ANH. Bespin Station. It just might be getting worse; we'll get back to you

[astrotechmech]

The room where Jetfire and Arcee find themselves after Nemesis Prime finishes torturing Jetfire maybe be small, dark, and bare, but it is not completely soundproof.

Muffled voices can be heard in the hall outside of the "dungeon" sometime after the 'Troopers throw them in. Jetfire might be able to recognize that one voice is a very irritated Smokescreen.

"I'm going in."

"But sir! You can't!--I mean, shouldn't! You've seen what happened. That mech might--

"You're not changing my mind on this, mech."

"I mean, look at what happened this morning! There's no telling--"

"Out of my way, mech."

"But, sir! Sir!"

It is at this moment that the door opens, and the voices become clear and attached to faces, starting with Smokescreen as he turns to give a parting shot to the concerned security mech behind him before crossing the dungeon's threshold.

"If Jetfire wants to harm me, so be it! I deserve every blow I get after what I've done to him!"

Even in the dim lighting, it will be quite apparent that Smokescreen is not exactly "running on all four pistons." As he storms in, the two in the room will be able to see that--along with being the embodiment of annoyance right now--he is showing the signs of exhaustion. . . . Something that implies that he didn't get a lot of recharge in last night, and also that he's been employing a "poker face" to conceal that fact for most of the day. As it is, Smokescreen has to restrain himself from leaning on something within the room once he is inside.

The security guard bursts into the room soon after. "Sir, I--"

The security mech stops when he takes in the others in the room, instantly clamming up and falling into Smokescreen's 'shadow'. "Greenie" is figuratively written all over his face.

Comments

[random_xtras]

"Probably the same reason you think any of us are gonna survive this," say Jetfire quietly, still staring at the wall.

Arcee frowns up at him, then looks back to Smokescreen. "Old mech?"

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen looks up from his hand, disregarding Arcee for the moment in favor of focusing on Jetfire. " . . . It's a bit worse than even that, Jetfire . . . Hot Shot is a friend of yours, isn't he?"

[random_xtras]

That makes Jetfire turn away from the wall, his expression a confused scowl. "The kid? I... might'a met him."

Arcee has a hand over her mouth now, and her optics are bright with dismay as she remembers hearing the young pilot referred to as a Jedi and her mind goes to reasons why the dark Prime might be interested in him.

[astrotechmech]

"He is the one Nemesis Prime's really after," Smokescreen says, seeing that Jetfire and Arcee know more about this 'Hot Shot' than Jetfire is willing to let on and letting it go. "What's happening to the two of you is just some fancy of Prime's as far as I can tell."

[random_xtras]

"No," says Arcee, shaking her head and moving her hand from her mouth to her temple. "No, he knows exactly what he's doing. That's why he never asked us any questions in the torture room. We're not important at all. Except as bait."

Jetfire stares down at her for a click, his surprise showing despite his efforts to wear his poker face. Then he speaks quietly and hurriedly. "The kid can feel this somehow?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," says Arcee softly. "It's something the Jedi could do in the old stories."

[astrotechmech]

Smokescreen shifts his position against the beam, crossing his arms and deepening his frown in thought. Despite his supposed current lack of poker face, he doesn't look as surprised as he should be.