LET'S BREAK THIS THING IN

[invisiblepinkboat]

"---need an opportunity..." The speaker was interrupted as the door was opened, the intruder looking pleased.

"We just got it." Tall and lanky, the speaker didn't seem to have an actual altmode, but this didn't stand out among the group in the room. Only a handful possessed them, and they were all boat alts. "They asked for someone specifically like you." Everybody in the room looked at each other, and then to the one the newcomer had addressed, and a low, excited murmur started up.

Coming around the table to the door, the newcomer laid a mint-green hand against a pink, rounded shoulder.

"Will you be okay?" The question was sincere, but considering the opportunity they had just been given - and the details had already been transmitted - it was, ultimately, more a show of support than a chance for the subject of everyone's excited chatter to back out.

Not that that would happen.

Not now, not with this.

They needed this opportunity.

Comments

[ichooseboth]

"Ah... That is alright. I'll be sure to let you know."

Apparently the ruse was sufficient. The hovering senators relaxed, a few chuckling to themselves at Optimus' false embarrassment - and one even approached, tired of waiting despite the potential faux pas. He was clever enough to snag a cube of expensive vintage along the way as an excuse, but his bow of greeting was informal enough to be considered a gesture between friends - which they most certainly were not.

"Optimus Prime."

"...Senator Ratbat. What a pleasant surprise." It was so very difficult to keep his tone light around that mech, arm briefly tightening around Elita's own. The Senator's tone and field rubbed him the wrong way every time. And the pink femme didn't even rate a greeting, on the Prime's arm or not. She was a consort, and for looking at. Among other things.

"Lovely party so far. I couldn't help but wonder if you've tried this new vintage yet. I've been hounding everyone here to sample a sip at least. Straight from my own mines."

Oh Primus, it was going to be a long night.

[invisiblepinkboat]

It was a relief that the trick - as simple as it was - worked. It was a bit crude for such a function as this, but it was also not something forbidden to do, and she might be expected to make such (a) propositions, especially if one took people's expectations and prejudices to mind.

Elita did not - as expected, really - recognize the senator that came up to them, but she didn't particularly like his tone. As it was, however, she could hardly show that, her face remaining blankly pleasant, though she let her fingertips stroke just slight against Optimus' arm when his hand tightened about hers.

She didn't mind being ignored and while still attentive to what was going on, wondered if she should try to warn off the group that would be coming... Maybe they could go about this another way? Something within her balked at the idea of this seeming betrayal of their cause, considering all they'd tried and failed with so far, but at the same time... what Optimus had been saying...

Somewhere below them, causing nothing more than a shockwave pulse vibrating up through the floors and walls but recognizable nonetheless, an explosion bloomed.

Elita froze, optics going wide as, in quick succession, three others - closer, but not close enough - went off.

That wasn't even close to the hall the party was in!

What had gone wrong?

[ichooseboth]

Optimus snapped out of his boredom and irritation-induced haze at the sudden boom, Prime-grade battle programming hitting him like a shot after a blank moment of complete shock. Just as quickly, Ironhide was shouldering his way through the crowd of rich mechs, gluing himself to the Prime's side.

"Prime! Let's get you to t-" Optimus stopped him with a raised hand, drawing a number of startled yelps from the unarmed crowd when he pulled out his own rifle.

"I'll not sit idly while others fight, Ironhide, if that is even what is going on." He straightened up, earlier hesitance vanished under the aura of command.

"All of you, down to the safe rooms at the end of the hall! Guards, you're with me. What level did that explosion come from?" He winced as he was hit by half a dozen comms at once - two floors down. Giving Elita's arm a brief pat, he pulled away, wryly apologetic.

"You should probably go with the rest of them."

[invisiblepinkboat]

No, no, no, this was not--- Those explosions should have been on this floor! What had happened? Not that she was sure she even wanted this to succeed now - and wasn't that just a kick to her processor, she felt awful, they'd worked so long for this - considering the revelations...

"No, wait--!" Elita cut herself off and allowed Optimus to pull away. She couldn't offer her combat skills. Not because a consort didn't have them, but because she technically should have none for this function; she'd been hired as a consort only, a decorative arm-piece to be pretty, hold his drinks and provide conversation if it was wanted, not in any capacity to be a bodyguard.

Oh, the combat protocols that went with her function as an Escort had been locked away for the evening, yes, but those had no bearing on her actual skills...

"Be careful," she finally said with a smile and it tore her up inside, before turning and following the majority of the senators and nobles. This attempt, she knew, wouldn't succeed--- And then she had someone slide up beside her, offering an arm and she took it automatically, but did not like at all how the field slid against hers.

[ichooseboth]

He'd paused at the call, the consort's apparent panic striking a cord in him - he didn't particularly want to leave her, especially now with what she knew - but her parting words warmed his spark.

"I will do my best." With a nod, he stormed off in the direction of the explosions, Ironhide swearing as he followed on his heels, an entourage of guards growing around him the closer he got to the source. Smoke was filling the halls, and he had his guards direct the occasional fleeing party-goer or servant down to the safe rooms.

::Any word on the source yet?::

[invisiblepinkboat]

::Not so hard, after the second explosion. Check this.:: At that, whoever the anonymous security who answered was relayed feed from the security cameras, showing the first of the two floors and corridors that had been hit, the wall carved with laser fire with an insignia.

::Colony terrorists. We assume they were after hitting the party, but couldn't for whatever reason. Present theories are they got false information, or hit a complication either in their planning or our security ot force them to either attack two floors below the party, or withdraw. Obviously they chose the former.:: There was a small level of scorn there, but mostly tired annoyance.

--
Elita, where she was standing at the side of the senator who'd picked her up the second Optimus had let her go, wasn't comfortable. While most were murmuring, speculating or complaining, there were enough off-hand, sideways glances her way to make her feel... not just looked at, or looked down on, but exposed.

But there was no chance of getting out of here now; if she attempted to leave in any way, she'd probably have guards take her in for suspicious behaviour during a crisis.

[ichooseboth]

A high-class consort was certainly popular - especially the one that the Prime himself had on his arm all night.

Unfortunately for her, she'd just have to wait until the situation was handled.

-

Optimus frowned as he ran, trying to access his files on the status of the various colonies. Who was fragged off at the home planet? Why would they have done this? ::Any sign of them?:: Even as he asked he knew the answer.

::Negative, sir. We're still getting a few reports from the edge of the complex's grid, but they seem to have made a clean break of it when they realized their mistake. Didn't even get a clear shot of them on the security system - they did their homework.::

::-Which means someone else didn't!:: Ironhide thundered, interrupting. ::The Prime's very own building, and we can't even keep a lid on the damned security?! It's a disgrace!::

Optimus sighed. ::Easy. I don't want arguing over this, I want answers. If the area is clear of civilians, I want it checked and rechecked before it's cleared. Then we can see about checking the video for any potential culprits.::

[invisiblepinkboat]

Elita didn't really find anything strange about their interest considering who she had been accompanying. Nothing strange, that was, until...

"And you must be a particularly interesting conversational partner considering the length of time you were conversing over comm," Ratbat smiled, and she did not like it. She wasn't even sure who she'd ended up right next to him, and then with her arm around his.

"... Merely discussing the buffet and, ah... the other things to be done with said items." She let the smile be pleasant and airy, enough implication to still be in line with Optimus' "embarrassed" reaction earlier, but still discreet enough.

Ratbat's nod and glowingly narrowed optics told her he did not believe her, but could hardly - for properity's sake - call her on it.

-

When the area had been checked, the Prime was contacted again, and security was sounding extremely annoyed.

::Despite the fact that they either were forced to, or didn't know other than to hit two floors below the banquet hall, they seem to have known the location of the cameras well enough, though they didn't really take any out... We don't have any good colours - I assume they were using colour-nanite scramblers - or faceplates caught. Alt modes of the ones caught, however were three boats and four motorcycles.::

[ichooseboth]

::Smart of them.:: Which was bad for his team, even if it let them know what they were dealing with. Clever, thoughtful attackers were the worst. Clever, thoughtful attackers with a cause? He didn't need the warning throbs from the Matrix to know it could get very, very bad, even if this attack had ended in failure.

::Hmm. Motorcycles are common enough, but boats? That matches with the colony-terrorist lead.:: He was already making plans to return to his office and go over the current situations with their colony worlds. He hadn't yet had either time or thought to go over the various issues there - the problems on Cybertron alone were bad enough.

::Anything else to report?::

[invisiblepinkboat]

::That was my current conclusion of the facts, too, yes, Prime. And currently, nothing. But when we can analyze the security videos of the whole compund and the area where they hit and in wider parameters, we should be able to find out where they got in and how... I will make personally sure to provide with running updates through the following joors as soon as we have the information.::

[ichooseboth]

::Very well. I've seen enough for now.:: He was sure Ironhide at least would be relieved at that.

::Keep sending me those updates and get this handled. I'll go deal with the poltical fallout from this abruptly-ended party.::

That, of course, would please HIM. Other than the discussion with the consort, the parties were his least favorite part of being Prime, and now he would get to deal the pompous windbags to go home hours early. Nodding to the guards, he turned and retreated back the way they came, Ironhide at his heels.

Some of his satisfaction must have shown through, because Ironhide gave him a subtle nudge once they were out of sight. It was a bad thing to be pleased with, but there were more important things to discuss than which senator wanted what tax breaks.

[invisiblepinkboat]

Elita, meanwhile, felt like either beating her processor in by going to bang the front of her helm against a wall, or start shooting the closest bunch of idiots. Of course, she'd do neither, for several reasons; it'd would blow her cover, she couldn't really (without some hacking, due to the Escort shell-programming) inflict violence on individuals technically ranked as "clients" even if they weren't paying her, and it would not get her out of here faster.

So she smiled at jokes Ratbat and his current little group were telling, and didn't move out of the way as a passing senator trailed a hand where it shouldn't be going, along a seam on her chestplates that would split apart to show the protected insides.

As if anyone here had the right to so much as see that.

[ichooseboth]

Thankfully, Optimus arrived not too long after that little bought of inappropriate touching, though not late enough to miss it entirely; stepping in front of the room and gesturing toward the doors.

"Everyone. It pleases me to inform you that the area has been cleared out and the exits have been secured. I'll thank you all for coming, but as you can see, the night has been quite thoroughly ruined."

Several chuckles sounded out, and he allowed his pleasure at their departure to shine through with a smile of his own.

"If you'll just follow the guards, they will guide you all safely to your rides for the evening. I would stay to chat, but I wish to personally oversee the investigation, I'm sure you understand. I hope the rest of your evening is far less eventful."

He would have preferred to meet Elita halfway, but that would betray his true focus - not that it would be completely unexpected, just in a different context - and he didn't want to get caught by the crowd. Instead, he pinged her, offering an arm when she drew near.

[invisiblepinkboat]

She hadn't expected - considering what he'd just informed the whole muttering crowd of - to be pinged, but was pleased... and nervous, that she had been. She knew they had failed. It was inevitable, since they'd hit two floors below the hall where the party was held.

But how? Where had their information failed? Optics cycling once and briefly shaking her helm, she slid away from Ratbat, bowing to the senator before walking towards the door and the Prime, taking the offered arm with ease and grace she did not feel.

"Thank you. But I think I'm supposed to be the one doing the escorting here, yes?" She smiled teasingly, actually honest as well as a way to hide her unease and as a display for the senators moving about them. She briefly stretched the hand of the arm not threaded with his to rest against the back of Optimus' closest hand; deliberate and intimate, but not overly so.

Really, had the situation been different, she wouldn't... at all... have minded Optimus actually taking her up on these - function-related - implicit offers. She'd have made some offers on her own. He was a handsome, intelligent mech after all, and charmingly sweet.

She was not deactivated and sparkless and preferred her mechs to be heavy-duty and streamlined (femmes were slightly different).

[ichooseboth]

Despite appearances to the contrary, Optimus had no intentions of 'taking advantage' of said consort programming.

...Thoughts, yes. Vague ideas, sure. Intentions, no.

And luckily for her, he had no suspicions about her allegiances. Consorts may not be well respected in some circles, but they were known to be loyal.

He smiled once they were out of sight and away from the senators, reaching over to pat the slimmer arm tucked so neatly next to his own.

"Are you well? I know the company I left you in was not... ideal."

[invisiblepinkboat]

Well, whyever not, Optimus? Not even if she swooned properly while being 'taken advantage' of?

Elita's smile - bright and open - was only partly in response to Optimus' own and very much a reaction to the consideration paid to her. She was still feeling unsettled and confused over what would happen now, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate his sweetness.

"Maybe not, but I have been in the company of worse." She did not mean the slight grim tone that slipped out, but it was too late to take that back, so instead she merely vented softly.

"That you would come back and inquire about my wellbeing, however, makes it worth it," Elita said, helm angled slightly downwards, her smile more... shy for the first time, rather than anything close to seductive.

She hadn't really expected the new Prime of Cybertron to be... ah, well. What she was being presented with.

It was very charming, and besides her consort programming and that she was under contract, it made her very appreciative.

[ichooseboth]

The grim turn both concerned him and, oddly enough, reassured him at once. He'd often wondered about the level of freedom available to consorts, and if they could even dislike those they were hired to serve. That response appeared to somewhat answer that question, and it heartened him to know they possessed more freedom than he feared.

And it also made everything worse in another way, and his grip on her arm tightened to a reassuring squeeze.

"...Of course I would return. You were a lovely companion this evening, and until the explosions, I'd say this was the best dinner function I've attended. I wouldn't leave you to them longer than I must."

[invisiblepinkboat]

Technically, she'd been hired to serve the Prime, and currently, she might be quite unable to dislike him. This besides the fact that she liked what she'd seen so far. Elita briefly pressed her shoulder against his upper arm in reply to the squeeze; had he said and behaved any differently, she'd believe he was merely... trying to trick himself while leading up to asking/demanding further services, but this?

Was genuine.

"You flatter me. It's merely my job, after all..." Elita trailed off and tilted her helm to look up at Optimus from the corner of her vision, another bright flash of completely honest smile. "But I can say you've been a... revelation. In more ways than one. Thank you," Elita said and then, somehow managed to get on the tips of her pedes - while still walking - and kissed the side of the Prime's mask, then dropped down again to walk properly.

[ichooseboth]

Optimus' steps faltered briefly at the unexpected motion, and he ducked his helm, audials swinging back with pleased embarrassment.

"Ah...well. Thank you?"

With that one little action, the confident Prime that just handled an attack on his very compound was gone, and in his place was a young, flustered mech, who gave her arm an awkward pat as he attempted to regain his composure as they made their way toward his rooms.

He had guest rooms. She could...stay there. Or. Wherever she liked. Um. Right.

[invisiblepinkboat]

Yes, definitely genuine. And either he was really attracted to her particular frame-type, or he was... very inexperienced. Perhaps it was both. She resisted laughing, but let loose a brief burst of noise harmonics and white noise before she cut off the giggle and gently slid her hand down from where she had it curled about Optimus' arm to instead twine their fingers together.

Out of the formal function, she was still a Consort, and could do such things without breaching any sort of politeness and etiquette... And she wanted to. Both because he was sweet, and she wanted to feel that large hand around her own, and because she wanted to know how he'd react.

"Since I've already thanked you... It's been a pleasure, even if it was interuppted..." Elita tilted her helm and then shook it, tone implying she wasn't particularly displeased it had been interuppted.

[ichooseboth]

Both. He was completely enamored by her frame type, femmes and their grace opposite of his own, bulky form of strength; and he was terribly inexperienced. The Matrix had found him fairly young - he was the youngest Prime on known record.

Combine that with the fact that she was a consort, and they were no longer in public with his natural leadership in play and his Prime programming assisting him...he was out of his element.

He hesitated only for a moment, before clasping their laced fingers.

"Ah, yes. It truly was. Very enlightening." THAT he could focus on; the scandal was far removed from any sort of sultry implications, and he could use it to balance himself and regain some composure.

Or he might have been able to if they hadn't of reached his rooms at the next turn.

Oh dear.

[invisiblepinkboat]

"That's the least of it... frankly, it was somewhat shocking. You have your work cut out for you." Elita frowned thoughtfully as they walked, ignoring the pleased thrill when those larger fingers curled about her own hand.

This was getting a bit out of hand, the Consort programming aggravating natural inclnations, but it was hard to mind.

When the doors to their destination came up, Elita looked at them, and then glanced up at Optimus, considering the situation. She'd been hired "for the duration of this function, with a running extension for as long as your presence is wanted", which meant that as of yet, she (had to) was staying, since Optimus hadn't expressed any wish for her to leave.

Of course, he had not expressely said he wanted her to stay, either.

"Optimus... I am at your disposal for as long as you wish; is there anything in particular you might want?" Elita made sure she did not lean closer, or drop the pitch of her voice, or anything in particular that could be read as anything but an open question... The only thing she did do, was to gently squeeze the hand holding her own.

[ichooseboth]

"...Ah. You can come inside. If you wish. We can simply continue our previous discussion, or you can... return home for the night."

The doors opened as he drew near, and he rubbed a hand across the back of his helm awkwardly. He was not going to proposition her. He wasn't. Nope.

He still have her clasped hand a squeeze. Damn her for being so accommodating.

"Whichever you like. I'm sure you have others who might be concerned, once word of the attack gets out."

[invisiblepinkboat]

She did not wince when he commented on that she might have others that would be concerned for her well-being due to the attack. If only he knew...

No, Elita didn't wince, rather she lifted their joined hands, kissed first the back of it, then a knuckle of the middle finger, before extricating her hand and preceeding the Prime into the room. She angled her back-mounted panels just as she turned around so they were angled outwards up near her shoulders, and inwards down towards her legs... basically... framing her back.

"If it's not too much of an intrusion, then, I'll be imposing for a bit... Energon?" Elita turned around with a tiny grin about her lips, holding out one of the small cubes - and how had she known where to find the inconspiciously tucked away cooler unit? - offering it with a showy little twist of balancing it on the back of her hand.

That was, believe it or not, not consort-standard etiquette.

In fact, it was uniquely high-elite Paradronian, but to Elita, it was such second nature (and a favourite to use on prospective... interests, since most appreciated the elegance) that the possibly exotic gesture was merely used for its other qualities.

[ichooseboth]

She just had to show herself off further. He could feel his processor briefly stutter out of sync with his vocalizer at the sight.

"I, uh, no. That is, it isn't an intrusion at all."

He was appropriately impressed with the her trick with the cube - both tricks, in fact. Suddenly awkward in his own quarters, he gestured toward the sitting area.

"Please, help yourself. Come on in?"

The rooms were, of course, expansive. He was the Prime after all. But other than the ancient bits of priceless decor he had inherited with the position, they were also rather sparsely decorated. He had not been Prime long enough to fill the space in any such way that it felt like home.

Only a few, precious nicknacks gave the room any personality at all, and he'd made an effort to make the room feel less formal and more comfortable.