capitalh | under the hood

Entry tags:

under the hood

Who: Newton Geiszler, Knock Out, Breakdown and later Ratchet
Where: A random abandoned warehouse, outside LA
When: After this correspondence.
What: Knock Out has resorted to asking Newt for help with his brain. He brings Breakdown along for protection. And then Ratchet shows up halfway through the surgery to tell Newt it's a bad idea.
Warnings: Brain surgery, medical procedures, robot gore and possible robot violence.

[Newt's standing in the middle of an empty warehouse, really trying to evaluate his life choices. Sure, he set up his clinic to help all manner of cybernetic and alien life forms, but he preferably would like it when it didn't possibly endanger his life at the same time. Which right now? He's not really sure isn't a thing that wont happen.

He checks his phone again, to see if Ratchet's replied--which he hasn't, great lot of help he is, and irritably taps out a 'if you haven't heard from me in the last twenty-four hours I'm probably dead' draft email to send out to people automatically if he doesn't check his phone in the next day.

Unfortunately for Newt, his curiosity about the Cybertronian biology and brain module far outweighs the risk and potential questionable morality of the situation since Knock Out is a Decepticon and everything. And he's never really been one for self preservation when the other option is aliens and discovery. So here he is, standing awkwardly with a med-kit he threw together last minute, hoping the the robots from outer space don't actually squish him or anything. That would be a dick move on their part.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Knock Out was being truthful when he said he was bringing Breakdown for security. It's bad enough going to a human for help -- for something as severe as brain surgery there's nothing that would leave him more defenseless, and like hell he's going without backup. Breakdown might not be a medical professional, and he wouldn't know if he was mucking about in Knock Out's brain, but Breakdown will know if he's doing anything too untoward. And it never hurts to have some muscle along.

They show up in their altmodes, driving right up in through the loading bay. Knock Out transforms once he's inside, a datapad in his hand, his nerves disguised in a haughty look. He looms over Newt at ten feet tall, optics bright and severe. ]

You're the doctor, I take it?

[ Breakdown is just a step behind Knock Out, like always. He transforms an instant after, already scouring the surroundings with a frown. It looks secure enough. When he's done scrutinizing the area (a process of just a few seconds, really), his one-eyed yellow stare falls straight onto Newt and stays there. He watches him with a dark scowl, the hulking shadow behind the smaller, bright red gleam of Knock Out. ]

[Newt's expecting two of course, but he hadn't expected the other to be so large in comparison. It actually makes him start to really question his motives, and he gives Breakdown a wary look before glancing back up at Knock Out. God, why can't they be like Skrulls or Alternians and be normal sized? This is the worst.]

Who else, man? [he clears his throat a little, hands on hips. God this feels like the Chinese black market all over again.]

[ Knock Out gives the little human a scrutinizing look, but he isn't very impressed. He's putting his brain module in this skinjob? Maybe he should've considered autosurgery after all.

But they're already here, and truthfully, Knock Out is desperate. It's at least worth a shot. He stands over Newt, his optics sharp and gleaming, a hint of an unfriendly smile on his face. ]

Mm. Knock Out, and this is my partner, Breakdown. [ He smiles a little wider then, a flash of teeth. ] Breakdown here is very keen on making sure I leave here as intact as I came in.

[ If nothing else, Breakdown knows his role here. He's played it hundreds of times. So in time with Knock Out's introduction he offers a dark, threatening smile, eye narrowed and hands coming up to crush one into the other with a satisfying clang of metal. ]

Yeah. Real keen. [ His smile widens. ] And trust me, the pleasure's all mine.

Wow, okay, you guys can dial back the threats, I'm pretty keen on you leaving intact because I wanna leave all in one piece too so.

[he holds his hands up defensively, trying to not look as intimidated as he is, but he couldn't help but jump when Breakdown clangs his hands together. Why the hell didn't he bring backup? Or, well, more accurately, why the hell was Ratchet not replying to his messages?

He rolls up his sleeves and tries to look like he's put out.] Can we get started? Or you just gonna keep showing off how big you guys are?

Edited 2014-09-29 17:00 (UTC)

You're not the one opening up his brain to let some tiny fleshling fish around in it.

[ if Knock Out sounds irritable, it's only nerves. He studies Newt for a moment longer before crouching down slightly and foisting off the datapad on him. ]

We are getting started. That datapad contains an index of a foreign code that was injected into my brain module. I want it removed.

[ Breakdown snorts, but does seem to back off a fraction of an inch. His loom is a little less ominous, at least. But he still keeps protectively close to Knock Out, and most of his attention is still fixed on Newt. It's still not completely unreasonable that he might try to pull something, and Breakdown'll be ready for it if it happens.

He retreats a few steps to stand nearer to the door. At least for now. He's ready to rumble his way nearer again at a moment's notice. ]

Fleshling? Seriously? That's the best you guys came up with?

[He eyes Breakdown as he moves away and then looks up at the data pad, rubbing at his chin in thought. Kit would probably be better for this. Coding isn't his thing, but it doesn't mean he's not an idiot. And the coding looks human at least.]

You have some way I can tap into that? Like an interface panel or USB ports or something? Because extracting coding is less surgery, more hacking. At least, in my experience.

[ Newt is not endearing himself to Knock Out, that's for sure. Knock Out gives him a thoroughly offended look, his optics flashing, and he glances back at Breakdown to share with him a truly disgusted look. ]

My interface panel has nothing to do with my brain, skinjob. And you still need direct access to my brain module -- so yes, it is surgery. There's a pressure release on the back of my helm to open it. There are diagrams in that datapad I handed you. Perhaps you'd better review it a little more carefully.

[ He looks back at Breakdown again, looking thoroughly unimpressed with Newt thus far. Honestly, he almost wants to back out, but they're here. And if there's the slightest chance it'll help him get back at TRIDENT... ]

If anything happens, you know what to do.

[ Confession: Breakdown would totally have chuckled at the interface panel thing under any other circumstances. But the muscle doesn't chuckle, so he keeps his face set firm and obliges Knock Out his look of exasperation. Humans, right? ]

Yeah, I know.

[ For emphasis, his right hand shifts in a sudden whirl of metal, fingers and palm folding away as the whole thing rearranges into a hammer. His eye lingers on Newt with clear displeasure.

(Sorry, buddy. Nothing personal.) ]

[okay, so he's going to have to ask Ratchet what an interface panel is actually used for because he'd thought it was a completely innocent question in his opinion, but apparently not. Newt eyes Breakdown again when he produces his hammer--oh brilliant, so his body will probably turn into pulp if he doesn't manage to persuade them that he knows what he's doing--and then scans the notes on the data pad more closely. He wishes that Knock Out had sent this information to him beforehand, so he'd at least have some idea of what he was doing.]

Hey man, you weren't exactly specific when you told me what you wanted me to actually do so gimme a second!

[he takes a moment to look through all the information again, pulling out his own tablet to type out notes and add to a document he's been working on. Yeah, this is probably more Kit's thing, but he said he'd take a look, and there's not exactly a lot of opportunity to get into a brain module going around. He figures he can just wing it and hope for the best.]

Just so we're clear, you know I'm making no promises that I can actually get this out for you, right? I said I'd take a look, but depending on where the placement is and the nature of the code, I might not be able to extract it. I just want to make sure I'm not gonna be uh. [he eyes Breakdown again.]

Pudding if I can't help.

Edited 2014-10-03 07:26 (UTC)

I'm giving you plenty of time. I know your squishy brains work much slower than ours.

[ See, look, he's being sooo understanding. But he's still giving Newt that watchful, expectant look, probably just a touch too predatory for the xenobiologist's comfort.

He has no idea what pudding is, but he can surmise it's not something pleasant. ]

Trust me, "Doctor", [ he doesn't actually do air quotes but you can pretty much hear them in his voice ] I've been careful to keep my expectations low. Breakdown is merely providing some insurance. As long as I come out of this operation at least as whole and intact as I went in... [ He smiles, but it is not very comforting at all. Really rather menacing, actually. Knock Out wags one claw-tipped finger at Newt, jabbing it through the air to point at him. ] So will you.

[ While Breakdown never actually gets tired of threatening people, he recognizes that Newt is probably going to have to be doing decently well himself to devote the proper amount of attention to Knock Out. And he's probably gotten the point by now. So with one last, low, threatening rumble of his engine, Breakdown transforms the hammer away again, back into a hand. ]

Yeah. Best advice: don't mess it up.

[ He readies to watch, attention half on the two of them and half on their surroundings. You can never be too careful on this planet. Humans everywhere. ]

[Between them both, Newt's not exactly feeling safe with this whole situation. He has a feeling that regardless of whether he can help or not, he's going to have some sort of altercation with the 'insurance'-bot and he really doesn't need those nerves effecting his head. He tries to shake it off, eying Breakdown one last time before looking back up to Knock Out. It's really hard not to just quip back.]

Can we get this over with? I do have other stuff to do today and this whole threatening loop you two got going on is kinda getting old. I get it. I mess up, you mess me up. You kinda made that clear.

[ Knock Out isn't too impressed with Newt's show of boredom with their shtick. He just gives Newt a pointed look, his optics glowing bright, and huffs. ]

We were waiting on you for longer. [ He rolls his optics but he casts a glance at Breakdown, frowning slightly. Only Breakdown would know that it's just the slightest show of nerves on his part. He still doesn't like the idea of this, even if it was his idea. ] All right then, let's get this over with indeed.

Edited 2014-10-15 21:28 (UTC)

[Newt puts the datapad and his own tablet down to one side and claps his hands together a little nervously.]

Okay. Awesome.

[Totally not awesome. But winging it. Yeah. That's a thing he could do. It's what he does with most of his subjects, but usually they are less threatening and more dead already. Just think about the brain module, Newty. And less about the hammer.

He motions back to where the loading bay is, hoping to use where the warehouse ends and the lower levelled bay begins as a sort of operating table.]

You wanna go lie down over there? Then I can get this show on the road.

[He waits for Knock Out to position himself, taking the medkit, the datapad and his tablet with him as he moves over to get settled himself, eying Breakdown cautiously as Knock Out administers the--do they call it anaesthesia? He tries not to let the awkward silence get to him as the robot goes into stasis and as he reads over the notes one last time, pulling on the gloves he brought with him so as to not get energon on his hands. He turns on his voice recorder and tucks it into the front of his shirt pocket, as he talks through the date, the subject of the recording, and the procedure he'll be doing, giving Breakdown one last glance before looking back down to Knock Out--who was now fully in stasis.]

Also, can I just say, Ratchet, if you're listening to this and I'm a mushy puddle because you didn't check your damn emails, it's all your fault. Okay? Good.

Here goes nothing.

[Newt starts the process of getting access to the brain module by hitting the pressure release on the back of Knock Out's head, leaning back when the panel slides up. It's a strange looking organ to say the least, but Newt isn't sure what he was expecting exactly. He peers at it for a good moment, running through how he would do things if this was a normal autopsy--remove the wiring, pull the module out to get a better look at it, take it apart--and suddenly Newt isn't sure of how he's going to do this without actually killing Knock Out. He flexes his fingers, glances down at the instructions one last time before plunging his hands into the large cranium, hoping there's some sort of obvious chip lodged in that he'd be able to feel. Surely whoever put it there wouldn't be as smart as he was when it came to this sort of thing. So maybe they hardwired it into a spare port? He bites his lower lip and glances at Breakdown, before running his fingers carefully over the organ.

Can't stop now. Or else it's hammer time.]

[ Breakdown drops all pretense of keeping watch once Newt really gets started. Who's going to just happen upon them, right? And he can take care of anything like... surprise backup from Newt. He's not worried about that.

What he is worried about is Knock Out.

He shuffles in closer from the door, but he doesn't have quite the same menacing loom going on anymore. His optic is trained on Newt's work, and the shift of plates at his brow definitely leads him a decidedly... worried look. ]

Careful with that. [ It's not a command; it's advice. He may just be Knock Out's assistant, nowhere near to a doctor himself, but he's seen his partner handle brain modules before. ] That pointy part on the left — it's delicate. You'll want to keep more right.

[Ratchet had a habit of marking Newt's messages as read--with how many he says and how many of them are what Ratchet considers to be inane questions, it just became easier for Ratchet to wait and answer them all en masse, when he had a few spare minutes. This was increasingly rare, so it was a little while before Ratchet was able to get to Newt's emails.

To his credit, he managed not to drop the datapad he was staring at when the contents of Newt's most recent messages finally penetrated. Instead, he set it down calmly, walked slowly out of his medibay, then immediately folded into his alt mode and screeched out towards the nearest road, cranking his siren once he hit traffic.

He made it in record time, but he wasn't sure if he was fast enough--he transforms, almost recklessly fast, to come in through the Cybertronian-sized garage door, yanking it down behind him and taking in the scene with widening optics.]

Newt. [His voice is almost a hiss, popping with faint static.] What are you doing?

[Newt tries not to jump when Breakdown moves, pausing his work to glances cautiously behind him as the bot settles next to him. His unease shifts slightly when he offers advice though, and Newt blinks down at his hands and peers at the part Breakdown was talking about. He does shift though, taking the advice.]

The muscle and a nurse. [He laughs a little nervously, before frowning as he gets back to his work, gloved hands now slick with energon.] I can't. [He makes a frustrated noise, leaning forward to peer into the open head.] I can't see any hardware or chips that looks alien--well. Alien to you guys. It's gotta be some sort of co--

[he doesn't finish because in comes Ratchet loudly, making Newt jump out of his skin and yelp before he stares at him incredulously, very aware of the bot and his transformed hammer behind him.]

Now you show up?! Now? Where the hell were you fifteen minutes ago you piece of scrap.

[ Oh, come on. Now an Autobot shows up? Breakdown started a little more than he'd like to admit (he'd been pretty focused on Knock Out and Newt's work, okay), but he wastes no time in rounding on Ratchet. Not that he takes a single step away from Newt, of course. He's definitely positioned in a really defensive, possessive loom over the human, actually. ]

Back off, Autobot. [ It's out in a growl, with a threatening heft of his hammer. ] We got a surgery in progress, and we don't need another opinion.

[ He flicks a glance down at Knock Out's body, though. He doesn't like having it between him and Ratchet -- too vulnerable. He'll have to adjust things a little. ]

No, you clearly do.

[Ratchet's voice is nothing short of caustic as his optics flick between Newt and the frankly huge Decepticon standing in front of them. He takes in the eyepatch and his own optics widen in recognition.]

I see Knock Out hasn't managed to get that optic fixed yet, paint me completely unsurprised. Newt, get your hands out of there. There's nothing more you can do here.

[Ratchet moves closer and draws a gun but he doesn't quite aim it at anyone yet, gaze intent on the disconcerting lack of space between Newt and Breakdown and calculation whirling in his head.]

[Newt doesn't really like how this situation is starting to unfold. Not especially since he's arguably the most likely to come out of a giant robot fight with injuries. He wants to do what Ratchet's saying and get out of the situation entirely, but when the imminent threat of crushing, agonising death is literally right ontop of him, he's not sure Ratchet's argument is entirely valid.

His hands do come out of the opened up skull though, but only so he can gesture with them, flicking bits of energon in all directions.]

You know what? No! I'm not gonna do that. Did you not notice the giant robot hammer ready to crack me open like a freaking pumpkin right here? Squishy is not a good look for me! And I kinda like living!

Edited 2014-11-15 12:19 (UTC)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

under the hood

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject