ANH. Bespin Station. Return of the Jedi?

[random_xtras]

The speeding X-wing had just entered the system and was swooping through space.

Inside the cockpit, it was noisy.

"Yeah, Random." A grim-faced Hot Shot cut across the chatter of excited Minicons and a very anxious Astrotech. "I'm sure Kia's with 'em. So just circulate already. 'N stop talking about your insides squirming, you're kinda creeping me out here."

All three of the Starsaber Minicons turned their attention to the pilot, the volume of their beeping rising drastically.

"Just hold on," said Hot Shot with resigned patience. "We'll be there soon."

Then he blinked as he caught the barest hint of a communication that shut all three of his small friends up instantly. "...And nobody better ask me what that was, because I don't know."

Comments

Meanwhile in the Belly of the Station Proper

[astrotechmech]

Steam fills the air of the dark room doused in the bright orange light emanating from the tiles on the floor. Omnicons scurry here and there making the necessary last minute adjustments to alter the configuration of the machines to suite their new purpose.

What this new purpose is, Jetfire and Arcee will have to fathom a guess as the Autotroopers drag them in. As for Smokescreen, despite his reemerged poker face doing wonders to hide his exhaustion, it does not quite do as well when it comes to hiding what looks like a desire to get a cube of high grade to drown his frustration in.

Primus, I realize that you're going out of your way to help someone like me, and that I'm supposed to be able to handle this situation . . . But I have no idea how I'm supposed to be able to improve this!

[random_xtras]

The purpose isn't too hard to figure out once they're standing before the dark Prime. Nemesis Prime loses no time in ordering Jetfire to be put into the carbon freezing chamber.

"No!" protests, Arcee, her voice anguished. Then the room echoes with a feminine battle cry wrought with rage and despair as the pink and white femmebot attacks the Autotroopers holding Jetfire.

"Arcee! Stop it!" Jetfire manages to break free of the 'Troopers holding him and rushes to grab the furious female by the arms. Looking grimly into Arcee's, he shakes his head, then hugs her tightly and murmurs so that only she can hear, "Save your strength for when the odds are better."

Arcee chokes back a sob.

"Yeah," says Jetfire as he backs off from the hug, his optics flickering as he tries to grin. "I feel the same way."

Arcee statics quietly. "I love you , you idiot."

That gets Jetfire's grin. "Just remember that, because I'll be back."

He touches his forehead briefly to hers, then looks at the guards and Cyclonus. "Let's get this show on the road."

[astrotechmech]

Cyclonus' mad (read: insane) cackling at the near-fight ends in a disgusted look at the sudden turn for the mushier while Smokescreen looks on, momentarily frozen in place with a slightly worried expression from when he had moved to see if he could get Arcee to stop. Smokescreen's expression turns more neutral as he waits to see if he needs to pull Arcee away from Jetfire. Cyclonus, meanwhile, seemingly satisfied with the promise of compensation if Jetfire lands up getting it as a result of this foray into new Transformers containment methods, has resumed a sadistically amused expression as Jetfire speaks those last words.

[random_xtras]

Arcee watched as Jetfire was taken to the pit and strapped onto the hydraulic deck, her body straight and tall and her face expressionless though her optics were a shade too pale. She was oblivious of the amusement of some in the room, and as unaware of the grim-faced administrator near her.

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen will only keep part of his attention on Arcee as he watches the last of the preparations and then the process begin with the lowering of the platform Jetfire's on into the chamber. Smokescreen kinda hopes that something comes loose over Cyclonus' head, so that it will shut him up, but his poker face keeps this thought off of his face.

At a pressing of buttons from the Omnicons, the machine screams into action as steam bursts from the hole. The process, which actually takes less than a minute, seems like an eternity. Finally, the claw-like device overhead descends down into the chamber. A few moments later, it helps to lift a very large, frozen slab out. A couple of Omnicons come forward to fiddle with settings on panels on the slap's sides before allowing the slab to drop onto the floor with a mighty CLANG!

Once given an okay, Smokescreen steps forward and studies the readout on one of the side panels, trying not to let Jetfire's impression bother him. Despite doing his best to keep up his poker face, Smokescreen slumps slightly with relief as he calmly reports, "He's survived."

[random_xtras]

Nemesis Prime turns to Cyclonus, his voice a low hiss of satisfied menace mingled with indifference and contempt. "He's all yours, bounty hunter." Then his dark visor goes to the Omnicons. "Reset the chamber for Hot Shot."

"He's just landed, my lord," one of his aids informs him quietly.

The dark Prime nods as though this is no news to him. "See to it that he finds his way here."

[astrotechmech]

"Oh, goody!" Cyclonus replies gleefully, as the Omnicons give Nemesis Prime an affirmative before hustling about to their next task.

Smokescreen rises from the floor and moves to escort Arcee from the room. "Come on, Arcee."

[random_xtras]

"Take her to my ship," said Nemesis Prime negligently, not even deigning to look at the orange and blue bot.

[astrotechmech]

"What?" is what comes out of Smokescreen's mouth before he's realized it. "But you said she'd be staying here under my supervision!"

[random_xtras]

"I changed my mind," comes the indifferent reply. "Pray that I do not change it further."

[astrotechmech]

"What about the astrotechs?" Smokescreen asks cautiously, after a moment's hesitation.

[random_xtras]

It's very clear that the dark Prime doesn't care. "Recycle them."

Arcee doesn't lift her head or move her face, but a sudden flame sparks into life in her optics.

Then an aid comes and whispers rapidly to the dark Prime, who turns toward Smokescreen in a swirl of cape and a sudden heavy feeling of menace. "Where are the Minicons?"

[astrotechmech]

"Right," Smokescreen says calmly, his face unreadable.

Smokescreen's gaze snaps back to Nemesis Prime from where it had drifted elsewhere. He looks briefly surprised--possibly out of having the topic so forcibly put upon him--before he starts to look frustrated.

"I already told you. There are no Minicons!" Smokescreen's voice is full of exasperation as he waves his hands in emphasis.

[random_xtras]

"You're lying," says Nemesis Prime flatly. "Scavenger's Minicons were aboard the Millenium Falcon. I want them, and the best of your crew here, on my ship now. The others will be collected later."

Smokescreen may feel a very strong urging not to give in again to frustration, and a hint that the dark Prime is trying to use processor manipulation on him.

[astrotechmech]

The anger disappears from Smokescreen's face, and he says, blankly, "There are no Minicons."

[random_xtras]

His inquisitor stares at him, gaze probing from behind the dark visor, but then turns away in thwarted disgust. "Load the femmebot aboard my ship."

[astrotechmech]

It's a moment before Smokescreen shakes his head and rids his face of the trance-like expression he had fallen into. He looks somewhat confused before he frowns and says, "Yes, Nemesis Prime."

Meanwhile

[random_xtras]

"Ugh. Where is everybody? This silence's making my nerves crawl worse than Random's insides." Hot Shot peered around another corner, Starsaber at the ready and a frown on his face.

[astrotechmech]

Um, you haven't actually felt these insides, Random thinks to himself. He is distracted from thinking how Hot Shot probably could actually use Jedi stuff to feel it by the realization that this place actually does not feel that bad . . . and being slightly creeped out by that.

[random_xtras]

"Nobody even asked us for a landing permit, or our ID." Hot Shot pauses to frown at his sword. "What are you giggling about?"

The Starsaber makes no reply.

Then Hot Shot looks up as he hears a sound at the end of the corridor. Halting, he presses himself against the wall.

[astrotechmech]

"Uh, Hot Shot," Random starts to say, his voice betraying the fact he is creeped out, "Prime is on here, right? 'Cause I'm not really feeling the bad vibes that I did before." On the Imperial station he means. Even if Kia felt more of it than he even did, the lack of bad vibes is creeping him out . . . and making him think that Nemesis Prime has already come and gone and taken Kia with him, which is starting to worry Random.

Random is stopped from expressing the last by Hot Shot's pressing himself against the wall, which Random follows suit by finding a cranny behind Hot Shot and jamming himself into it.

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot watches with frowning confusion and concern as a black slab of some sort is wheeled out of a side corridor, accompanied by a few Autotroopers and a disreputable looking bot with deranged sounding case of the giggles.

[astrotechmech]

Maniacally deranged-sounding case of the giggles. . . . But the additional word is probably too redundant to properly convey how crazy the mech is in general, so the aforementioned description will have to do. In any case, the mech is much too pleased with himself to bode any good for anybody, especially their friends.

As for the black slab, from his stuffed viewpoint, Random doesn't even really see the ominous thing in question until it passes his line of sight. . . . And then he kinda wishes he hadn't. Some bot has some sick taste in art. Random is glad when the procession passes.

[random_xtras]

There's a small sad sound from Hot Shot once the strangers are passed, and he rests his head against the arm that is leaned against the wall. "Man. Jetfire, I'm sorry..."

[astrotechmech]

Random starts when he hears the echo of Hot Shot's head against the wall, and then he stares in his direction. It takes a few moments before Hot Shot's words really sink in, though, and then he feels like he really is gonna be sick.

He doesn't have time to dwell on it--or even think about the consequences of Jetfire's end--as a bit of color catches in the corner of his optic.

"Hot Shot! Look out!" Random manages to get out before a burst of insane cackling around a corner precedes a couple of shots fired in their direction, and Random slides free-fall fast to the floor, leaving a dirty trail on the nice, clean, white wall in his wake.

The words Cyclonus volleys in their direction are essentially lost amidst his cackling and the chatter of the echos off the walls, but the little that comes through seem to convey disappointment that Hot Shot wasn't free for the killing and to have fun getting 'slagged' by the Dark Prime. Cyclonus swiftly leaves without further ado.

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot's growling softly once the echoes have died down. He's also laying on the floor and peering after the shooter with optics bright with temper as he regrets not having gotten a shot off himself. The Starsaber lays on the floor beside him.

"Stop giggling," he tells it quietly, then lowers his face for a moment to cool down a bit before doing anything else.

[astrotechmech]

What is going on with Hot Shot falls on dead audios as the experience of getting shot at calls to remembrance the last time he was shot at waaay back on the Rebel flagship. He was not used to getting shot at, and if not for Kia gently--

Random comes to the present with a start. Kia! The panic starts setting in again.

"H-Hot--H-Hot Shot. H-How do--W-What i-if--Kia?" Random stumbles, stutters, and chokes on his words. Basically: It's been too long since he has had Kia in sight, and he needs to know that she's okay now.

[random_xtras]

"Kia's fine." Hot Shot doesn't lift his face from the floor.

[astrotechmech]

Random stares at him for another few moments before he growls softly himself.

It was what he wanted. Maybe it was the way it was said, but that really didn't help settle the question. Yes, Random knew the answer. Wasn't it what Hot Shot had been telling him over and over and over again--and why wouldn't it be true? Primus said it, didn't he?

So, why wasn't it enough?

He looks over at Hot Shot again.

And, he couldn't just sit here. Moping. He raises himself to his feet and starts off down the hall. He makes it to the corner before he stops.

He couldn't think about Sneaker anymore. He was dead. He was gone. Whether he actually abandoned him or not, he doubted the mech really wanted Random to dwell on Sneaker either. Random needed to think about Kia. That's who Primus put in his care for now at least, and he was gonna at least try to take care of the femme who's found a place in his spark.

[random_xtras]

"Random, wait." Hot Shot rises to his feet, absently rotating one arm at the shoulder to hear the faint squeak. "You're going the wrong way."

[astrotechmech]

Yeah, Random kinda figured. He had no idea where on this blasted station she was. Part of why he waited at the corner. The other being not knowing who was gonna shoot at him next.

But Random's too annoyed to say anything nice, so he just waits for further instructions.

[random_xtras]

"You gotta follow the Minicon."

[astrotechmech]

From the look that Random gives Hot Shot in return, Hot Shot might as well have told him to follow an invisible yellow brick road.

"'Follow the Minicon'? What Minicon?" he demands, taking the cue from Hot Shot that there's no one close enough to care if he talks.

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot lifts his brow ridges, then points to one side, where a little yellow Minicon is waving for attention.

[astrotechmech]

Random looks at the yellow Minicon and then looks back at Hot Shot.

His expression now seems to be asking Hot Shot if he was kidding him. After a moment, Random 'rolls his optics.'

"You know the way, huh?" Random asks the Minicon, trying to push aside his cynicism and failing. "How do I know you're not gonna lead me on a wild goose chase?"

[random_xtras]

The little yellow bot puts his hands on his hips and pouts up at Random seriously, then staggers slightly and beeps a soft protest as a second Minicon, this one grey and green, darts from a service entrance to cling to his back and peek over his shoulder.

Kia wants Random! this second little bot says excitedly, though quietly. It's time to come to Kia now. She says to tell Random that she saved him a piece of candy.

Hot Shot, meanwhile, is watching quietly, a distracted expression of listening on his face plates.

[astrotechmech]

Random wilts at the pout and starts to feel like a real jerk for doubting to begin with until the second Minicons comes.

Said Minicon's words drive away most of the remainder of Random's doubts. That sounded too much like her to be a deception. Getting a grip on himself, he says, firmly, "Lead the way."

[random_xtras]

Both little bots beep and trill, and then they wave good bye to Hot Shot, who cracks a wan grin.

"Take care, Randy," says the yellow Jedi quietly as the Minicons dive into the service entrance.

[astrotechmech]

Random starts to follow when he hesitates at at the entrance. He turns back, mouth opening and closing as if he wants to say something. Finally, he manages to say, "Good luck." He starts to turn back in before mustering up the courage to say, "And, um, may Primus be with you." He thinks that's how it's supposed to go.

[random_xtras]

"Thanks, buddy," comes the quiet, absent, but warm reply. "You take care. Tell Kia 'hi' for me."

[astrotechmech]

Random nods, trying to convince himself that it really is going to be fine. "Will do. . . . Later. " And then Random disappears into the service corridor.