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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 10:41:25 GMT -5
As he finished the reprogramming, he concentrated on the 'island' on top, making sure that it didn't contain a fail-safe that would attack Knockout or reset the coding of the Shell Program. Once he had ensured that all was well for now, he decided to answer the most pertinent question Knockout had asked. "Implanted Decepticon Shell Program. Autobot Spark isolated, contained, suppressed. Forced cognitive reprogramming: Decepticon." he stated evenly and stepped back as he retracted his neural tendrils. He then watched for a moment, ensuring the reprogramming held stable before he began to retreat from Knockout's neural core. He had known from the beginning that Knockout didn't belong with the Decepticons, yet he had no real choice in the matter either, just as Soundwave had no other choice.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 10:52:30 GMT -5
The moment Soundwave answered was the moment Knockout looked right back at him "WHAT?!" he asked, shocked. Did Soundwave say Autobot spark? He was reprogrammed? He tried to reach out in the mind scape as Soundwave began to retract but that shell, though it let him pass, would only let him pass so far. "I was reprogrammed Esonos?" he said, the name he used used, however, caught even him off guard "That's you're real name, isn't it? How the hell would I even. . ." he said, getting a bit confused now "Tell me, am I an Autobot? All of this I remember, is it a lie?"
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 10:59:37 GMT -5
When Knockout used his true name, a name he had all but forgotten, he suddenly stopped cold. How could this mech, this Autobot, possibly know that name? Only one alive knew it and that was Wavelength, and only because the young mech had seen his memories while linked to his neural core when he was younger, needing the comfort of a bond he didn't have with Soundwave, thus the neural link was the next best thing and it helped. Did Wavelength tell him that name? He had to have, and Soundwave turned away. "Knockout: Autobot Spark. GLaDOS reprogrammed, Decepticon." he replied and pulled away. He deserved to know who had done this to him at least, to know the truth. Once out of Knockout's neural core, he disconnected from the smaller mech's cranial port and eased him to lay on the ground before retracting all his tendrils and moving away. He did not leave, remaining near enough to make sure Knockout awoke normally.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 11:08:18 GMT -5
"Glados. . . ." he almost growled the name in his mind. It would take a small while before his body would finally stir and, when it did, he vented heavily, optics opening and just staring at the sky a moment. That was a lot to take in, a lot to try to understand and, at the moment, he didn't quite know how to react. "Did you know. . .before, did you know?" he asked, taking a moment before forcing himself to sit. "When did it happen? How long have I been living a lie?"
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 11:27:02 GMT -5
Soundwave considered the questions for a moment, then relented, knowing the smaller mech deserved the truth. "Knockout killed, Earth year two thousand ten. Autobots mourn, bury Knockout. Chassis stolen from Diego Garcia base same year, rebuilt, reprogrammed. Soundwave observe from orbit." At least he hoped that Knockout would understand that Soundwave had no part in what was done to Knockout and that he could not interfere, nor could he reveal the truth to the younger mech, until now. Now Soundwave had a chance to return the captive Autobot to where he belonged, and he hoped Knockout would take it. "Knockout belong with Autobots. Return to Autobots." he stated evenly.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 11:33:10 GMT -5
Knockout shook his head a bit "No. . .I'm still needed. But I do need to find out who I was before." Knockout said, moving to stand and looking at Soundwave. "Tell the others that I'm on a specialized material run, and it'll take a while." Knockout said, turning to walk off, though he paused a bit, glancing back to Soundwave "Was it your real name? I've heard it before in dreams but I could never remember it before now." he asked, turning back to face Soundwave for just a moment.
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 11:45:51 GMT -5
Soundwave nodded at the request, something he was willing to do at least. He was ready to leave when Knockout asked about his real name, the name only one had ever spoken out loud, the one he had lost long ago. The statement that Knockout had heard the name in his dreams confused him, however, and his optics narrowed. "No, you are not Siren. Siren is dead, all that I was died with her." he stated darkly and turned away. The fact that his normal manner of speaking had fallen away indicated just how shaken he really was, something no one ever saw in him - emotional response. He pulled himself together then, reverting to his normal syntax. "Siren: Soundwave's One, forever lost." he stated flatly, burying his emotions deeper, yet something held him there, unwilling to let him return to his customary place in orbit, something that screamed at him from within his own caged Spark, his laser core long ago welded shut by his own hand after his beloved had been murdered and he was unable to save her or bring her back.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 11:57:43 GMT -5
The reaction did catch Knockout off guard but he didn't shrink back "I never heard of her before Soundwave." he said, his voice a little softer "But I'm sorry to hear that you lost her. Is that why you've been ignore my hints? It still hurts then, well, obviously. If you were bonded then it'll always hurt, but if you were then how are you still standing?" he asked before sighing, shaking his head a bit "Sorry, it's none of my business. You may not want anything to do with me but I still don't want to cause you any pain by bringing up things like that." Knockout said, taking a step back. Soundwave needed space, he could understand that, but he wouldn't leave until he was sure that's what Soundwave wanted.
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 12:14:19 GMT -5
Soundwave lowered his head as he stood there, his back to Knockout, his hands slowly clenching at his sides. "Siren murdered, three cycles before bonding." he found himself saying without really considering the words or whether or not he would respond. "Hole in Spark grows... Madness consumes..." he murmured then, bringing one hand up to his chest. It simply was not possible, logic stated she was dead and forever lost to him until the day his own Spark gave out and he went to meet her in the arms of Primus. So why then did he see her ghost? Why did he still hear her song calling to him? Was he going mad, or perhaps he always was and it had taken so many millennia to realize that fact? And why was it he felt this call grow stronger when Knockout was around? He vented sharply then, shaking his head slightly. "Autobot Spark reject Decepticon monster." he said finally, as if that was the real answer and that all this was a trick of the Decepticon programming implanted in Knockout's mind and Soundwave's own anguish induced madness.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 12:21:58 GMT -5
"What? Me, reject you? Slag no." Knockout said, moving to actually walk up to Soundwave "I've been trying to be subtle about it but you don't seem to get hints very well, or at least that's what I thought but, now, knowing this. I can understand." Knockout said, moving to try to reach up and put a hand on Soundwave's shoulder though he couldn't quite reach so he settled for placing said hand on Soundwave's arm "You lost someone you loved and I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I've had an interest in you and not just for a night of fun, that's just blowing off steam, a genuine interest Soundwave, but knowing what I know now, I'll give you the space you need. If you're ever willing to give a relationship another chance though, let me know."
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 12:44:51 GMT -5
Soundwave listened quietly, surprised at what Knockout said. He then shook his head, remembering the shell program. "Negative. Implanted Decepticon Shell Program. False memories, false empathy, false desires." Yet even as he said the words, his hand tightened on his chest directly over his own caged Spark. "Soundwave see only ghosts born of anguish, of madness..." he added and turned his head away. It was true, wasn't it, yet the pain was more than real, the call of her song making his Spark cry out in desperation. He felt like he was dying then, and without realizing it, his dactyls were cutting into his chest armor, releasing thin trickles of Energon from the shallow wounds. Internally he fought against himself, wanting to leave yet his own chassis refused to move, refused to heed his commands. But why? Why did his own frame betray him? And why did this Autobot have such power over him?
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 12:50:34 GMT -5
"Yea, because love is something that would be so important when reprogramming someone into a Decepticon. Have you stopped to actually hear how ridiculous what you're saying is?" Knockout said before moving to look Soundwave right in the face, though he also saw the damage Soundwave was doing to his own frame and grabbed Soundwave's hand with his own to try to stop that damage "You're damaging yourself Soundwave. Stop that or I will sedate you." Knockout warned, dead serious.
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 13:08:15 GMT -5
Soundwave bristled then and yanked his arm away with an electronic growl as he stepped back away from Knockout. It was then that his mask, so carefully cultivated so long ago, the electronic modulation, the emotionless facade, the command prompt protocol, all of it fell away, revealing his true resonant, sonorous voice and the unfettered depth of emotion that raged within him. "No, it was a trap, they wanted to destroy me... they used you, made you ask for help knowing you'd come to me... knowing their viral program would infect me... drive me to madness... to death... No! They will not destroy me! You will not destroy me!" He was shouting by the end of that, backing away from Knockout as he reached within himself, scanning through his entire neural system frantically trying to find the hostile code, to eradicate it. For the first time in his long and tormented life, Soundwave was completely unhinged, his cold emotionless mask suddenly gone, letting out a torrent of pain and emotional turmoil that he could not stop.
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Knockout
Designated Decoy
Medic and car enthusiast[/b]
You think my world is flat. Do I turn you on?[A1i:6]
Posts: 50
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Post by Knockout on Jun 4, 2013 13:18:16 GMT -5
"Soundwave, calm down, if it was something viral you of all people would have caught it. You went through all of the code yourself." he said, though he was seeing all the wrong ways this could go. His own discovery weighing heavily on him, this with Soundwave, it was too much, way too much, he was almost wishing that he could just glitch out right now to not have to deal with it, though he was a bit relieved when the glitch didn't happen at the same time, however, though it didn't happen as it normally did, the precursor to it did still trigger, and it did still hurt but not nearly as badly. "I'm sorry." Knockout said, reaching towards Soundwave but, instead of trying to actually touch him, which it looked like Knockout was going to do, something shot out from his wrist, a tranqu.
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Post by Soundwave on Jun 4, 2013 13:29:25 GMT -5
The tranquilizer dart hit Soundwave squarely and he recoiled, his expression shifting from anger to confusion as he stumbled, then sank to his knees. He looked at Knockout with a pained expression then, his hand reaching up to pull the dart away, but the sedative was already making his head feel hazy. "Why?" he muttered, then fell back, landing prone, venting hard. He fought to make his frame obey his commands, yet he simply could not move, as if his chassis had been severed from his mind. He closed his optics then, waiting for what he believed would be the inevitable blow that would snuff out his Spark. In his mind, he reached out to the past, an image of his lost love drifting before him. As he reached towards her, he called out to her, though outwardly it was only a whisper. "Siren, forgive me, beloved One... I could not save you..." The tone in his voice spoke volumes, his anguish, and his belief that he was about to die.
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