ANH'verse. Dagobah. Swamp sitting.

[random_xtras]

"Thundercracker, my arm's startin' to really scream at me here. How much longer do I haveta balance on it? And I think my processors' gettin' scrambled from being upside down so long." Hot Shot's voice isn't complaining, but it is shaking slightly from strain as the young mech struggles to stay upright while resting his entire weight on one hand. "Um... and I think I'm sinking. Weren't we going to get the X-Wing out of the swamp today?"

"Awwww, y'all think y'ur actually doin' somethin' hard, son?" The old Seeker chortles in his mad way, but doesn't look up from playing with his pet snake.

"Um... well, I did," says Hot Shot uncertainly, then yelps as two Minicons go tearing past. "Hey! Where's Jetstorm? You guys better not have been fishing again! ACK! What?"

Thundercracker cackles as his snake crawls curiously around Hot Shot's torso. "Alraht now, son. Let's see ya get that bird outta the swamp. With the Force."

Hot Shot stares at his teacher's legs, then switches his optics off with a groan.

Comments

[astrotechmech]

Random comes staggering over the marshy ground, sinking slightly into murky water as the squishy ground gives way under his weight. The astrotech is still covered with filth, both from his initial fall and succeeding trips into the Dagobahan swamp water. The gaping holes that used to also cover his battered chassis have been covered up, albeit with hastily welded bits of metal as he had to rush to prevent the Minicons from being some creature's next meal. Multiple times. It was like they were doing it purposely, fully aware of what they were doing. Both to themselves and Random's mental health. Not to mention his equipment.

"I'm bushed." Random finds a somewhat solid spot of ground and settles down with a mushy thwish! "If Jetstorm gets himself eaten again, I'm not repairing him. . . . And I mean it this time."

Random sighs and then just sits and listens, feeling too exhausted to even bother caring about all the things around him that could potentially kill him.

Hot Shot and Thundercracker are doing their weird Jedi things again. Or still. Random has been too busy chasing Minicons to really pay attention to what they were doing. But they had been levitating things and doing strange things that Random did not even know how to describe, and then there is this "Force" thing that is somehow related to Primus, but he isn't sure how and--

Too much to think about. He is better off just sitting and listening. Like he used to when days were simpler and he could have time to himself without being bothered by this and that. Or Minicons. He had not had a moment's peace since he got here, something that he had been hoping for. Get some time to let things sink in without being interrupted. Despite all the times Sneaker mentioned Him, which were probably fewer than he remembered him saying as it was just recently forced to the forefront of his mind, he had not ever really thought about Primus. But in the past few weeks the idea of Him actually existing was seemingly forced upon him again and again.

And he felt himself resisting. Even as he slowly gave in, he felt himself throw the walls of resistance back up. He just couldn't--. . .

Oh, Sneaker, where is he? Why did he have to go instead of Random? Sneaker was much more qualified for the things that happened during this last passage of time, however long it actually was in a galactic setting. Sneaker would have been a better bodyguard for Kia. He would have better protected her when they fled from the ship, when they ran into those slavers, when they were traded from Alpha Q's hands into Hot Shot's hands, when they had to go after her in the desert, and when the were in the belly of the almost literal Beast. Heck, those things might not have even happen had Sneaker not passed on.

Not even that. Sneaker actually knew Primus. Not just 'knew about.' Knew. Just thinking back on it, Random sensed it. Sneaker knew what Primus wanted and what He expected, and he acted accordingly. As such, he would have been a much better role model for Kia, able to teach her things about Primus and His ways that Random knew none of and that Kia did not already know.

How is Random supposed to compete with that when he finds himself still doubting Primus' existence?

Random sighs again and rubs the area around his optics. It is too much. Far too much.

Hmm? Random glances over at where the two Jedi are training. What is Thundercracker having Hot Shot do now?

[random_xtras]

Runway and Sonar pause to watch Hot Shot try not to squirm for a few moments, then they beep soft Minicon laughter and run over to climb up and sit on Random.

And look at him.

And look at him.

And...

[astrotechmech]

Random pulls his gaze Hot Shot to look down at the Minicons . . .

He could not deal with this right now. He shoves them off of him. "Off!"

[random_xtras]

And now he's got a double dose of wibble coming his way. And how they're doing it with faces like they have is anyone's guess.

"Hey..." Hot Shot pops one optic back online. "It's working! It's actuall... AHHHHHH!"

The X-Wing drops back into the swamp, causing a minor tidal wave in the process as the young Jedi in training falls over onto his back and frantically tries to get the snake out from under his plating.

And Thundercracker is laughing his skidplate off.

[astrotechmech]

"What do you want from me?" Random asks, exasperated. "I'm not--"

Random starts as Hot Shot shouts and he looks back in that direction.

That had actually gotten pretty close, but there were some things about Thundercracker that he would never understand.

[random_xtras]

Both Minicons beep with surprise and fall off their perch as they're washed over by the wave, but they quickly scramble up to all four to look from the sunken fighter to Hot Shot, who is laying with his hands over his face and groaning with embarrassment.

And here comes Jetstorm, staggering out of the swamp in the direction of the X-Wing and beeping dolefully.

[astrotechmech]

Random looks over to where Hot Shot is, faintly thinking in the back of his mind that he should get up and comfort Hot Shot but feeling too inadequate and exhausted to get up and do so.

[random_xtras]

"Maybeh yew better jes' lay still a bit 'n rest." Thundercracker sniggers at Hot Shot.

"No! I can do this. Just let me..." Hot Shot gets himself back up on his hand, then furrows his brow and clenches his teeth with concentration. "I can do this..."

Thundercracker snerks, but then hunkers down to look at Jetstorm, who looks back sadly. "Here, lemme give ya'all a hand, lil' buddy."

There's a soft sigh. The faintest of movements as the dents in the Minicon's armor straighten out, and then he's flopping down on his butt with thankful beeping.

Thundercracker grins at him and then looks at Random. "Yew best go ta th' house 'n grab some shuteye."

[astrotechmech]

Random looks over at Thundercracker, 'blinking' his optic shutters blearily. He then looks between where Hot Shot is setting himself up again, where the X-Wing was and the direction of the hut and back to where Hot Shot is.

"N-nah, I'm g-good here . . ." However, a little bit afterwards he murmurs under his breath, "Don't think I could even get up if I wanted to."

[random_xtras]

"Here." The old Seeker hunkers down beside Random, joints creaking as he puts a hand on the Astrotech's shoulder. "Lemme give y'all a lil' hand."

[astrotechmech]

"Hmm?" Random stares at Thundercracker, trying to figure out what he meant. Finally, he realizes. "No-no, you don't have--"

[random_xtras]

"Hush y'ur mouth 'n lemme work." Warmth steals out from Thundercracker's hand. "Yer gonna be no use ta th' lil' lady if yew go 'n break down here."

[astrotechmech]

That last part quiets him up, and his optic shutters begin to droop as the warmth makes him start to relax . . .

[random_xtras]

"Now don'cha go ta sleep yet," says the old Jedi softly as Random's wounds start to heal. "Yer gonna haveta drag yer caboose ta bed iffin' yew don't wanna wake up ta bein' a Minicon art project."

Runway razzes from somewhere behind him.

[astrotechmech]

"Hmm." Random struggles to stay awake as the metal patches start to become smooth. As is, he can't quite wrap his processor around the need to get up. "Hmm, no, that'd be bad."

[random_xtras]

"Ah kin go git Billy. He's purty good at keepin' folk up." Thundercracker focuses on the smoothing patches as Hot Shot yelps and squirms again due to the explorations of the snake.

[astrotechmech]

Processing . . . Processing . . . Still processing . . . Why doesn't he want Billy to help? . . . Process--

Random double-takes so he's wide awake. "I'm good! I'm good!" O_O;;;

[random_xtras]

"Easy, young feller." Thundercracker's grinning now as he continues to work. Behind him there is a chorus of hysterical Minicon mirth.

[astrotechmech]

'Easy'? You were wanting to sic the snake on me! Random stares at his chassis as Thundercracker finishes up and tries to ignore the Minicons behind him.

[random_xtras]

"It ain't like he could hurt yew or nothin'." Thundercracker answers the Astrotech's thought as he straightens with a last pat for Random's shoulder.

Then he grows serious as he creaks to his feet and turns away. "Y'all're right where th' big boss wants yew, Random. Now go git some sleep."

[astrotechmech]

Random stops and stares at Thundercracker with a shocked and frightened expression as Thundercracker seems to have read his thoughts.

Random does not move right away, but instead stares after Thundercracker with his shocked and newly pensive expression.

[random_xtras]

"Guys, stop climbing all over me. I have to learn this, and I'm not gonna fail!" comes Hot Shot's voice, the lightness that it was holding earlier now given way to frustrated and slightly sullen determination. "Sonar, leave Billy alone, or he's gonna try and eat you again. I mean it! Honestly, if we didn't need you guys I'd just let him keep you."

Minicon laughter is the young mech's only response, but then it falls silent after a series of surprised squeaks.

"Whal wouldja lookit that," says Thundercracker softly in the silence that follows.

[astrotechmech]

Random distractedly sits himself up and pushes down on the tree roots to make his way to his feet. He is just about there when the squeaks pull him out of his reverie and he falls back down again into the mud, looking at the cause of the squeaks, flabbergasted. Whoa.

[random_xtras]

The X-Wing floats a few feet away from Hot Shot, in the space between him and Random, dripping water and mud from its injured chassis but otherwise showing no more movement than if it were sitting up on a repair gantry in a hanger somewhere civilized. Thundercracker is looking at it, a curious expression in his slightly faded optics as his mouth curls in a very slight and enigmatic smile.

[astrotechmech]

Random's optics shoot to scan all over the X-Wing's chassis, clearly not believing that the X-Wing is really standing in front of him, as if it had never crashed in the first place.

Well, beside the water and the mud.

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot uses his free hand to rub his optics, then looks again.

"Heh..."

[astrotechmech]

In his mind, he vaguely thinks that he should get up, but he is far too shocked to do so.

And he is slowly realizing what this means . . .

[random_xtras]

"Wow, Scavenger, it worked," says Hot Shot softly, then holds out his free hand and moves the fingers slightly, his head nodding a little with approval as the X-Wing turns on end and then upside down. "Dump out all that sludgy stuff..."

[astrotechmech]

Random gains back enough of himself to push himself back up against a tree, optics wide. This could not be happening . . .

And yet it was . . .

[random_xtras]

Thundercracker chuckles gently, then turns to look at the Astrotech mech, his expression saner and more focused than Random will have seen it before.

[astrotechmech]

Random pulls his gaze away from the ship and back to his surroundings again. His optics meet Thundercracker's and he sees the change.

This is definitely happening then.

He turns his gaze back to the ship and then bows his head . . .

[random_xtras]

Soft beeps herald the coming of the Minicons, who lean against the Astrotech in their companionable way as they watch Hot Shot get up to inspect his ship. The young Jedi is still quietly talking to his dead teacher as he works.

[astrotechmech]

The presence of the Minicons does not seem to register on the Astrotech's sensors as he puts his earlier thoughts and concerns into a more formal prayer to Primus. He is grateful that he has been given Kia, but feels that he has been far too inadequate to give her the care and protection she deserves. He better pens his concerns about Sneaker being a better mentor to Primus, while also absently realizing that Sneaker had not been among those who went to scour the debris field she'd been in. The latter comes as a derailing thought and turns his attention back to his prayer, struggling to bring about the rest of his concerns and that despite all of Primus' manifestations, he still flounders when it comes to believing He's there and exists. He also asks if there's a way Primus will forgive him when Random himself doesn't feel like he deserves it.

Eventually, he runs out of things to 'say' and he ends his prayer. Not yet lifting his head, thinking his experience over . . .

[random_xtras]

"Hey, Random?" Hot Shot is in front of the Astrotech now, and sounds as though he's repeated himself a few times. But his easy-going grin is still there on his muck-smudged faceplates.

[astrotechmech]

"Hmm?" Random looks up from his thoughts. Heh, he had thought he heard something. "Sorry."

[random_xtras]

The younger mech's grin just widens a bit, while his blue optics show compassion. "It's okay. Oh, and he says 'Don't worry about it'."

[astrotechmech]

Random returns with a small smile and then sighs tiredly and rubs the area around his optics.

[random_xtras]

Hot Shot puts a gentle hand on Random's shoulder. "Hey... you really need some rest. C'mon, lemme help you get to bed."

[astrotechmech]

What happens next