61 - Event - Stage 3

[weaponsparked]

[So, perhaps a certain Autobot shouldn't have cobbled together his phone contraption. It would have made this phone call infinitely harder to do, if he didn't actually have a way to do it.]

[While he sounds decidedly upset to be revealing this, he doesn't seem to be able to stop himself, either.]... On November 17th, 2008, I landed on Earth. And

Comments

Stage 4 at this point

[walking_nuke]

[He takes time to process this. An alien he's never heard of ... Who arrived in 2008, and never mentioned Earth already being ruined nor mentioned the Bane. So, this being must come from another world ... and yet ...]

...

Well that's just fuckin' great.

[He sounds like he's trying to control his anger at hearing this, but the truth serum is making it hard to hold his tongue.]

Yeah, in a way, you're pretty damn close. It's one thing if it's an accident, if it was miscommunication, but if you knew and really didn't care, you didn't give a damn about how many uninvolved people died, you were stoopin' to his level.

You were actin' like'a Bane.

Re: Stage 4 at this point

[weaponsparked]

They didn't matter. He killed everyone. He enjoyed it. He left me alive just to mock me.

I care now. You don't think I don't regret what happened? Because I do. I regret it every damned day.

... I don't know what you're talking about.

Re: Stage 4 at this point

[walking_nuke]

Yeah, guess what? I know all about that shit. Here's my story, since I'm feelin' generous.

[It's actually the truth serum making him this ornery and outspoken.]

A year before you arrived-where I'm from at least-an alien superpower steamrolled Earth. I don't think we ever had a chance. We were outgunned and outnumbered.

I only survived it 'cause I happened to have the right genes for usin'a one power that could stand up to those fuckers. None of my friends or family did. They were all left to die. There's nights I can't sleep 'cause I keep thinkin' about 'em, hearing'em beg to be spared.

There's only, I dunno, maybe one percent of humans left alive where I'm from. Maybe less. I don't know'a numbers. And we're all on other planets, fighting the Bane. We've been working alongside other races in'a same boat.

The Bane slaughtered my friends, my family, damn near everyone on my planet-but I never once thought that made it okay to plow through any Brann or Forean between me an' Crusty.

[weaponsparked]

Did I say I wanted to hear your story?

... If that's your thoughts, then, no. You don't know anything about what happened. And I don't expect you to. You, or any other human.

I don't even expect Jolt to understand. And I love him.

[walking_nuke]

No, you didn't. But I gave it anyway.

What'd that Decepticon or whatever you called it do to you and your people the Bane haven't done to mine?

[weaponsparked]

They were mine to protect. And Demolishor slaughtered them just to get to me. Just because he could.

You weren't their protector, you were just some lucky survivor.

[walking_nuke]

...

Okay, you got me there. If none of that shit happened, I'd be mining salt in Utah like I wanted.

[He has no idea why he's talking so freely about his past to someone with whom he's not even shared introductions.]

Okay. I guess it's enough that you care now about what you did back then. But you don't think I've been just as pissed? We never did nothin' to'a Bane. They wanted us dead just because we existed.

[weaponsparked]

I hate Utah.

[Sideswipe is sort of... past trying to understand anything in Mayfield, these days.]

The Decepticons are the same. We're inconvenient, if we didn't fight, we'd be dead. If you had been charged with protecting the innocent... you'd have wanted revenge just as badly.

[walking_nuke]

Well it ain't nothing like my home town Philadelphia, I'll give you that. But that's where I found a job opening for salt mining, and it's a lot more fun blowing up salt than evaporating it outta sea water.

Would I feel different if I were a police officer or soldier? Maybe. I can't speak for anyone else in the AFS, but I know a lotta people who were either or both from one country or another, back home. Some of 'em are Receptives, too.

[weaponsparked]

That sounds incredibly dull.

... I don't know what that means.

[walking_nuke]

What, evaporating salt from sea water? Yeah, it's boring as fuck. If I had the choice, I'd rather have fun with explosives, not worry about having to kill anyone, and get paid to do it. Salt mining woulda fit the bill.

You don't know what-oh, Receptives.

[Go Stage 4-induced infodump!]

Logos Receptives're humans who're genetically capable of receiving Logos information from'a Eloh-they're the alien race that invented-or maybe I should say discovered-Logos.

And Logos is the system that allows a sentient mind to directly affect reality. Since I got trained as a Demolitionist I can do shit like shoot lighting, create gravity wells, or nuke things with my bare hands. ... Well, I could if Mayfield didn't check my stuff at'a door.

[weaponsparked]

Explosives are for old timers with no concept of style.

...

Right. Of course you can.

[walking_nuke]

Guess you're'a "show me" type, huh? Can't say I blame you.

... 'Kay, if explosions are for old timers, then what's your concept'a style? 'Cause I find explosions to be pretty awesome. And I ain't that old.

[weaponsparked]

I suppose so. Though... it usually tends to be more of a 'show me yours, you'll see mine' sort of thing.

A good blade and a fast set of wheels are far more effective, I find.

[walking_nuke]

So you're the speedy melee type, huh. I know some Spies an' Guardians who'd agree with ya.

I'm more about crowd control an' takin' down hardened targets.

...

Besides, I never got my driver's license before Earth fell.

["FUCK WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT."]

[weaponsparked]

I am a guardian... or... I was. Now? Not so much. But still a damned good soldier.

I don't need a driver's license.