mbv, /Ark/ Base and Patrick's House, Late Night Activites
Sky: *walks into the med ward as Russell sits with Serenity behind the desk sometime after nine o'clock* There you are. *stops to look in the crib the twins are sleeping in*
Serenity: *looks up from the datapad she's writing a report on as Russell does likewise*
Sky: *grin and soft clicks at the sleeping bitties, then comes over and sets a small clear box in front of Russell. Inside are a computer disk, VR goggles, and VR gloves*
Russell: *Slight headtilt* What is this for?
Sky: You.
Russell: *Gives Sky a Look*
Sky: *turns the box so he can see the label on the disk* Wesson got it for me. It's a kind of chess that the JDs like to play.
Russell: *Blink blink, surprised medic* Huh....
Sky: *sets a small white PO shipping box in front of Serenity* And that's a game for you.
Serenity: I'm not really into games, Sky....
Sky: Open it.
Serenity: *Raised brow, moves to do so*
box: *in a nest of padding is a little flat fish shape made from coloured polyclay, and an envelope*
Serenity: *headtilt, reaches for both items*
fish: *happy face on it, and a sequin eye. On the back is a name and a number* *name is 'Atomic BBQ'*
Serenity: ... Atomic BBQ?
Sky: It's his name. I thought it sounded good. *bit of a smirk at Russ*
Serenity: *opening the envelope now*
envelope: *holds two pieces of paper, one is heavier stock and nicely decorated. It has the toy fish's name and its date of birth. The other is a letter thanking Serenity for adopting the fishpet and explaining that he's a collectible, breedable, adoptable like the ones you find on websites, but that you can hold in your hand, carry around in your pocket, or house wherever you like*
Russell: *Amused snerk at his wife's befuddled look*
Sky: *rolls her eyes* It's little and cute and named in honor of your mate. Those are all things you like.
Serenity: ... *SNERK*
Sky: And you can buy him a Rinny fish and get baby fish for them.
Russell: *amusement grows*
Serenity: I might have to do that....
Sky: *grin* Good. *grabs a handful of goldfish crackers and then turns and strides out of the med ward, her long hair swishing behind her*
Wesson: *watches her go from his post by the door* *is amused*
Maria: *Working on a crossword puzzle over in a rocking chair. She's in her civvies, because the NEST Psychologist made her take a week off for mental health reasons*
Wesson: *glances at his wife, and muses to himself again that such an interesting lady has such a boring hobby. Then looks over to Russell* That chess's pretty good. *grin*
Russell: I'll have to find time to play it sometime soon then...
Maria: *getting a perplexed look as she gets stuck on a word*
Wesson: Ain't your shift ending soon? *watches Serenity examine the toy fish*
Russell: It should be.... *Considering look*
Kia: *comes in then. Somewhere behind her is the sound of rubber edamame popping*
Wesson: *okay, Maria's hobby is boring, but that one's weird*
Maria: *looks up from her crossword, raised brow at Merlin*
Merlin: *Pop pop pop...*
Kia: *looks around and smiles* Sorry to disturb you, Russell and Serenity. You and the twins look so comfortable.
Russell: *Concerned now* Is something wrong?
Kia: *blinks and chuckles* We're here to relieve you. Your shift is over.
Wesson: *chuckle*
Russell: Oh... *Sheepish grin as he and Serenity move to get up and get the girls*
Serenity: *Carefully putting the fish and all its papers into her subspace before she's carefully picking Meryl up*
Kia: *notices Maria and goes over to her* How are you feeling, Lt. Ross... Wesson?
Maria: Bored.... I'm used to being on the job....
Kia: *surprised* Are you lacking in enjoyable off duty activities?
Maria: *A bit sheepishly* I really don't have very many off-duty hobbies...
Kia: Ah. Well, researching hobbies might prove to be an interesting pastime.
Maria: *shrugs* I wouldn't know where to start....
Kia: Well what sort of activities do you enjoy doing?
Merlin: *Suggesting that Russell and Rinny try the french onion soup in the cafeteria, and then he's sitting on the desk and popping his keychain a bit more*
Maria: Well... I like to cook.... *Shrugs*
Kia: *chuckles, and then gets a notepad and pen. Writes down the URLs of several food and cooking blogs and then offers the page to Maria*
Maria: Thank you...
Kia: You might also enjoy speaking with Lisa and Melissa. Though Lisa is more a practical cook.
Maria: *Small nod, considering look*
Kia: It might be hard to get to speak to Melissa. Oh, but Javan and Pandita are also fond of the cooking hobby.
Maria: ... I've seen some of the things Javan's cooked....
Kia: *polite throat clearing* He does make some things are are actually comestible....
Wesson: Dang right he does. *grin*
Maria: I don't care if the different meats are edible... There is NO way I will EVER make some of those fattie things he makes.
Kia: Actually, I was referring to the shaved smoked meats.
Wesson: *grumbles about being hungry now*
Maria: *Sheepish*
Kia: *puzzled look for Wesson* I do believe one meal break is permitted during a shift....
Lt. Demarce: *And there he is, with a paper bag full of food* Sorry I'm late... I got sidetracked by Seamus and his ChumBuddy...
Wesson: *snerk* What's he doin' this time of night?
Lt. Demarce: Making his kids laugh, I guess... *Careful shrug, offers the bag to Wesson*
Wesson: *looking in the bag to see what he's got* That's a man who enjoys his hobbies.
bag: *Contains a carefully wrapped roast beef sandwich, a container of soup, and a package of cookies*
Lt. Demarce: *shrugs* Whatever makes him happy, I guess...
Wesson: Oooo. *going to eat the cookies first* Thanks.
Lt. Demarce: See ya later... *heading off to go finish his rounds*
Wesson: Yeah. See ya. *head bow, and then nom*
Kia: *going to call up some of those food blogs on the computer now*
Maria: *headtilt, watches what Kia's doing*
Kia: *shows her a picture of a little jelly mold made from pig foot* This looks highly unusual. Do humans actually ingest such things?
Maria: .... If they do, they're braver than I am...
Kia: Hmmm. *reads the article, turning the screen so that Maria can do as well if she so wishes*
Maria: *can't help it, looks to see what the article is about* *is soon engrossed*
Russell and Serenity's house, a few minutes later
Russell: *Settling in a chair to inspect the chess game*
box: *contains disk, gloves, goggles... oh, and that nice little book that looks like it's in Basic instead of English*
Russell: *going to read the book first*
book: *explains the history of chess as the writer knew it. A game played by a warlike people so that they could exist peacefully with their neighbors, and a game that still ends with the death of the losing king and queen there on that planet. Explains how JDs learned about the game and recognized the fun potential, and so took it and changed it and made it their own without losing any of the fun elements. Then goes on to outline the names of the pieces and how they can move. Moves are just like the most common Earth version of the game*
Russell: *very curious now, will scan the disk*
disk: *starts with the image of a small room and a keyboard to make setting choices on, and then progresses to a hilly landscape with a sunny sky and beautiful alien trees*
Russell: *getting comfortable and setting the game settings the way he'd like, intends to play a few rounds before bed*
room: *screen question* -How many friends are you playing with?-
Russell: *answers* -Zero-
room: -Which level would you like to play at?-
Russell: -Beginner-
room: -What weather condition would you like to play at?-
Russell: *going over the options* -Rainy- *Yes, he likes a bit of a challenge*
room: -You will play black!- *door opens*
Russell: *curious sound, proceeds through the door*
smiling young JD guy: *greets him* Hi! I'm one of your bishops!
Russell: Hello... I've never played this game before... I'd like some help, if it's not too much trouble...
bishop 1: No problem. *starts explaining basic chess rules, pointing to each person as he names their title and says what they do. Pawns are little wheeled bots. Seems to be leaving the rooks for last, and when he explains them he just points in the general direction of a couple of nearby hills*
Russell: *listening attentively and mentally reciting the information* And what piece am I?
bishop 1: The king or queen, you get to choose.
Russell: *considering what he learned, knows he'd get teased to no end, but oh well* Queen.
bishop 1: Okay, then Linny can play king. *grins at the pretty young JD woman, who waves and jogs to the king's seat*
Russell: *Small nod, moves to get to the spot he's supposed to be at*
rest of the team: *rushing to their places, bumping into each other and joking and laughing. Are soon settled*
knight 1: *having a tiny discussion with her mount, but soon everyone's ready and they're looking expectantly across the way toward the white queen*
white queen: *blows her horn!*
echoing boom: *comes from the hills bishop 1 pointed to, and from some corresponding ones on the white side, and then two titanic beasts rise up on unbelievably long legs and tower over the playing field. The rooks have risen*
Russell: *Surprised blurt of static*
Linny: Aren't they beautiful? I always love the start of a game!
Russell: *can't help but gape at the creatures for a few moments*
white queen: *calls an order and makes her first move!*
black team: *looking expectantly to Russell*
Linny: *sees his hesitation and points out two different moves*
Russell: *Trying to remember that fancy opening move Lt. Johnson showed him the other day, fails at remembering* *goes with one of the suggested moves and calls out an order*
team member: *moves!*
white queen: *counter moves!*
game: *progresses, and soon Russell's team has its first casualty as a white knight gets past the pawns and engulfs one of the black team in some sort of tangler net*
Russell: *a bit miffed about that* *studying the layout, will call out an order that hopefully will keep from backfiring on him*
move: *succeeds! The white knight is down!*
Linny: *leans over to whisper to Russ* Look at how those pawns and other pieces are lined up in front of our left rook.
Russell: *looks and nods*
Linny: No... look.
white queen: *makes her next move. Takes a pawn*
Samuel: *across the common channel, has noo idea he's interrupting deep Russell thought* //I am Doctor N000binstein!//
Russell: *TWITCH*
Samuel: //Hey, Red, whatcha doin'? I'm bored.//
Russell: //Go snog your wife, Samuel.// *Closes that line with a click*
Samuel: *on Russell's private channel.* //She's busy. Whatcha doin'?//
Russell: //I'm playing a computer game, Samuel.// *Doesn't realize his brow's twitching*
Samuel: *sound of brakes screeching to a halt. SILENCE. Then* //No you're not.//
Russell: *uploading the game to the social network* //Want to retract that statement, Samuel?//
Samuel: *gobsmacked sputtering* //But you hate computer games! Ooooo, what is this? Guys! Come look what Red just put up.//
Russell: //No, I just dislike the sorts of computer games that you and your twin find amusing. Now if you'll excuse me.// *closes the connection and orders the left rook to move and declares check*
Samuel: *doesn't even try to hack in a reply as he'd usually do, is busy shanghaiing friends to come play this*
left rook: *goes into an epic and majestic charge that has white pieces flying high into the air with yelps and beeps*
Russell: *waits for a countermove by the white queen*
white queen: *boggles, but she's playing at Russell's own level, and so she can't see a way to save her king, who is already gripping his throat and trying to be dramatic despite laughter*
Russell: *Amused chuckle* Checkmate.
white king: *keels over, but is laughing too hard to look dead*
black team: *now tackles their queen, whooping gleefully*
Russell: *Acks and laughs*
white team: *jumps on him too!*
Russell: *More ack*
teams: *much laughter and back patting and hugging and jumping around, and then an expectant look at Russ*
Russell: Good game... *Not quite sure what to say or do*
Linny: Do you want to play again?
Russell: Unfortunately, I have to be awake early tomorrow, so I have to log out for the night...
Linny: *grins, and the expression is friendly despite her reptilian face* Alright. Hope to see you again, friend.
Russell: Take care. *signs out and goes to settle beside his mate and sparklets*
Patrick's house, Blacksburg
mail: *in a neat heap on his coffee table, and only one has tiny nom prints on it*
Patrick: *Just getting home, sighs when he sees that it's almost midnight, moves to grab the mail and check Pumpernickel's water dish to make sure no bitty has tipped it*
Pumpernickel: *looks up from his basket and yawns massively, then makes cute paws and goes back to sleep*
water dish: *has marbles in it, and clean water*
Patrick: *Soft chuckle, removes the marbles from the dish*
Pumpernickel: *will put them back sometime tomorrow*
Patrick: *Sorts through the mail, chuckling when he sees that the nommed-on envelope has a card from a student he helped*
mail: *letters from school children written as school projects, another card, the weekly Ugly Doll note from Rachel, and two embossed envelopes, one of which is made of very expensive, gold trimmed paper*
Patrick: *Raised brow as he sees the gold-trimmed paper, will open that one first*
letter: *on paper even heavier and finer than the envelope, and with a gold trimmed and embossed letterhead. Is from a Mr. Shaun Berger and addresses Lt. Col. Oberson in a cordial tone before mentioning that Mr. Berger wishes to buy fifty of the robots at the base and that he will pay a sum that most people would think is fictional*
Patrick: ... *Pinches the bridge of his nose* *Can't believe what he's reading, will show this letter to Col. Franklin* *But first, there are more letters to read... starting with the other embossed envelope*
envelope: *embossed with a pretty picture of a spotted cutting horse up in the corner. Is from a 'Sweet Doll Ranch' in Texas*
Patrick: *opens this envelope, hoping for a sane letter*
letter: *introduces the writer as Chuck Keller, and apologizes for bugging the Lt. Col when he doesn't know Chuck from Adam. Goes on to say, "I think I found one of your robots in the quicksand by where the Rio Grande goes through my land. I haven't touched it since I saw what it was, but I did get a dike put up to keep the river from coming back over it."*
Patrick: *Raised brow, continues to read, checking the address on Google Maps. Will forward a message to Col. Franklin, as this is more serious than the yahoo wanting to buy Autobots* *He fully intends to show the fancy-schmancy letter to the Col. for laughs*
Chuck: *goes on to describe the robot as black, and having a dark green visor type business instead of eyes. Then Chuck says a bit sheepishly that he has to say that the look of the machine makes him think of the kind of fellow he'd like to hang out with*
Col. Franklin: //Patrick?//
Patrick: //Sorry to disturb you, Mike... But I think we have another Autobot to rescue... This one is down in Texas... And I also have something that is so stupidly absurd that it has to be shared in person...//
Col. Franklin: //Where in Texas? And... stupidly absurd?//
Patrick: //Let's just say that some potentially crazy guy wants to do a business transaction... I'll bring the letter he sent to you tomorrow morning.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. And the location in Texas? Did they say anything about the situation?//
Patrick: *reads off the address* //His letter said that the robot was buried in the quicksand, and that he's set up a dike to keep it from being buried again.//
Col. Franklin: *silent for a moment, and then comes back* //Chuck Keller was given an honorable discharge from the US Marines after he took shrapnel to the leg in the Vietnam war.//
Patrick: *Doing a quick bit of research* //There's something about this letter that makes me almost certain that this isn't a hoax.//
Col. Franklin: //Everything I can call up about him shows the man to be honest.//
Patrick: //I'll put in a message for one of the substitute librarians... I want to meet this gentleman.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. Did he say what the robot looks like?//
Patrick: *reads off the description* //It almost sounds like someone I've met before...//
Col. Franklin: //Was he on the Ark?//
Patrick: //He might have been... I'll have to check over the records...//
Col. Franklin: //While you're at it, do you know offhand if anyone in your records was an architect?//
Patrick: *chuckles* //Hoist and Grapple... and if I remember correctly, they were talking about taking on an apprentice at one point...//
Col. Franklin: //Where they on one of the ships that's come near Earth?//
Patrick: //It's possible... why?//
Col. Franklin: //Because the logo of a popular architectural firm in Paris includes what looks very much like the Cybertronian glyphs for 'quality' and 'beauty'. The beauty glyph even has a tiny pale green dot where you guys usually put that ultra violet accent mark.//
Patrick: //...// *And now he's googling the firm*
Col. Franklin: //The senior partner is known for being eccentric and very particular about his creations.//
Patrick: //Sounds familiar...// *looking for information and pictures of the partners*
firm: *has a large and lavishly illustrated home page, which shows beautiful buildings and building makeovers in painstaking detail. Also, on a back page, like an after thought, is a picture of two stocky men, one blond and one dark-haired, flanking an energetic and pretty looking red-haired woman in her twenties*
Patrick: //...// *and now he's chuckling* //Hoist and Grapple... Why am I not surprised they've set up an architecture firm?//
Col. Franklin: //You're sure it's them?//
Patrick: //I recognize the quality of their work, and if you saw them in root mode, you'd recognize them in alt-mode...//
Col. Franklin: *slight chuckle* //You'll be wanting to contact them, then.//
Patrick: //Can you recommend anyone who speaks French, just in case?// *Sounds quite amused*
Col. Franklin: *surprised* //If you don't want to download the language you can ask 2nd Lt. Havoc. He even has the accent.//
Patrick: *Soft snerk* //Well, if I have to travel there, I'll have to borrow him... I just hope Rose doesn't get too mad at me for it...//
Col. Franklin: //If I know her, she'll forgive you.//
Patrick: *more chuckles* //Well, it's getting late, and I should let you go.//
Col. Franklin: //Yes. When will you be ready to go to Texas?//
Patrick: //Let me get a few hours of recharge in, then I'll be road-ready no later than seven.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. I'll get a call through to Lt. Keller and let him know we're coming. Franklin out.//
Patrick: //Have a good night, Col. Oberson out.// *Moves to change into his pajamas and go to bed*
The barn, near Jake's button quail house
orange and white kitten: *attacks Vato's feet as he goes past*
Vato: *chuckles and moves to gently pick up the kitten* Now where did you come from?
kitten: *perks oversize ears that suggests Siamese ancestry and pat pats at Vato's hand with one white paw. Has a white collar, chest, belly and legs, and thin orange stripes on his tabby parts. Also has eyes wide with excitement as he mews in reply*
Vato: *Gently scritches the kitten's ears, chirring softly*
kitten: *eyes go even wider as he chirps. U MAKE KITTY SOUNDS!*
Vato: *chuckles*
kitten: *chirps again, and then starts to purr as he industriously licks Vato's hand*
Vato: *Slight headtilt as he checks the air for the kitten's scent, and then he's chuckling even more* You little stowaway...
kitten: *lick lick, purr purr*
Vato: *Small headshake* Why you thought hiding in the fence storage was a good idea is beyond me, little one....
kitten: *chirp chirr?*
Vato: *Soft chirr*
kitten: *head butt and rub face on*
Vato: *scritches*
kitten: *massive love!* *talks! Yup, he's got Siamese in there somewhere*
Vato: *Quiet, amused rumble*
kitten: *talking gets more urgent. He's so hungry, and the mousies run away too fast!*
Vato: *Will move to bring the kitten down to the cafeteria*
Anne: *sitting and contemplating a puzzle made from horseshoe nails. Looks up when she catches Vato's scent and grins*
Vato: *chirrups quietly as he brings the kitten over* It seems this little one stowed away when Raoul and his brothers were moving their cousin's quail....
Anne: *chuckles at the skinny baby cat, who is now gnawing industriously on his own kinky tail* Did you let his family know where he is?
Vato: I will once it is not so late in the night...
Anne: Don't the people here have machines to answer their... phones? *reaches toward the kitten and gets her hand hugged and chewed on and loved*
Vato: Yes, but it is almost one in the morning, and Dixie and Matthew will still be asleep.
Anne: *slightly confused* The machine would wake them up?
Vato: The ringing phone would.
Anne: Ohhh. Ouch. *laughs and wriggles her hand*
kitten: *keeeeel!*
Wanda: *sudden yelp and then laughter from the kitchen as she somehow makes a pot of water blow up*
Anne and kitten: *both looking that way with interest*
Vato: *concerned, goes to investigate*
Wanda: *looks up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and amusement* It went poof.
Vato: Are you alright?
Wanda: *checks her hands and the front of her shirt* Yup, just wet. *pause. Frown* You see a baby around here anywhere?
Vato: *blink blink* Did you check with Autumn?
Wanda: I got him. But I don't remember where I put him. *goes to look in an apple box on the floor* Oh, never mind. I found my... whichacallet to wear, too.
Vato: *Soft chuckle* *Will check for Endstar's scent*
Endstar: *curled up in the box in his mother's beat up pea coat*
Vato: *Very soft chuckle, moves to get something for the kitten to eat*
containers in the fridge: *labeled 'food for orange kitten'* *yes, Melissa is thorough in her labeling*
Vato: *amused, will get a small bowl of the kitten food ready and bring it to the little kitten he found*
kitten: *sitting in Anne's arms, but perks as he catches the scent of the warm food* *talks!*
Anne: *chuckle* What a noise.
Vato: *more amusement as he sets the bowl where the kitten can get at it easily* He may be part Siamese.
Anne: He can eat at the table? *looks up and puts a hand on Vato's to see what Siamese is*
Vato: I don't think it will hurt just this once... *Siamese are a breed of cat with darker ears, paws, faces, and tails, as well as blue eyes even into adulthood, and are notoriously chatty*
Anne: *grins as she finds the information, and then Vato will feel that tickle in his mind that he's felt at times before*
Vato: *blink blink. If he were in his natural form, his ears would be perked curiously*
Anne: *looks up at him as she feels that curiosity through her touch* *slight smile* Permission to speak freely?
Vato: Permission granted
Anne: *smile grows a little as the tickle gets stronger, and then...* -Hi.-
Vato: *Raised brow*
Anne: -The touch tele-empathy goes both ways. But I have to concentrate to send. What you've been feeling is probably a hint of my emotions when I touch you.-
Vato: *Soft chirr, is curious about this*
Anne: *takes her hand away and pets the kitten* My mother's people can hear the thoughts of everyone around them, and a man and woman will mentally bond for life. *chuckle* I just got a few little crumbs.
kitten: *is one of those cats to go 'hrrcpt hrrcpt hrrcpt' as he vacuums his food down*
Vato: *chuckles as he listens to the kitten*
Anne: *curious look* ...No comment?
Vato: *attention back on Anne* Your ability is a good skill to have... *Approves, and is still a bit curious about it*
Anne: *quizzical look up at him* You really think so?
Vato: *nods, reaching for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze*
Anne: You do. And you don't care that I can look through your thoughts. *the tickle happens again due to her surprise*
Vato: *nods* I trust you.
Anne: *closes her eyes, then lowers her head so that she can rub her cheek on his hand. Soft purr*
Vato: *Moves to cuddle Anne*
Anne: *snuggles and purrs* Is your patrol over?
Vato: *nods, a small smile coming to his face*
Anne: *gets up, and then pauses and looks toward the kitchen* Is it safe to leave her there?
Vato: *looks, and then he's chuckling as Pandita arrives to collect mate and sparklet*
Anne: Ah, there we go. *slight start as the kitten jumps up and hangs from the front of her jacket* Hey, you...
Vato: *Chuckles*
kitten: *talk!*
Anne: *pokes the little cat and gets talked at more. Snerk and look up at Vato* What are we going to do with him for now?
Vato: Well, we'll need to get something for him to use for a litter box for the night...
Anne: Oh yeah. *wrinkles her nose*
kitten: *wrinkles his and makes a silent mew of question*
Vato: *moves to let go of Anne so he can grab one of the disposable aluminum roasting pans*
Anne: I have a box.
Vato: Oh?
Anne: *nods* Then we can just throw the whole thing away and let it return to the environment.
Vato: Alright then...
Anne: But what'll we put in it?
Vato: *considering look* There are sandbags in the barn, and if I remember correctly, some of them are broken...
Anne: *perk* That should work, huh? *looks at the kitten*
kitten: *chewing on metal jacket button, brb*
Vato: *nods, chuckling and reaching to gently scritch the kitten's ears again*
kitten: *talk talk talk!*
Anne: *grins and offers the little fuzzball back to Vato, sobering as she does so* Seems weird to think of going home.
Vato: *Snuggles*
Anne: ...And even though it's just a room in somebody's house, it feels like a place we can stay forever.
Vato: You mean the entire upstairs of someone's house... *chuckle*
Anne: *surprised* It's all ours?
Vato: *nods* Since Mia lives with her mate down here in the Ark, and Emilia moved in with Patrick, their children, and Warren, Mrs. Garcia said the upstairs is ours.
Anne: *blink blink* How many rooms is that? I haven't even looked.
Vato: *mentally mapping out the room* Counting the main space, there are five rooms, and one bathroom...
Anne: ...Wow.
kitten: Mow.
Vato: *soft chuckle, puts an arm around Anne. Will move to lead her out of the mess so they can go home and make their furry little guest comfortable for the night*
((Co-written with random_xtras))