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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Mar 6, 2011 8:59:01 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron rubs his chin, openly dubious as Springer apparently shifts personalities but remains conscious of the fact that he has done so.
He tries to step between Percptor and Kup, both much taller Autobots than he, and to tell the truth, both much more warlike Autobots than he - yes, even Perceptor would whomp him in a fight. Emirate Xaaron holds up his hands and looks from one to the other. He says evenly, "Perceptor, I understanding that the well-being of your patient is your concern." In fact, Perceptor seems to be developing Rachetitis, working too hard until he's exhausted and then turning to drink or recreational drugs for party purposes (so the drugs weren't Perceptor's fault; that's besides the point). "However, the well-being of all of our charges must always be our concern. At the moment, Perceptor, you need a security escort to transport Springer to medical for further assessment, lest you end up dying on the floor like Impactor. You think you can do better in a fight than him? Think again. Kup, you need Springer's mental health assessed to gain useful data on the breech, because to be honest, at the moment..."
His head tilts around to look over at Springer, though he does not otherwise move, still interposed, still with his hands up. "...we don't even know for certain that Springer is really suffering from a peculiar case of forced dissociative identity disorder. After all, Springer, you could be acting, and if you're not, you'll understand why we need to make these checks."
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Post by Springer on Mar 15, 2011 3:11:04 GMT -5
Springer lets out a long-suffering sigh and groan, leaning against the door of his holding cell.
"Yeah, I know the whys. Let's get it going already before either the other me shacking up in my head blows my processor apart, or Kup and Perceptor tear each other apart." He moves off the door, then puts his back on a wall. "The sooner I can get back to work, the better. I hate sitting around idle."
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Post by Perceptor on Mar 16, 2011 21:36:46 GMT -5
Kup is probably expecting Perceptor to stammer nervously and/or back down. Concede. Redirect. Retreat. It's what Perceptor would have done not so very long ago, after all.
Xaaron is very correct, however, in his assessment that Perceptor takes the well-being of his patients very seriously, even personally, which is not necessarily a good thing. Even less a good thing, however, is taking the entire situation personally, which is what Perceptor believes that Kup is doing.
He doesn't back down.
"Then throw me into that cell," he instructs very, very calmly as he straightens and looks down at Kup from his greater height. "Because at this moment, I feel that your actions are being driven more by a very personal sense of indignation and failure, rather than a professional concern for everyone's safety."
Yes, Kup, Perceptor did just question your judgment.
"I am not arguing the need for a security escort, Emirate," he adds, though his icy gaze is still locked onto Kup's. He had not, however, honestly considered the idea that Springer could be faking this whole thing. He just isn't in the mood to admit that aloud right now.
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Post by Kup on Mar 16, 2011 22:37:02 GMT -5
"So be it," Kup growls, grabbing rough hold of Perceptor, one hand on Perceptor's nearest elbow, the other crunching hard, probably painfully, into that same shoulder. He then turns to guide - yank, force, push - Perceptor towards the cell next to Springer. He half pushes, half throws Perceptor towards the opposite wall, then slams his palm against the forcefield activation switch next to it, locking him in.
Perceptor won't stay in there long. They can't afford to keep him there long. But here and now, that was something Kup could not allow to let stand.
The fact is, though, the very act of throwing the scientist into the brig was satisfying enough that by itself, it's served to calm Kup, at least little. He's still angry - he promised he'd stay angry - but perhaps a little less so. As his hands move from the controls of Perceptor's cell to those of Springer's, he says, loudly, "My weapon isn't drawn now, Springer, but you pull anything, and you'll wish it was."
Then he moves his head just enough to see Xaaron out of the corner of his field of vision while still keeping most of his focus on Springer. "So who do you intend to do this 'mental health assessment'?" he asks the Autobot leader.
OOC: Posing of Perceptor with permission.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Mar 17, 2011 9:33:30 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron smacks his forehead with the heel of his palm and grimaces, lips curled in disgust. He murmurs lowly, "I see the enemy-compromised prisoner is deciding to be the reasonable one today. Lovely."
He stands aside and allows Kup to throw Perceptor into the cell, shaking his head. Emirate Xaaron doesn't comment on whether the issue is personal or not. The fact is, it is entirely possible for the issue to be very personal and for Kup to be correct, just like it is possible to be paranoid and right, too. Instead, he puts in a radio call.
//Botanica, can you spare a moment? If not, Skyfire, can you operate the processor imaging machine? It should just be data collection and processing.// They still teach that at the Academy, right?
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Post by Springer on Mar 17, 2011 20:43:01 GMT -5
Springer heaves another sigh as he's let out of his cell, stepping out. He raises hands to Kup in an 'I-mean-no-harm' motion. "I got it, I got it. I just hope you two make up from this little catfight soon, 'cause even though he did a damn good job on my leg, Swerve's not a 'bot I want rooting around in my head."
Springer pauses, considering Kup's question to Xaaron. "Do we even have anyone with that kind of skillset?"
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Post by Perceptor on Mar 17, 2011 21:01:55 GMT -5
Perceptor does not resist in the slightest as Kup grabs for him, merely wincing as those strong fingers wrench deep into his shoulder for purchase. He doesn't even make any attempt to catch himself as he is pitched into the cell, hitting the wall with that shoulder as his momentum and his injured knee crumpling spins him around toward the door again. He slides down the wall, giving in to gravity and his own aches, to settle in a heap in that far corner, glaring silently at the shimmering field that springs up to lock him in.
Kup proves Perceptor's point quite nicely, all by himself.
Perceptor doesn't honestly care if Kup is correct, so long as he acknowledges that Perceptor also has a valid point. They cannot help but feel compromised by the entire situation, but being unwilling to acknowledge that... is just as, if not more dangerous, in Perceptor's opinion, than his own apparently overweening sense of compassion. (And he is getting just a little tired of being twitted about his optimism and compassion, to be perfectly honest. The next person who makes an issue of it just might find themselves on the receiving end of a little percussive maintenance.)
"You mean, besides me, Springer?" he asks, ignoring Kup and even Xaaron for the moment. He shrugs, and the smile he offers is frighteningly unpleasant as he stretches out his damaged knee and pulls his other leg up to his chest to wrap his arms around.
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Post by Kup on Mar 18, 2011 20:56:11 GMT -5
Kup looks at Springer, right optic narrowed slightly, left brow-ridge raised. "'Catfight'? Me and Perceptor? What the blazes does this 'other you' of yours do for a living that you'd call it that?" Then he lifts his hand and shakes his head. "Never mind. I don't want to know until I have to." Then he adds in a mutter, "And I'll probably want to delete my shorterm right after I find out, at that."
He nods towards the door, indicating that Springer is supposed to move in that direction, but does take a moment to glance back at Perceptor. "Now, seeing as the reason you're in there is because you threatened to escort me out of here, it'd be pretty stupid for me to let you out now. For one, if you tried to do that, I'd have to put you through a bulkhead, and nobody wants that." Then, assuming that Springer's starting to leave as well, Kup takes a step towards the door and hesitates, as if he's just reconsidered something. "Well, you probably don't want it, anyway."
"For the moment, I'm gonna just assume that your guys know how to work a scanner and look over some data, and if they don't, you might wanna consider getting them some training. That's just a recommendation, of course, 'cos I ain't telling you how to run your shop. I would offer to bring you the data to look over yourself, y'know, just in case your guys can't handle it, but really, you're gonna be out of here before it makes that much of a difference, anyway."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Mar 20, 2011 22:08:39 GMT -5
The thing about Transformer is, if a problem is meant to be solved, even the most unsuitable people will be able to solve it, if no one more suitable is available. If First Aid is around, First Aid will repair people, but if First Aid is not there, Springer will suddenly bust out medical skills and fix Twin Twist's shoulder out of nowhere. If a problem is not meant to be fixed, however... then suddenly Dinobot refuses to go into stasis lock, overextends himself, and dies a hero's death, when later in the series, Megatron survives a lava bath that killed Terrorsaur and Scorponok.
So not having a proper psychiatrist is not the end of the world, but Springer might end up a black repaint.
At Perceptor's remark, Emirate Xaaron says obliquely, "I'm about as qualified as a mental health professional as Perceptor is." Oh, sure, Perceptor knows more of the anatomy and physiology side, but Emirate Xaaron knows people, knows how they think, what makes them tick. They are perhaps equally unqualified, and they're going to go take Springer to see Skyfire, who is unqualified in completely different ways. None of this should make Springer feel very reassured!
Meanwhile, Kup acts affronted and mentally scarred by Springer's word choice. Perhaps that is Shockwave's devious plan.
Emirate Xaaron does move toward the door, staying on the non-Springer side of Kup.
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Post by Springer on Mar 21, 2011 15:46:03 GMT -5
Springer can't help but feel...well, freaked the hell out by Perceptor's smile. He was gonna add something at Kup's reply about how childish he thought the display was on both sides, but right now he's way too weirded out. "I...I...uh..." He can't even answer Perceptor.
So for now, he sets to following alongside Kup, looking gobsmacked and a bit shaken.
Once they're outside, he relaxes a bit, but not completely.
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Post by Perceptor on Mar 21, 2011 22:14:38 GMT -5
"I would expect," Perceptor observes mildly as he finally turns his attention back to Kup, "that anyone noting a flaw or inefficiency with any department to make a note of such to the appropriate individuals." He does manage to curb his vocal processor and stifle his next comment, about how making his "punishment" so short rather seems to render it moot and counter-productive. Although, perversely, there is a part of Perceptor that wonders just how far he could push Kup right now.
Scientific curiosity, and all.
For some very strange reason that he cannot even explain to himself, seeing how he's managed to rattle Springer fills Perceptor with amusement. Imagine, he, the "nerd", managing to rattle a hardened Wrecker.
Something is definitely out of kilter here.
He remains exactly as he is, though, even after the others have left the main Brig: pressed back into his corner, one leg pulled up to his chest, the other stretched out in front of him, staring at the door with a distant expression.
ooc: out of thread as soon as everyone has cleared the brig.
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Post by Kup on Mar 21, 2011 22:57:04 GMT -5
Kup turns and stares at Perceptor's remark, and the implication of 'flaws' in his department. His optics partially narrow, but his brow-ridges are raised, the combination suggesting bafflement. Anger's still there, but the bafflement definitely dominates.
"You just keep poking, don't you? Why the blazes you want to keep poking?"
This actually may be a problem after all. Kup and Perceptor are from the same source reality, and Kup knows Perceptor well enough to know that this really is uncharacteristic for the scientist.
However, since Springer's problem is a lot more definite, Kup's forced to put it on the list of things that needs looking into. He just shakes his head, snorts, and turns, leaving the room. He stays between Springer and Xaaron, keeping a close optic on the Triplechanger.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Mar 22, 2011 21:53:42 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron grouses lowly, mostly to Springer, "Well, you're right about one thing. Perceptor's acting catty."
When did Perceptor start sniping so much? Maybe Emirate Xaaron has been a bad influence on Perceptor. He frown at the thought.
Emirate Xaaron adds, obliquely "Kup, aren't you old enough to see when someone is spoiling for a fight?'
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Post by Springer on Mar 27, 2011 17:33:29 GMT -5
"Catty, nothing. You see that grin he had? That's just straight-up crazy." Springer sighs. "Maybe the stress is just finally getting to him," Springer says. "Bunch of stuff went down on Pz-Zazz, after all. Rough on all of us, but Perceptor bites off more than he can chew a lot."
Springer looks a bit worried, frowning.
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Post by Kup on Mar 28, 2011 9:52:27 GMT -5
"Or he's been skimping on the defrag," Kup mutters as he walks down the hall. "He does that sometimes."
He glances back at Emirate Xaaron and nods. "Yeah, I can see. And if I give him what he's after, I'm in the wrong. Hell, I'm already dealing with all kinds of pig iron over this," as Emirate Xaaron well knows, given that he was included in that radio conversation. He shrugs. "We'll see how he is later, after he... hell, after we've both had some time to calm down."
He enters medical, looking around for Skyfire. Hopefully, the scanner's in the back, in a section that will allow at least some level of privacy - best not make a public spectacle of this all.
OOC: Skyfire, feel free to post in any time.
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