FIC: Individual
Aug. 2nd, 2011 09:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wicked3659Title: Individual
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wicked3659
Rating: PG
Characters: Prowl, Megatron
Prompt: The lower class
Thanks toantepathy and vejiraziel for their help and for allowing me to tap their vastly superior canon knowledge for IDW ^_^;; <3 you girls!
“I’ve seen you.” Megatron narrowed his piercing optics at the security officer leading him to the processing centre. “You have an unwavering loyalty that impresses me.”
“You’re very observant, I do not, however, deign to impress anyone. I do my duty.” Came the succinct reply.
Dragging in air through his vents slowly, Megatron smirked slightly at the security officer’s impassive demeanour. He had certainly seen this one lurking about the arena, commanding others like him to arrest anyone that got above themselves during or after the rush of the fight. When he’d been a miner he’d noticed the likes of him then too, more than he would have liked to. “You worked the mines, kept us in check, yes?”
“I did not.”
“Beneath you?” That got a sideways glance from the stoic bot, finally; which only had Megatron smiling wider.
“Out of my jurisdiction.” The smaller mech replied blandly, his gaze once more focused ahead of them, his white digits tightening briefly about Megatron’s restrained arm to tug him forward, signifying a clear desire to end their…conversation.
“What is your name?” Megatron inquired curiously after a few kliks of silent walking.
“None of your concern.”
The reply was quick, irritated. Curiosity piqued, Megatron prodded further. “Why do you do this, drone?”
“I arrest those who break the law, incite violence and are a general disturbance to the peace,” the mech glanced at him with a look of disdain, “and insulting me will not endear me to your plight.”
Ignoring the mech’s concise description of his duties, Megatron carried on regardless. “That’s what they call you, isn’t it? A drone? A walking clone army of security bots, unable to feel, empathise,” Megatron leaned slightly closer, his tone mocking. “Think for themselves? The lowest of the low, so I’ve heard. Merely tools of the great system working to oppress those of us who would stand up to them.”
“And you are merely a criminal.” The black and white replied blandly, unfazed by Megatron’s attempts to get under his plating, he’d heard it all before and worse. “You are the last ‘bot who should be lecturing me.”
“Is that what I am now?”
“You know what you are, Megatron.”
Chuckling quietly the large mech looked down at his escort. “I’m a gladiator. Last time I checked; champion.”
Sighing almost too quietly to be audible the golden optics of the security bot met Megatron’s. “There are no champions in what you do.”
“Really?” Megatron pursed his lip components and hummed thoughtfully. “I think others would disagree.”
“I don’t do this job to be agreed with.”
Noting the clipped tone and the short answers, Megatron tried a different tactic. “Well what do you do it for?”
“We’ve already established why I do what I do.”
“No.” Megatron stopped suddenly, tugging the smaller mech towards him by the sheer weight of his bulk, until they were face to face, frames almost touching, the tension between them; thick. “That isn’t a reason. Why do you do this? Do you choose to serve Sentinel or is it a pre-programming you’re unable to deviate from? What do you feel?”
Jerking his arm free from Megatron’s shackled grasp; the security bot glared at Megatron coldly. “I’m not required to feel anything. I do my duty, what we do is for the greater good.”
“Is it now?” Megatron purred, studying the mech glaring back at him, his irritation palpable. “You do feel though, don’t you?”
Pressing his lip components into a thin line, the security bot remained silent and simply resumed their journey to the processing facility where Megatron would be handed over to senate security forces.
“You needn’t say anything, you know. I can see it as clear as Praxus crystal in your optics. You think you’re better than me, but you see we both are working towards the same goal, we are the same.”
“I’m nothing like you,” snapped the security bot, his cool façade dropping for an astrosecond.
“We work towards the betterment of Cybertron, a greater good, no? You protect the safety of others, I fight for their right to have a voice, speak against inequality. Tell me, how do the upper classes and the nobles see you?”
“It does not concern me.”
“No? Be honest with yourself, do they recognise you as an individual, do they recognise and acknowledge your strengths, do they treat you as anything more than a foot soldier, barely above the slave that I was, always at their bidding, their judgement?” Megatron let out a short laugh as his escort’s door wings dropped ever so slightly on his back. “Maybe you should really think about what it is I am and what I stand for and,” he whispered closer to the mech’s audio, “exactly why they ordered you to arrest me, before you judge my actions, drone.”
Stiffening visibly, the ‘bot practically tossed Megatron into the waiting senate forces.
“There, see, that anger you feel, you’re already thinking for yourself. That will be your greatest strength against those who would stifle our individuality.”
“Your words may carry far in the arena, Megatron; but here, you’re nothing more than a criminal.”
“Look me in the optics and tell me you don’t see it all around you. Tell me I’m wrong and I’ll go quietly.”
Half turning towards the larger mech, golden optics glowing intently as sensory panels twitched on his back, the security bot met Megatron’s fierce, commanding stare. “Your ideals… have merit but I will never condone your methods. Violence begets violence, Megatron and that’s why you have been silenced, why you must be silenced.”
“Was it not violence when your own security forces beat me half to death when I was a miner, for a crime I did not commit? Was it not violence as they pounded my face, my frame until I could barely move?” At the lack of response, a satisfied smile spread across Megatron’s face as the senate forces tried to pull him back into the processing centre. “Finally you admit it, you agree? They fear the truth.”
The reply was but a murmur, hesitant, unsure. “They fear only for the innocents—“
“—I was one of the innocents! I was their slave!” Megatron growled, tearing away from the guards and squaring up to the black and white, cutting him off while the security bot held his ground - admirable, considering his much smaller stature. “I know you question their methods. It maybe subtle, hidden behind the anonymity of their drone army but their oppression of the individual is still violence and it is destroying our planet.”
“There is always another way.” Came the quiet, yet determined reply.
Megatron towered over the mech, mildly surprised at his answer, his optics shining as he committed his face to memory. “You intrigue me, tell me your name, I wish to remember the individual who chooses to believe in… another way.”
“Prowl, release him into our custody, the senate will deal with him now!” One of the guards called out angrily as he pointed a weapon at Megatron, daring him to try and escape them once more.
Nodding as if in agreement with some silent statement; Megatron allowed the senate guards to take hold of him. “Prowl…, you intrigue me. Go! Work from within, see the truth for yourself.”
“Your truth is flawed.” Prowl murmured softly.
“A war is coming!” Megatron smiled knowingly. “Freedom for all of Cybertron or continued oppression by the upper classes. What is it you fight for, Prowl? Where does your loyalty truly lie?”
Author:
wicked3659Rating: PG
Characters: Prowl, Megatron
Prompt: The lower class
Thanks to
antepathy and vejiraziel for their help and for allowing me to tap their vastly superior canon knowledge for IDW ^_^;; <3 you girls!“I’ve seen you.” Megatron narrowed his piercing optics at the security officer leading him to the processing centre. “You have an unwavering loyalty that impresses me.”
“You’re very observant, I do not, however, deign to impress anyone. I do my duty.” Came the succinct reply.
Dragging in air through his vents slowly, Megatron smirked slightly at the security officer’s impassive demeanour. He had certainly seen this one lurking about the arena, commanding others like him to arrest anyone that got above themselves during or after the rush of the fight. When he’d been a miner he’d noticed the likes of him then too, more than he would have liked to. “You worked the mines, kept us in check, yes?”
“I did not.”
“Beneath you?” That got a sideways glance from the stoic bot, finally; which only had Megatron smiling wider.
“Out of my jurisdiction.” The smaller mech replied blandly, his gaze once more focused ahead of them, his white digits tightening briefly about Megatron’s restrained arm to tug him forward, signifying a clear desire to end their…conversation.
“What is your name?” Megatron inquired curiously after a few kliks of silent walking.
“None of your concern.”
The reply was quick, irritated. Curiosity piqued, Megatron prodded further. “Why do you do this, drone?”
“I arrest those who break the law, incite violence and are a general disturbance to the peace,” the mech glanced at him with a look of disdain, “and insulting me will not endear me to your plight.”
Ignoring the mech’s concise description of his duties, Megatron carried on regardless. “That’s what they call you, isn’t it? A drone? A walking clone army of security bots, unable to feel, empathise,” Megatron leaned slightly closer, his tone mocking. “Think for themselves? The lowest of the low, so I’ve heard. Merely tools of the great system working to oppress those of us who would stand up to them.”
“And you are merely a criminal.” The black and white replied blandly, unfazed by Megatron’s attempts to get under his plating, he’d heard it all before and worse. “You are the last ‘bot who should be lecturing me.”
“Is that what I am now?”
“You know what you are, Megatron.”
Chuckling quietly the large mech looked down at his escort. “I’m a gladiator. Last time I checked; champion.”
Sighing almost too quietly to be audible the golden optics of the security bot met Megatron’s. “There are no champions in what you do.”
“Really?” Megatron pursed his lip components and hummed thoughtfully. “I think others would disagree.”
“I don’t do this job to be agreed with.”
Noting the clipped tone and the short answers, Megatron tried a different tactic. “Well what do you do it for?”
“We’ve already established why I do what I do.”
“No.” Megatron stopped suddenly, tugging the smaller mech towards him by the sheer weight of his bulk, until they were face to face, frames almost touching, the tension between them; thick. “That isn’t a reason. Why do you do this? Do you choose to serve Sentinel or is it a pre-programming you’re unable to deviate from? What do you feel?”
Jerking his arm free from Megatron’s shackled grasp; the security bot glared at Megatron coldly. “I’m not required to feel anything. I do my duty, what we do is for the greater good.”
“Is it now?” Megatron purred, studying the mech glaring back at him, his irritation palpable. “You do feel though, don’t you?”
Pressing his lip components into a thin line, the security bot remained silent and simply resumed their journey to the processing facility where Megatron would be handed over to senate security forces.
“You needn’t say anything, you know. I can see it as clear as Praxus crystal in your optics. You think you’re better than me, but you see we both are working towards the same goal, we are the same.”
“I’m nothing like you,” snapped the security bot, his cool façade dropping for an astrosecond.
“We work towards the betterment of Cybertron, a greater good, no? You protect the safety of others, I fight for their right to have a voice, speak against inequality. Tell me, how do the upper classes and the nobles see you?”
“It does not concern me.”
“No? Be honest with yourself, do they recognise you as an individual, do they recognise and acknowledge your strengths, do they treat you as anything more than a foot soldier, barely above the slave that I was, always at their bidding, their judgement?” Megatron let out a short laugh as his escort’s door wings dropped ever so slightly on his back. “Maybe you should really think about what it is I am and what I stand for and,” he whispered closer to the mech’s audio, “exactly why they ordered you to arrest me, before you judge my actions, drone.”
Stiffening visibly, the ‘bot practically tossed Megatron into the waiting senate forces.
“There, see, that anger you feel, you’re already thinking for yourself. That will be your greatest strength against those who would stifle our individuality.”
“Your words may carry far in the arena, Megatron; but here, you’re nothing more than a criminal.”
“Look me in the optics and tell me you don’t see it all around you. Tell me I’m wrong and I’ll go quietly.”
Half turning towards the larger mech, golden optics glowing intently as sensory panels twitched on his back, the security bot met Megatron’s fierce, commanding stare. “Your ideals… have merit but I will never condone your methods. Violence begets violence, Megatron and that’s why you have been silenced, why you must be silenced.”
“Was it not violence when your own security forces beat me half to death when I was a miner, for a crime I did not commit? Was it not violence as they pounded my face, my frame until I could barely move?” At the lack of response, a satisfied smile spread across Megatron’s face as the senate forces tried to pull him back into the processing centre. “Finally you admit it, you agree? They fear the truth.”
The reply was but a murmur, hesitant, unsure. “They fear only for the innocents—“
“—I was one of the innocents! I was their slave!” Megatron growled, tearing away from the guards and squaring up to the black and white, cutting him off while the security bot held his ground - admirable, considering his much smaller stature. “I know you question their methods. It maybe subtle, hidden behind the anonymity of their drone army but their oppression of the individual is still violence and it is destroying our planet.”
“There is always another way.” Came the quiet, yet determined reply.
Megatron towered over the mech, mildly surprised at his answer, his optics shining as he committed his face to memory. “You intrigue me, tell me your name, I wish to remember the individual who chooses to believe in… another way.”
“Prowl, release him into our custody, the senate will deal with him now!” One of the guards called out angrily as he pointed a weapon at Megatron, daring him to try and escape them once more.
Nodding as if in agreement with some silent statement; Megatron allowed the senate guards to take hold of him. “Prowl…, you intrigue me. Go! Work from within, see the truth for yourself.”
“Your truth is flawed.” Prowl murmured softly.
“A war is coming!” Megatron smiled knowingly. “Freedom for all of Cybertron or continued oppression by the upper classes. What is it you fight for, Prowl? Where does your loyalty truly lie?”
