[Transformers] Ghost Unit | Acquiescence
Series: The Ghost Unit
Title: Acquiescence (#29)
Setting: IDW Transformers, inspired by the "What's Wrong with a Little Destruction" 'verse by ajremix.
Note: Many thanks to rexlapinii and ajremix for beta-ing!
Summary: The best of schemes span over time and have more than just one layer.
Acquiescence
"Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have."
~ Thomas A. Edison
The alarm set on her office console still pinged at the corner of Fallout's HUD patiently, the blinking warning beating in rhythm with her footsteps as she walked down the corridor. That she'd been expecting this particular break-in explained why she was in no rush, and she suspected the offender would have no concept of the time by now if he was indeed reading the file she'd set the redundancy laden warning system on. Considering where they were and what office console had been breached, Fallout knew this was more of a hit and run type heist rather than anything relating to subtlety.
She walked into her office, the doors obediently closing behind her just as quietly as they had opened moments before. The sight greeting her nearly brought a wide, satisfied smile to her face - for all that she'd been expecting this moment, getting to actually see the expression on Shortfall's faceplates as he found out about the entire operation meant to bring him in as one of their own was an unanticipated bonus.
"You..." he pointed at the screen he was still reading, eyes never moving away from it even as he acknowledged Fallout's presence. "You set me up," he murmured faintly, the pointing digit shaking slightly. He sat down on the desk with stunned expression, arm falling down to rest at his sides as he took in the information displayed before him. "I mean, I knew there was a set-up, but - the whole thing... the whole operation was just to set me up and bring me in! Everything! You even played the slum lords against each other so that I wouldn't get killed until you were in place to extract me!" He turned to look at her, optics wide and still blank from sheer shock. Fallout suspected the truth of the matter was something he'd never even contemplated before, never mind expected to find in her mission files. He frowned suddenly, leaning forward on the desk to crawl on all fours hastily towards her, stopping only when he reached the edge. "You," he said, pointing accusingly at her this time, "used my own encryption sequences to lock that file down!" He gaped at her indignantly. "You set me up again! You knew I'd have to look at it the second I saw my own code there! You... you... YOU!!!"
"Aft-sucking slagger?" she completed for him helpfully, drawling out the words lazily. The expression on his face at the double combination of her throwing his own words back at him and swearing at the same time was a sight to behold and Fallout nearly gave in to laughter then and there. The half-furious, half-delighted squeak that he finally managed to emit in reaction broke her resolve enough that she couldn't repress a snicker of a smile for him. "What can I say?" She half-bowed at him. "I couldn't stand for the thought of having anyone but the very best as my partner, of course."
Another thunk came from the desk as Shortfall sat down, hard. Fallout's smile softened a touch, slowly growing into something more natural and genuine as she studied the small mech on her desk. "Gotcha," she murmured softly, turning her back on a still astonished Shortfall to leave the office.
~*~
#Um... Fallout?#
#Yes, Call?#
#Is Shortfall okay?#
#What do you mean?#
#Well... he's standing in front of the window near the landing bay and...#
#Mmmm?#
#...he has the stupidest expression I've ever seen. S'kinda cute. Only, you know, scary, since it's Shortfall and he doesn't do cute?#
#He's fine, Call. He just found out how we set up things to, ah, recruit him. You can keep an optic on him if you want to, but I think he's taking it well all things considered.#
#Oh! Ha ha! I guess he is! Cause that's one goofy smile he's got going!#
#Really? Hmm. Snag a few captures while you're out there, please?#
#Can do!#
Title: Acquiescence (#29)
Setting: IDW Transformers, inspired by the "What's Wrong with a Little Destruction" 'verse by ajremix.
Note: Many thanks to rexlapinii and ajremix for beta-ing!
Summary: The best of schemes span over time and have more than just one layer.
Acquiescence
"Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have."
~ Thomas A. Edison
The alarm set on her office console still pinged at the corner of Fallout's HUD patiently, the blinking warning beating in rhythm with her footsteps as she walked down the corridor. That she'd been expecting this particular break-in explained why she was in no rush, and she suspected the offender would have no concept of the time by now if he was indeed reading the file she'd set the redundancy laden warning system on. Considering where they were and what office console had been breached, Fallout knew this was more of a hit and run type heist rather than anything relating to subtlety.
She walked into her office, the doors obediently closing behind her just as quietly as they had opened moments before. The sight greeting her nearly brought a wide, satisfied smile to her face - for all that she'd been expecting this moment, getting to actually see the expression on Shortfall's faceplates as he found out about the entire operation meant to bring him in as one of their own was an unanticipated bonus.
"You..." he pointed at the screen he was still reading, eyes never moving away from it even as he acknowledged Fallout's presence. "You set me up," he murmured faintly, the pointing digit shaking slightly. He sat down on the desk with stunned expression, arm falling down to rest at his sides as he took in the information displayed before him. "I mean, I knew there was a set-up, but - the whole thing... the whole operation was just to set me up and bring me in! Everything! You even played the slum lords against each other so that I wouldn't get killed until you were in place to extract me!" He turned to look at her, optics wide and still blank from sheer shock. Fallout suspected the truth of the matter was something he'd never even contemplated before, never mind expected to find in her mission files. He frowned suddenly, leaning forward on the desk to crawl on all fours hastily towards her, stopping only when he reached the edge. "You," he said, pointing accusingly at her this time, "used my own encryption sequences to lock that file down!" He gaped at her indignantly. "You set me up again! You knew I'd have to look at it the second I saw my own code there! You... you... YOU!!!"
"Aft-sucking slagger?" she completed for him helpfully, drawling out the words lazily. The expression on his face at the double combination of her throwing his own words back at him and swearing at the same time was a sight to behold and Fallout nearly gave in to laughter then and there. The half-furious, half-delighted squeak that he finally managed to emit in reaction broke her resolve enough that she couldn't repress a snicker of a smile for him. "What can I say?" She half-bowed at him. "I couldn't stand for the thought of having anyone but the very best as my partner, of course."
Another thunk came from the desk as Shortfall sat down, hard. Fallout's smile softened a touch, slowly growing into something more natural and genuine as she studied the small mech on her desk. "Gotcha," she murmured softly, turning her back on a still astonished Shortfall to leave the office.
~*~
#Um... Fallout?#
#Yes, Call?#
#Is Shortfall okay?#
#What do you mean?#
#Well... he's standing in front of the window near the landing bay and...#
#Mmmm?#
#...he has the stupidest expression I've ever seen. S'kinda cute. Only, you know, scary, since it's Shortfall and he doesn't do cute?#
#He's fine, Call. He just found out how we set up things to, ah, recruit him. You can keep an optic on him if you want to, but I think he's taking it well all things considered.#
#Oh! Ha ha! I guess he is! Cause that's one goofy smile he's got going!#
#Really? Hmm. Snag a few captures while you're out there, please?#
#Can do!#