The Council Chamber hums with tension as Rustybot stands before the team, his glowing hexagons pulsing brightly in time with his speech. He crosses his arms, his voice cold and practical.
”Let’s be clear. Rael and his kind are always going to push and push, expecting us to cave. Why waste time negotiating when we could just make them understand the consequences of their actions?” His fingers tap against his metal arm as he continues, his tone unwavering. “We are the strongest beings in this universe. The undisputed strongest. Diplomatic talks won’t get us anywhere. If he doesn’t fall in line, we show him what happens when you challenge The Ringleaders.”
Pip tilts her head, her paint-splattered form flickering between colors. “Oh, I love this idea! Picture it—Rael’s face covered in slime, confetti raining down from the ceiling while you just stand there, looking all intimidating! A good old-fashioned comic book smackdown, but with style! You could even have me paint a giant speech bubble over his head, you know? It could say, ‘Oops, I made a mistake!’” She bursts into a fit of giggles, clearly enjoying the chaos that could come from such a confrontation.
But Memento’s response is far less playful. The biomechanical being’s voice is soft but firm, and their presence radiates an air of calm, despite the situation at hand.
”Rustybot, I understand your frustration. But this approach doesn’t solve anything in the long run. Force might show Rael our strength, but it would only widen the gap between us and Earth. We can’t afford to make enemies—we need to show Rael that we’re willing to seek peaceful resolutions. If we use force, we risk becoming what we’re trying to prevent: just another power-hungry empire.” Memento’s voice carries an empathetic weight, and their nanites buzz in the air like a soft hum, resonating with their concern.
Memento’s words seem to have some impact on Pip, who begins to consider the deeper implications. But she’s not ready to give up on her idea.
”Yeah, yeah, empathy, peaceful resolution, whatever,” Pip says, her expression morphing into a mischievous grin. “But what if we do both? We hit Rael with a powerful show of force, and then, after he’s all intimidated and cowed, we offer him a cute little truce, like a peace offering! You know, a big shiny, golden handshake. That way, we get the best of both worlds!” Pip’s tone is lighthearted, but her idea is definitely a chaotic one.
Flint, who had been silent up until now, finally puts down his instrument. His fingers tap against the side of his chair as he considers both sides of the argument. “Hmm… You know, I’m not one to shy away from a good, flashy confrontation,” he begins, his voice thoughtful. “But Memento’s right. If we overplay our hand, it could backfire. What if we reveal our strength, but only in a way that makes him need us, like we subtly tip the scales in our favor without making it obvious that we’re pushing him into a corner? We can make Rael think he’s won the negotiation, but when the time’s right, we strike—metaphorically or literally.”
Rustybot’s tone is sharp as he addresses the team, his finger tapping the table in sync with his agitation. “We protect the Primary Timeline from all sorts of threats Earth can’t handle on their own,” he says, fist clenched. “Where do they get off telling us we have to follow their laws? ‘Notify us before making planetfall,’ ‘This is restricted airspace,’ ‘Don’t cause a sonic boom over a residential district.’ They understand they’d be dead without us to fight off all the crazy stuff the multiverse drops on them, right?”
He paces back and forth, clearly agitated. “We’re the ones who save their planet from cosmic threats. And they treat us like we’re some kind of problem? A glorified police force in the sky? We’re above their laws—why should we cater to their bureaucracy? We’re The Ringleaders, no one else can do what we do!”
There’s a slight pause as Rustybot collects his thoughts, his tone softening just a bit as the weight of the decision hits him.
”But… I get it. Memento’s right. If we’re always pushing for the direct route, we’ll just start looking like the same tyrants we’re up against.” His shoulders slump slightly as he nods toward Memento. “Fine. We’ll meet with Rael. But I don’t like it. We’ve saved their butts too many times to be shackled by their rules. I’ll go through with this meeting, but mark my words, it’ll be very clear that they should be thanking us and not the other way around.”
Pip flashes a wide grin. “Oooh, I’m gonna paint a big ‘Thanks for the Protection, Ringleaders!’ on a banner and hang it over the conference room! It’ll be super bright, with neon pinks and yellows. Maybe a little explosion effect for flair, you know?”
Flint chuckles at Pip’s antics but nods in agreement. “We’ll make sure to keep the pressure on while being diplomatic. A subtle show of power, like I said—something to make Rael realize that the negotiation isn’t just a formality.”
Memento gives a small sigh of relief, their nanites flickering in a soft pattern of approval. “Thank you, Rustybot. This could be the beginning of a more peaceful resolution.”