kismet_loop | 2nd Bite [Video]

Entry tags:

tf: animated | dirge (crau)

2nd Bite [Video]

Sam human, I have located two of the data p- books, on your list of wishes.

[He opens his palm revealing a worn copy of The Diary of Anne Frank and a newer looking copy of The Colour Purple. He has since stopped damaging his drone, so the picture is clear again.]

Also, this is to let everyone know I'm moving into the warehouse. Everything in there is mine now. Take anything and I will know.

[If he ever finishes doing inventory, which might take him years at this rate.]

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You can't, but, if you give me both books, I'll bring you some seeds.

Deal. [He doesn't even have to think about it- she said those books were common and the seeds seem pretty rare and they will spawn tomatoes eventually. Dirge brings his fist down to Sam's level, opening it to let her take the books from his palm.

If she is brave enough to do so, that is.]

[She is. Sure, she's a bit more at-ease since Dirge doesn't seem to be harbouring any ill intent, and since harming her would cost him---the seeds, her good will, and any additional advice---but she'd have nerve enough to take the books even without another deal agreed-upon.]

Thank you.

[She gathers the books up, tucking them under an arm.]

I'll probably be back with the seeds in a couple of hours, unless you'd rather have them after you've got some planters prepared.

[His talons do not snap closed on her, though they do twitch as though they would very much like to do so.]

I want them as soon as possible. Make me wait too long and I'll come find you.

[Especially if you were lying about having those seeds.]

[That twitch is ominous enough she'll pause to spare him a searching look... even if she'll shrug it off and continue on account of nothing more coming of those claws.]

A couple of hours it is; I've got a little looking to do. Be cool, though. You'll get your seeds.

Good. In the meantime... I wonder what this planet has to offer in the way of food....

[He's not in any danger of starving, even if they do not have energon yet here, but its a subject that is always on his processor.]

...have you been in the warehouse this whole time?

[It's still strange to hear a robot wondering aloud about food, even if they were just talking about tomatoes.]

[He stares at her for a moment.]

....Yes? There are so many things to inventory, after all.

No intermission to explore? Huh.

[Sam shrugs.]

Whatever floats your boat. There's a restaurant you could ask at, though, since some of it's to-scale.

No, I- ....There's just so much. [He sighs, because its easy for him to get carried away around all of that stuff.]

A restaurant? Do they expect us to pay?

Edited 2014-12-25 02:34 (UTC)

True, that.

[After all, there's enough she's spent a week straight searching through games and toys, seeing what? One volunteer.]

Nah. I've never been asked to pay for anything since I've arrived, and I've had a fair few restaurant meals. I doubt it'd be different for you.

I thought so. [He seems to recall someone telling him there isn't really currency here yet.]

Free is good- now to find out if they have enough to actually fill me up!

About that---I want to give you some more advice before you head on out.

[The adept peers up, to be sure she has his full attention. The words 'I want to give you...' should've secured it---this mech has the soul of an acquisitive magpie and the ticks of a till---but hey, she wants to be certain. This is important.]

Okay?

[Dirge had been about to transform and fly off, thinking the transaction was complete, but the human spoke again and her words cut the unique noise of changing off abruptly. Normally, it would have been very hard to get his attention away from food, but Sam just so happens to have picked the exact words for the job.]

Hm? I'm listening~

Trying to farm people is a terrible idea. This is a fact---a fact I want us to have established, here.

[She couldn't, in good conscience, just let him go after a conversation about edibles.]

Tomatoes? Fine, good. And other crops! But people, you should rule right out.

[Be they humans, or anything else.]

Why? You're the one who told me humans are so wonderfully adaptable. That more humans could be made nearly anywhere, as long as the basic necessities were provided.

For starters, we are talking about thinking, feeling, self-aware agents. That alone should be enough to deter you.

[Especially since there's precious little someone could farm humans for, save some Soylent Green shit.]

[That's terrible.]

I shouldn't have to build on the ethical arguments, but I have a feeling I still will.

...And? [She's lost him here- there's obviously something she is assuming that he has no knowledge of.]

Oh, ethics. [That would be it.]

I don't really know anything about those. Except that Swindle claimed to have his own set of 'Business Ethics' that he never explained to me.

...well, hell.

[That's going to change. That's got to change.]

[Sam pauses to run a hand up over her face, ostensibly to brush some stray hair away. A small part of her wants to start with "sit down, we're gonna be a while."]

Look. People, on account of being people, are due a certain measure of respect and consideration. There's 'the golden rule,' which is 'treat others the way you want to be treated,' and 'you've got to give respect to get respect' is more-or-less a footnote for it.

[Dirge gives his fuel meter a fleeting glance as she takes in a breath to explain, wondering if this is going to take long.]

Why? Also, what makes this rule 'golden'? How valuable is respect?

[It is going to take as long as it has to. Fortunately, Sam's twigged to a couple of angles, so it should be an issue of approach.]

Its importance, since it's just kinda what allows people to function smoothly, socially. And very. A point in case? If people don't respect you, they won't respect your property---or territory, either.

And why should I care what humans need to function socially?

Hm, I see... That sounds very important, actually. How does one [he grimaces because he is about to say a word he does not like] give respect?

[Sam flicks her hands to the sides; they stay spread at shoulder-height for a sentence.]

I said people. Human people, Cybertronian people, other people, whoever's here. We've got a sort of standard for civility; there's not a great deal of difference there.

[Her conversation with Predaking was proof. They'd both been understandably upset by being misplaced persons, but throughout that conversation they'd both been courteous---and easily at an understanding.]

Respecting others, you treat them as equals. You take their wants and needs and feelings into account; you try to compromise if there's a conflict; you don't treat anybody as just a means to an end, and for fuck's sake you don't eat anyone.

How do you know anything about Cybertronian moral c- Wait a minute.

[Dirge's huge red optics narrow.] I know exactly where I've heard things like this before. You sound just like an Autobot.

[And didn't they team up with humans all the time?]

I am not an Autobot, and I will eat whatever I please! [He hisses, for his tank is nearly empty, which always tends to amp up his aggression levels.]

I've been talking to Cybertronians, that's how! You, Predaking and Wing from my first friggin' day!

[Now she's throwing her hands up---or, at least, beginning to, before planting both on her hips instead. It's a little awkward, what with the books, but still, that stance should confirm Dirge's suspicions: despite being so much smaller, Sam isn't entirely afraid of him. She's aware he's a potential threat (of course; it's conspicuous) but so is she.]

Oh? No-one's ID'd this accent. I'm just me---and I'm not saying you're anything!

[except for "an asshole," if anybody asks]

So cool it for just a split second, okay?

[She's hoping he will, even as she's striving to scan his rough read for any flicker of intent.]

If that 'whatever' is including people, there are going to be problems. Not just with me, though by god I'd give you grief, even if I don't really want a beef with you. I'd rather talk this out.

Edited 2014-12-27 00:49 (UTC)

2nd Bite [Video]

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