randomplaces | ANH'verse. Dagobah. Swamp sitting.

"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.

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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?

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...

Edited 2011-01-28 20:42 (UTC)

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!"

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.

"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.

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.

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.

"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."

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."

"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."

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

"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."

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

ANH'verse. Dagobah. Swamp sitting.

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