Passing the Disk

[Emirate Xaaron]

The drumming fingers continue.

"So this is a danger to all of us," Emirate Xaaron says slowly, smoothly, but the look he gives Mirage is sharp.

What is with Mirage and haring off on lost causes, anyway? Oh... right. He's an Autobot. Well. At least most Autobots are bit more directed in how they throw themselves at lost causes.

[Mirage]

Inwardly, Mirage sighs at that look. It sometimes seems he will never manage to please Xaaron, even when being perfectly respectful and attempting to do as he's told with minimal fuss and conflict. Again, Mirage wonders what it is about himself that is so innately prickling to so many others. It isn't just his carriage and arrogance, for Xaaron is clearly not impressed by that one way or another.

Yet, Mirage can charm a skittish blind Autobot Seeker and a wary child-Dinobot, neither of whom has reason to trust at all.

It is most frustrating.

"Yes, it could conceivable threaten any of us, which I believe is why Rodimus was behind my continuing to look into it. He and I came across the situation shortly after we arrived on planet," he responds just as smoothly, giving back nothing but neutrality in his own gaze.

"Do you wish a more extensive debriefing?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

It is entirely possible that Mirage is correct in some aspects about Emirate Xaaron, and that, at this point, Emirate Xaaron is just looking for a fight.

It would bother Emirate Xaaron very deeply to realise that much about himself.

Emirate Xaaron inquires rather neutrally, himself, "Do you think a more extensive debriefing would be prudent?" He's really curious what Mirage thinks.

[Mirage]

Mirage relaxes in his chair, one elbow balance on the chair arm, his chin propped on the back of his hand. He meets Emirate Xaaron's gaze, but doesn't answer for several seconds.

"Truthfully? No. Because I strongly suspect that it will not matter what my reasoning is, how much information I gather, or how much having that information might help us, you will find a reason to be displeased with my efforts. I can't help feeling that I distress you in some manner, and I dislike wasting time merely to start an argument," he says, voice soft, tone neutral.

"But if you desire the information, I will give it."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron rubs his forehead, peers at Mirage from between his fingers, and tries to ignore the fact that his other hand has clenched into a fist. He intakes some air sharply, to cycle for extra coolant, and he asks slowly, "Do you really think that?"

He catches himself. "Silly me. I suppose you wouldn't say so if you didn't."

"That would be rather counter-productive of me, wouldn't it?" Emirate Xaaron points out. "But I'll hold you to that dislike of wasting time."

"So if you think that information will help us, by all mean, enlighten me."

[Mirage]

Mirage's optics narrow ever so slightly at Xaaron's reaction. It's hard to tell if Xaaron is angry or exasperated with Mirage, or perhaps both. Regardless, it is better than the stilted manner from earlier.

"It was more a general observation that specific to this issue. But yes, I do think that. You are generally a person easy enough to get along with, but there is a subtle shift in your demeanor when dealing with me in more intimate settings." Mirage shrugs, "But that is neither here nor there."

"Shortly upon our arrival in one of the more monied areas of the city, Rodimus, Spy Shot 6, and myself happened upon a gentleman, one Pyrite, who was naked by local standards and being chased down the street by a group of thugs. Pyrite was shot, not by the thugs, but by the areas internal security- likely for being the cause of bringing the unsavory element into the area. Easier to kill the cause than the problems."

"We cloistered ourselves in a local restaurant where the Prime...quite probably saved the man's life. He is surprisingly skilled in repair. It was during this time that we learned of the vanishing people, and that his own sister had literally vanished from the club X after a performance several nights prior."

Mirage shifts in his chair, then continues, explaining how Pyrite had assisted in them locating local garb, Bambi and Grimlock's appearance, Mirage and Bambi's skulking about in the spaceport and what was found there. He then gives the Emirate a very concise description of X, and includes a briefing of the information Mirage had tracked down regarding their acts and their tendency to go missing. He does mention that Rodimus assisted him in scouting the club.

He does not mention that this assistance was in pretending to be Mirage's date.

"-and that is the just of it," he finishes, "I've managed to obtain a pass which will allow me more extensive access to the club, which I intend to utilize in the next few days. I need to check in with Pyrite and see if he's heard anything else, as well."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Mirage just kicked over a Seekers' roost, and yet, he's carrying on as if he did no so such thing and instead changing the conversation. What. Why would he do that?

Imagine a metaphorical storm cloud over Emirate Xaaron's head right now, please. His head tilts to one side, and he props it up with his fist, letting his other hand drop onto his desk for some more drumming. He looks one part baffled, one part bored, and definitely displeased.

Okay, so this is... tangentially related, he supposes, to be charitable, but just... couldn't Mirage be using his time better? This all just seems like a rather contrived excuse for Mirage to go hang out at clubs when there's a war going on. A dark, uncharitable part of Emirate Xaaron wonders if Mirage will even be with them when they leave.

"...right. Anyway. If you so happen to see any of the Decepticon, Predacon, Vehicon, or whatever-the-slag-icon combiner pieces, please let me know."

[Mirage]

Oh, look, Emirate Xaaron is just as annoyed with Mirage as Mirage predicted. The spy sighs, this time audibly. He considers pressing the point, digging for the real reasons behind Xaaron's animosity, but he doesn't. The Emirate is well within his power to revoke Rodimus's permissions, and if he did that, then it would just be the alternate Swerve fiasco all over again.

"Certainly.. I've yet to run into any of the Decepticons actually, but that could because of the areas I've been."

"Have you any further instructions or requests, Emirate?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron leans forward and glares at Mirage. Just what was that sigh about? You just metaphorically kicked Emirate Xaaron in the face, Mirage! Why are you expecting him to be happy?

But in a way, this really is all about the alternate Swerve fiasco. If you can convince Emirate Xaaron that he's wrong, he'll own up to it and apologise. Mirage has never even shown an inkling of repentance, just haughty arrogance. He's like some child that doesn't even understand what he's done wrong, and it makes it so very hard to punish him, because he thinks he's some nobly wronged martyr when you make him go sit in the corner for raiding the cookie jar.

And now! Mirage, perhaps their only competent, adult, trained spy who is still active, aside from Rattrap and Punch, is going to go waste his time haring around after a robot slave trade that may or may not even exist, and he self-admittedly has no idea what the Decepticons are doing. The hand on the table clutches.

Emirate Xaaron replies, too politely, "I believe that I will be asking Rattrap to have his men look into the Decepticons' plans. You may go."

They'll have plans. They probably have several conflicting plans. If Mirage isn't going to do his job, perhaps Rattrap will. Emirate Xaaron is reminded of Punch, who they discussed earlier. Perhaps Punch wouldn't be condemned to life in Decepticon Hell if certain playboys could get their slag straight.

[Mirage]

Mirage wasn't told to go looking for Decepticon's when he went planetside. He was told to be unobtrusive, not cause a scene, and perhaps find some gainful employment.

And if Xaaron ever voices that last thought about Punch, he will find out quickly that "haughty arrogance" is not the only way Mirage reacts to such accusations.

Mirage stands, "Very well. I can continue to keep you abreast of things if you wish, or I can return to reporting to Rodimus and Kup to spar you the discomfort of dealing with me."

He walks to the door, pauses, and then adds softly, "I would prefer the former, as I've yet to feel as if I wasted my vote."

Unless Xaaron does or says something drastic, the spy will be out the door and out the thread.

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron assumes that most Autobots are intelligent enough to be able to figure out that Decepticons are bad and need stopping. Eeesh, even Whirl kept that straight, and Whirl acted like he was crazy.

He scowls and replies, "I'm starting to think that Kup was right."

That voting was no way at all to establish a chain of command.

"But spare me nothing," he fairly seethes. "I'll never turn down botint."

Emirate Xaaron just wants to shake Mirage so badly, but while he could get away with that at home, most of these displaced Transformers are of more delicate sensibilities. What, is Emirate Xaaron supposed to be nice to Mirage or something, just because Mirage voted for him? Gah, he doesn't even...

[Rattrap]

Rattrap thinks nothing of passing Mirage in the corridor as he strolls toward Xaaron's office at a leisurely sort of pace. He doesn't think much of Mirage's sunny mood, either; the guy always walks around like his exhaust doesn't stink and he's surrounded by plebes. Must really grind his gears to have a smelly little ex-miner for a CO. Kinda makes the gig worth it.

Finding that same mood lingering in Xaaron's office when he arrives, though… that sets Rattrap's fur on end. He pauses just inside the door; he looks at Xaaron, he looks back down the corridor after Mirage, then he looks at Xaaron again. He props one hand on a hip and shrugs the other shoulder, elbow crooked and palm toward the ceiling.

"Looks like I got here at a bad time."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron immediately looks a lot happier when Rattrap arrives. He doesn't have much of a sense of smell, and well, he's lived in sewer tunnels for four million years straight. He straightens right up and smiles, really smiles.

Those fingers are steepled again on his desk, just in front of him, again.

This might be worse than him fuming over Prince Charming.

Emirate Xaaron chuckles and admits, "Perceptive. But then, you'd have to be. Please, take a chair." He gestures and wonders if maybe he should get some tiny chairs with really long legs and ladder rungs built.

But Perceptor never likes Emirate Xaaron's taste in furniture.

[Rattrap]

This is only weird to Rattrap because no-one is ever happy to see him. Okay, maybe one or two people were on specific occasions, but those times were not in an office after what he's going to guess was an argument of some kind. Though if it's because he smells kind of like a sewer, he oughtta hang around with Xaaron more often.

At the offer of a seat, however, he looks around with one side of his brow ridge much higher than the other, taking in the chairs that are all quite a bit too big for his scrawny self. He looks back to Xaaron with half a smirk tugging at one side of his mouth.

"Eh… I'm good," he says. "Next time I'll remember ta bring my grappling hook. So." Now he crosses his arms only to lift a hand again in a questioning gesture. "What's cookin' in that dazzlin' dome o' yours, boss bot?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron sighs, "You really think I'd know better. For Primus's sake, I had the Micromasters commissioned, after all." A beat. "In my reality."

Clipper and Holi are not his fault.

Looking down at Rattrap from behind a desk is really a bit awkward, he decides, so he walks around from behind the desk and sits down on the floor to somewhat ameliorate the height issue. "Mostly that we need better information on what the different 'con," They don't have any Destrons, so 'con works well enough! "factions are up to here, though once we've discussed that, I do have one additional request."