7th recording // Cave Johnson // Video
[Cave appears on screen, looking more annoyed than anything else.]
Uh, this thing on? Hello? Everyone out there, if you've seen my assistant recently, I'd like you to contact me. I haven't seen her for the past several days, and only just considered the possibility she could be missing.
[As opposed to what Cave, catching up on her reading?]If you ( Read more... )
Uh, this thing on? Hello? Everyone out there, if you've seen my assistant recently, I'd like you to contact me. I haven't seen her for the past several days, and only just considered the possibility she could be missing.
[As opposed to what Cave, catching up on her reading?]If you ( Read more... )
[ When it's Cave's face that shows up on the screen, a smile crosses her face. She's only able to read a few of the words from his lip but it's enough to get the gist of it. He noticed. When the first day or so passed and nothing happened, Caroline had began to worry, but he noticed. That fact alone warmed her there in her cage. It was enough to give her the strength to pull on the bars till she was once again sitting up. Cave was at least in some small part worried about her. He cared. ]
[ But. If he tried to come and get her...it wouldn't be long before he'd suspect the Decepticons and if he burst in here without a weapon or a plan, Megatron would.. No. She had to warn him. But what could she possibly say? Telling Cave not to do something was impossible. Any request to remain where he was would be seen as a challenge. And, even if by some miracle he was able to rescue her, where could they run to? Where in the small city could they hope to hide? How many other people would be harmed in the search? Escape, for now, was impossible. ]
[ Caroline bites her lip in an attempt to keep from letting her emotions overwhelm her. Cave still needed to know of the dangers. If she wasn't fed, or if her injuries worsened, she may die and he would become a target as a result. He'd need to be prepared for the worse case scenario.]
[ With a deep breath, Caroline prepares a voice reply. Her voice is hoarse and quiet in fear of being heard. ]
Cave... You have to listen to me very carefully. I. I need you to do something for me.
[ It felt both strange and somewhat comforting to call him by his first name. Now was not the time for procedure or typical professionalism. ]
Please.
Reply
Caroline? Caroline! Where are you!?
[Nope, not even close to quiet.]
Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you? I'm putting my coat on right now. I was out looking earlier, but I can head out again. It's not a problem. I'm not mad Caroline I'm just...
[worried?]
I can come get you.
Reply
[ She takes a deep breath, pushing past the growing ache in her chest. ]
I won't be able to return for a while. I'm..working on something. I need you to do something very important. It's going to be hard, but I know. I know you'll be able to do it.
Reply
Caroline, where are you?
[Whoops, cave not terribly interested in science right now Caroline.]
Reply
I can't say right now. I don't have much time, please just listen. I need you to go into my room, ok?
Reply
What do you mean you can't say? You can say very easily, right now in fact--
[He takes a deep breath and sighs, cutting off his outburst. SHe's clearly in trouble, and for one reason or another she doesn't trust him with her location.
Despite his increasing agitation, Cave would comply with her requests, if only because of how sparingly she made them and how worried he was.]
Fine, fine. Heading to your room now.
Reply
On my dresser is a black rectangular box. It's small and thin. On my bed is the book I finished over Christmas and a egg shaped capsule. It's about two feet tall and is heavier than it looks. There should be a long coiled metal cable in the corner. I need you to take all of these things to the Lucky 38. Don't drop the capsule. That's very very important.
Reply
I'll do it, but are to going to tell me what's going on? What's in the capsule, and why can't you just tell me where you are?
[There's something odd about his tone. A hint of... concern?]
Reply
[ That was a lot of information and she could only pray he'd remember it long enough to write it down. Caroline takes a long deep breath trying to stay calm and still make this crystal clear. ]
You must do this. Please. Please promise me you will. If you need supplies or tools, try the warehouses or Mr. Goodchild. If you need help... [ There was no one, really, that she trusted with that information other than Cave. ] I'm sure you'll be able to handle it. I know you'll be tempted, but don't deviate from the outlines.
[ The list she had mentioned to read to House was a long list of all things within the capsule, complete with diagrams of how the entire thing was put together and how it was proposed to work. There was also almost the remaining amounts of her true energon supply within it. She had sank almost all of her precious resources in this experiment. It must have been important. ]
[ If the experiment was a success, Element Zero would be synthesized. The proposed project she mentioned was for a gravity gun of sorts. It expanded on the ASHPD's lifting abilities and added the ability to increase or decrease the density of a target through Mass Effect. ]
You'll need that project. Soon.
Reply
Anger at the prospect of having to work with house, happiness that she should still be working on scince so diligently, worry that she sounded to be in such a desperate situation, and depression that she didn't quite seem to trust Cave enough to divulge her location.
Eventually, once the inner turmoil of his mind settles, Cave manages to respond:]
Sure thing Caroline. I promise. But you need to tell me what's going on... As soon as you can.
[Cave leaves the apartment carrying the duffle filled with supplies, wearing a grim expression.]
Reply
[ As soon as the communication ends, Caroline presses the device to her chest feeling tears well up. They were partly in relief, glad that he was preparing, a step closer to being ready for what may very likely go wrong. But there was also something else. There was the lonely emptiness that began when his words had ended. Funny how all this time she had been working to go home, but now she'd do anything just to go back to their apartment. Home's definition began to change as she lowered the device and slip it back into its hiding place. ]
Reply
hi
There's a soft ping. For something so huge, the spy could move without a sound, and there he was, almost melting out of the surrounding shadows of the ship. While the rest of the mechs here might not know of the typical human needs, Soundwave was a bit more observant, and had heeded his masters words. A starving human lead to a dead human, and so held carefully between two long, spidery fingers was... a little bag. He wasn't getting her goddamn haute cuisine, but the bag did at least hold bread, fruit, some bottled water and some fairly decent cold cuts.
You're welcome.
Not to say he didn't hear the conversation, but he made no mention of it, hooking the bag through one needle sharp finger to pass it through the bars of the cage.
Don't tell him he doesn't do shit for you.]
Reply
Thank you, Soundwave.
Reply
Frankly, torture isn't really his schtick, and tormenting someone who was already in the process of being tormented was redundant, and he kind of disliked being an echo with everything he did. She was already being taken care of.
There was just a slight nod... Before he pointed. At her chest. Yeah sorry. He is gonna need your little communicator. Looks like he's gonna have to tell Megatron that someone missed taking that away from you.]
Reply
Reply
And with that, he turned to leave, apparently in no mood for a conversation today.]
Reply
Leave a comment