ANH. Rebel Headquarters Frigate. Pre-Meeting Gathering

[astrotechmech]

Kia sits on the conference table, her big eyes focused on Jetfire and Arcee's whispered snark fight as she frowns and hugs an intensely sleeping Murphy. She's waiting for Random and the rest of the people to come for this planning meeting, and wondering when Arcee will realize that Jetfire's feet are just too big to stomp like that.

Makeshift can be heard before he comes in. "Random. He's not going to invade your guts. He knows better, and besides, he wouldn't fit. All he wants to do is bring you glitches and get his chin scratched. Oh brother, they're at it again."

Even though Makeshift left the green-eyed tree frog with the other astrotechs in the hangar, Random is still giving Makeshift breadth as if the older astrotech still had it with him. He is also thinking, The thing might not now but it did before.

Random looks up and closer at the room as they enter . . . and of course immediately goes to be with Kia.

Kia smiles over Murphy's head as her mentor comes toward her, then absently sticks her mouth back onto the Minicon's helmet. She doesn't know why this feels so comforting right now, but it does, so she's doing it.

Random smiles back and then fights the urge to immediately pull her into a hug and carry her over to a chair. Instead he stands near and looks around as he hopes that even this isn't making too big of a scene. Hmm, he doesn't see Hot Shot. He knows the mech came back from Dagobah because he's seen him and the Star Saber Minicons. Those Minicons were rioting at the time. "Hot Shot's not here yet?"

Kia chuckles, her pale eyes starting to twinkle. "Look under the table."

Makeshift quirks a brow at her from where he's pulled up to the table next to them, then backs up and looks under.

Random raises a puzzled optic ridge at her before hesitantly hunkering down a bit and leaning sideways to look under it without committing to a full squat.

The members of the Minicon Air Defence Team look up as Random's face appears, and then beep greetings and wave. All three of them are warming their bums on Hot Shot, who is laying and snoring softly just like a mini Scavenger. Rollbar's leaning against him comfortably and snoring a little more loudly.

"You can't really hear them because of Jetfire and the princess," says Kia with another chuckle.

Makeshift shakes his head and mutters, then looks at Random.

"Oh." Random frowns as he wonders what the crazy Jedi Master had Hot Shot doing this time to make him so tired. Then the astrotech realizes that Hot Shot could still be recovering from his encounter with Nemesis Prime. Oy. It still makes Random shudder to think about what happened then.

And they were sure Scavenger hasn't taken over Hot Shot for Hot Shot to start snoring like him? . . . Yeah, he knows: No Scavenger in there.

Random straightens back up and silently asks Kia if she'd like a hug so he can reassure himself of her and go sit down.

Kia chirps sympathy to Makeshift and exchanges the look with him, then leans forward and lightly butts her mentor with her head in a hands free snuggle. "Thundercracker died," she murmurs softly as Random holds her close.

"Oh." Random pauses as he tries to ignore Murphy and starts to lift her. The flier was old and probably a bit crazy, but he somehow didn't expect him to be that close to dying. Even if Thundercracker seemed to be ancient.

Random will carefully take her and her passenger to sit down and give her a back rub.

Kia snuggles, then leans forward to carefully lay Murphy on the table, where he sprawls without a twitch. She looks at him with soft concern, then leans back again and looks up to smile at Random.

Random smiles back, glad that it's just the two of them again as he resumes his hug of her. It's so good to be with her again.

Kia's smile widens slightly, but then turns to surprise as she realizes that the reason Makeshift's chortling is because he's managed to kick Rollbar.

Random turns to the older astrotech in surprise. He seems to have missed what just went down.

"Wake up, you slacker. Oh, sorry, Rollbar. I was aiming at Hot Shot," says Makeshift, deadpan. Then he grumbles as his leg fails to repeat the maneuver.

"Liar." Rollbar stretches hugely, then stands and turns to boot Hot Shot.

"Yeow!" The young mech snaps awake, sitting bolt upright and causing the entire table to jump as he collides with the underside of it.

Random shudders and winces at the impact. That had to hurt.

The combination of the bang and Kia's squeal of surprise snaps Arcee and Jetfire out of their discussion, and the two of them stare for a moment, then put their weapons away and lean down to give Hot Shot a hard time and haul him out of there.

"If you don't think it's a good idea, you don't have to come," Smokescreen's saying in response to agitated beeping as he finally enters the room, his loyal Minicon partner Liftor on a shoulder and the Skyboom Minicons hanging off of him. "Though I'm not sure why you're making more fuss about it than you did about our original Bespin plan. That was equally if not more 'stupid.'"

Liftor raises a finger as if he's going to counter, but then stops in apparent embarrassment when he sees their surroundings.

Smokescreen, a bit agitated himself, takes Liftor's silence as "winning" the argument and fully turns his attention to the rest of the gang as he walks up. "Oh, so you found him again."

"Which him are you referring to?" asks Arcee dryly as she knocks dustbunnies off Hot Shot, who appears to be reacting to her attention differently than he used to. Come to think of it, she never dusted him off before either. Jetfire looks like a kicked puppy.

"That one," Smokescreen says, pointing to Hot Shot.

"He was sleeping under the table with Rollbar," says Kia without looking up from concerned poking of still sleeping Murphy.

"Oh. Seems like a safe enough place," Smokescreen replies. He then turns to the astrotechs. "Doin' all right, Random? Makeshift?"

"Uh, sure." Random looks like he's wondering why Smokescreen's asking, despite having been through a couple of adventures with Smokescreen by this point.

Makeshift looks up from the rumble under the table. "I kicked somebody."

Smokescreen looks under the table and sees there's a brawl fight of Minicons under there. "Um, better not keep getting involved, then."

"Smokescreen," says Kia then, her soft voice quavering slightly with worry. "Murphy won't wake up."

Smokescreen looks over at the Minicon and scans him. "Kashyyyk Minicons do that sometimes."

"But what's he doing?" Kia frowns and turns her small friend onto his side.

"Sleeping."

Kia pokes Murphy gently, before tilting her head as though listening. She blinks, then laughs softly and gives Smokescreen a look full of amused twinkles before leaving Murphy be and snuggling back against Random.

Smokescreen gives Kia a bemused look in return even as Random secures her in his arms, and the blue astrotech looks towards the important looking femme walking with purpose into the room.

"Good. You are all here," the femme says, looking around the room at the occupants.

"I'm awake." Murphy sits up, then falls over again. "No I'm not. Somebody fill me in later?"

Makeshift gives him a bemused look, then visibly decides to pretend he didn't see and hear that as he turns his attention back to the new arrival.

"Elita." Arcee steps forward for a quick hug as Hot Shot and Jetfire both snap to attention.

Random is feeling some bemusement of his own when he realizes that the important lady, Elita, must be the same lady who did all that speechifying when they received medals what seems like an eternity ago. He can tell because she just returned Arcee's hug and shared a brief greeting with the princess without even batting an optic shutter at the Minicons still fighting under the table. Just like the lady at the awards ceremony had completed her speech.

Smokescreen takes advantage of the femmes' current distraction to stand by Jetfire. "How ya feelin'?"

Jetfire reacts without thinking, his attention on Arcee and Elita. One arm goes out and gets Smokescreen in a gentle headlock, the shorter mech gets a quick kiss on the top of his helmet, and then he's released.

Random looks back at the orange and navy blue bot as he thinks he hears Liftor beeping a bit frantically and sees the Minicon flail at the unexpected action.

Smokescreen's taken off guard himself, but, more being familiar with the gesture, he just gets a confused look on his face as the motion is quickly over. It's not until he hears giggling from the Shield Minicons at Liftor's reaction that he comes back to the present and quiets his team over comms.

"I apologize for the inconvenience of calling this meeting so close to one already planned, but I thought it would be best to iron out the last kinks now before calling in the other officers," Elita says, addressing the group at large.

"Am I here because I'm needed for the meeting, or because you wanted Random and knew he wouldn't come without me?" comes a soft, swift response.

Elita turns to Kia, quickly recognizing her as the source of the response. "Both."

Kia looks up at Random.

Random is frowning a bit.

"Princess Arcee's told me that your charge can hear Primus very well," Elita says. "That is a very valuable thing. We also need capable astrotechs. Makeshift tells me you have the most field experience. . . . And where I'm sending you will probably be the safest place for her. The whole fleet will be involved in ship battles."

"And that is?" Random asks skeptically.

"The moon of Endor." Elita reaches behind her and makes the table bring up the hologram of the moon in question.

Jetfire has got a hand over his mask as he scowls at the hologram and radiates disapproval. He twitches slightly as Rollbar uses him for a ladder to gain the table, but says nothing verbally.

Rollbar hunkers on the edge of the table and studies the holo, then beeps quietly and looks at Random.

Elita leaves the blue astrotech to think that over as she turns to Smokescreen. "No matter what we decide to do in the end, you'll be working closely with the admiral. The ship you requested should be coming in with one of the frigates that hasn't arrived yet."

Smokescreen nods. "Thanks."

"What ship's that?" asks Makeshift, leaning forward and unconscious of the fact that he just gained a Minicon between his back and the back of the hover chair.

Elita turns to look at Smokescreen. She hadn't intended to disclose the details of the plan quite yet but will let Smokescreen decide.

Smokescreen eyes his partner Minicon before answering. "The one I intend to take to Unicron's core to blow him outta here."

Jetfire's quiet whistle breaks the startled silence after these words. Then he speaks up. "You're using the Falcon, right, Smokie?"

Smokescreen turns to Jetfire in surprise. "Wasn't since she wasn't mine to take, but if you're offering . . . She'd be the best option. . . . She just might not come back."

Jetfire's eyes get a little brighter. "She won't let ya down."

"Never has." Smokescreen smiles grimly. "Thank you."

Kia speaks up then, quiet but firm. "The rest of us don't know the plans."

"She's right," says Arcee, frowning at Jetfire and Smokescreen. "What does Endor have to do with blowing Unicron's guts out?"

"...Ick." Kia hides her face on Random.

Elita considers this for a moment and then nods.

"Have you noticed how there's been a decided lack of activity from Unicron since he destroyed Alderaan?" she asks calmly.

Jetfire pauses and then exchanges a look with the Minicon on his shoulder. "Uhhh..."

"It's because he's too weak to do anything right now," says Hot Shot quietly, one hand absently flapping to try and get Runway to let go of it.

". . . That would explain why he wasn't involved in the Hoth battle," Random says.

Elita nods in understanding, as if realizing that Hot Shot's information has confirmed suspicious that only her subconscious realized. "Our intelligence informs us that the Empire has been subtly moving him here where they can hide him and protect him with a forcefield generator stationed on the moon." A button press has the hologram zooming out from Endor to show Unicron under such protection.

"His new body is here too." Kia shifts so that she's facing the others again, her arms absently wrapping around Random's hand for a hug doll in absence of Murphy. "It's not finished yet." Her big eyes go toward Elita. "You need Random to turn off the forcefield?"

"Why didn' we just ask the newspark what it was?" asks Jetfire rhetorically. Airazor shushes him imperiously.

Then he blinks. "Wait. New body where?"

Arcee facepalms and mutters to herself about people and brain vacuum.

Elita exchanges a glance with Random at the revelation before pressing another button on the table, which morphs the forcefield around Unicron to reveal something else in there with him.

Elita answers Jetfire's question first. "Our young Kia just unveiled what they put in there with him. This is much more serious than I thought." She turns to Smokescreen. "And might need another strike."

Smokescreen nods absently, already thinking.

Elita then turns to Random as she answers Kia's question. "Yes, we'd like him to shut off the forcefield."

"He doesn't like talking to strange computers," notes Kia absently as she too frowns at the hologram.

"How are we getting down there?" Arcee's face is screwed up into a deep scowl as she contemplates the scenario.

"Fly!"

"Shut up, Runway."

"Um, I've just said you shouldn't trust strange computers," Random corrects automatically, frowning as he absently remembers his last encounter with a strange computer.

Elita ignores the peanut gallery as she moves to a better position by the table to allow her better access to the controls and still see the people in the room.

"Here's the plan," she begins smoothly. "Using a small Imperial shuttle we've acquired, a strike team will land on the moon and take out the shield generator. Once the shield is down, the fleet will move in and provide cover as the fighters penetrate Unicron and take out his main reactor."

"Shuttle," says Arcee, her attention on frowning danger at the Minicon climbing up Jetfire's leg. "What idiot did they get to do that?"

Elita turns to Jetfire. "Now that everyone is more up to speed I am able to ask: Is your strike team assembled?"

"Yeah," he says, turning to give a rueful cheesy grin to the Princess as Airazor lifts a small fist to signify her readiness. "All ready, your Excellency."

Arcee blinks at him, and then face palms and shakes her head.

"Ohhhhhh," says Kia. "That's us, Random."

Makeshift shakes his head, his expression saying that if he hadn't already seen these guys in action he'd think the entire Rebellion was doomed.

"I just don't have the command crew for the shuttle yet." Jetfire blinks at Kia and Random, and then looks at Arcee, who glares daggers.

"So now that we know the plan," the pink and white woman grits out. "Can we have the details?"

"We sneak through the blockade, land on the moon, and turn off the forcefield." Jetfire shrugs and is slugged for it as Airazor teeters.

Random had been sitting, silently somewhat fuming at the assumption that he and Kia were going to come with Jetfire on this crazy adventure. Eventually, Jetfire seems to have had the decency to remember that said presence on the team was not guaranteed. And then he's distracted by what the flier bot says next. Blockade!?

Kia startles slightly, despite the silence from her mentor, then looks up at his face before pointing to a double row of ships on the hologram.

Across the table, Hot Shot notices what the little silver lady just did and drops Runway in surprise.

"So when were you asking your team if they were interested, Jetfire?" asks Makeshift evenly.

Jetfire blinks, then lowers his head and face palms. "It's hard to remember all the details when yer gettin' yelled at."

Random stares at the hologram, feeling his spark sink, and holds Kia closer.

Smokescreen, meanwhile, is staring at Hot Shot, wondering what made the Jedi drop Runway like that.

Arcee's got the grace to look a little guilty at Jetfire's words, but she only sighs and says quietly, "I'm in. You know I'm in."

"We're in too, but Random doesn't like it." Kia looks around soberly. "But Primus says yes."

"Yeeeah," says Hot Shot slowly, still looking at her wonderingly. "I'm picking that up too."

Random's realizing yet another reason for Primus' 'pep talk.' Sigh. Primus, why did he need to be here?

"Yeah." Rollbar nods. "And count me in."

"Me too," says Commetor.

Smokescreen watches the others volunteer for Jetfire's team and almost regrets what he volunteered to do instead.

"So someone did their homework, right? I mean, just having the right set of wings isn't enough to get us through that blockade."

"Princess Arcee is right." Elita nods. "It won't be enough. When we acquired the shuttle, we also purchased a recent Imperial code and combined it with the ship clearance code formula we had previously acquired from a defecting pair of Imperials--an officer and an astrotech. The combination should be enough to--"

Random startles with doubletake and interrupts Elita before she can say much more. "Say that again?"

Elita stops and blinks, tilting her head. "'The combination should be enough to let the shuttle go through with little problem'?"

"No, no. Before that," Random says.

"Some defectors actually got away?" Jetfire sounds incredulous.

Elita looks between Jetfire and Random, thinks a moment, and then says, understandingly, "Oh, you mean about using code from a defecting pair of Imperials?"

"That's it," Random says, with some agitation. "Can I see that code?"

Elita thinks and then starts to type on the computer next to the hologram projector.

Jetfire glances at Smokescreen and raises his browplates, then turns back to Random with an odd, questioning expression in his eyes.

Smokescreen frowns but doesn't catch Jetfire glancing at him before Jetfire's turned away again.

Elita hands Random a chip, which he takes, letting go of Kia as he brings out a datapad, plugs the chip in, and then scans through code rapidly. After a few moments, he stops and sighs. "Yep, there it is. The part I made up to try to fill in what I didn't know. Blast it, I told them this code wasn't going to be much good after [six months]."

"Wait, what?" says Jetfire.

But Random's too busy muttering grumblings under his breath as he looks the code over to notice.

Arcee watches the muttering Astrotech for a moment, and then makes an attention seeking sound that makes Jetfire and Hot Shot both snap to attention.

Kia glances her way, but then resumes reaching over to pat pat the Makeshift who also snapped to attention and is now groaning quietly about it as the Minicon in his chair pats him and beeps very quietly.

Smokescreen glances at Arcee and then at Liftor still on his shoulder before resuming his frown at the distracted astrotech.

Rollbar looks up from his questioning study of the hologram after a moment broken only by Random's voice and the quiet beeps of Makeshift's small friend. He glances around the table, then gets up and walks over to stand in front of the Astrotechs before sitting down again and looking inquiringly at Kia.

Kia shakes her head and looks up at her mentor.

"So I ain't the only former Imp here, huh?" says Jetfire quietly.

Random turns and raises an optic ridge at Jetfire in the process of giving the chip back to Elita, clearly not believing that but grasping onto the part he has a ready answer to. Sniff. "Thought you already knew that when you asked me if I'd posed as an Imp 'tech before. Guess you believed my answer as much as I did."

Jetfire huffs a sigh. "You might've noticed I occasionally ain't that observant."

Airazor snorts very very softly.

Random doesn't glance at her as he replies. "Well, wasn't until I ran into that droned 'tech in Unicron that I really started remembering where I came from. . . . And just how stupid I was for getting caught up in all this."

Jetfire snerks slightly. "It took ya that long?" Then he sighs again and absently lifts the Commetor off his hip before using his thumb to rub the red Minicon's head.

"That's why you kept trying to run off." Arcee frowns up at him.

"...No. That was because I still have some common sense." Jetfire shakes his head and gives Random a sympathetic look before turning his attention to Commetor.

Random raises an optic ridge at Jetfire and wonders why he finds himself saying all this. ". . . No, just trying to keep old walls up. But that's kinda hard when you remember that the 100 things that you're currently doing could lead to your death. Or worse."

Jetfire nods without looking up, though his body language and the tilt of his wings say he's putting walls up himself and not ignoring Random.

Kia shakes her head slightly, and then wriggles 'til she can turn and hug Random with both arms. On the table, Rollbar makes a soft, supportive, "Breeeeep."

Random starts slightly and looks a bit embarrassed as he hugs back. He'll start rubbing her back as he looks to Hot Shot.

Hot Shot startles slightly, then lifts his brow plates and looks toward Elita.

Elita looks back at Hot Shot quizzically.

"Um, Random. How'd you get out?" asks Runway from where he's just climbed up beside Rollbar.

"How'd I get out?" Random looks at Runway skeptically, wondering if the Minicon really wants to know or is asking out of politeness.

Runway's head bobs in an earnest nod, his orange optics intent on the blue Astrotech's face. Behind him, on the other side of the table, Hot Shot and Jetfire are listening too.

"What's your story, Random?" Arcee's tone holds no command, only gentle enquiry.

Random gives Arcee a skeptical look, too, before turning to Hot Shot as he begins. "Remember when you asked me how I knew the propaganda was all lies and I told you I knew from trusted sources? Yeah, one of those was me. I'd been treated like so much dirt by a bunch of reckless jerks from my hometown who kept crashing their rides that I fell for the propaganda hook, line, and sinker. I didn't think my life could get any worse under the Imps but it did. . . . I was . . . barely sentient by the time Sneaker found me and nursed me back to health."

Hot Shot winces, and then wibbles slightly. When he speaks his voice is husky to the point of nearly being a whisper. "Oh."

"Yer not a person in the Imperial Army," says Jetfire without looking up. "Yer jest a piece 'a equipment."

"Right." Random nods. "But if they think you've stopped being a useful astrotech, they blame it on the spark and drone ya."

Jetfire nods, the grip on Commetor getting protective. "An' if yer a Minicon, they hook ya ta Unicron."

Hot Shot does a quick stoop and comes back up with the rest of the Air Defence Team in his arms, then watches, looking skeeved.

Random's hug becomes protective on Kia again, even if she's not a Minicon. "They've always had it worse than us."

"That's because they were made from Unicron," notes Kia. "He meant them to be tools to destroy all the big bots, and someday Primus."

"Yeah. But we broke free. We walk the line." Runway absently squeezes Rollbar's head as the little dune crawler flails with one hand.

"Like you, Random," says Murphy without switching his eyes on.

"I'd say Astrotechs and Minicons are both in nearly the same boat," says Makeshift gruffly, as he absently rubs his glitchy legs.

"Hmm." Random frowns and continues rubbing Kia's back as he thinks on the how of how he "broke free".

"So how did you get out of there, Random?" asks a familiar voice.

Oh, right, he has been thinking about it, but hadn't actually gotten around to actually explaining that part yet. "Sneaker came . . . I still don't know how he did it. He wasn't an Imperial sympathizer, but he joined up and became an officer. They liked him so much they let him take charge of whatever he wanted and he picked me."

"That's your friend who gave Kia her favourite doll, right?" says Hot Shot softly from where he's still hugging half asleep Minicons.

Random looks to Hot Shot when he speaks and nods. "He was the best friend I've ever had."

The quiet sound that comes from Hot Shot seems to deflate him, because at the end of it he's kneeling on the floor and looking down with eyes that are pale with emotion.

"Don't mind him," says the familiar voice, as a soft tangy scent seems to tease the edge of senses. "Keep telling."

Random nods in response to the voice and continues. "Before he took charge of me, he approached me. Privately. Said that he knew I had no reason to trust him and wasn't my commanding officer yet but that he wanted to be my friend if I'd let him. And he mentioned the Rebellion and how they could help--I didn't fully realize it, but he wasn't even part of the Rebellion himself yet. I . . . didn't really believe him. Why'd they'd help me? Surely, they, like everyone else would want something back. 'They do not want anything in return,' he said, though after I wore him down, he said that the Rebellion wouldn't mind whatever information they could get to help with escape logistics."

"Well, he was right about that," says the voice.

"Then what happened, Random?" Kia looks up from her reassuring snugglehug.

"And then after Sneaker took personal charge on me were some of the weirdest weeks I'd ever have under the Imperials. Sneaker asked me a lot of questions. And then he somehow managed to convince the other officers that, no, droids really couldn't do what they were trying to get them to do, stop making them do that. (It always creates such a big mess for the 'techs to clean up.) And then he made it so that I could get all my work done earlier, which meant I could actually recharge. And get more fuel." Random sighs with memory. "I still can't believe they let me have some of his ration. That fuel actually let me sleep better."

There's a silence as he pauses, and then Rollbar looks up from trying to pry his head loose from Runway's absent glomp and makes a soft, encouraging sound of enquiry.

Random sighs again. "It's a wonder what a small thing like recharge and fuel will do. It was something that the Imperials didn't seem to realize, but it changed me from being the least productive astrotech on the base and one of the ones next slated to being droned to being one of the most productive ones."

Random pauses before continuing. "It also gave us time to help plan our escape. Sneaker always insisted I didn't need to do anything and that he'd make sure that he'd take the fall if something went wrong with the plan. . . . But . . . I wanted to help. I believed him when he said that the Rebellion treated people like me with respect. . . . Because there I was suddenly getting more respect than I'd ever gotten in my life. Do you know how nice it was to be called by name after being referred to as a number for so long? He called me by name whenever it was safe to do so. . . . But I've gotten a bit off track."

"The plan," Random resumes. "I was wisely kept out of a lot of it, but I knew one thing. That it was a lot easier to get at the information they needed and even to get onto the base if they had access to high level protocols that can give them the clearance codes they need to get in. . . . I didn't just have those protocols, but I was stupid enough to think I could replicate them. Especially if I could have a peek at some real code. . . . Well, as it happens, a ship came in that was having trouble with the program that transmitted authorizations. . . . It needed the same permissions the code I was trying to make needed. And Sneaker somehow managed to convince them to let him supervise the job and give me that access. . . . It gave me just about everything I needed to complete the protocol. I just needed to do their [six monthly] change to give the Rebels the best protocol possible."

Random absently hugs Kia a bit tighter in memory. ". . . But then, right before I could do the final steps, I freaked out because of how severely an officer punished one of the other astrotechs for something. . . . I think Sneaker couldn't get me to respond to my number, so he risked calling me by name to get me to calm down and reaffirmed his promise me and reminded me that the rescue was only a few days away. . . . Well, I finished the protocol, and a few days later the Rebels "attacked" and 'killed' an Imperial officer and astrotech. . . . But once I was safe with the Rebellion I wasn't exactly done freaking out."

"Sneaker came when the medics failed to get me to calm down while reformatting me and then stayed throughout the whole thing and kept asking them what they were doing. . . . He apparently did it even after I'd finally fallen into recharge. Fixer was amused anyway."

"And then Sneaker proved himself an even better friend. He literally had no reason to do this, but he stuck with me. Through every transfer. I don't know what his profession was before he became an officer, but for some reason, I never thought he was really a security bot. And I'm still baffled about how he helped me. The bot doesn't like and doesn't lie for anything. The name he went by under the Imperials, Protocol, was the name he was sparked with. Sneaker's a nickname he acquired later and adopted when he joined the Rebels. And he hadn't been part of the Rebellion before he joined up, so he didn't lie about THAT either."

"Random..." Kia points to something on the table in front of them.

Random looks to see what Kia's pointing at. He frowns when he sees a Cybertron sunrise bit with something blue on top of it.

Elita is thinking that she hadn't seen that there when she came in.

"Kia, is there something wrong with the candy?" asks Arcee, trying to understand the reactions of the two Astrotechs.

"Yeah..." says Jetfire slowly. "I've never seen any candy like that before."

Arcee looks up at him sharply, and then looks back to the Astrotechs.

"I didn't do it," says Makeshift. "I've never seen one like that before either. What are you laughing about, Rollbar?"

". . . It showed up out of no where," Smokescreen says, looking at the treat.

"Seriously?" Hot Shot finally looks up from protecting his half asleep Minicons.

"Yup." Murphy sits up with a groan. "We had other people at the meeting."

Random is now reaching over to the table and picking up the Sunrise to examine it. This isn't the first time he's gotten Surnises "magically." He looks to Murphy. "Who?"

"Um..." The little black Minicon shrugs helplessly. "They were friendly."

"I only saw Link. I don't know who the other man was," says Kia. "But he was standing right next to Link, so he must be a friend."

. . . Now Random knows why the voice was so familiar, and after a moment of thought, that would explain why he smelled Sunrises while he was talking about Sneaker rescuing him.

"Who's Link?" Arcee scowls, her hand absently opening and closing near her hip where her gun is holstered.

Random is distractedly looking at the Sunrise bit and studying it as he thinks about what he heard without realizing it. "Primus' avatar."

[. . . Not this stuff again.]

Smokescreen frowns at Liftor.

Rollbar looks up toward the blue Minicon and snerks. [What?]

"You're joking." Jetfire looks from Random and Kia to Elita as Arcee frowns distractedly beside him.

Random holds up the Sunrise bit. "No. This has happened before. 'Link' showed up and gave me a pep talk before we came and rescued you. For some reason I'm supposed to get caught up in all this and not just look after Kia."

"Well," says that voice quietly. "You've been working for the Rebellion for a long time, Random."

Kia looks toward it and frowns, and Hot Shot and some of the Minicons also look that way.

"Wait. Why is Primus giving you can..." Jetfire holds his head in his hands. "Do I even wanna know?"

Random looks in the direction of the voice.

And Link is there, standing over by Elita's chair with the vague notion of someone else standing beside him. When he sees Random looking his way the tawny mech gives a serious little wave, his eyes kindly and sympathetic.

Random blinks, turns and sees that he's not the only one who can see him, then turns back. "But I . . . already did my part with the protocol . . . "

"And you did it so well that I knew I could trust you with the most important part of my plan," says Link.

Rollbar whistles softly and shoves Runway off, then looks over toward Hot Shot, who is frowning thoughtfully in that direction.

Arcee is also looking that way, with the same not seeing anyone expression. She's also elbowing off the Jetfire who is trying to hide behind her.

"Most important part . . . ?" Random asks, dumbly.

"Taking care of Kia, and keeping that hot shot from blowing himself up with swampwater corroded wiring." Link glances toward a Minicon groan and face palm from behind Makeshift.

"Oh." Random frowns as he takes this in.

"You've got common sense, and you stick with things." Link puts an absent arm around the shoulders of the person beside him.

Random's optics practically fall out of his head. ". . . Sneaker?"

The red bot nods and waves back to the blue astrotech. "Hello, Random. It has felt like a long time."

In Random's lap Kia stirs suddenly, and then puts her hands to her mouth to muffle a sudden squee as her big eyes shine brightly with recognition and love.

Sneaker turns to look at Kia. "Hello, Kia."

Kia flails slightly, then makes little squeaks before gasping and hugging herself. Murphy reaaaches over from the table to pat pat her.

Random smiles sadly and gives her a comforting hug before turning to his old friend. "I take it you're not back for good?"

Sneaker shakes his head. "No, I am afraid not. Link reached out to me to accompany him here, and I accepted his invitation. However, my place is no longer here."

"Can we ever see you again?" asks Kia softly, her arms going around Random's arm.

"Some day," says Link quietly. "You've already been where he lives, Kia."

The little silver lady's mouth falls open with surprise, and she looks up at her mentor excitedly.

Random frowns. Where has Kia been that . . . Oh.

Smokescreen has stopped paying attention to the blue astrotech talking to "himself." Instead, he's been trying to explain the situation to his Minicon partner over comms.

And then Link looks over toward Liftor and makes a throat clearing sound. "I'm not that hard to believe in."

Liftor's optic widens over his mask. When--How'd?

"I've been here all along. Oh. And I think the Bespin idea was stupider than this new one." Link turns back to Random. "We've got to go for now. I'm asking my Boss to help you guys." He looks around the room soberly. "Tell them all that I'm proud of them?"

Liftor so suddenly looks like he's stopped working sitting up that Smokescreen's now waving his hand in front of his Minicon partner's face, trying to see if there's life in there.

"All right." Random nods reluctantly and looks to Sneaker.

"I will be all right. Please forgive me for eavesdropping on your recollection of our initial meeting. Link gave me permission to do so. Thank you for the praise you gave me. It means a lot."

Random nods again, more sure. "You deserved every bit of it. Thank you for saving me."

"I was merely following the direction Primus gave me at the time and happily gained a new friend in the process," is the red bot's humble reply. "I fear I must leave now. Goodbye, Random."

Ugh, now Random is feeling emotional again. "Goodbye, Sneaker."

"Until we meet again," says Kia softly and firmly as Rollbar nods approval of her and Murphy hopefully waves goodbye to people he can't see.

Sneaker turns in Kia's direction and nods. "Until we meet again . . . " and he and Link fade from view as Sneaker gives a final wave of goodbye.

"...Are they gone?" asks Hot Shot as he sees Kia turn away from where the two visitors had been. "Why didn't I feel or see anything?"

"Call wasn't for you, kid." Rollbar sighs and sits down.

"Oh..." The young jedi frowns and settles into his seat.

Random stares at the place where Sneaker and Link had been before turning back to the rest of the group. He is surprised to hear that Hot Shot didn't see any of that.

Liftor's shoving Smokescreen's somewhat amused face away from his own.

Comments

[astrotechmech]

Random wonders if those books are something Sneaker would have read, and then he remembers that his friend could have very well read those books before the Empire banned them, even if he doesn't remember Sneaker telling him about Primus' avatar specifically.

"Sneaker's not creepy," Random tells Jetfire a bit indignantly. "He wasn't haunting. He was just saying hi. Oh." Random turns and looks around the room and then starts when he remembers Elita is also here.

"Don't worry," Elita says. "What happened here doesn't have to leave this room if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Oh," Random says again. "I . . . probably shouldn't have brought up where I came from. Especially since I'm still afraid my old CO is gonna find me and drag me back, but um,"--Random looks around again--"Link--Primus says he's proud of all of us."

Elita nods. "Then I won't mention your past in the next meeting, but I can say that Primus is with us."

[random_xtras]

"My lips are sealed," says Jetfire. "But you gotta do the same fer me."

"Did you get kicked out for dishonesty?" Arcee snorts at him to cover the choke she's feeling at Random's words about Primus being proud of them.

"No," says Airazor suddenly, speaking up for the first time in the meeting. "He left after he bashed the guy that was beating me."

[astrotechmech]

Distractions resolved, Random looks down to check on Kia and pulls her back into hug when he sees she seems sad. He'd forgotten how attached she had gotten to his old friend.

Elita nods.

Smokescreen has been silently watching the proceedings, feeling much like Elita that it wasn't his place to interrupt. He had nodded in promise when Elita gave Random her reassurance. Now he looks over at Airazor, remembering Jetfire's own escape story.

[random_xtras]

"What?" Arcee gives the little Minicon woman a surprised frown.

"He was top of the class at the school for fighter pilots." Airazor frowns back. "But he'd learned from a friend before he ever joined that we were people. So one day when he saw a guy beating me for refusing to do what they wanted me to do, he smashed him, and then took me, Comettor, and Murphy, and deserted."

The former princess of Alderaan blinks, and then gives the space cowboy a long look.

Jetfire seems to be squaring his jaw as he looks back.

"Are we done here yet?" asks Makeshift quietly. "My back hurts."

[astrotechmech]

Random winces a bit at the implied violence. He is still a bit surprised to hear that Jetfire had been part of the Imperial forces, and he is further surprised to hear how the mech went out of it. But recent events have also shown Random that the mech has a spark behind his gruff exterior. Somewhere.

Random rubs Kia's back, glad to be safe and to catch a glimpse of Sneaker again but not necessarily thrilled to be going back into danger with her. He looks to Elita at Makeshift's comment.

Smokescreen looks thoughtful as he remembers what Jetfire was like before he managed to convince him about the Minicons. That was even before he partnered up with Liftor here. Smokescreen had just had a lot of Minicon friends and knew that the common perspective about them was totally off. He is distracted by these thoughts when Elita replies.

"Yes, we can be done here," Elita says to Makeshift, nodding. "I'd like Jetfire and Smokescreen to come to the main meeting, but you, Random, and Kia do not have to stay."

[random_xtras]

"Let's go to the mess." Kia hops down from his lap, then turns and looks back at him. "We might not have nice things again for awhile."

"Sure, your Excellency." Jetfire's distracted by what the little silver lady just said, and is now edging toward the door.

"Oldbots first." Makeshift turns and scoots from the room, his little passenger making a faint cheer as they vanish down the hall.

Kia squeaks a protest, then grabs Random's hand and leads him out of his chair and in pursuit, Murphy a gleeful shadow. In an hour or so they'll be contentedly sleeping off a fuel coma, safe from thoughts of what the morrow may bring.