One For The Team

[Rook]

Earth Month 1, Week 1, Day 4, Ship, Semi-private

Rook looks impeccable as he enters Ship's main laboratory space. He's always well-groomed, of course, but it's especially important to make a good impression when arriving unannounced. He's in robot mode, walking slowly, hands clasped behind his back, the very picture of quiet confidence. Most observers would never guess that he's nervous as the Pit.

He has every right to be, of course. This is a Decepticon science facility. Horrible things happen here, sometimes to unwilling test subjects. As to why he's here . . .

"I'd like to volunteer for this," he announces, holding up a datapad.

[Tasha Walker]

Blackarachnia does not look up when Rook enters. She is in the middle of doing a rather complex experiment that seems to involve bits from several dead mechanisms, all of which are in various stages of dismemberment. Some of the bodies are oozing, because they seem to be technorganic blends.

She peers into the scope, moves to the terminal and inputs some data, and then tweaks the item under the scope with a extremely fine set of tweezers. Finally, she looks up.

"Why?"

[Rook]

That was not the answer Rook was expecting. He was expecting something more along the lines of 'Whoopee, let's cut you open and see what makes you tick!' from the crowd who hangs out in here. He's a bit taken aback, actually.

"I'd like the opportunity to serve our cause doing something other than paperwork, madame," he says, lapsing into silence. Rook might normally bluster and make demands, but he's on Blackarachnia's territory at the moment, and she could refuse him if he ticks her off.

[Tasha Walker]

Blackarachnia is certainly mentally unbalanced. She is also certainly a scientist. It does not necessarily have to follow that she is a Mad Scientist^TM.

Her eyes narrow as she looks Rook up and down. Finally, she snorts indelicately and turns her attention back to her scope.

"Wrong answer," she says.

"Care to try again?"

[Rook]

Rook narrows his eyes right back as Blackarachnia seems dismiss him as less important than her current project. He wasn't aware the previous question had a right answer.

"Is it really so hard to believe that I'd like to get out from behind my desk and contribute something meaningful?" he responds, clenching a fist by his side.

[Tasha Walker]

The spider takes the tiny circuit from under the scope and begins to fit it into a board that would fit in Rook's hand and still leave room to spare. She talks as she works.

"A fair question."

"You and I are some of the more... practical and self-interested among the Decepticons here. We each have our own agendas. You just play the politician and keep those agendas under your wing."

Blackarachnia looks up, "So tell me why you really want to risk your life to become the science team's guinea pig. Drop the politics and the party line and tell me why you think the advantage you might gain is worth the risk of losing your life."

[Rook]

Rook leaps up onto Blackarachnia's desk with a single beat of his wings. He doesn't land anywhere near her delicate project, or on top of her tools, of course. That would be gauche.

"You seem to be confusing wanting to have nice things for oneself with harboring some sinister motive," the crow says. He'll file that little tidbit away for later. "You say I play the politician, Blackarachnia. Diplomacy is my function, as science is yours. However, there's not much call for it here, which leaves me at a disadvantage. I wish to improve my other talents."

[Tasha Walker]

After a moment, during which Blackarachnia coolly continues to size up Rook, the spider nods.

"Fair enough."

"Hop over there," she points to an unused table, "And let's have a look at you. I just need to stabilize this first."

[Rook]

Rook nods back to Blackarachnia. A couple of wingbeats take him to the indicated table where he waits, claws fidgeting nervously beneath the concealing cloak of his wings.

[Tasha Walker]

Blackacrachnia makes Rook wait nervously a little longer than she really needs to, because she is a bitch like that

Eventually, though, she calls up the bird's schematics and starts to give Rook one very thorough examination, provided he doesn't object The handling is not rough; in fact, it is possibly gentler than Rook might expect.

After a while she say, "Hrm. I think we can make it work. The mode-changing tech from your reality shares a lot in common with the Pretender technology I've been able to study."

Stepping back, she asks, "You really want to do this? It's going to be a multi-level upgrade process, and it may be highly uncomfortable during some stages."

[Rook]

Rook will get Blackarachnia back when she needs something from the Intel department.

He doesn't object to her handling, though he has to suppress the urge to chastise her for ruffling his feathers.

"Believe it or not, Blackarachnia, I'm no stranger to hardship." Admittedly, it's been a while since he actually endured anything worse than substandard ener-tea. "I'm not going to be scared out of going through with this." His voice is calm and assured, betraying none of the trepidation he feels. It's one of the perks of being a trained speaker.

[Tasha Walker]

"Very well, then," she says, "No time like the present."

Blackarachnia reaches for an scalpel and a syringe full of anesthetic.

---

Fade on delicate medical work.