ANH 'verse. Dagobah. Squishy Landings

[astrotechmech]

When they exited hyperdrive and he looked at the read-out from the computer, Random had to shutter and unshutter his optics. This couldn't be right. This couldn't be the planet. There was no mech in the entire universe who'd want to live here. At least not a sane one.

Random turned in his seat and shook Hot Shot. "Hot Shot! Wake up! You gotta see this!"

Comments

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"Five more clicks, Wheeljack... I'm beat."

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[astrotechmech]

Random raises an optic ridge before his expression settles in a frown, and he yells, "HOT SHOT, WAKE UP!"

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"Wha!? ...Oh." The young soldier rubs his optics, shoulders slumping slightly. "We're there, huh? Thanks, Rand."

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[astrotechmech]

Random 'rolls' his optics. "At least where the star chart says is 'there.' This entire planet is covered with primitive organic life and liquid Hydrogen Hydroxide. No cities or technology that the scanner can detect. Are you sure the appointment's supposed to be here?"

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"Huh?" Hot Shot gives the floating world one of his 0.o? looks. "...Ewwww. But if that's Dagobah, then that's where I have to go. Scavenger repeated the name twice."

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[astrotechmech]

Random answers with silence. Though if Hot Shot were to look, his expression would reveal that he was thinking something along the lines of, "Did that Wampa bash Hot Shot's processor in?!"

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

There's a movement as Hot Shot takes something out of subspace. He murmurs a transform command, and then the cockpit is suddenly full of excited Minicon beeping as Jetstorm and his brothers stick their small faces to the canopy and gesture eagerly.

"Uh. No. These guys say that's the place."

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"I didn't even train for this kind of conditions," says Hot Shot soberly as he brings the X Wing back up to full power and tells the Minicons to strap themselves down somewhere. "Hey, Runway, stuff a chamois in it unless you have something productive to say. Huh? Hey, oh! Okay."

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

"I'm pretty sure it's because no one in their right mind would want to subject their tech to that much water," Random says.

Random shakes his head at the Minicons' antics.

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[random_xtras]

"Well I don't really have a choice." Hot Shot sighs and follows Runway's directions for approach as Jetstorm carefully duct tapes Sonar to the inside of the canopy.

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[astrotechmech]

Random shrugs and preps for a possible rough landing.

As soon as the atmosphere is breached, visibility nose dives to zero faster than a human can blink. Soon after that, tree branches and vines begin whacking the glass of the cockpit like some kind of twisted, sickly green gauntlet.

Oh yes, and if Hot Shot's not careful, there's just a marshful of water waiting to be crashed into.

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[random_xtras]

Hot Shot makes a heroic effort to bring the fighter down safely. But the water hits before he even knows it's there.

There's a massive jolt, the beeps and thuds of untaped down Minicons. And then a soft murmur of mild invective aimed at Scavenger.

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

At the jolt, Random gripes the edges of the computer console tighter. If the computer were actually sentient, it might be complaining right now.

And as expected, Random's systems are running in overdrive at the moment, trying to cool off and calm down.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"Random??" Hot Shot whirls, reaching out with sensors to try and find his friend as the Minicons beep agitatedly.

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[astrotechmech]

Only the sounds of the creatures in the marsh could be heard for several minutes until Random's form broke the surface some distance away and he grabbed onto one of the trees.

"Or not," Random says, embarrassed and opening his intakes and various panels on his arms to let the water out.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

"Aw, mech... eewwww!" says Hot Shot, relieved to see that the Astrotech is alright.

Then he starts and looks to the side as he catches a glimpse of sinuous movement. "Watch out!"

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

"Heh, heh," Random laughs dryly. "What I was trying to avoid."

Random pushes off of the tree and makes his way to the shore. "I think I'll--What?!?"

Random spins around just in time for something beneath the surface to drag him under.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

The Star Saber leaps into his hand as the young padwan jumps back into the water, his sensors on high as he searches for the threat. "Random??"

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

Nothing. No reply. Just the normal noises of this swampy planet.

Wait.

There's some movement over there and--

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Something that used to be very blue is now very dirty as it gets spits out from the water and fllllllllliiiiiiiies way over there into the trees.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot hasn't got what it takes. As a matter of fact as soon as the last leak is repaired he more or less faceplants next to Random with his butt in the air, passed out cold even before his nose has imprinted the squishy ground.

And three Minicons guard the sleeping bots, and then help the bent and cackling figure who comes and sticks them on a sledge made of bark and vines before dragging them away deeper into the swamp.

(frozen comment) A Few (or maybe Several) Hours Later . . .

[astrotechmech]

Random comes out of recharge with a start, intaking heavily. Still not quite in the present, he feels around him. "Kia?"

"Kia?!" Random sits up, starting to panic, and it is then he realizes that he is not anywhere he recognizes.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

A small hand patpats him, and a Minicon voice beeps reassurances that everything's okay. Runway is sitting there, looking up at him.

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

Random starts at the touch, clearly not expecting it. His expression clearly says that he doesn't completely believe what the Minicon is saying, even as he tries to calm down, rubbing the metal around his optics.

(frozen comment)

[random_xtras]

[We made it,] says the most talkative member of Air Defense Team happily. [Everything's gonna be okay.]

Then he glances over toward the sound of a soft snore and snerks at Hot Shot's Scavenger impersonation where the young mech is sprawled on his back in a pile of the warm, dry sand that makes up their bed.

(frozen comment)

[astrotechmech]

"Says the m-mech that didn't get e-eaten," Random says bitterly, despite his stutters. And didn't have the dream I just had.

Random jumps at the snore before his expression settles into one with a raised optic ridge. "Did Scavenger actually die or did he just use Hot Shot's body for his own?" He can't help but ask.