You move east to the NCC Arena.

NCC Arena

A huge enclosed oval structure, the Arena is now nothing more than a deathtrap. What were once tiered rows of seats are now seamless walls that slope sharply downwards into a deep gloom. The arena floor, once a flat expanse of dull metal has sunk further into the ground and reconfigured itself, dark shadows hiding the massed array of spikes and treacherous pits that the surface has become. The Imperial box has become a virtual bunker, thick armor plates hiding the opulence inside. Small gleams of light in the shadows hint at hidden weaponry now exposed, and overall, the arena complex is now an extremely dangerous place to linger - especially if you happen to be opposed to the Decepticon Empire.

Contents:

Geist

Hall of Heroes

Holo Arena

Obvious exits:

North <N> leads to NCC Dungeon.

South <S> leads to NCC Residential Plaza.

West <W> leads to NCC Central Hub.

Geist is sitting in the stands of the arena all alone with a datapad in his hands. His cloak is deactivated and he seems to be staring off into space.

Fleet, for his part, is heading towards the Arena. In between patrols and other duties, he's been spending a lot of time here or in the various training rooms of late. He has a lot of his usual skittishness about him, but then, nearly getting blown up in a giant warship two days ago will do that to someone, particularly someone as nervous natured as Fleet to begin with.

Geist sighs deeply and shakes his head. Spotting the seeker walking around the area, he calls out, "Fleet. Join me."

Fleet stiffens, not in a 'uh-oh, busted!' sort of way, but more the way he suddenly goes more alert when anyone says his name. He turns and spots Geist. No cloak, but Fleet knows the voice by now anyway. He walks over towards the Sweep, step-leaping over the last row of seats separating them in a move that seems almost unconscious before closing the distance.

Geist sits there silently for a minute after Fleet joins him. Hes tapping the datapad against his talons. He looks sideways at the seeker and says, "What am I going to do about you?"

Okay. That wasn't what Fleet had been expecting at all. He cocks his head, mild befuddlement evident on features which then turn towards thoughtful to consider the question. Okay, it could have been rhetorical, but better to look the fool for answering it anyway than the insubordinate for ignoring it. Unfortunately, any answer except the obvious escapes the Seeker at the moment. "Apparently you're going to train me," he answers softly.

Geist nods, "You and the seeker Chimera. It seems we have a catch 22 here. Either of you do poorly, I answer for it to Scourge. If I have to answer to Scourge, the two of you will answer to me." The tone in the sweeps words leave no question about the intent of that statement. "So, Im going to ask you now. Are you serious about this training, or are you simply doin what I say so that I dont kill you?"

"If I were, how could you be sure of getting the right answer out of me even now, Geist?" the Seeker asks, his tone level despite the continued undertone of discomfiture to his stance. There's a pause, and then Fleet looks skywards for awhile. "I... Geist, I fight with myself a good bit. I am built as a weapon... that is what I'm meant to be. And I am a survivalist... At the factory I was name Fleet not for my speed, but for my frailty. Almost too weak to be allowed to leave, I was a throwaway, my life expected to be fleeting. My name was my death sentence, but there's a bit of defiance in most Decepticons, I think, and I spent so long working to give my name new meanings and make the first a lie that... it became part of who I am. I long to be used as the weapon that I was meant to be, but at the same time, I... I want to live, and cling perhaps too tightly to my life. It was an either-or question, Geist, I know, but the answer is yes. Yes in both cases."

Geist looks fully at the seeker with an unusual emotion in his optics. Coming from a sweep, you really cant tell what it is. However, his voice is haggared and tired sounding, "If you want to improve yourself to give your name new meaning, I can do that for you. I only ask that you give me your full devotion. Do not fear me in this. I will train you to be the best you can be. I will push you past your factory limits and make those limits conform to you instead of the other way around. It wont be easy, but the result will be worth it. Are you willing to give me everything I ask for?"

Fleet hadn't been watching the Sweep anyway, but the sky. Now he lowers his optics and turns them towards the other. He opens his mouth and then his vocalizer sputters. He stops, frowns, and narrows his eyes. "Geist, before I can answer that, I have to know what you intend for me... where this path is meant to lead. Arachnae made the comment that accepting training from a Sweep is the first step towards looking like she does... Scourge... Scourge mentioned the Pack! I am willing to be forged, but Geist, you're not going to be able to beat the Seeker out of me! That goes all the way to my core!"

Geist's optics show a little sadness, "I cannot force you to join the pack nor do I expect you to. We were made by Unicron. Arachnae was unique. The option of joining us is available, however that is for you to decide. I do not intend to beat the seeker out of you. Instead, I offer you a new understanding. Seekers and Sweeps are not all that different. We are simply pack oriented and hunt driven where seekers are not. In your training, you will experience the thrill of the hunt. You will be involved in the pack as well as hunt with the pack and our ways will be opened to you. The lust for the hunt is strong and may very well beat the seeker out of you itself. But, for now I simply offer you training. To make you what you want to be."

Fleet frowns and narrows his optics in thought, considering Geist's words... but more considering that... could it just be Fleet's imagination, he really see a touch of sorrow in there? He wants to puzzle over what might cause that, but instead just tucks it away in his databanks for later. The Seeker's optic shutters lower for just a moment as he gives what he's about to say one final few seconds of consideration, and then he nods. "All right, Geist. Then I accept your training, and will give what you ask." The voice is steady, but there is still a small bit of the coward's tremor hidden in there.

Geist nods solemly. "Thank you, Fleet." Glancing back at the datapad, Chimera's profile can be seen as different data and battleroms scroll along the screen. Setting the datapad down, the sweep looks back at Fleet and says, "Tell me what you know about Chimera."

Fleet is still standing, as he's been this whole time. He brings up his right hand to stroke his chin as he considers. "Not much. She's a very strange one. There are a lot of things about her that are very... off. I trained against her a bit earlier," here Fleet points towards the training arena. "She won. She is very, very fast, and very good aim... but she uses a laser pistol. This is... I mean, like all seekers, she has laser rifles mounted to her shoulders, and the idea of resorting to a pistol over one's natural weaponry seems almost... unnatural. And she fights from the ground. Very acrobatic, very difficult to hit, but a very significant portion of her moves don't take advantage of her ability to fly." He pauses, thinking over what he's seen outside of combat. "The majority of her time is taken up by MilOps paperwork, but she... she's brave to the point of foolishness. The tone she took with Scourge...." The seeker shrugs. "Well, that's part of why she's been assigned the training, I think. And she's very attached to Arachnae, but I don't know the connection."

Geist nods again. "Its good that she doesnt limit herself to only what shes given. But if she doesnt also use her natural talents, we have a problem. I want you to locate her then bring her to me next cycle. Your training will begin then. Im not going to interfere with your normal duty rotation or any missions. Training will be on your time."

"Well, she /did/ fly. It's just that, considering I was in the air the whole time, she spent a lot more time on the ground than you'd expect, and from a previous training session with her, that's something a pattern." the Seeker mused. "But... yes sir. I will."

Geist nods and goes back to studying the datapad. Apparently the conversation is over.

Fleet knows well how to take a hint. Without another word, or another twitch, Fleet steps up on the chair behind him, takes a second step, and is sky bound.