Look out, it's Robocop!

[legalcy]

Who: Ultra Magnus and YOU
When: After the Anniversary Event and beginning of May
Where: Curti Center and Safer Osu
What: Minimus gets a regain and thus a Custom Job. He now can walk around as another person.
Warnings/Notes: Ultra Magnus has a different voice from Minimus Ambus due to a voice modulator. He's also taller than Megatron now.

A. Curti Center, End of April

[A new robot emerges from Ganeshan's lab. It's not the start of a new month, so he can't possibly be a new arrival, but one would have definitely noticed a Cybertronian larger than Megatron traveling with the group. His expression is serious, but the air he carries has him appear to be pleased with something.

The suit still functions well. Some of the functionality has been lost, but Minimus can work with that. What matters is that he has a larger body capable of wielding larger weapons and intimidating criminals. At last, he isn't walking around in his irreducible form.

On the other hand, the hallways of the research center were not built for large beings, which does make sense, Miminus tells himself, as it dissuades visitors from bringing Chocobos and large suits of armor indoors.]

Excuse me.

[He squats and shuffles to the side of the walkway, allowing two interns to pass.]

Forgive me, I...am not used to accommodations of this size. [Good heavens, he ought to find a roll-up door and make his leave through the vehicle port. After some difficulty, he finds himself in the airship garage. This is familiar.

As you pass by, you can see a large blue robot have its body parts shift around to turn into a large truck]

...Hm. Something feels off. [Perhaps he has to get used to transforming after such a long time without the armor. He was certain he found nothing wrong after thoroughly cleaning the suit from the retrieval.

Oh, well. It's time to slowly ride outside.]

B. Safer Osu, Late April and May

[Said giant robot takes a walk throughout the military city, striding through the larger streets and looking over the citizens. They are all staying at least two meters away from store fronts and refraining from walking against the crowd. It helps that the residents keep clear of the large Cybertronian walking in their midst. He will enjoy working in this city.

His destination: the law enforcement department of Safer Osu. Ultra Magnus has the copy of the local laws downloaded on the Slate, his Moogle Mogsuna sits on his shoulder, waving at Heroes of Light and their Moogles as Magnus wears a deep frown, completely serious about his future employment.]

Comments

[peace_through_empathy]

"You know, he's mentioned to me a few times that before his Great War he was a scientist of some form or another." Megatron notes. He still finds the image difficult to reconcile with the Starscream he knows from his own universe, as well as how the one they have here acts now. "If there was a research position of some sort we might be able to recommend him for, he might be able to put those talents to good use." Megatron rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Though Decepticons and science do not usually mix well." He admits, knowing full well the atrocities against life and nature he authorized his own scientists to perform-and the ones that were performed without his knowledge, mostly by Shockwave. "That may not be the best idea, now that I've said it out loud." He would certainly require much closer observation.

Megatron shakes his head when Magnus describes the antics their roommate has been getting up to with the convertor. "I will discuss the matter with him; I've had some successes with getting him to do things he does not wish to do in the past, after all. It just disappoints me." He says frustradedly. "He's just enough like our Starscream for me to see that he could do so much more-be so much more-if he actually just tried to apply himself rather than waste his time and energy on these sorts of pranks." As much as Megatron and his Starscream has issues, he cannot deny their own version has risen to heights few would have ever expected of him, which Megatron includes himself among. "A scientifically-inclined Starscream with the drive and ambition I've come to expect, and the surprising competence of our own could be a real benefit to our efforts here. Waste of talent, I hate to see it. I've tried to express this to him, but my efforts don't appear to be having much of an effect."

[legalcy]

"A scientist." That was not a question, rather a repetition of this piece of information to retain the sudden shift in perspective. This Starscream was no delegate. This was someone who worked methodically in a profession that did not require manipulation of the masses. This trait of his was simply...a part of his personality. In his and Megatron's universe, he had selected a profession more fitting to his skillset.

Of course he did. Their world was one driven by Functionism.

"Why not introduce him to the researchers at the Curti Center? His efforts would not go unrewarded, and Director Cid would keep an constant eye on him." Not that the Director of the world's largest research group was responsible for babysitting his employees, but they ought to have a strong regulatory system for such a major group.

"You are not responsible for his actions, Megatron. His behavior was not influenced by you directly or indirectly, considering that you two come from different timelines. If we must, we simply instate new rules that will remove certain privileges if he continues to act out."

[peace_through_empathy]

"Yes. Apparently very good friends with his universe's Jetfire, at least before the War happened there." Whereas Megatron wasn't sure their Starscream had ever said more than two words to their version of Jetfire, if that. Or if they'd even had any encounter that hadn't been a battle of some sort. Curious how different relationships could be when viewed across different realities; two people could be the best of friends in one, yet never know each other in another. Lovers here, bitterest of enemies there.

Might be a poem in there somewhere. He'd have to give it some thought.

"The Curti Center might be a good idea, though I wonder about putting him in close contact with Cid. His being a reincarnation of this "Garland" character from Crystallis still makes him a wild card in all of this." Megatron didn't know a lot about who Garland had been, but what he'd heard suggested he'd been a rather significant threat. If Cid had any memories of that existence as Ramaa had had of hers, putting Starscream in close proximity to Cid could potentially cause a great deal of problems. "But the Curti Center is far from the only research center in Vaikuntha. I'll get some names sorted out to present to him."

Magnus wasn't wrong that Megatron wasn't responsible for Starscream, he knows. And yet Megatron can't help but feel otherwise anyway. "You're right, I know." He admits, heavily. "But it was a version of me that played a role in making Starscream what he is now. Even if that's not something I can fix, I still might be able to mitigate it somehow. To do for him what was once done for me; open him up to the possibility of new ways of thinking." A pause. "But failing that, a loss of privileges might prove more effective in preventing him from acting out. What did you have in mind?"

[legalcy]

How a delegate and scientist could have a close relationship was a curious topic. Minimus was not familiar with Jetfire, but the story of how they met in the other universe had to be interesting. Fortunately, he was not a mech of gossip, so he had to accept that some timelines diverged wildly due to a series of minor events leading up to a major change.

"I admire your sense of responsibility, but how will you know how to best help someone who is predisposed to despising you?" Megatron was someone known for his harshness and persistence; it is difficult to change one's mind of a person after having known them for millions of years.

"What are your thoughts on Director Cid?" Starscream's behavior was a concern, but this news of Garland was more pressing. "I have found him to be very organized in his leadership of the Curti Center, but not one for light conversation. I respect that." He would make an ideal companion if he work did not take him away from the outworlders. "Much like how I have difficulty reconciling with the idea of Starscream and Jetfire as friends, the connection between the Garland figure and the director is a sudden change."

Garland was a presence; a figure of the past, of other universes. Director Cid was a normal but talented man that drank coffee every waking hour. They were different people, but the same person apparently. Then again, he never knew Garland.

Ultra Magnus slowed down. He decided to transform to his root mode to continue this serious conversation.

"It's not as if he is aware of Garland's legacy and must carry it through history."