34th Scream [Video]
[The camera shows the common room of the Decepticon apartment - as usual, it is fairly clean and tidy, though at present numerous papers and bits of electronics equipment litter the space]
[Starscream is sitting on the arm of the couch, fiddling with something - in this case, it is a small surround sound stereo system. The two speakers sit on the coffee table, amidst a large pile of blueprints and a lot of spare parts.]
[Starscream himself looks tired. Extremely tired, like he hasn't slept in days. His hands shake slightly as he works, but he seems to have it under control - the shaking doesn't hinder him.]
I am not usually the philosophical type; nor am I generally the sort who goes about asking inane questions of the community like some of you fools are fond of doing. Indeed, I wonder, is it some sort of hobby for you lot? Are your day to day lives so boring that you can think of nothing better to do?
[He opens up the machine and begins working about inside, picking up a pair of pliers and balancing the device on one leg while he works]
Ah, wait. Yes, I forgot - most of you are, after all, only human. Short little flashpan lives, wasted wallowing in misery with little point to it all...
[a deft twist of his wrist as he pulls out one component, then reaches over to the table, groping about while he keeps the stereo steady with the other hand. Finally, he finds what he needs and puts it inside.]
However, that's really not what I was going to talk about here. No, I actually do have a question for you all...
How do I put this...
Do you have souls?
I do not mean this in the philosophical sense, really. I don't want to hear a lot of theological debate, here. I've heard tell that some of you come from worlds in which the soul is, in fact, a tangible, quantifiable entity. Something you can measure, something you can even hold, or remove; that in some worlds the soul is currency. Without it one is largely incomplete. I've also heard it called other things - some refer to the same concept as a heart, in a different sense than the internal organ.
It's a matter of - [he pauses, pulling his legs up cross-legged so that he can brace the stereo he's working on so it doesn't fall onto the floor] importance to me, you see. My people have sparks, and for a very long time this is what determined if something was truly alive or not. When we first encountered your people, I often asked myself if you were all truly sentient at all. After all, how could something with no spark be anything more than a mere drone?
But the idea that humanity may have an analogue... it is an interesting notion, to say the least. I suppose the question can be equally said to be are you alive?
[he slots in one last component, then replaces the back panel on the main part of the system. He fiddles with the knobs... and then the machine transforms. When it does, the two speakers also transform, and the three parts scuttle together, attaching to each other until the whole device becomes what looks like a large dog.]
[the resultant creature stumbles slightly, not quite stable on its feet, and almost falls apart. It manages to come to Starscream and nuzzle his hand, putting its 'paws' up on the couch.]
Tch. The AI still isn't right and the motors in the legs... slag this inferior human tech.
So. There we are, city. Pointless question of the day: Do you have a soul, and how does it function?
[Private // Encrypted to Soundwave and Shockwave // text]
...
I have come to a point wherein I believe I can...
...
I can never fully trust you. That is not the Decepticon way. However, I can respect you both. And as such I feel that I can now inform you of this.
Back in May, I began a little side project I dubbed the Coalition. Much like the Decepticons, they are an organization of individuals that society as a whole rejects. Much like us, they are all ambitious and quite... dangerous. Unlike us, there is no one leader - though I am the founder - and they act as more of a loose alliance.
Sadly, as I have been busy with leading my own people, I have been unable to organize them into a cohesive unit; however, one Brother Cavil has stepped up to the call. He had an interesting proposal, one which I shall link you to here, as well as to my original proposals.
[[you can now see the following!
Cavil's post
Starscream's post
Starscream's second post]]
I feel that such an alliance is beneficial. As such, I am having you both install the program into your communicators. Furthermore, while not all Decepticons should have this installed - we cannot trust everyone now, can we? - if one of us should be called on, all of us should be available to help, on my orders.
I will freely admit that I originally began the Coalition in the event that either of you betrayed me. I wanted some form of insurance. Consider it an honor that I am sharing this information at all.
[filtered // encrypted to Decepticons + Waspinator// text]]
My Decepticons! It has come to my attention that we lack a proper Air Commander! However...
You are all such... wonderful specimens of, ah, Decepticon and, er. Prowess, that I cannot choose!
As such, I will be holding a contest to see which one of you is worthy of my former title. Obviously, only those of you capable of flight qualify.
We will begin with a test of your ability to fly - the most important quality in a commander of the skies! You will race against me through an obstacle course I have built myself. This will test your speed, agility, and endurance in the air.
Second, I will test your ability to think, plan, and strategise - basically, your ability to plan an attack and effectively command troops. You will be pitted against each other in a battle of wits.
Finally, I will test your prowess in battle! You will fight each other in a no holds barred brawl - well, save that I will be exceedingly displeased if you kill each other. The one left standing is the winner.
The one who shows the most talent in all three areas will be my new air commander. Good luck to you all~
[Starscream is sitting on the arm of the couch, fiddling with something - in this case, it is a small surround sound stereo system. The two speakers sit on the coffee table, amidst a large pile of blueprints and a lot of spare parts.]
[Starscream himself looks tired. Extremely tired, like he hasn't slept in days. His hands shake slightly as he works, but he seems to have it under control - the shaking doesn't hinder him.]
I am not usually the philosophical type; nor am I generally the sort who goes about asking inane questions of the community like some of you fools are fond of doing. Indeed, I wonder, is it some sort of hobby for you lot? Are your day to day lives so boring that you can think of nothing better to do?
[He opens up the machine and begins working about inside, picking up a pair of pliers and balancing the device on one leg while he works]
Ah, wait. Yes, I forgot - most of you are, after all, only human. Short little flashpan lives, wasted wallowing in misery with little point to it all...
[a deft twist of his wrist as he pulls out one component, then reaches over to the table, groping about while he keeps the stereo steady with the other hand. Finally, he finds what he needs and puts it inside.]
However, that's really not what I was going to talk about here. No, I actually do have a question for you all...
How do I put this...
Do you have souls?
I do not mean this in the philosophical sense, really. I don't want to hear a lot of theological debate, here. I've heard tell that some of you come from worlds in which the soul is, in fact, a tangible, quantifiable entity. Something you can measure, something you can even hold, or remove; that in some worlds the soul is currency. Without it one is largely incomplete. I've also heard it called other things - some refer to the same concept as a heart, in a different sense than the internal organ.
It's a matter of - [he pauses, pulling his legs up cross-legged so that he can brace the stereo he's working on so it doesn't fall onto the floor] importance to me, you see. My people have sparks, and for a very long time this is what determined if something was truly alive or not. When we first encountered your people, I often asked myself if you were all truly sentient at all. After all, how could something with no spark be anything more than a mere drone?
But the idea that humanity may have an analogue... it is an interesting notion, to say the least. I suppose the question can be equally said to be are you alive?
[he slots in one last component, then replaces the back panel on the main part of the system. He fiddles with the knobs... and then the machine transforms. When it does, the two speakers also transform, and the three parts scuttle together, attaching to each other until the whole device becomes what looks like a large dog.]
[the resultant creature stumbles slightly, not quite stable on its feet, and almost falls apart. It manages to come to Starscream and nuzzle his hand, putting its 'paws' up on the couch.]
Tch. The AI still isn't right and the motors in the legs... slag this inferior human tech.
So. There we are, city. Pointless question of the day: Do you have a soul, and how does it function?
[Private // Encrypted to Soundwave and Shockwave // text]
...
I have come to a point wherein I believe I can...
...
I can never fully trust you. That is not the Decepticon way. However, I can respect you both. And as such I feel that I can now inform you of this.
Back in May, I began a little side project I dubbed the Coalition. Much like the Decepticons, they are an organization of individuals that society as a whole rejects. Much like us, they are all ambitious and quite... dangerous. Unlike us, there is no one leader - though I am the founder - and they act as more of a loose alliance.
Sadly, as I have been busy with leading my own people, I have been unable to organize them into a cohesive unit; however, one Brother Cavil has stepped up to the call. He had an interesting proposal, one which I shall link you to here, as well as to my original proposals.
[[you can now see the following!
Cavil's post
Starscream's post
Starscream's second post]]
I feel that such an alliance is beneficial. As such, I am having you both install the program into your communicators. Furthermore, while not all Decepticons should have this installed - we cannot trust everyone now, can we? - if one of us should be called on, all of us should be available to help, on my orders.
I will freely admit that I originally began the Coalition in the event that either of you betrayed me. I wanted some form of insurance. Consider it an honor that I am sharing this information at all.
[filtered // encrypted to Decepticons + Waspinator// text]]
My Decepticons! It has come to my attention that we lack a proper Air Commander! However...
You are all such... wonderful specimens of, ah, Decepticon and, er. Prowess, that I cannot choose!
As such, I will be holding a contest to see which one of you is worthy of my former title. Obviously, only those of you capable of flight qualify.
We will begin with a test of your ability to fly - the most important quality in a commander of the skies! You will race against me through an obstacle course I have built myself. This will test your speed, agility, and endurance in the air.
Second, I will test your ability to think, plan, and strategise - basically, your ability to plan an attack and effectively command troops. You will be pitted against each other in a battle of wits.
Finally, I will test your prowess in battle! You will fight each other in a no holds barred brawl - well, save that I will be exceedingly displeased if you kill each other. The one left standing is the winner.
The one who shows the most talent in all three areas will be my new air commander. Good luck to you all~