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RHETORIC - This is not the end. We can find even more *communists*.
YOU - But where?
RHETORIC - Try to smell them. Once more. It will work.
PERCEPTION (SMELL) - You focus on the task. After a short while, you can feel it. There is a faint smell. Something metal, greasy and hard-working.
RHETORIC - There it is! The inimitable scent of a working class hero.
YOU - It is?
RHETORIC - Yes, most definitely! Follow the smell immediately. We have a communism to build.
KIM KITSURAGI - "Where are we going again, detective?" There is a hint of annoyance in his voice. "We've already found the communist book club."
RHETORIC - That's not a *just* book club! Tell 'im, Harry.
VOLITION - We will not be arguing about it.
1. - "I just smelled another one."
2. - Just ignore the question and keep walking. Communism can not wait.
KIM KITSURAGI - "*Another* one? Where?"
***
THE BOTTOMLESS CAVE - You stand at the gaping entrance. The hollow darkness looks surprisingly inviting. There's something inside, that will lead you to a working class member.
THE DARK CORRIDOR - Darkness swallows you with ease.
VOLITION - It is not an easy road, but we have to keep going.
KIM KITSURAGI - "Why don't you use the flashlight? I can't see the tip of my nose."
LOGIC [Formidable: Failure] - This is exactly what I was about to say... Eventually...
ESPIRIT DE CORPS - The lieutenant is just wondering whether we would have been walking in the dark if it weren't for his suggestion.
SAVOIR FAFRE - We probably would.
THE RUSTY ELEVATOR - The metal door does not look promising. Rust falls off the door frame in extremely ugly petals. You wonder if you will manage to open them.
1. - [Physical Intrument - Easy 8] Just bash the door with your whole strength.
2. - [Interfacing - Medium 10] Try opening the door gently.
3. - Just give up. This is a strong oponent.
INTERFACING [Medium - Success] - With a pained groan, the door gives up. You and Lieutenant Kitsuragi enter the elevator.
THE RUSTY ELEVATOR - We are going down, baby! Into the very guts of the mine.
***
THE WORKING CLASS HERO - The person in front of you is definitely impressive. He stands at 38 feet in height, with strong, metal padded arms carrying the heavy drill. He is focused on a task, red eyes watching carefully, teeth gritted.
PERCEPTION (HEARING) - The sound of the drill is deafening. Soon your ears will be bleeding.
LOGIC [Easy - Success] - He won't hear you. You gotta do something *clever*.
1. - [Half Light - Impossible 14] Scream on the top of your lungs.
2. - [Hand/Eye Coordination - Formidable 12] Pick a rock and throw it on his head.
3. - Kick him in the shin.
4. - Start waving your hands and jumping in place.
HAND/EYE COORDINATION [Formidable - Success] You pick a massive rock and swing your arm with your whole strength. Rock punches The Working Class Hero's helm with a loud *clank*.
THE WORKING CLASS HERO - "What?!" He turnes off the drill, anger in his voice. Confused he turns around and looks down. "Who are you? And *why* you are interupting my work?!"
1. - "Who I am is not important. The important thing is the *communism*."
2. - "I'm nobody!!! Sorry about that. We will be going, bye!"
3. - "I'm someone who looks for a *communist*. Are you one?"
YOU - "I'm someone who looks for a *communist*. Are you one?"
THE WORKING CLASS HERO - "A *communist*? I have never heard of something like that, human. I'm Megatron. Megatron of Tarn."
1. - "Nice to meet you, Megatron. I'm Harry and this is my partner, Kim Kitsuragi"
2. - "I'm sure you are a *communist*. I smelled you"
3. - "Megatron? What a stupid name!"
YOU - "Nice to meet you, Megatron. I'm Harry and this is my partner, Kim Kitsuragi."
KIM KITSURAGI - He shoots you an unsure look. His eyes are fixated on the metal giant in front of him.
MEGATRON OF TARN - "What are you doing here? I thought *organics* have better things to do than interupting our working."
DRAMA - He says 'organics' with such a disgust. Like a person seeing a surprisingly slimey bug.
AUTHORITY - He thinks he stands above you not just literally.
EMPATHY - He seems lonely. And frustrated. And very, very tired.
1. - "Nice to meet you, Megatron. I'm Harry and this is my partner, Kim Kitsuragi."
2. - "I'm sure you are a *communist*. I smelled you."
3. - "Megatron? What a stupid name!"
YOU - "I'm sure you are a *communist*. I smelled you."
MEGATRON OF TARN - "Smelled me?" His coarse laughter shakes the earth. "I smell like oil, dust and dirt. Not *communism*."
SUGGESTION - He needs a little bit of convincing. Do not give up yet.
YOU - "I'm sure you can be a communist. You are already a working class. You are a miner."
MEGATRON OF TARN - "A working class, hah! It wasn't exactly *my* choice. I was made one." Megatron grunts and leans the drill againt the mine wall. "I wish there were *no* social classes."
KIM KITSURAGI - "I think communists wants that too. I'm not sure".
EMPATHY - He hides his enthusiasm. This conversation brings him a lot of *fun*.
MEGATRON OF TARN - "They want that too?" The interest pours of his voice. "Funny... I've never heard of them... only of functionists."
YOU - "Functionists?"
MEGATRON OF TARN - "I have no time to discuss this with you, human. Have to work."
EMPATHY - *Functionists*. There is a force in this word and lots of pain.
HALF LIGHT - He wishes he could beheaded them. He would do it with pleasure.
PHYSICAL INTRUMENT - Not only pleasure, but also with ease. Just look at the size of him. One hand could squeeze your head like a ripe grape.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY - That's strangely arousing. In some way. Perhaps.
1. - [Rhetoric - Challenging 12] Convince Megatron of Tarn that he too needs communism.
2. - [Drama - Impossible 14] - Make up a story about millenia-long fight between communists and functionists.
3. - "Please! Just talk to me! We really need more communists."
4. - "Maybe you are right. I will bother you another time."
RHETORIC [Challenging: Success] - You know exactly what to say.
YOU - "You want that too, right? To get rid of social classes, but functionists... they do not want to?"
DRAMA - This is the inspirational speech, we came up with? Are you making a joke, sire?!
RHETORIC - It *will* work.
DRAMA - I just hope you are right.
MEGATRON OF TARN - "The only thing functionists want is to control the citizens. They think your alt mode is your only purpose. If you are a forged miner, you can not be anything else."
EMPATHY - And the desire to be *anything else* is strong with Megatron.
ENCYCLOPEDIA [Impossible: Failure] - Alt mode? What is he talking about?
MEGATRON OF TARN - He sees your confusion. "This" points at his chest "is my robot mode. Bipedal and more social than functional. And this is my alt mode". The strange, metalic sound fills the room. Many compartments move smoothly and twist. After a while, Megatron is not just a miner. He is literally a mining machine. The only thing missing is the drill, which is still leaning against the wall.
YOU - "Oh, I see..."
MEGATRON OF TARN - He changes back to bipedal form and he kneels on one knee. Red eyes pierce you with determination. He has black and yellow warning tape on his forehead."Do you understand now? I was forged a miner and functionists want it to stay that way. They want the social order. Me and my colleagues are on the bottom of this ladder. And according to functionalism we will never climb up."
YOU - You nod with understanding. "The bourgeoisie keeps you under its boot. But you want to change that, right?"
MEGATRON OF TARN - "Yes. I wanted to be a medic." He frowns. "And what I am doing? Mining energon and writing poems in my very little spare time."
RHETORIC - That's not only a perfect candidate for communist. He is also an idealist and a poet.
PHYSICAL INTRUMENT - And a *perfect* candidate for la révolution. What we can't fight with words, he will with rippling muscles.
HALF LIGHT - He is not aware of this yet, but he has a great potential for *violence*. Sweet, simple, effective violence. He thinks of himself as pacifist, but the urge for destruction is boiling deep inside his guts.
VOLITION - We don't know if he can control this urge. This is a powerful and extremely dangerous ally. Don't let your ideals blind you, Harry.
YOU - "If you write something political, you should visit Steban and his friend. They would love to discuss some politics."
MEGATRON OF TARN - "I've never shared my writing with anyone besides Terminus. He is my proofreader and dear friend. Miner just like me." His eyes focus on a point deep in the mine. "He is not here as you can see."
1. - "Why? Shouldn't he be working?"
2. - "Yes, I can see that. Can we go back to talking about politics?"
3. - [Empathy - Medium 10] Figure out why Terminus is not here.
EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - Terminus is not well. Something *bad* happen to him. An accident. He is in much pain. So is Megatron.
ENDURANCE - But the functionists wouldn't let him rest. And he would endure the pain. Just like the rest of them.
LOGIC [Challenging: Success] - Whatever happen to him made him unable to function. Terminus is not here, he is laying somewhere motionless.
YOU - "Something happened to him? He is not able to work?"
MEGATRON OF TARN - "Yes, exactly. An accident tore his legs off and he apparently wasn't worthy of fixing." Says through gritted teeth. "He was always one of the best workers here and this is how they thank him?! But... how did you know that?"
KIM KITSURAGI - "My partner has this weird *talent*." He chuckles and fixes his glasses with grace.
ESPRIT DE CORPS - He is a little impressed. But mostly lieutenant is annoyed. This *quest* is taking way too long.
RHETORIC - It's not just a *quest*! It's a mission with a great value.
ESPRIT DE CORPS - Whatever you say, buddy.
YOU - "That's awful! I am sure communists would never treat him like that."
MEGATRON OF TARN - "They... wouldn't?"
YOU - "Of course! He is a part of the proletariat. The working class. The brother in arms in this fight against the bourgeoisie."
ENCYCLOPEDIA [Challenging: Failure] - I would love to say more about communism, but that's all I got. And we still don't know if *women* are bourgeois.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Well, we surely know that we would love to be under women's boot. Is that right, Harry boy?
VOLITION - Please focus. Both of you. I think Megatron is convinced.
MEGATRON OF TARN - "I wouldn't imagined that organics can come up with such a thoughtful concept." Megatron says with admiration.
PERCEPTION (HEARING) - "I thought their minds are too limited. Undeveloped even." He adds in whisper.
MEGATRON OF TARN - "I am not promising anything. But! But I would love to join your communist book club in spare time. I will present my treatise. More people should know about it."
HALF LIGHT - Rookie mistake. He called it a *book club*.
VOLITION - And we do not care about that. We will discuss semantics eventually. The good thing is that we convinced him.
RHETORIC - Since when you are so on board with this plan?
VOLITION - I am always *on board* with anything. More precisely I am in back seat, making sure we won't take a wrong turn and hit the tree. Metaphorically speaking.
COMPOSURE - It's funny you say that, considering we actually crashed a car once.
VOLITION - Believe me, I tried my best back then.
YOU - "That's amazing! With your help maybe we will build another 0.0001% of communism!"
MEGATRON OF TARN - "Wait, can you say that number again?" His red, glowing eyes are full of surprise. Thankfully he has no time to change his mind.
KIM KITSURAGI - "We should be going, detective. We have other things to do." He puts all his authority into this sentence.
RHETORIC - I allow it. We did what we could.