Autobots: The Two Towers

[Shanodin]

It doesn't take Botanica that long to make her way to the location Perceptor specified. Of course, her radio is useless when underground, so she can only hope the scientist did change his mind about wanting her help. She twirls out of the ground just outside the structure.

It's a bit tight, getting through the doorway, but thankfully her plant mode is quite flexible, and is not hard fixed to one size. There's quite a bit more room once she's in, though, and she notes the small blue Autobot. Odd. Wasn't there supposed to be two of them? She doesn't see the small red microscope off to one side, and even if she did, likely would not make the connection.

"Hello, are you Perceptor?" she asks the Micromaster.

[Perceptor]

There is a rather large plant oozing itself through the door. Nothing nearly as threatening or ominous as, say, the Morphobots had been, but there is still a significant mass of plant... Wait a moment. A significant mass of plant...former? This must be Botanica, then. A plant...former...

Ever seen a microscope boggle before? First time for everything, you know.

"Errr.... ah.... ahem. Ah, No. I am Perceptor," he explains, motoring out into the open a bit more behind her. "This is Holi who is gracious enough to lend his communications specialties to assist."

The long barrel of his scope angles up with a soft whirr of gears and mechanics, then back down again, taking in Botanica's form from top to bottom. "You are Botanica? I have never had the opportunity to meet an individual with such a unique alternate mode before."

Perceptor-ese for, "uh.... you're a plant?" See how much more polite Perceptor-ese sounds?

[Holi]

At Botanica's unusual entrance, Holi stops and his mouth falls open in a look that can only read as awed surprise. He knows it's rude to stare, but he can't really help himself; while he remembers she has a plant as her secondary mode, he's fascinated all the same. Mostly because she's pretty! Maybe not quite as pretty as Clipper… like a flower. Of course. That's it exactly – she's pretty like a flower. A very large flower with a rather lovely voice.

Oh, she's talking to him. And if Holi could possibly look more mortified as the words sink in, only fate will ever know.

"Um… no, ma'am," he adds shyly to Perceptor's own rebuttal and, showing his age, childishly points at the microscope for lack of any other ideas.

[Shanodin]

"I apologize for my error," she smiles and inclines her head at both in turn. Stares and unspoken questions per the norm, but she is getting used to that. She kneels, so as to be closer to Perceptor, and when she addresses him, there is a trace of humor running through it.

"And I for one, would not have expected so small an Autobot, considering your peers. It is a pleasure to meet you both."

She straightens, glancing about the room. She notes the unit shoved out of place. "Effective method, if a bit crude. So gentlemen, where shall we begin?"

[Perceptor]

"Ah! I am currently mass-shifted to facilitate entry into this structure. I am, otherwise, comparable in stature to several of the other Autobots you may have met, such as Kup or Rodimus," Perceptor explains, rolling forward a little more. "Thus, I apologize for my rudeness in not transforming to greet you properly. Such an action would prove... quite inconvenient for the facility." There's almost a hint of amusement in his voice at that last.

The barrel of his scope rotates toward the shifted unit, and the whole structure of the smallish microscope almost seems to sag with dejection for a bare moment. He'd frozen up when he'd been needed. That rankles. Holi, however, had not. Perceptor is proud of the young micromaster.

"Given the rather... distressing nature of the broadcast, expediency seemed far more important than grace," he offers. He is very proud of Holi's quick and clear thinking right now, and it probably comes out in his voice.

It never even occurs to him to realize that there seems to be a trait Holi has in common with him - threaten or hurt Holi, and the youngster isn't nearly as collected, and yet, threaten or hurt someone else, and tables turn.

"First, I would like to find some manner of ensuring that the broadcast will not reinitiate once we restore power. Once power is retored, Holi, your skills will be appreciated in assisting us to track down a point of origin for the broadcast command signal. So. Given the natural physiology of the Gilannese inhabitants, particularly in regerence to their quadrupalmar nature, where would the most logical placement be for a primary control board for the transmission portion of the tower? We have significantly more time to study the components to form a hypothesis now courtesy of Holi's cleverness."

[Holi]

"It's very nice to meet you, too, ma'am," murmurs Holi, giving Botanica one of his many sunny smiles. "And…" here his voice drops to a polite whisper, since he hasn't really remembered to say this until now, "I'm glad you made it here safely." Of course, he sincerely means every last word of it. Not only is she a comrade, she just seems so pleasant.

Holi doesn't say much else while Perceptor talks shop with Botanica, but he can't help basking just a bit in the praise the doctor gives him. He was only doing what he had to do… but it is nice to be commended for it. Quite nice indeed.

He perks up, blinking his way back to reality, when it finally occurs to him that he has just been addressed; it takes him a few awkward moments to rifle his audio buffers and find out exactly what it was Perceptor said. Really, letting his mind wander like that instead of listening–!

"Oh! Ah… yes, sir!" Holi chirps, drawing himself to attention again. "I'll do my best!" But does that mean he should sit back and observe while the two scientists go to work? Or will he be needed to help since Perceptor hasn't any hands in his current mode? "Should… I stay out of the way until then?" he wonders quietly.

[Shanodin]

Botanica had almost immediately turned her attention to the console after addressing Holi and Perceptor. She rolled her eyes; expediency is all well and good, but please? Shoving a power relay out of place isn't really a praise worthy action, necessary or not. Though it was necessary. A shadow crosses her face at the memory of that image. She physically shakes it off, vines rustling.

She examines the unit, and those around it, trying to puzzle out the similarities all such tech usually has. Data ports galore- where was Rattrap V3.0 when you needed him?

"Well if this is the main power relay, and it appears to have been...,"she turns, one hand tapping the console, "That grouping over there looks promising." She points toward a collection of flatscreens under which was a slightly curved console, it like a few others, dimly lit- emergency power pack, maybe. Yes, definitely promising.

"Hardly," Botanica says in answer to Holi's question, "I'm flexible, but I can't reach everything at once. And Perceptor can apparently only offer verbal assistance in his current mode." She waves Holi back towards consoles, "There's still power coming in, but you disrupted the circuit. I'll see about bypassing the switchboard. You give that a once-over; see if you can make anything of the controls."

[Perceptor]

You were not here having a flashback/panic attack, Botanica; as far as Perceptor is concerned, it's very praise worthy.

"No, Holi, we will require your dexterity. Particularly me," Perceptor replies gently as he rolls forward to train his scope on the various consoles. "Thank you."

Perceptor turns his attention toward the panel Botanica indicates, motoring slowly over toward it. "Holi, could you perhaps remove this panel for me so that I might study the interior components?"

At this rate, the poor micromaster may regret having agreed to come along and assist.

[Holi]

"Yes, ma'am," Holi says and nods to Botanica, already moving for the console she pointed out by the time Perceptor specifically requests his aid. He looks over the controls, glances up at the darkened screens and back down; he finds the layout a little confusing, but maybe it makes more sense for someone who has four arms. These slides here might be for sound control… this dial beside them might be master volume…. The buttons on the other side, above the keys labelled in text he can't read… Holi isn't sure about those. This could be some sort of soundboard, but if it is, why attach viewscreens?

Still more to puzzle out during the investigation, decides the Micromaster with his thoughtful face on as he looks up from the console to Perceptor.

"Oh! Yes, sir," he murmurs, crouching and tugging at the panel. It comes free easily enough and the inner wiring and workings, neatly laid out, dusty from a year of missed maintenance, are laid bare to the light for Perceptor's examination. Holi gives the interior his own curious glance, tilting his head just so to peer under the lip of the door. Hum. Probably best to leave this to Perceptor and get back to figuring out the console. "Maybe it's a soundboard?" he adds quietly, tentatively, before standing straight.

[Shanodin]

It takes a little while for Botanica to work out the connections at the back of the power relay, but once she does, she sets to work with quiet confidence. Reroute this, tie in this line here- that junction isn't necessary, might as well bypass it. She is relying mostly on her hands and collar vines for this; she still hasn't worked up a way to carry a kit on her at all times, just a few small tools tucked her and there. Now, solder this circuit and....

There is a soft hum as the rooms machinery comes back on line, and the console Perceptor and Holi are examining brightens. Thankfully, there is no static heralding the replay of that disturbing missive, but a few of the monitors flicker to life, glowing, but devoid of images.

She crosses over to join the other two. "A soundboard? Perhaps. But if their transmissions were all holographic...mayhap it also controlled things like contrast and saturation, or," she tilts her head, considering, "The broadcast was a soft light holo; Grimlock's shots went right through it. I wonder if the that could also be adjusted here.

Botanica kneels down to examine the console's interior with Perceptor. "It wouldn't hurt if we could figure out a way for me to bounce a signal off this tower, in case I need to send very long range. I've upped my communicator's range, and I should be able to pick up any incoming signals...but I don't have the sending power you all with your internal radios do."

[Holi]

Holi, with only a quick blink to register the console returning to full power, sidesteps to give Botanica a little more room as she approaches to help Perceptor examine the console's innards. Meanwhile, the Micromaster is still busy with the layout of the controls. Of course it makes sense for there to be image controls as well; that lends reason to the abundance of switches and dials and buttons. Twice the output to monitor!

"I wonder why they didn't just use regular video," Holi murmurs rhetorically. If they used holographic video, they must have had a reason. Another few seconds and he has the layout committed to memory, then flounders for a moment. Figuring out the workings of the alien machinery isn't really something he's cut out to do; best to leave that to Botanica and Perceptor. But there are other consoles to figure out. He can do that! "And… miss Botanica, ma'am?" he shyly adds even as he's turning to start work on the nearest of those other consoles. "If you like, I could try to help you with your communicator after this." He can do that, too.

For now, back to unravelling this mystery.

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OOC: Scene fadeout here with okay of Perceptor's and Botanica's players.