Officer Poker Night 1

Jazz - Transformers 2k5 - Thursday, November 12, 2009, 6:09 PM --

Traveller's Haven Monacus is well known for its Luxury Resorts, and it's easy to see why. Ahead is a beautiful stretch of road lined by resorts of different types. There is something for everyone here, and one can become entranced with the possibilities... Even though it is night time, the area is very bright. The street itself glows with a soft radiance, shedding light on all the resorts. Down the street is a well-lit area with many delicious aromas coming from its location.

Contents: Rodimus Prime Cally's Pleasuredome

Fortress Maximus has arrived.

Rodimus Prime drops Deck of Cards.

 Jazz says, "Roll call who's up and about in this place?"

Nightbeat has arrived.

 Powerglide says, "What up, Jazzy J?"

 Rodimus Prime says, "Powerglide, Jazz and I are going to be away on a mission of a very sensitive nature. You're in command until we get back."

 Powerglide says, "I'll do my best, sirs. Heheheh.."

 Rodimus Prime says, "And we had BETTER not be in any more wars when I get back than we are now, got it?"

 Powerglide says, "Aw, c'mon! How dumb do you think I am?"

 Jazz says, "Powerglide can be cool when the stakes are important enough right?"

 Powerglide says, "Fo' sho'."

 Rodimus Prime says, "Powerglide, you don't want me to answer that. Jazz, I'm just going to remember that you were off planet when he was made Prime Minister of England and leave that alone."

 Powerglide says, "In my defense, I was being MIND CONTROLLED!"

 Rodimus Prime says, "Right. Well, none of that, either."

 Jazz says, "It's cool Powerglide I trust you. You won't let me down now will you?"

 Powerglide says, "No way!"

 Nightbeat says, "Powerglide, remember what I taught you about sensitivity training. Actually... /don't/ remember any of that. Yeah. It'll work better if you just forget."

 Jazz says, "Awesome. Respect mech!"

 Powerglide says, "Sensitivity training was awesome!"

Rodimus Prime settles back into a seat at an open air cafe that lines one of the roads of Traveller's Haven, one of the nicer sections of Monacus. Oh, it's still a tourist trap, sure, but it's a trap for very wealthy tourists. He looks over at the road, absently shuffling a deck of Transformer-sized cards as he does.

Jazz arrives from a dark alley not trying to be uber subtle but he's keeping a low profile. He links up with Rodimus "Hey there Rodimus hehe we were long overdue for one of those game." He takes a quick peak behind him.

Rodimus Prime collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them. Rodimus Prime finishes shuffling the cards.

Rodimus Prime looks up and offers Jazz a grin. He won't be too surprised if there are reports sighting him - he's got a pretty distinctive look, after all - but most of them'll probably be dismissed as cranks. "Yeah," he answers as he continues to shuffle the cards. "Too long." He shakes his head. "Been so busy lately, I was starting to forget how to unwind. And coming from me, that's pretty bad!"

Monacus and Nightbeat know each other real well. Well enough that for dear Monacus's sake, he's cracked out his robot-sized trenchcoat and fedora. Tugging the hat down over his optic band, he pauses to admire a wanted poster with his own ugly mug, printed in all of four colours. Just a moment, then he's off to meet up with the brass.

Jazz checks his chrono "Hope a few others managed to sneak out as well."

Rodimus Prime dips his head in a nod. "Well, it's usually pretty hard to pry Ultra Magnus away from his duties. Max is pretty straight laced, too... for a guy willing to ditch the faction for eleven million years, anyway." He absently keeps shuffling, though he gestures towards one of the other chairs at the table and waves over a waiter. "What do you want to drink, anyway?"

Nightbeat doesn't bother trying to be sneaky about his entrance. He pushes open the door, ignoring any doorman who might be there. Nightbeat comments sourly, "I heard that, boss." All the same, he removes his hat, and he salutes, looking around twitchily.

Jazz looks at the bar "I am in the mood for something...exotic. Probably some fruit flavored energon." Jazz turns to Nightbeat "Hey our resident Sherlock Holmes, glad you could join us."

Rodimus Prime looks up at Nightbeat and offers him a smirk. "Yeah, so? What are you going to do, tattle on me?" He gestures towards another seat. "Obviously I trust that the guy's moved past that. I did trans- I mean, I accepted the transfer into Command, after all." Anyone looking at Fort Max's digital transfer-and-promotion orders would find that they were signed by Kup and approved by Rodimus Prime. Alert superspies might also be aware that Kup was very drunk the night that happened. "Anyway, what d'you want to drink, Nightbeat?" he asks, ordering Jazz's request.

Nightbeat notes dryly, "You flatter me, boss." Two bosses here. Confusing. He's more a Marlowe than a Holmes, if he wants to be honest with himself. He replaces his fedora on his head, and he rubs his chin, as if seriously considering tattling on Rodimus Prime. Then, he waves a hand dismissively. "Nah. Ain't no stool-pidgeon here. And if you're ordering... double-processed high grade." He smirks back.

Jazz leans back in his seat and checks around..."Actually been a while since I was on Monacus. It's cool place but...I dunno. Feels like it lost a little of it's magic. I am much happier on Earth at 'the House'."

"Yeah, I'm ordering," Rodimus tells Nightbeat. He waves the waiter over again, putting in an order for a Comet for himself as he asks for Nightbeat's drink, then he raises a browridge at Jazz. "Which one? Metroplex, or the Ark?" He starts to deal "Five card draw, no wilds," he states as he deals out the cards.

Rodimus Prime deals 5 cards to Jazz.

Rodimus Prime deals 5 cards to Nightbeat.

Rodimus Prime deals 5 cards to himself.

Jazz chuckles 'Neither I am talking about the House of Blues in New Orleans. I entered into a partnership with the owner back in 2019. I do appearances, I do some DJ-ing, play some music occasionally. It's good business for them and it's fun for me. In exchance I got them to set up a Cybertronian corner with tables and chairs to our size when we want to unwind. New Orleans just has that...feel to it. I am always happy when I am there." He grabs his cards and begins the mind games.

The names of your cards are: KingofDiamonds 5ofSpades JackofHearts 9ofHearts 4ofSpades

Nightbeat doesn't have any reaction at all to his cards. In fact, he looks a lot more interested in watching the waiters and seeing what everyone is drinking. Nightbeat comments absently, "Must be nice, having that kind of free time." Not that Nightbeat was sneaking around Nigeria, investigating dictatorships...

Rodimus Prime offers Nightbeat a smirk at his comment, then looks down as the drinks are delivered, studying his cards. "How'd I miss that?" he asks Jazz, then gives him a brief but beaming smile. "I'll have to come by and check it out some time." Then he gestures towards Jazz. "So, you betting?"

Jazz throws five shanix in the pile "I am sure you would love the place Rodimus. Hey why don't you come by on Karaoke thursdays? I would pay to see you sing." He turns to Nightbeat "Wouldn't cha?"

Nightbeat folds his cards againt the table, and he rubs on of his antennae with a hand, admitting, "Unless the Boss is /amazing/ - and he might be, don't get me wrong - probably not. I'm a lil' sensitive to noise, no offense meant." He drops his hand and slides five shanix over to the pile.

Rodimus Prime slides his own shanix in and grins. "Yeah, I get the feeling he'd be more likely to pay to see me *stop* singing." Then Rodimus rubs his chin, as though seriously considering this, though there's a mischievous glint to his expression. "Now maybe there's something to that..." he says thoughtfully, then his face breaks into a smile. "Just kidding!" He nods towards Jazz. "Need any more cards?"

Grimlock has arrived.

Jazz grins "Hehe the important thing is not to become America's next idol but to have fun. Who cares if you sound like a cat in heat as long as you are having fun? Sure...Two cards please." Jazz takes a sip from his drink "I got a new challenge ahead of me these days." he says with a mischievous grin. "My secret goal...is to make Ultra Magnus 'cool

Jazz discards one of his cards. Jazz discards one of his cards.

Rodimus Prime deals 2 cards to Jazz.

Your hand consists of: KD JH 9H AH 10H.

Nightbeat discards one of his cards. Nightbeat discards one of his cards. Nightbeat discards one of his cards.

"HEY. HEY YOU GUYS. WHAT IS THIS IMPORTANT MEETING THINGIE?" Yeah, Grimlock is here. He barges in- and he stares at the little gathering, and grunts a bit. "Cards? How come you playing cards?"

Nightbeat glares up at Rodimus Prime from under the fedora, and he tugs his trenchcoat closer around him, as if to ward off bad music. Of Jazz's secret goal, he murmurs, "Now there is a man who enjoys a challenge." he discards three cards, which says a lot more than he'd like to, but oh well. And then Grimlock stomps in, shouting. Nightbeat winces.

Rodimus Prime deals 3 cards to Nightbeat.

Grimlock points at Nightbeat. Accusatorily, even. "HEY WHO AM THIS GUY!? You guys go all the way to monacus so you have card party with creepy trenchcoat man? You Rodimus forget you have WAR FIGHTINGS to do? Him Galvatron have MATH GUN!"

Nightbeat doffs his hat to Grimlock, and he greets, tone sardonic, "Nice to know you got functional optical sensors, buddy." He'll let Rodimus Prime defend himself. His face stays neutral as he looks at his new cards.

Rodimus Prime raises a brow-ridge. "I never knew you were a fan of Mission Impossible, Jazz," Rodimus answers, grinning. He deals Jazz two, then three to Nightbeat, then discards three from his own hand and replaces them before looking up at Grimlock. "Morale. Need to unwind. Can't have the officers getting too run after all. Besides, there's no reason this can't be a strategy meeting, too." He gestures to an open spot at the table. "Sit down and I'll buy you a drink, Grimlock. You'll have to wait for the next hand to be dealt in, though." He looks towards Jazz. "Second round of bets?"

Rodimus Prime discards one of his cards. Rodimus Prime discards one of his cards. Rodimus Prime discards one of his cards. Rodimus Prime deals 3 cards to himself.

Jazz briefly looks up at Grimlock "Grimlock my man grab a seat. Ya know there is more to life than just fighting like Rodimus said. Sometimes you need to do sometrhing different so you can return to your problems with a different perspective. Which many smart generals often did." Jazz grabs 5 more shanix and throws them in the pot. Grimlock hnmphs- but he settles down in a chair anyway. "Hnn." he grumbles. "Me Grimlock play little 'bit. But only 'cuz me Grimlock go so far to get here. hnf." He hmms- and then looks over at Nightbeat. "Uh. Me Grimlock knowed it was you. Just testings."

Nightbeat replaces his hat on his head and snorts. He slides over another 5 shanix. Usually, in a card game, Nightbeat would just cheat. However, a) he's pretty sure that Jazz would catch him and b) he's pretty sure Grimlock would tear off his arm and beat him with it when Jazz caught him.

Rodimus Prime glances over his cards, gives an almost absent shrug, and tosses his five in. Then he tosses another ten in. "Raise," he states.

Ahhh the joys of having a visor, no one can see you squint. Jazz is pretty sure Rodimus is bluffing. The guy never was a good liar when he is stressed. Maybe he got better at it...Let's see where this goes. "Allright I'll see your raise. I think you are yanking my timing belt."

Grimlock stares at the game, and drums impatient fingers on the tabletop- enough to rattle the chips in play. "Hnn. Hurry up! Me Grimlock want play! Me Grimlock bet me win 'cuz me best at everythings ever."

Nightbeat is horribly curious. Too curious for his coin. He grunts, "I'll see it, too." Poor little shanix, Nightbeat barely knew you!

Rodimus Prime laughs. "All right then." He lays his hand down. "Just a pair of Kings, really," he grins.

Rodimus Prime shows five of his cards: KC KH 7H QH AD

Jazz chuckles "Aww man I almost had you with a flush." he says throwing his cards down.

Grimlock hmmms, and glances at Rod's hand. "Me Grimlock king! How come me Grimlock not on cards?"

Nightbeat pinches the bridge of his nose, groans, and slams down his cards. Just a pair of sixes. Nightbeat is holding: 3H 6H 6S 2H AS.

Jazz turns to Nightbeat "If I did not know he was so busy I would say our boss is practicing in secret."

Jazz mutters to Nightbeat, "... he... login on..."

You whisper "We need top find out if he has a login on pokerstar.net." to Nightbeat.

"I guess the artist just had too hard a time capturing your full magnificence, Grimlock," Rodimus says, cheerfully pulling the 90 shanix towards himself as he hands the deck over to Jazz. "Pretty close there, though, Jazz."

Nightbeat mutters to Jazz, "I'll get..."

Nightbeat whispers "I'll get riiiiiiight on that, boss."

Grimlock hmphs, and crosses his arms across his massive chest. "Hnn. What me Grimlock s'posed to bet with? Me Grimlock no bring me wallet." a pause, and he scratches at his helm. "Me Grimlock no HAVE wallet...'cuz me no need one."

Jazz collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them. Jazz finishes shuffling the cards.

Nightbeat mutters to Jazz, "... He doesn't." Nightbeat whispers "Actually? No. He doesn't."

"Eh, I'll spot you, Grimlock," Rodimus says, sliding his recent winnings over towards the Dinobot Commander.

Jazz looks surprised at Nightbeat then back at Rodimus. "Maybe he just got better at it. Allright let's get this new hand going." he begins passing cards to Nightbeat who is sitting to his left, Grimlock infront, Rodimus to his right and finally himself.

Jazz deals 5 cards to Nightbeat. Jazz deals 5 cards to Grimlock. Jazz deals 5 cards to Rodimus Prime. Jazz deals 5 cards to himself.

Your hand consists of: 3S 9S 7C 6S 9C.

Grimlock yays! "Oo! Moneys!" he says, and starts playing with his shanix tokens as if they were tiddlywinks- almost as an afterthought, he picks up his cards. "Hnm." His expression remains unreadable, given both mask AND visor. Wheeljack would be proud.

Jazz turns to Nightbeat "Your bet man."

Nightbeat is unreadable, as he looks over his hand. He tilts his chin up, and he declares, "Opening with 10." He shoves the shanix over roughly.

You say, "Any cards?"

Nightbeat discards one of his cards. Nightbeat discards one of his cards. Nightbeat discards one of his cards.

Nightbeat smirks and replies, "A few."

Jazz deals 3 cards to Nightbeat.

Grimlock hmms, and tosses 10 shanix (what -is- a Shanix, anyway?) into to pot. Carefully, very carefully, he pulls one card out of his hand, and places it upon the table. "Give me Grimlock one card! But make it right one."

Jazz sips his drink and motions to the dinobot "You are up big guy. Anyone got any interesting story to tell? Come on make it a bit lively. I -almost- got Shockwave angry the other day. I was not sure the cyclops had a 'pissed-off' setting but I am sure I was pretty close to it.

Grimlock uuuhs. "Me Grimlock need beat up that one girl with cone head."

Grimlock discards one of his cards.

Jazz deals 1 card to Grimlock.

"Grimlock, he doesn't get to pick which card to give you - it's always the top one," Rodimus explains as he takes a sip from his cube. He tosses his 10 shanix into the pot, then discards two of his own cards. "Two, Jazz, and... I ran over Motormaster recently?"

Rodimus Prime discards two of his cards.

Jazz deals 2 cards to Rodimus Prime.

"Me Grimlock need beat him Motormaster up too."

Jazz looks at Rodimus with interest "Does he still has that king of road fetish thing going on? He needs to get over it. Was he angry after you got him?" Jazz puts his 10 shanix in the pot, discards 3 cards and picks 3 more.

Your hand consists of: 3S 9S 7C 6S 9C. Jazz discards one of his cards. Jazz discards one of his cards. Jazz discards one of his cards. Jazz deals 3 cards to himself.

Your hand consists of: 9S 9C KD QH 7H.

"He does, and... probably, but I didn't stick around to find out," Rodimus answers, shaking his head. "The mine was exploding." He smirks at Jazz. "You were there." Then he looks over at Nightbeat. "Your bet, Detective."

Nightbeat wonders if she should spill the beans on what he's been up to. Now might be just the right time. Grimlock might have a good hand. Grimlock's not as dumb as he looks. Jazz's hand is probably pretty bad, unless Jazz is crazy lucky. (And Jazz often is.) Rodimus prime's hand could be decent. Hnn. He sighs and announces, "I'm folding."

Nightbeat puts his hand aside.

Jazz winces at the memory of the mine thing. "Yeah I remember. Maybe I should have put an extra two seconds on that timer. Pentaglycerine is a delicate thing to handle but man does it get the job done."

Grimlock hmms. "Petawhatzitnow?" he asks. "Me Grimlock like 'sploding stuff. But me Grimlock usually just use missiles n' stuff." a pause. "...maybe me put, like...clock on missile. Then it be time bomb."

Rodimus Prime laughs. "Yeah, let me know how that works, Grimlock. Anyway, bet or fold?"

Grimlock grunts. "Oh. Uuuuuuh." he peers at his cards. "Me Grimlock bet moneys." and he grabs a random handful of chips and tosses them into the pot- 6 shanix, by the look of it.

Rodimus Prime throws his own cards into the discard pile. "I got nothing," he announces, leaning back to watch the face-off between Jazz and Grimlock.

Rodimus Prime folds, putting his hand aside.

Nightbeat snorts. "Pokerstar.net. Hah. More like Prime's luck, huh?"

Your hand consists of: 9S 9C KD QH 7H.

"Matrix make you good at cards?" Grimlock says, and turns to poke at Rodimus' chest. "Hnn."

Jazz sees Grimlock's 6 shanixes "Let's see if it's beginner's luck for Grimlock or rotten luck for me."

Grimlock is holding: 6H 7D 5C 4C 7S.

Jazz smiles "I don't have much but it's enough. Pair of nines." Jazz is holding: 9S 9C KD QH 7H.

Grimlock puts his cards on the table. "Me Grimlock win?" he says- for once, it's more of a question than a great declaration. But then Jazz speaks up, and Grimlock grunts. "Hnf."

Rodimus Prime looks between Nightbeat and Grimlock, confused. "WHAT are you two talking about?" He shakes his head. "And no, the Matrix does *not* make me good at cards." He rubs the back of h is head. "It might have made me a bit worse, actually."

"Worse? How that work?" a pause. "...me Grimlock never see him Optimus play cards, though. That why?"

Nightbeat smacks his forehead and curses up a blue streak, "Sonva of a Walther! Of all the circuit-slagged, diode-blowing..." ...and he continues on for a while.

Jazz laughs at Rodimus "You got us good during the first round. We were wondering if you were practicing in secret on pokerstars.net." Jazz grabs his shanixes and checks his chrono. "One last hand?"

Rodimus Prime laughs and jerks a thumb towards Nightbeat. "I take it he had a better hand, after all, Jazz. Nightbeat, your deal, right?" Then he looks at Grimlock and shrugs. "I was more... callous when I was Hot Rod. Maybe not the *best* trait, but it could come in handy at times like this!"

Grimlock hmms, and peers at Nightbeat. "Haw haw haw. You dumb!" he declares.

"Grimlock, you're not supposed to peak at the cards he put down," Rodimus points out. Since, you know, they don't know what the deck is ICly!

Grimlock ohs. Caught in the act! "Uuuuh. Okay."

Nightbeat glares DEATH RAYS at Grimlock. Or he would, if he could. As it is, he huffs, "So I overestimated Jazz! It ain't like that happens too often." Nightbeat collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them. Nightbeat finishes shuffling the cards.

Grimlock hmms. "Hey you Nightbeat. Give me Grimlock good cards!" he says. Yeah, Grim's not the best of poker players, apparently.

Nightbeat grabs the deck and shuffles it, looking absolutely furious with himself. He bridges the deck several times, snapping the cards emphatically. Then, he all but slings the cards around the table, gritting out, "That, Grimlock, is up to Lady Luck, and she's as a fickle a dame as they come."

Nightbeat deals 5 cards to Grimlock. Nightbeat deals 5 cards to Rodimus Prime. Nightbeat deals 5 cards to Jazz. Nightbeat deals 5 cards to himself.

Jazz laughs and pats Nightbeat on the shoulder "Aww c'mon man it's all good. We are here having a good time aren't we. Returning to the subject of my 'challenge' earlier. I thought I would take Magnus to a daredevil show and have him participate as a guest....'ramp' or something. Give a taste for the crowd. The maybe sign him up for the Mardi Gras parade in february...Of course I would not tell him about the human females in skimpy costume he would be carrying for the parade haha."

Your hand consists of: 2S AC KH 8S JD.

Rodimus Prime gathers his cards up, taps them against the table, then picks up his energon cube and sips it before he actually looks at his hand. Then he leans forward, putting his cards back on the table, and tries to hold in some laughter that immediately escapes. "Oh, man... oh, man! I have *got* to see that!" he laughs.

"Yeah!" Grimlock says, adding on. "And, uh. Get her Carly to be on him or something. For parade!" he nodnods. "And maybe bring a pony. Parades have ponies, right?"

"Your bet, Grimlock," Rodimus points out.

Nightbeat decides to finally admit what he's been up to, "So, boss. Other boss. I," he rubs the back of his head, "hate to break up the discussion of fun, but I've been snooping around Nigeria." He puts his hands up. "I know, we don't interfere in human politics, but I'm... not sure this is just human politics, anymore."

Grimlock hnns, and tosses a few coins into the pot- as well as a few cards. "Nigeria? That in Africa, right? With elephants? And lions? OH! OH! Me know! It them Predacons, right?"

Grimlock discards two of his cards.

Jazz pictures Magnus in car carrier mode with chicks sitting along the ramps and on the cab driving slowly through New Orleans. "hehehe I don't expect to pull this kind of stuff overnight but...gotta have goals." He listens to Nightbeat "Just how far did you interfere so far and what makes you think it's not just human politics anymore?"

Nightbeat discards three of his cards.

Rodimus Prime counts the coins that Grimlock put into the pot, and tosses the same number in to follow. He looks at Nightbeat, though, and his expression has now lost all humor. "Nigeria? You talking about that business in Sengal?"

Rodimus Prime discards three of his cards.

Your hand consists of: 2S AC KH 8S JD.

Jazz discards two of his cards.

Nightbeat blurts, entirely too quickly, "I didn't murder anyone!" and he adds, equally hastily, "Neither did Muzzle! /And/ I had an EDC member along, okay? Earth is kind of their deal." His expression turns lopsided, "No, Boss, I'm talking about Nigeria. But as the matter has it, I'm talking about Senegal, too. Funny, huh?"

"Am Senegal in Nigeria? Hnn. Me Grimlock shoulda brought map."

Nightbeat deals 2 cards to Grimlock. Nightbeat deals 3 cards to Rodimus Prime. Nightbeat deals 2 cards to Jazz. Nightbeat deals 3 cards to himself.

Your hand consists of: AC KH JD 8C AS.

Ultra Magnus has arrived.

Grimlock hmms- and stares at his cards. "Me Grimlock quit! You Nightbeat tell me Grimlock 'bout who you murdered n' stuff." Grimlock folds, putting his hand aside.

Your hand consists of: AC KH JD 8C AS.

Rodimus Prime doesn't really seem to be even *paying* attention to his cards at this point, although still, he slides around ten shanix into the pot, apparently staying in. "That's... okay, so it isn't Sengal, so it is Sengal, and it's human politics but it isn't human politics. Nightbeat, *you're* the detective. I have *you* around to solve my riddles, so why don't you stop talking in them and explain yourself?"

Nightbeat puts his hands up and protests, "I didn't murder anyone! Okay. So. There's a warloard on Nigeria who is trying to buy the office of the president there. Yawn, not our business, right? But see, I was interested in where he was getting the funds for all the bribery. So Muzzle and the EDC guy - Aramasu Hikage," an ex-Militant, actually, which might mean something to some of the people here, "pretended to be, uh, mercenaries to get a chance to take a looksee and talk to this warlord. And Aramasu didn't kill anyone, either!" Nightbeat thinks. "But so this warlord had diamonds on hand. Big deal - Africa is full of diamonds, right? But /Nigeria/ isn't. Aramasu snuck back in later, and he found out that the warlord in Nigeria traded some Mark-116 "Weteyes" to the MFDC in Senegal for the diamonds. Weteyes are old chemical bombs, tho' you can load 'em up with about anything. And... well, pretty much the only jets still flying that would carry those are Decepticon jets, a few backwaters aside. Combined with some of Red Alert's research..."

"SO...if YOU not kill anybody, n' HE not kill anybody...who really DID do murderings?" Grimlock hmms, and scratches at his helmet. "And who dead? You kill bad-president?"

Jazz pushes his shanix in the pot to see Rod's bet and listens to Nightbeat's story. "Don't think they killed anyone yet Grimlock...Which is good because killing humans i bad...real bad juju."

Ultra Magnus barges into the room, frantically searching for his Autobot brethren. Approaching the table, one arm in cradling a stack of files and the other is layed on the back of Prime's shoulder. "Please excuse my absence Prime, I was ... busy." the City Commander sighs, looking around the table at everyone gathered here. Giving each their respective nod, he continues. "What did I miss?"

Rodimus Prime pulls a chair over from another table using his foot, then peers up at the large robot with a hand on his shoulder, gesturing to the empty chair with his free hand. From Ultra Magnus's perspective, he can probably see Rodimus's hand. "Pretty much the entire game, but *please* say you got here in time to overhear what Nightbeat just told us?" He shakes his head. "Hell of a mess... and worse, sounds like the 'Cons have the chance to destabilize the whole region. The question is, how do we stop them *and* undo the damage they've alredy caused?

"Him Nightbeat kill some guy!" Grimlock adds, helpfully. "Maybe."

Nightbeat bites out, "There were no killings! No one is dead! There were no murders. Now. The warlord did want a judge dead, but that's not really relevant right now. What /is/ relevant is that the Decepticons are helping out the MFDC in Senegal, and that's pumping money into the whole area, which means warlords in other countries can make bigger plays. So yeah, Destabilisation city." He just meets whatever bet there is to meet.

Everyone met (except Grimlock), and there are no raises. Rodimus Prime looks down at the table and shakes his head. "I wish I could enjoy this more," he announces as he reveals his hand for all to see, "but given the news, I'm just now feeling it."

Rodimus Prime shows five of his cards: 7S 7H 5H 7D KS

Jazz is holding: AC KH JD 8C AS.

"So whut am problem?" Grimlock asks, neatly ignoring the game. "Just find out what septi-cons am there, n' where them is, and then me Grimlock go CRUSH THEM." he nods.

Nightbeat is holding: 3D 3C 10S 10H JH.

Ultra Magnus eases down into his seat, skidding it noisily up to the table. *SKRRRRDDDD* Opening up both optics after the squinting, he looks over towards Nightbeat. "Wait, who did you kill? Did you say something about a ninja?"

"Maybe him not very good ninja if him no kill anybody." Grimlock notes.

The guy holding the aces got aced by a bunch of 7s. Gah! Better luck next time. Jazz orders another drink and listens to Nightbeat's story.

Nightbeat covers his face with his hands and groans. He says, once again, "I didn't kill anyone! But yes, there was a ninja. Aramasu Hikage of the EDC," and ex-Militant, "I don't think he killed anyone, either. Not recently, anyway."

(If you have the rest of this log please append)

***** *** *  *      *   *   *      *   ***  ***   **** *  * ***       *    *  *   *     ***  *   *     ***  ***  **    *  * ** * **      *   *** *** ***  *   * *** ***  *   * *  * ***   **** *  * ***  * * * * *