third contact

[chapterfiveversenine]

Who: Legion, Arcee
Where: A road way out in the desert
When: March 13th, after both of them run into Orion Pax.
What: Two robots discuss a third robot.
Warnings: None.

The consensus is compiling its report on the unknown synthetics when runtime-0234, running thermal optics, spots Arcee's thermal pattern and flags it for review. Runtimes -1540 and -0764 confirm it, and the issue is brought to the consensus at large. Little deliberation is needed; no useful data has been pulled either from the unknown synthetic in Los Angeles or the one down the road, but heat dispersion patterns and internal microsounds suggest similar configurations despite highly disparate external shapes. The pattern is there, and Legion is not one to deny it.

This entire thought process takes perhaps a millisecond, and then Legion is pinging Arcee, requesting a meeting at coordinates not far from either's current location. It's a small outcropping of rock, but enough to hide both Legion and a small motorcycle. They figure it'll be enough.

Comments

[deadpartners]

"Hard to formulate an exact plan when you don't have much to go on," Arcee says grimly, cycling air through her vents in a sigh. "We don't know the layout of wherever these people are being held, who's behind this, what their numbers are like...I'd like to say that catching him en route, wherever he's been going, would be our best bet. And if it comes down to it, if whatever's controlling him can't be reasoned with...we're prepared to subdue him by force. If it comes to that."

[chapterfiveversenine]

"Acknowledged," Legion states, and looks up. "We must redeploy shortly; we have one final question. What is the current number of Autobots on this planet?"

[deadpartners]

"Not counting Optimus? It's just the three of us." Arcee hesitates, wondering if she should give the names of her subordinates on Earth. It doesn't seem pertinent, though. Legion already knows who she is, and who the Autobots are. "Myself and two of my soldiers. They wear the Autobot insignia too, and they'll identify themselves as such without hesitation. I'll inform them about you, too."

[chapterfiveversenine]

"Understood," Legion says. "We will contact you after the situation has been fully resolved."

And with that, the platform rockets into the sky and away.