1075/Insecticons in the Dead End: Part 2 (A Trilogy

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex walks. No he /skips/ through dead end, spinning his brand new rotors. "Ro..rotor rotor rotor." he giggles just enjoying lie with his rotor blades back.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off tries to keep up with the rotary, glancing uncomfortably around them. "Why on Cybertron, of all the places you could go once you got your rotors back, did you choose \*here\*? I thought you were going to give me that polish you owed me." He looks around again, frowning under his faceplate at the grunginess. "If it's here, I \*refuse\*."

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl is in the Dead End looking for something -- probably a fight. Mayyyybe some bootleg datalogs. Maybe both! It can be more than one thing, right? Whirl can contained multitudes, dangit.

**Juris has posed:**
It's the middle of the night here in the Dead End.

 Which is, interestingly enough, not actually the Cybetronian equivalent of one or two am, instead, it's only several cycles before most would get up to head to work. Too early for the regular street thugs, and too late for those who don't do their business during daylight hours. Consequently, the streets are silent. Eerily so.

 If Whirl is looking for a fight, he won't find one. If he's looking to steal something, well, right now is the best time.

 As for Vortex and Blast Off, whether they're actually safer during this time at the Dead End remains a mystery. Why they would have chosen to come to the Dead End in particular to celebrate Vortex's new rotary blades will also remain a mystery. But maybe they'd heard from the proverbial grape vine that there are still two feral Insecticon lingering here, and maybe that's why they're here. Rumor has it, one is significantly larger than the others previously encountered, and the other is particularly elusive.

 Even if Blast Off and Vortex aren't here for that reason, Rodion's district attorney is. Perched atop a slum's rooftop, she keeps watch over the sleepy, crime ridden slums, staying vigilant for any unusual activity.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl stalks along, head constantly moving back and forth and up and down as he takes in the empty, sleepy streets of the slum. "...okayyyy, so no datalog dealers open now, big shocker," he mutters to himself. "..which also mean, probably not going to get into a fight either. Shoulda stayed back home and beat the hell outta the training drone again." He whistles, a single, sad, solitary note, accompanied by the clacking of his claws as he walks along. As he goes, his personal internal narrative begins to shift, casting himself as the lone anti-hero who walks the gritty streets alone and likes it that way.

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex chirps. "Theres a fight club here and I wanna test them out." he says. "But if you want me to polish you instead we can do that. Ask for people to pay to watch aucase peopel around here awe weird you know..."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off HUFFS! "No \*way\*! I am not going to be the voluntary main attraction to some guttersnipe's freak show." HMPH. Nose in the air, Blast Off is still looking around uneasily. "No, we can wait until later for that polish. Now I \*have\* heard of Darkstar's little club in here, but are you \*sure\* it's around here? The mechs in this place wouls strip us for spare parts if they could." His black hand drops down, ready to bring his gun out of subspace if need be!

**Juris has posed:**
Juris notices Whirl dodging around in the streets immediately, and sighs. Transforming, she leaps down from the roof nimbly, landing silently on a pile of rags in an alleyway behind Whirl.

 "I hope you're here for the reason I think you are," she says suddenly.

 If Whirl turns around, he'll find himself looking at an obsidian rotary femme with dual functioning blades and tasers in her heels.

 Then she hears the two Combaticons making a ruckus in the street a block over, and she presses a finger to her helm in exasperation. "Decepticons. Just what I needed."

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl does indeed turn around when he hears someone talking behind him. In fact, he whirls around -- which in this case means, claws bared and ready to fight. His rotors spread out, making him look bigger (or at least wider) than he actually is. His antenna flatten back and his optic narrows to a slit. "Depends," he says, voice oddly conversational. "...you wanting to get your aft kicked? 'Cause I am in the moo---Decepticons? Okay, cool, we can take them out instead! Punchie punchie!"

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex sees a familiar face. And rotors. And heel tasers. "Oh look its Juris!" He clears his throat trying not to sound excited. "No matter where I go, shes there. She cant get enough of me you know." he says to Blast Off. "I bet its gonna get worse now that the rotors are back." He wiggles them in Juris and Whirl's direction. Hey. Whirl's a rotary. He'll understand the wiggle.

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off blinks, looking up to see Juris- and Whirl. The shuttleformer stiffens, optics paling as his trigger finger twitches. He doesn't take the weapon out yet but he's definitely ready to. "She seemed to me someone \*not\* to be trusted. What the slag was \*with\* giving you rotors only to have them taken away? How'd she even get that kind of access?" He squints at her, engine grumbling. He also keeps a wary optic on the Autobot. "Hmph. Rotary party, apparently."

**Juris has posed:**
She doesn't respond to Whirl's comment about her wanting to get her aft kicked. Instead, she just regards him blandly. "Maybe," she answers coolly, brushing past him.

 The female rotary approaches Vortex, her expression blank. "Were you looking for someone or something?" she asks. Then, turning to Blast Off, she says, "At ease. I presume you're here to continue your .. clean up duty for Shockwave, I figured. I believe there are still a couple holed in up in this area."

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex nods "Yeah I wanna know about that too, Blast Off. But she seems to be on duty. And we probably should be too." his rotors fold down professionally. "Yeah we were looking to clean up for Shockwave." that sounds much better then randomly wandering.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl turns, trailing behind Juris. "Ok, that's a maybe on you and me throwing down or a maybe on us taking down the Combaticons?" He studies Vortex and Blast Off. "...slag, not even the \*good\* Combaticons. We get the shuttle an' the cute one."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off stares at Juris as she gives him an order. "You are \*not\* my Commander." He huffs again, more softly, then glances down the alley. "Insecticons? Here?" There his trigger finger goes twitching again. Then he just turns and gives Whirl a sour look. "..." Though there's a glance to see how 'the cute one' is taking this. "...Should I just shoot this riffraff, Vortex?"

**Juris has posed:**
"I'm sorry," she says to Vortex, "both you and those holding you hostage were most likely unaware of the fact that if a prisoner of war requests possession of his or her parts, they shall be granted such if lack of that particular part severely inhibits the prisoner's mobility. It's a sub-clause. I was able to have them delivered to you because basic penal law also states that if a prisoner is mentally or physically incapable of making requests, someone can vouch for them. I did, however, other matters arose afterwards so I was not able to properly appear on behalf of your rotors. But it appears you have newer, better ones now, so congratulations. They suit you quite well." Did she just simultaneously insult and compliment Vortex?

 Juris draws her weapons and stands in front of Whirl. "No," she says, "you will not. Any assistance in finding these feral Insecticons is welcome, and needed." She pauses. "Of course I'm not. I didn't say you had to listen to me. However, I will say that you'll probably regret not listening to me." She pushes past the Combaticons, heading down the alleyway. "My heat radar just went off. It looks like at least one of them is heading south, towards western border of Rodion."

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl grunts at Juris. "You some kinda cop or what?" he asks, then answers for himself. 'Nahhh, not a cop. You don't talk like a cop -- you talk like a defense attorney." He says this the way he usually says things like 'Decepticon' or 'Senator' -- though not with the same heat he uses for 'Functionalists'. He grunts again. "Finne, I won't hurt the Combatibrats -- wouldn't be a fair fight anyway. Let's go bug huntin'."

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex blinks "Cute? Awww.. flattery will only get rotors wiggled at you." he says. "But if you want to arrest me. You two are gonna have to fight me." he says. "Blast Off, run. I got this. Two cute .. I mean rotaries. I can make out..take them out." he turns his head away as Juris mentions Garrus. "I dont want to talk about the rotors. Would it be okay if we just pretended Garrus never happened? Theres .. I dont like to think about it. I have new rotors so the old rotors don't matter." he says. "So we gonna fight? I can really use a fight."

**Blast Off has posed:**
"Mmm. Hmm." Blast Off murmurs flatly to Juris, still eying her suspiciously. Then she's off, and he glances over at Whirl. "It wouldn't be a fair fight- for \*you\*." His armor bristles slightly, then smoothes again. He turns back to Vortex, still watchful. "I am \*not\* running. Not without you, at least." He looks up and down the alleyway, "So... bug hunting?" He glances back at Whirl. "Or Autobot fighting?"

**Juris has posed:**
Juris keeps walking, not even bothering to turning to face either of the rotaries as she speaks. "I suppose," she says to Whirl. "Rodion's resident district attorney," she says evenly. "Thank you. I'm surprised. I've heard plenty about you, Whirl."

 To Vortex she simply says, "I'm not here to arrest you," she says, "and maybe. If the Insecticon turns up, certainly."

 She's walking a brisk pace. The rotaries and Blast Off will nearly have to jog to keep up with her.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl clatters his rotors. "Yeah, I bet you have. I have one of those kinda reputations," he says, sounding blustery if not entirely proud as he starts stalking behind her. "As for you, Glass Cannon, once we get these pests under control I'd be more'n happy to send you and Twitchy there back to Onslaught in a box."

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex comes laong. "Well maybe we can help you hunt them. Im a litlte bored. You guys paying for cleanup?"

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off ...will not jog. High class shuttles do NOT jog to keep up with annoying rotaries! ...Except maybe Vortex. Blast Off feels compelled to keep up with \*that\* annoying rotary! As for other annoying rotaries, Blast Off just huffs at Juris again and rumbles an engine growl at Whirl. "Bring up 'boxes' again and I \*may\* just have to become rather... \*un\*gentlemechly." HUFF! He sharply turns on his heel and stalks after Tex. "Fine, bug hunting it is, then."

**Juris has posed:**
In response to Whirl, her blades churn softly. Unlike Whirl's they make a soft, soothing, mechanical whirring sound, their red tips glinting in the moonlight. "So I hear," she says, her tone unreadable. "If you want to do that," she says to the Autobot helicopter. "You'll have to take it elsewhere. Dead End's my turf, technically."

 "Isn't it enough that I brought you your blades while you were in prison?" she says to Vortex. "But I suppose, if you want a drink, I'll buy."

 They're now entered the part of the Dead End that's completely unlit, making seeing much of anything difficult. So when Juris suddenly stops, the whole procession may fall victim to a domino effect.

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl turns his head to the side, studying Blast Off. "...oh no, anything but \*bad manners!\*" he says, then turns his attention back to Juris. "Fine, place isn't important." He clacks his claws together. "...hey, if Twitchy gets a drink, I want a drink too!"

Whirl yelps as Juris stops dead. "Hey, counsellor! A little warning next time, huh?"

**Vortex has posed:**
Vortex sighs "Didnt I just say we're not talking about Garrus it didnt happen it was more then two weeks ago I got new rotors from Goth and I dont want your rotorteasing. Everyone thinks Im in love with you Juris and IM not ok Im not. Look. I dont want to hunt insecticons anymore. This is your turf and this was going to be my fun place doing dirty underground fighting and just like you showed up when Im trying to drink you just keep showing up everywhere I keep liking it and its confusing ok?" He turns to leave being a flighty rotary as normal. "Im going home."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off hufffs at Whirl, then turns, snoot in air, to follow Vortex. Others may get caught up in the sudden stop, but the standoffish shuttle keeps enough distance anyway- and has the agility- to sidetsep quickly enough to avoid the domino effect. Instead, he just stands at the side and looks haughty. Then his expression turns a bit... surprised as Vortex finally puts his foot down. The shuttleformer... is actually impressed. Standing there looking between Tex and the others, he simply gives them a loose salute- like ta-ta for now~- and turns to follow Tex. More than anything, he's just here to watch out for his rotary bro. "I'm proud of you, Vortex!" he whispers as they start turning away.

**Juris has posed:**
"Someone's following us."

 Juris says immediately, "in fact, it would appear that they've been following us for the past several breems," she says, transforming. "Be careful. It might not be an Insecticon - but I can't tell."

 Ascending, she suddenly disappears into the night sky, presumably either try to lose whoever is following them, or search them out. Either way, within nanoseconds, it's like she was never here...

**Whirl has posed:**
Whirl jumps into the air, transforming. "Slaggit, I'm not hanging out with you losers," he says to Blast Off and Vortex. "I've got some standards. Next time, bring Brawl or Onslaught with you. Make things more interesting. Hell, I'd even take that little turborat Swindle."

**Blast Off has posed:**
Blast Off frowns underneath the faceplate as Juris says someone's been following them. Hmm. He looks back but of course sees very little. He looks back at Whirl as the Autobot takes off and bahs at him, waving a black hand dismissively. "An Autobot like you wouldn't know \*quality\* when he sees it, anyway. Tsk." Snoot is firmly back up in the air as he proclaims this. The shuttleformer tsks and continues to follow Tex out of the place- and hopefully fly out of there before anyone does decide to try to strip them down for spare parts!