knowhere | [ 001 - Hologram] What's big, pink and smells like....strawberries?

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[ 001 - Hologram] What's big, pink and smells like....strawberries?

[There's apparently a lot of giant robots around here. This one's looking a little out-of-sorts though, and it's pretty clear why, when he holds up--or attempts to--a very large wiggly semi-transparent pink cube. Give him a break okay: it's quite slippery, given its gelatinous state.]

Uh. Does anyone...want this? I bought it in the marketplace. I thought it was, ya know, something I could eat. Apparently it's for organics though. [Don't ask how Drift knows this. A medical diagnostic might be on his to-do list though.] And apparently non-returnable now.

[He has no idea what organics would do with such a large quantity of 'strawberry jello' or why it has any right masquerading in the form of an energon cube, but oh well, lesson learned. Drift sets it down before it nearly slips from his hot little fingers, (nevermind the squelching noise please) and pulls out an energon ration pouch, the pink liquid inside sloshing around as he holds it up.]

I am looking for more of this though. It's our fuel, and trust me when I say it's not good for organics. If you see any though, let me know. I can pay you for it, if need be.

[Just...not a lot. What a time to be without his gold currency card. But seriously people, Drift really, really likes not staving! He's done that before and would rather not again. But you better believe he's just the type of idiot to give out what rations he brought with him to the others of his kind. Because even if he's not fond of starving, hey, positive side: he knows how to tolerate it probably better than anyone.]

So Wing, Rodimus, Megatron, anyone else... let me know what supplies you have? I have some rations, if you're in need.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's not that he didn't feel remorse. I know that much.

And when I brought up the idea to him? Rodimus refused it, not once but twice. But I insisted.

So if you want to lay blame, it's not wholly on him.

[Sorry Megatron, remember how stubborn this one is? Though granted, the truth of Rodimus still allowing him to take the fall in the end, just as Megatron says, has burned like a painful question since his exile. But he's pushed it away every time because in the end it doesn't matter. Rodimus had to stay captain, end of story. ]

Edited (missing words deeeerp) 2014-07-12 03:29 (UTC)

If he felt any sort of remorse or guilt, Drift, he would not keep putting his needs before others. Whether or not it was his idea or yours, he did not take responsibility for his actions.

You're right. He's got a bad rep in some ways. You think I don't know that? [Well, mostly.]

But if we're talking about needs, what about mine? I needed him to stay captain. Not for him, but for all us, the whole race, and our planet.

And do you think he would have stayed captain, if he'd told people what he'd done?

[NGL though, he could've done without the exile part. But what else was there to do?]

I think you are making excuses. You are a loyal and dedicated sort, Drift. However that may blind you to seeing things for what they are.

Do you really think he is a captain, though? An actual leader to be looked up to? I hate to tell you this, but he failed to find the Knights. Failed in keeping his crew unified and safe.

Rodimus may have what it takes to lead like you seem to think he is capable of, but he will never succeed since he fails to take the opportunities presented to him to grow. He's had plenty of them, as I have come to understand it.

[Okay so he really can't refute a lot of that. And maybe a lot of the shiny hero worship he had for Rodimus has rubbed of. But that just means he sees someone underneath that's flawed just like Drift is.]

Can't say I was every a great leader either, so I'm not gonna point that particular finger. Maybe if more people had faith in that potential though, he would become that leader.

[Annnnnd maybe if Drift was less of an enabler and actually called Rodimus on his bullshit more often, the not!Prime would learn some of those lessons. Cough.]

It's more than that though. He's important. I don't know if it's the matrix affinity or something else but...I know he needs to be there for our quest to succeed.

He had an entire ship of people that had, at one point, placed their faith in him and his capability to lead them. How many more would it take?

Yeah they did...

[Whu--wait]

What do you mean, 'had'?

[OMINOUS PAST TENSES, DAMN YOU.]

Ask him about the numbers he has written on his hand.

[....]

I did notice those...

[Clearly he has more than one thing to discuss with Rodimus.]

There was a vote of competency.

[...........]

A vote?

Among the crew?

[He's not liking the sound of this.]

That's right. You two are going to have so much to talk about.

I realize that. [SO UNCOMFORTABLY UNSURE right now.] I'll be certain to take it up with him.

Regardless though, [Look at Drift, trying to take control of the conversation back.] we're here and neither of you have the ship, nor the crew, that you're captain of, so it's a fairly moot point.

[For now, at least.]

Drift. That ship and its crew - new and old - are all that I have left.

[ MAAAAYBE playing that up a little. but he LOOKS sincere about it. it IS half true, after all. ]

[.....]

[Oh.]

[Drift relates...on a smaller scale. That ship and that crew was all he had too. And now...]

I...

We'll get you back to it.

For now though...you, we, aren't alone.

I didn't think that I was alone.

[ superficially, anyway. but let's not get into emotionally or metaphysically. ]

Oh. Of...course not.

[No that would be...Drift, talking to himself mostly. COUGH.]

What I mean is, we can be a unit here, can't we?

[Still. Realizing what Megatron's left behind, not on the Lost Light, but before that, the Decepticons... It's almost too big for him to truly get a sense of how that feels.]

That is what I hope for, Drift. I realize it is much to ask for.

We've done harder things right?

[Yes, peace is hard. It is for Drift too. Fighting is all he's really good at. But if the folly regarding Overlord taught him anything, it's that a fundamental change in thinking is needed.]

We just need to appeal to people's commonalities. And it doesn't get any more common than basic needs.

[He also knows what happens when basic needs aren't met. But he wants to take a page from Gasket's book and bind everyone together, before it's every mech for himself and things turn ugly.]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Banding together to defeat a common enemy is far easier than actually attempting to mend and build bridges.

True. [Ugh this is hard. Wing is so much better at this stuff than he is. But he must keep trying.]

But we have common problems here too. We have to feed ourselves. Each of us has a shard of these gems. And apparently we may have enemies here too, if that incursion upon our arrival is any indication.

Just what is it, exactly, that you are trying to do with this encouragement, Drift?

...

I just don't want us to fall into old habits, hatreds and bigotries.

[Read: He doesn't want his friends, the people he cares about, fighting. You included, Megatron.]

That is the last thing I want, Drift.

I'm glad we're on the same page then. [Not that he had too much doubt.] I know Wing will feel the same way.

The others though... [Challenge #1.]

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