[ text ; private to knock out ]

[buffedthat]

HEY DOC, I GOT A FAVOR TO ASK.

Comments

[buffedthat]

IT'S NOT AN OPERATION, HE JUST NEEDS A COLLAR OFF. METAL, I DON'T KNOW THE ALLOY. SHOULD BE EASY.

[buffthis]

A collar? Breakdown, I thought we were talking about some kind of sentient being here. Don't tell me you've picked up a pet off the streets. Those things are unclean, you know.

[buffedthat]

IT IS A SENTIENT BEING. I MEAN, HE IS. THE COLLAR BLOCKS HIS PSIONICS.

[buffthis]

Psionics? It's not a human, is it?

[buffedthat]

NOPE. ALTERNIAN. YOU'LL RECOGNIZE HIM.

[buffthis]

[ Breakdown, wh -- ]

... Absolutely not!

[buffedthat]

KNOCK OUT, TRIDENT HAD HIM TOO.

[buffthis]

What do I care? He's Alternian! And more than that, you didn't see what he did to my upholstery!

[buffedthat]

I KNOW YOU DON'T CARE. BUT I CARE. AND I'LL HELP YOU FIX YOUR UPHOLSTERY IF IT'S STILL SLICED UP.

[buffthis]

What my upholstery looks like now isn't the point! You want me to help someone who willfully attacked me? Besides, he can't be trusted. And it does beg the question -- why do you care?

[buffedthat]

[ there's a pretty lengthy pause here, but eventually: ]

I KNOW TWO YEARS ISN'T REALLY THAT LONG, BUT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IT.
HE PROBABLY GETS THAT.

[buffthis]

[ There's a comparable delay before Knock Out responds, too. He spends a few good, long moments grappling with himself over this. ]

...I suppose he would.

You said something about a collar?

[buffedthat]

[ see knock out this is why you're his bff. it's good to have someone who understands the things you can't really articulate, and there'd be a smile here if he weren't currently a truck. ]

WHERE SHOULD WE MEET YOU?

ONLY FOR YOU, BREAKDOWN :II

[buffthis]

Don't rev up your engines just yet, Breakdown. Before I agree to anything, where's our insurance that the little fleshling won't turn on us once we've helped him?

SMILES :]

[buffedthat]

I DON'T THINK HE WILL.

[ ...and surely there must be more to it than that, right? surely. except there totally isn't. ]

[buffthis]

What, we don't even have his word? I need some kind of guarantee, Breakdown. He could scrap us both if he wanted to, I'm sure. Psionics are bad news.

[buffedthat]

[ there's a HEAVY SIGH on the other end, but ok, he'll oblige. ]

HANG ON, I'LL TALK TO HIM.

[buffedthat]

[ a minute or two later: ] I GOT HIS WORD, AND YOU CAN HAVE MY GUARANTEE. GOOD?

[buffthis]

[ Knock Out still doesn't have a good feeling about this. ]

If this goes to scrap, this is all on you.

But fine. I'll do it. You can meet me at these coordinates. I'll be waiting.

[ Knock Out sends him the coordinates to a relatively secure location outside of L.A.'s city limits. He's not happy about this, but he'll do it -- for Breakdown. ]

[buffedthat]

THANKS, KNOCK OUT. I OWE YOU. WE'LL BE THERE IN 10.

[buffthis]

You certainly do. Let's just hope the little fleshbug is as trustworthy as you seem so keen on believing.

I'll see you.