RE: re/alignment

[forcowardice]

Haha yes! Being put on by Megatron for a special project. Handpicked, even!

Eat that, Tarn!

...is what I would say if he was here. Maybe.

Anyway, this has been a pretty great experience so far. I... I know how it's gonna end up and I'm going to quietly pretend I don't know because otherwise I'm going to have a little nervous breakdown but I-I'm good otherwise! Really!

Comments

[ride_the_lightning]

That's so good to hear....

What was that message you wanted to deliver to Tarn, though?

[forcowardice]

Um.







Nothing. Nothing at all.

[ride_the_lightning]

Are you certain? I thought I heard something.

Unless, of course, you'd like to deliver the message yourself.

[forcowardice]

Uh. How about I just. Writehimaletter. I think that'd suffice.

[ride_the_lightning]

Letters are so impersonal, don't you think? I know that Tarn much prefers a more, well, intimate contact.

[forcowardice]

Surrrrre. Okay. Right. But I'm just... you know, a nobody, and I'd sure as hell hate to occupy his time?

[ride_the_lightning]

Oh, no, Fulcrum. You're hardly a nobody. You're on the List, after all.

We always have time for those on the List.

[psychotherapist]

[sincerely] Congratulations, Fulcrum. I know you'll ...make him proud. [okay that part is a little weird to say]

What project is it?

[forcowardice]

B-but I'm sure! I'm sure that you have someone else on the List to deal with. Someone definitely not me?

[ride_the_lightning]

But I'm sure it's hardly a bother, Fulcrum.

Are you trying to argue with me?

[forcowardice]

Um. Thanks, Rung. [He wasn't expecting that, but it's certainly nice to hear.]

We're making some kind of transdimensional device. It breaks through space and time, but the schematics are actually not too hard for me to follow. Whether or not we can power the damn thing, I dunno.

[forcowardice]

No! Just suggesting. Really.

[ride_the_lightning]

Ah. Well, I'm glad we cleared up that little misunderstanding.

Now about this 'special project'. Do you care to elaborate?

[forcowardice]

Right...

Um. It's a transdimensional device...? It should, theoretically, let us travel space and time.

[ride_the_lightning]

I was unaware that quantum physics was in your skill set, Fulcrum. It certainly wasn't in Banzai-tron's files.

And do you think this project will somehow redeem your misdeeds?

[forcowardice]

Right, that guy. Well, I'm... not about to get into the specifics. It might go over your head.

Isn't that up to Megatron?

[psychotherapist]

You're welcome.

[oh good he looks totally relieved] I'm--glad to hear it's constructive. I wouldn't know the first thing about how to build one of those.

[ride_the_lightning]

Oh, insults. How interesting.

But I inquired into your intent, Fulcrum.

[forcowardice]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the only one working on it. If I was totally on my own, I'm pretty sure there's no way this would work. ...Besides, you're a therapist; it's not like anyone would expect you to whip up something like that.

[forcowardice]

I'm just saying, it's full of that sadism that I don't know if it has the space for science.

I intend to help Megatron. I think that should be good enough.

[ride_the_lightning]

[A laugh.] You talk as if you know me, Fulcrum. Sadism? No. Hardly. You do the cause a grave disservice when you talk like that.

You think. How cute.

[forcowardice]

I do the cause a great disservice? Our cause got twisted along the way because of people like you and Tarn and the rest of the DJD. I don't think you have any place to tell me what's a disservice at that point.

Yeah, and sometimes I might even put my thinking to use. That's a real shocker for you.

[Pun may or may not be intentional.]

[ride_the_lightning]

Would you like to discuss this at length, Fulcrum? I'm so very interested in your theories. They're very quaint.

[forcowardice]

Er. I guess that depends on how soon you intend to maim me first.

[misfired]

So, does this mean I can keep your fuel pump this time if you end up a dud bomb again?

[forcowardice]

What-- no! I still need that!

[misfired]

Now you're just being stingy.

[forcowardice]

I sort of need it, Misfire!

[misfired]

Listen, you and me both know you're just gonna end up on a scrapheap again. Why let history repeat itself? I don't know about you, but getting deja vu hurts my head.

[forcowardice]

Wow, I am so glad you have any kind of faith in my survival rate.

[misfired]

Seeing so many dead people on a daily basis kind of dampens my faith in anybody surviving.

[forcowardice]

...Well, that was more depressing than I was anticipating.

But we survived, right? So, makes our odds look a bit better?

[Even if what happened to poor Flywheels was his fault. Fulcrum knows he's not living that one down.]

[misfired]

I know, right?

Uh. I guess. I'm not good with odds. That's Krok's thing, really. But what I really think is that our odds are definitely going to be better the farther we are away from Megatron.

It's one of those correlation thingies. Megatron = far. We = not dead.

[psychotherapist]

Please don't sell yourself short, Fulcrum. I hope you know your contributions are valuable.

[forcowardice]

I think you have more faith in me than most Decepticons do.

[forcowardice]

Wait wait wait. You want to stay away from Megatron? The head honcho?

With this device, I mean-- we could totally win the war.

[misfired]

Yes.

He's great and all but he might remember a few certain teeny tiny things one of us may have done and then call the DJD on us.

Winning the war is totally great and all, don't get me wrong. I'm all up for post war victory parties!

[psychotherapist]

Well, that--might be cultural bias, perhaps? Decepticons seem very individualistic, even under all of the military regimentation--what benefits one, might not benefit another?

I'm obviously not an expert on your people, and I'd welcome your views, if you don't agree.