Knowledge is Power

Hall of Records
All training and no playing makes Skids a dull mech. Feint also needs a break from training now and then. Feint expressed a desire to go see the guild in order to see about a function change. Skids decided to tag along for moral support and in case things go bad he might be able to talk their way out.
Rewind ..is HOME. The small mech, looking like many of the dataslug disposables that dwell in this place- namely because he is one- is currently on one of those ladders. He shuffles some datapads, looking fairly content. This is INFORMATION... and he loves it. There can never be enough INFO.
The first place Feint went was to the Hall of Records to research how to go about this the smart way. "This is something I need to do, and do right," she explains to Skids as she walks into the hall. "I was classified /disposable/. You know, and I know, that I am not an object, that I have the same sapience as other higher castes, but in the terms of the law, I might as well be one of these databooks. Blurr /bought/ me, which means I'm property." She looks over at Skids. "That means I can be -confiscated-."
Skids nods but makes a face at the comparisons to an object. "Yeah the law is not always just and justice is not always law." He gives her a small grin "Nobody is confiscating you on my watch. We still have alot to do and you have yet to reach your full potential."
"It's not you I'm worried about, it's the IAA," Feint explains. "They've been doing things to Blurr's memory. I'm not supposed to say anything about it, but I have to say -something-! I trust you, Skids, which is why I'm telling you this to begin with. I know you won't run off half-charged - I need to find a way to restore Blurr's memory and find out what they've been doing to him, but I need to do it covertly. I want to see if I can't qualify for the medical class. Even if I have to study and train for the next hundred thousand years just to be able to undo this, I -will-."
Rewind hears someone mention being "property" and it causes him to look down from the ladder. There's a flicker of melancholy at that- being a disposable, he is all too familiar with such realities. But it's not his place to question the law... not directly, at least. What he CAN do, though... he does. The small gray mech hops down and heads towards the two individuals who just came in. "Hi, I'm Rewind. Can I help you find something?"
Skids raises an eyebrow at Feint. "Doing all that to find out what IAA actually does?" He thinks it might be easier to just break into the IAA to steal the info but the long game works too. "I hope things work out for you." He stops at Rewind's approach "Greetings Rewind. My friend Feint is the one who has business here. I am only here for moral support."
"I'm trying to find out why they keep compressing his mind," Feint says to Skids, "and if there's any way to undo it. Something fishy is going on and they've already threatened to make him forget me and sell me to the recycling plants as scrap once. The only thing keeping that from happening is that my being around him has drummed up good publicity."
She bows briefly to Rewind in a show of respect. "Good evening Rewind. I'd like to avail myself of your services if I can; I'd like to get every instance of altmode exemption and function change in the last twenty vorns."
Rewind looks up at Skids and nods. "Ah, Ok!" He then looks to Feint. "What would you like to know?" He listens to her request, and nods his head just as politely back. "Ok! No problem! Follow me..." He waves a hand and starts heading towards an aisle of datapads.
Skids smiles at Rewind's cheerfulness/helpfulness. Must be contagious. The blue mech follows in tow behind Rewind and Feint. Skids makes a few mental notes of the area. Sure he has been here before but never hurts to brush up on first hand intel.
"Are you happy here, Rewind?" Feint asks, curious, as the smaller mech leads them on. Truth be told her altmode is probably not much bigger than his, but she was not classified as minicon stock because of it.
Rewind seems to smile back at Skids, though his faceplate obscures that a bit. Then he leads them to the aisle in question, and starts climbing another ladder to get to some of the relevant files. Feint's question makes him stop- surprised. He looks down at her. "Uh... well...." People like him are rarely ever asked questions like that. Though apparently *she* might be in the same sort of boat. He clutches the ladder and looks all around. "Here? Yes." his hand sweeps up to encompass the room. "There's knowledge here. The pursuit of learning, and betterment, and... well... the more you know, the more... well, power you have, in a way. The power to help, the power to protect, the power to make... choices."
Skids wanders away and get a closer look at the titles and stuff that is stocked here. If it was not for a safety issue he would probably spend all his time soaking up the knowledge like a sponge...whatever that is. "Nice philosophy there Rewind. I am a fan of written works as well. Always something interesting to learn."
"Choices," Feint smiles thinking about. "That's all what it comes down to."
"Skids, do you remember what it was like when you were assessed?"
Skids nods a bit but his expression cannot be seen as he is facing the racks of datapads. "I do. It was weird and I got lucky, very lucky to end up where I did."
Rewind nods to Skids. "Yes! There are whole lifetimes of experience in these halls... the sum of countless individuals- everything they knew and experienced- all here for us, now... all we have to do is read." He then taps his head, where a camera is located on the side of his helmet. "And then there's video archiving, too... That's a whole NEW world, heh."
The small mech then starts collecting some of the requested datapads, piling them neatly on a shelf. "Yes... choices are... some of the greatest power of all." Not that everyone always GETS choices, but... he probably doesn't have to tell her that.
Feint picks them up and starts looking through the topmost one. "There has to be a loophole in this. I don't think the laws are so tight that no one can change their function, ever. The very fact that the Taxonomy is being revised all the time means that there's a way to change - or at least /game/ the system." The more comfortable and safe she feels, the more she comes out of her shell and begins to show what she's truly capable of. Courage in baby steps. "When I was assessed I was so afraid of the guildmaster that I could barely spea, and I never told him what I could -see-, Skids! I thought -everyone- could see like that." She takes more of Rewind's datapad pile and goes right to a table with them, swiping the touchscreens to flit through virtual entries.
Skids glances around to see if anyone else heard that. "Still...be careful with 'that'. Functionists can be difficult specially when they are faced with something so unique. At first it looked as if I was going to be a laborer because of my alt-mode but my skills shifted me to something more scientific and in-line with my capabilities." He mumbles something.
Rewind looks over at Feint and studies her a moment, then quietly says, "There are cases of alt mode exemptions...but they're few and far between. If you find a point one percenter... heh, you're in luck. Well- if it doesn't kill you first, that is."
"..." Feint has a hallelujah moment.
"... I could see one from miles away..."
Skids has an hallelujah moment as well in order to game the system. He pulls out his datapad and begins furiously typing up something. The fingers are almost a blurr as the mech writes up his complex and sudden inspiration. "The point one percenter is a good idea. Another idea is that you are perfect for IAA. Imagine how useful is an aerodrone who can follow the race from above while monitoring the health of the competitors or even confirming no one is cheating. Sounds like a perfect fit to me." He grins "Sometimes it is about how you package an idea that gets it accepted or not."
Rewind blinks. "You... could?" He just stares at Feint and Skids. "Uh... yeah, he's right."
"I'd rather be independant of the IAA if it's all the same, Skids. If I can gain even a low caste function it'll give me enough rights that they won't be able to buy and sell me; still, that's tremendously brilliant idea." She realizes Rewind may have heard a bit much, not thinking about that before. Scrap. "I have enhanced sensors," she explains to Rewind. "I'm a mining scout."
Skids smiles "Of course it is a brillant idea. It is one of mine!" he says with wink indicating he is not serious. "You could apply for a first responder. Being able to run diagnostics with those enhanced sensors when mechs are in tricky locations or even just before sending the medics so they know what they will be dealing with or something." He continues typing his ideas as they flow "Just throwing stuff out there as it pops into my mind."
Rewind looks at Feint, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I see. That's cool... I wish I had something like that. I've got my camera though... at least I can record history with it. Well, when I'm around it, at least." He looks at Skids. "Ooo... that sounds ...historical." Rewind probably *shouldn't* make such little statements- it's not his place- but he does anyway sometimes.
"Medical would be a good idea, and... well, if the ability fits the function..." She winks to Skids knowingly. Then to Rewind, "Do you think there are any records of the assessments for medical class itself?"
Skids checks his comm and frowns "Seems I am required at the office. A mech can't catch a break." He turns to Feint with a smile and motions to Rewind "You seem to be in good hands here, keep me posted on what you do and how it goes. I am curious by nature." He nods to Rewind "Pleasure meeting you mister." He tosses a nonchalant salute on his way out.
Rewind nods to Feint. "Yes! That's over on J599... gimme a moment!" He runs off, returning with another pile of datapads. As Skids leaves, the archivist nods. "Thanks! It was nice meeting you, too."
"See you later Mr. Skids!" Feint says, waving good bye, as she goes back to work reading along side Rewind. "Thank you! I think I might be able to formulate a way to work this assessment..."
Rewind peeks over at her work. "Um... if you don't mind me asking..." He looks up at her a little shyly, but he's taking a chance because she seems a lot like him, "Are you trying to find a way to be alt mode exempt? I... I could find out everything there is here about point one percenters, if you'd like. Maybe try to figure out how one might find them..."
"Because..." She looks at Rewind, trying to determine if he's trustworthy enough. She takes a gamble. "... I'm an outlier, and a disposable at that. I was sold to a medical research lab for dissection once because of my abilities. If I can just change my caste, even a little, I won't have to hide as much." She looks at the pads. "And because someone I love is in grave danger if I don't figure out how to fix his injuries.:
It's a good thing Rewind is wearing a faceplate, otherwise Feint would see his jaw drop down in astonishment. The small mech then leans forward on the table and places his head in his hands. "....Wow." he says quietly, glancing around to ensure no one is listening in. "I...I can see why you're here, then. That's... just... wow, and I thought *I* had it bad." He sighs. "I'm disposable, though I'm not really special or anything. Just... me." He chuckles, "But I'm one heckuva archivist, and I wound up here, so.... it could be a lot worse."
He gazes back at her. "Your secret's safe with me, by the way. We... disposables need to stick together, right? So... I'll just say that if you think I can help you in some way, let me know anytime. I'd... really like to see someone like *me* actually *make it* in this world."
"I intend to do what I can for all of us," Feint acknowledges. "I'll find a way. Somehow." Flipping through pages, she starts reading as much as she can, soaking in the data. "All these years I was set as a mining scout just because I was too afraid to speak. There might a hope yet."
Rewind keeps his head in his hands, just watching her read. "I think..." He blinks, and looks around again, since it's not really his place to *think* at all according to the law. He does anyway, of course. "I think there is... I think there's been some awareness-raising. Some people who have started questioning the status quo." He doesn't want to say too much, so he stops. "I've definitely got hope." He smiles under his faceplate and adds- very quietly, "It helps that I've met some people who actually care, too. People who actually *have* a place in society, and want others to, as well."
"Yes, there is. Unfortunately, some that awareness raising is relying on violence. The bad part is, that may have to become an option under martial law; if we can't even -question- what's going on without being put in chains, what choice do we have?" Feint asks Rewind. She ventilates in frustration. "I wish it were any other way." She barks a short laugh. "Heh. I wish I could knew enough about memories to do something for my endura but I don't, do I?"
Rewind optics flicker slightly. "Oh? You mean the Decepticons? Yes, I've heard about them, but that's not who I was referring to. I know people... people I've met myself- who aren't violent at all. But they listen, and they seem to care. And they seem willing to question- and act. Legally, I mean." He glances in the direction Skids went earlier. "That guy seemed like one." He turns his head to look back at her, then his optics not only flicker but nearly short out in surprise. "Endura?" he stares at her. "But... I-I thought you said you were a disposable..." His voice trails off in confusion.
"We decided to become endura without anyone's permission. Blurr asked me and I accepted," Feint smiles. It's her own little way of rebelling.
Rewind stares. For the second time this evening, his jaw drops open (once again hidden by the faceplate). After he recovers from that, he gives a short, approving whistle. "Wow. Well.. congratulations!" He gazes off, as if something crossed his mind, and there's a flicker of... sadness(?) before it fades again. "That must be wonderful. When you find someone you really care about, and..." His expression darkens just a touch, then he shakes it away.
"Well, anyway.... I hope it turns out well for you." Then there's a blink. "Blurr? The racer?" His optics widen a bit. "I met him once." Then he blinks again. "OH. OH! YOU! I've seen footage of the two of you together! Yes, of course! Ha!" He nods, a little more cheerfully.
Feint sighs a little and laughs. "Yes, I'm being used as a publicity stunt. Blurr really does have great affection for me, but he's not even a vorn old yet! I had no idea when I agreed."
Rewind laughs, too. "That... must make things, uh... "interesting" sometimes, then." He shakes his head a little, then adds, "But... I'm glad to hear he actually cares." He chuckles once more. "I wish you luck. Sounds like you will need it." He glances at the datapads again. "It might be nice to see the world through younger optics. But then again, if that meant losing the memories; the experiences I've had.... I'd choose being old." And Rewind *is* actually quite old. "I like being the keeper of memories."
"I wish Blurr could keep them," Feint sighs. "I will share this with you, but keep it secret: The IAA has been compressing Blurr's memories, making him forget things. I'm trying to find a way to stop it, but if I go public with this... well..." It's fairly obvious it won't be good.
Rewind’s optics narrow a bit, and his head seems to sink a little further into his hands. "Hmm." He ponders over that, then finally speaks up. "You know, unfortunately.... that doesn't even really surprise me. Not with... well... places like the Institute around. Of course, they say it got closed down just recently, but...." He doesn't sound as if he completely believes that. "Well, we're told a LOT of things, aren't we? From people who, most often, have something at stake."
"I survived that place," Feint whispers, still shaken by the experience.
Rewind blinks. "Really? What... what happened? Is that place as bad as I've heard?"
Feint nods yet. "It was terrible, like a hospital and a prison all in one. They took me there because a horrible old Arachnicon wanted me for an experment - he wanted to put my spark into one of his own frametype. He said I was going to be his bride, that I was payment for his work!" She shudders and her visor snaps down over her face protectively. "It was terrible, but Blurr saved me. I owe him so much for that."
Rewind looks a bit horrified, and his hands finally fall away from his face. He starightens up and shakes his head. "I'm... sorry. Sorry for what you went through- and sorry to hear it really was that bad." Then he nods gently. "Yeah...I know the feeling, actually." The small mech looks up, his gaze distant. "Someone saved me... once. I felt the same way."
"It's all right. It was scary, but it's over with. Perhaps if I'm lucky it'll be the worst thing that ever happened to me, and now that it's past, I have nothing else in my life to fret over," Feint reassures. She is now curious about Rewind's side of things as she keeps reading. "Oh? What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"
Rewind smiles a little sadly, and nods, then looks off again. "No... I guess not, you've shared a lot with me, after all. I..." His optics flicker before he continues. "Someone saved me from the streets... from being treated like a piece of trash. His name was... Dominus Ambus. He took me in, he..." there's a furtive glance around and he leans in to whisper, "He even shared premium energon with me. But more than that... he treated me as an equal- and he even /worked towards/ equal rights for disposables! He... really cared for me, and I... cared for him, too."
There's another furtive glance around, then Rewind leans in and his voice drops even lower. "You and I share one thing in common. Someone came in, saved us, and... it changed things. To the point that we... well, we /both/ joined in conjunx endura with that person. Whether we were supposed to or not." There's a slight *gulp* as he gets that off his chest.
Feint puts a hand on Rewind's shoulder in understanding. "It's our right, even if everyone else thinks otherwise," she whispers.
Rewind glances up at her, and he smiles appreciatively. "Thanks. And yes... it is." He sighs a little, then adds, "I should ask you something, actually. I... don't suppose you've ever met Dominus, have you?" The arhivist looks away. "He... disappeared, and I don't know what happened to him. I've looked everywhere, but..." There's another sigh.
"I'm sorry, I don't even know who he is. I've barely spent any time outside the mines," Feint apologizes.
Rewind nods a little sadly. "That's Ok. I just thought I'd check, just in case." He looks up to her again. "If you ever *do* hear anything about him... even if it's not.... good news... I'd appreciate it if you let me know. It's hard to not *know*, and deal with that loss, and you can't even tell anyone... usually... because it's forbidden in the first place, and..." His voice becomes more frustrated until he stops and scratches awakwardly at his helmet. "Uh... sorry."
Feint gives Rewind a hug, if he doesn't push away. "Maybe I should come here more often. I can see things from a very long distance - I can even see sparks through walls. If I know what to look for, I'll keep my optic sensors open for him."
Rewind doesn't mind at all, and seems to appreciate the gesture, giving her a hug in return. He brightens at that, and quickly replies, "I'd like that! I'm usually around here. And... that would be /wonderful/. Here, let me send you an image of him, so you know what he looks like!"
"All right! I'm glad I can help in some way; it gives me something to practice using my abilities with, too," Feint agrees.
Rewind nods and proceeds to send her the image with a short-range transmission. "Yes! Thank you! With abilities like yours, you could do a LOT of good, for a lot of people." He then adds, "And hopefully... one day, you- and I- will be allowed to do things like that. To the /full/ extent of our abilities, whatever they are.. as an equal part of society."
"Don't discount yourself. I like to think that we're all here for a reason, even if we don't know it yet. You might just be the key to saving the world some day - you never know," Feint offers as her visor retracts and she gives him a big grin.