Test run for yeerk drone vehicles: one

[screamsofstars]

((from here))

Starscream's moving as soon as her feet hit the floor of her lab, weaving briskly in and out among the stations where her assistants and drones are working.

"This way," she tells the human host who's following her with the bucket containing his squad mates. "Through this door."

Silence falls over them as they enter her private sanctum, which is currently dominated by three tables in the middle of the room. On each of those tables is what looks like a body covered from the chest down with a sheet. One of them is a dead ringer for a certain human woman named Natasha Stanton. Another is a fair haired male, and the third is a dark skinned male with strong features.

"Set the bucket here." She turns to look at him, her expression saying that she expects to be obeyed.

Comments

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't hurt to mesh with other races in the fuel department." Starscream smiles thinly. "And we aren't 'artificial' anything."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"No." Five looks at its hands. "This all seems real enough."

For a strange dream.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"And that is only materials and technology that are available in your own time and place, save for the sensory nest. Are you always a little weak with manual dexterity?"

Compared to her own body the drone shell is AI.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

It nods slowly, looking up. "Some traits stay constant through all hosts to a degree. But I'm better at some other things," Five adds. Evaluations proved it so!

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

Starscream nods as well, accepting this. "Ah. So long as it isn't a problem of the shell. That's alright, then."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five shoots her a slow look. Starscream's interest really does seem to be purely scientific. "It feels very close to the real thing. You know human physiology well."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

The Transformer scientist is aware of the look, though she seems totally oblivious to it. She finishes scrawling notes on her data pad, and then subspaces it and holds out a hand toward a drone. "I've been closely associated with them for centuries. Did Dallesh ever succeed in fueling it?"

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"Not really." Five frowns, realising that she'll end up running on empty soon. No Yeerk likes that. "How are you associated with them?" she asks, pressing on boldly.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

A package is taken from the drone and passed her way as Starscream takes out her scanner again to monitor the fueling process. "Our two races have worked together in symbiosis for centuries."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five turns the package over, frowning, then attempts to open it when it doesn't explode. "Symbiosis?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

There are triangular rice chips in there, covered with a dusting of a delightfully tangy powder.

"Partnership. It began before we left the old galaxy."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five almost wonders at the fact that she's in a robot body eating food, but hunger (or rather, fear of hunger) has her munching away in seconds. "Ah, you're allies?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"I suppose that word would fit." Starscream considers the shell's reaction to the food. "Hmmm, I'll be making adjustments. It might feel odd."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five just nods and lets her at it, mulling over what and who she's going to have to tell as soon as they get away.

And meanwhile, Three's stuffed himself to bursting point and is just watching the soap (there have been two explosions and a death so far: he's hooked). Dallesh has just realised it took a wrong turn in following the diagram and is undoing the last couple of steps.