AUDIO; location - Vector Prime's Temple

[thehardway]

I was debriefed on the situation at hand. I will say this: temporal displacement is specifically against all laws known to me. However, since this was ... an accident and not due in part to any present individuals that I know of, it seems that this is an issue I'll have to let go of.

That aside, I do have other pressing matters at hand.

I am Ultra Magnus, second in command of the Lost Light and agent of the Tyrest Accord. Rodimus, if you are present, respond.

Any other members of the Lost Light should report to me immediately.

If there's anyone else who feels they need to give me additional information, I will accept.

Ultra Magnus, out.

Comments

[Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Yeah. How's that feel, Fort Max? You can't even do that right.

[Oh, was that supposed to hurt? Puh-leez.]

[Voice]

[warborn]

[no, this is]

You think you know me? You think the time we shared in the psychologist's office did something, that since we're both damaged you got the right to speak to me like that?

[Fortress Maximus has a limit. and Whirl's reached it.]

You're nothing, Whirl. You wouldn't have lasted a day in Garrus, front line or behind the bars. No, I take that back. You'd be one of the scum who threw away their loyalties, who decided to join the madness, be sport for those damn 'Cons instead of sticking with their mechs. You're a traitor waiting for an opportunity, and you know what?

I think Springer was more than a mercy kill.

I think you just wanted to watch him die.

[it's the sort of logic that just builds off itself, the sort you don't understand until you're saying the words, and they just keep coming, and you can't stop them and you don't want to stop them]

I know your kind, Whirl. I know you're not worthy of that badge, Optimus Prime's 'forgiveness' or not. You're a damn dirty Decepticon at spark, and nothing will ever change that.

Re: [Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

[He laughs.]

You want to act all high and mighty about your former job, huh? You wanna act all superior because you're so fraggin' civilized with the spark extraction. Or, you know, Arcee. Let her go, but let's put a little crushy crushy button on her.

That's totally way more 'civilized' than me and Springer. At least I respected Springer.

Yeah. I'm the 'Decepticon'. Because that's the worst name you can come up with.

[Pathetic.]

Or what about what you did to Impactor, huh? Totally better. Make 'im suffer. Because he showed that what we do ain't pretty. He showed the whole fraggin' lie to all of it. Can't have that, huh?

I wanna watch Springer die? Sure. But you? You wanted to watch Impactor suffer. Day after day. Year after year. Got off on the power, didn't you? No spark extraction for him. That's too nice for the mech who went 'too far'.

You're right; we're different.

You wanna know how?

[He'll lean into the camera.] Unlike you, I looked at what happened to me, what I did?

And I.

didn't break.

[Voice]

[thehardway]

That is enough, from both of you.

Whirl, you will report to me immediately.

Maximus, I will see to you when I am brought up to date.

Yes, those are orders.

[Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Uh yeah.

Guess what? Might want to run you Galactic Council creds in front of the First Forged before you start slingin' power like that.

And I already reported. [Scroll down your thingie there.]

[Voice]

[thehardway]

You will report to me in person.

The ship might not be here, but the crew is. Outside of the regulations of our crew, that is determined by forces outside of the Accord. [Which he will. Try not to grumble about.]

[Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Or else what?

[Let's settle this right here, shall we?]

[Voice]

[thehardway]

One more chance, Whirl. That was the agreement.

That stays.

Re: [Voice]

[rungout]

If I might interject...Whirl perhaps it's for the best that you listen to what Ultra Magnus has to say on this matter.

[At least for now. Because Rung does know Whirl is right; any previous authority doesn't seem to apply all that much here in this new Cybertron but...this is Ultra Magnus.]

[Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

No.

You know, you're all about how damaged I am? Look at him, going after me because I don't want to kiss his fraggin' Tyrest Accord aft.

Someone's got power issues and it ain't me.

[Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

[Oh wow, wrong button.]

No.

You wanna know why? Rules were I was to behave, ya know, not kill anyone.

Not that I obey every stupid whim you have. [He's not that afraid of jail, not here where he's pretty sure he can bust out faster than you can say 'hostile to authority.]

Cause, where's it gonna end? Whirl, come over here. Whirl, polish my footplates. Whirl, put on this tiny cheerleader skirt that shows your aft off really well. [Admit it, you've looked.]

Ain't nothin' I got to report that can't be done over comm. You wanna make something of me not wanting to be in your august presence? Talk to Rung.

[Voice]

[thehardway]

I will not tolerate this, Whirl.

And you know I will not.

I don't need to speak to your psychiatrist to keep you in line.

[Voice]

[warborn]

You think punishment is suffering? You're worried about me keeping those pieces of scrap metal holed up in there? You didn't see them loose! You didn't see the slaughter that followed, you weren't fed to them like some ene-

[it's about that time that Magnus's voice cuts through. Fort Max emits a single snarl before terminating the feed]

Re: [Voice]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

[Yeah because it would probably suck to have Whirl reply that the reason those prisoners were so brutal when they were freed was probably directly connected to how they were treated under....uh...wow...Fortress Maximus's tenure.]

[Voice - locked] as requested~

[ichooseboth]

[Well, Magnus certainly handled that before he could get involved, thankfully, but Optimus was still...concerned. Given what little information he'd gotten out of Fort Max before... He pinged him back.

Repeatedly.]

[Voice - locked] heh

[warborn]

[it takes more than one ping for Max to respond, but when he does, it's not with words. all he does is send a return ping, acknowledging and establishing a connection.

yeah, he's listening.]

[Voice - locked]

[ichooseboth]

[...So that's how it is going to be, Max?

He sends a request-ping in return.

Location?]

[Voice - locked]

[warborn]

[he almost gives it out of routine - this is the /Prime/ asking, of course, the head commander of the Autobots - but manages to stop himself just in time.

...he'll have to explain, won't he.]

Bad time.

[Voice - locked]

[ichooseboth]

Then I'll make it quick.

[NOPE sorry Max. He repeats the location-query ping.]

[Voice - locked]

[warborn]

Can't it wait?

[please?]

[Voice : Private]

[rungout]

[Unaware that another is attempting contact as well and despite the fear dwelling inthe back of his mind born out of a bad situation all around, Rung attempts to contact Fort Max himself, pinging the other, hoping that he'll respond.

Because, like with Whirl, Rung does worry.]

feel free to pester him until he responds

[warborn]

[unlike with Optimus, Rung doesn't get a pingback. possibly Max doesn't recognize the signal, possibly he doesn't care about it -

could be any number of things, really]

Oh Rung plans on it.

[rungout]

[The therapist wasn't that easy to throw off, Rung really havin nothing else to do so why not just keep pinging. And pinging. And pinging some more.]

bwahaha also still locked/voice

[warborn]

[hey, look, persistence is rewarded.

albeit by an unpleasant /snarl/]

What.

locked/voice

[rungout]

[It takes everything Rung has not to cut the line just because angry Fort Max brings back bad memories. But..]

...Hello Fortress Maximus.