Kayla came walking into the main deck of the Ark; her cane tapping the floor like a radar, scoping out any obstructions that lay ahead. But now, with the memory of half the ship under her belt, she was quick in maneuvering her way up to the source of a typing sound she heard immediately upon entry. Reaching a stop, a hand sweep told her she found a computer console; the buttons being a giveaway. The identity of the typist, however, wasn't so clear. But whoever it was, they must have been engrossed in their work too much to notice her standing right next to them.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked in an upward direction.

His trance-like state broken, Prowl's gaze shifted from the screen of Teletraan-One to the young musician standing a few feet next to him. How did he not notice her? Apparently, she was in Jazz's company so often, his saboteur skills were rubbing off on her. "Pardon?" he inquired.

"The tactician", she deduced upon hearing his stoic voice. That explained the obliviousness to the casual saying. Despite his vast amount of knowledge, he still had a gray area when it came to Earth customs. With an amused smile, she waved a hand, "Um…never mind."

"I needed to dispatch Jazz on a mission", the second in command explained, "In case you were curious."

"Oh, I know", the girl nodded, "He told me before he left. I understand duty comes first". She then added in on a more awkward note, "I, um…hope I'm not bothering you."

The police car smiled; always so polite that girl was. He turned his attention back to the screen, replying, "Not at all. I'm actually waiting for Teletraan-One to return the sky spy. Decepticon activity has been detected, but we're having trouble finding the source. It has me baffled."

Kayla rubbed her chin in thought, "Think they found another use for that EMP shield of theirs?"

"It is a possibility", Prowl reasoned, then turned to the red head with a look of pride. If she wasn't playing that instrument of hers or hanging with Jazz, she was exploring the ship; learning all she could with patience and fascination. However, the cause for the stare was her memory preserve. The teen had learned of the 'Cons' jamming frequency during the time she had been captured by them, and it was surprising she hadn't forgotten that smaller detail, even though that was almost a month and a half ago.

"Speakin' of which", she said, "Didn't you say you were trying to counter the effects of the shield?"
"Yes", he answered, "The science lab and I have been looking into it since the day you mentioned its existence. We haven't figured everything out, but we've gotten very far, thanks in part to Chip Chase's assistance."

Kayla's eyebrow went up as she crossed her arms, "Oh yeah, the computer kid. It's funny, in all the time I've been here, I haven't met him yet, and everyone speaks highly of him."

Just then, there was the swish of automatic doors. When the tactician turned his head and saw who it was, he almost chuckled at the irony of that last statement. A smile did manage through as he glanced back at the girl for a moment, replying, "It appears you're about to get your chance."

A boy about Spike's age had entered the room. He had short brown hair, brown eyes, and glasses, and wore a button down shirt and pants, giving him a more bookish-type look. With a soft smile, he moseyed up to Teletraan-One and his Autobot friend…or rather, he wheeled himself up. The wheelchair he was confined to made no noise on the metallic floors, causing the red head confusion as to why she didn't hear footsteps coming their way. "Hi, Prowl", the boy greeted; adding in a wave.

"Afternoon", the police car nodded. Reaching out, he gently pushed the teen forward a few steps as he made introductions, "Chip, I'd like you to meet our newest friend, Kayla Matthews. Kayla, this is the boy you wanted to meet, Chip Chase."

The girl held out her hand and grinned, "The others've talked about you a lot. Nice to meet ya'."
"I've heard a lot about you too", the boy smiled warmly as he approached, "Sorry I didn't run into you sooner. I'm usually helping Prowl or Wheeljack, so I'm mostly in the lab all the time."

"It's all cool", she said as he took her outstretched hand for a friendly shake. As soon as the two hands made contact, Kayla immediately took notice of the way this new aquatience made the shake. It was both soft and firm, but in those split seconds, she could've sworn he also gave her hand a gentle squeeze…almost in a…comforting way…

Her thoughts and ponders of his motives were suddenly broken when a beeping sound was heard. The two teens turned toward the noise, and found Prowl activating his internal communicator (or at least Chip could see it; Kayla merely listened). A moment went by, and then he said, "I'm on my way". Deactivating the link, he turned to the humans and explained, "Prime requires my presence. Chip, could you please monitor Teletraan-One until I return?"

"No problem", the boy assured him. With that, the tactician left the room, leaving the computer wiz to wheel into position and take control.

"Wow…he must really be good if Prowl trusts him to use Teletraan", Kayla thought as she once again leaned against the console. Curious, she then spoke up, "So, um…how didja' meet the Autobots?"

"It was a while back", Chip explained as he typed, "I was helping a doctor perfect an antimatter formula, and naturally, the Decepticons wanted it. Long story short, the world didn't blow up, and I've been friends with the Autobots ever since."

The red head let out a low whistle, "Somebody told me you helped Prowl specifically."

"A fight left his battle computer down", the boy continued, "When he linked up with my computer, I became his hands so to speak."

The girl chuckled, "War Games, much?"

The computer wiz raised an eyebrow at the pop culture reference. Taking his silence for confusion, she stated, "Just because I can't watch movies doesn't mean I can't listen to them."

To that, the boy giggled. His work finished for the time being, he turned his chair to give her his full attention, "So what about you? The others told me all about your guitar and how nice you are, but they kinda' left me in the dark on how you got here." He quickly added in, "Uh-no offense."

Kayla waved off the pun with a smile, "Long story short, boy meets girl; boy likes girl; girl likes boy; boy's enemies kidnap girl to get boy's super weapon; girl uses music to send message; weapon goes haywire; girl destroys weapon; girl gets to hang out with boy."

"And the 'boy' is Jazz?" Chip asked; an amused lilt to his voice.

The teen ran a hand through her hair in embarrassment, "Howja' guess?"

"Anytime I've talked to him, he can't sing enough praises about you and your guitar", the computer wiz replied, making the girl blush. He then added in, "I think he really likes you…"

The red head smiled, but shifted on her feet, "Well, I…I like him a lot too…he's one of the fastest, but closest friends I've made. We just…get each other." Her grin faded as she sighed; her sightless eyes becoming distant, "And I'm really thankful he came along…I doubt blindness is on anyone's friend list…it kinda' surprised me that he'd accept me the way I am, and seemingly without any regrets either…"

The boy gave a solemn nod; a serious air seeping in, "I know what you mean…it's hard for people to take you with open arms when you're confined to a wheelchair."

Kayla's eyes went wide at this startling new piece of information; no wonder she didn't hear footsteps when he came in! This also shed some proverbial light on the Autobots; they must have thought his handicap wasn't much of a big deal, so much in that they'd forgotten to mention it to her. But more importantly, the knowledge of his disability now explained his interesting handshake earlier. His comforting squeeze must have come out of finding a kindred spirit of sorts…someone who would understand what it was like…

Puns aside, Kayla could now see Chip in a new perspective, and felt a bit relieved. Two people from two different walks of life; both having their lives turned upside down for obvious reasons, now had someone to talk to. Turning in his general direction, and arms crossed, she began very gently, "I don't wanna' sound like a jerk, but…I assume that's part of the reason you're such a computer wiz…"

Surprisingly, instead of him lashing out, he agreed with her, "Yeah, well…before this…thing set in, I was never that athletic in the first place. Reading was my pastime." He heaved a sigh, and after a short pause, he actually chuckled as he thought about it, then said, "A bookworm doesn't need to run around…so I guess it never mattered."

The red head nodded, and just stood there in silence, trying to choose her words carefully. She knew very well she was entering sensitive subject matter, but with said revelations, it sounded like the boy wanted to get something off his chest…and she knew she was the perfect ear for it. To try and cheer him up with a positive, she reasoned, "You're a really great asset to the 'Bots…the way Prowl trusts you to use Teletraan-One…now that's respect."

To that, Chip smiled, "Don't let me take all the credit; you've helped them out a lot too." But his head went down as the grin disappeared again, "But…it's a shame knowing that…your story'll be harder to believe because of your…situation."

In her head, the girl was laughing at his choice of words; situation? That's what he called it? Never the less, she couldn't help but give mad props to his courtesy; she knew he was only trying to be polite in mentioning her-ahem, situation. And he did have a point, much like what she addressed earlier regarding his-situation. But there was one thing he didn't know about her, and she made it clear by replying, "I wouldn't care if no one knew what I did in the slightest."

That threw the computer wiz for a loop, "You…y-you don't?"

Kayla shook her head, "I'm no hero…at least I don't think I am; I just did what anyone else would've done. But that doesn't mean I, or anyone else like me, don't deserve respect. I just do enough to hope that people'll understand that I'm not some helpless, damsel in distress in need of rescuing constantly." She narrowed her eyes in a bit of disgust, "But sometimes, just the cane or a hand signal or a chair is enough for people to misjudge, and that's the real shame." Her shoulders slumping, she added, "…sometimes I wonder if I'm lucky that I can't see…"

Chip understood perfectly where she was coming from in the case of judgment and respect; his side of the tracks were no walk in the park either (pardon the pun). But her last statement was a cause for surprise; she thought she was lucky? To that, he said, "You…you do?"

The red head nodded and added in a sigh, "Because I'll never know what people look like, it forces me to listen, and actually know them for who they are…it makes it impossible to believe in labels when there's nothing to label in a void." A short pause, and then she actually giggled, "And besides, if I wasn't blind, then I probably wouldn't have taken up guitar, and without that, then I might not have gotten mixed up with the 'Cons, but then I wouldn't have met Jazz or the Autobots…or you."

Brown eyes stared into pale, blue ones as the boy regarded her for a long while. The saying may have been repeated a lot, but there was definitely more to this girl than met the eye, or in what he was previously told. A grin spread across his face, as he now had the consolation of knowing that he no longer had to hold in his admitted frustration with his handicap. Both teens now had someone to confide in on the whole issue.

Just then, there came another beeping sound, this time, from Teletraan-One. Wheeling around, and with a quick crack of his knuckles, Chip began typing away. Before Kayla could ask, he explained, "The sky spy just came back. Looks like Teletraan just found the Seekers taking off from a power plant."

"Better tell Prowl and the gang", the red head replied; turning in his direction, "I think you can access his comm. from here."

"That's right", the computer wiz said as he opened the tactician's channel and sent him the message.
The rest of his work went on in silence and the girl listened to the soft typing. It was then that she remembered something, and heaving a sigh, she asked, "Chip?"

The boy turned his head, "Yes?"

Kayla shifted on her feet, knowing she was about to sound very awkward. Her eyes darting around, she managed out, "Um…do you…need to-see to use the buttons? Like, is there-gages to read or something…?"

The computer wiz perked an eyebrow and shrugged, "No, just the screen, but Teletraan usually announces everything that's done anyway…why do you ask?"

Again with the nervous starts, "Well, I…I've-been here over a month now, and…I kinda' feel like…I'm just sorta'-here, and-that's it. I mean, the 'Bots really appreciate when I play music and stuff, but…the power of music ain't gonna' stop the 'Cons."

Chip thought back to the stories he heard about her and couldn't help but chuckle, "I wouldn't say that…"

Kayla managed a smile, "Okay, well…I hit it lucky that time, but I doubt pulling an El Kabong every time'll work." With another sigh, she finally fessed up, "I just…wanna' do more; earn my keep, ya' know? That's why I came in here. I was-going to ask Prowl if...he could-teach me howda' use Teletraan-One."

The boy stared at her in silence, and taking the quiet for uneasiness, she quickly added in, "I mean-I don't wanna' brag, but…I'm really good at memorizing stuff. All I need to do is feel all the buttons, and…have someone tell me what they all do, and…gimmie' time, and…maybe I can-help?"

"You really want to?" the computer wiz asked, and the girl nodded. After a moment of thought, Chip smiled, "Okay; I'll teach you."

The red head's eyebrows went up, "Really?"

"Sure", he said cheerfully, "I know Teletraan like the back of my hand. We can start right now; I don't think it'll be too hard. And once Prowl gets back, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to tutor you too."
The musician smiled brightly, "Thanks; I appreciate that."

"No problem", Chip replied to his new friend. There was another pause between the two, and he then said, "You know, with the talents we have, it's hard to call us 'disabled'; plenty of shades of gray."

"Yeah…" Kayla agreed; adding in with a wry smile, "…even though I have no idea what 'gray' is." To that, the pair shared a bout of laughter, as Prowl and the team entered the room.

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AN: Another one of the first ideas I had for the book. If you have this blind girl, it seemed only natural to have her meet Chip Chase at some point. Mind you, I'm not handicapped, so it was hard coming up with some of the dialogue. All I wanted was just to showcase what these two characters REALLY felt about their various "situations".
If anything, this also acted as the starting point to what kind of jobs Kayla is going to do around the Ark...I mean, she can't just sit around and play music ALL the time.