audio;

[arnhaid]

Look, uh.

[Awkward pause. Wow, maybe he should have asked someone to write this for him.]

I... ain't gonna pretend I know exactly what's goin' on with all this spooky scrap and random messages.

But I do know there's some bots who are gettin' nervous. Probably means there's organics feelin' the same way.

[Another awkward pause -- good job Ironhide, you said three sentences.]

... My name's Ironhide. If anyone's feelin' uncomfortable, or freaked out... I used to do bodyguard work.

I'll come keep an optic on you, if that'd help.

[Because he has to do something. Anything. Standing around, hiding out. It doesn't feel right, and it's sure not helping anything anymore.]

Comments

[voice]

[toughtalk]

And you said you weren't making a difference.

[Speaking of, she hasn't exactly been the best with this situation either. In all honesty, she thought it was a load of bull. But...now even her demeanor's starting to change on that.]

Maybe I'll toss up an offer too.

[voice]

[arnhaid]

Is it really? Just offerin'... doesn't really change much.

[Like losing memories and all.]

Might as well. Won't hurt nothin'.

[voice]

[toughtalk]

What are you looking for? Solving world peace?

[God Ironhide, you're such a boy scout.]

If you need help...

[voice]

[arnhaid]

I dunno. Somethin' that lasts.

[He pauses.]

Well. Maybe if I get more askin' than I think I can handle.

[voice]

[toughtalk]

Just...don't overdo it. Looking for purpose.

[She softens at that, wondering if what's she's saying is right.]

You know...grinding yourself down to your gears just to matter.

[voice]

[arnhaid]

Even if I do, 'pparently even that don't matter any.

[voice]

[toughtalk]

What are you talking about...


You're a giant red truck. People are gonna notice.

[voice]

[arnhaid]

No, it...

It ain't that.

[voice][Locked]

[toughtalk]

Then what is it?

You've been kind of vague the past few weeks...mind sharing with the class?

[voice][Locked]

[arnhaid]

It...

[Wow, this is sort of hard to say.]

I got some bad news. 'Bout things that happen here. Scrap I... I don't want to have happen again.

[voice][Locked]

[toughtalk]

Bad things?

Big guy, who's been telling you things? I want the truth.

[voice][Locked]

[arnhaid]

Strongarm. He... did some digging, I guess. That and... the people in charge of this place.

...

Chromia... we don't remember this place. Or nothin' we did here.

They take our memories.

[See why that's a problem.]

[voice][Locked]

[toughtalk]

[There's an awkward silence on the other end of the feed, although something like a choking sound is heard. Like if she could swallow, she'd have a hard time doing so.]

Everything?

video

[beforetights]

Wow, awesome! Are you a knight then?

[Cu Chulainn doesn't need protecting. He's just impressed that he might have met another hero.]

...What's an organic?

video

[arnhaid]

A knight? Nah, nothin' like that.

Uh. Humans and stuff. Not-robots.

[beforetights]

Ah.

[He pouts, slightly disappointed.]

Oh, so you're a robot too! There's a lot of you here, lately.

[arnhaid]

Yeah, sorry 'bout that.

[Ironhide that isn't even remotely your fault shut up.]

We can kinda be a handful. But most of 'em ain't so bad.

[beforetights]

Don't worry. I like you guys a lot! You're all so big and shiny!

[arnhaid]

Big an'... shiny...?

Maybe you're thinkin' of someone else. I'm not all that shiny.

[beforetights]

How come? Aren't you made of metal?

[arnhaid]

Not everything made outta metal is shiny.

[beforetights]

Then are you rusty?

[arnhaid]

What? No.

[beforetights]

Well, you said you aren't shiny. Then you have to be rusty.

[That line of reasoning makes perfect sense to him.]

[arnhaid]

Wh-- no, it's not one or the other. There's like... there's a scale.