After being let in, Ariel followed Chromia through the apartment building, seeing how run down it was and the evil looks she got for the blue she wore. Chromia was used to it and nodded at all those who looked at Ariel the wrong way. Finally, they reached the room they were looking for, 1984. She pounded on the door and waited. Ariel fidgeted nervously as they waited, and Chromia sighed.
"Problem?"
"I thought the police were more respected than this."
"Primus! Where have you been? They hate you because you joined up during a recruitment drive. Once Sentinel wins, protests are going to pop up all over Cybertron. The police are going to be used to repress them. Though escalate would be more accurate."
"What, us?" Ariel asked fearfully.
"No, not us. No way Magnus will allow the government to get the better of us."
Ariel nodded glumly, and hushed voices came from behind the door.
"Chromia," Ariel asked nervously. "Did you say Dion when asking for the number?"
"Aye. Do you know a Dion?"
Before Ariel could reply, the door opened a fraction to reveal a beady, yellow eye staring out of it.
"I ain't done nothing."
"Good quote for your epitaph, Dion" Chromia replied. "I'm here to see Optimus."
"Who says Optimus is here?"
"I do" rumbled a low, soft voice from inside the apartment. Ariel was startled. She knew that voice, she could recognise it anywhere. "Let them in" It continued. "I trust Chromia with my life."
"Good" Chromia strode in with authority. "Because I'm going to tell you now, you're making it very hard for me to protect you."
"Then why don't you stop?"
Chromia stopped at the foot of a large Bot in red and blue. Chromia didn't even make it past his shins, but still, Orion looked on her with respect.
"Because it's me job!"
"Hah!" Dion barked.
Now that Ariel could see them fully, she realised it was the Dion and Orion she knew. Dion still had a stupid mouthplate hiding half his expressive face, and both had a red symbol emblazoned on themselves. Dion on his stomach, and Orion on his left shoulder. Dion noticed her for the first time and growled deeply.
"Primus, Ariel. Police blue does not suit you."
Chromia instinctually got between them. "Don't you dare have a go at her!"
"Enough!" Orion rumbled softly. He didn't have to raise his voice; he didn't need to. He talked, those around him would listen.
"Dion, Chromia has protected us for years, how can you-"
"Can someone please explain what is going on!" Ariel shouted. Everyone in the room turned to look at Ariel, entirely at a loss. Orion chuckled.
"Of course, you deserve that much" Orion motioned her to follow him. He led her deeper into the apartment, into a room with numerous datapad copies of writings, simply hundreds of books stacked upon one another. Bemused, Ariel checked one of them.
The Beats of the Downtrodden. By Meister.
"One of my lighter readings" Orion remarked, smiling at the look of confusion on Ariel's face. "This might be more to your liking."
The Functionist Regime of Nova Prime.By Ironfist.
"You're in danger because you read?" Ariel asked cautiously.
"In a fashion. All good writers read, and I've been writing for a long time now" He addressed Dion. "Before we were together, even."
Dion's face softened. The Mouthplate hid his expressions, but his optics said all that was needed.
"I was already signalled out due to some… quirks of my physiology," Orion continued. "The state kept pressuring me to join the Military or Police. However, I haven't the spark for violence. Now that I'm directly critiquing the establishment, I imagine it won't be long after Sentinel takes office that an attempt will be made to shut me up completely. Oh, while you're here Chromia, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Primus… what about?"
"I would like to hear a Police Officers view on how these protests will pan out."
"What's there to know? You want a prediction, here it is. Some trigger happy eejit gets too heavy-handed, protests are formed against said atrocity, the police use way too heavy-handed tactics and the protestors are forced to protect themselves, and give the forces the excuse to send in more to repress the movement. Repeat ad nauseum. Nothing changes, the problems go unaddressed. Scrap stays the same"
"So pessimistic!"
"Hold on!" Ariel took a step back. "Anti-functionalists… You people are Decepticons!"
Orion paused before stared at Ariel with a look of profound sadness; he turned to Chromia.
"Should I get into it now?"
"No time" Chromia was looking out a window. "Dion, get over here. Him on the pavement, he been doing anything suspicious?"
"Yeah, he's been following me every time I go out."
"Slipstream mentioned that the Secret Police are after you… would like to know how she knows. But that is poor technique. Ariel, we're off."
They made to go, but Orion stopped her with a well-placed foot.
"Chromia, before you go, perhaps you'll like to consider breaking up all that blue with a bit of red?" In his hand was a copy of the red face emblem he had on his shoulder. "It won't take a minute."
"I'll… consider it, Orion" Chromia replied as she took it. The Iacon Police badge on her chest had been there for so long that Chromia barely cleaned it anymore, and she didn't imagine replacing it any time soon. Dion tutted in the corner and Ariel was surprised to see Chromia glowing with barely concealed pride, despite her reluctance. "Take care."
On their way back down, Ariel was quiet in shock. Not only were her old colleagues Decepticons, but her partner was in collusion with them! When Ariel had joined, she had not thought it was possible, and the advertisements made it seem such a good job. Better than being a dock clerk, that was sure.
"Decepticons!" She snarled. Chromia looked at her. "Decepticons, of all things!"
"No, Autobots" Chromia replied slowly, raising an eyebrow. "Same political party as Solus?"
Ariel's anger retreated as she was once again pulled beneath her depths.
"Surely, you knew that?" Chromia probed.
"Well, excuse me" Ariel replied sarcastically. "It's just that having the State Police after you make you seem a bit dodgy is all."
Chromia stared at Ariel. It was worse than a rebuttal, a scorching, disbelieving stare that stripped Ariel down to spare parts. Ariel felt ashamed for knowing and understanding so little.
"Those two are members of the Autobots, they're a legal party and being part of a legal party isn't against the law. The Decepticons demand devotion towards their leader. The Autobots don't wish to replace one broken system with another headed by a tyrant" She explained with as much self-control as she could manage. Wherever Ariel had been the last few millennia clearly didn't care much for the news. "And, to your other complaint, the Secret Police are not allowed in Iacon, and so if the one below is one he is breaking the law. Remember Ariel, protect and serve."
"I… yes. You're right. It's just that I deserve to be told, Chromia!" Confusion and anger had boiled over, and now Ariel was demanding. "From what I've seen, you've let a circuit booster dealer off, fraternised with two very dodgy bots, and failed to report to your Superintendent."
"Oh, so the one thing you read is the protocol" Chromia snorted.
"I deserve answers."
Chromia opened her mouth to retort but thought better of it. Ariel had a point, though Chromia resented the fact that she did. Chromia knew that had she been alive during the reign of a good prime and a decent senate that she wouldn't have to be so cloak and dagger about doing her own damn job, and the way it looked to a new-comer must make her look downright dirty.
"I will explain it, I promise. But for now, let's do our jobs."
Chromia confidently crossed the street to the loiterer watching with dull optics on the building.
"Oi, you!" Chromia shouted. "We've heard that you've been harassing two inhabitants of that building. Care to explain yourself?"
"I assure you that I am only relaxing" Replied the loiterer. His voice was nasal but silky. Ariel hung back; the loiterer was big, almost twice the size of her, the kibble on its stomach implied a flying alt mode, one of the most common alt-modes for the Central Security Services.
"Their testimony will be enough. Are you going to step off, or are we going to have a problem here?"
The loiterer sneered and stood to his full height. Metal flashed as he extended the null rays on his arms and his eyes gleamed a bright red.
"Step carefully, wheels. Don't make this harder than it has to be. If needs be, I'll get you put on the list."
Chromia glared at the spy, and just when Ariel thought she was going to urge him to retract the guns, she slammed her fist into the knee of the loiterer, and it burst in a shower of sparks. The loiterer screamed a high pitched shriek of pain and swung his guns towards Chromia. A grapple clamped onto an optic, and it retreated, bringing his head down and Chromia up. Bi-directional thrusters propelling her high into the air, she kneed the loiterer's chin. The loiterer's head jerked back, and he fell with Chromia on top of him, her fists and feet like bullets as she pummelled the spy's face.
"No! No! Mercy, please!"
"Name! Give me your name!"
"Starscream, Criminal Inspector Starscream of the Cybertronian Security Service"
"Inspector" Chromia smiled as she flipped him and pinned a hand behind his back "We have the same rank, though I think I outrank you in terms of seniority. Did the academy teach you to just stand by and watch?"
Ariel jumped.
"Cuffs, Now!" Chromia continued.
Once Starscream was safely in cuffs, Chromia finally got off him. With a friendly smile on her face, she began the interview.
"So tell me. Why are you assigned to spy on a couple of dockside workers."
Starscream was silent. Sat on the dirty pavement, he was on a height with Ariel.
"More of a screamer than a talker, eh? Well then, what about that list you mentioned?"
Starscream jerked, but still, he stayed silent.
"You know, it wouldn't do well for your career if you got put in prison."
"Damn you" Starscream finally spat out. Chromia knew where to hit where it hurt. "And how would it look if I gave state secrets to you? What crimes am I committing, I ask you, being part of the Security Forces doesn't constitute a crime. Good luck getting Solus here to verify if I'm here legally."
Ariel watched with great interest. She had never seen someone fight like that, and against a secret police member? Her spark pulsed with excitement, and she almost squealed in immature joy as she watched. Still high on her buzz, she piped up.
"Actually It does" Both Chromia and Starscream turned to look at her in surprise. Ariel herself was surprised to hear her speak, but with an encouraging nod from Chromia, she continued.
"The Chief Superintendent of their respective Cities decide upon which police forces are to be present in their district with approval from the Senator. Even if the Senator approved the Secret- I mean the Security Personal, the Chief can choose to deny special units entry into their district even if given approval."
Chromia nodded. "And Ultra Magnus has been very clear on the matter. You, Starscream, are out of line and will give me the list you mentioned, else I'll have you arrested!"
Starscream seemed to be fighting against himself, his hands flexing and twitching as he struggled for thought against panic.
"Very well" Starscream finally relented. The panels on his chest shafted and out of a pouch came a small data pack. Chromia took it gratefully and passed it to Ariel.
"Keep that safe while I get a couple of mobile transporters here. He's too big to be transported by one of the vans."
"What! But you said-"
"You think they're going to let you live after giving state secrets like this?" Chromia shot back. "This is for your own protection."
Starscream fell silent once again. As Chromia made the necessary arrangements, Ariel opened the datapad. Ariel could hardly believe the government would want to keep tabs on so many people. Protestors, activists, rival politicians. She flipped through a couple of pages, barely taking it in. But finally, she saw a name that made her yelp in surprise.
"Chromia, your name is in here!"