othmtmte. /Faithful 13/ and space station. Touching Base

[marsthewriter]

Nightwish: *studying a disembodied blue finger with a gobsmacked look on her face as Kia watches with wide eyes over hands covering mouth* Dreadwing... do I want to know?

Dreadwing: *calmly, though with humour* Space limpets.

Nightwish: *perk*

Dreadwing: We harvested several.

Random: *a bit groggy as wakes up* *feels something on his chest* *wide awake now* Dah! *moves back*

Frank: *holds on and whistles softly from where he'd been listening to the boy's spark while they slept*

Kia: *turns from where she'd been kneeling in the side of the hammock with her feet on her brother to pat pat him* You're safe, Random. You're safe.

Random: *raises an optic ridge at Frank* *turns to look at Kia* *realizes is in the hammock* *lets his head fall back onto the hammock's fur* *he was back HERE again*

Nightwish: *still studying the neatly sheared edges of Dreadwing's finger* How do you feel?

Random: I'm back in the hammock again. I just got out of the hammock.

Nightwish: Yes. But you've only been here for one night, and Kia's been camping with you.

Kia: In a big scary jungle like the baby sama lives in. *referring to her book*

Random: *frowns a bit* *noooo idea what Kia is talking about*

Kia: I was pr'tending. *watching brother with concern and affection in her big eyes*

Random: Oh.

Frank: *without opening his eyes or moving his face away from his tail* Apparently it rained on us most the night.

Kia: *nod nod*

Random: *confused for a bit* Oh. In the jungle?

Frank: So it would seem. *perks one ear* Do you want that finger put back on?

Dreadwing: *quietly* Later.

Random: *frown for the Alphyn on his chest but looks to the sound of Dreadwing's voice*

Dreadwing: *grave smile* I found the adhesive you wanted for the port seals.

Random: *surprised to see him standing there* Oh?

Dreadwing: Yes. We found space limpets. *holds up his damaged hand*

Random: *wince* No wonder Dr. Frank was asking if you wanted it put back on.

Dreadwing: *slight smile* There's no hurry. *doesn't want to take the doctor away from Random*

Random: I suppose not. *looks down at Dr. Frank* Uh, why are you on me, Dr. Frank?

Frank: *other ear goes up* You're warm.

Random: Aren't there other warm things? *though he admits having the doctor on his chest is making it feel good for some reason?*

Frank: *both ears go down comfortably* Alphyns sit on people.

Kia: *chuckle*

Random: . . . Oookaaay.

Frank: *tail tip twitches in slight indication of amusement*

Nightwish: Hungry? *offers Dreadwing back his finger as she looks at Random*

Random: *not sure what to think about that* *looks up at his Mom* *yeah, is hungry, but doesn't feel like eating*

Nightwish: *as Dreadwing walks out* No?

Random: *not sure how to answer that*

Nightwish: *gently lifts Kia down and turns her loose* Why don't you go play with 13 for a little while?

Kia: *hugs her dolls and frowns a little, but then nods* Bye, Random.

Random: *looks in the direction of Kia's voice* Bye, Kia.

Kia: I love you.

Random: Love you, too.

Kia: *little smile, and then she's scooting out of the room and closing the door after her*

Nightwish: *softly* Random?

Random: *pause as he listens to Kia leaving* Yeah?

Nightwish: How are you?

Random: *a bit more listless* Okay, I suppose.

Nightwish: *offers him a cookie*

Random: *takes it and holds it*

Nightwish: Do you feel like going out later?

Random: *looks up* Huh?

Nightwish: Do you feel like going out later? With me, Kia, and Nightstrike.

Random: *looks confused* *will eat part of the cookie in his distraction* What would we be doing?

Nightwish: *quietly* Meeting people.

Random: *thoughtful as he eats his cookie, trying to figure out if he is still tired*

Nightwish: *offers him what looks like a round cookie*

Random: *finishes the cookie in his hand without realizing it* What's this?

Nightwish: *bit of a grin* Botmado biscuit.

Random: *bit of a smile back as he takes it* Thanks. *will eat the biscuit*

Nightwish: Oppy mentioned them to me when I was buying another order of pasghetti.

Random: *between bites* Oh.

Nightwish: So he had a good idea. *more grin*

Random: *just now realize he's actually eating* . . . *shrug*

Nightwish: *slight chuckle* Ready to get up?

Random: *looks down at Dr. Frank* Will he let me?

Frank: *eyes still shut* Just don't try to take me off.

Random: *is confused by that*

Nightwish: He can sit on your shoulder? *amused at the Alphyn*

Random: *still confused* I suppose?

Nightwish: *offers him a hand to help him sit up*

Random: *gives her his hand and moves to sit up*

Frank: *scoots up from Random's chest... to his head*

Random: *freezes as he feels the Alphyn go up there*

Nightwish: He won't fall.

Random: *looks at her . . . slowly* *not sure if he likes him up there*

Frank: *curls up and puts his tail back over his nose. Is now a brain warmer*

Nightwish: *encouraging look*

Random: *guess will have to deal with it* *moves to get out of the hammock*

Nightwish: *stands and moves out of his way, but is still in reach if he wants a prop*

Random: *is glad to find he isn't stiff and that eating helped* *able to mostly get out of the hammock but his second foot gets caught on the way out* Ack!

Nightwish: *catch*

Random: *heavy intaking!* *sigh* Thanks, [Mom].

Nightwish: Hug?

Frank: *never moved*

Random: *nod* *will take a hug*

Nightwish: *gentle hug*

Frank: *interested sound as he hears Nightwish's spark*

Random: *hugs back*

Nightwish: More fuel?

Random: *thinks a moment and nods again*

Nightwish: Pasghetti? *leans back to look at his face*

Random: *hesitates, all the fuel he has to take in kinda reminds him of how lame his shell is* Yeah.

Nightwish: *strides over to the cupboard and gets a can, then gets a bowl the same blue as Random and sets it on the table. Looks at the bottom of the pasghetti can* Want it warm?

Random: *moves to sit down at the table* *thinks about it* Yeah.

Nightwish: *presses the button and waits* You have your tweezers?

Random: *blinks* *does he?* *sees if he has them on him* *nope*

Nightwish: *quick scan of the room* In the cleaner. *goes to get*

Random: *watches her go* *and seems to have forgotten about Dr. Frank on his head*

Nightwish: *tweezers out of the cleaner and brings them over* Looks like Kia put them in there. They were beside hers.

Random: Oh. That makes sense.

Nightwish: *offers them*

Random: *takes them* Thanks. *smile*

Nightwish: *smiles back, and then takes the lid off the can and dumps warm fuel into the bowl* The bowl's from Kia and Nightstrike.

Random: *leans over to look at the blue side of the bowl, smiling some more*

Nightwish: Need a cutter?

Random: *looks between her and the pasghetti noodles* Yes, please.

Nightwish: *gets one and offers it*

Random: *takes it* Thanks. *begins cutting the noodles for easier tweezer handling*

Nightwish: You're welcome. *perches her bum on the edge of the table and listens to what's going on in the other parts of the ship*

Random: *will finish the cutting and then will start eating the pasghetti* *will remember how much he loves it as he eats it*

Nightwish: *slight smile. She's listening to Kia and 13 chatting, but that's not what made her smile*

Random: *lost in his happy little eating world* *it's where he can forget his problems*

Nightwish: 13 wants a doll now. She's sure you can make her one. She thinks you can make anything.

Random: *takes him a moment to register she was talking to him* Huh?

Nightwish: *repeats herself*

Random: Oh. *frowns as he thinks* What is she thinking?

Nightwish: I'm not sure. I can order her a virtual doll.

Random: Oh. That might work. I was just wondering if she wanted a holoform or something to control.

Nightwish: *perk* You know how to make those?

Random: I think I know the basic principle. I'd have to look up the specifics.

Nightwish: *mouth quirks* Do you want to try that?

Random: *thinking about how 13 didn't like his suggestion to fix her landing capabilities when he first got aboard* If that's what she had in mind, yeah.

Nightwish: She just wants a person shape to play with, like Kia and Nightstrike have. *yes, Random, your other sister's joined the girl party on the bridge*

Random: Okay. *processor working away on that task*

Nightwish: *hand to ear* First Aid says Jenny's asking for you.

Random: *looks up quickly* She is?

Nightwish: *nods*

Random: *seems to be bursting with things he wants to say but isn't sure how to get them out*

Nightwish: First Aid says that he told her she's not going anywhere for at least a week.

Random: *not sure what to say to that*

Nightwish: She apparently told him that even if she doesn't belong to you, she thinks she belongs with you.

Random: Oh. . . . But she's talking, so that's good, right?

Nightwish: *nods* It's a good start. *looks at his bowl as the tweezers click against the bottom*

Random: *slight smile* *and looks down at the noise* *hadn't realize had kept eating*

Nightwish: Done?

Random: *blinks, thinks, and looks down at the bowl* . . . I think so?

Nightwish: Alright. Put your things in the cleaner. I'll go call the girls.

Random: Okay. *moves to do so*

Nightwish: *stands and then strides out of the room*

Frank: *quietly* Grab a pickled grub while you're at it?

Random: *startles* *forgot Dr. Frank was there*

Frank: *makes that soothing little whistle sound*

Random: *relaxes*

Frank: *happy ear flick, his eyes bright with a smile that Random can't see*

Random: *tries to figuratively shake off the startle as he moves to put his bowl and tweezers away*

Frank: Do you want me to come along?

Random: *frowns, and then looks upward, raising an optic ridge* Huh?

Frank: *his usual dry amusement, all traces of his smile gone* Do you want me to come along with you for this meeting?

Random: *places his dishes in the cleaner and shrugs his shoulders* I dunno. Not sure who we're meetin'.

Frank: *easy leap from his perch and lands lightly on the counter, then gives Random a quick look as he whistles*

Random: *blinks a bit at that*

Frank: *soft little chuckle of approval, and then turns toward the jar of grubs, his whiskers twitching*

Random: Oh, right, you wanted one of these. *moves to open the jar and holds it where Dr. Frank can grab himself a grub*

Frank: *soft click that means "justamo", and darts to get the little pickle fork that looks like a harpoon in his little hands. Swiftly skewers one of the goodies and extracts it, then sighs happily* Thank you.

Random: *waits, making sure the grubs aren't going to fall over the counter while he waits* *lets Dr. Frank extract his choice* You're welcome. Sure you don't want anymore?

Frank: *chuckles as he looks at the size of his treat* Oh yes. This is plenty. *sipping sounds as he drinks brine to try and stop the dripping onto the counter that the pickle is doing*

Random: Okay. *moves to place the lid back on and puts the jar away*

Frank: *has "killed" his pickle by time Random's done that, and is eating in his quick and dainty way*

Random: *sees this but should probably go meet his Mom* Uh, I'll see you later.

Frank: *looks up, ears perking* Be careful.

Random: *wondering where he'll be going where there might be "danger"* I will. *heads to the door, on his way to find his Mom*

Nightwish: *ping*

Random: // Yes, [Mom]? //

Nightwish: //We're at the airlock.//

Random: // Meet you there. // *heads that way*

Nightstrike: *has a Kia riding on her back when Random arrives*

Kia: *hugging Fluffy, and her "nephew" Optimus. Has a sleepily contented smile on her face as she leans against Nightstrike's back*

Nightwish: *smiles at Random*

Random: *comes in and sees where Kia is* *smiles* *then looks over at his Mom*

Nightwish: Ready to go?

Random: *nods* I think so.

Nightwish: *hand on Nightstrike's shoulder, and then holds her other hand to Random* Okay. Let's go.

Random: *takes it, bracing himself for teleportation*

Nightwish: *teleports and pauses to make sure the kids are alright*

Nightstrike: *looking under her arm at Kia*

Kia: *scrunched down a little, her face set in an Xp* Optimus and Fluffy didn't like that very much.

Random: *is fine but is concerned about Kia's expression*

Nightwish: *chuckles and gently pokes the little silver tongue*

Kia: *squeaks and looks up, then chuckles too* I'm alright, [Mom].

Random: *looks a little less concerned at that*

Nightwish: *and then she looks toward the door* Nobody attack. This is friendly.

Nightstrike: What is? *and then she blinks as the door slides open and Nightwish is suddenly not beside her anymore*

Random: "This is"? *wondering at his Mom's choice of words* *and then Mom disappears?*

Nightwish: *currently being held aloft in a crushing hug as a huge green man with an eye patch laughs and grins up at her* *is grinning right back at him*

Random: *looks uuppp* *and cue lots of blinking*

green man: *squishes Nightwish much, and rumbles laughter*

Nightwish: *she actually just laughed too*

Nightstrike: *blinking at that, her face showing confusion*

Kia: *isn't wondering about anything. She's just being happy at seeing [Mom] get a hug*

Random: *STILL blinking* *thinks this is ODD*

green man: *follows Nightwish's glance toward the kids, and sobers as he sets her down*

Nightwish: *smiling her family smile* Random, Nightstrike, Kia, this is Garnak. He wanted to meet you.

Garnak: *big man looks happy but shy* Hi.

Random: *takes him a bit to get out of his "what just happened" mode he's been in for the past few minutes* Hi.

Nightstrike: *gruffly* ...Hi.

Kia: Can you do little hugs?

Garnak: *blinks* Sure I can. I only squish Nightwish because she doesn't break.

Kia: *tiny squee as she puts both dolls in one arm and reaches for him*

Nightwish: *gently takes Kia and offers her to the big green man*

Random: *comes out of that mode further as he realizes that his younger sister wants a hug* *smiles a bit*

Garnak: *is very gentle indeed as he holds the tiny silver girl, his lone eye beaming down at her affectionately*

Kia: *gonna snuggle*

Garnak: *grin for Random and Nightstrike*

Nightstrike: *still dotting at him*

Random: *smiles a bit more at Kia and then notices Garnak looking at him and smiles a bit less*

Nightwish: *quietly* There's someone else that wants to meet you, Random.

Random: *realizes that his Mom is talking to him* *turns to look at her* Oh? Who?

Nightwish: *smiles* Come see.

Garnak: *having a chat with Kia and trying to include Nightstrike. It's very clear that big man isn't the brightest bulb on the tree*

Kia: *likes him anyway*

Random: Okay. *quick glance to check on Nightstrike and Kia and then moves to follow Nightwish*

Nightwish: *out through the door that Garnak entered by, absently responding to his wave as she goes* *once out of the room she leads Random a few steps down what is clearly a standard spaceport hotel corridor and over to another door, which she taps on*

Random: *follows her out the door and down the hall* *wonders as they go if they are in a spaceport hotel and where this spaceport is and then watches to see what the result of her taps will be*

door: *opens. Is opened by a large blue hand, which is attached to a large red arm*

Nightwish: Optimus. Let's leave them alone.

Optimus: *calm blue eyes look at Random even as a deep rumble of a voice replies to Nightwish* Of course.

Random: *looks up at Optimus* *wonders at the two older bots' cryptic use of "them"*

Optimus: *mask moves slightly as he smiles, and then he's stepping out into the hall and holding the door wide* Go ahead, Random.

Random: *continues to look up at Optimus until the Prime has moved out into the hall and then turns to look into the room now that Optimus is out of the way* *stops midstep inside*

femme: *softly* Hi, Random. Remember me?

Random: Sister.



(*insert cricket*)



Random: *steps further in and seems to be frozen in place until he hears the door shutting behind him*

"Sister": *taken aback by suddenly having her "younger" blue brother hugging her with his intaking shaky*

Random: *hard to bury his face in her when he's taller than her, but he's trying* *didn't want to cry, but here it is*

"Sister": *hugs back after a moment and realizes why this feels wrong: his “wall” is down* Are you okay?

Random: *starting to realize what he's doing* Y-yes. I-I j-just--

Sister: *starts rubbing his head* Shh, it's okay. I just remember the brother who didn't like seeming weak. *smiles and tries to reassure him* *doesn't want him to go back into his emotional shell since she's sure it didn't help* When he's never been.

Random: *slightly surprised to feel that the warmth from her rubbing is warmer than he remembers, but it feels good, so he soon forgets about it*

Sister: *continues this for a few minutes, rubbing his head while he leans over and holds her* Why don't we sit down?

Random: *"sit down" was a loose term that meant that his sister was going to grab a couple of drinks and then the two of them were going to sit in a corner where they could watch the door and the rest of the room instead of sitting on a couple of chairs like normal people*

Sister: *sits crosslegged on the floor and Random sits with his head in her lap* *she takes a drink while she starts rubbing his head again*

Random: *thinks that they're going to continue like that, going back to what they used to do when they lived on the street with their remaining batch siblings, but it's not long before Sister breaks the silence again*

Sister: I know you said you were fine, but . . . *how should she put it?* your wall is down.

Random: *deep sigh, absently remembering that his Mom is probably able to hear everything they're going to talk about* Yeah, I let it down for my [Mom], Nightwish.

Sister: *blinks at his use of the term* You trust her.

Random: *bit sheepish* Yeah. *though he thinks about why he did that* But only after Devcon breached it open.

Sister: Devcon? . . . So you didn't put your wall down willingly after all.

Random: Yeah, Devcon might be a great bounty hunter, but you shouldn't trust him with social tact. He thought [Mom] was keeping me as a slave and probed me and my relationship with her to be "sure" that his lead wasn't false. *can't help but become sarcastic as he describes why Devcon did it* . . . But it did make [Mom] aware that I wasn't happy because I didn't know that I could ask for things to be different . . . She's going to get me a new body. *hesitant to say this* We also found out that there's something really wrong with my spark. *more thinking, which he is finding easier with his sister's rubbing* But I'm not sure if I would have trusted her if we had found out earlier.

Sister: *shakes her head* I'm sorry. I was afraid of this.

Random: Hey, it's not your fault. How were you supposed to know Devcon was a [jerk--] *sees his sister's face* Jerk.

Sister: No, I was afraid that you'd be the runt of our litter but wasn't sure if I should bring it up.

Random: *blinks at her*

Sister: Or even how. You know how my reading and writing ability's always been scanty at most.

Random: *frown* Yeah. *And he knew that his batch initiator liked it that way*

Sister: I tried to hint that you had a wall by saying you were sulky. . . . Obviously, that didn't get through.

Random: You wrote him?

Sister: Yes, I gave him his orders in writing because I was too embarrassed to ask Dad about my wanting to find out where my batch went because I didn't want him to think I wasn't happy with him and Elita. *sees Random's confusion* Dad is Optimus.

Random: *noticed that Sister is using the English word for "dad"*

Sister: I wrote Devcon a list with a description of each of you. My exact words for you were something like, "Brother name Random, blue, sulky."

Random: No wonder he thought I was supposed to have a "random name."

Sister: *shakes head* Obviously, it didn't work out.

Random: Did [Mom] tell Optimus about our other batch siblings?

Sister: *shakes head again* Not that I know of.

Random: Nightwish knows where they are, and some of those we thought were Lost might not actually be. Nightwish thinks that [*Further Rim term that more elegantly says "Sister Who Was Lost"*] is on a planet where she'll be treated like royalty, but can't check for sure because of how they view outsiders. A friend of hers, some relative of Ratchet's, got the rest of the ones who weren't Lost. And she trusts the guy who has them.

Sister: *big sigh of relief* I'm glad they might not actually be Lost.

Random: *nod* So am I.

room: *silent as neither comments on the brothers Cragbuster has by unspoken agreement*

Sister: So, Dad discovered I couldn't read and write very well when he found out I was having a hard time reading a book he gave me.

Random: Oh? *remembers how their batch initiator had given her just enough reading ability to read an address and not much more*

Sister: Yeah. It was a medical book I'd been eying because I got the gist of what was in it from the one sentence summary. He was a bit sad and tried to apologize for choosing something so difficult. *small smile* But I'm glad he tried to think about what I wanted. He's found a way to give me better programming since then.

Random: Oh.

Sister: I got comfortable enough to tell Dad about my siblings, but he seemed to already know.

Random: When Devcon returned your shanix, he conned Optimus out of it instead.

Sister: *shakes head* That explains it. I need to talk to this guy.

Random: *shrugs a shoulder* No social tact. Tried to get an explanation out of him about why he did it, but he didn't seem to understand the question.

Sister: *more head shaking*

room: *more silence again as Sister rubs Random's head*

Sister: *seems to notice something as she's rubbing: her brother's been doing a lot of thinking lately* *now just how to bring it up* I've been thinking about getting a new body with a different design. And change my color scheme to something not so clashing, but I don't want to get flak if our brothers don't recognize me.

Random: *looks up* Pfft. So what if they don't? You shouldn't let what they may or may not think prevent you from changing if it makes you happy.

Sister: *flickering away of a hologram reveals that she's already made the change* *Smile*

Random: *sits up with wide optics as he realizes the change*

Sister: *now his shade of blue with red and white supplemental colors*

Random: *notices that she's feminine without being stereotypical or showy about it--unlike what his creator had tried to do with her adult body* Wow. *now she had curves that had a much more modest feel to them, and she didn't look like she was wearing a bikini like most of the Cybertronian women he'd seen* *yes, the only people that would think she was "sexy" and "asking for it" were those mechs whose minds were so far into the gutter that they were going to think that anyway and those who had a ridiculously high standard for modesty* *in other words, mechs who don't want to take responsibility for their own feelings* *captured in the awe as he notices these things* You're beautiful.

Sister: *somewhat self-conscious* Thanks. *teasing smile* You're only saying that because of the blue.

Random: I do admit I'm biased about the color. . . . But it suits the design you chose. And the blue is dark enough that you don't look like Ultra Magnus, and the white differentiates you from Tracks and Skids.

Sister: I couldn't take Mom's pink, so I took my colors from Dad and made the blue darker. Garnak was confused for a while, but he liked the change when he figured out it was me.

Random: I'm glad our batch initiator didn't make you afraid of being a girl.

Sister: He almost did. I didn't like standing out. *which is why she went with dark colors that blended well in the night, mostly* But Dad respected Mom. And Dad respected me.

Random: *thinks on that*

Sister: *shrugs it off* But there's something else I wanted to talk about. You know how I rub your head, and it makes you feel better?

Random: *like what they had been doing until she showed him her new body?* Yeah.

Sister: It's not just a rub: it's an ability. Not connected with an alt mode.

Random: You mean like Windcharger's magnetic ability?

Sister: *nod* And the ability is stronger in my new body.

Random: *blinks at that*

Sister: Do you still have phantom pains from the stingers?

Random: *long pause as he tries to remember* *realizes he does* Yes. Sometimes, but I'm not sure why I should. I haven't dealt with them since I was in my youngling body.

Sister: *reaches for one of his hands* May I?

Random: *lets her have it, not sure what to expect*

Sister: *has him lay it open and starts rubbing from the heel of his hand up through his palm and up to his fingers*

Random: *gasps as pain goes through it* *realizes his Mom is probably listening in and tries not to be too vocal about how much it's hurting*

Sister: *not fazed by her brother's reaction and thinks that he's trying to be manly by not showing pain* It's okay. None of the bodies he put us in were very good, making it more likely that some stray string of code stays in the processor to pop up at, uh, random times. *continues to ignore Random's attempts at masking pain* My ability acts as a defrag and gets rid of the stray strands, making things run much more smoothly. *more concentrated rubbing through his hand* And there we are. *lets go of his hand*

Random: *blinks once he gets his hand back* *deeply surprised by how much of the stiffness he had been feeling before was because of the pain he had thought he had been feeling and not his cruddy body.

Sister: *waiting to see what his reaction is* *half expecting him to think she's a freak*

Random: *blinking* This is--I-- *looks down at his hands and feels the difference between them* *looks up at her* That's amazing.

Sister: *seems relieved* *and offers to do his other hand*

Random: *lets her take it and tries to be even calmer about the pain*

Sister: This is something that I haven't been able to completely tell Dad about.

Random: *seems to wonder about this, but it's also apparent that his mind is starting to run slow* Oh? Why not?

Sister: Because I don't think this is something a lot of people have. Dad just knows that I help people feel good, but I don't think he knows how I've been experimenting with it. . . . He might worry. . . . I've even been learning how to give Garnak massages because my ability doesn't work on him and it helps him feel good. Though I'm not really strong enough to do it on him. Knowing how to massage seems to help my ability though.

Random: *slow nod . . . but how much he understood is another thing altogether*

Sister: *lets go of his hand* There. *holds up her hand and pats her thigh with the other: time to go back to the head*

Random: *puts his head back down and he instantly appears to be able to think better as soon as she starts rubbing it again*

Sister: *after a moment* This also works like a regular defrag. . . . You've been doing a lot of thinking.

Random: *groan* Yeah, and it's been the past three days I've done it.

Sister: *keeps rubbing his head, waiting for him to get it altogether*

Random: [Heck], even yesterday! I go from finally getting over--physically, anyway--what that [jerkface] did to try to "make sure I'm the real one," finally back to walking around, and finally do something other than fixing the [blasted] ship to being accosted by some stupid guy trying to snatch me up so he can get money for finding one of those "pesky robot scum." I narrowly get out of that just so some [idiotface] kid can try and have his reptile dogs eat Jenny as if she's a rat--when she's not. Get out of that--barely--and bring Kia to First Aid and he goes on about how my spark is too weak to survive in an adult body but that it can actually survive in a bunch of the biggest [hogwash]--Agh. I need some--*turns* Oh, there it is. *picks up the energon cube that Sister got from him and drinks some of that*

Sister: *sipping some of her energon and concentrating on helping him sort all of these random files*

Random: *blinks as something occurs to him* Wait. *thinking through what First Aid actually told him*

Sister: *rubbing providing warmth and clarity*

Random: *looking thoughtful* Yes, he did say my spark wasn't strong enough. . . . But it's because it's too small and "not old enough" . . . *seems confused by that*

Sister: *thinks her input would be useful here* He means it has not had time to develop, and because it hasn't developed enough, it isn't able to do what an adult shell would expect it to. You remember the organic family with the toddler son?

Random: The one that tried to do the chores his father did? . . . Oh.

Sister: *nod* You can't expect a kid who can barely walk to be able to carry something that heavy.

Random: Because he might hurt himself. . . . Okay.

Sister: *back to silent head rubbing as her batch brother frowns in thought*

Random: *takes a drink of energon to stop himself from putting his hands on his head in frustration* But what the [heck] did he mean by "that shell would be putting a strain on my spark" even if I did have an old enough and healthy enough spark? And how the [heck] is putting me in a different shell and hooking it up to boosters supposed to help it?

Sister: *sip of energon* Because the shells he put us in were not made for sparks. They were made for drones.

Random: And drones don't have sparks.

Sister: *nod* Your new body would actually be made to have a spark in it, so yours won't be as cramped in there.

Random: *frown*

Sister: *stops rubbing his head and motions for him to sit up*

Random: *looking royally confused but he sits up like she asks*

Sister: *puts her hand on his back over where his spark chamber should be* *starts rubbing in a circle over the spot* *knows this would be easier if she were rubbing his chest, but a backrub is less socially awkward*

Random: *blinks as his spark slowly starts feeling less constrained in the chamber*

Sister: *a few moments later* Your spark should actually be feeling something like . . . this.

Random: *spark no longer feels like its cramped in a closet* *lots of blinking from the bot*

Sister: *hand moves the other way as she slowly lets his usual spark feelings return* *once she's done this, she is taking another drink from the cube*

Random: *after a few speechless moments* Wow.

Sister: *waits for him to have it all sink in*

Random: That's . . . I can see why . . . Wow.

Sister: *looks down at his cube and hers* Would you like some more?

Random: *somehow knows what she's talking about* Yeah.

Sister: *moves to get another cube*

Random: *hesitates, and then* Is your spark okay? And did the body change help?

Sister: Having a body actually made for your spark feels tons better.

Random: *blinks as he realizes something* Did you get shorter?

Sister: *realizes he's talking about the height of the shell that their batch initiator had put her in* I wasn't comfortable being that tall, so I went with a size between the "kid" size and the adult one.

Random: Can you transform now?

Sister: *nods as she sits back down* My alt's not the biggest, but it's quick enough to get away fast. *hands him a cube and then looks down at the one still remaining* I might get an adult size shell eventually, but it'll never be big enough to transport mechs needing medical attention.

Random: *realizes that his sister has really set her spark on being a medic* I'm sorry.

Sister: It's all right. Right now Dad and Garnak have done a pretty good job of getting people back. I don't need to get involved in the actual fighting.

Random: *thinking on how he actually does want to get involved on his team* You really think that?

Sister: I'm appreciated where I am. Dad thinks I can do my job just as well how I've been doing it. *shakes her head* He's even made a suggestion for my name-change list.

Random: *frowns as he thinks what their batch initiator named her* Yeah, you don't want to keep that. . . . What'd he suggest?

Sister: Iaso. She's one of the goddesses of healing from the Ancient Greek civilization on Earth. She was the one over recuperation from illness. . . . It's interesting, but I think it's kinda pretentious.

Random: Why is it pretentious? Do they still believe in her?

Sister: Mostly in Greece itself, although apparently those who still believe in the old gods are in the minority.

Random: Well, that one is pretty anyway.

Sister: We've never really thought about religion. It's been something that people invoke whenever something goes wrong, and they want to complain about. Hard to think about people actually taking offense, but they might.

Random: *thinking about how people usually use the names "Primus" and "Optimus Prime" as cursewords and when he realized that it probably wasn't okay to do so*

Sister: It's something I'll have to do more research on and consider. *sees how he's kinda zoning out again* But you've been doing a lot of thinking already. Let's help you sort that out. *pats her lap*

Random: *visibly relaxes as he lays back down and his batch sister gets to work on his head again* *yes, things get much, much clearer*

Sister: Better?

Random: Yeah. I remember I still need to ask [Mom] about finding out what abilities I can have on my new body. *pause as more rubbing happens* And . . . Jenny. I want her to know, uh . . . I want her to not make a mistake in what she thinks she's wanting. . . . I better write this down.

Sister: *lifts up her hands as he shifts to get his datapad from subspace* *holds off on commenting as she sees how good the model is* *does resume working on his head as he settles back down*

Random: *mumbling to self as writes* Ask [Mom] abilities body. Jenny know what doing. . . . There's something else. I can feel it.

Sister: *takes another sip of energon and works away*

Random: *suddenly* Duh! My complete and utter lack of ability to defend myself even with my hammer and bomb. *writes that down too*

Sister: *not sure what her batch brother just said, but she's glad he seems to be thinking things through*

Random: *doubletakes as looks at his datapad to make sure he's got everything* Oh! And I still have Dr. Frank's book. *thinks for a moment and then writes that down too*

Sister: *looks up as her brother settles down even further, the datapad resting on his chest as she continues to give his head her therapeutic rubbing* Remember everything?

Random: *thinks for a moment* I think so.

Sister: I think I'm through the biggest mess, so anything else you need should come soon.

Random: *quietly* Thanks, Sis. This has been helpful.

Sister: *smiles at her brother's gratitude that she thinks was often felt though not always expressed* You're welcome. I'm glad to have been able to see you again. . . . And thanks for not thinking me a freak.

Random: Because you're not.

Sister: *lets up after a few more minutes of rubbing in silence and is surprised by yet another hug from her brother* *will hug him as he cries again, but this time, she feels the crying is a bit more joyful and less stress related* *and if she were human, she'd feel some joyful tears herself*



some time later



Random: *as he's walking towards the door, looking a bit distracted* It's been really nice to see you, sis. Thanks for the rubbing and the energon. *doubletakes as he realizes what's just happened in the past bit and what that might mean for his sister* Uh, that's not going to take a lot out of you, is it?

Sister: *catches on what he meant to say* I'm not scheduled to do much for the rest of the day. I'll be fine. *gives him a reassuring smile* Once you get your new processor, it won't ever be that bad.

Random: *winces at that but trusts in his sister's judgment* *hand on the lock* Thanks again. *then it's his turn to be surprised as his sister gives him another brief hug*

Sister: Good luck, Random. I hope things go well. *gives him another reassuring smile as she releases him from the hug*

Random: See you later. *returns the hug and reflects on the fact that he will be able to see her more*

Sister: *gives him a wave as he leaves the suite, and then turns back inside as the door closes*

Random: *pauses a moment out in the hall, reflecting briefly on what just happened, but then he remembers that he needs to talk to [Mom] about what he just remembered before he forgets again* *walks down the hall as he tries to figure out where everyone went*


((co-written with random_xtras))