mbv and the Nexus, Various Locations, More Changes...
Laserbeak: *comes to sit on Blaster's shoulder where he's standing and watching the Dinobots dig a new channel for the Rio Grande* *quietly* Curk gurk.
Blaster: *slight sideways glance* Yanno, I've noticed a distinct lack of your twin....
Laserbeak: *shrugs and floofs feathers, her eyes still on the digging* Buzzsaw's been dead a long time.
Blaster: ... *Raised brow ridge*
Laserbeak: *watches a hawk go overhead. Making no comment on the fact that twins as close as she and her brother had been don't generally survive each other in the functional state that she's in*
Blaster: You and Buzzsaw were as close as Rewind and Eject are, sibling-wise....
Laserbeak: Yup.
Blaster: How are you still alive and well if he's dead?
Laserbeak: *grumbles and floofs again* Because his spark isn't out. It's just his personality matrix that was destroyed.
Blaster: ... *slight nod*
Laserbeak: *quietly and emotionlessly* He and Ratbat were aboard that time you EMPed the pit outta the boss back on Cybertron. Now they'll never exist again.
Blaster: .... *And now he's feeling a bit ill*
Laserbeak: The boss's Teletraan tried bringing them back, but it didn't take. So he uses the bodies instead.
Blaster: ... *Soft sigh*
Laserbeak: *pecks him on the head*
Wesson: *jogs into sight* Frenzy, Rumble! Don't make me come over there 'n go postal on your cans!
faintly from the other side of the river: You 'n whose army?
Wesson: *growls and heads for the bridge*
Rewind: *can has mate in a headlock now?*
Eject: *is dive-bombing minnows in the river as Swoop chases bigger fish*
Blaster: *feeling pretty guilty now, doesn't register the pecks for a few moments*
Laserbeak: *peck peck peck BITE an audio!*
Blaster: *Startled yelp*
Laserbeak: Don't get all sucky. You're in charge of this zoo.
Blaster: *Dryly* Don't remind me.
Laserbeak: *pecks him again, and then looks toward the sound of incoherent Grapple ire* *snerk*
Blaster: No pestering Hoist and Grapple. *No, he didn't say you couldn't pester Warpath*
Laserbeak: The Dinobots are driving Grapple nuts just fine without us.
Wesson: *speaking of Warpath, he's busy fishing him out of the river. Again*
Blaster: *Acks as Eject decides to bring some minnows over... and drop them down his plating*
Laserbeak: FISH! Fish fish fish fish... *goes fishing in the Blaster plating*
Ark medbay. Jack's room
Rachel: So I traded the apartment down here for a nice house up top. The kids and Chinook love it. And I think Steeljaw's in love with the gravel roof.
Jack: *Soft chuckle* How's Tracks handling life here?
Rachel: Though I don't know what that nerd was thinking, putting a flat roof on a house around here... Tracks? Pretty good, all things considered.
Jack: *soft snerk*
Rachel: He's totally caught up in his family and getting ready for the new sparklet.
Jack: *blink* Denver's carrying?
Rachel: Oh, you hadn't heard that yet. Yup. She's got a healthy little femme in there. Dion tells everybody he sees. *grin*
Jack: *Soft 'heh'* He'll be a good big brother...
Rachel: Yup. *quiet chuckle as she rubs her mate's arm where she's sitting by him on his bed*
Jack: Wonder when I'll get to see what you were talking about with the foodfights... *Quiet chuckle, eyes sparkling a bit*
Rachel: *leans down and kisses him on the forehead* Soon, sport. Pretty soon.
Jack: Good... Looking forward to it... *Chuckle, will try to sit up again*
Rachel: *pushes him down again, and then glances toward the door as she hears something out in the hall*
Jack: *Pouts a bit, before his attention goes to the door as well*
Starpounder: *peeks inside, her golden eyes quizzical and smiling*
Rachel: *perks and hops up to come and meet her* Hey, Star. Thanks for bringing them.
Starpounder: *smiles and gently passes over two tiny bundles* Thank you for offering to care for them so that I can spoil Seamus.
Jack: *Curious now, will try again to sit up*
Rachel: *warning tone in voice* Sport...
Jack: *Lays back, and pouts a bit more*
Starpounder: *smiles at him, her angular face showing respect, then gently touches her little sons and passes over their diaper bag before slipping away*
Rachel: *turns back to Jack, grinning widely* Babies!
Jack: *interest piqued*
Rachel: *walks over and sits on the bed again, and then puts the two little blue boys on Jack's chest, where they squirm and make tiny sounds before one gets a thumb in his mouth and settles down with a sigh*
Jack: *Quiet clicks as he reaches to very gently touch tiny backs*
Rachel: *softly* This is Silus and Daniel. Our reality's first half Cybertronians.
Jack: The blue lady's their mother?
Rachel: Yup. *slight smile as she watches Silus sneeze his thumb out and crack a grin about it* They're also our reality's first Dragon Elf twin boys.
Jack: *slight frown as he tries to find data*
Rachel: What's wrong? *smooths his hair back as the twins settle down to listen to his chest*
Jack: No data...
Rachel: On Dragon Elves?
Jack: *Small headshake*
Rachel: *pulls out her link cable and offers it*
Jack: *holds up his wrist*
Rachel: *plugs in, and then settles down to lay beside him with an arm around him and the babies as she shares the data*
babies: *like this. Little squeaky sounds turn to deep sleeping breaths*
Jack: *curious about who the babies' father is, knows it's got to be a mech he knows, but is drawing a blank on who*
Rachel: //Ohhh. It's Seamus, sport.//
Jack: //...Sideswipe....// *Finds this funny for some reason*
Rachel: *chuckles and shares how Starpounder tried claiming him the first time*
Jack: *snickering softly*
Rachel: *grins, pleased by his amusement*
Daniel: *tiny itty bitty baby chuckle*
Rachel: D'awww.
Jack: *Quiet clicks*
Rachel: -Anything else you want to know, buddy?- *snuzzle*
Jack: -Can't think of anything....-
Rachel: -Want me to unhook?- *gentle love sending*
Jack: *reaching to gently squeeze her hand* -Do you have to be somewhere soon?-
Rachel: -Nope.- *grin*
Jack: *small grin, tries to tug her closer for snuggles*
Rachel: *willingly cuddles closer, being careful of the twins* *snuzzles more*
Jack: *quiet, contented sigh as he snuggles with Rachel and the twins*
Seamus and Starpounder's quarters
Seamus: *snickering as a really dumb and tough monster gets totally owned by Blackout-dragon in 'Lords of Haltair'* *is seated on the couch*
Blackout: //I have slain the behemoth, master!//
Seamus: *makes Lord Sideswipe praise Blackout and check her over for injury*
Blackout: *uninjured! After fighting behemoth unassisted!*
Starpounder: *comes home and walks over to the couch*
Seamus: *reaching for a baby out of habit, puzzled sound when he realizes that Starpounder has no babies* ??
Starpounder: *sits beside him instead and offers a box of McIntosh toffee, her golden eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiles*
Seamus: *blink blink, small smile when he sees the toffee box*
Starpounder: I got it from that Canadian candy site you were looking at.
Seamus: *Arm around her shoulders, snuggle* Thanks...
Starpounder: The boys are with a sitter... *quirks a brow at him*
Seamus: *Surprised expression is a go, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth*
Starpounder: *grins again, pleased that he's happy. Arms around him and head on his shoulder as she looks at the computer screen*
Seamus: *happy nuzzle*
Starpounder: I think Blackout is asking you a question.
Seamus: *looks at the screen*
Blackout: *wondering what Master wants her to do now*
Seamus: *Checks to see if there are any other behemoths to slay*
area: *free of that particular monster species*
Seamus: *Checks for other monsters of Blackout's level*
area: *nope, the behemoth ate 'em*
Seamus: *Has Lord Sideswipe tell Blackout to return home, will also send Lord Sideswipe home as well*
Blackout: *bows her head and goes home*
other pets and followers: *go with Lord Sideswipe*
Lady Starpounder: *kisses Lord Sideswipe silly as soon as he gets home*
Starpounder: *chuckles*
Seamus: *Small grin*
Starpounder: *moves to close the computer*
Seamus: *Shows her Lord Sideswipe's mansion and his followers, including the dragon that he got from the raid he and Lord Jake did*
Starpounder: *pauses, her hand still at the top of the screen and her expression showing her interest* That is a large household. *smiles* You're a captain there.
Seamus: *small nod* Yeah... Jake is too, and so is our game-friend Keith... *Chuckle*
Starpounder: *grins* I see. How did you get the little lady doll to look like me?
Seamus: I customized her after I got her.... Which was after you and I got married....
Starpounder: *grin widens*
Seamus: *quietly* I had to pay a bit extra to get her to look just right...
Starpounder: *nuzzle* You are a suck.
Seamus: *Chuckle* You wouldn't like me as much if I wasn't....
Starpounder: *shrugs and gently closes the laptop* You're my suck.
Seamus: *Snuzzle*
Starpounder: *sets laptop on coffee table and then cuddles* So what do you want to do?
Seamus: *blinks and considers, before he's moving to look for his PINpoint so he can bring her to the Black Dog, a nice meal and more snuggling clearly on his mind*
Starpounder: *sits up* What are you looking for?
Seamus: My PINpoint, so we can go have something nice at the Black Dog....
Starpounder: Ohhh. It's in the sock on the wall by the door, where you put it.
Seamus: ...Oh yeah... *moves to go grab it*
Starpounder: Why did you put a sock on the wall, anyway? *getting up to go to him after deciding that her clothes are nice enough for a nice meal*
Seamus: Well, it looks more interesting than the stockings people usually hang up for Christmas....
Starpounder: ...You mean it's a custom to hang socks on the wall here.
Seamus: Well, we don't have a fireplace.... and it's a local tradition, according to the stuff I've seen online....
Starpounder: *looks at the loudly patterned sock* I see.
Seamus: Jake says that someone called Santa Claus comes and leaves presents in the socks on a certain day....
Starpounder: Hmmm. I'm going to have to look into that. *not sure she wants an unknown coming into her home*
Seamus: And on January 6th, if you leave your shoes out, one of the Three Wise Men leaves fruit in 'em like when he and his friends brought gifts to the Greater Creator after he put himself in the Program. *sagely nod*
Starpounder: *blink. Blink* *decides this is Seamusism again and puts a hand on his shoulder* What are you thinking of eating?
Seamus: *Blink blink, distracted from thoughts of Christmas and Twelfth Night by the prospect of food* Poutine. :3
Starpounder: *grins* Do you have your money? *has already witnessed husband absentmindedness*
Seamus: *Checks for his wallet*
Starpounder: *checks too. Pat pat*
Seamus: *Doesn't even bat an eye at having Starpounder patting his butt*
Starpounder: It's here on this table. *picks the wallet off the table by the door*
Seamus: Oooh... Oh, yeah. I put it there when I came back from lunch....
Starpounder: That reminds me. *frown* Will you promise me something?
Seamus: *Blink blink* Hm?
Starpounder: Don't take anymore turns in the kitchen.
Seamus: *small pout* Alright....
In the main part of the med ward....
Russell: *Arriving back home, looking a bit more relaxed than he was before he left*
Bea: *looks up from the detective game on her Nintendo DS* Hi.
Russell: Hey... How have things been here?
Bea: Pretty quiet. *pauses her game and sets the handheld on the desk* Dr. Ruteger's with Professor Ruteger.
Russell: *nods* How's he doing?
Bea: He's been talking, and I heard him laugh. Oh, and Alice and Stan are playing some kind of game.
Russell: *Chuckle* Did her Star Trek disks finally arrive?
Bea: Yeah. *bit of a grin* She was really excited. They've been playing ever since they got most of it punched out.
Russell: *Chuckles* I'd better get back to Rinny and the girls...
Bea: *grins and reaches for her DS*
Russell: Did you find a good story to enjoy?
Bea: *holds up the game machine* *with true innocence* Yeah, it's a detective story. It's really good so far.
Russell: .... Okay then... *is going to go and snuggle with his mate and daughters now*
Sean: *meets him just outside his door* Oh, hi, Dr. Anderson. *stops and hugs the very large leather book he's carrying* You look kind of bemused. Was it Dad or Uncle Seamus?
Russell: Neither... I just got back from visiting one of Professor Ruteger and my creche siblings....
Sean: Oh! I didn't know you guys had any.
Russell: We were part of an average-sized creche, but there's only three of us left now... Professor Ruteger, our sister Archiva, and myself....
Sean: Archiva? Is she an alternate of the waitress at the Black Dog? Or the human lady Mom knows?
Russell: I think she's an alternate of the waitress... except the one I know personally was a scholar back on Cybertron.
Sean: The waitress was just a spark that Nemesis was given. *curious youngster, but still tired from his recent all nighter. Fumbles his big book and nearly drops it*
Russell: *moves to catch the book* You should go get some rest, Sean...
Sean: *winces, but then sighs with relief* Yeah, I'm going right now. I just stopped by the office to get my new book. The Phantom Scribbler took a break from the Anna Chronicles and wrote a novel that would fit in big journals like this. *eager grin* I've been waiting for two months for it.
Russell: The wait paid off then?
Sean: I hope so. They're a good writer. *explains* They're the person who hand writes their stories on packages of lined paper and then tie them together like a book and mail them out. Some people think they do 'The Bride' too.
Russell: *Chuckles* That's by a different group though....
Sean: *grins* Well, the art is. But I heard that at least the original idea for the 'Bride' story came from The Phantom Scribbler.
Russell: Huh... *Learned something new. Will make sure Sean's got a good grip on his book*
Rinny: *opens the door and grabs her mate to snog him silly*
Sean: *blink blink* Uh. I found you another comic book on Multinet Auctions, but I'll send you the URL later. *scoots!*
Black Dog
Col. Franklin: *looking around as he walks into the massive building beside Patrick*
Patrick: *looking around, chuckles when he sees an unpainted mech trailing after a mech that almost looks like Joe except for his cloak and mask*
blue femme that bears a resemblence to Serenity's root mode: *moves to approach* Hello... Would you like to sit at the bar, or at a table?
Col. Franklin: *looks at Patrick* I'm good with either, which do you recommend?
Patrick: The bar is fine.
blue femme: Alright. *Smiles* Would you like some help up there?
Col. Franklin: *again looks at Patrick*
blue and red femme: *darts past them and grabs the unpainted guy to show him something at a booth near the back*
Col. Franklin: 0_0
Patrick: I think we can manage on our own. But thanks for the offer, Showtime. *Boggles at the blue and red femme's actions*
Showtime: Alright. ^_^ *attention going to the blue and red femme, and then she's moving to remind Dahlia to be careful and to not try and feed Tarop-tim anything strange again*
Col. Franklin: Even without the floor shaking that was startling. *looks at the floor and wonders what it's made from that it didn't shake*
Patrick: No kidding... *Will move to lead the way to the ladder, nodding to the cloaked mech as he leads Col. Franklin past his feet*
cloaked mech: *nods to Patrick and goes to serve a table their orders*
Col. Franklin: Unless I miss my guess that was an alternate of Serenity? And the fellow in the cloak looks a lot like Joe...
Patrick: Yeah... Showtime and Tarantulus... Their reality is similar to Joe's... I wasn't aware that they have kids...
Col. Franklin: *startled look as he wonders why his friend should mention that* Kids?
Patrick: *As he moves to climb up the ladder* The unpainted one was acting like a new person...
mech's voice from above: Tarop-tim's only about a week old... and Dahlia was showing him something. *Chuckle*
Col. Franklin: *peers upward* But he's as big as a grown bot.
furry mech that looks sort of like a werewolf: In their reality, newbots don't start off small. *Will help Patrick up the rest of the way*
Col. Franklin: I see. *starts up himself, wondering what he'll find at the top*
furry mech: *Chuckles and will offer a hand up once Col. Franklin's within reach*
Dahlia: Mom! It's a BOOK. He wasn't SUPPOSED to taste it!
Col. Franklin: *thanks the furry mech, and then looks over toward the sound of youthful frustration*
Tarop-tim: *putting up a bit of fuss because Dahlia and Mama won't let him taste the book so he can learn about it that way!*
furry mech: *Quiet chuckle* Like I said, Tarop-tim's pretty new.... He's already tried tasting the Dens....
Little Huskey-looking pup: *doing a happy prancing dance around Patrick's feet and yipping*
Col. Franklin: *eyes twinkle behind his sunglasses* I see. *turns then and blinks as he comes face to nose with the biggest Malamute he's ever seen* ...Hi?
Pooka: Hi. I'm the black dog. The lemonade's really good. *touches the tip of his tongue to the human's forehead*
deep alto voice: Pooka, what've I told you about personal space?
Pooka: I'm being careful, Mom. *turns and jumps off the bar*
Col. Franklin: *looks toward the voice, and nearly steps off the bar himself*
furry mech: *quick to help Col. Franklin stay on the bar*
Huskey pup: *Yips at the owner of the alto voice, lookit his hind end wiggle!*
Patrick: *Calmly* This is neutral territory, Mike. Nemesis doesn't hurt customers...
Col. Franklin: The size... *blinks as he realizes there's something even BIGGER standing by the bar and drinking from a massive cube*
furry mech: That's a Blackout... Not the one who usually hangs around here...
Little furry femme that looks terrier-like: Yeah. That one's a guy.
Col. Franklin: ...He's huge.
furry mech: He's not as big as some, but he is pretty big... *Says the mech who's almost at eye-level with you, Col. Franklin*
terrier femme: Enough chit-chat, Wake.
Wake: *Chuckles* Alright, 'Clipsie... Weren't you going to finish fixing Desi's cog?
'Clipsie: *fondly* Teach your code donor's carrier to suck oil, mech. *Goes to situate herself at the end of the bar, is soon joined by the Huskey pup*
Col. Franklin: *looks at 'Wake'* ...Not as big as some? Is he a Cybertronian?
Wake: *nods* Bayverse tech. Those guys tend to be pretty big.
Col. Franklin: ...Bay?
Wake: Yeah. It's what mechs and femmes of their tech are called, 'cause apparently some guy named Bay designed their reality's looks in the realities where we're fiction, according to some of the stuff I've read in the Nexus Wiki. *Small grin* 'Clipsie, Lu and I are Beast-Era tech, which is an offshoot of Basic tech...
Col. Franklin: *looks at Patrick* *quietly* Is that why Sean was asking us about restraining orders against Michael Bay?
Patrick: No, Sean didn't want to have 'Shifters' ruined by someone's badly-written fanfiction.
Wake: Yeah... Michael Bay, in realities like Den and Dennis', basically makes our kind into glorified explosion generators... and does a lot of self-insert Gary Stu stuff... *moving to hop down behind the bar* So, what's your preference?
Col. Franklin: *looks around for the table* 'Self insert Gary Stu stuff'?
Patrick: Look up his stories when we get back home, and you'll see what this WakeJumper means... It's pretty bad.
Col. Franklin: *nods to Patrick, and then glances quickly toward the furry mech as he moves to sit at the nearest table* WakeJumper?
Wake: Yeah?
Col. Franklin: *brows lift slightly* Could I have a cup of coffee?
Wake: Sure thing. ^_^
Patrick: And one for me as well, please.
Wake: Gotcha. Two cups of coffee, coming right up. *Will go get coffee now*
Col. Franklin: *looks at Patrick, and then looks at the other patrons* ...Should I have specified what kind of coffee I wanted?
Patrick: I'm not sure....
'Clipsie: Depends on how picky you are about your coffee. *is working on repairing what looks like a massive handgun*
Col. Franklin: *looks toward the femme* What do you mean, Miss?
'Clipsie: Nem stocks a lot of different kinds of coffee. *Prying a part out and frowning at it, before muttering something about hoping Scattor can find time to work on what he was planning soon*
Col. Franklin: But wouldn't that mean that it's better to be specific? *watches her work*
'Clipsie: Just 'coffee' will get ya Maxwell House's normal grind from basic Earths. *and now she'll hold a tool between her lips, much like a certain ex-professor tended to do when he was working*
Col. Franklin: *relaxes and smiles* Ah, I see. *watches her a little more, and then glances quizzically to Patrick*
Patrick: She's one of many Eclipses in the Multiverse... I've seen one of Bayverse tech, one of Basic tech, and this one... Apparently, Jack's alternates in a few realities is married to Lisa's alternates...
Col. Franklin: *blinks and does a slight o.0 at that last thought* I... see.
'Clipsie: *A bit muffled due to the tool in her mouth* That's nothin'... Tarantulus used t' be an Optimus, 'n he's with a Showtime... 'N then there's the Showtime that's with a Blurr....
Col. Franklin: I was aware that Optimus often bonded with someone other than Elita-one. But the thought that Wheeljack would be with someone other than Ratchet does surprise me.
G1 Tracks: *sticks head in door* BLACKOUT HAS MISTLETOE!
several mechs: *vanish in PINflashes*
Col. Franklin: ...
'Clipsie: *looks to Patrick* You'd better run, mech.
Mal: *from under the upper part of the bar* That Optimus is claimed, dork.
'Clipsie: That hasn't stopped her before, Mal.
Vi: *is that little silvery shape chasing a feathery lizard-looking mech around and being ignored*
Mal: If she was gonna get this guy she'd have done it already. She don't mess with Elita-one.
'Clipsie: *Snort, works*
handgun: *Sudden string of cursing*
Nemesis: *pokes WakeJumper and tells him that he makes coffee like an old woman* She only oversteps claims on special occasions, Eclipse. Desinex, put a cork in it.
WakeJumper: Yeah, yeah... *chuckles and carefully sets two steaming mugs where Patrick and Col. Franklin can reach them* *Was talking to Hrafni and tShowtime about something*
tDesinex: *Grumbles*
Huskey pup: *going to scamper over so he's under the table, where he can curl up and have a nap*
Nemesis: Yeah, well you can tell Hrafni to get that slagging zurg out of my kitchen. We don't serve sentients, even if they're only drones.
WakeJumper: Are you sure? I think Hrafni could make a pretty tasty dish with that big land shrimp... *Chuckle*
Nem: *gives him a Look* It's a member of a sentient race. I'd lose my license.
WakeJumper: *ears down* Alright... *Will go tell Hrafni to get the zurg out of the kitchen*
Col. Franklin: *sitting with coffee halfway to his mouth* ...Zurg drones weren't sentient in the games.
Vi: *has gotten bored trying to get a rise out of the feathery lizard-mech she was chasing around, is on her way over to pester Patrick and Col. Franklin*
hsvLumen: *Is that loud "BRAAAAAAP" from a ways down the bar*
Vi: ... *how she manages to give him a 'You're pathetic' look is a mystery* That one's almost too easy... Hey, Mal! You're up! *Cackle*
Mal: Bite me. I'm going to the apartment to drink the rest of the botnog. And you don't get any. *PINpoints away*
Vi: ... Slaggit! *Gone after her sister*
Nemesis: *tells Col. Franklin to shut up, and then orders a giant spider from Archa Seven*
Col. Franklin: *looks at Patrick* Even the other Zurg ate them. ...Or was that the Tyranids?
Patrick: Tyranids.
Col. Franklin: Though in the realities where both are fictional Zurg are based on Tyranids.
Nemesis: *mutters about nerd cooties and goes to work on the other end of the bar with Rhinox*
Patrick: *Shrugs* I wouldn't really know much about that...
'Clipsie: *looks up suddenly* Aw, slag. Some big bot just startled Wake without meaning to... *Sighs and sets tDesinex under the table with the Huskey pup* Nem, I'll be right back.
Col. Franklin: *watches the furry femme go, then looks under the table before glancing to Patrick again* Is it safe to talk about that business you were going to show me here?
Patrick: It should be.
tDesinex: It's not like I give a slag about what you're gonna say.
Col. Franklin: Why did she put you there, anyway?
tDesinex: Because I can't move right now, and this way, if Lumen wakes up, I'll have someone to talk to who isn't clear over on the other side of the bar or in the kitchen.
Col. Franklin: *looks at the pup and understands* I see.
tDesinex: If big green comes over, you'll get to see Kriti... and if she ever stops warming her aft, you'll get to see Showtime.
Col. Franklin: *kindly, curious, and polite* Is it important for me to see them?
tDesinex: Not really. Just saying if they ever show up, you'll get to see 'em.
Col. Franklin: Ah. I see. *slight smile, and then he's looking to Patrick* You wanted to show me a letter?
Patrick: *nods and gets the letter he recieved the day he got Lt. Keller's letter* I'm not sure if this guy's serious or not, but this is pretty expensive paper...
Col. Franklin: *sees the return address and frowns deeply* He's serious.
Patrick: ...
Col. Franklin: Yes, I can tell you that without even reading the letter. NEST knows about Shaun Berger.
Patrick: ... You've dealt with him before, I take it?
Col. Franklin: Not personally, but he's given President Pratt several headaches.
Patrick: ... Oh joy. One of those. *He remembers meeting President Pratt when she visited the school a couple years back, and just how patient the woman was*
Col. Franklin: He's been running for senator in Oregon for several years now. Thankfully thus far his campaigns have been unsuccessful. However, that doesn't stop him from trying to advise our President.
Patrick: I've met the President, and if Mr. Berger's given her headaches, I'm willing to bet she's had to use every ounce of willpower not to slug him.
Col. Franklin: *deadpan* I'm pretty sure I know the origin of a raw egg that somehow showed up on the seat of his Rolls Royce after one visit.
Patrick: ... Wouldn't put it past her.
And in Washington D.C....
President Pratt: *having a sneezing fit*
Back at the Black Dog
Col. Franklin: Berger has his own private army, and runs his Oregon ranch like a micronation. *leans forward, folding his hands together over the letter* He also owns most of the shares in the company which we've found to be actually responsible for the kidnapping attempt.
Patrick: *grip on his coffee cup tightens to the point his knuckles go white*
Col. Franklin: It's called Megacorp.
Patrick: ... *Frowning muchly now*
Col. Franklin: They covered their trail well with layers of dummy corporations, but my people are used to unraveling things.
Patrick: Megacorp... Something about that...
Col. Franklin: *lifts a brow* Megatron?
Patrick: Possibly....
Col. Franklin: We're still looking deeper. *sips coffee*
Patrick: Who's doing the looking? *is thinking about asking Rumble, Rewind, or Frenzy to help out*
Col. Franklin: Some of my people. They've asked me to put in a request for Blaster's assistance.
Patrick: See if Rumble and Frenzy will help. They can make even the best human hacker look like an amateur.
Col. Franklin: *surprised* The twins who turn into ferrets?
Patrick: *nods* And Rewind and Eject are just as skilled at covering tracks...
Col. Franklin: ...We're talking about the pair of little bots who nearly drowned in the toilet the other day, right?
Patrick: I never said they had a lot of common sense....
Col. Franklin: *looks under the table at the fit of snorting giggles that originates there, then back to Patrick* You're sure they can do the job?
Patrick: If you offer them a box of Krispy Kremes, they'd gladly do it.
Col. Franklin: *slow headshake as the corners of his mouth twitch upward* Any certain kind?
Patrick: Any kind with a hole in the middle.
Col. Franklin: *chuckles at that*
Patrick: They're obsessed with 'round noms'.
Col. Franklin: I see.
Patrick: *ignoring the snickerfit underneath the table* Xiaobei needs to know about this... If we need more data than Rumble and Frenzy can get, she's skilled at covert operations.
Col. Franklin: NEST has their own covert operatives as well. *peering under the table, then remembers the other issue he was going to bring up and reaches into his suit jacket to pull out an envelope, which he slides across the table to Patrick*
Patrick: *Blink blink, reaches for the envelope*
Col. Franklin: *expression is serious as he watches his friend take it*
Patrick: *curious as he studies the envelope*
envelope: *plain and white*
Patrick: *moves to carefully open the envelope*
envelope contents: *one school size photograph of an Asian girl who appears about twelve years old. There's writing on the back*
Patrick: *Turns the photograph over* *Raised brow as he reads the writing* Kriti Otasan.... Has she been confirmed as what this says she is?
Col. Franklin: She was hit by a car as she bicycled home from school.
Patrick: Where was she living? *Frowning as he tries to think where he's seen features like Kriti's*
Col. Franklin: Barre, Vermont. The woman who claimed to be her mother had her enrolled in Central Vermont Academy, a local private school.
Patrick: *Quietly* There's something eerily familiar about her...
Col. Franklin: Patsy Otasan worked for Stark Industries.
Patrick: .... *And then things fall into place and he's gone quite pale*
Col. Franklin: *looks at Eclipse as she returns* Excuse me, Miss.
'Clipsie: *Trying to get Wake down below the bar, which is made more difficult by how shaky the mech is* *Sounding quite tensed* If you need something, ask Rhinox...
Col. Franklin: Excuse me. *looks under the table* Desinex, you mentioned someone named Kriti?
tDesinex: Yeah. She, Showtime and I are triplets.
Col. Franklin: ...Are you spark triplets? Or build triplets?
tDesinex: Both. We're a weaponry team.
Col. Franklin: *frowns* The Showtime and Desinex of my reality aren't related spark-wise.
tDesinex: Most Showtimes and Desinexes aren't.
Col. Franklin: So you aren't a true alternate of the Desinex that I know, then.
tDesinex: Maybe, maybe not.
Col. Franklin: Do you know anything about any other Krities? Have you ever met one here?
tDesinex: I know of one other... Haven't ever met her... She's from the youngling Starscream's reality, but lives in a Bayverse reality with a Perceptor and Kia... If you ever meet the Jazz who voices Captain Disaster, that's her uncle.
Col. Franklin: *looks to Patrick to see if he knows any of these bots*
Patrick: ... I know which Starscream she means...
Col. Franklin: *to Desinex* Do you know if the Showtime and Desinex of her reality are spark sisters?
tDesinex: The Showtime and Desinex of her reality are dead.
Col. Franklin: Do you know if they were spark sisters?
tDesinex: Not likely...
Col. Franklin: Why do you say that?
tDesinex: Because my sisters and I are sort of lonestars. I've never found any records of Showtimes and Desinexes being spark sisters. Chosen sisters, yes, spark sisters, no.
Col. Franklin: So then this Kriti wasn't physically related to the Showtime and Desinex of her reality.
tDesinex: She was, because her spark was created when the Showtime and Desinex of her reality got blasted with a fusion cannon, and their sparks, and parts of their shells, fused.
Col. Franklin: *just went ashen pale under his natural tan*
Patrick: *Just took a topple out of his chair*
tDesinex: She's about two years old now, and she's about ten feet tall, if that...
Col. Franklin: *very quietly* I... see. *going to push his chair back and put his head down now*
Nemesis: *without turning* Showtime! Sick squishy!
Showtime: I'm on it *Getting a bucket*
tDesinex: He asked about the Kriti from Starscream and 'Clipsie's reality.
Nemesis: *just snorts and goes to mix a drink*
Showtime: *Back with a bucket*
Col. Franklin: *head still down as he takes deep breaths*
Showtime: *Quiet, soothing clicks as she very gently rubs Col. Franklin's back*
Col. Franklin: *startles slightly at the touch and looks up at her, then sees the bucket and shakes his head slightly* Please, see to my friend.
Showtime: *Small nod, will gently lift Patrick up and click to him quietly*
Patrick: *shaking just slightly*
Col. Franklin: *leans elbow on table and head on hand as he pulls over the picture of the young girl and looks at it*
Kriti in the picture: *bears a strong resemblence to Sora, but also looks like she could be related to Serenity*
Col. Franklin: But our Showtime and Desinex are alive. And Stark never got their hands on Showtime.
Showtime: You're from Sora's reality? *Yes, she's heard of Stark*
Col. Franklin: I'm from his reality. *nods to Patrick*
Showtime: *Small frown, remembering something the woman in question said one time when she and her mate had stopped by* *Quietly* And that Stark company messed with her spark, right?
Col. Franklin: I'm... not at liberty to disclose personal information about Mrs. Mahi. *other than his mention just now that she's alive*
Showtime: The reason I ask is because if they could have done that... They could have manipulated coding to the point that it resembles my coding...
Col. Franklin: *eyebrows shoot upward*
Patrick: *Still a bit shaken from what tDesinex said*
Showtime: *Quietly* Maybe you should bring him home... *Will offer Patrick to Col. Franklin*
Col. Franklin: Patrick? Lt. Col. Oberson?
Patrick: *quietly* They were.... fusion cannon....
Col. Franklin: *deep breath* Don't think about it. Think of the little girl that we have to deal with.
Patrick: *taking deep breaths*
Col. Franklin: *inspiration* Think about drunk recorders in the toilet.
Patrick: .... *Facepalm*
Col. Franklin: And Grimlock with your basketball. *yes, he heard about that incident*
Patrick: *Slight scowl behind his hand*
Col. Franklin: *squeezes his shoulder* *quietly* When do you want to see her?
Patrick: *Quietly* How badly is she hurt?
Col. Franklin: Some abrasions that would have required stitches if she were human, and a dislocated shoulder.
Patrick: No head injuries?
Col. Franklin: Only some bruises.
Patrick: Where's she being treated?
Col. Franklin: Right now she's still in a guarded room at the local hospital.
Patrick: *small nod* How soon can she be moved to the Ark?
Col. Franklin: She's physically able to be moved now. But I'd rather not force her to come against her will.
hsvLumen: *just outside the door* HAH! She got Jazzimus Prime!
Patrick: Let's talk to her as soon as possible...
Col. Franklin: *nods and takes out his wallet to pay for the coffee, ignoring Lumen's startled yell as a tall black and purple femme grabs him*
Showtime: *Will set Patrick on his feet*
Col. Franklin: *looks toward Nemesis, and then offers Showtime his credit card*
Showtime: *Takes care of the payment and offers Col. Franklin his card back*
Col. Franklin: Please don't forget a tip.
Showtime: It's been taken care of. *smile*
Col. Franklin: Alright. *slight smile in return as he takes the card and puts it away* Thank you.
Showtime: *more smile* Have a nice day.
Patrick: *Already quietly musing about what Kriti Otasan's temperament is, given that she's related to Sora*
Col. Franklin: *as he stands and reaches for his PINpoint* From what I know of her at the moment, she's angry.
Patrick: *Very slight wince as he reaches to put a hand on Col. Franklin's shoulder* I've seen Sora angry... Back on Cybertron... It was more than mildly terrifying, truth be told...
Col. Franklin: *rueful* Dr. House's reports suggest that Kriti's isn't much fun either. *PINpoints them to a small shed in an alley around the corner from the hospital*
Patrick: *Quietly* But how old is she, in actuality? *has a very slight hunch, is hoping his hunch is right*
Col. Franklin: *just as quiet as he opens the door of the shed* Probably a few months older than Ryan, since her spark wasn't stored.
Patrick: *Small nod* She's probably scared out of her wits...
Col. Franklin: *heading toward the end of the alley* Her whole world and everything she believed is a lie. Of course she is.
Patrick: *Small nod, moves to follow* Poor thing...
Col. Franklin: *silent as he leads the way into the hospital and up to the room at the end of a hall in the third floor children's ward. Nods to the guards at the door, and then knocks on it*
Dr. House: *opens door, his other hand busy wiping water and broken flower petals off his front*
Col. Franklin: ...What happened?
Dr. House: *wryly* I think it was a test of the flight capabilities of a cheap crystal vase and some carnations.
Patrick: ... *Raised brow, which is soon joined by its twin over his other eye when he hears the rude and slightly hysterical words coming from the girl in the bed*
Col. Franklin: *glances at Patrick, and then turns back to Dr. House* Why don't you go take a break, James? Lt. Col. Oberson and I need to talk to Kriti.
Dr. House: Okay. Watch out for the glass on the floor.
Patrick: *nod* We'll be careful.
Col. Franklin: *pauses just inside and to one side of the door, his expression filling with pity and concern* Kriti, Lt. Col. Oberson needs to talk to you now.
Kriti: *just Looks at Col. Franklin, the beginnings of a scowl coming to her face* ~I want to go home. I don't want to be here.~
Patrick: *Quietly* ~That isn't an option, Kriti.~
Kriti: *GLARES at Patrick. How dare he understand what she's saying!*
Col. Franklin: ~I'm sorry, Kriti. But what Lt. Col. Oberson says is true.~ *though with the way the girl was seemingly deliberately garbling her Japanese he's not totally sure what she was saying*
Kriti: *Reaching for something to throw, but since she threw the vase with carnations at Dr. House, nothing's in grabbing range* ~You're lying!~ *Trying to keep the tears that have come to her eyes hidden*
Patrick: *Gently* ~You need to rest... You're going to make yourself sick if you don't...~
Col. Franklin: *turns his attention to the glass that he just stepped on. Will carefully start to clean it up now*
Kriti: *Calls Patrick something she probably shouldn't know how to say, but does*
Patrick: *ignoring that* ~Would you rather have a female doctor treat your injuries, Kriti?~
Kriti: *Thrown for a loop now*
Col. Franklin: *getting a mop, broom, and dust pan from the guards. Yes, the man in the black suit is doing this work*
Kriti: .... *taking deep breaths and trying to make sense of this, and everything else that has happened since she was hit by that car*
Col. Franklin: *quietly cleans up her mess, then picks up the flowers and shortens the broken stems before going to the sink and putting them all into a dixie cup of water* *seems to be unaware of what Kriti and Patrick are doing and saying*
Kriti: *Thinking to herself that robots don't get doctors, because they aren't really people...*
Patrick: *again offering to have a female doctor treat her injuries... though this time, he just gets a scowly pout in response*
Col. Franklin: *walks over and sets the flowers just out of Kriti's reach*
Kriti: *Scowls at him too*
Col. Franklin: *looks back at her calmly, his dark eyes holding his sympathy* Dr. Ruteger is a nice person.
Kriti: *Flatly* ~Robots don't get doctors.~
Col. Franklin: You're not a robot. You're a Cybertronian.
Kriti: ~Same difference.~
Patrick: ~Actually, there is a difference. Cybertronians are sentient.~
Kriti: *Attention back on Patrick* *More scowl, though there is puzzlement and a slight hint of curiosity in her expression*
Patrick: *Will give a very brief crash-course in Cybertronian history, from the beginning when all Cybertronians were merely slave drones created by the Quintessons, to the present*
Col. Franklin: *listening as well. This is his first time to hear much of this history*
Kriti: *boggling a bit by the end of the history lesson, but is also quite curious*
Patrick: *Can see Kriti is interested in learning more about the history of the Cybertronian race* ~There are others who know more of the history of the race than even I do... They work at the Ark base down in Blacksburg, Virginia...~
Kriti: *not bothering to try and garble her pronounciations* ~.... There are more Cybertronian historians?~ *Yup. She's definitely interested now*
Col. Franklin: *slight smile as he watches the now calmer sparklet*
Patrick: ~There are... And there is also someone who lived through the Quintesson-Cybertronian war and the other skirmishes that followed as our people formed a society...~
Kriti: *Blink blink, curiously* ~You are Cybertronian?~
Patrick: *nods* ~I am...~ *A bit surprised that Kriti didn't realize that from how much he told of the history, but then he notices something and pings Col. Franklin's comm* //I don't think she knows how to go into sleep mode... She's exhausted, almost to the point of shut-down...//
Col. Franklin: *frowns with surprised concern and pokes himself in the ear as he murmurs* //Do you know how to help her?//
Patrick: *quietly answering another question about Cybertronians for Kriti as he responds* //I don't think she'd let me trigger her sleep mode... She's curious about us, but she's not ready to trust me yet...//
Col. Franklin: //What can we do?//
Patrick: *As he asks Kriti if she would like to meet some of the historians in person and gets an affirmative answer* //We need to introduce her to Rachel... And possibly Autumn...//
Col. Franklin: *nods and gets out his cell phone. Speaks for a moment, and then frowns* Dr. Ruteger says she can't leave her mate and sparklets right now.
Rachel: *clearly over the phone* //No. I said babies. Jack and I are sitting for Seamus and Starpounder's twins.//
Patrick: *Soft sound, attention going to Kriti as she tries to sit up more*
Kriti: *Slight headtilt, curious about what 'sparklets' means, and who the lady on the other end is in relation to the white guy with the glasses*
Col. Franklin: What is it, Kriti?
Kriti: Sparklets?
Col. Franklin: *gives her his slight smile* It's what Cybertronian babies are called.
Kriti: *blink blink. Hadn't realized Cybertronians could have babies*
Patrick: There are quite a few sparklets at the Ark base as well, Kriti...
Rachel: *still on the phone* //Chief? Can you hear me?// *sound of new baby squeaks and coos behind her*
Col. Franklin: *offers Patrick the phone*
Patrick: *accepts the phone* I can, Rachel. What's up?
Rachel: //What do you need a lady medic for? Will Bea do?//
Patrick: Have you spoken to Col. Franklin about why he and I are in Vermont yet? *Yes, that's a sneaky look on his face*
Rachel: //No. He just asked me if I was free.//
Patrick: Ah... Give me a few moments... *Will e-mail her the gist of the situation*
Rachel: *silent for a moment as one of the twins sneezes and squeaks a giggle about it* *then, tersely* //Got it, Chief. I think Bea could help.//
Patrick: Alright. How soon can she get here?
Rachel: //Is PINpointing go?//
Patrick: Let me check... *To Col. Franklin* Is there someplace nearby that Bea could PINpoint to without incident?
Col. Franklin: *considering look, and then reaches for the phone* Let me see what I can do.
Patrick: *To Rachel* Switch to comms, Mike needs his phone back...
Rachel: *does so, leaving a last baby belly laugh before the phone buzzes*
Patrick: *hands the phone back to Col. Franklin* //So what happened to earn a baby laugh?// *has a slight grin on his face*
Kriti: *Blinking a bit and appears to have tuned the conversation out, along with most of her surroundings*
Rachel: //Daniel's got hold of Jack's nose, and Jack's snorting and growling at him.//
Patrick: *Soft chuckle* //Glad to hear Jack is feeling better... And that he's having a good time...//
Rachel: //You see why I have to stick around, then, huh?//
Patrick: //Yeah...// *attention going to Kriti briefly* *Quieter* //We'll have to tread carefully with Sora, Ryan, Destiny, and Serenity once Kriti arrives at the base...//
Rachel: *voice loses its mirth* //She didn't even know what she was?//
Patrick: //Not till the accident, no... She doesn't even know how to go into sleep mode... And unfortunately, it seems that her 'mother' has taught her Stark's mentality regarding non-organic lifeforms...// *Quiet sigh*
Rachel: //Does her body even have what it needs to go into proper recharge?//
Patrick: //I can't tell... My scanners aren't medic-grade...//
Rachel: //Right.// *sigh* //Well Joe and Bea are on their way.//
Patrick: //Bea's been debriefed?//
Rachel: //I sent her what you just sent me.//
Patrick: //Alright...// *Another quiet sigh as he glances at the exhausted sparklet* //Poor Kriti's whole life has been one big lie...//
Rachel: *voice holding that quiet edge that has made large Decepticons stop in their tracks* //Chief?//
Patrick: //...Yes, Rachel?//
Rachel: //I'm already having a hard time keeping myself from getting mad and setting Missy off. Don't rub it in, alright?//
Patrick: //Alright...// *Changing the subject* //Did the interactive digital fish score a hit with Destiny?//
Rachel: //Heh. Yes. She's crazy about them.//
Joe: *is that siren sound as he pulls up in front of the hospital with Bumblebee's car mode on a flatbed with an ambulance*
Patrick: *Chuckles* //Have you had to have Simon carry her to bed yet? And I hear Joe...//
Rachel: //Nope. She slept by her fish last night. And has he got the ambulance?// *slight laughter in her voice at that last*
Patrick: //Why am I not surprised? Lemme check...// *Will look out through the window and chuckle softly* //I see Joe with an ambulance and Bumblebee on a flatbed.//
Rachel: //I thought that's how he'd bring it.// *amused*
Patrick: //Okay, what's so funny?//
Rachel: //Joe is. But I have to go. Silas just realized that his thumb isn't filling his tummy.//
Patrick: //Alright. You've got plenty of duct tape to keep Jack from sitting up too soon, right?// *is teasing, yes*
Rachel: //That's hard for him to do with the babies laying on him.// *yes, she sounds a bit smug* //Rachel out.//
Patrick: *Chuckles* //You're a dork. Patrick out//
Col. Franklin: *watching at the window*
Patrick: *Amused* Joe brought an ambulance.
Col. Franklin: He chose an interesting way to do it.
Patrick: Yeah... *Chuckles and thinks to himself that if he were more sizable, he'd have done the exact same thing*
Kriti: *Just barely turning her head to look at Col. Franklin and Patrick*
Col. Franklin: It belongs to your people?
Patrick: I have no idea, to be honest...
Col. Franklin: *amused* Well if it was one of ours it would have come with a driver.
Patrick: We'll ask him about it later... Right now, it's more important to help Kriti...
Kriti: Bhuh? *Someone said her name... why?*
Col. Franklin: *looks toward the girl, and then to the door as someone knocks*
Patrick: *moves to answer the door, giving Kriti a concerned glance as he goes*
Bea: *looks up, is clad in all her usual quiet black-clad glory* We got here as soon as we could, sir.
Patrick: *Nods and moves to let Bea into the room* Thank you for coming, Bea.
Bea: *big blue eyes sweep the room as she comes in, a soldier's instinct that looks out of place with her innocent and youthful looks. Spots Kriti and approaches the bed softly and humbly* Hi...
Kriti: *A bit muzzily, fighting sleep deprivation-induced brainfog* Hi....
Bea: *frown of concern* You're really sleepy, huh?
Kriti: *takes a few moments to process the question, before she nods slowly*
Bea: *softly* Is it okay if I help you with that?
Kriti: *Slight wibble as she nods again*
Bea: *puts out a gentle hand and lays it on Kriti's uninjured shoulder as she scans the girl's frame to see what sort of systems she has*
Kriti: *whoever built her shell had a very basic grasp of how Cybertronians are constructed in this reality. She doesn't even have a proper fuel tank. Instead, there is an electric converter and what looks like a cord of some sort in her upper chest area, as well as what looks almost like a signal receiver of some kind*
Bea: *closer study for the signal receiver, her eyes going intent as she looks with sensors strained to their utmost range from where she's sitting on the flat bed*
receiver: *is wired in a way that when it receives a certain signal, it triggers shutdown mode, and when it receives a different signal, triggers powerup mode*
Bea: *flickers slightly as she flips the remote switch*
Kriti: *slumps, eyes closing as she goes limp*
Patrick: *Soft sound of surprise*
Bea: She's asleep now, sir. *solidifying again as she looks up at him*
Patrick: How did you do that?
Bea: *blinks, and then explains about the remote switch, her eyes going from him to Col. Franklin as the human listens intently*
Patrick: *Quietly* How different is her construction from the reality's norm?
Bea: *bit of a frown* Really different. Even her processor isn't that well made.
Patrick: *lips thinning a bit as he nods and forwards a message to Merlin and Russell, asking one of them to make a youngling protoform. Will also provide details such as height and structural notes they'll need to consider to make the protoform at least look like Kriti's current one*
Bea: //It might be a good thing to make it so we could charge her while she slept, like I think she's used to. At least that's what her construction seems to indicate. If we change things too fast it will confuse her really badly.//
Russell: //It will be at least a week and a half before we can even have the basic framework done... We only have sparklet shells and adult shells finished currently... And we need time to figure out...// *Trails off, just had a lightbulb moment* //I think we could modify a berth...//
Joe: //You can buy protoforms of different tech in the Nexus.//
Bea: //A berth?//
Russell: //She needs time to get used to being around other Cybertronians... And if she's used to charging while she sleeps, providing a berth that she can draw a charge from while sleeping would be easier on her systems. Not to mention that we're not pressed for materials any longer... Building a youngling protoform for her isn't an urgent need at the moment... It is important, but it's more important to provide for her immediate needs.//
Bea: //Alright. But as soon as we get her back to base I'm going to have to work on her spark compartment. The builder really didn't know what they were doing, and her spark's under strain.//
Russell: //We'll have the main operating room ready for you, Bea.//
Bea: //Thank you, sir.//
Russell: //Be careful coming back... Russell out.// *Closes the connection*
Bea: *slightly frightened expression*
Patrick: *moves to gently patpat her shoulder* *Gently* Everything's going to be okay. Let's get Kriti checked out of here so we can bring her home, alright?
Bea: *quietly* Was he warning us? Or does he just say that?
Patrick: He just says it... I honestly think the only thing you'd have to worry about would be a thunderpurr from Steeljaw.
Bea: *deep breath as she forces herself to relax* Oh. Okay.
Col. Franklin: *starts toward the door* I'll see about getting Kriti released.
Patrick: *nods* Alright... Does she have any clothes here other than hospital gowns? *is wondering if he should call Lisa and have her bring a change of clothes for Kriti, since the blonde is nearly the same size as the sparklet*
Col. Franklin: Only what she was wearing at the scene of the accident. We haven't been able to send people to her kidnapper's house yet.
Bea: I've got some things that Joe bought me and I forgot about them in my trunk.
Patrick: *glances to Bea, small nod* I think those would fit her...
Bea: ...They're like, baby blue and colours like that. *slight nose wrinkle at her mate's nearly forgotten attempt to get her out of black*
Patrick: *Soft chuckle at Bea's expression* Alright. Do you want me to go get them?
Bea: Joe's bringing them.
Patrick: *Nod* Okay. *Attention going back to the sleeping sparklet, a bit of sadness in his eyes as he thinks about how she's almost been robbed of a proper childhood*
Bea: *sighs and gently brushes Kriti's hair away from her face* She's just a baby, isn't she?
Patrick: *Quietly* She's a little older than Ryan...
Bea: *sighs* Her processor looks crammed. Her creator had no idea how to program properly for someone her age.
Col. Franklin: *thin lips*
Patrick: *frown* What about her spark?
Bea: It should be alright once we get the compartment fixed.
Patrick: *Deep breath as he nods* Alright.
Joe: *is that knock on the door*
Patrick: *Will move to open the door for him*
Joe: Thanks. I have the things Bea asked me to bring up. *offers the pretty shop bags*
Patrick: *nods, still a bit troubled* *Quietly* I need to let Bess know that there's a sparklet interested in the history of our people...
Joe: *pauses, and then chuckles slightly as his eyes darken a bit* She'll probably be glad to teach it.
Patrick: *Quiet sigh, glancing back over his shoulder at Kriti, who shows no signs of waking up*
Bea: Do we really need to dress her now? Couldn't we send the gown back afterward? *hand still on the sleeping sparklet's shoulder*
Patrick: *nods before moving to head out into the hallway so he can call Bess*
Joe: *goes out too, to grab the gurney he brought*
Patrick: *Is sitting on the floor as he calls Bess*
Bess: //Yes, Patrick?//
Patrick: *Sticking to comms* //There's a sparklet that will be arriving at the base soon... She's got an interest in history... But her processor is nowhere near standard construction... She's human built...//
Bess: //...Human built?//
Patrick: *Describes Kriti's shell, including the materials used to make it* //Her spark... contains coding created from Sharpshot's...//
Bess: //Is this something to do with those humans you told me about?//
Patrick: //It does...//
Bess: //I'll tell her what she needs to know.// *voice sad but full of compassion*
Patrick: //Bea said her processor looks crammed... And I gave her a very brief crash-course on our history... Enough to clarify a few things...//
Bess: //Alright. ...Where were they keeping her?//
Patrick: //She was living with one of the humans who worked for the company, and believed that human woman was her mother... We're in Vermont right now, at the closest hospital to where she lived... She was hit by a car on her way home from the private school she was attending...//
Bess: *grim now* //So she had no idea what she is?//
Patrick: //She didn't even know how to go into sleep mode on her own...//
Bess: *says a non cuss word like it's a curse*
Patrick: //Russell and Merlin are going to make her a youngling protoform when they have the time to... Being in a smaller body would confuse her too much...//
Bess: //And she's already got a lot to work through.//
Joe: *accidentally runs over Patrick's toe as he drives the gurney past*
Patrick: *Startled yelp both out loud and over comms*
Bess: //Patrick??//
Joe: Sorry .>_<.
Bea: 0_0
Patrick: *Out loud as well* //I'm okay... Just startled me more than anything....//
Bess: //But what happened?//
Patrick: *A bit sheepish due to his overreaction* //Joe accidentally ran over my toe...//
Bess: *silence and then laughter before she sobers* //Joe... he's that tall, dark-haired boy?//
Patrick: //The one who is married to Bea, yes...//
Bess: //...Why does he give me such sad looks?//
Patrick: *Quietly* //If I had to guess... Because you remind him of his creator...//
Bess: //Do I?//
Patrick: //I believe so... Because he is an alternate of mine...// *Wanted to wait to explain about the multiverse and alternates, but it looks like he'll have to explain sooner than later*
Bess: *soft intake of breath* //An alternate of yours?//
Patrick: *Explains about alternates and the multiverse*
Bess: ... //So he's you. Only he's not as old as you are.//
Patrick: //Yes... And he and Bea are Exiles... They can't return to their realities of origin...//
Bess: //Why not?//
Patrick: //I don't know why Bea can't return... but Joe... Joe is dead in his reality...//
Bess: *startled* //What?//
Patrick: *tells Bess about how Joe came to live in the reality*
Bess: *silent as she listens* //I'm going to have to ask you more about this soon...//
Joe: //We're ready, sir.//
Patrick: *To Bess* //Alright...// *To Joe* //Has she been checked out at the front desk?//
Joe: //Colonel Franklin did that.//
Bess: //Bess out.//
Patrick: *To Bess* //Patrick out.// *To Joe* //Let's get going then...//
Joe: //We're just waiting for you, sir.//
Patrick: *moving to get up* //I'm coming...// *gains his feet, and then walks slowly from the children's wing and out of the hospital, praying for Kriti and what she'll face in the days ahead*
((Written with random_xtras))