Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
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 14, 2009 20:37:27 GMT -5
Closeness.
A touch.
A life-force impinging, infringing on his own? Did he always hate touch so? Was it merely the torture that ruined him? This soul, shining brightly in the dark, he cannot deny. He could not deny him anything.
No sensation runs from his pressure and temperature sensors to his brain module, but his optic flicker on, all the same, and once on, they continue to flicker. He does not want to believe what he sees.
Swerve! His Swerve? Any Swerve is more than he deserves.
He sits up a bit, tremblng, optics darting around wildly.
Is that a Mirage back there? And a Spinister?
The judge wore red, the jury pink, but the executioner in blue left him dead, fuel spilled like ink.
Emirate Xaaron blurts, not waiting to know which Swerve, Mirage, and Spinister these are, "I tried to kill Mirage, Swerve! I wanted him dead. I was wrong. I still want him dead. I am so wrong. Lives are not mine to take, but when you were taken, I... I..."
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jan 14, 2009 20:44:33 GMT -5
Spinister presses his back firmly against the wall and stares down at his feet. He does not kill, but there are Decepticons who do. Midnight, Spinister is quite sure, would never suffer Emirate Xaaron to live.
He tilts his head to the side and glances up at Mirage, his feet apparently no longer fascinating. Spinister murmurs lowly, "I kinda worry that you're thinking about 187."
Murder.
That relationship with Emirate Xaaron is clearly abusive, and Swerve needs to be gotten away from the golden robot somehow.
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Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 15, 2009 11:34:49 GMT -5
The moments before those optics gutter back to life are tense and draining. Swerve is glad for the support of the table because he isn't sure his legs can keep him off the floor, especially not when Emirate Xaaron doesn't merely wake up, but sits up, and the constable isn't quite quick enough to get his hand out of the way. He's torn between removing his hand from that shoulder, knowing how much Emirate Xaaron dislikes touch, and maintaining that steadying contact when he sees how shaky his leader is.
It's less indecision and more shock that stays him when that hurried confession babbles over his receptors. He tries to keep that shock from his expression, but fatigue doesn't make tact or dissemblance very easy, not when he's already swayed with relief. He gives Emirate Xaaron a blank sort of look at first, just trying to fully wrap his mind around what he's just heard.
"S–" Swerve pauses, simply closing and reopening his optic shutters. "Sir, you…." Because Swerve was captured? That's what drove Emirate Xaaron to attempted murder?
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Post by Mirage on Jan 15, 2009 13:20:10 GMT -5
Mirage is only half paying attention to the conversation in the room. He winces inwardly at the Emirate's sudden confession. Yes, Mirage had told Swerve of the attempt on his life previous, but hearing it straight from his Emirate must sting more.
Mirage was puzzled before, now he's flat out confused, and it shows. He's never been to Earth, and the Terran language patch Holi gave him only covered the basics, not police numerical calls. He thinks he knows what Spinister is getting at, and if Mirage is right...well cue one highly affronted spy.
"I do not know to what that term refers." he says somewhat stiffly. Swiftly, he moves to try and step up close to Spinister so that his next words do not carry into the other room. "But if you are in any way inferring that I take life lightly than you are horribly mistaken." This is Mirage in full blown arrogant aristocrat mode, and perhaps the most unlike the Mirage Spinister knows than ever before.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
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 15, 2009 15:59:02 GMT -5
Well.
It's so very hard to think. It's like moving books through sludge, the way his thoughts crawl and get bogged down, tumbling into each other.
They haven't killed him?
Oh.
Emirate Xaaron cycles a few blinks and makes no move to remove Swerve's hand. If Swerve wants to put his hand on Emirate Xaaron's shoulder, Emirate Xaaron certainly isn't going to stop him. In fact, he really doesn't move much at all.
Then, he raises a hand near his own face, covering one of those yellow coward's optics, though not touching, and he says softly, "Please don't call me 'sir'. I don't deserve it."
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jan 15, 2009 16:07:04 GMT -5
Mirage certainly is riled now, isn't he? That's a good sign, Spinister thinks. He says mildly, "I don't think you take life lightly, but I do think that you can take it. I can't. At all."
Yes. A sniper who has never killed anyone. He prefers the term 'sharpshooter'. Take out a target's hand, no one dies, and justice is served.
"Hmm, you know, you're different than that Mirage. He was gutter scum with airs about him, but you... those aren't airs, are they? Oh my. You're the perfect picture of prototypical vigilante." His heads tilts to the side thoughtfully as he speaks. "A background of wealth and luxury, I'd wager, but some skill in martial talents - and then tragedy. A need to make things right. Personal, perhaps. You'll go where officials can't, do what they can't. Hated or respected, depending on circumstances. Sometimes the hunter and sometimes the hunted."
Yes, Spinister babbles. Someone should shut him up before he start monologuing about his city.
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Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 17, 2009 0:17:45 GMT -5
Nonsense, Swerve wants to tell Emirate Xaaron. Of course you deserve respect, sir. But he can't seem to make his voice work. Because he was captured, Emirate Xaaron nearly killed an innocent mech. Is this, too, the constable's fault somehow? Or was it within his leader all along, as it seems it is with all Autobots?
"Sir," Swerve finally murmurs, gentle and insistent as ever in his courtesy though his smile is gone, replaced by a faintly sorrowful cast, "you… shouldn't have done that. Most especially not because of me." Why? Why, he wonders, would Emirate Xaaron do such a horrible thing over losing Swerve? The constable can't make sense of it. He's only a traffic officer, after all, merely a self-appointed bodyguard. Surely he can't matter that much to his leader.
For some reason, that thought only twists the cold knot in his spark tighter. Emirate Xaaron has already admitted he would have killed someone innocent if he could. The things Spinister said, then….
"But… why?" he manages to ask, and he can't keep his voice from cracking.
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Post by Mirage on Jan 17, 2009 10:00:48 GMT -5
Mirage raises a browridge. What on Cybertron is Spinister babbling about? Whatever it has a slightly familiar ring, but...oh.
Oh! That's it!
Mirage shakes his head as raises one finger and places firmly against the center of Spinister's faceplate, attempting to shush non-existent lips. "You really do carry on, don't you?"
The spy steps back and away, again shaking his head. "To paraphase Pee-Dee, I make a decent enough Bruce Wayne, but I am not the dammed Batman...at least I think those are the proper names." Mirage waves one hand dismissively. "Some Terran media reference, I think. That's what you were referencing, yes?"
"But you are right," he continues with a sigh, "I can, if it is necessary. Though it is more difficult for me than you seem to think."
Mirage settles back against the wall so that he can watch what happens within. He does not like where either conversation is going. "A crisis of faith, a crash of ideals. One death might save thousands, whereas a mere wounding condemns them. Also," He tilts his head to look over at the Targetmaster, "The jailer, the jury, and judge are just as guilty as the executioner."
OOC: Touching Spinister-3 done with permission. Also, Pee-Dee subjecting Mirage to the Legends of the Dark Knight confirmed with her player as an off-screen encounter.
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Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
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 17, 2009 21:12:19 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron has no hope of redemption, he realises. Unicron will forsake him. Swerve will forsake him.
He's not sure which is worse.
Miserably, he curls in on himself, and he murmurs, "There's no excuse for it, really. It wasn't my place. I was just so... so... angry. That you were gone. He was supposed to be watching..." He trails off, trying to peer around Swerve, and he echoes, "...watching. I shouldn't be angry."
He pauses, and then, he adds, "I, uhm, worship Unicron, too. I think you deserve to know that."
Y'know, while he's admitting to attempted murder and all.
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jan 17, 2009 21:23:45 GMT -5
Spinister was referencing a general trope, in fact. There are a lot of playboy superheros: Iron Man - heck, the Green Arrow used to be a rich playboy before he lost his riches.
However, before he can explain - after all, Batman doesn't kill - he is shushed by a finger to his facemask. He reaches up, trying to lightly grasp Mirage's wrist.
He considers Mirage's points, but before he can really say anything, Emirate Xaaron says something that literally leaves the chatty Decepticon speechless.
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Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
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Post by Swerve-3 on Jan 17, 2009 23:53:47 GMT -5
Swerve has no right to condemn anyone for a fit of anger. Not without damning himself in the same breath. Still, he can't quite reconcile Emirate Xaaron and enraged murderer. It isn't something he thinks he could manage even under normal circumstances, much less now, when the effort threatens to knock him right out. So instead, he tries to coax Emirate Xaaron back up, to look at him so he might see that while Swerve is startled – unsettled, perhaps even dismayed – he isn't disgusted or angry. And he won't be swayed so easily.
"Mirage isn't to blame, sir," says the constable firmly once Emirate Xaaron gives him a chance to interject. "What happened… isn't his fault. He… he and Spinister saved me. They brought me to… you." To safety. They kept him from snapping again.
He's stable – that thing won't be let loose – but he isn't sure how much more he can take before he can't fight off stasis lock any longer. He even loses motor systems for a moment when Emirate Xaaron makes that second confession and he finds he has no response. He's confused and frozen in place; so, rude though it is, he can't help staring. Not once in his life has he actually considered that someone he knows might want to worship the destroyer, of all entities. He most certainly never thought it of Emirate Xaaron. Just what does one say to this sort of thing? What should Swerve say?
"Th… that's…." Worrisome. Making him feel a little queasy.
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Skyfire
Major
I'm a scientist, not a....
Posts: 891
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Post by Skyfire on Jan 18, 2009 12:21:45 GMT -5
They'll hear him before they see him, heavy metallic footsteps clanging along at an alarming rate--Skyfire is running. The big white Autobot slows down to a fast walk as he sees them, and gives Spinister a sharp, worried glance--he recognizes the colors. His expression relaxes somewhat as he sees Swerve-3, Mirage, and the other Xaaron--Skyfire knows both Swerves to be allies, and no one appears to have a gun surreptitiously held to anyone else's back.
"Excuse, and I'm sorry I can't stop--they need help out there," Skyfire apologizes in passing.
Within moments, unless someone calls for help or draws a weapon, Skyfire is out of sight, heavy tread quickening to a run once more.
// Refueling complete; launching in five minutes,// he radios on the broadband.
--- Just passing through, in-and-out-of-thread this post only, unless someone tries to stop him/call for help
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Post by Mirage on Jan 18, 2009 21:00:19 GMT -5
Mirage as of yet is unfamiliar with the playboy-turned-hero stereotype as a stereotype. He just knows that Pee-Dee often called him Bruce Wayne, and that inquiring as to where the moniker came from resulted in him being subjected to several hours worth of some Terran program. It had…appealed actually, in an odd way.
Much like Spinister though, Mirage is dumbfounded by what Emirate Xaaron just said. Enough so that Skyfire’s passing is barely acknowledge, the spy raising the hand which may or may not still be captured by Spinister’s to distractedly wave the big white mech on.
“Please tell me I’m hearing things,” he says, “And tell me that I can not go in there and shake the gears out of one and knock sense into the other.”
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Emirate Xaaron-3
Rookie
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 19, 2009 22:08:12 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron bows his head and is so wrapped up in his own overblown woes that he barely registers that Skyfire walked past and said something.
He cringes and assures, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't stress you, but... but... He's wonderful, like you," Yes, he just compared Swerve to Unicron. He scoots a little closer to the edge of the berth, and he looks up, optics shining. "He devours the most wicked of the worlds, lie a surgeon skilfully cutting corrosion away from healthy metal. But, even on the darkest of days, there is some light, and He spares the sinless, allowing them to live inside the perfect paradise He contains within Him. Some of the most noble volunteer to venture forth into the universe again, and they are His heralds. They say... they say Earth was visited by some of those heralds, time-travelling! But they could not tarry long."
He looks rather sorrowful, and he sighs. "Of course, you will tell me that this is heresy, that Unicron is evil. Of course of course of course. And there is only one punishment for heresy."
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Spinister-3
Cadet
"I live for the day when no one has to fear."
Posts: 79
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Post by Spinister-3 on Jan 19, 2009 22:17:09 GMT -5
Spinister watches Skyfire go, optical ridge raised. What, no one questions the random Decepicon standing around in the Autobot tunnels? Spinister is sneakier than he thinks he is!
And he didn't even need to get Mirage's paint all over him first.
Spinister murmurs, reaching out to place a hand on Mirage's shoulder, as if to stay him, "Nono, c'mon. Beating them up is not the answer."
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