redshiftlogs | [CLOSED] They're acting vicious out there

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[CLOSED] They're acting vicious out there

Who: Hayato Gokudera, Starscream, and Takeshi Yamamoto
What: Starscream helps out with Gokudera's pet ring, Yamamoto supervises
When: Sometime in mid to late July
Where: R&D labs
Warnings: language, but will update as needed!

Gokudera is going to finally have something done about the half choke collar around his neck.

He's not going to have it removed, because... that would be awful. Also, it has a lot of sentimental value, which he isn't willing to share. It's been sending sensations through him that have finally grated enough on his nerves that he needs help from someone he doesn't know.

But if he's going to trust anyone with programming, it will be an inorganic, powerful being that... he hopes is taking pity on him. Gokudera's not certain why he didn't have to convince Starscream to help. It's not like they'd agreed on any terms through their short conversation. He needs to not get his hopes up. Starscream agreed to take a look at it. That's all.

If he will attempt to disable the faulty voice commands that no one is issuing, that the pet ring is responding to, Gokudera will notify Yamamoto. They'd already had a conversation about what would be needed should things get too dangerous.

Removing pet rings that had been bracelets meant removing hands. Earrings meant removing ears, a ring meant losing a finger, so this pet ring is around his neck. Gokudera can't afford to literally lose his head. The rings would always sever with small, controlled, violent explosions. Hopefully, Starscream will be able to hack into the device fused to Gokudera without it getting dangerous and messy. Yamamoto knows what it looks like when the pet ring starts to respond to tampering.

Right now, the silver-haired teenager is just going to focus on allowing Starscream to look. What happens after... he'll deal with however he can. Gokudera's in no position to make demands, but he gets to the R&D lab level like Starscream had instructed, and simply hopes something can be done. "You wanted to take a look at it?" The boy asks as he approaches and points at his collar.

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Gokudera isn't sure which part of the collar Starscream wants to scan first, or if the device is able to scan it all in one go. He leans to allow it closer and then reaches to turn the collar. For something fused to him, it slides easily, lights up in recognition to his touch.

"Correct," He says. "On Amoi, it was used more as a visual indication of my status. Its functions were never utilized by my owner." Based on the research he's done (thanks for handing those books over, Starcream), he knows that the voice recognition software is a likely source of the problem.

"It seems to act up more in response to certain... voices?" He's not certain if his research has given him more understanding, or if all he has are theories. "Staying reclusive has helped. It picked up on something at the fight club on The Daisy Darling and responded to that, but mostly it's changes in tone?" He turns his head away, hand shifting the leather again to get the chain out of the way. There seems to be a metal chip embedded in the leather, smooth and flush to Gokudera's skin. In order to view it, the collar would have to be turned inside out. It may be difficult to pick up with the tool Starscream is using, or even to see it with eyes alone, but there is something engraved into the metal. It's a fingerprint scanner and his owner's identification number.

"I don't know what you can get from it..." Or rather, what information will surface with deeper analysis, "But I'm going to call Yamamoto to sit in on this." Gokudera looks at Starscream, eyes imploring and sharp.

"If it comes up, please do not disclose the name of my owner. I know this all," He gestures to the collar, "Could easily be resolved, but I'll approach that when I'm ready. It's..." The boy sighs. It's not like Starscream can't understand emotion, but Gokudera thinks that probably no one wants to get involved in teenagers and their drama. "Emotionally, a delicate situation."

The scanner Starscream is using is calibrated to scan different parts of the collar, making passes over it not unlike an MRI, slices of layers. Specifically he's looking for a power source, for its control mechanisms, its distribution points for the effects Gokudera has mentioned. Once he has a baseline, he'll be better able to tackle the software problem.

By my owner. If Starscream had been giving the collar any measured benefit of the doubt that it was solely a stylistic choice, those definitely just went out the airlock. His expression stays mostly inscrutable though, waiting for the scanner to deliver its results. Once it does, beeping its completion, the Seeker picks up a small tool with a prong on the end that he can use to carefully run over the area of the collar where the scanner housing is located.

"It's voice recognition software is corrupted," he says finally. "As expected. But it does appear that it can be restored to its last state or a default setting."

His gaze turns cunning when Gokudera says he plans to call Yamamoto to join them. "If it comes out, I could be persuaded to remain mute on the topic," he says shrewdly.

The power that the collar gets comes directly from Gokudera. It is, after all, connected to him without being visibly attached to his skin or past that. It's more like there is something else fusing him with it. Currently, it is dormant without any commands issued or any physical contact.

Gokudera sits still, but he does seem to tense a bit as the collar seems to recognize that it is being touched by something foreign. If it is trying to scan that tool for a fingerprint, it somehow registers a minor attempt at removal, and starts to tighten.

For his part, the boy does not move in response, just tries to stay calm as he feels the leather slide in closer, almost like the device is protecting that spot.

"That would be ideal," He says and then meets that gaze with some apprehension. "What would you want... What service could I perform to persuade you?" Gokudera doesn't see himself as having much worth.

"So long as you will restore it... I will help you in whatever endeavor I can," And he's turning his eyes down to his device, typing up an invitation to Takeshi.

Yamamoto had told Hayato five minutes; in truth, the baseball player ran full speed, and he is there in more like three. His stamina is high enough that he did not break a sweat in the run. He is in his practice clothing, Shigure Kintoki over his shoulder.

When he steps into the lab, his first word is of course the bomber's name "Hayato..." Then he remembers, Starscream is here, he flashes that confident smile, "Yo. King, thanks for this." He is sure Hayato thanked him, even as he greets the mech, it's to the silver-haired male that his eyes go. Sure, he is smiling, he looks at ease, but Hayato will know by his eyes. The mech holds something very precious to the swordsman, he will be on alert the entire time.

He is anything but carefree; he has that focused, going into battle look in his eyes despite his smile. He is capable of both, after all. Every fiber of him hoping this is a simple fix. But he is here if anything goes wrong he will pull the plug and stop that collar. Anyway, he can.

Unaware of any information that the collar could contain, he is oblivious to this deal between the two. All he knows is that the collar seems to be malfunctioning, and it needs to be fixed for Hayato's safety and comfort. Before it goes haywire and the worst happens. He is like a magnet, moving to Hayato's side as close he can without getting in Starscream's way.

Edited 2020-07-24 07:23 (UTC)

Starscream catalogs the collar's behaviour during the scan — it's even more sensitive to tampering than Gokudera had let on. Though it did seem to have a ramping threat recognition protocol, so he had a little play in how much it could be affected.

His red optics gleam at the offer. "Let's say you'll owe me a favour," he smirks. "After all, it's not like you can really leave this place and get away from the debt."

At Yamamoto's arrival, Starscream takes careful note of the interesting way the pair of them interact. He's seen it before in other mechs, and he imagines there was a point in time where he must have resembled that to outsiders. But that's a path of thought he's not eager to retread and so he shoves it to the back of his processor once again.

"Before we try to reset the voice command, it may be worth attempting to reset a less critical setting," he suggested. "To test the software's assessment of outside influence."

Gokudera isn't concerned about Yamamoto finding out that he and Starscream are striking a deal. Holding debts and repaying them are all a part of how he was raised in the mafia. This is no problem. He looks over at the swordsman and gives him a soft smile. His nerves are in his eyes. Yes, this could be dangerous, and he has every right to be scared. Removing pet rings from ex-pets on Amoi was never easy business. He's all too familiar with removing them in a surgical sense... and dealing with the wounds that generally accompanied those procedures.

"I'll repay you for this, then," The silver-haired boy says and closes his eyes, accepting. He is tired, especially from the pain the collar has been inflicting on him.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Gokudera asks Starscream. "It is familiar with me, so I'm not sure how responsive it is... So... what kind of outside influence?" But he reaches up and touches it, and there seems to be a pulse of energy through it. The bit of engraved metal lights up softly, but there is otherwise no reaction. It doesn't tighten or seem to offer much more than the light to display that it is no typical jewelry.

Deals are nothing new to Yamamoto either; it's not as if he hasn't seen one or two made. It is honestly the furthest thing from his mind. And if he ever learned he may assume it's in payment for fixing the collar and nothing more. He'll do anything within reason himself to repay this kindness and it's not even his collar.

Yamamoto returns Hayato's smile, then remains there silent, watching, ready. He is here for one reason, speaking up now is only going to complicate things and he does not know how to fix any of it. Instead, he watches the colors, the band, making sure the collar is behaving any time it is touched.

He knows what can happen if it goes sideways, he is just watching for that and going to let Starscream and Gokudera take care of the collar on their own. Unless he thinks it needs to be stopped; then he'll step in. That his fingers are tense around the hilt of his blade he can not help.it.

Stillness is not typically easy for him, patience yes but for now, he finds a way to keep his body as calm as he can because his mind is focused on the matter at hand as it is this is easier.

"Nothing you need to do," Starscream answered Gokudera, carefully watching the reaction it had to the young man's touch. "The first thing I'm going to try is to induce a systems check. It's a benign routine that shouldn't have any adverse affects. That will give me something of a baseline before we try overriding or resetting anything."

He activated the fine end of the probe, targeting the collar's processing mechanism to do the systems check.

A benign routine sounds just that, and Gokudera's hoping that his collar will give the kind of baseline that Starscream is expecting. He closes his eyes, not wanting to betray how much his nerves have him frightened. There is no way the collar could pick up on that, and raise any suspicion, right? There's no tones it could recognize, or words... and he's still.

Almost immediately as soon as the probe is introduced, it's recognized as a foreign intrusion. After all, Gokudera never needed his pet ring checked. There was no routine he'd ever been aware of. The collar is as much a part of him and as vital as a necessary organ. This may not be tampering, but the light shifts in color, and the chains start to close in, tightening. There's no pain, but there is heat, and Gokudera makes a small noise in the back of his throat.

"H-hang on." He reaches up and touches the chains, pulling so that the leather can be flush to his skin. It's almost as though he's trying to distract, to redirect whatever programming is set off. It works, but the light doesn't shift. It stops tightening, and the heat remains. Yamamoto may smell something, probably burnt hair.

"Okay..." Now he can tell if it gets tight and will be able to pull it back so it doesn't suddenly go critical. It's not currently doing anything more in response, the light slowly fading. "It should be better now." And if that probe starts another system check, everything should be fine. Whether it's picking up on Gokudera's need, or the fact that it's being tightening willingly, it's reaction is now, for the most part, overridden by its captive's actions. He may have more control over it than he initially thought.

Sharp eyes follow every movement from the pair, body tense, ready to move if he needs. The minute the tightening starts his hand releases his sword's hilt. Coming upright he is like an arrow.

A hunting dog of the highest caliber could not stand more on point than the swordsman does. He can feel the tremor in his muscles from holding them to tight and not springing forward. His every instinct tells him to, while his mind reminds him, wait.

The burnt hair draws his brow together. He hates this, he hates it so much he can feel it stirring in his stomach. But the collar seems to be obeying Hayato and he knows this needs to be done. He looks at the bomber, eyes searching his face a moment to be sure he is okay.

Then he holds the line; waiting. If he spoke now he is afraid of what he would say, he has to focus on the task and not his own desire not to see the other hurt.

Starscream is frowning though — for the collar to react to even such a mundane application means it's far more resistant to intrusion than he'd expected. That Gokudera had to intervene for something so minimal does not bode well for performing any sort of reprogramming, even though their intent is simply to reset it back to a normal operating mode. If the collar's programming can't differentiate between intentional tampering and maintenance...

"If you wish to change your mind," Starscream warns. "Now would be the time."

Gokudera takes a deep breath and shakes his head. "I've removed Pet Rings from other mongrels before. It's a typical first response." Which is aggravating, but understandable in how it's making Takeshi react. When he'd tugged at his collar in demonstration of how it would react to any seeming attempt to tamper or remove, it'd done the same thing. Takeshi may not remember that this is the same kind of action, but Gokudera's tried several different ways of trying to trick it into loosening. This is more a punishment to him, and a typical sort.

"It's never had maintenance done on it. I'm not changing my mind."

He reaches out and places a hand on Takeshi's shoulder.

"Just stop if I say so."

Yamamoto appreciates that Starscream is taking care of things here. His respect for the mech growing even as anxiety eats at his insides. Rather it's a threat, a punishment when that collar inflicts pain Yamamoto wants to rip it off himself. He knows he can't even dare to try unless it was that or Hayato would die, then he'll do whatever has to be done.

He is tense all over, then there is a hand on his shoulder and closes his eyes, drawing in one slow breath when he opens them he smiles at Hayato, right to his eyes, his heart there with it.

Yamamoto is meant to be here to be a safeguard, to offer support, he let his own anxiety get in the way of that for a moment.

"As you say."

Starscream remains unconvinced, but at the end of the day, it's Gokudera's call as to how much risk he's imposing on himself. The mech has made no secret about what he's attempting, and Gokudera knows the device the best. He doesn't point out — doesn't need to point out — that even though he may stop should the collar register too much tampering, doesn't mean the software that controls it will do the same.

Nothing to do but to go for it. With the collar seeming as stable as it's going to get, he readies the probe again, this time targeting the housing for the voice recognition module, triggering a small pulse of energy along the lines. If it works, the software should prompt for a new input. If it doesn't...

If it doesn't, it'll set off a small series of violent internal explosions. It might be too quick for Gokudera to experience any pain, or for him to give any actual warning, but he's never tried to actively remove a necklace or collar pet ring before. Just bracelets, rings, ~~cockrings~~, and earrings. There was always just burns and damaged skin. Nothing was ever severed. Then again, he's always been careful, and if he concentrates on his flames, he can heal the damage, and use rain flames to slow it down.

The second time seems to work without any hitch, whether it's because of Gokudera's interference, or the section of the collar that is targeted. The light doesn't show up, there's no tightening or burning, and then it seems there is absolutely a prompt. The boy's not aware of much, just keeps his hand on Takeshi, and the other to the choke chain.

Yamamoto is stiff as a board once the collar is messed with, there to stop it if need be. He would even offer his rain flames if needed; he has them in abundance as Hayato is aware.

He reaches up, curling his hand over the top of the bomber's while Starscream works, keeping tabs not only on the collar that to his relief does not trigger. But also watching the others face for any signs that there is something he is missing with the collar.

He makes the first noise he has in a while when he exhales audibly from the lack of tightening and response from the collar.

"It seems to be working," Starscream says lowly, holding the input prompt open so it doesn't recognize his voice at the intended reset. "When you're ready, I'll open the set command and whatever you specify will be the new default."

Gokudera opens his eyes and looks at Takeshi, feeling bad for putting him through this. It isn't that he's too proud and doesn't want to show this weakness, but he knows the baseball idiot hates this, hates that wearing the collar puts Gokudera in danger. He looks up at Starscream and hums in acknowledgement before looking once more at the boy beside him. He smirks.

"Want to say something now that you'll never say to me?" That way there will never be any accidental slip-ups.

If not for how much he loves the other boy his reaction may have shown in his face. Stark terror, he wants Yamamoto to set the device to a phrase, to his voice. It churns up inside his stomach, what if he makes a mistake. There are only four words he knows he'll never say, not in a fight, not if the other broke him to a shell of who he is.

But to look at him and say them kills the baseball player. He hides it well, behind determined eyes and fingers that curl to the bombers. He nods and looks away, he can not look in those green eyes while he says it. His voice is firm as he projects it to the device, it too does not show any of his inner turmoil.

"I wish you'd die."

And there is a punch to his gut, never, would he ever say that to Hayato, even before Anchor it would twist him in knots to think it, let alone utter it out loud.

If either teen happens to glance up, they might notice Starscream rolling his optics at the statement. Primus save me from the dramatics, he thinks — like he's in any state to critique someone else on that topic.

But the collar beeps, accepting the new input, and with a quick check using the probe to make sure there's no new code additions that seem out of place, he removes the tool and gives Gokudera a nod.

"It appears to be reading correctly now."

Gokudera blinks in stunned silence after his boyfriend’s words. They’re directed at the collar, and... while he never thinks he’ll hear Takeshi say that to him, he’s told the idiot to go die so many times... He never actually meant it (well, maybe a little after they’d first met), but it also wasn’t a matter of alien shock collars. He squeezes Takeshi’s hand, looks up at Starscream, and gives him a smile while relaxing slightly.

“We’re done?” There really will be only one way to tell, and that’s just to monitor if it goes off for whatever reason.

His heart is still aching and when Hayato squeezes his hand the swordsman squeezes back. He wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around his boyfriend and forget this happened. For a few moments forget that he said those words out loud. He does not even think of all the times the other has said those words to him because he knows he doesn't mean it, even if for a moment he seemed to hate Yamamoto when they first met last year.

Yamamoto not always a proper young man turns, still holding on to Hayato's hand but he offers King the same bow he did when they first met "Thank you King, I'm in your debt." Which is a name your price any time and Yamamoto Takeshi will be there.

Especially if this really works and he is hopeful that this is the last time that collar can hurt Hayato, that it's finally over.

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[CLOSED] They're acting vicious out there

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he is keywording you people....

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