re_alignment_logs | (no subject)

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WHO: Airachnid, Raf
WHERE: Trion's quadrant
WHEN Evening
WHAT: It's not blackmail if... okay, it's totally blackmail
WARNINGS: Uh... Airachnid threatening a child. That's about it

Airachnid was well outside her usual haunt today - not that anyone could tell. Since arriving, the so-called Decepticon had been keeping entirely to herself, slinking about in the shadows, preparing and not drawing attention to herself.

Which she was still doing today, even while in unfamiliar territory.

And she was following someone. Someone much smaller than herself.

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Mental note; he wasn't cut out for farming.

It was tiring, even with all the help he'd gotten, and Raf wanted no more than to find a way to set things up where it was all computer-controlled. That, he could do. That, he'd excel at. This...

This just resulted in him covered in dirt and with a blister on his ankle.

At least he could use his computer to help plan things for the future. It was what he was starting to do now, pulling it out of his backpack and sitting down at the bottom of a hill.

Maybe he could get some work done, now, that he felt comfortable with.

"My my, our little farmer seems to prefer other pursuits..."

A rapid "clack clack clack"-sound filled the air, followed by a single long, spider-like leg coming down in front of Raphael.

"Hello human..." Airachnid said, as her shadow fell over him.

Wait, who was-

The hair at the back of Raf's neck pricked up at the voice and as he looked around, before outright yelping in surprise.

"Woah-!"

All right, that was a Decepticon that was far too close for comfort, especially as some of Jack's stories came to mind. Gripping his laptop tightly, he pushed himself back out of reflex.

Airachnid chuckled, and leaned forward, effectively looking at Raf upside down.

"Don't be afraid," she said. "I'm not here to hurt you... that might come later, but not today."

"That's not really reassurring-!"

Snapping the laptop shut, Raf was torn between protecting it, or using it as a shield to protect him. Maybe- maybe if he moved to the side, he could get away, but it was open here. Not many places to run, or even to hide.

Maybe if he could activate his Device and call for help without her noticing?

"... How cute. You think that could protect you."

The Decepticon laughed before scuttling out in front of Raf.

"I'm simply here to inform you as to the reason why your little garden has been more successful, as of late..."

Keep talking, keep talking...Raf shifts a little, the laptop held up on his knees, hopefully hiding the movement of one of his hands. Still, he relaxes just slightly as she's no longer hovering over him.

Slightly.

"...people...working together?"

Synergy's got a lot speaking for it, really.

Airachnid laughed.

"Again, cute," she said, chuckling. "But no... your little attempts at hydroponics is successful because I installed a device that would multiply your efforts ten-fold..."

Raf could work with Miko calling him cute. Or a few others. Airachnid, on the other hand...

It just prickled his neck again.

Even if he...was confused, and it showed, as he paused, staring at her dumbly. "What? But...why?"

He wasn't protesting, but...was she looking for thanks...?

"Oh, no reason. Insurance mostly."

She leaned down so her face was literally a few short feet away from him.

"The device I added? Was taken from the Liege Maximo."

Insurance? "If you wanted to help," Raf said slowly, "you don't have to be sneaky about it. I mean, unless you were sabotaging things, you'd be welcome-"

-actually, mental note, have someone check how the plants were doing. And then that train of thought came to a crashing halt.

"Wait, how did you-?!"

He'll just be. Skittering back again, and getting to his feet, laptop quickly being tucked under one arm with his Link Device gripped in the other's hand.

"Does it matter?" Airachnid laughed, drumming her claws against the ground. "The point is, unless you want everyone thinking you took it - and rest assured, I took ever measure possible to avoid implicating myself - you're going to be working for me, understand?"

Okay, no panicking - as much as he was getting more and more worried. "W-why would they think I took it?" Raf asked, taking another step back. Not to run, just...distance.

Distance was good.

"And what do you want from me? It's not like I can really do anything-!"

Well, he could, just...what would she want?

"Oh my, the better question is why they would think I took it? I'm not the one interested in things like this. You are..."

She smirked, and began circling him like a predatory cat. "As for what you can do... you're small. Innocuous. No one would have any reason to hid anything from you... but me... everyone already distrusts me. You will report to me anything that might be locked or hidden from my eyes... network posts, announcements... and perhaps even share any plans these people make..."

This wasn't going well. "But I didn't-!"

He couldn't! How was he supposed to get in and take something like that?

Raf turned in a slow circle, keeping his front facing Airachnid. "And...I'm not going to betray my friends' secrets! Even if they did tell me - I mean, it's not like I could help out with a lot of plans, not like someone like Ratchet could!"

Okay, that was a bit of a stretch. She didn't have to know that, though...

"If you won't do it, well then... I guess you'd best take your chances with the Liege Maximo, because he's about to find out..."

"No, wait-!"

Think, Raf, think! If Airachnid was going to frame him for this, then- well, with what he knew of Liege Maximo or any of the 'Firstforged', he did not want to get on their bad side. And he wasn't sure how much they'd listen to him, if he tried telling the truth. Who would they be more inclined to believe, him, or another Cybertronian...?

What he wouldn't do for Ratchet or Bee to be here...

Airachnid stopped in mid-turn, and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Hm? Wait for what...?"

Wait for what, indeed. Raf couldn't...really find it in him to say anything, torn between saying too much and just. Nothing coming to mind at all.

It was...odd, to say the least. Mind full and blank at the same time.

"I..."

She wanted to use him as a spy - how was he supposed to do that? How could he, betraying his friends like that? If they kept things from here, it was for a reason, and yet...she'd set this up so he'd take the fall, and how could he help them, then?

"'I' what...?"

She leaned back down towards him, and raised a spider leg that hovered over him precariously.

"What you want to say is 'I want to do what you say Airachnid, and relay all the important information you need'... isn't that right...?"

Edited 2012-09-06 02:11 (UTC)

That leg coming down could easily stab right through him. Raf took a slow step back, again holding his laptop up as though it could offer some protection - for all a few inches of circuitry would prevent him from being skewered.

What could he do?

He nodded, mutely.

Airachnid just chuckled this time.

"Good. I'll be seeing you around, boy."

And with that, she began to scuttle off into the shadows.

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