ANH. Imperial Shuttle near Imperial Blockade. Out of the frying pan . . .

[astrotechmech]

Random paces up and down the small "corridor" behind the pilots' chairs. It isn't enough that they're using probably very-much-illegally-bought Imperial codes to sneak past the Imperial blockade led by Nemesis Prime's imposing vessel and onto the forested moon holding the shield generator for Unicron's two bodies using Random's ship-clearing formula. But they're also doing it in a ship that he's fixed before while in Imperial service. Not the one he used to get his formula written, but it was still unnerving to be in a ship whose weak points you're all too familiar with.

Especially if you know where the Imperials need to hit in order to instantly blow it up.

All he needs to complete this nightmare is for his old Imperial CO to pop out of one of the shuttle's compartments.

Comments

[astrotechmech]

It feels odd to Random when he realizes that despite what "recycled" can mean for bots, the way the Minicons use it sounds better than saying "wiped" when talking about bots who have to start over.  This is going through his mind as he examines the tarp and realizes he's going to have to get a little creative with it to cover himself correctly.

Hmm.

And it looks like Kia is busy, so she might not be able to take the flowers back . . . And Jetfire's close . . . At least he's not a Minicon. 

"Hold these?"  Random offers the jet mech the flowers.

[random_xtras]

Jetfire looks down and considers making a joke, but he knows how touchy the blue astrotech can be. So he just goes, "Sure, Randy," and takes them. And then he sniffs them.

"I'm not a jedi," says Kia softly, one hand lifting slightly to rest on the protective Murphy's head. "I'm just young enough to hear Primus easily."

"... I don't get it." Ransack scratches his head. "Isn't it hearing Primus that makes a jedi?"

"No. There are promises you need to make. I'm only an astrotech."

"Then why do you have your own Minicon?"

"And why is he your Minicon?" adds Iceberg to himself. Dune Runner takes a break from hitting Rollbar and hits his teammate instead.

"I don't." Kia chuckles. "Murphy is my friend."

[astrotechmech]

Random watches to make sure that Jetfire really has the flowers and isn't going to mess them up somehow for a moment before turning to the task of putting on the tarp.

Okay, first thing is to get out some clasps so it stays on. All right, now he pulls it around and over himself. Good. Now, the trickier task of putting the clasps in the right places.

And yeah, Random's only really half listening to the rest of the conversation at this point. He's heard something about Jedi not just being about hearing Primus? Maybe that's why Sneaker doesn't count as one? . . . There's a lot he still doesn't understand.

And there's also something about Kia owning a Minicon . . .? Oh, Murphy. And, yeah, what Kia said. Random shakes his head as he tries to put everything in place.

[random_xtras]

"I meant your Minicon like you say your mentor, your boss, or organics say my mom," Ransack clarifies.

"Yo mama is ugly!" Dune Runner tells Rollbar. And gets busted tip over tea kettle and then sat on, to the accompaniment of much quiet laughter.

"I understand. But not all astrotechs are comfortable with the term," says Kia gently.

[astrotechmech]

Random looks down at himself after he manages to get the last clasp in the right place. A lot of his face is probably still showing, but he needs to be able to see somehow.

And, yeah, for some reason the Minicons have devolved into "your mom" jokes. It's been a while since he's heard one of those.

Okay, looks like he's probably good enough. Holds out his hand for the the flowers. "I can take those back, now."

[random_xtras]

"There ya go." Jetfire gives him a quick grin, then returns to snerking at the little people.

And Kia looks over at her mentor with curious interest as Murphy shoves Rollerball over for getting too close.

"Are you ready?" Rollerball is still scowling over his shoulder at Murphy as he walks toward Random. "The path's this way."

[astrotechmech]

"Thanks." Random checks the flowers over. Yes, they're still good.

Random looks up and spots Kia. Yes, she's still good, too.

He's about to wonder if he should just go or say something before leaving when Rollerball speaks to him.

Random nods to the Bespin Minicon. "Yes, I think so." He turns to Kia. "I'll be right back."

[random_xtras]

Kia waves, affection clear in her eyes and smile, then puts a hand down to stop Murphy's vehement attack on another Minicon who has come too close.

Rollerball is grumbling softly as he walks along the trail, which is just a narrow, slightly sunken, track that rambles through the groundcover and undergrowth. After awhile the bushes narrow and grow tall to either side of it, briar bushes with massive thorns.

Rollerball finally stops at a jog in the trail and goes to stand next to a sweet pea that's poking its heather purple blossom through the thorn bushes. "The camera's just around the corner, at about chest height for you." He pauses, then, "What're the flowers for?"

[astrotechmech]

Random returns her smile before turning to follow Rollerball, feeling happier despite the circumstances.

The feeling fades the longer he follows the Minicon. It's a little further away than he thought it was. Probably a good thing considering that they didn't want to be caught, but it's giving him time to second guess himself and realize he's left Kia behind.

And then they're here.

Okay, maybe this really isn't too far away.

Oh, and there's another flower. Random automatically reaches to take this one as well, nodding as Rollerball conveys important information about the location of the camera--and then asks him a question.

Random stops reaching for the flower and looks down at the other flowers, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed.

"I once heard some of Sneaker's security friends talking about these kinda flowers," he says, after a moment. "They were native on the planet they were assigned to and kept getting in the way of their cameras. They're fast growers, apparently."

[random_xtras]

The little Minicon stands and looks up at Random expectantly for a long moment. Then he cocks his head slightly. "...Say what?"

[astrotechmech]

Random sighs and resists the urge to rub his face in frustration since that could mess up his disguise.

"I don't know either, okay?" Random says a bit agitatedly. Then, to himself, "Maybe I just need to do it."

He carefully picks the flower that's peeking through the bushes and adds it to the rest of the flowers he's holding. He then steps close to the wall of thorns--making sure not to have his impromptu cape catch hold of any of them--before slowly turning the corner.

And there it is. The camera, mounted on a tree branch below the level of his optics.

Okay, so, how does he do this?

He thinks a moment before edging along the bushes up to the branch. He then carefully raises the flowers up to the camera lens and waits.