re_alignment | [ VIDEO ]

Entry tags:

!event: glyphless

[ VIDEO ]

[ Have an extremely pissy looking red and yellow robot. He's got a pretty impressive scowl at the moment, and points directly at the video feed accusingly. He's still standing in the junk pile, his armor a bit scratched up from his landing. Not his most pristine moment and he's pretty aware of it. ]

Hey, what's up with all this? Do you know who I am? I'm Rodimus! Rodimus Prime! You can't just take me away from my crew without my permission and dump me in a heap of garbage. This is kidnapping.

[ His optics narrow and he crosses his arms. ]

I'll give whoever is responsible one chance to come forward and tell me where I am or else there's going to be bigger problems.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[breathlessly anticipatory] ...What did he say?

Oh, reassuring. Old fashioned, but reassuring.

That they are Glyphless. Like the monsters that attacked you all sometime ago, it seems. The Calling that occurred was for reinforcements. The unmarked are those reinforcements. Vector Prime stated that they will eventually go insane and attack us. That we should kill them first.

And you've considered that this could be their attempt to panic us into killing things they can't control, to keep the things they can control as their safe possessions.

[either way, though, he's tipping Vandal.]

Possibly. Or they are paranoid themselves. Or some other agenda.

Either way, there is no evidence thus far to support such a claim. I plan to gather more information from the other Firstforged.

I suspect you understand how sensitive this information is?

You're right about that. If they were really unbalanced we'd see some sign in talking to them. You'd notice. You notice everything. [pause] You've probably even noticed that I notice everything, too.

...There's just one person I want to let know. Everybody else can deal with finding out the hard way.

It's important to pay attention.

Who?

...Vandal. I'll swear her to secrecy. She's good at keeping secrets, just look at her. Walking secret.

I don't want to cause a mass panic, Magnus. That's counter to both our goals.

I suppose it would be important for her to know. We've been down two medics, down to two. By that route, I suppose Ambulon ought to know. [Pharma does not count.]

I figured that you would comprehend that. I don't trust you, but I can trust your motivation.

...Yeah. That's--yeah, that was my thought. Exactly. Medics.

[coughvent]

You don't trust me? You're smarter than they say.

...And what reason do you have to tell her?

I hardly need your mockery or false flattery.

She's... [he pauses. The truth is a conflict of interest, and he has no ready falsehood. Obliquely;] Sometimes turbulence is easier to take if you've got forewarning on the weather you're flying into.

I'm serious. Your reputation undersells you. I'm used to Prowl.

You feel the need to warn her?

Hm. A reputation is only that and irrelevant to me. I'm used to rumors. [And to Prowl.]

Do I have your okay or do I have to beg?

Taking down Overlord is going to bump your cred, if anybody has any sense.

You do. Your motive is what is curious, but I don't need to know it.

...I wasn't alone when I did.

Thanks. [mumbles] Your thing about the medics, it's not a bad line of reasoning, but it's-... it's, okay, y...is ...she deserves it. That's all.

Do they have to know that? Can you tell a lie?

You two are close.

I would not lie. I don't conceal facts.

[He isn't... Prowl.]

...Look, I don't know what it is. I'm not usually this [weak] ...this inclined to organics.

So, omit some facts. "Overlord caused trouble and was apprehended."

She seems unique, to have so many concerned for her well-being.

To what point would there to this political play, Starscream? I never seek to benefit for myself.

...who else is there?

[snorts] What benefits you benefits order, doesn't it? Even you need a breather, and if word of your little capture there reaches, say, Swindle, and makes him think twice about doing something...

I noticed that she is close to Wing and Drift. She was very upset about Perceptor and First Aid.

Swindle knows. And he knows to watch his step. [Even if Swindle did... well, swindle him.]

Hmn. Two of them are out of commission--obviously--but that's not a bad first line of defense.

You don't like politics, do you.

Defense.

Is there a reason I should enjoy over complicated statements meant to confuse and herd masses of individuals, lies, and half-truths? I take no joy in it or its manipulations. I was there when the Senate was in power, and seeing how Cybertron was becoming, I could not stay for several reasons. Being unwanted was just one of them.

Come on. You know how fragile humans are, you spent time on Earth. Right?

[gently amused]

That's why you need me. And people like me. I remember the Senate in power, too.

I didn't presume that was her primary motivation is all.

So you can lie for me. And when the time comes that such lies are unraveled, what will you do, Starscream, as you reflect what the Senate was rather than opposing it?

Actually. I'd put money that her primary motivation is kind of the opposite, but whether she knows it or not, she's making good friends. [beat] Mostly.

Magnus, Magnus. Plenty of things are black and white--and in your position, it's good to be uncompromising. Mechs need to trust you. But just because you refuse to use a weapon doesn't mean everyone else will, too, and unless you have people like me, people like them will trample your straightforward, noble chassis into the ground.

[ VIDEO ]

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