In the Enemy's Heart

Once Pax awoke from his repairs and full recharge, the first thing he ran was a self-diagnostic sweep.

Structural Integrity: 78 percent

Data Systems 94 percent

Motion Systems: 80 percent

Core Systems: 70 percent

Spark Integrity: 88 percent

Deciding that was good enough to actually move after recieving the very polite invitation from Protocol, Orion decided to take up the offer, while running a full system diagnostic to make sure that the Decepticons didn't slip anything.. extra.. into him. Like a mind bomb. Or optical camera. Or any of that shady scrap the Institute does.

His chest plating is still a dull grey and rust, having not sought completed repairs and paint job yet.

Instead - he went exploring. Which is how he found himself in the Command Center, after some strange looks from other Decepticons and such at the freedom of travel he's been allowed, Orion now stands before Megatron's chosen.. 'throne', that being Sentinel Prime's Apex Armor, and his expression is unreadable, simply because of the faceplate that now masks a formerly expressive face.

No, there's nothing 'hinky' that's been added. At least, not on Zephyr's watch. But that's to be expected since she was following orders. Regardless, Pax is on the mend and is up and about.

Moments after he entered, Swift Blade walks into the command center. She's in disguise at the moment, so it's unlikely that Pax will recognize her, since they had only met so briefly before. For the sake of her disguise, she is not wearing any Decepticon sigils whatsoever, so all Pax will see is a deep purple (almost black) seeker femme with bright teal highlights.

"Oh, excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt," the femme says softly, upon seeing him gazing at the 'throne'.

"You were not interupting." Pax offers currently as his expression turns from the throne to Swift Blade's 'disguise' as he takes her in. Not that she needs to wear Decepticon sigils - it's a proven fact that most of the seekers from Vos sided with Megatron thanks to Starscream's efforts. "I was just taking a look around and remembering the mech that wore that armor and the irony that exists that it is here now." he comments as he turns his attention fully away from the Apex Armor.

"Unfortunately, he didn't listen to what his people wanted and was blind to what they needed," Swift Blade says softly. "At least, that is the version of history I have heard. Perhaps you have a different take on the subject," she says, her tone indicating that she's interested in hearing what the Autobot has to say. She clasps her hands behind her back and prepares to listen, her optics resting on the larger mech's face, even though the plate there will tell her nothing.

"Then history was perhaps too kind." Orion admits. "Not that history will show such mercy to the current Prime. I just wonder about Megatron's need to collect.. war trophies." he comments. "After all, he once spoke openly of how we should all be equals, and now, as I look upon his throne, it seems he has set himself above others and shown his willingness towards conquest." Pax's whole frame seems to be disappointed with a slight slump of his shoulders.

"Mechs change when given power. And it seems that the power of the word Prime corrputs the most. A title that comes with a responsibility that has consumed the spark that it is attached to. It does not change the way that I feel." he admits as he turns his attention to other areas of the command center. "I believe that what Megatron is doing is also fundamentally wrong. Creating an army for slaughter of those that do not agree with you is no better than being the army that slaughters those below you for being beneath them."

Swift Blade nods her head slowly. "I'm simply a student," she says. "In learning, it is best to hear everything, remember it, and sort it out later when experience has lent color to the black and white." She smiles briefly. "Most likely, when I graduate, I will be expected to follow those of my frame type and join the Decepticons." She gives a brief shrug of her shoulders. "It still amazes me how many of us chose to follow, given that we have so much pride."

"How would you do things differently?" Swift Blade asks earnestly. "I don't mean to say that you would definitely have the right answer, but you surely have some idea of where things need to be changed and where they could stay the same?" She gestures towards the throne. "It sounds as if he had no ability to compromise. Which is why his armor was brought in as a trophy. Don't think of it as a symbol of Megatron's elevated position; think of it as a symbol of what he has taken down. Only speaking with the mech himself will show what his actual view on the matter is," she suggests lightly. Finally she extends a hand, "WindCry," she says, "Vos Cadet."

"Orion Pax. Former Autobot Field Commander." Orion accepts the hand with his new one, and glances down at it as if he realizes for the first time that the arm had to be replaced and is far more armored than before. This brings a rise of his optic. "You mean if I were Prime? That would be the first thing. I would not wish to be Prime. That is not my business. I do not wish to rule or conquer or destroy anything." Orion's hand gestures to the chair. "I have spoken with Megatron many times in the past. When he was a prisoner. When he wasn't. I once looked upon and revered him as a champion for the very sparks of this planet."

"It should be instrinctive for us to all wish to help one another. That is what I had hoped for once. Decepticon or Autobot. Low Caste or High Caste. Outlier or Green Spark. At the core, we are all Cybertronians. We should want to help one another. We should want to see each other's success as our happiness - not a reason to enforce misery." Orion comments as he walks up to the Apex Armor and stares at it hard. "That is what Sentinel did not see. He only saw his hate and despisement of Megatron. Zeta does not see that there is room on Cybertron for all, should we work together." Pax adds, a hint of humility and sadness showing in his voice. "Cybertron wants to provide for us all, should we wish to seek it. Instead we squabble and battle over the pettiness of who should lead and what it means to lead. I have had my optics opened wide in the last few cycles, and what I found.. leaves me little hope for any future if we continue on this path of wanton self-destruction."

"Whether you were Prime, a Senator, a King, or whatever position of possible power," 'Windcry' says. "But more to the point, it's less about what you would personally do, and what you would see done," she further clarifies. "Hope is rare these days. People either despair, or they march head first into whatever action they think would get results. At least, that's what it looks like to me," she admits. "I'm guessing you've been at this longer than I have."

"You speak as if you are wisened upon your vorns, Windcry." Orion offers with a faint sigh. "It would not depend on just me." he points out finally. "All of those.. they free only themselves at the cost of everyone beneath them. We have listened to and presented false hope in the name of progress that will provide security and a future. It is such empty promises that allow brutes to rise to power. We must do away with all the barriers and borders and work side by side. That is the future that I seek, Windcry. One free of intolerance, hate, and greed. I would push for reason and progress to lead the way - where compassion is an ideal and not just lip-service. We could all do this. I would form a democracy, one where a citizen could speak his mind, without fear of retribuition or imprisonment. One where a Council is governed by the citizens, not the other way around."

Swift Blade nods her head slowly. "Those sound like very good ideas. Do you have a way to tell them to people so that they will listen?" she asks. "The most brilliant of ideas won't get very far in one mech's head, or even among one mech's close associates," she says. "At the moment it seems that you're not in a good position to get to more than the Decepticons. And they're already dead set against the powers that be."

Orion considers Swift Blade's words for a moment. "Not yet. But you know.. there are ways." the large mech admits with a cryptic hmm rising from him. "It is not a matter of having the idea locked in my head. It is indeed, how to get it heard. And perhaps I have allowed myself to believe in false hope for too long. Perhaps it is time to step forward and as I recently had to tell one of my own, mech up." he admits with a finality to his voice as he glances back towards the door. He knows that Ironhide is having the hardest time with the current accomodations.

"I don't believe things are easy on any of us, from any side," Swift Blade says thoughtfully. "Things aren't as disrupted in Vos as they are here, so I only know what I hear now and then," she goes on to say. "But just being alive these days, well, it's an uneasy thing." She gestures back towards the door. "None of us can predict with any certainty where we will be in a hundred years, or a thousand, or a million. We have enough trouble predicting what will happen in a week's time, things are that unsettled. It's not the best time for academics. But I'm glad the academy is still going."

"The hardest thing to be is the agent of change or pioneer of such. It is much easier to sit on the sidelines and observe instead." Orion admits. "My question to you, Windcry, is that while you are welcomed here as a support of Megatron, what happens if things change. Will you only be willing to follow, or will you feel the need within your spark to state your mind. Will you be able to do so without fear or restraint? If you feel that you can do such things, then do so. If not, perhaps you should reconsider your position."

"Very good questions. I will have to think on them," Swift Blade says. "I may have to simply realize that every option will be wrong for some reason and right for others. If things were so easy to figure out, do you think we'd be on the edge of a war right now? If people more experienced than myself are floundering, what chance do I have of being wiser than they?"

"Sometimes, the best ideas, Windcry." Orion comments as he turns away from the Apex Armor finally, "..are the ones that come from the newest perspective. It takes a fresh pair of optics in order to see the full picture. And it is those that we should sometimes listen to, despite any reluctance or push to the contrary."

Swift Blade hmmmms at this. "You might be right. Though, probably, the best thing would be discourse beteween those of all ages. Fresh perspectives tempered by the wisdom of those who are older, wiser." She shrugs her shoulders. "I imagine you're going to be learning what you can while you're here? Just for perspective?"

"Every experience is a chance to gain perspective, Windcry." Orion says as he steps away from the throne - the former Apex Armor of a commander of his from the past. Yet another Prime that went too far. The large mech's shoulders heave with a sigh of resignation. "Unfortunately, I glean more from the actions of those around me than what is presented to me, these cycles. And it is harsh lessons in reality."

"Whatever happens, I will consider it a positive point that I got to hear you speak. Whether you think of yourself as important or not, your name has been whispered in enough places by enough people that you are a force. How you use that, well, it's up to you," Swift Blade says solemnly. "In the end, we're all accountable for our own actions, yes?"

"In the Covenant of Primus, it is written: 'the Truest Spark is within All' - not one spark or group of sparks, but in all sparks. While we are accountable for ourselves, we also have the greatest ability of them all, the ability to create. Create terrible war, or a beautiful peace." Orion says finally and firmly as the mech starts the walk back to medical to allow the rest of his repairs to be completed and to check on his fellow Autobots. "You and I seperatedly or together, Windcry, can decide if this life is a wonderful adventure, or a desolate downward spiral. Accountable, yes. Just make sure your ledgers are set as you wish, Windcry. Enjoy the rest of your cycle." And with that, the mech heads out to continue on his way.

Swift Blade watches Orion go, expression thoughtful and solemn.