(Untitled)

[robocreep]

Where: By the well
When: Early evening
Who: Soundwave and Caroline
What: Secretary bonding and MAGIIIIC
Warnings: Nada

Comments

[yessirmrjohnson]

She almost flinches at the recording. "I apologize. Mr. Johnson may lack tact..or basic scientific understanding. But sometimes he just makes these amazing breakthroughs in science because I think he didn't know it was supposed to be impossible. They might be few and far between, but they happen. He just needs guidance to know how to apply what he's discovered. Plus..."

She trails off, looking at her hands with a faint sort of warm smile.

"He's just so enthusiastic about science. There's passion and joy in what he says and it makes up for the lack of practicality."

Caroline laughs nervously. "Not that it has much to do with anything at the moment."

[robocreep]

... You mean he's so dumb that he transcends stupidity and rolls right back around to genius. Too bad it seems to happen so rarely. As funny as Soundwave found Cave, he wasn't about to exhibit any sort of respect for the man. He was more comparable to an enthusiastic pet, really.

However, he cocked his head as Caroline's tone changed. Now that was interesting... Oh Caroline, he's not sorry at all. A heat based image appeared rather suddenly on the screen as she spoke so highly of Cave, and rather cheekily, points began to appear as the colors began to shift, indicating a more... warm body temperature. Really, Caroline? Really?

Right. Has nothing to do with anything. Sure. Forgive him, he doesn't look terribly convinced.

[yessirmrjohnson]

Caroline turned her head, not wanting to let him see her blush, but he was probably picking up on the rush of blood to her face anyway. "What I think I was trying to sum up was that my boss is difficult to work with but worth the time. I'm sure you can empathize."

[robocreep]

Yes, he could pick up on that too, and the picture reconfigured itself as such. He is well aware, Caroline.

... But yes, he can empathize. The heat image vanished as his head dipped faintly. Starscream, despite his nature, his mercurial moods and his ambitions was still worth his respect and thus, some of his loyalty. Not as deep as it was for Megatron, but still there.

Speaking of Starscream and being difficult to work with... There was a soft ping. The radar reappeared, only this time, only one point was visible. Labeled clearly: Optimus. A second point appeared then as well. Starscream.

Why was Caroline bothering with Starscream? Indeed, if his favors were so herculean and she already had a difficult superior to deal with, why align with someone who hated humans? Why not seek Optimus?

[yessirmrjohnson]

At the sound of the ping, Caroline faces him again. "There's nothing Optimus that can offer me that Starscream can't, other than protection. My enemies are very few here, so protection isn't a priority. Besides, energon has been a very valuable resource that has helped my research a great deal and Starscream has a good supply."

She turns to look back out across the street. "There are a few other reasons, but those are the most practical ones I can name."

[robocreep]

Nothing Optimus could offer? Soundwave doesn't care either way if Caroline stayed or left. He was honestly curious here. You didn't need to have enemies; a nice working environment would have been just as good. He wasn't really concerned about her treatment... But he wanted to know what was so great about Starscream to her.

Optimus could give her everything Starscream had. Without the favors and without... well...

"--Moron--
--Tiny mind--
--Fleshing--
--Vermin--"

Any of that sound familiar? Not to mention the various other points Optimus Prime had. As he played the sound clips, an image of Prime appeared on the screen, the description of a Prime scrolling past. Are you sure you wanna work with Starscream?

[yessirmrjohnson]

"Ok, ok. I suppose the real reasons aren't all that practical. I don't know if I should just tell you though. I've seen how things are repeated around you."

[robocreep]

He figured. Her concerns were well warranted, of course. But he wasn't concerned about that.

"--Surveillance--

--for OUR CAUSE--"

Frankly, if she was working with Starscream, Soundwave felt he deserved to know the exact reasons why.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"The true reasons may harm my working relationship with Starscream and I would rather not have that happen. That is, if they are repeated. They don't endanger him in the least and are personal so there would be no reason to even bring them up to him."

She sort of wanted to tell him, just to be able to tell anyone. But, she could almost hear her voice being played back with her soundwaves flickering across his visor already. Sorry Soundwave, but you seem kind of like a gossip.

[robocreep]

He can take secrets to his grave, Caroline. If he doesn't see a reason to say it, he won't. The screen goes black as if to demonstrate as such, the 'Con tilting his head towards her. He wanted to know. If it involved Starscream, he had to know.

He had gone motionless... expectantly so. No, he wasn't going to let up on this one.

[yessirmrjohnson]

She stands and brushes off her skirt. "I should actually get back to my errands." And with that, Caroline moves to walk away. "It was nice chatting with you."

[robocreep]

Ah ha ha no. You don't know Soundwave. Starscream's business is his business. He let the energon slide, he isn't gonna let this one go.

The only warning was a faint hissing, and Caroline would find herself blocked by a wall of metal rather suddenly. Lightning quick, one of those frighteningly long, fin-like arms had darted out in front of her, the 'Con having crouched down to her level with unsettling speed and silence.

Sorry, Caroline. You're not going anywhere.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"Is this really necessary?" She turns and tries a different direction only for the same thing to happen. With a sigh, she goes back to her place on the edge of the well.

"Fine." She going to speak softly, just in case any one else might happen to be listening in, so listen up. "I suppose you could say it's because of GLaDOS."

[robocreep]

That's right. Just give up. It's probably for the best anyway. He never touched her, seeming to go out of his way to avoid actually hurting her. He tilted his head as she gave up, waiting patiently for the response.

GLaDOS. This mysterious creature again. He'd heard her talking to Optimus. Of course he did, it was with Optimus. He matched the voices, of course. Caroline sounded alarmingly similar to this unseen AI.

"--GLaDOS--"

Yes? Go on.

[yessirmrjohnson]

Alright, what was the right way to sort this hard to articulate story into a way that might be easy to understand and didn't make her look half as unreasonable, paranoid, and petty as she felt for feeling this way. Her hands fidget a little before gripping the fabric of her skirt at her knees.

"I-" Nope, the words are failing her. "I just want to go home and decepticon technology is the most advanced besides my, our, er Aperture's. I don't know what her intentions are, but I'm worried she'll take him and his resources and use them for something petty and that opportunity will be gone forever."

Yea, volumes between the lines.

[robocreep]

He could tell. Soundwave was, in fact, pretty good at reading between the lines. Starscream would most certainly have gathered that Caroline wanted to go home. That wouldn't be what might turn him off at all... No, if Caroline was worried about that, most assuredly one of her own reasons must be petty and silly. At least, petty and silly to Starscream.

Further more... what with the stumbling there? My technology? Someone knew who was doing most of the work in the working relationship with Cave. Not that it wasn't stupidly obvious to begin with. His head tilted slightly towards her just a little more. May as well inquire more about GLaDOS, considering that at the moment, this AI seemed a little more dangerous than Caroline's desires to go home.

"--Take him and his resources--"

... It's his job to look out for Starscream, okay? Don't judge him.