|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 7, 2008 13:13:00 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks to Perceptor and greets, "Oh, no need to be sorry. You were invited! Besides, I am certain that another perspective on the matter will be enlightening. Please, sit down." He gestures to a chair.
Emirate Xaaron's optics brighten just a fraction. Swerve is definitely reacting poorly to Perceptor. Of course, it is easy to imagine a Perceptor gone wrong. Emirate Xaaron had personal experience with a mad red scientist, after all. Still, faking that kind of reaction is hard. Seems like Swerve was telling the truth to tell of Perceptor as one to fear.
|
|
|
Post by Kup on Feb 7, 2008 14:09:30 GMT -5
Kup, who has been listening carefully as this polite Other-Swerve has been going over the details of their alternate counterparts, looks up and offers Perceptor a faint smile and a pleasant nod of greeting when he arrives.
He leans back in his chair and casually stretches his right leg in front of him as he clasps his hands over his midsection. "I know I'm certainly curious to hear more about this portal, thing." Though he's rather expecting to need a translator on the matter. Ah, well.
OOC: Still skippable.
|
|
|
Post by Rodimus Prime on Feb 7, 2008 14:35:23 GMT -5
Rodimus Prime stands slightly as part of his greeting. "Yes. I'll be interested in hea-" he breaks off.
They're still making due with limited resources, and while they had managed to track down a few chairs for the meeting, not all of them looked to be particularly comfortable or even sturdy. The last remaining chair (discounting the one that Swerve isn't using, but is reserved for him) falls under that category.
Wasn't that one of the ones he had grabbed when he was helping Xaaron to set up? Uhm. Whoops.
Rodimus smiles a bit sheepishly. "On second thought," he stands all the way up and picks up his own chair, "why don't you take mine. I'll use this one." And then he trades out the chairs. He puts the less stable chair behind his desk, and then... sits on his desk. There's no way that chair will support him!
|
|
|
Post by Perceptor on Feb 7, 2008 20:44:56 GMT -5
"Ah, thank you," Perceptor replies, edging into the room. For one moment, seeing that blank look that spoke of intense discomfort upon this Swerve's features - before he'd masked it - Perceptor had almost politely excused himself and withdrawn. He has questions for Swerve to clarify his theories, but seeing that surprised fright, Perceptor is now afraid of too much clarity.
He seats himself on the chair Rodimus had vacated for him with ponderous care as he gatheres him own composure once more.
"I must beg your indulgence briefly, Xaaron, Rodimus, Kup. I require additional information to cement my hypotheses," he explains before turning toward Swerve, attempting to project as unthreatening an aura as possible.
"Swerve, can you tell me how similar the portal unit you entered was to the unit you exited here? Particularly in regards to states of completion? Also the workshop of my counterpart. How similar are our two facilities?" Totally calm. Totally professional. Not a bit of hesitation at the "my counterpart." Really.
|
|
Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
|
Post by Swerve-3 on Feb 9, 2008 13:43:18 GMT -5
Well, maybe it's a good thing he'd already worked through at least upper command before this detour. Swerve considers the questions, using the time to settle himself – this Perceptor is not the one he knows and is ostensibly one of these good Autobots – while he mulls over his memory banks. It wasn't the portal that had first set off the warning klaxons when he and Emirate Xaaron had arrived here, really, so much as the lab itself….
"The machine wasn't very different," he says. "Not so far as I could tell, at least. Might as well have been the same. The lab, however… well, you haven't a door, for one. Things aren't as – what's the word." Less rough-spoken than his counterpart he may be, but Swerve is still a mech of only average intelligence. "Less neat. Less sterile. I saw fewer dissected specimens laid out, and I saw no restraints on the workbench in the one corner – the chemistry station. You–" Swerve catches himself and grimaces. "…I'm sorry. He uses that station pretty frequently." The constable refrains from further, unsettling description or any speculation on that particular matter.
He also stops cold again and a fretful cast settles on his features as Emirate Xaaron radios him and he answers.
"Sirs," he adds hurriedly to the assembled, "I'm sorry, but I'd like to be dismissed now, if I may. Emirate Xaaron is in distress. I should see to him. I'd be happy to continue this another time, if need be."
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 11, 2008 10:18:16 GMT -5
Why did Emirate Xaaron let Rodimus Prime pick out the chairs, again? Oh right, he was too busy commissioning the lamp from Long Haul. An oversight on his part that he will need to rectify.
He listens along, considering Perceptor's choice of question and Swerve's response. He then casts his optics up at the ceiling. In distress? Primus, he wants to smack his counterpart so much. Emirate Xaaron could show him distress! However, he brings his optics back down and steeples his fingers, acquiescing, "Very well. However, I can guarantee that you will be called upon to answer more questions and that your Emirate also will have to answer questions in time."
He will play nice. For now.
An idea occurs to Xaaron. It is a rather devious idea. He does not think Perceptor will like it. This is why he's going to suggest it to his Boy Prime first instead. The Prime should be a better gauge of these people's mindsets than Xaaron is, and if he's unsure, ehn, they can ask Kup. Conversationally, he suggests, //We should see to it that this Swerve attends Skyfire's inaugural celebration and that he is well fed. He really does need to loosen up and relax a bit more before we'll get more out of him. He's too strung-out and tightly wound. We don't need these little censored omissions. I would rather know exactly what horror I am facing than be babied. We need to get him smashed and get him talking to someone he doesn't find threatening – and finding someone who fits the bill but knows the questions to ask will be a trick in itself.//
|
|
|
Post by Rodimus Prime on Feb 11, 2008 10:49:26 GMT -5
Rodimus tilts his head faintly towards Mirage, suggesting that he is to continue accompanying the racer as Swerve departs. "We'll speak to you later, Swerve," he says, agreeing with Emirate Xaaron's guarantee.
He shows no outward sign of the radio contact, but he does reply over the radio, //He also might be wary of accepting too much in the way of drink from us. But, considering he seems to find all of us threatening... who're we going to get to talk to him? Holi?//
Holi is about as non-threatening as Autobots get, although Rodimus supposes there could also be an evil alternate Holi. The Micromasters Rodimus is familiar with are not so child-like, after all, and wouldn't take exception to being dismissed as not-dangerous... because they'd be too busy taking advantage of the situation by making the dismissor suffer.
|
|
|
Post by Perceptor on Feb 12, 2008 15:17:12 GMT -5
As Swerve's descriptive answer spools on, Perceptor's expression grows ever more even, if almost studiously pleasant. Neutral and attempting to be nonthreatening, however he cannot help but be disheartened by what Swerve explains. Although not a guarantee, this Swerve's observations about Perceptor's counterpart's equipment merely supports his previous hypothesis.
"Ah... thank you, Swerve. Your observations are quite helpful," Perceptor adds, chin dropping into hand in that classic "thoughtfully thinking" pose of his. On the Perceptor this Swerve is familiar with, that pose is almost always the prelude to someone getting disassembled or pumped full of something unpleasant, except that this Perceptor isn't fixing that thoughtful look on anyone present like his counterpart would have been, but is rather staring off into space distantly. It's probably an unsettling sight to one who probably expects the worst from the scientist.
|
|
|
Post by Mirage on Feb 12, 2008 15:56:41 GMT -5
Mirage returns the Prime's nod, then stands. He isn't too thrilled about being assigned perpetual escort duty, but at least this Swerve does not seem quite so likely to take a swing at Mirage for no reason.
OOC: Mirage will follow Swerve out when he leaves. Swerve, feel free to pose him as such in your next post.
|
|
Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
|
Post by Swerve-3 on Feb 13, 2008 20:36:59 GMT -5
With a grateful nod to both Rodimus Prime and Emirate Xaaron – Perceptor receives a shallower gesture, uneasiness at the scientist's contemplative expression betrayed – Swerve draws briefly to attention. He hesitates; he should salute, by all accounts, but how well would it be taken? He suspects he might be about as off-putting to these Autobots for some reason as they are to him. Why, other than that he has a double here somewhere whom he must be nothing at all like, he can't fathom.
Considerations for another time.
"If that'll be all, then," he murmurs instead, already making an about-face.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 13, 2008 23:37:22 GMT -5
//For all I know, his Holi is a serial killer.//
Emirate Xaaron has plenty of reasons to delay Swerve, but this one is legit. He adds, "One thing. My frequency is [numbers]. Please, don't hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance or have any questions. Might I have your frequency, in case of emergency?"
|
|
|
Post by Rodimus Prime on Feb 14, 2008 9:32:59 GMT -5
//Well, yeah, that's the problem. He has no reason to be comfortable around any of us, and as near as I can tell, the only Autobot in his reality he actually cares for is his Emirate Xaaron.//
Rodimus looks up as Xaaron asks Swerve for his frequency, then looks around. "I could leave the room, if you'd prefer." Or Swerve can just transmit the frequency, since he now has Xaaron's. Whatever works.
|
|
|
Post by Perceptor on Feb 16, 2008 18:08:02 GMT -5
"Ah... as can I?" Perceptor offers politely. He still needs to update the others on his theories, too.
|
|
Swerve-3
Rookie
Maintain the Light
Posts: 169
|
Post by Swerve-3 on Feb 17, 2008 16:45:59 GMT -5
Swerve dutifully brings himself up short when Emirate Xaaron addresses him. He sees no problem in sharing his personal frequency, certainly not for such purposes as suggested. It's simply courtesy at the very least, at most a conscientious consideration on this other Emirate's part to offer first; Swerve couldn't dare refuse an appropriate return.
What surprises him are the offers on part of Rodimus Prime and Perceptor to leave him his privacy, and the constable can't quite mask that.
"It's – it's fine, really," he reassures both red Autobots, tacking his composure back into place. "But thank you all the same. I can be reached at <frequency that won't work for the grumpy Swerve>, if I'm needed." He still doesn't salute, but his smile this time is less strained. "Thank you again, sirs. I'll take my leave now, but please let me know if I can be any help again." And maybe rushing just a little to get out the door after that, Mirage not far behind, isn't the height of manners, but Swerve feels he's delayed long enough.
OOC: Swerve and Mirage out of thread. Posing of Mirage leaving with player permission.
|
|
|
Post by Emirate Xaaron on Feb 19, 2008 18:14:13 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron considers that they just gave away - that they expected that Swerve might have issues handing over his frequency. Is that something they want this Swerve to know?
He can't dwell on that now.
Instead, he smiles faintly and bids, "Good cycle."
Then, Emirate Xaaron leans back in his chair and looks over at Perceptor with a consider look. He inquires, "I believe you have some information for us?"
|
|