The Only Way Home

Impactor is on the Ark's bridge, having called Rodimus for a brief chat. His hand dances across the control panel, turning off Teletraan One's audio receptors for the next ten minutes.

Rodimus Prime isn't long in arriving. The other Autobots are more or less collectively gathered outside, where Wheeljack is giving them the lowdown on how to use their new hydrofoil extensions properly so that they can safely make the water-journey to Dinobot Island in a few hours. There's been checks, more checks and even more checks made and it looks like everything is as good to go as it's going to get. "Alright Impactor, what's up?" Rodimus asks, coming to stop in that usual spot that Optimus stands in just in front of Teletran's console when trouble is afoot.

Impactor glances left and right, briefly scanning to see that they are alone. It's eerie seeing the Ark's bridge so empty--even in the future (present?) there's usually more than a few Autobots milling about on duty. Everyone's too busy getting ready to pack up and leave for Dinobot Island. Now that Prime is here, he doesn't beat about the bush. "Prime, we need to tell the Autobots about what happens to them in the future."

Rodimus Prime straightens up at those few words, his mouth opening a bit as if to respond at first, but then he too is looking off to one side, towards the entrance. But sure enough, no other Autobots are here, and even Teletran One shows on the external security camera that they're all going through their trial instruction as Ratchet and Wheeljack put them through their paces on the new equipment. "Impactor..." Rodimus starts as he looks back towards the wrecker. "...what's with this all of a sudden?"

Impactor folds his arms, leaning back against Teletraan One's control panel. He's careful not to actually press any buttons by accident. "Been thinking about it for a while. We've been working with these Autobots for long enough for me to realize that these guys are genuine heroes. They don't deserve what ends up happening to them, and the Autobot cause is better off if they're still on our side. I think the threat of temporal damage is minimal. Had a chat with some of our Autobots. Couple humans, too. They ain't too sure about it, but me? I'm sure. They need to be told."

"Of course they're genuine heroes." Rodimus answers at that, frowning a bit. "All of them are, not just those who..." Another pause, another almost paranoid glance to the side, but it's still safe and nothing has changed. "...who won't live through what's going to happen. But how do we -know- the threat of temporal damage is minimal, Impactor? Yes things appear messed up already, but we don't have all the information yet. We don't know what we're dealing with, and we still can't risk causing more damage than has already been done. Look..." He places one hand on his own chestplate, "Don't you think I want nothing more to have been able to prevent their deaths? To be able to have Wheeljack back with us? Ironhide? Ratchet? Brawn?" He pauses, his frown growing deeper, "...have it that Optimus never died? But what do we risk happening if we mess up things as they're supposed to happen? Think about it. We only stopped Unicron through a fortuitous series of events that had a bunch of us in the right place at the right time. I think back on it now and it was an incredibly delicate balance of events that brought us to where we stood at that point. How would things turn out if we change that? We might be looking at the total destruction of Cybertron itself, or even the Earth. Is that what we want to risk?" Rodimus sighs and crosses his arms over his chest, looking towards the floor, "Would Optimus be okay with us taking that risk?"

Impactor frowns, shifting his weight from one foot to another. He knew he wasn't going to enjoy this conversation. "I ain't saying you don't want to save them. I *know* you want to save them. But we're being overly cautious here. The timeline is already way different, and nothing bad happened." That we know of. Maybe we'll get back to the present and Lord Chumley will be the President of the World. "Giving them this information won't change anything."

"Not only that, but given that none of us remember this sort of thing happening, it looks like we've got one of them alternate reality deals. If so, then we're safe. They'll only know what *might* happen, and they can use that information to make things better."

Impactor thinks for a while on the idea that Unicron might have wiped out Cybertron were it not for all the flukes that took place. After a moment, though, he shakes his head. "Maybe Cybertron would be destroyed. It's a risk. But Unicron ate more than just a few moons. Lithone. Onderon. Duxn. How many other civilizations got wiped out by Unicron? With this information, Optimus Prime could attack Unicron early, use the Matrix--or get your younger self to do it--and kill him before he gets the chance to demolish anymore worlds. Possible it'll backfire and they'll lose Cybertron, but risking death to destroy our enemies is why I joined up with this outfit to begin with."

"As for Earth..." he waves his hand dismissively, "no reason Unicron would go after it next. Heck, with the war we're fighting, Earth could -still- get destroyed. This info would let the Autobots stop the Decepticons that much easier. Primus knows, I'm sure the Decepticons are already plotting to use this to their advantage. Imagine Megatron waking up, knowing everything about the future, and our Autobots being at a disadvantage because we kept them in the dark."

Impactor doesn't answer the question about whether Optimus would be happy with them. He never met the mech, and knows him only by reputation. He suspects he'd side with Rodimus, though.

"But we don't -know- if this is an alternate reality, Impactor." Rodimus' voice comes a bit more forced, as if letting some of his frustration boil loose. "We just don't know. We don't have expertise in this sort of stuff. Maybe something in the time travelling shields us from being affected and as soon as we go back we'd just remember all the new things as if it was normal or...who knows? I don't. Sure we've got theories, we've got guesses, but we don't know for certain." Turning in place, Rodimus starts to pace a bit, hands folding behind his back as he walks back and forth. "There's so much hanging in the balance here as it is. Sure, maybe if Optimus knew about Unicron earlier he could do something about it, or maybe Unicron will get wind of it and start to act sooner. He already knew things that took place without even being there. And as for the Decepticons...I can't claim to know what they're going to do, but I -do- know that if Cyclonus wants to preserve the creation of himself, Galvatron and Scourge and the sweeps, it's in his best interest to make sure events like the Battle of Autobot City still happen the way they're supposed to." Rodimus finally stops pacing, long enough to glare back towards the entrance. "It's...I don't know Impactor. It's -too soon- yet. Before I make ANY kind of decision along those lines, we need more information. We've got to find out what's up with this Quintesson business, and we've got to find Optimus and get him back in one piece. After that, maybe I can feel better about making a more...informed decision."

"Hmph. Rather we made the call now," Impactor says, though it's more to himself than to Rodimus. He figured he'd get his answer one way or another, and then he could make his own decision about what to do with it. Instead he'll have to wait to see if he has to make his move or not. Impactor paces back and forth, glancing up occasionally at the Ark's surroundings. In a few minutes Teletraan One's audio receptors will come back online, so they'll need to wrap this up before then.

Finally, "Alright, Prime. We'll wait. Once it comes time to make the decision, just ask yourself if this galaxy would really be worse off without them." Impactor has lost many mechs before--infamously so, even. But each time it happens, it doesn't hurt any less. "Every time you look at Ratchet or Ironhide... or even Prowl, remember what's going to happen to them, and remember what they could be doing for us in the present."

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it, Impactor." Rodimus shakes his head slowly, turning and making his way away from Teletran one's console at a slow walk, though he does turn to look back over his shoulder, "I -want- them back, but I have to weigh this carefully. It's too big of a decision for me to act without knowing as much as possible first. Who knows," He gives a faintly bitter smile, "...maybe we won't even be -able- to find a way to get back to our time and we'll all be stuck here for good. Guess it'd be pretty moot about what they know and don't know by then, right?" Leaving it on that thought, the young Prime sighs and turns to make his way out once more, heavy footfalls echoing on the metal floor of the Ark's hallway as he goes.

Impactor watches Rodimus go. He's only partly satisfied with the discussion. Once Rodimus has left, he turns back to Teletraan. The computer's audio receptors have switched back on. "Teletraan One, this is Sergeant Impactor, stationed on Malachor. Accept security credentials and acknowledge." Impactor reaches up, opening a small panel on his forehead. He draws out a data slug he has downloaded information to. It's incomplete--Impactor's knowledge of what happened in the past four million years isn't perfect.

After glancing at the Autobot insignia on it, he pushes it into Teletraan One's data drive. "Download all information. Encrypt. Code Phase: The Only Way Home." Finally, he adds, "Wipe the transcripts of this conversation." If he has to, he'll give the past Autobots the code phrase and let the past decide what to do with it. 2033 TP