ANH 'verse. Slaver's transport on Tatooine. Start the story.

[random_xtras]

Restless, weary drones and organics rustled in the darkness of the hold, many of them uncomfortable in the heat of the world they'd landed on a few hours earlier. Over in one corner of the stinking, sweltering space two pair of glowing optics shone. The ones that were further from the floor held fear, the lower set, large and pale blue, held only patient exhaustion.

The silver femme frowned as an organic tentacle brushed against her leg, then moved her wrists in the restraining cuffs and looked up at her mentor as her soft voice broke the noisy silence.

"Random, I'm hungry."

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[random_xtras]

Ever obedient, the little femme lets herself be steered. And she somehow manages, by weight shift or just innocent intuition, to take a bit of Random's weight onto her own slight shoulders as she passes into the cheerfully cluttered interior.

The dwelling is all one room, and looks like a combination home and repair bay. There are bits and scraps and tools everywhere. Several posters of famous heroes dot the curving wall space.

[astrotechmech]

If he had realized that he had allowed Kia to take on some of his weight, he would have quickly taken his hand off her shoulder and tried to continue walking on his own but he has yet to notice.

The room gets a better look at than the fight outside did. For obvious safety reasons. He notices the double-function of the room but doesn't comment on it. He also notices the posters and somewhat distractedly tries to see if he recognizes any of them.

[random_xtras]

He probably does recognize some of them, if he ever watches the holo-vids. Some are famous real mechs, others are holo-vid femmes.

Hot Shot's gone over to a wide bench and is throwing things aside with blithe disregard for what they may be and where they're going. "Here, Random. This can be your berth. I'll see what we have for Kia."

Kia looks at the bench, and then leads her weary mentor over there.

[astrotechmech]

Random doesn't watch too much of them, not really understanding the point of some of them, but he does recognize some from times when he's been curious enough to watch what some others are watching or when he's been kidnapped into watching some holo-vids.

The noise coming from Hot Shot's clearing off of the table grabs Random's attention. A few items tossed get a thought of, He probably didn't want to do that, in his mind.

"Thanks."

It's as Kia's leading him over to the berth that he realizes what he's been doing and lets go of her shoulder, managing not to fall over as he walks the rest of the way there and sits down on it.

[random_xtras]

Kia frowns with concern and follows him closely after he's let go of her, then scrambles up to sit and lean against him as Hot Shot turns away to get a cube of energon from the pile over in a corner of crates.

[astrotechmech]

He had noticed her following but had tried not appear concerned as he had focused on getting over to where he now was. When she makes it on the bench, he puts his arm around her again and starts his usual rubbing run along her arm, not really noticing what Hot Shot's doing.

[random_xtras]

"Here, buddy, drink this, and then we'll see what kind of fixing up you need." Hot Shot offers the cube, and a second to Kia.

Kia looks at it, then hides.

Hot Shot chuckles. "Hey, you can take it. I wont' hurt you."

[astrotechmech]

"Thanks." Random accepts the energon and starts taking it in slowly. Mech, did he have to resist the temptation to chug the whole thing down . . . And he's trying to trust the other mech enough not to suspect poison. He didn't feel weird . . . yet.

"She's a bit shy," Random says, pulling the cube away from his mouth long enough to smile at Kia's behavior, knowing why she was acting that way.

[random_xtras]

"Awww." Hot Shot's grin goes coaxing. "Hey, it's not like I'm trying to poison you or anything. I just traded my droid collection for you! Look, see, I'll have a drink myself."

Kia peeks a little as he sips from the cube, then blinks as he pulls a face.

"Yecch!" he says. "Forgot I was eating glowbits. They really don't taste good with low grade."

She has no idea what 'glowbits' are, but the little femme gives a barely audible chuckle at the yellow mech's actions.

[astrotechmech]

'it's not like I'm trying to poison you or anything.' Heh.

He returns his attention to his drink, letting Hot Shot make a fool of himself. Eeeeeennnnnneeeerrrrggggyyyyy it's soooooo gooooooood . . . .

[random_xtras]

"Yeug. Here, hold this. I gotta go stuff my mouth with sand to get rid of this taste." Hot Shot handed over the cube, and Kia took it, then watched as he jumped to his feet and headed outside.

The door closed behind him, and she looked up at her mentor, mouth slightly open as she tipped her head back.

[astrotechmech]

He pulls his drink away again and looks down at her when Hot Shot is gone.

"So you're drink it when he's gone, are ya?" he asked, teasing her a bit good-naturedly, "Remember not to take it in too quickly. You don't want to have to purge your tank because you took it in too quick for it to handle."

[random_xtras]

Her optics brighten and her mouth turns up at the corners as she nods, and then she looks down at the cube seriously. "Okay."

Very slowly and carefully, she starts to drink, not even twitching as a shout of Wheeljack laughter comes from outside.

[astrotechmech]

"That's a good girl." He smiles down at her. He is about to return his attention to his own drink when he hears the laughter. Curiousity almost pulls him to look outside, but his body reminds him that he's tired and needs to finish his drink . . .