ANH'verse. Bespin Space Station. No Comment

[astrotechmech]

Somewhat early the next morning, a knock comes at the door to Arcee and the gang's suite, or rather a 'chime'. Knocks are so terribly old fashioned and who knows what the door bell things in sci-fi movies are actually called? Up to this time, there has been no major change in the Falcon's condition status. All reports to this point have said that they still aren't done with her repairs--but--they are getting close. Just a couple more hours and they should be completed.

Any other news the caretakers of the station might be privy to have not been shared with the suite's inhabitants.

Depending on close the rest of the gang is to the door, they may hear muffled voices immediately proceeding and succeeding said "knock." There are two voices to be precise: one male and one female.

Anyone inside the suite bored or observant enough could hear the rather familiar voices go from somewhat louder, normal tones to becoming decidedly hushed--but not quite whispered--by the time one of them interacts with the door's 'chime'. The walls' superior sound proofing makes it pretty much impossible to clearly hear anything said however.

But anyway, someone on the other side door wants to talk to someone or all in Arcee's suite, so let's move on from there . . .

Comments

[astrotechmech]

"Way more of an excuse than I do," Smokescreen replies, smiling back.

"What?" Smokescreen comes back from his memory and looks at Arcee with some confusion until the connection clicks. "Hah hah. Not so much a 'joke.' More like a funny part of a story."

"Have Jet Fire's Minicons ever told you what happened soon after their rescue?" Smokescreen asks, the humor from his remembering still touching his features.

[random_xtras]

"Nooooo?" says Arcee, intrigued despite herself.

[astrotechmech]

"No?" Smokescreen's optic ridges lift briefly in surprise. "Huh. . . . here's hoping I can tell it right." He folds an arm and uses it to prop up the other arm, which strokes his chin in thought. "Hmmmmmm."

Another moment passes as he thinks, and then he brightens up suddenly. "Got it!"

"I suppose by now you've heard it said umpteen times that Kashyyykian Minicons are a force to be reckoned with," Smokescreen begins spinning his tale. "What you probably didn't hear is that they're always so, even if they've been down for a time. . . . Which is unfortunately the case given the timeline."

"Once in more 'friendly' territory, the gang decided to take a pit stop for the Falcon and refuel while they were at it out in a neutral bar a ways into the Outer Rim.

"That bar's usually a good place--been there myself; company's good, drinks not bad for the price--but that day some Imperial riffraff had decided to stick their noses in there and make things miserable for everybody else with their snobby, brainwashed attitudes.

"The riffraff had already made the bar sparse by the time Airazor came in, blazing the way through the remaining mechs to the bar, Comettor not far behind, but Murphy was hanging back with Jetfire.

"Two of the three Imperial snobs were already so slobbering drunk they could have been mistaken for cube coasters, but the third was still as sober as if he hadn't taken a pull.

"The sober one glanced over at Airazor with a look of disdain as she haphazardly flew to the bar and barked out her order, slamming on her hand down on the table.

"Then he deigned himself to get up and approach.

"'Stop right there, bartender,' he ordered before turning to look at her straight on. 'What is a pipsqueak like you think you're doing?'

"['Getting a drink, what does it look like?'] she quipped back.

"'Huh,' the arrogant mech half-laughed in disbelief, '"A drink"? Don't make me laugh. It's like you think you even have the right.'

"['She does; same as anybody,'] Comettor responded, as he hopped onto a bar stool. 'Bartender, I'll have what she got.'

"'Heh. Aren't you lot--" the arrogant mech started to observe.

"'Bug off, Bulkbrain,' Commettor said, 'We don't serve your kind here.

"'Why you little--! the arrogant mech exclaimed, outwardly fuming. "I'll have your circuits for fanbelts! No one talks to me like that."

"'Seems to me like they just did,' the bartender remarked.

"The arrogant mech growled and seemed ready to strike when--

"'Well, someone certainly certainly didn't wake up on the right side of the recharge berth,' Jetfire commented, joining the scene with one hand over a conked out Murphy on his shoulder. He then turned to Airazor and Comettor. 'This guy bothering ya?'

"The arrogant mech quickly retained his composure. 'Ah, you're these Minicons'--?'

"'Listen here, pal, I don't own nobody.,' Jetfire replied warningly, turning back to look at the arrogant mech. 'And neither should anyone else for that matter. These are my friends, and I don't think you should be--'

"'"Friends"?' the arrogant mech scoffed. 'Don't encourage them. They're not people. They're tools, and they should be treated as such.'

"Comettor and Airazor looked at each other for a moment. Then they turned back, a dangerous look in each of their optics.

"Jetfire frowned back at the arrogant mech, 'You've got some serious--'

"'Hey Bulkbreath! Have a piece-a this!' came the femme shout in Basic.

"'What--?!' the arrogant mech could barely get the words out before--BAM! Direct hit!--And he slammed against the bar, the force knocking one of his drinking companions to the floor.

"Another hit got him--this time from Comettor--before he could even think to react!" (And it's probably safe to say that the enthusiasm in Smokescreen's voice at this point is more than apparent.)

". . . Unfortunately, the fun didn't last as the Imperial goon got riled up enough to start striking back. He punched . . . and missed; punched . . . and missed until he just managed to clip Airazor, sending her spinning.

"Comettor, despite being a bit wobbly, managed to catch her, but that left him a sitting duck as the arrogant mech wound up for the finishing blow."

"'Oh no, you don't!' The arrogant mech heard as he was spun around by his shoulder before getting another one in the face, curtsey of Jetfire, who'd been standing to the side--because you don't interrupt Kashyyykian Minicon fights--and had set Murphy down on the bar top.

"The arrogant mech wobbled again before Comettor threw Airazor for the final blow--BAM!--that knocked the mech back and sliding down the side of the bar, in stasis!"

At that moment the elevator dinged! in arrival.

[random_xtras]

"'N then 'Razor 'n Comettor found out Murphy got their drinks while they were playin'," says Jetfire absently. "I think they wound up havin' ta recycle that one guy on account of him turnin' inta a Minicon fighting ring."

Arcee had already been chucking at Smokescreen's story, but at Jetfire's contribution she facepalms. "They fight each other even in situations like that?"

[astrotechmech]

Still smiling somewhat, Smokescreen forgoes any "he deserved it" comments and turns his attention to the elevator, holding the door with a gesture of "After you" before getting in himself. He leaves the explaining of Kashyyykian Minicons to Jetfire, who has more experience with them personally, while he pushes the correct button with the barely noticeable twitch of a shoulder.

[random_xtras]

Jetfire follows Arcee inside, then glances at Smokescreen absently as he sees that twitch. "They fight in any situation, Princess. With anybody handy. You haven't noticed?"

"I'm starting to understand the stories. And suspect that none of them are tall tales." Arcee shakes her head.

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen seems to be able to figuratively shrug off whatever thought it was the caused the twitch before it can mar his smile any further, even as the elevator makes its steady way down, down, down.

"Of the many stories I've heard, I can think of only two that were just tall tales," Smokescreen contributes cheerfully.

[random_xtras]

"Do tell?" says Arcee, intrigued. "And how did the cowboy here wind up with a crew of Kashyyykian Minicons?"

Jetfire is suddenly trying to surreptitiously catch Smokescreen's optic and tell him NOT to tell that story, his faceplates warming slightly with embarrassment. Seems someone doesn't want the princess knowing that he can be something other than a rude space cowboy. Or maybe he doesn't want her to know his past.

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen looks up and strokes his chin in thought again. "Yeah. One was about making the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs--which is a dead give away if you know that a parsec is just a very small distance--and the other . . . had sommmethiiinnng to do with pod racing."

Smokescreen does not even need Jetfire's nervous looks to make him hesitant. There was a reason why he didn't tell that story the first time. Actually, several.

He faces her while discretely looking in Jetfire's direction made easier by Armada optics, noticing the look for the first time even as he speaks. "Uh, Jetfire'll have to tell you that one. I don't think I remember enough of the details to tell that one right."