|
Post by Mirage on May 15, 2009 22:10:58 GMT -5
"You keep going on about how others needed me, and faulting my reasoning, and yet, I've not heard a thing from anyone else about how I was so desperately needed. Nor have you given me true example, except to complain that I was not present for you to tap as a killer," Mirage counters, still keeping that neutral expression, though it's a bit of a struggle.
"I asked before I started off after Swerve and my double, and was granted permission. When the attack on base came, I was already far enough away that I could not return in time to aid anyone. If I had rejoined you all here, you would have sent me right back out again to do what I was already doing; spying on our enemies. I reported in when I could, gave what information I could. How can you fault me for taking the chance to save a life, a life you and Rodimus promised to protect- however tacitly- when you took in him and his Emirate?!?"
He cycles air, once, twice, suddenly realizing his voice had been rising along with his temper as he spoke. He offers, much more softly, "It is not that I valued him more than anyone else. It is that I value everyone equally. We are not tools to be used, or pawns to be moved about by greater hands. How can we claim to serve the greater good, if we are so quick to abandon the smaller virtues?"
Mirage shifts from angry to baffled as Xaaron makes his other point, "But...I asked before I took them below. I got the go ahead. They were allies, and there were too many enemies about. Are you saying I should not have even considered that? Why then, give me permission?" The spy really is almost as confused now as he was angry before. He has not been a soldier long enough to understand his mistake.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 16, 2009 15:14:25 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron points out, "They may not know what you can do. Also, you tend to be scarce, at best."
He starts, "Mirage, if you're told not to do something, it doesn't mean, "Ask if I can do it anyway, because I am so much more special than everyone else"! It means you shouldn't do it! Especially when you had other viable options available. So no, you shouldn't have even asked. You were given permission because we couldn't spare the manpower to stop you and you probably would have done it anyway if you were denied."
Emirate Xaaron feels so very frustrated with Mirage right now. How did Optimus Prime ever deal with Mirage? It was usually Optimus Prime who did, in Emirate Xaaron's reality. Mirage was always haughty and recalcitrant, but... Emirate Xaaron's optics widen, and his mouth forms a small 'o'. He reaches to grab Mirage by the wrist - not hard, and he says, "Oh. You're so young. You haven't been a soldier long at all."
The Mirage of which Emirate Xaaron knew was rather more experienced, and as such, if that Mirage was showing attitude, he'd blasted well heard the warnings a dozen times before. Maybe not so here.
"Mirage, your attitude is... not entirely acceptable in a wartime situation. It may have served you well as a civilian. However, you need to learn when to tone it down, or someone's going to get hurt - and even if that someone is you, it's not acceptable when it's avoidable with an attitude adjustment. You need to learn to play better with others, even those different than you are, and you need to learn to learn to look at solutions to your problems beyond the obvious and the easy, because they aren't always the best, tempting as they are."
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on May 16, 2009 16:35:32 GMT -5
"But...I was not told not to do it...," Mirage quietly counters, sounding even more confused- and consequently less sure of himself. He looks down at the hand suddenly grasping his wrist, lips pursed and brow furrowed. "I-no I haven't. What-?" What does that have to do with it? he thinks, as Xaaron continues to admonish him, albeit much more gently.
Can it really be that hard, make that much of a difference? How can that be? How can things like protecting one's own, keeping one's word be inappropriate in such a setting? To Mirage such virtues ought to be even more important. But he is young, as Xaaron says; Mirage's war experience is so limited. In truth, he has seen more actual combat here than he did at home. He was always held back, kept as the back alley skulker, sent to fetch intelligence at Sentinel's- or Prowl's- whims. Mirage did not mix with the others as much as he has here.
"I...am not sure I understand. Truth be told, I'm not sure I wish to," Mirage starts slowly, once Xaaron finishes. He makes no move to pull his hand away from Xaaron's grip. With his free hand, he rubs the back of his neck. "I am only myself; I act as I believe prudent, and I would never wish to put another into harm's way due to my actions. Quite the opposite."
"I could not just stand aside and leave him to death, or whatever that monster had planned for him. It wasn't the proper thing by your standards, or Kup's, or Rodimus's, or any of you who have been fighting so long, but it was the right thing to do. I won't apologize for it. I can't." He really can't. To do so would force him to let go of his principles, and Mirage just can't do that. Not yet.
Despite his words, though, it is an apologetic look the spy levels on his commander as he finishes, "If I did wrong, broke protocol as war defines it, then so be it. I will take whatever consequences you deem fit. I...am sorry," and he actually sounds it, "but that is all the compromise I can make and still stay true to myself."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 16, 2009 22:04:22 GMT -5
"Mirage, I'm not asking you compromise your morals." Emirate Xaaron is sure that Mirage can do that perfectly well on his own without any help from a tired old Autobot. "I'm asking you to not do everything yourself and neglect your other duties in the process. Someone else could have rescued Swerve. It's entirely possible that, given the unique scenario here, we had someone who was... aptly suited to the task."
Emirate Xaaron can think of a few. Wouldn't be hard for Counterpunch to make sure that the right lock went faulty at just the right time.
"But you took up that mission, and we could scarcely afford to reallocate anyone else."
Emirate Xaaron gazes up at Mirage, as if asking, Did you really think I'd leave Swerve behind enemy lines? Well. Emirate Xaaron would. But Rodimus Prime and Kup wouldn't. It would have been seen to somehow.
"Now then, I want you to teach the Dinobots stealth, in light of your... shaky team work skills." Also because Emirate Xaaron just thinks that ninja Dinobots would be excellent. "And because they really could do with learning to be a little less noisy." A pause. "All of the Dinobots, if you can find them, and they're willing. There is a third out there, from Optimus Prime's reality. He may have rejected the Autobots, but that is no reason to forget him. We will be departing this planet soon, after all, and leaving someone behind with little to no support may sit ill with some."
His expression not revealing whether or not he accounts himself in the 'some', he releases Mirage's hand.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on May 16, 2009 23:27:40 GMT -5
Mirage quirks a brow. As far as he is concerned, there wasn't anyone else capable of the job. Punch's position is too precarious of one, especially here, too risk him for one person. Mirage stays quiet on that thought though. He is smart enough to recognize the irony in such a thing. Besides, they would just be rehashing old arguments at this point. Neither of them will change their stance, though Mirage, perhaps, understands the Emirate's a bit better than he did.
As for what Xaaron might or might not have done? That is a matter for the golden mech's conscience, not Mirage's consideration.
And then Xaaron lays down his punishment.
"What?!?" Mirage sputters, "You want me to...but they...teach them...for the love of Primus Xaaron they have all the grace of a omega sentinel overcharged on Iaconian red label! You cannot possibly be serious?!??!"
"I'll patrol in the swamp, tote Rattrap about on my shoulders, be Swerve's punching bag, listen to Perceptor drone on and on about the minutia of circuit board designs, anything!"
Mirage looks like he might be ill, he is so upset at the thought of dealing with Dinobots in such close proximity. Wait until he realizes he may have also been given Bambi collection duty.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 17, 2009 13:19:13 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron's conscience is of no consequence. He hopes, sometimes, that when this is all over, he'll still have enough of a conscience to feel regret for what he's done, because he can't slow down long enough to feel the regret now. If he did slow down to grieve, he would have entirely different regrets on his hands as a result.
Other times, he forgets entirely.
Emirate Xaaron cannot help but smirk as Mirage sputters. Then, he asks coolly, "You're not up to the challenge? They say that you don't really know a subject unless you can teach it." Emirate Xaaron was an educator at one point. "Is your mastery incomplete? I shall keep those other options in mind for the future, however."
Besides, being Swerve's punching bag really isn't that bad for the punchee. Emirate Xaaron distinctly remembers Swerve braking his hand the last time he tried.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on May 18, 2009 11:40:14 GMT -5
"My skills are just fine, thank you very much," Mirage retorts, "But such things require more than mere skill. To be blunt, the have neither the build nor processor capacity to be able to learn such moves. They are great hulking idiots," he adds, no little amount of contempt in his tone.
"But since you seem bound and determined to make me old before my time, so be it. I'll put them through some paces and see if I can a least lessen the heaviness of their steps. No promises, however."
Something occurs then, and he tilts his head, optics narrowing at Xaaron, "Am I correct that you also want me to play "Fetch the Dawdling Dinobot" as well? Cannot someone else be sent on collection duty instead? My hands will be full enough."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 18, 2009 12:04:14 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron crosses his arms and drums his fingers along the side of his other arm, optics narrowing and mouth forming a thin frown. He explains, "These Dinobots are young. Only a few decades old. Not even a century. Not even a millennia. And four million is still young! They can still learn. They might take a bit of extra care and effort, but that is no reason to consider them hopeless. They can be made better than they are. Besides, even the largest and most graceless can be taught how to perform an ambush."
See, Mirage? This classist attitude is not going to fly, if Emirate Xaaron can do anything about it.
Then, he shrugs. "If you want to leave a man behind, alone, on an alien planet, in harm's way, just because he isn't an attractive, quavery little race car, I suppose I could see if someone else is up for the task, though the number who combine your speed, investigative talents, and knack for observation are, as you pointed out earlier, somewhat limited."
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on May 18, 2009 12:26:15 GMT -5
Xaaron is doing an excellent job of pushing Mirage's buttons. Mirage's temper can take time to flare, but flare it will, eventually. The spy's hands clench and unclench, and he is very clearly choking back words which would only get him in more trouble.
"Fine," he grinds out after several seconds, "Whatever you say, my dear Emirate. If the little Dinobot has not been located before long, I will make sure he is collected before we depart. Now, if you are through impugning my honour I believe I will go start determining the best way to teach a T-rex how to walk on crystals."
He turns sharply away, fully intending to stalk off, unless Xaaron stops him. Which, incidentally, Xaaron is more than welcome to do by any means he desires.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 18, 2009 12:33:38 GMT -5
That's why they pay Emirate Xaaron. To push buttons.
Except they don't pay Emirate Xaaron.
Luckily, he does it for free with glee.
Emirate Xaaron makes to no move to stop Mirage, but he does call out cheerily, "Good luck, Mirage. If this pans out well, perhaps I shall ask you to instruct the troops on formal etiquette?"
Just imagine... Kup. At a formal etiquette dinner. Or Swerve. Or Boondocker. Or the aforementioned Dinobots. Or Nightbeat. Or...
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on May 18, 2009 13:47:37 GMT -5
Mirage stops and stiffens at that parting shot, imagining just what Xaaron's meta suggests. Oh, Primus, but the Emirate is trying to break Mirage into little pieces, isn't he? Why can't Xaaron go find some some other mech to torment? Tracks, maybe...he's just as bad as Mirage!
"You know what I said about getting some more action, Xaaron?" Mirage says without looking back, "Take the advice. Because any mech so determined to screw with another is in terrible need of a good lay."
With that, Mirage transforms and peels down the road and out of thread.
OOC: Bye-Bye!
|
|