x2 | video.

[t65]

[The video feed shows Luke in a bed, clearly in medical. He leans in, and, with a finger over his lips, hushes the camera.]

I don't think they want me talking to anyone. I think they want me to just... sit here. I, ha- what do you do when you're not supposed to... do anything? I mean, anything. They don't want me to- to work on anything, or fix anything. Or walk.

[Clearly this has nothing to do with the fact that he's already tried to sneak out of medical once already. He winces his way through a smile.]

Do you know anything about the big droids? I mean, the really big ones. They call themselves Cybercon-... Aut-... [He shakes his head, and then winces.] They call themselves a lot of things.

[He looks around, this time much more slowly.] But- shh, I don't think they want me talking to anyone.

[ooc For those of you brave souls who want to visit Luke when he's bored, concussed and with a few broken ribs, feel free.]

Comments

[heroicpose]

It's cool.

[ He waves it off, then rubs the back of his head. ]

Need? [ That's a funny way to put it. ] Sure.

[t65]

Why do the two sides fight? And where do you come from? Do you make each other? Why do you turn into things?

[Tell him everything.]

[heroicpose]

[ Holy cow you ask a lot of questions. ]

Whoa, okay. One question at a time. I'll start with the factions since that's... relevant here.

[ He pauses, looking at the ground. ]

I'll try and do a condensed version. About five million years ago, Cybertron was ruled by the Senate, but their political feelings were influenced a lot by the Functionist party. Functionists believed your altmode should determine your life. If you turned into a drill, then you should be in the mines. If you turned into an ambulance, then you would be a medic. It probably makes sense to humans, but like humans we have the free will and desire to determine our own destiny.

Compounding that was the class system. If you were manual labor class, then you were a lower class. You were essentially born to be looked down on. Then like... mechs like me, with a fast altmode, there wasn't exactly a specific job. Like, if you weren't good enough for racing, they'd shove you somewhere else. Or have no job at all, then starve.

You following me so far?

[t65]

That doesn't make sense, it's not- [Luke will always have sympathy for people forced into a life they don't want.] I- I'm following.

[He's frowning from the mental strain, but he's following.]

[heroicpose]

[ Sorry for the 5 million year history lesson, Luke. He's really trying to give you the condensed version. Really. ]

Okay. So, traditionally the Prime is the leader of the people, chosen by the holy Matrix, but during this time the Senate had appointed false Primes they can manipulate. So everyone in charge? Yeah they were on board with this.

Obviously the people weren't. Megatron first started a revolution against the Senate, forming the Decepticons. "You are being deceived." The Autobots originally were the government defense force, lead by Orion Pax. Orion Pax agreed with Megatron's views on Functionism. Anyway, the Decepticons topple the senate, kill the Primes, and then Orion Pax was chosen by the Matrix to become the next Prime -- Optimus Prime.

Megatron felt that true peace could only be reached through tyranny. Optimus... obviously didn't. So then that's when the Great War really started.

[t65]

[That sounds terrible. It sounds familiar. It sounds like Luke should keep his mouth shut, and for once, he's tired enough to follow that particular logic.]

Were you alive for all this?

[heroicpose]

Most it, yeah. Megatron's about a million years older than me, but I was born in a slum. In my early life I was a neutral insurgent. I only wanted help for my people.

[ He clenches his fist. ]

I almost joined the Decepticons, until I realized they were no better than the Senate.

[t65]

[Luke remembers his dream of joining the Academy.]

[It's all hazy-- everything is hazy, right now-- but becoming rapidly less so. The familiarity that Luke feels with the situation helps; he was expecting something utterly, completely alien, not this.]

That, I... I'm sorry that happened. It sounds terrible.

[He's quiet for a moment.]

If that was so long ago... what are things like now?

[heroicpose]

It's... [ Rodimus shrugs. He thinks of burning his city to the ground. He thinks of Riptide. ] It's just what happened.

Most of our race is extinct and we're blacklisted throughout most of space. You tell me?

The war recently ended just a few years ago. The Decepticons lost. Megatron's... um. Well, he's an Autobot now. [ Awkward. He rubs a hand over his face. ] And my prisoner. He's awaiting trial for war crimes.

Cybertron's rebuilding and regained contact with some of our ancient colonies. A lot of us war veterans aren't too welcome in the city, which is fine. I get it. I'm just glad I'm not there. They elected the worst backstabbing ex-Decepticon as the Emperor, but you know what? Maybe in his selfish, self-absorbed way, he'll be good for Cybertron. I mean, he's all about wanting praise and he can only do that by getting the people's approval.

im sorry.

[t65]

At least he was elected. Our emperor... [He shakes his head.] Well, anyway, I'm glad it's over. Thank you for answering my questions, really, I mean it... [He tilts his head, finally reading the ID connected to this conversation.]

Oh! You're the one who made his head into a ship!

kek. don't be.

[heroicpose]

No problem? I mean it's--

[ He blinks. ]

You mean the Rodpod? Yeah, I'm Rodimus. Captain of the Lost Light.

[t65]

I thought you were familiar-looking.

[He's smiling, now.]

Is it fast?

[Luke had a lot of Important Questions he still needs answers to, but at the moment, he's confused and processing thousands of years of history and he really likes ships.]

[heroicpose]

Sure it is! It can keep up with the Leading Light no problem!

[ It's his baby. ]

And it's also a submersible. So under water? No prob.

[t65]

I've never seen any designs like it. When I'm not stuck here [ugGHHHH] you should give it a spin. I wonder how it handles in... everything.

[heroicpose]

I don't-- [ It feels weird, without Riptide. ] Yeah, sure. That would be cool. Just, you know, you should probably wear one of those suits. The Rodpod isn't really built for pumping in human-friendly atmosphere.

[t65]

Oh, no, I'd race it. My ship isn't here, but my friend has his, and he says it's the fastest in the galaxy.

[heroicpose]

I didn't-- Hey, I didn't make any claims about that about the Rodpod. It's a shuttle. Besides, you'd be too small for the controls.

[ But, hey... ]

--But anyway I didn't say I was opposed to racing.

[t65]

I didn't say I'd race. [Luke is losing the thread, the entire blanket of this conversation.] You should race the Falcon. I wonder if it's cheating because it's smaller.