A Friend for Graduation by Spin

Chapter 3: Meetings

Like in all cities, in Encrypmetro, there are good areas were people are civilised towards each other and there are the not so good areas were policing fails to have any significant impact upon the questionable activities and professions of its inhabitants. In these darker areas sensible mechs will not venture unaccompanied or unguarded, especially during the main recharge cycle time-period. This grimy street with the dirt-ingrained restaurant on the corner is hardly the best place in the city, though neither is it the worst. However, it is within this restaurant where a mech most unlike the regular clientele sits in a half hidden booth, waiting, while slowly sipping a cup of energon, a green shape sitting upon his shoulder.

The door opens and an equally dark and grubby mech saunters in, optics scanning all the occupants before locating the being he was searching for. Approaching the booth he grins at the occupier.

"Datasnipe, s'nice of ya ta fit me in ta ya bizzy schedule." The grin never once leaving his face places as he flops down on the bench opposite. A metallic ruffle brings his attention to the shape mounted upon his companion's shoulder. "R an ya brought ya 'ittle pet too."

"Ark" Trijade responds angrily.

"Is there a reasons for this rendezvous or are you merely testing how much patience I have left before I extract your fuel pump from that rusted pile of waste metal you so proudly call a body?"

"Hoo hoo. Some-one sure is stressed t'day"

"Would you just get on with it?"

"Yer, yer" he slouches back against the wall of the booth, looking board. "Just thought ya'd want ta know there's a meetin' comin' up soon."

"I know when the meetings are scheduled." Now the smug grin once again spreads over the grubby mech's features.

"Hu hu? Well this one is 'special'." Mischief sparked in his optics, "bin rescheduled, special orders ta accommodate a guest speaker." Now Datasnipe appeared more interested.

"Oh? And whom would this guest speaker be?" His companion shrugs.

"Don't know, not even th' boss dose, just a lot a rumours, orders com' straight from Polyhex though." Datasnipe leans back, a thoughtful look upon his features as he ponders this new information.

"Whirl" Trijade looks curiously at his creator.

"When?"

"Couple nights from now, normal time."

"The usual location."

"Yep."

"Affiliates only?"

"Why? Thinkin' of bringin' ya 'ittle buddy?" The grubby mech laughs, while indicating Trijade.

"No, not quite." This seams to surprise the grubby mech.

"Oh?" Datasnipe's face remains neutral, as he declines from elaborating. "Ah fine, keep ya secrets. 'S long as they don't blab, no one will care, we 's expectin' a big crowd." His arms fling out in an attempt to emphasise the scale of the would-be crowd.

"Hm… quite." Datasnipe tosses some energon chips down on the table as he rises to leave. "Have a drink on me, though I am afraid I, myself, must be retiring for the night.

"Sure thing Datasnipe, ya ain't a half bad mech, for a stuck-up know-it-all."

"Ark" Trijade responds as he leaves on the shoulder of his companion.

"Yer? An' th' same ta ya, ya flyin' petrorabbit."

Outside the restraint, Datasnipe regards Trijade fondly, before starting the journey back to the Academy. Unconcerned by the darkness around them.

"How fortunate, this meeting will be during the five planetary rotation cycles the heads of faculty have declared 'official rest days' for students and lectures alike, and should provide just the type of broadening of the mind our young friend is being denied by those fools at the academy."

"Whirl" Trijade responds happily. Datasnipe's faceplates quirk into a half-smile.

"But these are thoughts for a rested mind, and will be dealt with tomorrow."

The campus is nearly deserted; a few students mingle about, though most are either recuperating in their private quarters from the results of over celebrating their youth, or are already in their first lectures of the day. A young dark blue mech crosses the courtyard un-noticed, purposefully making his way towards the complex for the lecturing staff's quarters. Moving down one of the corridors classical Cybertronian music can be heard emanating from one of the doors, but the mech pays it little more than a passing thought, to identify it, as he continues onward to his destination.

Finally reaching his destination, the young mech pushes the doorbell and waits, nothing happens. He rings again, this time he can hear voices, however they are not coming from the door he is facing but the junction of this corridor with another. As he waits for a response the voices be come clear enough to hear with out the use of heightened sensors.

"I understand completely Nobletrans, my absence from the meeting was inexcusable, my only explanation to you and myself is that I became distracted while assisting a student with understanding a principle of order from chaos in a primitive society."

"Not to worry, it is not as if your absence from your faculty's meeting was intended, nor is it a regular occurrence."

Recognising the voice of the approaching Academy President, Soundwave rings the bell again while reaching with his mind beyond the door in front of him hoping to alert Professor Datasnipe of the approaching trouble. His mind touches two minds in recharge, unable to waste time identifying which mind belongs to whom, he sends a mental warning pulse to both. A muffled squawk of alarm can be heard indicating that Trijade at least has felt the warning. As the president and lecture round the corner into the corridor in which he waits, Soundwave send a final signal, a single word 'Nobletrans' before pulling his mind back; resolving himself to wait for fate to roll her dice.

Nobletrans and the apologetic lecturer part ways; the president starts to move in Soundwave's direction. Upon noticing the other mech he quickens his pace, pasting a present smile upon his face as he stops next to Soundwave. Soundwave turns his head slightly and steps back to acknowledge the other's presence but remains silent.

"Goodday. I believe I've seen you before, your one of Datasnipe's students aren't you? Sound- something..." Nobletrans speaks in friendly tones.

"Soundwave." Was the monotone response.

"Of cause." Turning to the door slightly he inquires "Have you rung?"

"Professor Datasnipe maybe preoccupied with reading material." Raising an optic ridge Nobletrans continues to smile politely at the younger mech.

"You seam to spend a lot of time around the professor, though I am not a wear of him teaching any course for your grade cycle." Nobletrans' inquiry is met with deathly silence. "Re-sitting a module perhaps?"

"Negative."

"Oh?"

'Silence' The smile starts to crack, under Soundwave's silent nature.

"Ah... why don't we try ringing again." Nobletrans reaches over and rings the bell again.

'Silence'

Finally the door opens to reveal Datasnipe with an all to friendly full smile on his face.

"Good-day President Nobletrans. To what do I owe your presence at my door this fine day?" Nobletrans appears shocked at Datasnipe's welcoming manner, but quickly recovers re-attaching his own friendly smile.

"So sorry to disturb you at you private quarters, but it appears you where absent from your faculty meeting yesterday."

"Was I indeed? I must of clear forgotten about it." Datasnipe's play at innocence wasn't fooling anyone this day; Nobletrans' smile took on a slightly predatory tint.

"You seem to be doing that quite a lot lately. May I come in to discuss this matter further?"

"But of cause." Datasnipe stepped back and made a welcoming gesture, something Nobletrans clearly wasn't expecting, though he smiles politely and bows his head slightly as he enters.

"Come on in Soundwave, this should not take to long, then we can get on with other matters." Nobletrans looks curiously at the young mech stepping next to Datasnipe, as the door closes.

"So he is a student of yours then?"

"Of a sort"

"Of a sort?"

"Whirl" Trijade glides over and unexpectedly for Nobletrans lands on Soundwave's shoulder instead of Datasnipe's.

"Your little companion seems quite fond of him."

"Oh very much so." Datasnipe spares the green creature a fond glace before turning his smile back on to Nobletrans. "Now you were saying something about a missed faculty meeting?"

"Hu? Ah... Yes, the meeting."

"Did I miss anything important?" Datasnipe asks with earnest.

"Well... There was one item that I think would be right up your street, all members of staff have been asked to give their input on the development of a defence system for Encrypmetro."

"A defence system? Surely you do not believe anyone would want to declare war on our fair city?" Nobletrans seems taken back by this response.

"Not the type of comment I have come to expect from you Datasnipe."

"Really?" He enquires never loosing the smile, while Soundwave and Trijade silently watch on.

"That is to say, it is common knowledge that you have a strong... fondness of military ideals and conduct."

"We all have our hobbies."

"Indeed" Nobletrans glances at the younger mech, but already knows his queries would go unanswered. "Well then I guess I'll see you at the next staff meeting then?"

"Oh, most defiantly." Datasnipe escorts Nobletrans to the door. "Farwell for now."

As soon as the door shuts the masquerade is dropped. "Interfering busy-body, probably only making a fuss because Iacon is." Datasnipe grumble, though turning to his two companions his mood lightens slightly. "Good judgment on the alert Soundwave I had some of our friends schematics out and it would not of done to let that self centred fool even sneak a glance at them."

"Whirl" Trijade agrees.

"Now lets get a cup of fuel and get down to business."

Author Notes:

Well here it is chapter 3, took a while to write this, writer's block and job hunting are not a good combination. Well I'll dig up chaps 4 & 5, edit and up load them soon, hopefully. But why is not letting me use the star character? I normally use it around sounds, or lack of sounds e.g. 'Silence', and to empisise words :(

Read this far? Please Click review and type "finished chap 3" or something to that effect. Many Thanks In advance.

As always I don't own Transformers Hasbro does, and who ever they are licensing the comic rights to this week, just playing with the TFs guys don't sue OK?