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i have valuable information. bring medic kit.
Who: Baelheit and Starscream
Where: An aircraft hangar somewhere near L.A.
When: Afternoon. Today-ish? Somewhere around today.
What: Baelheit and Starscream discuss the possibility of a trade of services and information.
Warnings: "starscream" is a warning in and of itself tbh
Upon their first meeting -- under unfortunately suspicious circumstances -- Baelheit had found Starscream to be a rather...well, grating personality, but when it comes right down to it, Baelheit doesn't care about personality, not when the other party has so much to offer in the way of information. What Commander Starscream knows -- if he is, in fact, telling the truth -- could advance his applied cybernetics research by years. It's impossible to tell if it will help, and while Baelheit has never considered himself an optimist, he knows there is only one way to find out.
Daimon has been aflutter in his mind with eager, hopeful whispers ever since Baelheit met Starscream, and that is enough to convince him this meeting is worth setting up. He contacts Starscream using the communications frequency left to him, arranging for them to meet at an aircraft hangar owned by an old associate of Baelheit's. He has never liked calling on favors from old TRIDENT colleagues, but the associate in question he knew from his school days, at least. And at any rate, Baelheit's curiosity always gets the better of him in cases like these. He has to know what Starscream might have to offer -- and especially why his own true form would require something as spacious as an air hangar for a simple meeting.
Baelheit, however eager to further discuss the terms of a trade, is no fool. Starscream has already proven himself to be volatile and unpredictable; Baelheit comes alone, but he does not come unprepared. Equipped with a personal shield generator, a sonic rifle, and an EMP generator -- whether it would have any effect on Starscream is dubious, but it certainly doesn't hurt -- he waits patiently in the air hangar, seated in a chair set up in the vastly empty space with a sleek black briefcase on his lap.
Where: An aircraft hangar somewhere near L.A.
When: Afternoon. Today-ish? Somewhere around today.
What: Baelheit and Starscream discuss the possibility of a trade of services and information.
Warnings: "starscream" is a warning in and of itself tbh
Upon their first meeting -- under unfortunately suspicious circumstances -- Baelheit had found Starscream to be a rather...well, grating personality, but when it comes right down to it, Baelheit doesn't care about personality, not when the other party has so much to offer in the way of information. What Commander Starscream knows -- if he is, in fact, telling the truth -- could advance his applied cybernetics research by years. It's impossible to tell if it will help, and while Baelheit has never considered himself an optimist, he knows there is only one way to find out.
Daimon has been aflutter in his mind with eager, hopeful whispers ever since Baelheit met Starscream, and that is enough to convince him this meeting is worth setting up. He contacts Starscream using the communications frequency left to him, arranging for them to meet at an aircraft hangar owned by an old associate of Baelheit's. He has never liked calling on favors from old TRIDENT colleagues, but the associate in question he knew from his school days, at least. And at any rate, Baelheit's curiosity always gets the better of him in cases like these. He has to know what Starscream might have to offer -- and especially why his own true form would require something as spacious as an air hangar for a simple meeting.
Baelheit, however eager to further discuss the terms of a trade, is no fool. Starscream has already proven himself to be volatile and unpredictable; Baelheit comes alone, but he does not come unprepared. Equipped with a personal shield generator, a sonic rifle, and an EMP generator -- whether it would have any effect on Starscream is dubious, but it certainly doesn't hurt -- he waits patiently in the air hangar, seated in a chair set up in the vastly empty space with a sleek black briefcase on his lap.
no subject
The real heart of the matter is something that he wouldn't ever admit to himself, even internally: he was completely terrified of being a laughingstock. Starscream demanded respect at all times, it was something that his status afforded him by right... but that was a difficult notion to uphold when he was in such a sorry state.
Suddenly resolved through his anger, he takes off at a break-neck pace, jets kicking in with immense force as the jet screeches off into the sky (startling the crap out of a group of base personel). He's at the hangar in a matter of minutes, landing inside with graceful precision.
He's actually rather proud of that move. At least his condition hasn't kept him from the skies.
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For a split second, Baelheit half-expects the holo-matter avatar he'd encountered at his lab to step out of the jet. He knows the avatar was little more than a solid projection -- a fascinating technology, certainly -- but he is left quietly bemused over the jet that has just entered the hangar. Starscream had indicated that his true form simply could not fit in such small, human-designated spaces, and if that were the case, he could certainly not fit inside of a jet designed for human use. And although the military design of the jet is familiar to Baelheit, there is only reasonable conclusion: Starscream is the jet.
Well, he's certainly encountered harder to swallow notions in his line of work.
He rises from the chair, briefcase in one hand, and acknowledges the fighter jet as he would a colleague or client in a meeting. "Commander Starscream."
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He chuckles darkly, sounding strangely echoey as his voice emits from both plane and avatar. "I'm guessing that my current appearance hardly answers any of your questions", he says cryptically. This was not an opportunity for blustering. No, this situation called for careful, restrained admission of the facts, at least until he had a better idea of what he was dealing with.
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Whether or not it's necessary is doubtful. Most people would probably prefer the comfort of speaking to an apparent human being, but Baelheit likes to cut through the unnecessary. And at any rate, the avatar is too useful a tool for distraction for Baelheit to afford. He has no doubt Starscream will try.
"I must admit, I am curious as to why you came to me in particular. I can only imagine it is because of my work, but I'm not the only cyberneticist in the field, and there are other experts who might have been more suited to help you... So it does beg the question of why."
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He pauses for a moment before answering, choosing his words carefully. "There were other options, certainly, but skill and availability were not the only factors to consider." His internal mechanics fidget irritably; slag it, he wish he could move properly. He continues, words actually sincere for once. "The truth of the matter, dear doctor, is that though we may differ in personality and origin, our goals are largely the same. We both strongly desire the betterment of our respective species above all else, no? I pick my allies carefully, and why should I entrust myself to someone who lacks the same conviction that you possess? What could I possibly offer them?"
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Baelheit's only change in expression, however, is the raise of his eyebrows. "I see you've read my research," he says then. "And quite nearly all of it, if that's the conclusion you've come to about my motivations. Of course, I'm afraid much of humanity isn't quite ready to accept such a notion of their future just yet..."
That will change, Daimon promises, as it always has. Baelheit studies Starscream, his gaze probing.
"Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me a bit more about your species. You called yourself Commander. Does that make you a military man, Starscream?"
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"I was a scientist myself, actually, before the conflict broke out", he continues. "The history of the Cybertronian race is impossibly long, and our origins are rather shrouded in mystery. We possess many astounding natural abilities, but little understanding of how we evolved to gain them."
no subject
If Starscream had once been a scientist, too, then Baelheit can understand to an extent why he would seek out other scientists. He still must be wary of Starscream's motivations, however. "Are you proposing that I help you unravel the mysteries of your species? Because that could be a very long partnership indeed."
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"Very well, once again, I will cut to the chase. As I said, as a cyber-organic race, we Cybertronians possess many unique abilities not accessible to organics... but chief among them is our ability to scan and replicate other mechanical forms, for greater versatility in stealth and combat. It's all made possible by a unique organ, and, well..." He pauses, bitterness building in his tone. "I'm sure I don't need to give you the excruciating details for you to understand where I am going with this, quick as you are."
if starscream wants dramatic all he has to do is utter the word "destiny"
He rises from his seat, briefcase held lightly in one hand, and strides forward a few steps to examine Starscream a little more closely. "I take it that you have been locked out of your default form, then? And this organ that is responsible...it's been damaged?"
Re: if starscream wants dramatic all he has to do is utter the word "destiny"
Sighing dramatically, he wiggles one of the flaps on his port side wing experimentally. "If I am lucky, it's only jammed up with a bit of shrapnel... Whoever took the shot had respectable aim, but the weapon involved wasn't particularly strong enough to wound me too severely." It had just been an extremely lucky shot to strike such a vital portion of his anatomy.
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He draws back, gesturing vaguely with his free hand. "And then, of course, there is the matter of what you can do for me in return."
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"Yes, any information you have would be greatly beneficial to both of us," he says summarily, already turning over in his mind what he'll need for this sort of procedure. An awful lot of equipment...and a larger than usual operating space. "I think we can continue to conduct our meetings here. I can arrange for us to be undisturbed. But I think we can come to a sort of agreement, Commander Starscream. Detailed information on your race, in exchange for my cybernetic and medical expertise."
WOW RUDE BAELHEIT STARSCREAM IS A V. PRETTY ROBOT
"Very well. We have a deal then...?"
BAELHEIT IS MORE CONCERNED WITH HIS GENERAL COMPETENCE
He shifts his weight, readjusting his grip on his briefcase. "Please forward me the data you promised, and I think we should arrange for another meeting... A consultation visit, if you will. I'd like to examine you and determine the cause of your -- is there a name your people have for this condition, Commander? Being unable to transform?"
WELL THAT'S MORE REASONABLE THEN
He bottles that thought though and focuses on being remaining cooperative instead. All a means to an end. "Mode locked, is one phrase I have heard used before," he offers flatly. "And of course.... needless to say my schedule is not very restrictive, so I am available at your word."
TOTALLY JUSTIFIABLE CONCERN
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That's probably stretching the definition of pleasure a bit, but Baelheit has always been cordial, if nothing else. And cordial never hurts, especially considering his next meeting with Starscream will be considerably more...invasive.