Bless The Peacemakers

Log Title: Bless The Peacemakers Characters: Starlock, Encore, Stormfront, Cerebros, and Soundwave Location: Harmonex - Northwestern Cybertron Date: September 13th, 2019. TP: Non-TP Summary: A long day outside the Harmonex shield brings a interesting group of visitors, who all have interesting insight and philosophy on peace. Starlock also gets a moment to speak with Soundwave, as person.

As logged by Starlock

Encore walks casually towards the shield surrounding Harmonex, but makes no attempt to actually enter the city. Instead, he spends a while walking around, tapping fragments of crystal with an incredibly small hammer, and listening to the sound. While doing this, he ignores any attempt to get his attention - even shushing the speaker, until he's found a spot that meets all of his requirements. Then, he reaches into Subspace, and pulls out something that looks like a stiff-legged tartan octopus.

Soundwave is watching over the gates of Harmonex from outside the gates. When he sees Encore, he watches him quietly, recording. And what is this octopus thing? Perhaps the Autobots have found a solution to the forcefield. One he can use as well.

Starlock is there because.. Well, this is were she's been the past couple of days, and raises a ridge at Encore as she watches him. She'd look down at the broken Harmonexian crystal necklace she has around her neck, before she slips her Datapad into her subspace and starts following him around, watching what he was doing silently, and tilting her helm.

"...What are you doing?" She'd finelly ask.

Encore eventually manages to untangle the 'legs' of this octopus-like thing, and then assembles his bagpipes up on one shoulder. "Lookin' fae a good spot to play, lass." He says, brightly. He is, apparently, in a good mood. "Want tae see wha'the crystals think of it!" He grins happily, apparently not noticing Soundwave.

There are unpleasant squawking sounds as he inflates the bag.

Soundwave sees what it is up close. Ah the bagpipes, nothing new. He comes into view, scanning outside the forcefield.

Starlock would bring her and up to cover her mouth, letting out a snicker and snort at the silly instrument. "Know what, why not?" She'd grin, and looked around. "There is actually a nice hill not to far from here." She'd suggest, mostly because looking at the device, she can tell, that thing was going to be /loud./

Encore nods "Aye, I saw tha. I'd play there if I was playin' for a crowd." he says. "But here there's better 'coustics from th' crystals here." He puts his little hammer into his sporran, gently squeezing the bag a few times to checkthe pressure, with more squawking. No instrument sounds quite as bad as the bagpipes, when being tuned. Which means the sound it actually makes when he begins to play, softly, all the more surprising. He plays a sad tune at first, 'Going home', to see how the crystals resonate and respond. And out of respect to all those lost here in the many battles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nul-fRaj8F4

Soundwave is a quiet observer. Just part of the background, just the way he likes it. He records, lowering his head to the somber music. The meaning is not lost on the Decepticon communicator at all.

Starlock covered her audials and chuckled, it was definitely a.. /unique/ sound... But once he gets it going proper, she does fine she actually likes the tune, closing her optics and tilting her heads side to side as she listened. "Not bad." She'd nod, looking to the crystals, keeping an optic on them, unsure if the tune's resonations would be too high.

GAME: Encore PASSES a DEXTERITY roll of Very High difficulty

Encore listens to the lingering resonance of the crystals, a note carried mostly on the smaller ones as the echoes die away. "...I think tha' went down quite well, don't you lass?" He says, cheerfully. "How d'ya think they'd stack up tae something a wee bit faster?"

Soundwave does not want to be spotted. He transforms to his microcassette recorder move and places himself near the two. Just being silent optics and audials as he records...everything.

"I'd not push 'em to much, lotta' 'em are still regrowing and the wrong frequency and resonance could shatter 'em, but... I do think It will be okay." She'd grin. "By the way, I'm Starlock, I'm a native Harmonexian here." She'd nod. "Also an Autobot medic and doctor so, please don't make me mag-lock ya' to the medical berths." She'd chuckle, crossing her arms.

Encore chuckles, quietly. "I won't push 'em too fast!" He says. "Don' worry." He smiles, offering a huge hand. "I'm Encore. Not native... dinnae actually ken where I'm from, I could be Harmonexian, I could be Iaconian, I could f'r al I know be from Tarn. I'm Cybertron's second greatest brewmaster... Second only to MacAddam, if I do say so myself, Autobot, an' Suicide Jockey. Hazardous cargoes our speciality - delivery or death, guaranteed wi' a smile. Back in th' day it was us droppin in th' Wreckers." A thoughtful pause. "Dinnae remember if we ever dropped 'em here... but if we did, I'm sorry."

Starlock gave a chuckle. "Well who knows, love of music maybe a sign of that, Harmonex was known for art, teaching, and music." She'd smile and nodded. "..Naah, Trypticon did ths." She'd look over to the crystals in the forcefield. "Which I'm pretty sure happened before the wreckers were even a thing." She'd nod and smiled.

Encore nods a little, as he looks around. "Maybe, I dinnae ken. A'fore the war I was a Moonshiner." He chuckles. "There were a lotta places that didnae like engex, or didnae like engex not brewed by their brewers. Course, citizens didnae care as much..." He chuckles. At the reassurance, he nods. "I'm glad. I ken wha' kinda mess those buggers make."

Starlock chuckles. "Well, s'nice things have changed." She'd grin, oddly finding his accent easy to translate, before she chuckled. "Ooooh I can." She'd grin, adjusting her cape, before looking back.

"..S'nice to see others coming out to see whats going on." She'd muse, as she thought to herself, getting an idea.

Encore nods a little. "Aye, it is." He says. "It's nice to see the place recovering, though tha' shield gets on my tits... I figure best way to get it taken doon is tae prove th' person who put it up wrong. Let's see how the crystals like Sco'land th' Brave, aye?" He says. "..bugger I wish I had Joe or Skrat here fer drums, but y'do wha' y' can wit' wha' yez got, aye?"

He starts to play again. This time it's a faster, more rousing tune - a marching tune, and Encore marches on the spot to keep his time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBKBI7DOLHA GAME: Encore FAILS a DEXTERITY roll of Immense difficulty.

The mini-bot femme tries very hard to keep a straight face when Encore says the shield gets on his tits, though.. it's pretty obvious she's trying not to laugh, she'd clear her voice box and place her hands on her hip platting. "I'm.. working on it." She'd say with a smile, before listing, tilting her helm side to side as she tried to get the tempo of the song.

"More a singer myself so I'll see what I can muster." She'd chuckle, listening to the song, she'd start to hold a note in a acapella like fashion along with the sound.

Encore winces as the crystals seem to resonate discordantly - only to respond better to the combined pipes and singing. He looks thoughtful, and then pulls a datapad from his sporran, and hands over the lyrics sheet for Scotland the Brave

And there's a certain irony in finding the lyrics to Scotland the Brave on this particular site. https://www.irishsongs.com/lyrics.php?Action=view&Song_id=565

Starlock started reading them over and grinned and shook her helm with a grin, Ahh human music, makes sense, she did enjoy it, so, what hell. Starlock gave a chuckle and a nod, beginning with the first verse, doing a best to try and mimic the accent of Encore.

"Hark when the night is falling.." She'd then spin on her pede and point at the instrument.

"Hear! hear the pipes are calling, Loudly and proudly calling, Down thro' the glen." Mostly in reference if that is what the instrument was called. She'd then step away and continued with the song.

"There where the hills are sleeping, Now feel the blood a-leaping, High as the spirits of the old Highland men."

She'd grin raising a ridge at Encore, wondering if she was getting it right.

Encore seems to be approving - and with the two working together - in harmony, so to speak - it's natural that Harmonex is going to respond better. At the end of the song, he smiles, setting down his pipes.

"Och, that was something special..." He says, softly. "But I think we'd better let 'em rest now, don't yez?"

"Aye~" she'd chuckle, before looking to the shield and vented a huff. "....Hopefully can get this shield down soon enough and work on getting things started to get this place cleaned up, don't want any of the old debris messin' up the crystals growth." She'd nod.

Encore nods softly "Aye, probably not." He looks over the city. "Should let them grow with the rubble in at least one spot, though. As a memorial to those who fell, and a reminder of our folly. That as much as we like t' think we are, we're no' better than the humans, tha'... tha' were just as fallible, and this is what happens when believe in our causes to the point where we wont talk, where we won't compromise."

Stalrock chuckled. "Know, everyone does have different ideas on how to do a memorial here, but they all agree there should be one." She nodded to him as she looked at the shield and crystals inside. "Mine was to make a memorial out of the broken crystals.. shape 'em into a kinda statue in the cities center in a park, with all the names written down it." She'd muse, pulling out her old sketchbook to show the designs she'd been making.

"I overheard that Stormfront wants to make one with crystals that show images of each individual, but that sounds a bit too technical... Would also require moving it away form the center of the city." She'd think. "Soundwave mentioned a graveyard, but again.. Hmm." She'd tap at her face platting, she'd smile though, hearing him speak.

"...Know, I like how you think, pretty much summed up what I've been trying to say in a much easier way." She'd chuckle. "Been trying to convince Knightmare to let me handle this place, get everyone working together to rebuild it, and not have it purely faction aligned."

Encore smiles softly, sitting down. "I'm a bartender, by trade, these days." He says. "To be a good bartender, you've got to be part friend, part psychologist, part shopkeeper, part DJ... part security guard. People come intae bars to get away from their troubles. Engex, on its own, won't do tha'. It turns the mind inwards, if left tae its own devices. A good barkeep can use tha' to help a mech work off his troubles... or ken when to distract the guy. And he has to ken when a feller's drunk enough, or tae drunk." He thinks about the other ideas. "They're all tae complex. Th' Japanese, on Earth, got it right - tha's what inspired me." He pulls up an image of the Hiroshima Peace Dome. "This is ground zero of th' first place on Earth to recieve an atomic warhead in anger, or near as makes nae difference. It was the only building at th' hypocentre tae remain standing." Encore pulls another datapad from his sporran to pull up the pic.

Starlock blinks as she looks at it. "Is a pretty good idea.. though, there are alot of buildings still standing here.. number that needs cleared away if thee crystals are to regrow without ending up wrapped from growing around 'em." She'd hem, in thought. "It too, is not a bad idea though." She'd muse and chuckled, flipping through her sketchbook to a few pages that are just full of names of the dead, with full names, and dates, some dating back faaar early into the war.

"Some miiight call me a Mortilus follower, but, I do think it's important that the dead be remembered, worse thing to do, is forget 'em... And those still living, looking for them." She'd nod.

She'd chuckle and sigh. "...Being a doctor I've kinda seen the worst the war has to offer, physically and psychologically... So I can very much relate to what you mean to that.. Though maybe a bit differently, but the concept is there." She'd nod, and looked him over and smiled. "Know, I'm glad to know, I'm not alone in the thought, that maybe things have been claimed enough to try and achieve peace."

Encore nods "Th' hard part is to find one which exemplifies the sheer... cultural vandalism that fighting here was." He says. He smiles, sadly. "It is important tae remember the fallen in war. Why they fell. I dinnae care if y' follow Mortilus, I dinnae really follow any of th' Primes. Maybe Primus himself, but... dinnae really thinl 'boot 'em much." he nods at the comment about seeing people in the am way,

At the mention of 'peace' he smiles. "My bar, th' Rollout, serves everyone. It's in Toraxxis... Bot turf. but there's a clear road tae it, that everyone can take... and the defenses are programmed nae to fire on anyone takin' their way there. I started the place, I got to be honest, tae give ol' Megatron th' bird. I reckoned it'd wind him up kennin' tha' there's an Autobot-run bar that would give him the same welcome it gave tae Optimus." He chuckles. "Primus bless the peacemakers, aye? Coz sure as hell no other bastard will."

Starlock nodded. "Yeah, Fairly i think Stormfront's idea would be perfect for polyhex or Helix.. whichever had the crystal garden." She'd muse, looking a bit perturbed she didn't remember. "The building idea... Might be good for Nyon." she'd nod. "Now I maaybe a little biased, but my crystal idea that, well.. Maybe if build right, the spire statue would perhaps echo the sounds of the crystals once regrown." She'd explain with a chuckle.

"So it's like how Maccs was?" She'd ask with a chuckle. "Can say /that/ again, Was just tellin' Knightmare you can't force peace, need to do it through talking and building community and trust, so far, sounds like your doing just that." She'd take a vent.

Now I don't mean to brag, but I have given Megatron the littral, finger, so, I got a bit of a challenge to make sure the big buy wont wreck this place, given what I'm gonna plan on trying to do."

Encorenods "Knightmare's a warrior turned peacemaker." He says. "So she'll always think like a warrior. Things are decided by th' proper application of force. You and me, we're peaceful folks forced into war. Not jes' that but we both have profesions tha' make us talk to folks... and listen." He smiles softly as she brings up Mac's. "He's the only person I'll admit's a better brewmaster than I. But yes, the same idea. And I bet you already ken, it's workin'. Slow, aye, and only a tiny amount, it's true... but raindrops fill oceans, given enough time. And bugger it all, I enjoy th' job." At the comment about giving Megatron the finger, he snorts."I'll have tae step up th' game. Maybe give him th' traditional Scottish insult..." After all,that's one of the benefits of wearing a kilt. He can moon people.

Soundwave continues to record the two Autobots interaction. Of course he would be visible to those who know what to look for.

Starlock nodded. "Yeah, Originally didn't wanna hurt anyone, but, I also came the conclusion that I'd need to defend myself and others, regardless, just ment I shouldn't be the one to throw the first punch, or let myself be killed or hurt when push came to shove.. Turns out I ended up doing a pretty good job, since the Cons dubbed me a combat medic." She'd chuckle.

Starlock had known Soundwave was there, she just wasn't acknowledging it as a /bad/ thing as she felt it was important to try and start destigmatizing the two factions interacting.

"...Ahah Lords, yeah, I had quite thee uh... heated conversation with her a few nights ago.. Oooph, stubborn, thats one word I'll say." She'd nod sagely, before taking a seat herself. "heh, another thing I stated to Knightmare, can't do everything quickly, s'gonna be hard, and slow, so need to have the patience to do it.." She'd laugh and let out a sigh.

"I don't know mate, can't get any worse then a mini-bot shootin' him off the roof and callin' him a dick over the broadband." She was now, sliightly kicking herself.

Encore nods "Aye, it's gonna be slow. And there will be setbacks - folks, both Bot and Con, who canne ge' over their old hatreds. Hate's a wee bit like tha' Earth parasite tha'replaces fish tongues. Once it find its way intae yer mouth, it' a hellla bastard tae spit it oot again."

When Starlock explain what she did, he loses it in laughter. It takes him a good five minutes to recover. "Oh Primus tha's magnificent. And a tool you c'n use in debate - even though tha's what you think of him... you still extend the olive branch of peace. You might be a mini-bot, aye... but who's the bigger mech?"

Soundwave transforms and makes his presence known. He watches the group uqietly, though hes well within view. He nods to both, but is dead silent as he records more.

Starlock just joins him in laughing and nods, shaking her helm as she places her hand on her forhelm. "This is my life now, leave it to me to shoot myself in the foot only to find out, I /need/ said foot literally the next day." She'd laugh. "I'll figure it out, /somehow./" She'd smile over and nod in agreement.

"Yeaah, I know lot aren't gonna' be happy about such, lord knows I've made it /harder/ on myself but... Ehh... Dunno till I try, Yeah?" She'd ask, and looked down, honestly thinking about. "I dunno really. I got a weird kinda look on life." She'd nod, and glance over.

"Ahhh~ so you finally decide to join us." She'd smile at Soundwave.

Encore chuckles softly and nods "That's the way it is bein' a peacemaker who's involved in it all." He says to Starlock. "You get emotionally involved, which is nae a good idea for negotiations. Earth, again, has th' right idea, with the United Nations. It's above governments, and exists primarily tae keep th' peace. It's nae th' best at it - no' enough teeth - but... it's a start. Maybe Harmonex can be the start of something similar?"

He looks over at Soundwave, and waves.

Soundwave nods "I have been here the whole time." He is surprised Encore isnt trying to chase him off with his announcement. "Devoting yourself to Harmonex is admirable. To negotiations may be madness." says the one normally negotiating for his side.

Encore shrugs "Takes a special kind of madness tae look at a war like ours and think we stand a fart's chance against a black hole of pullin' it off."

"S'kinda the plan." She'd nod looking to Harmonex. "Like, my idea is to get someone none-aligned, a bot, and a con together, clean and build this place up, the three working together to rebuild it, two embassies, one bot one con and the like... Knightmare doesn't think it will, nor does He." She'd jerk a thumbs to Soundwave. "...But I'm still gonna try."

She'd nod. "Maybe could then start working to get those governing other cities to work with us." She'd continue before looking to Soundwave. "I'm gonna try, I'm pretty sure it isn't gonna go well, but heck... Like.. unless I can go through someone /else/ instead? ...Not starscream though, pretty sure not even the cons would wish that on me." She'd cringe.

Encore nods "Need to give 'em teet. They'll need someone who can make both Prime and Megatron think twice 'fore taking them on." Encore comments. "Tha'll solve the problem wit'the Earth's united nations, tae." He sips from a hip flask,and offers it around. "Wee bit strong, mind. And aye, odds are it won't work. We've go' the tiniest, tiniest chance of pullin' this off. But, and here's the important part - it's non-zero. And THAT is a thousand times more of a chance at peace than if we don't try."

Soundwave vents in a sigh. "I Just do not think Lord Megatron would agree to sharing anything."

Encore looks over at Soundwave. "Until the Decepticons have a leader who can share, they will be an obstacle to peace."

"I've had nightmare fuel, pretty sure this will be fine... That, and I'm one of Ratchet's." She'd laugh, gladly accepting and taking a sip, and chuckled, before clearing her throat at the burn and taste of the engex. "Ooof." She'd smile.

"...Is that exhaustion I hear?" She'd chuckle at Soundwave. "You are right though, veery likely he won't wanna share... Probably why we'll need to try and convince him to play the politic game instead...." She'd muse in thought, tapping at her knee, implying the thought of tricking was there.

Soundwave pauses. "He hasn't been very political as of late." He says. "It has been more or less conquest without requesting others opinions." he says "As far as exhaustion.. perhaps yes."

Encore looks thoughtful "I heard a couple rumours, in m' bar. Is it right tha' he was one of the Nucleosis victims? Could be tha' affecting his way o' thinkin'. Might be that someone needs to reinspire his love of politics." He looks thoughtful. "See if our war was all politics, and mostly cold, places like this could still recover."

"So... desperation?" She'd question, cause that did sound weird. She then looks over at Encore and her optics widden, before looking to Soundwave. "...Is... That.. true?" She'd ask, the doctor in her coming out over /megatron/ what hell. Cerebros has arrived.

Soundwave speaks tensely. "My Lord's way of thinking and my own are prefectly fine. I was a Nucleosis victim but I am thinking correctly." he says.

Soundwave looks to Starlock "We are not rdesperate. But resources are limited. But we are never desperate." he says. If they are his pride keeps him from admitting that.

Encore raises an eyebrow, and glances to Starlock as if to say 'That's 'yes' without actually saying that if I've ever heard it'. He nods, thoughtfully. "And Megatron, as a warrior-type... doesnae realise tha' he expends more in conquest - and supressiong discontent - long term than he'll ever gain."

"...But has he been checked?" She'd question with a raised ridge. "Disease doesn't care for who it hits as well.. Infection and Virals are just that, forces not good nor evil." She'd glance away and her look hardening, passing Encore his drink back. "....And I know for a fact, it's creator doesn't care." She'd sneer.

She'd sigh and pinch her nose bridge. "Being a warrior, also means he /may/ listen if I beat 'em in a fight, which I've already done but... More likely to tick 'em off then that, plus I just got lucky, that scrap ain't happening again." she'd take a vent through her denta.

Cerebros is comfortable standing a silent distance away, but still within earshot of Starlock and Soundwave.

Soundwave pauses. "Our medics will check him of course to make sure he does not show signs of the disease. We have several competant people in our medical forces, you know." he crosses his arms.

Encore growls softly at the mention of nucleosis' creator. "I'm nae normally in favour of such things." He says. "But if that bastard was on a rope over a tank of sharkticons I'd be taking pot-shots at th' string and passing 'roon' the drinks." He nods as Starlock thinks. "Aye. The message needs t' come from someone he trusts... multiple someones. There's... a Decepticon lass who might be on-side for tha', Banshee her name is, if you can make yer case to her."

Cerebros silently observes the discussion, moving closer to Encore, looking to be engaged, but making sure not to make optic contact with Soundwave.

Starlock gave soundwave a nod. "Good." She'd say simply before looking to Encore. "...Believe me, if I /ever/ cross paths with Pharma again, I'm /personally/ ending him." She'd hiss. "Should of done it when he did something similar with the thinning plague." There was /venom/ in Starlock's vocals for a change. "I tried /so hard/ to bring him to justice just for him to slip through my fingers and...." She was glaring down at her hands, trying very hard not to dig her talons into her palms.

She'd take a vent though, trying to calm herself and nodded to Encore. "Alright... Worth a shot at this point, been doing everything by the seat of my aft, so, hell, why not?" She'd shrug, trying to calm herself down. "Banshee, yeah? Alright." She'd open her sketchbook and write then name down.

She'd then spy Cerebros, and motion him to her side.. away from soundwave.

Cerebros nods quickly. He steps to Starlock's side. Again, not exactly being able to contribute, but as a new Autobot, learning the ropes of tracking down leads, and investigating, and since it doesn't involve firearms and combat, all the better.

Soundwave nods in agreement. "Banshee is a good person to work with. SHe is calm and easy to get along with." He looks to Cerebros. "I will not harm you. Do not worry."

GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty. Cerebros says cooly "The last time you said that, you tried to apprehend me 3.73 minutes later."

Encore blinks up at Cerebros and waves "Cerebros lad. I dinane think he'd try that with' Starlock and I present." He listens to Starlock, nodding softly. "Och, no wonder yer narked. He makes doctors like y'self look bad *and* he's the one th' got away t' do more harm. Aye I think I'd be huntin' th' bastard doon."

GAME: Cerebros PASSES a COURAGE roll of Very High difficulty.

Soundwave shakes his head. "There are too many present. Besides. I am not under orders to bring you in currently."

Cerebros nods slowly, standing his ground. "I know..." he says to Encore." He continues to listen, squirming slightly when Encore talks about hunting a bastard down (or doon). Cerebros stammers slightly at Soundwave. "There's no reason to..." He gestures "My security knowledge is limited primarily because I've only been a fully-functioning being for about 12 weeks." He adds "Firepower-wise, I'm definitely not a threat."

Starlock nodded in agreement with Encore and Soundwaves assessments, that Cerebros was safe at the moment, she tried to take a vent to calm herself down. "...Yeah.. I was tending to a lot of empties in the dead in back then, where there was just.. corpses among corpses piling up because we didn't' have a cure, and the diseases affected fuel lines, if someone got cut, they'd bleed out in /seconds/ and if anyone came in contact with said energon they'ed catch it.. Spread it through tainting Engex." She'd sigh in explanation.

She'd then look to Cerebros and patted his pauldron. "Indeed, He's a /child/ so please don't shoot at him." She'd state tartly with half lidded optics at soundwave.

Encore growls "He /adulterated/ the engex?!" Encore blurts, his tone making it clear that Encore can imagine no worse sin.

Cerebros gives a sad sigh. Even more death. It seems that it's inescapable in this world. If it's not from the battle, it's from something like disease. Hearing the details from Starlock, it sounds like an absolutely horrifying way to go.

Soundwave murmurs "Its not your security they were after. Its...he's different. Feels different. Not like an outlier but.. There are three of him. We want to know why." oh dear.

Starlock nodded to Encore gravely. "Lotta' meches and femmes were scared of it after that for a loong time, I only remember because I wrote everything down in a book, after he got away, so that way I could not only /drag his name through the mud/ by exposing him to all the public, but to ensure he couldn't do something like that again but.." She'd sigh. "I never got it published, I still have drafts though."

"Down Boy." She'd point to Soundwave. "....It's...complicated." She'd say carefully.

GAME: Cerebros FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty. Cerebros says in an agitated tone toward Soundwave. "Wait...wait, what did you just say?"

Soundwave offers "You can explain. I understand a lot of complicated things. One of those voices.." everything is a voice to him. Even thoughts. "Was very familiar." he says. "There are three of you in one mind." how would he know that.

GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty. Cerebros shakes his head adamantly and points to his chest. "No! No...it's just...it's me."

Encore loosk between the two, confusedly. He looks at Soundwave, and finally (FINALLY!) gets to use a line he heard in a movie once. "I'd tell yez." He says, with barely-disguised joy at getting to say this. "But thenI'd have to kill yez."

GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty. Cerebros actually laughs at that, and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, right!"

"Fuckin' Outliar abilities." she'd grumble and pinch her nose bridge. "right okay, FIRST OFF, Cerebros, Soundwave is what is known as an outlier, they...have special abilities that don't really make sense, sort of like super heros..." She could not believe NO ONE has told Cerebros about this.

"...Soundwave in specific, has telepathy, he can gleen the thoughts and emotions of others, not full on mind reading, needs to touch ya' for that, but he can sense stuff." She explain, realizing how bad this was about to get, NO ONE TOLD THE KID?! She was /sooooo/ going to Strangle Stormfront, did they really not get if Soundwave could get to Cerebros he could, effectively, be reading three minds at once? she'd then look at Cerebros.

"Yes.. You are you.. and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She'd try to sooth, before breaking into laughter at Encore, with Cerebros, Damnit!

Stormfront has connected.

Cerebros nods slowly, and deliberately tries not to look at Soundwave, choosing to look at Encore and Starlock instead. Maybe if Soundwave doesn't look at him in the optics, he can't read his mind, and how he's worried about letting something escape before it's true time and place. Cerebros says, "Good to know...thanks, Starlock."

Soundwave pauses. "Soundwave hears everything, Cerebros." He says. "Even your thoughts. /All/ of your thoughts." he says. "What you have could be potential outlier abiities. But I would not know without furhter study. he says. "That is what Soundwave intended."

Cerebros scoffs, saying in a very human snark tone "So, you talk about yourself in the third person?"

Soundwave does that a lot when he tries to distance himself from the emotions in the area. "Helps to distance self from thoughts." he says. "Sometimes they can overwhelm." when he does that his tone tends to grow a bit more emotionless too. Sometimes its easier to be the drone who records then to allow emotion to show.

Cerebros frowns and sighs "Well, you must be reading me wrong, because I'm not schizophrenic."

Stormfront had gone for a bit and was now making his way back to where the others had decided to camp out. The larger Hovertransport moves closer until Stormfront finally transforms a polite distance away and begins to walk toward the others. A slight smile on his face.

Cerebros sees Stormfront approach and he closes his optics and sighs with relief. "Thank you..." he whispers to no one in particular.

"...Yeah, he does that." She'd say simply, she's clearly known Soundwave for a while. "You get used to it." She'd nod sagely. She'd then spot Stormfront and stood up, drawing her stave, and extending it, but not activating its electric charge, she'd tap her pede as she waited for him to approach, and crossed her arms.

Soundwave kneels so hes at Cerebros's level. "You aren't? Then..what are you. Why do I feel that. My readings have never been wrong before."

Encore looks at Soundwave, then smirks at Cerebros. "The trick, really." He says. "Tae at least partially keepin' him out of your head is to keep some utter shite at the forefront of yer mind. It won't keep him oot if he really wants to listen, but... it'll stop cursory scans." At the mention of the outlier comment, Encore shrugs. "I pr'fer the term 'gifted'. Less stigma to it."

Cerebros nods obediantly to Encore. But the only problem, it's REALLY hard to think of rubbish when someone like Soundwave's at his eye level. Hid mind goes blank and he gives Soundwave a stern look. GAME: Cerebros PASSES a COURAGE roll of Very High difficulty. Cerebros says, "stop it..." he says flatly.

Stormfront tilts his head and glances at the group, "What's wrong with being an outlier?" He smiles at Starlock, "And how are you doing Starlock?" He doesn't push past her but waits to see what the issue might be. "Thinking of Megatron in a Hula skirt and flowers or even a kilt has always been my favorite."

"...Ya didn't think it /prudent/ to explain to Cerebros what an Outlier was, considering what Soundwave can do?" She'd question.

She'd then look to Encore. "See he's got the right idea, I.. dunno if you can really read my thoughts Soundwave, considering the constant mind fog I got from all my mental atrocities and dissociations."

Soundwave pauses. "Its not a easily controllable thing." he says. "I have my best friend in the world to thank for learning control and my master to thank for the ability to do so. However, I will attempt to limit it." he even tries to use first person. He's accomodating tonight. "Theres nothing wrong with outliers unless you're a functionist. Im proud to be one. Storfront's one. Trailbreaker, Windcharger, Thundercracker, Skywarp are all outliers."

Soundwave then looks to Starlock. "I could if I tried. Your condition, that mindfog is hard to get through. Not impossible."

Stormfront says, "Sorry, Starlock, I wasn't expecting him to be hanging out here with SOundwave and you so soon. He looks over at Cerebros and grins. "Cerebros, Outliers are the mutant freaks of the Cybertronian world. They end up with abilities that don't make sense and tend to pop up out of the blue. Let's see...Me, Soundwave, Prowl, Skywarp, Thundercracker, possibly Starscream....oh yeah Trailbreaker...there's actually alot of us left if you think about it. But we all had special abilities and thus survived. Back in the days of the senate when there were millions of Cybertronians, we were the rare freaks."

Cerebrosfrowns and says "What's Trailbreaker's?"

Stormfront smiles, "Same as mine....he was my mentor."

Soundwave answers. "Forcefield projection. As far as I know I am the only telepathic empath with my level of ability." he says. "Forcefield projection is a bit more common."

Starlock squinted at Stormfront, and took a swing to bap him on the helm with her stave. "Considering all that he is that should of been one of the /first/ few things you all explained to him!" He'd gruse... she'd then bent and looked to Soundwave, nodding, that was something she'd always wondered.

Encore sniffs "Even perfect pitch, like Imager, Banshee, an' myself have... tha's borderline outlier." He thinks a moment, looking to Starlock. "...lass, speakin' o' Banshee. I feel I should warn yez. She's a fully committed 'peace through tyrrany' type... believer in th' cause, but rational. And she's a bit..." He searches for the right word, before settling on "...odd."

GAME: Cerebros FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty. Cerebros frowns and shakes his head, looking at Soundwave. "Well, there's nothing 'odd' out 'outlier' about me. I was just..." He shrugs. "Created...you know...to help out."

Soundwave nods "So am I, Encore. We get along well." he syas. "What were you created to help out with?" he asks, trying to sound concerned. He always ends up sounding dull and uncharismatic though.

GAME: Cerebros PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty. Cerebros folds his arms and says defensively "That's really...not any of your business, but in general...just...here and there. Around the repair bay. Maybe some diplomatic stuff."

Stormfront smiles at Starlock raising a light forcefield right before being bapped and backs up from her. "Everyone hold still a moment please..." The crystal above his helm's brim flashes momentarily before the air begins to sparkle. His optics become focuses and he raises his hands. There's a slight difference in how he holds them but then a forcefield manifests itself around the group. As his other hand is raised, He narrows his optics and Smaller fields surround each person, spinning slightly by the look of the sparkling air.

He clenches the other fist and the forcefield over all of them becomes intense and solid, the hum rising from Stormfront's form. The forcefields around each person become thinner and stretch to the large field before they are seemingly absorbed by the full shield. Both hands up in the air the field moves away from the group, enlarging the field. He sweeps one arm in a circular motion and the field rotates before he makes a popping motion with his hands and the field explodes into a sparkling shower. "I did this as a performance for the new school once. I fair impressed the crowd. It's more flashy than useful but it showed some of my control."

Cerebros looks around in both awe and fear as the force field envelopes him, then becomes thinner, then stretches, then becomes solid. He jumps as the force field pulls away from him and melts into the 'big' shield. When it 'pops' Cerebros jumps about a foot in the air.

"Show off." Starlock says tartly, thankfully she was just going for mild pain and not full on assault, he'd then return to Cerebros, before letting out an aggravated sigh and looks point blankly at him. "Kid.. your parents are idiots." She'd say dryly.

Encore blinks and watches everything, lighting an enercig and taking a pull, to watch the smoke interact with the field. "No bad." he says with nod, chuckling at Starlock. "Aren't all parents?" Encore adds "Even fae our kind... it takes two or three afore y' ken what the hell yer doin'. An' that's if yer lucky."

Cerebros slowly shakes his head. "No...Alpha Trion helped create me. I think he's the furthest thing from an idiot, with all due respect, Starlock."

"Fine, /most/ of your parents." She'd correct, chuckling at Encore.

Soundwave nods "I see. All three of you then." hes not giving that up is he. "One feels like the Witwicky human. Spike." Oh /dear/. He then pauses as the field comes up. "That is an impressive display. This is why I believe there should be a place where people with these powers can learn to control them. From experience I can tell you the street and self-discipline are horrible ways to learn. My personal abilities almost drove me mad years ago." he says.

Soundwave then adds "I never had a parent or teacher and I turned out fine."

Encore laughs, offering around the pack of enercigars. "Says the guy who jes' admitted bein' driven mad by his powers."

Cerebros scowls at Soundwave. "The human has nothing to do with my creation!"

Soundwave considers "Then why was he there. And the other. Larger. More aggressive unknown..." Soundwave then looks to Encore. "I wasn't driven mad. Two people saved me from that." he says. "And I will be loyal to them ever since for it. Its a long story. Im sure you dont want to hear it." oh sure he'll nose in other people's minds but he keeps his own stories quiet unless asked.

Encore looks a lot more seriou now. "Soundwave. You're starting to get into territory that you're not welcome in. The lad's said no. stop."

Soundwave pauses. "I've stopped. Im not looking." he says.

Stormfront says, "Nono....there's times that even what Alpha Trion does is questionable. Also...bein an outlier doesn't always show immediately." He smirks, "I startled myself and damaged some expensive equipment when my first forcefield popped up." At Cerebros' outburst he frowns a bit and looks at Soundwave. "Hey I should tell you some of the stories that Soundwave told me in the future about when he was younger. Soundwave here can confirm if he had the same things happen to him...""

Cerebros frowns and says "Listen, you psychotic, manipulative..." He points to his chest. "You can talk about all of these voice that you 'hear' but you see, it's just me. And me alone. Understand?!"

Soundwave mutters "We dont need to talk about my past." oh so its different now." he tsks "Namecalling is juvenile isnt it?"

Cerebros frowns and folds his arms, getting more irked. Cerebros snaps "Shut up - unless you DO want to talk about your past."

"....I kinda agree, but also, that's sorta a lie, Ravage counts." She'd point out, ontop of what Encore said, she'd look at The enercigs and.. Pause, an old addiction of hers she's not needed in a while and just puts her hand up and shakes her helm.

She'd then take note of Cerebros's sudden spike in anger, and looks to Stormfront, gesturing to Cerebros silently, looking /very/ concerned, she'd then sigh, and pinch at her nose bridge, rubbing at that gem in the decenter of her helms tierra.

She'd move to Cerebros's side. "Heey it's okay, why don't we talk about this, I can see it's making you upset, maybe later in private when no one else is around, arlight?" She'd ask.

Soundwave shrugs "Of course Ravage counts. He's a person isnt he? Unless you believe those with beast forms aren't." he says. He looks to Cerebros. "Im not afraid to talk abut it. Its just not important to the conversation is it?" he quiets down at that anger. "I am sorry if I angered you."

Encore looks to Soundwave. "You dig into his past, hide your own? There's a word for tha'. An ugly word. Begins with H."

Soundwave shrugs. "If you want me to go into it, I will. Ask any question and I will answer." he offers.

Cerebros looks on curiously at Soundwave. He then looks to Starlock and gives an appreciative nod. "Thanks..." he quietly says.

Starlock smiles softly, and speaks in a hushed tone. "Welcome.. Emotions are hard to deal with, a lot of us don't know how to handle them, why we don't talk about them, when we really should, but.. That doesn't mean you should suffer the same fate as the rest of us that bumbled through figuring them out." She'd grin.

She'd glance back to Soundwave who... Can probably guess what her question is, but she doesn't say it verbally, she wants to know about those scars... But.. Well, because she doesn't say it, she is intern respecting his privacy, that, and like she told Cerebros, it's something for private conversation.

Cerebros frowns in annoyance at Soundwave. "I've heard enough out of him." He sighs, rubbing his head, feeling it tough to try to unsuccessfully 'block' Soundwave from accessing his mental waves. He looks at Encore and says "Can I either go back to Iacon or your distillary with you?" he mumbles "I'm not supposed to go alone, unsupervised."

Encore smiles "Aye, let's head back." He tells the lad. "I'll fly us, once I find somewhere big'nuff for my fat aft." He looks at Soundwave, hakes his head a bit and waves,and then looks to Starlock. "Catch yez laters, Starlock. Swing by th' Rolloot next time yer at Toraxxis, or mah distillery when y' hit Iacon."

"I know..." She'd say before looking at Stormfront. "...Should still have people helping him sort these things." She'd vent, before looking to Encore. "I shall! Can't be cooped up in the medbay or working out here /all/ the time!" She'd call with a laugh, before sighing and looking around.

"Right.. Work."

Soundwave nods "Ah. Work." He says. "Returning to it." he opens a datpad and most likely several connections as he returns to watching communicatins as he does.

Starlock glances back to Soundwave, and then Harmonex's shield. "....So.." She'd vent, now knowing they were alone, looking down at the post for public boards, regarding recruiting help, cleaning up Harmonex from all sides. "...Don't' really see Ravage as a parent?" She'd ask with a chuckle.

Soundwave chuckles. "Not a parent. Just a friend who taught me a lot. As far as my creators.." he says. "I didn't see them after my creation. I went right to work. I worked at a communications relay for the senate in old Kaon. Before the war. I was a different person then, I suppose." he says. "Every day I would work most of the day and when I had free time I'd do dj work at a local bar that no longer exists."

Starlock nods, starting to get lost in her own thoughts. "...Never knew mine, just.." she'd frown. "Was online, and shoved to work in the library, sorting, managing, archiving and scribing.... Course I then met my 'younger' brother Starshield, and we relied on each other but.." She'd go soberly quite.

"...I am.. Alone now, like many others." She'd nod.

Soundwave nods "Then it was similiar." he says. "Everyone I knew back then is probably dead too. The war does that." he says. He considers. "You know I would have worked there happy. If...it didn't happen."

Starlock smiles a bit. "As much as I know you now? Yeah.. Probably been really happy there." She'd chuckle. "Both sorta big dorky bookworms, history fanatics, those that enjoy teaching." She'd explain, looking back. Soundwave nods "An archivist just like the current Prime. That does sound like rather...calm work." he says. "What made you stop?"

Starlock smiles somberly. "..The war started.... I spent a lot of time waffling about the faction to choose, and actually /going/ to school, doing something outside my assigned function... I met my first lover, who turned out to be an abusive piece of shit mind you, who helped me into school, while i was still working at the library, but he..." She'd pause.

"...He didn't want to wait for /me/ to figure out who I was, and tried to make me into what he wanted, ended in a fight, I ended up pretty badly beaten, but I took out his optic." She'd nod.

"...Did a lot of research in both factions, how I know some the..darker, things the decepticons have done." She'd frown. "...Trypticon, destroying my home, and killing my brother is what forced me to Iacon, and to the bts, because I wanted to make a change... and help those like I, who where hurt... I just.. wanted the pain to stop." She'd sigh.

"...Now look at me, one the last few knowledge holders of Harmonex running around risking getting herself killed." She'd wave her hand and grin.

Soundwave pauses. "I'm sorry." he says as if its his fault. And the war, in some ways, pretty much /is/ his fault. "You are a treasure, Starlock. And im not just saying that. i wish I could help you protect it, but I am part of hte problem sometimes."

Soundwave stares off. "The war is my fault you know. Partially." he says. "I am sorry for your brother's loss. I didn't get family until later." he says, quiet for a while.

Soundwave says. "With me it was..Stormfront is right. Outlier powers sometimes don't manifest until later. It was about...three earth months before things started getting weird for me. Started getting headaches in the clubs at first. Then the city got too loud. Less then a few weeks later, things were so loud, especially at work with the transmissions. It kept me from doing my job efficiently. My boss, a mech named Broadband.." he says. "He was pretty hard on us. He thought I was slacking. I let him think so since, well. Its that or end up in the institute. Abnormal wasn't something that was encouraged in functional society. Hearing everything could be a death sentence."

Soundwave is quiet for a while. "So I told him I was having more fun at the bars and clubs. It was easier then explaining.." he says. "After a while he'd had enough and I was fired. Being a comtower, I couldnt really find work anywhere else. And you know a person who cannot do their job is useless in that sort of society. I ended up scavenging in a dead end alley until the crowds got so loud all I could do was hold my head and curl up."

Soundwave shakes his head. "That's when I was discovered by this cybercat. He said I smelled allright and he'd teach me how to control it. Led me back to his family, a couple of cybercondors and a couple of ex miners. We ran those alleys. Soundwave, Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Rumble, Frenzy. It was us against the world and we did allright. Even got a job working for Senator Ratbat."

Soundwave chuckles. "Old times, old times. Yes. We used to sneak down to the gladatorial pits and watch them fight. You know who my favorite fighter was. Megatron. He was impressive and the way he spoke about freedom from functionism. He was /magnificant/." he says. "Well, one day my employer sent me to talk to him about some shady underhanded weapons deals. Megatron saw what I was capable of and that I had...difficulty controlling the thoughts. He also knew my abilities both as a agent and as a outlier were wasted with the Senator. He told me about his revolutionary party. How we'd knock down the senate. Let me see into his mind, let me see his goals. I ... swore my loyalty that night And swore I'd help turn his movement into an army. Ine xchange he had this helmet built for me. I no longer have to worry about those sort of problems. Or the senate. Or functionism. Or a safe place for my friends and I to stay. I was the very first person to wear his symbol. I recruited the seekers, got vos, tarn and polyhex's support. I helped bring the senate to its knees. I made the Decepticons what they are today. I did it all for him."

Soundwave looks to Starlock. "And you were caught in the crossfire. I think most of cybertron was."

Starlock listens, and she listens well, honestly surprised he thinks that of her, and nods. "...I can understand that... Especially staying with someone that has done so much for you..." She'd frown in thought. "I felt like a /leech/ after I separated from Moonseeker, he'd been paying for my schooling, given me propper housing sides the small lodging i had next to the library in the alie... I was.. left pretty much out to dry after all that." She'd vent.

"...Ended up with a long, high debt were I've heavily augmented myself to be up there with the forged medics... Heh, and my third mode." she'd say sadly, and look out. "...I know he didn't start out bad, and... I know there is /so many crimes/ Megatron will never be able to pay for but.." She'd frown, and take a vent and forced out what she wanted.

"...Is it so wrong, stupid, blind, and foolish.. That.. Maybe... just.. /maybe/... Someone can reach out to who he once was?" she'd ask, glancing back. "And show him that.. things will be okay now?"

Soundwave pauses. "I've tried. He's got worse. I think maybe Earth did it. Maybe it was before. Something has changed. I know it is wrong to say anything against him but it is true." he says. "You still want to speak to me? You are not disgusted that I am responsible for this war?"

Starlock Ehhs. "It started out for the right reason, honestly I.." She pauses in thought, squinting, like she's forgetting something and shakes her helm. "...Honestly It likely would of started, even hadn't you helpped, but.. It got out of hand, Megatron ultimately has... turned into what he once hated and was fighting against.. I think lost his way because he doesn't want to admit that he... messed up, messed up bad, we all know what's going to happen to him if he loses... I think he does too, even if he won't admit it." She'd knit her ridges.

"That is speculation though... I don't really /know/ him, honestly just been the big scary dude to me most my life." She'd chuckle. "...Do you think things would of turned out this way, had someone else been leading?"

Soundwave shakes his head. "I dont think anyone else would have formed this. I dont think anyone else had the passion, the ability, the charisma to form what he did. He is unique in this. As far as knowing him? Its hard to say anyone does. He's almost an untouchable. Like a Prime, perhaps but not so...Prime."

Starlock thinks. "Know.. I think it only seems that way with Prime because some magic doohickey picked him to lead, but... He also really just is a person too." She'd nod. "We're all people, why I think of Megatron that way... Sure, I don't need the matrix to know right and wrong, that comes naturally to me." She'd smile and nod.

"But he puts on an air of calm collectiveness because the rest of us need it, can't exactly lead if your freaking out most the time and panicking as well." She'd chuckle. "Lot going on in his head, which I'm sure Megatron does too." She'd let out a vent. "We're... People... Odd as it is to say, and I think were the senate messed up, didn't think of us as people, just as... things to keep in line and put to work."

Soundwave nods "I have heard he is a kind person. I would get along with him I think. If he would just give up the matrix. I think hes a strong enough leader with it and he doesn't need a symbol of the senate's power guiding him. He doesnt need a title he gave him either. He doesnt need to be a Prime. I'd have much more respect for him if he were just Optimus." "As for Lord Megatron? He is brilliant. Its sacreligious to soay so be I think.. I think he could have been a matrix bearer too. Dont ever let anyone hear that though." he nods. "Things, tools. Automations. Autobots." he nods. "See why I do what I do?"

Starlock chuckles. "Had he gone down a different path?" She'd ask, glancing up, and nods. "I could see it." She'd smile and sigh.

"Yeah.. I can.. I just..." She'd frown. "I want.. to change things, were we can all live happily with our new knowledge were something like then, never happens again.. But I don't have the power to do so... Like I didn't have the power to stop Pharma oh so many years ago.." She'd look at her hands sadly.

"Things will always change, things will never stay the same... But we can learn from our past mistakes, if we just.. talked, and took the time to understand one another."

Soundwave pauses. "Everyone wants a new golden age. The last one was horrible too. I dont think peace is something that can honestly happen but if it did...what would you do? return to the library?"

"If I had my way?" She'd think. "...I'd.. Step up to the plate of leading... and ensure nothing like what happened before, happens again, even if it meant I became the one everyone hated, because I worked with both sides."

Soundwave blinks, looking surprised. "You'd lead? What stops you from doing that now?" he asks. "I can't exactly pick up where I left off either. I suppose I'd teach outliers control."

"Heh, I caused part of this peace mess, I might as well step up to the plate and put my shanix were my mouth is, and fix it, stead of throwing it on someone else and making it their problem." She'd grin over.

"...S'real good question actually, I'm only a sergeant, so not much room to do what I can with bots, but.." She'd look down. "Maybe if I can do what I'm hoping with Harmonex, I can prove to everyone it's worth the try." She'd take a vent.

"...I think you'd be a good teacher.. I think you'd also be good on helping collect and teach Cybertronian history as well, and work with those struggling."

Soundwave pauses "A lot of the young don't want to learn. We're seeing more people like Overlord, Bludgeon and Deathsaurus and the like who just like to fight." he says. "I dont know what people like that would do in peace time."

"Sports." She'd say dryly. "Sports.. Like combat that isn't to the death? That can be a thing, and watched over." She'd explain. "...That and sometimes learning through reading is not really something for everyone, there some that are more hands on, or need something like an audio recording, or video to help, visuals." She'd explain.

"I like reading, but it's hard for me sometimes, so i need to watch, or do it myself to learn to do something... That and there is the fear of being /wrong./" She'd add on, as she looked over.

"...We... Kinda, don't teach that it's okay to mess up and be wrong, we don't learn from being right all the time." She'd nod.

Soundwave nods "Gladiators maybe." he says like thats a good decent sport. "But we know there will always be war, somewhere. Poeple fight." He says. "Would you like me to read to you sometime?" He asks. "Maybe someone can fix the damag to your processor."

Starlock nods. "Yes, there always will be, there will be those who take to the stars as bounty hunters and mercenaries, who'll fight for others.. But that doesn't mean we're /all/ at fault, that will be those individuals decisions." She'd say, closing her optics.

"There will always be war, crime, and someone will always fall through the cracks, it's.. insanity, to think we can achieve 100 percent perfection, we can't, we're flawed, we cannot know good, if there is no evil... No dark without light.. But what we can do, is make a balance, and try to teach, and try to help who we can, and not destroy ourselves, everyone else is going to be trying to do that anyway." She'd chuckle.

She'd look down at her datapad and frowned. "I don't.. know if that's possible, i've had it since I was forged." She'd state, a bit confused, that was right, right? She's always been like this, why she was put as a librarian, because she was developing too slowly from it.

Soundwave nods "Some people are just made to fight. Thats all there is to it. I've given up on believing in good and evil a long time ago." he says. "You understand a lot. You are wise, Starlock. Im sure you understand why I didnt tell my story to the others. They wouldnt have understood. Cerebros is too young and Encore is too hopeful. Stormfront, well. He knows."

"Heh, I dunno on Encore, he's actually /a lot/ like me, and that's saying something, because people usually say I'm like them, when.. no, it's that I understand were they are coming from, I can see their side, and know how that would feel if in their shoes... See things from their perspective." She'd explain with some struggle.

"...Heh.. I'm.. honestly very hopeful to, while being very pessimistic, and pragmatic, And for that reason, I don't actually know why I have the name starlock? Since I started as just a do nothing, nothing special, mini-bus, honestly still /am/ just I can fly now." She'd laugh.

"Had nothing to do with the fact I'm a good shot, or just plain lucky, or a spacer! Those all came later." She'd nod sagely, placing her knuckles on her hip platting.

"...I'm glad you think so, I'm normally doubting myself.. thinking I'm just.." She'd look up at the sky. "Wasting peoples time with preaching nonsense."

Soundwave pauses. "Im foolishly hopeful at times. Not sure for what though. I don't do emotion like most people. I don't feel them the way I used to. I cannot allow myself to lose control like that." he says. "Too many poeple count on me these days to be the stoic one." he says. "Between you and I.." he says. "I dont know what Im doing nintey percent of the time."

Starlock just starts laughing. "Ohhh, that is /sooo/ fragging true for a lot of us." She'd grin. "We don't know what the fuck we're doing, but we're just faking it cause, OH GOD!" She'd keep laughing.

She'd vent out. "Some Days I can't feel mine, other days I feel them /way/ to strongly, and or to the point I can feel others, but that's also due to being hyper empathetic, something I developed as a coping mechanism around Moonseeker, to not set him off... Walking on Eggshells, as humans would say." She'd grin.

Soundwave tilts his head. "Trust me. I have learned to walk on eggshells around certain people. I understand that entirely."

"Starscream?" She'd ask with a raised ridge, almost joking... As lets be honest, Starscream was low hanging fruit, she'd grin.

She'd then look back down and take a breath, going deep in thought, She wasn't like others that had tried.. She could /connect/ with people, because she treated them like people, and maybe if she could do that with... Given with the proper respect...

Soundwave pauses. "Among others." he chuckles. "Yes."

Starlock chuckled and vented out. "..This is nice." She'd say, closing her optics. "Know what else would be nice?...Festivals for music, sports, and art... things to bring people together." she'd smile softly, she'd started day dreaming of such, oh so vividly, and clearly too, like she was there and could reach out and touch it.

Her Finials twitch upward as if she was catching the slight tune of the crystals.

Soundwave leans back a bit, just listening to the crystals and enjoying the silence. "They have those in Valvolux now. I dont know if Cybertron has the resources for too much. Perhaps we could dream of such things. I'd like to see this planet reborn." he says. "For the future. Give the ones Im responsible for a place where theres peace." he sighs. "Maybe one day get inside to hear the crystals again."

Starlock nodded. "...I'd like to attend one, but, probably need someone's help to get in if they have the same damn shield over there." Starlock huffed as she looked out there. "...My offer still stands... I'm going to need help to get people in and out of there if we're to clean up and prove Knightmare that this can work.."

Soundwave nods "Well they still say if a bot has a con with them they can enter. I offer myself if needed."

Starlock smiles. "Together then?" She'd ask, offering her hand out to him. "..I don't expect you to trust me, not off the bat, that needs to be build, but... A start, to maybe a better future."

Soundwave nods "Together then. I think we can do this.' he offers his hand as well.

"Together." She'd grin, taking his hand, her grasp is weak, her hand is thin, but she's goth the will to hold on... She'd get herself up, and try to help him up.

"...Urph, I'm trying to figure out, just how to get people together to start work on cleaning up without a fight breaking out inside, and uhh, without anyone accidently breaking any of the new or regrowing crystals, as i know alooot of buildings in there need removed to allow the crystals to grow, else they may grow with things.. /inside/ them and make things weird." She'd stick her tongue out at the thought.

Soundwave 's handshake is firm, and there is only as light, feathery feel of an itch at Starlock's mind before Soundwave pulls back, trying not to look in. Soundwave comments. "I dont thinka nyone will try to break in, really. Its a waste of energy to keep that shield up. Those that want in can break it anyways."

Starlock's optic twitches at the itch, she'd /totally/ forgotten for a moment, what happens when Soundwave touches someone, she'd shake it off though, her memories are foggy, and dim to her, so, not like he could get much off her memory banks.. Right?

She'd then look to the shield and nodded. "Oh totally, get a combiner on that thing and it's doomed." She'd laugh. "But I want to be respectful, not break any rules unless necessary.. Why I'm worried about the crystals getting broken, they find out one gets broken? or a fight breaks out and something's broken as a result, just /once/ and we're going to be dealing with a lot of 'I told you this wouldn't work, I told you, They'll never quit fighting' and uuuuuuuuhg." She'd groan out, pinching her nose bridge.... She was clearly speaking from experience.

Soundwave pauses. "A combiner, a fusion cannon. Everything thats a threat to it. The only thing it keeps out are non-threats. I bet even Rumble could take it down wiht his earthquakes." Soundwave then adds. "Thats why Im recording their resonance. If and when they are destroyed we'll have the recordings."

Starlock nods in understanding. "..Here's hoping 'if' and 'when' never come." She'd nod looking out at the city. "...Been out here all day, heh, should probably head back 'for people start looking for us." She'd chuckle She'd then look up at Soundwave. "..Thank you, again."

Soundwave pauses. "I've been ordered to return to harmonex. ANd here is where I should be until those orders change. I can do my work..remotely, luckily." he salutes. "Thank you. Its good to have someone who understands."

Starlock nods again, and starts heading for Iacon. "See you again soon, don't hesitate to say anything if you need medical help!" She'd call as she started walking, before going into a sprint and then flip, transforming into her shuttle mode and starting to fly away.

Soundwave chuckles. "We have medics you know. Have a good night." he watches her go, shaking his head a bit.