[Open][Video; At the edge of the Haven, slight static]

[megaton]

[So he'd made it. He'd made it, he was alive, and he was still here. He could see the distant temples from the mountain he stood on, some ancient and run-down building in ruins behind him. Despite the dilapidation, there is a very new 'STARSCREAM FOR OVERSEER' poster tacked onto the wall within his view...the perfect place for a high-flying, far-ranging jet to test out non-permanent adhesives without anyone noticing.]

So.

[He begins by reaching out, aiming, and completely blasting the wall and accompanying poster.]

Is there anyone who actually intends to vote for Starscream?

Comments

[sword_redemption]

A Decepticon as they became. Is that what you really want?

[megaton]

No.

But I do not know enough about this committee to pass judgement. Who else is on it?

[sword_redemption]

That's probably part of the problem. Half the law committee disappears or resigns.

[And now he's wondering: it never did strike him that of all mechs, Ultra Magnus would succumb to the Call. Maybe something a bit more sinister happened.]

Right now, they can't even apparently decide that killing is illegal.

[megaton]

Off to the badlands?

[It was what his alternate had told him. Death almost seemed common here, which did take the edge off of his experience. Somewhat.]

From what I hear, the dead don't seem to stay dead long. Given that I'm standing here, I'm inclined to believe that.

However, your committee could use some incentive.

[sword_redemption]

....possibly.

[At this point he's not going to speak unless he has absolute evidence. Badlands, or possibly worse.]

Not all the dead have returned, you'll notice. It's not a guaranteed thing.

[He knows more about returning from the dead than he feels quite comfortable sharing.]

It's not my committee. [But there's a certain tension in his voice. It's not his committee, but it is Wing's. And Megatron had better not push too far.]

[megaton]

Then if it is not so cut-and-dry, there's something else they're lacking. Direction. Leadership, maybe.

Surely you have some thoughts on the path they ought to take?

[He hears that tension, and is curious.]

[sword_redemption]

I think the pressure of leadership is what breaks them.

[Blurr had stepped down, his brightness damped, Ultra Magnus also. He's worried enough for Wing already.]

My thoughts aren't important. There's too much opinion and not enough compromise.

[That's his opinion in a nutshell.]

All I know is before we set up laws we need to have some ways to effectively enforce them.

[megaton]

Something that is not the police force?

Maybe you and I are in agreement about this. From what I have been hearing, the needs of the populace are not being met. I've been told about fear--of the badlands and of one's neighbors.

No one seems to know what they want, or how to get there.

There's no concentrated effort to leave, and no concentrated effort to stay.

[sword_redemption]

N-not necessarily. It's just you can't have rules--where there are people intent n breaking those rules--unless you have a way of getting them to respect authority.

[He sounds really uncomfortable as he says this, because it's probably something Zeta Prime would have agreed with.]

Some of us don't, uh, necessarily want to leave.

[megaton]

I see what you are saying. The illusion of barriers we set--police, military, security--is no illusion here. Everyone knows precisely what they can get away with.

[It told him that he could probably get away with a little bit, too.]

What will you do if you stay?