42.) Audio

[meinxxherz]

[Saying Herz sounds 'a little frantic' could possibly be an understatement.]

Don? How--h-how are you? I just--I hadn't--

I-I--I wasn't--I was keeping off Ship-Net to--

I--I-I don't know. I--I didn't know. Y'know. What happened. Until, like--Jesus, a---a-a few minutes ago? You're okay, now, right?

Can--c-can--can--can I get you anything?

I'm sorry!

[He

Comments

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[meinxxherz]

Right.

Aaa-a-and--and you know? It's pretty nice of you, y'know, going out of--o-of your way to, uhm, to--to replace the, uhm, the books. For Ratchet, I mean.

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[heavyweaponsbot]

...

[Awkwardly.] He... is... my oldest friend. Been through the whole war together, from the beginning. I would be... a fool not to make it up to him.

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[meinxxherz]

[Well...it's obvious he's more than that.

He stilllll remembers the face sucking. You know. That you did in his restaurant. And the possessive way you spoke about him on Valentines day.

You aren't fooling anyone, oldtimer. You're lucky Herz is a very polite guy.]

That's cool.

I--I-I mean, it sounds--it sounds nice. Having someone that, y'know, that close. That you--y-you've known for that long.

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[heavyweaponsbot]

[Ironhide likes to pretend no one saw that. And... that no one believed Herz's drunken rambling that one time.

Besides. Everyone's possessive of their friends. ... Right?]

Yeah. It... is dangerous, too. Decepticons know our kind are all close. That we care. Easier to take us down when they cut our ties...

[Like killing Optimus, for one.]

... Humans have it easier.

Re: [locked 85% unhackable]

[meinxxherz]

Y-you--you--you think so?

[It's polite skepticism. Herz knows people can be terrible, probably better than most. If Ironhide thinks there's humans who don't take hostages, who don't threaten loved ones and don't press every button available to them...he's thinking too highly of organics.]

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[heavyweaponsbot]

... Yeah. I do. More of you, different kinds of... bonds. Harder to keep track of who means what to who.

We do not have that luxury.

[Since... everyone knows Prime's core force. It's easy to pick them off, to determine their relationships and strike accordingly. Anonymity doesn't exist anymore, when their forces are so small... and when the enemy can literally read your mind.]

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[meinxxherz]

I--I think I--I-I get it.

But...hu--human's aren't...

They--th-they do the same things. If--i-i-if there--there's something to gain or if...y'know. They just want to.

[His tone is of someone who knows this is truth. He doesn't use it often. He doesn't like to.]

Anyway...

You...y-you guys are--a-are safe here, though...right?

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[heavyweaponsbot]

... Hmn.

You are just as traitorous as Decepticons. Just as trustworthy as Autobots. Optimus... may have been right. He always thought our races were alike.

[He says this all very matter-of-factly. Of course, Ironhide never really believed him. They were so primitive.]

...

For now, we are.

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[meinxxherz]

Optimus, huh? Is, uhm, is--i-is he a friend?

Have, uhm...h-have you heard the--the human phrase 'its now or never'?

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[heavyweaponsbot]

[He's silent a good long minute before answering that, reverently.]

Optimus Prime... was our leader. He was... the foundation of our cause. I would have followed him, until the end of my days.

No. I have not.

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[meinxxherz]

He--h-he sounds really awesome.

I hope, uhm, if--i-if he's not at--a-at--at the shore? He'll show up soon.

Anyways...so the saying is--is 'it's now or never'. I mean, it's--I-It's pretty self explanatory, right? Do it now, or you'll...y-you'll lose your chance.

The worst thing is...i-is to--to, like, have something...there, and being too chickenshit to do it. Just regret stuff.

Sorry, now I'm jus--I--I'm just--just babbling.

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[heavyweaponsbot]

He was. ... I... do not expect to see him again.

[Which hurts to actually admit - more so than he will ever say. He's a private guy. But then he sounds... just confused.]

Regret? What... are you talking about, boy?

[It's a term of endearment. Really.]

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[meinxxherz]

[He pointedly lets the Optimus thing go. Now...how to phrase the rest of it.]

I'm--

I-I don't...mean to--to--to be forward, or...offensive, like--l-like--like I have been, uh....before, but...

You...y-you are safe here.

I-I--I mean, you and...Ratchet. You're safe. Maybe you...I-I dunno, don't--d-don't--don't have to...worry. So much.

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[heavyweaponsbot]

[Silence.]

What are you getting at? Of course we have things to... worry about. The captain, for one.

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[meinxxherz]

R--Right. Right, nevermind.

Ssss-s-sorry.

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[heavyweaponsbot]

You cannot just... say that, and drop the subject, boy!