[Video / Private to Nautilus (the city entity itself)] - Lab residents might overhear this recording
[Wheeljack is sitting at a table in his personal room at his workshop, facing his journal. His chin is propped in one hand, and he's toying with one of the little plastic dinosaurs that the city gave him in the other. He's still in need of that washing he never got from first arriving back to the city after a week only to find that all hell had broken loose. The last of the damage from the battle with Starscream still hasn't been Bent away yet, either. He's just . . . not bothered. Yet. He's tired.
He shifts a few times, looking at his journal and away as he tried to think how to start this, or to check that the highest privacy level is indeed engaged. He's not sure he wants to share this with anyone else or risk anyone else finding it by accident or on purpose, but . . . the network, like everything about the city, is part of Nautilus itself, right? So even private posts are known by the entity if by no one else. That's what he's hoping for. Finally, he blows a heavy cycle of air through his exhaust vents as he tosses the dinosaur down on the table.]
What were you thinkin'?
Slaggit, Nautilus, what were you thinkin'? An' don't ask me "about what" 'cause you fraggin' well know. [Yes, he's talking as if he expects the city respond. He doesn't, but it makes it easier to do this if he proceeds as if he does.] "Let's take everyone's memories away! Won't that be fun?" . . . why!?
I've heard it's maybe because' a her. Cyrus, I think her name was. Are ya grievin' or somethin'? Listen . . . I can understand that. No, really, I can. Frag, I know you saw me doin' the same thing just a few weeks ago. I know it 'cause ya decided ta broadcast it ta slaggin' everyone. But weren't you the one who wanted us all ta calm the slag down not two, three weeks ago!? What the smelt didja think would happen if you took away so many people's memories of this place? Of everything they've experienced and learned here? Of you!?
. . . more an' more, I can't help but wonder if maybe you've made a mistake, bringin' us all here. I mean, there's good things too, don't get me wrong! But what kinda place is this, what kinda people are we, if sworn enemies from over tens of thousands of vorns can learn ta work together while those who are supposed ta be allies can't trade six words without- [His voice breaks in a soft crackle of static. It really does upset him that he can't seem to, at the very least, find a middle ground with Sideswipe, that he keeps losing a temper he'd never quite known he'd even had until coming here. It's an ugly aspect of himself, one that he's ashamed of. It's a moment before he speaks again.]
Why'd ya bring some of us here? I don't understand. Do you enjoy toyin' with us, or watchin' us tear each other apart? Back home, I thought things didn't make sense sometimes when it was actually all a lot simpler. Autobots versus Decepticons. Two factions at war. It's ugly, an' I hate that it's had ta be so, but . . . but this is ridiculous, Nautilus! Rip an' Starscream an' Thomas an' Wendy, Ratchet, Roxas, Zack an' that girl Aerith, an' . . . an' a whole lotta others I'm sure I'm just not aware of yet. Does it amuse you ta watch us tear each other part, hurtin' people who don't deserve it, revertin' people back ta the way they don't wanna be like anymore?
Slaggit, I go away for a week - one week, that's not but a third of a deca-cycle, for Primus's sake! - an' I'm tryin' ta get myself better at things so I can help better . . . an' I come back ta this!? Roxas is right - what's it all for!?
[He drops his face into both hands for an instant, before sitting back up again, rubbing his hands over his faceplates in frustration before dropping them and staring into the camera.]
What the smelt is it you want from us, Nautilus? ................................what is it you want from me? What can I do? What more can I do ta- . . . ta do somethin'. 'Cause I really hate this helpless feelin', you know? When it was a war of thousands spread out over a whole world, I could understand the helplessness. When it was far fewer stranded on an alien planet, I could . . . even understand it then. Resources were still a problem an' now we had a whole other race ta think about an' protect, one that couldn't defend themselves against the enemies that we brought on them. But this?
What do we do? I . . . I-I don't know anymore . . .
[He shifts again, looking like he's debating saying more, but finally just reaches forward and shuts the feed off.]
He shifts a few times, looking at his journal and away as he tried to think how to start this, or to check that the highest privacy level is indeed engaged. He's not sure he wants to share this with anyone else or risk anyone else finding it by accident or on purpose, but . . . the network, like everything about the city, is part of Nautilus itself, right? So even private posts are known by the entity if by no one else. That's what he's hoping for. Finally, he blows a heavy cycle of air through his exhaust vents as he tosses the dinosaur down on the table.]
What were you thinkin'?
Slaggit, Nautilus, what were you thinkin'? An' don't ask me "about what" 'cause you fraggin' well know. [Yes, he's talking as if he expects the city respond. He doesn't, but it makes it easier to do this if he proceeds as if he does.] "Let's take everyone's memories away! Won't that be fun?" . . . why!?
I've heard it's maybe because' a her. Cyrus, I think her name was. Are ya grievin' or somethin'? Listen . . . I can understand that. No, really, I can. Frag, I know you saw me doin' the same thing just a few weeks ago. I know it 'cause ya decided ta broadcast it ta slaggin' everyone. But weren't you the one who wanted us all ta calm the slag down not two, three weeks ago!? What the smelt didja think would happen if you took away so many people's memories of this place? Of everything they've experienced and learned here? Of you!?
. . . more an' more, I can't help but wonder if maybe you've made a mistake, bringin' us all here. I mean, there's good things too, don't get me wrong! But what kinda place is this, what kinda people are we, if sworn enemies from over tens of thousands of vorns can learn ta work together while those who are supposed ta be allies can't trade six words without- [His voice breaks in a soft crackle of static. It really does upset him that he can't seem to, at the very least, find a middle ground with Sideswipe, that he keeps losing a temper he'd never quite known he'd even had until coming here. It's an ugly aspect of himself, one that he's ashamed of. It's a moment before he speaks again.]
Why'd ya bring some of us here? I don't understand. Do you enjoy toyin' with us, or watchin' us tear each other apart? Back home, I thought things didn't make sense sometimes when it was actually all a lot simpler. Autobots versus Decepticons. Two factions at war. It's ugly, an' I hate that it's had ta be so, but . . . but this is ridiculous, Nautilus! Rip an' Starscream an' Thomas an' Wendy, Ratchet, Roxas, Zack an' that girl Aerith, an' . . . an' a whole lotta others I'm sure I'm just not aware of yet. Does it amuse you ta watch us tear each other part, hurtin' people who don't deserve it, revertin' people back ta the way they don't wanna be like anymore?
Slaggit, I go away for a week - one week, that's not but a third of a deca-cycle, for Primus's sake! - an' I'm tryin' ta get myself better at things so I can help better . . . an' I come back ta this!? Roxas is right - what's it all for!?
[He drops his face into both hands for an instant, before sitting back up again, rubbing his hands over his faceplates in frustration before dropping them and staring into the camera.]
What the smelt is it you want from us, Nautilus? ................................what is it you want from me? What can I do? What more can I do ta- . . . ta do somethin'. 'Cause I really hate this helpless feelin', you know? When it was a war of thousands spread out over a whole world, I could understand the helplessness. When it was far fewer stranded on an alien planet, I could . . . even understand it then. Resources were still a problem an' now we had a whole other race ta think about an' protect, one that couldn't defend themselves against the enemies that we brought on them. But this?
What do we do? I . . . I-I don't know anymore . . .
[He shifts again, looking like he's debating saying more, but finally just reaches forward and shuts the feed off.]