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Post by Samuel 'Spike' Witwicky on Jan 31, 2024 19:52:53 GMT
Characters Appearing: Spike, Optimus Prime Location (s): Optimus' office, Autobot City Timeline: Before Event Thread 1 Plot Summary: Spike has heard dark rumors about G.H.O.S.T.'s activity, and has decided to be more hands-on.
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Post by Samuel 'Spike' Witwicky on Jan 31, 2024 20:11:46 GMT
It was a fairly uneventful ride, up from Washington to the new location of Autobot City in rural Pennsylvania. The only thing that made it remotely interesting was that it was the first time in a while that Spike had used the vehicle mode of his exo-suit (or really, had used it for anything but being the most impressive guy in the room. He'd been able to secure a great deal of above-board funding for the organization to help Prime, Bumblebee, and all their friends; and he made sure that the rest of the government gave the Autobots a wide berth. He'd even heard that Bumblebee was out of the secret mission.
When he got there, he transformed the suit and opened the helmet so that he could look around and talk to anybody that he saw. It was always amazing when he walked into Autobot City, realizing that everything around him was part of one giant Autobot. It helped that Metroplex was a pretty nice guy to boot. Still, Spike was here for a reason, and he headed to where Optimus had an office here, away from the human authorities. It bothered him a little bit, the idea of the Autobots pulling away like that - but his immediate thought was that it was the humans who were probably in the wrong. He knew his own species was full of duplicitous and flawed people, men and women who made the worst of Megatron's actions leading the Decepticons feel a lot easier to forgive.
He walked in, and with a smile, extended a mechanized hand to Prime (and due to the original piecemeal nature of the suit when his dad had built it as Autobot X, that hand had originally belonged to Prime) for a handshake. "Optimus, it's been a while. How're you? How's Elita?"
He was starting with pleasantries in an effort to defuse what they both knew would be a serious and tense conversation. They were friends on the same side, so there was no good reason for the tension Spike felt. That didn't change that he did feel it, and wanted to start off on a positive tone.
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Post by Optimus Prime on Feb 1, 2024 23:14:13 GMT
Optimus sat in his office looking over his notes. Looked like the construction of Skyfire's prison was going well and The Task force was coming together nicely too. But GHOST was still out there. Working on something...
He was interrupted by an old friend. Optimus broke out into a big smile when he saw who it was.
"Spike Witwicky! It is good to see you again." Optimus said happily, "Elita is doing well. How is Carly?"
"So what are you doing here?" Optimus asked, "I doubt you came by just to say hello."
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Post by Samuel 'Spike' Witwicky on Feb 2, 2024 18:15:41 GMT
Spike couldn't help but smile with Prime - the man was a natural-built leader, and always had been. Prime's joy was infectious; but so were his more serious moods. It was a good feature to have as a leader, and Spike had tried to have the same impact, to mixed results. "It's great to see you too, Prime - and really, all of Autobot City. Carly's doing great - she and Chip are working with the Smithsonian at the moment. I think they're going to be opening some kind of an exhibit about Cybertron. It'll be nice to see what they come up with. I know one of the Autobots is working with them - I'd love to see a reconstruction of Iacon before the War."
His expression hardened about the reason for his visit. Indeed, it wasn't just a social call. "Yeah, it's not just a social call, and I'm planning on staying around for a while. I've been hearing things in DC - and I know a lot more of it is being kept under wraps. Increased Decepticon attacks, a breakout at the jail, and people asking if you're trying to break away from G.H.O.S.T., after we did so much to set it up. Some of the people who deal with the research side have been getting squirrely too; asking about how sure we are that Megatron won't go back to being a conqueror. All that adds up to me being very worried, for everyone's sake."
He looked the old bot in the eyes. "What's really going on around here, Optimus?"
For all that Spike had grown up, he hadn't really changed. He supported his friends, and would do anything they needed to help make things better. It had gotten him into trouble before, but he wasn't going to stop any time soon regardless.
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Post by Optimus Prime on Feb 12, 2024 2:04:21 GMT
Optimus normally probably wouldn't be so open about this but it was Spike. He had earned their trust by now. More than earned it actually.
"Things are reaching a boiling point Spike. It's becoming apparent G.H.O.S.T. has some shady dealings. They've been torturing prisoners."
"Yes I am preparing to break away from them but it has to be done correctly. I don't want the humans to think we're starting something."
"I actually have a friend, Duke. Working on a new project. A replacement for G.H.O.S.T. but he doesn't know when/if it will be ready..."
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Post by Samuel 'Spike' Witwicky on Feb 16, 2024 3:36:46 GMT
It took a great deal of effort for Spike not to express his horror at what he was hearing from Optimus about G.H.O.S.T.'s actions. Torturing prisoners was something the Decepticons did (and he knew it). He wouldn't accept that from an organization he'd spent time and energy to put together. The anger on his face was clear. "Optimus, I didn't know - you know I won't take that sitting down. We fought too hard for this peace, and I refuse to let monsters like that ruin what we built. I hate asking like this, but I need proof - something I can throw in peoples' faces. We need to fix this."
He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. This was everything he'd feared, everything that he'd believed had been hidden from him. His hands tightened at his sides as he thought, expressing his anger. "I've heard of Duke. I have a marker I can call in with General Hawk - maybe we should put them in the same room. And while you do that, I'll deal with those jerks at G.H.O.S.T. soon. They won't have a penny to their names until I know for sure that they're doing the right thing. Even if you pull back... we'll need Autobots there to help me make this right. Elita, Jazz, Ironhide, Bumblebee, maybe some of the others. We need to make it right."
The look of determination on Spike's face was ironclad. "We all have to live here, we don't have another world. It's worth fighting for. I refuse to let it go without a fight."
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Post by Optimus Prime on Feb 17, 2024 18:46:47 GMT
It warmed Optimus's heart to see Spike so determined.
He may be older but he was still the same kid with a big heart they had first met all those years ago.
"Glad to hear it Spike." Optimus nodded, "I'll send over what evidence I have to you. Just be careful who you show it too. We don't want to rush things before we're ready."
"As for General Hawk if you could get him on our side I would appreciate it."
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Post by Samuel 'Spike' Witwicky on Feb 24, 2024 18:47:55 GMT
Spike nodded at Prime with a smile. Anything that could make sure the peace between humans and Autobots. General Hawk was one more person who believed in the same goals. "I'll call him. I'm sure Hawk is already on our side, he just might not know it yet."
Prime giving him evidence would definitely help. He didn't want to hurt G.H.O.S.T., he wanted to fix it. This was their best hope - to work together and bring humanity and the Autobots into a single society - 'til all are one, as the old saying went. "No kidding. I won't start a war, I promise. I'm just going to make sure that the people who aren't aligned with us know that they aren't welcome in G.H.O.S.T., and never have been. And I'm going to be watching exactly where the money's going."
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Post by Optimus Prime on Feb 26, 2024 3:03:19 GMT
Optimus nodded, "Glad to hear it Spike. You've always proven we can trust you."
"Anything else to report?"
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