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

[random_xtras]

Kia calls over her shoulder, laughing gently and with sympathy. "Softheart crashed."

Then she turns back as she reaches her mentor and smiles up at him.

And Softheart's sad sounds have turned to happy ones, and he is cheekrubbing on Random in thanks.

"...Some wipeout," says Jetfire in the background from where he's hunkered down to gab while still keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"Yeah," says Rollerball from behind Random. "He usually doesn't go all the way over like that."

[astrotechmech]

Random smiles back at her. He's glad she's safe. And happy.

He looks down when something on his leg causes him to start. Oh, the young tooth cat. Softheart, was it? He guesses he can see how the name applies.

Random doesn't have much time to think more on this line when a new voice comes from the forest behind him.

"There you are," a red and blue Minicon says, approaching Rollerball. "I've been looking all over for you. Don't you know that it's not safe to be out right now with the"--the Minicon finally notices Random and Jetfire and switches to Minicon as he breaks off--[Imps.]

[random_xtras]

"I'm still undetectable in alt mode," says Rollerball, stepping back slightly to look at the newcomer a little warily, lifting one hand to try and hide the flower that's clinging to his head. "And this guy just took care of that camera up the trail."

"Um, and we understand Minicon," notes Kia as she reaches Random and leans against him, still hugging Murphy.

Murphy just hangs there with his usual good nature, though he almost looks like he'd be blepping if he had the gear for it.

[astrotechmech]

Random puts his arm around Kia as the red and blue Minicon looks the group over warily, taking them all in as if for the first time.

The Minicon looks at Jetfire, the true "Bulk," first, frowning and tilting his head in some confusion. [Weren't you dead, mech?]

His optics next rest on Kia, and they lighten with understanding. [You're the Silver Lining we were hiding.]

Then, he finally looks Random over and sees how the astrotech is holding Kia. He looks at Kia herself. [They're with you then?]

[random_xtras]

The little silver lady glances to Jetfire and Rollbar and sees both their nods, then turns back to the red and blue Minicon. "Yes, Gears, they're with me." A sweet little smile. "And reports of Jetfire's death were greatly exaggerated."

[astrotechmech]

Random feels like he's missed a lot as the red and blue Minicon--apparently "Gears"--talks. More stuff from Bespin? And he's starting to wonder why Kia's looking to Jetfire and Rollbar before remembering that they're technically more in charge of their team than he is. Even if he is her mentor.

[Right,] Gears says, taking them all in again. He then sets his eyes on the young tooth cat, staring at him from beside the astrotech, and startles. Gears relaxes and resists the urge to go and grab the cat, instead motioning to him to come over.

"Uh, Kia, right?" Gears asks, switching back to Basic. He then frowns. "How'd you know . . .?"

[random_xtras]

"Yes. I'm Kia. This is my mentor Random." She chuckles as Softheart trots over and rubs his cheek gently on Gears' shoulder. "And Murphy told me your name."

Murphy just looks up groggily at sound of his name, then turns his head to look over to where Dune Runner is wanting to know why Rollerball has a flower on his head.

[astrotechmech]

Random nods politely as he's introduced.

Gears absently starts stroking the head of Softheart as he nods back. "Gears. As she's said." He looks to Murphy with a look of doing some mental math.

"Oh, right," Gears says, finally, waving to the other Minicon.

Gears then looks to Jetfire. "Sorry about that, but I don't think anyone'd expect a mech who was put in carbonite--which no bot was meant for--and then dragged off to face the judgement of a Hutt would be expected to come back."

"And back to you." Gears turns to Rollerball. "You might have good shielding, but that means squat if someone sees you with their bare optics. You stick out like a sore thumb. And what was this about the trail?"

[random_xtras]

"I didn' expect it," says Jetfire quietly after Murphy waves back and then zones out again. "But I've got family." Then he chuckles quietly as the scolding of Rollerball recommences.

"He fixed the camera." Rollerball forgets to try and hide his flower and uses the hand to point toward Random with the thumb. "Nobody'll see anything through that again. And I don't think they'll have time to fix it, if the Silver Lining's on Endor."

[astrotechmech]

Random holds Kia closer as if to protect her from the stuff that happened at Bespin, and then looks at Gears as Rollerball points him out specifically.

Gears looks between the other Minicon and Random. "Oh."

Gears then turns and notices the Adventure Team. "You're here, too, huh? Did you have a plan for them?"

[random_xtras]

"Yeah." Ransack absently backhands the Dune Runner who's trying to gank his cub in the face. "They've got to come to the village so we can figure out what's going on." A backward fist knocks his teammate on that teammate's skidplate and triggers another quiet outburst of mirth from the other Minicons present.

"Mrrrrr." Softheart looks at Dune Runner, then looks at his little red and blue parent to see if that is okay.

And Kia's patpatting HER parent with the hand of the arm not holding Murphy.

[astrotechmech]

Random stops and looks down at himself at her touch. Oh, right, he's still wearing the tarp Ransack gave him. He should probably give it back . . .

Gears gives his tooth cat son a reassuring rub. Nobody is gonna mess with him on Gears' watch.

"You mean other than a bunch of grumpy Imps fritzing out all over the place because of the thing they have in orbit?" Gears frowns up at it at the memory before turning back to the Adventure team. "We better get a move on, then."

[random_xtras]

"You're the one holding up the show." Ransack makes a razzing sound, then turns toward the trail that Random had repaired, only to pause and laugh as he sees that Kia has vanished under the tarp. "Do you want to keep that?" He braces his feet against a thump in passing from Rollbar as that sturdy bot and the rest of the Adventure Team head for the trail.

[astrotechmech]

Two things, Random thinks, shivering a bit as he reflects on the reason why they're even on the moon of Endor in the first place.

Gears, meanwhile, shakes his head and gives Softheart one last, reassuring rub before standing and joining the other Minicions on their way to the trail.

Random is taken out of his thoughts by Ransack's question and looks down at himself again, smiling a small smile as he sees where Kia has landed up and gives her a reassuring squeeze. He looks back at Ransack. "You don't need it?"