MV. The /Ark/ and a Troll Village in Iceland. Scarves and Remembering
Patrick's phone: *rings! Number is unknown*
Patrick: *cautiously answers* Hello?
voice on the other end: *female. No nonsense. And accented* //Good afternoon. This is Gunnhildur Gisladottir at Hvalvik Police. I'm looking for Patrick Oberson.//
Patrick: This is Patrick Oberson.
Gunna: //Ah. We've got a young bloke here looking for you. He's taken a rather serious wrong turn.//
Patrick: ... *brow up, will look up the town.... and boggle when he realizes it's a small village in Iceland* What is the name of the young man?
Gunna: //He says it's Stony. No second name. Something about delivery of a silk scarf that you ordered.//
Patrick: ... *puzzling over this until he remembers the silk scarf he ordered off-world* I know what he's talking about.
Gunna: //Do you?// *sounds relieved, confounded, and amused* //Can you arrange some way of coming to get him, then?//
Patrick: *doing that now! Is pestering the heck out of Skyfire!* Working on that now....
Gunna: //I think he'll be alright in my back yard for the night. But I'm not sure how you're going to convince an airline to let him and his horse aboard.//
Patrick: That won't be an issue. *relaying what Skyfire just told him* As long as the wind's not too strong, the pilot I'm talking to said he can land and take off without too much difficulty.
Gunna: //Ah.// *sounds slightly surprised* //A private jet, then?//
Patrick: Something like that, yes. *also relaying a message about this to Col. Franklin* Pandita Marler is the name of the pilot.
Gunna: //Alright. Which airport will you be coming down at?//
Col. Franklin: *can you hear that face palm, Patrick?*
Gunna: //Oh, and I should mention that this bloke's six meters tall.//
Patrick: *amused chuckle* How big is his horse?
Gunna: *thoughtfully* //'Small elephant' comes to mind. The kids are all convinced it's a troll horse.//
Patrick: ... I see.... *and now he's wondering if he should tell Skyfire to use a PINpoint* *to Col. Franklin* //Authorization to send Skyfire with a PINpoint, and a whole stack of NDAs?//
Col. Franklin: //Can he PINpoint to somewhere just offshore and off the radar, then fly in?//
Patrick: //From the sound of things, the courier is a male Lu, with a pretty big horse.... I'm not sure Skyfire would be able to lift both...//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. We actually have a presence in Iceland. There's an airstrip.// *sounds rather hesitant to send people there*
Patrick: *heard that hesitation* //...Alright, what's there that has you so wary, Mike?// *to Gunna* We're getting information for the nearest airfield....
Col. Franklin: *quietly* //The old Norse legends about trolls were based in fact.//
Gunna: //Alright. Do you want to call me back? Overseas is rather expensive, and my boss is going to have a #$#@$@ fit.//
Patrick: *to Gunna* I'll let you go then. Mr. Marler should be in the air within the next two hours. *to Col. Franklin* //... Native?//
Gunna: //Alright.// *gives him a phone number to get hold of her and then signs off. Still sounds slightly amused about this whole thing*
Col. Franklin: //Not originally. But they've been here so long that they don't even have legends about where they came from. Just that they came from the sky a long time ago.//
Patrick: //....Are they dangerous?//
Col. Franklin: //As dangerous as you guys.//
Patrick: *relaxes* //I see...//
Col. Franklin: //Their reservation is even more closed than yours, because they can't blend in. But I think I can convince their elders to let Pandita land on their airstrip.//
Patrick: //Alright.... I told Gunnhildur Gisladottir that Pandita would be in the air within two hours... If he PINpoints to a spot under the radar and flies into the airstrip, then that gives us.... at least six hours?//
Col. Franklin: //Sounds good.// *sound of keys being tapped in the background*
Patrick: *so amused* //This sort of thing would happen to me, wouldn't it?//
Col. Franklin: *chuckles* //You seem to have a magnetic attraction for it, Patrick.//
Patrick: //I still think whoever it was that first said "May you live in interesting times." needs to be pelted with rotten fruit.//
Col. Franklin: //He probably was at some time or other.// *wry amusement* //I'll get this done. Do you need anything else?//
Patrick: //Not that I can think of at the moment.... I'll keep you updated when Pandita sends me information.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. Franklin out.//
Patrick: //Patrick out.// *will turn his attention to trying to figure out just why Wreck-Gar's hand is doing a tap dance on his desk*
Out in the Hall
Rachel: Ack! Jack, I have work to doooooo. Leggo! *trying to shift so she can elbow her way out of husband glomp*
Jack: Ack! Heeey.... *pout. Just wants to cuddle, Rachel... Why you so mean?*
Rachel: *elbows him in the belly* I have to check on Jenny. And I've got checkups for today, sport.
Jack: *'oof'* Aw.... Alright... *snuggle, will reluctantly let Rachel go*
Rachel: *gives him a sympathetic grin, then turns and runs for the elevator, hoping to catch it during its brief stop on this floor during the ferret Recorders' up and down marathon*
Wander: *walking backward and watching Jack fence with Russel, cane vs clipboard, as she follows Pandita to Patrick's office*
Russell: *laughing as he tries to fend off Jack. Is clearly relieved that his best friend is alright*
Jack: *determined to at least poke Russell in the side!*
Pandita: *so amused, is watching the two mechs and making sure Wander won't trip over anything as she walks*
Wander: *grins and turns around, to run right into Alphons* Ooof!
Alphons: *startled sound, backs up a few steps* Goodness.... Are you alright... *blinks behind his glasses* Chip Dancer... It's been quite some time....
Pandita: *blink blink, confused mech is confused*
Wander: Sure, I... *looks around* Chip Dancer huh, where?
Alphons: *concerned* I was addressing you.... *and now he's moving to transform, thinking that Wander might not recognize him while he's in alt mode*
Wander: *looks at Pandita* I'm Wander, right? *absently reaches down and pats a turbofox head is it's poked under her hand*
Pandita: *quietly* I've known her as Wander since she and I first met....
Alpha Trion: *gentle concern, is doubly sure that the femme before him is indeed Chip Dancer*
Wander: *blinks and nods, then turns back to the old bot* Um... I think somebody called me the Messenger... Or was that something off TV?
Alpha Trion: *quietly* That was many vorns ago..... Back during the Quintesson-Cybertronian War.....
Wander: Oh. *scratches her head, and then blinks as she realizes she's in root mode* Uh. I don't remember.
Frank: *sniffa A3 foot*
Alpha Trion: *speechless. He had not expected this....*
Patrick: *coming out of his office to see if Pandita is on his way down the hall* .... Er..... Did I miss something?
Wander: *looks around* *points to Alpha Trion* He says I'm ... *looks back to the old mech* Uh, what was that again?
Alpha Trion: *softly* Chip Dancer.... One of the few who was entrusted with sensitive data, and tasked with keeping it safe from the Quintessons....
Wander: Yeah. That. *turns back to Patrick*
Patrick: *small nod* And there are parts of your processor that are locked off....
Wander: Oh yeah.
Patrick: *looks to his creator* She succeeded in keeping the data safe, and disrupted a supply line.... One of the deliveries that would have tipped the war in the Quintessons' favor went missing.... Wander had the shipping label in her internals....
Alpha Trion: *so surprised* Then....
Wander: Something about unlocking it and me getting even worse lost than usual? *looks at mate*
Pandita: *nods* Rachel explained that since the locks had been there so long, removing them would do more harm than good....
Alpha Trion: *silent as he nods his understanding* *then* Where did you go after you left Cybertron?
Wander: You knew I left? Uh... wandered, I think. I don't remember.
Alpha Trion: *another small nod*
Patrick: *hand on his creator's shoulder*
Endstar: *pops up and peeks over Dad's shoulder with a chirp! This is why Mama was with Dad as he walked to the office!*
Frank: *yips at baby. Wag wag wag grin*
Patrick: *soft chuckle as he sees Endstar*
Pandita: *will gently hug Wander* *to Patrick* Where will I be PINpointing to?
Patrick: Off the coast of Iceland.... Under the radar, since the airstrip you'll be landing at is protected.....
Endstar: *sings his soft little wordless song, and then notices Alpha Trion's sad face. Leans over Dad's shoulder and reaches toward the old mech with one little fat hand* Bow! Eeeeya! *giggle*
Wander: *is focused on what Patrick's saying*
Alpha Trion: *soft clicks for Endstar. Is quite saddened that Wander does not remember him*
Patrick: *will give Pandita the coordinates* They'll be expecting you sometime in the morning.... *will also give the flier the coordinates for the village*
Pandita: *small nod, understanding clear on his face*
Wander: *looks from Patrick to Pandita* So I take Endstar now?
Endstar: *over Dad's shoulder and a flying jump for the old guy!*
Wander: Whoops.
Alpha Trion: *startles, but is quick to catch Endstar and gently fuss over the sparklet*
Wander: *looks from mate to sparklet, trying to process all this. Then knows what to do!* *kisses Pandita, and then walks over by Alpha Trion* This' my kid, Endstar.
Alpha Trion: *soft chuckle* How old is he?
Endstar: Big. *nods his head and chirps*
Wander: Uh, yeah. I can't remember that either. I just remember that Pandy got sick a lot when he was in the oven.
Alpha Trion: *raised brow ridges, looks to a sheepish Pandita*
Wander: Oh yeah, and I remember everybody saying that I got all the easy time, and that black chick got the opposite end of the stick. *pause* Pandy? Ain't you going? Did I forget to kiss you?
Pandita: I'm going... *will move to gently touch his forehead to Wander's and then Endstar's, before he's heading down the hall to get on the elevator*
Wander: *happy grin, her optics shining as she watches him go*
Endstar: *sing sing sing!*
Alpha Trion: *soft chuckle, even as he continues to fuss over Endstar*
Wander: *to Patrick* See ya, Chief. *waves, then chuckles as Endstar is overcome by the urge to KISSIE*
Patrick: See you around, Wander.... *snerks as Alpha Trion gets kissied*
Alpha Trion: *surprised!*
Endstar: *loves you so much, Alpha Trion!*
Wander: Hey, now. C'mon, kid. You're smuckin' up his glasses.
Alpha Trion: *gentle cuddles for Endstar before he's offering the little bit back to Wander*
Wander: *takes her gentle and lovable son* Did you eat yet?
Alpha Trion: *headshake* I have not...
Wander: *as Endstar cuddles and sings* Let's go see what there is in the eating place. *grins and tilts her head, big optics dancing in the old remembered way*
Alpha Trion: *nods and chuckles softly as he offers his arm and leads her and Endstar toward the mess hall*
The next morning (for Iceland)....
gulls: *starting to appear*
Skyfire: *doing his best to avoid mid-air collisions with gulls*
gulls: *thankfully more interested in skimming the water and chasing those fishing boats to get in the way of the jet. And there are none hanging around the little harbour that is near the spot that Patrick has been told to go to*
harbour: *boats are there. And there is no one working around these boats, oddly*
Patrick: *points that out to Skyfire*
Skyfire: *coming in for a landing*
male voice: *suddenly crackles over Skyfire's radio* //This is restricted airspace. If you don't have the proper ident code you are asked to leave now.//
Patrick: //This is Lt. Col. Patrick Oberson of Ark Base.// *supplies the ident code Col. Franklin provided*
voice: //Welcome, Lt. Col. Oberson. We've been expecting you. Please fly toward the cliff at coordinates (X Y). They're holographic, you'll pass through safely.//
Patrick: //Understood. Thank you.//
Skyfire: *careful as he descends and lands on the landing strip, which consists of a wide swath of gravel along the floor of a surprisingly large cavern. Electric lights line the top, but leave most of the big natural room in shadowy darkness. At first it seems as though the two Autobots are alone, but then a figure steps forward*
figure: *over six foot tall, broad, powerfully built, and carrying quite noticeable fat reserves. Comes closer, and is revealed in the low lights to be a woman in an intricately patterned sweater, her blond hair cut short and curly on her large skull*
Patrick: *will disembark, and be EXTREMELY grateful that Emilia insisted on making him wear a winter coat*
Skyfire: *transforms once Patrick's disembarked, stretches*
woman: *looks up* And you must be Skyfire. *nope, she didn't even blink*
Skyfire: *surprised*
Patrick: .... You know about Skyfire?
woman: Col. Franklin said he'd probably be the source of transportation. I wasn't sure how that worked, but I see now.
Patrick: Ah....
woman: I'm McKenzie, your friendly guide. Don't worry about my last name. I can't pronounce it. You're looking for somebody, right?
Patrick: *nods* *serious expression is a go* A troll and his troll horse.
McKenzie: *knitting pauses as she looks down at him, and then she snerks softly* Trust me, that's no troll or troll horse.
Patrick: *chuckles* I didn't think so, but that description was all I had to go on.....
McKenzie: *turns her head toward the shadows and whistles softly, then watches as something very big, very hairy, and very dark comes shuffling out to see her*
critter: *at first only the white splash on her chest and her white forefoot will show clearly, but then her outline finally starts to match something both scholarly bots will have seen before only in prehistory videos and books. Claws like small daggers curl upward as the big creature walks toward Patrick on the backs of her front feet, and curious dark eyes look at him and ask all the questions that loving pets ask about new things*
Patrick: *will reach up so the critter can smell his hand*
Skyfire: *blink blink* That's a giant ground sloth.....
McKenzie: *soft chuckle* That's a troll horse. *turns toward a large door set in the wall some distance behind her* And I'm a troll wife.
Patrick: *blinks* A troll wife?
McKenzie: Yup. Here, the kid's down this way.
Patrick: *moves to follow McKenzie as Skyfire makes a fool of himself by fussing over the "troll horse"*
McKenzie: *glances back and chuckles again* Don't let her get hold of your hand with her tongue, or you're done for. She was a bottle baby.
Skyfire: *clicks softly*
Patrick: ... *soft 'heh'* Skyfire's fond of animals.....
McKenzie: He'd get along reasonably well with the locals with that. Though he probably wouldn't like their other hobbies. *through the door and then leading Patrick through a reasonably comfortable, though still very chilly, stone corridor*
Patrick: *following and looking around*
McKenzie: *passes a wooden door through which snoring can clearly be heard, but just keeps going*
Patrick: *follows and makes note of the snoring*
McKenzie: Most people are asleep by now, but there are a few of the locals who like to stay up late. *opens another door and winces slightly at a crash* You're lucky that was a plastic dish, kid.
deep, but young male voice: *sheepishly, in heavily accented English* Sorry, sorry, you startled me.
Patrick: *slight cringe at the crash* *wonders to himself if he should speak up*
big horse: *tied by the door, gives Patrick a friendly nose bump that could have put him through a gyprock wall*
Patrick: *slight stumble, acks*
young lu man: *meep* Are you okay? He's friendly.
Patrick: *reassuringly* I'm alright.
McKenzie: Lt. Col. Oberson, this is Stony. Stony, that's the guy you're looking for.
Stony: *pauses in distracting his pet to perk and look down at Patrick. Is just twenty foot of gangly hopefulness*
Patrick: *offers a hand for a handshake*
Stony: *uncertainly touches the hand* Hello. I have your order. Tezza's sorry it took so long to get to it, but there were a lot of people who wanted scarves.
Patrick: That's alright. I don't get to surprise my wife very often, and she has no idea what else I got as part of her Christmas gift.... *small smile*
Stony: *happy perk, but then droops again* I broke my teleporter.
Patrick: That's alright. We can get you another one.
Stony: Do you have any unbreakable ones?
McKenzie: You guys aren't that hard up, are you? *frowns at Patrick*
Patrick: *quietly* We have Nexus access.... We're not as bad off as the farther-flung Cybertronians, but the Autobots and Destrons are still recovering from the part of the war that occured on our homeworld.
McKenzie: ...So it shouldn't be too hard to get surprises for your wife?
Patrick: *soft chuckle* It would be easier if she and I weren't bonded....
McKenzie: *quizzical head tilt*
Patrick: *transforms*
McKenzie: Yeah, I know you're cybernetic. But what's that got to do with what you said?
Optimus: Emilia is Cybertronian as well, and our sparks are connected.
McKenzie: *thinks about this* ...So you're hardwired together somehow?
Optimus: That's one way to look at it, yes.
McKenzie: So you hear each other's thoughts.
Stony: ...Bummer.
McKenzie: *quiet snerk*
Optimus: Not all the time.... I've been able to keep her Christmas gift secret. There are couples who have deeper bonds than Emilia and myself...
McKenzie: Huh. Next time my husband accuses me of reading his thoughts I'll tell him some guys' wives really can. *chuckle*
Optimus: *soft 'heh'* *nods*
Stony: So... *holds out a package wrapped in large leaves* This is it. I'm supposed to let you look at it and then collect the pay.
Optimus: *nods and reaches for the package. Will get his billfold out of storage as well*
Stony: *standing and watching, a slightly goofy but very hopeful smile on his furry face*
McKenzie: *gives one of the balls of yarn hanging in bags on her belt a tug, then continues knitting as she watches*
Optimus: *satisfied nod, will get the payment out and give it to Stony, as well as a tip.... and the simple PINpoint he usually keeps in storage for when the Nexus decides to gank him.... not that it's happened yet, but you never know....*
Stony: But... you didn't look at it yet. *confused young dork*
Optimus: I did... I scanned it.
Stony: *blink. Blink. Blink* ..... *blink* Oh.
McKenzie: *grunts and steps forward* The horse is loose again.
Stony: *meeps and goes to get his pet, who just gave McKenzie a friendly headbutt in the back*
Optimus: *soft snerk*
McKenzie: So everything's settled?
Stony: Yup, yeep! *and he and his horse just vanished with a swish and a slight flash*
McKenzie: *eyebrows up and hands pause on knitting*
Optimus: *chuckles* He'll be back where he's supposed to be, safe and sound.
McKenzie: You sure?
Optimus: *nods* Very.
McKenzie: Alright. So everything's settled?
Optimus: *nods* Yes. Now I had better get Skyfire so we can head home.... *stowing the scarf in subspace*
McKenzie: Alright. *then lifts her head and listens to the sound of blows and shouting from somewhere out in the corridor*
Optimus: *frowns* That doesn't sound good.... *moving to head for the door*
McKenzie: *sticks out an elbow to stop him* They'll get bored in a minute.
shouters: *suddenly shouted at by another deep voice. There's the sound of a slamming door and then the much fainter continuation of the fight*
McKenzie: Or go join somebody else.
Optimus: ...Sheesh.....
McKenzie: *looks at him and chuckles* That was friendly interaction till Snori interrupted.
Optimus: .... It sounded so much like fights back home....
McKenzie: *laughs now* It was a fight. And now it's a big fight. *opens the door and leads him out into the hall, where the sound of yelling and crashing comes clearly from the door a little down the way*
tall and broad shouldered figure: *turns to look toward her, a hand on the doorknob of the door behind which the fight is happening* *deep voice like rocks grating together speaks in accented English* I'll be back to bed soon.
McKenzie: *grins* Alright.
Optimus: *raised brow ridge* Your husband?
McKenzie: Yes. *turns away as the broad shouldered figure disappears into the room with the fight* He's going for a little before bed entertainment.
Optimus: *notices a tufted tail whisk in before the door closes* *blink blink*
McKenzie: What's wrong?
Optimus: Er......
McKenzie: I did say I was a troll wife.
Optimus: That was a troll?
McKenzie: That's what the humans used to call them back in the old days. *starts toward the landing strip* They're the basis of the troll legends.
Optimus: Ah.... *moves to follow* *is totally going to get a picture of Skyfire geeking out about the trollhorse*
McKenzie: Of course by now nobody around here is pure blood. Some can even come out into the light of the sun.
Optimus: They couldn't before?
McKenzie: *glances at him* You don't know troll legends?
Optimus: Not as well as I'd like.....
McKenzie: *tisks at him* No. Earth's sun was poison to the original exiles.
Optimus: Hm.... *slight frown*
McKenzie: But there's been a lot of human blood mixed in since then. *glances up at a tall and rawboned woman who's coming in from the airstrip* *blinks* Sigurjona? *continues in a guttural but surprisingly melodious language*
Optimus: *blinks and listens, trying to get a feel for the language*
Sigurjona: *looks at Patrick with small, dark eyes over a pronounced nose, her tufted tail twitching uncertainly. But then, as McKenzie finishes speaking she smiles and nods her head* *gruff and deepish, but unmistakably female voice* Velcome for visit, Optimus Prime.
Optimus: *nods* Thank you for allowing us to visit.
Sigurjona: *smile goes shy, and she speaks quietly to McKenzie, who nods and pats her on the arm before shooing her past and away down the corridor*
McKenzie: *turns back to Optimus* She noticed your friend and brought him a snack. She's a good kid.
Optimus: *blink* She's a child?
McKenzie: *snerks as she starts walking again* She's seventeen.
Optimus: Ah....
McKenzie: She won't be finished growing till her mid twenties. You saw how tall Jon is.
Optimus: *nods*
McKenzie: Troll women aren't dainty. *pauses at the mouth of the corridor and looks toward Skyfire*
Skyfire: *enjoying one of the cheese-filled pastries with loganberry sauce from the full plate that he was given* *goofy expression is a go*
Optimus: *soft chuckle* Sort of like Destron women then.... *amused snerk as he sees Skyfire's expression*
McKenzie: *gently boxes her trollhorse's ear as it comes over to nuzzle her* Really?
Optimus: *nods* Destron women aren't dainty.... Of course, all of them are warriors of some sort.....
McKenzie: Huh. Well, that's a difference. Troll women have no interest in fighting. *glances over her shoulder as shouting and thuds echo down to them from the fight down the hall*
Optimus: *chuckles* *a bit sadly* Autobot men and women, for the most part, aren't really interested in fighting.....
McKenzie: You don't really look like you would be. *walking toward Skyfire now* Hey, are you going to share those?
Skyfire: *offers the plate*
McKenzie: *nods that Optimus should help himself*
Optimus: *chuckle* Thank you. *will have one of the pastries, though he'll pause before taking a bite* How did you meet your husband, if you don't mind me asking?
McKenzie: *glances at him as she takes a pastry for herself* The internet. We met in a virtual world, wound up friends, and then, when he found out how tall I was, he proposed.
Optimus: Ah.... *soft chuckle, has a taste of the pastry*
McKenzie: *shrugs as she bites her own sweet and savoury pastry* Ex female sumo wrestlers don't get a lot of genuine proposals, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Then I got the non disclosure forms in the mail.
Optimus: *soft, muffled chuckle. Is amused at how efficient NEST is about that sort of thing*
McKenzie: He wanted me to come and visit his mother at least. *shakes her head* Dumb suck.
Optimus: *small nod, and a quirk of a grin. Remembers when he first insisted on bringing Emilia to meet Alpha Trion and Beta*
McKenzie: *turns toward the corridor as a bellow of agony comes from it* Don't make me come down there!
fight: *mutes itself somewhat*
Skyfire: *so amused*
McKenzie: *looks up at him with a grin* You should see those guys when I walk into one of their fights. You'd think I was made of glass.
Optimus: *soft snickerfit. Remembers all too well just how similar Tracks acted around Denver when Denver was still human*
McKenzie: *humorous brow quirk* What's so funny?
Optimus: We have a couple where the male acted similarly.... His wife is a Marine in the United States Marine Corps.... and at the time, she was a Major.....
McKenzie: Ah. *snerk. Eyes dancing with amusement as she has another bite of her pastry*
Skyfire: *as he finishes one pastry and reaches for another* Lt. Col Trach is a very capable soldier.... She spars with Skywarp on a daily basis.... *nod nod*
McKenzie: Who's Skywarp? *finishes her pastry, then dusts her hands and starts knitting again*
Optimus: One of the Destron women at Ark Base.
McKenzie: And not afraid of breaking the human, huh?
Optimus: When Lt. Col Trach was human, no....
McKenzie: *stops and looks up at him as though looking over glasses* Huh?
Optimus: Almost two years ago, we had a series of unexplainable incidents happen, and now Lt. Col Trach is a Cybertronian woman. She and Skywarp spar on a daily basis. Lt. Col Trach also spars with her oldest son, who is human.
McKenzie: *gives him a long stare, clearly looking for the joke*
Optimus: *totally serious*
McKenzie: ...Huh.
Optimus: We're grateful for the miracles.
McKenzie: I guess it'd be stupid not to be. So long as they came from the right person. *frowns at her knitting*
Optimus: *nods* *chuckles* One of the miracles we had was that a baby who was weak and frail became healthy and strong. Now nothing slows Dion down....
McKenzie: *bit of a grin*
Skyfire: Aside from naptime. *grin*
McKenzie: Naptime is a universal miracle. *looks up, the doubt and uncertainty gone from her eyes*
Optimus: And how.
McKenzie: You guys have a lot of kids?
Optimus: *nods*
Skyfire: Optimus and I are both parents.
McKenzie: *slight head shake* Nice.
Skyfire: Optimus' family is much larger than mine though... *chuckles*
McKenzie: *looks down at her knitting* I might wind up with a child. Maybe. Sometime.
Optimus: *understanding in his optics*
Skyfire: *concerned expression is a go as he realizes just how isolation has affected this group of organic people*
McKenzie: *shrugs and then looks at her wristwatch* Oh. I forgot this is breakfast time for most humans. Jonie's a smart kid.
Optimus: *chuckles* And in some parts of the world, people are still sleeping....
McKenzie: I meant this time of day by the clock. *snerk* *then looks at the plate, sees its emptiness and snerks again*
Optimus: *quick to nab a second pastry while he has a chance to do so*
Skyfire: *slight pout for Optimus* *is ignored*
McKenzie: *offers to take the now empty plate* Do either of you need a drink? I can get you water from a tap. It tastes like sulphur, though.
Optimus: *headshake and tries not to make a face at the idea of sulfur-flavored water*
Skyfire: No, but thank you for the offer.... *shares Optimus' opinion of sulfur*
McKenzie: *slight quirk of a grin* Sorry.
Optimus' subspace: *is ringing!*
Optimus: *startles and fishes his phone out* Hello?
phone: *pings*
Optimus: *makes a face at his derp, answers his phone*
phone: *pings again*
Optimus: *frowns and pokes himself in the audio* //Optimus speaking.//
ping: *repeated!*
Optimus: *recognizes a sparklet call this time, pings back*
ping: *comes again... and it's Soli's. Somehow she's managed to figure out how to bounce a call through the Nexus to her father's phone*
Optimus: *connects to his phone* *soft clicks for Soli*
Soli: //Daddy! You back now!//
Velocia: *muted in the background* //Yeah!//
Optimus: //We're getting ready to come home now.// *looks to Skyfire and McKenzie* It seems we need to be going home right now....
McKenzie: *frowns* What happened?
Velocia: *gives a big yell*
Optimus: *cringe* My youngest are throwing a fit....
Soli: //Slaggit! Don't do dat!// *sound of a sister whomp*
Skyfire: *sympathy cringe* Soli and Velocia.... *understanding nod, will move to transform to flight mode in a clear spot*
McKenzie: Nobody else can get them to settle down? *frowns*
Optimus: They're the ones calling. *letting Emilia know this*
McKenzie: *frown deepens* How old are these kids?
Optimus: Cybertronian sparklets aren't as helpless as most organic babies.... Soli's just over two years old, and Velocia's a few months old... *cringing at the sounds of sparklet battle*
McKenzie: ...So they can make overseas calls? I hate to think of the bills.
Optimus: Soli figured out how to bounce calls from her comm.....
McKenzie: Huh. *shakes her head, and then calls her troll horse away from Skyfire and grips a handful of that long soft fur*
Optimus: *out comes a pad of paper and a pen, followed by a quick jotting down of his comm frequency* *offers the piece of paper to McKenzie* If you and yours ever need assistance, this is how to reach me.
McKenzie: Thanks. You know how to reach us. *tucks the paper into the pocket of her pants*
Optimus: *nods* *is also thinking of sending an order from Swindle Co. here* Thank you again for allowing us to visit.
McKenzie: Heh. They don't mind new faces sometimes.
Optimus: *chuckle* Stay safe.
McKenzie: *without thinking* God bless. *slight wince then, and a defencive look in her eyes*
Optimus: *gently* You as well. *no judgement in his expression*
McKenzie: *blinks with surprise and relaxes* *looks around* Alright, you're cleared for takeoff.
Optimus: *nods* Thank you. *moves to board Skyfire's passenger compartment*
Skyfire: *once Optimus is secure, he's taxiing out onto the runway and getting ready to take off*
McKenzie: *backs with her pet toward the doorway, then pauses to watch them go*
Skyfire: *takes off cleanly, will waggle his wings in a waving motion before heading out towards the ocean and homeward*
((written with random_xtras))