Being Human (Transformers Prime)

Chapter Six | Interactions

“The concept of randomness and coincidence will be obsolete when people can finally define a formulation of patterned interaction between all things within the universe.” 

~Toba Beta

>>•<<

Miko Nakadai ran for her life, a scream ripping through her throat as she darted from one side of the table to another, continuing to make as much sound as possible as she ran. A mixture of both English and Japanese flew from her mouth as she leaped and kicked out in an attempt to save herself.

"Stop!" Jack yells. "You're going to give her a heart attack!"

Knock Out merely rolled his optics, sneering. "She'll be fine. Besides, she needs the exercise." His red optics watched her with amusement, chuckling as she danced and pranced around the object that terrified her: a giant tarantula that Knock Out had somehow acquired during one of his drives.

"It could bite her and kill her!" Rafael pleads, his eyes watering as he watched with equal terror.

Shockwave clenched his fist in a sign of irritation, resisting the urge to strike out at the medic. The girl's screams were disrupting his work, and Knock Out's illogical attitude toward the situation didn't help. He obviously did not understand the delicacy of the project.

"Knock Out." He snaps, voice modulators conveying annoyance so the medic could take the hint. "Get rid of the organic insect. Your form of enjoyment is most illogical."

"Actually, it's an arachnid." Knock Out corrects in his usual laid-back tone, his digit squishing the spider that had been aggressively pursuing Miko. She screamed yet again as its legs and body twitched and convulsed, too terrified to move even after it had stilled. "It's got eight legs and two body sections. Oh, and it also has up to ten eyes. Trippy, eh?"

Shockwave didn't care where Knock Out got the information (probably that "Discovery Channel" he had previously referenced to), he just wanted the narcissist to stop. "Clean up the mess and return her to her restraints. Your technique for getting the humans to exercise is ineffective."

The scientist received a shrug in return, Knock Out scraping off the spider's guts on his digits on the edge of the table. Knock Out stood there, staring at the remains, and Jack was beginning to wonder if he had no idea what to do with the stuff when Soundwave walked in.

"We've got a mess to clean up." Knock Out gestured to the mess. "I'm not touching it."

"You just did, wimp!" Miko shouts, her fear dissipating with the loss of the spider. "Don't tell me you're chicken!"

"Fine, then you touch it." He challenges, Soundwave standing there quietly. Rafael thought he saw disinterest in the communications officer's stance, but this was Soundwave. Who knew what he thought or felt?

"Nuh-uh." She crosses her arms, turning her back on him.

"Chicken." Knock Out snickers, receiving a tongue stuck out at him in return. Tearing his gaze away from her, he looks at Soundwave. "Well? Somebody has to clean it up."

Soundwave looked at him for a moment, as if contemplating on how he wanted to do away with the medic. In truth, the silent mech was gauging whether or not Knock Out was being absolutely serious or messing with him. Soundwave hated the mediac's antics, but unfortunately he was given direct orders from Megatron to resist killing the annoying ground-vehicle.

Finally, Soundwave stepped forward and transformed his arm into a gun, hitting the remains with his energon shot and waiting as the organic material was reduced to ash in mere milliseconds.  Miko gave a little squeak, one leg up in the air defensively and her entire body hunched over. She looked like she was attempting to do the fetal position in mid-air.