Tarn of the DJD (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
songofmypeople) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
re_alignment2013-06-19 01:45 am
songofmypeople) wrote in re_alignment2013-06-19 01:45 am
Entry tags:
[Video] DJD PSA: For Your Edification
[The video opens with Tarn and-- wait... is that-- is there something sticking out of his neck? Are there multiple things sticking out the side of his neck? It's hard to tell from this far away and they're small, but ... are those maybe... white robot parasites????]
This evening, leaving Prima's temple, I was attacked. [He doesn't sound all that upset] Unfortunate, yes, but there can be a lesson here. It seems we have a mnemosurgeon among us. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, allow me to educate you.
[The camera pans out to show Tarn holding an abused looking Chromedome. The Autobot's head is lolling at an unnatural angle, and his neck is a pink, bloody mess -- as is most of him, actually -- with wires that should probably be inside his throat tubing... outside.]
I'd like you to meet our brave assailant. You'll note that he's an Autobot. [Tarn hefts the body up by its elbow until Chromedome's chest and brand are visible (along with the charred remains of what use to be his stomach. Anything south of there is simple gone, as is one arm that was obviously ripped off, given the torn look about the shoulder.)] He's also a member of your local police force.
Motivation is clear. That this has happened so soon after your Defense Committee passed their policies, tragically suggests: some people aren't too happy with power being wrest from their grasp --- one faction in particular it would seem; the controlling majority. Autobots.
I'd ask this one who he was working with, but I'm afraid his vocal hardware was damaged while I was defending myself. But back to the topic at hand.
[Carefully, movements soft, Tarn crouches to lay Chromedome down on the ground, supporting his head the entire time. He ignores the way the Autobot's eyes flicker in panic, and how the remaining arm pushes against his massive chest weakly. Catching the limb by its wrist, Tarn holds it up for the camera.]
A relatively unassuming hand, you might think to yourself, but fetching the other half of this matching pair... [He lets the first arm fall, reaches over and picks up the second.] You'll notice the needles. [There are two missing that look like they've been snapped off at the base] These are the tools of a mnemosurgeon's trade.
Upon injecting these, he's able to manipulate the brain's motivations, loyalty, and even memories. They're slender, yes, but incredibly sharp and can pierce through metal with barely a trace. [Tilting his head slightly, Tarn very gently pulls out the two needles embedded in his own neck and holy robot-god those were in really deep because he just keeps on slowly pulling and pulling until they're finally out. ] Let me show you.
[One of those broken needles is pressed tip first through Chromedome's visor and into his eye] An educational necessity, but don't worry, it's harmless and he doesn't feel a thing. [The second needle is pushed in beside the first before Tarn straightens, along with the video; Chromedome's quiet, sad, wet sounds fading with the distance.]
I'll be keeping what's left of the immobility device, but should the police want the remains of their machine, they need only ask. I won't be requiring an apology this time either; Autobots don't seem particularly forthcoming with admitting fault.
As for your officer, I've left him where I found him so as not to aggravate his injuries. Hurry, he might still be alive when you get here.
To the rest of you, I suggest you question your interaction with the police force. You may not be the same person you once were.
[Spoiler: while Domey might be able to drag himself a little ways, he's not getting far in this life; which is to say he'll be mostly to completely dead before anyone can reach him.]
[Private Encrypted Audio to Dirge:]
He's all yours.
no subject
He'd had a terrible feeling this whole time. That Chromedome had been up to something that involved the mnemosurgery. In the end, foolishly, he chalked it up to overreaction. But this. This was beyond anything he wanted.
He's silent, as the feed is copied into his database, keeping himself from practically shuddering. Even if death wasn't permanent, it'd proven one thing to Rewind: that when it came to injecting, he was never promised anything. Nothing was sacred.
This wasn't how things were supposed to be.
He'd come back, though. And when he did... Things would be different. He'd fix all of Chromedome's mistakes. He'd do it...because that's what he had to. It's what he'd always done for him. And even if the bot hated him later, it'd keep him alive in the end, wouldn't it?
Second chances are something this world strangely grants.
There was no point running after the body. He'd never make it before an Acolyte or something picked it up.]
...
[The feed shuts off, without a single word.
He had a long walk ahead of him. To Liege's altar.
After all...someone had to wait for him.]
action; HI 8D
[As painful as it was knowing he would be torn apart in the worst way possible, he had to keep the bigger picture in mind. He couldn't try to save him. All he could do now was damage control.]
[Prowl was able to put some distance between him and the scene. Enough to successfully deny any involvement. He'd doubled back and waited in Liege's quadrant until the video began to broadcast, and took that as a signal to return to the HQ in Prima's quadrant. He'll need some backup before going to get Chromedome..]
[But not before encountering Rewind on foot, going in the opposite direction. The car slows down as it approaches him.]
...I'm going to Headquarters. To attempt to retrieve the body.
action
The same outside force that tried to get him to use them just before they got on the Lost Light.
Still, Rewind's a master of Tranquil Fury, so he stops when Prowl does, staring towards Prima's Quadrant.]
I won't make it to Prima's in time. So I'm going to wait for him.
[That blue visor turns towards his car mode though, knowing full well Prowl's smarter than to forget what direction the body would be.]
You have a plan, don't you.
I'm going with you.
action
[The car's cockpit-like passenger area opens up for him. It'll be a tight fit, but Rewind should be able to squeeze inside.]
It'd be best if you stay at HQ. The confrontation with Tarn can take a turn for the worse if he doesn't cooperate.
[He seemed to be taking the whole situation rather well. Of course, Rewind would be unsurprised to know he was fantastic at keeping his guilt over this failure well under wraps.]
action
But at that suggestion, his voice perks up, almost cutting him off.]
I'm going with you.
Bad things happen when I'm not in on the situation.
[burn.]
action
[The panels close around him as he speaks up.]
[His personality runtimes had guessed correctly that Rewind would ignore his advice. He knew pushing the issue further wouldn't get him anywhere.]
Don't touch anything when you arrive. We need to investigate the scene as is to properly gauge what happened.
action
You know, where people die.
[There's a soft pause in between that and what he says next, looking out the window.]
If...When he comes back, I'm going to ask him to break them.
[You know what he's talking about.]
action
[Just the rough terrain, the sound of tires gripping gravel, and the dull roar of his engine.]
I'm surprised you, of all people, believe Tarn's story.
action
This doesn't have to do with Tarn. Not as a whole.
It's about what Chromedome promised me. Injecting can KILL you.
Chromedome knows that more than anyone now. He got an upclose and personal view.
action
[His own tone is still cool, logical. He may as well have been discussing the weather.]
[The HQ becomes a blip in the distance, but slowly gets larger as they get closer.]
action
[A scheme. Things you two are good at.]
I'm going to ask him to break the needles, and that's that.
action
[The car opens up as they reach the HQ, letting the smaller Autobot step out before he changes back.]
action
He hops out, dusting himself off a moment before looking around.]
Lead the way.
action
Blurr is already on his way to the scene--I've asked him to hold off until we arrive. Kagerou is scouting via air and Power Joe will be coming shortly.
However, I need to know something before we proceed.
action
[Now wasn't the time to discuss this. They had to get Chromedome back now before Tarn decided to do anything more to him.]
[He draws his own weapon - a familiar-looking energy rifle, from the compartment in his leg, and holds it ready.]
Commander.
[A half-greeting, half-question.]
action
So after this Power Joe arrives, we'll be rolling out?
no subject
Is it possible for Chromedome to control someone's mind?
[He looks off on the horizon, hoping for the characteristic cloud of dust that comes with Power Joe.]
If he doesn't show up soon, I'll tell him to meet us there. I won't leave an officer down any longer than we have to.
[Whether he was alive or not was moot--the sentiment did not change.]
no subject
[He'll just jump in there for you, Rewind.]
Mnemosurgeons read the memories of the host they inject into. It is possible for them to delete or adjust the memories, depending on the particular mnemosurgeon's skill.
That said, controlling someone's mind as you're suggesting is not possible. Unless Chromedome planned on remaining attached to Tarn.