[Video][Transmitting from the Junk Pile]

[mccrane]

I might have accidentally started the fireworks early.

[The edges of his plating are singed, and just behind him the very flaming carcass of an automobile is roaring in its death throes.]

Energon, it seems, is not a viable replacement for gasoline. [He is grateful he didn't try consuming it before this test, and even more grateful that he managed to start the vehicle from a distance.]

[Since. Ah. It exploded.]

I don't suppose anyone has any suggestions? Or a way to convert us to a different fuel source?

Or some wash-cloths and soap?

Comments

[wakizashi_straight]

The same here. It is always nice to meet another bot from home.

[Considering his sort don't even have mouths, it's a pretty big gesture for Noisy Boy regardless.]

I have met Deckerd. So the Brave Police's chips are all copies of his on the most basic level, but your interactions with others have ensured you are not all the same?

[If only his designer was here. Tak would probably be fascinated by this.]

I do not know that our creators are even aware of our sentience, really. I think they stumbled upon it by accident between generations of bots and have not noticed.

[mccrane]

Essentially, yes. There are other factors to our programming, but that is the essence of our AI.

[They each had specializations, after all, and those played a large factor in how they had turned out.]

...

[Wait.]

No one knows that you can think?

[wakizashi_straight]

Interesting. If Tak were here he would know what questions to ask. I do not know where to start.

[He's really not surprised by that pause or the question, really.]

We cannot exactly tell them; we were not built with speech capabilities. I assume they think our minor independent movements are quirks of our basic programming.

[mccrane]

Your AI is undoubtedly different. The questions that you asked might not even apply to you.

However.

If you do think of any, I would always be happy to answer.

[He, sadly, can imagine that situation all too easily.] Do you plan on getting a speech unit, now?

[wakizashi_straight]

I will give it some consideration, then. Even if they do not apply to me, they might help me to understand.

[Besides, it's easy enough for him to understand differences in materials and functionality in some ways.]

Vector Prime suggested the device he installed on me would function as one. I have not figured out that function of it yet. [When you weren't designed for speech, learning to talk is really kind of hard.]

[mccrane]

[McCrane considers the problem at hand, and then considers what sort of solution he would offer. He was always capable of speaking because Deckerd had been, but he had a distant recollection that, at one point, it hadn't been so.]

To begin with, I would check for a text to voice function in your programming.

[Since you have texting down, that might be a good place to start. It'd be slow, but...possibly useful for getting him used to the words.]

[wakizashi_straight]

[Noisy Boy waits patiently, then considers the option when it's offered. Text to voice... the closest he was originally installed with was voice recognition.

Which, after his conversation with one of the Starscreams, he's reluctant to mention.]

That is not something I was originally designed with. Though that might have been included in the device.

[He'll have to check for it and figure out how to get it working.]

[mccrane]

It may take some practice to determine the full scope of it's functionality. We could open a private channel sometime, if you want to try without disturbing anyone.

[wakizashi_straight]

I would appreciate that.

[He's not used to having issues but he certainly doesn't want to disrupt the rest with them.]

[mccrane]

Then you have my leave, whenever it is convenient for you.

[He nods, once, in respect. He was not far off from where you are now, once, knowing very little about the world except what was required to do his job. He wants to see you grow.]

[wakizashi_straight]

Thank you. You are a good bot, McCrane. It has been some time since I encountered one.

[Underground bots and the latest G3s in the League haven't exactly been... to his standards of conduct, exactly. Though he might just miss that respect, who knows.

That, and having help with something this new is important to him.]

[mccrane]

It is the duty of the Brave police to protect and serve. [He stands proud.]

However, it is also enjoyable.

I am only sad that you were lacking for so long. [Because, really, everyone deserves at least one friend.]

[wakizashi_straight]

We do not have much interaction outside of the ring.

As well, there are few still working from my early years in the League, when I knew bots better. [Through combat, admittedly, but still. He's learned a lot about bots from their styles.]

Things will be different here, I am certain.