Help Me Help You

This is certainly not where he ever planned to be.
Wheeljack paces in the hallway he's been left in. It wasn't long ago that he was made an offer by an officer, Prowl, to come to facility to build weapons. It was something that offended Wheeljack and greatly upset him. He knows what is building, what Cybertron is gearing towards... but he is an idealist. He wants there to be a better way and so far he's had the luxury to hold out for that. Then Torque went missing.
For a time, Wheeljack didn't worry. Maybe she was just busy? The femme has her own life and he respects that. Eventually though he thought to check on her and activated the 'theoryspace' ring that he built - one that generates a holographic subspace projection to accompany private transmissions. It was meant as a way to hold private workshop meetings without producing any actual devices (or evidence) to be held against them - not an emergency device.
Wheeljack accepted Prowl's offer in a rush, so quickly that he left immediately after signalling that to this facility. He's still in his work mandated attire - lenses goggles (glasses) and a near-worn corded listening device (tie). He wrings his hands as he paces as he waits as he frets as he sighs as he... as he... he's made the right decision to come here, he knows it.
Kimia is a state-of-the-art facility. Immaculate and beautiful, it houses just about every scientist, engineer, or really any researcher's dream piece of equipment. Wheeljack should be -beyond- excited to be here, shouldn't he? What ever is he so distressed about? This offer made to him by the chief of security should've been something he couldn't -possibly- turn down.
Upon arriving he's given his own office space (definitely better than the closet back at Ultirexx), personal lab space, and access codes to his wing as well as the other office wings.
As Wheeljack is fretting and pacing, another researcher, namely Pharma, notices his distress. There's a good chance Wheeljack would recognize him, since he is fairly distinguished in the intellectual community, particularly the medical field. But doctors and scientists from all walks of life would know him--he's one of Deltaran's finest physicians. He raises an optic ridge in concern. "Can I...help you with something?"
Wheeljack SHOULD be excited for this, yes, but the problem there is that he's not nearly as logical as he should be. His heart far outreaches his logic, which is a part of why he has such a hard time processing his feelings. Like his inventions, he helps into them without thinking them through, or has strong impulses that can make him stubborn. Like wanting to say 'no' to Prowl's offer because it was someone named 'prowl' that made it to him. Kimia is mindblowing, or would be, if Jackie would care to notice. He's so consumed with what brought him here that he hasn't spent a moment in any of that space he's been granted. He's still wearing his old 'attire'! Fortunately, it only works on technoversity grounds so what he sees or says won't be broadcasted back to his 'handler' there, Sparkplug.
"She's gonna' kill you!" How's THAT for a reason to look distressed?
Of COURSE Wheeljack knows who Pharma is. Jack went through the Academy with Ratchet. Where Jack idolized (and talked endlessly about) Starscream, his buddy worshipped Pharma. Wheeljack often teased Ratchet how the doctor modeled himself after his hero, where Ratchet would tease Jackie that his ears were so large to listen for even a peep of the scientific Seeker's thrusters.
"I can help *you*," Jack stresses as he rushes right up to Pharma like he is just the bot that Jack came to see. Because he is! "Though, yes, you can help me. Please. You have to help me... to help you.. to help me to... *please*," he stresses. He looks very panicked. He reaches for Pharma but... stops. He lowers his arms, his hands coming together as they fidget with something on one of them. "You got somewhere we can talk?"
Pharma's optics widen as Wheeljack basically assaults him with words. Words that don't really make any sense at all. "Whoa, whoa." He holds up his hands. "Slow down there, who's going to kill who?" Does he know this guy? He stares at him...
...Nope.
"Uh, yes, of course. We can talk in my office." He starts down the hallway toward it.
He answers by pointing. Right at Pharma. "This guy," he states, since you ask. What? He wasn't clear? Then again, this bot is OLD, right? Maybe Wheeljack should lend Pharma his ears? Or... oops! He's already leaving!
Wheeljack dashes to catch up. "I mean *you*, sir. Sir?" Wheeljack suddenly isn't sure what he should call Pharma. He tries his best to explain. "My buddy Ratchet worships you, has since we joined the academy together. I likely know a lot more 'bout you than you do 'lbout me... name's Wheeljack. I'm the one that poorly named officer sent up here, because what kinda' name is 'prowl' anyway for a security bot. Prowl is what mechs of prey do... thieves PROWL on others in dark alleys and just..." Wheeljack shakes his head. He has this 'thing' about the meaning of names bots take. Something then occurs to him. "Unless that's what he does... prowl 'round for science bots to send here in which case he's sent many up to here." For the first time since he arrived, Wheeljack looks around as he follows Pharma and thus he has his first real reaction to Kimia.
"Wowza."
Pharma somehow isn't all that surprised by this revelation. "Just call me Pharma." He says dismissively, shaking his head as he makes his way into his office and sits down, gesturing for Wheeljack to do the same. He smirks somewhat fondly at the mention of Ratchet. "Ah, so you know Ratchet. Yes, he and I are close." The doctor says with a nod. "So Prowl sent you here?" He's surprised that the engineer didn't know who Prowl was. "Er, you -do- know he's chief of security?"
"Anyway, now who was it that you were saying is out to kill me?"
"The chief of security is named *Prowl*?" That shocks Wheeljack to his spark. He's got a great deal of concern for the future of Sybertron. He knows that war is coming but he has no concept of what it is and believes he can fend it off if he can only come up with the right idea. He pinned his hopes on Starscream, after all. Wheeljack has never had a *need* to really be focused on security before. "That don't really encourage a message of safety to me, with a name like *that*."
Wheeljack remains standing since he can't bring it upon himself to stay still. Pharma may sit but Jack paces still. His brow knits as he thinks how best to explain this. "It's not that she *will*. But she is bein' sent to. She doesn't want to but that's what *he* wants." It's ... so hard for Jack to accept. "Starscream took her and it's all my fault."
"Starscream, huh?" Pharma doesn't look too surprise at this fact. "Heh, don't look so shocked. What more could you expect from someone like him, after all? He's always convinced the world owes him something." The doctor shakes his head. "And who exactly is this 'she' you're talking about? I'm afraid you're going to have to be a lot more specific if you want me to help you."
Everything? Wheeljack thought the Seeker to be like a Prince; the best Cybertron had ever produced. For every job there is a proper tool, and before this, Wheeljack was sure that Starscream was the tool for any and every job. Now, the Vosian leader is just a tool.
Wheeljack slumps into the seat now, as it sinks in all the more. It crushed him when Torque said it and now to have Pharma reinforce it... it takes him off his feet.
"Torque," he says without looking up. Instead Wheeljack looks to his hands and fiddles with something there again. "A mechanic. A fighter. Toughest bot I've ever known... and he took her." Wheeljack sighs and sets his optics on Pharma. He's desperate here. "She means... to me..." Feelings. Like his ideas, they are vast and rich and they overwhelm him. "She means everything to me." He tries to think of the best way to put this.
Wheeljack leans forward. "I ain't dumb, Pharma. I know what Cybertron is buildin' to, and what Prowl asked me to come here to build. I hate the idea of makin' weapons, but when I look at Torque that's what I think of most. What comes natural. Like... incremental thermal devices, that'd intensify the longer they burn or scraplet-pellets, shotgun shells that's chew through a mech or even a spark-matchin' anti-frequency generator that'd cause an individual spark to go into shutdown. It kinda' scared me when it would first happen, seein' all them plans and schematics clear as day, driven t'make 'em on the spot. It took until she was taken for me t'realize *why*. 'Cause I'd make even one of 'em if it meant keepin' her safe. I'd give my *spark* to make that happen."
"Starscream took her. He's got her somewhere, I don't know where, and he's tryin' to talk her into killing you. I don't know why, I don't *wanna'* know." Despite taking Torque, Jack isn't sure he can handle any more bad news about his idol. "I'd do *anythin'* to save her. You have to help me, *please*. Ratchet always said you were the best, so..." Here he is, pledging and pleading his spark out. "If I tell her to agree 'nd she comes for you, that'd be the best chance to save her." It's a risk he's asking you to take to save somebot he values more than himself.
"Heh." Pharma listens to Wheeljack ramble on and on about his feelings. This guy sure talks a -lot-. "He wants to kill me because he hates my struts. I asked him for advice, once...when we were both at the Academy. He gave it. I took it. And because of that, I excelled. Graduated with highest honors. Whereas he... got expelled for unethical research practices." The doctor shakes his head, shrugging. "I suppose he's just terribly jealous of me; but I just wish he'd put it all behind him, after all it's not as if he's in want of anything. I mean look at him, one might even argue that he's made it even higher than me. So I have no idea why he hasn't just gotten over himself already."
He sighs. "Anyway, enough about that. I will speak to Torque, see if the two of us can't come up with something to outdo him. Although, I do have a plan in place to avoid death even if she does allow herself to be manipulated by him."
Wheeljack said he didn't want to know! He revered Starscream for his brilliance, his abilities, his grace and most certainly his potential. The revelations of the mech's nature is hard to come to terms with, yet Jackie has no other choice but to now.
He does look relieved, not for Pharma's sense of security but because the elder bot has just promised (in his mind) to kill her. He's sure Pharma can handle himself, from all Ratchet said, hence why if attacked unprovoked from a femme... no matter how much confidence Jack has in Torque, he knows it wouldn't end well for his... whatever she is meant to be.
"Thank you. Sir. If you can save her... please." He did promise he'd do anything to make that happen. "I ain't got much left to my name any more. Less than nothin'. Just my ideas. But if there's anythin' I can do, anythin' I can give to save her, it's yours. It means so much that you'll help me save her."
"Oh, but ideas valuable." Pharma contends. "After all, nearly everything that was ever discovered or invented started with some kind of an -idea-, right?" He smiles. "I don't know what sort of threats he's made in order to attempt to leverage her into doing this, but hopefully she'll see reason in the fact that he's likely intending to follow through on his threats whether or not she does what he wants. And I'm sure she'd prefer to simply not give him the satisfaction of giving in to his manipulation games."
From what she has said, most of her satisfaction would seem to come from beating in Starscream's face. "If it meant gettin' her back, I'd give ya' a copy of my whole *head*," Wheeljack promises freely and without consideration. He says it with enough genuine honesty that it seems to be a think he thinks he could follow through on.
"Oh? Well I'd certainly like to see you attempt to pull -that- one off." Pharma jokes lightly, then sobers up a bit. "I can make you no promises, Wheeljack, other than that I will do my best to save and free her. I'm not certain what exactly Starscream has planned. I do know what -I- have planned...but again, I'll do my best."
He has to accept that. He *HATES* that Torque is going through this because of him. She's strong but still, this is unnecessary and just... rude. More than that. This is *wrong*. It wounds Wheeljack to know it is hapening, but what more can he do? Give in to the impulses he has, about how he should scour the planet for her and use every wild weapon idea running through his head to liberate her? If Pharma can't save her... he just might have to.
"Thank you, sir. I'll be in yer debt forever, just for tryin'." Imagine if you pull it off.
He looks unsure what to do with himself now. Should he go? Stay to work on something? Wheeljack is at a loss with himself. He feels like he should be pacing.
"Of course." Pharma nods. "But don't think of yourself as being indebted. I'm a doctor, it's my job to do my best to save as many lives as possible, including Torque's. Even if it means I have to, well, perish for her sake. But even if that happens, I trust you will continue my work, or at least find someone else who will."
"Whew, is that all? Of course! I bet even Ratchet would kill ya' to fill your shoes! Not that any of us are as good as you, sir, but we could sure try!" Wheeljack kind of skips over the significant thing there, that of Pharma dying, if it means Torque is safe! It's a price that the inventor is okay making!
"Heh, perhaps." Pharma chuckles. "Well, it was good to meet you, Wheeljack. I suppose you can hang around if you'd like, but I imagine you have other matters to attend to."
Wheeljack doesn't really. But he does. But he doesn't to think about anything other than getting Torque back. "Right," he says as he stands and turns to go. He does have an office and lab to set up... though little of that is going to happen until Pharma can come through for him. Jack turns back to say something, thinks better of it, and just leaves. At least for now.