, seeking to find the racer and get ahead of him for an ambush.

Yeah...it's true. The unknown scientist/technician was probably the safest and easiest route to take. And if had been Prowl, that's probably what he would have done. But Blast Off isn't Prowl, and it would seem that his pride in his heritage and in being a 'mighty warrior' has taken precedence.

And sure enough, as Blast Off approaches the ground, he would make it just in time to see Blurr leaving the building and transforming down into his vehicle mode as he is about to leave the premises.

Blast Off puts on a burst of power in those thruster feet of his, rocketing forward to land briefly not far from where Blurr is transforming, then touching up again after that conspicious attention-getting, almost cocky display to hover once more up and onto a nearby rooftop. Yes, ego indeed. Though- it's a low-level building this time... just in case. He stops and looks down at the courier, his weapon coming out of subspace but not firing- yet, at east. "Going somewhere?"

Blurr stops mid-transformation and stands back up, his weapons coming out as well as he whirls around quickly to face the Combaticon. He'd had a suspicion that someone had followed him here. "Blast Off..."

But now that the shuttle has a chance to get a closer look at him, he might notice that the courier is looking a bit ragged. As if he hadn't yet fully recovered from that injury he'd suffered in Nyon earlier. "You sure you want to mess with me again? Don't you remember what happened -last- time?"

Blast Off hufffs at that. "What, you think I'm scared of YOU?" His optics narrow, picking up the courier's ragged edge. "Don't make me laugh." His gaze then lifts up momentarily at the Sky Spy Network, then back down again. "I am a Combaticon. I fear nothing. But it appears you have something to fear. What happened to you, anyway?" He tilts his head, gazing at those unhealed wounds.

"And what makes you think I'd tell -you-?" Blurr taunts. "What do you want, anyway? Have you come to take me out once and for all?" His weapons remain trained on the Combaticon, but his arms are shaking just a little. He isn't at his best, and he knows it. "If you hate me so much, why do you keep following me around??"

Blast Off looks down his nose at the courier (something he has a lot of practice doing- looking down at people). His grip remains tight on his weapon, but again there's no attempt at firing. "You're just some poor, deluded newspark, Blurr. You're not worth my time to "take out once and for all". However.... I am still trying to figure you out. Because I'd like to know what your puppet-masters want." Again he glances to the Sky Spy building. "I have to wonder just who you're spying on these days..."

"I'm not gonna tell you slag." Blurr retorts, his face steely. "If you want information, you're gonna have to rip it from my cold, dead fingers." He glances at the road behind him. "And I'm -not- deluded." Right. Isn't that what every deluded person says? "I made this choice on my own, and I -know- what I believe is right. So if you're not going to fight me, then just frag off."

Blast Off looks disdainfully down at him. The shuttle isn't quite sure just what he expected... being able to talk reason with Blurr? It's probably way too late for such things anyway. There's no talking reason to someone who's been brainwashed. Maybe it was because he'd... almost hoped there \*was\*, that he tried, but there's too much tension here. Too much history.

His voice is calm and quiet. "Have it your way." He lifts his weapon and fires, going for a leg to try and cripple the racer. "The Senate isn't going to get away with spying on people forever, you know."

Blurr is best at dodging, given how fast he is, but Blast Off is also an excellent sniper with years of experience. Blurr doesn't have experience. Not compared to someone like the Combaticon. The shot makes purchase where it was intended, sending the racer off of his feet and to the ground. Energon pours from the wound, as well as from previous wounds that had been torn afresh. He struggles to get back up, but doesn't quite make it, although he does manage to return fire. "I swear to Primus...y-you won't get anything from me..."

[Combat:] Blurr misses Blast Off!

Seeing the shot hit home IS satisfying. He's /missed/ the mech often enough that seeing his shot perform as intended does bring a warm glow to the sniper's spark. Finally. His inner gloating is interrupted as Blurr attempts to return fire, but the Combaticon is not only skilled in shooting, he has some reasonably fast reflexes as well and darts quickly to the left just in time.

Then he looks down once more, stepping off with one foot... then catching himself via anti-gravs to begin hovering slowly downward. "Famous last words. Blurr, don't you think it's time you repaid the debt you owe me? You think it's Ok to take and take from me, but never to give. I think it's time you learned to /give/ a little. Starting with that dataslug." He takes a shot at Blurr's gun hand, trying to knock the weapon away. "Now give it over."

[Combat:] Blurr partially blocks your attack and takes less damage.

"I don't owe you slag!" Blurr hurls back. "I was your -friend-! I -helped- you! And you -betrayed- me!" he accuses. "You betrayed -us-." Blast Off's shot for his hand doesn't quite hit the mark, though it does graze his arm. Suddenly, he transforms and tries to make a run for it, speeding away from the factory.

Blast Off grumbles as Blurr accuses him and runs. "I certainly do /not/ remember it that way..." The racer speeds off, and as much as Blast Off would like to shoot again something holds him back this time. Perhaps lingering doubts about Whirl, and the fact that Blurr is running away, not fighting back. He still hesitates shooting someone in the back, perhaps. (Back? Bumper? Trunk?)

So instead, the Combaticon fires up those thrusters and rockets after Blurr. "You betrayed ME. You rigged up that cloaking device, then sent assassins to KILL me. How the SLAG is that betraying YOU, anyway?"

"No I didn't. It was already rigged with a tracker from the beginning, that was part of the deal. You just didn't read the fine print, did you!" Blurr argues. (No one reads the fine print.) "And I didn't send assassins after you, the IAA sent people after you because you were trying to harvest the ezero for yourself! You were breaking the terms of the agreement. No, -you- are the one who betrayed -me-." The racer attempts to speed away, but he is already injured, so that's not working out quite so well for him.

Blast Off hufffs once more. "What?! I did SO read the fine print! You think I'd go into a business deal without reading the fine print?!" (Hey, he works with Swindle, he learned long ago to read the fine print!) "YOU just changed the contract onme. Or had HIDDEN print... or...or something. "I would /never/ have agreed to anything /spying/ on me, tracking me... and I most certainly did NOT break any terms of agreement! I am a professional! If you paid me to go up there and retreive your slagging Ezero, then that's what I did! I wasn't PAID that last time. I was simply going up for my OWN reasons. Then your people shot me DOWN." Glaring as Blurr keeps trying to run off, the Combaticon swoops in a little closer. "Now stop running. You're making this harder than it has to be."

"Fine, whatever you say, but it was there. I can even point it out to you, sometime when you're NOT trying to kill me." Blurr says wryly. Was it? Or is that just what he was told by his superiors? "You weren't supposed to use their equipment for your own ends. You were supposed to deliver any and all ezero you obtained using the cloaking device to -them-. I mean did you seriously think that they wouldn't track you? After all you're doing work for them, of course they'd want to keep track of you! Good Primus Blast Off I thought you were smart!" Duh.

The speedster certainly does -not- stop trying to run. He is driving as fast as he possibly can, though he is beginning to grow weary from fuel loss. His alt-mode weapons emerge, and attempt to stave the Combaticon off.

[Combat:] Blurr partially hits Blast Off for minor damage!

Blast Off grumbles, "I'm not actually TRYING to kill you right now. If I /were/ you'd already be dead. I even let you LIVE once, when you /begged/ me for mercy.... and then you repaid THAT generosity by kidnapping my friends." At that thought, his trigger finger twitches, though he still doesn't fire. Stupid mindless fool. Though... still... /dangerous/ stupid mindless fool! And speaking of that, Blurr's weapons come out suddenly, firing before Blast Off's quite had the opportunity to register that Blurr even HAS weapons in alt mode. Still, his reflexes aid him once again and the damage just slices through the surface of shoulder plates, missing circuitry under the heat shields and armor.

Letting out another huff, he returns fire- this time trying to shoot right in front of the hover car and see if he can send some shrapnel up and under Blurr, causing him to lose control... hopefully. "Of course I'm smart... smart enough not to EVER agree to the things you claim I did. I wonder... did YOU ever read that contract? Or are you blindly believing whatever your masters tell you?"

[Combat:] Blurr partially blocks your attack and takes less damage.

"Of course I read it! I -gave- it to you! Maybe you just conveniently -forgot- about the parts you didn't like!" Blurr insists. Or perhaps he read the version that someone else -gave- him. Blast Off's shots glance off of the street in front of him, and debris flies up, scraping the racer's already compromised chassis from below. They don't do a lot of damage in and of themselves, but a particularly bulky piece flies up and knocks him off of the road, sending him sprawling down onto the rugged terrain below. He transforms to break his fall, but once he has come to a stop he realizes he is far too exhausted to get up once more. Instead, he attempts to aim a feeble shot at his opponent.

[Combat:] Blurr misses Blast Off!

The Combaticon shakes his head as Blurr continues to try to feed him a version of reality he just does NOT share. Blurr then screeches to a halt, firing off a shot with what looks like a shaky arm, and he deftly dodges that, too. Heh. Now THIS is much more like it! It's about time it was BLURR, not Blast Off, stumbling around, falling down, generally having the BAD DAY (tm) that the shuttle so often seems to attract. Arcing through with the dodging motion, he takes a few light steps as he lands not far from the injured courier sprawled out on the ground before him.

His weapon is aimed and ready to fire- and he does so, again trying to knock the gun from Blurr's hand. "Stop playing with that. Leave the shooting to snipers." He takes a step forward, casting a shadow across the racer. His own anger, frustration, and a desire to learn some of these secrets- secrets that could lead him back to /space/- keep him advancing on the mech. "Now... GIVE me that dataslug. That company is involved with making the very system that keeps ME from flying back to space. Which is where I BELONG. I want to know what's ON there!"

[Combat:] Blurr partially blocks your attack and takes less damage.

Well, most of Blurr's weapons are built into his body, so it's not that difficult for him to jerk out of the way, though it grazes him again, a little bit. However, he does not relent to Blast Off's demands, instead glaring up at him defiantly. "Go to hell," he quips, and continues to fire.

[Combat:] Blurr misses Blast Off!

Blast Off feels a surge of anger at that. This symbol of everything that's wrong with society, everything that just keeps taking things away from him.... He's ready to take something \*back\* for once. The Combaticon's engines rumble this time... nowehere near as impressive a sound as it is in his alt mode, but a noticeable sound nonetheless. Blurr seems quite weak now, and Blast Off easily misses the courier's shot. He takes another step forward. "I think not. But YOU might, the way you're going."

There's a cold fire in his optics as he shoots at Blurr's gun arm again. "Your own stubborn pride will get you offlined." (Pot calling the kettle black much?) "Now CEASE and DESIST, and surrender before I decide to live up to the \*sparkless murderer\* you seem to think I am."

[Combat:] Blurr partially blocks your attack and takes less damage.

"Then kill me," Blurr challenges. "Do it! You want the information? I told you, you're gonna have to rip it from my cold, dead chassis. Show the rest of the world who you -really- are." This time, he stops trying to dodge the blasts, and it destroys his lower arm, making a terrible mess on the ground. "Wh-what's the matter, huh?!" he taunts. "What are you waiting for, do it! Let the whole world know what you've -truly- become!"

That engine continues rumbling lowly, almost growling by now. Blast Off is suddenly almost tempted to do just that. There's a part of him that \*would\* like to just bring up his weapon and shoot Blurr right now. One shot- point blank, with a sniper's skill- right to the head, and it would be all over. No more taunts, no more kidnapping, no more lies and manipulations. Black fingers start to squeeze the trigger... then the thought strikes.

They'll just create another Blurr. Nothing will really change. There are also momentary flashes of others that drift through his mind- Hot Rod, still trying to help Blurr despite knowing what he is, Swift Blade and his attempts at convincing her he's not the criminal they make him out to be, ...even Whirl. He just DID just shoot Whirl in the head, and ... that was oddly disconcerting in some strange way. Enough he even went by Panacea's shop to learn of Whirl's fate. The shuttle's got just enough "civilized behavior" in him to stay his hand- and the trigger isn't pulled.

Also... it might be pride, as well. He's not going to do something just because Blurr tells him to... and he doesn't want to give the Senate, and those who pursue him, even more ammunition. Not this.... self-defense is one thing.... Blast Off hasn't decided if he wants to cross the line into true cold-blooded murder. "I do what \*I\* want, not what I'm told to. Unlike you, I serve no master." Blurr seems injured enough that Blast off decides to risk close quarter combat. And it IS a risk- he's no good in up close combat. But Blurr seems pretty weak now. "I just want that dataslug...." And he moves in the try and /take/ it!

Well, they wouldn't be able to create another Blurr, probably. But it certainly -would- give them more ammunition against him. -More- reasons to paint him in a negative light...but most of all, more reasons to -hate- him. Because Blurr was one of their most prized specimens, and they'd gone to great lengths to make sure they never lost him in one way or another.

And it is true, that surely, if Swiftblade learned of it, she would certainly be more likely to believe that he really is the murderer everyone says he is. So perhaps Blast Off has chosen wisely; after all, the last time he let his emotions get the better of him, it resulted in the murders that -got- him into this mess in the first place. Following through with this one is not likely to produce a different outcome. Plus, it's true--it doesn't really change much of anything. Even if Blurr was gone, the -real- enemy was still out there--and they'd just send someone -else- to continue being a thorn in his side.

Fortunately for the Combaticon this time, even as he approaches, he doesn't encounter any resistance from the speedster. It seems he has stasis locked from energon loss. It would only be a simple matter of opening the compartments and swiping the dataslug.

Somewhere, Blast off realizes this... and somewhere, even the Combaticon warrior isn't really prepared to kill in cold fuel. He might get their someday, but today is not the day. Today the civilzed size wins. Well, \*mostly\* civilized. Blast off bends over and steals the dataslug. Ok, with \*murder\* on his plate of charges, he's not even going to worry too much about theft. Not for this information. He simply hopes it will be worth all this trouble. Subspacing the item, he pulls back up and steps away. There's one last glance at Blurr, lying there in status lock. He could do a great deal many things... but for now he simply shakes his ehad, turns, and walks away.