Mars Armada (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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randomplaces2015-04-15 10:18 pm
marsthewriter) wrote in randomplaces2015-04-15 10:18 pm
Entry tags:
othmtmte. /Faithful 13/, Orbit, and Market. Resounding Echoes Part 1
Random: *one moment he's sound asleep and the next he's upright, groping around him for something . . .* *it doesn't appear that he's aware of what's happening*
Nightwish: *sticks a cinnaSeeker into the groping hand* Easy, Random. You're home. You're safe.
Kia: Home and safe. Easy. Shhhh.
Random: *takes the cinnaSeeker, still not fully cognizant of what's happening* *will want a few more of those when he's done with this one*
Kia: Can I give him spider?
Nightwish: No. He needs these right now. Do you want one?
Kia: No. He needs those right now.
Random: *had laid back to eat the cinnaSeeker* *seems to want to eat it faster than he is able to chew safely*
Nightwish: *as she's said many times over the five days since he collapsed* Easy, Random. Finish what you've got in your mouth before you add more.
Random: *IS chewing within the safety limits despite his desire to eat faster*
Nightwish: Here's the next one.
Kia: *in response to a sound from the nearby table* Crack?
Mistfire: Yup. S'how ya get the energon outta the legs.
Kia: Ohhhh. ...It looks yucky.
Mistfire: Don't taste great either, but it does the job.
Random: *finishes the one he had* *doesn't even blink at the crack as he takes the next cinnaSeeker*
Nightwish: That's it. Get your tank full.
Kia: It's red.
Mistfire: Brown.
Kia: Rust sauce is red and brown. *tiny startled sound as a rumble of laughter sounds* When you shake the bottle it squirts.
Mistfire: *chuckling* Yup.
Random: *finishes that one too, settles back down into the hammock, and slips back into recharge*
morning after next?
Nightwish: *sitting and humming to herself as she listens to Kia playing with the others down in the hold* *glad to see Random's vitals looking better, but is a bit worried that he didn't even wake when the little femme had delicately dabbed rust sauce on his lips earlier*
Random: *sounds of shifting and stirring* *moans a bit as his optics unshutter* *panics and kicks himself back when he sees a wave of blue before he doubletakes and lifts the end of the blanket* *sighs with relief* *hand that had flailed at his panic rubs over the fur of the hammock* *Random looks at it in confusion as he uses the blanket to rub the rust sauce off of his faceplate* *looks down at the blanket once before the confused look returns to the fur, not understanding what it is*
Nightwish: Easy, Random. You're home. You're safe.
Random: *starts at the voice* *looks at the fur and realizes what it is now* W-what h-happened? W-why a-am I-I i-in the h-ham-m-mock? *is also starving again*
Nightwish: *smiles when she realizes that he's processing* You've been sick for a few cycles. I put you out here so you wouldn't be alone. *sound of something opening* Botaghetti? *touches the can to his hand*
Random: *suddenly remembers how that happened* *shudders* *perks a bit at the fuel* Y-yes. *takes the can as carefully as he can* *likes pasgetti better, but this is appealing right now*
Nightwish: *offers him a spork* I know you like pasgetti better, but right now I think you need fuel that doesn't try to escape.
Random: *nods in agreement, looking thoughtful*
Nightwish: Need a hand sitting up?
Random: *realizes that that would be a better position to eat this in* *tries to push himself back, but realizes some of his joints have gotten a bit stiff despite his impromptu wake ups* *starts to panic again*
Nightwish: *takes spork, puts fuel in his mouth. And then carefully sits him up* This'll be easier with your new body, huh?
Random: *calms down slightly with the food* *determined look says he knows what he's going to do after he's done with the fuel* *reaches to get the spork back after she's repositioned him* *dryly* The feedings or the being able to actually feed myself?
Nightwish: The not creaking like an old bounty hunter when you sit up. *grins as she gives spork*
Random: *>.o at the comparison* *takes the spork back and starts to feed himself* *slowly since he needs to not gorge himself*
Nightwish: Witchblade lent you a book. *holds up his datapad, which is showing the cover page of one of the green, black, and white woman's mods and upgrades magazines*
Random: *distracted from eating* *sees the book* Oh!
Nightwish: *smiles* It's mostly pictures.
Random: *usually looks at diagrams all day* I can deal with pictures. *starts eating again*
Nightwish: *quietly, as her smile fades* I'm going to talk to Devcon later today. I'd like you to listen without his knowledge.
Random: *stiffens* . . . Is that a good idea?
Nightwish: *nods* *quiet still* I think so. And if he tries anything I'll bother Echo and make the little guy mad.
Random: *not sure if he likes that idea*
Nightwish: *gently* I want to get to the bottom of just what he thought he was doing the other cycle.
Random: *kinda does too* Y-yeah. *a pause* H-how will I be listening? Won't he suspect listening devices and things? *nope, not afraid of the Black Angel* *but Devcon the Bounty Hunter gives him the Willies*
Nightwish: Not from me. But I'll let you use this. *holds up a masking device* You'll even be able to eat. Oh, and Skyquake went and got you some BBQ gummi ham hash.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* How does it work? *looks at bit confused by the talk about the hash* What's the occasion? *wondering what holiday he missed*
Nightwish: *gentle hand on his shoulder* The occasion is Skyquake wanting to celebrate your recovery.
Random: *feeling touched*
Nightwish: And this thing will sit here in bed with you. *sets the thingy on the opposite side of him to his blanket* When it's activated it blocks you to sensors.
Random: *frowns a bit as he thinks* *looks back up at her* Is this what you used the other night? *wondering if it is because she was still able to be heard when she spoke*
Nightwish: *quick headshake* No. That's a mod that I've had since I was put in my shell.
Random: Oh. *somehow that makes him feel a bit more confident that this will work like she said* *a bit* *he's still got some lingering doubts* *deals with the doubts by eating more of his botagetti*
Nightwish: *watches him eat* *gently* Did we get to finish our conversation the other cycle?
Random: *shaky sigh* I wouldn't have stood a chance against him even if I lied, would I? *but that question is filler as he gets the courage to ask what he really wants to ask*
Nightwish: Most likely not. *lifts brows slightly*
Random: *sighs at that reply, already distracted by the next thing he wants to ask, or otherwise, he'd wonder what chance he had of being any use* *plays with his food as he reflects on how he would have liked to have not been in the hammock when he asks the question* Why do you kill people?
Nightwish: *without pause* To keep them from killing other people.
Random: *relief at the answer*
Nightwish: *quietly* Killing is wrong, but I've never been able to shake the feeling that if I don't do what I do, then all the people who die because I didn't stop those people are my doing.
Random: *feeling even more relieved*
Nightwish: *more quietly* And maybe if I leave the galaxy a better place it'll make up for being whatever I am. *says it without angst or self hatred, only matter of fact hope*
Random: *turns suddenly and frowns* But what are you that makes you think that? You don't sound like Overlord or Tyrest. *yes, Nightwish he HAS been paying attention to the some of the stories*
Nightwish: In a way I'm the original that Overlord was created to copy.
Random: *more frown* But isn't that more what you were created to be, not who you became?
Nightwish: You know what Phase Sixers are, right?
Random: Overlord was one. But just because you're created to be Phase Sixer doesn't mean you have to be one, right? *he thinks* *the repeated emphasis on this keeps making him think there's something more to this that he's missing*
Nightwish: *smiles that slight smile* It's not that I was created as a Phase Sixer, or to be a killing machine. It's that I'm in an indestructible shell and that my spark is in essence a small reactor. I could power this ship. I could power the Lost Light.
Random: *is sooooooooo confused*
Nightwish: Do you know that it's safe to be in the same room as Cybertron's spark? He'll talk your processor off, but no harmful radiation or anything.
Random: *NO idea how this even relates* *will ask something he can actually ask right now* Cybertron has a spark?
Nightwish: *nods* In the Core that those black Ironhides were yarning about the other cycle. It's also called the Allspark. Or the spark of Primus.
Random: *blink* You mean like you were saying yesterday? *he means a few days ago, but he doesn't remember what he did when he was out*
Nightwish: Yeah. That guy. The big bot that almost all other Transformer sparks are chips off of. The guy talks to me sometimes, but he'll never tell me if my spark came from his.
Random: *frowns* *still not sure how this relates*
Nightwish: So I don't know what I am, or where I'm from or going. But I hope I'm doing what I was created for.
Random: *the math still isn't adding up* I'm still confused. I thought you weren't wanting to be a Phase Sixer.
Nightwish: *slight wince of oops* Actually, me saying I was the physical model for Phase Six construction was just a tangent. Sorry.
Random: *blinks in mighty confusion* What was the Primus stuff for?
Nightwish: To explain my not knowing what I am.
Random: *blank* What? *not sure how THAT means she doesn't know what she is* *apparently hasn't heard much about Primus* *or doesn't believe much*
Nightwish: People can approach Primus' spark. Seeing mine without shielding is deadly.
Random: *frown*
Nightwish: *watches him, waiting to see what he says next*
Random: All I know is that he's better than his brother, who supposedly eats planets.
Nightwish: *startled laughter* Yeah. Unicron did.
Random: *starts a bit at the unexpected laughter* *eats some more botagetti since his fuel tank reminded him* *raises an optic ridge* You mean he's not just a legend?
Nightwish: *serious again, though those molten eyes are still twinkling* He is now.
Random: *this is hurting his cheap processor* *eats some more fuel, frowning when his spork hits the bottom of the can*
Nightwish: More?
Random: *sheepish* Yes, please *finishes the can up and hands it to her empty*
Nightwish: Another of those? *takes the can and waits for his answer*
Random: >.< My tank just wants the fuel.
Nightwish: *gets up and goes to the cupboard to grab another can of the botaghetti* Don't unplug from the charge, okay?
Random: *frowns at her words before looking at his other hand and starting*
Nightwish: *gently* Your spark's just a little stressed. It'll be okay in a few more days. *brings back the new can and takes off the top after the spot changes colour to let her know it's warm*
Random: *hadn't even noticed the cable there* *looks at it wide-opticked before taking the can* My s-spark?
Nightwish: *quiet and firm as she makes sure he's got the spork* You're going to be alright.
Random: *somehow, he's not really reassured* *goes at the food with gusto*
Nightwish: And once you have a better body, it'll be fine.
Random: *frowns* Are you sure?
Nightwish: *firmly* I'm sure. Your spark hasn't got any defects.
Random: *remembers that she can see sparks* Good. *a bit more confident now as he eats* . . . So, uh, where are we? *meaning the ship*
Nightwish: *grins* Same place we were last time you looked.
Random: *stops and looks at her wide-opticked in surprise*
Nightwish: *with humour* We didn't have anywhere else we needed to be. Kia needs her checkup, but as far as I can see she's alright. So there's no hurry.
Random: *looks down and picks at his food again* No jobs or anything? *sounding shocked that they might have waited for him*
Nightwish: The job right now is making sure Kia knows her family and how we feel about her.
Random: *nod* *pause to think* So I was really out for a few days?
Nightwish: *gently* Seven.
Random: *looks up at her* Seven!?!?
Nightwish: *nods* You woke up nearly every day but the last couple.
Random: *deep intaking as he tries to get over the shock* *finally registers her words and winces* . . . I don't remember . . . What'd I do?
Nightwish: *gently* Worried a little, and then asked for fuel.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* "Worried a little"?
Nightwish: *nods* Nothing embarrassing.
Random: But what do you mean, "worried a little"?
Nightwish: *shows him a clip of his determined search for fuel without coming fully online*
Random: *thinks this is totally surreal* . . . Did any of the others see me do that?
Nightwish: Kia did. That's why you woke up with rust sauce on your mouth.
Random: *!* *remembers seeing the rust sauce on the blanket and looks down at it* *rubs at his mouth, even though at this point, it's probably not the same rust sauce* *relief when he realizes only Kia saw that*
Nightwish: *gently* The others know to respect your space.
Random: *thinks that's true of Dreadwing and Mistfire at least* *hates asking this* What'd they think of me being out for so long?
Nightwish: *softly* They were worried. Mistfire went to the Backwater and asked the priest there to pray for you.
Random: *looks surprised* *would have thought someone would have complained about him taking the hammock for so long since it's not just an infirmary*
Nightwish: They care about you, you know.
Random: . . . They do?
Nightwish: Yes. They do. *slight smile*
Random: *frowns as he thinks about that*
Nightwish: That's why they tell you stories and lend you books and give you fuel. And why Witchblade mugs you.
Random: I . . . didn't realize that's why they do it.
Nightwish: *nods, her face serious though holding a touch of her affection for him* Look at what Witchy does to her husband and sister.
Random: . . . But it makes sense now. *nods at the mention of Witchblade* *sheepish for not realizing before*
Nightwish: *mouth twitches* I'm not the only crewmember who feels like a batch initiator.
Random: *startles at that*
Nightwish: *gentle tap on the can to remind him that he has it*
Random: *>.os as his tank starts yelling at him again* *returns to eating*
Nightwish: *grins* Good man.
Random: *sometimes doesn't feel like an adult*
Nightwish: Don't worry. I don't always, either.
Random: *starts*
Nightwish: And that was a guess based on what a lot of people think at that point in a conversation and your expression. Devcon was doing a lot of guessing too.
Random: *shifts uncomfortably and distracts himself with eating*
Nightwish. You converse enough for a few million years, and you'll be doing it too.
Random: *twinge as he remembers how Devcon did it*
Nightwish: *gentle shoulder squeeze* We'll get him later today.
Random: *nods automatically and finishes eating the fuel in the can*
Nightwish: *offers him a tightly wrapped coil of bright, pure copper wire* Witchy shelled out to get you this.
Random: *looks over and his optics brighten* *demure as he remembers what his crew has done for him lately* Tell them thank you?
Nightwish: Are you sure you don't want to do that yourself? *bit of tease in the smile*
Random: *sheepish* I wasn't sure when that was going to be.
Nightwish: They'll be back up here at supper time. *pause* To share that box of hash with you.
Random: Oh. *takes the wire and starts chewing on it thoughtfully* *pause* Am I free to leave the hammock?
Nightwish: *gentle and firm* Not yet.
Random: Not even to stretch my legs? *worried about what being so inactive has done* And how am I supposed to work?
Nightwish: We aren't going anywhere till you're up, and that botaghetti will help with the movement. Plenty of lubricants in it.
Random: *stewing as chews on the wire* *trying to think of anything that he needs to do on the ship in the meantime* *other than finishing up the warp drive which needs parts and had been sitting for a week before that he can't think of anything* *everything else needs to happen in a few weeks* Agh. *probably the first time he's argued like this* But they're already stiff!
Nightwish: *sudden movement, and he's on his feet with her arm around him* *and no blanket*
Random: *disoriented at the sudden movement* *looks up to see if she's angry at him*
Nightwish: *is smiling that smile at him*
Random: *thought was going to have to put up more of fight* Thanks, [Mom]. *also the first time he's used the Further Rim word for female parent* *leans on her a bit while he carefully lifts a leg up and bends it at the knee*
Nightwish: *wibble gets away before she catches it, but then she's smiling at him again* You're welcome. Like I said. You have to ask.
Random: *realizes he said the word he's been wanting to say for a while* *smiles a bit sheepishly but otherwise, doesn't regret it* *nods absently as he works on getting the kinks in his leg movement sorted out before working on the other one*
Nightwish: *helps him with the work, her hands sure and gentle*
Random: *starts to panic when he sees her start to work, but remembers how gentle she always is* *doesn't even remember noticing dents after her touch*
Nightwish: Easy. If you do this... *gentle flex very slightly against the joint's normal range of motion* The lubricant flows faster. Can you feel it?
Random: *twitches at the unusual feeling, surprised that it's not painful* *nods*
Nightwish: Here. Let's do the other side. *reaches for his left leg*
Random: *leans against her for balance as he gives her the leg he had already done*
Nightwish: *very carefully does the flex* Once you have the new body you'll have a lot more control over your servos, too.
Random: I will? *as he watches her do that with awe*
Nightwish: *without looking up* Yup.
Random: How?
Nightwish: Because you'll have better nervous circuits.
Random: *blink*
Nightwish: *gently* You never told me you weren't content.
Random: *something about his past he never talks about* . . . I've always been told 'no.'
Nightwish: *firm and still gentle* Not anymore. *smirk* Unless it's something stupid.
Random: *frown* Everything was stupid. *not quite true, but it might as well have been*
Nightwish: I'm talking adamant armour and a rifle with targeting wired into your processor. Those aren't happening. *thoughtfully* Though a crystal chest shield like Perceptor has might not be a bad idea.
Random: *distracted in remembering how often he was given that excuse* *or at least when it came to wanting something like books it had always been, "That's stupid. You already have the all the programming you need"*
Nightwish: *gentle shake* Let's do your arms.
Random: *looks up* My arms don't feel as stiff. *which is kinda odd to him*
Nightwish: You've been using them more. *glances toward the hammock* ...What was wrong with the blanket?
Random: Can we walk around first? *wants to make sure he can still walk* *confused by her question* What do you mean?
Nightwish: Sure. And you seemed afraid of it?
Random: *about to take a step forward when she brings THAT up* *if human would be blushing* I-I t-thought I m-melted.
Nightwish: *blinks* Oh.
Random: *ahem* *will take a step forward now, if she'll let him* *his first few steps are unsteady, but after a bit he walks close to normal again* *though with the way he's acting, it might be more obvious how embarrassed he is about his body*
Nightwish: *there to offer support if needed, but isn't holding him back in any way*
Random: *a lot more confident now, despite his embarrassment* *stops where they started* *starts flexing an arm*
Nightwish: *waits beside him, her eyes directed toward the shenanigans in the hold*
Random: *soon has that finished up* Okay, I'm ready to go back in the hammock. *doesn't want to go there, but doesn't really have a choice*
Nightwish: Alright. Let's get you back there and plugged in. Are you walking, or am I transporting?
Random: *looks down as if finally realizing he also got unplugged* I can walk to the hammock . . . but I've never been good at getting in. >.>
Nightwish: It takes a lot of practise. *offers her arm and a smile*
Random: *will take it and try not to be embarrassed about this*
Nightwish: *helps him over there, and then holds the bed steady with one hand* Alright.
Random: *surprised that she's letting him try to get in himself* *carefully attempts to do so*
Nightwish: *her grip keeps the hammock stone still. However, there's still the dip on the other side of the frame to deal with*
Random: *okay, so first he sits doowwwwn, and slides backwards, and then he pulls his legs in . . . *
Nightwish: *keeps him from sliding too fast* Easy.
Random: Ack! *problem with being short compared to the normal users*
Nightwish: No, they all slide too. *lets go of him and the hammock once he's reached the bottom of the dip in the bed*
Random: *he's really got to give Devcon what-for for ruining his communication method with his Mom* *. . . once he gets over being afraid of him*
Nightwish: *pulls the datapad out from under him and offers it* I bet your blanket would make a good pillow.
Random: *sheepish* *actually likes it better over him* *felt so exposed without it on while trying to get his servos to work*
Nightwish: *grins* Got it. *blanket gets spread out carefully, though she doesn't cover his feet*
Random: How did you read I felt exposed? *hasn't questioned it before, but the way that Devcon used it against him* . . . And why aren't you covering my feet? *this more out of confusion than needing his feet covered*
Nightwish: Your hand twitched. *quick look toward the feet* Oh. Sorry. There you go. *grin*
Random: *looks at his hand* *is confused* *reaches for his datapad*
Nightwish: *gives the pad, and then gives the rest of the box of cookies*
Random: *takes the pad and makes sure it's still on the mod mag* *eyes the box of cookies, wondering if they're the ones with faces on them* *some reason has always been bothered like that* *like when he sees the entire energon spider the days they have that* *PARTS he's okay with*
Nightwish: No cookies?
Random: Are they the ones with faces on them?
Nightwish: No. Because Kia fixed them.
Random: She "fixed" them? *looks into the box* *sees headless Seekers* Oh.
Nightwish: *fondness for the little one* She killed them for you.
Random: *>.o s at her word choice* *but appreciates Kia and wants to keep her*
Nightwish: After sedating each one. *tucks the blanket a bit*
Random: Was she playing doctor? *and wondering why she would "kill" them if that was the case* . . . How's she been doing?
Nightwish: No. Farmer. And she's doing well. Spent part of each day in the hammock with you. We found Dreadwing's lost book with her two days ago. I'm not sure how much she understands of it yet.
Random: Farmer? *looks up at Nightwish* She did? . . . And what book did she have?
Nightwish: *chuckle* 'Bushido'. And yes. Preparing them for dinner.
Random: *was interested in getting one of Dreadwing’s other books in order to figure out martial arts, but that one had too much about honor in it for Random to be interested* Oh. *and then he realizes what Nightwish is saying about the dinner* >.o
Nightwish: Dreadwing tried every way he could think of to keep her from finding out the first step in preparing supper. But she found out anyway, and now she prepares the cookies the same way. *lifts brows slightly. What can you do?*
Random: . . . Did you guys have energon spider?
Nightwish: A few times.
Random: *didn't realize they still had some* *and is glad missed out on that . . . * *he thinks*
Nightwish: *small pat for the hand that's now hooked up to the energy feed*
Random: *looks at it* *how does she do that without him realizing it?* Was I fed any?
Nightwish: No. You only got rust sauce.
Random: *looks relieved* *one thing he'll not like about being able to fight is the possibility of fighting organics* *always gets queasy thinking about it*
Nightwish: And Kia's learnt about shaking the bottle.
Random: *knows that game* Ah.
Nightwish: *grins* Get some rest. I'll let you know when it's time to press that button.
Random: *looks for the thing that Nightwish had set beside him before he got out* *wondering where it had gone off to in the interim* *and doesn't feel too tired, especially after the feed brought his energy levels back up* Okay.
Nightwish: *one last pat, and then settles down in her chair to watch what the crew are doing and to listen to Devcon trying to convince his son that they don't want that many rocks aboard his ship*
a few hours later
Nightwish: *gently pats Random's shoulder to wake him*
Random: *a bit bleary as he's woken up* Huh? *had been reading Witchblade's mod magazine till the urge to nap had taken him unawares* *the datapad is still where it fell when the nap hit*
Nightwish: He'll be here in a few minutes. *gentle squeeze for the shoulder*
Random: *frowns* *. . . who?* *remembers!* Oh! *wide awake now as he reaches for the device*
Nightwish: *hands it to him from where it had settled in a nest of blanket* Remember, you're still plugged in. *don't want him trying to use that finger to press the button*
Random: *looks at the offending cable on his hand* *always forgets it's even there* *will take the device she's offering*
Nightwish: Here are your cookies. *looks up and watches Devcon argue with 13 about whether or not she's letting him in. Soft chuckle*
Random: *looks at the device* How do I turn it on? *with this in his hand, he can't really take the cookies*
Nightwish: *gently, without looking down* The button's on the other side.
Random: *puts it down and rotates it with his noncabled hand and turns it on*
Nightwish: *smiles down at him and offers the cookie box*
Random: *tries to figure out the best place for the device so he won't accidently turn it off* *THAT would be bad in his mind*
Nightwish: Here. Let's set it here. *one hand asks for the device, the other points to the small heap of blanket by his side*
Random: *considers and thinks* Okay. *gives her the device* It's on, right?
Nightwish: Mmmhmm. I can see it working.
Random: *THAT makes him feel better* Thanks. *feeling a bit nervous still*
Nightwish: *sets device down, and then makes sure he's well tucked* Alright. Not a peep. It can mask crunching, but not talking.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* *would have liked to have known that earlier!*
Nightwish: *cookies settled nicely on his chest, where the pad can lean against the box, and then she smiles at him and goes to sit at the table*
Random: *won't feel comfortable eating when that mech is here, so he's going to see if he can at least have part of one before he comes in to help settle his "nerves"*
13: *series of snippy sounding twitters and beeps. She just announced that the [jerkface] is approaching the mess*
Nightwish: *sputter. Puts head down and sniggerfitdies into her arms*
Random: *tenses a bit at 13's words and starts at Nightwish's sputter, becoming very confused*
Nightwish: 13, that's a swear word.
13: Thrrpt. *click!*
Random: *oh, didn't realize taught the AI a cussword* *eyes cookie and debates about eating some more*
Nightwish: *quietly, as she listens to approaching footsteps* Eat.
Random: *stiffens again* *how'd she--?*
Nightwish: You worry too much. Shhh.
Random: *sighs, taking advantage of the time the mech's not in here to do so and eats more of his cookie*
Devcon: *as he enters the mess* 13 swore at me.
Nightwish: You bugged her friend.
Devcon: *grumble* I didn't know he was that fragile.
Nightwish: He'd have loved never finding the fact out himself. Sit.
Devcon: I'm not a pet.
Nightwish: *pointed silence*
Devcon: *grumbles and sits*
Random: *stills at Devcon's voice* *registers the words being spoken* *even the ship was looking out for him?* *grips the cookie thoughtfully about the talk about his fragileness* *true, he'd have liked not feeling this weak* *doesn't quite take as much pleasure out of Devcon's insult to being treated like a pet as he would have before this happened*
Nightwish: What was the big idea, Devcon? He's young. You're usually not that ironheaded.
Devcon: I had my reasons.
Nightwish: Spill 'em, or I'll wake Echo up.
Devcon: *sounds of alarmed movement* You wouldn't.
Nightwish: Why not? It's legal out here. You scare my kid, and I get to scare yours.
Devcon: You called those laws a crock.
Nightwish: *more pointed silence*
Random: *and Nightwish doesn't waste any additional time getting to the thick of it* *a bit embarrassed that he's basically letting his mom take care of his problems but is surprised when he senses how alarmed Devcon is at her threat of waking up "Echo"*
Devcon: *mutter* This is why I never got married.
Nightwish: You never got married because she found someone more house trained.
Devcon: She married Ironhide!
Nightwish: I rest my case. Now spit it out.
Random: *raises an optic ridge that he thinks no one can see* *thinks that is an odd turn in the coversation*
Devcon: *silence*
Nightwish: *scrapes her chair back*
Devcon: I thought he was a slave!
Nightwish: You what?
Echo: *upset child noises!*
Random: *startles at the scrape and then blinks at Devcon's words* *he thought he was a what?*
Nightwish: *quiet chill is easily heard over Echo's angry sounds* You thought I would own a slave, and leave him in a body like that? You thought I'd force someone to work for me?
Devcon: I didn't know what to think! The kid looks like scrap.
Nightwish: He's not a kid.
Devcon: Sorry.
Random: *ducks down deeper into the hammock as Echo keeps spewing and when she starts responding, trying to keep calm* *looks at his datapad and manages it* *it was one of the first things she got him, other than a copy of one of the other crew member's firewalls* *remembers being able to look at some of the pictures in 3D and realizes it's a probably a lot higher end than he's ever worked with before* *doesn't think that somebot that does that for him would think of him as a slave* *at least not what he thought of when he thought of taskmasters*
Nightwish: And you knew the only slave I've ever owned. And the only reason Moonshadow was still a slave was because of her programming.
Devcon: ...She was a slave?
Nightwish: Exactly.
Random: *pulled from his thoughts* *is confused, but he thinks the point that Nightwish was trying to make is that this Moonshadow wasn't treated like a slave?*
Devcon: Look, I'm sorry.
Nightwish: "Sorry" isn't going to take the scars from my Chief Engineer.
Devcon: *grumbling that makes Echo quiet down. Sound of small hands patting a face follows*
Random: *relief at Echo not being so loud* *now he can think better*
Devcon: *quietly* I think I have a job related to your Engineer.
Nightwish: *brrrr* What?
Devcon: No. This young femme's looking for her batch mates. She said the thirteenth one was a blue mech with a sullen attitude and a random name. She's crewing with Optimus Prime and his bunch of yahoos.
Random: *systems start racing at the mention of a "femme" with interest in the "thirteenth"* *Sister?*
Nightwish: I know where most of his batch is.
Devcon: Did he tell you about the three that were lost or died as youngsters, and the sister that was sold two days before the rest?
Nightwish: I knew about them.
Devcon: *silence that is plainly a doubtful look*
Random: *surprised by Nightwish's revelation* *sad to hear that those batch siblings might have actually perished* *surprised that his surmise about his older sister might have been true* *and about her knowing that too*
Nightwish: He's got two sisters. One of them was stolen when she was small. I know the colony where she lived for awhile and might still live. But Noserienes are very firm about their laws about coming into their space uninvited, and I don't feel like endangering my crew to try and find out about a bot who'll be being treated like a princess. I'd heard that a femme born the same time as Random was had been picked up by Optimus' crew.
Random: *a bit on edge about the sister who was lost until he hears about the part about being "treated like a princess"* *slumps with relief and tries not to cry again* *takes him a bit to process the last bit about his other sister* *what?*
Devcon: Well she's the one that offered me every shanix she owned to find the rest of her batch. *uncomfortable movement* I couldn't take the shanix, so I went and guilt tripped Optimus out of the same amount.
Nightwish: *snort!*
Random: *that sounds like something his sister would do!* *a bit confused about Devcon's confession*
Devcon: Don't look at me like that.
Nightwish: Extorting Optimus Prime is just as bad as taking all a kid's money, and you know it.
Devcon: *grumble*
Random: *Oh* *Yeah, agrees with Nightwish on that* *but his sister!*
Devcon: *gruffly* Is there any way I can make it up to your Engineer?
Nightwish: *snort* *flatly* You just scrapped off the only mechanic in 15000 light years.
Devcon: *whatever he just did, Echo laughed at it*
Random: *appreciates hearing about his sister, though apparently Nightwish knew about it* *wonders if he still feels the way he was earlier* *Umm, yeah* *he'll think four times before taking a job from him again* *if just because of how the mech tore him apart* *Ugh* *yeah, now he remembers what happened* *NOT fun* *wouldn't work for him if he was the last one in 500000000000 light years*
Devcon: That's not what I was thinking about, and you know it.
Nightwish: Suck it up and get off my ship. The crew's going to be up for supper soon, and they all know what you did.
Devcon: *grumble and the sound of a chair being pushed back*
Nightwish: //Random?//
Random: *frowns as remembers what the mech did and is more confident about his decision not to trust him still* *though he wants to think that what the mech said about his siblings is true* *cautious, since he's not sure what Devcon's hacking capabilities are and his encryption's not that good either* // Yeah? //
Nightwish: //Want to give him a start? 13's nullified his weapon.//
Random: *freezes* // You mean reveal that I've been here the entire time? // *not sure what he thinks about that* *and not sure how she could have nullified Devcon's weapon*
Nightwish: //Yup. Just turn off the mask and sit up. Give him a stink eye or something.//
Random: *not sure if he's capable of the stink eye, but reaches for the masking device, moving to sit up above the edge of the hammock, pauses for the moment, and then turns the device off, trusting in Nightwish to keep him safe*
Devcon: *jumps back two paces, then juggles maddly to keep from dropping his protesting little son* What the... *chokes on what he's trying not to say*
Random: *snorts* *manages to find some of his bravado back* Thanks for the heads up on my sister, but are you always a jerk to the people you hire?
Devcon: *actually has a wide-eyed look as he finally sets Echo on the floor and turns toward Random* ...If I need to be.
Random: Why was I worth the time? *the last said sarcastically*
Devcon: *lifts his chin, but his eyes are steady* You heard what I said to your captain.
Random: I told Mistfire to come help you out chasing the kid. Why didn't you ask [Mom] why she was keeping me "enslaved"?
Devcon: ...[Mom]?
Random: *nods toward Nightwish without looking* Yeah, [Mom].
Devcon: *frowns slightly* It's my job.
Nightwish: And you thought I'd take it. *reaches over and slaps him in the back of the head*
Random: *what he's been thinking, though the last time he was this honest he got in trouble with the mech* You have a stupid way of going about it.
Devcon: *gruffly* I apologize.
Random: *frowns* That doesn't explain why you felt you had to do it that way.
Devcon: It's how I work. Your mother does it too.
Random: You mean it's normal to interrogate potential slaves? You're worse than a taskmaster.
Devcon: I didn't realize you'd react like that, alright?
Random: I'm more confused about why you think that doing that to a potential slave is a good idea. Most of those folks are already scarred for life. And did you have any indication that I was the mech who she was talking about, or did you really not guess by my sullen attitude?
Devcon: *evenly* I had to make sure. False leads cost money.
Random: *not sure that he wants to admit this* By breaching my wall and tearing my spark apart?
Devcon: *winces*
Random: *looks down, remembering his collapse of the past week* It was the only thing keeping me together.
Devcon: *quietly* I'm sorry.
Random: *gets down off his haunches and turns the mask back on*
Devcon: *silent for a moment, and then sighs deeply* Echo's in the hold playing with your people, isn't he?
Nightwish: Yup.
Devcon: *quiet grumble and leaves the room*
Random: *lays back down and cries quietly*
Nightwish: *goes to stand beside him with her hand on his shoulder*
Random: *starts at the hand* *shakey release of air* It still hurts.
Nightwish: *softly* I know.
Random: *tries to stop crying* *the last time he did that, he landed up bedridden for a week*
Nightwish: They're playing lob with Devcon.
Random: *turns off the mask since she sees through it anyway* *checks for the cable that's supposed to be on his hand*
Nightwish: *slight smile* You didn't unhook this time.
Random: *looks at it in surprise* *sigh* *tries to find words*
Nightwish: *suddenly, pasghetti!*
Random: *ack!*
Nightwish: *quick check to make sure he's okay*
Random: *just surprised* *had been trying to figure out how to explain about his wall . . . and his batch siblings* *who he had never talked about*
Nightwish: The guys you left behind?
Random: *thoughtfully* My sister . . . she used to rub my head. *which might be why he usually tries to get away from the touches on his head* I didn't really get along with the rest of them, but . . .
Nightwish: Cragbuster has them.
Random: *feeling a bit of relief* Who's Cragbuster?
Nightwish: An old misfire I know. And trust. He's related to Ratchet somehow, though I don't think they've ever met.
Random: *more relief at the trust* *cautiously* Was I supposed to ask about them, too?
Nightwish: If you wanted to.
Random: *frowns at that*
Nightwish: Only you know how and when you can deal with things best, Random.
Random: *relieved that she wasn't holding it as ransom!*
Nightwish: *snorts at him with amusement the same way she would at any of the rest of the crew. Finally feels confident that this will not hurt the boy*
Random: Sorry. I . . .
Nightwish: I have no reason to hold anything for ransom. *pause* *grabs his book* Except this, till you eat. *is plainly teasing him*
Random: *taken out of his reverie about his siblings* Hey!
Nightwish: *laughs and offers the can of his favourite fuel* I cut it up while I was talking to Devcon.
Random: *finally acknowledges the fuel* *perk* *hears that she cut it* *more perk* *takes it, if human would practically be licking his lips* *surprised at the last* Huh? *doesn't remember hearing her doing it*
Nightwish: *offers him eating tweezers* "Huh" what?
Random: *takes them* Thanks. *so grateful for the times she asks instead of taking them out of him these days, agh* I don't remember you cutting them.
Nightwish: I can see the inside of the can, so I never bumped into it with the knife.
Random: Oh. *starts moving the pasgetti around to get a good tweezerful* Devcon never saw it?
Nightwish: Of course he did. He probably thought I was preparing it for Kia.
Random: *somehow thought that the mech would question everything* *finds the good tweezerful and eats it* *soooooooooooo gooooooooood* *has missed this*
Nightwish: So. Why is that better than botaghetti?
Random: *brb, if human would be dying and going to heaven in food* *enjoying this!* *surprisingly without being as messy as the food prescribes*
Nightwish: *watches him glee over his meal* I've seen another version of you in the nexus, and he won't touch that kind of fuel.
Random: *still lost in food, doesn't appear to have heard her*
Nightwish: *sets his second can of pasghetti in the drink holder on the hammock, and then settles down to keep him company and watch her crew talk to Devcon*
three days later
Nightwish: *standing on the bridge and watching the planet that they've come to orbit* There's the Light.
Mistfire: *lazily, from where she's sprawled in the pilot's seat* Yup. Kinda amazed they can orbit straight.
Nightwish: Perceptor and Blaster know what they're doing. *glances over toward the door as Kia leads Random in*
Random: *been glad to actually get to know Kia these past few days* *and glad to actually be able to walk around more--and not be tied to the cable*
Nightwish: *smiles at him and then looks down and smiles at Kia as the little one runs to her*
Mistfire: Hey, Randy. *chucks something toward him*
Random: *watches Kia go, but it's to Mom, so it's okay* *hears Mistfire greet him and barely manages to catch whatever she threw* Ack. *sees that's a gummi ham bite* Oh. Thanks. *looks up at Mistfire and smiles at her*
Mistfire: *lazy but warm smirk* Y'ready to go planet-side?
Random: *stiffens, not sure if he's ready to go out in complete public, though he would have jumped at the chance before* I thought we were going to have Kia given her checkup?
Nightwish: We are. But I heard about a medic on the planet who's looking to transfer his contract. It'd be nice to have a ship's doctor, if you could handle a roommate.
Random: *not sure what he thinks about that*
Nightwish: He's an Alphyn. Just a little guy.
Random: An organic? *he's only really had one experience with a medic--and it didn't end well*
Nightwish: *nods* Cheap to feed and easy to house. And I hear they're good at keeping out from underfoot.
Random: *raises an optic ridge at the way she phrased that*
Nightwish: *mildly* What's that look for? *rubs a cuddly Kia's back*
Random: You made it sound like we're getting a pet . . .
Nightwish: *dry amusement* I hear a lot of Alphyns tend to refer to themselves that way.
Random: Oh. . . . How do we know he's qualified? And would he shed? *doesn't like the idea of fur in his workings*
Nightwish: Once a year when they live on a planet, but they have to comb it out. And I've looked at his papers, but we can have First Aid quiz him, too.
Random: *looks like he still has some misgivings* Okay.
Nightwish: He's already been crewing, so he's got his airlock module and some fuel supplies.
Mistfire: Food.
Nightwish: Same difference.
Random: *thinks that the medic having experience crewing could be either good or bad*
Nightwish: I'll be sending you to grab more rations for him, Random.
Random: *looks surprised* Me?
Nightwish: If you want to. You have experience with this kind of market, right?
Random: Uh, I've been around it, but I haven't actually tried to haggle in it.
Nightwish: Do you think you can do it?
Random: *thinking that he would have liked this better before his collapse* *even anything other than staying with the ship was good* *right now, he's still feeling kinda exposed* I can try. Is there a reason why I'm the one you want to do it?
Nightwish: *holds up the cloak in her other hand* Dreadwing and Skyquake won't look organic, no matter how much of them I cover up. Witchblade's no good in that kind of situation, and Mistfire...
Mistfire: Hasta see about fuel fer 13.
Random: *glad that he won't be trying to go as a bot, but--* Will the cloak be enough?
Mistfire: Should be. It's gotta cover fer yer face, too.
Random: *looking slightly better* Um, what should I do if it's not?
Mistfire: *grin* Gotcher hammer?
Random: *has to think about that* *remembers he has it in an onboard compartment* Yeah? Oh. You mean use the trick you taught me?
Mistfire: Or smash a few kneecaps. *chuckles*
Kia: Eww.
Random: *remembers with Kia's comment* *oh, right, would be fighting organic, um . . . *
Mistfire: You still got the bomb, too?
Random: *nods* In subspace.
Mistfire: *smirrrk* Think yer good, kid.
Random: *hopes so* *eats the gummi ham*
Mistfire: Want more 'o those?
Random: *sheepishly* I'll take a couple more. *and then probably grab some of his cookies from the mess to stuff in subspace before he goes*
Mistfire: *chuckles and offers to toss*
Nightwish: I'll meet you by the the airlock. We'll be teleporting.
Mistfire: Got it, Cap.
Random: *hands out for catching* *to Nighwish* All right, [Mom].
Nightwish: *turns and carries Kia off the bridge*
Random: *catches the gummis and eats them*
Mistfire: *pat pats her console, and then gets up and gives a catlike stretch* See ya at the door, Randy.
Random: *nods* *doesn't mind her nickname for him* See you there.
Mistfire: *grins and saunters out to go get her cloak and gloves*
Random: *reaches out to touch one of 13's consoles* Thanks for standing up for me the other day, 'Teen.
13: *soft "breeeeepadeep"*
Random: *smiles, remembering how he was at first nervous about fixing a ship that was sentient but sparkless* Love you, too. *goes to grab the cookies from the mess and then heads for the airlock*
Part 2: Here
Nightwish: *sticks a cinnaSeeker into the groping hand* Easy, Random. You're home. You're safe.
Kia: Home and safe. Easy. Shhhh.
Random: *takes the cinnaSeeker, still not fully cognizant of what's happening* *will want a few more of those when he's done with this one*
Kia: Can I give him spider?
Nightwish: No. He needs these right now. Do you want one?
Kia: No. He needs those right now.
Random: *had laid back to eat the cinnaSeeker* *seems to want to eat it faster than he is able to chew safely*
Nightwish: *as she's said many times over the five days since he collapsed* Easy, Random. Finish what you've got in your mouth before you add more.
Random: *IS chewing within the safety limits despite his desire to eat faster*
Nightwish: Here's the next one.
Kia: *in response to a sound from the nearby table* Crack?
Mistfire: Yup. S'how ya get the energon outta the legs.
Kia: Ohhhh. ...It looks yucky.
Mistfire: Don't taste great either, but it does the job.
Random: *finishes the one he had* *doesn't even blink at the crack as he takes the next cinnaSeeker*
Nightwish: That's it. Get your tank full.
Kia: It's red.
Mistfire: Brown.
Kia: Rust sauce is red and brown. *tiny startled sound as a rumble of laughter sounds* When you shake the bottle it squirts.
Mistfire: *chuckling* Yup.
Random: *finishes that one too, settles back down into the hammock, and slips back into recharge*
Nightwish: *sitting and humming to herself as she listens to Kia playing with the others down in the hold* *glad to see Random's vitals looking better, but is a bit worried that he didn't even wake when the little femme had delicately dabbed rust sauce on his lips earlier*
Random: *sounds of shifting and stirring* *moans a bit as his optics unshutter* *panics and kicks himself back when he sees a wave of blue before he doubletakes and lifts the end of the blanket* *sighs with relief* *hand that had flailed at his panic rubs over the fur of the hammock* *Random looks at it in confusion as he uses the blanket to rub the rust sauce off of his faceplate* *looks down at the blanket once before the confused look returns to the fur, not understanding what it is*
Nightwish: Easy, Random. You're home. You're safe.
Random: *starts at the voice* *looks at the fur and realizes what it is now* W-what h-happened? W-why a-am I-I i-in the h-ham-m-mock? *is also starving again*
Nightwish: *smiles when she realizes that he's processing* You've been sick for a few cycles. I put you out here so you wouldn't be alone. *sound of something opening* Botaghetti? *touches the can to his hand*
Random: *suddenly remembers how that happened* *shudders* *perks a bit at the fuel* Y-yes. *takes the can as carefully as he can* *likes pasgetti better, but this is appealing right now*
Nightwish: *offers him a spork* I know you like pasgetti better, but right now I think you need fuel that doesn't try to escape.
Random: *nods in agreement, looking thoughtful*
Nightwish: Need a hand sitting up?
Random: *realizes that that would be a better position to eat this in* *tries to push himself back, but realizes some of his joints have gotten a bit stiff despite his impromptu wake ups* *starts to panic again*
Nightwish: *takes spork, puts fuel in his mouth. And then carefully sits him up* This'll be easier with your new body, huh?
Random: *calms down slightly with the food* *determined look says he knows what he's going to do after he's done with the fuel* *reaches to get the spork back after she's repositioned him* *dryly* The feedings or the being able to actually feed myself?
Nightwish: The not creaking like an old bounty hunter when you sit up. *grins as she gives spork*
Random: *>.o at the comparison* *takes the spork back and starts to feed himself* *slowly since he needs to not gorge himself*
Nightwish: Witchblade lent you a book. *holds up his datapad, which is showing the cover page of one of the green, black, and white woman's mods and upgrades magazines*
Random: *distracted from eating* *sees the book* Oh!
Nightwish: *smiles* It's mostly pictures.
Random: *usually looks at diagrams all day* I can deal with pictures. *starts eating again*
Nightwish: *quietly, as her smile fades* I'm going to talk to Devcon later today. I'd like you to listen without his knowledge.
Random: *stiffens* . . . Is that a good idea?
Nightwish: *nods* *quiet still* I think so. And if he tries anything I'll bother Echo and make the little guy mad.
Random: *not sure if he likes that idea*
Nightwish: *gently* I want to get to the bottom of just what he thought he was doing the other cycle.
Random: *kinda does too* Y-yeah. *a pause* H-how will I be listening? Won't he suspect listening devices and things? *nope, not afraid of the Black Angel* *but Devcon the Bounty Hunter gives him the Willies*
Nightwish: Not from me. But I'll let you use this. *holds up a masking device* You'll even be able to eat. Oh, and Skyquake went and got you some BBQ gummi ham hash.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* How does it work? *looks at bit confused by the talk about the hash* What's the occasion? *wondering what holiday he missed*
Nightwish: *gentle hand on his shoulder* The occasion is Skyquake wanting to celebrate your recovery.
Random: *feeling touched*
Nightwish: And this thing will sit here in bed with you. *sets the thingy on the opposite side of him to his blanket* When it's activated it blocks you to sensors.
Random: *frowns a bit as he thinks* *looks back up at her* Is this what you used the other night? *wondering if it is because she was still able to be heard when she spoke*
Nightwish: *quick headshake* No. That's a mod that I've had since I was put in my shell.
Random: Oh. *somehow that makes him feel a bit more confident that this will work like she said* *a bit* *he's still got some lingering doubts* *deals with the doubts by eating more of his botagetti*
Nightwish: *watches him eat* *gently* Did we get to finish our conversation the other cycle?
Random: *shaky sigh* I wouldn't have stood a chance against him even if I lied, would I? *but that question is filler as he gets the courage to ask what he really wants to ask*
Nightwish: Most likely not. *lifts brows slightly*
Random: *sighs at that reply, already distracted by the next thing he wants to ask, or otherwise, he'd wonder what chance he had of being any use* *plays with his food as he reflects on how he would have liked to have not been in the hammock when he asks the question* Why do you kill people?
Nightwish: *without pause* To keep them from killing other people.
Random: *relief at the answer*
Nightwish: *quietly* Killing is wrong, but I've never been able to shake the feeling that if I don't do what I do, then all the people who die because I didn't stop those people are my doing.
Random: *feeling even more relieved*
Nightwish: *more quietly* And maybe if I leave the galaxy a better place it'll make up for being whatever I am. *says it without angst or self hatred, only matter of fact hope*
Random: *turns suddenly and frowns* But what are you that makes you think that? You don't sound like Overlord or Tyrest. *yes, Nightwish he HAS been paying attention to the some of the stories*
Nightwish: In a way I'm the original that Overlord was created to copy.
Random: *more frown* But isn't that more what you were created to be, not who you became?
Nightwish: You know what Phase Sixers are, right?
Random: Overlord was one. But just because you're created to be Phase Sixer doesn't mean you have to be one, right? *he thinks* *the repeated emphasis on this keeps making him think there's something more to this that he's missing*
Nightwish: *smiles that slight smile* It's not that I was created as a Phase Sixer, or to be a killing machine. It's that I'm in an indestructible shell and that my spark is in essence a small reactor. I could power this ship. I could power the Lost Light.
Random: *is sooooooooo confused*
Nightwish: Do you know that it's safe to be in the same room as Cybertron's spark? He'll talk your processor off, but no harmful radiation or anything.
Random: *NO idea how this even relates* *will ask something he can actually ask right now* Cybertron has a spark?
Nightwish: *nods* In the Core that those black Ironhides were yarning about the other cycle. It's also called the Allspark. Or the spark of Primus.
Random: *blink* You mean like you were saying yesterday? *he means a few days ago, but he doesn't remember what he did when he was out*
Nightwish: Yeah. That guy. The big bot that almost all other Transformer sparks are chips off of. The guy talks to me sometimes, but he'll never tell me if my spark came from his.
Random: *frowns* *still not sure how this relates*
Nightwish: So I don't know what I am, or where I'm from or going. But I hope I'm doing what I was created for.
Random: *the math still isn't adding up* I'm still confused. I thought you weren't wanting to be a Phase Sixer.
Nightwish: *slight wince of oops* Actually, me saying I was the physical model for Phase Six construction was just a tangent. Sorry.
Random: *blinks in mighty confusion* What was the Primus stuff for?
Nightwish: To explain my not knowing what I am.
Random: *blank* What? *not sure how THAT means she doesn't know what she is* *apparently hasn't heard much about Primus* *or doesn't believe much*
Nightwish: People can approach Primus' spark. Seeing mine without shielding is deadly.
Random: *frown*
Nightwish: *watches him, waiting to see what he says next*
Random: All I know is that he's better than his brother, who supposedly eats planets.
Nightwish: *startled laughter* Yeah. Unicron did.
Random: *starts a bit at the unexpected laughter* *eats some more botagetti since his fuel tank reminded him* *raises an optic ridge* You mean he's not just a legend?
Nightwish: *serious again, though those molten eyes are still twinkling* He is now.
Random: *this is hurting his cheap processor* *eats some more fuel, frowning when his spork hits the bottom of the can*
Nightwish: More?
Random: *sheepish* Yes, please *finishes the can up and hands it to her empty*
Nightwish: Another of those? *takes the can and waits for his answer*
Random: >.< My tank just wants the fuel.
Nightwish: *gets up and goes to the cupboard to grab another can of the botaghetti* Don't unplug from the charge, okay?
Random: *frowns at her words before looking at his other hand and starting*
Nightwish: *gently* Your spark's just a little stressed. It'll be okay in a few more days. *brings back the new can and takes off the top after the spot changes colour to let her know it's warm*
Random: *hadn't even noticed the cable there* *looks at it wide-opticked before taking the can* My s-spark?
Nightwish: *quiet and firm as she makes sure he's got the spork* You're going to be alright.
Random: *somehow, he's not really reassured* *goes at the food with gusto*
Nightwish: And once you have a better body, it'll be fine.
Random: *frowns* Are you sure?
Nightwish: *firmly* I'm sure. Your spark hasn't got any defects.
Random: *remembers that she can see sparks* Good. *a bit more confident now as he eats* . . . So, uh, where are we? *meaning the ship*
Nightwish: *grins* Same place we were last time you looked.
Random: *stops and looks at her wide-opticked in surprise*
Nightwish: *with humour* We didn't have anywhere else we needed to be. Kia needs her checkup, but as far as I can see she's alright. So there's no hurry.
Random: *looks down and picks at his food again* No jobs or anything? *sounding shocked that they might have waited for him*
Nightwish: The job right now is making sure Kia knows her family and how we feel about her.
Random: *nod* *pause to think* So I was really out for a few days?
Nightwish: *gently* Seven.
Random: *looks up at her* Seven!?!?
Nightwish: *nods* You woke up nearly every day but the last couple.
Random: *deep intaking as he tries to get over the shock* *finally registers her words and winces* . . . I don't remember . . . What'd I do?
Nightwish: *gently* Worried a little, and then asked for fuel.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* "Worried a little"?
Nightwish: *nods* Nothing embarrassing.
Random: But what do you mean, "worried a little"?
Nightwish: *shows him a clip of his determined search for fuel without coming fully online*
Random: *thinks this is totally surreal* . . . Did any of the others see me do that?
Nightwish: Kia did. That's why you woke up with rust sauce on your mouth.
Random: *!* *remembers seeing the rust sauce on the blanket and looks down at it* *rubs at his mouth, even though at this point, it's probably not the same rust sauce* *relief when he realizes only Kia saw that*
Nightwish: *gently* The others know to respect your space.
Random: *thinks that's true of Dreadwing and Mistfire at least* *hates asking this* What'd they think of me being out for so long?
Nightwish: *softly* They were worried. Mistfire went to the Backwater and asked the priest there to pray for you.
Random: *looks surprised* *would have thought someone would have complained about him taking the hammock for so long since it's not just an infirmary*
Nightwish: They care about you, you know.
Random: . . . They do?
Nightwish: Yes. They do. *slight smile*
Random: *frowns as he thinks about that*
Nightwish: That's why they tell you stories and lend you books and give you fuel. And why Witchblade mugs you.
Random: I . . . didn't realize that's why they do it.
Nightwish: *nods, her face serious though holding a touch of her affection for him* Look at what Witchy does to her husband and sister.
Random: . . . But it makes sense now. *nods at the mention of Witchblade* *sheepish for not realizing before*
Nightwish: *mouth twitches* I'm not the only crewmember who feels like a batch initiator.
Random: *startles at that*
Nightwish: *gentle tap on the can to remind him that he has it*
Random: *>.os as his tank starts yelling at him again* *returns to eating*
Nightwish: *grins* Good man.
Random: *sometimes doesn't feel like an adult*
Nightwish: Don't worry. I don't always, either.
Random: *starts*
Nightwish: And that was a guess based on what a lot of people think at that point in a conversation and your expression. Devcon was doing a lot of guessing too.
Random: *shifts uncomfortably and distracts himself with eating*
Nightwish. You converse enough for a few million years, and you'll be doing it too.
Random: *twinge as he remembers how Devcon did it*
Nightwish: *gentle shoulder squeeze* We'll get him later today.
Random: *nods automatically and finishes eating the fuel in the can*
Nightwish: *offers him a tightly wrapped coil of bright, pure copper wire* Witchy shelled out to get you this.
Random: *looks over and his optics brighten* *demure as he remembers what his crew has done for him lately* Tell them thank you?
Nightwish: Are you sure you don't want to do that yourself? *bit of tease in the smile*
Random: *sheepish* I wasn't sure when that was going to be.
Nightwish: They'll be back up here at supper time. *pause* To share that box of hash with you.
Random: Oh. *takes the wire and starts chewing on it thoughtfully* *pause* Am I free to leave the hammock?
Nightwish: *gentle and firm* Not yet.
Random: Not even to stretch my legs? *worried about what being so inactive has done* And how am I supposed to work?
Nightwish: We aren't going anywhere till you're up, and that botaghetti will help with the movement. Plenty of lubricants in it.
Random: *stewing as chews on the wire* *trying to think of anything that he needs to do on the ship in the meantime* *other than finishing up the warp drive which needs parts and had been sitting for a week before that he can't think of anything* *everything else needs to happen in a few weeks* Agh. *probably the first time he's argued like this* But they're already stiff!
Nightwish: *sudden movement, and he's on his feet with her arm around him* *and no blanket*
Random: *disoriented at the sudden movement* *looks up to see if she's angry at him*
Nightwish: *is smiling that smile at him*
Random: *thought was going to have to put up more of fight* Thanks, [Mom]. *also the first time he's used the Further Rim word for female parent* *leans on her a bit while he carefully lifts a leg up and bends it at the knee*
Nightwish: *wibble gets away before she catches it, but then she's smiling at him again* You're welcome. Like I said. You have to ask.
Random: *realizes he said the word he's been wanting to say for a while* *smiles a bit sheepishly but otherwise, doesn't regret it* *nods absently as he works on getting the kinks in his leg movement sorted out before working on the other one*
Nightwish: *helps him with the work, her hands sure and gentle*
Random: *starts to panic when he sees her start to work, but remembers how gentle she always is* *doesn't even remember noticing dents after her touch*
Nightwish: Easy. If you do this... *gentle flex very slightly against the joint's normal range of motion* The lubricant flows faster. Can you feel it?
Random: *twitches at the unusual feeling, surprised that it's not painful* *nods*
Nightwish: Here. Let's do the other side. *reaches for his left leg*
Random: *leans against her for balance as he gives her the leg he had already done*
Nightwish: *very carefully does the flex* Once you have the new body you'll have a lot more control over your servos, too.
Random: I will? *as he watches her do that with awe*
Nightwish: *without looking up* Yup.
Random: How?
Nightwish: Because you'll have better nervous circuits.
Random: *blink*
Nightwish: *gently* You never told me you weren't content.
Random: *something about his past he never talks about* . . . I've always been told 'no.'
Nightwish: *firm and still gentle* Not anymore. *smirk* Unless it's something stupid.
Random: *frown* Everything was stupid. *not quite true, but it might as well have been*
Nightwish: I'm talking adamant armour and a rifle with targeting wired into your processor. Those aren't happening. *thoughtfully* Though a crystal chest shield like Perceptor has might not be a bad idea.
Random: *distracted in remembering how often he was given that excuse* *or at least when it came to wanting something like books it had always been, "That's stupid. You already have the all the programming you need"*
Nightwish: *gentle shake* Let's do your arms.
Random: *looks up* My arms don't feel as stiff. *which is kinda odd to him*
Nightwish: You've been using them more. *glances toward the hammock* ...What was wrong with the blanket?
Random: Can we walk around first? *wants to make sure he can still walk* *confused by her question* What do you mean?
Nightwish: Sure. And you seemed afraid of it?
Random: *about to take a step forward when she brings THAT up* *if human would be blushing* I-I t-thought I m-melted.
Nightwish: *blinks* Oh.
Random: *ahem* *will take a step forward now, if she'll let him* *his first few steps are unsteady, but after a bit he walks close to normal again* *though with the way he's acting, it might be more obvious how embarrassed he is about his body*
Nightwish: *there to offer support if needed, but isn't holding him back in any way*
Random: *a lot more confident now, despite his embarrassment* *stops where they started* *starts flexing an arm*
Nightwish: *waits beside him, her eyes directed toward the shenanigans in the hold*
Random: *soon has that finished up* Okay, I'm ready to go back in the hammock. *doesn't want to go there, but doesn't really have a choice*
Nightwish: Alright. Let's get you back there and plugged in. Are you walking, or am I transporting?
Random: *looks down as if finally realizing he also got unplugged* I can walk to the hammock . . . but I've never been good at getting in. >.>
Nightwish: It takes a lot of practise. *offers her arm and a smile*
Random: *will take it and try not to be embarrassed about this*
Nightwish: *helps him over there, and then holds the bed steady with one hand* Alright.
Random: *surprised that she's letting him try to get in himself* *carefully attempts to do so*
Nightwish: *her grip keeps the hammock stone still. However, there's still the dip on the other side of the frame to deal with*
Random: *okay, so first he sits doowwwwn, and slides backwards, and then he pulls his legs in . . . *
Nightwish: *keeps him from sliding too fast* Easy.
Random: Ack! *problem with being short compared to the normal users*
Nightwish: No, they all slide too. *lets go of him and the hammock once he's reached the bottom of the dip in the bed*
Random: *he's really got to give Devcon what-for for ruining his communication method with his Mom* *. . . once he gets over being afraid of him*
Nightwish: *pulls the datapad out from under him and offers it* I bet your blanket would make a good pillow.
Random: *sheepish* *actually likes it better over him* *felt so exposed without it on while trying to get his servos to work*
Nightwish: *grins* Got it. *blanket gets spread out carefully, though she doesn't cover his feet*
Random: How did you read I felt exposed? *hasn't questioned it before, but the way that Devcon used it against him* . . . And why aren't you covering my feet? *this more out of confusion than needing his feet covered*
Nightwish: Your hand twitched. *quick look toward the feet* Oh. Sorry. There you go. *grin*
Random: *looks at his hand* *is confused* *reaches for his datapad*
Nightwish: *gives the pad, and then gives the rest of the box of cookies*
Random: *takes the pad and makes sure it's still on the mod mag* *eyes the box of cookies, wondering if they're the ones with faces on them* *some reason has always been bothered like that* *like when he sees the entire energon spider the days they have that* *PARTS he's okay with*
Nightwish: No cookies?
Random: Are they the ones with faces on them?
Nightwish: No. Because Kia fixed them.
Random: She "fixed" them? *looks into the box* *sees headless Seekers* Oh.
Nightwish: *fondness for the little one* She killed them for you.
Random: *>.o s at her word choice* *but appreciates Kia and wants to keep her*
Nightwish: After sedating each one. *tucks the blanket a bit*
Random: Was she playing doctor? *and wondering why she would "kill" them if that was the case* . . . How's she been doing?
Nightwish: No. Farmer. And she's doing well. Spent part of each day in the hammock with you. We found Dreadwing's lost book with her two days ago. I'm not sure how much she understands of it yet.
Random: Farmer? *looks up at Nightwish* She did? . . . And what book did she have?
Nightwish: *chuckle* 'Bushido'. And yes. Preparing them for dinner.
Random: *was interested in getting one of Dreadwing’s other books in order to figure out martial arts, but that one had too much about honor in it for Random to be interested* Oh. *and then he realizes what Nightwish is saying about the dinner* >.o
Nightwish: Dreadwing tried every way he could think of to keep her from finding out the first step in preparing supper. But she found out anyway, and now she prepares the cookies the same way. *lifts brows slightly. What can you do?*
Random: . . . Did you guys have energon spider?
Nightwish: A few times.
Random: *didn't realize they still had some* *and is glad missed out on that . . . * *he thinks*
Nightwish: *small pat for the hand that's now hooked up to the energy feed*
Random: *looks at it* *how does she do that without him realizing it?* Was I fed any?
Nightwish: No. You only got rust sauce.
Random: *looks relieved* *one thing he'll not like about being able to fight is the possibility of fighting organics* *always gets queasy thinking about it*
Nightwish: And Kia's learnt about shaking the bottle.
Random: *knows that game* Ah.
Nightwish: *grins* Get some rest. I'll let you know when it's time to press that button.
Random: *looks for the thing that Nightwish had set beside him before he got out* *wondering where it had gone off to in the interim* *and doesn't feel too tired, especially after the feed brought his energy levels back up* Okay.
Nightwish: *one last pat, and then settles down in her chair to watch what the crew are doing and to listen to Devcon trying to convince his son that they don't want that many rocks aboard his ship*
Nightwish: *gently pats Random's shoulder to wake him*
Random: *a bit bleary as he's woken up* Huh? *had been reading Witchblade's mod magazine till the urge to nap had taken him unawares* *the datapad is still where it fell when the nap hit*
Nightwish: He'll be here in a few minutes. *gentle squeeze for the shoulder*
Random: *frowns* *. . . who?* *remembers!* Oh! *wide awake now as he reaches for the device*
Nightwish: *hands it to him from where it had settled in a nest of blanket* Remember, you're still plugged in. *don't want him trying to use that finger to press the button*
Random: *looks at the offending cable on his hand* *always forgets it's even there* *will take the device she's offering*
Nightwish: Here are your cookies. *looks up and watches Devcon argue with 13 about whether or not she's letting him in. Soft chuckle*
Random: *looks at the device* How do I turn it on? *with this in his hand, he can't really take the cookies*
Nightwish: *gently, without looking down* The button's on the other side.
Random: *puts it down and rotates it with his noncabled hand and turns it on*
Nightwish: *smiles down at him and offers the cookie box*
Random: *tries to figure out the best place for the device so he won't accidently turn it off* *THAT would be bad in his mind*
Nightwish: Here. Let's set it here. *one hand asks for the device, the other points to the small heap of blanket by his side*
Random: *considers and thinks* Okay. *gives her the device* It's on, right?
Nightwish: Mmmhmm. I can see it working.
Random: *THAT makes him feel better* Thanks. *feeling a bit nervous still*
Nightwish: *sets device down, and then makes sure he's well tucked* Alright. Not a peep. It can mask crunching, but not talking.
Random: *raises an optic ridge* *would have liked to have known that earlier!*
Nightwish: *cookies settled nicely on his chest, where the pad can lean against the box, and then she smiles at him and goes to sit at the table*
Random: *won't feel comfortable eating when that mech is here, so he's going to see if he can at least have part of one before he comes in to help settle his "nerves"*
13: *series of snippy sounding twitters and beeps. She just announced that the [jerkface] is approaching the mess*
Nightwish: *sputter. Puts head down and sniggerfitdies into her arms*
Random: *tenses a bit at 13's words and starts at Nightwish's sputter, becoming very confused*
Nightwish: 13, that's a swear word.
13: Thrrpt. *click!*
Random: *oh, didn't realize taught the AI a cussword* *eyes cookie and debates about eating some more*
Nightwish: *quietly, as she listens to approaching footsteps* Eat.
Random: *stiffens again* *how'd she--?*
Nightwish: You worry too much. Shhh.
Random: *sighs, taking advantage of the time the mech's not in here to do so and eats more of his cookie*
Devcon: *as he enters the mess* 13 swore at me.
Nightwish: You bugged her friend.
Devcon: *grumble* I didn't know he was that fragile.
Nightwish: He'd have loved never finding the fact out himself. Sit.
Devcon: I'm not a pet.
Nightwish: *pointed silence*
Devcon: *grumbles and sits*
Random: *stills at Devcon's voice* *registers the words being spoken* *even the ship was looking out for him?* *grips the cookie thoughtfully about the talk about his fragileness* *true, he'd have liked not feeling this weak* *doesn't quite take as much pleasure out of Devcon's insult to being treated like a pet as he would have before this happened*
Nightwish: What was the big idea, Devcon? He's young. You're usually not that ironheaded.
Devcon: I had my reasons.
Nightwish: Spill 'em, or I'll wake Echo up.
Devcon: *sounds of alarmed movement* You wouldn't.
Nightwish: Why not? It's legal out here. You scare my kid, and I get to scare yours.
Devcon: You called those laws a crock.
Nightwish: *more pointed silence*
Random: *and Nightwish doesn't waste any additional time getting to the thick of it* *a bit embarrassed that he's basically letting his mom take care of his problems but is surprised when he senses how alarmed Devcon is at her threat of waking up "Echo"*
Devcon: *mutter* This is why I never got married.
Nightwish: You never got married because she found someone more house trained.
Devcon: She married Ironhide!
Nightwish: I rest my case. Now spit it out.
Random: *raises an optic ridge that he thinks no one can see* *thinks that is an odd turn in the coversation*
Devcon: *silence*
Nightwish: *scrapes her chair back*
Devcon: I thought he was a slave!
Nightwish: You what?
Echo: *upset child noises!*
Random: *startles at the scrape and then blinks at Devcon's words* *he thought he was a what?*
Nightwish: *quiet chill is easily heard over Echo's angry sounds* You thought I would own a slave, and leave him in a body like that? You thought I'd force someone to work for me?
Devcon: I didn't know what to think! The kid looks like scrap.
Nightwish: He's not a kid.
Devcon: Sorry.
Random: *ducks down deeper into the hammock as Echo keeps spewing and when she starts responding, trying to keep calm* *looks at his datapad and manages it* *it was one of the first things she got him, other than a copy of one of the other crew member's firewalls* *remembers being able to look at some of the pictures in 3D and realizes it's a probably a lot higher end than he's ever worked with before* *doesn't think that somebot that does that for him would think of him as a slave* *at least not what he thought of when he thought of taskmasters*
Nightwish: And you knew the only slave I've ever owned. And the only reason Moonshadow was still a slave was because of her programming.
Devcon: ...She was a slave?
Nightwish: Exactly.
Random: *pulled from his thoughts* *is confused, but he thinks the point that Nightwish was trying to make is that this Moonshadow wasn't treated like a slave?*
Devcon: Look, I'm sorry.
Nightwish: "Sorry" isn't going to take the scars from my Chief Engineer.
Devcon: *grumbling that makes Echo quiet down. Sound of small hands patting a face follows*
Random: *relief at Echo not being so loud* *now he can think better*
Devcon: *quietly* I think I have a job related to your Engineer.
Nightwish: *brrrr* What?
Devcon: No. This young femme's looking for her batch mates. She said the thirteenth one was a blue mech with a sullen attitude and a random name. She's crewing with Optimus Prime and his bunch of yahoos.
Random: *systems start racing at the mention of a "femme" with interest in the "thirteenth"* *Sister?*
Nightwish: I know where most of his batch is.
Devcon: Did he tell you about the three that were lost or died as youngsters, and the sister that was sold two days before the rest?
Nightwish: I knew about them.
Devcon: *silence that is plainly a doubtful look*
Random: *surprised by Nightwish's revelation* *sad to hear that those batch siblings might have actually perished* *surprised that his surmise about his older sister might have been true* *and about her knowing that too*
Nightwish: He's got two sisters. One of them was stolen when she was small. I know the colony where she lived for awhile and might still live. But Noserienes are very firm about their laws about coming into their space uninvited, and I don't feel like endangering my crew to try and find out about a bot who'll be being treated like a princess. I'd heard that a femme born the same time as Random was had been picked up by Optimus' crew.
Random: *a bit on edge about the sister who was lost until he hears about the part about being "treated like a princess"* *slumps with relief and tries not to cry again* *takes him a bit to process the last bit about his other sister* *what?*
Devcon: Well she's the one that offered me every shanix she owned to find the rest of her batch. *uncomfortable movement* I couldn't take the shanix, so I went and guilt tripped Optimus out of the same amount.
Nightwish: *snort!*
Random: *that sounds like something his sister would do!* *a bit confused about Devcon's confession*
Devcon: Don't look at me like that.
Nightwish: Extorting Optimus Prime is just as bad as taking all a kid's money, and you know it.
Devcon: *grumble*
Random: *Oh* *Yeah, agrees with Nightwish on that* *but his sister!*
Devcon: *gruffly* Is there any way I can make it up to your Engineer?
Nightwish: *snort* *flatly* You just scrapped off the only mechanic in 15000 light years.
Devcon: *whatever he just did, Echo laughed at it*
Random: *appreciates hearing about his sister, though apparently Nightwish knew about it* *wonders if he still feels the way he was earlier* *Umm, yeah* *he'll think four times before taking a job from him again* *if just because of how the mech tore him apart* *Ugh* *yeah, now he remembers what happened* *NOT fun* *wouldn't work for him if he was the last one in 500000000000 light years*
Devcon: That's not what I was thinking about, and you know it.
Nightwish: Suck it up and get off my ship. The crew's going to be up for supper soon, and they all know what you did.
Devcon: *grumble and the sound of a chair being pushed back*
Nightwish: //Random?//
Random: *frowns as remembers what the mech did and is more confident about his decision not to trust him still* *though he wants to think that what the mech said about his siblings is true* *cautious, since he's not sure what Devcon's hacking capabilities are and his encryption's not that good either* // Yeah? //
Nightwish: //Want to give him a start? 13's nullified his weapon.//
Random: *freezes* // You mean reveal that I've been here the entire time? // *not sure what he thinks about that* *and not sure how she could have nullified Devcon's weapon*
Nightwish: //Yup. Just turn off the mask and sit up. Give him a stink eye or something.//
Random: *not sure if he's capable of the stink eye, but reaches for the masking device, moving to sit up above the edge of the hammock, pauses for the moment, and then turns the device off, trusting in Nightwish to keep him safe*
Devcon: *jumps back two paces, then juggles maddly to keep from dropping his protesting little son* What the... *chokes on what he's trying not to say*
Random: *snorts* *manages to find some of his bravado back* Thanks for the heads up on my sister, but are you always a jerk to the people you hire?
Devcon: *actually has a wide-eyed look as he finally sets Echo on the floor and turns toward Random* ...If I need to be.
Random: Why was I worth the time? *the last said sarcastically*
Devcon: *lifts his chin, but his eyes are steady* You heard what I said to your captain.
Random: I told Mistfire to come help you out chasing the kid. Why didn't you ask [Mom] why she was keeping me "enslaved"?
Devcon: ...[Mom]?
Random: *nods toward Nightwish without looking* Yeah, [Mom].
Devcon: *frowns slightly* It's my job.
Nightwish: And you thought I'd take it. *reaches over and slaps him in the back of the head*
Random: *what he's been thinking, though the last time he was this honest he got in trouble with the mech* You have a stupid way of going about it.
Devcon: *gruffly* I apologize.
Random: *frowns* That doesn't explain why you felt you had to do it that way.
Devcon: It's how I work. Your mother does it too.
Random: You mean it's normal to interrogate potential slaves? You're worse than a taskmaster.
Devcon: I didn't realize you'd react like that, alright?
Random: I'm more confused about why you think that doing that to a potential slave is a good idea. Most of those folks are already scarred for life. And did you have any indication that I was the mech who she was talking about, or did you really not guess by my sullen attitude?
Devcon: *evenly* I had to make sure. False leads cost money.
Random: *not sure that he wants to admit this* By breaching my wall and tearing my spark apart?
Devcon: *winces*
Random: *looks down, remembering his collapse of the past week* It was the only thing keeping me together.
Devcon: *quietly* I'm sorry.
Random: *gets down off his haunches and turns the mask back on*
Devcon: *silent for a moment, and then sighs deeply* Echo's in the hold playing with your people, isn't he?
Nightwish: Yup.
Devcon: *quiet grumble and leaves the room*
Random: *lays back down and cries quietly*
Nightwish: *goes to stand beside him with her hand on his shoulder*
Random: *starts at the hand* *shakey release of air* It still hurts.
Nightwish: *softly* I know.
Random: *tries to stop crying* *the last time he did that, he landed up bedridden for a week*
Nightwish: They're playing lob with Devcon.
Random: *turns off the mask since she sees through it anyway* *checks for the cable that's supposed to be on his hand*
Nightwish: *slight smile* You didn't unhook this time.
Random: *looks at it in surprise* *sigh* *tries to find words*
Nightwish: *suddenly, pasghetti!*
Random: *ack!*
Nightwish: *quick check to make sure he's okay*
Random: *just surprised* *had been trying to figure out how to explain about his wall . . . and his batch siblings* *who he had never talked about*
Nightwish: The guys you left behind?
Random: *thoughtfully* My sister . . . she used to rub my head. *which might be why he usually tries to get away from the touches on his head* I didn't really get along with the rest of them, but . . .
Nightwish: Cragbuster has them.
Random: *feeling a bit of relief* Who's Cragbuster?
Nightwish: An old misfire I know. And trust. He's related to Ratchet somehow, though I don't think they've ever met.
Random: *more relief at the trust* *cautiously* Was I supposed to ask about them, too?
Nightwish: If you wanted to.
Random: *frowns at that*
Nightwish: Only you know how and when you can deal with things best, Random.
Random: *relieved that she wasn't holding it as ransom!*
Nightwish: *snorts at him with amusement the same way she would at any of the rest of the crew. Finally feels confident that this will not hurt the boy*
Random: Sorry. I . . .
Nightwish: I have no reason to hold anything for ransom. *pause* *grabs his book* Except this, till you eat. *is plainly teasing him*
Random: *taken out of his reverie about his siblings* Hey!
Nightwish: *laughs and offers the can of his favourite fuel* I cut it up while I was talking to Devcon.
Random: *finally acknowledges the fuel* *perk* *hears that she cut it* *more perk* *takes it, if human would practically be licking his lips* *surprised at the last* Huh? *doesn't remember hearing her doing it*
Nightwish: *offers him eating tweezers* "Huh" what?
Random: *takes them* Thanks. *so grateful for the times she asks instead of taking them out of him these days, agh* I don't remember you cutting them.
Nightwish: I can see the inside of the can, so I never bumped into it with the knife.
Random: Oh. *starts moving the pasgetti around to get a good tweezerful* Devcon never saw it?
Nightwish: Of course he did. He probably thought I was preparing it for Kia.
Random: *somehow thought that the mech would question everything* *finds the good tweezerful and eats it* *soooooooooooo gooooooooood* *has missed this*
Nightwish: So. Why is that better than botaghetti?
Random: *brb, if human would be dying and going to heaven in food* *enjoying this!* *surprisingly without being as messy as the food prescribes*
Nightwish: *watches him glee over his meal* I've seen another version of you in the nexus, and he won't touch that kind of fuel.
Random: *still lost in food, doesn't appear to have heard her*
Nightwish: *sets his second can of pasghetti in the drink holder on the hammock, and then settles down to keep him company and watch her crew talk to Devcon*
Nightwish: *standing on the bridge and watching the planet that they've come to orbit* There's the Light.
Mistfire: *lazily, from where she's sprawled in the pilot's seat* Yup. Kinda amazed they can orbit straight.
Nightwish: Perceptor and Blaster know what they're doing. *glances over toward the door as Kia leads Random in*
Random: *been glad to actually get to know Kia these past few days* *and glad to actually be able to walk around more--and not be tied to the cable*
Nightwish: *smiles at him and then looks down and smiles at Kia as the little one runs to her*
Mistfire: Hey, Randy. *chucks something toward him*
Random: *watches Kia go, but it's to Mom, so it's okay* *hears Mistfire greet him and barely manages to catch whatever she threw* Ack. *sees that's a gummi ham bite* Oh. Thanks. *looks up at Mistfire and smiles at her*
Mistfire: *lazy but warm smirk* Y'ready to go planet-side?
Random: *stiffens, not sure if he's ready to go out in complete public, though he would have jumped at the chance before* I thought we were going to have Kia given her checkup?
Nightwish: We are. But I heard about a medic on the planet who's looking to transfer his contract. It'd be nice to have a ship's doctor, if you could handle a roommate.
Random: *not sure what he thinks about that*
Nightwish: He's an Alphyn. Just a little guy.
Random: An organic? *he's only really had one experience with a medic--and it didn't end well*
Nightwish: *nods* Cheap to feed and easy to house. And I hear they're good at keeping out from underfoot.
Random: *raises an optic ridge at the way she phrased that*
Nightwish: *mildly* What's that look for? *rubs a cuddly Kia's back*
Random: You made it sound like we're getting a pet . . .
Nightwish: *dry amusement* I hear a lot of Alphyns tend to refer to themselves that way.
Random: Oh. . . . How do we know he's qualified? And would he shed? *doesn't like the idea of fur in his workings*
Nightwish: Once a year when they live on a planet, but they have to comb it out. And I've looked at his papers, but we can have First Aid quiz him, too.
Random: *looks like he still has some misgivings* Okay.
Nightwish: He's already been crewing, so he's got his airlock module and some fuel supplies.
Mistfire: Food.
Nightwish: Same difference.
Random: *thinks that the medic having experience crewing could be either good or bad*
Nightwish: I'll be sending you to grab more rations for him, Random.
Random: *looks surprised* Me?
Nightwish: If you want to. You have experience with this kind of market, right?
Random: Uh, I've been around it, but I haven't actually tried to haggle in it.
Nightwish: Do you think you can do it?
Random: *thinking that he would have liked this better before his collapse* *even anything other than staying with the ship was good* *right now, he's still feeling kinda exposed* I can try. Is there a reason why I'm the one you want to do it?
Nightwish: *holds up the cloak in her other hand* Dreadwing and Skyquake won't look organic, no matter how much of them I cover up. Witchblade's no good in that kind of situation, and Mistfire...
Mistfire: Hasta see about fuel fer 13.
Random: *glad that he won't be trying to go as a bot, but--* Will the cloak be enough?
Mistfire: Should be. It's gotta cover fer yer face, too.
Random: *looking slightly better* Um, what should I do if it's not?
Mistfire: *grin* Gotcher hammer?
Random: *has to think about that* *remembers he has it in an onboard compartment* Yeah? Oh. You mean use the trick you taught me?
Mistfire: Or smash a few kneecaps. *chuckles*
Kia: Eww.
Random: *remembers with Kia's comment* *oh, right, would be fighting organic, um . . . *
Mistfire: You still got the bomb, too?
Random: *nods* In subspace.
Mistfire: *smirrrk* Think yer good, kid.
Random: *hopes so* *eats the gummi ham*
Mistfire: Want more 'o those?
Random: *sheepishly* I'll take a couple more. *and then probably grab some of his cookies from the mess to stuff in subspace before he goes*
Mistfire: *chuckles and offers to toss*
Nightwish: I'll meet you by the the airlock. We'll be teleporting.
Mistfire: Got it, Cap.
Random: *hands out for catching* *to Nighwish* All right, [Mom].
Nightwish: *turns and carries Kia off the bridge*
Random: *catches the gummis and eats them*
Mistfire: *pat pats her console, and then gets up and gives a catlike stretch* See ya at the door, Randy.
Random: *nods* *doesn't mind her nickname for him* See you there.
Mistfire: *grins and saunters out to go get her cloak and gloves*
Random: *reaches out to touch one of 13's consoles* Thanks for standing up for me the other day, 'Teen.
13: *soft "breeeeepadeep"*
Random: *smiles, remembering how he was at first nervous about fixing a ship that was sentient but sparkless* Love you, too. *goes to grab the cookies from the mess and then heads for the airlock*
Part 2: Here