All characters depicted or mentioned in this story are the trademarks and/or copyrights of their respective holders, except for those that aren't. Any resemblance to actual people, alive or deceased, is coincidental, etc., etc. Geez, it's just a story, guys. Don't get too uptight over it...
The slender brunette smiled warmly as she looked down from the balcony. From below came the murmurs of several thousand visitors, kindred spirits sharing a common love, the result of almost a year of unending work. To see the people below move like a living tapestry, to hear their joy, to feel the raw energy of their excitement, to know that she was the force that had made it all possible -- that was her reward.
By any metric Jovanka "Raksha" Kink cared to use, BotCon '95 was a smashing success.
When the alien beings called the Transformers introduced themselves to Earth, humanity's initial response was both predictable and understandable. The idea of a race of giant shape-changing robots from the stars was disturbing enough; the fact that they were waging an eons-old civil war didn't help matters any. But over time, with the reassurances of the world's leaders and the friendly efforts of the peaceful Autobots, people gradually overcame their fears.
For many, the acceptance went even further. Whether drawn by the allure of giant robots, spacefaring races, alien worlds, or a hundred other factors, there were a surprisingly large number of people who unabashedly admired the Transformers. They transcended age and gender and race and nationality, gleefully leaping over language and cultural barriers to share their ideas and enthusiasm with each other. An informal, underground fan culture quickly blossomed around the globe, second in number only to Star Trek.
Perhaps it was inevitable that this market was tapped. An ambitious toy company was first, releasing a line of transforming "action figures" for Earthbound Autobots and Decepticons. They were a smashing success, to the point where small riots threatened six cities when false rumors of a toy shortage appeared near Christmas. Other merchandisers quickly followed with related goods: coloring books, trading cards, board games, key chains, and a hundred other items. An animated series hit the airwaves with predictable prosperity, mixing fictional battles by eager writers with simplified versions of real-life events. All official licensing was done through the Autobots (since no one could find a Decepticon representative), who turned over all the proceeds to charity.
And then there was BotCon. The first convention, held to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Transformers' introduction, was organized by a consortium of toy makers and local fans. Though not heavily promoted, it was a success, but a little too "corporate formal" for many. So before the dust had settled, the president of one of the fan clubs involved had carpe'd the diem. With lightning speed, Jovanka Kink positioned herself as the organizer and coordinator for next year's convention.
To her surprise, everyone else gladly turned over their responsibilities to her with a minimum of fuss. Surprise became understanding as she staggered under the colossal effort of coordinating a convention. The following year was a nonstop frenzy of frantic phone calls, countless hours of volunteer work, various threats and promises, and a few instances of old-fashioned arm- twisting. But it was worth it: BotCon '95 was clearly bigger, better, flashier, and simply more fun than its predecessor.
Raksha leaned on the railing and gazed idly over the bustling floor of the Dayton Convention Center. The dealers were doing a brisk business, with crowds of shoppers and curio hunters flowing by in search of deals on toys and rare items. In one corner, an artist from the comic book was doing sketches on request, while across the aisle several authors of Transformers novels autographed books and answered queries. Someone was selling airbrushed T- shirts, someone else was advertising an official Transformers-based "giant robot" role-playing game, and a third offered pins, rings, and lapels. An early version of a Transformers video game was shown for the Nintendo and Sega, and a few folks nearby checked the schedule for discussion panels and the time of the night's laser show and concert.
But the biggest knot of people was in the center of the large hall. With good-natured grins and an endless repertoire of wisecracks, the Autobots Jazz and Blaster were entertaining everyone with their sunny personalities and sheer presence. Currently, Jazz was signing an autograph (How does he hold that pen? Raksha wondered) for a young boy, while Blaster was doing a robotic soft-shoe to some Nine Inch Nails. Compared to the first BotCon -- whose only "real" appearance of a Transformer came from a videotaped greeting by Optimus Prime -- this was a vast improvement.
With a smile, she stood up and cooed softly to Avatar. The albino Burmese python draped around her shoulders slid forward and hissed at the attention. "Let's get down there and join the fun," she said.
As she turned for the stairs, the rhythmic thump of running feet greeted her. They were followed a moment later by a young man who darted up to the balcony. Huffing heavily, he didn't say a word, but merely held out a cellular phone, his gesture obvious.
"Thanks, Calvin," she replied as she took the receiver. "Hello?"
Blaster was thrilled beyond words. He was no stranger to publicity, having been used to crowds of fans before; on weekend leaves from the Ark, he would often go down to The Auto Shop and dance the night away while enjoying the attention of various admirers.
But those people tended to be curiosity-seekers and passers-by, who were intrigued with the idea of giant robots in the abstract, or merely thought it trendy to be seen in the same vicinity as one. The BotCon crowd was different -- at times it seemed as if everyone at the convention ate, slept, and breathed Transformers. He didn't have to worry at all about scaring strangers or answering silly questions; fans recognized him on sight and gladly asked him about life, the universe, and his views of the Billboard Top 40.
He turned as Jazz nudged him in the side. "Mister Briggs here asks, are we having fun yet?" the white robot said with a broad grin.
"You kiddin' me?" Blaster replied, amplifying his voice so that everyone could hear. "I haven't had this much fun in a hundred vorns!"
"Oh yeah! Too bad Powerglide ain't here, he'd love this!"
"Too bad? You mean good thing!" Blaster boomed as he mugged to everyone in sight. "I wouldn't want to be on the same planet with him after he got done with this crowd!" The fans laughed loudly, and Blaster beamed again.
He turned towards a red-headed teenager who was waving a copy of the Transformers comic book. "Hi there!" he shouted. "Can you sign this for Eric? He's my brother, and a really big fan of yours!"
"No problem, m'man! Hey, #96! Cool issue!"
The teen grinned and nodded eagerly. "Yeah! He loves the part where you fought down the runaway Sentinel."
"It's easier to read it than to do it," Blaster smiled as he turned to the page in question. "So where's your brother, anyway?"
"Aw, he can't make it. Broke his leg last week playing soccer."
"Major bummer! I hope this will cheer him up!" Blaster wrote a little missive, signed his name with a flourish, then handed the comic back to the teen. "Take care, and say hi for me!"
"Great, thanks!"
A disturbance in the crowd caught Blaster's attention. He looked up, then gestured to Jazz. The two Autobots watched as Jovanka Kink pushed forward, her waist-length hair waving frantically as she sliced through the crowd. Her efforts to avoid jostling visitors wasn't very successful, but Avatar's smiling presence helped keep protesters silent. "Blaster--! Jazz--!" she huffed as she pulled up to the circle.
"Hiya, Miss Kink," Jazz smartly replied. "What's up with the hubbub? We ain't going anywhere."
"It's not that -- I just got a phone call, and--"
There was a distant roar of surprise and confusion, causing everyone to turn toward the front of the hall. Though the convention center's main doors were fifteen feet tall, the Decepticon warrior known as Starscream had to twist gracelessly as he squirmed through.
"Ohhhhhhhhh, brother!" Blaster cried as his concussion rifle materialized in his hand.
He took a step forward, only to be stopped by Jazz's outstretched arm. "Chill! We can't start a fight now, there's too many people!"
As the Autobots watched helplessly, Starscream slowly advanced through the crowd. He stooped slightly to avoid the ceiling, and was taking surprising care not to step on anyone. Rumble was now also visible, perched on Starscream's shoulder; the two smiled and waved to the convention-goers with friendly grins. Most of the humans merely gaped numbly, though a fair number cheered and applauded the new arrivals. To Blaster's consternation, no one appeared to be heading for the emergency exits.
Finally, the Decepticons reached the center of the hall. "Greetings, Autobots!" Starscream merrily announced. "Nice day, isn't it?"
"It was," Blaster replied, tightening his grip.
"All right, Starscream," demanded Jazz. "What do you want?"
"Want? Why, we want nothing at all! Rumble and I had some free time today, and I thought that it would be a good idea to join your little convention!"
"You got a problem with that?" Rumble curtly added.
Blaster glared angrily at the little blue robot. "You're the problem, runt! We know it's a sham, so why don't you scram?"
It should have been impossible, but Starscream's smug grin grew even wider. "What's the matter? We've just arrived, and already you want us to leave?" He pointed to the rifle in Blaster's hand as he continued, "You know, for 'peace-loving' Autobots, you sure are fast on the draw."
"That's 'cause we know better."
"Ah, shove it up your exhaust!" countered Rumble.
"In any event, I don't see any reason why we have to leave when we haven't done anything improper," Starscream continued innocently. He looked down at Raksha with a friendly smile. "Miss Kink? We'll gladly pay the admissions fee if we must, but I suspect you'll be glad to have us as guests instead. Am I right?"
Jazz looked at her as well with a small frown. "It's your call, m'am. You want them out or what?"
The hall fell silent as everyone's attention was focused on their black-garbed hostess. Her gaze darted quickly from Autobot to Decepticon, then to the assembled and eager crowd hanging on her decision. The audience was tense, but Blaster couldn't tell if it was from fear or anticipation. He distanced himself by thinking of how to forcibly remove the Decepticons with a minimum of property damage and casualties. The prospects looked bad.
After an eternity of suspense, Raksha turned to Starscream and said, "Sure ... sure, you can stay, if you don't cause trouble."
"I give you my word," Starscream replied with a triumphant smile. He ignored the Autobots' angry glares as the crowd cheered.
AUTOBOTS Q & A was crossed out. In its place, scrawled in bold black letters, someone had written the new title: AUTOBOTS VS. DECEPTICONS -- WAR OF THE WORDS. Not that anyone needed to look at the program guide for that. News of the newly-organized debate had spread like wildfire, and the excitement of BotCon jumped as a result. Already, news of the day's exploits were traveling worldwide on the Usenet groups rec.toys.transformers, soc.transformers, and talk.politics.transformers.
The adjoining auditorium was standing-room only and crammed with several hundred eager attendees, gleefully ignorant of the room's maximum capacity limits. But even that wasn't enough; a closed-circuit television system had to be thrown together to accommodate those left in the main hall. Raksha gave silent thanks to the two large-screen projection TV sets hidden in the bowels of the convention center storage room, and for the tireless efforts of the BotCon volunteers who frantically assembled the network. Please, don't let the Fire Marshal come by now, she pleaded.
She was standing at the front of the auditorium, watching as Doug tinkered with the video camera while Jay and Dave handed out microphones to the debaters. Starscream sat in one corner, smiling politely as he and Rumble signed autographs and chatted with visitors. In the other stood Jazz and Blaster, who were clearly bothered by the turn of events; overtly, they were still as friendly as before, but it was obvious that they kept a tense optic on their opponents.
She had no valid reason for removing the Decepticons, and she wasn't afraid to admit (to the consternation of some fans) that she was actually glad they were present. Raksha was never entirely fond of the simplistic "good Autobots and evil Decepticons" scenario: her feeling was that, while the Decepticons' objectives may be harsher and more direct than those of the Autobots', it didn't render their ideals any less valid. She might not want them to blow up the Earth, but she was able to respect -- and even admire -- their differing philosophy. It was an unorthodox view, to be sure, but she was never one to shy away from controversy.
There was a brief tap on her shoulder; Raksha turned just in time to see Dave jerk his hand back, avoiding Avatar with a toothy grin. She smiled as she took the microphone from him, then stepped forward and addressed the audience.
"Hi, everybody. Um, as you might've noticed, there's been a slight change in our program today." She paused briefly as a few people giggled, then pressed on. "Since we're lucky enough to have Starscream and Rumble join us, I thought it'd be very interesting to put the Autobots and the Decepticons together and talk about their differences. They're only going to talk, so there's no need to put on your asbestos underwear.
"This is going to be very informal; you're welcome to ask anything you want, but I'm hoping we get a lot of debate about the differences between the two groups. Blaster has volunteered to amplify audience questions, so we won't have problems if you're the quiet type.
"All right? Great! We'll start by having both sides give a brief summary of their views. The Autobots won the coin toss, so ... 'bots, you're up."
Blaster nodded. "Man, I wish Prime was here," he confessed. "He's much better at this speech-stuff than I am. I'll just keep it short and sweet, folks -- the 'cons wanna grab everything they can, and if you're in their way, then it's 'Sorry, Outta Luck' for you. We're out to stop 'em, 'cause we're the good guys. The end." He smiled and bowed as the audience applauded.
"How eloquent," Starscream replied in a voice that oozed thick with sarcasm. He gestured towards the audience and said, "I won't insult your intelligence by telling you that statement was a lie. Of course the Decepticons want to seize what they can; anyone bright enough to pick up a newspaper can see that for themselves.
"I ask you instead, is that wrong? Think about your own human history -- how often have your explorers and inventors and leaders been motivated by greed and ambition? The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Spanish, the Chinese and others expanded their empires through years of war. Columbus and Cortez were simply after wealth and power. Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin to increase profits in the South, while Franklin and Edison reaped their work for fame and fortune. Even today, NASA admits that asteroid mining and zero-gravity manufacturing are major reasons to continue and expand your space program.
"The difference between humans and Decepticons is far smaller than you may think. We're all ambitious, and we all believe in 'survival of the fittest.' It just happens that, this time, we're the ones with the superior firepower. If the situation were reversed, you'd gladly do the same to us. May the best beings win." He spread his arms open, and his smile held only the barest hint of challenge.
There was a smattering of applause, though not as enthusiastic as before; it was clear that many were disturbed by Starscream's frankness. "Okay!" Raksha quickly injected, "Let's open it up to questions from the floor. Who wants to start?"
Over a hundred hands immediately filled the air, waving in eager anticipation. She took a deep breath; this was going to be a long afternoon.
From the BotCon '95 videotape. AUTOBOTS VS. DECEPTICONS -- WAR OF THE WORDS. Selected highlights:
| Question: | "Starscream, as a scientist, don't you find the Decepticon idea of 'might makes right' to be simplistic, uncivilized and unfair?" |
| Starscream: | "Of course not. 'Civilization' is whatever the leading class calls as such. And the universe has no concept of 'fairness.' I may be a scientist, but I'm also a realist. Evolution takes no prisoners. What's your point?" |
| Question: | "A question for the Autobots: is there any chance for a peaceful resolution to the war?" |
| Blaster: | "I'd like to see one." |
| Jazz: | "We've got nothing against ending the war without blowing each other up. The problem's getting the Decepticons to agree." |
| Starscream: | "That's a problem with Megatron. A more qualified leader of the Decepticons may be open to a peaceful settlement from the Autobots." |
| Blaster: | "You mean surrender!" |
| Starscream: | "That, too." (Smile) |
| Question: | "Rumble, why does your toy have you colored red instead of blue?" |
| Rumble: | "What?! Lemme see! ... Oh, that bites! Shockin' stupid jerkwipes can't tell up from down next..." |
| Question: | "To everybody: what's your favorite way to relax?" |
| Jazz: | "Hit the freeway and crank up a hundred-fifty-plus. Of course, you gotta make sure the cops don't catch ya..." |
| Blaster: | "Front-row tickets! I don't care who's playing, if it jams, I'm your man!" |
| Rumble: | "What a pair of wusses! Me, nothin's better than pounding somebody's face into the floor. Especially if it's a jerk like Thundercracker who's been ridin' me all day..." |
| Starscream: | "Such juvenile antics. For me, true relaxation comes from working on a difficult problem, whether it's a new invention, a new code, or a new scheme." |
| Question: | "Are you all going to beat each other up later?" (Everyone looks to Starscream) |
| Starscream: | "Of course not! I gave my word that we won't provoke anything today, and I intend to keep it. Not all Decepticons are war-crazed thugs with an attention span measured in milliseconds." (Starscream tightens his grip on Rumble) |
| Rumble: | "OW! Okay, okay...!" |
| Question: | "Then how do you explain all the ... 'war-crazed Decepticon thug' stereotypes?" |
| Starscream: | "I'll quote the Earthling Samuel Butler: 'An apology for the Devil. It must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.' Maybe you need someone to show things from the Decepticon point of view." |
| Jazz: | "Now why do I think that won't sell in Peoria?" |
| Rumble: | "Ah, shaddup!" |
| Question: | "Since the Decepticons showed up, are the Autobots going to report this to Optimus Prime?" |
| Blaster: | "Oh, you can bet he'll hear every word of this..." |
| Question: | "Can't you all just be friends?" |
| Starscream: | (Turning to the Autobots with a smile) "After you." |
| Blaster: | "No way, Jose. After you." |
| Rumble: | "'Let's just be friends.' Sheesh! Someone's been watching too much television." |
| Question: | "How do you feel talking to each other like this?" |
| Rumble: | "Zarkin' stupid." |
| Starscream: | "This is most amusing." |
| Jazz: | "I admit it, I'm nervous. I keep expecting Starscream to pull a crazy stunt any minute now." |
| Blaster: | "That goes double for me, but my money's on Rumble." (The Autobots look anxiously at the Decepticons. Starscream smiles back smugly while Rumble makes a rude gesture) |
| Question: | "Okay, be completely honest now -- who do you really think is going to win the war, and why?" |
| Jazz: | (grinning) "The Autobots, of course! We're the guys in white, and ain't nobody messes with Prime and gets away with it!" |
| Blaster: | "All I know is that the Decepticons aren't going to win in my lifetime." |
| Rumble: | "We can fix that!" |
| Blaster: | "Let's see you try, pipsqueak!" |
| Rumble: | "Watch yer hole! I'll slam-dance your face in!" |
| Blaster: | "You couldn't--" |
| Raksha: | "Guys? Hey, guys!" (Blaster and Rumble fall silent) "Starscream?" |
| Starscream: | "Despite what my ... 'colleagues' may think, I'm very confident that the Decepticons will win in the end. That's because we can be completely ruthless; the Autobots will always be hampered by their compassion. All we need is a leader who can properly exploit that flaw." |
| Raksha: | "And that's you?" |
| Starscream: | "Perhaps..." (Smile) |
"Take that, you overblown clock-radio!" *Crunch!*
"No, no! Don't hurt me! Aieee!"
"Ha! What a zip-brain! Let's see you fight without any arms!" ***Rip!***
"Agggggh! Please, no--!"
*POUND*pound*POUND*pound*POUND*
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Rumble! Settle down, or I'll eject you this instant!"
"Aw!"
"And pick up those pieces!"
As Rumble complied with a string of muttered expletives, Starscream wondered who had given him the Blaster toy. Not that it matters; it'll be torn to shreds before we even get halfway to Deceptibase.
Still, it was worth putting up with Rumble's antics to attend the humans' conference. If Starscream had anything more pressing to do, he wouldn't have bothered. But there was a lull in Decepticon assignments lately, Megatron was between "master plans," and -- to be completely honest -- Starscream was getting a little stir-crazy.
Starscream was in his jet mode now, afterburners firing as he roared out of Ohio air space. None of the other Decepticons wanted to attend, of course. None of them saw the point; even Rumble followed more out of boredom than anything else. But then, they didn't have Starscream's sophistication, to appreciate the sly pleasure of "passively disrupting" the convention. Watching the Autobots spend the entire day fidgeting nervously, in constant fear of what he'd do next -- that was fun!
Not that he would have actually attacked anyone. It would have been entirely unproductive; the humans would have another excuse to whine about the Decepticons, the Autobots would have jumped him, and he might have gotten battered about with nothing to gain for the trouble. No, much better to smile and wave and "press the flesh," as the Earthling expression went, while the Autobots twitched helplessly.
And he got a chance to observe the humans from up close. He mentally filed their reactions to his comments, taking note of which ones provoked what responses. If he ever needed to manipulate the Earthlings for a plan of his own, that data would certainly come in handy. The opportunity to present the Decepticon philosophy was an added bonus. He wasn't expecting the humans to abandon their beloved Autobots en masse, but perhaps they will hesitate a little before shouting against the Decepticons in the future. Every little bit helps...
By any metric Starscream cared to use, BotCon '95 was a smashing success.
Jazz, Blaster, Raksha, and Avatar were out behind the convention center, watching as the orange glow of Starscream's engines quickly faded into the evening dusk. Huddled behind them was a thick crowd of attendees, with expressions of awe and excitement and disbelief. A few of them started drifting back to the main hall, but many others remained, perhaps hoping the Decepticons would return.
"Check my eyes and my ears," Blaster said, "Starscream's really outta here."
"Don't knock it, man," admonished Jazz. "We could'a had a primo disaster if he had opened fire."
"Ohhhhh yeah. But I'll bet Rumble's one P.O.'d punk right now."
"Tough! I'm thanking Primus for small favors."
"Me too," Raksha said dreamily. "Starscream was great."
She looked up at the Autobots, who were gaping at her in surprise. She smiled broadly at them as she said, "Sorry, guys. I know you two have been on edge all day. But you've got to admit, this was terrific for the con."
"Decepti-con or Bot-Con?" Blaster teased.
"Yeah, two Autobots weren't enough, so you got yourself a couple'a Decepticons as well," Jazz added.
"Well..." She patted his leg lightly. "There's still another day left to BotCon. It probably won't be as exciting as today, but I hope you two will stick around anyway. I'll understand if you have to leave, though."
"Nah, Miss Kink," Jazz said with a grin. "We promised you two 'bots for two days, and that's what you're getting. Just tell me one thing..."
"What?"
"Is Starscream gonna come back next year?"
THE END
Sorry, Raksha, but it's not quite that small of a cameo after all... B-)
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