Sentinel Cracks Down

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Prowl says, "Arcee. Scattershot. Whirl. Report to Decagon Command immediately."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "Not until Sentinel Prime's orders regarding Whirl and

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Arcee says, "En route."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Prowl says, "Scattershot, that was an order. And still is."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Prowl says, "Report immediately or you will face the consequences of insubordination, do I make myself clear?"

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Captain."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "What, you going to order me terminated too? Sir."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "You wanted to have words with me"

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "I said what I needed to say, sir."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Prowl says, "No, I am ordering you to report to Decagon Command immediately."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Just a moment, Prowl."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Let me ask you a question, Captain, if you would be so kind."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "Of course. You're the Prime, after all."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Did you or did you not attend the funeral."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "I did sir. I was assigned to air support."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Did you or did you not see the condition of Bumper and Fastback. Did you or did you not see the condition of our recruit when the Decepticons handed her over?"

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "Yes sir. And if I recall right, I was the only one that took her to try to get her condition treated while everyone else was willing to let her loiter in her own fears, pains and conditions... sir."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "While you were preaching war, sir, I was still trying to take care of our troops."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "The Decepticons are not going to relent. They are not going to show mercy. They don't -care- about your trembling, whimpering pangs of conscience, /Captain/, and they are not going to give a good Primus-damn that you spent time personally refuelling a -disposable-."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Perhaps you've enjoyed the freedoms of being a high caste for some time, cloistered away in Tyger Pax, but allow me to refresh your memory banks: A good portion of our troops are DISPOSABLE. They are UBIQUITOUS. No one -cares- if they die,."

Scattershot has reconnected.

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "They are our troops, and treating them like they are fodder means that at the first sign of pressure they will break ranks, run, or worse, turn their guns on us! For Primus' sake, Prime, we're trying to Army build, not feed as many mechs and femmes as possible to the crushers! Whirl and Arcee are not disposables to be thrown away as you see fit."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "What I expect is for the security forces under my command is -obedience-. I want them trained to be able to meet the Decepticons at their own level of ferocity. Mercy has no place among those pitslag gladiators!"

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "No, Prime. You want them to die because you said so. And I cannot follow those orders. Good luck. As of this moment, I resign my commission as an officer."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Prowl, send the heavies and arrest him."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Prowl sighs. "Yes, sir."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "And call Cipher."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "This is getting ridiculous."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot says, "Lightspeed, you're in charge of the Technobots. I'll be in touch when I can."

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Scattershot transforming noise, rocketing engines.

-- Radio: A-Chat \*\* Sentinel says, "Scramble the frequencies. Sentinel out."

-- Radio: Global \*\* Scattershot says, "Hot Rod. Next time you see Pax, pass him the message. Technobot command has left the hangar. I'll meet up with him when I get the chance."

By the time that the orders from Sentinel came down, Scattershot has already throttled his engines and jetted away from Tyger Pax as fast as his engines can carry him. He doesn't go orbital yet, he knows that there is a watch up there. But one of the advantages of being part of the space command is that he knows where the holes were before Sentinel scrambled everything. It's just a matter of hitting them before they can adjust to what Scattershot knows already. And that he's planning on getting to ground as soon as possible. Because well, flying is a dead give away for him.

Arcee is following the...kill posse? Arrest posse? She doesn't even know what kind of posse this is, but she certainly doesn't want to be a part of it. At the moment, she's under orders to accompany the Prowlers out here, and since the order came from Prowl himself, this is likely the sole reason she's still \*here\* and not running like hell for Nyon or some place even further out.

      Of course, Sentinel's forces know what Scattershot knows, and they knew he's likely to take the airborne route of escape. Which is why they scramble several interceptor-altmodes as well as sub-orbital patrol craft from local outposts to pursue him. Prowl and Arcee are aboard one of the squad vehicles, keeping a lock on Scattershot's tail. It's rough, running from former friends, because well, they -know- you.

      The chief of security sighs, frustrated at this entire situation. He knows what Sentinel needs, but honestly, sometimes he wishes there were more people on his side who were better at saying the right things at the right time. Alas, not everyone is a master of manipulation. << Hold your fire. >> he orders the rest of the team, as he attempts to hail Scattershot. It's good that Arcee is here, maybe he'll listen to her if he won't listen to Prowl. << Scattershot, I know you're frustrated, but I'm begging you not to allow the heat of the moment to cloud your better judgment and cause you to do something you'll regret. If you'll just listen to me, this doesn't have to be difficult. >>

Arcee remains with some of the other officers, her gaze distant on the horizon. Privately, she hopes that Scattershot has an escape plan. Knowing how big he is into strategy, she thinks his odds of not being shot down are pretty good.

As soon as Prowl transmits, Scattershot lets out an exhaust. << I guess you just couldn't wait for me to come turn myself in, huh? >> Asked in frustration and mild amusement, the Technobot commander heads to the ground and transforms back to his root mode and sets his rifle on the ground and hands on his head. Surrender.

Come and get him, boys.

      As much as Arcee is concerned about Scattershot having an escape plan, she needn't have worried. Prowl lands the craft slowly in front of the Technobot, continuing to order the others to hold their fire. << Stand by. >> He nods to Arcee, beckoning her to follow him outside. The rest of the Enforcers either circle a tight perimeter in the air, or hang back on the ground.

      Emerging from the craft, he approaches Scattershot's position and makes a quick dissmisive gesture. "At ease, soldier."

Arcee follows Prowl as ordered, feeling a little less worried as Prowl tells the other soldiers to hold their fire. She watches Scattershot worriedly. He was the one who stood up to Sentinel for her, and she isn't soon going to forget that.

"What can I say? Going into hidin and livin off empties just ain't the style of my troops or I." Scattershot smirks slightly and holds out his arms for Prowl. "I know you have your orders. And you're going to follow them, of course." There's a shrug of his shoulders, and a 'I won't hold it against you' tone in his voice.

"Hey, Arcee." he says to the femme and gives a tip of his head. "So, Prowl. What now?" The question asked, the technobot waits.

      "Now I want you to listen to me." Prowl answers the question very directly, though he somehow manages not to sound harsh. He sighs, sitting down on a large, flat piece of jutting terrain and rubbing his head. "I know you don't agree with Sentinel. And for that matter, you either, Arcee. But I'd like you to stop and imagine for one moment what you might be thinking if you yourself were in his position. That's hard, isn't it? Because you've never -been- in it. Nor have I, though I've come closer to it than either of you have.

      "While he does have a point about the Decepticons--yes, we can't afford disssention among our own ranks--fear isn't the solution either. Which is exactly why we -need- mechs like you with us. And we need people like you to be obedient, respectful, and cooperative. You want people to listen to you, Scattershot? Well listen to -other- people first, especially those in higher ranking positions than you. I'm sure you know, I wasn't just -thrust- into this position fresh out of Primary Programming School. No, I worked my way up the ranks by showing respect for authority regardless of my own disagreements about this or that or another thing. And now, Prime himself listens to me. If -everyone- with a single shred of integrity just decided to leave on a whim as soon as they saw something against their moral convictions, what would we become? No better than the -Decepticons-, that's what. And what happens when the two strongest forces on the planet have no regard for any kind of moral boundary at all? A lot of people -die-, on both sides and caught in the crossfire."

Arcee nods to Scattershot, her hands clenched in front of her as Prowl begins speaking. She gives him her undivided attention, and while there's moments when she wants to interject something, she decides that she won't actually do so until Prowl's spoken his peace.

Scattershot actually chuckles. "Really, Prowl? I didn't just take off the assembly line yesterday. I had to earn my way just as much as anyone else. So get off the high pedestal for a moment and come back down here with the rest of us. You know why he listens to you? Because he expects you to give him lip service and then turn around and regurjitate what he says in return. He spoke of Bumper and Fastback as if they were something worth fighting for and then turns around and tells everyone else that they are the worthless fodder. Where's the state funeral for Shiftlock, Prowl? Did that not fit his needs?" Scattershot isn't scared of Prowl, and never has been. The Technobot commander has been through his own fair share of scraps.

"So stop talking down at me like I'm a newspark and realize that we're gettin screwed over and thrown to the front to be chewed up by the whims and desires of a Prime that is so eager for war, he's looking for any excuse to cause it."

      "I'm not talking down at you, Scattershot." Prow sighs, shaking his head. "At least I didn't intend to. The funeral wasn't just for Bumper and Fastback, they just happened to be killed in action at an appropriate time. It was for -everyone- who has died and will die in the line of service, including Shiftlock. If Prime were as eager for war as you say, we would've already been in the midst of it. Hell, we would have already invaded the Forge." He shrugs, sighing again.

      "Look, all I'm saying is I need you to stick it out for a bit longer. You're already a captain, with a fair amount of experience in your databanks, you said so yourself. With a leader like Sentinel, and many others like him, it's hard to have sway, but patience -will- pay off in the long run."

      Prowl suddenly looks very tired, and he glances at Arcee, as if hoping she'll back him up.

Arcee looks from Prowl over toward Scattershot. She's trying to look like she has a detatched interest, but the whole exchange with Sentinel over the radio has her really uneasy. "Prowl, I really wish you could have heard the conversation on channel," she says. "Because...I can comprehend you, to me you're the voice of reason. What took place on channel wasn't even remotely reasonable. There weren't any instigators, there was just blame and threats."

"As long as he condones, hell, encourages things like anyone with an Autobot symbol being disposable - his words, not mine - and that the idea of anyone that doesn't agree with him being treated as a disposable, then I'll sit this dance out." Scattershot responds. "It'll give me a chance to catch up on my readin anywho. I'm woefully behind on my gossip rags."

      "Listen, there are going to be times when you don't like what's happening, or don't agree with it--I won't deny that. Especially in times like these, when everyone including Sentinel is desperate to hold onto control in a world that seems to be crumbling around us. You leave, and he'll just get worse, which means even harsher treatment for the rest of us, including -your- teammates.

      "And that is -exactly- why we need people like you around. Why -I- need you. You're one hell of a good soldier, Scattershot. And you too, Arcee. You know strategy, you get results. And not only that, but you have integrity, and I -trust- you with important matters. That's the most important part. We need people who will help us maintain some measure of honor and respect, because Primus knows it's the only thing that makes better than the Decepticons and pit fighters."

"Are you going to arrest me or let me return to my troops, Prowl? Because I can't do both. But while I have respect for the title, that mech has lost my respect. And I will have a hard time justifying any order he puts out without scrutiny. So you decide. Are you going to let this go, or are you going to put me in the brig." Scattershot says as he looks between the two and puts the decision firmly in Prowl's hands.

"I'll still go on missions, but until Whirl is restored to some level of stability and it's been confirmed by a medic, I'm not staying here in the base. I don't care if Prime thinks it's 'weak' or 'deserting'. I'm still taking orders, but I don't want that mech anywhere near me as long as he's having problems," Arcee says. "Call it self-preservation. Also, Prime's suggestion that I 'fight him' if he attacks me didn't sit well. Could I do that? Sure. Would I want to be part of an organization that operated like that? Not really, no."

"She's welcome to stay here at Tyger Pax with my team, Prowl. Even if I'm not here." Scattershot adds for Arcee's benefit.

Arcee gives Scattershot a small, grateful smile.

      "Whirl will be placed in isolation until the medics can sort out whatever issues he is having." Prowl grumbles slightly at this.

      "Unfortunately I do have to arrest you, and you do have to spend time in the brig. But I am holding onto the hope that you will at least consider what I've said and help the rest of us be the officers who have some shred of dignity and who will do their best to maintain some measure of decency around here. Because believe it or not, others are watching you, and if they see that you are not only respected but that they can't fault you on anything? Then they -will- listen to you, no matter who they are. And might even consider modeling their morals after yours."

"That's where you're mistaken, Prowl. I don't need to be a puppet to get respect. It's earned for what's in your spark, not whoever's mouthpiece you are. I hope you learn that." Scattershot shrugs, and powers off his weapon systems and T-cog voluntarily.

      He nods toward the other officers then to cuff Scattershot and escort him to the squad vehicles. With another sigh, Prowl returns to his station.

Arcee is, in a way, relieved that Scattershot's only getting brig time and not KOLKULAR time. There's a huge difference. Still, it's sad to see him get arrested.