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Who: Rodimus Prime, Red Alert, Blurr |
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Office of Autobot Leader - <Decagon>
The reception desk in the lobby is occupied by a squat white and orange swirl colored analyst named DataPop. He is rather dense and oblivious, and there's a good chance he hasn't noticed you're here.
Beyond the lobby is an impressive library- collections of philosophy and political science from across the galaxy. The sitting area in the center of the library is where Rodimus can be found at all hours of the night, studying some ancient line of thinking from a different star system. There is a fireplace nearby, though the flames have a blue tint from burning energon. On the mantle there is a framed photograph of a young Hot Rod posing with the Witwicky family at Christmas. Inscribed on the frame is a question Optimus once posed to him: Why settle for a peak?
Towards the back, there is a glass door etched with the Autobot sigil leading to Prime's office. A long room overlooking Iacon, Rodimus actually has no desk, preferring to work on his feet. Holographic maps of various star systems and Cybertronian trouble spots drift through the room- for a "sense of perspective," according to Rodimus. There is a screen on the far wall used for taking video calls, though it's typically just streaming old episodes of Bassmasters.
Here in Rodimus' office, one of the most cunning and intelligent Autobots can be found working. No, Prowl isn't back from the dead. No, Jazz isn't here. Alright, damn.. it's Red Alert. Perhaps him and cunning or intelligent aren't often found in the same sentence together, let alone paragraph. But they should be.
The Security Director finishes the touches on his miniature movement detector, assembling the infra-red scanner and adjusting the barometer. Placing it in the picture frame, the touching one with the Witwicky's, Red Alert takes one last casual glance around the room before opening his commlink.
<Autobot> Red Alert has encrypted this channel.
<Autobot> Red Alert says, "Prime, I've finished sweeping your rooms for bugs and installing those extra security measures we agreed upon."
Rodimus Prime glances up at Red Alert from the couch at the center of the room, having spent most of his morning rereading 'Galaxy Quest: The Rise of the Galactic Assembly V1.' He taps his com to respond.
Datapop lumbers in and begins putting the piles of books Rod has scattered across the table and floor onto a cart. Rodimus closes the book and passes it to him. "I'd like to move on to general planet security, if you've got the time, Red."
<Autobot> Rodimus Prime says, "Thanks, Red. And as a reminder, I'm sitting right behind you."
Red Alert rushes across the room, holding a finger up to his mouth. "That was for show, to flush out spies." he whispers, closely inspecting Datapop with a careful optic. "How long have you known him?" he continues, shifting into altmode almost immediately.
Faint lights emit from his chassis, outward and up and down.
Someone must be following Red Alert.. suspiciously, because he folds down into his Lambourghini Countach Fire Department vehicle looking to book it!!
Combat: Fire Department Lambourghini Countach <Red Alert> initiates a radar sweep of the area.
<Autobot> Red Alert grumbles, "I knew that."
Rodimus Prime gives Red Alert a very serious nod of confirmation. "My apologies." He steps over the sudden car in his office and crosses to the mantle. "Datapop? Not long, but he came recommended by Ultra Magnus- top clerical ratings. And you're doing a top job, Datapop. Thank you." Datapop just nods politely and pushes the cart out of the room. "Red, I've got some serious concerns about Silas making another play on Cybertron. I don't believe for a second that we're safe while they're fighting Decepticons. The whole thing stinks like a ruse."
<<If you insist.>> Red Alert grumbles, transforming back into robot mode. "The sweep for bugs came up negative except..." his lips purse, about to say 'his own' but catches himself. "I should perform routine inspections of officer quarters, just to be on the safe side."
Adjusting the scanner on his wrist, the Intelligence agent steps across the room towards Rodimus. "You think? It's the perfect plan if you ask me! They annihilate our enemy, then if we don't fall in line? They do the same to us." he bites out, crossing his arms.
"There's obviously more than meets the eye here."
Faster than you can say 'Richard Nixon', Red Alert flips up into his robot mode.
Rodimus Prime shakes his head. "There's no 'if's' in this guy's playbook. No conditions where he allows Cybertron to survive unscathed. K'Gard insists that we're not enemies until that day comes, but he's not the guy pulling the strings."
"I'll admit, my reaches into the terran politics have been limited as of late. Mainly, I'd discounted them from ammounting to much resistance after the 'Cross' incident." Red Alert relaxes a bit, placing his hand on the mantle and leaning in. "I can redouble efforts on Cybertron security and get more boots on the ground Earthside, if that's what you're suggesting."
Quite suddenly, the door swishes open, and Blurr has arrived in the room in a streak of blue and white just as Red Alert finishes speaking. When he finally stops moving, there is a very brief moment where he appears slightly repulsed by Red Alert's presence, but it disappears quickly, and he smiles in greeting to both of them. "Rodimus. Red Alert." Then he moves on to the topic of conversation. "I know what you said in that meeting, but we aren't seriously considered working with those guys, are we? I mean, what were they thinking, trying to pitch something like that to us? 'Hey, team up with us, except, we're gonna betray you all at the end. But you're okay, with that, right?' Ha!"
Rodimus Prime gives Red Alert a nod. "Your my eyes and ears, Red. I'm counting on you." And then Blurr makes his grand entrance, immediately launching into a tirade. Vintage speedster. Rodimus gives him an amused look until he's finished and then pours a small glass of electroscotch. "Blurr, come on in." He waves off a miserable looking Datapop who had come in after their guest with a sign in sheet and takes a drink. "They weren't exactly offering the greatest bargain I've ever heard, no."
"Say no more." Red Alert replies to Rodimus, meaning it literally when the running security risk dashes through the door. He still hasn't made his postings, tsk tsk Red! Without asking, the Security Director steps across the room and pours his own glass of electroscotch. Sipping it, he takes a seat on the couch and leans forward, perching his elbows on his knees.
"What are you thinking, Rodimus? Better the devil you know?"
Blurr glances at Datapop briefly before Rodimus dismisses the office clerk. He moves over to the couch and sits down next to Red Alert. "That'd be putting it lightly." he comments on Rodimus' response to the nature of K'gard's 'bargain' if you could even call it that. "They just want to play us, you know. As if that wasn't obvious right from the start."
Rodimus Prime gives Blurr a nod. "It's obvious. Of course, the bargain wasn't the point of the meeting. I wanted a face to face conversation with K'Gard, get a sense of the man. Or at least, his hologram." Prime finishes his drink and sets the glass on the mantle. "Of course, sitting back and letting K'Gard's fleet rain pain and death on the Decepticons, while fairly satisfying, isn't the right call to make, either."
Almost immediately, Red Alert situates himself half an arm length away from Blurr. With his optic, he rechecks his personal bubble and is relieved to find it still intact. "Other than your gut feeling on this, did you garner anything else from the meeting with K'Gard?" he stops talking to take a long drink from the glass.
Blurr looks somewhat relieved at Rodimus' words, leaning back in his seat. He doesn't notice Red Alert's insistent protectiveness of his personal bubble. The speedster tilts his head to the side slightly at the Prime's comment on allowing K'gard to attack the Decepticons. "No? You think we should defend them, hoping that we'll be able to establish a temporary truce when with them it comes to defending Vector Sigma?" He's not necessarily against the idea.
"Only that the big picture is not the Galactic Assembly. That we're fighting against the genocidal urges of a lone mad man." Rodimus Prime picks his glass back up, only to tap it on the mantle a few times before putting it down. "Which is, in itself, almost disappointing." The word truce from Blurr earns a raised eyebrow. "Defending the Decepticons will only strengthen Silas's position. Assisting in their destruction brands us race traitors to the rest of Cybertron. This is a slippery slope, meant to distract us from the real issue: Silas. It begins and ends with Silas."
"Didn't think so." Blurr nods. "Yeah, you're probably right, but what are we going to do about it, if anything? If just sitting back and watching as K'gard lays waste to Decepticon outposts isn't the right decision, but defending them isn't a good idea either...and teaming up with K'gard and Silas is also out of the question..." he holds his hands out in an open-palmed shrug. "...that leaves us with, well, nothing. We either do nothing and let them duke it out, or we do something and interfere on behalf of either party. There's kinda no in-between, here. Unless you're thinking we'll just stick it out ourselves, and attack both sides?"
"Silas." Red Alert repeats Rodimus Prime's words, making several mental notes (besides his current conspiracy theories) to follow up on at a later date. "I'll see what I can dig up on him, Prime."
Following Blurr's speech, Red holds a hand up to his chin. "Unless, we consider clandestine operations for whichever action we undertake. We have a slew of operatives qualified for such endeavors, it would also still allow us public anonymity." he suggests, leaning back and rechecking his personal bubble. Yup, still there.
"Plausible deniability, in the case of capture as well."
"In the meantime, Blurr, we watch each other's backs. We take care of each other. And don't do anything someone could deem foolish." Rodimus grins. "Honestly, winning a few high profile races with a 'Save Cybertron' decal on your hood couldn't hurt."
"Right..." Blurr says, nodding. Of course, that doesn't answer the question of how they'll respond to this specific situation. Eh, typical Rodimus. "Guess so. Next time I'm on Velocitron or something, I'll make sure I'm wearing one." he replies, chuckling.
"Well said, Prime." Red Alert stands, finishing the glass of electroscotch in one giant gulp. Placing it on the table, he stretches. "I'll contact you later about arrangements, for now I have other offices to secure."
Rodimus Prime waves both 'Bots off, and heads for his office door. "Datapop, bring me the Franklin Cross files." The door shuts firmly behind him.