Redemption 3

Picking up a little after the lag bomb that killed the previous scene...

Flamediver almost hesitantly reaches a hand up and places it firmly, but gently on your shoulder as he looks at you earnestly, "Perhaps.. but then where would we be right now? Possibly in a bigger mess." He smiles slightly, his optics glittering, "And besides.. we now have a shot at turning right what once went wrong. To save ourselves, and some of us.." and frowns slightly, thinking of Cyclonus and Galvatron, "to save others. But in the end, we strive to save every last one of us. Our... memories can help us guide our actions as to what we have to do."

Rodimus smiles wearily. "I know. Don't worry about me; I haven't quite lost hope yet. But if I had the chance to live my life over? I'd take the revised edition over this one anyday."

Flamediver grins slightly, "You know.. I really wish I could say the same thing. But I've only had one life so far. I can only hope that it will be a good one. If this is to end it, and set things right in the process, then I think that I shall have lived a good life, however short."

You say, "I used to think the same thing, back when we were trapped in old Iacon, pinned down by Shockwave's troops.. there was no other life than the fight for survival. But I've seen a better one. I've lived it. I want that life back.. not just for me. For everyone. They deserve to really LIVE, not just survive. So do you." He sighs softly. "Nobody deserves to be put through what our Cybertron was."

Flamediver nods slightly, "No one will if we have anything to say or do about it, Rodimus." He takes his hand off your shoulder, looking around again, his face showing a hint of sadness, "It might have been nice to live without wondering around which corner a Primitive might show up." He gestures out to the whole expanse of land in every direction, "Might have even been nice to be able to.. explore, and know the planet of my birth. Of course, there are a lot of things that 'might' have been nice to have.." and trails off, not looking at you, byt facing the long stretch of road in front of him as his voice falls to nothing.

Rodimus says firmly, "You will. I promise you. If it kills me, if it destroys every fibre of my being, I will fix this." His face settles grimly, optics burning with intense determination, "I'll see this through to the end."

Flamediver turns to look at you again, smiling softly in his youthful hopefulness and enthusiasm, "Of course you will, Rodimus. As will the rest of us. After all, we're all in this for a reason.. to set things right. For me, in doing this, I will repay all of you for doing what you did. For...." He pauses, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, "For giving me life."

Rodimus' optics flash briefly. "If anything, we owe you, for bringing you into this mess."

Flamediver says quietly, "Personally, I feel lucky to even have lived at all."

Rodimus nods. "That's a good way to look at it," he says a bit distantly, looking out across the distant highways unerringly in the direction of the not-quite-visible Iacon.



Central Hallway - New Iacon Base Contents: Outrun, Whiz, Kaleidoscope

Whiz is standing beside Outrun, talking with her about Cybertron.

Outrun mmhmms, glancing around the room again, watching a few Autobots stroll by.

Kaleidoscope stands, quietly, a ways from the other two, watching with her usual silence...

Rodimus slips in as inobtrusively as possible, nodding quietly to any who happen to notice him.

Outrun asks quietly, "Would I have been an Autobot or a Decepticon?" With the inflection of her tone, it suggests that neither is also a possibility in her view.

Whiz doesn't even have to think. "You would have been an Autobot."

Rodimus mutters to himself, "... us..."

You mutter to yourself, "Some of us were."

Outrun seems a little curious about the suddenness of the response. "Really? I mean," she pauses, "not belonging to neither?" She absorbs the war machine comment with a slight nod. "Oh..."

Outrun glances away from Whiz and in doing so notes Rodimus. "Rodimus!" she calls out brightly, jogging over with a sudden burst of animation.

Whiz says, "There is a difference in philosophy, caused in great part by the character of Decepticon leaders. As opposed to Autobot ones..." Whiz breaks off and glances up at Rodimus.

Rodimus cracks a weary smile. "Hello, Outrun.." he inclines his head briefly to Whiz.

Rodimus asks in some wry amusement, "You were about to say about me?"

Outrun stops in front of Rodimus, folding her hands in front of her and looking up. "How are you?" she inquires, seemingly oblivious to Whiz's lecture.

Whiz says with a slight shrug, "Your philosophy of leadership differed from that of Galvatron."

Rodimus smirks at Whiz, then back down to Outrun, "I'm fine. Been a long day, that's all." His tone hardens at the edges somewhat as he lifts his voice to include the rest of the room. "We know the virus is already spreading. Our focus is going to have to change. To find an antivirus."

Whiz says, "One of the infected Primitives has been captured. Pak-Gor will be able to scan him with our equipment shortly, since the technology of this time has not detected any significant anomalies.""

Rodimus nods. "Good... who is it?"

Whiz says, "Designation is Legend."

Rodimus frowns a bit. "I was talking to him this afternoon."

Whiz says, "He has reportedly infected Swoop. Swoop is holed up in Autobot City, and his condition wavers."

Outrun shrinks a step closer to Rodimus as the news of infected Primitives comes out.

Rodimus places his hands gently on Outrun's shoulders in an almost reflexive action, still looking across at Whiz. "Strafe and I had discussed going to Quintessa."

Whiz says, "I fail to see what that will accomplish. If the Quintessons are responsible, their part in the plan was performed already. If they had a cure, it stands to reason that they would have used it on the Sharkticons when they rebelled."

Whiz says, "Unless, for some reason, that cure was lost in the intervening period."

Whiz ponders.

You say, "But we may be able to get the required information from their labs. Just because they couldn't make a cure now doesn't mean that we couldn't develop one given our research techniques."

Outrun offers semi-timidly, "It couldn't hurt to investigate.."

Whiz says, "It could hurt if you are destroyed in the process. According to security reports, the Quintessons have been sacked quite recently. They could be prepared for invasion."

Whiz says, "However, if that is your decided course of action, I will be of whatever assistance I may."

Outrun ohs kind of disappointedly. . o (The Quintessons don't help us in this time, either...)

Rodimus shakes his head. "Nothing's decided yet, Whiz; it was just a suggestion. One I think may be worth following through on if we can't get the information we need from examining Legend."

Whiz says, "That is true. They moved our past bodies to the laboratory at Autobot Headqurters so that Pak-Gor and I can use this repair bay for our investigations."

Rodimus frowns slightly. He mutters to himself, "... then.."

You sense "Rodimus frowns slightly. "That explains the shift, then..""

Whiz says, "Guards have been posted to protect them from harm, and the information is being kept restricted."

Outrun looks from Whiz up to Rodimus. . o (Headquarters... I wonder what everyone looked like, before the war...)

Outrun amends her thought. . o (Well, the rebellion...)

Rodimus says a bit oddly, "Good.."

Whiz hesitates slightly. "I helped to carry your body. It is safe."

Outrun tries not to too-obviously sneak a look at the access tunnel to Autobot Headquarters.

Whiz says, "But the proximity to my own was too much to take. I couldn't even stay on my feet."

Rodimus nods slowly, making no pretense of his own uneasy look toward the tunnel. "That could be bad, if we were forced into close quarters... how are you now?"

Whiz says, "I am fine now. Being in the hallway outside the laboratory was uncomfortable, but being in the same room was painful."

Whiz shrugs slightly. "I believe the pain could be overcome, if necessary."

Rodimus frowns, on the verge of saying something, then keeps it to himself.

Whiz assesses his expression. "I have been working on a forcefield that might dampen the effects further. If it works, you will be able to remain in the same room."

Whiz adds, "If you so desire."

Rodimus says quietly, "I don't think it would help, but if you think it's worth a try..."

Whiz's face melts a bit. "I have told you already, there is nothing I can do to block... that."

You say, "I know."

Outrun's mouth opens, once, then shuts, wide optics looking between Whiz and Rodimus, unable to voice her inquiry as to what 'that' is. He shifts a little beside Rodimus.

Rodimus steels himself. "I'll survive."

Whiz's face softens into compassion. "We have survived this long."

Rodimus nods, silent for several moments before murmuring softly, optics fixed on the tunnel, "It's just odd, the feeling that half of yourself is out there..." His tone turns almost bitter. "And I can't answer it."

Whiz says, "You probably can. The operative question is whether you should."

Rodimus winces. "No, I can't. I shouldn't.. I can't. It's the same thing."

Whiz shakes her head slightly. "You know that I can't understand."

You say, "I don't expect you to. But it's not mine to take."

Whiz says, "Logically, you are him. He cannot use it while he is in stasis lock. If it is calling to you, perhaps it calls for a reason."

Rodimus wavers. "It wouldn't be right."

Whiz says, "The only complication I see, aside from moral ones, is that we are unsure what will happen to us when we change the time stream. If you disappear, the Matrix could possibly disappear with you.""

Whiz explains that as if it happens every day.

Rodimus tightens his jaw. "But it's moot anyway, because I won't do it."

Whiz says, "It is a personal decision, of course."

You say, "Whiz, just shut up, okay?"

Whiz ices over immediately.

Whiz says, "I apologize for the over-analysis. I should have known it would be uncomfortable."

Rodimus tightens a fist and focuses down on it. "Uncomfortable doesn't begin to describe it..."

Whiz says, "Further explanation will do more harm than good. I'm sorry will have to suffice."

Rodimus glances up puzzledly. "Further explanation? Of what?"

Whiz says, "Of my reasoning."

Whiz sighs slightly. "Or lack of."

Rodimus smirks. "Like I ever tried to understand you."

Whiz gives Rodimus a puzzled look. "No. You never did."

Whiz says, "I have work to do on that forcefield. Excuse me."

You say, "Wait, I didn't mean it that way--" he sighs, "Nevermind. I'll be in.. my old quarters."

Whiz nods slightly and proceeds to her old lab. "As will I."

Whiz is whisked away north on a people-mover into the Main Commissary.