Letting It All Hang Out

++ Nyon ++

The red and white seeker meanders in slow circles in the sky above Nyon, his manner seeming listless. He ascends and descends at random intervals, staying mostly out of sight. Little does anyone know that the seeker is on the prowl, scanning the area for a particular brown and purple Combaticon.

Finally, Starscream rests on the rooftop of an abandoned building, and takes a moment to send Whirl a message remotely. "<<Are you free>>"

It feels like barely any time has passed since Whirl had his little confrontation with Vortex. He was, and still is, in pretty bad shape but he knows his own body well enough to know whether or not he needs immediate medical attention. A few field repairs and Whirl's good enough to postpone professional help! Good going, Whirl!

He receives Starscream's message and responds in kind. << I am. Why?>>

Blast Off is here on one of his deliveries to Nyon for Swindle, shortly after receiving repairs from damage incurred from his meeting with Chimera. He's still in iffy shape, but apparently this was an URRGENT cargo run and simply \*couldn't wait\*. \*siigh\*. So once his repairs were in place, off he went. It's been awhile since he did one of those cargo runs, and the general state of disrepair and disarray for the city (even for Nyon) catches the shuttle by surprise.

He finishes his job, however, and begins to think that perhaps a drink might be nice- one for the road. There are a lot of memeories here, after all.... everywhere he looks he sees Shiftlock and Whirl. On top of that, his joints ache, his circuits ache, \*everything\* aches... Chimera opened him up like a tin can and played with his spark itself. EVERYTHING is still sore. Yes, what with the mental and physical maladies... a drink would indeed be nice. He begins to head towards a bar he and Whirl once visited.

"<<Oh good. I want you too meet me in Nyon>>" The seeker radios back to Whirl, watching as Blast Off enters a nearby local dive. "<< I'm sending you the coordinates now>>" Moments later, Whirl will receive a pair of coordinates located in Nyon. Huh, it's close to a bar he and Blast Off once visited...

Whirl SIGHS. He figured it was just a matter of time before Starscream reached out to him like this, demanding his time and having him meet him in some random place. Except this isn't a random place at all, these coordinates bring him to Nyon and not just any place in Nyon, but one he visited quite frequently when he lived there. Huh, probably nothing to be too concerned about, right?

Whirl arrives in no time at all (he must've been nearby already,) appearing on the horizon in his alternate mode. As he approaches the building Starscream is loitering on, he comes in close, hovering just above him before transforming into his root mode and dropping onto the rooftop beside him.

"What." Such a respectful greeting.

Blast Off makes his way to the counter, ordering a drink. For once it's not wine, it's something a little stronger. He feels like he could use it. His movements are a bit stiff as he takes the drink and makes his way to a table. There are still some bandages on his chest and he looks as if he is trying not to move his torso too much right now. The shuttleformer sits down, sipping his drink and idly rubbing at the bandages- totally unaware of the nearby company.

Starscream smirks, his grin cheshire. "<Whirl. My, you certainly have seen better days>" The seeker admits, slinking in a slow circle around the ex convict. Funny, he's not talking out loud? Well, the details of their deal are a bit confidential..

"<How's being an Autobot working out for you?>" he taunts, "< I do hope you've something useful for me>" He leaps gracefully off the roof and lands in front of the bar, within Blast Off's viewing range but not directly so.

At first, Blast Off doesn't notice anything- he's far too inwardly oriented right now, recent memeories of Whirl and watches and Chimera and pain and Shiftlocks's ghost to make the trinity of haunting complete. He takes another drink. Then a movement catches his wary optics and he glances towards it- and OH PRIMUS what is Starscream doing here? The shuttleformer freezes, then sort of tries to huddle and look as inconspicuous as possible.

Not talking out loud? Whirl is okay with that. He'd rather not have anyone know what he's doing up here anyway. He does his best to keep his optic on the seeker as he circles around him. <Yeah, thanks. I've been busy getting my aft kicked by psychopaths, nice of you to notice.>

There's a frustrated huff from Whirl when Starscream leaps ever so gracefully off the building. Damn him for making it look so easy. Whirl follows suit but doesn't do it nearly as well as Starscream, the cyclops hitting the ground hard; joints recently damaged from jumping off a building straining in protest. Ouch. <Not really. Feint's brainwashing people but that's no surprise.>

Starscream doesn't look at Blast Off, but he knows the Combaticon is there, oh yes he does. He turns to face Whirl. "<Hm. Well...>" The seeker suddenly reaches forwards for Whirl's interface paneling and with a deft movement flicks it open. His hand then closes around Whirl's cable..

"<Let's sync up and you can tell me more. I want useful intel>"

And then WHIRL joins the Seeker in seeming to fall from the sky. Blast Off's fuel lines run cold. What is he doing here- what are THEY doing here at the same TIME? The Combaticon fights the urge to immediately rush over and throw his arms around the cyclops (or at least pinch those delectable claws of his~)...but he wouldn't \*dare\*, not with Starscream around. Oh NO.... is Starscream about to start trying to kill Whirl? Megatron DID issue that order... But-wait, Whirl said something about Starscream being the reason he joined the Autobots. And they don't LOOK like they're fighting?....

HOLY PRIMUS. The Combaticon stiffens straight up as Starscream \*grabs Whirl's interface panel\* (!!!!), his hands coming down hard on the table in front of him. And slag it all, he KNEW Whirl was an exhibitionist, but... RIGHT THERE in FRONT of PRIMUS and COUNTRY! Right there in front of HIM??!! Frozen now, he can only watch for Whirl's response.

Considering Whirl is facing the opposite direction, he has absolutely no idea Blast Off is RIGHT THERE though he does notice that there is a sudden increase in Blast Off themed thoughts in his head. Eh, it's probably nothing. He's a little confused by what Starscream wants from him, it's not like they ever really talked about what Starscream wanted him to do inside the Autobots, and he's even more confused when the seeker flips open his interface panel and just goes for his cable like that. There's a sharp intake of air through the cyclops' ventilation systems and his optic seems to flicker slightly. Is this really happening?

The seeker's optics suddenly narrow and his expression hardens. Starscream leans towards the cyclops, letting his shadow fall on Whirl. "<...you really /don't/ have anything else to tell me>" His grip on Whirl's cable tightens significantly, cinching down until it becomes painful. "<Or, is there something you're /hiding/ from me>"

And then he cracks Whirl's cable like a whip as his boosters activate, lifting the seeker up off the ground and down a back alleyway behind the bar. "<Tell me Whirl, how badly was it again, that you wanted a pair of hands>"

Blast Off continues to stare at this. Whirl's hesitation is noted, though he's not exactly pulling away either.. Though he just looks... confused. Well, at least from what Blast Off can tell- it's difficult to read the expression of someone with no face, but the Combaticon is probably better than most at it by now. Blast Off feels confused himself, in addition to shocked and a growing sense of anger and jealousy. What \*Is\* this, anyway?

He doesn't like Starscream's mannerisms, though... leaning in, optics narrowing in that way, grabbing and then \*snapping\* that cable like a whip!!! Primus... just /watching/ that display makes Blast Off's own cables hurt and he winces. What the slag is Starscream's problem anyway? Just what the smelt IS going on?

Whirl can't help but feel juuuust a little intimidated by Starscream when the seeker leans in and stares him down with those intense and overpowering optics of his. <N-no..?> He seems unsure until that hand wrapped around his cable tightens, the good touch becoming an extremely bad one very fast. <No! No there isn't! I swear!> The pain intensifies and Whirl finds Starscream making towards the alleyway, his cable still clutched in his hand.

"AUGH! Okay! OKAY!" So much for the short-range radio. Whirl is yelling at Starscream as he follows behind, running as fast as he can to keep up with the seeker and keep his cable from being ripped right out of his body. "Shiftlock died! I tried to kill myself! Arcee hates me! Scattershot said something bad about Sentinel Prime and he had Feint reprogram him! Being an Autobot sucks! What more do you want from me!?"

Whirl isn't going to be able to keep up for very long, the seeker soon accelerates to speeds only fliers like him can achieve, going in a circle around the bar. Finally, he comes to a halt in front of a dilapidated structure with a gutter running along the edge of the roof.

Starscream flies up and swiftly, before Whirl can protest, wraps Whirl's interface cable to the gutter, effectively stringing him up. He pins him against the wall, his hand clamped down heavily on the cyclop's thin neck. "<Answer the question. How /badly/ did you want a pair of hands>" He leans in close, his red opticked gaze burning into Whirl.

* around the

Oh, to PIT with THIS!!! Blast Off stands up as Whirl starts yelling and scrambling after Starscream, looking as if he's desperately trying not to have his cables yanked clear out of his body. (Again, can we say \*OUCH\*? Like seriously, dude.) Whirl appears to be in distress and Blast Off can't ignore this. He's not exactly sure what he CAN do at this point, given that this is Starscream of all people.... but that's IT. He begins striding out, away from the table ... then stops, goes back, \*downs the WHOLE DRINK all at once\*, throws some shanix on the table, and THEN strides out the door to follow the other two!

Using anti-gravs if he has to, he tries to keep up with the other two mechs without being /entirely/ obvious about it. He also finally breaks down and radios Whirl. << What the \*SLAG\* is going on??!! >> And hello I'm watching by the way.

Whirl thought he was doing a good job at keeping up with Starscream but it quickly becomes obvious that he's not, the mech eventually unable to run as fast as the seeker can fly. He gets dragged along by his interface cable but not for long as Starscream finally comes to a stop. Whirl sighs in relief.

BUT THERE IS NO RELIEF TO BE FOUND. Starscream ascends and /tethers his cable to the gutter/ leaving Whirl to dangle there helplessly in intense pain. He reaches up to grab hold of the cable and pull himself up but Starscream stops him, pinning him against the wall and taking his throat in his hand. Damn, this got out of hand so freaking fast it made Whirl's head spin. "I.. I wanted them really badly. I wanted them so bad that I betrayed my friends and joined the very force they were fighting against." He feels horrible having to say this outloud but being strung up by his cable while simutaneously being choked out feels worse. Definitely not as exciting as it may sound.

There's a flash of panic in Whirl's optic when he receives the message from Blast Off. Oh Primus, is he here too? Was he here the whole time? How much did he see? <<Blast Off!? Blast Off, get out of here! I don't want you getting involved in this, okay!?>>

The seeker leans even closer, his ventilators opening slightly to let a soft and cool rush of air rush over Whirl. "Then don't disappoint me again," he whispers in Whirl's audio receptors.

Then he steps back, and his devilish cheshire grin lights up again, and he laughs.

Just before he punches Whirl in his single optic.

Then he retreats to the rooftop of a building, out of sight and perhaps out of mind...

-Combat- Deadlock hits Whirl with a melee attack!

A shudder runs through Whirl's frame at Starscream's whisper. Damn this seeker. Damn him straught to Cybertron hell. Whirl wants to ask him what exactly he means by that but the seeker releases him and the intense pain of his body weight pulling on his cable returns and he finds himself entirely focused on keeping himself and his interface cable attached.

Then Starscream punches him in the optic. Hard. Like, hard enough it actually cracks and distorts his vision.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" Whirl shouts into the air despite the fact Starscream isn't around anymore to hear him. "I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNEW! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?"

Blast Off is completely torn by this point. He gets that radio message and he \*knows\* Whirl is right, but.... he has to find out if the cyclops will be Okay. The shuttle finds himself looking over the scene playing out before him, stopping once again to stare in horror at the sight that greets him. He absolutey cringes inwardly at the sight of Whirl strung up like that- and then PUNCHED. The Combaticon's fists clench up at that, and despite the fact that he's no good at physical combat he'd dearly love to return the favor to the Seeker right now. That Seeker suddenly flies off and... wait, where'd he go?

Blast Off looks around suspiciously before radioing Whirl back, << ...I....I just want to know if you are Okay. >> He wants to go help Whirl, but he's concerned Starscream is still lurking around watching somewhere.

Whirl would normally consider this a pretty embarassing situation to be seen in.. if this was something he did to himself. Since this was done to him by someone else totally against his will is less embarrassing and more terrifying and messed up beyond belief. Whirl grabs hold of his interface cable with both sets of claws, trying to pull himself up but the pain is just too intense and he's forced to stop.

<< I think he's gone.>> Whirl radios back, whipping his head back and forth in an attempt to spot either Starscream or the Combaticon. <<Blast Off, please help me. I can barely see what's going on and I think my cable is about to rip off. I can't go through life without my cable, I'd rather die!>>

Primus.... loving someone who is supposed to be your enemy is SO FREAKIN' COMPLICATED. (Who knew?) Blast Off hesitates once again as he receives that message from Whirl, who is NOT Okay- not at all. The shuttleformer glances once more in the direction Starscream was last spotted...pauses.... and then \*huffs\* a sort of exasperated sigh. He's got no choice. Anti-gravs kick in and he flies over to Whirl, landing near him. Then he pauses again. He's still wondering if Starscream is just watching this all somehow. << Whirl, I'm here, and I'm going to help, but... I'm still not sure Starscream is gone. I \*think\* he is, but.... I'm going to have to act at least a \*little\* like... your enemy. Maybe just... an honorable one. >>

With that, he pulls out his ionic blaster and steps forward, pointing it at the cyclops. "What's this? My worst enemy all strung up? Well, that won't do. At least come down here where you can face me properly!" He makes a show of this, then his weapon comes down and he starts trying to dislodge the bigger mech from his very unhappy predicament. This means he gets stuck trying to hold Whirl's weight as he tries ....um, untangling him. ....Gently.

Whirl is so damn happy to see Blast Off right now. Seriously, after something like this it's such a relief to see a friendly face. <<Ugghh, Blast Off, thank Primus you're here. Don't tell anyone but I was actually really scared.>> His sense of relief fades away when Blast Off starts pulling his little acting bit, pretending to be the honourable villian or something. Whirl just STARES.

"Seriously!? I don't have time for this slag! My cable is about to get ripped out, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS HURTS!?" Thankfully, Blast Off does end up helping, or trying to atleast. Whirl emits an annoyed huff, obviously growing impatient and anxious the longer this takes. "Hold on, I got it. Just hold me up, okay?" He wraps an arm around Blast Off's shoulders, the other one reaching up to untangle his cable from it's spot on the gutter.

And then, a wicked laugh precedes a pair of crimson optics glowing in an alleyway behind Blast Off and Whirl.

Looks like Starscream had planned this, every bit of it. He's lighting up that sexy and devious half smile, looking very pleased indeed.

"Well, well, well," he says, feigning a look of compassion, "isn't this /cute/." He gives Blast Off a smug look.

Blast Off HATES having to pull this act, too. Primus he wishes things could be much more simple for them. But they're playing a deadly game, and the somewhat paranoid shuttle is just \*waiting\* for the axe to drop on both their heads. That stare hurts, though, and hearing about how much pain Whirl's in (and he certainly LOOKS like he is) causes the shuttle to drop the act a bit and concentrate on assistance. That \*huff\* from the cyclops gets a brief stare right back, though, Blast Off's optic ridge lifting up. Whirl's been huffing a LOT lately, hasn't he? Now wherever did he get THAT from? (\*huff\*)

He replies, voice low, "Fine...fine... just keep your voice down. He's probably just lurking somewhere, watching, and if he sees US together he..." There's a pause as his words catch in his throat. He may be in serious trouble when he goes back to Kaon. But... no time to worry about it now. "Anyway... alright." The shuttleformer does his best to support Whirl's weight, again not the easiest task for him. He's no Brawl.

"Just...ow, yes, that looks.... ow... are you SURE you want to unwrap it THAT way? That's going to leave a \*knot\*, and then..." He suddenly freezes as a voice calls out behind them. OH SLAG. Then nearly buckles under the weight in his surprise, only /just/ managing not to drop the cyclops.

Whirl gives Blast Off another stare before returning to the task of untangling his cable. "Don't worry, it will still work. Just focus on keeping me up and keeping the pressure off my cable." A few more seconds and he successfully unhooks himself, now starting to wrap his cable up and tuck it back into his interface panel.

And then Starscream makes himself known and surprises the hell out of the both of them. Blast Off almost drop Whirl and Whirl responds by wrapping his arms tight around Blast Off's shoulders in an attempt to keep the shuttleformer from dropping him.

"This.. isn't what it looks like?"

And there they both are, Blast Off holding Whirl bridal-style with Whirl's arms around his shoulders and both looking like a turbo-deer caught in the headlights. "It's NOT!!" Blast Off insists oh-so-convincingly. "I...I was simply letting him down so that he could face me like a mech before he died! Totally about ...honor and being a gentlemech, nothing else!" He tries standing there, knees almost buckling under the weight. There's a blink. "And when I say FACE me like a mech I meant STAND face to face, not...you know...'face me....." Oh yes, Blast Off's doing a great job here.

Starscream gives a low chuckle. "Why, Blast Off, there's no need to try and cover up. You shouldn't be so afraid. We're both reasonable mechs, and you know me, I'm honorable. I'll keep your .. dirty little secret." His smile turns into a smirk.

"But as you know," he says, gesturing dramatically, "nothing's free in this world. /Surely/, both of you know that. I might need an extravagant favor from time to time, and well--you know, since you're now indebted to me for keeping your .. relationship under wraps, you'd best obey without hesitation."

<Now, there's a reason for all of this, Whirl. You're going to Deltaran to find out some juicy details on Pharma and what his plans for the future are. After all, couldn't just leave you there on their front door step looking all pristine and untouched. They wouldn't take you>" He turns to Blast Off with a grin. "You'd agreed, that Whirl needs repairs from some of the best in the field," he says, suddenly reaching forward and scooping Whirl quite gently out from Blast Off's arms. His boosters activate, levitating the seeker a few feet off the ground.

Whirl can only stare at Starscream in horror though it's impossible to tell because of his empurata. As the seeker continues, it becomes more and more obvious what just happened: Starscream used him as bait. He used him to lure in Blast Off because he /knew/ there was something between them, he just wanted proof. Proof he could use against them, to keep them subservient to his desires. This revelation is absolutely crushing to Whirl but he doesn't have much time to think about it as Starscream begins short-waving a mission statement. Deltaran? Pharma? No. No, no, no. If Whirl knew he was signing up for this sort of thing, he would've told Starscream to shove it. Maybe.

The cyclops tenses when seeker scoops him away from Blast Off, Whirl clinging onto shuttleformer as hard as he can in a futile attempt to keep from being taken away. "Blast Off, don't forget me. If something happens to me, remember me how I was." He tries to keep his grip but he's inevitably pulled away, his claws leaving deep gouges in Blast Off's armor where he tried to hang on.

Blast Off stares in abject horror, going from looking like the deer-in-the-deadlights to puppy-caught-after-getting-into-the-garbage. his head sort of sinks down into his shoulders. Starscream \*knows\*, and denial isn't going to save him this time. ".....What... /kind/ of... favors?" Extravagant, he said. WHAT'S THAT MEEEAN. His spark sinks at the thought. Then Starscream takes Whirl out of his arms. No! The shuttle holds onto Whirl as well, even getting lifted up a bit. Whirl's claws dig into him painfully, but Blast Off doesn't mind, nor is it in any way pleasant- it simply is terrifying to have someone you love- and he does love Whirl- be taken from you like that.

The shuttle stares into Whirl's cracked optic, trying to calm his own panic and be a source of strength for the cyclops. It's difficult though. "I...Of course not. Never! I..." He's finally forced to let go, falling down to the ground, then he raises a hand to point furiously at Starscream. "What repairs?! By who? If anything untoward happens to him- if he's messed with mentally in any way- our deal is OFF!!" Though if he isn't, then... apparently there IS a deal.

"Oh don't worry," Starscream says with smug look, "I'll specify them on a as-per-needs basis." Oddly, the way the seeker is cradling Whirl now is the exactly opposite of how he was treating him earlier. His left hand is supporting Whirl's back carefully, while his right has slipped gently into the crook behind the cyclop's knees.

"Blast Off, Blast Off.." the seeker says in a charming and sing song voice, "you needn't worry. I'll take /extra/ care of Whirl." And away he goes, towards Deltaran, to leave the poor ex convict on the doorstep of the famed hospital.

Blast Off is still half-tempted to begin shooting, fighting for Whirl and then...and then.... and then what? Starscream is far higher-ranking than he is. Unless he took on Starscream and killed him, the Seeker would make the Combaticon's life a living hell. As it is, he STILL might, but... this way there's a chance they might be allowed to keep slipping under the radar. Well...by doing a few "favors", that is. And short of absconding with Whirl and heading to the furthest reaches of the cosmos (which he simply doesn't have the fuel to do)... he'd better play it as smart as he can right now. Which means short-term hurt for... what he hopes is long-term gain. He stays put, glaring at the Seeker but not saying anything further.

But he does send a radio message: << Whirl, be careful. And.... >> He pauses. He's never actually said this to Whirl before, has he?

<< ...I love you. >>