Family

Rumble is standing near a busy intersection, smoking an enercig and looking a bit sad and lost. He's a tough little guy, so tries never to seem vulnerable, but that particular emotion of loss hangs over him today.
Soundwave doesn't know everything... but he sure can make a mech think that he does sometimes, the way he just pops up, already knowing not only where someone is, but even seems to know what they are thinking- or feeling. Of course- that's because he often DOES. And what Soundwave doesn't see or overhear, his cassette friends DO. It was Laserbeak this time- Laserbeak who informed him of Rumble's whereabouts. And so now the big, blue boxy mech heads towards Rumble's location... already picking up something... sad? He tilts his head, then continues on. When he gets close, he stops and greets the other mech. "Rumble. You are..." Pause again. "Unhappy?"
Rumble grins when he spots Soundwave approaching. There's something he really likes about Soundwave, though he can't put his finger on it. Maybe it's just that Soundwave just seems to understand him on a level his usual friends don't. "Yeah...my girl left town with another mech," he says with a shrug. "I ain't mad. She's happy, that's fine with me."
Soundwave gives Rumble the tiniest nod of acknowledgement. He knows knows what girlfriend Rumble speaks of, and just WHO she left town with. Because it's his business to know these things, after all. And Rumble has caught HIS optic, too. As one of the disposables, one of the small and easily discarded mechs that Soundwave has made it his mission to watch out for. His friends.
This isn't easy, however, for Soundwave's mission is also the Decepticon cause... and that now puts Shiftlock at odds with it. He hesitates a moment, then decides that for now he will not speak of this to Rumble. "You take it well. Many would be more upset." His head cants slightly. "Still... you are... melancholy?"
"...Well yeah, I mean, I'm gonna miss her. She was my first girlfriend. I know that prolly sounds kinda lame, but...hey, I'm a miner, we ain't known for our great personal lives outside of the mines. I should prolly be mad, but...I can't be mad at her. I liked her too much. If she's happy with what she's doing, then I guess that's okay. She's...made her decision, y'know? So she ain't comin' back here." Rumble drops his enercig, and stubs it out with his foot. "So what you been up to?"
Soundwave shakes his head. "Negative. Not lame. Your life before now has been hard, unjust. You are just now learning what *living* is about. You appear to be approaching it with a good attitude." The outlier sympathizes. He may not agree. In fact, there is a real possibility that he may need to, in fact, seek Shiftlock out to KILL her. At that thought, his own mind begins to reach out towards Rumble... he *could* try reading Rumble's mind. Learn where Shiftlock is. It would make finding and killing her that much easier. He reaches out... and then stops.
No. No, Rumble is his friend, he is simply concerned about his girlfriend, and... come what may, Soundwave can find other ways to find Shiftlock's location. No. He will not do this to Rumble. He falls back mentally, then continues. "I am the same way. Learning... what life is about. And helping the Decepticon cause whenever I can."
"I seen you talkin' to Starscream in the Forge...you think he's gonna stay on? Cause...I dunno, he seems to me like he's out for his own agenda, not *our* agenda," Rumble says, trying to direct the conversation somewhere else so the sad, confusing emotions he's feeling will just go away for a while.
Soundwave senses that, and moves the conversation to "happier" grounds. "Your assessment: correct. However, I believe he will. I also believe... despite appearances: it is a good thing he stays. He provides a certain skill set we need. He is High Caste, skilled and smooth of tongue, manipulative and ...persuasive in his own right. He is also selfish. However... certain negative traits must be tolerated in order to gain access to the more positive ones."
Rumble nods. "Yeah, I guess you're right, I mean if we all came from the same caste it would be kinda defeating the purpose of why we're doin' this in the first place." Rumble ponders the whole enigma of Blast Off, trapped outside his element. Of course, he doesn't know anything about Blast Off's current fate, either.
Soundwave does know about Blast Off, actually. It's one of the reasons he's here. But he has a point to make first. "Affirmative." He tilts his head at the smaller mech. "Why are you doing this, Rumble? Why are you a Decepticon?" They've talked about this some before, but he wants to hear it solidified.
"Cause I understand why Megatron's doin' this, Soundwave," Rumble says. "Frenzy an' me been workin' with him for a really long time, on all kinds of minin' ops. It's been a hard life. We seen a lot of mechs work themselves to death. He's got the right idea about what's wrong with Cybertron an' the way those in charge treat the least of us. It ain't right. It's time to set things right. That's why I do it. It's...well, it ain't too different from your own reasons, really. It's about settin' things right."
Soundwave ...smiles under his faceplate. Rumble *understands*. He gets it. He is a fellow... patriot. "Correct." he takes a step forward, feeling a bit patriotic and passionate himself. "And we are rapidly approaching the time that people like you- and I- will be called to do more. To work towards a Cybertron that is equal for ALL individuals. Where all can strive to better themselves and find better lives... liberty... the pursuit of their own happiness /granted/ to them as a right, not denied because of caste or function. But... it will not always be easy. But you KNOW that already, correct? You toiled in the mines... I do not think you are afraid of hard work. Not when... THIS time... you toil for YOUR benefit... and the benefit of those like you."
"Oh yeah, definitely. Megatron knows I'm all-in, an' so is my brother. If we don't do somethin' now, we may never get another chance to stop what's happenin'!" Rumble exclaims. "It's now or never, an' do I wanna see my homeworld liberated from the ones in charge now? /Absolutely!/ I'm just waitin' on my orders. One a'these cycles, I'm pretty sure we're gonna get orders, an' I'm ready. Say, if you want...I'll help you an' your, uh...the friends you got," Rumble offers, not quite sure how to refer to Laserbeak, Buzzsaw or Ravage.
Soundwave gives Rumble a slow, meaningful nod. "Excellent. Then I would ask you to help me...soon. You mentioned High Castes earlier, and how all of us, even a High Caste, has a place in our society. It is true. The High Castes are...pretentious, in many cases, but... they can also bring skills. Like Starscream. I believe you also know a former High Caste named Blast Off?"
"Yeah, I did get to meet Blast Off, in fact! Just seen him a couple cycles ago," Rumble says. "I think he's interested in joinin' up so I been tryin' to be patient with him. He acts like he's too good for anything or anyone in Kaon, but when he ain't bein' a snob, he 'plays nice'," he snickers.
"Your efforts: appreciated. You are correct: he is a... "snob"." Soundwave pauses. "But he has his uses, his skills. Including being a former Primal Vanguard. He would be an excellent warrior. His former teammates, the other Combaticons, are all here and are all Decepticons now. Blast off was the last hold out, but appeared to be leaning towards wearing our badge as well. However- there is now a complication. Blast Off has been captured by the Police and has been sent to the Prison in Kolkular."
"What?! Damn," Rumble says, looking genuinely shocked. He knew absolutely nothing about this, mostly because he hasn't been at his regular hangouts recently to stay current with all the news. "You heard anything about a breakout posse yet? Cause we can't leave him in there, he'll get smelted."
Soundwave nods. "That is one reason I sought you out. We are planning just such a breakout. We will make an example of Kolkular: there are many Kaon mechs imprisoned there. We intend to break Blast Off out, in addition to any other Kaon residents we can. There are also weapons to be taken. But we will need skills- and distractions. You have piledrivers, correct? Your unique skills could come in great use during our effort."
Rumble nods. "Sure do. I can bring down those walls, /easy/," Rumble boasts. "An' I know that sounds hard to believe, so if you need a little demonstration in the Forge, I can definitely show you how that works. On the mining crew, I used to be the demolition man, heheheh. So I can get those walls down pretty quick, but since they're gonna have gunships an' tower defenses, we'll still need a ton of gunners an' air support to make it in an' out of there."
You say "Affirmative. We are working on logistics right now. Onslaught, Blast Off's old Commander, and his team are working with us on this project. They do not leave a mech behind. Neither do we. I have kept tabs on you, Rumble. It is... my job, in a way. My business to know everything that goes on in this city. And I have heard of your skills, seen them from a distance. If there is time, I would enjoy a closer demsontration."
He almost looks... pleased, if it's possible for a mech with a faceplate to look pleased. Especially Soundwave. "It will be satisfying to watch people like *you*, like the many displaced and discarded mechs and femmes, topple such a symbol of government oppression.""
Rumble nods, and looks like he's already thinking about how things are going to happen. "Let Onslaught know I'm in, I know he probably don't care cause he's more about his group of friends, but if this is gonna be a /Decepticon/ operation an' not a Combaticon one, then he's prolly gonna need to be open to the fact that he's gettin' volunteers. I know it ain't gonna be just me who's eager to knock down Kolkular an' get a lot of those mechs outta there."
Soundwave nods. "I am pleased to hear it, Rumble. Yes, we are all brothers, and we will stand together: Dceepticon, Combaticon, Seeker, Cassette, Miner... all of us. We will start to make a noise. It may only be a small chorus in the beginning, but soon we will have a full-fledged symphony that no one can shut out anymore. They will have to *listen* to us, finally. But even that small chorus starts with a single voice- joined by another-and another."
Rumble stares at Soundwave, thinking that sometimes, the mech can be a little weird, talking about symphonies and things like that...but the important part is that his *spark* is in the right place. Anyone who listens to Megatron and is motivated by his manifesto can't be all that bad!
"Lissen, I never got a chance to ask, but...those tapes, you *made* those tapes? Or do they just work with you?"
Soundwave tilts his head slightly. "They are Cybertronians, just like you and me. They... helped me when I was... lost. Ravage... Ravage saved me." His voice and demeanor is pensive. "I wouldn't be here without them. I didn't create them, they..." He pauses. "They created me." The outlier looks thoughtful as he thinks back to the struggles he endured, and how vital the help of his friends was.
Then he looks back to Rumble. "But you... you ask about their current mode? They were not always tapes, no. When I accepted work for Ratbat, they came with me from the streets. They accepted reformatting in order to fit inside me. Now we work as a team."
Rumble looks amazed. "...Wow, an' you all work together so perfect, I was kinda under the impression you were maybe brother-units, or you created them. That is really somethin'. Don't you ever disagree about stuff?"
Soundwave ...almost laughs. There is a sound, a rusty sort of near-cough given that the mech isn't really the laughing sort. But he is midly amused, and it shows. "We do. Each and every one of us is an individual with our own thoughts and opinions. Just as you and Frenzy are close- but you are seperate people. Disagreements occur. But we are united by a unity of... purpose. Shared struggles and shared dreams. We are..." His voice is almost warm. "...Family."
This topic delves a bit deeper than Rumble's accustomed to thinking. He's never really been a part of anything other than the mining group. The Decepticons make him feel inclusive to something much bigger and more important, but the movement is still in its infancy. Maybe that's what he likes so much about Soundwave, he seems like 'family' to him somehow. A close friend. Very open and genuine, yet still mysterious in a lot of ways. "My only family is Frenzy," he admits. "Must feel really good to know you got a family there who has your back when you need it the most."
Soundwave looks at Rumble thoughtfully, and reaches out for a brief, surface reading of the smaller mech. He likes him. He's partial to Frenzy, too, though he hasn't spent as much time with him. The two Miners... well, they have their *issues*, yes... but so does everyone else. But they are similar patriots: hard-working mechs struggling with the cards they've been dealt, loyal to the cause... they almost feel like family to him, too. "It does. I cannot imagine being without a... family now." He considers a moment before adding, "Are you looking for one?"
"Hmm, well? I never thought about it that way, but who doesn't look for that? I know mechs out there lookin' for their conjunx endura an' all that, but I guess I'm kinda content with a close-knit group of friends who got each other's backs. The miners were kinda like that, only you kinda HAVE to depend on everyone else out on a job, cause it's non-stop dangerous. Now that I'm back here, I guess I'm kinda driftin'. I thought I found that again with my girlfriend, but you know what happened there. She left town. So..." He shrugs.
Soundwave nods. "There are all kinds of bonds, and I do not think that one is better than the other. Each individual must find the bonds that fit them- that give their life meaning. I find great meaning having a... family. Close friends who... yes, affirmative... have each other's backs."
He looks at Rumble thoughtfully, then his hands reach out slightly towards the small mech. "May I... read you?" He waits for a response.
"Hm? Yeah, sure," Rumble agrees, looking curious. That lack of hesitation should probably tell Soundwave something right off the bat: Rumble's either overly trusting, or, he doesn't honestly believe he knows anything that could be detrimental to the cause.
Soundwave nods, and proceeds to place his hands gently on both sides of Rumble's helmet. For most Cybertronians, gaining access to a person's inner thoughts and experiences requires interfacing, neurosurgery, or other more invasive methods. For Soundwave, this kind of deep information-gathering requires only the touch of a hand and some mental concentration. He works to clear the incessant chatter of nearby minds away from his own, and focus on the one mind in front of him. He sees a hazy ball of blue, and begins to probe further, carefully analyzing what he finds inside.
Rumble's led a very difficult life, straight from the beginning. He's had to work extremely long hours on very perilous assignments, and his life has been a study in low-caste violence. He and Frenzy settle scores through violence, establish a 'pecking order' with some of the less scrupulous miners through violence...it's the only life he's ever known. And some of the most grevious abuse has come from -- no surprise -- the 'bosses', who made examples of the miners who couldn't make their quota. The relationship he has with Frenzy is strange, almost comical at times. They're either beating the hell out of each other, or they're getting along like nothing's ever been wrong a day in their lives.
Most recently, it appears he probably recreationally interfaced with Shiftlock, as some of her residual memories lay cast about in random pixels. And since that's the closest thing Rumble can identify to 'love', he isn't quite sure what to do now that his 'girlfriend' has been banished and left town. It isn't something he has experience in dealing with.
Soundwave treads carefully through the primordial soup that is Rumble's essence. Perhaps not surprisingly, he detects large swaths of blue... a color Soundwave shares. Surprisingly cool despite the passion within. In Rumble's case, it reminds him of the blue of endless night, of the endless toil and the depressing drudgery of the life he once led. That cobalt canvas is accented with flashes of rust brown and burnt umber- gritty, earthy colors of Rumble's complete and utter lack of pretention. His earthiness. His penchant for "staying real". The accompanying sounds are deep rumbling bass and claps of thunder- loud and proud- big noise from a small package.
Shiftlock is skirted around delicately. Soundwave brushes up against those memories, and investigates far enough to be sure there is no betrayal, no cause for alarm... but otherwise respects Rumble's privacy. And he finds he can sympathise with Rumble. Soundwave himself carries some anger at the femme's sudden betrayal, but it is perhaps a little softened by experiencing what Rumble has. And Rumble has indeed been handed a difficult siutuation. The outlier sifts through the emotions, the thoughts, and the experiences of the smaller mech.... and he finds that while he may be rough around the edges, Rumble is truly worthy of the Decepticon cause. A fellow patriot and someone who truly deserves a chance at a better life.
Soundwave pulls away, his hands coming once more to his sides. "Thank you."
"Youre welcome..." Rumble grins slightly. "Anything in there? Frenzy says there ain't, but I wanna set the record straight."
This causes a *definite* chuckle from the outlier. "Frenzy: incorrect."
Soundwave stands there, contemplating Rumble for a moment, before bringing a hand back out to place gently on Rumble's shoulder. It's a rare, almost *friendly* gesture from the Communications mech. "...I would be pleased to have you join us."
Rumble grins broadly. "Okay! Well...lemme just talk it over with Frenzy first. I'm pretty sure he'll be OK with it. Long as we can keep our mining mods in some way. Mine's pylons of course, an' his is sonic. Basically, he can do similar destruction, only usin' just sound amplifiers."
Soundwave nods. "Understood. And agreed." He lifts his hand up to bring it to his side once more, but not before saying, "If you decide this, then allow me to say..."
"Welcome to the family."