(Untitled)

[due_caution]

Red Alert had briefly considered tagging along with Kitten Prime and Company, if only to make sure Rodimus stayed safe and out of trouble, but thought better of it after contemplation. Right now, at a glance, who would even know that the small orange Terran cat is the Autobot Prime, unless someone draws undue attention to him

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[attair_al_fada]

Starscream rises to his feet with the metallic rustle of well-maintained servos and gears shifting and turning. "Photon and Perceptor are both familiar with the design if I'm not available and you have questions," he says with a casual wave of his hand.

"Do you have some locations for me to have Blackstar start checking out? While you're planning the rest of it, of course."

Blackstar... if you should come across any of these individual humans--*images of a bald, monocled human with a large handlebar moustache and a taste for capes; a humanoid figure completely masked, wearing the Cobra emblem, giving orders in Starscream's voice; a dark-haired, elegant woman; a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a metal full-head mask*--Dr. Mindbender, Cobra Commander, the Baroness, or Destro, report back to me immediately. Check with Frostbite for an image of Victor Drath--I never met the man. If you run across Dr. Mindbender, take extra precautions--he is a skilled Dark Scientist.

"As for myself, I'll be meeting Skyfire on his return." Starscream glances at the door and back to Frostbite.

[midnightspook]

"Not very yet," Blackstar admits as he slides closer to examine the maps and charts and other information she's calling up for him. He files away the topos and then visual references for the people Starscream had already given him more... relevant references for. Frostbite's warning makes him pause, however.

Blackstar regards her thoughtfully for a long moment. She hadn't had to tell him that, even if he had agreed to help them. Sensitive or not, she couldn't have known that Starscream had already given him that very caution. Yes, she would have likely guessed that he would, but she couldn't have known. He straightens, a little more respect in his gaze as he nods.

"Acknowleged."

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream looks slightly surprised.

"Monstructor? I remember that... incident. We were virtually at war with Cobra, thanks to their habit of plundering our targets!" He smirks, then laughs. "Duskwing was rather heavily involved in that incident--as was a certain human. Circuit Breaker. You may have heard of her? I found out many years later we had those two to thank for putting down Monstructor."

[attair_al_fada]

"Duskwing," he says, "rescued Circuit Breaker from Cobra, or so I've been told. I did see and recognize Duskwing himself at the time, though his presence was rather inexplicable, since he'd been artwork for ten years then. So inexplicable, that I and Skywarp and Thundercracker had collective memory failure when it came to remembering who the mystery Seeker that interfered in our pursuit was--at least in the official report to Megatron." He smirks again.

[midnightspook]

Blackstar's expression is quietly thoughtful as he watches the exchanges and continues to file information away. So, Dusky's been active around these parts for a while then. And this Mindbender guy plays with some very dangerous toys, indeed, if he's gotten his hands on Devourist artifacts and is weidling Monstructor like a pet.

Other than those humans, anything else you want me to keep an optic sharp for while I'm in there, boss? Mindbender sounds like he could have some interesting stuff... "accquired" in his collection if he's there.

Or even if he's not there, really. The man in question doesn't have to be in residence for his stuff to be there, after all.

[attair_al_fada]

"Well if there were," Starscream said sardonically, glancing at Blackstar and Frostbite with a smirk, "no one wanted to be the one to bring it to Megatron's attention."

Cybertronian and other advanced technology. I'd really like to know what mods they've made on the stuff they acquired from us--and what kind of alien tech they have. As for ancient cult artifacts... I can't tell you what to look for, but if it gives you a bad feeling, I want to know about it.

He saunters toward the door, one hand reaching out to tap the opening button just in sync with his steps, not breaking stride as the door opens and lets him through.

One thing, though... *image of a large black binder, containing ancient scrolls separated into pages and carefully sealed in preservative plastic; the text is in the graceful, swirling lines of classic Arabic, but the illuminations and illustrations are not the pious abstracts found in orthodox texts. They are quite explicit images, alien, and disturbing.*

If you come across this, it might discommode certain parties if it disappeared, and I would very much like to get my hands on it. I lost my scans of it in that unfortunate incident at my coronation. Oh, and don't read it, study it or admire the pictures. If you know Arabic, don't even look at the pages casually. There's a bit too much Dark Science in there, and some of it is triggered mentally.

[midnightspook]

Got it, boss, Blackstar replied to Starscream, almost cheerfully.

"No. I think I have enough to start with. Unless you've got any pressing reason not to, I'll go track down Castle Destro and start snooping. If you think of anything I need to know, just comm me. It'll work," Blackstar explains, making to fade out, unless Frostbite stops him.

[kaci_celica]

//Of course,// comes the punctual reply. Kaci allows herself enough time to indicate to Bumper that she's just going into the interview room, and that she'd be back shortly, and would he be okay with whatever he's doing until she gets back? Sure? Okay. Back in a few.

A brief while later, Kaci knocks politely and allows for a pause before opening the unlocked door from the outside. She steps in and lets the door close behind her.

"Hi, Frosty." She offers the other femme a smile. "You wanted to see me?"

[kaci_celica]

Kaci nods and takes a seat as instructed, getting a sudden and rather bad feeling that this wasn't going to be good. She nods again at Frostbite's talk on 'bad news'. That sinking feeling gets a little worse...

...And then worse still.

"I've heard of synthoid clones, but I'm afraid I don't know much about Cobra. They weren't around when I was still working for the Foundation." She looks slightly apologetic. Sensing that there's more, she slips into silence and remains looking attentive, waiting for Frostbite to elaborate.