Messes and Need

So. Kaon's an absolute /clusterfrag/. Helped -- 'helped' -- out of what was once HQ for the Autobot Security Forces while the slaughter inside is still ongoing, Hot Rod is just a bit bewildered. He tries to get up to speed on what is happening. He stops to make sure none of the /friendly/ Autobots are in the path of slaughter. Rather than get lost in the chaos, he thrives.

The first moment's blank astonishment turns swiftly into action. First among his actions is a transmission to Arsenal, stretching from Kaon to Nyon: << Arse? We're out, and it's a mess. I don't know. I think the Senate's dead. The Decepticons are killing everything. I want everyone in Kaon to help get people out. >> After a brief pause, he adds, << Hi again! >> with extreme disregard for the effect his sudden reappearance might have.

It is hard to not just sigh at the mech.

There's a pause there. The line is open, it's been connected but... Arsenal is taking several seconds to reply. <<... I think 'a mess' is accurate. You want who exactly to leave Nyon? There's not many left here since...>> Well, since \*he\* ran off. Most of the trustworthy types seemed to have followed Hot Rod into foolishness. So, this is where she lets out that sigh. << I'll see who I can find. Cheetor would be good, for sure... you don't mean me as well, do you? If Kaon is a mess and what you say about the Senate is true, imagine the panic that will sweep over Nyon. It's already bad here.>> There's more she wants to say there, but she keeps it in. <<We're shorthanded here already, Hot Rod.>>

<< Scrap. >> Hot Rod answers Arsenal with an equal pause, thoughtful as he weighs her points. Logic vs. heroism. ROUND ONE. << But that's why we've been working with other people in Nyon. >> Contacts he's mostly handled himself, so that's maybe not that useful to her, huh? << So that it's not all up to us. Arsenal, there are people here who need your help. Not all of the Autobots are evil, but the Decepticons don't care. They'll kill everyone with a red badge, or anyone who is /friends/ with someone with a red badge in the mood they are in right now. We're not abandoning Nyon. We're getting people out and bringing them to Nyon. To help. >> Hot Rod's need to engaging in acts of dashing heroism takes the first round.

Okay, she's had it.

<< There are bots HERE that need your help, Hot Rod. Bots you made commitments to.>> Like ones named 'Arsenal', though she is one of many, many, many expecting a steady diet of salvation at Hot Rod's hands. << You want to bring MORE BOTS to Nyon? Hot Rod...>> Again, there is a sigh, this one deeper. << There's so much I wish I had the courage to tell you in regards to how endearing that is but... it's stupid. It really is. Resources are stretched beyond thin already and you want to add more. You want to save the whole planet, that's great, but it's not possible. Nyon is hurting Hot Rod. >> 'You shouldn't have left' is pretty heavily implied there. << You want to hurt it more? If you want to help then you need to get back here and look after all those that now expect you to take care of them.>> Is that an order? If only she felt she could do that.

It's probably pretty predictable that Hot Rod's answer to anything even like an order is a lash of passionate rebellion: << We are not leaving anyone! I don't care where they are! Nyon or Kaon or /Iacon/. I'm not abandoning my commitments to Nyon. I would never abandon Nyon, >> he says with a spark-deep fierceness. << But we have a responsibility to help. To help /everyone/. And this is the place that needs it most. >>

<< No.>> Has anyone ever told Hot Rod that before? Arsensal never suspected she would. For days, weeks and even months she dreamed of being at his side telling him ' yes, yes, YES!' to anything he wanted to do. She believed in him, still does, but everything coming from his end of the radio is scrap. She knows it. << You already abandoned Nyon. Are you going to continue to? You think \*Kaon\* needs help more? Kaon. How much do they have in resources, botpower and everything else? Hot Rod, there is NEXT TO NOTHING HERE! No energon, no cops... there's \*us\*. A whole city that depends on \*us\*. No. That's not right. On \*you\*. They depend on \*you\*. Because you told them that you \*would\* look after there. Because you \*would\* put them first. I'm sorry that there are bots dying in Kaon. I'm sorry that some of them might need some help. But ALL OF NYON needs you, now more than ever.>>

It's probably a good thing that Arsenal can't see Hot Rod's face, because he looks /terrified/ by her claims. It's just a flash -- a brief spark of panic, lighting in his eyes -- but it's there, and it's easy to read. But she can't see! HA HA. Hot Rod's voice carries with far more confidence: << We're not the NPD, Arse! We protect, yes; we lead, maybe. But we /teach/. We /build/. We /strengthen/. We're not telling Nyon that they are weak and helpless without us. I refuse to believe that. We're building a Nyon that's strong enough to stand without us. And I believe in Nyon, and all the people we've worked with and helped. I can coordinate with them from here, fine, if that makes you happy, >> he semi-relents, << but /this/ is where we're needed. >>

<< And how are you going to build being cities away? What are you going to strengthen by being in Kaon? What are you \*teaching\* Hot Rod, by \*running away\*? You think what's happening in Kaon now won't be happening to other cities all over Cybertron? So what happens with it spreads to Ibex. You going to \*run away\* to there too? What does that \*teach\* all of these bots in Nyon, hrm? What happens, Hot Rod, when the Decepticon army or the Autobot army or a renegade gang of punks or even just two powerful mechs with sticks in their hands march on Nyon because they want what little Nyon has left? Huh? Now is the time to prepare for that because it \*is\* coming, even if you are too blinded by this insane quest for glorification you are on! Primus, Hot Rod! Do you \*hear yourself\*? 'Where we are needed', don't you mean where 'Hot Rod is needed?' What are \*you\* going to do for Kaon than you should be doing in Nyon?!? Teach... right now you are \*teaching\* the Nyonese that they are expendable.>>

well, that was said.

Long pause.

Longer pause.

Still a pause.

<< Either you're coming back now or you shouldn't bother coming back at all.>>

<< I'm not! I'm not running away! I haven't, and won't /ever/ turn my back on Nyon, >> Hot Rod insists. He sounds almost wounded by her words, but the stubbornness remains. << I'm not staying here, for Primus's sake. I'm certainly not staying to fight for the Senate. We get people out. Then /we/ get out. As for Nyon -- she'll hold. They aren't expendable. But they are stronger than you think. We've /been/ building. We've /been/ preparing. What do you think everything we've done has been for, if not this? It's not about me. Arsenal, maybe you don't believe in me, but believe in Nyon. >>

Another long pause.

<< What have you ever had to go without, Hot Rod? How hungry have you ever been?>>

Hot Rod answers with a sharp laugh: << I've gone without enough to understand it, Arsenal. How often did the /NPD/ go without? >> Low blow?

<< Not enough,>> she answers honestly. << Then you know what little these bots hold onto. You want them to give more. Hot Rod... there's no more to give. It has to come from \*you\*. It's not that I don't believe in you... You're asking me to trust that this isn't about you and this is about everybot else. Well, everbot else that relies on you is \*here\*. So, if you aren't here... It's not \*safe\* there." Maybe's that's a fair amount of it? Worry. Worry for Hot Rod. He was jailed with the worst-of-the-wort and he's decided to stay in a warzone. She can't help him from here and yet she can't really leave because he's gone and left her there. << None of this is starting to make sense.>>

<< I'll be there. I /will/. I'm not /abandoning/ Nyon. I'm not ditching them for the Decepticons. I'm not ditching them for the Autobots. But there's a lot of victims here who are going to get caught in the crossfire, >> Hot Rod says. His tone gentles, somewhat, and he says, << Come here. It'll make more sense when we're together. Ricochet, Hot Shot, Spiral, and Flareup can put out fires. Half here, half there. Just for a few days. Then we're back in Nyon. >>

Arsenal should perhaps have substituted Nyon for herself. This escape of his, running off like he did... it's only the first of many yet to come, isn't it? Arse is realizing that. 'When we get together.' He truly has no idea what those simple words \*do to her\*.

<< ...>>

Primus, she wants to. Part of her spark \*needs\* to. Imagine, running off to do what is felt to be right rather than what you know to be right. She's ignored that for so long in her job, all the things she did... she has far too much to atone for. << I'll keep Nyon together for you to return to,>> she answers softly, for her sake perhaps more than his. Her tone might suggest an apology? Resignation? << Don't... don't risk too much. I expect you to keep that promise, to make it back here.>>

<< I'll make it back. I'll even try for one piece, >> Hot Rod promises. The smile in his voice as she relents is easy to pick up on, as though she were standing right next to him. << Things have changed with this. No denying that. But we're still Nyon. Metal and spark. I'll see you soon, okay? >>

No. It should be now. She wants it to be \*now\*. He ran off and got arrested! For what! And he's staying! In a warzone! He's promising to \*try\* to come back in one piece instead of JUST DOING THAT RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT! She nearly lost it when she say what Patdown did to him, when she busted into that arena to see him all busted up! And this... it's only going to get worse. Oh Primus, so much worse...

<<Okay,>> she smile-singsongs from her end of the comm, perhaps chipper enough to suggest she believes it.