Queen and Rogue

-Harbinger rests on one of the many hangings over one of the more busy of the industrial centers in the middle of Vos, her usually heavy cloak covering most of her again but this time the hood pushed back and her faceplate retracted as she looks down at the coming and goings of the Vos workers that looks so much like.. well.. ants. Something about it seems to draw her attention over and over as this is not her first visit her, though it is the first time she has traveled here without using her stealth systems. Her Black and gold highlights standing out just a bit from the dominating color of silver.

-At the moment Zephyr isn't much to look at; her wings have been retracted for the time being, as they generally are when she's in public. Deep down this angers her every time, but prudence is more important than her feelings. As such, she will be clearly an Insecticon to anyone who bothers to stop and look at her, but without her wings, she is rather insignificant looking.

-Harbinger 's optics continue to scan over the moving workers for awhile.. though /something/ draws her attention and she soon focuses on Zephyr, a twitch of a hand and a mandible the only real reaction for awhile as she simply observes the other. After that short period, she moves.. and slides off the overhang she was resting on and drifts down it, one claw leaving a deep groove in it as she comes down to ground level with a resounding /thump/.. seems the small bug is heavier then she looks, alot heavier.

-Thunk. The sound catches Zephyr's attention and she turns towards the sound. Antennae twitching she finds herself looking at another of her kind. Tilting her head to the side, she regards Harbinger for a mere moment before saying in wavespeech, "Greetings."

-Harbinger doesn't say anything in reply as she walks forward towards Zephyr, taking a wide path around her before coming back to a stop infront, her own mandibles and antennas twitching lightly before a reply is finally given, +You hide your wings.. Why?+

-+Because it is prudent. The wings make me a target, and it's easier to observe if I am not being so closely observed.+ Zephyr replies. +It galls me, but I can deal with my feelings later. They are no good to me if they stop me from achieving what I wish to achieve.+

-Harbinger snorts briefly as her own looks does get more then a bit of attention, +Achieve? Among these.. hollows?+ She tilts her head to the side to watch Zephyr, though she does look away for a moment as one mech seems to be watching them but after he quickly moves on she gives her full attention to Zephyr.

-+The situation on the planet is tense; things have errupted and war is on its way. To me it is the opportunity to make our people far more valued than they are now by helping usher in a new order, replacing the one that sees us as unintelligent beasts that exist only to serve.+ Zephyr's antennae press flat back against her head, showing her distaste for the way most Hollows treat Insecticons.

-Harbinger considers that, her mandibles giving a brief clack noise as they clip together briefly, +They will never see us as more then that be... oohh shiney..+ Her optics flare for a second and she follows a femme that shines rather brightly goes by, and keeps doing so till the femme turns a corner. She blinks a few times then looks back at Zephyr, and while she doesn't LOOK embarrassed, something in the wavespeak gives that impression, +As for war.. I have been at war since I choose to reject my former Queen's decision. If this surface world erupts into full war, what difference would it make for me?+

-Zephyr looks intrigued. +You rejected your Queen? How did that come to pass?+ Maybe she should be worried about this, or be offended, but instead it makes her curious. +As for how /they/ see us, it MAY never change, but if we do nothing, it definitely WILL never change. I would rather go with the chance.+

-Harbinger's smile returns, +She choose for me a path I refused to accept.+ She raises a hand up, her large forearms shifting just a bit as she resists the urge to deploy her claws at even the thought of her former Queen, +She attempted to force the choice, I choose to reject the choice... forcefully.+ Silence falls upon her as she considers your later words, +And you wish to attempt to change the Hollows minds somehow? I only change my Queen's mind by taking her head, and these Hollows seem even more stubborn then her.+

-Very interesting. Zephyr hadn't heard of many such instances before. Usually an Insecticon is a drone, or a Queen. +If you were aware enough to make the choice, your Queen should have let you go,+ Zephyr states. Her own hive is small enough that she is the only one that is self-aware. +And while most of the Hollows are stubborn, some of them are willing to see us as people with needs and desires equal to their own. Granted, there are only a handful of these.+

-Harbinger spreads her hands to the sides, +She wished to try to add my.. unique.. ability to the hive as a whole somehow, but as that required me dismantling, I objected.+ She again falls quiet in thought, +Until she made that choice, I had never made a choice of my own. I lived, hunted, and fought for the Hive. Now.. they are all dead, most by my claws.+ She shakes her head and refocuses her mind, optics returing fully to Zephyr, +Yes, there are a few.. but most will to just use us like disposable resouces. Send us where they won't go themselves... but now, they need to pay my price before I will risk myself for them.+

-Zephyr tries to remember the word the Hollows use for such 'unique' individuals. +If you had never gained enough will to protest, then your life would have been used as your Queen saw fit. But to have the ability to make that choice, you proved yourself self-aware to seperate from your hive.+ She had splintered off of her initial hive as it had gotten large enough to split. +Your Queen must have forgotten that. Or else she is greedy like the Hollows.+ She shrugs her shoulders. Queens that make poor choices aren't fit to rule. +What price do you require?+

-Harbinger does seem to... puff up a bit, +We were the largest and strongest Hive on our level.. none could challenge us.+ But that puff quickly disappears, +But a choice was made and I must live with it now+ She tilts her head to the side, +I do not know. It would depend upon what was needed of me. I am now a..+ She tries to think of the term she had hear before, +A mercenary I think is what they called me.+

-+We usually do not have such things among us. But, we are not infallible. My own hive was small and very deep within the earth. But whispers of what was happening to our people reached me and I decided to take action.+ The young Queen pauses for a moment. +My name is Zephyr,+ she finally says. Unlike the Hollows, Insecticons can go for a long time without encountering anyone they need to introduce themselves to, so it isn't as ingrained a part of their society to do so upon meeting someone for the first time.

-Harbinger nods, +I am aware.. but as I choose to oppose my Hive, staying below as a..+ She again tries to find the right word, +A independent would not end well, I came to the surface and had to find a way to sustain myself.+ Her antennas twitch, +You are a Queen then?+ When the name is offered there is a brief pause before she answers +Harbinger+

-Quite the appropriate name. +Yes, I am a Queen, but a fairly young one. My hive is still small; we splintered off not so long ago. Most of my time was spent preparing to come to the surface. I practiced their strange way of speaking before I left to make things easier.+ Zephyr considers the rogue Insecticon for a few moments. +How long have you been on the surface?+

-Harbinger considers that, optics closing in thought before her answer is given with a shrug, +I never kept track of time before.. I am unsure how long I have been up here but it has been awhile now.+

-Zephyr nods her head. +Probably longer than myself. Do you know much about the political situation up here?+ She wonders about the other Insecticon's perspective on things.

-Harbinger snorts, which sets her antennas flappign a bit, +Those in power want to keep it, those not in power want to take it.. the usual small-minded thinking of the Hollows. They tried to draw me into it.. I ate the last oen who tried too hard.+

-+That sort of reaction is part of what gives us a bad reputation,+ Zephyr says, though she doens't sound angry or disdainful. +When you say 'tried too hard' do you mean they attempted force, or were just annoying?+

-Harbinger shrugs softly, +I said no, they kept asking, I kept saying no then they tried to drag me off.+ And almost as if to try to defend herself, +I let the other two go.. only ate the one who put his hands on me.+

-+Ah, well, if they were using coercion then that is acceptable,+ Zephyr states. +We are not savage beasts, but neither are we there to be stepped on as they so errantly believe.+ She makes a soft sound of derision. +They are foolish; they complain because they have energy issues, while at the same time decreeing that those who actually maintain energy levels are worked to death or summarily destroyed.+

-Harbinger pulls out a small bit of shiney metal and starts nibbling on it a bit, +They have each other to watch their own, so they can force others to do what they wish unless someone proves they are stronger. I do not like to hurt those who do not need it, but these Hollows only seem to understand violence and power. I do not choose it as a first option, but if I must choose it then it will be the /final/ choice.+ She pauses and takes a bigger bit out of the metal fragment and chews on it throughly before going on, +Even the few Hives here on the surface tried to force me to join when I passed near by. If my own kind cannot be trusted th.." Her attention is again drawn off as a fairly shiney mech goes back, and again it only returns after the mech has went out of view, a few more blinks folow and she says +Uhm.. what was I saying?+

-+Something about trusting our own kind,+ Zephyr prompts dryly. Noting that this is the second time Harbinger has been distracted by something shiny, she reflects it might be just as well her wings are tucked away. +Everyone wants to know where those around them stand. But you are right, those who are strong will take what they can until someone else of equal or greater strength stops them.+

-Harbinger shrugs simply, +If I am left alone, I leave others alone+ She considers something then adds in +Unless I am hired to do so.. but I try not to harm them.+

-+Fair enough. I have no intentions of starting a conflict with any of our kind; either we can work together or we can stay out of each others' ways, but we will stand little chance against the Hollows if we fall into their habit of petty squabbling. They are a very inefficient people, and yet they seem to think themselves so superior.+ Zephyr's tone indicates precisely what she thinks of THAT notion.

-Harbinger snorts, yet agian setting her antennas wiggling just a bit, +Their.. Primes.. seem rather power-hungry and greedy.+ She looks at Zephyr, her head tilting to the side a bit, +As a Queen.. should you not have a guard?+ as she finally figures out something that had been bugging her since she asked about Zephyr being a Queen.

-+Like my wings, it would attract too much attention,+ Zephyr says with a faint smile. +We are not the strongest of the Insecticons; we are not warriors. Moving around in a group may provoke an attack if the Hollows feel threatened.+

-Harbinger shakes her head, +They would attack if they just felt like it.. nevermind if they feel threatened. A Queen should have a guard, it is only proper.+ Even with her own unusual history, it is clear there are some things Harbinger still respects.

-Respect is something Zephyr has had to put on hold so far. +That may be so, but I am often well overlooked when I move about like this. It is a sad state to be in, but I'll worry about my pride later.+ She shrugs her shoulders easily. +As a younger Queen it is easier for me to adapt, or so I believe.+

-Harbinger sighs +There is a difference between adapting and forgetting what you are.. if you must bend knee to get what you want, how can one claim to be a Queen?+ She raises her hand and points a sharp-looking fingertip at Zephyr, +Even when she was dying at my feet, my Queen still managed to make me feel proud to have been part of that Hive, she held her pride and did not bend knee at any point.. you must never forget what and who you are.+ She waves a hand around her, almost taking a shorter mech's head off as he passes too close by, +If you do not show your pride at being a Insceticon, and being a /Queen/, how do you expect them to ever show respect for it, or you?+

-+Because a Queen must not only think of herself, but her people as a whole,+ Zephyr states. +Sacrificing some of my pride in the short term in hopes of reaching a long term goal where I may bask in it openly is a price I am willing to pay.+ She shrugs her shoulders. +Not everyone is going to see things this way. There is a Queen here, much mightier than myself, and she has enough pride for a dozen Insecticon Queens.+ She smiles faintly. +Again, my hive is humble by many standards, so it is better for me to bend than for a mightier Queen to do so.+

-Harbinger snorts lightly, +I have seen a few Queens.. either too prideful or too arrogant. BUT there is a point where showing no pride, so show some in what you are.+ She finally frowns, +If your hive is so small.. how can you afford to be here, away from it?+

-+I admit, I have allies among the Hollows,+ Zephyr says. +By working with them I hope to establish a place for our kind that is far better than the one we currently hold in the optics of the surface dwellers.+

-Harbinger nods a bit, +Then do what you feel you must. But be aware they most likely will betray you at some point.+ She finishes eating the piece of metal before she nods, +If you ever need a stronger hand for something... I wander around here a good deal.+

-+I am aware of that possibility. But setting myself against them from the start would ensure that they will be my enemy. This way, at least, I have a chance to learn more and establish myself on better ground to grapple with the issues at hand.+ Then Zephyr inclines her head, antennae twitching forward. +Thank you for the offer.+

-Harbinger chuckles lightly, +I meant make sure to take steps to protect yourself.. not set yourself agianst them.+ She sighs briefly, +But I must go.. as I said, I do work for others if they pay the price, and one Hollow has done so. Another time, 'Queen' Zephyr.+ She bows her head and turns to start walking away, then just fades completely from view, even that mild sense in Wavespeak fading.