Straxus [Robot]
Techno [Robot]
Obvious exits:
<U> Up leads to Spacebridge Transmat Chamber.
<NE> Northeast leads to Administration Deck.

Techno walks over to the human, "Now, what is this creature ... a new pet perhaps...

Dr. Archeville says, "A pet??! I think not. I am Dr. Archeville, genius of science! And who might you be?""

Straxus holds a hand up to Techno. "My dear, if I may?"

Techno shrugs to Straxus, "If you want, you can have it ... it prolly wouldn't last long in my experiments. Looks like flimsy construction."

Dr. Archeville looks indignant, but rolls backwards a bit, away from the Decepticons.

Straxus smiles, placing his hands on his kneecaps as he bends over slightly. "Welcome to Cybertron, Dr. Archeville... I am Governor Straxus, and with me is the lovely and talented Techno... now, if I may be so bold... what brings you to my homeworld?"

Dr. Archeville eyes Straxus warily. But he did put Starscream nicely in his place. "What brings me here, is your, er, Lord Starscream." The sarcasm in his tone is unmistakable. "We had a deal, shall we say."

Straxus tilts his head curiously to one side. "I shall hope that if you live long enough, you will be wise not to accept a pact with Starscream. Now, just for curiosity's sake... what did this deal entail?"

Dr. Archeville clicks his metal fingertips against the armrests of his chair, which is about all the movement he's capable of, restrained as he is. "A very, very long story." He seems reluctant to say much more about it.

Techno hmmms, "Scan this subject, and make a file on it will ya..." ... A voice responds, "Will do..." as a beam shoots out, and does a complete scan of the human.

Straxus says, "Techno, you arrived on the scene before I... what did I miss?"

Dr. Archeville says, "As for deals, I'm finding it wise not to accept deals with any of you," he looks around the room, and adds dourly, "Though it seems I'm here now, aren't I?"

Dr. Archeville closes his eyes in response to the bright scanning beam.

Straxus says, "Yes you are. I trust the atmosphere is comfortable."

Techno says, "Not much, I walked in just before you did."

Straxus frowns, looking back to the human. "It would seem Starscream is most upset with you?"

Dr. Archeville opens his eyes again as the scanning beam dissipates. "Entirely comfortable," he responds to Straxus, though there's an underlying sarcasm to the tone. "Not every day one becomes a metal freak, after all." He thinks better of his words quickly and adds, "No offense, of course."

Straxus smiles. "We can't all be so lucky, my dear doctor. Why are you under restraint?"

Dr. Archeville says, "Call it repairs." He pulls again at his wrist restraints. "Though I suspect it was Starscream's idea of a joke in addition.""

The voice states, "Odd, this organic has been outfitted - poorly I might add - with it seems like used parts..."

Straxus shushes the doctor. "Settle down... I imagine if you were to be killed, a cleanup crew would already be on hand. Is there anything we might be able to do to make you more comfortable?"

Dr. Archeville blinks at Straxus. "Surely you jest. Another deal?"

Straxus shakes his head no. "I doubt there's anything you could give me I could possibly want."

Dr. Archeville narrows his eyes. "You might be surprised."

Straxus says, "Yes, and Starscream might one day rule the universe... but I don't ponder unlikely subjects often."

Dr. Archeville smirks faintly, finding some reserve of bravado again. "Oh, I have a spot of knowledge here and there that might interest you. You are an associate of Megatron's, I take it?"

Straxus smirks. "Associate? We operate within the confines of the same Army, yes... I suppose that makes us associates."

Dr. Archeville says, "I see. Megatron left me to drown on Earth, Starscream dragged me across half a universe - and your plans are?"

Straxus says, "So Starscream wants you alive, that can't be good."

Dr. Archeville says, "I don't honestly know what Starscream wants."

Straxus flicks a single claw out, tapping it on one of Archeville's restraints. "I don't know... I really don't know."

Dr. Archeville flinches back a little from the huge robot. "I do have information that I might be persuaded to share," he reiterates.

Straxus says, "Like I said, what use might it be to me?"

Dr. Archeville says, "That would be up to you to decide. But if you kill me here and now, you'll never have the chance to find out."

Straxus plays the claw along Archeville's forearm. "Who said I would kill you?"

Dr. Archeville finally sends the rollerchair backwards with a jolt of motion to remove him out from under those claws. "I havent' exactly come to expect less," he snaps.

Straxus speaks in a quiet, hushed tone. "You should know that if I wished harm upon you... you would be struggling to hold your intestines inside your stomach from spilling out. I do not play like Starscream does."

Dr. Archeville curls his metal hands into fists. "Then what good am I to you in this state?"

Straxus reaches out, pinching a single restraint between his thumb and forefinger. "If you have information that could help me, it is wise to assume it could hurt me if given to someone else. The Autobots, mayhaps."

Dr. Archeville sneers. "Autobots! Those pathetic simpletons? As though I would waste my talents on them."

Straxus says, "Please tell me about your talents, dear doctor."

Dr. Archeville says, "As I told you. I am a genius of science. Except that those with whom I was forced to work, had such limited vision. I decided to take my knowledge to those whom I thought would have better use for it. In exchange for a small token of gratidute, of course." He eyes the claws again. "Though my experience with your kind hasn't been much better."

Straxus thinks about it for a moment, then idly flicks his claw in an upward motion, severing the restraint... freeing one of Archeville's hands.

Dr. Archeville pulls his hand back with a quick motion, still very much mistrustful in this situation - but his mind calculates options.

Straxus says, "Techno?"

Techno says, "Yes?"

Straxus says, "What danger might this human pose?"

Techno says, "Well, if it gets in the wiring, it's sure to mess things up ... and of course we can't let it breed ... then they're all over under foot... If he does as he claims, to have some intelligence, it's possible he might try to sabotoge us..."

Straxus chuckles, looking back to Techno with a glimmer in his eye. "Who praytell would he breed with?"

Techno says, "Perhaps he'll simply split down the middle and then we'll have two of them."

Straxus says, "Techno, you know better than that."

    [OOC] Techno says, "actually I don't ;) He's the first human I've ever met ;)"

Dr. Archeville says, "Nonsense. Humans don't reproduce in that manner. You obviously have a lot to learn about organic biology."

Straxus says, "Doctor... what use do you think you could possibly be to me?"

Dr. Archeville tugs at the other wrist restraint with his now-free hand, without any obvious result. "Well," he considers, "perhaps you and I should discuss this in private? I take it by your manner, you're an important person on this world?"

Straxus says, "I hold rank here doctor, yes."

Straxus slices halfway through the other restraint, flicking his claw back into its sheath and frowning. "What about you and Megatron?"

Dr. Archeville nods, the mental wheels still turning. "There is a little something of interest back on my home planet..." he looks at Techno and muses, "Do you trust this associate of yours?"

Straxus says, "Do I trust you, Techno?"

Techno says, "Does any Decepticon trust another one?"

Straxus says, "Yes, I do trust her. So speak your mind, doctor."

Dr. Archeville looks around the room one more time, tugging at the half-severed arm restraint. Those new metal hands really do have their advantages, because he manages to snap the rest of the shackle, after it's already been damaged. "It's like this," he begins. "I had, as I said, offered my services to Megatron, since he seemed the only one with the resources and willingness to put my greatest theory into practice."

Straxus says, "This theory being?"

Dr. Archeville says, "The hypno-chips. A way to effortlessly control a human or many humans from afar. Most humans, you must realize, only use a tiny percentage of their brain power. Why not put them to work at a useful task? Organize the nations of the world under a single banner? A work of efficiency and progress, rather than a mire of diplomatic cautions and restraints."

Straxus says, "Because maybe I enjoy watching them fuck each other over... but still, it is an interesting concept. You would enslave your own kind?"

Dr. Archeville makes a dismissive motion of his hand. "'My kind' has done nothing but hold me back. In any case, it's a moot point now. The Autobots have developed a countermeasure for the hypnochip controls, and so they're useless to me now."

Straxus says, "So then, pardon my bluntness... what use have we for you?"

Talon arrives from Administration Deck.
Talon strides in the room with a confident gait.

Dr. Archeville smiles slightly. "There's more where that came from." He looks up warily as yet another of these giant robots enters the room, and falls silent.

Straxus says, "Do go on, good doctor."

Talon says, "Yes, Dr. I am sure we are all intersted in what you have to say."

Dr. Archeville finally decides that he may as well take the chance one way or the other. Either he's dead, or he survives. "I've learned a thing or two about your kind in the weeks I've associated with you. I've learned, for instance, that a discovery of mine might be of use to you. A spacecraft of unknown origin which I salvaged many years ago. It looks to me - and I will have to study it further to be certain - but it would appear that some of this technology is compatible with your kind."

Straxus says, "I'm listening."

Dr. Archeville glances at Techno. "Perhaps an association with your scientists, to work out further details? In exchange for a more functional form for myself?"

Techno says, "Just where is this ... spacecraft?"

Straxus laughs, shaking his head wearily before looking at the good doctor again. "And good doctor, what would you define a 'more functional form' as?"

Talon grunts. "Why not just take the info from him?" he asks in a voice just loud enough for the other Decepticons - with thier superior audio receptors - to hear.

Dr. Archeville says, "According to your friend here, I've been constructed of inferior bits and pieces. If I'm condemned to be a metal monster for the rest of my days, at least I'd like to be an efficient one."

Straxus looks to Talon and snarls under his breath, betraying a row of sharpened fangs. He says nothing, but turns to the doctor once more. "You want a body like ours."

Dr. Archeville muses, "Well, perhaps not quite exactly like yours ... but now that you mention it, something similar would suffice. If I were to be of service to you, I'd be far more efficient that way."

Straxus says, "And you'd be far more dangerous. There is much we might discuss before I agree to a term like that."

Dr. Archeville looks at Straxus pointedly. "Dangerous? To one such as yourself?"

Talon says, "How do we know that you really found a crashed starship? You could be making it up ... trying to get us to give you more access to our tech."

Straxus says, "And who said he would be given access to anything before he proves himself, Talon?"

Talon says, "I'm just covering all the bases," he mutters.

Straxus smirks. "And I'm merely playing the devil's advocate, Talon. He could indeed be making it up."

Straxus says, "But I'm not quite ready to dismiss him, one way or the other."

Dr. Archeville regards Talon. "You're a suspicious one, aren't you? Well, can't say I blame you." He reaches down and tries to unshackle is ankle restraints, but those are still firmly in place.

Talon shoots a quick glance at the other TFs present. "You're all being awfully quiet."

Straxus says, "Doctor, let us just say our encounters with humanity have rarely been productive, or cooperative."

Techno eyes Talon, "Just letting stupidity have its run ... so are you finished yet?"

Dr. Archeville says, "Ah, but that's precisely my point. The great majority of humanity isn't worth dealing with. Look at my planet's assinine governments! They sided with the Autobots, of all things! No benefit to be gained there at all."

Talon glares back at Techno. He has never liked r&d types...

Straxus shrugs, gently popping the doctor's ankle restraints almost as an afterthought.

Dr. Archeville's white eyebrows rise for a moment in a quick expression of surprise. He shakes out the released foot as though to get feeling back into it. Surprisingly, despite the fact that it's metal, he does have sensation in the limb.

Straxus says, "I believe small measures can be made for your comfort here, doctor."

Dr. Archeville says, "Then perhaps we can assist each other. Lord Straxus, was it?"

Straxus smiles. "It still is."

Straxus says, "And yes, I believe we can assist one another."

Dr. Archeville makes himself more comfortable on the roller chair. He seems in no real hurry to test out the new metal limbs, lest he fall on his face and make a fool of himself before his new allies.

Dr. Archeville says, "You'll forgive me for not being well-schooled in the heirarchy of your world. I'm sure that oversight is easily remedied, if I'm to live here now." A fleeting expression of distaste crosses his face, but is quickly gone again, dismissed with a slight shrug.

Straxus transforms into his Artillery Cannon mode.

Straxus says, "Come with me."

Talon mutters, "First Autobots, now Humans ... what is the planet coming to?"

Dr. Archeville looks to Talon with some surprise. "You have Autobots here? This is your stronghold of power on Cybertron, isn't it?"

Straxus enters Administration Deck <<NE> Northeast>.
Straxus has left.

Talon says, "A few ragtag scraps are lurking in the wastelands and ruins. They are weak, Dr. Rest assured that we Decepticons are in control."

Dr. Archeville activates the roller chair in order to follow Straxus out, rather than hanging around for the reply. Best not to lose his potential meal ticket, after all. He maneuvers the roller chair, finding it actually a convenient way to travel, and good for keeping up with these much larger beings.

Dr. Archeville calls, "Glad to hear it," on his way out.

Traachon Barracks

Straxus [Artillery Cannon]
StRoom
Obvious exits:
<W> West leads to Grinder.

Straxus says, "Here... until such time as I can make proper arrangements for you, this shall have to suffice."

Dr. Archeville looks around speculatively. "Most interesting. Spartan, but interesting."

Dr. Archeville says, "And this is your ... realm?"

Straxus says, "This place is under my command. Rest assured you will be unable to leave it of your own accord. But... I shall make measures to help in your studies."

Dr. Archeville nods. "Then I will require access to information. I'm a scientist. You can't expect me to sit in a bare room without mental stimulus.

Straxus says, "You will be allowed access to information as is seen fit... but, for the moment, make yourself comfortable. And rest. You've had a busy day."

Dr. Archeville says, "Oddly enough, Starscream thought the same."

Straxus says, "Yet Starscream cannot think beyond his own shallow ambitions."

Dr. Archeville says, "Hmmm. I got that impression as well."

Straxus says, "I will see just what I can do for you."

Dr. Archeville inclines his head a bit to Straxus. This association might be interesting indeed.