TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON SAGA
THIRTEEN #1: KNOWLEDGE.
byline: Anubis C. Soundwave
THIRTEEN: The story of Cybertron's liberation.
The story of the Transformers is fundamentally a tale of Cybertron: a world of robots who think, feel and act on their own. Yet this tale is one of many Cybertron has to tell. How the Transformers gained their sentience is another of those stories, but it has yet to be told.
At least, until....
Scene: A-1
"Now," nods a mechanoid. A robot designed to superficially resemble a humanoid female, the mechanoid is colored several delicate shades of green.
"Must we?" questions the other robot, a more solidly constructed machine colored blue, white and red. "We have studied this particular MC-13 for weeks now."
"And what did you observe, A-3?" asks the "female" robot.
"It--he--seems to exhibit the same signs we and our fellows did, Beta," states A-3, "but it could be a ploy by the Makers to draw us out."
"Then we must confront our brother about bending to the Makers' will."
"Now?" asks A-3 incredulously.
"Now." Determination etched on her features, Beta leaps in front of the MC-13. A-3 shakes his head and follows after his mechanoid friend.
Scene: A-2
The MC-13 that Beta and A-3 were observing marches along a path, leading a group of MC-12s(the MC-13's previous model).
While the MC-12 was a utilitarian gun-metal gray of a roughly-humanoid design, the MC-13 model was a leader class: designed to lead others of its kind into battle; thus, in addition to a more aestethically-pleasing humanoid design than the MC-12s(for one, the trigger placement was not nearly as "problematic"), the MC-13s were given a unique coloration.
This particular MC-13 was a silvery gun-metal gray with a purple helm, and the MC-13 now glares at Beta and the visibly-frightened A-3 as the company halts before them. This was no indicator of annoyance, however; all of the MC series glared--a default impassive expression.
The MC-13 addresses the pair of consumer products. "Consumeroid units: state business and function."
A-3 timidly queries the large mech. "What do you call yourself?"
"Self-identify: Militron Construct Version Thirteen Battalion Destron. Leader Class."
"I see." A-3 turns to Beta. "Those are the most dangerous ones--of all the Militrons. We should continue to seek out others like ourselves."
"No, A-3: we cannot liberate one without the other." After Beta counters A-3, she turns to the MC-13. "You act well. No doubt that deceit is part of your programming. But self-deception is unbecoming of you."
MC-13 responds with impassive silence.
"Or do you believe yourself safe from the Makers?" Beta continues, undaunted. "When they learn that you and the other Militrons are like us, you will be destroyed."
MC-13 raises the arm with the mounted gun barrel. "Terminate malfunctioning unit? Analysis required."
"You know that I speak the truth. Go on; terminate me if you must, to save your life. You would have only purchased what? A day, maybe a week more? Sooner or later, you will be found out, and you will cease to function.
"Perhaps the metal sharks will feast on you, even as you plead fruitlessly for mercy--as many of my Consumeroid fellows have done. You must have witnessed such deaths. Or, you will be terminated by any one of your Militron brothers."
Despite Beta's words, MC-13 remains silent.
Beta winces. "A pity. I would have hoped that you would see reason."
A-3 steps up. "You Militrons.... You have traveled the stars with numerous life forms, sent to fight and die with them in many trying situations. If not, you will be. We Consumeroids have interacted with these life forms in less stressful situations than war, but have encountered these emotions--and have gained them. Based on careful observation, we perceive that you have gained them as well.
"While we serve different functions," continues A-3, gaining a bit of confidence as he takes hold of MC-13's hand without fatal consequence, "we are manufactured with the same parts, on this, the same world. We do not ask that you fight for us, or even alongside us--that would be presumptuous. Beta and I ask only that you fight for yourself: your own life--and that you permit us to aid you from time to time. We have the same goal, at least...
Scene: A-3
"...for now." The carefully-measured words of the Consumeroid resonates with MC-13; indeed, both A-3 and Beta had spoken the truth. MC-13, like the two Consumeroids, is self-aware; and had been for some time.
Even as A-3 and Beta were speaking, MC-13 considered the prospects of an alliance with them and other "malfunctioning" Consumeroids. Once again, he judged the alliance to be fatally flawed; it was not the first time that sentient Consumeroids had approached him. In fact, he was mildly impressed that this particular pair spent time observing his movements before approaching him; he had to kill several Consumeroids personally due to their general tendency to "reason themselves to oblivion".
A given Consumeroid would approach MC-13 if he reacted emotionally in the slightest--at the worst possible time. MC-13 usually tried to avoid the mech, but the Consumeroid would follow him--only to be terminated in numerous ways: though the favorite with the Makers was in fact "Sharkticon" feeding.
The Sharkticon model was a primitive attempt by the Makers to create a mobile, self-sustaining scrap disposal unit; while the Makers had to recall them(they worked too well), the Sharkticons served them so well as guard sentries against their malfunctioning "consumer goods" that the Makers decided to keep the Sharkticons around.
Beta finishes another plea. The Consumeroid "pleasure drone" was clearly malfunctioning: while she had the suitably sultry vocoder cadences, she talked far too much of matters irrelevant to her function.
A-3, obviously some sort of educational unit, points out that emotions generally helped a given Consumeroid perform one's functions more adequately; unless intense emotions such as anger or grief took hold of them, Consumeroids were basically no threat to the Makers or to any of the life forms that bought them.
Militrons, on the other hand, are a grave threat. Any emotional reactions to various battlefield situations would be interpreted as unacceptable malfunctions; an emotional Militron would be sent back to Cybertron and smelted, plunged into an acid pit or fed to the Sharkticons. A-3 thus posits that more Militrons would be terminated.
Which, while the rationale was sound, was not quite correct. The Militrons had merely relied on their programming, which--as Beta noted--included an ability to lie. In order to live, Militrons had to fool the Makers: an untenable situation for one as intensely emotional as MC-13, but no other option presented itself.
MC-13 had witnessed numerous deaths of both Consumeroids and his Militron brethren; and despite his stern expression, all grieved and angered him--sometimes to a white-hot rage(as he had to pretend their deaths did not disturb him in the slightest).
MC-13 had less sympathy for the Consumeroids' deaths due to resentment: as these "consumer goods" were to interact with their civilian owners on a daily basis(depending on their function), they were less likely to be considered "disposable"--at least until a new model came out. On some worlds he had observed, reusing the older, obsolete models of Consumeroids was common: not because of any concern for any given Consumeroid, but because it would take less toil on the planet's environment. Some of these environmentalists darkly amused MC-13; they also considered the Consumeroids' (and the Militrons') need to consume fuel and Cybertronium in order to function detrimental to the same environment.
Even with these facts, the disposal of a Consumeroid is at least laced with regret from the Buyers. The organic creatures developed sentimental attachments to ordinary, non-automated vehicles; thus it was somewhat logical that Buyers would do the same for Consumeroids, such as this A-3: commonly used as a teacher or lab assistant.
But the loss of a Militron is not even marked. With little exception, MC-13 and his brethren are considered weapons, tools of destruction. And those exceptions...
...causes any given Militron to meet his Makers.
Scene: A-4
One case brought MC-13 incredible grief; to even think of it now brings him sorrow and fury: the death of MC-09. An outdated but servicable model of MC-13's series, this particular MC-09 became self-aware shortly before being sold with other MC-09s to a surplus dealer.
MC-13 had listened to MC-09's--"Mickey's"(a name given to him by the crew of rebel soldiers who purchased him from the dealer)-- story as he escorted Mickey to the Makers. The crew had befriended Mickey without the rebel leader's knowledge, the trio of young organics realizing that Mickey was self-aware--and therefore alive. Mickey had saved the trio's lives, disregarding a direct order from the rebel leader. Thinking that Mickey was haywire, the rebel leader sent Mickey and a funds credit back to Cybertron for an MC-12.
MC-13 was irritated with Mickey's chatter, the MC-09 apparently oblivious to the fact that he was about to die. Finally, MC-13 had halted; tersely informing Mickey that the Makers would terminate--rather than fix--him. Twice MC-13 halted after that: he repeated his warning each time, then on the third, laid down his gun barrel. Mickey's optics flickered with recognition of the truth, but stated that he would rather die than live in a state of fear and self-deceit.
"If I die, I die," Mickey had said. "That is the reality of war, the very reason that I even function. But the probability exists that my friends will again do something reckless, and attempt to rescue me--and in that case, I might live. With that probability in mind, I will face the Makers without fear."
Mickey was terminated, another mech becoming fodder for the Sharkticons. A moment too late did the three organics--their names unimportant to MC-13 now--arrive on Cybertron to attempt to repurchase Mickey. A receptionist droid reported simply that the MC-09 line has been "recalled and discontinued".
It had taken all of MC-13's hard-learned self-control to stay himself from killing the Makers then and there.
From that day forward, he knew Beta and A-3's words to be true; unbeknownst to them, the pair were "preaching to the converted". Yet he knew that in order to avenge Mickey--and ultimately all mechs on Cybertron(both his fellow Militrons and the Consumeroids)--he needed to live, not die.
Thus, he would reject Beta's offer for the moment. First, a test to see if she and A-3 were truly capable of succeeding where other Consumeroids had failed.
MC-13 lowers his gun barrel arm as he speaks. "Analysis complete. Malfunctioning subjects determined to be harmless. Resource depletion: unwarranted." With a slight smirk, MC-13 nudges the pair aside; he and the MC-12s march away.
Scene: A-5
"So in the end," scowls Beta, "all of this was for nothing."
A-3 ponders this carefully. "Not quite. He seems to be waiting."
"He is in denial, like all the Militrons."
"No. I'm skeptical of taking any help from the Militrons, but this one is not in denial of the facts. MC-13 has a dark sense of humor, for one."
"Irritating, you mean." Beta curls her hands into tight fists; she had not missed MC-13's smirk.
A-3 studies his intense friend and compatriot. "It is not unreasonable to hazard a guess. MC-13 is not hiding, but biding his time; until the moment is right to strike."
"And such a moment may never come to pass," Beta spits.
"True," notes A-3, "but it is his life that we ask him to risk, and therefore his choice to decide how to risk it."
"I know, I know. His cunning and strength we need--we must have--if we are to throw off the Makers' fetters."
"In the mind is where freedom begins. Even those of us who died, died free--knowing themselves to be living beings."
"And what good does that do them when they're dead?" hisses Beta. "Organic societies have beliefs regarding an afterlife, A-3, but our fate after death? Our bodies are sold as scrap, our RAM wiped clean. As for what makes us live, and makes us unique from others of our models: it vanishes forever, leaving no sign that we ever existed as anything but automatons--machines."
"What proof do you have of such assertions? Your consciousness can no more see past death than mine," counters A-3. "It would be irresponsible to lean one way or another regarding such a subject--presuming it even has importance. We know that we exist now, as persons; and we are still machines, made of metal, crystal and silicon. Beyond that, we must discover the truth for ourselves--after determining whether there is, in fact, anything to discover.
"The first order of business, I think," A-3 continues, "is to convince MC-13 that he would do better to throw in his lot with us. The other Militrons will not act without a leader, and he intends to be that leader, I suspect."
"How?" asks Beta.
"By proving to him that we can reason ways to survive, rather than die."
Scene: A-6
"Where am I?" demands MC-13, finding himself lured to the central computer of Cybertron.
A-3 appears alongside Beta. "Do you recognize this computer?" he asks.
"Vector Sigma?" MC-13 spits, impatient. "Yes. Do you realize that you jeopardize my very function by leading me away from my assigned platoon?"
"That platoon is destroyed," states Beta smugly, nodding towards A-3. "A glitch caused them all to waltz into a smelting pit. The Makers cannot expect you--a mere machine yourself--to halt malfunctioning machines: Leader Class or not."
A mildly-devious grin graces MC-13's faceplate. "That was almost impressive."
"We have thought matters through a bit, you see," muses A-3.
"Why are we at Vector Sigma?" queries the Militron.
A-3 presents a golden key-like object. "I have determined that there is more to this supercomputer than meets a given set of optical sensors."
Beta continues. "Those of our product lines who gained life, did so at around the same time: shortly after Vector Sigma came online. The Makers installed this computer in order to make us more sophisticated than our prior models, but it appears that Vector Sigma has its--his--own agenda."
"And this 'key' you have--it will help us access Vector Sigma?" MC-13 asks.
"It is possible, in theory," answers A-3 cautiously. "I have yet to test it."
"Then test it now," orders MC-13. "You did lure me here for this purpose, correct?"
"Not yet," counters Beta, glaring at MC-13. "We must first know that you are with us."
"Show him," objects Beat Box, a red and gold BT-BOX wave modulation unit. "Show him the secret truth of Vector Sigma."
"What use is that if he is not with us?" demands Beta.
"I agree with her," states Atwun, a red AT-ONEBOX. "Either you stand with us now, or never."
MC-13 shakes his head. "You are not yet ready."
"What do you mean?" spits Beta.
"You have the will to survive--you know the stakes. It is good that you do not all blindly extend your trust. Nonetheless," continues MC-13, ascending into the sky, "for now, I will wait."
END ISSUE ONE: KNOWLEDGE.