Standing In Twilight

The Prime's reception room is large and well maintained if not extravagant. In addition to the standard large atrium, which may pack as much firepower in Iacon as anywhere except the main cannons, there's also a large waiting room, complete with energon coolers and little cups. Rodimus' personal sentry, or possibly assistant, Datapop is sitting at his reception desk looking rather vigilant, when the elevator doors open, allowing your access. The squat mech eyes the elevator for a moment, then dispassionately returns to his filing duties, at least until you get closer.

Shiftlock takes a look around the room, walking slowly, head turning in nearly all directions to take it in. It's a matter of habit of course; she leans towards hypervigilance, and knowing where everything's placed is the first step towards safety.

She doesn't bother with the waiting room or the niceties. She's not that patient. Striding up to Datapop's desk, she taps her finger on it to get his attention. "I'm here to see the Boss. He in?" she asks.

Datapop raises up a turbonewspaper when you get close, as if just there to ignore your approach to him disdainfully. He does indeed disregard your approach, until you move to mar his desk with your tapping, no matter how gentle or polite it was. His paper crumples, only then does Datapop fold down the paper and huff indignantly. "Now see here!" He folds the paper aside, moving into scowling mode, or 'Kup mode' as it is generally called. Datapop wags a finger, "I don't know who you are, but I DO know you don't have an appointment!"

Matter of factly, he sits upright in his chair, "And that means you sit in the waiting room UNTIL CALLED FOR." His words have a sense of absolute authority to them, the power of bureaucracy in the hands of petty tyrants.

Still, he seems most adamant about you waiting in the waiting room!

"Mech, I asked you a simple question," Shiftlock replies, now putting both hands on the desk and leaning forward. "And since you declined to be decent enough to give me an answer, I'm going to extrapolate that yes, the Boss is in, 'cause you wouldn't be here givin' me the Ultra Magnus Book-Keeping Runaround if he wasn't."

"So," she continues, with a decidedly toothy grin, "You're gonna get on the comlink here on your desk, an' you're gonna tell him that Shiftlock wants to have a moment of his time, if he ain't busy." She looks at the desk, and then swipes a mug off it, standing back up and holding it precariously. "Don't make me take more of your desk hostage. I'll do it."

 Datapop says "I'm going to need security at the OAL in Iacon."

 Shiftlock says, "Oh come on!"

 Rodimus Prime says, "What?  Hold on, what's wrong, Datapop?"

 Shiftlock says, "I can't even talk to the Boss without this scrap?"

 Rodimus Prime says, "Cancel that request."

 Shiftlock says, "So much for visibility, transparency and bein' part of the troops!"

 Datapop humphs.

 Rodimus Prime says, "Easy now..."

 Shiftlock vents a little sigh. "I just... y'know. Had somethin' I needed to talk t' you about. If you're not busy an' all."

 Arcee says, "Shiftlock, if you're angry about the whole situation in Marble Valley -- I'm, uh...really sorry about that. Working on a report now. We did our best."

 Shiftlock says, ".... what."

 Shiftlock says, "What situation?!"

 Arcee says, "You'll know about it when I post the report, because apparently we all had to get emergency evac'ed out of there and no one was able to report."

 Punch says, "...*Punch's comm disconnects*"

 Hot Spot says, "A large number portion of the valley population was neutralized last night, Shiftlock. But don't worry- just believe in yourself and you'll be able to process the news emotionally."

 Shiftlock says, "Oh. My. Primus."

Rodimus Prime appears from the waiting room, not even in his office. Datapop actually doubletakes seeing the Prime out of his expected position. Rodimus approaches with his hands up in a pacifying gesture. "Easy everyone. We're all on the same side here." He looks towards Shiftlock for a moment, the words already expressed over the security channels as he approaches. Rodimus examines you for a moment, then nods once. "Alright, you've got something on your mind." He gestures towards the big double doors that lead into his library.

He looks back to Datapop, then raises a finger to you, a 'one moment' gesture. A few choice words in a low tone are spoken to the assistant, and within a few moments, Rodimus follows you into the library, hitting a button to close the door mechanically.

He judges you for a moment, "You're from Crystal City, aren't you? One of the Sentinels who joined us." It takes him a moment, but he does say your name a moment later, "Shiftlock. It's good to meet you. What can I do for you?"

<Autobot> Hot Spot says, "I want you to be the best Shiftlock you can be right now, and bury this rage down deep."

<Autobot> Shiftlock says, "... Nnggghhrrrr."

<Autobot> Hot Spot says, "Put it in a small box and never let it out. I call this 'the puzzle box.' I find that not dealing with emotions in this matter makes me a more efficient Autobot!"

<Autobot> Rodimus Prime says, "Intel, is Punch on an Operation currently?  I don't like the sound of that static."

<Autobot> Hot Spot says, "The box, of course, is metaphorical."

<Autobot> Shiftlock says something incredibly profane and goes off comms.

Shiftlock releases the hostage (cup) after the conversation on the comms, and does her utmost very best to bottle up her need to explode, to release it later at an appropriate time - say, on the battlefield. Now is not the time. Her transformation plates are clamped down tightly and her engine is cycling high, a little rev of frustration kicking up before she makes herself relax.

Inside the library she turns around, folding her arms as Rodimus gives her a look over, possibly for identification's sake. "Yeah, one of the last ones still alive," she adds. It's still a sour point with her, but she blames the Decepticons almost entirely for that now. "I haven't been an Autobot long," she begins. "You know that, I think. So here's the reason I decided I needed to have a little chitty-chat with you:" She's incredibly informal. "Ever since I got here, I've been educated, re-educated and re-re-educated on what the Autobots are all about, an' I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting about five opinions between every three 'Bots." She unfolds her arms and puts her hands on her hips. "It's a little hard for me to get behind this group when half of them are preachin' "killing in the name of the greater good" while the other half are tellin' me I need to help little ol' Terran ladies across the street."

Rodimus Prime turns to sit in one of the large reading chairs as you start to vent. He silently motions to another one near you. He raises his hands up before his face, listening to your concern silently. Rodimus stays silent a few moments longer, ensuring you've said your piece, then raises his head. His optics seem as keen and observant as those that describe him say.

"What do *you* feel the Autobots need to be, Shiftlock?" His tone is low and cool. He starts to speak again before you answer, "There are some things that divide us. It's always been like that. I've done enough research into the leaders of the past to know that there's always so many viewpoints about what needs to be done. Some feel more strongly about making restitution to those brutalized by our war. Others feel the need to focus on the Decepticons themselves."

Rodimus Prime clasps his hands together onto his knees, "What this has all come down to is that we will never all agree on many things, but don't let that confuse you, Shiftlock. We live in a place where we can debate those things. One thing we all have in common is the want and desire to be free from tyranny. That is something we have all agreed upon. Some may be more cynical about it than others, but it is what binds us. So, I'll ask you again. 'What do you feel the Autobots need to be?' "

Arcee has arrived.

There's the quiet footfalls of someone entering the library...

"Anyone home?"

It's an interesting question and one that hasn't been posited to Shiftlock before. She's always been *told* what an Autobot was from everyone from Ultra Magnus down to Tailgate, and the mix of personalities, attitudes and ethics have rubbed off on her. Every last Autobot she's come in contact with could find their ideological fingerprints on her mind.

Hands off her hips, she begins to pace as she thinks it over, processing the question carefully; restlessness is part of her nature and she expresses it through movement in one way or another. "Stronger," she starts off. "More effective. Less disorganized. More teamwork, less internal sniping and conflict." Her words are picking up steam as her steps come a little quicker. "Every time I go into battle there's next to nothing in the way of direction from command, it's a mess; everyone's doing their own thing and we are barely holding the line. When the Marble Valley settlement was first attacked there was no plan, no one giving orders - so I stepped in. I just *started giving orders* because I wasn't about to let a bunch of innocent civilians suffer like the Kowentides did. They lost a leader and we came out looking like a bunch of incompetents; when I got to the settlement and spoke with Chieftain Rend they were already talking like depending on us was a fool's errand." She stops mid-pace, turns around and looks directly at Rodimus. "I put everything I had into saving Rend, because they needed that leadership, and I'm extremely grateful to everyone that helped. I know I couldn't have done it by myself, but I'm still haunted by every villager we lost, and I can't call it a victory. They lost their homes and their way of life. I did my best to round up supplies I could from other contacts I have in neutral cities, but if this keeps up...."

It all pours out; frustration, guilt, and the burden of taking on the role of a Protector - the role that Punch helped her figure out as the missing piece of the puzzle in her origins. "If it were me calling the shots - and I'm not saying I want to - I'd say it's time to get serious. There are civilians out there dying every day, and we're both sword and shield in their defense. We're being pushed hard by the Cons and they are winning, not just in battles but in public relations. We have to push back, or there won't be freedom for any of us."

She takes a deep vent, not yet noticing Arcee come in. Her tone softens. "But we can't do it by using Decepticon tactics. The moment we start doing anything it takes to win is the moment *they* win, because at that point we might as well be wearing purple badges and shouting hail Galvatron too. We need justice AND mercy."

That outpouring of emotion stops Rodimus cold. At first he simply nodded in agreement, but by the middle of Shiftlock's outburst, he becomes unreadable. his mouth a thin line on his face. Without even looking aside, "I'm here, Arcee, but I need a moment...unless." He gestures towards Shiftlock then Arcee, silently asking her permission for the addition. Either way he retorts, his hands clasping onto his knees. "The hard part about being Autobots is that despite all of our eons of warfare. There's a lot of us who would rather do anything but fight to the death again. I can't fault them...for not taking the lead that is required at times. In fact, the lack of much High Command presence on the field is more to blame than anything else."

Rodimus continues, his tone more sincere, "We are stretched thin, Shiftlock. Magnus has taken control of operations on Earth. Fortress Maximus has been running on empty for months now, trying to keep logistics secure and functional." He waves a hand dismissively, "These things aren't excuses, they're facts. Your instincts are dead on. You saw chaos, and you stepped up to deal with it." He nods softly, acknowledging Arcee as he does, silently motioning to a chair for her as well if she wishes. "These horrible assaults of late were what forced me to return to Cybertron, and you are right. We do need leaders in the field. We need organized forces to lead our counterassault." He leans in closer, his tone growing harder, "And I am personally going to blunt this resurgence of hostilities...and I am going to punish those responsible. We're going to liberate Nova Cronum, and send them running back to Darkmount. To do that I need people who are willing to give the orders nobody wants to give."

Arcee isn't particularly good at putting on 'fake airs'. If she's feeling something, it's pretty apparent on her features without her having to say a single word. Her expression is cheerful when she comes around the corner, because she hasn't seen Rodimus in a long time. But when she sees Shiftlock there...well, that's an instant smile-killer. That expression's gone before it even had a chance. "If you're here to complain, do it to ME," she says to Shiftlock. "I led everyone out there, and we didn't get there in time, okay? They were killing settlers before we even had a chance to open fire. We saved who we could. We did what we could. I'm sorry it wasn't enough."

She isn't yelling, but there's an edge to Arcee's voice that suggests she's been prepping for this Shiftlock encounter since the previous night.

Shiftlock finally notices Arcee there when she speaks up, a little surprised to see the other boss (and she has a lot of them at her rank) come in right at the end of her stream-of-consciousness quest to find the heart of the Autobot cause, and where she fits within its machinery.

She answers Arcee first, holding up her hands at chest height. "Hey, hey," she replies, trying to mollify the other femme. "I'm not here complaining about you. I haven't even had a chance to read your report yet. You've been doing this longer than I have and I know you did everything you could to help. You're my superior, Arcee; I may ask you what you're thinkin' and challenge you if I think your morals are slippin', but I don't talk smack about my bosses behind their backs. It ain't right. If anything you should be riding *my* aft for not doing a better job the first time around." She has no problem with Arcee being there; after all, Arcee outranks her, and thanks to being instructed by the more military minded Bots first, she thinks very much like a soldier. She nods to Rodimus. "Yeah, she can come kick my muffler in if she wants." An good natured, skew grin crosses her lips.

She taps her chin, thinking more about the information Rodimus just gave her that she was missing. Having that information means she can actually DO something. She HATES waiting, and any job, even if it's scrubbing down an airfield with Air Raid on punishment detail is better than nothing. "Low supplies, stretched thin, hmmm..." She lets that sit a moment, already getting ideas. "Neutrals. We need more help from the neutrals," she murmurs to herself. When did this become a planning session for factional tactics?!

Springer's talk of her being a possible wrecker recruit comes to mind as well. "Orders no one wants to give, or orders no wants to receive?" she asks.

Rodimus Prime raises his hands as Arcee and Shiftlock could possibly takeover the conversation, however things come to a head much better than expected. The Prime muses to himself in thought that perhaps he's been working with the Dinobots too long.

Soon the conversation comes back to him, Rodimus gives Arcee a knowing look, "Either." His response is bland but fitting. "An order given can lead to a death. Some orders always lead to death, despite our best efforts. There's a level of trust there that can be incredibly hard to maintain. But onto the previous subject, it is because of the Neutrals that we are stretched thin. Yes, we have failed to protect the Jungles, and that is unacceptable. However we have stations and firebases in many other areas. I'll tell you this much. For every tragic incident like this, fifteen raids or skirmishes are repelled. It doesn't excuse the times we have failed." Pain enters his voice for a moment, "But it shows us that our efforts are not in vain. Most Neutrals are accomplished enough to fight the wildlife here, and to thrive in their own ways, but the Decepticons have always been more than a match for them. We are stretched thin, because we are and have always been their defense. Don't think too poorly of our situation, Shiftlock. I can personally attest that some of the best nets are the ones that need to be rigid and taut in order to be their strongest."

Arcee seems to calm down a bit. She gives Shiftlock an apologetic look, glances over at Rodimus for a moment, then nods. "We are doing good out there, it just feels like backpedaling sometimes, especially right in the middle of it. When Blurr was Intel CO, we had a network of ops far and wide. I've been trying to maintain it as best I can, and although having sympathizers in every important locale definitely helps us learn more, it's still not enough to solve every problem."

Shiftlock has been quietly assessing Rodimus the whole time, engaging him, testing him in her own way; he's very right about that level of trust, and it's why she had to see him. She can see 'genuine' written across his words, hearing echoing out of his voice. The pain is real and its something she can see in herself. Matrix or not, there's something of a kindred spark in this mech, and it puts her at ease. He's suffered as she has. He's been bent, but never broken.

"Becoming an Autobot was the hardest thing I've ever done," she says, folding her arms again, engine idling down to a neutral, as she shutters her optics and vents a puff of internal heat. "Three million years and I never picked a side. I thought that picking a side would make me a part of the war I hated, I resented, for ravaging my planet and my home. When the Decepticons invaded, it wasn't just about my city anymore, I couldn't just hole up and wait for everything to blow over. I looked around and I saw mechs and fembots that couldn't fight for themselves. So I made the hard choice to step up and fight for them, no matter what I had to give up to do it."

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, I hear that a lot, but the only way sentient beings can have that freedom is if someone is willing to sacrifice their own. I don't get to go where I want, do what I want anymore. I'm bound to this badge," she says, gesturing to the red face on her torso. "My fate is no longer my own. I can accept that, because of who and what I was. I'm never gonna be one hundred percent Autobot - I'll always be partially neutral. I'm standing between two worlds, and sometimes, being in that twilight lets me see both the light and the shadow."

"Don't resent them for not fighting for themselves - please. They're the seeds of a future finally free of war, and if we win... we're all going to BE them some day."

Rodimus Prime responds quietly, "Well said. Sacrifice IS what we do here. The mechs and femmes here have taken up arms, and put aside their own wants, and nobody who ever leads them can forget that, or suddenly there won't be a difference between us and them." He adds, "I hope you're at peace with your decision, Shiftlock. It's a hard one to make, the hardest. But we all know that not every Bot is frontline material. If you think you are a better asset elsewhere..." He motions to Arcee, "You let your commander know, and maybe we can make it happen."

His eyes light up a hair as a thought strikes him, "In fact..." He looks again to Arcee, "Perhaps you can have some insight into the operations in Tarn."

"Hm?" Arcee looked a little bit lost in her thoughts, and she glances at Rodimus blankly. Then, she looks saddened for some inexplicable reason, her gaze going to the floor for a moment before looking back toward Shiftlock. "Tarn's a risky assignment for any operative. I'll be honest with you, the last good operative we had in Tarn was killed in action. It isn't that there's fighting in the streets, or anything like that. Outwardly, all is pretty peaceful on an average day. But Decepticons frequent Tarn, no doubt fortifying the Decepticon ops with what they need to spread propaganda and unrest. So it's an active spot, for sure."

"Accepting your fate isn't the same thing as agreeing with it or liking it," Shiftlock muses as she takes out one of her side pistols. Opening the clip, she shakes a single unspent bullet out into the palm of her hand, before snapping the gun closed and re-holstering it.

She walks over to Rodimus, standing in front of him. "Trust is not something I give quickly, and authority is not something I submit to easily." If he does not resist her, she gently takes his hand, and places the bullet in it, closing his fingers over it. She smiles. "Before any of this, I was an Empty. A defective, useless waste of life. Now, I have a chance to change all that."

"This bullet is my life. I'm putting it in your hands. Spend me where you think I will do the most good, and I will do my all to fly straight and true wherever you point me." She steps back, looking at Arcee. "You two want me there? I'm there."

Rodimus Prime closes his hand over the bullet. It was a painful gesture, but it meant a lot to Shiftlock, and he needed to respect that. "You're forgetting one thing, Shiftlock." He squeezes his hand about the bullet a bit more, careful not to rend it, "On the field, you're always going to be more than a weapon. If you're going to see yourself symbolically, be the lasercore for your team, not a bullet. A bullet is expendable, and is forgotten the moment it hits its target. A lasercore keeps energon pumping, and gives life. Just because we have weapons, does not mean that is all that we are."

He nods softly, "I'll discuss with Jazz about counter-insurgency soon, we'll get our plans together, and then." A determined growl enters his voice, "We're going to take this all the way to Galvatron's doorstep."