For a Few Upgrades More - Chapter 5
Title: For a Few Upgrades More - Chapter Five
Warnings/content advice: robots at gunpoint, threats, innuendo (or euphemism)
Rating: PG-13
Continuity: Transformers Animated
Characters: Soundwave, Slipstream, supporting Ratbat; with brief Lockdown and Laserbeak appearances
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro et al, not to me
Prompt: tf_speedwriting Prompt #2 18 Sept. Song: The Bates - Independant Love Song
Lockdown had ability to summon and control his ship, the Death's Head, by remote, Soundwave noticed. The wireless command signal was easily detected, and recorded, now Soundwave's abilities were returning to him. Slipstream's wireless command to open and close the boathouse door was similarly captured. The three stood on the ramp along the river; Laserbeak folded on Soundwave's back, and Ratbat clutching the leading edge of Slipstream's left wing. Since their data link had been reestablished, Ratbat had been transmitting regular reports of the energy emanating from the Seeker. Soundwave could detect it, too: power, but also a particular infrasonic vibration. She was, like his minions, given life by a fragment of the AllSpark. From the readings, Soundwave inferred her fragment was somewhat larger than the minute fragments in his minions, and that she might even be holding fragments other than the one that sustained her.
When she had been happy, the vibration of the AllSpark fragment had changed to a barely audible hum. It was divine.
When the Death's head swooped down to collect them, Lockdown instructed them to board quickly. He would set them down in a secure more secure location to perform the surgery. "You may lean on me," Soundwave said.
Slipstream looked haughtily down on him. "Proceed."
Soundwave stepped-in toward Slipstream's right side and put a hand to her back. She put her hand atop his shoulder as they boarded the ship. They came to a tight corridor; there was enough room for them to walk together, but barely. Slipstream's wings flicked back and forth more than necessary to avoid wall plating. Soundwave was not very experienced at reading visual cues, but he had noticed that his fliers' changes in movement often corresponded to a shift in the data feed, specifically data regarding their emotional subroutines.
"You are annoyed."
Slipstream hissed. "You are amused."
Soundwave considered this. He had some emotions; none so powerful or volatile as the Seeker. His operating code was optimized for communication functions. His ability with sound and data rocked. "How do you determine that?"
"You sound amused." Just then, the ship tilted and Soundwave fell against the wall, Slipstream seeming on top of him for a moment. He heard her screaming as he also played back sensor data from immediately prior to the shift, scanning for indicating noises that might serve as warning in the future. He had never been aboard such a craft. "You need some help up there, Hook?!"
"We are covered by numerous automated surveillance and defense devices," Soundwave noted.
Slipstream pushed herself from him and put her hand to the wall to remove weight from her right leg. "It's all pretty well encrypted."
"You are capable with data?"
"Not like you. Name's not Soundwave, is it?"
"No," Soundwave said amused, again.
"Seriously. I will slag you."
Ratbat squeaked. He wanted to be able to serve them both.
"It is not humor at your expense," Soundwave explained.
"What the slag does that mean? I amuse you? If it's the femme thing, don't even start!"
"Do all Seekers have such vocal range? Will you sing for me?"
"Were we not clear about who is in command here, Soundwave?"
"You know I can make you compliant."
Slipstream touched a fisted hand to his helm; he heard a whir-click. "You know what moves faster than sound?" She nodded at him. "Light, as in a pair of lasers aimed at your CPU. No one makes me do anything!"
Soundwave did not know at which point he had angered Slipstream. He was uncertain whether it would be more or less logical to suggest that Ratbat had the ability to discharge bolts of electricity. "Was it the suggestion that you sing? There was no duplicity in my query. I find...fulfillment in sound and data."
Slipstream's fist opened; her talons seemed to caress his helm, though the lasers were still in a threatening position. "It's not my job to fulfill anybot," she said seriously.
"Agreed," Soundwave said, then, "But it is logical for all intelligent machines to seek fulfillment for themselves."
"I suppose." Slipstream stepped back; Soundwave saw a pair of panels retract into her gauntlet.
"What do you want?"
"I haven't decide- I don't have to tell you that!" Vocal analysis indicated the first statement was true. Slipstream honestly did not know what she would like. "All you need to do for now is be sure you really do have some tech to offer Lockdown, and that you give it to him, preferably at such time as he does not have home advantage."
"You think he will turn on you - on us?"
Slipstream glanced at Soundwave, her optics widening just so, but she did not speak. Perhaps she meant to remind him of their earlier conversation at the boathouse. Any of them were capable of destroying another, if it was in their interest. Slipstream and Lockdown had actively tried. It seemed his presence, making them an odd number kept any one from making the first move. It was like one of those scenes in the old movies he had assimilated, in which the human characters all held each other at gunpoint.
"The engine noise has just altered," Soundwave said; he was constantly monitoring his surroundings.
"We're landing. I can feel it."
Warnings/content advice: robots at gunpoint, threats, innuendo (or euphemism)
Rating: PG-13
Continuity: Transformers Animated
Characters: Soundwave, Slipstream, supporting Ratbat; with brief Lockdown and Laserbeak appearances
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro et al, not to me
Prompt: tf_speedwriting Prompt #2 18 Sept. Song: The Bates - Independant Love Song
Lockdown had ability to summon and control his ship, the Death's Head, by remote, Soundwave noticed. The wireless command signal was easily detected, and recorded, now Soundwave's abilities were returning to him. Slipstream's wireless command to open and close the boathouse door was similarly captured. The three stood on the ramp along the river; Laserbeak folded on Soundwave's back, and Ratbat clutching the leading edge of Slipstream's left wing. Since their data link had been reestablished, Ratbat had been transmitting regular reports of the energy emanating from the Seeker. Soundwave could detect it, too: power, but also a particular infrasonic vibration. She was, like his minions, given life by a fragment of the AllSpark. From the readings, Soundwave inferred her fragment was somewhat larger than the minute fragments in his minions, and that she might even be holding fragments other than the one that sustained her.
When she had been happy, the vibration of the AllSpark fragment had changed to a barely audible hum. It was divine.
When the Death's head swooped down to collect them, Lockdown instructed them to board quickly. He would set them down in a secure more secure location to perform the surgery. "You may lean on me," Soundwave said.
Slipstream looked haughtily down on him. "Proceed."
Soundwave stepped-in toward Slipstream's right side and put a hand to her back. She put her hand atop his shoulder as they boarded the ship. They came to a tight corridor; there was enough room for them to walk together, but barely. Slipstream's wings flicked back and forth more than necessary to avoid wall plating. Soundwave was not very experienced at reading visual cues, but he had noticed that his fliers' changes in movement often corresponded to a shift in the data feed, specifically data regarding their emotional subroutines.
"You are annoyed."
Slipstream hissed. "You are amused."
Soundwave considered this. He had some emotions; none so powerful or volatile as the Seeker. His operating code was optimized for communication functions. His ability with sound and data rocked. "How do you determine that?"
"You sound amused." Just then, the ship tilted and Soundwave fell against the wall, Slipstream seeming on top of him for a moment. He heard her screaming as he also played back sensor data from immediately prior to the shift, scanning for indicating noises that might serve as warning in the future. He had never been aboard such a craft. "You need some help up there, Hook?!"
"We are covered by numerous automated surveillance and defense devices," Soundwave noted.
Slipstream pushed herself from him and put her hand to the wall to remove weight from her right leg. "It's all pretty well encrypted."
"You are capable with data?"
"Not like you. Name's not Soundwave, is it?"
"No," Soundwave said amused, again.
"Seriously. I will slag you."
Ratbat squeaked. He wanted to be able to serve them both.
"It is not humor at your expense," Soundwave explained.
"What the slag does that mean? I amuse you? If it's the femme thing, don't even start!"
"Do all Seekers have such vocal range? Will you sing for me?"
"Were we not clear about who is in command here, Soundwave?"
"You know I can make you compliant."
Slipstream touched a fisted hand to his helm; he heard a whir-click. "You know what moves faster than sound?" She nodded at him. "Light, as in a pair of lasers aimed at your CPU. No one makes me do anything!"
Soundwave did not know at which point he had angered Slipstream. He was uncertain whether it would be more or less logical to suggest that Ratbat had the ability to discharge bolts of electricity. "Was it the suggestion that you sing? There was no duplicity in my query. I find...fulfillment in sound and data."
Slipstream's fist opened; her talons seemed to caress his helm, though the lasers were still in a threatening position. "It's not my job to fulfill anybot," she said seriously.
"Agreed," Soundwave said, then, "But it is logical for all intelligent machines to seek fulfillment for themselves."
"I suppose." Slipstream stepped back; Soundwave saw a pair of panels retract into her gauntlet.
"What do you want?"
"I haven't decide- I don't have to tell you that!" Vocal analysis indicated the first statement was true. Slipstream honestly did not know what she would like. "All you need to do for now is be sure you really do have some tech to offer Lockdown, and that you give it to him, preferably at such time as he does not have home advantage."
"You think he will turn on you - on us?"
Slipstream glanced at Soundwave, her optics widening just so, but she did not speak. Perhaps she meant to remind him of their earlier conversation at the boathouse. Any of them were capable of destroying another, if it was in their interest. Slipstream and Lockdown had actively tried. It seemed his presence, making them an odd number kept any one from making the first move. It was like one of those scenes in the old movies he had assimilated, in which the human characters all held each other at gunpoint.
"The engine noise has just altered," Soundwave said; he was constantly monitoring his surroundings.
"We're landing. I can feel it."