intelligenceofficer | Cyberformed: Inbox

"This is Longarm Prime. I am unable to respond to messages at this time, but please leave your name and a brief message. I will reply as soon as I am able. Thank you."

un: prime.intel

"State your identity and purpose for contacting me, and do try to be succinct."

un: 7j5&Z_Pn\L.d2x%

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**Please specify if you are contacting Longarm or Shockwave.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What do you mean delayed? What do you think I've been doing the past few months!

[Longarm reached out to snatch the datapad from Minimus, glancing over the report. He remembered it, of course, but why on Cybertron was it being dredged up now?]

As I recall he said Megatron attempted to kill him. Sorry for not finding "I was thrown into a star but survived somehow" credible enough to include in my report. Besides which I think we can both agree not all the information I was provided at that time was factual, considering I had Getaway insisting Ratchet was a threat to the crew.

Credulous or not, we include every detail in reports so we can verify them. It would have been easy to dispute Getaway's claim after the moment, but we could have helped Optimus earlier if we - if I had asked him for the details.

[It doesn't feel fair to write down only the things that sound right. Where's the justice in that? What kind of security team would they be if they could decide what really happened? Yes, it adds a lot of work, but Minimus believes that it is much, much better to be safe than to regret what could have been done.]

He felt ashamed of his murder. This is not what we are meant to inspire as heads of security.

Then please enlighten me on what your course of action would have been if you had that information. Keeping in mind that there was no evidence and this was before we were aware of the resurrection element of the space bridge. People didn't just die in stars and come back to life.

[His voice remained level, but there was a creeping tension. Every bit of nonsense they'd had to deal with, all the misinformation and frankly ridiculous murder scenarios, and this is what got under Minimus' plating? He'd done everything right, bent over backwards to meet Minimus' exacting standards, and yet Minimus was acting like this was some unforgivable crime. Minimus, who was dating a bona fide war criminal.]

If I may be so bold, sir, we can't control how people feel. I did not do or say anything to shame Optimus, though personally I do think he should feel ashamed for so willingly trusting a Decepticon without knowing anything about them. Last I checked our job was to respond to emergency situation, ensure crew safety, and minimize or eliminate security concerns, not to coddle those who feel bad as a result of their own poor judgement.

Edited (cat screwed up the html) Date: 2022-02-10 03:40 am (UTC)

We could have questioned it. We could have asked how he came to life, spoken with Captain Sparkarrow - [He makes quick, cutting motions with his hands as he lists out the possibilities.] - this could have saved us the grief of those deaths months ago!

[Even if his Megatron has killed billions, he was well behaved this entire time and did not lie in his reports.]

He was ashamed enough already, but we have humiliated him by seeming not to care for his well-being. I don't know how they ran things in your universe, but I'm the head of security on this ship, and I say that we have a minimum standard of decency!

[Longarm scowls at this ludicrous leap in logic, holding up his hand and raising one finger in succession.]

First of all, questioning why Optimus survived would not have prevented any murders.
Second, neither Optimus NOR Megatron were involved in the subsequent murders.
Third, don't think it went unnoticed the murders which took place involved your Autobots, from your universe, who served on your ship, which doesn't exactly reflect well on you, or by extension the security team. And let's not forget you left the crime scene investigation the moment it became personally uncomfortable for you, leaving me to try and prevent Antlers and Grimlock from tampering with the evidence while completing the investigation myself.

If my not writing down "Megatron, tyrant of the Great War, is a murderer" on a report which we both know is already fundamentally inaccurate because of the information I was given undermines months of dedicated work, then I really have to question your approach as a commander and a leader, sir.

[He crossed his arms and glanced away with a surly expression, channeling his irritation into a petulant frown to really sell this next bit.]

I don't recall the captain giving you the position 'head of security', you took the post of your own volition and I didn't say anything because I didn't want to create any friction between us at the beginning. I may be younger than you and didn't participate in the war, but I'm still a member of Autobot high command. I'm not any less qualified for the position than you are.

I expected this to be similar to my work with the Ultra Magnus from my universe, but the supreme commander is utilitarian and efficient. If I brought every unreasonable claim to him I'd be dismissed for wasting both our time. I suppose it was my error for assuming the same of you.

I left to check on Ratchet! I trusted you to continue investigation without my supervision! [And yes, he was embarrassed about his feelings for Punished being out there in the open, but...] I admit I was uncomfortable with what we had found, but I was not making myself useless!

One detail, Longarm, losing one detail on an investigation could ruin everything. At the very least, I expected you to be thorough in your reports. Even Prowl knows not to leave out information! [Unless it directly impacts him, but Skyguy has nothing to do with Longarm as far as Minimus is concerned. This is just laziness.] I cannot be around for every interview, and I expected to understand everything that had transpired from your report!

...Do not speak as if I were in direct command of the Autobots. I am not the Ultra Magnus of your universe, and I am not captain of this ship. I was not the captain of my own ship, merely the second-in-command to my superiors. I am not even the leader of the Autobots among the R2!

Well the timing of when you left to "check on Ratchet," who was being well cared for by the medics, was awfully convenient for you, and while I did complete the investigation myself it would have gone a lot smoother if you had assisted with removing the interfering parties beforehand. Unlike Ultra Magnus, I'm not exactly a match for a dinobot. You could have at least removed Grimlock from the scene first.

[He smacked the datapad irritably.]

This wasn't an investigation, or an interview. This was cursory information gathering which I did of my own initiative in an effort to better familiarize myself with the crew. I didn't have the benefit of previous relationships with a third of them like you did. I had to start from scratch. Every official document I have ever prepared for this office has been thorough, exact, and accurate.

[A scoff.]

Perhaps not formally, but it's evident the Autobots on this ship view you as an authority and respect you more than the rest of us. Do you have any idea how long it has taken for the crew to be willing to come to me with concerns when you're unavailable? How infuriating it has been that no one takes me seriously here? Even my rank of 'prime' is treated as nothing more than a curiosity, a rank I worked hard to achieve in my universe and not something that is lightly earned.

[He tilts his head upward. At his height, the intended meaning of looking down on him is mostly lost.]

If you take issues with me leaving you in charge of another, then we can talk about this at our upcoming internal review. Regardless, I hope that your future work is audited before it arrives at my desk.

[If that were all Longarm had said, Minimus would leave it at that. Unfortunately, he also had to attack his behavior outside of work. Rules and regulations were easy to debate and defend. His informal authority is a strange and confusing topic of discussion, but he knows that he feels indignant about these insults.]

Then you know how I felt when I first boarded the Lost Light. I had no power to reign in their behavior, and my suggestions were ignored if not outright defied. In my experience, I suggest learning to be "personable" - or you may take the initiative in addressing the many altercations on this ship.

[Internal review?! More Autobot bureaucracy!?]

I am perfectly capable of overseeing those within our department, thank you very much, but you can't pull rank with "I'm head of security" and then claim you have no authority on the ship. It doesn't work that way. Perhaps you did struggle on the Lost Light, but that's not where we are, is it?

Being personable and being respected are not mutually linked, Minimus. I get on just fine with the crew, and I've handled my fair share of incidents. I've never used that as an excuse to leave all the work to you, either. But facts are facts, and you can't deny that you have more power on this ship than the rest of us. Unless you're going back on your entire argument that you can't just ignore information that is inconvenient. Which I will reiterate was not what I was doing since it would have been LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE to survive being tossed into a star.

[A shame that is wasn't anymore, because he could think of one or two green mechs on this ship he would love to toss into a star himself right about now.]

[ Outside the office door, the parts that have been coming through are quite enlightening to eavesdrop on. But in interests of not witnessing the entire Security team implode, and possibly in future interests for himself, Starscream chooses now to rap on the closed door and call through politely: ]

Forgive my interruption of a superiors' private meeting, but one of you needs to sign off on the shift change report. Whose desk shall I leave it on?

[Minimus opens his mouth to respond to Longarm, but his attention is interrupted by a knock on the door. He turns to face it - did anyone hear the conversation? Was Starscream waiting outside for minutes? Well, hopefully no one else was eavesdropping.]

I can review it. Thank you. [After all that, Minimus needs something tedious to get his mind back into order.]

Longarm. I will speak with the other officers on auditing your reports for the upcoming month. I am afraid that our conversation has taught me that this department is in dire need of a communication policy.

[He walks to the door and rests a hand on it.] I mustn't keep you from your work any longer.