[Video--Actionspam][Locked to anyone he talked to about helping Soundwave]
[Megatron is standing on a rooftop in Zone 3. It is as far up as he dared to go with the new strict Megatron rules, but he apparently found a good place as there are traces of sunlight filtering down behind him in the message
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[The sound of a racing engine is audible in the background.]
[Soon after, the Autobot engineer joins him on that roof. He approaches to within . . . a "comfortable" distance to start with, neither threatening nor letting himself be possibly threatened.]
Magnum.
[His tone is neutral as he gives a nod of greeting - no trace of hostility, but he's not being exactly "friendly" either. "Business-like" is probably the best way to put it.]
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[He replies, with an equal nod...the cold politeness of warfare reminding him of his need to not incite. The mech was smaller than he'd expected...but he was getting used to the size of standard Cybertronians after his stellar cycles of fighting other giants in the pits.]
Do you have the devices?
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[Megatron is larger - a-a lot larger - than he'd expected. He has to fight the urge to cower, to want to slip away and disappear, make himself invisible. 'H-he's NOT gonna hurtcha, NOT gonna have ya captured, o-or punished, or...or any'a that.' Megatron needs something he has, needs him to be able to use it. It's in his best interest to leave Wheeljack intact, capable. There is no need to threaten or try to coerce. He won't have to try to get Wheeljack to cooperate. It's what he's already there to do. The business-like demeanor is the calmest, most neutral facade the old engineer can manage in lieu of either braced defiance . . . ( ... )
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[Megatron could not help noticing that something was...off from when he'd last spoken to Wheeljack...and as he stepped forward to peer at the device his internal warnings ticked a note with him. It was possible that this was rigged....]
...
[But as he peered between the device and the retreating Wheeljack, it was obvious that the fear was focused on him. How...interesting.]
[He crouched, peering at the workmanship.]
How does this work?
[He wasn't letting the Autobot off, yet.]
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The other four are secondary units. All they do is bounce signals back ta this one. They'll power up when this one does. I sent them out ta cardinal points about ten miles each outside'a the city. The on-switch is this - [he slips a hand up to activate it] - an' the screen shows where the signals come from. ...there. The four green dots are the secondaries - they just powered up an' they're transmittin'. The red one is this one. It's already programmed with the information ya gave me earlier. When - or if - Soundwave's signal is readable, it'll show up ( ... )
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[With a nod, he reached out, running a finger along the trail of the green dots, working out where they were in the city so he'd know where Soundwave's signal was when it appeared.]
Bruise Street....Cable avenue...the Finance Building....
[He glanced over to Wheeljack.] Are you well?
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[Show no weakness, to anyone. Admit to no such thing. 'Oh, who're ya kiddin'. Not like he can't TELL.']
[He shrugs as nonchalantly as he can manage, glancing away before he can catch himself and drag his optics back up.]
S'been a long week-plus. Lot's happened. An' now a good friend's missin' along with Soundwave. I'm hopin' ta be able ta find him too.
[It wasn't a lie, nor really giving any more information than could already easily be told - except for 'good friend'. Ratchet was his BEST friend, but the weaker the apparently link, the less likely to be used against him.]
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[It was no longer secret when mechs disappeared...especially one's who had been relatively active before their disappearances.]
No wonder you were so forthcoming with information. Did you consider tuning this to his frequency, as well?
[He's watching Wheeljack, looking for all of the subtle clues that came around the dialog, sharp...but even so his hand does not leave the device, possessively.]
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I've already tried. Nothin'. But Ratch isn't a communications expert like Soundwave is. I'm sure Soundwave can get signals out Ratchet could never hope to, so just because I couldn't find Ratchet, I figure, doesn't mean this won't pick up Soundwave. That's the idea, anyway. I'm just hopin' that when or if it does, those slaggers're keepin' the two of 'em somewhere reasonably close.
[Finally, he looks up again at the other mech.]
An' when or if this locates them, I know I don't stand a chance'a gettin' in there without help.
[Not that he trusts the mech in any way, just as he holds no illusions that Megatron trusts him at all . . . but for Ratchet's sake, Wheeljack will at least consider working with just about anyone to make sure he's recovered and safe.]
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[He is certain of his communications officer...potentially more certain of Soundwave than he is of himself, right now. It doesn't stop him from glancing Wheeljack up and down at the sudden idea of fighting their way into Shockwave's lair, however, wondering what this Autobot's capabilities are...
...but not finding them lacking. He'd put this device together in a day, after all, and the launcher on his shoulder seemed more powerful than the standard Autobot laser. Useful, if nothing else.]
Hm. [He smirked.] So I can count on you for an assault. You're willing to break the law, again, for this Ratchet?
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Yes. Without a second thought.
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[He smirked, letting his fingers tap on the screen.]
You do not have to stay if you do not wish to, however. I believe I can monitor, from here.
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You'll call me if somethin' does turn up, then?
[Megatron had his comm frequency now, after all.]
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But I will. As you said...we cannot do this alone.
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I'll wait ta hear from ya then. Best'a luck. [He's sincere . . . for Ratchet's sake.]
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