Fencing lesson part 1

Vendetta - Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 7:12 PM -

Shark's Rib

Beyond the barracks and past the soundproof barriers is the NCC's residential tavern, the Shark's Rib. The walls and ceilings are a deep blue colour, and various lighting creates a shimmering effect. Large curved support beams above the ceiling provide a protective cage over the recreational area. Energon flows through transparent spiral-shaped piping behind the bar to the right of the entrance, indicating to even the most over-energized Decepticon where to go to for a refill. Bartenders are available to dispense energon of various grades and blends. For people willing to part with more imperial credits and who know who and how to ask, the good product is kept under lock and key. There is seating at the bar for Decepticons of various sizes. There are also numerous booths for large groups. There is a small exposed area to serve as a dance floor with a raised level in front of it, complete with all the equipment necessary for public announcements and live group performances. Due to the lack of importance to the overall Decepticon mission, even more aesthetical decorations have been put into the Shark's Rib. Thin metallic spirals decorate the bar area, the furnishings and the walls. Music is often played through hidden speakers - often trumpet music, but also classic Imperial soldier tunes that every Decepticon knows well.

Photon enters the Shark's Rib. Fusillade enters the Shark's Rib. Boomslang enters the Shark's Rib.

Vendetta is sitting at a table calling on some 'Bernard' to bring him more energon which only prompts a replay about one of the bartenders complaining his name is not 'Bernard'.

Considerably less dusty, and less radioactive, than her previous appearance while working on the Mexican trench, Fusillade swishes through the doorway. She pauses to chatter excitedly with a few tanks, slides across the dancefloor to schmooze with some of the larger spacejets. She jerks to a halt on her way to the bar, though, when she spies the inkblot seated at the table. "AH ha, there you are Vendetta!" The entire bar knows he's here now.

Photon is sitting at a table along the wall in the nearest corner. Of course his back is on the wall. Turning your back on the kind of customer who comes here is usually a very bad idea. The golden seeker is sipping on a glass of pure energon while keeping a close optic on the room. Of course, he can't miss Fusillade's arrival. He idly wonders why she was looking for the new guy.

Vendetta grins and looks up at Fusillade "Vhy yes here I am and at your service executrix." He turns to the Bartender "You know vhat I do not hear? The sound of my glass being filled! Hurry it up will you? Looks like I might be busy soon enough."

Ignoring the occasional snigger and muttered 'new pool boy', Fusillade fixes a grin on the matte-finished Seeker. "You don't get outta control with your paintjobs, that's kinda cool. Most folks your color always go for the metallic and gloss finishes." She wedges herself into the bench opposite the Seeker. "You have to go the BAR if you want faster service, silly. Otherwise you tasty beverages go through another pair of hands before it gets to you! And you MAY be busy soon," she scowls and fixes him with an accusatory pout for being so forward thinking.

Fusillade juts a hand up in the air and waves to the sidebooths. "Hey Photon. Shadows over there don't do you much good with that Olympic bling all over you!"

Boomslang is hanging out with the other seekers, basically lounging around while waiting to draw a mission. As a jet jock (as a jet, more specifically), he doesn't bother to take the red plastic covers off his intakes unless he's got somewhere to go. Fuel is expensive and missiles more so. "Any news?" he asks Fusillade, hopefully, as she outranks him and is therefore closer to the command structure even though she's not actually one of his COs.

Photon waves his hand at Fusillade and snickers, "I tend to remain in the shadows to avoid blinding the folks here." he says as steps forwards, still holding his glass. His shiny olympic medals still visible on the right side of his chest. He nods at Boomslang and then looks at Vendetta, "Greetings. The name is Photon."

Standing up to belly up to the bar and beckoning for her usual white highgrade with shot of jet fuel, Fusillade shrugs diffidently to Boomslang. "Onslaught isn't going to get shot for stealing the Absolution /after all/," she exhales airily. "Aside from that, I haven't heard much. Been getting down into the trenches with the Constructicons to do some major earth moving in Mexico. Pretty ideal, I get to blow lots of stuff up, play with new warheads. Gettin' bored waiting on Dreadwind to give you something to do?" she teases Boomslang, and flinches a bit at the bar's main lighting as it glints off Photon's intakes. "So I see!"

Vendetta chuckles at the paint-job remark. He talks a little lounder so some of the /other/ seekers can hear. "But of course! Vearing glossy finish or bright metallic paint is an invitation to get shot vhile flying on a sunny day. Zhe sun reflecting off perfectly polished wings can be seen miles aVay. Zhen the guy gets in a blind spot and gets first shot on you and poof." He smiles even more "So I vill be busy? Splendid! Vhat kind of mission do you have for me?" He looks at Photon "Not to be a smart aft but isn't it ironic that photon is a light particule but you rather stay in the dark? You are veird in a way but a good funny way."

"You wear those all the time? Aren't you afraid you're going to lose them, get them shot off or something?" asks Boomslang, eyeing Photon. He keeps his commendations on him in the form of small black paint stencils along his kill mark list.

Photon grins at the mention of Dreadwind, "Such a brave commanding officer we got ourselves. Not to mention his nebulan is pretty much the boss." He takes another sip of his drink before replying to Vendetta, "Ironic indeed...but what can I say? My name comes from my main energy source rather than from my personality." He then glances towards Fusillade to see what she has in mind for Vendetta...perhaps there will be some entertainment since he's getting bored of hanging in here. Photon adds for Boomslang, "I only wear them when I'm grounded...never on mission."

"Two things! These two can help you with the first. I figured out what Shockwave is angling for with his radioactive shopping list. Bottom line is: do it. It'll score you major brownie points with ol' one-eye. Prioritize the acquisition of U238 and Thorium. The Thorium you can acquire from India, it has two-thirds of the planet's naturally occuring monazite, which is the unrefined source for it." She continues swirling her glass. "Now, as for you...." her voice takes on an overly saccharine tone at Vendetta before she snatches out both of her wingblades with a gleeful hiss, "I think it's time for our parrying lessons!! En garde! Err, I think that's how you say it!"

 Fusillade says, "Now, as for you... I think it's time for our parrying lessons!! En garde! Err, I think that's how you say it!"

Boomslang covers his glass of luminescent brew with one hand as he ducks out of the way of the giant slashing blades. "Sure, we'll be... happy to help Vendetta with the Director's shopping list." Boomslang asides to Photon, "Beats whatever that deadhead Dreadwing's slimy little parasite comes up with, or breaking rocks for the Constructicons."

Vendetta chuckles "Oh vhis will be wonderful! I vill go easy at first and focus on the whole parrying thing instead of being a jerk." He says getting up from his chair as he draws his rapier. "Lesson number one: Keep your distance. Zhose blades of yours are good but at minimal range you have minimal leverage vith vhich to inflict damage. You already knew zhat I sure but it is important for a riposte to be effective that it be delivered within the optical range of your weapon." He gets in position and touches Fusillade's blade with his own keeping it there. "In this lesson you vill match my movements. Our blades must never come apart and we must never be closer than 2 meters." Vendetta begins by backing away slowly to see if Fusillade matches the steps.

Photon reacts in a blink of an eye as the wingblades slash into the air : he quickly jumps a few feet back. The seeker isn't a big fan of swordmanship, he preferes to strike from above, at a safe distance, but it is always entertaining to watch people fight with blades. "This should be quite a show." he mutters for himself before glancing towards Boomslang, "Construction work..." he shudders, "Not really my kind of work...as for Dreadwind's...partner. I won't comment. I never thought I would say that but I miss Starscream." After ashort pause he adds, "I little supply run could be fun."

"As for specific locations in India... the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station near Surat uses purified thorium, and there are several advanced Heavy Water Reactors near Mumbai that you can knock over," Fusillade instructs. She holds her right wingblade forward, the tip crossed with Vendetta's much less massive, but much more nimble, weapon, holding her left wingblade out to the side in its half-folded swordbreaker position. "Since I'm getting the vibe that the lot of you are a bunch of prisses that aren't going to want to have to dig up the raw ore for it. I know SOME-one," she sing-songs out in Boomslang's direction, "That would be able to pilfer them nicely. Bonus points for anyone that chucks any Autobots that happen to meddle into a reactor since I know you fiends need a challenge to make these things interesting!" She surges forward with a clatter of feet, too eager to get the lesson underway.

"I look forward to it," agrees Boomslang. "Not the manual labor, I mean, the throwing Autobots into nuclear reactors." He gets up and stands out of the way in case there is table-jumping and chandelier-swinging and chair-breaking.

Vendetta moves forward again then back, spins sideways to Fusillade's flank forcing her to turn as well to keep within the objective of the lesson. "Thanks for all the tips about Shockwave's shopping list. Az for the Uranium 235 I have read about a poorly defended spot in Gentilly, Quebec. Ve should get vhat ve need from there and no Autobot base nearby." He focuses back on Fusillade "As for parries there are many vays but zhee best is zhee most simple. Alvays keep the tip of your blade pointed at your enemy. Zoo not...I repeat zoo not do those stupid inverted parries vhere you twist your whole sword avay from you. Yes those parries work most of the time but...your riposte vill be way too slow since your sword has to sing back all the way towards your enemy." He begins to apply pressure to the side of Fusi's blade before twisting his wrist to get his blade on the other side and apply pressure. Try and make the blade wiggle a bit.

Photon pulls a little datapad from a subspace pocket and quickly notes all the information provided by Fusillade, "Sounds like fun. Throwing an autobot into a nuclear reactor totally fits my kind of entertainments." He joins Boomslang at safe distance from the duelling Decepticons, "I would personally go for India's reactor... with some luck we could blow up some of the 'cow'...that make those fleshies go crazy."

-SHINKT!- As Vendetta spins away, Fusillade's momentum puts her off-balance, and the tip of her blade is most certainly NOT pointed at Vendetta. She is wide open to counter-attack -- or insult -- before she twists about on her ankles, swivelling toward him. As he demonstrates with the alternating blades, she mmm-hmms thoughtfully. "The defensive stance in such an exchange makes it hard to get your weight behind your thrusts... it feels like I'm stuck using only my shoulder and arm for the blade's force, and not my whole body in a more offensive posture!" Unkind, exaggerated kissy noises start coming from the audience.

"Gentilly, eh? Never heard of it," muses Boomslang, flipping up the infodeck panel on his left forearm to tap in the placename and get a satellite picture overlaid with traffic patterns.

Photon lays on the wall, crossing his arms on his chest and tells Boomslang, "It's on the south shore of the large river in eastern Canada... I remeber we considered it as a target a while back but it's just too cold up there."

"It'll be even colder for the primates, then," points out Boomslang, grinning.

Vendetta nods "Yes vhich is vhy if you require power you keep a stable foothold but swing with the momentum from your hips. You know like zhat american sport with zhee white ball and zhee wooden stick. Baseketball of something. Zhe other way to get power is to bait your enemy. Match his moves, back away let him match yours back and away and stop. He vill most certainly try to keep up and move forward. Vhen he realizes your are not moving zhee natural reflex is stop and stopping kills momentum of course. By zhat point you have a short stance and plenty of potenial power by springing forward with a hard thrust. Your enemy vill be unbalanced and you vill have zhee advantage." He continues different steps and patterns "The riposte is the art of rapid counter-attack. Zhee best timing for a riposte is to strike as your opponent pulls back." He stops the first exercise and simply strikes slowly at Fusillade so she can position in idea blocking position. "Once my attack is blocked, the momentum stops. I cannot strike again efficiently vithout pulling back for another swing. You push my blade avay as I pull back, creating an opening and strike. Too often people are tempted to go for kill shots too early. Instead of trying to slit someone's fuel line, aim for the elbows and shoulders. For if they are disabled or partly damaged. The next shot vill be harder for zhem to block and zhe next until your vear them down."

 Galvatron transmits the sounds of himself tapping at a datapad. "Hm. I see. And here I thought I had sent you and Scourge to your deaths, Snapdragon... oh yes, it's true! I wasn't sure there was going to be anything there once you used that "Ferry Station!" Good thing there was, eh? Heheh!"

 Snapdragon deadpans, "Yeah. Convenient."

 Galvatron says, "Hm. Anyway, your report is... interesting, Snapdragon. Very interesting..."

A few disgruntled boos start rising from the bar crowd once they realize this is more art instruction than brawling. "BOO YERSELF! I know where you bunk!" Fusillade fiercely bellows over her shoulder at the dissent, before getting her attention snapped back toward Vendetta. She braces her feet and digs in, working to rotate Vendetta's rapier away and to the outside, shoving forward and along the inner surface of Vendetta's sword arm. The move shows promise, but is immediately broken off with a 'clonk' of an oil can bouncing off Fusillade's head. "HEY!!!" she turns away to berate the rabble, before whipping back around to Vendetta. "All this maneuvering is good, but it takes too much attention away from the surroundings," she challenges him, all the better to learn the solution to such tactical dilemmas.

Catechism enters the Shark's Rib.

Photon nods at Boomslang, "Good point...if only they could all catch some kind of virus and die..." He observes the lesson for a while before commenting, "What do you think of that kind of tactics? I'm not much to take it up close and personal...especially when I'm facing a Dinobot."

Catechism just checked you out

"It's a luxury I don't allow myself very often," Boomslang replies wistfully.

Vendetta chuckles a bit "At first yes. In time, you vill be able to maneuver your way around zhis place vithout tipping over anything." He frowns at whoever threw the oil can and spins thrusting his rapier in the handle of an empty energon pitcher and flings it at the offender "Zoo not screw vith my lessons ruffian!" Vendetta spins and parries "Yes zhe surroundings can be very helpful to you special in swordfights." Facing Fusillade with his right side and hand it is hard to the left hand grab hold a nearby chair. With a twist Vendetta pulls away and swings the chair low at Fusillade's knees like a bowling ball. "Everything can be used for putting someone off-balance. Gotta be creative!"

Catechism stumbles out of the Shark's Rib, looking rather under the weather. She seems to have SR-71 syndrome - her armour doesn't fit correctly, so she's suffering from a multitude of small but steady leaks all over. Catechism also has masks over her face and up over her intakes. She looks pretty ludicrous. Catechism just looks up in time to catch the fencing lessons, and she halts herself with a buzzy, "Whoa," as if even her speakers are out of whack.

"I'll be sure to get more pract-- WAUGH!" The chair gets handily used as a bludgeon. Fusillade jumps up, but not quickly enough to clear the chair's legs. She gets swept off her feet, and not in the good way! Toppling backward with an indignant screech, she brings the second folded wingblade into play, bringing it down at Vendetta's head like an improvised club. The bomber continues her momentum and tumbles until she can right herself, springing back up on thrust-vectoring heels. And it's at that point that she begins to stare pointedly at Catechism. "What the PIT?! OH. MY. G. FORCES. Did Kitbash get a hold of you or something? See you got the space tile special!" she raps knuckles on her chest.

"What happened to you?" asks Boomslang, who is hanging out with one of the other seekers a safe distance away from the fencers.

Photon turns his head to look at Catechism as she enters into the bar and he just stares at her, "What the heck happened to you? You look like you were locked in a mad scientist's lab and you just managed to escape."

Catechism decides to scoot a bit closer over to Boomslang and Photon, away from the fencers, as she clearly already has enough holes in her, dripping a bit as she walks. She looks from Fusillade to Boomslang, who makes no assumptions, and to Photon. She says hoarsely, "Close." Where the paint of her alternate mode is scratched or scuffed away, the metal beneath is dark and strangely reflective. "Mixmaster. In a fit of stupidity, I offered to let him test out a new alloy on me. He had to disable my self-repair system while I adjust to it, so I won't reject it the foreign metal or whatever, so I'm ->boom<," her engine backfires, "...under the weather."

"What's the new alloy do?" asks Boomslang. "Hope it's something good, considering you're obviously on your beam ends." He gestures with his glass at Catechism looking awful.

Photon frowns at Catechism, "That's awfully stu...brave of you. That guy is almost as creepy as Scrapper. I make my best to stay clear from them as long as I can." He nods at Boomslang, "Yeah, I hope it was worth it."

Vendetta raises to parry but Fusillade's fall created momentum and despite the guard he has the heavier blade smacks his sword aside and hits him on the side of the head. *PING* Which prompts a few giggles from some of the other patrons. "Shut up! Not half of you could do what she just did!" BY that of course he means landing a hit on his head/face. He stops himself and looks at Catechism and mutes his vocalizer before blurting out a bad joke. "Good recover with zhe heel thrusters! Falling in a fight happens...happens to everyone. How fast can you get back up can make zhee difference between winning and losing. Again...good move." He backs away "Vhat say we continue this some other time in a more appropriate setting. Give you some time to practice zhee first lessons." He gives Fusillade the fencer's salute and returs his rapier to it's scabbard. He walks towards Catechism to introduce himself. He gives her a small bow "Greetings. I do not believe vee have met yet. My name is Vendetta."

"AWESOME, you scored a visit with him! Mixmaster's hard to track down!" Fusillade effuses to Catechism as she scrambles back up to her feet. She gives a giant overly flowerly bow to Vendetta, and adds, "I think I will go practice some of these moves in the training room. You know, to reinforce what you've shown me. TANKARD, another round for this mech!" she furls her wingblade, and uses it to indicate Vendetta.

Catechism leans against the bar and looks down at her feet, which aren't betraying her overly much, unlike other components. Then, she looks up and explains, "Needs less replacing. I kinda chew through armour sets. The new stuff is harder to make and machine," understatement, "than the run of the mill, but given how abusive my lifetsyle is to the metal, it comes out more cost effective, in the end. If it doesn't kill me." She smiles. Catechism looks over Vendetta thoughtfully, and she asks, "A Rafale, huh? Nice plane. I'm Catechism. Intel." She starts to offer her hand to shake, and then, given the energon slowly oozing out her fingers, she thinks better of it, and she just returns a quick bow. To Fusillade, she suggests, "A tip on attracting Mixmasters - dunk yourself in salt water directly after re-entry."

Photon shudders and takes a mental note to stick with his regular armor plating. "I hope you won't regret that move..." He looks up at the chrona above the bar, "Well. It's time for my recharge cycle. See you around before that raid on India...or what ever target we decide to hit." Leaving his empty glass on the table, he heads for the door, making sure to stay clear from Catechism... who knows what Mixmaster's stuff could do?

Boomslang also would not shake Catechism's hand. "Iiiii think I'm going to go watch them train in the squared circle." Boomslang sidles out of the room without touching Catechism or brushing by too close. Boomslang leaves the Shark's Rib.

"C'mon Catechism, grab a drink and come with," Fusillade chirps, much less squeamish about Catechism's weeping armor. Clop clop, right on the shoulder. Fusillade leaves the Shark's Rib. Catechism leaves the Shark's Rib. Photon has disconnected. ***** *** *  *      *   *   *      *   ***  ***   **** *  * ***       *    *  *   *     ***  *   *     ***  ***  **    *  * ** * **      *   *** *** ***  *   * *** ***  *   * *  * ***   **** *  * ***  * * * * *