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"Too true." Kaon finally seemed to settle. It seemed that he was starting to be less worried that their comrades had shirked. No, they were likely encountering rough journeys. That had to be it. He had encountered asteroid fields and rough space.
The Pet leaned into the touch more. Kaon knelt but scarcely for a moment to stroke along the beast's frame. The static at his fingertips danced along the spikes of "fur" that perked up from the Pet's frame.
He seemed to perk up at Tarn's news. "I do so remember him well. Remember when he was happy with that new facility, and how fun it was to see him become a dark shell of his former self? Mmm, but he may have a lead? Promising. I trust you'll get word to me quickly." He seemed less concerned about the thrill of the chase, and more excited to have a lead once more.
He chuckled deeply, the electric edge of joy rising up. He was enjoying every second, every thought of how wonderful it would be. To snatch joy from Dreadwing's traitorous claws.
However, he couldn't settle.
Something was still bothering him.
He knew that Tarn didn't want to talk about it but they needed to. For Tarn's sake they needed to speak about it. "You mentioned a dream, earlier. I apologize for sounding uncouth about this, but I wish to know about it. I am curious." He gripped his glass, bracing himself in case.
Sipping at his drink, Tarn awaited the answer to his question. And, unfortunately, as he suspected, Kaon had not let go of his first concern. Crimson optics narrowed momentarily, scanning Kaon’s face to see if there was even the slightest amount of disrespect. Finding none, Tarn issued a sigh and waved his hand dismissively.
“It was particularly vivid,” he began, “It felt real.”
“Megatron…” Tarn shook his head. It was preposterous. “Megatron had renounced us. The cause, the Decepticons. Everything. But that wasn’t the worst of it. If only that had been the worst of it.”
Tension crept into Tarn’s frame as he struggled to form the words. His clawed actuator gripped his arm with astonishing strength, digging out scratched into the DJD leader’s armor. It was ridiculous. Impossible. So why was he still so enraged by it? Why did he feel so betrayed?! Like it had happened when it never had!
“He,” Tarn managed slowly, grinding the words out, “Had become an Autobot.”
Tarn looked to Kaon, watching the electrocutioner carefully. It still would not do to appear weak. But Tarn wanted to know what Kaon thought of it. Or if he…he had remembered something similar.
Not an inch of his frame held disrespect at the notion in fact. Nor worry. It had been bugging him, yes, but curiosity even moreso than worry had gnawed into him, leaving room for nothing else. He had to know. He craved it, like the next hit of Nuke, whenever it may be.
"Oh my..." Vivid dreams were the most terrifying of all. He could attest to that himself.
At the words, he felt a sick feeling creeping into him. No, not just a sick feeling. The electricity was creeping up the Tesla coils rapidly now, his fingertips crackling with arcing sparks of electricity as well. It seemed the very thought of Megatron himself becoming an Autobot was enough to send rage through him. Pure, unmitigated rage.
"So I'm not the only one who dreamed that up." Every word crackled with the unbridled electricity. He seemed to tense, as though a pain coursed through his neck at the dream. Something he wasn't speaking of.
Tarn’s optics widened as Kaon admitted…admitted what exactly? That he had a similar dream? Or…exactly the same one. Did that mean…? Tarn stiffened, optics still wide with shock. No. No! Preposterous. Megatron was a Decepticon. Tarn had seen that just recently. What was…happening? No, no. He needed to be certain. To that end…he needed to see what else Kaon recalled.
“Then you…remember returning to Messatine to charge up on nuke? Our expedition to Deathsaurus’s planet ship in order to enlist their help?”
This was not possible. Tarn would not believe it. None of that had happened, clearly. Surely. If it had then…he could not be here right now. So no. It had not happened. Foolish. No matter how clearly he remembered it, it simply could not have happened. So something else then. Mnemosurgery? Only if…But they had been careful. Surely not. Tarn looked to Kaon urgently, trying to keep his voice its usual melodic tone.
Digits flexed and tensed, the electricity still crackling before settling. His own dreams had been vivid, but some were fainter than others. The Tesla coils never truly powered down while he seemed to let the memories of dreams wash back over him.
Charging up on nuke. He remembered almost overcharging Tarn even, to the point of an overdose, horrifying, irreversible if it had gotten that far. The expedition, and Deathsaurus sending his men after Tarn. Kaon himself had mused about whether the team should help, but had been told off by Vos. Seeing that red insignium. Seeing the Pet stricken. Feeling that snap.
That snap had set something off in him. "...dreaming of one's own death. It's pathetic!" He spat, the electric edge creeping into his voice once more. "It's filth is what it is. I refuse to believe they were nothing more than dreams!" He himself seemed the agitated one now.
Kaon remembered. Of that much, Tarn was certain. He could see the emotions playing out on his faceplate. After encountering Megatron amid that field of blue flowers…Tarn’s memories began to run together. Everything had happened quickly. Too quickly. Rage had coursed through him like fire with every passing moment that Megatron was not dead.
Tarn’s fists clenched, the memories playing out once more. But he flinched when Kaon mentioned his death. That, Tarn did remember. His faceplate darkened. And it seemed as if Kaon remembered too. Then…his death. It had been the ultimate…failure. Pain seized his chest. His hand went to it.
“How could they be anything more,” Tarn uttered flatly, “It’s impossible.”
His optics flicked up to Kaon, seeing that his electric comrade was more than a little agitated himself. “Filth…?” Who had done this to them? Cursed them with these false memories. How could they be anything more. Ratchet’s words flicked into his mind. Were…were they…No! NO! He would not accept it. But.
He clutched his helm, a digit sliding down within the "pits of Kaon"--his optical sockets, while he gave a mirthless laugh. No, this wasn't about mirth. This was those dreams. Nothing more than filth to him. Filth and lies. They were not the past, nor the present, and if he had anything to say about it, most certainly not the future!
The electricity was slow to dissipate. "Right. They're nothing more than dreams. Dreams brought on by our own restless need for justice." The mirthless laughter continued for a moment, cold as the pits of the city he'd taken his name from.
"...what does he have to--" He cut himself off before he sounded indignant, foolish. "Certainly it can't be more than a test from him?" Not a plating of his face would show disrespect, nor the posture of his frame.
While his mind raced with possibilities, Tarn was actually quite slow to respond. He did not believe Kaon’s explanation. If they were brought on by their need for justice, then, then…It wouldn’t sting like this. It wouldn’t haunt him like this. Pain wouldn’t stab his spark and infest his mind. Tarn offlined his optics.
Tarn said the words, but he did not believe them. Not wholly. The other Megatron. The one from the dream or vision or corrupted memory or what have you. He…had said things to Tarn that couldn’t possibly be true. They had to be lies. And so the whole of it had to be a lie. And yet…Those words shook him to his core. Burned him. Because they were the truth?! It couldn’t be…Tarn leaned over, covering his mask with a hand.
Kaon himself didn't want to believe it. They couldn't be being deceived like this. They were the ones who told others they were being deceived. Something didn't feel right about any of this and he didn't know what it was.
"No...no. You're right. You're right. Just as he wouldn't want done to him, he would not do to us."
At least, that was what Kaon tried to tell himself. He settled, letting his digits relax, his frame slacken. Those dreams, whatever they were, had to be nothing more than mere coincidences. Coincidences that had to be deceiving them by acting like more than dreams.
"Only by the dreams." He whispered. "I refuse to believe that Megatron himself would deceive us."
This time, at least, when Tarn heard Kaon’s answer, he realized something. Whatever this was. Whoever did this if there was someone who did. They were trying to inflict this sort of doubt into Megatron’s most loyal. They were trying to cause dissent. Likely in the hopes that they would tear each other apart.
Coincidence.
A part of Tarn did not entirely believe it, but he refused to be swayed by this sort of foolishness. He was falling prey to it all over again. How weak could one be to fall prey to the same trap twice?! It was quite appalling. Tarn’s optics onlined, and the justice straightened. A familiar confidence washed over him as the tension eased a bit from his frame.
“You are so right, Kaon,” Tarn spoke with his usual charm and confidence, “We must be vigilant. I cannot rule out the possibility of outside intervention.”
Tarn looked to Kaon intently. “We must watch Megatron carefully for any discrepancies in behavior. In memory. Someone may very well be targeting Decepticon High Command. If they got to us, I shudder to think who else may be afflicted.”
Dissent, however, would not be that easily or freely sparked. Kaon himself seemed to reassure himself in mind, and hoped that he was reassuring Tarn as well. There had to be a perfectly logical reason for this, if even some sort of "thought bullet" or mnemosurgery.
As the tension eased away, his own tension mirrored it. The Tesla Coils soon powered down completely. He would definitely need more fuel to make up for the expenditure, but that was nothing. That could be covered more than easily.
"That we must. I will ensure of it. On my honor." His vocals returned to a sort of calm confidence that rippled through him. Ha! They would be the masters of their minds, their dreams.
He would face Tarn with the most intent of attentions. "As do I. We must, in fact, keep our optics and audials on all of high command. I believe you said something about concerning behavior in the Chief Medical Officer as well?" Of course, he wouldn't forget. His memory was like a steel trap. Nay, like an iron maiden, locked tight, and always full of the sweetest horrors.
As Kaon agreed solemnly, Tarn nodded contentedly. Good. Honestly, he would like to solicit Soundwave’s help as he was the optics and audios of the Decepticons. However, Tarn knew not if he were similarly affected nor how. No, it was best to keep this between himself and Kaon for the time being.
“Yes, keeping tabs on them would be wise. Our thoughts are much alike,” Tarn muttered in response to Kaon’s comment about the rest of High Command. Kaon’s next statement, he pondered for a moment. Picking up the glass of energon, he had a sip, its sweetness giving a reprieve from his earlier…discomfort.
“Mm,” Tarn finally uttered, considering his encounter with the current CMO. “Only vaguely. Though, in light of these revelations, it might be wise to attend to him closely. Of course, Megatron should and will be our first priority.” A thought occurred to Tarn. One that was wholly unpleasant to consider, but, as a justice, he knew he ought to.
“You don’t suppose Dreadwing fell victim to this trap…?” Tarn mused. Of course, his case was special. Megatron had requested Dreadwing brought to him, so regardless of guilt, it would be done. But it did alter methodology somewhat. Well, Dreadwing could plead his case when they came for him. “Even if he did, our plans remain unchanged.”
Kaon himself was wary to outsource it. It was best to stick to their own team, find out the truth. After all, who could you trust but your own optics, audials, and tactile sensors, yes? Perhaps in due time, if Soundwave didn't seem to show evidence of the infliction of anomalous behavior, he would consider it.
He seemed to settle in relief, taking his own sip of the delicious sweetness before him. The Pet had calmed them both considerably with his comforting presence, of course, and now they could think clearer, plan well.
"Too true. We do not need it to trickle down from the highest command." Of course, he knew Tarn's thought to be reasonable. Such direction could trickle down from the highest command of all--Megatron obviously--and trickle into his command staff.
However, the unpleasant thought that Tarn had considered, it was reasonable too. "It is possible. Yet another reason to recover him quickly and let Megatron do as he will." He swirled his drink, taking the solace in the sound of the sloshing of the energon in the glass. Others were more visual, but Kaon himself, he took solace in sound. "Agreed."
Tarn nodded amicably, finishing his glass of energon and setting the glass down on the table as he rose to his feet. With a plan in place and issues addressed, Tarn supposed that he ought to get back to his duties with the new additions that they had agreed upon. Ah. Wait. There was a matter that he wanted looked into. He just remembered it now.
“Kaon, I want you to look into something for me,” Tarn said, looking down at the electrocutioner and his pet, “There is a mech named Cyclonus aboard the Nemesis. He looks strikingly similar to one who kept the company of the Autobots aboard the ship that held Overlord. Look into him if you would? It may be nothing, but I’d rather explore discrepancies as they arise rather than idle.”
Glancing over to the door, Tarn looked back once more at Kaon. “Is there anything else?”
Kaon had heard the pausing of piston motions and tilted his helm. Tarn hadn't yet turned away. Inwardly he seemed to smile regardless of the reason that his superior had given pause.
"Of course." He would lock the name Cyclonus in his memorybanks to pursue the lead. "Yes, Tarn. It may be nothing but we cannot let the matter rest until we know the truth." For what was justice other than truth? To pursue justice was to pursue the truths of it all; that was a philosophy that Kaon had lived by. And the truths had always been simple.
He would stand to start cleaning up. "Nothing else for now. By your leave. Towards peace."
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altria : please dont be dead?
Jun 14, 2023 22:40:34 GMT
Partia: Is this still alive?
Dec 17, 2022 6:02:02 GMT
Partia: Is this still alive?
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