|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 1:18:13 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron is somewhat pleased to hear that Springer's Kup recovers, since that makes Springer's tactical blunder slightly less horrifying, albeit only slightly. Recovering smoothly, he muses, "I really ought to talk to Guzzle someday."
He sees that he has to explain this very plainly, spreading his hands wide. "I wasn't saying Wreckers aren't Autobots! It's just horribly inconvenient if other Autobots are going to flip out about Impactor being a murderer."
Emirate Xaaron leans back in the chair again and re-steeples those fingers, smirking. He asks, "How do you know Pova doesn't exist in my reality?"
See? He's not lying. He's being horribly misleading, but he's not lying. Watch and learn, lad.
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 1:45:31 GMT -5
"The only Autobots that know about the murder are certain members of high command - Prowl, Ultra Magnus, Chief Justice Tyrest - and the witnesses: Myself, Sandstorm, Whirl, Roadbuster, Rack'n'Ruin*, and Broadside." Springer sighs. "As far as anyone else knows, Impactor went to prison for peddling circuit boosters. Magnus and Prowl are good about keeping their feelings in check."
Springer narrows his eyes again at Xaaron, leaning over on his desk as he peers at Xaaron. "...because you never mentioned Squadron X when we had our little talk back on Gillanan - you specifically told me that where you come from that the Mayhem Attack Squad is the Decepticon answer to the Wreckers. Where I come from, it's Squadron X. You may very well have a Pova, but without knowing what happened to Squadron X, it's insignificant."
---
*Note - Springer mentioned way back on Gillanan that he had never heard of Rack'n'Ruin, but due to the Joss-ing nature of Last Stand of the Wreckers putting them into existence, I'm gonna handwave Springer knowing them. >_>
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 1:56:36 GMT -5
There's that Tyrest again. Peddling circuit boosters? That's something Mixmaster would do. Rather undignified way for an Autobot to be sent to prison, but dignity has nothing to do with cover-ups.
Emirate Xaaron allows himself a smile as Springer puts together some of the pieces and murmurs, "Clever boy. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how I know about Pova or Squadron X. I made a promise to someone, and I don't see any particular reason to break it. That would be, after all, a breach of trust." The smile turns devious at the end, there.
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 2:04:32 GMT -5
Springer looks taken aback, then slumps into his chair. Well played, Xaaron, well played.
Springer sighs, shaking his head. "I'd suggest that you could be breaching it by even telling me that much, but I'd bet that promise had plenty of loopholes in it." Springer's expression grows a tad bitter as he adds "And yet I'm the bad guy for choosing to pretend someone didn't exist."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 2:14:37 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron considers for a moment, index finger tugging on one of his stitches. There's nothing he said that could be traced back to Sentinel Prime, and he didn't even mention the part about Impactor Major being bonded to the starship Xantium, who was actually a weapon of mass destruction named Zeta Supreme. He thinks he's good! Cheerily, he answers, "I didn't mention any of the sensitive parts. I'm clear, and to be clear, I was mostly concerned about troop dynamics. I still have to tell newcomers not to assault my Constructibots, you know. I don't need to trust you to work with you." He finishes wistfully, "It's just... a nice thing to have."
Emirate Xaaron shrugs, as if trust is like sprinkles on a cupcake or beer cheese dip for a Bavarian pretzel.
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 12:36:02 GMT -5
Springer half-scoffs. "Sensitive parts, eh? Like how we finally managed to capture Squadron X on Pova, but Prowl gives us this scrap about how Pova was a neutral planet in the Code of Interplanetary Conflict. Told Impactor that we had to let them go, so the 'Cons wouldn't use this to turn the Povians against us..."
Springer trails off here, looking aside and shaking his head.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 12:54:18 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron rubs his chin, and he looks fascinated in the way that a medical student dissecting a cadaver looks fascinated. Those are different sensitive parts than the ones he heard from Sentinel Prime!
There's that Code of Interplanetary Conflict again, rearing its ugly head. Emirate Xaaron remains unconvinced that this Code is not some elabourate Decepticon attempt to screw the Autobots.
However, Emirate Xaaron likes to think that a Prowl wouldn't do something for nothing. If this Squadron X is equivalent to the Mayhem Attack Squad of his reality, having the Mayhem Attack Squad captured and being forced to release them would be... insulting. The downside of the Povians turning against the Autobots must have been a very big downside indeed.
He puts a few pieces together, head tilting forward to cast his optics in shadow, and he says slowly but firmly, "Impactor killed Squadron X."
Killing Decepticons? That's not something that Emirate Xaaron would usually call murder, but Sentinel Prime said that Squadron X died at Pova, and if Squadron X died against orders, while captured prisoners of war... that act might be classified as murder.
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 21, 2010 14:29:53 GMT -5
Springer's gaze turns to a wall, though he looks far, far beyond it.
"We... We'd managed to get them, finally, after Impactor used a rather unorthodox method to get the jump on Macabre, Earthquake, and Tornado, which helped turn the tide." Springer puts one fist in the other hand, rubbing the fist absently. "Impactor shot through me to do it - something I was against at the time, but one can't argue with results. It knocked me offline - I woke up as Roadbuster was telling Impactor that Squadron X had all been caught and put in inhibitor vises. Then Impactor calls Prowl for pickup, and then we got the bad news."
A pause.
"Impactor...got a gun from Roadbuster, and went into the bunker we had locked them in, alone. He locked the door. I tried to go after him, to stop him, but by the time I knocked the door in... He was just standing there, holding a smoking gun amid their bodies..." Springer's jaw clenches. "Yes, they deserved to die, but that didn't give him the right to kill them like that!"
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 21, 2010 14:56:45 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron shows flickers of recognition at the names Macabre, Earthquake, and Tornado - particularly, the name Macabre brings a bit of cold fury to his optics, but he doesn't look too pleased about Tornado, all things considered.
Shot through Springer? Hrm, yes, Emirate Xaaron can see Springer not appreciating that very much. Would his own Impactor do such a thing? Maybe. They consigned a traitor, but an Autobot still, to death by Sharpnel just to leak bait. Impactor was quite good at hooking one Decepticons and using him as a wrecking ball against others, too. But his own troops? Impactor always was a bit nicer than Emirate Xaaron...
Emirate Xaaron looks rather disturbed and asks, "You... didn't know that Pova had a neutrality agreement? That'd you'd have to free Squadron X if you captured them? Or was this something the bureaucrats," said with a sneer of disgust, which is odd, considering Emirate Xaaron, "worked out in the background, while you did the back-breaking work of fighting, and sprung on you without warning?"
Then, he sighs heavily and tries to reach over the desk to place a hand on Springer's wrist to soothe him, saying softly, "I wasn't there. I don't have all the context. I can't say if it was right or wrong - perhaps your Impactor was worried that, if he let them go, Squadron X would take many innocent lives and felt the price he'd pay - disavowal, disgrace, imprisonment, and the ruining of diplomatic relations with the Povians - was worth it. Perhaps he was simply a murderer."
Emirate Xaaron holds up his free hand, empty-palmed, shrugs and tries to catch Springer's optics, finishing firmly, "But I won't tell a soul. If anyone else ever hears this, it'll either be from you or from someone else from your reality."
As much as he'd like to tell his Impactor, Emirate Xaaron can't very well lecture Springer on trust and then trample it himself. Telling Emirate Xaaron this much has obviously been painful to Springer.
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 22, 2010 18:27:44 GMT -5
Springer's optics narrow a bit. "Bureaucrats cooked it up. I suppose it was a good thing in concept to try and keep our war from spreading further than it had to, but it came back to bite us in the aft..."
Springer glances at the hand, but otherwise makes no response to it, letting it linger. "Impactor was always rather rough around the edges, but after Squadron X was formed to counter us, he started slipping downhill, eventually culminating in his execution of Squadron X. Maybe their existence weighed on him - some of the psychiatric types thought that, and that it pushed him down that sliding slope." Springer's face scrunches into a frown. "But it still doesn't excuse killing them in cold blood like that."
He finally looks back over at Xaaron with a half-grin. "I appreciate it. I figure it'll come up at some point or another, though. I'd certainly want to know why someone pointed a gun at me on first sight."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 22, 2010 19:50:47 GMT -5
"If they'd waited just a bit, one stall, one filibuster, they wouldn't have been screwing their own men over," Emirate Xaaron snarls quietly, free hand clenching into a fist, "but I guess it must have been worth it on some cost/benefit sheet."
Okay, so he wasn't there, and he might have done exactly the same thing in Prowl's place and sold his men up a creek, but it all sounds like a pretty stupid, tragic waste to him.
Springer seems very hung up on this 'killing in cold blood' issue. Emirate Xaaron knows that he's only getting Springer's side of the story, and as far as Emirate Xaaron is concerned, even killing in cold blood can be justified, in extreme enough circumstances. That, however, is not what Springer wants to hear right now. So he just tries to give Springer a light pat on the wrist, unclenches his fist, and straightens up a bit, promising, "It can come up on your terms, then."
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 23, 2010 1:27:08 GMT -5
Springer offers a smirk at Xaaron's reaction. "Huh, looks like we both feel the same about the bureaucratic types..." Or Xaaron could be humoring him...it's hard to tell sometimes.
He gives a bit of a nod. "Alright then." A faint sigh. "Though apparently, I'll run into mine again in the future, going by Guzzle's report. That should be interesting if I ever get back home."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 23, 2010 2:29:31 GMT -5
"Not all bureaucrats are bad, but I've been... frustrated by them, in my time," Emirate Xaaron admits, shrugging. He makes it sound as is frustration is a gross understatement, and it is. "I've said before that it should be warriors that run a war."
That's a bit awkward, given his status as a non-combatant, but he's been attending training sessions. He told Kup he would! Even if he has to be one of the oldest students Kup has ever had.
He draws himself back and muses, smirking, "Going home... I'll die when I do. I think I'd take 'interesting', but not to make light, good luck with that, Springer."
|
|
|
Post by Springer on Jul 23, 2010 18:56:56 GMT -5
At the 'warriors should run a war' comment, Springer points at Xaaron, or more at his point despite its intangibility. "Exactly! If Prowl could've got his head out of his actuator back home and quit running his smeltin' calculations long enough to actually listen to some of us..." Springer shakes his head a bit. "That's another discussion entirely, though."
Springer's expression grows a bit melancholy at Xaaron's response to going home, and...well, doesn't really have anything to say. What do you say to that?
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 23, 2010 20:00:41 GMT -5
If this was C++, a pointer pointing to a pointer would be perfectly acceptable.
Emirate Xaaron entertains the brief thought that Springer probably would have gotten along better with Emirate Xaaron's Prowl than Springer's Prowl. Yes, he did the calculation thing, but he also got into a car chase that tore up miles of highway on Earth.
He pushes his chair back and pulls out a pocketwatch, odd as that is, and comments breezily, "Would you look at the time!" He pulls out a bowler hat and settles it on his head. "I won't keep you any longer, unless there is something else?"
Emirate Xaaron does have places to be, himself.
|
|