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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 15:33:52 GMT -5
Takes place on Day 19, after Sickbay Commando. Private thread. ---
Springer's slumped in a chair in the office he shares with Kup on-board the Event Horizon, staring at a datapad, but not focusing on it. His mind is on other things. Namely, Impactor.
It's not Springer's Impactor, but still.
Most of the irritation comes from waiting for Xaaron to come for this talk he wants to have. Anticipation is a glitch.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 20, 2010 17:56:47 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron doesn't come for Springer immediately. Anticipation is a dreadful thing, and he thinks that Springer deserves to run his coolant system on high for a bit.
Sentinel Prime, who Emirate Xaaron thinks is more than a bit shady, at least didn't lie that he know of an Impactor, even if he was recalcitrant about ponying up what he knew. So what's Springer's deal?
The worst thing is that, while Emirate Xaaron doesn't really, truly trust anyone (not even himself), he had trusted Springer as much as he trusts most Autobots. Not always to do the right thing - the lad had admitted to being frankly rather boneheaded in the past - but trustworthy enough that Emirate Xaaron was considering discussing their exit strategy with him.
Emirate Xaaron can't trust Springer at all now, and if Emirate Xaaron let himself feel anything, he'd feel hurt.
Good thing Emirate Xaaron rarely lets himself feel anything at all.
He finally shows and doesn't bother to announce himself with a knock, instead doing a command override to open the door. Anticipation, to let the mind gnaw at itself, then shock and surprise, to confuse. He strides over to Springer's desk and places his hands flat on it, leaning over it, and he says simply, "Talk."
What comes out of Springer's mouth should be very interesting indeed.
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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 18:06:27 GMT -5
The knock startles Springer into dropping the datapad, and his fuel lines run cold. There's a sickening, heavy feeling in his tank. His hands go to the arm rests of his chair, squeezing them as Xaaron approaches his desk. Springer does his best to put forth a stoic face.
"...where I come from, Impactor was a cold-blooded, obsessive, murderer" is all he says at first, glaring up at Xaaron.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 20, 2010 19:00:20 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron's face and posture betray no reaction, and his gaze is steady, staring at Springer, if searching for his soul through the plating. His thinks about what Springer says and how he glares. Emirate Xaaron wants to bristle and defend his friend, but Springer's not talking about his friend, so he reigns himself in, shortens his own leash.
Besides, he just heard about an Impactor who was bonded to a living warship. Impactors get up to some weird stuff across the realities, apparently. Murderer, though? He killed other Autobots?
Emirate Xaaron sits down in a chair and leans back in it like he owns it, considering his fist. Finally, he replies, "I can understand you not wanting to discuss the matter, but you didn't need to lie. One might argue that lying by omission is still lying, but even omission would have been preferable."
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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 19:12:54 GMT -5
Springer keeps his watch on Xaaron as he sits, keeping a scowl on his face. His hands come up as his elbows rest on the arms of the chair, one hand going into a fist, the other cupping over it. "I..." Springer starts, then sighs. "I was under an obscene amount of stress at that point - what had happened with my Kup that I had told you about had just happened a few cycles earlier, then I get universally displaced. I was trying to get current wounds to heal - I didn't want to tear open old ones." Springer glances aside. "I didn't think there would be any chance of it coming up again. Call it a force of habit... His deeds were covered up back home, so I'm used to lying about him."
"Not that it's any excuse."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 20, 2010 19:36:30 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks at Springer's body language, trying to get a read on him beyond just the scowl, how he cups that hand over a fist.
He says softly, "That's the thing about this place, Springer. Our ghosts come back to haunt us, whether we want them to or not. You say your Impactor was a murderer, but he obviously looks enough like mine, since you recognised him. What if I'd mistaken your Impactor for mine, and he murdered me?"
Not that Emirate Xaaron hasn't had his share of threats from his own Impactor, but he's pretty sure his head will go back on pretty easily if Impactor ever does tear it off, and the business with trying to kill him while he was a zombie can be excused.
"But that isn't the point. You lied to me, and the reasons or lack thereof don't matter. I can't trust you."
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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 20:44:37 GMT -5
"He wouldn't murder you - he didn't murder Autobots."
Springer looks askance as Xaaron says that he cannot trust Springer. He's slient for a bit, contemplating the statement, and how it applies to both this situation, and what he's done in regards to the social training.
"...well, I'm not known for making the best of social decisions, sir. I panicked."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 20, 2010 21:07:31 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron quirks an optical ridge at Springer's assertion that his Impactor didn't kill Autobots. Who did he kill, then, humans? Everyone always seems to go to Earth. Other aliens? However, he doesn't actually press Springer on the issue. If Springer doesn't want to talk about his Impactor, he doesn't have to, since it seems doubtful that he'll actually tell the truth, anyway. Lying to a superior officer is the issue.
He leans back even more, now tilting the chair on its back legs. "Panicked. That's awful familiar. Or maybe just awful." He idly runs his index finger along his nose and then loosely steeples his fingertips a bit under his chin.
Emirate Xaaron then eyes Springer sharply and notes, almost negligently, "Panicking in social situations is a weakness, and in situations where you cannot directly confront the enemy with violence, that weakness will be used against you, but I believe we've had this discussion."
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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 22:24:56 GMT -5
Springer leans forward, slamming a hand into his desk. "You think I don't know that!?" he snaps, his other hand gripping the edge of the desk. "It's been hitting me in the face at nearly every turn after I got here! I panicked when I talked to you; I failed to recruit Bambi properly; I got busted for doing my damn job by the Pz-Zazz police; and then I flubbed up with Troi!" Springer draws a sharp intake of breath, leaning back again.
"I might not be doing very good, but I'm trying. Can I do less?"
A pause. "And I do apologize for lying back on Gillanan."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 20, 2010 22:57:25 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron actually smirks slightly when Springer slams a hand into his desk. It's funny, Springer's taking about trying to learn how to use his words, and yet, he still instinctively reacts with violence. Maybe more sad than funny, how they're all so on the edge, so ready for a fight, but in a war, that's not all bad.
"I'm glad that you at least know your weaknesses and are trying, and I appreciate the apology," Emirate Xaaron answers.
But he still can't trust Springer. Maybe he won't ever.
However, there are other people who will need to be able to trust Springer, and that is more important. He inquires mildly, "Will you be able to work with this Impactor? Really work with him. No panic attacks. No freezing. If you can't, I'll tell him myself, if you're not up to it."
Emirate Xaaron will tell Impactor that he's not a Wrecker any more.
Yeah, that head'll be coming off.
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Post by Springer on Jul 20, 2010 23:51:14 GMT -5
Springer's arms cross a bit, then he sighs. "Yeah. Heck, I was close to my own Impactor myself..." Springer's trails off a bit on that, he looking a bit distant. "Then he got obsessed with Squadron X..."
A light shake of his head. "I can work with him, I figure."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 0:04:06 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron shows a brief flicker of recognition at the mention of Squadron X and looks thoughtful, making a mental note.
Wanting to stem off potential future freak outs at the pass, he asks, "And other Autobots from your reality? Will they be able to work with Impactor, do you think?"
Emirate Xaaron does wonder where it all went wrong, if Springer was close to his Impactor. Okay, so this Squadron X business, and the murderer thing, and...
...he told himself he wouldn't pry, but he can't help but ask gently, "Anything to do with Pova?"
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Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 0:11:24 GMT -5
Springer leans back in his chair a bit, thinking. "I would hope they could, but I can't get in their heads. Guzzle should be fine - he doesn't really know Impactor very well. The other Wreckers, though...completely hit-or-miss there. We'd have to ask them if they showed up. Topspin, Twin Twist, Pyro, Rotorstorm, Ironfist, Kup, Ultra Magnus and Perceptor from my reality would more than likely do fine with him."
The mention of Pova gets Springer's chair back on four legs, gripping the desk as he looks at Xaaron like he's seen a ghost. "...what do you know about Pova?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 0:45:34 GMT -5
"Being able to get in your troops' heads is rather useful-" Emirate Xaaron starts to say, but then, he stares at Springer like he's taken his head off and turned it into a little man. He sputters, "Perceptor and Kup are Wreckers!?"
Whoa, (this) Perceptor is like the anti-Wreckerest Autobot, aside from maybe First Aid and Groove, and Kup... okay, maybe Emirate Xaaron can see Kup as a Wrecker, if he squints, even if the fellow did run off with Fortress Maximus, king of the hippies, in his reality.
"But I didn't say Wreckers from your reality - I said Autobots." Sigh, it's easy to tell where Springer's head is at, sometimes.
He settles his chair back down, snaps his fingers, and grins as his fishing yields a catch. "Bingo. Place where Squadron X died?"
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Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 1:07:07 GMT -5
Springer half-shrugs at the response regarding Kup and Perceptor - "According to Guzzle, yeah - he comes from my future, several years in fact... Kup apparently will recover, and Perceptor apparently got injured at some point, and got to feeling like such a liability that he upgraded himself into something more combat-capable." Springer's eyes widen a moment. "Surprised the smelt outta me, too. They apparently join up with us for the mission Guzzle was pulled from."
Springer then frowns a bit at Xaaron. "Wreckers are still Autobots - and we didn't really operate with others enough for me to really gauge any reactions from others, save Ultra Magnus, but I'm going by Guzzle's report there..."
Then he stares at Xaaron, optics narrow. "...I've not told anyone that Pova exists, much less what happened there. The only other 'bot from my reality here is Guzzle, and he doesn't know. How in the pit do you know about Pova?"
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