Autobots: Skyfire Talks To Xaaron and Kup

[Kup]

OOC note: This thread takes place after the training threads, but on the same day.

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Kup absently paces back in forth in Emirate Xaaron's office. Skyfire should have an escort. He told Arcee to stick with him. However, Slingshot was with him during the whole trip instead, and that still counts as 'warrior escort.' Good enough.

The veteran isn't long off the training field. The imprint of Grimlock's fist can clearly be seen in his jaw line, and he still sports several other dings and dents. He's also pretty dirty.

He got the call that Skyfire is on his way back, and he's informed Xaaron that the scientist wants to meet with the both of them, so now all there is to do is wait for their arrivals here in Emirate Xaaron's office. Wait, and pace.

[Skyfire]

After Slingshot landed wherever he saw fit to land in Autobase City, Skyfire circled the base a few times and then landed gently on the rooftop. He transformed and extracted the wrapped probe shards in one of those interesting juggles of limbs and transform that come with experience and the ability to function in a transitional, hey-dont-do-that-it's-trademarked-by-not-us transform mode.

He probably should have dropped the fragments off with Perceptor first, but he'd already asked for this meeting, and it would be rude to keep Kup and Emirate Xaaron waiting. Skyfire tucked the package under one arm and strode down the ramps to Emirate Xaaron's office, ducking his head periodically as he passed under overhead beams that were set a bit too low.

Skyfire knocked gently on the door. "Emirate Xaaron? Skyfire here."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron was seated in his chair all along. He nods to Kup, and at the knock, he rises from his chair to get the door. He should really get a little closed circuit monitor so that he can check who is at the door. Skyfire, however, is supposed to be there. Doesn't really seem like Skyfire can follow orders, since he seems to have ditched both Arcee, his assigned escort, and Slingshot, his unassigned escort. Skyfire is a civilian, though. Unless he's been deceiving them this long, Skyfire probably just doesn’t understand the situation here. There has to be some level of flexibility, but ignoring or forgetting orders this basic and critical really implies military incompetence.

Emirate Xaaron opens the door and greets, "Skyfire. I trust that you have a report to tender?"

[Kup]

When Skyfire knocks on the door, Kup stops in his pacing to look at the door, and when Emirate Xaaron gets up to let him in, Kup steps aside to let him by.

He tilts his head and listens curiously to what Skyfire has to say, interested in what it could be that couldn't be reported over the radio. Otherwise, he stays where he is, hands clasped lightly behind his back.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire gave Emirate Xaaron a faintly surprised look and nodded. "Ah, no, not exactly a report, though I do need to take these fragments to Perceptor for analysis," he said, hefting the wrapped package of probe bits.

"Before I say what I came here to say," Skyfire glanced at Emirate Xaaron, then focused on Kup, "what can you tell me about Slingshot and his... brothers?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron eyes the fragments with interest. Quintessons are not an enemy he ever had to worry about vexing. He gestures to a stool-style chair and offers, "Feel free to sit down." Despite being a stool, it's a bit low for Skyfire and likely a bit small. Still, it doesn't have any back or arms to get in the way. It's the compromise piece of furniture that can sit as many different people as possible while being not terribly comfortable for any of them. There is a more normal chair for Kup.

That said, Emirate Xaaron resumes his position in his chairs, and he answers, "Slingshot is Kup's, but the Aerialbots in my reality were created together, rather quickly, and were something of problem children. From what I've heard, that, at least, applies here. Special teams, such as the Aerialbots, can often form larger robots by merging both mind and body, although exactly how the minds are merged varies from special team to special team."

[Kup]

Kup dips his head in a nod. "What Emirate Xaaron about sums the significant points up, especially since Slingshot was maybe a couple weeks old, at best, when he was taken."

The veteran does take one the more appropriately sized seats and settles in, adding, "More than that, though, really isn't my place to tell, anyway. You'll have to talk to Slingshot himself." Or catch Kup with a cube of energon in a less professional atmosphere, but then he wouldn't be giving out personal details on a fellow Autobot - he'd be telling a story.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire shook his head at Emirate Xaaron. "I'll be brief."

"I have talked Slingshot some," Skyfire said quietly. "He's lonely, and grieving for his missing brothers. From what you say, he's even younger than I realized. It's a heavy burden for him to bear."

Then he looked at both of them in turn. "I've made my decision. I'm staying--as an Autobot, if you'll have me."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron literally cannot imagine what it must be like to be Slingshot. In a way, he almost pities the youth. Emirate Xaaron would never let anyone in that close. Slingshot never had a choice. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but it seems cruel to burden someone with such intense relationships from the word, 'Go.' Of course, Emirate Xaaron is well-versed in cruelty, and he'd do the same thing without a second thought.

Ruminations on the ethics of special team combiners are cut short at Skyfire's announcement. Kup seemed to consider it an inevitability, a question of when, not if. So it seems they will need to put Slingshot on their recruitment posters. 'Join the Autobots. We have sulking jets.' Emirate Xaaron steeples his fingers and replies warmly, "I am glad to hear that. We certainly could use you."

He stands, pushes his chair back under his desk, and he paces around, to offer his hand to Skyfire to shake. Now, Emirate Xaaron does need to work out the details of something, and he opens a radio line to Rodimus Prime.

[Kup]

Kup had considered it an inevitability, but he puts, at times, a bit too much stock in things working out as they had previously in similar situations. Kup grins wide when Skyfire makes his announcement, and also stands. If he has the chance, he'll give the scientist a warm handshake following Emirate Xaaron's.

"Great to hear, Skyfire! Welcome aboard!"

[Skyfire]

Skyfire grinned back and shook first Emirate Xaaron's hand, then Kup's. "How could I resist the chance to work with a pair of rogues like you two?" He winked one optic.

"Seriously, though, I am worried about Slingshot, and I'd like to continue working with him on the art and science of being an armed exploration scout in hostile territory. I think having something new to master that he knows he can be good and helpful at will help him cope, as well as getting personal mentoring from someone who likes him as he is. He's a good kid; I don't like to see anyone hurting like that. I also have ethical objections to letting anyone get killed from ignorance if I could have corrected that." For all his notorious independence (for some reason telling Megatron to shove it got him that reputation...), Skyfire was part of a rather large organization back on Cybertron. He knows it's best to work within channels and get authorization first if you can.

"So, what's next? Er, besides carting these parts to the lab."

[Emirate Xaaron]

Emirate Xaaron smiles wryly at being called a rogue and replies brightly, "Why, thank you! That's one of the more pleasant things I've been called."

He considers Skyfire's request, and he notes, "That'll be up to Slingshot, honestly, if he's interested in learning what you have to teach. I'm sure he could use someone watching out for him, however." As far as stand-ins go, Skyfire at least look like a big white jet.

His smile grows into something of a crooked grin, and he holds out his hands innocently, like the cat that swallowed the canary. Emirate Xaaron explains, "You can't put a symbol on just yet, but we'll have that sorted out shortly."

In other words, he has yet to work out with his chain of command what inter-universal hazing ritual they want to use.

[Kup]

Kup smirks at being called a rogue... well, he has been one, at times. Then he listens to the request, and nods in agreement. "I'm willing to support whatever Slingshot decides, but I ask to be kept in the loop. Slingshot's currently assigned to MainSec, and if he's not going to be available due to mentoring, that's something I need to know."

Kup looks faintly surprised at the 'you can't put a symbol on just yet.' Yes, he's been part of the discussion, but he didn't realize it was leading to that. He also leaves it to Xaaron to assign Skyfire to his division. At this point, that's not really Kup's place.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire chuckles. "I wouldn't be surprised. Beats being a close-minded, bureaucratic stick-in-the-mud, which I've already figured out you're not. Something tells me you're the kind who rubs that kind the wrong way."

Skyfire nods. "Of course. That's a given." He glances at Emirate Xaaron. "Anything I can do to help things go smoothly?"

[Emirate Xaaron]

Close-minded and bureaucratic are about as far away from Kup and Emirate Xaaron as one can get.

Emirate Xaaron shows no reaction to Kup's surprise. His reality may slap on symbols with no fanfare, but this dreary, heathenish place needs some fanfare. It shouldn't take too long, anyway. At this rate, the ceremony's probably going to be, 'have someone with the remotest mote of artistic talent stencil on an Autobot symbol for Skyfire and get Perceptor give Skyfire some good booze. Oh, and have someone say something corny'.

Emirate Xaaron smiles, genuinely pleased at this turns of events, logistics aside, and he replies, "We should have matters sorted shortly. I am sorry about the wait. We weren't exactly expecting to need this ironed out. You will be assigned to Wedge's division, of course. I suppose that you can drop off those parts, unless you have any questions for us."