Talking to Alpha

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First Aid Hot Spot Streetwise NPC Alpha
First Aid (fa) pages Hot Spot and Hot Spot: Comm from First Aid "Hey, are you free? Would you like to meet one of the other mechs with the encrypted pings?"
Hot Spot pages First Aid "Sure... Where are you?"
First Aid (fa) pages: "in the suburbs under Iacon- I'll come find you- are you still at the Guardian?"
Hot Spot pages First Aid "That's fine, I know the way. On my way now."
First Aid waves as Hot Spot makes his way down the ramp from the suburbs outside Iacon's gate. "Hi Hot Spot- good to see you. This is Streetwise." He's standing next to a smart-looking black and white mech about the same height.
Hot Spot gives them both a warm, friendly smile as he approaches. He's more than a little nervous though, and it shows. "Hi there!" he says. "It's good to meet you."
The mech was walking along quietly beside First Aid. He looks up at Spot, staring at him a long moment in silence "Hello! It’s good to meet you too I suppose." he notes, looking the mech up and down carefully before offering a smile "So you're possibly related to me if what we've discovered is true?"
First Aid says "He has the encrypted ping." First Aid shakes his head. "He hasn't been scanned for the encrypted memory partitions yet, though." His faceplates relax. "But from what we've found so far... the chances of us /not/ being created together and having this ping deliberately inserted into our base code... it's highly unlikely that it wasn't intentional on our creators' parts."
Hot Spot nods. At least Streetwise looks healthy, unlike Blades. He's a little colder than Hot Spot had hoped though, and not quite as friendly as First Aid. "Have you been scanned for memory partitions?" he asks Streetwise. He seems to remember First Aid saying that he hadn't, but thinks it's only polite to ask directly.
"I have yeah. A convenient arrangement of circumstances gave the mechs in Iacon the opportunity." confirms Streetwise with a nod. "They didn't have time for much else. And yeah, I agree Aid... it’s not chance."
First Aid says, "I'm hoping Blades will let himself be scanned, but I don't know when that will happen- he's still settling in, and getting some of the repairs done he needs is more important."
"His wellbeing comes first," Hot Spot says. "Do you live in Iacon?" he asks Streetwise."
"Oh I agree there." notes Streetwise "Wellbeing FIRST this time." he glances to First Aid at that "Me? No I uh, live in Cubicron. In the better part, " he explains.
First Aid leans against the wall and says, "I think- this is speculation- but based on what I saw in my memories, I'm pretty sure Blades, Streetwise, and I were together when our creators were taking us to new guardians- I'm not sure where you were, or exactly how it all worked. But I think Blades protected us when we got attacked."
"Hrm. How did you end up in wherever you were, Hot Spot, Do you remember? " asks Streetwise, pondering in that way he pondered.
"Nobody told you?" asks Streetwise, surprised.
First Aid says, "No one knew where we came from, either-" He glances at Streetwise.
Hot Spot shakes his head. "Told me what? Until a few days ago, I didn't know I had any links outside of Crystal City." He gives First Aid a slightly helpless look. "I thought I'd been created there."
First Aid nods and pats Hot Spot on the arm. "It's okay- what's your earliest memory? Do you have a mentor or anything?"
"Well, you don't even know if you were found? I was told I was..." notes Streetwise, a little bit puzzled. He then focuses up on Hot Spot, waiting for his reply.
"Of course," Hot Spot answers First Aid. He's about to say more when Streetwise also speaks. "Found? No, I just assumed my creators were... well... I don't know. Greenlight and I... we never talked about it.""
"Have you asked him about the wanted notice?" First Aid asks.
"Her," Hot Spot says. "And I didn't want to bother her." He shrugs. "I was convinced they had the wrong mech, and all I'd need to do was show up in person to get it all sorted out."
"Who's Greenlight? " asks Streetwise after Hot Spots' question.
"My mentor," Hot Spot replies. "She coordinates accident and disaster response in parts of Crystal City."
First Aid nods at Hot Spot's words. "I know it's all a bit much." He vents air. "The whole thing is pretty unbelievable. I was just trying to track down an alt mode error when I started uncovering all this, you know?"
"Speaking of which, I got the same error when I tried. " notes Streetwise.
Hot Spot looks a little confused. "What kind of error?" he says.
"Oh really? That's interesting to know, Streets- thanks." First Aid says. "I don't have an alt mode yet, Hot Spot- that was one of the reasons that Lifeline thought I was so young- I'm actually a little bit older than she estimated, actually. When I tried to load a trans-scan into my system, I got an error message- the internal one that showed up on my diagnostics was a mass error that shows up when a system isn't configured within the mass range for a transformation to work correctly- and one on the external diagnostics called a mode conflict- and not even Ratchet or Wheeljack had ever seen that one, especially since my systems also reported that I didn't HAVE an alt mode to conflict with."
Streetwise blinks at First Aid, and then points at him while looking at Hot Spot "Something like what he said, only with less technobabble." he says simply.
First Aid smiles apologetically.
Hot Spot nods. He's trying to keep up, but the 'technobabble' lost him a little. "I remember you telling me about your alt mode," Hot Spot says, recalling how uncomfortable he'd found the concept of First Aid needing to rely on mechs he didn't really know to get around. "But if you both have this error, surely I should as well? I mean, my alt mode works fine." He comes to a halt, looking worried.
"It does? " asks Streetwise, surprised as he looks up.
First Aid shrugs. "I don't know." He looks thoughtful. "Have you thought any more about letting Ratchet scan your memories? Not just the basic scan, but to see if there's data to be decrypted?"
"Yes, of course," Hot Spot says, responding to First Aid. "Whenever he needs to, whatever needs to be done. I'm here as long as I'm needed." He turns that worried look on Streetwise. "I've never had a problem with it," he says.
"What do you transform into? " asks Streetwise, curiously
"I'll show you," Hot Spot says.
Hot Spot's frame dissolves in a complex dance of moving parts before settling in the form of the pale blue and red Cybertronian fire truck.
"Ohh, that's KEEN!" remarks Streetwise " Not very street-racy, but still, I love the bulk. But... pale blue?"
First Aid says, "It's a very nice shade of blue. That must be really useful!"
The red and pale blue Cybertronian fire truck shifts and unfolds, revealing Hot Spot.
"What's wrong with pale blue?" Hot Spot says to Streetwise.
He nods to First Aid. "It is. Very. And I'm glad someone likes the color scheme."
"Not saying anything's WRONG with it." chuckles Streetwise "I'm just poking at you. It’s a good color. Stands out amongst all the grey. Unlike me, I'm monochrome." he notes, looking at his black and white body.
First Aid laughs. "I can't really talk. I don't know any medics who /aren't/ some combination of red and white."
"If you're a medic then, and red and white, wouldn’t you turn into an ambulance too I wonder? " asks Streetwise "What about me then? What color is Blades?"
Hot Spot laughs. Maybe he was wrong about Streetwise. "Hey, red and white, and black and white are classic. Were we..." He glances from one to the other. "I mean, do you think we were created in these colors?
First Aid shakes his head. "I probably do, but it's not a standard model- I don't have enough mass to do it. Blades is red- more orange than I am- with a little bit of white."
"And looks like an airframe," Hot Spot adds. "It's weird, there's no uniformity about us. You'd think there was, I mean if we really were created together."
Streetwise hums a little bit, starting to pace back and forth "There could be another form of uniformity. I mean... you turn into a fire truck, First Aid's a medic... not sure what Blades is... me? What's typically black and white?" he questions aloud.
"Security forces?" Hot Spot suggests.
"Enforcers." First Aid says with a nod of agreement.
"So an enforcer... So a Cop, a Fireman, and a medic, and something we're not sure of." concludes Streetwise.
First Aid says, "Are you thinking that our similarities are in function, rather than form?""
"I think so." notes Streetwise, "It may also give us clues to who we are. And I think your Enforcer or maybe Protector fits more with the name too. First Aid is the fixer, Hot Spot, you're a fireman. Streetwise? I guess a patroller. Blades... Blades maybe more of the Enforcer while I'm the patroller? "
"He could be aerial rescue?" Hot Spot muses, thinking of the rotaries he knows back in Crystal City. "I think you're onto something."
First Aid nods, thinking hard.
"With a name like Blades? I think more the attacker. " notes Streetwise "So we're a defense team, or maybe S and R..."
Hot Spot isn't sure about the attacker idea, but he decides not to press the point. Streetwise mentioning S&R does make him smile though. "Who do you think built us?" he says.
"I don’t know. I doubt the Decepticons. Maybe Crystal City or the Autobots? But then why are there no records? Maybe we're pre-war." muses Streetwise, rubbing his chin again.
"We're not pre-war. The oldest files in my memory are only about three and a half vorns." First Aid says. "I know one of our caretakers was called Coruscate. We should see if we can find out anything about him."
"Good plan," Hot Spot says. "The more we can find out, the better. Especially considering the manner in which we got separated." He turns to First Aid, unwilling to dwell on that for now. "Any idea when Ratchet will want to perform those tests?"
"Maybe we can try to find records of any attacks near Cubicron too." notes Streetwise "If fifty percent of us ended up there, then it wouldn’t' have happened too far away I think
First Aid nods. "I think Ratchet is ready whenever you are, Hot Spot."
"I don’t have enough time today sadly. But I can try to make it tomorrow," Streetwise says.
First Aid nods. "Whenever you can." First Aid looks thoughtful. "There's someone else I think we should ask, but I'm not sure how to find him."
Footsteps, heavy and slow, are heard down the corridor approaching.
Hot Spot nods. "In that case, perhaps we should follow that lead?" Hot Spot says, but stops talking when he hears the footsteps.
First Aid nods. "I'll try to follow up on finding him. And seeing if there are any records for Coruscate that I can access.
"Uh, are we expecting anyone, First Aid?" asks Streetwise, tensing as he hears the footsteps "Those aren't Tinys'..."
First Aid shakes his head. "No- I didn't mention to anyone that I was coming to meet you." First Aid pushes off the wall, standing up straight and turning to see if there's anything visible.
"If you'd like any company," Hot Spot says to First Aid, "just call me." He glances in the direction the footsteps are coming from.
Streetwise immediately puts himself up against the wall, one hand behind his hip. Did he have a gun. His optics dim a little as he goes quiet.
The footsteps continue to approach, then stop "... Is someone there? " asks a familiar (to First Aid) voice.
Hot Spot straightens, hoping that his size will be intimidating to anyone seeking to cause trouble.
First Aid cautiously steps around the corner. "Hello?" He's not entirely sure he recognizes the voice, but... indeed. There was an old mech, in a robe that shadowed his face, moving very carefully. HIs optics were gold as they come around, focusing instantly at First Aid
"Ah. First Aid."
Hot Spot follows, staying close. There's no way he's letting anyone get the jump on the medic.
First Aid smiles. "Hello, Alpha. I was just talking about you."
"... And Hot Spot, I see. You've found one of them." remarks Alpha, pulling his hood back.
Hot Spot relaxes; if it's someone First Aid knows and trusts, then he can give them the benefit of the doubt. Although the fact the mech knows his name... That makes him a little uncomfortable.
"Hot Spot, Streetwise- this is Alpha- he was the mech I was thinking might know more about our creators." First Aid says.
Streetwise relaxes too a little but he seizes Alpha up carefully, definitely the most wary of the three brothers.
"Ahh. Streetwise as well hmm? I didn't see you hiding there." remarks Alpha.
"How did you know Hot Spots' name? " asked Streetwise.
Hot spot was about to say something formal and polite, but Streetwise's question sweeps all that out of his mind. "Good point," he says. "I don't wish to be suspicious, but how do you know me?"
"I know a great many things about the world. " remarks Alpha, tapping his skull. He glances to First Aid, tilting his head "And how have you been then since we last saw each other?"
That answer doesn't exactly endear Alpha to Hot Spot. That said, he's used to the mysticism of the Priests of Primus, and as such he decides to give Alpha the benefit of the doubt. He does, however, shoot Streetwise a 'huh?' kind of glance.
Streetwise shrugs himself, somewhat lost as he moves up beside Hot Spot, on the mechs' right, curiously "So what CAN you tell us then? " he asks.
First Aid smiles, but it fades quickly. "Better," He says. "But I would really like some answers, if you can. There's one more of us, too- he's back in Iacon. You've known who my brothers were since the first time we met."
"Oho. A fourth one? Ah yes, Blades." nods the mech "More answers? Do you not wish to find them yourself? " he looks at each young mech expectantly.
"I don't mean any offense," Hot Spot says, "But we have no idea the danger any of us might be in. Withholding information could be detrimental."
"Giving information too freely will make it dangerous as well." notes Alpha gravely "It is only your own choices that make things dangerous or not. But I will at least, hear questions. Perhaps I will be piqued."
Streetwise shoots a skeptical look to First Aid, and taps the side of his helmet.
Hot Spot shares Streetwise's concerns, but is too polite to actually indicate that he does.
"Then we're in no immediate danger," Hot Spot asks.
"Well, nobody is going to come down the corridor behind us and shoot us when we are." remarks Alpha, sounding somewhat amused.
"/Is/ someone after us?" Hot Spot says. He has that queasy feeling again, like he did the day everything changed.
"If you'd told me where Blades was four orns ago, he'd be in much better shape than he's in." First Aid's voice is level, but decidedly not happy.
"I wasn't where you were four orns ago." remarks the mech to First Aid. "otherwise, I may have. And you, specifically, Hot Spot? No, not really. Unless you count the Decepticons, but they are 'after' almost anyone who is not a Decepticon."
Streetwise rolls his optics "This is wordplay and confusion. This guys' just speaking back what we say, with smoke and mirrors to make it sound mysterious."
"Not just me," Hot Spot says to Alpha. He decides not to respond directly to Streetwise's concern, although he agrees. "Any of us." He isn't specifically concerned for his own wellbeing, but after the ordeal Blades had been through, and hints of First Aid's own troubled start, he's concerned for the others.
"No, none of your brothers are either. Well, except for Streetwise." streetwise blinks at this, tensing "... But that is an intermafial fact of life really."
Interwhat? Not Hot Spot does look openly at Streetwise, more than a little confused. "What do you mean?" he says quietly. He isn't sure he likes where this is going.
First Aid is thinking furiously, trying to come up with a good question.
Streetwise looks at First Aid, and then back "Intermafial... My uh, father is Don Vespa, a mob boss in Cubicron." in a meek voice, peering down at his toe as he squinched it in the dust.
"O/kaaaaay," Hot Spot responds. He isn't sure what to say to that. So, you're in organized crime, how's business what with the war and all? No, he really doesn't want to go down that road.
Streetwise shrugs somewhat "... That's where I ended up. Don't look at ME." he remarks simply.
"What /can/ you tell us about our creators?" First Aid asks.
"Hmm. There is a lot to say. " admits Alpha "You'd have to be a LITTLE more specific I'm afraid." yes, he's annoying.
"Who were they, would be a good start? And... why? Why four of us at once, and why are we linked like this, with the pings?" First Aid clarifies.
After a long moment, Hot Spot decides that Streetwise's situation is actually none of its business. They're not in Crystal City, things work differently here, he'll just have to live with it. "I understand," he says quietly, then turns his attention back to First Aid and Alpha.
"That is several questions. As before, I will have to have another boon to be cashed in at a later date, but I will answer all three for one boon this time as best I can." decides Alpha.
Hang on, boon, what? Hot Spot isn't comfortable with this, but he doesn't quite know what to do about it.
First Aid looks at the other two, looking a second longer at Streetwise- favors are powerful, as he's learned recently.
Streetwise folds his arms, frowning uncertainly. He looks at First Aid, then Hot Spot a little bit. He nods at First Aid, then states "Can we collectively accept the boon?"
By contrast, Hot Spot has no experience with this kind of bartering. He suddenly feels very much out of his depth. "What kind of boon?" he says.
"And... before I promise anything- I can't promise anything that would hurt anyone. Or the Autobots." First Aid adds.
"Of course. The boon will be a challenge, but will be nothing that goes against your natures." notes Alpha. He focuses on Hot Spot "A boon, of my own choosing and time to have it 'cashed in'."
"I won't lie," Hot Spot says, "I don't like this. How do we know we can trust you?"
"He hasn't hurt me, and he's given me good advice." First Aid says. "But... it's not just my decision to make."
"How do you know you cannot? " counters Alpha to Hot Spot. He smiles at First Aid "indeed. I have guided First Aid somewhat, by merely showing him what he already knew though. It is a decision all three of you should make together."
"What do you think?" Hot Spot says to Streetwise.
"So long as any boon cashed in does not violate any of our personal codes of ethics or make us disobey orders - in the cases of us who GET orders..." remarks Streetwise "I'm fine with a boon."
First Aid nods, slowly. "I think it's worth it."
Hot Spot disagrees, but to him First Aid is the head of their little group, and he will go with that decision. "All right," he says. "I'm in."
"Very well then. So you wish to know who your creators were, why, and why four of you, and why you are linked." responds the mech.
First Aid looks at the other two- those were his questions, but maybe they have better ideas?
Hot Spot nods. Misgivings aside, he really does want to know. "I can't see how we'd find the answers ourselves." he says.
"Oh, but you can. But like all things, it takes TIME." explains Alpha to Hot Spot, patiently.
First Aid sighs. "Maybe we do have time, but I think we need those answers sooner rather than later."
"We've already agreed," Hot Spot says. "We'd appreciate those answers now."
"If those are your questions then, I will give answers." decides Alpha "Question one: Your creators. There was actually several individuals involved. Several teams working independently. Thus it is hard to pick a 'creator' in the way you mean. The main team that had the idea gave themselves no name, but their names individually were: Emergitron, Smoke Jumper, Adroita, Tranquillion, and Metallika. And why: Because there was a need for you. The third question: Why four? There are not four. Question four: The pings are there, because you are so very unique, that you will always need to be conscious of each other's presence, even on a subconscious level, even across time and space itself."
This is a bit much for Hot Spot to take in all at once, but he commits the names to memory, and tries to absorb the rest. There was a need for them, he thinks; does that mean there isn't any more? Is that why they were split up? Did the attack have anything to do with them at all? Maybe it was just random - there is, after all, a war going on. He nods to Alpha, but doesn't give voice to his questions.
"Alright..." First Aid straightens up- he hadn't really expected a clear answer, although it would have been nice. "So there's more of us? At least we have more names to research."
Streetwise still looks skeptical at that, but he was also more thoughtful "Yeah, names. None really ring a bell with me. That last one sounds Decepticon." he admits.
The thought hadn't occurred to Hot Spot, but now that Streetwise mentions it, it sounds possible. "Perhaps we should be getting back," he suggests. He'd like to talk about it more, but in private.
"My answers are given. And now I must go." notes Alpha to all three of them "I will collect the boons at my own convenience of course, when I am in need of it" he nods his head, turning abruptly to depart.
First Aid nods. "I should check on Blades." He's still not entirely comfortable leaving Blades alone in Iacon. "Goodbye,Alpha."
"Tiny's probably getting impatient. I should get back to him before he costs me more." agrees Streetwise.
First Aid offers Streetwise a smile. "It was good to see you. I'm sure Ratchet can scan you whenever you find time to make it to Iacon."
Hot Spot remains quiet, although he does say a polite 'see you soon' to Streetwise.
Streetwise smiles back "Yeah. Watch yourselves right? Is a rough world. Hot Spot? " he turns to focus up at Spot
"Hmm?" Hot Spot looks up.
"Nice to meet you, bro." notes Streetwise lifting a hand to pat hot Spot on the elbow
"Be safe, Streetwise," First Aid says.
Hot Spot smiles and nods. "You too," he says to Streetwise.
"And yeah, be safe." He turns to First Aid. "Let me know how Blades is getting on, won't you?"
First Aid nods. "Of course. I'll keep you both updated, especially if we manage to get him to agree to be scanned."
Streetwise turns, jogging through the tunnels and away. He pauses and blinks "... Hey, Aid? Alpha just disappeared... This tunnel is straight and I would still see him in it..."
Hot Spot glances back. "He's probably just quick," he says. "Or maybe he's got stealth tech?"
"He gets into all sorts of places..." First Aid says. "But I have enough mysteries to worry about- and I really don't think he means any harm."
"Still, a little strange. And I wonder how many there ARE of us..." ponders Streetwise, delaying his leaving.
"I'm sure we'll find out," Hot Spot responds.
First Aid picks up the dicebag and rolls against his intelligence.
First Aid's roll succeeds!
First Aid says, "I think.. from something he said before.. I think there are five of us."
"Five? " asks Streetwise ponderously "What's left for an S and R team? "
Hot Spot isn't concerned about what's left. "We should find him," he says. "Our fifth. We need to make sure what happened to Blades didn't happen to him."
"Right. we- " then there's a voice calling down the corridor "That's tiny. I need to go!" Streetwise whirls about and books it
Hot Spot watches him leave, then turns to First Aid. "Where do you think he is?" he says.
Meaning their lost brother.
First Aid shakes his head. "I don't know. But you're right- we need to find him."
"OK," Hot Spot says. "You go back to Blades, and let me know as soon as Ratchet needs me. I'll see what I can find out about those names Alpha gave us."
First Aid nods. "Right. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."
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