Sillyfox 1221658559|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
(RL date 4/6/08, but would have taken place several days after her capture. Whee timebubbles.)
Elevator: n. A cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for conveying people or things to different levels.
There are a lot of elevators in the Union HQ. Without them, travel through the buildings would be a lot more difficult. Elevator #66238 connects the Medical Center with the Hangars, with stops on most levels between. It's considered a minimal security risk, and thus Yulia's guards choose that one to transport her upstairs. One guard steps in first, followed by the teen, followed up by another guard. He punches the buttons for the Hangar level on which her Eva is, then proceeds to keep an eye on her. Not that she's doing much, aside from looking down at the floor and occasionally playing with her headclips.
…and of course, the elevator would come to a rather sudden stop, as someone presses a button. Someone big, and red, and blue.
No, not Mario.
No, not Superman.
NO, NOT THE KOOL-AID MAN, HE'S MISSING A COLOR! — well, OK, he can be red OR blue, but not at the same time…
Optimus Prime. The elevator door slides open. Prime quirks a brow a little at Yulia, though he does give a nod towards her and the guards, before stepping in. "Hangar level." he requests of the computer.
The guards give Optimus a questioning look, though they don't come right out and ask him if this is wise. Instead, they move back to give him room, making sure Yulia does the same.
The doors close, and the elevator continues its ascent.
These things move so slowly sometimes.
Yulia doesn't look up, but she doesn't need to. The voice and a glance at his feet are enough to know who he is. She fidgets, first with her headclips, then with her hands. "Um…"
Optimus Prime raises his hand slightly towards the guards. He knows the risks. Partiularly since he's the one who ordered the guards.
Of course there's still no explanation as to HOW Optimus managed to fit in that Evangelion. He gives a glance towards Yulia. "Yulia." he says, as though in acknowledgement.
"How are you doing?"
Yulia's still wondering that herself. Maybe they figured out how to make cybertronians even smaller. It certainly would help them fit through doorways easier…
"I'm okay, sir," she mumbles, even though it's hardly the truth. It's just the answer she thinks he'd want to hear.
"…are you." Optimus Prime replies, quirking a brow - and obviously not believing a word of it. But, for the moment, he plays along.
"Well, that's good to hear, since one of the reasons you're here is to make certain that lance is completely out of your mind. If you AREN'T, though, there's no reason to hide it. You understand this, I hope?"
"…Yes, sir," Yulia answers, nodding her head. More fidgeting follows. "Um…"
"Yes?" Prime inquires.
"I-I…" Yulia stammers, then stops. She takes a deep, ragged breath, then tries again. "…I'm sorry. Very sorry. Um. Sir."
"The Lance," Prime begins, "Was controlling you, and all in all, no harm done. Don't worry about it." He brushes it off somewhat dismissively, with an accompanying gesture as though brushing away whatever sin Yulia perceived on herself. "Worry more about yourself and making sure you're alright."
"B-but I tried to kill you!" Yulia protests, looking up at Prime though her mess of bangs. Okay, so it probably happens to him all the time, but still.
"And this is different from what happens to me between five and fifty times per week HOW?" Prime inquires, brow cocked, and sounding vaguely amused.
"At least you have good excuse. Decepticons usually don't."
"Er…" How can she argue that point? "…yessir," Yulia answers gamely, looking back at the floor again.
"…but I am sorry," she mumbles softly.
"It's alright, Yulia." Optimus says. "You don't want to know how many mind controlled soldiers I've dealt with in the past, many of whom given explicit orders to deliver my shattered laser core on a silver platter. Sometimes literally in those words." He leans against the wall a bit, hand on the Transformer-sized railing.
"Even if I were to condemn you, I'm pretty certain that you'd be beating yourself up more than I ever could." At least, psychologically. "And I'd rather you not do that much. So as far as I'm concerned, consider yourself off the hook, alright?"
She's forgiven, just like that? No lectures, no withering glares? Sounds almost too good to be true.
"Yessir. Um. Thank you, sir." Yulia clasps her hands her back, hoping that he doesn't notice that they're trembling. A bundle of nerves, she is.
"…well, actually, let me amend that." Prime says, "You're off the hook if you'll be honest with me. And if you've seen one of the television shows, I know they ALL portray me as having an age older than most civilizations, so you'll forgive me for saying that having been a general for six million years, I've been around the block enough times to know when someone's hiding something and trembling while doing it."
Yulia stiffens at his words, thus proving she's guilty of something. "Um…I…I just want to go home," she confesses. "I miss Yuri. He must be worried sick…"
Optimus Prime sighs.
"At the moment, Yulia, that isn't possible, but cooperate with us, and we'll get you home as quickly as possible. We don't intend to keep you for all that long… however." he says seriously.
"According to reports from Misato, if I'm correct, she's told you a great deal about what NERV has been hiding from you. And I think at this point it ought to be obvious you need to know the rest - from a source that ISN'T NERV. I'm sorry to keep you here, but we have to make sure you're actually going to listen, considering what's at stake."
"I'll cooperate then," Yulia says quietly, her gaze still fixed on the floor. Anything, anything, just to get back to her big brother! "I don't want to be any more trouble."
"Alright, then. We're going to have some of the basic information given to you probably starting tomorrow. We're going to build up to the 'big finish', so to speak, so you have as much context as possible. This… is going to be a lot to take in."
"If you'd like, we can send a message to him from you." Prime says, tilting his head.
Now that gets Yulia to look up again. "You will!? Um..I mean, would you please?"
"Very well." Prime says. "Have it ready by tomorrow and we'll send it over the Internet. He should receive it fairly quickly."
Of course it's going to be scanned out the freaking wazoo for any secrets, but chances are, she's not going to be putting any in anyway - they've been VERY careful.
It wouldn't occur to Yulia to put anything sneaky in it. Not that they shouldn't be careful about her, it's just that she's never gotten the hang of the whole spy thing. That, and she truly does miss her brother. "I will. Thank you, sir. Again."
"Not a problem." Optimus says. "Do you have any questions? I can't guarantee I can answer them all, but I'm willing to listen, anyway."
Yulia gives a shake of her head, her bangs falling into her face once more. "No sir." The leader of the Autobots has better things to do than answer silly questions from a teenager, right? Well… "Um. Maybe just one."
"I'm listening." Optimus indicates. It appears that he doesn't have anything better to do, at least while the elevator glides through the elephantine complex.
No kidding. She thought the elevators in NERV HQ took forever. Of course, it's way smaller than the Union, a fact that's been impressed on her these past few days.
"Um…which do you like better, the Ertl model of you, or the Norscot one?"
"…would you believe I've never seen either?" Prime asks, sounding a bit bemused.
"I usually follow the toys, myself. I have to say I'm rather impressed with the 20th anniversary version of me… although," he reaches up to touch his elbows. "I have no idea where they got the idea that having pipes for hydraulics right here was something I needed."
"I dunno," Yulia replies with a small shrug. "I guess the model makers get funny ideas sometimes."
Finally, the elevator reaches the Hangar levels. As would be expected, a bell chimes when it arrives at the correct floor before opening the doors.
"Oh, likely." Prime says. "Artistic license, and all." The doors swish open. Prime takes a step out.
"I'll be in touch. Enjoy your visit with your mother."
And with that, Prime's body folds up with a transformation sound, his trailer appearing out of nowhere and connecting, before he shifts into gear and drives off across the massive hangar, destination unknown.
"Um…have a good day, sir." He likely won't hear it over his transformation noises, but Yulia says it anyway. Then, the doors close, and she and her guards continue on to their destination.
"And you!"
Those big spikes aren't just for making headbutting really painful, apparently.
Prime drives off. Sadly, there is no sunset, however there's a big spotlight being turned off for maintenance, so let's use that, shall we?
Sillyfox, 1221658559|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover
