voice;

[thxforthememories]

I don't understand it.

[Wow someone sounds upset. Again. Just when things were kind-of-sort-of looking up, too.]

We have a police force. We have a place to lock criminals away.

So what good is it if they just go free, and nothing's done to put them back! It's useless, isn't it!

[He's really upset right now, wow. Possibly with good reason... since there's a private message incoming.]


[PRIVATE MESSAGE TO: BRAVE POLICE UNITS]
There's another Ratchet here. He's... he's wrong. And he's interested in us.

Please. Tell me you're all right.

[Because he screwed up and attracted the crazy bot's attention. Oops.]

Comments

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

...Right.

How about we start with this Ratchet guy. Why would he be interested in us? The other bots around here seem a little more advanced, don't you think?

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

He... found out we weren't like the others. Or the Acolytes.

And that made him want to harm us. Take us apart.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Well that's nice and creepy, isn't it.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

More than creepy.

It's dangerous. I... just need to know everyone is all right.

[Because hahaha he feels responsible.]

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Man, are you like the new team mom or something?

I'm sure everyone's fine.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

No, I -- what does that mean?

I had to know. It doesn't matter why. We... we were a team.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

It means you worry too much. Well, for all I know it's justified. I did just get here, so I don't really know everything that's going on.

What's this "were" stuff? You've been here longer than I have, you're better established in the "team" stuff than I am right now.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

It is justified. He hurt Deckerd. He made McCrane ill.

[Okay, so the last part isn't true -- but he has no way of knowing it isn't.]

... I don't think I'm meant to be part of the team.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

[Oooooh no punk screwed with Deckard AND McCrane? NOT COOL. Time to take this shit seriously.]

Got it. I'll watch my back.

[Not that he knows what to look for really but hey.]

Technically, I wasn't really either. Started off with highway patrol.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

Please do. I don't want anything else to happen.

[It makes a little of the guilt ease off. Just a little.]

You were still made to be a police officer. Weren't you?

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Nothin'll happen to me, I can guarantee that much.

[well unless someone jumps him or something but shhh he's trying to help]

Yeah, sure was. What about it?

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

Right. [A pause.] Thank you.

I wasn't.

I'm... starting to see why, I think.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Yeah, no problem.

Now, what makes you say that?

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

I wasn't...

I don't think a real officer would attract the attention of that criminal.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Is that what happened?

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

...





Yes.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Okay, so you stood out to a guy a little. It's not the end of the world, y'know.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

Right.

Not the end. Not yet.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Ah ah, no yet, rookie. Let's keep it positive.

Sounds to me like you're blaming yourself for whatever this psycho decides to do, am I right?

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

[... Dammit. For not remembering, Gunmax still reads him way too well.]

Someone has to take responsibility for making him notice us.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

[to be fair he makes it REAL EASY]

As long as we're living here, and we're clearly not like any of the other bots, someone's gonna notice sooner or later. It's not something to take responsibility for, it could have been any of us.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

[He thought he had a good poker face okay.]

But it wasn't any of you.

It was the prototype.

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

You're missin' the point here, baby. It's still something we all would have had to deal with eventually. It is what it is, so don't beat yourself up over it.

voice; private

[thxforthememories]

Would we?

If I hadn't said anything to him, would we?

voice; private

[badboybikerbot]

Even if it hadn't been you tipping off this crazy guy, there's probably loads of scumbags camping out around here. Power Joe or someone could have run his mouth off to someone else, and it wouldn't be any different.