7th recording // Cave Johnson // Video

[iowntheplace]

[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

Comments

[ voice ]

[yessirmrjohnson]

I can't give specifics. [ Her fear that Soundwave was listening was growing... ] House will want to know why you're there and not me. Just tell him that something came up and there was no other choice. Give him the rectangular box. In chapter 3 of the book there is a list on page 150. Read that to House so he can prepare things on his end. When that's done, follow all the directions on the next ten pages. If the experiment is a success continue to chapter 20 and complete proposed project 3.

[ 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.

Re: [ voice ]

[iowntheplace]

[Caroline wouldn't be able to see, but Cave was going through quite a wide range of emotions on the other end of the communicator.

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.]

[ voice ]

[yessirmrjohnson]

Thank you, Sir.

[ 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. ]

[action lol]

[robocreep]

[Dear Caroline:

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.]

[action ]

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ She jumps at the noise, hand automatically going up to her chest and over where she had tucked her device away. Caroline expected him to try to take it, perhaps play back something she had said to prove he had heard her. When instead he offers her food, she looks at him unsure. After a moment's hesitation, Caroline reaches out and takes the bag, looking inside. There's a sigh of relief. ]

Thank you, Soundwave.

[action ]

[robocreep]

[No. He saw. He doesn't have to show you that he saw, he's gonna show Megatron. Later.

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.]

[action ]

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ Oh well. It was inevitable that they would remember to take it. Caroline was thankful she was able to get Cave on the right road towards preparedness without having to spell things out and give it all away. Her mind rewinds what she had said, and with a confident nod, she's certain the page numbers and vague descriptions hadn't compromised anything. She drops the communicator through the bars of her cage and into Soundwave's hand. ]

[action ]

[robocreep]

[He accepted the little chexmix sized communicator, bringing it out and towards his chest. The 'guard' over his chest almost seemed to ripple, before two small (relative to Soundwave of course) tentacles slipped out from under the metal, grasping the device and slipping back under with it.

And with that, he turned to leave, apparently in no mood for a conversation today.]