Nexus. Hormah's sanctuary. Starting Repairs.

[firra]

Continued from here.


Ironhide: *grunts as something hits his back and clings, then does a quick check on Lorraine to see if she needs to keep his arm or if he can take it back now*

Adrian: *face screws up like several if not every part of him did NOT enjoy that!* Gnaah. *scrapes his tongue on his teeth* Gnaaah...

Lorraine: *responding more quickly now* Much better. *releases Ironhide's arm*

Adrian: Sound and fury, that's... that's like... *tongue scrape* Engine coolant and a hangover...

Ironhide: *rubs Mittens' ears* Suck it up, *bleep*. *yes, it wasn't really a beep, it was a Gaelic insult. But this mun's not writing it. Because thankfully she doesn't know it*

big ears: *peek over Ironhide's shoulder*

Adrian: *not to anyone in particular* Oh, what, he can swear, but I have to pull every archaic... *bleep*. *shakes his head* Fine, then give me Shakespeare.

child's voice: *from the vicinity of those big ears by Ironhide's shoulder* Shakespeare's at home with his mommy and daddy right now.

Ironhide: *smirks and rubs Mitten ears*

Mittens: Maaah. *rubs*

Adrian: *frowns, currently processing as many classic insults as the computer in his brain can remember and finding none that he wants to say*

Lorraine: *not saying much, face hard, arm twitching almost imperceptibly*

Ironhide: *sighs as little fingers poke him on the back* This is Bbbrl, the youngest son of the local pastor. He'll play host till one of the others gets back.

Bbbrl: *climbs up so that he's got his chin on Ironhide's shoulder now. Is a toddler, but is also the size of an average size human ten year old, and he looks like a giant bipedal Sphynx cat. Is wearing a cute onesie and a kitty hat with his ears in the kitty ears, and is mostly pink with a black spot on his chin* *shyly* Hi.

Lorraine: *shortly* Hi.

Bbbrl: *nose twitches slightly, and then those big ears perk* Do you need tools? Oh! Here's Mama!

Lorraine's main body: *just got closer. As a matter of fact it seems to now be on the roof of this quiet and peaceful white marble building*

red orange bot: *stomps in a moment later and looks at the visitors with her hands on her hips. Eyes are twinkling and yellow*

Ironhide: Hormah. *nods, then shrugs Bbbrl loose and gives him Mittens before turning toward the door*

Hormah: *deedlebeeps at him. The tone isn't very complimentary, though it is amused*

Lorraine: *sighs and relaxes* There I am.

Mittens: Maaaah~! *rubs this new person too! I am a cat! Hooray!*

Adrian: Is he leaving? He's leaving. Huhn. *frowns, turns to Bbbrl* Yes, tools would be good. I don't know what you have on this planet. World. Thing. Whatever.

Hormah: *as Bbbrl is distracted by rubbing his cheek against Mittens and purring* Whaddya after needin', b'y? *hunkers down and puts a gentle hand on Lorraine's back, her attitude gruff, but unmistakably that of a woman used to caring for others as her work and her life*

Adrian: *not used to being able to talk about this kind of thing publicly, but, well, Hormah's a robot too!* Ah, well. I'll need to, ah, have a look at the damage first. Most of my tools are in the ship.

Hormah: *nods and jerks a thumb toward a corner, where one of the arches that line those walls contains a door instead of a curtained niche* Human size steps's t'ere. *hand goes to gently smush the face of an orange WoW raptor who just romped up with a tire around his neck* Ye git down, Binky.

Adrian: *glances at Lorraine*

Lorraine: M'up there.

Adrian: *reluctantly goes, leaving Lorraine in Hormah's care*

Hormah: *scans the android body, and then settles down on her butt on the floor* Ye after wantin' I ta see ta yer arm?

Bbbrl: *looks up from kitty kissying Mittens* I can help.

Lorraine: *looks up the stairs after Adrian and grins* Oh, he'd hate that.

Hormah: After what I seen 'o yer main bod, I's t'inkin' 'e's got 'nough ta keep 'isself busy. No point 'n ye stayin' hurt jes' ta pet 'is paranoia.

Bbbrl: o.0 Why would he hate it? He's fixing you. This is just your interacting dolly.

Lorraine: *grins at Bbbrl* He's my husband. *and hopefully the kid gets it*

Bbbrl: *grin* That's why he gets to fix the YOU parta you.

Hormah: *slight face palm at toddler logic* S'her call, runt.

Binky: Purk purk purk! :D

Lorraine: *still smiling, somewhat evilly* You can have a look, if you want.

Hormah: Already done t'at. *lists off the exact damages and what needs repair* T'ain't bad, but I's bettin' it hurts like a *deedlebeep*.

Binky: *kissies for Mittens?*

Mittens: *loves kisses! Is a giant love-cat*

Lorraine: And it's getting worse. *sighs* I'm going to have to take it off before it damages something else.

Hormah: *finger transforms with soft clickings into a tool, and she holds her other hand out* *gently* C'mere, me son.

Lorraine: *hesitates* No one's ever... I mean, I can do it. It's delicate.

Hormah: *still gentle* I's big, but I's built fer the delicate work. Jes' be coddled fer once, b'y.

Lorraine: *grunts, like being coddled is the last thing she wants* Just... just take it off. Let him fix it. *rolls the sleeve of her shirt up over her shoulder* There's a seam in the shoulder.

Hormah: Alright. *reconfigures the tool on her finger slightly, and then does as requested, causing a minimum of discomfort in the process* *quiet snerk* Ye lost yer cat fer a bit.

arm: *at the touch of the tool in a specific spot the seam becomes visible, tracing around her shoulder and armpit. A few more spots and the skin disengages, then the machinery with a few more prods*

Lorraine: *taking her arm in hand and sighing* He'll be back. Adrian spoils him to death.

Hormah: *chuckles* He's jes' after goin' ta see my cat. *glances toward the also lack of kitten-child and raptor*

Lorraine: *awkward pause* Thank you.

Hormah: *looks away from the arm with calm in those yellow eyes* Jes' doin' me job.

Lorraine: ...Where we're from, I'm something of an abomination.

Hormah: *slight smile on that strange face* So we's got somethin' in common, t'en.

Lorraine: But here it's safe? Really safe?

Hormah: From ever't'ing 'cept stupidity 'n LOLs. *smile widens a bit*

Lorraine: *shakes her head* I almost don't believe it.

Hormah: *smile fades to understanding* Aye. I knows.

Lorraine: And I've never met another AI before. *grins*

Hormah: *slight chuckle* Well, strictly speakin', t'ere's not'in' artificial 'bout me. I's livin' energy in a cybernetic shell. But t'ere's after bein' a lotta folk like you 'round. 'N a few nearly jes' like.

Bbbrl: *comes skidding in on his jammy feets, Mittens riding on his back and something held in both hands as he chirps excitedly*

Lorraine: Oh! Oh, I just assumed... *shakes her head again and curses quietly*

Hormah: *slight grin* I's still bot. *more quietly* 'N I's still abomination where me dad's folk comes from.

Bbbrl: *comes up to Lorraine and offers her something* I found you another robot person to talk to. Somebody with no spark. *grins and chirps*

Hormah: *blinks, and then makes a soft trill to her son*

Lorraine: Yes, but I'm, I'm actually not. I'm the ship. *notices Bbbrl* Sorry, what?

Bbbrl: She's not shaped like you. She's just little and has legs all the time. But Anne's a person like you. All computer chippy 'n silicon 'n stuff.

small voice: I'm also upside down and feeling rather scrambled.

Hormah: *looks and snerks*

Lorraine: Um. Okay?

Bbbrl: Oops. *trying now to figure out how to turn the person in his hands right way up. Finally hunkers down and gently sets her on her feet*

person: *itty bitty robot only about eight inches tall. Has a round ball for her body, another for her head. Big blue eyes on her head, and cute little arms and legs* Oh! That's much better. Thank you, Bbbrl.

Bbbrl: *chirps and scoots over to hug his mama's leg*

Mittens: Maah~ *nuzzles Bbbrl's ears*

Hormah: *deedles a quiet chuckle, and then face mooshes her raptor again*

Lorraine: *kneels down awkwardly in front of the tiny robot person, setting her detached arm across her thighs* Um, hello.

Hormah: *quietly, as she draws one leg up to lean on* This's Anne. She lives over to the Black Dog.

Anne: In the Black Dog, actually. *shy little smile for Lorraine* It's amazing how much room most big buildings have inside the walls. *hesitant and uncertain, but very plainly willing to try and befriend you, Lorraine*

Lorraine: *usually has the exact opposite problem inside buildings* I'm, uh, Lorraine. Lorraine Lark. My designation is just 'Ship'.

Anne: *holds up one tiny mitten-like hand in greeting* What do you like to be called?

Bbbrl: Your ladyship! *giggle*

Hormah: *deedles at him quietly*

Lorraine: *returns the greeting by wiggling two fingers* Lorraine is fine. Ship is... also fine, here, I think.

Hormah: Which is it ye wants us t' use, me son? *now absently rubbing a Bbbrl back with one finger, and a Mittens back with another finger of the same hand as the two rest in her lap*

Mittens: *puuuuuuuuurr*

Anne: *little nod of agreement to Hormah's question*

Lorraine: It's sort of complicated. He named me Ship, and he calls me that when we're alone, and I named myself Lorraine when we made this body. Both are fine.

Anne: *perks* So this body is Lorraine, but your main body is Ship. I understand! *then looks quizzical again* "He"?

Hormah: 'Er husband. The beeper up on me roof. *deedlechuckle*

Bbbrl: *quiet giggle*

Lorraine: *grin* Yyyeah. Don't know if we're going to fix that any time soon.

Anne: *little head tilts* You need to fix having a name for each of your segments?

Lorraine: No, no, the beeping.

Hormah: When I was after sayin' beeper, I was meanin' it, Annie.

Anne: *mouth falls into a cute little O* Ah. I didn't understand. Is it an LOL?

Lorraine: I'm not sure what you mean?

Hormah: *quietly* LOLs is t'ings as happen wit'out no sense. Like two folks 'o different species sittin' on a couch 'n gittin' an impossible Nexus brat, or a body standin' t' git a picture took 'n windin' up ten years younger 'r older 'r wit' somethin' talkin' in t'eir head. *pulls out a pamphlet and offers it*

Lorraine: Actually, I think it's his SPoT unit reacting to something in the environment, but... but this sounds like information I should have. *mentally sets a note to avoid all couches forever*

Hormah: T'is'll tell ye bout the known uns. *turns head as a horn beeps outside, then deedles and grins* Ye up ta meetin' anot'er lady AI?

Anne: *perked at the beep* Is that Eleanore?

Lorraine: *takes the pamphlet* There are a lot of them here, aren't there?

Hormah: *thinks about that, then shrugs one shoulder as she gathers Bbbrl and Mittens into her hands and moves to stand* Only 'cause all 'o Annie's people're here.

Anne: *looking from Hormah to Lorraine, clearly wanting to ask something. Is bobbing on her little feet a bit anxiously

Lorraine: *looks at Anne* Are you ok?

Anne: *sweet, sheepish little smile* Would you please pick me up? I can't walk very fast.

Hormah: Bring yer arm, b'y. We kin give it t' yer old man. *already heading for the door*

Lorraine: Oh, sure. *puts her detached arm over one shoulder and holds out her hand for Anne*

Anne: *beetles over and sits down on it in such a way as to make herself easy to grasp* I'm sorry to be a bother. I'd been on my way to the mall to buy a car, but Bbbrl caught me as I was passing the Sanctuary.

Lorraine: Do you want to be dropped off somewhere?

Anne: Oh no. I can go later. It's exciting to be able to help welcome a newcomer to the Nexus! *smiles up at the larger woman*

Lorraine: Well, thanks. I was just telling Hormah that I've never met any other AIs before today. It's a little strange.

Anne: Ohhh, so that's why Bbbrl caught me, and why Hormah's called Eleanor. *looks toward the door, through which their hostess has vanished*

Lorraine: I think so. *goes out after Hormah*

Hormah: *standing on the front steps in front of the pillars, talking to three titanic bots and a silver 1967 fastback Mustang. One of the bots is grey-black, the second is green so dark that it looks black, and the third is a tawny gold colour. The darker two are in the range of 45 to 50 foot tall, and the gold one is much larger and taller* *looks over at Lorraine as she and Anne comes out, then deedles laughter* Meet me little brot'er Requiem, me little sister Sheol, 'n me ot'er little sister Mouse.

Sheol: *is the green one, and just gave a shy nod that makes her look just like a tweenage girl despite her height*

Requiem: *the grey-black dude with a rotor on each shoulder* Lady. *nods seriously. Like Hormah, he shows a mixture of tech in his construction* You need something handed to the squishy guy on the roof? *absently puts one massive tripartite foot lightly on the equally massive black mammoth who just reached her trunk toward Lorraine* Down, Sparky.

Sparky: *pouty sound, but drops her trunk*

Lorraine: *snickers at the 'squishy' comment* Yes, actually. *to Anne* I'm going to put you down for a second. *puts Anne down near her feet and holds out her detached arm to Requiem* Gently, please.

Requiem: *gruff amusement* Obviously. *takes his foot off his pet, and then goes to one knee to hold a hand out much as Lorraine just held hers out to Anne*

Mouse: *quietly, her voice that of a young girl* Careful, bitt.

Hormah: Shhh, b'y. Ye knows he's careful.

Lorraine: *grinning like she has a secret, puts her arm in his hand*

Requiem: *closes hand slightly, and then gets to his feet and walks over to the side of the building, where he steps up on a block of stone there and then peeks over the edge of the roof before putting his hand up and offering the arm*

Anne: *is a bitty pat pat on Lorraine's foot*

Lorraine: *kneels down again* Back up? *holds out her hand*

Adrian: *abruptly pokes his head over the lip of the roof, glaring* Why is my wife minus an arm?! *flails the offending limb*

Requiem: *matter of factly, as Anne settles in Lorraine's hand* Because she took it off so you could fix it. *tone says he thinks Adrian's a dope for asking*

Adrian: *glances at Requiem, then down to the ground, then back at Requiem, then down at Lorraine. He's red faced, not happy, fuming.* I was coming right back! You, you impatient, *bleep*ing... spaceship!

Mouse: *softly and helpfully, as she hunkers her titanic bulk down toward Lorraine* Vant Mousie to show him bird for you?

Hormah: *face palm. Snigger*

Adrian: *continues ranting, mostly just muttering to himself as he goes back further onto the roof*

Lorraine: *snickering and standing up* No, I wouldn't miss this for the world.

Mouse: *big hand flattens out* Vant up?

Eleanor: *says something for the first time. Or rather, her radio softly plays a snatch of tune about a sweet young girl and how she touches the heart*

Hormah: *snorts at the car*

Anne: *sitting and watching with quiet interest*

Lorraine: *gigglesnorts at Eleanor* I hope you don't mean me.

Eleanor: *plays a razz track*

Requiem: *sniggerfit at the sound*

Hormah: *ditto*

Lorraine: I suppose I should play nice. *to Anne* Do you want to come too?

Anne: What are you going to do?

Lorraine: Listen to him whine.

Sheol: *softly* I think Fred's doing that.

Eleanor: *soft love song from the Beach Boys*

Hormah: He knows ye plays t'at for 'im?

Eleanor: *razz track!*

Anne: I'll come.

Lorraine: Ok. This'll be fun. *gets on Mouse's hand*

Mouse: *oh so carefully lifts Lorraine and Anne, and then walks over and needs no step to bring her hand to the level of the roof*

Adrian: *Standing in the middle of the roof, near the damaged spaceship. He's stripped down to his undershirt, arms already greasy from the open panels and exposed machinery. He's grumpily wiping his hands on a rag. He pointedly Does Not Look at Mouse or Lorraine*

Mouse: *peeks, just her eyes, the top of her head, and the fingers of her free hand showing. Oh, and those slagging Massive Guns on her back*

Anne: *worried little glance up at Lorraine*

Lorraine: *fighting a smile. This has all happened before...*

Adrian: *looks up as though he's just noticed her there* Oh. Hi. Decided to join us, hmm? Didn't feel like taking off any other limbs in front of strangers?

Mouse: *helpfully* Vas not butt clothes, ja?

Anne: *glances toward Mouse* o.0

Hormah: *is a snigger somewhere down on the ground*

Adrian and Ship: *Turn, slowly, and look at Mouse. The script just caught fire.*

Mouse: *lifts her brows quizzically*

Adrian: ...What.

Mouse: *earnest explaining* Vas arm. Vas not butt clothes. No moon.

Hormah: *down below* Requiem, don't wave t'at can at me.

Adrian: *stares, black expression slowly twisting into a confused sneer* *looks back at Lorraine* Who are these people? Our lives made sense when I woke up today.

Anne: Mouse is a young girl, and her English isn't the best. But she is making a good point. At least you won't insult anyone by taking your arm off. Or start a riot like a neighbour named Haylin did the other day when she mooned a Dalek.

Adrian: *deep inhale, holds it, exhales* ...I was being rhetorical. *puts down the rag he was wiping his hands with and starts pinning up his hair*

Lorraine: *steps onto the roof, shaking her head*

Anne: Oh.

Mouse: Vord mean grouchy?

Adrian: *chokes on his own anger and ends up making a kind of growling noise, like a dying motor*

*husband and wife look at each other for a minute*

Lorraine: We're not going to...

Adrian: Nope, moment's gone. *NOPE, MOMENT'S GONE, CAN'T ARGUE NOW* *A chunk of his braid falls out of his hands* *disgusted* Help me with this, I'm a mess.

Continued here.


((Co-written with random_xtras))