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Who: Celestia and Robin
Where: The Shepherds' base in (retcon) Not LA
When: Round about now
What: Celestia approaches Spectrum about transferring to Alpha Force
Warnings: None yet.

Things are beginning to look up for Alpha Force, at least a little – with Legion on the team and Jessica back from Madripoor, the team is up to four members, which is a respectable number, if not quite ideal. So it's with a deal less despair than she's had weighing her down previously, over the last few months, that Celestia arrives at the Shepherds' base of operations, hoping to catch Spectrum alone.

She's only been here once before, but she's worked with the Shepherds, and with Spectrum, on more than one occasion in the past. And although it's true Spectrum is a little younger than the majority Alpha Force recruits are, these days, Celestia's been impressed by her priorities and prowess – and besides, from where the immortal sun queen is standing, 22 isn't really all that far off from 30...

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The recent attack on and destruction of their original headquarters has left Robin more than a little bit on edge. As such, when she is interrupted in her paperwork by a fellow Shepherd informing her that a visitor has arrived, and is looking for her in particular at that, she's naturally wary.

Once she recognizes Celestia, however, her countenance immediately brightens. The Equestrian queen is a comforting presence, no doubt about that, and after working alongside her a number of times, she's definitely someone Robin is inclined to trust. It's with a warm smile, then, that she approaches her.

"Celestia? Goodness, this is a pleasant surprise!" she exclaims, before bowing slightly in greeting. "Whatever brings you all the way out here?"

Celestia smiles sadly. "Not good news, I'm afraid. I'm here to ask for your help." A little pause, and then she laughs and shakes her head slightly. "Excuse me, that sounds a little more ominous than it really is. There's nothing terrible afoot – at least, nothing that I know about – but you might have heard that Alpha Force hasn't been doing terribly well lately..."

Robin's face falls a little at that. "Ah, that's right..." Of course she's heard. Who hasn't? It's just another reason that Robin admires Celestia for her strength — she's certain that if she had been the one to lose three of her closest comrades, she would have been completely shattered. "Well, whatever it is that you need, I'll do my best to provide. Just say the word."

Celestia has lost more close comrades than just these three, over the centuries; she's greatly saddened by what has happened, but she can't afford to fall to pieces. Of course, she's also had enough experience in the field of superheroics to hold onto reasonable hope that they may still be alive...

"I appreciate your conviction, but this is rather more than simply a favour," she says. "We've managed to build up our numbers a little more since the disaster, but there still aren't very many of us. What I'm here to ask is whether you would be willing to join Alpha Force."

"W-what?" Of all the things Robin might have expected Celestia to ask, that was not even on the list. In fact, it catches her so completely off guard that for a moment she's left grasping desperately for the words necessary to formulate a proper response. For her to be thought of as even anywhere near the level of such well-respected heroes? She feels that she still has much to learn...

"I, er, I'm honored, truly, but surely there there are far more experienced - far more skilled - heroes that you would be better off asking this?"

She shakes her head, her ridiculous pastel rainbow hair flowing a little more than is really physically reasonable as a result.

"Experience is relative," she tells her, smiling gently. "I've been a member of Alpha Force for decades longer than anybody else on the team now, after all. You are talented and responsible, and good-hearted, and I'm certain you'd be an asset to our team."