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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 9, 2009 17:24:26 GMT -5
This takes place immediately after Emirate Xaaron's request for a meeting, which puts it fairly early in Small Plots.
Rodimus Prime rolls into the partially covered amphitheater at a high speed, then swerves to a stop and transforms. He paces back and forth, expression intent as he waits for the others arrive.
Of course, he has a better idea than most what might be going on. He's seen the recording. But the question is how much to let on that he knows? For their inside source's sake, best to play it dumb.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 9, 2009 21:29:38 GMT -5
Day 10 or 11ish, I suppose. Probably 10.
Emirate Xaaron has made some terrible choices, in his life. It seems he will be called on to do so yet again. This is an Ultra Magnus who willingly collaborated with Shockwave and hunted Autobots, if his understanding of his source is correct.
Yet, they cannot allow Ultra Magnus to just rejoin his old master, Shockwave. The Autobots cannot afford to let such a powerful Transformer to serve the Decepticons. If Ultra Magnus can be saved, he would make an excellent ally to the Autobots. Emirate Xaaron knows. That is why, in his reality, he commissioned Ultra Magnus's creation.
However, if Ultra Magnus cannot be saved, the kindest thing - not that the other Autobots would see it this way - would be to kill him.
He's a little late to arrive. So sue him. He's old. His joints make an unpleasant creaking noise as he finally tromps in, looking as if he's seen better days.
Emirate Xaaron announces, "I'm telling Springer. He's a Wrecker. He deserves to know."
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Post by Springer on Jun 10, 2009 18:34:39 GMT -5
Springer's arrival is fast as well, he only slows down to maneuver his chopper form through the opening in the roof.
The Wrecker has a bad feeling about the whole situation, and he doesn't have a clue what he's in for. Then again, this universe isn't keen on keeping things comfy and hunky-dory. May as well see what Xaaron wants to talk about in regards to the situation.
Once inside, Xaaron makes the remark to Rodimus that he's telling Springer. However, Springer is too high to hear this as he swoops in low, transforming once close and stepping up to the pair. His face is serious, and he turns to Xaaron. "You rang?" he asks.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 10, 2009 21:01:08 GMT -5
"Fair enough," Rodimus answers Emirate Xaaron just as Springer shows. He looks over at the approaching triple-changer and inclines his head, smiling faintly at the robot that so resembles his old friend, even if the reality is wrong. He also looks, perhaps, a little relieved, because now he doesn't have to play dumb.
He looks back and forth between the two and crosses his arms. "Well, you guys were the ones who actually heard him on the radio. Plus... Shockwave?" He pauses. "How much damage can whatever he might have overheard cause?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 11, 2009 18:16:52 GMT -5
'Fair enough,' or not, Emirate Xaaron would not have been swayed, if Rodimus Prime had dissented.
He goes through his radio records and reports, "Shockwave knows we have a Springer who is a Wrecker. He knows the old Wrecker frequency and may know the new Wrecker frequency. We can't be sure. He knows that I worked with the Wreckers and that I have the Wrecker frequency - I got Impactor blitzed one night, but really, it's not a very interesting story - and he knows my old personal frequency. He knows that Springer's Kup is... less than well but that our Kup is hale and hearty. He is aware that Springer and I met in an arena. He is aware of Ultra Magnus, his Ultra Magnus, evidently being here. That is the most pressing part, at the moment, but he may find ways to use the other parts against us. Oh, he has also heard of the Tyrest Accords now."
Emirate Xaaron withdraws one of his holocubes. He looks over at Springer ans says sharply, "Pay attention and don't ask questions. Specifically, don't ask where I got this or why I believe it to be factual."
He pauses a moment, staring hard into Springer's optics, trying to make sure that the Triple-Changer understands. Then, he turns on the holo-cube. It's just a quick scene of Springer, Hot Rod, Kup, Arcee, Wheelie, and an indistinct Blurr-colored blur being chased by Ultra Magnus and the rest of the Wreckers through a hallway, with some gunfighting between the two groups.
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Post by Springer on Jun 12, 2009 1:58:59 GMT -5
Xaaron handles the relay of what was spoken over the radio. "Hit and miss on the sensitivities of the bits of info there."
Then Xaaron gets sharp with Springer, and it causes him to lean back a bit in a faint recoil. "Uh, okay..." he says, nodding. The cube comes on, and the video plays, and Springer slowly head-tilts.
"...given the situtation, I'm going to assume that you believe that the Magnus in the video is the one from the radio?" he asks, sighing. "Apparently, he thought me enough of a criminal to come after me with the other Wreckers..."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 12, 2009 22:06:29 GMT -5
"Not just you," Rodimus adds, a faint smirk touching his lips. He crosses his arms and tilts his head forward. "In my reality, Ultra Magnus was one of my most trusted advisers. There, he's chasing after Hot Rod and just about every /other/ close friend or adviser I've had! Interesting, though, that /they/ make up Ultra Magnus's... and presumably Shockwave's... little 'criminal band.'"
He glances at Xaaron for the moment, considering the information that was compromised. Bad, some of it, but nothing crippling, at least. "The Tyrest Accords aren't /likely/ to do him much good, but who knows around here," Rodimus observes dryly.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 13, 2009 7:43:49 GMT -5
"This is security footage from Shockwave's reality. You know, the Shockwave who was so very pleased to hear from Ultra Magnus." Emirate Xaaron frowns, crosses his arms, and taps his foot.
He makes a mental note to ask Springer about the Tyrest Accords someday. Not now, however. They have more pressing matters.
"The thing is, we cannot allow Shockwave to gain control of Ultra Magnus. It sounded like Ultra Magnus had no love for Shockwave, over the radio, but Decepticons... have their ways. Rescue, clearly, would be the first option."
He leaves the second option unsaid - it is the first option in Emirate Xaaron's own book, truth be told. Put Ultra Magnus out of his misery, for misery it must be to once be an Autobot and be Autobot no more.
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Post by Springer on Jun 13, 2009 17:11:54 GMT -5
Springer can't help a small grin. "Eheh. Just pointing myself out since he only referred to me as a criminal, but that's because I was the only one of that group on the radio... Moving on, though..."
His attention turns to Xaaron, and his expression sours a bit. "Hnn." He gets where that's going. "Well then, we'll just have to make that first option work."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 13, 2009 21:30:07 GMT -5
Rodimus Prime gives a faint nod of his head as he crosses his arms. He has rather mixed feelings about the business. He misses his own Ultra Magnus, but... between Springer's words and that video, this Ultra Magnus is as apt to call him criminal as he did Springer.
"Well, while I'm certainly not above rushing headlong into a Decepticon base, that's probably not the preferred method here. We've got an Auto- well, a Maximal who's been inside, but he's probably not seen enough of it to help, except point out whatever exit he escaped through. But we also have someone who can get around unseen, and that's a bit more useful here."
Even if they're not actually using him to get inside the base.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 14, 2009 20:58:00 GMT -5
They also have an inside man, but Emirate Xaaron's not telling Springer that. A Wrecker he may be, but a Wrecker doesn't need to know about an Autobot who does not exist, except in the briefest of moments.
Emirate Xaaron comments, "Honestly, I think it would be easiest just to get most of the Decepticons out of their base for some reason before we think about sending a team in looking for Ultra Magnus." He does not say 'to rescue Ultra Magnus'. In his mind, this could easily be a team to quietly kill Ultra Magnus, is rescue is impossible. "I don't suppose they built their base on an active volcano that we could trigger... never such luck."
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Post by Springer on Jun 15, 2009 1:27:27 GMT -5
They could always teach Omega Supreme to Riverdance, then turn him loose on the base while lively Irish music plays!
Springer takes on a thoughtful pose. "Not seen the base myself, so my brainstorming options are limited," he says, turning to Xaaron. "That seems the best way to go about it. Divide and conquer and all that. Get some of our tougher combatants to play distraction, and get Mirage with one or two others to sneak in and rescue Magnus." Springer, unlike Xaaron is of the mind to attempt a rescue when he can. Given how things worked out on the radio, he's willing to give Magnus the benefit of the doubt.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 15, 2009 21:08:03 GMT -5
Rodimus keeps his arms crossed and radios to Emirate Xaaron only (using the Emirate's /new/ frequency, thanks), //Do we even need to get anyone inside? Considering we've already got someone there?//
Out loud he said, "Any sufficiently large raid near them should get their attention. There's got to be some of those power receipt stations nearby. All we have to do is show up there, start mining energon, and make ourselves really obvious about it, and we're bound to draw out several to stop us. Then we send a team in consisting of... I don't know, Rattrap, a couple of the other Maximals... if we can find anyone larger who's capable of some discretion, add them in, too." He jerks his head towards Springer. "Perhaps our Wrecker here."
"And then we send in the actual rescue agent. Or team."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 20, 2009 18:21:56 GMT -5
//We don't need to, but it might help. Take some heat off our inside man.//
Half of Emirate Xaaron's mouth curls up but only half. He cannot be said to be smiling. "Two distractions, and one actual thrust? We would be spread awfully thin."
He stalks about, pacing, hands folded behind his back. "Do we have anyone who can fake sonics?"
Apropos of nothing.
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Post by Springer on Jun 22, 2009 18:42:30 GMT -5
Springer smirks a bit himself. "We'd be spreading them thin as well, though. Draw 'em out to a power station or something, sneak in and tear up the ones staying behind enough to play a second distraction. Simple divide-and-conquer type thing." He then does a ponderous chin-stroke, thinking to himself. "Still, it is pretty risky. Wonder if it'd work to get the extraction party in position first, then do the distractions?"
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