[ti]Ep 3.5[/ti]Puzzle Pieces [ Closed | Swindle ]

[Breakdown]

Timeline:  Week 1, Day 7

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Breakdown had been planning on going to the control room, but he had heard the familiar voice of the warlord and someone else from within so he had opted to traverse elsewhere. He remembered the encounter with Megatron the cycle prior, having no intentions on wanting to run into him again right now, neither by accident or intentionally. He'd have to wait until later to travel again, when the space was clear to roam without such a face-to-face that could only end in the two clashing even harder than before. 

The bruiser knew his time was running out. He didn't need anyone to remind him of that. 

The issue currently was that he had been successfully avoiding someone else, which had been an intentional, conscious decision. He'd heard of the designation Swindle before through his own field team. His reputation preceded him, even if he had not had dealings with him directly. The last thing he wanted was to be trapped in a room with him, especially considering what he was going through at the moment. 

That opportunistic mech would certainly take advantage of his situation, and Breakdown wasn't quite sure how he would react, how he would handle it. He was already feeling his patience dwindled, both from the run in with Megatron coupled with the unsuccessful search for his partner. 

Now that he was within the halls of Blackridge Hold, the smaller quarters raised his chances of meeting up with the other. Perhaps going to the Vehicon barracks would be the next best option? He wanted to check in on them anyway, see how the few of them were faring anyway...

[Swindle]

A sound of a sip… followed by indecipherable and irritable mumbling.

It’s amazing how vastly different Energon tastes when processed in different ways.

Swindle has had far better than the cube he had currently been sipping on, but it wasn’t the worst. He missed the days when he had good Energon, the kind that would flow through his casino… he put a lot of good money into making that happen. There had only been a very small handful of times where he’s had any decent Energon since the war started. Perhaps he should invest in an Energon processing plan? Bribe others with the promise of better Energon? Hell, he could even see if there was a way to make some great High Grade. Maybe he can team up with some chump mechanic or scientist and see if they can't make something happen? If there even was some around here. Until then, this would have to do because there was literally no other available option.

The sound of heavy ped steps rattled Swindle from his cunning thoughts and snapped up from his locked stare on the floor as he aimlessly walked. His own steps came to a stop as he stared towards the approaching sound towards a connecting walkway, whoever it was, they were big…

Was it possible that it was Megatron? Swindle still had yet to see him around… but he knew that the War Lord was present and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him pass by… but it would be more intimidating then being chewed out by his former commander. MUCH more intimidating.

Swindle had been dreading the possibility of bumping into Megatron casually in the common spaces since he’d arrived here. And by the stars he wasn’t ready to encounter him WHILE he was sipping on Energon.

Swindle quickly glanced at his cube.

It was probably rude to be drinking it in front of him, wasn't it? Disrespectful even?

The tanish-yellow mech quickly lowered his cube and slipped it behind his back plating, just in case

The steps grew closer and Swindle found himself rather tense as he awaited to see who it was, and it wasn’t until the mech stepped into the connecting walkway did Swindle falter.

A mech he’d never interacted with, but has seen a few times. However he already knew his designation and a few other things such as the fact that he was a fellow combiner component, and a right leg component at that! How? Research! Why? A rivalry between teams!

Other than that, that’s all Swindle new. But it was enough to boost his chances of perhaps hooking in a new acquaintance…

Swindle raised his cube up from behind him and grinned.

“Breakdown! What a surprise! Never thought I’d run into you here, How’ve you been?” He called out, strolling towards the mech with a cube in hand and a friendly smile on his face.

[Breakdown]

 The moment Breakdown stepped into that cross hallway, he immediately realized he'd taken a wrong turn. He spotted the mech at the same time he himself was and locked up, hoping to try some sort of tactic of standing still enough that maybe he wouldn't see him. That effort was void the moment he heard himself being addressed by the smaller stature combiner component. 

"Swindle."

It was a simple enough acknowledgement. Was that all that he needed? For most it was. Most simply wanted to be seen and heard, in which saying their designation was more than enough to appease them. They'd move on, perhaps with a nod of a helm, a hand gesture, something small like that. Then there were others who demanded more, those who were far more needy in what they wanted from others. Mechs like that were far more of a handful to deal with and usually dragged one into very lengthy conversations or followed at their heals. The mech before him were like one of the latter.

It was only made worse by the fact that the shady two-timing conmech would rob his last optic blind if he weren't careful. 

Components like them usually sought bonds with their fellow team in different ways than most, and when the team were lost to them they'd try to seek understanding from other ones, who understood their very particular, special needs. 

The only thing shared between his team and Swindle's team were the fact of what they were, what they represented once upon a time. There was nothing else in common. Swindle probably wouldn't settle for that, if the mech's reputation was as colorful as the words used to describe him. 

Breakdown did his best to not acknowledge the cube being raised at him like some half assed toast towards him. He was still who he was, in spite of his want to not deal with this one almost as much as he didn't want to deal with Megatron, still politely nodded to the mech before turning his attention straight ahead and powering forward.

[Swindle]

“Swindle.”

That was it? Hmph… Breakdown was much less of a talker than Swindle had assumed. Perhaps he was in a rush to go somewhere? He wasn’t moving like he had any place to be. Regardless, Swindle was not one to be so easily brushed off by a cold shoulder, it would take a lot more than that to get him to go away. Especially if he feels like someone was of use to him.

With a roll of his optics, he took a sip of his cube and then quickly changed back to his neutral friendly expression.

“Hey, get back here, that was an invitation to talk, you know.” He called out in a playful tone, picking up his pace to tail after the larger mech.

Another sip.

“I had just arrived here not too many days ago, and perhaps you’d be willing to fill me in on things around this place? I'd feel much more comfortable talking with you than probably most others here. Everyone I’ve come across has the ‘I’m moody, don't approach me’ type of energy. But you? I feel different about you, perhaps it’s because we’re not that much different! Well, when it comes to the war efforts, of course.” Swindle paused as if to ponder on a thought before speaking up again, “Why don't you grab a cube? We can sit and talk a bit! Catch up, you know?”

He was going to do his best to get to the mech and at least have a good conversation with him. The more Swindle thought about it, the more he liked the idea of having Breakdown as an ally. Simply because of his size, he looked like he could take some good hits and cause some outrageous damage. That was good enough of a reason for Swindle, honestly.

[Breakdown]

"I know it was," the bruiser responded to the comment about conversation. Yes, he knew it was, and no, he did not feel like small talk. The other mech didn't seem to catch that hint, or just not care to catch the hint that he gave back that no, he was not in the mood for such idle conversations.

It was the part of the other wanting information that did give him pause and caused him to stop mid step, standing in the hallway, staring off in the distance of where he had been heading. His processor had stalled on the want to get away, hit with the subconscious awareness that they had already lost some of their own faction, just as the Autobots had, to the particular human threat here on Earth, a threat they hadn't dealt with before. As much as he should be focused on other thing, such as locating Knock Out, he had to switch gears momentarily. If something happened to Swindle due to his lack of knowledge from information Breakdown could have provided him, he would be the one feeling responsible. Unlike some around here who believed it was every mech for themselves, Breakdown did have a bit more of a conscious to at leasdt help where he could, when he could, and if able. His time with the vehicons was probably proof enough of that fact. 

Breakdown's missing optic gave him a phantom sting, a reminder.

He paused in his steps, once again doing his best to ignore the cube of energon, as well as the very matter-of-factly way that he seemed to sip from it, like some rich towerling on vacation. Breakdown knew bits and pieces of Swindle through his own team, from the conversations they often had in regards other members of other groups. The Combaticons and those within it were the topic of many discussions, and Breakdown remembered most of the stories and rumors around each. 

Swindle, as on of those, and the fun they would make of him. A mech who had it all, who lost it all, and who still grasped at the past of what was no longer. There were other talks, rumors mostly, but nothing Breakdown really cared to get into much. All he really paid attention to was the warning to be aware of the namesake behind the mech in question.

And still...

Breakdown vented softly and made a three-quarter turn to face the shorter mech again. 

"This is not a vacation, Swindle. There is no sitting down and talking, but I'll share what information with you that I can. What do you want to know?"

[Swindle]

Swindle’s steps stopped once the larger and fellow bulky mech before him came to his own halt. He noted the others pause before watching curiously as his frame turned to partially face him.

“-What do you want to know?”

That was it? That's all it had taken to convince him? Pft… too eaaaasy… this was a win Swindle was not going to take for granted! Even if his remark about this not being a vacation was annoying, Swindle didn’t care, he got what he wanted. A conversation.

“What do I want to know? Well, a lot, actually!” Swindle said enthusiastically, taking a few steps forward to get a bit closer to Breakdown. Though he had not stopped his approach, instead he maneuvered around him and slipped past Breakdown until he suddenly stopped and turned so that he could fully face him.

“For starters, I wanted to know what-...” he paused for a moment as something about Breakdown caught his attention… had? No... Not always… Had he?

Swindle swirled the energon around in its cube a few times as he pursed his lip plates together in thought. Suddenly he squinted slightly and raised the cube up towards the other and gestured to Breakdown's optic with it, the one that was covered with a patch. “I don’t recall that always being there, I apologize if it is a sensitive topic, but my curiosity is boundless, you don't mind if I ask how you’ve gotten that, do you?”

[Breakdown]

From the moment Swindle perked up after uttering those words, Breakdown immediately regretted saying them. That was only verified once Swindle spoke up about wanting to know 'a lot', and maneuvered himself around him. Was he leaving? No, Breakdown wouldn't have that sort of luck. Swindle was instead just standing there in front of him, blocking the path he had been taking.

Could he outpace him? Doubtful. Maybe he could lose him around one of the corners somewhere? Surely the other mech hadn't learned this location's ins and outs yet.

Both were silent, he realized. While his processor was looking for a way out, Swindle was focusing on something Breakdown had gotten in his time here on Earth. When it was mentioned, he lifted the servo of the same side and touched the metal patch delicately at first, then tapped it, listening to the clanking of metal.

"No, this is relatively new. A keepsake for time here on Earth," he began. Breakdown was careful with his words, figuring that if Swindle were anything like he remembered, any mention of MECH or what they were capable of would peak the mech's curiousity even more... or worse. "A reminder of my stupidity that will never happen again. Now, what important things are you wanting to know?" Breakdown lowered his servo back to his side, indicating the end of that portion of the conversation.

[Swindle]

That moment of silence was not outwardly acknowledged by Swindle, however it did not go unnoticed. The tanish-yellow mech could only assume Breakdown was think about something, be it an answer to his question or perhaps something else. He would never know for sure, until Breakdown answered him… Primus this mech sure liked to take his time, didn’t he?

Eventually, there had been a reply, in which Swindle was satisfied with, even with the attempt to redirect to the question.

Clearly the larger mech didn’t want to get into it, with his blunt answers and such.

For a moment, Swindle’s optics widened slightly and he pulled his cube back to himself after Breakdown tapped on that sheet of metal over his optic. The Combaticon was rather impressed that a brute like Breakdown lost an optic on this planet. Sure, his own stupidity could have been the answer to why it had happened, like he had claimed, but Swindle was much more intrigued by the answer to how.

Swindle made a mental note to take another swing at that question later if the opportunity ever presented itself. He wasn’t too keen on pissing off the only mech who was willing to be helpful.

“Breakdown, my friend. All of my questions are important, and to be fair, we’re all stupid.” He replied with a gentle shrug after shooting the mech a friendly grin. “Thanks for sharing, though.”

Swindle swirled his Energon aimlessly as he shifted his weight to one ped, taking on an idle, relaxed stance.

“I suppose my next question is about the resources on this planet. From the looks of things, you guys have found the supplies to make some sort of… dark, dungeon-cave base… thing. Not judging, mind you. I’m simply impressed, especially with the lack of resources and Constructicons. Speaking of resources, I can’t believe there’s Energon here on this rock. Was that something the Cons found before deciding to plant themselves here? Is there a lot of it? Albeit it’s nowhere near the best I’ve ever had.” He glanced down at his cube, then back up to Breakdown.

“But whatever keeps me functioning, I suppose.”

[Breakdown]

He knew that the little conmech wasn't done with him regarding his optic. He could tell by the way he presented himself, with that curiousity strong enough that you could practically cut it with a knife. At least he escaped it for now, while he was alone. If it was brought up again, he could only hope that it was in the presence of Knock Out, who would probably come up with some snide, witty little remark that would permanently back him off.

For now, Breakdown was stuck.

"I'm not really sure of why Megatron wanted to come here, as Knock Out and I were summoned after, but I imagine it had to do with... conquest, and chasing down Optimus, since I believe the Autobots stationed themselves here first. As of now the Nemesis is out of commission so we really had no choice but to take up base here since it was the best option at the time. For the time being, we've managed with what resources we can gather. We currently have control of a majority of the energon mines we've been able to discover, so we are not without that at least. The rest of this is just... extra, I suppose. Some of us came from scavenger backgrounds where we got by with far less, so we're more than capable. The bridge technology has been our greatest assest here." 

Breakdown was careful not to mention Shockwave in that. He knew what that designation carried, and while being unaware of how Swindle would react to it, he chose to at least give the Combaticon that small favor.

"And Swindle? We are not friends."

The Vehicons and he? They were friends, even if they didn't last long. He and Knock Out? Special case. Close, with benefits, and other underlying attachments that kept them even more personal than professional. But he and Swindle? They weren't friends, they would never be friends. They were part of the same faction, part of a related program, shared factors that made them slightly relatable to one another. But friends? No. Not now, not ever. The mere word leaving his intake almost made him want to purge what little energon he had left in his tanks. 

"We share the same faction, and that is the extent of my relation to you. Don't mistake it for anything more than that."

[Swindle]

Swindle had shut up almost instantly, his usual cunning optics wide with surprise. He seemed as if he were biting his glossa in shock by Breakdown’s words… which he was, though perhaps not in the way one could assume.

Suddenly a soft snicker slipped from the scavenger before rippling into rich laughter.

“-Haha! Breakdown, please, I did not mean ‘friends’ literally. It is just a term with positive potential! You take things far too seriously, haha!”

Swindle then casted the large brute a wide, knowing grin once his laughter subsided.

“You just said it yourself, we share a faction! Which automatically makes us allies, and allies call upon each other when times get rough, yeah? You’re giving me information I find useful and that makes me indebted to you should you need something from me! With limitations, of course. It's called ‘fair trade’ or could even be looked at as ‘using your resources’. However you want to look at it, that's your business. I just like to consider these types of interactions as a nice little off-brand ‘get outta jail free’ card. When times get rough it’s always nice to have allies, Breakdown.” Swindle said followed by a bold gesture of pointing a finger gun up at the mech. The conmech then pretended to shoot it before lowering his arm and chuckling, hoping that gave the mech some food for thought.

“But onto the more important things! The Nemesis is out of commission, clearly, but what actually happened to it? Was it the Autobots?” The sly mech pressed on with his questions, digging into as much information as he could.

[Breakdown]

Allies? The word made Breakdown's optic narrow as Swindle went on. The Decepticons that he'd dealt with had all of but been in it for themselves, every Cybertronian for themselves, with one willing to sell out another to save their own afts. If any of them knew the meaning of the word it would only be as a joke. Even Megatron didn't understand the meaning, as told by the way he threw those who were under him to the wolves, abandoned to their own devices all on their own. If not for Breakdown out there searching for Knock Out, no one else would be. 

Allies. 

Swindle especially had no business using that word, not towards him, not in hopes of gaining favor. Instead it just served to anger the brute. But now was neither the time or place for it. Breakdown could no afford to let himself waste precious energy on this mech when Knock Out, the only one deserving of his struggles, was still out there. Bad enough his time was being wasted...

The bruiser stared at the moving servo of the other, the action he was doing, not really sure what that was all about. It was a good thing for Swindle that Breakdown didn't take that finger gesture as a threat, or else that could have ended quite badly for him. Instead he just let him continue on therafter, remaining standing there as he waited for the mech to get to what he wanted to know. Of course he should have known the Nemesis would be something he'd want to know about. Any newly arriving Decepticon would find that whole situation interesting enough to ask about it.

"No," he said finally. "It wasn't the Autobots who took out the Nemesis. Not completely sure myself what it was."

Breakdown had ended up in the ocean, Flatline had ended up with a permanently damaged leg, infection? A lot of it was a blurr for him personally, and somehow he'd only begun to rationalize things fully once they had come to settle here. His processor was already a mess, made worse by a virus that he had inadvertedly passed on to...

"If you're that curious about it, you should ask Commander Starscream. I'm sure he has far more details about the situation than me. A lot of that whole time frame doesn't really make sense to me. I'm missing a lot of pieces of that puzzle that I really haven't bothered trying to put together. Busy with other things." Breakdown vented. "What else?"