thisavrou_log | [closed] how do i manage to station myself in harm's way?

Who: Zam Wesell and Tarn
When: Some time during the first week of May
Where: Cargo bay
What: Tarn notices a stranger hiding from him in the cargo bay. Clearly this calls for a ~~terrifying~~ friendly conversation.
Warnings: Possible mention of previous violence and resulting injuries. Will update if needed.

[It’s mid-afternoon when Zam transporter docks in the cargo bay. She’s spent the last few hours exploring the planet below, this time with more of an interest in its industrial underbelly than the reverse-Ingress itself. Given the danger they’ve encountered on previous planets, it’s no surprise that she’s opted for her trademark dull-violet armor rather than her standard uniform this time around.

She’s just climbed out of the transporter with the rest of the passengers when she sees a familiar shape in the cargo bay. Well, presumably everyone sees it -- at his stature, it’s not like Tarn is easy to miss. Except while the rest of the group is content enough to just avoid the Cybertronian on their way out, Zam’s not so willing to get even that close to the behemoth. Had he seen her exit the transporter? Maybe it would be best if she just waited for him to leave.

Sounds like the wisest course of action to her. She darts back into cover within the transporter. Though she doubts it would be all that effective against Tarn, she still feels some small amount of comfort resting her hand on the blaster at her side as well. Hopefully, he hadn’t seen her and if he had... well, hopefully he doesn’t take an interest.

Spooked as she is, Zam doesn’t remember that she hadn’t even been wearing the same form when she’d first encountered him.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Tarn’s approach isn’t exactly stealthy from where Zam’s standing. She can practically feel his footsteps as he draws closer and it’s no mystery who he’s approaching either. So by the time Tarn crouches down to peer into the transporter, he’ll find Zam backed up to the far end of the vessel, blaster drawn and aimed at his face. Her response to his question is a single terse syllable.]

Guess.

[A loud booming laugh fills the transporter as Tarn catches sight of the tiny blaster pointing at his face.]

It's absurd that you seem to think that tiny weapon will have any impact on me whatsoever. At worst, it may prove to be a minor irritation. [Like some sort of insect bite or bee sting.]

[Tarn doesn't back away. Instead, he cocks his head and inspects the organic. Had he met her before? Surely not. He would have remembered.]

Has Megatron's little PSA really left such an impact? Surely you didn't miss the bit about avoiding attracting my attention.

[Zam shrugs, still not lowering the blaster.] Better than nothing. [And, useless or not, it’s some comfort to have the weapon in her hands and pointed at the threat in front of her. And keeping it aimed precisely at one of the Cybertronian’s eyes gives her something to focus on other than her racing heartbeat.]

It’s a little late for that, [she scoffs. Or has he been victimizing so many people that he’s already forgotten that they’re already acquainted?] Look, we’ve already done this before and it didn’t end well for either of us. How about we both agree to just leave each other alone? [She’s starting to wish she wasn’t pointing a blaster at Tarn; if she had both hands free, she might be able to surreptitiously ping Megatron...]

[Squinting, Tarn really looks at Zam, completely ignoring the gun pointing at his eye. He is reasonably sure that he's never met her before, but really most of these organics look the same to him. Something about her is strangely familiar though.]

Have we? I must confess that I don't recall our meeting. Perhaps you can refresh my memory

[if their last meeting truly went as poorly as she says, Tarn is sure that he would have remembered.]

[Zam actually looks somewhat offended. Come on, it’s one thing to maim someone, but to maim someone and then not to even remember a few weeks down the line? That’s low.]

You attacked me literal seconds after you arrived here. Or did you forget all of that once you saw Megatron? [“Fleshlings” are just insects to him after all. Why should he remember which ones he’s crushed? She shakes her head and then slowly lowers her blaster.]

I’d rather not call him. And I have a feeling you’d rather I didn’t either. So how about we avoid past mistakes? [To make her point, she returns her blaster to its holster. It's not just a sign of non-hostility -- it also means she'll have both hands free to use her MID if necessary.]

[Tarn clearly remembers the incident that Zam is speaking of, but for some reason he finds himself unable to match her face to the organic that he had interrogated the previous month.

Megatron's appearance has nothing to do with it. [Tarn sounds downright insulted] I'm afraid you organics are just difficult to identify. I could have sworn that you had a different face.

[Tarn makes a snorting sound as Zam lowers her weapon. It seems to him that she knows how futile the situation is.] There's no reason for such nonsense. I've not even touched you.

Besides even if you did call him, I could have killed you 10 times over by the time he actually arrived. It's not much of a threat on your part.

[Zam blinks at Tarn’s insistence that she had a different face when they first met. Whether he knows it or not, that is a feasible explanation for the misunderstanding. Not that she’s going to tell him.]

Right. Well, if you’ve figured out who I am and aren’t planning on killing me, then I don’t think we have anything else to discuss. [A fraction of a second to gather her courage and she moves to walk out of the transporter and hopefully past Tarn. If he lets her.]

[Tarn watches with veiled interest as Zam tries to scoot past him. He almost lets her exit the transporter but stops her at the last minute by cutting off her path with his stupidly large hand.]

That's where you're wrong. You see, your ability the change form intrigues me. Is that a species thing, or something specific to only you?

[At least he's not trying to pick her up.]

[Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. Zam leaps back into the transporter as Tarn’s giant hand blocks her way, instinctively reaching for her blaster once again. She’s not sure whether she feels relief or indignation when he only follows up by asking a question. Her eyes narrow.]

It’s an ability shared among everyone of my race. [She’s backing away from him now, deeper into the transporter.. He might not let her leave, but that doesn’t mean she has to stay near him.] We're changelings. Like Cybertronians. [Those last two words are a risky addition, but Zam figures that's why Tarn's taking an interest in the first place: both Clawdites and Cybertronians have alternate forms.]

[closed] how do i manage to station myself in harm's way?

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