An attempt has been made here at better
lighting and a more comfortable temperature,
though the equipment in this small repair bay
is obviously outdated and inadequate. Still,
everything is kept in good order and used in
the most efficient manner possible, as the
dedicated repair technicians do their best to
keep their army at its highest functioning
level. Fortunately, the stronghold is so well-
guarded and armored that major damage is rare
and most repairs are minor, but if there should
be extensive casualties, the limited resources
of this med bay would be severely overtaxed.
"Unnecessary" luxuries such as local
anesthetics and tranquilizers are in
particularly short supply, and patients are
expected to simply endure. In drastic
circumstances the difficult choice must
sometimes be made, as to who can realistically
be saved, and who is better off with a quick
death.
Contents:
Rook
Skyflight
Obvious exits:
Out leads to Entrance Hall.
Rook inclines his head. "And here he is now."
Jhiaxus enters the repair bay, his optics
scanning over the small room quickly and taking
everything in. He nods fractionally to Rook,
and then turns his gaze to Skyflight. "You have
information for me?"
Skyflight flicks off the holographic display
shielding his face, and turns to Jhiaxus. "Only
advice Lord Jhiaxus."
Jhiaxus says, "Advice." His tone sounds just a touch
doubtful, but he adds, "Proceed, then.""
Skyflight says, "I had deduced from several
clues that you intend to leave Cybertron. I
would urge you to reconsider this plan."
Jhiaxus's optics flicker just a bit brighter
for the barest hint of an instant, then they
resume their normal shade, his expression
completely unreadable. "You have an active
imagination, Skyflight. I have raised the issue
to Shockwave in a hypothetical sense, because I
feel it might be something to consider -- what
is there left for us on this drained world,
after all? -- but you read entirely too much
into that. Entirely too much for your own good,
perhaps."
Rook clears his throat. "Not entirely
commander."
Skyflight says, "Perhaps.. Let us speak
hypothetically then."
Rook lowers his gaze to the floor.
Skyflight throws a look at Rook.
Jhiaxus regards Rook with a long, cold, silent
stare that promises more discussion later; then
he looks back at Skyflight, waiting for him to
continue.
Skyflight looks at Jhiaxus, then Rook, then
back to Jhiaxus. "If you left here, what planet
would you go to? All explorations outside of
Cybertron have shown balls of dirt crawling
with fleshlings. And you would be taking away
valuable resources from your fellows who
remain."
Rook keeps his gaze to the floor. Unmoving.
Skyflight says, "Without those resources, it is
possible the Autobots might attain victory
here."
Jhiaxus's optics flash bright again with green
fire. He rumbles, "Consider this, you with your
brilliant scientific mind. The few resources
that remain here, will be dry shortly. Where is
the future then? What sense is there in
fighting to the death over nothing? What if we
were to leave this wasteland to the Autobots
and let them rot in it, while we attain the
stars? Consider that!"
Rook flinches ever so slightly, but keeps his
gaze on the floor.
Skyflight says, "Or. Consider the process I am
about to perfect, one which unlocks hidden
energon reserves. And consider also that once
the Autobots are crushed, a process not so far
away now, we can then bring energon to this
world and rebuild it. I have assisted in such a
rebuilding once already."
Jhiaxus shakes his head emphatically. "Useless!
Why waste such resources on a bottomless pit?
The entire universe would await us, if only we
had the courage to seize it!"
Jhiaxus says, "Why bother to crush the Autobots,
sending good warriors to their deaths, when
time and entropy will take care of the problem
for us?"
Skyflight says, "And what if you find nothing,
nothing worth having at any rate? Why take that
chance?"
Jhiaxus slams a fist down on the closest lab
bench so hard that the nearby equipment
clatters and rattles from the shock. "Because
the alternative, Skyflight, is slow
annihilation! And I will not stand by and watch
while my species throws away its rightful
destiny!"
Skyflight speaks even more calmly. "A destiny
which can certainly be postponed long enough to
defeat the Autobots. We can rebuild our world
to it's former glory and then conquer the
universe at our leisure."
Jhiaxus shoots a furious glare at Rook. "You
have already said too much, I can see. So there
is no sense maintaining the pretense. Indeed, I
would see us all take to the stars, if the
necessary resources can be aquired. And for
that, we will require cooperation, not a
scattering of our efforts. What sense is there
in hanging on to the dead past, when the future
awaits?"
Skyflight says, "This planet is far from dead.
When we achieved peace before, I helped repair
damage much more serious than this. Leaving now
would place the future of our race in the hands
of one fragile space-ship, with limited
resources and no clear destination."
Jhiaxus growls, "Remaining here would have us
passively await our end, or have the Autobots
perhaps gain control of this process of yours.
Haven't you read the historical records? How
many times have the Autobots stolen Decepticon
innovations? Do you want to take that
chance?"
Rook shifts his gaze from the floor to a
sidelong glance at Skyflight, who by now is
being put in his place.
Jhiaxus says, "You say you helped restore Cybertron
once. Obviously that didn't last. Obviously the
Autobots remained a problem. It's time now for
a new approach."
Skyflight says, "I would rather face a known
enemy here, one we out-number and outgun, than
face unknown dangers in the cold depths of
space."
Jhiaxus says, "There's not a shred of logic to your
statement. It's motivated by some archaic
desire to cling to the familiar. And that will
be the end of us all, if limited visions like
yours have their way!"
Rook shifts his gaze back to the floor,
specifically his feet. His optics half closed
in shame.
Skyflight says, "Perhaps you put too much stock
in your particular vision. If I can find
unknown energon sources, who is to say I or
others will not do so again? Perhaps with the
dividing of Decepticon resources it will be the
Autobots who discover this first. And they then
defeat those Decepticons who remain, and then
go after the ones who left. Leaving an enemy at
your back while you are vulnerable is a
questionable military practice."
Jhiaxus says, "I fail to see why anyone should want
to remain. And those who do -- those such as
yourself -- perhaps they deserve their fate!"
Rook grimaces.
Skyflight says, "I did not say I intend to
remain. But there are some, like me, who will
not want to leave our beautiful home to live on
some remote dirtball."
Skyflight has been speaking calmly the whole
time, barely even emphasing words.
Jhiaxus's brilliantly-glowing optics dim down
with a forcible effort to a smoldering luminous
green light, as his clenched fists slowly
uncurl, though it's clear that he's still
angry. "You haven't been paying attention,
Skyflight. 'Our beautiful home' has become a
lifeless pit. Stop living in the past -- or
else leave my realm, if you do not wish to be
part of the solution."
Rook 's fingers flex slightly, he lifts his
head a bit, halfway gazing at Skyflight...
almost expecting him to leave.
Jhiaxus glares steadily at Skyflight, as though
his next words and decisions will forever seal
the scientist's fate in Jhiaxus' mind.
Rook's optics flicker attentively to a radio...
but otherwise seems quite passive and unmoving.
Skyflight says, "I merely point out the
problems inherent in your plan. We have no
garentee of finding anything worth conquering.
We have no way to know how long our supplies
must last before we can find replacements. We
have no way to know what dangers lie in wait
for us. We would leave a known and very
dangerous enemy at our backs, almost inviting
them to strike while are all together in a
fragile ship. And futher, we possibly seal a
death warrent for those who remain, guilty of
nothing more than love of their home."
Jhiaxus growls, "But we do know that our
supplies will run out here. And I would sooner
meet my end fighting, if such is to be the
case, than stagnating. Make your choice, right
now, as you stand there. Don't waste my time
any further. Do you choose the future, or the
past?"
Rook lifts his head up, and gazes at Skyflight.
Watching... seeming to know he will leave...
Skyflight says, "I am afraid I can not. There
is wisdom and strength to you Lord Jhiaxus. But
I can not commit myself to your plan. I am
asking you to postpone the exodus until the
Autobots are crushed. If you will not.. I will
have to decide then what would be best for
myself and our race."
Jhiaxus says very quietly and deceptively
calmly, "Get out of my sight. Before I change
my mind and feed you to the smelting pit.
Anyone without your reputation, would already
be there."
Rook shakes his head slightly.
Rook gestures for Sky to leave, quickly.
Skyflight tucks his PDA into subspace, and
heads toward the exit.
Skyflight heads out into the corridor toward
the center of the fortress.
Skyflight has left.
Jhiaxus stands immobile for a few seconds, and
then whirls on Rook, his optics blazing bright
again.
Rook returns his Commander gaze, just barely.
Jhiaxus says, "What exactly did you say to him? How
much does he know?"
Rook says, "He just knows we plan on leaving.
Not the when or the how. It was very difficult
not to bring up the subject without implying
that was the plan. I must apologoze for my
mishandling of it."
Rook says, "I subject myself to your will and
whims, Commander."
Jhiaxus demands, "He knows nothing of the ship?
Of the resources we already have?"
Rook says, "He asked. But I told him it was up
to you to divulge any such information."
Jhiaxus says, "So he suspects. He has reason to
believe we have the means!" He lets his fists
clench again in fury, but abruptly turns away,
in order not to follow through with the action
that every neurocircuit within him is screaming
to take. He mutters, more to himself than to
Rook, "No ... it would be a waste now, to throw
away all those years, all those plans.""
Rook watches quietly, standing quite still,
expecting to be struck at any time. Letting his
Commander vent.
Jhiaxus with another forcible effort calms
himself and turns back to Rook, apparently
composed again, though firey green light still
flickers in his optics. "This means that we
have to step up the production schedule. If
Skyflight makes his suspicions known to others
and presents them the wrong way, there will be
no hope of convincing anyone. Ah, I'm a fool, I
should have killed him! But regrets are
counterproductive now."
Rook silently hopes Skyflight is never seen by
his commander again.
Rook says, "What do you wish me to do then
Commander?"
Rook speaks humbly, lowly.
Jhiaxus says, "You, Rook, will see to it that the
ship is spaceworthy as soon as possible. And
energon rations for everyone are to be cut by a
third. No exceptions. The remainder will be
added to our stockpile. We will have to make
those sacrifices if we have any hope of
surviving at all."
Rook inclines his head. "It will be done." and
waits to be excused.
Jhiaxus makes a dismissing motion with his
hand, showing no more emotion on his face.
Rook leaves, and as calmly but as fast as he
can.
Rook heads out into the corridor toward the
center of the fortress.
Rook has left.