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

[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.

[invisiblepinkboat]

Of course she did. It was part of her (current) job, after all. But it also told her that Optimus was, indeed, interested. And if the reaction was proof of anything... Elita would have let her engine purr with delighted anticipation because no matter the actual present... circumstances or restrictions, she could definitely appreciate someone who was so very taken with her.

Especially since she was - free of any actual caste programming - certainly interested back. What was even more endearing, was that either he was shy... or inexperienced. She would not mind at all lending some experience.

Some part of her was of course very tied up in the active consort programming, another part was actively trying not to think about the failed attack, and what she was supposed to do now, and that the longer she stayed she might be compromised... But another part wanted very much to stay, both because of him, and because of what she'd learned.

"Certainly," Elita said, suppressing a giggle as she let him take the cube she'd offered and then made one for herself, declining to point out that she was already inside, and chose a seat very obviously allowing space for another frame... if he wished to take it.

[ichooseboth]

True, but he had not invited her in properly before.

...And, of course, his processor was practically a pile of slag by that point. Apparently femmes were a great weakness of his, no matter how well he had managed to keep his cool back in the reception hall before. He'd been running off bravado and Prime-knowledge then. Now he was on his own.

Optimus took the cube rather gingerly - the longer he stared, the more problematic the difference between their frame scales appeared. Her fingers were terribly delicate compared to his own. And he shouldn't even be focusing on that. A pretty frame and all good manners thrown out the window.

He vented a cough, seating himself next to Elita in the seat obviously left for him.

"Is it to your liking?" He lifted up his own cube, processor whirling as he tried to regain some composure. They'd held a perfectly intelligent conversation before all this, after all!

[invisiblepinkboat]

Waiting for him to sit down, Elita turned slightly in her seat to face the Prime, taking an experimental sip. Like all the other things offered at the function, it was... rather extraordinarily.

She'd have to be careful about how much more she ate or drank; even mid or low-grade energon could get you overcharged with enough of it (though usually the excess got expelled before you got overcharged...), and what she'd had available this night was anything but any sort of low-grade.

"Defnitely. Quite singular; it was a while ago I had the chance to taste anything like I've done tonight." Another small sip before she put the cube down to balance on her thigh and reached out to lay her hand on Optimus' thigh, closer to the knee than anything else.

"Thank you for including me. I know I already said that, but... I wasn't really expecting that."

[ichooseboth]

"I...ah, y-yes." He shivered at the contact, unable to hide the reaction and immediately embarrassed by it.

"I'm glad to give you the...experience."

It was a struggle, but Optimus managed to (somewhat) reorganize his thoughts, even as he reached out to pat the hand on his thigh.

"Now that we are here, it is certainly safe to continue our...previous conversation. If you like."

Or anything else she wanted to do... Audials twitching, he managed a wry smile between sips of his cube.

[invisiblepinkboat]

If she knew, she would very much have wanted to dispel his embarrassment; it was quite charming. But as she didn't, all she had to go on was the stuttered sentence and that charmed her just as much, causing Elita to smile brightly.

She sobered, however, at what he said next and slowly shook her helm.

"Oh... That would indeed be interesting, but I'm unsure what other input I could give you that you would just as well not get elsewhere, and better. I'm a consort, not a politician or a clerk well-versed in Cybertronian policies and politics..." Elita smiled again, this time more dryly.

She was actually a Paradronian noble, but that was neither here nor there, so instead she leaned forward, tilting her helm up as she did so to be able to look Optimus in the optics.

"But if I can provide a sounding board, I'm more than pleased to do so, Optimus..." And she would be pleased to do so, since it'd give her more insight into this... both interesting and sweet - and young, apparently - Prime. "Otherwise, whatever else you might like." Her optics glowing softly, the fingers of the hand trapped under Optimus' on his thigh twitched against white plating.

[ichooseboth]

"And yet you're the consort that led me to discover this in the first place. So I thank you." He smiled, audials twitching when her fingers tickled lightly against his thigh. Thankfully, the discussion was able to help ground him, and kept him from talking in unintelligible grunts.

"...Ah. Besides. Your function does not determine your intelligence...or creativity. But you have a point. Until I can talk to others to learn more, there is not much else to discuss."

It probably wasn't wise at all to discuss such a sensitive situation with someone outside his Intelligence staff, but he couldn't bring himself to cut her off completely since she had triggered the discovery.

"I would appreciate it if you kept it quiet for now, of course. Until I figure out who all was behind all this, I would rather they not get word that we suspect them."

[invisiblepinkboat]

She did not understand why she was pleased with being thanked and briefly looked away, not so much bashful, as confused. Rallying, Elita turned back to face Optimus and straightened up, nodding thoughtfully even as she wriggled her hand around to grasp his, and raised it to kiss the back of it.

Slightly forward, perhaps, considering their current surroundings, but a polite motion as well.

"Of course I wouldn't say anything... Ah." Pausing, a small frown formed on her faceplates; she was obligated by her current programming to say this, and breaking that would take too long and be too obvious, but it'd hinder her ability to forward the useful bits to her... collegues.

"You are in your full right to ask for an obligation of silence clause, as well. It's not unusual for clients to ask for this, so no one would be suspicious." As part of her introduction to being a consort, she'd been given examples of what clients could call the obligation of silence clause into effect over and it was...

Silly, as well as serious.