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]

"They're going to be kind of distracted," say Arcee, swinging her hammock lightly and smirking toward Mirage. Then she outlines the plan, including the parts that Smokescreen and Hot Shot are now doing.

High Wire makes a sound like a frown, then turns his head to look at first Mirage and then Gears. "I think your friend would have been better off coming here."

"You're just over protective of Bulks," opines Ransack from where he just stuck his head in around the doorpost. The baby toothcat cub is cuddled in his arms, eyes closed and mouth busy on the spout attached to a bag of milk.

[astrotechmech]

[Probably,] Mirage beeps, agreeing with High Wire. [But he'd made up his mind.]

"What do you think the odds are that he lands up in the first barfight that happens once everything blows over?" Gears asks, distractedly. "He's got to be driving everybody crazy up there with the wait."

[Considering he's been doing subtle, sneaky stuff since the Dark Prime showed up on Bespin . . . ?]

Gears winces.

[random_xtras]

"I'll take care 'a him." Jetfire pauses and fishes in his fuel port, then examines the piece of metal that he just pulled out.

"Don't expect me to take care of you after you do," says Arcee, turning herself right way around in the hammock.

The shuttle bot winces and looks at her appealingly, but her optics are switched off.

[He needs to lay down and sleep too.] Ransack nods toward Random.

"I'm working on it," says Kia. "But I think I'm too old for sleeping baby magic anymore."

"Want me to try sleeping Minicon magic?" Murphy turns his head to look at her.

"No. Go eat supper." She drops him gently on the floor and watches him run over to the table.

[astrotechmech]

[Liftor probably won't like you encouraging him,] Mirage says, walking towards the door.

He pauses on the way and looks up at the tired, blue astrotech. Random looks back, still holding Kia close.

[Don't worry. We're done talking about it for now.] Mirage continues on his way, taps Gears on the shoulder, nods his head towards the door, and then walks through the door himself, intending to check on his teammates.

Random sighs as Gears leaves with his toothcat. He feels very tired, but they have time? This place seems better than Jabba's dungeon. And maybe the swamp. Both places have Minicons, but this place hasn't tried to eat him yet.

Oh, he's not laying down yet. He'll lay back and let Kia sort herself out.

[random_xtras]

"It'll be good for 'im." Jetfire puts down his bowl and walks over to Random's bed. "Gimme the tarp, Randy."

[astrotechmech]

Random's still getting over the idea that they actually have time and mulling over the plan that Arcee rehashed when Jetfire asks him for the tarp. . . . Oh, did Jetfire need it for something? Or does Ransack want it back?

Random shifts a bit so he can pull out the tarp and holds it out to Jetfire.

[random_xtras]

"Thanks," says Jetfire absently, then he opens out the cammo tarp and spreads it out carefully on top of the prone astrotech. "Theeeere we go." Eyes sparkling in a grin, he nods to Kia, then turns and goes back to the table.

Kia blinks, then lifts the edge of the tarp and pokes her head under so she can see her mentor's face.

[astrotechmech]

Random is blinking his optic shutters and looking quite confused until he notices Kia. And then he's reaching for her, smiling when she joins him. The little femme snuggles against him, and soon the area under the tarp is comfortably warm.

Now Random's reminded of the blanket and the private room that Fixer gave him back with the fleet. That place was definitely safe. He's starting to think that blankets aren't so weird, either.

With memories of Fixer's kindness and foresight on his mind, Random will contently recharge here under the tarp on the strange moon, holding his daughter until it's time for them to take out the shield generator.

Near the Imperial back door

[random_xtras]

Kia stretches slightly, then stoops to pick up a bright piece of mineral and put it into her mouth as she looks around at the trees and listens to Primus and to the fainter but still comforting echoes of Primus's Creator that the first bot sends to her. It's barely daylight, the warm forest is surprisingly chilly and foggy, and Jetfire's been hovering near Random since her mentor nearly walked into the doorpost on the way out this morning. She's told the shuttle bot that his behaviour is NOT helping Random feel better, but it's clear that he's too keyed up to really be able to control what he's doing. The little silver lady thinks that she'll be glad to reach the door, even if it will involve throwing kremzeeks at Autotroopers.

Arcee makes a soft sound, and then pauses, her eyes on one of their Minicon guides.

[astrotechmech]

Random tries to ignore Jetfire's hovering, but he's struggling to do so when said hovering is exacerbating his feelings of being hunted. In a few short hours, they'll have been on the moon of Endor for a full day, and Random doesn't know what Hot Shot has been doing and if the bot's going to face Nemesis Prime has alerted the Imperials to the whole plan.

The realization might have hit him while adjusting his cloak on the way out the door.

[random_xtras]

//Kia?// Arcee sends over the team's encrypted channel as she turns her head to look at the younger female.

//They know we're here.// Kia looks back calmly.

Arcee frowns as Jetfire stirs restlessly. //Should we turn back?//

//They don't know we have kremzeeks.// Kia muffles a soft chuckle.

[astrotechmech]

Okay, so they do know, but so does Kia.

That . . . is actually reassuring.

Random intakes deeply.

[random_xtras]

Kia tugs at the little cammo poncho that the Minicons brought her this morning and which is cut down from equipment used by Autotroopers, then hooks a foot over and boots a Minicon out from under the hem of Random's cape. This done, she frowns at Jetfire, smiles at Arcee, and then nods to the big white bot on the other side of her, hoping that the former Autotrooper turned newbie will remember the plan.

Panda walks confidently out of the bushes, then stops, throws a bag on a string, and bellows, "KREMZEEK!" at the top of his not inconsiderable vox capacity.

To their credit, the two Autotroopers at the door don't actually crash into each other as they try to flee the raging energy sprites. But that might only be because they happened to be facing away from each other when the bag hit and opened.

[astrotechmech]

Random starts when he notices that one of the Endor Minicons landed up under his cloak cape thing.

And then he starts again when Panda shouts and throws the Kremzeeks at the Autotroopers. He's . . . still not sure what to think about the former Autotrooper. But the two real Autotroopers are leaving?

Random wonders how the Empire have prepared for them. More Autotroopers hidden somewhere or . . . ? Wait, is something big behind them?