Insecurity Cameras

Summary: Nightbeat helpful helps Red Alert with some security cameras. Isn't he so helpful?

Autobot City - Repair Bay

This is the main repair bay for the Autobots. Several operating tables lie in a row here, and a long bench lines one wall. On the bench are assorted tools used in repairing damaged Transformers. Scattered throughout the room are various repair bots, awaiting the arrival of more wounded to repair. The room gives you the perception of being immaculately clean, not a tool out of place.

On the left side of the operating arena are wide sliding doors that open into the recovery ward. Less frantic than the busy repair bay, it consists of two rows of immaculate beds on opposite walls for those needing peace and quiet to rest and recover from their repairs. The sounds of quiet conversations between medic and patient, or between visitor and patient, are about all that disturb the quiet.

Obvious exits: Doors &lt;N&gt; leads to Main Lobby - First Floor. Doors &lt;W&gt; leads to Lounge/Observation Room. Shaft Downward &lt;D&gt; leads to AC Training Chamber.

[Log starts in the middle of a pose, due to forgetting to start logging until half-way through the scene. If anyone has the start and wants to add it, please do.]

had shown Dee-Kal earlier, the one with the map, glances at it, and, holding it in his right hand using only two of his fingers, moves the ladder again. Then he climbs up it and begins the installation of the fourth new security camera.

Junki-Hovercar watches Red go up the ladder again and looks at her copy of the map.

The hovercar wings fold, the stabilisers and thrusters retract into the body. The nose of the vehicle extends and separates into a pair of legs. Arms emerge, the spoiler/tail folds back and a pretty head rises from within the body. All parts lock into position - where's your camera, Ma? Dee-Kal's here!

Dee-Kal watches Red go up the ladder again and looks at her copy of the map.

Nightbeat is still filthy from yesterday's exploring trip, and it seems that, rather than actually seeing a medic, he just let his injury heal by itself. This is typical Nightbeat. Atypically, it seems he did actually make an attempt, at least, at showering, but the gunk wouldn't come off entirely. Thus, he is here to check out some heavy-duty cleaning solvent. He does not look at Red Alert installing the security cameras - he can hear what Red Alert is doing quite clearly, and he's noticed the forest of cameras popping up around Metroplex. Punching in a code for one of the cabinets, he inquires lazily, "Would you like some help with that?"

Dee-Kal turns her head. Ooh, the cabinet...

Dee-Kal sidles up to peek inside the cabinet, to see if any soap might be stored there...

Red Alert pauses in his work and looks down at Nightbeat, optics narrowed, frown etched on his face. After all, he was expecting that offer. Dee-Kal had offered help earlier, and the two are working together to take his job from him. Having his fears proven doesn't put Red Alert at ease, however. "I could, perhaps, use some assistance," he says stiffly. If he doesn't accept Nightbeat's help, after all, he won't be giving Nightbeat a chance to reveal himself. "The datapad Dee-Kal is holding shows the planned locations," Red Alert gestures. Everything else on that datapad is encrypted, and the thing is set to both record any attempts to access anything else, not to mention sound an alarm.

Dee-Kal hears her name mentioned, looks startled and tries to look as if she wasn't snooping...

Nightbeat is, for the record, not working with Dee-Kal on anything. He still doesn't trust her, and he likes to work alone, anyway. There is probably some soap in the cabinet, but Nightbeat ignores it, instead going for a very heavy duty solvent, the kind that will strip paint, if one isn't careful. It's a detective's bane, this kind of solvent - it'll destroy evidence as easily as it eliminates stains. He writes down the requisition code, tucks the solvent away, and closes the cabinet. Then, he ambles over to look at the list of locations over Dee-Kal's shoulder. He comments, idly, "I think you're making some of these locations way too obvious. If people know they're being watched, they'll just go elsewhere to play poker."

Dee-Kal says, "I think he knows this and it is all part of the plan. Master Red does not want poker games in the repair bay."

"If people /know/ they are being watched, they won't /do/ the things they aren't supposed to do. If they aren't doing those things, I've prevented them, and I've done my job," Red Alert observes coolly as he finishes with the camera. He starts to climb down the ladder. "And besides, that is why /some/ of those locations are obvious, but not /all/ of them."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Saboteur Foxfire says, "Lah lah lah...I am a fox..."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "Who care?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "ME DON'T!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fireflight sounds puzzled, "Have you ever been anything else?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Monstereo says, "Sounds like someone needs a Care Bear Stare before the evil Noheart gets his clutches on you."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "Him Foxfire turn into tape. That count?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Monstereo says, "Grimlock, who's a better hugger? Sludge or Swoop?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "THem no HUGGERS. Them DINOBOTS. Them SMASH!"

Nightbeat teases, "Oh, they're *all* obvious, Red Alert," but then, Nightbeat is one of the people who can see the faint glint off the lense of a camera the size of a pinhead and know it for what it is. More seriously, he points out, "You know that they'll still what they're not supposed to be doing, but instead of doing it here, where they're relatively safe, they'll go and do it in decidedly unsafe places."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Monstereo says, "You mean hug is too hard for you big strong warriors to do?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Saboteur Foxfire says, "What? It's my fox song!  You know, the one that gets stuck in Grimlock's head."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "It too DUMB for me Grimlock to do!"

Red Alert attempts to grab the map Dee-Kal. If he succeeds, he holds it up facing Nightbeat, and taps it. "No cameras in /anyone's/ personal quarters. Not even yours." Assuming Red Alert is holding the datapad, he tosses it absently on the table. "It is, unfortunately, a regulation, but while I don't approve of it, I abide by it." He is not so paranoid as to put himself above the law. Yet.

Then Red Alert narrows his optics at Nightbeat. "You're trying awefully hard to have the cameras removed, I note. Have something to hide." He looks at the cabinet. "Something that requires solvent, maybe?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; A strange voice says "He means 'Me Grimlock too dumb to know how to do it.'

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "WHO SAID THAT?!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Saboteur Foxfire says, "Wasn't me!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; A strange voice says "and of course that song's gonna get stuck in his head. there's so much empty space in there...all it's gonna do is echo. Still a catchy tune"

Dee-Kal apparently has the datapad plucked out of her grasp, then tossed onto the table. She goes over to retrieve it again.

Nightbeat tilts his head to one side and observes, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm filthy." Maybe Red Alert hasn't - the security director's super-senses aren't working, but Nightbeat's are, and this is a bit disgusting, even for Nightbeat. He then notes coolly, "I never said that you should remove any. You're putting words in my mouth, and I really don't like the taste. I just think you need to be more subtle. Could you explain how you have these cameras set up now?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Saboteur Foxfire says, "Oh for the love of...whoever you are, be quiet!"

Red Alert straightens, frowns, and rushes to the nearest terminal, ignoring, for the moment, what Nightbeat has just asked. He holds his right hand up. "Tracing signal."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Auto-Junk Dee-Kal says, "Hello, voice. Hee, making fun of the Bots *is* naughty... but fun. Who are you, please? Will you be my friend?"

Dee-Kal touches her helmet and responds to the mysterious voice signal to see if it answers her and gives anything away.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Saboteur Foxfire says, "Not now, Deek..."

Nightbeat hears a slight ringing and raises a hand to his antennae...

&lt;Reaver&gt; Nightbeat says, "...y'might wanna be careful. Red Alert just walked over to a computer terminal, and he's tracing your signal."

Red Alert continues operating the terminal for a moment more or two, then frowns and tilts his head, as though listening... but this time, he isn't using his ears. He taps his right finger against the countertop nervously, waiting for another transmission...

Nightbeat then drops his hand from where he was holding it next to his antennae, and he stares blankly out at space. He twitches, and his usual curious look returns. Nightbeat saunters over to hover behind the taller Autobot's shoulder, asking, "Get anything?"

Red Alert growls. "Nothing. The signal's stopped." Then he sighs. "However, it would seem the Decepticons are conducting their monthly Charr production inventory. Now, /why/ do we let that place go unmolested again?"

Dee-Kal says, "Agreement?"

Red Alert mutters, "I don't see why; that's like slow suicide." Then he turns towards Nightbeat. "Now, you were saying?"

Nightbeat sighs, at the mention of Charr. "Because the Decepticons keep us so busy with their schemes here and everywhere else that we don't have any time to get to Charr. Now, what's this with the cameras? If you're installing this many more, you're going to need more storage for all the data collected."

"Given current compression schemes, Teletran II's up for it," Red Alert replies calmly enough. He picks back up the datapad. "And I intend to have back-up storage on board the new ship."

Grimlock has arrived.

Grimlock stompstompstomps in. "HEY! HEY YOU RED ALERT!" he fairly well bellows. "Where you? Me Grimlock have PORTANT ASSIGNMENT!"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "Hrr. Me Grimlock get you, guy who me Grimlock not know who is. Me get you, and me SMASH!"

Nightbeat files away that potentially useful information. Then, he winces and scowls at Grimlock enters and renders unto Nightbeat a huge headache. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he says, "You can't be saying that you aren't backing up now. That's not like you."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "That was me...and I've stopped transmitting."

Red Alert does not flinch or wince when Grimlock comes stomping in. This may be significant. He does, however, sigh. "If it's about that strange signal, I'm already attempting a tracing, but unless they transmit again, I won't be able to find the source. Just now." Then he frowns at Nightbeat. "No, I'm not saying that."

Dee-Kal smiles.

Grimlock ohs. "Hnnn. You Red 'lert need find that guy." he says, "Then me SMASH!" yes, Grimlock is a 'bot of...straightforward inclination. He hmms, and then focuses on Nightbeat. "You do science stuff to goo from planet with spider?" he asks.

Red Alert murmurs softly, "Oh, I fully intend to find him..." With that, he returns to where his ladder leans against the wall and climbs back up it.

Dee-Kal looks at Grimlock.

Nightbeat looks at Red Alert on the ladder, one optic ridge raised, and he asks, "Is that really safe? No one supporting the ladder?" He doesn't move to assist, however. Nightbeat snorts. "Science stuff? No. It's glowing goo. Caves are full of 'em." Nightbeat is still filthy, it should be noted.

It's not really a normal ladder. It's a somewhat advanced step-ladder-thing.

Grimlock hnns. "But what if it really glowy goo MONSTER? Huh? Or if it Glowy goo that make turtles into ninjas? Or if it glowy goo that, uh, melt you face and make zombie?" Grimlock asks. Someone's been watching the Sci-Fi channel. "Goo do stuff!"

Red Alert looks down from his step-ladder-thing, optics narrowed. It /should/ be safe. It's designed to hold a person up safely without risk. But what if it's been tampered with? By someone... Red Alert narrows his optics at Nightbeat. By someone who WANTS HIS JOB. He clears his throat and says, "Well. Good point, Nightbeat. Why don't you climb up the ladder, and I'll support it and walk you through the installation." Hah! Take that, Detective!

Dee-Kal smiles.

She glances skywards and holds the ladder herself.

"How come you Red 'Lert no telling me Grimlock where guy is?" Grimlock demands. "Is no time for instally stuff! Get him Grapple make buildy stuff! That him job!"

Nightbeat insists, "Grimlock, if you want *science* done, ask Hazard or something. I'm a detective. Unless the goo has murdered someone, I don't wanna hear it." Then, he smiles slightly and replies to Red Alert, "I think I'm up to that challenge." Provided that Red Alert gets off the ladder, he moves to climb up it.

"Grimlock, I already explained that if they don't /transmit/ again, they can't be traced," Red Alert answers, voice sharp and cool. When Dee-Kal grabs hold of the ladder, Red Alert hurries down it quickly - after all, she's been conspiring with Nightbeat. He takes up a position on the other side, intent on looking for flaws in the ladder and watching them both very carefully.

Grimlock hnfs, crossing his arms across his chest as Nightbeat clambers up the ladder. "That not look like detectiving." he notes.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "HEY."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "HEY YOU GUY."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Grimlock says, "Me Grimlock know you listening! And me say YOU IS STUPID."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "ooo...i'm scared now. Grimlock says i'm stupid.  and the world revolves cuz he's got it on his finger."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Scrapper says, "Don't get overconfident. That is how Grimlock gets you."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Scrapper says, "Take it from one who has been on the wrong side of many arguments with him."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "I know Scrapper. I know a bait trap when I see one......thanks to Nightbeat and his tip off about Red Alert."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Fleet says, "Actually, normally he gets you with his teeth. Or sword."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "How's that Fuel run going, Fleet?"

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "and thank you Scrapper."

&lt;Reaver&gt; Fleet says, "Thus far without interruptions. The teams are very easily encouraged to just 'write down numbers.'"

&lt;Reaver&gt; Steeltread says, "good. Let's just hope they don't get nosy.  Scrapper....what's next on our Item list besides Microchips?"

Nightbeat drawls, "Well this, technically speaking, is security work, but since I work in intelligence, I figure that I might as well help out here." He seems unperturbed in climbing the ladder. The worst that can happen is that he falls over and needs repairs. He looks down and asks, "So how am I supposed to install this?"

"Well, first, you verify that the panel will support the camera's weight," Red Alert notes, pointing to the wall. "These will, of course, I've checked and double-checked them, and the cameras are very light, but before the camera goes up, it never hurts to make one last check."

Grimlock hnns, and peers at the pair. "Boooooring." he decrees. "Me Grimlock go find, uh, other stuffs for doing!" and with that, he stompastompastomps out of the room, off to cause trouble somewhere else!

Nightbeat looks at the panel and then looks over at another corner of the medical ward that already has a camera. The panels look pretty much the same. He taps the panel in front of him and reports down to Red Alert, "Uh... looks good to me." If there is some real protocol for checking wall panels, he's sure that Reed Alert will correct him, here. As Grimlock walks out, Nightbeat mutters, "I need to be boring more often."

Grimlock vanishes out of reality.

Grimlock has left.

Oh no! Nightbeat's just discovered Red Alert's secret method of gaining peace from the Dinobots! He's obviously AFTER RED ALERT'S JOB!!

"Now you'll notice that the main panels themselves have sub-panels, to make them more customizable. Remove the bottom left corner one. You'll notice in the kit there's a replacement with a hole in it."

Nightbeat is the guy who complains when people ask him to be responsible. Does he look like he wants a promotion? Apparently. Nightbeat removes the bottom left corner panel and does indeed notice that there is a replacement panel. He inquires, "So, if you're not running new line for these, they're wired in serial, not parallel, right?" which would make them easier to take out by one snip of a wirecutter.

"Don't be absurd!" Red Alert snaps, annoyed. "Just /how/ much of an idiot do you take me for?" He shakes his head and snorts. "Serial. Really." Then, louder, he explains, "The lines have already been run. Look inside. You should see one marked D6572-A that's currently tied off. That's the one that plugs into this camera."

Nightbeat tries to get a good idea of just where D6572-A runs. He can't help but touch it as he installs the camera, and he listens to the oscillations down the line, trying to map out in his mind just where the power and data lines lead. He also looks over the camera itself closely, inspecting its design as he sets it up. Nightbeat points out, "You did let that dame do a number on you. How'd you pick this model of camera?"

Red Alert's optics open wide and he stares, jaw dropped, at Nightbeat, then he glances around the rather not-empty medical ward. He's /intentionally/ revealing Red Alert's weakness. Now they all know, and they'll all take advantage of it! The security director's hands ball into fists. "It was the most efficient. And most effective. One for the job. And why /are/ you asking so many questions, Nightbeat? Beyond the fact that it's obvious you can't be trusted to /keep your mouth shut./"

Nightbeat is really just thoughtless, at the best of times. Also, did he mention anything about Red Alert's sensors? No, he didn't. He just said that dame did a number on Red Alert. For all anyone here knows, the Blue Femme bought Red Alert a whole bunch of drinks. He protests, "Hey, it's my *job* to ask questions! I just want what's best for my boys in blue, and knowing a thing or two about how to effectively put a security system together could let me better help 'em out." Look, Nightbeat is trying to be responsible again, and this is what he gets!

Nightbeat being responsible is suspicious behavior!

Red Alert sighs. "They are light weight. They were cutting edge... about three or four years ago. Never buy the newest model on the market, they haven't worked the bugs out of those ones yet. Let other people find the flaws in the equipment you're going to use for you, and then read the reports. Of the terran magazines, the general product one Consumer Reports is shockingly unbiased for a magazine secretly funded by the Masons, but what they have to say should always be balanced against what Security Innovations has to say, since they're run by the rivals, the Templars."

Nightbeat gets infinitely more suspicious when sober. He continues to work on installing on the camera and replies, "Ah. I'll have to check those out... cash only, of course. Never get a subscription. Maybe even send Punch out to fetch them." It's not like Punch ever does anything useful.

"Their web service is more convienent, but more tracable, so, unfotunately, it's best to stick with the organic-matter version," Red Alet admits, a tone of faint dismay in his voice. Then he points. "The mountings and plugs should all be pretty obvious. Most of these things are designed to be quickly replacable these days." He looks around. "Which is fortunate, because our warrenties are all void. I've had to open them up to inspect them."

Nightbeat takes perhaps a little more time putting the camera in than he really needs to. However, most people have no idea how good with technology Nightbeat is, given how he's a shady detective and not a neurosurgeon, so his tardiness is easily excused. "You could... just not tell them that you opened them up."

Bitbucket returns from running some errand or other elsewhere in Metroplex.

Red Alert doesn't look up or even seem to hear Bitbucket's return. He crosses his arms and taps his right fingers against his left upper-arm. "Are you proposing I willfully commit fraud, Nightbeat? Really. Although I do not always agree with them, we have been requested to respect the laws of those beings we do business with!"

Now, Nightbeat's tardiness /might/ be easily excusable by any rational person, but remember that Red Alert is someone who, in the last twenty four hours, has accused Whirl of pyromania, come to the assumption that Nightbeat is conspiring with Dee-Kal and First Aid, and is absolutely convinced that Kup was attacked by one of their own.

/Irrational/ people do not grant excuses easily.

Nightbeat does hear Bitbucket's return. He grumbles, "I'm sure the cameras are in better shape after you checked them than before you bought them, but nevermind." The camera seems to be in, and Nightbeat attempts to test the connections.

A small green light on top of the camera flashes faintly, indicating that the auto-test has run successfully.

"And if that's the case," Red Alert notes, "I really don't need to make use of their warrenties, anyway. Now, are you quite finished?"

Nightbeat looks down at Red Alert and suggests, "I dunno. You tell me. You're the Security Director."

Red Alert's right hand twitches as it wants to ball into a fist. So. Nightbeat's now trying to rub Red Alert's damaged sensor arrays in his face, is he? Another twitch, but Red Alert manages to keep his hand open. He looks up. "It looks correct from here." He's /not/ going up on that ladder Nightbeat and Dee-Kal sabotaged until he's had a chance to look it over, but he will be double-checking this camera later.

The camera has been installed in a perfectly normal fashion. Nightbeat climbs down the ladder, looks expectantly at Red Alert, and asks, "Where to next?"

Red Alert says, "There's a few more still to be installed in the conference room," Red Alert explains, folding down the ladder-platform-thing and gathering his tools - and his datapad. "We can move there, next." And therefore out of this scene, so the players can go to bed. Zzzzzzz!"

Bitbucket glances over at the two arguing mechs and somehow manages to refrain from shaking his head. He's used to Red Alert being suspicious, but this is a whole new level of paranoid for him.

Red Alert leaves to the Main Lobby - First Floor to the north.

Red Alert has left.