| abstract | - JUNE 13 2011 Errand in Crystal City Image:Doac jpg.JPG Solarix was in the Forum this day. With a few attendants with him he was watching the crowd come this way and that. The place was not packed, but there were people as the old mech leaned on his staff, smiling as he watched his city move, ebb, and flow. Dually was following Horizon through the crowd, more or less paying attention to where he was going. It's been a long day, though. "Where to next, Horizon?" He asks. "Well, that's just about everything except for..." Horizon pauses as he holds on the scrollbar on his data pad, searching for the next entry on the list. He pauses in the prism, squinting down at the list, with Dually packed with their various supplies, holding out a hand for Dually to be quiet while he concentrates, although his question was pertinent, but as relevant as it was, it will soon be answered. "Ah.... looks like paint and some Barium Sulfate, Sulfuric Acid, Sodium Bifluride, and Ammonium Biflouride." He glances up from his list frowning slightly. "I wonder if they still have that one very nice craft shop..." Noting the two red-marked Transformers in the crowd, Solarix turns that way a little. A wing stretches out lazily as he lifts a hand to wave to the unfamiliar visitors with a bit of a smile. "ho there, Autobots!" Coming barreling around a building corner and skidding into a spin-out that barely misses a random mech and femme couple, is a tiny quad-cycle that looks to be used for scouting. Its tires squeal as it stops spinning and takes off again. A laughing, child-like voice is heard from the cycle as it moves around mechs and femmes without tripping them up any. It hits a bump that launches it into the air and just by chance, bounces off a wall to land on its side. Laughter is still heard from it as its wheels spin for a bit. Dually leans over to set the little cycle back upright with a laugh at his- or her- antics. "Careful there, kid." It's said with a smile before he turns to look at Horizon. "Two more stops, then? Or can we get that all at one place, do you think?" His attitude towards Horizon has warmed as the day's gone on. Horizon had not really paid much attention to the joyful whoops and laughter, nor the buzzing of a fast moving vehicle; such things were not out of place. He did, however, catch sight of Solarix as he tucked away the shopping list. He inclines his head respectfully before responding with a polite, "Greetings." If there was more he was going to say, it was interrupted by the quad-cycle's antics finally snaring his optics from his peripheral vision, and he glances over only in time to see Dually helping the vehicle up. He smirks a little, giving a small shrug. "Well, I doubt it. I'm not familiar with three out of four of these chemicals." He glances over to Solarix a moment, before giving a little shake of his head as if quelling a smaller dialogue within his mind. A pause from the old mech as the vehicle comes skidding around. Luckily it was not crowded enough to cause a panic. He chuckles as Dually picks the youth up and puts her back on her wheels, making his way over slowly "That was very nice of you, Autobot." he notes to both of them. "It is good to see some of you haven't changed." "Well.. any place that sells chemicals should sell 'em, right?" He says to Horizon. Dually flashes the old mech a grin. "Always happy to help. Well, pretty much always, anyway." The laughter from the cycle quiets a bit as Dually sets it back upright. "Thanks. But I ain't no kid. I'm just doing something that relaxes me." in a slightly high-pitched voice as the cycle revs its engine before it makes a burnout donut on the ground then starts zipping around again until it hits a ramp again though this time, it transforms into a mech in midair as said mech catches an overhang on a building and makes himself spin upwards into some flips before landing on the roof of the same building. Horizon quirks an optic ridge, watching the performance of the -- ah so it IS a mech! Horizon crosses his arms over his chest, smirking still, but also slowly shaking his head. "Hmmm.... perhaps a bit too much energy and not enough work to do," Horizon comments. He pulls out his data pad again to check the names of the chemicals again, muttering them under his breath. "Well, yes, I would imagine they'd sell them at any place that sells chemicals, unless they are very dangerous... in which case they may not sell them to just anybody." A chuckle from Solarix "So long as nothing is broken, young one!" he calls after the cycle. And then to the other two "What were you seeking out? As people welcome in peace here, you could probably get most of it at the chemical plant yonder." he points. Dually shrugs and says "If they were that dangerous, would they have sent us out to pick them up rather than having them delivered, or sending more mechs to protect them on the way back?" He cocks his head at the old mech when he speaks again, and defers to Horizon (both as the senior officer and the one with the list- Dually's just along to play stevedore.). Horizon mouths the words to the chemicals one more time to familiarize himself with them lest he accidentally ask for the wrong ones at the shops. He glances up from this studious rehearsing at Solarix, and then at Dually, then back at Solarix, following to where he points. "That.... is actually a very good point Dually," as loathe as he is to admit. He then smiles to Solarix and nods. "Thank you, I am sure we will find everything we need there." Jing laughs a bit at what the old mech says. "Nothing will be broken that can't be fixed easily." he calls back and he tilts his head to the side. "Shopping eh? Why shop when a lot of stuff can be found out in the world if you just look for it." Solarix smirks at Jing as he flips a wing "That is quite reassuring. " he notes dryly. Then he nods to the two Autobots "how is Iacon these days? I miss seeing its' dome." he comments to them." Horizon had the frame of mind to just laugh and shrug and dismiss the young seeming mech's question, and looked as he was going to do just that as he began to smile, but there was something in his optics that clashed with humor. His smile receding, he looks up at Jing. "The time and man power needed to survey a war-torn surface under the ever watching optics of Decepticons, cost and maintenance of machinery to extract raw materials, additional guards employed to make sure there is no sabotage, and then the further cost and time of refining them down into useable substances is perhaps is a little more than what we can afford on top of maintaining a solid military to fight against the conquest-bent Decepticons and for everyone's freedom. I think.... I'll just rely on handing my credits over to those who already have the goods made and in storage for their work... which cuts down our own work load and leaves us free to focus on survival." It is only then he delivers the first intended shrug and laugh. Finishing his speech he finally turns his attention back to Solarix. "Iacon is recovering well from a recent attack. Parts of the dome needed a new coat of paint anyhow." "They want us to bring back HOW much paint?" Dually asks incredulously? Jing phbbts. "Bah...you are thinking of the surface world....You forget that there is a world underneath the surface. A place hardly touched by war." Solarix cant' help but laugh a little bit at Dually, his optics brightening in merriment as he looks at one, then the other "Just paint? That is reassuring to hear... just paint. " he notes dryly as he leans on his staff again "IT is not as untouched as you think. But there are indeed, hidden treasures down there." Horizon snidely responds "Only because we KEEP it at bay at the surface," with a wry smile and wink of his optics. He then glances at Dually and glances at his data pad again. "Enough that you'll probably want to transform to carry it all." He glances at Solarix. "Hmmm we also need some Sulphuric Acid and--" he pauses, already forgetting the rest, but just shrugs and adds, "some other chemicals..." Dually nods "Thought I would be, otherwise, why send the two of us?" He grumbles. "Can they not get it delivered?" Horizon frowns. "Dually, it wouldn't be fair to rely on them to deliver too many goods, especially after we did receive a direct attack on our dome. Besides, I thought you were looking forward to getting out of Iacon for a spell?" "I'm sure something can be arranged, depending how much you need. "notes Solarix "Stay as long as you desire. I am Solarix, Hierophant of Crystal City." Dually growls a bit under his breath and gives Riz a sour look. "Doesn't mean I'm looking forward to hauling it all the way back to Iacon. Some of us signed on to fight the 'Cons, not to haul cargo." He shakes off the bad mood to step forward and offer a hand to Solarix in greeting. "Dually. Pleased to meet you." Horizon looks momentarily put on the spot when Solarix introduces himself, and his face is devoid of expression for a moment as he readjusts his composure. "Ah, my apologies if I did not receive you properly. I am Horizon, an officer from the Autobots...." he pauses a moment at Dually's casual introduction and shoots him a sternly reprimanding stare, but says nothing of his conduct. The Hierophant bows, but does not accept the hand. He does lift his own in a regal seeming wave "Apology accepted... I did not exactly announce myself however. I cannot expect everyone on the planet to recognize me by sight. I do have a few doubles after all." he remarks with an easy smile to both. Then he takes the hand from Dually "A pleasure indeed to meet brave Autobot Warriors." Dually grins. "Likewise, Hierophant." He shakes the hand before stepping back, shooting a bit of a smug glance at Horizon as he steps away from the old mech. Horizon narrows his optics at Dually, his lips becoming a thin, thin line for a moment. However, he quickly relaxes his face to offer a more proper bow to the Hierophant. "The pleasure and honor is certainly ours." Turning, the Hierophant bows deeply "And thus received as well. How long are you in the city for?" "As long as it takes for us to get our supplies, which shouldn't take us much longer," comes Horizon's honest answer. Dually defers to Horizon. "Whenever you're ready, then. Sir." He says, a bit coolly. "Ahh. Perhaps I shouldn’t keep you then. Would you give my blessings to Optimus however?" requests Solarix. Horizon inclines his head. "Thank you. I will be sure to pass your blessing on to our leader. I bid you a good cycle, Hierophant," Horizon says, his tone reverent. Jing shrugs at the conversation between the three mechs and starts jumping from building to building, occasionally slipping on the edge but still be okay for the most part. "Uh, nice to meet you, Hierophant." Dually says hastily, before transforming and waiting tensely next to Horizon.==========SOMETIME LATER================
With all the supplies gathered and Crystal City readily shrinking in the horizon behind, the ranking officer of the two hovercrafts prepares to break his silence. It had been a quiet trek since they made their last transaction and the direction to head back to base was issued. But now as the vehicles travel along the road leaving the plateau, Horizon's voice emits, "Dually..." he begins, still formulating words carefully in his mind. Dually's engine grumbles as he brakes carefully to avoid sliding out of control down the gentle incline with the bed of his truck form fully loaded. "Sir." The chill that had thawed between the two soldiers is back, in force. Horizon pauses just a moment longer, letting the entirety of the coldness in the other mech's tone sink in. "...your lack of social grace continues to astonish me, but really, it shouldn't at this point. You do not shake hands with a Hierophant. Just be glad he probably figured you didn't know any better and took your hand to save face on his behalf." Dually isn't terribly expressive in his truck mode, but still manages to convey an attitude of irritation. "I was just being friendly, and it seems like he was too, really." A beat. "I thought a Hierophant was like a hyperpotami, only taller, but that's obviously not right. I mean, unless it's just the name of the job of course, or something." Horizon nearly slams on his brakes in sheer exasperation at Dually's description of a Hierophant, but manages to just swerve a little and resume his course. "A hierophant is a prestigious position! A high priest who explains and deciphers the mystical and spiritual mysteries of the cosmos... friendly he may have been, but friendly doesn't show the amount of respect due to him!" Horizon preaches, his tone almost hitting a higher octave. He quickly normalizes his pitch trying seem composed. "Next time you are uncertain how to proceed in a social situation, wait for my response and do as I do." Dually says sullenly, "Yes sir. Of course sir." He vents exhaust loudly. Horizon continues on silently, knowing it would be pointless to say much more.
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