[Video]

[tearsofsteel]

[Albert has finally woken up in Solus' temple. His brain is a mess, trying to distangle the events that took place in the past few days. Between meeting Tarn and now, everything else seemed to be a great big fuzz. The confusion, the memory gaps, the pain...he's felt it before.

He must have died. Again. First time on Earth, second time on Cybertron. What a cruel irony.

But the cyborg isn't sad, no. A bittersweet smile, miniscule and fleeting, spreads across his face. They finally took care of that nightmare, they had to.]

....did we get him?

Comments

[deadlydoctor]

No.

[Welcome back, Albert. Have a smirking Knock Out. This should be enough to make clear that yeah, they got Tarn.]

[tearsofsteel]

[Oh you big joker, Knockout.]

Well guess I died for nothing.

[You can't out dead the deadpan.]

[deadlydoctor]

Guess so. A tragedy worthy of Shakespeare's stage. Or at least a Ke$ha song.

[He can try. That's what he likes about Albert, he's almost as serious as Dreadwing, if not worse.]

Did you get back with all your limbs or shall I reattach you some new one?

[tearsofsteel]

[What the heck's a Kesha?]

From what I remember something fell on me, but I got out alright.

Suppose I owe you for that. Then again, I owe a lot of people.

[deadlydoctor]

[You really don't want to know.]

You got out but you still died later? Sounds bad. It's good that it was only temporary then.

[locked]

I suppose you are right. And now that you mention it...I apped to the Law Committee, Rose needs a hand with the Defense Group. If you want to pay me back that favor you could talk in my favor.

[tearsofsteel]

More like in the heat of the action.

[Locked]

[...you have flawless timing, Knockout.]

...yeah figures I owed you back now. What do I need to say?

[Locked]

[deadlydoctor]

[He's generally flawless at everything. Or so he thinks.]

You do. But oh, tell them the truth of course! I wouldn't ask anything else from you. Just give them a friendly reminder of how I've been a respectable member of this little society we have here, how I am a doctor who helps other no matter what species of faction they are...if you to praise my aft I won't oppose to it.

[Locked]

[tearsofsteel]

[SIGH.]

You know, I half expected you to have me do something dirtier. Seems kind of small in comparison.

[Locked]

[deadlydoctor]

Your faith in me is astonishing. [He's such a great guy, can't you tell? Not manipulative at all, no sir.] And WHY exactly you thought that?

[Locked]

[tearsofsteel]

No one does anything for free. It's the same reason I'm like this in the first place.

[Locked]

[deadlydoctor]

You are part of the Police Force and you risk your life for others. If no one does anything for free why did you join them?

Someone tricked you in the past? [Explains the cynicism.]

[Locked]

[tearsofsteel]

I owe it to them. I don't want them to go through anything I've gone through.

[He doesn't really wanna admit this but...]

More like used me.

[Locked]

[deadlydoctor]

Sometimes people needs to go through bad things to learn how life works, you know. [Knock Out will never understand people like you or the Autobots, Albert.]

[Tell your problems to the Doc, Albert. It could help you.]

Hm. Been there, done that. The key is to learn to use them first before they can do that to you, my little robotic friend.

[Locked]

[tearsofsteel]

That's an unnecessary lesson.

[People don't deserve what he went through.]

Too late for that. I'd rather make sure they're gone and done.

[Locked]

[deadlydoctor]

I agree, but it depends on who you ask.

[Megatron would disagree. Then agian Megatron's a sociopath.]

So you want to kill them.

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

[He's smiling, actually! Too bad you can't see it. But there is a slight cheerful timbre in his tone nonetheless.]

You did. Welcome back.

[audio]

[tearsofsteel]

[...Ambulon. Oh jeeze, he hoped Ambulon made it out alright.]

...you doing ok?

[The last thing he'd want is to fail his job.]

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

[TOO NICE.]

I'm fine. Have you checked in with a medic?

[audio]

[tearsofsteel]

Don't need one yet.

Just glad you made it out ok.

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

Still. You should make an appointment sometime in the near future.

And... I wish I could say the same for you. But... You're here now, so I guess that's all that matters.

[audio]

[tearsofsteel]

I died once. Second round isn't as bad.

But if you need some company, I can visit.

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

What matters is you're alive now, so it's best to keep it that way.

[And the offer of non-work related company, however...]

N-No. No, that's fine. Maybe later.

[audio]

[tearsofsteel]

I'll keep that in mind.

[He gets it. Some people need time alone, Albert's no exception.]

Later, ok. Stay safe, that's all I ask.

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

Will do.

[And believe me, he really is being VERY VERY safe right now.]

[mccrane]

Affirmative.

[McCrane doesn't do big emotions...but its VERY OBVIOUS that he is glad you are back.]

With you returning, I...would almost call it a success.

[tearsofsteel]

[Albert doesn't emotions well either. Hence why he's putting on a vaguely optimistic face on.]

You guys did good.

I'm just glad it's over.

[mccrane]

You would be included in that. We needed everyone, to have any hope of achieving victory.

[He just hated that this had to happen again and again.]

I wish there were some way to prevent this in the future, but...

How are we to know who is good, and who is not?

[tearsofsteel]

Sorry I fumbled the ball when it came down to me.

[He does feel responsible for Ambulon...for everyone...for Blurr.]

Who knows...wish it was easy, but really what we need is a psychologist, not a combatant.