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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"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..."

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 . . .

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

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 . . .

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.

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 . . .

"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.

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

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'."

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

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

What happens next

ANH'verse. Dagobah. Swamp sitting.

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