Railgun gives a single nod.
“If we go in with our teams, he’ll know we’re there to take him out. But if someone like you goes in without us, he might not suspect anything. Approach the console and kill him before he has a chance.”
“Indeed. You are quite the outlier among us. Tell me, what was life like on Cybertron before the war?”
Railfire asked curiously.
“Well trust me, its a mess. Maximals think that just because they came from you autobots, that makes them the kings of Cybertron. All stuck up and self righteous. Which wouldn’t be so bad if they bothered to pay us predacons any respect. But we’re seen as no better than the decepticons we came from. Kaon’s turned from the shining decepticon capital into slum central. Us preds all have to turn to crime and piracy just to get by. It’s a nightmare. And that’s why I don’t trust that bird bot around such an innocent and cheerful bot like Maximus. Sure she may seem all sweet and caring now, but I bet as soon as we get out of here she’ll throw him out like yesterday’s trash.”
“Are you sure?..”
Maximus asked nervously.
“I mean, I’ve never actually killed anyone before. Maybe there’s some other way to handle him?”
“I… I don’t remember much. I wasn’t much more than cough a child before I was taken. The only person I really remembered was cough my cousin, Laslow. He took care of me after I emerged…”
“Hm. A shame.”
Railfire said quietly, almost remorsefully.
“Okay, what’s this all about, really?” Backbreaker asks, frowning. “Does a Predacon getting along with a Maximal really get to you that much?”
“is… Is it bad that I wish he was in here with me? As crummy as it is?”
Railgun looks to Nebula and briefly betrays a “See?” look before turning back to Maximus iron-faced as ever.
“I don’t know another way. He’s a madbot even more dangerous now with that simulation technology. If you let him live, he will just come back to kill us.”
System repair complete, Overclock setting option available. Time to relocate position.
“Fine. I guess it’s not that bad in and of itself, but… Look, Maximus is a good bot. A great one even! He’s probably the most trusting and good natured predacon I’ve ever met! I’d just hate to see him get hurt you know?”
“Your cousin?”
Railfire said quizzically.
“Not at all. I’d say it’s only natural to desire the company of family in times like these.”
Maximus sighed.
“I guess if its the only way… I’ll do the best I can.”
He said. At first reluctantly, but then confidently.
Backbreaker smirks.
Oh, so that’s what this is about. He thinks.
“Listen,” he says, "I’m no good with this kinda stuff, but I’m sure the kid’ll be fine no matter what happens.
“And who knows? If an Autobot like me can get along well enough with 'Cons like the doc and Blackout, maybe Maximals and Predacons can play nice, too.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Razorclaw said reluctantly.
“But I still think he coulda’ picked better you know? I bet she gets after him for being a pirate all the time. You’d never see me doin’ that. Its good work for Primus sake! I wouldn’t call it honest work, but it’s still good work.”
“I see the definition of ‘good’'s changed since I was gone,” Backbreaker jokes. “In my day we considered pirating… well, the opposite of that.”
“Like I said, it’s the only way a lot of us can get by. Mostly thanks to Maximals like her. Well, not exactly like her, but- You know what I mean.”
Railgun’s optics narrow, not really believing that building confidence.
“You’ll need to do it discretely. If your intention is obvious, he’ll take you down…How do you think you’ll take him out?” He asks.
Juliana chuckled, “He’d hate it here. He was always one to wander around. He’d jokingly scold me for tying him down, right as he went to help me with something”
“Well, he’s connected to the training system right? So first thing I need to do is take out all the hard light projectors.”
Railfire laughed a little at that.
“Sounds like quite the character. Perhaps you’ll see him again some day?”
Backbreaker shrugs.
“Maybe,” he says.
Railgun gives a scoffing “Hm” in response, though he was partially surprised. So he wasn’t completely without wits, perhaps he shouldn’t underestimate him that much. But things are never quite that simple.
“And you’ll do that how? Just walk in and start smashing them? Send some of your lightning blasts? It would still give away your intentions quickly. Though not bad for evening out the battlefield.”
“Anyway, that’s not the point I’m trying to get at. The problem here is- Ugh. Nevermind. Forget it.”
Razorclaw said, giving up in frustration.
“The way I see it, he’s gonna know what’s up no matter what I do. Now with the sim-system online he could easily overwhelm me. It’s best to take out his biggest advantage as soon as possible.”
Juliana went quite somber for a moment. “I doubt it… last I saw him he was cough bleeding on the floor of a starliner”
“Did you actually see him… Expire?”
He asked hesitantly. He realized that this could very easily be a sensitive subject, and tried to proceed as carefully as possible.