More than Plating Deep: The Other Room

[Wedge]

They want a closed video feed and com-link? Well Wedge will set up a good video feed and com-link. It's about time they get some video communications booted up around here. Pity it hasn't been added to any bots yet.

The buildbot moves efficiently as he sets up the screen in the wall, tools flashing in and out of his fingers. A few moments later and he's setting up the microphones and audio receptors as well.

"There we go," Wedge clambers to his feet and trots over to a nearby terminal. A few punches to the keys and some more coding and Wedge routes the video and audio between the two specified rooms to a closed circuit. "That should be good." He dusts imaginary dirt off his hands.

Really, he can't help but be a little curious about what's going on. The presence of this new bot that goes by the name of Ultra Magnus piques Wedge's attention. After all, it'd be interesting to see another world's take on an Ultra Magnus. Is he as tough as the one in Wedge's reality? (Is he as snappy?)

"The connection's ready to be fired up whenever you want."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron isn't terribly pleased to be booted out of the quarantine bay and into another, but he's sure that this will be the dullest debriefing Mirage has ever had, so at least they'll both be suffering.

Glancing around to make sure Mirage isn't going to vanish on him, he replies to Wedge, "Ah, good of you to get it rigged so quickly. Boot it up, please."

Emirate Xaaron has no idea what he is getting himself into, here.

[Mirage]

Mirage isn't going to poof. He isn't looking forward to whatever is going to be done, or to the debriefing itself, but it goes with the job.

The spy takes a seat, dropping gracefully- albeit tiredly- onto the exam table. Why? Because he'll need to be there at some point, and he's honestly not sure he can move a lot at the moment. The exhaustion of the search, and the hard run back to the ship, is catching up with him.

He turns his attention to the screen once Wedge enables it, then waits for the inevitable questions.

[Wedge]

Right on! Wedge turns to the terminal and flicks a couple keys. The screen turns a lighter shade of black for a moment before an image of the other quarantine room swims into view, the image sharpening not a second later.

Wedge gives a satisfied nod which freezes a bit as he stares at the screen. Yeah, this Ultra Magnus is definitely different from the one back home. He actually looks a bit like Optimus for one, wouldn't Magnus back home be pleased about that? (probably not) He tears his gaze away from the screen to turn his attention to Xaaron.

"That should do it, sir," he reports with a small salute. "Ah, do you mind if I observe, sir?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron stares at the screen for a moment. What is with the distortion on the figures?

But he refuses to dignify the issue by naming it.

Instead, he smiles pleasantly and answers Wedge, "If you wish, though it may be dangerous. Thank you for rigging up this system in a hurry."

Instead, he leans heavily against a wall, and he asks Mirage, "Let's start at the start, shall we? When did you first make contact with Ultra Magnus?"

[Mirage]

Mirage frowns at the screen, and at what he is hearing from the other room. "Is it really necessary to ask him such obviously painful things when he already in such dire straits?" Mirage actually knows the answer to that. But he feels he must voice his concern, anyway.

He hugs one knee up to his chest. "I set off on this last chance to find him, what, three weeks ago, roughly? I found him in the scrublands, on the far side of the desert, quite north. Day before yesterday, and we had to stop for him to fuel at one of the local stations...I apologize, Emirate, if I am a bit disjointed in my replies. It has been a long hunt."

[Wedge]

Errr...distortions? What distortion? To Wedge, it all seems normal--it happens all the time where he's from.

"It's no problem and I'll keep an optic out, sir," Wedge says, the statement a reply to both of the Emirate's topics. He gives Xaaron and Mirage a small nod and a brief smile before moving slightly off to the side where he can see the screen and also not be in the way of things.

OOC: Wedge is now in observe mode and skippable

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron looks over at Mirage, and he admits, "Actually. The questions would be a good deal more painful if I was in there." He steeples his fingers right beneath his chin. "You see, if he is somewhat disoriented, it is more difficult for him to lie. Also, he must be asked now, before he has time to concoct a plausible story. So yes. They are quite necessary."

He should probably send Wedge away, as this matter is sensitive. However, Perceptor reports to Wedge, and given all that Perceptor is hearing now, Wedge could find out all of this by questioning Perceptor.

"Your opinion of his physical condition and mental state upon first finding him?"

[Mirage]

Mirage sighs. "Unfortunately, I do understand," he says heavily as Xaaron explains.

"I just dislike it."

Another sigh, and he answers Xaaron's question, "We didn't discuss his condition beyond my expressing concern, and his waving said concern off. But he was in dire straits even then. Made me wish I had some field repair skill. Not that he'd let me do anything for him, anyway."

Mirage looks up and tries to actually meet Xaaron's optics, "I will be blunt. I did not know if he would make it here. That is part of why I did not radio ahead that I had found him."

"I also...was unsure if he should be brought. He has been through much, and he is worn in mind and spirit, not just body. And so very bitter. We did not converse much, but that much was painfully obvious."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Understanding and disliking is acceptable. Understanding and liking would be worrying.

Ghoulishly, Emirate Xaaron suggests, "Ah, but we can always use spare parts."

However, he's here to pick Mirage's CPU, not to be morbid. "You were unsure if he should be brought. Why did you bring him, then?"

[Mirage]

Mirage has been paying quite close attention to the screen, and to Ultra Magnus's answers to the questions put to him. The spy frowns deeply as the wounded mech talks about Shockwave's rule. Though not likely for the reason one might think.

Peace. They had peace, and had rebuilt, and then they threw it all away again. For what? Not for the first time, Mirage wonders if it is all worth it.

"I wonder that he was so willing to act against Optimus," Mirage muses aloud, "Considering the familial connection."

He shakes his head as if to clear it when Xaaron asks his question, "He almost didn't come along. I doubt there is anything you or Rodimus can say or do that will be harsher than his own thoughts."

"But I was sent to fetch him, so fetch him I did." Mirage tries to meet Xaaron's optics, "And yes, I will admit that a bit of selfishness influenced my decision to carry out that order despite some reservations, once his reality of origin was determined."

He needed to know what happened to his world after he left it.

[Emirate Xaaron]

Being dead is awfully peaceful (zombies aside), and yet, most people do not seem to want it.

People are particular about their peace. They like to be able to be themselves, within reason, and possibly not have dogs of the secret police panting down their necks, if at all possible.

Emirate Xaaron's expression is thin. "Would you have left him, then, if he was not from your future?"

[Mirage]

Mirage actually considers that question for some moments before he answers.

"No. I would not have deliberately left him. But I would not have forced him to accompany me, had he preferred not to do so."

"He needed care. I can not fathom how he managed such a run in his current state."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron is not at all pleased by Mirage's answer, and he decides to make clear exactly why, "So, if he did not serve your own purposes, and he wanted to be left, you would have disobeyed orders and left him."

"Nevermind that if you left him and he died, it would be on your head. Nevermind that that if you left him and the Decepticons recaptured him and broke him to their purposes, his status as our enemy would be on your head."

Does Mirage even think about the potential consequences of his actions, or does he already just circle letter C) do whatever seems most gallant at the time, damn the consequences?

Emirate Xaaron shakes his head in disgust. Before Mirage can protest his due chastisement and thereby derails the debriefing, Emirate Xaaron presses him with another question, "What do you think of your future?"

[Mirage]

"Emirate, I long ago determined that whatever I do, my actions will never please you," Mirage says after several moments. His tone is even and without challenge, despite his choice of words. "It wouldn't have mattered how I answered the last two questions, you would have been displeased. If I say I brought him in because I was following orders, despite reservation, you would challenge that I did not consider the best interests of our company, and when I instead give you truth- and really, you might consider the implications of that- you condemn me for it as well."

"Tell me, did you berate Springer and Jetfire this way for not forcing the stray Dinobot to come back to us? The same arguments apply, after all. Or is it just because Ultra Magnus is a power, with a powerful appearance that you are so upset at the possibility of losing him?"

Mirage turns his attention back to the screen, rubs his hand over his optics, and sighs. He doesn't want this argument. He voted for Xaaron because he felt the Emirate was the best for the job. The spy still thinks that, despite their often being at odds.

"And I do not like what I have heard, but I do not have enough information to draw actual opinions about my future as of yet."