An Uncanny Reunion

++ Kaon ++

One of the largest energon mining centers on Cybertron, Kaon is part of a stretch of rough, difficult terrain known collectively as the Badlands. Bordered by the seemingly endless orange desert of the Sea of Rust to the east and south, this large, flat plain is almost sealed in by the rising red-purple peaks of the Manganese Mountains to the north and west. Kaon provides the central hub of activity and civilization in this area, while smaller polities such as Blaster City and Tesarus have arisen at its edges.

 Dark gray and black metal, tough and resillient against wear, form the main colors of the city, its buildings in the shapes of domes, pyramids and jagged peaks. All of them are aerodynamically shaped so that their edges face the Sea of Rust, allowing the buildings to withstand the edges of any storms that blow in from the oxidized desert beyond. The area is noisy and dirty from the constant drumming of machinery: mining equipment, enormous energon transport haulers and low-flying ore shuttles fill the air with noise and lightly shake the ground as they pass. Heavy laborers, almost always low-caste, toil away here either at the surface, or below the ground, enjoying few comforts and fewer respites from their work. The slums of Wreckage Row are home to Kaon's work force, while the edge of the massive highway leading to nearby Kalis is guarded by the looming mushroom-shaped fortress of Kolkular. Somewhere near the edges of the ruins of Blaster City, an underground arena known as the 'Pits of Kaon' hosts illegal gladiator combat.

This little misadventure with Quickswitch in Kaon has lasted a lot longer than Rung anticipated. And they've run into numerous 'roadblocks' (if you could call them that) since having arrived in the city of crime. However, there are a couple of things Rungs wants to see and certain persons to meet before they leave, hence, the six changer will find himself following the tiny orange mech into the dirtier and more crime ridden parts of Kaon, all to find a particular individual Rung will not disclose the name of for the time being.

 "I know you have a lot of questions," the psychiatrist says gently to the other mech, "but they will all be answered in due time I promise."

Megatron is overseeing the last of the items and personal to leave the forge. He seems rather preoccupied and indeed has a lot on his mind. As he walks among the mechs gathering the last of the items up he stops occasionally to give an order or to correct something someone is going wrong.

Rung suddenly freezes, and places a hand on Quickswitch's arm gently. "You must try your best to control yourself," he says to the six changer. "Stay here and watch, only intervene if necessary," he says, "I believe in you Quickswitch," he says softly, before hurrying towards the gladiator, a data pad in his hand.

 He approaches Megatron, his footsteps slight. "... Megatron?" he says quietly.

Megatron hears a voice, a familiar voice and he looks toward the direction it came from. "Rung." he says neutrally but with a ring of niceness to it. "What brings you out to Kaon?" he approaches the smaller mech.

Quickswitch gapes, "Rung--" but the little Autobot is off. He just stares dumbstruck at Megatron. Is this who we came to see..? The sudden turbulance within the six changer fuels shock and unimaginable disbelief, "Megatron.. THE leader of the Decepticons." he murmurs. The Autobot scowls openly and studies Megatron's face. ...He is the one I scarred in Altihex... He's RIGHT HERE and I have the opportunity to blow him away and Rung wants me to do NOTHING?! Quickswitch watches intensely in case anything happens to Rung, just dying to take down Megatron. Glory! Rightness!

Rung casts a caring look back at Quickswitch before turning to Megatron, his brows raising in pleasant surprise. "I... You remember me!" A smile spreads across his elfish features. "And you got my name right. That is a rare thing." His smile splits into a grin. "How have you been, Megatron?"

Megatron smiles a bit, "I am fine as always." he lies but no one needs to know that. "How have things been wtih you?" he is interested in finding out how this mech has been doing but he does look back at the decepticons finishing up the move. He suddenly calls points to one of the crates and ordrs it repacked.

Rung watches Megatron, and sighs. He can tell the miner isn't being totally truthful. "Well.." His gaze drops. "It hasn't exactly been that spectacular for me lately, but.." He shrugs. "Enough about myself. I have not seen you in some time. It appears that you have invested.. politically." His expression grows a little grieved. "What has transpired since I last saw you.. I can see there is a change in you. Do you think you have changed?”

"Just try something, Megatron," Quickswitch mutters. His fingers curl around his photon blasters. Anticipation and some resentment against Rung for asking him to stay his hand. But Rung has shown him so much.. It would be honorable to heed him. Still, the six changer hopes the Decepticon leader does try something. Quick takes on a perpetual, dissatisfied frown.

Megatron studies Rung for a moment, "Change? The only change in me is my conviction to free Cybertron and all the castes from the functionism and overbearin dictatorship of the Senate. The change in me is the hope of freedom for all those that will stand with me and fight for it."

Rung shakes his helm. "No, that was always the same," the psychiatrist says worriedly, glancing briefly over at Quickswitch before turning back to Megatron. "You are bitter. What happened? Megatron, please... Tell me. Were you arrested?"

Megatron shakes his head, "Im am not bitter." but he's getting that way, "I have not been arrested,” he lies. He casually looks in the direction Rung just glanced toward then looks back at him, "Perhaps you should not try to get into my head." it was a warning but it was said nice enough, this time at least and it is Rung hes talking to.

"No," Rung says, "I would never." He frowns, noticing that Megatron is once again not being entirely truthful. "I simply ask because I am concerned for your well being, Megatron. And I want to know who it is that you are." He pauses. "Primus forbid that shadowplay should even be mentioned. I have my qualms about it even existing at all--but at least government now requires double signatures for the procedure to get approval."

Megatron narrows his optics at the mention of 'shadowplay'. "I have a lot of 'qualms' about it daring to exist." Those narrowed optics flare just a bit. "And all two signatures does is show its a group effort to destroy the minds of those that dare think the truth.”

"I disagree," Rung says quietly, "one person alone can commit many corrupted deeds in secret, but when two are accountable, it is harder to sweep it under the rug." He nods at Megatron. "I remember the first person who was saved by that amendment. The procedure had just begun, but I demanded it be put off until I could review the patient's papers. I never actually got to find out who it was, though, because there was an energy surge that called for immediate evacuation before I could assess the documentation." Megatron will recall this--A mnemosurgeon had been about shadowplay him, but he'd been saved by the bell. Could it be, that Rung had saved him?

Quickswitch doesn't know what shadowplay is, but it does not sound pleasant to experience. He listens to the two mechs as they speak. Come on, come on, come on. He taps a finger against his blasters. Restless. This is highly irregular. These two mechs know each other?!?!?! Quickswitch looks on. Intense confusion is written on the frowning face, and disapproval.

Megatron frowns. This sounds so much like the situation he went through with his near shadowplay miss. "I was that mech..." he says in the cold tone if renenberance.

"Then I'm very glad I was able to delay the procedure so that you could escape," Rung interjects quickly, with a slight frown. Then his expression eases. "Megatron...I'm afraid of what that experience has done to you." He places a hand on the larger mech's arm. "At least you were saved." He looks at the miner, hoping for some form of thanks.

Doubt and confusion grows, and the hands clench around the blasters... Why are we even here? We're in the heart of Decepticon territory, just to talk..? I don't understand.. And the sixchanger does not understand.

You paged Quickswitch with 'quick is actually playing a very important part in helping Rung recover from everything that he went through. Quick is literally his only friend'.

Megatron looks down at the hand on his arm and then back up at Rung. "Do not concern yourself with what that experience did to me. If anything it made me more determined." And the personal situation hes in right now will make him even more determined as well "Your timing to enforce the new protocol was most advantageous for me, I appreciate it, Rung."

"But I already have," Rung says, sounding grieved. ".. Megatron, if.. if you appreciate it, then I must ask a favor from you. I must ask you to put a stop to all this violence, and terror. Stop the pit fights. You have the right mindset, but you are misguided in your efforts.. I'm asking you as a friend, please…"

Megatron removes his arm from Rungs grip suddenly. "Why would you ask me to do that? Is this what your masters asked you to come here and try to do? Convince me to stop all this and lay down for whatever they do, like none of this every happened?" his demeanor has gone defensive with a slow anger building.

A FRIEND?!?! The sixchanger nearly shrieks this aloud, and the asault unit's optics narrow quickly. As the optics narrow, the Autobot hisses and Quickswitch hears himself mutter, "I hardly think this is appropriate," HOW can they be FRIENDS? Holding his blaster, the assault unit draws up his hand to his pounding head, "Got to...keep focus." And the dental plate trembles and gnashes together….

Rung shakes his helm. "No, my superiors do not know I am here, and I am not asking you to do that, Megatron! There is too much bloodshed already. So many have died, and violence and more oppression will /not/ solve the problems our society has. It grieves me to see that so many have to get hurt, in order for 'a better Cybertron' to be achieved. The cost is negating the result! Megatron, please, see the sense in this! I /saved/ you, I don't want you to waste your life and intellect on.. on manslaughter!" he cries, agitated.

"The Senate is seeing to it that another one is being 'hurt' right now to continue their oppression of myself and all those that stand with me." Megatron begins firmly, "You should be saying what you've just said to me -- to them. Oppression is the only 'society' the Senate and their minions know, Rung. And you are suggesting I should let them succeed. My life will not be wasted in stopping them, far from it.”

More talk of the Senate. It inspires such rage and disgust in Quickswitch, and confusion as he has always been a guest of the Senate itself, and--

"Rung," the sixchanger addresses the psychiatrist, fatigue and stress evident within his voice, "We should take our leave shortly." MEGATRON!

"I am not suggesting that! I am saying, that you cannot kill and oppress to free those who are currently oppressed and downtrodden, as I was saying before, the cost negates the result! And it doesn't have to be this way. Megatron, please, I'm begging you. Stop all this madness and violence, this isn't the right way! You at least owe me this much, for saving your life!" Rung insists.

 "Quickswitch...!" No..! The six changer revealed himself. This doesn't bode well.

Megatron says "Who said anything about oppression those already downtrodden? Unless that is the new definitoin liberation. If that is the case then so be it --" the gladiator hears a new voice suddenly from a shadow not far behind rung and he sneers, "Who did you bring with your, Rung? Were you that concerned over my reaction to waht you came to that you brought... backup? Im flattered..." he shifts his stance a bit to a more sturdier and defensive posture and wait for the other mech to reveal themselves.

Megatron says, "Where have I indicated I will kill and oppress any in my way to free those that are being treated the same wa --" the gladiator hears a new voice suddenly from a shadow not far behind rung and he sneers, "Who did you bring with your, Rung? Were you that concerned over my reaction to what you came to that you brought... backup? Im flattered..." he shifts his stance a bit to a more sturdier and defensive posture and wait for the other mech to reveal themselves.

Quickswitch steps out in root mode--His photon blasters clenched and at the ready. It takes all his control not to come out blasting, and he resents it, and loathes it, and will have definite words with Rung about this excursion later, indeed!

Rung's expression then hardens. "Fine," he says a little harshly, "I'm giving you fair warning. I am an Autobot now, after all," he says. He doesn't seem terribly intimidated by Megatron's demeanor. He starts walking away. "Quickswitch.. come. There's no need to fight.”

Perhaps it is a failure of his cpu or some aspect of his programming, but to Quickswitch there is every overpowering need to fight, especially this particular Decepticon. His hands begin to tremble over his blasters, and he glares at Megatron with death in his optics. The assault unit is ready for this, but the Autobot is not, and Quickswitch, his attention split six ways to Sunday, is barely aware of it as his body moves--away from Megatron. What--?! NO!!! And a sense of calmness infuriates the assault mech's sensibilities, "I'm coming, Rung." There'll be another time.

Megatron glares at Rung and than at Quickswitch, "I remember you, mech." he growls and then his attention is back on Rung. "So you are now my enemy...."

"I am not your enemy, Megatron. But I can't let you keep hurting so many. And I will do everything within my power, to stop you from killing more innocents. I hope to Primus that one day, you'll see the light," the psychiatrist says, turning away in a grieved fashion. He takes Quickswitch's hand and begins leading him away.