Marissa and Spike - What would you say you do here?

Log Title: Marissa and Spike - What would you say you do here?

Characters: Marissa, Psyche-Out, Spike

Location: Human Quarters - Residential Complex - Autobot City

Date: March 25, 2016

TP: Forced Retirement TP / Exit Doctor Arkeville TP

Summary: Marissa and Spike discuss what to do if the Joes get shut down.

As logged by Marissa - Friday, March 25, 2016, 10:41 PM --

Human Quarters - Residential Complex - Autobot City
Marissa has had sort of a shitty week or two. First, she had to answer a few questions about what EDC actually 'does' - and then, orders to submit a detailed description of her duties.

Spike walks in the human quarters. He finds a beer out of the fridge and lets out a groan. Oblivious to what Marissa is going on, he sighs, "Looooooong aft day."


 * Marissa sighs. It's Friday night, but she's still up and working on her laptop in the common area. She looks frustrated, but when Spike joins her in the human quarters, she smiles as she looks up from her computer. "Yours, too, huh?" she commiserates.

Spike nods and gives a conspiratorial grin and brazenly reaches in to the fridge, opens a brew, and gives an open brew to Marissa. "Heyah, sorry I've slacked so much with EDC recently. Between the prisoner stuff, and dad it's been..." He adds "Well...long."


 * Marissa nods. "Oh, yeah. I completely understand. It's been crazy. Look - have I talked to you about the whole Joe-shutdown thing?" She looks unusually tired and frazzled for her usual bad-ass Naval Academy self.

Marissa has also seen the near-miraculous 10-day turnaround of Sparkplug. He may be weaker than he was about six months ago, but she saw the scene ten days ago where he was almost in a catatonic state.

Spike takes a pull of beer and gets serious. He shakes his head and sits down. "You mean...cutbacks, like in staffing, but not shutdown G.I. Joe entirely, right?"


 * Marissa shakes her head. "No, the scuttlebutt is that if Hawk can't get the setbacks with the Pit under control, the whole Joe program might be shutdown. I'm scrambling to come up with a backup plan. I was wondering - could you sell Optimus Prime a major expansion to the EDC - I mean, instead of a handful of us working with the Joes, have a bunch of former Joes working with the Autobots full-time?"

Spike 's jaw gapes slightly. "Uh..." Spike sighs and says "Marissa, the 'bots, they...and Prime specifically, are VERY adamant about not taking money for fear of appearing to play favorites." He gestures to him and Marissa, "Seriously, your stipend and mine, it almost exclusively comes from stuff like 'land rights' from Mt. St. Hillary and speaking engagements from the other Autobots."


 * Marissa forces a grin. "Yeah. It's a lot to take in, I know. And I hope it's all just rumor, except the Jugglers have shut the Joes down before, and have been after them even since they started back up in '97. They may have their in this time, and I want to have a backup plan in place if they get their way." She frowns as Spike points out the monetary angle. "Yeah... that would be a problem," she admits. "I haven't worked out that part yet."

Spike gives a weary nod. "I can TALK to him...definitely."


 * Marissa nods. "Like I said - I hope it won't happen, and if it does, I'm sure Hawk has some kind of plan on his own. I just - I want the Autobots and the Joes to be able to keep working together, and I don't want everything to atomize if the Pentagon pulls the Joes' funding. I mean, they're staying here already - maybe just a stop-gap if something goes wrong, until we work something out?" Marissa has obviously been losing sleep over this possibility.

Spike adds "But we'd need like...a reason. And right now, EDC serves a very limited, but necessary purpose." He adds "But Prime, he's big on not having the Autobots extend their control all over the world." He adds with a slight frown, "Between you and I, if the 'bots were serious about interference, they could probably take one of these six-week lulls between Decepticon raids, and dispose of every dictator on the planet, rout ISIS, and establish a democracy in every country." He adds "But Prime is big on us sort of 'figuring this shit out on our own.'"

Spike gives Marissa a sad smile. She's become a great friend to Spike. With Chip pretty much doing his own thing, his human 'pool' is pretty thin. Even with great additions like Sci-Fi and Lifeline. But Marissa has occupied a special place in his heart. He looks at Marissa bites his lower lip, then looks at her seriously. "I can't vouch for the others, but you... you won't have to worry." Spike looks at Marissa, dead-serious, "Though I doubt that anything will happen to EDC, if worst case scenario comes up...'I' will make sure you keep this role, and you get compensated."


 * Marissa makes a face. "I dunno. 'Take out dictators' I'd bye, but if one thing should be obvious by now, you can force democracy on an area not ready for it. If I really felt that big guns could solve all the world's problems, I'd have signed up with Mom and Dad for the Joes. I think the Autobots' hands-off approach is good for most things, but when we DO have to intervene - I'd rather see the Autobots and G.I. Joe working on concert than back to getting in each other's way." She grins at Spike's concerns. "I'm not worried about ME. I'll be fine. I appreciate it, though." She reaches out and touches Spike's hand affectionately.

Spike gives an affection squeeze. Then thinks of Carly. He nods, and slowly retracts his hand. "We'll figure something out." He adds "Maybe...on my way back from Cyb'tron, I can think of a few initiatives to increase our profile." Spike says calmly "Guess we can always go to the safe, risk-free fallback - the good ol' 'natural disaster aid' angle, that keeps the 'bots out of interfering with human development.


 * Marissa's pretty blue eyes widen. "Oh, yeah! Cybertron! Your big conference! I shouldn't be bugging you about Joe business - you should be getting ready for your big trip! I wish I was going with - Cybertron is cool, man. A whole other world! Scary that they fucked it up so badly, though, right? Makes me worry even more about ours."


 * Marissa frowns at Spike's 'natural disasters' suggestion. "I think YOUR role in the EDC should be the protection of civilians and reaction to natural disasters. EDC also has a combat protection role, however, and G.I. Joe should be an equal part of it - especially when Cobra is concerned."

Spike says pointedly "It should be protection from ANY threat that's major. Cobra's just a part of it."


 * Marissa nods quickly in agreement with Spike. "Exactly. Natural disasters, Cobra, Decepticons, 'Islamic State' - you name it, the EDC should be there, seamlessly integrating human and robotic talent and technology to best answer whatever the current crisis. G.I. Joe CSAR and Weatherbots for natural disasters, Army and Autobot Infantry for ground assaults, Aerospace and Air Force to combat aerial attacks - we should be working together, ready for anything. I won't let the Pentagon disrupt our efforts!"

Spike grins and 'clicks' his beer against Marissa in solidarity. "If anyone can do it, it's you."


 * Marissa laughs. "Well, if you could put a bug in Prime's antenna-ear about it, it would help me a long way towards figuring out what's even possible. In the short term, just letting the Joes stay here if they're suddenly forced to retire might help maintain unit cohesion, and they can work for their supper when it comes to fighting off Decepticon attacks. I'll have to work on how to pay for everything, but I'd like to know if it's even an option before I try to run the numbers."

Spike nods and relents, "Deal...I'll talk with Optimus. Cool?"

Marissa grins. "Thanks, Spike. I really appreciate it." Marissa is talking to Spike and sharing a beer with her laptop open in front of her.

Spike takes another sip of beer. "For the 'bots, it's finding that right balance of interfering, but not 'taking over' and 'solving' human problems."

Psyche-Out sticks his blonde head into the human quarters and looks around, smiling as he spots the off-duty Marissa and Spike. "Just the two people I was looking for!" he exclaims, and makes a beeline for the two EDC chiefs.

Spike looks on curiously, "Oh?"

Marissa smiles. "Hey, Psyche-Out." She looks at Spike. "Have the two of you been introduced?"

Spike looks at Psyche-Out and shakes his head slowly. He gets up and extends a hand. "Spike Witwicky." He looks back at Marissa, then at Psyche-Out. "Psych-Out? So, I'm guessing you must be in the... psychological warfare division?"

Psyche-Out grins, extending his own hand, and shaking Spike's with just the right amount of pressure and strength to exude confidence without coming across as overly aggressive. "Precisely! Although I do provide some social services as well, which is what brings me here. I have a somewhat delicate former Joe under my care right now, and she really should spend the night before going back home. I was wondering if there was a place she could spend the night away from the other Joes - she feels a little awkward with the rest of us right now."


 * Marissa smiles at looks at Spike. "That's your division more than mine - I'm still trying to find places for all the Joes we have here already!" She finishes her beer and starts shutting down her laptop - it's getting a little too late to get anything else done.

Spike gives a 'what do I do?' look at Marissa. "Uh...sure." He pulls up a list of open rooms. "We have a few diplomatic suites that are available..." He brings up a schematic of the city on his tablet, and points to where they are - in a scenic region, near the radio towers. "It's pretty isolated right now. Is it just for the night?" Spike looks at his watch, and realizes he has to be on a flight to Cybertron tomorrow morning. "Shit..." He looks at Psych-Out and regains his 'professionalism'. "Will that be OK?"

Psyche-Out smiles reassuringly. "That would be perfect. And just for the night, yes. Thanks a lot, Spike -- I really appreciate it." Late as it is, Psyche-Out's manner is calming and relaxing, and he reminds Spike a little of Crosscut.

Spike nods and says "Does she require any special accommodations?"

Psyche-Out says, "No, although she's a little rattled -- one of our prisoners posed as her and murdered a few of the Joes -- so many nothing close to the brig."

Spike 's jaw gapes slightly, "Oh my god," he says with concern. He nods. "OK... I'll set something up before I crash tonight. And I'll make sure that she'll be able to reach anyone if she needs anything." He looks at Psyche-Out, "Who from the Joes should be the primary contact?"

Psyche-Out says, "Make it me, for now. I'll go get her and bring her to her room -- I don't mean to keep you up."

Marissa says, "Thanks, Psyche-Out. We'll make sure she's OK."

Spike nods, "It'll be done." Spike looks at Marissa, and Psych-Out. "Guess I'll get a room ready." He nods to Marissa. "We'll work something out."

Psyche-Out makes a note of the area Spike pointed out on the datapad, and goes to bring Seville to her room, waving good night to the members of the EDC.