Queen's notes: ...yeah... bonk XD also, a warning for there is mechs getting intimate later in the chapter
Ultra Rodimus' notes: In which Perceptor's new pet magneto-lizard gets into a bit of a tiff with Drift, much to Perceptor's amusement.
Into the Lower Levels
Chapter 10:
Bonk!
With a gentle finger Perceptor rubbed the back of the six-legged magneto-lizard that was sitting on the back of her left wrist. The red and black femmie was content to sit on her couch and hand feed her new pet little pieces of an energon goodie one at a time between stoking its back.
The platform manager shifted and lifted her legs up and onto the couch to keep the pale streak that was Silver from running into them. The cyber wolf pup yipped as she lost traction and slid the rest of the way to thump against the wall. Perceptor chuckled as Silver hopped up and pounced on the toy she had been after, grabbing it with a squeak the puppy bounded back to Drift with a wagging tail.
"I dare say she likes playing fetch." The femmie said with another chuckle.
"And doesn't at all seem to mind running into things, which only confirms that she's got a hard head," Drift laughed in reply as he grabbed at the toy, engaging in a playful tug-of-war with the enthusiastic pup before she let go and he tossed it for her again.
The magneto-lizard was perfectly happy to sit where it was. The few colorful crystalline scales dotting its head and neck glittering as it took pieces of the goodie from Perceptor's fingers.
The puppy grinned, pouncing with another squeak from the toy, rolling over with it the little wolf spread her forepaws out and energetically shook her head with the toy. She hopped to one side and then to the other side.
Drift chuckled as he watched. "She's certainly an energetic little critter." He settled back, watching with a grin as the toy was wrestled into submission.
Perceptor shifted, leaning on the arm of the couch to watch as Silver bounced back to drop the toy between his knees and plop back to sit. "The wolf seems to truly love you."
"Though I certainly can't figure out why she's so attached to me." Drift picked up the toy, shaking it at Silver, then flicked it across the room again.
"Hound and others keep saying you must have the right scent." The femmie pointed out, one optic on her gecko like lizard, "And you have been treating her very well."
"Hmm." Drift chuckled as oversized paws scrabbled against the floor, the pup bounding after the toy. "She's like a dynamo, I swear... Never runs out of energy."
The lizard shifted slightly on Perceptor's hand, crystal scales glinting yellow and orange as it leaned against her fingers, looking for more stroking. The femmie offered the last tidbit before continuing the petting, "Never runs out until she does?" Perceptor grinned, having seen others with puppies that run out and just flop over.
The white mech chuckled. "Goes from full-tilt to out cold, eh? I just hope she stops running before she passes out, or she's going to go full-throttle into the wall."
"I do like this little one," Perceptor smiled, sliding a little lower on the couch, content in her spot and activity at the moment. If a lizard could be said to purr, that was what the magneto-lizard did. It practically melted on Perceptor's hand, yellow optics half-closed in reptilian bliss.
Silver came bounding back again, shaking the toy once more before hopping up to plant her paws on Drift's middle and whining happily at him. Though this time trying to hang onto her toy.
"I've heard they're very affectionate little creatures, magneto-lizards, and it looks like what I've heard is true. See those crystal scales? It's been eating glow beetles, and developed those scales from the beetle shells." Drift tugged on the toy, not seriously trying to take it from her.
As the little pale wolf spazzed and tugged back, Perceptor smiled, "Yes... I remember you mentioning that Drift. The creature is quite manageable and calm, even with Silver there barking."
Drift wiggled the toy, grinning at the enthusiastic attempts to take it from him. "Silly little ball of fluff," he told her, a laugh in his voice.
The puppy yipped as if agreeing, her tail still wagging and waving so much her rear end started to wiggle to one side. The pup jumped up to try and grab her toy, tongue hanging out in between little snaps. The pale warrior led the pup in a bouncing, wiggling circle after the toy, then tossed it across the room, snorting as large paws flailed after it.
Silver yipped and pounced, chewing a little to get her toy to squeak a few times before coming back once more. This time the puppy circled Drift, sniffing for something and when she was behind him a second time, the puppy fell over his legs as the mech was on his knees still. As it turned out it was more of a flop then falling, with a deep happy sigh Silver stayed were she was, and had to squeak her toy one last time.
"There's the crash." Perceptor smiled looking over.
"That was abrupt." Drift regarded the pile of pale fur for a moment, and then lifted the limp critter off the floor. "I can see why it's called the 'crash'."
"Young cyber beasts are much like sparklings I would assume, they do not have much in the way of reserve tanks," Perceptor pointed out, "It stands to reason when they, like sparklings, burn through most of their energy they will naturally start into a recharge cycle before needing to refuel."
"And they go from full-tilt to out-cold in seconds." Drift carried Silver over to the pillow he'd settled in an out-of-the-way corner of the room for her, placing the toy beside her, then came over to sit next to Perceptor.
Perceptor pulled her legs up so there weren't stretched over most of the couch, smiling still as she glanced over at Silver and back to Drift. She hummed softly, almost shyly again as the femmie remembered the white mech's promise from earlier.
Drift leaned over to nuzzle her, reaching over to lightly stroke one finger down the magneto-lizard's back. The creature glanced at him, then settled down, closing its optics. A dark finger nudged the thick tail gently, getting a light kick from a hind leg. "It's a female."
"How can you tell?" Perceptor asked, humming still at their positions. She had been sitting sideways with her back to the couch arm and knees angled to the side but still tucked up off the floor. With the bigger Drift leaning over she was stuck and not minding the closeness of the mech.
A dark finger lifted the tail. "Males are shaped differently under there." He had to chuckle softly at the look he got from the lizard, her tail swatting his wrist.
Perceptor's slender fingers smooth over the back of the magneto-lizard's back, "I do not think she likes that." The black and red femmie mildly defended, giving the small creature on the back of her own hand and wrist a few more pets to reassure.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop poking at you," Drift said to the creature. The lizard replied with a look that clearly said "you better" before closing her optic again and resting her chin on Perceptor's hand.
"She has already eaten some pests that tried to get into my latest project." Perceptor tilted her head at the other side of the room was, as well as the as the 'kitchen' that was used for making her energon goodies. There was currently a 'slow cooking' batch on, and wouldn't be done until next shift.
"Keep letting her eat glow beetles and eventually her entire body will be covered in crystal scales." The tip of Drift's finger ran along the length of the magneto-lizard's back. "I've heard the older ones can look spectacular, though the wild ones don't usually live that long."
"They would stand out too much," Perceptor paused to consider, "Though I would imagine they would blend rather well in Crystal City."
"They were the favored pets of the artists, or so the rumors say. Feed them certain colors of beetle and you can control what color scales they develop, if not the patterns of colors. And yes, the wild ones would stand out too much. So only pets become the really spectacular ones." Drift stroked the creature again, letting his fingers run over Perceptor's hand.
Not minding the lizard still on her hand, the femmie shifted to take Drift's hand in both of hers. Perceptor's finger tips trailing over the mech's palm and digits, back down his palm to his wrist joint. Ignoring the glare from the magneto-lizard as the petting stopped, Drift lifted Perceptor's hand, taking her fingertip in his mouth, glossa flicking at the pad. Playful optics sparkled at her. Then a huff of surprise escaped as the lizard swarmed forward, parking on his nose.
She couldn't help it, she just couldn't and Perceptor was laughing before she could hold it back. Even with the ball of heat in her middle, the red femmie truly grinned for the first time as she reached forward to gently pick up the chirping creature with her free hand, "It is quite okay little one..."
"I don't think she's very fond of me getting all your attention." There was a laugh in Drift's voice as the pale swordsmech looked at the creature. The lizard flipped her tail at him, settling back into Perceptor's hand.
"There is the conundrum," Perceptor pointed out, "I would very much like to give you all my attention, and have yours in turn." She tilted her head at the lizard, the workings in her scope whirring softly, "And there is a bug on the ceiling." she said without looking up, though tilted her pet so it could look up.
Small yellow optics immediately turned ceiling ward. The lizard swarmed down Perceptor's frame and up the closest wall, the glowing crystal scales on her back tracing her path after the bug. In short order there was no more bug, and the lizard was looking back down at them.
Perceptor smiled back, though mostly saw the actions of the magneto-lizard through her scope, most of the femmie's attention was returning to Drift. Her fingers ghosting and tracing over his neck cables before working into them in a massage. Drift leaned into her hands, shifting and leaning over to apply lips and glossa to her scope. Pale optics glimmered as he worked slowly over every inch, tracing all the seams and joins and looking for the most sensitive spots. Overhead, the lizard chirped, then went back to her hunting.
Shivering under him, the red and black dimmed her optics, "Oh my," she muttered as that ball of heat inside flushed out. Perceptor going rigid and then starting to melt, one hand gripping Drift's chest plate as he continued.
The white warrior purred against her scope, his lips vibrating against sensitive metal and sending thrills of sensation through her body. He shifted, lifting one hand to stroke along Perceptor's side and back as he continued to explore her scope, craning his neck to flick his glossa against the lens.
"You have... better be planning on... cleaning that...!" Perceptor blurted out between small gasps as she tried to wiggle her legs free, but was still stuck under Drift by how he was leaning over her to get at the scope.
It seemed she was not the dominant type outside of her labs, or if something didn't relate to her job. With Drift being so exactly that type, Perceptor was finding out she didn't exactly mind as her hands slipped into seems in pale armor and under to find another sensor pool or two.
White armor flared, giving her access to what lay under it. Drift continued to purr, the tip of his glossa slowly tracing the edge of the lens. He shifted position slightly, giving her some room to move, working his way down to where her scope barrel joined to her shoulder. Warm air from his vents swirled over her plating, teasing the sensors underneath.
How could he reach that joint?
Perceptor wondered that as she slipped her legs free, letting them stretch out on the couch partly, between Drift's own thighs as he moved up. Her fingers following the lines to the first sensor pool under the armor plating and she ran her finger tips around it. Perceptor made a sound of protest and enjoyment at what she could feel from her scope. She could feel Drift's movements and actions, feel the scope click and- wait, what?
The femmie's wordless warning was too late and the scope barrel slid forward as if to go over her shoulder instead of rest behind, and in turn the side bonked onto the top of Drift's head. Perceptor clung to him as much in embarrassed apology as in some pain herself.
There was a surprised sound from Drift, then a laugh as the white mech shifted his head out of the way. He kissed the side of her helm, mouthing the seams and armor plating gently, working his way down along her jawline until his lips brushed against hers.
"I am sorry," Perceptor muttered against him in a tiny voice, green optics shuddering for a moment or two as she nuzzled against Drift, kissing him lightly a few times before longer on his lips.
"It's all right." Drift returned the kiss. "It was going to happen eventually, and it'll teach me to watch out the next time." He deepened the kiss, taking his time to thoroughly explore her mouth.
There was a "clunk" as something small dropped onto him from above a moment later, a dead bug bouncing off his helm, startling him. From overhead, there was an innocent chirp.
Perceptor yelped as the dead insect promptly landed on her after bouncing off of Drift and twitched. There was a small flail that resulted in the dead bug being sent flying off by no power of its own, and Perceptor was lower on the couch almost completely under Drift in a reflexive hiding position that came from an instinct she wasn't sure where roots came from, "By the Sigma!"
Drift tilted his helm to look up, spotting small yellow optics peering back at him, "Calm down, bug-killer. What did I do to you?"
"I say, I do not appreciate deceased insects dropping down on me, us." Perceptor peered out from under Drift, "Could you refrain from doing so again my little one?"
There was a chirp from overhead, then the sound of small feet skittering off across the ceiling again. Drift shook his helm, chuckling. "Opinionated little thing."
"Intelligence is always prized." Perceptor sighed, her tone suggesting that she would like the little lizard to take its intelligence and settle down for a nap for a while. She hummed suddenly and Perceptor looked down at her current spot mostly under Drift with her legs drawn up reflexively against the back of his own legs.
"Hopefully that'll be the end of her little tiff with me." Drift leaned down to kiss her again, his engine turning over and purring warmly.
"At least for the time of a shift," Perceptor hopped as she kissed the mech back between her words, "Though perhaps we should take preventative measures?" she offered as the femmie shifting to keep as little pressure off her scope as possible and not to have it acting as an inadvertent shield to hold Drift back by catching on his armor.
The white helm tilted to the side as the warrior gave her a puzzled look. "And perhaps move to the berth... That might be easier on your scope."
Perceptor couldn't hid her grateful glance, "It would be more comfortable, as much as I prize the flex metal and cushions of this couch... it does not give in the right way in regards to my barrel." She admitted, trailing one hand lightly over the hilt of one of his hip-sheathed swords.
Drift chuckled, wrapping his arms around the slim femme and lifting her off the couch. Rising to his feet, he padded into the berthroom, carrying Perceptor over to the berth and placing her on its surface, making sure she was close enough to the groove made to hold her lens barrel. Then he flowed onto the berth after her, moving like a great white-plated cybercat.
"Are you sure you are not from the lower levels as well?" Perceptor asked as she scooted up, and a little away from Drift in the process but there was a teasing edge to the movement. The swordsmech seemed to move too much like some of the deeper mechs that needed stealth to survive the wild life as much as the rougher and less pleasant people encountered away from platforms and villages.
"I was originally from the gutters... Not this low, but low enough. That was a long time ago, though." He flowed after her, his pale blue optics sparkling, lowering his head to nip and nuzzle at her ankle joint. His exotic white armor flared and ruffled, almost glowing white in the dimly-lit room.
Perceptor's hum took a sympathetic edge to it as she drew her legs up, crossing them as best she could while reaching for Drift. There wasn't any pity but a sad understanding to a point, "That may be, but you are a part of a Crew now Drift." she pulled at his armor lightly, trying to coax him up and to the side to lay down, having an idea. Though his swords might hinder what Perceptor wanted to try, she wasn't sure if she should tell him to take them off.
The white mech obeyed the direction, shifting his hip sheaths slightly so he could settle down. "And I'm happy to be a part of the crew." His purr vibrated all the way through his frame as he caught one of her hands, lifting it to lick at the pads of her fingers.
A claw extended a tiny bit to tap playfully on his lower denta as Perceptor leaned over the mech, her hip against his side as her free hand smoothed over the mech's chest plate. Once her other hand was reclaimed it would join the first to search for armor clamps. "As am I, that you are here Drift."
Armor ruffled, revealing the presence of the armor clamps as the white mech allowed her fingers to slip free of his mouth. Pale optics watched her, bright and warm. He shifted only once, to remove the long, gleaming blade he wore on his back and place it off to the side, the sky-blue gem in its hilt gleaming.
Perceptor felt over each clamp, identifying which ones were for the mech's chest plate and teased them open on at a time. Though not the strongest Wrecker, she could lift the heavy plates of armor enough to get them out of the way. Before shifting anything though the femmie's dark green optics looked up to blue, "Do you trust me?" Perceptor asked, also asking for permission.
"I trust you, Percy," the white mech whispered, his pale optics meeting hers. His field, where it merged with hers, expressed both nervousness as well as trust that she would never harm him.
She lifted his armor, setting his chest plates aside, within easy reach for the mech. She didn't take it all, oh no, Perceptor wouldn't do that to the warrior as she understood that as they were not bonded mates that might be a bit more then uncomfortable. Her hum was reassuring as Perceptor all but sat on Drift, her fingers guided over certain things, using her medical knowledge to just fallow the muscle cables.
Perceptor wasn't going to admit how she learned how to apply that knowledge to this trick, oh no sir she was not. Primus step on it and Unicron devour it but she wasn't, not to Drift and not now. Muscle cables ran through the whole of the Cybertronian body, and though a mech could and did get 'rubs' on places like the neck and shoulder joint cables, there were other places that could knot over time and the owner never really aware; like in the chest, down the sides, into the hips and inner thighs.
Claws retracted, the red and black femmie worked out the first knot she found with slow gentle fingers, still humming as she glanced at Drift's face.
Drift was watching with curious nervousness, other parts of his armor ruffling uneasily. As her fingers ran over his cables, a soft purr escaped, the white mech's powerful engine turning over and rumbling very softly.
"It is not so bad, hmm?" Perceptor smiled as she worked the knot out with as little pain as passable; rubbing the spot to be sure the cables were smoothed down before following them in search of another to be rid of.
"That feels good." Under the femme Drift's frame vibrated from the purring of his engine as he watched her.
Smiling back up at him, the red and black femmie methodically worked out each knot and crimp that Drift was and wasn't aware of. After leaning over him she dared to place a kiss on his fuel pump- not daring near his spark- before moving downwards, able to reach in a little more thanks to her slender frame so she didn't have to take off that much of Drift's armor plates.
The warrior's engine revved, his frame vibrating. The vibration ran through Perceptor where their frames touched, his sensor net shivering at the sensations. Under her hands he was relaxing, settling back on the berth, one hand settling on her thigh, his thumb tracing lazy circles on her armor.
Perceptor's smile flashed to a smirk for a moment, only a moment as she reached back to run her finger pads ran over the back of Drift's hand and two of his fingers before return to what she was doing. Working down his right side, and then leaning over and on him to get the left side. Perceptor braced her hands on him before moving, over Drift's thigh to sit between his legs and her fingers dug lightly into the seams at his hips and joint, working from right to left on the top part and then left to right under that piece of protective armor.
One white-plated leg shifted, rubbing lightly against hers. His purring was slowly increasing in intensity. Plates Perceptor hadn't removed lifted from where they had slicked down to Drift's frame, allowing her fingers to slide underneath.
Bound and determined to return the favor from the night shift before, seeing it as her turn now to drive the mech daft as Perceptor work on the muscle cables in Drift's legs. Her fingers brushing over sensors in that sensitive area between the mech's legs, yet not touching the cover to his spike, not yet while Perceptor's hands moved down Drift's left inner thigh.
A deep purr rattled Drift's remaining plating. "That feels... so good." He blinked down at her, his pale optics unfocused.
"The concentration of nerve endings and sensor pools close together," Perceptor explained as she slipped her fingers in deeper to get one last knot before sliding her fingers back upwards again.
The white mech's systems and cables vibrated under her hands as his engine revved, his pale optics following her movements. His EM field wrapped around hers, expressing just how good the touch felt.
Perceptor's energy field flared back, radiating her smug pride of getting him back like this, and for being able to even get a response at all that was this good. She worked around his hatch with teasing touches before starting on the other leg.
Drift squirmed under her hands as she skirted his interface panel, a whine escaping his vocalize, "Tease."
"I dare say I have not an idea of what you mean," The red and black femmie lifted her chin, "This is a therapeutic persuader. Do you not agree?"
The swordsmech chuckled. "If you say so." There was a purr in his voice, and a warm glint in his optics.
She lifted her hands finally and braced them against Drift's front in order to lean up and forward, kissing him, "I do."
Drift returned the kiss, his glossa sliding over her lower lip, asking for entry as one hand came up to stroke her back.
Perceptor opened her mouth and arched her back while trying to reach up to push her scope back over her shoulder, balancing on the mech with one hand at the same time. The result was the femmie falling against him, "I meant to do this..."
The white mech's exposed protoform and systems were warm against her armor as he lifted his other arm, running his hands along her back and sides. He pressed kisses to her jaw and throat, chuckling against warm metal. "Did you, now." Pale blue optics sparkled playfully.
"I did not," Perceptor admitted, her green optics dimming at his attentions, the femmie gave a weak smile. Her hands having to move still so reaching in to smooth her fingers over a few if his systems.
A soft moan answered the strokes to his systems. Nimble, strong fingers slid into seams between her armor plates, skimming lightly over what circuitry they could reach. After a moment one hand slid up to stroke and knead where Perceptor's scope attached to her shoulder. "I didn't think so."
The red and black femmie promptly melted, optics shuttering, Perceptor hummed happily. She rolled to give Drift better access to the connection point. Shivering the Wrecker wrapped her arms around the mech's neck and laid small kisses down his jaw line and onto the muscle cables, memorizing his lines and features in this way.
Drift purred, his engine revving, vibrating through his frame and into hers where their bodies touched. One hand continued to explore her back and sides, slipping into every seam and caressing the wiring underneath. His other hand worked into her scope mount as far as it could, stroking along the barrel and tracing the edge of the lens before returning to the shoulder mounting.
Her optics unshuttered and Perceptor looked up into the blue gaze of the mech, "You are delightful as much as you are dreadful in your actions Drift." she said softly.
"I try my best." Drift tilted his head to press kisses along her jawline, working his way down to her throat cables. Closing his lips on an energon line, he sucked lightly on it.
"I think I adore it, if I may say." Perceptor smiled and wiggled on top of the mech, getting her legs up to press her shin guards against his hips and feet resting against the spot between his legs.
Drift nudged under her chin, his glossa flirting with the armor edges where her neck cables emerged from under her helmet. "Glad you approve." His voice had deepened to a husky purr as his hand slid lower, palm smoothing over her aft.
The femmie hummed in a blush and smiled, letting her hands start moving again. Starting to work on Drift's muscle cables again, her touch wasn't teasing anymore. Caring and loving and wanting to give what she could to the mech.
Dark fingers worked into the mount of the red femme's scope, seeking out the most sensitive places to touch. His other hand found a join between two plates along Perceptor's lower back, sneaking in and locating a sensor cluster. The white warrior kneaded and stroked it gently as he raised his head to capture his lover's lips, deepening the kiss.
As his fingers found one of the relays for the scope Perceptor almost bucked, the scope was after all like another limb, a part of her. Her hands spasming and it took effort not to grip with her hands inside of Drift's systems. Perceptor rested the front of her helm on the mech's chest, or the edge of his armor.
Interest swirled through Drift's field as he stroked the relay he'd found, watching her reactions. Purring, he nuzzled and delicately nipped at her helmet's crest as his other hand stroked up the center of her back.
Perceptor twitched her lens and cycled air, pushing hot air out of her vents and into Drift's systems as well as the edges of his armor. She rubbed a thumb over a seam, the joining of the fuel line and pump.
The touch sent a shiver through the mech's frame. Turning his head, he nuzzled against the scope, licking up the side of the barrel while his fingers continued to stroke that relay. Charge was beginning to build, nipping at his systems.
It wasn't the only thing that 'nipped,' the finger tips of Perceptor's traced the energon lines inside of the mech before her hands moved down and to the side, one having to work in between two plates that hadn't been removed. Perceptor herself dimmed her optics again before shuttering them as she moved by touch and feel.
Drift's remaining armor practically stood on end, flaring out to give Perceptor access as well as to vent the heat that was building underneath. The warrior squirmed beneath the slender femme, craning his neck to reach higher along the barrel of her scope. His free hand dipped into every seam it found, trying to return the pleasure she was giving him.
The femmie hissed softly, all but wiggling against Drift as he did that. Despite their activities the night before, she was by far not used to be touched at all on her scope. Cycling air into her system Perceptor rose a bit to pull herself up a bit more on the mech's middle instead of between his hips and sheaths. From here, she could think a little better and finish attempting tackle overload for Drift, as she only had a valve- but that didn't mean she didn't know how to do something like this.
...granted Perceptor knew she didn't have much experience with anything more... aha! This here was a sensor line!
A stronger shiver ran through the mech under her. Charge was visibly starting to crawl over Drift's internal systems, quite visible with most of his torso plating piled off to one side. His fingers stilled on her armor for a moment, then resumed stroking and exploring.
The femmie hummed in her own pleasure leaning into Drift's touch for a moment before returning most of her attention to finding and stimulating any kind of non-harmful but still sensitive area.
As her fingers skimmed over a circuit board, Drift's frame went stiff under her, his helm thrown back as the touch sent him over the edge into overload. Excess charge crackled over his remaining armor and internal systems, leaping off to dance over Perceptor's plating. A keen escaped the white mech's vocalizer as he rode out the overload, slowly sinking back down onto the berth.
When his senses started coming back, he would find that most of his open systems were covered partly. Perceptor was laying over top of drift, her finger tips traces over the outer lines of his audial finials. Smiling she couldn't help asking with a chuckle, "Good enough handsome sir?"
"You're a fast learner," Drift purred in response, tilting his helm into her hand. The touch on his audial finials felt so good. One hand came up to stroke along Perceptor's back, stroking and kneading the red armor.
"I am not that oblivious, Sir Drift," Perceptor gave a sniff, but kept her tender ministrations up, "Nor as I am sure are you new to such mature- and quiet sensual, actions as we have been engaged in these last two shifts."
Drift chuckled, his fingertips stroking over armor seams and slipping under plates to skim over her circuitry. Leaning his head up, he nipped gently at her lower lip. Ah, there was a distraction, Perceptor let her mifted-ness slide away as she kissed the mech back. By now relaxing and hoping for some cuddles before anything else. The white mech's arms wrapped around her, drawing her down onto his frame. His field wrapped around hers, his frame vibrating against hers as he purred in her audial.
"You are much like a cyber-feline," Perceptor said, again, as she pressed her face against the neck cables of the mech, humming.
"Is that a problem?" Drift teased, pale optics sparkling. He nuzzled against her helm, continuing to stroke her back and sides.
The red femmie considered, and remembered that thrill, "No, no problem. Though it seemed to need restatement." Perceptor ran her fingers over the side of Drift's helm, fallowing the edge on the way back up. "I still wish to discover this style of your armor. It has been driving me daft all shift."
Drift's chuckle vibrated through both of their frames. "It's not going to be easy, but you knew that already. You'll probably be driven daft quite a bit before you figure it out."
"I could default on my cultural impulses," Perceptor added, smirking as she dropped her slender visor down to regard Drift from behind that questionable 'safety.'
An optic rim lifted as Perceptor's visor dropped into place. "Oh?"
"Proper, and appropriate interrogation techniques," Perceptor said up, all proud but giving off an odd air of mischief.
The white warrior grinned up at her. "What techniques would you consider 'proper and appropriate' for this?"
"Tactile stimulations of another kind," Perceptor sat up, reaching down to run her claws, not finger pads, and a different pressure. It caused a prompt ticklish sensation inside Drift that actually spread out to wiggle against sides and hips.
Drift squirmed under Perceptor, an odd sound escaping his vocalizer. He tried to swat at her hands, but his squirming threw off his aim. That and she was a little quicker, reaching for another spot that head helped build the overcharge heat, but now also pulsed out that ticklish edge now instead. The Wrecker femmie was smirking a bit more at his action.
The white mech was quickly reduced to squirming and wriggling and flailing, odd noises sounding suspiciously like suppressed laughter escaping his vocalizer. He tried to get away, but Perceptor was easily able to hold him down.
It helped so much that she was sitting on him and had a hold with his legs. Now smiling she redoubled her efforts to get the mech outright laughing before she was pulled off or tossed off the mech and berth. It didn't take long for suppressed laughter to become outright laughter. Drift flailed and squirmed, trying to cover up his tickle zones, but covering one exposed another. His flailing was entirely uncoordinated and easily avoided.
"This seems to be a most effective interrogation technique!" Perceptor laughed, "Though, is it enough to get a hint?" she asked, slowing a little, but also not asking for the straight information.
"New... hahaha... hmmmmph... New... Crystal City," the white swordsmech managed to gasp out, trying to squirm away from the tickling and not getting very far.
"New Crystal City?" Perceptor pause, confused as she linked up with the platform network, requesting an update on the city she knew. The core city itself as well, who according to the last level-worker wide report was as happy as a metrotitan buried in a well-entrenched and active city can be. Her optics dimmed and unfocused as she did this.
"Not... on Cybertron," Drift got out, taking advantage of the pause to try and get his breath back. His limbs were still twitching, arms trying to cover up as much of his ticklish area as possible.
"Odd," Perceptor tapped a finger on the edge of white armor. "But then I have not been keeping up with the colony projects on the surface... I think I need to speak with the Sound Master."
"Hidden. Far from here." The twitching finally subsided, Drift slumping back onto the berth with a sigh of relief.
Perceptor focused again to give one last tickle, just to keep Drift from thinking he was fully safe. "Sounds like Unicronian paranoia, hiding their colonies."
A squawk escaped Drift's vocalizer, another squirm rubbing his armor against hers. "Trying to protect their culture. Don't want to be found. Found them by accident... was critically damaged. They rebuilt me."
Perceptor frowned, but coming from one of the more actively aggressive Cybertronian factions and general culture of the level workers on a whole. Though most of that aggressive energy was well worked off in work, Wreckers enjoyed good brawls and fights. On a whole they just couldn't imagine why anyone one would want to hide to 'protect' a culture. Perceptor finally said as much, adding as well, "The important thing though, is that culture is in the people, and must be allowed to evolve. That is what the first Foremen from Vector Sigma said, and it is such sound advice to continue to today. Why would anyone wish to leave Cybertron to 'defend' the planet's culture? Would not leaving thus make their culture colonial as that on the planet changes in time?"
Drift shrugged, keeping a wary optic on her hands. "They fled war and conflict that threatened to rip Cybertron apart. I never really understood it, either."
"The second or the first?" Perceptor tilted her head, "Though, Level-Workers on a whole have mostly been left out of the different wars. There is little to no sense in harming those that keep the planet from falling in on itself after all."
"Not sure. But the Circle left long ago, and they stayed in hiding to avoid being found by outsiders." Slowly, Drift was relaxing.
"A circle?" the Frown-Of-Confusion was back. "What does- oh, a title..." Perceptor's gaze shifted to the artifact on the wall of her berth room, then sat up on Drift, "The old ruins in the Rust Sea!" She announced, "I remember, a colleague of mine studies there, and has mentioned a 'Circle of Crystal,' though it does not seem exactly the same as much as it does..."
"The Circle of Light, the Knights of Light." Drift settled back, almost fully relaxed.
"I'll have to ask Leadfoot, or the just as old Kup when he comes down for the Races." Perceptor decided, and that wouldn't be too long for the next set of Races to start. In the next two or three shifts, as she knew all too well that her fellow Wreckers seemed to adore racing as much as work, drinking and fighting.
"That's why my armor design combines ancient designs and modern technology." Drift relaxed enough to lower his arms, clearly believing that since she'd gotten the answers she'd wanted the tickle torture was over.
"Fascinating," Perceptor hummed, seeming to have forgotten but just before moving, passed a tickling touch one last time and then slid to her side and Drift's. With her scope safe facing up and thus relenting further tickling attacks.
Drift squawked in surprise at the unexpected tickle, flailing at her hands. Once she settled down, he relaxed again, but he was clearly wary of more tickling. He got a soft laugh, but in a peace offering, Perceptor offered the mech an energon goodie while twining her fingers with his hand. In that way keeping herself against him and, maybe, out of tickling range.
The white mech accepted the treat, dipping his head slightly to take it from her fingers, his glossa flicking over the pad of her finger. Pale optics sparkled playfully. Relaxing again, he tugged her closer, purring softly.
Perceptor comfortably curled closer to the pale mech. Even with his armor off in places he was still nice and warm, and with their energy fields meshed. She made no offer to help put things back, just in case.