re_alignment | [Video][Transmitting from Junk Pile's edge near Megatronus's Quadrant]

[The Link flickers on to revel darkness cut by a single shaft of pale light. Only the tip of a pointed silver footplate is visible in the light, occupying the immediate foreground. From there the view travels up, the darkness marred only but the soft gray lines of a white frame punctuated by blood red accents seated in the background.]

[The helm swivels, sharp white audials slicing through the air as the glow of red optics comes into view.]

Fellow Haveners, refugees, it's Wing again.

[The voice: it’s very definitely wrong. It’s not Drift’s but it’s not Wing’s. It's almost a beautiful melding of the two but with a dark, sticky-sweet coating. He moves like a ghost, slipping from his perch to come down to your level.]

Please disregard my earlier broadcast. I assure you there's nothing to worry about. Aside from a slight frame mix-up-- [the helm leans further into view stopping just short of a ray of light, revealing Drift's features instead of Wing's] --which appears to just be a thing that's been happening of late, I feel peeeerfectly fine. Mooore than fine, in fact.

[It’s much of the same cadence and language that Wing uses, but his normally gracious words carry none of their usual earnest weight, instead sounding overly casual and almost patronizing.]

The only thing that's not fine is that I don't know where Drift is. [A thread of irritation--insolence--that gets covered quickly and his tone becomes sweet again.]

But maybe there's someone out there that can help me with that. Speaking of...

[Wing will just call out a few people of interest now, and not bother locking any of the frequencies. What would that accomplish?]

[To Soundwave]

Soundwave. Why so blue? It’s horribly depressing. Not to mention boorish. You’re better than that. Can’t you make some beautiful music for me? [Oh, there's a look that promises something in return, should you indulge him.]

[To Kagerou]

My friend Kagerou. You said recently that you wanted to start living. I was happy to be there to cheer you on. Now I'm ready to step up and take you places. Do you really want to start living? Come find me and I'll show you.

[To Perceptor]

Perceptor, did they lock you up for those shootings yet? No? Good. We could have some fun with that overactive trigger finger of yours. I’ve better uses for it. [Have a impish little smile.]

[To Pharma]

Oh Pharma... [He waves a hand casually.] Just wondering how it feels to know you touch the world through Decepticon crafted hands? Self servicing must be a real conflict of interest now.

[To Blurr]

Blurr, [it comes out as a purr almost, as if caressing the syllables as they leave his mouth.] You naughty thing. I’ve been watching you. I saw what you did. I just have to say...Bravo. [A slow clap, dark fingers into a cool metal palm.] Veeeery entertaining. Please, let us have mooore.

I do wonder though...how you think you’ll get your police force off the ground with behaviour like that. But I guess we didn’t really need it anyway. That’s no fun, right?

[To Starscream]

Starscream. No, no the other one. You are as big as your ego now. Have you challenged Megatronus yet? You were so confident about being his equal earlier when you were telling me how you'd throw him over your knee and slap his aft til he cried 'Primus!'. I'd love to know how that goes. [Can he watch? Please?]

[To Vandal]

So Karrie--err, sorry--Vandal.... Maybe you should come stay with me? You’ll be safe here. I can protect you if...Drift is otherwise occupied.

[To Drift]

And Drift... Where arrrre you? You've been avoiding me. [a pout of distaste] Perhaps I can understand why but, reeeaaally, we just have more in common now! Could be fun, yeeees? [the helm tilts provocatively as he leans uncomfortably close into frame.] Please let me know where you are. I've miiiissed you so very much. And I've I gotten as much fun out of myself as I can. I need you. Don’t make me come fiiiinnd you.

At this rate I'll have to find myself a lesser substitute just to satisfy my needs...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Different I will certainly give you.

[He runs the tips of his fingers over the top edge of his chestplate idly, as if reminding himself of it's shape and texture.]

But I think this is a remarkable improvement. I suppose you could say I recently realized how blinded I've been by the light.

Well, light without shadow, shadow without light, yin-yang, blah blah blah.

Though I'm strugglin' t'see how this is an improvement.

["Unless you really enjoy fondling that frame that much," he refrains from saying. It would be rude.]

[A soft laugh under his breath.] You sound like a true believer.

Perhaps your vision has failed you then. I struggle to see how I need to prove it to you.

[He does actually, which is a response he would not hesitate to give.]

Oh, well. By all means, don't prove it if you don't need to. Or want to, for that matter.

But then, how will I know you're any different if you don't?

[Taunting? You bet! Just a bit, anyway; testing the waters.]

I don't. [It's quite plain, his response. In fact he almost sounds bored.]

I suppose the true question is how is it relevant?

[He smiles, gently, like he's sparing a moment to explain something very simple.] Some mechs go about their lives always feeling the need to gain the approval of others. To affirm their station, their choices, their life...

I am not one of them.

Are you not?

Because you surely seem t'me like you're trying to prove something to the people here. Or maybe you're just doing a poor job of riling them. [He leans in towards the video, voice low and tone almost slimy.] Is that what you're doing? I know it can be so difficult sometimes.

[His read optics blink lazily as he regards you, studying the close up of your face for several moments.]

No. But you're right that I'm looking to get a reaction in some cases. In others, I'm just trying to make a connection.

So I've noticed. Unlocked conversations, tsk tsk. You'd almost remind me of someone I used t'know if not for that. He took a lot more care in setting up his assassinations and clandestine rendezvous.

And there was a certain quality he had that you're lacking a touch.

[Needs more ~~cowbell~~ ~~creeper~~ honey.]

[Well that's an astute observation. Maybe he's new at this and still working on refining his technique, but he certainly isn't going to admit it.]

And why should I hide them? I have no shame in whatever 'rendezvous' I have and there are a whole lot more people here who want Prism dead than are willing to voice it. [There's a dare in there, to refute that fact.]

And who might that be?

Perhaps there are, but broadcasting it openly means there's a likelihood of folks showing up to foil it. And worse, him knowing you're coming.

And he's smarter than you give him credit for.

[Barricade knows dangerous creatures when he meets them, and there isn't one more dangerous than a rampant AI, he's found.]

Oh, no one you know, probably. This program built by a human. Deliciously sly, f'r being built by an organic.

You have a point. [He'll concede it, just this once. He locks the communication, in the hopes you might talk more freely.]

Care to go into detail? Any information you have could be quite useful.

[He's not certain he likes that comparison, just based on those details.] ....I see.

Oh, I know I do. [And he's so pleased you conceded by locking this conversation. Very smart.]

Don't know much about him. Built by some ancient super-beings in his universe and then left to follow his protocols for billions of years at least. He is powerful, and extremely dangerous, and insane, whether he admits it or not.

[Barricade knows how to frame things as compliments and insults. Really, he just knows that being compared to someone built by an inferior species will get under most Cybertronians' plating.] Mm-hm. He managed a lot more saccharine than you, though. Here I'd so hoped to find another match~

You have such interesting sensibilities Barricade. [He's fascinated.]

Powerful and insane! How delightful... [Not really. More like, inconvenient.] Perhaps it'd be better for everyone if he was put down. Does he have any weaknesses that you know of?

[A pause as he quirks a browplate under his helm.] Another match, you say?

Mm, I do? Do tell. [You've got him all interested.]

Can't say I know of any; we never met in combat, truth be told. I might deal with his pet first, myself. Though, are we certain those put down here stay down? [Out of curiosity.]

I did. Every once in a while I find someone equal t'me in some capacity. And then we spend a great long while dancing around each other, as it were. It's wonderful. [Really, Magnum and CLU had been great fun for him; they took his scrap without really taking it.]

Fishing for compliments, are we? [Not that he's unwilling to give them, but he might make you work harder for it.]

His pet? ...should I assume you mean the thing with the tentacles? [He looks a little askance at that.] What makes you think they wouldn't?

[He hmms to himself, long and low, intrigued.]Sounds like a fun game. But you don't play it with just anyone?

Mm, only every once in a while. [He's not overly in need of them, though.]

I do. Unless you have a better name for it. [As for the second thing... he practically looks like a pleased cat at that.] No one's proven the point one way or another... and I've been around places like this a couple times before.

I can't play with just anyone. Not everyone is capable of it, sadly. Takes a special sorta folk to make it really fun.

I suppose everyone does on occasion. [That makes two.]

No, I think that's quite a suitable name. [That pleased expression is noted with a twitch of his mouth.] It's a shame really. I'd much rather do away with Prism and repurpose his pet.

I don't imagine you can. It takes a certain amount of cunning, doesn't it? [A lean smile.] We should play sometime.

Edited 2012-10-05 16:43 (UTC)

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