125/Evil In the Name of Good

**Arcee has posed:**
At the moment, Arcee is working on homework. She has an assignment to finish from one of her Academy courses, so following her patrol, she finds a comfortable spot in the Decagon lobby to compose her assignment.

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
"...never seen one until recently. However, I must admit the notion of one existing was not something I'd even considered..." Oh, that voice. That's a familiar voice indeed. Pointedly unique, awe-inspiring, and very much uncontrolled in the constantly 'loud' volume it is projected in... The doors open and Lynx walks in, though whoever he is talking to seems to carry on in another direction. No worries! He pokes his head back out. "And let me tell you, a Brown Dwarf, as I'm calling it, is a remarkable phenomenon. My sensors almost did not pick it up the readings were so terribly faint, but a little calibration and-well, the records will be updated accordingly, of course, but I won't bore you with all of the details. Do be well!"

He pops his head back through the door as it closes and makes his way towards his usual spot, pausing to clear out a few of the things that apparently accumulated in his absence. Table...chairs, card set? He peers at the cards. "...blank is a slippery slope that leads to blank... Reconciling quantum theory with general relativity... A disappointing turnout to my party?" He frowns. "What kind of cards are these? Seems silly." He picks up the whole of the table, a few of the black-and-white cards scattering about as he sets it all to one side and settles himself down with a soft 'thwumph'. "Good to be back."

**Blurr has posed:**
It's late in the solar cycle, so the hallways are mostly quiet and empty with the majority of people having retreated to their habsuites for a long recharge by now. But leave it to the studious Arcee to be up later than most getting her work done. Prowl would be proud! Though he probably wouldn't show it.

    Anyway it's not long before she's not alone any more. She'll hear Blurr pacing up and down the corridor leading to the lobby (she can likely tell just by the sound of his footsteps). He eventually wanders into the room and sinks onto one of the seats near the reception area, looking rather exhausted.

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee decides to 'put a bookmark' in her work for the time being. She's gotten a head start on her homework and she knows she's going to finish in plenty of time. As she spots Sky Lynx entering the lobby, she waves over toward him. "Welcome back!" she calls across the lobby cheerfully. A short moment later, a glum-looking Blurr appears, imbedding himself into one of the nearby seats. Immediately, she looks him over for blast-marks. "...Okay, what have you been up to?" she asks with some suspicion.

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx looks towards Arcee. "Scouting. At first it was just for pure exploration and possible alternatives, but when I heard about Toraxxis, the search became a bit more meaningful. Unfortunately, the only candidates in the nearby regions came up negative for providing alternate fuel sources. A pity, really, as there were still a fair bit of things worth seeing out there." He glances at Blurr. "Greetings to you! I trust all is well?"

**Blurr has posed:**
Blurr doesn't have any blast marks this time, perhaps to Arcee's relief. Though he does look rather disconcerted about something. He glances up at Sky Lynx as the massive shuttleformer appears, nodding at the question. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Fine." He mutters, though he sounds far from fine and definitely dodges Arcee's question. It -was- in fact directed at Sky Lynx, right?

    "Space, huh? Too bad about the fuel alternatives, but what about Megatron? Any leads on where he might be? Some of the analysts in Intel think he might've been exiled off-planet somewhere. Of course, that eliminates one planet, and leaves...pretty much the rest of the galaxy as possibilities." He sighs.

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee may have meant Blurr. She probably did, in fact, but she's equally pleased that Sky Lynx answered. He goes interesting places and sees a lot of things on his patrols that get missed by the younger, more ground-bound types. She nods to Sky Lynx, in the meantime frowning slightly at Blurr and trying to figure out why he came sulking back here like a blue Hot Rod.

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx didn't even notice the question was meant for Blurr. After all, who would have a more interesting story to tell than himself? Or, well, that's probably what everyone thinks...

Or just him.

He looks at Blurr. "No signs of Megatron either, no. I don't think we'll have to worry about him popping up any time soon. So long as those like Blast Off remain orbital, all is well."

**Blurr has posed:**
"Well, don't you think we could use him as leverage against the Decepticons if we got to him?" Blurr shrugs and sighs, leaning back in his seat. "Just a thought, I guess. Anyway glad you made it back in one piece."

**Arcee has posed:**
"So...Hot Rod's in the Academy, now," Arcee notes, glancing at both mechs. "The Nyon mech. He's pretty smart, but I don't think he's very good with authority...I'm beginning to wonder if he's going to make it. He walked out of class when Prowl said something to make him angry. That doesn't bode well, at least not for his future in the Academy."

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx chuckles softly. "Think about that carefully. Using Megatron as leverage? A tactician who, in his absence, still seems to have a loyal following which harries us on a regular basis? I should think that, once one threat is gone, bringing it back is not an option." He looks at Arcee. "Hot Rod is where?"

**Blurr has posed:**
"Yeah, yeah, Hot Rod is there. The guy who blew up Nyon." Blurr nods. "Ha, you -think-? Either he'll learn or he'll get expelled, simple as that." He says, shrugging again. "He has...potential, I guess. If he learns to control himself." Sure, because Blurr is -so- good at self control himself.

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee nods to Sky Lynx. "It's true. I'm not sure how LONG he's going to be enrolled, but he's apparently giving it a go." She smirks at Blurr's observation. "The way he's acting in class already, he'll probably get expelled sooner rather than later. It's not that the instructors don't tolerate differing viewpoints, but he has to learn to back up his views with something other than raw emotion."

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx huhs... "Well, with luck he learns something and makes it through." The shuttle settles himself back down. "I'll have to catch up on a few of the reports that have come through...seems a lot has been happening since I've been out on that scouting operation."

**Blurr has posed:**
"Yeah everything is always happening. I'm sure you heard about Toraxxis..." Blurr says with a sigh. "And now the 'Cons have some kind of terrorist training camp running. I overheard Sunstorm talking about it at Starscream's hab suite in Vos." He shakes his head. "Disgusting. They talk about freedom and equality, and yet they're forcing students and graduates to work for them? Hypocrites, all of them."

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee turns quickly toward Blurr. "A terrorist training camp!" she exclaims. "Do you have any idea where they're doing that? Did they give away a location?"

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx hmms. "Yes...I heard about that. Toraxxis was why my scouting mission changed. As for this camp..." He ponders for a moment. "I don't know. I'd have to see it. Part of me is curious to know just how someone can be forced to learn how to fight a war. If that were truly the case, then wouldn't they simply overthrow their trainers in due time?"

**Blurr has posed:**
"Not if they don't really know how to fight yet. At least not as well as their 'instructors'." Blurr replies. "No, I didn't get a location, but we need to find it and take it down." He sighs again, rubbing his head. "Regardless of whether whoever is there is there by choice or not. Just another Decepticon operation to put an end to."

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee thinks for a moment. "You know...Seekers can't shut up to save their lives," she notes. "It might be worth it to keep an extra patrol going in Maccaddam's. Get some drink in them and they start talking, and...someone's going to slip up, give us some intel we can use. Starscream might be playing it extra-careful, but even he isn't infallable. I think it's worth it just to try and get some solid leads."

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx gives a slight shrug and settles himself down in his usual spot, a datapad floating over so he can start reading up on reports and other such things. "Indeed it may be worthwhile. Perhaps some of our usual patrons there can look at recruiting others who are less well known. The Decepticons might not speak openly while ours are there, but once we leave, then it may happen."

**Blurr has posed:**
"I don't know about Maccaddam's, maybe you should try a bar in Vos. Seems like the best place to start." Blurr suggests. "Or since we knnow where Starscream's residence is, or at least one of them, might be able to try infiltrating that place again, before he manages to clear it out. Maybe snag one of his drones. Might have some interesting records we can glean some intel from. We need a better hacker than me, though."

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee hmmms. "Springer knows someone who...might not stand out as much in Vos as I would, or even he would," she mentions. "Maybe we could pay her to find out. She does odd jobs for shanix."

**Sky Lynx has posed:**
Sky Lynx gives a curt nod at that. "I'll discuss it with others and see if, maybe, I know someone that might be able to fill in as well. I'd volunteer, but I'm not sure I'd be able to 'sneak my way by' Decepticon Intelligence." He chuckles softly at that.

**Blurr has posed:**
"No, you stand out pretty well, so stealth isn't exactly your strength. But you know no one can be good at everything. Not even you." Blurr agrees, smirking slightly. "Yeah maybe we can pay someone to get it for us, better be someone we trust, though." He sighs again, still looking rather worn out and lacking a fair amount of his usual energy levels it seems. That might be a good thing for some people, though. There's a pause, and he stares off out a window.

**Arcee has posed:**
"Oh, I don't know, you could try," Arcee tells Sky Lynx with a grin. "Never know for sure until you try. -- Okay, some things are /worth/ trying, and others...? Not so much. This femme I was thinking about is a courier, Blurr, you probably have met her somewhere, because you're everywhere all the time. Swivel, I think her name is?"

**Blurr has posed:**
gh, Swivel. That fembot just--ugh! Blurr grumbles a little at the mention. "Swivel, yeah--I know her. I don't know, might be able to convince her, but the problem is we might not be able to trust her with sensitive intel. She's too trusting, and she makes friends with -anyone- who's nice to her."

**Arcee has posed:**
"Hm, okay. Even if payment isn't given until the intel is received by us? ...Well, I mean, you know her better than I do, I only met her once. If you don't think she's trustworthy, we can nix that idea," Arcee says, folding her arms across her chestplate.

**Blurr has posed:**
"No, I'm not saying we have to nix it." Blurr sighs. "I mean it's not my decision by a long shot, you'd have to run it by Prowl anyway. It -might- work. It's just that Swivel doesn't always know what's good for her. She thinks she does, but she's wrong a lot. Unfortunately. And it gets her into trouble. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's good that she has faith in people but a lot of times she has faith in the -wrong- people." He clearly has some conflicted opinions of her.

**Arcee has posed:**
"So you think the idea has merit, just not necessarily with Swivel, then?" Arcee makes a note of this. "Some of those Seekers are kind of charming when they want to be," she grudgingly admits. Not that she would know that by experience! "There's others. Prowl might even have a suggestion of who would be a better candidate, too. That's one thing about neutrality, you can still have a mixed bag of friends. Only now, it's more dangerous than it used to be."

**Blurr has posed:**
"I don't know, I mean she might be a reasonable choice if some of them already trust her." Blurr shrugs. "Whatever, it's not my decision, anyway!" He makes a somewhat frustrated sound. "I just--I don't want to talk about Swivel any more, that's all."

**Arcee has posed:**
"Okay, let's not talk about her. Let's talk about why you're so grumpy," Arcee says, changing tack a bit and glancing over at Blurr. "You came -in- here in a mood, and you still have the mood, so out with it. What's going on?"

**Blurr has posed:**
"What? No, I'm not grumpy, what are you talking about?" Blurr insists. "Why do you think I'm being grumpy." He totally looks grumpy, and he gets up from his seat and starts pacing about, now. But he stops after a breem or two and sighs. "I just can't get to stasis." he finally says.

**Arcee has posed:**
Arcee watches Blurr with a concerned expression. "Well that's not very good," she mentions. "Don't you think you ought to...um...go to Medical, and have them see about fixing that?"

**Blurr has posed:**
"No!" Blurr again insists. "I doubt there's anything they can do about it, alright?" He sits down again, resting his head on a hand for a few moments. Finally, after a pause, he continues. "I just--I don't know, sometimes I feel as if nothing's changed."

**Arcee has posed:**
"Give the new Prime a chance," Arcee says. "So far he sounds different from the ones before him...he's barely had time to get started. I know it seems like nothing's ever going to change for the better sometimes, but we have to give him a chance."

**Blurr has posed:**
"I don't know, I guess I'm afraid it'll happen again. I'll let it happen again like it did before." Blurr replies. "Do you ever feel like what you're doing might not be the right thing? I mean how much evil should we be allowed to do in the name of good before we're not much better than we used to be?"

**Arcee has posed:**
"Blurr...you do a lot of great things. You have amazing talent, and you're a good mech. Please don't feel like you don't make a difference. Maybe you can't stop all the evil in the world from happening, but certainly, you can acknowledge that you've had a positive impact with the work that you do?" Arcee questions herself at times, too, so Blurr's struggle isn't unknown to her. She's trying a tactic with him that puts her own mind at ease in times of doubt. "If you stop, then that's one less mech working to make this a better world. I'm not sure what evil in the name of good has you bothered at the moment, but...I get it. I mean, the struggle. Just realize that if you stop your own efforts, then that's one less good influence working for change."

**Blurr has posed:**
"Yeah--I guess you're right." Blurr says with a sigh. "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but--I was ordered to eliminate a Decepticon sympathizer but when I confronted her, she wouldn't even fight back. I mean she didn't even spout Decepticon rhetoric, she just--" he shakes his head. "What if she wasn't even a supporter at all?!"

**Arcee has posed:**
"If you're requested to do something like that, make sure you go in with information. Like...proof? If I was ordered to kill someone, I'd need a bit more than 'take my word for it, that's a bad mech'..." Arcee frowns. Blurr isn't supposed to be acting as an assassin. He's a racer! "So I can see why you're upset, to be honest."

**Blurr has posed:**
Blurr shakes his head. "They wouldn't have wanted to give me any 'proof', it was supposed to be urgent, no time to mess around with sifting through data. That's why they wanted me, because I could get after her faster than anyone else. I just thought of course she must be a supporter, but then from the way she acted..." He shakes his head again. "I--never mind. I shouldn't be bothering you with this stuff. I'll deal with it. I'll keep on going."

**Arcee has posed:**
"It's okay to feel conflicted about this stuff sometimes, you know," Arcee tells Blurr, hoping that he absorbs at least some of what she's saying. "Not everything is in black and white. The answers aren't always easy. Questioning the reasons is okay." She watches him for a long moment, knowing how that conflict feels. For a while afterward, she stares down at the lobby floor. Then, eventually, she turns back to her class assignment in progress.