Of Nodes and Probes, Scalpels and Chains

[Perceptor-3]

Someone had obviously utilized this structure quite recently as a quasi workshop, if the subtle placement of the workbenches and the cleanliness of the "stations" are anything to gage by. The scores and holes stabbed into one table's surface - spaced in a humanoid fashion, with the unmistakable residue of spilled energon seeped deep into the pores of the metal - are something of a giveaway, as well.

The last restraint strap is checked, tightened another notch, and then checked again before the red scientist finally nods once, sharply, to himself in satisfaction. A fortunate thing that he is never without a set or three tucked into his subspace pockets; one can never be too certain when one will be presented such a... ripe opportunity for study.

That disconnected node of Synapse's is carefully gathered up into his free hand once more as he stares down at the restrained, and offline, minibot spread out so enticingly across the makeshift workstation. Perceptor's lips curl up into a thin, calculating smile, one of ice and blithe uncaring as he enjoys the visual buffet of his prize. It isn't often that Rodimus grants him such freedom with such a fascinating specimen, and the other Autobots do not tend to leave much of what they find him intact enough for sufficiently pleasing study. How much nicer it would be if he'd had all the tools of his own workshop at his disposal, rather than just the few things he normally carried on his person - even if said kit had been augmented by their travel to this universe - but he will gladly make due.

"Synapse," he murmurs, reaching forward with a pair of probes held deftly between his fingertips. A few quick manipulations of a particular open panel, and all power relays should be reconnected to the minibot's higher functions, allowing Synapse to flutter back online as soon as his systems reboot. "Your sloth is very disappointing, Synapse."

Probes slide delicately, feather light, over the surface of that node cupped in Perceptor's free hand as he waits for the smaller mech to awaken.

[Synapse-3]

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Though, the sensations washing over his tactile network are anything but unpleasant. The surprised yowl that emerges from Synapse's vocalizer is roughly cut off about the same moments that he realizes that his movements are. What greets his vision--his vision! For a moment, Synapse's visor flickers on and off as he attempts to take in his surroundings. There's no time to savor his newly-returned sense as his sights land squarely on Perceptor. Everything freezes as he attempts to reign himself in, the scientist's icy smile sending the barest shiver through his form.

"S-sir?" Horror spikes through Synapse as he tugs once more at his unyielding limbs. Realization sinks in quickly about his predicament and panic brings his visor to bright glow. "This is truly unneccessary, sir." Another shuddering twist, whether it's out of fear or from Perceptor's ghosting touches, he cannot tell.

He's had the 'privledge' of becoming a specimen for Perceptor in the past. With that knowledge, Synapse hopes that the examination that goes along with his repairs will be short and fleeting. The look on the scientist's face does not give the minibot any reassurances. "Please, sir?" If free, the scout would take this time to curl into a more...opportune position. Seeing as that option is unavailable, he settles for a simpering smile.

[Perceptor-3]

"Hmm... Perhaps it might have been an unnecessary duty," Perceptor replies, his smooth voice caressing the word in an audible echo of the slow trail of his fingertips over that node, making a lie of the very definition of the word, "had you been clever enough to avoid capture. How disappointing."

The scientist is anything but disappointed at the moment, as his thumb slides gently, teasingly over the surface of the node. Without warning, Perceptor presses down hard into one of the gouges, digging his thumb-tip into the battered components.

"Even more troubling to discover how weak your constitution has become, Synapse. Prime believes that you require... toughening," he murmurs knowingly, the press and grip of that thumb slowly slackening until Perceptor is almost tenderly cupping the battered component in his hand, brushing little ghosting touches across it's surface.

"Perhaps if you are able to articulate in a coherent manner precisely how it was that your will was circumvented, I might be persuaded to concentrate my efforts and curiosity upon hardening those systems."

He looks away, bringing the node up into his field of vision, peering at it closely from every angle, an unpleasant, malicious smile slowly growing across his features as he pets the node so lovingly.

"Although... these components do fascinate me so."

---

ooc: tormenting of Synapse-3 done with permission.

[Synapse-3]

'Had you been clever enough to avoid capture. How disappointing.'

Even if Perceptor's tone does not back up his words, Synapse still feels their impact. Disappointing. That is one attribute that the scout loathes to be labeled with. It signifies a falling out, a drop in the eyes of his superiors. Such a falling usually results in Synapse ending up in situations like this--something he does his best to avoid.

"Capture shall not happen again, sir," says Synapse, fighting to get the words out around the surprisingly pleasant, if uninvited distraction that Perceptor provides. Any more elaboration is put to a brief pause as the minibot's vocalizer chokes up with a pained yelp, that distraction taking a turn for the worse.

A shudder runs through his body and fisted hands loosen as Perceptor's touches turn light once more. Synapse's optics follow the red scientist's movements, utterly mesmerized and more than a little unbalanced by this back-and-forth. He's been dreading more torture since his return to the Autobots. These light caresses that he'd attempt to arch into are anything but. Though Synapse isn't complaining.

"Perhaps, sir, if my pain receptors could be dampened there would not be so much to exploit."

Dampened, but not taken away, for pain is a good measuring stick for one's limits. Synapse always wants to be sure of his limits.

Perceptor's last comment sends Synapse looking anywhere but at the scientist. "They are nothing more than a bundle of nerve endings." Nothing interesting, nothing new, truly. They are certainly nothing 'fascinating'. He hopes.

[Perceptor-3]

"Hmmm.... Perhaps. It is an idea that possesses merit," Perceptor agrees, optics shifting to observe Synapse as he trails a single fingertip around the circumference of the node, across torn skin and unblemished surface alike. "But first, we must see to your... repairs."

The smile he turns on the minibot as his hands cup possessively around that node and begin petting it once more is almost predatory for a moment, before fading into calculating chill. "And then we shall see about determining your base line sensitivities." That isn't a purr in his tone. Surely.

There's a flicker of light as a laser scalpel appears in one hand.

[Synapse-3]

Synapse twitches like a live wire as thousands of sensors respond to Perceptor's tracings. Concentration on whatever Perceptor is saying has long begun to fray, but the minibot struggles to at least have a semblance of what the scientist is speaking about. He sounds pleased though and that - that can be good. That also has the possibility of not boding very well for anyone under the large mech's scrutiny.

The world stops sparking and Synapse cranes to get Perceptor back in his sights. "Yes...repairs," the scout focus immediately narrows to the laser scalpel in the scientist's hand. Intakes hiss and fans go into overtime as fear spikes through his systems. He's still not recovered from his previous session with the instrument in the hands of another just as skilled. "Sir?" Synapse's voice comes out in a terrified whisper.

[Victoria Raines]

Shockwave is in a rare mood. His impromptu meeting with Rodimus Prime had been telling, providing an extremely important bit of information. But the cost for that information had been almost too high, in Shockwave's estimation. For he had been pushed further than he has in a very long time, and though it was nowhere near too far, it was far enough that it will take time for Shockwave to return to acceptable operating parameters.

Perhaps, then, it would have been prudent for Shockwave to abandon his search for the Autobot scientist. But given the uneasy nature of things, it would likely have proven a fruitless search had Shockwave waited. Plus, there was the fact that the Prime had not seemed too keen on the idea of such a meeting. When he becomes less preoccupied, Rodimus Prime might think to forbid such.

And so Shockwave's search brings him to a familiar structure, one which he had once put to good use. It had been the most likely candidate in Shockwave's mind, but it would have been foolish to walk through the entirety of town without checking other possible places on the way.

He stops in the open entrance, taking in the tableau, and it attracts him more than it would were his emotional processes not still active. He really did not want to give back the responsive little minibot.

Shockwave does not speak, merely waits. For now, he is content to be courteous.

---

Timing-wise, Shockwave is entering this thread after leaving Chosen of War and Fire

[Perceptor-3]

Courteous? Or curious, Shockwave?

Perceptor absently notes the other scientist's arrival - Shockwave is no stealth expert, and the displacement of air and the minuscule seismic response of his footsteps are inducement enough to warrant the briefest of glances at the doorway to catalog silhouette if nothing else - but otherwise makes no overt note of Shockwave's arrival. He does not fear the other, even here in his world. Nor would he have allowed the Decepticon to maintain possession of one of his favored subjects.

Perceptor smiles coolly down at his patient, Synapse's node still cupped almost tenderly in one open palm, the blade of the scalpel almost negligently held near, as if Perceptor were not even aware of their proximity to one another. "Yes?" Innocence should not be capable of being so malicious, and yet...

"You have been ill used, Synapse, and I will not offer the insult of sub-par work. The damages must be neatly excised if they are to be properly repaired," he adds with a fractional twist of that smile and a pleasant flicker of fingertips over the sensitive "bundle of nerve endings" he holds so possessively.

And if Synapse begs prettily enough, Perceptor might even be persuaded to disconnect the pain sensors before he begins. Or, more amusingly, splice the neural net so that every tactile sensation is received as intense pleasure, right down to the slow peeling away of the damaged skin, and the welding closed of the punctures stabbed deeply into the minibot's structure.

"Come to observe the fruits of your efforts, Shockwave?" Perceptor asks, pitching his voice back to carry to the doorway.

[Synapse-3]

Favored subject? As in follower or specimen?

Synapse is too busy mentally scrabbling away from the proximity of the scalpel and what it brings to mind to initially take note of Shockwave's arrival. Though the tension riding his frame reveals that he'd much rather like this scrabbling to be physical - physical and successful at removing all parts of him away from that blazing heat and sharpness.

Back to anticipating searing cuts, Synapse's jaw drops open with a startled gasp as fingers, not a laser blade, ghost over his receptors. Every little thing he expects doesn't happen. All efforts to control his reactions have been for nothing. But the big picture is that these repairs are going to happen and Perceptor hasn't made a move to do anything about his pain receptors, not if the phantom burn over where the scalpel hovers is any indication.

"Please, sir, a favor if I may?" asks the minibot, a tremor in his voice as he squirms on the workstation. "J-just a minor favor? If...if you may disable my--" Synapse trails off and he struggles between sounding earnest, humble, desperate, not-presumptuous and everything in between. "If this process can be as painless as possible, I swear I shall make it up to you some how--sir."

Any other pleas come to a rough stop as he catches Perceptor's shift of attention elsewhere. Optics catch sight of a chillingly familiar sillouhette in the entry and Synapse feels the ground has dropped out beneath him. Surely Perceptor's not going to be letting Shockwave remain. Surely?

[Victoria Raines]

Shockwave chooses to take Perceptor's address as invitation, and enters the workspace. "He was no more ill-used than Duskwing, and in truth was treated better. I did not deliberately and carefully muck up the minibot's repairs for the sole purpose of causing him pain." He moves to stand opposite of Perceptor, looking at the scientist over Synpase's body. It takes more effort than it should, not to touch Synapse, to worry at his wounds. When this conversation is done, Shockwave is going to go defrag come hell or high water, so his systems can spin down and return to defaults.

"After all," and here Shockwave's fingers do come up to hover over the wound at Synapse's shoulder, hover but not touch, "I took pains to lessen his sensitivity during the needed interrogation, and had time not been a factor...," Had time not been a factor, Shockwave would have worked to bind the minibot to him. Pain and fear are not the only ways to inspire loyalty. Shockwave's gaze remains fixed on Perceptor, "Though it is worth noting that he seemed most distraught at the idea of being remanded to your care."

He lets his hand fall so that his fingertips rest lightly on the worktable, "And so I find myself with cause to be curious."

[Perceptor-3]

Why can it not be both?

"Hmmm... Indeed," the scientist muses smugly, soaking in Shockwave's observations as well as Synapse's begging, though his optics remain fixed upon the minibot. "Am I to understand that you presume to direct my work upon you, Synapse?"

There is a dangerous glitter to that smile he offers to the bound Autobot as the node is almost tenderly set back upon the table - out of Shockwave's reach, unless the Decepticon chooses to make so obvious a grab for it, it might be noted.

"The Prime does not take attacks upon his Autobots lightly," Perceptor observes to Shockwave as the scalpel is flipped away to be replaced by other tools. "This Duskwing is a fascinating creature to study. His survival protocols do not have as complete a control over his functions - particularly his vocal processors - than most. Was his processor dropped upon manufacture?"

"As for Synapse, despite certain... performance failures, he does possess a reasonable level of intelligence," he adds, and his tone seems to indicate that "performance failures" should be punished. Swiftly and severely.

Though Perceptor maintains the conversation in almost bored tones, his hands have been busy, gaining access to Synapse's vital areas, most notably his core and primary tactile processor. Perhaps, Synapse, you have begged prettily enough, and in front of Shockwave even, to warrant getting your pain receptors disengaged after all.

Or... perhaps not.

Delicate work, manipulating he incredibly fine circuits and controls that oversee sensory input processing. But a bare slip of a micron or two, and one could be seeing taste or hearing color.

Or have their pain receptors reprogrammed to process all stimulus as pleasure, from the simple pleasure of photon warmed plating to the processor searing pleasure of a sensory overload.

Now, it only remains to be seen, how long until Synapse notes these changes to his quite obviously not-disconnected pain receptors, and how long can he hide his responses to the stimulus provided by the alterations?

Or will he even bother making the attempt?

Well, Synapse, you did request a lessening of pain, now, did you not?

---

ooc: manipulation of Synapse done with permission. also, apologies on the posting delay.

[Synapse-3]

The flattening of Synapse's expression is inversely proportional to the distance between him and Shockwave. That model breaks quickly and the minibot's face splits into a grimace as the Decepticon's hand reaches out towards him - much too close for any attempt at feigning calmness. No needles this time, but that doesn't make it any less troubling.

"Direct your work? No...never, sir." Synapse realizes his request may be a grevious mistake, but it's worth a try, right? Definitely. Synapse learned quick to beg and ply his superiors however prettily if it means things go his way. This time it looks like his philosophy works. The scout nearly freezes all his systems as alerts to network changes beep and flash in response to Perceptor's alterations.

Synapse remains nervously silent until Perceptor's next words reach his audios.

"Such failures will not hapen again, sir. I shall make sure of it," he blurts out, once again trying to reaffirm that he knows his mistake in hopes that the punishment will be lessened in any way with this knowledge. Synapse's attempt to mask his fear at Perceptor's tone is likely poor and he's torn between keeping a wary optic on the red scientist or Shockwave. The camera feeds in his nodes are no help in this matter.

Looks like Synapse is also in need of some lessons in specifications.

[Victoria Raines]

"There is no Duskwing in my reality, so I can not speak as to the quality of his make. But he does seem to lack...discretion."

Shockwave watches Perceptor work without bothering to hide his interest. Shockwave's own Perceptor is exceedingly skilled, and many times Shockwave has invaded the other's lab just to to watch, to see what new technique or invention Perceptor might develop. The fact that doing so irked the often cold and brusque former Autobot was coincidental.

This Perceptor is just as skilled, perhaps more so, as he seems unhindered by morality, more concerned with his outcomes versus the well-being of his patient. Something to be remembered.

Shockwave looks down as Synapse declares that he will not fail again. "You should not make promises you cannot keep, minibot. Adjusting your senses down too much would limit your effectiveness, considering how integrated your tactile systems are with the rest. And my attentions were no were near as damaging as they could have been. I doubt your ability to hold firm in the face of more of the same."

[Perceptor-3]

Perceptor merely smiles down at Synapse as the minibot assures him that he will modify his own behavior. On any other mech - aside from Rodimus Prime himself - such a smile might even be comforting. Perhaps.

This is not "any other mech", however, and the chill blue of Perceptor's optics has never seemed more... apt than at this moment.

"Discretion," he observes absently, scalpel flickering back to life in his hands and beginning the work of excising the damaged portions of superstructure on Synapse's nearer shoulder. "Hn." Yes, he'll warm the minibot's adjusted tactile systems up on a few basic structural repairs before moving on to repairing the node.

Given the additional damage that Rodimus Prime had done to that sensor laden skin, perhaps it would be best to simply remove the entire surface covering and recast it from scratch. To maximize effective reintegration of all sensory input systems, of course.

Just how will peeling the rest of that incredibly sensitive skin free, strip by shredded strip, feel with such enhancements as Perceptor has performed on Synapse's primary sensory network? Perceptor smiles wickedly to himself and carefully, slowly, carves out another sliver of damaged shoulder strut to clear space for the new piece to be welded back in place.

"Brutally efficient," he is forced to admit, tilting a brief look up at this Shockwave. Not a bit of squeamishness in that interested stare. That blatant curiosity is the furthest thing from discomfort, in fact. What possibilities might that hint at? Brilliance, and pragmatism.

He'd never imagined the possibility that he might actually find himself... admiring a Decepticon. How utterly fascinating!

[Synapse-3]

Shockwave's attentions, intakes choke slightly and Synapse shakes his head. "Such...scrutiny I intend on avoiding in the future. I--I should not have given away my presence," he says, gaze sliding away from the towering Decepticon and focusing on something else. It makes steeling himself and talking back so much easier. "I will not be taken again."

The hopeful and half-pleased smile on Synapse's face melts away as he catches sight of Perceptor's own expression and the scalpel bearing down on his shoulder. Optics cycle off and the scout's entire structure tenses in automatic anticipation despite his thinking that Perceptor has deactivated his pain sensors. The only sensation that follows is a hot, tickling sensation that seeps through the region--not too much unlike the feeling of a teasingly trailed buffer rag.

Visor flickering back to a startled blue, Synapse flinches as he watches Perceptor neatly carving out a section of his shoulder. For a moment the minibot's mouth moves in silent confusion. It's a few seconds later that Synapse twists his head away, lips tightened into a line as he tries to hide his reactions to the confusingly conflicting information his senses are sending him.

"Sir, it--" Whatever protest or notice that the minibot attempt to get out is stifled as Synapse is instead focusing on biting back more wordless vocal expression.

Perceptor's shift of attention on Shockwave goes unnoticed by Synapse. It's possibly a good thing. Any signs that his scientist has a growing interest in the Decepticon might have the scout rethinking his position. How utterly terrifying.