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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2023 1:41:16 GMT
Characters Appearing: Optimus Prime, open to Autobots/GHOST Location (s): Central Command room Timeline: Roughly a week after the jail break Plot Summary: Optimus attempts to know more about the jail break, but finds much more that may require change…
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2023 2:03:13 GMT
It was late into the night, by now bordering on early morning hours.
Central Command was quiet, generally not in operation during these late hours. A skeletal crew was often kept for surveillance, guarding, and security elsewhere around the base while the cybertronian end of this room was usually quiet and empty. Except for that particular night. The red and blue Prime had been unable to get his mind off the security break resulting in a massive jail break, only some prisoners had been captured and others remained at large. In particular were Starscream and Soundwave among them, bringing much to question of how it had happened. Optimus got several reports, but he wanted to know for himself the extent of what had occurred, moving to the main console to begin logging into the GHOST system and bringing up footage of that day.
Four screens soon became occupied with the footage of various cameras, showing the entire scenario from differing angles. Optimus stood, rubbing his chin as he observed and thought, mentally cataloging everything and making plans in his processor. Once he had watched the footage enough times to feel satisfied, the mech returned to the system to make personal copies so he could write down a list later regarding who was at large once more. But as the Prime worked, he couldn’t help but take notice of a differing part of the network, one that seemed keenly locked away from those who would never have noticed it.
Having a trained eye from his archivist days, curiosity got the better of the Autobot leader.
It was rare he felt compelled to dig into things he was not involved in or might be private. But given that the files seemed completely isolated to an entire section of their own in GHOST’s system, Optimus couldn’t help wanting to do a little investigative work, fingers typing away and having to create a work around a password protected encryption. His skills were a bit rusty to say the least, but after several minutes Optimus was able to find a weak link in the firewall, pushing through into the isolated network. Curious…video and audio files populated much of the server, records kept of each prisoner and meticulously cataloged. Raising a metallic brow, Optimus opened the first regarding a Decepticon he was not familiar with, curiosity turning to shock and disgust when the recording revealed harsh manners of keeping them under control. Exiting from it, Optimus repeated this process on a few other captive Decepticons, feeling sick to his fueling tank at the “control methods” used on their prisoners. Some of the logs were from agents, and many by the head agent Croft herself, sickened even more at her disregard for cybertronian life. He might as well have been listening to Mandroid as the Terrans had described the crazed scientist that captured them some months previously.
‘This is not what we agreed upon.’ The Prime thought bitterly, more so at realizing he had inadvertently broke the promise he had made to the Decepticon leader. He had promised Megatron confinement was only necessary while they tried to help the rogue Cons who refused to change. The agreement with Croft had been an aim for rehabilitation not tortured control! It infuriated Optimus visibly, so much so he failed to notice his fingers had dug into the delicate circuitry of the keyboard until he felt small shocks to his hand that brought him back to reality.
Pulling his hands back immediately, the Prime cast his cerulean optics to the control panel, observing the bit of damage he had caused as he rubbed his hands that were tingling from the shocks. “What has this deal caused?” Optimus asked himself aloud, not expecting an exact answer. But he knew the answer, disgust filling his spark for not going on his gut. Him and Croft rarely saw optic to eye, more than having their heated debates and arguments. But this…this is something else entirely. Optimus was fuming, fuming for not being more adamant of Cybertronian involvement to finding a better solution, for not trying to find a better method.
“Perhaps it is time I tried a different method…”
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Post by Skyfire on Jun 5, 2023 22:36:45 GMT
Skyfire knew that at some point, questions would be asked by Optimus about his knowledge and involvement in the breakout. He knew that the Prime would come to ask him how he'd been able to respond so quickly, and why he'd been so laser-focused on Starscream, on Nightshroud, and on Soundwave. Not to mention the fact that he'd suggested consigning Starscream to long-term or permanent stasis not so long before in his talk with Ratchet. Optimus was good at collating data, and it would take someone far less able than their leader to conclude that Skyfire had known a great deal about the jailbreak and not made a wide report. He also had a vague idea what was being done to the Decepticons under GHOST's authority - and that his suggestion, as barbaric as it was, could be seen as a kindness. So, he decided to nip the problem in the bud and address Optimus directly. A locator ping told him that Prime was in the command center, so that's where he went. He approached the leader quietly, walking up. He looked at the data on the screens, a mechanical eyebrow raised, his expression showing cold fascination.
He heard Prime talking about a 'different method', and fixed his optics on the other bot's face. "It is possible that the only effective method is to treat them in the same way they would have treated us, had you not destroyed the Space Bridge and forced their surrender."
There was no remorse in Skyfire's tone, none of the usual sadness or regret for having been forced into violence. Instead, his tone was determined, and would probably remind Prime of the first time that the large bot had determined the need to fight. He set himself to it as completely as he did to science; fighting a total war against an enemy who refused to surrender and make peace had caused him to reach some deeply disturbing conclusions. Primary among them was that the old phrase from the Covenant, "'Til all are One", could only be achieved when all Sparks had returned to the Matrix, and not a moment sooner. That was a terrifying thought for most Autobots, as it meant the war hadn't ended when they said it did. Instead, this was a standoff, a reduction in scale from great world-shattering campaigns to small skirmishes. The inevitable result of Skyfire's calculation was the extinction of their species.
Still, there were the Terrans. Their sparks were new, forged from the Matrix and the Earth. They were a source of hope for so many, but to Skyfire they were just a sad reminder of the sacrifices they might have to make in the times to come to reach the only stable end state.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2023 7:10:09 GMT
"I got your report Skyfire, and I will tell you as I would have had I had a chance prior to this...No."
Optimus began some of his work to repair the minor damage done to the console, figuring it was the least he could do when his usually well-kept together emotions had slipped through the cracks. He had only paused briefly when he got the feeling he was no longer alone, turning his head just enough to catch sight of the familiar bulky red and white shuttle approaching him. His tone was firm and decisive. Without looking up immediately he continued, "You are not the first to come to me with such a suggestion, before these arrangements and after, and my decision will not change. We will not resort to old methods that got us into this mess. Part of it that is."
Finishing the finer work, the Prime brushed his hands off before fully facing the shuttle, a serious look in his optics. "I get your reasoning Skyfire, I truly do. Do not think for a moment I have never pondered the logic of turning to such methods, but only if it became absolutely necessary. The last thing I want is for us to become the Senate once again." The mech sighed softly, knowing Skyfire meant well, and his reasons were not unwarranted. For all the blunder Starscream could do, he could be equally dangerous and unpredictable. Now that he was out, and partnered with Soundwave of all mechs, it was a precarious situation.
Though, there was a bigger elephant in the room to address on that note...
"But while we are here, perhaps you can explain yourself. Your...response to the situation in question was far quicker than I would have ever expected. I would expect that attention to be given by someone like Prowl and Bluestreak, or our top security." Optimus observed the scientist carefully, his tone not accusatory, but curious and searching. He knew Skyfire's and Starscream's history together to an extent, and had noted the shuttle seemed hyperfocused as of late on the seeker once again. Old feelings they once had perhaps? Genuine concern hidden behind cold logic? Whatever the case, Optimus needed answers. "Such reactions would be praised normally, of which I can understand. But tell me the truth Skyfire, did you know this was a possibility?"
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Post by Skyfire on Jul 8, 2023 9:49:38 GMT
Skyfire allowed Optimus to speak, hoping for the wisdom of the Primes to guide them as it once had. He'd respected Optimus as a commander almost immediately when he was reactivated. After all, no bot would have taken the risks he did if they didn't respect the one giving the order. There was no order Prime would give that he wouldn't follow himself; that meant there was always power behind the orders he gave. Still, there was cause for dissent now, one that the cold calculus of Skyfire's logic circuits seemed fixed on.
But, he was not going to lie about this. Let Prime be angry at him if that was the leader's decision. Of course he'd known. Hell, he'd been the cause for Nightshroud to move the timeline up.
"Yes. I knew exact details. Clematis' sister Nightshroud, and Starscream have some form of spark bond. I attempted to disabuse her of any notion of Starscream's 'loyalty' to her. I remain certain that he is using her for his own ends. I was attempting to bring Clematis and Nightshroud into some form of an accord - their separation was caused by Starscream. He dropped those bombs, with Thundercracker and Skywarp on his wings. It was his action, and she's too warped by her overactive protoform emotion circuitry to recognize it; and recognize that he will never feel remorse for that."
There was a deep and abiding bitterness in Skyfire's tone now. The trust of millions of years which had been broken in just a few days, thirty years past. It still stung him like the shot had been fired just the cycle before. "I'd hoped that she would see reason. The moment I found out what her intent was, I tried to stop her - with words, not combat. I failed in doing so. Ratchet refused the single action which would have prevented it when I brought my concern to him."
His optics met Optimus' directly. His emotion chip had never had much priority in interrupting his positronic net or his logic circuits based on his construction. Millions of years buried on Earth, in the ice, had not helped. "I did what I could in order to try and reunite a family driven apart by the Great War. I failed in that. I tried to prevent Starscream and Soundwave from escaping. I failed in that as well, because the collateral damage would have been too severe. I will not fail to find them."
Skyfire had been built for a purpose - to seek out new Energon, new worlds for their civilization; to go where no Autobot had gone before. He'd followed that purpose to this world, where he'd crashed. He never begrudged Starscream for that; he'd crashed, what could Starscream have done in that moment? And now having identified for certain that it was a transwarp pulse, there was absolutely nothing which a wingman could do, except return and report the incident. By the time a rescue to this miserable iceball could be mounted, Megatron had started the War. And so the shuttle had missed the millions of years of conflict and he'd missed most of the dissent against the Senate. In some ways, talking to him was like talking to a time-traveler; he'd just taken the slow route.
"Starscream will never surrender. As long as his Spark holds a charge, he will fight. It is his nature. He has determined that this course of action is the one best suited to his survival. Once his determination relay has thrown, there's nothing anyone can do. He will need Energon - and he's the second best scout of our race. Soundwave is an unparalleled expert at sectioning and cubing. They will seek energy, and they will attempt to seize it. I will make certain that they fail at that."
That might catch Optimus' audio receptor. Sectioning was what you did to raw Energon. But, there were no raw Energon crystals in this whole system - at least, not to common knowledge. Whatever the scientist knew, it was something he'd managed to keep secret - except that he indicated Starscream would know as well. Skyfire wasn't the best at guile, and little clues like that might give away everything. That, along with the way he'd gone quiet and focused on "research" that had drawn him across the globe, often focusing on the site of the destroyed Space Bridge and his former resting place at the North Pole, might give Optimus reason for suspicion about the shuttlebot's actions and thoughts.
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