Of Robots and Secret Plans

[Tarantulas]

Day 26, immediately following Deadliest Catch, semi-private, but will be opened to 'Cons at a later time.

Tarantulas stalks into the medical bay, Rampage following on his heels. He pulls a step-stool out from under a console and gestures to a scary-looking piece of machinery that somewhat resembles an MRI machine, if you stood up in an MRI machine, and the scanny bits glowed with an evil red light. "Quickly, give me your schematics, if you have them, and step into the scanner. We want this procedure over and logged before anyone shows up to 'supervise.' If Hook walks in here and catches me altering your schematics we're both scrap," the spider says urgently.



OOC: Rampage posed with permission.

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

Rampage hesitates a moment at the threshold but forces himself in, hopefully before Tarantulas notices. The spider already knows much more about him than he likes, he has no interest in letting him discover this little weakness. He tries not to walk stiffly as he approaches the machine, glaring around at the various pieces of medical equipment placed around the room. He would just as soon reduce the place to molten slag than stand in it, but needs must...

Still, he can't help but pause before stepping into the MRI-like machine, stalling by transferring his schematics to Tarantulas with a grumble. He's not sure which he trusts less: medical equipment or the spider. However, the device doesn't look like anything he couldn't tear his way out of if he had to and so he climbs into it.

"Then hurry it up," he snaps, more interested in getting out of this infernal place as soon as possible than worried about getting caught.

[Tarantulas]

Tarantulas is already the only one on Ship who knows about Rampage's mutant spark. Any further blackmail material is just icing on the cake.

The spider receives the data transfer from Rampage then transfers the schematics to the computer. "I'm working as fast as I can," he says testily, and indeed, his golden claws fly over the keyboard as he edits certain key areas of Rampage's file. He also starts the scanner, and the scanning arms glow brighter as they begin to circle Rampage with an ominous hum, bathing him in red light.

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

Rampage watches the scanning arms like they might start spewing acid at him at any moment. It's a Decepticon device being run by Tarantulas, he wouldn't be surprised. The machine is moving far slower than he would like. He doesn't want to be here. It makes him nervous, and he hates feeling anything related to fear himself. Fear is for other people, something to be caused by him, not felt by him.

He remains outwardly calm and still for the most part, though his beast mode legs quiver restlessly. He growls, "Is it done yet?"

[Tarantulas]

"I've already skipped the warm-up sequence, stop whining," Tarantulas barks back at Rampage, finishing his editing of the schematic the crab gave him. He then works on modifying the scanner's program, so that the data it produces will show no signs of Rampage's unique qualities.

After a few moments, the scan is done, leaving three copies of Rampage's baseline measurements: one from the scan, the one Rampage supplied Tarantulas with, and the third, unaltered copy the spider just made for his personal use. "You can step out of the scanner now. We're all done here," he says, as he transfers the third file to a disk and moves to put it in his subspace.

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

Rampage quickly steps from the scanner and marches halfway across the room before he stops himself. Accursed weakness. If only he could deal with it as he had the last time - destroying the place and everyone in it. Looking back at Tarantulas he asks, "That's it?"

Remarkably quick and painless for a Decepticon/Predacon medical examination.

[Tarantulas]

OOC: This thread is now open to 'Cons. Yay!

It really is quite interesting how unsettled Rampage is by the medbay. Tarantulas will have to remember that for later.

"Yes! That's it," Tarantulas says, turning so he continues to face Rampage, which coincidentally means his back continues to be away from Rampage. It's easier to stick the disc full of crab cakes's dirty little secrets in his subspace without it being noticed that way, you see.

"We're all done here."

[Dr. James Hook]

A mostly green but also purple crane rolls into the med bay, toting a pallet of girders, carried almost daintily via his eponymous hook.

This conveniently puts him more at ground level than usual, and he notes the tinies scurrying about. Hook sniffs, "Ah. The new Predacon mentioned on the radio. I am called Hook, if your history lessons did not cover such matters."

His crane arm swivels over and up to set the girders down on a table, and he transforms to his full height, unimpressive for a Decepticon, but quite enough to tower over little Predacons. "This is my domain."

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

"Good," Rampage grumbles and turns to leave, only to come face-to-fender with a crane that soon transforms into a robot. The crab pauses to size Hook up. No more impressive than Optimus Primal in his final body change. The fact that Hook is on the small side of average for a Decepticon is sure to gall him to no end in the time to come.

He considers simply shoving past Hook and leaving the medical bay, but the Decepticon's claim that this is his domain has Rampage thinking politeness may be the better option. He dislikes scientists and their sort, but it seems best to try and remain on their good sides. Tarantulas excepted, but they have history.

"That would be me," he says, "I am Rampage." A downright traditional Predacon name, really. "I was just on my way out."

[Tarantulas]

'This is my domain?' Seriously, Hook? If you keep using language like that, people are going to mistake you for Mindwipe.


"We just finished Rampage's medical exam. I was going to hand him over to the Mayhems for his security interview," Tarantulas says. "Dare I ask what the girders are for?"

[Dr. James Hook]

Hook looks at both Rampage and Tarantulas dubiously. He inquires sharply, "Just had your medical exam, did you now?"

Hook bets Tarantulas did it wrong, but that is just because Hook always assumes people did it wrong, unless proven otherwise. He turns back to his pile of girders on the table, slides one out of the pile. and pulls out some calipers. "Proper repairs on those holes that dratted little Autobot pest left in Ship. The patches will hold, but they're not as good as I'd like," which is to say that the patches could survive a multiple megaton explosion, but Hook is still unhappy with them.

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

Rampage bristles at Hook's question, and says firmly, "Yes. I did." There is no way he is going though two medical examinations in one day, especially not from someone he can't crush under a foot.

He moves closer to the exit, resisting the urge to growl as he realizes he can't leave just quite yet. "Tarantulas, where was it I need to go, again?" He glares at the spider in a silent attempt to tell him to be quick about it. A security interview is preferable to hanging around in a medical lab.

[Tarantulas]

"Go straight down the hall, make a left at the first junction, and it'll be the fourth door on your right, Rampage," the spider responds. "I actually have to escort you there, since you're in my custody until you're cleared. Good luck with the repairs, Hook," he finishes, bowing to the Constructicon and making for the door.

[Dr. James Hook]

"I'll know who to blame if you come down with a mechanoma, then," Hook mutters.

The two Predacons are very, very lucky that Hook is preoccupied with fixing those patches, because if he wasn't, and if he checked the scanner logs? Hook would be having such a fit over Tarantulas skipping that warm-up step. There are warm-up steps for a reason! he would make them re-do everything.

"I won't need luck, Tarantulas. I have me."

[Rampage/Xavier Goodkind]

Rampage quirks a brow at Hook, but remains silent. He wants out already. Heading out the door - finally - he waits in the hallway for Tarantulas to catch up. Still stuck with the spider, wonderful.

He calls back to Hook, "A pleasure meeting you." He channels his pleasure at being out of that lab into sounding sincere.