1368/Smell and Tell

**Swivel has posed:**
As true to Swivel's plan, she had set off for Dead End on a hunch regarding the second half of the most recent puzzle left in the Mimic's wake. She had been in an old underground train tunnel. But it was badly collapsed and led nowhere. Swiel had resurfaced briefly, walking carefully through the slums of Dead End on her way to the closest sewer acces. It is then that her attention was drawn by a radio transmission. She pauses, quickly ducking beneath an old, half-collapsed awning outside of what was once a shop.

**Blast Off has posed:**
It just so happens she'll have company soon enough. Blast Off sent her a radio message- but he's up to a bit more than just a warning regarding Sixshot's call out for her capture. No, the shuttleformer is using his mercenary training to probe a bit further than that- in fact, he's tracing the radio signal. Hmm, Dead End. Ew, Dead End? \*sigh\* Why can't he make more acquaintances who hang out in the GOOD side of town for once? He needs to go try and make friends with Mirage or something, sheesh.

After some time, a shuttle touches down in Dead End as Blast Off lands and transforms. Hmm, that signal wasn't far from here.

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel had idled under her cover for a while. Was she aware that maybe Blast Off was close by, and that is why she stepped out of sight of the sky? Or was it just instinct, pure and simple, to try and find someplace shadowed to avoid notice of anyone, especially in such an unsavoury district? Swivel had responded, remainign crouched as she did so. She felt herself adequately warned, and cautiously set out from her cover once more. Looking about, she skirts along the edge of a building down a narrow street. Manholes were too heavy for her to lift without the proper equipment. But luckily, she knew a place where an explosion had mostly blown off the lid. As a result, the place often had a strong odor of chemical waste and was avoided. But it made it a great hiding place for those who could accustom themselves to the stench. As Swivel heads to this particular and aromatic location, she funnels her resources into the sensors responsible for analyzing and measuring air particles - lest she approach an area with a particularly volatile build up.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Peee-yew! Blast off turns off his olfactory sensors as the stench offends his 'delicate sensiblities'. How DOES Swivel tolerate this junk? He sighs and makes his way closer, looking for the femme. Come out, come out, wherever you are~... he knows she's nearby.

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel looks about and then speed-walks across the street. Running attracts attention. But she has little desire to dawdle either. She does hazard a glance about her to see if anyone is following her, though, as she nears a badly damaged manhole.

**Blast Off has posed:**
She'll see that she is, indeed, being followed, as Blast Off steps into view and stops upon spotting her. "...Swivel." The Combaticon looks tense, warily glancing about for sign of anyone else, but he is unarmed. For now.

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel pauses, but does not seem overly surprised when Blast Off steps into view. She stands up straight, turning away from her wuarry. Her hands on her hips, she responds. "Blast Off." She responds. She also speedily glances about for anyone who might observe this little interaction. Although, most know to keep to their own business in these areas. If they know what is good for them.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Indeed, gossip about the wrong person around here and you might not last long. Blast Off looks back to Swivel, straightening up and crossing his arms. "..What the FRAG were you thinking, taking on \*Sixshot\* like that?"

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel raises an optic ridge at Blast Off's question. She lifts her hands, palms out in a placating manner. "Hey now, I would never take on someone like Sixshot in a fight. Which is why I didn't fight him. I just tried to keep him subdued so I could do my job."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off tilts his head, considering her words. "It \*does\* seem unlike you to instigate a fight with anyone... much less someone like \*him\*." He sighs and shakes his head, arms still crossed. "Nevertheless, he has a call out for your capture." He shifts firmly into his stance, lifting an optic ridge at the femme. "What job was that, anyway?" Yep, that's a loaded question.

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel gives Blast Off a long, hard look, one optics slightly more narrowed than the other. Then she sighs, and her hands drop to her sides. "I know, I know. The only crazier thing would be to provoke and fly straight at Sky Lynx." Swivel quirks an optic ridge at Blast Off as she says this. "As for my job, a clever mech like you surely could figure that out on your own. Unless Sixshot left key details out of his report."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off blinks and glances away at the mention of Sky Lynx, but not for long. Soon, he's back to standing there, arms crossed, likely frowning under that faceplate he wears. "\*I'm\* a warrior, something I haven't heard you claim to be." Haughty sniff. "And as for what's in Sixshot's report, well, I've already told you the most important thing- at least as far as you ought to be concerned. There will be Decepticons out looking for you, wanting the information you gained inside the Mimic's hideout."

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel listens to Blast Off patiently. "You're right. I don't claim to be a warrior. Which is why, as I said, I didn't fight him. I merely stunned him and let others handle the rest." Swivel walks over to the edge of the street, tipping over a tall crate onto its side so that she may sit upon it. "So I take it, you are here to get it from me first."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off shakes his head. "You know stunning someone is insult to injury, right? Someone like Sixshot isn't going to forgive and forget so easily..." When Swivel speaks of why he's here, he doesn't deny it. For once. The shuttleformer seems to slump just slightly, broad shoulders hanging down. "If you were to tell me, the pressure out there to find and interrogate you would likely be lessened."

**Swivel has posed:**
"Oh it will burn under his armour for a while, I am sure. Not my wisest move. But snap judgments rarely are. I do better when I have time to process and plan my actions - but that's not always a luxury I am granted. I just need to roll with the punches." Swivel swings her legs, the backs of her heels occasionally banging gently against the metal crate.

She pauses for a moment, just the occasional arrhythmic clang clang of her heels being heard. "Well it's been a while since my /last/ interrogation. But... if our roles were reversed, if I told you that you were likely to be captured and interrogated, would /you/ just tell me what I wanted to know? Is that all I'd need to do the next time I need a favour from you?"

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off relents a bit, nodding. "...True. In the heat of battle, sometimes things just... happen." He looks away, rubbing the back of his helmet, then looks back as Swivel speaks of favors. He stands still a moment before scratching at his helmet and dropping his hand down again. His face pinches. "Well..." Uh. "It's not \*that\* simple."

Now his arms cross again and he takes a step towards Swivel before lifting a hand to point at her from above the other arm. "You know that Vortex is just \*itching\* to get another interrogation. I doubt I could stop him if they \*did\* catch you. You don't want that, do you? I'm not sure I could do \*anything\*, really. What I'm suggesting is a way to ease off a little bit of the pressure on \*you\* and..." He blinks and looks away again, mumbling almost too softly to hear, "...give me a little peace of mind, too..."

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel's optics squint at the mention of Vortex, and her lips get pressed together in a taught line. She looks as though she were about to interrupt, but instead she just goes very still and lets Blast Off finish. And perhaps, it's good she did as well. For his honesty, and even subtle show of vulnerability, seems to osften what vexation bringing up Vortex had began. She looks down at her knees for a moment or two, before she looks up.

"In all honesty, I'd love to tell you. I don't think Autobots and Decepticons should be racing and fighting each other to get rid of Mimic. His plan to remove everyone's memory of the war could backfire in so many ways. It's a dangerous endeavor. To everyone. Should we /not/ be facing this threat as a united people?" Swivel sighs. She balls up her hands and then relaxes them. "But neither you, nor I, can make that decision. Nor do we have the influence necessary to negotiate a temporary alliance. If we could, I would tell you in exchange for an opportunity to broker such an agreement. But... you cannot provide that, Blast Off. The only leverage you have is that I /might/ avoid another playdate with Vortex in the near future." Swivel frowns and shakes her head.

Swivel leans forward, hands on her thighs. She sighs, and then pushes herself up onto her feet again. "So I suppose giving you peace of mind is worth a little bit of treason. Nevermind I endangered Starlock and Healthpoint to /keep/ the Decepticons from learning what I learned."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off is an odd one, both simultaneously in vehement denial and yet sometimes very honest in his own way. He frowns as he listens to Swivel speak, especially as it sounds like this was all for naught. The shuttleformer sighs, looking down at the ground as the Autobot mentions Vortex. He isn't going to offer her false promises. And any incentive to take her on is dampened with the memory of what happened last time he did... he'd like to avoid chains and basements, thank you. \*cough\*

So this looks like he's failed. The Combaticon looks around, starting to wonder if there's anything he should do before leaving, when she mentions the 'peace of mind' thing. The shuttleformer's face snaps back at attention, optics glowing a little more than before. Then those optics squint in just the sort of way Swivel can probably tell he's smiling some. He chuckles, "These things do get... complicated," he admits.

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel shakes her head. "I won't give you the answer. Just a hint. Because, like I said, I did put others in danger to make sure we had the information first. But I suppose anyone smart enough would figure it out eventually. I just don't want it getting back to anyone that I even gave you a hint..." Swivel glances about again uneasily. "I hope you Decepticons take good and detailed reports, because the words are the names given to three of his hideouts, in the order that they've been exposed." Swivel rubs her upper arm for a moment, somewhat glad this interaction was taking place somewhere that even Dead End folk found unpleasant. She wrinkles her nose briefly. She could not afford to offline her sensors, lest anything actually become dnagerous.

"And another thing... Blast Off. Be careful what you say to Juris. She indicated that she used something you said to guess where to find Mimic in Stanix."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off listens quietly as Swivel explains, face scrunching thoughtfully. "Hmm." He nods as she mentions not wanting to be exposed, "Of course." He scratches at his chin. "So, Pandora and the other two names are clues?" He'll have to go back and look at the reports. HMM.

He looks up as she mentions Juris, optics widening, then squinting. "...." He thinks back to the last time they met and... "...Frag. She was asking me an awful lot of questions..." UGH. His hand slides down his faceplate. "I will." He looks back up at Swivel, his expression softening. "....Thank you."

**Swivel has posed:**
Swivel smiles, tapping her nose when Blast Off already guesses one of the words. And when Blast Off seems a bit dismayed that he inadvertantly gave the Autobots an edge in the hunt for mimic, her smile broadens to that impossible width only she can achieve. "Seemed only fair to give you the warning since you warned me about Sixshot. Now then, the gases in this area are getting... well let's just say I wouldn't suggest firing any weapons anywhere around here. Perhaps it's time to move on."

**Blast Off has posed:**
The shuttleformer's face scrunches into a sort of winsome pout as he regards his Autobot friend smiling so broadly at him. He rubs at his temple a moment, black fingers brushing against the glowing purple sensor in the middle of his helmet forehead. Then the hand drops and he scans the area. "I... turned my sensors off, to be honest." An optic ridge lifts up. "Indeed." He looks around one last time, frowning at the idea that his guns wouldn't be something he could use here. That's enough to make him vulnerable, and he knows it. Yeah, leaving sounds good.

The shuttleformer gives Swivel a nod and a quick two-finger salute. "Until next time, then. Keep low for awhile." He glances towards the hole Swivel was near, "Not that you need to be told that, I suppose." Then he turns to head off.