ANH'verse. Millennium Falcon and space station. Smokescreens

[random_xtras]

"Whaddya mean, we can't dock!?!" Jetfire's bellow of frustration rang on the bridge. "Gimme a good reason! I know your boss!"

"No one is allowed to dock at the moment, sir," came the calm feminine response. "Please move your vessel out of our airspace, and have a nice oorn."

"Why you...!"

"Here." Arcee put a hand on his chest, though she avoided looking up at him. "Let me try."

Kia watched the older bots from where she sat strapped into a seat toward the back of the bridge, her wide optics taking in the subtle shifts of their body language as Arcee attempted to reason with the docking official and Jetfire continued to shout his objections to the femme's refusal to let them dock. The two of them were embarrassed about something that made their faceplates heat up whenever they looked at each other, and they seemed very angry at each other, but confusingly, it was also very clear to her that they liked each other a lot.

Browplates drawn together with confusion, she looked down at the black Minicon who was snuggled in her arms.

Murphy just shrugged, and then winced as Jetfire let out another bellow of ire.

Comments

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen chuckles. "And you must need your memory chips checked, you old rascal, if you can't even remember why a mech would be upset with ya."

The blue Minicon beeps at him from his shoulder then, and Smokescreen holds up a hand to allow him access and watches as the Minicon springboards off his hands before he has even put him down as the little mech goes over to attempt to "converse" with Rollbar and Comettor.

Smokescreen looks after him before returning his attention to Jetfire.

"I see Airrazor's done the smart thing and gotten out of dodge," Smokescreen says, teasingly, before looking at Kia and then the rest of the group. "But who all do we got here?

[random_xtras]

"I've had a lot on my mind lately." Jetfire tries to coax Kia into looking around and giving Murphy a little breathing room, but then realizes that the young femme's crying quietly and just continues the back rub. "This's Kia. Her personality matrix's kinda young, but she'll be up ta sayin' hi in a few. And this...." He starts to turn toward the pink and white femme at his side, but she steps forward boldly.

"My name's Arcee," she says in her quiet but firm way, offering a hand. "It's an honor to meet you."

Comettor's telling the little blue bot about how Airazor's busy checking on some business of her own, but she'll be back soon.

[astrotechmech]

I believe that if you don't even consider your old friend becoming your bitter enemy.

//"Are you still in the Business?"// Smokescreen asks him over a secure comm with a seriousness that doesn't actually touch his outward expression.

"It's nice to meet you, Kia. Name's Smokescreen. I'm sorry if my earlier ruse scared you, but I thought I'd play a little joke on Jetfire since he only seems to show up when he wants something," Smokescreen says, amiably, despite his words, filing any questions he might have concerning the small femme's 'young personality matrix' for later.

"The honor's all mine, Arcee," Smokescreen says, taking her hand and leaning over to kiss it chivalrously, if she will let him.

"And that blue and gray Minibot over there talking to the Kashyyyk native is my partner Liftor," Smokescreen says with pride. Liftor looks over from where he is expressing his wish that Airazor's 'business' goes smoothly long enough to wave at the rest of Bulks eagerly for a few moments. "He helps me keep my sanity while I'm running this disaster of a joint."

Liftor beeps something in negative to which Smokescreen laughs.

"Ha ha ha! Okay, maybe 'disaster's not quite the right word, but sometimes it sure feels like it!"

"So what brings you to this lonely corner of the galaxy?" Smokescreen asks, returning his attention back to the Bulks of the group.