Swerve-3
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 26, 2008 14:35:03 GMT -5
Any other time, Swerve might be inclined to interject on the conversation between Mirage and Arcee. It's all very peculiar and intriguing in an unsettling way, this idea of Autobots who are at heart good people. Unfortunately for the sake of further discourse on the topic, Swerve sees first that doleful, pleading look from Emirate Xaaron, then a similar expression on Kup's face. The synergy is jarring.
Swerve, unfortunately, cannot make Rodimus Prime simply go away. Ask him to leave the area, request he wait until a more convenient time, certainly. But go away? That's something all the positivity in the world won't help him accomplish, and the apology is clear in his dull gold optics before he looks away from Emirate Xaaron and to Kup once more.
"If I may," says the constable in the tone of one certain he's risking limb (at the very least) and doing it anyway, "I'd like to meet with him first, sir." He can't make Rodimus Prime go away, but he can at least try to act as a buffer against him.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
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Ate you alive since you were a child/That's when the monster first appeared in you
Posts: 162
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Post by Emirate Xaaron-3 on Jan 26, 2008 16:48:50 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks blank and baffled at Kup's confusion. Finally, it hits him. This Kup isn't a politician at all! Unicron, what could he be? The head of the secret police, perhaps? Well, if they're really as good as they say they were, perhaps they don't even have secret police. The thought is hard for him to even hold in his head. Mirage's reaction seems to confirm it, however. How boggling!
Emirate Xaaron is still extremely squeamish about the though of meeting any Rodimus Prime, despite Kup's assurances. Then Swerve puts himself out.
Rodimus Prime can make Emirate Xaaron's body shake and tremble like a dead leaf against the wind, but Swerve shakes something that Rodimus Prime could never touch: Emirate Xaron's faith. He murmurs, "That would be very brave of you, Swerve."
If he was a better machine, he would say that it isn't necessary, that of course he'll go with Swerve, but he simply cannot summon the courage, not when such a tempting offer is on the table. If Swerve never comes back or only comes back in pieces, Emirate Xaaron will just hate himself a bit more for his cowardice.
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Post by Kup on Jan 26, 2008 17:22:37 GMT -5
Kup gives a long-suffering sigh as he hears the snickering coming from Mirage. Well. He certainly called that one, didn't he? No snickering from Arcee, but he had figured Mirage to be the more likely of the two to laugh, anyway.
"I thought the saying was 'for want of a calibrated diatrobic res-'" he cuts himself off. "No, wait. Different saying. The one I'm thinking about tends to get tossed around by the merchants who frequent the space-lanes in the Maccrus sector."
He turns back and considers Swerve and Xaaron, and particularly, Swerve's request. He nods to Swerve, and says, "I don't see any reason why we couldn't arrange that." Then, his gaze sweeps over both the arrivals. "I do have one thing that's been bugging me, though, that I wouldn't mind having answered before we head back: if the Autobots where you come from are as horrible as you two say they are, why were you Autobots? Why shouldn't we expect you to be stabbing our backs and cutting our throats in our sleep?"
Granted, even if they answer, Kup will probably still be suspicious, but a good answer may help matters.
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Post by Mirage on Jan 26, 2008 19:55:59 GMT -5
Mirage tilts his head at Arcee, "Something like that."
Swerve offers himself up as the proverbial sacrificial lamb, his Emirate does nothing to dissuade him, and Mirage frowns. This Emirate Xaaron has his Swerve's loyalty to such an extent, but yet he would throw away Swerve as so much cannon fodder, hiding behind the fear of whatever a Prime represents in their backwards world. How could one such as this garner anyone's respect or loyalty? Certainly this Xaaron could not have always been so...uninspiring.
There is the question, of course, as to what will be done with the erstwhile Emirate while Swerve meets with the Prime. Mirage shifts, right hand moving to grip his left forearm, while he waits for the pair to answer Kup's question.
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Arcee
Minor
Token Girl-Bot
Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jan 26, 2008 23:48:50 GMT -5
Arcee may not have the head for scientific gobbledygook, or even for greater political ramifications, but she's got a pretty good head for people.
She's got a strong dislike for the Swerve here, the hot-headed racer that he is. And she's got no real feelings one way or the other for Emirate Xaaron (her initial resentment toward people from Nightbeat's universe aside), though she does realize that he's got a certain charisma to him.
But these two here? They set off all her warning bells. Reflexively, at Kup's question, she reaches down toward her thigh, ready to pop open her holster compartment at a moment's notice.
Nothing much for her to say, so she'll just wait on their answer.
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Swerve-3
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 27, 2008 12:47:32 GMT -5
"So long as I can be sure Emirate Xaaron will be safe in the meantime," Swerve adds, gaze steady on Kup. To have escaped the Autobots and found somewhere they might actually stand a chance, only to let himself be duped by these seemingly kind faces and see harm come to Emirate Xaaron… Swerve can hardly stand the thought.
Kup's question, however, stops the constable short. First he looks wounded at the suggestion he or his leader would be capable of such a thing, then as he tries to put together an answer, pain and, yes, regret flicker across his face. He isn't even sure he ever really told… well, anyone why he joined the Autobots. Not that he can recall anyone asking him, really, so much as maintaining that he's a fool for having made the choice he made back then. There are still times, even now, that he can't help feeling it might be true.
Nevertheless, Kup asked. Even if it isn't the same Kup, Swerve has grown used to understanding that if Kup "wouldn't mind" something, he's just being as polite as he ever gets. He expects an answer; Swerve can but give it if it has a chance of ensuring Emirate Xaaron's safety.
"I…" Swerve begins very quietly, "thought I was doing the right thing. They came to Velocitron and offered us help. Told us they could… protect us from the Decepticons. That the Decepticons were planning to exploit us – that they meant us harm. And… I believed what they said." He's ashamed for having fallen for the lies, but he doesn't avert his stare. "I was mistaken… and I realised it too late." Too late to stay the invasion, too late to force them back, too late to do anything of impact. The damage had already been done.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
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Ate you alive since you were a child/That's when the monster first appeared in you
Posts: 162
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Post by Emirate Xaaron-3 on Jan 27, 2008 16:04:12 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron considers Kup's questions and answers, "The Decepticons can't stop us. They've tried, and they've failed. They can't even stop us with help." Whose help? He's not saying. Let's just say that Trannis didn't march his army into Iacon on his own merits. "I was a part of the establishment, and I felt I could do more by trying to change it from within than throwing my lot in with a bunch of doomed rebels. Someone had to urge moderation and temperance."
He shrugs and admits, actually attempting to make optic contact with Kup, "You may not believe me. Believe Swerve. He's the one decent Autobot I've ever met."
There. That's all he has to say. If Swerve does come to harm by talking to their Rodimus Prime, the Devourer take their souls and Emirate Xaaron's too, for letting Swerve go.
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Post by Kup on Jan 27, 2008 16:55:46 GMT -5
Kup considers their respective stories carefully. Swerve's is echoed in the story his own Swerve offered: the war is new to Velocitron. New, came on quickly, and the natives were duped. Xaaron didn't trust the good guys to win, so went for trying to make the bad guys less bad.
Boy, what Kup wouldn't do for a good lie-detector right about now. You know, like the kind he hooked Sandstorm too?
The veteran crosses his arms and looks faintly downwards, expression thoughtful. Finally he sighs. These guys are still going to have to be watched. It's not like there's any way to verify their cover stories. To Swerve, he says, "I'm not sure if there's anything I can do to keep you sure that Emirate Xaaron is safe while you're talking to Rodimus. Why don't you two keep in continual radio contact? That'll be more reliable than any method I can offer."
And, conveniently, clear up the frequencies question once and for all.
To Mirage and Arcee, he adds privately, //One way or another, these guys are going to have to stay under watch.//
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Post by Mirage on Jan 27, 2008 20:56:55 GMT -5
Mirage listens to Swerve and the Emirate's respective tales. Swerve Mirage feels a bit sorry for; Xaaron...not so much. The idea of changing things from the inside is all noble and good, but there comes a point when you are an accessory by association, active participation or no.
Mirage answers Kup: //Of course. If I may suggest something? You have myself and Arcee. Let Xaaron choose his guard. Given his...attitude, he would likely choose the one he finds least intimidating. Which could be quite telling, if he knows our doppelgangers. //
No, Mirage is not automatically assuming that he would be the greater threat. He has not seen Arcee in action, but there were a few female warriors amongst the Autobot ranks. And some of them were quite scary. Quite scary indeed.
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Arcee
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Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jan 27, 2008 22:54:51 GMT -5
Wanting to do the right thing, now that Arcee can understand. And if the same holds true for the other Swerve, well, maybe she ought to look upon him just a little more kindly. At least until he says something else stupid. It always worked with Hot Rod.
//Sounds like a good plan to me, Kup.//
And if it came down to it, she was certain she could take either one of 'em.
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Swerve-3
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 28, 2008 0:05:41 GMT -5
Radio contact, of course. Swerve couldn't leave Emirate Xaaron unmonitored, but he's also concerned about having someone there to defend his leader while he is occupied either having a conversation or possibly taking a beating.
"Of course," he echoes his own thoughts, then turns to Emirate Xaaron. His voice hushes, pitched in a murmur only for Emirate Xaaron's receptors, and while he doesn't expect his leader to hold his gaze, he tries to fix optics anyway. "I'll be listening, sir," he reassures. Not that his frequency is ever closed to his leader, but he leaves it actively open now. "If you need me, I'll hear and I will come back to you straight away." He'll break away even from a Rodimus Prime to keep his word, whatever it takes.
Swerve waits a full six seconds, hoping at least for some sign of acknowledgement from Emirate Xaaron; whether or not he receives it – he'll feel at least a little better about this whole miserable affair if he does – he nods to Kup.
"I'd like to see him as soon as possible, sir." It would be a lie for him to say he's eager for this meeting. He's worried, and very privately, he's also afraid. Even if this Rodimus Prime is, as this Kup says, not like their own Rodimus Prime… how can they – how can he be sure this other-Prime doesn't also have a certain air about him? Swerve can't help fearing, right to his very spark, that this is another Rodimus Prime who can hurt him without lifting a single finger. But he has given his word in this, too, and he won't go back on it. He'll see this through.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
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Ate you alive since you were a child/That's when the monster first appeared in you
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Post by Emirate Xaaron-3 on Jan 28, 2008 10:02:12 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron has to wonder if they perhaps have someone like Blaster here, who could monitor or block the radio waves. He also has to worry about the natural radio reception of he area.
Mirage and Arcee are silent? Do they just have nothing to say? Are they plotting something?
Perhaps he should go with Swerve. It isn't fair for Swerve to go alone. A better man would go with him. Emirate Xaaron let the better man die a very long time ago.
He asks, afraid to hear the answer, "What will be done with me?"
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Post by Kup on Jan 28, 2008 12:00:13 GMT -5
"Well, that in part depends on you," Kup answers coolly. "You'll still have to be watched, of course; kept under guard. But I'll let you pick which of these two you'd rather have watching you," he gestures towards Arcee and Mirage. That had been a good suggestion from Mirage.
"You pick, we head back to base, you wait with your guard in the lounge or outside or where ever you'd prefer, Swerve goes in to talk to Rodimus and..." Kup shrugs. "We figure out what to do from there."
OOC: This thread seems to be winding up. After Xaaron picks his 'guard,' is there any objection into breaking into two threads, one for Swerve-3 to meet Rodimus, and the other for Xaaron-3 to chat-chat with his guard and any other random Autobots who happen to wander through?
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Post by Mirage on Jan 28, 2008 13:06:28 GMT -5
Mirage inclines his head slightly in Kup's direction, both acknowledging Kup's decision and expressing pleasure than the suggestion was well received.
Now it is a matter of waiting to see who the Emirate will pick. Mirage is of two minds about the matter. On the one hand, Mirage would like the chance to ask Xaaron about the Mirage(s?) he knows; but on the other hand- Mirage would very much like to be present when Swerve meets Rodimus.
OOC: Fine by me.
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Arcee
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Posts: 330
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Post by Arcee on Jan 28, 2008 16:15:54 GMT -5
Arcee adjusts her posture ever so slightly, one that seems both relaxed and ready to move at a moment's notice. She briefly inclines her head in acknowledgment of Kup's decision as well.
She's got no preference for which she accompanies, though some small part of her might be just a bit more pleased to see Rodimus again. She sees far to few of this alternate and matured version of her friend.
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