mbv, The /Ark/ and the Sweet Doll Ranch, Rescue Part 2
((Continued from here))
Keller: *slight quizzical frown as he realizes that Simon and Sven aren't acting like the disabled adults he at first took them to be* They sound like toddlers.
Patrick: Simon and Grimlock are the oldest of the Dinobots at about fourteen months, Sarah's about thirteen months, Sandra's about eight months, and Sven's about two months...
Keller: *slowly* I don't want to sound insulting, but do you guys start out as babies like humans do?
River: *small nod*
Patrick: Well, we do have children, but not in the same sort of way....
Simon: Chief? Us Dinobots have some grape berries? *hopeful*
Patrick: Ask Mr. Keller...
Keller: *looks over at the big guy* Go ahead, son. Just be gentle to the vines.
Simon: Me Simon always gentle. Always always. Thank you, Mister. *turns attention to very carefully breaking the cluster of big pink grapes off and holding them out to Sandra so she can get some*
Sandra: *happy clicks as she has a couple of grapes*
Sven: *happy as he pets the border collie, remembering to be gentle*
Sarah: *more snuggles for River*
Keller: I guess we'd better get those people out of the sand.
Patrick: *nods* Yeah....
Keller: *gets to his feet and helps River and Sarah up, then steers River gently back through the orchard and then the vineyard*
Simon: *looks up from letting baby sister eat most of the grapes* Is time to go?
Patrick: Looks like it...
Simon: Sven, is time to go to work. You want some grape berries?
Sven: Huh? Grape berries? *distracted from loving on the dog*
Simon: *holds them out even as he turns to follow Patrick*
Sven: *moves to reach for the offered grapes, clicking curiously*
Simon: Them taste different than ones from store, but me Simon liiiike.
Sandra: *Around her mouthful of grapes* Me Sandra like too!
Keller: *soft chuckle* Grip likes those pink ones too.
Sven: *Blink blink* Who Grip?
Keller: *carefully takes a grape and holds it up, then looks at the border collie* You know what to do.
dog: *sits up and puts his paw to his ear in a passable salute, then catches the grape as Keller tosses it*
Sven: *biiiig eyes*
Simon: We need to work now, Mr. Keller. We Dinobots not have time to play with Grip.
Sarah: *Moving to climb onto Simon's back*
Simon: *hunkers down a bit, moving the grapes to one hand so that he can use the other to help his sister* *once she's up he hurries after Patrick*
Keller: *bemused chuckle and follows, only to stop short when he sees the robotic tyrannosaurus rex that's laying in the driveway with his chin on the ground*
Raoul: *looks around, sees Patrick, and shrugs in a 'what can I do?' way*
Patrick: It's time to go to work.
Jake: *perks up a bit*
Grimlock: *voice full of misery* Want her Mama.
Patrick: As soon as we get all the people out of the sand, we can go home, Grimlock.
Grimlock: Want her Mama now. *issa big sad*
Sarah: *Quiet clicks*
Raoul: *scratches Grimlock on his head* Hey, c'mon, man. If you do this I'll make sure Mr. Del Sol makes you some really nice fatties.
Keller: *blink* He likes fatties?
Sandra: Him Grimlock like anything him Uncle Javan make on smoker....
Keller: ...Give me just a few minutes and I'll be ready to go. *runs into the house, favoring his leg a bit*
River: *actually smiling now, her wide eyes holding amusement*
Sandra: *blink blink, headtilt*
Raoul: Oh oh. Don't tell me Lt. Keller has a smoker.
Sarah: *Peeks over Simon's shoulder*
Sandra: Him Lt. Keller have good grape berries.
River: //Dad has a smoker. And we've got left over brisket from last night.//
Sandra: *Blink blink* *surprised*
River: //He likes using the smoke house better.// *comes over and looks up at Col. Franklin*
Col. Franklin: *looks quizzically back at her*
Patrick: *to River* This is Col. Mike Franklin of NEST.
River: //Will you tell him hello?//
Col. Franklin: *slight smile* I can hear the common channel.
River: *surprised*
Patrick: He's got a radio that Blaster and Teletraan programmed the common channel on, as do the rest of the non-Cybertronian personnel.
River: *perks* //Would Dad be able to use one of those while you're here?//
Patrick: *checking his pockets for a spare radio*
Lt. Wesson: *offers him one*
Patrick: Thanks... *Will hold the radio out to River*
River: //Thanks.// *takes it and studies it, then automatically uses it without thinking to boost her damaged comm unit* //Blaster? Rosanna reporting. Do you read me?//
Blaster: *sounds surprised* //Loud and clear... Are you alright?// *Can read River's location thanks to having a clear signal to lock onto*
River: //All communication systems are damaged, but Trailbreaker shoved me out of the river the night of the crash.// *wibbling as tears run down her cheeks*
Blaster: //I'll see if I can send a medic to your location.//
Col. Franklin: Bumblebee is here, Blaster.
Blaster: //Oh...//
Col. Franklin: River's at the location where Trailbreaker was uncovered.
Blaster: //...// *And a few moments later, there's a flash of light and a soft swish as he PINpoints to a spot a few feet away*
River: *startled shriek*
Grimlock: Stupid girl screams a lot. *grump!*
Blaster: *hurrying over*
River: *recovers from her surprise and bolts toward her creator, crying harder now*
Blaster: *Soothing clicks as he moves to hug her*
River: *clinging and hiding her face on the front of his chest*
Lt. Keller: *comes out, a piece of beautifully smoked meat in his hands. And then stops and looks at his daughter and that strange robot with a startled frown*
Patrick: Blaster is River's creator... *Gives the red, orange and gold mech a slightly bemused look*
Lt. Keller: *blinking and doesn't notice when Grimlock helps himself to the meat* Oh.
Simon: *steering Sven and his sisters into Wesson's SUV*
Blaster: *moving to gently guide River towards Bumblebee, intending to ask the older femme for her help*
Jake: *looks to see where Raoul went*
Raoul: *watching the human form Dinobots get loaded as he stands by WO Caine's SUV*
Jake: *moves to get into WO Caine's SUV, since Lt. Wesson's SUV looks like it might be a bit full*
Raoul: Man, we got ditched. *moves to climb in beside his cousin*
Col. Franklin: *talking on his phone as he settles into his own SUV*
Lt. Keller: So that's River's father.
Patrick: *nods* She's got three brothers and a sister, as well as a sister-in-law, and a couple of brother-in-laws....
Lt. Keller: Ah. *turns to walk toward his pickup, his shoulders sagging slightly*
Patrick: *As he moves to follow* You're still an important part of her family.
Lt. Keller: ...How do you figure? *gets into the truck, using his hands to move his leg in*
Patrick: You and your wife take care of her and love her, don't you?
Lt. Keller: Well, we did. *shuts the truck door and looks at him*
Patrick: *As he moves to get in on the passenger side* And she cares about you. That makes you part of her family.
Lt. Keller: *sighs as he starts the truck and puts it into gear* Yeah.
Patrick: Cybertronian families get pretty complex... *Soft chuckle*
Lt. Keller: *starts to reply, but then blinks as Grimlock hops over the truck to stick his nose in the stock trough in the corner of the yard. Slight chuckle*
Patrick: *sticks his head out the window* Grimlock, heel! *would probably be a bit more effective if he wasn't amused*
Grimlock: No. *blows bubbles*
brown and black goat: *can NOT believe her eyes*
Patrick: *slight facepalm* Maybe we'd better get going and hope that he'll follow us.... That is, if it's safe for him to follow us while in root mode... *looks to Lt. Keller*
Lt. Keller: *thinks* You're wondering if somebody will see him?
Patrick: *nods*
Lt. Keller: They shouldn't. I own all this land. And none of the neighbors have planes. *watches the water boiling around Grimlock's head, his eyebrows raising as the bubbling continues with no breaks for air*
Patrick: *relaxes* Alright... Let's go then... *Leans out the window again* Grimlock, we're going!
Grimlock: *Bubble!*
Lt. Keller: *drives out of the yard and over a ways till he can cross the cattle guard. Startles as Grimlock suddenly dashes past the truck, head down and tail straight out behind him* Would you look at that...
Patrick: *Chuckles* Stubborn kid....
Lt. Keller: *marvelling as he drives carefully around bumps and brush* And he's just a baby.
Patrick: *nods* We've got quite a few younger than him and his siblings...
Lt. Keller: The same size range?
Patrick: Grimlock and the rest of the Dinobots are atypical of sparklets.... most aren't much bigger than human infants...
Lt. Keller: *bit of a frown as he watches Grimlock chase a gopher across the range* Did something happen to these guys?
Patrick: They're the way that Primus and the Greater Creator intended them to be....
Lt. Keller: *quick glance toward the man in the passenger seat. It's a puzzled look*
Patrick: *quietly* The Greater Creator is also known as God on this planet... He's got quite a long list of other names as well...
Lt. Keller: *face lightens as he looks out through the windshield* You mean the God in the Bible?
Patrick: *nods*
Lt. Keller: ...I somehow never figured on people from other worlds knowing Him. Kinda silly, now that I think of it.
Patrick: Not at all...
Lt. Keller: Sure it is. He's everywhere, so why shouldn't other people know about Him? *slight amused grin at self that fades as he thinks of River again*
Grimlock: *spectacular flip and dust cloud as he tries to stop too fast in his gopher pursuit*
Lt. Keller: Wow!
Patrick: *looks to see how rattled Grimlock seems*
Grimlock: *kicks a bit, then rolls over and sniffs around for the gopher*
Patrick: *Soft chuckle, checks for the other SUVs while he's thinking of it*
SUVs: *in a line behind the pickup. The truck with its load of gear is last*
Patrick: *Small nod, returns his attention to Lt. Keller*
Lt. Keller: Well... he's sturdy, that's for sure.
Patrick: *another nod* Wheeljack and Ratchet do good work....
Lt. Keller: Work? *turns slightly to the East to go around a little gully*
Patrick: They built Grimlock and his siblings.
Lt. Keller: ...So they're their parents?
Patrick: They are their parents... The Dinobots' sparks all have part of Ratchet's coding, and part of Wheeljack's coding.
Lt. Keller: Is sparks what you call your programming? Ah... do you guys have programming?
Patrick: Sparks.... Are almost like the equivalent of a soul.... and we do have programming.....
Lt. Keller: So it's your life? *back toward the West now, though he shoots a startled look into the rear view mirror as Grimlock dives into the gully behind them*
Patrick: *nods, attention going to the gully for a few moments* Is there anything back there he could chase?
Lt. Keller: *eyes return to the mirror* ...That coyote. So that's where it's been holing up.
Patrick: ... It looks like a dog....
Lt. Keller: It's a kind of little wolf. They like to eat chickens and chase goats.
Patrick: *nods* But to Grimlock, it looks like a scruffy dog...
Lt. Keller: And he likes dogs. *bit of a frown* Is he going to keep going?
Patrick: ... He might... *Sighs and pings Raoul's radio* //Grimlock saw a coyote and went after it....//
Raoul: //Already talkin' to him about it, sir.//
Lt. Keller: *slight smile as he picks that up with his radio*
Patrick: //Alright... thanks, Raoul.// *Relaxes*
Lt. Keller: Pardon my asking, but do you hold any rank? *didn't hear what Col. Franklin called Patrick earlier*
Patrick: I do, but not by choice... I lead the Autobots... *over comms as well* And within NEST, my rank is unofficially that of Lt. Col, so Col. Franklin gets to boss me around when Ratchet and my wordmate get done.
Raoul: *laughing at Patrick over comms*
Lt. Keller: Sir. ...And these kids, are they part of the military?
Patrick: Their parents are part of NEST, but they're not technically part of the military.
Lt. Keller: But... I guess I'm just confused because human kids don't get sent out for things like this.
Patrick: The Dinobots' mother sent them here because they've been getting restless, and Jake and Raoul came with to keep Grimlock, Snarl and Slag from getting too rowdy.... Jake and Raoul are human though, and their guardians know they're here.
Lt. Keller: *glances to the side as Grimlock runs ahead of the truck again* *quietly* Trust kids to accept other kids to the point that you can't tell they're different races of people.
Patrick: *nod* *just as quietly* Even with as rowdy as the Dinobots get sometimes, we're blessed to have them...
Lt. Keller: Special kids are like that. *slight grin* I had a brother with Down's. He was something else.
Patrick: *Quiet for a few moments while he looks up "Down's"* *brows up* I see....
Lt. Keller: Not saying these guys are hurt by their differences or anything. *glances at Patrick to see if he understands that he's not calling the Dinobots stupid or mentally disabled*
Patrick: *chuckle* Well, as I said, they're the way they were meant to be... Granted, they are young....
Lt. Keller: *foot on the brakes and frowning*
Patrick: *blink blink* Is something wrong?
Lt. Keller: Grimlock's coming back.
Patrick: ... *looks, and then he's leaning out the window again*
Grimlock: //Someone by river with big digging machine! But it not Constructicon.//
Patrick: That's one of the machines Uncle Mike brought, Grimlock. It's okay.
Grimlock: No it not! Trucks with it not NEST trucks! And people not wear NEST clothes! *lashes tail*
Patrick: ...
Col. Franklin: //Patrick, what's wrong?//
Patrick: //Grimlock says that there is construction equipment that is operated by people not wearing NEST uniforms, Mike...//
Col. Franklin: //...I didn't order any construction equipment. I thought the Dinobots would be able to do the main brunt of the digging.//
Patrick: //*notcuss over comms, since he knows the kids can hear him*//
Grimlock: *head down* Them have bot from slurpy sand!
Patrick: *More notcuss* //We have to get there NOW.//
Col. Franklin: *gives his men the order to move in*
Lt. Keller: *follows orders without thinking and floors the pickup toward the group by the river*
Patrick: *wishing he had thought to take Denver's advice and start carrying a standard issue handgun, but reminds himself that he was never any good at being a fighter...*
Lt. Keller: *truck stopped and he's out of the truck and holding a 3.06 hunting rifle at a ready but not aimed position before the engine purr has died away*
SUVs: *form a half circle around the intruders, and then NEST personnel pour out and get into position*
Col. Franklin: *steps out of his SUV in his black suit and shades, not noticing Raoul moving along in his shadow*
Blaster: *Getting out of Bumblebee after telling River to stick close to the older femme* *is in alt-mode, but unlike Patrick, he has a standard issue service revolver in a holster on his hip*
Col. Franklin: *in his quiet, calm voice* Who's in charge here?
grey haired guy in a suit: *steps forward, smiling* That would be me. May I help you?
Col. Franklin: You're trespassing on restricted ground and interfering with US military property.
guy: *light chuckle* No. I'm retrieving my employer's property. *lifts a hand, which holds a large pistol* And I suggest that you leave the area.
Col. Franklin: *eyebrow* You don't honestly think you can intimidate me with that?
guy: No? How about this? *signals, and one of his men points a machine gun at the head of the black bot that they just dug out of the quicksand*
Blaster: *tensed*
Patrick: *low cuss*
Raoul: *nobody notices a short teenage boy in a scruffy leather jacket. At least not until that boy has stepped forward, wrenched the antennae off of Lt. Keller's truck, and brought that antennae down hard against the grey haired guy's wrist*
guy: *howls with surprise and drops the gun, then howls louder as the antennae lashes him on the shoulder and is followed by a sneaker to the face*
Jake: *out of the SUV to help his cousin! Namely by tackling the nearest non-NEST guy*
Grimlock: *roars and charges!*
Patrick: *Out of the truck and moving to transform as Sandra and Sven all but topple out of Wesson's SUV*
Sandra: *Transforms and charges!*
Sven: *Doing like sister!*
Lt. Keller: *two quick steps forward, and the guy who decided to aim at Raoul has a rifle butt to the forehead, then throws himself down and starts shooting enemy tires*
Wesson: *running in the wake of Slag and Snarl, yelling orders to the big youngsters*
more men: *charging out from cover with intent to overwhelm the much smaller NEST force*
Optimus: *moving to keep up with Slag and Snarl, intends to grab Trailbreaker and PINpoint to safety*
Brandon: *Transforms and blasts the approaching enemy with sound*
Raoul: *flashing in and out among the enemy, his makeshift weapon wrecking havoc as he moves like something from a combat movie*
Jake: *puts yet another enemy combatant in a sleeper hold until the man passes out. Then he's seeking his next target, being careful to avoid the main combat zone*
Trailbreaker: *...is moving*
Optimus: *over comms* //I'm going to try and PINpoint Trailbreaker out of here if I can get to him, and I want everyone to fall back to a safe location once we're clear!// *notices Trailbreaker, startled blurt as he hurries over to the black-colored mech* Trailbreaker!
Trailbreaker: *blinks at him and coughs* [Rosie activated me... What's the sitch, sir?]
Optimus: [We need to get the Protectbots and Beachcomber, but we've got hostiles to contend with. We're almost out-manned, but we're not out-gunned. Refrain from killing any of the humans.] *moving to provide cover fire*
Trailbreaker: [Yessir.] *stumbles to his feet and does a quick scan of the battlefield, then starts knocking enemies over with his forcefields*
several of the enemy soldiers: *cussing as they try to avoid Raoul and his weapon, as well as angry Dinobots. What really shocked them was the old soldier shooting out the tires of their vehicles*
Jake: *Moving to tackle another enemy combatant, ends up having to grapple with the man on the ground*
Raoul: *uppercut to the jaw of the guy that had just come up behind Optimus*
Sarah: *From where she's doing a quail chick impression* Where him Simon?
Caine: *scoops her up and aims her back toward Bumblebee, who is sitting in car mode behind Sludge*
Sludge: Sarah, you come here fast! Me Sludge protect you!
Sarah: *Clickstorm!*
Caine: *gives her a gentle shove and then starts firing toward a group of enemy, the rubber bullets in his gun giving raise to howls and gasps*
Sarah: *is going to hide inside your passenger compartment, Bumblebee*
River: *hugs Sarah and clicks to her*
Lt. Keller: *providing cover fire now, though he knows he'll be running out of ammo soon...*
Col. Franklin: *rolls over to catch the two machine guns that just got tossed his way, shoves one toward Keller*
Lt. Keller: Thanks. *checks gun, resumes cover fire*
Grimlock: *KILL DIGGING MACHINE DEAD WITH FIRE*
Lt. Keller: The hell??
Blaster: *Jamming enemy frequencies so they can't call for backup* *Will move to join Lt. Keller and Col. Franklin*
Lt. Keller: *as the red and gold bot joins them* Where's River?
Blaster: She's with Bumblebee and Swoop. *More jamming of enemy signals!*
Lt. Keller: Safe? *more cover fire*
Col. Franklin: If she's with them she's safe.
Blaster: *nods*
Raoul: *sticking close to Optimus. Or he was till that one guy got over an aversion to shooting at unarmed kids* Ahhh!
Lt. Keller: *cusses and takes the shooter out*
Col. Franklin: *finger to ear* Raoul, report!
Jake: *looking up and checking for his cousin*
Optimus: *hurrying to check on Raoul*
Raoul: *hand to his cheek as he gets himself to cover*
Col. Franklin: *over comms* Optimus, how is he?
Optimus: //His cheek's bleeding, but that seems to be the worst of his injuries.// *moves to protect Raoul*
Blaster: *To Tea* -I'm about to do something really stupid, so don't hurt me too badly?-
Jake: *hurrying over to make sure Raoul's really okay*
Raoul: *looks up at Jake dazedly* Man... Tracks is gonna kill me.
Jake: 'E 'as t-t' get through m-me f-first.... *moving to apply pressure to Raoul's cheek with a bit of t-shirt*
Raoul: *winces* Owwww....
Jake: *Soothing sounds, continues to apply pressure to try and stop the bleeding* 'T'll be okay....
Optimus: *nods in agreement and then opens fire on the enemy combatants with a few dozen rounds of rubber bullets*
Blaster: *lets rip with a narrow-band EMP that soon shorts out all the enemy radios and cellphones. Moments later, his hands and knees are meeting the ground and he's cycling air rapidly*
Col. Franklin: *yanks him down flat, and then yelps as an explosion rocks the entire area*
Trailbreaker: *standing tall, his legs braced as he uses his forcefield to contain the explosion of the digging machine*
Grimlock: *triumphant roar!*
Snarl: *Roars and spits fire*
Slag: *Stomp stomp stomping towards the enemy, and boy does he look mad!*
grey-haired guy: *urging his men on*
Lt. Keller: *gets his rifle back and shuts that guy up the hard way*
Col. Franklin: *wince* We try not to kill, Lieutenant.
Lt. Keller: I didn't kill him, sir.
Enemy combatants still standing: *Surrendering!*
Optimus: *moving towards the grey-haired guy, expression calm* Snarl, Slag, Grimlock, go wait by Aunt Bumblebee.
Grimlock: No! Me Grimlock destroy enemies!
Optimus: I'll tell Ratchet.
Grimlock: Me destroy enemies!
Wesson: Uh, there aren't any anymore to destroy, Grim.
Grimlock: *unpuffs and heads toward Bumblebee* Oh.
Optimus: *looks to Wesson* ... You have got to teach me how to do that.
Wesson: *slight, grim, smile* Logic.
Optimus: *Soft snort*
Wesson: Seriously. *hunkers down and eyes the grey-haired guy, who is groaning and bleeding from a scalp wound* Man... Remind me not to slag that Keller off.
Optimus: No kidding.... *Attention going to Blaster* ... Just how big of a dumb did he do? *Yes, he's seen Blaster in action and knows quite well what the mech is capable of*
Wesson: *working to wake the grey-haired guy up after making sure he's in no danger of bleeding to death* EMP.
Optimus: *Sympathetic wince* And knowing him, it was a narrow-frequency one....
Wesson: *looks around at the objects affected, then nods and returns his attention to searching the prisoner*
Blaster: *Still too dizzy to do much more than lay on the ground and cycle air*
Col. Franklin: *giving orders to his men concerning the other prisoners, and calling for backup to bring them out. Rejects suggestions of helicopters and orders the people who come to use PINpoints*
Bumblebee: *drives slowly toward the front of the line, and then activates her holoform so that she can care for Blaster*
Lt. Keller: *face scrunched up and slightly turned to the side as Grimlock snuffles at him*
Sarah: *peeking* Him Uncle Blaster hurt? *Worried clicks*
Bea: *glances up* He'll be okay, Sarah. *small smile as River comes to kneel next to her*
Optimus: Grimlock, Snarl, Slag, Sludge, let's get the rest of the Autobots in the mud out, alright?
Sludge: Okay! *nuzzles Sarah* You, Sarah change to Swoop now.
Grimlock: Me Grimlock not done sniffing him River daddy.
Lt. Keller: *can't help it. Despite the gravity of the past moments he laughs*
Sarah: *moving to climb out of Aunty Bee's alt-mode, before she'll transform and beetle up to sit on Sludge's back*
Sludge: *nuzzles sister again, then bumps Grimlock*
Grimlock: Stupid Sludge not make me hurt River daddy.
Slag: *a bit more cooperative now that he's gotten to fight* Is time to dig now?
Snarl: *Ignores Grimlock* Dig in dirt!
Grimlock: Go dig, leave me Grimlock alone.
Lt. Keller: ...Do I smell good or something? *trying not to be amused, but these kids just get to him*
Grimlock: You River daddy smell like smoked meat.
Lt. Keller: *snerk!*
Jake: *is that snicker from over by Raoul*
Wesson: You might get some more as soon as we get those guys outta the river.
Grimlock: *issa splash*
Optimus: *Amused chuckling as he moves to approach Trailbreaker*
Trailbreaker: *maintaining a forcefield cell around the prisoners as he looks around wonderingly*
Optimus: [How are you feeling, Trailbreaker?]
Trailbreaker: *ruefully* [Low on energy. Clogged with dirt. And kinda confused.]
Optimus: [We'll get you to a medic, and get you up to speed...]
Trailbreaker: [Thanks, Optimus. Hey, do you have a language pack for what everyone's speaking?] *listens to fluent French cursing from inside the cell* [Everybody but that guy.]
Optimus: [I have a language pack for that language, and several other human languages as well... But then again, you know how I am...] *Geek, yes* *will databurst Trailbreaker the English language pack* [This is the one that's most common in this part of the world.]
Trailbreaker: *thanks him and starts to install it, then turns to look at Col. Franklin as the man walks over*
Col. Franklin: *quietly* How is he?
Optimus: Low on energy, and he's clogged with dirt... Once Bumblebee is done with Blaster, I'll bring him over to her.
Col. Franklin: *nods* Are you alright with the leader of this being questioned by NEST people at Diego Garcia?
Optimus: *nods*
Col. Franklin: Alright. *turns toward the Majors of the squads that just arrived and nods to them, then turns back to Patrick as the squad members work to gather up the prisoners and PINppoint them away* ...Are we going to need to divert the river? The Dinobots seem rather lost.
Optimus: *Small frown* We might.... Too bad Hoist and Grapple are in France... We could use their help here...
Col. Franklin: I understand that you've contacted them? *ducks a flying fish*
Optimus: Blaster spoke with them, and I e-mailed them, but I haven't spoken to them yet....
Col. Franklin: So you don't feel that bringing here is an option? *doesn't seem disappointed. He's in professional mode and merely exploring his options*
Wesson: *trying to tell the Dinobots that trying to drink up the Rio Grande is a baaaaaaaaaad idea*
Optimus: It's an option, but that depends on how long the Dinobots are willing to wait... *Watches as Swoop dive-bombs fish*
Col. Franklin: NEST has engineers. *watches Grimlock fall into the river and clamber back out with a bellow*
Optimus: I have the coordinates of Hoist and Grapple's office....
Slag: *Grousing about the river!*
Col. Franklin: Well these are your people, so it's your call.
Optimus: We're going to need every extra set of hands that we can get... *moves to transform and fix his tie* I'll be back as soon as I can.
Col. Franklin: Alright. *walks over to check on Raoul, who is laying quietly and watching things happen around him*
Jake: *talking soothingly and letting Raoul use his lap as a pillow*
Patrick: *PINpoints out*
Swoop: *bringing fish prezzies to Raoul and Jake*
Just outside the main office building of Hoist and Grapple's firm
Patrick: *Quick glance around, fixes his tie yet again, and then he's moving to head inside*
Gerard: *in French as he gesticulates at a man in a bottle green suit* #No no no no NO! I will not create this abomination! I create my own designs only! If you want to save money go build your building yourself!#
Patrick: *Raised brow, blink blink* *In French* #Er, pardon me....#
red-haired woman: *steps forward* #You might want to wait, or talk to the partner.# *amusement in her green eyes. She is NOT the girl in the picture Patrick saw*
Patrick: #Very well... Is Hans available?#
redhead: #He should be. Let me call the receptionist.#
Gerard: *getting loud*
Patrick: *giving every appearance of paying Gerard no mind* *except for that ping to Gerard's comm frequency* *amusedly* //[It's good to hear you haven't changed much, Grapple.]//
Gerard: *stops in mid yell to look around wildly*
customer: *retreat!*
Patrick: *chuckles softly* #You didn't even see me come in... Was that customer's design really that bad?#
Gerard: *staring at him* #Blaster didn't say you were coming.#
redhead: *meanwhile, not listening to the conversation and so not realizing that Patrick can hear her open comm call* //Hoist, stop flirting with Sunray and come talk to somebody out here//
Patrick: *to Gerard* #We were planning on visiting at a later date, but necessity bumped the visit up.#
Gerard: #...# *takes a step back while looking very suspicious* #Necessity?#
Patrick: #We need to divert a river so we can rescue the remaining Protectbots and Beachcomber. NEST has engineers coming to help, but I'd also like your expertise and Hoist's expertise.#
Gerard: ... #I'm very busy, Optimus.#
Hans: *stops on his way over from a door to one side of the lovely and expansive lobby* Optimus?
Patrick: *Attention going to Hans* *Small smile* It's been awhile...
Hans: *bites his lip* #Sorry, Chief, my English isn't that good#
Patrick: *Small nod* #It's been awhile since we last saw one another...#
Hans: #Yes. We didn't realize anyone else was here. But then I was so busy keeping up with Gerard...#
redhead: #And trying to court Soleil while his back was turned...#
Hans: *quick glance at Gerard, who seems to be contemplating a get away* *sigh of relief* #Stick a cork in it, Fae.#
redhead: Thrrpt. :D
Patrick: #Most of us have congregated in and around Blacksburg, Virginia, in the United States... And don't even think of trying to bolt, Gerard.# *using his Authoritative voice there* #If we had known you were here, I would have asked Brandon and TC to stop by when NEST was in Poland to rendezvous with Pavel and Maja.#
Hans: #Pavel and Maja?#
Fae: *going after Gerard, much to his ire*
Patrick: *realizes his goof* #Powerglide and Moonracer.#
Hans: *perks* #Moonracer survived. That's wonderful. So where do you need this work done, and do we need to bring in people?#
Gerard: #No no no no, it always ends in destruction! My beautiful buildings... My lovely creations...#
Patrick: #I'll bring you there. NEST is already bringing in engineers to assist, and I promise I will bring you back by the end of today.#
Fae: #And your stupid buildings aren't in the United States. I'll go get Wade and Soleil.# *walks off*
Gerard: *there's that old whipped puppy look*
Hans: *smacks him on the back* #Hey, it might even wind up being fun!#
Gerard: *pout*
Patrick: #You'll be getting to meet some of the newest members of the team... And quite possibly will get cuddles from one of them...# *Fond chuckle as he thinks of how quickly Swoop warms up to strangers*
Gerard: :\
Hans: *curious look back to Patrick as he grabs his creche brother's arm* #What do you mean, Optimus?#
Patrick: *more chuckle* #You'll see when we get there... Oh, and before I forget... In this form, I go by Patrick Oberson... Lt. Col. Oberson to NEST...# *Slight eye roll behind his glasses showing what he thinks of the unofficial rank*
Hans: *brows raise* #Alright.# *looks at Gerard, and then back to Patrick* #I guess we better pick up some English language packs.#
Patrick: *Will databurst the language packs* #I've got language packs for most every major language on Earth...# *Looks a bit sheepish to be admitting that*
Hans: #Well we have all the local ones. But not many English come for our work.# I guess they think it's too fancy or something.
Gerard: Cretins.
Patrick: *Soft snerk* Once Wade, Soliel and Fae get here, I'll give them the language packs as well... And then we'll get going.
Wade: #We're right... BLAAM!... here, Chief!# *walking ahead of the two red-haired women, a big grin on his bluff face*
Patrick: *Chuckles and databursts language packs*
Soliel: *shyly* I already know English, sir. I learned it so that I could read books without having to find the translation.
Fae: *without rancor* Nerd.
Patrick: *Gently* Alright. *Gives Fae an amused look* Now that everyone's here, make sure you're all touching one another in some way, be it holding hands or even just having your feet touch. *Will get his PINpoint set to the coordinates of the dig*
Hans: *trying to grab hold of his brother* Gerard, stop being a boobie.
Fae: Did you just say 'boobie'?
Hans: *brother grabbed* Yeah, so?
Fae: Look at the other meaning.
Hans: *RED man*
Patrick: *Snickers and puts a hand on Gerard's shoulder* I promise, the worst you'll have to deal with is Grimlock... and he's always grouchy, so don't take it personally.
Gerard: *still pouting, and sulking*
everyone else: *touching*
Gerard: ...Fae, get your hand out of Wade's hip pocket. That's disgusting.
Fae: Thrrpt! ^_^
Patrick: *Actually laughs at that*
Wade: *big grin* Let's BOOM go.
Patrick: Alright. Brace yourselves. *Will bring everyone to the dig site*
Swoop: *latches onto Uncle Patrick as soon as he appears, chattering away happily*
Gerard: *woozy and then ACK! at muddy... creature*
river banks: *crawling with engineers being happy engineers... That is to say, there's craziness going on*
Wade: *heading over to investigate those big things in the river*
Patrick: *chuckles and gently pats Swoop's head before asking her where Jake and Raoul are*
Swoop: Him Jake and him Raoul sitting under tarp by him Uncle Keller truck. *nodnod*
Patrick: Alright. *Moves to gently set Swoop on her feet. Then he's heading over to Lt. Keller's truck to check on the boys*
Swoop: *Chirrs curiously and studies Gerard, first with one optic, then with the other* *Curiously* Who you?
Gerard: ... *transforms to the version that will be harder to get muddy than his alpaca suit* Grapple.
Hoist: *grabs brother and drags him toward the river* Look at that challenge!
Swoop: *follows the two engineers, curiously asking questions*
Raoul: *laying with his head on his balled up jacket when Patrick looks in, is sound asleep with a hand resting on his chest. There's a bandage on his cheek*
Jake: *having a bit of a nap as well*
Trailbreaker: *looks up from watching the human kids and Blaster rest, his visored face quizzical*
Patrick: *relieved, will go and check on Blaster now* *To Trailbreaker, when he sees that Blaster is conked out* Feeling better?
Trailbreaker: Yeah. *holds up the remains of a sparkly cookie* The fuel's interesting, but it works. I can't really say the same about the fish. *glances at a pile of three laying under the truck next to him*
Patrick: *Chuckles* Did Swoop give you a hug too? *said without so much as a hint of scorn. He knows how the big sparklet is, and he approves of her behavior*
Trailbreaker: *nods, grinning slightly* And Grimlock bellowed at me, but this guy... *gentle hand on Raoul's leg* Told him to heel and he went huffing off.
Patrick: *nods* Raoul's the only human member of the creche that Grimlock will take orders from... *more chuckle*
Trailbreaker: Really? This guy's not human? *points to Jake*
Patrick: He's human too... Wait, does Grimlock take orders from Jake as well? *This is something new to him*
Trailbreaker: *nods* Yup. Though he asks more than orders.
Patrick: *looks quite surprised by this* Never would have guessed it.... I know Jake, Swoop, and Sludge get along really well... and that Snarl and Slag tolerate him....
Trailbreaker: Jake asked Grimlock to carry... Raoul? *pauses to check if the name is right*
Patrick: Raoul's the dark-haired boy...
Trailbreaker: *nod* To bring Raoul over here after Bea fixed his face.
Patrick: *Very quiet chuckle* I see.... *quiet clicks when Jake stirs a bit, will gently pat the young man's shoulder*
Trailbreaker: *bit of a frown* I thought we weren't supposed to let the natives know about us, Chief.
Patrick: *Quietly* That became a bit of a moot point forty years ago when Air Raid rescued Col. Franklin.... It became even more of a moot point when a company called Stark produced a documentary about their robotics program, which in actuality involved several captured Cybertronians... *quiet sigh*
Trailbreaker: *visor flashes* Captured?
Patrick: *nods* *Very quietly* [Ironfist, Hound, Sharpshot, and Rumble... But Rumble never appeared in the documentary...]
Trailbreaker: *hisses through his intakes and bites off a curse at thought of the little Decepticon punk*
Patrick: *still quietly* [A lot's changed since we landed, Trailbreaker...]
Trailbreaker: [I can already see that.] *rubs his face* [What happened to Ironfist and the others? That was Kup's team.]
Patrick: *Quietly begins telling Trailbreaker all the details he knows about what happened leading up to the Stark capture. He hesitates for a few moments while he tries to decide how best to explain what happened to Ironfist, Hound, and Sharpshot*
Trailbreaker: *jaw squared as though for a knockout hit* [They're all dead?]
Patrick: [Ironfist... isn't herself anymore... Hound's gone, but a part of him lives on in Ridgeback... and Sharpshot... The damage that Stark inflicted upon her caused her personality matrix to fracture before she escaped... When she was recaptured a few weeks later, her spark split... Both halves survived.... Desinex, while she may appear to be an adult, is very much a sparklet... and Sharpshot... Sharpshot has moments where the memories cause her to lock up...]
Trailbreaker: *tips his head back against the pickup* *quietly* [And Arcee's a widow. ...What happened to Kup? Does he know what happened to those three?]
Patrick: *quietly* [He found out... shortly before he passed on...] *small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth* [And thanks to a miracle, Arcee and Sharpshot both have their mates back.]
Trailbreaker: *tips head forward again to give Patrick a puzzled look* [Sharpshot wasn't bonded, Chief.]
Patrick: [She had a 'mystery mech' that all the socialite feeds were going crazy over trying to ID...] *Chuckle* [They thought he was a politician or another performer.... Turns out he was one of the Towers residents.... And he's a sneaky slagger.]
Trailbreaker: .... Mirage.
Patrick: *nods* The feeds never did figure it out... And it's by the grace of Primus and the Greater Creator that he and Springer are both alive again.
Trailbreaker: It would have to be. I was at Raj's memorial.
Patrick: I witnessed his return... As did Susana... He hitched a ride with her for a little while before Jack put him into a drone shell....
Trailbreaker: Wheeljack and his sla... *looks at the boys* His drones.
Patrick: *chuckles, before his expression goes serious for a moment* If it wasn't for one of Wheeljack's drones, we would have lost Sharpshot for good.... He's a little tracker drone with a lock-on radius of two hundred miles.
Trailbreaker: *soft whistle* Guess I'm obsolete.
Patrick: No, you're not... Moofy's only about yea tall... *indicates where the top of the drone's head is* And all he can really do when he finds someone is make a lot of noise... So it does no good to try and hide when it's exam time, because Ratchet just sics Moofy on us.
Trailbreaker: *grins* You think that all a Wheeljack drone can do is make noise? *shakes his head* Not unless 'Jack's lost his touch. I saw that pair he had on Cybertron in action a lot of times, and they were a lot more than just little cute pets.
Patrick: Well, the drones he has here are all built out of Earth materials and machines... Moofy turns into a tape recorder, if I remember right....
Trailbreaker: I bet there's still more to them than meets the eye.
Patrick: *soft chuckle* You have no idea....
Trailbreaker: *quirks his brow ridges* So don't underestimate the little tracker either. *sudden frown as he recalls something said earlier* Ridgeback? Who's that?
Patrick: *Quietly explains who Ridgeback is*
Trailbreaker: *static*
Patrick: *Quietly* The people responsible are in jail, likely for the rest of their lives....
Trailbreaker: And... part of Hound... is still with us. *more static*
Patrick: *nods and moves to gently rub Trailbreaker's shoulder* Ridgeback is in Hound's shell... He's just like his father....
Trailbreaker: *tries to clear the static from his vocalizer, but winds up crying*
Patrick: *Quiet clicks as he continues to rub the tracker's shoulder*
Trailbreaker: *finally stops the small static blurts and keens, then looks over Patrick's shoulder*
Patrick: *Quietly* We'll get you up to speed with everything... I promise.
Hoist: *throat clearing sound* Chief, we're going to need more water set cement.
Patrick: *looks over his shoulder, a puzzled expression* Why are you telling me?
Hoist: *blinks* You're Lt. Col. Oberson, right?
Patrick: Yes, but Col. Franklin outranks me. *looks around for Franklin even as he pings the man's radio*
Col. Franklin: //Yes, Patrick?//
Patrick: *Sounding a bit confused* //Where did you go?//
Col. Franklin: //Back to Diego Garcia to question the prisoners.//
Patrick: //....Oh...// *feeling a bit stupid now*
Col. Franklin: //Do you need something?//
Patrick: //More water set cement...//
Col. Franklin: //Do you know how much?//
Patrick: *To Hoist* How much do you need?
Hoist: Forty two bags the same size as the ones here should do it. Oh, and about a quarter tonne of rebar. *yes, he thinks in metric. Joy*
Patrick: *relays this to Col Franklin*
Col. Franklin: //Give us ten minutes and make sure coordinates (X/X) are clear.//
Patrick: //Understood.// *to Hoist* The materials will be here in ten minutes... We just have to make sure coordinates (X/X) are clear.
Hoist: *looks over there, and then scoots over and moves a horned toad before moving himself* Ready!
River: *soft snerk from where she'd come over from standing by her human father to check on her Autobot one*
Patrick: *To Col Franklin* //All clear.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. Keep it that way till we can get the order processed and PINpointed.//
Patrick: //Will do.//
Blaster: *sleeping peacefully and dreaming of snuggling with Tea*
River: *pokes Blaster, and then glances over as several pallets of cement bags and rebar appear with a flash and a slight swish*
Patrick: *soft chuckle*
Raoul: *frowns slightly and then looks toward the chuckle* ...Mr. Oberson.
Patrick: *Moves to crouch next to Raoul and Jake* Hey... How are you feeling?
Raoul: Dozy. Mrs. Convoy hit me with some pain dope. *moves as though to try and sit up*
Trailbreaker: *hand on the boy stops that*
Raoul: >_>
Jake: S-stay s-still... *peeking at his cousin*
Patrick: *gently* Rest for now, Raoul....
Raoul: *settles back* What's up? What's the sitch?
Patrick: We're working on diverting the river so we can get to the Protectbots and Beachbomber.
Raoul: ...We can do that?
Patrick: *nods*
Jake: *Brows up*
Raoul: ...Whoa. *looks impressed*
Trailbreaker: *chuckles*
Grimlock: *over by the river* ME GRIMLOCK IS KING!
Patrick: ... *Facepalm*
Raoul: Wow, he's really messin' his tenses up. He can't be gettin' tired yet, so he's gotta be having a good time.
Jake: *snerk*
Sludge: *faintly* Me Sludge help dig new river channel, like him Uncle Grapple say.
Grapple: For the last time, I am not your uncle!
Patrick: *to Grapple, over comms* //They call everyone who isn't part of their creche and aren't their creators Aunty or Uncle...//
Grapple: //Argghhh!//
Raoul: *soft snerk*
Trailbreaker: *wan grin* Grapple hasn't changed.
Grapple: //Wait... creche?//
Patrick: *Chuckles over comms* //Yes, and the Dinobots are only a handful of the sparklets in it.//
Grapple: //But... Vector Sigma...// *architect is brain broken*
Patrick: //I'll explain later...//
Grapple: //...But...// *from the river* AHHHHHHH, NO NO NO. DON'T DIG THERE!
Raoul: *snerk*
Patrick: *Snickering a bit*
Trailbreaker: *looks over that way* It's going to take a couple days to get the channel dug and the river rerouted, even with the Dinobots and Grapple on the job.
Patrick: *Small frown* Well, slag.
Trailbreaker: *looks back to him, frowning with concern at his response* That's bad?
Raoul: *brows drawn together as he watches Patrick*
Patrick: We'll have to find out when the best time to have Hoist and Grapple here each day is....
Trailbreaker: *listens to the frustrated shouting from the river* Do you think they're going to leave the project now?
Raoul: They gotta. Dinobots need naps and time at home with family.
Patrick: *nods* And Tracks and Major Trach will be worried about Raoul and Jake....
Trailbreaker: *pause* Tracks will be worried?
Raoul: *snerk*
Jake: *nods*
Patrick: Raoul is his and Major Trach's son, and Jake is staying with them.
Trailbreaker: ...Tracks has taken in a native youngling.
Raoul: *glee despite his grogginess* He's got a native mate too, yo.
Trailbreaker: *o.0 despite visor*
Patrick: *nods* Major Trach. You'll get to meet her at some point....
Trailbreaker: *slowly* Is Tracks alright? *startles as Raoul kicks him in the leg*
Jake: *Gonna flop down beside his cousin* Yup.
Trailbreaker: *looks at the boys, and then gives Patrick a nonplussed look*
Patrick: *Considering something* We may want to think about starting to pack up to go home soon....
Raoul: The Dinobots ain't ready. *sigh* But I better get back so Tracks 'n Major Mac got less to be #$#$#@ off about.
Wesson: *laughter over by the river*
Patrick: *nods* And we'd better get Blaster to Teletraan, so she can help him recover quicker...
River: *quietly* I'll stay here.
Raoul: *looks at her*
River: Dad needs me.
Patrick: *small nod* Alright... Stay in touch?
River: *nods* Yes, sir.
Raoul: *looks at Jake* You comin' or stayin'?
Jake: S-s'me'un's gotta keep Grimlock outta t-trouble...
Raoul: *uninjured side of his face quirks into a grin* Lt. Wesson'll appreciate the hand. 'N the Dinobots'll like havin' a brother around.
Jake: *nods and gently patpats Raoul's shoulder as Patrick offers a hand up*
Bea: *walks around the truck and stops to look at the people under the tarp tent, her face pale and her eyes slightly unfocused* Raoul should rest.
Raoul: I'm gonna rest when I get home, Mrs. Convoy.
Patrick: *Gently* Bea, do you need me to get Joe here to help you out?
Bea: *blinks at Patrick and then rubs her face* *quietly* Is there another medic available to take over here? *more quietly* I... I'm flashing back.
Raoul: *frowns as he leans on Jake*
Trailbreaker: *also frowning as he moves to lift Blaster*
Patrick: *nods and calls Russell. A few moments later, the man has PINpointed in nearby* *Gently, to Bea* Let's get everyone home who is going home now, alright?
Bea: *nods and indicates Raoul and the two mechs*
Trailbreaker: *has Blaster in his arms now and is moving closer to Patrick*
Raoul: *trying to stand on his own. Not doing too well. His face is also looking rather puffy on the injured side*
Patrick: *nods and moves to help Raoul over to Bea's main body* Easy, Raoul... I've got you...
Raoul: *quiet grumble* Slaggin' dope.
Trailbreaker: *follows Patrick with Blaster, his brow ridges lifting as he realizes that this car is a Cybertronian*
Patrick: *once everyone's situated, he's PINpointing to the medbay and calling Joe*
Merlin: *organizing supplies, since that's what Russell was doing earlier when he asked for someone to keep an optic on things* *Surprised sound as he looks up from his work*
Kia: *also looks up, blinking, but then turns her attention back to her task as she and Merlin realize that the taller of the two bodies available to them will be better able to tender assistance should it be needed*
Trailbreaker: Ughhhhh. *weebles, visor blinking*
Raoul: *sympathy wince for the black mech*
Merlin: *moving to offer support as he alerts Teletraan of the situation*
Tea: *sudden appearance of her holoform, since her physical form is too far away to enable her to reach the med ward as fast as she wants to* Let's just get him in a recovery room, okay? *lips thinned*
Joe: *PINpoints in at about that time and hurries over to Bumblebee*
Merlin: Agreed... The sooner that both Blaster and Trailbreaker are resting, the better...*moves to gently usher Trailbreaker towards one of the empty recovery rooms*
Patrick: *Will move to offer Raoul assistance*
Tea: Trailbreaker? *looks at the mech with a raised brow*
Trailbreaker: You're prettier than when I saw you last, Teletraan. *weebles again and lets himself be steered, grinning at Tea's snort*
Raoul: *finger in his ear* Hey... Major Mac? Could you come to the med ward? *sounds sheepish*
Joe: *has transformed and is comforting his mate over to one side*
Denver: //...Gimme a few minutes, 'n Ah'll be th're, Raoul.//
Patrick: *Will wait with Raoul until Denver arrives*
Raoul: Lemme sit on one of the tables, sir. This painkiller's really makin' me stupid.
Joe: Being hurt is probably doing part of that, Raoul.
Raoul: Whatever.
Patrick: Alright... *offers to help the teen onto the table then*
Denver: *not quite jogging down the hall as she arrives*
Raoul: *looks up guiltily from where he's sitting on the table and bobbing his folded hands as he rests his elbows on his knees. His right cheek is quite swollen now, and his right eye is squinted shut because of it*
Denver: *Concerned, hurries over, already starting to fuss a bit* Wh't 'appened?
Raoul: *quietly* I got in a fight.
Denver: *bites her lower lip and asks for the details*
Raoul: *deep breath as he thinks to himself that Tracks will be disappointed with him* This guy pulled a gun on Mr. Oberson, and had one of his goons point a gun at Trailbreaker. So I hit him with a ghetto sword. Uh... and things kinda went downhill from there.
Denver: *deep breaths to try and stay as calm as she can* Ghetto sword? *and while she's at it, she's looking for Patrick... who has PINpointed out*
Raoul: *hanging his head* ...The antenna off Lt. Keller's truck.
Denver: ... *Raised brow, even as she tries to calm the sparklet's upset at her own upset* Did y'u 'pologahze t' Lt. Keller afta th' fact?
Raoul: *looks up with a flash of dismay* Oh man! I was asleep from the stuff Mrs. Convoy gave me. I don't think I did.
Denver: *Gently, as she moves to put an arm around Raoul's shoulders* Y'u c'n call 'im 'n 'pologahze aftah y'u rest a bit... Alrahght?
Raoul: *nods* *quietly* Tracks is gonna be $@#$#@. He don't like me fighting.
Denver: *Just as quietly* Y'u were trah'n t' pr'tect s'me'un.... *Still taking deep breaths and trying to keep the sparklet calm as well*
Tracks: *from where he's been standing in the door and watching them* I'm not angry at you, Raoul.
Raoul: *startles and looks up, then shuts his eyes with relief*
Denver: *Quiet clicks as she moves to gently smooth the teen's hair*
Tracks: *comes walking in and puts his hand on his son's shoulder* You weren't showing off. You did what you had to do. *lips thin* Optimus is probably going to go all guilty and responsible over this. *snort* As if he could have known about those bot nappers.
Denver: *And now she's tensed up. She hadn't realized that that was why there were guys pointing guns at people* *had thought it was more a matter of "We found him first, so back off!"*
Tracks: *winces and moves to comfort his mate as Raoul also pats her reassuringly* Shhh, darling. Shhh.
Raoul: It's okay. We got them all.
Denver: *deep breaths and ducks her head a bit*
Tracks: Shhh. It's alright. Everyone's safe now. *rubs her back and transmits soothing feelings*
Denver: *leans against Tracks, clicking quietly and feeling a bit embarrassed that she's getting upset*
Raoul: *quietly, and with perfect deadpan* Oh yeah, and Jake can do that pin a heck of a lot better than BJ can.
Tracks: *stifles his snerk at the unexpected statement*
Denver: *Boggling now, has been thrown for a loop*
Raoul: *tilts his head and offers her a tired and lopsided grin*
Denver: *Quietly* Le's go 'ome....
Tracks: Yes. Do lets. *kisses Denver's hair, and then earns himself a poke to the chest as he repeats the gesture of affection to Raoul* Mmmph! Raoul...
Raoul: *cheeky grin, and then lets himself be helped off the table and steered toward the door*
((Written with random_xtras))
Keller: *slight quizzical frown as he realizes that Simon and Sven aren't acting like the disabled adults he at first took them to be* They sound like toddlers.
Patrick: Simon and Grimlock are the oldest of the Dinobots at about fourteen months, Sarah's about thirteen months, Sandra's about eight months, and Sven's about two months...
Keller: *slowly* I don't want to sound insulting, but do you guys start out as babies like humans do?
River: *small nod*
Patrick: Well, we do have children, but not in the same sort of way....
Simon: Chief? Us Dinobots have some grape berries? *hopeful*
Patrick: Ask Mr. Keller...
Keller: *looks over at the big guy* Go ahead, son. Just be gentle to the vines.
Simon: Me Simon always gentle. Always always. Thank you, Mister. *turns attention to very carefully breaking the cluster of big pink grapes off and holding them out to Sandra so she can get some*
Sandra: *happy clicks as she has a couple of grapes*
Sven: *happy as he pets the border collie, remembering to be gentle*
Sarah: *more snuggles for River*
Keller: I guess we'd better get those people out of the sand.
Patrick: *nods* Yeah....
Keller: *gets to his feet and helps River and Sarah up, then steers River gently back through the orchard and then the vineyard*
Simon: *looks up from letting baby sister eat most of the grapes* Is time to go?
Patrick: Looks like it...
Simon: Sven, is time to go to work. You want some grape berries?
Sven: Huh? Grape berries? *distracted from loving on the dog*
Simon: *holds them out even as he turns to follow Patrick*
Sven: *moves to reach for the offered grapes, clicking curiously*
Simon: Them taste different than ones from store, but me Simon liiiike.
Sandra: *Around her mouthful of grapes* Me Sandra like too!
Keller: *soft chuckle* Grip likes those pink ones too.
Sven: *Blink blink* Who Grip?
Keller: *carefully takes a grape and holds it up, then looks at the border collie* You know what to do.
dog: *sits up and puts his paw to his ear in a passable salute, then catches the grape as Keller tosses it*
Sven: *biiiig eyes*
Simon: We need to work now, Mr. Keller. We Dinobots not have time to play with Grip.
Sarah: *Moving to climb onto Simon's back*
Simon: *hunkers down a bit, moving the grapes to one hand so that he can use the other to help his sister* *once she's up he hurries after Patrick*
Keller: *bemused chuckle and follows, only to stop short when he sees the robotic tyrannosaurus rex that's laying in the driveway with his chin on the ground*
Raoul: *looks around, sees Patrick, and shrugs in a 'what can I do?' way*
Patrick: It's time to go to work.
Jake: *perks up a bit*
Grimlock: *voice full of misery* Want her Mama.
Patrick: As soon as we get all the people out of the sand, we can go home, Grimlock.
Grimlock: Want her Mama now. *issa big sad*
Sarah: *Quiet clicks*
Raoul: *scratches Grimlock on his head* Hey, c'mon, man. If you do this I'll make sure Mr. Del Sol makes you some really nice fatties.
Keller: *blink* He likes fatties?
Sandra: Him Grimlock like anything him Uncle Javan make on smoker....
Keller: ...Give me just a few minutes and I'll be ready to go. *runs into the house, favoring his leg a bit*
River: *actually smiling now, her wide eyes holding amusement*
Sandra: *blink blink, headtilt*
Raoul: Oh oh. Don't tell me Lt. Keller has a smoker.
Sarah: *Peeks over Simon's shoulder*
Sandra: Him Lt. Keller have good grape berries.
River: //Dad has a smoker. And we've got left over brisket from last night.//
Sandra: *Blink blink* *surprised*
River: //He likes using the smoke house better.// *comes over and looks up at Col. Franklin*
Col. Franklin: *looks quizzically back at her*
Patrick: *to River* This is Col. Mike Franklin of NEST.
River: //Will you tell him hello?//
Col. Franklin: *slight smile* I can hear the common channel.
River: *surprised*
Patrick: He's got a radio that Blaster and Teletraan programmed the common channel on, as do the rest of the non-Cybertronian personnel.
River: *perks* //Would Dad be able to use one of those while you're here?//
Patrick: *checking his pockets for a spare radio*
Lt. Wesson: *offers him one*
Patrick: Thanks... *Will hold the radio out to River*
River: //Thanks.// *takes it and studies it, then automatically uses it without thinking to boost her damaged comm unit* //Blaster? Rosanna reporting. Do you read me?//
Blaster: *sounds surprised* //Loud and clear... Are you alright?// *Can read River's location thanks to having a clear signal to lock onto*
River: //All communication systems are damaged, but Trailbreaker shoved me out of the river the night of the crash.// *wibbling as tears run down her cheeks*
Blaster: //I'll see if I can send a medic to your location.//
Col. Franklin: Bumblebee is here, Blaster.
Blaster: //Oh...//
Col. Franklin: River's at the location where Trailbreaker was uncovered.
Blaster: //...// *And a few moments later, there's a flash of light and a soft swish as he PINpoints to a spot a few feet away*
River: *startled shriek*
Grimlock: Stupid girl screams a lot. *grump!*
Blaster: *hurrying over*
River: *recovers from her surprise and bolts toward her creator, crying harder now*
Blaster: *Soothing clicks as he moves to hug her*
River: *clinging and hiding her face on the front of his chest*
Lt. Keller: *comes out, a piece of beautifully smoked meat in his hands. And then stops and looks at his daughter and that strange robot with a startled frown*
Patrick: Blaster is River's creator... *Gives the red, orange and gold mech a slightly bemused look*
Lt. Keller: *blinking and doesn't notice when Grimlock helps himself to the meat* Oh.
Simon: *steering Sven and his sisters into Wesson's SUV*
Blaster: *moving to gently guide River towards Bumblebee, intending to ask the older femme for her help*
Jake: *looks to see where Raoul went*
Raoul: *watching the human form Dinobots get loaded as he stands by WO Caine's SUV*
Jake: *moves to get into WO Caine's SUV, since Lt. Wesson's SUV looks like it might be a bit full*
Raoul: Man, we got ditched. *moves to climb in beside his cousin*
Col. Franklin: *talking on his phone as he settles into his own SUV*
Lt. Keller: So that's River's father.
Patrick: *nods* She's got three brothers and a sister, as well as a sister-in-law, and a couple of brother-in-laws....
Lt. Keller: Ah. *turns to walk toward his pickup, his shoulders sagging slightly*
Patrick: *As he moves to follow* You're still an important part of her family.
Lt. Keller: ...How do you figure? *gets into the truck, using his hands to move his leg in*
Patrick: You and your wife take care of her and love her, don't you?
Lt. Keller: Well, we did. *shuts the truck door and looks at him*
Patrick: *As he moves to get in on the passenger side* And she cares about you. That makes you part of her family.
Lt. Keller: *sighs as he starts the truck and puts it into gear* Yeah.
Patrick: Cybertronian families get pretty complex... *Soft chuckle*
Lt. Keller: *starts to reply, but then blinks as Grimlock hops over the truck to stick his nose in the stock trough in the corner of the yard. Slight chuckle*
Patrick: *sticks his head out the window* Grimlock, heel! *would probably be a bit more effective if he wasn't amused*
Grimlock: No. *blows bubbles*
brown and black goat: *can NOT believe her eyes*
Patrick: *slight facepalm* Maybe we'd better get going and hope that he'll follow us.... That is, if it's safe for him to follow us while in root mode... *looks to Lt. Keller*
Lt. Keller: *thinks* You're wondering if somebody will see him?
Patrick: *nods*
Lt. Keller: They shouldn't. I own all this land. And none of the neighbors have planes. *watches the water boiling around Grimlock's head, his eyebrows raising as the bubbling continues with no breaks for air*
Patrick: *relaxes* Alright... Let's go then... *Leans out the window again* Grimlock, we're going!
Grimlock: *Bubble!*
Lt. Keller: *drives out of the yard and over a ways till he can cross the cattle guard. Startles as Grimlock suddenly dashes past the truck, head down and tail straight out behind him* Would you look at that...
Patrick: *Chuckles* Stubborn kid....
Lt. Keller: *marvelling as he drives carefully around bumps and brush* And he's just a baby.
Patrick: *nods* We've got quite a few younger than him and his siblings...
Lt. Keller: The same size range?
Patrick: Grimlock and the rest of the Dinobots are atypical of sparklets.... most aren't much bigger than human infants...
Lt. Keller: *bit of a frown as he watches Grimlock chase a gopher across the range* Did something happen to these guys?
Patrick: They're the way that Primus and the Greater Creator intended them to be....
Lt. Keller: *quick glance toward the man in the passenger seat. It's a puzzled look*
Patrick: *quietly* The Greater Creator is also known as God on this planet... He's got quite a long list of other names as well...
Lt. Keller: *face lightens as he looks out through the windshield* You mean the God in the Bible?
Patrick: *nods*
Lt. Keller: ...I somehow never figured on people from other worlds knowing Him. Kinda silly, now that I think of it.
Patrick: Not at all...
Lt. Keller: Sure it is. He's everywhere, so why shouldn't other people know about Him? *slight amused grin at self that fades as he thinks of River again*
Grimlock: *spectacular flip and dust cloud as he tries to stop too fast in his gopher pursuit*
Lt. Keller: Wow!
Patrick: *looks to see how rattled Grimlock seems*
Grimlock: *kicks a bit, then rolls over and sniffs around for the gopher*
Patrick: *Soft chuckle, checks for the other SUVs while he's thinking of it*
SUVs: *in a line behind the pickup. The truck with its load of gear is last*
Patrick: *Small nod, returns his attention to Lt. Keller*
Lt. Keller: Well... he's sturdy, that's for sure.
Patrick: *another nod* Wheeljack and Ratchet do good work....
Lt. Keller: Work? *turns slightly to the East to go around a little gully*
Patrick: They built Grimlock and his siblings.
Lt. Keller: ...So they're their parents?
Patrick: They are their parents... The Dinobots' sparks all have part of Ratchet's coding, and part of Wheeljack's coding.
Lt. Keller: Is sparks what you call your programming? Ah... do you guys have programming?
Patrick: Sparks.... Are almost like the equivalent of a soul.... and we do have programming.....
Lt. Keller: So it's your life? *back toward the West now, though he shoots a startled look into the rear view mirror as Grimlock dives into the gully behind them*
Patrick: *nods, attention going to the gully for a few moments* Is there anything back there he could chase?
Lt. Keller: *eyes return to the mirror* ...That coyote. So that's where it's been holing up.
Patrick: ... It looks like a dog....
Lt. Keller: It's a kind of little wolf. They like to eat chickens and chase goats.
Patrick: *nods* But to Grimlock, it looks like a scruffy dog...
Lt. Keller: And he likes dogs. *bit of a frown* Is he going to keep going?
Patrick: ... He might... *Sighs and pings Raoul's radio* //Grimlock saw a coyote and went after it....//
Raoul: //Already talkin' to him about it, sir.//
Lt. Keller: *slight smile as he picks that up with his radio*
Patrick: //Alright... thanks, Raoul.// *Relaxes*
Lt. Keller: Pardon my asking, but do you hold any rank? *didn't hear what Col. Franklin called Patrick earlier*
Patrick: I do, but not by choice... I lead the Autobots... *over comms as well* And within NEST, my rank is unofficially that of Lt. Col, so Col. Franklin gets to boss me around when Ratchet and my wordmate get done.
Raoul: *laughing at Patrick over comms*
Lt. Keller: Sir. ...And these kids, are they part of the military?
Patrick: Their parents are part of NEST, but they're not technically part of the military.
Lt. Keller: But... I guess I'm just confused because human kids don't get sent out for things like this.
Patrick: The Dinobots' mother sent them here because they've been getting restless, and Jake and Raoul came with to keep Grimlock, Snarl and Slag from getting too rowdy.... Jake and Raoul are human though, and their guardians know they're here.
Lt. Keller: *glances to the side as Grimlock runs ahead of the truck again* *quietly* Trust kids to accept other kids to the point that you can't tell they're different races of people.
Patrick: *nod* *just as quietly* Even with as rowdy as the Dinobots get sometimes, we're blessed to have them...
Lt. Keller: Special kids are like that. *slight grin* I had a brother with Down's. He was something else.
Patrick: *Quiet for a few moments while he looks up "Down's"* *brows up* I see....
Lt. Keller: Not saying these guys are hurt by their differences or anything. *glances at Patrick to see if he understands that he's not calling the Dinobots stupid or mentally disabled*
Patrick: *chuckle* Well, as I said, they're the way they were meant to be... Granted, they are young....
Lt. Keller: *foot on the brakes and frowning*
Patrick: *blink blink* Is something wrong?
Lt. Keller: Grimlock's coming back.
Patrick: ... *looks, and then he's leaning out the window again*
Grimlock: //Someone by river with big digging machine! But it not Constructicon.//
Patrick: That's one of the machines Uncle Mike brought, Grimlock. It's okay.
Grimlock: No it not! Trucks with it not NEST trucks! And people not wear NEST clothes! *lashes tail*
Patrick: ...
Col. Franklin: //Patrick, what's wrong?//
Patrick: //Grimlock says that there is construction equipment that is operated by people not wearing NEST uniforms, Mike...//
Col. Franklin: //...I didn't order any construction equipment. I thought the Dinobots would be able to do the main brunt of the digging.//
Patrick: //*notcuss over comms, since he knows the kids can hear him*//
Grimlock: *head down* Them have bot from slurpy sand!
Patrick: *More notcuss* //We have to get there NOW.//
Col. Franklin: *gives his men the order to move in*
Lt. Keller: *follows orders without thinking and floors the pickup toward the group by the river*
Patrick: *wishing he had thought to take Denver's advice and start carrying a standard issue handgun, but reminds himself that he was never any good at being a fighter...*
Lt. Keller: *truck stopped and he's out of the truck and holding a 3.06 hunting rifle at a ready but not aimed position before the engine purr has died away*
SUVs: *form a half circle around the intruders, and then NEST personnel pour out and get into position*
Col. Franklin: *steps out of his SUV in his black suit and shades, not noticing Raoul moving along in his shadow*
Blaster: *Getting out of Bumblebee after telling River to stick close to the older femme* *is in alt-mode, but unlike Patrick, he has a standard issue service revolver in a holster on his hip*
Col. Franklin: *in his quiet, calm voice* Who's in charge here?
grey haired guy in a suit: *steps forward, smiling* That would be me. May I help you?
Col. Franklin: You're trespassing on restricted ground and interfering with US military property.
guy: *light chuckle* No. I'm retrieving my employer's property. *lifts a hand, which holds a large pistol* And I suggest that you leave the area.
Col. Franklin: *eyebrow* You don't honestly think you can intimidate me with that?
guy: No? How about this? *signals, and one of his men points a machine gun at the head of the black bot that they just dug out of the quicksand*
Blaster: *tensed*
Patrick: *low cuss*
Raoul: *nobody notices a short teenage boy in a scruffy leather jacket. At least not until that boy has stepped forward, wrenched the antennae off of Lt. Keller's truck, and brought that antennae down hard against the grey haired guy's wrist*
guy: *howls with surprise and drops the gun, then howls louder as the antennae lashes him on the shoulder and is followed by a sneaker to the face*
Jake: *out of the SUV to help his cousin! Namely by tackling the nearest non-NEST guy*
Grimlock: *roars and charges!*
Patrick: *Out of the truck and moving to transform as Sandra and Sven all but topple out of Wesson's SUV*
Sandra: *Transforms and charges!*
Sven: *Doing like sister!*
Lt. Keller: *two quick steps forward, and the guy who decided to aim at Raoul has a rifle butt to the forehead, then throws himself down and starts shooting enemy tires*
Wesson: *running in the wake of Slag and Snarl, yelling orders to the big youngsters*
more men: *charging out from cover with intent to overwhelm the much smaller NEST force*
Optimus: *moving to keep up with Slag and Snarl, intends to grab Trailbreaker and PINpoint to safety*
Brandon: *Transforms and blasts the approaching enemy with sound*
Raoul: *flashing in and out among the enemy, his makeshift weapon wrecking havoc as he moves like something from a combat movie*
Jake: *puts yet another enemy combatant in a sleeper hold until the man passes out. Then he's seeking his next target, being careful to avoid the main combat zone*
Trailbreaker: *...is moving*
Optimus: *over comms* //I'm going to try and PINpoint Trailbreaker out of here if I can get to him, and I want everyone to fall back to a safe location once we're clear!// *notices Trailbreaker, startled blurt as he hurries over to the black-colored mech* Trailbreaker!
Trailbreaker: *blinks at him and coughs* [Rosie activated me... What's the sitch, sir?]
Optimus: [We need to get the Protectbots and Beachcomber, but we've got hostiles to contend with. We're almost out-manned, but we're not out-gunned. Refrain from killing any of the humans.] *moving to provide cover fire*
Trailbreaker: [Yessir.] *stumbles to his feet and does a quick scan of the battlefield, then starts knocking enemies over with his forcefields*
several of the enemy soldiers: *cussing as they try to avoid Raoul and his weapon, as well as angry Dinobots. What really shocked them was the old soldier shooting out the tires of their vehicles*
Jake: *Moving to tackle another enemy combatant, ends up having to grapple with the man on the ground*
Raoul: *uppercut to the jaw of the guy that had just come up behind Optimus*
Sarah: *From where she's doing a quail chick impression* Where him Simon?
Caine: *scoops her up and aims her back toward Bumblebee, who is sitting in car mode behind Sludge*
Sludge: Sarah, you come here fast! Me Sludge protect you!
Sarah: *Clickstorm!*
Caine: *gives her a gentle shove and then starts firing toward a group of enemy, the rubber bullets in his gun giving raise to howls and gasps*
Sarah: *is going to hide inside your passenger compartment, Bumblebee*
River: *hugs Sarah and clicks to her*
Lt. Keller: *providing cover fire now, though he knows he'll be running out of ammo soon...*
Col. Franklin: *rolls over to catch the two machine guns that just got tossed his way, shoves one toward Keller*
Lt. Keller: Thanks. *checks gun, resumes cover fire*
Grimlock: *KILL DIGGING MACHINE DEAD WITH FIRE*
Lt. Keller: The hell??
Blaster: *Jamming enemy frequencies so they can't call for backup* *Will move to join Lt. Keller and Col. Franklin*
Lt. Keller: *as the red and gold bot joins them* Where's River?
Blaster: She's with Bumblebee and Swoop. *More jamming of enemy signals!*
Lt. Keller: Safe? *more cover fire*
Col. Franklin: If she's with them she's safe.
Blaster: *nods*
Raoul: *sticking close to Optimus. Or he was till that one guy got over an aversion to shooting at unarmed kids* Ahhh!
Lt. Keller: *cusses and takes the shooter out*
Col. Franklin: *finger to ear* Raoul, report!
Jake: *looking up and checking for his cousin*
Optimus: *hurrying to check on Raoul*
Raoul: *hand to his cheek as he gets himself to cover*
Col. Franklin: *over comms* Optimus, how is he?
Optimus: //His cheek's bleeding, but that seems to be the worst of his injuries.// *moves to protect Raoul*
Blaster: *To Tea* -I'm about to do something really stupid, so don't hurt me too badly?-
Jake: *hurrying over to make sure Raoul's really okay*
Raoul: *looks up at Jake dazedly* Man... Tracks is gonna kill me.
Jake: 'E 'as t-t' get through m-me f-first.... *moving to apply pressure to Raoul's cheek with a bit of t-shirt*
Raoul: *winces* Owwww....
Jake: *Soothing sounds, continues to apply pressure to try and stop the bleeding* 'T'll be okay....
Optimus: *nods in agreement and then opens fire on the enemy combatants with a few dozen rounds of rubber bullets*
Blaster: *lets rip with a narrow-band EMP that soon shorts out all the enemy radios and cellphones. Moments later, his hands and knees are meeting the ground and he's cycling air rapidly*
Col. Franklin: *yanks him down flat, and then yelps as an explosion rocks the entire area*
Trailbreaker: *standing tall, his legs braced as he uses his forcefield to contain the explosion of the digging machine*
Grimlock: *triumphant roar!*
Snarl: *Roars and spits fire*
Slag: *Stomp stomp stomping towards the enemy, and boy does he look mad!*
grey-haired guy: *urging his men on*
Lt. Keller: *gets his rifle back and shuts that guy up the hard way*
Col. Franklin: *wince* We try not to kill, Lieutenant.
Lt. Keller: I didn't kill him, sir.
Enemy combatants still standing: *Surrendering!*
Optimus: *moving towards the grey-haired guy, expression calm* Snarl, Slag, Grimlock, go wait by Aunt Bumblebee.
Grimlock: No! Me Grimlock destroy enemies!
Optimus: I'll tell Ratchet.
Grimlock: Me destroy enemies!
Wesson: Uh, there aren't any anymore to destroy, Grim.
Grimlock: *unpuffs and heads toward Bumblebee* Oh.
Optimus: *looks to Wesson* ... You have got to teach me how to do that.
Wesson: *slight, grim, smile* Logic.
Optimus: *Soft snort*
Wesson: Seriously. *hunkers down and eyes the grey-haired guy, who is groaning and bleeding from a scalp wound* Man... Remind me not to slag that Keller off.
Optimus: No kidding.... *Attention going to Blaster* ... Just how big of a dumb did he do? *Yes, he's seen Blaster in action and knows quite well what the mech is capable of*
Wesson: *working to wake the grey-haired guy up after making sure he's in no danger of bleeding to death* EMP.
Optimus: *Sympathetic wince* And knowing him, it was a narrow-frequency one....
Wesson: *looks around at the objects affected, then nods and returns his attention to searching the prisoner*
Blaster: *Still too dizzy to do much more than lay on the ground and cycle air*
Col. Franklin: *giving orders to his men concerning the other prisoners, and calling for backup to bring them out. Rejects suggestions of helicopters and orders the people who come to use PINpoints*
Bumblebee: *drives slowly toward the front of the line, and then activates her holoform so that she can care for Blaster*
Lt. Keller: *face scrunched up and slightly turned to the side as Grimlock snuffles at him*
Sarah: *peeking* Him Uncle Blaster hurt? *Worried clicks*
Bea: *glances up* He'll be okay, Sarah. *small smile as River comes to kneel next to her*
Optimus: Grimlock, Snarl, Slag, Sludge, let's get the rest of the Autobots in the mud out, alright?
Sludge: Okay! *nuzzles Sarah* You, Sarah change to Swoop now.
Grimlock: Me Grimlock not done sniffing him River daddy.
Lt. Keller: *can't help it. Despite the gravity of the past moments he laughs*
Sarah: *moving to climb out of Aunty Bee's alt-mode, before she'll transform and beetle up to sit on Sludge's back*
Sludge: *nuzzles sister again, then bumps Grimlock*
Grimlock: Stupid Sludge not make me hurt River daddy.
Slag: *a bit more cooperative now that he's gotten to fight* Is time to dig now?
Snarl: *Ignores Grimlock* Dig in dirt!
Grimlock: Go dig, leave me Grimlock alone.
Lt. Keller: ...Do I smell good or something? *trying not to be amused, but these kids just get to him*
Grimlock: You River daddy smell like smoked meat.
Lt. Keller: *snerk!*
Jake: *is that snicker from over by Raoul*
Wesson: You might get some more as soon as we get those guys outta the river.
Grimlock: *issa splash*
Optimus: *Amused chuckling as he moves to approach Trailbreaker*
Trailbreaker: *maintaining a forcefield cell around the prisoners as he looks around wonderingly*
Optimus: [How are you feeling, Trailbreaker?]
Trailbreaker: *ruefully* [Low on energy. Clogged with dirt. And kinda confused.]
Optimus: [We'll get you to a medic, and get you up to speed...]
Trailbreaker: [Thanks, Optimus. Hey, do you have a language pack for what everyone's speaking?] *listens to fluent French cursing from inside the cell* [Everybody but that guy.]
Optimus: [I have a language pack for that language, and several other human languages as well... But then again, you know how I am...] *Geek, yes* *will databurst Trailbreaker the English language pack* [This is the one that's most common in this part of the world.]
Trailbreaker: *thanks him and starts to install it, then turns to look at Col. Franklin as the man walks over*
Col. Franklin: *quietly* How is he?
Optimus: Low on energy, and he's clogged with dirt... Once Bumblebee is done with Blaster, I'll bring him over to her.
Col. Franklin: *nods* Are you alright with the leader of this being questioned by NEST people at Diego Garcia?
Optimus: *nods*
Col. Franklin: Alright. *turns toward the Majors of the squads that just arrived and nods to them, then turns back to Patrick as the squad members work to gather up the prisoners and PINppoint them away* ...Are we going to need to divert the river? The Dinobots seem rather lost.
Optimus: *Small frown* We might.... Too bad Hoist and Grapple are in France... We could use their help here...
Col. Franklin: I understand that you've contacted them? *ducks a flying fish*
Optimus: Blaster spoke with them, and I e-mailed them, but I haven't spoken to them yet....
Col. Franklin: So you don't feel that bringing here is an option? *doesn't seem disappointed. He's in professional mode and merely exploring his options*
Wesson: *trying to tell the Dinobots that trying to drink up the Rio Grande is a baaaaaaaaaad idea*
Optimus: It's an option, but that depends on how long the Dinobots are willing to wait... *Watches as Swoop dive-bombs fish*
Col. Franklin: NEST has engineers. *watches Grimlock fall into the river and clamber back out with a bellow*
Optimus: I have the coordinates of Hoist and Grapple's office....
Slag: *Grousing about the river!*
Col. Franklin: Well these are your people, so it's your call.
Optimus: We're going to need every extra set of hands that we can get... *moves to transform and fix his tie* I'll be back as soon as I can.
Col. Franklin: Alright. *walks over to check on Raoul, who is laying quietly and watching things happen around him*
Jake: *talking soothingly and letting Raoul use his lap as a pillow*
Patrick: *PINpoints out*
Swoop: *bringing fish prezzies to Raoul and Jake*
Just outside the main office building of Hoist and Grapple's firm
Patrick: *Quick glance around, fixes his tie yet again, and then he's moving to head inside*
Gerard: *in French as he gesticulates at a man in a bottle green suit* #No no no no NO! I will not create this abomination! I create my own designs only! If you want to save money go build your building yourself!#
Patrick: *Raised brow, blink blink* *In French* #Er, pardon me....#
red-haired woman: *steps forward* #You might want to wait, or talk to the partner.# *amusement in her green eyes. She is NOT the girl in the picture Patrick saw*
Patrick: #Very well... Is Hans available?#
redhead: #He should be. Let me call the receptionist.#
Gerard: *getting loud*
Patrick: *giving every appearance of paying Gerard no mind* *except for that ping to Gerard's comm frequency* *amusedly* //[It's good to hear you haven't changed much, Grapple.]//
Gerard: *stops in mid yell to look around wildly*
customer: *retreat!*
Patrick: *chuckles softly* #You didn't even see me come in... Was that customer's design really that bad?#
Gerard: *staring at him* #Blaster didn't say you were coming.#
redhead: *meanwhile, not listening to the conversation and so not realizing that Patrick can hear her open comm call* //Hoist, stop flirting with Sunray and come talk to somebody out here//
Patrick: *to Gerard* #We were planning on visiting at a later date, but necessity bumped the visit up.#
Gerard: #...# *takes a step back while looking very suspicious* #Necessity?#
Patrick: #We need to divert a river so we can rescue the remaining Protectbots and Beachcomber. NEST has engineers coming to help, but I'd also like your expertise and Hoist's expertise.#
Gerard: ... #I'm very busy, Optimus.#
Hans: *stops on his way over from a door to one side of the lovely and expansive lobby* Optimus?
Patrick: *Attention going to Hans* *Small smile* It's been awhile...
Hans: *bites his lip* #Sorry, Chief, my English isn't that good#
Patrick: *Small nod* #It's been awhile since we last saw one another...#
Hans: #Yes. We didn't realize anyone else was here. But then I was so busy keeping up with Gerard...#
redhead: #And trying to court Soleil while his back was turned...#
Hans: *quick glance at Gerard, who seems to be contemplating a get away* *sigh of relief* #Stick a cork in it, Fae.#
redhead: Thrrpt. :D
Patrick: #Most of us have congregated in and around Blacksburg, Virginia, in the United States... And don't even think of trying to bolt, Gerard.# *using his Authoritative voice there* #If we had known you were here, I would have asked Brandon and TC to stop by when NEST was in Poland to rendezvous with Pavel and Maja.#
Hans: #Pavel and Maja?#
Fae: *going after Gerard, much to his ire*
Patrick: *realizes his goof* #Powerglide and Moonracer.#
Hans: *perks* #Moonracer survived. That's wonderful. So where do you need this work done, and do we need to bring in people?#
Gerard: #No no no no, it always ends in destruction! My beautiful buildings... My lovely creations...#
Patrick: #I'll bring you there. NEST is already bringing in engineers to assist, and I promise I will bring you back by the end of today.#
Fae: #And your stupid buildings aren't in the United States. I'll go get Wade and Soleil.# *walks off*
Gerard: *there's that old whipped puppy look*
Hans: *smacks him on the back* #Hey, it might even wind up being fun!#
Gerard: *pout*
Patrick: #You'll be getting to meet some of the newest members of the team... And quite possibly will get cuddles from one of them...# *Fond chuckle as he thinks of how quickly Swoop warms up to strangers*
Gerard: :\
Hans: *curious look back to Patrick as he grabs his creche brother's arm* #What do you mean, Optimus?#
Patrick: *more chuckle* #You'll see when we get there... Oh, and before I forget... In this form, I go by Patrick Oberson... Lt. Col. Oberson to NEST...# *Slight eye roll behind his glasses showing what he thinks of the unofficial rank*
Hans: *brows raise* #Alright.# *looks at Gerard, and then back to Patrick* #I guess we better pick up some English language packs.#
Patrick: *Will databurst the language packs* #I've got language packs for most every major language on Earth...# *Looks a bit sheepish to be admitting that*
Hans: #Well we have all the local ones. But not many English come for our work.# I guess they think it's too fancy or something.
Gerard: Cretins.
Patrick: *Soft snerk* Once Wade, Soliel and Fae get here, I'll give them the language packs as well... And then we'll get going.
Wade: #We're right... BLAAM!... here, Chief!# *walking ahead of the two red-haired women, a big grin on his bluff face*
Patrick: *Chuckles and databursts language packs*
Soliel: *shyly* I already know English, sir. I learned it so that I could read books without having to find the translation.
Fae: *without rancor* Nerd.
Patrick: *Gently* Alright. *Gives Fae an amused look* Now that everyone's here, make sure you're all touching one another in some way, be it holding hands or even just having your feet touch. *Will get his PINpoint set to the coordinates of the dig*
Hans: *trying to grab hold of his brother* Gerard, stop being a boobie.
Fae: Did you just say 'boobie'?
Hans: *brother grabbed* Yeah, so?
Fae: Look at the other meaning.
Hans: *RED man*
Patrick: *Snickers and puts a hand on Gerard's shoulder* I promise, the worst you'll have to deal with is Grimlock... and he's always grouchy, so don't take it personally.
Gerard: *still pouting, and sulking*
everyone else: *touching*
Gerard: ...Fae, get your hand out of Wade's hip pocket. That's disgusting.
Fae: Thrrpt! ^_^
Patrick: *Actually laughs at that*
Wade: *big grin* Let's BOOM go.
Patrick: Alright. Brace yourselves. *Will bring everyone to the dig site*
Swoop: *latches onto Uncle Patrick as soon as he appears, chattering away happily*
Gerard: *woozy and then ACK! at muddy... creature*
river banks: *crawling with engineers being happy engineers... That is to say, there's craziness going on*
Wade: *heading over to investigate those big things in the river*
Patrick: *chuckles and gently pats Swoop's head before asking her where Jake and Raoul are*
Swoop: Him Jake and him Raoul sitting under tarp by him Uncle Keller truck. *nodnod*
Patrick: Alright. *Moves to gently set Swoop on her feet. Then he's heading over to Lt. Keller's truck to check on the boys*
Swoop: *Chirrs curiously and studies Gerard, first with one optic, then with the other* *Curiously* Who you?
Gerard: ... *transforms to the version that will be harder to get muddy than his alpaca suit* Grapple.
Hoist: *grabs brother and drags him toward the river* Look at that challenge!
Swoop: *follows the two engineers, curiously asking questions*
Raoul: *laying with his head on his balled up jacket when Patrick looks in, is sound asleep with a hand resting on his chest. There's a bandage on his cheek*
Jake: *having a bit of a nap as well*
Trailbreaker: *looks up from watching the human kids and Blaster rest, his visored face quizzical*
Patrick: *relieved, will go and check on Blaster now* *To Trailbreaker, when he sees that Blaster is conked out* Feeling better?
Trailbreaker: Yeah. *holds up the remains of a sparkly cookie* The fuel's interesting, but it works. I can't really say the same about the fish. *glances at a pile of three laying under the truck next to him*
Patrick: *Chuckles* Did Swoop give you a hug too? *said without so much as a hint of scorn. He knows how the big sparklet is, and he approves of her behavior*
Trailbreaker: *nods, grinning slightly* And Grimlock bellowed at me, but this guy... *gentle hand on Raoul's leg* Told him to heel and he went huffing off.
Patrick: *nods* Raoul's the only human member of the creche that Grimlock will take orders from... *more chuckle*
Trailbreaker: Really? This guy's not human? *points to Jake*
Patrick: He's human too... Wait, does Grimlock take orders from Jake as well? *This is something new to him*
Trailbreaker: *nods* Yup. Though he asks more than orders.
Patrick: *looks quite surprised by this* Never would have guessed it.... I know Jake, Swoop, and Sludge get along really well... and that Snarl and Slag tolerate him....
Trailbreaker: Jake asked Grimlock to carry... Raoul? *pauses to check if the name is right*
Patrick: Raoul's the dark-haired boy...
Trailbreaker: *nod* To bring Raoul over here after Bea fixed his face.
Patrick: *Very quiet chuckle* I see.... *quiet clicks when Jake stirs a bit, will gently pat the young man's shoulder*
Trailbreaker: *bit of a frown* I thought we weren't supposed to let the natives know about us, Chief.
Patrick: *Quietly* That became a bit of a moot point forty years ago when Air Raid rescued Col. Franklin.... It became even more of a moot point when a company called Stark produced a documentary about their robotics program, which in actuality involved several captured Cybertronians... *quiet sigh*
Trailbreaker: *visor flashes* Captured?
Patrick: *nods* *Very quietly* [Ironfist, Hound, Sharpshot, and Rumble... But Rumble never appeared in the documentary...]
Trailbreaker: *hisses through his intakes and bites off a curse at thought of the little Decepticon punk*
Patrick: *still quietly* [A lot's changed since we landed, Trailbreaker...]
Trailbreaker: [I can already see that.] *rubs his face* [What happened to Ironfist and the others? That was Kup's team.]
Patrick: *Quietly begins telling Trailbreaker all the details he knows about what happened leading up to the Stark capture. He hesitates for a few moments while he tries to decide how best to explain what happened to Ironfist, Hound, and Sharpshot*
Trailbreaker: *jaw squared as though for a knockout hit* [They're all dead?]
Patrick: [Ironfist... isn't herself anymore... Hound's gone, but a part of him lives on in Ridgeback... and Sharpshot... The damage that Stark inflicted upon her caused her personality matrix to fracture before she escaped... When she was recaptured a few weeks later, her spark split... Both halves survived.... Desinex, while she may appear to be an adult, is very much a sparklet... and Sharpshot... Sharpshot has moments where the memories cause her to lock up...]
Trailbreaker: *tips his head back against the pickup* *quietly* [And Arcee's a widow. ...What happened to Kup? Does he know what happened to those three?]
Patrick: *quietly* [He found out... shortly before he passed on...] *small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth* [And thanks to a miracle, Arcee and Sharpshot both have their mates back.]
Trailbreaker: *tips head forward again to give Patrick a puzzled look* [Sharpshot wasn't bonded, Chief.]
Patrick: [She had a 'mystery mech' that all the socialite feeds were going crazy over trying to ID...] *Chuckle* [They thought he was a politician or another performer.... Turns out he was one of the Towers residents.... And he's a sneaky slagger.]
Trailbreaker: .... Mirage.
Patrick: *nods* The feeds never did figure it out... And it's by the grace of Primus and the Greater Creator that he and Springer are both alive again.
Trailbreaker: It would have to be. I was at Raj's memorial.
Patrick: I witnessed his return... As did Susana... He hitched a ride with her for a little while before Jack put him into a drone shell....
Trailbreaker: Wheeljack and his sla... *looks at the boys* His drones.
Patrick: *chuckles, before his expression goes serious for a moment* If it wasn't for one of Wheeljack's drones, we would have lost Sharpshot for good.... He's a little tracker drone with a lock-on radius of two hundred miles.
Trailbreaker: *soft whistle* Guess I'm obsolete.
Patrick: No, you're not... Moofy's only about yea tall... *indicates where the top of the drone's head is* And all he can really do when he finds someone is make a lot of noise... So it does no good to try and hide when it's exam time, because Ratchet just sics Moofy on us.
Trailbreaker: *grins* You think that all a Wheeljack drone can do is make noise? *shakes his head* Not unless 'Jack's lost his touch. I saw that pair he had on Cybertron in action a lot of times, and they were a lot more than just little cute pets.
Patrick: Well, the drones he has here are all built out of Earth materials and machines... Moofy turns into a tape recorder, if I remember right....
Trailbreaker: I bet there's still more to them than meets the eye.
Patrick: *soft chuckle* You have no idea....
Trailbreaker: *quirks his brow ridges* So don't underestimate the little tracker either. *sudden frown as he recalls something said earlier* Ridgeback? Who's that?
Patrick: *Quietly explains who Ridgeback is*
Trailbreaker: *static*
Patrick: *Quietly* The people responsible are in jail, likely for the rest of their lives....
Trailbreaker: And... part of Hound... is still with us. *more static*
Patrick: *nods and moves to gently rub Trailbreaker's shoulder* Ridgeback is in Hound's shell... He's just like his father....
Trailbreaker: *tries to clear the static from his vocalizer, but winds up crying*
Patrick: *Quiet clicks as he continues to rub the tracker's shoulder*
Trailbreaker: *finally stops the small static blurts and keens, then looks over Patrick's shoulder*
Patrick: *Quietly* We'll get you up to speed with everything... I promise.
Hoist: *throat clearing sound* Chief, we're going to need more water set cement.
Patrick: *looks over his shoulder, a puzzled expression* Why are you telling me?
Hoist: *blinks* You're Lt. Col. Oberson, right?
Patrick: Yes, but Col. Franklin outranks me. *looks around for Franklin even as he pings the man's radio*
Col. Franklin: //Yes, Patrick?//
Patrick: *Sounding a bit confused* //Where did you go?//
Col. Franklin: //Back to Diego Garcia to question the prisoners.//
Patrick: //....Oh...// *feeling a bit stupid now*
Col. Franklin: //Do you need something?//
Patrick: //More water set cement...//
Col. Franklin: //Do you know how much?//
Patrick: *To Hoist* How much do you need?
Hoist: Forty two bags the same size as the ones here should do it. Oh, and about a quarter tonne of rebar. *yes, he thinks in metric. Joy*
Patrick: *relays this to Col Franklin*
Col. Franklin: //Give us ten minutes and make sure coordinates (X/X) are clear.//
Patrick: //Understood.// *to Hoist* The materials will be here in ten minutes... We just have to make sure coordinates (X/X) are clear.
Hoist: *looks over there, and then scoots over and moves a horned toad before moving himself* Ready!
River: *soft snerk from where she'd come over from standing by her human father to check on her Autobot one*
Patrick: *To Col Franklin* //All clear.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. Keep it that way till we can get the order processed and PINpointed.//
Patrick: //Will do.//
Blaster: *sleeping peacefully and dreaming of snuggling with Tea*
River: *pokes Blaster, and then glances over as several pallets of cement bags and rebar appear with a flash and a slight swish*
Patrick: *soft chuckle*
Raoul: *frowns slightly and then looks toward the chuckle* ...Mr. Oberson.
Patrick: *Moves to crouch next to Raoul and Jake* Hey... How are you feeling?
Raoul: Dozy. Mrs. Convoy hit me with some pain dope. *moves as though to try and sit up*
Trailbreaker: *hand on the boy stops that*
Raoul: >_>
Jake: S-stay s-still... *peeking at his cousin*
Patrick: *gently* Rest for now, Raoul....
Raoul: *settles back* What's up? What's the sitch?
Patrick: We're working on diverting the river so we can get to the Protectbots and Beachbomber.
Raoul: ...We can do that?
Patrick: *nods*
Jake: *Brows up*
Raoul: ...Whoa. *looks impressed*
Trailbreaker: *chuckles*
Grimlock: *over by the river* ME GRIMLOCK IS KING!
Patrick: ... *Facepalm*
Raoul: Wow, he's really messin' his tenses up. He can't be gettin' tired yet, so he's gotta be having a good time.
Jake: *snerk*
Sludge: *faintly* Me Sludge help dig new river channel, like him Uncle Grapple say.
Grapple: For the last time, I am not your uncle!
Patrick: *to Grapple, over comms* //They call everyone who isn't part of their creche and aren't their creators Aunty or Uncle...//
Grapple: //Argghhh!//
Raoul: *soft snerk*
Trailbreaker: *wan grin* Grapple hasn't changed.
Grapple: //Wait... creche?//
Patrick: *Chuckles over comms* //Yes, and the Dinobots are only a handful of the sparklets in it.//
Grapple: //But... Vector Sigma...// *architect is brain broken*
Patrick: //I'll explain later...//
Grapple: //...But...// *from the river* AHHHHHHH, NO NO NO. DON'T DIG THERE!
Raoul: *snerk*
Patrick: *Snickering a bit*
Trailbreaker: *looks over that way* It's going to take a couple days to get the channel dug and the river rerouted, even with the Dinobots and Grapple on the job.
Patrick: *Small frown* Well, slag.
Trailbreaker: *looks back to him, frowning with concern at his response* That's bad?
Raoul: *brows drawn together as he watches Patrick*
Patrick: We'll have to find out when the best time to have Hoist and Grapple here each day is....
Trailbreaker: *listens to the frustrated shouting from the river* Do you think they're going to leave the project now?
Raoul: They gotta. Dinobots need naps and time at home with family.
Patrick: *nods* And Tracks and Major Trach will be worried about Raoul and Jake....
Trailbreaker: *pause* Tracks will be worried?
Raoul: *snerk*
Jake: *nods*
Patrick: Raoul is his and Major Trach's son, and Jake is staying with them.
Trailbreaker: ...Tracks has taken in a native youngling.
Raoul: *glee despite his grogginess* He's got a native mate too, yo.
Trailbreaker: *o.0 despite visor*
Patrick: *nods* Major Trach. You'll get to meet her at some point....
Trailbreaker: *slowly* Is Tracks alright? *startles as Raoul kicks him in the leg*
Jake: *Gonna flop down beside his cousin* Yup.
Trailbreaker: *looks at the boys, and then gives Patrick a nonplussed look*
Patrick: *Considering something* We may want to think about starting to pack up to go home soon....
Raoul: The Dinobots ain't ready. *sigh* But I better get back so Tracks 'n Major Mac got less to be #$#$#@ off about.
Wesson: *laughter over by the river*
Patrick: *nods* And we'd better get Blaster to Teletraan, so she can help him recover quicker...
River: *quietly* I'll stay here.
Raoul: *looks at her*
River: Dad needs me.
Patrick: *small nod* Alright... Stay in touch?
River: *nods* Yes, sir.
Raoul: *looks at Jake* You comin' or stayin'?
Jake: S-s'me'un's gotta keep Grimlock outta t-trouble...
Raoul: *uninjured side of his face quirks into a grin* Lt. Wesson'll appreciate the hand. 'N the Dinobots'll like havin' a brother around.
Jake: *nods and gently patpats Raoul's shoulder as Patrick offers a hand up*
Bea: *walks around the truck and stops to look at the people under the tarp tent, her face pale and her eyes slightly unfocused* Raoul should rest.
Raoul: I'm gonna rest when I get home, Mrs. Convoy.
Patrick: *Gently* Bea, do you need me to get Joe here to help you out?
Bea: *blinks at Patrick and then rubs her face* *quietly* Is there another medic available to take over here? *more quietly* I... I'm flashing back.
Raoul: *frowns as he leans on Jake*
Trailbreaker: *also frowning as he moves to lift Blaster*
Patrick: *nods and calls Russell. A few moments later, the man has PINpointed in nearby* *Gently, to Bea* Let's get everyone home who is going home now, alright?
Bea: *nods and indicates Raoul and the two mechs*
Trailbreaker: *has Blaster in his arms now and is moving closer to Patrick*
Raoul: *trying to stand on his own. Not doing too well. His face is also looking rather puffy on the injured side*
Patrick: *nods and moves to help Raoul over to Bea's main body* Easy, Raoul... I've got you...
Raoul: *quiet grumble* Slaggin' dope.
Trailbreaker: *follows Patrick with Blaster, his brow ridges lifting as he realizes that this car is a Cybertronian*
Patrick: *once everyone's situated, he's PINpointing to the medbay and calling Joe*
Merlin: *organizing supplies, since that's what Russell was doing earlier when he asked for someone to keep an optic on things* *Surprised sound as he looks up from his work*
Kia: *also looks up, blinking, but then turns her attention back to her task as she and Merlin realize that the taller of the two bodies available to them will be better able to tender assistance should it be needed*
Trailbreaker: Ughhhhh. *weebles, visor blinking*
Raoul: *sympathy wince for the black mech*
Merlin: *moving to offer support as he alerts Teletraan of the situation*
Tea: *sudden appearance of her holoform, since her physical form is too far away to enable her to reach the med ward as fast as she wants to* Let's just get him in a recovery room, okay? *lips thinned*
Joe: *PINpoints in at about that time and hurries over to Bumblebee*
Merlin: Agreed... The sooner that both Blaster and Trailbreaker are resting, the better...*moves to gently usher Trailbreaker towards one of the empty recovery rooms*
Patrick: *Will move to offer Raoul assistance*
Tea: Trailbreaker? *looks at the mech with a raised brow*
Trailbreaker: You're prettier than when I saw you last, Teletraan. *weebles again and lets himself be steered, grinning at Tea's snort*
Raoul: *finger in his ear* Hey... Major Mac? Could you come to the med ward? *sounds sheepish*
Joe: *has transformed and is comforting his mate over to one side*
Denver: //...Gimme a few minutes, 'n Ah'll be th're, Raoul.//
Patrick: *Will wait with Raoul until Denver arrives*
Raoul: Lemme sit on one of the tables, sir. This painkiller's really makin' me stupid.
Joe: Being hurt is probably doing part of that, Raoul.
Raoul: Whatever.
Patrick: Alright... *offers to help the teen onto the table then*
Denver: *not quite jogging down the hall as she arrives*
Raoul: *looks up guiltily from where he's sitting on the table and bobbing his folded hands as he rests his elbows on his knees. His right cheek is quite swollen now, and his right eye is squinted shut because of it*
Denver: *Concerned, hurries over, already starting to fuss a bit* Wh't 'appened?
Raoul: *quietly* I got in a fight.
Denver: *bites her lower lip and asks for the details*
Raoul: *deep breath as he thinks to himself that Tracks will be disappointed with him* This guy pulled a gun on Mr. Oberson, and had one of his goons point a gun at Trailbreaker. So I hit him with a ghetto sword. Uh... and things kinda went downhill from there.
Denver: *deep breaths to try and stay as calm as she can* Ghetto sword? *and while she's at it, she's looking for Patrick... who has PINpointed out*
Raoul: *hanging his head* ...The antenna off Lt. Keller's truck.
Denver: ... *Raised brow, even as she tries to calm the sparklet's upset at her own upset* Did y'u 'pologahze t' Lt. Keller afta th' fact?
Raoul: *looks up with a flash of dismay* Oh man! I was asleep from the stuff Mrs. Convoy gave me. I don't think I did.
Denver: *Gently, as she moves to put an arm around Raoul's shoulders* Y'u c'n call 'im 'n 'pologahze aftah y'u rest a bit... Alrahght?
Raoul: *nods* *quietly* Tracks is gonna be $@#$#@. He don't like me fighting.
Denver: *Just as quietly* Y'u were trah'n t' pr'tect s'me'un.... *Still taking deep breaths and trying to keep the sparklet calm as well*
Tracks: *from where he's been standing in the door and watching them* I'm not angry at you, Raoul.
Raoul: *startles and looks up, then shuts his eyes with relief*
Denver: *Quiet clicks as she moves to gently smooth the teen's hair*
Tracks: *comes walking in and puts his hand on his son's shoulder* You weren't showing off. You did what you had to do. *lips thin* Optimus is probably going to go all guilty and responsible over this. *snort* As if he could have known about those bot nappers.
Denver: *And now she's tensed up. She hadn't realized that that was why there were guys pointing guns at people* *had thought it was more a matter of "We found him first, so back off!"*
Tracks: *winces and moves to comfort his mate as Raoul also pats her reassuringly* Shhh, darling. Shhh.
Raoul: It's okay. We got them all.
Denver: *deep breaths and ducks her head a bit*
Tracks: Shhh. It's alright. Everyone's safe now. *rubs her back and transmits soothing feelings*
Denver: *leans against Tracks, clicking quietly and feeling a bit embarrassed that she's getting upset*
Raoul: *quietly, and with perfect deadpan* Oh yeah, and Jake can do that pin a heck of a lot better than BJ can.
Tracks: *stifles his snerk at the unexpected statement*
Denver: *Boggling now, has been thrown for a loop*
Raoul: *tilts his head and offers her a tired and lopsided grin*
Denver: *Quietly* Le's go 'ome....
Tracks: Yes. Do lets. *kisses Denver's hair, and then earns himself a poke to the chest as he repeats the gesture of affection to Raoul* Mmmph! Raoul...
Raoul: *cheeky grin, and then lets himself be helped off the table and steered toward the door*
((Written with random_xtras))