[voice]

[sword_redemption]

[After their last conversation, Drift has realized Vandal was right. He needed to 'man up'...whatever that technically meant. And it wasn't the kind of conversation he thought you should have over comm. Or entirely sober. So he's stopped by the bar and picked up a bottle of that whiskey stuff she usually drank, and drove out to Vandal's little mobile trailer.]

[When the voice message begins, it may be clear to someone who knows Drift fairly well that he's trying to hide a sort of nervous anxiety.]

...anyone, uh, anyone seen Vandal?

((OOC: He's at Vandal's place, I'm keeping this vague here so more people who get involved can come on by the trailer and discover stuff! They will also likely discover a broken whiskey bottle from him dropping it.))

Comments

voice; locked

[thxforthememories]

Good. I... I remember you're not supposed to do that. Until the police arrive.

I'll try and remember more. As a detective should.

[Just going to leave a note for Kay and then take off.]

voice; locked

[sword_redemption]

Right. So. Not moving.

[Except ventilation. That he's going to do.]

Anything you can do will be helpful. [Because Drift has no idea.]

Maybe you can spot some trace of her from the air?

voice; locked

[thxforthememories]

I can try. But my other forms weren't designed for tracking... like... Shadowmaru's are.

I'll see what I can see.

[OFF HE GOES. Like a bird.]

voice; locked

[sword_redemption]

We don't need a tracker...yet. Just, if you see something from the air.

[Flying's more than Drift can do.]

voice; locked

[thxforthememories]

I'll look. As promised.

[If there's anything to see from the air... hopefully he'll see it on his way over.]

voice; locked

[sword_redemption]

...Thank you.

[And Drift will stand still, outside the trailer, by the gaping hole, until Kagerou arrives.]

[thxforthememories]

[It won't take him long to get there, and land, looking... well. He looks distraught, to say the least.]

What... what did this...?

[sword_redemption]

I don't know.

[He was sort of hoping for, you know, answers.]

[He points through the hole, where he can see just inside the small structure. ]

I think that's her RIG.

[thxforthememories]

... Yes. I think so.

[Let him look things over for a minute. His scanner flashes. Several times. And he shakes his head.]

... A fight. There was a fight, here.

[sword_redemption]

A fight.

That was not what he wanted to hear. Kind of like the exact polar opposite. Still, he tries to take it in stride.]

Was she injured?

[He steps back, looking around the ground outside for traces of her blood. Really, really hoping not to find any.]

[thxforthememories]

The damage indicates a struggle, yes.

[He shakes his head slightly, looking again.]

I'm not... sure. I've never seen human injuries before.

[But if there is any blood, he'll probably find it -- that handy scanner and all.]

[sword_redemption]

[He nods, trying to sound, well, less upset than he is. And probably failing.] She would fight. She's a fighter.

[That's...supremely helpful, Drift. ]

I don't see any out here.

But...who would do this? Who could do this? [That trailer didn't punch a hole in itself, after all.]

[thxforthememories]

... I don't know. Another robot, maybe. There aren't a lot of humans here.

But why would a robot hurt her? She hasn't done anything.

[Because she's his friend, and friends are Good People, dammit.]

[sword_redemption]

[He nods. That makes sense: not a lot of humans could rip a hole in the trailer, either.]

Someone who doesn't want one of our few medics? First Ratchet, now her? [But why not First Aid? Or Ambulon?]

Or...I don't know. Why else might someone want her?

[thxforthememories]

I don't know. I... never saw anyone who hated her. She got mad at people often, but... everyone does that.

[He looks at the Autobot.]

You can't think of anyone?

[sword_redemption]

Yes. But, then, where is she? If she was under attack, she would have called one of us, right? [It would hurt if she'd called someone other than Drift, but he'd rather have that hurt. ]

Overlord? But that doesn't seem like his method.

[Wait.] You...don't think....? [He makes a really bad tentacle thing with his hands. Kagerou would know. He'd also been a 'volunteer' of Prism's research.']

[thxforthememories]

... there isn't always time to call for help, in emergencies.

[He shakes his head slowly. Granted, he's only parroting his programming, but it seems right.]

[The... gesture only earns a tilt of his head.]

I don't...? What is...? [And then he mimics the motion.] What?

[sword_redemption]

You're right. [He hates to admit it.] Maybe just...wishing one of us knew. Whatever happened, whoever did this--they've got a lead on us.

Uh. You know.

_Prism. [Now you made him say it. Booooo.]

[thxforthememories]

Criminals statistically do.

[He sort of jerks in place, looking terrified for a second, before steeling himself. His wings still jerk, flicking, uneasily.]

... we need to find that thing. Regardless of if it was behind this. We need to find it.

[sword_redemption]

Then we're wasting even more time here.

[Drift does not care about statistics. Just Vandal.]

We do.

This time we need to go in with a plan. And back up. [And...well, everything Drift hadn't done with Overlord.]

[thxforthememories]

We don't have a choice.

[Statistics are all he's got, bro.]

[But he nods.]

I know where its temple is. I can check to see if it's still there. My stealth systems should keep me from being detected.

[sword_redemption]

[Drift gives a frustrated sound. He hates statistics.]

[But the news of the temple is better.]

Kagerou. You can't go alone. Because 'should' might not be enough.

[thxforthememories]

I was made to be invisible. Nothing more than a shadow.

The only way I could be detected would be if I were physically seen -- I have no other identifiable signature.

Not... to anyone else on this world.

[Not that he knows of, anyway. Their technology is alien, but -- Prism is AI. Like himself. It should work the same.]

[Right?]

[sword_redemption]

Does that include...him? [He who shall not be named. You know, with tentacles.]

[He shakes his head, trying to shake that train of thought away. Kagerou was volunteering to put himself in danger to help. That was something Drift respected.] You can stay high enough, maybe, to be safe.

[He hopes.]

[thxforthememories]

It's only AI. Like me. No other AI was capable of detecting me through scans...

[Except one, but that isn't important right now.]

I can investigate.

That's... what a detective is supposed to do.